《The dragon's harem》 Chapter 1 Hatching, Birth Of The Void Dragon. A ck shooting star flew in the middle of the day. CLING! It blinked with a quick sh. All the wizards, sorcerers, and arcane schrs sensed it as well. They felt the immense being who flew above them. A ck egg fell from the sky, rumbling. BAM! It smacked into the middle of a forest. The countdown immediately started. Time until hatching, 4096 seconds: The egg is 1.5 meters in diameter and rumbles quietly. Time until hatching, 3072 seconds: The egg is 1.2 meters in diameter. The rumbling became a bit louder. Time until hatching, 2048 seconds: the egg is 0.9 meters in diameter. The egg went silent. Time until hatching, 1536 seconds: the egg is 0.75 meters in diameter. A quiet hissing surrounded the egg. Time until hatching, 1024 seconds: The egg is 0.6 meters in diameter. It started smoking, and upon further inspection. The ground beneath it is the one smoking. Time until hatching, 512 seconds: The egg is 0.45 meters in diameter. The smoke stopped, and the egg started floating. Time until hatching, 256 seconds: The egg is 0.3 meters in diameter. The egg becamepletely round, losing its egg shape. Time until hatching, 128 seconds: The egg is 0.27 meters in diameter. The pressure is reaching critical levels. Time until hatching, 64 seconds: The egg is 0.25 meters in diameter. The egg started sucking air like a vacuum. Time until hatching, 32 seconds: The egg is 0.22 meters in diameter. The egg went silent, seeming to calm down. Time until hatching, 16 seconds: The egg is 0.2 meters in diameter. The light around the egg started to bend. It''s about to hatch. CRACK! The egg hatched quietly, and the creature was born. Arad opened his eyes, and his heat was hurting. He looked around, dazed, "Where am I?" [Happy birth second, minute, hour, and day. A happy century and millennium, Arad Orion] A voice rang in his head. Arad looked around, surprised, touching his head to check it. "Who are you?" [A shard of your mother''s consciousness. Void dragons leave a part of themselves with their children instead of raising them.] "Isn''t that bad parenting?" Arad asked with a worried face. [Not with the situation we''re facing. We void dragons are on the brink of extinction. We should focus on making more babies than raising them. At least until we reach stable numbers.] "So, my mother is already working on my siblings?" He asked, lifting one eyebrow as he started into the forest. [Exactly, and you should do the same. Since we void dragons start maturing before we even hatch, you should already have the basic knowledge to survive.] "I can''t mate with other void dragons as we repel each other, and that''s why we''re almost extinct. On the other hand, I should look for mates from humanoids. Not all of them can bear a void dragon egg, so I should choose wisely." He muttered what was going on in his head. [Don''t forget. The mother''s consciousness is what decides the child''s personality and goals. If you got an unwilling mate. The child will hunt you right after birth.] Arad looks around at the vast forest, listening to the birds chirping. "What now? Should I find a humanoid and suggest it?" [No, you''re better off hiding your identity until you build a bond of trust. From your mother''s experience, mages and wizards will hunt you for their experiments.] "Can''t I just beat them? Am a void dragon, after all." Arad looked at the ants climbing the tree. [Correction, a newborn void dragon. Even those who could level countries have got killed withbined efforts.] "Then what could I do now? Get stronger?" [Excactly, and you better find a ce to spend the night inside. And speaking about your powers, let me show you.] "My powers?" [This is what other people will see when inspecting you.] ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Human][ss: Sorcerer] [Level: 1/20][Exp: 300][Sub-ss: Pyromancer] [Stats] [Strength: 11] [Agility: 14] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 18] [Intelligence: 17] [Wisdom: 9] [HP: 11][MP: 22][SP: 12] ---------------- [Skills] [Innate Skills] [Draconic Bloodline: Fire] [Draconic Scales] [Resistance] [Fire] [Immunities] Non [Magic] Non ************ "My stats are hidden. What are my real stats then" Arad asked. [Look. Higher, but not by much.] ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 1/20][Exp: 300][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Stats] [Strength: 12] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 27][MP: 29][SP: 27] ---------------- [Skills] [ws] [Bite] [Innate Skills] [Void Magic: The ability to use void magic to for the elements out] [Void Power: the ability to wield void itself] [Alternate Form: Shifting from a draconic to a humanoid form] [Breath Weapon: A st of all-consuming void] [Void Biology: The void dragon is alive. But not made of flesh and bones.] [Void Eyes: The void eyes can detect magic, see in the dark, and detect invisible creatures.] [Void Existence: The void dragon is made of the infinite void and is aware of everything in contact with it. It also allows the dragon to store items within its infinite stomach pouch where neither time nor space exists] [Void Walk: The Void Dragon can teleport up 40 meters to a spot it can see.] [Resistance] [All Elements] [Immunities] [Time Magic] [Space Magic] [Magic] Non ************ "Right now am a sorcerer. How can I use mes?" [You can use the void to rub the air particles together and force an ignition. But I suggest letting air inside you first before heating it.] "That would make me look more like a legitimate sorcerer who can conjure the elements." Arad was catching up quickly on how to use his power. Arad took a deep breath and closed his eyes. [Compress it, heat it.] Sizzled! mes started emerging between his lips, and his hands burst into mes almost immediately. "I did it. It wasn''t that hard," Arad said with a big smile. But then he looked down and noticed the clothes he wore. [Your mother might not have the time to raise you herself. But she made sure you got all the basics to start with.] Arad was wearingmoner clothes, a nk brown shirt, and pants. He had a small dagger on his waist and a sizeable pouch by his side. "But couldn''t she drop me close to a city or something?" [Your egg took some time to hatch, which would reveal your identity. But don''t worry, this forest is the safest in this whole continent. You won''t find an easier ce to start.] "I see. let''s get going then." Arad started walking between the thick trees, looking for any humanoid traces. It only took him half an hour to reach the forest edge. Behind it, the vast green hills glittered with the city behind them. "I see it, a city." Arad pointed with his finger and a big smile on his face. "Do you know what city it is?" [No, I only have the basic knowledge.] Arad looked around, "Can I sleep in the city?" [You will need money to pay for an inn. Your best bet to get money is killing monsters.] Arad nodded, "I can hear some rustling in the distance. I bet it''s some humanoids fighting monsters." He turned around and walked toward the noise. [Calling them humanoid is weird. Make sure to call them people.] CLING! CLANG! "Get Behind me, don''t drop your defense." A young man in armor shouted. He swung his sword at the goblins ahead of him. The goblins dodged by leaping around. The young man was too slow for them to be scared. The three behind him looked worried, "It''s your fault for wearing such noisy armor. They sniffed us out immediately." The girl wearing a full green robe shouted and pointed her small wand at the goblins. [Firebolt] CRACKLE! A sh of red mes burst from her staff, grilling one of the goblins. Another young man pulled his bowstring, "Damn it. We got too close." Pew! He got one of the goblins in the eye. "I can hit their eyes from this distance, for god''s sake." Thest girl in their four-member team said, lifting her amulet, "Begone vermins by the light of the sun." [Light] Her holy symbol shed brightly, blinding the goblins temporarily. The fighter rushed in and swung his greatsword. CLANG! He sliced one of the goblins in half one of the goblins. The rogue aimed his bow and took one of the goblins. [Firebolt] the wizard lifted her want, and a red sh burned one of the goblins. "Those vermins never end." "Cast a big spell. We will use that as a cover to retreat." The rogue suggested while staring at the cleric and the wizard. Arad stood at the sideline watching. [They don''t seem to have noticed the shaman.] "That one goblin with the funny outfit at the back, is he a spell caster?" [Yes, those kids will go down. The moment they decide to retreat.] "We should help them." [No, the number of goblins is great. Those two girls aren''t suitable mates either. Forget it.] "And let them die just like this?" [Of course, their life is none of our business. We have nothing to gain by risking our life for theirs.] "I can think of it as training. I have to start somewhere." [If your HP drops to 0, you will be forced back into your draconic form. Exposing your identity means you have to start over in another ce.] "Come, don''t be too scared. Let''s hunt some goblins." Thud! Arad leaped out of the bushes and ran as fast as he could. [Goblins: 17/26] [Can''t detect their HP because your eyes still need to evolve.] [Adventurers: 4/4] "Doesn''t matter. The girl there killed with one fire thing." Arad extended his hand. CRACKLE! A firebolt emerged from his palm. The goblins got surprised, and the adventurers looked back. "A wizard?" Rogue gasped, drew his bow, PEW! The arrow took another goblin of the senses. [Goblins: 15/26] "It''s our chance, attack!" The fighter screamed as he rushed ahead. Thud! Stomping the grown, he swung his greatsword with great zeal. CLANG! Two goblins lost their life at his sh. [Shield] the cleric lifted her holy symbol and created a magical shield around the fighter. CLING! CLANG! The goblins threw a lot of poisoned sticks at him, and the spell deflected them. "Thanks." He shouted, and the cleric cried. "there won''t be any more spells, be careful." [Firebolt] The wizard their another firebolt at the goblins and imed a life. [Goblins: 12/26] BAM! Arad rushed ahead. He went even past the fighter who was supposed to take the front. "Idiot, don''t charge blindly. You''re a wizard." As the fighter shouted, the wizard in their party noticed it. Arad wasn''t carrying an arcane focus. KA-DON! Arad''s hand burst into mes as he grabbed a goblin by the head. CRACKLE! As the magic intensified, Thud! Arad turned around and threw the goblin at the other goblins, burning them. "He isn''t a wizard. He''s a sorcerer." The wizard shouted. [Goblins: 11/26] Arad lifted his hands and smiled, "Burn them all." His palms shed red, sending sparks of me everywhere. [Goblins: 9/26] [Goblins: 7/26] [Goblins: 5/26] PEW! The rogue shot his arrow and took a goblin that tried to sneak behind Arad. "Powerful magic, I might say, but don''t forget to watch your back." [Goblins: 4/26] "He''s right. All of you sorcerers are just too reckless." The wizard yelled, [Ray of Frost] she sent a beam of cold magic, freezing one of the goblins. [Goblins: 3/26] The remaining three goblins turned to run away. "Thud!" You won''t get away, the fighter shouted, throwing his sword at them. CLANG! One of the goblins fell, and the fight rushed him. PEW! The rogue took another goblin while Arad burned thest one. [Goblins: 0/26] Chapter 2 A Dragon’s City Debut. KA-DON! Arad stood there, fire gushing from his mouth as he stared at the burned goblins. "You there, are alright?" The fighter approached him with a worried face. From Arad''s clothes, it was clear he wasn''t an adventurer. He was but amoner. Having him join in a battle like this must be exhausting. KA! The mes faded, and Arad red at the fighter with an eldritch crimson re bursting in his eyes. "I''m fine. What about you?" Arad asked. The fighter stepped back, his instincts screaming that Arad was dangerous. "As expected from a sorcerer, you''re bursting with power." The fighterughed. The wizard approached them, "Do you fire draconic bloodline? Or are you an elemental?" [We''re going with a draconic bloodline.] Arad smiled, "Yes, I do have a draconic bloodline." The rogue smiled, approaching Arad, "This is the first time I saw one, a human with the might of dragons in his blood." The cleric approached Arad, [Mending] she fixed a tear in his clothes. "Most sorcerers be arrogant. Please don''t end like that," she said with a smile. "Especially those of red dragons. I heard stories about them being too arrogant to live." The fighter said with a worried face. When legends, fairy tales, and fables speak of dragons without specifying a color. When they tell of kingdomsid waste, virtuous maidens sacrificed, and valiant heroes sent home as charred corpses. Chances are that they speak of the mighty red dragons. All dragons are predators, but reds are the most voracious, consuming far more than they require. All dragons are greedy, but reds are avaricious beyond any point of reason. Because they fully believe that all wealth belongs to those strong enough to take it and that no wealth is ever enough. All dragons are prideful, but reds are narcissistic and see everyone below them. And to their credit, they have the strength to back their ims. [You''re a void dragon. We don''t have a color assigned to us. But we''re not as trouble-making as reds.] "Worry not. I don''t have my ancestors'' behavior." Arad smiled, standing tall with his chest pushed out. "That doesn''t seem to be the case from your stance." The fighter giggled. "By the way, the name is Nigel Strongarm. A fighter." "Tristana Sorrowful, you can call me Tris." The wizard took a step forward. "Lisa Hoperise. I''m a cleric serving Lathander. This one behind me is Chester Sarak, a slippery rogue." The cleric pointed behind her. "Hey, don''t go introducing me like that." The rogue growled. "Arad Orion, a sorsorer. Do you mind leading me to the nearest city?" Arad smiled, staring at the fighter in the eyes. [Don''t lose eye contact. Out of the four of them, he is the easiest to persuade.] "Of course, we can''t leave you here alone." "A sorcerer getting lost? I have never heard of such a thing." The wizard scratched her head. Arad approached her, "I learned of my power when I was lost." She shook her head, "No, I didn''t mean it like that. It''s just that sorcerers are known to be good trackers." On top of the magical abilities, sorcerers usually get sharper senses depending on their bloodline. In this world, there is a saying that goes like this. [You would prefer a god chase your life than a dragon. Those monsters don''t stop, wreaking havoc wherever they fly.] "The closest city is Alina, not a big one, but it has a guild at least," Nigel said with a smile. "You''re right. I can''t believe it only has a merchant''s guild and an adventurer''s guild." Tristana added, "We would appreciate an alchemy guild, at least." She added. "We''re wasting time. Come here." Chester dragged Nigel with him toward the goblins. "Here, get to work." Giving him a small knife. "What are you doing?" Arad asked. Lisa approached him with a smile, "Getting kill proof. For goblins, we take their ears. The guild pays up based on that." Tristana stretched her arms, "We are also required to burn the corpses and bury them. We don''t want them to raise as undead." She stared at Arad, "You''re quite good with fire, care to help us burn them?" [She is right. We better burn them.] "Of course, I like burning things," Arad replied, igniting a me at the tip of his finger. Tristana approached him, "By the way, how is your MP doing?" She stared into his eyes, "We don''t need to carry you to the city." [Using magic consume MP. You lose consciousness at 0 MP. But don''t worry, the magic you used doesn''t consume MP, at least for now.] "I''m fine. I didn''t lose MP." "Really? I understand Firebolt, but that burst you did must have consumed at least a bit. To me, it looked like first-tier magic." Tristana looked surprised, quickly taking a small book from her pocket and reading through it. [Spells are divided into ten tiers, from 0 to 10. Tier 0 spells don''t consume MP, but they are weak. [Firebolt] is a 0-tier spell. It only needs thetent magic in the air to function.] "I don''t know any spells. That me is a form of my innate power. It doesn''t consume MP." Arad replied, "Can you teach me some spells?" "Hold up? That is your innate power?" Tristana walked back, surprised. Lisa approached them, "We would have liked to teach you, but we can''t. Spells get passed through tomes. You have to buy and use one to learn a spell." "How much does one tome costs?" Tristana started thinking, "I haven''t bought one in a while, but 0-tier tomes go for about 40 silver coins." [1 tinum coin=100 gold coins ] [1 gold coin=100 silver coins] [1 Siver coin=100 copper coins] Arad scratched his head, "40 silver coins? You said the guild pays you for the goblins. How much?" Tristana shook her head, "Not much. Five copper coins per kill. The shaman there is worth ten." She pointed toward the pile of corpses. Chester and Nigel seem to have collected all the ears. "Tris,e burn them," Nigel shouted with a smile. "I''ming," she replied and then looked at Arad, "Want to help?" Arad smiled, KA-DON! mes burst from his hand. "Let''s burn them." After burning all the corpses and burying them, the five slowly walked toward the city. As they approached the city gate, the guard from the battlements shouted at them. "Nigel, how did the training go? And who''s the new guy with you?" "It was exciting. We almost got killed by goblins. The guy here named Arad helped us y the monsters." Nigel shouted with a smile. "He helped you guys? Better let him in, then go to the guild and get some rest." The guard walked away, disappearing for a few seconds. CRACKLE! The massive iron gate slowly lifted, throwing dust everywhere. As they walked inside, Arad approached Nigel. "Who was that?" "That''s my father. He''s a gate guard." Nigel smiled, "He looks cheerful, but he gets angry quickly, don''t test his patience." Arad nodded as they approached the guild. The massive brick building seemedrger than all the nearby buildings. "Wee to hell," Chester said, kicking the door open. Chapter 3 Sorcerer’s Basic Magic As they walked inside, everyone stared at them. They recognized Chester and his party but not Arad. "Hey Chester, Nigel, who is one behind you? Never seen his face around here." The adventurer asked with a stern face. If not for the ce already looking a bit hostile, Arad would have assumed the man wanted a fight. "A sorcerer, we found him in the forest. Seem to have lost his way." Nigel replied, taking the front. "A sorcerer lost in a forest? Are insane? Their senses are sharper than some dogs." the adventurer growled, standing up and staring at Arad. "What is he?" "That''s none of your concerns," Nigel replied, growling. "It IS my concern." The adventurer approached Nigel with an angry face. Tristana knocked on the ground with her foot. She stared back at Arad and then at Nigel. "He''s a red dragon sorcerer. I would be more cautious in your shoes." Nigel turned toward her, "Hey, stats are personal information. Don''t go sharing Arad''s like this." "People should know before starting trouble with Arad, lest they get burned, or he gets hurt," Tristana said, looking toward Arad; he didn''t seem bothered by her telling others about his information. [It was only a matter of time before they knew of your power as a red draconic sorcerer. Just don''t tell them your stats, powers, and spells.] "Nigel, it''s okay. As long as my spells and powers don''t get out." Arad said, smiling. "You there, no fighting inside the guild." A woman shouted from behind a counter on the other side of the room. "Neer, pleasee here." The adventurer red at her, "Stay out of this, Nina," Nina, the guild receptionist, red at the adventurer. [Don''t even think about it. She might be strong. I can tell from her eyes. But she is quite old, unsuitable for a mate.] Nina stood from her counter, grabbed a nearby chair, and approached the adventurer with a smile. The adventurer took a few steps back, "Nina, we don''t have to do this." "What did you say to me? It''s my job to be sure troublemakers don''t cause trouble here." She lifted the chair, and the adventurer pulled his sword. Before he could swing, she dropped the chair and sent her hand at his face. SLAP! She pped his right cheek hard enough to leave a red mark, and before he could fall to the ground, SLAP! She hit him on the other cheek with the backhand. BANG! The adventurer spun half a circle and fell on his face, shivering. And as he groaned, BAM! Nina kicked his bum hard enough to send him rolling. "Any more idiots wanting to cause trouble for the neers?" She growled, staring at the other adventurer, and they all looked away, terrified. [See, she''s dangerous.] "Neer, your name is Arad, right? Please follow me to the counter." She said with a smile, waving her hand as if introducing the counter. Arad stared at her for a second, waving his hand with a nk face, "No, thank you. I will be on my way." He turned around to leave. Everyone froze in ce. Nina almost turned to stone, seeing him turn around immediately. "Wait a moment, please!" She rushed behind him. "No, you look dangerous, and this ce looks worse. My hunch is telling me to leave." Arad replied without even looking back. "Hold up! I''m not dangerous." Nina grabbed Arad''s hand, stopping him in his trail. "Would you at least listen to me?" [You can listen to her, don''t worry, she doesn''t seem hostile. But keep your guard.] "Fine." Arad sighed, and Nina''s stressed face rxed. Lisa approached Arad as Nina walked away, "I know she looks scary, but she is a good person. You wille to like her soon." She said with a smile. "I doubt it; she is too old for me," Arad replied, following behind Nina and leaving Lisa puzzled. At the counter, Arad faced Nina with his guard still up. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Nina cleared her throat, putting on a smile, and trying to forget that she overheard him earlier saying she was too old for him. "Do you want to join the guild? We offer a lot of benefits." She said. "Like getting pped for speaking, I don''t need your benefits." Arad immediately responded, causing her to gasp, her soul almost cracking. Nigel and his party stared from a distance with worried faces. "No, that''s a different story. The man was trying to bully you, a neer." She said, shaking her hands. Almost unable to form words. "I didn''t ask for your help, no one did, and you''re the one who lifted a weapon first. You''re far stronger, yet you started. That bullying itself?" Arad wasn''t going easy on her. Thud! A handnded on Arad''s head, "Kid, give Nina a break." When Arad looked back, it was a blond woman with a smile. [She is also a no-go, strong yet too old.] "And you are?" Arad asked. "A friend of hers from the old days. Don''t give Nina a hard time; she is a barbarian, after all." The woman replied. [Anger and violencee with the ss. I doubt she has a choice in it.] "You''re a fire sorcerer. If you join the guild, I can teach you how to use your powers." The woman said, puffing her chest. Arad red at her, "Very well," He turned toward Nina, "I would like to register." "Nina, get his papers ready. I will take him to the training ground for some fun." The woman said as she dragged Arad away. "Wait, I need his full name," Nina called, and the woman looked at Arad. "Arad Orion, a human draconic bloodline sorcerer." Nina rushed toward them with a crystal ball, "Please touch this." [Do it, don''t worry.] Arad touched the ball, and Nina smiled, rushing away. [She took your stats, of course, I showed her the fake ones.] The woman then dragged Arad to the training ground, where all the adventurers gathered to watch. "My name is Amber Burnhills, and like you, I am a fire sorceress. But unlike you, I don''t have a draconic bloodline. What I have is an elemental bloodline." She said with a smile, mes leaping from her hands. "Fire is an element," Arad replied. "There are creatures we call elemental, beings made of elemental energy. A fire elemental got involved in my family, even though I can''t imagine how painful that was." She giggled. "So what were you going to try and teach me?" Arad asked. "Do you know any spells?" She asked. "No, but I can control mes," Arad replied. "Do you need a brazier?" She asked again. "A lot of questions," Arad opened his palm, and a gust of mes burst out, "I can create my mes." Amber smiled, "That makes things easier," she looked back, "But you still need to buy spell tomes if you can afford them." "You should only be able to use fire element, so don''t bother with spells from other types of magic. There is a way to get a second element, but you must level up for that." She opened her palm, and a gust of wind rushed upward, "And be utterly talented. Only one in a thousand people is a sorcerer, and only one in a thousand sorcerers can unlock a second element." All the adventurers red at her with suspicious eyes. She was boasting. [You''re a void dragon and can use the void to conjure all the elements, don''t show her that you can do that.] "I understand, and if that was the case, I don''t care about hearing about something I can''t attain," Arad replied to Amber, causing her face to flush red. As everyone went silent, Arad looked at Amber, "What matter is what I can do now; I can deal with the future when ites." Amber sighed, "Fine, for a young adventurer, you have some words in you." She lifted her palm, pointing at a nearby training wooden pole. [Firebolt] A sh of red mes rushed from her palm, KA-DON! It exploded at the pole. "This is a 0-tier spell called Firebolt. It doesn''t cost MP, as the residual Mana in the air is enough. For spellcasters, this is a stable form of sustained damage." Amber opened her palm again, and a red me emerged from her hand. "Why did you cast it a second time?" Arad asked. "Spells have refinement levels. That was the second refinement of Firebolt." Amber rested her hands on her hip. "Usually, a first refinement Firebolt deals 1~12 HP of damage, but a second refinement does 2~12. It''s more reliable and costs nothing extra." Amber exined, but Arad looked at her with a weird re. "How did you know the numbers?" Amber looked puzzled, "Of course, experiments on monsters. We take a monster, tie him up and apprise his HP with an orb like the one Nina used on you. Then we hit him with a Firebolt to see how much HP he lost. We repeat that around a hundred times to get an average number." Arad red at her, "You torture monsters?" "Mages even experiment with ves; what is the problem of testing on a man-eating monster?" She looked at him with an empty face. [This is why mages are dangerous, don''t reveal your true self until you''re sure you can kill them and fight for your life.] "The damage for the refinements is (1~12)(2~12)(3~12). Now let me show you another thing." Amber lifted her palm, and a blue Firebolt rushed ahead. KA-BOM! The explosion didn''t seem different, but the pole had more burns. "Fire spells have three levels, red, blue, and white. At each one, the power of the spell increase." Amber smiled. Level 1: R1(1~12) R2(2~12) R3(3~12) Level 2: R1(2~24) R2(4~24) R3(6~24) Level 3: R1(3~36) R2(6~36) R3(9~36) "To learn a spell, you must read a tome. The book then will turn to ash. To refine a spell, you must use it, and it also depends on your intelligence." The requirements At [4-intelligence]: Level 1, R1 At [6-intelligence]: Level 1, R2 At [8-intelligence]: Level 1, R3 At [10-intelligence]: Level 2, R1 At [12-intelligence]: Level 2, R2 At [14-intelligence]: Level 2, R3 At [16-intelligence]: Level 3, R1 At [18-intelligence]: Level 3, R2 At [20-intelligence]: Level 3, R3 ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Human][ss: Sorcerer] [Level: 1/20][Exp: 70/300][Sub-ss: Red Draconic bloodline] [Stats] [Strength: 11] [Agility: 14] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 18] [Intelligence: 17] [Wisdom: 9] [HP: 11][MP: 22][SP: 12] ---------------- [Skills] [Innate Skills] [Draconic Bloodline: Fire] [Draconic Scales] [Resistance] [Fire] [Immunities] Non [Magic] [Firebolt: Level 1, R1] ************ [I added a fake spell based on Amber''s exnation. We need to get a tome as soon as possible. Just use it and say it''s an innate ability for the time being. Always remember, within the confine of your fake states, you can achieve Level: 3 R1. But with your void attributes, you can reach Level 3: R3.] "Is this all?" Arad asked. "No, try it first. Let''s see if you can do it," Amber smiled. She pointed at the pole and grinned. Arad nonchntly lifted his palm KA-DON! A red sh sted the pole [Firebolt: Level 1, R1] KA-DON! KA-DON! He threw two more just because he could. Amber stared at him with her mouth slightly open. It was then that Arad noticed all the adventurers watching in horror. "Mages usually can only cast one spell every five seconds, but you used three in one second. What kind of power is this?" Amber gasped. "Horray!" The adventurers cheered, screaming and iling their weapons, "What a talent, such a powerful sorcerer joining our guild is a blessing!" One of them shouted. He was the same adventurer who earlier almost started a fight with Arad. [I should have warned you to use one only. Now, the adventurers see you as fifteen times faster than normal wizards and mages.] Arad sighed. There is no way for him to reverse what happened. "What now?" He asked, looking at the still-puzzled Amber. "Yes, I can teach two more spells to see if you can use them innately," Amber said. And then lifted her hands and took a stance. KA-DON! Her fists got covered in mes. "You can punch like this. It will deal fire damage in addition to your punch damage." Amber swung her fist, and the me faded. "It fades after one strike, but you can always recast it for free." She said, awaiting for Arad to mimic her. Arad lifted his fist, took a deep breath, and slowly went into a stance as his fists burst into mes. KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! Arad threw three punches as fast as he could. The me didn''t fade from his fist, and due to the quick throws, a small shockwave generated around him. BAM! His punches were that of an amateur, but the magic power behind them made them fearsome. The adventurers who could block him are numerous, but no one wants to try. Everyone watched in silence. Arad''s arms were still on Fire. The magic was supposed to fade after one strike, "Your magic won''t fade away?" Amber asked. [She is right. Your innate me won''t fade until you want it to fade. But tell her that you''re just reapplying the spell.] "I''m just reapplying the spell fast enough to keep up. It''s honestly quite exhausting." Arad me faded. [It''s better for her to think that you have limitations.] "This spell''s fire damage is simr to Firebolt, but it has the additional damage of your punches. I don''t know much about punches. A monk or a fighter should be able to exin them better than I." Amber sighed, quickly telling Arad about the spell refinements. Level 1: R1(1~12) R2(2~12) R3(3~12) Red mes+ the punch damage. Level 2: R1(2~24) R2(4~24) R3(6~24) Blue mes+ the punch damage. Level 3: R1(3~36) R2(6~36) R3(9~36) White mes+ the punch damage. ************ [Magic] [Firebolt: Level 1, R1] [Firefist: Level 1, R1] ************ Amber looked at Arad with a dead face, "There is also a spell called Firekick." She did a weak kick with her foot engulfed in mes KA-DON! "As usual, the same fire damage but with the damage of the kick added at the top." Arad looked at her. She looked dead inside. [Her pride must have been damaged. A young sorcerer disyed more talent than she had, after all.] Arad took a stance, KA-DON! He did one kick, spinning for the second, KA-DON! And as he went for the third one, he slipped and fell on the ground. Arad wasn''t faking it. He couldn''t do three consecutive kicks because using his legs and spinning had messed up his bnce. He might be strong, but hecks skills. "Are you alright?" Amber rushed at him. Arad scratched his hip, "Yeah, it wasn''t a hard fall. I do need to practice my moves." He growled, and Amber smiled. "Keep it in mind, if you got hurt, don''t hesitate to ask for healing in the guild." She helped him stand, and he looked fine, "As I said before, same fire damage and added the kick damage. Nina should have finished your registration. Let''s go and see her." Arad nodded. He can practiceter. [We still need to find a ce to spend the night in.] Level 1: R1(1~12) R2(2~12) R3(3~12) Red mes+ the kick damage. Level 2: R1(2~24) R2(4~24) R3(6~24) Blue mes+ the kick damage. Level 3: R1(3~36) R2(6~36) R3(9~36) White mes+ the kick damage. ************ [Magic] [Firebolt: Level 1, R1] [Firefist: Level 1, R1] [Firekick: Level 1, R1] ************ Chapter 4 Becoming An Official Adventurer Arad and Amber headed back into the guild, surrounded by the adventurers'' gazes. She was used to it, but Arad was slowly getting on edge. [Calm down. The adventurers are just a bit surprised at your power. This treatment should end soon as long as you keep it low.] Tristana, who watched the training, rushed toward them, panting like she was running a marathon. "Arad, what was that speed just now? Is it the same thing that you did at the goblins?" Arad remembered it. He did cast a lot of [Firebolt] there. In reality, he has cast them at the same time. That would be far more abnormal than just being fast. "Yeah, I''m quite fast." He giggled while scratching his chin. Tristana stared at him, "The might and arrogance of the red dragons, it doesn''te from empty ims." [Sorry, girl. Red dragons aren''t this stupid right after birth. Voids are far more fearsome.] Amber looked at them, smiling, "But seriously, how powerful can you get in theing years?" She looked at Arad with a wry smile, "I hope you don''t start spamming [Fireball] like that." Arad looked at her, "I don''t even know what a [Fireball] is." "Amber, bring him over here," Nina called them from behind her counter, and all the adventurers opened their ears to listen. Everyone in the guild was interested to see the new guy''s stats. Who is this new raw talent that appeared out of nowhere, and what can he do? Amber looked back at them, "Nina, get the private room. Otherwise, I might set the ce aze." She had noticed Arad''s face twisting. He might be strong but having everyone''s attention was still hard on him. The adventurers looked noticeably disappointed as they sighed. Arad and Amber followed Nina to the private room. As they reached the door, he stared at Amber. "What? don''t want me here?" She said with a smile. Nina smiled, "I suggest letting her in. It doesn''t matter how much talented you are. You need a mentor." [It will be best to have someone to look up to and use as a baseline.] "No, I don''t have a problem with her being around," Arad replied as they entered the room. Inside the room, Nina presented Arad with the same orb from earlier. "I finished your registration. But there seems to have been a problem with your stats. The orb must have incorrectly detected them since I did the appraisal on the fly." "So you want to re-apprise him again? That never happened before." Amber said with a puzzled face. Arad stared at them with questioning eyes. Nina smiled, "It doesn''t happen a lot. The reason is usually violent magic inside the person like what sorcerers have, or state tempering." [This is bad; they must have noticed that I modified the stats. Whatever you do, don''t touch the ball again. Unless; Get Amber to touch it first. I will use her stats as a base to modify ours.] "Please touch the orb again so we can get your stats. This time I will do a slow appraisal." Nina said with a smile. Arad looked at Amber, "You can here to see my stats, right?" Amber smiled, "Of course, I want to see what talent you have." Arad smiled, "Then let''s see your stats first. I do want to know how sorcerer stats look." Amber smiled, blushing, "You know, you little perve, that like asking to see a woman naked." Arad gave her a nk face, "You want to see mine, so I need to see yours. Otherwise, I''m not getting apprised." Nina stared at him, "You can see mine if you want." [We need a sorcerer''s stats, not hers] Arad stared at her, "No, thank you," Nina turned to stone, cracking at being refused instantly. She started twirling her finger on the ball, almost crying. "Of course, he doesn''t want to see mine. I only have [Berserker], [Unfiltrated Rage], [Undying Carnage]." She mumbled with a sad face. Amber immediately touched the ball, "Fine, look." With a sh of light, her stats appeared. ************ [Name: Amber Burnhill][Race: Human][ss: Arcane-Sorcerer] [Level: 13/20][Exp: 32000/47000][Sub-ss: Fire Elemental bloodline] [Stats] [Strength: 11] [Agility: 11] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 17] [Intelligence: 16] [Wisdom: 12] [HP: 143][MP: 279][SP: 136] ---------------- [Skills] [Font of Magic: 13 Charges] [Careful Spell] [Empowered Spell] [Twined Spell] [Fire Elemental Bloodline] [Fire Sense] [Fire Breathing] [Fire Affinity] [Fire Incarnation] [Elemental Presence] [Resistance] [Fire] [Immunities] non [Magic] [Cannot be detected without mind-reading magic] ************ Looking at Amber''s stats, he felt that he lookedcking. [Impressive, but still can''t reach the height of Void dragons. I will use her as a baseline.] Arad smiled. Now then, let''s see my stats. He lifted his hand and gently touched the ball. ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Human][ss: Sorcerer] [Level: 1/20][Exp: 70/300][Sub-ss: Red Draconic bloodline] [Stats] [Strength: 11] [Agility: 14] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 18] [Intelligence: 17] [Wisdom: 9] [HP: 11][MP: 22][SP: 12] ---------------- [Skills] [Innate Skills] [Fire Creation] [Fire Control] [Firebolt; Level 1; R1] [Firefist; Level 1; R1] [Firekick; Level 1; R1] [Fire Draconic Bloodline] [Draconic Scales] [Draconic Brain] [Resistance] [Fire] [Immunities] Non [Magic] Non ************ Nina''s eyes opened wide, "You have spells as an innate ability?" Amber stood, "Hold up, those are the ones from earlier." [[Fire Creation] Allow you to create Fire, and [Fire Control] Allows you to control it. Those spells are from those.] Arad smiled, "I use [Fire Creation] and [Fire Control] to create them. They aren''t actual magic." Amber shook her head, "To mimic magic with your innate power isn''t easy." Nina looked at the stats closely, "Your [Magic] [Intelligence] both surpass Amber''s, but I still can''t see that creating such an effect." [Tell her it''s the [Draconic Brain] and add that it''s why you can cast faster than normal.] Arad looked at them and took his hand off the crystal ball. "It''s the [Draconic Brain]; it also allows me to cast faster." Nina and Amber stared at each other; this was the first time they saw such ability. [Draconic Brain] does it mean that Arad has a dragon brain? The two thought. "Well then, let me give you your guild card. Please use it carefully." Nina handed him the card with both hands, with a smile. "Why?" "A recement will take a month. You won''t be able to take quests in that time." She replied. "You just prepared the card in under an hour. Issuing a recement shouldn''t take longer than that. Are you joking with me now?" Arad red at her and curled back into a ball. Amber grabbed his head, "This draconic brain of yours is a bit annoying. If a guild card is missing or damaged, they will investigate its location and authenticity." Arad red back at her, "Then why I can''t take quests?" "To prevent other people from taking quests in your name." She replied. "How are you going to mistake my face?" [Barbarian can be a bit stupid. Nina might mistake your face.] "There are hundreds of adventurers in this city. You can also take quests in other towns, so it''s possible to impersonate other people. Illusion magic is also a thing, don''t forget that." She stared him in the eyes. [Oh, there is that as well.] Arad stood, "I have to go." The two looked at him, "To where?" "I want to take a small quest and see how the system works," Arad said with a smile. Nina''s face brightened as if she remembered something, "The birch hunters left something for you." she said. "Birch hunters?" "Nigel and his party, since you helped them, they decided to give you half their quest reward." She took a small pouch from her pocket. "Twenty-six goblins and one goblin''s shaman, a total of 1 silver and 40 copper coins. Your share is half, so 70 copper coins." She handed the pouch to him. Arad looked inside. He saw a lot of rusty coins. "How is the pricing?" "Five copper for normal goblins and ten copper for the shaman." She replied. Amber smiled at him, "Adventurers usually don''t ask about the price details." "Mother said Barbarians aren''t very smart. I had to count after her." He replied nonchntly. Nina started looking at the ball with a dead face, "Hehe, my intelligence is only 7. I didn''t even count the reward; the ountant did." She was illiterate and mainly worked there to keep the adventurer in check using her strength and intimidation. BAM! Amber punched his head, "You rude little piece of dragon talent. The rumors about red dragon sorcerers are true after all." Chapter 5 A Dragon’s First Quest Arad stood up to leave, his head still stinging from Amber''s punch. He looked downstairs and then back at Nina. "Say, can I take a quest now?" Nina stood, "Of course, but I suggest you start with an F-rank quest." "F-rank quest, what are they?" "Look at your guild card." *********** *********** "The card has your name, level, and ss. It also has your Rank, how many quests you need to rank up, and how many you failed." Nina exined. She approached him, pointing at the card. The ranks in the guild are: F: Newbie Adventurer. E: Starting Adventurer. D: Seasoned Adventurer. C: Experienced Adventurer B: Skillful Adventurer. A: Masterful Adventurer. S: Super Adventurer, legendary heroes. How many quests do you need to rank up? Usually, you need to finish ten quests of your Rank to raise. Ten F-rank is what you need. it shows how many quests you failed. Abandoned quests also count as failed. Note that quests that failed due to misinformation don''t count. Let''s say your mission said to kill the goblin horde that has 20~30 goblins, yet you faced a couple of hobgoblins. That doesn''t add because it''s unfair. You can''t, under any circumstance, take any quest higher than your Rank, Unless you join a high-rank party. This rule is to prevent needless deaths. Quests like this don''t count toward your Rank Up unless issued by the guild directly. This rule is to prevent piggybacking on stronger parties. Arad nodded, tucking the guild card in his pocket. Amber approached Arad, "Another advice," "What is it?" He stared at her. "As a sorcerer, you can cast magic without an arcane focus but are limited to one element. That doesn''t mean you won''t benefit from having arcane focus." She took a small wand from her pocket. "Mage staffs are for power, wands for speed, and crystal orbs for control. You better buy one as soon as you can." She said with a smile. Arad stared at her face and then at the wand in her hand, "I thought you were about to give that to me, cheapskate." She clenched her fist, "You rude little thing, but you won''t need this. I told you, wands for speed." She tucked the wand back into her pocket. "You can benefit more from a mage staff or a crystal orb." She was right Arad already has more speed than he needs. Getting more power or control is a better option. "I don''t have those to give you one. I only use wands." Amber sighed. "You can certainly buy me a mage staff, can''t you?" Arad red at her. [What are you doing?] "I will get you a decent mage staff if you Rank up in a week. How about that?" Amber smiled. "Deal." Arad grinned. There is chemistry between him and Amber. With them both being fire sorcerers. "Don''t even try. The time record is two months." Nina walked between them. "But if you want, how about you take a quest now?" Arad walked with her to the counter. As he looked around, he noticed a ragged double-ded battleaxe hanging on the wall. "That axe behind you, is it for decoration?" Arad asked. "No, that''s for emergencies," Nina replied. [We need a ce to spend the night. Ask her about inns.] Arad nodded, "Before I take a quest, I did want to ask you about the inns in the city. Location and pricing." Nina reached under the counter, "I can give you a map of their location, but I don''t know the pricing as it changes." She gave him the map. It had a total of seven inns. "Thank you. Can you give me a quest now?" Nina pointed toward one of the walls, "See that board over there? It has F-rank quests. Go read them and choose." Arad thanked her and went to the board. After taking a nce, he found a lot of decent quests. "This is a lot." Arad''s eyes darted across the board. He noticed that kill quests are rare. [Take the slime hunting. All adventurers must start with it.] "Why?" [It''s weird to do anything besides it for a first quest. I know the missing animal quest is tempting with the five silver, but the fact it''s still there means no one found the animal.] Arad grabbed the Slime hunting quest and walked back toward Nina. "I will take this." She smiled, "Everyone seems to take it for a first quest," She stamped the poster and then pulled a paper from underneath the counter. "I will try making it as clear as possible, so listen well," Nina said with a serious face. "A slime isposed of two things, a flesh core in the middle and an outeryer of gooey acid." She pointed with her finger at a drawing of the monster. "I see, so the problem is?" "The acidyer can melt your clothes and destroy weapons. Kill them with magic or improvised weapons." She exined. [Improvised weapons like sticks, stones, bones, or ss. Anything you can grab and don''t mind losing.] "And about your payment. Let me stress this; there are two." She pulled another piece of paper detailing the slime core. "When you kill a Slime, there are two results. A destroyed core and an intact one." She red at Arad, "A destroyed core is worth one Copper coin, and the intact one is five Copper coins." "I understand," He replied with a hesitant face. "Kill them with magic and brink the intact cores to prove the kill, and you will get paid five copper per one. It''s only one coin for a damaged core." She sighed. "Are you alright?" Arad asked with a worried face. "I''m fine," She pointed at a stack of papers, "See those?" "Yes." "People reading those reports got easily confused once. I don''t want to exin it again and again." She sighed, "It''s five or one, easy to understand." "Must be hard." Arad faked a smile. "But it''s worth it." Nina smiled, standing up, "Come here. I will give you a service." Arad got confused for a moment, ring at her with a strange eye. "See the mint quest? If you got any mint in the forest on your way, bring it to me. I will register it for the quest." Usually, you have to ept the quest first to get the reward. Nina allowed Arad to finish the mint quest without the risk of failure. "Thank you. I will be going then." Arad stood heading out. Before heading to hunt, he decided to check on the inns on the map. After one hour of searching, he found multiple prices. ... Arad looked at his pocket, "My budget is 70 copper coins. I need to get more if I want to sleep in a bed with a full belly." Chapter 6 Hunting Slimes Isn’t Easy. Arad reached the edge of the forest quickly. "Now, time to hunt slimes." He said with a happy face. Swoosh! The breeze brushed across his face; nothing was around. "Where are the slimes?" [I don''t know. I can''t sense any nearby.] ... "How am I supposed to finish the quest of there are no slimes?" [You have to find them.] Arad started searching behind the trees and under the bushes, but no matter what he did, nothing appeared. "I need 1S and 30C to spend the night in an inn. That''s 26 slimes. How am I supposed to find them all?" He growled. [Told you to search. And maybe aim for the 1S 50C inn without a meal. With that, you only need 16 smiles.] "Wait and see. I will get us a nice inn." He roared. [Yay, do your best.] After half an hour of searching, nothing appeared. "Are slimes real?" [They are. Stopining.] After finding a nicely rounded stone, he sat down, looking at the sky. "Can I see my original stats?" ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 1/20][Exp: 70/300][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Stats] [Strength: 12] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 27][MP: 29][SP: 27] ---------------- [Skills] [ws] [Bite] [Innate Skills] [Void Magic: The ability to use void magic to for the elements out] [Void Power: the ability to wield void itself] [Alternate Form: Shifting from a draconic to a humanoid form] [Breath Weapon: A st of all-consuming void] [Void Biology: The void dragon is alive but not made of flesh and bones.] [Void Eyes: The void eyes can detect magic, see in the dark, and detect invisible creatures.] [Void Existence: The void dragon''s body consists of the infinite void. It is aware of everything in contact with itself. It also allows the dragon to store items within its infinite stomach pouch where neither time nor space exists] [Void Walk: The Void Dragon can teleport up 40 meters to a spot it can see.] [Resistance] [All Elements] [Immunities] [time] [space] [Magic] Non ************ "Void eyes and void walk, can I use them?" Arad looked toward the forest. [Of course, you can, but make sure no one sees you teleport with the void walk.] Arad stood, closed his eyes, and then opened them. He could see nothing different, "I don''t see any difference." [That means there is no active magic nor invisible creatures around here.] Arad stood and looked into the forest, [Void Walk] ZON! His body disappeared in a faint purple glow. Thud! Hended beside a tree, "Ah, that was amazing." [Void dragons are amazing. Now look for the slimes.] Arad sighed and started walking into the trees, "We''re going to sleep on the street tonight. I don''t see slimes anywhere." "To whom you''re talking, little kid." A voice spoke behind him. Arad got immediately alerted. Thud! He leaped back and opened his palm, [Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt] CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The man standing tall and mighty swung his long sword faster than could be seen by regr sight. Without effort, he sliced Arad''s magic. "Whoa! That was fast for a kid." He smiled, staring at Arad with a smile. A drop of sweat fell on his bushy beard. [He blocked our spells even though everyone in the guild said we were too fast. He''s dangerous.] Arad red at him, "Who are you?" "Alcott Demorian, and adventurer. Are you also an adventurer?" He asked, approaching Arad. Thud! Arad took a stance, [Firefist] he sent a punch at the man. KA-DON! Alcott dodged to the side, "Wait a moment, why are you attacking me?" He asked with a scared face. CRACK! Arad took a stance [Firefist] [Firekick] A punch to the face, and when Alcott dodged, he kicked at his guts. Alcott easily dodged them all and jumped away, "What an impressive speed, the adventurer around here have grown stronger." He smiled. [Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt] Arad fried at him as face as he could, aiming to overwhelm the strong opponent. CLANG! CLANG! But, Alcott pulled his long sword and sliced a spell, another, and another. The speed his sword moved was inhumane. A storm of iron ripped the mes barrage into mere sparks. Arad stared in shock. What is this monster? THUD! With a single leap, he stood behind Arad. "Calm down, little kid. I was passing by. I didn''t mean to scare you." "Who are you?" "S-rank adventurer, Alcott Demorian. Also called the dragon yer, if you heard of me." He stood proudly. "S-rank?" [The dragon yer. Arad, you can trust this man for now. But don''t tell him who you are.] Arad looked worried, staring at Alcott. [Will talkter, I remember the nickname from your mother''s memories, but I don''t know any more details. He is trustworthy to a small extent.] Arad rxed, "Arad Orion, F-rank adventurer. Nice to meet you, senior." "Only F-rank? The hell?" Alcott gasped, "I thought you were an A-rank with that speed. For a moment, I even suspected you were a new S-rank." He took a step back. "Stop joking." Arad waved his hand, leaning on a nearby tree. "Are you serious? Did all the adventurers there turn into monsters?" Alcott was still confused, screaming with a puzzled face. "I don''t know about that. I just registered this morning. I''m even stuck here searching for slimes." Arad sighed. Why had he to meet such an outstanding adventurer? "Slimes? Those little bastards, you won''t find them by just searching." Alcott scratched his head, "You will find them around bodies of water. Head in this direction, and you will find a river," "They will be there?" "Yeah, look under stones and logs. I hope you have a great hunt, talented kid." Alcott turned away and left without furtherments, leaving Arad puzzled. After walking a bit, Alcott thought to himself. "I''m sure I saw that kid teleport. Why didn''t he use higher magic against me?" But he quickly brushed it off as something to think aboutter. Now he has to go to the city and get something to eat. When Arad arrived at the river, he searched around and found a few slimes. The first one was rolling beside the river like no one business. [Firebolt] Swosh! KA-DON! The monster exploded, leaving a charred core behind. Arad screamed, rushing to check it, "No way, it''s all burned." [Only one copper coin. Just find another one and try again.] After searching and finding another slime, KA-DON! It was again charred. "Maybe I shouldn''t use [Firebolt]." Arad thought, ring down at the gravel, "Nina said to use improvised weapons." Arad lifted the stones and started throwing them at the slimes from a distance, aiming to kill them without damaging the cores. It wasn''t as easy as it seemed, and in the end, it was a bad hunt. Good cores 6 Damaged cores 12 [When slimes die, their acid burns their cores. To get a good core, you must immediately take the core out and wash it with water. That is why we lost a lot of cores.] "I don''t need you to exin it. I learned it the hard way." Arad sighed, walking back to the city with a sad face. Thud! "How much are those?" He said, looking at Nina. " Six good ones and twelve destroyed. That''s 42 copper coins." She said, with a smile, "And did you find any mint?" She whispered. Arad''s face twisted a bit, "About that, I forgot. Next time, I will remember to look for it." He looked down, took his reward, and walked away. "Wait, Arad," Nina called him. "I''m exhausted. Leave it for tomorrow." He walked out depressed. He slowly walked across the streets, looking at the illuminated houses in the dark. After a short while, he reached the gate. "Where are you going?" Nigel''s father asked. "I have a quest outside. Open the gate." Arad replied with a sad face. "Are you sure? It''s pitch ck. How can you see?" He stared at him with suspicious res. Arad lifted his hand and smiled. I can cast mes." A little fire ignited in his palm. They opened the gate for him, and he slowly went outside, "It''s going to be tough." He mumbled. Chapter 7 The Early Dragon Gets The Gold After reaching the forest, Arad picked up the tallest tree in the area and slowly climbed it. "This is our high-ss, luxurious amodation. We have branches, leaves, and even some spider webs. The air is frozen cold and refreshing, the best of the best." Arad said with a smile as he formed a small bed by tangling the branches together like a chimp. [You know that you can warm yourself with fire.] "And look, it evenes with a heating system." He ignited the tip of a branch with [Firefist] [I see, let''s work harder tomorrow.] Arad sighed, "For real, spending my first night without a shelter." [Dragons usually sleep in forests like this or caves.] "You said you know that Alcott dude. What is his deal?" [I don''t know much, only that your mother knew his title and trusted him to a moderate extent.] "I see, but she didn''t expose her nature to him." [No, she didn''t. It wasn''t that kind of trust.] "I understand. Let''s sleep. I want to get back to work early tomorrow." Arad closed his eyes, dreaming about the day he could sleep on a bed. ... The next day at dawn, Arad headed back into the city. "Did you finish your quest?" One of the guards standing on the wall asked him. Arad stared at the man, "No, I failed it due to darkness." and then kept walking toward the guild with a determined face. CREEK! Arad opened the guild door to see it empty. Most people haven''t arrived yet. "Arad? You''re too early." Nina has just arrived as well. She was on her desk cleaning it. "The early dragon gets the gold," Arad said without thinking. "You mean the early bird gets the worm." Nina smiled, looking at his face. [That was a line from your mother. It got integrated into you in the early stages of your maturing.] "Say, Nina, how many Slimes do I need to kill to finish a quest?" Arad asked with a serious face. "At least ten, why do you ask?" Nina stopped cleaning and looked at him with a puzzled face. "And what about the mint quest?" Arad didn''t respond and asked again. "Three batches, about this size." Nina showed him with her hands. "Thank you. I will be back." He walked toward the quest board and picked the mint quest. But he didn''t find the slime one. "Where is the slime quest?" Arad asked with a puzzled face. "I haven''t hanged it yet. Do you want to do it again?" Nina took the paper from her desk. "I will hunt as many slimes and gather as much mint as possible. I want to rank up and get more hunt quests." Arad said, walking toward Nina''s desk. Nina looked worried, "Sorry, but that isn''t possible. Only one slime quest per day, but you can repeat the mint quest." "Why?" Arad red at her. "We don''t want the adventurers to eradicate all slimes. I''m sure you know they are rare outside river sides andkes." Nina exined. "I understand, but I still want to take more quests," Arad growled, ring at the quest board. "Will take the Sewer cleaning, rat hunting, rabbit hunting, and the missing animal quest as well," Arad said, and Nina smacked his head with a chop. "Finish one first, and they are Rabit, not normal rabbits." She seemed too specific. Rabits are rabbit-like monsters with one horn and are faster than regr rabbits. But, they are considerably smaller, almost half the size of a grown rabbit. People usually call them the quail of rabbits due to their delicious meat. "Fine, I will be back soon." Arad wasn''t that pleased, "Get the quests ready." As he walked out, Alcott was entering, and he looked back at Arad. "Hey, Nina, the kid''s an early bird. I thought my old ass woke up early." Alcottughed, getting in. "He''s a good kid. And a skilled one at that." Nina replied with a smile on her face. "Skilled. I did a short spare with the kid yesterday." Alcott patted his sword, "He gave me a real scare. I thought you infected everyone with your power." Nina sighed, "Strength isn''t contagious. Why do you and Amber keep joking like this." Alcott approached the desk, "I mean, it''s weird seeing you behind the counter like that. That battleaxe behind you will soon rust." He pointed at the battleaxe hanging on the wall behind Nina''s desk. "I dropped fighting. I want to live a calm life." Nina replied, looking back at her weapon. At the forest, Arad finally reached his hunting spot. He walked toward the trees, searching for a long stick with a couple of stones, and then took his clothes off. [Why stripping?] "Clothes cost money, and I don''t have that," Arad said, looking at the slimes close to the riverside. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad rushed ahead, swinging his stick at one of the slimes. SPLAT! The slime''s frail body exploded from the impact, [Void Existance] [I absorbed the core into your stomach, it''s a good one.] "Thanks. Let''s keep going," Arad replied with a smile as he rushed toward the slimes. The slimes started rolling away, "Why are you running?" Arad rushed after them, "Come here, money. I still haven''t eaten anything since I was born, damn it!" Arad growled, swinging the stick at them left and right. After Half an hour, Arad finally stopped killing the slimes. "How much do we have?" [You learn quickly, 34 cores. Four of them are damaged.] "Nice, that''s three days'' worth of the slime quest. Let''s go looking for mint." [First, wash in the river.] As Arad looked down, slime''s acid covered his body. "Why am I not getting burned? Isn''t acid supposed to deal damage?" [You have resistance, and slimes acid is more effective against metals. It''s a monster that damages equipment more than you.] Not all monsters are dangerous because they can kill people. Some are dangerous because they are pests. For example, slimes can''t kill a motivated child. But they can corrode mundane weapons and armor. That has made them an extremely dangerous foe for low-rank adventurers. After washing the acid, Arad wore his clothes and headed deeper into the forest, searching for mint. It didn''t take him long to find some, and more, and more. "Mint is everywhere!" Arad gasped upon seeing another small patch of mint. [Don''t exaggerate it. It''smon but without skill or me guiding you, finding all of it would be impossible. Also, remember that it won''t grow by tomorrow. Mint is a limited resource.] After collecting a few batches, Arad returned to the city. "Hey, Arad, Another failed quest?" Nigel''s father called him. Arad looked at him confused, "No, I did get it done." "Really?" He didn''t seem to buy it. [It''s strange since you aren''t carrying anything] Arad slid his hand into his pocket and pulled a smile core, "I did kill them, at least." "What? Where were you hiding that? Is it magic?" [Don''t tell him about anything. Just say it''s a trick and leave.] "It''s a small trick. See youter." Arad waved his hand, rushing into the city. "What do you want me to do?" Arad asked with a worried face. It was only now that he realized how strange it was for him to carry nothing as an adventurer. [Let''s go to the market and spend a few coppers on a leather bag.] Chapter 8 The Dragon Learning How To Make A Profit "How much is this bag?" Arad asked as he found a medium-sized bag. He started around the shop and saw the shopkeeper rushing toward him. "You have good eyes, sir. This bag is made of wild ox leather and is durable." The shopkeeper smiled. [Let''s find another shop. This man is trying to make the bag sound more impressive than it is.] "I see. Thank you, I will look in another ce." Arad said, turning around. "Hold up, good sir!" the shopkeeper caught Arad''s hand, "Sorry. It''s a cow leather bag, but it''s durable." [Listen to him. Haggling is amon thing. You must always look like you know what you''re buying. That bag goes for five copper coins. But the price might have fluctuated to seven copper coins.] "How much is it?" Arad red at the shopkeeper. "Twelve copper coins, but I will make it just ten for you." The shopkeeper smiled. [That''s ridiculous.] "Do you expect me to pay ten copper coins for a five copper coins bag?" Arad stared at him. The shopkeeper stepped back, clenching his teeth, "I see you don''t know the market, kid. We''re having a shortage of cow leather." As the merchant started talking, Arad turned away, leaving. "Stop right there." Arad didn''t listen to him, [You don''t have to listen to a scammer.] Arad stopped at the next shop, seeing the same bag sold there. Looking around, he saw a woman cleaning inside the shop, "Madam, how much is this bag?" The woman stood, "I can''t see it. Can you lift it?" Arad lifted the bag to the woman to see. "That one is three coppers, but I rmend you buy the one by its side. It''s five copper coins but double the size." She shouted from the inside. [It''s far cheaper, howe?] "How is it this cheap?" Arad asked. "There was a cow leather surplus a few weeks ago, so I ordered a bunch of these bags. Now I have a stockpile to sell." She replied with a smile, slowly approaching the counter. "So you''re losing money?" "No, I''m making a decent profit." The woman smiled, pointing at the small bags. "Two copper coins and I sell them for three. I gain one copper coin in profit." she then pointed at therger bags, "Those were three copper coins, and I sell them for five copper coins. I gain two copper coins in profit." Arad looked back at the previous shop, "That one tried to sell me the small ones for ten copper coins. Is he stuck in the shortage?" The woman looked to the side, "That snorty bastard? No, he bought his bags with me. I bet he is trying to make a bigger profit." [Did you hear that? That is why haggling exists.] "I will take the big one," Arad handed her five copper coins, and she gave him therge bag. "Are you an adventurer?" The woman asked, "Yes, why do you ask?" "If you happened to get your hands on any wolves'' fur, fangs or ws, leave some for me, and I will pay handsomely." The woman told him with a smile. "I will keep that in mind, madam?" Arad looked at her. "L Belethor, and you?" "Arad Orion. Is it even legal for me to sell you monster parts?" He asked, a bit worried. "I''d even buy one of your rtives... If you want to sell them. Ha!ha!ha! That''s a little joke." Sheughed, patting Arad''s back, "Wolves are animals, not monsters." Arad smiled, "You scared me for a moment." L pointed into the distance, "I''ve never seen you here before, so I will show you something important. See thatrge building over there?" Arad nodded. He could miss it. "That''s the ve market. Criminals end there." She smiled, "Animal parts are okay, but monsters'' parts are a no-go. Make sure to consult with the guild before attempting anything strange." "Any criminal can end up as a ve?" Arad asked with a worried face. "No. There is aplicated process behind it. And it depends on the crime and its magnitude." L exined, "Last month, there was a sizable skirmish with the elves of the north. I bet you will find some of their soldiers locked up there and waiting to ransom." "Anyone can buy them?" "No. Only the prisoners'' country or rtive can buy them in the first two months. After that, it''s an open market." "I understand." Arad turned to leave. "Will you bring me what I asked for?" "I will ask the guild first." "That''s it. Make sure to check." ... Nina, I returned. Arad opened the guild''s door and walked toward the counter. All the adventurers red at him and therge bag over his shoulder. "Did you finish the quest?" Nina asked with a smile. She then quickly res at the adventurers in the back. They all shrunk, pretending to have never red at Arad. "Here they are. Please check them." Arad put ten slime cores on the counter. "All looks good, this 50 copper coins." Nina smiled. "Have anything else?" she could still see Arad''s bag having something. Arad pulled a massive pile of mint, "One, two, three... thirty-two, thirty-five, thirty-six." Thirty-six batches of mint, he grazed the whole forest. "How did it fit into that bag?" "I keep my stuff organized," Arad replied with a smile. After a suspicious re, Nina counted the mind and rewarded him. "This is your payment, 60 copper for the mint." She said with a sigh. But then she noticed Arad ring at her with a smile, his guild card in hand. "What?" "Look, I have two slime quests, and then how much mint quest? Twelve?" He grinned, "Shouldn''t I rank up?" It was then it came to Nina. This kid has just done it. "No, you only had one mint quest registered." She cried. Arad waved his palm, "Then hand me my mint back." "Hold up, but..." "Nina, let him have it. I will be his examiner." Alcott, who was drinking beer in the back, approached the counter. For a moment, Nina''s eyes darted between Alcott and Arad. The adventurers in the back started listening. Is the talented neer going to fight the talented S-rank? In the end, she gave up, "Please hand me your guild card. I will register your quests immediately." She then looked at Arad, "But this is thest time; Otherwise, the guild master will eat my head over it." [Eat your head?] "But I finished the quest. What does the guild master have toin about?" Arad asked. "Usually, the guild makes a profit by selling what we get. Now the master has to find a buyer for your mint before it withers. In a bigger city, you might find five or six missions. I even heard that the capital put over one hundred identical quests per day." Nina exined, and Alcott stared at her with a smile. "The whole guild is crying about some mint. I will buy to make stamina potions if you don''t mind." Nina smiled, "Really? I will get the guild master notified immediately," Nina leaped away after updating Arad''s card. "Take your time," Alcott said with a smile. Amber stared at them from the side, "Alcott, you better get ready for the new kid. His talent is exceptional." The adventurers started mumbling. Why does an S-rank need to prepare for a mock battle with an F-rank? They knew Arad was talented, but not to that extent. Alcott scratched his head, "You''re right. I could take a hit If he had more tricks up his sleeve." *********** *********** Arad smiled, staring at his card as Alcott pulled his sword and started practicing in the back. Chapter 9 Ranking-Up Arad stretched his arms, getting ready for the test in the training ground; everything was simple. "Will fight, and you will rank up if you were good enough," Alcott said with a big smile, lifting his sword. "Are you going to fight him barehanded?" one of the adventurers watching screamed, "He''s right. Get the kid a weapon." All the adventurers started shouting. Amber approached Arad, "Here, you can have this." She handed him arge wooden staff. "I said I will buy you a staff if you ranked within a weak. I say you did good enough." [She already bought one?] "Thank you, I will use it well," Arad replied, smiling as he looked at his new and first staff. ********** [Quarterstaff] [Item Rank: F] [Stats] [Increase spell base damage: +1] [Special abilities] [The quarterstaff double as a two-handed melee weapon; 1d8+ strength modifier] ********** Arad swung his staff around, engulfing his hands with mes. Swosh! Swosh! BAM! He smacked the tip on the ground causing a small explosion. "Hoho!" Alcott smiled, "I only felt such pressure when fighting real dragons. Their blood is strong within you." "START!" Nina screamed. Thud! Arad pointed his staff toward Alcott, KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! He immediately cast three [Firebolt] THUD! Alcott rushed ahead, swinging his sword. He could perform four swings per second while Arad could only cast three [Firebolt] CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Alcott sliced the spells one after the other and reached Arad in one second. With the t of his de, he swung at Arad. CRACKLE! A spark ignited in Arad''s chest. SWOSH! KA-DON! His whole body burst into mes. Alcott stopped mid-swing as the me assaulted him, "First-tier?" All the adventurers, including Amber, stared with their mouths open. KA-DON! As Alcott started getting into a stance, Arad emerged from the mes, swinging his ming staff. "You can''t take anyone with wide swings." Alcott swung his de, quickly disarming Arad. "It''s over." CLANG! Arad gripped Alcott''s sword with his bare hand. "Who said that?" KA-DON! He swung his other fist, engulfed in mes. Thud! Alcott grabbed Arad''s fist, "You lost your staff. Why fight?" "Cause I can. Give me the new rank." Thwack! Arad swung a kick at Alcott, hitting him straight in the stomach. "I see. You''re a hot-blooded one." Alcott smiled, unfazed by Arad''s kick. "You pass!" BANG! Alcott said, headbutting Arad into the dreand. An hourter, Arad woke up in the guild''s office with a touch on his forehead. "What happened?" [That man knocked you out with one headbutt. Your mes barely burned the fine hair of his beard.] Arad looked around. The room looked simple, having one bed and a small table. "Where am I now?" [You won''t like the answer. The guild''s dormitory.] Arad was about to nod, but then it came to his mind. "You said dormitory?" [The guild seems to have a small dorm where you can rent a room for 50 copper per night.] Arad sighed. He spent the night outside, and they had this dorm here. Why didn''t Nina tell him? Arad stood and walked toward the door opening it. He looked into the hallway, and it was empty, but he could hear the adventurers celebrating in the guild hall underneath. Thud! Thud! Thud! Nina walked up the stairs and saw Arad standing in the hallway, "Did you wake up?" "No, I''m still asleep," Arad replied as he walked past her. "You could at least stop to talk." she looked back at him. "You could have told me you had a dorm here." He growled, staring at her. "I tried to tell you but left quickly," She looked at him with a sad face, "Did you spend a lot on an inn?" She asked. Arad didn''t want to tell her he slept outside, so he just nodded, "What''s going on down there?" Nina smiled, "The adventurers are celebrating your win against Alcott. They never expected an F-rank to stand his ground." "I lost, didn''t I? He knocked me out." "But you fought longer than any other adventurer of your rank did. It was unbelievable to see you sh with him like that." Nina smiled, guiding Arad to the hall after giving him his guild card. *********** *********** The adventurers shouted when they saw him walk in, "He''s here," One stood on top of a table. "The zing newbie!" They started cheering and drinking even though it was noon. Arad stared at them for a moment and then walked toward the quest board, "Nina, I will be going out." He said with a smile. "Now? They are still celebrating your rank-up." Nina said with a gasp. Amber approached him with the staff, "You dropped this." she handed it back to him. "Do you want to go questing now?" Amber asked. Arad nodded, "I can''t stop working. I will finish the F-rank quests I still have and then start doing the E-rank missions from tomorrow." Alcott approached them, "Then I suggest you find a party to join. E-rank quests need a party." He exined, "You can do some A-rank and S-rank quests solo, as they sometimes need a specific talent." "If we had a quest to investigate the source of a strange forest fire, that can be a quest you can take a solo at A-rank." Nina tried to exin, but Alcott stared at her with a strange face. "You''re always bad at exining. High quests are just difficult problems in a simple matter. Nobody can finish an assassination but an assassin. It''s that simple." He exined, but Arad already understood what it meant from Nina''s exnation. [We can''t join a party that we don''tpletely trust. What if you had to go all out, and they spilled the beans about your nature?] Arad couldn''t agree more. Until he finds his first mate, he will keep adventuring solo. "Sorry, but I don''t intend on joining a party I don''t trust," Arad replied. "Trust is built with time. How can you trust a party if you never went on quests with them?" Alcott stared at him. "I will figure it out. Until then, I''m adventuring alone." Arad replied. Alcott seemed to think about it for a few moments, "Well, I have some free time now, Amber isn''t currently at a party, and the guild master will let Nina out for a day or two." Alcott looked at Arad with a smile. "Shall we form a temporary party for you?" He smiled, "You can trust us, right?" [A dragon yer is thest person we should trust.] "You''re thest person I should trust," Arad replied immediately, and Alcott stared at him with a sad face. "But I can take you to cool ces. Do you want to check the dragon mount to the east?" Alcott tried convincing Arad, but he got rejected. [The second tost thing we want is to meet another dragon this early] Arad shook his head immediately and denied Alcott, "I will go alone." Arad walked out of the guild. "He''s a determined one. I told you he won''t join a party." Amber said with a smile, "With all that strength, he''s better off building a name for himself first." Nina stared at her, "It''s safer to operate at a party." Alcott shook his head, "He still had the strength to spare. Let''s see how he will fare alone." He remembered seeing Arad teleport in the forest and deduced that he was hiding his true power. "To someone like him, being at a party is far more dangerous than being alone," Alcott said seriously and quickly realized how hard it was to exin as he saw Nina''s face ring at him. "Well, you see, his fire is all-powerful. He could burn his teammates. I''m sure he will find a party when he can control his mes more precisely." Alcott made it up on the spot. "So he has power butcks control." Amber thought, "I will find a way to help gain more control." And she left. Chapter 10 The Dragon’s Mom Arad walked into the west of the city. On his way, he asked one of the guards about directions. "Do you know where I can find the sewer entrance?" Arad asked as he approached the guard. The guard looked at him with a surprised face, "ck hair and red eyes, are you Arad?" [Hold up] "Do you know me?" Arad asked with a worried face. He has only been in the city for two days. "The news about your fight with sir Alcott this morning has spread across the city. People are already gossiping about you." The guard said with a smile. "There is even a rumor about reforming the dragon hunters'' party with you as a member." "The dragons'' hunters?" "Alcott, Nina, Amber, andstly you." The guards said with a smile, "New just came by, is it true?" [We just came from the guild. How fast does news travel in this city? Answer him like this.] "I refused; for the time being, I like to do more solo hunter to get a grip on my abilities, and then I will find or create a party to join," Arad replied as told. "I see. The news is right. But only halfway." The guard smiled, pointing into the distance. "You can find the sewers in that direction." "Thank you." Arad thanked the guard and started walking. "That was scary. To think everyone would have already heard of it." [It will spread. Alcott''s name was a part of it, after all. I don''t think people will keep it quiet on S-rank news.] "I hope they don''t keep their eyes on me." [If things became weird, we should leave the city without notice.] "You''re right. A bigger city with more people might be easier to blend in." Arad smiled. After a short walk, he reached the sewers. The sewers'' rotting wooden door cracked, reeking of high heaven. The stench was strong enough to force Arad to stay away. "What in the hell? How could it be so bad?" He growled. [It''s clogged up, and with the rat corpses inside, everything keeps rotting and mixing into a foul solution.] "Can''t they clean it regrly? Why do adventurers have to take such quests?" [No one wants to clean, so it gets left, and after months, they put a quest for cleaning.] Arad cringed, closing his nose and attempting to get closer. After just a few steps, he couldn''t do it. [We should ask other adventurers for advice. One of them should have taken this quest before.] Arad shook his head, "No way I''m going back. Let''s ask someone else." [Who are you thinking off?] "Let''s ask L. I''m sure she can help." Arad said as he walked away. [L Belethor, the shopkeeper? You sure took a liking to her.] Arad shook his head, "I know. I should be able to trust her. She taught us about her trade and how the city works." [Won''t that make Amber trustworthy? She taught you about sorcery.] "I don''t like that I contend with her as a fire sorcerer. I and L''s paths will never cross, she is a merchant, and I''m an adventurer." [A strange logic just like your mother, but it''s not bad.] It was then that Arad thought about it. "Since you''re in my head, I never thought to ask, but do you have a name?" He asked, scratching his head. [I don''t have a name. I''m a fragment of your mother''s consciousness.] "How should I call you?" He looked up, "It will be strange to just speak to you without using a name." [You can call me Mom if you want. I''m joking. Just give me a regr name.] Arad smiled, "Okay then, Mom, nice to meet you, even if it''s a bitte." [Don''t call me that!] "Mommy? Is that better?" [Don''t do it, give me a regr name.] "Let''s go with Mom, Magical Orion''s Mother. Miss Orion''s mother, or what about My only mother or Mom o'' Mom?" [Now you''re joking. Okay, you can use Mom.] Arad smiled, "Nice to work with you, Mom." Mom whispered that Arad couldn''tprehend her words, [Multiverse Obliterating Monster is more like it.] "What do you say?" [We''re close to L''s shop.] She said. What was in the past remains in the past. "Isn''t it Arad? What''s brought you here, wolf material?" L spotted him on the other side of the street, "You look happy." Arad slowly approached her, "In truth, I have a problem." He told her about the stench in the sewer. After listening to him exin in silence, L nodded, "I have a simple solution." She walked into the shop and soon walked out with arge green bottle. "Olive oil, can you smell it? How is it?" She asked, pointing the open bottle toward Arad. "I can smell it, but it''s not as bad," Arad replied, taking a deep whiff of the oil. "When we can just do this," She pulled an old rag from underneath her counter. It was surprisingly clean. After putting the rag in a tiny bow, she dripped oil on top of it and rinsed it well. "Use this as a face mask. It will be a bit better." [It isn''t as fresh air but something we can handle. I have a n to clean the sewer in a few minutes, so let''s go.] "Thanks, Mom," Arad said, talking with Mom. Lughed, "I''m not your mom, but I can cook for you if youe for dinner." She patted Arad''s hair, "I have a daughter but never a son. You''re wee at my home at any time." Embarrassed, Arad ran away toward the sewers while L waved to him with a smile. [I told you Mom is a bad name.] "Can''t I talk with you without speaking?" Arad cried. [Of course, you can. I can hear your thoughts.] ^Like this?^ Arad thought. *** When something between ^...^. It''s a thought, an inner monolog, or if Arad is talking with Mom. And, Yes. she is named Mom. *** Arad put on the mask upon reaching the sewers. ^Mom, what''s your n?^ [Absorb everything into the void and will release it elsewhere.] Arad froze in ce, "You know the void is my stomach, right?" He wasn''t that happy eating half a year''s worth of waste. [The void is a secondary pouch that can feed into your stomach. It''s an inventory in which you can store things.] After a few minutes of convincing, Arad used his inventory(Void stomach) to absorb(Eat) everything in the sewers as he did the mind and slime cores before. The sewers were left sparkling clean, and even the massive rates dwelling inside got sucked into the stomach. All the rats died since Arad''s stomach had no air, time, or space. When Arad forced them inside with all the waste, they instantly died. Arad slowly plucked all the rats'' tails. He then walked back to the guild, having finished his quest. "Nina, I finished the sewer and rat quests. Can you check on that?" Arad asked with an exhausted face. "What? You finished in one day?" She rushed at him, "You didn''t burn the sewers, right?" Arad looked at her, "They are clean. Why would I burn them?" Nina sent a group to confirm, and they returned after half an hour with stunned faces. "It was clean." "We found the waste pile in the indicated location. And all the rats'' corpses." Another of the team replied. All the adventurers stared at him, wondering what trick he used to clean the sewer. "So, how much do I need to rank up?" Arad asked with a smile. Nina looked at him with a worried face, scratching her chin, "Lower quests don''t count to rank up. You need to finish E-rank missions." Arad looked at her with a dead face, "I will take an E-rank quest." "You will need at least another party member. Please join or form a party to be able to take quests." She replied. "I want to go solo," Arad growled. "The rule is put to protect adventurers. Please find another party member." Nina replied, "You can be stabbed in the back by a goblin." "By the party member you want me to get," Arad replied, ring at her, "But fine. I will look into it." Nina smiled, "If you didn''t find a suitable party member, the guild can rmend one." Arad waved his hand and red at her, "I will quit adventuring and seek my own way if I can''t find a suitable partner." [What now, what will you do?] ^To the ve market,^ [You can trust someone under a ve contract but are you sure you can afford them?] ^We will only have a look^ *** The ve market: "All the elves have been ransomed." A man said, "Except for her," The man looked at the papers. "Ae Deianira," He left the papers on the table. "What should we do with her? Keep her on sale. No one wants her." The other man replied. "The whole elvish kingdom refused her. Everyone is scared her magic will fail again and cause a disaster." Chapter 11 The Slave Market Isn’t What The Dragon Expected Arad stood in front of the ve market, "Let''s get in and try our luck." He reached the massive brown door. Knock! Knock! The door immediately opened, and a middle-aged man looked out. "What are you looking for?" "A ve that is obedient and can fight," Arad replied immediately. The man red at him for a moment, "I don''t think we have anyone that you can afford," "Isn''t it rude to just assume that?" Arad stared back at him. "We usually get orders through letters. Since we opened up, no one who showed up in person could afford anything." The man said smiling, "The cheapest we have is 90 silver. Can you afford that?" [We can''t afford that right now.] Arad sighed, "Guess I can''t. Sorry for bothering you." "You cane in and check what we have. We can offer you a deal or send you a letter when a suitable ve for your needs and price range has appeared." The man opened with door and called Arad. The inside is arge hall with a wooden floor, white painted walls, and luxurious furniture. "This ce is different than what I expected." Arad looked around. "On the rare asion of a client arriving in person, they are of high ss, and we must treat them with care." The man said gently, waving his hand toward the center of the room. Arad approached the couch, "I doubt this is the ce I get to look at what you have." "It depends. When the customer is of high ss, we prepare the ves and create a show for him, hoping he will pick one." The man said with a smile. "But you can''t do that for me. I understand that it''s a hassle." Arad looked at the man. "Sorry for that. We can take you around the cells to check directly." The man suggested. "That seems more interesting to me. Let''s see what you hide inside." Arad smiled and followed the man. As they descended into the cer, Arad was surprised to see the hallway was well-lit. As they passed by the empty cells, Arad only got more confused. The rooms were clean, with a stone floor, painted white walls, a simple bed, and a study table. It was far better than the room in the guild''s dorm. The only inconvenience is therge steel bar wall facing the hallway. But even that had a curtain. "I expected something different," Arad said while looking at the rooms. "Most people say that," The man nodded, "ves are the merchandise. We need to make sure they stay in top condition." He pointed toward one of the cells, "This used to belong to an elf woman who got sold recently." "What''s so special about it?" Arad asked. "The woman wanted to get sold to a noble, so we had her take care of her look. You can still see the care kit she had on the table." The man pointed. "Are you saying the ve has a say in the matter?" "Of course they have. This ce is like an adoption facility but for adults. But I wouldn''t say it was like this forever." The man sighed. "What do you mean?" "This line of work used to be darker than you can imagine. But that changed a few years ago when the king decided to buy a ve for entertainment." The man looked a bit scared, "He almost sentenced all of us to execution after she told him how she got treated. So as you see, we''re regted to make our vesfortable." "I heard this ce was full of criminals." Arad red at the man. "Of course, that woman I told you about earlier, she took a massive bribe to put poison in a nobles food. And the man died." The man exined. "I see. How about dangerous criminals?" Arad asked, and the man stopped. "I can show you, but it''s not pretty." The man replied. After that, they took a short detour to show Arad how dangerous criminals get treated. "Before we see him, make sure you remember that he killed over thirty people, including children and the elderly. He also has a long record of robbery, ckmailing, forced sexual abuse, and lots more." Arad nodded, "Why is he a ve? I think he should be dead." "He cursed the women he abused; they will die with him. We can''t kill him." The man said, frowning, "We''re hoping some experienced mage could buy him and break the curse or find a way to kill him safely. Those are the condition for buying him." Inside the room, A man sat strapped to a steel chair with his limbs nailed in. a long metal rod clogged his mouth so he won''t bite his tongue. "He''s quite strong. So this is the only way to keep him restrained." The man said, "Let''s go; I have just the one for you." After they walked back toward the regr cells and proceeded a bit, Arad started seeing the cells fill up with people. Humans, elves, orcs, and strange races that he didn''t recognize. All stared at him. "Here she is. What do you think?" Inside a cell, a blond elf girl with green eyes red back at them. "Is he the one?" She asked. "He might be a starting E-rank adventurer, but he fought the S-rank Alcott and stood his ground. His fire magic is also unmatched," The man said, and Arad red at him. [How did he know?] The man looked at Arad, "Words of you have spread across the city. I wouldn''t have let you in otherwise." "As a person, what do you think of him?" The girl asked. The man scratched his chin, "I don''t know beyond that he is hardworking. He just started living in the city." The girl started thinking while staring at Arad. ^Why do I feel like she is the one buying me?^ [She has to make sure she ends up with a suitable person. But I will say it. She is suitable.] "What will I be doing?" She asked, looking at Arad. "Hunting monsters with me, adventuring," Arad replied with a passive face. What did she expect? "Manager, I will take him." She said with a smile, and Arad stared at her, "I''m taking you." [Ask about the price first. Nothing will go before that.] "How much is she?" Arad asked, "I know she''s expensive." The manager scratched his chin. "She is one gold coin and fifty silver," "Too expensive. I better look for someone else." Arad immediately replied, and the elf girls stared at him with a sad face. "I can help with that." the manager said, "How about we split the payment?" Arad turned toward him, "Ten silver coins per week, and you can take her now. You have a week to bring me the first payment." [That sounds shady.] "So, what''s your catch?" Arad stared back. "We won''t be keeping her here. That''s our win." The managed smiled, "Elves are a pain to keep, and we have profitable peopleing in and want the space." The manager said with a smile. "And the part you''re not telling me?" "Her crime is a bit unique." Chapter 12 Aella Deianira, And The Dragon Is Hungry. "Did you hear about the recent elvish attack?" The manager asked with a straight face. Arad nodded, "I heard about it, that''s all." The manager looked at the woman, "This woman is why they lost. She appeared out of nowhere and sted their arrows with her wind magic." "I told you, I''m not a part of their army. I was teleported there by mistake. That wind wasn''t even mine." Ae yelled. "And as you see, she refuses to admit it. Even the elvish army has refused to ransom her or admit that she is a part of their troops." He sighed, "Such a failure of an elf. It will be embarrassing to call her one of their own." [That''s strange since both sides refuse to admit a connection.] "What if she is right?" Arad asked. "Everyone refuses to believe her. Why would an elf show up out of nowhere and sabotage their army?" The manager sighed again, "Elves are haughty. They will refuse to admit such things." "Hold up, doesn''t this mean we''re at war with the elves?" Arad realized. "Not exactly, just some troubles between human nobles and elvish nobles. Nothing as important as war." After thinking about it for a bit, Arad nodded, "I will take her," Ae''s face brightened for a moment, "I see you two agree. Let''s get up to finish the paperwork." The managed opened the cell and allowed Ae out, "Don''t you need guards to keep her in check?" Arad looked around. Till now, he only saw the manager and no one else. "Look there." The manager pointed toward the end of the hallway. A light glimmered behind a half-opened door. "The whole ce is monitored with magic. The guard will be here in no time, and the whole ce will get locked up." He said with a proud smile. Arad used his void eyes to look around and saw the whole ce covered in magic. "Sir Arad, are your eyes alright?" The manager asked as he saw the purple glimmer in Arad''s eyes. "That is a strange form of magic," Ae added up. "Ah! No, I''m a sorcerer and can see magic to a small degree. I just looked around to see the detection magic." Arad scrambled to patch an excuse. He didn''t know that his eyes glow when using [Void Eyes] "I see," The manager said while thinking, "Let''s get the paper done. It won''t take long." The ve contract is a magical binding between two creatures. One is the master, and the other is the ve. And as expected, it has rules. This association is the one that writes the contract, and it makes sure it includes a few things. Even the ve has a saying in what his rights and obligations are. ***** ve rights: The right to protect honor: The ve has the right to refuse sexual rtionships in any shape or form. Life protection: The ve''s life and physical health are protected. ve obligation: Obey all of the masters'' orders unless they harm her rights. Master rights: Life protection: The ve can''t harm her master in any shape or form. Secrecy right: The ve won''t disclose the master''s information to anyone. Helpful guidance: The ve will help the master even if he didn''t ask. Master obligation: The master is responsible for providing food, clothes, and shelter for the ve. ***** The contract writer with be informed of any breach. Arad read the contract a few times, as did Ae. The detail in it was incredible as they described multiple scenes. "Break it, and the guards will fall on you in seconds." The manager said with a smile. The two epted the contract, and it got signed immediately. "Ae, here is your stuff." The manager handed her a small bag with a long bow, "This is everything that got confiscated from you." Ae rushed to the changing room to wear her leather armor. Arad stared at her with a smile. ^Finally, we have a party member.^ [Won''t she start from F-rank?] ^I don''t want to level her up. I hope Nina can do something about it.^ "Arad, I''m ready!" Ae walked out with a smile. "What should we do now?" Arad scratched his chin, "Can I test the contract here for a bit?" "Go for it," Ae looked confident in herself. "You can try it. You don''t have to worry about breaching the contract." The manager confirmed. [Let''s test the limits] Arad stared at Ae, "Call me Master." "Of course, I can call you master. That doesn''t even need the contract." Ae approached Arad with a smile, "Master Arad." Arad nodded, "Call me just Arad. It''s weird to be called master." He sighed. It was more embarrassing than he thought. Arad then started testing the limits. "Walk on all four." Ae did it. "Dance for me." Ae did it. It didn''t matter if Arad asked her to shake her hips harder; The contract never activated since it was under dancing. "Sing for me," "Sorry, I''m a bad singer." It seems that she can consciously refuse an order. It was Arad''s turn, "Master, shut up!" Ae said, and the contract was activated. "This is a warning activation," The manager said, "We would have put you under surveince for it." [Arad, there is something we might be able to use.] Mom seems to have figured something out. ^What is it?^ [The contract work using what you consider normal, we can break that easily by getting me involved.] Ae approached Arad and tried hitting him. TAP! She gently punched Arad''s stomach, and the contract didn''t activate. The contract activates when Arad loses health, nothing less. After making sure the contract works and that everything is fine. Arad and Ae walked out. As they walked across the busy streets, Ae stared at Arad, "What do we do now? Are we going to the guild?" Arad looked around and then at her flowing golden hair and gleaming green eyes, "We should register you first. I need you to get to E-rank as fast as possible." Ae puffed her big chest with a smile, "I''m already a level 12 fighter, an Arcane-archer." She stared at Arad, "I bet you will be shocked seeing me fight!" "Nice to meet you. I''m a level one Sorcerer, a red draconic bloodline." Arad replied, and Ae blinked twice. "Just level one?" "Suprised?" "Not really. You bought me to protect you, right?" She said with a smug smile. "I needed someone trustful. Will go to the guild and get some quests." Arad said but almost immediately got a weird feeling. GRWAAAAA! His stomach rumbled loudly. ^I haven''t eaten anything since I was born.^ "Are you hungry? We can stop to eat if you didn''t eat lunch yet." Ae said with a smile. [Arad, this is bad! Your draconic body is hungry.] ^I can eat a meal at a nearby inn, and I''m fine. Why are you worried?^ Arad replied. [Dragons eat more than humans can. I suggest you go to the forest to hunt for food.] Arad sighed, "Are you alright?" Ae asked him immediately. "Just want to eat something," He replied. ^Say, Mom. "what''s the best food for dragons?^ Mom hesitated, [The second best food is raw monster flesh, a lot of it.] ^I asked about the first. I want to get the best for the first time if possible.^ [You won''t like hearing it.] ^Say it. With details." [Raw humanoid flesh, preferably intelligent creatures. Young before the old, women before men, humans before elves, and other races.] Mom sighed, [Void dragons are simr to red dragons. Their best food is young maidens. That is why you hear of maidens sacrificed to them.] Chapter 13 E-Rank Quests Are Weird To The Dragon ^Can I eat cooked monster flesh?^ Arad asked while walking toward the guild with Ae. [It''s more efficient to eat raw meat.] ^Cooked is better.^ [Humanoid cook meat to clean it from diseases. They exchange safety for nutritious quality.] Mom replied, [You might need to eat 50% More if you cooked your meat.] ^Can I store food in my stomach?^ [You''re mother used to do that. But be careful. You can overhunt a forest.] ^What dragons are there? Are void dragons strong inparison?^ [Void dragons are the strongest of the magic dragons, Reds are the strongest of the chromatic, and Golds are the strongest of the metallic dragons. Butbat depends on more things than just race.] "Arad, we reached the guild!" Ae said with a smile, "We can go hunt monsters." [She''s oddly energetic.] ^Is that a problem?^ [She might be dealing with some things, so keep an eye on her.^ Ae gently pushed the giant wooden door open, and all the adventurers stared at her. People usually kick the poor door. Everyone immediately started whispering, "An elf?" "Howe? They rarely visit human cities." "Come on, we like them, and they like us." "But it''s strange. We had a skirmish against the elvestely. I thought they would be a bit angry." "Is she an adventurer?" But as they spoke, Ae spun around, waving her arm, "Arad, why are you waiting? Come in." Everyone stopped talking, their faces shited to the back, ring at Arad. It was the newbie''s doing. The monster brought something unusual. Nina waved at them from behind the counter. "Arad,e here!" The two walked across the guild hall, ignoring everyone. Ae didn''t seem bothered as she kept her smile, but Arad was nervous. [She keeps that energetic attitude. I have a bad feeling about that.] ^Mom, aren''t you getting a bit too worried?^ [I was a part of your mother once, don''t underestimate the instincts she had. The girl has no malicious intents, but I know she will be a problem to deal with.] Arad took that into mind. He faced Nina, "Can you register Ae?" After a series of questions about how Ae fights, Nina finally registered her as an E-rank adventurer like Arad. The reason for that was her stats. ************ [Name: Ae Deianira][Race: Elf][ss: Fighter] [Level: 12/20][Exp: 5630/35000][Sub-ss: Arcane-Archer] [Stats] [Strength: 6] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 15] [Magic: 10] [Intelligence: 10] [Wisdom: 12] [HP: 234][MP: 180][SP: 276] ---------------- [Skills] [Fighting Style: Archery] [Second Wind: 1/day, heal-self up to 10+level] [Action Surge: double speed for 2 seconds] [Arcane Archer: Can infuse arrows with elemental energy] [Indomitable] [Arcane Archer: Can create a bow and arrows with magic] [Innate Skills] [Elvish Mana: +6 per level] [Elvish Night Vision: Can see in the dark] [Elvish Hearing: A sharper Hearing] [Resistance] Non [Immunities] Non [Magic] [Can''t be detected without a mind reading magic] ************ Unlike Arad, who is just level one, she is level twelve and has the strength of a high C-rank adventurer. "Thank you, I will treasure it a lot," Ae said, grabbing her guild card with two hands and a smile. Before the two could start talking and wasting time, Arad interrupted them. "We should take a quest. Let''s go, Ae." He stood and walked toward the quest board. E-rank quests, He can finally start hunting monsters which grant him enough exp to level up. ^Mom, what should we take? Is there anyone who can help me level faster?^ [You can level up your humanoid power, but as a void dragon, you need to cultivate your power. Dragons grow stronger the older we get, meaning our bodies cultivate naturally. But we can elerate it manually, as not every dragon can wait a thousand years to be strong.] ^Can you exin it in detail?^ [You will know when the timees. Now focus on eating.] Arad looked at the board to read the quests but soon changed his expression. ****** [Goblin ying: Clear the goblin nest of Valondur. Five coppers per head, and you can keep all goblins'' belonging.] [Giant Toad ying: Kill five giant toads in two days. Twenty-five copper coins per kill. The guild owns the corpses and will send haulers.] [Raging Bull termination: The eastern farm needs a brave adventurer to castrate their gorgon bull. Two silver coins. The farm owns the testicles, and they must be unharmed] [City wall breach: The city council is looking for workers to destroy a segment of the city wall. One silver coin per day. The city provides lunch and protective equipment.] [Bar host: The silver moon bar needs a strong adventurer to be a bartender. Thest bartender got killed by drunkards, so we need a strong one. Ten silver coins per day.] [Temporary exchange: The southern elephant trunk brothel needs an attractive woman for a week, and the house mistress will decide on the look. One gold coin per day to 20 gold coins per day, depending on the type of service.] [Mine investigation: Workers have been dying in the silver mine of silverbell, and a cleric is needed to investigate. Pay five silver coins] [Magic punching bag: Alice, the city''s grand wizard, requires a young male, preferably 20~25 years: To be a test subject for the new polymorph spell. PS: You might end up as a frog for several days, but I will keep you safe in my room. Pay two gold coins][Already taken] [Rise of the dead: Two skeletons have risen inside the city''s catb, please get rid of them. Pay two silver coins] ****** Arad turned back, "Magic punching back." Several adventurers, even high-ranked ones, turned away and started whistling. "Hmmm." ring at them, "Temporary exchange." A bunch of female adventurers turned the other way, and every other adventurer red at them. Ae approached Arad, "Do you want to take those two? What do they say?" She said, smiling. She red at the papers, "I can''t read humannguage." [You can naturally understand and speak allnguages. But can only read and write human and draconic. This is a gift from your mother''s consciousness.] "No, we''re killing giant toads," Arad replied. "Those quests pay nice, but they are awful," Then an adventurer opened his mouth, "Come on, Arad, let her take the Temporary exchange quest. I bet she doesn''t mind." Hearing that, Arad slowly turned his head and lifted his palm. KA-DON! His palm burst into me as he red at the adventurer, "I will burn you alive." Arad wasn''t serious, and neither was the adventurer, everyone knew it was a joke, but something happened. As the adventurer stared at Arad''s eyes, he suddenly felt a heavy pressure on his chest. He started sweating, and his knees shook. As if red down by a predator, he stepped away. "Are you all right?" His friend asked. "Yeah." The adventurer said, confused, "For a moment, I got a strange feeling staring into his eyes." His friend stared at him, disgusted, "I thought we two like the elf girl, you bastard are going for the guy?" They started bickering like two old geezers. Arad picked up the quest and approached Nina''s desk, "Register me this one," He said with a smile. "You still have the rabit quest registered. Want to keep it up?" Nina asked with an angry smile. Arad panicked momentarily, "Sorry, I forgot about it." Ae stared at him, confused, "Did she mean rabbits?" Thud! Nina grabbed Arad by the head, "Thank Amberter, and never register more than one quest at a time." Chapter 14 Cry Of A Cornered Wyrmling Arad and Ae walked outside the city to hut the giant toads, "Listen, we''re hunting six." Arad said with a reluctant voice. "The quest said to hunt five." She replied, staring at him with her head tilted to the side. "I need one, so we''re killing six." He lifted his staff, "Don''t cast any spells here. We still haven''t detected a toad." She instantlymented while taking a step away. Arad sighed, "I know. Let''s search for them around here." Arad looked around. ^Mom, can I detect them with my powers?^ [Sadly, no. You can detect magic and see invisible creatures like ghosts, but the toads are natural creatures. You also can''t detect their smell since you don''t know how they smell.] Arad sighed. His abilities are useless unless they find at least one to use as a reference. Ae approached Arad, "Nina said they hide in the ground just beneath the surface. Grassless patches of the ground are a good indicator that a toad is hiding there." Arad nodded, looking around. There were no patches that fit a toad. The grassy hills span until the forest, and the only dirt patches he could see were about twenty feet in diameter. "Where are the toads? Please don''t tell me this like the slimes when I can barely find them." Arad walked around with a worried face. "I heard from Nina that they like eating goats. We could try luring them out." Ae rushed ahead, "MAAAA!" She yelled, "MAAAA!" Arad walked behind her, "Do you think that will work?" [Hold up, they eat goats?] It was then that the realization hit Arad like a lightning bolt. ^How big are they? I thought they could be cat-sized at most.^ CRACK! In the distance, the ground shattered, and the 20-foot-tall toad emerged. "It''s big!" Ae screamed with a happy face, swinging her arms. [That''s what she said. Get ready for a fight.] KA-DON! Arad engulfed his staff in mes, ready to start sting. "Let me take care of it." Ae smiled, pulling her bow out. In her palm, she held three arrows between her fingers. "You will kill at a distance? I can do that with magic." Arad pointed his staff at the toad. "Can you let me have it? I haven''t fought in a long time." She smiled, standing tall and pulling the bowstring to her chin. "Their skin is tough. For arrows to prate it, I must be quite close." She said, letting the toad hop closer and closer. Arad lowered his staff, "I don''t think a mere arrow will kill such a big thing immediately." "It will, as long as I get through the skull to the brain. My arrow can do it." Ae smiled, taking a deep breath and inting her already sizeable chest. As the toad entered the 30 feet range, she released her arrows. BAM! BAM! BAM! In quick secession, she fired three arrows in less than two seconds. She almost reached Arad''s speed with magic. Arad started pping as he saw the toad stop with three arrows stuck in its forehead. "Truly impressive. I have never seen someone shoot so fast." Ae smiled, "I''m a quick shot, you know. I can fire three arrows in about a second and with decent uracy." As Ae puffed her chest again, speaking with pride, the toad moved, lowering its jaw. GULP! It swallowed her in an instant. The arrows didn''t kill it. "Ae!" Arad screamed, KA-DON! Engulfing his arms in mes and leaping at the toad. SWOSH! As Arad swung his fist with [Firefist]. BAM! The toad leaped into the sky, dodging the hit. [Shoot it down.] Arad lifted his staff, aiming at the toad. CRACKLE! Before he could fire, a massive sticky tongue mmed to his side. ^Damn it, another toad.^ He got pulled and swallowed by the second one. *** A few momentster, Ae woke up inside the toad''s stomach, feeling a massive hit. Her skin burned from its acidic stomach and a dislocated shoulder. As she tried to move, her left leg screamed in pain. CRACK! The toad''s giant mouth got forced open, and Arad stared down at her, "Are you all right?" Arad grabbed her by the shoulder, but she flinched. [It looks dislocated, grab her from the other one and pull out.] Arad grabbed her and pulled her out of the toad''s throat in one go, "Damn, you''re heavy. And stinks." He sighed. As he sat her on the ground, she started shaking. Her skin still burned from the acid and her vision was blurry. She was almost digested alive. "How did you?" Ae looked back and saw a trail of torn trees and the corpses of two toads with clean holes in their bodies. "Doesn''t matter. Let''s get you back to the guild." Arad extended his hand to her. Thud! A crossbow bolt pierced his neck. THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! BAM! After a handful of bolts rested on his side, a massive stone smacked his head, and arge man rushed from behind the bushes. CRACK! He kicked Arad''s body away. "I got him, boys!" The man screamed, and a band of bandits rushed from behind the trees. "Damn it. The elf is damaged!" One of them cried. "Don''t worry about the elf; we can heal her in a few days with magic." One of the bandits approached. Ae looked at her bow. It has snapped. "Damn you!" She lifted her palm, "Oh'' great winds!" She yelled, trying to invoke her magic. As the mana started collecting in her palm, images of the past disaster crossed her mind. Tens of dead elves stared at her, "Why did you do that?" CRACK! The spell failed, shattering into a glimmer of dust. "Trying to cast magic? We can''t have you do that!" A bandit who wore a robe approached her, carrying two crystal balls in his hand. The ball emitted a blue light, and Ae felt her body tighten, "Glimmer, my blue balls. Override binding!" He yelled, and Ae fell on her face. "What did you do?" Ae red at him. "I rewrote your ve contract. Hehe!" Heughed, "Those beauties cost us a fortune. But with them, we can catch and sell the likes of you." "We saw you walk out of the ve market with him. We thought we could catch and resell you with a loose contract to the right buyer." The other bandit giggled. Ae tried to stand up, but her body refused to move. "You''re under our control. Give up!" All the bandits startedughing. VSSSSSSS! They started hearing a strange vibration in the air, like the sound of a massive bee hive. "I don''t remember a wasp hive near here." One of them scratched his head. "The sound ising from there." They all looked toward Arad''s corpse. Instead, they saw a goat-sized ck dot. The dot stretched, extending four limbs, a long tail, and two jet-ck wings. Ae stared at it. The creature moved its neck, slowly opening its eyes, which held a purple re. Slowly, Arad red at the bandits. [HP Dropped to zero, we''re forced into the draconic form. Make sure no one escape alive.] SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEECH! Opening his jaw, the tiny dragon released a horrid screech that shook the whole forest and heard from the city. Alcott was in the guild drinking with Amber. And as he lifted his mug, SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEECH! The roar rumbled across the sky, and Alcott rushed out so fast he flipped three tables. ''A dragon''s roar, but it''s strange. This screech is the cry of a cornered wyrmling,'' Alcott rushed as fast as he could. ''If I don''t save it quick enough, this city will face a raging mother soon.'' Chapter 15 The Dragon’s First Fight [R-DOOM] **** Dragons are nicknamed the doom bringers for how much destruction they cause. [R-DOOM] Mean the chapter is one massive fight. Listen to some action music while reading (^^) **** Arad stared at them, his eyes shing with bright purple mes. The bandit stared at him in shock, "A wyrmling?" One of them cried, lifting his crossbow. BAM! A bolt flew directly at Arad''s neck. Thud! Arad waved his neck like a snake, dodging the bolt in the blink of an eye. CRACK! Using his powerful hindlegs, he leaped up. FLAP! FLAP! His wings were too weak to lift him to the sky, but that didn''t prevent them from helping him reach the top of a tree. "Wyrmlings can''t fly. Drop the beast to the ground!" The bandits screamed. The one who yelled lifted his axe, throwing it directly at Arad. CLANG! With a single wing swing, Arad deflected the axe and leaped to the next tree behind the bandits. All the bandits immediately turned around, aiming their crossbows. PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! Eight bolts flew at Arad simultaneously. Thud! But he leaped at the bandits, dodging all the bolts except one that bounced off his head, broken. GRWAAAA! With a roar, Arad swung his front-left w at one of the bandits. SPLAT! Arad''s w passed right through the bandit''s armor and tore into his chest, splitting the lungs apart. The man died on the spot. Before the bandits could process what happened, Arad opened his mouth. In the blink of an eye, the bandit''s vision blurred with a loud crackling sound. CRACK! KA-BOOM! The four bandits who stood in front of Arad''s breath got sted away without even seeing what his breath was. Their bodies tore apart, and their limbs shattered. CRACK! From the back, a bandit who carried a massive tower shield survived the breath. He clenched his teeth and red at Arad. The bandit saw nothing. Arad''s breath was a long cone of ck emptiness. The breath itself wasn''t what killed the bandits. The breath merely erased everything in its bath, and when the air came to fill the gap, it caused a powerful shockwave. "This thing isn''t a ck dragon!" The bandit cried, "It breathed a strange dark magic." THUD! Arad rushed ahead. [You can''t repeatedly breathe. At least when you''re a wyrmling. Charge at them, and don''t worry about their weapons.] The bandit lifted threw his shield and wielded his longsword with two hands, "Like all wyrmlings, you need to charge your breath." The bandit smiled, swinging his sword at Arad. Thud! Arad leaped above the sword like a cat, swinging his w at the bandit. The bandit tried to dodge, but he lost his ear. "You move like a feline." The bandit growled, swinging his sword at Arad. Arad was inclined to dodge, but Mom stopped him, [Take the hit!] He worked by her advice and didn''t dodge it. The moment the sword hit his scales, it produced a loud ringing sound. TINGGI! CRACK! The de shattered, and the shards sunk into Arad''s Void. [Weapons unprotected with magic can barely withstand the pressure of a void dragon''s body. You took one point of damage, but his weapon is gone.] ROOAAAR! Arad opened his jaw at the bandit. Thud! The bandit leaped away, grabbing his tower shield and smiling, "A breath ising. Aim at his back!" He yelled his lungs out. As the bandit braced himself, something strange emerged from Arad''s mouth. A bright sh with a massive wave of heat. [Firebolt; Level 3; R3][Firebolt; Level 3; R3][Firebolt; Level 3; R3] "White mes?" The bandit gasped as a st of inferno scorched him. The bandits couldn''t tell if it was one breath or multiple hits. To them, Arad breathed a gust of white mes. All the bandits in the back gasped, "Is this a mere wyrmling?" "Idiots! Dragons are kingdom-destroying monsters, don''t underestimate a wyrmling." One bandit screamed. "He''s right!" Another one shouted, rushing ahead and leaping over the bushes. After rolling, he lifted the crossbow and aimed at the injured Ae. "You ambushed us before we took her. Is she your prey?" The bandit smirked. Dragons are prideful creatures. It wasmon knowledge that touching their prey was a sure way to get a dragon angry. PEW! The bandit fired the bolt. Arad saw it rushing, he was too far away to run, but he still had a trick. The teleportation. ZON! In an instant, Arad''s body disappeared silently. CLANG! He then beside Ae, deflecting the bolt with his wing. "He wants the girl!" A bandit yelled. "Move back slowly. The dragon might calm as long as we move away from the girl." The bandits started taking slow steps to the back. "Here is it, boy. We''re leaving your prey alone." A bandit said, "We will not disturb your meal any further. Let''s end this peacefully." Especially after seeing him teleport, they knew this Wyrmling was abnormal. [Don''t let a single one leave alive.] ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Arad roared, shaking the forest again. Ae clogged her ears as she felt her eardrums about to explode. *** Running from the city, Alcott rushed faster than a horse, his de in hand and his eyes set on the forest. THUD! THUD! THUD! Each of his heavy steps tore a chunk of the ground. BAM! with a single jump, he leaped into the top of a tree. BAM! BAM! He leaped from one tree to the other. ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! He heard Arad''s second roar, his face tensed up, and his forehead started sweating, "Please don''t die on me. I don''t want to deal with an angry mother." ZON! Arad teleported into the middle of the bandits, swinging his w. SLASH! His ws sunk into the flesh of one of the bandits. GRWAA! The man cried. THUD! THUD! Two bandits surrounded Arad; one swung a mace, and the other a machete. Arad waved his body like a snake, twisting his spine and torso to evade the attack, and at the same time, he mmed one of the bandits on the leg with his tail. CRACK! The bandit fell on the ground where Arad stomped him. BAM! The other bandit kicked Arad in the guts, and his leg broke upon contact, but Arad felt the hit. Ae forced herself to stand, grabbing one of the bandit knives and stabbing him in the neck. Arad looked at her. A bandit was about to sh her back. ZON! Arad teleported behind Ae and opened his jaw. CRACK! KA-BOOM! A void breath sted the bandit away, and the secondary shockwave pulled the other bandits. Without a moment''s rest, Arad opened his jaw again. [Firebolt; Level 3; R3][Firebolt; Level 3; R3][Firebolt; Level 3; R3][Firebolt; Level 3; R3][Firebolt; Level 3; R3][Firebolt; Level 3; R3][Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] One after the other, Arad started sting like a machine gun of magic. The bandits caught in his range ended up scorched white the rest hid behind the trees. As Arad closed his mouth, one of the bandits rushed in and punched Ae in the face. "Let''s separate them. I will handle the elf bitch!" Hearing him, the remaining bandits surrounded Arad. The bandit rushed at Ae swinging a second punch at her face. She took a stance and deflected his fist, retaliating with a kick. The bandit grabbed her leg and kicked her in the face. But she didn''t flinch. THUD! She leaped up, twisting her torso on his leg, and kicked his face. The bandit rolled away. He lost bnce using two legs, and her surprise kick got him nicely in the nose. The bandit immediately stood and blew the blood from his nose, "I like me a girl who can kick my ass. You''re mine after this." Ae growled. Her broken leg and dislocated shoulder are weighing her too much. "AGRAA!" She screamed, charging in with a punch, but the bandit pulled his one-handed axe. Ae pulled her fist at thest moment before he could cut it. "Suprise girl, give up!" The bandit screamed. ROOOOAAAAR! Arad roared in the back, trying to find an opening to rush to her. THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! From one tree to another, Alcott leaped until he saw the battlefield, his vision locked on the bandit swinging his axe at Ae. CRACK! It all took less than blinking. Alcott fell from the tree with a downward swing, and the bandit''s axe exploded, his body cut in half from head to groin. Alcott grabbed his sword, ring forward like a monster. [Action Surge] [Adrenaline Rush] [Actrion Surge] CLAP! Alcott shed through the bandits, leaving a st where he stood. SLASH! SLASH!SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! When Alcott faced Arad before, he stated that he could reach a speed of four shes in one second. That was without using skills. Alcott can attack four times in one second, and with an action surge, it doubles to eight. Adrenaline rush gives him another chance to attack, and he can double with his second Action surge. In total, Alcott ended with sixteen attacks in one second. That was enough to kill all the remaining bandits before they could realize it. When Alcottnded after the second ended, a loud boom roared, causing Ae to fall to the ground covering her ears. The sound was generated by his de shing through their armor and bones. Chapter 16 How Dragons Cultivate Their Power And Wealth Arad stared at Alcott''s back, debating whether he should run or stay. The man knowns as the dragon yer have arrived, and he can''t stand a chance against him. Thud! Arad took a step backward, keeping his eyes on Alcott. [Back away slowly and hope he won''t attack us.] Just as Arad started moving, Alcott stared at him. "A strange wyrmling, you remind me of astral dragons, but you have legs." Alcott sheathed his sword and sighed. "Thank the divines I reached in time. Only they knew what kind of disaster your mother would have caused had you died." He smiled, "Go, don''t approach human cities again." [Let''s run away. We will return to the cityter.] Ae stood, looking at Arad. "Are you injured?" She rushed toward him immediately, alerting both Arad and Alcott. Arad leaped back. ^Stay away from me, idiot!^ Ae chased him, "Why are you running? Arad,e here and let me see if you got injured." She spilled the beans on the spot. [Stupid elf!] ^Damn it, should I bolt away?^ Alcott stared at them, "Arad? Is this wyrmling Arad?" He looked at them, slowly approaching. Arad tried to speak, but he could only growl. As a wyrmling, his vocal cords haven''t developed. Alcott lifted his hands, "Listen, I''m not here to hurt you. Wave your wings if you understand me." [He would have killed us if he wanted to. Give him a chance. But be ready to bolt away with teleportation.] ^Can I transform back to my human side?^ Arad asked with a worried thought. [You can''t until you eat and recover, your humanoid body is at 0 HP.] Arad waved his wings, and Alcott smiled, "This exins the air around you." "Arad, are you?" Ae tried to approach him, but she fell on her face, tearing up like a little kid. Alcott stared at her with a smile, "Elves are dexterous. They can even run with sprung ankles and broken bones." He exins. Alcott stared at Arad, "Can you transform back into a human?" Arad shook his head. "Let me change the question, will you be able to transform back soon?" Arad nodded, looking toward the corpses. "Can you do it in less than a day?" Alcott scratched his beard. [You can transform back just after eating.] Arad nodded. "That sound like a n." Alcott smiled, "I will take the girl to get healed and report the bandit attack. The bandits have captured a wyrmling and intend to sell it in the city. You and Ae found them and eliminated the threat. I will tell this story." Arad stared at him, confused, but Alcott smiled. "I''m more than a dragon yer. I''m the dragon meditator. I''m the one to look for when negotiating with dragons." He exined. Dragons are the apex predator and the strongest, living, intelligent creatures. Due to the dragons'' might, fighting them is considered a stupid idea. Most humanoid cities resort to peaceful negotiation with either bribe, sacrifice, bartering, or mutual benefit rtionship to deal with them. A city dealing with a mighty red dragon might resort to sacrificing a single beautiful maiden each year. The settlement would prefer to appease the dragon instead of raising a ten-thousand-man army to kill the beast Because that would result in countless deaths. Dragons are greedy. You can bribe them for benefits. But most dragons walk by the rule: "Wealth belongs to those strong enough to take it." That has caused the need for strong individuals to deal with dragons, and Alcott is one of them. Alcott took Ae and headed back to the town while Arad turned toward the bandit corpses, ^Should I eat those?^ [Probably not. The authorities will look for the corpses. Eat one of the toads, as we can always hunt more.] Arad strolled toward the closest giant toad corpse, ^Should I munch on it?^ [That isn''t necessary. You can throw it into your stomach and consume it like that.] Eating directly from his inventory was possible. Arad approached the toad''s corpse, touching it with his ws. ZON! The toad''s body disappeared, and Arad could sense it inside his stomach. [This toad can sustain you for a week. But, if you want to grow faster, you best eat one daily.] ^One each day?^ Arad gasped. That was a lot of meat. Dragons can survive for a long time without food, but they need a lot of it to sustain their power and grow stronger. [Dragons grow stronger the more they age. You can hasten your growth by cultivating. Want to start now?] Mom suggested. Arad stared at his surrounding, ^Can I do it now?^ [That''s what I said. Activate your void eyes.] When Arad looked through the void, he could see hundreds of sparkling stars around him, glittering like precious gems. ^What are those?^ [The souls of the dead. They are the way you''re going to cultivate your power.] Mom then proceeded to exin the void dragon''s age stages. [First stage, Wyrmling]: 0 to 16 years. [Second stage: Very young]: 17 to 32 years. [Third stage: Young]: 33 to 64 years. [Fourth stage: Juvenile]: 65 to 128 years. [Fifth stage: Young Adult]: 129 to 256 years. [Sixth stage: Adult]: 257 to 512 years. [Seventh stage: Mature Adult]: 513 to 1024 years. [Eighth stage: Old]: 1025 to 1536 years. [Ninth stage: Very Old]: 1537 to 2048 years. [Tenth stage: Ancient]: 2048 to 3072 years. [Eleventh stage: Wyrm]: 3073 to 4096 years. [Twelveth stage: Great Wyrm]: 4090+ years. [You can either wait and grow naturally or cultivate to increase your growth speed. And before you ask, this won''t reduce your lifespan.] And she then went on exining it. Each soul has its worth, and none are the same. The soul of a baby is worthless. The soul of a frail old man is meaningless. You want the soul of someone in his prime, around thirty. Their level also adds up in days. A man around thirty years old will be worth around a month. His being a level ten will add another ten days. To proceed to the next stage, you must cultivate the necessary time. But humanoid souls can corrupt your mind. You better stick to using monsters for cultivation, even though they offer much less value. There is also another way for dragons to cultivate, and that is by hoarding wealth. Gold, magic items, artworks, ancient relics, jewelry, and gems of marvelous value. Even the service of humanoids would count. The more wealth you acquire, the faster your cultivation will be. For how to store your hoard, as a void dragon, your stomach is the best ce. ^Why does gathering wealth increase my cultivation speed?^ [I don''t know. But it''s one of the reasons why dragons are greedy. Also, it doesn''t matter how you get your wealth.] ^So I need to eat, kill monsters, gather every gold coin I see, and get a ton of wives. Do I understand it right?^ [Pretty much.] Arad transformed into his humanoid form, feeling pain across his whole body. [What do you want to do now?] "Finding a cure to the void dragonses first. But besides that, I want a mountain of gold with a thousand women dancing on it." [You''re mother would be proud.] "But we need to deal with Alcott first," Arad sighed, looking down with a worried face. Chapter 17 Breached Contract Arad started looking toward the city, "How much are the toads'' souls worth?" [Not much, just a little over a month.] ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 2/20][Exp: 20/900][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Wyrmling] [One month and three days.] [Stats] +1 stat point [Strength: 12] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 1/54][MP: 60][SP: 10/60] ---------------- [Skills] [ws] [Bite] [Innate Skills] [Void Magic] [Void Power] [Alternate Form] [Breath Weapon] [Void Biology] [Void Eyes] [Void Existence] [Void Walk] [Resistance] [All Elements] [Immunities] [Time] [Space] [Magic] Non ************ [I added a tracker to your age. You will reach the [Very young] stage at 17 years.] ^I have an extra stat point. Do I get it when I level up?^ [No, you get one each of two levels, but you will get a massive boost if you increase your age stage.] Arad smiled, stretching his arm and hurting his shoulder. "I should get back to the city. Ae must be worried." He turned around but then felt that something was off. ^Mom, do you feel this?^ [I don''t have your senses. Describe what you feel.] ^Someone is watching us.^ As Arad said that, the ground rumbled, and the bushes before him trampled. From between the trees, a gigantic lizard green with wings and ws red at him. [Don''t move. It''s ancient.] The creature standing before them was a green dragon. "I heard a wyrmling scream. And came to check it." The dragon growled, "But look what I found, a void kid." "What do you want? How did you get here?" Arad asked, his voice shaking. This dragon isn''t an opponent he could hope to scratch. "I will answer your second question first. I flew here." The dragon looked down at Arad, "We dragons can fly as silently as owls and camouge ourselves better than most lizards. You still haven''t learned that." The dragon circled toward Arad, sniffing him, "A newborn, I could still smell the egg''s mucus on you. You better wash it off with your elemental energy." [He''s lying. Void dragons don''t have any smell.] "I''m sure I washed it off," Arad replied, and the dragon giggled. "I thought you void dragonsck smell? It doesn''t matter, and make sure other dragons can''t know your nature." The dragon wiggled its neck, "I was passing by and happened to hear your roar, said to myself I could save you." [Green dragons are maniptive liars, don''t believe a word.] "Save me?" "Myir is up north in the Crypt forest of ug. Feel free to visit me." The dragon turned around, expanding its wings. "What would I gain from visiting you?" Arad yelled. "The protection of a green dragon, and before you ask, I get the service of a void wyrmling." The dragon disappeared, Thud! It then flew away as quickly as it appeared. [What do you want to do?] Arad replied, sighting in relief. ^I will visit him when I reach ancient status.^ [I will add it as a quest in your system. Feel free to ignore or follow it.] **** [The green dragon Invitation: A green dragon invited you to itsir in the Crypt forest of ug. Rmended status: Ancient.] **** Arad slowly walked to the city, thinking about what he should do. ^Spend the stat point on strength.^ [Finished.] ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 2/20][Exp: 20/900][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Wyrmling] [One month and three days.] [Stats] [Strength: 13] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 1/54][MP: 60][SP: 10/60] ************ He walked to the guild, where he stood in front of the door. His legs screamed in pain. Lifting his hand, he slowly pushed the door open, and all the adventurers stared at him. "Arad returned. Call the healers!" They screamed. Half rushed inside, and the other half hurried to carry him. "Let me go. I can walk!" Arad growled. "No, do you want Nina to beat us? We''re taking you inside." They rushed him into a room where a healer waited. Alcott and Ae visited him after he healed. "How are you doing?" Alcott asked with a smile. He stared at Arad as if he was an injured kid. "Alive, and that''s what matters." He stood and looked at Ae. "Will have a long talk about running your mouthter." She shrunk into the corner, scared. "Come on, give the girl a break. I won''t spill your secret." Alcott smiles, "I know how dangerous it is to make a dragon angry, and I don''t know where your parents are." Heughed. He could kill him. Alcott had the strength to do it. But he was afraid of Arad''s parents. "I don''t think I can trust you." Arad growled, "You''re a dragon yer." "Listen, I don''t mind you as long as everyone is safe. Start killing people and then will have a problem." Alcott growled, ring at Arad. Arad sighed, "I won''t hurt people," He then stared at Ae, "She''s an exception now!" Alcott stared at her, "I can''t say what you can or can''t do with your ves. if she broke the contract, I''m staying out of it." Lifting his hands, he backed away. Then someone knocked on the door, "Arad, someone is looking for you." Nina called him. Arad stood, "I will go see what it is." As he walked downstairs, his legs and shoulders kept hurting. Each step is agonizing enough to make him want to scream. [You were forced to transform. That''s agonizing. To avoid the pain, I suggest transforming it into your draconic form before losing all of your HP.] ^I understand, but keeping my secret is important.^ When Arad reached the guild hall, he found a man he never saw before waiting for him. "Arad Orion, can we get a private room to talk in?" The man asked immediately. Arad looked at Nina, "Please get us a room." Nina guided them to a private room with a worried face, "Should I sit with you?" She asked. "No, I will be fine," Arad replied with a smile, waving his hand. After gettingfortable, the man cleared his throat, "I am from the ve market. We got notice that Ae broke her contract with you. Are you aware of that?" Arad nodded, and the man looked down, "Spilled information. We don''t know what she spilled. but it''s not something you wanted to get out." He looked Arad in the eyes, "We can interrogate her to know what she spilled. You can also take that job into your hands." He sighed. "I already know the full details. Ae spilled it to someone while I was present." Arad replied while scratching his head, "What should I do with her?" "Two things, we can modify the contract in your favor or physically punish her. Of course, you can punish her yourself." The man said, "But we can also ignore an equal slip on your side. One by one is the rule." Arad thought about it, "I will take thest option. I don''t feel like beating her over it." The man smiled. And then looked at Arad, "Assaulting the girl will still count as a breach." "What do you think me?" Arad growled, "I won''t see this as a chance," He sighed. "Then what do you intend to do?" The man asked. "I''m thinking about it," Arad replied. Chapter 18 Into The Bath Arad stood and exited the room after finishing his talk with the man. Nina and Ae were waiting for him outside, "Is everything fine?" Nina asked, staring at him. "First, I stink. You stink as well." He pointed at Ae, "Where is the closest bath?" He asked. Nina looked taken aback by his words, "A bath? You should find one behind the za." "Thank you," Arad turned to leave, but she grabbed his hand. "Please wait a moment. Your reward for the toad quest." She pulled out a small leather purse, "Alcott reported six giant toads dead and several bandits. This money is the toads'' reward." The small purse had one silver coin and twenty-five copper coins. "By the way, can I take a smile quest?" Arad asked, and Nina nodded, "There has been one released just now. Are you sure you want to go on a quest again?" Arad nodded, "Actually," from his bag, he pulled ten slime cores. "I already got them earlier." He handed her the cores with a smile. Nina stared at them for a while, "Fine, here is your payment. Fifty copper coins." He then stared at her, "Can Ae take the quest as well?" He asked with a wide grin. "She can take it once a day like you," Nina replied, and Arad handed her another ten slime cores. "This is for her quest." "You can''t take a quest for her." "Ae, what do you say?" "I will take the quest," Nina sighed, grabbing her head, "Fine, here you go." She counted the slime cores and handed the money to Ae, "I will let you know. Usually, things like this are unepted." Arad smiled, "I know. All I care about now is money." "Money isn''t the answer to everything." Nina said, and Arad stared at her, "But it''s the answer to most things." He smiled, "Strength and money. I need an abundance of them." Nina sighed, "Do what you like, but don''t get yourself killed." she then looked at Ae, "And don''t get her hurt." Arad nodded. He still needed a way to convince Ae to be his mate. [Take it slow and don''t be mean.] "Do you know how much the bathing cost?" Arad asked while looking at the door. "If I remember correctly, it''s fifty copper coins per person," Nina replied. Arad scratched his chin, "All of the slime money?" He and Ae walked outside the guild, and Alcott approached Nina, "Interesting, isn''t it?" He said. "Interesting in what? You haven''t reported about the dragon you rushed for earlier." Nina said, ring at Alcott. Dragons are dangerous. Thest thing a city want is a problem with one due to the stupid actions of an adventurer. "I freed the wyrmling. You don''t have to worry about that." Alcott replied with a smile. "I find it hard to believe. You usually take it to the nest, which takes days. How did you just let it go?" Nina red at him. "It was a violent one. I can''t help it." Alcott smiled, "It was better to let the wyrmling do its things alone." Nina sighed, "You''re the expert, just make sure you don''t cause us trouble." Alcottughed, "Well then, I''m going to the bath. See youter!" He smiled, leaving the guild while waving his hand. *** Ae and Arad walked toward the bath, "Are you angry?" She asked, staring at his face. "I would be lying to say I''m not angry, but that doesn''t mean I''m going to eat you over it." Arad replied, "Do not reveal it to anyone," "Sorry, it won''t happen again. But you didn''t tell me before that you were a dragon." She walked ahead of him. "I''m not ming you for it. That''s a reason." Arad sighed, "But aren''t you a level 12? Couldn''t you escape the toad''s stomach on your own?" Ae looked to the side, her face bright red while her hands trembled, "You''re right. I should be able to escape alone." Arad stopped, "Why didn''t you escape?" She stared at him with a scared face, "I couldn''t use my magic," She replied, "Each time I try using a spell, I see their faces." [I do not like where this is going.] "Faces?" "The elves who died at my hand, can I tell you a story?" She stared into his eyes. "You don''t seemfortable talking about it, so just get to the point." Arad started walking with her. "I''m an elvish Arcane archer. I can use a bow and wind magic." She looked at the sky. "In short, I tried casting a spell far higher than I can handle and ended up teleported here from the elvish continent." "Was it an ident? Is that why you can''t cast magic?" "I appeared in the middle of the war between humans and elves. But a storm emerged with me that diverted the elves'' arrow back at them. I caused the elves to lose the war." [I assume a lot of elves died by the arrows she diverged. But why didn''t they persecute her?] "I need you to cast magic," Arad said, looking at her face. "I tried, but I couldn''t do it." She looked at her hand, "When I remember the dead elves, I lose concentration, and my spells fail." Arad scratched his head. This situation is a bit difficult. *** [Ae''s trauma: Help Ae cast a 0-tier spell.] *** [The lower the spell, the less concentration it needs. Ae should be able to cast 0-tier with a bit of willpower.] ^I will look into that tomorrow or tonight. For now, we reached the bath.^ Arad stared ahead of him. Therge building radiated a bit of heat from its wide open door. Strangely enough, the ce seemed quiet. Upon entering, Arad saw an old woman standing behind the counter, "Two people please," He approached her. The old woman smiled, pointing toward the doors behind her, "Get in, the women to the right and men to the left. You will pay after your bath." She smiled. "Thank you," Arad thanked her, but Ae caught his hand. "Do we have a change of clothes?" She whispered, and Arad froze, "No, we don''t." Just a momentter, Alcott entered from the door, "Arad, you still here?" He said with a smile. "Alcott?" Ae stared back at him, "What are you doing here?" she asked. "The same as you. I came here for a bath. Why haven''t you entered yet." Arad scratched his chin, "Well, about that..." He told Alcott about how they forgot to get some clothes. After listening seriously for a moment, Alcottughed, "How did that happen?" "I just forgot to buy some," Arad sighed. He needed a rest to get his life together. [Youck management skills.] ^You''re expecting too much from a newly hatched baby,^ He screamed internally. Alcott stared at the old woman managing the bath, "Mom, I have some old clothes, right?" The old woman nodded, "I have some old clothes as well," She nodded. "She''s your mom?" Ae gasped, staring at them. "Yeah, she own the bath." Alcott smiled. "Go in the bath. I will bring you the clothes before you finish." The old woman said, entering into the side room. Chapter 19 Tales Of The S-Rank Arad entered the men''s bath with Alcott while Ae headed alone to the women''s section. Inside the men''s bath, Arad couldn''t help but notice''s Alcott''s scared body. Burns and bruises spared no spot from his back down to his legs. Alcott noticed Arad staring at him, and he smiled, "This one?" He pointed at a scar on his shoulder, "I got it from an angry werewolf. You can see the shape of his teeth here." Arad looked away, scratching his cheek, "I assume you managed to kill him?" "No, I dragged him back to the church where they cured his curse. He bit me as I carried him." Alcott replied with a straight face. [Does this man know how dangerous werewolves are? He could have caught the curse.] "Weren''t you afraid of getting cursed as well?" Arad asked, and Alcottughed. "I was young at the time. I wanted to be a werewolf." Alcott replied with a smile. "Thankfully, you failed. It''s dangerous to be inexperienced." Arad sighed, but Alcott approached him, "Let me tell you a secret. I did get cursed and became a werewolf for over a year before curing myself." Arad backed away, "Are you crazy?" "No, I just got bored smelling like a wet dog the whole day." Arad scratched his head, "So I aimed for vampirism next." [This man is crazy. We should leave.] Arad found a stool to sit on, "I find it hard to believe you." Alcott looked him in the eyes, "Look here, at my neck." He pointed toward two fang marks, "I did find a vampire, a hot woman at that. I did a quest to kill her." "So you killed her after turning you into a vampire?" Arad asked, finally getting interested in the tales of the old adventurer. Alcott grinned, "No, we made a deal." He started talking, "The quest was to kill a vampire, so I went there with the intent to kill the beast, but when I found she was a hot woman, I tried to capture her alive to turn me into a vampire." "And you won?" "Yes, I beat her to a pulp, and we made a deal. I let her live in exchange for turning me into a vampire. But there was a twist. What do you think it was?" [Vampires can enthrall the people they turn. I bet he spent a long while as her ve.] "She enthralled you?" "No, I turned into a vampire stronger than her. So she couldn''t control me. The twist is that she couldn''t run away. Everyone still hunted her." Alcott smiled, puffing her chest, "We married so the church won''t see her as a threat. She lives in this city with me." [This demon can''t keep getting away with it.] "Are you a vampire now?" "No, I cured myself a few years ago. My wife is still a vampire, though." Alcottughed. Arad''s head started hurting, "Are you a human now? How many monsters have you turned into?" "You can say I''m a human now." Alcott rested his arms on his waist, "I became a werewolf, vampire, zombie, werebear, weretiger, and even a frog at some time. I remember a magic item that turned me into a woman for a month. That was horrible to go through." Alcott stared at Arad. "Don''t activate any magic item before having a wizard apprise it first, or you might end with two nasty bulges on your chest." "You went through a lot. No wonder you''re an S-rank." Arad sighed, getting ready to get out of the bath. "You''re right. You can''t reach S-rank without having a Hup or two." He scratched his head, "I''m a bit tamepared to other S-rank. They are crazy." "Like what?" Arad asked. "A friend of mine kidnapped the princess of the neighboring kingdom. Just for him to return married to her two yearster, he infiltrated the royal castle and kidnapped her sister three days before her wedding. When they tried to stop him, he took the queen and ran away for another year." Alcott sighed. "So he''s a criminal? Why are they letting him stay as an S-rank?" Arad asked. "The king was a tyrant, forcing his daughters to marry different nobles to further his political power. But don''t worry about him. My friend killed him a few years ago and is the king now." Alcott smiled, "He''s a good guy, I swear. His name is Javor, and he likes to fool around a lot." Arad got exhausted from listening to him, so he decided to leave. In the changing room, Arad found a batch of clothes waiting for him. They were a gift from Alcott''s mother. They were a set of clean clothes. They were a bit big for him, but they looked nice. After getting out, he found Ae waiting for him in the guest area, chatting with a red-haired woman. "Arad, what took you so long?" Ae stood, rushing at him. "Alcott burned my ears with his stories. Who''s the one you''re talking with?" Arad asked. The woman looked young, barely surpassing her early twenties. For some reason, her red eyes gave him a strange feeling. "Ah! She is madam Ginger, Alcott''s wife." Ae smiled, and Arad froze in ce. ^The vampire!^ [The vampire!] They both screamed internally. "Nice to meet you. You''re the new adventurer Alcott has been talking about?" Ginger asked with a smile that scared Arad. ^She is scary. To think a vampire is hiding between people.^ [You''re a dragon hiding between people.] Arad froze in ce, unable to find a reply. All he could think of was bringing her vampirism up. [Say something about Ae and diverge the conversation.] "I see you have met Ae," Arad asked with a smile, looking toward Ae. Ginger smiled, "Of course, she''s a sweet girl. Her face and ears flush red at the faintestpliment. I bet her blood is quite light." Arad shuddered, "I assure you, she tastes sour." Ae stared at him, "What do you mean?" Ginger touched her cheek, "Ara, Ae didn''t mention you were in that kind of rtionship." She grinned, "But worry not, I won''t tell anyone." "What are you two talking about?" Ae got thrown out of the loop, unable to keep up with the two. "AHHH!" It was then that Alcott exited the bath, stretching his arms. "That was a nice bath, especially since not many people are here today." Alcott''s mother red at him from behind the counter, "Having fewer customers is a bad thing. Ask the carpenter to make us a new sign." She yelled at him. "I told you it''s not a sign''s problem. The water is just a bit too hot for most people. We have to find a way to cool it down a bit." Alcott dried his hair with a towed that Ginger handed to him. "Say, Arad, want to go on a quest with me to the cave system beneath the city?" Alcott asked with a wide smile. "To do what?" "I just said it. To find the spring''s source and try to cool it a bit. I''m going with Ginger, you cane with Ae if you want, and I will pay handsomely." Alcott approached Arad. "I will think about it," Arad replied. Chapter 20 The Classes "I will go with you," Arad nodded. It wouldn''t harm anyone to get some experience fighting with an S-rank. Arad approached the counter to pay, but Alcott stopped him, "No need for that. Let''s go to the cksmith and get a weapon." Arad red at him, "At least let me pay." "No, this our bath. You and the girl can use it for free." Alcott dered. "I find it hard to believe you." Arad sighed. Alcott approached him, whispering, "I''m trying to build a good rtionship with a dragon. At least y along." He smiled. [This man.] "You''re talking with that dragon. Is that alright?" Arad whispered back. "Dragons usually ask for millions of gold coins in exchange for protection. If doing this will get us a friendly dragon, then I am all for it." Alcott whispered again. Arad sighed, dropping his shoulders and looking down, "Fine, do what you like." "Hehe!" Alcott smiled, having struck a deal with a dragon. "Arad, should we go now?" Ae approached him, looking at Alcott and his mother. "Yeah, I''m a bit exhausted. Let''s find an inn." Arad replied, walking toward the door with Ae behind him. "Hold a moment," Ginger called them, "You can spend the night here," She suggested. "Sorry, but I wouldn''t feel right." Arad rejected her offer immediately. [Still scared of the vampire?] ^I''m sure she is a nice person. But I don''t want to sleep under the same roof as a vampire.^ Arad replied, ring back at Ginger and imagining her attacking him at night. "Then let me rmend an inn for you." Alcott approached them, pointing outside. "From the northern gate, walk for south and then turn right at therge boulder. Just behind the blue ally, you can find arge tavern named the moon sparkle. Tell the bartender I sent you, and he will allow you to stay in his inn free of charge." Alcott exined, and Arad looked at him with one eye and a lifted eyebrow. "Anyone can use your name," Arad said. "The bartender is smart, But in case he missed you, tell him to remember the explosive nipple knife," Alcott said, and Arad got more confused. "Hold up on the free rent. What is this explosive nipple knife?" Arad couldn''t help but feel more and more confused. "It was a magical weapon, a knife. When you strike a mammal with it, its nipples fall off automatically and then explode." Alcott exined, "The bartender put on a quest twenty years ago to hunt a thrive who used that weapon and attacked him, causing his nipple to explode." [Magic items can get ridiculous and dangerous. Make sure to inspect before using.] ^Yeah, I see that. Will I go through all of those crazy events as I rank up?^ [Most likely, yes, get prepared.] "Fine, I will go there." As Arad turned to leave, Alcott called him back. "Tomorrow morning will go to the smithy. Make sure toe to find a weapon." Arad stared back at him and pointed at the mage staff on his back, "I already have one," "That''s an old walking stick? It won''t hold against a heavy impact. I will get a sword. You can''t call yourself an adventurer without a sword." Alcott lifted his sword that rested at the wall, "Do you remember the bandits?" Arad remembered how Alcott fought at full power. Fighters are terrifying. "Is it needed? I could use other weapons." Arad lifted his palm, referring to his draconic ws. "It''s how you can''t be a wizard without loving fireball. Wizards love blowing shit up. We love slicing and dicing." Alcott smiled. "Are you saying the ss had specific personalities? I can be a mage but use my magic to fix things." Alcott shook his head, "It''s fated. One day you will blow what you''re trying to fix." He approached Arad, "Advice from someone with more experience. Make sure to keep sses in your mind." Fighters like to cut, smash and stab things. Be ready to face them a lot. Barbarians are savage with anger issues, don''t test their patience. And let me tell you, they are hard to kill. Bards are sweet talkers and singers. They don''t know when to shut up. If they keep talking after you tell them to stop, they are trying to cast magic with their words. I usually punch them in the face in self-defense. Druids are nature-loving bastards. Make sure to stay away from them. They will eat your head whenever you try to hunt for food. Clerics are religion-loving, hard-headed, annoying problem seekers. They won''t let you kill anyone, break anything or go anywhere without monitoring. But they can heal, so they are a hard pill to swallow. Monks are cool. All they want is peace and calm. But if you interrupt their meditation, they will start throwing hands everywhere. "I had a monk friend. Her nickname is the p queen because she pped her way to A-rank. No punches and no kicks, only p." Pdins are the holy child of a cleric and a fighter. If you find one, take them instead of a cleric. They can heal and fight with weapons, but they can''t fully master anyone. The rangers are also good. I can''t get enough of how good they are at scouting and hunting. But they have a strong love for animals, making them picky about killing wolves and bears. Rogues are what you expect, walking scandals and thieves. Hired killers and heartless criminals. And everyone loves them for it. No party can be whole without a rogue. That is because most high quests will get into shady deals, and they are the masters of those. Sorcerers are people who were born with magical power. Their personality change depending on their bloodline, but expect some unforgettable moments with them. "I remember a sorcerer who knocked a whole guild in the west by farting. He had a poison-type bloodline." Alcott burst outughing. Warlocks are just like the clerics, but they are more reasonable. You hear them crying about the power behind their eyes or the beast sleeping within. They are warlocks, and they are serious. Wizards are what all magic enthusiasts be, stinky bookworms that can st a whole castle. But they are calcted and usually like to n for everything. You can rely on them to shift the flow of battles. There is a reason why each country has an archwizard or an archmage. "What''s the difference between an archmage and an archwizard?" Arad asked, pointing out thest line. "Wizards study magic and focus on instant spells. They love fireballs and call lightning. You can hear themughing from their tower as the elements st everything below." Alcott then looked toward Arad. "Archmages focus on ritual spells and alchemy, and most can''t cast spells as quickly as wizards. But they can cast spells with more intricate effects. Usually, they can result in more than just killing their target." Alcott finished exining, and Arad thanked him, "Thank you for the information." He smiled, waving his hand as he left for the moon sparkle tavern. "What will we eat for dinner?" Ae asked. "Whatever we found at the tavern, I can''t cook, can you?" Arad stared at her. "I can only kick nts. We elves don''t eat meat or anything rted to it." Ae replied with a smile. Chapter 21 Tavern Fight [R-DOOM] Arad and Ae stood before the tavern''s door, "Is this the ce?" She asked, looking around. "Yes," Arad pointed at the sign on top of the door that says [Moon Sparkle] Arad slowly grabbed the door''s handle, ^Let there be no nipple-cleaving knife,^ He then pushed the door open. CRACK! BANG! "You scoundrel bastard!" A woman screamed inside, swinging her glowing ymore at a hooded man. The man weaved to the side, rolling on a table, dodging the attack. When the sword smacked into the table, a loud cracking noise boomed, disintegrating the whole thing. "Don''t break my stuff, you damned pdin!" The bartender shouted, hiding behind his counter and about to cry. "Tell that to this scoundrel thief!" The woman yelled, facing the thief with a deathly re. The rogue ran to the corner and giggled, "What are you talking about, blockhead?" He pulled a paper from his pocket, "Your church has no right to what I found. You agreed to this." The rogue immediately tucked the contract in his pocket and pulled his dagger, "It''s a waste to crave such a beautiful face, but you wanted this." In one swift move, the rogue pulled a needle from his pocket and threw it toward the pdin''s face. The pdin pulled her shield up, deflecting the needle. At the same time, the rogue rushed into the crowd, using them as a cover to approach her. Thud! He swung his dagger at her side. [Divine Shield] A spectral shield appeared at her side, deflecting the attack. At the same time, the pdin swung her bright sword down [Divine Smite] The rogue threw a needle with a wire attached to it toward the ground and ran around the pdin dodging the attack. BAM! The pdin''s sword hit the ground with a powerful shock wave. And without stopping, she turned around, chasing the rogue with her sword. The rogue leaped away, pulling the wire at the same time. The pdin''s attack missed, and the wire pulled on her legs, breaking her bnce. To support herself, she leaned on her shield. "Defence down, beautiful face to the trash bin!" the rogue swung his dagger at her neck. The pdin red up at him, her eyes glowing golden, [Divine st] THWACK! A st burst from her body, blocking the rogue''s attack and sending him back. "Say it again?" She stood, her body shing with divine light, "You need to be more than a scoundrel to down a pdin!" She growled. The rogue giggled, his body mming on the wall, "A tough nut to crack," He stood and walked sideways while keeping his eye on her. The rogue looked at the back, ring at one of the customers. The customer got distressed. The rogue''s eyes instilled fear in his heart that he attempted to step back. Just before the customer''s foot hit the ground, the rogue screamed, "Stab her!" Thud! The pdin then heard the step behind her, mistaking it for another attacker. She quickly turned around, swinging her de and only hitting air. As the pdin realized the rogue''s trick, she turned back with a swing only to see a dagger flying toward her. The bastard disappeared. CLANG! she deflected it. "Slippery bastard!" She yelled, looking for the rogue. The rogue rushed between the crowd and lunged at her back with a low stab. The pdin heard his steps [Divine st] BAM! She immediately deflected the rogue, But he rushed back in, pulling a second dagger. [Twin fang] Two simultaneous swings, a dagger from the left and one from the right, "Die!" Thud! The pdin stomped the ground. And then deflected the rogue''s left attack with her sword and left strike with her shield. Thwack! She kicked the rogue in the guts, pushing him to the other side of the tavern. CRACK! She broke several tables with him. The rogue barely stood up, coughing, "Fine, let''s end this." He growled. The pdin lifted her sword, making it sh with bright light. "Tonight is your end. Pray to whoever god you worship!" "Someone stop those two idiots!" The bartender screamed from behind his counter. *** ^I want to stop them,^ [That''s dangerous,] ^But won''t it be better than relying on Alcott''s reputation?^ [No,] ^Then I will stop them,^ Arad rushed in, aiming at the pdin. "He? What?" Ae gasped as she saw him rush in, so she ran behind him, eyes on the rogue. As the pdin swung her sword toward the rogue, he cast some weird spell on his dagger and stabbed forward. THUD! Arad stepped between them, facing the pdin, his eyes shing red and with a fist engulfed in mes. He opened his palm and caught the pdin''s roaring sword. KA-DON! At the same time, Ae leaped behind him, facing the rogue. [Action surge] She swung her open palm. With her speed, she could hit three times a second, but with [Action surge], that increased to six hits a second. The rogue couldn''t handle her. One punch to the wrist disarmed him. One punch to the chin and a backhand to the cheek knocked him out. A kick to the nuts destroyed his future. A Headbutt to the face broke his nose. Andstly, an elbow to the chest that sent him to the ground. As Arad caught the pdin''s sword, he used the mes as a cover to hide his void magic. ^Let''s see if your weapon can handle the void.^ CRACK! BAM! The pdin''s sword exploded in Arad''s hand, shattering into small pieces. The woman stared at him in shock, unable to believe what her eyes had just seen. Arad swung his palm, blood dripping from it, "Say, want to fight more?" He red at her, his fists roaring in me. KA-DOM! His mes crackled, lighting the whole tavern. The pdin lifted her hands, "No, my aim is the rogue. Nothing else." Arad looked back. The rogue was out cold on the ground, with Ae poking him with the broken leg of a chair. "Wake up. I didn''t hit you that hard." She mumbled. "Then he''s all yours. Go fight outside." Arad said. Pointing to the door, "Don''t go around breaking people''s stuff." "Evil should get purged the moment it appears," The pdin said. Arad quickly red back at her, "What did you just say?" "Such matters must be taken seriously, even if there is some coteral damage." She replied, dering that she should fight in the tavern again if she had to. Arad approached her with an angry face, poking her forehead, "Listen here, take your fight outside." He looked back at the bartender. He was listening. "You dare talk to a pdin like this?" The woman growled, but Arad stopped her, "Will you fight in the church?" "No," She replied immediately. "Then get out!" He shouted at her face, "Don''t be a scum bag like a criminal and destroy the property of innocent people." The woman stared at Arad''s face silently. "Speak up!" Arad growled. "Sorry, but are you the one who fought Alcott to rank up?" The woman asked with a puzzled face. "Yeah, that''s me." He replied with a straight face. "You two sound the same, yelling like a barbarian." She scratched her head, "Ah! Sorry about it. I won''t fight in the tavern again. Are you happy?" She said. "Say that to the bartender, and the rogue is yours." Arad smiled. Chapter 22 The Dragon’s First Tavern Night I Arad walked toward the counter, smiling, "Bartender, can we get a room for two?" "Alcott sent us. He said this is a nice ce to stay." Ae opened her mouth, and Arad red at her. Why do you bring his name? he wanted to scream. "You''re Alcott''s friends. I should have guessed from the way you jumped to stop the fight." The bartender smiled, "But sadly, we don''t have any empty rooms for two." He looked at the ledger, "The only avable room is for one person." Arad stared at Ae, "Should we take it?" "Why ask me?" She tilted her head. "I don''t have a problem sleeping in the same room with a woman or a hundred women. But do you have a problem sleeping in the same room as me?" He asked, and the bartender smiled. "You''re right. Women tend to be annoyed about it." He scratched his chin, "But you have to wait till next week for another room." Ae stared at them, "Why would I oppose? It''s not like we have another choice." Her answer surprised them, but the bartender guessed she was confident. "How much is the room?" Arad asked. "You''re Alcott''s friends, and you saved my tavern. I would give you the room for just 50 copper coins a night. Meals included, of course." The bartender smiled. "BOO! Not fair old man!" Some adventurers opposed in the back. "Shut up,zy noggins. What were you doing when the idiots were fighting?" He red at them, grabbing a wooden mug. "Do you want us to face a pdin?" BANG! The bartender threw the mug at the man, "Silence,zy ass." He growled. And then smiled at Arad, "Please enjoy your room," Handing him a key, "Your meal will be ready in a few minutes, soe back down." Arad grabbed the key and paid the bartender immediately. "Where is the room?" "Upstairs at the end of the hallway. The bathroom is in the back." The bartender pointed. Arad thanked him and then headed toward the room with Ae, "This ce looks cozy." Ae said. "It looks too noisy for us to get restful sleep," Arad replied, hearing the chatter of the adventurers inside the tavern. "Gross!" A man cried, "Told you, elves are a disgrace to humanoids!" A woman wearing leather armor barely covering anything yelled. "A barbarian like you can never understand our refined taste." The high elf sitting ahead of her growled, banging his mug on the table. "I told you, we need ten meters of rope." The man said, trying to be calm. "Thirty-three feet. It''s easier this way!" The elf said with a smile. Arad listened carefully, curious as to what they meant, as he also had an elf with him. "Why do you keep counting with feet and fingers? Stop it!" The barbarian woman fell on her back,ughing. "You lowly humans don''t understand the prestige of our culture. That''s why we high elf surpassed you in magic." The elf smiled, dowing his mug. "Tell me, why feet and nothing else?" The man asked, and the elf got excited. "Nothing beats the sweet taste of a maiden''s fresh toes," BONK! The man smacked him in the face with his mug. The elf rolled on the ground, "We also use arms, toes, and fingers as measurements." Heughed, standing up. The barbarian woman helped him up, "We also count weights in the pound." He gasped, "It''s how much force you need to use to un-maiden an elvish maiden," BANG! The man knocked him on the head. "He''s knocked out cold," The barbarian woman checked him. "He had too much to drink," the man said, carrying the elf away. Arad faced Ae, "What is he talking about?" "We have women called the maidens of the world tree. They are all born twins with identical features no matter the time or age, so we use them as constants for measurement." Ae exined, "The tree just gives birth to them now and then." Arad then showed her his staff, "How long is this?" "About five feet. You call it a meter and a half," Ae looked at him, "I can convert, so don''t worry about it." She smiled. "That isn''t what I''m worried about, but let''s move on." They headed toward their room, and when Arad pushed the door, it cracked like a screaming monster. CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! "It needs some oil," Ae looked at the hinges, "I hope other things are better," She then turned to look inside. There was a single bed, a table, and a chair, nothing else. "Wow, it''s empty," Ae gasped. "I will ask if he has any other beds," Arad went out and returned a few momentster, "He has non," Ae smiled, "It''s fine. I will sleep on the ground." She looked at the corner. "No, I''m the one who will sleep on the ground. You take the bed," Arad said, staring at her. "Why?" "Just use the bed," He walked to the corner and leaned his staff against the wall. ^I''m a dragon and used to sleeping outside. She can get sick from sleeping on cold ground. I don''t have the money to spend on her.^ Arad looked at her face. "I might be an archer, but I started as a fighter. I have more resilience than a sorcerer." She used the same logic at him, "You will get sick." "Do you think a fighter is more resilient than me?" She stared at him, remembering that he was a dragon. "Fine, I will use the bed." She sighed, looking down at the bed. She threw her bow in the corner and grabbed the edge of her armor, looking toward Arad. His eyes fixed on her. "I''m going to change my clothes." She said. "And I''m here watching. I always wanted to see how an armor worn with all those straps." He looked intensively at her. "He?" She gasped, wondering if he was serious. "I guess you''re an animal, like a pet. I shouldn''t worry about getting naked with you in the room," Ae mumbled. "I''m not an animal," Arad replied immediately. "Then leave me, idiot." she red at him with an exhausted face. [You better leave for now. Let''s see if the dinner is ready.] Arad stood, "Fine, I will be going." Ae stared at him, confused, "You were determined to watch just a moment ago," She asked. "I changed my mind." Arad replied, "I will go see if dinner is ready." He then left the room, walking downstairs. Down in the tavern, Arad sat on the counter. "Bartender, is the dinner ready yet?" "Still some time. Wait for thedy." The bartender replied, pushing a ss of water toward him. "At least give me something to drink." Arad looked at the water. "Drinking on an empty stomach is bad," The bartender replied, "Want me to prepare any ration for tomorrow?" "No need. We won''t be going far enough to need it." Arad sighed, drinking his water. CREEK! Thud! A woman pulled the chair and sat beside Arad with a smile. She is the pdin from earlier. "Your name is Arad. How are you doing?" She looked at his hand. He showed her his palm, fully healed. "You healed it? Impressive." She gasped. Arad will not tell her that he can change his form at will. "What do you need? And sorry for breaking your sword." He stared at her face. "Don''t worry about it. Catching that scoundrel is worth it." She smiled, "Are you alone with that elf girl? Need a melee adventurer?" She asked. Arad thought about her offer for a moment. [She''s young and strong. She can give birth to a void egg. But I doubt if we can trust a pdin.] ^Why?^ [They are more loyal to the church and their god than theirrades. She will inform the church of your nature.] Arad shook his head, "I appreciate the offer, but I don''t need more members." He smiled. "Care to tell me why?" She smiled. Arad stared at her, "As you can see, I fight at melee range. Ae is the ranged fighter." He replied, "I don''t see the need for a melee member." "But I can heal and buff as well," She said. Her argument is valid, striking three birds with one stone. Pdins are melee units that can heal, deal damage and buff their allies. "The buff is alluring, but I have to refuse." Arad looked at the bartender, "How long for dinner?" "Wait a bit more." "I''m not convinced. I''m not saying you can''t reject me. I just what to know why." The woman stared at his face. Arad sighed, "Want the truth?" The pdin nodded, "Of course. Why do I need to hear lies?" She smiled, "Tell me, why I can''t join your party?" "I can''t trust a woman who approached the party before even stating her name. You also damaged the tavern, which no decent person should do. I suspect a lot of our property will shatter in your hand." He took a deep breath, "On top of that, you lost your weapon to my bare hand. I doubt your skills." He red at her. Chapter 23 [Bonus ] The Dragon’s First Tavern Night II Arad stared at the pdin with a sharp re. "Lydia, sorry for forgetting to introduce myself." She looked at the table, sighing. "Do you have a quest to do tomorrow?" She asked. "I''m going with Alcott on a quest," Her face tensed when she heard that, "The S-rank himself?" "Of course, he seems willing to let me tag along." Ae walked down stars in her regr clothes, "I finished. You should go change as well." She called. Arad stood, "This is the end of our talk." He looked at Lydia, "Sorry, but you have to look for another party." He headed upstairs to change clothes, and Ae sat at the counter. *** Lydia stared at Ae, "Say, can I join your party?" She asked. "No," Ae replied immediately. "Don''t you need a melee fighter?" "No," "Can you say anything besides no?" "No," Ae wasn''t interested in starting a conversation. BAN! Someone kicked the tavern''s door open. It was the rogue from earlier. "Damn, those bastards are annoying," He growled. Lydia stood immediately, "How did you escape?" She yelled. "Ha? Are you still here?" He stared at herm, "Good luck with keeping me tied." He walked toward the counter and sat on the other side of Ae, "Leon, a drink, please." The bartender red at the rogue, "How many tables did you break?" "Nothing. You can''t hold me ountable for anything. This cow here threw around and broke the tables." The rogue yawned, and Lydia swung a punch at him. He quickly dodged. "Youck a sword. Forget about fighting." The rogueughed. "Legally, he''s right. Why were you two fighting anyway?" The bartender red at them. "One of my friends belonged to their church. He was a believer." The rogue looked at Lydia, "Their action made him change his mind, so he left them." The rogue tapped on the table, "In their mind, and deserter of their religion should get killed. So they sent her to kill him after leaving their beliefs behind." "That''s thest we can do to keep them from sinning," Lydia growled. The rogue looked at the bartender, "I helped him run away from the city and hide. They want me for that." The rogueughed. He then stared at Ae. "Say, girl. You pack one hell of a punch. You can call me Jack." He smiled. "Ae, nice to meet you," Ae replied with a smile. "You speak to him?" Lydia growled. "He introduced himself," She looked at her and then at Jack, "Should I trust you?" She asked him. "Absolutely fucking not." He waved his hands, "I heard you know Alcott and thought that joining your party might be a good source of money." He replied. "You as well?" Ae red at him. "Is there any other reason?" Jack tilted his head, "Listen, money, fame, and survival. Those are the only things an adventurer looks for." "You need to ask Arad. He has the final say in this matter," Ae replied, and Jack smiled. "You ept a criminal over a pdin?" Lydia growled. "I know he''s a criminal. I can keep an eye on him. But you came under the guise of being good, a deceiver." Ae red at her, "Alcott also that every party should have a rogue." BANG! Lydia smacked the table and left enraged. On her way, she met Arad walking downstairs and growled at him. He looked back, "What''s her problem?" "Hey, chief!" Jack called him, waving his hand, "Care for a word?" Arad looked toward him, "The rogue from earlier?" "Yeah, the name is Jack. Come for a drink." Jack called him in. "Another pack of troubles," Arad sighed. [Let''s have Alcott look at him.] Arad said between Ae and Jack, "So what do you want?" The bartender brought the food to Arad and Ae. "I want to make some money. Getting famous is not a thing we rogues wants, but I will take it." Jack smiled, "You have connections with the S-rank Alcott. Just wanted to tag alone if possible." "I did intend to ept women only," Arad red at him. "You refused the church''s dog. She''s nice looking, you know?" Jack smiled, "That means you''re looking for more than look and girls to y with." Arad smiled, "What I look for is trust. Can I trust a rogue?" "You will never find a trustworthy rogue. If you wanted one, you have to risk it." Jack smiled, "But let me tell you one tip." "If you''re a leader that can make money and is reliable, you can''t trust anyone more than a rogue." Jack smiled, "I won''t nag on your head about where your moneyes from." "Fine, but we have to talk to Alcott tomorrow," Arad replied, and Jack smacked his back. "Splendid, let it be a longsting friendship built on a mountain of gold." Heughed. "Leon, beer for everyone if you like." "Coming right up," "You don''t have to. We haven''t epted you yet." Ae stared at him with a painedugh. She didn''t like beer. "Youngdy, you don''t seem to understand the art," Jack smiled, "This isn''t a beer. It is called a bribe." He stared at her, "Little moves like this are what get deals done." Jack stretched his arms, "Herees the bribe, drink to our wealth." Arad and Ae had their dinner and then headed to their room, informing Jack to meet them early in the morning after dawn. "Hey, chief," Jack called Arad as he was leaving, "What?" "The walls are thin, so don''t go crazy. Everyone will hear you," Jack shouted, and Arad red at him. Thud! Arad rushed after him, and Jack ran awayughing, "The bastard ran away," Arad growled, looking into the street. "He''s a handful but reliable," The bartender stared at Arad while wiping his ssware, "He has the skill if you need a rogue." Arad stared back at the bartender, "Then why he isn''t with a party with those skills?" The bartender looked at his counter, "That''s a long story. But in short, the leader took a dangerous quest and almost got everyone killed, so they disbanded." "I see," Arad sighed, walking back to his room where Ae was waiting. "Did you catch him?" She asked. "Nah, he ran away." Arad sat on the ground, "My body still aches." The recoil of getting forced into his draconic form still hasn''t faded. "How do you feel?" "All my muscles are sore. Just moving them a bit is painful." Arad tried to stretch his arm. "Muscle soreness? Is it like the pain you get after training a lot?" She looked at him with a tilted head. "I don''t know, never trained before." "Giving you a massage will lessen the pain. Comey on the bed." Ae called him, but Arad hesitated. "I don''t bite. Come on." She pulled him in. "I''m not opposing if it will help, but why are you doing this?" Arad asked, "You also had your shoulder dislocated. You must be in pain as well." "I''m not, unlike you. I had healing magic cast on me by a healer. Alcott paid for it." She replied, "And I''m your ve. This is my duty, is it not?" "Probably not," Arad mumbled. Chapter 24 Sleepyhead Fighters Arad woke up in the morning feeling refreshed. He looked from his corner to the bed and stretched his arms. Sleeping in the corner wasn''t that bad. He liked to sleep sitting. On the bed, Ae rolled like a cat. "Wake up. The sun is out." Arad stood and approached her, poking her face with his finger. "Just a few minutes, mom." She rolled back, covering her face with the nket. [I won''t give you any more time.] ^She is talking with you?^ [No, she sleeps talking about her mother. I took the chance toment.] Arad grabbed the nket and pulled it out. Ae shivered from the cold, curling into a ball. "Wake up. You will warm up when you start moving." Arad shook her. Ae turned around, sending a kick toward his face while half asleep. Arad easily grabbed her foot, "Come on!" He pulled her from the bed. The moment Ae hit the ground, she finally started to wake up. "Arad, good morning." She said, scratching her eye. "You sleep like a log," Arad sighed. "Sorry about that. We elves usually don''t sleep." Ae said, trying to stand. "We meditate, but since I discovered sleep, it was my favorite part of the day." [As a dragon, you sleep for half your waking time. And your upper limit is sixteen years.] Awake for 16 hours, sleep for 8 hours. Awake for 16 years, sleep for eight years. [This is how dragons hibernate. You can choose how to live as your body can take it.] ^Are you saying I can stay awake for sixteen years? My whole wyrmling stage?^ [Yes.] ^I prefer to live as a human since I have nights. I can sleep then.^ Ae stood, stretching her arms. Since she only wore thin clothing, her chest almost exploded. "What are you looking at?" She asked with a smug smile. [Don''t stare too much at her chest. I know you like them since you are still a wyrmling.] "Ah, nothing." Arad replied, while still staring at her, "Would you mind strapping those milk bags down?" Ae stared at him with a smile. Thud! She sent a kick toward his face, which he caught. "Idiot!" She shouted at him. "Aren''t you the idiot for not strapping them?" [Arad, I told you to stop.] Ae sighed, "Fine, sorry about that. Can you get out so I can fix myself?" Arad nodded, leaving the room. [You could have pretended nothing happened and looked away,] ^We might end up camping outside with other members. I want her to start paying attention to herself.^ [Like Jack?] ^I will poke his eyes. He can find his mates on his own.^ Arad replied with a growl. ^I also don''t want to lose her in a midnight ambush.^ [I see that you can think a few steps ahead, But please exin it to her.] ^I understand,^ Arad walked down the wooden starts and looked around. The bartender Leon stood behind the counter as usual. "Leon, is there a ce I can wash my face in?" Arad asked with a smile, and the bartender stared at him for a moment. "Are you sir Arad?" He replied, "My name is William. Leon is my twin brother. I take the day shift, and he takes the night shift." [Twins?] "Nice to meet you," Arad replied with a smile, "I didn''t expect this," He giggled. "To let you know, not many people know that we''re two people." William smiled, "It took Alcott six months to figure it out." William then pointed to the back, "There is a water jug and a bowl there. You can wash your face there." He smiled, and Arad went to wash his face. "Thank you," "Don''t worry about it. I will get breakfast ready for you." He then looked back, "An elf girl should be with you. Is she awake?" "Yes," "Then a few greens for thedy," William walked toward the kitchen and pulled some lettuce. Arad washed his face and looked toward the counter, "I will go check on Ae," He walked back to the room. Knock! Knock! "Are you done changing?" Arad called, but he got no reply. "Ae? Ae?" He called again. Seeing that Ae wasn''t replying, Arad slowly opened the door and looked inside. He found her sleeping on the bed, topless. [Did she fall asleep while changing?] Arad red at her, "This girl," He closed the door and walked down. "William, can I get a bowl of water?" Arad asked, and William smiled, "Thedy wants to wash in the room? Of course, you can take the bowl and the jug." William handed Arad a jug of water, a bowl, and a small white towel. "Thanks," Arad took them and walked back to the room. Ae was still asleep. SPLASH! He poured a bit of the water on her face, forcing her to wake up like a scared cat. "KYA! It''s cold!" She cried, rolling away. "I told you to wake up and change. We have a quest with Alcott. Do you remember?" Arad red at her. Ae covered her chest with her hand, "Sorry," "You don''t need to apologize. Here wash your face and get ready," Arad handed her towel and bowl. Ae took them with one hand while staring at him, "Are you going to sit here?" "Yes." He stared at her, "I don''t want to get back to sleep," [Arad, give her a second chance. Let''s leave.] Arad sighed, "Fine. I will see you downstairs." He walked out of the room. When Arad got to the counter, he saw Jack sitting there as well, "Good morning, chief!" Waving his hand. "Call me Arad," Arad sighed, sitting beside him. "Say, chief. I heard that a group of schrs ising from the capital." Jack started eating his breakfast, "Words in the street that they are looking for a dragon around here." Arad froze for a moment, "Is that so?" "Yeah. It''s an ancient green dragon that passed through this forest." Jack stared at Arad, "You know that Alcott rushed to deal with a wyrmling yesterday. They think the wyrmling belongs to that dragon." Jack pulled out a letter and showed it to Arad, "Look here," He pointed. "They want the wyrmling to use as a negotiation tool with the dragon," As Arad looked at the letter, he saw the church''s seal at the bottom, which Jack quickly covered. "I think you hid something important. Where did you get this?" Arad red at Jack, and the man smiled. "I didn''t steal it from the church," Jack replied, "A certain pdin happened to drop it," [This man. But we at least have a warning. Let''sy low until they leave.] "When will they arrive?" "I say two to three days. Want something from them?" Jack smiled, "Why would you bring me this information?" Arad asked with a re. "Trying to prove my worth." Jack patted Arad on the back, "This still hasn''t hit the street." Heughed, "See? You can rely on me to gather information, even the most obscure ones." [We might need him if he''s this skilled. But keep your guard,] "Thanks for the info," Arad continued eating. It was then that Ae walked down, yawning. Arad looked at her, "Good morning," she said with a wry smile. "Come eat. We have to meet Alcott. Do you remember that?" Arad called her. After finishing breakfast, the three of them walked out of the tavern. "Cold!" Ae shivered, blowing on her hands. "You don''t take the cold that well?" Jack asked with a smile. "I hate mornings, especially waking just after dawn like this." She replied. "You have to get used to it." Arad said, and Jack nodded, "This is the life of adventurers." After walking a bit, Jack looked at Arad, "Are you a monk? I saw you bust that pdin''s sword," "You know I''m a sorcerer," Arad replied. "It''s hard to believe. The woman used smite, you know?" Jack swung his hand down, "One hit like that, and most would die. You caught it and broke her sword." "I have a red dragon bloodline, don''t underestimate the toughness of my scales." Arad red at him, "My mes are strong as well," "Even so, it is hard for me to believe it." Jack smiled, "You''re on your way to S-rank. I can feel it." "Is that why you are sticking with us?" Arad red at him. "Isn''t it obvious?" Ae stared into the distance, "Isn''t that Alcott and Ginger?" she shouted. "Calm a bit. Most people are still asleep." Arad stopped her. "If I''m not asleep, they shouldn''t." She replied with an angry face. [This girl,] "ARAD! IS THAT YOU?" Alcott shouted, BAM! Ginger punched him in the side, "Be quiet. Most people are sleeping." She red at him. Alcott scratched his head, "I also want to be asleep," he replied, and she caught his ear, "You''re the one who suggested this time." "Sorry, I know it''s the best time to shop for weapons, but I just don''t like waking this early." He sighed. Chapter 25 [Bonus ] To The Blacksmith, Delmear. "Who''s the new guy?" Alcott asked. Arad looked back at Jack and then at Alcott, "Jack, a rogue." "He wan to join the party. We want your advice." Ae said with a smile. Alcott scratched his head, "I don''t have a say in this matter. It''s all about if you can trust him." Ginger stared at Jack, "I don''t trust him. Rogues are both powerful allies and dangerous backstabbers," With a single re from her, Jack took a step back, sweating, "What are you?" He gasped. "Nothing, just a wizard." Her eyes shed as she pointed a small want toward Jack, "Want me to st you with a fireball?" "Enough," Alcott grabbed her hand and looked at Arad, "You let him join the party. But don''t trust him too much." Arad nodded. [Don''t show your nature to Jack. Keep it a secret.] ^I know,^ Arad then opened his pocket and handed the letter to Alcott, "Read this. Jack brought it this morning," Alcott grabbed the letter and started reading, and Ginger looked from the side. "I see. This news is troubling." Alcott nodded, "You can trust Jack a bit more." He said. "Why?" Arad asked with a confused face. Ginger stared at Arad with a worried face, "Being chased by the church is one thing. But stealing this letter and showing it to Alcott can lead him to be sentenced to prison or even enved." "It''s like telling an advisor that the king has been taking bribes. Who said the advisor isn''t the one bribing him?" Alcott stared at Jack, "You''re lucky I''m not with them in this because if I was. You would be dead by now." Alcott growled "This is a rogue''s job," Jack flung his hands, "What do you say?" "I will deal with them when they arrive. Thanks for bringing this to my attention." Alcott tucked the letter in his pocket, "I will keep this with me," "Are you sure?" Ae asked, Ginger stared at her, "This letter is ssified information from the central church and the kingdom. You don''t want to keep such a thing," She sighed. "I see. Tell us if something happened," Arad said. "As I said, I will deal with it. For now, let''s head to the cksmith." Alcott smiled, "You can''t just go to battle with that stick." "What''s the problem with it? It''s decent." Arad looked at his staff. It wasn''t the best in the world. Ginger stared at him with a smile, "You can''t challenge metal weapons with a wooden staff." "It''s too thick to be sliced that easily." Arad looked at his staff, "It''s thick," Ae said, staring at him. "For the average person, that is. Any decent fighter will find it easy." Alcott replied, "That thing is no better than a starting tool." Ginger approached Arad, showing him the shortsword on her waist and the dagger she kept strapped on the hilt. "Even if we mages carry weapons like this, you can never be sure when you will get rushed." After that, they all headed toward the cksmith, but he was still locked. "Should we returnter?" Arad asked. "No, this man should be awake inside." Alcott replied, pushing the door, "It''s tightly locked," He said, "Open up!" Alcott sighed and looked at Jack, "Can you open this?" Jack smiled, "Is the door locked?" He approached it and poked a small metal rod in it. "Click on one, click on three, and nothing on four." Jack smiled, "And we''re in!" He pushed the door open. "Are you going to break in like this?" Arad sighed. Ginger looked at him, "Alcott usually kicks the door open. Luckily, he could enter with less damage this time." She smiled. Alcott walked in first and then turned, "Come inside. You can enter." He looked toward Ginger, who walked in behind him and then did the rest. [Vampires shouldn''t be able to enter houses without permission. But remember, that only work for the families that believe in god.] ^Someone has to protect you. That makes sense.^ "You bastard, can''t you wait a bit for me to wake up?" A short man walked downstairs. "A dwarf like you sleeping this long?" Alcott replied. The man snorted, "You''re right. I sleep a lot." He grabbed his hammer, "There is a reason I left those drunkards." He sighed and started to light the forge. "This might take a while," He said. Arad walked toward him, "Can I help with fire magic?" The dwarf stared at Arad, scanning him from head to toe, "And who are you, bean sprout?" noting how thin Arad lookedpared to Alcott behind him. "I don''t want to hear that from a talking barrel." Arad red at the dwarf. The dwarf burstughing, "I like you. My name is Delmear Morahammer, a dwarven cksmith." Delmear extended his hand to Arad. "Arad Orion, a fire sorcoerer." He shaked Delmear''s hand. With a smile, Delmear started tightening his grip. Arad did the same while ring at him. "I see. You have a bit of strength in you. You can handle a longsword or a greatsword with adequate training." Delmear said, pulling his hand out. Alcott approached him, "What do you suggest?" Delmearbed his long beard while thinking. "A standard longsword will do the trick, but a zweihander will do the trick for greatswords. It all depends on how Arad intends to fight." Delmear looked toward Arad, "But he''s a sorcerer. Can you teach him swordwork? Isn''t he better with a simple dagger?" Alcottughed, "You saw his strength. He can handle a bigger weapon." "I would like to take the greatsword. Bigger is always better, right?" Arad walked toward the weapon rack. "Size doesn''t matter," Ae replied, swinging her fist, "Speed is what matters," "She is right. Three stabs with a kitchen knife are better than one swing from a big long sword," Ginger added, swinging her dagger at an extreme speed. Alcott stared at them, "No!" he grabbed a zweihander. CRACK! CLAP! Alcott swung the sword at a blinding speed, causing a boom that shook the whole shop. "Only big swords can sever a dragon''s neck," Alcott said with a smile, CRACK! The sword crumbled in his hand, and Delmear sighed. "That sword is for normal people. Don''t swing my des like that." "Sorry, I will pay for it." Alcottughed, and Ginger sighed. Jack looked at Arad, "In the end, the choice is yours, Chief," Delmear smiled, "He''s right. Pick what suits you the best." ^Mom, what weapon do you think is the best?^ [All of them, your mother never focused on one weapon. But if I suggest, the longsword is a good middle ground.] "I will take the longsword. It''s not too big or too small. When I get stronger, I will switch to bigger swords." Arad said, grabbing a longsword and swinging it, "Yes, this feels nice." He said. Alcott stared at him with a smile, "You say that, but you swung that thing like a stick. No edge alignment or technique." Delmear took the swords from Arad''s hand, "I will finish tying the handle then. Can you light my forge?" "Of course," Arad replied, sticking his hand inside the forge [Firefist] After a few moments, the forge was all red, and Delmear went to work, "Chose some for thedies if you want. I have some cooking utensils around." Delmear smiled, ring at Ae and Ginger. Ginger pointed her wand at him. CRACKLE! She zapped him with a lightning bolt, "Want more?" She red at him. "Nah, thank you," Delmear growled, barely standing up. "Hey, Alcott, can you hold your wife?" Alcott grabbed a great axe from the side and smiled, "I wonder what sound this will make?" He stared at Delmear. "Sorry, I won''t stick my nose again. Let the girls pick what they want." Delmear sighed, scratching his burned hair, "I have some nice bows for the elfdy, and for your wife, there is a new dagger that I got." He pointed toward the bows and then at his counter, "You can find the dagger below the counter." Ae went to check the bows while Alcott stared underneath the counter and pulled the dagger. Ginger approached him to have a look and smiled, "This one is nice," "How much is it?" "Fifty tinum coins, including the discount," Delmear said nonchntly. ^That''s FIVE THOUSAND gold coins!^ Arad, struggling to collect silver coins, found that number too high. "How much will you give me for this one?" Ginger pulled her dagger out and threw it at Delmear. After a short nce, "I sold this one two years ago, didn''t I?" Hebed his beard. "I will give you forty tinum coins, the same price I sold it to you at." "Fair enough. I will give you another ten tinum coins. We will be taking the dagger." Alcott smiled, pulling a pouch from his side. "One, two, three, here ten, tinum coins." He threw the pouch toward Delmear, who caught it, "You have a deal. Take care of that one." Chapter 26 The Dragon’s New Sword. Arad stared at the dagger, "Is it worth all of that?" He couldn''t believe such a thing was worth all of that money. Ginger smiled, swinging the dagger at an incredible speed. Swosh! Swosh! "It''s worth more than you expect. This thing is amazing." "Can I give it a look?" Arad asked, and Ginger sheathed the dagger, "No, this thing is dangerous to hold. And I already attuned to it." Ae looked at her, "At least tell us what the dagger''s abilities are." "It''s an s-rank magic weapon and causes bleeds to start. This effect is all I will tell you." Ginger smiled, and Alcottughed, "The weapon is her secret weapon now. She won''t reveal it." "Forget about the dagger. Pick your weapons." Delmear said, handing the longsword to Arad. Arad took the sword and swung it around, "It doesn''t feel different," "I fixed the weld between the de and the handle." Delmear replied, "I need to make stolen weapons worth nothing." "Is that how you make swords?" Arad looked at the pile of swords around him. "Yeah, it''s a dwarven method. Humans usually make the de go all the way inside the hilt. That''s bad." Delmear grabbed one of the swords, "Because I won''t be able to enchant the swords that way." Delmear showed a longsword to Arad. Directly on the cross guard, arge blue crystal sparkled. "As you can see, I already enchanted this sword for a customer." There were two methods of enchanting a weapon, the magic crystal or the magic salt brining. The magic crystal allows the cksmith to enchant the weapon with spells, while the magic salt brining gives him the ability to change the properties of the metal. "Your weapon is made with the magic salt brining. It should retain its edge for longer." Delmear pulled a small blue orb and ced it on the de''s edge, "See, those are its stats." ********** [Delmear''s Longsword] [Item Rank: E] [Stats] [Deal 1~8 shing damage+ strength modifier] [Can be wielded with two hands and deal 3~12 shing damage+ strength modifier] [Special abilities] [Magically hardened: The de retains its edge for twice as long as regr swords] ********** "The modifier is half your stat. You can count your damage on your own." Alcott exined. ^I have 13 strengths, so my modifier is six and a half?^ [It''s safer to assume your damage to be six. That way, you won''t be surprised by a monster staying alive.] ^The I deal 1~14 shing damage with one hand and 3~18 with two hands.^ "How much is this sword?" "Fifteen silver coins. I didn''t count the magical enchantment." Alcott smiled, "Will take it." Delmear stared at him, "You''re paying for the young man? Fine, thirty silver coins." He opened his palm. "You skimpy dwarf. You just said it''s fifteen silver coins." Alcott screamed. "The discount is for the young man, not you." Delmear replied, "But, just give me fifteen silver coins." As Alcott was paying Delmear, Ae said, "There isn''t a single good bow around here." Delmear stared at her, "Of course, I''m a cksmith, not a carpenter." He sighed, "I make metal weapons. Those bows I bought to resell." Ginger smiled, "You can''t deceive the eye of an elf," Alcott red at his pouch, "does any of you need a new weapon or armor?" "I''m fine, but I will take a few lockpicks and spikes if he had." Jack smiled, staring at a small bucket full of junk. "I will take a small dagger," Ae grabbed one of the daggers on the counter. Alcott looked around, "Do you have one of those one-handed crossbows with automatic reloading?" Delmear stopped for a moment, "I have one, but it''s a bit pricy. Ten gold coins." "How much can it hold?" "Ten bolts, and then you have to refill it again." Delmear walked to the back and brought it, "Two hundred kilogram draw weight, this tiny beauty pack a heavy punch." Alcott looked at the crossbow, "How do I use it?" "Strapped to your forearm and load it up with ten bolts. It will fire whenever you want it due to a magical enchantment." Delmear exined and helped Alcott equip it. After paying Delmear and making sure all the weapons are working as intended. Alcott finally disclosed the quest details. "As you know, our bath work off a hot spring." Alcott smiled, "Well, that is a lie." Arad, Ae, and Jack froze, "What do you mean?" "We only have a regr cold spring." Alcott smiled, "To heat the water, I threw a few smanders into the cave system below." "You did what?" Jack stepped forward, "How did you even get the smander past the guards?" "I did have a skilled rogue at the time." Ginger spoke, "Those smanders are living in the cave and multiplying rapidly. We need to trip them down each year." She smiled, "Let''s just hope they didn''t give birth to a queen." [I just heard something important.] "What did you mean by a queen?" "Like ants, rarely a queen is born to the smanders. She is massive and dangerous. People call them false dragons." Ginger exined. Alcott stepped, "Don''t worry. I killed onest year. It''s unlikely for another to have been born." He exined, "But in case, I want you to run away." [Smanders are fire lizards. They look like a crocodile set on mes.] "Aren''t they fire monsters? Do you expect my magic to be useful?" Arad asked, looking at his staff. Ginger stared at him, "It ismon for a sorcerer to face disadvantageous situations. You will have to think of a way to survive this encounter." Arad looked at his new sword, "And this is why you bought me this longsword. Want me to fight at close range." "You should be fine against the smander''s me," Alcott smiled. [This man, be careful in the quest.] "Should we head to the guild first?" Arad looked toward Ae, who was staring in the distance. "No need for that. Let''s head straight for the caves." Alcott replied, shifting his backpack, "I have all we need." The five of them headed back toward the bath, "Is the cave entrance in the bath?" Jack asked, looking at the bathhouse. "The entrance is inside the well in the backyard," Alcott replied as they walked inside. *** Standing before the well, Arad looked around and saw the old withered rope hanging from a pir nearby. "Don''t tell me we''re using that thing?" Ginger smiled, "Worry not. The rope can handle even the heavy Alcott. Arad doubted that, "Do you have another one," "No," Alcott replied immediately as he went to grab the rope. Ae curled behind Arad with a scared face, "I''m with Arad. That thing doesn''t look safe." Jack followed Alcott and looked at the rope, "You don''t have to worry. This rope can hold out." He smiled, "This thing is made from trolls'' hair and is far stronger than any mundane rope." "He''s right," Ginger took the rope from his hand, "This is probably worth more than most adventurers can earn in a week." "Trolls are strong monsters. Gathering enough of their hair is a tall endeavour." Jack exined, "You won''t find anyone crazy enough to waste such resources on a rope." "Then why do those two have it?" Arad sighed, holding his face while looking at the ground. Alcott approached him and whispered, "I needed some solid rope to tie Ginger when I first caught her. She almost tore that thing apart." He smiled, "But she is stronger now. She could snap it easily." [Is his wife some S-rank monstrous vampire?] ^I bet we she kill us all except for Alcott. Let''s make sure to never get on her bad side.^ Alcott dropped the rope into the well and leapt first,nding at the bottom with a ssh. "Cold!" He screamed, "But I got it, I opened the door," He sighed, "You can jump one at a time!" Ginger leapt behind him without using the rope. She gracefully glided on the wall to the bottom of the well. "Bury me in the western graveyard if I died," Jack smiled, gliding down on the rope. "I will just throw your corpse in the forest," Arad yelled behind him. "Arad, I''m scared to jump." Ae looked down with her hands shaking. "Stop ying around and jump," Arad sighed, "I will leave you here if you don''t." Ae hesitated. She couldn''t look down at the endless darkness of the well. "Fine, I will carry you on my back? Is that fine with you?" Arad sighed, wanting to get into the quest as quickly as possible. Ae smiled, "Are you sure?" "I''m sure. Just hop up." Arad sighed, turning around and giving her his back. Ae climbed up, holding with her arms around his neck. Arad extended his hands and grabbed her butt, pushing her a bit up. "Hey, where do you think you''re touching?" Ae cried. "Your butt. I need you to get up so you won''t fall." He stared back at her. "Do you have a problem?" "No, with that, but..." She gasped. "No buts, just butts." He pushed her even higher, "Tie your legs around my waist tightly. Also, don''t squizz my neck so tightly." Ae did as he said, "Fine, it''s better than falling." "Be grateful you''re not holding from the front," Arad growled, approaching the well. Chapter 27 Into The Cave Aradnded at the bottom of the well, water reaching his knees. "Can you get down?" He looked back at Ae clinging to his back. "Of course," Ae hopped into the water, "Cold!" She cried. "Don''t like cold water?" Arad stared at her with a smile. "Who likes swimming in cold water?" She stared at him. "You''re going to be a pain to keep. No wonder they wanted to let you go easily." Arad sighed, remembering how the ve market let go of Ae. "I''m not that useless," She stared at him with a sharp re. "I never said you''re useless, but prove it to me by killing some monsters. That we adventurers do, right?" Arad stared at her and then turned around to follow Alcott and the rest. "AW!" Jack hit his head on a stgmite, bruising his forehead. "Can I light a torch?" He said, looking into his bag. "Don''t. You will get us all killed." Alcott said, looking back, "Smanders sometimes can control mes. Your torch will explode into a fireball." Jack sighed, pushing the torch back into his backpack, "So, how do we see?" Alcott stared at him, "We don''t," He said and then started clicking. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! "What are you doing?" Jack stared at the S-rank adventurer, making weird noises. "Using sound to understand my surrounding," Alcott replied. "No way, echolocation? Humans can''t do that," Ae stared at him, "Even we elves find it hard to learn," Alcott stared back at her, "If getting trapped underground after a cave copse for a month, eating slugs, and drinking your piss to avoid drinking the poisonous sulfuric water doesn''t teach you how to do it. I don''t know what will." "You got stuck underground?" Alcott stared at him with a puzzled face. "Yeah, we were chasing a stone worm in a mountain range. Nobody told us the area would have an earthquake a few hours after we ventured down." Ae looked at him, "You weren''t alone?" "Yeah, David instantly died when we fell after the cave copse. He was a fearless warrior." Arad looked back at Ae. "Lisa, our elf wizard, died after drinking the poisonous sulfuric water. She didn''t take kindly the idea of sipping on her piss." Alcott growled, "I should have forced her to drink it," "Alice, our cleric, died to monsters. She was too exhausted to run away." He sighed, "I didn''t have enough strength to pull her out," "You seem to be ming yourself a lot about them. You did nothing wrong." Arad stared at him. Alcott smiled, "That''s what I like to tell myself, but the truth is that I''m the only one who survived." Ginger stared back at them, "Onest detail," She smiled, "From what I heard, this idiot dragged their corpses with him till he reached the surface." "Dragged them out?" Jack gasped, "Do you know how much three people weigh?" Ginger stared at him with a smile, "Tell that to sir Alcott here. He doesn''t understand what that word means." "You''ve been through a lot," Arad said from the back. "I''ve spent over thirty years in this job, after all," Alcottughed. "Thirty years? How old are you?" Ae stared at him with a surprised face. He looked no older than thirty years. "The stronger you get, the longer your lifespan will be." Alcott looked back, "I might look young, but I''m in myte forties. I started adventuring when I was eleven when the guild had no rules about it." Ginger turned, "I heard he joined a party of two wizards. That didn''t end well for him." Alcott stared at her, "Don''t even remind me. Who knew those two women were witches? I was elven, and they wanted to milk me to create ghouls!" He cried. "What did you do?" Ae asked. "Of course, I killed them in their sleep, then sold their heads for a bounty and got myself nice armor and weapons." Alcott smiled. "OW!" Jack hit his face again, "How are you not hitting anything?" He asked. "I''m an elf. I can see even with a small amount of light. And I also have excellent hearing. I''m avoiding the sound of dripping water." Ae replied. Ginger looked back, "I have experience." [Vampires can see inplete darkness. I bet she sees as good as we see in the sunlight.] ^I''m seeing as well,^ [You have your void eyes. You can even navigate in aplete void.] "And you, chief. How can you see?" Jack looked back, missing Arad''s location. "I''m holding Ae''s hand," Arad replied, immediately grabbing Ae''s hand. "Can I hold her hand as well?" Jack asked, trying to look at them. "Here!" When Jack grabbed the hand, "This feels a bit rough to be a girl''s hand. This palm is your''s Arad." Jackughed, "You can''t deceive me," "What are you saying?" Ae said, clenching her fist. "AAAA!" Jack cried, "You will break my hand, sorry!" Aradughed, "Ae might look sweet, but she is a fighter, be careful when dealing with her." Alcott approached them, "Come here, Jack. I need you to scout ahead," He grabbed him by the hand and pulled him away. "But I can''t see," Jack cried. "Then try learning. You''re a skilled rogue, aren''t you?" Alcott stared at him. "A rogue that can''t work in the dark is a bit problematic," Ginger stated with a smile. After the short walk, they reached the first split course. "Which way do we go?" Arad asked. Alcott looked around, "The left one," He said, "That will lead us toward the smander cavern in a rtively safe route." He exined. "Rtively safe?" Arad red at him. "Of course. Will face some monster, hard and small cracks to walk through as well," Alcott replied, and he then spotted Ae. "The cracks might be a problem," Alcott said with a stressed face. Arad and Ginger looked toward Ae, "He might be right," Ginger added. "What?" Ae asked, "I can cut my load if needed. My bag isn''t that big." Arad sighed, "It''s not about your bag. It''s about your chest. It might not be able to follow us," He scratched his head. Ae stared at him for a moment. She wanted to get angry but then immediately calmed down. "Alcott has a bigger chest than mine. How can he fit?" She asked the real question, and Ginger stared at Alcott, scratching her chin. "She is right?" Ginger touched his chest, "Your chest is farrger than hers." Alcott smiled, puffing his chest even more, "You needrge lungs and strong chest muscles to be a decent fighter." BAM! He smacked his chest. Arad looked at Ae, "But you are a fighter as well," "I specialized as an archer. We use a different muscle group." She replied, pulling her bow out, "You will find a lot of different fighters depending on their fighting styles." Ae smiled. "We''re one of the most versatile sses, as we can wield all weapons." Alcott informs them, "If we used bows, we''re rangers, but without the tracking skill. If we used daggers, we''re assassin rogues. We can even be mistaken for monks when we hold quarterstaffs." Chapter 28 The Dragon’s First Team Fight. After walking for a bit, Alcott stopped lifting his hand. "A monster is ahead. Everyone takes an arrow formation." "What''s an arrow formation?" Arad asked, lifting his staff. Ginger stared at them. Alcott in the front, me and Arad on the same footing behind him, and then Ae followed by Jack. Like this [-=--] -(Alcott)=(Ginger and Arad)-(Ae)-(Jack) Alcott looked back, "I could clear it alone, but Ginger and I will pretend to be weaker to allow you some space." He smiled. The fight started silently. Alcott approached the corner slowly and peeked around. A massive frog-like monster sat there, staring into the cave''s depth. Alcott grabbed a stone from the ground and looked back at Ginger. Ginger nodded with a smile. Arad looked at her, confused. What did he mean? Alcott threw the stone toward the monster, drawing its attention. When the monster turned, Ae pulled her bow and fired three arrows. The first arrow hit the monster''s right eye, the second in the left eye, and thest in the mouth. Alcott smiled. Ginger lifted her want and poked Arad, "Now!" [Firebolt] Both fired immediately at the frog, shing a bright crimson light to the cave. KA-DON! KA-DON! As the fire burned the frog''s skin, Alcott charged at an incredible speed, stabbing his giant sword onto the monster''s guts. "JACK!" Alcott yelled. "Don''t have to tell me," Jack fell from the ceiling, stabbing the frog in the head. "Die, thank you. My ass is all slimy now." Jack Twisted his dagger while sitting on the frog''s slimy, non-existing neck. "Nicely done," Alcott smiled, pulling his de from the monster''s chest. CRACK! The frog fell to the ground with a loud crack, and Jack leaped away, shaking the blood from his dagger. Alcott stared back at Ae, "Those were some nice shots even though its dark," Ae walked toward the frog to retrieve her arrows, "I''m an elf with night vision and a fighter on top of that," She smiled, grabbing one of her arrows. At that moment, a tongue jerked from the dark, approaching her in the blink of an eye. Thud! Alcott stepped forward, catching the tongue with his hand. "Monsters, you have some guts today." BAM! With a stop, he swung his arm, pulling the cow-sized frog toward him at an incredible speed. Alcott swung his greatsword with his other hand, cutting the frog in half from head to groin. CLANG! As everyone stared in shock, blood sttered across the cave as Alcott exhaled. THUD! Ginger chopped Alcott''s head, "Idiot, you hit the ceiling. What if the cave copsed?" She red at him. Alcott stared at the ceiling. He could see nothing. "Sorry, I might have miscalcted the distance." He scratched his head with a puzzled face. "Sir Alcott, what was that?" Jack gasped, staring around and trying to touch the frog''s corpse. "Great weapon fighting, wrath stance. But That was a botched one-handed variant." Alcott looked at his greatsword, "I should have used two hands," "I''m sure that isn''t what he meant." Arad sighed, "What level are you?" Alcott looked back at them, "Level twenty, I''m a maxed fighter." He scratched his head, "But that doesn''t mean I can do everything a fight should be able to do," He smiled. "He''s bad with horses, so he can''t be a knight," Ginger stared at Arad, "But he''s good at riding camels and donkeys." "Camels?" "Desert horses are big and have a mean personality." Ginger looked at the monster''s corpse. "Let''s proceed. The noise is bound to track more monsters." All of them walked away, heading deeper into the cave. As they walked, Ginger stared at Arad, "That was some quick casting. You matched my speed," She smiled, her fangs almost showing. "You impressive!" Jackmented, "To think you will match Ginger in spell casting." Arad smiled bitterly. ^That isn''t even a human. She is a vampire,^ Arad thought, and Mom agreed. [Matching a vampire can never be a good thing. Let''s hope she doesn''t start seeing us as a threat.] ^Alcott is keeping her in check, right?^ Arad thought, trying to make himself feel better. [Vampire thralls look like ordinary people. Alcott could be already controlled, don''t drop your guard around her.] Not knowing the extent of Ginger''s power has started to worry Arad. The mere idea of her manipting Alcott, the monstrous adventurer, is horrifying. "What are you thinking about?" She looked Arad in the eyes. A faint red re gleamed in her eyes. She sighed, "Can''t see a thing. You''re an empty shell." Arad stared at her, confused, and Jack was the one to ask, "What do you mean?" "I can''t read his mind with magic, as if he has a mind-nk spell active. Or like a monk who attained enlightenment." She lifted her hands, her shoulders dropping. "Chief, do you know the mind-nk spell? Are you a trained monk?" Jack asked with glowing eyes and a wide smile. Arad shook his head, "No, I''m but a sorcerer. She didn''t try hard enough." [You are a Void dragon. Your inner mind is an infinite void. Reading it will be a tall order for most people.] Mom said, her voice slowly shifting, [And those who can, they shall face me first.] PING! Something clicked inside Arad''s head, and Mom''s presence inside his stomach intensified for a moment. ^What do you mean?^ [I''m thest line of defense to protect your mind. I will erase anyone trying to peak into it. And I shall leave them disabled, if not insane.] ^You''re amazing,^ [I mean, I''m a fragment of the consciousness of the great wyrm void dragon. But I can also guide people in your head if you need help.] ^How will that help?^ [If you lost your mind, became too angry, or clouded with hatred. I can always get people inside your mind to pull out.] "Jack, how did you get the frog?" Alcott suddenly asked, looking back at Jack. "When they cast their spells, I saw the cave''syout for a moment. That was enough for me to move." Jack replied. "And what if the monster moved?" Alcott asked, waving his hand. "Unless they are entirely silent, I can guess which direction they moved just by sound." Jack smiled, "But I don''t have your skill to tell much details." He sighed, "Will you teach me?" Alcott''s eyes sparkled, "You will learn?" He turned around, excited. "Yeah, but calm down a bit. You''re intimidating with your massive size." Jack lifted his hands. "Very well, start clicking like me and listen carefully," Alcott said, looking ahead. "Listen to what exactly?" Jack stared at him with a puzzled face. "The returning echos of your voice. Use the time it took to return to calcte the distance." Alcott exined. "And how do I calcte it exactly?" "With your guts, error, and trial. Just start practicing, and you will understand it." Alcott stopped walking and lifted his hands, "Everyone stop and don''t make a noise." Everyone stopped in their track, "Now, Jack. Try it," Alcott said with a smile. "What are you doing?" Arad asked. "One of the reasons why joining your party is beneficial." Jack smiled, trying his best to milk Alcott for knowledge and skills. Chapter 29 Separating "Is it me, or is it getting hotter?" Jack asked, looking around him. "It is getting hotter. But we''re still far from the smanders'' area." Alcott stared around, touching the ground and finding it was hot. Ginger closed her eyes, trying to sense the air around her. "This is strange. I can feel their mana from here." She scratched her head, "Their numbers must have increased a lot." Alcott turned his head, "This might be a bit dangerous. Should we split up?" He suggested. Arad stared at him, confused, "You just said it''s dangerous." "Ginger and I will take the lead, clear any monsters ahead and leave some for you to clean." Alcott exined, "It will be safer for you but more dangerous for us. But considering I intended to clear the ce alone to pass the time in an afternoon, this ce doesn''t pose that much danger." Alcott shrugs his shoulder. The power difference is too significant. "I understand, but leave some for us," Arad replied, naturally taking the leader position. Ginger smiled, "I see you already have a formation. Can you fight at close range?" She looked at Arad. "I''m a sorcerer, but I can." He sighed, "Aren''t you expecting too much from someone who swings a sword like a stick?" Ginger smiled, "Don''t underestimate the power of the mighty stick. I''ve seen hundreds of people get beaten to death with them. They are far more dangerous than swords." [A stick to the chest can kill a vampire. That is what she is talking about, probably.] "Aren''t you scared of them a bit too much?" Arad said, staring at her, and Alcott burstughing, "Didn''t you misunderstand something? She is talking about beating humans with a stick." Alcott exined briefly. Sticks are ordinary and can''t be restricted as you can always im they are a walking stick for your hurting knees or back. On top of that, bludgeoning damage, or concussive damage, is the hardest to counter. A good helmet can stop shes and trusts quickly and deflect them, but a good wack to the head from a stick can still kill the knight or knock him out. "But please learn how to swing a sword." Alcott said, tilting his head, "If you wanted a stick, you could get a club like a barbarian." A barbarian? "I heard Nina is a barbarian. What weapon she used?" [The Greataxe she keeps hanging on the wall behind her.] "The Greataxe she keeps hanging on the wall behind her." Alcott and Mom spoke at the same time. Sying the same sentence, which scared Arad for a moment. Ginger looked at Arad crossing her eyebrows, "Do you know just how crazy that woman is?" She went on, "That thing is a monster. I won''t even call her a human." Alcott stared at her, "Aren''t you being a bit harsh on Nina? You know she is amazing, right?" "I mean that as apliment." Ginger gave him an empty look. [A vampire is calling a human a monster? What did she do?] "Just how strong is Nina?" Arad asked, and Jack approached to listen. Alcott scratched his chin, "I think she might be stronger than me." He shook his head, "No, she is stronger than me." He assured himself. "Stronger than you? And she is just working as a receptionist?" Jack said with an open mouth. "This is public knowledge about her," Alcott scratched his chin, "She is solid, powerful, and fast, and on top of everything, she has a mind-boggling regenerative ability." Ginger sighed, "She and Alcott fought a few years ago. In that fight, Alcott delivered a full-force, greatsword swing at Nina''s bare neck. She survived that and smacked him to the ground with her axe." "Yeah, I''d throat a cactus before facing her again," Alcott stated with a passive face. "Let''s forget about her and proceed." He added, unsheathing his sword. "As you say, be careful." Ginger stared back at Arad, "Make sure to protect them," She smiled. With that, they separated. Alcott and Ginger took the lead while Arad, Jack, and Ae followed behind them. For a while, that seemed fine. A single frog attacked the party, which they quickly killed with abined attack. Ae blinded the monster with her arrow, Arad burned it, and Jack finished it with a stab. "We''re doing good, isn''t that right, chief?" Jack said with a significant smile, staring at Arad. [Is he trying to cause something to happen by saying that?] "If our lucks ends here, I will make sure to make you regret it." Arad stared at Jack, joking. Jack waved his hand, "It isn''t that bad, chief. We will be fine." As Jack said that, the ground started shaking. "What is this?" Ae asked while putting her ear to the wall, trying to understand what was happening. "It isn''t my fault, chief!" Jack cried. "I know. Just stay close to me." They all grouped, putting their backs on each other. "Arad, what should we do?" Ae asked, "I heard cracking in the distance." "I think it might be Alcott and Ginger fighting a big monster. Hold tight, and don''t let your guard down." Arad told them while keeping his staff ready. [You will be fine even if the cave copses. You can always dig out.] ^I''m not leaving without them.^ [I mean that even if you all got trapped, you could dig out. It would be best to focus on not getting injured during the copse.] Mom exined. ^Oh! That''s what you meant.^ As the ground stopped shaking, everyone felt something. ~Can you hear me~ Everyone froze for a moment. The voice rang inside everyone''s heads, "Who is there?" Jack red around. Ae looked shocked for a moment, "Ginger?" she gasped. "Can you hear us? What happened?" ~The cave suddenly copsed on us. Alcott and I are trapped underground. It might take us a few hours to get out~ "What are you talking about?" Arad yelled, "Did you fight a monster?" ~Leave the cave immediately. We will finish the quest when we get out. The ce is dangerous inside~ "Ginger? GINGER!" Arad shouted. [This is a one-way spell. She can''t hear you.] Mom replied. "Damn it, should we leave?" Arad looked at the other two. "I say we get back. Take another quest for the day." Ae suggested. "I''m with her. Let''s y it safe for the time being. I also don''t want to anger either of those two." Jack added, shaking his shoulder. Arad remembered how Alcott dispatched the bandits and that he was a dragon yer. He also imagined Ginger chasing him to suck his blood. "You''re right. Let''s take a toad-killing quest and be done for the day." They started walking back, following their trail while chatting. "Will they be fine?" Ae asked. "You''re worrying about them a lot," Arad stared at her, "They can handle it," He smiled. "He''s right," Jack nodded with a confident smile, "They will be back soon. But I''m more interested in another topic. Am I a member now?" He asked with a cheeky smile. Arad stared at Ae, she smiled, and he then looked back at Jack. "You''re in, but there is a single rule." Jack smiled, "Hands off the chief''s girl, I know that." "Hey!" Ae red at him. "Precisely." Arad smiled. Chapter 30 [Bonus ] Trapped With Fire. As they walked, Arad started to get a weird feeling. Ae stared at him with a worried face, "Aren''t we taking a bit too long?" She stopped, looking around. "She is right. We should have reached the well a while ago." Jack stopped, looking around, "I can''t see shit!" He still can''t see in the dark. Otherwise, he would have tracked their path. "That can''t be. There is a single path that we follow. We can''t be lost." Arad scratched his head. ^Mom. What do you think?^ [I don''t have sense other than you. If you can''t feel the difference, I can''t. We might have been walking a bit more slowly than usual. Let''s keep going for a bit.] "Let''s keep going for a while. I bet we were slow." Arad suggested while taking the lead. The two followed him, but the air got hotter. "Arad, it''s getting hotter, and I don''t feel right." Ae shook her ears, saying, "I have a bad feeling about this." "Me too, chief. I wouldn''t say I like this." Jack said with a worried voice, trying to look around. [Be careful.] As they walked, the heat kept increasing, and they saw the light at the end of the tunnel. "Is that the well?" Jack asked. Ae strained her eyes, looking far ahead, "No, the light is a bit red. It''s not sunlight." Arad pulled his sword into his right hand and held the staff in his left hand, "I will take the front. You two follow behind me and stay alert." The three of them approached the light with careful steps, making sure to make as little noise as possible. Arad then stopped, having seen whaty behind the light. "Big lizards on fire, are those the smanders?" "They are smanders! Did we walk the other way around?" Ae gasped. "No, we walked past the frog''s blood. We certainly took the correct route." Jack said, pulling a dagger, "Mounting those things will be painful," He can''t leap on their back as he did to the frog. His rear end will get scorched. "As I said, stay behind me." Arad said with a confident face, "I will distract them while Ae arrows them from the back." "And what will I do?" Jack asked. "I don''t know. Make sure we won''t get attacked by surprise. Watch my back." Arad replied, and Jack smiled. "You can count on me, chief. Even if my ass burned to ash." "Let''s go," Arad said, crawling on all four. "What are you doing?" Jack asked from behind him. "Keeping low, we might be harder to spot." In that way, they approached the smanders and hid just behind a stone. Arad slightly peeked his head to take a look. One, two, three, a lot of them! Arad''s expression changed. ^Can we take all of those on?^ [You alone in the draconic form should be able to win, but in the humanoid form, it will be hard.] ^Why?^ [Smnder are shorter. Your draconic form can face them better. It will also be hard to protect your identity in this fight, as your fire magic is useless against them.] ^So only if I could use void magic or other elements would we win easily?^ [That is hard to tell, especially since you need to be more experienced in fighting with your draconic form.] ^I should have used another element besides the fire.^ Arad sighed and took a deep breath, "I will charge. You support me." He whispered, "If things got bad, run!" He red at Ae and Jack. "I will never leave you back, chief!" Jack said with a proud smile. Ae understood that Arad wanted to fight in his dragon form, so she grabbed Jack, "We run if things got bad," She red at him, "Yes," he replied. BAM! Arad stood in an instant, running toward the smanders, "Here, you bastards!" He screamed, taking their attention. The monsters immediately looked at him, running like crazed lizards while growling mes. Ae stood immediately, "Jack, I want you to retrieve my arrows." BAM! BAM! BAM! She fired three arrows, killing one smander and blinding another one. GROWL! The monster growled, and Jack rushed ahead. Arad turned around, leaping above the burning, jaw-pping smanders, and stabbed the blinded one. "Got you!" Jack pulled the arrows from the corpses, "Bad news. It''s slightly burned!" He yelled. "Bring them back. I will get a few extra shots from them!" Ae shouted at him. At that moment, the smanders turned toward her. All at the same time. SCREECH! They growled, rushing at once. "Why?" Arad pointed his staff at them [Firebolt][Firebolt][Firebolt] KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! As the mes exploded on them, the smanders remained uncaring as they rushed toward Ae. "Damn it!" Arad growled, remembering they were immune to fire. Jack turned toward Ae, throwing a stone at the creature to try and distract them. ^What should I do!^ [Use the void walk to teleport to her. I doubt Jack would notice that] Ae lifted her hand, "I call thee, spirits of winds." shes of the dead elves crossed her mind, shaking her magic, "I ask thee to form a wall of wind," ''You killed us. Your magic is cursed.'' The voices kept growling in her head. CRACK! Her spell shattered, "Not again, focus!" She cried, trying to build the magic again. Biting her lip to stay focused. CRACK! The spell failed again. Arad stepped forward, fazing toward Ae. In the blink of an eye, he stood between her and the smanders. Stabbing his sword inside the mouth of one of them. "BASTARDS!" Arad growled, ring into a smander''s eye, "HANDS OFF!" The purple re of the infinite abyss in his eyes sunk deep into the smander''s eyes, taking the shape of death. The smander ran away, but a whole horde remained. Ae pulled her bow, "Sorry for the trouble!" BAM! BAM! BAM! She fired three arrows, killing two smanders and wounding one. Jack rushed in and stabbed one in the tail, "Follow me, lizards!" He shouted, trying to get the monster''s attention. "Don''t use magic if you can''t. Focus on what you can do now." Arad said, swinging his sword and staff around to scare the smanders. "I should be able to pick them up with an arrow. Please keep them away from me." Ae replied, and Arad nodded. "Heard her, Jack? We''re the bait!" AGRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Arad screamed his lungs out. Their mission is to get the monsters'' attention. [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt][Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! Arad waved his staff, iling spells left and right like a crazed mage. "Die! Die!" "Chief gone wild, me too, me too!" Jack smiled, pulling a second dagger, HOOORAAAAAAAA! "On us, smoked crocks!" He shouted, sitting on the ground to wet his rear end, and he then leapt on top of a smander and started gouging his back. The two went crazy as Ae started picking the monsters one after the other. As the fight heated, the ground started shaking again. "Is this another copse?" Jack shouted. Ae immediately fell t, listening to the ground, "Something big ising!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. As Arad started, the ground shattered, and a massive smander emerged. It was at least five meters in height and shed brightly with crimson mes. "You''ve done my children dirty!" The monster growled in anguage that only Arad understood. [He speaks draconic, be wary!] Chapter 31 Salamanders’ Queen "You''ve done my children dirty!" The monster growled in anguage that only Arad understood. [He speaks draconic, be wary!] Everyone froze in ce, staring at the massive burning lizard. "That''s one big smander. Is it the queen?" Jack backed away, watching the monster''s movements. Ae pulled her bow, "It seems like it, we should retreat. My arrows aren''t long enough to deal any damage to it." She yelled. Arad was about to speak, looking at the monster when Mom stopped him, [Don''t speak. It will discover your nature.] ^What should we do then? Retreat?^ [That''s right, move back slowly.] As Arad and the rest took one step back, the monster swung its tail, causing the cave to shake. CRACK! The path behind them crumbled, trapping them in the room. "Do you think I will let you escape after killing my children?" The monster growled. "The monster is growling at us. Get ready for an attack." Jack shouted while getting close to Arad. "Ae, try to find an escape route for us." He shouted. At the moment, he thinks that Ae has the best eyesight in the room. ^They can''t understand what the monster is saying. Should I try and negotiate?^ [No, there is no chance this monster will let a wyrmling live.] "Only a bunch of fools," The monster growled, ring at them with a streaming fire gushing from its nostrils. CLANG! Arad stepped fromward, banging his staff on the ground. "Stay behind me. I will take the front." THUD! He rushed toward the monster. "Chief, be careful!" Jack yelled, running to the side and attempting to distract the monster. "How funny." The monster turned its head, opening its massive jaw toward Jack. KA-SWOOSH! A burst of mes rushed toward Jack. ZON! Arad immediately teleported between Jack and the monster, lifting his arms to block the fire breath. BAAAM! The mes rushed around Arad, crackling and charring his top, yet his skin remained undamaged. "Chief?" Jack gasped, surprised at Arad''s sudden appearance. BOOM! As the mes exploded, Arad red at the monster. ^No holding back on this one.^ Arad took a deep breath, bending backward, filling his lungs, and a white stream of mes burst from his nose. The monster stepped back, alerted. "GRWAAAA!" Arad screamed, releasing a massive stream of pure white mes from his mouth. "What are you?" The monster twisted its neck, dodging the st with ease. [Get them to leave. After distracting the monster, we will run as well.] "JACK, Take Ae and find a way to leave this ce, " Arad growled. BAM! His body burst into mes, "This one is mine." "What are you saying, Chief? I will fight here beside you!" Jack lifted his dagger. "You''re in the way. I can''t control my mes that well." Arad lied. He can control his me. The problem is that fire is useless against this creature. He needs to use the void directly. "Come here, Jack. We will find Alcott and Ginger!" Ae shouted, looking around for an escape route. The monster stared at Arad, almost smiling, "I see, a red draconic sorcerer. Can''t you understand by words?" [It thinks you''re a sorcerer. Speak with it but keep that guise.] "Monster, are you the one causing trouble in this cave?" Arad growled, speaking in draconic, ring at it in the eyes. The monster titled its head, "So you can understand me." It red at Arad, "I''m the smander''s queen, not a monster." She stepped to the side, "Did you think I would let you leave after killing my children?" BANG! Arad smacked his staff on the ground, "You weren''t herest year. Do you know you''re trespassing on another''snd? Before long, hordes of adventurers will rush down here to y you and your kin." "Cheif, are you talking with that thing?" Jack stopped searching for a moment, and Ae smacked him. The monster looked at Jack and Ae, "Children, at them." The smanders rushed to kill them. "Look here, let them go!" Arad yelled, and the monster snorted, "No, I will soon evolve into a dragon. You''re kind and won''t stand a chance against me." The queen growled, her tail pping around, and me gushed from her spine, causing the room to be an oven. [Dragon''s blood is powerful. A creature with it can usually evolve into a dragon if he gets strong enough.] Mom exined, [That includes even human sorcerers.] ^Are you saying this thing has dragon blood? A sorcerer monster?^ [Exactly, a dragon must have mated with one of the smanders and produced this thing.] BAM! Arad rushed ahead, swinging his sword at the monster''s front leg. ^I will slice the muscle and cause it to fall.^ When Arad''s sword approached the leg, the queen moved back, dodging the attack, "Slow!" She growled, swinging her front right w at him. CLANG! Her w hit Arad in the torso sending his body flying away. STAB! At that moment, the queen felt a sharp pain below the base of her tail. "Who''s there?" She growled, trying to see but failing. "It''s that rogue!" She assumed when she didn''t see Jack around. Jack hanged to the base of her tail when she couldn''t hit him, jamming his dagger again and again below her scales. "I will bust your ass open!" He shouted while his arms burned from her hot scales. "Try and hit a vein!" Ae yelled, aiming at the queen''s eyes. "I can''t. This one is too thick for my short dagger!" He shouted, "Just Die!" He started stabbing faster. The queen growled, running around and banging the walls, "Get off me!" and dragged her ass on the ground like a dog. Eventually, she brushed Jack off on a stone. The queen barely marched, blood pouring from her rear end. Ae rushed toward Jack and found him barely alive, his arms charred and his legs broken. "You stupid idiot!" She shouted, trying to drag him away before the small smanders ate him. Jack giggled while bleeding from his mouth, "I drilled her a fourth hole," "You insolent bastard!" The queen rushed toward them, opening her zing jaw. KABOOM! Something exploded in the back, and the air started rumbling as two purple eyes appeared in the shadows. "All I wanted is some children!" THUD! Arad took a step forward, three gaping holes in his torso. The queen stared at him, "What are you?" She could feel that something was off about him. She sensed no me or heat from him. "With all this bullshit!" Arad red at her, "Why should I be the only one holding back?" Veins popped in his forehead, and his eyes shed with a deep purple re. [Arad, calm down.] "Why are you still standing with those wounds?" The queen turned toward him, releasing another breath. Arad shouted, "GRWA!" A dark sh blinked, sting her mes away with a loud rumble. "That woman is mine!" Arad took a step forward, ring at the queen in the eyes, "This whole ce is mine. Who are you to stand here?" [Arad! Don''t let the dragons'' arrogance consume you!] As the queen watched, Arad''s body morphed into his draconic form, ring down at her, "You''re the reason I''m not with Ae yet!" Arad growled, the ground beneath him shaking. Chapter 32 The Party’s First Big Hunt "A wyrmling?" the queen growled, taking a step back while keeping her eyes on Arad. "To think a true dragon kin would make his way to my nest, I needed your blood to evolve." [To evolve, monsters would need to strengthen their blood. Humans who bathed in dragon blood for decades became dragons.] Arad red at the queen, his body rumbling. "Arad!" Ae rushed toward him, "We have a better chance together," She pulled three arrows, aiming at the queen. When Arad heard her, he rxed a bit. "You''re right. I will take her on. You support me." [You''re listening to her?] ^Why would I have her by my side if I don''t listen to her?^ GROWL! Arad growled, shaking his head and wings. "You understand me?" Ae smiled, "But what do you want me to do?" [You can talk, but she only hears growls in your draconic form.] Arad was still a wyrmling, and just like a newborn baby, He couldn''t speak impossible. His humanoid form offered flexibility and skills. But it was physically weaker than his draconic form. The queen opened her jaw, not giving them any time to think. ROAR! And from her maw, a gust of mes rushed out, painting the cave red. THUD! Arad leaped ahead, pping wings like a chicken to extend his jump. ROAR! Arad unleashed his breath again, breaking the mes apart. "What is your breath made of?" The queen growled, unable to understand what Arad spat out. It wasn''t like any other elemental energy, and it felt like nothing. PEW! PEW! PEW! Ae fired three arrows aiming at the queen''s eyes. The queen whipped her neck, avoiding the arrows while turning around and swinging her tail toward Arad. GRWAAA! Arad leaped in her tail, dragging his ws from the tip to her back and cutting arge wound. His natural weapons were far sharper than his sword. The queen growled in pain, releasing a st of mes from her back. BOOM! Arad got flung to the other side of the room, crashing on the wall and dazed from the impact. Smanders swarmed Ae to protect their queen. "Arad, where is your sword?" Ae screamed, firing arrows at the smanders swarming. She was about to run out, and her dagger was too small to fight crocodile-sized monsters. [Arad! Give her the sword!] Mom screamed in Arad''s head, forcing him to get a grip on himself. CLING! The sword emerged from Arad''s body, flying toward Ae. THUD! Ae saw the sword pierce the ground ahead of her, "You can understand me!" She became certain Arad could still understand her in his draconic form. She grabbed the sword and took a deep breath. The faces of the elves who died because of her swarmed her mind. "Sorry, but I must fulfill my duty." Ae''s eyes shed green, "Sacred wind of the forest, engulf my de and cut my enemies," [Wind de] A gust of wing covered the sword as she swung at the smanders. SLICE! SLASH! The first two strikes hit their mark, cleaving through the smanders'' flesh. But thest swing was strange. Ae swung her sword through the empty air. SWOSH! A wind de rushed from her sword, flying across the room and hitting the queen in the face, slicing a chunk from her nose. GRWAAA! The queen growled, taking a step back. Ae extended her hand toward the queen, "Oh, spirits of the..." CRACK! Her spell failed, causing her a horrible headache as the voice in her head growled. "I can''t concentrate on any 1-tier spell," BANG! She smacked her forehead with the sword''s pommel, "FOCUS!" She growled, lifting her hand again. "Oh, spirits..." CRACK! The spell failed again. In that brief moment, the small smanders rushed at her while the queen watched from the back, trying to anticipate any other strange attacks while waiting for her breath to recharge. ''I need to kill them from a distance. Getting close is dangerous,'' The queen thought, ''My breath should kill her in one hit. That''s why he protected her,'' ROAR! Arad rushed in, swinging his w at one of the smanders and taking a chunk from its side. He then attacked again, finishing it. As the smander changed their attention to him, Arad stood up on his hind legs while bncing with his tail. CLICK! The staff appeared from nothing into his mouth while he opened his ws. The queen stared at him, puzzled at what is this wyrmling trying to do. The mere image of a dragon holding a staff was alien to her. CRACKLE! A lightning arc sparked between his ws. [Void can make more than just mes,] "A second element?" The queen roared, leaping back and opening her jaw, attempting to breathe fire at him. The lightning color changed, shing from blue to yellow. And then to pale white. [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] [Lightning Bolt; Level 3; R3] Arad started sting without a sign of stopping. The queen closed her mouth and leaped to the side to dodge the spells, "I see! I know your nature now!" She growled, jamming her front ws behind a massive boulder and pushing it toward Arad with incredible force. As the boulder approached, a smander snuck behind Arad and bit his tail, trying to prevent him from dodging. CLANG! Ae rushed in, slicing the monster immediately. The boulder was already about to hit them, "Arad!" She screamed, and he shook his back. Without thinking, she leaped on his back. FLAP! FLAP! Arad leaped away with a mighty p. CLANG! He then grabbed onto the wall with his ws, crawling like a lizard with Ae dangling from his back. "You''re a purple dragon, aren''t you?" The queen growled. [She''spletely wrong, but I can see how she made this mistake.] Mom quickly dumped the information about the purple dragons in Arad''s head. When a red dragon (Fire dragon) mates with a blue dragon (Lightning dragon), the child can have the power of either his parents or, in a rare case, be a purple dragon with two attributes. Arad''s purple glowing eyes. And his utilization of fire and lightning made the queen mistake him for one. "How about it? Let''s make a deal, purple one!" The queen growled, trying to get the best of this encounter. "Lower your ws, and I can share my fire knowledge with you!" ^What should I do?^ [Don''t trust a monster. She is trying to make a deal because we''re going to win.] Mom stated, [And, he isn''t out of the fight yet,] As the queen growled, she felt a hand on her head. She tried to move her head, but suddenly, a dagger quickly impaled her right eye. "I will only die to a woman''s thighs. Yours aren''t for me!" Jack growled, stabbing her eye again and again. "JACK!" Ae screamed, aiming with her bow at the queen''s second eye. ^He can move?^ [Don''t think. Attack her neck!] Arad dropped Ae, whonded on her legs and fired again at the queen. He rushed ahead as fast as he could, leaping with his jaw at the queen''s neck. Arad''s jaw was too small to take the whole neck in one bite, so he started munching on her, using his sharp teeth while holding her with his ws. And digging his way deep into her flesh till she bled to death. Chapter 33 The Queen’s Nest Thud! Arad leaped from the wall,nding beside the dead queen. His purple eyes red down at her corpse. GROWL! ^Is she dead?^ [She is dead, rest at ease,] "Arad!" Ae rushed toward him. "Chief," Jack growled from atop the queen, rolling down and falling on his face. "My nose," He cried. Arad stared at them, closing his eyes and morphing back into a human. "GAH!" He sighed, feeling his heart pounding like a drum. The fight took a lot out of him. "I need to rest a bit," Arad fell on his back, catching his breath. Ae stared at the two, "Let''s rest a bit." she smiled, "Jack, are your legs fine?" "Haha!" Jack giggled, opening his pouch and taking two red vails, "Used one of these." He smiled. "Where did you get them? Potions are expensive." Ae stared at him with a suspicious re. "I borrowed from Alcott. He shouldn''t mind." Jack smiled, waving his hand. "You stole them from him?" Arad stared at him, terrified, "Do you want Ginger to kill us all?" Jackughed, then started coughing due to the pain in his chest, "I just borrowed them, borrowed." Ae stared at him, "You don''t fear death. When did you get the chance to steal them?" Jack looked at her, "When he was teaching me how to use echolocation." "He was teaching you, and you stole from him. You''re nasty." Arad red at him. "Come on. It saved our lives. And Alcott had more than he needed," Jack waved his hand, "I also bet he could have stopped me had he wanted," After resting and letting the potions take effect, the three stood. Jack leans on Arad''s shoulder. "You''re a dragon?" He asked. "You can say that, have a problem?" Arad stared at him. He transformed since he thought Jack was knocked out, and having him know wasn''t a part of the n. "Can''t you transform and carry us?" "I''m not a mount," "I saw you leap around with Ae on your back," "She''s a special case, and we were fighting." Arad sighed, "Maybe when I grow up," "I heard dragons age slowly. I will be long dead before that." Jack looked at him. [This man asks a lot of questions.] "You won''t wait long. I''m giving you my shoulder. That should be enough for now." Arad approached the queen''s corpse. "Don''t tell me you n to butcher it here? I want to rest." Jack sighed. "Who talked to you?" Arad touched the queen''s corpse, sucking her whole body into his stomach. "It disappeared! What did you do, chief!" Jack turned toward Arad with a surprised face. "You''re too noisy," Ae stared at them, "Calm a bit." she sighed. The three walked deeper into the cave, searching for an exit. For a while, the party found nothing but an endless dark tunnel. Ae looked at them, "I sense a faint magic around here. Shall we follow it?" She asked. ^Mom, can my eyes pick it up?^ [Why ask me when you can try it? Look around you with void eyes.] Arad blinked. His eyes shed purple as he started to see white threads flowing around. The deeper they became, and Arad naturally became aware of it. "Arad, do you smell this?" Ae stared at him, closing her nose. Arad took a deep breath, and he felt it. A disgusting smell filled the air. Jack pulled his knife, "Rotting corpses, be careful of the undead." He became alert until they reached the next cavern. The room was big and rocky and had a small water stream dripping across the wall. A nest size of an enormous beasty in the middle, with what looked like a humanoid corpse in it. Arad took the front, approaching slowly with his staff up. "Are you sure undead are weak to mes?" He asked. "Yeah, go for it, Chief!" Jack walked beside him, staring at the corpse. When they approached the corpse, Arad poked it with his staff, "Move,e on." Jack looked at it, "Do something." Ae stared at them, "What are you two doing?" She approached, "That''s a normal corpse. There is no necrotic magic around here." The two rxed, "This is the most dposed corpse I''ve seen in a while. I bet a swarm of worms will rush out if I poked it with a dagger." Jack looked around, finding a quarterstaff and a hardcover leather book. "Is this a mage?" Arad asked, looking at Ae, who lifted the book, flipping the pages. Ae crossed her eyes, "This is a sorcerer, a red draconic bloodline!" She gave the book to Arad, "This is his spell book, "Give it a read." Arad flipped through the page and found multiple spell forms written. **** 0-tier [Firefist] [Firekick] [Firebolt] [Bonfire] 1-tier [Burning ws] [Overheat] [methrower] [mecloak] [me diversion] 2-tier [me de] **** ^I can''t understand any of the forms.^ Arad red at the book. He can''t understand how to cast them. [We better let Amber take a look at it, we might get some spells for free,] Ae lifted the sorcerer''s quarterstaff, "Let''s have this apprised at the guild as well." she said with a smile. Jack walked around, "Arad, do you mind giving me a light?" Arad lifted his palm, igniting it with [Firefist] "Can you see now?" "Yeah, thank you." Jack searched the whole room and then got back to Arad and Ae. "This is the queen''s nest. I found her foot tracks at the entrance." He started exining. "We know that. Nothing else will need such arge nest." Ae looked at him and then stared at the nest in the back. "I didn''t find any written note or something that can exin, but I would guess the queen got some power from the sorcerer." Jack looked at Arad. "Do you mean he taught her draconic? People aren''t that crazy, you know?" Arad looked at him with an exhausted face. Ae looked at Arad, "Smander bloodline is a thing, you know? There is also a phoenix and a drake bloodline, and they all master fire." [Ae is right. The queen and the sorcerer had red draconic bloodlines. They must have attracted each other.] "The sorcerer probably wanted to tame her as a powerful monster, and the queen simply saw him as a tool to further her ns." Jack sighed, "Poor fellow, must have had painfulst days down here." "What I like to know is how he got down here?" Ae asked with a passive face, looking around. "I found a route to the back. That might lead us outside." Jack pointed with his thumb," "Are you sure?" Arad asked, "We won''t up going deeper?" Jack shook his head, "I don''t know, but a faint stream of aires from there." Ae walked toward the hole Jack referred to, "You''re right, but the air isn''t fresh. It''s musty." She scratched her head, "I think it leads to a bigger cave." Arad looked at them, "We can get back..." but when he looked back, "Yeah, it has copsed," He sighed, remembering what the queen did. Jack looked at them, "We have no choice but to venture deeper," "I can start digging," Arad suggested. "But what if you caused the cave to copse?" Jack looked at him, "When the stones you wish to dig are the ones holding the cave together." [He''s right. You dig and escape alone, but if the cave copse, those two are stuck here.] Chapter 34 The Wall Inside the blinding darkness of the cave, Arad opened his palm, [Firefist] "We need to think this through," He sat on a stone, and so did Jack and Ae. "Should we wait for Alcott and Ginger?" Ae asked while looking toward Cain. Jack crossed his legs, "Won''t count on that. This cave is massive." "They fell. To reach them, we must venture deeper." Arad sighed. Jack stood, "Why does this ce have monsters other than the smanders? I thought Alcott only brought them here?" "The smanders need food," Arad sighed. "then how did the sorcerer get in? There should be a second entrance." Ae said, standing up, "I spent some time in the wood elves'' forest. I mightck the skills, but I will try to guide us toward the other entrance." Arad stood as well, "That''s our best bet. If the three of us worked together, we could find a way out." "And next time, separating is a bad idea." Jack walked to the front, checking the way he found earlier. The air from it was far from fresh, but it was a start. "Let''s proceed carefully. Thest thing we want is to fall into a hole and end up separated." Arad and Ae walked to his side, staring down the hole with worried faces. "Let''s hope there aren''t any monsters down there," Ae said with a wry smile, slightly hiding behind Arad. Arad walked into the hole, keeping his eyes wide open with all their ability. "Stay behind me, and stay alert." Arad lifted his staff and started walking. "Arad, let me take the front. We said I would lead the way." Ae said, walking ahead of Arad, who took a step back, "If anything happened, hope to the back and let me take the front." Not long after they started walking, they reached a dead end. A massive, cracked brick wall blocked their way. Ae and Jack inspected it while Arad lifted his palm and lit the ce. "I can''t see any magic around the wall," He said with his eyes darting across the wall. Ae knocked on the wall while listening with her ears on it, "The other side is empty. I would say this wall is about one foot thick." Arad stared at her feet and startedparing the side with his hands, trying to gauge the correct size. "Yeah, I would say it''s thick enough to be a problem." Jack looked at her, "Can you convert it?" He scratched his head, "I want to know if we can safely break it." Ae looked back at him, "About one-third of a meter, a little bit less, I would say, probably by a fingernail." "That''s weirdly specific, but I appreciate it." Jack smiled, approaching Arad, "Say, you said you could dig, right?" [With some time, you can break through the wall.] "I can w it down. Want me to dig through it?" Arad replied while cracking his fists. "Yeah, but do it gently. We don''t want the whole wall to copse. God knows what stones it holds above it." Jack pointed toward a lower point in the wall. "God knows? Said a rogue who fought against a pdin?" Arad transformed into his draconic form. Jackughed, "That''s but an expression, don''t mind it. But mind the wall and be careful." Jack stretched his arms, "Ae and I will move the debris you create, so don''t get us buried alive here." Arad nodded as he couldn''t speak in his draconic form, slowly approaching the wall and extending his ws. CREEK! He scratched the wall, causing Ae to scream, "What a horrible noise. Can''t you tune it down? I feel it in my teeth." She cried, clogging her ears. [She might be sensitive to sharp sounds. Try to push and then pull.] Mom suggested. At the same time, Jack approached the wall and pointed at one of the bricks, "This one cracked. Try pulling it apart with your ws." He used his dagger to prey into the crack, expanding it a bit. Arad stood on his hind legs while bncing with a long ck tail. CRACK! He jammed his ws in and slowly pulled the brick piece by piece. CRACKLE! As the dust fell to the ground, the group got a small hole to look through onto the other side. Ae approached the hole to look, but Jack stopped her, "What if something hit your eyes? We don''t know what kind of monsters are behind the wall." He said, lifting his dagger. As Ae and Arad watched, Jack took a piece of clothing from his pocket and pulled out a small mirror, "We will use this." He said. "A mirror? Those things are expensive. Where did you get it?" Ae stared at him, and Jack smiled. "Found it abandoned." "Where exactly?" Ae red at him, "You stole it, right?" "Found it collecting dust inside a house." Jack approached the hole, "Arad, can you give me some light?" Arad swung his tail, resting the tip beside the hole and letting it on fire. Jack approached the mirror and looked through it. "I got a vague look." Jack said, crossing his eyebrows, "I see a brick hallway, filled with dust and cobweb, abandoned for over a year, I would say." He scratched his chin, "No tracks of monster, but it is giving me a bad feeling." Ae understood what he meant. She had got a bad feeling since they saw the wall, "You think we stumbled into a dungeon?" "I fear so. A structure like this doesn''t just pop out of nowhere without a valid reason." Jack hid his mirror and looked toward Arad and Ae. "The dungeon looks undiscovered, which means we might be in for a lot of gold and treasures." He said, and then sat down, "But without knowing the details, the dungeon might be too dangerous for us." Arad shifted back into his humanoid form, "We don''t care about conquering the dungeon." He stated, "We will run for the entrance and leave." Jack looked toward him, "A smart idea, only if we knew which direction lead out and which not." [Usually, the dungeon''s boss releases a lot of magic. Using your eyes, all you have to do is walk to the other side.] Mom spoke, giving Arad an easy solution. "I can see magic, so as long as we move away from the boss room, we will reach the entrance," Arad suggested. "Can I say something?" Ae stared at them. "Of course. Why are you asking for permission?" Arad looked at her, and she smiled. "What about Alcott and Ginger? Where did they go?" She looked toward the wall, "And this ce was a dead end. How did the sorcerer make it past the wall?" Hearing her, Jack jack grabbed his head, "Fuck! Damn it, you''re right." He red at the wall, "We shouldn''t go there." "Why the sudden change?" Arad asked. Jack exined. Dungeons are divided into ranks, from F to S, like adventurers and quests. The point is that a dungeon needs a party of four adventurers of the same rank to clear. For example, an A-rank dungeon would need a party of a minimum of four A-rank adventurers to clear. "Some high-rank dungeons can regenerate their structure. This might be one of them." Jack sighed. "What rank are we talking about?" Arad asked. "At least C-rank," Jack replied. Chapter 35 The Dragon’s First Dungeon. Arad stood, approaching the wall, "We have no other choice." He touched the stone wall, "We can''t stay here forever. We will make a run for the exit." Jack approached him, "We can''t do that. But will try." He smiled. Ae stood beside them, "All of this because we separated from Alcott. I will make sure to tell him that." She sighed, grabbing her bow and standing behind Arad with a smile. Arad quickly cracked the hole, Making it big enough for them to enter. As he peeked his head, he saw nothing in the hallway. "It''s safe, for now." The other two walked after him and looked in a different direction. "Which way should we go?" Arad asked, looking at Ae. "You''re the one with magic sense. Which direction is the boss?" Ae replied while staring down the pitch-ck hallway. "There is no difference. Both directions are full of magic." Arad replied. [This ce looks nice. How about you take it as air?] ^Air? This ce is a dungeon.^ [Remember when I said you could find a ce underground to hibernate and grow older? This ce looks perfect.] She replied, [But clearing the dungeon is a problem.] ^I don''t think we will have that today. Our priority is getting back alive.^ Jack pulled his dagger and got ready, "Then let''s go right." "Found anything?" Ae looked at him. "No, I just think it will be the right direction," Jack replied, and Arad took the front, slowly leading them into the unknown darkness. CRACK! When Arad stepped down, the stone he stepped on sank to the ground, almost causing him to fall. "A trap?" He looked around, trying to find any possible danger. "Don''t worry," Jack approached him, "That''s just a trip trap," "They are made to make you fall if you were running. A mechanism to prevent people from escaping monsters." Ae exined, looking at the ground. "I can''t tell which direction they are supposed to work on." "Will it matter?" Arad looked down at her, "This square hole is symmetrical." "Those traps are made against adventurers running from monsters. If we knew where the monsters attacked and in which direction the adventurers would run..." Jack looked at Arad. "We will find the exit," Arad replied with a smile, "Adventurer will run toward the exit." "Exactly, but this one seems to work in both directions." Ae stood after inspecting the trap, "Be careful and watch your steps," She said. "Monsters could be close, I see," Arad replied, holding his staff and walking forward. They didn''t see monsters before, so they should be ahead. After walking a bit, they found the hallway dyed red with monsters'' blood, the corpses of massive two-headed wolves, a humanoid seven-foot-tall green monster, and even more that they didn''t know. "The blood is fresh. Could it be that an adventuring party is here?" Ae asked, approaching the corpses. "Those are big shes, could be Alcott and Ginger?" Jack inspected the corpse of a wolf. "Let''s hope so. That would save us a lot of trouble." Arad sighed, feeling a bit of relief that this was the end. "Don''t get your hopes up. We will celebrate when we''re drinking in the tavern." Jack replied, swinging his dagger at a corpse. GRWAAAAA! The green humanoid growled in agony as Jack stabbed his chest and quickly died. "Some are still alive," Jack looked back at Arad. Behind the corner, the party found a dposed humanoid skeleton of reasonable size. "The corpse of an adventurer. Probably got lost here." Ae said, looking around. Jack inspected the corpse, finding a small note in its pocket. [Quest: Find Jeremy, who got lost in the western B-rank dungeon, the wolverine.] Jack ran through the quest details, "He was looking for an adventurer by the name of Jeremy, a C-rank draconic sorcerer. Probably the one we found dposed in the queen''s nest." Jack sighed, "The quest is six months old, almost half a year." "So you''re saying he was on a quest? We didn''t see anything on Jeremy''s corpse like a quest." Arad looked at the paper. "This is a B-rank dungeon, and Jeremy was a C-rank adventurer. The guild won''t allow him to take a quest alone." Jack replied. "I suspect he came here alone without telling the guild," Ae said, "Is there any mention of his full name?" Jack ran through the paper and found the name written on the back, "Jeremy Brian, holy shit!" Jack almost jumped in his ce, "What the fuck is this snooty bastard doing in a stinky dungeon?" "Do you know him?" Arad asked. "Not personally. Brian is one of the noble families of the city. They are mostly known for their annoying personality and their eldest daughter, Merida." Jack replied, putting the paper in his pocket. "I heard of her, the de of Whitehold?" Ae said she heard of her when she was in the ve market. Most of the people there wished to be bought by the nobility. "What is Whitehold?" Arad asked with a puzzled face. "A de and magic tournament that happens every ten years. Merida won it five years ago, when she was just fifteen years old, and she did it with her sword," Jack exined, "With no magic," He added. "Is she strong?" Arad asked, "She should be around twenty years old by now, right?" "She is powerful for her age. She is naturally talented with the de. Especially long ones." Jack smiled, "I''ve seen her once use a single-edged sword twice her height. She is a master sher." "Is Jeremy her brother?" "No, her niece. His side of the family is a bit pathetic, to be honest." Jack sighed, standing up, "No reason to shuffle around. Let''s move." As the group walked, they faced their first bath of live monsters. Three crazed wolves with onerge, green humanoid. The same monster they saw earlier. ROAR! The wolves roared immediately, not giving Arad and his group time to think or retreat. Arad lifted his staff, [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] Thud! Thud! Thud! The wolves leaped from one wall to another using their ws, masterfully dodging all of Arad''s magic. "They are fast!" "Your aim is bad!" Ae yelled, releasing three of her arrows, and she hit all three of the wolves, stopping them in their track. "How did you hit them?" Arad yelled back at her. "Don''t just shoot! Try predicting their path and aim a bit forward, basic archery against moving targets." Ae exined. That was something Arad had never thought about. As the two were speaking, Jack appeared behind the green humanoid. He used the distraction to sneak around in the shadows, silently swinging his dagger at the monster''s back. Thud! The monster turned around, swinging his club at Jack with a growl. Jack smiled, rolling between the monster''s legs, with a steel wire in his hand, "Fall, big boy!" He shouted, pulling the wire and dropping the beast. The monster roared, trying to stand up, but Jack swung his dagger, cutting its throat. "Killed mine. What about you two?" Jack turned toward Arad and Ae. "Behind you!" Arad shouted. The green humanoid stood again, his wound nowhere to be seen. Chapter 36 Exploration, And A Steady Advancement. Jack turned around, "Regeneration?" He gasped, seeing the club rush toward his face. Jack ducked, and an arrow flew at high speed, piercing the monster''s neck. "Run!" Ae yelled, ring at him. "Not yet!" Jack growled, "If he regenerates, then we will do this!" Jack swung his dagger, shing the monster''s side. "Light him up!" Jack shouted, and Arad lifted his staff, aiming at the monster''s side with a grin, "I see. We will roast him!" [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! As the me exploded, Jack rolled away. He watched the monster growl and fall on his back. The charred wound didn''t regenerate, "I was right!" Jack smiled, leaping at the monster. Since the monster was dealing with the first time his wounds didn''t regenerate, Jack took the chance to give him more wounds, swinging his dagger broader than a mage''s hat. "JACK! Move away, fine iing!" Arad pointed his staff at the monster. "AWO!" The wolves cut his way, trying to bite his arm off. THUD! Ae rushed in, swinging Arad''s sword that she kept on her. CLANG! SLASH! CLING! With a three-hitbo, she diced the wolves. CRACK! But Arad''s sword shattered in her hands, and the de separated from the handle. "That isn''t my mistake!" She cried, but Arad pushed her to the side, "Let''s save Jack first!" Arad aimed at the monster with a crimson me blooming on the tip of his staff. [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] Jack leaped away, letting the monster get charred. But Arad wasn''t done yet. [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] He fired again, making sure the monster died and that the regeneration will never kick again. As the fight ended, Jack looked back, smiling with a thumb up, "We made it," "Don''t ''We made it'' Me!" Arad rushed toward him, "You almost got yourself killed. Don''t go sneaking on a monster we know nothing about." Jack wasn''t that good in close confrontations. As a rogue, he was more skilled in stabbing things from the back and taking down their vital organs for an instant kill or massive damage. The trade-off is that Jack will be in trouble if the target survives. "Well, I thought he would die if I stabbed the liver and sliced the main blood vessel." Jackughed, "But those are some nice words from someone who didn''t want me at his party yesterday." Arad sighed, "Don''t get yourself killed. Especially when we need every member." Jack smiled, "Don''t worry, chief." He sheathed his dagger, "I might not look like it, but I''m talented in not dying. As proof, I''m still standing here." Ae and Arad stared at him, "You won''tugh? I thought it was a good joke," Jack shrugged it off and looked at the monsters around. "Ae, you broke chiefs sword." Jack spotted the de on the ground. Ae looked to the side, averting her eyes from Arad, "It wasn''t my fault. The de weak." Arad stared at her with an exhausted face, sighting as his eyes felt heavy, "The sword was new," Jack scratched his chin, "Hold up, chief. Ae is right." He grabbed the de and inspected it, "See this weld between the de and the handle?" Arad and Ae approached, "What is the problem?" "This sword is intentionally made weak. It could probably handle fighters from level one to seven, but higher than that is too much." Jack said, looking at the handle. "Exin more." Arad looked at him. Jack gave Arad a puzzled look, "Those welds are a ceholder for the magic stone. cksmiths make them like this so they can sell to low-level adventurers while having the option to make powerful weapons for the high-leveled ones." Jack exined. "I''m a level twelve fighter, so this de breaking isn''t my mistake?" Ae said with a smile, but Jack stared at her. "A great fighter can tune his power down when using a low-level weapon. That means you aren''t that skilled with swords." Ae sighed, "Fine, I''m a failure swordswoman. I''m far better with bows." "Does that matter?" Arad looked at her, "You''re all fighters." "Don''t you remember what Alcott exined earlier? Fighters are diverse, each with their unique weapon and skills." She pouted, "I''m an arcane archer. A fighter who mixes some magic with archery to achieve outstanding uracy and speed." "I only saw a little bit of magic from you. Can''t you use any big spells?" Arad stared at her. If she can, then he might learn a thing or two from her. Ae smiled, puffing her already sizeable chest. "I know spells up to 4-tier. But all wind-based." "Can you show me some?" Arad looked at her, his eyes glowing with a purple re. Ae looked toward Jack, a bit troubled. "Let''s leave it forter." She giggled with a wry smile. "We need to focus on getting out." "Come on. I might find it useful." Arad looked at her with an intense re. "Chief, let it go for now." Jack cut them, "Finish learning from the spell book we got from Jeremy, and then ask her for more." [Ae might not be able to use the magic she knows. Or at least, she isn''tfortable with it.] ^Teaching isn''t the same as using,^ [No, it is. Magic relies heavily on the caster''s ability to focus.] Mom started exining. [Slight shifts in the emotions like distress or fear can cause the magic to fail. Since the caster can''t concentrate.] ^So I can stop a caster from using magic?^ [No, dedicated casters have minds more resilient than a stone wall. Those people are thest ones to feel fear or distress.] "Fine, let''s keep pushing forward." Arad sighed, grabbing the spell book and looking inside it. He still couldn''t understand a single word. ^Mom, do you know any spells from mother?^ [I know a lot of void magic, but you must reach the young state to use it effectively.] ^Why?^ [Void step is void magic.] Mom started talking in Arad''s head, [Your body can''t take it until you grow. Like how red wyrmlings can burn themselves with their me.] Deeper into the cave, the party faces another two batches of monsters that they quickly dispatched. The dungeon started to seem easy after they found out how to kill the green humanoid monsters. Jack smiled, looking toward Arad, "This is a B-rank dungeon? We''re stronger than normal." There was some reality in his words, but he couldn''t be more wrong. [He''s thest one who should say those words.] "Don''t let your guard down. We might face a powerful monster." Arad replied while gently touching the walls. "I was trying to lift our morale a bit. It won''t help if we were scared." Jack sighed, approaching Arad, "Let me do the inspection. I have more experience with traps," Jack started looking around to make sure the way was safe. And as expected, he discovered several traps ranging from arrows to pitfalls. Ae took the arrows to use them. Arad looked into the pitfalls and found them empty. Jack looked at Arad, ring down at the pit. "Chief, do you want to find a corpse or something?" Arad nodded, "We didn''t find who killed the monsters earlier. I bet they are still around." He replied. Chapter 37 Boss Fight I [R-DOOM] Awoo! CLANG! CLANG! As Arad and his party walked, they heard the rumbling of a fight in the distance. CRACKLE! CLANG! CLANG! AWOOO! "A fight? I hear iron and a wolf howling." Jack pulled his dagger and took a stance, looking toward the end of the hallway. "That crackle sounds like lightning magic. Let''s hurry!" Ae said, pulling her bow. [They are getting too excited. Tell them to calm down. With them wearing iron, I don''t think we have a way to block lightning.] "Calm down. We will check it out. But we will only engage when we understand what is going on." Arad said, pulling his staff, taking the front, and looking back at them. "Don''t worry." Ae smiled, "It''s probably Alcott. "Those swings sounded familiar." "I would be impressed if you could pick that up," Arad looked back into the dark and started walking. He kept his void eyes open, scrying for any magic in the area. After a bit, they reached a massive steel door, almost five meters in height. "It''s behind this," Arad said, touching the cold steel and listening to the fight inside. "Shall we open it up?" Jack asked, trying to push the door open. [It would be bad if we walked on Ginger using her Vampire powers. Arad, you should be the one looking in first.] Arad shivered, imagining her attacking them immediately. At least until he can face her off, revealing her nature to anyone else is a dangerous act. ^I don''t want that. My blood sucked out like that.^ Arad pulled Jack away, "Get back. I can tank more hits than you. And I can react faster." Arad told him with a smile. Jack looked at him, pretending to be touched, "You wanted to kick me yesterday, and now, you''re risking yourself to keep me safe!" ^This idiot!^ Arad red at him, ^I want to save Ae and me from getting eaten by a vampire!^ "Don''t even think about it," Arad replied to Jack and looked back at Ae, "Get ready to support me with arrows or run, depending on how I react." Ae nodded, picking three arrows and getting ready. She still didn''tpletely pull the string because that would be exhausting. Arad touched the door, slowly peeking his head through like a tiny lizard. CLANG! What he saw could barely be described. The room was far more spacious than anything he expected to see underground, yet floating embers of crimson mes dyed it in red. A giant, reddish, grafted humanoid monster stood in the middle of the room, swinging his weirdly shaped cleaver and axe using his three arms. Each one of the eyes dotted on his body gleamed red, as the massive mouth, on his neckless torso growled. Two fur-coated, vaguely humanoid wolves leaped around the monster, howling as they tried to fend off the single man swinging at them like an ape. "GWA!" Alcott shouted, swinging his sword at the deformed monster. CLANG! CLANG! Despite his fat, sluggish look, the monster moved like he didn''t have joints, deflecting Alcott''s terrifying greatsword swings. The wolves leaped at him, just for a lightning bolt to st them away. Standing in the back, Ginger pointed her wand at the battle. As Arad watched, he noticed a third wolf-like monster sneaking behind Ginger, about to leap at her. [Void Walk] ZON! In the blink of an eye, Arad appeared behind her. Thwack! He blicked the monster''s w swing with his left arm, supporting it with his right hand. The beast froze for a moment, sensing the new enemy. Arad''s eyes shed purple. CRACKLE! KA-BOM! Opening his mouth, a st of fire and lighting washed over the beast. GROWL! The attack didn''t faze the monster. Instead, it only fueled his rage. The beast swung his w back at Arad''s neck. Ginger turned around, pointing her staff at the monster. "There was another one of you?" Her wand shed faint blue, and a hazy wave of power extended toward the monster lifting him before he could hit Arad. [Telekinesis] Ginger swung her wand down, smacking the monster on the ground repeatedly. PEW! PEW! Two arrows flew at the beast from the other side of the room, piercing his eyes. Ae ran from the door toward Ginger, twisting her torso to fire her third arrow at the beast Alcott was fighting and getting him on the nose. Jack ran behind her, "That elvish uracy, aren''t you cheating a bit?" He said, pulling his dagger and hiding in the darkness. Ae didn''t reply to him. She instead pulled another three arrows and aimed again. This time, she got three eyes, making an opening. Alcott took full advantage of that, cleaving two of the monster''s arms and disarming him. CLOG! The arms grew immediately as the mouth on its torso opened up, spewing a ssh of green goo at Alcott, who leaped back. GROWLE! The monster regrew its arms instantly, groaning like ten men burping. The weapons magically floated back to its hands while Alcott dealt with the two wolf-like beasts. "Ae. Aim at the werewolves!" Alcott shouted. Ae pulled her bowstring, releasing three arrows at the werewolves, "I only have fire arrows left!" She yelled, and Alcott swung his sword, deflecting the monster''s swings. "You ugly grafted troll!" Arad opened his mouth, shifting into his draconic form without a second thought. ROAR! The dark corner became darker, and even Ginger lost vision of the werewolf. The void breath sted everything away and then copsed to pull the werewolf toward Arad. The werewolf red at Arad, opening his jaw to bite the weird lizard. ROAR! Arad opened his jaw, rushing in with a bite himself. The werewolf bit Arad''s neck while he bit his arm. Ginger lifted her staff, about to st the beast before he could tear Arad''s head off. But to her surprise, Arad swings his neck, lifting the werewolf. The werewolf''s fang couldn''t dig deep into Arad''s neck due to his hard scales, making some of them crack. Arad roared like a monster, smacking the werewolf on the ground, wrestling it like a crazed beast. Slowly, his bestial draconic nature starteding out. [Live like a human, fight like a dragon. Don''t forget your nature.] BAM! Arad released another breath at point nk at the werewolf''s arm, tearing it apart. The werewolf leaped back, but Arad turned around, swinging his tail. THWACK! He smacked the beast in the face. As the werewolf rolled back, Arad pped his wings to make the long jump,nding on top of him. The werewolf, bleeding from his torn shoulder, tried to wrestle his way out. Arad swung his w at the beast''s chest, trusting his scales to fend off any attack. Desperate for survival, the werewolf opened his jaw to bite Arad. CLACK! The first one missed, but Arad caught the second one with his ws. The monster realized that he messed it up as Arad started attempting to tear his jaw off. CLACK! The werewolf''s fangs sunk onto Arad''s paws. The scales there were thinpared to the rest of his body. Realizing that he couldn''t do it, Arad opened his jaw, unleashing another breath directly into the werewolf''s throat, exploding his head. Chapter 38 Boss Fight II [R-DOOM] GRWA! The troll growled, pulling an arrow from his eyes. Before his eye could heal, Ae fired another arrow, blinding him. Alcott swung his great sword with one hand, slicing the grafted troll''s head. Blood sttered across the room, yet the monster''s body didn''t fall. CRACK! The troll''s head popped back up immediately, "You annoying monster!" Alcott growled with a smile. THUD! AWOOO! The other two werewolves leaped toward Alcott, their jaws drolling as their eyes shed red. ZIP! Jack rushed from the shadows, dragging a still wire ahead of the wolves and toppling them down. "Two gold coins. I better treat you gently." He lifted his dagger, ring at the wolves'' fur with an evil smile. For a moment, the werewolves seemed to understand Jack''s motive as the fur on their back stood. ZOM! Ginger swung her wand, lifting one of the werewolves and smacking him on the ground, "Don''t just sit there, move!" She shouted, looking toward Jack. Jack yelled back, "Don''t damage their fur!" "I don''t care about such low-level material. Don''t endanger yourself for a few coins!" Ginger yelled back, lifting the werewolves again and sting them with lightning. They fell to the ground shaking a few meters back. "A few coins to you, but it''s ten times what I''m carrying!" Jack tied his dagger with his steel wire and started spinning it. "Their fur is worth several upgrades that could save our lives in the future." With a grin, he threw the dagger, catching one of the werewolves by the neck. ZIN! Pulling the string, the dagger sliced the beast''s throat. AWO! The werewolf howled, his neck regenerating. Jack leaped backward, and the werewolf charged at him, running on all four. "Damn it!" Ginger was upied by one, and so did Alcott and Ae. Jack pulled his dagger, wishing to block at least one w swing from the beast. Gulping, he knew it was a tall order with how short his de was and how fast the werewolf was. ROOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR! Arad roared on the other side of the room, blood dripping from his neck and front ws, looking at the ceiling with his purple-glowing eyes. The werewolf stopped, ring at his friend''s corpse and then at the bloodied Arad. He was the target when the dragon will attacks. AWO! The werewolf turned tail and ran away, rushing toward the door, as far from Arad as he could. "The dragon''s frightful presence?" Alcott stared at Arad with a smile, "You''re supposed to get it when you reach adulthood." Ginger looked at him, puzzled. [The dragon''s frightful presence is a weapon, as most people think. It''s a tool we use to establish dominance when mating, that is why dragons only get it after reaching adulthood.] Mom exined. With how the void dragons evolved to mate, they are ready from the moment they hatched, and Arad could tap into his frightful presence. When Ae pointed her bow at the grafted troll, attempting to use this chance to hit him onest time. She felt her knees start shaking, and she couldn''t aim well. Slowly, she could feel her focus weakening. [Stop screaming! You will mess with Ae.] Mom warned Arad. [I will exinter. Don''t use the frightful presence unless you need to,] [Void Step] Arad teleported directly to the werewolf growling. AWO! The werewolf howled, swinging his w at Arad. Arad deflected the attack with his wing and swung back with his w. The werewolf leaped back, running away. The beast didn''t want to fight. He wants to escape with his skin intact. [Void Step] Arad teleported to cut the werewolf''s escape route, standing in front of him. As the beast stopped, ring at him in terror, Arad opened his jaw. ROAR! A void breath sted the werewolf, his skin tearing apart. But the beast regained his stance, deciding to die fighting. The werewolf charged, running on all four with droll dripping from his mouth. AWO! Arad leaped to the side, grabbing the wall with his ws and climbing like a lizard. Soon enough, Arad was hanging from the ceiling. As the werewolf stared up, puzzled. Arad released his front ws, only hanging with his hind legs. ZON! The staff appeared out of nowhere in Arad''s jaw. [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] [Firebolt; Level 3; R3] Arad started sting toward the werewolf with one hand and the grafted troll with the other. His me stopped them from regenerating while burning them alive. Alcott charged forward, swinging his sword with both hands and tearing the troll in half. With Arad''s me burning him, the beast slowly died. Ginger pointed her wand toward the werewolves, pulling them toward Alcott to slice them while Arad''s me prevented them from regeneration. As the monsters stopped moving, Ae looked toward everyone with a smile, "We won!" She shouted. Arad, on the ceiling, looked down his vision blurring. His ws rxed, and he fell headfirst. "Chief!" Jack rushed toward him, seeing Arad''s body shift back to a humanoid shape, with him not moving a muscle. "Is he all right?" Ae screamed, realizing that something was off. "Damn it!" Ginger shouted, "The fuck, did he get bitten?" Alcott shouted. "He did, and on the neck nheless. We have to get him to an alchemist as soon as possible." Ginger turned Arad on his back and felt his forehead. He was burning. "What is wrong? Is he just exhausted?" Ae asked, her eyes shaking. "Those are Rabised werewolves." Ginger flipped Arad again and checked the wounds on his neck, smelling the blood. "He got both rabies and Lycanthropy. Can dragons even get infected like this?" "What should we do?" Jack asked, looking toward Arad. "You go with Alcott and find the exit, now!" She shouted, and Alcott grabbed Jack by the arm, pulling him outside the room. "I have a way to keep the Lycanthropy at bay, but not rabies." Ginger opened her mouth, revealing her long fangs. "You''re a..." Ae looked at her, biting Arad''s neck. "Vampirism and Lycanthropy repel each other," Ginger pulled her fangs from his neck. "Giving him Vampirism should stop the progress of Lycanthropy. At least, until we find a cure." Ginger said. Ae lifted Arad on her back, "Should we follow them?" She looked toward the door where Jack and Alcott existed. "Will he be fine?" Ae asked with a worried face. "Will treat rabies first with medicine. Arad should be okay with a decent concoction from one of my friends. But, the Lycanthropy is a problem." Ginger said with a sore face. "There a cure to the curse, right?" Ae stared at her. "There is, but it''s damn impossible to get. Alcott did that quest once, and it took him sixteen months to gather everything." "How did he survive the curse then?" Ae looked at her, hoping to hear some happy news. "He didn''t. He did all of that while dealing with being a werewolf. I doubt that most people can keep their sanity with the curse." But Ginger smiled, "He is a dragon. Let''s hope his blood is strong enough." Betting in Arad''s draconic nature. [Lycanthropy curse detected. Vampirism curse detected.] Chapter 39 [Bonus ] Alcott’s Charge Ae, with Arad in her hands, walked out of the boss room, followed by Ginger. Alcott approached them, "How is he doing?" He asked, looking at Arad''s face. "Not good." Ginger looked at Arad, "It''s bad since he is unconscious." She replied, waving her staff to create a light source. Jack looked at the light source, "Is this a low-level spell? It looks useful." "It''s a 0-tier," Ginger replied. Alcott took a deep breath, grabbing his sword, "What are you doing?" Ginger asked, ring at him. "I will dig us a way out of this ce, carry them and follow me." He replied, veins popping on his neck. "Don''t do it! It isn''t worth the risk!" Ginger yelled at him, and Alcott smiled, "I should have gone all out from the start. This mess is my fault." Alcott replied, taking a stance, "I will make sure he gets treatment as fast as possible." Ginger red at him, "Don''t forget. I will do it if you fall." For a moment, a wave of bloodlust exploded from Ginger, scaring Jack to the bones. "What?" Jack cried, falling on his ass with a scared face, "Why the bloodlust?" "Nothing," Ginger smiled, lifting her wand, and everyone beside Alcott started floating. HORAAAAAAAAAA! Alcott shouted, his voice traveling across the whole dungeon in a moment. BAM! The ground beneath his iron boots exploded as he leaped forward, and the veins on his body grew redder with each step. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Alcott''s heavy footsteps boomed across the dungeon, causing monsters to emerge from every corner. Carrying everyone, Ginger flew behind him. Ae saw something in the distance, "Werewolves!" Two of them emerged from the corner. "It isn''t a problem, be wary of the blood stter," Ginger warned her. Alcott swung his greatsword. The tip cleaved through the wall as if they were nothing. CLACK! As his de flew through the monster, it shattered their bodies into a red mush. BAM! Alcott rushed through the monsters like a beast, ripping and tearing them with each swing as if they were nothing. "Amazing! Why didn''t he do this earlier?" Jack shouted, looking at the trail of the corpse they flew through. "It''s not good for his health. Let''s leave it at that." Ginger replied, looking toward Arad that Ae carried. "How is he?" "Just like before," Ae replied, sensing Arad''s forehead with her palm. "Look there! It''s the boss!" Jack shouted, seeing a grafted troll emerge in the distance. "The boss was a grafted troll with three werewolves," Ginger said. "This is a miniboss, right?" Ae looked at her, "That''s what we call them." Ginger replied. "Forget that. We need to help Alcott!" Jack pulled his dagger. "No need. Alcott can handle him," Ginger pointed with her want toward the boss. Alcott ran directly toward the grafted troll, [Action surge]. In the blink of an eye, his massive sword seemed to disappear. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Eight shes in one second, Alcott tore the troll apart and ran right through across his still-falling organs. Outside the dungeon gate, a few C-rank adventurers gathered, getting ready to raid it. And then suddenly, they started hearing a faint rumbling from the inside. "What is this?" One of the adventurers asked, approaching the gate to look inside. "Did someone get inside before us?" Another one asked, approaching the gate. The two adventurers opened the massive steel gate and walked inside with their torches. "I don''t see anything." One of them said. RUMBLE! "It''s getting close," The other one said, extending his torch inside and looking into the darkness. It was then that he saw tens of red eyes rushing toward him. The monsters were running toward the gate. "A fucking stampede, run!" He shouted, rushing out with his friend. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! From behind the monsters, Alcott charged, swinging his sword like a madman, tearing them apart one after the other. CLING! CLANG! STOMP! Alcott tore the monsters apart and approached the gate, [Action surge] [Adrenaline Rush] CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The adventurers outside only saw waves of sparks before the gate exploded, Alcott flying outside covered in smoke and blood. As Alcottnded, Ginger flew out with the other behind her, heading toward the city without stopping. "What the hell?" An adventurer cried. "They flew to the sky!" Another one shouted, "Isn''t that the S-rank Alcott? What is he doing in a B-rank dungeon." Alcott looked at the sky, panting. "A one-minute clear time," He giggled, coughing blood. "I beat my old record in this one." He then felt a sharp pain in his chest, with his vision blurring. GRA! He growled, supporting his body with his greatsword. The hair on Alcott''s forearm grew a bit longer, his eyes bloodshot as his teeth started aching and his skin smoked under the sun. "Not here! Not now!" He growled, punching his face. The symptoms regressed, and he fell on his back, exhausted. "I can''t take it anymore." He growled, "But I will anyway." He sighed as the adventurer approached to check on him. "Are you, sir Alcott?" A young adventurer approached him with worried steps, "Are you okay?" Alcott looked at him, "Do you have some water?" Hearing Alcott''s words, the adventurer panicked, reaching into his bag and pulling a water skin. "Here, some water." Alcott grabbed the water skin and downed it in one go. "Thanks, that saved me." "Care if I asked, what just happened?" The adventurer asked. "A rescue mission. I cleared the dungeon. You will have to return a weekter." Alcott replied, sitting straight and handing the water skin back. "Cleared it?" The adventurer gasped. "Yeah, we defeated the boss and most monsters," Alcott replied. "I heard someone scream. It''s a stampede," The adventurer asked, and everyone else listened carefully. The experienced S-rank is going to give them directions to stop the stampede. "Sorry about that," Alcott apologized with a smile, "They were running from me," Everyone froze, "Please repeat that. I didn''t hear it right." One of them asked with a puzzled face. "The monsters were running from me. There is no stampedeing," Alcott replied. CLANG! The dungeon gate copsed as the birds chirped on the trees, with dust rushing out. The adventurer looked at Alcott. Unable to believe it, he scared the monsters so much that they wanted to run out of the dungeon. In the city, the guards sighed at the gate, and suddenly, one of them shouted. "Look at the sky! Something ising!" All the guards rushed out, looking toward the clouds, and saw a few people flying toward the city. "Mages, stop them!" The guard captain rushed toward the wall and climbed the stairs. He took the binocrs from one of the soldiers and looked toward the mages. The only thing he saw was two red eyes ring back at him. His body froze as his mind nked. "Let them pass. They have authorization." He said in a monotonous voice. "Are you sure, captain?" The soldier asked. "I''m sure. Those mages are with the guild. Let them pass, and don''t do anything." The captain said, walking away, droll dripping from his lips. Chapter 40 Curse Of Lycanthropy BANG! The guild door busted open, and Ginger flew in with everyone, "Nina, get me a decent alchemist!" She shouted. As the adventurers looked toward her, Ae walked in carrying Arad and Jack behind her, ring back at the adventurers. "What happened?" Nina rushed out, "Rabiesed werewolves, he got bitten," Ginger replied, and Nina stared back, "Send a message immediately." All the receptionists scrambled to work, "How did it happen?" Nina asked with a worried face. "Probably got himself where he shouldn''t," An adventurer said in the back. Ginger red at him, with her eyes glowing red. He pissed himself in fear. Jack looked at the adventurers, "Yeah, he shouldn''t have done it." He smiled, "He wrestled two werewolves barehanded and killed them while helping Alcott." The adventurers stared at Jack with doubt in their eyes, "That can''t be real," "Say what you want. It was a fight to behold. I have never seen werewolves so terrified of a human before," Jack lifted his hands, "His fire, with each of his punches, the monster growled in pain from the searing heat," For a moment, the adventurers imagined Arad with his whole body on me, trading punches with a werewolf. Amber, who was in the back, approached them, "So he mastered the fire fist and kick? I never imagined him to grow this fast." She smiled, looking at Arad and Ae. "I do believe it. Arad has the power for that," Amber said with a smile, and with her words, the adventurers started to believe it. Nigel approached them, "I did see him fight goblins before. He''s the kind of person to punch if he needs to." He smiled, "Do you need any help?" Tristana followed Nigel with a smile, "I can see it as well. He did something simr with the goblins, charging ahead like an idiot." "I will cast a healing spell on him. It might help," Lisa ran toward Arad and lifted her holy symbol, [Heal] "Hey, Jack!" Chester waved his hand with a smile, "How is it going?" "Pretty bad, as you see, got a hot-blooded leader." Jack smiled, shaking Chester''s hand, "Can you help me find some rare stuff?" Jack asked. "Like what?" Chest tilted his head, "Ginger will tell you. She probably knows me more than me on the matter." Chester smiled, "I can guess it has something with Lycanthropy. Finding a cure?" Ginger looked at him, "I will write a list of what I need. Can you get them?" She looked at them, and Jack smiled. "You''re talking with two rogues," Jack looked at her, "We have more than one way to get anything," Chester grinned. Nina stood, "Let''s carry him to a room upstairs. He can rest there till the alchemist arrive." Ae carried Arad to his room, where she put him on the bed. As Ae sat alone in the room with Arad. [Expanding the void...locking the void.] Ae noticed Arad''s body twitching, a faint gust of mana streaming from him. "Ginger! Come check him!" She shouted. Ginger rushed into the room, touching Arad''s forehead, "This is weird. I can barely sense my blood inside him, the same for the lycanthropy curse." "Is that bad?" Ae asked with a worried face, her eyes quivering. "I don''t know." Ginger replied with a sore face, "I''ve never seen a dragon catch lycanthropy." As they talked, Arad opened his eyes and sat up. "ARAD!" Ae shouted, leaping at him. ^Mom?^ [I don''t have much time. The curses are progressing.] Mom replied with a shaking voice. ^What is happening?^ [I sealed the curses by encasing them in the void. It will simply take them longer to affect you.] She said, her voice cracking, [You can unleash them whenever you want, but you will lose your mind permanently. Find a cure, and you can control them,] ^What are you talking about?^ [Don''t evolve into a young dragon before curing them. I will return when at least one is cleared. And tell Ginger that her protection measure backfired.] Mom''s voice disappeared as she left a bit of knowledge in Arad''s head. Arad red at Ae and Ginger, "I''m half fine." Arad said, scratching his head, "Your curse only made it worse, just so know." He stared at Ginger with a sharp re. "What do you mean? The curses are supposed to repel each other." Ginger eximed. "Not in my body, To keep both from progressing, I had to lose half of my power, thanks." He stood up, wanting to scream. ^Mom?^ She didn''t reply. Arad was all alone now. "How do I find a cure for any of the curses?" He red at them. "You need to deal with Rabies first. An alchemist will arrive shortly. A few potions will clean it." Ginger said with an exhausted face. Healing Rabies with magical potions is easy as long as they act fast on the first day of infection. Ae looked at her, "It''s been an hour. How long will it take them to arrive?" "They should be here soon. It takes time to get the medicine ready." Ginger replied, standing. Arad sat on the bed, "I don''t care about Rabies, how to get rid of the curses." "For that, I need to exin lycanthropy first." Ginger started exining. Lycanthropy is a curse that starts like a disease. You get infected by a lycanthrope and get sick for a few hours. Then you return to normal. The problem is that you can only cure it in the first three days when you''re sick because afterward, it bes a hassle. There are two ways to cure the curse in the first three days. One is by consuming a specific nt, and the other is by magic. For werewolves, it''s wolfbane. The flower is poisonous and knocks you out for two days. But it has a 25% chance of lifting the curse. You can only attempt this once. The second method is magic. The 5-tier spell [Remove curse] is expensive, around two twenty gold coins per cast, but it has a 90% of lifting the curse. You can try it as many times as you can. It''s the go-to method high-level adventurer use. After the three days mark, the curse takes root in you and lifting it bes a pain. You first need to find the progenitor and kill him. The second step is preparing a ritual at the full moon. You only have one chance. "There is no need to go into details about the ritual now. Just know that we need to cure you in three days." Ginger sighed, "But this is for humans. I don''t know about your kind, as I have never seen such a case." Arad stood, "So we need to find wolfbane?" Ginger red at him, "Are you stupid? We''re going with the healer." "That''s too expensive," Arad replied with a passive face. "I will pay. The problem is finding a healer who knows the spell." Ginger scratched her chin, "All the people I know about are months away. The guild might be able to hook us up." Arad red at her, "There is a dungeon with werewolves close. How is there no healer with [Remove curse]?" Ginger replied with a worried face, "Well, there is this 1-tier spell called [Prevent curse], All adventurers take it before going into the dungeon, and it protects them." Arad sat, grabbing his head, "Damn it!" Chapter 41 [Bonus ] The Seven Mages Knock! Knock! "Is Arad awake?" Alcott knocked on the door. "Get in," Arad replied immediately, and Alcott opened the door, walking in. "How are you doing?" He asked, "Do you feel any pain or nausea?" Arad shook his head, "I don''t feel any different. Is there a way to even determine if I was cursed?" He red at Alcott and Ginger. "You passed out for a moment, and Ginger could tell. You got the curse, but I''m worried you''re not showing symptoms." Alcott replied with a worried face. "I should be fine. Can you get the vampirism off me?" Arad red at Ginger. He needs Mom back. "Fine, I should be able to take it off. Just give me a moment." Ginger replied with a smile, extending her hand toward Arad and closing her eyes. Arad waited, looking at Ginger''s face, and saw it sweating. Alcott and Ae stared at her. "You are taking longer than I expected," Alcottmented. "Be silent. It has gone too deep." Ginger mumbled, touching Arad''s neck, "Just give me a moment," After a minute, "How long will this take?" "How deep is your body?" She mumbled. "I keep reaching for the vampirism curse, but I can''t grasp it." Arad could see Ginger''s eyes moving under her eyelids, "No, the closer I get to it, the slower I be." Something sparked in Arad''s mind, "Ah! About that, I''ve sealed them in an infinite void so they can''t escape." Ginger stopped, "You did what?" "It wasn''t technically me, but an innate ability of me. To protect me from the curses, it sealed them deep within the void. They won''t being any time soon," Arad smiled. Ginger lifted her hands, "You did what?" She grabbed him by the shoulders. "Doesn''t that mean we can''t ess the curse with magic from the outside?" Ae and Alcott looked confused, "What are you talking about?" Ae asked with a puzzled face. Ginger looked at them, "Imagine the curse as a person you don''t want to meet. So you threw him to the other side of the continent. Neither of you can reach the other." She exined It would take her almost as long as the curse to take over Arad to catch it. "What should we do now?" Arad asked. "Simple, deactivate your ability, and I will take my curse off," Ginger said with a smile, but Arad scratched his chin. "I can''t ess the innate ability. It is too focused on keeping the curses sealed to listen." He can''t even talk to Mom, "We must stop one of the curses first." Ginger red at him, "How are we supposed to cure what we can''t reach?" It was then that the realization hit Arad. He is stuck with the curses. "What should I do?" He said, looking at Ae, worried. "It will be fine. Magic will clear the Lycanthropy and will be able to cure the vampirism." She was listening, unlike Alcott, who got left in the dust. Arad giggled, "Yeah, magic will work." "Let''s hope so," Ginger said, standing up. "I will start preparing for the worst case and track the progenitor. Can I have some of your blood for that?" She smiled, and Arad handed her his forearm, shaking a bit. "Don''t bite me," "I won''t. I need a drop." Her fingernail extended, poking his finger. "How about vampirism? Is there a way to cure it like Lycanthropy?" Arad asked. "You also need to find the progenitor," Ginger replied. Ae looked at her with a smile, "Do you know the progenitor of your blood?" Ginger paused, "Well, I''m a pureblood vampire." She looked back at them, "I''m the progenitor for my blood. You have to kill me if you want the vampirism curse off." She said with an ominous voice. Aeughed, "Stop joking. That can''t be right." "I''m not joking. But unlike Lycanthropy, I can lift my curse at will if I can reach it." Ginger looked at them, "Cure Lycanthropy, and I will lift my curse immediately." KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! "Ginger, the alchemist, and a healer have arrived," Nina called them from the hallway. As everyone sat in silence, Alcott had to break it. "Let''s go and get this curse cured so we can sleep at ease." He opened the door, seeing Nina smile. "Arad is lucky. Not only one healer is present, but seven people are willing to try." Hearing those words, everyone stood up, "Are you sure?" Arad asked with a gasp. "Yes," Nina smiled, "A group of mages from the capital have arrived here looking for Alcott about the recent dragon incident. They can lift the curse and are happy to help for free." The group rushed to the meeting room, where they found eight people, Two high-level clerics, three wizards, and two druids. Thest one was the alchemist with his potionsid on the table. "Are you sir Arad? Sorry for what happened to you. Please take a seat, and I will start," The alchemist bowed down slightly. "You are polite," Alcott red at the alchemist, "What is with that?" The alchemistughed, "Sorry, I heart the heroic tale of how he wrestled two werewolves to save hispanions. The fact he won that fight is enough to gain my respect." "It is intriguing indeed. What ss are you, young man?" One of the wizards, a greybeard with a long beard and a funny hat, smoking a pipe, asked with a grin as he brushed face bush. Arad looked at him, "A sorcerer, red draconic bloodline." One of the druids stood up, "I won! Heard that? I was right!" He almost started dancing. "We bet on what ss you were to beat two werewolves." Another wizard, a short hag with a wrinkly face, said with a smile. "Arad, did the alchemist start?" Ae opened the door, walking in. She had to deliver Ginger''s orders to Jack. The moment she walked in, the expression of the hag changed, "What is this long ear doing here?" She pointed her twisted finger at her. CRACKLE! Lightning sparked from her nail, and another wizard rushed to stop her, but he was toote. The spell shed toward Ae. THWACK! As the lightning bold was mid-air, Arad swung his fire-engulfed fist down. BOOM! It looked like his mes consumed the lightning, but he used his void to break the spell. "HAG!" Arad red at the hag, his eyes fixed on her head, "I WILL RIP YOU TO PIECES!" At that moment, Arad''s frightful presence exploded, consuming the whole room as the hag fell on her ass, shaking. As if red on by a true dragon, she felt her life hanging on a thin tread. "Stop this." Alcott stood in the middle, "And you, respect yourself and keep your thoughts to yourself." He red at the hag. "Ho! What power and pure magic, you must be close to your ancestor." The greybeard smiled, "I would say a third of the fourth generation. That''s rare. Usually, sorcerers only appear above the tenth generation in the family." The two clerics nodded, and so did the remaining wizard and the druids. "We might be seeing the rise of a new S-rank. Alcott, please take care of the new talent." One of the druids smiled. Chapter 42 Failed Attempt "Let''s stop talking about the hard topics," The alchemist walked between them, "Sir Arad, please sit so I can start." He showed Arad to the couch with a smile. Everyone sat down, and the uneasy air never left the room. "Will talk about this when we get back, wrinkle face." Greybeard wizard red at the hag. "Mind your own business," The hag growled at him. Looking at them, Arad sat on the couch and looked at the alchemist. "So, what should I do?" "Not much. I will have you drink the medicine and see if it takes effect." The alchemist said with a smile, pulling two vials from his back and mixing them. After mixing them well and inspecting them under the candlelight, the alchemist handed the vail to Arad with a smile, "Please drink this. You should feel a bit cold after drinking it." Arad grabbed the vail, ring at its cloudly green haze. ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 3/20][Exp: 40/2700][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Wyrmling] [Three months and twelve days.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 1] [Strength: 13] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 1/54][MP: 60][SP: 60] ---------------- [Skills] [ws] [Bite] [Tail m] [Wing m] [Glide] [Innate Skills] [Frightful presence] [Void Magic] [Void Power] [Alternate Form] [Breath Weapon] [Void Biology] [Void Eyes] [Void Existence] [Void Walk] [Resistance] [All Elements] [Immunities] [Time] [Space] [Magic] [Firefist: L3, R3] [Firebolt: L3, R3] [Firekick: L3, R3] [Conditions] [Disease: Rabies] [Progression: stage one, the infected.] [Sealed curses:] [Vampirism: Unlock the vampire bloodline upon curing] [Progression: stage one, the infected.] [Lycanthropy: Unlock the werewolf bloodline upon curing] [Progression: stage one, the infected.] ************ ^Mom?^ She didn''t reply, making Arad a bit sad. ^I have to guess what those stats mean on my own.^ He thought, downing the alchemist''s vial. After waiting a bit, he felt a cold shiver run across his spine and up to his head. ************ [Conditions] [Disease: Rabies] [Progression: Regression, cured.] ************ "It worked!" Arad looked at the vial, surprised, "It was fast!" The alchemist smiled, "It was a deadly disease ten years ago. We only discovered this potion eight years ago." "It''s impressive. Can you cure any disease like this?" Arad looked toward the alchemist''s back. What kind of wonders is stored there? "I can''t cure everything. Lycanthropy is one of them. Albite, I can provide you with this." the alchemist opened his bag and took a patch of dried herbs, "Dired wolfbane, drink it as tea, and it might work." Arad took the herbs with a smile, "You don''t need it," Alcott smiled, Pointing toward the mages. "He''s right. We will get you fixed up quickly. Just remember us when you reach S-rank." The greybeard stood, putting a pipe on the table and approaching Arad with a smile. "I hope you can take it out easily," Arad smiled as the greybeard touched his head. "Don''t worry, young man. This process only fails one in every ten attempts. And I will give you a second try for free." The wizard started his spell, [Remove curse], by lifting his wooden staff. As the magic flew into Arad''s body, it began sinking into the void. The wizard''s thick eyebrows started twitching, his head slowly tilting, and he started sweating. "It''s too deep." He said, grabbing Arad''s head with both hands. After a minute, he stopped, sitting back on the couch panting, "What kind of werewolf bite you? The curse is too deep!" He sighed. One of the clerics stood. He was a high priest, "You onlyck the favor of god," The cleric touched Arad''s head. "In the name of the god of light and prosperity, I order thee to get cleaned from this filth." [Cleanse curse] Holy magic flew through Arad''s body, falling into the abyss like before. "Hold up, this is strange." The cleric crossed his eyebrows with his eyes closed. "I sense a second curse, vampirism at the primary stage." He said, opening his eyes. All the mages stood, "Vampirism and Lycanthropy simultaneously? No wonder I couldn''t drag it out." The greybeard gasped. The cleric backed away, "Sorry, young man. But I don''t know a spell to cure two curses." He bowed, "But the church is weing you in the inner sanctum of the capital. A miracle from god might be the only one to save you." "Don''t listen to him," The greybeard wizard stood, ring at the cleric. "Don''t listen to him. There is no telling if god will save you." He smiled, "Come to the arcane tower. We can try some experimental spells that might work. We can even develop a new one to fix you up." One of the druids looked at Arad, "We might not be able to help with the vampirism, but we can teach you to live with your bestial nature as a werewolf. And hopefully, you will overpower the night blood." As the mages started giving their suggestions, Arad imagined Mom screaming, [They only want to experiment on you,] Arad shook his head, "I''m grateful you offered me several ways out, but I will take the adventurer route." He looked toward Alcott. "I will kill the progenitors to cure the curses or at least die trying." Arad lifted his palm, igniting it. The greybeard scratched his beard, "A vampire-werewolf, that''s a discovery." Alcott coughed, "Sadly, the dungeon copsed. But we might find something from the progenitors." ring at the mages. "Send us a sample of their blood if you found them." The wizard replied with a smile, "Or you can find me at the arcane tower, feel free to visit." As the mages left, Arad dropped on the couch, sighing with a growl, "Damn it!" he looked at the ceiling, "Even mages could lift it, is my only choice is finding the progenitors." Alcott and Ae sat beside him, "It seems like it. It will be a long journey." Alcott said with a wry smile. "Don''t worry. I''m by your side," Ae said, clenching her fists. Arad looked at her with a smile, "You will be a decent meal when I be a monster." Ae grabbed his face with her hands, "You can''t eat me. I taste sour." Alcottughed, "I''m still here. Stop flirting!" He smacked Arad''s back,ughing. Ae curled into a ball with her face red. "Tracking a werewolf is hard, especially since we don''t know where to start," Alcott said. Scratching his chin, "Let''s find a divinator that can give us a lead." "Divination? Is that reliable?" Ae asked, happy to start a new subject. Alcott nodded, "Of course, it is. A drop of your blood can give the divinator a sure way to track the beast." "Will he tell us where to find him?" Arad asked. If divination magic was this useful, he might consider picking a spell or two. "No, divination magic gives random pieces of advice." Alcott smiled, "When I searched for my cure, the divinator told me to p the first woman to speak to me the next day. And guess who that was?" "Who?" Arad and Ae asked. "Nina." Alcott smiled, "I did p her out of nowhere, and she beat the crap out of me. I ran to the forest to escape her and met a lost man that was searching for his running wife." "What happened next?" Arad asked. "His woman was cheating on him with a lumberjack from the next town." "He was the progenitor?" "No, the lumberjack''s wife was a part of a thieves guild, and the guild''s leader''s mother was the progenitor." Alcott smiled, "Divination magic is weird," Chapter 43 The Guild’s Special Deal. Arad stood, "I will go get money from the monsters'' corpses." Ae stood with him. Alcott smiled, "After that, I will show you to a diviner. We have to start early." he then looked toward the bath of dried wolfbane the alchemist left for Arad. "Or you can try that. It won''t hurt anyone," "I will consider it." Arad walked toward the door, opening it as Ae stood behind him. "Shouldn''t you rest a bit?" She asked, touching his shoulder. Arad turned back toward her, "I want to take a nap, but I need to get some money first." At the guild desk, Nina awaited them with a smile, "How are you feeling?" She asked. "I''m feeling better. But a bit sleepy." He yawned, "I have some monster carcasses from the cave. Would you mind taking a look at them?" He asked. "Since you might need money. And since it was the mistake of our S-rank adventurer to take you with him on an unregistered quest, the guild decided to give you a temporary pass of some rules till you get cured." Ae looked at her, "You know the spell failed?" "Of course, those old wizards walked out all gloomy. It was obvious." She replied, pulling a paper and presenting it to Arad. She then exined the new rules. "You are free to sell as many carcasses as possible, up to a tenth of the guild''s daily payout. That will be a maximum of thirteen gold coins per day." Nina pointed toward the west window, "You can drop the carcasses in the guild''s butcher, and he will decide on the price based on the market." The adventurers in the back growled, "That''s not fair," one of them mumbled. Nina red at them, "Stop being childish. He needs to find a cure for a curse. The guild won''t risk losing a talented adventurer." "How about us?" They looked back at her. "You aren''t cursed or talented, do better." She pulled a stack of papers from under her desk, "Adventurers from B-rank and lower barely bring ten silver a day. What can you do with a thirteen gold coins cap?" "Come on, Nina, what about me?" Amber, who sat in the back, drinking, called her with a sad face, "I work hard, you know?" "It''s indeed true. You bring about fifty silver coins daily and sometimes reach one gold." Nina said, looking at Nina''s registry. "See?" Amber said, dowing her mug. "I''m different," "But you spend most of that on drinking, leaving yourself with barely ten silver coins a day. Fix your habits. You could have climbed to A-rank." Nina sighed. Looking at Arad. "The guild will provide you with a magic guide to help you improve and free ess to the guild''s library without the forbidden section." She smiled, handing the papers to Arad. "All of those?" Ae took the paper in her hand, "Isn''t this a bit too much?" "No investment is too much for a potential S-rank. Their number and power give the kingdom strength." Nina smiled, Handing Arad thest paper, an invitation from the capital''s guild to live there. "The high priest left this for you." Arad looked at the paper and then put it back on the desk, "I would have to refuse. I prefer to work from here, at least for now." He smiled. ^I don''t want to associate me with anyone without telling Mom. That greybeard even said it bluntly, they want to experiment on me.^ Arad felt a shiver down his spine, ^All I want is a mate,^ He then looked at Ae. "Why are you looking at me like this?" Ae noticed his gaze, so she smiled. "I could cook you something if you''re hungry. I might not look like it, but I''m a decent cook." Arad smiled at her, stealing nces at her melon chest, "You will make a great mother, you know?" Ae was taken aback for a moment, but she thenughed it off, "Of course, I can cook, but no meat." "Cooking alone doesn''t make a decent mother," Nina added with a smile. "Can you even cook?" Arad stared at her. "I sadly only know how to roast meat," She looked at the table, "But I''m good at it." She smiled. "You two are right. You don''t cook to feed a baby." Arad stood, taking the papers with him, "Then I will head to the butcher, call me if something happens." "Wait a moment, what about your guides?" Nina stood, stopping Arad from leaving. "Ah! About that, do you have any rmendations?" Arad asked, wishing to get an experienced mage. "Me! Me!" Amber approached them, barely walking after her day drinking round. "I can teach him magic!" Nina smiled, "She might be a drunkard sometimes. But you have first-hand experience with her skills." Arad nodded with a smile. He remembered that she taught him his first three spells. "She is skillful indeed." "But I have a condition!" Amber lifted her arm, "Raise my limit to five gold coins a day." Nina sighed, "I know you would say that. Two gold coins, take it or leave it." "That''s too cheap. Make it four, or at least three, with ess to the library." Amber frowned with a sad face. Nina thought about it for a moment, "Fine, three gold coins limit a day and ess to the library." "HOORAY!" Amber leaped with a happy smile, mes gushing from beneath her feet and the tips of her hair. "Can you make that decision?" Ae asked, looking at Nina. Nina smiled, handing the contract to Amber to sign it. Amber immediately signed it, "Look at this. I can get more money now!" she showed it to Arad with a smile. As the two were talking, Nina waved her hand to Ae, "Come here." Ae walked behind the counter and looked underneath Nina''s desk. Inside the drawer, there was a paper listing that Arad has limited ess to 13 gold coins a day, but the guild is willing to pay him more if possible. The paper also said that Arad could take two guides. They have a limit of seven gold coins a day. The lower deal, the better. Ae looked at them with her mouth open, "I see," Nina smiled, "This is between us. But you can always reach out to me to sell things," "Ae, let''s go," Arad said with a smile, Amber standing beside him with a fire on her palm. "Let''s see what you have. Where are you keeping the corpses?" She smiled. Ae walked out with them, looking back at Nina as they headed toward the guild''s butcher. Before they could leave the guild hall, Amber looked toward Arad, "Did you buy any spell books? Or do we need to work for them?" It was then that Arad remembered. Putting his hand inside his bag, he pulled out a book. "I found this in the dungeon. It could help us." He handed the spellbook at Amber, who smiled. "This has a loot of spells. What a great find. I will teach you how to decifer those words." She almost shouted, with a grin on her face. On the guild''s corner, a girl with a hood over her head and a thin de longer than her, red at them. "That spellbook, Jeremy." Chapter 44 Getting Paid Arad and Ae walked into the guild''s butcher. Looking around, they could see tens of thered monsters. Arad pushed the door open, "Is someone here? I brought some corpses," "We call them carcasses. Did no one teach you that?" A short, bearded, buff man with a bloodied apron approached them with a knife. "Did the guild send you?" Ae closed her nose, "This ce stinks," She took a step back, "Let''s hurry." "You elves don''t like meat. Is that right? I bet you will change your mind after trying a nice, juicy brisket." He pointed at a cow carcass in the back. Ae stared at him with a wry smile, "Are you trying to feed an elf some meat? You know we can''t digest that. It''s not that we hate it." "I''m just passionate about my cuisine." The man giggled, walking toward arge table and pointing his knife toward Arad. "Where are the carcasses? When will they arrive?" Arad smiled, lifting his palm, "Now!" The corpses of smanders, werewolves, and trolls fell on the ground, and after all of that, the queen''s corpse rolled to the side. The butcher fell on his ass, shocked, "Where did theye from?" "A temporary magic I got from Alcott. In thest mission, we worked as his porters." Arad pointed at the monsters. The butcher stood, "It doesn''t matter." He sighed, "It will take some time to butcher all of those, even with all my men working as hard as they can. Please get back to me after three to four hours. Or tomorrow, if you can," "How much do you think those are worth?" Arad asked. He only cared about the money for now. "I would say more than twenty gold coins. It can reach thirty, but I can''t be sure." The butcher smacked the queen''s corpse with his palm. "Can I get the guild to pay ten gold coins now? With that, I can wait until tomorrow to get the rest." Arad asked, looking at the man with a smile. "Tight on money? I will write you a receipt right now," The butcher walked to the back, took a white paper, and filled it. Finally, instead of using a proper stamp, he stamped it with the blood on his apron as ink. "Did you have to do that?" Ae stared at him, handing the paper to Arad. "It doesn''t matter, as long as it is my stamp. Here is a ten gold bill. I also marked that you still have more to pick tomorrow." Arad smiled and took the receipt back to Nina. "With this, I can pay your full price." "GH!" Ae gasped, remembering they still had to pay for her, "Yeah, now that you mention it." Arad walked toward the desk and handed Nina the paper. She looked at them with a tense face, "Do you want everything now, or should I keep it for you?" "What?" Arad stared at her, "I will take my money." "Carrying this much can make you a target for thieves and assassins. It''s usually better to keep the money in the guild or a bank for safety," she exined. "I need to take it from the guild to put it in a bank," Arad replied, trying to take his money out. Nina smiled, "We do that transaction for you. Just provide us with your bank card." Arad sighed, "Give me two gold coins and leave the rest in the guild," Nina smiled, "Are you sure?" Arad lifted his fire engulfed palm, "On second thought, I will take everything." "Fine, fine. Here are the two gold coins. The remaining eight are in the guild, and you can take from them whenever you need." Nina smiled, handing him two coins. "Do you have change? I like to take one of them as a hundred silver coins." Arad returned one gold coin to her. Nina smiled, counting a hundred silver coins for him, "Here you are. Please be careful with them. After walking out of the guild, four adventurers cut Arad and Ae''s way, "Wait a moment, there is something important we wanted to talk about." one of them approached Arad with a smile. Arad looked toward the back. The other two hit their hands behind their back, probably weapons. "Can you stop the act?" Arad red at them. The adventurer looked back at his friends, "You aren''t fun, are you?" He giggled, "You seem to have more money than you can carry. We will help you store it safely." The other two pulled their knives. Arad didn''t waste time, singing his fist at the first one. THWACK! ^I wonder what Mom would think?^ Arad thought. He swung a kick at the thief''s stomach, sending him to his friends. GRWA! The man cried, coughing as the other two charged. Thud! Ae leaped forward, grabbing the thief''s wrist and disarming him. Swinging her palm, she pped him. She followed with a backhand p, sending a small shockwave across the air. SLAP! SLAP! CRACK! As the thief was dazed, she smacked her elbow into his chest, knocking him out. Thest one charged at Arad, but then a vase fell on his head. CRACK! "Did you never hear of thieves'' honor?" Jack looked down from a balcony. Thud! He leaped down,nding on the thief''s back. "GRWA!" The man cried, falling unconscious. "Did you kill him?" Arad asked, but Jack waved his hand, "Nah! His armor absorbs most of the impact." He walked down after wiping his boots on the thief''s back. "So, chief, how much money are you carrying for them to attack you?" Jack asked with a smile. "Two gold coins, eight are still in the guild, and there is more in the butcher for tomorrow," Arad replied. "Holy sniffles, why would you carry so much?" Jack looked at him, "Don''t take more than thirty to fifty silver out." "Yeah, but there is something I need to pay, one gold and fifty silver, to be exact." Arad replied, "Sorry for taking the party''s money without telling you." "You''re the leader. You don''t have to tell me." Jack smiled, "Let''s go pay what you own." "I thought you''d obsess more about money." Arad replied with a smile, and Jack giggled, "You made over ten golds in a day. Sticking with you is the right thing." After walking a bit, they reached the ve market, "What?" Jack looked at Arad, "Here? Is there someone you want to get out?" Ae giggled, with a slightly sad face, "Sorry, that''s me." lifting her hand. Jack paused, staring at her and then at Arad, "One gold and fifty silver coins. Only that?" "Yeah?" Arad replied. "Chief, can I get one gold and fifty silver? They might have another one I can take." Jack turned around, opening the great wooden door. The managed stared at them, recognizing Arad and Ae, "There are still a few days. Did youe looking for something?" He approached them with a smile. "You''re quick, aren''t you?" Arad smiled, and the managed giggled, "About what? I don''t know what you are talking about." Arad looked around him, and the magic rumbled. All of the building security focused on Jack. They can''t trust a rogue. "We came here to pay in full." Arad sat on the couch, and so did Ae and Jack, who put his feet on the table. "Get them down," Arad pulled them out. The managed sat facing them, "Did you get the money? A quest?" Arad pulled one gold coin and counted him fifty silver coins. "Paid in full. I did get a big quest, but it wasn''t easy." Arad sighed. "I thought the guild has a limit for new adventurers," The managed said, clearly suspecting something. "Don''t worry about that. I was with Alcott." Arad replied. "Alcott? The S-rank? That exins it." The managed smiled, taking the money, "I will get the paper done quickly." As the managed was about to leave, Jack called him, "Can you get one for me?" The managed stopped and looked at him, "Our cheapest ve now is twenty-three gold coins if you can pay." Jack sighed, looking toward the table, "Just tell me you don''t want to sell me one." "We care about the safety of our ves. I won''t sell them randomly." The manager said with a smile. "But you sold her to him," Jack pointed toward Arad. "I trust my eyes. Do you think it was a mistake to sell Ae to him?" The managed red at Jack. "No, I had the same thing. Chief has a different vibe from other people." Jack replied with a smile, "Look at how fast he got you the money back." "I know. I interact with snorty nobles and merchants, so I have gained enough experience to tell someone worth from a nce." The managed looked at Arad. "Same here, but I deal a lot with shady people." Jack smiled, "Even the guild think he is a potential S-rank. That''s rare." "Can you stop talking about me as if I''m not sitting here?" Arad red at them. Chapter 45 Attacked In The Street Arad, Jack, and Ae headed toward Alcott''s bath after paying the debt. "I don''t feel right without washing after that fight," Arad said, tucking the remaining 50 silver in his stomach. "Shouldn''t we get some new clothes first?" Ae stared at him, pointing toward the market. "You need clothes? I know a second-hand shop." Jack said, pointing to the left side of the market. "Second hand? That would be cheaper. We could spend the rest on weapons." Arad smiled, following Jack with Ae. "Clothes are one thing, but what weapons are you looking for?" Ae looked at Arad, "Beside the sword, of course." "Arrows for you, a long weapon for Jack, some armor, and probably a shield," Arad replied. Ae smiled but then heard something behind them, the faint sound of a de coursing through the air. "ARAD!" She shouted, turning around to see a hooded figure swinging a gripless de at Arad. Thud! With a quick step, she dashed forward, hitting the attacker''s wrist and deflecting the blow from Arad. CLENCH! Before Ae could unleash her second hit, the attack grabbed her by the neck. "You''re fast," A woman''s voice came from under the hood. CLING! She pulled her de back and stabbed, but Ae deflected it with her dagger and swung a kick at the woman. SLASH! The woman pulled a sword dagger from her pocket, swinging upward before she got kicked in the chest. Ae couldn''t stand, falling on her knee as her right ankle tendon got sliced. "We''re in the middle of the city!" She shouted. Everyone screamed, running away as they saw the fight starting. "Doesn''t matter." The woman mumbled, lifting her de. KA-DON! Arad charged at her with his staff aze, swinging down with all his might. CLANG! The woman swung her de up, cutting his staff in half while aiming a second attack at his neck. CRACK! Arad blocked the sh with his wrist, growling. The woman froze for a second, unable to believe that the mere flesh of a human stopped her de. "You''re tough," She mumbled, leaping back and dodging the countless needles Jack threw at her face. "Did you never hear of assassination? At least they do a clean job!" Jack shouted at her. Arad red at her. She attempted to kill us in the middle of the city and the middle of the day. Who is she? The woman lifted her de, "Arad Orion, you will die here." She lifted her sword, rushing toward him in the blink of an eye. Ae pulled her bow, [Action surge]. Instantaneously, she released six arrows aimed at the woman''s torso. SCRATCH! The woman slid on the ground, dodging the arrows and swinging at Arad''s legs with her overly long de. "Enough of this!" Arad shouted, swinging a kick toward her de. CLANG! Again, the sword wasn''t able to cut him, and on the other hand, she got disarmed, Thud! Thud! She leaped back, staring at them, "What are you?" She opened her palm, and the sword flew directly at her. "Are you a human?" She started to smell something. Arad wasn''t normal. SNIFF! SNIFF! She looked back, and her coat was in mes. Arad smiled, mes gushing from his sharp, opal white teeth, "Let''s see who you are. Strangely, the inside of your hood is ck." Ae pulled her bow, "Disguse magic, a simple one that ckens your face if you wear a hood." She fired three arrows at the woman. "I can''t take the three of you on without blowing my cover," The woman swung her de, cutting her coat up to her knees, and leaped into the sky. Ae''s arrow smacked into a faraway stall, "Be careful not to hit civilians," Jack warned her. BAM! Arad leaped up, [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] The woman shed the spells and ran on top of the market stalls, eventually disappearing into the shadows. "She ran away," Arad growled, looking back. Jack had brought a long towel to help Ae stop the bleeding. CLANG! CLACK! The guards rushed in fully armored, "What happened here?" One of them asked while looking around. "A weird woman attacked us," Arad replied. "She wore a green coat and used disguise magic. She also is a sword master. Those moves belonged to a high-level fighter." Ae added. "Doubt those idiots will catch her. We need to act on our own." Jack told Arad, and the guards sighed. "Listen, Jack, we might not like each other, but we''re not going to chase you when you have done nothing." One of the guards said, looking at them through his full-te helmet. Jack looked away, "I can''t trust you." Suddenly, one of the guards who stood at the back pulled his sword and swung at Arad. Arad lifted his arm and blocked the sh, swinging his fist at the soldier. "You bastard!" The guard leaped back, "I thought this would get you, shame." The woman said, running again toward crowed. "What are you waiting for? Chase her!" Jack shouted at the guards. The guards rushed after the woman, leaving their healer behind to tend to Ae''s wound. This case got out of hand. Arad kept looking around with his void eyes open, making sure to track any person approaching them, but the woman didn''t attack. "Are you all right?" Arad asked, looking at Ae. She stood with a smile, "I''m fine, nothing healing magic couldn''t handle," Tapping her leg, she put her bow on her back and looked around, "Let''s stay vignt for the day," The three of them walked toward the second-hand clothes shop, looking around for the woman if she attacked again. "Say, chief, you don''t have bad blood with anyone, right?" Jack asked with a smile. Arad shook his head, "I don''t. You can say I was born this weak." Ae looked at him with a strange re, "That sounded real, don''t tell me it''s true?" "We reached the shop. Let''s get inside." Arad brushed the conversation. He didn''t know what kind of effect knowing his age will do, so he decided to emit that part for the time being. As Arad pushed the wooden door open, a small bell rang above it. CHRING! CHRING! "Wee. Is there anything I can help you with?" A man in histe forties approached them with a smile, "We have a lot of clothes. Pick as you like. We also offer retailoring service." Arad looked at him, "New clothes for her and I. Do you have anything good?" The man smiled, "For thedy as well? Merida!" He shouted once, and after a few seconds with no response, he shouted again, "Merida! Do you hear me?" "I hear you, dad! Just give me a moment," A voice came from the second floor. "Merida?" Jack looked at him with a strange re, "Didn''t you know?" The man smiled. Jack immediately looked at Arad, "It''s Merida, the de of whitehold!" "Don''t get too close to me!" Arad sighed. Jack didn''t listen, "I knew they are a merchant family, which climbed to nobility, but I never expected this to be their shop!" The man smiled, "You came to our shops a few times in the past, right?" Jack nodded, "But I never saw or heard of Merida''s name." "Of course, I only call her when I need someone to deal with a woman." The man replied, "My name is Alex frostborn. Nice to meet you." He smiled, extending his hand to Jack. Jack took his hand firmly, "It''s my pleasure," "Didn''t know you have manners?" Arad stared at Jack with a grin, "I''m making some connections, so shut up!" Jack red back at Arad. Alex burst outughing, "Let''s go get you something nice to wear," He then grabbed Arad and dragged him to a pile of clothes. Thud! Thud! Thud! Then, a girl walked downstairs with short ck hair and green eyes, staring down at them with a sore face. She looked around, and her eyes fixed on Arad in the back with her father, "What do you need?" She looked toward Ae. "Some regr clothes. I prefer some green if possible." Ae replied with a smile. Merida nodded, "I see. We don''t have anything for you. Leave now." she pointed toward the door. Ae waved her hand, brushing it as a joke, "Come on, I know you have a thing or two." Merida red at her and then at Arad, "Fine," she quickly walked downstairs and reached into a pile of clothes. From that, she pulled out a green robe, shorts, pants, a red leather jacket, and some brown shirts. "Here you go," she gave them to Ae and turned to leave. "Hold up!" Ae called her, "You didn''t even let me choose," Marida shook her head, "Then choose. I have other things to tend to," "Merida, I called you here to help." Her father stared at her, "You know I hate being interrupted while training?" Merida replied with a sharp re, "You know how much is at stack with theing tournament?" Her father sighed, "I know, I know. But I can''t deal with a woman alone. You know that." Merida scratched her head, "Fine, but I will go immediately." She walked toward Ae, "Let''s make this quick," She said, ring at Arad with her father. At that moment, Arad red back at her, an itch tingling inside his stomach. Chapter 46 The Dragon’s Growing Connections. Merida looked toward Arad as he red back at her, "Why are you staring at me?" She asked with an annoyed face. Arad shook his head, "Nothing, you just give me a weird feeling." He turned to look back toward the clothes. "I won''t let you take my daughter," The owner said with a smile. Arad looked at him and then at Ae, "I already have one to deal with," The owner looked toward Ae, "I see. Merida, give her the best we have." Arad lifted a brown shirt and showed it to the owner, "How much is this?" "Fourteen copper coins with tailoring." The owner replied with a smile, "I will take it," The owner headed toward his desk and brought a measuring tape. "Do you intend on wearing armor above it?" "Yes, I would like a bit tighter," "I will get it done." The owner took the shirt and Arad''s measurements and headed toward his desk to work. Arad looked around and picked a bit more clothes, "Do you have a ce I can try them in?" "The room in the back," The owner pointed out with a smile. Arad walked inside to try on his clothes while Merida stared in his direction. "Excuse me for a minute. I have something to do." Merida looked toward Ae with a smile, handing her a batch of clothes and heading to the back room. Jack looked toward her and smiled, "Chief, I''ming as well." He rushed to Arad''s changing room, "Get out. I don''t want you around here." Arad extended his hand out, pushing Jack away. "Test this and see if you can hang it on your waist." He handed Arad his dagger, "Why would I do that," "Self-defense, you can''t be too careful," Jack said with a smile, looking toward the back room. After a while, Merida came from the back room looking annoyed, ring at Jack for a moment before getting to Ae. "Did you like anything?" "Yeah, this blue one, don''t you have in a green shade?" As the two kept talking, Jack waited for Arad to get out and asked him, "Did change well?" "What do you mean?" Arad stared at him, "I can carry the dagger if that''s your point." "Honestly, for a moment, I felt intimidated by Merida. Gave you the dagger as protection." Jack whispered. "You know I can fight barehanded," "I don''t want you to fight. You carrying the dagger is enough for her not to attack you." Jack replied, looking back. "I did get the same feeling, but isn''t that because she is a swordmaster?" Arad asked, and Jack smiled. "Believe me. Swordmasters are thest people you will get a false rm from them. The way they walk, stare, and talk is all trained, so they look less threatening." Jack exined, "She is strong butcks that skill," Arad sat on a chair, "I doubt she is dangerous. We''re still at the edge from thest fight," As they finished, someone knocked on the door. "Is Arad here?" A voice called out. Ae recognized him as one of the guards. The owner approached the door and opened it, "Is there a problem?" The guard shook his head, "No, I have a report to sir Arad about theirst attack." the guard looked behind the owner and spotted Arad approaching them. "Did you find anything?" Arad asked. The guard looked toward him, "We found one of our soldiers unconscious and tied in a back alley. The attacker must have taken him down and stolen his armor when we scrambled to reach the scene." Arad scratched his head, "Do you know how embarrassing is that? A criminal managed to secretly take one of you down and blend into your ranks in less than a minute." The guard looked down, "That''s why I''m here to report on it, the guards aren''t going to brush this incident, and we take responsibility." He looked toward Arad with a sharp re, "Please rest assured, such a thing won''t happen again," The guard bowed down and left. The owner stared at Arad, "The poor guards, they have to deal with this as well." When Arad heard him, he asked, "The guards have more problems?" "Yeah, there have been rumors about the city disbanding the guards and using bands of adventurers instead to keep the order. The new battalion will be called the armed defenders." "A city without guards, are they crazy?" "No, guards are generally weaker than adventurers by a lot since they don''t go out of their way to level up or fight monsters." The owner exined. "If an adventurer decided to be a criminal," Arad said, and the owner finished, "They can ughter tens of guards before being captured. It''s that simple." ^That exins why she managed to trick them easily. They are strong for normal humans but amateurs to powerful adventurers.^ Arad thought, looking back toward Ae and Jack, "What about people like Alcott?" The owner stared at Arad for a while, "Alcott? The S-rank?" He scratched his head. "Alcott is too strong for anyone to consider chaining him in a cell. I remember once when they tried to arrest him, the man twisted the cell''s bares with his bare hands, and went for a drink and then returned," The ownerughed. *** Alcott walked back to his house, dropping on his bed. "Damn it," He looked at his palm as it started shaking, "This isn''t the time for this," He sighed, As he rested, a small bat flew from the window and exploded into a puff of ck smoke. "Alcott, how are you doing?" Ginger looked at him with a worried face. Alcott smiled, "I''m fine. I''m exhausted, and that''s all." "No, you aren''t. I told you to let the blood out." She touched his forehead. "I don''t want to let go of this body. Without it, we can''t live a normal life." He said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "We don''t need to live a normal life. We can always go back to the castle." Ginger said, tightly grabbing his hand. "Worry not. It was your dream to live a normal life among humans. I won''t let this life crumble," Alcott smiled, "But when I have to transform eventually, we will move to the castle." "I have never seen someone like you," She smiled, "Don''t push yourself too much. It would be bad if you transformed in the middle of a crowd." "I guess so," He giggled, "But you can handle it, right?" Ginger shook her head, "Hell no, I took you on one time, and it was agonizing. I prefer you like this," she smiled. *** "Alcott! Alcott! The kids are back, and they have a new guy with them," Alcott''s mother called him. Alcott stood with Ginger and walked downstairs. When Alcott looked down, he saw Arad, Ae, and Jack waiting for them in the changing room. "What are those bags?" he asked, "I bought some clothes, and we came to take a bath. Is the water okay now?" Arad replied with a smile as he dropped his back to the side. Alcott smiled, "The water returned to normal, and it''s good." Alcott''s mother looked back at them and smiled, "I didn''t have anyints about the water being too hot today. It''s a blessing." "Lady Dima, the water is a bit cold. What with that?" A woman walked from the bath, drying her long hair, and stared at them with a smile. "Except this one," Alcott''s mother sighed, Arad recognized the woman. It was L. "Ho! Arad, you''re here for a bath?" L smiled, approaching them. "This one like the water scorching hot," Alcott''s mom sighed, ring at L with one eye. Lughed, "But I have to admit, the temperature now is more suitable for most people." She then looked at Arad, "This is a good chance. I have someone I want you to meet." As L looked back, a woman in her early twenties walked out, stretching one arm as she dried her hair. "My daughter, Mira. I''m sure you will get along well," She smiled as Mira looked at them. "Mom, is this the one who wanted to be my brother?" Mira said immediately upon spotting Arad, pointing when he called L ''Mom'' Arad red back at L, "You told her about that?" "Of course, I would. She would have known eventually." Lughed, looking toward Ae, "Who''s the girl?" Ae stood between Mira and Arad, "His partner." Carefully wording it so she can swing in both directions. Mira stared at them, "You can call me Mira. I''m both a carpenter and a tanner. If you want anything rted to that, you can seek me out." she extended her hand toward Ae. Ae carefully took her hand, "Ae, a fighter." She scanned her from head to toe, "Can you make bows?" Mira smiled, "I have quite the collection, care to check it?" Hearing that. Ae''s opinionpletely changed with her expression, "Yes," She said with a big grin. "Arad, can we go check her shop?" Chapter 47 The Women’s Plan "After the bath," Replied Arad while staring at Mira and Ae. "I should go in as well," Alcott stretched his arms, walking inside the bath with Arad and Jack. Ae walked in with Ginger while Mira and her mother headed back. Inside the bath, Arad noticed the hair on Alcott''s back and chest had grown. Something was off as just yesterday he didn''t have that much. "Do you mind if I ask something?" Arad looked toward Alcott. "You already asked, what is it?" Alcott smiled. "The hair on your back, didn''t it grow?" Alcottughed, "Of course. The more manly you are, the hairier you get." He tried to diverge the conversation from his mixed blood. "That makes no sense," Jack stared at them. "It makes sense. Remember how much power I used to get us out of the dungeon?" Alcott stared at him, "All that adrenaline would give you a hair or two." "That isn''t what I meant." Jack scratched his head, "All barbarians I know are smooth." "They rage. There is nothing manly about being angry." Alcott clenched his fist, "Drawing your strength with your free will is the right way." "It doesn''t matter as long as you win," Arad looked at them. "True strength isn''t smashing things. It''s controlling your rage, anger, and the power to direct it. Don''t lose yourself. Otherwise, you will hurt those close to you." Alcott stared at them with a sharp re. "Did you lose control?" "I did one time. Luckily for me, Ginger was strong enough to keep me in check." Alcott smiled, remembering the day he lost control and transformed. "There is no way a single person can cause a lot of damage," Jack cracked his neck, "One sleeping dart, and it''s all over." Alcott looked at him, "Have you ever wondered why Nina is working as a receptionist?" A look of terror crossed his face, remembering the blood bath. "Didn''t she just retire?" Jack looked at him. "You have to ask her about it. I don''t think she will mind telling you the story." Alcott smiled, standing up. "I will be going out," *** On the other side, Ae stretched her arms, cracking her shoulders. "It''s always amazing to rest after a long fight." She said, looking toward Ginger, "That''s right, it mends the bones." Ae looked at Ginger''s overly pale skin, blue-ish fingernails, and blood-red hair, "Are you okay? Aren''t you sick?" She asked. Ginger shook her head, "I hear that a lot, but I''m fine. It''s just how I look," She replied with a smile. "The water is hot. I don''t expect someone''s nails to stay blue here. You look as if you were standing in the cold," Ae stared at her, "An elf''s eyes can''t mistake such things. As if your blood isn''t circting well," Ginger shook her head, "I don''t move a lot and Always had a weak body. I''m fine." "I can''t imagine a weak body surviving that." Ae pointed toward Ginger''s back. Three w-shaped scars ran from her neck down to her hips. "Ah, those?" She smiled, "I got them from a monster. He wed my back when I wasn''t paying attention. The moon was full that day, as the wolves howled in the distance," "The moon, was it a werewolf?" Ae asked, and Ginger nodded, "A strong one at that. But for now, let''s talk about something more pleasant." She smiled. "Like what?" Ae tilted her head. "Arad, how are you two doing?" She grinned, resting her chin on her hand. "Did he make any move? Or did you make a move?" Ae pushed her hand under the water and sshed Ginger, "Who gave you the idea?" Ginger protected her head with her palm andughed, "This reaction. I''m right. You elves are proud and cocky. It was strange seeing you following him happily." "What is that supposed to mean?" Ae growled, sshing the water at Ginger with a red face. "Come on, be honest. What did trigger you with Arad?" Ginger smiled, approaching Ae. "Speak." Ae looked away, "I just thought he looked strange at the start. His eyes held a weird power in them." She looked around. The bath was empty, "But after he saved my life from the frog, I discovered he was a dragon." Ginger looked, "Hmm, I see. It''s different from Alcott and me." "How did you two get together?" Ae asked. "It wasn''t easy, neither pleasant for me, to be honest." Ginger shook her head, "He walked to my house, beat the hell out of me, and dragged me back to his home, where he chained me for weeks." "He can''t do that!" Ae gasped. "No, I can understand where he wasing from," Ginger smiled. ^I was a powerful vampire lord. He invaded my castle and then took me back to try transforming into a vampire.^ She giggled in her thoughts. "It doesn''t matter if you understand," Ae gasped again. "I would have done the same in his ce," Ginger smiled, grabbing Ae''s hand, "You have to make a move. Before you lose him." She said. "Lose him?" Ae thought, the image of Mira and Merida shing in her mind. She immediately shook her head, her two ears pping on her cheek, "Why did I think of those two?" "See? You already care. It''s better to start early." Ginger smiled, "Can you cook?" "Why ask?" "The closest way to a man''s heart is his stomach. That is at least true for Alcott. Start by cooking something delicious. That will give an edge on him." Ginger suggested. "Arad is a dragon. Last time I heard of him, he liked monsters raw." Ae said with a sigh, "I can''t cook that," "Then hunt something for him. When on a quest. Just hunt a small monster and give him a snack." She poked Ae''s stomach, "He won''t refuse it, and slowly you will get up his list." "Is there any normal food that he might like? Except for meat." Ae smiled, Ginger shook her head, "You elves don''t like meat, but that''s a plus for you." She smiled, "Cook him some meat," "I hate handling it, and we can''t even digest it," Ae replied. "That''s the point. Arad knows you hate meat. Seeing you go out of your way for him is a massive advantage." Ginger grinned, "Arad and Alcott are of the same breed. You can always rely on them when you need them." "What do you mean?" Ae asked. "I know a caring man when I see you. Just ask Arad to carry you back to the inn and see how he will react." Ginger said, "He won''t turn you down. And in the years toe, you will have a country destroying dragon behind your back." "You know a lot about those things," Ae replied. "I don''t have that much experience myself," Ginger giggled, ^Since Alcott dragged me with him.^ She thought. "As more people for advice. But don''t ask L, as she might have already set her eye on Arad for her daughter." Ginger scratched her chin, "Amber might be a good choice as well." Ae looked at the wall, "I did want to ask. Since where you and Alcott are married, you don''t seem to have children," Ginger smiled, "We''ve been married for twenty years. I sadly can''t bear children." She patted her belly, ^That who has no like can''t grant it,^ "Isn''t that a problem with Alcott?" Ae looked at Ginger with a strange face. Elvish women find it hard to bear children since they live for so long. Usually, they me it on the males for having weak seeds. Ginger shook her head, "You might not know it, but Alcott was a father before he met me." She smiled, "Albite, that woman disappeared right after getting pregnant. She never showed up again." "Do you know her?" Ae asked. "Of course, she was still with Alcott when he dragged me out of my house. To this day, I still remember her purple eyes and extremely dark hair." She scratched her head. "What was her name?" "I don''t remember. It was ori something like that." Ginger stood, "Let''s get out. You still have a long night with Arad." "I don''t have anything nned for the night," Ae stood, replying with a red face and a sharp voice. Gingerughed, "At least give him a massage or ask him to give you one. It works both ways." Ginger grabbed Ae''s shoulders and squeezed them, "Try to sleep together every once in a while. I heard some adventurer girls trick their partner into saving money by renting a single bedroom." "Our inn''s room has a single bed. I share it with Arad," Ae said with a straight face. "Splendid and perfect. How long can you keep that up?" Ginger asked. "The bartender said a two beds room would be avable by the end of the week." She replied. "You have that time to make a move. But remember, the inn walls are thin. If you want to do anything, ask me first, and I will get you a decent private room." Ginger smiled, patting Ae on the back as they walked out. Chapter 48 Drunkard I Ae and Ginger found Arad and Jack waiting outside the bath, "What took you so long?" Arad asked. Ginger looked at him with a smile, "Nothing important. Where is Alcott?" She asked, looking around for him. "Alcott left earlier. He said he has some things to do." Arad replied with a passive as he approached Ae. "Let''s go home. We have a lot of work for tomorrow." Ae nodded with a smile, walking toward him and looking back at Ginger. Jack in the back stretched his arm, "I do need a drink after all that happened," The three walked out as the sun started setting. The reddish raying crossed the trees at the street side, giving the ce an ominous look. When Jack looked to the sky, he giggled, "For a while down there, I thought I would never see the sky again." "We won''t fall easily," Arad replied as they approached the inn. Opening the inn''s door, Arad noticed the pdin from the other day staring at them from the back. Jack red back at her, but Arad grabbed his shoulder, "Let''s go get something to eat." Jack looked at him and smiled, "Of course," He turned around, sending onest re at the pdin. "Leon or William?" Arad looked at the bartender. "Leon, my brother William only works during the day." He replied, putting three tes on the table. "Care to eat anything?" He smiled. "Greens for her, me and Jack will take whatever you choose," Arad replied, pulling his chair. Jack and Ae hopped in as well. As they ate, Arad kept feeling that the pdin stared at them. "That woman is annoying," Jack growled. "Sit down. Let it be." Arad stopped him. "We don''t want trouble. Staring won''t hurt us." Ae added while eating. Jack looked back at his te, "You are right." He kept eating, ignoring Lydia''s res. After dinner, Jack lifted his hand, "Leon, give me a mug." He smiled as Leon started filling his beer. "Want a drink?" Jack looked at Arad with a smile. "Probably not. I do want to sleep and wake up early." Arad replied. "You aren''t fun at all. But being serious about work means we will get a lot of money, so I don''t mind." Jack chugged his mug down. Leon looked at them, "How about you take a day off each week? A night where you can rx and rest." "That sounds nice. What should we make it?" Arad looked at Ae. "Saturday or Monday. That is what most people take as a day off." She replied with a smile. Leon looked at them with a smile, "I suggest you take Friday as the day off." Jack looked at him, "Why?" "Since no one is working on Saturday, you can hog hall the nice quests," Leon replied, smiling, "Today is Tuesday. You still have two days to work." Arad nodded, "We will do that," "Can I drink a bit? Finish my mug?" Jack looked at Arad. "I don''t mind as long as it doesn''t affect your performance." He replied. Jack was old enough to be responsible. Arad and Ae walked upstairs toward their room while Jack kept drinking. "Hey, you!" A blond elf approached Arad, ring back at his friends. When he got close, Jack could smell the alcohol reeking from him. He was drunk to the core. "You are with elf women, right?" He stared at Jack with withering eyes. "You are with her, right?" He was shaking. "Vars! Come back here, don''t bother other people." A human man called him from the back. The elf turned around, staring at the man and the woman barbarianughing beside him. "Shut up, Gojo. My words are with this man!" He turned toward Jack, barely standing straight. "Say, does that elf women with you count with feet as well? Tell them. It''s convenient, isn''t it," He red at Jack. Jack remembered Ae using it inside the dungeon. He looked at the elf, smiling. "She never uses it. Said meters is better." He intentionally wanted to trigger him. Vars paused, staring at Jack for a moment, and then looked down, "Then, I''m the weird one." He sighed. "Anyway, we want to hire a rogue. A skilled one. Do you have any rmendations?" Jack got taken aback by Vars''s quick change, "Are you still drunk?" "I was never drunk. That was an act." He smiled. Jack looked at the back, and the other two approached him, "We must get serious if Vars of all people is standing up." Gojo sighed. "Name is Gojo. The elf is Vars, and she is Gug." The woman lifted her bulky arm, "This is Gug. Nice to meet you." Jack scratched his head, "What kind of rogue do you need? Or at least tell me the type of job," He stared at them. "We need to retrieve a stolen artifact from a highly secured ce. It''s a Castle-level type of heist." Gojo exined, "Give us the best." "I know a woman, a Tiefling with a rotten personality. Expect no respect from her at all. But she can do the job if you strike a deal with her." Jack smiled, "She also won''t mind doing some shady things. Like cleaning, retrieving items, alive or dead." "As long as she can get the job done, give us her contacts," Gojo asked with a smile. "Go to the western slums." Jack smiled. "Is that all?" Vars stared at him. "She already knows," Jack kept drinking. BAM! The barbarian smacked his back with her palm, "Thanks for the info!" Jack started coughing, almost dying after the hit, "I breathed the beer!" He looked back at the three leaving, "I already have a party. My big sister should take care of you all," He kept drinking. BANG! A mug smacked beside him, "Another one!" Looking to the side, it was Lydia, the pdin. "The ce suddenly started to stink," Jack growled, and Lydia red at him. "Speak for yourself, rat!" She red at him with a divine light in her eyes. Jack gulped his mug and stared, "Who talked with you? Stink bug, when was thest time you took a shower with your dirty helmet-wearing ass?" Lydia swung her fist his head, but he weaved around, dodging the attack, "What was that for?" Leon stared at them, "No fighting!" "Leon! She was trying to wipe her hand on my face!" Jack cried, pointing at Lydia. "Are you drunk?" Leon replied, staring at his face. "No, I can''t be sane with her sitting beside me." He stared at Lydia, "Why did you sit here?" "This isn''t your problem," She growled, pushing her mug to Leon, "A second one," She tapped it on the table. "Me two!" Jack pushed his mug as well. "Don''t you have to go now?" Leon stared at Jack, "You have work tomorrow." "I can handle it, don''t worry about me." Jack smiled, tapping his mug on the table. Leon poured them both a second shot, which they down instantly. "The high priests came with the mages. They didn''t seem to know about you stealing the letter." Lydia sighed. "Why would they?" Jack smiled, downing a third mug. Lydia stared at him, "How did you do it?" "I don''t speak with a woman who can''t drink," Jack growled, gulping his mug. Lydia finished her and stared at him, "How did you do it?" Jack grinned, "Forged the letter. I know some skilled people. The letter you have is fake. The real one is in trusty hands." Lydia was taken aback, "The letter even had the holy seal on it!" She grabbed him by the shoulder. "Only the hands of a devout believer can make the seal." Jack pushed her arm and stared at her, "I can find more of your people at the whorehouse. And I''m not even joking," Jack kept drinking. "Lying scoundrel, they will lose their holiness engaging in such acts." She red at him with a deathly stare. "Believe it or not, your church has mixed its lunacy in religion." Jack poked her forehead, "Mind your eyes. They might pop out." Thud! Lydia punched his shoulder, looking away as she downed her mug. "You lying bastard," "We rogues spit lies when we need to. It''s a reality that your church is corrupt to the core, and there is nothing you can do about it." Jack growled while drinking. Leon grabbed Jack''s hands and took the mug. "Stop. You had enough." He stared at his face, "You clearly can''t take more. Go sleep." Thud! He gave me a waterskin. Jack stared at him for a moment. And then swiftly waved his hand, snatching the mug back. "See, I can still take more." He downed it in a single gulp. BAM! Jack banged the mug on the table, "More! More!" Lydia smacked her mug as well, "More! Give me more!" She cried. Leon stared at them, "You two are drunk! No more for you." He grabbed them by the shoulder and helped them stand, "To your rooms. NOW!" He growled. Jack and Lydia walked upstairs with grumpy faces. "That stingy bastard!" She growled. Jack stared at her with a smile, "Excuse me for a moment, gotta shop!" He leaped out of the window just to return a whileter with a box full of beer. Chapter 49 Tavern Night [Not R-18, But Close(Build Up)] Arad entered his room with Ae beside him, "Should we sleep early?" Ae asked with a smile. "Of course, I want to get many jobs done tomorrow," Arad replied, sitting in the corner and closing his eyes. Ae looked at him, a sad grin on her face. "Can you use the bed?" Arad opened one eye and looked at her, "You should use it. We talked about it before." "The bed is wide enough for us both," Ae said, approaching him. "The ve contract will trigger. I don''t want to deal with any problems right now." Arad replied while closing his eyes. Puffing her cheek, Ae bent down and picked him from his side. "Up you go," She growled. Arad opened his eyes and stared at her, "Let go of me," Looking down with his powerful dragon eyes, he could see a faint trace of her pants showing on her robe. Since Ae didn''t let go of him immediately, he extended his hand and grabbed her robe, pulling her pants up to trip her. To his bad luck, she was too flexible to be affected, and she dropped him on the bed. Arad red up at her, "Fine, you win." Ae stared at him with a smile, "Turn on your stomach." Exhausted, he did what she said. Ae pulled his shirt up and rested her hands on his back, squeezing his muscles up while making sure his back remained straight. "AH!" Arad sighed, "Tell me from the start that you wanted to give me a massage, and I would have epted." Ae didn''t respond and kept on squashing his back. After a while, she stopped. "Just a moment," Ae said, stretching her shoulders. Arad looked back at her, "Aren''t you the one needing a massage?" He asked. Ae shook her head, "No, I''m fine." As she said that, Arad grabbed her by the hand and pulled her toward the bed. "Rx, I will give you a massage," He whispered. "Do you even know how to do that?" she cried, trying to stand, but Arad held her down. "Stay put. It won''t hurt that much. I hope." Arad cracked his fingers as heid his hands on her shoulders, "You squeezed down and pushed up." CRACK! "AWAWAWAWAW!" Ae wiggled, "You''re using too much force. Tune it down!" she wiggled her back. "Like this?" With weaker squeezes, Ae rxed, "That''s it, more," Her face switched to a smile as the weight on her shoulders started to lessen. But after a while, she starts to feel another weight on her butt. "Hoi! What are you doing?" She turned her head, looking toward Arad. He was sitting on her but while massaging her shoulder. "What?" He looked at her, confused. "Why are you sitting on me?" She asked, not angry but confused like him. "I should sit? You were sitting on me." He said with a passive face. Ae remembered, as her shoulders were heavy, she rested her weight on his lower back. "I sat on your lower back," She replied. Arad looked at her butt, grabbing both buns in his hands, "I don''t know where your thighs end and your back starts. It''s all one big puff and soft mound." Ae pointed with her finger to her waist, "Here it is." Arad looked at her waist, "It''s too thin, I feel like it will break," Ge replied, "Can I keep sitting where am I?" Ae sighed with a faint smile, "Fine, but we sleep together after." Arad nodded, "why not?" Thud! Grinning, Jack put the beer box on the ground, "Got more!" Lydia stared at the box half-drunk, "We shouldn''t drink more," she rubbed her face, trying to wake up. "Come on! Drink, drink," Jack opened a bottle and downed it. After staring at him for a second, she took a bottle and drank it. "We shouldn''t," she looked at the bottle, "Drink here. Let''s go to the bar." She said, pping her face, doing her best to wake up. Pdins had high tolerance due to the holy magic coursing in their veins, neutralizing the alcohol. "We can''t," Jack wiggled, lifting the box with weak steps, "Let''s head to the room. We can drink at ease." The two slowly made their way to Jack''s room, where they spent the night drinking. *** Chirp! Chirp! Jack slowly opened his eyes, hardly able to breathe. "What is this?" He growled with a horrible headache and painful stomach. It was dark, even though he could hear the birds outside. He extended his hands, grabbing the heavy thing on his face and pushing it up. Just then. Jack recognized it, the puff ass of an annoying pdin. "Lydia, get off me!" He rapidly stood, pushing her away. Lydia growled, rolling to the side and scratching her side as she looked toward him. "Why so noisy..." she then noticed herck of clothes. Momentarily, she didn''t think much of it, scratching her chest and looking around. She was used to sleeping naked. "Good morning..." After saying that, the realization came to her, and she looked down at herself. And then back at Jack, terrified. "The fuck you did!" She red at him, shouting in a faint voice. Thest thing she wanted was for the whole world to hear them. "What the fuck did you do? I''m still wearing my clothes. You whore pdin." Jack shouted faintly, throwing the nket to her. Lydia paused for a moment, looking at Jack. He was right. He still had his armor on. There is a good chance nothing happened. Lydia looked at him and immediately threw the nket away, opening her legs up. Jack didn''t even care to look away, "What are you doing?" Lydia red at him, "Checking if nothing happened, and I swear to rip your head off if something happened." She red at him with holy light bursting from her eyes. "Then don''t spread your legs like that in front of me," Jack replied, not averting his eyes. "I have a bigger problem than that." She growled, inspecting her vagina with her fingers. So soon sighed in relief, "Thank god, it''s still there." She rxed, falling on her back. "What are you doing?" Jack approached her. "I''m still a virgin. Nothing happened." She spread her arms, taking a deep breath. Jack looked at her nodding, "So, what about it now?" He waved his hand above her. "What do you mean?" She asked. Still d nothing happened. Jack extended her hand and grabbed her chest, "This, you''re still naked." Lydia red at him. And then sighed, "Honestly, I''m too d you did nothing that I can''t even feel angry." Jack let go and grabbed the nket, throwing it at her, "Then cover yourself. Howe you lost your clothes?" He sighed, relieved that he wasn''t stuck with a pdin of all people. Lydia sat up, not even bothering to cover herself, "I''m used to sleeping naked. I must have taken my armor off out of habit." Jack looked at her, feeling his headache intensify. Thud! He grabbed her head and red at her face, "Cover yourself, stripping pdin. Why do I, a rogue, has to y the decent one here?" She looked at him and theny on the bed, "I don''t care anymore, at least around you. Just let me calm down a bit." "Damn you." Jack covered her again and stood, stretching his arms. "My head is hurting. I must have drunk more than I should." He sat on the ground. Lydia stood and grabbed his head in her palm, [Cleanse] A gust of light gushed from her hand and washed over him, clearing his body of all the toxins and curing the hangover. Jack lifted his head, looking at her dangling milkers, barely seeing her face. "Wear something. You''re taking for a safe person more than you should." He stood. "I know you won''t do anything, and you already saw me naked, so where is the problem?" She said with a smile. "Said the pdin who tried to kill me a few days ago? You''re pushing your luck too much," Jack replied, staring back at her, "You''re a pdin, remember?" She sat on the bed, "You say that, but you won''t do anything." She smiled. Thud! The next moment, she found herself pinned on the bed with Jack holding her arms with one hand and pinning her legs with his knees. "It doesn''t matter if it was a rogue or a saint, be on guard, as you can''t be too careful." Jack said, poking her neck with his second hand before letting go of her, "This why I say most of your people can be found at a whore house. You''re too carefree." "Sorry," she stood, wearing her clothes while staring at his back. The two of them got out, walking downstairs to the counter. "William, breakfast for two people." William nodded with a smile, "You two are together again? Did you reach an understanding?" "No," Jack replied immediately. Lydia stared at William, "It''s not worth wasting my time." She rested her arm on Jack''s shoulder. We might get used to him. "I will not work for your church," Jack replied immediately, pushing her arm away. "How about personal requests?" Lydia smiled. "I hate the church, but not individual people. I guess I can hear you." Jack sighed. Chapter 50 The Paladin’s Quest Lydia stared at Jack, "People have been disappearing at night in the western vige of Oakedge. We need someone to investigate." Jack stared at her, "That''s the guards'' job, right?" Lydia shook her face, "We lost them all. About twenty people disappeared without a trace." Jack froze in ce, "If it''s severe, can''t you find someone else to do it?" "We tried to contact Alcott, but his wife kicked us out, saying he doesn''t need problems." Lydia shook her head. "The quest seems too big for me to investigate alone. You better drop a quest at the guild, and we might take it." Jack said, finishing his breakfast. Thud! Thud! "Jack, is there a problem?" Arad and Ae walked down to see Lydia. They immediately assumed she was here for trouble. "Cheif, she seems to have an interesting quest. Countless people disappeared at night in the western vige of oakedge. She wants us to investigate." Jack said, pointing with his thumb at Lydia. "We can''t take it even if we want. Such a quest will be over our rank." Arad replied, and he was right. Jack scratched his chin, "I can fix that," "You can get us higher quests?" Arad looked at him. "If that is the case, then say it." Ae grabbed Arad''s shoulder, "We shouldn''t. That''s dangerous." "It''s dangerous if we were low-level adventurers." He was right. Even Ae was a level 12 fighter. "We can do it with this quest." Jack looked at Lydia, "Post the quest as investigation, not solving. Just go there, see what''s happening, and report back." "And you will just happen to be forced to solve it?" Lydia stared at him with a worried face. "That''s it, simple, right?" "No, If that is the case, I would go with you. I don''t care how strong you are. You will need healing and holy damage." Lydia stood, a holy re in her eyes. Jack looked at Arad, "We will take it, but not now. I want to train a bit with Amber." "I also want to check Mira''s shop for a new bow," Ae added with a smile. "Right. We have to check the divination mage for you as well." Jack added, scratching his head." Thud! He stood up, looking at Arad. "Divination mage? Did you lose something?" Lydia asked. Arad looked at her, scratching his head. ^It wouldn''t hurt to tell her, right?^ "I got the curse of lycanthropy, and I''m looking for a cure." Lydia looked at him, tilting her head, "What kind of lycanthropy are we talking about in this case? Mild, moon, random, or a full beast?" Arad took a step back, "There are different types?" "Mild means you only have a bit more hair on your body, harder nails, and sharp senses with a slightly violent personality." Lydia counted with one hand. "Moon means you have the effects of the mild but are forced to transform on the night of the full moon, the night before and after." She added another finger. "Random means that on top of the moon, you can transform randomly due to emotional distress, pain, or even hearing the howling of wolves. Of course, you can''t control the beast." She then smiled. "Full beast is when you can freely change between human, wolf, or a hybrid form. Have ess to all your powers at will, albeit with a strong hunger for humanoid flesh." She exined. "I don''t know. I just got infected." Arad replied. ^My dragon blood would probably affect the curse.^ Arad thought, quickly realizing the big elephant in the room. ^If human werewolves seek human flesh, would I see dragons'' flesh?^ Arad immediately grabbed a chair and started thinking, ^As a vampire, I would seek draconic blood. I might not have a problem living like this with humans.^ Lydia stared at him, "Don''t think about it too much. All curses have progression like that. And most people start from mild unless they got the curse through magic." "I got bitten. so I would start as mild?" He looked at her, "Yeah. Did you ask in the church? Two of our highest priests are visiting the city, and they could lift the curse." She replied. Arad shook his head, and Ae looked at Lydia, "We met them yesterday, and they couldn''t lift the curse. Our only option is to kill the progenitor." "That''s tough. But I can help hunt the beast." She said with a smile. Jack looked at her, "If the full beast can control the power, can''t we ask him to lift the curse? Make a deal?" Lydia stared at him, "Good luck with that. But we can try and see." "It will give us an advantage. We can pay the beast a ton of money to lift the curse and then kill him if possible to take our money back." Jack stood smiling. Lydia thought, "And we won''t need to go through the pain of the ritual." She then pointed at Jack, "I like that," "We''re scamming the progenitor, you know?" Jack smiled at her. "It doesn''t matter as long as they are evil or oppose the church." She said, resting her fists on her hips. "Hypocritical as ever," Jack scratched his head, "But we have to clear your quest first, right?" As Lydia nodded, Arad and Ae sat to eat their breakfast. "Did you two make up?" Arad looked at them. "You can say we got past it." Lydia smiled. "Past it?" Jack stared at her, "I still remember you people beating me," "It was them, not me." She shook her hands, "You also did a dirty one on us by stealing the letter. We''re even now." After the break, They headed toward the guild to register Lydia''s quest. "Nina, I was to register a special quest," Lydia said with a smile. Nina looked behind Lydia, "Why are Arad and his friends with you?" "I''m going to investigate the disappearance of the oakedge people on behalf of the church. I wanted to get somepany for safety." Lydia replied, looking back, "They are the best value to hire." Jack looked at them, "Cheap since we''re low level, yet strong." Nina sighed, "Fine, please write the details here." She smiled, "And how much are you paying?" Lydia looked at her, "Five gold coins for a week''s trip." "So four for the quest and one for the guild," She looked through the papers. "The guild usually gets twenty percent of the pay, but this quest is a bit unpredictable. Make it seven gold coins, and the guild will only take one." Nina knocked on the table with her finger. "I say two gold coins for each of them is a good price to risk their lives for a week." Jack looked at Jack, "Mira is trying to get us a good deal. Look she already registered the guild''s pay as one gold coin out of five. The other two coins are going straight to us." Lydia sighed, "Fine, here are seven gold coins." Lydia immediately dropped the gold on the table with a smile. "You didn''t argue?" Nina was surprised. Pdins are usually hard-headed about deals. "Better pay, better work." Lydia replied as she took the signed quest and handed it to Arad, "Your turn," Arad took the quest back to Lydia, "We ept Lydia''s request. Can you register it?" "Of course," She smiled, stamping the paper. "Amber is waiting for you at the training ground," She added. Chapter 51 [Bonus ] 1-Tier Fire Training I After getting the quest, the party headed toward the training ground to meet Amber, who was there to train Arad. "Arad, are you ready?" She waved her hand, calling him in. Ae looked at him, "We will wait here." She, Jack, and Lydia sat on the fence as Arad walked into the training ground. When the adventurer there saw him walk in, they rushed out as fast as they could. "He''s here!" Arad stopped, looking at them, "What happened?" "We will watch. This is going to be fun." One of the adventurers said, rushing to find his spot on the fence, "News about you fighting alongside Alcott and wrestling werewolves are hotter than your mes." "Hurry, go bring some snacks!" An adventurer yelled. "Am I some kind of show?" Arad sighed, approaching Amber. "You are getting a decent fan base. You put shame on us higher adventurers for being sockluster." Amber sighed. "Adventuring isn''t about how strong you are. It''s about how reliable you are. I bet I don''t even match people in my rank in reliability." Arad replied, cracking his neck. "You''re good with words for a kid." She smiled, "Did you buy any spell books, or will we use 0-tier?" Amber asked with a smile. Arad reached under his coat, pulling out the spellbook he got from the dungeon. "Where did you pull that out?" Amber asked. "Doesn''t matter." He handed the tome to her, "I found it in a dungeon. Can you decipher some of the spells in it?" At that moment, both Arad and Amber felt a sharp bloodlust that only remained for a moment. "What was that?" Arad looked at the crowd. Amber looked around, "I know all the spells in the book. Sor now, can you give it to the guild?" She asked, "This book belongs to a sorcerer named Jeremy who disappeared in the dungeon you escaped." Arad sighed, "Fine, I don''t need a spellbook anyway." He waved his hands. "That isn''t true. You can learn a spell or two without a spellbook, but once you start having tens of spells, it bes a necessity." She exined. "Then I will buy an empty er. You will teach me the spells here, right?" Arad stared at her. Amber took the book from his hand and walked toward her bag at the edge of the training ground. From it, she pulled her spell book. "Nina!" She shouted. "What?" Nina rushed toward her, "This is Jeremy''s spell book, you know what to do with it." Amber said. Nina nodded, taking the book into the guild. As Nina walked across the hallway, a shadowy figure appeared behind her, swinging a de at her face. GRWA! In the blink of an eye, Nina opened her mouth and put the de in half. The attacker stared at his sword, shocked. "Care you tell me what are you doing?" Nina said, blood dripping from her lips. With each step, her muscles bulged, and her voice got deeper. "I want thest page of that book before it reaches inspection." The attacker took his hood staring at Nina, "It''s you!" Nina looked surprised for a moment, switching to her regr smile. "Yes, I can''t let that page leak out." The woman attacking her replied. Nina opened the book, looking at thest page. "Oh! My, this is troublesome, but you can have it." Nina tore the page, giving it to the woman. "You epted faster than I thought." The woman''s said. "The mistakes of a single person shouldn''t carry to his whole family. Let his deeds get buried with him." Nina said, turning around to leave. "Wait, just what are you?" The woman asked. "Me?" Nina looked at her with a smile, "A retired barbarian working as a receptionist, nothing more." Nina then left, and the woman disappeared after collecting the shards of her broken de. On them, she noticed the marks of Nina''s teeth stamped on the steel. "Monster." She looked into the darkness. *** In the training ground, Amber stretched her arms. "Let''s start with [Bonfire], the only 0-tier spell in the book that you don''t know." Amber smiled, pointing her staff at a piece of wood. "Most of the fire spells are known to create me at your skin. And then flung it forward." She fired a [Firebolt] "Is this different," Arad asked while staring at her hand. "It is one of the few spells that can ignite things remotely." Amber pointed at the piece of wood, again, [Bonfire] And it ignited. "Can I set people''s clothes aze?" Arad asked. "Depends on the target and their magic density. You might be able to ignite a fighter of lower level than you, but forget about wizards and sorcerers." Amber smiled, "This spell is mostly used as a distraction and against carriages." Arad looked at his hand, [Bonefire] the wood ignited again. "Nicely done." Amber smiled, "Now, let''s go for the 1-tier spells. And let''s see if you can learn them." With a grin, she opened her hand and asked Arad to move away, "This is my specialty." [mecloak] VA-VOOM Her body burst into mes from head to toe, creating a towering pir of fire reaching the sky at the initial ignition. "We mages hate getting in closebat. This spell is designed so we can get some space." She smiled. "No one wants a hug from a zing fireball." Arad said, closing his eyes, "So it''s just like firefist and firekick, but I need to cover my whole body." [mecloak] VA-VOOM But at that moment, Arad felt his boy slowly getting weaker. PUFF! "What was that?" "The spell was consuming your mana. You have to keep that in mind when using spells from the 1-tier or higher. me cloak cost 2MP per second." She exined. "How much damage does it do?" Arad asked, looking at his hands. "This might be a strong spell if I paired it with firekick and firefist." "The damage is decent, from 2~24 at the first level and refinement. At the third level and refinement, it will deal a whopping 18~72." [mecloak][Level 1][Refinement 1][2MP/second]: 2~24/second. [mecloak][Level 1][Refinement 2][2MP/second]: 4~24/second. [mecloak][Level 1][Refinement 3][2MP/second]: 6~24/second. [mecloak][Level 2][Refinement 1][2MP/second]: 4~48/second. [mecloak][Level 2][Refinement 2][2MP/second]: 8~48/second. [mecloak][Level 2][Refinement 3][2MP/second]: 12~48/second. [mecloak][Level 3][Refinement 1][2MP/second]: 6~72/second. [mecloak][Level 3][Refinement 2][2MP/second]: 12~72/second. [mecloak][Level 3][Refinement 3][2MP/second]: 18~72/second. "So the mana consumption doesn''t increase?" "Of course, it won''t. Spell levels and refinements are your mastery over the magic. The magic won''t cost more when it bes more efficient." Amber replied with a serious face. Arad smiled, grabbing his staff, "I understand. I better use the best I can all the time." Amber nodded, "That''s it. You will be wasting damage otherwise." She then looked toward the adventurers. "Can someone of you brink us two dummies?" Hearing her, "Two adventurers rushed into the guild." "Why dummies?" Arad asked. "It''s better to use a target for the next one. It has a strange side effect." Amber replied. After waiting a bit, the dummies were ready. Amber pointed her staff at one of them, [methrower] VA-VOM! A gust of me escaped her hand, sting the target with something akin to a water stream. But from fire. After just a few moments, the mes started sshing around, "When the fire burns a hole in the target, it starts sshing around, so be careful to not hit your allies." With a gentle move, she waved her hand and stopped the spell. Arad opened his palm and pointed at his target, "I will need to exin the spell beforehand, so..." Amber was about to start exining when a gust of fire exploded from Arad''s hand, scorching the target. "I can use it. Just firefist but with stronger mes." Arad said with a passive face Chapter 52 1-Tier Fire Training II Amber stared at Arad and held her aching head, trying her best to understand what she just saw. 0-tier magic was intuitive. As long as you have a sane mind, you can even imitate it. But it''s a different beast starting from the 1-tier. [mecloak] as a spell was an exception, as it''s just a firefist, turned into a fire body. Amber red at Arad, [methrower] is not a spell he should be able to use without learning the inscriptions. She even started to suspect he studied magic somewhere. "Arad, would you mind demonstrating how you fought the werewolves?" Amber asked, looking at him. "Do I have a sparring partner?" Amber looked toward the adventures. All of them hid under the fence. Some could beat Arad, but they didn''t want to spend a night with painful burns. "No, just how you fought. Spells and the like." Amber said, taking a step back. Arad walked toward the middle of the training ground, thinking about what to do. "Well, werewolves are fast that hitting them with [Firebolt] was a pain. So I decided to close the distance like this," Arad took a step forward, and the ground exploded under his foot as he walked. Constant [Firekick] and [Firefist] made him a walking bombshell. Amber took a few steps back as the dust and stones from the ground flew at her face, "And since I was using my hands and feet to run and punch, I did this when wrestling the beasts." Arad opened his mouth, shooting [Firebolt] like no tomorrow. "What?" Amber rushed back, avoiding the stream of fire with a hair strand. "Now that I learned two new spells, I would like to add them in." As Arad said that, his whole body exploded in a crimson inferno. "Sadly, I can''t see a useful way to incorporate [methrower]." Feeling more depressed than ever, Amber mumbled, "You can use it to burn armored people. The constant stream of fire will heat their armor and get into the crevices." BAM! Arad''s mes faded instantly, leaving a smoking, scorched ring around him. "Can''t use it to attack?" An adventurer asked from the back. He looked like a wizard with a massive book in his hand. "Doesn''t it cost MP? With my speed, I prefer using [Firebolt]." Arad replied, looking at him. "I see. It''s all about how much damage you can achieve." The wizard opened his book and started writing, "me thrower deals a base damage of 2~24 a second, double what a wizard can get from fire bolt. But with you can get around 3~36 from three fire bolts." The wizard started mumbling as Arad scratched his head, "I''m thinking about damage at all. I thought it would be better to save MP till I need it." "Red dragon bloodline is something. No wonder theye arrogant." A fighter sighed in the back, imagining the horror of being roasted alive. Hearing that, Arad thought to himself, ^I''m not even a red bloodline. I don''t feel like void dragons are better than reds with fire.^ He looked to the sky. ^But mom said we void are from the magic dragon type. Do I have a higher affinity for magic in general?^ Arad sighed. *** "I will admit, the guild is right about your potential to reach an S-rank. Amber walked forward with a sad face. "All I can do now is teach you what I know," She opened her palm with a spark. ^I failed to reach Nina''s level. Even Alcott ground his way to the top,^ [Burning ws] Her fingers extended, forming long me ws. "You can call this an improved version of fire fist. Those ws can cut steel if given enough time." Amber looked to the side, and one of the adventurers rushed in with an old metal shield. Amber herself couldn''t lift the heavy tower shield and had the adventurer keep it straight. "This thing is as thick as a fist. Usually used by front liners, also called tanks." Amber put her finger on the shield and slowly moved it. With a spark, she cut it into pieces. "If you got captured, just point at someone''s stomach or face, and they are dead." Arad nodded, "You didn''t tell me about the methrower damage." He looked at the wizard at the back, "He said something about 2~24." "You are the one who said you don''t care about damage." Amber sighed, quickly stating the damage. [methrower][Level 1][Refinement 1][2MP/second]: 2~24/second. [methrower][Level 1][Refinement 2][2MP/second]: 4~24/second. [methrower][Level 1][Refinement 3][2MP/second]: 6~24/second. [methrower][Level 2][Refinement 1][2MP/second]: 4~48/second. [methrower][Level 2][Refinement 2][2MP/second]: 8~48/second. [methrower][Level 2][Refinement 3][2MP/second]: 12~48/second. [methrower][Level 3][Refinement 1][2MP/second]: 6~72/second. [methrower][Level 3][Refinement 2][2MP/second]: 12~72/second. [methrower][Level 3][Refinement 3][2MP/second]: 18~72/second. "It''s the same as [mecloak]," Amber looked at her hands, "They use the same about of MP after all, but you can guess that without me telling you." "No, I can''t guess it," Arad sighed, Amber stared at him, thinking he was trying to be nice to her. ^I would have felt better if he only said my exnation wascking,^ "Fire w is the same, but you get closer to the max damage. I also rmend using at the second level on minimum to cut metals." Amber looked at Arad, "As you know, metals need a lot of heat to melt," Arad opened his palm, attempting to create the w. ^Probably I should fail this.^ He looked toward Amber, feeling she wasn''t happy to see him fling spells around. CLAC-BOOM! Arad''s fist shed blue and then white, exploding in a bright crimson rose. Amber got scared by the explosion. For a moment, she couldn''t believe seeing Arad roll so fast. As Arad hit the fence, he looked toward her with one eye. ^Good. Combining my scales and void allowed me to absorb a good chunk of the hit. But I hit my elbow pretty bad,^ *** "Arad!" Ae shouted, rushing in, but Jack just stared from the side. "You aren''t going to help?" Lydia asked while poking him. Jack looked back at her, "You''re the healer around here, aren''t you?" "He''s your leader," Jack looked back at Arad, knowing the explosion was fake. "Cheif would be fine with such an explosion. I saw him tank worse." He said, remembering when Arad tanked the smander queen''s breath. Lydia grabbed Jack by the shoulder and dragged him toward Arad, "I will go with you, soe on," Jack didn''t move a muscle, letting her drag him from the shoulder as if he was a solid statue. Amber and Ae were already with Arad when Lydia arrived, "How is he doing?" "He''s surprisingly fine," Amber gasped, remembering how loud the explosion was."His right elbow is hurt. Can you heal him?" Ae stared at Lydia. "Of course, I can," She smiled, pointing her hand at Arad''s elbow. "Hmmmm. Interesting." She mumbled. "What?" Arad asked, staring at her face. "Your body is scary. I can''t feel a damn thing inside," Lydia said, pulling her hand away. "What are you supposed to feel? It''s magic, cast and done, right?" Arad stared at her. "Usually, when I heal people. I can feel their bones and muscles. But I can''t feel a thing inside you." Lydia scratched her head, "I know your wound healed, but not exactly how." Chapter 53 1-Tier Fire Training III Arad stared at Lydia, "That sounds strange. Is it because of my draconic bloodline?" After standing, "Yeah, seeing the power of your magic, I would say that''s the case." Amber looked at Arad, "Just like [Bonfire], your mana density is muffling her senses." Ae grabbed Arad''s hand and helped him stand, "Should we stop the training? You are getting hurt." Arad stared at her for a moment, patting her head, "I''m fine. You know I can take more." "Come on,dy. The man fought werewolves." One of the adventurers shouted. Jack looked back at them with an exhausted face, "Aren''t they too excited?" Lydia stared at him. "For all they know, Arad is an S-rank only held by the ranking system. Once his power bes known, they can rely on him to clear deadly threats." Jack nodded, "I remember seeing the injured adventurers on expeditions. It would have helped to have a powerful ster." He smiled, "I bet they would be thrilled if he could do a massive explosion to mow down the hoards of minions." "Exactly," Lydia turned around, "Let''s go," Ae patted Arad''s back, "Be careful," Amber looked at them, "Ok. Look at me," She lifted a finger in front of Arad, "Release the magic from the base and ignite it with your nail, Do it slowly at first and then increase the firepower." Arad lifted his finger, creating a stream of fire simr to [methrower] "Not like that. The inscription is MP-O2-Ingis," Amber said with a straight face. Arad stared at her tilting his head, "What?" "MP-O2-Ingis. The basic fire ignition, don''t you know that?" She stared at him, confused more than he was. "I don''t know it. I never studied magic. Start from the beginning." Arad replied to her. "Stop joking. You can''t use all that fire magic without knowing MP-O2-Ingis." She scratched her head, "Don''t tell me all of this was innate?" "It is. I''m a red draconic bloodline. Of course, I can manipte mes. Even the mages who came to the city said I''m an early generation," Arad replied with a passive face. "Your draconic ancestor could be as close as a grandfather. No wonder your fire mastery is high." Amber sighed, "Now that makes more sense," She sat down. "Are you Okay?" Arad asked, looking at her face. "I''m fine," Amber smiled, standing up. "Let me teach you MP-O2-Ignis." She smiled. After an hour of exining the magic, this was what Arad understood. M: It is mana. The power to fuel magic. P: Pressure. The density of mana. O: Is the burning medium? Oxygen. 2: How many units are needed? You can either absorb it from the air or create it with magic. Ignis: This is a spell to create an ignition spark. *** Arad wasn''t even listening when she exined since he could cast magic innately, "So, like this?" He said, lifting his finger and generating a Fire w. Amber nodded with a smile, "That''s it." She opened her palm and created five ws. "Now try more." Arad created the ws as easily as he breathed, "What about their damage?" "I told you before, the same MP consumption and damage," Amber replied, sitting on the fence. Arad smiled, "So, what is the next spell?" "Let''s go with [Overheat] because it''s simple." Amber smiled, pping her hands together, "This spell slowly increases the temperature of something from your choice," Arad looked at her, "Is such a spell useful? What could it do?" "Most adventurers use it to keep warm in the snow, heat food, or tents. Constant nights of cold can be lethal." Amber jumped down from the fence and opened her palm. "You can even heat the air in a limited area to make the inside of a tentfortable." ^I''m a dragon, so I don''t need that. But I''m sure Ae would find it useful...No we could hug each other in the cold, that''s a good idea.^ Arad smiled, nodding to himself. Jack looked at him, "What are you thinking of, Chief." Hearing Jack''s voice, Arad snapped back to reality. ^I would need to keep Jack warm as well.^ With a sigh, he opened his palm, heating the air around it. When Amber looked closely, she saw the air shimmering on top of his palm, "The spell worked," She smiled, "You learn fast," Arad smiled, "No, you''re an amazing teacher," He replied. ^Mom, I need your advice. Am I doing the right thing?^ He looked up with a sad face. Slowly, he started to feel lonely. Mom, who was with him since he hatched, is nowhere to be seen. "Are you Okay?" Amber asked while patting his head. *** "Yeah. I remembered something. What''s the next spell?" Arad asked while smiling, slight mes seeping from his hands. Amber could feel that something was off about him, "We can stop for now if you want. The most important thing when learning magic is to do it at your own pace." She smiled, swinging her staff around. Arad shook his head, "No, I still have work to do so let''s finish the spells." Amber nodded, "Well then, the next spell is [me diversion]" She cracked her neck while stretching her arms and legs, giving the adventurers behind an unintended show of some fine bread. "What are you doing?" Ae asked, staring at her with a disappointed face. "[me diversion] require moving. I need to warm up first." Amber replied. Jack looked at her, "That is expected. She is old, after all." KA-DON! A firebolt flew toward his face at high speed, barely missing him. Jack stared to the side at his smoking hair. "What did you say?" "That''s you are old?" Jack replied as naturally as he breathed. KA-DON! KA-DON! Two firebolts flew toward Jack at a blinding speed. Lydia leaped forward. CLACK! ZAN! With a swift move, she pulled her shield, deflecting the first one while cutting the second with her sword. "Hoi! That''s dangerous," Lydia growled, staring at Amber. "Then tell you, man, to not call people old," Amber red at her with me bursting from her hair. "It''s a fact. Your face looks older than lettuce." Lydia''s eyes started shing golden as she approached Amber. The two were about to fight. "STOP!" Ae pulled Lydia away while Arad took Amber. "Don''t fight," He growled. Amber sighed, and her mes faded. "Forget it. Let''s get this training over with." She walked away from Arad and looked at him. "Shoot me with a firebolt." "Okay," Arad lifted his palm, firing a single shot. KA-DON! Amber swung her staff to the side, hitting the firebolt and deflecting it like a ball. "This spell calms the mes for a moment, allowing you to deflect them." She then pointed her staff at Arad, "methrower," Without hesitation, Arad pointed at her [methrower] As the mes roared, Amber spun her staff ahead of her body, deflecting the mes as if they were nothing. "It consumes as much magic as the spell cast. Feel free to use it as you wish." Arad smiled, looking at his hands, "Fire something at me." Amber pointed her palm at him, "Get ready. Here it ising." With her words, a firebolts flew at his face. CLAP! Arad swung his palm, pping it away. Chapter 54 2-Tier Fire Training Amber opened her palm, looking at Cain with a smile, "2-tier spells, their power is above the first level for many reasons." SWOSH! A long sword appeared in her hand, shing with a bright red light. [me de] "Like fire w, this spell creates a de, but it''s longer." The sword left a crimson trail as she swung it. "You can carry it as a sword or use it as you want." This time she swung her staff, making the de emerge from the tip. "You can even lend it to other people, like your fighter who lost his sword." She then threw the sword to Arad, and he caught it. "Is this all?" Arad asked, staring at the de and throwing it back to Amber. "Still not impressed?" She tilted her head, swinging the sword at the shield from earlier. ZIN! The de cut right through like a hot knife through butter. "Another thing," Amber clenched her fist, breaking the sword. "It can do this," ZAN! The de emerged from her back and then disappeared to appear from her stomach, then her head and knee. "It can be called from any part of my body." Arad lifted his arm, closing his eyes as he focused on the spell. ^All I need is to concentrate on the me and then release it.^ After about a minute of focusing, the de emerged from his forearm. ZAN! "Amazing, now swing his arm slowly." Amber stared at him, smiling. "Don''t make any sudden movements that could break your concentration." KA-DON! Arad clenched a fist, engulfed in mes. The de screamed as he swung, giving each fighter around a chill. "A burning fist and the de follow it immediately." Arad grinned as he could now punch and cut at the same time. Not to mention that he doesn''t need a new sword. "Is this all?" He looked toward Amber with a smile. "Yeah, there weren''t any more spells in that book. I could teach some of mine if you want." She looked at him with a passive face. "No need. I will get more spells first. I also have other things to do. I spent enough time training for the day." Arad took a step forward, leaving the training ground. "That was amazing, Chief. Are you sure you didn''t learn magic before?" Arad shook his head, "No, this is my first time ying with it." Lydia stared at him, remembering the day he shattered her sword in his palm. "You''re stronger than even C-rankers. It''s both amazing and strange." Arad looked at her, "There is nothing strange about power. If you have it, then use it." The slight flicker in his eyes gave her a creepy feeling. This man was dangerous. "Arad, what should we check first?" "I like to check the butcher and get the rest of our money. We can visit Mira''s shop and get some supplies before heading out." Arad replied to her, taking the lead and walking forward. *** The butcher smiled upon seeing Arad, "Young man, how are ya?" Waving his bloodied hand. "How much was the rest?" Arad asked while Jack stood beside him. Ae stayed at the door as she didn''t like meat and the foul smell of tens of gouged monster stomachs. "Stright to business, like a knife to a sheep''s throat." The butcher smiled, pointing at the desk with smile, "Seventeen gold coins, seventy-seven silver, and five copper," Arad lifted the paper and looked at him with Jack. "That''s a lot of money, Chief." "It isn''t much when youpare it with weapons prices," Arad said, with a worried face, remembering the price Alcott and Ginger paid for the dagger. ^They didn''t even use it in the fight. Why is that?^ "What are you talking about, Chief? We only need decent weapons. Those can''t price anywhere close to a gold coin. Are you talking about legendary weapons or exotic effects? They are pretty much useless." Jack replied with a puzzled face. "What, legendary weapons are strong, right?" Arad stared at him. "They aren''t strong. But are optimized for one purpose. A demon-ying sword would be useless against humans or even devils. It only kills demons." "So, you get them when you have a job for them?" Arad couldn''t understand the purpose of such a thing. "Alcott is a dragon yer. He can buy a legendary dragon-ying greatsword and use it every day. But what are we going to do with it?" Jack gave Arad an example. "I get it. To us, it''s a useless chunk of steel, while Aclott alone can put it to good use." Arad replied. "Yeah. Those weapons are made and intended for high-level adventurers who already specialized in one job." Jack took the paper and gave it to Arad. Lydia approached them, "I heard the axe Nina keeps hanging behind her desk is a dangerous legendary weapon." "I expected as much, but do we know what it does?" Arad asked. Jack stared at him, puzzled, "You don''t know? Everyone fears and respects Nina because of that axe." "When wielded by a barbarian, it keeps resurrecting them after death, but they go berserk. It has other limitations, but we only know that Nina alone can use it." Lydia said with a scared face. The butcher stared at them, "I remember that day like yesterday. It was grim." "What did happen?" Arad asked. "A dumb noble to fancy to Nina, so he sent a marriage request. Our girl refused, and he got angry, sending his army of around a thousand soldiers to pick her up." The butcher looked at the blood on the table, lifting his cleaver. "In the barbarian culture, you have to prove your strength first. Nina is quite open-minded, so she knows that the soldiers are a part of the noble''s strength." The butcher smiled, "She epted his offer under the barbarian traditions, even sending him a letter that she would be shing with his army." "It didn''t go well, right?" "The noble epted with a thrilled face. All the army needs to do is bring Nina by force, and Nina will ept his marriage offer." The butcher smacked his cleaver on the table. "Nina massacred his army, killing three-thirds while the rest fled in terror." The butcher looked at Arad, "Be wary. Nina might seem loving and gentle as a receptionist. But the only one capable of slowing her down is Alcott." Arad made a mental note never to make Nina angry. "Let''s go back," Lydia said with a smile, "All S-ranks are monsterspared to us. It shouldn''t be strange if Alcott is capable of the same." They all headed toward the guild hall, meeting Nina at her desk, "Here you go, the report from the butcher." Arad said with a smile. "I will add it to your ount, or do you want to take some?" "Put fifteen gold coins in the ount and give me the rest," Arad replied while thinking. "Can I ask you something?" Jack grabbed him, "Don''t ask her. She might not like it." Arad looked at him, "I have something else in mind." Nina looked at them, puzzled, "Houses, how much do they go for?" Arad asked. Nina looked at him with an empty face for a moment, "Excuse me for a moment," She went back to the office and picked up some documents. "The price varies a lot. The cheapest one has two rooms and goes for eighty gold coins. And the other end is a small fort for five hundred tinum coins." Jack looked at Arad, "Of course, you would want a nest." He grinned while stealing looks at Ae. Arad stared back at Jack for a moment and then looked toward Nina, "What do you consider decent a good offer?" Nina looked troubled, "I''m not that versed in this, but I think this one looks nice. A small mansion with a garden for around forty tinum coins." Arad sighed, "I was used to copper, so when I got a couple of gold coins, I thought I could get a house(Lair)." He looked down with a sad face, "We need more money," His head jolted up, his draconic brain tingling, "Yeah, it won''t do without wealth." For some reason, everyone in the guild felt a strange aura emerging from Arad. BANG! Nina smacked Arad''s head with a paper roll, "Look at me," She stared into his eyes. "Red bloodline sorcerers can get pretty annoying when they start acting like dragons, Don''t be another one." She smiled. Arad shook his head, "Sorry," Ae stared at Arad, "Come on, Arad, will do it slowly." She patted his back. "Cheif, you''re worse than me when ites to gold. I like that!" Jack wrapped his arm around Arad''s neck, smiling. "Let''s get rich together." Lydia stared at them and then at Nina, "A strange bunch, aren''t they?" Nina giggled, "Of course, but they are good souls." She took a paper from underneath her desk, "Alcott usually takes this when he needs some extra gold. You can use it." When Ae looked at the paper, It was a list of medicinal herbs, rare games, and their location. Chapter 55 The Progenitor’s Location As Arad and his party were about to get out of the guild, they saw Alcott enter with a skinny, wiggling hag. "Arad! Come here for a moment," Alcott waved his arm, and the entire guild stared at him with a puzzled faces. "Who is that?" Arad asked, inspecting the woman from afar. "A divination wizard, she can help you find your target," Alcott replied with a smile, "Don''t worry, we can trust her." Arad looked back, "Nina. Can you get us a private room?" "Of course, just a moment," Nina replied, rushing back. Only Alcott, Arad, and the hag entered the room. "How do we do this?" Arad asked, looking at the hag. "Nothing difficult. Just give me your hand." The hag extended her shriveled, shaking hand to Arad with a smile from her toothless mouth. Arad took the hag''s hand, and she closed her eyes, looking directly into the future. ZON! Suddenly, she felt like, falling into a deep hole. A massive pressure crushed her body as she rolled on sold ice. CRACK! Opening her eyes, she stood before a massive ck mass covered with shimmering light. Upon closer inspection, it was a dragon with skin akin to the night sky. The titanic dragon grasped a wolf in his right hand and a giant bad in his right hand. Slowly opening his eyes, the creature red down at the hag. The hag felt her legs freeze from the fear. "Damn it!" With a growl, she bit her tongue(Doing zero damage) and rushed forward to the wolf. ROAR! The dragon roared, opening its jaw and biting down. CRACK! The dragon got her right hand, chewing it off. Out of nowhere in the real world, the hag''s right arm exploded in a ssh of blood, scarring Alcott. "Damn it, hag! I told you to be careful!" He quickly took a powerful healing potion and pushed it down her throat. The hag rushed toward the wolf, leaping at it. Crunch! The dragon bit her left leg as she touched the wolf. The entire world shed again in her eye, hearing the dragon''s angry roars behind her. The hag''s consciousness shifted over and over. Once, the hag was a mindless monster roaming a dungeon, a man working the farm, and an adventurer wandering the wild. The sequences kept shifting till she saw him, a jacked werewolf, holding a church''s bell with his right hand, howling under the moonlight. "Found him!" as the hags smiled, a massive crack emerged in the sky, and the dragon from earlier flew in, roaring with shing purple eyes. "Ah! Shit!" The hag immediately waved her hand, escaping back to reality. BAM! When Arad opened his eyes, he saw Alcott chugging potions down the hag''s mouth as she bled from her lost right arm and left leg. "What happened?" He gasped. The hag pushed Alcott''s hand away, staring at Arad, "Don''t worry, kid. This is to be expected, or to say I knew it was a possibility." "What?" "Alcott here told me to be careful inside you," she smiled, "Said I''m entering the dragon''s den. But I didn''t expect to find a real one inside." She giggled, chugging another potion. "That thing was holding the curses. I can''t believe it managed to spot me. I should invisibled to your mind." The hag looked toward Arad. "I told her about your draconic nature. She knows about Ginger and me as well." Alcott said, exining that she was the one who divined him before. "That has to be Mom. She must have seen you as an intruder and wanted to eliminate you." Arad replied. "Your mother?" Alcott gasped. "Is she a diviner? Because otherwise, it should be impossible to spot or hurt me like this." The hag exined. "I don''t think she is. That was just her will. The one inside me isn''t my true mother, but a part of her consciousness." Arad looked at the hag, "I bet you won''t have survived if it was the real thing." "I would have died if she wasn''t holding two curses." The hag sighed, "The church of Oakedge. I saw your target howling on the bell tower." "We''re going there on a quest." "Then you''re out of luck. You should probably get ready for a difficult battle." The hag''s limbs started to grow back. "I would have usually stopped at seeing the farmer beside the vige, but since I went all that way, I kept going for you." "Oakedge vige got it. Do you know how strong the progenitor is?" Arad asked. "I can''t tell, but he looked as Jacked as Alcott in his prime." She sat leaning back on the couch, "Be careful, little one." she smiled, falling asleep. Alcott stared at her for a moment, "Rest well, Chibaba." He then turned toward Arad, "I will follow you after I finish a few things here. Don''t engage the beast before my arrival." "Can''t you go with us? Or should we wait for you?" Arad stared at him. "No, you must go." Alcott shook his head, "It would be worse if the two of us stayed here." Alcott said with a smile, feeling a sharp tingle under his teeth. "Is there a way to kill him? An easy one." Arad looked at Alcott with a smile. "There are two ways to have an advantage against a werewolf. The first is silver weapons, preferably ones forged under the moonlight." Alcott exined, "But your fire magic should be just as effective." Arad nodded, "And the second one?" "Sex, werewolves are lusty monsters. But they lose about a quarter of their strength after the deed, so you can try and get that." Alcott exined. "That''s unexpected, to say the least." Arad scratched his head. "True lycanthrope pass their genes to their children. That is why after the act, they lose some power." "So they gave that quarter is sent with their seeds." Arad started thinking, "I heard there is distract specializing in that. Can I hire someone?" Alcott shook his head, "No, werewolves mating is violent. No woman will subject herself to that willingly. Unless she really likes the man and the same for him. No werewolf would resist the urge to chew a woman''s head if he didn''t really love her." "That''s a lot of talking about living with a monster." "That''s why werewolves are always associated with romance in folklore. The love between a progenitor and his mate is nothing but unbreakable." Alcott said with a serious face. "Is there anything else I should know?" Arad asked. "He should have sharp senses all the time and regenerate at night. You better arm your party with silver, and especially silver bombs." Alcott took a small ball from his hand and threw it to Arad. "It''s filled with silver dust and explodes three seconds after being lit. Use it on the beast when he is injured if you fought him before my arrival." Alcott smiled, throwing a small bag at Arad. Inside the bag, Arad found a bunch of the bombs. "Thanks for your help," Arad looked toward Alcott. "Don''t mention it." *** Arad left the room, regrouping with his party as they headed toward Mira''s shop. "What did she say?" Jack looked at Arad. Arad looked back at him, shifting his nce at Lydia, "The progenitor is in Oakedge. We might sh there." All of them froze in one ce. Lydia''s face paled, "The beast is there? Should we call the mission off?" "She is right. It''s too dangerous to go just like this." Ae stared at Arad, "We have to n first." "They are right," Jack added. Arad shook his head, "Alcott will follow us after he got some things done." He stared at them, "The mission will not stop, even if I had to go alone." Arad didn''t care as much about lifting the curse as he wanted to bring Mom back. "What are you talking about, Chief? Of course, I''m going with you. We need to get a few things ready first." Jack patted his back. "Like what?" "Say goodbye to my sister," He smiled, "Can we meet her immediately? She is close." Jack pointed toward an alleyway. "Of course," They followed Jack for a few moments until they heard a man scream, "AGRAAAA!" Looking into the darkness, Arad recognized him, "Isn''t he that weird elf we saw before," He looked at Ae. "Yeah, the elf who exined the feet to his party." She replied. Jack looked at them, "Do you know them?" "No, just saw them from afar." "Sister!" Arad shouted, and two red-yellow shes in the darkness. Thud! Thud! From the shadows, a red-skinned, horned woman with a long tail walked out, pushing the eld down, stepping on him like a carpet. Behind the woman, a human and a barbarian emerged, helping the elf stand. "Jack, who did you bring this time?" She looked back at the elf, spitting by his side, "This one you sent kept lusting over my legs," "Come on, sister. He''s the only one. Is their job any good?" Jack smiled, and his sister scratched her head. "Enough for me to put with this pervert. I quite fancy Gug over there." she pointed toward the muscr Gug behind them. "I came to inform you that I''m going on a dangerous quest. We''re hunting a werewolf." Jack scratched his head. Chapter 56 Ultra-Heavy Bow Gojo approached Arad, smiling. "Are you the leader of the new party? You haven''t decided on a name yet." He extended his hand to Arad, wanting a shake. As Ae stared at them about to shake, she saw Arad''s hair iling even though the wind was stale. But before the two could touch hands, Jack''s sister shouted, "You what?" Everyone looked at her, puzzled. "Calm down, sister. It will be fine." Jack smiled, trying to calm her, "Be it a werewolf or a stray dog, I won''t fall easily." "I''m talking about this bitch behind you," She growled, pointing at Lydia. "Why do I smell her on you?" "We''ve been together since morning. We''re going on a quest, remember?" Jack replied with a wry smile. Lydia stared at her, "What did you just call me?" Jack''s sister red at Lydia, suddenly pulling her dagger and stopping it at her neck, "IF anything happens to Jack. I will crucify your church on the main za for everyone to see. Keep that in mind." She pushed Lydia away, growling. "Sister, aren''t you going a bit too far?" "I''m willing to trust your ability, Jack. But if this woman caused you any more harm, I will send her to meet her god." She walked toward Gojo, "Get your shit together. We have an investigation to do first." She growled. "You get yourself together. We won''t get anywhere with you getting angry out of nowhere." Gojo said to her with a smile, patting her shoulder. She looked at him, sighting, "Sorry, let''s go." Gug helped Vars up, "Get up, pervert elf." She lifted him by the shoulder. Arad and his party watched them leave into darkness, "Your sister is interesting." Jack smiled, "Below all that anger andck of manners, she has a heart of gold." They started walking toward Mira''s shop when Ae looked at Arad. "Say, that Gojo is interesting, don''t you think?" "What? No, he looked like a normal adventurer." Arad replied. "When you two were about to shake, your hair was about to start going crazy." She said, tilting her head. "It was probably the wind," Arad replied, pointing toward Mira''s shop. Ae smiled, quickly forgetting what had happened and focusing on the shop. Her new bow was waiting there. "Mira, do you have any bows for me?" Ae said right from the moment she touched the door. CLANG! CLANG! Mira sat on her bench, hammering down steel. She looked back at them, "Ho, you came quickly." "What are you doing with steel?" Arad asked. He expected to find her working the wood to make bows. "My vision. I think steel is the next generation of bows. Look at those." She pointed toward a pile of crossbows. Arad walked toward the pile and lifted some of it. Ae and Jack went to scout the bows. On the other hand, Lydia found arge barrel to sit on and tend to her sword. Arad inspected the crossbows, "This firing thing is of steel, but it''s much shorter." He said, knocking on it. "We call the limb, bow, and some even called the arms." Mira replied, "Steel can store a lot of power but require enough strength to bend." "Then making a steel bow is useless. No one will be able to pull it." Arad replied. "That''s right to us regr people, but it''s a different story for monsters like Alcott. He should be able to pull a steel bow." She smiled, pulling tworge bows from under her desk. "This is a 70 kg war bow, and for the elf back there, it''s a 150 pound. It''s a decent choice for both soldiers and adventurers." Mira smiled, "But for the more extreme people, I have this baby." In her other hand, she carried a wooden bow reinforced with steel tes, "This steel act like crossbow wings. It''s 270 kg, and to her, a whopping 600 pounds." Mira smiled, pulling a third bow with an evil giggle. "This is my favorite, a full steel bow. It''s made for the insane crazy people who want to try it." She threw the bow to Arad. "680 kg draw weight, a 1500 pound. Matching the heaviest of crossbows out there in the wield. This thing can tear your fingers off." Mira stared at Arad. "How much strength do you have?" "Why do you ask?" "The first bow requires 12 strength, the second 16, and thest one, 19 strength. Unless you''re a trained archer, that can lower the requirements." "How could training make a weapon require less strength?" "Sorry, I didn''t know you were that uninformed for an adventurer. Mother must have been wrong about your skill." Mira stared at him with a sad face. "Strength is the average capability of your body. That strength of all muscles rounded to a midpoint." Mira approached her anvil, "I can''t lift this one as I have a strength of nine, but I can bend this metal rod since I''m used to doing it." "I still don''t get it." "I have special muscles trained. That won''t affect the average of my strength that much." Mira pointed toward Ae, "Come here, test these." Ae heard her and came hopping, "What are those?" "As you can see. They are bows I made. Give them a try with Arad." Mira smiled. Arad lifted the regr war bow and pulled its string, "It''s heavy, but I can pull it off." He took a deep breath, giving it to Ae. Ae looked at the bow for a moment, pulling the string to her chin, "It''s a decent bow, but do you have something heavier?" She said with a smile, looking at the bow on her back. "It isn''t much of an upgrade, you see." "Try the second one." Mira throws the bow to Arad. The moment Arad started pulling the string, his face turned red as he strained his neck and shoulder muscles, finally pulling all the way back. "Damn. This one is hard. Ae, you might hurt yourself, don''t try it." Arad panted, looking down and catching his breath. Ae lifted the bow and easily pulled it back, "This one is amazing. I can feel it in my back." Arad stared at her, shocked, "How, you have lower strength than me." "I can''t carry heavy things or wear full te armor, but I can pull a bow. I have trained specially for this one." Ae was an archer, having an overall low strength, but only her archery muscles are fully developed. "I still can''t wrap my head around this." Arad sighed, sitting on a barrel. "Chief, let me exin it easier for you." Jack approached him with a smile, "As a humanoid, we have hundreds of muscles. The strength you have is average for them." Jack smiled, "Let''s say we have a hundred muscles, all at ten strength. That would give us an average strength of ten." Arad looked at him, "And if ten muscles had 20 strength, let''s call them archery muscles." "That would result in an average of 11 strength." Jack looked at Ae, "She might look soft, but I bet she would pull that steel abomination of a bow." Ae picked thest bow, took a deep breath, and pulled it all the way. "Ho! You pulled it!" Mira started pping with an excited face. Ae looked at the bow with a thrilled face, "This thing is a beauty. How much is it?" Mira waved her hand, "It''s free, free. Just advertise for me bit between high adventurers." She smiled, "I only want you to tell them you bought the thing from me." Ae switched her bow immediately, "This one served me well. You can take it." She handed her old bow to Mira. "Don''t worry. I will repair it and hang it on the wall." Mira smiled, taking the bow behind her bench. Seeing all this, Jack pulled a short bow and showed it to Mira, "Can I have this one for free as well?" "No, She got it for free for being my first customer of the new bows." Mira pulled a chair and sat on it flipped. (The back facing the front.) "I did intend to start dabbling in magic weapon creation. Specifically short bows and one-handed crossbows. I might give you a free one then." Mira smiled. "Good!" Jack celebrated, "Got me a deal," Arad smiled, "Then off we go. Thanks for everything, Mira." He turned around, but she rushed to grab his shoulder, "Wait," "Is there anything you need?" Arad asked, looking at her face with a puzzled face. "Mother said I need to make something for you, so I got you this," she handed him a long leather thing from her desk. "What is this?" "A mage''s chest belt, You can hang your spell book at your side, several potions, and even carry your staff on your back." She helped Arad wear the belt, "I also reinforced the inside of the belt with some steel tes," Arad smiled, "Thank you, How much is this?" "Is everything in your head about money? Mother will hang me if I got payment for this, go!" She spun Arad around, smacking his back. Chapter 57 Ambushing The Dragon [R-DOOM] After leaving Mira''s shop Arad and his party passed by the market to get supplies and food. They even returned to the cksmith to buy a few silver weapons, which cost them a lot. Lastly, they stopped by the stables to rent a carriage to Oakedge. "How long will it take to get there?" Arad looked at the driver as he saw him pack lots of rations. The man looked back at him, "Two days, I will have to get back, so it''s four for me." He smiled, "The vige there has a food shortage after the winter, so I don''t think resupplying there will be an option." Arad looked toward Jack, "Isn''t this a problem?" "No, I packed enough for a week. And even if we needed food, we could always hunt and forage." Jack replied and then stared at Arad with a smile, "Do you even eat that much?" Arad looked into his stomach. He still had a lot of smander corpses inside. He might evenst a month with all that food. "I don''t want you to starve." "Me? You''re thinking of Ae, aren''t you?" Jack smiled, "You can''t have her lose weight, do you?" SMACK! Lydia approached Jack from the back, smacking his head. "Get back to work," Ae approached Arad, "Most of our rations are salted meat and dry bread. I would be foraging as we move." She smiled, "We elves won''t starve as long as we have ess to a forest." "Is that so?" Ae approached Arad, whispering in his ear, "This is a secret most elves don''t talk about, but we can eat grass like sheep. As long as there is greenery, we can survive." "Eating grass?" "You also eat lettuce and spinach. It''s the same for us." She replied, hopping into the carriage after loading everything. After a few hours of quiet traveling, the two horses drawing the carriage started to get nervous. *** "Look at how beautiful he is," From the crypt forest of ug, the green dragon watched Arad through scrying magic, smiling in amusement. With its tail wiggling, the dragon lifted his head and growled, "Do it, show the kid the harsh reality of the wilds." "But mistress ug, he''s still young. What if he died?" An old, humanoid lizard gasped, bowing before the dragon. "You kobolds agreed to serve me in exchange for protection. I don''t remember giving you the right to suggest anything that isn''t rted to your well-being." ug red at him. "Your people aren''t going to be harmed by this. So do it." The kobold bowed, "As you order." He stood, waving his wand and causing the crystal orb ug used to watch to glow. "Attack him, winged one." The old kobold growled as ug smiled. *** SWOOSH! Arad started to feel something was off. The hair on his head stood as a shiver ran down his spine. "Something ising," Ae stood, staring at the carriage''s ceiling. Arad lept out toward the driver seat and stared at the sky, lifting his staff. The driver panicked, spotting a small ck dot in the blue sky, "Is that a bird?" He gasped. "It''s too big to be a bird. Drive into the trees, now!" Arad shouted, the tip of his staff shing red, [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] Ae jumped above the carriage as Arad''s spells flew toward the beast, pointing her bow at the sky and shouting, "A griffon, it''s after the horses!" BAM! She released an arrow from the steel bow. The ferocious avian carnivore with the muscr body of a lion and the head, forelegs, and wings of an eagle dived down, pulling its wing''s together to elerate as well minimize the exposed area of his body. Arad''s spells missed while Ae''s arrow bounced right off the monster''s rock-hard beak. "It''s a trained one," Ae pulled another arrow. Lydia leaped forward, swinging her sword, cutting the horses loose and smacking their back with her scrappage. "Run into the forest!" Feeling the hit, the horses freaked out, running away. BAM! The griffonnded between the carriage and the horses, exploding a cloud of dust like a storm. Ae immediately fired an arrow aiming at his eye. The griffon wiggled his neck, dodging like it was nothing. "Stop!" Lydia grabbed Ae''s hand, "Don''t move. He should go after the horses." Ae pushed Lydia''s hand away, "Didn''t you hear me? This thing is a trained griffon. Look at its legs." Ae fired another arrow. Upon looking closer, the griffon had the marks of shackles on his front legs. The griffon was staring at something else besides the horses. It was Arad. SCREECH! The beast sounded like a horrid mix between an eagle screech and the roar of a lion. The driver cried, leaping into the carriage and running from the back. The griffon charged toward Arad, and Lydia leaped between them with her shield, blocking the beak strike. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAA! Lydia swung her de at the griffon''s head while pushing it with her shield, "Don''t mess with my workers!" Thud! The griffon red at her approaching him with golden eyes. GWA! The beast tilted his head as if confused and suddenly swung his right w, smacking her toward the trees. "Told you to be careful!" Ae screamed, firing two arrows at the griffon. Only now, she realized that using a heavier bow dropped her firing speed. CLING! Jack, who was supposed to be in the carriage, appeared behind the griffon from the bushes, pulling a steel string with a smile. The wire tied the griffon''s four legs together. Jack wanted to trip the beast. The griffon pulled his leg, straining the wire and pulling Jack like a doll. "JACK!" Lydia shouted, rushing to catch him before he hit the trees. "That was risky. What if the griffon attacked you" Lydia red at him. Jack didn''t have heavy armor or any skills to defend himself. "Hehe," Jack giggled, "All worry, but no balls." He smiled. "What?" Lydia stared at him. The griffon''s vision blurred as he stumbled for a moment. It was then that Lydia noticed the white goo on the wires, "Cognitive unbnced material. It''s a toxin." Jack replied, "Kill him now!" Ae and Arad charged at the monster. She fired two arrows at his face while Arad swung a fire de at him to end it all. Just before the hits could get him. The griffon pped his wings, causing a massive dust storm. BAM! The griffon leaped forward, bitting Arad by the head and grabbing his shoulders with his ws. Arad felt his neck crack. ^I will transform. There is no other choice.^ But before he could do it, his body felt weak, and his vision ckened. FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! The griffon flew away with Arad, quickly escaping Ae''s range. "Give him back!" Ae shouted. ^Why isn''t Arad transforming?^ She thought. She then red at Lydia and the driver. ^Arad would have transformed.^ "Damn it!" Ae growled, running after the griffon and climbing a tree. "Ae, where are you going?" Lydia shouted at her. Ae turned her head with her eyes glowing green, "Hunt that thing," Lydia took a deep breath. They need to calm down. "The griffon is heading in Oakedge''s direction. We should follow our n." "Two days is enough for Arad to die," Ae growled. "Don''t worry. Chief has more strength to spare than us." Jack replied, ring at her. Ae scratched her head. Arad is a dragon, so she needs to calm down. "Driver! Get back to your seat!" Ae shouted, leaping from the tree to retrieve the horses. "No way, I''m going back." The driver gasped. He didn''t want anything to do with such a monster. SWOSH! An arrow zed across his face, taking a chunk of his ear, "Didn''t you hear me, human?" Ae red at him. Her blood started boiling. It wasn''t just the contract between them. She started wanting to stay by Arad''s side. Lydia had to intervene, "Listen," She said, looking at the driver, "We might have just lost a party member. Either take us to Oakedge or leave us the carriage and retrieve it from the churchter." She smiled, healing his ear. "Fine. If that long ear was as nice as you." The driver growled. Jack approached him, "Give the girl a break. She just lost her husband." The driver looked in Ae''s direction, where she was grabbing the horses. "I see. I wish my wife would be that passionate about me." He said, with a sad face, "I bet she will celebrate my death. But that doesn''t matter. I will drive you there." The driver stood with a smile, "Let''s go," Lydia stared at Jack, "Ae and Arad are married?" "Kind of," Jack scratched his chin. "Illegal rtionship?" "You aren''t one to talk." Jack stared at her, "You almost got me stuck, remember." "That was your fault." Lydia punched him in the shoulder as they got into the carriage. *** ugughed, rolling around like a sheep. "A griffon took down a wyrmling." "Lady ug! Bad news!" The kobold rushed at her with thetest news. "What?" "The griffon got killed." "What?" ug gasped, ring at him. "The wyrmling did it?" "No, it was a bearded man with a hairy chest." Chapter 58 Oakedge Entrance. GAH! Arad gasped, waking up with a sweaty face. Looking around, he was asleep on a bed in a wooden lodge. "You''re awake?" The sweet voice of a woman reached his ear. She stood beside the firece, heating a nket. Arad sat, looking at her long golden hair and pure white skin. "Who are you?" "That''s my question to ask, my husband, found you in a griffon''s nest." She said with her eyes glowing green. "Your husband?" Arad looked around, seeing no one. "My name is Arad Orion, an adventurer." The woman stared at him, worried, "You were hunting griffons alone?" "No, the thing attacked us while we were traveling. Snatched me after getting poisoned by one of my friends." The woman smiled, "Griffons have weak short-term poison resistance, but they recover quickly. It might have taken you for a snack." CREEEEE! The door slowly opened, and a beefy man walked in, bending his head and moving sideways to fit through. His bear reached his jacked chest, and his hairy arms were bigger than Arad''s head. "Honey, he seems to have awakened." The woman said with a happy face. The man stared at Arad, "Kid, what got you in a griffon''s nest?" "I exined to her. The beast snatched me from the road." After re-exining what happened to the man, Arad stood. "I need to leave as soon as possible." The man red at Arad, "Won''t do you any good to rush. Come with me to the backyard." He waved his hand. "My name is Hank bearborn, a lumberjack living in these woods," Hank said with a deep voice, showing Arad what he was cooking in the backyard. "That thing is big," Arad gasped, seeing the cow-sized carcass roasting slowly over mes. Hank smiled, shaking his beard. "Griffon meat is hard but tasty. I bet you will find it pleasant." He rolled a tree trunk beside the fire and asked Arad to sit. "You seem to be enjoying yourselves," The woman approached them with a smile, carrying a tray full of small chunks of meat and vegetables. "She is Boris Orkrun. My beautiful wife." Hank smiled, making a spot for her beside him. Arad looked around, smiling. "How did you take the griffon down?" He asked while looking at Hank. Hankughed, standing up and walking toward a small tree in the back where his axe rested. "I''m a lumberjack, Arad. It only took one chop to end it all." Hank swung the axe at the tree, cutting it in one strike with a loud crack. "I saw him wrestle bears. My man is strong." Boris smiled, "Hank, that tree will be firewood, drag it to the corner." "I know. I''ve been working like this for years." Hank smiled. Arad rested beside the mes, waiting for the griffon to cook and thinking of how to act. "Do you know the way to Oakedge?" Boris looked at him, "The vige? It''s just a walk down at the mountain foot." Hank looked at him, "Do you have any business there?" "I''m an adventurer. I''m here on a quest to investigate the strange incidents." Arad replied, keeping an eye on Hank. "You mean the people disappearing? That was the griffons, kidnapping people who wandered into the forest." Hank said. He pointed toward the mountain, "Go inspect the beast''s nest. It''s full of bones." "Why didn''t you kill it earlier?" Arad looked at him. "I''m not going to debate a moral dilemma." Hank stared at Arad, "Griffons are intelligent and powerful. Even I might get killed." He then stared at his wife, "The beast could fly away ande here to eat my wife. They have the brain to do it." Hank smiled, "I came to live in the woods for a quiet life, not for me to start risking my life with monsters. I could have be an adventurer if I wanted that." "Then why did you save me?" Arad stared at him. Hank looked at his wife, "She said it''s a shame to let a kid lose his life." He smiled, "The griffon had be a pain as well, making his death an inevitable oue." "I see," Arad stared at the me, "The griffon was behind all the disappearances?" He scratched his head, "I still need to investigate the vige, make a detailed report, and regroup with my friends." He looked up, ^There was still the matter of the werewolf^ Hank approached the griffon and used a knife to pluck a chunk of the meat, biting it. "Eat up. It''s ready." As they ate, Arad asked, "By the way, have you heard of a werewolf nearby?" The two stopped eating, staring at him. "Werewolf?" Hank stared at Arad, "Why do you seek such a beast? Hate life?" "I got cursed with Lycanthropy, and I need to kill him before I start transforming," Arad replied. Boris looked at him, "I don''t know much about it. But I heard the church could heal you." "They tried and failed. I need to find the progenitor and finish him off." Arad growled. Hank stared at him, "I heard of a werewolf around here. But that was years in the past. I doubt the beast still roams the ce." Boris looked at Arad, "Fighting a werewolf is dangerous, more than the griffon. Do you have any peaceful n to solve it?" "We think the werewolf might be able to free me from the curse willingly. That could be an option." Arad replied, "But we don''t intend to let a dangerous monster roam the vige. We think he is behind the disappearances, not the griffon." Hank shook his head, "You might be right. But I don''t think killing him is the only option. I say it might even be bad." "Yeah, what will happen to the other afflicted?" Boris stared at Arad, "If you killed him, people who get infected from his spawnter wouldn''t be able to find a cure." Arad didn''t think about that point. Would it end like that? "I have to ask the church about that." "I suggest against that as well. The church people are hard-headed and only want the beasts dead. Those gowns don''t think about themon folk, and I bet you''re just a tool they want to use to kill the beast for cheap." Hank stared at Arad. "I don''t think that''s the case." "It is the case. Otherwise, the church won''t send such a weak kid to investigate the disappearance of tens of people." Arad stopped for a moment, "What should I do," He sighed, "First, I will regroup with my friends and decideter." "Don''t do anything rash. Just remember when the griffon kidnapped you," Boris looked at Arad, "You would end up dead facing the werewolf if he were even here." Later that day, Ae and the rest arrived at Oakedge vige, exhausted. "Let''s ask around," Ae didn''t care, leaping right away, searching for Arad. "I will head back then. Please be careful around here." The driver said, turning his carriage and leaving. Jack waved his hand, "Take care, and be wary of the griffon." He smiled, looking back at Lydia, "Where is Ae?" "She rushed to the tavern." Lydia pointed with her thumb. "She can''t take a break. Let''s follow her." CRACK! Ae pushed the tavern''s door open, ring directly inside, looking for the owner. All the farmers and people drinking there stared back at her, "Long ears? What is she doing here?" "Weren''t we in a war with them?" "Leave her be. She will leave soon enough." Another man sighed. "Hey, girl. Why are you ring so sharply?" A group of young men surrounded her. "You aren''t looking for troubles, are you?" The viges at the back stood, "Those idiots, are they looking for trouble." "Hey, kids. Get back to your seats and leave her alone." The bartender growled at them. "Another fight and I will hang you naked on the vige tree for everyone to see." "She''s is the one looking for troubles, staring at us like that." One of the young men said, ring at Ae. "A young man with ck hair and red eyes. Have you seen him around here? Do you know where the griffon''s nest is?" Ae asked, staring at them. "We have a lot of people with ck hair around here. Like your''s truly here." The young man smiled, "But we never heard of red eyes." Another one smiled, "The griffon nest is at the top of the mountain. You can go there in the morning. For the time being, you can spend the night in my house." "Thank you, I''m going now." Ae turned around to leave. "Hold up, girl. Leaving like that." One of the young me grabbed her by the arm, "You aren''t going anywhere till morning." SWOSH! CLANG! The bartender grabbed a soot-filled old pan and threw it, smacking the young man in the head, "You fucking bastard, do you wish to die?" "What was that for?" One of them cried as his friend fell to the ground. Chapter 59 An Elf On The Hunt Ae looked at the bartender yelling at the young men, "You bastards with no manners. Fuck off to your houses." He ran after them with a broom. "I''m heading out," Ae said, walking toward the door. CLACK! Jack closed the door, looking at her, "It''s almost nightfall. Do you want to go alone to the forest?" He stared at her face, "Arad can survive, you know that." "No, he can''t, and I''m not taking chances." Ae red at him, "Move away." "No chance. Arad will skin me alive if I let you get yourself killed. Have some faith in your leader." Jack stated with a passive face. "We elves have a better night vision than griffons. Our chance is to kill it at night." Ae replied, pushing Jack to the side. "Ae, stop. Do you think a griffon will live alone? Your arrow couldn''t even pierce its wings." Lydia grabbed her hand, "Jack is right. Let''s prepare first. Make a n and hire more people." Ae looked at Lydia''s hand, remembering the elves who died when her magic failed. "I can''t add Arad to them," She mumbled. "What did you say?" Lydia stared at her. "Arad saved me twice, risking his life." Ae looked at her with a smile, "I''m going after him." A faint gust of wing rushed around Ae with her smile, rumbling quietly as the candles flickered. "Damn it," Lydia growled, "Jack, we''re going with her." She stared at him. She then red at the bartender, "If you have ropes, please give us a handful." Jack scratched his head, "We have more chances if we are together. I can understand that." He sighed. "Are you going to hunt the griffon in the middle of the night?" The bartender red at them. "Kind of," Lydia replied, "I won''t let this idiot kill herself. Will set a trap, bait them away from the nest first." "How do you intend on doing that?" Lydia stared around, "Griffons love horses, will bait them with horse blood and one of our mounts. We will buy time for her to grab Arad." One of the farmers stared at them, "Use my field, it''s close to the mountain, and I didn''t nt this year." He stood, "There is a small cave to the east corner, hidden behind the bushes. You can use that to hide." The bartender handed them the rope, "You will lose the horse." "The choice between a teammate and a horse is obvious," Lydia replied, "It''s our only way to avoid multiple deaths," Lydia replied as they walked outside. Under the sunset, Jack stared at the mountain. "Will head for the field and set the bait. But the griffons might not scout till the morning. We have to bait them in first." "Leave that to me," Ae replied, "I will use wind magic to carry the scent to their nest, and when they catch and fly away, I will pull Arad right away." "Then all we need to do is make sure the griffons don''t catch up on the n and turn us into their next meal. Sweet." Jack smiled, looking at the two horses. "One of youds is going out tonight, but it''s for a great purpose." "Should we set to protect the horse?" Lydia said, looking around for a cksmith. "How?" Ae stared at her, "The griffons have great sight. They will fly back to me." "We won''t fake it. The horse will stay as the bait, but we will protect it as anyone would." Lydia smiled, "Will attempt a kill if it was only one." "Let''s get to work. Lydia and I will prepare. You got ready to save Arad." Jack said, and Ae nodded. *** Thud! Thud! Thud! Ae rushed across the forest, leaping from one tree to another. She kept focused on the mountaintop and looked for anyrge nest. "Arad, please be safe." She growled, holding her bow tightly. CRACK! She heard something. The sound of branches trampled. Thud! Ae stopped, staring down from the thick leaves. "Bandits?" Several men in rusted armor sat around a firece, roasting a few rabbits as they drank. "This vige is shit, and no travelers, no merchants. The fuck do they live?" "We need to move. Otherwise, we will eat rabbits for the rest of our lives." Another man growled. THUD! The moment the man stretched, an arrow stuck between his eyes. "We''re being attacked!" The other men screamed, hiding behind their shields. "The arrow came from that direction, be careful." Hustle! Hustles! As the leaves danced, an arrow came from the other directing, sting a hole in the back of one of the Bandits even though he wore a helmet. "Shit! Did you hear that? That wasn''t the sound of a bowstring. It sounded like a fucking crossbow." One of them growled, turning around and shooting an arrow at the leaves. For a moment, spotting two green eyes ring at them. BAM! BAM! BAM! An arrow shed, striking the bandit''s one and hitting him in the throat. "It deflects his arrow, be careful. We aren''t facing a normal AGRAA!" Before he could finish, Ae''s second arrow took his eyes, and the third killed another man. "Hide! They are picking us like rabbits!" The bandits curled together, forming a small shield fortress to protect themselves. Thud! Thud! Thud! One of the bandits looked up upon hearing the footsteps on the wood, only to see Ae leaving between the trees with the crescent moon behind her. She aimed her bow down, mid-air. "An Elf!" The bandit yelled as an arrow pierced his shoulder. Thud! Ae fell on him, pushing the arrow deeper into his chest with her foot. The bandits screamed, seeing hernd in the middle of their shield fortress, "Kill the bitch!" As the bandit dropped his shield, swinging an axe at her. Ae grabbed her steel bow with both hands, smacking him in the face. She then pulled her dagger, stabbing him in the throat and chest before turning toward the other bandits. Two pulled their swords, but Ae opened her palm and lifted it, remembering the elves dying, slowly losing focus on her magic. Just moments before the magic could fail, she the griffon taking Arad. "Levitate!" She growled [Levitation] Ae''s spell activated, causing a gust of wind to lift the two adventurers a few feet. "What?" The two growled, but Ae put an end to their life with two dagger stabs. When another bandit attempted to grab her from the back, Ae slipped away and pulled her bowstring. BAM! She forced him to eat an arrow. "You long ears!" A bandit swung his sword at her. CLANG! Ae attempted to block with her dagger, but he was strong enough to disarm her. Ae used her two other hits to blind and break his windpipe. All of those ruffians aren''t as fast as her. ^I might not be strong like Alcott to finish them in one hit. But they aren''t strong enough to hold me.^ She killed another two in the blink of an eye. "Why are you attacking us, you bitch?" The bandit leader growled, ring at her from under his full-te helmet. "Griffons don''t wander too far from their nest. Why was it a whole day trip away? Are you the ones who trained it to hunt caravans and travelers?" Ae said, staring at him with a cold eye. "We don''t know anything about that monster!" The bandit leader growled, rushing at her with a sword swing. Swosh! Ae dodged his attacks, "I don''t care. You will never tell the truth anyway." CLANG! With a single swift move, Ae smacked him in the head with her bow, rattling his skull. When the man stumbled back, trying to regain his bnce, Ae jumped above his shoulders. Before he knew it, she slipped her bowstring under his helmet. "Shit!" He growled, seeing his end. Ae twisted her bow, wrapping the string around his neck. She then pulled the bow, divorcing his head and torso. "This what makes our archers better than you humans. We can fight in melee with our bows." Ae said, ring at the leader''s twitching corpse. After finishing all the bandits, she inspected their temporary camp for arrows and money, and she even found a map detailing the griffon''s patrol routes. "As I thought, even if they didn''t train the griffon, they must know how to avoid them living in this area." She grabbed the map and gave it a quick read under the firelight. "Two griffons, a male and a female expecting the youngs in the summer. They even heard their scream this morning. Something must have happened." She drew a route evading all of the griffon''s patrols. "With this, I can sneak in and pull Arad out without risking the beasts finding us." She smiled, rushing away toward the nest. As Jack and Lydia were getting the trap ready, they heard someone call them. "Jack, Lydia, What are you doing?" When they turned, it was Arad walking out of the forest. Chapter 60 The Hunter Becomes The Hunted. Arad stood there, staring at Jack and Lydia, "What are you doing?" Jack looked at him nkly for a moment, "Ae went to bait the griffon. So ites here, and so she can save you." Arad lifted one hand, "Hank only killed one. Its mate shoulde at night, he said." With that realization, "Ae is about to face a pissed-off griffon. I need to get to her." Arad turned around without thinking. "Hold up. Will go with you." Lydia grabbed him. Arad looked back. He can''t let Lydia see him transform. "You two stay here, do whatever you were doing earlier." He then stared at Jack, "You know what I mean, I count on." Jack smiled, "Got it, Chief. Shout if you need us to charge in." He grabbed Lydia, "Let him go." "You were against sending Ae alone a moment ago, and now you turn around." Lydia stared at him. "My take never changed. Cheif can be alone, and we cannot." He pointed back at the trap, "We follow the n and kill the griffon here." "I''m counting on you," Arad rushed back into the forest, running as fast as he could. "Are you sure?" Lydia stared at Jack. "Even if he could escape, he must be exhausted." "I can''t deny that I''m worried, but it is Arad we''re talking about, and I have a gut feeling that he will survive." Jack smiled, walking back toward the horse and patting it. "You might live to see tomorrow," THUD! THUD! Arad ran across the trees, pushing pushes left and right. VAM! His body started blinking as he used [Void walk] to teleport forward, gritting his teeth as his legs reached their limit. ^I can''t run faster,^ After just a few seconds, it clicked in his mind, ^I''m not running the right way^ His body vibrated, morphing into his draconic form. ^This feels better! This is my nature!^ With each step, his body waved like a feline across the woods. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! One paw forward and one to the back, his ws dug deep into the ground, giving him support as the muscles of his wins pulled on his front legs. Arad''s wings clung close to his back as he still couldn''t fly, but his tail extended, shaking from left to right as he waved between the trees. ^It isn''t enough. Faster, faster!^ It didn''t take Arad long to reach his speed limit. He couldn''t make sense of the pain slowly building in his chest. His teeth start aching, and his shoulders tingle. "There is a route paved across the forest, which led up the mountain. But that thing takes a long time." Arad growled, "Gotta climb the cliff. Those ws of mine should hold." Arad took the impossible route, a straight cliff with very little to hang on. Just a nk board at the side of the mountain where he is an easy target for aerial predators. CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! Arad''s ws sunk into the stone like hooks on wood, giving him a steady grip to pull his body up. ^It isn''t as easy as running, but I can do it!^ Arad growled, using [Shadow walk] to leap from one big stone to another, aiming directly at where Hank said the griffon nest was. *** Back at the trap, Lydia and Jack stared at the sky, awaiting the beast''s appearance. "Do you think it was the griffon picking up people around here?" Jack asked, hiding beside Lydia. "You''re talking about my quest?" she stared at him. "Probably not. Griffons usually don''t attack humans for food unless they have a horse." "Ah, shit. I really don''t want to fight a werewolf around here," Jack sighed. "You''re leader wants to get him for a cure, right?" Lydia replied, looking at Jack with a smile. "That doesn''t make him any easier to fight. Too much sense to sneak around." As a rogue, Jack hated anything that could spot him while sneaking. Especially fast and agile creatures like werewolves, where he won''t have much time to react. "Look at you shaking. Can''t you just set a trap?" Lydia stared at him with a teasing smile. "They can spot it most of the time. My sister hunted one before, and she almost died." Jack said, "She said the werewolf would pretend he was oblivious until she got close for a sneak attack to counter her," "But they won, and she survived." Lydia stared at him. "No, they failed. And sister lost a chunk from her left chest and left a nasty scar on her back." Jack sighed, "From her words, that thing was a nightmare to deal with." "Then didn''t you chief wrestle two of them?" Lydia added after getting taken aback by Jack''s story. "Those are rabiesed werewolves." Jack looked at her, "They are rotten in the jar up here," He knocked on his head. "A sane one who can think and use tactics is far more dangerous?" Lydia stared at him, "Like the difference between a swordmaster and an idiot who just swing like an ape." "Exactly." Jack replied, smiling, "I hope we can make a deal with him first." CRACK! As they sat, they heard the faint sound of something shattering in the distance, and Jack looked at the ground. "If I hear one fucking howl." AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! "Damn it," Jack growled, turning around toward the vige. The beast stood at the top of the church''s bell tower, ring down at the vige as the moon lit the sky. CLING! Lydia pulled her de, but Jack grabbed her hand, "Sheath it. If we two died now, Arad and Ae would have even less chance against this thing." He red at her. "We can''t let him harm innocent people," Lydia red back at Jack. "One death today, and we can end him tomorrow," He red into her eyes, "Attack him, and we will have three deaths today and even more tomorrow." Lydia ground her teeth, "He''s right there." She growled. "Sadly, we don''t have enough power to face him," He turned toward the city, "You stay here at the trap. I will sneak around and see what he''s up to." Lydia grabbed him by the shoulder, "You just warned me, idiot." "We can''t leave the trap, and having you with that heavy armor will attract more attention." Jack looked at her, "And it will give people hope that we came to save them. We can''t have that and then let them die." He rushed toward the city as Lydia watched. "Damn it. I should have brought more people." *** CRACK! Ae managed to reach the mountaintop, staring directly toward the griffon''s nest that rested on a massive stone surrounded by trees. ^I''m here, and it''s there,^ Ae sighed, seeing the griffon''s feathers on the nest. ^Is it sleeping? No, I smell blood.^ She started to get worried. Without waiting a moment, she opened her pouch, reaching for the blood bottle. [Gust] From Ae''s palm, a gust of magical wind blew, pushing the blood scent toward the nest. ^This should pull its attention.^ Ae tucked the bottle back in her pouch and looked at the nest, waiting for the beast to move. But even after a minute, it didn''t budge. ^Should I get closer?^ Ae looked around, sneaking behind the trees. Touching the long grass could make a noise that alerts the griffon. She needs to be careful with each step. As Ae circted around the nest, she noticed the griffon missing a leg. It was then that she got alerted, boldly approaching it. ^It''s dead, gouged,^ Ae gasped, seeing the beast''s guts spilled on the shattered eggs. ^It''s hard to tell, but those wounds belong to an axe.^ Ae inspected the nest, unable to find Arad even in the beast''s torn stomach. "Those wounds belong to a strange axe, A wood chopping one from the shape of the bones." As Ae looked at the griffon''s corpse, she heard the grass crackle behind her. Thud! Ae immediately turned around, pointing her bow with three arrows loaded. A griffon double the size of the corpse in the nest prowled behind her like a lion stalking his prey, keeping his eyes fixed on her with its wings tucked down. GRGRGRGRGRGRGRG! The beast growled, a deep crackle escaping its golden beak. Ae pulled her bowstring, taking a deep breath. ^A male? Was this his mate?^ She took a step back, and the griffon took one far wide than her. ^I need to get some distance. I would die before I knew it at this range.^ Ae gulped. THUD! The griffon''s front talon pushed into the ground as he was about to lung forward with all his might. BAM! BAM! BAM! Ae released the three arrows, aiming at the eyes. The griffon didn''t leap and pulled his right wing over his face to protect it. CLAN! CLANG! CLANG! The arrows bounced right back. As the griffon looked ahead, Ae already leaped back several meters while aiming at him. GRGRGRGRGRG! The beast growled, ring at the nest and then at Ae. THWACK! In an instant, snapping his muscles in a single jump, the griffon charged at Ae, closing the distance and swinging his right w at her. SCREECH! With a screech of absolute rage and disgust, the griffon was out for blood. Chapter 61 Hunting The Griffon [R-DOOM] ^This griffon!^ Ae growled inside, rolling to the side to dodge the w strike. ^It isn''t even a griffin to trip.^ She pointed her bow at him, ^I need to blind it.^ BAM! BAM! BAM! Ae fired three arrows aiming straight at the griffon''s face, only to have him dodge it by quickly shifting his head. Screech! The beast growled, leaping from side to side, getting ready to attack. ^I can''t get enough distance. This monster keeps chasing me.^ Ae stood in her ce, "Then it''s all or nothing," THUD! She charged toward him. The griffon got taken aback, shifting his head in confusion for a moment before swinging his w at her. CRUNCH! Ae rolled underneath the griffon''s massive body as his w plowed the ground, pointing her bow at his dangling testicles. BAM! BAM! BAM! SCREECH! The griffon growled in pain, leaping away and almost rolling on his back. BAM! BAM! BAM! Three arrows shed toward his face, and he dodged them at thest moment. KYI?! The beast looked around, unable to find Ae. CRACK! The griffon immediately spotted her sneaking between the tree. Even though he didn''t have night vision, his eyes were still sharp like eagles. He didn''t waste a moment and rushed at her, enraged more than before. "Shit!" Ae rolled away as the griffon bit a whole tree in half, "That got him angrier," With quick steps, she slid into the tall grass and crawled away from the trees as the griffon regained his bnce. ^Good, he''s on the other side. I need to find a ce to hide.^ She looked around for a hole. SCREECH! Ae heard the griffon behind her back. She turned to aim her bow, only to see his wide-open beak rushing at her head. THUD! Stomping the ground, Hank grabbed the griffon by the tail, pulling him away from her with a battle cry. "Long ears, leave this one to me!" He shouted, lifting his axe and chopping a part of the griffon''s tail. The griffon cried, turning back to stare at Hank. "Were the two girls your mates? No, I guess one was your daughter, her flesh was softer than I expected." Hank lifted his axe, showing it to the griffon, "Can you smell it? Their blood stuck between the axe head and the shaft." The griffon''s eyes turned red from the blood pouring into them. SCREECH! He roared, charging at Hank with an open beak. Hank dodged to the side, swinging his axe at the griffon''s neck. CLANG! The griffon swung his wing up and protected his neck, pushing Hank away simultaneously. "Who are you?" Ae shouted, pointing her bow at the griffon and releasing three arrows. BAM! BAM! BAM! "Name is Hank. I came here since I knew the male would return by night. What the hell are you doing here alone." Hank stood between her and the griffon, taking his shirt and revealing hisrge scar-filled, hairy back. "Can''t have him hunt in ournd," "I came here to save a friend of mine. ck hair and red eyes, did you see him?" Ae asked, firing another three arrows above Hank''s shoulder. The griffon started rushing at them. "Talking about Arad? I sent him to the vige when I was heading here." He said, running toward the griffon and ducking underneath the w attack. Hank then hugged the beast''s front right arm and threw him to the ground. CRACK! As the griffon stared, confused, Hank stepped on his chest and swung his axe down. SCREETCH! The griffon didn''t wait, wing at Hank with his hind legs and sending him rolling with massive scratches on his shoulder. Hank looked at his shoulder and smiled, "Your ws are dull, aren''t they? I''ve seen sharper ones." The griffon stared at him and changed his target, leaping at Ae as fast as he could. SCREECH! "LONG EARS!" Hank shouted. Ae didn''t expect that. She wasn''t looking for any signs of movement. Her reaction time had started failing her. It was toote to dodge. CRACK! One of the trees behind her cracked with a ck haze rushing through. VAM! VAM! Fazing through space with [Void walk], Arad charged, swinging a void w at the griffon''s head. CLAP! Using the same concept of firefist but with the void, Arad smacked the griffon''s head to the ground and left with a nasty scar and a cracked beak. The griffon rolled and leaped to the sky in one move, attempting to run away. BAM! Arad leaped into the sky, barely reaching five meters by pping his wings. [Void walk] He teleported up, biting the griffon''s throat mid-air. As the two fell, The griffon wed at Arad with his front legs, piercing his side with the long ws. As Arad felt the ws pulling down on his pelvis, he smiled inside, ^I have something far better for you.^ He unleashed a void breath directly into the griffon''s windpipe, turning the beast''s insides out. Ae rushed forward to catch Arad, but she smacked into Hank''s side, who did the same thing, catching Arad instead of her. "HAY!" Ae growled, staring at Hank. "Girl, do you know a healer?" Hank said, looking at the unconscious Arad in his arms. "The griffon pulled his pelvis down, and he''s bleeding inside," The internal bleeding must be severe for him to fall unconscious this fast. Ae reached into her pocket, "I have a healing potion for now," She gave it to Hank, who poured the entire thing down Arad''s throat. "This would buy us some time. Let''s get the kid to the vige." Hank put Arad on his shoulder and got ready to climb down the mountain, "I will carry him," Ae nodded, Hank seemed more powerful than her, and he could move faster while carrying Arad. The important thing is getting him to safety. "My party has a pdin. They should be waiting at therge field down there." Ae pointed. "Let''s go," As the two rushed, Ae stared at Hank. "Well, about..." "I don''t care if he is a dragon. I''ve seen stranger things." Hank replied, "I saved this kid from the griffon''s nest this morning." "Can I ask you to keep it a secret?" She looked at him with a wry smile. "Yeah, I won''t tell anyone. But on one condition," Hank stared at Ae, "Leave this vige by tomorrow," "We still have work here," Ae stared back at him, "We will leave when that is over." "Killing the werewolf? He told me this afternoon." Hank replied, "Get out of the vige. I will deal with the beast." "We won''t leave until we confirm him cured, at least." Ae red at him, "And we have a quest from the church to investigate the disappearances." Hank stared at her, "The griffon picked them up." "That''s hard to believe," Ae replied immediately. "You think it''s the werewolf?" Hank red at her, his hands tightening at Arad. "We won''t leave until we make sure that monster is dead," Ae replied, "The vige is in danger as long as he lives." Hank red at her, "I see. Can I give you advice from someone who lived longer?" "I''m over two hundred years old," Ae red at him. "Fine, I lived less than you, but we humans mature faster." Hank red at her, "Always me yourself for the mistakes first, and then look at other people." "You suggest we investigate the church instead of the murders?" "It''s strange they didn''t call the authorities and put a quest." After a while, the two exited the forest and rushed toward the field where Lydia awaited them. "The griffon?" "Dead. Heal Arad. He''s badly injured." Ae said as Hank put Arad on the ground. Lydia put her hand on Arad''s chest and started casting her magic. "Who''s he?" Lydia red back at Hank. "A lumberjack named Hank. I helped them fight the griffon." Hank replied with a smile, "Nice to meet you." His grin crept Lydia as if he was hiding something from her. "The werewolf attacked earlier. Jack is sneaking around to investigate." Lydia said, looking at Ae. "I was investigating," Jack replied as he walked toward them. "What happened?" Ae stared at him. "The bastard killed one of the priests and kidnapped one of the sisters alive." Jack growled, "I don''t want to think about what will happen to her." "That can''t be the whole story," Hank said, staring at Jack. "And who are you, Mr bear-man?" Jack stared at him. "Thanks for thepliment," Hank smiled, puffing his shoulders, "My name is Hank. I helped them fight the griffon." Jack smiled and then scratched his head, "A woman from the vige dropped her newborn from the window upon seeing the beast. She said the werewolf caught the kid and put it on the ground before leaving." "I think she is lying. A monster will never save a child," Lydia growled. "You''re right." Ae and Jack agreed with her, But Hank shook his head, "Werewolves are intelligent. Did you try understanding why he is doing that?" Chapter 62 The Glorious Night I "The beast''s motivation?" Lydia red at him. "That monster eats humans. What else do we need to know?" "Lions only hunt humans when they burn their hunting ground." Hank looked at her with a sharp re, "For hundreds of years, we never had a problem with beasts. Until your people came iming to cleanse thend from them." He turned around, walking toward the forest. "You''re ming the church?" Lydia shouted. "It was never a wound until you gouged it." Hank turned to look at her. AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They heard the howling in the forest, "The werewolf?" Jack red at the trees. "No, I need to return to my wife." Hank said, "She''s alone at the lodge." "You don''t fear the beast''s attacks?" Jack asked, staring at him. Ae stared at Jack and then looked at Hank, remembering how he threw the griffon. "He can handle himself." She said, watching him leave. "Let''s hurry to the tavern," Ae said, carrying Arad. Jack looked at Hank''s back as he faded into the woods, "Those are some impressive muscles, Is that what swinging an axe all day does to you?" He stared at Lydia while pointing toward Hank. "I don''t know," Lydia replied as they followed Ae. *** DING! DING! Ae pushed the tavern''s door open and walked in with Arad on her back, "Can we get a room?" She asked, staring at the owner. The bartender rushed to check on them, "Is this your friend? Is he all right?" "He is. We killed the two griffons. Just need a ce to rest." Ae replied, looking at the owner. "I have two empty rooms," The owner said with a smile, "It will be perfect, one for thedies and one for the guys." He looked back at Lydia and Jack. "I want to stay with Arad and keep an eye on him," Ae said, looking back at Lydia. Lydia smiled, "Of course. Jack and I will take a room. You stay with him." "Are you sure?" The owner stared at them. "Of course, no problems there." Lydia approached the counter, paid him for the night, and ordered food. Ae headed directly toward the room without dinner, "I will eatter. For now, I should get Arad to rest." CREEE! Opening the old door made it whine, "This onecks oil," Ae sighed, carrying Arad to the bed and slowly inspecting his body. "I need to take his armor and wash him," she mumbled while seeing the blood stuck on his side. After bringing a bow of warm water and a towel from the owner, she slowly took Arad''s armor off and started whipping his body. Slowly realizing how much he had bled in the griffon''s attack. The ws gouged him from beneath his ribcage and down to his hips. The wound closed when he morphed back, but they were dangerous. Ae stared at Arad''s clean body with a smile, "Done." She then quickly took her armor off, whipping her own body clean. She didn''t get injured, but the blood from the griffon got her. AWOOOOOOOOOOO! They could still hear the wolves howl in the forest, "We should get to sleep, right Arad?" Ae said with a smile, curling in the bed beside him. "Can we have one normal night like this tomorrow?" Hugging his arm. *** CREEE! Jack pushed the door open, ring at the hinges with a dead eye. "You''re loud. When was thest time you got oiled?" "Speaking to doors? Are you still sane up here?" Lydia pushed him inside, staring at him. "I was saying it. It''s been a while since I saw a decent inn room." Jack sighed, "If he isn''t oiling the doors, I wonder if he bothers to clean the rooms." "The room looks decent enough for adventurers. Have you never spent a night in the forest?" Lydia asked, staring at him. "I slept for months in the rain on the street. I wish to have nice rooms from time to time." Jack sat on the bed, slowly utching his leather armor. "And I thought I had it rough on missions." Lydia sighed, taking her heavy te armor. Jack yawned, stretching his arms and staring at the bed, "You take the bed. I''m used to the ground." When Jack looked at her, she was stripping down. "What are you doing?" He sighed. "I told you, didn''t I?" Lydia stared at him, puzzled, as she pulled her top off. "I sleep naked. Unless I''m on an expedition and need to keep my armor on." She added. "I''m here." Jack red at her, "I know it''s my responsibility to have some control. But at this rate, you''re digging your own grave." He stood, walking toward the corner to prepare a spot for himself. Thud! Lydia grabbed his hand, "I can''t let you sleep on the ground. We both sleep in the bed." Jack stopped, ring at her for a moment. She already had her torso fully exposed. Thud! He grabbed her by the chest, "And now? Can you let me alone?" Lydia stared at him, grabbing her chest, "Come on," She pulled him toward the bed, "Sleep in the bed, idiot." Jack couldn''t resist her pull. She was a pdin and had more strength than him. Lydia dropped Jack on the bed and then took her pants off, "You''re a hard-headed one for a rogue." She then curled in the bed beside him. "On many levels now, yes." Jack stared at her, "You''re the weirdest women I''ve seen in my life." He sighed. "Come on, Jack," Lydia turned around, hugging him from the side, "I know you won''t do anything. Youck motivation." She giggled but suddenly felt his hand creeping between her legs. "What are you doing?" She stared at him. "Giving you what you deserve," Jack replied, tickling her from the outside. "We can''t sleep like this," Hearing her, Jack knew he was in for a long night. "What kind of weirdo did I get stuck with now?" He sighed, standing up and pushing the nket to the side. Lydia looked at him from the bed, "It''s cold, you know?" She said with a smile. "Don''t worry. It won''t stay like this for long." Jack said, taking his clothes off, "You sleep naked as well?" "No, I''m just going to y your game." Jack smiled, ring at her with a grin, pulling his pants down. Lydia stared at him for a second, "That''s," She lifted one finger about to speak and then started thinking, "It shouldn''t be limp, should it?" "Let me be straight with you," Jack red at her, "Seeing you strip like this is just weird. And if you are trying to seduce me, you''re just doing the opposite." He approached her, "I get on with the woman I want," "Are you trying to make a point?" Lydia stared at him with a smile. "No, I already made it," Jack said, getting in the bed by her side. "I was never wrong about the people of your church. You all have a screw loose." *** Back in Alina, Alcott got his things ready and was about to leave the guild for Oakedge after Arad. "Alcott, do you have a moment?" Nina called him. "Hush! Be quiet, it''s night, and you don''t want Ginger to get the wrong idea." Alcott stared at her with a smile. Nina giggled, "That''s funny, but she is behind you." Alcott turned so fast his neck almost cracked, "She isn''t here," He said, seeing the empty guild. "There is someone I want you to take with you to Arad. Say it''s the guild''s rmendation." Nina said with a smile. "Someone? A forced party member?" He stared at her. "It''s risky as a party of three," Nina replied, "Ae is a ranged fighter, Jack is the stealthy rogue, and Arad is the support ster mage. They need a melee warrior to take the front." "I''ve seen them with a pdin," Alcott replied. "She isn''t a part of their group. Lydia is a part of the church''s divine force, and she isn''t even an adventurer." Nina looked behind her, and a girl walked ahead, "Merida of whitehold? Is she the one you''re talking about?" Alcott looked at her, surprised. "She seemed ''Interested'' in Arad after he retrieved something important for her family." Alcott seemed to think about it for a moment, "Is it about what Jeremy did with Alina?" Merida immediately pulled her sword, swinging it at Alcott''s neck. CLANG! He caught her de with his bare hand. "Don''t get so excited. I''m not going to tell anyone." Alcott gave her a wry smile. Alina was the woman currently ruling the city of Alina, hence the name. Jeremy, Merida''s niece, was her secret lover. She cheated on her husband with him countless times. Two of the lord''s five children are probably his, and no one knows. "How did you know?" Merida growled, looking around to see if anyone was listening. If this information slipped out, the kingdom would throw Alina''s family in Jack, execute Jeremies close rtive, and drop the city into chaos for years. "The birds told me." Alcott looked to the side, remembering Alina herself telling him. Nina approached Merida, whispering in her ears, "After Alcott''s first wife left and before he married Ginger, he had a rtion with Alina for a month." "What?" Chapter 63 The Glorious Night II Alcott and Merida rode the carriage, heading toward Oakedge in the middle of the night. "What are we expecting to fight?" She asked with a passive face, staring at the stars. "Werewolves, I also expect some humans." Alcott replied, "And now that I thought about it, there was a griffon problem around here four years ago." "Griffon? You mean griffin?" "No, griffons are four-legged while griffins are two-legged." Alcott looked at her, "Griffons are far more dangerous than griffins." Alcott smiled, "I leave those idiots to you." "What are you talking about," PEW! From the dark, an arrow flew toward Merida''s head. CLANG! With a swift swing, she deflected it. "Bandits?" "We are asking for it when traveling at night." Alcott smiled, "Deal with them on your own. I want to see what you can do." Thud! Merida leaped from the carriage, holding her long de to the side. "A falchion longer than your body. Doesn''t it flop around?" Alcott asked, staring at her sword. "I spent three tinum coins to get a rigid one." Merida replied, "Reach is important." Thud! She jumped, pulling her sword back and staring at the darkness where the bandits wereing out. TING! The moment her foot touched the ground again, her body sprung forward, swinging the long sword like a sh. CLING! One of the bandits leaped back to avoid the hit, but it was useless when her de was almost three times longer than regr. The bandit and two others fell headless. "My skill with the sword is like any other swordsman. I''m not that special." Merida said, looking at Alcott, "My weapon is the core of what makes me strong." "I see. A light, long weapon allows you to increase your reach. And since the de is like that, the speed of the tip will be several times the speed of your hand swing, making it a pain to dodge." Alcott smiled, "But, can you fight without a weapon?" "Like any fighter, I don''t think I will do better than others in that department," Merida replied. After a few minutes, Merida had eradicated all the bandits, and Alcott pped, "I saw you having trouble fighting between the trees. You better get a shorter weapon as a backup." CRACK! Alcott leaped from the carriage, "Arad is someone I like, and the guild is looking forward to his future. Can I teach you a small lesson to help you?" "A lesson? Like what?" Merida stared at him with a puzzled face. "Try killing me, and don''t hold back." Merida smiled, "Simple enough." She pulled her sword back, blitzing toward him with a sh at the neck. CRACK! Alcott took a long step forward, closing the distance between him and her in the blink of an eye. "What?" Merida gasped, trying to pull her sword, but its back edge smacked into Alcott''s back. "This is your weakness. Close range." Alcott said with a smile, swinging a fist at her. Thud! Merida leaped back, just for him to close the distance again. "As long as I keep a close distance, you can''t use your weapon effectively, and you don''t even carry a dagger or a short sword." Alcott stopped, "I have spare weapons in the carriage." "Is this?" "Yeah. That''s the lesson." Alcott walked toward the carriage, "Ae, who is with Arad, could probably kill you if she wanted." Alcott stared at her with a smile, "Werewolves are smart enough to take advantage of this." Merida walked toward the carriage and picked a dagger, a hand crossbow, and a shortsword. "Are you right-handed?" Alcott asked. "Yes." "Then strap the shortsword to your right hip for a quick draw with your left hand." Alcott stared at her. "The dagger goes on your left him for a swift, reverse grip upper swing. But don''t fight with such a grip. It isn''t optimal." "Then what of the crossbow?" She stared at him. Alcott showed her his left hand, "Strap it like this and always keep it loaded." Merida nodded, "How much are those weapons? Adventurers don''t usually give anything for free, especially advice and skills." "All I want you to do is watch Arad''s back. You will be hisrade in arms, and I need you to be able to do your job." Alcott replied with a smile. "Caring about him a bit too much? Are you his father or something?" Merida stared at Alcott, "Manhandling werewolves is a stupid thing. Only you and Nina could be stupid enough to do it." "Any decent fighter or a barbarian should be able to wrestle a few smelly wet dogs," Alcott replied, driving the carriage. "Let''s hope they haven''t shed with the werewolf yet," Merdia said with a smile, "But I wouldn''t be surprised if Arad wrestled the thing." "It''s impossible with the one they are going to face." Alcott replied, "the progenitor is intelligent and cunning. He might not even need to transform to win. He might even be a good person for all we know." "What?" "Yeah. Werewolves who can control their transformation are called the alpha. They keep their personality but gain power on top of it." Alcott replied. "But to reach that stage, they must have killed hundreds if not thousands of people," Merida replied. "And they are forced to kill. The longer a werewolf stays without eating human flesh(If it was a human. Elves seek elf flesh), the more sanity he will lose." Alcott exined, "People usually aim that hunger toward bandits and evil organizations to use their powers for good." "You seem to speak from experience." "I fought my share of them," Alcott replied with a wry smile, unable to tell her he was both a vampire and a werewolf. *** Arad slowly opened his eyes mid-night to see Ae hugging him half-naked. ^What is she doing?^ He thought, rolling to the side without waking her up. A sharp pain coursed from his lower back up to his teeth, making it harder to breathe. "What happened?" Ae woke up, staring at him with sleepy eyes, "Good morning," "It''s still midnight," Arad replied with a smile. "How is your back?" "My lower back is screaming. What happened?" Arad asked, lying on his back to relieve the pain. "The griffon cracked your hip and lower spine. Lydia managed to heal you, but the pain will remain for a few hours." Ae stared at him, "But she said that was just a guess. She had no idea what was beneath your skin," "So she is just assuming I shattered some bones." Arad sighed. "Lydia healed you. I can confirm that." Ae smiled, "Your hips turned blue, and your skin started to get yellow. But right now, you look far better." Arad stared at the ceiling, "I see." He looked at Ae, "What happened to the corpses?" "We left them in the nest. Healing you took priority." She replied. "Good, I need to eat them." Arad replied, smiling, "I need to focus on growing more." "Grow?" "I''m a wyrmling. I need to reach the very young state." Arad replied, hoping he could fly. Ae hugged his side, "You''re a dragon, after all. I wonder how powerful you will be?" "Enough to keep us safe." Arad replied, "But there is something I wanted to ask." He looked at her. "What is it?" "Why are you naked?" Arad asked, and Ae felt his hand squeezing her butt. "Wanted to warm you up. Avoid poking your sensitive hips with any metal armor or the like." She hugged his side, "Want to do something?" "I want, but my hips are hurting enough that I can''t sleep," Arad replied, pulling her closer. "Another time, then?" "Soon," Arad kissed her cheek, patting her back, "But are you sure the contract won''t fire?" "It won''t as long as I ept," Ae replied, sneaking her hand into his hips and causing him to flinch. "It''s painful. Please stop." Arad gasped, feeling a spark up his spine. Ae giggled, curling on his arm. *** Jack and Lydia slept together. That was putting it lightly as Lydia slept on top of Jack, suffocating him. Jack opened his eyes, hardly able to breathe. In the dark, Lydia''s chest sat on his face, blocking his nose and mouth. He opened his mouth, biting her nipple as hard as he could. "AW!" Lydia cried, rolling the side, "What was that?" "You move a lot!" Jack red at her, "Last time you sat on my face, and today you''re trying to suffocate me," "What are you talking about?" Lydia red at him, not knowing what happens when she was asleep. "Your chest rests on my face, suffocating me." Jack replied, "I bit you." "What did you do?" Lydia red at him, curling closer, "Don''t go around biting a women''s chest like that." Jack red at her for a moment, "You''re the one who started this, remember." he replied, rushing forward to suck on her bosom. Jack expected her to push him away, but Lydia did the opposite, hugging him harder. Her hand slowly crept to his jewels, "You''re such a kid." She mumbled. Chapter 64 Truth Of The Beast Arad opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling as he sat up. Ae curled beside him as the rays of sunlight pierced through the window with a cold breeze. "Wake up, it''s morning," Arad poked her face, and she flipped to the side smiling, "Give me a moment," After checking his hip, Arad stood to wear his armor and get ready for a long day. The griffon''s problem has ended, but not the werewolves. Jack opened his eyes to find Lydia''s butt on his face, "Again?" He growled, trying to push her to the side. "Wake up," Lydia growled, looking back to find herself sitting on his face, "Good morning," she looked down, and Jack opened his mouth, biting her as Hard as he could, "Get off my face!" "AW!" Lydia cried, leaping away, "Don''t bite, I''m moving," She rolled to the side of the bed, staring at him with a sad face. "How could it happen twice?" Jack red at her. "I flip a lot in bed," Lydia scratched her face, "I can''t control it," "You know this is on another level of bad when you''re naked?" Jack stood, stretching his arms, "Let''s go. I bet Arad and Ae are awake." He started wearing his armor, and Lydia followed him with a smile. *** Going downstairs, the two met at the tavern, "Arad, are you okay?" Lydia asked, staring at Arad, sitting a bit crooked. "Still got a faint itch, but it''s getting better." Arad replied with a smile, eating his breakfast, "Recovery takes time, right?" "Yeah, depending on the wound," Lydia replied, taking a seat. "You can''t expect the severe injury to disappear immediately with healing magic." "Don''t strain yourself, Chief." Jack sat beside him, smiling, "And be careful, the girl over there almost killed the entire forest." He pointed toward Ae. "I just wanted to make sure he was safe. We couldn''t waste time," Ae cried, "I might have killed a few tens of bandits on the way, but they were bandits." She gasped. "It doesn''t matter," Arad sighed, "Let''s focus on the big problem. Finding the werewolf." He added with a smile. *** After breakfast, the three went outside to inspect the vige. "Jack and Lydia, you two inspect the vige. While Ae and I will check the forest," Arad stated with a smile, pointing toward the church, "You can talk with them, right?" "I can," Lydia replied, "We came here for them after all." Jack stared at her, "Then you check with the church while I inspect the market, talk to the people and try to get something out." Jack smiled, "I hope there are some thieves with honor around here as well. That would make my job easier." Arad nodded with a smile, heading to the forest with Ae behind him, "Are we going back to the nest?" She asked, tilting her head to look at his face. "Yeah," Arad replied, "I need to eat that thing." The two of them started rushing forward, running at a medium speed. "Is your back okay?" "I said earlier. I''m getting better." Arad looked at her, "Don''t worry about it." After a while, Arad and Ae reached the nest, finding the two corpses untouched. "I thought Hank would have taken them," He looked around, scratching his head. "Maybe he didn''t return yet." Ae stared at Arad approaching the corpses. "I will eat those anyway." He then touched the corpses, sucking them into his stomach. "It''s amazing no matter how much I see it." Ae smiled, "Can''t you hide living things inside?" Arad shook his head, "I can''t," He looked at her, "They will suffocate and die. And that if my void didn''t rip them apart beforehand." "How should we start looking for the werewolf?" Ae asked, approaching Arad. "I don''t know." He looked around, "The church is our best bet," "Should we ask Hank about it?" Ae replied, "He seemed to know something about it yesterday." Arad looked at her, "He might have encountered the beast in the past. Let''s knock on his door." *** Arad and Ae headed toward Hank''s lodge in the middle of the forest, "Is this where he lives? It''s in the heart of the beast." "What is that supposed to mean?" Arad stared at her. "I mean, he lives in the middle of a monster-infested area." she looked around, "But monsters are scared to approach, like how animals won''t approach the fire." "A man who can beat a griffon is just another monster for them to avoid," Arad looked at her, "You saw him fight, right?" Ae scratched her head, "Yeah. I bet monsters won''t see him as a human." They approached the door, knocking on it. "Hank!" Arad looked at the wooden frame, "It''s me, Arad." "Wait a moment," A woman''s voice came from the inside. "Who is that?" Ae looked at Arad, "Hank''s wife," He replied. CREEK! The door opened, and the woman stared at them with a smile, "Wee. Hank is waiting inside." Ae smiled, "Sorry foring so early." "It isn''t a problem." Hank''s wife smiled, "Just don''te at night." "Of course, we won''t." The two walked inside, escorted by Hank''s wife, finding him sitting on a wooden chair by the fire. "I presume you have some questions?" Hank said with a smile, staring back at them. "The werewolf, what do you know about him?" Arad asked directly, "I need to find the progenitor before it''s toote." "Sit down, and I will tell you something." Hank pointed toward two chairs. His wife brought them tea and sat beside him. "Have you heard of beast people?" Hank looked at Arad, "Some even call them Lycan." "No," Arad replied. "Are you talking about Cat people, dog people, and rest?" Ae looked at Hank and then at Arad, "They aremon in the elvishnd." "So they are humanoids? Sane, right?" Arad asked to confirm. Hank stared at him, "Yeah, they aren''t mindless beasts like some werewolves or werebears." Ae looked back at Arad with a smile, putting two fingers on her head, "They look like humans but have animal features like bunny ears or long fangs and ws." She exined. "So what does this have to do with the werewolf?" Arad stared at Hank. "It has everything to do with him," Hank looked at the fire. "Beast people inhabited this forest before the humans invaded and killed them," Hank''s wife said with a sad face. "Of course, they didn''tpletely disappear, as some of their descendants still get born from time to time," "I still can''t see how that rtes to the werewolf," Arad stared at Hank, "If they are born, then good for them." Hank red at him, "The church doesn''t think the same way. They see beast people as unholy monsters. Children born with the animalistic feature are killed after birth or have their ears and horns cut off." "What? That was true?" Ae stood, ring at Hank, "You knew beforehand?" "No, when the elves started the war against humans just a few months ago, they stated one of the reasons was beast people''s oppression by the church." Ae stared at him, "We thought it was a lie." "You''re an elf," Hank''s wife stared at her, "You don''t believe your people?" Ae stared at her, "War is full of bullshit. It was more likely they made lies to justify it." "Then it was a lie at the start, but true as well?" Arad stared at Ae, "No, I think the elves lied. They surely didn''t know what was happening here, or they will have used it to push further." Arad stared at Hank, "Then the werewolf is protecting them?" "No," Hank replied, "I believe the beast is just guiding them outside the forest where they can head to the elvish kingdom and join other beast people." Arad scratched his head, "Then if our progenitor is such a good person, how could I meet him? I do have a curse to take off," He smiled. Hank closed his eyes, thinking, "You better investigate the church and expose them to the world. That might get the beast to your side." Arad nodded and looked at Hank with a smile, "Then, onest question." Arad''s eyes shed purple, "How do you know all of this? What is your rtion with the progenitor?" Hank''s wife stared at him, worried, "I helped him once in the past, just like you. He told me the whole story." Hank stared back at Arad, "I don''t care about whether the people I help are humans, beasts, or dragons," Arad sat back on his chair, "Fair enough," He looked down, "Sorry for being so rude." "Don''t worry about it," Hank smiled, "Keep this conversation a secret from the church." Arad nodded, "Of course, I will," He smiled. "Why is that?" Ae asked, staring at them confused. Hank looked at her, "If any priest came here seeking me or my wife''s life. I will make sure to grill him alive, and I''m not joking," Hank clenched his fist on the chair''s armrest, crushing it. BAM! His wife smacked him on the head, "Don''t break the furniture," Chapter 65 Mismatched Information I Arad and Ae left Hank''s lodge after hearing what he had to say. "What do you think?" Arad asked, looking at her. "He''s hiding a lot from us." Ae replied, "We should hear what the others have to say first." "So we go to the church," Arad looked at the sky, "Lydia and Jack should be checking on them," He added. "Yeah," Ae looked back at the lodge, "But he saved your life. We should give him the benefit of the doubt for now," "You''re right." *** Jack walked across the streets, yawning. Each step seemedzier was thest and was slower. His eyes darted from right to left, inspecting the dark crevices like a thief, scared of the guards ambushing him. He looked suspicious. "Hey, young man." A man called Jack. "I''ve never seen you here before. Care to take a look at my wares?" Jack stared at him with a smile, "Sorry, but I''m looking for something specific." He approached the man, "I''m looking to buy a shadow," "A shadow? Can you sell those?" The man looked confused, scratching his head, "Is it magic?" Jack shook his head, "Yeah, I don''t think you will have it," He turned around a smile, walking into the alleyways with a smile. After a while, a door opened, and a woman in herte forties called to him, "Come here," Jack turned toward her with a smile, "Finally, I''ve been walking around for an hour," After entering the house, Jack looked a the woman, "Bussiness is slow around here," He smiled, "In Alina, thieves would have jumped me a while ago." "You''re right and wrong." The woman smiled, "Bussiness isn''t slow. We''recking men in this small vige." She pulled a chair and sat staring at Jack. After sitting face to face with the woman, Jack asked, "What is going on in the city with the werewolf," the woman stared at Jack, surprised, "That''s a big one to start with," she smiled, "Last person who asked got buried in the forest. "Are you a problem?" "You got it wrong. We make troubles go away." Jack stared at her face, "The beast is dangerous at night, so you can''t get many jobs done." He stared at her, "Give me information, and we will do our best to make the beast go away." "Hard to believe," The woman shook her head, "Thest men I sent ended up beaten to the bones," "Beaten?" Jack red at her, "They survived the attack?" "The beast is picky. He prefers the fresh of young maidens." The woman sighed, "My stinky-ass thieves who never bathed in a month are sure to make it puke." Jack scratched his head, "Come on, tell me." he smiled, "Who and how many had the beast killed?" The woman looked back, standing up to bring a ledger, "Fifty-seven one." she flipped through the pages and handed the book to Jack. "This is disturbing but weird at the same time." Jack looked at her, "You have them divided into killed and kidnapped," "Kidnapped means the beast went through the trouble of getting them alive." she pointed at some pages, "Probably for pleasure," "There are men and women on the list," Jack red at her, "And even children. Have you ever thought of the possibility of the beast having a goal?" "I''m not here to think of what a werewolf wants," The woman red at Jack, "All I know is there," Jack closed the ledger, "Putting this aside," He stared into her eyes, "When did the attacks start? What triggered the monster?" The woman scratched her chin, "A while back. The church issued a decree." the woman looked at Jack, "All children born with animalistic features are to head to them and have those parts cut off, if possible." Jack stood up, "Hold the fuck, what?" BANG! The woman smacked him in the head with a pan. "We''re in my house. Watch your tongue." Jack sat back down, rubbing his head. "First of all, people are born like that here?" "Rarely." The woman sighed, "We did have a kid born with a cat tail and ears to two humans parents." She scratched her head, "Saying it caused a problem is an understatement." "So the beast attacked after the decree?" Jack asked. "Yeah. The next day when the church collected the seven kids, he attacked them under the sun. Gouged two priests and tore the rest apart," The woman exined. "And let me guess, took the kids and left?" "No." The woman replied, "That day, the beast only killed the priests. But he kidnapped the kids at night. Alongside two sisters from the church." "So the decree is what set him off," Jack scratched his head, "Did the church pull it back?" "The decree? No, they used the families of the children of summoning the beast. That also was a pain to clear," The woman sighed, standing up, "Can your people get the beast to leave?" Jack nodded with a smile, "We have a beast as well," He stared at the door, "Something more friendly and controlled. Just let us try." He looked the woman in the eye, "Worst scenario, you have to bury four strangers." *** Lydia approached the church, and the priest stood at the door, "We''ve been waiting for you," He said with a smile, staring around, "Where is the rest of your party?" Lydia looked into his eyes, and she was about to speak. ^Jack doesn''t like the church...^ "A griffon attacked us on the way. They are dealing with the clean up." Lydia replied, telling a half lie with a smile. The priest nodded with a smile, "Ho! If you killed a griffon. Then you''re skilled enough to solve our problem." Lydia red at him, "Your report never mentioned a werewolf," She red at him with her eyes shing golden. "It doesn''t matter the nature of the obstacles. What matter is surpassing them." The priest replied. "You should have informed us of the full story," She red at him, "Preparation is important," "God decided everything." The priest said with a grin, "Trust in the fate heid for you," Lydia sighed, "It doesn''t matter now. Tell me everything so I can get rid of the werewolf, if possible." She walked into the church beside him. ^This annoying bastard...Is this why Jack hates them?^ As they walked in, the priest looked back at her, "The beast interrupted a holy cleansing. We have to make the ritual happen." "What kind of cleansing? Why did it tick the beast off?" "Children were born with the beast blood in them. We had to cleanse them before they turn feral. The beast seems to want them to be like him," Lydia scratched her head. ^The werewolf wants to prevent the church from curing his curse.^ She thought about it, and for some reason, something in the back of her head was screaming that it was wrong. "What kind of help can you provide?" Lydia stared at the priest, "We need to get this problem wrapped up as soon as possible," "We can''t offer much with how many casualties we got, but I will be sure you get the bare minimum funds and a ce to stay." He looked at her, smiling. "Of course, you got everyone corporation if you wanted to ask any questions." Lydia nodded, "I will ask the sisters and look around. The beast climbed to the bell. Can I get there?" "The sisters will guide you there," the priest replied with a smile as he headed inside. Lydia stared at him back, frowning, "I hope the rest got anything useful." She then went around, searching for the sisters. "Excuse me, do you have a moment?" Lydia approached one of the sisters. The sister looked at her and bowed gently, "A pdin? Are the one sent to deal with the beast?" Lydia nodded, sitting on one of the church''s chairs, "Care to tell me anything you know?" The sister nodded, "I don''t know how she did it, but that werewolf appeared in the middle of the church and headed directly to our dorm." The sister exined, "I only heard Jesica''s screams and saw the beast rush out with her." For a moment, Lydia thought about what she heard, "You said ''She''?" "Ah, yes." The sister stared at her, "The werewolf didn''t seem to have any private parts, so I suspected it might be a she." The sister looked out, "But I''m no expert on them. So it might be he as well. You better ask someone with more knowledge," Lydia scratched her chin, "You might be right. Just like cats and dogs, it should be clear." She smiled, "This will help us narrow the suspect list by half, thank you." As Lydia was about to leave, the sister grabbed her by the hand, "I have something else to tell you. Can we talk in a private room?" Lydia stared at her, "Of course, what do you have to say?" The two walked to a private room. Chapter 66 Mismatched Information II "What did you want to talk about?" Lydia asked while looking at the sister. The sister closed the door and took a deep breath, "The beast didn''t kidnap anyone," She said. "What are you talking about?" Lydia growled, "Yesterday in the evening, the sister told me to take care of myself," The sister looked toward the door, "She seemed to know the beast wasing for her, and she said goodbye to everyone else." Lydia sat on a chair, scratching her head, "Did anyone else do the same? The beast might be threatening them beforehand." The sister shook her head, "No one that I know off," She looked down, "You have to ask other people," Lydia stood, "I understand. Thanks for the information." She smiled, "And I won''t tell anyone about this, don''t worry." The sister smiled, giving Lydia a gentle blow, "Thanks," she then left, and Lydia decided to head back and look for Jack. "Sir pdin, are you leaving already?" The head priest called her as she approached the church''s door. "Yeah, I want to search the city. I might fight something to track the beast," She red at him. "I wish you the best of luck. My god is with you," The priest replied, walking back inside with a smile. Lydia stared at his back for a moment and then left. After walking a bit, she saw Jack strolling the market, "Jack, did you find anything?" She called him, and he looked at her with a smile. "Found some disturbing shit about your church. Care to listen?" Jack approached her. "Calling the church shit in front of a pdin?" Lydia tilted her head, ring at him with one eye. Jack smiled, touching his neck and chest, "I''m alive and well, and you''re not going after my life." He smiled, "That means you agree with me. Or at least found something as disturbing as me," "I wouldn''t deny that," Lydia scratched her head, "Let''s talk it over a meal," It was almost noon, so the two of them headed back to the inn, "Sir, lunch for two people," Lydia called the bartender. The bartender looked at her, "Four. The other two have just returned," He smiled. "Cheif and Ae are here?" Jack approached the bartender, "Did they say anything?" "Send Jack and Lydia to our room when theye." The bartender restated what Arad told him. *** Jack and Lydia opened the room''s door, seeing Arad and Ae sitting on the bed talking. Jack looked at them with a smile, "Love talk? Should we leave?" "Sit," Arad sighed, "Let''s exchange what we know first." They exined what they learned over lunch, getting more confused with each story. "What should we do?" Jack asked with a puzzled face. "Help the fur coat?" Ae red at him, "We need to get Arad cured first. Everything else is a second priority." "We came here to save the people. We need to find a way to stop this mess first." Lydia said, "Everything should be easier after that." Arad stared at them and looked toward the window, "This isn''t a two-sided problem anymore." He sighed, "We have multiple people fighting among each other." He looked at Lydia. "The beast people, the werewolf, the church, and you. Right?" She scratched her head, " "If we killed the werewolf, you and the church would win, and the beast people would suffer." She looked up. Ae stared at her, "And if we let the werewolf live, Arad and the church would suffer," She looked at Lydia, "We''re killing the werewolf," "Don''t make a hasty decision like that," Lydia said with a severe re. Jack looked at them, scratching his head, "What are you all talking about." He smiled, "We''re giving everyone a happy ending," "Do you have a n?" Arad stared at him. "The church wants the beast people out, and the beast wants to save them." Jack tapped on the ground with his finger as if drawing something. "We take them all out of the city, finishing the werewolf''s goal before killing him. This way, everyone gets what they want." Lydia stared at him, "the church won''t mind as long as the beast disappears. We should be able to make that work." She smiled. Arad stood, "Let''s head down. We have the afternoon to make a n." The four walked downstairs and saw a familiar face. "Arad!" Alcott called him with a smile. "HE!" Lydia''s blood froze, seeing an S-rank sitting there. "Alcott? What is he doing here?" She whispered to Jack. "He''s a friend of Chief or a mentor. Even I don''t know." Jack smiled. "I knew before that Arad knew Alcott." Lydia red at him, "What is that man doing here?" "He''s helping Arad kill the werewolf," Jack replied, "He''s here only for that." "It took you a while," Arad asked, sitting beside Alcott. "Yeah, sorry for beingte." He smiled, gulping his drink down. "By the way, the guild sent you a new party member." He pointed at the girl sitting beside him. "Merida?" Arad knew her before, "I don''t want any new members," Arad replied with a passive face. "Come on," Alcott smiled, looking at Merida, "Who would refuse such a strong fighter?" Arad sighed, approaching Merida and ring at her face. He got so close their noses almost touched, "Do you have anything to say?" Arad growled, ring at her face with glowing eyes. "Move away from me, pervert." Merida pushed Arad with her hand. Arad nodded, "Heard her," He looked at Alcott, "I don''t need her on the team," "Come on. It is your mistake getting so close to the girl." Alcott sighed, "I don''t see her as a girl but as a criminal piece of shit who attacked us and wounded Ae." Arad red at her, a purple sh in his eyes, "Out of respect to your father, I don''t beat the shit out of you in your shop." "What?" Alcott stared at her, "You two had beef?" He scratched his head. "What?" Jack approached Arad, "She''s the one who attacked us?" Ae already pulled her bow, aiming three arrows at Merida''s head. Merida stared at Arad, shocked, "You could tell?" her hand slowly reaching to her sword. "Shit always stinks." His fists burst into mes. Alcott stood to stop them, "Hold up, don''t fight here." He said, looking at the bartender, "Don''t worry, I will stop them." "Arad, Nina chose her for you. Please reconsider. What happened is in the past." Alcott red at Arad. Arad thought about it for a moment. ^My problem is Ae. How could I take care of her.^ "Nina knows I don''t trust people that easily, especially those who tried to kill me. You know why." Arad stared at Alcott. "I know. I will talk about it with Nina when we get back." Alcott sighed, "For now, she''s a part of your party till them," Arad looked around him, "What should we do?" He asked. "I don''t trust her a bit," Ae replied, "She will cause us more danger." "I''m with chief," Jack smiled, pulling his dagger, "Why did she attack us?" "That''s a personal matter," Merida replied, "You took something you don''t own, and I can''t let that stand." "I see," Arad looked at her and then at Alcott, "Send her back. I don''t want to see her anywhere close to us." "We can''t do that," Alcott sighed, "It''s the rules. As an adventurer. You''re stuck with her for now." "As an adventurer, you say?" Arad stared at Alcott. It was then that Alcott realized what Arad was thinking. "Then I''m quitting adventuring." Arad red at him, "I won''t risk Ae''s life with this woman," "Are you crazy?" Alcott stood. "We can register in the elvish kingdom," Ae said, standing beside Arad. "Jack, say something." Alcott stared at him. Jack approached Arad, "I heard the elvish guild pay a lot," He smiled, "Let''s change guilds." "You as well?" Alcott red at him. "Of course, I''m with chief," Jack smiled. "What about the werewolf? You need to kill him, and you need our help." Alcott stood. The guild messed up. Arad is a dragon throwing him away like this was more than a waste. And on top of that, giving his power to the elvish kingdom will have more precautions on the humans. Merida looked around, confused why a new adventurer would Alcott such a hard time. Alcott sat on the chair, "Fine, can we negotiate this? No like adventurers, but in a serious manner." He looked at Arad. Arad sighed. He had no reason to take the subject further, "Fine," Arad sat, looking at Alcott in the face. "I don''t want anyone untrustworthy, especially since she attacked us." Arad stared at Merida. "I know, I can understand that." Alcott stared at Merida, "Do you still want to join his party?" "It isn''t my first choice. The guild is the one asking," Merida replied. "Arad, can you ept Merida temporarily until we get back? I will personally kill her if she walks over the line." Merida stood, "What?" "You''re not going to do anything, so it''s fine," Alcott red at her, "Just sit," Arad looked at Ae and Jack, "I will do what you say," Ae replied. "Shame, the elves have a lot of money." Jack shook his head. "Fine. But I''m having a word with Nina when we get back." Arad sat down. Alcott sighed in relief, "You scared me there for a moment," He smiled, handing Arad a drink. "My priority is Ae''s safety for now," Arad replied, "Protecting your woman, I can understand that." Alcott smiled. Chapter 67 The Distraction BANG! A man kicked the tavern''s door open, falling on his face, crying like a baby. "Run! The bandits are raiding the farms!" He crawled inside. Alcott stood, "Bandits in the middle of the day?" grabbing his sword. Ae froze in ce, "Is this my fault?" She mumbled. Arad and Alcott stared at her simultaneously, "What?" "I might have eradicated a few camps as I searched for you yesterday," She stared at Arad with a pained smile. "Will deal with them immediately. Follow me." Alcott rushed forward, and Arad followed him without hesitation. "I hope they were doing a good job." Jack sighed, "It would be a bummer if they didn''t have any gold." He chased after them with Lydia at his side. "You only think of money?" Lydia red at him, "You know gold isn''t everything." Jack looked at her, "But it''s most things." Everyone rushed outside toward the fields. The bandits have banded there, plundering every house on their way. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Alcott charged forward like a raging horse, leaping over fences with his hand on the hilt of his de. Arad chased directly after him, followed by Ae and Merida. "I understand Alcott being fast, but what about Arad?" Merida growled, unable to reach their speed. Ae looked at her, "He has 14 strengths." "What? How could a sorcerer average like that?" Merida gasped, "That exins how hard his skin is," She stared forward. "I can see them. Get ready!" Ae shouted, leaping above some barrels and climbing into the roof of a barn. CREEE! She pulled her bowstring, aiming at the bandits in the distance while holding her breath. BAM! BAM! BAM! "Is that a steel bow?" Merida stopped, ring at her with a puzzled face. Thud! Thud! Jack and Lydia, who were the slower, passed her. "Hurry, what are you looking at?" Jack smacked her back with a grin, "You need to take the frontlines, right?" SWOSH! Arad and Alcott saw the arrows pass them and kill three bandits who exited a house. "Be careful of the bandits carrying hostages. We don''t want any dead civilians if possible." "Understood," "You''re surprisingly cooperative now," Alcott smiled. "I''m not going to tell an experienced adventurer what to do. It''s your lead," Arad replied, KA-DON! "HE?" The bandits gasped, seeing their friends fall dead to arrows. One of them red into the distance and spotted Ae, "It''s her! The long-ear bitch who killed Jamon, Merlin, and Gadra''s squads!" He shouted, pointing toward her. THUD! An arrow stuck between his eyes. "Shut up," Ae mumbled. All the bandits raged over the murder of therades, charging forward with their swords drawn. Alcott pulled his de and swung forward. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Four shes in the blink of an eye, tearing through their weapons and shields like paper. "You kill and plunder everyone and get angry when someone does the same to you? Stop joking. Unless you surrender, your rights are forfeit by the kingdom." Alcott shout. "Those who want to live, drop your weapons and walk to the back with your hands up where I can see them," "Shut the fuck up!" One of the bandits rushed forward, swinging his half-rusted de at Alcott. CLACK! Alcott caught his sword barehanded, "I don''t want to think of how many innocent people you killed," He red at the bandit in the face. THWACK! He kicked him in the guts with his steel boot, sending his puking blood to the other side of the field. Arad rushed at a group of bandits. "That idiot, is he crazy?" Merida growled, running faster and faster, "Does he want to die?" KA-DON! Arad punched one of the bandits in the face causing an explosion. The mes burned the bandit''s face and blinded his eyes, "My eyes!" The other bandits surrounded Arad, swinging their axes and swords. Arad pulled his hands together, [me cloak]. His body instantlybusted, burning everything that got close to him. The bandits cried, turning to run away from the searing head. THUD! Arad grabbed two of them by the neck, his palms grilling their neck like hot iron. "Why are you running?" Arad smiled, throwing them away after igniting their cloth. He turned to look at the other bandits, smiling. With the me light, his face seemed ck except for his red eyes and evil grin. "Anyone wants a hug?" The bandits looked at each other. A quick death by Alcott''s de seemed far better than getting roasted alive by that demon. "On him!" A bandit shouted, rushing at Alcott. CLING! Merida rushed into, swinging her long de like a whirlwind. Cling! The bandit''s bodies got severed in half, "Give up." She said, staring at them. "RUN!" One of them screamed, turning back to run away. CLANG! Lydia stood, ring at them with golden eyes, "Surrender, and god might forgive you." The bandits turned their heels and rushed in another direction, just for them to trip on a long thin wire. "What is this?" One cried and then spotted Jack looking at them from behind the bushes with a smile. "You don''t stand a chance. Surrendering is your only way to live!" Alcott shouted. "You can run if you want, but we can just hunt you down." Lydia red at them, shaking her head, and an arrow hit one of the bandits in the knee. *** After the fight ended, fifty-six bandits died, and twenty surrendered. "Good job. This should make the forest a bit safer." Alcott said with a smile. But suddenly, his expression changed. "We''ve been yed!" He rushed back to the city as fast as he could. When Alcott and the rest reached the city, they found people gathering in front of the church, "Move aside. What happened?" He red inside. The head priest got mauled to death alongside a man and a woman. The sisters standing around cried and brought nkets to cover the corpses. "The beast attacked just moments ago," One of the sisters approached Alcott, sobbing, "It took two sisters and the city''s cksmith who was praying here." "The bandit attack as a distraction?" Arad growled, ring around. "Someone might have tricked the bandits into attacking the city. Revenge wasn''t their only motive." Alcott growled. The party spent the evening searching the rubble and found nothing. It was like the beast appeared out of nowhere and disappeared into nothingness. "I wish we had a ranger," Alcott sighed, sitting on one of the church''s benches. Arad sat beside him, "Even Jack couldn''t find any track. I expected this to be easy with all the blood." He sighed, "That thing is making fun of us," "Don''t say that. We''ve only been here for a day." Alcott scratched his head, "I should have brought Ginger, but someone needs to stay in Alina." He looked at the church''s ceiling. Lydia approached them, "We got some witness saying the beast came from inside the church, but we can''t tell from where." "Is there a possibility of the church having a secret entrance?" Alcott stared at her. "The only person who might know is now dead," Lydia stared at the room where the head priest''s corpse was resting till the burial. "Get everyone out of this ce. And line them at the door for me," Alcott looked at her, "I will take some extreme measures. I hope you can be understanding," "What do you intend to do?" Arad looked at him. "Track the beast myself," Alcott sighed, "Sniff the bastard out," He stood. Lydia went to the back and called everyone from nuns to workers. "Lie up in the church''s hall. We need to do some investigation." When everyone lined up. Alcott approached one of the sisters, ring at her. She took a step back. His eyes seemed to reach deep into her soul. Alcott bent slightly, sniffing her chest and neck, "KYA!" The sister tried to push him, but she was the one to fall, "What are you doing!" She cried. Alcott stood, "I need to know the smell of everyone who lives here in the church so I can track the beast," He said, looking at the next sister. "Hold a moment," Lydia grabbed his hand, "How can you do that?" "I have a strong sense of smell," Alcott replied, "Trained it like rangers do," He lied. His lycanthropic blood enchanted his senses. It was a wolf tracking another. Lydia couldn''t reply, he was an S-rank, and they were renowned to be monsters with inhuman skills. Having Alcott do that seemed expected. "Arad,e sniff them as well," Alcott called him. "Why me?" Arad took a step back. "You have a strong nose. But you need to train it." Alcott replied. "Identify the scent of everyone in the church and then track any foreign smell you find." Arad sighed. ^I''m a dragon, and it''s pathetic that I can''t use my sense of smell well. I wonder what Mom would have said,^ He approached one of the sisters. "You two?" she red at him, disgusted. Arad picked up on that, so he smiled. "I''m the one disgusted here, smelling your sweat." Arad scratched his head, "We''re doing this to save your life, so at least pretend you don''t mind," "Should I help?" Merida approached them, dragging Ae with her, "The nuns would find it morefortable with us," Alcott stared back at her, "No, you two don''t have what it take," He replied with a passive face. Chapter 68 Alcott, The Guardian Of Nuns Arad looked around, "It''s hard to focus on the smell," scratching his nose. Alcott took a big whiff and frowned, "I smell more than one scent. This is going to be tricky to deal with." He sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Let''s keep it up. We should look where the head priest got attacked," They approached the scene, and Alcott sniffed the ground. "I picked all the smells. Let''s move." "I can pick something familiar. But I can''t tell what it is." Arad looked at him. "You might have passed him in the street. A Dragon''s nose is powerful, but you must train it." The two walked outside, "Did you find the beast?" One of the nuns approached Arad with a frown. "No, but we got all the strange smells inside. I should be able to identify the beast in the human form." Alcott smiled, patting her on the head. "We should head back to the inn. It''s almost nighttime." Ae said with a smile. "You''re right," Alcott sighed, "The beast won''t attack with us sitting here." He looked at the nuns, "We will sleep together," He said with a smile. "What?" One of the nuns gasped, taking a step back. "For protection, of course," Alcott smiled, "The beast won''t attack you like that," "Ginger will kill you." Merida stared at him from the side. "It isn''t the first time. And won''t be thest." Alcottughed, "It would be great to say I once slept with..." He counted the nuns, "Twenty-five nuns in one room." Heughed, "That''s more sisters than King Baltos," SMACK! One of the nuns punched him in the guts, "That''s a bad joke," "King Baltos?" Arad looked at Jack. "An ancient king ruled the humans once in the past. His first wife was the pope, and he slept with all the nuns of the capital in one night." Jack exined, "He was both a great king and a man," "I can''t see that," Arad sighed, "The nuns have sworn to god, right?" "Hell, I know? That was in the age of chaos before the great copse. Nuns might have been something else," Jack waved his hands, "The great copse?" "That''s another story," Jack walked beside Arad as they walked to the inn. "One day, a great mage appeared in the kingdom. All the nobles wanted to kill him as a threat, but the king ordered all his daughters to please the man." Jack smiled, "I don''t know what he saw in him, but it was enough for him to send all the princesses to his bed," "That''s crazy," "Yes, even the mage thought it was stupid at the start," Jack smiled, "I will tell you the full story another time," They reached the inn quickly, "Rest, Alcott might call us in the middle of the night if the beast attacked." Jack smiled, walking into the inn. Arad sighed, looking at Ae and Merida, "We need an extra room," He approached the bartender, "Another room for thedy, please," "There is an extra room tonight," The bartender smiled, taking a key from under his desk and handing it to Arad. "Thank you," Arad handed the key to Merida, "Your room, rest," Merida stared at the key for a moment, "Lucky that there is a room empty?" "Ae and I are staying in the same room. Jack and Lydia are the same," Arad replied, and Merida frowned, "Can''t the girls take the same room?" "I will sleep with Arad," Ae red at her, "I didn''t mean to question that," Merida stepped back. "Fine, I''m heading to my room," "Don''t forget dinner," Arad stared at her back, "I might hate you being at the party, but that doesn''t mean we won''t work together in the time we''re forced to do it." "I will call you if I need something," Merida replied, "And sorry for attacking you earlier. I just needed to get something from you." She sighed. "What was it?" Arad asked as he stepped toward her, "The spell book you found. It has some family secrets that I needed to retrieve." She exined briefly before leaving. Arad looked at Ae, confused. "Should we see if dinner is ready?" He asked with a smile. "Yeah, I''m hungry." She smiled, looking at the bartender, "What do you have for tonight?" *** Back in the church, Alcott took his armor off and stretched, sitting in the corner as he brought a towel and oil. One of the nuns saw him, "Why did you take the armor off?" She stared at him. Alcott only wore his casual clothes. "I need to maintain the armor and weapons," Alcott smiled, pulling a dagger from his picked and attempting to sh his own neck. Nothing happened, "My skin is hard enough. I only wear armor for extra weight to help me with bnce." The nun approached Aclott, poking his think neck with her skinny finger, "It''s rock hard," "That what you had to say?" Alcottughed, "Don''t worry, I can protect you all like this." He smiled, looking at the door as the other nuns flocked in. "Jessica, what are you doing?" Another nun asked with a frown. "Come check how hard this man is." The nun eximed, "I bet the walls are softer than him." "What are you saying?" The nuns walked to inspect Alcott, "You''re right," they gasped one after the other. "Come on, go to sleep," Alcott said with a smile, "Don''t worry about anything," The nuns looked at him momentarily and then turned around. They didn''t use beds, only a bunch of old rags, mattresses, and clothes spread vaguely like bedding. "Can you sleep like this?" Alcott asked. "Yeah, it isn''t a problem." One of the nuns replied, smiling, "It will be a lot of work to move all the beds down here, so this is the fastest way." "I see," Alcott replied, "I''m worried about you," Then nun sighed, "Can you sit like that in the corner?" "I slept in the forest and floated in the sea. You don''t have to worry about me," Alcott smiled. After a while, the nuns put off the candles and got in bed. Alcott watched them with a smile, one eye open and the other close like a wolf. After just an hour, one of the nuns woke up, sitting up and sighting, "What''s the matter?" Alcott asked. "AH!" She gasped. "You''re awake?" "Of course," Alcott replied, "I''m guarding you, remember?" He smiled. "I just need to get something done," she stood, approaching the door. "Stop," Alcott called her. "What is it?" Alcott looked back and took a small bowl, "Use this in the room next door. The beast might take this chance to attack. So I can react quickly." The nun stared at the bowl with a red face, "I can''t do that," "And I can''t go with you," Alcott stared at her, "Do it in there this time," The nun took a deep breath and looked at him, "How will you know if the beast attacked me? He can be silent, you know?" Alcott looked at her, "I can know," He smiled, "It''s best for you to get it done quickly," The nun red at him for a moment before leaving. Alcott sighed. ^I can''t tell her I can hear and smell everything from here.^ He then stared at the sleeping nuns. ^Half of them are masturbating right now, thinking I can''t hear or see them. But I can.^ He sighed again. The nun returned after a short while, "Nothing happened. It would have been better if I just..." "No," Alcott replied immediately, "The beast might have many reasons not to attack, and one of them is you being in my attack range," Alcott exined that his mere existence close by was enough to fend off the beast. The nun returned to her bed, staring at him from under her nket. Alcott closed one eye and left the other, his de in his hand. "You sleep weird," She mumbled, "I''m not asleep, just resting." He replied, "You''re the one who usually sleeps weirdly." "What?" She replied. "From how much you flip. I can say you aren''t used to sleeping with clothes." Alcott smiled, and the nun''s face turned red, "Don''t worry, most of you here do the same." They red at him, "What are you?" "Don''t worry. I know that since my wife does the same." Alcott smiled, "She flips a lot when we''re in missions since she gets ufortable." The nun stared at him, "You take your wife to missions?" She asked with a puzzled face. "Of course, she''s strong enough to protect herself." Alcott smiled, "She even saved my life countless times." "She might get upset seeing you like this with us," The nun mumbled. "Worry not," Alcott smiled, "She won''t even care if you flocked around me naked." "You''re a strange one," The nun smiled, closing her eyes. ^To her, humans are mere animals after all. Who gets upset if their husband slept with a couple of kittens on his bed?^ Chapter 69 Going Down I [R-18] Back at the inn, Arad and Jack sat in the tavern, drinking. "Should we stay awake? In case something happens?" Arad said, looking at the people behind him. "No, Alcott can take care of most things himself." Jack replied, "We will know if the situation got dire enough to need us. The two of them will st across the city streets. I''m telling you." Arad sighed, "I need to go and rest," Arad sighed, standing up. "Already done?" Jack frowned, "That was but one mug. I''m sure you can handle more than anyone." "Nah, will drinkter." Arad looked at him, smiling, "When we have safer nights," Jack sighed, "Do what you like," He finished his mug, lifting the whole beer bottle, "This is for me," He watched Arad go upstairs. *** Arad reached his room, knocking on the door before entering. Ae sat on the bed inspecting her bow. "Is it damaged?" "No, I was admiring the craftsmanship." Aeid the bow to the side and emptied a spot for Arad. Arad sat beside her, "Do you think the beast will attack?" He asked. "Even if he did, Alcott can hold him long enough." Arad replied, staring at her face, "By the way, thanks for yesterday." Arad smiled. "About what?" She stared at him, a bit confused. "Saving me." Arad smiled, scratching his chin, "I heard you almost went into a rage." Ae smiled, "It was nothing," she giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. "You''re my master, after all. What could I do without you?" "Master?" Arad stared at her, remembering she was technically his ve, "I don''t ever remember treating you like a ve." "And that''s the problem." she smiled, resting her head on his hips, "It''s strange when you go from expecting the worse into happiness." Arad startedbing her hair with his fingers, "I don''t know what you are talking about," He smiled, "But I don''t intend on treating you like a ve," Ae looked up at his face, with a blushing face, her mouth open and closed like a gasping fish. "What if..." she mumbled. "What?" Arad got his ear closer to her, "I didn''t hear thest part," "What if I wanted..." "I didn''t hear you. Say it again," Ae''s face burned like a tomato. Grinding her teeth, "Fine! I will say it," she sighed, taking a deep breath. "I want to be treated like one," Arad froze, staring at her confused, "Did had too much drink?" SMACH! Ae pushed him onto the bed, "That''s not it!" she said, sitting on his hips, "That''s not it." She rested her head on his chest, sobbing. "Are you crying?" Arad got even more confused. She was happy just a moment ago. "I can''t understand what you''re thinking unless you tell me," He patted her head gently. After a while, Ae calmed down, "Are you okay?" "Give me a moment," Ae relied, growing on his chest. "I once used magic and ended up teleported to the battlefield, which resulted in the death of many elves." She mumbled. Arad wanted to ask what she was talking about, but he remained silent, listening. If she had anything to vent, she better do it. "I can''t use my magic. Their souls haunt me." Her fingers clenched on his shirt, "Each time I try casting a spell, I can''t help it, but fere the same would happen again." Ae looked at him, "Can you order me to use magic?" She looked at him, worried. It was then that Arad understood what she wants, "You want me to take the responsibility off your shoulder by being the one giving orders?" "Can''t you?" she stared at him with her ears down. Arad scratched his head, "Am I not already doing that?" He smiled, "You don''t have to worry about a thing." He happed her head, "Use magic as you want. You don''t have to take responsibility for anyone." Arad helped her sit. "When the ghosts of the dead try guilting you. Just say it to them," Ae closed her eyes, [Whirlwind tempest] The ghosts of the dead hugged her, "You will kill everyone in the inn!" Ae opened her green-glowing eyes with a smile, "Sorry, I''m but a helpless ve. Begone, spirits of the dead." Her hands stopped shaking. She doesn''t have to worry about anyone getting hurt. That was Arad''s problem. Her magic stabilized, and the violent wind turned into a gentle breeze. "How do you feel?" "Better, Master." "What did you just call me?" "Master? Is that a problem?" "Of course, it is," Arad sighed, "Are you teasing me now?" Ae smiled, "Of course not. You''re my master, aren''t you?" She hugged him, "Is there anything you want me to do? I will lick your feet if you want," she joked, rubbing her head on his chest. "I do have an absurd thing," Arad scratched his chin, "I can''t get advice right now, so you will have to do with a half exnation." Arad couldn''t ask Mom to help him smooth the talk. Arad then exined his situation to her, the problem with the void dragons, and why he was out in the first ce. "What? You want a baby?" Ae gasped, staring at him. Arad looked to the side, "I don''t know how to ask, so this what you have to work with," Ae giggled, "You''re cute," She smiled, "But you might have chosen the wrong person. She looked down. "I knew it. It''s impossible for you, after all." Arad sighed with a sad face. Ae panicked momentarily. "It''s not like I won''t try!" She waved her hands, "Please listen to me for a moment," Ae started exining, "We elves live a long life. Our reproductive cycle is long," She scratched her chin, "Mix it with you being a dragon, and we might not have a single kid in decades." When Arad thought about it, it made sense, "So it''s useless even if we tried," He sighed. Ae looked at him a moment, rushing to pull his pants down, "That doesn''t mean I won''t try," She looked at Arad as he tried to stop her, "Let''s do it every night. No, whenever we have the chance. We might get one." She took his long, erect flesh out. Arad was a dragon, and his body knew when to get ready. Ae grabbed him in her hand and kissed him, "Master! Master!" Arad gave up resisting and decided to go with her flow. He didn''t even know how he was supposed to act or respond. "Master! I love you!" She mumbled on his lips as her hips writhed on his thighs. Ae took a deep breath, standing up and stripping. "Let''s do it," She said, ring down at Arad as he took his clothes off. Arady on the bed, and Ae smiled, "We need to get ready first, right?" She stood above him and turned around, sitting on his face while sucking on his meat. "What are you doing?" Arad asked, looking at the pinkndscape resting on his face. "Getting you nice and wet," she said, slurping on him, "Please get me ready as well," Arad looked at her, sticking his finger inside. It was tight and slippery. "This ce is drenched," Arad replied, "It doesn''t smell like piss. What is it? AWA!" He cried as she bit him. "Just lick it for now, please?" She started rubbing herself on his nose, Arad sat there momentarily before thinking, ^Okay, I guess.^ He started licking. *** What happened on the other side of the inn? Lydia approached Jack, sitting in Arad''s ce, "Done drinking?" "Still need more. Care to join?" Jack looked at her with a smile. "I prefer drinking in a contained ce. Let''s get up." Lydia said as she stood. "Last time you drank at the tavern," Jack stared at her, smiling. "That was in Alina. William and Leon are good people. They would drag us to our room if we got out of control." She looked around at all the farmers, "Here, I don''t feel so safe to let loose." Jack nodded, standing up, "And you count me as safe," He grinned. "I don''t count you as safe. More eptable, I say." Lydia replied. "Let''s discuss this in the room." Jack walked toward the counter and bought a couple more beer bottles. The bartender warned him it was too much, but Jack couldn''t care. "Kid, this is too much for you." The bartender stared at Jack. Jack red at him, smiling, "Are you keeping the shiny stuff in the safe upstairs? But a mere ndori lock? I''d seen some shady stuff there. Mind filling me in?" The bartender frowned, "How did you know?" "Doesn''t matter, will you sell me or not." Jack looked at him, smiling, "We''re here to help, but we can cause trouble. Especially to someone like you," Jack pointed at him. CLING! "The payment," "Fine, here you a beer," The bartender sighed, "Don''t tell anyone." Jack took the beer and walked to his room. He there found Lydia cleaning her armor, "Hard at work," "I was listening. What did the bartender do?" She asked. "Drugs, a ton of them, to be exact." Jack smiled, putting the beer down. "He even had dealing with a crap load of local thieves. Stripping drunkards from their money and clothes at night." "So I was right not to get drunk here. Should we report the man or do something about it?" She red at Jack. Jack shook his head, "Thieves honor." He sat down, "I won''t snitch on him. He didn''t want to sell us the bere so we won''t get drunk and targeted." "Why did you brink beer then?" Lydia stared at him. "Talked with the thieves this morning," Jack smiled, opening one of the bottles, "They want the beast gone as much as everyone else. They will leave us alone." He smiled, "Trust me,dy," Lydia finished cleaning her armor and stood, walking toward the door and locking it. "I don''t trust them," She closed the window as well, looking around for any strange holes in the wall. "Already inspect the whole room," Jack waved his hand, "Don''t worry about anything," "Fine," Lydia sighed, sitting down with Jack to drink, "This feels different than before," She smiled. "Their beer is fresh," Jack replied, "Don''t know if that makes sense, but it feels more refreshing here." After two mugs, Lydia stopped drinking and stood up, "What''s the matter?" Jack asked. "Started to feel a bit light. I will wash my face," Lydia walked toward the corner, where she poured cold water into a small bowl, washing her face. "You don''t want to get a bit drunk?" "I prefer to stay sober," She smiled, taking her shirt off. "Said the woman stripping. Are you still fine up here?" Jack said, knocking on his head. "I''m fine," Lydia threw the shirt beside her armor and took her pants down, "Do you have a problem?" "Not at all," Jack smiled, "But you know that I will eventually lose patience, right?" He stared at her. "I will be happy to see you try," she replied with a smile, and Jack stood, gulping down his beer. "What are you doing?" Lydia asked as she saw him approach her. Jack didn''t say a word and walked forward with steady steps, grabbed her from the back of her head, and kissed her, forcing the beer in his mouth into her. Lydia struggled for a moment before giving up and drinking what he pushed into her mouth. "AH!" She sighed, staring at him, "What do you think you''re doing, bastard?" She red at him. "What did you say?" Jack looked back at her. "Give me this!" Lydia snatched the beer bottle from his hand and filled her mouth, kissing and forcing him to drink it. "Do you like it now?" She said, staring at him with a smile. "Taste weird from your mouth," Jack replied, hugging her closely and caressing her butt. "Are you up for some fun?" Jack said, slipping his hand beneath her underwear. "Sadly, no," Lydia replied, "But I can manage something else," She smiled, pushing him toward the bed where he sat. Lydia went on her knees before him, opening his pants and taking his still limp flesh in her hand, "Can''t you get it bigger?" "You''re supposed to get it up, not me." Jack smiled, poking her crotch with his foot. Lydia took one of the beer bottles and poured some on him, "This might help," She said, taking the whole thing in her mouth. "I hate to admit it, but I like the taste." She added. Jack watched her suck him off, wondering how he got there, "Fine," Jack said, grabbing her by the hair, "Can I be a bit rough with you?" "Not like your flimsy rogue arms could do anything in the first ce," Lydia replied, and she was right. With Jack''s limited strength, he can punch her in the face, and she won''t flinch. Jack grabbed her by the hair. His erection grew bigger and bigger in her mouth. Slowly, she started choking. Lydia tapped Jack''s thighs, and he stopped, "What, can''t you take it?" "Just give me a moment, can you," She sighed, licking him from the base to the tip, "I do like the taste. It''s weird," She smiled, getting back into sucking. Chapter 70 Going Down II [R-18] As Alcott rested in the corner, watching the nuns sleep, he could hear a crack in the distance. He stood with a worried face, "That sound is strange," He quickly reached for the door and looked out. One of the nuns woke to look at him, "Is there a problem?" A single re from Alcott, and she closed her mouth with her hands, silently hiding under her nket. ^The beast is here!^The nun screamed in her head. Alcott then slowly returned to his ce, "It isn''t him. Those were some heavy steps, but they belong to a human." He sighed in relief. The nun peeked from the nket, "Did the beast go away?" "It was no beast," Alcott replied, "Just a heavy man who passed by the church." The nun sighed in relief, "I thought it was our time," *** Ae stood above Arad, looking at him, smiling, "Can we start?" He looked at her, "Come here," He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to the bed. "You can take the lead?" She asked with a grin, "I thought you were a green?" "That''s true," Arad replied, "But you''re the same. That thing was locked tighter than waterskin." Ae gigled, "You can tell?" She pulled him in, "I thought you knew nothing," Arad smiled, "I know what I have and where to stick it." He rested his erection on her entrance. Ae wrapped her legs around him, "Do it slowly. Heard that it feels better that way." Arad nodded before stopping momentarily, "Hold, won''t that make it less likely to work?" "Work?" Ae stared at him, "The baby?" "I don''t know," Ae replied, thinking of it. "You might be right. The easy road always has fewer rewards." She said, "Go as hard as you can," "I got an idea," Aradid on her chest, kissing her lips, "Will do a slow one first, and then do it again harder." Ae smiled, licking his lips, "That''s it," she extended her hand and grabbed his erection, slowly guiding it. "AH!" Ae cried as Arad slowly pushed into her, "It hurt!" Arad immediately pulled out, "Are you okay?" He asked, staring at her face. "Why did you pull out?" "You looked hurt." "No, just keep going." She pulled him in with her legs, "It''s supposed to hurt at first," "Okay, but tell me immediately if you want to stop," Arad kept slowly pushing into her till he couldn''t get any deeper. With Ae panting, Arad looked down. He only went half his length, and she was bleeding from... bleeding? Arad started panicking, "Oh! Shit. I told you we''re supposed to stop. It shouldn''t hurt." Ae grabbed him before he could pull out, "It''s supposed to bleed in the first time." She grabbed his arm, "I learned a bit about it in the past," She stared at his face. After ring back at her sweaty face, Arad pulled out anyway, "Let''s clean the blood first and give you a moment to rest." He stood, "Better be caution than sorryter," Ae nodded, "Fine. There is a bowl of water in the corner," Arad walked over there and brought it immediately. "Keep your legs open," Arad stared at her as she wanted to stand, "I will do the cleaning." He said as he started wiping her. After a while, Ae felt him stretching her out and peeking inside, "What are you looking at?" She cried. "I want to find where the bleeding started," Arad replied, "It''s this thing here. It seems to have torn off." "It''s supposed to," Ae sighed, trying to close her legs, but Arad''s head was in the way. "Are you sure this won''t damage the egg?" Arad asked. "You''re thinking of the baby and not me? Wait, did you say egg?" Ae got weirded out for a moment. "Of course," He looked at her, "Dragonsy eggs," "We elves give live birth," Ae stared at him, "Are you sure I can give birth to your child?" Arad scratched his head, "From what Mom said, it was supposed to work." He looked at her, "But there might have been more to it." "I think so," Ae looked at him, "With all the half-dragons and the sorcerers roaming the world, it must be a thing." "We need to ask someone with experience," Arad sighed, "If only Mom was here," "You said earlier that she woulde after we kill the werewolf." "Yeah, we better ask herter." Arad climbed back into the bed and slowlyid on Ae, "Let''s start again," He kissed her. "Hehe," Ae giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Make sure to stay silent," Arad whispered in her ear, "We''re in an inn," He licked her ear. "It''s hard not to when you''re doing that," She cried. *** On the other side of the inn, Lydia had spent a while sucking Jack till he released everything in her mouth, "HMM!" She mumbled, slowly moving her head back with her mouth full. "AH!" Jack sighed. Laying on the bed, "You really did it," Lydia stared at him, gulping everything down, and with a smile, "Think I couldn''t?" Jack red at her, "You''re a pdin, remember?" He sighed, "You''re an armored nun," "Is that a problem?" "You were trying to kill me a few days ago." Jack stood. "And you tried to kill me as well," she smiled, "We''re even now," She then crawled to the bed,ying on her stomach. Jack approached her, putting his hands between her legs and ticking her. "Jack, do you mind liking it a bit?" She looked back at him. "Of course," He replied immediately, but Lydia gave him a worried stare, "We, can you please, try licking the other one for me?" She stretched her cheek, opening the path to her anus. "How much are you paying me to do that?" Jack red at her. "I just sucked you off," "Then I will do the same and lick you from the front." Jack stared at her, "Why the back?" Lydia scratched her chin, "It''s a long story," "Tell it, and I will decide," Jack clenched his hands on her butt. "We are supposed to stay virgins...so I was using that hole for masturbation..." She said with a slightly red face. Jack red at her, disappointed, "I know! It''s weird!" Lydia cried, "Can you please do it," Jack sighed, "Fine, but you owe me one." "I will do anything you want," Lydia replied with a smile. "Don''t say that. It''s bad." He red back at her. "No, it isn''t, with you at least." Lydia smiled. "I can prove you wrong," Jack smiled. "If you did prove me wrong. I swear to do the thing even if I hated it to the bones." Lydia stated with a confident face, "But I need to stay a virgin," Jack nodded, "It''s your problem now," He smiled, "I will lick you after doing what I have to ask." Lydia stood, staring at him, smiling, "What is it? Do you want me to lick from the ass as well? Or is it your feet? Should I call you master for the rest of my life?" She grinned. Jack looked at her, pointing his meat at her face. "It''s a thing you do here only once," He smiled, approaching her. "Want me to lick you again?" "I want to pee, drink it, and don''t waste a drop." Lydia froze in ce, "You''re joking?" Jack red at her, "Yes, But this should prove you wrong." He patted her head, "Don''t underestimate how stupid people can get. Now get on the bed," Lydia stared at him, "I will keep my word first, do it!" She opened her mouth. Jack grabbed her by the shoulder, pushing her to the bed, "Lay on the bed, you whore!" Lydia red back at him, "Hey! Don''t call me that I''m a pdin!" Jack stared at her with a doubtfull face, "Do bet on it?" Lydia thought momentarily, "No," She looked down, "Sleeping naked with a man and asking him to lick my ass...I''m probably a whore." Jackid on her back, "How about you be my private perverted pdin?" He whispered in her ear. Lydia smiled, "Why not," Jack kissed her, "Then it''s sealed," He slowly went down, licking her back until he reached her hips, and finally started licking her back end, "AH!" Lydia moaned, and Jack red at her, stopping. "Keep quiet! We''re in an inn," He stared at her. "I can''t," Lydia cried. Jack stopped licking her and slid on her back, pushing two fingers into her ass and scrambling it for a moment. He then took those fingers and shoved them into her mouth. "Do you like it?" "Yes, please stick it in," She growled with a smile. Jack slowly pushed his erection deep into her, slowly but firmly. With each move, her body shuddered, "Do you feel it?" "Yeah..." Lydia clenched her hands on the nket, "It''s inside, all the way in," Jack smiled, closing her mouth with his hand, "I still have a bit to go. Should I push it in?" Lydia knew she was at her limit. But even with that, she nodded, unable to wait to feel all his length inside her. Chapter 71 Dragon’s Misunderstanding. CRACKLE! Arad woke up to a sudden shaking, "What is going on?" He gasped. Ae quickly sat up, "It''sing from the forest," She said, looking out. "Get changed quickly," Arad said, rushing to wear his armor. CRACKLE! The ground started to shake violently, "This sounds bad," Arad rushed out, meeting Jack and Lydia on the way, "What is going on?" Jack asked. "I don''t know. Ae said it''sing from the forest," Arad replied as they ran out. ROAAARR! An earth-shaking roar rumbled across the sky, shaking the building. "This sound," Arad gasped, "Arge monster?" They rushed across the street, seeing Aclott charging forward with his sword drawn, "Alcott!" Arad shouted. "Stay away!" Alcott shouted back, "This is a dragon. You will die!" "A dragon?" Jack and Lydia stared at each other, "Come! We should help evacuate the city," Merida shouted at them from the back, "Don''t stand in Alcott''s way," Arad stared at her and then looked at the forest, "This scent, I know it," He mumbled, and Ae red at him. THUD! Arad rushed behind Alcott, "Wait for me!" Ae chased him. "You two! Come back!" Lydia shouted, but they didn''t listen. *** "Arad, what did you mean?" Ae asked as she managed to catch Arad. "That dragon, It might have been one that I met before," He said, ring at the dust above the forest, "It seemed more social talking with me as a dragon. We could reach an understanding." "That thing is a monster! How likely it''s to listen?" Ae stared at him. "Better than trying to fight it," Arad looked back at her, "I''m surprised it didn''t st the vige by mistake," Dragons are strong, arrogant, and proud. Arad did know it since thest time he saw it. Adult dragons aren''t supposed to be fought like monsters but dealt with like natural disasters. CRACK! BAM! Suddenly, they saw a body fly into the sky with a couple of trees. It was Hank. BAM! Alcott leaped from a tree, catching him mid-air, and theynded on the ground. "What is happening?" Alcott asked, but Hank pushed him to the side. "That fucking Lizard is mine," He growled, gripping his wood axe tighter than before. Alcott started at him, catching the bestial scent on his body. ^It''s faint, but it''s there,^ CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The trees copsed as a gigantic green-winged lizard walked out, ring at them with red eyes, "Human, you darey your hands on my toys?" The dragon growled, slowly walking forward. "Lower your ws," Alcott shouted, "This doesn''t need to end with blood!" Both the dragon and Hank red at Alcott, "This human killed one of my toys and one of my kind. It will only end with blood, Meditator." "This fucking lizard suddenly plunged into my house. It almost hurt my wife!" Hank red at the dragon, "I''m going to skin it for a bag," He pointed his axe at the dragon. "This is your fault, fucking human! Where is the corpse of my kind!" The dragon red at him, enraged. "I told you fucking bird-brain, I didn''t kill any dragon like you," Hank growled, running forward with his axe. CLANG! The dragon swung his w, smacking him away with ease, "You don''t even deserve my breath," "Calm down! I can help you find your lost kind," Alcott blocked the dragon''s second strike with his sword, "I''m here to help, so at least listen for a moment," The dragon stared at him, "Meditator! I know my manners, and that''s the only reason the vige still stands." The dragon red at him, "One st of my poison breath and life here would be gued," Red dragons use fire, while green dragons use poison. Massive creatures immune to all manners of poisons and diseases while boasting the strongest venom in the world inside their veins. "The man says he killed no dragon! Calm down and use your nose. I bet you will find something," Alcott pushed the dragon''s w away. The dragon snorted, "I already searched...Oh!" It froze, looking at Arad, "I smell him rushing here," "You fucking leather bag!" Hank growled, "Told you I didn''t kill any dragon!" Alcott sighed, "See, just calm down," He said, and the dragon red at him, "You were right, Meditator." It growled. "Don''t give me that!" Hank growled, swinging his axe at the dragon. CLANG! The scales stopped the attack. "This fucker smashed my house," Alcott looked at him, "Dragons are quick to lose themselves in rage," Arad and Ae emerged from the trees, and the dragon stared at them, "You''re alive, wyrmling." "Wait! You were talking about Arad?" Alcott red at the dragon. "Yeah," The dragon smiled, "Are you keeping an eye on him, Meditator?" "Alcott!" Ae shouted, and Arad rushed toward the dragon. "You''re attacking the ce?" "Nah!" The dragon shook its head, "I was looking for you." It then looked at Hank, "I feared that hairy meatball had killed," The dragon looked down at Arad, "You got me worried," "Why did you evene here? Were you watching me?" Arad growled, and the dragon looked away. "N-no..." The dragon shook his head and then looked at Hank, "I will get some kobolds to rebuild your house," Alcott approached the dragon, "Care to tell me your name?" The dragon smiled, "The name is ug. ugiyliamatar." The dragon said, lifting its head and neck in pride. "The Drakaina of crypt forest? I heard you never get out of yourir?" Alcott stared at the dragon, confused. "Even a housedy like myself needs to take a walk," The dragon smiled. "This thing is a woman?" Hank stared at them. "Dragons looked the same in their draconic form. Males are called dragons, and females are drakaina." Alcott exined, "ugiyliamatar of crypt forest, she is an ancient drakaina. Her ims of guing the whole viges weren''t in vain." Hank snorted, putting his axe on his hip, "This bitch is all talks," Alcott red at him, "ugiyliamatar caused many gues in the past. Pissing her off is enough to curse a whole kingdom into suffering." ug looked at Arad, smiling, "Would youe with me to myir? This ce is dangerous." Arad looked back at her, "Are you the one who sent the griffon?" ug looked away, "N-no...I certainly didn''t n anything." "Why are you interested in Arad?" Ae growled at her. ug looked at her with a smile, sniffing her, "I see, that is new," ug nodded, "I don''t mind you bringing yourdy with you. But aren''t you a bit too young for those things?" "Mind your own business!" Arad growled at her, and she snorted, "I knew your kind would be interesting," She smiled. "You didn''t answer my question!" Ae red at her. "We kill rival wyrmlings before they grow or take them under our wing. I just chose thetter since this kid is pretty rare," ug replied, staring at Arad, "I saw a braking of his kind before, and she was scary, several times my size. I wonder what a dragon would look like since they grow bigger." Alcott looked at Arad, "Male dragons are usually bigger and stronger physically, while the females, the drakaina, are more intuned with magic." ug stared at him, "That''s but a myth, baseless human spection." She stared at him, "After all, I''m..." She stopped, looking away. ^Yeah, if I remember correctly, ugiyliamatar is a failure with magic.^ Arad scratched his chin. He almost stepped on a dragon''s tail. ug turned away, spreading her wings, "Meditator, remember those words!" she growled, "If anything were to happen to Arad, I would personallye back to curse this godforsakennd." With a single p of her wings, the dragon flew up. Suddenly disappearing as she used her camouge skills to blend with the blue sky. Arad looked at Alcott. "You know her?" "That''s my question. When did you meet ug?" He sighed. "Right after Ae and I were attacked by the bandits," Arad said, looking at Ae, "When you left me to transform." "I''m going back home," Hank sighed, "My wife should be worried," CLANG! Alcott pulled his sword, pointing it at Hanks back, "Stop right there," Hank looked back at him, "Is there something else you need? Meditator?" Reaching for his axe. "I have a wife to return to as well," Alcott smiled, approaching Hank, "How about we end this here once and for all, alpha." "What nonsense are you spitting?" Hank growled at him. Arad and Ae got confused, "He''s right. What are you talking about?" Arad stared at Alcott. "He''s your progenitor. I can smell the wet dog in him. His scent was also present in the churchst night. You''re the one who made the noise, right?" Alcott approached Hank. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," He pulled his axe, "But I don''t care who I kill," "Want to kill an armored fighter?" Alcott smiled. "It doesn''t matter if you''re thick as a tree. My axe can always chop through!" Hank smiled, "I''m no wolf, dragon bastard!" Chapter 72 Raging Pieces Swosh! Alcott swung his de at Hank, who deflected the attack with his axe as if it was nothing. "You think I''m a werewolf now?" Hank growled, "You can''t give a rest, can you?" The two moved apart, ring at each other, "I can smell that dog in you. It doesn''t matter if you don''t transform," Alcott pointed his greatsword at Hank with a smile. "Alcott, stop! He might not be the werewolf," Arad shouted, but Alcott shook his head. "He is the werewolf. Don''t let him deceive you!" Alcott swung his sword down. CLANG! Hank deflected the strike with his axe, kicking him in the guts. "Fine!" Hank stepped forward, "I will bury you in the ground with your stupid usation!" CLANG! Hank swung his axe at Alcott with two hands, which Alcott blocked with his sword. GRWAAA! Hank shouted, putting more force into the strike and throwing Alcott back. ^This strength, isn''t normal,^ Alcott gasped, ^He is the werewolf,^ Thud! Hended on a tree, sheathing his sword and taking a deep breath. [Action surge] [Adrenaline rush] [Action Surge] KABOM! Alcott''s body shed forward, shattering the tree. SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! Sixteen shes at the same time. Hank only saw the brief shine of the sun reflecting on Alcott''s sword as it swopped forward. CLANG! Alcottnded behind Hank, sheathing his de again. Thud! Hank''s left arm fell to the ground, and Alcott smiled, "You''re a good one-hehe," He thenughed. Alcott''s shoulder exploded with a ssh of blood. Hank faced him, "You aren''t the only fighter around here," Alcott smiled, patting his shoulder, "I cut your arm, and you only wounded my shoulder," Heughed, "I guess you''re level eighteen or neen, a hair strand behind me," "That''s none of your business," Hank looked at his arm. He doesn''t have much time left with such intense bleeding. "I will finish this here," He pointed his axe toward Alcott. "Why don''t you transform, beast?" Alcott stared at him with a smile. "Show me the real monster inside you. Or do you intend to y the human role to the end," Alcott started taunting him, "At this rate, you will die from blood loss." "That is none of your business," Hank stepped forward, lunging at Alcott with full force. CRACK! BOM! The two monsters shed across the forest. Arad and Ae ran away, fearing getting stomped. "Hank is something," Ae gasped as she saw him cleave a tree with a single swing, "He''s brawling with Alcott on equal ground," "He isn''t," Arad replied, "He''s getting slower with blood loss. Soon, Alcott would win," Ae looked back, seeing Alcott leap from one tree to the other. His shoulder stopped bleeding. "Alcott is more prepared for such a fight," She gasped. CLACK! Alcott kicked Hank to the ground, plowing the forest with him. BLUH! Hank coughed blood, staring down at his body filled with gaping wounds, "This seems to be the end for me." He smiled as Alcott''s de raced toward his head. *** After evacuating the vige, Jack and Lydia stared at each other, "The noise in the forest changed. Should we go check on them?" Jack asked with a worried face. Alcott might be strong, but Arad and Ae couldn''t take a dragon on. "Let''s head there." Lydia replied, "I can provide healing, so even Alcott will find us useful." "You will only stand in his way," Merida stared at them, and Jack red at her, "What is your problem? Stop whining and follow us," He rushed forward. Lydia chased him, "Jack is right. Stop being annoying and get to work." She red back at her, "Will provide support, so hurry and start moving." Merida sighed, "Don''t cry when the dragons take you as hostages. They are smart, sneaky monsters." She was right. Dragons are strong, prideful, and even shameless. They won''t mind hiding behind hostages to secure a victory if they need it. The three rushed toward the forest, "I saw something!" Jack shouted as he saw the trees shake, "Didn''t the dragon fly away?" "I saw nothing," Lydia replied, staring at the sky. "I didn''t see it as well," Merida added, "Are you sure?" "No, I might be wrong. Just keep an eye with me on the forest." Jack said, "It would be bad if we walked into the dragon''s attack," *** Back in Alina, Ginger washed the dishes while humming, looking out the window with a smile. "What a beautiful day." CLING! She felt it, Alcott''s wild blood boiling, "Alcott?" She gasped, dropping the dishes. As they shattered, Alcott''s mother heard them from upstairs and came to investigate. She then saw Ginger looking out of the window with a worried face. Alcott''s mother stared at her, "Are you okay?" Ginger stared at her, "Nothing, everything is..." "Is it Alcott?" His mother said, staring at her, "Go. I will be fine on my own. He needs you by his side." "Thanks," Ginger gave her a gentle bow before rushing to her room and picking up all her magic items. Inside her room, she opened the closet where she kept her coffin. CREEK! The moment she opened the lid, a rush of blood covered her body, sinking deep into her skin as she smiled, "The werewolf showed up, and it is stronger than I expected." She grabbed her staff and wore her robe. "The more time they fought, the more the beast agitated Alcott''s sleeping blood. At this rate, he will transform again, and that will never be good," She rushed out of the front door and leaped on her staff. *** Alcott''s mother stared at her, sighting as she walked inside the house to clean the mess. "The young ones are too energetic those days," "Mother, it''s been a while." She froze, hearing the cold voice call her. As she looked into the living room, a woman, hodded in ck sat there, "You! It''s been years! Alcott searched for you for years!" Alcott''s mother smiled. "Sorry, but I had other things to do. Even now, I will be leaving immediately," The woman replied. "You promised him to leave a child! But you left immediately!" Aloctt''s mother stared at her. "I kept my promise, believe me." The woman replied, standing up. *** Ginger used her staff like a witch''s broom, flying across the city like the winds. "OI!" One of the guards cried as she passed by him at a tremendous speed, "You damned mage!" He shouted. Ginger didn''t care about anyone. Her only care was about getting to Alcott before he transformed. ^It isn''t about winning. Alcott would win if he transformed, but he might never return to his humanoid self,^ she thought, flying across the forest road, leaving a trail of dust behind. ^Alcott mastered his bestial blood in the past, reaching the level of a progenitor on his own.^ Ginger thought ^He wasn''t born an Alpha. He plowed his way to the top.^ She smiled, ^I remember him rushing me with a happy face, speaking of how he could call wolves with a howl. Or how he was able to do flips in his werewolf form. Most people saw that as a curse, but to him, it was just another power for him to y with.^ She frowned, ^But now, it has be a real curse.^ She stared at the sky, ^With how powerful Alcott''s blood became, even the traditional curing process failed him.^ Ginger''s fangs grew longer as hundreds of bats flew from her body into the forest, "Clear my way, Kill any monster before it could stall me down," She growled at her familiers. ^Please endure it until Ie, don''t let the beast withing out!^ *** Alcott watched Hank smack on the ground, bleeding, "This is the end," He shouted, swinging his de down at fast as he could. "HANK!" A voice came from the forest, and Alcott stopped, looking at the trees. From the thick forest, Hank''s wife stared at them, leaning on a tree with one hand. "Get back!" Hank yelled at her. "Sorry," Alcott said, "But your husband must die," He swung his de down. Alcott faced multiple battles like this in the past. Leaving his opponent alive always bit him in the ass. THUD! THUD! CLANG! Alcott''s sword shattered into pieces as he stared down in shock. Hank''s wife has covered the long distance in the blink of an eye, catching his strike with her bare hand. "I told you to let me fight," She stared at Hank, smiling. SWOSH! Alcott swung his fist at her immediately, ^I was wrong. She is the real monster.^ CRACK! In one swift move. She swung a back fist at Alcott''s face, sending him rolling away. Arad and Ae stared at her, confused momentarily before the realization hit him. "Ae, she is the werewolf." Arad rushed to catch Alcott, "Are you all right?" Ae pulled her bow and fired three arrows at the ground before Hank''s wife, "Stop right there," She shouted, but her words fell on deaf ears. "Aren''t you the monster?" Hank''s wife red at Alcott, her eyes shing red. Chapter 73 The Dragon’s Mom Is Back! Arad and Ae stared at her, confused momentarily before the realization hit him. "Ae, she is the werewolf." Arad rushed to catch Alcott, "Are you all right?" Ae pulled her bow and fired three arrows at the ground before Hank''s wife, "Stop right there," She shouted, but her words fell on deaf ears. "Aren''t you the monster?" Hank''s wife red at Alcott, her eyes shing red. Awoo! With a roar, her body swollen, growing fangs and fur as her jaw extended. Her voice shook the forest as the small birds flew away. Alcott leaped back, pulling two short swords from his pocket like it was a magic trick. "So he was a human," Alcott red at her, "His wife was the Alpha." He growled, taking a stance. "Say, you are picky. Why would someone like you be satisfied with a human?" Hank''s wife stared at him, eyes glowing with a blood-red rage. She didn''t even bother replying. BAM! With a single leap, she rushed at Alcott swinging her w. CLANG! He blocked the attack with one of the short swords and countered with the other. ^Damn it. She''s fast!^ As he regained his stance, his body started aching, and his blood boiled. With each crash, his bones tingled, and his eyes turned redder. The pain in his tailbone slowly became unbearable as his body couldn''t wait to transform. Arad watched the two zap across the forest, shing faster than most people could see. [Don''t...] A voice rang in his head, ^Wait? Mom?^ [Kill...her.] ^We shouldn''t kill?^ Arad thought, a smile crossing his face, "Got it, mom," His eyes shed purple, and his body disappeared. "Arad!" Ae shouted, hearing him mumble something before vanishing. ZON! When the two swung at each other, Arad appeared between them. ring at Hank''s wife with the side of his eye. Like a pulse of magic, Arad''s frightful presence covered the whole forest. The fake red scales on his body turned purple as two ck wings exploded from his back, rumbling as the void vibrated inside them. CLANG! CRACK! Alcott did his best to pull his strike down, but he still hit Arad''s wing, and his des shattered. On the other hand, Arad blocked Hank''s wife''s attack with his forearm, "Calm down, both of you!" She didn''t care, swinging his neck. Arad turned his back to Alcott and blocked the wife''s second attack, "We should be healing Hank, not fighting here like idiots. Calm down," He growled, ring at her eyes. BANG! Gingernded in the forest behind them, quickly rushing in to help, but stopped immediately. "What is going on?" She shouted. Arad stared at her, "We need to stop the fight. Now." Ginger nodded, staring at Alcott, "He''s right. At this rate, you will lose yourself soon. Stand down." She warned him. "Hurry and heal Hank," Arad red back at them, "I don''t care what you do, don''t let him die," Hank''s wife stood down, ring at Alcott, "That mixed blood welp," she approached Hank. "How is he doing?" "Bled a lot, but will be okay." Ginger smiled, "I''ve seen worse." She gave her a wry smile, "Alcott got his organs spilled once," *** Arad closed his eyes, hiding his wings and scales, "That was close," He looked at his forearms, ^By bones broke from the impact. But she couldn''t cut through the void scales.^ It wasn''t a matter of strength. The quality of the material shing determined the result. ^Mom, can you hear me?^ [The curses are calming with the two progenitors close. We might be able to lift them now,] ^You know we couldn''t cure them because you hid them, right?^ [I know now, even if you healed them like that, you would have agitated the second one.] Hanks''s wife shifted back to her humanoid form, ring at Arad, "Can we talk?" "What?" "You know, I tried to lift the curse off you before. It was after Hank saved you from the griffon." She sighed. "It was entangled. If you and Ginger worked together, you could lift the curse," He pointed at Ginger. "That vampire? I did sense some vampirism inside you." "Let''s carry him to the inn!" Ginger shouted, "I stopped the bleeding with my magic. But we will need a healer to heal him." On their way back, they met Jack, Lydia, and Merida and got their help. Lydia stabilized Hank''s body till they reached the inn and got the nuns to help. When Hank''s body stabilized and his life was no longer in danger. Arad, Ae, Alcott, and Ginger sat down with Hank''s wife. "Care to exin the killing?" Alcott growled. "Care to ask the nuns? Welp," She stared at him, "My real name is Selena Forcewill. Ring a bell?" Alcott thought about it, "Where did I hear that name?" "Forcewill is one of the three great families of the beastnds." Ginger stared at him, "The wolves, the bears, and the cats," She added. "Not that. Selena Forcwill, I hear this name somewhere else." After a while, it clicked in his head. "Do you know Jame Forcewill?" He stared at her with a smile. "That''s my older brother," Selena stared at them, "Can you guess why I did it now?" Alcott scratched his head, "That makes it worse," He grabbed his sword, "Jame was an S-rank, but he caused a massacre at the capital." "Killed over thirty priests and kidnapped sixty nuns. I know." she smiled, "That''s what the church says. Call one of the nuns, and you will understand." Ginger stood and walked out, bringing one of the nuns. "Did you need my help?" She asked with a smile. Selena stared at her, "We''re going to Artoria. You don''t have to put with the churches anymore." She pulled a small ne from her pocket and pointed at the nun. The nun fell crying as a light shed from the ne. "The church enves beast people and forces them to work as nuns, disposable battle healers, and even bait for monsters." Selena approached the nun, pulling her head cover off and revealing a pair of severed dog ears. Selena red at Alcott, "Alina''s church isn''t in it with them, simply because they don''t have beast people over there." "Why didn''t James say anything?" Alcott stared at her. "He did, but the humans only see us as monsters. Proven by how your first conclusion was killing me," Selena sighed, "We should be able to take all the nuns to Artoria, a ce where they can live in peace." Selena stared at them, "Humans aren''t known to like other races, except dwarfs and halflings." Ginger stared at her, "Because they have the shortest lifespan and the weakest bodies. Their only way of survival is to be aggressive." she smiled, "Halflings are too happy to be hated and feared, and the dwarfs are the closest to humans." [We need to cure you first,] "I don''t think my curses will stay stable for long. Can you heal me already?" He asked. "What is happening inside your body anyway?" Selena red at him. "Like I know?" Arad sighed. Jack took Lydia and Merida out to escort the nun to another room, "The curses were unstable due to the long distance. I don''t know how exactly, but my magic colliding with them caused it." Arad wasn''t a mage. He didn''t know anything about how the void works, and neither did most mages of the world. [Ginger made the mistake of infusing you with her curse. That has caused more conflict than it should due to the distance difference between the curse origins. Right now, the two are close, so the error margin is low, and they effectively negate each other.] ^Yeah, I don''t understand.^ "You''re right. Let''s fix you first and then deal with the rest," Ginger extended her hand toward Selena. Closing their eyes, they reached inside him at the same time. ZON! opening their eyes, they stood facing a titanic monster. A dragon with scales akin to the night sky ring down at them. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! "What are you?" Selena asked, taking a step back. CLICK! CLICK! "It doesn''t seem aggressive, the curses are ahead of it, let''s clear them." Ginger pulled her. CLICK! CLICK! Mom stared down at them, [They don''t understand psionic. That''s expected.] Arad was still aware of them. ^What is psionic?^ [We void dragons live in the void of space. Sound can''t travel there, so we created ournguage of mental waves. You can understand me since I''m speaking directly into your brain.] ^Is there more things you aren''t telling me about us?^ [A lot, mostly things you don''t need to know.] ^ Don''t give me that.^ Arad sighed, ^At least tell me a bit,^ [Elves'' lifespan is between seven hundred and one thousand years. We void dragons can live over ten thousand years with no problems. To get a child, you either have to aim for higher races, (Mostly dragons, devils, and angels,) Or do it a lot each day.] ^Any thing else?^ [You will have new skill trees unlocked after this. I want you to focus on leveling them and nothing else.] Chapter 74 The Vampiric-Wyrmwolf [Lycanthropy curse is being eliminated. Registering the magic in the void.] [Vampirism is being eliminated. Registering the magic in the void.] [Skill trees unlocked, skill points avable 4] [Those are the avable vampire skills. I took the liberty to remove useless skills like night vision or hardened skin since you have better ones already.] [Night affinity] [Regenerate 1HP per second at night, and lose 1HP per second in the daylight. This means you will die in less than 2 minutes under the sunlight, or you would heal from most injuries simultaneously at night.] [Blood sucking bite] [Allow you to suck the blood of your target to regenerate HP.] [Blood magic: Faint spell] [This simple magic allows you to temporarily stop blood from flowing to the target''s brain, causing them to faint. This spell needs the target to be awake to work, so it can''t be lethal (It will stop when the target loses conciseness)] [Those are the skills avable for the wyrmwolf.] [Bestial aspect] [This skill allow you to grow fur and extend your ws without fully transforming. It gives you an edge by increasing your range and resistance to physical damage. I left it since it stacks on with your dragon scales and ws.] [Wild instints] [This skill grant you something akin to a sixth sense bybining all the sensory signals from your five senses and processing them.] [Moon rage] [This skill makes you more aggressive on the three nights of the moon (The night of the full moon and the ones after and before). You will get a 1HP, MP, and SP on those nights.] ---- ************ [Name: Arad Orion] [Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 4/20][Exp: 40/6500] [Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Wyrmling] [Six months and ten days.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 0] [Avable skill points: 4] [Strength: 15] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 108/108][MP: 120][SP: 120] ---------------- [Skills] [ws] [Bite] [Tail m] [Wing m] [Glide] [Innate Skills] [Frightful presence] [Void Magic] [Void Power] [Alternate Form] [Breath Weapon] [Void Biology] [Void Eyes] [Void Existence] [Void Walk] [Resistance] [All Elements] [Immunities] [Time] [Space] [Magic] Non ************ [Vampire skill tree] Tier one skills: [Night affinity][Locked] [Blood-sucking bite][Locked] [Blood magic: Faint spell][Locked] ************ [Wyrmwolf skill tree] Tier one skills: [Bestial aspect][Locked] [Wild instincts][Locked] [Moon rage][Locked] ************ ^I''m a wyrm wolf? Not a werewolf?^ Arad thought. [Werewolf means (Man-wolf) And since you''re a dragon, you would be a Wyrmwolf (Dragon-wolf)] Selena and Ginger removed their hands from Arad, taking deep breaths after removing the curses. "You are cured," Ginger said with a smile, feeling the vampiric presence fade from Arad''s body. Selena smiled, "It was a bit tough to pull it out, but you shouldn''t have any problem, little dragon," She could feel the lycanthropy fade away. Arad opened kept his eyes closed as he talked with mom. [You have four points and six skills. You can only pick four for now.] ^Can I take the other twoter?^ [As long as you get more skill points] ^How do I do that?^ [Humans who became vampire seek human blood, so you''re a dragon who seek dragon blood. Werewolves eat human flesh, and you will eat dragon flesh. That is how empowers your skills.] ^I don''t like eating my own,^ [Dragons already do it, didn''t ug tell you that adult dragons usually kill thepetition before they grow? Adult dragons usually eat wyrmlings of other dragons to prevent them from bing a threat.] ^Hey! Hey! We''re here having a low birth problem, and those idiots are eating wyrmlings?^ [I wasn''t talking about void dragons. We are extremely careful about the next generation. I meant the chromatic dragons. metals are nice to their wyrmlings most of the time.] Skill [Blood-sucking bite][Unlocked] Skill [Blood magic: Faint spell][Unlocked] Skill [Bestial aspect][Unlocked] Skill [Wild instincts][Unlocked] ^I think [Night affinity] and [Moon rage] are powerful skills but are too damaging to trust.^ [True, If you took night affinity, you will die in less than two minutes in the sunlight.] Selena and Ginger were about to stand when they felt the curses resurface inside Arad''s body, stronger than before. "What?" Ginger gasped. "We just cleared them!" Selena touched Arad trying to erase the curse again, but she made a surprised face, "This curse belongs to him. He became a progenitor," "Same on my side," Ginger frowned, "What did you do, Arad?" Arad opened his eyes, "I became both a vampire and a werewolf..." [Wyrmwolf, don''t mistake them,] "I mean, a wyrmwolf." He smiled. "But''s weak," Selena red at him, "I don''t how you did it, but the curse I sense from you is still young. You will never be an alpha male." [Say this...] "Of course, I''m not an alpha." Arad stared at her with a straight face, "I''m a sigma male," Ginger sighed, "What is that even supposed to mean?" Ae poked Arad''s face, "You smell diffirent," Arad smiled, "How is it?" "It''s a faint wet hair smell, a strange one." She scratched her head. "Wet dog," Alcott sighed, "It''s how we werewolves can tell each apart. I''m surprised you can smell it." "She''s used to his smell," Selena stared at her, "She probably been sniffing him all the time," THUD! Ginger smacked her head, "Elves have a sharp sense of smell, don''t tease her like that," She sighed, looking at Arad, "But to be a vampire-werewolf-dragon hybrid, did we create a monster?" [Of course, you did! And it''s a wyrmwolf, not a werewolf.] ^Why are you stuck on that definition?^ [It''s kind of important if you ate dragons or humans. I don''t want them to see you as a danger to their society.] ^I see,^ "Ginger, I''m a wyrmwolf, not a werewolf. I go after dragons instead of humans for both blood and flesh." Arad exined with a smile. "Won''t that mean you''re an enemy to dragons?" Alcott stared at him. "Dragons kill each other on a daily basis. You know that." Alcott sighed with a sad face, "I know. That''s the reason they don''t give much attention to using humans. Their kind is more trouble to deal with." Ginger sat on the bed, putting one leg on the other and leaning back, "No one will care about the ants destroying their fence when they have a burning civil war." "She''s right," Selena nodded. Arad stood, stretching his arms, "I feel better now," He smiled, morphing into his draconic form with a thud. GRRRRRRR! A low growl escaped his throat as he stretched his back like a cat. "What are you intending to do from now on?" Ginger stared at him. "I need to grow older and stronger to protect myself," Arad replied, "Mages won''t let me live alone, would they?" "Being a dragon is enough of a reason, and now added the curses. To the academy, you look like a juicy chunk of undiscovered knowledge." Ginger smiled, staring at him with a big grin. "For the time being, we should lead the nuns outside of the vige," Selena stood, "I don''t care what religion you people believe in, but those people deserve to seek their own path." Alcott stood, "I know, the church has its own shady deals." he sighed, "We better call them all dead, or at least make attempting to retrieve them more of a pain than it is now," "How should we do that?" Arad stared at him. "Well, a dragon just appeared, and he asked for human flesh, and he fancied the nuns." Alcott smiled, "As a meditator, I made the wise of giving him what he wants instead of letting the vige gets destroyed." "What about beast people who are going to get born in the future?" Selena stared at him. "As I care, the dragon wants food so he sends his agents to take some. You can take that role, right?" He stared at her. "What about the dragon? I''m sure that one won''t like us using his name." Selena objected. "I''m more expert with dragons than you are." Alcott sighed, "There is no problem if we didn''t mention a name, or we can make an alias for it. Dragon of Oakedge." "I see," Selena scratched her chin, staring at the still-sleeping Hank, "Got it," Knock! Knock! Knock! Jack knocked on the door, and Arad shifted back into his humanoid form, "Chief, how are things going?" He entered with a smile. "Good. We managed to find a solution and will start acting immediately." Lydia stared from behind Jack, "Really?" Ginger waved her hand for her, "Yeah,e here, and I will exin everything." After an hour of exnation, Lydia understood the situation, "Those disgraceful bastards!" BANG! She smacked the table hard enough to crack it. "Heard that?" Jack smiled, "Told you your people aren''t all that nice." Lydia immediately red at him, "Stop your jokes. That is but a minority." Jack waved his arms, "A minority is everyone when they hold control. A single rotten priest meant the whole church is insane, but that doesn''t reach the level of the mage tower bullshit," Jack dropped himself on a chair. Ginger stared at him, "You know about the mages'' tower?" "I know they are batshit insane." Jack leaned on the table, "Human trafficking, assassination, forbidden magic, and human experiments." He sighed, Chapter 75 The Dragon’s First Hunt Time quickly passed by. Alcott and Selena went to the church and secretly freed the nuns from the ve contracts. Ginger, on the other hand, brought the bad news of the dragon wanting sacrifice, and the nuns happily volunteered for it. "Ae, did you see Arad?" Jack asked, looking around. "He went to the forest," She replied with a smile, staring at the sky. "We must give him some time," *** Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Araad run across the forest in his draconic form, keeping low below the tall grass. ^I hear them moving toward the north,^ [Red bison, do you really want to hunt them?] Mom replied with an exhausted face, [You don''t need food, do you?] ^I don''t need it, but it won''t rot in my stomach anyway. I also heard their mean was a delicacy so I could make money and level up. Three birds with one stone,^ [Ae is an experienced hunter, and her bow is a useful tool,] ^I want to hunt like a dragon. Is that a problem?^ [Not at all. Keep low. We''re close to them,] Arad stopped behind a tree, staring into an open grass field. The bison rested there, grazing on the fresh green grass. They were big, red, and got short twisted horns. ^Can I camouge?^ [No, that''s a young adult skill. Your scales need to grow first.] ^They are pretty big and sturdy. Can''t I try it?^ [To camouge, your scales need to be small and smooth. Otherwise, you will look like an obvious patch of rainbow colors.] &Authur addition: the scales are imagined like the pixels of a disy. The smaller they are, the better.& Arad prowled around the herd, searching for the weak and wounded beasts. He wanted to take it easy and test the water first. ^Mom, what about that one in the back?^ [A broken horns and a festering wound in the back leg, it won''t be able to run away.] ^A good target?^ [You would die. Look closely at the herd,] Countless bisons checked on the wounded beast regrly, never leaving it alone. ^They are protecting it?^ [Exactly, attack it, and they will gang up on you,] ^What should I do then?^ [Do as I say. I will teach you the basic of hunting for a wyrmling. Those strategies will change as you grow older.] Arad circted around the herd and started digging a trench with his ws, using his stomach to hide the dirt. He then peeked out, ^Now, to drag one out, right?^ [No, we will take a bunch down simultaneously.] Arad went back into the trench and started digging a tunnel while throwing dirt from his tail like a worm, sealing the hole he made. [As a dragon, you can travel by walking, flying, climbing, swimming, or digging. Use those movements to your advantage.] ^I can''t help but feel like am eating dirt and pooping behind me,^ Arad sighed, ^Are you sure this will work?^ [No matter how much big those monsters get, no matter how hard they stomped they can never shatter the ground. If you can dig. Then use it as a shield and a way to sneak close to your prey.] A bison stood merely, eating the grass from the ground. CRACK! The dirt shattered, and Arad''s jaw emerged, biting it from the snout. MOOOOO! The beast cried as Arad pulled underground with extreme force. MO? The other beasts stared for a moment, processing that the ground just ate one of them. MOOOOOOO! They quickly started to freak out. The stupid beasts can''t see anyone, so they cannot fathom it was something to fight. Their default survival instinct was to run away. As the beasts ran for it, they crossed over the trench Arad made, falling in and breaking their limbs. ^Mom, it''s working!^ Arad growled with a smile, digging his way back to the trench. [Don''t get greedy. Pick the beasts one by one, and aim at the neck and nose.] ^I know, drag them underground where they can''t move and kill them there.^ Arad peeked his head into the trench, biting a beast from the back leg and attempting to drag it underground. THWACK! The beast kicked Arad in the head, knocking one of his teeth out. GROWL! He growled, retreating to the ground. [Idiot, I told you to go for the nose or neck! If you see a leg, get back underground and change your position.] ^Sorry, Mom. But I lost a tooth,^ Arad growled, checking his jaw with his ws. [It will grow back in a day or two. Now get back to hunting.] She went silent for a moment, [Don''t cry about not being able to bite well,] ^I won''t.^ Arad dug his way around, quickly reaching the beast''s head and biting its neck. [You didn''t go for the nose?] ^I just lost a tooth. I want to bite something soft at least,^ Arad didn''t want to bite the hard nose. Due to the pain. [I told you not to cry about it. You''re a dragon.] ^I''m not crying about it. I''m being optimal with my condition,^ Arad replied as he pulled the beast underground, killing it. [That was a solid answer. Keep it up.] ^I thought you would be angry?^ [Not when you make sense. I get angry when you take an unneeded risk, y your skills badly or attempt to make a bad decision.] ^What do you define as bad?^ [Anything that could hurt you, your mates, children, or even growth in any capacity.] ^I see ^ Arad went to the next bison, biting it by the neck and dragging it down. ^Do all wyrmlings hunt like this?^ [No all wyrmlings can dig like you, Some ambush prey by leaping from trees and some scavenge after other hunters. To each their way of survival,] ^But don''t you think this is a bit too much? I don''t need over thirty bison, right?^ [Dragons are avaricious, consuming far more than they need. This is where those words started. If a lion hunts one deer, we hunt ten, eat one and store the other nine. If we need to eat once a week, we eat each day to grow stronger and bigger.] ^We are strange creatures,^ Arad sighed, slowly killing all the bison in his trench. After the hunt was done, Arad exited the ground licking his bloodied ws. GROWL! A growl came from the bushes. Looking closely, it was a pride of lions. ^Did they smell the blood?^ [Probably, this might be their hunting ground,] ^What should I do?^ [Nothing, if they dare approach, kill the male.] ^You sure?^ [We dragons don''t care about whose territory we''re in unless it''s another dragon.] ^What do wyrmlings do in those situations?^ [That depends on the type. Chromatic dragons would kill the male, eat him, and then mate with the lioness before leaving. Metalic would quietly retreat, respecting the lion and even leaving a part of the prey.] ^And we magic dragons?^ [Depends on the person. Your mother would kill all of them like any other prey. To her, they were but preserved meat.] ^That''s harsh,^ Arad sighed, growling at the lions and waving his wings, trying to look big. ROAR! The lion leaped at him immediately, ^What? Does he want a fight?^ Arad leaped back, dodging the attack and smacking him with his tail. The lion stumbled back momentarily, and Arad leaped on his back, pushing him down and biting the back of his neck. ^You''re a lucky bastard,^ Arad stopped without killing the lion. GROWL! He growled at him, moving away. The lion slowly stood, staring at Arad, "Hush! Hush! You lost!" Arad turned away, throwing one of the bison corpses to the lion and his pride. [You chose the metallic route?] ^This might be hisnd after all. And I already killed enough,^ Arad sighed, wiggling his neck and wings as he approached the trench. [You better close this. It''s dangerous to leave it here.] Using all the dirt in his stomach, Arad slowly closed the trench as the lions dragged the bison''s corpse away. ************ [Name: Arad Orion] [Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 5/20][Exp: 720/14000] [Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Wyrmling] [Six months and ten days.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 1] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 15] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 123/135][MP: 150][SP: 122/150] ---------------- [Skills] [ws] [Bite] [Tail m] [Wing m] [Glide] [Innate Skills] [Frightful presence] [Void Magic] [Void Power] [Alternate Form] [Breath Weapon] [Void Biology] [Void Eyes] [Void Existence] [Void Walk] [Resistance] [All Elements] [Immunities] [Time] [Space] [Magic] [Blood Magic: Faint spell] ************ [Vampire skill tree] Tier one skills: [Night affinity][Locked] [Blood-sucking bite][Unlocked] [Blood magic: Faint spell][Unlocked] ************ [Wyrmwolf skill tree] Tier one skills: [Bestial aspect][Unlocked] [Wild instincts][Unlocked] [Moon rage][Locked] ************ I leveled up! Arad smiled. ^Let''s allocate that point to Constitution. I want to bnce the stats a bit.^ [A wise decision for someone who a bison kicked one of his teeth out.] ---------------- [Stats] [Avable stat points: 0] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 15] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 15] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 123/137][MP: 150][SP: 122/150] ---------------- Chapter 76 A Night With A Visitor. Arad walked back into the woods, searching for more prey. [You got enough. Let''s get back to the vige.] ^Are you sure, Mom?^ Arad replied, ^The day is still long,^ [You can always hunt another day. Not straining yourself or the ecosystem is a skill that every dragon must learn at some point.] ^I see. Killing all those bison will get the predator on edge, scaring the other monsters. I will end up eating them to extinction if I keep hunting,^ [That''s the point. Hunt as much as you can without causing trouble,] Mom smiled inside, [A good way to kill monsters without worrying about the ecosystem is through the guild''s quest. They will think for us,] Arad returned to the vige, stretching his arms as he approached the tavern. Right outside, he found Jack sitting there. "Arad, want lunch? Or are you full?" "Full, but I still eat more," The two walked in to eat. Ae and Merida sat together, chatting in the back. Arad stared at them, confused, "What are they talking about?" Jack looked back, "I don''t know. All the girls I met were weird, so I can''t possibly guess." Ae noticed Arad staring at them, so she waved her hand at him, smiling. Merida stared in the other direction. It was suspicious. Lydia passed by, so Arad called her. "Do you know what those two are talking about?" She shook her head, "I don''t know. But I heard your name brought up several times. Did you do anything?" "I did nothing," Arad replied, staring back. Later that night. Arad walked into his room to see Ae sitting on the bed, "How are you doing?" "Good, and you?" She stared at him with a smile. "I''m fine. What did you talk about with Merida?" "Hehe." Ae giggled, "Girl''s secret, can''t tell you. Yet." [So you''re supposed to know at some point?] "When will I know then?" "When Merida is ready," Ae smiled. "Preferably before we get back to Alina. We will be spilling apart then," He said with a serious face. "EH!" Ae gasped, "Well, I can tell you a bit." She scratched her chin, "Right now, I''m supposed to convince you to keep her in the party." Arad pulled a Chair and sat on it, "You know she''s dangerous. Someone like her who attacks before thinking things is dangerous to leave around." "I know, but hear me out on this." Ae smiled, "It''s better to have her around. Someone like her is better an ally than not." "That isn''t a reason. Don''t you have anything more convincing?" Arad stared at her. [If there was a more valid reason. Merida would have brought it up herself.] Mom said with a sigh, [Ae is supposed to talk you into it. Probably.] "You know, she''s strong and all," Ae said, worried. Arad sighed, "You know it''s easier to convince me bying straight?" Ae sighed, "Sorry about that. There isn''t much of a reason besides what I can''t say. You have to trust me on this one." She scratched her chin. Arad smiled, sitting beside her, "Fine, but we have to ask Jack as wellter," "Really?" Ae smiled. "Of course. Jack is a member. We can''t ignore him. I also have a bad feeling about not telling him." Arady on the bed, and Ae started helping him take off his armor. "Do you think he will object?" "No. I think Jack will act rashlyter if things turn bad." Arad replied. "I see," Ae smiled, sitting beside him. "Should we do it tonight?" "Tell Jack?" "No, the other one," she replied with a blushing face. "Ah! That," Arad smiled, "I did ask Mom about it. It will be hard for us to get a child." "What did she say?" "Dragons and elves live a long life and have few children. We might not get one for decades." Arad exined. "How about the egg problem? How long will the pregnancy be?" Ae asked since she won''t be able to fight in theter days of that. ^Mom, got any idea?^ &Authur note: Humans live to 100 years: 9 months. Elves live to 1000 years: 90 months. Dragons live to 10000 years: 900 months.& [Your mother was a woman. It''s hard for me to tell if it was the reverse. But a void dragon must be born from an egg, and it needs to incubate inside the mother for at least Seventy-five years to gain knowledge and hatch like you.] ^You said something like that before. About how we void to get a part of our parents'' consciousness or something?^ [That''s a different topic. You live inside the mother until your reach cognitive adulthood. Since the mother won''t be staying with you.] Mom smiled, [We can''t leave a crying baby who can''t walk nor speak alone,] Arad nodded, exining what mom told him to Ae. "Seventy-five years?? We elves barely stay pregnant for ny months!" Ae gasped. [I''m sure your mother wasn''t pregnant for all those years. It would be inefficient. We will find a workaround for that pregnancy.] Mom exined. "There might be a way to shorten that seventy-five years." Arad looked at Ae, "Mom says we might find a way." Ae stared at him with a wry smile, "We better do. Seventy-five years is just too much." Arad scratched his head, "I guess it has something to do with void magic. An experienced mage might be able to help us." "I don''t think you find any mage knowledgeable in void magic." Ae stared at the cieling. "I''m a void dragon. We both can get research going," Arad smiled. "Eh!" [Eh!] Both Ae and Mom gasped at the same time, "Wasn''t the goal not to get the mages to experiment on you?" [She''s right? We need to find a trustworthy one.] "How about Ginger? She looks capable." Arad suggested. [I don''t know about it. She''s trustworthy but dangerous at the same time.] ^Why do I know what you are thinking?^ Arad sighed. [What?] ^You want the mage to be pregnant as well.^ Arad sighed again, "You won''t trust someone unless we are in the same cage.^ Momughed, [You''re like your mother,] ^Like mother?^ [As a dragon, her power stood above all. There are only a few people she trusts. For the sole reason that they can''t keep up with her.] Mom said in a calm voice. ^How strong is she?^ [Let''s keep it as best not told,] Arad sighed, closing his eyes. "I''m exhausted," "What happened to you?" Ae stared at him, confused, "I feel sleepy," Arad replied, yawning. Ae crawled beside him, "Want to sleep early?" she hugged his arm. "Want to do it?" Arad looked at her. "Don''t force yourself if you''re exhausted. We can do it again when we find a quiet ce. Where no one would hear us." She whispered in his ear with a smile, closing her eyes. Arad smiled, hugging her, "Let''s take it slowly. We have a long time ahead of us." Knock! Knock! Someone knocked at their door, and Arad stood immediately. "I''ming," When Arad opened the door, he saw Merida standing, staring at him with a worried face and a pillow and nket in hand, "Can I sleep here?" "Excuse me, what?" Arad stared back at Ae. She shook her head, "I know nothing of this!" "Can I enter?" Merida asked, looking down. "Heck no!" Arad replied. He was just about to have a sweet time with Ae. ^I''m right. This woman is a problem,^ "Alcott and Ginger wanted a room. She said I could sleep with you." Merida said, looking down. "Let her in," Ae said from the back, "It can''t be that bad," She smiled. "What could be that bad," Arad sighed, staring back at Ae, "Get in," Merida walked in, resting her sword in the corner beside Ae''s bow. "That''s a long de if I''ve seen one." Arad stared at the long, thin-edged de. "It''s a modified zweihander. Magic smithing is capable of that." Merida smiled, "If you found a cksmith to make it." Arad stared at her, "Is it an enchantment?" "No, he brined the steel with magic salt and infused it with magic." Merida lifted her sword, "There are many different types of magic salts. What was used here is a %70/%30 mix of hardness and weightless salt, respectively." [Magic salt is apound of crushed elemental stones. When smithing, you can sprinkle it on the steel, cool it in, or brine it to add those magical properties to the weapon.] ^So it''s what makes such a thin-long weapon possible?^ [Yeah, without it, mostrge weapons are going to be unusable.] Arad sat on the bed, "I see. But where are you going to sleep?" He asked the important question. "On the floor. Or in the corner. I don''t want to stay outside in the cold or the tavern where drunkards are roaming." Merida replied, and Arad stared at Ae. She smiled. [Arad, she''s usable.] Arad sighed, ^Fine! Fine!^ He stood, "The bed can hold two. Do you mind sharing it with her?" He looked at Ae. "I have no problem with that. But what about you?" Ae stared at him with a smile. "I will sleep on the ground," Arad replied. "No, I will sleep on the ground." Merida stared at him. Chapter 77 Attracted To The Wyrmwolf "No, I will sleep on the ground." Merida stared at him. Arad sighed, exhausted, "Use the bed," He red at Merida. Ae stared at them, "She''s right. I can''t let you sleep on the ground," Arad stared at her, "You change your mind quickly." The three of them kept arguing, and after half an hour, Merida stared at the ceiling. She and Ae slept on the bed, squeezed beside Arad. "What am I doing!" She stood, screaming. Arad opened one eye, staring at her back, "We''re in an inn. Keep your voice down." "What are you two talking about?" Ae sat up, rubbing her eye as her chest dangled. ^This elf is in her underwear. Even Arad isn''t wearing his top. Why am I sleeping in the same bed as them?^ Merida stared to realize. They argued, and this is how it ended. Merida looked won. She was the only one fully clothed, "I will go sleep on the ground," She was about to stand, but Ae caught her, "We already talked about it! Get back down," She pulled her to the bed. "Let me go! Let me go!" Merida struggled, but Ae quickly wrestled her back into the bed. Arad went back to sleep, closing his eyes and letting the girls deal with it. [You aren''t interfering?] ^What could I even do?^ Arad asked, [I don''t know. Try calming them down.] CRACK! The two girls wrestled on top of him, and Merida''s elbow dug into his chest. Arad opened his arms, catching Ae and Merida simultaneously and pulling them toward the bed. "Let go of me!" Merida growled as Arad''s arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Argue about it in the morning. For now, sleep!" Arad growled without even opening his eyes. ^That''s right, if I can''t tell her to sleep on the ground or get her to sleep in the bed. All I need to do is postpone the decision to the morning!^ Mom sighed. The decision was wed, but it worked in her and Arad''s favor, so she doubled down, [She''s calming down!] Merida went silent for a moment, rxing beside Arad and looking away. "Fine," she mumbled with a faint voice, resting her head on his arm and closing her eyes. Ae smiled, hugging Arad''s right side and closing her eyes. *** The morning quickly came by, and Arad woke to a strange feeling. ^A hand is on my crotch. Ae, Merida is on the bed, do you remember?^ He slightly opened his eyes, peeking down. It was Merida. She had one hand in his pants and one in hers, masturbating. ^Ayo!^ Arad screamed inside his head, ^Mom do you see that?^ [I do. She doesn''t know you''re awake. Let her finish.] Mom replied immediately, [Everything is working better than I expected,] ^What? fine.^ Arad didn''t move and kept observing her. ^But is this normal?^ [No, and that''s why you mustn''t confront her now. Don''t move.] Hearing that Arad didn''t move and waited. Merida''s hand movement got faster and faster, and her breathing got heavier. "AH!" A muffled moan escaped her mouth as her hips trembled. With shaking eyes, she pulled her hand from Arad''s pants. It was dry, not got out of him. Merida stared at her, "Nothing," She mumbled, sniffing it for a moment before licking her fingers while still ying with herself. ^What is she doing!^ Arad kept screaming inside his head. [Don''t move no matter what,] After thoroughly licking her fingers, Merida stared at Arad and Ae''s faces and slowly crawled down, pulling his pants down. ^Mom!^ [Let her do what she wants. Don''t move,] Merida shoved her face into his meet, sniffing him like a hungry dog. Spacing out momentarily, she opened her mouth, pushing the whole thing in her throat. ^It''s in her mouth!^ Arad wanted to move, [I told you to stay still. Do you want Ae to kill you?] His body flinched, and Merida stopped a bit before continuing. Quickly, Merida forgot herself and started going faster and faster. When she looked up, Ae was ring down at her in the eyes. ^Ae is awake! She is going to kill her! I need to stop them,^ Arad screamed internally, but Mom stopped him again, [Don''t! If Ae wanted to kill her, she would have done so already.] Merida froze, almost choking up. She slowly tried to stop, but Ae caught her by the hair, "What are you doing?" She whispered. "I can exin..." Merida said, almost tearing up. Ae put a finger to her mouth, "Be quiet unless you want to get beaten to a pulp." She red at her and then looked at Arad''s face. "He''s still asleep. Come with me." Ae pulled Merida toward the room''s corner. ^I can''t hear what they are saying,^ Arad thought. [Ae will notice if you moved a bit. Stay still.] ^But I can''t even see them,^ [Forget about and stay still like a stone,] After a few moments, Ae and Merida returned to the bed, Sleeping beside Arad. ^Merida as well? I thought she was about to kick her out!^ Arad screamed inside his head. [What a development,] Merida reached with her hand to Ae, grabbing her arm. Ae smiled at her, "I know," Ae crawled up to Arad''s ear, "Arad, Arad!" She whispered, "Wake up." [Pretend to wake up,] Arad slowly opened his eyes, "What? Is it morning?" He mumbled. Ae smiled, "It is," she smiled, kissing his cheek. Arad sat up, waiting for them to bring up what happened, but they didn''t. Merida pretended to wake up just like him, stretching her arms. As they stood, Ae walked up, and Merida brought her clothes, "Should I help you?" she asked with a shaking voice. Ae smiled, "Of course," She let Merida help her wear her clothes. ^What are they doing? I expected this to be a blood bath,^ [Merida owns Ae twice now. One for cutting her ankle and now for keeping what she did a secret. They must have settled for another price.] ^ Won''t that activate her contract?^ Arad thought, [It will unless she tells you about what happened soon.] But as Arad was thinking, Ae approached him with Merida, "Arad, can I ask a favor of you?" Ae said with a worried face. ^Is she about to tell me?^ "What is it?" Arad replied with a smile, waiting to see what she would say. Ae stared at Merida and then back at his face, "I know this might seem strange, but I beg of you, please don''t get angry." she bowed down, pushing Merida with her. Arad helped her lift her head, "You don''t need to do that," He said with a wry smile. ^Why all the show? Is what Merida did that bad?^ [Dependig on the person. It wouldn''t be strange if you beat Merida to death, the same for Ae protecting her.] ^I don''t feel like that. Is that fine?^ Arad asked. [Nosting damage was done, so I don''t think it''s worth starting a fuss about it.] After taking a deep breath, Ae recited what Merida did in detail. Apologizing in her stead and forcing her to apologize alongside her. Arad listened as Ae talked, "So, can you please forget what she did?" Arad scratched his head, looking at Ae''s face and Merida''s head that was stuck to the ground. "Aren''t you assuming too much?" Arad said, staring at them. Ae looked won, "Yeah, I guess even I can''t speak up in this." "Please!" Merida cried. Arad looked at them, confused, "You''re misunderstanding," He sighed, "Ae, can you at least exin to me why you want to help her?" Ae stared at him, poking her fingers together, "Remember what we talked about before. I''m an elf, and that might take a bit too long. I was thinking of using what she just did to convince her to get it done." [She wanted to ckmail her with this to get her to carry your child. This elf is crafty. But that won''t do. The child will most likely resent you and her.] Arad shook his head, "You know. That won''t work," He sighed, patting her head, "I''m happy about your enthusiasm, but this is going too far." Ae stared up at him, "But!" But she went silent, looking at Merida, "Don''t even think about it. She is dangerous." Arad stated. To him, this was the best excuse to get rid of her. [I agree with Ae, don''t even think of getting rid of Merida.] ^What?^ Arad gasped, ^She tried to kill us! And now she did this! She''s too extreme to be trusted.^ [I know, but she isn''t a danger anymore. And she will be a helping hand in the future.] Arad sighed, grasping his head and staring at Merida, "I''m too exhausted to decide. Do what you see best." Merida lifted her head up, almost crying, "I''m truly sorry. I couldn''t control myself." She then turned toward, Ae, "Sorry, Iid my hands on him. I bet you want to kill me," Ae patted her head, "Calm down. What did attract you to him?" Merida froze momentarily, looking away with a red face, "You won''tugh?" Arad stared at her, "Why would Iugh?" Her face paled, looking at the ground, "Ae willugh at me, you might get disgusted." Ae red at her, "Just speak!" Merida looked at them, "The smell. It was intoxicating, and when I looked at his face. I felt he was ring at me even though he was asleep." [The Wyrmwolf and Vampire blood, I should have guessed.] Chapter 78 The Trip Back "I see." Arad said, thinking, "Let''s head downstairs first. We can think of anything elseter." He approached the door. "Is that all?" Ae stared at him. "Yeah, there isn''t anything else we could talk about." Arad stretched his arms, "I won''t speak of what Merida did. We''re splitting at the guild anyway." He smiled. [You said you didn''t want to party with Merida due to trust?] ^Yeah. At first, it was a gut feeling after she attacked us once, but now I have more reason to throw her.^ [That''s a waste of her talent with the sword.] Mom sighed. ^We will someone better,^ "I understand," Merida nodded, "If we both speak to Nina, she should be able to talk the guild out of it." "Alcott will speak as well. We''re guaranteed to end it." Ae stared at Arad with a smile. "Let''s go eat something," Arad said with a smile, but then looked at Merida, "I should make this clear. If you attacked us again. I won''t hesitate to kill you on the spot." "I won''t forget," Merida replied with a slight bow. Arad and the girls walked downstairs. Alcott and the others waited at the counter, eating their breakfast. "Chief, you''re back!" Jack smiled, waving his hand, "Did you have a pleasant night?" Arad looked at Jack. And then at Alcott, "No. But I was able to confirm that I didn''t want her anywhere near the party." "Guessed it," Jack smiled. Alcott sighed, staring at Ginger, "It didn''t work. I told you he is hard-headed." Ginger stared at Arad, smiling, "I was confident it would work." ^This bloodsucking fiend! She knew that would happen,^ [Her n backfired, we should be more careful around her.] Arad sat beside them, looking at the bartender. "Your breakfast is almost ready. Please wait a moment." The bartender replied while wiping the counter. "How are the important matters going on?" Arad stared at Alcott. "Hank is stable, and Selena took a room with him. The n is going well, and we should finish by noon." He gulped down his meal, "I will take care of that part as the dragon meditator. So I want you to prepare for our trip back home," Arad nodded, "Got it," After breakfast, Arad, Ae, and Jack searched for a wagon heading to Alina to rent. Merida stayed in the inn with Lydia to collect rations for the trip. At noon, Alcott returned from delivering the nuns. "Sir Meditator." the vige chief approached him, "Is the dragon pleased?" Alcott nodded, smiling, "It is. This vige is safe. I even got the dragon to agree to some conditions." The vige chief eyes opened wide, "What condition?" "It won''t eat the nuns and instead will use them as a worker to clean itsyer, prepare the food, and such. It even agreed to free them in the future if it didn''t need workers instead of killing them." He looked down, "Of course, there is bad news as well." The vige chief frowned, "We did expect as much. What is it?" Alcott looked away, "The dragon was keen on using them for pleasure. They can''t escape that unless some of them get eaten." He then looked at the sky, "But the nuns ept that as a condition to be left alive." The vige chief nodded, "I understand." He sighed, "I bet the dragon could have done as it pleased. We''re grateful it even agreed to some conditions. Thank you, Meditator." Alcott patted the chief shoulder, "Cheer up. They might return one day. Also. Selena and Hank could talk to the dragon in your stead." The vige chief stared at him, "Really?" "Hank fought the dragon and got his respect, at least enough to consider him worth listening to." Alcott smiled, "Everything is in your hands from now on." Alcott walked away toward the vige center, thinking, ^Sorry, chief. The nuns are heading toward the beasnd as we speak now. They are safe and have a better life ahead of them,^ Behind the vige center, Arad and the others awaited Alcott beside the wagon, "Are you done?" "Yeah, everything is under control." Alcott smiled. "We can head back," He looked at the vige, ^I hope we can meet again in better circumstances, Oakedge''s alpha.^ After a few hours of traveling, night fell, and the party needed to camp. "Pull up to the side, will camp beside the road," Alcott said, leaping from the still-moving wagon. "As you say, sir." The driver nodded. Thud! Arad and Ae leaped behind Alcott, "What should we do?" Arad asked. "We need firewood and stones to make a fire. Someone needs to serve the area as well. It would be nice if we got a fresh kill for dinner." Arad said, scratching his chin. ^Fresh kill? I have a couple of bison in my stomach,^ Arad thought. [Don''t pull one out. Those creatures live in herds, so camping around where they graze is dangerous.] ^Bacecally, if I could hunt one here, we should move away.^ [We can''t show that to Lydia, Merida, or the driver. They would freak out.] Ae smiled, lifting her hand. "I will try catching something while exploring the area from the trees," Lydia leaped from the wagon, "I will check on the horses with the driver and then collect some stones for the fire," Ginger smiled, "Merida and I will butcher and cook whatever you hunt. If not, we will cook something nice with what we have of rations," She pulled Merida with her. "I will set some traps for the night, can''t be too careful." Jack waved his hand, heading to the woods. Alcott smiled, "I will gather firewood. What about you, Arad?" Arad scratched his head, "Did you leave any work for me? I will walk around and try hunting for something for dinner." Alcott nodded, "That''s good. Let''s get to work before it gets too dark," *** Arad headed toward the forest. After he was alone, he morphed back into his draconic form. ^This feels better. What should we hunt, Mom?^ [I only see what you see, let''s climb a tree and look around,] She suggested, smiling. ^Say, Mom, what do dragons do in their spare time? Or when they hunt like this?^ [Depends on the dragon type and territory. But the mostmon thing is marking thend as their own by scrubbing their scales on the trees. Older dragons can lock the forest with magical wards.] ^That is vastly different,^ [I don''t rmend that you marknd now. As a wyrmling, you don''t have enough strength to defend thend you own.] Mom sighed, [I can''t believe I missed ug''s return,] ^That green dragon woman?^ [She came all the way to save you. I should have asked her to lick you.] ^Excuse me, what?^ [Adult dragons lick their wyrmlings so other dragons can recognize them. It would have helped you avoid conflict with most dragons.] ^Then why she didn''t do it?^ [She won''t go around licking other dragon''s wyrmlings.] After looking around for a bit, Arad spotted movements in the bushes. ^Mom, I spotted a deer.^ [Leave it alone. Let''s look for something else. A bulldeer would be better.] ^Why?^ [This forest belongs to the Lord of Alina, so hunting deer here should be forbidden. I doubt Alcott and the rest would snitch, but I can''t trust the driver.] ^It can get us in trouble in the future.^ [You can kill it and say it was a monster''s doing.] Seeing that Arad is a dragon, he could make it believable that the deer got killed by a lion or a tiger. [But I doubt Lydia and Merida would eat. Monster kills can usually carry diseases.] ^Yeah, let''s look for something cleaner.^ Arad kept searching, leaping from one tree to another until he eventually saw a woond goat. A woond goat is a bitrger than normal goats but has four sharp horns on the head. As a monster, they are notorious for climbing trees mid-battle and then doing a falling horn ram. ^They have moved. How can they climb?^ [Beat me. Those things don''t fear gravity or logic. They are worse than mountain goats.] Arad jumped to the ground,ying low as he prowled around the goat, hiding beneath the tall grass. ^A sneak attack is good, right?^ [I would have suggested fighting it away from the trees, but that is impossible here.] Arad slowly approached the beast. The woond goat was grazing happily, ^My chance!^ Thud! Arad leaped forward, swinging one w at the goat''s neck. MEE! The goat swings his back leg at Arad, kicking him in the face. ^I feel like this happened before,^ In the same motion, the goat rushed toward the nearest tree and ran on its trunk, leaping up with a flip. Arad stared at the goat''s dexterous move, seeing the monster falling head first at him. Thud! He dodged to the side, and the goat''s horns stuck on the ground. Arad took the chance to finish him. Ssh! DRIP! As Arad looked at the goat''s corpse, he heard sshes in the distance. ^Mom?^ [Water, should we check that out?] ^Why not?^ Arad quickly dragged the goat''s corpse up a tree to keep it safe while he went to check the noise. A short distance away, beside a small spring, a woman sat on a rock, washing her bloodied robe white in her underwear. From the massive hat on her head, Arad immediately concluded she was a wizard. CRACK! The woman stared back toward where Arad was hiding. And she smiled, "ARA! I have never seen something like you before!" She smiled, pulling a small wand from her chest. Thud! Arad leaped away, dodging the stone spikes. ^She could see me?^ As hended, she was nowhere to be seen. ^Where did she go?^ Arad screamed inside his head. He was only here to look from afar, but she noticed him. Thud! Something fell on his back. It was the woman, and she caught his neck between her thighs, pointing the wand at his head. "Don''t move, or I will st your head off!" She smiled. Chapter 79 Archmage Of Alina [Don''t move. This woman is strong!] Mom shouted inside Arad''s head. "Come on, don''t move, little one! Care to be familiar?" The woman asked with a smile, tightening her leg grip on Arad''s back and keeping her wand close to his head. Arad stood still, slowly lowering his head. "Ho! You''re more obedient than I thought," The woman said with a smile, but then Arad whipped his head like a snake. "Heh!" The woman gasped, seeing his neck twist, aiming his jaw at her. ROAR! Arad unleashed a point-nk void breath at her. ZON! CRACK! As the woman''s vision turned back, a crystalline barrier covered her body, protecting her from the breath as her body got flung away. [That was risky!] Mom shouted in his head. ^We need to run away!^ Arad turned away to run, but green veins grew from the ground, tying him in ce. "Pretending to submit and then counter-attacking? That''s more intelligence than what a wyrmling has and that strange breath of yours." The woman walked toward Arad, scratching her butt. The fall was painful. "I have never seen a wyrmling like you. What are you?" she smiled. Arad red at her. SWOSH! Her body burst into mes, burning the veins. ^Mom, do you have any idea?^ [We can run with a void walk, but we must find an opening to use it and hide.] "Fire? You aren''t a red wyrmling. Or are you the ugly duck?" The woman pointed her want at Arad, "Don''t worry, I like your appearance better than your mother. Come to your new mommy," Her staff crackled, and two giant dirt hands rose from the ground. Arad leaped back, dodging their grasp. SWOSH! The woman flew around and behind him instantly, "I see. You want me to prove my strength. Dragons are prideful, after all," A st of air exploded from her want, sting Arad away without hurting him. Thud! CRAWL! Arad stopped after rolling a bit, using his w. He then red at the woman. ^She was strong and fast. What was that earlier?^ [She''s a wizard,] ^I know that. I asked what spell those were.^ [I don''t have your mother''s magic knowledge, But thatst one was wind magic.] ^Using multiple elements? Fine, I will y her game.^ Arad opened his jaw. Several orbs of magic appeared around his body. A zing me, crackling lightning, shing light, ominous dark void, hard stone, whistling wind, frozen icicle, and even a semi-transparent ball of pure magic. ^Are those all?^ [This is as much as you can do now,] "Heh?" The woman stared at Arad with a puzzled face. A sweat dropped on her face. "What is that?" She mumbled with her wand, slightly drooping. ^Void can conjure all the elements, I might not master them all, but they are a good distraction.^ ROAR! Arad unleashed all of them at the same time. "Damn it!" The woman swung her staff, covering her body in a stone dome. Puff! The spells made a disappointing sound as they hit, quickly informing her they had no power behind them. "Don''t tell me!" The woman shouted, lowering her barrier to finding Arad gone. "He ran away," She sighed, looking down. "Those spells were real. A wyrmling did conjure all those elements. But they had no power," the woman sat cross-legged. "But that ck thing before was strong. That must be his primary element." Thud! She fell on her back, "A ck element. It didn''t seem like darkness. A new species of dragons?" "GRWAAAAA!" She screamed, swinging her limbs like a kid throwing a tantrum, "Come back! Come back! I won''t hurt you!" Frustrated at missing such a rare creature. *** Arad ran away, never looking back. ^That was close,^ [It was, but you did better than I expected.] ^Have a little bit of trust in your son,^ [Any mother would get worried if her son is facing any risk,] ^And your worry was me submitting her?^ [No, I asked you not to move so I can get a few seconds to think of a safe way to run away.] ^Is that true? Have youe up with any ideas?^ [She was sitting on your back half-naked. What if you zapped her with a lightning version of a me cloak?] Guh! Arad gasped. ^That would have been easier...^ [Next time, let me think,] ^Sorry,^ Arad returned to the tree, where he hanged the woond goat. He quickly climbed it and poked the corpse with his w. ^It''s dead,^ He quickly put it into his stomach and leaped out of the tree like a rooster gliding with his wings. *** Ae was scouting in the trees when she saw Arad approaching the camp. She quickly jumped to greet him. "Arad! Did you get anything?" Arad waved his hand, dropping the woond goat''s corpse. Found this. It should make a good dinner. Ae smiled, "I found those!" She showed him a batch of grass. "Are those edible?" "Yes! We elves use them as foraged rations." She smiled. She can''t eat meat, after all. Arad and Ae carried the goat together as they approached the camp. He can''t have Lydia or Merida know about his stomach because that would be suspicious. Alcott had already gathered enough firewood, so after leaving the goat with Ginger and Merida to butcher it, Arad approached the firece. "Should I ignite it now?" "Yeah, I got more firewood than we need," Alcott replied, smiling. Arad used a [Bonfire] spell to ignite it. "I heard some noise in the distance. Did you fight a big monster?" Alcott asked, smiling. Arad stared at him. ^You heard it and didn''te?^ He wanted to scream, but then thought, ^I should be able to care for me. He''s the reverse of mom,^ Arad quickly told him about the fight with the woman wizard. "A half-naked wizard with a big chest? That''s too vague to know who she was," Alcott shook his head. He can''t just guess her from the top of his head. *** Later that night, just as the dinner was ready, Arad heard something moving around the camp in the grass. "Alcott," Arad looked at Alcott rxing around the carriage, "A humanoid ising directly toward us, almost like he doesn''t mean harm." Alcott stood. Ae looked at them, "He would be sneaking otherwise." A momentter, the woman emerged from the trees, "A camp! And isn''t it Alcott over there!" She smiled, waving her hand. Guh! Alcott gasped, "What is she doing here?" "That''s her," Arad whispered to Alcott. Alcott sighed, standing up and approaching the woman, "She''s Merlin, Alina''s archmage." Merlin stared at him, smiling, "Is that all for my introduction?" Ginger approached her, "That''s all. What brought you here?" "I was looking for a Lava core, but monsters attacked my camp when I was hunting for it." she smiled, scratching her chin, "They are all my rations. I did kill them but ended up with my clothes soaked in blood." she lifted her arms, her robe was dripping wet. Alcott sighed, "Low on MP, hungry and wet. Sit beside the mes. We can''t have you get sick or die here." Merlin smiled, "Thank you!" Since Alcott approved of her, no one questioned her further as she sat beside the fire. Merlin''s eyes darted around the camp, "You even have an elf! I haven''t seen one in a while," She stared at Alcott. "She isn''t at my party." He replied, sitting back beside the wagon. "Hemm," Merlin looked around, and her eyes stopped on Arad, "Are you a mage?" "A sorcerer," "I feel like I''ve seen you before," Merlin smiled. [She''s sharp,] "I was wandering around Alina''s za. We might have crossed paths there." Arad replied, looking away. "What kind of sorcerer are you?" "Fire, red draconic bloodline," Arad replied with a sigh. Merlin went silent for a moment, staring at the mes. "Are you with Alcott?" "I''m not at his party. I have my own." Arad replied. "Shame, I was looking for assistance in my next project." she sighed, leaning on her hands. "The city is full of people. Find someone else." Ae red at her. Merlin closed her eyes, "I would have done so if I could." she looked at the mes, "I''m working on a city heater and want to get it done before the winter. A red draconic bloodline sorcerer would be the best assistance to send into the zing forge for repairs and monitoring. "I''m not immune to mes," Arad red at her. "Even if you don''t have innate immunity, red draconic bloodline sorcerers are immune to fire while covered in their me." Merlin smiled, "I''m willing to teach you me coat and give you MP potions to work." Arad stood, approaching the campfire. "I''m immune to mes?" He extended his hand over the mes. And it burned him a bit. "Now, let''s see," KA-DON! He used [Firefist]. After a while, Merlin smiled, "See? The nonmagical me cannot burn you like that." Arad stared at his hand and at Merlin, "You know a lot about magic." "I''m an archmage, after all!" She cried, sensing surprise in his voice. Chapter 80 Merlin Is Too Much For The Dragon "Say, want to help me?" Merlin stared at Arad, staring at him. "Put a request at the guild if you want me to help you with anything," He replied. "You''re an adventurer, after all," Merlin smiled. Thud! Ae caught her by the head, "What are you talking about?" Merlin stared at her with a smile, "I want to hire him as my assistant," "I don''t trust your experiments," Ae growled at her. "Hehe," Merlinughed, "I can offer spells as payment. I will even go as much to enchant your weapons." She ignored Ae and looked at Arad. "Not interested," Arad replied immediately. It wasn''t like he didn''t care. He was just scared she might discover his identity. Her saying they met before terrified him to the bones. [She''s dangerous,] ^I know, in ourst fight. Merlin was trying to catch me alive. Otherwise, I would have died.^ [Then, can you stop staring at her chest?] ^I can''t help it. It''s bigger than Ae,^ Merlin slowly approached Arad, sitting beside him, "Say, would you work for me?" KA-DON! CLANG! Arad swings his zing fist at her without hesitation, sending her body toward the forest. A ss-like dome covered Merlin''s body as she floated mid-air, "It''s illegal to assault someone," She said,nding beside the trees. A knife appeared at her neck, "How could a corpse report us?" Jack said from behind her. "Your barrier won''t work against attacks unnoticed by you," "Hoho!" Merlinughed, "It''s the same with how fighter block with a shield," With that, she swiftly pointed her staff at Jack''s stomach. BANG! sting him to the back with an air strike. As Jack''s body flew backward, his smile pulled a string. "Since when?" Merlin gasped, noticing the wire around her ankle. ZIP! The wire tightened, hanging her to the tree from one leg. "ARA!" Merlin cried, trying to keep her robe upright. "Just joking!" She let go, and her robe didn''t flip. Alcott stared at them with a wry smile, "Merlin, don''t abuse them too much," Merlin looked at him with a smile, "Ara! They are abusing me," SWOSH! An arrow approached Merlin''s head, so she waved her body to the side to dodge it. "Hora! Sora!" she said with a smile, wiggling from right to left, dodging Ae''s arrows. "Hehe!" Merlin smiled, hitting Jack''s wire with her heel and cutting it. Thud! She fell to the ground, standing on one leg. She then pointed her staff at Ae, "How about this?" Green veins rose from the ground, tying Ae and taking her bow. BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad engulfed his fists in me, rushing forward toward Merlin. Merlin spread her arms, "Come here. I will hug you!" KA-DON! Arad swung his fist at her with a zing explosion. TAP! Merlin pped his fist away without effort, "Hehe," her giggles only served to anger him more. KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! Arad started swinging a barrage of fists and kicks at her, which she easily deflected with a smile. "I''m a wizard, you know? I''m supposed to be weakest at meleebat," Merlin smiled, grabbing Arad''s hands and stepping on one of his feet with her heels, "Let me show you how to swing a fist," Thud! CLAP! BAM! Merlin pulled Arad''s hands together, headbutting him in the face before kicking him the jewels, twisting his shoulder, sending two liver shots, and finishing with a punch to the nose. GRRR! Arad stood solid, unfazed by her attacks, as his eyes shed red. With his face, he pushed her fist away, "And youck strength," He immediately hugged her. "Two birds with one stone," He said, his body igniting with [me cloak] "KYA!" Merlin screamed as her body burned. "Just kidding," She appeared behind him, pointing her wand at his back, "That was a clone," Arad found himself hugging a goblin''s corpse. BAM! She sted him toward the trees. Thud! Merida appeared behind Merlin, swinging her long de. SWOSH! SWOSH! Merlin weaved between the attacks as if they were nothing, smiling, "Hera! You''re quick!" She smiled. "How could a wizard move like this?" Merida growled, swinging faster but to no avail. It was like Merlin knew all her attacks. "Let''s say. I had a bad experience in the past since I couldn''t dodge." Merlin deflected Merida''s de with her small wooden wand. Thud! Ae joined in, swinging her dagger at her. "Ora!" Merlin leaped back, "Die!" With Ae and Merida swinging simultaneously, it was six attacks per second at Merlin, but even with that, she had no problem dodging. "I''m starting to sweat a bit," Merlin smiled, leaping into the sky. Ae and Merida waited for her to fall, but the woman started running on air like it was nothing. "Catch me if you can!" Merlinughed. Ginger sighed in the back, "That''s Alina''s archmage. She isn''t even taking you seriously." CLING! A fish hook flew from the forest, catching on Merlin''s clothes. "What''s this?" She looked at her back. Jack smiled, handing the wire to Arad, "Here you go, chief!" CRACK! Arad wrapped his legs around a tree so he won''t be pulled up and started pulling her down. "Come down so I can burn you to ash." He growled. Merlin looked at him with a smile, "You could have only asked me," Merlin flew directly toward Arad, relieving the stress on the string and causing him to hit his head on the tree. Arad immediately recovered, standing up and swinging a fist at Merlin. CLING! With a single swing from her staff, his mes faded. "What''s an ugly spell? As if Amber taught you and then attempted to sculpt the magic yourself," She sighed, throwing Arad on the ground. Arad immediately stood, swinging a fiery kick at her. "STOP!" Merlin said, smiling, touching Arad with her staff and paralyzing him, "I also feel that you are holding back. Your mes can get hotter, can''t they?" Merlin dragged him toward the camp, lifting her hand up, "I don''t want to fight anymore. I''m running out of MP, and too much stress will only cause me wrinkles." She then put Arad beside the me. "I can teach you how to cast magic like a master. Care to be my student?" "No," Arad replied as soon as she released him. Merlin sighed, "Do you know that I have ten boxes of studentship requests collecting dust?" "I don''t care about how much people want you," Arad looked away, ^You''re too dangerous to stay around,^ Merlin seemed to think momentarily, "Can we talk in private? I can even let you touch them," she squeezed her chest. CRACK! Ae caught her by the back of her neck, "What did you say," Merlin pointed her want back, "Here you go," With a shing light, she turned Ae into a small frog. Lifting her and putting in her chest, "This can be you!" She looked at Arad. KA-DON! He swung a firey fist at her, but she deflected it. "No use," Merlin sighed, putting Ae on the ground and turning her back. "I was sure you''ve been staring at my chest for a while," "Stop spitting nonsense," Arad growled at her while checking on Ae. [Found her weakness. She has three.] ^What are they?^ ^As I said before, you can knock her with lightning magic if you touch her. The second one is that she can''t cast two spells simultaneously. Her barrier won''t activate mid-casting. And as Jack said, she can''t find an attack that she doesn''t know of,] ^Her interest in me will only increase if I used lightning. Amber said dual-element sorcerers are rare. I don''t think I can sneak on her, and she''s too skilled to be caught in the middle of casting.^ [Let''s attack her in her sleep,] ^That''s an assault! I will find a way to hit her now.^ Arad thought a bit, ^I will ask to touch her chest. And then rip it off,^ [That''s more of an assault than my idea.] Merlin stared at Arad, "You look a bit confused. Are you okay?" she smiled. "That''s none of your business." Arad sighed, sitting beside the campfire. "I believe it''s my business to think of someone trying to attack me," She red at Arad. Ae red at her, "What are you after?" Merlin looked at her, "To be honest, nothing. It''s true that I need someone immune to fire to help me build the heater before the winter. That would prevent themoners living inside the walls from freezing to death." She sat beside Arad, "People like you are quite rare, and I haven''t seen one after the one named Jeremy." ? Merida looked at her, "My niece?" "Yeah, I heard of what happened to him. Sorry for your loss," Merlin then stared at Arad, "If I needed your help, I would send you a message through the guild. Is that fine with you?" Arad stared at her, "How much are you paying?" "Depending on the problem. Even I, the archmage, do need to report the expenses to the city council." Merlin smiled. Alcott called Arad, "The city is sponsoring the project, and you might get a low pay if you took gold. Ask her to pay you with spells instead. She can provide those from her own collection," "Hey, Alcott! Don''t tell him that!" Merlin stared at him. "You offered spells earlier. I was listening." He stared at her, "Arad. Merlin is an expert spell caster and an enchanter. She also has a lot of experience in hand-to-handbat. You won''t find a lot of people like her." Merlin smiled, "Ara! You haven''t praised me for a while," she stretched her arms, "Is dinner ready yet?" Merida approached her with a covered te, "Here is your dinner,dy archmage." She handed it to her with a bow. Merlin smiled, "I thought you were trying to kill me earlier, but I like your manners." When Merlin opened the te, she saw two vein-covered white balls. "What is this?" "Woond goat boiled testicles!" Merida said with a thumb up. "You!" Merlin growled, and Ae took the chance to grab her by the arm, smacking her on the ground. CRACK! Merida and Ae looked back at Ginger, and she gave them a thumbs up. It was her idea. Chapter 81 Hunting Wolves For Lyla Merlin growled, standing up, "That hurt," She stared at Ae. "But you got a hit in," she sat, cracking her neck. Arad stared at her, "How could a wizard be so good at hand-to-handbat?" Merida smiled, "You don''t have to rely on sses, do you?" She stretched her arm, making a fist. "You can learn martial arts freely, even swordsmanship. You won''t get as fast or strong as fighters and barbarians, but you would be better than scrawny mages." Alcott approached them, "Even the most dedicated fighter will have a slither of MP, which fuels basic spells if he studied them." Pointing his finger toward a small twig, [Bonefire] Alcott ignited it. Ae stared at him, "You aren''t an arcane fight." Alcott nodded, "I''m a martial fighter. I only focus on physical and armedbat." He looked at her, "You''re an arcane archer, mixing magic with your skills," Merlin puffed her chest, "I trained to keep this idiot at bay for one minute," Arad stared at her, "What?" Alcott replied, "the goal of the training was to survive me, actively trying to kill her for one minute." "I managed to do. Alcott didn''t take me down for a minute. So you kids had no chance from the start," Merlin dered with pride. "You used magic in that fight!" Alcott red at her, "And Nina one shot you anyway." Mer growled at him, "We don''t talk about that woman. She isn''t a human. She is a monster." She cried. Arad giggled, "Nina? I can''t imagine her doing that," Ginger approached them, "I watched that exchange. Just as the fight started, Nina delivered a straight kick, sting right through Merlin''s barrier and hitting her right chest, squashing it. When Merlinnded, we found several ribs shattered, and her right lung copsed. It was a hassle to heal her." Jack stared at them, "Nina did all that with one kick? No wonder the seniors at the guild fear her." Merlin gasped, remembering Nina biting her sword. ^Did I almost anger a monster?^ *** After dinner, everyone went to sleep, and Merlin wanted to spend the night with Arad. But he left, staying guard with Ginger through the night. Those two can work at night. The morning arrived, and the party marched back to Alina. AWOOOO! Howling was heard in the distance, Lydia and Merida pulled their des, but no one else got alerted. Alcott stared at them, "Wolves are smart, and they won''t attack a wagon with too many people, especially armed ones." Something clicked in Arad''s head. Something that he almost forgot, "Excuse me for a moment. I will go catch a wolf or two," He jumped from the wagon, a stupid act for a sorcerer in everyone''s eyes except for those who knew him. "Where are you going? At least take two other people with you." Merlin stared at him. "Wolves hunt by ganging on people." "I will be fine," Arad replied. "Thud!" Merlinnded behind him, "You can''t even use area spells. You would cause a wildfire. I will go with you," She pulled the wand from between her chest. "I bet that wand smells fantastic," Arad red at her. "What?" Merlin red back at him, and he sighed, "At least pull it from your pocket or something," Merlin smiled, using two fingers to part her chest, "A magic encryption." A ck magic circle tattooed between her chest appeared. "This is a dimenstionell gylph. It needs to be close to the heart where the mana umted to get the best storing volume possible." She smiled, pulling a whole broom from the glyph and a sword, followed by a money pouch. "Is that so? Why wouldn''t you put it on your back then?" Arad stared at her, and Merlin tilted her head, "It''s hard to reach," Replying as she stuffed everything back into her storage. "How much can you store in there?" Arad asked, trying topare her to his stomach. "Eight thousand liters of water," Merlin replied with a smile. "You count on that?" What is their problem with meters, feet, and now liters? Do people here never stick to one thing? "How else could I measure it? I can''t go inside and do it. The only choice with a spell like this is to fill it to the brim with something and then decide." Merlin looked at Ginger, "Isn''t that right?" Ginger looked at them, "Water is the agreed-upon method of measuring storage spells since it can fill any shape. I do have a 5500-liter capacity." ^Mom?^ [I''m sure your mother had enough space to store titanic monsters. I would say even you would have far more capacity than those twobined.] "I''m going alone anyway," Arad sighed, ring at Merlin, "You stay here," Merlin smiled, "Fine, but be careful." [Arad, she''s using magic to spy on us. Probably in case of an emergency, but we can''t show any power under it.] ^So even if I don''t take her with me. She will still watch us. What do we do?^ [Will hunt without magic. In human form.] Arad rushed into the distance, chasing the howling of the wolves. Thud! Thud! Thud! [First, run on your fingertips and keep your head low,] Arad did that, speeding between the trees. Arad spotted the wolves in the distance. He stopped, gliding behind a tree. They heard the noise and approached to check. [You''re a wyrmwolf. Your scent is a bit annoying for wolves to catch. Let them get closer,] Arad took a deep breath, taking a small pebble off the ground. ^Time to start.^ He threw the little stone away, hitting a tree and pulling the wolves'' attention for a second. As the beasts turned around, Arad leaped forward, [me de] Swosh! A red de of pure mes emerged in his hand, stabbing one of the wolves in the head and burning a hole through the skull. The wolves were alerted, and their attention shifted. In less than a second, over thirty hungry canines leaped at Arad. Something was off. To Arad, they seemed slow. He is a dragon, a wyrmwolf, and even has vampiric blood in him. His reaction speed far outpaced those wild creatures. Thud! Crack! Arad caught one of the wolves by the neck, stabbing him in the jaw with the me de. At the same time, he kicked the one who approached him from the back and dodged the two at his sides. Merlin''s image passed through Arad''s head. Even with this reaction speed, she outmatched him. Hold a moment. How didn''t she think anything was off fighting him? BAM! CRACK! Arad grabbed one of the wolves by the tail, kicking him in the guts. AWO! A wolve put Arad''s ankle, dragging him on the ground, and the rest ganged up on him. Arad stood, lifting the seven wolves biting him on his back, red scales appearing on his face and arms. They were supposed to be purple, but Mom did her best to make them look red like Arad''s imed bloodline. BAM! Arad smacked one of the wolves on the ground, stomping its head. "Come on. I can''t damage your fur, can I?" He smiled. Pew! Pew! Pew! Arrows took some of the wolves down, "I will back you up," Ae had follwed Arad. Chapter 82 [Bonus ] Back In Alina Arad and Ae returned. She dragged two wolves while he pulled four. "I would help you carry everything if you were my assistance or student." "I don''t need your help," Arad replied. And then looked at Ae, "I have enough help here," Merlin sighed, "What a hard head. Did you bury the other corpses well?" "Said the woman spying on me. Answer for yourself," He dropped the wolves in the wagon and sat beside Alcott. Ae rode on the back. "Ara! you noticed?" Merlin giggled. Alcott looked at Arad, "It would be better if we skinned them here, care to try?" Arad leaped down, "Of course, that would be best," He thought skinning them would take too much time and slow the trip. Alcott pulled a knife from his pocket, showing Arad and Ae how to skin the wolves. What parts to keep and what to throw? After a few minutes, they finished and resumed the trip, returning to Alina just after noon. CRACK! Arad pushed the door open, and Nina smiled from her desk. "Arad, how was the quest? Did you like the new party member?" Arad approached her desk, "Take her away. Who said you could throw people at my party?" He red at her, a small stream of fire gushing from his nose. "Sorry about that, but I don''t make those decisions. The guild''s management does base on strength and potential." Nina exins with a sweat drop across her face, "You showed great strength and fortitude, so to keep you alive, the guild pulled the other best talent avable." Arad scratched his head, "So they only look at skill and talent? Fine, take Merida away." Nina sighed, handing Arad a paper, "Please fill this paper with details about the reasons for refusing her and the positives of having her. I also work a written demand of releasing a party member." Arad lifted the paper. FUSH! Burning it to ash, "I never filled such a thing, and I wouldn''t fill it now." The adventurers backed away from them, expecting Nina to snap at any moment. Nina looked at the ash dripping on her desk, "I see. Can you tell us why you don''t want Merida in your party?" she looked back at Ae, Jack, Lydia, Merida, and Alcott walking in. "Trust problems," Arad growled. Nina pulled out a paper and filled it, "I will get Merida officially out of your party. Is there any way the guild could help you? And did you get rid of the curse?" "I did get rid of the curse, and you can help by not interfering too much." Arad growled but then smiled, "There is a way to work it out," Nina stared at him, "What is it?" "How about you rmend someone? Not the guild, you tell me of someone you consider trustworthy." Arad said, trying to hear Nina''s personal opinion on the matter. Nina looked at him, "Let''s talk inside," She smiled. They headed inside the private room. Ae followed Arad while Jack and Lydia remained to finish the quest paperwork. Nina sat on the couch, and red at Arad, causing his bones to shiver. "What exactly do you want?" She said. "Trust, nothing more," Arad replied. Nina looked at the table, "There is this guy named Gojo, but he''s stuck in his quest with that elf Vars." She then stared at Arad, "How about the barbarian tribes to the east? Have you tried them?" "Barbarians?" Ae stared at her. "If you want someone simple, powerful, and trustworthy, then you can''t go wrong with barbarians." She smiled. "That might be a good idea. They make excellent melee fighters as well." Arad looked at Nina, "How about you?" Nina smiled, "If you can beat me. We are simple. Force us once, and we submit from there onward unless we get stronger than you." She exined. Ae looked at them, "Barbarians are like that. Lawless, the strong rule the weak." Nina pulled a few coins from her pocket to exin. "Imagine a barbarian is here, and you beat him to a pulp. When he recovers, you tell him to carry your stuff. He will do it until he can feel a chance to beat you, and then would attack again." She smiled, "After a few beatings, he willpletely submit and won''t challenge you unless you suggest it." "Rogues understand money. Barbarians understand brute strength." Arad scratched his chin, "But I''m worried about something else," Nina giggled, "I spent a few days trying to understand the concept of decent clothes. Most barbarians wear leather or hide straps or nothing at all. Don''t expect us to count money or know how to open doors." Arad stared at her with an exhausted, puzzled face, "How did you live?" Nina smiled, "In caves or hide tents, we don''t have the concept of money, clothes, and doors. Most the modern society is foreign to the ns," "How was it when you first came to the city?" Arad asked, even though he feared the answer. "It was hectic since I came alone," Nina scratched her cheek, "I had just entered adulthood and was looking for a strong husband." "Can I ask how old you were? What does the barbarian consider an adult?" Ae asked as she heard some nasty rumors before. "We are considered adults when we get the bleeding. Me, I was eleven at the time." "You were still a kid!" Ae shouted, and Ninaughed, "We don''t have a writtennguage, let alonews." She kept telling her story, "A woman approached me, yelling in anguage that I didn''t understand." Nina looked at the wall, "Now that I thought about it, she was screaming for me walking in the streets half naked. But at the time, she was annoying, so I snapped her shoulder and kicked her away, making my way around the city." "You were a problem. I might have changed my mind about finding a barbarian." Arad sighed. "No! You can find more civilized people. We havee a long way in establishing connections. Most barbarians have learned to wear decent enough clothes around the barins and even keep contact to only between themselves." Nina exined, shaking her hands. "What are the barins?" Arad asked. "It''s what we call city people, the non-barbarians." She smiled, "If you want safe ess to a barbarian, I suggest contacting the ve market." "You want me to buy a ve of your people?" Arad stared at her, confused. "Most barbarians end up killing someone or doing enough damage to go there at least once. I ended up there twice, albite I broke out on the same day." Arad stood with a smile, "I will look into it. I believe I can trust you. Do you want to join?" Nina smiled, "I''m waiting here for the day you can drag me out by force. I won''t trust my back to someone far weaker than me." "Fair enough, I will be going now," As Arad turned around, Nina caught his hand. "Want something?" "Nothing. I don''t believe anyone else can notice." Nina shook her head. "Come on, tell me. Do I stink or something?" Arad said, joking. Nina nodded, "I smell both blood and a musty smell on you." She sniffed his chest, "A werewolf and a vampire, a strange being that you became. Does Alcott know?" Arad almost panicked, "You can tell?" "There is a strange thing about it, but I can''t tell what it is. But I could. It''s the same as Alcott and Ginger." She smiled. Chapter 83 Into Lyla’s House I Arad left the private room with Ae, walking into the guild hall where Jack awaited them. "Finished registering the quest, and the payment is in the guild''s ount." Arad nodded, "Thank you, I''m going to meet someone. You two can head back to the inn." Ae and Jack stared at each other. Jack was the first to speak, "You won''t check the money with the guild? I might have stolen some." Hearing Jack''s words, Arad shook his head, "I know you didn''t. I know you''re more honest than you look," Arad smiled. Jackughed. "Arad, can I go with you?" Ae tugged to his side, her ears drooping. "Of course, I will go deliver the wolves." He smiled. Jack stretched his arms, "Then have fun. I also have something to take care of tonight. so I might bete." Jack smiled, pulling Arad to the side. "I managed to get Lydia down. Can I take a few silver coins for drinks?" he whispered. "Good for you." Arad gave him a thumbs up, "Take a gold coin and search for a nice ce." Jack stared at Arad with a smirk, "You want me to find it so you can use itter?" he giggled. "A quiet ce where no one can hear you is best. You understand well," Arad and Jack bumped fists. "YEAH! I''m going on a manly mission," Jack roared, his eyes burning. As all the adventurers stared at him, Jack left the guild with a smile on his face. Arad and Ae went out, walking across the city''s busy streets, "Are we heading to L?" Ae asked, looking at Arad''s face from the side. Arad nodded, "She asked me before to find her some wolve materials. I''m going to deliver what we hunted." Ae smiled, "Mira should be there as well. I did want to speak with her about the bow." As Arad and Ae approached L''s shop, they found it closed. L stood cleaning in front of the door. "Why is she closed?" Arad mumbled, "Probably something happened. Let''s ask her," Ae said with a worried face. The two approached L, "Hello, did something happen?" Arad asked immediately. L looked at him, confused. "Isn''t it Arad and Ae as well? Wee." she smiled. Ae approached her, "Why are you closed? Did something happen?" L looked at her, confused, "Ah! Today is my day off. I need to rest every once in a while." She smiled, looking back at the closed door. She then shifted her eyes back at Arad, "I can smell it in you," She smiled, "You came here for business." Aradughed, "You''re right," "Is it the wolves I wanted? Or something else?" L smiled, and Arad replied, "How did you guess?" "I can tell when someone is excited about something. This is the first time you are bringing me something, and deep you''re worried about the legality of it." L patted his shoulder, "I did more deals than you can imagine. I can tell what people are thinking from a nce." "That''s amazing," Ae said, smiling. L smirked, "If I wanted to push a deal, I would leverage on your fear and say something like. the guards are looking around for wolves'' parts. Taking them now might be a bit too risky." Sheughed, "I will then try to make you wait, increasing your fear of being caught and then getting a discount to take the goods off you immediately." "Is that so?" Arad smiled, "Can we get inside so I can offload your goods?" "Of course,e in." L opened the door to her house, and they climbed to the upper floor where she lived with her daughter Mira. "The shop is downstairs," Arad said, pointing down. "I have a store room here. We would drop the load there." L smiled. "You aren''t asking me where I keep everything?" Arad smiled. "A magical pocket of some sort, I presume." L looked at him, "It''s not normal for a low-rank adventurer to have, but I have a good eye for people. I can feel you''re special," "Thank you," for some reason, Arad could trust her more than anyone else. She gave him a weird sense of calmness. As they went up, Ae spotted Mira clipping her nails in the corner using a giant scissor. She only wore a tank top and short pants that barely reached half of her toned thighs. "Mira!" Ae waved her hand, rushing toward her with a smile. Mira looked up, surprised, "Ae! What brought you here and Arad in the back as well," she waved her hand to him, "The bow you made is amazing!" Ae said with her eyes sparkling, "It went BAM! BAM! Like a crossbow!" She exined with an excited face. Mira smiled, "I''m d you liked it, just give me a moment here," She continued to clip her nails. She can''t stop in the middle. Arad headed with L to the storage room to drop off the wolves'' materials. Thud! Thud! He extended his hand, and the parts fell out of nowhere. "Ho! It''s amazing. To be able to store things in thin air like this." She crouched, inspecting the fur and fangs. "They are all of amazing quality...but." She stopped. "Is there something wrong?" Arad stared at her, worried. "The way they were butchered reminds me of Alcott. Did he help you?" L said with a smile. "He did teach me how to do it. And helped with them as well." Arad smiled, looking down. L smiled, "I knew it. Only that idiot uses knives like that. A few years ago, I had him bring me parts just like you now," She looked up, "My husband used to await him each week," "Used?" Arad asked. "My husband fought in the war and got wounded so badly that he got bedridden. He died a few years ago." L stood, "But off with the sad talk, you''re already here. Why won''t you two stay for dinner? You can even spend the night here." Arad shook his head, "No, I won''t bother you." L patted his back, "You aren''t a bother," she approached him, whispering in his ear, "To be honest, my instincts are screaming that you will be a great man in the future." Arad started to feel weirded out, "Why?" "Can you spend some time with Mira? Till now, you and Ae are the only people she spoke with like this." L smiled, "She used to be engrossed in her work. But since you first showed up at her shop, her eyes had been sparkling with life." "Isn''t that just because Ae is testing her new bow?" Arad immediately thought of the reason. Mira had a dream of making a metallic bow, and Ae was the only one to ept her idea. BAM! L smacked him on the back, "My instincts as a mother are telling me to keep you around. Go ahead and rx. I will cook something delicious for you tonight." L headed toward the kitchen and Mira stood, "I''ming to help," "No need, you entertain the gusts," L replied to her daughter, "We can''t leave them alone, can we?" Mira sighed, scratching her head, "You''re right," she turned toward Ae and then looked at Arad, "Come here," Arad approached her, sitting on the couch, staring at her and smiling. "How was yourst trip?" Mira asked. Arad shook his head, "It wasn''t easy. We ended up fighting a griffon. That thing was a true monster," "I heard they are strong. Their talons could bend steel," Mira replied. "I won''t say it''s that bad," Ae added, shaking her hand, "But they are strong and fast," The three of them chatted for a while before Arad managed to ask, "Why are you wearing so few clothes?" He stared at Mira. Mira looked at herself, her chest slightly showing up from under the tank top. She looked at Arad for a moment. And then looked back at herself, "Sorry, can you excuse me for a moment?" She stood and left for her room. And quickly returning with a more decent set of clothes. Mira wore a long sleeve white shirt and baggy pants, covering her whole body better than she was before. "Sorry about that. I don''t usually wear that much inside the house." She scratched her cheek. "I thought you would react more," Ae stared at her. Mira giggled, "Crying about it will just embarrass me even more. It was my mistake, so I had to take it to heart." Arad shook his head, "We barged here without an invitation." "It isn''t your mistake," Mira shook her head, "Mom, did you do it on purpose?" L poked her head out of the kitchen, "You changed your clothes? What a shame," Mira grabbed the nearest pillow, throwing it at her. Lughed, "Sorry! Sorry! I was trying to help you a bit," She ran back into the kitchen. "Sorry for my mother''s attitude," Mira sighed. "Don''t worry about it," Arad shook his head. Chapter 84 The Dragon’s Quite Life, "Arad, would you mind going to the bakery?" L called from the kitchen. Arad stood, "Where is the bakery?" "Don''t buy from the one in this street. That bakery''s bread is hard and nd. Head to the one close to the adventurers guild. Five loaves should be enough," L exined as Arad wore his shoes. "Got it. I will be back soon," "The money is on the desk at the entrance," L said, but Arad shook his head, "You''re treating us. I will be back soon," He left without taking the money. L looked out as Arad left, "He left the money," she sighed. She then smiled. "Well, I only needed him to be out for a while." L stared back at Ae and Mira, talking in the living room. "Ae, Mira, care to help me cook." "Coming!" Mira stood, and Ae followed her, determined to learn one thing or two about cooking. *** Arad walked across the street, looking for something to buy besides the bread. The streets bustled with life, each vendor shouting at the top of their lungs, people chatting, and the children ying. [This ce is better than living in a cave, isn''t it?] ^Of course. It''s fun to live around other people.^ [Dragons have two forms, humanoid and draconic. Most have to choose between the two styles and pick the main one. Red chose the draconic life, but we void chose the humanoid.] ^So we can find mates, I know.^ [That isn''t all of it. A humanoid life is far more fun than a dragon''s life. Especially when you are a hunted rare species. Blend into society, live between them, and creates bonds. When you outlive them, go into another life.] Mom started talking inside Arad''s head as he looked at the stalls. [One decade, be a farmer. And in the other decades, be a cksmith.] ^Do we just move on?^ Arad asked, ^How does it work?^ [Void dragons, much like steel dragons, mimic a human''s life and aging. To the people around you, you will live a normal life, grow old and die.] ^So, mother was living around here. And she is now considered dead, right?^ [Yes, right now, she should be living in another ce. I don''t know where she is, but it''s as likely to find her living the life of a ve as to find her acting as a queen.] ^A ve? I wish she would live as amoner, at least.^ Arad looked at his hands, ^I''m living as an adventurer,^ [After hundreds, if not thousands, of lives, you will start getting bored from being a farmer or a noble each time. Your mother is mostly seeking a more thrilling life. It isn''t strange for a void or a steel dragon to prefer such hard lives.] ^Do you remember any of mother''s lives?^ [They are foggy, I can''t speak of details, but I remember the gist of their nature.] Mom said, [Her first life was that of a farm girl, but in that life, she got killed early on in a bandit raid. Her second life was as an adventurer, a soldier, a doctor, and even a traveling musician. At some point, she even lived as a ve, a beggar in the royal capital, a madwoman in the streets, a thief, a serial killer, and even a noblewoman of the royal family, and she then lived as a maid for the next woman who poisoned her prior persona.] ^Are you serious?^ [Your mother had a grudge against that woman for ruining one of her best lives. Before she moved to the next life, she stripped the noblewoman and tied her in the middle of the city for a whole week.] ^She could do that?^ [She can be bigger and have some random idiot kick her in the face in the day, but they would be greeted with an angry dragon at night.] ^Would she speak up if I met her?^ [Probably not, unless you recognize her and specifically call her out.] ^I wish she would act more like a mother,^ Arad sighed. [Believe me, she is. She won''t show herself, but you can bet she is watching from afar. If something bad happened, she might even interfere.] ^I find it hard to believe,^ Arad sighed. "I''m back!" Arad returned to L''s home an hourter, carrying the bread and a bag of apples and oranges. It was the only decent thing he could find in the market. "You''re back? What took you so long?" L stared at him from the kitchen, "Brought this," He lifted his hand up, showing her the fruit bag. "Ah! You didn''t have to buy all of that!" she dried her hands with a towel, approaching him. "Where are the girls?" Arad asked as he didn''t see Ae and Mira in the living room. "They are behind me in the kitchen. I needed a few hands, so I borrowed your girl." L smiled, "I''m talking about Mira, of course," Arad closed his eyes, walking past her to look in the kitchen, "Please stop," The two girls were stuck to the counter, struggling to cut vegetables, let alone do any decent work. "What are they doing?" Arad giggled, sitting beside them. "They can''t make precise cuts, I asked for finely chopped parsley, and I got this," L showed Arad a bowl of parsley. It was chopped at different sizes to the point that even he could tell it was bad. Arad grabbed the closest knife to him and sat the bowl to the side, "Let me try," He sighed. "Can you fix it?" L stared at him with a smile. "No, I will just chop the bigger parts more." Arad started working, it will take some time, but he could get it done. After a few minutes, he had made it more usable. Ae and Mira stared at him, "You can cook?" "Since when cutting parsley is cooking?" Arad sighed, standing up and looking at L, "Is there anything I can help with?" L looked around and then brought a big bone, "Red Boar bone, I''m going to use it for the broth, but it''s too big." She handed it to Arad with a saw, "You''re a man, right? Can you cut it?" She asked with a smile. Arad looked at her, "I''m definitely not a man," He smiled, ^I''m a dragon, after all,^ He took the bone in his hand and rested it on the table. "Ae, can I borrow your dagger?" He asked. "It cannot cut thick bones," She said, handing the dagger to him. "She is right. Use the saw," Mira stared at him. Arad smiled, looking at them, "Don''t worry, I can make it work," Arad rested the dagger on the bone, covering it with his palm and pressing downward. As the girls couldn''t see it, Arad released a tiny de of void underneath his palm, chopping the bone in half with a loud crack. BANG! The bone snapped in half just as he pressed, "See? Easy," Lughed, "I knew I could count on you. It would have taken me an hour to cut through that thing." she patted him on the back, taking the bones to wash them. Ae and Mira looked at each other, "How?" Mira asked, inspecting Ae''s dagger, "I''m not a cksmith, but this shouldn''t withstand that kind of pressure." "That''s a part of my skills," Arad smiled, taking the dagger back and handing it to Ae. She knew he did some dragon thing but couldn''t tell and stared at the weapon, confused. Arad pulled a chair and sat with them in the kitchen, watching as L cooked and the other two scrambled to help her. "I can understand that Ae cannot cook, but why is Mira like her?" He asked. Swosh! Mira threw a towel at his face, "I have work to take care of. I can''t spend all of my time in the kitchen." Arad looked at her with a wry smile, "You make bows, right?" Mira stared at him, "I''m a carpenter, not a bowyer. I make wooden furniture and tools. Making bows is just a hobby. Which I want to evolve into a second job." "Bows are made of wood, so as a carpenter, you should be able to take the job of a bowyer?" Arad looked at her. "They are two different jobs. We just use the same material." Mira looked at him, "And I will use steel for bows instead of wood." "Then you will be a steel bowyer? I guess that is taking most of your free time," "Mira, watched the stir the pot while I cut the meat," L called Mira, drying her hands and heading toward the table. Arad smiled, watching the three of them cook, "Can I help with anything?" He asked. L looked at him, "You said you could use fire magic, right? Can you heat that nket over there? I will cover the dough with it." Arad looked at the nket, "Dough? I did buy bread, right?" "Ah! That is something special. Nothing beats homemade, right?" Chapter 85 A Personal Quest To The Dragon An hour had passed, and the dinner got ready. Arad sat on the couch beside Ae while Mira sat beside her mother, "It''s been a while since we had guests. Please eat your fill," L said with a smile. "Thanks for the food," Arad took his soup while Ae started with the sd. She can''t eat anything but nts. "Have you ever thought about bing a merchant?" L looked at Arad with a smile, "With your skill and strength, you could overtake the city," she said, alluding to his storage skill. "I do prefer the adventurer life more. Nothing beats hunting in the wilderness," Arad replied, remembering his hunt with mom as they took the bison. "The merchant life is far safer. It will even give you time to rx," L pointed at him with her fork. Arad shook his head, "Adventuring is easier to start. I can''t let my skills go unused." Arad lifted his palm, creating a small me. He then snuffed it out, closing his fist. "I was looking to retire in a year or two," L smiled, "I will hand you shop if you marry Mira," PUFF! Mira choked on her soup, "Mom! What are you talking about?" "Come on. We talked about it before." L smiled, "Even Ae there agreed," "I didn''t agree. I said it was for Arad to choose." Ae stared at them. She then looked at Arad, "What do you say?" Arad scratched his chin, "It''s not like I''m against or with the idea. I''m not quitting adventuring anytime soon. Even if I left the guild." I''m a dragon, after all. I can''t stay in one ce. [You can live as a merchant. It wouldn''t be strange for a void dragon to take that role. Get wealthy by hunting at night and selling the items during the day. You can then afford to marry multiple women.] ^I would prefer to stay as an adventurer. I''m not looking for afortable life. I want an exciting one.^ "Heard him, Mira, do your best to tilt it to your favor!" L smiled. "Mom, please stop." Mira sighed, looking at Arad with a wry smile, "Sorry for my mom," "No need to apologize. It doesn''t bother me at all," Arad said with a smile. ^L''s food is seriously delicious. The meals from the inn can''t evenpare.^ "Say, Arad." Mira looked at Arad, smiling, "You brought mother the wolf parts. Can you get me something? Of course, I will pay you for it." "That depends on what we are talking about," Arad replied, resting his back on the couch. "Magic salt, the flexibility one," Mira pulled a small bag from underneath the table and put it in front of Arad. [She nted it there beforehand? She was nning to ask this for a while,] "The northern mine had been overrun with goblins. Go there and get me a few stones. Can I count on you?" Mira smiled. BAM! L smacked her head, "Goblins are dangerous. Where do you think you''re sending him," Mira stared at her mom, "He took wolves. He sure can take a goblin or two." "Goblins? I should be able to take care of them. But why don''t you ask the guild?" Arad asked, trying to learn what is the catch. "The lower-rank adventurers won''t take on a goblin-upied cave, it''s too dangerous for them, and I don''t have the money to appeal to higher-rank adventurers," Mira exined. "Why do you even need to be the one to put the quest? Who owns the mine, and why they aren''t acting?" Ae asked. L stared at them, "It''s business. They are taking advantage of the situation to sell what they have in stock for an inted price." "Won''t clearing the mine put me against them? I don''t want to start unnecessary trouble if possible." Arad said. Having a rich noble chasing him around will be annoying, and it could expose his identity. "Don''t worry about that. I doubt the noble would care. He can say the mine is still under repair and extend the shortage. And no need to clear the mine. Just go in, grab a few stones, and dash out. Leave them some goblins." Mira smiled. Arad nodded, "It''s not a mission about killing all the goblins and clearing the mine. It''s about getting you the magic stones." "That''s right. I will grind the stones to make magic salt." "You said you don''t have the money to appeal to high-rank adventurers. How could you pay me for the job?" Arad asked the important question. Mira smiled, "I might not have the money. But I can offer something else." Arad thought about it, "Pay me with something other than money?" "I can use those stones to enchant Ae''s bow. Right now, it''s hard and requires a lot of strength, but with the flexibility salt, I can make it easier to draw without lowering its power." Mira exined. "Easier to draw mean she will get tired less. And longer fighting time." Arad thought. Ae smiled, "I might even be able to fire faster or aim better since it will be easier to hold the shot," She started getting excited. "I might even be able to use stronger bows!" She started thinking of using a higher poundage bow with the salt. Mira giggled, "I can''t work with any material stronger than steel with my current skills. But I can enchant your bow and make a weaker variant that Arad might be able to use." She extended her hand to Arad, "It''s a work for work. Bring me the stone, and I will upgrade your bows." "Deal, how much do you need?" "A bucket should be enough, but I won''tin if you got more." Mira smiled. L smiled, "I would pay you for the extra stones you bring her, but the regr price." Arad looked back at L, "How much it''s worth?" "Flexibility stones are rtively cheap at three silver coins for the kilogram, but with the current intion, I found them getting sold for up to one gold coin per kilogram," L exined. "Over thirty times the price? No wonder they want to keep the shortage." Arad gasped. "One full bucket should be around five kilograms, so that is fifteen silver coins per one." L stared at Arad with a smile, "You can carry a lot, can''t you?" [She wants you to use your stomach and bring as much as you can get your hands on. But I bet she only expects a few buckets.] ^I will try and mine as much as I can. But I will only hand them a reasonable amount, around ten buckets.^ Arad thought, and a smile crossed his face. "What''s the matter?" Mira asked, looking at him with a puzzled face. "Are there any other mines like that around here?" Arad asked. "There are multiple ones. Some have elemental stones, and the other effect stones like the flexibility, durability, and the like." Mira said, "But, the flexibility mine is the only one overtaken by the goblins." [Since the mines are close to each other, they could be all connected through one massive cave system. We might be able to dig our way to a treasure.] Mom stated. "Thank you for the information. Can you write me down the location of all mine?" Arad looked at her with his eyes sparkling. "You aren''t thinking of robbing them, are you?" Mira sighed. "No, no, I just wanted to pay them a visitter. Learn more about how they work," Arad replied. L smiled, "That grin and those eyes. Did you hatch a big n or something?" Arad shook his head, "It''s nothing, don''t worry about it." Heughed it off. ^Damn, she is sharp.^ "Well, it doesn''t matter." L stood, lifting the empty tes. "Let''s clean up. The tea should be almost ready." She smiled, and Mira stood to help her clean. Ae did the same while Arad carried the table to the corner. Arad looked around and then stared at L, "It''ste. We should probably go," "No way! I just said the tea is ready. You''re spending the night here." L quickly rushed to the door, locking it with a wooden beam. Arad smiled, "Fine, but do you have a ce for us to sleep in?" No matter How Arad looked around. There were only a few rooms avable. "Of course, there is a ce. You just rx. I will think of that." L smiled, checking on the tea if it was ready. A whileter, the tea was ready, and they sat to drink. "It''s nice to rx every once in a while," Arad said, remembering the stressful fewst nights. Merida and Merlin have gotten him exhausted. "You''re right," L replied. Ae giggled, "Thest few nights were hectic," They started talking about what happened on theirst trip to Oakedge. Of course, they emitted everything about the dragon and wolves. It was time to sleep. Mira led Arad and Ae to her room, "You will sleep here tonight. I will spend the night with my mother." She said with a smile. "Yeah, good night," Ae replied with a smile as she sat beside Arad. Mira approached the door, grabbed the handle, and turned it. CRACK! CRACK! It was locked. Chapter 86 The Dragon Is Built Different! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! Mira shook the door''s handle, ring at it with a sweaty face, "MOM! I know you''re there. Open the door!" she waited a few seconds, but no one replied. "Did she lock the door?" Arad asked with an exhausted face. Ae giggled, "Do you have a key around here?" Mira looked back at them, "I don''t have a key, but I could do something," She rushed to her cab, pulling metal junk from it as if it was nothing. "This is too big," She threw a crowbar, "This won''t fit," she threw a small nail. "And this is too crooked!" She threw a crescent metal decoration. "What are you looking for?" Arad asked, wondering how she could fit that junk inside the small cab. "I''m looking for something to use as a lockpick, or at least a wretch so I can tear the lock off the door," She put the box back inside the cab and sighed, "It''s not here. Can you move a bit?" she rushed to the bed. Mira grabbed the bed''s edge with one hand, lifting it and looking underneath. "Let''s see." She pulled out arge box. "How much junk do you have hidden around here?" Arad asked, staring inside the box with her. "People call them junk. I call them treasures." Mira smiled, pulling a weirdly shaped wrench. "What is that?" Ae asked, weirded out by the strange-looking object. "A special wrench I made. It should help me tear that stupid lock off." Mira stood and approached the door, tightening the wrench to the handle. "Ok, I need something to stick inside. Hold the chamber down." She mumbled. "Will this work?" Arad lifted a tiny rusted metal rod from the box and showed it to Mira. "Yeah! That''s perfect, give it to me ande here. I will need your help." Mira waved her hand to him with a smile, "Come!" Arad stood, giving her the rod and asking, "What do I need to do?" "I will hold the rod inside the lock. I want you to turn the wrench clockwise," Mira smiled, jamming the rod inside the keyhole and wiggling it deeper. "I bet the rod is stuck. Can''t you turn the trench yourself?" Arad asked, looking at her holding the rod with two fingers. Mira stared at him, "I can, but it''s exhausting. Thest time I tried it, I had to strain myself enough that I fell after the lock opened." Arad grabbed the wrench, "Fine," "You''re the bone cracker. A mere lock can''t be a problem for you." Mira patted his back, "Give it you all," Arad smiled, turning the wrench in the wrong direction. CRACK! He almost broke it. "I said clockwise, idiot!" Mira cried, hearing the painful crack. Arad quickly turned in the opposite direction, and the lock took the strain. ^What is a clock even? I thought she meant a click. The direction in the handle clicked when turned.^ [A clock is a device used to decern time. The guild had one in the main hall,] ^Ah, that weird thing! Wasn''t it a decoration?^ [I can''t deny they might have used it for decoration as well,] Arad started putting a lot of force, "This thing is stuck!" "You tightened it earlier. But don''t worry. Use enough force, and you can sever the main pin." Mira said with a smile, ring at the lock. "What is a main pin?" "A part of the lock''s structure, it''s hard to exin, so just pull harder." Mira patted his thigh, "Use your legs. CRACK! Suddenly, the handle cracked and fell to the ground. Arad smiled, "It worked!" Mira grabbed her head, shaking her head, "AHHH! It broke!" Ae stared at her, "That''s what you wanted, right?" Mira stared back at her, almost crying, "No! What I wanted to break was the pin inside. And now the handle broke. We have no way of applying enough force on the lock." Arad put the wrench down, "Well, your n failed." Mira red at him, "Who''s fault do you think it is? You damaged it at the start," She stared at the ground, shuffling her hair, "That was it! That crack I heard when you twisted, I should have guessed." Arad looked back at Ae and then at the door. There was a short metal rod in the handle ce. "I might be able to turn it," Arad said, pushing Mira to the side and grabbing the metal rod. "No, you can''t!" Mira sighed, "The rod is too small to give you a good grip, and even if you could, the strength needed to turn it would be immense," She scratched her head, "You will only end up breaking a nail if your hand slipped." Arad gripped the small rod, standing straight with his back bent backward just a tiny bit. One foot forward and one at the back, the veins on his forearm bulged as Mira heard his toes push on the wooden floor. The door started shaking, and Mira heard Arad''s spine crack. He was fighting against his body''s instinct. [You''re body wants to transform. If you keep applying more force, you will soon morph.] Mom warned him. ^I''m good. I can hold it back.^ [It isn''t good. The humanoid skeletal and muscture structure can''t support a dragon''s might. You don''t have the muscles to do it. Or the bones to lean on.] Arad applied more force. The small rod started to twist. "The steel?" Mira gasped, seeing the steel bend between Arad''s fingers. She stood and noticed something strange. Three small bulges appeared on Arad''s back, one at his lower back and two at his shoulder des. Mira couldn''t tell what they were as the clothes covered them, and the sudden cracking noise of the door took her attention quickly. BANG! The lock shattered. Thud! Arad fell on his butt, panting, "It should be open. You are paying for the lock, just so we are clear," Mira stared at him for a moment, "What was that?" "That what?" Arad looked back at her, "You wanted the small metal thing twisted, and I got it done." Mira shook her head, grabbing Arad''s arm and staring closely at it. It was thick and felt more like shoe leather than flesh. The veins and the muscles on it looked strange, twisting in a weird way that felt unnatural. "Is there something wrong with my arm?" Arad asked, seeing her ring so closely at his forearm. "Hey! What are you doing!" Ae growled at her, leaping from the bed. Mira looked back at Ae, "Have you ever noticed this? His arms are strange but powerful." she said with an excited face, pointing at the twisted lock. "He twisted steel. He fucking bent it." Mira red at Arad''s finger marks on the small metal rod. "Aren''t you getting a bit too excited? I bet most high-rank adventurers can do it," Ae tried to push her away from Arad, but she couldn''t. "No! No! No! No!" Mira shook her head, "They use leverage most of the time with weapons or stances. I might not be an expert, but I know he knows nothing about using his strength. That was just raw power." Arad stood, "Please stop. I''m just a bit stronger than normal," Mira quickly jumped back at him, "Excuse me for a moment. Can I see your arm again?" Even though she asked for permission, that was after she had started rolling up Arad''s sleeve. "Fine," Mira''s eyes opened wide, calling Ae to have a closer look. "Look! What the heck is this?" She pointed at his upper arm. "There should be four muscles here. You have the triceps, deltoid, biceps, and brachialis." She started counting, "His biceps alone looks like four muscles! The triceps are six muscles, and his deltoid is over ten muscles!" ^Ah! Probably to be able to support my weight and move my wings simultaneously. I might look human from the outside, but inside I''m still a dragon.^ "You said you were a draconic bloodline sorcerer? I bet your blood is far heavier than other people''s. You might even sprout wings at some point," Mira said, smiling. [It''s not a rare case between draconic bloodline holders. Some can grow wings or a tail, but those limbs are usually weak. You can say it shows you''re above average.] Mira looked down, "I see now. No wonder mom got so interested in you. I didn''t realize it at first nce. But you''re built differently." She smiled, staring at his legs. "AHEM!" Arad grabbed her head, "You were trying to open the door for a reason, right?" Mira snapped back into reality, "Ah! Sorry, I got too excited." She shook her head, "I was going to see mom for why she locked me here," She turned around and rushed out. ^Well, it serves me better if more people saw me as a bit special. They won''t be as surprised if I brought something crazy,^ [That''s right,] Arad turned toward Ae, "Sorry about that," Ae shook her head, "Let''s sleep," Chapter 87 The Goblin Mine I The morning quickly came by, and Arad whole to Ae''s chest, choking him. She moves a lot in her sleep. He gently pushed her to the side, sitting and stretching his arms like a cat. "Hmmm," ^It''s been a while since I had slept like this,^ Thest two nights were a bit hectic, so having a restful sleep felt far better. "Wake up," Arad shook Ae from the chest. "Mmm, don''t squeeze too hard," She mumbled, and Arad made her sit, "How are you feeling?" ? Ae scratched her eyes, "Morning, Arad," She smiled, yawning. "Let''s get up. We have to pass by the guild and get to work," Arad smiled, patting Ae''s back and standing up. A small bowl and waterjug sat in the room''s corner, awaiting Arad to grab them. He quickly poured some water and washed his face, approaching Ae and helping her wash her face. The two of them exited the room, walking to the living room, where they could see L in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. "Good morning," He waved his hand, and L returned the smile. "Did you sleep well?" Arad nodded, "Yeah, except I had to open a lock yesterday." L looked at him, "You could have had Mira sleep there," She smiled. "It''s your daughter, don''t go looking for her with a man like that," Arad replied, sighing, walking to the bathroom. "She never had any interest in men or marrying. That seems to have endedst night. She found a man to be interested in." L replied, looking at him, "She just needed a little push. I can''t have her bury her head in work for the rest of her life." "I see, but why me?" Arad stopped, looking back. "Which answer do you want to hear? The normal or the honest?" L stared at him. "Both," Arad replied, wanting to know the whole story. "The normal answer is that you seemed like a nice guy," L looked at him, this time with a serious face, "The honest is that I smell money and strength in you. The moment I saw you, I knew you would be big in the future, whether it was my adventuring or trade." L exined. "I can''t understand how just seeing me would tell you that?" "An observer," L smiled, "Your eyes, walk, and how you speak. Everything about you screams that you don''t see us as equal, yet you keep the respect of a human. That is a hard thing to aplish," She pulled thedle, pointing it at Arad, "And onest thing!" She approached him, whispering, "I knew she would love those muscles of yours. So I took a shot, and it worked." she smiled, returning to the kitchen. Arad sighed, walking to the bathroom. He opened the door. Mira was there, so he mmed the door shut immediately. "Sorry," "Don''t mind it," Mira replied, After breakfast, Ae and Arad left, heading toward the guild to check in there was any quest they could take. They didn''t find any suitable mission that looked interesting. So they left immediately, walking toward the inn. "William, have you seen Jack?" Arad asked, and the bartender shook his head, "No, he hasn''t returned yet. Should I find him for you?" "You can do that?" Ae stared at him, confused. "I have my connections," William smiled. "No, he should be back soon. Just tell him that I looked for you, and I might stayte tonight as well," Arad said. "I didn''t count thest night. Should I consider the room empty?" William asked. He can''t charge Arad if he won''t stay in the room, but he couldn''t rent it to someone else when they might return. "I will pay for thest night and for today as well. Keep it reserver as we might return at midnight orter." Arad said, turning around. "As you say, please be careful at work." The bartender nodded with a smile. Arad and Ae walked out. They quickly exited the city and went into the forest. "We will just have a look at the mine and see what we can do. If the situation is dangerous, we will retreat and wait for Jack." Ae nodded, "Let''s keep a fair distance and climb into the trees. Goblins usually leave scouts wandering around. We need to avoid and locate all of them." "We need to take them down without alerting the others. Got it," Arad nodded, and the two of them climbed a tree. Leaping from one branch to the other, they slowly made it toward the mine. Ae looked around, "I see one there, beside the entrance." Arad looked, "Those two are obvious." Ae shook her head, "No, underneath the dirt." She pointed beside the wall to the left. A patch of dirt looked strangely bumpy. "He''s ready to ambush. And there is more all around," Ae pointed, and Arad counted almost ten hiding there. "Wow, won''t they die?" "No, they change shifts each day. There is more in the forest, so be careful." She pointed toward the bushes, showing Arad multiple goblins in hiding. "Ok, this is getting ridiculous. How many goblins are there here?" Arad asked, looking around and trying to count. Ae looked at him, "There are forty-eight goblins around the area ready to attack. I bet there is more than that inside the cave." She then looked around, "I will do a second look. I might have missed one or two." After a few minutes, she looked at Arad, "I was wrong, fifty-two. The other fives are up there." She pointed at the rock cliff above the mine. "What?" "They closed themselves behind stones and will push them down on anyone trying to enter the mine." She shook her head, "We need more people. We can''t possibly kill all of them without alerting the ones inside. Arad scratched his chin, "What if we dug beneath the ground? We could make our way inside like that." Ae smiled, her face liting up, "That''s right, you can dig." Arad nodded, "I will dig a tunnel all the way inside the cave. We can then grab as much as we want of magic stones." Ae looked at the goblins again, "We need to either start digging from afar. Or cover the entrance so the scouts won''t find it." "They could pincer us. Got it," Arad thought for a moment, "I can close the tunnel behind me, but I doubt you will fit if I did." Arad exined how he could move underground, and Ae red at him, "So you eat dirt and shit back to clog the hole you made?" She sighed. "Pretty much. I can''t disagree with that." Arad looked own. He was like an earthworm. "Should we attack now?" Ae asked, looking at Arad. "I don''t know," Arad replied with a stern face, "We don''t know how much there is inside, let alone how the mine is structured inside. I would be safer if I scouted first." Arad looked around. "How would you do that?" "I will go alone first, stay beneath the ground, and listen. I should be able to locate all the goblins at least, and I will then return to get you." Arad exined his n. "In that case, it''s better for me to go with you from the start. I can hang to your stomach." Ae suggested. Arad thought about it for a while and then nodded, "I could use your ears down here. Let''s head out." The two moved out, looking for a ce to dig. "Look there." Ae pointed at a boulder, "We should be able to dig behind it." The boulder was the size of a small house. Covered in green moss and thick overgrowth of nts and vegetation. Looking around. There were no visible goblins patrolling the ce, "You''re right, but keep an eye out while I dig," Ae nodded, climbing one of the trees and looking around, signaling to Arad to start digging. Arad transformed into his draconic form and looked down. His ws were sharp, and his palms were as wide as shovels. With each strike, he left a gaping hole in the ground, digging deeper and deeper like a mole. After a few seconds, he dug a hole that is deep enough to fit them. Arad waved his tail for Ae, and she leaped down. Rushing toward him. "The hole is done this quick?" Arad nodded his head. After onest look around, shey on the ground, and Arad walked above her. With her arms and legs, she grabbed onto his torso. He looked at her, and she smiled, "I''m fine, I can stay like this for hours." With slow steps, Arad walked into the hole, dragging Ae''s hair onto the ground as he moved. "Hold on a moment," Ae released her hands, pulling her hair above her neck to keep it from falling. "I''m good, you can go." She smiled, and Arad pointed his tail up. A wave of dirt emerged, clogging the hole. Chapter 88 The Goblin Mine II Arad crawled underneath the mine, keeping his ears open for any movement above the surface. With each w strike, his scales tingled, sensing the steps above as tremors in the ground. "I can hear them growling above. Tens, if not hundreds, of goblins, live in the tunnels." Ae whispered to Arad, "We can''t get in without a distraction," Arad stopped digging and closed his eyes, focusing as hard as possible. There was a single way to it. Using his ws, he widened the hole andid Ae down. Ae stared at Arad''s body as it shifted. His scales shifted and sunk into his body and revealing a pitch-ck emptiness. The smooth look of his body resembled gems, and Ae instinctively reached with her hand to touch him. FISHHH! The moment her fingertips touched Arad, her skin disintegrated, consumed by the empty void. AW! She quickly pulled her head. She looked at Arad, and he shook his head. "Sorry, I won''t touch you again," Ae said, staring at the ground. [Be wary. You''re as squishy as a naked human without your scales. But in return, anything that touches your body would disintegrate, except for the palms of your ws. Those are left so you can walk.] The void is emptiness. It strives to fill itself by consuming anything it touches. Void dragon bodies are the same, made of the void. Even light cannot escape their darkness, giving their bodies the pure ck color they have. The older they get, and the more matter their bodies absorb, a tiny flicker of light will appear inside, giving them the look of the night sky. Those lights are akin to stars, a sh of a new beginning. Arad turned around, dug a tunnel, and proceeded alone. He left a path for Ae to follow him if she wanted, but he wouldn''t like it if she did. He could blend with the darkness, and she couldn''t. Crack! Arad slowly dug a tiny hole, peeking through it. He was right behind a goblin. He looked around, seeing the room to be mostly empty. ^No stones? I should move away.^ Arad''s n was simple. Find a room with what he wants and kill everyone silently. He then would take all of what he needed. Andstly, get the hell out. A simple n. True, but to enact it without alerting the whole mine was the problem. Arad kept digging, looking for a room full of magic stones, and he did find one. Arge room full of green-stinky goblins, dining on the corpses of animals they hunted around the mine. [They are like crows. If it shines, they keep it,] Mom exined. The goblins got fascinated by the magic stones'' mystical glow, so they hoarded it in one room. ^Killing all of them at once is impossible. Mom, do you have a n?^ Arad asked. [Go to one of the rooms on the opposite side of the mine and injure one of the goblins to distract them.] ^So when they scream for help and draw everyone. I cane here and clear the stones. What about the hole I will leave? They would know that something dug a hole, and they refilled it.^ [Goblins aren''t that smart. I doubt they will guess it, and even if they did, they only know how to dig with their hands.] ^So I should mix some stones to make it harder for them,^ Arad dug to the other side of the mine and found a nice room with one goblin taking care of his business. Arad silently emerged from behind the goblin, grabbing him by the head and shing his eyes and legs. "GRWAAAAAAAA!" The goblin growled, and his screech filled the whole mine. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad heard the goblins rush in immediately, so he leaped back into the hole and closed it, leaving the goblin writhing in pain. When Arad reached the other side, he found the room almost empty. Some goblins stayed eating, ignoring the screams. ^You friend is calling go!^ Arad growled inside his head. Why won''t those idiots leave? Using the cover of the darkness, Arad emerged, walking on the tip of his paws like a cat. CRACK! With a single bite, he crushed a goblin''s head and absorbed him into his stomach. The other goblins who heard the strange sound looked in Arad''s direction. But they saw nothing, even with their night vision. They only noticed a small spot, slightly darker than the rest. A second goblin approached the darkness. CRACK! He disappeared without a trace, and the other goblins got even more confused. The dark spot moved a bit and then disappeared. CRACK! CRACK! It appeared on the other side of the room, and two goblins were missing. The little green monsters started to shake, ring at each other and growling. Terror slowly seeped into their bones. CRACK! Another goblin lost his short life. "AH..." A goblin tried to scream, but the dark spot teleported to him. CRACK! His became past tense. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! Arad finished the rest, prioritizing those who wanted to scream or run away. Arad stared at the stones smiling. ^Barrels over barrels, I take everything!^ He smiled inside, sucking everything into his stomach. BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad stopped, recognizing the sound. His head jerked back. ^Ae''s bow?^ [She''s a few rooms away. Why did she get out?] Thud! Arad rushed out in her direction. ^Ae is a ranged fighter. She can get overwhelmed in such a small space.^ Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad''s body raced across the mine. A goblin was running ahead of him, so he attacked and hit while running. All he needed was a w strike and absorbing the corpse into his stomach. CRACK! Arad eliminated the goblin. And any other one in his way without leaving a single corpse behind. [The cave is getting tighter. Exhale so you can pass through the squeeze.] Arad took a deep breath and then exhaled, emptying all the air in his lungs and looking forward. The crack ahead of him was enough for a single human to use, and even with that, it was a tight fit. CREEK! Arad''s body slipped right through, his void skin nibbling on the stones as he pushed through. He had no choice since it was faster than digging. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad got closer to Ae''s location. He could finally see her in the distance. She stood to the corner, aiming her bow toward a horde of goblins. ^Is she an idiot? Why did she...^ Before long, Arad saw what was behind her. It was four faces that he knew and even more. Nigel and his partyy there, bloodied. And behind them, two men, four women, and a few children. [Don''t worry, they can''t see in the dark, and even if they did, they can''t see you,] Arad rushed forward, using his ws to run on the wall and the ceiling. Thud! He leaped down like a leopard, stomping into two goblins. The moment Ae saw two of her targets disappear, she knew it was Arad. CRACK! CRACK! Arad started killing the goblins left and right, tearing them apart without much care. Ae turned back, "We''re leaving. Follow me." She said. pping Nigel a few times, "You''re a fighter. Wake them up," Nigel coughed blood, the knife in his side hurt like hell, yet he stood grinding his teeth, "I can move," He growled with shaking legs. "Good!" Ae lifted the two girls while Nigle carried Chester. The other prisoners ran after them. Arad looked at them run away. ^Good, you better be out Then here. FLASH! A crimson me illuminated the cave as Chester opened his eyes, staring from Nigel''s back. Arad stood between the hordes of goblins, swinging his fiery fists around like a madman and tearing them apart. "Don''t...leave him...alone," He growled. FLAP! Arad opened his arms, "See you on the other side!" KA-BOOM! The entire room exploded as Everyone left. [Why the show?] Mom asked. ^They wouldn''t let me rest if they thought Ae was alone. Since I already missed my moment to appear, I better be thest one standing there.^ Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Goblins surrounded him, growling and screaming as they iled their stolen weapons. Arad stared at the goblins with a smile, his head slightly tilted as me gushed red between his teeth. His eyes glow with a faint red fire, crackling with magic. "Everyone is here? Good!" Arad smiled, lifting his palm and conjuring a small fireball, "I need to make it look like I fought to the death. You can''t have a bad reputation if you intend on having multiple wives, do you?." With Arad smiling, he rushed forward, throwing the fireball at the goblins. [Firebolt] KA-BOM! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! KA-DON! With punches and kicks, Arad leaped around, sending the goblins into the afterlife. That kept going until the little bastards figured out something called (Attack at the same time) All the goblins leaped at Arad at the same time. GROW! GROW! They groaned, climbing on his body, scratching from every corner. "Good, time to end this," BOOM! His body exploded in mes, morphing into his draconic form. ^Time for y is over,^ Arad red at them, with me covering his draconic body. *** Outside, everyone reached safety. Coughing blood, Chester, who had been stabbed multiple times in the stomach, growled, "You left him inside!" "It''s Arad. He would be fine," Ae said, looking through the party stuff for healing potions. Chester tried to stand, but he couldn''t. Thud! Thud! Thud! Like everyone, Arad walked out of the Mine entrance, topless with his torso all cut and scratched. A tiny stream of fire rushed from his mouth as smoke rose from the door behind him. Chapter 89 Nina’s Rage Arad walked out, approaching Ae and the rest. "Are you all okay?" Nigel giggled, "You are something, cough," He started coughing blood. "Did you kill all of them?" Ae asked, "No, some ran deeper. And I didn''t chase them." "Are you a high-rank adventurer?" One of the men around asked. Arad stared at them, "No. What I want to know is, why were you there?" Chester lifted his head, "They are from a merchant''s caravan. Our job is to guard them." "So the goblins attacked, and you all got captured?" Arad looked at them, unable to believe the story. They could have run. One of them standing behind growled, "They couldn''t even do their job," "It''s your fault for sticking down to your slow wagon. It''s one thing with ten goblins and another where there are over fifty!" Chester growled at the man, ring at him with a deathly stare. "Your job was to protect us and the merchandise. That''s why we hired you!" The man grunted from under his teeth. "You''re the one who wanted to go through the shortcut. We warned you that this area is over our capacity. Our deal was to protect you on the main road, not the forest road." Chester tried to stand but couldn''t. The man grunted, "We lost a day. We should get moving." He approached Arad, "How about a deal? Would you like to escort us instead? You seem more capable," Arad looked at him, "No, I have to escort Nigel and his party to the guild. You get back to the city and get a stronger party." "Well, sir, we are a bitte. Can''t we hire you here and finish the trip?" The man rubbed his hands, "Our goods are still in the mine. We need to get them before those green monsters damage them." Arad walked past the man, "If you wanted to take the short and dangerous route, find a strong party. Escorting them back home is more important." The merchant growled, "Fine, good luck carrying them home alone." Arad approached Nigel, stripping his heavy armor, "Ae, help me. We need to make them light enough to carry. All the heavy armor and weapons need to go." The merchant smiled, "I could buy those from you," Arad red at the merchant, "I feel like I could punch you in the face, scram!" "No can do. The forest is dangerous." The merchant smiled. Arad sighed, tieing the armor and weapons to a rope(Taken from Chester''s stuff) and then to his hip. He then carried Nigel and tied Chester to his back. "Ae, can you handle the two girls?" Arad looked at Ae carrying the other two girls. "No problem, they aren''t that heavy," Ae replied, smiling. "Sorry for troubling you," Chester mumbled. "Don''t worry about it." Arad smiled. About an hourter, they reached the city''s proximity, and the guards spotted them from the walls. Immediately, a guarded wagon rushed to them from the gate, "NIGEL!" Nigel''s father shouted. The wagon stopped, and the guard took Nigel and his party from Arad and Ae, resting them on the wagon. "Let''s take them to the guild. We could get a healer there." Arad suggested, and Nigel''s father nodded. The merchant and his friends also stuck around like a leech. CRACK! They reached the guild, rushing through the door. "A healer!" Nigel''s father shouted at the top of his lungs. Nina jumped forward, followed by two clerics. The clerics started working immediately. And Nina stared at Arad, "What happened?" "Found them in a mine. Got kidnapped by goblins because this idiot wanted to take a short route." He pointed at the merchant with his thumb. The merchant snorted, "A whole four adventurer and couldn''t take on a couple of goblins. What did I pay for?" Nina stood and looked at the merchant, smiling, "Let me confirm. You wanted to change the route?" The adventurers looked the other way. "Yeah, do you have a problem? I request a..." CRACK! Nina swung her fist, hitting his face with the back of her hand. BAM! The merchant''s body flew away, smashing a few tables before hitting the guild''s door, crushing it, and going to the street. CRACK! His body smacked into the stone corner of the building on the other side of the road, cracking his skull open. "DEAR!" A woman screamed, "YOU!" She red at Nina. CLENSH! Nina grabbed the woman by the face, lifting her with one hand, "Did you agree with him to take the short route." "What did you do? You bitch!" The woman cried. "Changing route to a known dangerous path while knowing the limitation of the party you hired is against the rule, and I take it intended to kill adventurers." Nina tightened her grasp, causing the woman''s cheekbone to crack, "Did you attempt to kill Nigel and his party?" "You bitch!" The woman cried. "I take that as a yes," Nina didn''t have the patience or brain power to think the situation through. In her mind, attempted murder is still murder. CRACK! Clenching her fist harder, she crushed the woman''s head and threw her body outside the guild with one swing. Arad just stood there, watching silently. [She''s a monster,] ^I know. We should make sure never to anger her,^ One of the guards looked at Nigel''s father, "Sir, this is a bit too much," He looked at the two killed merchants. Nigel''s father looked back and then at Nina, "I know. But the case is closed. Those two attempted to kill Nigel and his party by taking a short route into a dangerous area," "What?" The guard gasped, knowing it wasn''t probably enough reason for murder. Nigel''s father red at him, "Want to try arresting her? Thest time we tried, we lost a hundred men and gave up. Move away. We need to clean the corpses." Nina sighed, looking at them. "Arad, care if we talked a bit?" She said with her usual smile. "Of course," Arad replied with a wry smile, and they headed to the private room. "First, thanks for saving them. The guild marked the area as a forbiddennd to low-rank adventurers. They would have died without you." She bowed, putting her hands on the table. "No need to thank me," Arad said with a pained smile. "And that gets me to my point. What were you doing there? Did someone send you there?" CRACK! Arad heard the table edge that Nina was holding crack. "No, no one. I heard Nigel got captured, so I went to help," He looked away. "Who told you?" "I did hear someone in the distance..." Arad struggled to find an excuse. "Fine," Nina sighed, "I won''t prey further. You saved them after all." She rxed on the couch, "But that area is dangerous. Monsters roam day and night with great numbers." "Sorry," Arad looked down. Ae looked at Nina, "Was it okay to kill those two merchants?" Nina looked up, "Merchants always try to save cost by sending low-rank adventurers to dangerous quests without telling them the details. The adventurers usually end up dead or disabled for life." "The merchant wanted to take the short route from the beginning, but instead of hiring a high-rank party, he took Nigel and his party and wanted to force them to do it?" Arad looked at Nina. "Pretty much. It gued the guild a few years ago. And it was a pain to deal with." Nina sighed. "That one thing, but I was wondering if the guards will attempt to arrest you?" Ae stared at her. "Last time they tried was when a noble wanted to marry me. Let''s say they learned a lesson." Nina smiled. [Attempting to arrest her will cause more casualties, and the city would rather put up with her than lose her power to another town or nation. All S-rank get the same treatment.] ^I still can''t see it.^ [If another city wanted to attack Alina, they would have to consider facing Nina as she lives here. That could be enough reason for them to give up. Her mere existence is a strategic advantage.] Arad stood, "Can I leave? Just look at me," Arad opened his arms, showing Nina all the wounds across his torso. Nina red at him, "They aren''t bleeding, and your movements aren''t hindered. How did you get those wounds?" She smiled, "You don''t have to answer. I''m quite happy that you have the strength to survive such a fight." Arad sighed, "Nothing escapes your eyes," "Go get yourself healed. I have a special guest for you." Arad nodded and headed out. The clerics healed Ningel and his party. So they started healing Arad immediately. After getting healed, Arad went back to see Nina. She put a piece of paper on the table and smiled, "The client asked for you personally, and upon reading the quest details, I can confirm, you''re the only avable adventurer who can take the quest. Amber is out and won''t return for a while." Arad nodded, "Who is the client?" Nina smiled, "An old friend of mine, the archmage Merlin." Chapter 90 Getting An Upgrade. Arad stared at Nina with an exhausted face, "Merlin? Really?" "Why?" Nina looked confused, "Do you have a problem with her? Her quests are quite popr," Arad remembered he saw a quest about the archmage wanting people for her experiment. "Yeah, I remember those." He replied, sitting and telling Nina about their encounter with Merlin. "You''re going to take it?" Ae sat beside Arad after he finished telling the story. "I don''t know. I will at least hear what the quest is about." He looked at Nina with a smile. Nina sat facing him and pulled a single piece of paper,ying it on the table, "The quest is simple. Merlin needs you to retrieve a magtern from the inside of an experimental heater." "An experimental heater? She said something about that, but I don''t know the details." Arad looked at the quest sheet. "You can say it''s a massive oven. Merlin wants you to use a me cloak and walk in to retrieve thentern. You could very well finish the quest in a few minutes." She pointed with her fingers at the reward, "A full ten gold coins," Arad nodded, "This looks nice," He smiled, "I won''t take it since too good to be true." He stood. "Are you sure?" Nina looked at him, "Merlin''s track record is clean. All the quests she gave could be finished easily." "I still feel like there is a catch, and I won''t ept the quest until I hear what that is." Arad looked at Nina onest time before leaving with Ae. Nina sighed, taking the paper and stomping it as rejected. She then took it to the mailing department, "Send this back," When the department manager looked at it, he gasped, "From the archmage, and it got rejected? Get him to ept the quest. We can''t send such a thing back." Nina red at him, "I told you to send it back. Merlin would be angry if we forced him to take the quest," She left the paper with them and walked away. *** A letter reached Merlin that day saying that Arad rejected her quest. She looked at the paper, smiling, "How hard is it to make youe here?" With a flick, thentern flew from inside the heater and back to her hand, "Ouch! Hot!" She cried. "Arad, o, Arad. One day I will get you here, and he just how your insides work." She took a nk paper from her desk, "What should it be? It''s probably better if I don''t write my name on it." She started preparing a second quest. *** Arad walked out of the private room and to the guild, seeing Nigel''s father waiting at the guild''s door. "You finished?" He asked with a smile. "Did you need something?" Arad replied, looking around. The man was alone. "I wanted to thank you for saving my son. We''re in your dept for the second time," He bowed slightly. Arad shook his head, "No need to thank me. It''s nothing." Arad waved his hand, leaving with Ae as quickly as they could. ^Good, it''s spreading.^ Arad thought, smiling inside. [Building a reputation so it will be hard for people to act against you.] ^Now I have someone I know in the guards? All I need is to know more people, and then I will be safer.^ Arad''s draconic brain is already hard at work. Trying to make sure he''s using everything to further his goals. After walking for a while, Arad and Ae reached L''s shop. "What brought you back?" L asked. Staring at them from inside the shop, "I got what Mira asked for." Arad replied, walking in with Ae trailing behind him. L blinked twice, putting what was in her hands and approaching him, "That can''t be right. To finish such a thing in one day." She looked at him momentarily before pointing toward the stairs, "Mira is asleep. Wake her up." "It''s the middle of the day." Arad sighed. "She works on her own schedule. She worked in the morning and is now taking a nap. She usually wakes upte in the afternoon and works till midnight." L exined. Mira isn''tzy. Her schedule is just messy. Arad approached the stairs. And then stopped, "Ae, you go wake her up." He looked back. Ae nodded with a smile, "I will be back," She walked up the stairs. In the meantime, Arad approached L, "Can I drop the stones here?" He asked while looking around. "No, do it in the back room." She pointed at a small room at the back of the shop. "How much did you bring?" "I didn''t count, but it''s a lot," Arad walked to the back room and extended his palm. "Wait a moment," L rushed toward him with arge bucket, "Here you go." Arad started filling one bucket after the other until he reached the tenth one and stopped. L looked at the pile he made, "You really brought a lot. I doubt a miner could get this much in a day, let alone an adventurer grabbing stones from a goblin hole." "My storage helped. All I needed was to gather what I found." Arad said, pulling a nearby chair and sitting. "Ah! You came back," Mira stared down the stairs with Ae behind her. Her hair was messy, and she almost wore a long white robe. "I will be down soon," She walked away to get herself ready. *** A few minutester, Mira came to inspect the stones. After a few moments, she smiled. "They are all decent, nothing amazing, but it''s expected from that mine." "So they good?" Arad approached her, bending over to look at the stones. "Yes, just give me a moment to weigh everything," She walked to the back to bring a big enough scale. Thud! Mira put the heavy-looking object on the ground and started working. One bucket after the other, she weights everything till thest pebbles. "Fifty-four kilos and a bit, let''s say it fifty-five. With three silver coins each, you have earned one gold coin and sixty-five silver coins." Mira immediately calcted it and approached the counter. She registered the purchase and pulled Arad''s payment. "Here is your payment, don''t spend it all in one ce. Except here in the shop." Mira smiled. Arad counted the money, "Thanks," "Don''t forget toe in two days. Ae''s should be ready by then." Mira smiled. Arad nodded. "Ae, give her your bow. It''s time for an upgrade." "Is that okay? We won''t be able to fight as efficiently without it." Ae said, putting her bow on the table. "Yeah, taking a day or two breaks won''t hurt anyone," Arad replied. Chapter 91 [Bonus ] The Roofs Of The Woods Arad stared at Mira, "How does it work?" He asked. "You talking about the bringing? It''s simple. You crush the stones into a fine powder, then, spread it on the metal and let it rest. The natural flow of mana will move the stone''s magic from the dust to the metal." She exined, "The important part is the amount. Use too much or too little powder, and the weapon is ruined." "I see. Then we''ll meet in two days," Arad turned around, and Mira smiled, "You can count on me," Ae and Arad left the shop, heading back to the inn, "What should we do now?" She asked with a smile. "I already had enough for the day." Arad replied, "Let''s rest for a bit," He walked into the tavern. ? "Yo! Chief!" Jack was already at the counter, "Got some news for you," He waved his hand. Ae looked at Arad, "I will go to our room to change. See you soon," she said. Arad nodded as he approached Jack, "What did you find?" he asked. Jack smiled, "I found a few decent ces. Let me go through them," "Ok, let''s hear it. Bring us two drinks," Arad waved to the bartender. "The first one is called the dead stone inn in the city north. A normal inn from the outside, but if you asked, they have multiple options from automated rooms,rge, small, and even a massage service." Jack exined the first option with a smile, "I rmend it if you want a gentle experience. But the privacy isckluster. You can hear everything through the wooden walls." "The second option is night tomb. They are like any other inn. But they have a single special basement room. I heard you can skin someone in there, and no one would hear the screams." Jack smiled. "I guess it''s always reserved?" Arad sighed. "Sadly, yes. I asked, and the closed you can get it is a month from now," Jack sighed, "I did want to try it. But there are more options," Jack kept talking, "There is a public bath to the south. It''s good if you''re alone and want to see some things. But I don''t rmend taking your girl there." Jack smiled, "But if you did, reserve the private section beforehand. Their system for it is amazing." "What so special about it?" Arad asked. "You reserve the private bath and then tell the staffs who can enter beside you. Like, say, only allow women in with you. Or adventurers for example. You can even request one of the staff if you wish. It''s like a bath-themed brothel with extra steps." Jack drank his mug and smiled. "Thest one is the ce I rmend. They are the priciest of the bunch, but you get a lot for your money." "Then tell me about it," Arad got excited. "The ce called the roofs of wood. They own multiple tiny homes on the city outskirts and rent them. You can even pay for service, and they have a lot." Jack smiled, "There was a quest about them before in the guild. They looked for female workers." "How does it work?" "Their headquarter is to the east. I will show you on a map. The prices differ between the houses, but the cheapest I saw was ten silvers a day. You get both space and privacy. But the best part is that you can pick someone to apany you. They have a catalog, and you need to give it a look." "A prostitute catalog?" "Yep, the prices differ, but I saw a few astounding choices." Jack smiled. "Like what?" Arad asked. "A decent-looking woman was asking for one gold coin in return for epting any treatment for one day. And another was doing it for free. I even found a man who pays women to take him." Arad looked at Jack, "I feel like that is sad," "It might be," Jack shook his head, "You''re a farm girl, and by mistake, you set your neighbor''s farm aze. Your only choice is between bing a ve for life. Or enduring one day with a random guy to pay your fine." "I only need Ae. I won''t be using that. What did you and Lydia take?" Arad asked with a smile. "We took the house outside the city. And naturally, I didn''t take any service. The only thing I have toin about is the cleanliness. It''s hit or miss depending on your luck." Jack exined. "Thank you for the information." Arad smiled. "By the way, after paying for the house and a few drinks and food, I have fifty silver coins left from that gold coin." Jack pulled out a small pouch. "Why are you giving me that? You can keep it." Arad drank his mug, standing up. "Thanks!" Jack smiled, "Are you going now, Chief?" "Yeah, I would like to look at the homes." Arad smiled, winking, "I will be taking Ae with me. Hold the fort." "Got it, Chief." Jack gave Arad a thumb''s up. When Ae came down, she headed out with Arad to the ce Jack mentioned. The roofs of the woods. Their headquarter was a normal-looking inn with nothing special from the outside. Upon getting inside, Arad was surprised by how inconspicuous it was. The ce''s main business is renting and selling homes. What Jack discovered was but a part of their whole service. The receptionist bowed upon seeing Arad and Ae enter from the door, "Wee to our establishment. How might I be of service? Are you looking for a house or something more intricate?" Arad smiled. Sitting beside her desk, "We actually came for the intricate service, but we might stay for something else. What kind of homes do you offer?" The receptionist smiled, "That intricate service is actually put as a way to market our homes. Nothing beats giving people first-hand experience with the product." their n was simple, rent homes for new couples, hopefully, get them attached enough to consider buying it, or long term rental. The woman pulled a small book from underneath her desk, "What is your budget?" Arad thought about it, "Around ten gold coins, but I could go higher if I got more time." The woman nodded, "That isn''t much for a house. The cheapest we have for sale is at seventeen gold coins, and that is an old shed in the woods." "I see," "But don''t worry, we offer slit payment as long as you have someone trustworthy verify you can pay. That includes nobles, nights, the merchant, or the adventurer guilds are also included." The woman exined. "Let me think about it," Chapter 92 The New Home Is In The Dangerous Forest? "How much are the houses outside the city?" Arad asked with a smile. "All of our houses are outside the city. The prices range from about forty gold coins and up to a few tinum coins depending on the size, condition, and other factors." The receptionist exined. "I''m not looking for anything fancy. Any regr house would be fine." Arad said with a smile. [Ask for one in the dangerous part of the forest. No one lives there, and it''s a good ce for you to start air.] "I would also appreciate it in the forest with monsters. I do hunt them for a living, after all." Arad added. The receptionist looked down, "I see, a monster hunter. There are a few houses like that, but can you check this one?" She showed the paper to Arad, and he looked confused. "Thend isrge." The house looked like a small shed but included thend around it. "We bought it a few years ago for cheap, but nobody would buy it from us. They fear monsters." The woman sighed, "The director told me to rmend it to anyone who wants a house in the area. I should be able to get you a heavy discount on it." "Ae, what do you think?" Arad looked at Ae. "We elves are used to living in the forest. I would like more than a house in the city. Monsters aren''t a problem." she smiled, staring at Arad with a smirk, "I was expecting it sooner orter. I expected a cave, to be honest." "A cave?" The receptionist stared at her, confused. "Nothing, it''s between us," Ae smiled, hugging Arad''s arm. He''s a dragon, and she was waiting to see what kind ofir he would get. Dragons usually lived in caves or high peaks. Some took the forest as a home, and others liked the desert snow. With all the burrowing Arad was doing, she expected a cave. "Is he a barbarian?" The receptionist asked with a smile, "I''m a sorcerer," Arad sighed. "Well then, how does five gold coins a month for a year sound like? That would be a total of sixty could coins." The receptionist smiled, "I could cut the payment up to five years with one gold coin a month." [Even if you won''t live in it now, as you get stronger, owningnd where you can build air is good. Monsters won''t be a bother to a dragon.] ^You''re right. As long as I own it, I can use itter on.^ "Can we see the house and thend? And can I bring someone to help me deal with the legal stuff?" Arad asked. ? "If you''re buying through the guild, they will deal with all the legal matters. You can also bring someone with you in case you aren''t thatfortable buying a house alone." She smiled, "And, of course, you can try the house. Since it''s quite the undesired location, I will give it a week''s test for free instead of a day." She stood. "Feel free to stay in it for a week before deciding. But I don''t rmend wandering around the house at night due to monsters." She gave Arad a slight bow, handing him the house''s key. "A dangerous home, Should we give it a look?" Arad asked, looking at Ae with a smile. "Of course," Ae smiled, "Can I build a tree house?" "You can," Arad replied. "You can''t." The receptionist replied. Arad and the receptionist looked at each other, and she spoke first. "It''s a rule. Modifying the lent homes isn''t allowed. It''s a general rule that was put in," She approached Arad and whispered in his ear, "I doubt the director would mind since building something will increase the house value in case you didn''t buy it. The rule is to protect the other properties and was generalized." "So we can do it after we buy the house?" Arad looked at her. "Yes, after you buy it. We won''t own it anymore, and our roles don''t apply." The woman smiled, "Even if you paid monthly. You can use the house as you like after the first payment." Arad and Ae stood to leave, "Wait a moment. Do you need anything else? We offer a lot of services." The receptionist called them. ^I''m with my wife. How can she suggest that?^ Arad sighed inside, ring back at her. "If you''re on the menu," Arad replied, trying to embarrass her. The receptionist tilted her head, "Ah! I wasn''t talking about that." She smiled, "We have a connection with the ve market and the maid school. If you want a helping hand we can arrange for you to hire some workers. You can also buy furniture and gardening equipment from us, and we would take care of the delivery." She gave Arad a small piece of paper. "Our most popr service is water. We can deliver any amount you want from one hundred to five thousand liters a day." The woman approached Arad again, whispering, "There was a well in thatnd, but it was buried in the renovation. You can consider digging it up again." Ae stared at her, "Aren''t you getting a bit too close?" The receptionist smiled, "I''m trying to sell a product. What did you expect?" She smiled, "We also sell a lot of elvish seeds if you want to grow something," Ae''s face lightened, "Do you have an elvish seedling house?" Arad stared at Ae, "What is that?" The receptionist smiled, "I see. You know your nts. We had two left, an apple and a lemon. Each one is ny gold coins." "Expensive!" Arad gasped, "Cheap!" Ae smiled, "Arad, can we get one?" "Wait, what is that?" Arad asked. "It''s what we elves build out houses with. You can nt it, and it will grow into a full treehouse in a week. Add to that the fruit bore by the tree has magical properties. Apple reduces hunger, and the lemon can be used to make stamina potions." She exined with a smile on her face. "It''s cool, and all to give a tree house grow from seed. And even get the fruits, but is the house even decent?" Arad couldn''t imagine a decent house growing on its own. "The smallest tree house has ten rooms, and the trees can grow to be massive depending on the elf growing them." She said with a smile, "I could grow it for us." "They are cheap since they need an elf to grow them. And live in so they won''t die. You would buy them for over a tinum coin in the elvish nation." the receptionist exined. Arad nodded, "For now let''s look at the house. And decided if we will buy it or not and then we can talk about. Then we can talk about buying more stuff." Arad and Ae walked out and headed to the destination the receptionist showed them. The house was located on the eastern edge of the forest, in the middle of what Nina described as a dangerous zone. But to their surprise, they didn''t see a single monster on their way there. "It''s safer than I expected." Ae said, looking around, "Not that many monsters attacked us." [Weak monsters can smell the wyrmwolf in you and turn the other way. Only monsters with slightly high intelligence would attack you. Like goblins and kobolds.] ^I see. What will happen when I grow into a full dragon?^ [Monsters will approach yourir seeking protection. They will usually offer food as payment. So expect dire wolves to be dropping some prey at your door when you grow up,] ^That would be strange?^ [It''s not. Dragons are powerful, and most monsters would want such beings to know they aren''t a threat. A creature like kobolds knows that a hungry dragon is a dangerous one. You can find them serving older dragons in exchange for protection, but they kill the young ones if possible.] "Arad, I can see it!" Ae pointed into the distance. Between the thick trees, a small shed appeared. It was made of dark oak wood with a single door and two windows at the front. From that distance. They could see a small chimney, but that was it. The shed was barely maintained with veins growing on its sides and the remnants of a garden behind it. When Arad pushed the door open, it cried, screaming for oil, and a huff of dust rushed out, causing him to back away. "The mine was cleaner. How could there be so much dust in here?" Arad tapped the wall to get the dust. CRACK! But the wooden wall cracked. "Arad, look!" Ae pointed toward the wall, "I think this is the reason. Wood ant," Arad looked and sighed, "This ce needs a full renovation to be usable," "It would seem so, but the size of thend alone is enough to justify the price and more. We don''t care about monsters, right?" Ae looked around. "We would take it and start the renovation. I want a quiet ce." Chapter 93 The Dirty House Of The Forest. Arad walked inside the house, looking for any decent spot to sit, but everything had a handful of dust on it. "How could the forest floor look cleaner than this ce?" He sighed. "The ce is dangerous. I doubt anyone would find it fun toe here and clean." Ae said, stopping Arad from blowing the dust. "Leave the cleaning to me. You will make a bigger mess." Ae said, smiling. "What can I do to help?" Arad asked. "Move the heavy furniture out and find me some water. I will take the time to pull the small things out and find some towels." Ae smiled, patting Arad''s back. "Okay." Arad replied and looked around, "I will go find some water as that might take some time." He smiled, "I can dig after all," Arad walked outside the shed and stretched his arms, "Let''s see, where did that woman say the well was?" [Walk ten meters to your left and walk five to the right. You will stand on it.] Move gave directing, and Arad walked directly toward it. [Stop! One step to the left, and you will be standing on it.] Arad smiled, marking the spot with his foot, "This is it. All I need to do now is dig straight down." [Wouldn''t rmend digging straight down, but there shouldn''t be anything dangerous around here.] "Why?" [In the past, your mother was digging straight down and fell into ava pool. But can only be found in active areas like mountains and volcand.] "I understand," Arad nodded, transforming into his draconic form and digging. Soon he reached a level where the water started flowing out. "Look, mom, water!" Arad pointed as the stream of muddied water gushed beneath his ws. [I see it, but we need it to clear. The dirt from digging will take some time to settle.] Using his ws, Arad climbed out, [You need to reinforce the walls with stones or logs. Ideally, we should use bricks, but we don''t have any.] "Reiforce the walls?" [the water would cause them to crumble without support.] "I pulled a lot of stones from the hole, and there is a bunch around. Let''s use those." Arad walked out and gathered every decent-sized boulder he could see. "Arad! Are you done yet?" Ae called him. "I got the water. I need to reinforce the well," Arad replied. "It won''t crumble from a few hours. Bring me a full bucket and help me move this giant cab," Ae replied. [She''s right. Help her for now.] Arad stood and walked to the house, seeing Ae waiting for him beside arge cab. "I''m here. Where do you need to move it?" He asked. "I just need to move it enough to clean behind it." Ae smiled, lifting from one side and Arad from the other one. The moment the cab moved, a gust of dust rushed from behind it, and spiders ran across the wall. A big one climbed Ae''s arm, causing her to scream, dropping the cab to the ground. CRACK! The wood cracked, but it didn''t break. Ae immediately swatted the spider with her palm, "This ce is full of bugs!" "I guess we''re not sleeping here tonight. I will try and push that woman to give us a discount," Arad smiled. "She better do! We were supposed to sleep here and have a nice time, not clean." Ae sighed, standing up and wiping the dust from her arm. The hours passed, and the two cleaned and cleaned until they fell exhausted. Ae and Arad walked to the bedroom, looking at the sun setting from the window. Ae approached the bed, giving it a light tap. Puff! A cloud of dust rose to the sky, and she could see tiny ck dots rushing to hide in the shadows. "We''re getting back to the city," she sighed. "You''re right. There is no way we can clean this ce today." Arad smiled. The two of them headed to the city and to the wooden roofs. CREEK! Arad pushed the door open, and the receptionist was there. She looked at them, surprised, "Ara? You didn''t find it pleasant?" Arad sat on a chair facing the woman, "If by pleasant you mean cleaning dust, digging wells, and fighting spiders. It was pleasant," He stared at her with an angry smile. "I did expect it to be a bit dirty, but not like an abandoned house." The receptionist blinked twice, "That can''t be true, excuse me for a moment." she stood and headed to the back room. Soon she returned with a paper in hand. "That house was cleaned just five days ago, and here is the report. If you found it that dirty. It means he ripped us off." She put the paper on the table. Arad gave it a read, and it was a legitimate contract. This man named Breff got paid to clean the house. And he said the job was done. "Everyone that we proposed the room to never returned. They just said it wasn''t for them. Could it be due to this?" The receptionist red at the paper. "From what I''ve seen. That house wasn''t cleaned in at least a year or two." Arad sighed, "How long did he work for you?" The receptionist sighed, "Six years. If he wasn''t cleaning, it''s a big deal." Arad tapped on the table, "That was a disappointment. Forget having a nice time. The ce was a disgusting experience." The receptionist bowed down, "Sorry about this. I will find you a better house." "Hold your horses," Arad stared at her, "I didn''t say I won''t take it." He smiled, "Three gold coins a month, what do you say? I even came to tell you about it, unlike the others." The receptionist stared at him, "Forty percent discount? Sady, the max I can promise is twenty percent, but I can talk with the director about it." She smiled, "Can youe tomorrow morning? I would have talked with the director." Ae smiled, "So it''s four gold coins now, and could get down to three. We''re counting on you." The receptionist smiled, "You''re helping us with the unsold house. I will do my best to get you a deal." She then pulled a paper, "In the meantime, do you want to spend the night in another house? One that I''m sure is clean." Arad and Ae looked at Each other, "We talked about the on the way back. We want to wait till we get it." The receptionist nodded, "I understand. Pleasee tomorrow, as I said." *** The next morning Arad and Ae returned from the inn. "You''re back. It''s quite early." the receptionist smiled. Arad sat on the chair with Ae beside him, "So, what did you get?" The receptionist smiled, "The director was pissed. He said you could have the house for three gold coins a month. He would have that bastard Breff to pay for it." Ae nodded, "I hope you get your money back." "Don''t worry about that. Even if Breff can''t pay with money, we can put him to work as a ve." The woman smiled. Arad looked at her, "Three gold coins a month. I will pay through the guild. Is that okay?" "Of course. Take this paper to the guild so they can sign it." She gave him a contract. It simply said that the guild would transfer three gold coins to them each month from Arad''s ount. Arad took the paper and stood, "Thank you, I will be back soon." *** Arad and Ae head to the guild immediately. "Nina, can you sign this for me?" Arad handed the paper to her. Nina smiled, "Of course, let me give it a look." she started reading, then looked at Arad, smiling. "Sorry, I can''t sign this. It''s for the guildmaster. And, the house is in a dangerous zone of the forest. So it will be rejected anyway." Arad stared at her with a stupid face, "Sign it." "I can''t," "Make him sign it." "I can''t," "What should I do?" "Forget about it. It''s not like the guild doesn''t trust you to pay. They don''t want you to die to a monster attack at night. Even the most aplished adventurers are vulnerable when sleeping." Nina replied. "Ara! Isn''t Arad?" A woman hugged Arad from the back, her chest squeezing on him. Ae looked back, it was Merlin, the archmage. "You rejected my quest, how could you?" She looked at Arad with a sad face. Ae grabbed Merlin by the cap and started pulling her away, but she didn''t budge. "What is this? You trying to buy a house?" She smiled. "Why do you care?" "I doubt the guild will ept this. But I could do something about it. If you ept my quest." Merlin smiled. All the adventurers stared at Arad, their eyes burning as they saw Merlin hug him from the back. "The guild master can''t ignore her words as the archmage. She might be your only way to get this paper epted." Nina said with a smile. "You heard her." Merlin hugged him tighter, "You two areing with me." She smiled, "I will deal with the guildmaster," Merlin smiled, dragging Arad and Ae with her. Chapter 94 Busted By The Mage. "I don''t want anything to do with you." Arad sighed, looking at Merlin''s face with a smile. "You say it with a smile," She hugged him tighter, "Nina, tell the guild master to sign it, or no more scrolls for the guild." Nina smiled, "Understood, I will make sure he signs it." She nodded and then stared at Merlin, "But I will take it that Arad won''t be hurt, right?" "Don''t worry. I''m not going to do any weird experiments. I will do basic observing." Merlin smiled. "Let me go!" Arad growled, trying to struggle out of her grasp. "If you want to escape, you need to move forward. Not backward into my chest." Merlin smiled. "I''m trying to knock you over," Arad growled, taking a deep breath and stepping forward. He then bent his body and lifted Merlin on his back. "Hold up! I can see it...no. I can''t!" One adventurer rushed to sneak a peek underneath Merlin''s robe. But found an empty ck void. Merlin pointed her wand toward him, "A present," She said with a smile, [Salt Ssh]. With a tiny spark from her wand, a puff of salt rushed at the adventure, going directly into his eyes. "My eyes!" The man screamed in pain, rolling on the ground like a ball. Growling, Arad threw Merlin on the ground, where shended on her feet like it was nothing. With a smile, she fixed her robe. "I do use darkness magic to hide. You can''t sneak a peek." Merlin stared at the adventure, "Then hide your chest," Ae said, looking at her, disappointed. "I told you before. It''s functional to keep it like this." Merlin pushed her wand between her chest. "Storage." "Fine," Arad sighed, "What do you want? Is it the same as yesterday?" Merlin shook her head, "No, I pulled that thing out since you didn''te." "See!" Arad pointed at Merlin and red at Nina, "Told she didn''t need help. I suspect she even did it on purpose." "Of course I did. You can''t be an archmage if you''re stupid enough to drop something into the oven," Merlin replied, looking at Arad with a smile, "The quest I have for you today is legit. Otherwise, I won''te here in person." Arad stared at her, "I doubt it," "I came here since I knew you would say that. And I felt you might need me," Merlin looked at Arad with a smirk, and he red back at her for a while. Arad immediately activated his void eyes and looked around. ^There is no trace of magic. She isn''t watching us.^ "You won''t see my scrying eyes since they are five hundred meters up in the sky." Merlin smiled, "I didn''t stop watching you since we met in the forest." [She knows!] "You!" Arad growled at her. "Of course, I would tag you. Let''s talk inside, shall we?" She smiled. Arad, Ae, and Merlin took a private room. Merlin lifted her want [Soundless Barrier] [Lightless Barrier] [Mana Barrier] "Those are spells used to lock a room. No one can see, hear or sense what happens here. My little dragon." Merlin smiled. "What do you want?" Arad red at her, and Ae didn''t take her hand from her bow. "Ah! Don''t worry. I won''t hurt you." Merlin replied, shaking her hands, "Especially since you were with Alcott." "I asked what do you want?" "Well, I''ve seen you want to hide, but you''re bad at it." Merlin smiled, "Any mage worth his robe will be able to tell you''re not human. I bet a handful of the mages here in the guild are already suspecting you, but the thought of it being your pure blood is keeping their thoughts from developing further." "My disguise worked fine till now," "But it won''t work forever. If you want to blend in, I could teach magic to help." Merlin stared at him, smiling, "You will be caught immediately if one of the capital mages shows up." "Mages from the capital? I met them before, and they weren''t a problem like you." Arad stared at her. "I bet they noticed and either decided to ignore you because of Alcott, or they stayed silent until they reported back to the clock tower." Merlin sighed, "It''s safe to assume they know about your existence." "How do you know?" Ae stared at her. "Well, I got this," Merlin threw a small letter on the table. "It''s from the clock tower asking me to watch an individual named Arad Orion and report his movements." Arad took the letter, it was true, they knew about him. The letter asked Merlin to determine Arad''s type, age, color, abilities, and the possibility of capturing him. "Damn it. We need to run away," Arad growled. "I advise against that. The mages haven''t attacked you directly since they fear retaliation from Alcott, Nina, and me." Merlin smiled, "This was the most polite letter I got from them in years." "No, I bet I could fend them off if I..." Arad mumbled, but Merlin stared at him. "Your vampiric and Lycanthropic blood won''t be much of help. I bet you haven''t eaten anything in thest few days." She smiled, "I can smell you from here," Ae looked at Arad, "Smell him?" "The magic carries the scent of blood and fur." Merlin looked at him with a smile, reaching with her hand between her chest. She pulled out a red bottle and a b covered in paper. "Dragon blood and ck dragon flesh. Those should keep you sated." She put the bottle and meat on the table. "I don''t feel hungry, and where did you get those?" Arad stared at the table. "You might not feel hungry now. But it would be bad if you did." She smiled, pointing at the meat, "It will also reduce the stench. Remember that the more you starve, the more your blood wants to surface." She pointed at Arad''s arm. "See, your forearms were smooth when we camped in the forest. Now you have tiny little hairs growing. Your skin is also a bit paler. I would say you are half as hungry." Merlin smiled. "I told you, I don''t feel hungry." Arad growled, "I do eat, and I don''t intend on eating my own." "Hunger to werewolves or vampires isn''t the same as hunger for food. You can have a full belly. But you will still need to eat." Merlin pointed at the meat, "You can say. There are some nutrients that your body needs that can only be obtained from eating your own." Arad stared at the blood and meat. "If you don''t eat, there are some chemicals that your body won''t be able to produce. They mainly maintain mental stability." Merlin approached Arad. "You will slowly start to lose your sense of happiness and fall into depression. Good food will taste nd, and jokes will stop being funny. Even the little mistakes will easily enrage you, and your decision-making will plummet to the ground." Merlin smiled. "I will provide you with meat and blood for the time being. You, on the other hand, have to train and be stronger." Merlin pushed the flesh and blood closer to him, "The first one to suffer would be her, so get yourself together and grow stronger." Arad looked at the table, frozen momentarily, "Why are you talking with me? As a mage, I expect you to report to the tower." Merlin smiled, "Mages want you for their experiments. I''m the same." She looked at him, smiling, "In exchange for helping you grow, I want to have the scales you shed off when growing." [When a dragon advance in the age category, they shed its scales like a snake,] Mom exined, [Our only way is to start getting strong enough to protect ourselves.] "Fine," Arad sighed, Looking at Ae, "Guess. I''m eating my own." "Don''t worry about it," Ae smiled, "Dragons already do it," "She''s right," Merlin smiled, "In fact, red dragon''s favorite dish is other dragon flesh." She giggled, "Even red bloodline sorcerers can carve dragon meat from time to time," Arad red at Merlin, "That isn''t funny." "See? I told you. It is funny, and you''re not yourself when you''re hungry." She pushed the meat toward him. "I will make sure to provide enough to nourish your vampiric and Lycanthropic bloodline since it might be your trump card against the mages. For the dragon stuff, you have to figure it yourself." "I will deal with that on my own." Arad sighed, "And where is the catch? My scales aren''t the only thing you''re after?" Merlin smiled, "I do want the backing of a dragon in the future, but I also have some dangerous quests which I like you to take care of for me." "Like what?" Arad sighed, ring at her. Merlin smiled, pulling a map from her chest and showing it to Arad, "This is your target. A very young red dragon. I want it''s heart for the heater." Chapter 95 Merlin. The Archmage’s Responsibility. "You want me to kill a dragon?" Arad gasped, ring at Merlin. "Yes, I need its heart, so it needs to die," Merlin replied. Smiling, "Or do you want a reason to kill it?" "I''m not killing dragons," Arad growled. "Not all dragons can be reasoned with." Merlin pulled a few papers from her chest, "Forest fire, attacking travelers and even scaring monsters outside the forest. That thing wants the entire forest for himself, and he caused the death of many people." Merlin leaned back on the couch, "I need to finish the heater before winter, or hundreds ofmoners will die of cold. The dragon''s heart will make it possible to heat an even bigger area." Ae looked at Merlin, worried, "You''re saying that the dragon''s death is better for everyone." "Everyone except him. I doubt he will sit and let you take his heart." Merlin smiled, "So, will you take him down?" Arad looked down, thinking. ^What do you say? Mom,^ [It''s not like we have a choice. It''s a chromatic dragon, so you don''t have to feel guilty.] Arad sighed, "Fine. What do we know about the dragon?" Merlin smiled, pulling a small book from her chest. "This one talk about chromatic dragons. You can read about the red dragons in general." She then took another paper from her chest, "And those are for our target." **** Creature type: Red dragon(Fire Dragon) Age category: Very young. Location: Gorana forest. Flight: Yes. Breath weapon: Yes. Fire magic: Yes. Intelligence: Capable of ambushes, trickery, andplex thoughts like making traps. Minions: Direwolves, Goblins, slimes. Draconic rtions: Non. Origin: Unknown but expected to havee from the north and most likely escaped an adult dragon trying to kill him. The expected value of the corpse is 70 gold coins. Treasure horde: Unknown but expected to be at least worth twenty gold coins. Live capture bounty: 100 gold coins. Hunt owner: Merlin Ashborn. **** "That''s a lot of information. Were you spying on him?" Arad put the paper on the table and stared at Merlin. "No, I got the quest from the city near Gorana forest. Sadly we don''t know if it''s she or him." Merlin smiled. "How did they miss that?" Arad sighed. "Have you never looked at your body?" Merlin looked at Arad, puzzled. "Dragons are supposed to be optimized for fighting. Hardened scales cover their reproductive organs and rear end. You can''t tell their gender by look unless the dragons allow you." Ae giggled, "We trained to aim for them when fighting a monster with hard scales or tough hide. They are an easy weak point that dragons don''t have." She remembers when she popped the griffon''s marbles. "Yeah, that would be a problem." Arad sighed, standing up. "I will take this book with me," He lifted the dragon book. "Feel free to read it when you have time." Merlin said, "You need to learn about dragons, as you will fight more of them in the future." "I don''t intend on doing that," Arad replied. "Of you would." Merlin stared at him, "We humans kill each other each day, the same for dragons. Even if you evade it, the stronger you be, the more dragons try to kill you." "My problem isn''t killing," Arad turned around. "I know. You don''t like the idea of eating your own." Merlin stood, "Dragons are territorial. The first thing the red dragon will do when you enter his forest is an attempt to kill and eat you. That is their way of establishing dominance over thend. You either serve the dragon or be its prey." [She''s right. Don''t expect goodwill from any dragon except the void dragons. Since we''re on the verge of extinction, we are protective of our kind.] ^You''re saying I can trust a void dragon. But not the others?^ [Yes. Take anything that a dragon says as having ulterior motives that it will never say. That also includes ug, don''t trust her.] "Fine, I will be going." Arad walked toward the door. "Where are you heading? The paper would take a while to be signed," Merlin stood. Arad and Ae red back at her, "Is there anything else you need?" "You have the meat and blood. How about I teach some magic?" Merlin smiled, "I can do better than Amber," "I can already control my mes," Arad stared at her. Merlin shook her head, "No, I wasn''t talking about fire magic." She smiled, "Care to learn gravity magic? I wasn''t able to master it, but I''m sure you will do better than me." Arad stared at Merlin, "Gravity magic?" Merlin lifted her chair and dropped it, "See? The power pulling it down is gravity." She then pointed up with her finger, [Reverse Gravity]. The chair started floating with a purple aura around it. "This one of the most basic tricks this magic can do." She smiled, "I''ve seen more powerful spells, but I don''t have the aptitude to master such spells." "Aptitude?" Arad looked at her. "Everyone can learn any magic. That is, as long as they study hard enough. And since 0-tier magic doesn''t need MP, you can use those simple spells even if you are born without mana." Merlin exined. "A fire sorcerer would find it easy to learn fire spells but hard to understand ice magic. You imed to be one, so most people will only expect fire from you." Merlin looked at Arad, "So having gravity magic will be a nice trump card." Arad looked at Ae, and she smiled, "I have an aptitude for wind magic." "Most high elves have an aptitude for light, wind, and water magic. Drow, on the other hand, has fire, earth, and dark aptitude." Merlin approached Arad, "Come to my office. I would help you study gravity magic there." "Office? We won''t train?" Arad stared at her. "Train? You aren''t a fighter. Is this how Amber attempted to teach you fire magic?" Merlin facepalmed, looking down as if having a headache. "Magic is theoretical. The deeper your understanding is, the faster and more intuitively you can use it." Arad imagined himself sitting at a desk for hours, "No thanks, I''m going to kill the dragon." Thud! Merlin caught his shoulder, "The carriage would only go there tomorrow. Today you''re studying with me until the guildmasteres to sign your order." She smiled, "I want to see how far a dragon can go with human efforts." Ae stared at her, "What do you mean?" "Dragons arezy. They live for thousands of years, so they barely spend time studying or training. I want to see what will happen if I got you to work hard." Merlin giggled. [She is on to something. Your mother is powerful since she spent many human lives honing her skills.] "Fine," Arad pushed Merlin''s hand away, "But why are you trying to help me like this?" Merlin smiled, looking up and tickling her cheek, "You''re a unique dragon. I can feel that. I have other reasons, but I''ll keep them for myself." "That''s suspicious," Arad sighed. "Fine, let''s go." They walked out, heading toward the city''s magic tower. The guards there greeted Merlin, "Archmage, wee back." Merlin waved her hand to them, "Good job. Were there any troubles?" "Nothing worth reporting," The two guards saluted her as if they were seeing a war general. "I see, thank you," With a smile, Merlin walked in with Arad and Ae trailing behind her like ducklings. As they walked in, every person in the tower bowed to Merlin. "Are you just an archmage?" Ae asked. "The way people treat you here is strange." Merlin looked at her, smiling, "The soldiers here, they joined wars before. My barriers saved them from rains of arrows, and my magic sted the enemy. So they won''t charge to their death. And now, if I finished the heater before winter, their children won''t suffer from the cold." Merlin exined, "I have be more respected than the nobles. Do you remember the two guards at the door?" "Yeah," Arad replied. "The one at the right is expecting a child at the end of autumn." Merlin stopped looking at herb door, "He''s been staying overtime to guard, rushes around theb to help carry heavy stuff, and even suggested multiple times if he could help in the experiments. Without the heater, his child might not survive." Merlin pushed the door with both hands, "I must finish the heater before winter, and to do that, I need you to bring me that dragon heart. I can''t waste time hunting for resources on my own." Merlin looked at Arad. "You have to stay here to work on developing that heater," Ae said, staring at her. Merlin smiled, looking sad, "It''s a bit of too much responsibility." "You could have hired other people. Why me?" Arad stared at her. "You''re more ribale. And you have dimensional storage like me. You can bring the dragon''s whole corpse here fresh." Merlin smiled. "How much do you know?" Arad sighed. "I know you still keep wolves inside your storage. I watched you pretend to bury them while sucking the corpses inside." She giggled, "I even watched your show at the goblin mine," Chapter 96 The Dragon Learn How To Learn Magic. Arad picked one of the desks and sat. Taking a book that Merlin provided, he started reading. "All the time, Mother earth applies a constant force on everything. Gravity magic is the control over that power." He looked toward Merlin, "Who is Mother earth?" "Thend itself. Most mages believe the ground we walk on has a spirit. That concept matter to druids, but you only need to focus on the force applied." Merlin replied with a smile, "Try affecting the book you''re reading," Arad closed his eyes and focused on the book. "Don''t concentrate on the book. Try focusing on the force applied by Mother earth." Merlin said in the back. "You know?" Arad looked at her. "Of course." Merlin smiled, "There is a trail of mana sitting where you focus. It''s what allows the casting of magic. Thanks to it, I know you''re looking at the book and my chest when talking." Arad looked back at the book, "That''s your fault. How about you wear something normal?" "It''s functional," Merlin replied, "Now focus on the magic." Arad kept trying for the rest of the day. But he failed to move the book. "Are you sure this magic work?" He asked, looking at Merlin. "Of course. But you can''t burn things without fire. You need to activate the magic first." Merlin said as Arad and Ae left the room. The two walked back to the guild, exhausted. Arad spent the whole day screaming at a stupid book while Ae took her time reading books. "Ah, you have returned." Nina looked at them with a smile. "Please tell me it''s signed." Arad sighed. Nina nodded, "The guildmaster signed it, and he even offered this," She put the signed paper on the table with a small stone beside it. "What is this?" Arad looked at the stone, confused. "A pre-calibrated teleport stone. Set at your home, and you can teleport back to the guild once." Nina lifted the stone, "It only works once, but it''s to be used in emergency only." "Can I use it to return to the guild from anywhere?" Arad asked. Nina shook her head, "The stone needs to set with a starting and an end destination, also with the appropriate amount of mana." Arad sighed, "So I can''t," [Your void walk in an innate spell. It won''t help to modify the stone.] Arad took the paper and the stone. Heading back to the wooden roof. *** "Wee back," The receptionist smiled, bowing down. "We received the first payment. You can consider the house your own now," She said immediately. "That was quick," Arad smiled. "We can start working on the house, right?" Ae looked at her. "Of course. Did you have anything in mind?" The receptionist replied. "I did want to fix the garden and nt some medicinal herbs." Ae said with a smile, "Do you have any tools?" The receptionist shook her head, "Sadly not, but I can direct you toward someone who can help." She drew them a map on a small piece of paper, "Say that Sina sent you, and you will get a discount." "Your name? Not the wooden roofs?" Arad looked at her. "It''s my father''s shop," Sina replied. After thanking her, Arad and Ae walked out toward the ce she mentioned. When they reached it, it was a flower shop. "Excuse me, is someone here?" Arad pushed the door open and looked inside. An old man with a long grey beard red at them, "Hoho, look at what we have here." He stood, smiling, leaning on a steel cane with two glowing blue eyes. It was only momentarily, but Arad felt his scales tingling, sweat dripping on his back. "Ah! Here we go," The old man slowly walked to his desk dragging his legs as he leaned on the cane. "What do you, young one?" Ae approached, "Medical herbs seeds, also some gardening tools. Sina sent us." "Sina did? Shen must have taken a liking to you. She barely rmends anyone." The old man smiled and nodded, "What herbs and tools?" Ae started exining the items she needed. Arad took his time looking around. [This ce is giving me a strange feeling,] ^I know, it the old man res.^ Arad replied, "He''s keeping an eye on us. He looks old, but he''s strange.^ After a while, Arad asked, "Old man, how long have you worked here?" The old man giggled, "Longer than I care to exin. You could call it my retirement." "Retirement? What did you work on before?" Arad looked at him with a smile. "I was an adventurer, a wizard. But I once used too much magic I crippled myself. Now I can barely walk," The old man tried to stand, his knees shaking. "An advice, don''t overdo it with spells. Those directly impact your brain, and you can fry it." "I see, I''m a sorcerer and was trying to learn some spells, but I spent the whole day without progress." Arad sighed, scratching his head. "Hmm, look." The old man pointed with his staff at an empty pot. "What do you see, young one?" "A pot full of dirt," Arad replied. "It has a seed inside. You might not see the progress now, but soon it will emerge. Magic is the same. It will take some time for it to start sprouting." The old man smiled, "What spell were you trying to learn?" "Nothing special, Just something rmended by the archmage," Arad replied. ^I probably shouldn''t tell him about Gravity magic.^ "I guess it''s not your element? Try feeling it. That always helps." The old man stood, dragging his legs toward the candles. "If it''s mes, try putting your hand on a candle. If it''s water, try swimming. And if it''s earth, bury yourself. Feeling the element you''re trying to use will give you a deeper understanding." The old man ran his hand over the candle. His palm ignited and quickly faded. "You know a lot," Arad said with a smile. "It''s the way I learned magic. I hope it helps you," The old man replied. "Arad, I got everything we need." Ae approached Arad smiling with arge bag in her hands and a spade on her back. "All of those?" Arad looked at her, "How much did you pay?" Ae looked confused and stared at the old man. She forgets to ask about the price. The items she bought were easily over two cold coins because of the medical seeds. "Everything is three gold coins. But you can have it for one, medical herbs would go a long way to keep you kids alive, and I prefer a live customer than a dead one." He smiled. "You only serve live people," Arad sighed. The old man shook his head, "I serve the dead ones as well. Hanata herb is used to preserve dead bodies before burial, and I am the only one who sells it. If you died, I would be the one selling it for your burial." Arad and Ae were leaving, but they stopped at the door, "I forget to ask, what''s your name?" He looked at the old man. "Cain, you can call me old man Cain." Cain smiled. "See youter, we mighte backter." Arad and Ae left. Chapter 97 [Bonus ] The Dragon’s Minions After a long walk, Arad and Ae reached the forest house. "We''re back. What should we start with?" Ae thought and looked at Arad. "I don''t want to sound demanding, but we need to buy new furniture and remodel the house." She grabbed the door. CRACK! Clenching her fist made it crack. The ants ate anything wooden from the inside. Arad shook his head, "You''re not wrong. This ce could crumble at any moment. For now, let''s fix the garden and get the medical herbs growing." Ae nodded, "The sooner we nt them, the sooner they grow," She put the bag on the ground and pulled multiple small pouches. "What are those?" Arad asked. "This one is called a heart flower. It''s amon ingredient in restorative potions." Ae draws it on the ground. It looked like a daisy but with pink heart-shaped leaves. "This one is called elves ears," Ae pulled another seed and drew it on the ground. It looked like a long, t asparagus. "It can be used as a weak pain killer if eaten fresh and as ration, if dried under the sun." "Does that mean we need to always keep a fresh batch?" Arad asked. "No, it can stay in the ground for a hundred years and stay fresh after picking for a year," Ae replied with a smile. "And what about this one?" Arad pulled another seed. "This one is called Mint. Mixing it with lemon and mana-enchanted water results in stamina potions. We call it Mojito." Ae smiled, "It''s been a while since I had it." "What about this one?" Arad pulled another one. "That is ginger root. It works as a cleanser and a light aphrodisiac. I doubt it will help, but it might get us a kid in less than ten years." As an elf who live ten times longer than humans, she was like a housewife wishing to get pregnant in the first years of marriage. And Arad being a dragon who lives a hundred times more than humans, ten years was like the first month of marriage to him. "You thought of that?" Arad asked with a smile. "We long-lived races have to keep it in mind. Otherwise, we''re slowpared to humans." Ae smiled, "Or should we rx and let it take decades?" Arad shook his head, "No, we need to do all we can." Ae stood with a smile, "There are other seeds here. I will start sorting them." she handed a hoe to Arad, "Can you plow the ground?" "Of course," Arad took the hoe and started working on the garden. Ae quickly sorted the seeds and started nting behind him. "Let''s keep them in one ce. We might get a dog in the future." Ae said, "Since this ce is isted, we need protection." "Merlin said the red dragon had minions. Can I do the same?" Arad asked. "I don''t know," Ae replied. [You could, but you must beat the monsters'' leader.] Mom replied, [You''re a wyrmwolf. I suggest starting with wolves.] After a while, Arad finished plowing the ground, and Ae still had some to nt. "I will go out for a while," He said. "Where?" "To the forest. Mom said I might be able to get some wolves under me," He replied. "You''re a dragon, and this house is yourir. The monster around should know of your presence." Ae said with a smile, "Don''t go overboard." Arad nodded with a smile, shifting into his draconic form and rushing into the forest. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad rushed into the forest, running between the trees while listening for wolves. Those things howl at night but are weirdly silent in the daytime. He wasn''t listening to the adults'' howl but to the cubs ying. [Did you hear it? To the left,] ^I did hear, but I don''t think it was wolves or anything.^ [It''s our best lead. We can''t just keep running randomly.] Mom replied, and Arad started heading toward the voice. After a while, they reached the spot, and it wasn''t wolves. ^What is this thing?^ Arad gasped, seeing the horse-shaped creature stuck in a tree by the head. His massive horns wedged between two trunks. [That''s a moose. Leave it alone. They can be quite violent. Their kicks hurt more than the bison,] ^Oh, better I get going then.^ Arad turned away to leave, but the moose started shaking violently, racking the tree as if trying to escape. Arad sighed, ^Fine, I will get you out.^ He red at the moose, ^But I will eat you if you dared attack me.^ He growled, albeit being unable to speak in his draconic form. Arad approached the tree and looked at the trunk. It was a bit strange, it starts as one big trunk that splits in two, and the moose head is stuck between them. There are two ways to save the poor animal, cut off his horns, or cut one of the trunks. Arad approached the tree from the front and bite one of the trunks, using the void in his teeth to dig and cut the wood. CRACK! As if he was biting on a chicken bone, Arad''s jaw munched a chunk of the trunk with ease. He could see the moose getting nervous. After the second bite, Arad cut the second trunk, and half the tree fell to the ground. The moose leaped back, shaking his head, ring at Arad from the side of his face. ^Go,^ Arad thought, watching the moose back away. Thud! Thud! Thud! The moose ran away into the forest, and Arad sighed in relief, ^He didn''t attack,^ [Animales can sense the difference in strength. I doubt he would attack after seeing you munch on the tree that trapped him,] ^Animales are that strong?^ [Mana,] Mom replied, [Monsters are just animals who absorbed too much mana and transformed. But having just a little bit can increase the intelligence of the monster a bit.] ^Why doesn''t it increase mine?^ [You already have that increase. Remember the feeling you got when seeing Nina, Ginger, or that old man Cain? It was you sensing the mana flowing from them, and your body reacted by telling you they are rtively strong.] AWOO! Arad stopped, looking in the distance, "Wolves!" Chapter 98 Dominating The Forest I: The Wolves And The Bear Arad red at the wolves'' den standing above a tree, spying for the biggest one. ^There should be a leading couple. Killing them is what I need to do.^ [Exactly. You don''t need to kill them. Force them to submit.] ^So, no bites or ws.^ Arad sighed. The leader doesn''t intend to leave the den, so he has to attack. Thud! Arad lept from the tree,nding in front of the wolves with a crack. His tail whipped the ground as his neck wiggled like a snake. A dark shadow burned on his skin as he growled, a deep crunchy burp-like purr, chilling the bones of anyone who heard. The wolves red at Arad in surprise. None dared to move. They could feel it. Their fangs won''t dent this creature''s scales. Hesitating, the wolves resorted to growling and taunting, charging for a short distance and stopping. They surrounded Arad but left a gap, hoping their intimidation would work and that Arad would leave them alone. Sadly, Arad wasn''t taken aback. He was instead confused. Why aren''t those wolves attacking him? He walked, ignoring their threat. With each step, the wolves backed from his way. Finally, one had the courage to leap, biting the tip of Arad''s tail to stop him from approaching the den. Arad felt the bite, but it couldn''t get below his scales. He looked back at the wolf, and with a swift move, he pulled his tail from the wolf''s jaw and smacked him in the face with a swipe. AW! AW! AW! AW! The wolf whined, backing away with a missing fang. They are right. This dragon is too much for mere wolves to fight. Thud! An old wolf walked out of the den when Arad approached. He had grey fur and a missing left eye. Arad growled, ring at the wolf. ^This is their leader. I need to smack him a bit.^ The wolf growled, bearing his teeth, Leaping forward, Arad bowed, pushing his head below the charging wolf''s body. And using the strength of his shoulder, he lifted his neck, throwing the old canine into the sky. Arad looked up, waiting for the wolf to fall back while wiggling his hips. At the right moment, he spun around, smacking the wolf with his tail. As the wolf''s body flew away, [Void Walk] Arad teleported to the other side, smacking him again with a tail swipe. The wolf''s body rolled on the ground, bleeding from his mouth. Arad slowly walked toward the wounded beast. ^This is the end.^ He smiled inside. Suddenly, a female lept from the den, biting Arad''s neck. Five cubs followed her, hanging on his limbs and tail with their fangs. Arad looked down. He wasn''t worried. Their fangs can''t pierce his scales. The old wolf barely stood, shaking. He red at Arad with fire in his eyes, rushing forward in a frenzy. His jaw clenched on Arad''s long neck. Arad sighed. Two wolves biting his neck. And they still couldn''t get through, [There bite of a wolf can never pierce the scales of a dragon, even a wyrmling. But that isn''t the case for dire wolves, be careful when facing those.] ^The ones with the red dragon? That would be hard,^ Arad sighed, lifting his front ws and grabbing the two wolves by the necks, pushing them to the ground. GRGRGRGRGRG! Arad growled, his voice cracking like a crocodile. He red at the wolves until they stopped moving. It was over. The cubs let go of Arad''s limbs and ran to the back, whining. Arad lifted his ws, backing away from the two wolves. The two wolves stood, staring at Arad. They then turned around, walking away slowly. The cubs and other wolves were about to follow them. Thisnd belongs to the dragon. They have no ce in it. If he didn''t bother killing them, they better scram. GRRR! Arad growled, and they stopped, staring back at him. ^How could I talk with them?^ Arad asked, ^They are about to leave,^ [Move away from the den. They would understand.] Arad backed away, and the wolves waited a bit before returning to the den. [If you want them to leave, ravage the den. It''s a sign of wee to leave it intact.] Mom exined. [Now that they reimed the den. Approach them again.] ^Okay.^ Arad approached the nest again, and the wolves didn''t attack him. Instead, they moved out of his way. He entered the den, and the two leaders didn''t stand. It was clear that they had no will to fight him. [They won''t attack you or anyone with your smell. Add to that. They will answer your call when needed.] Arad turned away and left the den, searching for more animals to tame. Preferably predators. **** Back in the house, Ae was tending to the garden when she heard something move in the trees. She stood, pointing her bow. She saw it, a moose ring at her from the forest. It then slowly retreated away. "A moose?" Ae sighed, "I thought it was bear for a moment." She returned to work. **** After a while, Arad found his next target. It was a cave with a powerful stench and w marks on the ground, a bear den. [Bewary, a bear bite can get through your scales. The ws are as dangerous. A direct fight isn''t rmended.] ^When I use Void walk, can I take something with me?^ [No, you can''t teleport to the sky with the bear and drip him. He''s too big.] ^Can I throw stones?^ [Yes, I will show you the one with a small enough size.] Mom led Arad around collecting skull-sized stones. His n is simple, rangedbat till the bear gives up,] Arad smiled, leaping down and approaching the cave. ROAR! He shouted inside, shaking the whole ce. After a moment of silence, he heard steps rushing out. The bear woke up and was angry. Arad rushed back and climbed a tree, pulling a boulder from his stomach and waiting. The moment the beast appeared, he smacked his face. The bear stumbled back, looking at Arad and growling, ^Sorry, sorry, care to give up?^ Arad thought, looking at the beast. The bear rushed toward the tree, smacking it with his w. The tree shook, making a loud noise. Arad plunged his hind ws into the branches so he won''t fall, ^I won''t fall unless you cut the whole tree.^ Arad threw a second stone at the bear, hitting him in the head, ^This is easy,^ [The bear isn''t looking at you. He''s focusing on the tree.] Mom said, and the tree cracked. The bear tore the trunk, and it started falling. Arad leaped toward the closest tree, but it was smaller. He had picked the biggest one before, and he was stuck. With a single w strike, the bear downed the second tree forcing Arad to leap again. At the fifth tree, Arad slipped. The bear took the chance, opening his jaw and leaping. "GRWAA!" Arad growled, and then his body stopped just a hair strand away from the bear. ^Just joking!^ He used his tail to hold onto the tree, danging his body like bait. Arad opened his jaw, and a ck jet of darkness emerged with silence. CLACK! A void breath smacked the bear down, the shock wave of the airpressing forced the air out of his lungs, and his head started to spin. The ground beneath his feet cracked as the dust rose to the sky. ^What should I do?^ [The bear won''t die with another breath,] ^Got it,^ Arad opened his jaw and unleashed another breath at the confused bear, knocking him out. [This should be enough, drag him back to his cave and let''s leave.] Arad lept down and bit the bear on the shoulder, dragging him slowly back into the cave. [The bear should recognize your smell from now on. Let''s look for more intelligent monsters.] ^Like what?^ [Goblins would be nice, but anything that can follow orders will do,] Arad left with Mom, wandering the forest till a stone hit Arad''s face. GRW! He growled ^What was that?^ He stared at the trees. A small chimp red at him, giggling. ^That little bastard!^ Arad was about to climb the tree and kill it, but a bigger chimp appeared, smacking the small one on the head with a stick. Ooo! Ooo! oo! It looked angry at the small chimp. Arad growled at them, and the big chimp looked down. It then grabbed some apples from between the branches and tossed them to Arad. [It''s the small one''s mother. She seems to know dragons are dangerous, and she''s trying to solve the problem.] Arad nudged the apple away, ^I''m not here for fruits,^ The mother looked back. More small chimps hid in the trees and the wholemunity behind them. She grabbed the small chimp and tossed him from the tree to Arad. [She knew they don''t have a chance against you. And even if they won. She and her little ones would be killed by the others for bringing a disaster. She chooses to sacrifice one instead of losing everything,] Chapter 99 The Start Of The Dragon Hunt! The chimps gathered around, watching Arad. He grabbed the tiny chip and climbed the tree. ^Here is your damn kid," Arad dropped the kid beside his mother. The chimps were smart, more than other animals in the forest. [They can''t win. They are waiting to see what you do.] ^What can I do?^ Arad asked. He can''t speak the chimpnguage. [It''s simple, show your teeth and growl. That will be a challenge to the leader.] ^Is see,^ Arad red at the chimps, his teeth opal white as he growled with a crackling voice. Unlike the chimps, he sounded more like a monster. The chimps backed away, and only one of them approached Arad. ^He''s the leader?^ [Yes, but he seems to have given up,] The chip sat on the branch, throwing apples at Arad. ^Can I go now?^ [Take the apples and leave. They should start offering fruits from time to time, and they will respond to your call.] Arad took the apples, hiding them in his stomach, and left. The chimps watched him from afar, sending a scout to follow him. *** Arad returned back home, finding Ae had just finished nting everything. "How is it going?" He asked. Ae smiled, "I nted everything. We should get back to the inn," It was almost dark. Arad nodded, "Let''s visit Mira first. She''s a carpenter and could help us rebuild the ce. Your bow should be ready as well," Arad and Ae walked back home. ^Mom, is it me or are we being watched?^ Arad could feel the eyes on him. Even Ae was feeling ufortable. [The chimps and wolves are following us. I believe they are just trying to keep an eye on you. We better escort Mira here tomorrow morning, or they might attack her as an intruder.] Arad nodded. And the two returned to the city, stopping by L''s store on the way. *** L was cleaning after a long day. She had a lot of work to do with all the wolf parts that Arad brought her. When she stood, she spotted Arad and Ae approaching. "It''s you two. Did you need something?" L smiled. "I bought a house in the forest." Arad said and scratched his head, "Well, it''s more like a shack or a shed now. I was thinking of asking Mira to help if she can." L smiled, "Mira is a carpenter. She can make the furniture. But repairing the house would need someone else, but I will take care of it." Arad sighed in relief, "Thank you, To be honest with you, I don''t know anyone who can build, so that will help." "As I said, I will take care of it." L smiled, "I can get the best deal, but don''t expect anything fancy." "Yeah, please try to keep the cost down." Arad nodded. "Don''t worry. I will make sure all the bare minimums are prepared. And with an easy upgrade path," L replied. Ae approached, "Please be careful. I don''t want to lose the garden," She smiled, "We nted some herbs," "I won''t let the workers trample it, got it." L smiled, "Mira should be inside. Go upstairs." Arad and Ae walked in, "Mira, are you here?" Mira walked out of her room, "Arad? Wee," She said, her hair being a mess. Scratching her head, she smiled, "Need something?" "Were you asleep?" Ae asked, approaching her, "I spent the night and morning refining the stones," Mira replied with a yawn. "Ae, let her go back to sleep. Sorry for bothering you." Arad walked in. "Ah! No need to worry. What did you need?" Mira rubbed her eyes, "I should wake up anyway." She walked away to wash her face while Arad and Ae waited. After a while, Mira returned, "What did you need?" Arad exined everything. "You can count on me. I do have some beds and cabs already made. All left is to customize them a bit. Can we head there tomorrow?" "We can go early in the morning. Since I have a quest after that," Arad replied with a smile, "I can''t miss the carriage." "You can just lead me there. I will take care of everything while you''re out." Mira replied, "I bet mother can negotiate prices, so you don''t have to worry about it." Arad stood, "Then we meet tomorrow. Rest well." He left with Ae. *** The next morning came quite fast. Arad stretched his arms in front of the city gate. "Arad!" He heard Mira call him, and when he looked, he saw it approaching arge man. Arad smiled, "Good morning. You came earlier than I expected." Mira yawned, "Thank him. Bob is the third-best builder in the city, mom called him yesterday, and he had the day empty." She pointed at Bob. Bob approached Arad, "You can call me Bob, the builder. I will have a look at the house and n the renovations." "Nice to meet you. I''m Arad an adventurer." The two shook hands, "I usually like to get this straight from the start," Bob smiled, "I will decide on the price after assessing the house situation, and then we can talk about discounts." Arad nodded, "You can''t price something that you don''t know," Arad smiled, "But you won''t find me this evening, you will be dealing with L," "I know. I just wanted to let you know." The three of them walked into the house. "Aren''t we getting into the dangerous part of the forest?" Bob asked. Arad shook his head, "You don''t have to worry. It''s safe around here." Mira looked around, "I feel like we''re being watched," [It''s the chimps. They are everywhere in the trees.] "Probably just animals," Arad replied with a wry smile. "Is that so?" Mira looked around, "Where is Ae?" "She is with our other party member Jack. They are getting things ready at the guild for the quest." Arad walked forward and pointed into the distance, "There it is," The house appeared out of the trees, and Bob smiled. "This is a nice space," He walked around the garden, carefully evading the newly plowednd. "You even have a well," Bob looked down and sighed, "Who built this? Couldn''t they reinforce it a bit?" "That was me. We needed some water, so I just dug it," Arad replied as if it was normal to dig a well alone. Bob stared at him, "I will fix it, the house as well." He sighed. "How about you, Mira?" Arad asked. "I can make it. All the furniture should be ready in a few days," Mira replied, and then seemed to remember something, "When you''re going back to the guild, stop by mother''s shop to take Ae''s bow, it is ready." Arad smiled, "Thank you. Then I will head back," He turned around to leave." Back on his way, Arad picked the bow and headed straight to the city center where the carriages rested. It was the ce they all agreed to meet after everything was done. "Chief, you''rete," Jack smiled, "Does it have anything to do with the bow on your back?" "It''s Ae''s bow. Mira finished upgrading it," Arad handed the bow to Ae, and she pulled the string. "It''s light. Not as much as a normal bow, But I can aim for a few more seconds with this." Arad smiled, "How about speed? Can you fire four arrows?" Ae pulled the bow a few times, "I don''t think I can. The bow might be light to pull. But it still releases a lot of power. I might snap my fingers if I tried," She sighed, "I might need a hand guard or a bow glove." "What are those?" Arad asked. "Gloves used by archers, we elves rarely use them, but it seems I need one," She sighed. "Should we stop to buy one?" Arad looked at her, but Ae shook her head, "No need. It will take time to get ready. We will look for it after this quest." She climbed the carriage. "We''re hunting dragon, chief." Jack looked at Arad, "Do we have a chance?" Arad scratched his chin, "Yeah. It''s a very young red dragon. And His minions are goblins, dire wolves, and slimes if I remember correctly." "I don''t like when you scratch your chin. It makes you seem unsure." Jack cried. "Because I''m not sure about it. A very young dragon can fly. We have to drop it somehow," Arad said. "I don''t think my arrows will pierce the dragon''s scales that easily. Especially if it flew high up." Ae looked at them, "Can we bait it?" "Dragons are intelligent. It won''t take the bait." Arad sighed. [Red are arrogant. They won''t turn down a challenge.] Mom said, [Call him a lizard or dragon-wannabe smander, and he will lose it.] "They can''t take insult?" Arad mumbled. "What did you say?" Jack stared at him. "I would bait the dragon. You two help me finish him." Arad smiled. "Don''t worry, chief. I have those," Jack smiled, showing Arad a few red-glowing bottles. Chapter 100 A Dragon’s Surprise Attack. The carriage approached the forest, the wind became slow, and the sun shined hot. "This is as far as I can take you," The driver said, "There is a vige behind the forest, but going there means passing the dragon''s territory." Arad leaped from the carriage and looked at the driver, "That''s fine, you go back, and we will deal with the dragon." "I can wait for you here," The driver said. "No, you''re a big easy target. Come back tomorrow." Arad replied, but Jack lept from the carriage. "Does the vige have carriages?" "Yeah, but they never traveled in the past months since the dragon appeared." The driver replied. "Then go back. We will grab a carriage from there. You don''t have to worry," Jack said and then looked at Arad, "We might take a few days to set traps and struggle with the dragon. Two days are short." Ae nodded, "Jack is right. We will get back when it''s safe." Arad agreed, and the driver left, "I wille back in a week, hide if something went wrong, and I will pick you up." *** The driver left, and Arad looked at the forest, "Where should we start? This ce isrge." "We need to make some traps. Calling the dragon will be easy," Jack smiled, pulling his small pouch. "Should we fight him in the forest or outside?" "Outside, we don''t want to start a forest fire." Ae replied, "And I can snipe him far easier." [I don''t tell you, but the dragon''s bite can pierce your scales. Be careful of confrontation.] Mom said, [Red dragons can''t dig to save their lives, so you can retreat to the ground if things turn sour.] ^Does that mean I can trap the dragon inside a cave?^ [The dragon''s ws will allow him to get out eventually. And you need the heart. There is no way around killing him,] Mom exined, [Let me give you another thing to motivate yourself, killing one or two very young dragons can help raise you into the very young category.] ^How should we start?^ [Jack left toy traps, and Ae scouted the area. How about you go out to find the dragon''s minions?] Arad nodded and walked to the forest edge, looking for slimes, dire wolves, or goblin traces. The forest seemed calm enough, birds chirped, and he could see rabbits leaping in the distance. ^This ce seems normal,^ [It isn''t. The air is dry, and the sun is hot. Take a deep breath, and you can get a faint hint of burned wood. All of those point to the existence of a red dragon.] ^How can the existence of a dragon make the sun hot?^ [All dragons are magical creatures, with mana flowing in their veins. Magic dragons have the most, but that doesn''t mean other types aren''t.] Mom exined. [Dragons influence their environment if they stay for too long. For example, a mountain housing a red dragon can be an active volcano, and a forest housing a ck dragon can be a swamp.] Something clicked in Arad''s head. ^What will happen where I live?^ [The first thing is that items that rely on dimensional magic will begin failing more often. Teleportation will also bepromised. The forest will seem darker at night, and people will find it hard to navigate.] ^What about animals?^ [They are affected as well. But they can get used to it.] Arad stopped and looked a the trees, "Nothing is happening. It is getting on my nerves." He scratched his head, "I can''t help but feel something bad is about to happen." [There isn''t anything fun about awaiting a fight with a dragon.] ^Look there, a slime,^ Arad spotted a small blue blob, a tiny slime rolling at the forest edge. ^Could it be one of the dragon''s minions?^ [Yes, but we can''t get anything from it,] Mom sighed, [Leave it alone, unless it''s a goblin that can lead us to the dragon''sir, it won''t help.] ^How can you get a goblin to do that?^ [Smack him, and he will run back. Goblins are stupid.] Mom replied, [But keep your draconic form a secret till we face the dragon. It will help us if he thinks you''re a mere human,] *** After hours of searching, Arad didn''t find anything, so he returned to Ae and Jack. "How did it go?" Jack looked at him, "I didn''t see the traces of any dragon, but Iid some traps. Let''s rest for the night." Theyid a small camp to spend the night. Arad will be the first guard of the night, and then Ae and Jack together since that give them a better chance if the dragon attacks. After dinner, Jack slept in his tent, and Ae sat with Arad momentarily before retreating to her bed. "The night seems quite enough," Arad sighed, staring at the mes. BAM! A massive being swooped in and snatched him. "GAH!" Arad gasped, finding two ws piercing his chest as the red dragon flew into the sky, "Let me go! You bastard!" Arad growled. He couldn''t believe the dragon attacked him out of nowhere. Strangely, the dragon opened his ws and let Arad fall from the sky, "This thing!" Arad screamed as he fell at an incredible speed. ^GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! GRAVITY! ^ Arad kept screaming in his head until his face smacked into the ground. BANG! Arad gasped. The fall rattled his bones, [Don''t worry. Wyrmlings are resistant to fall damage. They are expected to learn how to fly.] ^It...^ Arad rolled, puking. Even though he survived, the damage was real, and he couldn''t stop it. BAM! The dragon snatched the crawling Arad again. He was keen on dropping him to death. "You lizard," Arad growled. CRACKLE! He used void to generate lightning [Lightning Cloak], Zapping the red dragon before they could get high enough. The dragon dropped Arad, who slid to the ground and screamed, "The dragon attack!" Ae lept from her tent, pointing her bow at the sky, but the dragon was already flying away. It wasn''t willing to take them in a direct fight. Ae pulled her bow and released three arrows, but two missed, and the third one bounced off the dragon''s tail. At that distance, it was unlikely that Ae''s arrows would have enough momentum to pierce the dragon''s scales. "Cheif, are you alright?" Jack rushed to Arad, who rolled on the ground, "Damn it," His entire body screamed in pain. "Is Arad okay?" Ae ran to them to check, but Arad seemed fine to her, bruised but alive. Jack stared at the sky, "He didn''t evennd. My trap couldn''t stop him," Ae looked at Jack, "I need to get closer, or my arrows won''t pierce him. We need to drop him to the ground first." Arad sat, growling, "I will punch the bastard down," He stood. CRACKLE! Lightning crackled from his back, "I only need to touch him once, and I will roast him alive." [Lightning magic could damage the heart, don''t do it.] Mom warned him. The only reason they are here is to bring the dragon''s heart to Merlin, [I need to teach you how to fight dragons and how they fight.] Arad sighed, Looking at Ae and Jack, "You two go to sleep. I will be the only guard from now on." [Dragons don''t need to sleep each night like other creatures. Adult red dragons stay awake for ten years and hibernate for another ten. You''re a wyrmling, so I don''t rmend staying awake for over a month.] Dragons live 100 times longer than humans. Humans sleep for eight hours and stay awake for sixteen hours. A dragon would sleep for eight hundred hours and stay awake for sixteen hundred hours. That would be almost 33 days asleep and 66 days awake. Arad stared at the star-filled sky. ^To beat a dragon, I must go back to being a dragon first.^ [That''s right, a dragon has many advantages over humans. For the time being, let''s only keep the humanoid shape.] Arad sat on the ground, ring at the sky with [Void Eyes] [Red dragon''s fighting style changed from one age to the other. The very young dragons tend to apply hit-and-run tactics. They will strike and retreat as soon as they take damage.] ^Since I can''t fly, the first thing we need to do is prevent him from flying.^ [That''s true, but red dragons are powerful on the ground. Adult red dragons usually prefer to fight on the ground than in the sky.] ^That''s adult, not very young.^ [Exactly, a very young dragon who just learned to fly would be excited to use that advantage. And I bet that red dragon still hasn''t learned that he can do better on the ground,] ^I will use [Void walk] to jump on him mid-air and fight him there.^ [Exactly, but beware his jaw. It will snap your head in one bite.] Chapter 101 Arad VS The Dragon. The morning came without the dragon attacking again. "Arad, did you stay up all night?" Ae approached him. Arad stood, "That doesn''t matter. I''m going to the forest alone. Make sure not to follow me," He turned around and walked away. "Is he okay? The fall didn''t hurt his head, right?" Jack walked out of his tent. Ae stared at Jack, "He means to flow him from afar," Jack smiled, "He wants to bait the dragon? Let''s go," He reached into his bag and pulled out a small bottle, "Take this. I don''t know how effective it will be against a dragon, but let''s try it." Ae looked at the bottle, "This looks like poison." "It is. I trust you can try hitting the eyes or something soft?" Jack smiled. "We can''t use it. Poison might damage the internal organs. Remember, we need the heart." Ae said, handing the bottle to Jack. Jack pushed the bottle to her again. "It''s a paralyzing poison with a temporary effect. It shouldn''t leave any longsting damage." Ae took the bottle and sighed, "You better be right." She started pouring poison on her arrow. "Okay. Let''s go after Arad." Jack smiled, "So the n is for Arad to bait the dragon out. The dragon attacked Arad and might lift him. Arad drops the dragon so you can poison him. Then we beat him to death." "Exactly," Ae smiled, turning to chase after Arad. *** Arad reached the forest edge and touched one of the trees. "I hope we don''t cause a wildfire." [Don''t worry. The dragon was already causing them. What''s the harm of having another one if it will be thest?] Mom replied. ^You say that one wildfire today will prevent more from happening.^ [Exactly,] Mom smiled, [Just don''t lose focus.] Arad walked between the trees, looking around with his [Void eyes]. Magic is everywhere, on the trees, the ground, and on animals. Each step Arad took made him feel more ufortable, the dragon''s aura covered the whole ce, and this was his territory. CRACK! As Arad walked in, a goblin appeared. ^Sending minions?^ [Your shock might have scared him. Or at least he doesn''t want to get another one.] Goblins emerged from the bushes. It is an ambush. ^I can''t use fire against a red dragon. He wees lightning.^ Arad smiled. The void between the air''s molecules shrunk, causing it to vibrate. All that friction ripped the electrons from the atoms and generated a static shock. CRACKLE! Lightning crackled around Arad, shing from his back to his chest. "Come at me," Arad opened his eyes with a smile, and the goblins lept at him. The first goblin swung a stone shard at Arad''s face, but the moment Arad grabbed him, the lightning roasted him alive. "No touching," Arad waved his hand at the goblins with a smile. The goblins hesitated to approach Arad, seeing how dangerous he was. Arad lifted his palm. CRACKLE! CLAP! CLA-CLAP! Lightning rumbled between his fingers as he formed a fist, "If you won''te. That I will start first." [Lightning Fist] Thud! He leaped forward, kicking one of the goblins in the face, "Sorry, I meant kick," The goblins were short, so using punches were hard. BAM! CRACKLE! As the kick connected, a lightning bolt zapped the goblin''s body and left it smoking. The other goblins charged in. BAM! BAM! Arad kicked the goblin behind and before him, rushing forward as their corpses fell to the ground. "You came from this way, right?" He looked back with a smile. Using his void eyes, he could see the magic in the air. Arad followed the densest magic he could see. Just like the smell, the stronger it gets, the closer you are to the source. [With how the dragon acted, it might panic and Attack, be careful.] Mom warned Arad as he climbed a tree. ^Look dire wolves are ahead, he''s sending everyone to stop me, but he can''t.^ Arad smiled, leaping from one branch to another with lightning crackling from his shoulders. "You coward Lizard! Show you ugly face!" Arad shouted into the sky in draconic, trying to taunt the dragon into appearing. [Above you!] Mom shouted, and Arad snapped, swinging his head up to see the dragon rushing at him with an open jaw. ^He''s about to bite. No, that''s a breath.^ Arad immediately lept away. SPARK! A tiny spark shed inside the dragon''s mouth, exploding into crimson mes. As Arad dodged his breath, the dragonnded with a loud thud, leaping at Arad like a mad bison. BAM! Arad lifted his arm, blocking the dragon''s ram, but his body got sent flying. ^He didn''t bite?^ Arad gasped inside. [He hesitated. He wanted to bite but changed it to a ram to have minimal contact time with you.] ^So he''s scared to touch me for a long time?^ Arad smiled as his body rolled and stood immediately. ROAR! The dragon growled, lunging with a w swing. Arad weaved to the side, but the dragon sent a second strike. ^He''s fast.^ The dragon made a three-swingsbo, which Arad managed to dodge. "Take this!" Seeing the dragon finish hisbo, Arad swung an upper punch at the dragon''s jaw. CRACKLE! CLAP! Arad barely managed to graze the dragon''s chin as he stood on his hind legs, dodging the fist. ^Aw! Shit!^ Arad saw the dragon open his jaw again. KABOOM! Another fire breath sted forward. Arad dodged to the side, having his back catch on fire, but that was nothing that a single roll on the dirt couldn''t fix. When Arad stood from his roll, the dragon was already above him, swinging two ws down. In a panic, Arad lifted his palms and caught the dragon''s ws, wrestling the hippo-sized monster as it pushed down. "GWARAA!" Arad growled, lightning crackling in his fists. The dragon growled, with his ws engulfed in mes. Arad''s palm skin started burning. Arad''s lightning zapped the dragon, and the dragon''s me burned Arad. The two remained there for only a few seconds before the dragon opened his jaw and attempted to bite Arad''s head. Arad swung his head to the side, dodging the bite. CLAMP! CLAMP! The dragon started biting over and over. After he got over his hesitation, he got even more aggressive. Arad opened his mouth. CRACKLE! CLAP! He unleashed a lightning breath. It was weak but enough to force the dragon to move away from him. The dragon opened his jaw. KABOOM! He replied with a fire breath. The mes burned Arad''s upper torso, but he luckily survived. [You used the void.] ^The dragon didn''t notice, so it''s okay,^ Arad replied to Mom, ^I know that I need it as a trump card to finish him off,^ "ZOHO! KI BO KADA NON. KI ZOHO!" The dragon growled in draconic, saying, "Purple, you aren''t a blue sorcerer. You''re a purple one." [Good! He is like that smander,] Mom sighed in relief. The dragon seems to have made the same mistake. Assuming that Arad was a purple dragon sorcerer when he survived mes while using lightning. "You''re willing to talk?" Arad sighed in draconic. "No, a purple bastard killed father, took mother, and forced me to flee here. I will keep hunting and killing until I get strong enough to eat him, and what a nice start to have a purple sorcerer for dinner." The dragon growled, me gushing from his nose. "Wait? What?" Arad gasped as the dragon rushed at him. He lept to the side and dodged the charge. [Lightning bolt] [Lightning Bolt] Zapping the dragon twice before taking a deep breath [Lightning breath] The dragon managed to dodge the breath by pping his wings and taking to the sky. "Come back here!" Arad shouted. "You''re friends areing, and I''m not stupid to fight the three of you simultaneously." He pped his wings. Arad stepped forward and was about to use [Void walk] totch on the dragon when a dire wolf lept from the bushes and bite his leg. "You!" Arad growled, unleashing a lightning shock at the monster. PEW! An arrow flew from the bushes and hit the wolf''s neck. The dragon had already flown out of reach. "What took you so long?" Arad asked, but quickly noticed how rugged Ae and Jack looked, "The wolves?" Ae looked down, "Sorry, they blocked our way, and we couldn''t get here in time," Arad sat on the ground, "Damn it," p¨£§ád¨£ §«?¦Í¨º1,§ã¨°§® Jack looked at him, "To me. It seemed the dragon knew from the start that we were after you. He sent the wolves to stall us and left when we were about to arrive." "I hate to admit it, but he yed us," Arad sighed as Ae sat on the ground beside him. "Did you hit him with lightning?" She asked. "Plenty, but he didn''t fall," Arad replied, "It seemed to hurt him, but not enough to prevent him from flying away," "That means we need to think of something else..." CRACK! As Ae was talking, a stone fell from the sky, crushing her ankle. GRWAAAAAAAAAA! Arad red at the sky, and the dragon was there carrying boulders. Chapter 102 Planning A Raid On A Dragon’s Lair Arad red at the sky, growling, ^This bastard,^ The dragon wasn''t willing to give them a moment of rest. He fully utilized his aerial advantage to throw rocks from a safe distance. He then dropped the second rock he carried. Arad swung his palm up, touching the boulder as it reached the ground and sucking it into his stomach. CRACKLE! SWOSH! Lightning crackled on his shoulder while mes rose from his back, "It''s personal now," He growled. He then lifted a fist-sized stone from the ground. The dragon was out of stones. He could only carry two sizable ones. He stayed in the sky, looking down to see what Arad wanted to do. Arad pulled his hand back, assuming a throw position. The dragon smiled inside. There was no way Arad could hit him high in the sky. [Void walk] Arad''s body disappeared, teleporting thirty meters into the sky and halving the distance between him and the dragon. BAM! Arad threw the stone as hard as he could, hitting the dragon''s left eye. The dragon roared, growling in pain as Arad fell back down. CRACK! Hended on his legs, lifting another stone immediately. But the dragon fled the scene. ^The bastard got away,^ Arad growled inside. [Don''t worry, we will get him next time. For now, check on Ae.] ^That''s right!^ Arad calmed immediately, staring at Ae and approaching her. "How is your leg?" Arad asked. "I''m fine," Ae replied. Jack looked at Arad, "Just a healing potion and some sticks to support her leg, and she is fine." He already gave her one of the potions he borrowed(Permanently) from Alcott and tied sticks to her ankle and tibia. "Let''s find a safe ce to rest in. A cave or under a big tree would be best," Arad said, looking around. Jack stood, "I won''t rmend a cave. The dragon might ambush us," He looked at Arad, "We will only corner ourselves." "You could set your traps at the entrance," Arad replied, staring at Jack. "No," Ae said, standing with Arad''s help, "The dragon will send his minions to attack. It will be useless." "What do you suggest then?" Arad looked at her. "Let''s hide under a big tree." She said. Jack shook his head, "What if he started throwing burning wood down?" [Most likely, he won''t. The dragon isn''t stupid to burn his territory. But he won''t mind a little bit of damage.] Mom exined. "Let''s build a tent under a tree. I will start digging inside the tent for an underground shelter." Arad said, pointing toward arge tree in the distance. The three walked toward the three and looked around. The Area seemed calm enough. "I will set the tent, and you Chief collect wood. Ae keeps watching the sky." Jack said with a smile, putting on the tent and getting to work. Ae couldn''t really move around easily, so her job was to keep an eye out for the dragon. After a while, The tent was up with no problems. "How do you feel?" Arad asked Ae. "I''m fine. The potion seems to be working. I should be able to walk in an hour or two." Ae smiled, looking up with a smile. "Let''s get something to eat first. We can''t fight on an empty stomach," Jack approached them with a smile, "Potions won''t work well either." Potions need the endurance to work. They are a magical item, but healing potions specifically don''t work as most people expect. Usually, people see healing potions as magical items, which you drink and get better. They heal the wounds, but that''s far from reality. Those potions elerate your natural regeneration, that''s all. If you happen to be starving, your body won''t have enough nutrients to heal itself, even with a potion. There are rare cases when the potion works on a starving person, but they lose a lot of muscle mass. After Jack exined how the potions worked and that Ae need to eat as soon as possible, he pulled their rations from the bag and started preparing the food. Arad walked around the tree collecting sizable stones as Jack prepared the food. He needs to get ready for the next fight and rangedbat might be his only option. [Try to get on the dragon''s back before transforming. If he saw you and managed to escape, chances that we won''t see him again are high.] ^Will he runs from a wyrmling?^ Arad asked. [No, he won''t risk fighting an unknown wyrmling. Most likely he will keep avoiding us until he understands what you are and how to kill you.] ^And that won''t happen, so he will keep running away and wasting our time. How about I attack him inside hisir?^ Arad thought. [Hisir? That might work, except we don''t know where their is, and you can''t leave Ae and Jack alone.] Mom sighed, [With how you fought and how easily Ae got injured, the dragon would start targeting them instead.] ^How about I dig a hole, and we look for the dragon from the underground? He won''t be able to get us that way.^ Arad suggested. [That''s a valid idea, but we still haven''t seen the dragon slimes yet. I''m worried about them.] ^Slimes? They are weak, aren''t they?^ Arad thought, remembering how he fought slimes. [Don''t underestimate slimes. If a dragon is keeping them, they must have something special.] Mom warned Arad, [For now, we''ll eat and discuss the n with Jack and Ae. ^What might be scary about slimes? Do they get big?^ Arad asked. [The intensity of their acid, special abilities, or sheer numbers. Even you would die if the hole you dug got filled with acid-spitting slimes.] ^I see.^ Arad thought about it, and it was a real problem. After collecting enough stones, Arad returned to Jack and Ae as the food got ready. "What did you prepare?" Jack smiled, "Nothing fancy. I''m not a cook." He replied, "I just threw some meat on the mes for us, and gave Ae some greens. This time we had salt," He smiled, shaking a small bag. "Is salt rare?" Arad asked. "No, not really." Jack replied, "In some ces, you can build houses with it, and in others, it''s unavable the whole year." Jack sighed. "And how did you get that?" Arad stared at the fat, salt-filled pouch, that Jack carried. "I sure didn''t see any salt house around here." Jack smiled, "Actually, I didn''t steal it this time." He looked at Arad with a grin, "I got it from Lydia. Albite I don''t know how she got her hands on this much." Jack waved his hands, "But it must be legal. She''s a pdin, after all." "A gift from her?" Arad said, sitting beside the mes, "Let''s talk about the dragon." Arad shifted the topic. Nothing would matter if they failed. "Do you have an idea?" Jack looked at Arad with a serious face. "I have one, but not sure how we will do it," Arad replied. "I don''t think the dragon will fall into a trap," Ae looked at Arad. "I was thinking of something else. How about we attack him in hisir?" Arad smiled. "How are we going to do that?" Jack replied. "It involves you digging, doesn''t it?" Ae looked at Arad, smiling. Arad nodded, "Yes, I will start digging underneath the tent so the dragon won''t see me and will make our way to hisir from there." "My question is can you track him? Do we even know the location of hisir?" Jack looked at Arad, "And even if we got there, I won''t have time toy traps or anything that could help us keep that thing from just flying away." "Jack is right," Ae looked at Arad, "I''m the dragon who had nned to fight people inside hisir, that''s too dangerous." Arad looked at them, "Right now, we''re sitting targets for him to attack," He smiled, "We need to get to hisir where he can''t fly away, and then I will kill him." "How do you intend to do that? From the start." Jack looked at Arad. "I can see magic, so we''ll use that to track the dragon to hisir." Arad started exining his n, "Then, we''ll wait underground till the dragon leave and then get out to ce the traps." Jack smiled, "The dragones back, gets captured by the traps, and then we gang on him. Seems like a solid n A, so where is the B?" "The B?" Arad said, looking at Jack. "He means what if the dragon learned of our arrival and sent his minions instead?" Ae said with a worried face. Arad thought about it for a moment, "We hide underground again and pretend to leave," As Arad was speaking, Mom called him, [We can steal the dragon''s treasure. He would be pissed enough to attack us directly.] "Or we can steal his treasure to force him to attack," Arad added. Jack red at Arad, his chin resting on his hands, "Speak, I''m listening." Chapter 103 The Dragon’s Lair Arad smiled, "Even though he''s still very young, I bet that dragon has a few coins down his pocket." Jack smiled, "With all the people attacking and stuff. That must be right," "You two," Ae stared at them, "Isn''t that dangerous?" Arad looked at her, "Those tree house seeds you talked about were expensive," He said. It clicked in her head. She smiled with sparkling eyes, "I hope he has enough gold," Dragons are dangerous creatures, and only a fool would challenge them in a fight for fun. Yet, over the ages, humans raided the dragons''irs over and over for a single reason. Those holes are filled with wealth and gold. The three looked at each other, "We first snatch the treasure and hide it in my stomach," Arad said, "After that, we can deal with killing the dragon." Jack looked at Arad, "We can just take the treasure and hit the road." "No, we need the heart," Ae said with a sigh, "And Arad, you do need the dragon, right?" Arad looked at her, "You still haven''t eaten anything, have you?" She said. Arad opened his hands, and the blood bottle and the flesh p appeared, "I feel like I can''t go back if I ate them," [You will be fine. But I don''t suggest using your vampiric or wyrmwolf powers before eating, as those would make you starve faster.] Mom exined. Arad stood, hiding them in his stomach, "I will eat when I need to," He stretched his arms, "Should we start working?" He said. Jack and Ae stood, smiling, "Let''s go. But we need to move the tent to another spot." Jack said. "To where?" Arad replied. "Behind the tree," Jack pointed at the big tree they hid under, "That patch there has some dirt, and they won''t notice us if you can dig well," "Arad can dig pretty well. He''s also fast." Ae said with a smile. "Well then, we will move the tent and use that ce as a start. Let''s hope the dragon won''t attack immediately," Arad said with a smile. [Tell Jack to pretend to be preparing traps. We need the dragon to think we''re trying to bait him to attack. That''s why he won''t attack us the ce,] "Jack, can you pretend to make some traps? The dragon won''t attack us if it though we want him to attack," Arad said with a smile. "So, want to make him feel like we''re trying to bait him in a trap? Easy enough," Jack smiled as he walked around, gathering sticks and creating weird contraptions that did nothing and hid behind bushes and leaves. Ae helped as well. She walked around drawing fake magical circles in the ground and hiding them with dirt and grass. She wanted to make it looked the ce is ready to blow up the moment the dragon get close. The dragon is bound to be watching from afar, and this makes it seem to like attacking the ce is a bad idea. Arad, Ae, and Jack retreated to the tent that Arad moved and hid inside, "Good, be careful, I''m transforming," Arad warned them as he morphed, the tent wasn''t that big, and they had to curl in the corners to give Arad enough space. Arad extended his ws and started scratching at the ground, digging and hiding the dirt in his stomach. He kept doing it for a few moments until he got enough room to slip inside. He then transformed back into his humanoid form to talk, "Since you''re two, can youtch under my wings?" Arad looked at them. "We can''t just crawl behind you?" Jack asked. "The hole is only big enough for me to fit, and you would be better protected from a copse if you hid under my wings," Arad replied. Jack nodded, "We''re getting a ride under a dragon''s armpit, no wingpit?" "It doesn''t matter, does it?" Arad looked at him. "Fair enough," Jack replied, and he and Aetched onto Arad''s wings. "This is better than I thought. We''re even protected from dirt," Ae said with a smile. "What did you expect?" Jack sighed. "Last time, Itched onto his stomach. I still had my hair dragged on the ground," Ae replied with a smile. Arad lept into the hole and started digging. He then closed the hole behind him when he got deep enough. "I can''t believe we''re carried by a dragon, digging underground like a mole," Jack said. As the two chatted, Arad was looking around with his [Void eyes] for dense magic. The denser it gets, the closer they are to the dragon''sir. One w after the other, Arad chased the magic till he stood beneath the densest part, ^This should be it,^ [Don''t go out. Sit and watch for a while.] Mom said, [If it started to move, we knew it wasing from the dragon.] After an hour of waiting, the dense magic finally moved. Mom was right, that it was rted to a living being, the dragon. As Arad looked up, he could see the magic move and leave. The dragon must have been resting after Arad got his left eye. [The ce seem safe, got out slowly,] Arad turned his head toward Ae and Jack, and they understood that it was time. Arad slowly wed out, only digging a small hole enough for him to peek through. They were inside a cave filled with the dragon''s smell. It is their. "Sulfur and pumice, this has to be the ce," Jack said with a smile. "This smells horrible," Ae closed her nose. Arad turned his long neck and looked at Jack, "I heard that red dragons smell like that. Any rogue or druids wouldn''t miss it," Jack said, smiling. Arad dug the hole out and exited, letting Jack and Ae stand. "Where is the gold?" Jack asked. Arad morphed back to his humanoid form, "That way is the exit," Jack smiled, "So the treasure is this way," He turned around, but Arad stopped him, "Traps," He said. Jack stopped, looking down with a sad face, "Yeah, we can''t have the dragone back and eat us before we can get the gold." He bent down and started pulling wires from his pocket, "You two go deeper and look for treasure. I will make sure this ce is a death trap." Arad smiled, "Thanks, Be careful from the dragon''s return," "Don''t worry. I know how to hide." Jack smiled, "And how to make some nasty traps," He pulled a small ss bottle from his pocket that had a ck powder in it. "What is that?" Ae asked. "I call it, Kaboom salt," Jack looked at them with an evil smile, "It''s a fun toy to use," He immediately started digging small holes in the ground, pouring some Kaboom salt and putting steel spikes on top. Arad and Ae looked at each other and then walked down the cave. Ae kept her nose closed. The strong smell was more than she could handle. "How big is this ce?" She mumbled. "I don''t know, but we should be close," Arad replied, smiling. After half an hour of slowly crawling in small crevices, they finally reached thest room. Arad lifted his palm and ignited a me, revealing what the room hid from them. "Is this a pile of trash?" Ae sighed. Arad looked around he could see armor sets, weapons, monster heads, and steel carriage wheels. They are what the dragon hunted on the road. His treasure wasn''t going to be pure gold and gems. "The dragon was hunting and killing travelers around here," Arad said, crouching beside the pile of items. "In this sense, he seems more like a crow, picking anything shiny." Ae said, lifting one of the armor sets, "Can we sell this for money?" "Of course, but look here," Arad smiled, pointing with his hand at a strange wed part of the stone ground, "Let me dig," Puff! Arad transformed back into his draconic form and ignited the mes on the tip of his tail like a light. He then used his front ws to dig. Suddenly, Ae smiled, "This is it!" She saw a silver coin in the dirt Arad was taking out, "Keep digging. He buried the gold there," She said. Arad kept wing and wing He first picked copper coins and then silver coins, andstly he started pulling gold and gems. Arad morphed back into his humanoid form. The two then started counting the coins one at a time. There weren''t that many gold coins, but there were a ton of copper and silver coins. [Not that many people carry gold coins when traveling. Andmoners barely see them. If the dragon was attacking travelers, it makes sense that he would have more copper and silver coins than gold. After a while, Arad and Ae gave up counting the copper coins, and Arad started putting everything in his stomach, dirt and Coins alike. He can clean and countter. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The cave shook as multiple explosions were heard. Chapter 104 Everyone Vs The Dragon I [R-DOOM] Arad and Ae stood, feeling the cave shaking beneath their feet. The dragon''s roar grew closer, and Arad swung his palm. "Hide behind me!" He shouted, standing in front of Ae. Ae pulled her bow and pointed at the entrance, "I will shoot!" She said. "Don''t shoot until we see Jack. I bet he''s running this way." Arad said, ring at the darkness. From the crack, Jack rushed in as fast as he could, "Sorry! I have no other way to run!" Jack cried. BAM! As Jack screamed, the dragon burst behind him with mes gushing from his jaw. ROAAAARRRR! He was pissed off. In that brief moment, Arad notices the spikes covering the dragon''s lower body. Jack''s trap was sessfully activated. But it didn''t take the dragon down. Crackle! Arad''s palms sparked with lightning. He pointed his hand at the dragon and screamed, "Dodge!" Jack knew it wasing. He leaped forward, rolling away from Arad''s magic at thest moment. [Lightning bolt] [Lightning bolt] [Lightning bolt] The magic shed, illuminating the cave with a bright white light. The three spells hit the dragon, but he wasn''t fazed at all, as if the rage and anger had taken hold of his mind. The dragon opened his jaw, roaring. With a red spark, a massive st of mes rushed forward. Ae took that chance and fired an arrow directly at the dragon''s mouth, but the mes burned it and melted the tip before it could reach him. Jack rolled behind Arad and stood, staring back at the rushing mes. Arad stepped forward, opening his mouth and screaming as loudly as he could [Fire Breath] Counter mes with mes. The two breaths collided, burning for a moment before exploding in a massive st that cracked the cave. Arad''s body flew backward, rolling on the ground and finally hitting the wall. The red dragon''s breath won, mainly because he was heavier and had bigger lungs. The dragon stood still for the blink of an eye, pondering how could a mere human mana to match his fire breath. He, the mighty dragon, his breath failed to overwhelm the pity imitation of a naked ape. His eyes shed red as mes gushed from his ears, and he got angrier. Ae stepped back, aiming her bow at the dragon''s head. PEW! PEW! PEW! She released three arrows. One missed as the dragon moved, while the other two bounced off his scales. The dragon''s head wasn''t a t surface but had a long shape that helped deflect projectiles. Ae had aimed for the eyes, the softest possible spot to hit on a dragon''s body, but she missed. Jack rushed to Arad, helping him stand and shoving a healing potion in his mouth, "Stand up! Breath!" Arad shook his head, looking at the dragon. The impact was painful, especially since he was out of breath at the moment. Jack looked at Arad''s eyes, seeing that he was disoriented. He then pulled a small bottle from his pocket and threw it at the dragon, "Catch!" He said. The moment the bottle touched the dragon''s hot body, it exploded, releasing a cloud of smoke that filled the dragon''s half of the room. CLAP! Jack then slightly pped Arad''s face, "Can you hear me? Focus!" The dragon can''t see them, and neither can they see him. But there is one exception. Arad took a deep breath and walked forward, [Void eyes] The red dragon was a stupidlyrge ball of magic. All he needed to do was look for that. Arad opened his mouth, without wasting time, and unleashed a [Lightning breath] at the dragon''s location. The dragon saw a white sh in the smoke and weaved to the side, dodging the lightning''s breath. Thanks to that, he now knew Arad''s location. Thud! With one powerful leap like a cat rushing at a mouse, the dragon jumped at Arad. Opening his jaw, the dragon attempted to bite Arad, but he only tasted the air. Arad already moved back a few steps. Frustrated, the dragon used his whole momentum to keep moving forward. With violence in mind, the dragon swung his w at Arad at an incredible speed. Arad had expected that, and he easily stepped away from the attack, opening his palm to cast a spell. SMACK! The dragon had another wing. He smacked Arad''s side as hard as he could. CRACK! Arad felt the bones in his shoulder snap, his left ribs broke and his torso moved so fast that his left leg got dislocated. His head elerated rapidly, knocking him out for a brief moment. Thwack! Arad''s body hit the ground so hard it bounced back, smacking the wall and then falling further away. [HP: 108/108]=>[HP: 43/108]=>[HP: 40/108] Arad wasn''t looking good, bleeding from the inside out, his head going in and out of consciousness as he got hit. Mom tried to scream in his head, but he was unresponsive. The dragon looked at Arad. But then something smacked his head. BAM! When he looked, it was Ae with her eyes glowing green in the dark. She pointed her hand at him, "Spirits of the woods, grant me the power to st the monster ahead of me," She growled [Air st] A ball ofpressed air rushed at the dragon, exploding at his head like a shockwave. And just before he could rush at her, she fired Three arrows at his face. PEW! PEW! PEW! The three arrows hit, two bounced off the scales, and thest one got deflected by the dragon''s nictitating membrane. Ae gasped, taking a step back. Even hitting the eye directly with her arrows could damage the dragon. But then she remembered that Arad damaged him by throwing a stone. The membrane is weak against bludgeoning damage, not piercing. Ae ground her teeth. She doesn''t have t or ball arrows. As Ae and the dragon were having that confrontation, Jack rushed at Arad with another healing potion, forcing it down his throat. "This is the second time, Chief," Jack said with a smile, "That p sounded horrible. Can''t you do something about your body?" He asked if Arad could transform into his draconic form as that might be more durable. "I need to get on his back," Arad said, standing while leaning on Jack''s shoulder. His left leg didn''t have enough strength to carry him, and the potion still haven''t fully taken effect. Jack smiled, "Well then, Chief, I will make sure you get that," Thud! Jack rushed at the dragon with a smile. "Yo! Iguana!" He shouted, and the dragon''s neck snapped, ring at him, "Your gold is mine," Jack taunted the dragon, and it worked. The dragon roared, getting lit from rage. This bald ape called him an Iguana. The dragon''s blood boiled, and he rushed forward, opening his jaw to bite Jack. With a smile, Jack slid under the attack and below the dragon''s chest. The heat there was so intense that his clothes started catching on fire. With one swift move, Jack pulled a metal spike from his pocket and was about to put it on the ground, but the dragon lept back. "Come back here!" Jack shouted at him, but the dragon didn''t care, swinging two ws at Jack. As if to piss the dragon more, Jack dodged the two ws with a smile and ran underneath him again. This time the dragon''s tail was on the wall. So he couldn''t back away. Jack dropped the metal spike on the ground, and its base exploded, sending the shaft up and piercing the dragon''s scales. The dragon roared. Till this point, only Jack''s weird traps worked. Jack was determined. He didn''te here to get rich. Everyone knows that getting rich by robbing a dragon hoard is a stupid idea. Instead, he came for one reason, and for it, he had prepared a lot. Jack pulled his dagger and pushed it between the dragon''s scales, pulling himself up the dragon''s ember-hot back. His hands burned, but he smiled, "I''m here!" Jack shouted, pulling a small bag from his pocket. He then looked at the dragon''s head, and the dragon red back at him with one eye. Jack opened his mouth, dropping the line that snapped the dragon''s head into oblivion, "I''m riding your ass, bitch," The dragon stopped moving for a moment as his entire blood evaporated. His eyes shed from rage, and his body burst into mes like never before. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! The dragon''s roar boomed, and Ae closed her ears feeling as if they are about to explode. The small bag that Jack pulled emitted a blue light. And suddenly, it exploded into a wave of ice-cold water. When the cold water met the dragon''s raging body, it evaporated immediately, dropping its temperature in an instant. CRACK! The dragon''s scales evolved to withstand high head, but not the sudden change in temperature. The dragon''s body jerked, throwing Jack''s burned body away and falling to the ground. He wasn''t dead or unconscious, but the impact of the change hurt him significantly and damaged his scales. Chapter 105 Everyone Vs The Dragon II [R-DOOM] Arad saw the dragon fall. He didn''t waste the opportunity and rushed forward. Thud! He leaped over the dragon''s neck, ring down at its head. Arad''s skin quickly turned ck as his back twisted, and his eyes shed purple. His ws extended over the dragon''s neck. The dragon felt Arad transforming above him and knew it was dangerous. BAM! He jumped, smacking Arad on the ceiling, drilling his head into the hard stones. When Arad fell, the dragon swung his tail, smacking him like a ball and sending him toward the wall. "You bastard! You''re a dragon?" The dragon growled, his mes slowly igniting again. The moment Arad hit the wall, his body disappeared. ZON! Arad appeared on the dragon''s back,tching with his ws like a bug. Enraged, the dragon started jumping around, swinging his head and tail all over the ce while roaring. [Now,] Arad opened his jaw, and his fangs extended as a dark aura surrounded his body. Clench! He bit the dragon''s neck, sucking his blood. The dragon felt it in his bones. Arad is a problem. He is no regr dragon. "A cursed vampire!" The dragon shouted, rushing out while ignoring Ae''s arrows. "Let''s see how you like the sun outside," Ae watched the dragon leave with Arad on top of him. She rushed to Jack and forced a healing potion down his throat. Jack''s wounds started healing, but he didn''t seem to be able to move any time soon. Ae lifted him on her back and rushed out. The cave might copse at any moment. *** BANG! The dragon rushed out of the cave, destroying the entrance as he stumbled. FLAP! He noticed Arad''s bite wasn''t weakening, so he flew into the sky. "Let''s see how close to the sun you can stay!" The dragon roared, not knowing that Arad wasn''t a strong enough vampire to be bothered by the sun. GRRRRR! Arad didn''t let go even for a moment. He needs to suck the dragon dry. The dragon quickly realized that the sun wasn''t working, and even if it did, the effect was too slow to help. He then decided to use his draconic durability to attempt a stupid move, diving neck-first into the ground. [You will die if he crushes you with his whole weight on the ground. Take down his wings!] Mom shouted. Arad released his bite momentarily, aiming his jaws at the dragon''s left wing. ROAR! [Void breath] Arad unleashed his breath. With how void works, this was devastating for the dragon. Arad''s void breath erases all the air molecules in a cone shape ahead of his jaw, but it doesn''t erase molecules of living being or the item they wear as it has their magic, and the breath isn''t strong enough to do it. So when the breath erased all the molecules around the dragon''s wing, the pressure pulled on the thin membrane of the wing and popped a hole in it. The blood inside the wings boiled under low pressure causing it to swell. The worst part came after that, the air pressure attempted to fill the gap, crushing down with an extreme force on the wings. The impact tore the dragon''s scales and shattered his bones. Arad and the dragon fell to the ground. CRACK! They crashed, and the impact caused Arad''s ws to get released. Not because his grip was weaker. But because the dragon''s already-damaged scales fell off. The dragon lifted his head, growling as blood dripped from his damaged wing, "You monster!" He red at Arad, standing with a purple re. "You''re no purple dragon. What are you?" Arad couldn''t speak, so the dragon only heard a growl. "Fine! The die!" The dragon is still enraged and convinced that he must kill Arad. Arad rushed at the dragon, trying to get close enough to teleport back to his neck. The dragon opened his jaw, unleashing a massive cone of mes. Arad replied in the same way but with his void breath. CLACK! The two breaths canceled each other, and the dragon swung his w at Arad. Arad changed his mind. Using [Void walk] can cause him to miss the dragon''s neck since the creature is wiggling a lot. Arad felt morefortable as a dragon, and his agility rose to the clouds. Arad saw the w approaching, and he ducked under it and then dodged the second one. He climbed the dragon''s arm, slicing him from the wrist to the neck with his ws. The dragon screamed, and Arad bit his neck again, sucking the blood out. Despret for survival, the dragon''s body ignited. He rushed between the trees, trying to scrap Arad off. ^I''m not letting go, not until you''re dead,^ Arad growled inside, clenching his teeth. The forest burned, and smoke rose to the sky, creating a ck cloud. The vigers from a nearby town rushed in. This forest fire was unlike any other that the dragon caused. Ae rushed out of the crumbling cave entrance with Jack on her back. The whole ce was red. At this rate, the dragon would burn the forest before dying. Thud! Jack grabbed her shoulder, "Leave me here. Go find Arad," He barely managed to speak. "I can''t leave you here," Ae stared at him. "You can. Arad is in more danger than me," Jack red at her, "Go make sure he is alive." Ae nodded, putting Jack beside the cave entrance and rushing away, "I will be back," Jack looked at her with a smile and then lost consciousness as the smoke filled the ce. Ae rushed into the burning forest, trees fell like embers, and she had to be careful, dodging everything while looking for Arad. After a minute, she found Arad. The dragon is dead, and Arad is seated beside his head, unconscious in his human form. A massive branch pierced Arad''s torso while his legs looked twisted backward. He got a real beating from the dragon''sst struggle. "ARAD!" Ae shouted, rushing at Arad and shaking him. "Don''t shake me," Arad growled. He pointed at the big branch piercing his torso. Ae looked at the branch, "Sorry, you have to deal with it," she grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him. "GRWAA!" Arad growled. The branch pushed down on his organs and chest, making breathing even more painful. "Wait," He growled, pointing at the dragon with his hand. Ae nodded and approached the dragon, letting Arad touch him. In the blink of an eye, the dragon''s corpse disappeared. He sucked him into his stomach. Ae turned around and rushed back to the cave to pick up Jack. He wasn''t there. She looked around, he might have crawled somewhere, but that was impossible inside all the mes. "JACK!" Ae shouted, but she got no answer. "Damn it," Time was ticking, and Arad might die on her. She decided to rush Arad out first. Jack might have escaped already. Ae ran away, and to her luck, she quickly exited the burning forest. The mes weren''t spreading as fast as she expected. She put Arad on the ground and climbed one of the trees to look around. Besides the ring ck cloud and the burning forest, the third clear thing she saw was a bunch of people gathered up. She jumped and lifted Arad with a smile, "I see people over there. I can leave you with them and go find Jack," Arad gave her a weak nod. He was too exhausted and pained to speak. She rushed away, quickly reaching the people to hear them arguing. "We should kill him!" One man screamed. "Are you crazy? You can''t just do that!" Another one shouted. "Shut up! You should have left him by the cave!" A woman screamed at them, "Leave the bastard to the dragon," Ae walked in, seeing Jack unconscious between the people. They carried him here. They all stared at her, "Who are you?" One looked at her, confused. "Jack," Ae called, approaching them. At that moment, the woman stood between Ae and Jack, "He''s your friend?" She asked. "Yeah?" Ae replied. The woman nodded, looking back at the men with her, "Tie her down. All three of them are going to be sacrificed for the dragon." Ae stopped for a moment, "What are you talking about?" She asked, confused. The men surrounded her, "You bastards enraged the dragon!" One of them growled. "We must sacrifice you, or will are the ones to suffer," Another said, "Hold up. The dragon is dead." Ae said. The woman red at her, "Bullshit, you liars," She pulled a dagger and swung at Ae. Arad lifted his palm. Crack! He grabbed the dagger with his bare hand and broke it. "Here is the dragon," With a flick, he dropped the dragon''s corpse to the side. The men backed away, but the woman snorted, "Illusion? You look like a mage, and this won''t trick me," SLAP! Arad smacked her face, dropping her to the ground. "I don''t have the patience to listen. Look at the corpse," He was in pain and isn''t in the mood to deal with someone who can''t inspect what was in front of her. "Chieftan, the corpse is real," One of them dered. Chapter 106 The Strange Village And The Wandering Tiefling Family After the vigers inspected the dragon''s corpse to confirm it was real, Arad used hisst drop of strength to absorb it back into his stomach. He then passed out, going limp on Ae''s back. "Let''s go to the vige. You have room to rest in, right?" Ae red at the woman. The woman growled, "Fine, let''s move," she growled. Standing up, "Bring that one as well," she said, pointing at Jack. The woman and her men guided Arad''s party to the vige. On their way, one of the men disclosed that the woman Arad smacked was the former chieftain''s daughter. Her father is getting old, so she''s taking over his job. "He can''te?" Ae asked. "Yeah, the former chieftain is barely able to walk. We''re in the middle of a powershift." The man replied. "So her father is still the chieftain," Ae looked at the men. "Yeah, he takes care of the vige problems while she takes care of things that need a lot of moving." The men looked at each other, "Likeing to check on the dragon. Or trade with other viges." The woman red back at them with a sore face and quickly shifted her eyes, "To think you killed the dragon," she growled. "Yeah, we''re saved," One of the men smiled. Ae stared at the woman''s back, sensing destain from her voice. She didn''t seem to be pleased that the dragon died. "Who is going to put those mes down?" The woman sighed. Ae looked back at the mes. ^Is she just irritated from the forest fire?^ When they reached the vige, the chieftain heard and became furious. "Kristina! Why don''t you listen before acting?" The chieftain shouted, almost damaging his lungs. Cough! Cough! "If the dragon had been alive, he would have been watching. Us trying to help the people who attacked him would have burned the vige." Kristina replied. "That doesn''t mean your first instinct should be to sacrifice people to the dragon!" He stood. "What do you want me to do then?" Kristina shouted. "Dragons rule with terror. The moment we kneel and lose our fighting spirits is when we be ves to the dragon." Kristina''s father stood, "We''re not goblins or wolves who shake their tails at the first hit. We fight, fight! And keep moving forward!" The chieftain shouted. "The moment our oppressors turn their backs is when we stab them!" "It isn''t that easy, father," Kristina said, ring at the chieftain. "It is. The dragon has warped your minds. Enthralled them with fear and awe," He shouted, heading to his room. One of the men looked at Ae, "Sorry about him." Scratching his cheek, "The chieftain is getting old and senile." Ae looked at the chieftain back as he walked away, "No, those are the words of a soldier. He isn''t a snail." She said, "If the entire vige was like him, you might have been able to defeat the dragon with a coordinated attack." The man looked at Ae with a surprised face, "He was a toon leader in his past. And he did form a hunting party when the dragon showed up," Kristina looked at them, "He fell ill before the hunting party could do anything. The dragon must have cursed him. It''s the price of anyone foolish enough to stand against the beast." She left with an angry face. *** Later that night, the vigers gave Ae and the two guys one big room. She was the only one to have dinner as Arad and Jack are unconscious. Just momentster, Jack was the first one to wake up. The potion Ae used on his seemed to have finally worked, but he woke up starving. Jack exited the room to look for a midnight snake and left Ae watching over Arad. Knock! Knock! Knock! "Who''s there?" Ae replied, standing up. "It''s me, Kristina." The chieftain''s daughter replied. "Come in. What do you need?" Ae replied, and Kristina walked in. "I wanted to ask about the dragon fight. How did you manage to kill him?" Ae told her the story, emitting anything sensitive and painting Jack as the hero of the hunt. Even so, Kristina seemed to keep asking about Arad. What did he do? How did he do it? How could he survive the breath? Kristina''s question slowly increased, and Ae started to feel ufortable, "I''m getting sleepy," Ae yawned, "Let''s continue our talk in the morning," she said. Kristina stared at Ae with a smile. Ae sighed, "Can you leave us alone for a moment?" He got enough of Kristina''s attitude. This whole vige was giving her the creep. The chieftain seemed normal to her. With a sad face, Kristina left the room, and Jack returned soon after. "Ae," He approached her, whispering in her ear. "The ce is surrounded. They don''t seem to be willing to attack. But I feel like we''re in jail." Ae looked at him, "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I''ve been to jail before. We better take turns to stand as guards throughout the night." He said. "We just killed a dragon. I doubt they trust us," Ae replied, "I also don''t feelfortable around here, but rx," Shey on the bed beside Arad. "You might be right," Jack sat on his bed, "Fearing power is a normal thing. To them, we''re a party strong enough to kill a dragon." They slept through the night peacefully. Ae looked at Jack in the morning, "See, nothing happened," She smiled, "This vige has its problems, but let''s leave as soon as Arad wakes up." Arad didn''t wake up and kept sleeping. After a while, Jack headed to the vige center to buy some supplies. He needs a handful of nails, ropes, and the like, as he used a lot of building the traps. "Excuse me, do you sell ropes?" Jack pushed the store''s door open and walked in with a smile. "Yeah, we do!" the owner replied. Jack looked around, but his eyes immediately stopped on a hooded figure standing as tall as the wall. ^Oi! Oi! The ceiling is almost three meters high. Who is that?^ He slowly approached, trying to peek at the figure''s face. From the outside, it was clear the figure was a woman. She turned toward Jack and red at him, "Do you need something?" Red skin and eyes, two long silver horns peeking from her forehead, and sharp teeth. She bent to look at Arad''s face, "Want something?" Jack shook his face, "No,dy." He looked around, "I was just impressed. I have never seen someone so tall." After a short re, she stood, "We oni are tall. It isn''t strange," The shopkeeper stared at her, "No! No! Aren''t on a rare type of Tieflings? Seeing someone like you is rare." The woman smiled, "Aren''t you scared? We have demonic blood," Jack shook his head, "Actually. My older sister is a Tiefling." He smiled. "I''m sure you two don''t look alike." The woman asked. "We''re all abandoned kids who grew up on the streets. I doubt we''re actual siblings," Jack shook his head. The woman looked worried, "So no matter what we do. It''s always going to be a problem." "Lily, Let''s go!" A man called from the back. When Jack looked, he saw a six-eyed man carrying a pink-haired, four-armed little girl on his neck. "We need to traverse the forest, remember?" The man said. "Yes," The woman approached him. The shopkeeper stood, "You can''t! The forest is dangerous, and the monsters are agitated due to the forest fire." "Don''t worry!" the little girl said with a smile, "Daddy is super strong!" She smiled, "Be it monsters, dragons, or gods, nothing can escape his sword. OW!" Before she could finish talking, the man pinched her leg, "Don''t exaggerate. We need to be careful," The three left, and Jack looked at the shopkeeper. "You get a lot of Tieflings?" The shopkeeper shook his head, "No, this is the first time I saw a whole family." He smiled, "They seemed nice. I hope they can safely cross the forest," Jack smiled, "That woman was amazing," The shopkeeper stared at him with a wry smile, "She''s married. Or do you have a thing for tall women?" Jack shook his head, "No. I mean she seemed strong." He then red at the shopkeeper, "Do you have ropes? I also need some nails, oil, two small bags, salt, and more things," The shopkeeper turned around toward the shelves, "One at a time. How much rope do you need?" "Three meters of the thin rope and two of the thick one," Jack replied and rubbed his eyes, and yawned. "You okay?" The shopkeeper asked. "Yeah, I just feel drowsy," Jack replied, pulling a chair and sitting. When Jack returned that evening, Arad seems to have woken at noon and he was doing fine. "Cheif, hear this. I saw this tall woman. She stood up like this!" Jack stretched his hand up. "Tiefling?" Ae asked. "Yeah, she called herself an Oni," Jack replied. Ae suddenly yawned. She was feeling sleepy. Chapter 107 The Cult Of The Dragon [R-DOOM] "Are you okay?" Arad asked, staring at Ae. Ae slowly tilted her head toward him, smiling. "I didn''t sleep that wellst night." She giggled, "I should sleep early today," Arad smiled, "Yeah, rest well," He then looked at Jack. "Can we head back tomorrow?" Jack looked at Arad and smiled, "Yeah, I feel exhausted too." Knock! Knock! Knock! "I brought you dinner," A man''s voice came from behind the door." Arad stood and opened the door. The man faced him with two other men behind. Each of them carried a different try. "This one for you," The man handed a tray to Arad. They brought three trays. A big one with extra meat and soup for Arad since he needs to recover. The second nt contained only greens and was meant for Ae. Thest one belonged to Jack. "Thank you," Arad said as he and Ae took the trays inside. As they started eating, Arad wanted to exin what urred. "I have two pieces of news, a good and a bad one," Both Ae and Jack stopped eating. They looked at him, "Start with the good news," Said Jack. Arad smiled, "I might evolve soon into a very young dragon," Jack and Ae smiled, "Is that true?" Ae jumped at Arad. Jack stared at them, "A very young like the one who hunted. Will you be able to fly?" Arad nodded, "Yeah, but I still have the bad news," "What is it?" Arad looked at them, smiling. "My vampire blood is boiling after that big meal. We might need to hunt another dragon soon." The more he indulged in his vampiric bloodline, the stronger it became and the more food he needed. "That won''t be a problem," Jack smiled, "We killed a dragon. What prevents us from killing another one," Knock! Knock! Knock! "Can I enter?" Kristina called from behind the door. Ae stood, approaching the door and slowly opening it, "What do you need?" She said, ring at Kristina. "Can I talk with Arad?" Kristina asked, peeking behind Ae. "No," Ae replied, attempting to close the door. Kristina extended her ankle inside, "Come on, just a few moments," "Let her in, Ae," Arad said, looking at them with a passive face, "Let''s hear out," p¦Á§ád¦Á §«?¦Í¨º|,§ã¨°§® Ae looked at him, "As you wish," She sighed, letting Kristina in. Kristina approached Arad and sat in front of him, "First of all, sorry for trying to capture you at the start." "I don''t really mind now. What brought you here?" Arad could sense she had more to say. Kristina stared at Arad, "Can you leave the dragon corpse with us? We wish to give it a proper burial. He was young, and we fear the wrath of its parents." Arad looked at her, "I can''t do that," He shook his head, "We have to deliver the corpse to our client. And you don''t have to worry. That dragon''s parents are already dead," "You can''t possibly know that," Kristina stared at him. "Whether you believe me or not, that''s your problem." Arad smiled, "I''m not handing the dragon corpse no matter what." Kristina nodded, "You don''t seem to fear the wrath of dragons. Very well, but we warned you," She stood and left the room. "What''s her problem? We killed the dragon. She can''t have it." Jack sighed. Arad looked back at him, "I can''t agree more. Let''s leave early in the morning," The three went to sleep, and the room was awfully quiet. Later, Arad opened his eyes to find himself chained in a cage. He looked around, but he couldn''t find Ae and Jack. "Jack! Ae!" He shouted but got no reply. ^Mom! Can you hear me?^ Even she wasn''t replying. Arad red at the chains cuffing his hands, "Fine," He tried to break them with void magic, but it didn''t activate. He attempted several times, but his magic vanished. "It''s useless," A woman''s voice boomed. She opened the room''s metal door and walked in with a candle in hand. Her face was covered in a draconic mask, "Dragons lose all their power in there," She said. Arad stopped struggling for a moment. She knows he''s a dragon. ^Is she one of the mages?^ He wandered for a moment, but there was another thing he wanted to ask. "Why are you covering your face?" Arad asked, "I can tell from the smell, Kristina." The woman giggled, removing her mask. It was Kristina. "This saves me trouble." Arad sighed, "What the hell is going on?" Kristina smiled, "You don''t need to understand. All you need to know is that you killed our precious dragon, and we will have you rece him." "So you were working with the dragon?" Arad looked at her. "Working?" She tilted her head, "No with such a young dragon, to the cult of the dragon, he was but a pawn," She smiled. "I see. What happened to Jack and Ae?" Arad red at her. "You don''t have to know," Kristina said. CLACK! Arad stood, pulling on his chains. The steel cried, and the chains cracked, "Fine, I will have to rip you apart," Arad red at her as his cage started to bend. Kristina took a step back, "Keep him chained!" She shouted, and ten mages rushed into the room, pointing their staves at the cage. The cage got stronger, and the bends that Arad caused got fixed, forcing him to sit again. "You''re strong, aren''t you?" Kristina giggled with a sweaty face. "Just what are you made off of? Dragons shouldn''t be able to even speak inside that cage." Arad red at her, his eyes glowing blood red, and the hair on his head stood. "Just wait till I get out of here," Arad growled. Kirstina left, leaving the ten mages there to make sure Arad won''t break the cage. Arad calmed down, thinking. Brute force won''t get him out of this situation. How did they even capture him in the first ce, and are Ae and Jack okay? What do those people want? "Hey you," Arad said, "The one with an ugly blue mask." He called one of the mages watching him. "What do you want?" The mage replied. "What do you want from me?" Arad asked. The mage looked at the other nine mages. "We want to find a magic that makes it easier for chromatic dragons to take a humanoid shape. You just happened to be one, an amazing test subject." Arad looked at him, "So you want to test on me as a chromatic dragon?" "That''s right," The mage replied. ^I see,^ Arad thought, ^Those idiots are dumb,^ He smiled inside, ^If they were mistaking me for a chromatic dragon, then they didn''t manage to know that I''m a void dragon. I suspect they have magic that can detect dragons.^ He looked up. Arad closed his eyes for a moment and then red at the mages, his eyes glowing with a blood-red color, "This cage can only keep dragons, right?" He smiled. "What are you..." A mage stared at Arad''s face, but he suddenly fell to the ground. Thud! The mages looked at their friend on the ground, "What did you do?!" they screamed, ring at Arad. Arad stared at them with a teasing smile, two fangs peeking from his mouth. [Blood magic: Faint spell] Thud! Another mage fell, "Wait! He is a..." Thud! Another fell before they could finish speaking. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! The mages fell one after the other, unable to resist Arad''s blood magic. CRACK! Using his sheer strength, Arad managed to tear the chains off, but the shackles remained on his wrists and ankles. ^So the dragon suppressing magic is in the shackles,^ Arad thought as he still couldn''t speak with mom. He looked around, "Kristina, she must have the key," Arad mumbled as he looked around. ZIII! One of the cultists opened the prison door, looking inside, "Hey, I heard some noise, is everything okay?" He asked, but suddenly spotted Arad on the ground, sucking the blood from one of the mages'' necks. Everyone else was shriveled husks. The cultist pointed his staff at Arad. [Fire...]. But before he could cast, it only took Arad a nce. [Blood magic: Faint spell] Thud! Arad was faster at casting magic than most people. Added the simplicity of the spell, and it bes a fight-shutting ability. If Arad didn''t want to fight someone weaker than him, they are knocked out. Arad stood and approached the cultist, sucking his blood dry. ^I can feel it,^ Arad smiled, ^I can only get stronger by sucking dragons blood. But human blood, as disgusting as its taste. It can heal and recover my mana,^ He walked out of the prison, ^Time to feast,^ Arad can''t ignore the possibility that the cult harmed Jack and Ae. And that mere thought is making his blood boil. If Jack and Ae were here, he would suggest they run away, but now, his teeth ached, and his eyes burned. Those cultists aren''t going to see the light of tomorrow. "You!" two cultists rushed in. One pointed a wand at Arad while the other lifted a sword. Arad slowly turned his head toward them, his eyes glowing red in the darkness. BAM! His body disappeared. CLANG! SPLAT! Arad appeared again behind the two cultists, squatting as they fell, cut in half. Arad''s fingers have grown into ws, and his forearms are filled with hair. [Beastial Aspect] [Wild Instincts] Arad wasn''t just a vampire. Chapter 108 Arad The Vampiric Wyrmwolf Vs The Cult. [R-DOOM] Arad walked out of the prison hallway to find himself stuck in a maze, "What is this ce? How did they drag me all the way here?" He mumbled. "There he is! Tile seven hundred and sixty-four!" A mage emerged from the corner and shouted. The ground beneath Arad shed brightly, and his body disappeared. When he came to his senses, he found himself surrounded by dozens of mages in a candle-lit hall. "How could a dragon break the chains?" One of the cultists shouted. Arad smiled, "Aren''t you making a mistake?" He smiled, "Who said I''m a dragon in the first ce?" "Stop lying. The dragon gem detected you." One of the cultists pointed his staff at Arad and fired an [Iciclence] The icence flew with a whistle, piercing Arad''s stomach. GRWAA! Arad growled, ring down at the massive shard of ice piercing his guts. ^Yeah, my dragon''s scales can''t protect me with those shackles.^ He smiled and started giggling. "What''s wrong with you?" One of the mages screamed, "Why don''t you fall?" ^I have to learn how to fight without my draconic powers. I will use [Blood magic: Faint spell] to limit their movements and numbers, [Bestial Aspect] to grow natural weapons and fight, [Wild Instincts] to dodge and predict the attacks, and [Blood sucking bite] To heal and recover MP and SP. Thud! Thence in Arad''s stomach started turning red from his blood as he grabbed it. CRACK! Arad then pulled it out, smashing it on the ground. A woman from the cultistsughed, "Idiot, you will bleed and die." She red at Arad, "Are scared of dying to us lowly humans?" Arad looked at her with a smile, a red sh gleaming in his eyes as his hair trailed with the faint winds. Arad lifted his hand, pointing at her with his finger, "You look less disgusting than the rest," Arad said with a smile. The woman''s vision blurred, her body felt light, and she lost consciousness for a moment. BAM! Arad rushed forward, snatching her and rolling to the corner of the room. In one motion, he bit her neck. The woman opened her eyes, seeing Arad''s sucking the blood from her neck, his ws piercing her shoulder and torso. She felt confused yet pleased. For some reason, his bite didn''t hurt. It gave her a pleasant feeling. The pleasant feeling wasn''t enough to sway her from reality. The woman realized that Arad is a vampire and that she is dying. She tried to struggle, but her body felt weak. She soon cked out due to blood loss. And soon after, Arad threw her shriveled husk on the ground. Arad stood, the wound on his stomach closed. "Women''s blood tastes better. It''s lighter and has more vors." Arad said. "Vampire!" One of the mages shouted, pointing his staff at Arad, [Holynce] ^That''s bad.^ Arad instinctively knew. He must not get hit with that spell. BAM! He jumped to the side, dodging thence, and then rushed toward the mages with a smile. The cultists pointed their staves and wands at him, firing a barrage of spells. [Holy bolt] [Holynce] [Acid Web] [Fire bolt] [Stonence] [Banishment] and more... Arad saw the spells and bent backward, sliding beneath them. CREEK! He toppled one of the cultists on the ground and bit his thigh, draining him in a second. "I don''t need to bite the neck. As long as I get ess to blood." He mumbled. "Die!" One of the cultists rushed in with a great sword, swinging down as hard as he could. Arad quickly nced at him with glowing eyes [Blood magic: Faint spell] The cultist lost consciousness for a moment. His body went limp. Before he could hit the ground, Arad stood, thrusting his right hand up. Arad''s ws pierced the cultist''s stomach, reaching up to his chest. He regained consciousness from the pain, only to see Arad''s smile. "Your heart is still beating," Arad''s fist clenched over the cultist''s heart, and with one pull, he snatched it out. The cultist fell dead as Arad stared at the bloodied heart in his palm, "If anything happens to Ae or Jack," He said, smashing the heart in his fist. The cultist took a step back. They were trained to fight weakened dragons, not a crazed vampire. "I will make sure your kind never sees the light of day," Arad red at the cultists. "Fucker!" Three cultists rushed at him with swords, "Support us with holy magic. Someone go get a wooden stick or something," The cultists fired their spells at Arad to keep him in ce while one of them rushed away. The three cultists swung their swords at the same time. CLANG! BAM! Arad dodged the first strike and stabbed the cultist in the neck with his long ws. "You won''t go anywhere," Arad red at the cultist running away, [Blood magic: Faint Spell] But the spell failed. ^Why can''t I knock him?^ Arad wondered, pausing momentarily. STAB! The second cultist stabbed Arad''s back, "I got you, monster!" He shouted. Arad turned his head, ring at the man [Blood magic: Faint Spell] It worked, and the man fell unconscious. ^I see. I need to see their faces.^ Arad figured it out. Unless they can see his eyes, the spell won''t work. BAM! Arad kicked the cultist away and ducked to dodge the spells rushing at him. After that, he took the man''s sword and threw it at the running cultist. "Behind you!" A woman from the cultist mages shouted. The running cultist turned, lifting his wand, [Protection] BAM! Deflecting the sword and aiming at Arad, [Counter Throw] He used magic to throw the sword back at Arad, stabbing him in the guts. "Got you!" The cultist shouted in celebration. But they felt a cold sweat dripping on his back, and Arad''s eyes red directly at him. [Blood magic: Faint spell] He had to look at Arad to aim, and that was his doom. Arad ignored all the attacks directed at him and rushed at the cultist, biting his neck to heal and recover the MP he lost using magic. *** Kristina rushed in. Trying to reach her cultist who reported an internal attack. "How did anyone discover this ce?" She asked one of the cultists beside her. "We didn''t get any detailed report from the prison section, but we''re suspecting it''s one of the dragon''s friends." The cultist replied. Kristina clenched her fist, "Those two ran away after all," She growled. "That was expected. We paid too much attention to drugging the dragon and ended up skimping on the other two. It was wise of you to separate them," "But I didn''t expect that stupid rogue to just open the locks and free himself and the elf. Where was he even keeping the lockpicks?" Kristina growled. Their n was simple, drug the three people who killed the dragon and prioritize Arad, who they expected to be a dragon. Jack and Ae were secondary targets. The cult first made sure to secure Arad before the drug effect wear out. They then went to secure Ae and Jack, but to their bad luck, Jack woke early during the transport and freed Ae. Kristina and the cultists reached the prison. They heard someone run toward them, "Kristina! Save me!" The running cultist cried, rushing at them. Kristina crossed her eyes, [Far sight] [Darkvision] He red into the darkness, seeing In the middle of the bloodied room, sucking on one of the cultist''s neck, surrounded by shriveled corpses. Steam came off his back and arms as the burns and cuts he sustained healed. "A vampire?" Kristina gasped, and Arad red at her from that distance. She felt a sharp pain in her head, and her vision started to blur. "Damn it!" she closed her [Far sight] and pped her face. "What''s the matter?" The other cultist asked, "What did you see?" "A vampire, don''t stare at his eyes directly." She growled, "I don''t know if I''m strong enough that I resist his mind control, or if it''s the long distance, or that I''m looking through a spell, or that I cut early. But he almost got me here." "What should we do?" The cultist who ran cried. "We retreat. Lock this ce up." Kristina turned around, "We will leave him locked here until we get people strong enough to kill him." Kristina and the two cultists ran up the stairs and turned to lock the door. "Hurry!" Kristina shouted. When the cultists tried to m the door shut, a hand grabbed the edge and blocked them. "He''s here!" One of the cultists shouted, running away. "Idiot! Help me push the door!" The other cultist shouted, but his voice quickly turned into a scream as Arad trusted his fist into his guts. The running cultist cried, looking at Arad in terror, but that was his end. [Blood magic: Faint Spell] He fell on his face, and Arad rushed to suck him dry. Kristina stood there, ring at the two corpses. The one at the door has the key chain with all the keys. She is stuck with Arad unless she gets them. Arad looked back, following her eyes sight and spotted the keys. He smiled and took them. ^I should free myself first,^ He thought. Chapter 109 Arad Vs Kristina [R-DOOM] Arad stared at the key chain. It''s filled with keys. It will take him a while to find the ones for his shackles. ^I should kill that one first. She might attack me,^ "Give me those keys!" Kristina shouted. Arad slowly turned his head toward her. She covered her face with her forearm. "What a coward, or should I say wise?" Arad smiled, "I''m not giving you anything." "You were a vampire? But how could it be? I saw you walk in daylight." Kristina growled. "Who knows?" Arad stared at her, "Come on. I won''t charm you, so let''s have a fair fight." "Why would I trust you?" Kristina growled. "I would have already attacked you," Arad replied. Kristina sighed, lowering her arm and looking at Arad''s face. "Fine, let''s see if you can keep your word," The moment her eyes met his, her vision blurred, and she felt light. "You bastard," she growled, falling on her face. BAM! Arad lept at her, swinging his w at her chest, "Where are Ae and Jack? Pray to your god they are unharmed," TING! Kristina leaned on her staff, [Mind Shield]. A sh of light emitted from her staff, and she jumped backward, [Stone Wall] Arad saw the wall emerging in front of him. BAM! He jumped to the side, trying to run around it. KA-don! As he emerged, he saw a fireball rushing toward him. ^She expect me? Those spells aren''t used for just defense?^ Arad rolled to the side, barely evading the mes and only having his hair slightly burned. ^I don''t have any people to heal, and I don''t think getting close to her would be easy. Think, how could I get my fangs on her neck^ BAM! Arad jumped away, dodging multiple ice spears at thest moment. He red at her, [Blood magic: Faint spell] Kristina didn''t seem to be affected. Arad rushed at her, wishing to get close enough to strike. "Like I would let you!" Kristina screamed, pointing at him [Quagmire] The ground beneath Cain''s hands turned muddy, and his legs sank, keeping him in ce. [Wind st] Kristina released a st ofpressed wind, pushing Arad all the way to the other side of the room. [me Lance] With a spark, a burning spear flew toward Arad. Arad jumped away, keeping his eyes focused on Kristina. ^I learned magic from Amber. But I relied on void magic to make it work. I can''t cast magic or spells without my draconic powers,^ Arad growled, ^I need something ranged. If only I learned magic...wait, Merlin did teach me one.^ Arad pointed his hand at Kristina, trying to activate Gravity magic. Nothing happened. Magic wasn''t that easy to use. "Come on! Vampire, use your blood magic!" Kristina screamed, [Stone Pull] with a single swing from her staff. Multiple tiles got pulled from the ground and floated between her and Arad. [Catapult] The tiles flew toward Arad at high speed. BAM! BAM! Arad jumped from one side to the other, dodging thanks to his [Wild instincts]. ^When will she run out of MP? No, I can''t rely on that.^ Arad grabbed one of the tiles she flung at him and threw it back at her, attempting to distract her enough to get close. Kristina lifted her staff [Barrier] CLANG! The stones cracked on a ss-like ball covering her body. And before Arad could get close, she shouted, "Burn!" [Fire Wall] Raising a great burning wall between her and Arad. Arad red at his hand. ^Come on, gravity magic, work!^ ~Feeling the element you''re trying to use will give you a deeper understanding~ The words of Cain. The nt shopkeeper rang in his head. Arad smiled. ^Gravity is the power that pulls everything toward the ground. That dragon dropped me from the sky. Even now, it''s pulling me to the ground.^ Arad lifted his hands. ^Gravity pulls everything to the ground. Then all I need to do is convince myself. The ceiling is the ground.^ A purple aura engulfed Arad''s palm, [Reverse Gravity] Kristina''s legs levitated for a moment, and her body fell upward. CRACK! She smashed into the ceiling. With a thud. "What?" A growl escaped her mouth. Arad smiled, "Back to the ground!" He shifted his focus from the ceiling to the ground, causing her to fall. CRACK! "And Come to me!" He then pulled her toward him, opening his arms to grab and bite her. When Kristina got close to him, she smiled, pointing her staff at his chest, "It''s over!" She screamed, [Ice Shard Barrage] Tens of tiny ice shards exploded from the tip of her staff with a shattering boom, gouging Arad''s chest. With a blood stter, he fell on the ground motionless. "This won''t be enough to kill him. But it''s enough for now," Kristina panted, going through Arad''s clothes and taking the key chain. She smiled, turning around to leave. GAH! Arad rose from the ground with open arms, hugging Kristina from the back and jamming his teeth in her neck. "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Kristina screamed at the top of her lungs. [me cloak] And immediately covered her body in raging mes. The mes ate away at Arad''s skin as he regenerated from drinking Kristina''s blood. It only took a few seconds for her to pass out and for the mes to calm down. After sucking everyst drop of her blood, Arad opened his arms to let the dried husk fall. "HAHAHAHA!" Arad startedughing, "I should have used this power before. The regeneration is way too good." He then bent over and picked the key chains, spending a few minutes trying each key until he found the one for his shackles. CLICK! Arad removed his shackles with a smile, ^Mom, can you hear me?^ [What happened? I feel like I was sleeping for a while.] ^Some people who call themselves the cult of the dragons used those weird shackles to capture me. They seem topletely block dragon power.^ [Cult of the dragons? Those radical idiots?] ^You know them?^ [Yeah, they are a bunch of people who once worshipped Tiamat, the chromatic dragon goddess. But now they are mostly focused on turning dragons into dracoliches.] ^Dracoliches? What''s that?^ [Powerful draconic undead monsters. The cult seduces dragons with the premise of immortality and unrivaled power, but they sneak curse magic to control those dragons who made a deal with them.] ^I see.^ Arad thought, ^Since I drank the dragon''s blood, how much power do I have?^ ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 5/20][Exp: 5600/14000][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Wyrmling] [Nine years and two months and five days.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 1] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 15] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 135/135][MP: 132/150][SP: 145/150] ---------------- [Skills] [ws] [Bite] [Tail m] [Wing m] [Glide] [Innate Skills] [Frightful presence] [Void Magic: The ability to use void magic to for the elements out] [Void Power: the ability to wield Void itself] [Alternate Form: Shifting from a draconic to a humanoid form] [Breath Weapon: A st of all-consuming void] [Void Biology: The void dragon is alive, but not made of flesh and bones.] [Void Eyes: The void eyes can detect magic, see in the dark, and detect invisible creatures.] [Void Existence: The void dragon itself is made of the infinite void. It''s aware of everything in contact with itself. It also allows the dragon to store items within its infinite stomach pouch where neither time nor space exists] [Void Walk: The Void Dragon can teleport up 40 meters to a spot it can see.] [Resistance] [All Elements] [Immunities] [Time] [Space] [Magic] Non ************ [Vampire skill tree: 5 Skill points] Tier one skills: [Night affinity][Locked(Cost one point to unlock)] [Blood-sucking bite][Unlocked] [Blood magic: Faint spell][Unlocked] [Silent Step] Your walking ispletely silent. [Locked(Cost one point to unlock)] [Blood scent] You can smell creatures'' blood from afar, determining if they are alive or dead and guessing how much their blood can heal [Locked(Cost one point to unlock)] Tier two skills: [Blood magic: Eyes Burst] Cause the small veins in the target''s eyes to explode, blinding them. This skill can affect people who could resist. [Locked(Cost two skill points to unlock)] [Thralls-cursing bite] Sucking a creature''s blood dry will cause them to rise into a zombie after a minute. Those thralls die after half a day. You can have a maximum of three. [Locked(Cost two skill points to unlock)] [Resting Coffin] Sleeping in a coffin grant one HP regeneration per second for the next 12 hours. But, if stabbed with a wooden stake that has been drenched in holy water while sleeping in the coffin, you die. [Locked(Cost two skill points to unlock)] ************ [Wyrmwolf skill tree] Tier one skills: [Bestial aspect][Unlocked] [Wild instincts][Unlocked] [Moon rage][Locked] ************ After reading his stats, Arad smiled, ^I see. [Resting Coffin] mitigate the negative effects of [Night affinity] But it grants people a condition to instantly kill me. Does this mean if I got strong enough, I could have enough skills for them to fix each other weaknesses?^ [Probably, but I suspect that you would still have a major weakness from them. The best scenario is for you to find a weakness that is hard to exploit and hide it.] ^The choices are obvious then,^ Chapter 110 Cleaning The Mess. ***************** [Vampire skill tree: 0 Skill points] Tier one skills: [Night affinity][Locked(Cost one point to unlock)] [Blood-sucking bite][Unlocked] [Blood magic: Faint spell][Unlocked] [Silent Step] [Unlocked] [Blood scent] [Locked(Cost one point to unlock)] Tier two skills: [Blood magic: Eyes Burst] [Unlocked] [Thralls-cursing bite] [Unlocked] [Resting Coffin] [Locked(Cost two skill points to unlock)] ***************** [Blood magic: Eyes Burst] Would allow me to stun people who managed to resist [Blood magic: Faint spell]. It will also damage them, so it''s nice to have. [Thralls-cursing bite] will allow me to get three helping zombies. I wouldn''t have struggled against Kristina if I had them. I choose [Silent Step] above [Blood scent], so I can get an advantage of surprise. It will make it easier to get my first thrall up. [[Silent Step] Would also allow you to escape when things turn sour.] Mom replied. Arad smiled, opening the door and leaving the dungeon. "What?" He gasped, seeing the cultist camping out. They were discussing how to act. Arad quickly closed the door and held it in ce the moment they saw him. BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad could hear spells exploding behind the door. The cultists have spotted him, and they aren''t happy. ^Mom, do you have any idea?^ Arad asked. [There are a lot of them. If those people are capturing dragons, we should have expected them to have a lot of people.] ^That isn''t really helpful,^ Arad growled, but then an idea sprouted in his head, ^They are bison!^ [What?] Mom gasped. Arad immediately transformed into his draconic form and blocked the door with a massive amount of dirt that he kept in his stomach. ^Let''s hunt them, shall we?^ He started digging, borrowing out of the dunging and beneath the cultist''s camp. Arad opened his void eyes and looked up, locating all the cultists by the mana. He then locked on the strongest one. ^Let''s start with the big one,^ He dug all the way beneath a tree and poked a tiny hole to look out from. Arad stared directly at the mage''s face [Blood magic: Eyes Burst] POP! The mage''s eyes turned red from the blood pooling in them. And they burst. GRWAAAAAAAAAAA! The mage fell on his knees, screaming his guts out. The other cultists stared at him, confused. How did he get attacked? But as they looked, Arad''s w emerged from the ground, pulling the mage by the neck into the ground. The cultist jumped in and grabbed the mage by the legs, trying to pull him out as he screamed. Soon, they managed to pull him out, neck and face all scratched. "He''s unconscious! Take him to the healer''s tent. Beware the ground!" One of the cultists shouted. "Is it save to assume it to be a brown dragon?" Another cultist asked. "Attacking from the ground says so, but what about the eyes exploding thing? Was it magic?" The cultist replied. "We should go investigate inside. I fear Kristina is hurt!" Another cultist cried. The mage got put inside the healer''s tent, and a priest-like woman approached him, "What horribles scares. I will fix you right away," She turned around to pick a bowl of holy water. The mage slowly stood behind her, his face turning grey. GRWA! He jumped, biting her neck. GyAAAAAAAAAAAA! The woman screamed, alerting the whole camp. "Alfred turned into a zombie! He attacked M!" One of the cultists shouted, sending terror across everyone. [Good, they are distracted. Let''s make a run for it.] Mom said, but Arad shook his head. ^I can''t let anyone who knows about me live. And they look like decent heals forter.^ Arad stayed, slowly approaching them from underground. [You want to massacre them all?] ^No, not at all. Do you know if Ae and Jack are alive?^ Arad asked. [No,] ^They attempted to capture me and hurt my wife. How can I call myself a dragon if people can mess with my mate and get away with it?^ Arad growled, his draconic blood boiling. Dragons usually eat their kind just for treading into theirnd, let alone touching their mate. GYAA! One of the cultists screamed as Arad pulled him to the ground. The cultist turned in terror, and another of them disappeared. PEW! PEW! PEW! Three arrows flew from the forest, taking down three of the cultists. Two green eyes red from the tree branches, "Who..." PEW! PEW! PEW! The moment one of the cultists was about to speak, an arrow hit him. Surrounded and feeling hopeless despite their numbers, the cultists ranks shattered, and they ran in every direction. Jack jumped from the bushes and rushed to the door, trying to pick it open. Arad borrowed into one of the tents and walked in his humanoid shape, "Jack!" He called to him. "Cheif!" Jack turned around, and Arad red into the forest, "Don''t let anyone leave alive," Arad said. "You sure?" Jack looked at him. PEW! PEW! PEW! Ae didn''t wait and quickly started sniping the running cultists. "Fine by me then!" Jack rushed into the forest, hunting those who hid in the shadows. After half an hour, Ae couldn''t spot more cultists, "Arad, this seems to have been all of them!" She shouted. "Nothing on my side," Jack called, waving his hand to Arad. Arad approached Ae''s tree. "Fine, let''s hope no one escaped." He sighed. It would be a problem if they learned about him being a dragon or a vampire. "What do you want to do now?" Ae asked. Arad smiled, "Clean, I will store all of them in my stomach. We will see their weapons and clothes and keep any magic items they had," Jack walked toward Arad and Ae, "So you want it to seem like they vanished? Leave it to me," He started running around and collecting every single item the cultists had. Before dawn, Jack had torn down their encampment, collecting every old rusted penny they had. "Cheif, did you finish?" "Yeah, I collected all the corpses," Arad replied. He would keep the blood for healing. Ae looked at the sun rising, "Should we get back to the vige?" She asked. "What are you saying?" Arad looked at her, "Those crazy people poisoned us. I don''t trust a vige filled with fanatics like them," "Then how will we get back home? We need to find a carriage somehow." Jack stared at Arad. "Oakedge vige is located between here and Alina. I will carry us there, and we can find a carriage there." Arad transformed into his draconic form. "Are you sure?" Ae stared at Arad with a hesitant face. "Well then, don''t mind me!" Jack immediately hopped on Arad''s back, "Come on, Ae." He waved his hand to her, "You don''t get to ride a dragon each day," Ae smiled, gently getting on Arad''s back. She held tight to his neck, and he started running. Dragons run like felines, using their ws to get attraction on the ground while bncing with their tails on sharp turns. But, It''s been stated they can run as fast as horses when unhindered. Arad''s speed reduced drastically due to the weight of Ae and Jack on his back, but he didn''t feel tired at All. ^As if I could run indefinitely,^ [Don''t push your body too much. Dragons naturally don''t show their weakness. You will run till you pass out of exhaustion.] ^Are you saying that I''m getting exhausted?^ [Yeah. Magic dragons like you aren''t named in vain. You can move till your stamina reach zero, your body will then start consuming MP instead, and you will keep going till you run out and pass out.] ^Can I keep recovering MP with the blood to run longer?^ [You can, but isn''t that a waste?] ^I agree,^ Arad kept running toward Oakedge vige across the forest. They finally reached it in the afternoon. He stopped by the forest edge and transformed back into his humanoid form. "Arad, are you okay?" Ae asked as she saw him bent, panting, and sweating like he was sshed with a bucket of water. "I''m fine," Arad replied, "Just need to catch my breath," Jack looked at Arad with a smile, "You rest, Chief. I will go find us a carriage," "Wait!" Arad called him, pulling a gold coin from his pocket, "Get a big one. We need to carry the dragon." "Can''t you just keep it in your stomach? That would save us the transport cost," "Merlin said nothing about secrecy," Arad panted, "We need to take credit for ying the dragon, and we might rank up," Ae looked at them, "What would Alcott think?" She asked. "That isn''t our problem. It''s Merlin''s problem." Arad replied, "Also, the dragon said a purple dragon killed his father and kicked him out." "So he was alone," Jack looked at Arad, "Well then, I''m going," "Take your time," Arad waved his hand. As Jack went to Oakedge to rent a carriage, Arad went with Ae deep into the forest where he washed with some water he had in his stomach, and changed his clothes. Chapter 111 The Dragon’s Parade "Isn''t it the sigma?" A voice called to Arad from deep in the forest. He quickly turned around, "Selena?" He called. Selena and Hank walked out of the forest depth, "We haven''t seen you in a while. You''re already reeking of blood," Selena said. Arad smiled, looking at them and then at Ae, "I had to fight with my vampire power for a while. You can tell?" "Yeah," Selena replied, "My nose has been on edge sincest night. Three powerful tieflings passed through here." "Tieflings?" Arad stared at her, his head slightly tilted to the side. "Tieflings, half-blooded devils. We also call them demons. They aren''t necessarily evil, but when three who can dwarf the green dragon is power pass through, it''s bound to leave my hair standing," Selena replied, speaking with a worried face. Hank looked at Arad, "They seemed to be heading toward Alina. Be careful." Arad started taking the matter seriously. "You said three are stronger than ug? The green dragon?" Selena shook her head, "No, they are stronger individually. And one of them is an absolute monster. The stenching from him doesn''t belong to this world." "Stench?" "That''s the only way I can describe the feeling. I didn''t have enough courage to approach enough to see them." Selena scratched her arm, "I feared they might mistake me for a monster. I would die before I could even know it." Hank patted her back, "It''s the same with a powerful monster appearing. The weaker ones evade him." "Thanks for the warning," Arad waved his hand, turning toward Oakedge as he heard a carriage approaching. "Jack seems to have returned," Ae said with a smile. Hank smiled, "Then, see youter." he waved his hand, taking Selena with him and leaving. ***** "Do you really need such a big carriage?" The driver said, staring at Jack. Jack smiled, "You won''t believe it, but the green dragon living in this forest sent a quest to the guild!" He iled his arms, "He needed someone to y an annoying monster." "You want me to haul it for you? To Alina?" The driver sighed, "Learn to butcher your hunt in the forest. Dragging big corpses is hard on the horses. They aren''t donkeys." "Believe me. It''s worth it." Jack replied. After they reached the forest, the driver''s face turned pale like flour. His jaw fell, and the horses stopped. With a shaking hand, he pointed at the massive corpse he saw. "A dragon?" The driver gasped, staring at Jack and Arad, and Ae, "You lot are dragon yers?" "Our first hunt," Jack smiled, "Will you help us haul it back?" "Of course, I would!" The driver shouted, "Dragon yers, you are heroes. There is no way I can refuse to move such a mighty beast," The driver jumped from his carriage and approached the dragon''s corpse, touching his head with his finger and then leaping back. "It''s dead!" "Of course, it is," Arad stared at him. "Come on! Let me have a closer look. I am sure I will never get this close to a dragon in my life ever again." The driver said, ring at the dragon''s wings and scales. "Come on, let''s haul it in," Jack patted Arad''s shoulder, "We need to get the neck in first," After half an hour of hard work, they managed to lift the dragon on the carriage. ^With this, we might rank up directly to B-rank^ Arad smiled inside. After covering the dragon with a nket, they headed directly toward Alina. "This might be the best haul in my life," *** A few hourster, and before dusk, Arad''s carriage approached Alina. "Sir, are you going to keep it hidden?" The driver asked. "No, we covered because of the sun and bugs," Jack replied, "We''re showing it, right?" He looked at Arad. "Yeah, hopefully, that will give us enough leverage on the guild to rank up," Arad said with a smile. "Is that what it is about," The driver looked back at them, "I heard the guild can be stingy with the rank-ups." Jack scratched his head, "They are. There is this rule which says you can only increase one rank at a time. If we brought it on the hush, they might say we need a track record first to rank up," The driver nodded, "The guild value multiple, consistent small hunts than a single big one. Would they say this kill was a fluke?" "Probably," Arad sighed, "I don''t have memories of them being that helpful, or at least directly." "If the whole city knew you killed a dragon, the guild can''t keep you at a low rank without losing public trust." The driver smiled. "That''s the n," Ae smiled, "But don''t deliver the corpse to the guild. Deliver it to the Archmage tower." The driver looked at her, "Wait? Merlin is the client?" "Yeah," Arad smiled, "She asked us to hunt this one." The driver nodded, "As expected, the Archmage''s eyes are sharp for talents." Arad pulled the rug from the dragon as they approached the wall. GHA? They could hear one of the guards gasp in the distance. Jack stood to call and ask the guards to open the gate, but to his surprise, they opened it before he could speak. Just inside the city, a guard battalion stood watching, and themander approached on his horse. "Is that thing real?" the oldmander asked, his beard trailing with the wind. "Want to touch it?" Arad replied, looking at him. "Can I?" themander replied with a worried face. He led soldiers to battle but never dealt with a dragon. He only heard how a dragon''s breath could cook a knight inside his armor and how neither arrows nor swords could harm them. With a shaking hand, themander touched the dragon and quickly pulled his palm, "It''s dead," He looked at Arad with wide-open eyes. "Yeah," Arad smiled, "Can we get inside the city?" Themander nodded, "Yeah, of course." He moved his horse back, "You''re heading to the guild? Should I get my men to guard you?" The driver looked at Arad, "We don''t want children and people jumping in our way. It''s best to ept his offer." Arad nodded, "I will take you on that, but we''re not heading to the guild." Arad pointed at the tower standing in the middle of the city, "The Archmage Merlin, this is for her," Themander stood silent for a moment, piecing everything together. "Don''t tell me this is for the heater?" Jack smiled in the back, "You''re right," He stared at themander, "Critical ingredients for the sess of the project," Themander''s face turned serious. He lifted his arm and shouted, "Summon the cavalry and the heavy guards! All foot soldiers assemble at the gate!" His voice shook the whole gate, "Don''t let a single fly touch them till they reach the Archmage tower!" In a matter of seconds, over thirty knights on horseback arrived. Archers climbed the houses'' rooftops, and the foot soldiers rushed to clear the streets. It quickly turned into something simr to a parade. The carriage slowly moved into the city, and the citizens peeked from their windows. The word quickly spread like wildfire. A hunting party has arrived with critical ingredients for the archmage. The word soon became clearer. The dragon was for the heater. And that got the people more excited. They started cheering and throwing flowers from their windows. A merchant even fell on his face crying, "My taxes weren''t in vain!" The carriage moved across the city, drowned in cheers. Themander approached Arad, "You three killed this thing? Alone?" Arad nodded, "Yeah, we almost died," Themander looked away, "You''re an adventurer. What rank are you?" "E-rank," Arad replied with a smile, and themander gasped, "What are those idiots in the guild doing? I expected a dragon yer to be no less than A-rank," Arad shook his head, "I honestly don''t know what their problem is. But, it wasn''t long since I registered," "Even so, with such power, they stay silent?" Themander growled. Arad scratched his head, "Yeah, I even considered leaving for the elvish kingdom at one point," Themander looked at Ae in the side, and his face turned pale, "We can''t have that!" He gasped, "Leave it to me. I will get the city lord involved. We won''t lose someone like you due to their shitty attitude," "The city lord? Are you sure?" Arad stared at him. "Yeah, he will have me beheaded if we lost you after this. We hardly talk about it, but strong people are a strategic advantage. Thest thing we want is to lose a dragon yer to another nation." Themanderbed his beard, "If I was in your ce, I would expect a summon and a reward soon after this. The guards will remember your faces, so feel free to as for their help," Jack looked at themander, "Really?" Themander stared at him, "Yeah," He sighed, "We won''t keep you in jail again unless you do something really bad," Chapter 112 Payment CLANG! The guards smalled their halberds on the ground, standing tall beside the tower''s door. "We arrived!" They shouted. Merlin looked out the window, seeing the parade and sighting, "What is all of this?" She jumped, floating down like a leaf. "I didn''t expect you toe like this," Merlin said with a smile, looking at the dragon in the carriage. "It''s better this way," Arad replied, jumping down with Jack and Ae behind him. The guardmander approached them, "We have ensured the delivery. If this is all, we shall retreat to our posts," Merlin looked at him with a smile, "Good job. We will make sure to put it to good use," Themander bowed slightly, "Please call us if you need anything," the guards then left. Merlin looked at the dragon, "I should get to work immediately," She then pulled a paper from her chest, handing it to Arad, "Give this to the guild to end the quest, and don''t forget to visit me tomorrow to take anything I don''t need," "Anything you don''t need?" Ae stared at her. "Of course." Merlin smiled, "I only need the heart. The rest is yours," She replied. "But I don''t suggest you sell anything. Use it to make weapons and armor," She added. Arad took the paper and smiled, "Thanks," They left the dragon with Merlin and returned to the guild to get paid. On their way, Jack noticed that people stared at them, wishing to speak but hesitating. "I might like this," Jack smiled, "I can''t wait to hear what Lydia has to say," "Don''t forget the stuff we got from the dragon''s cave. We need to take care of that as well," Arad smiled. "Count the coins and put them aside. For the rest, it will take time to drain them into the market," Jack approached Arad, "The items that the dragon collected are stolen from carriages. Those people cane asking for them for free, which is ridiculous considering we had to fight a dragon for them." "I see. You can deal with that?" Arad asked, and Jack nodded, "I''m an expert at fencing," He smiled. "But for the time being, keep them in your house," "I''m both exhausted and ready to run," Ae sighed, "Can we hurry to the guild? I want to get back home to sleep," Arad nodded, and they rushed to the guild. CRACK! Arad opened the door, and everyone stared at him. "He''s back." "It''s them," "They weren''t hanging with Alcott in vain. They are dragon yers now," "They just started," "I heard the dragon looked terrifying," "I''m telling you, he must have punched the dragon. Like he did the werewolves." The adventurers didn''t stop whispering even when Arad passed close to them, "Arad! Over here," Nina called with a smile. "Nina here is the paper from Merlin," Arad put the paper on the desk with a smile. Nina stared down and then looked at Arad''s face, "It was a dragon. Very well," she then approached Arad and whispered, "Good call, not bringing it here. That would haveplicated a lot of things," She smiled. "I guessed so," Arad sighed, "How much is the reward?" "Twenty gold coins. Ten from Merlin and ten from the city council." Nina said and then approached Arad again, "I suggest you pay everyone a drink, as a celebration. Adventurers are known to envy and cause trouble, but that should keep them in check," "You think so?" Arad said, looking at Nina, Jack, and Ae. Jack approached him, "She''s right. We paraded the city. What''s the harm in a few drinks?" Ae also seemed to approve, so Arad looked back at Nina. "How do you do that?" "I already had it prepared, and I made sure to keep the price down," Nina looked back, and Arad saw a few barrels lined up in the back room, "Total cost came to 99 silver and 99 copper coins." Arad stared at her, "One copper less than a gold coin?" Nina waved her hands, "Merchant stuff, they say it looks better," Ae touched Arad''s shoulder, "You better tell them something," She looked back. Arad looked at her with a wry smile and then stared at the adventurers, "Well," Arad didn''t know what to say, "Free drinks on me, to the dragon kill," He said. The adventurers shouted. They didn''t care how he said it. They got drinks. Nina stood, "Okay! Okay! Calm down. I will make sure everyone gets his share," Arad, Ae, and Jack were about to leave when some adventurers approached them, "Already leaving?" "Yeah," Arad replied, "We''re a bit exhausted and can''t wait to get a good night sleep," Hearing Arad''s answer, the adventurers smiled, "Can''t fault you for that." One of themughed, "I would sleep forever if I fought a dragon," Jack patted Arad''s shoulder, "See youter, chief. She''s waiting," He pointed at Lydia, staring at them from the corner. "Should we go as well?" Ae smiled. "Yeah," Arad and Ae walked back to their home. But they stopped by the nt shop on the way to get more seeds for the vases and pots. Arad also wanted to thank the old man for his advice. It helped him cast the gravity magic. CLING! CLING! "Old man Cain, it''s us," Arad said with a smile, but he saw that Cain had other customers. A Six eyed Tiefling with a pink-haired little girl on his shoulders and a tall red-skinned woman. "Wee. Did you need anything?" Cain smiled, waving his shaking hand to Arad. "Some seeds to nt in pots and vases for decoration," Ae walked from behind Arad and replied. "HA!" The little pink-haired girl shouted, ring at Arad with glowing eyes, "It''s an empty one," Arad stared back at her, but when their eyes met, he felt his scales itching. [That little girl is dangerous,] "Kali, behave and don''tment on people," The six-eyed man red at her, and the little girl looked down, "Sorry," Cainughed in the back, "Will flowers do?" "Ah, yes," Ae replied. Cain nodded and looked back, "Jemima, please bring me the sixth box," A few momentster, a woman who looked in her forties walked in. Her long brown hair was tied in a ponytail behind her, and her eyes had a sharp ck depth to them. She handed the box to Cain with a smile. Arad couldn''t help but notice that something was off about the woman. Using his void eyes revealed nothing. Everyone in the room seemed magicless, but for some reason, they terrified him. "Please take a look at those," Cain said, and Ae started inspecting the seeds. "How is your body?" The six-eyed demon asked. "Nothing changed," Cain smiled. "Don''t push yourself too much," The six-eyed demon replied. "Arad, those are all," Ae said. After paying, it only costs a few copper coins. Arad and Ae left the shop, heading to their home. ^Mom, those people didn''t seem to have any magic,^ [I don''t know, something was off,] When Arad and Ae reached the house, they found it still under construction. "Hehe," Ae giggled, "We should have expected this," She sighed. "They won''t finish building in such a short time," Arad looked around, "Let''s get back to an inn for tonight," He added. "Let''s inspect the ce before leaving," Ae said with a smile, "I want to see how they are progressing," The two looked around for a while, inspecting each small room and hole the builders dug. "They already tore down the old shack and are about to construct a new one," Arad looked at the house. "They seem to have avoided the garden, look!" Ae pointed at the footprints on the ground. They seemed to wrap to the back. The workers carried everything around the house premise to avoid the garden. Hustle! As Arad and Ae walked around, they heard noises in the bushes. Ae pulled her bow, but Arad smiled. Arge wolf emerged and approached Arad, wiggling his tail while panting. Arad patted the wolf with a smile, "Were you protecting the ce? Didn''t anyone attack?" [I don''t think so,] Ae patted the wolf, "Let''s get back to the inn," As Arad and Ae walked back across the forest, she stopped, pointing at the distance, "Look," Arad looked, and he saw a moose staring at them from behind the trees. It was the one he saved. "I guess he lives around here," "You know it?" "Yeah," Arad replied, and the moose ran to the forest. Arad and Ae returned to the inn and spent the night. In the morning Arad and Ae headed to the guild to get a quest to fill time, but then someone kicked the guild''s door open. "Where is the dragon yer?" A blond-haired young man shouted with open arms, "I order them to stand before thee!" No one replied, but the young man seemed to spot Arad quickly, "Here you are," He walked toward him. But he quickly shifted his gaze to Ae, "What a fairdy. My greetings," He bowed slightly. Chapter 113 A Quest From The Elephant Trunk "Who are you?" Arad said, standing between the strange young man and Ae. The man stared at him, smiling, "Abel Alina, the current prince of the city. Don''t you know me?" "Never heard of you before," Arad replied. Able froze in ce, his face almost cracking. "Is that so? Well, I guess I don''t get out a lot," He looked down, sighing. At that moment, Arad and Ae felt gazes on their backs. All the female adventurers stared at them with sharp eyes. "I oversee the elephant trunk brothel to the south. I heard the dragon ying party had a beautiful rare elf, so I came to see if she could work there." Able smiled, looking at Ae, "What do you say?" "No," Ae replied immediately, ring at Able as if she still couldn''tprehend what was going on in his head. "Come on, just give it a try for a week. I never had a woman who refused or regretted it." Able didn''t want to back down. "Didn''t you hear her?" Arad red at Able, "Get the hell out of here," he growled. Able turned toward Arad, "Who talked to you?" CLING! Out of nowhere, Able swung a sword at Arad''s face. GAW! Arad growled, opening his jaw and biting the sword in half. CRACK! Able froze, staring at his shattered de. ^Did he bite it?^ He couldn''t believe what he saw. [Arad, don''t let the werewolf blood out,] "Didn''t you hear me? I said she doesn''t want to work for you. Scram!" Arad growled. All the adventurers in the guild stared with both anxiety and fear. Did they see Arad bite a sword? What''s going on? Able never came here like this before. "Able! Stop fooling around, or you might get hurt," Nina called. Arad stared back at her, and Able smiled, "Do you really think this one could do it?" "That''s what I said," Nina smiled, "So why don''t you stop with the jokes, and let''s get to business? What is the problem?" Able sighed, "Fine. You might have noticed that I put some quests for volunteers before. The situation has escted," "You never reported a problem besides ack of workers," Nina stood, approaching them. "What''s going on?" Arad looked at Nina. "He''s the prince of the city and the owner of the elephant trunk brothel. Unlike his act earlier, he''s a rtively decent guy," Nina replied. "Someone has been killing our workers, poisoning them," Able growled, "Yesterday, we had the first death," "What? Poisoning?" Nina gasped. "Yeah, at first we thought they were just sick. Multiple people have been falling ill, and we had a loss." Able grabbed his head, "An alchemist said they are poisoned, and not with just any poison. It was the clear sky." "Clear sky? That means you have a cubus?" Nina said with a serious face. "Yeah, I''m good with the sword, but not tracking. I need someone to track and catch that thing," Able growled. "That would be hard. Cubus are known to be masters of mind control and seduction. And they are strong," Nina scratched her head. "I just need people capable of screaming. Just call me when it appears, and I will deal with it." Able growled, "This why I''m looking for a strong-willed woman, one that could inform me of the cubus arrival," "I will put a quest immediately," Nina said, turning around. Able sighed, looking at Arad and Ae, "I was really hoping you would take the job. A woman who fought a dragon could resist a cubus temptation enough to scream at least," Ae shook her head, "I still won''t take the job. You have to find someone else," Arad thought, "Cubus, are they magical creatures?" "They are the true form of what you call Incubus and Subus." Able replied, "They have more magic than they need," Arad nodded with a smile, "Can I take the job?" "EH?" the entire guild gasped. "You? Sorry, but we only serve men." Able sighed. "Not that," Arad shook his head, "I should be able to track it with magic. Just let me sit as a clerk or seller, whatever you name them," "You can see magic?" Able stared at Arad. "Something like that," Arad smiled, "I should be able to tell you when magic is activated or if someone is using it," "Are you sure?" Able red back at Arad. "Of course, just how you''re covering your two swords with magic right now," Arad said with a smile, and Ableughed. "So you can tell! That''s amazing. Is it an ability or a skill?" "I spent some time with Merlin. She taught me a few tricks on how magic work," Arad replied with a smile. "Merlin? The archmage?" Able gasped, "How did you manage to reach that woman? Did you sign on for one of her experiments?" "She''s the one who hired me to take down the dragon. I had to make the best of my time with her," "I see." Able nodded, "We''re closed this week after we lost someone. But we will open next week. Get yourself ready," "See you then," Arad waved to Able as he left. Ae stared at Arad with a worried face, "Are you sure?" She asked. "He''s the son of the lord. If all I need to do is look for someone then it will be an easy connection to make," Arad replied. His n is simple. Go there, use void eyes, find the cubus, inform Able, and then profit. "I see," Ae nodded, "Should we take a quest while we wait for next week?" Arad nodded with a smile, "Let''s have look at the board." "Shouldn''t we ask Nina about a rank-up?" Ae asked with a smile. "We need Jack to be present for that. To the guild it''s the whole party who yed the dragon," Arad replied, and a voice called them from the back. "The guardmander and the archmage Merlin put a request for you." Nina called, "Due to that, we prepared a rank-up exam for your party," She approached Arad and Ae with a smile. "Really? Which rank are we getting?" Arad asked. "You will rank up directly to C-rank if you finished the exam," Nina said with a smile. "Just C-rank? I expected at least B-rank." Arad sighed. "Both the guardmander and Merlin asked for at least B-rank, but the guild argued against it. You hunted a very young dragon as a party of three. A single B-rank adventurer should be able to take it alone." Arad looked down, "Fine, what is your exam?" Nina smiled, "In fact, it''s already hung there," she pointed at the quest board. **** [Goblin ying: Clear the goblin nest of Detrimus. Five coppers per head, and you can keep all goblins'' belonging.] [Giant Toad ying: Kill nine giant toads in two days. Twenty-five copper coins per kill. The guild owns the corpses and will send haulers.] [Raging Bull termination: The eastern farm needs a brave adventurer to castrate their gorgon bull. Four silver coins as thest adventurer got gouged. The farm owns the testicles, and they must be unharmed] [City wall debris clearing: The city council is looking for workers to clear the rubble after the destruction of the city''s east wall.] [Bar host: The silver moon bar needs a strong adventurer to be a bartender. Thest bartender agitated some gangs and got stabbed, so we need a strong and smart one. Twelve silver coins per day.] [Temporary exchange: The southern elephant trunk brothel needs an attractive woman for a week, and the house mistress will decide on the look. One gold coin per day to 20 gold coins per day, depending on the type of service.] [Mine investigation: Workers have been dying in the silver mine of Silverbell, and a cleric is needed to investigate. Pay five silver coins] [Magic punching bag: Merlin, the city''s grand wizard, requires a young male, preferably 20~25 years: To be a test subject for the new polymorph spell. PS: You might end up as a frog for several days, but I will keep you safe in my room. Pay two gold coins][Already taken] [Rise of the dead: Two skeletons have risen inside the city''s catb. Please get rid of them. Pay two silver coins] [Wolf invasion: The city''s ranger spotted suspicious activities among the wolves in the western forest. We need someone to investigate. Pay three silver coins.] [Ape shit: Apes seem to have started guarding the western forest. They are throwing stones, fruits, and even their waste at travelers. Someone, please stop them. Payment is undisclosed.] [A new dungeon appeared south of the city. It''s been confirmed to be a C-rank dungeon. It''s open for the brave souls,] **** "The guild wants you to clear the C-rank dungeon. All the loot there will be yours." Nina smiled, "That should be enough to get you some new equipment and put you on par with the other C-rank adventurers." Arad and Ae stared at the board, "What should we expect there?" Ae asked. Chapter 114 Raising The Wyrmwolf Skill Tree "We don''t know," Nina replied, "Since the dungeon is new, no one has explored it yet," She smiled. "How do you know it''s a C-rank." Arad sighed. How could they know without checking? Nina opened her hand, "We send a mage to inspect the gate. The more magic, the stronger the dungeon," Ae looked at Arad, "We need everything ready, from tents to rations and spare weapons. The dungeon could take us days to clear," "Ae is right," Nina smiled, "I remember spending a whole month inside an A-rank dungeon. Those things are long," Arad scratched his head, "Let''s go find Jack. He''s the one to talk to about preparation," he smiled. "We should visit Merlin first," Ae smiled at Arad. "Didn''t she say to visit her?" Arad nodded with a smile. ^I need to get the meat so I can raise my werewolf blood,^ "I will get everything else ready." Nina smiled, "I will also investigate the elephant trunk beforehand." She sighed, "How should I deal with this? He''s the sun of the lord," "What do you mean?" Arad looked at her. "I find it strange that they didn''t discover the poison earlier. But I can''t just beat it out of the lord''s sun guts, can I?" Nina replied. "You want to know if it was negligence or something else?" Ae stared at her. "I didn''t even like that shiny weirdo," Arad sighed. "That might be true. But Abel is strong as well." Nina looked at Arad, "That man fights with two swords and lightning magic. His shes can explode upon contact, and he''s fast as hell," "Are you saying what Arad broke isn''t his sword?" Ae stared at her. "Abel''s weapon is a dual sword linked together with a chain. The right sword is made for thrusts and has the sentence [He who thrusts] engraved on it with gold. The left one is made to block iing attacks and has the sentence [She who takes] engraved on it with gold." Nina exined Able''s weapon. "Why does he like gold so much?" Arad sighed. "Is writing on the de with it so important?" "Abel said that gold transfers lighting well. He also said that engraving a sentence would be better than just drawing stupid lines," Nina replied. "Just hearing about him makes my head hurt," Arad sighed, "I will go," Arad and Ae went out and headed toward Merlin''s tower. "Wee back!" The tower guard saluted Arad and Ae the moment he saw them approaching, "How can I help?" "We want to meet Merlin for an appointment. Is she inside?" Arad asked. The guard nodded, "She sure is. Go right in," He saluted them again and opened the door. After just a few moments, they reached Merlin''sb. Knock! Knock! "Merlin, this is me, Arad," Arad knocked on the door and called. "Come right in. I was waiting for you," Merlin replied. Arad pushed the door open, feeling a wave of intense heat wash over him. Merlin stood in her strange-shaped, almost-like underwear, fiddling with the dragon''s heart inside a tube. CLACK! Arad immediately closed the door, "Why are you naked?" He asked. Ae stared at him, "She was naked?" "Yeah, in her underwear," Arad sighed. "Don''t mind me ande in. The dragon''s heart releases so much heat I can''t wear clothes. I only put my underwear on because I expected you toe," Merlin replied. Ae pushed the door open and looked inside, "Those aren''t underwear to wear for cover," She red at her with a suspicious face. That-like design made them almost transparent. "These are the best for heat. They allow the air to circte," Merlin replied, looking back with a sad face. Ae looked back at Arad. The two sighed, "Let''s get it done quickly," Ae said. "Yeah, we just need to take the meat," Arad replied. Arad and Ae walked inside. They immediately understood why Merlin took her clothes off. The heat was suffocating. They didn''t even want to sit on the couch or chairs. Merlin turned toward them and smiled, "You came for the meat." She smiled, "The butcher had just sent it in," "I know, nice stuff." Arad red at her, "Just give me the meat. This ce is hot!" Arad waved his hand. ^I can resist mes, but not heat,^ Merlin shoved her hands between her chest, pulling a massive chunk of meat and jiggling those milk bags. Ae pulled her bow and aimed at Merlin, "Are you doing it on purpose?" Merlin shook her head. Her chest jiggles again. "Not at all. He isn''t even looking anyway," Arad had his eyes closed. Ae sighed. Merlin''s actions irritated her, but she couldn''t help it now. After minutes of pulling meat out of her chest, Merlin filled a quarter of the room. Arad opened his eyes and approached the pile of meat, sucking everything into his stomach. ^Let''s eat everything right away.^ It only took a single thought for all that meat to get eaten. ************ [Wyrmwolf skill tree: 6 Skill points ]¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á `n?¦Í?| §ãom Tier one skills: [Bestial aspect][Unlocked] [Wild instincts][Unlocked] [Moon rage][Locked(Cost one skill points to unlock)] [Call of the night] Summon up to three wolves if they can hear the howel for each skill point invested in the skill. [Locked(Cost one skill point to unlock)(0 skill points invested)] [Eyes of the wolf] ring into a person''s eyes, you can instill fear and terror, projecting your inner predator and showing them they are the prey.[Locked(Cost one skill point to unlock)] Tier two skills: [Jaw of the Beast] Upon making a bite attack, temporarily morph the jaw into that of a wolf and increase the bite damage. Eating the flesh bitten contributes to the skill tree growth if it was draconic. Otherwise, it only heals. [Locked(Cost two skill points to unlock)] [Wyrmwolf''s uncanny physique] This skill allow you to control your body movements in an unhumanoid way. Using your ws and powerful muscles, you can swing between trees with one hand, bnce on ropes, run on walls, or on your hands. [Locked(Cost two skill points to unlock)] [Blood Born] The more you kill and bathe in blood. The deeper your rage will go, making you faster and stronger but in exchange for sanity. This ability only works in the three days of the full moon. [Locked(Cost two skill points to unlock)] ************ ^Huh? I got six skill points instead of five.^ Arad looked at his skill points with a surprised face. [The dragon must have lost some blood when he got wounded by Jack''s traps. I won''t tell you to make sure the dragons you fight never bleed but try to not waste the blood.] Mom replied. ^Are you for real? I guess it makes sense.^ Arad sighed, choosing all the skills he thought were interesting. In fact, with Six skill points, he can take everything except the skill he didn''t like. **** [Wyrmwolf skill tree: 0 Skill points ] Tier one skills: [Bestial aspect][Unlocked] [Wild instincts][Unlocked] [Moon rage][Locked(Cost one skill points to unlock)] [Call of the night] [Unlocked(1 skill points invested/ Max wolves summoned 3)] [Eyes of the wolf] [Unlocked] Tier two skills: [Jaw of the Beast] [Unlocked] [Wyrmwolf''s uncanny physique] [Unlocked] [Blood Born] [Locked(Cost two skill points to unlock)] **** "The magic in your body shifted drastically. What did you do?" Merlin asked, approaching Arad and staring at his body. "I ate that meat. Increased my werewolf powers," Arad replied. [Wyrmwolf] Mom corrected him. "What? Just like that?" Merlin gasped, "You can just shove all that meat into your stomach? No digestion or anything?" [Your stomach is divided into two pockets, the storage stomach, and the digestion stomach. The digestion stomach is an empty void. The moment the meat gets in there it''s torn apart and absorbed.] "I have a healthy stomach. And it''s not like I know how I work from the inside." Arad looked at Merlin, "You''re a human. Can you tell me how you work?" Merlin shook her head, "I was just asking," She sighed, "What do you intend to doter? Do you have time to stay and study magic?" Arad shook his head, "The guild got us a rank-up exam. I have to go," Arad replied and then stared at Merlin with a smile, [Gravity Magic] Merlin''s body levitated, racing toward the ceiling. "Heh!" Merlin gasped, twisting her body andnding on her feet, on the ceiling. She looked at Arad with a smile, "You managed to cast it?" Arad smiled, swinging his palm down, "To the ground!" [Gravity magic] Merlin fell back, but shended on her feet and pulled a wand from her chest, pointing at Arad. [Levitate] A purple st rushed from the wand tip and hit Arad, lifting him up. [Spin] With a second hit, Arad''s body spun rapidly. [Fall] Before he could stop, Merlin used a third spell to smack him on the ground. BAM! Arad pointed his palm at Merlin [Gravity Magic]. He tried to pull her toward him, but she did the same [Pull]. The two of them got pulled together into the middle of the room. Arad swung his fist at Merlin''s face, but she used the ground as leverage, leaping up and catching his head between her thighs. CRACK! She smacked his face on the ground. Arady motionless on the ground, and Ae just stared with an open mouth. Merlin pulled two books from her chest and put them on Arad''s body. "A martial art manual, and fire magic spell book. Study what youck," She said with a smile. Chapter 115 Preparation For The Dungeon Arad opened his eyes with Ae sitting beside him, "Did Merlin knock me out?" "She sure did," Ae replied with a smile, "You can''tpete against an archmage in magic," She added with a smile. Arad sat and looked beside him at the two books Merlin gave to him, "And those are?" "Give them a read," Ae replied. Arad looked through the books, "Martial arts and fire magic?" Merlin stared at him, "You''re right. Try to learn them while working on mastering Gravity magic." She smiled, "Since you''re advancing so quickly. You won''t have a problem with a bit of extra work." Arad stood and put the books in his stomach, "We will be going them. I wille backter after we finish the rank-up exam," Merlin stared at Arad, blinking twice, "What did you get exactly?" "I don''t know. We have to clear a new C-rank dungeon." Arad replied. Merlin scratched her chin, "You might want to take a healer with you. You can never know with unmapped dungeons," She said with a smile. "We will take enough healing potions," Arad replied. Ae looked at Merlin with a smile. "Taking a healer will be a huge hit to our fighting power," Merlin nodded, "I guess you can''t handicap Arad for healing. He is your main damage dealer," Taking a healer means that Arad can''t transform or use multiple elements, his vampiric or wyrmwolf powers. "Exactly." Arad replied, "We will retreat if anything happens." "By the way," Merlin looked at them, "Take the scales and bones. You might need them for weapons or armor. Remember, it''s illegal to sell to private establishments like shops, so be careful," She pointed at the bags in the corner. "To whom can I sell?" Arad asked. "You can sell to me, the archmage. The city''s council, the adventurers guild, or the merchant guild. You also give them to a cksmith on the condition that he only makes armor or weapon for you with them," Merlin exined. "That strict," Arad sighed, Ae looked at Merlin, "Is it because of intion?" "As expected of an elf. You are right," Merlin smiled, "The prices of the ck market are breaking everything. The city is trying to mitigate that by controlling the trafficking of goods." Arad looked at her, "From how you sound, it isn''t working," "Yeah, their n is backfiring." Merlin sighed, "I hope they listen to their archmage once," "You tried to speak to them?" Ae looked at her. "Yeah," Merlin sighed, "The city lord said that I''m a mage and know nothing of trade or how to rule a city. His head is harder than a stone," "It''s like that everywhere," Ae sighed, "You need strength to make people listen to you," Merlin looked at her, "You need absolute might. I even tried to reach his son. But the lord won''t even listen to his own son," "Son? Abel?" Arad looked at Merlin. "You know him?" "I just met him this morning," Arad replied, "He had a cubus in his brothel and wanted someone to catch it for him," Merlin looked surprised, "Why would Abel worry about a cubus?" "What do you mean?" Arad stared at her, confused. Merlin scratched her head, "I might have to look into that. I can''t say much now until I make sure I understand the situation," Ae looked at her, "Is something wrong?" "I''m not sure," Merlin looked at her books, "I might need to discuss this with Grandpa," "Is your grandfather a wizard?" Arad stared at her. "I learned most of my magic from him," Merlin smiled, "I will take you to meet him when we have time," Arad nodded, "I can''t wait," He smiled, "But for now, we have to go," "I know, be careful in the dungeon," ***** Arad and Ae left the archmage tower and headed to the inn to look for Jack. The bartender told them that he would be back soon. The two waited about an hour for Jack to show up. He came with a massive bag on his back. "Chief! Can you put this in your stomach?" Jack said with a smile, putting the bag on the ground with a thud. "What do you have in there?" Arad asked. "Trap material, rations, and holy water blessed by Lydia. Generally, anything we might need." Jack replied with a smile, opening the bag for Arad and Ae to see. With a single flick of his finger, Arad absorbed the bag into his stomach and looked at Jack, "We have to clear a C-rank dungeon," "I know, the guild informed me," Jack replied, "We should use the crawl method," "Crawl method?" Arad and Ae stared at Jack, confused. "That means we take the dungeon slowly, clear the firstyer and set a supply chain with the outside world. Then proceed to the secondter, and so on." Jack exined, "The only problem is that we have to clear it in a week, or the monsters will start reappearing." "How do monsters appear in dungeons?" Arad asked. Jack shook his head, "I don''t know. I''m not an expert on dungeons. I know what other adventurers saw as an effective method. But I don''t know anything about the inner working of dungeons." Arad nodded, "Then let''s go with that n." Jack seemed to remember something, "Mira wanted to see you. I will go to the dungeon first to set camp. You go check on her." Arad and Ae looked at each other. Was it about the building? Ae looked at Jack, "Did she say why?" Jack shook his head, "No, she only told me to say she wanted to see you." "We will see you at the dungeon then," Arad said with a smile as he and Ae left. Jack took a few steps. And then stopped, "Didn''t I just give him all the trap and camping equipment? "Chief!" He screamed, rushing behind Arad and Ae to retrieve the items. *** Arad and Ae reached L''s shop, "Mira has been waiting for you two to show up," L said with a smile, pointing upstairs. Arad looked at the stairs. And then back at L, "How you''ve been doingtely?" "Still alive and kicking," L smiled, "The life of a merchant isn''t as dangerous as yours, so I should ask how you are doing. I heard you fought a dragon?" Arad giggled, "As you can see. I still have all of my limbs," Arad waved his arms, spinning them, "I won''t say the fight was easy." Ae giggled, "Why did Mira call us?" L smiled, "She wanted to talk about the building progress, and I urged her to call you as well," "Why?" Arad stared at her. "Do you still have some of that dragon''s scales? I need a couple of them for the cksmith," L said, looking at Arad with a smile. "Is that even legal?" Arad sighed, remembering what she saidst time. "Probably not," L shook her head. "Then I can''t hand you anything," Arad smiled, walking past her. POP! Ten red scales popped beneath her desk. "What a shame," L looked down, seeing the scales, "What a wasted opportunity," She smiled. Arad and Ae went upstairs to meet Mira. Ae opened the door and walked into the living room. Mira wasn''t there. "Where could she be?" Arad asked. "In her room, probably," Ae said, walking toward Mira''s room and knocking on her door, "Mira, are you inside," "I''m not inside," Mira replied, "You can enter," She added. Ae pushed the door open with a smile, "Was that a joke?" Mira stared at her, half-naked, "Probably," She sighed. Ae quickly stared behind her. Arad had understood Mira''s joke and remained in the living room, "Sorry," Ae apologized and closed the door. She went back to Arad, "How did you understand her?" She asked. Arad looked away, "Just a hunch." He was lying. It was Mom who warned him. Ae stared at him for a while, "Fine," she sat beside him, waiting for Mira toe out. "Sorry for the wait. I just returned from the shop and had to change," Mira walked out of her room, stretching her arms. She then sat beside Arad and Ae, staring at them and smiling. "Your house should be ready in a week. Bob is doing a great job with his team," Mira said, giving Arad a sheet of paper. Arad took the paper and gave it a read, "The total cost is fifteen gold coins?" He looked at her. "That includes my furnishing as well," Mira stared at them, "And Bob had to rebuild the whole house from the ground up. It was falling apart," She said. "I expected that," Arad put the paper on the table and looked at her, "But from your face, something else is bothering you." Mira looked at Arad, "Bandits attacked us twice when you were away," She said, "The first time was when we were transporting building materials," "How did it go?" Arad stared at her. "The moment the bandits pulled their weapons, a moose rushed from bushes and stomped them to death." Chapter 116 The Dungeon’s First Layer "A moose, you say?" Arad stared at Mira, smiling. "I might know that one." "You saw it before?" Mira looked at Arad, tilting her head. "Yeah, it might be the one I found stuck in the forest, had its head jammed in a split tree," Arad told her about when he found a moose. "You freed it? Most people will take it as an easy kill," Mira smiled, "The antlers and meat are worth money, you know?" Arad scratched his head, "I wasn''t out to hunt that day," He looked away, "So, about the building, can I expect it done by the end of the week?" Mira stared at him, "Unless someplications happen, that would be the case. Say it''s two weeks max, and one at best, so you won''t get disappointed." "What kind ofplication could happen?" Arad asked. "Not enough nks or nails. I did tell you about the bandit attack. That''s aplication. The construction might have halted if not for that moose." Arad stood, and Ae did the same, "We should go then," "Wait, I have something for you," Mira said and rushed to the back, scrambling in the closet until she pulled a hand crossbow. "This is for you, just aim and shoot." She handed Arad the crossbow with a pouch full of bolts. "Is this for me?" Arad looked at her. "To whom do you think it is? It''s in case you run out of MP. Don''t push yourself too hard," She patted Arad''s shoulder and looked at Ae, "Stay safe, both of you," *** Arad and Ae exited L''s shop and headed toward the dungeon. They found Jack waiting for them there with a bored face, "What took you so long? Almost got in without you," "Nothing important. Did you get any information about this ce?" Arad asked. "I don''t see anyone around," Ae looked at Jack. "I checked the firstyer. It''s full of goblins," Jack replied, looking at the dungeon entrance. "They are still scared of the light, but I bet they will swarm out at night," "You mean we should clear it before night," Arad approached the entrance. "If we want to sleep, yes," Jack replied, "You have a n?" "We go in there and clear the firstyer. That''s the n," Arad replied. Ae sighed, "So you have nothing," She looked at the entrance, "I say we smoke them out," She suggested. Jack smiled, "That might be fun," "What are you two talking about?" Arad looked at them. Ae quickly exined her n, "We set the nest aze to force the goblins out. Jack will set traps at the entrance where we will kill the goblins," "That means I will set the nest aze," Arad said, looking at Ae, "You find a safe spot to take the goblins down with your bow. Jack will strike when needed," The three sprung into action. Ae found a tree with a good view of the dungeon entrance and hid there, awaiting Arad to smoke the goblins out so she could snipe them. Jack opened his pouch andid a simple trap in front of the dungeon entrance, "The simple ones are always the best," He said, tieing a rope between two stones. "The little buggers will rush out, trip, and be an easy target for Ae. Don''t you dare trip on it," He looked at Arad. "I know," Arad replied, standing before the entrance, "Let''s do this. We better finish before nightfall." He cracked his neck and crouched, [Silent Step] using his vampire skill to walk silently. He slowly prowls in the dark, quickly reaching where the goblins are. ^Look at them, just gawking around,^ [Goblins aren''t that intelligent. Most of them spend their time staying like that, their minds wandering.] ^Now that I''m looking closely at them, those things look like children with green skin full of warts, long ears, and bloodshot eyes.^ [They are monsters. Those things eat people alive.] ^I know. Let''s get this over with,^ Arad opened his mouth, unleashing a st of mes at the goblins, setting the whole ce aze. "Damn it. This ce stinks," The moment theyer started burning, the smoke carried a horrid stench with it. Arad rushed out, jumping from the entrance and avoiding Jack''s trap, "They areing! hard!" As Arad shouted, about ten goblins leaped behind him with crazed faces. PEW! PEW! PEW! Ae fired three arrows, dropping three goblins as soon as she saw Arad. Jack ran in with a smile, pulling a short sword, "You fell for it," The goblins who focused on him and Arad tripped on the trap, and Jack dropped the shortsword and pulled a small bottle from his pocket. "Take this!" He threw it at them, and the bottle exploded, setting the goblins aze. "What''s that?" Arad asked. "Oil that I got from a merchant, the bottle I found in the trash. Apparently, it was used as a potion of some sort," Jack replied. He used an empty potion bottle, filled it with burning oil, and created a weapon. "Don''t waste it. We might need thatter!" Arad said, looking at the dungeon entrance as more goblins rushed out. "I was just testing it, don''t worry. I have more." Jack smiled, lifting his sword. Arad looked at the goblins, "I have something to test." He smiled, "You''re small, aren''t you?" Arad opened his palm, [Gravity magic]. He set the gravity to pull toward his hand, snatching one of the goblins from away. The goblin growled, but Arad quickly silenced him with a w strike using [Bestial aspect] [Gravity magic] He then set the gravity point on another goblin, sending the corpse flying at high speed and knocking the remaining goblins. PEW! PEW! PEW! Ae killed three of them, and Arad opened his palm, [me thrower] Unleashing a stream of mes to burn them all. "Are those all of them?" Arad smiled. "No," Jack shouted, "Something big ising out!" THUD! THUD! THUD! A massive goblin emerged from the entrance. It stood almost as tall as Arad, with arger build and glowing green eyes. "GRWAAA!" The monster growled, fixing his gaze on Arad. "What is this thing? Aren''t goblins small?" Arad asked. "It''s a hobgoblin, the big ones," Jack replied, "Don''t let his size fool you. That thing is fast," Arad opened his palm and extended his ws, "Let''s see who''s faster than," He got ready to fight. PEW! PEW! PEW! Three arrows came rushing in, hitting the hob''s neck and chest. THUD! The monster fell motionless. Arad stared at it disappointed, "Is it dead?" He looked back at Ae, "You killed it?" "Did you want it alive?" Ae replied. Arad shook his head, "No, I just expected more of this hob." He sighed. CRACK! But at that moment, the hob stood again, swinging his arm at Arad''s head. Arad''s [Wild instincts] activated, informing him of the attack and forcing him to react, bending down to avoid the hit. The way Arad''s neck iled as he dodged was strange enough to scare Ae. She thought he might break something. "Damn, you''re ugly!" He turned to the side and ducked beneath the hob''s arm, swinging his palm at its side. [Firefist] KA-DON! The hob''s body burst into mes, but Arad wasn''t about to stop. He jumped back to regain his distance. "What was the form again?" He smiled, [Levitate]. He tried casting the magic as he learned from Merlin, not relying on his simple understanding of flipping gravity. The hob''s body levitated for a moment. [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt]. He burned the hob with magic mid-air and then swung his palm down, [Fall] smacking the monster on the ground, cracking its bones. "Is it dead?" Arad said, looking at the hob from afar, "I will make sure," Ae shouted. PEW! PEW! PEW! She fired three arrows at the hobs head, killing him if he survived. Jack approached Arad, "I guess this is the firstyer. We should get inside and inspect the ce." Arad nodded, "Yeah, how manyyers do you think this dungeon has?" Jack shook his head, "I can''t say. It might have two or twenty. Nobody knows. But I say the average is tenyers with C-rank dungeons." Ae jumped from the tree and approached them, "We cleared the firstyer. But from now on, we have to fight inside the dungeon." She said. "That might prevent you from finding a decent spot to shoot from," Jack said, looking at Ae with a smile. "Don''t worry. I can shoot while running or fighting at close range." Ae pulled her bowstring, aiming an arrow at Jack, "See, it doesn''t matter where I stand." Jack lifted his hands and moved back, "Careful with that. I don''t want an arrow in my skull," Arad looked a them, smiling. "Let''s build a camp first. We need a ce to rest and get things done." "Shouldn''t we build it in the firstyer?" Ae asked. Arad looked at the entrance and shook his head, "Nah, that ce stinks," Chapter 117 The Second Layer: Axols Arad, Jack, and Ae built a camp outside the dungeon before going inside. "Agh! The stench!" Ae closed her nose, ring at the dirty walls of the dungeon. "It smells like a rotting dumpster," Jack coughed, closing his nose and mouth, "I see why you said we can''t camp here," Arad walked in the front, "Let''s hope the secondyer is better," He said with a smile, staring down at a crack in the ground, only a fifth of a meter wide. The three stared at the crack. There was no other way to go deeper. "No way that we have to go through here," Arad looked at Ae. She won''t fit with her chest. Jack approached the crack and inspected it, "This is the way to the secondyer. This dungeon is more like a cave, so this should be expected," He exined. Arad crouched beside him, looking at the crack, "I will make it wider. You two search around for anything we might have missed in thisyer," Jack and Ae looked at each other, "Be careful." Ae said, "Yeah. We don''t want you getting stuck." "I can teleport," Arad replied. Even if he got trapped, Arad could teleport out as long as he was within thirty meters of open air. Forget all of that. He can suck the dirt and boulders into his stomach. He would eat the cave before the cave could eat him. Arad transformed into his draconic form and started wing at the stones, slowly expanding the crack. He can''t rush it, or the cave might copse. "There isn''t much around here," Jack approached Arad after he and Ae finished searching the ce, "We only found bones and wastes," Arad shifted back into his humanoid form and looked at Jack, "How is anyone supposed to clear this dungeon?" He asked, "I can''t see someone like Nigel fitting through this hole," Jack looked at Arad with a smile, "This is what we call dungeon challenges," He started exining. "Challenges?" "Yes, some dungeons are submerged in water, some are filled with toxic gases, and some, like this one, are hard to navigate." Jack looked at Arad, "You won''t find borate traps in here," He approached one of the walls, gently touching it, "But watch this." Just applying some pressure to the wall caused it to crack, and a medium-sized boulder fell from the ceiling. Jack dodged it easily and smiled, "Natural traps. This ce is a hazard. That''s why we call them environmental hazards." "Dungeons are nasty," Arad sighed, "What kind of hazards can we expect?" "Loose ground, ceiling, quicksand, monsters, toxic gases, tunnels that keep copsing and changing." Jack listed a few, "But, this wasn''t always the case," "What do you mean?" Arad stared at him. Ae approached them from the back, "I heard that in the past, dungeons from A-rank and lowers were as borate as current S-rank." "You can expect natural building and such from them," Jack said with a smile. "Wait, we were in a C-rank dungeon before, and it had stone walls," Arad remembered the dungeon they got stuck in before. "That wall was man-made," Jack replied, "Adventurers build them to make exploring easier. That dungeon was discovered decades ago and left for adventurers to test their metal," "So you are saying that someone in the past fixed it?" Arad looked at Jack. "Yeah," Jack replied, "Dungeons are managed by the goddess Aria. She rules over the world system. She allows people to tamper with dungeons that have been cleared if she sees fit," Ae stared at Jack, "Aria isn''t a god. She an angel serving an evil god," She said. "Elvish beliefs? Aria is a goddess. She is the one allowing us to grow stronger by setting trials," Jack replied with a calm face. "I expect no less from a rogue. How could you see that giving people deadly trials is a good thing?" Ae said, staring at Jack. "Listen, I''m not going to debate this now." Jack sighed, "Dungeons bring money, and I like money. That means I like the one making dungeon, aka Goddess Aria." [People are debating what Aria, the being controlling the world''s system is,] Mom said, ^Do you know the truth?^ [No one knows. But I don''t mind her as she is allowing us to hide our status.] Mom exined. Aria could prevent Arad from hiding his status, but she doesn''t interfere with anyone. ^I might need to offer her a prayer then,^ Arad thought, [I don''t suggest that. It''s always wise to leave a god alone if he isn''t minding you,] Arad nodded, "The hole seemsrge enough. Should we keep going?" The three looked at each other, "I will go first," Arad stepped forward and squeezed through the hole, falling down to the secondyer. ^The air is musty, but it''s better than the firstyer.^ Arad looked around, "I can hear water dripping in the distance, but I can''t sense any monsters close by," He called to Jack and Ae. They jumped after him, "Smells better," Jack said. "Should we set a temporary camp here?" Ae asked. "Nothing fancy, we will return to spend the night outside," Arad said, and Jack nodded, "The secondyer shouldn''t be that hard to clear. Ae quickly marked the hole they dropped from and set a small torch so they can find it from afar. But the moment the light hit the walls, Jack smacked it from Ae''s hand and stomped it. Ae looked into the distance trying to guess what caused Jack''s actions, and she soon saw it. A swarm of pale-skinned, frill-headed lizards the size of dogs red toward them. "Axols. Life was in the dark, so they attacked any light sources. No wonder the air is humid around here," Ae whispered to Arad. "Are they strong?" Arad asked, looking at the dog-sized monsters. "No," Jack was the one to reply, "They can''t even kill a newborn with their soft bite." He said. Growling, "But their saliva is filled with shroom blind. A fungus that attacks the eyes of living beings and blinds them." "Magic can heal it. But in most cases you have to say goodbye to your eyes if they swarmed you," Ae said, stepping back, "We must kill them without getting close. Poison is our safest option," "Should we retreat?" Arad asked, looking at Jack and Ae, "That''s the sensible option. I don''t have the right position to deal with them," Jack said. [You can take them on,] Mom said, [Dragons have several nictitating membranes protecting their eyes, and you can cover yourself with the void, destroying any spores close to you.] ^Are you sure?^ [Those creatures are to dragons what onion is to humans, the best they can do is irritate the eyes,] Mom replied. "I should be able to take them on," Arad said. Jack and Ae stared at Arad, "No, you can''t. What if you got blind?" Ae said. "Do you know how much it will cost to get a healer to fix your eyes?" Jack stared at him. Arad looked at them with a smile, "I''m a dragon. My eyes should be sturdier than most people," Silently, he transformed into his draconic form. [Another misconception about those creatures, is they are dangerous,] Mom said, ^How is that? Their bite is weak, right?^ [Most people can''t see them fight since they kill them with poison. But those things can use lightning magic. And they can regenerate faster than most creatures.] ^How do you know that?^ [Your mother used an Axol queen as an infinite source of food when she was young. Feeding the beast Mana so it can heal and then eating its flesh,] ^How do I fight them?^ [Just hack and sh. They will die quickly. Lightning magic might hurt you a bit,] Arad rushed toward the monsters, igniting a small me on the tip of his tail to draw their attention. The moment they swarmed at him, he started munching on them. ^They aren''t as soft as slimes,^ [They flesh bodies,] Mom sighed. Jack and Ae watched Arad tear through the monsters with ease, "It''s amazing to have a dragon around," Jack said with a smile. "Dragons are considered S-rank monsters. We should expect Arad to be ahead of other monsters, at least in the firstyers." Ae smiled. "S-rank in potentionell. That means they can get absurdly strong, but I don''t know about Arad," Jack looked at Arad fighting. "You''re worried about him being a magic dragon?" Ae sighed, "All dragons are equally strong," "That isn''t it," Jack looked at her, "Legend has it that the chromatic dragon goddess Tiamat mated with an eldritch god. The magic dragons were the spawn of that rtionship. No one knows much about them." Jack shook his head, "I am afraid his body will react weirdly to positions or the likes. Remember what he suffered from vampirism and Lycanthropy?" Ae smiled, "Well, listen to yourself. People say that the eldritch god is the same one behind Aria. Acknowledging him means you were wrong about Aria being a god," "They aren''t the same. Stop spreading that nonsense," Jack looked at Arad, "We might need to look for information about the magic dragons. I bet the mages of the capital would do the impossible to get Arad and learn about the ancient primordials." Ae''s face shifted. She became serious for a moment, "I heard some cults tried to summon Cuthulhu and Yog-sothoth. Some even reached so low as to try and summon the demon lord Daimon." Chapter 118 A Suspicious Mage CRUNCH! Arad finally finished tearing all the Axols down. Those tiny monsters weren''t his equal. "Arad, are they all down?" Ae approached him, keeping her eyes closed in case an Axol remained alive. Arad shifted to his humanoid form and looked at her, "They are all dead. Let''s set a camp," "At this rate, we will end up clearing multipleyers daily." Jack sighed and started setting the tent. "How long does it take for a dungeon to refill?" Arad asked. "A week. Didn''t we talk about that before?" Ae replied, looking at him. "To be more precise, it depends on the dungeon rank. C-rank take a week." Jack exined in more detail and waved his hand, "Come help me," The three of them slowly built a basic camp inside the secondyer and then turned to search the ce. This is the secondyer. They should find something of value here. "Arad, did you keep the Axols'' bodies?" Ae asked. "Yes," Arad replied, "They are in my stomach," "Good," Jack smiled, "I bet some alchemists would pay a good penny for them. For making antidots and such," Thud! Arad walked forward with Jack and Ae behind him. He looked at the jagged walls and the damp ground, searching for the way to the thirdyer. Arad could hear the echos of each step booming across the empty cave. *** In the adventurers guild. Nina was doing her job like any day, and a strange man walked through the door. "Is the adventurer named Arad here?" He asked. The whole guild fell silent, staring at the man. It was clear from his clothes that he was a mage. Wearing a ck robe and a funny hat, the smile on his face never faded as he inspected the ce. "I don''t see him anywhere," The man giggled. "Come here for a moment," Nina waved her hand, calling the man to her desk. "Hoo!" The man gasped with a smile, "Did you happen to know where I can find him?" He approached her desk, almost jumping in his steps. "Why are you looking for him?" Nina asked. "I have a quest for him," The man smiled, "I have a problem with a small dragon to the east, and I want it dead. Can I put a quest?" Nina red at him, "Which dragon? What is the exact location, and what do you know of its nature?" "A very young ck dragon that has been terrorizing the native viges across the ck bogs." The man exined. Nina pulled a book from her desk and inspected the known dragon location, and the man''s story seemed legit. There was a ck dragon couple just a few days away from the ck bogs. A child of their escaping there wasn''t strange. "I see. I will put the quest up," Nina replied with a smile. "Did you happen to know where Arad is? I want to speak with him about the quest," The man asked. "He''s on a quest. I can''t give you details as that is against the guild rules." Nina replied. The man sighed, "Guess I have to wait," He looked down, "I heard the legendary Alcott lives here. Do you know where I can find him? I want him to sign my spellbook if possible," "Alcott is out on a quest as well," Nina replied, and the man sighed, "So he''s out of the city," With a sad face, the man walked out of the guild to find an inn to stay in. Nina looked around for a moment and then sighed, "Abel,e here. I have some news about your quest," Abel who was in the guild, drinking heard her and stood, "Come on, don''t tell me you have to give priority to that man," He approached her with a sad face. "Follow me to the private room," Nina said. Abel''s eyes sparkled, "For real!" He shouted, "HORAY!" "Be quiet," Nina red at him, and they headed to the private room. Inside Abel red at Nina with a smile, "What should do? Take my clothes?" "Stop ying dumb," Nina sighed, "You know why I called you here." Abel''s face changed, "You''re not fun at all," He looked at the door, "That man was suspicious, I agree," Nina nodded, "But his story seemed legit. I would have punched his face in the past. Something about him is tickling my nerves." Nina red at Abel, "I want someone to follow him, learn what he is up to," Abel scratched his head, "You know I can''t search to save my life," "You''re the lord''s son. Can''t you do anything to learn what he wants?" Nina stared at Abel. Abel smiled, "I can get the guards to arrest him on false notice. Or try to bait him with one of my girls. But if he''s serious, I doubt any of them will work," "Mages, with spells. They are tricky to deal with." Nina looked at the table. "How about you ask Merlin? Isn''t she a mage as well?" Abel suggested. "She is busy, and I can''t waste her time with suspicion," Nina replied. "Alcott is on a quest. I assume Ginger is with him?" Abel asked. "Yeah, those two moves together. Even Amber is out," Nina sighed. "It might be a good idea to notice Merlin that another mage is looking for Arad. Just tell her and see how she would respond," Abel responded. Knock! Knock! "Nina, the adventurer named Gojo is asking for you," "I''ming," Nina stood, "Try and find a way to get the information for me," "What do I get for it?" Abel stared at Nina. "You would have Arad do your quest in time. As a dragon is more urgent," Nina red at him, and Abel sighed, "So either I take that mage out, or I would have to wait," Nina opened the door and looked at her desk. Gojo stared at her with his glowing blue eyes, his party behind him. "What is it?" Nina approached her desk with a smile. Gojo rested his elbows on the desk and red back with a smile, "That mage earlier, wasn''t he a bit weird?" He said. "What do you mean?" Nina stared at him. Gojo smiled, "With how much magic he has, won''t killing a young dragon be easy for him?" He turned his head, his white hair trailing with the wind, "He did have the time to waste and travel all the way here, so why didn''t he just y the dragon?" "You can tell how much magic he has?" Nina red at Gojo. Vars, the elf behind Gojo walked forward, "As much as I hate to admit it, Gojo here is talented in sensing people''s magic," "He''s right!" Gug added, half-shouting with her arms crossed. "My brother Jack is with Arad," The trifling with Gojo walked forward, "I do feel that man was suspicious as well, and I can''t let this slide," Gojo smiled, looking at Nina. "She''s right. I can''t let a brother alone." "Jack is my brother," "It doesn''t matter," Gojo replied. Nina smiled and pulled out a paper. "I will write a letter to Merlin, deliver it to her," "I see," Gojo smiled. "But Gojo, what about our mission?" Vars growled. "We need some time so everything can fall in ce," Gojo replied, "Don''t rush it," Vars sighed, "I guess you''re right," "Here is the letter, take it and head to Merlin''s tower," Nina handed them the letter, and the party headed out. "Ho," Abel smiled in the back, "It wasn''t just us who get weirded out by that man. This only makes us more certain he is up to no good," "Yeah," Nina replied, "I will inform the guild to keep an eye on him as well," "You can''t let someone with Arad''s skills go to waste," Abel smiled, "But in my eye, that Gojo kid looks just as skilled," "Do you think so?" Nina looked at Gojo leaving the guild, "He only took small jobs and barely finished them. They always seemed to have something else to do besides doing guild quests," "Is that so?" Abel smiled, "How interesting," "When will you move?" Nina red at Abel, "Come on, I still have some time here." Abel smiled, "What about the guild master? Won''t she do anything about this?" Nina shook her head, "The guildmaster isn''t in the city," She sighed, "I heard she is out visiting an old friend," "Visiting an old friend?" Abel stared at Nina. "I don''t the details, but they live in the far east. She might not be back for a month." Nina exined. "Weck a lot of capable people," Abel sighed, "I will go and keep an eye on that mage. Make sure I get to have Arad first," He smiled. *** In the street, the mage walked around, searching for an inn when a blond girl called him. "Sir mage, excuse me for a moment," She rushed to his side. "What is it?" The mage red at her. "Care to have a moment?" She stared at him, smiling. Chapter 119 [Bonus ] Dual Swords The mage stared at the woman clinging to him, "What is your deal? Leave me alone," He pushed her away and kept walking. The woman red at him, crossing her eyebrows in frustration, "Listen to me," She approached him again. The mage looked at her with one eye, [Sleep], he pointed a wooden want at her from underneath his robe. Thud! The woman''s eyes curled back, and she fell to the ground. The mage took the chance and walked away, pretending he didn''t see anything. People gathered around, staring at the woman, wondering what happen. "AH!" The woman stood, ring forward with a scornful gaze, "The fucker escaped," She pushed the people blocking her path to the side and rushed into the back streets. Some people chased after her, "Hey! Wait for a moment,dy!" But when they turned into the back streets, they saw no women there, only a blond man walking away. The mage rushed away, "What was that? Since when did this city have women like that?" He growled, approaching a fruit shop. "Lady, can you tell me where I can find a decent inn?" He asked with a smile, lifting two apples, "I will buy these," "Thank you," the woman smiled, packing the apples as she thought, "How long are you going to stay?" "Just a day or two," The mage replied. "In that case, I would suggest the elephant trunk in the west," She smiled, "It''s a brothel, but their rooms are cleaner than any inn in the city. Most people spend nights in there without even asking for service," The mage took a step back, "You must be joking," The woman shook her head, "No, but they have a policy that you can only stay three days a month," She replied. The mage shook his head, "Can you give me another one?" "I would insist, and whats the harm in going there? I could even put a word with them to get a free stay," She smiled, squeezing her chest out. The mage grabbed the apples and rushed away, not even taking his change. The shopkeeper red at him and snorted, "The fucker! This isn''t my strong suit, damn it!" She looked back, spitting in disdain. "Hmmhmhmh!" She opened the cab behind her, and a tied man fell out. She stared at him, "Sorry about this, take this," she threw him five silver coins and left after loosening his bind. The tied man freed himself almost immediately and rushed out, grabbing a blond man he saw walking away, "Hey! You there! Did you see a brown-haired bitch? She walked into my shop and tied me!" The man cried. The blond man stared at him. It was Abel, "I don''t know. She might have run in the other direction," "Thanks!" The man smiled and rushed in the other direction. Abel walked in the back streets, "The bastard ran away. I wasted too much time with the shopkeeper." "You there!" Abel stopped, hearing a voice call him. He looked up and saw a dozen hooded people watching him from the rooftops, "You''ve been in the wrong ce and time twice now. Nothing personal, but we''re going to keep you with us for two days," Abel smiled, "You aren''t from the city guard. I don''t remember seeing your faces around here," "We aren''t obligated to identify ourselves, and it''s better for you not to know us. We want to keep bloodshed to a minimum, soe with us willingly, and we can guarantee your safety," One of the hooded men replied. Abel smiled, "I guess not. I have ces to be in, and you''re in my way," He smiled, lifting his hands. He looked around. The area was empty. He took an empty road to make sure people didn''t see him, but those bastards used it to ambush him, "Don''t say we didn''t warn you!" The hooded men pulled their weapons. BAM! Abel''s body disappeared, and a burst of air exploded, sending a shockwave across the street as Able reappeared before the speaking man, swinging two swords. CLANG! CLANG! The hooded man barely blocked the attack, growing as his wrists screamed in pain, "He''s fast! How did he get to me?" The hooded man was on the roof of a building, and Abel reached him in the blink of an eye. Abel carried two swords, a short sword in his left hand and a longsword in his right. "A dual sword wielder! Stop him right away!" One of the men shouted, rushing at Abel with a dagger stab. CLANG! Abel blocked the man''s strike with ease, "I want to get to my wives, can''t you let me go?" He red at them, and the man''s dagger started to rust. "What?" The man growled, leaping away and staring at his dagger, "What is this?" Abel looked at them, smiling. "Attacking me randomly in the street. I should help you visit the guards, shouldn''t I?" "We are a secret troop of the city! You can''t do that, and resisting us is a crime," One of the men shouted, threatening able, "You could get executed by the lord!" Abel smiled, "Me?" They didn''t seem to know he was the lord''s son, "I know my rights." red at them, "Want to keep me? Then bring me the arrest decree. Otherwise, I''m treating you like bandits," The men red at each other, growling as Abel stared at them with an evil smile. "Then here you die!" One of them rushed forward, and swing a sword. CLANG! CRACK! Abel deflected the attack and kicked the man in the jewels, knocking him down. "Is this all that you get? I''ve seen kids stronger than you!" He smiled. "Attack him together, don''t let him have got a one on one fight," All of the men rushed at Able while one of them ran away to report. Abel spotted the running man and wanted to stop him. "Get off my way!" He growled, surrounded from every direction. The man rushed away, but the moment he reached the end of the street, he found a young white-haired man looking at him with a smile, "Yo! Why the hurry?" He smiled. "Move!" The man attempted to push him away, but the young threw him to the ground, ring at him with a smile, "That wasn''t very nice of you," He pointed one finger down. CRACK! The man got encased in ice. "Isn''t that Gojo?" Abel looked at the man he had seen before in the guild, and the one Nina asked to look into the mage matter with him. Chapter 120 Ice Rose. "Who are you?" One of the men shouted, rushing at Gojo with a sword. Gojo smiled, "I''m but a harmless human," He dodged the sword without moving from where he stood, only slightly bending backward. CLENCH! He grabbed the man''s wrist with a smile. THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! Gojo used his palm and smacked the man''s chest like a drum, shaking his insides. "Roses are harmless until you poke them," Gojo said, letting the man fall on the ground, bleeding. CRACK! He then froze him, smiling. "Well said!" Abel pushed the men surrounding him away, "Let''s us take them down, but make sure they stay alive," "Who are you?" Gojo stared at Abel with a stupid face. "Does it matter, the guild sent me? We''re already fighting. Where are the others?" Abel asked. "AH!" Gojo smacked his hands, "That''s what it was about," He smiled as if finally realizing something, "Sorry, but we''re spread thin. Only I have spare times to wander around and save random people." The attackers looked at each other, "Let''s retreat!" a man shouted. "Deserting means death," Another growled. "Are you joking? One has the hair of the devil, and the other has the hair of the evil god. No good wille from them!" The man turned away to run for his life, but Gojo appeared before him, even though he was on the other side of the street. "Hair of an evil god? Now that hurt my feeling," He smiled. "Get away from me, you monster!" The man pulls an axe from his waist and swings it at Gojo, attempting to behead him. CRACK! The axe froze before reaching Gojo''s head, and the man stood like a statue of pure ice. "Teleportation?" One of the men shouted, but Gojo stared at them, confused, "The hell are you talking about?" A cold wind blew across the street, it started snowing out of nowhere, and Gojo''s voice echoed. "This is it," Several Gojos appeared everywhere, on the opposite sides of the street and the top of the building. "Snow clones, never heard of them?" The clones spoke simultaneously, their bodies shifting between transparent and apparent. "Ice can reflect and be transparent, so I can make the clones invisible. And since their feet are made of fluffy snow, good luck hearing them moving." Gojo smiled, and all of his clones jumped down, beating the men to a pulp and freezing them. "Yo! Are you alright, Goldy?" Gojo extended his hand to Abel, smiling. "Who are you? A court mage? An ice master?" Abel stared at him. "Me? I''m Gojo, an adventurer. No more and no less," Gojo looked around at all the frozen people, "Who are they?" "You attacked without knowing?" Abel sighed. "I was following someone with my clones when two women interrupted my search, deterring the man away," Gojo red at Abel, "And you were there, so I need you to go with me to the guild," Abel stood with a smile, "I don''t mind going to the guild with you, but can that wait? I still have to track that man," "You''re going with me now. That mage is my target," Gojo replied with a stupid face. "Make me!" Abel smiled, ring at Gojo''s glowing blue eyes. "Bet? How much?" Gojo smiled. "Think you can..." CRACK! Gojo froze Abel immediately, staring at him, "I can always take the money from your frozen body. But I don''t think the guild will take kindly to that, so I will let them y with you," Later that day, Abel woke in the guild''s infirmary, and Nina informed him that Gojo brought him in with the suspects saying he was acting suspiciously. "That bastard!" Abel growled, "I will have him arrested," "Please stop it," Nina said, sitting beside him, "Here is a letter of apology from Gojo," Abel snatched the letter from her hand, "Does he think this will be the end of it?" Abel tried to open the envelope, and Nina''s instincts immediately kicked in. She jumped away so fast that she left holes in the ground. The letter exploded into a burst of cold magic, freezing Abel again. When Nina looked at what is written, the letter said. "Chill out, Son of the lord, or should I say, daughter? I honestly don''t know. How could you do that? Illusion magic, I will give it a try." Nina sighed, "How could he?" She looked at the frozen Abel and the bed he was on, "What was that spell? I better ask Merlin," *** Inside the dungeon, Arad, Jack, and Ae have finished setting their camp and found the passageway to the thirdyer. Jack stared down the dark hole, "Doesn''t look any better. Not that it''s supposed to," He sighed. "Should we jump?" Arad asked. "No, we will use a rope to repel down," Jack replied. "Wouldn''t it be better if we tried to look down with a light first?" Ae asked. "Good idea," Jack nodded, "Let''s tie antern to the end of the rope and see what''s down there," After doing that, they could still see nothing. It was pitch ck. CRACK! But as they were about to pull the rope, something big bites it and pulls like a fish. "Damn it!" Jack let go of the rope before he could be pulled down. "What was that?" Ae gasped. "I saw arge ant," Arad said, ring down the hole. "It was for a moment, but I am sure I saw a cow-sized ant." "Giant ants?" Jack growled, "That''s a problem," "Giant ants? I think a mice-sized ant would be giant. Those are far worse," Arad pointed down. "You''re right. but wrong." Jack looked at Arad, "We call them Giant ants because they are ant-sized to the giants. You will grow to be an ancient dragon in the future, and they will look ant-sized to you," Ae stared at them, "They have armored exoskeletons. My arrows can''t pierce them. How are we going to deal with them?" "Which hit harder? A small rock or a big one?" Arad asked. "A big one. But it''s harder to throw," Jack replied. "Good. Ae, give me your arrows. I will try something I read in the gravity book," Arad smiled. Chapter 121 The Third Layer: Giant Ants Arad grabbed Ae''s arrow in his fist, closing his eyes as magic flowed from his wrist. "The book said the effects of gravity magic won''t interfere with the already locked object to not kill the user," Arad said with a smile. "What is that supposed to mean?" Jack and Ae looked at Arad, confused. "Simply put, I can make the arrows heavier without slowing them down. If I cast my magic after you fired them and had them locked beforehand." Arad exined, but the two didn''t seem to understand a word of what he said. "Take this and give me another arrow," Arad gave Ae her arrow and took another from her. "Let''s test it first," Ae pulled her bow and pulled the string, "Hold up," Arad said, "I will make the arrow heavier before you fire it," His eyes shed purple, and an aura covered the arrow. "Heh?" Ae felt the arrow''s weight increase. It slipped from her hand, falling to the ground. "I can''t shoot that!" she lifted the arrow and attempted again. Ae managed to fire the arrow, but it fell just two meters ahead. "Unusable at this weight!" She sighed. Arad smiled, "Try this now," He handed her another arrow, "Like the first one, it''s locked. But I will increase the weight after you fire it," Ae pulled her bowstring and fired the arrow. It flew and started glowing just before hitting the wall. CRACK! The arrow crashed into the wall, tearing a big chunk of the stone and shattering it. "What is that?" Ae gasped, unable to believe how much power the arrow got. "With your high-weight bow, and me making those arrows heavier, you should be able to take the ants down." Arad looked at her with a smile. Ae and Jack looked at each other, "But the arrow broke. We can''t reuse it," Ae said, inspecting the shattered remains. "We are exchanging power to make the arrows one use only. That''s will make her shots count." Jack looked at Arad, "How many arrows do we have?" Arad shook his head, "I don''t know," "I stuffed ten quivers in his stomach. That''s two hundred and forty arrows. I have another quiver on me with twenty-four arrows, but we lost one," Ae counted, looking at Arad and Jack, "Two hundred and sixty-three arrows is all we have," "You have them counted?" Arad stared at her. "And sharpened as well," Ae stared at them, tilting her head, "I''m an archer. I need to keep a good eye on what I have on me. Swordmen also have to sharpen and clean their swords. Don''t they?" "That''s a big number. We should be fine," Arad looked at them, smiling. Ae shook her head, "If I can''t re-use my arrows, I won''t befortable with double what we have going into a dungeon." "I can''t ever see you using all of that," Jack stared at her. "I would use them all," Ae pointed at the broken arrow, "Even with regr arrows, they break in two or three uses, and don''t forget the times when I can''t retrieve them." "Ok," Arad nodded, "Let''s clear the antyer first, and then we can buy more arrows. How much do they cost?" He looked at Ae with a smile. "Two or three copper coins per head. The one I have, I got a fifty-pack for one silver coin." "Fine. Let''s spend a gold coin on arrows so we won''t have to buy them for a while," Arad said with a smile. "A whole gold coin?" Jack gasped. "Won''t that be five thousand arrows?" Ae stared at Arad, "We don''t need that much," "For now. Having that much will only mean we won''t need to buy them for a while," Arad only saw it as a future investment. Arrows are a resource that they use regrly. "Let''s keep the talk forter," Jack looked down the hole, "I can hear the ants moving down there. They might start climbing out at any moment." "Let''s go then," Arad jumped down first, while Ae and Jack dropped down with ropes after him. Ae opened her eyes, staring into the cave before her. Large, ck mandibles crackled, and multiple limps crawled on the ground and ceiling. It was like staring into a bee''s nest, filled to the brim. "Don''t move," Jack signaled to Arad, "They might swarm us," Arad steps forward, smiling as he approached one of therger ants, "Mom, now this a good reason." SCREETCH! The ant rushed fromward, dragging its but on the ground and opening its mandibles. Arad stood still, waiting for it to attack him. CRACK! The ant closed her mandibles, attempting to behead Arad, but he caught them with his hands, "Where is your queen?" Arad growled, a purple trail of magic gushing from his eyes, "I want her," BAM! Arad opened his arms, shattering the ant''s mandibles and smashing its head on the ground with his palm, "Move of my way if you won''t guide me to her," "Arad! Don''t go alone!" Ae rushed to him and pulled her bowstring, aiming at the other ants, "Why the queen?" Jack approached them, "Maybe he wants to mate it," "Mom said that with how strong the ants are. Eating their queen might be enough for me to evolve into a young dragon," Arad looked back at them with a smile, "You two support me from the back. I will push forward," Arad''s body turned ck, twisting and morphing into his draconic form. Hair grew on his back and limbs, and with a faint red glow in his eyes, he looked far different than what Ae and Jack were used to. "Are you okay?" Ae asked, and Arad nodded. "Fine, you take the frontline, and we''re back," She pulled her bow and fired three arrows at the closest ant. One of the arrows bounced off the exoskeleton, one tore a leg, and thest one cracked the ant''s head. "I''m a rogue, damn it. Let me put some traps," Jack sighed, pulled antern from his waist, lighting and threw it toward the ants. The mes illuminated the ce, and Jack smiled, seeing the stctites on the ceiling, "I like those things," He pulled a small pouch from his pocket that had a string on it. "Ae, close your ears!" Jack shouted, igniting the string and throwing the pouch at the ceiling. BOOM! The pouch exploded in a crimson re, sending waves across the cave and cracking the walls. Soon, the ceiling shattered, and the stctites started falling on the ants, scattering them. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad dexterously weaved between the falling stones, shing any ants he came close to with his ws. They slowly pushed further and further until the cave opened into arge room. "Is this the queen''s room?" Ae asked, looking around. "No," Jack said with an ominous voice, "Shit, don''t go inside," He grabbed Arad by the tail tip, stopping him in ce. Arad turned his neck and stared at him. "That''s a trap," Jack said, "If we go there, the ants will surround us. If I and Ae got attacked from the back, we''re as good as dead," Ae looked inside the room, "What should we do? This is the only way forward," Jack pulled out his pocket and looked inside, "The same thing we did with the goblins. We need to drag them out," Ae stopped him, "We''re inside a cave. You''ll suffocate us with smoke," Hearing her, Jack stopped and started scratching his head, "What should we do?" "Let me think for a bit," Ae looked into the room again, "I can''t see a single ant there." "I told you, the moment we walk in, they will surround us," Jack repeated himself. Arad shifted back into his humanoid form and looked at them, "I have an idea, but I''m not sure if it will work," "What is it?" Jack looked at Arad. "I will go there and use my [Frightful presence]..." Arad exined his n, and both Jack and Ae agreed. *** Arad rushed into the room, running in his human form, "Come get me!" He shouted, and the ants emerged from the walls. Those wererger, with bigger mandibles and thicker exoskeletons. "Fighter ants, as we expected," Jack growled, rushing with Ae behind him. Ae pulled her bow and aimed at a couple of ants in the distance, "That''s the first hole. Let''s plug it out!" She fired her arrows and killed the ant standing there. Jack pulled a small bag and threw it in the hole, causing it to explode and copse. "The next one is to the left," Ae shouted, and the two of them rushed around the room, closing the holes the ant used to enter one after the other. Arad looked back at them, "Good, I better draw everyone," He transformed into his draconic form and opened his jaw. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! The moment he roared, Ae and Jack could feel the cave shaking. Their ears screamed in pain from how loud he was. Arad''s body started vibrating as the ground beneath him cracked. Arad''s voice traveled across the cave, reaching the ant queen almost immediately. As she sat in her nest, she could feel the dragon''s ws creeping around her body, and she shook in terror. She screamed, sending everyone into a panic. The colony which was only dealing with intruders in a regr manner is now panicking as if their queen was attacked. Everyone rushed to the room to eliminate the threat except for the terrified queen. Chapter 122 Killing The Ants’ Queen The giant ants swarmed the room. Their mandibles were wide open, ready to bite Arad, who rampaged in the middle. Ae stared back, seeing Arad roar, ripping the ants apart. "Arad!" She screamed, seeing one of the ants bite his tail, dragging him away. "Let''s leave! Follow the n!" Jack shouted, trying to grab her hand and pull her away. Ae turned around, and her steps slid on the ground from how fast she tried to run. Her eyes shed green as they fixated on Arad. "Ae!" Jack shouted, but she sted toward Arad, BAM! Ae rushed toward Arad, but the ants cut her way, opening their mandibles to bite. "HA!" Ae bent her body, sliding blew the firstrge with a clenched fist. [Wind st] Arad jammed his ws into the ground, resisting the pull of the ant biting his tail [Lightning Cloak]. He then shocked it with lightning. ^There is more than we expected. Could I burn them all?^ [Don''t worry. Their attack can barely pierce your scales, and you can heal from the little damage they do. Focus on diminishing their numbers as much as you can,] ^Easy for you to say it. They areing from everywhere.^ Arad red around. All he could see were ants over ants. BAM! Arad heard a st in the distance, and when he lifted his head, he saw an ant flying toward him. CRASH! The ant crashed on the ground, killing a few more ants as it rolled over them. ^What?^ CLACK! Ae sted in, pulling the string of her bow with three loaded arrows, [Zephyr Bolt] Ae''s arrows shed green. BAM! With a wind st, theyunched forward, piercing three ants and not stopping. After the arrows exited from the ants'' heads, they flew up, shifted their direction, and pierced another three ants. Arad opened his jaw and unleashed a void breath at the ants, wiping several but missing a couple. SCREETCH! One of the ants rushed at Ae, opening its mandibles. Ae pulled her dagger from her waist. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! She instantly delivered three stabs, enough to force the ant''s head open. She then swung the dagger down [Wind de] [Wind de] [Wind de] Three invisible des ofpressed wind flew from the edge of Ae''s de, killing the ants surrounding Arad. "This is as much as I can do!" Ae shouted, crouching down as her foots shed green, "Be careful," She said [Wind Burst] BAM! She used the spell to st herself backward toward the exit hole. Ae pulled her strong mid-air, firing arrows at the ants as she retreated. ^What was that?^ Arad gasped, seeing her jump in, kill ants, and then leave without borating. [Ae is strong, but I bet she''s out of MP. She''s a fighter, after all, not a wizard.] Mom exined briefly to Arad. Ae is an Arcane Archer. She uses magic to boost her marksmanship and effectiveness on the battlefield. But since she has so little MP, those moments seem like a short burst of power. Thud! Ae fell into the exit hole after Jack, gasping, "Give me..." Jack didn''t need her to finish talking. He already knew what she wanted. "Here you go," Jack handed Ae a small-sized blue bottle. She chugged the content and could feel her mana slowly getting back. "You good? Then let''s start," Jack smiled, pulling a small pouch and throwing it at the exit hole. BOOM! He locked Arad with the ants inside the room. Arad saw the hole close, and he smiled inside. He finally can go all out, ^Mom, get ready,^ Arad spread his wings, [Burn them to ash.] Arad''s body ignited with [me cloak], sending waves of heat across the room. He then opened his jaw and unleashed a fire breath, burning the ants in front of him. His mes shed blue, and he didn''t need to hold back. The room temperature slowly increased, and Arad rushed forward, swinging his burning ws at the ants. The chemicals the ants used to identify targets and move around slowly boiled off, sending them into chaos as Arad rushed between them. They started killing each other as Arad burned what remained. Mom''s n was simple. She knew the ants use chemical signals to speak with each other and mark directions and targets. She also knew those could burn off easily. But attempting that with Jack and Ae around might hurt them. ^So for maximum effectiveness, we gather all the ants in one spot and cook them alive,^ Arad growled inside, rushing between the ants and breathing fire everywhere as if he was a mad red dragon. After a few minutes, Jack and Ae finally heard the noise in the room stop. The fight was over. "Arad! Are you okay?" Jack shouted from behind the stones clogging the exit. CRACK! CRACK! Arad wed out, digging the hole again and copsing on the ground. His body shifted back into a humanoid as he panted, "Need water," Ae pulled a small bottle from her pouch and poured it into his mouth, "Are you okay? Don''t you have water in your stomach?" After Arad drank his fill, "I forgot about that. I do have it there," He smiled. Jack approached them, smiling, "Here, drink this as well," He gave Arad a small MP potion. Arad chugged the potion and stood, "I feel better," He sat. "That was a reckless n, but it seems to have worked." Jack smiled, "But you were reckless," He red at Ae, "I couldn''t leave Arad swarmed like that," She said, looking away. "You know he would kill me if I let get yourself killed," Jack growled. "Arad never said that," Ae looked at Arad. "I mean," Arad smiled, "He''s right," He patted Ae''s head, "Don''t rush into danger again. Unlike me, you can''t survive a single bite from those mandibles." "For real," Jack sighed, but Ae red at him, "You are the person who rode a smander and a raging red dragon," Jack red at her, "I would die in a cool way. You, on the other hand, would have died eaten by ants." "That doesn''t matter," The two almost started a fight, but Arad stopped them, "Let''s keep pushing forward. The queen is waiting," He stood, and the two followed him. After a minute, they reached the queen''s room. She sat in the middle of her eggs, standing almost five times bigger than the giant ants and staring down. SCREETCH! The queen growled, but Arad stared at her confused, "Sadly, I don''t speak ants," He opened his palm, igniting a burst of mes. [The queen is weaker than the fighter ants. Her size is only for making eggs. Just give her a solid hit on the head,] Arad rushed forward, Jumping at thest moment and avoiding the queen''s bite, "Here you go, DIE!" [Firefist] KA-DON! The mes exploded, and the ant queen fell to the ground, bleeding from her skull. With a crack, the queennded on the ground, dead. "She ain''t moving. You sure that one hit killed her?" Jack asked, poking the queen with his dagger. "Yeah, I felt her crack," Arad replied, lifting his fist and smacking her again, "She should be dead now," He lifted his arm and absorbed her into his stomach. *** [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 7/20][Exp: 1200/34000][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Wyrmling] [Seveteen years and three days.] [Ageing ready, Please retreat to a safe ce to start,] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 2] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 15] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 15] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 110/192][MP: 29/210][SP: 123/210] *** "Yes!" Arad shouted, "I got it!" Ae approached him, "You got what?" "I can finally grow into a very young dragon," Arad smiled, "This is a big step!" Jack smiled, "So, you can fly now?" "Still, it says I need to find a safe ce to start," Arad looked at his stats. [Sadly, you can''t evolve here,] Mom said. "Why?" Arad gasped. [Your draconic body needs to grow. You will be almost twice your current size. That means you need time for it to take effect.] Mom started exining, [You need to find a safe ce and sleep, hibernate for a few days as your body transforms. In the end, you will discard your current scales and grow new ones.] "Are you saying we have to stop exploring the dungeon?" Arad asked. "What are you talking about?" Jack looked at Arad speaking to himself. [No, you don''t have to evolve right now. But know that you can''t grow in the meantime.] "Fine, I will hibernate after we clear the dungeon," Arad replied, looking at his stats. ^Let''s put the two skill points in the constitution and strength,^ *** [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 7/20][Exp: 1200/34000][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Wyrmling] [Seveteen years and three days.] [Ageing ready, Please retreat to a safe ce to start,] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 0] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 16] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 16] [Magic: 20] [Intelligence: 20] [Wisdom: 20] [HP: 110/196][MP: 29/210][SP: 123/210] *** Chapter 123 He Won’t Need To Stay, If I Finished The Job! "Let''s search for any items around here," Arad said, "I would be disappointed if we had nothing after that fight," "The ants'' exoskeletons should be used for armor. I guess that''s a way we can make money out of thisyer," Jack replied, knocking on the queen. "Won''t we find gold around here?" Arad asked. "Why would there be coins in a dungeon?" Jack scratched his head, "That''s one of the rarest things to happen," "The only time such a thing happen is when monsters get out of the dungeon and attack people outside and steal money. Or when we have a dragon or a lich inside," Ae said with a smile. The three looked around for the entrance to the nextyer. *** Back in Alina. The mage finally ended up in the silver moon inn. The bartender looked at the mage with a smile. "What should I get you?" He asked. "A clean room, that''s all," The man said, taking his room key and going upstairs. "William," Gojo appeared, sitting on the counter, "Which room did he get?" William jumped, "Ah! Where did youe from?" Gojo smiled, "The guild. Can you answer my question?" "He got room number twelve. Why are you asking," William replied with a puzzled face. "Nina doesn''t seem to befortable with that man. I''m keeping an eye on him for her." Gojo looked at the tavern behind him. People were drinking like it was theirst day. "Nina?" William took a step back, "I hope she won''t go on a rampage again," "She went on a rampage?" Gojo smiled, "When?" "A few years ago, she destroyed several buildings and almost took my tavern down," William sighed, "Just don''t start a fight here," "Don''t worry," Gojo smiled, but suddenly the mage walked downstairs and left the inn. "Already leaving? I guess he only intends to use the room for sleeping," Gojo stared at William, "You have a spare key? Give it to me," "Customer privacy, I can''t give you that," William replied. Gojo smiled, "Fine. See youter," He stood and walked away. He then left the inn without saying a word. "That was easy," William sighed. He got back to his work. Thud! Upstairs, one of Gojo''s snow clones appeared holding the room''s spare key, "If he won''t give it to me, I can take it on my own," With a smile, he approached room number twelve and opened it. The room looked normal as if the mage only walked in to leave. "Did he leave anything," Gojo searched the room without making a mess, and in the end, he found nothing of interest. "I should keep following him," The mage walked across the streets, searching for an alchemist''s shop, and he soon found one. CLING! CLING! The mage pushed the shop''s door open, and a small bell rang, "Excuse me, is someone here?" "I''ming!" A man walked from the back door, smiling, "What could I get you?" "One of my friends should have bought potions from you, and they might have got the prices mixed up," The mage said with a smile. "Can you tell me the name?" The shop owner looked at his ledger. "I don''t know exactly who," The mage scratched his head, "The order was made for a still unnamed party. It could be for any one of Arad, Jack, or Ae," The shopowner nodded, "For an adventurer party? I keep those in the back ledger. Excuse me for a moment," He turned and went to the back. The shopowner pulled a small letter from his drawer when he felt a cold knife at his neck, "Don''t make a noise," Gojo whispered, "Don''t give him anything," The shop owner smiled, "Jack warned me from telling anyone about what he buys." The owner showed Gojo a sealed letter, "It has the flora toxin, one whiff and he would be suffering from diarrhea for days," Gojo smiled, "So you already know how to act," He pulled out his knife and left the shop owner. "Jack is a seasoned thief. It won''t do for me to becking around him," The shop owner walked back to the mage and handed him the letter, "This is the purchase details. Please give it to Jack only. Don''t open it as you would get me in trouble with him," The shop owner smiled, handing the letter to the mage. "Thank you," The mage smiled, leaving as soon as he could. After walking for a while in the back streets, the mage stopped and looked at the letter. The mage lifted his wand, pointing at the letter with a smile, "Let''s see what we got here," His wand shed briefly with a blue light, and he frowned. "I see, poison." The mage opened the letter and looked at the content, "Health potions, mana potions...Seems like a normal order," He sighed, "It''s fake," He then kept walking. Gojo stood far behind the mage, "Why is this man looking for Arad''s party so much?" He sighed, "Let''s leave a clone after him," He let one of his clones chase the mage while he returned to the guild. "Nina, can we talk?" Gojo asked as soon as he entered the guild. "Of course, but where are the rest of your party?" Nina replied. "Dealing with some personal stuff," Gojo replied as he approached the counter. "Let''s get the private room," The two walked to the private room. Gojo told Nina about everything he found so far, "Won''t this be enough to kick him out of the city?" Nina shook her head, "Sadly, no. The dragon he wants to kill is legit, and in his order, the quest is to help with his research, which is supported by the mage tower. I can''t just kick him out without causing a problem," Gojo scratched his chin, "What if the dragon he wanted to have killed died?" "Are you suggesting that we send someone else to kill the dragon? He won''t like that." Nina shook her head. "I''m not saying you should send someone," Gojo smiled, "How far is this dragon?" "About two days away," Nina said, and Gojo smiled, "That''s pretty close," He then stood. "What do you intend to do?" Nina stood, staring at him. "Nothing," Gojo smiled, "I''m just going to have a walk," *** "Hey, Vars," Gojo approached Vars, who was doing some research in the city''s library, "Did you find anything?" Vars looked at Gojo, smiling, "The noble Goldfin has been outside the city for a few days. He will return three days from now and go through the whispering canine of the east," "Should we catch him there?" Gojo asked. "No, we need him to get into the office personally and bring the vault''s details. We would ambush him and kidnap his wife and daughter," Vars smiled. "We use them to force him to work with us," Gojo stared at Vars, "But we release themter," "Of course," Vars smiled, "Unless Goldfin tries to be a pain in the ass," Gojo sighed, "Fine, we can''t let the artifact get in the wrong hand, especially humans." "Of course," Vars nodded, "As I told you, that Artifact is an important elven relic of the great Queen Sylph Zylphyra. We better retrieve it before a war break between the two races." "I know, I know. One or two lives won''t matter to stop a war." Gojo sighed, "Forget that for now. Can you send me somewhere?" Vars sighed, "You want to go kill the ck dragon?" "You know me very well," Gojo smiled, wrapping his arm around Vars''s neck, "We''re really friends," "Stop it!" Vars pushed Gojo away, "I will send you there, but make sure your return before the ambush," "I will return before tomorrow," Gojo smiled, "But I need you to retrieve me," "Of course, Just take this," Vars handed Gojo a piece of paper, "Tear it when you want to return, and I will teleport you back," Gojo smiled, "If the ck dragon died, the mage would have no reason to stay," "I doubt your n will work," Vars sighed. *** Thud! Inside the dungeon, Arad, Ae, and Jack finally found a way toward the fourthyer, and to their surprise, it was blocked with a stone. "Should I just dig around it?" Arad asked, knocking on the stone with his fist. Jack inspected the stone and frowned, "It seems to have been pushed up into the hole instead of falling in it." "What do you mean?" Ae asked. "The monsters of the fourthyer have used it to clog the way leading to the thirdyer. They didn''t want anything to do with the ants." Jack scratched his head. "Are you saying they might be smart?" Arad stared at Jack. "I don''t know," Jack shook his head, "I would say only goblin smart, but there isn''t many monsters who can achieve that," "What about Kobolds?" Ae asked. "No, those are far smarter, and we aren''t deep enough in the ground to find them," Jack replied, "Those half-lizards like gems and gold," Chapter ?124 The fourth Layer: Kobolds ?124 The fourth Layer: Kobolds Arad, Jack, and Ae walked down to the fourthyer of the dungeon. When they reached the fool, the scenery surprised them. Long, cylindrical tunnels enough to fit a cart, illuminated by blue-bioluminescent mushrooms spread on the walls. "This is strange," Ae mumbled, "I hear tapping in the distance as if someone is knocking." "Arad, we need to get out of here," Jack inspected the walls. The scratches on the walls indicated one thing, something made them, and it wasn''t nature. "Someone dug those tunnels," "I''m not an expert on mushrooms. But the way they spread. Someone nted them to illuminate the ce," Ae said, touching one of the mushrooms. "What could we face?" Arad asked. "Honesty, I don''t know." Jack sighed, "It could be kobolds, duergar, the worst case, Arachnoids." "We have to push forward," Arad said, "It''s not like we''recking in resources, are we?" Ae smiled, "I don''t need to break my arrows, so we''re good," "Fine," Jack sighed, standing and stretching his arms, "Stay behind me and don''t take any actions until we determine what we are fighting," Jack walked in the front, slowly inspecting the ground and searching for any tracks. Ae kept moving slowly. She red at the darkness in the distance for movement, keeping her ears open and listening. "I hear pickaxes. It can''t be Arachnoids." Jack said with a smile. "It can only be kobolds or duergar," Ae looked back at Arad. [Arachnoids are the most dangerous. Duergars are the smartest, and the kobolds are in the middle.] Mom exined. ^Do you know about them?^ [Yes, in both cases, expect traps.] "I see one! A kobold!" Ae said with a smile, pointing in the distance. A five-foot-tall, half-lizard-half-humanoid being swung a metallic axe at the stone wall. CRACK! CRACK! He only wore a skirt made of strange leather and carried a smallntern on his waist. "Should we attack?" Arad asked, but Ae grabbed his shoulder, "Leave it to me. I can get him from here," She walked forward, crouching and aiming at the poor kobold. PEW! The arrow flew at an incredible speed. CRACK! Everyone stared in shock as the arrow got stuck in the air, cracking it. The kobold turned his head, fear in his eyes. "GRWA?" "Damn it. It was a mirror." Jack pulled his dagger, rushing forward to kill the kobold before he could scream. The kobolds have put a mirror in the corner, making people believe the tunnel kept going straight while it curved. It was almost impossible to realize how little light there was in the cave, to begin with. The kobold jammed his hand under his skirt and pulled a small pouch, tossing it at the mirror to bounce toward Jack. Jack swung his dagger, cutting the pouch in half, and spiders spilled on him. "Damn it!" Jack stopped, iling his arms to get the spiders away. "Get those off me!" Arad rushed toward Jack and opened his mouth, breathing a small st of fire enough to burn the tiny spiders but leave Jack with minor burns to his hair. "What was that?" Arad looked at Jack panting on the ground. The kobold had already escaped. Jack pulled his pouch, "Damn it! Damn, it! I should have known that" He pulled out a small white potion and drank it. "Are you okay?" Ae asked. "Yeah, I hope I''m okay." Jack sighed, inspecting his clothes, "Those were ck widows, a full pouch," "ck widows? Are they deadly?" Arad asked. "Depends on the person. I doubt someone like you or Alcott would find them bothering, but for my fragile human flesh, they can put me in bed," Jack stood, "Excuse me for a minute. I will make sure none stuck in my armor," After Jack cleaned his armor, he discovered five ck widows who survived Arad''s me. Of course, he stomped them. "Let''s keep going," Jack said, "I''m going to make a bag from that bastard''s scales," "He would have informed the others, but they aren''t attacking," Arad said,menting on the painful silence surrounding them. Even the sound of pickaxes in the distance has fallen silent. "Kobolds won''t attack mindlessly," Ae said. "I bet they are waiting for us with traps and tactics. If we kept going ahead, we would walk directly into their ambush," Jack exined. Arad approached the mirror, "What worries me? Where did they get this?" "Made it. Kobolds are decent craftsmen," Jack sighed, "But as monsters, they only talk with monsters. Do you see them trading?" "What kind of monster do they talk with?" Arad asked. "Lizardmen, devils, bugbears, and goblins. But they are mostly known to be suckers for dragons." Jack sighed, "Not that we have one here too..." He red at Arad. "We have a dragon!" Jack gasped, "Can''t you tell them to stop attacking us?" Jack said with an excited voice. ^Mom?^ [Dragons rule with fear. Kobolds will only listen if they fear you. You can start by killing their leader. And then eating anyone who refuses to obey,] ^I doubt they can understand my speech,^ [They should understand draconic. Just order them around, and each now and then, kill one for fun, and they will start to get loyal and desperate.] ^That''s evil,^ [Dragons are never nice. Either the kobolds go above and beyond to please their master. Or they be the dragon''s dinner. Your mother once ruled a kobold den. She had the habit of walking between them, asking random kobolds to make herugh. She would eat them if they failed.] ^I don''t like that,^ [The kobolds found that they could bribe her with gems. So they became hyper-mining focused. Even now, they should be a major contributor to her ie.] ^I like that part,^ Arad smiled. ^As long as they make me enough money, I won''t mind,^ "I will walk in the front," Arad said with a smile, "I''m more durable and should be able to tank the kobold traps. I will also try to speak with them,"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Don''t speak. Find the leader and kill him, then start giving them orders. If you tried to reason with them, they would think of you as weak, stupid, and an easily manipted dragon.] Arad walked in the front, Jack and Ae behind him, keeping an eye on the walls, "It''s been a while. Where are they?" Jack mumbled. "I can''t hear anything," Ae said, looking around. "I can''t see any traces of magic," Arad mumbled, looking at the ground and walls, "I bet they ran to the back," Ae giggled, "I hope... KYA!" before she could finish speaking, the ground beneath her legs opened, and she fell into the darkness. "The hell?" Arad turned around, shifting into his draconic form and jumping after her. Jack looked around, "Damn it," He tied a rope to a bit of stctite and dangled it down. "GOGA?" As Jack slowly dangled down, the kobold from earlier stared at him. "Don''t you dare!" Jack growled. The kobold stared at the rope, tilting his head twice as his eyes darted around. "GOGA?" The kobold pulled a knife from underneath his skirt and started cutting the rope. "I will kill you! Listen, you bastard!" Jack shouted as the kobold slowly cut the rope. SNAP! The rope snapped, and Jack fell into the darkness, "FUCK YOU!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. Jack turned around. Then he couldn''t see the ground, but he sure didn''t have time to think. Without a moment wasted, he pulled a hook from his waste and trusted it at the wall, slowly his fall and dislocating his shoulder. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Jack screamed as he slowed down, finally stopping Just a few meters from the ground. "GAH!" He wanted to cry. His left shoulder dislocated, and he still has to support his whole weight on it. Since his left shoulder got dislocated, his left arm got a bit longer, and he can''t reach the hook with his right hand. He turned his head toward the ground, a water pool filled with metallic spikes and blood. "Damn it!" Jack cried, pulling a small dagger from his waist with his right hand and stabbing the wall. He then slowly let go of the hook to relieve the stress on his left shoulder. After rxing a bit, he looked down, "ARAD! AELLA! Can you hear me?" Ae crawled out of a small hole in the wall at the bottom. It was the hole the kobold used to exit after digging this hole. Immediately, Jack could see that she had two holes in her left leg and one in her right one. "Take this!" Jack pulled his pouch and threw it at Ae, "Use the healing potions and get me down!" "I need to give it to Arad!" Ae said, "He shielded me. And got stabbed all over his body!" She shouted back. "Are you an idiot?" Jack yelled at her, "Drink the damned potion!" He red at her, "He''s a vampire. Just give him your blood!" Chapter ?125 Recovering from the Hit ?125 Recovering from the Hit Ae opened Jack''s bag and took the healing potion from it, downing it in a single go. The wounds on her legs slowly started to close, and she began to feel famished. She didn''t even have the strength to stand, so she crawled toward Arad. Arad rested just a few steps in the exit hole, where he copsed, unconscious with countless holes in his body. Ae can''t see how much health he has, or even if he''s breathing, but the shocking about of holes across his chest and torso made it clear he was dying. She gathered all of her strength to crawl to his head, cutting her wrist with a knife to bleed in his mouth. Thud! After just a moment, Ae fell unconscious due to blood loss. She lost a lot when wounded, was famished due to healing now she lost even more blood. As the blood trailed down Arad''s throat, his consciousness began to return, slowly growing inside his head. He opened the gates to his stomach in a natural reaction, absorbing the blood of the cultists he stored. The wounds on Arad''s torso quickly closed, and his eyes opened up, seeing Ae unconscious beside him, bleeding from her wrist. "Ae!" He shifted back to his humanoid form and clenched his fist around her wrist, "What happened?" As soon as he asked, he remembered. The moment the hole opened and Ae fell, Arad jumped after her and transformed mid-air. He fell head-first after her and reached her quickly since he was heavier. Sadly, Arad''s draconic body was too heavy to hold to the walls, and catching Ae with his ws could end up with his cutting her bowl open. He didn''t have time to think. The best he managed to do wasy below her and take the hit. Arad fell faster than Ae. He ran on the walls, surpassing and then getting below her. When they hit the ground, The spikes that prated Arad''s abdomen still hit Ae since he had a thin waist like a dog. "Ae!" Arad shouted again, shaking her, but she was unresponsive. "SEARCH MY POUCH!" Jack shouted from the hole. Arad looked around, seeing Jack''s bloodied pouch to the side, and from it, he pulled a few healing potions. He then quickly lifted Ae''s head and poured them into her mouth. The wound on Ae''s wrist healed, but she looked pale and her skin dry. Something is off. "SHE IS FINE IF SHE ISN''T BLEEDING!" Jack shouted in the hole, "Let her rest ande help me. If you can," He said calmly. Arad put Ae on the ground and stood, approaching the hole. "Where are you?" Arad looked at the spikes, but there was no Jack. "Up here!" Jack called him, and Arad looked up to see him hanging from the wall. Arad transformed into his draconic form and carefully walked over the spikes, "Jump on my back. Can you do it?" Arad asked. "Yeah! Thanks," Jack let go of his dagger, falling down toward Arad. Thud! Hended on Arad''s back and immediately jumped toward the exit hole like a bouncing ball. THUD! Jack rolled in the exit hole and rested on his back, growling in pain as he hit his dislocated shoulder. Arad walked back into the exit hole, "How is Ae?" He asked. Jack looked at Ae''s face, "She needs food," He said, waving his hand at Arad. "Come here, pull my shoulder off." "What?" Arad approached him with a puzzled face. "It''s painful. I can''t do it on my own," Jack said, "Grab me by the wrist, pull my arm toward you for a moment, and then let it pop back in ce." Arad looked at Jack, "Are you sure?" Jack shook his head, "No, It''s painful, and I don''t want you to do it. But someone gotta do it," "Just use a potion," Arad said. "We can''t afford to waste potions on a dislocated shoulder," Jack said, ring at his hand, "Potions should only be used when you''re bleeding since wounds can''t be closed quickly." Arad grabbed Jack''s wrist, "You asked for it," Jack clenched his teeth. CRACK! "AHHHHHHH! DAMN, IT!" He growled when Arad popped his shoulder back in ce, "I''m going to skin that bastard!" Jack sighed. "Are you okay?" Arad asked. "Yeah," Jack nodded with a sweat-filled face, "Let''s get Ae some water first," Arad nodded, pulling a water jug from his stomach and pouring it into Ae''s mouth. "Drink," "Don''t give her too much," Jack said, grabbing Arad''s hand, "Give me that," He took the jug from Arad''s hand and poured water into an empty potion bottle. It was the one Ae drank to heal her legs. "What are you doing?" Arad asked. Jack smiled, going through his pouch, "This is the food of the gods. It will get her up and running," He showed Arad a small jar of honey. "Honey?" Arad looked at him with a puzzled face.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Jack smiled, poured some of the honey into the potion bottle, and then started shaking it, "Hehe! It might not sate her hunger, but it should give her enough energy to be able to wake up and eat on her own," "Would it really help?" Arad asked as Jack was about to pour the bottle into Ae''s mouth. "Elves only eat nts. They are herbivorous." Jack smiled, "She would be disgusted as hell, but we don''t have the leisure of going around looking for nectar," Jack poured it into Ae''s mouth. "You don''t have nectar stored?" Arad looked at Jack with a smile, "I thought you would have anything," "Nectar spoils easily. Honey doesn''t." Jack replied with a smile, "Look, elves are strong, and she''s waking up," Ae opened her eyes, her head spinning and her stomach twisting, "Don''t throw up!" Jack yelled at her. Arad patted her shoulder, "Keep it in! Just this time," Ae barely held herself, ring at them with tearing eyes, "What was that?" She growled. "Healing famish, we had to have you drink honey," Jack said with a smile, "Sweet, isn''t it?" "I still feel like throwing up," Ae growled. "It worked," Jack said, looking at Arad, "We aren''t going anywhere without a meal. We stored food in your stomach, didn''t we?" "Yeah," Arad nodded, pulling the rations Jack gave him. "You should drink a potion," Arad said, seeing Jack barely able to use his left arm. Jack stared back at Arad for a moment, "Yeah, but I won''t down a whole bottle," He pulled a healing potion from his pouch and only sipped a bit to soothe the pain. As they ate, the party calmed down. "Those kobolds, I bet they are still alert up there," Jack growled. Ae looked at Arad and then kept eating. "I was thinking of having them work for me, but now I might end up eating them," Arad said. Jack nodded, "I understand how you feel," Jack looked at Arad and Ae, "But imagine those traps all around yourir." "I don''t know," Arad looked at the spikes, "I can''t decide just yet," "For me, I would only kill the bastard who dropped me down," Jack said, "I bet he''s going to make a nice bag," "AH!" Ae pushed the food down with water and sighed, staring at Arad, "It''s my fault. I should have been more careful," "Neither Jack nor I noticed the trap, I would say you were unlucky, and that''s it," Arad replied, "It''s the kobold''s fault after all," Ae looked at Arad and Jack, "How could we get out of here?" She looked around. The pitfall wasn''t climbable without risk, and the exit stones block the exit. "I will dig a way out," Arad said, "I won''t leave my draconic form," He said. "But why?" Jack looked at him, "It''s much easier to navigate the tiny crevices and tunnels in a humanoid body. Arad shook his head, "I might have been able to save Ae if I was in my draconic body from the start," He said, "I bet she would manage to grab my tail if I extended it to her quickly," Ae looked at Arad, "I doubt I would do it," She smiled, "I won''t lie, I panicked when the pitfall opened below me," "Everyone would panic, even me," Jack smiled. [Everything that happened in the past. Focus on going forward,] Arad looked at Jack and Ae, "That doesn''t matter now," He smiled. Jack and Ae looked at him, "We can reflect on the past and then decided what we could have done better, then make decisions for the future," "Is that how it works?" Arad smiled, "Then I will stay in my draconic form. We must keep moving forward until all the kobolds are defeated," He said. The kobolds are trap masters. Fighting them won''t be easy since they won''t even fight. Arad and his party have to navigate the cave, avoid all the traps, and reach their leader. Otherwise, they will die. Jack stood, swinging his left arm to see if it still hurt, "I''m good. How about you?" He looked at Ae. "I can move," she smiled, standing up, "I''ve been in much worse cases." "You won''t ask about me?" Arad smiled, cracking his neck. "You''re the leader. You''re the one who should be asking about us," Jack smiled, "You would have survived even without Ae''s blood, wouldn''t you?" [He is right. Such hit won''t kill you.] Mom said. Chapter ?126 Rampage of the Void Dragon ?126 Rampage of the Void Dragon Arad, Jack, and Ae stood to leave, "How should we get out of here?" Jack asked. "We can''t climb out, can we?" Ae looked at the pit. DRIP! DRIP! SPLASH! A stream of ck liquid started falling into the hole, feeling the ce with a horrible stench. "What is this?" Ae cried, and both Jack and Arad red in the direction of the pit. "Ah! Shit!" Jack gasped, "Dig! Dig! Dig!" He grabbed Arad by the shoulder and pushed him toward the clogged exit hole. "Wait, why?" Arad red at him. "Hurry before we get cooked alive!" Jack shouted. CLANG! CLANG! The kobolds dropped a lit torch in the hole, "They threw a torch," "Forget digging! Can you build a wall?" Jack looked back. Arad transformed into his draconic form, pointing with his tail and releasing a dirt wall. Arad, Jack, and Ae were now locked in a small pocket beside the burning pit. The heat slowly increased, and it was clear they would get cooked soon. Arad started swinging his ws at the closed exit, digging and digging while putting more dirt between them and the pit. "What did those monsters throw?" Ae asked. "Raw burning oil," Jack replied, "It''s a ck slimy liquid that appears underground. Alchemists can refine it to make various alchemical concoctions, mostly burning weapons like fire oil." Jack exined. "They must have known that we survived thanks to your screaming," Ae said, looking at Jack, "You can''t me me. I bet they were already watching," Jack replied. "I''m not ming you," Ae looked at Arad''s back, "We need to find a way to avoid them seeing us," "That is impossible. I bet they are even watching what happens inside the walls," Jack replied, "Kobolds will never show themselves again unless we force them," Arad looked back at them, transforming into his human form, "We need to rush directly toward their king or leader and take them down," Jack shook his head, "I bet they have the way to him full of traps," He looked at Arad, "Even you could end up dead," "Our only option is to beat their traps?" Arad asked. "Yeah," Jack nodded, "Sadly, we can''t move rashly as that''s what traps are designed for," He started talking as Arad returned to digging. "Trappers, like the kobolds and myself, usually set traps in two stages," Jack looked back. "The first trap isn''t lethal since most of the time. You can''t hide something too dangerous that easily." Jack looked at Ae, "So we make the first trap to make the target panic and rush. So they won''t notice the second or third trap, dying to them," Ae thought back at what the kobolds did. The mirror was the first trap, and it wasn''t lethal but warned the kobolds of their existence. When they focused on the way before them being fake with other mirrors. They missed the hidden pitfall. When there were busy dealing with the wounds and thinking of how to get out of the pitfall. The kobolds tried to burn them alive in the locked ce. "Wait, they know our only way is to dig out," Ae gasped, "Won''t they put some traps around?" She looked around. "That''s what I was thinking about," Jack replied, looking at the walls, "But I can''t see how they would make a trap here," "They know where we would emerge, and they trapped that ce," Ae said, "You are right," Jack nodded, "Arad, dig carefully. Stop if you got close to open air," Arad nodded, and he kept digging, but then something happened. CRACK! From the ceiling, a massive boulder went loose and fell on Arad''s lower back, pinning him in ce. "ROAR!" Arad growled, feeling as if his hips were about to crack. Ssh! Water started flowing down in a violent stream. Jack helps to a stone in the wall. It was then that he noticed, "Those stones, have old pickaxe marks!" He growled. Ae tried her best to approach the pinned Arad. "Jack, can you blow the stone away?" "Not with all the water!" Jack replied. ^I''m getting angry, why won''t those bastards face us directly?^ Arad''s blood started boiling. [They are trappers. This is their way of fighting,] ^I don''t care how they want to fight. I will drag them out,^ Arad''s void started rumbling. [That''s a dragon''s arrogance, but seeing what you want to do, go for it,] Mom encouraged him to rampage, as that was the best way to avoid the kobold nning. Arad''s void started seeping out. SWOSH! His stomach opened and started sucking the water around his body in a violent whirlpool. CRACK! The stone on Arad''s lower back cracked as the void disintegrated and absorbed it. "Arad?" Ae gasped, but she saw Arad standing as if it was nothing, his lower back healed in front of her eyes. BAM! Without saying a word, he rushed forward, swinging his w at the wall. VAM! Arad''s scales turned bitch ck and he looked like a hazy ck cloud. The moment his ws touched the way, he didn''t dig, but any dirt that touch him got absorbed into the void. VAM! VAM! VAM! With each w strike, Arad kept filling his stomach and running forward like a dirt-eating ck blob. CRACK! Soon after, Arad burst into the open tunnels, and as Jack expected, a spear shed from the ground toward Arad. VAM! Arad didn''t bother dodging, as his whole body is covered in the void, and the spears went straight to his stomach. Arad didn''t wait, he took a deep breath. ^This stinky smell, they are to the left,^ CLACK! He started running as fast as he could. After just a few seconds, the ground crumbled before him, revealing what seemed like an endless hole. ^I could run on the wall, I bet that''s what they want me to do,^ Arad''s draconic brain started moving, and the infinite folds of the void inside his head quickly reached a conclusion that made even Mom sighed. ^Who are they to decide that?^n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Just like your mother.] [Gravity Magic] Arad ran directly into the hole, decreasing the gravity just enough for him to run on air above the pitfall. "GIGAGIGA!" A single kobold appeared on the other side of the pitfall, rushing out in panic and grabbing a stone from the ground. Underneath the stone, a small rope appeared, and the kobold pulled it. Click! Tens of spears appeared on walls. BAM! Firing toward Arad simultaneously before he could reach the other side. The kobold saw Arad running toward him, floating in the air like a tiger focused on his prey. ZON! He disappeared. "ROAR!" Arad used [Void walk] to teleport directly toward the kobold, biting his head. "ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" Arad roared, swinging the kobold from left to right like a ragdoll, tearing his body to shreds before absorbing him to his stomach. With Arad''s roar filling the tunnels, he could see and hear the kobolds scream in the distance. They heard him. They were terrified. Jack and Ae watched Arad take off like a rampaging death machine, "He went alone," Ae gasped. "Shouldn''t he stay angry all the time?" Jack said with a straight face, ring a the destruction Arad left. "Don''t even joke about that," Ae red at Jack, "Arad isn''t a mindless beast," Jack smiled, "You said it yourself. He is a beast. Acting like a human will only hold him back," Jack picked up his tools and walked after Arad, "Dragons are proud, raging monsters of absolute might. We can''t keep holding him back with humanoid logic," He red back at Ae. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Humans die when stabbed," Jack replied, "But he won''t. He can always heal by eating from his stomach," He exined. "Getting injured can never be a good thing," Ae stared at Jack. "You''re wrong," Jack replied, "If he can afford to take more damage, rage into battle, and destroy every n made to stop him," "What if they had a trap strong enough to kill him in one hit?" Ae growled, grabbing Jack''s shoulder. "Then Arad is a vampire and a werewolf. Getting killed won''t be enough for him to die," Jack pushed her hand away, "Let''s follow him," "I know," Ae sighed, "But that sentence doesn''t make sense," She replied. "Of course," Jack looked into the distance, "Words made by humanoids won''t be enough to describe other creatures whichck our logic," He referred to Arad being a vampire with a different concept of death to other humanoids. *** Back in the guild, Vars approached Nina''s desk, "Excuse me, can we use the private room?" He asked. "I can''t issue the private room without a valid reason to keep secrecy," Nina replied. Vars sighed, "Listen, human woman," He red at her, "I don''t have time. You asked us to help. I''m here for that," Nina sighed, "Say that from the start," She looked at Vars, "Gojo said you won''t be working directly on the case," she guided him to the private room. Vars lifted his staff and looked at Nina, "Move a bit to the back," "I will beat you if you damage anything," Nina red at him. "I don''t care," Vars replied. [Teleport] With a sh of light, Gojo appeared out of nowhere, "Yo! I''m back!" He smiled, waving his hand at them. "Teleport magic? What a rare sight," Nina smiled, taking a step back, and then realized what was in front of her. Gojo was holding a frozen head of a ck dragon in his hand. He threw the massive head on the ground, "This is the one the mage wanted dead. You can send him away now," Gojo said with a smile, resting his foot on the dragon''s head. Chapter ?127 Arad Vs the Kobolds ?127 Arad Vs the Kobolds Arad rushed across the caves, not giving a bit of care to all the trapsid in front of him. "Sir! It''s a dragon. He''s bursting through all of our traps without slowing down!" One of the kobolds responsible for monitoring the traps cried. "Stop him no matter what! Don''t let him reach the main room!" The kobold king growled. "I''m trying!" The kobold cried, "He''s bursting through walls and walking on the pitfalls like they aren''t there! He even decimated the scorpion bath!" BAM! BAM! The cave started shaking, and gravel began to fall from the ceiling. "Damn it!" The kobold king fell from his throne, rolling on the ground. "Copse the cave between him and us. Bury him alive!" The king cried, and the kobolds nodded. "Releasing traps from 26 to 47. Initiating the fungus beams'' fall, the emergency copse has started. All kobolds in the area, evacuate in less than a quarter of a minute!" The kobold shouted, pulling several ropes from above his head. The fungus wood beams that held the tunnels together started to shift, weakening the structure. "Your majesty, he isn''t slowing down!" The kobold cried. "Let him be! He will die when the cave copses on his head. What of the other two?" The king replied. "They are still at the start of the cave," the kobold replied, "They aren''t as much of a threat as the dragon," "Then leave them be. What is the dragon''s color?" The king asked. "Obsidian ck! We aren''t sure, as our scouts got eaten before submitting the full report," The kobold replied. "With how dark the cave. The dragon can only be a ck or a purple dragon." The king scratched his chin, "But neither of those two should be able to walk on air, let alone be unaffected by our traps," "Your majesty, the tunnels are copsing!" The kobold shouted with a smile. The cave started to shake violently. "Do it!" The king smiled. *** Arad was running across the tunnels as fast as he could when the ground beneath him started to quake. ^This isn''t a normal trap,^ Arad quickly realized. [The cave is copsing. They want to bury us alive.] ^Let them try,^ Arad growled inside, shifting back into his humanoid form to get smaller. "AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" With a bone-chilling howl, his body hair grew longer, and his ws extended. The wyrmwolf blood in him got stronger. [Wyrmwolf''s uncanny physique] Thud! Arad jumped, clinging to the ceiling with his ws and swinging from one corner to the other like an ape. It didn''t matter how small the tunnels became. He always found a way to slip and crawl through. "Your majesty! He''s moving faster than the cave could copse behind him!" The kobold cried, "He''s will be here at any moment!" The kobold left his station and ran to the back, crying his eyes out. "You coward! Get back to your station!" The king screamed, standing up with rage. Arad ran and could see a spec of light in front of him, "I can smell them," He growled. [Be careful. They might have a deadly trap as ast resort.] "It doesn''t matter as long as I kill their king first," Arad opened his mouth, unleashing a void breath. BOOM! The stone door the kobolds used to block the path to the tunnels exploded, and Arad jumped into their throne room, engulfed with a dark mist of dust and void. Thud! Arad rolled inside the room and transformed into his draconic form without stopping. His eyes fixated on the kobold with the most clothes. ROAR! He rushed, running with his jaw open. "The monster!" The kobold king cried, taking a few steps back and pulling a wizard''s staff from behind his throne. "Protect the king!" The kobolds rushed between the king and Arad, climbing on top of each other and lifting shields. The king knocked on the ground with his staff, and ten metal spikes appeared, pointing at Arad. ZON! Arad used [Void walk] to avoid the spears and swung his w the kobolds'' shield wall. BAM! The kobolds scattered like gravel as Arad rushed toward the king.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The king lifted his staff, "You''re aiming for me? I see. All dragons are the same!" [Wind st] A burst ofpressed air sted Arad back several meters, smacking him on the wall with extreme force, "Don''t underestimate me," the kobolds rushed around, picking crossbows and aiming at Arad. BAM! Arad hung from the wall with one arm, ring at the kobolds with glowing purple eyes. "I''ve never seen a ck dragon with fur before. What are you?" The king growled, pointing his staff at Arad. "Your majesty, he seems to be a wyrmling. He cannot speak!" One of the kobolds spoke. The king red at the kobold that spoke, "Who asked you?" He then swung his staff, causing spikes to emerge from below Arad. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad ran on the wall like a lizard, going around the kobolds and opening his jaw, unleashing another void breath. CLAP! The kobolds got sucked in and then scattered with the shockwave. The king growled, swinging his staff, "What a monster! Even as a wyrmling!" [Magic missile] From the king''s staff, several dots of light rushed toward Arad at a blinding speed. ZON! Arad teleported directly behind the king, opening his jaw. "I knew you would do that!" The king said, smiling. A stone pir emerged from the ground and jammed into Arad''s jaw, blocking the bite. CRACK! Arad clenched his jaw, shattering the pir and swinging his w at the king. "What an incredible strength!" The king jumped away, dodging the strike, and swung his staff, [kobold''s bind] Five ropes of golden light sted Arad away, tying him to the wall. Arad growled, trying to break free, but the robes were unaffected by his void. "It''s no use!" the king walked forward, smiling. "Do you think we kobolds never try to protect ourselves from your kind?" The king waved his staff, [kobold''s bind] [kobold''s bind] He cast the spell twice. Making sure Arad was tied nicely. "This is a spell we made specially to keep dragons at bay. Each one can keep a very young dragon tied for a month, and I cast three at you!" The king startedughing, "Don''t even bother transforming into your humanoid form! The spell will morph and keep you tied until we skin you alive!" Arad shifted back to his humanoid form, falling to the ground and leaving the ropes behind like they were nothing. "Heh?" The kobold king gasped, staring at Arad. Arad lifted his eyes, ring at the king''s eyes. [Blood magic: Eyes Burst] The kobold king saw Arad''s eyes shing red. And then his eyes exploded with a POP! "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The king screamed, iling his staff around. Arad rushed forward, using his foot ws to keep traction with the ground as he elerated past what the human body could do. [Bestial aspect] [Wyrmwolf''s uncanny physique] Thud! Thud! Thud! He ran forward. The kobolds gathered to block his path, but Arad didn''t slow down. [Void walk] Arad teleported right past them, swinging both his hands at the king. SLASH! Blood sshed as the king''s thin body got severed in half. "Sorry, but you have to bring a priest to stop me," Arad said in draconic, referring to his vampiric bloodline. Thud! The king''s two halves fell to the ground. Ding! Ding! Arge crystal chunk fell from the corpse, rolling toward Arad as the other kobolds crawled away in fear. Arad bent down and lifted the crystal, "What is this?" He asked. [That''s the dungeon core. As long as it is still intact, the dungeon won''t disappear.] ^Wait? Did we clear the dungeon?^ Arad gasped. ^I thought this ce would have more than tenyers!^ [That was the average. It can be more or less. Kobolds are a dangerous monster type to face, so I guess have them, but only fouryers exin why this ce is a C-rank dungeon.] "I see," Arad sighed, looking at the kobolds, "Do you understand my words?" The kobolds rushed to bow before him, "Your eminence, please spare our pity lives!" They cried. Arad scratched his head. ^You said I could get them to work for me as minions, but aren''t they bound to this dungeon?^ [You can move the dungeon if you took the crystal out.] Mom said, [But I doubt the guild will like that. They want to use the dungeon as a training ground for the adventurers,] "ARAD!" Jack shouted from the room entrance, Ae behind him, "What happened?" Arad looked at them with a smile, "I killed their king and got the dungeon crystal thingy." Jack and Ae rushed toward Arad, jumping above the kneeling kobolds. Arad showed the crystal to them, and Jack smiled, "What a shame," He punched Arad''s shoulder, "You dumb bastard. I told you to not use big attacks!" Arad red at Jack, "It''s isn''t broken," Jackughed, "You''re really dense," Jack pointed at the crystal, "You want that? We''re telling the guild it broke when you attacked the king with a big fireball. No one expected a C-rank dungeon to end at the fourthyer." Arad smiled, remembering when Alcott told him rogues are good to have, "Thanks," Chapter ?128 The Mage Taking Actions ?128 The Mage Taking Actions Arad, Ae, and Jack returned to the city, "I will report to the guild," Jack said, smiling. "I bet you need to rest," He looked at Arad. "Yeah," Arad nodded, "I doubt the basement is finished. But I can imnt the core inside and rest," "You intend to hibernate inside the dungeon?" Jack asked. Arad nodded, and Ae smiled, "I will stay around the house guarding it while he sleeps. Return when you finish with the guild." "Return?" Jack smiled, "It''s your house. I wille to visit when I finish with the guild. You better get some tea ready," Jack red at Arad. Arad giggled, and Ae stared at Jack, "The ce is still a construction zone," "If I can brew tea on a campfire. You can do it in a half-built house." Jack replied, heading toward the guild while waving his hand. Arad and Ae retreated to the forest house. *** CLACK! Jack pushed the guild''s door open, entering while yawning. He wants to sleep after the dungeon clears. ^I will tell Nina that the rank-up approval has to wait a few days. Arad is hibernating, after all,^ Thud! Thud! Step after the other, Jack walked into the guild. ^But what if she asked what Arad is doing?^ "That can''t be!" Jack stopped, heaving the loud voice of a man shouting. "Sorry, but the quest has already been finished," Nina said with a smile. "Don''t fuck with me! I asked for him. Why did someone else take the quest?" The man screamed his lungs out. "As I said before, our adventurers are hard workers. They won''t just ignore a rogue dragon." Nina said. BAM! The man smacked the desk with his hands, "The carcass is damaged! What should I do with this crap now, you bitch!" The man screamed, iling his staff. Jack stopped by a table, sitting with a bunch of adventurers, "Say, who''s that corpse?" "AH! Jack? What a coincidence," One of the adventurers said with a smile. "Come here, listen to this!" Another one waved to Jack, "See that man, he''s a mage from the mages'' tower. He came looking to give your party a quest," "Really? Why is he looking for a ticket to the afterlife, screaming at Nina?" Jack asked. "He had a dragon-killing quest and wanted Arad to take it, but sadly, someone else killed the dragon before you could return," The adventurer smiled. "Why look for Arad?" Jack stared at the adventurers, "We just killed the young red dragons, don''t tell me he heard of us all the way from the mages'' tower and came here?" "That''s right," One of the adventurers said. Stabbing his food with a knife, "My bet is that Nina sniffed that. She sent someone to kill the dragon so he won''t send Arad." He smiled, "And now. Our lovely mage has picked up on that and is pissed." Jack looked back at the screaming mage, "Hee? What do you all say?" "Trouble," "He''s suspicious," "I want to punch him," "He''s up to no good," Jack stood with a smile, "I got the gist of it," CRACK! He then cracked his neck, "I should ask Arad to pay me more for this job," Jack walked toward the mage and patted his shoulder, "Hey, care to calm down?" The mage turned toward, "Get your hand off me, you bastard!" Jack lifted his hands and backed away with a smile, "Hold your horses, you''re looking for Arad, aren''t you?" "What are you doing?" Nina red at Jack. "The name is Jack, Arad''s partner," Jack said with a smile. "You''re that rogue Jack? Where is Arad?" The mage stopped screaming and looked at Jack. "You wanted the ck dragon dead, and the quest is finished." Nina red at the mage, "Why do you still look for Arad?" "Come on, Nina," Jack said with a smile, "Let him be, but sadly Arad isn''t in the city now," "You''re here, so you have returned from your quest," The mage red at Jack. "On our way back, we met Alcott. Arad and Ae headed with him to the east. I remained to tend to my woman," He pointed with his finger toward Lydia, who was in the back drinking. She spat her drink when she heard him. "Alcott has already left the city," The mage red at Jack. "He returned to pick up a dagger that he bought. I don''t know why. But he was keen on taking Arad with him," Jack exined, "Alcott and Arad are fast, but you might still catch to them if you hurry," The mage stared Jack in the eyes, "Where are they headed?" "The Ruris kingdom, Arad was saying something about it being better for some reason and Alcott seemed to agree," The mage stood still for a moment, staring at Jack, and then snorted, "Fine," He walked away with a growl, leaving the guild in a hurry. Nina stared at Jack, "That was a lie, wasn''t it? He will be back, you know?" "The forest is dangerous. He might kick the bucket there," Jack turned to leave, "If you excuse me, I gotta make sure the forest is dangerous enough," All the adventurers understood. Jack intends to kill the mage in the forest, "I can''t allow that," Abel said from his table, ring at Jack with a smile. Jack red at Abel with a smile, "Said who?" Abel stood, "You can''t go alone," Abel approached Jack, "I want a cut of him as well," Jack smiled, "Hoho, guess Mr.son-of-lord is taking care of the paperwork," "The clean up is easy. I want to see that man twitching," Abel smiled. "You two," Nina stared at them, "Can you stop joking?" She red at them. They were talking in the middle of the guild. Jack and Abel looked at each other and then at the adventurers. Everyone pretended they heard nothing. *** The mage walked across the city, reaching into his pocket, "Damn it, I don''t have enough elder twigs," He growled, looking around for a nt shop, [Lisworth''s Greenhouse] "Excuse me, I want some elder twigs," The mage entered the shop with a smile, looking at the old man sitting at the desk. The shopkeeper red at the mage with one eye, "Get out. I don''t serve the likes of you," He pointed with his cane at the door. The mage stepped back, "What?" He got confused, "I want elder twigs. Can''t you hear me?" "I said I don''t serve the likes of you, dog of the mages'' tower." The shopkeeper growled, "I can tell from the tattoo on your neck," The mage smiled, "I see. Were you a student there in the past? Then you must know to listen, don''t you?" The shopkeeper smiled, "Listen to your elders. Tug your tail between your legs and crawl back to where you came from. I don''t serve the likes of you," He grabbed one of the pots and threw it at the mage. "Oi! Fine, I don''t need to buy from you anyway, there is plenty of shops around here," The mage spat on the ground, leaving with an angry growl. From the back, a maid walked out, "Master Cain, who was that?" Cain looked back with a smile, "No one important, Jemima." Jemima looked at Cain with a worried face, "You mentioned the mage tower. Couldn''t you have shown him the badge?" "I said you don''t have to worry about it." Cain smiled, "It isn''t our business to interfere." He looked at the door, lifting his finger. The broken vase flew back to his hand, getting fixed in an instant. *** The mage rushed across the city, finding another shop to buy the elder twigs. "Good, with this, I can do it," Outside the city wall, the mage pulled the elders'' twigs and cast a spell, waving his wand. With a swift move, he threw twigs, and they burned in purple smoke, "I call servants in the name of Bodhimicah, from the elder ashes conjure me a flying shape, gliding across the sky with ck wings," [Flock of familiers: A gang of crows] As the waves of magic pulsed, the purple smoke of the burning elder twigs wiggled, taking the shapes of crows and flying to the sky, "Find Alcott and Arad," The wizard said, lifting his hands to the sky, After a while, the crows returned to the wizard. They reported that they found nothing, "For several kilometers? As I expected, that rogue lied to me." the mage growled, "Unless Alcott can move at inhumane speed..." He paused momentarily, "That is possible for someone who hunts dragons." "Look for Jack," The wizard provided the crows with a brief description of Jack. "Hey you," As the wizard was busy casting his magic, he heard the voice of a woman behind him, "Who are you?" He looked back and saw a fully armored knight, carrying an extremely long sword, he couldn''t even see her face. "I heard you''re looking for Arad," The woman said, and the make slowly lifted his staff, "Why do you care?" The woman didn''t say a word, she just swung her sword at the mage, "Then die!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter ?129 The Dragons First Step Into His Lair ?129 The Dragon''s First Step Into His Lair "Heh?" the mage gasped, seeing the woman''s sword approach his face at a tremendous speed. [Shield] In an instant, a semi-transparent blueish shield covered the mage, blocking the sh. CLANG! "Who are you?" The mage screamed his lungs out. BAM! The woman jumped back, pulling her sword back and running forward with her legs slipping on the ground. SWOSH! SWOSH! SWOSH! SWOSH! SWOSH! She rushed forward, swinging her sword like a massive spinning de. "OIOI!"The mage cried, lifting his wand and casting a spell [Fly]. He wanted to escape as quickly as possible. CLANG! CLANG! CRACK! When the woman''s sword connected to his shield, it only took two strikes to break it, and the mage fell to the ground. His [Fly] failed as he panicked. [Action surge] The woman grabbed her sword with two hands, keeping her eyes on the mage. ZAN! Six shes rushed at the mage simultaneously. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Three men rushed in, deflecting three hits but getting shed by the rest. SWOSH! The woman''s body raced above the mage,nding a few meters back with her left hand touching the ground as she stopped. Clench! The mage bit the inside of his cheek and tongue, ring at the woman. ^Keep calm! Don''t panic!^ He lifted his wand, ^Magic needs concentration. Even hesitating for a moment can lead to a significant drop in power and speed,^ "I don''t care who you are, but you picked the wrong opponent," The mage''s wand shed with a blue light, [Forced Cube Teleportation] sh! In a bright light, the woman and everything surrounding her in a three-meter cube disappeared.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The mage stood, gasping with shaking hands, "Who was that?" He looked at the three dead men, "Those were six shes with [Action surge], I presume, must be at least a twelve-level fighter." With a snap of his fingers, the bodies disappeared. The guards rushed in as they saw the brief exchange from the walls. But when they arrived, no one was there. Not a single drop of blood was left. CLACK! Merida fell inside a room, ring at multiple pots and vases, "Where am I?" she sat, looking around. "I saw you flung inside a teleportation spell. Are you all right?" When she looked behind her, "The owner of Lisworth''s greenhouse, Cain?" Merida said, and Cain coughed the blood, leaning on his cane. "Are you all right?" Merida looked at him. "Yeah," Cain replied, "I just exhausted myself a bit," "You shouldn''t be using magic," Merida stood, ring at Cain with a worried face. "We''re business partners, aren''t we?" Cain smiled, "You sell clothes to nobles, and I sell them nts. I can''t have you die," He replied. Merida smiled, "Thank you for saving me," she bowed slightly, "If only you weren''t injured in your days of adventure, you might have been a living legend like Alcott or Merlin," "Don''t think about it, girl," Cain walked back to his desk, sipping water from his old cup. *** Arad and Ae split with Jack and headed to their house. To their luck, the workers had left for the day. Arad walked inside the house, looking at the uplete frame with a smile, "It seems bigger than we expected," Ae looked away, "I hope the price isn''t as big," Sheughed. "We still haven''t checked with the city lord yet. And we still could take more lucrative jobs. Paying won''t be an issue." Arad replied with a smile. "I hope you know how to manage money," Ae looked down, sighing, "I''ve seen many people''s lives get ruined because they can''t control their spending." She added with a pained smile. "I''m not the one to speak, but I think a house is a solid investment," Arad replied, knocking on the wooden frame, "We will need a base, and I need air. Soon this ce would be filled with gold and gems!" "I would haveughed at you if you weren''t a dragon," Ae giggled. "You didugh," Arad replied, "Did you ever see a dragon without a hoard?" "Yes, you." Ae giggled, looking at Arad with a teasing smile. "I didn''t have much time to gather it! And I can''t just steal people''s money." Arad looked at the basement door, "Let''s imnt the dungeon core. I want to sleep," "Do you have enough food? You might hibernate for days," Ae said, poking Arad in the stomach. "I have enough for months. I should be fine," Arad replied, poking Ae''s stomach. "What are you doing?" She looked at him, poking her stomach multiple times. "You''re soft on the outside, but the moment I push a bit, I feel something rock solid under your skin," Arad asked. "You''re tickling me. So my muscles tightened," Ae replied, turning Arad toward the basement door, "Get to hibernating so you can give us a ride across the clouds." Arad smiled, opening the basement door and walking down the flimsy-lookingdder. The thing was built from slightly thick sticks gathered from the forest. A makeshiftdder is a generous description. Arad pulled the dungeon core from his stomach andid it on the ground. Light shed momentarily as it sunk to the ground, and a gate opened. "Let''s hope the monsters aren''t hostile. Otherwise, I would cry," Arad looked at Ae. "I don''t want to face the ants again," She looked worried, but the moment they walked inside, something was different. "This ce doesn''t stink!" Ae smiled, looking around. "I mean, I bet the goblins had enough time to start shitting all around the ce," Arad replied without a moment''s hesitation. Just a few steps in, Arad spotted the first goblin walking across a corner. He lifted his palm and conjured a fireball, "Damn, they appeared again!" He growled. The goblin turned toward Arad with a scared face, rushing to bow, "Master, please have mercy. Gob was behaving well!" Arad and Ae stopped, looking at the strange goblin, "You can speak?" Arad asked. The goblin nodded as strongly as he could. "Gob can speak. Indeed, Gob knows words!" "Is there a reason for us to fight?" Arad asked, pointing the me at Gob. Gob stepped back, scared, "No, please. Gob doesn''t want to fight his Master. Gob will die again." He crawled like a scared cat. "We won''t hurt you. Where are the rest?" Arad asked. "And did you say, die again?" Ae looked at Gob with a puzzled face. "Ah! Yes, we''re born with the dungeon and live with it. You killed Gob before, an arrow to the throat." Gob waved his hand as if Ae is supposed to remember him. Sadly, she can''t tell goblins apart. "Yeah, I remember you. The one I shot with an arrow." Ae said, just to save herself. "I asked you where are the others?" Arad red at Gob. "GIH! Please don''t be mad at Gob. Gob only has one mouth to reply." Gob stepped a bit away from Arad with his knees shaking. "Then how about you answer my questions?" Arad red at the poor goblin, igniting a me in his palm. "Yes! Gob will reply! Gob wakes early. The others sleep longer than Gob." Gob pointed at the back of the tunnel, "Gob was going to wake them up," Arad nodded, "I assume everyone is as obedient as you?" "Gob think they are," Gob replied with a smile on his green, blister-filled face, "Gob doesn''t want to die again. They don''t want to die either." Arad and Ae followed Gob to the other room, where all the goblinsy on the ground, unconscious. "Wake up! Gob is telling you to wake up!" Gob shouted, and the goblins slowly jerked to life. After just a moment, All the goblins bowed to Arad and Ae, "Please don''t kill us again. We promise to serve you," The hobgoblin said with a deep growl. Ae looked at them with a smile. But she then asked, "How about your food?" "We eat people other than Master whoe inside. If no one came, we go out and hunt," The hobgoblin replied. "I can''t have you do that," Ae scratched her chin, "Leave it to me. I will make sure you have a source of food from the forest," The guild would send a hunting party if goblins start appearing in the forest, so she needs to keep them hidden. "Who is your leader?" Arad asked, and the Gob walked forward, "Hob is the strongest and the leader," He pointed toward the hobgoblin. Arad looked at them, "I hope you can behave for a week. I need to take a nap," "You can nap for a week? Gob is jealous, all the dreams!" Gob looked at Arad with a smile. "Can Gob do that?" Arad shook his head, "No, look," Arad shifted into his draconic form, and the goblins panicked. "A dragon!" Hob gasped, falling on his back. "Calm down, he doesn''t bite," Ae waved her hand, patting Arad''s back, "See?" Arad shifted back to his humanoid form, "So, please follow all of her orders while I''m sleeping in the lower levels. Otherwise I will eat you," Chapter ?130 Guild Master Malta ?130 Guild Master Malta Arad walked down the secondyer of the dungeon, looking around to speak with the Axols, but he was disappointed. They acted more like cats than anything he could reason with. "Ae, are you sure they are normal?" Arad asked as one of the Axols started purring on his leg like an affectionate cat. "I don''t know," Ae replied, "My eyes are closed," She didn''t want to risk it for a moment. Arad looked at her, smiling, "Come on, they aren''t that bad now. I''m not protecting my eyes either." Ae slowly opened her eyes, seeing the Axols for the first time. The Axols is a cat-sized, pale-skinned lizard with a t face and feather-like fins on their head. They are a type of smander kin. "They are somewhat cute," Ae smiled, patting the one closest to her. CRACKLE! "AH!" She got zapped with electricity, and the Axols hissed at her. "HOI!" Arad grabbed the Axol that zapped Ae by the head and lifted it, "Do you want me to eat you again?" Purrrrrr! The Axol started purring again, "Don''t purr at me." Arad red at the Axol, opening his jaw, and the poor thing started freaking out. "Don''t, I''m fine," Ae stood, rubbing her hand, "That wasn''t a deadly shock," She stared at Arad and approached him, touching the Axol again. CRACKLE! Ae got zapped again, "AH!" She cried, shaking her hand, "He didn''t intend to zap me. Their bodies are always electrified." She red at the Axol. "But I don''t feel anything," Arad asked, looking at the Axol in his hand, [The power is weaker than what could hurt you as a dragon. To you, it''s a passive discharge. Axols are of the smander kin. You can call them lightning smanders.]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Mom says they are lightning smanders," Arad exined, and Ae sighed, scratching her head. "Of course." She looked at the Axol, "It''s the same with how smanders are always hot and burning. This one is just electrified all the time." Arad put the Axol on the ground, "Well then, little ones," He smiles, looking at the Axols, "You keep this ce well guarded while I''m napping down." Arad and Ae went down to the giant antyer, and to their surprise, the ants froze. "How are you doing?" Arad lifted his hand, trying to start a conversation. One of the ants rushed back toward the queen''s room in a panic, "What is their problem?" Arad looked at Ae. "You burned them alive. I doubt they want anything to do with you." Ae replied. "AH! Master!" A voice rang across the tunnels, "I can''t wait!" "That was weird." Ae looked around, "Who are you?" She asked. "Shut up, elf. I''m talking to Master." the voice replied. "Master! I''m the queen. Come meet me in my room," Arad and Ae looked at each other, "Let''s have a look," Arad asked. "Yeah, we need to go through her room to reach the fourthyer anyway," Ae sighed, feeling that meeting the ants'' queen is a bad idea. Arad and Ae walked toward the queen''s room, seeing her sleeping in the same spot. "AH! Master, I''ve been waiting for you," The queen said, wigging her body and ring at Arad, "You elf can go away now, hush! Hush!" she shook her head. Arad looked at Ae, "Did you do something to her?" "No, should we kill her again?" Ae asked with a smile, pulling her bow. [The ant queen sees you as a mate. To her, Ae is but a hindrance.] ^What? No, thank you, I have more things to do. Is that even possible?^ [Technically, yes. Dragons arepatible with every living being or monster, but I won''t rmend it since the queen is weaker than her own ants.] Mom exined, [I would have encouraged it if she was a legendary monster with a humanoid shape, like an Arachnoid queen, nymph, Medusa, or Scy.] ^I don''t know who those are, but I sure don''t want to meet them,^ Arad sighed, imagining a bunch of ugly monsters. [Come on, Even if you tried to ignore them all, you can''t refuse a nymph. Those monsters look basically like humans, but they are called the incarnation of natural beauty.] Arad looked at the ant queen, "I need to head down to nap in the kobolds''ir. Can you let us move?" He asked. "Sleep? How about you sleep here with me? I will keep you protected and tend to all your needs," The queen ant lowered herrge head, looking at Arad. "How do I say it nicely?" Arad scratched his head. Ae looked at the queen, "You''re weak. Arad wants to most protection while he sleeps." She approached the queen, "Only the kobolds can provide that with their traps, and it will also allow you and everyone to protect him by not allowing anyone to the kobolds''ir." The queen looked at Ae, "You know? I''m starting to hate you more," "That''s fine with me, just don''t be a problem to Arad," Ae growled, ring at the queen. "Come on, you two, don''t fight here," Arad walked between them, trying to stop them from shing. "HA!" The ant queen sighed, shaking her massive head, "But she''s right, go down. I don''t want to hold you back." Ae stared at the queen, "You''re more understanding than I expected," "Don''t take my words as eptable to you," the queen growled, "I just want the best for my mate," Cough! Ae choked on air, "What are you talking about?" She growled, pulling her bow, "He''s mine, monster," "Ant queen," Arad red at the queen, "You''re too weak, be stronger before standing to Ae," His eyes shed purple. If she and Ae fight, Arad won''t hesitate to kill the queen again. The queen went silent, sitting back on her bed. She understood Arad''s re, "Sorry, please go ahead," She pointed with one of her legs a the entrance to the kobolds''yer. Ae put her bow back and sighed, walking toward the koboldsyer. Arad walked past the queen and looked at her, "If you got strong enough and attained a humanoid shape, we can discuss the matter further," He walked into the kobold''syer. *** The mage returned to the guild, approaching Nina''s desk, "I just got attacked by a crazy armored woman carrying a long de. She is at least a level twelve fighter. I want to put a bounty on her head," "Sorry, but I can''t put a bounty on someone''s head unless you have proof," Nina replied with a smile, ring at the adventurers in the back who started whispering. "You want proof? Look," The mage pulled his want a small ss ball from his pocket, [Divination: Disy memory] The ss ball glowed, shedding a small projection of the scene when the Armored woman attacked the mage. "How about this? Is it enough?" "Sadly, no," Nina smiled, "Since we can''t see the woman''s face, I still can''t set a bounty. Please refer this quest to the guards first." BAM! The mage smacked the dest, "Don''t tell me you don''t have anyone to investigate here?" "All of our reliable adventurers are busy in quests now. Please refer to the guards operated by the lord''s estate. Or the diviners of the holy church first," Nina replied with a smile. The mage red at her for a moment and then left, mumbling curses. Nina sighed and looked at the other receptionists, "I''m going to talk with the guildmaster," One of the receptionists gasped, ring at her, "Wait, she''s back?" Nina smiled, "I just felt her aura appear in the locked room. I don''t know how much she will stay, so I have to hurry," She walked upstairs. Knock! Knock! "Guildmaster, can I enter," Nina asked. "Come in. I don''t have much time," A woman''s voice replied from inside the room. Nina opened the door, seeing a red-skinned Tiefling woman standing beside the desk and reading the paper stacked there. Nina approached her and bowed slightly, "Guildmaster Malta, there are two urgent matters I like to get your advice on," Malta turned her head toward Nina, "That mage and Abel," She sighed, "Don''t kill the mage before getting solid evidence against him, something that can''t be tampered with by magic," She sat on the table, putting one leg on the other, "And for Abel, leave that kid alone for now." "He said a cubus is visiting his brothel," Nina said, "Other receptionists are suspecting him to be behind all of that, also the fact he didn''t bring this up earlier," Malta shook her head, "Leave Abel alone. I don''t want to start any problems with a certain someone," "That can''t be. I''m sure we can work it out with lord," Nina replied. "The lord isn''t the problem," Malta scratched her head, "Listen, even Abel might not know it, but hurting him can get us all killed." She approached Nina, "I''m trying to reach that person and get her permission to deal with him. Until then, don''t make a move." "A party would deal with him next week. Can you find her by that time?" Nina asked. "Damn it," Malta scratched her head, "Pull the quest back, and if you can''t, just investigate and don''t do anything drastic," Malta pointed at the door, "All other guild matters are within regtion, you''re dismissed," Nina left the room, and Malta smacked her hands on the table. "Damn it, Mistress Alice." She red at the ground, "I hope you''re happy at the bottom of hell. How the fuck am I going to reach you now? You know I can''t go into churches." Puff! Malta disappeared in a puff of ash and fire. Chapter ?131 The kobolds plan for Arads Draconic lair. ?131 The kobolds'' n for Arad''s Draconicir. Arad walked into the kobold''sir, "Is anyone here?" He called, and Ae walked behind. "Wait! Wait!" One of the kobolds rushed toward Arad, waving his hands, "Please don''t move!" The kobold jumped from one stone to another and bent before Arad, "Don''t move your leg. Stay still for a moment," The kobold pulled a small iron rod from his pocket and Jammed it beneath Arad''s foot, "Lift your leg slowly." Arad moved away, and the kobolds grabbed a nearby stone and put it on the rod, slowly moving his hands away, "It''s stable," "What are you doing?" Ae asked. "The wholeyer is trapped," The kobold replied, "My name is Kobi. To move, please jump on the rectangr stones. And avoid the ones with a scratch on them," "You''re going to guide us?" Arad asked with a smile. "I will, but you can still get hurt, so be careful," Kobi replied, "Please take my words literally and do as I say," After following Kobi all the way to the king''s room, they found the throne empty. "Where is that wizard king?" Arad asked, looking around. "He''s dead," Kobi replied, "The leader of the lowestyer won''t resurrect in a cleared dungeon," Ae looked at Kobi, "They do resurrect in the elvish kingdom,"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Elvish kingdom? I don''t know anything about that. Just go talk with the council over there," Kobi pointed toward a circle of elder kobolds talking. "Are you the council?" Arad asked, approaching them, smiling and waving his hand. The elders kneeled, "Our draconic overlord, How may we serve you?" The oldest-looking one asked with a shaking voice. Arad looked at them and smiled, "First, I would like to sleep here for a while. I expect you to work with the residents of the otheryers and protect me," "We would trap the whole dungeon. You can count on us." The elders nodded. Arad walked toward the throne and sat on the ground before it, crossing his legs, "I would be asleep for a week, don''t bother me. Just focus on protecting the ce, and follow Ae''s orders," "We swear to protect you in the meantime," [Tell them to not get close to you,] ^Why?^ Arad asked. [I''m not sure, but you can form a cocoon around your body on the first day. It will be bad if the kobolds kept walking around you as they formes,] Arad looked at the elders, "Don''t get close to me as I sleep. I would eat anyone who dares to wake or touch me," Arad growled, ring at the elders with glowing purple eyes. The elders kneeled again, "We heard your orders," Arad''s body glowed purple, shifting into his draconic form and curling into a ball. After a few minutes, he fell asleep. Ae looked at Arad, "He''s asleep," She said. The kobolds nodded, "We would like to start by having a look at the upper threeyers if you would guide us," "Guide you?" Ae looked at them, smiling, "You guide me out of youryer first," She sighed. "You will soon remember where all the traps are," One of the elders replied, smiling, "From today, we serve the ck dragon. You can look at our maps and memorize where all the traps are," He pointed toward a door at the corner, "That''s the leather room. It''s where we keep our recording and diagrams," Ae looked at the door, "Jack would be more interested in it than me," She smiled. The kobolds stared at each other, "The rogue, he won''t like us," They started shaking and one of the kobolds walked forward, "He red at me like he wanted to skin me alive," The kobold said. Ae thought, scratching her chin, "He did say he would turn the kobold who cut his rope into a leather bag," The kobold started shaking, "I was right!" He cried. "I would talk to him. I might be able to stop him," She smiled, and the kobold turned pale, "You might?" He cried. Ae walked out with the kobolds, leading them all the way to the firstyer of the goblins, "Please work together," she said. Hob red at the kobold elders, "Why can we speak?" He asked the important question. Ae just then realized it, how could she understand the monsters? "It''s a function of the dungeon itself," One of the elders replied, "Now that Lord Arad is the one who nted the dungeon core. He''s effectively the dungeon''s master," The elder lifted his staff, "In order to easemunication, the dungeon allows the monsters inside to speak amonnguage with the dungeon master." "What about the kobold king?" Ae asked. "He could speak both our and the goblins'' tongues. He could speak with ant queen, and Axols with magic," One of the elders replied, "Arad can''t usenguage magic, so the dungeon did that for him," "If I may speak," One of the elders walked forward, "I might be the youngest among the elders, but I have something to suggest," He said with a smile. "What is it? Elder Bagir?" Another kobold spoke, scratching his scaly chin. "You think it will be possible for you to allow us to fortify the area around the dungeon entrance?" He said, "I''m sure the goblins would prefer that no one gets into theiryer," Another elder smiled, "I''m with him, Lady Ae, is that possible?" Ae shook her head, "If monster activities increase in the forest, the guild will send people to investigate," "Can''t you talk with them? We aren''t attacking people. Unless Lord Arad wants it," One of the elders spoke. Hob looked around, "Is it hard to exin?" He looked at Ae, "I heard from stray goblins that came to ouryer in the few days the dungeon was open. They used to kill and kidnap people," "That''s it," Ae smiled, "It will be difficult to exin it to them without Arad around. Can we leave the expansion on hold till Arad wakes up?" She suggested. "Of course," The youngest elder nodded with a smile, "We can''t take any big moves without the lord''s permission," Ae waved her hand, "The gate is located inside the basement of our house, and we haven''t finished building yet. You might end up killing the workers if you put traps everywhere," The kobolds looked at each other, "You are building?" "Yes?" Ae replied in a question, wondering what those kobolds were up to. "We can mine ores, and y." One of the elders walked forward, "Be it nails, bricks, or hammers. We can provide everything," "Really?" Ae looked at them, "But how will I exin it?" "Just say you can source the items from somewhere else," One of the elders replied. "Don''t put her in a hard spot," Hob said, "If you want manualbor, feel free to call us," He bowed slightly. "Can you make armor?" Ae stared at the kobolds with sparkling eyes. "Sadly, we don''t have the needed skills," One of the elders replied, "We can make traps, but we aren''t craftsmen," Ae sighed, "Fine, But you can mine?" "Of course, we can," One of the elders replied, but another cut him, "Won''t mining make noise and annoy Lord Arad?" "It will," The kobolds red at each other, "We''re stuck, the best we can do is stand Guard as he sleeps," "I doubt a little noise will wake him up," Ae said. "We won''t risk it, our scales are on the line," One of the elders replied, "It''s only a week, we will sit still and n for the future traps as we wait," *** "Hey! Gojo, why are there people stalking you?" Jack''s sister approached Gojo who was taking a nap on the guild''s roof. "I might have helped them to chill a bit. It isn''t a problem, Liliana." Gojo replied without opening his eyes, rolling to his side. "It''s hard to move with them around. You''re making my job harder." Liliana replied, pulling a dagger and pointing at Gojo, "Wake up," Gojo opened his eyes, yawning, "Fine, I will get rid of them," He stood. "How do you intend on doing that?" Liliana asked. "Call Gug and Vars. We''re going to massacre them all," Gojo stood, smiling. "Don''t tell me you intend on eating the corpses again," Liliana sighed, "It might be normal for your kind, but I still find it strange with how you look," Gojoughed, "You saw me, and you know what I am, so why do you think it''s weird?" Gojo replied, "It will be more disgusting if I refuse to eat people. We''re apex predators, and I don''t intend on giving up on that," Liliana scratched her head, "I told you getting involved with that Arad is a trouble request. Now a whole gang of mages is looking for you," Gojo pointed at her, "Would you help Jack if the mages came for him?" "I will," Liliana replied. "I''m the same. Life is short, and I would rather not leave any regrets," Gojo poked her head forehead, ring at her eyes with a smile. "I see," Liliana looked away, "I will call Gug and Vars," Chapter ?132 Gojos attack on the Mages Scouts ?132 Gojo''s attack on the Mage''s Scouts "Damn it! Where did the rest go?" A man growled inside a room. Filled with thugs waiting, "I heard they got captured by the guards. Probably messed with the wrong person," One of the men replied, "I win!" He smacked a card on the table. The other men growled, "No way! Lucky bastard!" they sighed, and the man smiled, puffing his chest. "We were right to say we''re leaving. The mage paid us handsomely to stay," One of the men smiled, shaking the gold sachel in his hand. The winner stood, looking at the corner in the back where two women were tied. "To think he sends us two," He smiled, approaching them, "I''m going first. You guys stand back," The other men sighed, "Don''t be too hard on them. It would be a bummer if you broke them right away," Two women tried to crawl away, crying as the man approached. Knock! Knock! "The mage send you another woman!" Gojo''s voice came from behind the door. The men stopped, and the winner turned toward the door, "Damn! We asked for one, and he sent two, and now a third?" He approached the door, "But who are you? You aren''t his usual messenger," The winner said, grabbing the doorknob and pulling his sword. "He died in a second attack," Gojo replied. BAM! Arge muscr woman burst through the wall beside the door, ring at the men inside as she stood almost 1.9 meters tall. "Gug, please use the door," Gojo sighed as the Gug lifted her massive Warhammer with one hand. "Damn it!" The winner tried to move away, but his hand stuck to the ice-cold doorknob. "GYA! GRWAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The man screamed as he froze from his hand to his head. Gojo then turned the doorknob, shattering the man''s arm and pushing his as he opened the door, "YO! ying games here, aren''t you?" He waved his hand to the men with a smile. "Kill him!" The men stood, pointing their crossbows at Gojo. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! GRWA! Gojo was about to create an ice barrier, but Gug jumped in front of him, acting like a meat wall. The bolts bounced off her skin like pebbles. "Gug, I can protect myself," Gojo sighed, patting her back. "Gojo saved Gug, Gug saves Gojo," Gug replied with a smile, ring at the men and screaming, "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Her warcry shook the whole room, sending fear into the hearts of those who heard it. One of the two tied women smiled, her skin slowly sifting into the red as her eyes turned ck. A small me burned the ropes tieing her, and she stood. The woman stood, approaching the men from the back and picking their leader. "You bastards will regret attacking us!" The thug''s leader shouted, pulling his greatsword. Thud! A gentle hand covered his eyes, "You smell awful," A voice whispered behind him as a dagger sliced his throat. Liliana finished him off. The men turned back, seeing their leader wiggling on the ground, bleeding. "Where did youe from?" The men growled, facing Liliana. Thud! An elf walked from the hole Gug left in the wall, "Oh, my! By the tree branches, you really lead us to their hideout," Vars said with a smile, staring at Liliana. "The best way to find people like them is to get captured. I know my job," Liliana shook the blood from her dagger. Vars smiled, pointing his staff at the thugs, "You''re in the way. Please die," [Screaming Wind Gust]. A burst of air raged from the tip of his staff, lifting the chairs and tables of the room and smacking the thugs with them. GAH! Gug jumped forward, crushing one of the men''s heads with mace. And kicking another to the wall. The thugs started freaking out, jumping toward the weakest-looking one, Gojo. Gojo smiled, "You want to give me a hug?" He opened his arms, "Sadly, it''s quite hot here. How about you chill a bit?" In a sh, he froze everyone. Gug looked at the frozen room. She poked one of the men with her finger, causing his icy body to shatter. "They are dead," Liliana said, looking around as well, "It''s amazing how you avoided us. You''re really a master of ice magic." She gasped. Gojo smiled, "I do like ice. It''s pretty versatile," Vars sighed, "He''s no master. This bastard is cheating." He red at the ice, "How could you do this without chanting or a pre-prepared spell?" "That''s cold," Gojo looked at him with a sad face, "I prepare my spells each morning and revise them at night. This one I made so I can attack multiple people without hurting myrades," "I have never seen you hold a book." Vars sighed, walking around the room and checking the thugs belonging. "I don''t need a book to do that. If you saw meying with my eyes closed that mean I''m thinking about my magic," Gojo replied. "So when you were sleeping on the guild''s roof?" Liliana asked. "I was working on my spells," Gojo replied, "I like that ce since it''s quiet and the sun feels good," "Gojo!" Vars called, "Look at this," He showed Gojo a few papers, "As we expected. Those thugs were hired by that fat noble before the mage came," Gojo looked at the papers, "Kidnapping, stealing, and intimidation contracts, all finished." "Exactly," Vars smiled, "Look at this one. He visited the royal treasury in the capital three years ago. And he hired idiots to guard him." Liliana looked at the papers, "This means by getting close to him, we can find a way to get to the treasury ourselves?" Vars had an evil smile on his face, "The is weak to his wife and only daughter. We need to kidnap those two and force him to work for us," "I don''t like getting innocent people involved. Can''t we take the man himself and give him the ice treatment?" Gojo suggested. "Torture? It won''t work as we need him to be active. We aren''t seeking information, but a service." Vars exined. "I hate to say it, but Vars is right," Liliana sighed, "We need to retrieve the artifact and give it back to the elves before they start a full-on war on the humans. If it came to that, the fat noble will be sent to the front line with his personal army, and his wife and daughter would end up suffering a worse fate," "I didn''t think that far," Vars stared at her, "I merely think that three people suffering is better than two kingdoms going into war," He stood, smiling at Liliana. "Don''t smile at me, you creep," Liliana cringed, hiding behind Gug, "I didn''t say anything!" Vars smiled. Gojoughed, flicking his finger, and all the frozen thugs disappeared, "At least. Arad won''t have to worry that much now," He looked at his party, "Thanks for your help," Liliana, Gug, and Vars stared at Gojo for a moment, "Don''t worry about it. It helped our cause," Vars said. Liliana looked away, hiding her smile, "My brother is with him. I can''t let those thugs hurt him," Gug stared around, confused, "Gug fights with Gojo," She said, approaching Gojo, "Gojo saved Gug''s life," "I told you don''t need to worry about that," Gojo replied, "But at least learn how to use doors," He looked at the busted wall, "And try to say your name less," Vars looked at Gojo and Gug, "Barbarians are a bit too stupid. They keep saying their names so they won''t forget them. And so other barbarians won''t forget their names." He approached Gug, "And that is the same reason why all of these names are short. Gug and Ninae to mind." "Come on, Gug isn''t stupid. She''s simple," Gojo started at Vars. Liliana sighed, ring at Vars, "Being stupid is better than being a pervert," Vars smiled, "I''m a pervert, and I don''t mind people calling me as such. That''s just the truth," He puffed his chest, "What I''m saying is that Gug doesn''t need to change. She needs to improve on what she got,"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Gojo approached Vars, "How about you speak directly? You always get misunderstood when speaking like this," Vars looked at Gojo, "You''re the first one to be able to understand that," He smiled, "Gug is already at a high level and has secured most of her stats into strength and constitution. She will get irreparably unbnced if she started putting points into intelligence now." "So you''re saying she will be a half-baked barbarian if he pulls out now?" Liliana said, looking at Vars. "Exactly, it''s fine to be stupid for now. She can raise her intelligence by studying after she reach her peak like Nina did," Vars nodded and then looked at Liliana. "Can I see your feet?" Vars asked. "You mean feats?" Liliana replied, trying to look between Vars''s words like Gojo said. "No, I just like them toes," Vars replied with a smile, and she punched his face. Chapter ?133 Abel and Jack Vs the mage ?133 Abel and Jack Vs the mage Thud! Thud! The mage walked across the forest following his crows, "Where did he go?" He mumbled, searching for Arad. "This mage doesn''t know when to stop, does he?" Abel said with a smile, standing beside Jack. "Shut up for a moment. I don''t buy it," Jack looked around them, "His movements aren''t random. He''s following something." "You can tell?" Abel stared at Jack. "Of course, he won''t be changing direction randomly. He even lept over a small hill. If he is searching randomly, he would have walked around it," Jack replied, pointing back at the hill behind them. Abel nodded, "If that makes sense to you," "He''s moving away from Arad for now. Let''s keep following him," Jack replied with a sigh, standing behind arge tree and ring at the mage from afar. After a few minutes, the mage started slowing as if he was approaching his destination, "Pull your weapons. He might stop to rest," Jack said, pulling his dagger, "We will strike when least expect it," Abel pulled his two swords and walked behind Jack, everyone now and then ring behind. "Someone behind us?" Jack asked, looking at the worried Abel. "No, It''s weird that no one is chasing us. Considering how he was guarded before, it''s strange." Abel said with a worried face. The mage stopped, ring back with a smile, "The two rats following me, care to show yourselves?" He said with a smile, pointing his wand at the trees. Jack walked from the trees, smiling, "So we''re busted?" Thud! He pointed a hand crossbow at the mage, "It doesn''t matter. You die here," From behind Jack, Abel walked out in Arad''s form, "You were looking for me?" He said with a grin. The mage paused for a moment, confused. ^The crows saw a while-haired rogue and a blond man. Arad wasn''t with them. This one is the blond man using some illusion magic. But I can''t tell what kind,^ "Saved me half the trouble of finding you," The mage smiled, ying along. Jack red back at Abel, screaming inside. ^What are you doing? Idiot?^ Abel smiled, looking at Jack and the mage. ^Let''s see what information we can extract from this mage.^ He thought of pretending to be Arad and making the mage speak. The mage opened his arms, "What is it? Why are you silent?" Abel red at the mage, "I don''t like peopleing after me like. Care to exin yourself?" He smiled, "I might even let you live if you managed to impress me," Jack gave up, Abel yed his cards, and he had to dance in his ne, "Heard the boss, prepare to die," "Come on,e on. Why the hurry? I didn''te here to hurt you. Just ask for help in a secret matter," The mage smiled, "Are you interested in at least listening to me?" Jack could smell the problem. This could be something that Arad won''t like to have someone like Abel listen to. ^What should I do? Stab Abel and run away?^ "I''m interested, speak," Abel growled, pointing his swords at the mage. The mage lifted his hands, "This isn''t a ce suitable for such a topic. I can teleport us to a more private location," He suggested. Jack red at Abel, ^This is clearly a trap, don''t take his offer^ "Are you messing with me? Speak right here and now!" Abel growled, shouting at the mage. The mage sighed, "Damn it," He waved his hands, "Well, fine, let''s speak here," He waved his wand, creating arge table and three chairs. He then sat on one calling for Abel and Jack, "Come, take a seat." "Speak!" Abel shouted. "Dracorage Mythics, ever heard of it?" The mage said with a menacing smile. "Jebrish," Abel replied with a single word, causing Jack to clench his fist, wishing he could punch him. "But you aren''t lying. Speak," Abel growled, ring at the mage. The mage stared at Abel. ^I knew it, lie-detecting magic. That man is an idiot, but he''s skilled.^ He then inspected Abel''s body, ^Illusion magic, holy magic, lightning magic, and a curse. What kind of stupid magical monstrosity is this man? If my guess is right. He could behead me before I get a chance to cast any spells.^ The mage clenched his teeth, ^I have to speak the truth until I''m ready to strike,^ The mage cast a silent spell, hiding it below the table. A green root pierced the grown, slowly making its way toward Abel. "Why are you silent? Speak!" Abel shouted. "Dracorage Mythics is an ancient curse cast by a long-dead over deity called AO. We don''t know where he came from, but that curse is a testament to his evil," The mage started talking. "Keep going!" Abel shouted. Till this point, the mage hasn''t lied. But Abel wasn''t stupid. This was what the mage believe is right. There is the possibility he had convinced himself with magic. "AO cast the curse on a meteor several thousand years ago. When the celestial body passes by ournd, all dragons shall fall into a murderous rage. Ripping, burning, killing, and destroying all in their wake." The mage smiled. Abel red at the mage. ^His story sounds stupid. But he isn''t lying. Damn it, I should have studied more in the church.^ Abel growled inside. But soon cleared his head. ^No, someone like me can''t stay that long in churches anyway.^ "I still don''t see how that is any of my business?" Abel growled. "Dragons will kill everyone, including their own. I believe that includes you, sir Arad." The mage smiled, "Three years till the meteor show up and ends the world. But, there is still hope." The mage pointed at Abel, "Void dragons!" "The fuck are you talking about?" Abel growled, and Jack stepped forward, "Forget it, let''s kill him," He pointed his dagger at the mage. "The void dragons have picked up on their curse long ago. For several decades now, their bodies have naturally adapted a survival strategy." The mage stood, waving his hands. "The void dragons started repelling each other. So they won''t murder their kind in the inevitable rage. That connection between them and the meteor is priceless. And might be the world''s only hope for survival." The mage pointed at Abel. "The mage tower is seeking to learn more of that. And then use it to deflect the meteor away with a great spell." As the mage spoke, the root finally caught Abel by the ankle. "GWA!" Abel screamed as his body got flung away, smacking into a tree. BAM! "You bastard!" Jack rushed toward the mage, "I will cut your lying throat!" "Do you think a mere rogue can stop me?" The mage smiled, pointing his staff at Jack. BAM! Another root emerged from before the mage, rushing at Jack at an incredible speed. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Jack jumped on the root, running on it toward the mage. "You nimble bastard!" The mage growled, pointing his wand at Jack, [Magic missile] Several orbs of light flew toward Jack, followed by another two roots.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Jack pulled a smoke bomb from his pocket, throwing it toward the mage. He then dodged the missiles, running on the other two roots. The mage growled, feeling that his spell missed. CRACKLE! CLAP! Abel morphed back into his human form, blitzing at the mage engulfed in a lightning bolt [Lightning sh]. He severed the mage''s right arm with a sword strike. BAM! Jack jumped over the mage,nding behind him and swinging his dagger. STAB! He managed to stab the mage''s back. "Your lies end here," Jack growled. BLuh! The mage puked blood, ring at the sky as he fell on his back, "Damn it fucker! We could have ended this quickly if not for your empty bullshit!" Jack red at the mage, "Your journey ends here," He smiled, "I will help myself to any gold you''re carrying, but don''t worry, I will bury you at least," The mage smiled, "We mages want to deflect it, the dragons want to destroy it, and the elves want to dispel the curse," The mage mumbled, "My mission failed..." He growled, "But I warn you. The dragons and the elves are foolish. Seek us in the tower if you wish to help save the world..." the mage''s body started glowing faint blue, disintegrating into a silvery mist. "You bastard! What did you do?" Abel growled. "Don''t tell me, a trap?" Jack jumped away, hiding behind a tree. The mage''s body silently disappeared, leaving Jack and Abel with more questions than what they started with. "What is he babbling about?" Abel growled, kicking the dirt where the magey. "He was lying to buy time," Jack replied. "He wasn''t lying. I have magic for that," Abel said, staring at Jack. "He must have used magic, or at least someone did to make sure he doesn''t spill anything. "You might be right," Abel scratched his head, Chapter ?134 Everyone needs an Explanation! ?134 Everyone needs an Exnation! Jack and Abel returned to the guild to inform Nina about what happened with the mage. She wasn''t happy. "He ran away?" She cried, "Follow me to the private room," The three of them headed to the private room. "How did you let run away?" Nina asked. "Calm down, he had a spell cast on his body," Abel replied, "Yeah, he teleported as soon as he got a fatal injury," Jack added. Nina scratched her head, ring at them, "He came prepared," she sighed. "Of course, he woulde prepared," Abel smiled, "Alcott would have killed him if he was here," Nina looked at the table, "Yeah, Alcott doesn''t get well with either the church or the mage tower," "Is that so?" Jack asked. "Alcott thinks the mage tower had a hand in his previous wife''s disappearance, and the church seems skeptical of Ginger to the point they sent a kill squadst year iming she was a murderer," Nina exined. "That sounds crazy. How could the church call the wife of a hero a murderer?" Abel sighed, "I''m d I left those fanatics," Jack looked away, ^I can''t say Ginger is a vampire lord. The church was probably right about her.^ He screamed inside, "Did the tower kill Alcott''s previous wife?" He asked. "No," Nina shook her head, "She disappeared, leaving a single note saying that her existence is dangerous to Alcott," "Probably a runaway mage with forbidden spells," Abel sighed, "I heard of the mage tower hunting those," Jack looks at Nina, "Did you hear of the Dracorage Mythics?" Nina froze, "I did, but that was years in the past when I was still traveling with Alcott," "The mage said he was looking for Arad because of that. Can you tell me more?" Jack asked. "I don''t know much," Nina shook her head, "We had a quest to help a gold dragon die. He was old but too strong to die naturally. He asked Alcott to kill him and donate his body to the dwarven kingdom that he lived in." "A dragon wanting to die?" Abel couldn''t believe it. "That gold dragon was a powerful necromancer that used that magic to give the dead soldiers ast chance to speak with their families. He would have turned into a dracolich if left to die naturally," Nina smiled, "His name was Kinryuu, the gold dragon of the east," "We don''t care about who he was. Tell us about the dracorage spell nonsense," Abel growled. BAM! Jack smacked him on the head, "Mind your manners," "Kinryuu said that he should die before five decades passed," Nina looked out the window, "When the stars aline, I fear not death. I fear what my ws might do to the ones who raised me. I do not have a golden future," She repeated what the dragon said, "Alcott then asked him to exin further," "I only have three paths. I embrace the undeath and murder the dwarfs I love or get consumed in the dracorage mythic and massacre them. Please kill me before that," Nina sighed, "When Alcott asked him what the dracorage mythic is, he only said it was a curse on his kind," "I still don''t understand what it has to do with Arad," Abel growled, standing, "I will be back in the elephant trunk. Pleasee visit me when Arad returns," Abel left, and Nina stared at Jack, "Do you have anything to say? Why do you think the mage has an interest in Arad?" She red at him. Jack got scared, "Ah! You know," he started looking around for anything to distract her, "You look beautiful today," he said. "Ah! Thank you, now speak," She approached Jack. "Your clothes are nice. Where did you get them." Jack smiled, "I was trying to get some for Lydia," "Speak," Nina red at Jack with a smile. Jack started sweating. Knock! Knock! "Is Jack here?" Lydia asked from behind the door, "I need him," "He wille soon, wait a bit," Nina replied. CRACK! Lydia opened the door, walking inside. "This is a private conversation. Leave," Nina red at her. Lydia stared at Jack, realizing he was in a pickle. "I don''t think he has anything to keep private from me," she approached them. "The guild has," Nina replied. When Lydia got close, she pinched her nose, "GUH! Are you for real?" She red at Nina, "What?" Nina looked at Lydia. "You reek like a feral dog," Lydia cringed "I guess that mage stressed you," Lydia added. Nina sniffed her chest, "I don''t..." "You won''t recognize your own smell," Lydia said, "You were sweating buckets from anger at the mage. You better hurry and take a shower," Nina red at Lydia with a suspicious face, "I will ask the other receptionists," "You will only embarrass yourself. I told you since I also can smell pretty bad after a fight or training. There is a reason why none of them brought this to your attention," Lydia sighed, "Amber would have told you if she was here," "I still need to..." Nina said, but Lydia grabbed her hand, "Listen, you stink. Go take a bath first, and thene ask Jack. He isn''t going anywhere." Lydia then stared into Nina''s eyes, "You want to be a normal woman, don''t you?" Nina sighed, "Fine," She left the room after telling Jack to meet her tomorrow. "Thanks," Jack thanked Lydia for getting him out. "Don''t thank me," She smiled, "This of a way to talk with her tomorrow," Jack smiled, "This gives me enough time toe up with a story," "You didn''t kill anyone?" Lydia stared at him. "I might have killed the mage with Abel, but Nina is worried about what the mage said," Jack stood. "Won''t tell her would be for the best? You could get the guild''s help," Lydia asked. "No," Jack shook his head, "I would like to keep the matter a secret until Arad returns," He stood, "By the way, can you help me with something?" "What is it?" Lydia stared at Jack with a puzzled face. "I want you to search for something in the church''s library. You can ess that ce. Don''t you?" Jack looked at Lydia with a smile. "I can, but what do you need me to look for?" "Dracorage Mythics, bring me anything you find," Jack said. "Is this what Nina wanted to hear about? I feel like you are dragging me down something big," Lydia sighed. "I might be," Jack scratched his head, "Honestly, I don''t know how bad the situation can get," Lydia waved her hand, "Fine, as long as you''re aware of the danger." She smiled, "But you will have to pay me if it was in the forbidden section," Jack nodded, "Of course. How much do you want?" Lydia whispered in his ear, "I would take the lead for a week," Jack froze, "A single day," "Six!" "Two!" "Four!" "Fine, you take four days," Jack gave up, "I can''t fault you," Lydia smiled, "Thank you, it will be fun," she turned around, "I will get to work right away," Jack watched Lydia leave, ^Now. I''m the party''s rogue. Gathering information is my job. I should visit Merlin and ask.^ Jack walked out of the private room and found a man wearing noble clothes waiting for him. "Are you Mr Jack?" The man asked. "No, he left earlier. You can find him at the city stable," Jack replied without batting an eye. The noble sighed, "I was asking of courtesy. I know you are Jack." The noble bowed slightly, "My name is Liam, the lord''s butler." "Listen, I didn''t steal anything from you," Jack sighed. "I know," the butler sighed, "I would have brought the guards if that was the case," He pointed behind him, "The lord asked me to deliver Arad and his party an invitation to his mansion,"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The butler handed Jack a sealed letter. "Is it about the dragon?" "Yes, the lord wishes to grant you a reward for helping the archmage Merlin and ying the dragon." The butler then red at Jack, "Albeit, he wants to ask about what happened with the vige living beside the dragon''sir. Most of them were found dead," Jack looked away, ^They were a part of the dragon cult, so Arad killed them,^ "I don''t know," Jack scratched his chin, "They were worshipping the dragon we killed, so we ran away immediately so as to not fight them," Jack smiled, "Did anything happen?" "Their vige chief was an old war general of our army. He apparently killed most of the vigers and is seeking refuge with a handful of people in Oakedge," The butler imed, "If you say they were worshipping a dragon, then his actions might be justified." ^That old fart did it!^ Jack screamed inside, ^He seemed irritated with his daughter''s actions, but to think he would take the chance of us fighting the cult to finish them off,^ "He seemed like the only one who was happy the dragon died," Jack added. "Then, where is Arad?" the butler asked. Chapter ?135 Arads First Awakening: Very Young Dragon ?135 Arad''s First Awakening: Very Young Dragon Jack looked around with a worried face, "Well, recovering." The butler stared at Jack, lifting an eyebrow, "We have decent healers at the mansion. Bring him in, and will get him up in moments," "He needs rest," Jack replied. "We will send you a letter when he starts feeling better," Jack then left the guild, leaving the butler standing there. He then left for Merlin to ask about the dracorage spell, but she only knew the name. Days quickly passed, and before anyone knew it, Arad woke up. Five days after Arad fell asleep in the cave, his eyes slowly opened, feeling the blood rush in his veins. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! His spine cracked when he moved his neck, lifting his head. Scales fell from his shoulders, leaving an empty shell as he breathed. Arad''s size has doubled, and he now stands at three meters in his draconic form and is nine meters from head to the tip of his tail. Arad stretched his wings, realizing how massive they got. No wonder they couldn''t lift him before. He went from a five-meter wingspan to fifteen meters. His torso resembled a dog, with a muscr upper torso and a lean stomach. His arms and legs were thick and muscr and strong enough to easily maneuver his heavy body across all surfaces. ^I am bigger than that red dragon,^ ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 7/20][Exp: 1200/34000][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Very Young] [18 years.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 2] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 21] [Agility: 22] [Constitution: 21] [Magic: 25] [Intelligence: 24] [Wisdom: 24] [HP: 213/213][MP: 227/227][SP: 217/217] ---------------- [Skills] [Void Aspect: All of your attacks have void magic]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [ws] [Bite] [Tail m] [Wing m] [Flight: As long as you know the ce and flew there before, you can fly there without thinking.] [Innate Skills] [Frightful presence] The terrifying roar of a dragon. The sheer depth of the voice causes people to fear it. [Awe presence] The void dragon''s deep voice can be soothing when he talks. It grants people a sense of ease, a feeling that the dragon is a reliable being to trust. %You either hear the dragon roar and knew he''sing to kill you and get scared, or hear it and be d you aren''t on his list. When Arad roar, Ae, and Jack would get the awe presence while what they are fighting gets the frightful one% [Void Magic: The ability to use void magic to make other elements] [Void Power: The ability to wield void itself] [Alternate Form: Shifting from a draconic to a humanoid form] [Half dragon form: You can manifest wings, tail, scales, or eyes in your humanoid form] [Breath Weapon: A st of all-consuming void] [Breath Weapon: Hunger of the void. A suction attack as the void inside you tries consuming the outer world] %A vacuum cleaner is the best example I can think of% [Void Biology: The void dragon is alive, but not made of flesh and bones.] [Void Brain: Charm spells from people who don''t know of the draconic nature of the void dragon always fail] %If the mage doesn''t know Arad is a void dragon and tailors his spell specifically to that, it would fail to navigate Arad''s draconic brain.% [Void Eyes: The void eyes can detect magic, see in the dark, and detect invisible creatures.] [Void perception: Bybining void eyes with the void brain, you can perceive the world in slow motion] %It isn''t that extreme. He would see the world a bit slower than other people allowing him to dodge better, read faster, and keep a leveled head.% [Void Existence: The void dragon itself is made of the infinite void. it''s aware of everything in contact with itself. It also allows the dragon to store items within its infinite stomach pouch where neither time nor space exists] [Star bound: The void dragon can naturally read stars to map his own location] %He can look at the night stare and be like "I know that star and that one, so my home is ten kilometers in that direction.% [Void Walk: The Void Dragon can teleport up 400 meters to a spot it can see.] %He needs to have a line of sight to teleport or at least be aware of the exact location he wants to teleport to. He can''t teleport to the other side of a wall. If he doesn''t know if there is a table blocking hisnding spot or not, the magic would fail.% [Resistance] [All Elements] [Immunities] [Time] [Space] [Psycic from people unaware of the dragon] %Psycic is the mage that can affect the brain, things like mind control or fear spells% [Magic] [Innate spell: Detect thought] %He can''t read minds. He can detect thoughts. That means he can know if someone is thinking around him.% **************** Arad opened his jaw and closed it, extending his ws and scratching his arms to remove the stuck scales. CRACK! Arad heard the sound of something shattering. He looked forward and saw a kobold woman staring at him with shaking hands. She had dropped the bowl of water she carried. "My Lord. You''re awake!" She bowed, "How majestic," she lifted her head, ring at Arad''s draconic form. "You..." Arad tried to speak but stopped remembering he couldn''t talk in his draconic form. And then, he realized he just talked. He can speak now that he''s a very young dragon. "You don''t need to bow," Arad said. His deep voice made the kobold woman bow again. "Oh! My lord, I wouldn''t dare," "How long have I slept?" Arad asked. "Almost six days, my lord," She looked at Arad, "You must be hungry. Shall I bring you something to eat?" Arad looked into her eyes, and it didn''t take him a second to sense the fear inside her. They are afraid that he might eat them now that he is awakened. A hungry dragon isn''t something anyone wants to deal with. "Worry not. I prefer to hunt my own food," Arad said. The woman froze, "My lord, we are only skin and bones." "Sorry, I didn''t mean I wanted to eat you." Arad shook his head. "I will go out and hunt monsters in the forest. You and anyone I don''t see as a threat aren''t food," Arad stood on all four, swinging his tail from left to right. "My lord, may I speak?" The woman said, scratching her cheek. "You have already been talking," Arad replied. "The tunnels ahead are too small for your majestic figure," The woman said, looking at the door behind her. Arad nodded, "I know. I was stretching my body." He shifted into his humanoid form. Arad''s clothes were still on him, but they felt tight. The muscles on his body grewrger to reflect his 21 strength. "I probably need new clothes," Arad mumbled, walking through the tunnels with the kobold woman. With each step, the kobold in the tunnel felt Arad''s presence moving, causing them to freeze in fear. His awakening was quite sudden, and many of them didn''t want him to see them fumbling around with traps or being stupid. To the kobolds, Arad''s opinion of them meant life or death. If they looked weak or useless, they would get eaten. After walking for a while, they reached the thirdyer. "I didn''t see any of the elders," Arad asked. "They are engrossed in their work, nning for the future. Shall I call them to meet you?" The woman asked. "No need, we can talk when they have time, don''t disturb their work." Arad replied, looking at the woman with a smile, "Their work is important, and I can''t mess that up for them," Arad didn''t know how those impacted the kobolds. The woman merely nodded as it thought of it as a matter of fact. She then went to tell the kobolds that they are worth their work to Arad, and cking can mean grave consequences. "My lord!" The ant queen cried, rushing toward Arad and almost stomping him. "I have missed you!" She circled around him. "I was just sleeping," Arad sighed, and the queen gave him a closer look. "My lord, did you get stronger?" The ant queen asked. Arad nodded, "Of course, I did get older as a dragon," "No! No! How could I reach you if you kept getting stronger? It''s unfair! Unfair!" The queen cried. As the ant queen started throwing a tantrum, Arad sneaked out to the secondir. The Axols'' attitude didn''t change. They reached out to him. He patted them a bit and then left for their business. Arad then walked toward the firstyer, where he found a door locking his way. ^This door wasn''t here before. Did the goblins make it?^ Arad thought as he pushed the door open. Arad saw the goblins hustling behind the door, cleaning theirir and decorating the walls. He walked out, and the goblins stared at him momentarily before panicking, "His Lordship is awake!" Chapter ?136 Half-dragon For is Too Much for the Carpenter ?136 Half-dragon For is Too Much for the Carpenter Arad approached the goblins, "How are you doing?" The goblins bowed, and Hob rushed forward with a sweaty face, "Your lordship, we are d to see you awake." Hob smiled, "We were cleaning and trying to make the ce prettier as per Lady Ae''smands. We''ve also been training with the sword and bow under hermand," He pointed toward the back where the young goblins were sharpening their des.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Where is she?" Arad asked, looking around and searching for Ae. "She is outside," Hob replied, pointing forward, "Gob,e guide his Lordship to the exit," Gob dropped the de he was sharpening and rushed forward, "Your lordship, I''m d to see you with us again. Please follow me." The two walked across the firstyer until they reached the dungeon gate, "Lady Ae instructed us never to get out before getting direct permission from her since the workers are still working outside." Gob exined, and Arad patted his head, "Thanks, I will go see her," Arad pushed the door open and walked outside, finding himself in a dark cer with crates stacked on each other. ^They seem to have at least finished the cer,^ Arad thought, touching the walls as he approached the stairs, slowly going up. CRACK! He opened the trap door and got out in a tidy living room. ^I can sense multiple thoughts. One person is sitting on the roof. Five are in front of the house. Two are at the back, andstly, one to the right.^ Arad looked around, and he could sense everyone. He walked toward the front door and opened it, seeing five workers installing fences around the garden. One of the workers looked in Arad''s direction, "Hoi! A strange man came out of the house," He said. The other workers looked at Arad, and one recognized him, "That''s Arad, the house owner. When did he arrive?" He stood and approached Arad, "How did you get here? I''m sure we set dogs guarding all around the house." The workers have been seeing wolves and apes around the area, so they put dogs to guard. No one barked when Arad came in. Arad smiled, "Sorry, I''m used to moving silently," Aradughed it off. "Silently?" The worker asked with a puzzled face. "I''m an adventurer. I''m used to moving across the forest without alerting monsters. The dogs probably didn''t spot me," Arad reasoned with himself being an adventurer. The worker smiled, "That''s a useful skill to have. I wish we all could walk across the forest without even dogs sniffing us out," "ARAD!" Ae shouted, jumping from the rooftop andnding behind Arad, "It''s been a while," "Good morning, Ae," Arad replied. "It''s afternoon, man," The worker said with a puzzled face, "I''m going to work. Lady Ae should be able to set up to speed with everything," Ae looked at Arad with a smile, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" "Yeah," Arad smiled, puffing his arms. "As you can see, I should be a bit stronger," Ae looked at Arad''s arms closely, squeezing them, "They got bigger," She mumbled, "You probably should hide them from Mira," Arad smiled, "Hide it?" Ae looked at Arad with a smile, "You don''t know her as much as I did in the past week," She poked Arad''s chest, "No, wait," She then started thinking, "It might the reverse, you should show them to her." Arad stared at Ae, confused, "What are you talking about?" Ae shook her head, waving her hand, "Sorry, I was thinking in lines of she might do something like Merida, but then thought that she is better," She smiled, "She like muscles. For thest week. She didn''t shut up asking about you," Ae giggled, "She almost went crazy when I told her you''re out training," "ARAD! Is that you!" Arad felt the thoughts of the person at the side of the house move. She was Mira, "You returned," She rushed toward them with a smile and a saw in her hand. "You''ve been working?" Arad said, looking at the saw in her hand and the hammer strapped to her waist. "Yeah, I was just making a gate for the garden," Mira said, smiling. "This ce is quite nice to work in. I might even move my shop here," She smiled. Arad scratched his chin, "I doubt you would get a decent supply route here in the woods," Mira was looking at Arad, and she noticed his arms flex as he touched his chin, "Wait, can I see your arm?" She pointed at his upper arm. SWOSH! Arad hid his arms behind his back, looking away, "What are you talking about?" Mira stared at Arad''s neck as he looked away, "What''s up with the veins in your neck? And now that I looked closer, your shoulders are wider." She jumped toward him, touching his shoulder. "Come on! No touching," Arad lifted his arm, and Ae caught Mira by the head. "Care to tell me why you have four traps? And why is there one extending from your upper chest?" Mira caressed his shoulder. Arad looked at Ae, wishing she could help him. ^I bet those are my wing muscles,^ Ae smiled, "I told you," Mira stared into Arad''s eyes, "You are a draconic bloodline sorcerer. Does this mean you''re going to develop wings?" Arad thought to himself, ^She knows I''m a sorcerer. It would probably be best if she know I already have the half-dragon form. Yeah, it would be helpful if I could fly in public,^ Arad extended his wings, trying to get into his half-dragon. Only to realize he made a mistake at thest moment. BAM! His shirt exploded as his jet-ck wings expanded beneath it, spanning over an eight meters wingspan. Mira stared at him with a nk expression. Arad didn''t have a six-pack. He had a twelve-pack as the muscles extend to his back and grasped into the muscles of his wings. The muscles of his arms looked even stranger, twisting and twirling around his forearms to increase the power of his w grip, and the muscles of his chest looked as if they were sculpted from jagged stones. A dragon might look like a human from the outside, but even in the human or half-dragon form, their inside is that of a dragon. Otherwise, how could they exert their draconic might? "Heh!" Mira giggled, looking at Ae, then fainted, causing the two to panic. Chapter ?137 The Dragons First Flight ?137 The Dragon''s First Flight Mira opened her eyes, staring at the sky with birds flying. "Where am I?" She mumbled, and Ae stared down at her. "You fell unconscious out of nowhere," Ae replied, her hair tickling Mira''s face. Mira sat, grasping her head, "Last I remember, we were talking with Arad and..." CREEECK! She heard the sound of wood crackling on the other side of the garden. She looked and saw Arad hauling a massive tree trunk to the workers. "What in the..." She gasped. "He''s strong, isn''t he?" Ae said with a smile. As long as it''s something that Arad''s massive draconic body can move, his humanoid body can shake it as long as he gets the bnce right. With each step, help footmarks on the ground, yet he didn''t seem bothered. To Mira, something seemed wrong. Arad barely felt like a human but more like an exotic monster. "What kind of training do you have to go through for that?" Mira gasped. "I don''t know," Ae replied, "He''s a bit special. You won''t find many like him." "I know," Mira replied, standing up and shaking her head, "I never thought someone beside Alcott would move a tree like that," "Nina could. There is this other girl Gug I met at the inn we used to stay in, and she could probably do it." Ae stood beside Mira. Mira looked at Ae, smiling and pulling the hammer from her waist, "Judging by the sun, I didn''t stay down for long." She swung the hammer, "I need to finish that gate,"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om *** Arad noticed the fog surrounding the house. The trees of the forest seemed to have been swallowed by the mist. "Since when was it this foggy?" He asked. "Been like that for three days," One of the workers replied, "We barely managed to bring supplies. Ae guided us," The worker replied. "And the strange moose, don''t forget the one who helped Winny. Thed almost died, losing his way for eight hours in what? Half an hour walk?" [This is an effect of your draconicir. The presence of a dragon changes the nature around theirir.] Mom exined, [You can expect the monsters serving you to be stronger and that people will find it hard to traverse thend around yourir.] Arad walked toward the mist, "I will check it out," He disappeared into the forest. After walking for a minute, a group of feral wolves surrounded Arad, "I don''t remember taming jet-ck wolves with red eyes," Arad said. The wolves stared at Arad for a while before going their way, "What was their problem?" [They are the wolves you tamed. They evolved from animals to monsters. I can''t tell what exact kind of monster wolves they were, but I hope they develop some intelligence in the future,] Arad looked around, "So this fog is because of me, and it''s generally safe?" [Yeah, and we better have it. You can''t have random thugs wandering into your house.] Arad smiled, stretching his arms, "I want to fly," [Don''t do it this close to the city. Let''s go somewhere far away. Use [Void walk to move]] Arad looked at his stats, noticing that his void walk could move him four hundred meters to a spot he could see. "Wait, can I grab someone, teleport into the sky, and drop them?" [You should be able to move anything of your weight or less,] Arad climbed a tree with a single jump,nding on the highest branch and staring at the horizon. The mountain stood tall in the distance as the clouds swarmed across its peak, "I want to fly there," Arad said with a smile, his eyes shing purple. [As I said, people of Alina could see you. No one should think a dragon is living close by,] "I know," Arad replied, [Void walk] ZON! Arad''s body disappeared without a trace and appeared mid-air, 400 meters closer to the mountain. "Haha!" Heughed, "To think I can cover such arge distance," ZON! ZON! Arad teleported a couple of times, reaching behind the mountain where no one could see him. CRACK! His body expanded, growing wings and ws as his true form emerged. The ck dragon of the night sky soared between the clouds, staring down at the vast forest. "I can fly!" Arad roared, flipping mid-air as he tested his manoeuvering skills. "Now I want to fight something," [Calm down,] "I want to fly down and st something with a breath," Arad then spent a few minutes flying around, searching for troubles. Sadly most monsters hid upon spotting a massive dragon soaring in the sky with an entric and excited roar. After a few minutes of search Arad had moved quite a bit far away, and he finally found a group of bandits attacking arge caravan. *** "No, listen. Shitface," The bandit leader, Roger, growled, pointing his sword at the caravan leader, the old merchant Gerald. "We''re taking the good, horses, and the beauties you have in the back. You and the boys can fuck off. We won''t care less," The other banditsughed, surrounding the caravan and shooting the driver dead. Gerald red at the bandits, "You think you can take us down just like that?" He looked back at the adventurer he hired for protection. "Sorry, old G." The adventurer leader smiled, "We work for who pays more," He pulled his sword, and so did the other adventurers. "You scumbags, you work for them," Gerald growled, pulling the shortsword he kept on his waist. "Want to fight us?" The adventurer leader swung his sword at the old Gerald. CLANG! Gerald deflected the strike and smacked the adventurer in the face with his palm, pushing him away. Thud! The adventurer''s rogue rushed forward, swinging his dagger at Gerald. "Man, Jemmiy went easy on you," Gerald stood still, his clear eyes ring at the rogue dead in the face, "Brat!" CLANG! STAB! Gerald deflected the dagger and stabbed the rogue under the armpit. The mage pointed her staff, charging a spell. Gerald took the rogue''s knife, and threw it at her, hitting her in the throat. The spearman rushed with his spear, thrusting his weapon. Gerald moved to the side, twisting the rogue''s arm and breaking it as he stabbed the spearman in the guts. Tuf! Gerald spat on the spearman''s face, "Fucking bastards, look where you got us." He pushed the spearman away and red at the bandits. "Calm down! Old wolf," Roger smiled, "Is it a veteran we have here?" The bandits pointed their crossbows at Gerald, "One move and you''re cheese," "Retried royal guard," Gerald growled, "You know who you''re messing with?" "The king won''t care about an old guard dog, let alone one that disappeared without a word." Roger smiled, "Corpses don''t talk, do they?" THUD! Gerald was the first to attack, rushing to lift one of the adventurer''s bodies to use as a shield against the bolts. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Three bolts still managed to hit Gerald''s legs, dropping him to the ground. Roger rushed forward, Kicking Gerald''s face. CRACK! "What can you do now?" Roger started kicking Gerald over and over. "FATHER!" A ck-haired woman jumped from the carriage, swinging her fist at Roger with all her might. BAM! Roger swung his fist, smacking her in the face like nothing. THUD! The woman clenched her teeth, not even slowing her punch down. CRACK! She took Roger''s fist and still punched him hard enough to knock a tooth out, sending him stumbling. The bandits startedughing, "Boss, she got you good!" Roger stood, spitting the blood away, "Nothing that healing magic can''t fix," He rushed forward, punching the woman in the face. "Roberta!" Gerald growled, bleeding on the ground. Roger smiled, "Healing magic can fix you too," BAM! He kicked her in the guts, and she fell on the ground, "I like fiery women, and you''re just the one," Roberta curled into a ball to withstand his kicks, and she stood the moment he stopped to take a breath, punching him in the nuts with an uppercut. Roger growled for a moment. CRACK! He immediately kicked her in the face, and she fell on her back, bleeding from her nose with her consciousness almost disappearing. BAM! Roger kicked Roberta in the guts, "Damn it, woman! Roberta, did he call you?" Roger red at Gerald, "You''re mine, and no one is going to save you," Thud! Roberta grabbed Roger''s ankle, lifting his leg up as the fire in her eyes didn''t fade. Tuf! Roger spat in her face, "I can''t help but see that bastard''s eyes on your face," He pointed at Gerald, "Daughter of the old wolf, you''re as hardheaded as your father," "Capture all the women, have fun with half, and leave half to be sold," Roger looked at the bandits, "For the men, beat them nicely till they be mules for the trip," ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! The carriage shook as the horrid roar filled the sky, and the birds ran away as the bandits could hear the squirrels freak out. Gerald''s eyes opened up, looking at the sky to see a massive ck dragon diving down. Chapter ?138 Unfulfilled Thanks ?138 Unfulfilled Thanks The bandits gasped, seeing the ck dragon pping its wings, flying toward them at an incredible speed. "A dragon!" one of the bandits cried, dropping his crossbow. "It''s a ck dragon," Roger growled, "Leave everything and retreat to the forest. It''s probablying to eat the horses and rob the caravan of gold," He red at the sky, grinding his teeth. CLENSH! Roberta hugged Roger''s leg, biting him. "Leave me, woman! I love your affection, but not now," Roger growled, trying to kick her away. "Hehe!" Roberta smiled, "Guess death ising. You will get eaten with us," Roger pulled his sword, stabbing Roberta in the guts and pulling his leg, "The bitch," He looked at the sky, seeing the dragon getting closer. "Huh?" The dragon suddenly disappeared. Roger searched the sky with his eyes, "Where did it go?" He growled, "Don''t matter, we run," He turned, looking back only to see the massive dragon standing there. Arad used [Void walk] when he got close enough to reach them in one hop. The bandits froze as Arad red at them, a disturbing purple me oozing from his eyes. Gerald smiled, "Karma hits well..." He red at Roger before his consciousness faded, "Death came for us..." Roger stared at Arad, not wanting to move. ^The first to move will die. I can feel it in my bones,^ Roger thought, ring at Arad''s eyes. "Say something," Arad growled, his voice sounding like a deep trumpet rushing from the abyss. Far away yet close, loud but akin to whispering. It gave the bandits the creeps as if Arad whispered in their ears. Void dragons and Psychic by nature. People can hear Arad''s voice by ears and mind. And that''s why they could hear him inside their chests and head. Roger started sweating. ^It can talk. Say something! Don''t anger it,^ He gulped, "We give up the hunt to the great dragon. Here, you can have everything," He pointed at the carriage. Thud! Roberta grabbed a pebble and threw it toward Arad, "Fucking...Lizard," She growled, barely able to speak. Roger red down at her, ^This bitch! Do you want to get us all killed,^ "Please don''t listen to her, great dragon. I will kill her immediately...^ Roger said with a fake smile and river rushing on his face. "Woman," Arad stared at Roberta, "What do you seek?" "Death..." Roberta said. CLACK! In the blink of an eye. Only Roger''s legs stood beside her. SPALT! The legs fell on the ground, twitching. Arad looked at his bloodied ws. The void in them absorbed the blood to his stomach, cleaning his palms. "AhAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" the other bandits screamed in fear, running toward the forest. BAM! Arad ran after them, trampling trees like an unstoppable monster. ROAR! One of the bandits looked back as he ran away, seeing Arad running toward him with an open jaw, growling like a crazed dog. "Get away! Monster," The bandit pulled his sword, swinging at Arad as he got closer. CLANG! Arad didn''t even stop. He stomped the bandit and absorbed the corpse into his stomach. "SPREAD! SPREAD OUT!" One of the bandits shouted, runny astray from the rest. The bandits spread apart. Arad has one body, and they are many. He shouldn''t be able to chase them all. Arad saw the bandits spread ants. For a moment, this seemed like a problem. [Worry not. As long as they are intelligent creatures with thoughts and within fifty meters of your body, they won''t be able to hide.] BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad chased one bandit who looked to wear the best clothes. He wanted to be gentle as they might be the ones carrying valuable things. Thud! Arad swung his w, catching the bandit. He wanted to bite the head off, so he got the man closer to his jaw. "Let me! Let me go!" the man cried with tears, pulling what looked like a butter knife from his pocket. Arad clenched his jaw as the man poked his scales with the butter knife. [ARAD! Don''t let the knife touch you. It has magic!] BOOM! Blood exploded from Arad''s chest muscles in two spots. The pain caused him to fall to the ground just after he killed the bandit. "What is this?" He growled, ring at the knife. [I don''t know. I only saw that it has magic.] Arad touched his chest with his ws. He was bleeding a lot, "Damn it," He quickly healed by absorbing the blood from his stomach. That hit is nothing for a vampire, but it''s impressive an item could damage a dragon in one hit. "What did it do? My chest exploded?" Arad asked the scales where his chest exploded. [To be precise, your nipples exploded.] Mom replied. "I don''t have nipples, at least not in this form." Arad gasped. [You have them, but they hide beneath your scales.] Mom replied. "Didn''t Alcott say something about a nipple-exploding weapon? Was it a butter knife?" Arad growled, putting the knife and the man''s corpse in his stomach. [He did. The knife must found its way to the bandit''s hands in some way,] ^At first, I thought the weapon looked stupid, but if affects anything, this magic item is scary.^ Arad rushed after the other bandits. ^If there is a nipple one, would there be a head-exploding weapon?^ [It could exist. We should avoid all magic items until we know what they can do.] ^Like Alcott said,^ ROARRRRRRRR! Arad opened his chaw, charging a breath behind the running bandits. They looked back, crying as the world turned ck. CLAP! The void rushed from Arad''s mouth, clearing the air from a 50-meter cone. Everyone inside, the bandits, the trees, and even the stones and dirt, started disintegrating and evaporating as they stood pressureless in the void. Arad could see the trees and the bandit''s bodies expanding as the full weight of the atmosphere came crashing down and ttened their bodies. "AGHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The bandits who ran to the sides screamed in terror upon seeing the instant massacre, "Isn''t this a ck dragon? Where is the acid?" "Damn it!" One of the bandits growled, looking back, "That was my brother. Everyone run away!" He turned back toward Arad, lifting his shield and sword. Thud! Thud! Thud! The bandit rushed toward Arad, turning his shield to reveal a crossbow. BAM! He fired a bolt. CRACK! Arad could see the bolt slowly flying toward him. He twisted his neck like a weaving snake, smacking the bolt with the side of his face deflecting it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "GWAAAAAAAAA!" The bandit shouted, jumping into the sky. Arad opened his jaw. ROAR! He unleashed a fire breath. The bandit stood on his shield mid-air, "You aren''t a ck dragon!" The shield deflected the mes, sttering them everywhere. [Don''t use the fire. You will cause a wildfire,] As the mes are deflected, the bandit lifted his sword, swinging at Arad with all of his might, [Action surge] SWOSH! The banditunched four simultaneous shes, aiming at Arad''s neck. THWACK! The shes hit, releasing a loud sound and a small shockwave as the bandit rolled behind Arad. CRACK! As the bandit stood, his sword exploded, shattering due to the impact. "HARD!" He growled. Arad swung his tail, smacking the bandit and sending him flying. ZON! Arad teleported above the bandit in mid-air and smacked him with his w. The bandit hit the ground, dead. BAM! Aradnded on him and absorbed the corpse to his stomach before rushing at the other bandits. [Dumbass, the mes!] Mom growled. Arad stopped and looked back. Some trees were catching on fire. ^Can I use water?^ [Just do it!] Arad opened his jaw, unleashing a burst of water. The water put the mes out, and Arad quickly turned to the running bandits. "Why are you running?" He growled, teleporting forward to catch another two. CLAP! Arad ttened them with a single smack. As the ground shook, Roberta slowly opened her eyes. She could trees flying above the forest, bandits screaming, and the sound of stones cracking. Roberta tried to move. She felt a sharp pain in her side. Looking down, Gerald has pushed his palm into her stomach wound, stopping the bleeding. And hey there with a pale face. "Father..." She growled, turning her head to the carriage, "Useless idiots! Get the fuck out," She coughed blood. Six men and three women looked at her from inside the carriage, "Did they go away?" "Cowards, bring the healing potions!" Roberta growled. Those idiots were the workers her father hired to help haul the goods. She won''t me them for not showing up when the bandits or the dragon came, but they didn''t even try to heal them when the danger left. One of the men looked back, "But it''s in Gerald''s locked carriage. We don''t have the key." "Damn, you! Come take it from his pocket!" As Roberta growled, the ground shook violently, as she saw the ck dragon jump to the sky. FLAP! He then extended his massive wings, pping them one to fly higher. "HAAAAAAAA!" the men screamed in fear, hiding back inside the carriage, leaving her and her father bleeding to death. Arad flew back to the carriage. BAM! Hended in front of Roberta, ring at her, "The bandits are dead," Roberta smiled, "At least we won''t die alone," She closed her eyes. Arad extended his ws toward Roberta, pulling two healing potions from his stomach, "Take those," He dropped them on her body, and her eyes burst open. "What?" She gasped. "You don''t have much time, do you?" Arad growled. Roberta grabbed one of the potions, attempting to pour it into her father''s mouth, but he was lying on his stomach. Arad helps her flip him with his w. After having her father drink the potion, she drank hers and pulled his hand from her wound. She could feel the pain at ease. And she could finally breathe without coughing blood. "You saved our lives," Roberta gasped, "Is there any way I can repay you?" "Nothing that I can think of," Arad replied, "Besides paying for the potions," Roberta reached into her father''s pocket, pulling his purse, "This should have a few gold coins," Arad cut the purse open with his w and only took one gold coin as that was more than the potions were worth. And even as an adventurer quest, he would have been paid about fifty silver coins. Arad turned to leave, but Roberta shouted, "Wait, just one coin? What do you seek if not gold?" She saw as if took nothing. Arad red at her, "There is something, but it would be rude to ask for it. Considering the circumstances." "Say it!" Roberta growled. "I''m looking for women to bear my eggs." Arad replied, "See, I don''t want to take advantage of the circumstances as the child woulde for me in the future for it," Since the mother''s memories are the ones that the void dragon learns from if the mother was unsatisfied, the child could bear the same grudge at his father. BAM! FLAP! Arad jumped into the sky, spreading his wings with a p. "WAIT!" Roberta shouted, but Arad was already far gone. THUD! Roberta smacked her fist on the ground, "I will find you. Yourir must be close," she growled. Chapter ?139 Getting the Lords Invitation ?139 Getting the Lord''s Invitation % It''s janky for a five-minute server, but it will do. Please visit this discord server to see any art that the site removed, you can also post your own fan art % https://discord.gg/CPJXDj6Adg *****Back to the chapter. Arad flew to the sky, leaving Roberta with her father on the ground. ROAR! He disappeared behind the clouds, leaving only his voice behind. Roberta barely stood, dragging her father to the carriage, "You cowards! We''re moving to Alina as fast as we can!" She shouted. "But,dy Roberta. What about..." One of the men spoke, but she red at him. "Not buts, unless you want to wander around for more bandits," Roberta red at the bandit, "That dragon won''t save us again,"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The men looked at each other, "Let''s move away," they started getting the caravan ready. One of the women inside approaches Roberta, "Mydy, did you know that dragon?" "You must be joking. I couldn''t even imagine knowing such a being." Roberta stared at the woman, "He came out of nowhere, saved us, and left. I better ask about him in Alina. He might be some local protector or a hero," "But that was a ck dragon," The woman said, "A chromatic one," "ck dragons usually have tworge horns pointing forward. I''m sure this one didn''t." Roberta replied, "He might be some rare metallic type," The caravan moved toward Alina without a stop, and Arad stared down from the sky. "They left," Arad spent a few more minutes flying around, looking for trouble and gobbling monsters as breakfast. His attack pattern was simple, dive from the sky, and use [Void walk] to close the distance. When the targets panic, Arad swings his ws, killing and devouring them like apples. He even stored a few in his stomach forter. ^I''m full,^ Arad stretched his arms, ^Should we get back?^ [I was thinking of finding a cksmith to make armor from your scales for the whole party, remember that you dropped them,] ^Yeah, I bet they can avoid many injuries, as my scales are strong. But won''t that sell me as a dragon?^ [If you found a trusty cksmith, you can always paint the scales red and say they belonged to the red dragon we killed,] Arad flew back to his how, transforming into his humanoid form before crossing the mountains. ZON! ZON! He used [Void walk] to approach his home. But then saw something strange. Ten knights faced Ae as Mira held her hammer in the back. They seemed about to fight. "It''s been three days! The Lord wants to see Arad Orion. Where is he?" One of the knights showed Ae a written order. "I told you he would be back soon," Ae growled. "This is the first time someone made the lord wait for a week." The knight replied, "His lordship suspects something might have happened to him. We only need to see his face and knew that he''s fine to stoping," "Don''t you understand?" Mira approached, "We told you he''s fine. He will see youter," "That''s what you said five days ago," The knight growled, "I only need to see him once, and I won''t be back. He can tell the Lord to wait for a month for all I care," The knight''s mission was to find Arad and deliver the invitation directly. To the Lord, it was strange that the hero disappeared without a trace, and he started suspecting that his party might have betrayed him. "If we don''t see Arad for even a moment. We would have to arrest you and everyone here to investigate," The knight growled, "Just tell him to get out, see us for a moment, and that''s it." He sighed, ring at Ae, "It happens a lot, a talented new adventurer killed by his own party for being too good. No one wants to repeat what happened with Jeremy Brian, abandoned in a dungeon, the poor kid," "Arad will be back soon. Please wait," Ae replied. The knight stared at her, "Tie her up. We''re searching for the ce. They might have killed Arad," The knights pulled robes and clubs, ready to catch Ae and Mira. They surrounded them, "You better give up. We will let you go after the search if we found nothing, so behave," One of the knights said. "OI!" CRACK! Aradnded between them, ring at the knights, "Who are you, bastards?" He grabbed one of the knights'' clubs in his hand, crushing it. As Arad red at the knights, his eyes shed purple, and magic crackled from his body. The knights slowly levitated up with gravity magic, and Arad pointed his hand at them. "Arad, stop! Those are knights from the Lord," Ae grabbed Arad''s hand, Arad looked at Ae, smiling, "I see. Should I blow the Lord''s house?" "Arad Orion? Am I right?" The knights'' leader growled, "Our mission is to confirm your safety. And deliver an invitation from the Lord directly to you," He reached into his pocket, pulled out a closed letter, and handed it to Arad. Arad dropped the guards to the ground and opened the letter, "You could have given it to Ae. Why look for me," Arad red at the guards, "The whole party killed the dragon," "When a member of that party disappears for a week, we start getting suspicious. The Lord''s butler handed the letter to Jack at first." The knight leader wiped the dust from his armor, "We started searching when we got no answer from the party and discovered that you are missing," "So it''s over now that you found me?" Arad asked. "Yeah, my job is over with the invitation delivered to all members," The knight leader waved his hand, "I''m happy you weren''t a second Jeremy," The knights then left without another word. Arad looked at Ae, "Since when did they starting?" "A few days ago," Ae replied. Arad sighed, looking at the sky, "We better go see that Lord as soon as possible and get rid of the problem," "They shouldn''te looking for you now," Mira said, "They came only because they weren''t sure if you''re alive or not," The workers working on the fence approached Arad and the girls, "Is everything okay?" "Yeah," Arad replied, "You can get back to work, or are youcking in wood?" One of the workers nodded, "Yeah, we finished cing all the poles that Lady Mira made." He looked at Mira, "Can you make more so we can finish the job?" "AH!" Mira gasped, "Sorry, I will get it done," She rushed to her carpenter table. Arad and Ae started helping by carrying stuff, and the day quickly ended. The sun started curling behind the mountain as the darkness slowly fell. The workers gathered their things and left. "Let''s get inside," Mira said with a smile. "Yeah, we will cook dinner first," Ae replied, smiling as they walked inside the house. Arad watched the two girls, wondering why Mira was still there. He wanted some private time with Ae, but that doesn''t seem to happen. Inside the house, Arad looked at the couch that Mira made. It''s made of goat leather and filled with goat''s wool, giving it a soft yet firm feeling. The carpet was bought from the market, and it''s made of leather strings. Arad sat on the couch and looked around. Mira has made everything that has wood in it, from the beautifully sculpted table in front of him to the doors between the rooms... He stopped. "Where are the doors?" Mira looked at him from the kitchen, "I haven''t finished them yet. I focused on having the workers finish as fast as possible since they are paid for their time. It was mother''s advice to save on cost," Arad looked at her, "Is that so? What else is missing?" He asked. Mira scratched her chin, "The king bed, most of the doors, the atticdder, some cabs, crats for storing stuff, and the garderobe," "The garderobe? Ge that done first," Arad stood, ring at her with a sight. "I know it''s far cleaner, but the hole takes time to be dug nicely," Mira scratched her head, "Ae suggested to leave it until you make it, saying you can dig pretty fast," Arad scratched his head, "A garderobe is important. Build that first and then everything else. Where do people shit?" Mira walked out of the kitchen, "I have a makeshift one built outside. You can use that," "So there is one built," Arad sat back on the couch, "Tell me that from the start," Mira walked back into the kitchen, "I will finish the doors tonight. All they need is for me to stick the hinges in ce," she continued helping Ae cook. After dinner, Mira approached Arad, "Say, can I move my shop here?" Arad looked at her, and then at Ae, "You can''t get supplies here. That''s a bad idea, isn''t it?" "I can make it work," Mira smiled. "What do you say, Ae?" Arad looked at Ae, asking for help. "Mira can ask L. I bet she can tell if that is even possible." Ae smiled, "The lumbermill is far on the other side of the city, and let''s not forget how long it will take for the nails and stuff to get delivered from the cksmith," Ae stared at Mira, "The cost of your service will increase drastically," Chapter ?140 Draconic Disaster ?140 Draconic Disaster "Get the hammer!" Mira said, looking at Arad hammering hinges into the wall with his bare hands, "I know you can do it. Now use the hammer!" Arad looked back at her, pushing a nail through the door frame with his thumb, "What did you say?" "Ae, what do you feed him?" Mira asked, staring at Ae sticking the handles on the doors. Ae thought for a moment, "My blood?" She replied with a smile. Mira sighed, "With how thick his arms are, I shouldn''t be surprised," Arad looked at his arms, thinking, ^I''m a dragon, a wyrmwolf, and a vampire on top of that. I guess the pale look is justified.^ His skin seemed a bit on the pale side. "It''s getting quitete," Arad said with a smile, Looking at Mira. "We need to finish the job. It''s been like this for the past week," Mira replied, hanging the door in its frame. Arad red at Mira. He cared less about the door and more about spending time with Ae. ^We have time. Let''s finish hanging those doors as quickly as possible,^ They finished hanging all the doors by dawn, the night was already over, and the workers woulde at any moment. Arad sighed, walking outside and staring at the rising sun. ^Should I visit the guild?^ [Want to take a job?] ^I was thinking of Jack. I haven''t seen him.^ Arad scratched his head. [He will be fine. I bet he''s spending some time with Lydia. Focus on finishing the house first. We need the workers out so we can start setting up their,^ Arad nodded, walking around the garden, "Mira, did you see the wood axe?" He shouted. Mira stared out the kitchen window, "It''s there right beside my bench. Why do you need it?" Arad replied, "I''m going to cut some trees off. The worker said they need a few logs, didn''t they?" "The wood needs to be dried first," Mira said, "You should probably buy it from the city. You can cut trees, but we don''t have a ce to dry them here," Arad looked back at Mira, "Fine, I''m off to the city then," "Wait! What about breakfast?" Mira pointed at him with a kitchen knife. Arad remember the knife the bandits hit him with, "I don''t need dinner," He started walking. "Stop!" Mira quickly reached him, pulling him by the arm back to the house, "Breakfast is important. How are you going to stay healthy if you don''t eat well?" "Fine," Arad sighed, getting dragged back home.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om On the breakfast table, he noticed two distinct sides. A green one filled with nts before Ae and a ton of meat in front of Mira. "Eat," Mira pushed the meat to him. "Enjoy," Ae pushed thatrge bowl of grass toward him, and he stared at it, "Yeah," After about an hour, Arad finally managed to leave the house, heading to Alina. On his way, he met someone he haven''t seen in a while. "Alcott!" Arad yelled, seeing Alcott and Ginger heading toward the city in an old carriage. Alcott slowly turned his head, seeing Arad running behind them, "Slow down," He waved to the driver. Arad caught up with the carriage, "You''re finally returning," He asked. Alcott smiled, "Yeah," Arad sighed in relief. For some reason, he could feel at ease with Alcott in the city. Probably since the mages won''t act while he''s around. "How did the quest go?" Arad asked, hopping into the carriage to get a ride to the city. "Badly," Ginger was the one to reply, "The dragon who had to deal with this time was nasty," "Yeah, it was aplete disaster," Alcott scratched his head, "It''s an ancient red dragon," "Did you fight it?" Arad asked, wanting to know if an ancient dragon would fight. "The quest was to persuade a dragon to leave a city alone. His name was Qindeduth, an ancient male red dragon with a slightlyrger frame than normal," Alcott sighed. He then started telling the story of how dealing with a dragon went extremely badly. *** Qindeduth asked the city of Fortkeen for sacrifice and gold, typical of a dragon. He only looked for young women, no older than thirty, and gold coins. As confirmed by the city, the dragon used the women for food as he would kill them on the spot and hand the head back to the city so they could bury it. And the gold he hoards in hisir. After over fifty years of giving the dragon his sacrifice every six months, the city grew tired. One life and some gold to keep monsters and bandits away seemed worth it. The city had been known as the safest ce in the kingdom due to that. In a normal city like Alina, bandits would kill, kidnap, torture, and use multiple people for their whims. The number could exceed one hundred in six months, yet Fortkeen had only one casualty, the sacrifice offered to the dragon. The dragon didn''t seem to care about where the sacrifice came, from or how it was as long as it met his requirements. A non-muscr woman of less than thirty years, so her meat would still be soft. The people banded together under the church and wanted to hire Alcott to talk to the dragon. They wanted him to drop the sacrifice and take more gold instead. They were willing to triple the amount. Alcott and the city lord argued against that, saying that they are already sorting the women from prison and criminals from other cities, and till now they hadn''t sent an innocent one. The church and the public called the lord greedy, saying that no matter the cost, human life is priceless. Alcott stepped forward, saying it isn''t about money or sacrifice. It''s about stability. As long as the dragon is happy and calm, doing his job, they best leave everything as it stands. Any small change could set the beast off, and lead to a disaster. He argued that dragons are like babies, they are calmly chewing on a dirty stick, but when you take it off to give them milk, they start crying. The people insisted and forced Alcott to speak with the dragon. "This is a bad idea. That''s a red dragon," Ginger said with a worried face. "This might turn ugly. Please stay alert," Alcott replied. And then went to meet the dragon in the forest. Surprisingly, the dragon was much more civilized than anyone expected. He showed up, made sure not to damage the forest, and talked nicely. Qindeduth said that he only asked for a single sacrifice since he knew how hard that would be for humans. But to a dragon, they are a part of the diet. After an hour-long argument, they managed to convince the dragon to take the money instead of the sacrifice. Alcott and Ginger returned to the city, scratching their heads. That conversation was weird. A red dragon usually keeps shouting and screaming. They are known for rage and being unreasonable. Alcott informed the city of the negotiation''s sess. And he will deliver the first payment tomorrow. *** Ginger looked at Arad, growling, "We were wrong," *** Arad and Ginger retreated to their room at night. But they heard a massive explosion in the city. They rushed out to see the church crumbling aze, the dragon flying over the city. "You bastard!" Alcott shouted, and the dragon flew down, sting the city blocks with a breath. Ginger pointed her hand at the sky, [Giant icence]. She flung the spell toward the dragon. Swosh! The ice melted as soon as it got close. The dragon red toward Alcott and Ginger, "Dragon meditator, or should I call you a yer?" The dragon growled. "Stop! You bastard, why are you attacking the city? We agreed just this morning!" Alcott jumped from the street,nding on the tallest house in a single leap. The dragon red at Alcott, his scales burning with mes as hisrge muscr me hovered, "You can''t go all out in the city, can you?" The dragon said those words, and Alcott understood his n. The dragon knew about Alcott and Ginger''s powers, so he pretended to agree in the forest. All so he can attack them in the city where neither Alcott nor Ginger could use their full might. Alcott growled, veins popping on his neck and arms, clenching his fist on his sword, "And you dare kill innocent people?" He could feel his teeth tingling, his back cracking, and his blood pumping. This was a bad ce to let loose. He can''t have people see him rage. SWOSH! Ginger flew to the dragon, [Lightning strike] CRACKLE! "Fucking Lizard, get down from my sky!" She shouted, trying to get the dragon to chase her. The dragon red at Ginger, "You''re strong at night, but only when using your blood," He smiled, "You''re weaker if you tried suppressing it, aren''t you?" Ginger growled, clenching her lips, "Bastard!" Ginger is a high lord vampire, her blood magic is at its strongest at night, but that weakens her other magic. Because most of her mana is getting mixed into her blood. Any spell strong enough to hurt the dragon is like her shouting she is a high-lord vampire. Everyone in the city would know. Alcott is the same, he could rage, but people would know what kind of monster he is. The dragon chose to fight in the city so both of them can''t go all out. The dragon smiled, diving down and ravaging the city. "STOP!" Ginger shouted. *** "The dragon ignored us, focusing on killing as many people as he can," Ginger growled. "He aimed at churches and medical houses. Then schools, densely popted area, and the lord''s mansion," Alcott snacked his fist on the carriage floor, "He burned Fortkeen to the ground and killed almost all of its residents in less than five minutes." "We cornered him, but his mate showed up, and together they managed to escape. They even set the forest around the city Aze, preventing everyone from escaping," Ginger growled, "It was aplete disaster," Alcott sighed, "But at least. A silver dragon appearedte. He put the forest me down with his cold breath and helped the survivors escape." Ginger looked at Arad, "A hundred thousand peoplerge city, and only seventy people survived the dragon attack," Chapter ?141 Roberta and Gerald ?141 Roberta and Gerald "Wait!" Arad gasped, "Are you saying that Fortkeen got erased?" Alcott nodded, "Yeah, the dragon burned it to the ground, and there was nothing we could do about it," He scratched his head, "I told them messing with the dragon was a bad idea," "What about that silver dragon? Couldn''t he havee faster?" Arad asked. "He came as fast as he could after hearing that a dragon is attacking Fortkeen," Ginger replied, "For now, I smell more power in you," Arad smiled, "Let''s talk about itter. I did get stronger," He looked forward, and the driver is listening. Arad then waited till the carriage reached Alina, "I will have to drop here," He said with a smile, "I need to visit the sawmill," "You find us in the guild," Alcott said, smiling as Ginger waved her hand. *** Arad reached the sawmill after walking for a bit. He could a familiar face there. "Yeah, three nks for a carriage wall. Do you know where I can get a wheel fixed?" The white-haired old man asked, and Arad recognized him as the one from yesterday. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad walked closer and waved his hand to the mill owner, "Arad''s building in the forest. I assume Bob the build made his first order here." The sawmill owner stared at Arad, "Bob? Was thest shipment, not enough? Want a bit more wood?" Arad nodded, "Yeah, we only got about three-fourths of the way," "I will have it sent. For the payment, I would deal with Bob, as I assume he''s following the contract," The sawmill owner marked Arad''s order in his ledger and then approached Gerald. "Everything should be ready for you as well," The owner nodded, "I will have sent to the carriage part in a few minutes, and I suggest Mira for fixing your wheels," He smiled, looking at Arad, "For now, she''s working for this guy," He pointed. Gerald looked at Arad, approaching with an extended hand, "My name is Gerald. Nice to meet you," Arad shook Gerald''s hand, "Arad, nice to meet you as well," Gerald smiled, tightening his grip with a smile, "Rough hands andrge muscles. Are you a knight?" Arad shook his head with a smile, "No, I''m just an adventurer," He replied, smiling. The sawmill ownerughed, "The man who brawled with werewolves with his bare hands and even hunted a dragon. You aren''t a normal adventurer," "You killed a dragon?" Gerald stared at Arad, surprised. "It isn''t like that, it was a very young red dragon, and we did it with my party members." Arad shook his head, smiling. Gerald smiled, "Even so, a very young red dragon isn''t something that a battalion of knights can beat without suffering losses. I hope you didn''t lose anyone," "No, we all survived," Arad replied, letting go of Gerald''s hand. "What about the werewolves? You brawled with those monsters?" Gerald asked, "You''re a pugilist or a monk?" "I''m a sorcerer, red draconic bloodline," Arad opened his palm, igniting a small me. "Hoi! Don''t use fire magic around here! It''s all wood and sawdust!" The sawmill owner cried, and Arad and Gerald left. Arad was heading to the guild, and Gerald stuck with him. On their way, he asked. "Say, can I have Mira fix my wheel? I know she''s in a contract with you," Arad looked at Gerald, smiling, "I need to pass by the guild first. We can go to Mira after," Gerald nodded. *** Arad and Gerald arrived at the guild, and Nina was waiting. "Arad, you came back!" She waved her hand, and Arad approached her, "Yeah, is the rank-up ready?" Arad asked. "Of course, here is your B-rank guild card," She replied. Arad took the card and looked at it, smiling, "Is this silver?" He gasped. Nina smiled, "That''s right. B-rank cards are made of silver, A-rank from gold, and S-rank from tinum." "Congrattion, young man," Gerald patted Arad''s back, "But even so, just B-rank for a dragon? Aren''t you a bit stingy youngdy," He looked at Nina. "He joined a few days ago. There is a limit to how much we can raise him in a short time." Nina replied, "And who you might be? Calling an almost forty-year-old woman a youngdy?" "The name Gerald, a retired knight." Gerald smiled, "I''m almost seventy years old. You''re still a little girl to me," As Nina and Gerald talked, Arad remembered something, "Did you see Alcott and Ginger? I forgot to show them something," He pulled the exploding nipple knife. Thud! Nina backed away, and so did some adventurers, "Where did you get that thing?" She gasped. "Found," Arad replied, iling the knife with an emotionless face. "Put that thing down! Or hide it!" One of the adventurers growled, hiding behind a table, "Do you know how dangerous it is?" "That''s the exploding nipple knife," Nina gasped. Arad looked at the adventurer, "I know, taken from a bandit who tried robbing me in the forest. I got hit, and it was painful," "Sadly, Alcott and Gigner just left. They said they need some time to rest," Nina shook her head, "We can hold into the knife for you, but it''s better for you to keep it," Arad put the knife back in his pocket and looked at Gerald. "Let''s head out then. We have nothing else to do here," *** After exiting the guild, Arad and Gerald headed to the carriage part where the caravan rested. They needed to pick the wheel that Gerald needs to be fixed. "How did you damage the wheel?" Arad asked. "Wheel-cracking steel chains, bandits used them to stop my caravan of five carriages," Gerald replied. "Five carriages? Those bandits must have received a beating," Arad smiled. "It was the opposite," Gerald scratched his head, "I might have had a lot of people, but none could fight beside me and the adventurer party that I hired," He sighed. "Father!" The ck-haired, golden-eyed woman rushed at them, "Did you get someone to fix the wheel?" She looked at Arad, "He?" She stared at Arad for a moment. Thinking he looked a bit too strong for a carpenter. Arad waved his hand, "No, not me," He smiled, "The carpenter is working at my house. We will take the wheels to her," "Let me introduce you." Gerald smiled, "This is my daughter, Roberta," Arad looked at Gerald and then at Roberta, "Isn''t she a bit too young to be your daughter? You said you were seventy years old," Roberta looked at Arad, "Well, I was born when he was fifty years old. My mother was fairly young," She smiled. "You don''t need to tell me. I don''t need to know," Arad shook his head. He won''t get into their family business. Roberta smiled, "It isn''t a secret though. The whole capital knows the story. It made waves twenty years ago," "Fine, tell me. But keep it short. We need to get the wheels," Arad sighed. *** Roberta told Arad the story, shortening it. "So, there was this twenty-five-year-old woman. She seduced a fifty-year-old knight and used that connection to enter the pce as a cook maid. After about a year of service, she poisoned the king." She smiled, looking at Arad, "The king survived, but the assassin maid got killed by the knight she seduced," "Are you saying?" "I''m her daughter, and the knight she seduced was my father," She pointed with her thumb toward Gerald taking the wheel out. "He retired after that, and the king granted him enough money to start working as a merchant and even the right to raise me," She smiled. "That''s a sad story," Arad sighed, looking at Gerald, "He didn''t have a choice," "I got the wheel," Gerald stood, carrying a wooden carriage wheel in his hand, "Let''s go," He said. "Can I go with you? The caravan is secured here," Roberta said with a smile, staring at Arad.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Why are you looking at me?" Arad replied, "You ask him," He pointed at Gerald. "Sir Arad lives in the forest, it''s going to be a long walk," Gerald said. "You''re going to walk there?" She looked to the other side of the part, "We can hire a carriage for a couple of coppers," She called a carriage. Arad, Roberta, and Gerald rode all the way back to Arad''s house in the middle of the forest. "You live alone?" Roberta asked. "No, I have a partner. You will see her when we arrive," Arad replied. Roberta looked at the forest. She then smiled, "Say, did you hear of any ck dragon around here?" Arad froze, "No, there are no dragons in this forest," He replied, remembering that he saved them in his draconic form. "Are you sure?" Roberta scratched her head, looking at the mountains in the distance, "He might be nestled there," She sighed. "You''re looking for a ck dragon?" Arad asked. "Yeah," Roberta replied with a smile, "To tell you the truth, he''s the one who saved us from the bandits," She looked at the mountains, "I might go there to look for him," Chapter ?142 Roberta on Arads Property ?142 Roberta on Arad''s Property Arad, Roberta, and Gerald finally reached the forest house, seeing the workers hammer the fences around therge garden. "ARAD!" Ae jumped from a tree with her bow drawn, "Who''s the two with you?" Her res quickly shifted between Arad and Gerald. "Calm down. Gerald needs a wheel fixed," Arad replied. "The butcher of Sylvehime?" Ae pulled an arrow, "I''m not that patriotic, but that man spotted me hiding," Gerald looked away, "Sorry, it''s just the old habits," He sighed. "He''s a retired knight," Arad looked at Ae. "We elves live far longer than humans. He led several skirmishes and battles against the elves." She red at Gerald, "When he got captured at Sylvehime, he escaped after murdering more than a hundred elves," "I said sorry about that," Gerald sighed, "You elves are the ones who attacked first. Why would you send a disease-filled ship to the capital?" "I''m no noble, but I''m sure that ship never had any disease in it when it sailed. We elves don''t resort to pity tricks. We live long enough to know those things never work," Ae replied. "But your kind did it anyway," Gerald replied, "And even worse, you never answered our letters about it! We never attacked you for ten years and only seek answers, but you never replied," Ae lowered her bow, "From what I heard in the elvish capital. Those letters were littered with insults to our kind. I bet the higher started preparing for war after reading them," Gerald scratched his head, "Are you insane? We spent five months discussing the best wording to not trigger a war," Cain and Roberta kept looking from one side to the other, and it then clicked in Arad''s head. [It''s suspicious,] It wasn''t a click. It was Mom.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Excuse me," Arad said, walking between Ae and Gerald, "To me, it sounds like someone set you up," "Who''s the idiot that will..." Gerald stopped,bing his beard, "We took that into consideration but dropped the theory. It was an elf that delivered the letters, and he told us that your people weren''t happy," Ae blinked, "Wait, an elf?" She stared at Gerald, puzzled, "The one who brought the letter was a human. He even spat on the face of the Yggdrasil maiden who received his letter," She scratched her head, "We even had arge protest to kill the messenger after that insult, but the maidens were selfless and said that he might be stressed or consumed by rage over the incident," Arad looked at them, "You never talked with the elves?" Gerald shook his head, "Each contact ended in bloodshed," He looked at Ae, "Even thedy here would have put an arrow in my neck if you weren''t with me," "He''s right," Ae replied, "I didn''t fire since Arad brought you here. Otherwise, I would kill you and her," She red at Roberta. "Heh? Me two? I''m not a fighter," Roberta gasped. "It doesn''t matter. You can''t be with the butcher of Sylvehime and be a soft person," Ae replied. Arad remembers how Roberta fought the bandits, ^She has the spirit of her father,^ Arad thought, [Yeah, both her and her father are capable,] Ae put her bow away, strapping it to her back, "Fine, you can stay, but don''t think for a moment that you can move freely," Gerald smiled, "I know, I know, youngdy can''t trust me," He smiled, lifting his hands, "I only need to get my wheel fixed, that''s all," Arad and Gerald walked toward Mira''s bench while Roberta followed Ae. "Stop following me!" Ae growled, and Roberta stared at her with a smile, "I just have something to ask about," "I don''t have anything to tell you," Ae growled, "Go ask your people if you want information about the elves," Roberta shook her head, "I don''t care about that, I have something to ask about this forest," Ae stopped, "What do you want?" "As an elf, did you scout the forest?" Roberta asked with a smile, "I heard you people can''t stand a forest unless you explore it," Ae nodded, "Yeah, I did." "Then, did you see any ck dragon nearby? He''s arge one that can talk and is quite reasonable," Roberta asked with a smile, looking at Ae''s face. Ae froze momentarily, "I don''t know what are you talking about. We won''t be building a house here if there was a dragon nearby," "AH! I saw it," Roberta said with a smile, "Your ears twitched, and you tried to look away for a moment. You know about him," Ae sighed, "I don''t know about him. You must be mistaken," She pointed to the forest, go and search on your own," "You aren''t part of a dragon cult. Otherwise, you would have killed me, or at least tried to lead me away rather than sending me to search," Roberta replied, ring at Ae with a smug face, "And considering that the city isn''t informed about any dragon nearby. I guess he''s hiding," Roberta walked around Ae, "Father is a fighter. It''s my job to deal with people, and I know when they are lying," Ae pulled her dagger, "Take your father and scram," Roberta giggled, "No need to get violent," She smiled, "I can tell from your first respond that you know the dragon, and from the second that you know where to find him, you want to keep him hidden from the city," "You''re wrong," Ae sighed, "There is no ck dragon in this forest, and I''ve never seen a ck dragon in the past hundred years," Roberta blinked, "That wasn''t a lie," She took a step back, "How could it be, you just confirmed you saw the dragon I''m looking for, but you''ve never seen a ck dragontely," Ae realized how she could act. Roberta can tell when she''s lying, but she is telling the truth as Arad isn''t a ck dragon. She can use that to her advantage, "Listen, I don''t know any ck dragon, I''ve never seen ely, and I don''t know any ck dragon in this forest," "HEEE?" Roberta stared at Ae, taken aback, "You aren''t lying, how?" "You can tell when people lie?" Ae asked, she then noticed the faint golden glow in Roberta''s eyes, "Detect lies! Magic?" Roberta looked away, "Yeah, I learned it since it would be useful for me as a merchant," She sighed. Ae scratched her head, "Divination magic is taxing, don''t waste it by going around asking like this," Roberta replied, "I know, you don''t have to tell me how I use my magic," She then approached Ae, "Now tell me, where can I find that dragon," "I don''t know where you can find a ck dragon," Roberta sighed, "Nothing. I only want to talk to him," She leaned on Ae, "I will hire a search party then," "Why are you so keen on finding a ck dragon?" Ae sighed, "You will just get killed and eaten," "That dragon saved us from a bandit attack yesterday and only took a single gold coin as payment," Roberta look down, "I asked what he wants, and he said he was looking for a woman to bear his children and then left," ^What are you doing Arad!^ Ae screamed inside her head. "AH!" Roberta looked closely at Ae''s face, "That the twitch. You know something!" "NO!" Ae growled, "I just..." She looked down, "Fine, me and Arad are trying to have a child, but we aren''t having much luck. You just tickled my frustration," "You two are married?" Roberta asked. "Not yet. It might hang on me getting a child," Ae answered, and Roberta looked a bit sad, "Elves find it hard to get pregnant from humans," "Do you have any experience to share?" Ae asked, trying to shift the topic from dragons to babies, anything to avoid getting Arad busted. "No, I never had any rtion yet," Roberta sighed, "I could tell at a nce that all people who approached me only wanted to take my father''s wealth. That dragon was the first one to refuse money and show no care toward me," Ae giggled, "Yeah, let''s talk about babies. You don''t have anything that could help?" "Babies?" Roberta stared at Ae, "I have clothes and other things," She pulled a paper from her pocket and started reading, "I should have something," "Gracie''s spit. The elephant trunk ordered a shipment of a hundred bottles, I brought an extra ten in case anyone broke, and lucky, one survived the trip," Roberta smiled, "Only nine bottles broke, and mostly in the bandit attack," "Gracie''s spit? I never heard of such a disgusting thing," Ae cringed. "It isn''t a real spit. It''s a magical potion that makes people more active in bed." Roberta then exined, "The legends say that the goddess Gracie''s spit did wonder on people. The potion is named after that," "Gracie''s spit," Ae looked at Roberta, "How much is it?" "Three gold coins," Roberta smiled. "Expensive!" Ae gasped. "Well, it usually goes from fifty silver coins to one gold coin." Roberta smiled, "I will sell it to you cheaper if you tell me about the dragon," Ae pulled three gold coins from her pocket, "Here you go. I don''t know anything about a ck dragon," Roberta took the money, "Thanks for the business. I will send it to you before the evening," Chapter ?143 A Reliable Man is Needed in the Monster World ?143 A Reliable Man is Needed in the Monster World Arad and Gerald approached Mira with the wheel, "Mira, do you have a moment?" Arad asked. Mira turned around, putting her hammer on the bench, "Who''s your guest," She asked, staring at them with a passive face. "Gerald, a merchant that needs his wheel fixed," Arad replied, pointing at the wheel in Gerald''s hand. Mira sighed, "Look, I have fifty fences that need making." She pointed back at the pile of wood. "You can''t do it, youngdy?" Gerald looked at Mira. "I can, but that would dy Arad and the workers'' job," Mira replied, "You have to get their permission first. Orpensate them. Get back to me then," "They have contracts to fulfill, and any wasted time is an extra cost to Arad and a wasted time they could be working in, I see," Gerald replied, "Should I just go talk to them," Mira shook her head, "Arad is already here. We only need that blockhead. Hey! Bob,e here for a moment," Bob started from the other side of the garden, "Did you call me?" Bobid the hammer down and approached them, "Talk with sir Gerald here," Mira pointed at Gerald and started to work. Arad turned around, "You have my agreement as long as Bob doesn''t mind. I''m not that expert in building," **** Bob went to Mira a few secondster, "You can fix his wheel. We can get it done," "You sure?" Mira replied. "Yeah," Bob smiled. And then whispered to her, "The man has dwarven spirit wine. I managed to secure five bottles for me, you, Arad, and the workers," Mira took a step back, "Dwarven spirit? It only sold in the dwarven mountains to the north," "Our man here has some. To him, it''s a small cost, but I won''t let such a rare drink slip out of our hands," Bob replied with a smile. Mira gave him a thumb up, "Nice deal," Bob went back to his job while Mira stared at the sky with a smile, "Dwarven spirit wine. It''s not an expensive drink by any means since dwarves make it by barrels. But it''s rare to have those alcoholics sell it to outsiders," Mira smiled, giggling. She started fixing Gerald''s wheel. **** Gerald approached Arad, informing him that his wheel was getting fixed, "What are you doing?" He asked. Arad sat on a cut tree, staring at the forest, "Nothing," He looked around, "I was moving trees for the workers to let them put the fences, but now I''m sitting," "You can''t do work?" Gerald stared at Arad. "I don''t know how. I never hammed a nail." Arad replied, "No, sorry. I hammered some yesterday with Mira, but you get my points," "I get it," Gerald replied, "Last time I tried to fix something I ended up making it worse. It''s better to let serious work to experts and practice on small things," "Yeah, I should learn some from Mira so I can work on the house aler on," Arad replied, looking at Gerald. "You said you were moving trees. Where are the barrels you used?" Gerald asked. "Barrels?" Arad looked at Gerald, confused. "The hook? Ropes? How did you even lift them?" Gerald asked, looking at the massive tree trunk Arad sat on. Arad stood with a smile, "Of course, I just lifted them," He smiled, grabbing the trunk with one hand. The veins on Arad''s arm bulged, and his joints cracked as the muscles contracted. CRACK! The ground sunk beneath his feet as he applied force, lifting the trunk. Gerald took a few steps back, shocked. Arad lifted that massive tree trunk with one hand, "See, it''s simple, isn''t it?" Arad said, smiling. "It isn''t!" Gerald gasped, "What does that elf woman feed you?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad stared at Gerald, "Nothing special, I''m just a bit stronger than normal," "This isn''t normal. Such a tree trunk would take three men to drag, let alone lift," Gerald gasped. Arad looked at the trunk. And then back at Gerald, "What is considered normal?" "First, don''t go around lifting anythingrger than your body," Gerald replied with a sigh, "If I had people like you in the army, how many battles could we have won?" "I can hold myself in a fight," Arad replied. "It''s not just about fighting," Gerald replied, "I can imagine you shoving carriages and boulders to build walls in the battlefield," Aradid the tree trunk down, "I won''t do that," Gerald stared at Arad, "You know, you should join the army," He smiled, "I''m sure someone with your strength will get promoted in no time," Arad shook his head, "No, thanks," He smiled, "I don''t have any intention of doing that. All I want is going around and killing monsters," Gerald smiled, approaching Arad, "Let me teach you something you might not know," SWOSH! Gerald suddenly swung a fist at Arad''s head. Arad tilted his head, barely dodging the attack, and red at Gerald, "What was that for?" "Don''t let me hit you!" Gerald growled, sending another punch. Arad saw the punching to his head. He tilted his head to dodge. CRACK! A fistnded on Arad''s stomach, surprising him. He looked down and then got smacked in the face. He jumped back, seeing Gerald rush at him with a clenched fist. Arad focused on Gerald''s fists. A punch ising toward his chest. But as soon as it got close, it shifted to an uppercut. Arad tried to didge by stepping back, but he got smacked in the stomach instead of his chin. "GAH!" Gerald growled, shaking his hand, "You''re damn hard," "What were those hits?" Arad asked. Gerald opened and closed his fists, "Nothing special, just feints and trick shots," Gerald then exined to Arad how to use feints and trick shots in a fight. Feints are misleading your opponent with an attack and hitting him with another. Trick shot us disguising and attacking with another like shifting a nose punch into a throat hit. Arad and Gerald spent the remainder of the day training as Roberta and Ae watched them from the side. "Arad is strong," Roberta said, "I never seen someone stand up to father like this," She said, watching the fight with her head resting on her fist. "Even the strong adventurer father hired died easily," Ae smiled, "Gerald is taking it easy on Arad," "He isn''t," Roberta said, "Father is only holding up because of his skill and experience. Arad far surpasses him in both speed and strength," "Strength and speed aren''t everything," Ae replied, giggling. She wishes Arad would restrain himself a bit better in front of people. He might get himself discovered. "Strength isn''t everything?" Roberta stared at Ae with a surprised face, "How do you intend to survive then?" "What do you mean?" Ae asked. "The world is filled with monsters, and those with strength can move. They don''t have to fear for their lives," Roberta stared at Arad, "You won''t be living in the middle of the forest if not for him providing protection," Ae looked around, "That''s right," They are in the heart of the dangerous section of the forest. Monsters rarely attack due to Arad''s presence. But Ae is sure Roberta is talking about actual protection. Roberta kept staring at Arad, "If you decided to live in the forest, someone needs to kill monsters around the house regrly to keep them scared. There is nothing better than a strong man to provide that," "I don''t disagree, but we have cities. Monsters aren''t that big of a problem," Ae replied, and she was right. Monsters avoid cities, so as long as you''re close enough. You''re safe. Roberta stared at Ae, and then at Arad and Gerald, "That isn''t my case," She sighed, "As a traveling merchant, we do need to face monsters often," She started talking, "Father usually deal with them, and we can hire adventurers when need to, but that doesn''t always work," "What do you mean?" "Since thest attack, I realized. I need someone strong around," Roberta sighed, "Father is getting old. I can see him pushing himself over the limit to protect the caravan. I can''t protect myself let alone the business. I need to find a strong man, someone at least at my father''s level," She sighed. "Your father? The butcher of Sylvehime?" Aeughed, "That''s a war general. Where will you find someone like that." She then stoppedughing, "Arad is mine, hands off," Roberta looked away, "I wish I could take him," She sighed, "But he''s already settling down, and I need to keep moving forward," She looked at Ae with a smile, "It''s not like he could carry the fly from one city to the other, can he," She looked away. Ae realized Arad could fly across cities now, and her first instinct was to hush Roberta away. "Hey," She whispered to Roberta, "Arad is actually pretty violent. You don''t want to be near him," Roberta giggled, "That''s a lie, and if it was the truth, then it''s your fault." She looked at Ae, "You keep feeding him grass like a sheep, don''t you, elf," "Hey! I can cook!" Ae growled. "I bet your meat sucks," Roberta smiled, "I can''t expect to learn how took cook meat when you spent your whole life with sds," The conversation between the two girls quickly shifted into a heated cooking argument. Chapter 144 Aellas Night Part I: Amidst the Coulds. ?144 Ae''s Night Part I: Amidst the Coulds. "I finished fixing the wheel," Mira brought the wheel with her. She found Ae and Roberta arguing and Arad and Geralt fighting in the back, "What are you doing?" She asked. "Meat or greens?" "Meat or greens?" The two girls screamed at the same time, ring at Mira. Mira took a step back, staring at Ae and Roberta with confused faces, "Bread," The two girls stared at each other and then at Mira, "Bread?" Ae asked. "Yeah, I won''t argue with you two," She smiled, walking past them toward Gerald and Arad. Gerald stared at the wheel, approaching Mira, looking at her face, "That was quick." He said, smiling. Mira tilted her head, sighing, "Did you think I would leave your wheel forst? I finished it so I can do my work." Gerald extended his hand, grabbing the wheel and exerting pressure on the edges. "Strudy job. How much do you ask?" Mira extended her open palm, shaking her fingers, "I have to change the frame. Give me six silver coins, and we call it done," Gerald handed Mira the money, smiling, "Thanks for the help, youngdy," He stared at Roberta, "We need to move," Roberta jumped from the fence, patting her skirt, "Our goods won''t sell without us," She red at Arad and Ae. "Our shop should be in the city center. Visit us before we leave next week." She approached Ae, "I will send your order before the evening. They would ask for you by name." Arad looked at Ae with a puzzled face, "Did you order something?" Roberta walked between Arad and Ae, "Arad," She smiled, "You will knowter." Roberta and Gerald left, and Mira returned to her. Ae looked at Arad, smiling, "I asked for something that could make it easier to have a baby. Roberta had this potion called Gracie''s spit that should help," "Is this something I shouldn''t know off?" Arad tilted his head. "I don''t have a problem telling you. I''m also your ve, so I can''t hide it anyway." Ae looked at Mira working on her bench, "She didn''t want others to hear us," Arad nodded. He understood. "It''s something only the two of us should know," "Yes, it''s between us." Arad and Ae returned to the house, helping the workers finish thest touches on the fences. The workers and Mira left in the evening, they had finished their job, and Arad''s house isplete. Arad sat on the front doorstep, staring at the sun zing behind the clouds, ^My house is finally built,^ Thud! Ae sat beside Arad, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Those could be beautiful," She pointed with her fingers at the god rays. "Want to go see them?" Arad wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "I have wings," Ae turned her head with her eyes sparking, "You would?" Arad scratched his head, "Not those clouds. They are above the city." He stood, pointing toward the mountain, "We can see those," Arad then looked at Ae''s face, "Get ready, and bring a rope," Hearing Arad''s words, Ae found it harder to breathe. Her fingers trembled as she rushed inside the house. "Bring something soft as well. A nket would do," Arad shouted. Ae walked out, wearing adventuring clothes and holding the rope in her right hand. And an old rug in her left. She approached Arad, looking at her hands. "Why do we need those?" Arad took the rope from her hand, "This is so you won''t fall." He smiled, "And this is for you to sit on." He pointed. Ae looked at Arad for a moment, "Are you sure?" "Of course. I don''t want you falling off. And my scales could hurt you." Arad approached Ae, caressing her butt as his fingers slid between the mounds. "This ce has work tonight. We can''t have it injured. Ae looked away, her cheeks turning red. "Arad, we can leave this for tonight. I''m not ready," She tried to back away, but Arad''s arms were stronger. "I didn''t wash myself yet. We worked the whole day." Ae gasped, pushing at Arad''s chest. Arad plunged his head into her bosom, taking a deep breath. Ae gasped, pushing harder and trying to shove Arad away, "Arad, please." She cried.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "You smell nice," Arad took a second breath in her bosom, mumbling. Ae stopped moving, looking at Arad''s hair on her chest. Shebed his head with her finger, "Weren''t we going to the clouds? We still have a long way to walk." Arad smiled. Lifting Ae up. "I said I would take. I didn''t say anything about walking." Ae gasped, and the scenery shifted in front of her eyes. FLAP! FLAP! Her clothes pped with the wind as she stared down. "AH!" Shetched on Arad''s neck, seeing the ground far below them. Arad smiled, "Hold to my neck," He said. ZON! With [Void walk] Arad teleported to the sky, heading toward the mountain. Ae stared down, feeling her spine tingle and her knees shaking. "Arad, we''re falling," She cried, her nose shoved into his chest. Aradughed, "I didn''t open my wings," He looked at her. "Please put me on the ground. I can walk." Ae cried, fighting her grip on his neck. Arad smiled, "I won''tnd." He replied, "I like it when you''re clinging to me." "Arad," Ae cried, feeling Arad caress her butt and bosom. She wanted to move away. But couldn''t. Her heart started racing. An ember of heat rose in her chest. Her nose tingled as she started smelling Arad''s scent, staring at his chest. "Let me down. I''m feeling strange." Ae cried, and Arad grabbed her from the armpit, hugging her in a standing position. Ae looked at Arad''s eyes, spotting the fire within. She closed her eyes, feeling his lips on her as they fell amidst the clouds. "Ae, let go of me and fall," Arad whispered in her ears. And she clung to his neck. Ae stared into Arad''s eyes, feeling her heart pounding. She closed her eyes and rxed her arms, falling from his grasp. Arad smiled, flipping upside down with the rope and clothes in his hands. His eyes shifted as his body exploded into a full dragon. Thud! Ae felt herself falling on something. She looked below her to see the shining scales of a dragon. Arad kept her stuck to his body with Gravity magic as he soared across the clouds. Roaring. ROAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR! Chapter 145 [Bonus chapter] Aellas Night Part II: On the mountains peak. [R-18] 145 [Bonus chapter] Ae''s Night Part II: On the mountain''s peak. [R-18] Ae grasped Arad''s neck, feeling the violent wind blowing on her hair, "ARAD!" "Don''t worry. I''m keeping you on my back with Gravity magic." Arad turned his head toward her. Ae held tighter, "What about the rope and rug?" She searched around. "They are behind you. I missed the hit." Ae looked behind her. The rug hugged Arad''s back with the rope around it. Ae let go of Arad''s neck, her arms shaking as she looked back. She grasped the rug and rope and pulled them toward her. "What should I do?" "Sit on the rug, tieing the rope around my neck," Arad slowed his flight. He hovered with weak ps as Ae started working. "Like this?" Ae folded the rug twice and sat on it after wrapping the rope around Arad''s neck and using it like a leash.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Yes." Arad turned his head, ring at her, "I can know you are sitting on my back, but I can''t feel your touch on my scales. They are like armor." Ae nced at the rope and then at Arad''s head. "You don''t mean!" She gasped. "Pull the rope to steer me," "No! I can tell you where to go." Ae gasped, and her voice cracked. "I promised you would do it." Arad red at her, "You are flying, not me." Ae looked at Arad''s neck. She patted his scales with a smile as her eyes closed. She clenched her fist on the rope, "Thank you." Ae pulled the rope to the right. Arad felt the weak pull on his neck and shifted his direction. She guided him across the snow-white clouds. After an hour of flight, Ae and Aradnded on the mountain peak to rest. Aradnded, lowering his wing for Ae to descend from his back. Ae''s eyes opened wide as she gasped for breath, staring at the vast forest at the mountain foot. SWOSH! The Cold wind blew across, shaking Ae''s hair as she grasped her shoulders. Arad looked at Ae, covering her with his wings as mes erupted above them, "Is it too cold for you?" Shifting his head, he red at the little bumps on her neck and forearms. "Isn''t it cold for you?" Ae red at Arad, and he shook his head, "I do feel the cold, but it doesn''t bother me. It''s like the difference is insignificant." CRACK! Ae heard a rustling in the back, small stones falling amidst the frigid cold. She turned back. She saw a fifteen-foot-tall ape-like creature with thick white fur ring at them. "A yeti?" Ae gasped, pulling her bow, getting ready for a fight. Arad turned his neck, his eyes shing purple as he red at the yeti dead in the eyes. Ae felt her knee shaking, her skin crawling as the being beside her got angry. She turned her head toward Arad, seeing him frown at the yeti. "Arad, please calm down," Ae gasped, "You''re scaring me as well." Thud! Arad turned his head toward her, "Sorry, did it get out?" "Yeah," Ae walked to Arad''s side while keeping her bow drawn. "Rx," Arad said, "Don''t mind the monster," He looked back forward, patting Ae''s head with his wing. "No one will touch you under my wing," Ae smiled as She heard Arad, her face shifting pink. She sat on Arad''s front left w. "The forest is beautiful," GROWL! The yeti growled in the back, ring at Arad and Ae. Ae rxed on Arad''s w, "Should we get back home? I have to prepare dinner." GROWL! The yeti growled again, and Arad didn''t ignore it this time. Without moving his body or disturbing Ae, he lifted his tail, posting at the yeti. [Gravity magic] He pulled the yeti toward him. Thwack! Arad crushed the yeti on the ground with a single tail p, absorbing the corpse into his stomach. Ae looked back. The yeti disappeared. Her eyes quivered as she looked at Arad''s head. "That was an A-rank monster," "A-rank since it''srge and people need to fight in the cold, and they might have climbed a mountain to reach it." Arad looked at Ae, "I''mrger, heavier, and stronger," Ae looked back at the sky, "You''re a dragon," Arad shifted back to his human side, hugging her from the back, "The ce is empty now," Ae flinched, feeling his hands on her chest and stomach. "Not here," Ae gasped, mumbling as her ears pped. "Why not?" Arad licked her ear, tightening his grip on her chest. "Arad," Ae could hear her heart beating inside her throat. A rush of cold sweat tripped across her back as Arad tickled her naval. She wiggled to escape and ended up stimting herself further. "Pulled it down," Arad whispered in her head. "I don''t want to," Ae cried, putting her palms on his. "Then why are you shaking my hands?" Arad lowed his palm from her belly to her crotch, "I can feel It wet from above your clothes," Ae stared back at him. "I told you earlier, I haven''t bathed yet," She replied with a red face and tears in her eyes. Ae only looked at Arad for a while in silence before giving up, "Fine. But don''t tell me whyter." Ae lowered her hands, grabbing the sides of her short pants and undoing the straps. She then pushed them down, revealing her lower spot. "It''s cold. Please hurry." She mumbled. "Take mine as well," Arad whispered in her ear again, this time biting their tip. Ae trembled, her fingers clenching as her body tingled, "Don''t tease my ears," Arad stared at Ae''s head and then started sucking on her ears. Ae grasped Arad''s pants, pushing them down so he could stop ying with her ears. p! The long, thick erection mmed between her legs, causing her to jump. Ae looked down, seeing the tip peaking from between her legs. She could feel her tummy growling. "It''s bigger than before." She gasped, grabbing the tip with both palms. "Didn''t you want to end this?" Arad asked, panting in her ear, "Put it inside," Ae turned her head, staring at Arad''s face with red face. She closed her eyes, extending her lips. Arad went for the kiss as she rested the tip on her entrance, pushing that erection inside. Arad felt her struggle, her breath growing faster in his mouth as he felt her hips tremble. He grabbed her waist, "Rx," mumbled in her mouth. Ae pulled her face from his, her mouth half open as a silver line of droll trailed between them. Arad applied force, forcing his meat into her. Ae closed her eyes, her face twisting as she gasped. She wasn''t used to something this big. She only knew his old flesh. With her body shaking and tear down her cheek, Ae took Arad inside her. She red back at his face, "Please start moving," Arad''s danced with a gentle shake, letting Ae get used to him. As the two held it back for a while, it didn''t take them long to reach a climax. Arad grasped Ae''s hips and did a few powerful thrusts. CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! Arad released everything as deep as he could inside Ae. She climaxed again as her body trembled. Arad pulled out. Being careful that nothing spills out, "Hold it in," He said. "Don''t worry," Ae panted, smiling. She wore her clothes back on and stood, smiling. "Let''s get back home." Arad shifted into his draconic form and lowered his neck, "Hop up then. We will do it more back home." Ae climbed on Arad''s neck, sitting on her janky, makeshift saddle. She felt a shock up her spine. She''s still sensitive. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad ran forward, jumping from the cliff as he expanded his wings. Each of his steps caused her to flinch, and she climaxed again by thest. Arad looked back at Ae, "I like to test something," "Do as you like," Ae smiled, looking away to hide her red face. PUFF! Arad''s draconic body disappeared. Ae found him hugging her from the back as they elerated toward the ground. "What are you doing!" Ae cried, iling her arms. PUFF! Arad shifted back to his draconic form. "It worked." "What worked?" Ae growled, her heart pounding. "Look, the rug and rope are still in ce. I can keep them like my clothes in the human form." He pped his wings, racing back home. "Everything spilled out," Ae cried, feeling it leak from her inside. Chapter 146 Aellas Night Part III: Kitchen Elf. [R-18] 146 Ae''s Night Part III: Kitchen Elf. [R-18] FLAP! FLAP! Arad''s body morphed into a humanoid form before he could get back home. He didn''t want anyone from the city to see him. "Wait!" Ae cried as Arad grabbed her butt. Arad felt something wet and soft, "Did it leak?" He looked at her face, "Sorry, I couldn''t keep it in when transformed earlier," She looked away. "No, that''s my mistake," Arad sighed, "I will fill you again as soon as wend," "No! I''m taking a bath as soon as wend," Ae growled, ring at his eyes. "Fine," Arad recoiled back. She was serious. [Void walk] [Void walk] Thud! Arad and Aended in the garden, and Arad let go of her. Ae turned around, trying to rush back into the house, "Lady Ae?" A woman''s voice shouted from behind the house fence. Ae turned her head, seeing a woman with short ck hair and eyes. She stood at the side of the wooden gate with a small box in her hands. "Arad! You pick the potion. I already paid," Ae waved at the woman. "Tell Roberta to thank you in my ce," She rushed back home. Arad walked toward the gate, opening it with a smile. "You have something for Ae?" The woman handed the box to Arad. "Roberta wanted me to deliver it to Ae''s hands only, but you can take it since she asked," "Is it that potion?" Arad looked at the woman, and she recoiled back, looking to the side. "How?" "Ae told me." Arad tilted his head, "Did you think she won''t?" "We got a private order from her. We acted ording to the rules." Arad took the box from the woman, and she left after bowing. Arad walked back inside the house andid the box on the table in the living room. "Where are you?" He asked, even though he could feel her thoughts in the kitchen. "Come here for a moment," Ae called Arad. "What do you want?" Arad asked with a smile, peeking his head into the kitchen. Ae stood before the wooden stove, heating arge pot of water. She pointed toward an empty wooden barred by the side, "Go fill it at the well," Arad walked and lifted the barrel, "I will be back soon," [You have water in your stomach. You can fill it out here.] "I want something toward waste time," Arad filled the barrel at the well. When Arad got back, heid the barrel in its ce. Ae was in the other room. Arad went to check on her. The other room was the bath. A small, half-room space with arge wooden tub at the side, a tiny window at the wall, and a small hole in the ground. Leading below the garden. [The water of the bath gets moved below the garden where the nts and trees can have it.] Arad pushed the bath door open, seeing Ae sitting naked on a wooden stool. Rubbing her chest with a soft sponge. She stared at him, "Come here. You should wash too." Ae brought Arad a stool from the corner and handed him a new sponge. Arad stared at the sponge, confused. "You don''t know how to take a bath?" Ae red at him. "Ah! No, I know how to bathe." Arad replied, "I was listening to Mom. She said I don''t need to bath," Arad closed his eyes, and his skin vibrated with a dark mist. "Done," Arad opened his palm. A small ck ball of dirt and dust was there. "I use the void to absorb anything on my skin and then spit it out. Each dragon bath with its element." Arad smiled, "Red dragons burn their body, ck dragon coat themselves with acid, and I use void," "You have to wash anyway," Ae handed him a cubic yellowish stone, "Soap. A gift from Mira," Arad looked at the block, "How sweet of her," Ae looked away with dead eyes, "You don''t want to know why she gave it to us," Arad sat on the stool and started washing. After Ae finished, she washed his back, and he washed her back after. After the bath, Arad headed to the living room where he sat on the couch. He watched Ae walk to the kitchen half-naked. She only wore a white apron, "Arad, can you light the stove while I clean the veggies?" Arad stood and walked to the kitchen, lighting the stove with a single gesture of his finger. "Thanks," Arad watched Ae cut the veggies, and throw them inside an empty pot with a bit of oil, "How much can you eat?" She asked. "Five-time that yeti we saw at the mountain," Arad replied, as a dragon he can eat like a monster." "Twice what a human can eat," Ae said, pulling a second pot and putting it on the stove. "Why two?" Arad asked. "One for me and one for you with ox bones and some meat," Ae replied, "I can''t digest meat. It upsets our stomach and causes us to feel sick." After Ae finished putting everything on the stove to cook, she stood there waiting. Arad sat behind her, staring at her naked butt. As Ae waited, she felt something hot and hard rubbing between her legs. Her body flinched her ears turned red. She turned her head, "Arad, not here," "You have nothing else to do," Arad replied, cupping her chest. "I was about to go wear some clothes." Ae gasped.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "We don''t need those now," Arad licked her ear, pressing on her entrance with his flesh. Ae sighed, "Fine," She pushed her butt back. Arad''s erection slid inside, reaching deep enough to make her gasp. Ae''s body bent forward. She could feel the edges of her womanhood almost tearing. Only Arad''s hands supported her by the chest. CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! Arad started moving, and Ae closed her mouth, trying her best to keep her voice down. "AH!" But she moaned the moment Arad licked her ear. "You like having your ears licked?" Arad bite Ae''s ears, pressing with hisrge palms on her chest and belly as he hammered her back. "That''s...not true," Ae gasped, her body twitching. "AAAA!" She felt Arad''s tongue slide into her heart, causing her whole body to get zapped. Her thighs clenched tight as her belly rumbled with eat, "You got tighter and..." Arad looked down, seeing a clear liquid seeping between Ae''s legs, "Are you okay?" He asked. "Yeah, keep going," Ae moved her hips, not wanting him to focus on how she climaxed from her ears. "Ae," Arad whispered in Ae''s ears, "I want to try something, but it might hurt you," "What is it?" Ae looked back at Arad. "Look down," Ae looked at Arad''s legs. He bent his knees to keep with her height. And even when she pushed her butt all the way back, she didn''t take his full erection inside. "I will stand. Can we try it? The deeper I release it, the better, right?" Arad licked her ear. Ae thought about it. "Do it, but stop if I said so," Arad extended his knees. Lifting Ae from the ground and pushing his whole erection inside. GAH! Ae gasped with tears in her eyes. Her weight forced Arad''s flesh deeper into her. She started sweating as her toes curled, and her stomach spazzed, "Down, down, down," She cried, and Arad let her down. Ae fell on her knees, shaking, "Are you okay?" Ae looked at Arad with tears in her eyes and a thumb up, "It was painful," She took a deep breath. "Push all the way inside in thest thrust only," On all four, she spread her butt open, "Keep going," Arad bent down. He went on his knees and pushed his throbbing flesh inside her without a moment of hesitation. Ae''s arms felt weak. They got limp as her torso rested on her chest. Arad bent over her, "Are you okay?" He didn''t understand why she was feeling weaker and weaker to him. Ae turned her head, "I''m okay. Please keep going," "You don''t seem well," Arad red at her face. Ae looked away, "I''m only," She hesitated, "ying," She looked down. When Arad looked closer, Ae''s left hand is sneaking toward her crotch, rubbing the ce. She can''t support herself with one arm and rx at the same time. "You like having that ce tickled?" Arad asked, reaching with his palm over her. Ae couldn''t look at Arad''s face, but she knew this isn''t something she can or should hide. "Yes," She replied, "But you might be a bit harsh." Arad''s fingers wererger than hers and rough to the touch. "Let me try," Arad whispered in Ae''s ear, pulling her hand away and taking that role. As Arad rode over Ae, she supported her body with both her arms as he took the lead, hammering her back for a while. "It''sing," Arad gasped on top of her back, "Get ready," He could feel Ae''s inside get tighter, "Go all out," She mumbled. "You will be the death of me," Arad gasped, rushing onest time as deep as he could. He pushed Ae''s body to the ground and drilled into her deepest spot. Ae''s body twitched as she clenched her teeth. But it didn''t hurt as much this time. It was a matter of getting used to him. Chapter 147 Aellas Night Part IV: First Dinner. [R-18] 147 Ae''s Night Part IV: First Dinner. [R-18] Ae carried the vegetable pot, while Arad carried the mixed one. "Don''t put them on the table yet." Ae said, trying to grab a wet towel from the counter, "I should have asked Mira about a pot rest," Arad extended his arm and grabbed the towels for her. "Thanks...." Ae turned her eyes toward Arad, seeing him carry the boiling pot from its base with one hand. "Doesn''t it burn your hand?" "I asked Mom, and she say Void is bad at moving heat. It will take more than a boiling pot to burn me." Aradid the towel on the table and rested his pot, Ae put her by his side. Ae brought dishes and sat facing Arad. "You can push nails with your fingers, can carry hot stuff, and move trees." She started pouring the food. Arad stared inside his pot, seeing a fewrge chunks of meat and a single half-cow bone. "This bone is big, was it okay to use it all?" Ae looked away, "I don''t know. I never cooked meat before, let alone for someone I don''t know how much he could eat." Arad looked at the pot, "My real body is that of a dragon. I can eat this, but I gain my sustenance from the monster I stored in my stomach." Ae smiled, "Are there any monsters that you found good?" Ae asked, trying to imagine how could it feel to chew a whole yeti. Arad looked up, closing his eyes, "That woman Kristina tasted good, the cultists as well. I would say humanoids are the best." "Humanoids aren''t monsters." Ae giggled. "Most monsters taste like rabbits or cows. The only difference is that they can be poisonous, and tough." Ae poured for Arad as he talked, "But, after I ate a lot of bandits, I find humanoids better. Especially young women." "That''s scary," Ae stared at Arad, "I''m a dragon that can eat humanoids. And on top, a vampire addicted to blood, and a wyrmwolf addicted to meat." "Even if I don''t eat other dragons, I''m still a monster," Arad sighed, lifting therge cow bone with two fingers. "You can eat the merrow off that," Ae handed Arad a thin metal spoon. Arad looked at the bone and took a bite. CRUNCH! His teeth cut it like nuts, the power of his jaw was outrageous. "You can''t bite that," Ae sighed, eating her food. "Mom says I need to eat bones as well. They are parts of a healthy dragon diet," He crunched on the bone as if it belonged to a chicken. Ae got curious, she need to know Arad''s diet if she is to cook for him, "What should you eat?" "I need to eat my prey whole. Flesh, bones, fur, organs, and everything. She also said I need to find a cursed metal called Urantait." Arad looked at Ae. "Urantait! I heard that people whoe close to it can die within a year. And those who survived suffered sickness in theirter years. Morticians of the elvish court found lumps of deformed flesh inside their bodies." Ae exined. Arad nodded, "That''s the one. Mom said red dragons need to eat sulfur. Yellow dragons eat salt. Blue dragons eat quartz. Green dragons eat mercury. ck dragons eat are weird. They need to breathe the airing from rotten corpses and eat salt like yellow dragons." "Why is that?" Ae asked, "I never heard of dragons eating metals, except for metallic dragons. Those need it to regenerate their scales." "Mom says my breath will get weaker if I don''t eat them for a long time. Mine should be in caves beneath mountains." Arad chugged his food down. %Arad needs to eat uranium(Any radioactive material will do.). It has a different name in this world causing people to see it as a cursed metal.% "I want to know of something I can cook for you," Ae asked, "Won''t mom have anything in mind?" "Arad looked up," his eyes opened wide, "Mom said that mother loved steaks. Thick meat roasted on wood or coal," "Steak? What is that?" "A b of meat," Arad replied. "You only need meat, salt, and fire. Mom said that Mother used to pluck trees to make fire and roastrge beasts after soaking them in seawater." Arad rxed on his chair. "If we foundrge holes on the forest near the sea. That would be mother." Ae poured more to Arad, and swalled it down lit it was nothing. After dinner. Arad and Ae washed the dishes after she put a tea kettle on the stove. "It''s nice to not have to worry about inn problems,"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "You''re right," Arad poured water in therge bowl Ae used to wash the dishes, "I will go an fill this," Ae watched Arad walk out, and she sighed, touching her butt, "I''m not going toward tomorrow." Half an hourter, the tea was ready. Arad and Ae retreated to their room with a full tray. Ae put the tray on the table, and Arad rxed on the bed, ring at the ceiling. A tiny chandelier hanged with four candles on it, "Who that drip?" "It will," Ae sat beside him, "We can use fey fire, light magic, luminicant fungus, or light ore as a recement." "Yeah, the kobolds has the fungus, I should as them for some," Arad smiled, his hand caressing Ae''s thighs. "Where did you put the box I ordered?" Ae looked at Arad, "There it is," Arad pointed at the cab to the side, "I left it there, should we use it now?" Ae scratched her head, "I don''t know I should use it before or after," She looked at Arad, "What do you think?" Arad sat, lifting Ae and putting her on his tight. "How about twice?" "What?" Ae gasped. Arad kissed her, striping her as fast as he could. "We will do it twice, and use that in the middle so it''s a safe bet," Ae looked at Arad''s face, her cheek red, and her ears wiggling. She could feel the hard thing poking her stomach. "Yes," Ae took the initiative so she can move a bit slower, otherwise her hips would shatter. Ae lifted her shaking hips and pushed Arad inside, "AH!" doing it sitting caused it to get pushed all the way through. Ae gasped, chenshing her fingers on Arad''s shoulder. After taking a few breaths, the pain began to fade. Ae smiled, and started shaking her hips, grinding Arad down. ^As long as It''s still all the way through, It won''t hurt as much as going in and out. It will also allow me to stimte myself better,^ She started thinking. As the two moved, something happed to the bottle hidden in the box inside the cab. The faint pink liquid shed purple, swirling inside the bottle. The bottle''s shadow weaved, and the liquid became as clear as water and as viscuse as honey. Ae and Arad finished the first ground, and she went to brink the bottle, "Are we both drinking it?" "If it help make babies, I should be the one drinking it." Ae said, opening the bottle. "Since you''re the one carrying the baby," Arad looked at her as she chugged the whole thing. CRACK! The bottle fell on the ground. Shattering as Ae staggered, sweat dripping from her skin, as she red at Arad. Chapter 148 [Bonus chapter] Aellas Night Part V: Gracies Blessing. [R-18] 148 [Bonus chapter] Ae''s Night Part V: Gracie''s Blessing. [R-18] Arad stared at Ae, "Are you okay?" Ae weaved, body standing with her arms dangling. Arad blinked, seeing ghostly-ck magic swirls around her body. "I''m fine," Ae stepped forward, "But I''m feeling hot. My fingertips are numb and my stomach is aching." She approached Arad,ying her hand on his chest. Ae''s mouth remained open, drooling. "Need something," Panting, she grasped her tea cub and chugged in a single breath. "Come, you need to rest." Arad grabbed Ae by the arm, "That potion was too strong for you," Clensh! Arad could move Ae''s arm, he pulled harder, but it felt like a stone, "Ae?" Ae looked down, ring at Arad''s erection, "Get in bed," With a single push, she dropped Arad onto the bed. [It''s that weird magic around her body. It''s empowering her. Knock her out with a good hit. She might hurt herself.] Arad clenched his fist, intending for a solid gut punch, but he stopped. Ae shoved his whole erection down her throat. Thud! Arad grabbed Ae by the head, gasping as he tried to push her away. Ae kept pushing Arad in and out of her throat, taking the whole thing in like it was nothing. With each one she slurped, ring at Arad as he attempted to push her away. Nothing happened in Ae''s head. Something was strange. Her actions seemed normal to her. And she felt no force from his hands, thinking him telling her to stop wasn''t what he wanted. In fact, it seemed cute seeing him amuse her for once. As Ae kept sucking, she looked forward and thought, ^He might want to do it as well,^ Arad struggled to get Ae away from his meat. And suddenly saw her body snap, twisting upward as she grabbed his right arm with her left hand. CRACK! She kicked Arad back with a flip, dropping him on the bed and sitting on his face with a single move. BAM! BAM! Her kneesnded on Arad''s wrists, pinning him down. Arad growled. ^I will kick that Roberta if this doesn''t work.^ Arad''s eyes shifted to that of a dragon. Scales emerged on his forearms, shoulder, and back. Ae might be strong, but she''s light. Arad''s muscles tensed as he stood, lifting Ae whole with a hug. "Listen to me," Arad red at Ae as she held her flipped, his flesh still in her throat. "What do you want?" Arad growled. Ae stopped sucking. She could hear Arad from the start. But she thought he didn''t mean it since he didn''t move her. In her mind, he could have pulled her head out if he wanted her to stop sucking. Arad pulled Ae out using both his arms, and put her on the ground, "Are you okay?" He asked, checking her arms and legs as he used too much power. She was fine. Ae sat on the ground, her face red and her body sweating. She opened her mouth and pulled her cheek to the side, extending her tongue out. "Do it here," she said, panting. Arad sighed, "Are you okay here?" He knocked on his head, "Is that potion like alcohol or something? What did we eat earlier?" "I made two soups, one veggie, and one meat." Ae approached Arad, "You munched the bones, and we talked about what you could eat." Ae wasn''t drunk. That wasn''t what the potion did. She was sober. Only her sexual desire has increased. Ding! The bottle rolled from the table. Gracie, the mother of all life. The goddess of cubus(Subus and Incubus) is an immortal, emotionless queen of the night. Life, death, rebirth, birth, shadows, Lust, love,passion, desire, will, and trauma. When people speak of the shadow walking behind them in the dark. When two couples can''t feel at ease, and sense that someone is watching them in bed. In the shadows of the grave as someone dies and beneath the white clothes as a new baby is born. When mothers cry at their husbands who died in the war, and when the killers return to their families to live their life. She''s there, stalking from the shadows. Those who pray to her, and managed to gain her favor, might even gain her favor. Infertile people blessed with children, dead people brought back to life. And whole armies were sucked into the abyss for the prayer of a single child. Wanting her father back alive from the war. Handing an Amulet of Gracie is amon proposal. And praying to her altar in each city is a must ritual for every married couple. Yet, Gracie is most known for her dangerous blessings. If someone wanted to mate, make love, and bond with another. She answers most of the time. Arad took his flesh and shoved it into Ae''s throat, thrusting as Ae closed her eyes. Her droll dripped on her chest. Ae always hated meat, but Arad tasted sweet to her. And feeling him pushing onto her throat wasforting. BLOP! Arad pulled his erection from her throat, "Not there," He sighed. Doing it in her throat was meaningless. Ae caught, struggling to breathe and supporting her body with her arms. "Are you okay? You need rest?" Arad grabbed her by the shoulders. Ae scooped some of the droll with her fingers, sucking them with a giggle. She barely managed to breathe earlier, so her head started spinning. Ae''s head wiggled to the side like she was drunk. "I want to sleep, but I can''t," She pinched her cheek. "I can''t. Need something stronger." She pinches her cheek again and then looked at Arad''s flesh. She touched the tip of his erection and smiled, "Arad, let''s do it," Arad sighed, grabbing a cup of tea and handing it to her, "Drink this," He growled. Ae grabbed the cup with both hands, drinking it withoutining. Arad stood. "Sit on the bed and wait." He walked out of the room, and Ae crawled onto the bed. Laying on her back. Her body was on fire, and her breathing grew heavier. She reached down with her hand, touching her intimate ce. Arad walked downstairs and brought a bowl of cold water and a towel, "She might feel better if she washed her face," "ARAD! ARAD! ARAD! ARAD! ARAD! ARAD! ARAD! ARAD! ARAD!" When Arad got close to the room, he could hear Ae moaning and shouting his name. He sighed, "That Roberta would pay for this," He walked inside. Seeing Ae rubbing herself and wiggling on the bed like an earthworm. Arad rested the bow on the table and approached Ae, grabbing her wrist. "Wash, and we can start,e on," As he said, Ae pulled his hand and started sucking on his fingers. Arad lifted her and sat her on his hips. He then started whipping her face and chest with the towel. "Be calm. The faster we get you cleaned, the faster we can start again." Ae calmed, ring at the ceiling with a nk face. Aradid Ae on her back on the bed after he cleaned her. She stared at him with a smile, "Can we start?" Arad nodded, and she became more responsive. The potion effect is wearing out. He grabbed her ankles, lifting her legs and putting his erection between her legs. "Let''s start," Ae lifted her arms, inviting him toy on her. Arad did that and she whispered in his ear, "Go all out. I can take it," Arad sucked on Ae''s bosom, ticking her with his erection as he went up her neck and to her lips. He then shoved his flesh into her with a gentle push. She wrapped her legs around his hip, and he started moving and picked pace with each of her moans. After a few minutes, Arad was thrusted down with an incredible force. Going all the way inside and forcing Ae to climax with each thrust. He as well came a lot, once every few thrusts, but never stopped moving. Arad might seem a human, but he''s a massive dragon, and he has a lot of baby batters stored. Ae woke the next morning on the bed, her whole body hurting and her insides leaking beneath her legs. Her stomach ached and rumbled. Her throat felt strange as she mistakenly breathed her own droll. Ae turned her head, seeing Arad asleep beside her. Her eyes blinked as she rememberedst night, and she screamed internally.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 149 A Mighty Steed? 149 A Mighty Steed? Ae forced her body to move, sitting on the bed''s edge and staring at Arad. Like all elves, they don''t sleep. They spend the night meditating with their eyes closed. She doesn''t feel sleepy. This whole night she was out of exhaustion.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "That potion did a number on me." She growled. "As if I drank a berserker one," She sighed, standing with shaking knees. With wobbling steps, she moved to the kitchen and went outside to bring water from the well. She stopped midway, realizing she was still naked, and had to get back inside. After a quick shower with cold water, Ae felt better, yet all her limbs screamed. "This reminds me of the early days of the elven archery training," She sighed, sitting on a chair. Ae''s hips jolted, and her stomach ached. "Arad didn''t go easy on me. What did that Gracie potion do?" She walked to the bedroom and took the potion from the ground. Bending down was more painful than she expected. Arad woke up, seeing her leaning on a chair to stand, "Ae? Are you okay?" He asked, standing up to help her. "A bit sore, that''s all." Ae sat on the chair she leaned on, smiling. "I need to talk with that Roberta," Arad growled, staring at the window. "No! Leave her alone," Ae called him. "I''m the one who asked her to sell me one." Arad looked at Ae, "We should get you to a healer. Lydia should be at the inn with Jack." Ae gasped, "I won''t be able to walk all there," Let''s leave that for tomorrow. "No. I will carry you there," Arad stood, "I will get you something to eat from the kitchen," Ae gasped again, trying to stand, "I will stay at home for today. I will be fine tomorrow," Arad stared at Ae, "We talk after you eat," He left the room, and returned a momentter. CLACK! Arad opened the door and walked in with a braid of garlic, two onions, and a lettuce head. Ae stared at him with a stupid face, "What are those?" "I found them in the kitchen," Arad replied, "This one looks green, so I thought you might like it. This one has a nice crunch and this one smells good," "Nah, I can''t eat those like that." Ae sighed. "I could make a sd of the onion and lettuce with some salt and oil, but take the garlic out, it has other uses." She stood, leaning on the chair. "You like the garlic smell? I thought vampire would hate it," Ae approached Arad, taking the garlic braid from his hand. "Why would I hate it?" "Garlic is an ingredient in a potion called ck blood. If you drink it, the vampire who drinks your blood will get weakened and lose their regeneration for a while." Ae exined. "But I don''t know much," Arad stared at the garlic braid, and bite a head, swallowing it whole. "Nothing." He looked at his body. "I say another ingredient is doing the work in that potion." Ae nodded, "Yeah. I would say people associated garlic with the effect since it''s something they can get. And makes them feel safer." Arad nodded, "That should be the case," "I will remain here, and eat something. You head to the guild and check on everything," Ae walked to the door. "I will go bring Lydia first," Arad looked at her,bing her hair with his fingers, "The day is long, I can see the guildter." "Fine," Ae sighed. "Be careful not to stand out." She warned him as she knew how ridiculous his physical strength was for a sorcerer. "I won''t do anything strange," Arad understood what she mean. "No lifting heavy things, no void walk. And no touching hot stuff." Arad walked out of the house and reached the trees, "Wolves," With a single word, the wolves roaming around the house gathered. A pack of over thirty wolves emerged from the bushes. Large, ck, feral-looking wolves. A massive brown bear stood at the back, ring at Arad from behind a tree. "OoO!" Arad looked up, seeing the apes gathering in the trees, "Everyone showed up." He smiled, "Ae is sick inside." He pointed at the house with his thumb, "Make sure no one approaches her," The wolves spread across the garden, surrounding the house and hiding in the bushes. The bear curled into a ball in from the main door, standing guard. The apes remained in the trees, loaded with stones and boulders. Arad nodded with a smile, walking toward the city. Thud! From the roadside, arge creature emerged. Four legs,rge muscles, brown hide, and board shoulders. Tworge antlers adorned the beast''s head. It''s a moose. "You''re the moose from the other day," Arad smiled, and the moose approached him, "What do you want?" The moose growled, shaking his head and wing the dirt with his hooves. His grunts rumbled across the trees, and Arad understood. "I need to get to the city and back. I can''t use void walk. Will you give me a ride?" Arad patted the moose''s head. "I shouldn''t stand out," The moose seemed to smile, lowering its head. Arad jumped in, riding the beast to the city. *** Alina''s guard post. About an hour after dawn. The city vicinity is quiet, nothing strange. The guards are starting their boring day. Oiling the portcullis''s chain and gawking at the women extending their legs out of the houses. Swiping the water away. The head guard picked a bucket of fresh cold water from the well, throwing it at the guards skulking around. Get back to your stations, a peaceful day could change the moment you look away. "Sir! We have a problem!" The man responsible for the west tower rushed in panting. "Someone is approaching the city on the horizon. Arge man riding a moose." "Don''t be crazy!" The head guard pushed the soldier away and rushed to the top, looking through the binocrs. His jaw dropped, and his body wobbled back, "That''s Arad!" He recognized him from the dragon parade, "The hell''s he riding?" The head guard rushed down and mounted his mighty steed. *** Arad saw a man approach him on horseback so he stopped. With his eyes, he could tell it was the head guard. "Head guard, is there something I can help you with?" Arad said with a smile as the head guard stopped beside him. The head guard looked up at Arad''s face. The moose is bigger than his horse and even wider. The horse and the moose red at each other, and the moose kicked the ground, growling. The head guard''s horse trailed back, its head dangling low. The head guard looked at his horse, "Can you have the moose calm down?" He said, looking at Arad. Arad patted the moose, "Calm down," The moose stopped growling, and Arad smiled, "Why did youe to meet me? Is there any monster around here?" "No, the tower guard said they saw a man riding a moose so I came to check." The head guard scratched his head. "It''s fine if it''s you, and he seems to behave as well," "Is it bad to bring one to the city?" Arad started smelling something off. "No,rge beasts need to register with the guild and the guards. We can''t have people roaming with monsters, can we?" The guard smiled, "Ah, sorry, this is a moose." He giggled. "Should I register it?" Arad stopped, hanging his head down the moose, "Should I register him," "That would be for the best. It''s arge creature after all." The head guard smiled, "A good rule is anything that could harm a man." "So dogs and up," "Prety much," The head guardughed. "Imagin someoneing with a full pack of wolves or a bear," Arad joked, trying to see what the head guard would say. "That would cause the people to panic. Who would bring a bear?" Arad scratched his head, giggling, "Yeah, no one would." He waved his hand to the head guard, "I''m in a hurry now. I will register him after I finish my job," The head guard looked at Arad, "It''s fine as long as you do it before he harms anyone. Today would be best," Arad approached the gate, and it opened. The guards stood at the side watching the mighty moose race across the street. People gasped, moving out of the way. Mothers pulled their children to the side and the shop owner rushed to hide their goods. "Who is that?" The people kept running out of Arad''s way. Lydia walked out of the inn, stretching her arms when she felt a heavy breath at her hair. She turned around to see the massive ck lips of a moose. Brrrrrr. She lept back, pulling her sword in panic, "What?" gasping as she wiped the beast''s spit from her face. "Get up. Ae needs healing." Said the man on the moose. Chapter 150 At the Stables 150 At the Stables Lydia gasped, staring at the man on the moose. "Arad?" She sheathed her sword, "What is this thing?" Brrrr! The moose growled. He red down, kicking the ground with his front legs. "I haven''t named him yet. Call him moose, or he might get upset," Arad patted the moose''s head. "You didn''t give him a name yet? How about Jean or Raptor?" Lydia lifted her hand, trying to touch the moose''s head. "I will think about itter," Arad extended his arm to her, "Let''s get up," Lydia shook her head. "You will hurt him." She patted her armor, causing it to crack. "The stables are close. Let''s see if they have arge enough saddle." She pointed into the distance, "He bought the extra time. We could spend some to get him a saddle," Arad didn''t want to harm the moose. Ae didn''t seem to be in immediate danger, so it was okay to tend to this matter first. Lydia walked beside the moose until they reached the stables. The stable owner gasped, falling on his back as he saw a moose walk it. "Who let this thing in?" He crawled back. Brrrrr! The moose growled, kicking one of the vases decorating the garden. CRACK! "I''m up here." Arad waved his hand. "I''m looking for a saddle." "Kamel, This moose is his mount. Please provide him with everything needed." Lydia walked forward. "Lydia of the golden order?" The stable master stood, "Fine. But I don''t want to get kicked." He sighed, "A saddle for arge horse will work for the time being. I will also give his hooves a trim if he behaved while setting the saddle." Arad looked at the moose, patting his neck, "Did you hear him? Behave and you will have your hooves cleaned." He jumped from the moose and guided him to the stable master. The stable master patted the moose''s side and inspected the skeletal structure. "As I expected, arge saddle with longer straps and some padding will do for now," The stable master walked back to the shed and brought paper and a measuring rope. "I will give you a modified horse saddle, but visit me tomorrow. I will have a saddle built for him." He measured the moose from each shoulder and up to his neck. "Yo!" Jack walked into the stables, "The birds told me Lydia was around with a beefy man and a moose. Thought I must check it out." Arad looked back, "Jack!" Lydia sighed, "What are those birds you talk about?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Old friends," Jack walked forward with a smile, patting Lydia''s head. CRACK! She punched him in the gut, and his body bent like a leaf. "OW!" "Anything new?" Arad asked, patting Jack''s back to help him breathe, "Yeah, a few things here and there," He stood, "I did a few jobs when you were out. Got about ten gold coins from them. I also did finish the payment for the house with L. That was a total of twenty-nine gold coins, thirty silver coins, and five coppers." Jack straightened his back, cracking his neck. "But if you''re looking for interesting stuff, I have some news." Arad stared at Jack, "What''s new?" Lydia sighed, staring at the stable master moving the moose to the crush so he could fix his hooves. "Are you talking about lord Esmeray?" Jack smiled, "Exactly," He pointed at Arad, "Lord Esmeray and the city lord argued a few days ago." He started giggling. "Lord Esmeray''s son, aged four years, pped the city lord''s wife after she argued against his father. That moment was unforgettable." Jack burstughing, "And what''s even more, everyone agreed with the little kid." Lydia sighed, "The city lord''s head started boiling, but he couldn''t do anything." "What did they argue about?" Arad asked. "Word about arge tree appearing in the northern forest has been going around. A Sylph''s root, a rare elder wood." Jack waved his hand. "The city Lord''s wife said she will send a party to gather the wood so they can use it for furniture and rare art. Lord Esmeray''s son said it will be better to use it as material for staffs and wands, vampire stakes, and more." Lydia sighed, "That four years old kid knew what he was talking about. We need more magic weapons and anti-vampire stakes. He was thinking of putting the wood to actual use." Jack smiled, wiping tears from his eyes, "Yeah, the lord''s wife called him a clueless kid and grabbed his ear. The boy pped hard enough to scare everyone and called her a wasteful bitch." "Whatplicated the matter more? The city lord discussed the same use the kid talked about with the nobles before so he couldn''t take his wife''s side." Lydia scratched her head, staring at the sky, "The lord has four wives, and she''s the worst of them. What''s more, the kid looked at the people at that party, and everyone agreed with him." "He put the lord''s wife in a tough spot. The lord can''t support her, and the nobles won''t dare speak up as they know what is best. And more, she''s the one who grabbed the kid by the ear first." Jack looked at Arad. Arad looked at the sky with his eyes closed, ^I''m less than one month old. Could he be a dragon as well? No, he would have taken an older look to blend it, and he has a family, so he''s something else?^ "Can you tell me more about that kid?" Arad looked at Lydia, "Chuzuke Esmeray. Born four years ago to Liam Esmeray and his wife Hana whom he picked from the east. Not much was known about him besides being a genius. They live in the western side of the city in a mansion outside the city." Lydia exined. "You can see the kid training with a wooden sword from noon to evening each day if you walked past their mansion." Arad looked at Jack, "I guess this isn''t some noble drama. Where does it matter to us?" Jack smiled, "It doesn''t matter to us, but it matters to Mira." Jack said, "As far as I know, she''s the most knowledgeable about wood. I''m sure both Chuzuke and the lord''s wife are going to approach her." Thud! The stable master walked in. "I got him ready!" The moose had his saddle strapped and hoves done. Chapter 151 Lydia in the house 151 Lydia in the house Arad approached the moose. "You look good." "Couldn''t have afforded a better-looking mount?" Jack said, ring at the moose. CRACK! The moose kicked Jack in the guts, sending him rolling and crashing into hay. "Jack!" Lydia rushed to heal Jack as the moose growled. Brrrr. Arad patted the moose''s neck, "Calm down. I''m sure he didn''t mean it." "Hoy! You damned swamp donkey," Jack stood, growling, "Why did you kick me?" The moose looked away, seeming to smile. "Stop it, both of you," Arad sighed, "We need to get back to Ae," Jack stared at Arad, "Ae? What did happen to her?" "Drank something bad," Arad replied, "She''s sore enough that she almost cannot stand on her own," "Isn''t that bad?" Jack looked a Lydia, "You better give her a look. I will go deliver the quest items to the guild." "Quest item?" Arad looked at them.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "We were taking quests when you were out," Lydia looked at Arad and approached the moose, "Can I get up?" "Yeah, he won''t throw you down." Lydia put one leg on the stirrup and jumped on top of the moose. He looked at Arad, and he jumped up as well. "We will go to Ae then," Jack looked at them with a smile, "Don''t forget to give Mira a visitter. I want to see who she will work for. Considering it more lucrative making furniture for the lord''s wife than Chuzuke." Arad nodded, patting the moose''s neck and striding into the horizon. "He''s fast," Lydia gasped, seeing the building zoom out beside them. "But not like the best horses I rode," "I don''t know. I never rode horses before." Arad turned his head to look at her, "He''s running as fast as he could now. We will move slower if we wanted to travel for a long distance." "I agree," Lydia looked down, "You don''t get horses running at top speed every time. We trot a lot to not exhaust the animal," [As long as this moose is a part of your minions. He will soon transform into a monster and be faster, you don''t have to worry about that. You also don''t need him for long travel, you have your wings.] Mom said inside Arad''s head and he nodded. After a while, Arad and Lydia got into the house vicinity and she gasped, pulling her swords. "Wolves! Retreat before they drop us," She growled. Wolves hunt forest animals like moose and deer. Dealing with one is something, but with the numbers she saw and their size, it was a whole other story. "Don''t worry about them, they won''t harm us." Arad stopped before the garden gate, and Lydia''s eyes opened wide as she started sweating. "That''s a brown bear!" "Don''t worry about him," Arad jumped from the moose and opened the gate, patting the bear''s head and he rolled on his back. " "He''s guarding the gate," Lydia walked behind Arad with her sword in hand. She could believe her eyes, "Are you a tamer? I thought you were a sorcerer." Arad looked away, "I''m a sorcerer. I only have a way with animals," He giggled, opening the house door, "Arad, you back?" Ae stood in the middle of the living room arranging the dishes in the wooden cab. "You shouldn''t be working." Arad walked inside. "Don''t worry. I had to move a bit." She smiled, and then looked at Ae, "Wee," Lydia stared around at the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. Everything was new. "A nice house you have," "Thank you," Ae approached the couch, "Please have a seat," Lydia shook her head, "No," She put her sword to the side and looked at the Ae, "I would like to have a look at you first." "How long will it take?" Arad asked. "I not much," She looked at Ae, "But I will stay here with her for a while," She smiled. Seeing the slight shiver in Ae''s hips when she walks. "You can leave for now. Go look for Mira or Jack," She hushed Arad. Arad stared at her, tilting his head. "You can finish work and get back to her," Lydia said with a smile and Arad nodded, "Fine. I will be back soon," He left, taking the moose back to the city. Arad had to check with the guild, register the moose and talk with Mira. Lydia turned to Ae after Arad left. "He did a number on you, didn''t he?" "What?" Ae gasped, taking a step back as Lydia approached her with a teasing smile. "Don''t lie. You cannot evens stand straight after such a night," Ae sighed, pulling the bottle from her pocket. "I drank this." Lydia looked at the bottle, sniffing the inside, "Gracie''s spit. So I was right. He almost broke you back." "That isn''t it. My whole body is hurting. Arad said my strength increased quite a bit after drinking this." Lydia approached Ae, "I will know after a quick inspection." She put her hand on Ae''s shoulder, and it lit with a faint golden light. "Muscles tear, overexertion. You look like a knight who went wild on the first day of training. Maybe even worse." Lydia opened her eyes, "I would suggest eating meat and resting, but you''re an elf." "So it''s like that?" Ae rxed on the couch, "It should go away in a day or two then." "Yes. But there is something else." Lydia stared at Ae, "There a lump of viscus magic inside you. Around here." She touched Ae''s belly. "What?" Ae gasped. "That magic is far stronger than yours and will prevent you from casting spells and recovering. We better remove it," Thud! Lydia grabbed Ae''s stomach and [Cleansing] "No, Stop!" She cried, pulling her hand away," "What happened to you?" Ae got scared as well, ring at Lydia. "Yeah! Nothing," she looked at Ae, "I was wrong. It''s his stuff. How much did he pump there?" "Huh?" "And why does his stuff have so much magic?" Lydia red at Ae. Chapter 152 An Argument in front of Lylas Store 152 An Argument in front of L''s Store "Who knows?" Ae giggled and looked out the window. "Listen," Lydia stared at Ae. "That''s too dense for me to cleanse with magic. You won''t recover as fast with that still inside you." %Since the people of this world use magic and it''s an integrated part of their daily life. They can recover faster than regr people. But if something disturbed their flow of magic. They recover at a natural human pace. "It''s fine," Ae waved her hand, "You don''t have to worry about anything." "It''s your choice." Lydia sat on the couch. "But, what with all those wolves outside?" "They used to live here. Arad feeds them the monsters he hunts so they hang around." "So he tamed them like that?" Lydia sighed, "He''s strong, isn''t he?" She remembered the first time she met Arad, and he snapped her sword. *** Arad rode across the street on his moose, scaring everyone standing in his way. Till he approached L''s shop. "Leave!" He could hear, "This is no ce for children to waddle around!" He could hear the rough voice of a man shouting. "Can you listen..." Arad then heard a kid trying to speak. But the man keeps barking like a dog. "Shut up and leave!" BAM! L smacked her hand on the counter, "Enough is enough! Both of you get out and scream somewhere else! You''re annoying and scaring my customers," "Then bring her out!" The man shouted. "She will nevere with you screaming like this." The kid said in a calm voice, looking down, sighting. "She wille out! That''s an order from the lord''s house," The man shouted. L growled. CRACK! The man turned his head upon hearing a strange sound, only toe face to face with a moose snout. "Who are you looking for?" Arad jumped from the moose, ring at the man with glowing purple eyes. The man red at Arad for a few seconds before gasping, "Dragon yer Arad?" The kid stared at Arad for a moment, taking a step back. "The Lord has been waiting for you for a week! Where have you been?" The man growled. "I asked who are you looking for here?" Arad red at the man, the veins on his neck popping. "That''s none of you..." CRACK! Arad grabbed the man by the face, lifting him, "I already know. You''re here for Mira, aren''t you?" HMMM! HMMMM! The man growled, his screams muffled. He pulled the sword from his waist and stabbed Arad in the chest. Thud! The man only managed to prick Arad''s skin no more than a fingernail. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! He stabbed and stabbed but to no avail. Arad wasn''t budging. "L asked you to leave, so get away," Arad threw the man away, growling. The man stood and pointed his sword at Arad, "Do you know what you just did? Do you think being a dragon yer allows you to do whatever you want?" "Will? What is it to you?" Arad growled, his voice booming. Barrels, cups, stones, and stalls started shaking, "L didn''t want you here. What does her words mean to you?" Everything started levitating as Arad''s voice boomed. "Nothing, I only care about the lord''s orders," The man growled. "The lord? How about I drag you with me to him now? Are you capable of taking the responsibility of turning me against your city?" Arad walked toward the man, "I bet it wasn''t the lord who sent you. Who was it?" Arad smiled, "Can your lord take more shame because of her?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The clenched his teeth, turning around and leaving, "You will regret this." "You know it was the wife who sent him and not the lord?" The kid looked at Arad with a passive face. "I have a spectacr rogue," Arad smiled. The kid tilted his head, "A rogue? Is he the one who was sneaking around at the lord''s party? Tall, white hair and sneaky walk?" Arad froze, ^Jack. You idiot! A kid has noticed you!^ The kid smiled, "Don''t worry. I bet none other than me have noticed him. I have a decent sense." The kid bowed, "Chuzuke Esmeray, at your service." "The pping kid." "That''s an unfortunate nickname." Chuzuke looked away with a wry smile. "She wasted more than I could have remained silent for," "Ahem!" L stared at them, "Mira won''t be going with you." The kid stood, looking at L with a straight face. "That''s her decision. I will make my pitch, and she''s free to ept." Arad and L looked at each other. "I need someone familiar with wood to identify the elder tree. I don''t need her to harvest or do anything more than locate the specific tree and mark its location." Chuzuke said, pulling his sword and drawing a map on the dusty ground. "We intend to make bows, staffs, and a couple of stakes. For that, we need the elder wood, demon spider webbing, and magic stones." Chuzuke drew a cave and tapped on it. "I will be going with a couple of elite troops to this cave and harvest the magic stones and the spider webbing." He looked at Arad. "In the meantime, I want someone reliable to get into the forest and locate the tree so we can grab the wood." "And that person is Mira since she''s an expert in wood," Arad looked at Chuzuke, "The forest is dangerous. Do you expect her to go alone?" "She''s free to higher anyone, and I will pay the expenses," Chuzuke replied. "You will pay?" Arad looked at Chuzuke with a smile. "It will be me, albeit the money isn''t mine. It belongs to my father." He replied with a straight face. "Can you go act like this? Are you acting on his behalf?" L stared at Chuzuke. "Father''s body has been has been getting worse in the past year. My older sisters are all married, so if I want the family to remain under the Esmeray name. I must step up." Chuzuke sheathed his sword. "So that''s why you were at the party?" L looked at Chuzuke. "At such young age." Arad wanted to say something but stopped. He''s thest one with the right toin. Chuzuke Esmeray is older than him by a lot. "This is my pitch." Chuzuke looked at L, "If she epts, tell her to speak to the guild. I already informed them to give her any party she asks for. You won''t even have to deal with me." He turned around and left. Chapter ?153 A Shady Deal ?153 A Shady Deal Arad sighed after Chuzuke left and L looked at him, "Sorry for getting you involved." "No, you don''t have to worry." Arad waved his hand. It was then that L realized the blood dots on his chest, remembering how the man stabbed him with the sword. "Are you okay?" She rushed to check on him. "Yeah, I''m fine." Arad scratched his head. The wounds on his chest already stopped bleeding. They are mere scratches. L sighed, "I can''t believe my eyes. A normal man would have been dead. Punctured like a honeb." "I''m a bit tough." Arad smiled, "Is Mira inside?" "I''m here," Mira replied as she walked out of the shop. "Sorry, I was listening to the enter time." Arad and L looked at her, "Is that a problem?" Arad pulled a chair from inside the shop and sat. "You''re free to work with whomever you want. Or with no one, let them find the elder wood alone." L shook her shoulders, "That isn''t an option. We can expect protection from whoever we choose while the other will want to cause trouble. We can''t anger both." "Yeah, it''s not like I have a ce to hide." Mira giggled. "My house is open," Arad said. L burstughing, "Is that a pick-up line?" She looked at Arad, "But we can''t cause you trouble." "Mom is right. I can''t be a burden on you." Mira said with a sad face. [Draconic arrogance. Don''t let it take over. You''re strong and should be able to wipe a dozen soldiers with ease but be careful. n ahead and don''t let anyone get the jump on you. A sessful dragon will fight mice with a hundred ns in mind.] Arad took a breath, looking at Mira and L. His mind racing with ns. n 01: We choose a side and go with it. Let''s hope their protection is enough. n 02: If the protection failed, I will raid the attackers at night and kidnap their wives to use as hostages. n 03: If kidnapping is not an option, I will kill everyone. Or burn down everything. n 04: I could unt that the other side hired me. n 05: How about Alcott? n 06: Getting Nina involved. ... n 85: I will eat everyone around to get stronger and then fight. "ARAD! ARAD!" L shook Arad who remained still for a new minutes. "Ah!" He gasped. "Did you call me?" "What happened to you?" Mira asked, carrying a jug of water. "Come inside. I will clean your wounds." Arad looked around, "Sorry. I zoned out thinking." He stood, "I will head to the guild now." He touched his chest, all the wounds already closed up. His vampire regeneration kicked in as he was out. Mira looked around, "Wait, I will go with you." She put the jug down. "I will go with you." "Why?" Arad looked at her. "Working with the guild as an intermediary isn''t a bad idea." Mira said, looking at Arad with shaking eyes, "But I need to find a decent guarding party." Arad smiled, "You want me to guard you?" "I mean, you''re strong." She looked back at L, "And can fly as well." She remembered Arad manifesting his draconic wings as a sorcerer. "He can?" L looked at Mira and then at Arad, "Sorcerer wings?" "Yeah, coal-ck wings with red embers of mes," Mira mumbled. "I know it!" L smiled, "The moment I saw you first approach my shop I could feel it. We''re seeing an S-rank rising. You throw spells from the safety of the sky." Mira remembered Arad hauling therge trees as they worked on the house and her face went red. He can do more than cast spells.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Let''s hurry," Mira pulled Arad by the arm and rushed away. The moose who stood away rushed behind them, scaring L as he passed. "A moose on the loose?" *** Arad and Mira reached the guild as it wasn''t that far away. BAM! The door opened and Mira dragged Arad inside, pulling him toward Nina''s desk. "Nina, I like to hire him," Mira said with a smile. "Sorry, but Arad is already booked," She pointed back, and Abel waved his hand, "Yo! Big guy, did you forget me?" "Isn''t that Abel?" Mira looked at Nina, "What does he need of Arad?" "A cubus invading his establishment and he needs someone to sniff it out." Nina replied, "Arad has a sharp magic sense so he will act as a waiter and a host." Arad blinked, "Abel, do you know about the pping incident?" He asked without hesitation. "Stepmom? Yeah, I know about her." Abel growled, "She deserved it, putting Father in such a difficult spot." He growled. Arad looked at Nina, "Can we use the private room?" "You like to discuss the quests. The room is ready." Nina said and Abel, Mira, and Arad retreated to the private room. "I want to take both quests," Arad looked at Mira and Abel, "Is there a way to make it work?" Mira was the first one to speak, "I will need a few days to prepare. As long as you can pull his quest at that time." "What about you?" Arad looked at Abel. "The brothel is still closed and I would like to open it as soon as possible." Abel scratched his head, "I won''t mind taking you there now to start working." "So Abel''s quest first..." Arad smiled. ^n 54 then,^ [Since we''re going with that kid Chuzuke. We better cripple the other side as a precaution.] With a grin, Arad stood, "It wasn''t much of a conversation. I need to finish Abel''s quest before you finish getting ready." "So you''re taking both?" Abel and Mira stared at Arad. "Yeah," Arad nodded. *** After taking Mira back home, Arad walked with Abel until they reached the dark slums where no one can see them. "So, you had other things to say before, didn''t you?" "I need information about her." Arad looked at Abel, and he smiled. "I like you," He giggled, "You find me that cubus, and I will get you all the dirt you want on her. That would make your quest with Mira safer." The two shook hands. Chapter ?154 Ninas Training Advice. ?154 Nina''s Training Advice. Abel smiled, "Stepmom, I bet I can dig dirt around her with shovels. Albeit I hate sneaking around family." "I want something shady to keep her in check, something that will make her think twice beforeing for us." "You only need to worry about getting me that cubus." Abel patted Arad''s arm, walking past him. "Should I take you to the brothel now?" "I want to check on Ae and get the moose registered. I cer." "Moose?" Abel gasped, looking back to a massive shadow standing in the dark corners of the street. "That''s your?" "Yeah. Haven''t named him yet." "Let''s head back to the guild," Abel sighed. They talked to the guild to register the moose, and Nina wasn''t happy they only informed her now. "You could have told me earlier. I would have enough time to inspect him as you went around." Nina sighed, "Follow me to the training ground and bring the moose." "Why do you need that?" Arad asked. "Physical inspection so I can mark down a description of him. That would allow other people to recognize him." Nina said with a smile, walking in front of Arad and Abel. Arad''s eyes scanned her body from her head to her bare toes. Yes, she walked barefoot for some reason, and Arad soon guessed. "You''re walking is strange," Arad asked, ring at her. Abel felt his skin crawl, "Are you trying to get us killed?" Nina smiled, looking at Arad, "It''s hard to not run or rush," She turned her head forward. "Why are barefoot?" Arad asked again, "Are you trying to sense something?" Abel grabbed Arad by the shoulder, "Hoi! Stopmenting on her," "Tremorsense. I can feel the faint vibration on the ground if I walk barefoot. It helps me tell how many people are around, their weight, what type of creature are they, and more. I can even tell invisible creatures since they have to move." Nina tapped her foot on the ground, "There are 215 people in a hundred-foot radius from us." Arad took his shoes off and stood beside Nina, closing his eyes. He could use Tremorsense when digging to feel his surrounding, but he never tried it in his human form. Arad could feel a faint vibration on the ground. But without his scales, it was almost impossible to tell the direction. "You''re doing it wrong," Nina tapped his shoulder. "Don''t put any pressure on your toes, they only need to touch the ground. You can use them to detect the direction and strength of the vibration. Also, don''t stand with all your toes pointing forward." Arad shifted his legs and kept feeling the ground. He still couldn''t tell how many people are in the room let alone outside. "You only need to train," Nina smiled as she started hopping on one leg. "Let me show you more." Nina waved her arms, "By wearing fewer clothes. I can sense the air around me, when an attack approached my skin, I can feel it. After that, I only needed to train my reaction to respond fast enough," BAM! For a moment, Arad saw Nina''s abdominal muscles emerge from beneath her soft skin. Her body bent forward like a monster''s jaw snapping shut, causing a shock wave. Abel jumped back, scared by the sudden st. He couldn''t even see her move. Arad started sweating, that move was faster than him snapping his jaw. ^Even if I had her between my teeth, she would rip my head off before I could do anything.^ Nina smiled, "There is more," She smiled, "I bet Alcott told you about echolocation, I learned it from him. Combine it with tremor sense and I could fight blind." Arad looked at her, "I''m sure you have more tricks," Nina giggled, "They aren''t tricks, I only honed what a human body can do with its natural abilities. That is what barbarians are, we don''t rely on spells or magic, nor armor or weapons. Albeit I have an axe."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad stared at Nina. He pulled his fist back, tensing his muscles to strike. TAP! Arad stopped, his fist still pulled back. Nina held it in ce with her foot as she stood in a kick stance. He couldn''t even see her more. "Youck training," She smiled. "What..." CRACK! From her stand, Nina swung her body, smacking Arad with her leg in the neck. Sending him rolling to the training ground. Arad opened his eyes, the shock from her hit knocked him out for a second, and he stood gasping. "Listen," Nina walked out the door, with Abel skulking back with a pale face. "Try to move from a rxed position. There is no need for stances or telegraphing, they only waste time." Nina stood rxed with her arms at her hips. CLAP! Her fist snapped into a punch, causing a small shockwave. "Teach your muscles to snap. Otherwise, you''re telling your opponent what you''re going to do." CLAP! Her body snapped forward like a mouse trap, extending a kick from no stance at all. "Even when I''m walking." She started walking and sending sudden punches and kicks. "Sitting, greeting someone, or jumping." It didn''t matter what mundane action she was doing. She could always snap a punch before Arad could notice any change on her face. She''s smiling in one moment, and her fist had killed someone in the other. There was no in-between. Nina looked at the moose standing right outside the training ground. He started sweating. "Come here," She said and the moose walked inside. "Arad, you better start training your reactions. They are the most important part of a fight," Nina smiled. Patting the moose''s head, "Training to fight with fewer senses is also important." Arad approached, "You want me to close my eyes and fight?" Nina looked at him, "That''s one way to do it. But it will be better to slice them and train if you have a decent healer." Abel cringed in the back, feeling his skin tingle. "Slice?" Arad gasped. "Yes, or you can pluck them out. Same for your ears. You can burn your skin as well." Nina smiled, "Even people who could use tremor sense forget how to do it feeling the pain of their eyes taken out." She pointed with two fingers at Arad''s face. "In a real fight, it''s a sword that will blind you." "That seems too much, but you''re right." Arad scratched his head. "What is the most extreme condition you fought in?" Nina scratched her head, "There are plenty, but the most painful was against a demon swordsman. He sliced my head before I could react." "What? You survived that?" Arad gasped and Abel pulled a paper to write, this wasn''t a story he heard of Nina. "I managed tond a few hits after he took my head off out of instinct." Nina smiled. "It was scary to see your body away in front of you. But It kicked on instinct." "Wait? You kicked him after being decapitated?" Arad gasped. "Yes. Reaction happen in the spine, so my body kept moving for a solid minute before going limp." Nina sighed, "In the end, that demon healed me. I couldn''t have expected him to be able to cast healing magic." Arad couldn''t believe his ears. He can''t say what''s more impressive. That some cut Nina''s head or that she survived. "How did that demon look?" "A tall body with long ck hair tied in a ponytail. Six ck and red eyes and carrying a single-edged sword." Nina scratched her head, "No matter how strong you get, there are always people above you." Nina looked at the moose, patting its head. "What a beautiful creature. I bet his meat tastes nice," "He isn''t for food," Arad sighed. "I know," Nina smiled, "I already got his description down. What do you want to name him." Arad didn''t have a name yet, "I didn''t think of one. I was thinking of asking Ae about it." "You have to name it now to get him registered. We can''t register him under no name." Nina patted the moose''s back, "A good name for emergency food. Ration?" She looked at the moose, and he started shaking. "Please stop joking." Arad looked at the moose, "You''re scaring him." Nina giggled, jumping on the moose, "Start moving." She patted his neck and he started walking. "I will call him Elliot if I wanted a mundane name or Mcgonnegal if I wanted something from history." Nina looked at Arad. "A mundane name would be best," Arad replied. "The mother of all life Gracie''s right-foot Melissa had a moose in the past. Naming it after her moose might drive her to please her goddess for a blessing for him." Nina jumped from the moose. "What?" Arad couldn''t keep up with her. "Gracie, a goddess. She''s also called the mother of all life. She has four archons serving her, each one referred to by a lib. Kai, the right hand. Amanda, the left hand, Melissa, the right foot, and Meliliana the left foot." Nina looked at Arad, "Melissa had a moose in the past. Naming this one after him might convince her to ask the goddess Gracie for a blessing for him." Chapter ?155 Working for the Elephant Trunk ?155 Working for the Elephant Trunk "Mcgonnegal," Arad looked at Nina and then at the moose, "Let''s go with Mc." Nina smiled, "I will register him as Mcgonnegal. Call him as you want," She patted Mcgonnegal. "I will call you Gon," She turned to leave. "Wait." Arad called her, "Where is the blessing?" Nina turned, "What?" "You said Melissa might bless him." "Yes, I said might. When and how is up to her. If she decided to bless him at all," Nina replied, looking at the moose, "Isn''t that right, Gon." The moose looked away, sweating. Arad jumped on the moose, "I want to go check on Ae. I will be leaving if you don''t need me." "I will take care of the rest. You can go." Nina smiled. Arad picked Abel on his way out and left. Nina stood in the middle of the training ground, staring at her feet. ^When I blocked his fist with my foot, the power seemed strange. When someone punches by extending their fist back, the force of the punch gets tilted inward a little bit. Arad''s punch was going straight as if he had muscles to correct his form.^ She could feel her arms tingle. ^The weight of his steps when was about to punch, for a moment I mistaken him for arge monster. He''s keeping something hidden,^ FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! A small birdnded on Nina''s shoulder. She looked at the small creature. "Did I zone out?" She looked around, and the ground beneath her feet has shattered. Adventurers are standing around the training ground, worried. "Nina!" Amber rushed toward Nina, "What is happening?" Nina looked down, "How long have I stood here?" "A few seconds. Did something annoy you that you kicked the ground?" Amber asked with a sweaty face. Nina got back to her senses, "Nothing, let''s head back to work," Nina replied. ^This feeling is excitement. Arad will grow strong,^ **** Arad reached his house, Abel with him. They stopped outside the fence and Abel looked around, "You have a lot of pets," Arad''s eyes opened wide, "I thought you would be more. Worried at the least." "Wolves would have already attacked us, and those apes on their trees are ignoring us. You have them here guarding. I can feel that." Abel replied. The two dismounted from Mc''s back and headed toward the house. Arad patted the bear guarding the door, and Abel did the same. Taking his time as this might be the only time he can pat such a creature. "What are you doing? Come in," Arad called Abel who patted the bear with a wide smile. Abel snapped to reality and rushed in. Ae and Lydia were waiting inside. "How is Ae?" Arad asked, and Lydia nodded. "She will be fine in a few days."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad nodded, "Then rest." He smiled at Ae, "I will take a quest with Jack in the meantime." After confirming Ae''s condition, he asked to take Lydia and Abel back to the city. The moose nodded its head. Carrying three people was easy for him. After stopping at the inn. "Lydia, send Jack to the elephant trunk when hees back," Arad said and Lydia red at him, "Please tell me it''s a quest," "We have to catch a cubus. It''s a quest." Abel replied, "But I won''t mind you working with them," Lydia shook her head, "I don''t have any mental resistance, I will only end up as a burden. Call me when you need healing or a tank," Abel nodded, "Even though a woman would be a good bait. I swear nothing will happen to you. The moment he shows we will jump at him." Lydia red at Abel, "If we''re to convince him, I must work there for a while, no thank you." Abel looked away. "Did anyone call me?" Jack looked down from the inn''s window. He jumped down andnded in front of Arad, "How are you," the two shook hands. "Yeah, you and Jack are heading with me to the elephant trunk." Abel replied, "You will work as hosts to catch a cubus." "I know about that quest. Does it mean we have free tickets?" Abel smiled, "I guess so, but you have to pay the girls fair part. I won''t be taking any money in the process." Thud! Lydia grabbed Jack by the ear, "We talked about this, didn''t we?" Lydia is a pdin before everything. She must stay a maiden. Due to that, she agreed to let Jack take a second wife for the children if he so chooses. But brothels were a different matter. "Please excuse us for a moment," Lydia dragged Jack away. After a quarter hour, they returned, and Jack looked exhausted, his face turning pale. "Let''s get to work. No free tickets needed." Jack sighed. *** Arad and Jack started working right away. They headed to the brothel with Abel to perform a first inspection. Arad looked at the brothel from the outside. Arge wood and stone building decorated with flowers and overgrowing veins. A faint light seeped through the closed windows he could hear talking inside. Abel approached therge door and pulled a golden key from his pocket. CLICK! The door opened, and they walked inside. "Lord Abel!" A bunch of girls rushed from the rooms, "Did you find anyone who could take it down?" They asked. Abel pointed behind him at Arad and Jack. "Those two can sniff it out. A rogue and a sorcerer." The girls looked behind Abel, their eyes blinking. "Wait! Isn''t that the dragon yer?" One of the girls gasped, and the rest jumped. "The other one is the night ghost, Jack!" The girls ignored Abel and swarmed around Arad and Jack, confusing them. Arad looked at Jack, "Night ghost?" "A rogue has many jobs at night. I got that title over the years." Jack sighed as Abel came in to move the girls away. "Get away from the, they will work as hosts until we catch the cubus." The girls moved back, "If those two said anything, make sure toply. Especially if that was getting away from a customer." "As you say!" The girls nodded as they spread to their rooms. Abel turned toward Arad and Jack, "Arad, you take the counter and register the customer. Jack will be the host guiding them to the rooms. Please note that the girls here can''t fight," "If we''re working here, what will you be doing?" Jack looked at Abel, "Rxing in the back?" Abel shook his head, "No, I will be doing my usual work of going around in case any girls wanted to call the session off. That will also help us know of the cubus slipped through." "Should I stop anyone with magic?" Arad asked. "Yes. Even mages have no reason to use magic here. A cubus will use magic to transform from a guy to a girl. Don''t attack but stop them till we make sure." Arad nodded and sat on the desk. Abel took a few minutes to show him how to work. He then went to show Jack all the rooms and what to listen for. If any girl called for help. He has to charge into the room and kick the customer out. If a couple is using that room, he shouldn''t interfere unless they call for him or Abel by name. Each customer has to wash himself before leaving. And that is an obligatory procedure. "Why do they have to wash?" Jack asked. "Some customers will try to take hair or anything from the girls for ritual curses. Those curses can make someone fall in love, be insane, and many more bad things. This bath cost me a lot, but it burn everything belonging to the people registered." Abel exined tapping a wooden door. "So if you registered a girl in it. When a customer takes a shower with her hair in his possession, it will burn?" Jack scratched his head. "Yeah, the same goes for the changing room." Abel smiled, "It cost me three tinum coins to build." "That''s a lot!" Jack gasped. Jack looked around the wooden hallways decorated with paintings and white ceramic vases. "Arad''s job is easier," Abel smiled, "He''s our first line of defense. We''re relying on his eyes catching the cubus at the start. Of course, I will put him in the front." All the girls took their positions. Abel walked toward Arad with a smile and stood beside him. "Everything is ready. I will open the brothel. Get ready for when the customers roll in," Arad sighed, "You''re opening after a week. No one wille right away." Abel smiled, "Is that so? I suspect more wille today," Abel approached the door and pushed it open, setting the open sign outside. After a minute an old man walked in. "See? Only one," Arad registered the man and sent him to the girl he asked for. "Remember, you have to ask the girl first." Abel looked at Arad, "I know her, and she has been taking this man for weeks. That''s why I told you to ept him." After that, a young man came in. Arad called the girl the man looked for, and she agreed. He registered him and sent him to her with Jack. "Like this?" Arad looked at Abel. "Yes. Besides the quest payment. I will be paying you for the job so make sure to do well," Abel smiled. Arad and Jack weren''t working for free even if it was a part of the quest. After that, a man and a woman came in asking for a room. Arad registered and sent them to an empty room. "Okay, for those you have to inform me and Jack to keep an eye on them." After a few minutes, five customers came, and then ten, and then twenty. Arad gasped seeing too many people rush inside, "They have been pent up. They will rush at the moment they hear we opened up." Abel patted Arad''s shoulder, "Do your best," He then went to the back to do his job. Chapter 156 The Noise Before The Storm 156 The Noise Before The Storm Arad sat at the counter, watching several people walk in. "I never expected this much to rush," He looked around the scene seemed strange. Most of the customers were couples seeking a private room or old men. He kept registering them till the brothel almost filled. Thud! The door opened a woman walked in with a smile, "The remarks were right," She looked at Arad. Arad turned and looked at her face. She had wide hips and a thin waist, arge chest, and clear skin. Her voice seemed gentle, sweet, and calming. He paused for a moment, hearing his heartbeat, but it then calmed down as Mom screamed in his head. [She isn''t normal,] Arad opened his void eyes and stared at her. Her body dripped with magic from head to toe. ^She''s our target. I thought it was an incubus.^ [Since the shop closed, I bet it was easier to find food as a subus rather than an incubus. It must have shifted in the meantime.]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I heard Abel opened again and that he has two striking men. I came to check out. The rumors seem to be true for one at least." The woman smiled, bending forward with her hands around her back. Her short ck hair trailed with the winding from the window. Arad red at her, ^I should guide her to a ce where I can smash her head in,^ Arad stood, "Please follow me," He turned around and started walking. The woman followed him, "Are you taking me to Abel? You''re smart, or did he tell you to do this?" "I''m only doing my job. Please rx and follow me, I will take care of everything." Arad replied. The woman kept staring at Arad''s wide back,rge arms, and thick thighs. He stood like a steel wall, walking with heavy steps. After a few steps, they reached the end of the hallway. No one shoulde here. "Why are we stopping?" The woman asked, tilting her head. SWOSH! Arad twisted his torso, turning at a blinding speed as his fist raced toward the woman''s face. ^Killing her as fast as possible is the safest way. A fight is bad since we''re in the middle of the city.^ CRACKLE! A lightning bolt shed from the other side of the hallway. Abel shed toward the scene as fast he could, "ARAD! STOP!" With his palm, he tried to stop Arad''s fist. CRACK! Arad''s fist shattered Abel''s wrist, twisting his forearm. Arad pulled his fist, and Abel recoiled back, "Don''t hit her, she isn''t the cubus." "What?" Arad gasped and the woman fell on her butt, gasping for air. Abel growled, ring at her, "What brought you here sister!" "I heard your business stopped so I can check on you," The woman looked away. her hair shifting color to blond and her face morphing a bit. Arad looked at them, "She was using magic," "Of course," The woman growled, "You can''t have the lord''s daughter wandering around this ce." Jack came rushing, his dagger drawn, "Is that her? She took you two down?" He jumped over a counter, swinging his dagger. "Stop!" Abel managed to block the strike, and the two stared at each other. "Is she mind controlling you? Don''t worry," SWOSH! CLACK! In a single swift move, Jack kicked Abel''s ankles, dropping him on his face as he swung again at the woman. CLANG! Abel caught Jack''s dagger, "Stop, she''s his sister," It was then that Jack stopped attacking, "Is that so?" He looked around, "What is she doing around here?" "I came to check on my brother, that''s all," the woman sighed, healing Abel''s arm, "You seemed to be waiting for something." She looked around. "Yeah, a cubus," Arad replied and Abel waved his head. ^Don''t tell her^ He screamed inside his head. "A cubus?" Abel''s sister stood, "A subus?" "No, we were waiting for an incubus. But since you came covered in magic, we thought it shifted into a subus." Arad replied, looking at Abel. "We can''t hide it now," Abel''s sister stood, "In that case, why didn''t he tell me?" She red at Abel. "Listen Sara. Head back home. This ce isn''t safe." Abel stood. "No, I''m not going anywhere. I can act as bait if you wanted a catch an incubus," Sara smiled. "No! That''s too dangerous!" Abel growled. Arad shifted his head, "You wanted Ae to take a job you think is dangerous?" "There is a difference between a woman who fought a dragon and a woman who scream seeing a cockroach. She won''t resist an incubus''s seduction." Abel red at Arad, "We need someone strong and with an iron will," CLING! CLING! The doorbell rang, "A customer, I will head back to the counter." Arad rushed to see who came while Abel, Sara, and Jack looked at each other. "You''re going back home," Abel growled. Jack looked at Abel, "It''s alreadyte outside. She''s lucky she made it here unharmed, don''t risk sending her out alone," Abel scratched his head, Jack is right. "Fine, you stay here. But don''t show your face to any customer. Go sleep in my room, I will send you home tomorrow." Abel turned to head back. "ABEL!" A woman screamed from the other side of the hallway. Thud! Abel rushed toward the room and kicked the door open. "Take him away!" Abel rushed inside, grabbing the man by the hair and dragging him out. "Jack, throw him in the bath and send him out." Abel looked at the woman who curls into a ball holding her butt. "Are you okay? Did he try anything weird? Did he act strange?" Abel asked, suspecting the man might have been the incubus. But he was weak. "No, he tried going in my back end even though I refused. Thanks for the help." The woman stood with a smile. Abel patted the woman''s head, "Go wash ande see me if it still hurt. I will heal you right away," He helped the woman stand. "Thanks. It would have been bad if he kept going," She smiled, "Don''t worry, I will scream right away if someone acted strange." Abel walked out, seeing Jack walk out of the bath, "I threw him in, he should be out in a second. Is she okay?" "Thank god it was only someone trying to go overboard." Abel sighed, sitting on a chair. "Is every day like this?" Jack asked. "Yes, but I''m too stressed thinking every small problem could be that cubus," Abel closed his eyes. "We already lost one girl to him," "Brother, did something happen?" Sara came in. "Nothing, I told you to go to sleep." Abel pointed toward his room. After a few seconds, the man walked out of the bath growling. "Arad! Ban that old fart. If he came again feel free to kick him out," Abel called, and the man started at him, "You''re banning me?" "I don''t care. If the girl said no, it mean no." Abel waved his hand to Arad. Arad grabbed the man by his shirt and dragged him out, throwing him to the street. "Heard the boss, off you go," Arad closed the door. "Abel, were you sure about that? He didn''t pay us," Arad looked at Abel with a confused face. Abel looked at Jack, "He didn''t?" Jack smiled as he pulled a small pouch, "He paid his price with damages as well." "I didn''t expect you can convince him to pay in such a short time," "Don''t mind the details," Jack smiled, throwing the money to Arad so he can put it on the counter. "I will put this as a bonus in your payment. Make sure to catch everyone like this," Everyone went back to their work. Time flew and it became midnight. Arad sat on his counter, yawning from boredom. No one hade in thest hour. "Do you think he wille tonight?" Arad sighed. "No," Jack shook his head, "He might show up tomorrow or the day after," "You''re right. Which criminal woulde to his crime scene?" Arad sighed. Jack looked away, "That might be," He giggled, "Comming back make you less suspicious." "If it''sing from you, it must be true." Arad looked at the ceiling, [Your mother was once a thief. She used to visit the ces she wanted to rob first as a guest to examine them. And then after she steals things to lift suspicion.] ^Was she caught?^ [Yeah. They caught her after twenty years and sentenced her to death by hanging.] Mom seemed to sigh. [They hanged her and then buried her corpse. But since she was pretending to be dead, she crawled out of the grave and started another life.] ^Which ss, did Mother have?^ [She had fifty sses. A rogue thief was only one of them.] ^Wait you can have more...^ Ba-dump! Arad felt his heartbeat. His eyes shifted to the side. He saw Sara walk inside with a strange man wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Ba-dump! He could hear his heartbeat again, ^Who is that man? A customer, yes, he can go inside,^ Chapter ?157 [Bonus chapter] Death Trap ?157 [Bonus chapter] Death Trap Ba-dump. Arad''s heart started beating, he could feel it hitting like a hammer in his chest. [Move!] A voice screamed inside his head. The veins on his arms and legs bulged, his mind wanted to move but his body couldn''t reply. The veins spread to Arad''s neck. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR! He screamed, his voice shaking the whole building till the windows cracked. The incubus red back, terrified at the sudden roar. CRACKLE! A lightning bolt shed across the hallway. Abels appeared beside the incubus swinging his sword at his neck, "ARAD! I''m thankful!" The incubus smiled. He ducked down and left Sara standing. Abel''s sword headed toward her neck. SWOSH! Abel used two swords. He shifted the direction of the first one and sent the second after the ducking Incubus. CRACKLE! CLAP! With a thunderp, the hallway shed. THUD! Abelnded on the end of the hallway with his sister in hand. The incubusnded on the other. A blood droplet dripped across his neck. He wiped it with his thumb, licking it, "You''re a fast one. Howe you can move?" "SARA! SARA!" Abel pped Sara to wake her up but she was unresponsive. "Wake up!" "So won''t wake up, I knocked her out with magic." The incubus stood, ws extending from his fingers. "ARAD! Focus on your breathing and heartbeat, you''re locked in a dream state. You must wake up." Abel shouted. Arad was able to scream even with the magic, he must be able to fight. "Even if it has a weaker effect on males. I never heard of a human moving like you." The incubus giggled, "That man surprised me enough by screaming, but you''re on another level." Abel red at the incubus and then at his sister, "Sorry, but you must wake up!" He lifted his de, stabbing her in the shoulder and zapping her with lightning. "GYAAAAAAA!" She screamed, gasping back to life. Sara red at Abel with tears in her eyes. "You must run away. This ce is dangerous." the incubus started sweating. "How is that possible? Women can''t break out of the spell even if skinned alive. She wasn''t strong enough to resist since she fell in the first ce." "You don''t need to know," Abel helped his sister stand and pushed her toward the door, "Get out of here!" Abel pointed his sword at the incubus. [Thuder step] CRACKLE! CLAP! He shed forward, swinging both his swords. A thundering wave exploded as he appeared where the incubus stood. "I see," The incubus smiled, hanging from the ceiling, "If both you and your sister could resist the spell. Then it''s either an inherited or a racial ability. My bet on the second, is you two aren''t human." Abel red up at the incubus, lightning crackling from his eyes. *** CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! CLAP! CLAP! CRACKLE! Arad stood there, he could hear Abel and the incubus fighting. His muscles tensed like springs but were unable to move. His mind went in and out of consciousness. [Break it! Move! Don''t fall asleep!] CRACK! The ground cracked beneath Arad''s feet. His draconic weight started seeping out as he used more power trying to move. Thud! Abel''s sister walked back into the brothel, panting with a kitchen knife in her hand. She rushed toward Arad, "You can fight, right?" She swung the knife at Arad''s shoulder. *** CLAP! CRACKLE! Abel and the incubus shed in the hallway. Shattering everything they came into contact with. Abel moved with lightning and the incubus deflected him with his ws left and right. "You''re an interesting one! I will capture you alive and suck you dry when I can change." "Sorry! I don''t intend on bing your food." Abel took a deep breath, standing with his swords above his shoulders. [Chain lightning step] Abel shed toward the incubus as he did before, swinging his de. "Idiot, it won''t work!" The incubus dodged. Abel''s body didn''t stop moving and the lightning never faded. He chased after the incubus immediately. The incubus gasped, "He''s chasing me?" He kept dodging, but Abel never stopped. CLAP! Abel finally caught the incubus, slicing his left ear as he missed the head. "Slippery bastard," Abel growled. The incubus panted, "Six strikes, chain lightning." BAM! His ear regenerated. CRACK! The floor beneath the incubus cracked as something heavynded. He only saw a fist of mes rushing at his face. "Heh?" CLANG! He swung his ws up, deflecting the strike and jumping back. Before the incubus couldnd on his feet, a fiery foot smashed into his face. BAM! BAM! CRACK! He rolled across the hallway and smacked into the wall. "You bitch!" The incubus growled. Seeing Arad standing there with Sara piggyback on his back. "Get knocked!" The incubus red at Arad. His eyes shed with a pink light. Arad''s body seemed to go limp for a moment, but Sara immediately stabbed him in the shoulder, waking him up. CRACK! Arad bnced himself by stomping the ground. BAM! me burst from beneath Arad''s feet, exploding in a st that propels him forward. GAH! Sara tightened her grip so she won''t fall. She felt her consciousness slip from her head as Arad elerated. [Gravity magic] Kept her in ce.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om FLAP! The incubus tried to escape from the window. CLAP! Abel cut his way, swinging his sword. BAM! Arad attacked from the other side with a kick. The incubus smiled, sweat dripping from his face. "Two monsters!" He red at Arad, knocking him again. Thud! He then ducked below him and flew away. Sara wasn''t quick enough to stab Arad and wake him. Abel''s hit missed as he didn''t want to him His sister, or Arad that she''s riding. The incubus pped his wings. It isn''t worth it, he needs to run away. CLING! As he flew, his wings hit a silver thread on the hallway ceiling. It wounded his left wing and he couldn''t p it. "What is this?" the incubus growled, falling to the ground. KABOOM! A burst of me exploded from the ground, sending a metal rod across the incubus''s right leg. GRWAAAAA! He cried in agony, "Who put those things here?" The incubus looked to the side, opening the door. BAM! BAM! BAM! Three crossbows fired at him. He rolled away panting. Arad smiled as Sara woke him up. "Jack is helping," He giggled. "He''s unconscious. The incubus''s magic knocked him out." Abel stared at Arad. "I bet heid those traps as he worked. They only activate on an order, and will hit you abo." Jack''s traps aren''t normal. He strings them together so you can''t activate trap 2 before 1. And the moment you fall into trap 1 it pushes you to fall into trap 2, and that sends you to 3. The incubus red toward the unconscious jack in the staff room. That asleep man has turned the whole brothel into a death trap. Chapter ?158 Combined Attacks ?158 Combined Attacks "This bastard!" The incubus growled. He wanted to leap at Jack''s unconscious body and rip his throat apart. He couldn''t do that, he need to run away. Locating the traps takes priority. The incubus looked at the ceiling and walls, searching for wires and scratches. "How did this man build this in a short time." He was both amazed and scared by the sheer amount of Jackid across the brothel. In that instant that the incubus focused on the traps. A drop of blood fell from Jack''s nose as the veins on his neck and arms bulged. His eyes opened bloodshot and he stood like a ghost. Thud! The incubus felt a sharp pain in his back, he turned around to find Jack had stabbed him and is holding onto his wings. "Haha!" Jackughed like a madman, "Damn! I should have reced it." The incubus noticed that one of Jack''s teeth is bleeding. "A poison tooth? No, you have something to wake you up in case you got knocked." "Yeah!" Jack pulled the knife from the incubus''s back and stabbed him again, "It took a solid minute it seems. I should have woken immediately!" KA-DON! Arad shed toward the incubus with Abel. CRACKLE! The incubus wrapped his tail around Jack''s neck and pulled him away. BAM! BAM! In a single duck, he dodged Arad and Abel. "In a single day, four people resisted my magic. How annoying!" "Jack are okay?" Abel shouted seeing Jack bleeding, "How are you awake?" "Shock poison. I had some imnted in my tooth two years ago to wake me up in case I lost consciousness. I did it after I got knocked with a single punch in a fight." Jack spoke, he wasn''t right in his mind. The poison seems to make him more agitated and alert yet almost spazzing. He can move, hear words and reply, but his hands are shaking. Getting knocked out in a fight means death, and this poison is to give him a chance to run away. "You can''t fight in that state," Abel shouted. "No! I can fight! Poison doesn''t work on me!" Jackughed, even though he bled from his ears and eyes. He threw his dagger on the ground, snapping a hidden string. CRACK! One of the wooden nks beneath the incubus''s feet shattered, surprising him. "What?" BAM! Arad lept forward, swinging a punch at the incubus''s face. KA-DON! As he dodged, a burst of mes gushed from Arad''s fist. The incubus lept back. Arad immediately opened his palm. [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] Sending a barrage of fire. CLANG! CLANG! The incubus cut the spells with his ws. CRACKLE! Abel lunged forward with lightning, swinging his two swords at the incubus''s neck. "ARAD! Don''t use too much fire! You will burn the ce!" CLAP! Thunder exploded from Abel''s strike as the incubus dodged. "I will kick him outside!" Arad got ready to force the incubus out. "I don''t have traps outside!" Jack rushed to the nearby door. From behind it, he pulled a small bag. "Take this!" He threw a small ball at the incubus. The incubus looked at the ball approaching. "A bomb?" He lept back to dodge. But the ball bounced off a string andnded between the incubus''s legs. BOM! It exploded into a red mist. The incubus started coughing, his eyes burning and his skin turned red. "Hot pepper?" He gasped. "A fine powder got it for cheap." Jack threw two clothes to Arad and Abel, "Deal with the eyes." The clothes were so they can breathe. Abel covered his mouth in a swift move while Arad handed his to Sara on his back. "Keep your eyes closed," He said. "You''re the one fighting!" Sara gasped but Arad smiled, "That thing won''t bother me. I hope." [I''m telling you. You will be fine.] "Heh?" Sara gasped. She saw two nictitating membranes covering Arad''s eyes. Protecting them as he stopped breathing. She could hear his heart beat faster and faster like a drum from his back. The skin of his neck felt rough to the touch. Reminding her of the calluses skin of her mother''s cracked heel. Sara knew she wasn''t on a human''s back. But what is this man, why is she feel both afraid and safe to be on his back? "Hold tight," Arad growled from his muffled breath. ^Yeah. The eleration.^ Sara remembered why she was afraid. He didn''t know how to move with...BAM! Her head bounced back and forth, smacking into the back of Arad''s head and causing her nose to bleed. Arad had lept forward in an instant, punching at the incubus. Abel wanted to shout at his sister to get from Arad''s back, but he didn''t. He knew that her mere existence on Arad''s back was the only reason the incubus isn''t trying to knock him again. The moment she gets away, he will knock him. CRACKLE! CLAP! Abel rushed forward with another [Chain lightning step]. He chased the incubus across Jack''s traps. BAM! Arad lunged back in, swinging a kick at the incubus.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Abel started sweating. He wasn''t tired, but his sister was. She''s bleeding from her ears. She isn''t a fighter, her organs are bouncing inside of her each time Arad lunged. She keeps smacking her face on his head. She won''tst long on his back. "Abel! We''re taking the fight outside!" Arad shouted, "I can fight alone there!" "The bastard is regenerating! We can''t damage him fast enough here anyway!" Jack shouted, throwing a knife at the incubus. Abel nodded. [Thunder step] With a well-ced chest stab from Abel, and a dagger from Jack. Arad managed to kick the incubus out of the window. As the incubus''s body broke the window and flew outside, he hit a few strings. BOOM! The ground beneath him exploded with mes, setting him aze. The Incubus pped his wings. Escaping would be easy now, he only need to take to the sky. Chapter ?159 Roar Respond ?159 Roar Respond The incubus started at the crescent moon in the sky, his body burning. "Coming today was a mistake. I should have waited longer." The me eating his body faded and his wounds started healing with a sizzle. FLAP! He pped his wings, taking to the sky. CLANG! A small hard object hit his head. He looked down, it''s a crossbow bolt. The incubus looked in the direction the bolt came from. He saw a half-armored guard aiming a crossbow at him, sweating. "A monster! Shoot!" The guard screamed his lungs out. CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! Guards emerged on top of the building, from the corridors and streets. All aimed their crossbows at the incubus, "Don''t let him escape! Fire in the three batches!" One of them shouted. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The guards started shooting. The first team fired while the other two are reloading and so they kept a steady stream. The bolts are too weak to cut the incubus''s skin, but they are good enough to gouge his eyes in they hit them. He covered his face with one of his wings and ran across the street. CRACKLE! KA-DON! Arad and Abel reached the incubus. Abel swung his lightning-engulfed sword at the incubus''s neck and Arad threw a kick at the back. [Blink] The incubus''s body shifted, disappeared from his position, and appeared one meter forward. The attacks didn''t hit him as he kept running. The incubus started at the guard who first shot him. He stood in the middle of the street, lifting a small shield with a sword in his hand, ready to fight. He red at the man. The soldier''s eyes rolled back as his body went limp. The incubus swings his w, beheading him in a single swing. The incubus might have seemed weak when fighting Abel and Arad, but those two are monsters on their own. Normal humans won''t stand a chance against such a monster, unless. CRACK! The steel boot cracked the ground. Her golden glowing eyes red at the incubus from the side as she swung her longsword. [Holy Smite] CLAP! The incubus lifted his hands, blocking the strike from Lydia. CLANG BAM! She immediately shifted her weight, stepping behind the incubus. [Holy Smite] Lydia''s hint threw the incubus off bnce, sending him like a ragdoll. She red at her shaking wrists, "He''s as hard as stones. The sword might break," She held a steel sword, and it wasn''t going to hold for long hitting the incubus. The incubus felt the divine magic burning his flesh, slowing his regeneration. "A pdin?" He ground his teeth and then giggled, "But a woman, how unlucky." "Kill them!" The incubus growled, ring at Lydia with his eyes glowing pink. "No, you won''t!" Abel shed forward, swinging at the incubus''s eyes, trying to blind him. CRACK! BAM! Lydia blocked Abel with her sword, [Holy Smite] She sent him rolling back. "Abel!" Arad called Abel. Lydia''s hit wasn''t strong enough to knock him out. But able couldn''t move well, "Are you okay?" It was then that Arad noticed that the white of Abel''s left eye turned back, and the pupil glowed red. A small horn was peeking from his head as the holy magic burned his skin. [Arad! Focus on the incubus.] Arad shifted his attention toward the incubus. That monster already controlled Lydia. Having women fight him is a bad thing, he can control them. For men, he seems to be only able to knock them out. Lydia pointed her sword at Arad and took a stance as the incubus ran away. [Holy Smite] BAM! Lydia rushed forward, swinging her sword at Arad and he dodged. ^Damn! Should I teleport, should I know her out with gravity?^ It took Arad a second to figure out how to deal with her. The incubus ran as fast as he could, it was time for him to get away. He expanded his wings and took to the sky. PEW! An arrow pierced his left wing, pinning it to the right one. "What?" He gasped, ring at the distance and seeing a figure standing at the city wall with a bow. Ae stood at the city wall, aiming her bow with Mc panting at the wall. He carried her all the way here as fast as he could. The incubus fell on his face and stood immediately. "I need to hide!" He ran between the building and to the otherrge street. Thud! As the incubus was about to keep running, he heard a heavy step in front of him. His face turned pale. Alcott stood there in his casual clothes, his de tied to his waist. He took a stance, grabbing the sword hilt. ^He''s going to behead me!^ The incubus saw his life shing, but Alcott stopped. His face turned pale. The incubus got confused, "What''s with him? Doesn''t matter," He turned around to run, only to see a woman standing ten meters behind him. The woman was tall, with two long braids and yellow eyes. Alcott''s face didn''t turn pale because he was sick or because of the incubus. He saw Nina, standing with an angry smile. "Good! Stop him!" The incubus growled, sending his mind control at Nina. CRACK! At that moment, he felt a fist hit his lower jaw. An uppercut. BAM! Nina punched the incubus into the sky. ^I need to get him out of the city to avoid coteral damage.^ As a barbarian, she always caused mayhem when fighting. Nina looked up, getting ready to jump and kick the incubus to the city skirts, hoping he survive the kick. KA-DON! In a red sh, Arad flew with me gushing from his feet, reaching the incubus. "GAH!" The incubus growled. "Insistent bastard!" He red at Arad, trying to knock him off. Sara wasn''t on his back. BA-BAM! For a moment, the incubus found himself ring at a titanic, night-sky-like dragon. It was all in his mind, but he knew it, rejection. It usually happens when someone tries mind-controlling a stronger monster. The being consciousness rejects them. What he saw was Arad''s true form.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Wait! You''re a..." The incubus growled as Arad swing his fist, veins popping on his forearm. [Dominious Alph] The incubus extended his arm. A spell he kept as a trump card. CRACKLE! CLAP! A sh of lightning flew from the ground, slicing the incubus''s arm. Arad saw him, with two horns, red eyes, blond hair, and a long tail and bat-like wings. It was Abel. "Finish him," [Firefist] Arad charged as much power as he could, swinging at the incubus. KA-DON! The moment Arad''s fist connected with the incubus, it exploded in a massive ball of mes. Crimson light fell on the city as the incubus''s blood sttered. BAM! Aradnded beside Nina, smoking. The incubus''s body got torn to pieces. If Arad used such power inside the brothel, he would have killed everyone. "You''re quite strong. More than I expected." Nina smiled. "You killed him in one hit," Arad only then noticed her, "Nina, what are you?..AW! AW!" She grabbed him by the ear, "Look around at what you have done." Arad looked, blood and guts were everywhere, from rooftops to the streets, "Who''s going to clean this? I heard the ground shattered earlier, was that you taking flight with mes? You better not have burned or cracked the street." "Nina, can you let him go?" Alcott approached them. "We''re in the city. Fighting like that can get people hurt and damage property. He needs to learn how to hold back." "I''m paying for the repairs, let him go," Abel walked from the shadows. "Are you sure you want to stay like that?" Nina asked. Looking at his form. "I will be able to change soon," He replied, and Nina let Arad go. Chapter ?160 A Great Devil ?160 A Great Devil Nina stared at Abel, "Go hide in the shade. I assume those guards were yours?" Abel nodded, "The ck shadows protecting Mother. I asked them to assemble close by in case the cubus tried to escape. I told them to never face the cubus head-on." He remembered the dead soldier. Arad approached, "Nina, do you know about this?" He pointed at Abel. "I do. Alcott." She pointed at Alcott who approached from the back. "Ginger, Merlin, the guild headmaster, and I. Anyone who could attack Abel if they saw him. We all knew about him," Abel scratched his head. "Mother is a devil. As you can see, we both were born as devils. Sister and I." "Tiefling? Do you mean tiefling?" Arad looked at Abel, he resembled Jack''s sister, but he had fair skin. "No, we''re pure devils. Mother''s blood was stronger than Father''s. Can''t expect less when she hails from the great Aliceborn bloodline." Abel puffed his chest as his wings and horns got absorbed into his body. "Ah, I''m recovering." "You could call Aliceborn like royal bloodline for devils. Alice Furberg Lisworth Asmodeus is the ruler of the nine hells. And they are her descendants." Alcott exined. "Their bloodline grants them attunement with holy magic. Which is almost impossible for a devil to get." Arad couldn''t keep pumping information into his head, "Please stop, let''s talkter." He sighed. "You only need to know I''m a great devil." Abel puffed his chest. On their way back, Abel red at Arad. "But I wanted to ask, what was that terrifying scream?" Nina red at Arad, "I was about to sleep when I heard it. Though a dragon emerged in the middle of the city." She red at Alcott, "I''m sure you know a thing, don''t you?" "I would have to say. You aren''t a human, are you?" Abel could smell it. "That power and resisting the incubus knock. I only could resist it because by bloodline, what about you?" Arad looked away, "Look, Nina and Alcott could resist it as well." "Nina and Alcott are far stronger than the incubus. They hold magic items with resistance all the time. You aren''t. From how my sister had to stab you to wake up, I would say you lifted the stun with brute force." [You have mental resistance. Your body can fall before your mind when you aren''t going all out.] ^What does that have to do with me going all out?^ [I can answer this as your mother studied dragons. Dragon''s body functions are extreme in every aspect. When rxed, your heart rate can drop as low as only ten beats per minute. But When agitated, enraged, or fighting, it can shoot over 300 b/min. Your bloodposition, temperature, and pressure rise. No spell or potion can function in such a condition.] "Arad is a bit special. His father was a dragon, his constitution is fantastic." Alcott replied. He knew Arad is a dragon and knew that he can''t answer for himself. "Are you saying he''s not close blood, but a direct one? Do you know his father?" Nina red at Alcott, "Don''t tell me such a dragon has been living nearby."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Alcott shook his head, "No, Arad''s father died years ago. There is no dragon around the city, I would report it if that was the case." Nina red at Arad. "Earlier this day, I sensed this kid weighing over three carriages." [She''s talking about when you tried to punch her and she stopped your fist with a kick. Your weight increased there so you won''t get thrown back.] "No! That''s my gravity magic. Merlin taught me." Abel waved his hand, increasing the gravity beneath Nina. Nina felt her weight increase as her feet pushed into the ground. "This isn''t enough to justify the weight." Nina scratched her head. "Arad won''t want to use powerful magic on you." Alcott sighed, "Yeah. I''m exhausted." Arad replied, and everyone retreated to the brothel. *** The guards remained outside to clean the mess. And everyone else rxed in the waiting room. Abel closed the brothel and refunded all the customers as he asked the girls to rx for the rest of the night. "Sara, I told you this ce is dangerous for you." Abel sighed, staring at his sister. "I know." she looked down, "I fell into the incubus seduction at the start. But I resisted it." "There are no butts. Either see him and run or get taken advantage of." Abel sighed, "I asked you to stay home since I know the bastard was on the loose." "Be easy on her," Alcott sighed, "You can''t expect someone to know how to fight without getting hit. She will never be strong enough to fend for herself if she doesn''t get mixed in troubles." "She can train first. Learn without the possibility of getting taken by an incubus of all things." Abel sighed. "I know she can beat a bandit or two, but she never fought with her life on the line." "Now this reminds me," Arad red at Abel, "You bastard wanted Ae to bait this thing? Even I almost didn''t manage to resist him." "I didn''t know how strong the incubus was. I thought he would be much weaker." Abel looked at Nina, "I would have asked her for help instead, but I thought he would know her." BANG! BANG! BANG! Someone started hitting on the door. Abel stood and rushed to see who it was. It was Ae with Mc the moose. "Is Arad okay? I saw the re," Ae asked, panting. "I''m fine," Arad replied from behind Abel, "Come inside," Inside, Ae sat on the couch, panting. Sara handed it a cup of water, "You ran all the way here?" "No, I only ran from the wall." She took a deep breath. "I usually can run more." Lydia stared at Ae as Jacky on herp. She was healing him. "You''re still sore. But moving can help you feel better." "You didn''t take any queststely. What could have gotten you sore?" Nina looked at Ae, tilting her head. "We live in the forest. I thought surveying the whole area in one day was a good idea." Ae sighed, "I ended up exhausting myself." Lydia was a pdin, and she knew that was a lie. Abel and Sara both knew as well. They could tell when people are lying. Especially, Abel, he knew Alcott lied before when he said Arad was direct born. Abel stared at Arad. He could feel it in his bones. ^He''s a true dragon. I know it.^ Chapter ?161 A Generous Devil ?161 A Generous Devil Abel red at Arad. ^The ancient sigils of the devildy Alice always said that when great powers gather. The world will test them.^ He looked around. ^I''m sure Arad is a dragon. I am a devil, Alcott is a dragon yer and Nina is a whole monster.^ "Brother, are you fine?" Sara asked. "Yes. I''m only a bit exhausted." Abel closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch. "Please ignore me." Sara shifted her attention toward Arad, "You''re quite strong. I heard you finished the incubus with one punch." "It wasn''t a single punch. Abel cut him and I burned him to ash." Arad replied, looking around the room. Lydia had Jackying his head on herp as she healed him with a stern face. "I saw that sh. It was so big, it''s hard to believe a human did it." Sara smiled, "Sorcerers are strong." "Sorcerers aren''t all like Arad," Lydia sighed, "Look at him, you will mistake him for a fighter." Jack opened his eyes, "Jack, are you okay?" Lydia stared down at him. Jack''s lips twitched as he wanted to sit up, but couldn''t. His eye didn''t want to stay open as sweat dripped from his forehead. "I need some milk." He said. "We have some in the kitchen," Abel said and Sara rushed to bring it. "Was it a berserker potion?" Alcott looked at Jack. Jack lifted a thumb up. "That thing burns the stomach like demon pepper." Alcott rxed on the couch. "Drinking it and suffering the side effects are bad. But the worst part is getting it out." "I will help him with cleansing," Lydia patted Jack''s forehead. *** The next day came, and Arad woke up beside Ae in their house. They returned home after chatting a bit. Jack woke up with Lydia at his side, rushing to the garderobe. This was the worst part about the berserker potion. Lydia chased after him to cast cleansing. Abel looked up the window. The day came before he know it as he cleaned the mess inside the brothel. Nina was already making her way to the guild. She saw Mira approach with a small bag in her hand, "You''re early." Mira looked to the side, spotting Nina. "Good morning. I was here to inform you that I''m ready to take the quest." "Arad seems to have finished Abel''s quest, you should be able to head out." Nina smiled, "Did you know that?" Mira scratched her head, "Everyone in the city woke up in the middle of the night hearing Arad scream. They might not know it was him, but I recognize it." Mira scratched her head, "And Then I saw that crimson sh, I know he had squashed that cubus like a cockroach." Nina sighed, "Yeah. I bet word is only going to spread now," Mira giggled. "There is something magical about a man with a deep scream like that. Especially if it''s that loud." "Even Alcott sounds normal when screaming. Funny if you were a bit far away." Nina looked to the side, "Arad sounded like a giant monster. I could swear it was as deep as a dragon''s roar." "I know. Were you there?" Mira approached Nina, "I know I can''t fight so I didn''t rush out but I''m sure you did." "Yeah, I saw him punch that incubus into ash with a fire fist. I''m not that knowledgeable about magic, but I''m sure spells don''t grow that big." "He had been going to see Merlin and had fought a red dragon. I''m sure he picked something along the way." Mira smiled as the two walked into the guild. About an hourter, Arad and Ae walked in. "Nina, we came to check Abel''s quest out."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Nina smiled, pointing at Mira in the back. "She''s waiting for you as well." Mira sat in the back on a bench beside the private room entrance. Ae approached her as Arad walked to talk with Nina. "So, let''s start from the end. Is the payment ready?" Arad asked. "Yes," Nina smiled as she pulled a ledger. "You and Jack took the quest. Two men one night pay, 50 silver coins each. That''s one gold coin. 2 gold coins for saving Sara by screaming, and 1 gold coin for Jack trapping the whole ce. 1 gold coin for you for not going all out with Sara on your back, and 5 gold coins for killing the incubus. That''s 10 gold coins. Abel also added 3 gold coins for tearing the monster who tried toy a hand on his sister apart. And 7 gold coins as a bonus for silence." Nina pulled out a small pouch, "Twenty gold coins in total. He said to hand it to you by hand. He paid all the guild fees." "Isn''t this a bit too much?" Abel looked at the pouch. "It was heavy." "The incubus was stronger than he expected so this could have resulted in a TPK." Nina smiled, "He is quite generous with money." "What is a TPK?" Arad asked. "Total Party Kill." Nina replied, "Give this to Jack, Alcott left it for him. And Abel''s quest is over." She handed him a white potion. "Heavy cleanse potion. It''s used to treat food poisoning. Jack isn''t a fight or a barbarian so his stomach won''t like the berserker potion, this should help him recover in a day." She exined. Arad looked at the potion and smiled, "I will make sure he gets it." Nina turned back and called Mira. "Come here. Let''s get the details done." *** The adventurers in the guild stared at Arad. "He''s already having appointed quests one after the other." "Even A-rank rarely have quests call them by name, and he''s making clients wait." Another man sighed, "We have to step it up," "Stop it," A wizard woman sighed. "Did you hear that roar yesterday? Rumores it was him," "No way, that sounded like a giant monster." The adventurer gasped. "I know, he''s an S-rank like Nina and Alcott. Don''t let his current B-rank deceive you." The woman looked at Arad. "But there is good news for us." "What?" All the adventurers looked at her. "His party is still small. He''s a sorcerer and has an archer and a rogue. Hecks front fighters, tanks, and wizards with many elements and tactical spells. A healer is also an important one." The woman smiled. "I have some skills as a wizard." She smiled. "Wait! I can cast high heal." A priest growled. "I shrugged the attack of an ogre with a shield." A tank patted his shield. They all looked at Arad. A Party usually has four to five people. That means there are two empty spots. Chapter 162 [Bonus chapter] Lydia Vs Arad ?162 [Bonus chapter] Lydia Vs Arad Nina called Ae and Mira to the counter. "You can start at the quest." The girls approached the table. Mira pulled arge map of the forest where she suspect the tree to grow. "We are looking for arge tree with a vein-riddled trunk that smells like lemon. Legends say its scent is like a reverse catnip to monsters. It makes them aggressive and agitated." Mira looked at Arad, "This works only on non-intelligent monsters. But words say it makes elves a bit more aggressive. So keep that in mind." "Arad! We''re here." Lydia called, waving her hand as Jack leaned on her, "Don''t forget me. I will be fine in a day or two." Arad looked at them, scratching his head. "So, only me and Lydia can fight, right?" Everyone looked at each other. Jack is out for two days, and Ae for about a day as well to get over her soreness. Mira can''t fight so that only leave Arad and Lydia. Arad can''t go all out because of Mira so there is no point in refusing Lydiaing to help Jack. Even though the safest bet would be him using his draconic presence to scare the monsters away. That isn''t an option. "Lydia, how good can you fight?" Arad asked. Lydia stared at Arad, "I usually go solo as I can both fight with weapons. Heal, and deal magic damage with smites. I can also cure poisons and toxins." "Only you and I can fight on the first day. I want to know what could you do, and what can''t. Should we head to the training ground?" Arad approached her. "Of course. You can''t leave your back to someone you never fought with." Lydia said, scratching her head, "Especially afterst night''s embarrassing performance." Last night, the incubus charmed Lydia and had her stall Abel for a while. Which wasn''t exactly helpful. Albeit, she had a disadvantage as a woman. The adventurers in the back started whispering. Are those two about to fight? Lydia the golden pdin against the monster Arad, who will win? Arad looked at his waist, "Nina, do you have a spare sword?" "ARAD! CATCH!" One of the adventurers grabbed his sword and threw it. Arad turned and caught it. "A sword?" "It''s my spare de, feel free to have it." The adventurer smiled, ying his card early and making everyone else feel jealous. "Thanks. I hope it holds." Arad looked at the sword. It looked like any other long sword without any engraving. [All the legendary des looked stale. Their creator didn''t have the luxury of thinking to decorate them. A simple sword is a good indicator of a well-made de.] Arad and Lydia walked toward the training ground with everyone behind them, watching. The two faced each other. Lydia held her sword with both hands and took a deep breath. "You better take a stance or pull your staff. The sword is your secondary weapon, isn''t it?" Arad stood tall, holding the long sword in his right hand. "You think so? What matter is how can you fight,e at me." CLING! Lydia shifted her stance from a middle guard to a back left. A golden mist embraced her sword like dust dancing in the sun''s rays. BAM! Lydia rushed, pointing her sword forward in an inside right stance. She went for a low thigh stab. But at thest moment. She shifted into a low strike, aiming at Arad''s calves.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad stood without a move, his training with Geralding back. He saw Lydia''s feint and was about to do what Gerald did. CRACK! Arad lifted his leg in an instant and stomped Lydia''s de, pinning it to the ground. It happened in the blink of an eye, no one was able to see. Lydia almost missed it and the only one who saw it was Nina. "Such a monstrous move." She smiled. Stepping on their opponent''s de. That was something barbarians did often and to her, it was appealing. Arad didn''t waste his chance and swung his sword down at Lydia''s shoulder with one hand. Cling! Lydia twisted her de and pulled it out. She swung with a short guard to deflect Arad''s strike and connected that to a back edge swing at Arad''s neck. KA-DON! mes burst from Arad''s legs, forcing Lydia to leap back before her de could reach him. She red at him with the edge of her sword bright red. "Those mes are dangerous." Lydia smiled. "That sword as well," Arad said as the mes around him faded. "Heh," Lydia giggled, touching the ground with her de. CLAP! With a thunderous boom, the ground cracked. [Thundering smite] "You noticed it?" Arad red at Lydia, his eyes shing purple. "Of course, it''s obvious." He could see magic, and she didn''t know of that. The spell was invisible, but he could see it like a haze around the de. [Divine Smite] BOOM! Lydia''s de ignited into a golden me as she took a wrath stance. "How about we go all out? There are enough healers around here." "You only say that because you wear heavy armor." Arad smiled, "But fine,e at me with all you got." Arad opened his arms, walking forward. BAM! Lydia lunged forward. KA-DON! Arad engulfed his fist with mes which grew to consume the de, he swings down with a smile. CLACK! BAM! The swords shed, sending a shockwave across the training ground. CLACK! BAM! CLACK! BAM! CLACK! BAM! The attacks didn''t stop as the two shed. "How is a sorcerer going head-on with a pdin?" One of the adventurers gasped. "No," A fighter gasped. "Arad isn''t skilled with the sword. He swings it a stick, he had no formal training." Another fighter walked forward, "But he isn''t falling to any of Lydia''s feint. His speed and strength are inhuman, and without speaking of those reaction times." The fighter clenched his teeth. "How do you get such power and institution without proper training?" Nina looked back, "You lots are slow, aren''t you?" "What?" A wizard gasped, "What are you talking about?" Thud! Alcott who was in the back walked forward, "Arad''s movements. That strange aggression against feints. Doesn''t it reminds you of someone?" One of the old fighters, someone who has been adventuring for ten years gasped, "Ged! I saw those moves in the tournament when I was a kid!" All the fighters red at Arad. They remembered the best-selling fighting manual in the whole kingdom. "Steel for humans!" "Everyone one of you read that book, or at least trained with one as it''s the simplest way to learn the basics of swordy." Alcott smiled. "But Arad doesn''t know anything about a sword fight." "Those moves are natural. I heard Gerald himself is in the city," Alcott smiled. "Arad could have found him and learned directly. spared even." All the fights stared at each other, mumbling how a living legend could be under their noses. That famous general is here. "The reason you aren''t getting stronger is that you''re focused on adventuring. You aren''t looking around for opportunities." Alcott red at them. "Look at Arad," Nina smiled, "He''s winning." BAM! They saw Arad''s sword shatter from his poor form, yet he kept swinging the severed de. Engulfed in mes. "He isn''t locked in the ss idea. He''s willing to learn from anything is what you''re saying." Amber approached. "He''s a sorcerer, why care about sword skills? That''s what most people think, but Arad will learn anything you give to him." Chapter ?163 Into the forest ?163 Into the forest Poor form. Arad''s sword shattered as the t side met with Lydia''s swings, sending shards of red-hot steel across the training ground. Lydia stepped back, taking a lower right stance. ^He should resort to ranged attacks now. Or he will give up.^ She lifted her guard, expecting a fire bolt to rush at her face. KA-DON! A burst of me burst from Arad''s sword [me de]. A fiery de extended with a rush of embers and sparks. The adventurers in the back gasped, seeing the crimson mes. The base of the fire was pale blue, indicating that Arad had more heat stored in it. Sorcerers used this spell as ast defense, only swinging at an enemy who got too close before retreating. Lydia saw Arad swinging his severed de with a smile. ^Why won''t he stop? Most people stop fighting after their weapon break.^ She thought. It was unheard of. CRACK! Arad stomped the ground as he swung down, forcing Lydia to dodge back. The de barely missed her, burning the tips of her hair as it touched the ground. BOM! The sword burned the ground releasing a gust of pale white smoke.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Are you still fighting?" Lydia growled, clenching her grasp on her de. "I never had good luck with swords. Having one or not won''t change anything." Arad replied, his sword racing above Lydia, leaving a crescent moon of mes. Lydia has to dodge. There is no way she would attempt to deflect that. Her sword would get damaged. SWOSH! SWOSH! CRANG! Lydia dodged two strikes before deflecting the third. Sparks rushed from her de, signaling damage. "Arad! You will break her sword if you keep swinging." Amber shouted. She had the same thought as Lydia. Arad''s sword was a hot andpressed jet of mes. It could melt right through. "You need that weapon for the mission, so put the me de away." She is right. Arad looked back at Amber, his mes fading. "You''re right." He looked at Lydia. "You''re stronger than I thought." Puff! The sword faded. Lydia stared at Arad''s hands, remembering how he shattered her de the first time they met. He could fight her barehanded and win. Something about him was strange. Arad is too durable for a sorcerer. Arad looked at the adventurer who lent him the sword. "Sorry, it broke." The adventurer waved his hand, "Don''t mind it." He already gave Arad the sword and said it was a spare. He won''t go around crying about it. ^Ick strength. I should train more if I wanted to join Arad''s party.^ The adventurer knew Lydia was better than him. And she struggled. *** Mira looked at Arad talking with the adventurers, her eyes focusing on his neck, arms, and chest. He isn''t sweating, and his breath is steady. During the whole fight, Arad didn''t exert himself. She walked forward with weary steps, "Arad, are you okay?" touching his shoulder. Arad looked at her, smiling. "Of course. Should we head out now?" "We won''t need horses or carriages. It''s a simple scouting trip in the wood. Camping equipment is the only thing we need, and I have that prepared for four people." Mira stared at Lydia. "I have my kit at the inn. Let''s stop there for a moment." Lydia replied, and they headed out. It didn''t take her much time to pull her kit from the inn. The search location is on the opposite side of the city to Arad''s house. The ce knows as the dense woods. It''s the same part of the forest Arad first came from. Goblins, slimes, and treants were known to live there. It didn''t take them long to reach the forest edge. Since the guild was built close to the wall in that direction. "Arad and I will march in the front. Lydia and Jack took the back. Lastly, Ae will sit in the middle. Please keep your eyes open for monsters." Mira sets their formation immediately before they get into the woods. "Isn''t it dangerous for you to be in the front?" Arad looked at Mira standing by his side. She can''t fight and might get hit by a monster out of the bushes. "I''m the one scouting and leading us across the forest. I have to stand in the front." She walked a bit forward. Looking down at the ground, the nts, and the tree roots. "We''re still far away. The woods here looks normal." Arad and his party''s job is to protect Mira as she searches for the elder tree. "Is there any way we could help with the search?" Ae asked. "The closer we get to the elder tree, the more you would see small veins growing on their roots." Mira dug the ground beneath a tree root, exploding a small part. "This one is clear. The tree isn''t close." "Is it connected to the fey wild?" Ae asked, looking around and listening to the leaves rustling in the back. "There should be a connection." Mira pulled out a small book. "Here it says that the queen Titania of the fairies had a good rtionship with the elvish queen Sylph. The elder tree could have a connection to the fey wild or the pixies for all we know." "We should be careful then. But won''t the pixies be against us taking the wood if they lived around?" Lydia walked forward, "I heard a bit about them, but not much." "What are pixies?" Arad looked at them. "Small humanoids the size of a palm. They have butterfly-like wings and slender bodies." Ae looked at Arad. "But becare full, they are vicious if you stumbled onto theirnd." "Pixies can gather around the elder tree if they lived in the forest before. Not because they like the tree, but because they want to cut it down." Mira looked at Arad. "But they can''t." Lydia realized what Mira was speaking about. "Yes, the tree is like a parasite, seeping life from the forest. The pixies will try to cut it down but fail. They get aggressive as their young start dying. The colonies will get weak. They will start taming monsters. Employing them to protect the area." Arad cracked his fingers. "So our job is not only to find the tree, but save the pixies." Mira looked away, "That isn''t true." She scratched her head, "We need to find the tree, and make sure the pixies won''t cut it down if it still hasn''t grown. We only can cut the tree after it has matured. The pixies would be dead by that time." Arad red at Mira. "So we''re going to find the tree and make sure it grows?" He realized they need to stop the pixies from cutting the tree down. Ae looked at Arad, "In most cases, pixies only live in the elvish continent. I doubt any would be around this tree." "I as well, won''t like watching a pixies colony die. Let''s hope there is none around this tree." Mira walked forward, "Arad, you can see magic, right?" Arad nodded. "Keep your eyes open and tell me if the magic around here shifted. You should see it as waves moving toward the tree." Mira exined. After they walked for a while, night came without a result. Arad and Lydia started building the campsite as Jack went out to scout. Ae started preparing the preserved food, and Mira pulled a map to mark their path. Stars sparkled in the sky as they heard a rustle in the bushes. Chapter ?164 Dancing Giggles ?164 Dancing Giggles Arad tilted his head, looking at the bushes. He could still hear the fire crackling and Lydia shouting at Jack in the back. Mira and Ae''s voices are clear as they chatted, yet they seemed distant. Sitting on a twig, a humanoid woman the size of a palm stared into his eyes. Her fly-luke pupil reflected the mes as a smile cross her face. Arad blinked, and the small creature disappeared. ^Mom, what was that?^ [What are you talking about?] ^That tiny woman in the bushes, didn''t you see it?^ [There was nothing. We share the vision and I didn''t see anything strange.] Arad looked at the mes. ^Could be a fairy? No, you would have seen it.^ Arad pinched his eyes, taking a deep breath. [Dragons aren''t prone to hallucinations. I have not seen it, but be careful.] ~Come and y~ A high-pitched voice rang in Arad''s head. The moment he blinked, the little woman appeared again. This time she stood facing him. The stone isrger than her tiny body, and she waved her head from left to right, jiggling her legs as she hummed. ~Let''s y~ Arad blinked and the woman disappeared again. He stood and approached the stone. ^She was sitting here. Did you see it?^ [No. What did it look like?] ^A white fuzzy body, eyes like that of a bug, andrge butterfly wings. She looked humanoid but I couldn''t make her arms from her torso.^ [I don''t know what are you talking about. Elves are more knowledgeable about those things, ask Ae.] Arad stood and walked to the girls'' tent, "Ae, do you have a moment?" He called from the outside. Ae walked out, "Did you need anything?" "Yeah, I wanted to ask you about something," Arad exined what he saw, trying to be as precise with the description as he could. Ae scratched her head, "That doesn''t sound like a fairy, pixie, or a sprite. It''s either a hallucination or someone is using magic." "Mom said we dragons are resistant to hallucinations, and I could see magic if someone tried using it on me." Arad scratched his head, "Don''t you have any idea?" Ae shook her head, "I can''t say anything with my knowledge. Sorry," After the conversation, Arad went back to his tent and tried to get some sleep. Rest was what he needed. The moment he closed his eyes, he could feel two tiny legs on his chest. Arad slowly opened his eyes. She stood there on his chest, smiling. ~Let''s y~ She opened her arms, sending tiny orbs of light. It illuminated Arad''s tent-like stars. ^Mom, do you see her? She''s on my chest, and the whole tent is lit with stars.^ [To me, nothing changed. It''s still dark.] Arad extended his hand, trying to catch the little woman. It passed right through her body. ~Want to y? Little child~ Arad blinked, and the woman disappeared. ^Only I can see it. Illusion or hallucination.^ Arad closed his eyes, sleeping. When the morning came, he woke up feeling great. Better than normal. "I never felt this well rested. He stretched his arms, the blood in his veins flowing." [You are right. I can feel that you''re better than yesterday.] Arad took a deep breath, instantly recognizing most scents of the forest. "Water to the west, I can thin branches crackle to the east and squirrels are running to the west." [Your senses are sharper. Was it exhaustion yesterday?] ^I don''t know. But if it''s that little fairy''s help that I feel better, I can''tin.^ Mira walked out of her tent and washed her face, "Arad. Can you light the mes while I wake Ae?" Arad walked out and brought some branches throwing them in the ash. [Bonfire] He looked at the stone, remembering the fairy. ^I have to ask Merlin when we get back.^ After breakfast, the party kept searching with Mira''s help but they found no clue. The afternoon came, and Mira sat on the ground. "Nothing, I give up for today. My knees hurt." She kept squatting over roots and nts all day, and her thighs finally gave up. "I will climb on a tree and see what can I find." Jack cracked his neck. No, he finally feels better. "Are you sure?" Lydia stared at him and then smacked his back with her palm. He took it well, so she smiled. "You seem fine." "I will go up as well." Ae jumped on a tree. Scouting from a high spot might help. Arad and Lydia remained with Mira. Arad sat beneath a tree, closing his eyes as they waited for Ae and Jack. Ba-dump. A faint beat, he could hear iting from the tree. His eyes jolted open, "What was that?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Both Lydia and Mira jumped, "You scared us!" Lydia red at him. Arad quickly put his ear on the tree, listening carefully. Ba-dump! Ba-dump! "It''s faint, but I can hear it. A heartbeat, deep underground." Arad said, closing his eyes. A strange smell entered his nose, "It isn''t this tree alone." He stood, inspecting all the trees around. ~They are asleep, don''t wake them~ The little woman''s voice rang in Arad''s head again. "Who are you?" This time, Arad growled. ~Aren''t you one energetic baby?~ The voice said in a cheerful tone, giggling. ~What do you see? Wyrms child.~ "Elder tree, do you know where it is?" Arad growled. Lydia and Mira stared at him, confused. ~I do not know what you ask for, but let''s y hide and seek. Find me if you can.~ And her voice trailed into Arad''s mind, only leaving her faint giggles. "Arad, you didn''t drink in the morning, did you?" Lydia put her hands on his back. [Clensing] "Wait! You aren''t drunk?" Lydia gasped. "Some of those trees are alive. They are all linked to a single heart deep beneath the ground." Arad looked around and rushed to listen to all the trees as Jack and Ae climbed down. "There are more of them in that direction." Arad pointed deeper into the forest. Chapter ?165 [Bonus chapter] Spreading Infection. ?165 [Bonus chapter] Spreading Infection. "What are you talking about?" Mira stared at Arad. "Those trees are all connected." Arad started walking. "Follow me. We should follow them since we don''t have any other leads." Mira looked at Arad and then at Ae, "We don''t have a choice." Everyone started following him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What do you mean by them all linked to a single heart?" Jack asked, "Did you hear it?" "Yeah, I can hear it beating deep underground. The forest is alive," Arad touched a tree as he passed by it. "I bet the elder tree deep into the forest." ~You''re getting closer. But you won''t find me~ The voice rang again in Arad''s head, "We are getting closer. I hope we won''t have to fight anything." Mira stopped walking and rushed to one of the trees. "Come look at this!" She started digging blew the trunk and revealed the roots. "The veins. The elder tree is close." She smiled. ~That one doesn''t have much time. Child, would you mind pulling him out?~ Arad blinked, ^What?^ ~Grab and pull, you can do it. Can''t you?~ Arad grabbed the tree trunk with his palm. "Are you sure?" Mira thought he was talking to her, "This is a clue." ~Pull him out. I shouldn''t let it spread.~ CRACK! Arad applied force. The veins on his arm expanded as his legs dug into the ground. BAM! A stone that was under his foot cracked, scaring Lydia and Mira. "What is going on?" Lydia gasped. Mira crawled back to hide behind Ae. The tree trunk cracked as it got pulled from its roots from the ground. Lydia and Mira stared at Arad with pale faces. GRWAAAAAAAAAA! The tree growled for a second before falling silent. ~Look at the roots~ Aradid the tree on the ground and started below its root. He could see a dark-brown batch of wood. It had faint ominous magic flowing through it. The scared Mira blinked seeing the batch, "Elder wood?" She jumped from behind Ae, forgetting that Arad pulled the whole tree with one hand. "Arad! This is the elder tree!" Mira cried, "It has died!" ~This isn''t the source. Find me if you can~ Arad looked at Mira and then at the elder wood patch on the tree. "This isn''t the elder tree. It''s infecting other trees. We have to find the original one and rip it apart." Arad touched the tree. ZON! He pulled it into his stomach. "Let''s keep moving." "Wait, we need to rest," Lydia sighed. "How could you pull a whole tree?" "Gravity magic." Arad lifted his hand and a dirt block levitated from where he plucked the tree. "Merlin taught me, she also taught me how to use storage magic," Arad replied with the answer he had prepared. "You''re a fire sorcerer, you shouldn''t be able to use other elements." Lydia tilted her head. "But I can." Arad looked at her, tilting his head with her. "A Gravity fire sorcerer? I heard of mixed elements like water and lightning. But never something as extreme as gravity in a sorcerer." She looked at Ae, "Are you sure this man is natural?" "He is," Ae sighed. ring at Arad. ^I told you to keep low.^ She cried inside. Mira approached Arad, poking his arm with her finger and a stern re. "They feel like leather." Arad looked at her, and her face had a faint blush on it. "Can you lift your arm a bit, like this?" She extended her arm forward. Arad did what she asked. Mira grabbed Arad''s arm and pulled her whole body up. "Am I heavy? Can you keep your arm extended?" She said, hanging from his arm. "Yeah, you''re lighter than the tree." Mira then shifted her hands from close to his elbow all the way to his fist. Arad stumbled forward as his bnce broke. "Hoi! Careful." Thud! Miranded on her feet, "I dropped you down." she smiled. Arad red at his arm, extending it again. "Try again." This time when Mira dangled on his arm, he used Gravity magic to glue his legs to the ground. He won''t lose bnce again. "Won''t you be able to use heavy armor and Greatswords?" Lydia looked at Arad. "I''m talking about the big stuff." "I saw Alcott use one. I don''t have the skill to use them." Arad shook his head. "No," Lydia waved her hand, "Alcott is using modified great swords and heavy armor. Those get tapered along the edges to increase their size and limit their weight. Some even use magic crystals to reduce their weight." "Lighter means easier to swing, I know that." Arad nodded. "No always. The heavier the sword is, the more power a strike will have behind it. Some heavy armor and greatswordbos can reach over 250 kilos. When made of monster bones or adamantine. I bet Alcott''s set doesn''t weigh more than 40 kg." Lydia talked with a smile on her face. "Isn''t that a bit too much? How much does your armor weigh?" Arad sighed, staring at Lydia. "My full set is 30 kg," Lydia replied. "Then how do you expect me to haul 250kg on my back? Weight-reducing techniques exist for a reason." "You pulled a tree from the ground with one hand. You won''t have a problem walking around with such heavy armor." ~Wyrm child, hurry.~ the voice rang in Arad''s head again. "We should move. He looked deeper into the forest." For the rest of the day, Arad and the party kept getting deeper into the forest. He pulled each infected tree along his way. When it became nighttime and they had to camp, Arad could already pick a faint putrid smell in the air. "This ce stinks," He growled, washing his nose with water. That only made the smell worse. "I agree. I have a bad feeling about this." Jack sat beside Arad, "You said you saw a little monster yesterday?" Arad had asked him as he did Ae. "You think it''s funny?" Arad smiled. Jackughed, "It''s funny, but I remembered something." Jack looked at Arad, "You''re technically still a few weeks old, a baby aren''t you?" "Why does that matter?" "Nothing important, but I remembered some of the children''s stories sister used to tell us. When we were starving in the winter on the street so we can sleep." Jack looked at the sky. "That was rough," "Yeah. She''s bad at telling stories." Jackughed. "I''m talking about starving in the winter." Arad sighed. "In one of the stories, a family loses their baby in the forest after a bandit attack. They search for days but eventually give up, only to find him at the home door in his nket,ughing." Jack looked at Arad. "Another story tells of a great flood that was about to swipe a city down. A toddler rushed alone to face the water, screaming at it to stop. The ground cracks and diverge the water away." Jack looked at the campfire. "Nature has a soul, and only children can hear it. Or so the folk tales say." Jack picked a branch and threw it into the fire. "They are just stories though." Arad looked at the ground. "A single heart deep underground. I have an idea. But''s a scary one." Chapter ?166 A Dawn Attack ?166 A Dawn Attack Jack looked at Arad, "What makes it so scary?" Arad lifted his head, "What do hearts do?" "Make blood move? Keep people alive?" Jack replied. "Then what is a heart doing deep underground? Why is it linked to the trees?" Arad red at Jack. "Wait!" Jack gasped, "You don''t mean this whole forest is one massive creature."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "All those trees link to one heart so they are one creature." Arad looked at the mes. ^Is she the one I''ve been seeing?^ [Are you saying she got over me and is talking to you? We''re one being, I would hear and see anyone talking to your mind.] ^Mom, but what about what Jack said? Only children could talk with those beings. I''m still a few weeks old, while you''re a fragment of my mother''s consciousness. How old are you?^ [I can''t tell exactly as that information wasn''t left with me, but I''m, well over four thousand years old.] Arad stood, "I will go sleep," He stretched his arms. "Won''t it be better if you went exploring at night?" Jack suggested with a smile. "No. I need to remain close in case anything happens." Arad walked toward his tent where hey. At midnight, he woke to the fairy standing on his chest Again. ~You sleep a lot on your back, that isn''t healthy~ ^I thought you would ask me to y.^ Arad sighed, opening his eyes. ~You can''t y as much if you don''t sleep well.~ the fairy stared at Arad''s face, smiling. Arad sat up, letting the fairy stand on his thigh. ^I pulled the trees out, do you care to tell me what is going on?^ ~The fairy looked away. That thing, it''s spreading and I can''t stop it. It''s causing me to fall asleep. I want you to pull it out.~ The fairy looked down, her smile disappearing, ~The children I used to y with have all gone,~ ^There were other children here?^ The fairy opened her arms, ~This is one of their kin. I had to borrow her help, even though she was asleep~ Arad could understand. The fairies she is taking their form are already dead. ^Are we close? If the elder tree has grown already, I will pull it out.^ ~You are close but don''t leave your friends. It''s getting dangerous from now on.~ The fairy disappeared and Arad went to sleep. Arad woke up early at dawn, hearing cracking akin to wood breaking in the distance. He rushed out of his ten, the trees were shaking in the distance. "Wake up! Something big ising." Arad shouted and everyone sprung up. "What? I set traps!" Jack rushed from his tent and growled, "No, it crushed them before they could activate." "Arad! The monster is heavy andrge. Be careful!" Mira hid in the back with Jack guarding her as Ae pulled her bow. Lydia stood beside Arad, "Don''t use fire too much. We can''t stop a wildfire." "I know," Arad smiled, clenching his fist. CRACK! From between the trees, arge tree emerged. "It has a face?" Arad gasped. "A treant!" Lydia took a stance. "This is bad, it''s bigger than normal." Arad''s eyes darted across the treant''s body, "Elder wood! It''s infected!" "An elder wood treant?" Mira gasped, "I can see it as well!" "Ae!" Lydia red back, "Get up on any tree and see if you can find an open spot in the forest. A ce where we can burn this thing." "I''m working on it!" Ae rushed to climb a tree. "Swords aren''t meant to chop wood. Our attack would fail without mes. And that is dangerous here in the forest." Lydia stared at Arad. "We need to stall it until Ae finds a ce to burn it." CRACK! A second elder wood treant appeared behind them. It hade to life from a tree that slept in the back. [Arad! Treants move at Day and sleep at night. They need sunlight to function.] ^Can you tell me how to beat them? I can do it in my dragon form, but it''s tricky like this^ [Cut the branches. You must leave it without a leaf. It will die like that.] Arad smiled, "Lydia, we cut all the branches. Without them, it can''t get energy from the sun to live." Treants are more active than other trees because they move. A tree could survive for a while without leaves. But a high energy demanding treant would die immediately. "They are high! How could we reach them?" Lydia gasped. "You take this one! I will kill the one in the back." Arad turned around. the muscles on his thighs bulged. CRACK! The ground shattered beneath his feet as he pressed down. BAM! The full power of a dragon focused onunching a single humanoid body. Mira ran away from the treant. "Trees don''t eat people! Do they?" she cried. CRACK! Arad''s body flew in with a flying kick, hitting the treant right in the trunk. Mira could hear wood cracking as she saw Arad''s footprint on the treant. ^I can''t use fire, I can''t use any other element. I can''t use blood magic, and my wyrmwolf skills aren''t made to fight trees. My only solution is gravity magic^ CLAP! Arad pped his hands. "Let''s try this!" Mira could see the veins bulging from beneath his clothes as his muscles tensed. [Gravity Magic] Gravity around the treant increased causing it to stop moving. "Your trunk might resist gravity, but can your branches handle their new weight?" CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The branches on the treant started bending and cracking. They became too heavy to remain attached. Arad smiled, squatting down in front of Mira. She backed away, seeing every single muscle in his body bulge from the tension. BAM! CRACK! Arad lunged at the treant, shattering the ground beneath his feet. He kicked the treant again in the upper trunk, shaking the branches off. "I''m not done yet!" With a swift move. He grabbed onto the treant and started pulling the remaining branches off with his hands. The treant fell to the ground as Arad ripped all the branches. "Dead, Lydia, did you finish as well?" Arad looked at her. Lydia was still dodging the treant''s attacks, trying to find a way to cut the branches. [I thought she would at least deal some damage.] ^No, she has done enough. Without her, that treant would have trampled the camp and hurt the others.^ Arad smiled. Chapter 167 The Putrid Forest 167 The Putrid Forest The treant swung his arm down at Lydia. She lifted her shield to block. BAM! She can''t feel any weight on her. Moving her shield away, she gasped. "Get back," Arad stood there, blocking the treant''s arm with one hand as he stood taller than Lydia. She was quite short barely making it to 1.6 meters. Arad stood at over 1.85 meters. "You killed it?" she looked back, seeing the other treant torn to shred. "Move," Arad growled and Lydia backed away. He lifted his hand [Gravity magic] CRACK! This treant was a bit thinner than the other. It fell t on its back which caused many of its branches to survive. Arad stopped his magic and ran forward. The treant tried to stand. BAM! Lydia, who was supposed to back away closed the distance between her and the treant in an instant. "The branches are down!" She growled, swinging her sword. [Divine Smite] CLAP! With a golden sh, she sliced the branches. And killed the treant before Arad could start pulling them off. "Wow! I thought you couldn''t cut wood with swords like that." Arad looked at her. "It''s hard, but there is a way." Lydia looked at her sword. "I have pulled it right," She smiled. After making sure no other treants were close, Lydia exined her technique to Arad. "Look, when you swing, you have to get the edge alignment right or your de could shatter." She showed him a sh, "Like this a right angle. And don''t forget the shing motion. Which is to pull the de toward you." "So I do that when I sh?" Arad swung his arms, trying to mimic Lydia''s moves. "There is more. Since a tree like this has many branches, you have to adjust your edge alignment several times in a single sh. All while making sure to pull your sword enough to cut each branch." Lydia trusted with her sword, "If you pulled too much and didn''t have enough to sh, you can thrust forward. But that is a bit weaker." Arad scratched his head, "Is it always thisplicated?" "It doesn''t matter if you have a powerful sword, speed, and power if you can''t control them. I know what I need to do and how to do them. But I bet Alcott could teach you better than me." Lydia smiled.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Everyone started packing their camping equipment, "We''re getting close. Stay close to me from now on." Arad said as they got ready to keep going. Lydia looked down, sighting as Jack approached her. "Are you okay?" He asked and she looked at him. "I was useless, is that a good enough reason?" "You did better than us. Arrows and traps won''t work against arge creature without a vital organ." Jack replied. "I thought I could help after the fight in the training ground. But Arad is in another league, he''s way ahead of us." She looked at Arad, "He''s even the one guiding us toward the elder tree." Jack scratched his head. He knew Arad''s strength came from him being a true dragon. And he knew the forest is guiding him since he was the only kid around. It all made sense to him, but to Lydia, it didn''t. Jack stared at Arad, and then back at Lydia. "If you didn''t hold the treant, he would have trampled the camp or killed Mira or Ae. You have a shield, you protected them." "Are you sure?" They could run away. "Ae could, but Mira can''t." Jack smiled, patting Lydia''s head. "As a pdin, you''re a healer, shielder, and a fighter. That makes you versatile." Lydia looked at Jack with a smile. "You know how to speak," "Today you were a shielder. Tomorrow a healer or a fighter, does it matter? You saved people and that''s the important point." *** The party kept walking forward, but this time, Mira was sticking close to Arad. Too close in fact. "You are touching my side." Arad looked at her. "It''s safe here, isn''t it?" Mira replied. "Ae will put an arrow in your head." Arad pointed back. "No, I won''t. Her staying beside you mean I don''t need to keep an eye on her." Ae waved her hand. "At least help me." Arad sighed. "Well listen. If a monster attacked and I made a sudden move, I could hit you by mistake. Try to leave at least one meter between us." "As you say." Thud! Mira pped Arad''s back as she backed away. "AW!" She looked at her palm, blowing on it. "You''re as hard as stone!" She gasped. [She hit the bones of your wings hiding on your back.] As Mira blew on her palm, her eyesnded on something strange between the bushes. "Arad! Something is here!" She cried, pointing at what she saw. Jack walked forward with a dagger in his hand and Lydia behind him. He cut the bust down only to find a palm-sized mummified corpse. "This is!" He gasped, closing his nose and mouth due to the horrid putrid smell. "It''s where that faint smell came from." Ae and Arad approached, "It''s a fairy." She gasped. Arad looked closer at the corpse. "It has been here for a while. Already started rotting." [The corpse isn''t rotting. She will remain like this until absorbed by the ground. A natural thing for fairies. But they bury their own, so this is strange.] Arad used his palm to dig a small hole where he buried the fairy. "We should hurry. I fear more of them have already perished." Arad said. The deeper they got into the forest. The infected threes they saw and the more corpses they found, and the worse the smell. It got so bad that Jack, who was still recovering from the poison in his body threw up. Arad pulled a few clothes from his stomach and handed them to everyone. "Cover your mouths." Everyone wore the makes as the forest started to get foggy around them. They are close. Chapter ?168 Wood Ambush. ?168 Wood Ambush.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Friday chapters 1/3] "All those corpses," Jack growled, "They don''t seem to have died in a fight." Withered, with no visible wounds or bruises. No sign of burning or smoke. Something killed all those fairies without inflicting damage. [From the look of it, they starved to death. Lack of Mana.] Arad approached one of the infected trees, touching the trunk with his eyes closed. "It''s faint, but isn''t this thing absorbing magic?" Ae walked to Arad''s side, touching the tree. "You''re right, but it isn''t absorbing all magic." [Every living creature absorbs magic to stay alive. It''s the same as their need for air. Those pixies are small but they need a lot of mana to survive. They suffocated to death.] ~Be careful! It''s reacting!~ The fairy appeared on Arad''s arm. He grabbed Ae by the arm and jumped back. Veins burst from the ground stabbing where he stood. BAM! Lydia rushed on, stepping on the treant''s arm and leaping up. [Holy smite] CLAP! She sliced the upper part in a single swing. "I got him!" She smiled,nding in the back. "Nice reaction!" Arad smiled. "I won''t remain useless," Lydia growled, puffing her chest. But that didn''t appear since she wore heavy armor. ~There are more!~ The smile disappeared from Arad''s face. "Everyone, there is more." Green veins started growing from where they buried the fairies. "That''s elder wood!" Mira gasped seeing the veins wiggling like snakes. They formed humanoid bodies the size of an adult, ring at Arad and his party. "Blights?" Jack gasped, "They usually don''t get bigger than a goblin!" He pulled his daggers. "They are made of elder wood." Mira red at Arad. "They grew from the fairies'' graves. It''s using them as cores to grow stronger." Arad growled. "It doesn''t matter!" Lydia lunged forward, swinging her sword and cutting one of the blights in half. "They are normal sized so I can cut them." She said with a smile. The blight she sliced wiggled. "Lydia!" Jack shouted and veins exploded from the sliced blight. It engulfed Lydia and lifted her up. Lydia red down, her eyes glowing golden. "You dare touch a maiden?" CLAP! Her sword burst with a golden sh, tearing the veins. Thud! Shended standing and swung her sword at the blight again. Ripping it apart. The blights surrounding everyone extended their arms, sending snake-like veins toward everyone. Mira hid behind Arad as he caught some of the veins with his hands. Ae jumped up, dodging the attack while Jack rolled toward the blights. Lydia stared back, taking a deep breath. BAM! A faint golden mist covered her body. [Banner of the Crusade] She lept forward at a tremendous speed, slicing the veins. Thud! Thud! She didn''t stop moving and charged at the blights. Slicing and dicing with each strike exploding with [Holy smite] [She''s fast when facing humanoids. She isn''t used to facing giant monsters.] Arad smiled, "I won''t lose." He pulled on the veins he caught, dragging seven blights at once. "Let''s see you spin!" He started spinning them in the air, before smacking them at the ground. The blights regenerated, their bodies jerking to life right after falling. SLICE! As Lydia sliced, she noticed something in the monsters'' chests. "They have a fairy corpse where their heart should be! Slice that and they would die!" She shouted. Ae smiled, "Thanks for the information!" BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! She pulled her bow and started firing. In a matter of seconds, she has dropped all the monsters. Lydia stared back at Ae with a scared face, "What kind of power was that? I have never seen an arrow st through veins like that." Ae smiled, "This is a steel bow made by Mira here. The draw weight is off the chart." CRACK! As they talked, more trees around them rose as elder wood treants, and they got back on guard. [Mom, how could I kill those fast?] [Lightning. A good load will force water inside them to evaporate and they will explode. Fire will take time to burn them and ice will also take a long time to freeze them.] ^I thought wood is resistant to lightning.^ [When dry, yes. Those things are filled with water and salt. Also, all lightning magic creates powerful lightning bolts.] ^I can''t use that in front of Lydia and Mira, can''t you think of something else?^ Arad smiled as he heard Mom''s second idea. "Mira get away from me and hide behind Jack and Ae." "AH! Yes!" She turned around and rushed back. Arad squatted. The muscles on his legs started bulging. CREEK! His pants tore as he took a deep breath. "GUH!" Lydia gasped as she was the first one to sense the magic flowing from Arad''s body. She instantly knew something was off. No human could secrete such pressure unless they were at Alcott or Nina''s level. Arad''s back bulged and his shirt exploded as his massive ck wings emerged. CLAP! Mira gasped, those are the wings that scared her before. "Obsidian wings," Lydia gasped. BAM! Arad jumped to the sky, opening his arms. [Gravity Magic] He pulled all the treants to the sky with him at once. FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! His wings pped rapidly as he flew to the sky. Lydia fell to the ground as she tried to walk back and looked at the sky, "What is he?" she couldn''t believe her eyes. A single man is carrying over five treants with magic and flying to the sky. Ae stared up with dead eyes, ^What did happen to keep a low profile?^ Arad smiled as he reached the sky, the veins on his arms bulging as he swung up, throwing the treants. [me de] He created arge sword withpressed me. pping his wings. Arad flew between the falling tree ants, slicing their upper halves. The wind pressure from them falling rapidly put the mes out. And they crashed down without causing any wildfires. BAM! Arad fell from the sky,nding and standing on his feet. The ground beneath him cracked as he absorbed the wings back into hisrge torso. "Can''t you solo this mission alone?" Lydia gasped. Chapter ?169 Forced Rest ?169 Forced Rest [Friday chapters 2/3] Lydia red at Arad approaching them, steam gushing from his nose as he panted. "You have the sorcerer wings?" She stood, "How could lift them all?" "It wasn''t easy. Gravity magic made them lighter." Arad replied, panting, "But it was quite exhausting." He sat on the ground. Mira took her bag out and pulled a bottle of water, rushing toward Arad. "Here you, drink some." "Thank you," Arad took a sip and rxed. Mira started poking his arms with her finger, "You aren''t sweating." "I used a lot of magic, and the wind must have dried any sweat," Arad replied with a smile. Mira grabbed his upper arm and started quizzing it. Her palms barely covered his biceps. "It''s both soft and springy." "Yeah, can you please stop touching me?" Arad red at her. "Give me a moment." Mira didn''t stop, "I can feel your heart pounding a lot, are you okay?" She red at his eyes. "Yeah, I''m fine." Mira looked at Lydia, "You are a healer, check him out." "He must be fine." Ae approached. "No, let her check him." Mira stared back at her. Lydia sighed, touching Arad''s shoulder. She blinked twice, "It''s erratic! He should rest a bit." She looked back at Ae and Mira. "You lit fire, you go check in my bags and bring the bag of mint. Jack, you gather some branches for the fire." [You''re a dragon, your heart beats differently than humans. She must have mistaken it.] Arad sighed. "Fine, but we should move quickly." "You need to rest. Don''t try something that extreme again, your body isn''t used to those wings." Lydia growled at him. "I heard of people who couldn''t handle transformation and died. Next time, we run or think of something else." "Don''t worry about me. I can keep going." Arad rxed, pointing at the fire Ae tried to start [Bonfire] He ignited it for her. ~You''re strong, you might be able to beat the elder tree.~ the fairy stood facing Arad. ^Don''t tell me there are more of those things ahead. If that is the case, it''s too dangerous to take them with me.^ ~It''s already toote to back off. Soon you will find the core. I hope you can deal with it.~ ^Can''t you say anything that could help me?^ ~When you find the elder tree, pull it out and burn its roots. Otherwise, those things will keep appearing.~ ^Do you know its location? Tell me and I will go there right now and end it.^n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ~I can''t feel it anymore. You have to find it alone.~ The fairy disappeared, but that seemed strange. Her voice cracked at thest moment as if she was forced to stop talking. VOM! At that moment, Arad could sense a slight shiver in the ground. "Did the ground move?" He looked at Lydia. Lydia stared at the small iron cauldron, the water had tiny waves. "Yeah, probably a weak earthquake, or one of those monsters is getting closer." She red back, "Jack! Ae! Look around if anyrge monster is approaching." Arad sighed, he tried to stand but Lydia pulled him down. "Rest. You can fight or run if a monster appeared, otherwise, you''re recovering." Arad started at her, "I heard you shouting at Jack yesterday. Was it because of something like this?" "What?" "I can move," Arad replied. "Listen, sit, and rest for a few moments." She sighed putting the mint to boil in the small cauldron. "There are no monsters around." Ae came back, "But I saw a huge ravine to the east." "I found no monsters, but the trees are getting freaky toward the east." Jack came back at the same time. "So we''re heading to the east," Arad said, looking at Mira. "Yeah. Those strange trees have elder wood traces so we should find the elder tree if we followed them. Since we found the fairies dead, I bet the tree is ready for harvest." She smiled. "The quest said to only report its location," Lydia said. "They would cut it anyway." Mira smiled, "The forest seems to be suffering, we should cut it down." Arad nodded, "I was about to say the same thing. Let''s just rip it apart." He smiled. Mira nodded with a smile. She then turned back and poured the mint tea for Arad, "Drink this." Arad took a sip, "It''s good." "Don''t overexert yourself. Sudden outbursts can hurt your heart." Lydia looked at him. Arad nodded, "You don''t have to worry about me. How many times do I have to say that?" "I''ve seen many people kill themselves by overexerting their bodies. I do remember a certain fighter. He could only use action surge twice but he forced a third one in a fight and beheaded Bodak. His heart stopped and he fell to the ground shaking and fuming from his mouth." Lydia looked sad. Arad scratched his head, "It won''t happen to me." "It could. You could have died, don''t force yourself when it''s not needed." Lydia stood, making sure Arad understood what she was talking about. "Listen to her. You are strong, we know that. But you don''t have to risk your life." Mira patted Arad''s shoulder, he looked at Ae as if asking for help. "They are right, you should watch your health more." She smiled. ^You know I''m a dragon and this isn''t much.^ Arad growled inside. Ae stared at Arad with a grin, ^You should learn to hide your powers. Don''t go around flying and sting monsters.^ After the short rest, they kept moving toward the ravine. Arad started feeling weird. The dirt felt strange on the ground. He looked down, "Is it shaking again? And it''s a bit hot and humid here." Everyone took a moment to feel the ground, "You''re right. The dirt is warm, the air is humid and the leaves are vibrating faintly." Jack touched the ground. "Something is happening here. We should move carefully." ^Fairy! Fairy! Do you hear me?^ Arad got no answer. Chapter ?170 Pulled Into The Abyss ?170 Pulled Into The Abyss [Friday chapters 3/3] The party stooped by the ravine side, ring down at the dark depths. "I can''t see the bottom." Jack threw a stone and he didn''t hear it hit the ground. "Look!" Mira pointed toward a faraway spot alongside the ravine. A massive tree can be seen growing on the ravine crack. "That could be the elder tree," She smiled. "Wait, that thing is massive." Arad gasped. "Is it normal to grow like this?" "I heard it''s rare to find it bigger than a normal tree. We''re lucky and this could bring a lot of money." The party rushed toward the tree with Mira. As soon as they got close, they realized howrge the tree was. Arge, ugly, and vein-filled tree with thin silver leaves and jagged branches. It grew on arge patch of dirt. It levitated above the abyss by the tree''srge roots that connect to the walls of the ravine. "There is no way we''re cutting this thing down." Lydia sighed, "And even if we did, it will just fall into the ravine." "A saw won''t do it," Jack scratched his head. Arad looked at them, "We have to cut it down. It''s killing the forest." "Arad is right." Ae looked at them, "What would happen if the lumberjacks got attacked on the way?" "Our job is to find the location of the tree. We can report the danger and that kid will take care of the rest." Lydia said with a passive face. "That trunk is several meters wide. We can''t cut it even if we wanted." The party rested a bit facing the tree discussing what they could do. They reached the ultimate conclusion that cutting the tree was impossible. They will report it back to the guild and leave the rest to Chuzuke and his men. Arad could rip it apart if he transformed, but that isn''t an option. He thought ofing back alone to cut it, but then how could he exin that to Chuzuke when he find the tree torn apart? When they stood to leave, several trees started tumbling as they jerked to life. "I count twenty!" Lydia gasped seeing the treants stand. As the treants approached. Blights emerged from the ground, big and small. The earth rumbled and tents of snake-like roots burst forth. "It doesn''t want us to leave." Arad red back at the tree. "Is it sentient?" Lydia gasped. Arad smiled, turning around rapidly and swinging his fist toward the tree. [Firebolt] Veins extended forward and protected the elder tree, "It is, that thing wants us dead." The veins on Arad''s shoulders started bulging as his blood boiled. "I will throw all the treants into the ravine. All of you run into the forest." Thud! Lydia patted his back. "Listen, we fight our way out. Don''t get yourself killed." She pulled her sword, "I will clear the blights, you stall the treants." She rushed forward. "Fine." Arad followed her. Lydia swung her de at one of the blights, but he dodged and tied her hands with his roots and veins. "He''s fast!" Lydia gasped, clenching her fists [Holy smite] CLAP! Activating the magic tore her binding off as she swung at the blight, killing him in one strike. Arad jumped to kick one of the treants but it dodged, punching him to the ground. "They are faster and stronger. Is it because we''re close to the elder tree?" "That could be true. Be careful!" Jack shouted as he swung at the small blights. Dodging the snake-like roots. Those were the second thing making this fight hard. "Focus on the treants. I will take care of the blights!" Ae pulled her bow, firing at the human-sized blights. Those are the ones having dead fairies as their hearts. She could kill them with a single shot. The fight started heating as Arad kept knocking the treants down. He pushed them away with Lydia jumping in to finish them. She only managed to kill three as they stood quickly. Mira remained standing in the middle. The ravine is behind them and monsters are at the front. She can''t run to the sides as there might be more monsters. She picked one of the wood axes they brought to cut wood and held her breath. "I swear! Anythinge close I will chop your head off!" She waved the axe at the small blight approaching her. But Jack soon killed them. CLENSH! Ae fired her arrow as she felt something grab her ankle. She looked down, and a thick tree root grasped her. "Damn it!" She tried to pull a knife but the root started pulling toward the ravine and she fell on her face. "Wood is better and being chairs and tables!" Mira rushed in with her axe, giving the root a good hit and tearing it in half. For a moment, Ae felt relieved that she was freed, but she couldn''t be more wrong. More roots rushed in from the ravine, tying her and Mira. Pulling them toward the dark abyss. Lydia saw the roots dragging them. She swung her sword but a treant blocked her way. "Move away!" She screamed with [Divine Smite] CLAP! Even her most powerful spell couldn''t drop the treant. Lydia growled, squeezing her brain, how could she save Ae and Mira? They are too far away, and the treants aren''t easy to drop.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "ARAD!" Ae cried, and that was all he needed. CRACK! THWACK! The ground shook violently enough that Lydia''s body bounced up. A massive gust of dust rushed from behind her back with shards of wood. She gasped for air, trying to turn back but unable to. BAM! She saw the massive ck wnd beside her. The massive ck draconic body ran above Lydia. His massive jaw clenched on the treant she struggled with and cut it in half and rushed toward Ae and Mira. "What!" Lydia gasped as Arad jumped into the ravine after the two girls. She stared back, only to see the carnage. All the other tree ants were smashed to the ground. Chunks of the ground are disced with Jack coughing in the back. The moment Ae called, the moment her body disappeared from Arad''s vision into the abyss. It was then that the dragon snapped. Chapter 171 [Bonus chapter] Desperate Struggle 171 [Bonus chapter] Desperate Struggle Mira screamed as she got snatched, staring at the blue sky moving away. "ARAD!" Ae screamed. There is no way they can escape the fall, and this tree is pulling them. FLAP! Mira blinked, seeing the sky turn dark. Arge reptilian monster blotted the sun as he jumped after them. He spread his wings, roaring.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The tree stopped caring about Lydia and Jack, it even let go of Ae and Mira. Arad is the danger. Thousands of veins emerged on the walls of the ravine. They rushed to stab him. Arad opened his jaw [Gravity Magic] and he pulled Ae and Mira toward his mouth, hiding them inside. Mira freaked out for a moment seeing the dragon bite them but Ae calmed her. "It''s Arad, bear with it for a moment." Arad red at the tree, taking those two to the surface was fir priority, ripping the tree aparte after that. BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! BA-dump! Ae and Mira heard Arad''s heart elerating like an engine. His breathing sounded more like a jet of air rather than exhale and inhale. Dragonfly, a bug with incredible wing speed and maneuverability. That name came from how simr it was to the dragons flying. FLAP! FLAP! Arad''s wings pped so fast they almost became invisible. A loud rumbling covered the forest as he sted to the sky. The countless veins rushed at Arad, aiming at his wings to drop him. THWACK! As the veins approached the wings, they got torn apart by the sheer force. Arad burst through the veins andnded outside before Lydia and Jack with a thud. His wings stopped moving as opened his jaw and dropped Ae and Mira. Thud! At that moment, the tree sent her veins to tie him by the wings and started pulling him in. Arad red back, growling. He couldn''t start pping his wings. CLENSH! The tree started pulling Arad and he held to the ground with his ws. The veins stopped pulling, and they lifted Arad instead. CRACK! Arad''s ws tore a chunk of the dirt as he got lifted. ^Huh?^ Arad gasped, staring down. The tree is strong enough to lift its weight. Thwack! He got pulled into the ravine with a single pull. "ARAD!" Ae rushed to the edge, firing her arrows at the veins but doing nothing. Arad opened his jaw. Ae and Mira aren''t there anymore. ROAR! He unleashed the strongest void breath he could muster at the tree. He isn''t caring about the mission anymore. New veins emerged around the tree, forming arge wall that took the hit and got ripped to shreds. [me Cloak] Arad''s body burst into mes, trying to burn the veins tieing him. CRACKLE! [Lightning Cloak] The veins tieing Arad started burning and falling as charred coal, but more kepting. Keeping him tightly tied. Arad red at the tree, thinking of a way to tear it apart. It was then that he noticed something. Magic moved from the tree through her roots deep underground. ^Mom, could it be?^ [The tree isn''t the real body. It''s using it as a decoy, I bet we would find the core underground.] Arad stopped his mes and lightning, pretending to stop from exhaustion. The moment he felt the veins on his boy get a bit weaker. He sted down, following the magic-rich veins into the abyss. The roots kept attacking him as he jumped from one side of the ravine to the other. "Your heart is down there isn''t it? I will rip it apart!" *** At the surface, "Was that Arad?" Lydia rushed at Ae and Mira. "Yeah," Ae replied, panting as she looked back. "We have to save him." Mira red back at the tree, "Let''s hit it. Any distraction could help him escape." Lydia stared at them, scratching her head, "I expect some exnationter. Let''s get to work now." They could feel the ground beneath them shaking, Arad is still fighting. Lydia looked at the tree, pulling two potions from her pocket. "I will give a good whack," She downed them. Ae pulled her bow, "We''re the only heavy hitters beside Arad. Let''s hit it together." Ae growled, veins bulging on her neck as her eyes glow green. Lydia smiled, "Jack, Mira. You two try to guard Ae, I''m charging in." Veins bulged on Lydia''s face. She clenched her fist so hard that her de turned bright red when the divine mes rushed forth. BAM! She ran forward as fast as she could, keeping her eyes on the tree. Ae Stood at the back, pulling her bow back as the wind got violent around her. Thud! Thud! Thud! Lydia rushed toward the tree. Several veins burst from the ground to stop her but she ignored them, going straight for the tree. More veins attacked Ae. Jack swung his dagger cutting two as Mira iled the wood axe. "Please hurry! You know I can''t fight!" She cried, even though each of her swings tore a vein in half. Lydia reached the tree. CRACK! Her foot dug into the ground as she swung her sword. BAM! A massive golden me exploded from her de mid-swing. [Divine Cleaver] CLAP! She hit the tree with all she got, tearing several meters of wood. "Ae!" Ae took a deep breath, concentrating all her magic on the arrow. [Lance of Zephyr] BAM! She released her arrow in a burst of air. The moment the arrow tip touched the tree, it exploded in a massive shockwave. The tree cracked where Lydia hit it, and it started falling back. "They dropped it!" Jack gasped. Swosh! Veins rushed from the tree base and tied the tip. It sewed itself together before it could touch the ground. BAM! Veins rushed from the ground. They grabbed everyone by their legs and pulled them toward the ravine. "Not after Arad has pulled us out!" Ae screamed as everyone dropped into the abyss. Chapter ?172 [Bonus chapter] Underground Heart ?172 [Bonus chapter] Underground Heart Cough! Lydia coughed blood, ring down as the veins pulled her body toward the abyss. ^I don''t have much time before the potion''s effect end.^ ZAN! She swung her sword at the veins, leaving a crescent moon of holy magic. Thud! As she got free, she stepped on the vein and lept at the walls. Jumping from one wall to another as she fell, Lydia shed the veins left and right. She freed Jack first. "Jack! We need something tond on!" "I know! Damn,st time I fell in a hole I almost lost my shoulder!" Jack growled, shifting his body to fall head first. He pulled an iron rod from his pocket, "Two gold coins going down the trash!" He threw the rod down. BAM! The rod exploded, sending two sharp harpoons from each direction. It formed what looked like a massive hammock. BAM! BAM! Everyonended on the. "I see the bottom, but it''s filled with stgmite," Ae shouted before ring up, the veins rushed after them. "There isn''t much of them. I bet Arad is rampaging down there." Mira noted that there were much fewer veins rushing at them than the one that tied Arad. The tree focused on him more. "I will clear the stgmite. Follow me!" Jack pulled some explosives and threw them down. They cleared a patch of the stgmite as they exploded. Jack jumped down and swiped the jagged stones with his legs, "Jump down!" Ae lifted Mira and jumped down while Lydia jumpedst. "From here!" Jack had already found a small hole in the wall as he called everyone to follow him. As everyone entered the hole. Jack exploded the entrance and blocked the veins from following them. "You trapped us!" Mira cried. "The veins can''t dig through stones. This ce doesn''t have dirt, we''re safe for the time being." Jack replied. He has been watching the veins all the time. Blug! Lydia puked blood as the potion effect ended, she fell to her knees panting. "Lydia!" Jack rushed at her. "I''m fine. Don''t worry about me." She smiled [Healing] Jack watched Lydia''s body gets covered with a faint golden mist as she healed herself. "I''m fine, don''t worry." She sat down. "I can hear rumbling deep underground. Arad is still fighting." Ae put her ears on the ground, listening. Lydia stared at Mira, waving her hand, "Come here for a moment." Mira approached Lydia, "What is it?" "When I was cutting those veins, they felt strange." Lydia panted, ring at her sword, "Tell me! What is the elder tree?" "All I know is that it''s a magic-infused tree." Lydia shook her head, "The texture, it didn''t feel crunchy as wood. I felt a thud like cutting tough flesh. Is it a fungal wood?" Mira blinked, "No, but the roots of the elder tree are usually covered by fungal growth." "I know it." Lydia panted, "This thing isn''t a tree, it''s a fungal parasite." Lydia lifted her de. "I bet it has a core somewhere around here, the tree up is a decoy." "Fungus? Are you saying that a fungus consumes a tree and turns it into an elder wood?" Mira gasped. "I don''t know, and I don''t want to know." Lydia panted, "What I know is that those veins are fungus, which means I only need to smite the core to kill this thing." She red at Ae. "Arad has been talking about a heart underground. Can you locate it?" Ae stared at her, "Are you saying that it''s this thing''s core?" "This fungus seems to be a parasite. The heart must belong to something else. I guess the fairy that Arad saw." She looked at them, "The fungus must be controlling her as it did to the fairy corpses." Ae started listening, "I can''t hear it. Arad''s rampage is muffling all the sounds." Lydia stood, "We need to move. The more time we waste, the more likely he''s to fall." "Can you move?" Jack helped her stand as she stumbled. "I''m going to be sore as hell after this," she giggled. *** BAM! Arad shifted to his humanoid body. He leaped from one stone to the other as he dodged the countless veins and stones thrown at him. Thud! The veins caught arge stgmite, throwing it at Arad. CLAP! Arad closed his hands. [Gravity magic: To the left wall] The stgmite flew to the side. [Gravity magic: To the left again] With those two casts, he redirected it back. CRACK! When the stgmite hit the wall, it opened a new path for Arad to take. The veins kept thrusting and trying to catch him but they failed. He moved too fast and teleported when cornered. ~Trap...here~ The fairy voice rang in Arad''s head. It sounded strange, crackling as if she can''t breathe. CREEK! Stones moved at the wall, revealing a small hole. ^Is she saying the way ahead is a trap and that I need to go through here?^ [What are you talking about?] ^The fairy, I can hear her voice, but it seemed strange^ [We don''t know what to trust. It''s your decision.] Arad nodded, "Let''s give the fairy a chance." Arad rushed at the new path and kept rushing forward. After a few moments, ^The heart, it''s getting closer^n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [The fairy is leading us to it. It could be the elder tree''s core.] ~Up...~ Arad stopped, a high cliff faced him. ^No time to climb or space for my wings.^ Arad closed his eyes, focusing on his feet. BAM! The fire burned beneath them like a jet. BAM! He got propelled up in an explosive burst. ~Break...wall~ Arad found a strange dark and red wall ahead of him. [Iron ore, the fairy can''t manipte it.] Arad took a deep breath, clenching his fist. BAM! With a single punch, he shattered the wall. ~Gahhhhh~ He heard the fairy growling. ^Are you okay?^ ~Right...~ The fairy didn''t seem interested in talking, only giving Arad instructions on where to go. Arad kept rushing forward. Following her instruction for a while until he finally reached arge. BA-dump! ba-dump! BA-dump! ba-dump! BA-dump! ba-dump! BA-dump! ba-dump! At the ceiling existed arge spherical core connected to the earth with roots, beating like a heart. A disgusting white masstched to its side. Arad''s eyes told him, the heart and the mass had different magic. [That thing looks like a massive ooze core.] Chapter ?173 A Paladins Oath ?173 A Pdin''s Oath Arad red at the heart beating in the sky. "Should I bite that thing off?" ~Yes...~ The fairy voice boomed in his head. Arad clenched his fist, taking a deep breath. [Wait! Don''t hit it.] Arad stopped. ^What?^ BAM! BAM! Hundreds of veins flew at him forcing him to jump away. They chased him so he opened his mouth. [Don''t hit the heart or the veinsing from it.] Arad clenched his mouth shut. BAM! The mes exploded from his nose. He then swung his palm to the side, [Gravity magic] Pulling all the veins in one side. ^What are you talking about?^ [That heart is the fairy you''ve been talking to. That thing is trying to control her as it did to the trees outside. It''s a parasite.] ~st it...don''t waste time~ Arad red, torn apart by the two voices in his head. ^Hoi! Fairy, is that your heart?^ ~It''s already toote! st it.~ ^Mom, can I extract that thing?^ [I don''t know. I don''t want you to go on a rampage if I told you when it''s toote. Killing the fairy should be a decision.] Arad dodged all the veins from left to right, thinking as he took a deep breath. After a while, Arad smiled. "That old man Cain. He said that I must feel the element to learn it as magic. That I should feel the heat of fire if I wanted to learn it." Thud! Hended standing and started walking toward the heart. [The veins areing! Dodge.] ^That''s right. I haven''t felt the void yet.^ [Move!] ^They are here, can''t you hear them?^ Thud! Thud! Lydia rushed in, swinging her de at the veins rushing at Arad. CLAP! She tore them apart, "Why are you standing like an idiot move!" "Arad! Are you all right?" Ae jumped from the small hole they came from. "Is it that thing in the ceiling? I will blow it up!" Jack pulled a bomb. "But why haven''t you sted it yet?" He stopped, he could sense that Arad could have destroyed it if he want. "Wow! That thing looks like an oversized smile core." Mira gasped, clenching her hands on her axe. "The core is the fairy''s heart. Protect me until I could figure a way to pull the fungus out of it." Arad sat on the ground, his body getting covered with a dark void. "There are hundreds of those veins! How long do you think we can protect you?" Lydia growled, swinging her sword left and right. CLAP! [Holy Smite] Her strike tore the veins apart, dealing a lot of damage.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Yeah, pdins and smite. That thing hurt as hell.] [The pdin infuses his attack with holy magic and discharges it upon impact. That means the magic seep into the freshly opened wound and rip the target apart from the inside.] ^I see, that seems dangerous. But doesn''t that mean only damage the one the pdin injured?^ [Of course, they are holy-driven knights. They can''t go smacking everyone.] Arad could sense the voice moving inside his body. ^Mom, I''m a void knight, right?^ [Right, but the specific skills will show up when you grow older. Same with humans, they can''t use skills before puberty. To you, that''s being a young adult dragon.] ^I see, but I need to control my void. Can''t I erase the fungus from the heart.^ Arad''s void started rumbling. *** BAM! BAM! BAM! Ae fired her arrows at the veins, pinning them down for Jack and Mira to slice them. Lydia swung her sword left and right, each of him shing with a golden light. SLASH! One of the veins hit Lydia in the shoulder. "Lydia!" Jack shouted, throwing her a healing potion. Lydia caught the potion and bit the tip-off, she didn''t care to open the ss bottle as she didn''t have time. One vein almost hit her as she was drinking and the content spilt on the ground. With only half the healing, she stood panting with her shoulder bleeding. Swosh! A vein rushed at her, but she swung her sword. Cutting the vein from the tip to the base with blood sshing from her shoulder. Mira saw her and gasped, "How could she move like that? Her body is ripping apart." Lydia''s body started glowing with a golden mist as she mumbled. Veins rushed at Arad, but Lydia lept in with several swings, ripping them apart. Blood started dripping from her eyes and ears as pushed her body over the limit. [I see, a pdin of life and protection. It''s her oath.] "Under my name, those whom I have sworn to protect. They shall not see death before me." Lydia mumbled. BAM! Rushing forward with a heavy swing. CLAP! [Holy Smite] [Not only do they hit harder than a bull on the berserker potion. They just don''t know when to give up, stubborn, arrogant hardheaded. You can torture a pdin for decades and he won''t break his oath. As long as their god approves of their actions, they can smite with his word and will.] Pdins and Clerics are holy sses. They follow a god and instil his will, and both of them will lose their power if their god abandoned them. Lydia isn''t smiting with her Mana, she is smiting with the power borrowed from her god. Her only limit is her physical endurance, how much can throw out before getting exhausted. Most pdins fall after five to seven smites a day, but when a pdin refuses to give up. Or when their oath put them at peace with death. You can expect them to keep smiting till theirst breath. CLAP! Lydia''s expression froze in a passive face. Her focus rose to its utmost limit as she started sting the veins left and right. [Arad! If you''re going to do something, you better hurry. If you don''t, Lydia will die standing like most pdins. Bathing in the glory of herst battle.] Lydia swung her sword down [Holy Smite] CLAP! Blood dripped from her gauntlet as her forearm muscles bled. She shifted her position and swung up [Holy Smite]. Blood rushed out of her nose, her passive healing can''t keep up. Chapter ?174 [Bonus chapter] Controlled Void ?174 [Bonus chapter] Controlled Void CLAP! CLAP! Arad could hear Lydia fighting beside him. ^Hurry, control your magic further. Copy that spell.^ BAM! BAM! Ae fired two shots, "I''m running out of arrows!" She shouted. Her spare arrows are in Arad''s stomach. She can''t ess them. Jack red toward Lydia, "Take those!" He threw her two potions as he rushed forward, throwing explosives at the roots. "I''m here! Youid fungus!" Jack shouted to get the fungus attention. "What are you? Veins or vines? Both are long and wiggly and spit fluid out when I cut them." The fungus seemed to ignore Jack, it couldn''t see him as a threat. The only thing the fungus saw was the mass of mana, Arad. "You dare ignore me?" Jack smiled, "Lydia! Ignore the roots and heal, I will take care of them." Lydia started drinking the potions as the roots rushed toward her. "Where do you think you''re going?" Jack pulled his fist, dragging a thin silver wire. All the roots rushing toward Lydia got tied, falling to the ground with a wiggle. "I wasn''t running around blindly." Jack smiled, pulling a small bottle from his back. "I brought this for if a fight with a treant took a turn for the worse, but you can have it." He dripped the bottle on the roots. They started steaming and bubbling without breaking down. "I counted your roots. The number stayed constant at around 140. Give or take a few." Jack smiled, "I only need to tie and immobilize you with a nt spray. Those are around forty." BAM! BAM! More roots rushed forward, but Jack jumped to the side. "Ae! Fire as I told you, and make it count!" Ae pulled her bow, firing an arrow with one of Jack''s threads linked to it. [Wind Arrow] She then used magic to diver the arrow a bit, tying more roots. "And here is your medicine." Jack jumped at the tied roots with a smile, pouring the nt poison at them. The remaining roots are collected in one spot, forming arge spear. "Oh! This is bad!" Jack gasped, it was too big for him to blow off. Thud! Lydia stepped forward, gripping her sword. "Leave it to me!" "You will hurt yourself! Don''t use a full power smite again!" Jack shouted at her. "We dodge at thest moment." Lydia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Her arms shook, and her knees barely lifted her. She could feel her heart beating erratically, and her vision blurring. If she fired this, her body will give up. Lydia clenched her teeth [Divine...] Ba-dump! She could feel the holy magic in her veins shift. This might be herst smite so her god is putting an extra kick to it. A pdin always dies in glory, hisst glimmer blinding the battlefield. CREEK! The fungus''s roots shifted, ring at Lydia instead of Arad. At this moment, she was far more dangerous than Arad. CRACK! Lydia stomped to the ground, pulling her de back. Golden mes erupted from the edge, thest glimmer of her life. Thud! Lydia felt a hand on her hair. "Thanks for protecting me, you can rest." BAM! Her golden mes faded as she fulfilled her oath. She protected Arad with her life until he woke up. Thud! Arad walked past her, ck lightning-like shing came from his shoulders and arms. In his right handid an old rusted sword that he took from one of the countless corpses in his stomach. The fungus''s attention shifted back to Arad as Lydia fell unconscious. This time it was different. Lydia, and even Arad before were like a raging me of heat and magic. But now, Arad seemed cold and silent. Like a ck hole in the ground sucking rivers of mana without sign of stopping. Arad lifted his left hand as therge collection of roots charged at him. ZROON! The moment the roots touched him, his void ripped them apart. CLING! He then swung the sword up, causing a crescent ck sh to follow the edge. "Void erases, it consumes and devours. I was thinking, what if I tried to control what it could erase." Arad smiled. Thud! He stepped forward, void gushing from his de and body. "I can''t control it on the fly like the adults of my kin, but with a short meditation, I managed to achieve it." Thud! Arad stomped the ground and swung his sword down, throwing it at the roots. The roots cut themselves from Jack''s trap. and formed an emergency barrier to protect the heart. SWOSH! BAM! They managed to deflect the sword as it had a physical form. But as the dust cleared, Arad''s n became obvious. He stood in ce, his body bent backward as he inhaled fumes of void magic. His chest expanded as he overcharged his breath. The adults of Arad''s kind can control their void. They can specify to erase only dirt, wood, or magic as a dispelling breath. But for someone as young as Arad, he can''t perform that action as fast. From what Mom knew, that is an ability attained when a void dragon bes an adult. But since there weren''t many of them in the first ce, there could be an exception. Arad might not be able to change the affinity instantaneously. But he could still achieve mild control. ROAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR! Arad twisted his body forward as he unleashed his devastating breath. No one saw anything, Arad''s void didn''t erase air as it usually does. It didn''t erase dirt or stone, not even light. They only saw the fungus disappear in a wave. The heart in the ceiling got cleansed from tumor-like overgrowth. And it started to beat calmly for the first time. Arad giggled, "Hehe! See what I can do?" He started to feel light-headed, "Don''t you dare touch Ae and Mira, those two are..." He fell forward but Mira rushed in and caught him. "He''s heavy!" She gasped feeling a sharp pain in her lower back, she can''t hold him alone. "Wait for me!" Ae rushed in to give her a hand. "Wait, he''s heavy!" Ae gasped. Arad is unconscious, he''s falling with his draconic weight. ^We''re dead if he fell on us!^ Ae gasped. CREEP! Arge root wrapped around Arad''s body, lifting him up.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Everyone gasped, staring at the root. "No way! It isn''t dead yet?" Jack pulled an explosive pouch. Chapter ?175 Genius Loci ?175 Genius Loci The root shook Arad. Jack rushed to explode it, but a root grasped his hand. "Jack, wait! The magic around here is different." Ae called him. CREEK! The ground started shaking as a hole emerged in the ceiling. A root staircase reached all the way to the surface. Jack sighed, "Are you the fairy he talked about?" Jack red at the root. It let go of his hand, nodding. Jack walked toward Lydia, picking her on his back. "Let''s go outside. Arad needs to rest a bit." Ae and Mira tried to carry Arad, but they couldn''t. The only one who could carry him was the fairy''s roots. They walked out until they reached the forest. "Let''s set camp here and wait for Arad to wake up. We can''t carry him to the city like this." Ae put her backpack down and started preparing for the camp. After setting everything, Jackid Lydia in her tent and took her armor off. She had multiple muscles torn off, broken bones, and burn marks from overusing her magic. "A potion it is." He pulled one and poured it into her mouth. "You might take longer to wake than Arad." Ae and Mira looked at Arad, he didn''t seem injured. It was probably exhaustion. In reality, it was more than that. Arad doesn''t have full control over his void. When he changed it to only erase the fungus. He changed all his voids including the one in his body instead of just the breath. That sudden change gave his body a shock which knocked him off. It was as if a human ate too much salt and his blood became too salty. Time quickly passed and it became nighttime. Arad opened his eyes alone in his tent. ~You''re awake?~ The fairy sat on his forehead, ring down at his eyes. "No, I''m asleep." Arad stood and she flew to sit on his left tight. "Was that all the fungus?" Arad stared at her. ~No, but that was its heart. I should be able to recover in a few weeks now.~ She smiled. "That''s good to hear, I hope the elder tree is still intact so we can submit it." He red at her. ~Don''t worry, your breath didn''t erase it. It''s the fungus''s reproductive organ so it will remain for a while to spread the spoors.~ The fairy smiled. ~Of course. I ripped it off from the roots.~ "That''s good. We don''t want it spreading seeds and infecting other fairies like you. In fact, what are you?" Arad poked the fairy''s head with his hand.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The fairy giggled, ~I''m not a fairy, and there isn''t other lime anywhere close. I''m a genius loci, the living incarnation of a ce.~ When parts of thend remain undisturbed for untold eras, and with mana flowing through it. A genius loci can be born. Genius loci mean the spirit of ce, but in reality, they are the ce. One can be a mountain, an isted valley, a smallke, a deep cavern, or a single field. Even a tiny moon in the night sky. ~I''m the forest, you''re on my body now.~ The fairy smiled. "Wait, this whole forest is you?" Arad gasped. [Whole forest? Was that fairy a genius loci?] ^She is. Wait you know about them, why didn''t you say anything?^ [If this whole forest was her body, she could have manifested something to contact us. I suspected she was a dryad or something like that.] ~The fungus weakened my body beyond belief. I was already dying when I first spoke to you. You can say I was asleep like you earlier, only my mind worked.~ Arad stood, lifting the fairy with his hand and putting her on his shoulder. "Can''t you speak to the others? And why could you talk to me?" ~I should be able to speak to the other when I heal. But since I spend most of my time hibernating, my base ability to talk to children remains active.~ Arad nodded, "So you remain asleep most of the time, and only children can wake you up?" ~Yep,~ Arad walked out of the tent to see the others sitting around the me. "Arad! You''re awake!" Mira and Ae rushed at him. "I''m fine. What happened to Lydia?" Jack pointed at the tent, "Asleep. She should be fine tomorrow." Arad sat beside the fire, and a vine moved out of the forest. "Arad this is..." Ae tried to exin but Arad nodded. "I already know. She''s sitting on my shoulder." He pointed to the empty space on his shoulder. Ae smiled, "She helped us get out." "She''s a genius loci. This whole forest is her true body. Every tree, flower, and spec of dust is a part of her. The fungus barely controlled a fraction of her power as she was sick." Arad looked at the wood burning in the campfire. ^Those are parts of your body?^ ~They are. But don''t worry, they are like hair. Feel free to cut trees like any other forest.~ "Those trees are her hair." Arad looked at everyone. ^By the way, howrge are you?^ The fairy closed her eyes. ~My body is still a bit numb, butst I remember. The close city at the forest edge is built on my body.~ ^Alina city is built on you? Does that mean that my house on the other side is as well?^ ~Most likely, yes. But I wasn''t focusing on everyone living on me, you would have to wait a few weeks till I recover.~ Arad giggled, exining how massive the genius loci was. Jack gasped, "Wait! Can she fold the city like a book?" ~It takes too much energy to do that. I''m not used to moving. But once in the past, I could move those two mountains on my body.~ Arad started sweating as he saw the fairy point at the mountains behind his house. The one he took Ae to. "Are all genius loci this big? My house is definitely on you if you can move those mountains." ~I doubt it. I grew thisrge because too many powerful mages lived on my back. Even now, there is someone in Alina who I can''t fathom the power in him.~ Chapter ?176 Coming back to Alina. ?176 Coming back to Alina. ~Arad, can you help me get rid of the fungus seeds?~ "Of course," Arad stood, stretching his arms. "Where are they?" ~Go to the elder tree~ Arad walked toward the elder tree. As soon as he got close he could see it. The fairy ripped all the trees flowering branches and only left arge trunk. Arge ball of dirt sat beside the tree. ~The seeds are here. Please burn them~ Arad pulled his sleeves up, "Want me to stick my hand inside and use fire magic?" He touched therge ball. Arad pushed his palm inside the ball of dirt. With a red spark, his mes gushed form to burn everything inside and put an end to the fungus. "Let''s make sure this fungus neveres back again." ~Yeah~ "Say, do you have a name?" ~No, but you can call me Loci.~ *** The next morning came and Lydia woke up. She still couldn''t walk so Arad carried her on his back as they returned back to the city. Lydia and Jack stopped by the inn as She needed to rest. Arad, Ae, and Mira headed straight for the guild to report the tree''s location.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "How did the mission go?" Nina asked with a smile as she saw them approach her desk. "No one told us the tree is alive." Arad sighed. Nina tilted her head, "We don''t have information about it. Mira went with you to cover that gap. If she didn''t know, there is no way we can." Arad red at her. "This could have been a TPK. Register that dealing is dangerous." Ae sighed, "I will give the details of the quest." Ae and Arad gave Nina the details. Only omitting the fact they talked to the genius loci and its power. "The tree was a parasite fungus that infected a genius loci. I will make sure everyone with such a quest in the future know of that." Nina smiled as went to bring the reward. "Chuzuke left you a reward as a basic 10 gold coins, with more depending on the size of the tree you found. That means you have to wait until his expeditiones back." Nina smiled. "How long will that take?" "A few days. I chose this instead of a base payment since you will get more out of it even for a small tree." Arad stood, "Then, we will go rest." Arad and Ae walked out of the guild with Mira. "See youter." Mira smiled, waving her hand as she headed toward her home. Later that day. Knock! Knock! Arad was sitting on the couch in the living room when he heard the door. He red at it as he already could feel the person outside. "Coming." Ae walked toward the door and opened it. "How are you doing!" Mira said with a smile, walking inside. "We are fine. We weren''t injured. Did you check on Lydia?" Ae smiled. "She is fine, almost. Jack called a healer from the church and she ended up covered in bandages from head to toe. She''s so sore she can barely walk." Mira scratched her head. "But It seems her divine rank increased." "Divine rank?" Arad looked at them as Mira sat facing him. "Her rank in the church. Pdins and Celrics get higher in the church with more good deeds. God blessed her symbols directly which surprised everyone." Mira looked at Ae. "Gods rarely deal with mortals. Was it because she fought like that?" Ae walked toward the kitchen to bring some tea. [She fought to the death to keep her oath. I would say it''s a natural thing for a pdin to gain more power from their god for that.] "She''s a pdin. I would say it''s normal for her to get that." Arad said as he rxed on the couch. "It''s normal for a pdin. But the church people gave themselves nominal rank-ups for the past years. It''s been rare for a god to give it to a mortal, it never happened in the past ten years in this city." Mira sighed. "They can rank themselves up?" Arad sighed. "You build this church. You''ve been in the church for five years. You''re the son of the saint that. They keep spitting nonsense each day. And they get surprised when someone gets a legitimate rank up." "Do they get power from their rank-ups?" "They get systematic and diplomatic power. But not holy or divine powers. Alina''s church father isn''t a high-level cleric or a pdin. He''s just the son of the previous father and has taken the position." "I brought the tea. Arad can you bring the table out?" Arad stood and walked toward the cab in the back and brought a table. Ae sat the tea tray down and started pouring. "Speaking of power." Mira helps Ae pour the tea. "You''re a true dragon?" She looked at Arad. "Yes," Arad looked away. "I know it, those muscles don''t belong to a human." Mira smiled. "But, you aren''t a red dragon, are you?" She remembered him being as ck as coal. But he didn''t have the forward-pointing horns of a ck dragon. Arad scratched his head, "I''m a void dragon. Remember to keep it a secret." Arad grabbed his teacup and took a sip. "I won''t tell anyone. You can count on me." Mira smiled, "Should I tell Mom?" Arad looked up, "The fewer the people that knew, the better. Don''t tell her unless necessary." Mira looked to the side, "Sorry, I already told her." Arad sighed. "Only her?" "Only her." "Fine, I doubt L would cause me any trouble." Mira scratched her chin, "I told Mom how you saved me from the fall," she looked at Arad. "She said that if you have any scales, she could find a buyer for you. Or even a cksmith to make armor with no strings attached." Arad smiled, "Really? I have some of my scales that I wanted to make armor for Ae with." He looked back at the cer trapdoor. Chapter ?177 [Bonus chapter] Night Shade ?177 [Bonus chapter] Night Shade "How about Merlin?" Ae stared at Arad. "I would have to think about it." Arad closed his eyes. Merlin taught him gravity magic, and L helped him build the house. Which of them he should trust with the scales? "Merlin? The archmage?" Mira looked at Arad with a puzzled face. "She knows about you?" "Yeah. Alcott and Ginger do as well." Arad smiled. Mira scratched her head. "Who is the person Mom wanted to hire to make the armor? I need to know that, but otherwise, Merlin seems like a solid choice." "I need decent armor for Ae and Jack. You were with us and saw how a mission can go wrong." Arad sighed. "Yeah, we almost died," Mira remembered Lydia sting everything. "I hope Lydia can recover." "She will." Ae smiled. "Arad, some people are approaching from the east." A sudden voice scared Ae and Mira. It came from the window. When they looked, arge sunflower had grown a mouth. Arad looked at the flower. "Ah, Loci. You can do that now?" "This is the best I can muster now. I exhausted myself when I got you out of the ground. I would have shifted the forest to lose them if I could." "Wait, this is the fairy?" Mira gasped. "As I said before. She wasn''t a fairy. She''s thend we live in. This whole forest, mountain range, and city are built on her back." Arad exined. "She''s the spirit of Alina''s provinces." Ae smiled. "I don''t like that name," Loci growled. "Each dragon must have a territory to rule. My back is Arad''s territory so It''s Arad''snd." "Are you sure?" Arad looked at Loci. "It''s my back and I''m free with what to do with it," Loci replied, shaking the sunflower stem as if she were wiggling. [She''s the same as the wolves and the apes. As a dragon, your territory now expands from the eastern mountains. To the city, and to the western mountains behind the forest. Other dragons won''t tread on yournd, and even if they did. They won''t dare stay long if a genius loci are iming thend belonged to another dragon.] "Of course. I''m not bothering dragons that are passing by. Wyrmlings searching for food or temporary shelter, and even the injured ones." Loci seemed to smile. "Right now there are four wyrmlings on yournds. One red is passing by. Two green are injured and resting. and one ck that came to look for a territory but I told him to leave and he''s heading out now." "No adult dragons?" "They should be able to sense you from afar and stay away. They will onlynd on yournd if they wanted to speak to you. I don''t have control over the ones that fly in the sky." Arad stood. "I will go deal with the bandits. The fog can be annoying, but it won''t stop a motivated group." Arad left the house and the two girls stared at each other. "Say, Loci. Does it hurt to build on you?" "No. I know when someone is digging, but my skin is too deep." Loci smiled. "But I hate mines. Those things can hurt a lot. I try not to move, but I sometimes shiver and end up causing a copse." *** Thud! Arad rushed across the forest. Running between the trees as he headed toward the people Loci talked about. Arad stopped and stood behind a tree, ring with a single eye. The people Loci talked about looked strange. Eight armed muscr men. Four of them carry a human-sized box with a small door. Thud! They stopped moving. "Who''s there?" One of the men shouted. Thud! Arad walked from behind the trees. "You have some good senses. Care to exin why are you here?" The man looked at the box as if listening before he replied. "We aren''t here for trouble. We are searching for a monster in the area, did you see anything strange?" "I saw a lot of strange wolves, monsters, and more. Care to detail what this monster is like?" Arad walked forward. "Don''t get closer." The man lifted his hand. "The monster we''re searching for is a ck dragon. We suggest that you leave immediately. We''ve been feeling that it''s watching us for a while."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "A ck dragon?" Arad scratched his head. "I remember seeing arge ck thing fly over the mountains. Is that what you''re looking for?" ^They might have seen me fly over the mountains. I better send them to the other side just in case.^ "I see, thanks for your help." The man nodded with a slight bow. He then looked at the box and nodded. "We''re going there." Arad turned to leave. Thud! The man leaped forward swinging a dagger at Arad''s back. CLANG! The dagger shattered upon touching his skin. "What?" He gasped and the other men put the box down. Arad slowly turned his head back. "Care to exin why did you attack me? I didn''t lift my hands first, did I?" Thud! The man walked back, stumbling on the bushes. "How could a human survive a stab? You didn''t even get injured." He growled. "I''m an adventurer and my skin is hard enough." Arad opened his arms, "Those muscles should be enough proof." He pointed at the man''s dagger. "Such a tiny weapon can''t match the fangs of a beast." Two of the men stared at the box, and they red at Arad. They slowly stood like wolves and rushed to surround Arad. "Sorry man. But this is your unlucky day." They pulled words. "You''ve been looking at that box a lot." Arad smiled. "Are you getting orders from someone inside?" He looked at the box, "I smell blood from there." "Yeah, we''re getting orders from there. But that doesn''t matter to a corpse, does it?" One of the men smiled, swinging his sword at Arad. CLANG! Arad caught the sword with his hand. "I see, I see," He smiled, his eyes blood red. He could see two faint dots on the man''s neck. Arad looked at the box, "Get out, or do you fear the sun?" Chapter ?178 Underlying Danger ?178 Underlying Danger "Speak." Arad smiled. "Why are you silent?" CLAN! The men swung their swords at his neck, but they couldn''t pierce his skin.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What?" The men gasped. "Impossible!" Creek! The box''s door slowly jerked open. A long leg wearing ck pants and shoes extended out. "Fine, you want me out. I will get out." SWOSH! A bottle flew out of the box, cracking on a nearby tree as a long man walked out. As the man stood, he was almost two meters tall with long ck hair and red eyes. A thin build and a face covered by a semi-transparent veil. "What are you?" The man asked. "The owner of the forest. You''re treading on mynd." Arad smiled. "Hmm," The man scratched his chin. "You''re such a peculiar man, you got me interested. You smell weird." "Same for you." Arad smiled, "I know the scent of blood when I smell it. Vampire." The man growled. "You''re a sharp one, aren''t you? A vampire hunter I presume with how you reek of our blood." The man sighed. "It''s weak. But how many of us have you killed to have our smell attached to you?" Arad smiled. "Do you need to know? Neither you nor your men are leaving this ce alive. I was about to ignore you but you decided to attack me." "Hmm, I knew your blood smelled sweet from the moment my eyes fell on you. I merely wanted a taste." The man smiled, pulling a rapier from his waist. "Kill him," They pulled their swords back to swing again, and blood sshed. A radiating wave of void burst from Arad''s waist, sting them away. "What!" The vampire gasped. CLENSH! Arad lept forward, grabbing him by the neck. "Heh, fool," The vampire''s eyes shed red as he red at Arad. Nothing happened. "I felt a bit of tingling up my nose. Did you try something?" Arad smiled. "Impossible! Your eyes should have exploded." "Blood magic? Sorry, but that won''t work." "No way! There are two cases where blood magic won''t work. Overwhelming difference in power, or a higher vampire." The vampire red at Arad. "You scent, it''s clear from this close." "I see, I see," Arad smiled. "Guess I''m higher ranked than you. How do you hide your presence from other vampires?" "You can''t you fool!" The vampire growled, "Let me go!" "No way. You already attacked me so sorry, you''re all dead. Especially since you know me." "A vampire who can walk in the sun! I bet you need servants, I can serve you in exchange for blood." The vampire cried. [He used a potion to be able to walk in the sun. He tried to attack you and was looking for a ck dragon. We have no way of controlling him so he dies.] "Sorry, it''s not your lucky day." Arad bites the vampire, sucking everyst drop of blood from him. "Blugh!" Awful, taste like rusted spoons. Arad started spitting after he dropped the empty husk. He looked back, and the men have died with the vampire. No matter how much he spat, the awful taste never left his mouth. [Your vampiric blood started weakening upon ingestion of blood. I stopped it before any damage could be dealt to your power.] Mom warned Arad. [I let the vampire blood store inside your stomach. Please dispose of it somewhere.] "Wait!" Arad pulled a few branches from a tree and started chewing on them to get the taste out of his mouth. "I get weaker by drinking other vampires'' blood?" [I never dealt with vampirism. But for now, I will set it that you get weaker if you drank blood from vampires weaker than you. We have to ask Ginger for further exnation.] "Now that reminds me, Mira knows I''m a dragon but she''s clueless about the vampire and wyrmwolf part." Arad scratched. [You think she would get scared?] "Vampires suck blood and werewolves eat flesh. I''m sure she won''t find that pleasant." Arad scratched his head. [But dragons eat the whole thing. Vampires might only suck blood, and werewolves might only go after the flesh and chew on bones. As a dragon, you eat the whole body.] "Yeah, dragons could be more terrifying." Arad giggled, remembering the red dragon Alcott told him about and how he only ate young women. "Arad." A flower opened a mouth, "A party is fighting a troll to the east. Seven people caravan lost their way to the south. And there is a couple of griffons trying to set a nest in the mountains." "Let them deal with it alone. And don''t report everything to me unless they are getting closer to my home, or trying to harm thend." "The griffons are setting a nest in yournd," Loci said, wiggling its stem. Arad closed his eyes, thinking of ten ns. He then took the best. "I don''t want them to go somewhere else. Their strength might be useful in the future." [Flying mounts for Ae?] "Yes. For that, let''s wait until theyy eggs and can''t run away before going to visit them." Arad smiled, heading back home. *** Back home, Arad found Ae and Mira had already cooked dinner. This time the meat looked quite nice and pink. "This looks good, was it you Mira?" "Yeah, she''s amazing, isn''t she?" Ae smiled. "Albeit I won''t say I find that appetizing." Mira stared at Ae, "Arad is a dragon. You can''t cook his meat too much. He might prefer it raw." Arad sat at the table. "You can cook it, but don''t overdo it." The two girls sat to eat with him. After dinner, Arad stared at Mira. "Was it L who asked you toe here?" Mira giggled yeah. "She''s trying to push at you," She scratched her chin. Arad stared at her, standing. "You two prepare tea. Loci found some monsters." "I will go with you." Ae stood. "No, you remain here with Mira. I will be back soon." Arad left the house. "I didn''t say anything about monsters." A flower spike. "I doubt L is that simple. I''m going to check on her." Arad clenched his fists. [She sent Mira to you to protect her from the lord''s wife men?] BAM! Arad rushed forward as fast as he could. Chapter ?179 A Twisted Truth ?179 A Twisted Truth BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad ran forward, his eyes focused on the city. The wall is getting closer. ^Should I ask the guard to open the gate? No, it will take time^ The guards on the walls clenched their eyes in the dark, "Someone ising..." One of them mumbled. [Void Walk] Arad teleported directly behind the gate since he knew it will be empty. "I was wrong. There is nothing out there." The guard returned to his post. Oblivious to the dragon that snuck in. CRACK! Each of Arad''s steps left an imprint on the road as he elerated. Increasing his weight slowly to get more traction. CLANG! CLANG! Arad''s ears tingled as he heard steel shing. A fight is ensuing on L''s street. ^I was right. L knew someone will target her and Mira since they took Chuzuke''s side. She sent her daughter to me to keep her safe while she remained as a decoy.^ BAM! Arad''s nose started tingling, blood. He can smell it in the air. [Void Walk] He teleported forward to cut the distance. *** A man rushed down the stairs of L''s house, scared as two other men followed him. They jumped down and crashed onto L''s stashed goods and causing a mess. CLAP! A lightning bolt zapped across the room, killing one of the men as the other two rushed outside. "We''re safe! Damn it!" The two men smiled as they tried to run across the street. Thud! Arad rushed past them. His hands shifted into ws as he ripped across their necks. SPLASH! Blood sshed in the air. But it was absorbed into Arad''s stomach with the corpses before they could hit the ground. Arad stared at the shop door, seeing L walk out with a spiked steel rod in her hand. Abel standing behind her covered in blood. "Arad? What brought you here?" L gasped. "I felt that you might get attacked." Arad looked at L and Abel. "Was it her?" He red at the lord''s mansion with veins popping on his forehead. "I will burn it to the ground." L gasped, feeling the immense pressureing off Arad. She knew he was a dragon, and that wasn''t an empty threat. He was merely stating a fact. "Wait!" Abel caught Arad by the shoulder. "Listen to me for a while, will you?" Arad red at Abel. "What is it?" "It wasn''t stepmom. I was investigating her and something seemed off. Those aren''t even her men." Abel red at the mansion. "I check on her intentions, thetest contacts and it only got weirder." Arad looked at Abel. "Are you saying someone is setting her up?" Abel and Arad walked back inside the shop where they sat on the rubble. "Three days before a diviner discovered the elder wood. A woman came to the mansion and talked with Stepmom about a deal. She said the royal family was looking for rare furniture for the princess''s wedding. And they will pay handsomely." L looked at Arad. "I also heard of that. I know one of the maids in the lord''s mansion and she told me. So I can get anything rare I have to sell." Abel scratched his head. "The problem is that woman disappeared after one day without a trace after the p incident. I bet stepmom wanted to make furniture from the elder wood to sell to the royal family." L sighed, "That would have changed everything. The city will get a favor with the king, and a crap ton of money. I would say it would be a better financial decision than that kid Chuzuke." Arad looked at them. "That doesn''t change the fact you were attacked."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Listen to me," Abel started at Arad. "I got enough dirt on stepmom to bury her alive, but those weren''t her soldiers." He sighed. "They even went to the trouble of stealing her men''s armor to look like them. Someone is trying to set her up." Abel approached one of the corpses and removed the helmet. "Look! It barely fit him." The man''s head almost didn''t fit in the helmet. Arad approached the corpse and looked closely. He noticed a bite mark on the neck. "Look," He pointed at them and Abel and L took a close look. "Vampire?" Abel gasped. "For real? But how could it be?" L gasped. Arad stood. "L. I will take you to my house now." He then looked at Abel. "Go inform Alcott about this first, and then the guild." "Alcott is out on a mission. He left two days ago with Ginger." "Then inform the guild, and make sure Nina is the one to know first." Arad walked toward L we''re heading out. "Wait! Let me lock the ce down first." L ran back inside to bring the keys as Abel left. Arad looked at the road. "Loci," ~Sorry, I can''t conjure anything besides you now. The street is blocking me.~ Loci was the nature the city is built on. She might control the dirt beneath the stone roads, but those manmade stuff aren''t a part of her. ^Fine, did you know where those men came from?^ ~I didn''t see any of them enter or exit the city. But keep in mind I wasn''t paying that much attention in thest few months. And that looking inside the city is harder than the forest.~ ^Then keep an eye on the city skirts for anything strange.^ ~I will do that. And I will try to grow nts between the street stones and buildings. But it will take some time since I''m still recovering.~ "I''m done." L approached Arad with a massive bag on her back. ^Don''t push yourself too much.^ Arad touched L''s back, absorbing it into his stomach. "You can store all that?" Arad stared at her. "You can carry it?" He smiled carrying her in his hands. Hold tight. "Put me down! I can walk." L gasped. "If they are watching us, they will know where did we go if we walked." Arad smiled. [Void Walk] [Void Walk] [Void Walk] Each time L blinked, the scenery would change. From the inside of her locked shop, to behind the gates, to the fields, and to the forest. Almost immediately, Arad and L appeared on the forest edge. "What happened?" She gasped. Arad stared at a flower with L in his hands. "Loci, I know I''m giving you a lot of work. But can you jumble the way after me?" The flower grew a mouth. "I''m already doing that. It''s almost impossible for the average person to reach your house without me guiding them." "Thanks," Arad rushed forward running with L in his hands. Chapter ?180 Lyla and Mira at Arads house ?180 L and Mira at Arad''s house Arad reached his house and put L down. She stumbled forward and looked back at him. "Mira was right." She panted, "I''m sure no human can move like that." Arad smiled, approaching the door and opening it. "Thank you." The door opened without noise. The hinges are nice and oiled. Ae sat on the couch, wiping a vase as she tilted her head toward the door. "Arad? You brought L with you?" Mira poked her head from the kitchen. "Wait? Mom?" She walked toward the front door with a smile. "You two will be living here for a while." Arad looked at L as she walked inside. He extended his palm, and her stuff emerged on the ground. "Why?" Mira could sense that something is happening. Arad closed the door and sat on the couch. He exined what happened to Ae and Mira. Everyone sat around the table, thinking. "I can''t understand. Why vampires? It''s rare to encounter one." Mira scratched her head. "It''s probably rted to the elder wood. Someone is trying to set the lord''s wife up, or at least using her as a cover." Arad sighed, "You two will remain here until the threat I find who sent the attackers." Arad and Mira stood. "There is an empty room in the back you can use." Arad pointed toward the end of the hallway and Mira patted his back. "I built the ce. You don''t have to tell me where the rooms are." She smiled. Mira walked a bit forward and stopped. Spinning and smiling. "There is a secret room in the house that I didn''t tell you about. I hope you can find it." Arad looked around. ~The walls between the kitchen, living room, and the right room are a bit wide. There is enough space to fit a standing human. You can only ess them by crawling inside the stone oven~ Loci immediately found it. "What would I get for finding it?" Arad smiled. L started moving their stuff to the room as Mira stared at Arad for a while. "I know how to massage well. Mom always needed some after a day of work. I''m sure you also could benefit from one." Mira approached Arad with a grin, "But if you didn''t find it by tomorrow..."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "The walls between the kitchen, the living room, and the right room." Arad immediately spoke, stopping Mira mid-sentence. Mira red at Arad for a while. Her eyes slowly closed and opened as her head gently shook. "How did you?" "Don''t underestimate a dragon." Arad smiled. L walked by and looked at Arad''s face and then at Mira. "He knew before you made the bet. I saw his eyes lit." She patted her back. "You should have told me, Mom." Mira cried, finding out that Arad tricked her. "That''s your fault for not watching his eyes. You rarely trust people but you dropped your guard for him. You''re progressing well." L smiled and then looked at Arad. "You''re doing a great job. A month ago, I don''t believe anyone if they told me Mira would act like this with a man. Keep it up." She patted Arad on the back as she took the rest of the items. Mira red at Arad, punching him in the stomach. Her face was bright red. Aradughed, and she punched him again and again. Her hits didn''t hurt him, but they tickled. Mira didn''t feel like she was punching something hard or soft. Her fists felt no recoil hitting him as if they slowed down before the impact. That feeling exhausted her rapidly as if she was pushing against an invisible force. Mira leaned on her knees, panting. "What are you made off of?" Arad looked down at himself. "I''m made of myself." Mira gave Arad onest punch before turning around, "I going to help Mom." "Wait. When do I get my massage?" Arad called her. Mira froze in ce. Her head slowly turned to nce at Arad. "I will call you soon when I''m ready." Her voice almost cracked as she took a deep breath. With a sigh, she turned and rushed after L. Ae approached Arad. "Aren''t you teasing her a bit too much?" Arad turned and looked at Ae. "I was actually teasing you. I expected you will lung at me at any moment." "Why would I do that?" Ae tilted her head. Arad froze, he turned to the side. ^Mom! It didn''t work, why?^ "Did you think I would get jealous or something?" Ae tilted her head. "Yeah." Ae giggled with her hand at her mouth. "I have many reasons to not feel jealous." "Like what?" Ae approached Arad, whispering in his ear. "If getting pregnant with a dragon egg takes a lot of time. It won''t be efficient for you to stick only to me. And I''m still technically a ve, remember." Arad grabbed her hand, ring at her eyes, "I understand the first, but the second has nothing to do with it." Ae smiled, "It has a lot to do with it. It''s the things we don''t think about." She turned around, heading to her and Arad''s room. Arad stood alone in the living room, his hands on his hips as he red forward. ^Is she still conscious about the ve part?^ [Probably. We should make a trip to the ve market and ask them to remove the contract.] ^But what about the part that she is scared of using her magic? Right now she basically uses it because of me.^ [That isn''t something she should keep doing. Pushing responsibility at you is only a temporary solution. We have to get deep and fix why she''s scared of her magic.] ^You''re right. But your n to make her jealous failed.^ [I was hoping it would get her a bit more active. At least she understands that you need more than one woman to get things moving.] "Arad,e here," L called Arad. Arad turned and walked toward her. She smiled and pointed inside the room. "I have never seen her this focused before." Mira sat alone in the corner, ring at a bottle of oil with a red sweaty face. Her eyes were red, almost falling from their sockets as she didn''t blink. Her mind is somewhere else as she didn''t even notice Arad walking into the room. Chapter ?181 Massaging The Dragon Isnt Easy. ?181 Massaging The Dragon Isn''t Easy. "Mira." Arad waved his hand before her, but her focus never broke. He tilted his head, poking her forehead. "I''m here," "HA!" Mira cried, her arms iling as she jumped. Thud! She smacked her head on the wall and curled forward. "It hurt," Mira growled, holding her head back as a tear dropped from her eye. "Mira." L lifted the broom and gently tapped Mira''s head. "Hurry, or I will do it myself." "Heh?" Mira lifted her head, gasping as she stared at her mother, confused. L approached snatching the oil bottle from Mira''s hand and handing her the broom. "You go sweep the ground. I will massage him." She smiled. Mira blinked, jerking back to life and snatching the oil bottle back. "Give that back!" "Then stop daydreaming." L smiled, resting her hands on her hips. "I saw him, he was about to rip the lord''s mansion apart when he thought the attack came from there." L turned and walked toward the door. She looked back with a smile. "You better work hard." Arad and Mira stood there. He red at Mira with a grin, "So, when will we start?" Mira looked down, "Please wait a moment. I will put something on the table." She walked to the corner and brought a white sheet and covered the table. Arad took his shirt off andid on his stomach. "Did you start?" Ae walked inside. "Heh!" Mira gasped, she was too focused on Arad''s back that she didn''t notice Ae walking in. "Did...you need something?" Mira stared at Ae with a red face. "I did massage Arad once, but my experience is low. L suggested I watch and learn a bit." Ae smiled, sitting on the bed beside the table. "That''s a good idea," Arad gave Ae a thumbs up. CLAP! Mira pped her cheek with both hands. ^Calm down,^ "Are you okay?" Arad looked back. "Yeah. I needed to focus a bit. Look down and don''t move." She grabbed the back of his head and turned it. Mira took a few deep breaths. Dealing with his back was enough, having to stare at her is too much. Mira looked at Arad''s back. "Usually, you change the massage depending on the type of work done. But the back muscles are almost always involved." Mira ran her finger down Arad''s back, from the neck to his hips. "It''s amazing. Usually, it''s divided into three segments. Upper back(Trapezius) muscle, middle and lower." Mira looked closer at Arad''s back. His back wasn''t human, his muscles weren''t where they should be. There twisted and turned. Have more segments than they should. Even someone with decent massage experience. It could mess everything up when the muscles change. "They are amodating your wings, aren''t they?" She noticed that all his back muscles were linked to his shoulder des. Arad closed his eyes. Two small bulges appeared on his back and expanded into wings. Mira could understand something about Arad''s body, and how could he move trees. In a human, the butt muscles are usually thergest since they carry the most weight. "Your wing muscles are the most developed and thergest. Probably since dragons are flying creatures. And they all link to your shoulders." Arad could punch harder than he can kick and would find it easier to pull his body with his hands than to stand on his legs. Mira pulled out the oil bottle and poured some on Arad''s back and her hands. She put her palms on his lower back and slowly pushed up to his wings, following the muscle segments. "Do you feel it?" Mira asked. "Not really. Try using more force." Arad replied. Even though Mira''s hands were tough and harsh from working the wood. They were still softpared to his skin. "Ae,e help me. You massage the right side and I will take the left." Mira realized that her strength alone won''t be enough. Ae approached the table. She put some oil on her hands and started mimicking Mira''s movement. "They are tougher thanst time." Ae gasped. Arad''s flesh felt like tough leather, she couldn''t dent it. [There are severalyers of your draconic musclesyered on top of each other. Try to rx more or they won''t do anything.] Arad took a deep breath, clearing his mind and focusing on rxing his back. Mira finally felt Arad''s muscles get a bit softer as her sunk in a bit. CREK! L opened the door and walked in, "You seem to be struggling." "He''s hard," Ae growled. "That''s what you say." L smiled, patting the two girls on the back. "Move, leave it to me." "I can do it," Mira looked back at her mother. "I''m the one who taught you. And I didn''t teach you everything." L pulled the girls back and took the bottle of oil, pouring some on her hands. SLAP! She smacked Arad''s back. "Rx and take a deep breath." "AH!" Arad giggled, "Fine, I''m already rxed." L grabbed the edge of the table and climbed up, sitting on Arad''s butt and she cracked her knuckles. "What are you doing?" "Mom!" Mira approached.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Look, you must use your entire weight. Sit like this, and press your knuckles on his lower back." L did just that. Forming fisting and resting then on Arad''s lower back. "Put all your weight in it. If your hips aren''t lifting up, you''re doing it wrong." L took a deep breath, "Now, slowly slide forward." "AH!" Arad growled as L''s knuckles dug into his back. "Good, he seems to be feeling it." L smiled. "Now, you reached his wings. Just stop and start after them." L exined how she did as went through Arad''s back. For the sides, use your elbow. If you wanted repeated motion, don''t bother smacking your fists down. In the end, L was the one giving Arad a massage. Her experience made a huge difference. "Let me try," Mira walked forward as L finished with Arad. "Me two!" The two girls spent about an hour testing their skills on Arad with L teaching them. Chapter ?182 The Church and Lydia. ?182 The Church and Lydia. The next morning came before everyone could know it. Arad stood and walked out first, heading to the city to check on Jack and Lydia. Ae remained in the house with Mira and Lydia. *** A man yawned beside the inn. He could hear the low rumbling of hoves in the distance. He looked at the street and saw a moose rushing forward. "Heh?" He gasped, noticing Arad on top of it. "Isn''t that Arad?" He gasped, moving out of the way. Arad stooped beside the inn and guided Mc to the horse stable. CLACK! He couldn''t enter as his antlers hit the sides of the shed. He tried tilting his head but it will be ufortable to stay like that. "Can you wait outside?" Arad patted Mc. "Brrrrrrrrr!" "Good, I will be back soon." Arad walked inside the in, pushing the door open. "William, how are Jack and Lydia?" "Look who it is. Arad," William smiled. AHH! The man sitting at the desk sighed, "It''s you, young man." Arad immediately noticed the frail old man. He was the owner of the nt shop. "Old man Cain, don''t tell me you''re here drinking in the morning." "Master Cain like toe here from time to time." Arad flinched feeling a cold sweat drip on his back as he heard the words from the back. He looked at it as the maid serving Cain. ^Did I miss her?^ [Yeah. She was standing in the dark, silently breathing.] "Jack and Lydia are doing fine. A priestess from the church came yesterday and tended to Lydia''s wounds. She will be fine." William replied with a smile. "Come, take a seat." Cain waved the beer bottle as he called Arad in. "I doubt they will wake this early." Arad walked toward the counter and sat beside Cain. "Drinking in the morning is bad for your health." "Haha..." Cainughed his guts out. "You said it before. Don''t worry about me. What about you kids almost getting yourselves killed?" "Give me something to drink." Arad looked at the bartender. "Milk if possible." "Kids drink milk. Men drink beer," Cain red at Arad. "If I was to choose between my bones and what people think, I would choose my bones." Arad smiled as he took the milk mug from William. Cain smiled. "A smart young man. Kids need to take care of their bodies. Don''t get into bad habits like me." Thud! He patted Arad''s back. "What did youe here? Memories?" Arad looked at the stairs as he heard movement in Jack''s room. He opened the door. Cain emptied his bottle in his throat like it was a sink. "Mosquitoes have been buzzing around my head. I find it hard to get a good night''s sleep." Thud! Arge man wearing church clothes stood behind Arad and Cain. "You there. Young man." The man spoke in a deep voice. Arad and Cain turned to re at the man. "Are you Arad the leader of Jack''s party?" The man red at Arad. "And who''s asking?" "Arnold, a high priest from the church." The man smiled. And then pulled a crystal ball from his pocket. "The church has been a bit restless about Jack and Lydia. They fear losing such a powerful pdin due to him." "I see. Why are you speaking to me and not him?" Arad red at the man. "The young man here is right. You should be speaking to Jack, right?" Cain red at the man with one eye. "The man has a criminal track record. The church can ignore the whole ordeal if someone trustworthy and vouched for him from the party." The man showed the crystal ball. "I''m sure you have a clean record. As the party leader, I want you to promise that Lydia will remain safe." Arad nodded. "Yeah, she technically joined the party. But as an adventurer, I can''t promise her safety." "The church is fearful that she almost died in her first quest with you. And she was the only one with major injuries. The higher-ups are restless. They think you''re party is trying to kill her and weaken the church." Arad scratched his head. "Only touching the ball will do?" [Don''t touch the ball. It will signal your wyrmwolf and vampire bloodlines.] Arad stopped his hand mid-motion. He red at the man. A vampire isn''t something the church would want to speak with. ^This is bad. I need to get out of this.^ [Stall him for a minute. I will think of a way out.] "Hoho!" Cainughed, touching the ball. "Does it tell how good you were?" The crystal ball shed green. "What does it mean?" Cain looked at Arnold with sparkling eyes. Arnold cleared his throat. "You are clear. But, green means you had a lot of women in your past. A womanizer." He sighed. Cainughed. "Now that you reminded me, I do have a lot of power in me." As Cainughed, he grabbed Arad''s hand and put it on the ball. ^Old man! Arad growled inside, surprised at how the frail Cain yanked his arm.^ [Damn it!] The ball shed white with a faint blue and red light. Arnold smiled. "Innocent, valor and burning courage. You have a sly part but''s necessary for adventurers to survive. The church will be satisfied with this." Arad blinked twice, neither he nor Mom could believe what they saw. Arnold marked the result and hid the ball. "I will be going now to hand the result to the church. Please take care of Lydia from now on." He smiled, "With your result, could you consider bing a pdin?" "I''m already a sorcerer." Arad sighed. "That''s a shame," Arnold smiled. "If you wanted anything done in the church, please ask for me." He then left. *** Arad took a deep breath and red at Cain. "What did you do?" "Nothing. A small trick." Cain lifted his shaking finger with a spark of magic on it. William stared at them. "That''s called a personality orb. It''s used to identify criminals. How could you overwrite a holy object with magic? The underworld would hunt you down for that knowledge." Cain waved his hand, "It''s nothing I can teach." He looked at Arad with a smile.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Gods mess with you, tell me and I will smack them with my cane." Cain giggled, swinging his cane and almost hitting the bottles on the desk. "Please stop!" William took Cain''s cane before he could smash some bottles. Thud! Jack walked downstairs with Lydia leaning on his shoulder. Her whole body is covered in bandages beneath her in white dress. Chapter ?183 Paladins Smite ?183 Pdin''s Smite Jack helped Lydia till they reached the counter. "How has it been?" He looked at Arad. "I''m the one who should be asking." Arad looked at Lydia. "How are you doing?" She sat on the desk and smiled, "I''m fine. But sore. I snapped a few muscles and cracked some bones, but that should heal soon." "The muscles on her arms and legs have suffered severe damage. The bones seems cracked as well so the healer couldn''t believe she still stood." Jack looked at her. "Does it always happen when you fight?" Arad asked. "I abused my smite. It''s the same with hitting anything, the recoil always hurts." She looked at William with a smile, "Give me something warm. A lot of meat will help." "Comming right away." "You couldn''t use healing potions?" Bam! Cain put his beer bottle on the desk. "There is a limit kid. Abusing potions and healing magic could weaken you, or even age you." "He''s right." Lydia sighed. "Healing in general needs nutrition to close wounds. When your stores run out. The magic starts breaking down muscles to heal your wounds, and you grow weaker. If the injury was too big, the healing could exhaust all your cells, damaging them. Which will appear as aging." Cain downed another bottle. "Unless you have a lot of fat. But most adventurers are lean and muscr." Jack snatched Cain''s bottle. "Going on long trips, relying on preserved food. Fighting monsters and healing every so often. There is no way we can put on fat." "Give me that back!" Cain snatched his bottle and stood. "That''s why, don''t abuse healing magic." He stumbled out of the tavern with his maid''s help. Jack scratched his head, "What a strange old man, why drink in the morning at his age? And he has such a beautiful maid following him." "Old people who live alone usually hire a maid or buy a ve to take care of them. He must have hired her for that." William brought Lydia''s steaming hot meat. "Most of the time they will write their belonging to who took care of them as they don''t have anyone else." Jack scratched his head. Lydia started eating. "Ouch! Hot!" Jack started cutting the meat into small pieces and helping Lydia eat. "So, I doubt you came here without an actual problem." He then shifted his eyes at Arad. "A vampire seems to be targeting L and Mira. Abel says someone is trying to set his stepmom. But since he isn''t that good at gathering information, it''s quite hard to track who." "You want me to gather information?" "No, you''re taking care of Lydia. I came to warn as it seems rted to the elder wood quest." "They might target us?" Arad nodded. "Be careful, or move to my house. It''s safer there." "I could still fight," Lydia started at Arad. "If I saw any vampire, I would smite him to hell." "Vampires are weak to holy magic. Or should I say pdin smite is designed to damage them." Jack scratched his head. "But you will harm yourself more." "I will be fine." Lydia smiled. "Remember divine cleaver? The one I used to hit the elder tree?" "Yeah? Why?" Jack looked at her. "Vampires are weak to holy magic, receiving about half more damage. A pdin''s holy smite is designed to leverage that weakness for more damage and deal double. Divine Smite improves on that with another half damage. And then the cleaver gives another double damage." A grin crossed Lydia''s face. "Let''s take ten damage and count it." Since a vampire is weak to holy magic he takes 15 points of damage. It will double since ites from a holy smite so he takes 30 points. With a divine smite, that added half damage so he takes 45 points. And if it was a divine cleaver. That doubled again to a whole 90 points. And that''s only from a ten-damage hit. Arad scratched his head, "So it will hurt, a lot, like hell." [She might one-shot you with a solid hit. But you aren''t weak to holy magic.] William stared at them. "I heard of a party that faced an elder lich. That monster was too strong it could level a city with his undead army. But then their pdin walked in and smote into smithereens." He smiled. "I guess gods won''t take it easy on evil." "But in exchange, good humanoids are resistant to holy magic. And those who worship the same god are immune." Lydia looked at William. "That only means you can drop the fattest smite in a battle without worrying about anyone else." William stared at her. "Pdins are unfair. Everyone would be bing one if it didn''t have all the responsibilities. And the devotion." "Come on. Wizards are more dangerous. I heard one of the countries to the west has an archmage who could drop meteors from the sky." Lydia sighed. "Fighters taking on a whole army solo. Rogues forcing a country to its knees with a clever heist. Each ss has its strength and weakness." "Lydia is right. Remember Nina? Barbarians are scarier to face than five pdins." Jack giggled. Arad took a deep breath. Lydia might kill him with one hit if she knew he was a vampire and a wyrmwolf. "So, how about moving to my house for a while? Until she heals up." Jack looked at Lydia, "The fresh air of the forest will help. I also could move more and gather information." Lydia sighed. "Fine, but make sure to call me if you wanted to fight a vampire." They stood and took Lydia to Arad''s house and then headed to the guild. It was only Jack and Arad. "Nina, did Abel tell you?" Arad walked toward the desk. She nodded with a stern face. "First a cubus and now vampires. Things are getting hectic." She looked at Arad. "I know you''re strong, but you need people to help now." Arad nodded, "Yeah, I want Jack to gather information. So I will go solo from now on."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Thud! Nina put a piece of paper on the table. Arad looked down, "A quest?" "A quest from the guild. Find the vampire and exterminate him. You will get paid based on its power. And you will get promoted to A-rank." Nina smiled. "It will look bad for the higher-ups if someone brawled with werewolves. Is a dragon yer, a vampire yer, and is stuck at B-rank." Arad smiled, "So, what''s the catch?" Nina smiled, "Jack will gather information, so you will be working alongside them. The best we currently have." She pointed back. "Yo! Did you miss me?" Abel smiled, lifting his hand. "Sorry for troubling you again." Merida stood beside him. "But the guild wants us to work together." "Don''t you have someone else?" Arad red at Nina. Chapter ?184 The Challenger. ?184 The Challenger. Arad looked at Nina, "Are you sure? I can understand Abel. But not Merida." He shook his head. "I doubt you find anyone better than her. Except for the old ones like Alcott, he isn''t here. Look at the guild, does anyone look better than her?" Nina smiled. Arad looked back, and then back at Nina. "Someone who looks better is standing in front of me." Nina giggled, "Me?" Thud! Abel grabbed Arad''s shoulder, "Hoi? Do you want her on the team? You would have to beat her for that." "Abel is right. As a barbarian, I fight at my best when I don''t need to think. And I hate thinking when fighting, I only smash things with my axe." Nina walked from behind the counter. "You don''t have what it takes to lead me. Even Alcott can''t." CRACK! As stood, the ground beneath her feet cracked and all the adventurers shivered. They could feel her gaze change, that woman wasn''t the happy Nina. It wasn''t the angry one as well. Nina stood with her arms slightly parted. Arad could see the veins bulge on her arms as he heard her spine crack. She seemed to get a bit taller, just a fingernail worth as her eyes emitted a faint golden glow. "You aren''t strong enough to fight with me. And end up dead like most people." She looked a bit sad. Abel noticed Arad about to speak so he closed his mouth. "Come with me. We need to discuss our future ns." He tried to move him away, but Arad was like a mountain, erect in ce. "Who''s dead?" Arad asked and everyone in the guild backed off. "She''s about to snap." Nina sighed. "I did go to parties before. But most of them died as they jumped in trying to help me in a fight. " She scratched her, "Like, don''t jump in when I''m raging. I will only see you as an extra target." "So you lose control when raging." "Yeah. Nina turned around. It''s always one of two. They either jump to help and I end up killing them with the enemy. Or they stay back watching as I do all the job. In the second case, there is no need for me to go to a party." She walked back to her desk. "Fine. You will join my party if I beat you while you''re raging?" Arad stared at her. Nina looked at him and started talking. "No one invades this kingdom from this direction, even though it doesn''t have thatrge of a military, or a fort." She smiled. "The thing they fear is me. Even if they amassed enough might to take me down. The damage I will deal to their army is enough to cripple their whole invasion." Arad looked at her with a smile. "So, if we went with sheer strength. You own the ce?" Nina blinked. "I''m surprised to hear that from a non-barbarian. Is it your red bloodlines boiling?" She tilted her head. "You''re right, if we went the rules of the wild. I''m the strongest monster around." Arad scratched his head, looking confused and tilting his head. "Strange. Thest time I asked the ground, it said I own the ce." ~Yes this is my back, and I''m saying it''s your territory~ Loci spoke in his head. ~But she''s far stronger than you. Let her be~ [Arad, drop it. I have a feeling she could tell you aren''t human if you two fought now.] Nina looked at Arad. "Strangely enough. I don''t sense boasting in your voice." She smiled, "Like I''m facing the arrogance of a ruling monster in the forest. A true red bloodline." She pointed back at Abel and Merida. "Reach S-rank, and I can consider fighting you once. You need to be at least that so you won''t die. Keep in mind that even Alcott doesn''t dare fight me." She took a deep breath, rxing her limbs. Arad approached the counter. "I will keep that in mind." [Arad, she can''t bear eggs. That''s a waste of time and effort.] ^But she''s strong. I need someone like her around if I wanted to remain free and move around.^ [I guess you''re right. I shouldn''t beparing you directly to your mother. She is a woman and had to carry and birth the eggs. But you can get one woman pregnant and move to the second. So having someone strong to protect them when you out make sense.] "So, are we going to register a new party?" Arad looked at the papers. Nina smiled like usual. "No, it''s a temporary party. Like the one Jack and Lydia formed when you were out." Nina helped Arad get his party''s paper down, and then he walked out with two awkwardly trailing behind him. Some of the adventurers walked out as well. CLACK! As soon as the guild''s door closed, the adventurers outside looked at Arad. "HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" They shouted, cheering and rushing at him. "We never saw someone talk to Nina like that and live! Even Alcott curls into a ball and barely speaks." "Look at me! I''m shaking in your stead!" One adventurer showed Arad his sweaty shaking arms like that of an old man. One woman mage approached Arad. "Let me tell you something. I''m sure she liked you, otherwise, you would be dead." "I was waiting for her to punch you in the face. Or for you to make a move." Another came panting. "How could you even speak? Just seeing her stand there with all that aura and might have made us back off. And you just questioned if she was the strongest?" Another one came smiling. "You came out of nowhere. You made Amber question her skills. Brawled with werewolves. Faced Alcott in a spar. Killed a dragon, and now challenged Nina? What next?" Another oneughing. "Tell you what?" A bard hit the string on his lyre. DRING! He started singing. "There was once a dragon mage named Arad." "He beat the wolves, challenged the yer and what he y." "After a while, he became the lord and everyone said hooray."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Except Abel, ''cause his sister is the one marrying Arad." SMACK! Abel smacked the bard on the face, sending him rolling on the ground. "I hear another word." "Calm down." Arad patted Abel''s shoulder. "He''s joking," CRACK! Abel red at Arad, "You''re thest one I want to hear that from." Merida remained silent at the edge, unable to speak up each time she saw Arad. She can''t look at him straight in the face after what she didst time. Chapter ?185 Stressed Out ?185 Stressed Out Abel pulled Arad away, "Let''s leave, we have work to do." He red back at the bard. "Next time I''m going to break your lyre." GAH! The bard sat up, shaking his face and blinking as he regained hisposure. That was a sold punch and his eyes are tearing up. "Come on, man." He growled, lifting his lyre. "That was a joke, this isn''t." DRING! Pulling on the strings, the bard opened his mouth. "CHICKEN!" Arad saw a wave of magic emerge from the lyre and the bard. Forming into a hazy cloud and rushing at Abel. When it hit, no effect happened. "What?" The bard gasped. "CHICKEN!" He cast the spell again and again, but it kept failing. Abel looked back at the bard with a grin, "What''s up? Can''t even cast magic?" [That''s a simple spell that forces the target to believe something. The bard tried to make Abel believe he was a chicken. But since he''s a devil, it keeps failing.] Arad approached the bard. "Can you cast it on me?" The bard was getting frustrated with Abel, but he blinked the moment he heard Arad. His head quickly turned and he sighed. "You sure? I wanted him to look like a fool, not you." "I rather being a fool here than on a battlefield." Arad smiled. He wanted to see if the spell could work on him. [You''re immune, but you since it''s a mental resistance. You have to fight for it.] Mom exined. [Imagin it like Ae waking up in the morning. She can wake up, but she still needs to use some will to stand up and move.] ^If that was the case, why is it called immunity?^ [No resistance means you fall on the spot. Like you took a heavy hit to the head knocking you unconscious.] [Having resistance means you take a while for the spell to work. In that time you can try destroying the source of magic. Like hitting the mage or drinking a potion to help.] [Having immunity means that you can negate the magic with your will. Or with an outsider stimtion like pain or voice. With the incubus, you needed Sara to wake you up from it. Like you wake up Ae in the morning.] The bard cast the spell on Arad. Arad felt a fog umte in the back of his head for a moment. ^No,^ He growled inside and the fog faded. "Yeah! It won''t work!" The bard stared at his lyre for a moment, "I need to get back to practicing." "That''s it Arad!" Abel cheered Arad, smacking his back. "I knew you would resist it! Even the incubus couldn''t take you down." The bard stood. "I heard it was your sister keeping him awake." he stared at Abel. For a moment, Abel was about to get angry but calmed. What the bard stated was a fact. "Yeah. I guess he got better in the meantime." Scratching his head. [You didn''t. You didn''t know how to use your mental immunity.] The bard sighed. "Well. Let''s be real, even I won''t pass out to an incubus. If your sister was rubbing her chest on my back." He giggled. "You bastard!" Abel lept at the bard, swinging his sword. The bard dodged to the side and took off running, "Come back here!" Abel chased him across the training ground. "Why does he keep triggering Abel off?" Arad sighed. The mage woman from earlier approached. "He and Abel are old friends. Or let''s say, Abel used to hire him to sing at the elephant trunk." Arad turned his head and looked at Merida. "And why are you silent? Standing alone in the back." Merida gasped. "Me? Sorry...It''s nothing." she walked toward him, looking down. Arad looked down at her and sighed. "Lift your head, or do you have a bump on your head?" He was taller than her. Looking at her with her face pointing down made him only able to see her upper scalp. "Sorry," Merida lifted her face, averting her eyes away from Arad with a faint blush. The mage looked at Merida and she smiled. Her lips curled like a cat''s. "Hey Arad, how about we talk a bit? Merida seems to need some time alone." She tried to lean on his arm. CLING! The mage froze in ce, sensing the cold steel on her neck. She started sweating as she looked at Merida. She already pulled her long sword, "What did you say?" Merida growled with a passive face, ring directly at the mage''s eyes. The mage gulped. ^If this was a fight, I would have lost my head. I was out of her range, wasn''t I?^ she gasped, looking at Merida''s de. It was twice the length of a normal sword. "Sorry, I mean how about you two have some time alone?" The man looked at Merida with a pained smile and a sweating face. "I will excuse myself now," She turned and ran away. "You scared her." Arad looked at Merida with a passive face.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Sorry. I didn''t mean to..." Merida panicked. "That was some impressive speed. But youcked control." Arad smiled. Merida remembered. She swung at the mage out of instinct, It was Arad who stopped her sword with his palm. Otherwise, the mage could have been wounded. "Sorry. I intended to wound her a bit. Nothing that healing magic can''t fix." Merida looked down. "I don''t think you need to attack everyone that triggers you. Try to be calm, or talk to me about it." Arad sighed. Merida nodded. "You two, let''s leave." Abel approached them, panting. "That bastard is going to pop a vein in my skull." He walked past them, grunting like an angry cat. "Abel!" The bard shouted. Abel stopped, taking a deep breath. "Feeling less stressed?" "Yeah, thanks, man." Abel sighed. The Bard stood, taking a deep breath as Arad, Abel, and Merida left. The mage approached him. "Like the old days? He''s still traumatized." "I can''t me him. Got both his legs broken, and his ribs shattered before he could know it." The bard remembered the day Abel tried to hit on Nina as Arad did. That was before he opened the brothel. Nina fought Abel and wanted to end it without harming him. Her n was to pin him down. The moment the fight started, she rushed at him, kicking his ankles to drop him to the ground. Of course, they shattered alongside his calves and knees. Abel fell to the ground, and Nina jumped on top of him to pin him down. But that fall broke his ribs and cracked his spine. Abel couldn''t walk for four months. And couldn''t shit alone for seven months and had the maids at the lord''s house help him. "I guess seeing Arad make the same mistake as he stressed him out. I could see his knees shaking the moment Nina walked off her desk." The bard sighed. Chapter ?186 Invitation ?186 Invitation "Where should we look?" Abel looked at Arad. Arad tilted his head, "You''re asking me? You''re the one who has been looking around." "I think we should wait till nighttime. I doubt vampires will walk under the sun." Merida said with a shaking voice, she looked away as Arad turned toward her. "I saw a vampire use a potion to walk under the sun. They might be around us, we need to search for leads." Abel scratched his head, "If that was the case, it means we can''t rest day or night. Do you have any clues?" "Probably we should as around the slums. That could be a good hiding spot. Or around noble houses." Merida looked around. "If they are using a potion to walk under the sun, that means we can exclude everyone who is out in the day for a long time. I doubt potions can work like that." Abel smiled, "You''re saying it must be a finite resource. They won''t be wasting it unless needed."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad nodded as he looked at the street, "Jack is out searching for information. We should act as well," *** Jack returned to Arad on the second day. He looked worried as his expression tensed as they sat in the guild. Arad knew something was off, "What is it? Did you find anything?" Jack shook his head. "No, I didn''t. And that''s weird." He stared at Arad. "There are no traces at all. After the attack, they might have gone into hiding. It''s a terrifying silence." ~I too didn''t find anything strange. Whatever they were nning, they could have abandoned everything.~ [The best way to get away with something, is to leave with minimal effort.] "Hiding in in sight," Arad mumbled. Jack blinked, "You know of that?" He smiled. "Some thieves talked about it in the past. Trying to cover up will only make you leave more leads and look weird." "Arad! I have a letter for you." Nina approached them carrying a white letter sealed with a red mark. Arad could smell the perfume on it from where he stood so it seemed weird. "What is it? That thing looks fancy." Arad sighed. "Is it the lord?" "He''s still waiting for you, true. But this one is from Chuzuke Esmeray. His expedition returned from the elder tree and he is setting a celebration party at his mansion." Nina handed the letter to Arad. "I doubt I will go. I have more things to deal with." Arad sighed. "Did you forget? You will be paid by weight. I have a feeling he will give the extra money for the quest at that party. You should attend." Arad''s face twisted a bit. "Fine. The invitation is only for me?" Nina shook her head. "No, there are two open invitations. One for you and one for Mira. They say you could bring anyone with you." "Why just us?" Arad stared at her. "Mira is independent of you as a carpenter. And you''re the leader of the party that protected her. Such letters are often used to invite the head of a noble house, and let him bring any family members he wants." Arad nodded, "So instead of sending a letter to everyone, he can send this." Arad stood, "Fine, as long as there is money, I''m going." Abel scratched his head. "I''m sure Father had some money for you." "I feel like he would try to tie me to the city. I won''t go to him yet." Arad looked at Abel, "Am I mistaken?" "You''re not. He would try to give you a knight or a noble title and somend to keep you here. Push his hand, and he will try to marry one of his daughters to you. Of course, only since your potential as an S-rank is high." "If you''re going, do you have clothes for a party?" Merida looked at Arad, lifting one hand with a faint smile. Arad looked at her. "Now that you mentioned it. I wanted toe to you with Ae for a while to get some clothes." Heughed, "We barely have changes let alone fancy clothes for a party." Merida smiled, pping her hands. "Is that so? Pleasee to my shopter today." Arad stood with a smile. "I will go bring everyone." He wanted to bring Ae but also knew that Jack might need some clothes as well. He doesn''t know about Mira. "L shoulde as well, I won''t like leaving her alone." "Who you will be taking with you?" Nina asked. "They do need to get food right and stuff." "Me, Ae, Jack, Lydia, Abel, and Merida as well." Arad looked at Nina with a smile. "Mira would probably bring her mother, but I''m not sure. I will tell you after we go to Merida''s shop." "I understand." Nina turned to leave. "Hey, do you want toe as well?" Nina looked back at Arad. "I appreciate the offer, but I do have some work to do." Abel took a deep breath, "You really want her?" "She''s strong," Arad smiled. Merida stood. "I will head to the shop and get everything ready. You go bring everyone." She rushed out of the guild. Abel stretched his arms. "I do have some nice clothes at home. I will go get those." He also left and Arad headed alone home. *** Back home. "Ae!" Arad called as soon as he walked into the garden. "We''re here!" Ae waved her hand from the kitchen window and Arad approached. Looking inside he saw that she, Mira, and L were cooking, and Lydia sat in the back eating. "What are you doing?" He asked. "Learning to cook. We had a bit of time after all." Ae smiled. "Arad!" Lydia waved her hand. "Come check this! You won''t believe how delicious is the food those three can make." Mira looked at Arad, pointing with her thumb at Lydia. "She''s taste testing." Arad smiled. "I came to tell you that we''re invited to a party at Esmeray''s mansion. Who wants to go shopping for clothes." He handed the letter to Mira. Everyone dropped what was in their hands. Chapter ?187 Magnificent Craftsmanship ?187 Magnificent Craftsmanship "I was wanting to buy some clothes." Ae smiled. "Give us some time to clean things up here." Mira smiled. Lydia blinked, looking at Mira. "I thought you of all people would have something to wear to a party." Mira giggled, "Me? Impossible." Waving her palm, "I''m but a humble carpenter. What would take me to noble parties? You''re a pdin, weren''t you invited before?" "I was invited once, but I never attended." Lydia scratched her hair, looking at the table with a smile. A butter knife rested with some grilled potatoes and butter. "There was a call for reinforcement for a zombie dungeon and I had to help." "I went to a party once with your father." L stared at Mira with a smile. "I remember him choking on food." "Jack will be there as well. We''re all invited, including Merida and Abel." Arad said with a smile. "Those two, a quest from the guild?" "Yeah. We''re in a temporary party to find the vampires who attacked L." Arad looked at them. "GRWAAA! BRAAAWA! (Lady of the house! We got the items you asked for!)" A voice growled from the cer. Ae and Arad stared at the trap door, while everyone else jumped. "This sound. Kobolds!" Lydia grasped the butter knife on the table before her and red at the trap door. Golden light gushed from her eyes. "Ah!" Ae rushed to stand between Lydia and the trap door, "Sorry, I forgot to tell you." Lydia only took a second to figure it out. "Arad''s minions? I should have expected it." She put the knife down. "I have almost smitten them." "You can cast smite with a butter knife?" Arad looked at her. "Anything will do. It isn''t a matter of weapons, but faith. I can smite with my bare fists if I needed." Lydia clenched her fist and it started emitting a golden smoke. Ae opened the trap door to let the kobolds out. Several kobolds, standing a bit over one meter tall walked out. Carryingrge dishes of gold and gems on their heads. They stumbled, dropping the riches on the ground and panicking. "GARWAAAADD! DADGGGHEREDFD!(The lord''s wealth! Pick it up!)" One of them cried.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Hoi!" Ae stared at them. "Didn''t I tell you to not call out? Who did it?" The kobolds looked at each other. Everyone pointed at the person next to him. "HJKSK! (He did it!)" "All this gold and gems?" L approached them and red at therge dishes. "Where did they get all this?" "They are mining underground," Arad replied. "There is a whole dungeon in the cer." Ae picked one of the dishes and searched in it. "You made them well." she smiled. Circlets of gold and ruby, nes of silver, and rings of gold and emerald. The magnificent craftsmanship is unseen anywhere else. "I asked them if they could make jewelry. They are amazing at it." Ae lifted one of the nes and showed it to Arad. Arad smiled. His horde is growing rapidly as it should. What is a dragon if he doesn''t have a bed of gold? Arad jumped through the window and approached the kobolds. "Good job, He patted one of them. What are the rest doing?" He asked. "Ah!" The kobold gasped, staring at Arad. "The Axols aren''t doing much. But the giant ants expanded theiryer deeper into the ground. Their forces have tripled in numbers. The goblins are focusing on training and helping us carry the gems." He exined. "Wait? Expanding?" Arad gasped. ^Loci, are you okay?^ ~It''s nothing. They can expand as much as they want. In fact, that is better for me. The dungeons around here feed me with magic.~ ^Don''t tell me dungeons are a genius loci way of eating~ [I don''t know. Never heard of it.] Ae looked at the girls in the back. "You don''t have to worry about jewelry. There is plenty here, we need to get clothes though." The girls stared at therge dishes of gold. "We can''t take from it." Mira scratched her cheek. "No, you can take it." Arad looked at them. "I should have more than enough in the future." L approached Arad. "I know how you feel. But you shouldn''t be giving jewelry like candy." She patted his shoulder. "You will run out one day with excessive spending." Arad looked at her with a smile. "My wealth won''t be so pathetic that taking a few rings would demolish it." To dragons who take pride in wealth. Assuming they will get poor is an insult. Some dragons are stingy worrying about every coin like red dragons. While the others take offense when their wealth is taken lightly. [Void dragon''s wealth isn''t gold, gems, or anything like that. Their hoard is power, knowledge, and magic they umte through their countless lives.] "Take it, take it." Arad smiled. "Let''s head to Merida''s shop. You need some clothes as well." All the girls picked what they liked from the bowls and Arad absorbed the remaining into his stomach. After packing everything up. They left the house heading back to the city. Lydia rode Mc as everyone else walked. *** In Merida''s shop. "Father! Is everything out?" Merida rushed downstairs with arge bag. She jumped over thest two steps andnded between the shelves. "Everything is out. You said your friends areing, but why take everything out?" He looked at the massive pile of clothes. He then lifted arge shirt. "Who could wear this?" Merida looked at the shirt. It''s too big, but she has a hunch that it will fit Arad with his muscr frame. Knock! Knock! She could hear knocking on the door. "I''ming!" She rushed to open it. "ARAD!" Merida said with a smile but soon froze seeing an unfamiliar face. "Who are you?" The girl standing in front of the door smiled. "Arad? That''s a familiar name. You can call me Roberta." Roberta gave Merida a slight bow. "This is my father, Gerald. Can we get in?" "No." CLAP! Merida smacked the door closed. Chapter ?188 Cunning Intellect ?188 Cunning Intellect "Heh!" Roberta gasped as Merida closed the door. She looked back at her father. "Did I say something strange?" Gerald shook his head, "No, I doubt it." He approached the door and knocked gently. "Hoi! Open the door." He called with a deep voice. "The shop is closed today. Please return in another day." Merida replied from inside the shop. BAM! BAM! BAM! Gerald gave the door a few good smacks, "Did something happen?" He shouted. Thud! "Gerald and Roberta?" A familiar voice came from behind them. Roberta''s eyes lit as she stared back. "Arad." She froze, seeing arge moose ring at her. "What is this?" She took a step back. Arad stood there with Lydia riding Mc. Ae, Mira, and L stood beside him as they red at Roberta and Gerald. "You''re here to buy clothes as well?" Thud! Gerald walked toward Arad. "Yeah. As merchants, we buy to sell in another town. We heard this shop has great products, so we came to have a look." He sighed, ring at the shop''s door, "They smacked the door in our face as if they saw a ghost." "Merida did?" Arad approached the door, "Merida, open the door. It''s me." Thud! Thud! BAM! They could hear someone stumble inside as they rushed to the door. CRACK! The door cracked open as Merida stared out with a smile, "You have arrived." Arad stared at her, "Why did you kick them out?" He pointed with his thumb at Gerald and Roberta. "A custom of the city. If the shop''s windows are closed, you can''t see inside. It means it''s closed." Merida stared at Arad, "Knocking at the door is rude." Arad looked back at L. "She''s right. Most people build shops in their houses. You aren''t supposed to knock at the shop''s door if they closed the windows." Roberta stared at them. "I never heard of that. Is it only in this city?" "I don''t know." Mira red at her, "I never traveled to other cities." L smiled, "You won''t see it a lot. Most people here need money, so they never close their windows." Alina''s shops have windows that allow customers to look inside and see the goods. If only the door is closed, it means you can still knock, and they will answer. If the windows are closed, that means it''s fully closed. The owners might not be inside, someone else might have moved in, or they could be just cleaning. It simply means. "We''re busy or having something private. You can''te in." Merida stared at Roberta. "The shop is reserved today. Pleasee back tomorrow if you need anything." "Can you let her inside?" Arad looked at Merida, "She''s a great merchant, and I''m sure you will have a good deal." L sighed, "Give up, Arad. Them trying toe in with the windows closed is like finding a stranger in your kitchen. You won''t invite them to tea." Mira looked at Arad, "Yeah, she will never let them in." "Of course!" Merida said with a smile. "If you say so, they cane inside as well." Everyone red at her. Seeing her smile, they got even more confused. "Are you sure?" Roberta stared at Merida. "Of course. Arad said so, after all." She opened the door, "Pleasee inside." Everyone walked in, and the shop seemed strange. Thest time they were here, they had multiple types of clothes. Children to adults, men, and women alike. But now, the children''s clothes are nowhere to be seen. Wooden shelves lined the wall with several dresses neatly folded on them. A line ofrge ck and white linen clothes decorated with silver threads and frills blocked the stairs to the second floor. Merida walked into the middle of the shop and stood beneath the chandelier, "I pulled out all clothes that I think would fit you. Please check them and tell me if you want anything. Ae walked around the shop, checking the dresses. She turned toward the other girls. "Does anyone knows the color of the ballroom?" Merida looked at her. "All nobles paint their rooms white with golden decorations." Ae looked around for a while and picked a mint green dress with tiny golden frills. "How about this one? It will stand out." She showed it to Arad. "Isn''t it a bit small for you?" Arad looked at the dress. The waist is a bit too thin. Lydia stared at Arad with a smile, "Are you saying that she is getting fat?" she giggled. Ae red at her, "I''m not!" she cried out. "This a bit too thin. I doubt I saw any woman in the city with a waist that can fit here." Arad lifted the dree pointing at the waist. Merida looked at them, "You''re supposed to wear that with a tight corset." She pulled a corset from the shelves in the back, "This one should fit Ae." Arad looked at her, "Can she breathe with her torso squeezed? Can''t you make the dress wider?" Merida stared at Arad, "Aesthetically, women like a thinner waist. Especially in the noble courts."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The girls nodded, staring at Arad. "That''s how is it, young man," Gerald patted Arad''s back. "Let them have it." Arad looked at Ae and the dress and red at Merida, "Make it wider. She isn''t wearing a corset." His eyes then approached Merida, "Can you fight with a corset?" "No, it will make..." Merida paused, taking a deep breath. ^That''s right, how could I forget? We''re hunting vampires. Arad is keeping that in mind since dropping our guard could mean death.^ She started sweating as she red at his face. Merida wasn''t wrong. Arad''s draconic brain already made several ns for unexpected ambushes. What if they are attacked in the street? In a carriage? Right now, and even when they sleep. He made a counter-attack n for each scenario so he could fight on instinct. "We won''t need to fight at a party." Lydia stared at Arad. "The ce is filled with guards." Arad stared at her. Tilting his head to the side as he shed a faint purple light. "What about the way there? How about when we''reing back? What if an assassin maid snuck in like what happened with Gerald there?" Arad took a step forward. Everyone who saw the light in his eyes could feel a deep cunning and intellect that they found disturbing. "I already messed up once by not ounting for L being attacked in her house. I won''t make that mistake again." Lydia started sweating as she red into his eyes. That''s right. She almost forgot as he stood in front of her like a human. He was a dragon. No one can tell what ns swim inside his head. CLICK! The door opened, and Jack walked in like it was his house. "Wait! I locked the door." Merida red at him. "I lockpicked it up," Jack showed her two small iron rods. He walked toward Arad with a smile. "Arad, can you keep this on you?" Arad looked at the pouch, "What is it?" "Explosives, I want to get it past the guards in the party. Gotta be ready all the time." Jack replied. Arad smiled, "We think alike." Jack also smiled. "I met Abel on the way. He''s also getting in loaded. We should be defenseless there. So the bastards might attack." The two men stared at each other with evil smiles. Gerald stared at Arad and Jack, smiling. ^Those two are talented. The king won''t have been poisoned if we had one like them in the royal guards.^ Chapter ?189 [Bonus chapter] A Deal With The Dragon. ?189 [Bonus chapter] A Deal With The Dragon. Arad hit Jack''s pouch in his pocket, sneaking it into his stomach. "Merida, do you have any clothes for us?" Merida nodded and looked back. "We have those leather jackets, pants, and coats. I''m sure they will fit you." She brought them to the clothes lined up on stands. Arad and Jack looked closely, "Most of them arerge." Jack smiled, "There isn''t much for me."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Merida smiled, "Here are more. I''m sure you will find some here." As Arad and Jack went through their clothes. A new and interesting conversation started between the girls. Roberta approached Ae, looking at her long ears with a stern face. "Those are some nice earrings. Where did you get them?" "Arad gifted them to me." She looked at the other girls. "All of our jewelry did." Roberta looked at the ne on Ae''s neck and then at the other girls. "I have never seen such craftsmanship before. It''s delicate but bold." Most jewel smiths had a simple form to follow. For a ring, for example. It''s creating a ring of gold or silver and sticking a gem on the top when needed. Ae''s earrings were made of twisting vines of gold and silver. Tiny shards of fragmented gems were inserted between the twisting. It gives them an alluring glow. It was clear from a nce that the smith used the waste gem fragments, but he made an art piece. And looking at the ne was made from two things golden chains with rings in the shape of hearts. And it is decorated with a leaf at the end. Roberta smiled. Most smiths would shy from such fine shapes as they are hard to make and could cost them a lot of money if the item broke. But when pulled right, those things are priceless. "Ae, where did Arad get those?" She looked at her with glowing eyes. "Father,e look at those. Aren''t they beautiful?" Gerald approached, remaining a bit away from Ae and Roberta, "Can I see them?" Ae took her ne off and handed it to Gerald, and he inspected it. "This is a true art piece. I can see thedies in the noble houses fighting over them. I would say this ne won''t go for less than five gold coins." He smiled, "But since they will fight over it, I bet the price will be much higher." Gerald smiled, looking at Arad, "How much did you get I for?" Arad did hear them talk earlier. "Seven gold coins." He replied after adding two coins to Gerald''s price to make it seem real. Ged approached Arad, "I know this is rude to ask, but can you sell it to me for ten gold coins? Or at least, show me where did you buy it." In his eyes, the ne is worth much more. Roberta was different than her father. Profit was second in her mind. The first thing was a strange feeling in her chest. ^One, two, three, seventeen, eighteen...^ She counted all the weird jewelry she could see on the girls. ^Did Arad gift them all? Is that what Ae meant earlier? If that''s the case, and considering I didn''t see those pieces of jewelry anywhere else. Is he the only one that knows the Smith?^ She tilted her head, something is still off. ^No, even if he''s the only one who knows the smith, why spend so much money? I doubt they are all his wives, where did he get all that wealth.^ Arad could feel two eyes ring at his back as he talked with Gerald. He ignored it as Mira was already staring at his back. Roberta approached Ae with a smile, "Why did Arad give you all this jewelry? For the party?" Ae shook her head, "No, it was for me. But since they were there, they got some as well." Roberta smiled, "I see, I wish I was there to see everything." She started to put things together. ^Ae is his only woman. The others got some because they were there. Someone with such wealth and loose hands won''t exist among humans. He is him, the ck dragon I saw before. Or at least, someone affiliated with him.^ She smiled, ring at Arad, ^I need to find proof.^ "Are you sure?" Gerald smiled,ughing, "I wouldn''t have expected such a thing." He patted Arad''s back. "I will give you a simple set to sell. The smith will then decide based on how much profit it gets." Arad shook hands with Gerald. "A ne, two rings, two bracelets, two ankle bracelets, and two toe rings. Nine pieces in total." Gerald looked at Arad''s face with a grin, "I guarantee at least 90 gold coins. And I bet you will get even more." "Father, you made a deal?" Roberta approached them. "Roberta, we will be staying in this city for another week. We might have just found a literal gem." Gerald was keen on getting the smith on his side. An easier way is to provide a profit. Roberta''s eyes darted between Arad and her father. She can''t get the idea from her head that Arad could be a dragon, and they are taking from his hoard. She could see the massive lizard''s shadow behind Arad''srge frame, one mistake and they will die. "We should take this deal more seriously." Roberta pulled a paper from her pocket to write the contract. "We will also pay the base price right away." "You don''t need to do that. 90 gold coin is a lot of money, wait till you sell." Arad looked at her. "I would prefer if we set everything straight and on paper from the start," Roberta replied. ^I better treat any deals with him like the ones with nobles or lords. Dragons can be unreasonable at times, so agitating them is a terrible idea.^ She started writing the contract on one of the tables, and then something came to her. ^If Arad was a dragon, does this mean his territory is close? Including the city?^ There couldn''t be more than two dragons in one ce, so he''s the one who saved her. ^The forest is a part of his territory.^ Chapter ?190 New Clothes ?190 New Clothes Arad stared at Roberta after they finished signing the papers. "When Can we expect the jewelry?" She stared at him with a smile. Arad shoved his hand in his pocket with a smile. "Right now. I thought the girls might want to change something after getting the new clothes." Arad pulled the jewelry andid it on the table. Gerald stared at the jewels, "Don''t tell me you always walk with them on you. Why did you even buy so much?" Arad stared at him. "It''s for the girls to change from. I still haven''t paid the smith. But since you''re paying upfront, that can be arranged." Roberta approached the table and stared at the jewels so closely that she almost kissed them. "I will make sure to report each sale with details. I will do my best to put them on auction." She looked at Arad. "I''m sure this would profitable for you." Arad stared at her, "The smith owns them." He could feel her gaze scanning his body. Last time she was able to tell when he lied. He needs to be careful. SWOSH! Roberta swiped the jewelry into a pouch and handed it to her father for protection. "Excuse me. I mean, it will be profitable for everyone. The smith who created them, you as the middleman, and us, the sellers. I will even make sure the buyer gets a satisfying deal." Her words held a strange confidence that caused Arad to step back. The stare on her face, the way her lips widened, and her eyes fixated on Arad''s eyes. She was thinking of something, and Arad found her attitude scary. [Calm down. You''re getting nervous.] Mom warned Arad as she sensed his breathing gets disturbed. His draconic brain felt danger from Roberta''s re. It wasn''t a physical threat to him, but something that he cannot understand. It wasn''t power but dedication. Those who dedicated their lives to one thing, a single skill exhibit an aura of power in their field. Arad could sense that Roberta was out of his league when ites to deals. ^If she''s a better merchant than me. She can scam me. I need to be on high alert.^ Those aren''t Arad''s clear thoughts, but his brain''s reaction to the situation he is in. Ba-dump! Roberta felt a cold sweat dripping across her back as her knees started shaking. Arad''s re pierced her chest like a cold steel de. ^Did I offend him,^ The two were locked in a staring contest. This is the point where most adventures who tried striking deals with dragons die. A red dragon would have already pounced at Roberta, but Arad didn''t. Someone needs to break the ice before a disaster could happen. "YO!" Jack wrapped his arm around Arad''s neck. "A whole ny gold coins? It''s amazing!" He snatched the written deal paper from the table and gave it a read. "Say, Arad. Can I have some of the money to buy or rent a house in the city?" Jack looked at Arad''s face with a smile. "Yeah, I can''t have you and Lydia staying in the inn for a long time," Arad replied, calming down. Roberta took a deep breath, hearing her heart pounding like a drum. She looked at Jack. ^Who is he? Doesn''t he fear death?^ She looked around, and everyone else was smiling and inspecting the clothes as if nothing happened. ^Was it my imagination?^ "Roberta, look at this," Gerald called her, carrying some clothes that Merida showed him. "I''m sure we can sell those in the next city." Arad turned around and approached the clothes lined behind him. He picked the ones he liked and headed to the changing room. Roberta found herself alone, staring at her talking father with fog in the back of her head. She took a second deep breath and looked at Merida. "Excuse me, but can I have some water?" "Sure," Merida got her some, and she calmed down. Arad walked out of the changing room after a while. He wore a suit-like set of a ck coat, white undershirt, and ck leather pants. They were so tight on his upper body that it seemed ufortable.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Isn''t it a bit small?" Ae approached Arad. "No, it''s perfect," Mira instinctively replied. "Ae is right." L approached Arad and looked closely at his chest. "The buttons are about to pop off. Merida, do you have anything a bitrger?" "I could make itrger in a few minutes," Merida walked to the desk and pulled some needles. "Take them off, and I will start working." Clothes were handmade most of the time. You won''t find a wide variety even in the most expensive shops. People usually resort to secondhand, or modification on the spot to get their clothes fitted. A seamstress is one of the most valuable jobs someone can have. And Merida is skilled with her hands. After a while, everyone got their clothes. Ae got a mint green dress with frilled edges and exposed shoulders and upper back, and opal white stilettos. Lydia got a shoulderless white dress with a small jacket. She didn''t want the bandages covering her from ankles to the neck exposed, so she added a scarf and ck stilettos. Mira picked a simple golden brown dress with strangers of white frills that she liked. But, she was picky about her shoes. She absolutely hated heels. "I can''t move with them," She growled as she picked a Ballet t shoes. L a dress simr to her daughter''s so they would look alike. She once heard that it''s a custom for families to look a bit simr at parties. Giving her daughter the best shot at looking like a nobledy was her priority. Merida picked a sky blue frilled dress with multiple lc patterns along the hips and the back. Jack walked with a set simr to Arad''s but in the opposite colors. White Jacket and pants and a ck inner shirt. He looked at Arad with a smile. "You lookrger in that." Arad smiled, "And you look more skinny. Are you sure you won''t need something a bit more baggy?" Jack lifted his hand and pulled a small knife from his wrist. "I can still hide weapons. Don''t worry." *** The party''s night came before anyone could realize it. Arad and everyone found themselves riding a carriage headed toward Esmeray''s mansion. Chapter 191 Golden Ballroom. 191 Golden Ballroom. Thud! Arad walked out of the carriage, ring at therge mansion facing them. The crescent moon sent a ray of light down across the iron bares of the out walls. Jack helped Lydia down and looked toward the mansion. "Look! People are gathering at the door." Past the iron gate and the gardenid the mansion''s front gate where a butler stood, the faint lighting from the door illuminating the entrance. People gave him their invitations, and he called a maid to guide them inside. Arad approached the iron gate with everyone remaining a fair distance behind him. Opening his palm, he slowly pushed it open. ^Loci, keep the whole ce under your eyes and ears. Inform me of everything.^ The butler saw them from the door and bowed. "Please approach. This is the way," He pointed with his arm at the door, keeping his other arm tucked to his chest. Arad approached the bulter, walking through the garden with a smile. He reached into his pocket to pull the letter of invitation. "No need for that, sir Arad." The butler smiled, "And that''s Lady Mira behind you. I won''t miss the honor guests." "Honor guests?" Arad looked at the butler, confused. Thud! Mira patted his shoulder. "We''re the ones who found the elder tree. It was written on the letter that they are honored to have us attend." "So that''s what it meant." Arad stared back at Mira with a smile. The moment they stepped inside the mansion, they felt a warm gust of air as they stared down the golden hallway. Several guests were standing at the side and chatting. "I hate the air around here," Lydia looked around. She wasn''t feeling at ease. "You aren''t used to it." Jack smiled, patting her back. "I indeed feel more at ease staying out in crusades and quests," Lydia replied with a smile. Ae looked at their side, and the butler is guiding them. "Shouldn''t you be standing at the door?" "Guiding the honor guests takes priority. Another person will greet the guests." The butler replied, and L stared at him with a confused face. "Stop joking. There are more important people than us in the mansion, aren''t they?" The butler smiled. "Of course, but it isn''t my job to tend to them. I was ordered to await you at the gate." Thud! CLACK! The butler stooped by arge double-sided door. "This is the ballroom. Please stay close to me. It isn''t thatrge, but you could get lost." He pushed the door open, and everyone was greeted with a four by four rooms wide area filled with tables, food, and people talking. For a moment, everyone stopped talking and looked at the door. Their eyes stopped at therge man standing in the front. Since the butler stood by his side, it was clear he was an important person. "Who is that man?" "Which family hees from?" "I never heard of someone like him, is he a knight of some sort?" "No, look at everyone behind him. He can''t be a normal knight." "It''s rare to see a man with only women behind him." ^What?^ Arad got confused listening to their words, ^Jack is here beside me...^ Jack had disappeared and Lydia is leaning on Ae. ^Don''t tell me, he''s trapping the whole ce.^ Arad''s eyes darted across the room, searching for Jack but couldn''t find him. ^Mom, can you see him?^ [He''s in the back at the drinks.] Arad looked to see Jack weave between the talking guests, starting and ending conversations in a smooth way to blend in as he approached the drink table. DRIP! He pulled a small bottle from his wrist and put a single drop in half of the sses. He then took two sses, one poisoned and one not, and snuck into a conversation. Offering the poisoned drinks to the guests white drinking safe ones. ^Is he poisoning them?^ Arad gasped, but Jack soon approached him with a drink as well. "Want a drink?" "What did you put in it?" Arad took the poisoned ss and red at it. Jack smiled, "Concentrated holy water made by Lydia. It will burn like acid in their throat. The mosquitos I mean. Normal people will find the drink easier to swallow." Arad took a sip, feeling his throat burn and causing him to cough. Jack startedughing, "You aren''t used to heavy drinks, are you? Did it go down the wrong pipe?" He started smacking Arad''s back. "Don''t hit him. Give him some water." An old man with fancy red and golden clothes, gray hair, and a short beard poured Arad a ss of water. "Thanks," Arad took the ss and drank it to wash the holy water down. Jack red at the man, "I feel like I saw you somewhere." The man giggled, "No, I''m just a small noble from the West." Jack scratched his head. "I traveled a lot. I might have seen you there. What do you do?" "I work in transporting goods. I was the one moving the wood to the city." The old man smiled, lifting his head up. "Nice to meet you," Arad extended his hand, and the man shook it firmly. "I''m honored to meet you." The old man smiled, clenching his fist harder on Arad''s palm, "Dragon yer Arad." "You know me?" Arad red at the man. ~This man is lying. Esmeray''s men transported the wood and I never saw him enter the city.~ Arad looked at Jack, "You stay with the girls and make sure no idiot approaches them." He then looked at the old man, "Let''s talk over there." ***n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Mydy, care to have a drink?" A young nobleman approached Ae, "I never seen you around. Are you an ambassador of the elvish kingdom?" He bowed gently, extending his hand and offering her a drink. "AH! Thank you!" Jack clenched his fist on the man''s palm with a smile, pulling his hand up and gulping the ss down without allowing him to let go. "GAH! Oh, man!" Jack red at the confused nobleman''s face, "You know elves can''t eat meat or drink some drinks." He pulled the man away, "Excuse us, miss." "What are you doing?" The nobleman red at Jack with a furious face. "Listen, friends, you almost fucked up." Jack looked at the nobleman with a relieved face. "Please don''t offer her any more drinks without knowing what she can and cannot drink. You will end up causing us another skirmish with the elves." He then whispered in the nobleman''s ear, "It''s between us, but you could lose your head." The noble took a deep breath, "And you are?" "An agent trying to make sure what happened a month earlier doesn''t happen again. Or I might lose my head as well." Jack made a stern face. The nobleman remembered thest conflict with elves, he didn''t want himself or his family mixed in any of that. "Thanks, and sorry for the trouble." He turned around and went away. Chapter ?192 Cheer! ?192 Cheer! Arad walked across the ballroom, taking slow and deep breaths as he searched for any vampire. They should smell like blood. The nobles stared at him, hisrge body, imposing aura, andrge hands. Both women and men seek a way to start a conversation, whether it''s a maiden seeking a marriage or an elder noble seeking a reliable warrior. Arad carefully avoided everyone by ring at them the moment they start walking toward him. But his being taller than everyone didn''t help him. ^Most people here are humans. Fighting would be hard.^ [A vampire would use them as blood bags for healing. If a fight started, we should drag it outside.] ^A bad location. Like how Alcott had to deal with fighting the red dragon.^ Arad looked at the nobles around. ^If the vampire can use them to heal, can''t I do the same?^ [Unless you want everyone against you.] Arad sighed and kept walking around. He confirmed that all the current guests weren''t vampires. He didn''t smell any blood on them. CRACK! The door opened, and a blond young man walked in wearing a red suit decorated with golden frills. Everyone gasped as they saw him, standing to the side and saluting him. All except Arad, who stood there ring at him. "What took you so long?" "To be honest, the maids weren''t satisfied with my clothes that I had to sneak out," Abel replied with a pained smile, approaching Arad with exhaustion. The people around them started talking, trying to know why is therge man speaking about the lord''s son as if it was nothing. "You could have told them off." Arad looked at Arad. "And get my ass whipped? No way." Abel waved his hands. "The maids there helped raise us since we were born. They are like mothers to us." "Let''s go have a drink then. You should be able to have one." Arad smiled as they walked toward the drinks. Abel looked at Arad, whispering, "I asked someone strong to apany us here. He might be old, but should be able to at least help a bit." "Who?" "Just wait and see. Ears are on us." The two sat and took two drinks. "What do you think?" Arad asked, taking a sip. Abel looked at his drink. "Tell Jack that he''s out of luck. I can use holy magic. So it won''t hurt me." With Abel being a descendant of the Alice bloodline of devils, he can use holy magic and is as immune to it as humans. It was one of the reasons he could live like a human without anyone suspecting anything. "You didn''t bring Sara." Arad looked around. "Are you joking? And have other nobles drolling over her?" Abel red at him. "You really are overprotective." Arad smiled. Abel finished his drink and turned toward Arad. "Just think about it for a moment. Can I let anyone marry her?" ^If she''s a devil. I can see why picking someone trustworthy is important.^ "I can see. Not everyone could handle her." Arad sighed. "Say, do you see anyone that interests you here?" He asked Abel to look for anyone suspicious. The noble maidens in the room heard Arad''s words, and they sprung into action. Posing and trying to show off as they understood it wrong. Abel smiled, "What about you?" He looked around the room, and still couldn''t feel anything. "Anything interesting." "I didn''t. Everyone here is nd." Arad replied, meaning they all looked human to him. "You''re right." Abel sighed and turned toward Jack and the girls. "They are loaded." Asking if they have weapons to fight. "They are," Arad confirmed. When the noble maidens heard their words, their eyes shifted back toward Ae and the girls. Trying to guess what ''Loaded'' meant. Their eyes stopped at the jewelry. They never saw something like it before. "That elf, she must be a noble from the elvish kingdom. She can offer a lot of political power." The noble maidens started talking and whispering. "I''m sure I saw bandages beneath that blond woman''s dress. Is she injured?" Another maiden whispered. "No, that''s Lydia. A pdin who got promoted by god recently. Having her around is a sign of good luck and fortune." "That one is Mira, the honored guest. I heard she was a skillful carpenter who made furniture for the lord''s mansion." One looked at them. "And that beside her, they look simr. Must be a family member." Thud! The old man who spoke to Arad earlier approached. "You seem to be enjoying your time."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om All the nobles in the room gasped at the old man''s courage, approaching the lord''s son as if it was nothing. When Abel looked at the old man, he almost flinched. "Yeah. Care to have a drink?" The nobles were even more shocked that Abel invited the man for a drink. "Do you know him?" Arad asked. "Not really." Able looked away, "We can''t talk here." CLAP! CLAP! The butler walked out upstairs and cleared his throat. "Everyone, wee, and thanks for epting our invitation." He looked at the nobles. "We have sessfully harvested the elder, and lord Esmeray likes to thank you personally." Chuzuke, the kid walked from behind the butler and bowed. "I''m Chuzuke Esmeray. I''m currently the lord of the Esmeray household, as my father is bedridden." Chuzuke lifted his head, "Albeit we had someplication, we managed to harvest the elder tree and transport it to the city." All the nobles started pping. "For that, I like first to thank the dragon yer Arad and his party. And the carpenter Mira for finding and securing the tree." He pointed at Arad and Mira. All the nobles froze for a second, their heads cracked as they looked at Arad. "The dragon yer? Who got the dragon heart for Merlin?" They finally recognized him. They usually ignore adventurers except for ones like Alcott and Nina. So it was hard for them to recognize Arad, especially since he didn''t show up at the lord''s mansion. Everything made sense to them. It exins why the lord''s son spoke to him, and why the girls around him were as well endowed. "Everyone, please enjoy!" Chuzuke took a wine ss from the butler and lifted it up. "Cheer!" Chapter ?193 [Bonus chapter] Failed Recruitment ?193 [Bonus chapter] Failed Recruitment The guests picked up their drinks and shouted back. "Cheer!" Chuzuke looked at the side and signaled to the band of bards he hired to start ying on their instruments. He then looked at the butler, "Get the food out." Therge side doors of the room opened, and two butlers started pushingrge trays out on tables. Whole roasted chicken, turkey, and boar. Large pots of sd, fish, and more. "Eat all you can. Don''t hold back." Chuzuke said, walking downstairs and approaching the table. He extended his hand, grabbed a handkerchief, and pulled the chicken''s thigh out. He then took arge bite from it. "I''m still a kid so don''t even bother with manner if you don''t like it. I won''t care. Eat to your fill." Chuzuke announced the start of the feast, and Mira sighed in relief. She knew nothing of the noble''s manners and had feared she might embrace her mother. Arad approached the table, and Ae grabbed his shoulder. She red at his eyes, and he knew what she wants. Arad pulled one of the boar''s ribs out and bite the mean. Feeling a bit sad that he can''t eat the bones as well. To him, they added a nice texture and are a part of his diet.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Everyone started to eat, but only after Arad and Abel took the first bite. It might have seemed strange, but the girls wanted to make sure the food is safe to eat. After about half an hour, Mira retreated to the back. "I ate too much." She sat on a chair and took a deep breath. She could feel her stomach was about to burst. L approached her with a smile. "Are you all right?" "Too much meat. It filled me quickly." Mira replied, resting her back on the wall and closing her eyes. "Don''t throw up." L smiled, handing her a ss of water. "Drink slowly and then take a walk to help the food get down." After drinking the water, Mira stood and looked at her mother. "You''re right. I should move a bit." "Is she okay?" Chuzuke approached them after hushing a few nobledies that were flocking around him. "She''s fine," L smiled and gave Chuzuke a slight bow. "She might have eaten a bit too much." Chuzuke nodded and went to call one of his maids. "Please take care of her. And get her to wash her face. That might help." Mira looked at the maid, shaking her head. "I just need some fresh air." The maid bowed. "Please follow me then. I will take you to the garden." The two walked out as Chuzuke returned to the party. Mira walked out of the balcony as the maid supported her. "Are you sure you don''t need to wash your face?" Mira nodded, "Yeah. I only need to walk a bit." She took a deep breath of the fresh air, looking at the starry sky with the crescent moon. After a moment they reached the garden''s edge and stood before a small pond. "This ce is beautiful." "We keep it tightened thanks to Chuzuke''s orders." The maid replied. "I''m happy you liked it." Chuzuke''s voice came from behind them. The maid and Mira stared back to find him standing there with a smile. Chuzuke waved his palm with a smile. "I don''t like big parties. I''m still a kid, after all." He stood beside them and looked at the nts. "What happened to the tree?" Chuzuke asked. "Did you do something strange to it?" Mira looked at his red eyes. "Yeah, the elder tree is a parasitic fungus. We killed its core since it attacked us." Chuzuke scratched his head. "So you really killed it. Even though I asked you to only locate it." He looked at the sky, facepalming. "What happened to the tree branches?" "Those were the fungus'' spores, so we burned them so they won''t spread," Mira replied. Chuzuke gasped. "You burned everything?" "Yeah, we had a way to gather all the spores." She replied. Chuzuke looked down. "I only asked you to find the tree. Not destroy it. We have the wood. But...but..." He scratched his head, ring at the ground, and then sighed. "It doesn''t matter now. I will find it somewhere else." He looked at the sky. "It''s a failure." "What do you mean?" Mira looked at him. "Jomanga. Do it." Chuzuke said. The maid looked at Mira, her eyes slowly turning red. BAM! Arad appeared standing behind them, his eyes shing purple as he grabbed the maid by the neck. CRACK! He broke her neck with a single squeeze and threw her back. "ARAD!" Mira gasped, "The maid...you just..." "Get behind me," Arad growled, ring at Chuzuke. "I was wondering when you will show up." Chuzuke smiled. "What are you talking about? You just killed my maid. Do you know what that means?" The two red at Each other. Chuzuke is barely as tall as Arad''s knee. "It means you''re next." CRACK! Arad kicked Chuzuke as hard as he could, sending him flying above the mansion with a stream of blood. "ARAD!" Mira shouted. "Damn it." Arad growled, "He''s dangerous." The blood sshing wasn''t from Chuzuke. It was from Arad''s leg. He could see a chomp mark on his calves. Mira gasped, seeing blood dripping from Arad''s legs, "Stay behind me. I will rip that brat apart." Thud! Chuzukended on top of the mansion. Munching on what he bites from Arad''s leg. "Strange," Tuf! He spat it out and red down. "You don''t taste like a human, and I get a hint of us in you." Chuzuke smiled. Arad''s leg healed as he red at Chuzuke. "It doesn''t matter. You will die soon." Chuzuke red at them. Thud! The maid Arad thought he had killed jumped back, swinging a w at Mira''s torso. CRACKLE! A sh of lightning broke through the windows, rushing forward and severing the maid''s head. "So it was you, bastard!" Abel shouted as the maid''s body fell to the ground. Chapter ?194 Dominit Edary ?194 Dominit Edary Chuzuke stared down as his maid''s head rolled on the ground. "Haha," He sighed. "And I was taking a liking to her. Didn''t expect her to die so quickly." "It was you! You damned bastard!" Abel pointed his sword toward Chuzuke with a smile. "I don''t care if you look like a kid. I will gouge your guts out and grill you under the sun." Mira looked at Arad and Abel''s back. Those two can fight, unlike her. At that moment, she saw the maid''s body jerking back to life. "Abel! Be careful!" Mira jumped forward, swinging a kick at the maid''s corpse and sending it away from Abel.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Thud! The maid''s corpse rolled on the ground as Abel turned. "She''s still alive?" BAM! Arad lunged at the maid''s corpse, swinging a fist at her heart. Thud! Cling! Chuzuke emerged from the maid''s neck, slicing Arad''s arm from the knuckles to elbow with a blood sword. "Hands off!" He red at Arad, lunging back to the top of the mansion in a swift jump. DRIP! As theynded, Chuzuke lifted his sword and dripped a blood droplet on the maid, healing her neck. The maid gasped back to life. "Sorry, Lord Edary. I couldn''t." "I don''t care, don''t get your head cut off again. I won''t save you a second time." Chuzuke red at the maid. Arad red at Chuzuke. Thud! His severe arm was closed together as he used the blood he stored in his stomach. "So, I can assume you''re the one who sent those vampires to attack Mira?" Chuzuke looked down. "Thralls, they weren''t true vampires. But I never expected you to heal like that. You aren''t human, are you?" "Does that matter to you?" Arad kept the conversation going as Loci told him about Jack sneaking in from behind the mansion. "Not really. You smell weird, after all." Chuzuke scratched his head. "You bastards killed the fungus. How did you even manage to do it? Do you know what did you kill with it? All the potential." "What are you talking about." Arad red at him, and Chuzuke sighed. "It''s all over now." [He must be talking about Loci. It''s the only thing that should have died with the fungus. He probably wanted to control her using it.] ~The fungus would have killed me eventually. I doubt he could control me with it for more than a year or two.~ [We don''t know his ns yet. But it''s a possibility.] Arad smiled, ring at Chuzuke with glowing red eyes. "Sadly for you. Thisnd will reject you." His aura started growing. ^I can feel it. That kid on the roof is stronger than me. My instincts are screaming that, but strangely enough, I don''t feel like running.^ [When living beings get scared they have one of three reactions. Fight, running, or freeze. Dragons are locked in the fight.] Chuzuke red at Arad with a stern face, "What is this magic I feel from you? It''s absolutely disgusting." His shirt buttons popped out as his body was about to morph. Chuzuke''s power started rising, and the stench of blood covered the sky as a dark purple aura emanated from his back. A ck leather coat covered his body. Chuzuke''s body grows bigger, standing like that of a young man in his mid-teens. A vampire lord red down at the mortals like an owl at mice. His mere gaze sent terror into their bones. SWOSH! Chuzuke heard something flying toward him. He turned back to see a small bag blocking his vision. BOOM! The bag exploded in a rose of mes, sending the roof tiles across the sky with a cloud of silvery dust. "GRWAA!" The maid cried as the shrapnel cut her body, but Chuzuke managed to lift his arms in time and protect his face. ZIT! Chuzuke felt a string wrap around his neck. "You can''t behead me with this!" "Hehe!" He could hear a faintugh. No one is stupid enough to try beheading him when his maid didn''t die from it. In front of his eyes, it appeared. A crystal ball was pulled by the string wrapped around his neck. "Shit!" Chuzuke tried to move, but his body felt numb. The bomb had silver dust and holy water mixed in it. It will take him a second or two to recover. Thud! The crystal ball touched his mouth, and a bright light shed. *** [Name: Chuzuke Esmeray(Dominit Edary)][Race: Elder Vampire][ss: Fighter, sorcerer] [Level: 38/40][Exp:-----][Sub-ss: Blood mage. Blood pugilist] [Stats] [Strength: 25] [Agility: 23] [Constitution: 19] [Magic: 24] [Intelligence: 22] [Wisdom: 15] [HP: 817/817][MP: 950/950][SP: 931/931] [Skills] [Blood Mastery] ***************** *** CRACK! Chuzuke recovered and bite the crystal ball before it could reveal all of his statues, shattering it. "You..." He was about to growl, but Jack emerged from the silver dust. ZIT! He closed Chuzuke''s jaw with his string and sshed him with holy water in an instant. Chuzuke growled, swallowing the crystal shards. "Sorry, I don''t want to have my girl fight. So can you die?" BAM! He kicked Chuzuke from the roof. The maid lunged at Jack, but he dodged her attack and stabbed her in the chest. "You dare attack master." She growled as Jack gave her a cold look. "You know. We, mortals, cannot afford to get hit. We will die. We''re that fragile." He red at her eyes. "That you will never beat us. Youck skill and dedication." He shoved a bomb in her mouth, but the butler from earlier jumped from the attic window and severed her jaw, dropping the bomb before she could explode. Jack jumped back with a grunt, "You old man. How many of you are here?" "My job is to server master and protect the maids. We cannot let you hinder his ns." The old butler closed his white-gloved fist, taking a stance with the maid behind him. ^Two at one. Arad, I won''t be able to help you any time soon. But I left a gift for you, use it well.^ He smiled inside. BAM! Chuzuke, his true name being Dominit fell on his back, quickly standing on his feet like it was nothing. He recovered from the hit. Mere silver and holy water won''t hold him for long. "What?" The moment he looked up, he gasped. The light in the sky faded, but not all of it. *** [HP: 817/817][MP: 950/950][SP: 931/931] *** Chuzuke growled, seeing his main stats still showing up in the sky. Chapter ?195 Divine Cleaver ?195 Divine Cleaver CRACKLE! Abel is the fastest of them. In the blink of an eye, he rushed with a lightning bolt, swinging his sword with zeal at Chuzuke''s neck. Chuzuke saw The de rushing at him. He bent backward, pulling a blood sword from his palm. "You aren''t the danger." CLANG! He deflected Abel''s strike. BAM! It only took him a second to jump at Arad. He could feel he was most dangerous, so killing him takes priority. Arad lifted his palm, unleashing a fireball after the other. Chuzuke ducked low, running below the fire as he reached Arad. "You''re slowly." SLASH! He cut Arad''s extended left arm at the elbow and swung at the neck. Arad''s humanoid body can take on his draconic might, but that is only if we speak about the resting power. That includes flying and carrying heavy things, but that merely scratches the surface of what makes dragons scary. When dragons rage and start pping their wings like a dragonfly, it''s what schrs call draconic rumbling. Their heart rate increased dramatically, and their temperature went through the roof. A toddler isn''t supposed to have an adrenalin rush, and neither is Arad. He isn''t supposed to feel it for long as a very young dragon, let alone in a humanoid form. VROOM! Arad''s heart rumbled like a loud engine as veins bulged on his body and to his right fist. The muscles of his back that are supposed to power his mighty wings shifted to fuel a single punch. TOD-BOM! Ae who just jumped out of the balcony only saw Arad''s fist recoiling back from the hit with Chuzuke flying back with his ribs dented. BAM! The shockwave finally reached her, shattering the windows and shaking the mansion. *** [HP: 723/817][MP: 950/950][SP: 931/931] *** Arad''s heart went silent as he took a deep breath. It was only for a second, but he could fight back. He immediately drew blood from his stomach to heal his arm. Thud! Thud! CRACK! Arad watched Chuzuke roll on the ground before hitting a tree. ^He has almost three times as much HP as me.^ ********* [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 10/20][Exp: 3200/85000][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Very Young] [20 years.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 0] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 21] [Agility: 22] [Constitution: 24] [Magic: 27] [Intelligence: 24] [Wisdom: 24] [HP: 310/320][MP: 370/385][SP: 310/310] ********** As Arad smiled inside, Chuzuke stood, his wounds healing. [HP: 817/817][MP: 950/950][SP: 931/931] "What?" Mira gasped, "He recovered from that?" Even though she didn''t get hit, her chest still hurt from the shockwave. "Useless! Useless! Useless! You can''t kill me with normal means. Even your strongest fist could barely shake my blood." Chuzuke smiled, opening his arms. "Come hit me again! If you dare. I will suck your blood immediately!" Arad took a deep breath, getting ready to burn Chuzuke with a breath. Abel understood that he is about to use arge spell, and he backed away, he could feel the heat rising. Chuzuke smiled, but suddenly, fragments of golden lights started rising from the ground. "What is this?" He gasped. Mira and Arad looked around, "Light, it''s emerging from everything." Mira looked at the nts dancing with magic seeping from them. Abel was the first to notice, ^All things pray, and when a god is watching, holy magic seeps from the ground. She''sing.^ Thud! Thud! Lydia walked from inside the mansion. Her high heel shattered as she took a heavy step. From the dark, her eyes emitted a deep golden glow. "In the name of Lathander and the earth''s mother, Chauntea. Ohm gods, please grant me the will and power to smite this blood-sucking fiend." Lydia mumbled, and her wounds opened again, and she started bleeding. Her body can''t keep her intact. "Like I would let you hit me with that!" Chuzuke was about to jump back. PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! Four arrows rushed out of the windows. Thud! An arrow pierced his right eye, forcing him to growl as a second one gouged his left eye. When was about to stumble back, the other two arrows pinned his feet to the ground. [HP: 801/817][MP: 950/950][SP: 931/931] "I got him!" Ae smiled. But her arrows barely did any damage. "Don''t stay still!" Merida shouted, cutting the thrall maids that lunged at Ae. "Thedy is right. Focus on the fight here or get out and fight against him." The fancy-looking old man who spoke with Arad earlier growled, swinging a sword at the thralls. "We can''t protect you with all of those monsters attacking." CRACK! L grabbed a chair and smacked one of the maids that Merida dropped on the head. "Stay down!" She growled, kicking her afterward. BAM! Lydia rushed forward, swinging her sword with all that she got. Chuzuke could feel her holy aura approaching like death, "Damn it!" He tried to dodge, but couldn''t. [Divine Cleaver] CLAP! In a single swing, with a sword burning with holy magic. Lydia cleaved the vampire in half, sending the pieces flying as her sword shattered. [HP: 182/817][MP: 950/950][SP: 931/931]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Thud! Lydia fell to her knees with blood dripping across her whole body. Her eyes went blind as her hearing deteriorated. ^This is the end for me...^ Thud! She fell on her face, swimming in a pool of her own blood. The moment Arad saw Chuzuke''s HP take a nose drop, he could feel the hit in his guts. That attack from Lydia would certainly kill him. Avoid pdin smites at all costs. CLANK! Chuzuke''s body was stitched together, but he still couldn''t regenerate as quickly. [HP: 212/817][MP: 950/950][SP: 931/931] The divine magic still burned his flesh and bones. He won''t be recovering from Lydia''s hit anytime soon, and it will burn him for weeks. "I will!" Chuzuke growled, ring at Lydia. But he then saw Arad and Abel flying at him with a godly speed. "We''re taking this somewhere else," Abel growled. Chuzuke clenched his teeth. He needs to suck blood and quicken his regeneration. He looked at the mansion balcony. He could make it there with a single leap. His feet dug into the ground, getting ready to propel his body forward. VROOM! The strange rumbling came from Arad''s body again. Chapter ?196 [Bonus chapter] Draconic Torch ?196 [Bonus chapter] Draconic Torch VROOM! Arad swung a full power kick at Chuzuke''s face. It was so fast that it caught Abel off guard, scaring the hell out of him. BAM! The shockwave exploded after Chuzuke''s body was sent away.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad red at his leg, feeling a sharp pain radiant from his ankles. Chuzuke blocked it. But preventing him from jumping was the goal, and it worked. "Abel! He''s trying to prey on someone to recover! We need to take the fight away from other people." He looked at Chuzuke''s body racing across the sky. Abel smiled. "Fine by me!" He looked around, they were still in the shadows, and now one could see him. He extended his devil wings and flew after Chuzuke. FLAP! Abel looked behind him and saw Arad flying with his draconic wings. He smiled, "You can use sorcerer wings? You''re looking stronger and stronger each time." Chuzuke growled as his body kept flying. He could feel the bones in his arms. Arad shattered them. "That Arad, I''m certain he isn''t a human. He imed to be a sorcerer. I could swear he was a true dragon." SCROSH! Chuzuke slid across the forest ground, ring up with a grin. ^I wonder how his blood would taste.^ But then, he remembered the smell of blooding from him and how he regenerated. ^No, something else is inside him. I have to know that first before sucking his blood.^ Chuzuke took a deep breath, creating a sword from his blood. ZOON! A deep feeling of pressure rushed across Chuzuke''s joints as his limbs felt heavier, "Gravity magic?" He smiled as his body floated, "We vampires can do this. Your magic can''t keep me on the ground." He swung his de down, sending three shes of blood. CRACKLE! Abel charged forward, swinging his swords. CLANG! He deflected the first blood sh and cut the other two with the second attack. "He''s fast. Hit him in the head with that boom!" CRACKLE! [Thunder Step] In a lightning sh, Abel flew at Chuzuke with a sh. The vampire lord lifted his blood sword, blocking the sh and catching Abel''s weapon. "It''s stuck!" Abel gasped as his sword couldn''t move away from Chuzuke''s blood. It was like glue. "Abel! Let go of the sword!" Arad screamed, but it was only an instant. Chuzuke bites Abel''s neck, sucking his blood. "AGRAAAAAAAA!" Abel screamed, "HAHAHA!" He then startedughing, "Got you, bastard!" Chuzuke''s eyes opened wide, the veins across his face bulging and turning ck as he lunged back, spitting the blood he sucked. "What is this!" His tongue and teeth feel off, melting like they were made of mud. Abel red at Chuzuke with a grin, a mix of golden and ck smoke gushing from his skin as he transformed. He grew horns and a tail, "Did you really think you''re the only monster around here?" Chuzuke red forward as he healed instantly. "Alice bloodline. A devil?" He red forward. ZON! Arad teleported behind him and grabbed him by the head. One hand on his scalp and one on his chin. "Just die!" VROOM! CRACK! Arad twisted Chuzuke''s head off, ripping it from his neck. KA-DON! mes gushed from his hands and burned the head. "I doubt this will kill you," Arad lifted his foot up, setting it on mes. ^I need to smash his heart to be sure. Burn the corpse as well.^ BAM! Arad stomped Chuzuke''s chest with his whole draconic weight as mes rushed out from his feet. Abel covered his face with his arms to protect his eyes from the heat. ^How could he output all of this heat?^ "Arad! He''s dead, you will burn the forest!" Arad wasn''t listening, and Abel saw a red light emerging inside Arad''s chest that made his ribs visible. Arad''s red me turned blue, and then white from the heat as it started hissing out of his nose and mouth. He was about to st the whole ce, not holding back. ^If my whole weight and fire couldn''t get into his chest. This vampire is still alive and I must burn that heart to kill him.^ VROOOM! Arad''s heart started beating like an engine, causing his upper shirt to burn into ash. [Stop, you will damage your humanoid body.] ^Focus it. I don''t need arge area of breath. I only need a small andpressed stream of heat to piece that chest and burn his heart.^ Red dragons usually use their breath in one of three forms. Arge cone, simr to a me thrower. A thin line, simr metal cutting blowtorch. Or throwing it like a fireball that explodes upon contact. Arad was trying to achieve the blowtorch even though he was a void dragon and not a red dragon. Chuzuke''s hands moved, creating two blood swords and cutting Arad''s leg off in a double swing. Arad''s body fell back as Chuzuke stood to run away. ZAVROM! The mes gushed out of Arad''s mouth in aser-like stream, cutting the ground and the trees before shooting into the sky. CLAP! As the mes faded, it released a st of heat that boomed across the forest. *** Back inside Alina''s walls, Nina was heading back home from the guild when she heard something in the distance. She turned her head to see a stream of fire rising into the sky, exploding like a star. CREEK! The blood in her veins started to rush as she turned. CRACK! The ground beneath her feet cracked as she lunged forward, her eyes blood red as her muscles bulged. *** THUD! Chuzuke jumped away, his body regenerating faster and faster. Arad burning him had helped him recover from Lydia''s smite. But even so, he doesn''t want to deal with that dragon anymore. "You coward! Running away!" Abel growled [Thunder Step] He shed forward swinging his sword at Chuzuke. Chuzkue dodged and focused on running away and regenerating his health. "I won''t even bother with a dragon! I''m not stupid enough to start a fight with his kind!" Chuzuke red at Abel. "Dragon? Did a sorcerer scare you so much?" Abel smiled, "Then so I will do. Let me show you the true fear of devils!" [Holy Chain Lightning] Abel''s blue lightning turned bright yellow with holy magic as he shed forward at a higher speed. CLEAVE! His sword cut right through Chuzuke''s left leg, CLEAVE! And the chain moved, cutting his left arm. The wounds burned with holy magic, making them harder to regenerate. Chuzuke''s eyes turned toward Abel. "You know, I''m getting exhausted of you." [Action surge] [Adrenalin Rush] Chapter 197 Living Blood "Heh?" Abel felt his skin tingle. Something big wasing out of Chuzuke. [Action surge] [Adrenaline Rush] The elder vampire swung his des at an incredible speed. Abel took his stance, [Action Surge] [Adrinaline Rush]. The two can use the same basic fighter skills. Adrenalin rush allows you to double your speed, and action surge gives you the chance to attack twice. Chuzuke''s base speed was four attacks a second. With the two skills, he managed to raise that to sixteen attacks. Abel on the other hand had a base of three attacks which he increased to twelve. ^I can''t block them all. He''s as fast as Alcott.^ CLAP! When the four shes went between Abel''s defense, they smacked his chest and sent him back. "Lucky bastard," Chuzuke grunted. He blunted his blood sword so he won''t cut Abel and force getting his holy magic-infused blood to mix with his. Arad opened his eyes, his body still recovering. He lifted his arm and pointed at Chuzuke. [Gravity Magic] A purplish aura extended from Arad''s hand and grabbed Chuzuke, pulling him back. "You aren''t going back to the mansion. Just wait a second for me to stand back." Arad is recovering, and he would lung forward at any moment. "Damn it! Let me go, you monster!" Chuzuke red at Arad with scorn. At that moment, they felt something in the sky. An unknown power approaching. Everyone looked at the night sky. SWOSH! It was Nina falling down from the stars. "Heh!" Abel cried, running away. "Arad! Move away from her way! She''s about to rage!" He ran as fast as his legs allows him. Nina was far more dangerous than any monster he knew. As Nina was falling, she saw Arad and Abel and quickly noticed the vampire. Mere violence won''t kill such a monster. She needs to erase his whole body. She opened her palm and extended it back. "Blood Axe. Eve!" *** Back in the guild, the night shift crew was cleaning when they heard a crackling. Nina''s massive battle axe vibrated on the wall where it was hung. "No way! No now!" One of them cried, ducking down beneath a table. BAM! The axe flew with extreme force, breaking through the guild wall and several building tile roofs as it rushed toward Nina. "Report this! Report this! Nina called her axe. Something bad is about to happen." One of the receptionists rushed upstairs. Nina has never needed her axe in the past decades. Why call it now? What kind of monster has appeared? *** As Nina was falling, her axended in her palm as she red at Chuzuke. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! The veins on her face bulged as her eyes turned red, and her muscles grewrger as her skin got a faint red tint from her boiling blood. ^Wait! That''s Nina! I have to run away. Faster! Faster!^ Chuzuke screamed at his legs. He couldn''t seem to run faster. BAM! Aradnded beside Chuzuke. He has finally recovered. Spinning his body, he used all his muscles in a single swoop. VROOOM! His heart rumbled as his fist engulfed in a dark haze. Chuzuke gasped. There is no way for him to avoid the attack. ^I need to focus on surviving^. He closed his eyes. Arad stomped forward, spinning his body while using every muscle to push his fist forward. ^STRIKE! Like your whole life depends on it!^ Arad''s fist and Nina''s axe reached Chuzuke at the same time, delivering more than damage. The axe crushed Chuzuke down while Arad''s fist blew him outward while erasing his flesh with the void. BOOM! A shockwave exploded as all the trees around them were sted, and the ground shattered as a misty haze of blood remained. CRACK! Ninanded, her feed digging a hole in the ground. Grrrrr! A deep growl rumbled in her throat, but she quickly calmed down, and his body returned to normal. She took a deep breath and looked at Arad. Arad was on his knees, panting. His right arm has disintegrated. But not from his attack, but from Nina''s axe. Blood Axe: Eve is a legendary ss two-handed battleaxe. Its main ability is to cause blood to expand and explode. A mere scratch would cause a normal human to expand like a water balloon and explode. Nina wanted to use that to evaporate Chuzuke in one strike. She didn''t expect Arad to jump in. "Arad! Are you okay?" Nina rushed to check on him. His right arm wasn''t bleeding, but it haspletely disappeared. It happened again, he tried to fight with her, but now his whole career as an adventurer has gone with the dust. Nina grabbed her hair, pulling on it. She looked around in horror, searching for any remains of Arad''s arm so a healer can fix it, but there was nothing. Losing an arm is the end of an adventurer. *** n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Back at the mansion. The girls and Jack managed to kill all the thralls and were finally taking a breather. "We should follow Arad and Abel," Mira said, looking at Ae and Jack. DRIP! A droplet of blood fell from the sky on one of the thrall maids beside Mira. She looked down, "What was that?" The maid''s eyes shed red as she lunged at Mira, snatching her and running away. "Let me go!" Mira screamed. Ae pulled her bow, firing an arrow. CRACK! Two wings burst from the maid''s back, and she flew to the sky. The arrow missed her. "She''s still alive!" Jack growled. He can''t use explosives as the maid is carrying Mira. "I can always start again with you with me." The maid said, her voice vibrating between her own voice and Chuzuke''s. Thud! Mira started punching the maid in the face. "Let me go!" "Calm down. I don''t have time to stop and suck your blood now. But I will do it as soon as we get to safety." It was Chuzuke. His blood has took over the maid he enthralled. *** "Let me go!" Arad heard Mira screamed. BA-dump, he could hear his heart beating. Nina looked at him crying but then noticed something. It took her barbarian head a second to calm down and realize it. Why didn''t his whole body disintegrate if I hit his arm? Arad stood, a loud rumbling could be heard from his chest as his eyes red forward. Draconic in shape with a deep purple glow. CRACK! His right arm grew back. Covered in ck scales and ws. "Heh?" Nina gasped. He was the first to stand fine after getting hit by her. Chapter 198 Rumbling In The Sky "Wait! What?" Nina gasped. She took a step back as arge shadow loomed over her. Abel''s eyes bulged open as the trees around him snapped. *** "Let me go! Let me go!" Mira screamed, punching the maid (Chuzuke) in the face. Chuzuke ignored her for a while and then spoke, "I will drop you to your death," "Then drop me! Drop me!" She kept punching him in the face, but he didn''t flinch. VROOOOOOOOM! BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! A loud rumbling akin to an engine shocked the sky, followed by an ear-piercing buzzing like that of bees. Chuzuke turned his head, and his eyes bulged open. "What''s that? A bird?" He got confused for a moment seeing it chasing him in the distance. "No! That bastard was really a dragon!" He gasped, seeing Arad flying toward him with Nina hanging from his left horn. Nina pulled herself up and sat at the back of Arad''s head. She red forward. A maid was flying away with bat-like wings and carrying Mira. She looked back and saw Arad''s wings beating faster than those of a bug. "Arad! Calm down!" She red at him, feeling an intense vibration beneath her. She was sitting on his neck, and she could feel his heart, the high pressure, and the speed of his blood. It was like sitting on the hoes of a pressure washer. *** Abel rushed back to the mansion. The strange old man was the first to approach him, and then Ae and Jack. "Was that a dragon? Where is Arad?" N?v(el)B\\jnn Abel looked up at Arad flying away with Nina, and then at the old man. "Nina summoned a dragon from the mountains. She and Arad flew away." He used to hide his identity, and he won''t spill the beans unless Arad directly tells him to do it. Jack and Ae looked relieved, and Abel quickly understood that they know about Arad. He looked at them, "What happened?" The old man looked back at the mansion. "About twelve dead, five injured. The whole Esmeray mansion was riddled with thralls." Merida rushed in with L behind her, "Will Mira be okay?" Abel looked at them sighting, "I don''t know. But the bastard has a dragon after his ass." Jack smiled, "It''s gonna hurt." He looked at the sky, "Just imagine, that dragon chasing you to the end of the world." *** Damn it! Chuzuke looked back, grunting. Mira is weighing him down, he can''t fly fast enough to escape from Arad. "Bad luck for you and me." He created a bloody dagger and stabbed Mira in the neck. Blood sshed as he threw her away with a smile. "Dragon! Catch her if you can!" Chuzuke shouted with a smile, flying away as fast as he could. ZAP! Arad shifted his direction like a fruit fly. Never slowing down or even flinching. Nina was almost been thrown from his back, if not for her immense grip strength grasping his horns, and her thighs around his neck, which vibrated like no tomorrow. Riding the rumbling Arad wasn''t a pleasant experience in the least. Only painful as he was only focused on getting where he needs to be. Mira grabbed her neck, looking at the sky and seeing Arad taking a nose dive toward her. She took a deep breath, her vision going ck, she felt drowsy and her hearing faded, her limbs felt numb as a severe pain radiated from her chest. She was passing out fromck of oxygen to the brain. Thud! Arad caught her andnded as gently as he could. Nina jumped down,nding on her feet. She tried to run toward Mira who Arad just put on the ground, but she fell on her knees. Her ass felt numb with pain radiant through her spine. She sat on him a bit too long. Arad lifted his w and pulled a few potions from his stomach. "Heal her." He growled looking away at the sky. "Wait! Where are you going?" Nina asked as she saw him turn without even waiting for Mira to heal. "I''m going to rip that bastard apart." BAM! Arad jumped into the sky, shattering the ground as his wings pped faster than the eye could see. "Wait!" Nina shouted as she poured the potion on Mira''s neck. ~To the left, he''s hiding in the trees.~ Arad shifted his direction, flying head-first into the ground. BOOM! As the trees ripped apart, Chuzuke jumped away, protecting his face from the debris. "How did you find me!" He growled, opening his wings and flying as fast as he could. Arad opened his jaw [Fire Breath] ROAR! He roared, sending a massive gust of mes after Chuzuke. Chuzuke flew away, ring back. "Dark scales, but the horns are pointing to the back. He isn''t a normal ck dragon. No, his scales aren''t ck, it''s dark purple." He smiled. "I got your secret! You''re a purple dragon, that exins the mes." He flew between the hills, fading from Arad''s view. ~The big rock to the left, he''s curled behind it.~ Arad''s head turned toward the rock, smacking it with his w so hard it shattered like ss. Chuzuke cried, flying as fast as his wings allows him. "Again? Are you a diviner?" Arad never talked back to Chuzuke, just chasing and trying to eat him alive. And the chase kept going for an hour. Chuzuke takes shelter in a cave, just to find Arad already inside waiting for him. He tried hiding on the top of the snowy mountains, only for Arad''s rumbling to cause an avnche. He tried to hide underground, only for the dragon to burrow after him faster than any mole. There was no escaping the dragon, this is his territory. And with Loci snitching on Chuzuke''s location, it became a horror show for the vampire. Chuzkue panted, flying above the hills. ^It''s not working!^ He growled inside, ^Whenever I look back, he''s behind me, rumbling.^ ~Arad, he''s getting out of my back. I won''t be able to locate him~ [This is a good time to stop. Your body is reaching its limit, get back home, and let''s check on Mira and the others.] "Chuzuke!" Arad roared, shaking the sky. "This is mynd! I dare you to set foot here again! I will rip your body apart and devour it!" Chapter 199 [Bonus ] The Lord And The Apex Predator Chuzuke flew as fast as he could, sweating buckets as he looked back at the roaring dragon. He could feel the piercing roar resonate in his chest, shaking his guts. N?v(el)B\\jnn ^I have to get away! This ce is dangerous.^ He pped his wings as fast as he could. He didn''t want anything to do with the dragon. Arad flew back, transforming a fair distance before reaching the Esmeray mansion. **** All the nobles have gathered in therge ballroom, talking about what just happened. The whole Esmeray family was found dead upstairs. That vampire infiltrated and killed everyone beforehand, taking control of the family as he stole Chuzuke Esmeray''s persona. "His true name was Dominic Edary. I will use my connection to search for his origin." Another noble stated. Both Lydia and Mira were sleeping on beds in the corner with Jack and Ae sitting beside them. "They pushed themselves too much." Jack sighed. "I saw the vampires'' HP drop when Lydia smitten him. Even though my arrows barely took ten. She almost one shot killed him." Ae smiled, "That''s an impressive power." Jack smiled, "Some say pdin''s powers are borrowed from their god. But I say they well earned it. No one beside Lydia would have stood and swung his sword while injured like her." ZIIIT! Arad pushed the balcony door open and walked in. All the nobles gasped, staring at him. It was more than an hour since he, the dragon, and Nina flew away. "Did you kill him? What happened to the dragon?" One of the nobles asked. Nina approached Arad. "The dragon has returned to his den. Is the vampire dead?" Arad shook his head. "No, he ran away. It was hard tracking him at night." He then looked at the nobles. The nobles sighed. Women started whispering while one of the men approached Arad. "Don''t think much about it. Chasing a vampire away is as great of an achievement as killing him." He then looked at Nina. "But, I never expected you to be able to call a dragon. I guess, we have underestimated your power even with all our caution." He smiled. The nobles knew Nina was powerful, and they didn''t want to anger her. But now they are more scared, thinking she can just call a dragon whenever she wants. Arad looked at Nina, confused. He wasn''t told anything about this. She smiled. "Where do you think that dragon came from? I called him." She looked at the nobles. "I once beat it in the past but let it live." Arad understood that they were covering up for him. Abel looked at them with a smile. "But, I won''t say Arad wasn''t scary. Does anyone remember that punch?" The nobles gasped, remembering the first time Arad punched the vampire in the garden with the rumbling. They never saw a human swing that hard. It''s terrifying to think he can deliver such force without a weapon. "I couldn''t even see it happen! It was like a cannon getting fired!" A noble gasped. "You''re right! What was that, a skill?" "No way! He''s a sorcerer, and I''ve never seen monks punch that hard!" Another one gasped. "I believe it was a mere punch." A young woman approached Arad. "Just look at how thich his arm and back is." She extended her hand to touch his arm. CLING! Ae and Merida appeared beside her, grabbing her hand simultaneously. "You can''t just go and touch him." Ae looked at her with a smile. "I know youngdies like you came here to look for a husband." Merida red at her, and then at the nobledies in the back. "You''re all looking at him weirdly. Abel is over there if you want someone." "Wait! Don''t send them to me!" Abel growled. "I have my fair share of girls." Arad looked at Merida. ^Ae is fine to get angry. But you''re just like them.^ Jackughed, "You better leave him alone." He stood and approached Abel. "Thank you for your help." He was the one to heal Lydia and Mira, and the injured nobles who barely managed to survive. "Ahem!" The strange old man approached them, looking toward Arad with a smile. Arad red back at him and clenched his fist. "You said you helped them transport the elder wood." Abel rushed to stand between them. "Stop it, you two!" He then red at the old man. "You should take that off." The old man sighed, closing his eyes, and his face shifted. He had a long white beard and clear green eyes. All the nobles gasped, bowing down. "Lord Alina!" "Heh!" Jack gasped, looking at the city lord while sweating. He had stolen a lot from him. "I''ve been looking to meet you for a while. What took you so long?" The lord approached Arad, looking at him with a smile. "I did have a lot of things to deal with. Things like getting stronger or searching for the elder wood." Arad stepped forward, looking the lord in the eye. The lord rested his fists on his hips. "I did want to grant you a reward for getting Merlin the dragon heart. But now you have helped clear a vampire from the noble ranks. What should I do? Mere gold won''t do it, and you already own a house." "I don''t really need anything from you. Not something I know of at least." Arad smiled, mimicking the lord''s stance. Just by nature, when faced with a real ruler, Arad''s brain kicked into high gears. He saw the lord as a rival fornd. Abel started sweating, he knew Arad was a dragon, and his father is within his punching range. When dealing with a dragon, it''s a golden rule to never face the beast directly, or offer something they can take by force. Abel stood, approaching Arad and his father. "Come on, you two." he smiled. "Let''s have a drink first. I''m sure you''re all exhausted after such a fight." Arad didn''t want to meet his father before. Abel knew that. What would make Arad change his mind now? Nothing. "Father,e here, rest." Abel pulled his father away. He can''t have him trigger Arad and end up causing trouble. Arad smiled, walking forward and sitting in front of the city lord. Chapter 200 [Bonus ] The Lord’s Rewards Thewful ruler of Alina prefecture: Adonis Alina. The strongest being in Alina prefecture: Nina of the Oswald n. The apex predator of Alina prefecture: Arad Orion. Those three sat facing each other on a small round table, with all the nobles surrounding them and listening carefully. "What do you wish as a reward? Let''s set it here, as I feel it will be long before I see you again." The city lord. Adonis said with a smile, staring at Arad''s face. Arad tilted his head, looking around him. "There is nothing I''d want from you. And nothing that you can offer, isn''t it?" Nina''s eyes darted between them. ^The lord doesn''t know he''s dealing with a dragon. To a dragon, offering gold ornd is an insult.^ She looked at Arad. ^I doubt Arad will act like other dragons. But we can''t take that possibility out.^ As Nina squeezed her brain for a solution, she remembered Arad''s words. ~Strange. Thest time I asked the ground, it said I own the ce~ Her eyes opened wide. He wasn''t joking. ^Did we build a city on a dragon''s territory? Was he hibernating, or did hee after? No, that won''t matter to a dragon. He has air and sees thend as his own. The lord could die if he offered Arad thend he considers his own.^ "Lord Alina." Nina stared at the lord. "I believe offering gold,nd, or housing isn''t suitable." The lord blinked as he looked at her, "You believe so as well?" He smiled, "Do you have any suggestions?" Nina scratched her chin. ^What would a dragon want? Sacrifices?^ "People," Nina said as she looked at the table. "And probably recognition. It would be better if he is recognized to have some power." "People?" One of the nobles mumbled, "Are you suggesting we give him troops? We can''t do that without him being a noble." The lord scratched his beard and smiled, "I have an idea, but it will take some time." He leaned forward, ring at Arad. "I will send a petition for the king to recognize you as a noble. When the king''s decree returns, I will grant a few servants for your house, and you can even take Sara''s hand in marriage." "Father!" Abel red at the lord, grunting. "What?" The lord looked at Abel with a tired face. "You said it yourself. Arad is different. Even I was surprised when you asked me to attend this party with you all." It was Abel who brought the lord here. He knew something could happen and wanted his father to be present so the story can''t be twisted. Abel grabbed his sword, "Remember what I said before? Sara is the one to decide, force her into marriage, and I will be the first to cut your head." The nobles gasped, hearing Abel''s words. Nina could feel bloodlusting from him. He wasn''t joking. She red at Abel, "Do you really intend on killing your father?" "Mother''s wish is for Sara to live happily. And I''m to see it happen." Abel growled. The lord smiled. "I see, I see. We raised you well. Lilith would be proud." He then looked at Arad, "It seems I can''t offer my daughter''s hand. But everything else still stands. What do you say?" Arad looked up and then at the lord, "I don''t need anything, but I might soon." The lordughed, "You''re a smart one." He then looked at Nina, "Isn''t he?" Nina stared between them. "I can''t tell." "He doesn''t need to ask for anything now. If he needs help in the future with anything. He cane to me." The lord exined. Arad is taking a ticket to redeemter. "I see. But can I say something?" Nina looked at Arad and the lord. "Don''t send any soldiers close to Arad''s house. Or any location he decides upon. Inform the guards and the nobles behind us never to stop him or get in his way. It''s for the city''s benefit to never anger him." The lord blinked twice, as did Arad and the other nobles. "Come on, Nina. He isn''t you, is he?" The lordughed. "You might as well consider him as much dangerous. I bet you know he will soon reach Alcott''s level as an S-rank. But I think he might even get on my level, if not better." She red at the lord, "It will be in your interest to build a rtionship with him now." Arad is a dragon, and power runs in their blood. If the soldiers walked into hisyer, they might get eaten. She also saw Arad getting angry and impatient when Chuzuke took Mira. He wouldn''t think twice about devouring a noble family if they stood in his way. "You think he will get as strong as you? I don''t want him going to another country, would I? The king won''t be happy to let such a talent slip from our hands." The lord smiled, "Arad, the location?" Arad thought about it for a second. "If the forest became foggy, turn around. Otherwise, you might never get out." He replied with what Mom said. If Loci was trying to keep them away from a location, they better not try getting in. "Anything else?" The lord looked at Arad with a smile. Arad shook his head, "Nothing that I can think of at the top of my head." The lord stood, leaning at the table with his hands. "AH!" He sighed, extending his old back, "I haven''t fought in years. My back is hurting." Arad blinked, "Did you fight?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Merida stepped forward and looked at Arad. "I killed nine thralls. He killed six. Ae eight and Jack killed one thrall and their leader, the butler." She then looked at Lydia, "We didn''t allow her to fight at the start, so she went for Chuzuke." "I hit one with a chair, Allowed Ae to get a hit in." L smiled, puffing her arm. Arad looked in the back, seeing one broken wooden chair. "So with this!" The lord said with a strong voice, looking at the nobles behind him. "I will send a letter to the kind. It will be a few weeks before we get a reply. In the meantime, treat Arad as a noble, and don''t stand in his way." The nobles bowed, Merida included, as her family was one of them Chapter 201 Recovering From The Damage Mira opened her eyes, looking at a ceiling she barely got to know. She sat up, the cold wind blowing from the window beside her bed. She looked outside, seeing the forest spreading as far as the eye could see after the garden. "Arad''s house," She mumbled. The image of herself getting stabbed in the neck returned. She grabbed her throat. The wound is nowhere to be seen. "How long have I been unconscious?" She slowly pushed the nket away and firmly nted her feet on the cold ground. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She tried to stand, but her knees started shaking, and her head spun as she fell to the ground with a deep empty feeling across her body. CRACK! Thud! Thud! Thud! As Miray on the ground, feeling the cold seep into her bones. She heard steps rushing toward her room. BAM! The door got kicked open, "Mira!" L shouted, rushing to her. "M..om," Mira growled, unable to move. "Wait! I will get you on the bed." L grabbed Mira from beneath her armpits and dragged her to the bed. "Don''t move. Here drink this." L opened the bedside drawer and pulled out a honey jar. She poured arge scope into a ss of water and got close to Mira''s mouth. "You bleed a lot from the stab and suffered internal damage. We had to use a lot of potions and healing magic to get healed." L exined, "Your body is starving. Drink this slowly. I will go and get you something to eat." L stood after she saw Mira holding the ss on her own. "Where is Arad?" She asked. "Arad and Mira are out on a quest. Jack got the lord to give him a small house beside the central church and is caring for Lydia there. I don''t know about Merida and Abel." Mira looked at her hand, "This doesn''t seem like mere starving. My whole body feels weaker." "In fact, your heart stopped multiple times. And you didn''t respond even when we healed you. This is how we knew you suffered a lot of internal damage." L scratched her chin, "Luckily, a friend of mine came with a herb that she imed would help you get better." "Who are you talking about?" "Jemima, the maid working for Cain from the nt shop. She said he sent her with the herb." L smiled. Standing, "Now rest. I will get you something to eat." She went to the kitchen. Mira looked at the ceiling, slowly drinking her honey with water. "That maid is a bit weird, that Cain as well." She mumbled, "Each time I try remembering them, I see a clear and detailed image." Mira sighed, "When will Arad get back." She looked out the window. *** "Arad! That the ones to the east!" Ae shouted, firing an arrow at a bandit who hid behind a tree. Arad smiled, [Void Step]. He teleported directly behind the bandits. "You bastard!" The four bandits growled, and one swung his sword at Arad''s chest. Thud! Arad caught the man''s wrist and stole his sword. "You''re slow," He grabbed him by the neck using the other hand. CRACK! It only took one squeeze to breathe his neck. Arad then absorbed the corpse into his stomach. The other bandits cried, "You monster!" He swung his axe, but Arad swung the sword he stole and blocked the attack. SWOSH! CRACK! Arad hit the man''s cheek with a backhand, spinning his head. "I need blood," Arad smiled, absorbing the corpse into his stomach. The remaining two turned to run away, but Arad grabbed their necks from the back. CRACK! CRACK! He snapped them. "Arad, I dropped everyone else." Ae approached Arad as he absorbed the bandits. ~None of the bandits escaped. There is another camp to the west. Do you want to clear that as well?~ ^I don''t want the bandits to start fearing this area. We will let those be.^ Arad smiled. ^I do need a steady supply of blood for healing, after all.^ Arad walked toward the bandit''s tents, "Let''s take everything. But let''s separate them into rations, tools, items, and currency." Ae helped Arad sort out what the bandits lefts. Coins and gems are currency. Their weapons and armors are items. Hammers, nails, and repair kits for armor and tents are tools. Andstly, the preserved food. *** The sun was setting down as Mira stared out of the window. "They arete." She mumbled. But as if by a stroke of luck, she saw arge ck dragon emerge from the trees with Ae on his back. Flying could get him spotted from a distance, so Arad decided to run on all four on the forest floor with Loci guiding him away from people. Ae spotted Mira staring at them from the window. "Arad looks, she woke up!" She pointed with her hand. Arad shifted back to his human form and walked toward the window with Ae. "How are you feeling?" Mira smiled, "Better. But a bit lonely. What were you doing all day?" "Cleaning some bandits around the area," Arad replied with a smile. "Someone had to do it," Ae approached the window and touched Mira''s forehead. "Your fever has gone down. We will have a feast today." Mira smiled. "A feast of lettuce and onion?" She giggled. "Come on!" Ae pinched her, "A proper feast. Your mother is here helping me cook. And I won''t leave a sick woman without meat." "We will go wash ande in. See you in a few minutes." Arad and Ae were a bit drenched in blood. They headed to the back door that was closer to the bath to wash. Ae rolled the massive wooden tub into the floor and looked at Arad. "If you please." Arad took bucked of water, washed his arms, and then dried them. He slowly approached the tub and put both of his hands inside. SPLASH! Arad poured water from his stomach to fill the tub. "And now." [Fire fist] He ignited both hands beneath the water, heating it up. Chapter 202 A Calm Dinner Arad walked out of the bath, taking a deep breath. He ruffled his hair with the white towel Ae gave him as he looked into the hallway. He looked back, "You''re getting out?" "I will be out soon. My hair takes some time to dry," Ae replied from inside the bath as she pointed at her hair. [Wind Gust] She used a finger gun with magic as a hair dryer. "Well, I don''t have much hair to dry." Arad touched his head, "See you in the living room." He walked away. Ae looked at the door with a smile. And then red at her hand, "I''ve gotten used to using my magic again." She closed her eyes and then opened them. She could see the blood on her hands, "I should be more careful, another failed spell, and I would end up ruining everything." Arad walked into the living room and sat on the couch, taking a deep breath and looking at the empty table. "You want food? Wait till Ae gets out," L stared out from the kitchen. "How is Mira doing?" Arad looked at L with a smile. "She can walk again, albeit still exhausted." She smiled, "She''s recovering well on the first day." "She was strong from the start. I believe she will be up and running by the morning." Arad smiled. "Nothing like you. You lost your arm, didn''t you? Most people won''t recover from that for months, and it can cause adventurers to retire." L stared at his arms. They both looked fine. "I''m a dragon. Is it strange for me to recover quickly?" "Recovering is one thing, and growing lost limbs is another problem." L walked out of the kitchen and approached Arad, ring at his face so close their noses almost touched. "You''re hiding something else, aren''t you?" Arad looked away, "Not at all. I have a strong constitution." "A strong constitution, you say?" L smiled, "Look at someone''s eyes when you lie. Try to speak with a passive face if you can. Don''tugh or avert your eyes." She stood, "Mira used to lie a lot, but she always got caught." "Can you just say that to me?" Arad looked at her. "You two will get well. Now, can you tell me what else are you? A dragon won''t cut it." L smiled. [There is no need to hide anything now that they know you''re a dragon.] "Remember when I was trying to lift a Lycanthropy curse?" looked at L. "Ara! Are you a werewolf? Or should I say a dragon wolf?" L looked at him with her hands on her hips. "Wyrmwolf. But I''m also a vampire, albeit I can walk in the sun." Arad added. "Both? That''s interesting. Do I need to worry about you sucking Mira dry the wrong way?" L stared at him with a smile. Arad red at her with an exhausted face, "What way wouldn''t be wrong?" He sighed, looking at the table. "Ask yourself. Or Mira herself, but I don''t want to see my daughter burning in the sun, so please don''t turn her into a vampire." L turned to walk toward the kitchen, "Look, Ae got out of the bath." Arad looked in the hallway, and Ae came, "Is dinner ready?" She asked. "Almost. Can you get Mira?" L replied from inside the kitchen. Arad stood, "I will carry her here." "No, she needs to walk. Let Ae bring her." L said, staring at Ae. "Of course. Arad, help L set the table." Ae said with a smile, turning around and walking through the hallway. Ae walked away and soon reached Mira''s room. Knock! Knock! "Mira, dinner is ready." She pushed the door open, seeing her walk in circles around the room. "What are you doing?" Ae asked. "Mother didn''t let me out of the house to walk, so I''m doing it here. She feared I might copse outside." Mira replied with a smile. "You were starving, after all. Did you eat something since you woke up?" Ae asked. "Milk, bread, and boiled eggs. I did also eat some honey." Mira replied, "But I think you can''t eat those." Ae smiled, "We can eat bread. Albeit Milk and eggs would break my stomach." She walked inside and extended her hand to Mira. "Let''s go. Arad and L are waiting." Mira looked at Ae''s hand, confused. "I can walk on my own." "Just in case. We can''t be sure about your health until tomorrow." Ae pulled Mira''s hand and tightened her grip, "Let''s go." Mira sighed, "I''m telling you, I can walk." The two walked out of the room after snuffing all the candles. In the living room, Mira saw Arad and her mother sitting around the table with all the foodid down. "What took you so long? Can''t she walk?" L looked at them with a grin. "I can walk. I''m not exhausted anymore." Mira gasped. "I can''t be sure you''re fine until you had a hearty meal." L called the two to sit, "Arad here can finish the whole table if you two don''t hurry." Everyone sat around the table, eating their full. Except for Arad, he ate only for show as his body is that of a dragon. A human portion is like eating a single spoon. After dinner, L looked at Ae and Arad. "Now that we finished, I have something to ask." She looked at Mira, "Arad is a vampire and a werewolf." Mira blinked, staring at him, "For real? No wonder you''re so tough." "You aren''t scared?" Arad looked at her. "Why would I? You saved me, and you being those won''t change the Arad I know." She smiled. "See? I told you they wouldn''t get scared." Ae smiled. "Now that you know that." L cleared her throat, taking a deep breath. "I would love to wait and see it slowly blossom, but I''m getting old and impatient." She looked at Ae. "Can Mira get with Arad as well?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ae blinked twice, and Mira gasped, standing up, "Mother!" "What do you say?" L looked at Ae. "Shouldn''t you be asking him and not me?" Ae smiled. "Arad won''t mind." L waved her hand, "And it''s the wife''s choice when adding mistresses to the house." "Ae and I aren''t married yet." Arad looked at L. "It doesn''t matter. If those two don''t agree with each other, it will fracture the family in the future." L looked at Arad. "You don''t want that, do you?" Chapter 203 [Bonus ] A Mother "I will discuss it tonight with Mira over tea," Ae took a deep breath, "But I would say yes. I can''t refuse her." Arad looked at them, "What are you two going to talk about if you already agreed?" "Like how you won''t stop at the two of us, or how could she end up in a ten years pregnancy." Ae smiled, and Mira gasped. "Ten years?" Ae nodded, "Probably more, but we will discuss the details over tea. For now, let''s get the rooms ready. I want you to help with the house as much as possible if you can''t do half." "The Lord said I would get servants to deal with that." Arad looked at them. "That is for when the letter gets back from the king." Ae looked at Arad, "For now, we two need to take turns cooking and cleaning. As well as set a schedule and divide the rooms." Ae smiled. She seems to have a lot in mind to talk about with Mira. "I see," Arad smiled, sitting on the couch and closing his eyes. "Just get it over with quickly." "It might take us a long time. You better find a ce to sleep in." Ae smiled, taking tworge mugs of tea and heading toward Mira''s room, "L will sleep in our room." Arad sighed, "I don''t mind. Don''t we have some empty rooms?" "Yes, but they are empty for now," Ae replied as she and Mira entered the room. Arad looked around, "I guess I will sleep here." He looked at the couch he was sitting on. L smiled. "Ara. Isn''t the bed in your room sized for two people? We can both fit there." Arad stared at her for a second, ^Mom, what do you say?^ [The couch is better. You also don''t require sleep now. You can spend the time in the dungeon or out hunting.] ^I see^ He looked at L, "Fine by me." [Oi! What did I say!] ^I mean. She''s a Mom as well.^ Arad stared at L. She walked to the kitchen and poured tworge mugs of tea. "Should we sleep? Or do you have something to talk about?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad looked at her, grabbed the mug, and took a sip. He watched her beside him. "What do mothers do?" L blinked, "What do you mean? Being mothers?" "They don''t just exist." Arad looked at her. "I do have a mother, but I''m sure our rtionship isn''t like that of a human mother and a child." "You want to know what a human mother is?" L looked at him, confused. "I believe knowing what a mother is, what she should do, and how I should treat her would benefit me, Ae, Mira, and everyone else in the future." Arad didn''t know what a mother was. To him, she gave birth to him and threw the egg in a forest, leaving him with a voice in his head. What should a good mother look like? How should she be treated before giving birth to the egg, and what after? Is throwing the egg in a forest the best course of action? What if the child was born alive instead of an egg? How should he and the mother act? "A mother is a woman who gave birth to a child and nurture it. And even if she didn''t raise the child, she is the mother." L looked at Arad, "But that doesn''t mean a woman that didn''t give birth can''t be a mother." Arad looked at her. "So Mira can be called a mother to Ae''s child since she help in raising it?" "Yes, we call it stepmother. Remember Abel?" L smiled, "Well, you can say I''m your mother now as well." "You are my mother?" Arad stared at her, his eyes opening wide. "A mother-inw, to be exact," She patted his head, "So, rest assured. I will be here to support both Ae and Mira. They will be great mothers." Arad smiled, feeling relieved. Somehow, he didn''t want his children to live alone without their parents. It was a deep feeling engraved into him. "How old are you?" L looked at Arad, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. "Ae said you are younger than your look." "I''m about a month old. I was born a few days before we first met." Arad replied with a smile. "Oh my. A baby walking around, dragons are strange." She looked at him again, "You don''t look like a baby?" She grabbed him by the head and pulled him to sleep on herp, "Do you need a mother?" Arad blinked twice as she pulled him in, "No, I''m strong enough to live." L smiled. "No, you aren''t. There is no way you won''t need a mother by your side. I will teach you everything you need to know," Shebed his hair with her fingers. Arad closed his eyes. "I guess so," "Thanks for saving Mira and me as well." L smiled. "Sleep well. You have a long life ahead of you, and I will be here if you need me." DING! Ae was talking with Mira inside the room when she could hear a droplet of water falling in the distance. She stood, looking left and right. "What is it?" Mira asked, looking at the confused Ae. "It''s quiet. The forest fell silent." She stared out the window. Everything looked normal. It took her a few seconds to realize what went silent. Arad always released a faint aura in the house. It was the thing causing the forest to get engulfed in fog and keeping the bests in line. That Aura has calmed down. But the wolves are sleeping. The effect didn''t wear out. It just calmed. Ae rushed out of the room. "Arad!" Heading to the living room and seeing L with a finger on her lips. "Shhh! He fell asleep like a baby." She stared at her, "Don''t scream. You''ll wake him up." Ae has never seen Arad sleeping like that. Chapter 204 Rock, Paper, Scissors. Who Will Start? Arad opened his eyes on the living room couch. Thest thing he remembers is sleeping on L''sp. He stood and stared around, "Are you awake?" L called him from the kitchen. "Yeah, you woke up early." Arad smiled, standing up and stretching his arms. "I have to go back to the shop. I can''t keep it closed forever." She smiled, "I will get breakfast ready, so go wash your face." Arad walked to the bathroom to wash his face, and L looked at his back with a smug smile. Arad grabbed the bathroom''s handle, and he could feel something strange. Someone is inside. He took a deep breath, "Who''s inside?" "It''s me. You cane in," It was Mira. ^I knew it. She sent me right to her.^ He red back as he opened the door. Mira stood beside the mirror, brushing her hair. "Good morning," He started washing his face. "Good morning. How did you sleepst night?" Mira asked. "I feel well rested." Arad smiled, "How about you?" "Nice, but we almost fought yesterday." Mira giggled. "For what?" "We decided to switch days between us." Mira looked at Arad. "And then went with rock, paper, scissors to decide who go first. I won three times in a row. Ae thought I was cheating." Arad giggled, "I hope she wasn''t that angry." "She was just frustrated." Mira finished doing her hair and walked to the door. "She will wake up soon. We can talk about it after breakfast." Arad washed his face and headed back to the living room. Ae was waking up and going to the bathroom. After breakfast, L picked up her bag and looked at Arad. "I will be heading to the store now. You enjoy your time with the girls." "I will take you there." Arad walked toward her. "No need, no need." L smiled, waving her hand with a grin. "Then at least take Mc with you. He will save you the walk." Arad pointed outside. The moose stood right beside the gate. "I will help myself to that then." L smiled, leaving the house. Arad looked back at Ae and Mira, "So, what have you two decided?" Ae smiled, looking at Arad, "We decided to cut the house chores in half. Mira will take the heavy stuff while I take care of the delicate ones." "Of course, Ae is one in charge." Mira looked at Arad, "After you, of course. I don''t intend to go against her judgment." "So it''s me, Ae, and then you." Arad looked at them. "Of course, that doesn''t mean she doesn''t have a say." Ae smiled, looking at Mira. "I heard you almost fought yesterday." Arad looked at them. "She cheated," Ae growled. "I didn''t." Mira looked at her, "I will go first tonight." Arad smiled, "Fine, let''s do a test round." He lifted his fist, pulling a rock from his stomach. "So, how do you do this?" "Wait, what! Let me exin the rules!" Mira gasped, teaching him how to y rock, paper, scissors. Everyone faced each other. "Rock, paper, scissors." Arad: Paper Mira: Paper Ae: Stone "I lost again!" Ae cried, grabbing her head, "Why!" Arad and Mira stared at each other. "Rock, paper, scissors." Arad: paper Mira: Scissors "I won," Mira smiled, and Arad stared at his hand. Ae stared at Arad, "See? She''s cheating." Arad looked at Mira, "I see what you''re doing. Let''s try another round." Mira smiled. "Rock, paper, scissors." Arad lowed his first rapidly, extending his upper fingers as if going for Scissors. He could see Mira smiled a bit with her hand resting at first. At thest second, he extended all his fingers into the paper and grabbed her fist. "I won," Arad looked at her, smiling, "You were slower than me this time. You see what we''re ying and change your hand at thest second." He pulled her toward him, "Trick strikes. Gerald has taught me a thing or two. Who taught you?" "No one. I used to hit my fingers with the hammer a lot. So I learned to observe and avoid the hammer at thest moment." Mira smiled. Arad looked outside and then at Ae, "What do we have to do today?" Ae scratched her head, "Nothing important. I was thinking of taking care of the garden a bit." Arad nodded, "Then nothing important." He pulled Mira toward him and lifted her, "We''re going," "Heh!" Ae gasped. "Heh!" Mira gasped. "Wait till nighttime!" Ae stared at Arad. He looked back at her, "Better use the time we have. I need to be equal between you two." Ae sighed, "I''m going to the shed to get the tools and work on the garden. Do your best, Mira." Ae walked out the door. "Wait! Don''t leave me alone!" Mira cried as Arad carried her toward his room. "Calm down. It won''t hurt." Arad smiled, kissing her forehead. "No, it will." Mira red at him, "Ae warned me," She pushed him with her hand and rushed to her room. After a second, she came out with the massage oil bottle. "We will use this." She looked at Arad with a stern face. "Do what you like." Arad lifted her again and dragged her to his room. "Why do you keep carrying me?" "I don''t know." Arad smiled, "You just look like you will move more than Ae," "Put me down," Mira said as they entered Arad''s room. He let her go, and she took a deep breath, feeling her heart pounding. Arad didn''t wait to pull his shirt off, and Mira gasped, jumping away. "Don''t take your clothes so suddenly." Tip! A small paper fell from Arad''s shirt, and the two looked at it. [From L] was written on it. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Did mother Leave this?" Mira picked it up, opening it to read the content. Her face quickly shed red, and she attempted to rip the paper apart. SWOSH! Arad snatched the paper before she could rip it. [Arad, Mira has been going about you for the past few days. I can hear her at night. She seems to like your muscles and overall build, so give her a big old hug. And take the lead. She doesn''t just like the muscr look for aesthetic. She wants someone strong that can take the lead.] Chapter 205 Into The Sky [Slightly R-18 At The End] Arad looked at Mira, "You like someone strong?" Mira looked away, "I guess. I should say, can I?" Her face blushed. "I would like someone to be strong enough to carry me and move around." Arad thought about it. "I just carried you to the room..." Something clicked in his head. "I did take Ae on a ride the first time. Want to take a tour around the mountains?" "A ride? On Mc?" Mira stared at him, tilting her head. *** Ae smiled, "Fine by me. Give her a good shaking." she said, lifting a thumbs up. A few minutester, Mira was crying her eyes out, holding on for dear life. "SLOW DOWN! SLOW DOWN! ARAD!" Her hands clenched on the rope as she hugged Arad''s neck as hard as she could. With tearsing from her eyes. Mira could see the clouds flying past at a blinding speed, the wind forcefully pulled on her hair, but her butt was stuck to Arad''s neck with gravity magic. "I''m gonna fall! I''m gonna fall!" "No, you won''t. Carrying you is easy, then how about this?" Arad said with a grin, pping his wings across the blue sky. "It''s scary! I have a recent bad experience with a flight!" She referred to Chuzuke. "You disyed a lot of courage there. You can trust me here, can''t you?" Arad turned his head to stare at her. Mira took a deep breath, "Fine, but don''t me me if I threw on your back." Arad smiled, his massive opal teeth glowing. "Hold tight then." Mira saw the sky twist as the clouds returned to their high ce. Arad dived straight down toward the mountain range. "Don''t hit anything!" Mira cried. Arad flew between the tight crevices of the mountains. Going below the thousand-year-old arching stones that no regr human could hope to climb. There was barely any space for him to fit, yet he clung to his wings and bolted right through. "I''m better at flying than when I was with Ae. You''re getting a better ride if I''m honest." Arad said, flying directly into a wall. "Does a better ride mean more risk in your book? A wall! A wall!" She cried. ^Loci^ ~Of course~ Arge stone started shaking and moved slightly to the side revealing a cave entrance. "I found this when chasing the vampire. I told Loci to hide it." SWOSH! Arad flew directly into the cave, tucking his wing on his back and running in the dark. Mira can''t see in total darkness so Arad ignited a bright blue me inside his mouth, illuminating the cave ahead of him like a shlight. "Careful! I almost hit my head!" Mira cried as a stctite almost tore her head off. "Don''t worry. You''re sitting on my neck, and lower than my head. If I don''t get hit in the head, there is no way for you to get hit." Arad replied with a grin, a wall approached them rapidly. ^Loci, open the wall.^ ~I can''t move that one. Too heavy for my current strength.~ ^Still haven''t recovered? Well, I will w it open.^ Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad rushed straight at the wall, swinging his front w at full force, covering Mira with his wings. The wall burst open, shattering in a cloud of dust as the dragon lept out. CLAP! Arad opened his wings with a thunderous p, roaring as he saw a few winged monsters on the other side of the mountain range. ROAR! It was a warning, don''t you dare get close, or will be eaten. Arad pped his wings and flew to the side, heading toward the highest peak without snow. Mira seems to have gotten used to being on his back, the twists and turns stopped surprising her. FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! As Arad flew, the monster from before flocked around him. ^I just warned them,^ Those monsters looked like the unholy child of an ape and an owl. Opes. ROAR! Arad roared, opening his jaw. CRACK! He bites one, swallowing it in a single gulp. CRACK! CRACK! Arad ate about five of the monsters before he realized, they weren''t fighting back. Merely flying beside the dragon, basking in its presence. It didn''t take Arad long to understand, it was all simple. The most dangerous creature in the mountain is him, so what would happen to them if they flew beside him? He could eat a couple, but what of the others, they will survive. [As a flock, they have a better chance of taking shelter with a dragon than spreading across the mountains. You can consider them minions.] ^So I only need to show up and they will serve me?^ ^You had to prove yourself as a wyrmling, but now your presence alone is enough to dominate lesser creatures. Keep in mind that creatures like the yeti from the flight with Ae won''t be affected.] Arad flew to the top of the mountain andnded there, lowering his wing for Mira to get down. The monster flocked below the edge, hiding out of sight. Mira stumbled down, taking a deep breath and holding her butt. "It hurts," "The rag wasn''t enough?" Arad looked at her as he shifted back to a human. "No, of course, it wasn''t. That''s a rag with a rope tied to it. I felt like I was sitting on a log going into a sawmill." Mira walked toward the edge, staring at the almost endless fall and the monsters below. They ran away as soon as they saw her. No one dares to face the woman with the dragon. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I''m not going down there," She walked backward, moving away from the edge. Thud! She hit Arad''s chest with her back. "Not without me carrying you down." "You took it too literally." She looked at his face, lifting her lips for a kiss. The moment their lips connected, Mira could feel Arad''s arms wrapping around her body like logs. She knew it, there was no escaping this grasp, she wasn''t strong enough to push his arms away. "Say, did Ae do it here as well?" Mira whispered as their lips parted, leaving a silvery trail. "Not here, another top with snow." SWOSH! Mira spun in her ce, facing Arad and shoving her face in his chest, taking a deep whiff. "It''s a bit chilly here, but do you mind taking your clothes off?" She looked up at him. "If you took yours as well." Arad smiled. "I will freeze, I''m not a dragon." Mira waved her hand on his chest, stopping his massive bulge. "I will keep you warm, in a tight embrace as your mother asked." Mira could feel Arad''s palm tight gripping her butt as he pulled her clothes down. And chill ran across her spine. Chapter 206 [Bonus ] Mira’s Day I [R-18] Mira giggled, "Please stop it. You don''t have to follow her every word." She looked at Arad''s face, running her hand across his chest and back. She couldn''t even wrap her arms around his torso. It wasn''t like she was short, thin, or weakly built. But standing this close to Arad, she realized how massive he was. She gently touched his arm, pully it toward her. It was almost as thick as her thighs below the shoulders. Mira''s hand gently rubbed against his bulge, feeling something there. She started sweating, it was still soft, but she could tell it was massive. She couldn''t help but worry about when it was up and stiff. Arad took his shirt off and started at Mira with a smile. Her face burned red as she gasped for air, taking a deep breath. She could feel something burning in the back of her throat. Her eyes could leave his chest. Mira extended her hands, touching therge flesh wall ahead of her. Her fingertips started shaking, and her nails made a strange noise as they smashed on Arad''s chest, as if its made of wood. "It''s your turn," Arad whispered in her ears. His hand grabbed the lower part of the back of her shirt, pulling it up. A shiver ran down her spine as the cold breeze washed over her skin. She instinctively hugged Arad''s chest, looking for warmth. Tick! She heard her bra snap from the back as Arad grabbed the lock between his fingers. He broke it. "You opened it wrong," She looked at his face with a deep red blush and a pout on her cheek. "Sorry, I didn''t mean it," Arad whispered back in her ears. Mira took her bra in one hand, covering her chest with the other. Arad had smashed the delicate locking hook in the back. He tried to open it backward. "Guess. I''m going back without a bra." She couldn''t help but think her breasts would rip apart if Arad flew like before. "I will get you a new one, no ten new ones, or a hundred if you want." Rad grabbed the hand covering her chest, "We have more important things to think of now?" Mira dropped her hand and threw the bra on a stone. She looked at Arad with her chest exposed. "It isn''t as hard as yours." Arad blinked twice. His draconic nature started showing up. He at least wasn''t interested in her chest being hard or soft. Dragonsid eggs, then never developed an attraction to boobs like mammals. He pointed at her hips, "Should I take mines or yours first?" Mira was perplexed a bit. She expected some reaction from him. Of course, L didn''t send her without anything in mind. Days ago, when it was clear that she was interested in Arad, she taught her a thing or two. ^Mom said he should start ying with my chest if I got them out...did I hear her wrong? Probably I should be the one doing it.^ She red at his chest, and a faint smile crossed her lips. ^I wouldn''t mind...^ Mira approached Arad, sticking her face on his chest, and took a deep whiff. He didn''t smell at all. "What are you doing?" Arad gasped. "Please stay still," Mira whispered, giving his chest a kiss. For a while now, she dreams of licking those abs from the first time she sees them. She closed her lips on his chest, giving his nipples a kiss before sucking on them for a bit. Mira slowly licked her way down to Arad''s abs and stopped at his naval, realizing he doesn''t have one. There is a mark on its ce as if there should be one, but there was nothing there. "You don''t have one, but what''s this mark?" Mira poked him with her finger. "I was born from an egg. I don''t have it. But my father seems to have been a human, the mark is inherited from him." Mom exined it to Arad and he told Mira. "Well, it doesn''t matter." Mira slowly unzipped his pants. She pulled them, down with a worried stare. SLAP! Arge chunk of flesh sprung out like a snake, smacking into her cheek. It was She wasn''t that close to him either. That thing was almost as long as her forearm and as thick as it. She started panting, "It''s bigger than I thought," She gasped, ring up at Arad. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad looked at her with a smile. "Is it? Ae didn''t mention that..." "It''s too big..." Mira gasped, her mother told her to expect something a bit smaller. "Come on, it''s your turn," Arad said, waiting for her to stand and take her panties off. "No, before that." Mira grabbed Arad''s flesh in her hand. ^It''s going to hurt a lot if I don''t do this first.^ She opened her mouth, licking it from tip to base. "What are you doing?" Arad gasped. "I have to lube it with spit. Otherwise, it''s going to hurt going inside." Mira looked at Arad, opening her mouth and trying to take the tip into her mouth. it was asrge as an egg. "Who said that?" Arad gasped again as he felt her teeth on him. He did remember it hurting Ae a bit, but wasn''t that natural? "Mom, she told me a bit about what should I do." Mira took Arad''s flesh from her mouth to speak, her left hand still moving on the soft skin. She then took a deep breath, closing her eyes and opening her mouth as wide as she could. "GAH!" She pushed her head on Arad''s flesh, trying to take it as deep as she could, but she could only get the tip in before gagging. "AH!" Mira gasped for air. This wasn''t enough. "Arad, do you mind pushing my head in?" She looked at him. "Are you sure?" Arad looked at her, confused. "Yeah, I will tap on your him to stop," Mira smiled. Arad grabbed Mira''s head by the hair and put the tip in her mouth, slowly pulling her at him as her hands rested on his knees. Chapter 207 Mira’s Day II [R-18] Mira did her best to fight the gagging as tears slowly dripped from her eyes. When Arad saw her, he pulled out. "Are you okay?" Arad asked. "Why did you stop?" Mira gasped for air, staring at him. "You''re crying." "I''m not. It''s a bit ufortable to have something that deep in my mouth. Don''t pull out unless I tap your thighs." She opened her mouth. Arad grabbed her head again, slowly shoving his meat inside. A thrust after thrust, he pushed deeper and deeper until he got half the way inside. CLAP! CLAP! Mira tapped on his thighs, and Arad immediately pulled out. She gasped for air. Therge chunk of flesh in her mouth prevented her from breathing. It was less of a gagging issue and more of a breathing one. Mira looked up at Arad, "How was it?" She asked. Arad looked at her for a second, thinking about what he should say. The safest bet was, "It felt good." But in reality, he was more worried about her to think about how it felt. Mira smiled, licking the base she couldn''t reach. "Come on. It''s your turn." Arad pulled Mira up by the shoulders. She stood facing him with a worried smile. Arad kneeled to reach for her belt, carefully trying to get it open without breaking anything. CLICK! It opened, and he smiled. "I got it." Slowly he pulled Mira''s pants down. PING! A button flew from under the zipper line, smacking his forehead. "You forgot that one." Mira sighed with a sad face. The only one she can think of to fix her bran and pants was Merida. But she is now wondering how she could exin the damage. ^I should buy new ones. But I like those...Probably learning how to sew isn''t a bad thing... But she has to buy a new bra lock from Merida anyway.^ When Arad pulled Mira''s pants down, he could see her white panties, dripping wet in the middle. It was like with Ae. He stood, intending to shove his flesh inside. "Wait, just that?" Mira looked at him, and he stared back at her. "I will do it slowly, don''t worry." He replied. "Can we do something first, or is that not good?" She looked away with a red face. "Of course. What do you want?" Arad replied with a smile. She before said that licking him would make her feel less pain. She might have something else in mind. Mira looked at Arad''s pulsating flesh. It was too big, and she was scared to put it in. "I never put anything in there. Could we try a finger first?" She mumbled. Mira extended her hands and grabbed Arad''s right palm, lifting it to her face and sucking on his fingers for a second. She then lowed it to her crotch. "One finger only, and do it slowly." Arad extended his index finger to her. It was tight, but he could push his finger all the way. Mira gasped, leaning to grasp his chest. She couldn''t bear feeling his finger inside her. A new itch was born inside her and she wanted him to wiggle it around a bit. "Arad, please move it." She gasped, looking at Arad''s face with tears in her eyes and a strange grin on her face. "In and out?" Arad asked, but she shook her head, "Like you''re scratching something." Arad started wiggling his finger inside, pulling in and out rapidly. Mira''s body jerked, shaking with each move and gasping. "AH! AH!" Seeing her wiggle like a dying worm, Arad stopped for a second. "Why did you stop?" She looked at him, her hands tightly gripped his chest. "You looked in pain." "I''m not, don''t stop until I tell you to," Mira growled in frustration. She had wished Arad would take the lead. She dreamt of him doing things on his own. Her mother said that the best-case scenario was for him to start doing things on his own, and at that point, she only needed to withstand it. But he seemed clueless. ^Ae, what were you doing?^ She has expected Arad to have some experience, but she was a bit disappointed. Mira extended her body to kiss Arad, "Remember what we''re doing. Next time I don''t want to have to tell you." She said as their lips parted, and then slid down to lick his chest as he started moving his finger in her. Arad nodded, running what she said and did several times in his head as if he was preparing for a fight. What did she do, what could he do, and what would make for a better oue? It only took him a few seconds to reach a conclusion, and it was to repeat what she did and only stop if she asked him to. Mira had her eyes closed as she rxed on him, but she suddenly felt him trying to push another finger in. She gasped, her body jolted a pit as her hymen was about to break. Thud! She felt Arad''s other arm wrapping around her back, keeping her in ce. A mild pain radiated from her crotch up to her teeth. She had hit her fingers with hammers more than she can remember, and this wasn''t enough to faze her. She grid her teeth in silence, letting Arad''s two fingers get in. Arad immediately started twirling his fingers as if there was no tomorrow. "AH!" Mira moaned, gasping as if she was hit in the guts. The pain from her broken hymen quickly turned into an annoying itch, and Arad was scratching it nicely. Like a Q-tip in her ear. Arad looked at her writhing her hips, he wanted to stop but didn''t. If she didn''t tell him to stop, he better keep going. After a while, Arad pulled his fingers up. And Mira rested on his chest panting like she had run a mile. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad grabbed her by the hips, lifting her body up like she was a small bag. "What are you doing?" Mira gasped. Chapter 208 [Bonus ] Mira’s Day III [R-18] Arad lifted Mira to his face and opened his mouth. She gasped, iling her arms and legs but to no avail. Lifting her like a baby was easy for him. "AH!" She moaned, feeling his lips touch her. Her legs twirled, wrapping around his head as she tried to grab him. Mira looked at Arad''s hair between her legs, she wanted to speak, but each time the words were about toe out of her mouth, a jolt struck her from hips to teeth, sending shivers across her spine. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad turned, walking toward arge stone beside them. Mira didn''t even notice him move as what he was doing between her legs kept her mind burning. Arad shifted his hands, holding Mira with only one by pushing her from the tailbone to his face. He then lifted his right hand, ck scales spread from a little above his elbow down to his fingers, and they ended in five sharp ws. CLICK! Arad put his ws on the stone. He cut through it with care, trying to create a t surface by slowly chipping at it. It only took him a few moments as to his hands, it was no better than hard dirt. After making what looked like a t enough surface, and while still ravaging Mira with his mouth, he put his hand on the stone. A gust of mes erupted, heating it for a bit. He didn''t want to put the naked Mira on a frozen stone b. Mira has now spent a few minutes on Arad''s mouth. But, albeit she kept moaning and writhing, she never went above that. She was still way off climaxing. Only the new sensation gave her a surprise. Hecked skills. Randomly moving his tongue won''t cut it. Mira then felt her body falling backward, her back gentlyid on a warm stone with Arad looking down on her. He grabbed her by the ankles and lifted her feet up, spreading her apart. She gasped, ring down and gulping. It was time. Arad moved his flesh andid it above her stomach. It was then she started getting scared. It reached above her naval, and he isn''t even pushing against her. She could feel something stuck in her throat as she saw him pull back to put it in. "Please, do it slowly." She mumbled with a red facing and tearing eyes. "Of course. I''m not going to just shove it in. Unless you want to." He smiled, staring at her with a grin. Mira took a deep breath. "Please don''t. I don''t think I can take it all inside." She slowly touched her belly button. My stomach is around here. I''m sure the holes don''t stretch this far. Arad nodded, resting his flesh on her entrance as she stared in anticipation. It wasn''t just long. The girth couldn''t bepared to his fingers. She knew it would hurt a lot. The question was if it was something she could endure or not. Mira gasped, feeling Arad slowly pushing at her entrance, stretching her wide open. She ground her teeth as she felt her skin about to rip apart. Her hymen didn''t fully break earlier, or was it breaking even further? She couldn''t tell. BLOP! GAH! Mira gasped for air the moment the tip slid inside. She was feeling a sharp pulsating pain in her hips. Mixed with the feeling of something lodged inside her. "The tip is in. I''m pushing further." Arad smiled, applying a bit more force. "That was only the tip?" Mira gasped, her head jolting back as she felt Arad getting deeper into her. Her toes curled as her knees clenched shut. Arad turned his head as he felt her legs hitting on his back. ^She wants me to push deeper?^ Arad increased the speed that he was pushing, and Mira cried, feeling the movement inside her. "Slow! Slow!" She gasped for air, and words barely left her throat. ^Slow? Still too slow?^ Arad couldn''t understand what she was thinking. He gently bent over her body and pushed even deeper, letting his weight drive forward. Mira pushed with her palms on his chest, finally words getting out of her throat. "Stop! Stop!" She cried, taking heavy breaths, each one she could feel the flesh in her stomach. "Stop, you''re hitting something inside." She finally spoke now that he stopped moving. Arad moved his torso a bit up, and she looked down. He was almost half the way in. And yet this was her limit. "Are you sure? Ae took it all in," Arad looked at Mira, wondering if just going halfway will be of any good. At least in his mind, not going all the way in means no eggs. "I can''t. Next time I might be able to take it deeper." Mira gasped, taking a few deep breaths. Arad stared at her for a second. ^Ae was a fighter and an elf. She could probably handle more due to that. Mira only needs to get used to it.^ "Okay," Arad whispered, slowly pulling out till he only had the tip. "I will start moving," Mira tried to rx her hips, but they couldn''t stop shaking. She could feel his every move, and something started pulsating inside her stomach. Arad pushed back in far faster than the first time, and she felt lightheaded. Her arms wrapped around Arad''s chest as she stared at the sky. "AH!" She moaned. "AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH!" Arad started moving faster and faster, and Mira moaned with each thrust, her hips writhing as her legs tightly hugged his waist. Mira could feel something strange, a tingling running down her spine and to her lower stomach. She gasped for air and then felt Arad''s flesh getting bigger inside her. He was also pushing a bit more than half, hammering her cervix. Knocking on the door. She lifted her head, going for a kiss, and Arad did the same, pushing down on her body as their lips met. She could feel him pushing deeper and deeper, forcing more of his flesh into her, but she couldn''t feel any pain. With thest thrust, she could feel a hot pressure building inside her. She tried to hold it but couldn''t. Climaxing at the same time. Chapter 209 Urgent Request Ae looked at the sky, "What''s taking them so long?" She sighed. It was almost lunchtime. ZON! At that moment, Arad emerged out of thin air with Mira in his arms in the middle of the garden. "Ae, we''re back," He waved his arm at her. She was in the kitchen staring at them from the window. Arad put Mira on the ground, and she barely managed to stand. She didn''t feel it in the heat of the moment, but now, she was more than just sore. Her knees started shaking as she leaned on him. Ae sighed, drying her hands and walking out of the house. "You were a bit too rough on her." She approached them. "Ae, you should have warned me." Mira stared at her, almost crying. "But it wasn''t that bad, was it?" Ae smiled and then started at Arad. "You better let her rest for the day. I got a letter from the guild." Ae pulled the letter from her pocket and handed it to Arad. "Alcott and Ginger are going on a quest. The guild wants you to go with them." "The letter says only me. Should I go check on it now?" Arad sighed, looking at Ae. "It''s urgent if they had to send a letter. You can wait till after lunch," Ae smiled. "No, I will go right away. I will check on Jack and Lydia on my way as well." Arad turned, "Mc!" The moose came rushing from the forest. "You two rest." And he bolted to the city. ******* Jack sighed, putting a crystal ball on Lydia''s forehead as she slept. ****** [Name: Lydia Auston][Race: Elf][ss: Pdin Ofthander] [Level: 16/20][Exp: 36520/225000][Sub-ss: Arcane-Archer] [Stats] [Strength: 20] [Agility: 16] [Constitution: 14] [Magic: 8] [Intelligence: 12] [Wisdom: 15] [HP: 13/384][MP: 32/288][SP: 3/288] ---------------- [Skills] [Divine Sense] The presence of strong evil register on your senses like a noxious odor, and powerful good rings like heavenly music in your ears. [Lay on Hands] Your blessed touch can hear minor wounds. Or you can call on your god''s favor to lift a mild illness. [Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting] [Smite] [Holy Smite] [Divine Smite] [Divine Cleaver] [Holy Magic Casting] The ability to cast holy magic. [Divine Health] The divine magic flowing through your veins makes you immune to disease. [Oath Of Vengeance and Protection] The Oath of Vengeance is a solemnmitment to punish those who havemitted a grievous sin. And those who swore to protect so no more vengeance is needed. [Aura of Protection] You can sense when a misfortune is about to ur. You can easily predict attacks aimed at your allies. [Indomitable] None can change the will of a devoted pdin. Even magic can''t. [Improved Life force] In battle, the pdin is immune to knockouts unless they die. [Channel Divinity] Allow you to channel the power of your god into your attacks if they agree to help you. [Innate Skills] [Blessing of Lathander: +6MP per level] [Blessing of Chauntea: +8MP per level] [Oath] Vengeance: Fight the Greater Evil Protection: Protect the good and innocent Vengeance: No Mercy for the Wicked Protection: Benevolent hand to the Virtuous Vengeance: By any means Necessary. Protection: Within reason to others. Vengeance and Protection: If my foes wreak ruin on the world, it is because I failed to stop them. I must help those harmed by their misdeeds. [Relentless Avenger] Your body gets a rush after each attack, allowing you to move even when greatly injured or exhausted. [Soul of Vengeance] When you see a creature under your vow of enmity, you can make strike against them in your god''s name. [Resistance] [Necrotic Magic] [Immunities] [Holy Magic] [Magic] 0-tier: [Guidance] [Sacred me] [Spare the Dying] 1-tier: [Bless] [Cure Wounds] n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [Divine Favor] 2-tier: [Zone of Truth] [Lesser Restoration] 3-tier: [Aura of Vitality] [Crusader''s mantle] [Remove lesser Curse] 4-tier: [Holy weapon] ************ Jack sighed. Her condition wasn''t looking good. The after-effects of pushing her body too much have taken their tool. She isn''t recovering as fast as she used to. He stood and looked out of the window. "Jack! Are you inside?" Arad knocked on the door, and Jack looked down. "Arad? How did you know I''m here?" Jack smiled, waving his hand. "Loci told me. How is Lydia doing?" Arad asked. "Not soo good. Wait, I will open the door." He rushed down and got Arad inside to see Lydia. She was lying in bed with bandages covering her whole body. "She had multiple muscles and tendons ruptured, broken bones, and internal bleeding." He looked at Arad. "I have to stay here with her. Someone has to change her bandages and give her the medicines she needs." Arad looked at Lydia, "Magic won''t work?" "We can heal her with magic, but she might die of starvation afterward." Jack looked at her. "Our only option is to heal her slowly." Arad nodded. "Look at this." He showed the letter to Jack. Jack skimmed through the letter and then looked at Arad, "Alcott needs help with a quest? Don''t tell me he needs you to fly him around." Heughed. "I don''t know. I haven''t checked the guild yet." Jack smiled. He gave the letter to Arad and sat on a nearby chair. "I can''t go with you since I''m staying with Lydia. I don''t know about the danger of the quest, but you might be better leaving Ae at home." Arad blinked twice, "Why? She''s strong enough." "It''s Alcott''s we''re talking about. Thest time I heard, a whole city ended up destroyed. You can survive, but most can''t." Jack was right. Ae isn''t as durable as Arad is, and taking her on a quest with Alcott is only asking for her to be gravely injured or die. Arad thought about it. ^I should check with Alcott first. If he needs me for storage or to carry them somewhere, we can take Ae. But if it was for fighting power, that''s a different story.^ Arad stood, "I''m heading to the guild. See youter, and take care of her." Jack smiled, "Of course, you be careful. It''s never safe around S-ranks." Chapter 210 [Bonus ] Sisters’ Noise CLACK! The guild''s door busted open with a loud thud, and arge man cast his shadow on the inside. The adventurers stared at the door, whispering. "It''s him!" One mumbled. "I heard he punched a vampire so hard he sent him flying." "For real? Wrestling werewolves, ying dragons, and now he''s punching vampires?" "Look at him! He''s asrge as a bull. How is that a sorcerer?" "How do you even get the idea to punch a vampire? Those things can bite, and they have superhuman strength. Physical attacks are meaningless, so even people strong enough to do it usually don''t try." "Nobles been babbling about since yesterday. His punch sounded like a cannon, they say." "I heard arge boom that night. Was it him?" "I doubt it." Arad looked around, walking toward the desk as the adventurers gazed at him. Thud! One of the adventurers stood, walking in front of Arad and staring at him. "Say, can I ask you something?" The man said, looking at Arad with a tilted head. "What is it?" Arad replied, staring at the adventurer with a confused face. They usually leave him alone. "Did you punch a vampire?" The man asked. "Yeah?" "Why?" "It attacked Mira. Why wouldn''t I punch it?" Arad was confused. "The carpenter?" The adventurer gasped. Mira is well known. Her furniture is one of the best in the city. And each house has at least something that she made. "I mean, you could have used fire magic." "The vampire closed the distance first. And we were at a party. I didn''t have any weapon to use besides my fist." Arad stared at the adventurer, "Don''t you usually train to fight without your weapons or magic?" The adventurer red at Arad, blinking twice, lifting a finger to speak, and then stopping. "Merlin, the archmage. She could beat with her bare hands. Why wouldn''t I try to be like her?" Arad added. N?v(el)B\\jnn A loudugh came from the back. "Did you hear that? He''s learning from everyone he meets,piling it into his fighting style." It was Alcott, sitting beside Mira''s desk with Ginger. "You will never reach A-rank by just following a single mindset." The adventurers stared at Alcott. "How many fighters of you there have bothered to learn some weak spells? The 0-tier mending is pretty useful, and so is the bonfire and booming de." The adventurers looked at each other. "How many mages there would lose to a random person in a squabble? I guess all except Arad. Even fighters would lose to him." Arad approached Alcott, "I heard about the quest." Alcott stood, "Be creative if you want to reach S-rank. That''s all I can say." He then looked back. Nina was sitting beside the private room door. "Let''s go. We have a lot to talk about." Alcott, Ginger, Nina, and Arad walked into the private room. Nina closed the door, and Alcott sighed, dropping himself on the couch. Ginger gracefully sat beside him. "The magic, if you please." He tapped Ginger''s leg. Ginger pulled her small wand, waving it through the air. Arad could see the room getting engulfed in a weird spell. "It''s magic so no one can hear, see, or spy on us," Alcott said with a smile, staring at Arad. Everyone sat around the table, and Nina was the first one to break the silence. "You didn''t tell me that Arad was a dragon." "The less people who know, the better," Alcott replied, looking at the ceiling. "The mages at the capital are searching for his kind. I don''t want them sniffing around him." "The mage fromst time was one of them?" Nina scratched her chin, looking at the table. "Then you get it." "What kind of dragon is he?" Nina looked toward Arad, "Sorry, I should be asking you." "I''m a void dragon. Even I don''t much about myself." Arad looked at her, lifting his palm. The air around it started disappearing as it got sucked into his hand like a vacuum. "If someone killed or imprisoned you, we should expect an angry mother." Nina looked at Arad first and then at Alcott, "And I reckon you wouldn''t be able to deal with her." "Looking at how strong Arad is now. Yeah, I won''t be able to do anything. It''s better to avoid a fight in the first ce." Thud! Thud! Ginger knocked on the table with her wands. "Alcott, the quest. We don''t have time to waste. That''s why we''re here." "Yeah," Alcott looked at Arad. "The quest reward is six tinum coins. Me, you, and Ginger, each will get two." Arad blinked twice, "Starting with the reward, it must be quite a bad deal." "You can say that." Alcott smiled, "The quest name is Sisters'' Noise." "Two sisters, twins. Daughters of a Marquess. They have gone missing a month ago, and the only lead we have is a faint magical noise they are emitting from below the ground of Mount Rita." Ginger exined. "A Marquess?" Arad looked at them. "Baron, Viscount, Earl, Marquess, Duke. Those are the nobles'' rankings. I heard you might get a title soon. It will most likely be a Baron." Alcott looked at Arad, "The underground city of Rita is built on the ruins of an ancient dwarven city under the mountain with the same name. It''s about a month ride to the west." Arad sighed, "You just need me to get you there? Couldn''t you find a mage that can teleport you?" Alcott smiled, looking at Arad in the eyes. "It''s two tinum coins. I rather give it to someone I know with high potential. And I would love to have someone strong that can fight." "I''m already the mage, and Alcott is the fighter. Having someone bnced like you could prove useful." Ginger smiled. "So what is this Rita city?" Arad looked at Arad with a smile. He can get a lot with two tinum coins. Alcott smiled, "A lustrous city of gems, crimes, lust, and unfiltered evil. Heaven for thieves, assassins, vers, and bandits." He red at Arad, "The ce no one wants to be in." Chapter 211 Merlin’s Visit Arad, Alcott, Ginger, and Nina walked out of the private room. Arad decided to take the quest. "I will go check on Ae first." Arad looked at Nina. "We meet around my house. Is that okay?" Alcott smiled, "See you there then. I have to make a trip to Merlin. Her work on the heater has been going smoothly since you got her the red dragon heart." Arad scratched his head, "I still need to give her a visit as well." "How about we go to her together and then head to your house?" Ginger suggested with a smile. Arad nodded, "A good idea." Nina walked to her desk and registered the quest. Alcott, Ginger, and Arad are going to take on [Sisters'' Noise] The adventurers looked at Arad and walked out of the guild with Alcott and Ginger. They looked at Nina. "Wait, did they just take a quest?" Nina looked at them with a smile. "Yes, they are going on an S-rank quest." The adventurers gasped. How is Arad going on S-rank quests even though he was a B-rank? "Shouldn''t you stop him? No matter how you look at it, S-rank is more than what he can take." Nina smiled, remembering how Arad regenerated from her hit. He''s built differently than anyone else and should be fine. "Arad can take it. I did fear for his life at the start. But he seems capable of handing far beyond his rank." The adventurers red at her and then looked at the door. They knew that Nina responded to the vampire attack at the Esmeray mansion. She must have seen Arad fight. "He must have done more than just punch a vampire." One of the adventurers gasped. "Don''t tell me he had a fistfight with such a monster?" "All right! I''m going to punch some goblins." A fighter growled, clenching his fists as he pulled a quest paper from the board. Nina stared at him. "Don''t. You will get scratched, poisoned, and die." *** n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad, Alcott, and Ginger reached Merlin''s tower. The guards saluted them, "Sir Arad, Alcott, and Ginger. Wee. Did youe looking for Merlin?" "Yes, is she inside?" Alcott stared at the guard. "She is in the backyard testing a prototype version of the heater." The guard opened the door, "Someonee here to lead the guests." A young man in armor rushed out, saluting them. "Take them to meet Merlin." The guard led them into the tower and to the backyard, where they saw Merlin standing beside arge kettle-like object. She turned and looked at them with a smile. "Arad! And Alcott and Ginger, what brought you?" Alcott walked forward, unsheathing his sword. "Check this," He gave it to Merlin. "A greatsword. Do you want me to inspect the enchantment?" Merlin looked closely at the de. "I got recently. I want to know if it will do the job." Alcott replied. "This one would be great for killing lycanthropes and beast-type creatures. It''s weak against the undead, but that is fixable with some oils. For humans... It will kill." She handed the sword back to Alcott. Alcott smiled, "Exactly as the seller said. It''s perfect then." He then reached to his waist and pulled the sword there with its sheath. "Arad, catch." He threw his old de to Arad. "You can have this. You will need a good weapon for the quest." Alcott smiled. Arad looked at what Alcott gave him. A long sword with a dark green de and a ck leather hilt. He looked dull when he pulled it out of the sheath. "I doubt this can cut anything without sharpening." He rubbed the edge at his hand, doing no damage. Ginger smiled, "That de is made of Adamantite." She approached Arad and took the sword from his hand. "Give me your hand." Ginger pulled the de slowly, cutting into Arad''s flesh with ease. As if he was made of foam. "Adamantite swords are unique. They get sharper the harder you grip them. And they are amazing conductors for magic." She smiled, ring at Alcott. "He isn''t that good at magic to make full use of the second trait though." Alcott scratched his head. "I''m pretty strong, so that de is sharp in my hand. But not all monsters can be killed by cutting them. And I can''t channel enough magic through it to make a difference." Arad smiled, "But I can use it." He took the sword back from Ginger and looked at it. "By the way, how much did you buy this thing?" Arad looked at Alcott. "It was about four tinum coins. The one in my hands is seven." Arad looked at the sword, "And you''re giving it to me?" "I don''t want you to die in the quest." Merlin giggled, "I''m sure you didn''te to me just for looking at a sword." Alcott exined the quest briefly to Merlin. "And so, I want something reliable to follow the sisters'' magic noise." Merlin scratched her head. "We know the general area is Rita, but we don''t have a precise tracking method." "Can''t you make something?" "I don''t know. But I will send Ginger a message if I figured something." Merlin smiled, approaching Arad. "How about you?" Smiled, hugging his arm. "You were supposed to give some of your scales." Arad looked away, "What will make?" Merlin smiled, "You have another person to take them beside me in mind, don''t you? Who are they?" "No, I don''t have anyone in mind." Arad sighed. "I want to know what can you make. Armor, weapons?" Merlin let go of Arad''s arm, smiling. "I know it has to be L. The woman is resourceful, but unlike her, I can make magic items." She stared at Arad. "She could find a cksmith to make you armor, but I can use your scales to make magic-infused items." Alcott looked at Arad. "A cksmith might get you a heavy set of dragon-scale armor for defense, while Merlin will get you a cloak that makes you swifter, or invisible." Arad scratched his head, "I will give you half. And L half." Arad smiled, "Can you make the invisible thing?" "Are you interested in that?" She looked at him. "Not for me, but for our rogue, Jack." Arad pulled half the scales he had from his stomach and showed them to Merlin. "I will have some left. Want something else?" Merlin took the scales with a smile. "Ae might need arger quiver. Something that doesn''t drop her arrows mid-fight," Arad looked at Merlin. "She''s an elf. I doubt that will ever happen. But I can make something better. A bag of holding. It will store hundreds of arrows for her to use." Merlin put her hand in the bag at her side, pulling a two-meter-long staff, and then a log. "I do have this one as well, but it''s more of a tattoo." she pulled a sword from her chest. Chapter 212 The Land’s Threat Arad smiled, "An invisibility cloak for Jack, a bag of holding as a pouch for Ae. And an armor for me. That will do it, but I have something else to ask about. I still have the scales of the red dragon." Merlin looked at Arad, tilting her head. "You''re already wearing your scales, and you will get an armor made of them. I suggest saving the red scales for the future." "Hoi! Merlin, this thing is boiling. Is that okay?" Alcott pointed at the prototype heater. "AYA!" Merlin cried, rushing with her wand and waving it around. The bubbling faded, and the heat subdued. Merlin fell on her butt, panting, "It was close," Ginger approached Merlin, standing beside her. "If that wererge enough to heat the city, it would have caused a fire." "You''re right. I need to make sure it is stable so people can survive the winter." Merlin sighed. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Say, Can''t you teleport Alcott and Ginger to the city of Rita?" Arad looked at Merlin, and she shook her head. "Sorry, I don''t have the skill necessary for that. Long-distance teleportation isn''t my thing." "Well, see youter. If we survived this quest." Alcott waved his hand as he turned around. "You always say that. Do you know how hard it''s to kill you?" Merlin looked back at Alcott with a smile, "You''re like a cockroach." Ginger giggled, "Then what would I be if he''s a cockroach?" She looked at Merlin. "We will be fine. We''re going to find the sisters and return, Hopefully without much bloodshed." "You''re the one saying it out of everyone." Merlin stared back at Ginger. Arad and Alcott looked at each other. Both stand with their hands on their hips and smile. "Cut it off. Both of you." The two said at the same time and looked at each other. "Alcott is right. We have a quest to tend to." Arad looked at them. **** The three got out of Merlin''s tower, stopping by L''s shop so Arad could leave the scales with her. They then headed straight to his house in the forest. This ce is strange. Ginger looked around, gently touching the trees with a worried face. "I feel like the forest is alive around us." "You''re right. It''s like we''re approaching a dragon''sir." Alcott looked at Arad, smiling, "You''re making progress as a dragon." "Why wouldn''t I? The whole of Alina prefecture is a part of my territory." He puffed his chest. Alcottughed, "Since when did you own the ce? But I guess you''re the only dragon around the city." "Alcott is right." Ginger looked at Arad. "I heard you were about to be granted a noble title. Use thend granted by that to determine your domain." "You can''t take and that you don''t own. Even dragons usually threaten cities and kingdoms before snatching a mountain or two." Alcottughed. "Then you want a threat?" A voice boomed from the forest. Alcott pulled his sword, and so did Ginger. The trees danced as a flower grew from the ground. A mouth opened on it, "I''m granting my back to Arad. Dispute his ruling, and I will fold your city like a book and clench the mountain on it like teeth." The ground started shaking violently, and the people in the city screamed as an earthquake started. "Dragon meditator, is this enough of a threat for you?" Thud! Arad patted the flower. "Stop it, Loci. They won''t cause any problems." Alcott looked at the ground, "Don''t tell me..." "The city is built on a genius loci." Ginger looked at Arad and the flower, "You''re on my back, and I grant to whomever I wish." Loci growled. Alcott sighed, "I mean, we have no choice if thend itself is speaking." "In this case, shouldn''t you be talking to the king?" Ginger looked at the flower. "Last time a genius loci appeared, the king had to make a deal with it." "As long as thend here belongs to Arad, and he doesn''t have a problem with your city existing on it. I won''t act." Loci replied, the mouth on the flower smiling, "But, I can throw a mountain or two if enraged." Loci was bluffing. She''s far from such a feat due to the fungus. But that doesn''t mean she won''t be able to when she recovers. Alcott approached Arad, "This far than anything I expected from a dragon to achieve in such a short time. No wonder you''re growing stronger by the second." After a short walk, they reached Arad''s house and stopped by the garden. "Ae, I''m back with Alcott and Ginger," Arad shouted, and the door opened. Ae walked out, "You''re back quickly. What was the quest deal." She looked at him with a smile. Mira poked her head from the back and looked. "Alcott and Ginger!" She gasped. Those two weren''t the kind of people you see walking around regr people. "The quest is moreplicated than we thought." Arad scratched his head and approached Ae with Alcott and Ginger behind him. "I expected something dangerous since the letter came here. The guild usually only reserves such measures to S-rank and death quests." Ae smiled. "Death quests?" Arad looked back at Alcott. "Quests where the guild expects to have some deaths. They don''t hang such dangerous missions on the wall, but instead, call people they deep capable of survival. This was an S-rank quest and not a death quest." He looked at Ae. "In short. We need him to carry us to a ce really quickly. And help us find two sisters." Ginger looked at Ae. "I need more exnation," Ae sighed, "Get inside." She turned around and walked into the house. Everyone entered and sat in the living room. Mira brought them tea as they faced each other. Alcott exined the quest to Ae in detail, and she started thinking. "Rita? I heard of it." She looked at Alcott, "To me, at least, I would assume the sisters are already dead if they ended up in such a ce." Ginger sighed, "I think the same." She then looked at Alcott, "But we can''t exactly tell the Marquess his daughters are dead when they are sending magic waves out." Chapter 213 The Dreams Of A Maiden Ae sighed, "Fine, but when will you return?" She stared at Arad and Alcott. "We don''t know, But with Arad, the trip won''t take that long." Alcott smiled. "I would say a week or two." "Arad would be a noble soon, presumably a baron. Having an S-rank under his belt should be enough to deter other nobles from messing with him. Especially since he doesn''t have soldiers." Ginger smiled. "I can just beat them. I don''t need soldiers for that." "The goal is to prevent a fight from starting in the first ce. Scare them with your power." Ginger looked at Arad, "I doubt they fill mess with you if they knew you''re a dragon. But to them, you''re but a strong man." Mira scratched her head, "They will see him as an easy fish to steal hisnd." Alcott stared at Arad, "They might not even fight. For example, they can try to criminalize you with something. Or, as we say, wipe the knife on your back." "You need to start ying under the table if you want to remain hidden as a dragon and live as a human from now on." Ginger looked at Arad, "Albeit, I say having a noble title is befitting for a vampire." Ae imagined Arad as a duke living in a scary castle under the moonlight. He sat on his throne, one leg on the other, with his eyes shing red. "It sure befits him." **** "Ara! Oh my! Ara! Oh my!" Far away, the massive green dragon smacked her tail on the ground, wiggling her butt as she crawled around the crystal. "What a development! He''s bing a noble!" A kobold walked forth, "Madam ug, please calm down. Your tail is shaking the whole cave." Therge dragon turned her head to re at the kobold. "Silence, fool! Don''t you see I''m watching the life of Arad?" "I know, but I''m saying not to move too much while doing it." The kobold sighed. "How could I not move? His mother had multiple stories, but he''s going to be the first long-running one! He''s already got two lovers and a noble title. How could I not be invested?" ug growled, staring at the crystal ball again, but the living room was empty, Arad and everyone had left. "KYAAAA!" ug cried, "Look what you have done! I missed the best part. There is no rewind!" "If you finished watching. Then stop shaking the whole cave. Repairs are bing a pain." The kobold red at her. "It''s time for Princess Ishtar! I want to see if her plots are going to fruit or fail and crumble on her." ug shifted her crystal ball to stare at the royal castle. "What could happen, what could happen!" she wiggled her tail from left and right, smacking the walls and shaking the cave. The kobold sighed, turning around to leave. "Are people''s lives just a form of entertainment to you?" ug turned her head toward the kobold, causing his bones to shiver. "They are. Except for Arad and his mother. Those two achieved my dream, and I want to learn their secret of how to blend into human society and live my dream life." "Sorry," the kobold gasped. "No need to apologize. I would have eaten you long ago if I worried about your remarks. Good job, you''re dismissed." ug looked back at her crystal ball, trying to not damage her ownir from excitement. The kobold walked away, ^The draconic arrogance. They all be like this when they get older. Their desires, hobbies, and nature take over. Even I would be flying around eating all the apples I find if I had her strength. Who would dare question my life decisions?^ ***** Thud! Arad teleported with Alcott and Ginger far away enough that the city wouldn''t see them taking off. "This looks like a decent ce." Alcott and Ginger looked around, they were at the edge of the mountains, but monsters were nowhere to be seen. "Say, Arad, did youe here before?" Alcott looked toward Arad with a smile. "Yeah, several times." Arad replied, "I did survey the area with Ae." "I knew it," Ginger stared at him. "The monsters here knew you''re a dragon and are avoiding you." "Ah!" Arad gasped, looking at the sky. "GRGRGRGRGRGRG!" A deep growl came from his throat, like a muffled lion roar. Monsters and animals started moving, and Alcott could sense them. "I did manage to get them to stay away when I''m with someone. But I just told them to ignore us." Alcott looked behind him, seeing a giant cobra slither into the bushes without attacking them. CRACK! ck scales covered Arad''s body as he transformed into his draconic form. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad wiggled his head like a dog, grunting as he extended his wings and spine like a cat. "But, some still dare attack." The cobra that was pretending to just pass by, lunged at Arad, attempting to bite him in the neck. SWOSH! CANG! Arad''s head swung like a whip, biting the cobra''s head. He then slurped it like a noddle. "Those who don''t listen end up eaten." Arad looked at Alcott and Ginger. Alcottughed, and scratched his head, "That was a B-rank monster. And you just at it like nothing." "I''m a dragon. No matter how Ae and Mira cook. The quantity can never fill me, so I hunt like this." Arad replied, licking the blood off his teeth. Alcott approached Arad, knocking on his scales. "They are hard. I would say almost like those of a young adult dragon. But they aren''t on the level of an adult dragon." "I''m still a very young dragon." Arad looked at him. "I still have room to grow." "This says how much or a rare type you are. Dragons are already powerful, to begin with, and you''re going to be even stronger." Alcott looked at Arad, "And adult dragons could kill you easily, so don''t start fights with them." Arad remembered, "What green dragon we met before. How old was she?" "ug? She was an ancient dragon is thetest record. And those were fifty years ago. I didn''t notice any change when I saw her in the forest." Alcott thought about it. "She would slurp you like you did the cobra." Chapter 214 [Bonus ] Taking Flight On The Dragon’s Back "I see. I would keep that in mind if we faced any other dragon. But don''t expect me to run." Arad lowered his wings for Alcott and Ginger to get on his back. "I will use gravity magic to keep you in ce. But hold tight. I''m worse than a horse, it seems." Arad referred to how both Nina and Mira found riding him painfully. "I''m wearing armor," Alcott smiled, "And I can use magic. Just don''t go overboard." Ginger smiled as they sat on his back, holding the rope. "If it''s you," Arad turned his head to Alcott, "Can you find someone to make me a saddle? I would like to start carrying Ae and Mira around without them being unable to walk afterward." Alcott smiled, "You can count on me. I can get it done," Arad looked forward, Thud! Thud! He took a few steps, trouting like a horse as he picked up speed. In thest step, Arad''s front and hind legspressed, and his knees bent as his muscles bulged. He needs space to p his wings, and the trees around don''t allow him. The solution was simple, to jump over the trees. BAM! In a single push, Arad''s body elerated over the trees, causing Alcott and Ginger to gasp at the scary move. FLAP! The moment Arad''s body was in the sky, he opened his wings and started pping, taking over the sky. "I''ve fought dragons before, and I saw their terrifying speed when they lung in for a bite. But this was my first time riding one at he lunged." Alcottughed, looking down at the forest fading as Arad flew to the clouds. "At this speed, we can reach Rita in a few days rather than a month." Ginger looked back. Arad is several times faster than her with flight magic. And she is already faster than horses. With a carriage, the trip can take a month. But a carriage is slower than a horse. Which only meant Arad''s speed is far than they expected. "I heard the vampire managed to escape from you for an hour straight." Ginger looked at Arad. "He was faster than me." Arad replied, "Do you know anything about it?" "No, I can use the spell [Fly]. I shouldn''t be able to fly faster than you. It suggests he is better with utility spells than anything else." "I can fly even faster. But I doubt you two will take it painlessly," Arad looked at them. "Please don''t." Ginger red at him. "Chuzuke was a master at utility spells. Let''s go with that." Alcottughed, "Ginger is a good ster. She is an expert at using the elements to send people to the afterlife." The day quickly passed without any event as they flew above the clouds, "It''s dangerous for you two to sleep on my back. Let''snd and make a camp." "I agree." Alcott nodded, and Arad dove down,nding beside a river edge. The two of them set the camp while Ginger cooked dinner, some roasted meat. After the camp was set, Arad sat with Alcott watching Ginger grill the meat. "Alcott doesn''t like food when it getsplicated, especially meat. Salt and pepper, and then throw it on the mes. Nothing more." She said with a smile. "It''s the same for anything green. Chop it, add salt and olive oil, and he''s happy." She looked at Arad, "How about you?" "I''m a dragon. As long as it moves, or grows from the ground, I can eat as it is." Arad smiled. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "When you be like me, the simple things start feeling better." Alcott tapped his chest. "My body burns a lot of energy, so it requires a lot of food. Those fancy noble dishes can''t fill me up." "I wonder if I would have a problem with that when I be a noble," Arad mumbled, looking at the mes, ^My house is smaller inparison to the other nobles. Something started turning in his head.^ "I have to build something bigger,rger, and better." "What are you talking about?" Alcott looked at Arad''s face. "Alcott is right. What got you serious all of a sudden." "I can''t let the other nobles have a bigger house than me. I have to build something bigger, or smash their houses so they are smaller." Alcott looked at the mes. "Don''t do it, even as a joke. Leave their houses alone," Alcott smiled, but that wasn''t a joke if it came from a dragon. "You can build a bigger house. How about a manor or a castle?" Ginger smiled. Arad''s eyes lit up, "The mountains, I can build a magnificent castle at the top, to oversee thend." He could imagine that stone-like massive castle, arching between the mountains peaks with magnificent bridges. "Just make sure to invite us to your noble party." Alcott stared at Arad, "I''m sure you will have a lot of food lined up." He patted Arad on the shoulder. "Noble party?" "You will have to throw one after receiving a title. It''s a costume." Ginger smiled, handing the two their roasted meat. "That means I have to hunt. A lot of meat will do it, but who will cook?" He looked at Ginger. "If you be a noble, you can take some of the city lord soldiers depending on your rank. For a baron, that would be ten, and you can also higher maids without needing to pay taxes over their wages." Ginger exined. "I would rather choose the people who walk around my house." Arad scratched his head, "Can I use monsters?" "There is now that says you can''t. But wouldn''t that be weird?" "You''re right..." Arad sighed. The conversation kept going untilte at night, and everyone retreated to their tent to sleep. By dawn, Arad opened his eyes, feeling multiple presences approaching their camp. ^Loci, who are they...^ Arad didn''t get an answer, and he remembered that he flew outside of her back. Arad stood, waking out of his tent shirtless. PEW! CLING! An arrow flew at Arad''s neck, and he caught it with one hand. "Bandits? Did the fire smoke lure you in?" He smiled. [You nned this,] ^I have to top up on blood before the quest.^ Chapter 215 The Dragon Learning How To Fight With A Sword The bandits walked out of the trees, ring at the camp and seeing Arad standing there. "A fighter, be careful, and don''t let him pick a weapon." One of them said, pulling a shortsword. "With that mass, could he be a barbarian?" Another one asked, pulling his bowstring. "No, I don''t see any tattoos or ns warpaint. That man can''t be a monk, as those leather pants aren''t something they would wear in a million years." The man pointed his sword at Arad. "There should be more people in the tents. Get ready for them." PEW! The bandit, with a bow, fired his arrow at Arad. Silently taking him was the better option. They didn''t want to wake the other two. Thud! Arad caught the arrow and stared at them, "Bandits!" He growled with a smile. "He must be a high level. Surround him and expect an action surge." The bandit leader growled, pointing his sword down as the other men rushed at Arad. Thud! One of the bandits stomped forward, swinging his massive sword down. Arad took a deep breath, swinging his left arm to the left. CLANG! He deflected the sword with his bare forearm and a smile on his face. CRACK! His right hand punched the bandit, breaking his nose and teeth. "Slow and dull," Arad looked at the bandit leader. "I see," The bandit leader pulled his longsword and started walking forward. "I guess you''re the party leader. Reliable and awake, a golden example." "Thanks, but I''m not." Arad smiled, "They are awake, only leaving me to deal with this matter." Arad cracked his fists. ^They guessed I was the one who lured the bandits because I didn''t say anything until they arrived.^ BAM! Arad stomped the ground, increasing his weight a bit, "Come at me," He took a stance with a smile. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The bandit leader saw the ground crack beneath Arad''s feet. He did have a strong feeling he was a monk, but his outfit did fit a monk. He decided to fight as if Arad was both a fighter and a monk. CRACK! Arad rushed forward first with a smile on his face, he swung a fist at the bandit leader, and he dodged. CLANG! CLANG! Arad swung another two punches, and the bandit leader deflected them with his sword. "HA!" The bandit leader screamed, swinging his sword at Arad''s neck. Arad lifted his forearm to block, but the leader changed it into a back-edge strike toward the other side of Arad''s neck. Arad smiled. ^This man is weak. He isn''t as fast or durable as Chuzuke. But I can see his moves better.^ He kept a close look at the bandit leader''s movements, trying to learn as much as possible before killing. CRACK! Arad swung his torso back, dodging the sword while extending his right foot in a kick. BAM! The bandit leader blocked the kick with his sword, and his body was sent flying back and smacked into a tree. "GAH!" He gasped for air, falling to his knees. Arad looked at the bandit leader with a smile. On the ground was a fist-sized rock. Arad took two steps and kicked the stones toward the leader at high speed. The bandit leader grasped his sword, cutting the stone in panic. "Throwing rocks like a kid?" He red at Arad. Arad held four stones. Two in each hand, "I''m still a kid," SWOSH! He threw one of them, and the bandit dodged. CREEK! The stone ripped several branches off before shattering. Those weren''t regr throws. The power behind them is insane. The bandit leader became convinced he was facing a monk. "I thought you monks swear to not indulge in mortal pleasures. Why did I see you wearing that?" The bandit leader was looking at Arad''s pants. "I wouldn''t walk naked, would I?" Arad threw the rest of the stones in his hand. The bandit cut one and dodged the other two. The bandits watching knew they couldn''t jump in and help. Arad and their leader were on a different level. They should go kill the other two in the tents, but they didn''t feel like doing it. Something strange was happening. A single red eye red at them from inside Ginger''s tent. "Sit and watch like idiots. Cattle." The bandit leader sighed, and he was getting exhausted. Arad''s punches hit like bulls, and when he retreats, the stones keep flying. ^He isn''t panting. He still has a lot of stamina.^ The bandit leader observed the smiling Arad. ^I have to damage him as much as I could, so the others can finish him off.^ The leader took a stance, his sword behind him. He took a deep breath, "This is your end, kid." CRACK! The ground cracked beneath the bandit leader''s foot. BAM! The leader rushed forward with a single jump, [Action surge]. He could hit three times a second, and with action surge, it will be six. Arad swung his right fist at the bandit. CLANG! With an upward swing, the leader cut Arad''s fingers off, and in a downward sh, he cut the tendons on his forearm. In that instant, Arad sent his left fist, but the leader was ready for it. With another upward swing, he cut Arad''s wrist and the tendons of his biceps. "HAHA!" Aradughed, Chuzuke was too fast for him to see the techniques, but with this man, he could see how he does it. The leader still had two swings. Thud! A rapid swing shed Arad''s throat. The leader then pulled back and stabbed Arad''s in the chest, ending thebo. Any human should be dead after such abo. The bandit leader smiled, Arad was one of the strongest opponents he faced in years. CRACK! He felt something strange. Arad bites him in the neck. "What!" The leader gasped as his body withered and disappeared into Arad''s stomach. CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! Arad pped his hands, "Amazing! Amazing! You go for the soft spots on the body and try to immobilize your target, get them to bleed, and die. Hahahaha." Arad giggled and looked at the rest of the bandits, "Shall I test that on you?" He pulled the sword that Alcott gave him. Chapter 216 The Fake Action Surge Arad lifted the sword above his head, smiling as he clenched his fist on the hilt. The veins on his arms bulged a bit as the de turned bright red, igniting mes. The adamantine sword gets sharper the stronger you grip it, and it can absorb the magic channeled into it. Alcott gave the sword to Arad since he didn''t have any great magic to channel, and a simple sharp de won''t kill monsters with regeneration. Arad could channel his void or the elements, and he has the strength to sharpen the de. CLING! One of the bandits pulled his sword as he saw Arad''s foot digging into the ground. He was about to rush at them. CRACK! Arad didn''t rush. He jumped forward, swinging his sword. CLANG! The strike cleaved the bandit''s sword and head in a single motion. The mes gushing from the de seared the bandit''s neck, preventing any drop of blood from leaking. Before they couldnd, Arad swung the de up, cutting the next bandit in half from the crotch to the shoulder. SWOSH! SWOSH! With another two swings, he cleaved the head of one bandit and severed the other''s torso in half. BAM! Aradnded behind the bandits. It was four strikes in a single second. They all turned back as their friends fell dead. "What is he?" They gasped, "A high-level fighter! That''s inhuman speed!" Another one cried. Arad took a deep breath. Lifting the sword above his head, "What was the skill name again?" He said, confusing the bandits. The mes on Arad''s sword faded and were reced with a dark haze of magic. The veins on his arms and legs bulged as his shit barely contained him. "ACTION SURGE!" Arad screamed as if he had the skill. VROOOM! His heart raced as the blood pumped across his veins. He didn''t have the skill. But would go all out and see how fast he could get. CLAP! Aradnded in the back as eight of the bandits disappeared. "What did happen?" One of the remaining five bandits cried. They could see Arad move. He looked around and saw him standing in the back. Alcott, who was watching from his tent, saw it clear as day. Arad lunged forward, swinging the sword. He cut the first bandit across the torso, and the corpse disappeared instantly into his stomach. The same happened to the other seven. "I saw enough," Alcott walked out of his ten. Arad''s max speed was eight strikes a second. "You have grown a lot." Arad smiled, "I could only do three before. I managed to get an extra one normally, but with action surge, I can get double." Alcott sighed, scratching his head, "That was no action surge. You just swung that sword faster and harder." [You can do one strike a second for every five points of strength. And to control it, you need five points of agility.] *** [Strength: 21] [Agility: 22] [Constitution: 24] [Magic: 27] [Intelligence: 24] [Wisdom: 24] *** [You can do four strikes with 20 strengths and need 20 agility to control them. You could have tried to push a fifth one, but since you only have 21 strengths (1 strength for the fifth one). You might lose grip and drop the sword. And even if you hit, with only 22 agility (2 agility for the fifth one). Your edge alignment will be off, and you might break the sword.] ^Let me guess. I lost a lot of stamina to do that action surge.^ [You usually consume ten stamina per full-power attack. But while going all out, you consume double.] ^The first four strikes cost me 40(Ten each), and the other eight cost me 160(Twenty each).^ [HP: 320/320][MP: 285/385][SP: 118/310] [The magic cost you 5M per fire strike. And ten per void as you absorbed the corpses as well.] ^I don''t have enough SP to go for another attack. What would happen if I tried an action surge?^ [Lose control on the six as your SP runs out. And you will crash into the trees, unable to move for a while. You regenerate 1 SP per second, so make sure to count the recovery.] ^Show the recovery speed below my stats. I would like to keep it in mind.^ [HP: 320/320][MP: 285/385][SP: 126/310] [HPreg: 1/h][MPreg: 1/min][SPreg: 1/s] ^My limit is SP first and MP second. Is there a way to increase them?^ [Magic items, or skills and potions.] "I''m going to finish the rest." Arad turned toward the bandits, lifting his sword. "Five left, It''s been nice knowing you." BAM! Arad lunged forward, killing the rest and absorbing them to his stomach. Ginger walked out of her tent, "You wanted to gather some blood for healing. Don''t rely on it too much." "Why is that?" Arad looked at her. "You can''t regenerate well if hit with holy magic. Don''t take any attack that you don''t know what it could have." Ginger approached Arad, "A steel sword dipped in holy water for a week is all it needs to prevent you from healing with blood. Or flesh for the werewolf part." "I will keep that in mind." Arad nodded, "But why didn''t you two help?" He looked at Alcott. "You get more experience when fighting alone. It''s better not to interfere unless needed." Alcott smiled, "You should have gotten more exp from those kills. Well except the leader." "Sorry, I was keeping the other bandits from attacking our tents. It would be cold to sleep in a punctured one if they fired arrows." Ginger scratched her cheek, walking toward the campfire to heat up breakfast. Arad looked at his stats, ^I wasn''t looking at it. How much exp did I get?^ [You got forty for the leader and ten for each bandit.] [Level: 10/20][Exp: 6420/85000][Sub-ss: Void Knight] Arad looked at Alcott, "Say if you were to push yourself to the limit. How many times can you attack a second?" Alcott looked at Arad. "I canfortably fire 4 per second all day. But I can maintain 16 per second for a fight. My limit without my items is 64 in a single second and I''m off. But going all out with my items, I can do 128 per second and fall on the ground." "The hell? I''m not even close, I thought your limit was 16?" Arad gasped. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ginger looked at Arad, "Believe me, thest dragon who got hit with it ended up worse than this sd." She showed him a bow of diced lettuce and onion. Chapter 217 [Bonus ] Into Rita! Arad, Alcott, and Ginger flew toward Rita, stopping each night to camp. Arad used those opportunities to stop and hunt bandits for blood. He was especially keen after knowing Alcott''s strength. The quest forward is going to be a problem. What kind of horrors is awaiting in the city of criminals, Rita? On the third day, Aradnded in the middle of a forest. "We arrived. We will walk there from here. We don''t want anyone seeing you after all." Alcott said, looking around at the thick forest. "I know." Arad nodded, transforming into his humanoid form after Ginger walked down his wing. The group walked a bit until they reached the edge of Rita''s mountain. Alcott led them to a small cave entrance. "This is the way." As they got closer, a man wearing a ck hood and leather armor walked out. He extended his hand to them, "Entrance fee, pay before getting in." Alcott approached the man, "Of course." CRACK! He punched him in the face, throwing him to the side. "Who''s paying you here? Rita has no entry fee orws. Get the hell out of my way." Alcott growled at the man as he walked inside with Arad and Ginger. Ginger smiled, "He was a random person getting out of the city. Don''t let people like him scam you. Also, don''t try being nice in a city of criminals. That''s a way to tell them to bully you." Alcott walked deeper into the cave and stopped before arge leather run covering somethingrge. "This is our way down." He pulled the run away, revealing a small wooden boat. Arad blinked twice, "We have to use this? I don''t hear water anywhere close." "Who said boats are only for water." Alcott pulled the boat deeper into the cave and put it before arge dark hole. "We''re sliding down," He smiled. Ginger rode in the front, Alcott behind her, and then Arad. Arad pushed the boat down and slid through the darkness. The boat shook and cracked as the way twisted and turned. Each second, Arad thought the boat was about to snap as they raced down. Ginger closed her eyes, giggling while Alcott released a deepugh. "They might be scumbags down there. But they know how to make something fun." After a minute, Arad saw a light at the end of what seemed like an endless violent slide. SWOSH! They raced out, sliding on a small road on the wall as the city spread to their left. Arad opened his eyes. Stones buildings dotted Rita''s city as they spread across a seemingly infinite covered in hazy purple mist. It looked vast yet small. Rita was the city criminals found as heaven and two sisters are lost here. Finding them will be almost impossible. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Alcott''s deepugh boomed across the cavern. The people inside stared at the slide. Who has the guts? SWOSH! CREEEEEEEK! The boat stopped close to the city entrance, and Alcott stood with a smile on his face. "This never gets old! Why don''t other cities use them?" "Not all cities are deep underground," Ginger replied, standing up and wiping the dust off her clothes. She was in the front. Arad looked at Alcott, "Where should we start?" "First," Alcott walked to the side where an olddy no taller than 90 centimeters sat on a stone. She looked at him, her long dangling ears clear as the sky. "Three silver coins," She extended her palm to Alcott. Alcott smiled, handing her a gold coin. "Keep the change. It was a fun slide." The olddyughed, "I can''t refuse that. Thank son." She jumped off the stone and approached the boat, grabbing it by the edge and dragging it away. "Who''s that?" Arad asked. "I don''t know. We call her the boat''s olddy." Alcott replied. "She owns the boats, and carries them all the way up so people can easily slide down." Ginger smiled, "Even though they aren''t good people. The citizen here agreed to not mess with her since her rides are fun, and no one will do this job besides her." "Yes, unspoken rule. Don''t mess with the boats olddy." Alcott smiled, patting Arad on the shoulder as he faced the city. "Let''s go." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The three walked into the main gate, seeing two armed guards ying with knives. "New faces? The entrance fee." One of the guards approached Alcott, putting a knife to his neck. Alcott smiled, grabbing the guard''s hand. "The city doesn''t have an entrance fee. This is an obvious robbery." He smiled, forcing the guard to drop the knife. "But I will pay. Give your bitching leader my regards." He pushed the guard away and threw them two gold coins. After passing by the gate, Arad approached Alcott. "Did you have to pay?" Alcott smiled, pulling two leather purses from his pocket. "One...two...thirteen...A bad day for them, isn''t it?" Alcott smiled, and Ginger sighed. "What are those?" Arad asked. "Their pockets, idiots thought stealing from was easy." Alcottughed with an extra thirteen gold coins in his pocket. "One for the olddy and two for them. I''m ten gold coins in profit." "Are you a rogue or something?" Arad sighed, ring at Alcott with a dubious look. "Those were thieves, like bandits. Is it okay to take their possession after killing them, and not while leaving them alive?" Alcottughed again, "Outside, they would be dead." Ginger patted Arad''s shoulder, "Listen. Forget morality here. This ce is a shit hole. Don''t be naive and take anyone at their word." "Ginger is right. I don''t want them to think I will pay whenever they want. Now those two won''t mess with us again." They walked deeper into the city, and Arad kept seeing weirder and weirder things. The streets are lit with golden glowing mushrooms on top of poles. While inside shops, they keep a strange floating jellyfish-like monster the size of a fist inside cages and feed it the mushrooms and use it as a light. The jellyfish monster emits more light than the mushrooms, but since it requires maintenance like a bird, it''s only used inside shops and houses. Chapter 218 Inside The Tavern Arad looked at the glowing streets, "Where should we go?" He asked Alcott, who walked forward. "Hmm...I would like to say the ve market. But I hope it doesn''t get to that point." Alcott looked back at Arad and Ginger, "You two go and find a ce to rest. I will go ask some friends." Arad blinked, "You''re going alone?" "You don''t know how to act around here. Let Ginger teach you while I''m out so we can work together when I get back." Alcott smiled, and Ginger took her mage hat off, letting her ming red hair out. Arad stared at Ginger as she cracked her jaw, getting her vampire fangs out. "We''re in the city of criminals. No one is going to question a monster walking around," With her words, her face slightly shifted, getting a bit longer. "You should do the same." Ginger looked at Arad, and he took a deep breath. "I still prefer to look the same. Less is better for me." Ginger giggled, "Then you can be my thrall for the time being. Remember, don''t be nice." She turned around, "You will only get hurt if you did that. This city doesn''t ept naive thinking." Arad and Ginger walked toward an inn while Alcott headed deeper into the city, searching for his contact to get information. Arad and Ginger stood before arge stone building. They could see light seeping through the cracked windows, and hear theughter of people drinking inside. "Remember, you''re my thrall. So open the door," She smiled, and Arad approached the inn''s door, pushing it open. Everyone inside the inn stared at the door, seeing a massive man walk inside, followed by a redhead beauty. It didn''t take them a second to notice her fangs and look away. "A vampire and her ve? What brought such a monster here?" One of the people whispered. "Probably looking for ves to use as cattle." "Bitch sees us as cows, ready for ughter." One grunted, ring at Ginger, "Fucking monster," Arad red at the man, causing him to gasp and look away. Ginger looked at Arad and smiled, "Let''s get a room. Follow me." "Bitch''s a coward, and so is her blood sack." The man grunted. And Ginger stopped. She looked at the man with a smile. "You keep barking. Shut up." Her eyes glow red. The man''s tongue swoll in an instant, exploding inside his mouth in a stream of blood. GRWAAAAAAAAAA! The man''s friends rushed to him, panicking. "Let him bleed to death. That way we can sleep in silence for once." Ginger walked toward the counter and looked at the owner. "Say, I do want a calm room." The man stared at her with a straight face. "It''s been a while since a vampire graced us. How should I address you?" Ginger smiled, pulling a ne from her pocket. "Count Scarlett Von Eric, I''m here for business with your establishment." The owner shifted his eyes and stared at the ne. A droplet of sweat trailed across his forehead, down to his chin. "Ahem. I never expected to meet your majesty here. Please use the most left room. It''s our biggest and calmest room." Ginger took the key with a smile, "Nice doing business with you." She pointed with her thumb at Arad. "I have quite a delicate taste, so find me something nice." "Please enjoy your room. I will make sure the auction has something for you." The owner bowed as Ginger and Arad headed to their room. CLACK! Before they could exit the tavern hall and get into the hallway. An armored man cut their way. "Did I hear Scarlett? Von Eric in the flesh. Didn''t the dragon yer kill you?" He smiled, pulling his sword. "Anyway, if it''s you, then I''m in luck. Do you know how big the bounty is on your head?" Ginger giggled, "Over five hundred tinum coins. Do you think you can take me down?" The man smiled, "You''re either a fake or a walking treasure. You will be exposed here." He pointed his sword toward Ginger. Thud! Arad walked forward, silently and with a straight face. Clench! He grasped the sword with his bare hand and red at the man. "Is your thrall an idiot? I can just pull my sword and..." The man froze. He can''t move his de. N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad''s hard scales and iron grip clenched at the sword like the jaws of a monster. The man didn''t have the strength, weight, or momentum to move his sword. There is no slicing without a shing motion. CRACK! The sword shattered in Arad''s palm, and the man looked at his de in shock. "Impossible," Thud! Arad put his hands on the man''s head. "You did point your sword at her." The man could feel it through his hair. Arad''s palm was harsher than sandpaper. Ginger looked back at the owner, "Just to save you face. Next time don''t get let idiots like this here." She then looked at Arad. "Don''t kill him." SLAP! SLAP! Arad pped the man with his left hand, and then hit him with a right p, shaking his brain, and sending him flying toward the other guests. His jaw was shattered, his teeth fell, and not a single muscle moved in his body. "Oof! I''ve never seen an ass pped so hard before." A man smiled in the back, blowing on his lute. "Morgan was a bitch ass, and he got pped like one. It shook him to the brain, and he got bloody wet, even!" Arad looked back at the man singing, "And who are you?" "Me?" The man smiled, "A jester, please ignore myments. Theye naturally," Arad turned toward Ginger. She smiled, "We should go to our room. Leave the bard alone." Arad and Ginger headed toward their room, and two people rushed to heal Morgan. The bard walked toward the counter and looked at the owner. "Your hair is amazing," "You almost got yourself killed, but thanks." "I mean, how did you get it toe out of your nose?" The bard smiled. BAM! The owner swung a beer bottle at the bard. Chapter 219 [Bonus ] The Corrupt Priest Thud! Thud! Alcott stopped before the city center stairs leading up to the lord''s den. Glowing mushrooms lit the stone stairs, making the engraving on them clear to everyone. [Ancient seas, rumbling of the deep.] In the first step. [Raging waves, unseen by the crow.] In the tenth step. [Sailing across the unknown, he conquered thends.] In the twentieth step. [God blessed the lord and the maiden, so they never sink.] On the thirtieth step. [Here lies the ancient lord of the sea and his valiant crow.] In the fortieth step. Alcott stood before the massive door, pushing it open with both hands. The inside resembled a run-down church, with a single man standing before a stone pir with a tomb beneath it. "Alcott Demorian, how rare it is to see your face around here." The man said with a smile, looking back at Alcott as the candle''s fire danced. "Rare? I guess it''s been a while since Ist visited, corrupt priest." Alcott walked forward with a smile. And the priest faced him. "Corrupt, you say. Last I checked, I still had my powers." The priest smiled, "My goddess allowed it," Alcott sat on one of the church''s chairs and rested his legs on the one ahead. "John Parrot, you never learn, do you?" Alcott smiled, "The spider queen has something in mind if she allowed you to worship the ancient sea god." "I know my religion better than you. Sword idiot." The priest smiled, turning around and touching therge tomb below the pir. It had the words [Here lies the ancient lord of the seven seas: Jack Parrot and his crow, Charlotte of the Redhair.] "My ancestors were more important than you. And my blood is blessed." He looked back at Alcott, "Why did youe to me? Got another curse up your ass?" "Who woulde to a priest turned a cult fanatic for that?" Alcott sighed, ring at the ceiling. "I did cure you vampirism and lycanthropy, do you remember?" The priest approached Arad, "Remember? That witch''s blood was too strong for even the priests of the capital''s church." "Sorry, sorry." Alcott waved his hand, "But even you did a half-assed job." "A half-assed job is better than nothing. Now tell me, what brought you here?" John approached Alcott and sat facing him. "Two girls, twins. ck hair, blue eyes, and blemish on their faces. They looked fairly young, fourteen to sixteen years." Alcott sat straight. "They disappeared from their house close to the capital. The magic detected them here." John scratched his chin, "I didn''t see them in the ve market, and I''m there a lot." "Not just the ve market. Did you see them anywhere?" Alcott looked John in the eyes, "You know something. I can feel it." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om John sighed, "You''re a sharp one." He smiled. "Tell me, where are they?" Alcott growled. John sighed as he looked at the ceiling, "You know I''m not rotten to the core. Forget about the twins. You will never find them." Alcott scratched his chin, "They don''t want to go back." He looked at John, "Why? I need to know." John blinked, "What happened? Did Scarlett share her brain with you?" Heughed, "You are right. The girls asked me not to tell anyone about them. You came here in vain. Go tell their father to fuck off." "Can''t do that to a Marquess," Alcott sighed, "He wants his daughters back. If it''s not me, then he would hire mercenaries or bandits." "Are you saying the twins should trust you rather than escape? Sadly those two girls aren''t that willing to risk it." John stood, "But, there is something you can do for me." "And you would try convincing them to speak?" Alcott looked at John, smiling, "What do you want?" "Xaviin''s son is on the loose. He threatens my position here, so I want you to find and kill him." "How is that supposed to help the girls trust me?" "Xaviin''s son wants me dead, and he would go after you to avenge his father that you killed. The twins want me alive so they can escape, help get rid of him, and they might speak with you." John leaned on his hands, "I''m sure your blood is boiling, isn''t it?" "I indeed became a werewolf from Xaviin. But I was bitten by more people. And I would have killed him anyway because of the ve trading." Alcott sighed, "Bastard was doing it for fun." "It doesn''t matter now. Xaviin''s son wants your and my head. Kill him, and I will try to get the twins to trust you." John stood, walking forward and touching Alcott''s shoulder. "Your body can barely take it. I feel the beasts fighting inside your blood. Didn''t you ever consider giving up?" "Give up and be a monster? Hell no," Alcottughed. "You say that, but you''re the one who dabbled there first. I told you there was no glory in bing a monster." John sighed. "Don''t be a monster. Only humanoids can beat monsters." Alcott sighed, "Those were your words, and you were right. Bing a vampire and relying on regeneration dulls the senses and weaken your skills. Bing a werewolf ensued rage into my bones and made it harder to think calmly in a fight." "Exactly," John looked at Alcott with a straight face. "Being a human, being a mortal is the key." "As a human, there is no second chance. I can''t afford to get him, and I can''t afford to lose control. Thanks to that, I kept honing my skills and strength." Alcott smiled, "I wouldn''t be as skilled with the de as I am now if I could afford to get hit." "The only one to break that rule was Nina. How is she doing now." John smiled. "Retired and enjoying her life as a guild receptionist." Alcott replied with a smile, "You should see her. Acting like a normal girl." John burstughing, "I can only remember her screaming and ripping people apart. I can''t imagine her sitting on a desk without breaking it." "Don''t ever forget who she was. Anger her, and you will die." John smiled, "You can''t kill her. Remember that demon?" "She didn''t die even though he cut her head." Alcott sighed. "She was about to ascend into something beyond ourprehension. What a waste of talent for her to retire." John sighed. "An unstoppable barbarian. She didn''t gain the title of Heracles in vain." Chapter 220 The Dragon Trying To Be A Thief Alcott followed Ginger''s magic until he reached the inn. He looked from the outside, and people gave him strange nces. "Who is that?" It was strange for them to see someone like him wearing full te armor and carrying multiple des. People usually only carry a knife hidden beneath their clothes. Alcott pushed the door open and walked inside. He stood before the counter and stared at the old man. "Scarlett, where is she staying?" "That woman in the back is the only Scarlett staying here." The bartender looked at the back and turned around. "I didn''t see anything." Alcott looked back to see a stranger. A woman with ck hair, half drunk and gawking at the table. Alcott smiled, "You''re a good one." He patted the bartender''s back. "Scarlett,e here," Alcott shouted. "I''m here," Ginger walked down the stairs, "It took you a while." The bartender froze in ce. Why did she get out? "Do you know him?" The bartender gasped, ring at Aclott. Ginger smiled, "Of course," She approached Alcott, "Do you need rest, or should we move?" "Let''s go to our room." Alcott stood and Followed Ginger. "Where is Arad?" "He went out for a walk," Ginger replied, smiling. "I hope he won''t cause trouble." Alcott sighed and sat on the bed, "So, I talked to John." "What did he say?" "He knows the girls, but they don''t want to meet us. But he can help us gain their trust." Alcott smiled. "Let me guess. He has a job for us." "Yeah." Alcott sighed. Lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. "Arad is out on a walk. Let''s hope no one starts a fight with him." Alcott looked at Ginger with a worried face. "You should have seen him. He was like a confused cat in a new house. He has to go around and survey the area. I''ve never seen someone so keen on exploring this dangerous city." She smiled, her opal white fangs glowing in the faint jellyfish light. "A walk," Alcott looked out the window. "For a dragon, this would be a very enthusiastic walk. Marking his territory and getting to know his challengers." *** On the city street, Arad walked between the people. His body towered over most people, so no one really approached him. Some thieves bumped into him every now and then, but since he had everything stored in his stomach, they found nothing to seal. Even though everyone in this city was a criminal, some seemed to have a regr life. Shops were open, the streets were busy, and you rarely heard someone scream. Probably since most people are affiliated with a gang or a criminal organization, you can''t really cause trouble. Arad had one thing in mind: Getting to know the streets and corners of the city. He looked around for a high ce so he can perch high and survey the area. It didn''t take Arad long for his eyes tond on something, therge city temple which towered over everything. That could be a good ce, but the cavern ceiling seemed like a good option as well. Arad turned to the left and kept walking through the streets, watching the people peddling around him. His goal was one of the pirs holding the cavern. He could get ess to the ceiling from there without flying and drawing attention. "Stop right there," Five massive men cut Arad''s way. They wore gambeson and carried heavy bludgeoning weapons. Like maces, hammers, and clubs. "You''re getting into the sixth street. Owned by the thieves guild, we can''t let you in until you show us your badge." One of the men stared at Arad. Arad blinked, staring at the man with a doubtful face. "Owned? Here?" Arad smiled, "This is the first time I heard that word used." The manughed, "You''re right, it''s strange now that I think about it." He looked at Arad, "The thieves guild is strong, and they can im thend without anyone speaking up." "Say, where do I sign up?" Arad replied with a smile. He only needed to get to the pir. If asking this could get him through without a fuss, it''s for the better. "Ho? You''re arge man, I doubt someone like you could sneak around doing jobs. But go ahead, It''s therge building at the end of the street." The man smiled, handing Arad a small blue badge. "This is yours. Steal another two from other people before you reach the guild, and they will let you in." He patted Arad''s shoulder, "Don''t lose yours. We will kill you if you tried to get out without at least one badge." Arad nodded and walked through the street, he could feel the res on him. He looked into the abandoned building, seeing several shriveled, and starving people ring at him. Failed thieves who lost their badges. They are stuck in the streets until they can steal. Arad ignored their res as he hid the badge in his stomach, safe forever. He looked at the pir, but something kept bugging his mind. Is it okay for him to just returnter and say he could do it? Is that how a dragon should do it? ^I will collect as many badges, give them to the guild and then leave.^ [That''s a bad idea. Use the guild for information, I bet they know a thing or two about the twins.] Arad turned around, and red into the abandoned houses, "Time to hunt," He grabbed a door handle and pushed the door open. He could see the old dusty kitchen with cobwebs all over the ceiling. No one walked inside for months. Arad walked inside and explored the building, finding no one, but he managed to get to the top. Thud! Putting his foot on the railing, Arad red down at the streets with glowing red eyes and a smile on his face. "I can hear them, people walking around." One of the guild''s top thieves red outside his window, seeing thisrge and buff young man standing on a tall building as if he was about to throw himself down. "What kind of thieves does that," The thief sighed, setting his head back. "Did he give up on life?" He looked at Arad from a distance. He blinked, and Arad disappeared. "Where did he go?" The thief gasped. He was sure Arad was there. He stood and red outside the window, feeling the skin on his back crawl. A thief should never lose track of someone, it''s their job to keep attention to everyone and everything around them. You can''t steal in mid-day without knowing where are everyone around you, and in which direction they are looking. He stood and rushed into the guildmaster room, "Guild master! I saw someone with potential." The guild master was an old man with an eyepatch. "You saw someone?" The thief exined what he saw, and the guildmaster sighed. "Did you have too much to drink? You''re saying he was on the tall building, did you imagine him?" "No! I would have known if he jumped or moved, I''m telling you, he disappeared." The thief said with an excited face. "Don''t drink too much," The guild master sighed, standing up. "Let''s go downstairs, I do have some work there. We got a big quest from a noble." The two walked downstairs, "What kind of quest?" "Kidnapping two girls. Or should I say, returning them to their home?" The guild master smiled. "The reward is to die for." Thud! As they reached the lower floor, the guild door kicked open. Arge muscr man walked in with arge bag over his shoulder. He bumped into one of the guards and pushed the other with his hand as he walked. The thief gasped. ^180 no, over 190 cm.^ he couldn''t believe he couldn''t hear Arad''s footsteps. "Wait, that''s him, the one I saw." He poked the guild master''s shoulder. The guild master walked forward, he barely stood at 155 cm with his crooked back. "Young man, I don''t appreciate you pushing the guards like that." He stood before Arad, cutting his way. "We here respect the best thief, and those are better than a brat like you." Arad stopped and red at the old man. With a passive face, he red down. "You there!" The guards pulled their knives and approached Arad, "Get the fuck away from him!" Arad turned his head, lifting his hand. "Recognize those?" He showed them two badges and two purses. The guards froze in terror, those belonged to them. Did he snatch them earlier? "You fucker!" One of the guards cried, swinging his knife at Arad''s back. CLANG! The knife couldn''t pierce Arad''s skin, "What?" Arad grabbed the man from his belt, and swung him with one arm, throwing him outside. Arad looked at his palm, and he still had the pants. "Sorry, you forgot those." He threw the pants out and then looked at the guild master. "I was asked to steal badges but the guys standing outside." Arad poured the bag, and tens of badges covered the ground as screams of terror started booming in the street with people recognizing they got robbed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 221 Don’t Offer The Dragon Something He Can Take. "He took all of them," The thief gasped as the guild master red at the badges. "What an extraordinary skill considering your size. You would be a great asset to the guild." The guild master approached Arad, staring up to his face. "Asset?" Arad red back at the guild master, and the master thief remembered something. "Your guild is the asset. If I don''t find the information I seek. I''m leaving at once." The thief could swear he heard those words before. "Youe here, demonstrate such skill and think I can let you leave?" The guild master smiled, "Even if you managed to escape, I can track you down. No one in your family will be safe." CREEK! A vein popped on Arad''s forehead, and he growled, "Not if I cut all of you here." Those words rang in the master thief''s head. ^I remember. It was that fighter who came here several years ago.^ The thief gasped inside. ^The ck hair, sharp re, muscr build, and arrogance of the young. Considering his skills, his words aren''t unfounded.^ Thud! The master thief grabbed the guild master''s shoulder, "Calm down, let''s hear what he needs." "Evan, don''t intervene!" The guild master growled. "No, I will do this time. We don''t want what happened before to repeat itself." Evan red at the guild master, and the old man remembered. *** Several years in the past, a strange young man came to the guild. He took the test, but instead of stealing the badges, he walked to everyone and beat them to a pulp before taking them. The man was seeing a werewolf, but the guild refused to help find him. So the man beat the hell out of everyone and gouged the guild master''s left eye. *** ^Evan is right. I didn''t want to remember that day.^ The guild master growled. ^He awfully resembles him, from his face to his build, stance, and attitude.^ The guild master turned to look away, "Fine, what do you want?" "I''m looking for twin sisters with ck hair and blue eyes. Heard of them?" Arad red at the guild master. Evan and the guild master gasped. It was their recent quest they got from a noble. ^Is he sent by that man as well?^ The guild master gasped. ^To ask for such a thing from the get-go?^ Evan smiled, ^It''s just like him.^ "Say, young man, can we sit and talk?" Evan smiled, pointing at a table with his thumb. Arad looked at the table, "Why not? You seem to know something," He walked toward the table. Evan walked after Arad. ^He''s perception is out of the chart. Are we dealing with a human or a monster?^ As the guild master retreated to his office to bring the necessary documents, Evan started talking with Arad. "We received a quest to retrieve the sisters. Did a Marquess send you?" "You could say so. Does that mean that our goals align?" Arad leaned back on the chair, keeping his eyes on Evan. "Yes, would you like to work together? Of course, we will split the reward evenly." Evan smiled. It''s already going better than thest time. The guild master returned and put arge stack of papers on the tables. "The information we gathered. My men tracked the girls all the way here in the city and to the western parts. Since the city is dangerous, I was about to send Evan to search." Arad looked at the paper. "I see." The guild master smiled. "Total reward is a whole tinum coin. It is enough for someone to retire for the rest of their lives." He approached the table. Thud! "I will give you half upfront if you take the quest with Evan." The guild master put a pouch with 50 gold coins on the table, "You will get the rest when you bring me the girls." "You got a deal," Arad smiled, looking inside the coin pouch. Evan and the guild master smiled, looking at each other. "Then we should start..." They looked back at Arad. He had disappeared with the documents and the gold. "The fuck! I didn''t hear him move!" Evan shouted, and the guild master looked around the room. "The fucker slipped away! You were right when you said he disappeared when you first saw him." "Everyone! Search for arge man with red eyes!" Evan shouted, running outside into the streets, grinding his teeth, "The bastard robbed up," "Evan! It''s bad! He robbed my office as well!" The guild master shouted inside. **** Earlier, when the guild master and Evan looked at each other and took their eyes off Arad. He touched the documents and the gold, sucking them into his stomach. [Void walk] He teleported to the guild master''s office as the door was slightly open, and he could see a bit of the inside. With a single touch and using [Wyrmwolf''s uncanny physique] to regte his movements, Arad sucked the guild master desk and the cab in the back to his stomach by touching them and then used [Void walk] again to teleport to the sky through the window. When in the air, Arad kept using the void walk to move away while hidden in the darkness of the cavern until he was outside the guild''s territory. [Was that okay?] ^This is the city of criminals. They would lose face if they started crying about being robbed, especially by an amateur while being in the thief guild.^ [You also took all of the business documents. They will find it extremely hard to get back up from this.] [You don''t offer a dragon something he can take. And they are the kind of people you would kill for blood outside.] ^Yeah, mere bandits. It doesn''t matter if you''re a thief or a killer. It''s all the same.^ To Arad, as a dragon, a vampire, and a wyrmwolf. People like those in the thieves guild were nothing more than food and pests to be eliminated. Thud! Aradnded on arge stone right outside the city. He looked up at the cavern ceiling and back at his surrounding. It was dark, and no one was around. Arad silently shifted into his draconic form and dug a hole, hid inside, and closed the entrance. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Inside his new hideout, Arad shifted back to his humanoid form and ignited a small me above his head. He thenid all the papers on the ground and started reading them. The twins werest seen in the central temple. But they were also spotted in the ve market, around the assassins'' district. After reading about his quest, Arad started reading the guild documents. Trying to understand what they were up to. The papers had all of their previous quests and the ones they still intended to finish. The quests ranged from kidnapping to thievery and threatening. They didn''t seem to take any killing contracts, but they did have a policy of killing any witnesses rted to higher quests. ^I guess killing is the Assassins guild job.^ [Stop! You aren''t thinking of hitting them next! What happened to climbing the pir and surviving the area?] ^I will do that, but I seem to get more information this way.^ [It''s dangerous, and do you want to break the city''s bnce?] ^I mean, this city is like arge bandit den. No one can take them down head-on. So what if I damaged them enough that the kingdom could send its army to wipe it clean? No more thievery, no more killing, less kidnapping, and a better life for everyone.^ [That isn''t how it works. This city is a ce where you can make a deal and get your shady business done.] ^Why would I make a deal with arge bandit den? It''s better if I break the city and use that fame to reach S-rank and have the kingdom do my dirty work.^ [What?] ^Remember Nina? The kingdom support her even though she killed a whole army and a lot of herrades, as Abel said. I want to be as strong as her.^ Arad smiled. ^If I wanted something, I don''t want to deal with bandits. It''s better to ask the kingdom to bring it instead.^ Mom sighed, [Fine, just don''t get yourself killed.] ^Don''t worry. I have my ns.^ [What kind? Going into the assassin guild next?] ^Using the kingdom''s power to destroy the mages'' tower. My end goal is to silence those who threaten my life.^ [You''re thinking that far?] ^The kingdom''s power is better suited to fight the mage tower. A bandit den like this won''t grant me any greater power.^ Arad sucked the thief guild papers back into his stomach and dug his way out of the den. Standing outside, he looked at the city. "This city is a bit bigger than my dungeon. Could I build a nest here?" [For drakainas? It''s true that you will need more space if you wanted to mate with dragons, especially chromatic ones who find it hard to shift into humans.] ^Isn''t that right?^ [I''m sure the Giant ant queen can build you arger nest. Please give her some time.] Chapter 222 Arad And The Priest. Arad walked to the inn and asked the bartender about Ginger. "Have you seen Scarlett??" "Arge man came earlier, and they went out together," The bartender replied while wiping a ss. He looked at the people in the room and then back at Arad. "They asked me to tell you to wait for them here," He smiled. Arad sighed with a smile, "I returned a bit early, thinking I would find them here. Back to work, it is," "You won''t wait for them?" "That would be a waste of time. I will go out again. Tell Scarlett that I came here." Arad walked out of the inn and looked across the street, and he could see a shady nook leading between the houses. Arad walked across the street and to the back alleyways. He kept pushing further until he couldn''t see or sense any intelligent life form. ^Good, I''m alone.^ He smiled. [Bestial Aspect] Arad''s nails thickened into ws as hair covered his forearm. His eyes shed golden as his stance slightly shifted into walking on his toes instead. His head bent forward, and he stood crooked with faint traces of facial hair. [Void Walk] Arad disappeared, teleporting upward toward the ceiling. [Wyrmwolf''s uncanny physique] His body twisted as he used his ws to grasp into the rocks and hang up there. [Why don''t you use Gravity magic?] ^As magic, mages can detect it.^ Even though he has an easier way to move across the ceiling, he chose to exercise a bit with his skills. Arad turned his head and looked down at the city, "Let''s see, arge temple, arge temple, there it is!" [Void Walk] He teleported directly to one of the temple''s windows and looked inside. It was dark, and he couldn''t see anything. ^I can''t see, but I should be able to see in the dark,^ [It''s magic, be careful.] Mom warned Arad. Arad used his void eyes, and she was right. Magic covered the whole temple. ^Let''s take a sneak peek inside.^ Arad jumped through the window and looked around. "Who do we have here? An intruder?" A voice boomed inside, and the room got illuminated. Arad took a stance as he saw the priest praying before therge coffin. "It''s a rule that no one gets here without permission." "A rule?" Arad smiled, "I will be leaving then. Sadly, I got caught from the start." [Void Walk] Arad activated his spell, but it failed. ^What?^ "Tying to escape? Don''t even bother." The priest smiled, walking forward. "My name is John Parrot. By the name of the gods, you won''t escape." Arad smiled, "You are blocking teleportation? I see," With his eyes, he could tell that all the magic covering the temple came from this man. "So what if I am?" John smiled, "Do you care to hear the word of our lord and Savior?" BAM! Arad lunged forward, swinging his ws at the priest, "No," John smiled, swinging his palm up and grabbing Arad''s wrist. In a single move, he swung Arad up and tried to smack him on the ground. Arad twisted his body with [Wyrmwolf''s uncanny physique] tond on his feet. John swung his palm like a snake, touching Arad''s side at the liver. "Get fucked." [Divine smite] A bright golden sh exploded from John''s palm, and Arad''s body got sted toward the wall. CRACK! Arad hit the wall, coughing blood, and fell on his face shivering. Arad''s body transformed back to normal as the divine magic burned the [Bestial Aspect] "I see, I see," John pped his hands, "A controlled werewolf. You remind me of a certain friend I have." He smiled, "But you''re a welp to him." Arad pushed his torso up with his arms, ring at John, "How about this?" [Blood Magic: Eyes Burst] Arad''s eyes turned bright red. John could feel a bit of difort in his eyes, but with how much holy magic flowed through his veins. Arad''s powers got nullified upon contact. "Oh! My fucking hell, you''re a vampire as well." John approached Arad, "You and that motherfucker are really simr, now that I look at you closely." Arad stood, taking a deep breath. This priest was different than anyone he fought before. He didn''t have an intimidating aura like monsters, but he was clearly on another level. "Listen, kid," John smiled, "You have the raw power and speed. You even controlled both vampirism and Lycanthropy. You onlyck skills and a lot of fucking experience." "Can you shut your mouth a bit?" Arad growled. "You don''t want me to take you seriously enough to shut up, you twine." John smiled, lifting his hand. BAM! Arad lunged forward, pulling the adamantine sword from his stomach and swinging at John. John waved his hand, pulling a mace from the small bag at his side. He moved to the side, dodging Arad''s swing. CLANG! He then lifted the mace and put it in Arad''s way, forcing him to hit it with his face. "Wait a damn moment! Where did you get that sword?" John grabbed Arad''s wrist and looked at the sword. CRACK! The main temple door opened. "John, I brought Ginger..." Alcott and Ginger walked in, seeing Arad bleeding. "HAAA! John, let that kid alone!" Alcott rushed forward, and John moved away from Arad. "So I was right, this sword is yours?" John smiled, looking at Arad as he barely stood. "I almost killed the kid." Arad tried to heal with blood, but he couldn''t. John''s divine smite still burned his flesh. "Arad! Are you okay?" Alcott looked at Arad. "A fractured face, broken ribs, internal bleeding, and I''m feeling a bit dizzy. But I will be okay," Arad could feel one of his ribs poking at his lung as he breathed. "No, you aren''t okay!" Ginger rushed at Arad, giving him a red potion. "Drink this. It will heal you." Arad took the potion and gulped it down. He could feel his bones fusing again. It was a bit painful, but had a satisfying feeling, like poking his ear. "Hoi! John, you could see he was much weaker than you. You could have knocked him out or thrown him outside." Alcott red at John with a tired face. "I mean, I couldn''t resist it when I saw a controlled werewolf." John smiled, "Did you do that to him? And did Ginger give him vampirism?" "Alcott, do you know this bastard?" Arad growled, ring at Alcott and John. Ginger looked at Arad, "His name is John Parrot. He partied with Alcott in the past as a healer. In fact, it was he who held the hordes of my minion when Alcott came to my castle." "John Parrot, at your service." John smiled, "I''m a level eighty-three. I have two clerics, one pdin, and one monk, and now I''m ying with a warlock." "Hoi! Don''t blur your sses like that." Alcott red at him. "Why would I hide them? You and Ginger already know." John smiled, "Or are you worried about our friend here." He approached Arad. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I did feel it when I hit you with divine smite. You aren''t a human. Those organs are akin to those of dragons." John smiled. Alcott sighed, "So it''s your way of showing trust? Since you figured him out, you exposed yourself." "I''m a priest, after all." John smiled. "What is he talking about?" Arad looked at Alcott. Alcott looked at Arad, "Well, It''s a bit early for you, but let me exin it." By leveling up, each time someone finishes twenty levels (20, 40, 60, 80, 100...and up to level 1000), They get a chance to change their ss. John was a cleric from level 1~20, and then he shifted to pdin from 20~40, and then to a monk from 40~60, and then back to a cleric from 60~80, and now is working on a warlock ss. Arad stood no chance against John with his current power. The gap caused by a whole 73 levels cannot be bridged with raw power alone. "As I said before," John cleared his throat, "Youck experience, both literally and figuratively. Are you a wizard?" "No, I''m a sorcerer," Arad looked at John, "But can we stop talking about this?" He didn''t want to get into details simply because he wasn''t a true sorcerer. Arad''s real ss was a void knight, and he doesn''t know how to exin it. "Arad, what brought you here out of all ces?" Ginger stared at Arad, "I told you not to get into trouble." "Our target is in this temple," Arad said, staring at John. John smiled, "Your target? I already sent the twins to another ce if you''re talking about them." But he then gave Arad a confused look, "But who told you they were here? Even Alcott had to ask me directly." Arad pulled the thieves guild papers and handed them to Alcott. Alcott remained silent for a second, and then called John, "Take a look," John walked toward Alcott and looked at the papers, "You know I...Brrrrrrrrrrr! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He burst outughing. Alcott dropped the papers, holding his stomach andughing as well. Ginger looked at Arad after taking a look at the papers, "Wait, those are from the thieves guild." Arad lifted a pouch of gold in his hand with some papers so Ginger could see them, and stared at her with a passive face. "I robbed them," Chapter 223 Fighting Plan "Seeing that you just came here, I won''t find it weird that you pulled a fast one at them." Johnughed with tears dripping from his eyes. "I can imagine Evan freaking out," Alcott had to sit down, "And that old man might have lost a few years of his life." "No one gave them such a scare since you went there." John rolled on the ground,ughing. Ginger held her head, "Why are you twoughing? Do you know how much trouble this will cause?" "No, it won''t," Alcott wiped the tears from his eyes and stared at her, "We will just read the paper, and I will return themter." Arad looked at Alcott, "Why?" "I worked for them for about a year or two in the past. Just like you, my first interaction with them went south." Alcott scratched his head, "They told me to steal those badges, but since I didn''t know that, I went around asking people to give me theirs." "Did you get them?" "No, people refused to give me the badges, so I beat the shit out of them and took what I wanted. I had a bag full of badges by the time I reached the guild." Alcott stood, "They certainly aren''t good people, but they are useful ones." Arad then stared at John, "That''s all and good, but where are the twins? We came here for them." "Don''t worry about the twins. They are safe. But, like terrified kittens, they don''t want to see you or anyone." John smiled, "Connor, the son of Xaviin wants to have the twins, and he also wants to have me and Alcott killed." Arad smiled, "So, we only have to kill him?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Don''t underestimate him or the people working for him." John smiled, "The thieves guild, the assassins guild, the sea lord temple, the iron cor, and the undead graveyard. Those are the main forces of the city, and each of them is strong in their own way." John exined. "The guy I want you to kill is the son of the leader of the iron cor ves market and the undead graveyard necromancer guild." John smiled. "Xaviin, the guy''s father, was the leader of the necromancer guild. He was a werewolf necromancer that got his curse from the woman leading the Iron Cor. Of course, he ended up having a child with her." Arad looked at Alcott with a tilted head, "Wait? Do you want to say he owns both now?" Alcott nodded, "Yeah, I killed both his parents in the past. And he seems to be out for revenge." "I don''t have that much information, but I think he''s over level 100. So be careful." John stared at Alcott, "He''s dangerous." "What?" Ginger gasped, "That brat reached level 100?" "I''m not sure, but expect that much." John looked at Alcott, "Of course, I''m fighting with you." "Excuse me, but I''m still level 10. Won''t that be a big problem?" Arad looked at them, lifting one hand. "What?" This time, John gasped, "I thought you were around level 40!" [Remember, you fought Chuzuke, who was level 38. A dragon is always far stronger than mere humans.] it was like a catpared to a lion. Dragons simply outssed other humanoids naturally. But that was also the case for curses like vampirism or Lycanthropy. They all enhance the powers of the affected. On top of being one of the rarest Magic dragons, Arad also attained both curses giving her a terrifying unfair advantage over others. "Don''t worry. I''m 109." Alcott smiled, resting his fists on his hips. "I''m 128," Ginger smiled, her eyes glowing red." John sighed, looking down. "We clerics level up slowly since we rarely kill monsters. And even when we do, it''s with other helps. We''re a healing ss." Alcott looked at Arad, "I would honestly like you to step out of this fight, but I know you won''t ept that." Arad stood like Alcott with two fists at his waist and a slightly tilted head, "You know me well. I''m not running from a fight." "You two are really simr," John smiled, "Large, reckless, and have beef with the thieves guild." "I already wanted to destroy this den of bandits. It''s not like I would back off now," Arad stared at John. John giggled, "Yeah, good luck with that. It''s saying something that you couldn''t even beat me, and I''m not that good at fighting." At that moment, Arad remembered, "Wait? How strong is Nina if you can''t beat her?" He stared at Alcott. Ginger scratched her cheek, "You can say there are three levels for adventurers'' growth." She looked at John. "Supports who rarely fight." she then looked at Alcott, "Front fighters who get the most kills." And then pointed at herself. "Monsters who killed everyone in sight. But I wasn''t as aggressive as the raging Nina." Alcott scratched his head, "It''s quite depressing, but I suspect that a third of her levels are from therades who got caught in her rage." He stared at Arad, "Don''t ever anger her, even I can''t stop her if she went all out, rage mode." "Forget about her for now. She isn''t here." Ginger red at Alcott, "We three will go fight. Arad will survey the area and kill any minions that Connor would have." John looked at Arad, "She says minions, but they are powerful undeads, chained ves, and even crazed werewolves." He smiled, "You would have a hard time, little dragon." Arad smiled, "So my job is to support you and thin Connor''s reinforcements as much as possible." "That''s right, don''t attempt to fight Connor. You would end up dead." Alcott looked at Arad, "At his level, and the possibility of havingrades of simr power, even we could end up losing a life if we aren''t careful enough." "I have one cast of revival." John looked at Alcott, "Albeit it needs your brain to be intact. And that you died less than five minutes ago." "I won''t die that easily," Ginger looked at John. "Like I would cast on you. I still you''re better off dead." John sighed, ring back at her, "The spell is for Alcott." "You''re still going on about that?" Ginger sighed, "I was raised in a family of vampires. Raising humans like cattle was the norm." "I already know that, but it still bugs me the wrong way seeing your face and remembering all the spiked people in front of the castle." John shook his head to remove the memory from his head. "Those were called blood drippers. They used them to drain blood from humans like we do to cows and sheep." Alcott looked at John with a straight face. John stared at Alcott, dead inside, "The hell are you talking about? You''re a human, aren''t you?" "Probably you didn''t do a good enough job." Alcott smiled, patting John''s shoulder. "Don''t worry, she''s fine. And so am I. No one will die, and we won''t need your spell." BAM! Arad hit his palm with his fist, causing a small shockwave as his void rubbed against each other. "Where do we start?" "First, you head back to the inn." Alcott stared at Arad, "I will go and try to see what we could gather about Conner." "I will get us some needed potions and items. I have some contacts in the city." Ginger smiled. "I will make sure Connor can''t get your tracks. I suspect he already knows you''re in the city, but we need to make sure he doesn''t know when we''re about to attack." John looked at them with a serious face. "I don''t want to go back to the inn without doing anything. I could fly around and see where people are." Arad protested. "They will spot you immediately." John stared at Arad, "You can''t camouge, can you?" John was right, even if Arad can walk quieter than a cat and fly as silently as an owl. He can''t hide his magic or body out of sight. He''s bound to get caught. "We are dealing with apetent man who wields a lot of power. This isn''t like any fight you had with bandits." John stared at Arad, "Just sit in the inn where you can respond instantly." Arad sighed, "Fine, but don''t call mezyter." Turning around to leave, he had his own n. As Arad walked back to the inn alone, he took a deep breath. He could feel someone walking behind him. ^As I expected, they are already following me.^ [It might be someone from the thieves guild, or Connor is gathering information about you, the one person he doesn''t know anything about.] Arad smiled inside, "Whoever he might be, it''s time to see if he''s really following me or not." [Will you kill him?] ^After I drain everyst bit of information from him. I can''t have him going back and telling Connor how I fight.^ Arad walked forward silently. Keeping an eye on therge man behind him. Chapter 224 [Bonus ] The Stalker’s Attack I Arad slowly walked, the veins on his arms bulging as he got ready to strike the stalker. Swosh! The stalker''s presence disappeared. He faded into the crowd outside of Arad''s senses. Arad kept walking, waiting for the stalker to reveal himself. He knew that he was awaiting an opening to strike. Shortly after that, Arad reached the end of the street. He now has to cross arge bridge that linked two different sections of the city together with arge river flowing below it. The bridge wasn''t empty. But just as full as the streets. Arad could see a caravan with ves chained behind it, slowly walking. The ves were mostly women and children, the ones that sells well. Arad could even see several mothers carrying their babies with them. He could feel his blood boiling from the inside. ^ves are suffering outside of the kingdom''s regtion." All of them looked starving and only wore old rags. [Probably kidnapped by bandits.] Arad walked. And his determination to burn the city to the ground grewrger andrger. Thud! Arad walked beside the ves, his body standing like a massive boulder beside walking twigs. Arad''s eyes red at the ver with a burning rage, sending a silent threat. Dragons never forget and hold grudges. The scene rubbed Arad the wrong way, and he already decided to make the ver pay for it. The ver felt Arad''s gaze burning on his skin. He got the attention of a dragon, and it''s in his interest to give it back. "Sir, could I help you with anything?" The ver looked at Arad, rubbing his hands with a sweaty forehead. He''s been in this city several times and could tell when someone directs bloodlust toward him. N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad stopped and red at the ver. [We''re being followed. Cut the conversation immediately.] "Nothing, it''s a waste seeing them shriveled and wearing nothing like that. Treat them better," Arad growled and turned to leave. The ver bowed, "Sorry, sir. I will make sure they are well-fed and dressed for the auction. I have no interest in selling low-quality ves. It''s just that we''ve been walking for a long way, and we can''t carry too much food." Arad kept walking without saying a word. CLING! A faint light shed in the distance. A finger-sized knife flew through the air. STAB! The knife hit one of the ves carrying her baby in the shoulder. She gasped, stumbling back, falling from the bridge in the blink of an eye. A dragon hard-wired to reproduce, seeing a mother and her child almost dying triggered a violent response. What if that woman was Ae, and the child was his? His mind skipped all checks and reached a single moral conclusion of his own. The veins on Arad''s arms and legs bulged out as his eyes turned yellow. BAM! He lunged after the woman, leaving w marks where his feet were. With a single hand, he held to the edge of the bridge, and with the other, he caught the baby. His legs wrapped around the mother''s waste, preventing them both from falling into the violent river. The woman gasped, looking up to see Arad hanging with one arm, carrying her between his legs and her child in his arm. "I will get you up," Arad said with a smile. SWOSH! A dark shadow fazed across them with a shing light. The women couldn''t see it clearly, but Arad did. It was the stalker. SPLASH! Arad''s throat split open, and blood poured down on the woman. ^He went for my neck without hesitation.^ [Arad! Drop the woman and heal!] ^No way!^ Arad tightened his muscles, pulling his entire weight with a single arm and jumping back into the bridge. Arad dropped the woman on the bridge and covered his neck with his now free hand before handing her the baby. CLANG! The stalker appeared out of nowhere as Arad was handing the baby to his mother and attempted a stab. Luckily, the knife hit one of Arad''s bones and couldn''t pierce deeper. "Tch! There shouldn''t be bones there." The stalker growled, ring at his knife as he rolled away from Arad. Arad was a dragon and not a human. He has more ribs, and they get in the way of a heart stab from the back. Arad red back at the stalker. He can''t talk because of his throat injury, but his sharp re says everything. "Why aren''t you dropping dead? I cut your arteries and windpipe, and why I couldn''t reach your heart?" The stalker looked at his knife, "This one is sharp, so my weapons are clean." "You..." The woman gasped with tears in her eyes, looking at her bloodied clothes. Her body started shaking. She had seen such an injury not long before. Her husband died to one when she was kidnapped. That amount of blood only mean that he was dead, and she couldn''t think knowing he was about to die. Arad looked around. He was fine but cannot heal in front of people. "Well, it doesn''t matter." The stalker waved his knife, "You should be dead. That only means you will fall at any second. All I need is to make sure you won''t heal." He intended to stay at a safe distance and watch Arad bleed to death. Arad looked at the stalker. Enraged for the first time in his life, he won''t even bother eating such a man. People like him who attacks mothers and their children are only meant for the dirt. Arad''s eyes shed red, and the stalker felt his eyes tearing and burning, but he wasn''t blinded. His level was far above Arad that the skill failed. The stalker knew that Arad wasn''t done, or that ast-ditch attack wasing. Arad''s eyes quickly shifted into yellow as his ws extended and his body hair grew slightly. The muscles in his legs contract as the ws held traction to the ground. BOM! Arad lunged forward at an incredible speed, swinging his free arm at the stalker. Chapter 225 The Stalker’s Attack II ^What?^ The stalker gasped internally, stepping back with sweat running down his face. "He still has this much power in him?^ He dodged the w strike and swung his dagger at Arad''s wrist. Arad twisted his fist, blocking the dagger with the side of his palm. BAM! He immediately swung a kick at the stalker. ^Those ws! A werewolf.^ The stalker rolled to the side and jumped back. He then pulled three throwing knives from his pocket. CLING! He threw them at the ves in the back. CRACK! Arad lunged back, standing in the knives'' way, and they bounced off hisrge torso. He red back at the ver. "Sorry!" The ver cried, ring at his ves, "Move the fuck away!" He thought the stalker was after his ves and that Arad was helping him. Arad turned toward the stalker people started running away from the bridge. An enraged smile crossed his face, with veins popping on his forehead. He then reached into his pocket to pull out a potion. Arad wasn''t dying, and he could heat instantly, but he doesn''t want to do it in front of everyone. "No! You aren''t healing!" The stalker jumped forward and threw a small bottle at Arad and then followed it with several throwing knives. Arad jumped back as he gulped the potion down. It didn''t matter if he drank it all or not. All he needed to do is pretend to heal and then use the blood. After that, Arad took his hand off his neck he was fully healed. "You dare attack someone else? Don''t you have the courage toe for me directly?" The stalker clenched his teeth, "The fuck did you survive having your throat split? I''ve been in this job for over a decade. And I only saw it happen seven times." He then pulled a second knife. "You''re dead anyway. I only wanted to finish the fight quickly." The stalker red at Arad, "And courage means risk, and that isn''t the way of rogues, let alone assassins." Arad looked at the assassin. He took a deep breath and lunged forward with a heavy punch. CLANG! The assassin swung his dagger at Arad''s fist, deflecting with a sweaty face. ^That sounded like metal. How hard is his skin?^ he growled internally and swung his second dagger. Arad didn''t bother moving andunched a kick at the assassin. ^Just stay in ce so I can burn you with one hit.^ Arad got a fire kick ready. He knew the assassin would dodge if he ignited prematurely. The assassin dodged anyway. "That kick had more intent behind it. What do you have prepared?" He smiled, [Twin Fangs] Arad saw the daggers racing toward his neck and chest. Something was off about that attack. He lifted his arms to block the daggers, but the assassin quickly shifted the direction, stabbing Arad in the kidneys. "It''s over! You''re strong butck fighting experience. Even your feints are those of an amateur." The assassinughed, letting go of his dagger and jumping away before Arad could catch him. ^Nimble bastard.^ Arad growled inside, ring at the assassin as he grabbed the two daggers. The assassin smiled. ^Good, pull them and bleed out, you idiot.^ PLUCK! Arad pulled the daggers out of his torso, instantly closing the wounds with blood. "Only a flesh wound. Next time get something longer." There was still some blood on Arad''s sides, so the wounds seemed to remain open. The assassin blinked twice, ^I''m sure I hit his organs. And I put so much force behind it to pierce his tough skin.^ He growled, ^This stupid werewolf hasn''t even transformed yet.^ Arad looked around, there were still some people watching, but they were far away enough that he could fake something. He slid his hand into his pocket and pulled the sword Alcott gave him. "It''s time to settle this," Arad grabbed the sword with two hands, his eyes fixed on the assassin. The assassin scratched his head. "This will cost me a pretty penny, but it''s worth it to take someone like you." The assassin pulled two daggers from his belt and stood still with his legs tugged together. He looked at Arad as his ne started glowing, and his wristbands shed with blue lightning. The assassin''s body started floating as he red at Arad with a smile, "This is the end of you." BAM! Arad lunched forward, swinging his de down. "Fire moon!". [Fire de] SWOSH! The sword left a crescent moon of crimson mes as the assassin dodged, flying behind Arad. The assassin swung his daggers at Arad''s back with a smile. Arad shifted his stance and swung the sword back. "Fire wheel!" He shouted as he blocked the daggers, sending arge st of mes and forcing the assassin to fly away. "I see! A magic item withmands. It''s rare to see one of those. Rich kid." The assassin smiled, ring at Arad from the sky. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad pulled his hand back and thrust the sword toward the assassin. "Fire thrust!" BAM! He fired a [Firebolt] from the de. The assassin dodged with an amused face. "Fire thrust! Fire thrust! Fire thrust! Fire thrust! Fire thrust!" Arad kept firing at the assassin. "How about you look at mine?" The assassin smiled as he flew around Arad. CRACKLE! His body disappeared in a burst of lightning and appeared behind Arad. "I don''t need sillymands like you!" He swung the draggers at Arad''s back. CRACK! Arad silently turned around at an extreme speed, swinging his burning sword at the bandit''s neck. The assassin looked shocked for a moment, but he then smiled. CLANG! His dagger deflected Arad''s strike. SWUSH! And he then swung up, cutting Arad''s wrist off, and flying away. "You made me sweat for a moment." The assassinughed, "Pretending to needmands to make me lower my guard. You have some skill in you." Arad looked at the assassin. ^I was going full speed at that sh, and he still dodged? How strong is he?^ [That man is no joke. He''s faster than your normal speed. And he has the arm strength to cleave your wrist.] ^I can''t finish the fight without an action surge.^ Arad wanted to rumble, but that was too risky in front of everyone. Chapter 226 [Bonus ] The Stalker’s Attack III "You''re quite tough. That body is a waste on you." The assassin said with a smile. He red at Arad from a distance with a smile on his face. "That''s for me to decide. It''s my body, and I decide how to waste it." Arad replied, holding his sword in a guard and watching the assassin''s movements. ^I will look for an opening and cleave his head.^ "And wasting it protecting ves was your decision? Won''t it be better if you joined us at the assassins'' guild?" The assassin extended his hand holding his dagger. "We will make a great man out of you. Wild beasts need protection, don''t they?" He already knew Arad was a werewolf from the ws. "I won''t. And don''t you mean the thieves guild?" Arad growled, ring at the assassin with open eyes. "Thieves guild? Do you have beef with them?" The assassin stared at Arad with a confused face, "That''s for the better. My client is someone else, and I''m sure they can help you with that." He extended his second hand to Arad. "Join us, and the thieves guild won''t touch you." "I refuse. You die here." Arad changed his stance by mimicking Alcott''s stance and pulling the sword back. "Your guild will follow you soon. I was right. This city is rotten to the core." BAM! Arad lunged forward in the blink of an eye, his sword zing with fire. SWOSH! The assassin bent backward, dodging the neck strike at thest moment. "You''re strong, but that doesn''t matter if you don''t hit me." The assassin swung his dagger up. "Come to us! In a year, you would be able to cut my head." CLANG! Arad deflected the strike, "I won''t follow someone who attacks a mother and her child. I don''t know much about the world, but I wouldn''t care less if that was normal. You''re dead to me." "HAHAHA!" The assassinughed, ducking beneath Arad and swinging at his side with a stab. BAM! Arad lifted his knee and hit the assassin''s hand, deflecting the strike. "I only attacked that woman since you showed interest in her. Using your environment and enemy''s weakness and interests is a lesson we can teach you." The assassin smiled, jumping back and pointing his dagger at Arad. BAM! A lightning bolt shed from his dagger. Arad swung his sword up to cut it, but he got zapped. Arad exhaled. The damage wasn''t enough to faze him. But he understood that cutting lightning magic with a metal de, and one good at transmitting magic at that. It was a bad idea. "Who''s the idiot who tries to cut lightning?" The assassin giggled, "You don''t know much about fighting. The boss will be thrilled to teach you from scratch. He loves strong people." "So he''s the one who taught you to attack a mother? I already hate him." BAM! Arad replied, lunging forward with a heavy swing. The assassin dodged with a bored face. It was the same as Arad''s first charge. Arad stopped midswing, shifting the attack sideway and chasing the assassin''s neck. The assassin smiled as he bent backward so much that his head almost touched the ground. His foot rose, kicking Arad in the chin with his sole. Arad wasn''t fazed and shifted his de toward the assassin''s crotch, trying to cut him in half. The assassin flew sideways and up to the sky, dodging Arad''s strike. "That hit could''ve been nasty. I will test it in my next fight or on you." The assassin smiled. "Care to shut up? Listing to you is making my head hurt." Arad pointed his sword up [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] The assassin gracefully flew between the spells and looked at the ves staying a fair distance away. "I know how to pique your interest." He smiled, flying toward them. Arad looked behind him, "I told you to get the fuck away!" Arad shouted as he saw the ver and his ves staying just a few meters from the bridge''s start. BAM! Arad used all his might in a rush, trying to reach the ves before the assassin. "It''s you, woman! the one he doesn''t want to get hurt." The assassin smiled, and he threw two small knives at the woman. Arad was still on the bridge. Running won''t get him in time, and he doesn''t want to teleport. Thud! He jumped on the bridge''s side, bending his knees. VROOM! BOOM! The woman screamed, seeing the assassin throw two knives at her. The one in her shoulder steel burned like hot iron. SWOSH! CLANG! CLANG! CRACK! Arad''s body flew in front of her, cutting the two knives and crashing into a building. "What?" The assassin gasped. He looked behind and saw that a chunk of the bridge side had copsed. ^Did he jumps all the way here? The force of that alone broke the bridge?^ He couldn''t believe his eyes. Arad is a true dragon, and when he rumbles, his body returns to its original weight to offer the best support. The bridge simply couldn''t support his weight, let alone the force generated by his jumping. Arad stood, pushing the rubbles of the building away as he approached the ves and stood before the woman and her child. "Listen, mother and her child. Don''t move from this spot." He then turned toward others, "The same for everyone. That bastard will chase you to drag me out." "Do you think you can protect them? I admit that was an inhuman jump, but you won''t achieve it." The assassin said with a grunt, pointing his dagger at Arad. "Sorry, I was wrong." Arad looked at the assassin. Thud! He put his hand on the woman''s head. "I want to protect them, and I''m going to do it. I don''t care about what you or they think." Arad took his hand off the woman''s head. VROOOM! A loud rumbling raged from his chest as he looked up at the assassin. "You darey your hand on someone in front of me?" Arad growled. [Frightful presence] He sent his blood lust and rage to the assassin, causing his spine to shiver. Imagining arge monster ring at him. [Awe presence] The ves, especially the woman and her child, felt at ease behind Arad''s wide back. They are under the dragon''s wing.N?v(el)B\\jnn Chapter 227 Eris The assassin gasped, feeling the insane bloodlust rushing out of Arad. Even though he looked like a human, his re resembled that of arge beast. "Do you think you can protect them? It''s only a matter before you run out of steam." The assassin grunted, pointing his dagger at Arad. "You talk a lot," Arad smiled, lifting his sword. "No one will get hurt while I stand here." He lifted his de above his head, and sparks of red me ignited it. The assassin blinked. ^I saw that before.^ It didn''t take him longer than a blink to notice, and the fine hair on his body stood. ^It''s that bastard who came here several years ago and almost killed Lord Xaviin.^ He could see Alcott''s image in Arad, lifting his de with zeal. "Action Surge!" Arad growled. BOM! His sword exploded with a burst of mes. VROOM! BAM! Arad bent his knees and jumped into the sky after the assassin, swinging his zing de. The assassin lifted his daggers. "You bastard won''t win!" He shouted, [Action Surge] Arad aimed for the assassin''s neck, but that strike got deflected, so he aimed at the torso. The assassin wasn''t letting go easily, deflecting and attempting to counter Arad''s strikes. ^Those moves, this raw power. It''s just like him.^ The assassin grunted, deflecting Arad''s third strike. ^I wasn''t able to fightst time. I didn''t have any skills.^ CLANG! He redirected Arad''s fourth strike. ^But now it''s different. I have trained and be stronger. I won''t sit powerless like thest time.^ CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! After a few rapid strikes, Arad reached the end of his eight-strikebo. The assassin felt theg in Arad''s movements. This was the time to strike. He pulled his dagger and tried to stab him in the neck. ^It''s my chance. Most fighters can''t attack right after using an action surge. But I''m a trained assassin. I can pull ast strike.^ The assassin smiled, seeing his de racing toward Arad''s neck. SWOSH! Arad took a deep breath, loudly pulling air into his lungs. "ACTION SURGE!" VROOM! He only has enough stamina for another five strikes. [SP: 108/310] ^Just like with the bandits. I will be able to do five strikes but fail on the sixth one.^ Arad thought, but he didn''t care. The assassin is in front of him. CHOP! Arad swung his sword upward, cutting the assassin''s arm. ^The fuck? He can action surge twice? Is he a level 40 fighter?^ The assassin couldn''t believe seeing his wrist flying. CHOP! CHOP! CHOP! CHOP! Arad chopped the assassin''s other limbs alongside his torso. But on the sixth strike, Arad''s vision turned red as blood started pouring from his eyes and ears. A throbbing headache devoured his head as he fell to the ground. [Heal with blood. Some of your veins have burst.] BOOM! The assassin''s ne exploded as the body disappeared. BAM! Arad''s body fell on the street. *** BAM! The assassin reappeared inside their headquarters alongside his severed limbs. The ne stopped thest fatal attack and teleported him back. "Damn it! I was saving this for a big mission! Healers!" He screamed in pain, and two men rushed toward him. "Edary, what happened to you?" One of them gasped, seeing the bloody mess. "Shut the fuck up and attach my arms and legs! It''s fucking burns!" Edary screamed his lungs out. Arad''s me had seared his wounds, preventing him from bleeding too much. But also making it harder to reattach his limbs. The two healers looked at each other. "We will put you to sleep for the time being. Don''t resist the magic." One of them put his hand on Edary''s forehead. [Sleep] And the assassin fell asleep. After two hours he woke up again in an empty room. His limbs are attached, but feeling awful. "That fucker! I will kill him." He growled. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "No, you won''t, Buffon." A woman''s voice came from the room corner. "Shut up fuck up, Eris! It''s not your job!" He red at the brown-haired woman, ring at him with glowing red eyes. Eris smiled, approaching Edary. "You need to rest for the twin mission. It''s Connor''s decision, but I will take over for now." Edary sighed, "Fine. I understand. We can''t mess up the job." He turned toward the bedside table, but it had no water. "Want something?" Eris looked at him with a gentle smile. "Water, where is it," Edary asked, feeling his lips as dry as sand. "You''ve been iling your arms around, so I moved it away." She turned around and walked toward the table at the room corner. She picked up the water jug and handed it to Edary. "Don''t drink too much. You might hurt yourself," She said with a gentle face. Edary looked at the jug and then at Eris. "Sorry for yelling at you. You''ve been here by my side..." "It''s my job as your mentor," Eris sighed, "I''m used to people like you, so don''t worry about it." She shook her head, resting her fists on her hips. Edary lifted the jug and took arge gulp of water. "Drink slowly," Eris sighed. "I just need a bit of water. I lost too much blood." Edary put the jug down with a smile. "That felt refreshing." "That guy has been spotted with Scarlett. Conner wants him dead as soon as possible so there are no unknown variables." Eris said with a worried face. "Seeing how he defeated you, he''s dangerous." "The motherfucker reminded me of that Alcott. The way he swings his de is very simr." He looked at Eris, "It''s possible he trained him. And he''s also a werewolf." Eris smiled, "I also heard he pulled the rug from beneath the thieves guild feet. Connor was right to see him as arge problem." Edary felt a slight burn in the back of his throat and coughed. "Are you okay?" Eris stared at him. "Something is burning in my throat." Edary grabbed his neck, gasping for air. "I told you to not drink quickly." Eris sighed, handing him the jug, "Just take a sip. You might feel better." Edary took a sip, and his head started spinning. Thest thing he saw was Eris smiling, with a small paper pouch in her fingers that said. [Anti-salt] Edary started shaking, having a stroke as Eris walked to the window. "Bad luck for you Edary. But I found someone more interesting." She smiled, jumping out. ^The anti-salt poison draws salt from the blood. Causing water to flow from it to the cells in a matter of seconds. (Water moves toward salt.) Eventually, causing Edary''s brain to swell and crush at the walls of his skull and cause the stroke.^ Chapter 228 Eris: Director Of The Purple Worm’s Funeral Parlour Thud! Eris jumped out of the window, leaving the dead man lying on his bed. Shended in the back alleyways and walked to the main streets with an empty face. ^Let''s see if you''re as powerful as you seem. ^ She walked toward the market. ^But I still have some work to do.^ After just a few minutes, she stood before arge building and smiled. [The purple worm''s Funeral Parlour] She pushed the door and walked in with a smile, seeing a bunch of men lined up. "Hoho? There are a lot of people here." The moment they heard her voice, they gasped and stared back. "It''s the director." "Yes, it''s me! Did Jame finally kick the bucket? I told the bastard to pay in advance." Eris walked between them, pushing them aside with a smile. She approached therge bag and looked inside. Jame''s corpse was there. "Stabbed to death? I expected him to get pummeled to death with a club." she looked back at his friends, smiling. "You find that funny?" One of them growled, ring at her. "Of course, it''s funny." Erisughed, "Isn''t death a natural thing? Only idiots don''t count for their demise." "No one walks around expecting to die." Another man growled. "If you lived on the surface, I might understand your foolishness. But you''re living in Rita, of all ces." Eris smiled, "You''re walking corpses. I''ve seen so much like you in the past year, and I''m not confident you will survive till the next year." She opened a small cab. Everyone in the room gasped. They could see empty ash jars with their names written on them, "See, I''m ready for you at any time. Just don''t forget to pay." "You bitch!" One of the men pulled his sword and swung at her. SWOSH! Eris pulled a spear out of nowhere, pointing at the man''s neck, "I need another customer. Want to get cremated or embalmed for burying?" "Hoi! Stop it, don''t anger her." Another man grabbed his friend. "I''m not angry. I''m just stating a fact. It doesn''t matter if I kill him or a random thug. It will all end with his naked corpse over there like Jame." She swung her spear, and it disappeared in a puff of fire. CREEK! The door opened up, and one of the healers looked at Eris while panting. "Edary died," He gasped. "I see. Edary didn''t look well when I was with him." Eris said with a nk face. "Sorry, he was your disciple...we tried everything but couldn''t bring him back." The healer looked down. "It isn''t your fault. His time ended, that''s all." Eris approached the healer, "Forget about Edary and focus on those still living. Bring him to meter, and I will cremate him." Eris patted the healer''s shoulder. Thud! BAM! The man who spoke with Eris earlier rushed at her, swinging his de at her back. BOM! With a gust of mes, Eris''s spear emerged from her palm and pierced the man''s chest before he could close. She didn''t even look at him. VROOOOOOOOO! mes rushed from the spear and to the man''s chest, burning him from the inside out till fire spilled from his eyes. CRACKLE! In the blink of an eye. The man''s whole body incinerated, and his bones fell to the ground. Eris slowly turned and looked at the others, "I billing you for his cremation as well," "Of...of course," One of the men nodded, "We''re sorry for his actions." Eris bent down and picked one of the man''s bones. "I will make sure they are turned to ash." "Please do so." The men quickly left after paying her, and she smiled, looking at the two women working for her in the back. "What is it?" "Was that okay? Those people are from the necromancer guild." The two girls asked. "They have the choice. I can cremate or arrange for their corpses to be buried on the surface." Eris smiled, "And if I don''t do any of those two, the corpses will be taken by their guild and turned into necromantic testing subjects." The two girls looked at each other. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I''m doing them a favor, making sure their friends rest peacefully. And they better pay for my service." Eris approached Jame''s corpse and stood beside it smiling. "Let''s see...Jame''s wish is to cremate him." CLAP! She pped her palms and kept them closed for a while. "Let''s do it quickly." CRACKLE! The moment she started parting her palms, a blue lightning arc jumped from between her fingers, followed by a burst of me. The whole room shed, and her two helpers closed their eyes and turned to look at the wall. Eris closed her eyes. ^Mix lightning and fire to increase the heat. And the result is an arc of absolute power.^ She opened her eyes. They have shifted to look like those of cats, and from brown to a bright amethyst purple. CRACKLE! The fire and lightning in her palms mixed and twirled, turning into a blinding sh of purple light. Thud! Eris touched the corpse with her palm. SIZZLE! A gust of white smoke exploded from the corpse, and it turned into ask in the blink of an eye. "I finished." Eris looked back at her helpers, "Please fill his ashes in a jar and give it to them after they pay." The two helpers turned and looked at the ashes. They could feel the heat in the room. "Amazing, corpses are mostly water and are hard to burn." One of them gasped, "How hot are her mes to incinerate a corpse like this?" The other one gasped. Eris walked toward her desk in the back room. She looked at her helpers. "S, it''s your turn." S bowed, "As you order." She followed her. "Sali, please take care of the ashes." She told the other helper. The two walked into the back room, and Eris turned toward S. S walked toward the desk and took a small piece of clothes, wiping her neck clean. Eris approached her and took a bite. "You rarely drink blood. Is there a big fighting?" S asked as she flinched, feeling Eris''s teeth on her neck. "AH!" Eris finished drinking and sighed, "I found someone interesting. I wanted to stock up on blood for healing." She said with a smile, red blood dripping from her lips. Chapter 229 Everyone Was Attacked Arad fell to the ground, gasping for air. He has gone over his stamina limits, and the assassin still escaped. "Hoi! Are you okay?" The ve brought a jug of water and helped Arad sit, "Here, drink some water." Arad looked at the water. He wasn''t thirsty or hungry. He had already eaten from his stomach. ^I should drink, shouldn''t I?^ Arad took the jug and gulped it down. "Are you okay?" The ver asked. Arad looked at him. "I''m fine, don''t mind me." He stood and looked at the sky, "The bastard ran away." The ver smiled, "It doesn''t matter. You saved me and them." He pointed at his ves in the back. Arad stood and cracked his neck. ^I healed my throat, but it still feels weird. I need to get back and ask Ginger about it.^ [If the assassin''s weapons were poisoned. Then the woman in the back won''tst long as well.] Arad looked at the ves in the back. They were helping the mother bandage her shoulder. The ver stood and looked at Arad. "I will get you a reward. Is there anything you can ask for?" Arad red at the ver, "The assassin''s weapons might have been poisoned. Make sure she survives." He looked back at the mother. The ver smiled, "I see. I will make sure you find her healthy." The ver rubbed his hands together with a giggle. "She better be." Arad walked away into the distance, and the ve rushed toward his ves. "Hey, you! Carry her to the nearest healer and then take her to eat." He shouted and then rushed toward the carriage. "Karon! Oi, Karon!" He yelled, and a thin man jumped out. "Youzy ass! You remained hiding inside the carriage?" He red at him. "ve number 37, go to the market and get her some new clothes. We''re dressing her up. ve number 37.5 as well." "Heh? Why?" He gasped. "You idiot didn''t see it. You were hiding like a damned rat!" CRACK! He hit the man with his cane. "That man who fought the assassin, I saw him with my own eyes!" He pointed toward the destroyed bridge and the broken wall. "He''s young but strong!" The ver looked at the sky, smiling. "My senses are tingling, that''s a young master, and one day he will be a force to reckon with!" "Don''t tell me you intend to give her to him?" The man gasped. "You only know how to hide like a rate and gasp like a little girl. Fucking bastard, hurry! And make sure the other ves get enough food and clean clothes." The ver smiled, looking at the carriage. "An unripe golden apple. Of course, I''m going to water it." He smiled, jumping into his seat with excited steps. **** Alcott walked out of the temple with Ginger. "You head back to the inn. I will go check with some other people." He said with a smile. Ginger smiled, "I see, so you don''t mind me biting." Alcott nodded with a firm face, "Only do what you need to do." He patted her shoulder and walked downstairs. After a few minutes of walking, he could feel a shadow chasing him. ^I was right. Connor''s men are on our asses.^ Alcott walked in the busy street, slowly reaching toward his sword as he slowed his breaths. He could hear them. The steps of someone chasing after him and stopping when he stops. Fifty meters in the back. ^They aren''t heavy. From the body shape, I would say a woman. And she''s carrying several metal weapons, two short swords, and five daggers. All poisoned.^ He started focusing on his ears and nose Alcott was about to use echolocation like bats, and his nose was as sharp as dogs if not more. ^The faint smell of blood, it''s her. She had her period yesterday. Good! That means she can be irritated easily.^ Alcott smiled, taking a deep breath. Thud! With a single twist of his ankle, his body jumped sideways and slid between the houses. Soon after he hid there, a tiefling woman rushed in after him gasping for air. "Where did he go?" She looked around, "I''m sure I kept my presence hidden." "Looking for me?" Alcott said with a smile from the darkness. "Did you see a kid with horns like me? I seem to have lost him." The woman said with a scared face and tears in her eyes. "A kid?" Alcott scratched his head with his left hand. While his right rested on his sword handle. "You whore been riding Connor for a while and had a kid? Shit, you don''t even know how to clean your stench." N?v(el)B\\jnn The tiefling woman blinked, "You..." CLING! Arad appeared behind her with his sword drawn. "Fatal ne. It won''t save you from me." Alcott said, blood dripping from his sword. "Heh!" The woman gasped. The ne on her neck shattered and fell to the ground. The world around her spun rapidly, and she could see her headless body for a second before everything went ck. Alcott looked at the corpse, "I really can smell Connor on you, so I say you two were togetherst night. Truly disgusting, that feral dog." He took all of her weapons and pouch and left. Alcott could sense more than just presence or magic. He could hear and smell people around him, notice patterns in the sounds, and recognize smells to detect weakness. He needed to enrage the assassin woman so she won''t activate her magical items. And he needed less than the blink of an eye to dispatch her once she lost her cool. After that, Arad returned to the inn. He found Arad sitting with Ginger in the room, and she had the corpses of three men. And one alive and tied down. "What?" Alcott gasped, "That bastard Connor! He sent four men after you and only a woman after me?" "I only got one man after me," Arad replied. Ginger smiled, "Well, they fear the vampire lord Scarlett more than you." she waved her hand with a smug face. Ginger sighed, "That''s what I would love to say. But he probably wanted to capture me alive and use me as a hostage." Chapter 230 Rapid Development. "Capturing you? Isn''t that impossible?" Alcott looked at Ginger, confused. "Said the man who captured me once." She stared back at him. "It''s doable." "I had special equipment and chains. Those pertinently didn''t have those. Don''t tell me Connor expected them to beat and drag you out?" Alcott looked at the man that Ginger captured alive. "I turned him into a thrall and questioned him. He doesn''t know anything." Ginger waved her hand. "They are hired assassins from the assassins'' guild. Their mission was to kill or bring me alive and get a bonus." Ginger stood. "I was thinking of letting him go back to report, and then who follow the contact to Connor." She approached the man. "You can do that, can''t you." ring at his eyes. "As you order," The man spoke with a straight face. Arad sat on a chair and watched Ginger. Her blood magic was amazing. She brainwashed the man with a single gaze. Alcott smiled as he untied the brainwashed man and led him out of the room, "Make sure to lead us to him." He then got back into the room. "What should we do now?" Arad asked. "Wait and carry on with our preparation. Fighting Connor won''t be easy." Alcott sat on a chair. "I, Ginger, and John will deal with him. You support us from the back and don''t get into direct fighting. He should be a powerful werewolf. And you could lose your head before you know it." "Alcott is right." Ginger looked at Arad with a serious face. "You don''t have any skills with the sword or magic." Alcott nodded, "Your abilities aren''t honed as you didn''t have enough time to practice them." He pulled his sword, "It took me twenty-five years to master my strength. But I''m sure you can reach my level in a year or two." "Alcott is right. You''re a dragon that will live for thousands of years, and you also have vampirism and lycanthropy. I''m sure you will live far longer." Ginger nodded, "You will amass more strength than mortal can imagine, but take it slow at the start." Arad sighed, "I won''t do anything reckless." He walked toward the door and slowly looked back. "I will go look for a room to myself. Please excuse me." "Yeah, we only rented one room. You could sleep with us. It''s like camping." Ginger smiled. "I prefer to have my room." Arad walked out of the room and headed downstairs to the inn owner. The inn owner stood behind his wooden counter, shaking some drinks for the thugs sitting around when Arad walked in. "I want a separate room? got one?" He asked, putting his hand on the counter. "There is an empty room. But it needs some cleaning." The owner said, wiping a ss. "Cleaning?" Arad red at the owner. "I need the room now." He wanted to go inside and wait for something to happen." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Ahem." the owner cleared his throat, approaching Arad and whispering. "A woman brought a man with her to her room to have fun." He looked around, "Let''s just say he didn''t get out of it in one piece." "What?" Arad red at him. "Her friends are cleaning the mess, so please wait for a moment." The owner nodded, "My stomach turned when I entered the room earlier." Arad stood, "Fine, I will go out. Make sure the room is ready when Ie back." The owner nodded, "I will make it happen." He bowed slightly, and Arad left the inn. ^How about I go destroy the assassins while I have the time?^ [Don''t chase troubles.] ^Don''t worry. I will just cut a boulder from the cavern ceiling and drop it on their base.^ Arad smiled, ^Natural disaster. Who would know?^ [Ok, That n might work. But don''t hit other people.] Arad walked through the street with a smile. *** Ginger pulled a crystal ball from her pocket and looked at it. "Yeah, we should call John and see if he found anything, or if he was attacked as well." Ginger nodded. "I was thinking the same." she waved her hand at the crystal ball. A white light emerged from the crystal ball. "John, do you hear me?" Alcott shouted into the ball. The two waited for a while, but they got no response. "Why isn''t he replying? Did they get him?" Alcott growled. "No, John is strong. Something is jamming my spell, so I guess he''s blocking it to stay hidden." Ginger lifted the ball and hid it in her pocket. Alcott stood. "We must check on him." "You''re right." Ginger stood with him. "Let''s go look for information. We might meet him." She smiled. Alcott and Ginger walked out of the inn and headed to the western part of the city. "Are you going to that bar?" Ginger looked at Alcott''s face and then around her. "I hate that ce as well. But if someone can know where Connor''s base is, it''s them." Alcott stopped as they reached a rundown building. "The Rippers. Even I find those people crazy." Ginger felt a shiver run down her spine. Alcott pushed the door open and walked inside. He looked around to see some people eating raw flesh in the corner. He turned around, disgusted as he headed toward the counter. Alcott pulled a chair for Ginger to sit on and then took one for himself. He sat beside her and looked at the owner. "Heard any news." The owner looked at him and then turned around, "I didn''t." Alcott sighed, "You know it isn''t healthy to not talk for a long time." Alcott called from his chair. HAHAHAHAHA! A man burstughing in the back, "Alcott, you''ve grown old, you bastard." Alcott turned around with a vein bulging on his forehead. A brown-haired man sat on a table in the back, his golden eyes glowing in the dark as he smirked. "The hell took you soo long? I''d finished five people before you showed up." "Connor! You ursed werewolf!" Alcott growled. Ginger looked beside Connor, seeing a pile of human bones. The man has been gorging himself on human flesh. Chapter 231 [Bonus ] I Came For Revenge "You''re quite confident to await us here." Ginger smiled, her blood magic oozing out. Alcott grabbed his sword with an enraged face, "Fist for humans, sword for monsters." BAM! He lunged forward at a blinding speed, swinging his sword with full force. Connor smiled, his golden eyes glowing as fine hair covered his face. A thinyer of bones covered his fingers as he caught Alcott''s strike. CLANG! "Fangs for cattle, ws for the likes of you." SWOSH! Ginger appeared behind Connor. "I don''t agree with that, not anymore." CLAP! She pped her hands together, [Blood Magic: Thousand stakes of blood] Thud! Connor jumped to the side, and a long stone spear rushed from the ground. The spell Ginger used was one of her favorites. It creates a thousand stone spears that rush from the ground aiming at the target''s crotch and impaling them to the head. She once used it to repel an army. Saying that a thousand people had a stake up their assess was an understatement. BAM! BAM! BAM! Connor jumped from one spot to the other, dodging the stakes and flipping around. Alcott didn''t give him any time and rushed in, dancing between the stakes and swinging his sword. [Chasing dance] Using the intricate movement of his joints, torso, and legs, Alcott created a single swing that chased Connor''s neck. Connor smiled, "Good! You two are of the highest quality meat I saw in years. I''m sure to get stronger after eating you!" *** Arad walked through the streets ^The assassin guild should be that way.^ Thud! "You lookrge close-up. And I thought I was tall." A giggling voice called him from the crowd. When Arad turned, he could see a woman staring at him with a smile. She had brown hair, eyes, and long ears. He couldn''t feel any bloodlust from her. In fact, she seemed to be having fun. "Who are you?" Arad looked at her, feeling a cold chill on his back. [Kill her! She''s a problem!] "I came here looking for you. Can we dance together at the edge of life?" She smiled, lifting her hand. [She''s a purple one! Get away from her! Now!] Mom shouted in. "Hehe!" Eris smiled, her eyes shing purple as a red spear burst from her palm. CRACKLE! Lightning shed from Eris''s arm and reached her spear, turning it into a bright purple color. "Can you take this?" She smiled from ear to ear, staring at him with an evil grin. VROOOM! Arad''s body vibrated, his eyes shing purple as mes covered his left fist and Alcott''s sword emerged in his right hand. The mes on his palm shifted from red to blue andstly into a pure white se. A fully refined spell. Arad knew This woman is a problem. The fact she pulled a weapon without him feeling anything from her was strange. She wasn''t here to kill him. She was here to have fun. BAM! Arad lunged forward, swinging his sword at Eris''s neck. "zing Fire!" Eris spun her spear, deflecting Arad''s attack with ease and swinging at his arm. SWOSH! The spear passed right through. Even though she hit him with a shaft, there was no bludgeoning damage. Eris''s sma spear burned right through Arad''s arm. Like a hot knife through butter. She sliced his right arm right off and seared the wound closed. Thud! Arad jumped back, ring at his severed arm. "GHAAAAAAAA!" The people around them in the street screamed, running away as soon as the fight started. Arad tried to heal his arm, but he couldn''t. The seared flesh prevented him from starting the blood regeneration process. "You aren''t screaming. I like it," Eris stared at him with a blushing face. "It''s been a while since my attacks didn''t cremate someone." Arad lifted his left hand, [Gravity magic] Thud! He pulled his severed arm. The wound on it is seared as well. His eyes shed with a golden light. [Jaw of the Beast] Arad''s cheek muscles retreated back into his skull, revealing his wide jaw. CRUNCH! He took a bite of his arm, ripping the seared part off from both the forearm and upper arm. Eris watched in shock, "What are you doing." Arad''s eyes shed red. CRACK! His arm connected as soon as his regeneration kicked back in. CRACKLE! Lightning and mes started gushing out of Arad''s arms and back as gravity magic surrounded him. "You aren''t cremating anyone today." He dered. *** n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om CLANG! CLANG! Alcott and Connor shed, exchanging strikes one after the other as everyone ran out of the bar. Ginger started casting magic with one hand while trying to contact John with her other hand using the crystal orb. "John! John! Forget secrecy. Connor showed himself!" She shouted into the ball as hard as she could. "No use! It''s useless! Useless!" Connor shouted with a smile on his face. "You two already lost the moment you met me. Only me yourself for what''s happening next!" GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Connor roared, thick fur covering his skin as his muscles bulged. His shirt exploded, and his pants almost ripped off. Alcott took the chance to swing as Connor''s neck, hit him. But the bastard was wearing a fatal ne that took the hit for him. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Connor stood with his knees bent and hands on the ground, thick mist gushing from his massive wolf-like jaw. A werewolf in the flesh. The Alpha of Rita''s city stood before them. BAM! Connor used his powerful muscles, and wolf-like leg and ligaments tounch himself forward at mind-boggling speed. "FAST!" Alcott gasped as Connor ignored him and swung at Ginger, wing a chunk of her torso and chest. "BLUG!" Ginger puked blood, such a hit wasn''t fatal for her, she can regenerate. But if she got hit a second time before that, she''s done for. Connor turned to swing at her head. CLAP! Alcott rushed in, his body half covered in hair and with bloodshot eyes. He cleaved Connor''s arm. "cleaved Connor''s arm. "You fucker!" Connor smiled as his arm instantly regrew. "That''s it, the monster who killed my father. I was worried you have forgotten your nature." Alcott didn''t care to hear another word from Connor. Using his full might. [Actions Surge] [Adrenaline Rush] SWOSH! Something burst through the wall, flying in and carrying Connor away from Alcott''s strike. "What?" Ginger gasped as she healed. Alcott and Ginger looked to the side, seeing a skeleton standing beside Connor with something in his hand. "Thanks, Father." Connor smiled...That was Xaviin. "A Lich?" Ginger gasped. Xaviin looked at Alcott, "You killed me, and I came for revenge." He threw the object in his hand toward Alcott''s legs. It was John''s head. Chapter 232 Losing Fight BOM! A woman ran away from a fiery explosion in the middle of the city. "God! Save us. The city is burning to the ground!" She looked back, seeing a whole building bursting into mes. BAM! Arad slid across the street, his feet leaving a trail on the ground as he kept his eyes on Eris. He opened his mouth. ROAR! In an instant, he sent a lighting st toward her. "Hehe!" Erisughed, swinging her spear to the left and deflecting the lightning. "You can''t hurt me with fire or lightning." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Sheughed, and a whole carriage flew toward her, and she swung her spear up and burned the entire thing. Eris looked toward Arad, seeing him lifting a second Carriage with two hands. "The fuck?" She gasped. She had already guessed he was a strange sorcerer, but where that monstrous strength ising from? "GRWA!" Arad shouted as he threw the carriage at her. "You aren''t a draconic bloodline. Do you have the blood of a fire giant and a lightning one?" Eris smiled, "Good! Good! It''s been a decade since I saw someone as rare as you!" She lifted her spear. "Come down here!" Arad shouted, ring at Eris, who stood over a building. ^I don''t want to waste stamina using Action Surge unless I''m sure I will kill her. Should I use my void? No, that isn''t the question.^ Arad cracked his neck. ^The question is how to use it.^ His brain started racing. ^My void can erase things. The simpler they are, the better.^ Arad lifted his hand. ^I can erase air, but not swords since they are denser.^ Swosh. The void slowly built up inside Arad''s palm. ^When a vacuum gets created, air rushes in to fill the gap pulling everything with it.^ Arad lifted his sword with his right hand and slowly lowered his left palm as void engulfed it. ^Just like Amber taught me. Slowly circte the magic and make a fist, engulfed in the void.^ [Void Fist] Arad created a new spell for himself to use. It was a simple one that he never thought to use directly. Instead of using the void to make fire and cover his fist for [Firefist] Arad can use the void directly. So he closed his fist. Eris stared at him with a baffled face, "Magic? ck mes?" KA-DROM! The void in Arad''s fist expanded, erasing the air around it. Arad then opened his palm. KA-DRAM! With a strange crackle, he activated [Gravity magic] at the same time. Eris could feel her body getting pulled toward Arad with a violent force. He couldn''t achieve this before, but how could he now? "No! He''s pulling more than just me." Eris smiled, lunging toward him. "But how could this help you?" The moment Eris got in Arad''s striking range, he swung his sword down at her neck. Eris smiled, spinning her spear. CLANG! She deflected Arad''s strike and swung at his arm. SIZZLE! Eris''s spear cut through Arad''s left arm like butter. She then swings at his right arm, severing it as well. "Come on! Show me something." Eris smiled, giggling. Arad''s eyes shed purple as he bent back. CRACK! He kicked Eris in the guts, sending her flying into a building. CRUMBLE! Eris''s body crashed into a wall, ripping it apart. But that wasn''t enough to hurt her. She stood and started at the wounded Arad. Arad looked at his leg. He was cut from the sole up to the knee. ^Did she blocks my kick with her spear?^ Arad slowly red at her. He missed two arms, a gaping wound across his chest, and a severely damaged right leg. "I love seeing a wounded man like you. But you aren''t fun at all." Eris swung her spear. "Even that badly wounded, you never cry or show emotions. You''re making me want to break you even more." she smiled. Arad red at her, and a dark void engulfed his wounds. She was a problem. CRACK! His arms instantly regrew with blood, and his wounds healed. Eris face changed from a smile to a sad expression. "Being a vampire is sad. But I''m sure I seared your wounds. So you won''t bleed to death, no, I mean won''t regenerate." "I can regenerate however I want. It''s not my problem that you can''t deal with it." Arad replied, ring at her. Eris sighed, "Having the blood of fire and lightning giants. Being a vampire and that strange magic of yours. What the hell are you? A runaway test rat from the mage tower?" [Arad, we need to run away and regroup with Alcott. You can''t kill her. She''s ying with you.] ^I won''t run away from a fight.^ [You aren''t running away. It''s a tactical retreat. You''re leading your enemy into a trap named Alcott.] ^I see. That makes sense.^ Arad was quick to change his mind. BOOM! As the two stared at each other. Arge building exploded in the distance. Arad and Eris stared at the sky, seeing Alcott''s body flying backward with a skeleton chasing him. Just after them, Arad could see Ginger shing with a werewolf. ^What happened? Did they find Connor?^ SWOSH! Ginger turned around and saw Arad. She spread her bat wings and flew toward him at an insane speed. "A vampire lord?" Eris gasped, spreading her purple wings, but Ginger''s foot found her face before she could block. Thud! She hit Eris with a flying kick to the face and sent her flying. Ginger turned toward Arad, carried him, and flew to the sky. "Hoi! Let me down!" Arad growled. "We miscalcted a lot. We lost John, and the enemy got an elder lich." Ginger growled. "You and I are running away while Alcott is stalling them. I will teleport him out with magic once we''re in a safe ce." She exined briefly. BAM! "Where are you running? Little bat girl." Connor appeared behind them. ^I''m flying in the sky! Did he jump after us?^ Ginger gasped, seeing his w racing toward her back. STAB! Connor''s w pierced Ginger''s back before Arad could react. But even so, he didn''t stand still. "You!" Arad growled. CRACK! Arad pulled two fingers and gouged Connor''s eyes out. As Connor screamed in agony, Arad lifted his fist and punched him on the head with his whole draconic weight, sending him flying to the ground. And he almost broke Ginger''s back in the process. Chapter 233 Heated Fight "Oi! Careful!" Ginger cried, "We could have fallen!" She could feel a sharp pain in her back. "I punched him down. He shouldn''t bother us." Arad replied with a smile as he saw Connor hit the ground. SWOSH! "Where do you think you are going?" Eris flew in front of them withrge purple wings. Ginger''s shoe mark was still red on her face. "Get out of the way!" Ginger pulled her want to st Eris away. Arad blinked. He could see Eris''s chest growing bigger. He knows what''sing. It''s a breath. ^No! Ginger won''t be able to regenerate from a charred wound. Thud! Arad grabbed Ginger from the back of her neck and expanded his wings, throwing her out of the way. "ARAD!" Ginger shouted, seeing Arad facing Eris. BRWAAAAAAAAA! A deep growl came out of Eris''s throat like a mangled barf. Arge purple stream of hot sma exploded forth at Arad''s face,rge enough to engulf his whole body. "HOT!" Ginger cried, feeling her skin sizzle just by being close to the breath. The sma separated like a water stream hitting a rock, shing across the sky in a blinding sh. From the light, Ginger could see Arad countering with a pitch-ck breath, fending off the sma but still getting cooked alive. The two breaths pushed onto each other, and the sma breath quickly dominated, and Arad got sted. He didn''t have as much time to charge his breath as Eris did. Eris stared at Arad''s charred corpse falling down. Sweat dripped across her forehead. "The fuck was that? And you''re still not disintegrated." She has never faced someone that didn''t get cremated by a stab of her spear, let alone survive her breath. Eris smiled with a blush across her face, "Let me get another hit in." She flew down as fast as she could. SWOSH! Mid-air, she saw a crescent sh of blood flying toward her. ^That vampire lord?^ Eris red at the sh, evaporating it. CLAP! Ginger pped her palms together, her eyes shing with blood-red me. "Unleashing the seals from five to one." The veins on her body turned red and bulged. [Blood Magic: Dance of the undying queen] "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Screams covered the city. Gang members and anyone that Ginger deemed worth killing in this rotten city got impaled from the crotch to the neck with blood spears. Eris looked around at the city in horror as blood covered the streets. "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Those corpses screamed, turning into hordes of ghouls. "Kill them!" Ginger shouted, sending her newly created ghouls after Eris, Connor, and Xaviin. "They won''t reach me as long as I''m flying!" Eris smiled, pointing her hand toward the ghouls on the ground. "I will cremate them from here." CRACK! The ghouls grew wings and flew at her, "They can fly?" Eris gasped, dodging their ws. She could smell their stench. ^Even if a single scratch doesn''t kill me. They are filled with poison and diseases.^ Ginger grabbed Arad''s burned corpse and flew to the sky. She needs to get away and pull Alcott out. STAB! Connor''s w pierced her back, ripping one of her wings out. "Do you think those little fries would stop me from blowing you back out?" Ginger coughed blood, and Connor smiled. Connor then noticed something strange, Arad''s charred corpse was ring at him with purple eyes. Memories of his eyes getting gouged came to him he tried to back off. THWACK! Arad swung his charred arm and smacked Connor down again with a solid punch to the head. This time Ginger was wounded and missing a wing. She could keep flying with Arad punching with his draconic weight. *** CLANG! Alcott deflected one of Xaviin''s spells just to see Arad and Ginger''s corpses falling to the ground. His blood boiled, and rage filled his vision as his eyes shed red and yellow. His body hair grew in an instant as his fingers turned into ws, the veins on his body bulged as his fangs became longer. [Action surge] [Adrenaline Rush] [Blood Magic: Blood sh] [w Arts: Strikes of the wild beast] n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "The fuck!" Xaviin gasped, fearing death even as an undead. Alcott wasn''t holding any punches, he went all out and beyond. With [Action surge] and [Adrenaline Rush] He forced 128 shes with his right arm. [w Arts: Strikes of the Wild beast] was a werewolf skill that allowed him to strike with his left-hand ws at the same time, pushing a simr 128 w strikes. And all those attacks were covered with the vampire skill [Blood Magic: Blood sh] empowering them even further. Alcott aimed his strikes at every bone in Xaviin''s skeleton body and hit therge ones several times. In a second, Xaviin''s body got turned into dust and Alcott fell to the ground. Thud! Alcott fell on his legs. ^I can''t see. I blew the veins in my eyes. My ears keep ringing and I can only smell my blood. My limbs are numb as well, I can''t even tell if they are broken or not.^ Alcott sensed Arad and Ginger''s magic. ^I have to grab them and run, even if it''s thest thing I can do.^ Thud! Alcott grabbed Ginger and Arad and started running in a straight line. He could feel his heart beating weirdly. "Ginger! Ginger! Drink my blood and run away with Arad!" He growled. "No! Just give me a second. I will give you a healing potion." Ginger tried to pull a potion from her pocket. "My heart is about to stop. Take Arad and flee." Alcott has used a lot of blood with the blood sh to make sure Xaviin won''t regenerate his bones. And he has exhausted his heart beyond belief, he was dying. Thud! SWOSH! Connor reached them, swinging his ws at Alcott''s back. "I got you!" Arad''s eyes looked at Connor''s midswing. Causing him to flinch for a second. ^I need more power...look for it...^ Arad''s brain was racing to find a way out. ^I''m not a sorcerer, I don''t power to tap in... No wait, if a sorcerer can tap into his ancestor''s power, what prevents me from doing the same?^ CLANG! Arad lifted his burned forearm and blocked Connor''s w. Connor gasped, "You again! Fucking log!" Arad could see the dark shadow of a human swordsman in his head, ^I too can do it,^ Arad pushed Alcott and Ginger to the side, stealing Alcott''s sword and lifting it up looking toward Connor. For a second, Connor thought it was Alcott who picked up the sword and is about to swing. Chapter 234 [Bonus ] Stringed Memories "Who do you think you are?" Arad growled as he red at Connor, a massive pressure emanating from his body. "Who am I?" Connor smiled. "Question back at you. Oak log." "You and this rotten city. Are nothing but mere waste." Veins started popping on Arad''s neck as he took a stance. Thud! Erisnded in front of Connor, "He''s mine! Back off!" "Take him if you want, but I''m taking Scarlet and that bastard Alcott," Connor growled, but he then felt his skin crawl. "You don''t get to decide that," Arad growled, clenching his hands on the sword. ^Frightful presence?^ Eris stared at Arad. ^It is heavier than that of a sorcerer or a half-dragon.^ It took her a second to realize. SWOSH! Eris lifted her hands and aimed at Arad, "Die!" [sma Ball] She fired three condensed sma orbs of immense heat. CRACK! Arad lunged forward, running on the tips of his toes like a wolf. If a human sorcerer can tap into the hidden power of their ancestors, why can''t he do the same? He''s a dragon, and his ancestors were dragons, so they must leave some power. Deep into Arad''s head and from the fragmented memories that Mom had, he could see the image of a swordsman swinging his sword, running toward a massive castle. ^I can use all my skills at the same time. Layer the vampire regeneration and wyrmwolf acrobatic skills with my draconic strength and durability.^ Arad red forward with a stern face. Arad started actively drinking the blood in his stomach to heal. Activated [Wyrmwolf Uncanny physique] and tensed all of his muscles to rip the burned flesh off. Arad''s wounds rapidly healed as he approached the first sma ball. [Void dragon w] CRACK! Arad swung his sword down, cutting Eris''s first sma ball in half. He simply covered his sword with void instead of fire, to suck everything that he cut into his stomach. Puff! The sma ball disappeared without a trace, causing Eris to gasp. "What? Where did it go?" CLANG! PUFF! CLANG! PUFF! Arad sliced the two sma balls and swung at Eris''s neck. ^It''s simple. All I needed to do was replicate his moves. I never knew that running on the tips of my toes could be faster.^ As Arad''s strike raced toward Eris''s neck, he could hear Connorughing in the back, swinging his w at Ginger, who was protecting the dying Alcott. ^I''m not fast enough. I can''t run there.^ Arad''s brain started working faster and faster. ^Void walk, I can teleport there, but the spell takes a second to activate. I won''t make it.^ Arad could see the image of the swordsman fading into the darkness of his void. ^That''s right, you were a mere human. She''s stronger. His vision shifted to the image of a massive draconic shadow.^ [[Void Walk]=>[Void Step]] ZON! Arad''s body disappeared as soon as the de touched Eris''s neck, leaving her shivering on the ground. She touched her neck. There was blood, but just from a scratch. ^He didn''t cut me more than skin deep?^ She looked around, ^Where did he go?^ She gasped. ZON! Arad appeared between Connor and Ginger, swinging his sword at Connor''s w. Connor flinched again, remembering how his eyes were gouged. CLANG! Arad sliced one of his ws as he retreated. ^What was that?^ Connor looked at Arad. ^This fear in my skin. I can feel it crawl down my spine.^ Connor could feel the hair on his back standing. He was unintentionally trying to make himself look bigger. "It''s a dragon''s frightful presence!" Eris shouted, "A sorcerer or a half-dragon can usually only scare people. But that man is capable of using a true dragon frightful presence." Eris stabbed her hand with a dagger, "It acts like magic, drawing fear from inside the mind and making you hesitate to attack or defend." Thud! Eris rushed toward Connor, "He''s using it against us, making us less effective at defense, attack, and coordination." Connor bit his own arm. The pain could help him resist the fear effect of Arad''s [Frightful presence] Connor healed his ws with a thud as he stared at Arad. "You really gave us a scare. This is why I hate unexpected variables." He smiled. "Your tricks won''t work on me again." "What''s so amusing? Why are youughing?" Arad''s voice became deeper and deeper. "What do you think those two are?" He red at Connor with a ghastly face. Arad''s mind jumped away from the drakaina and started skipping into the distant past of his blood, looking for powerful ancestors. He soon stopped in front of a titanic five-headed drakaina. "You''re my descendant, but I only grant power to chromatic dragons." The massive drakaina was the first one to speak as if she was feeling Arad''s consciousness in real time. The Titanic drakaina smiled, "But check with my husband. He might help you." The drakaina disappeared, and Arad found himself in a white room, ring at the back of a white-haired old man sitting on a wooden chair. "Grant a brat a massive wealth that they didn''t work for and they will waste it." The old man said, "I don''t give people fish. I teach them how to hunt." Arad tried to reply, but he couldn''t. His body felt hot and burning, "Void is like any other element. You can''t truly understand it until you feel it. Let it burn, suck everything into your stomach and eat it." The distance between Arad and the old man expanded. "Void dragons are the ones who erase." **** Thud! Connor sees Arad zoning out for a second, so he jumped forward, wing him across the chest. Arad''s blood sshed onto Alcott''s face, waking him up. The first thing he saw was Arad''s body falling to the side, wounded. His eyes expanded, glowing with a golden light. Connor immediately picked up Alcott''s bloodlust, "You can still move?" He gasped. Alcott''s body morphed in an instant, fur covering his body as two massive bat-like wings expanded from his back. But he could feel a sharp pain in his chest. He won''tst any longer. Alcott grabbed Connor by the jaw and jumped into the sky, pping his wings as fast as he could. His only hope was to take Connor as far away from Ginger and Arad as possible. "Your grip is weak!" Connor growled. Alcott was already at death''s door, and the mere strength he could muster wasn''t enough. He pushed Alcott''s arm away and bit his neck. Thud! CRACK! Connor felt a sharp pain at the base of his tail. Ginger was there, pulling him by the tail. "Let go of Alcott''s neck!" She growled, ripping the tail off. Alcott lost all of his power and morphed back into his humanoid form as he and Connor fell to the ground. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Connor decided to ignore Ginger for the time being and finish Alcott off. He can''t rest assured until he crushes his head to the ground. He lifted his leg up, trying to stomp Alcott''s head. Ding! Alcott''s body disappeared. "Where did he go?" Connor gasped. Arad stood beside Ginger, a dark haze oozing from his wounds. "Are you two fuckers a son and father? Both won''t die like cockroaches." Connor red at Arad with a scornful face. [You''re close to them! Grab Ginger and Alcott and teleport away as far as possible.] Mom suggested that Arad use [Void Step] (Was Void walk before) to teleport 400m away, which will give them some time to breathe. Arad stood, dropping a few healing potions to Ginger from his stomach. "I''m going to kill him!" Arad growled, ring at Connor. Chapter 235 The Butter Knife Strikes Back. CLAP! Arad lunged forward, teleporting behind Connor with [Void Step]. He then swung his fist down. SWOSH! Connor turned, "You''re slow. That teleportation is the only annoying thing you can achieve." He swung his w and cut Arad''s arm. CRACK! Arad''s arm popped back out immediately, and he swung it at Connor''s face. Thud! Connor blocked the punch with his forearm. "I can smell that you''re a vampire. Where are you keeping blood to heal yourself?" SIZZLE! Connor''s fur started disintegrating under Arad''s fist as the void covered it. SWOSH! Connor swung his w at Arad''s neck. CHOP! Arad swung Alcott''s sword up, cutting Connor''s wrist. "That weapon is sharper than what should have." Connor smiled as his arm regenerated, "You really remind me of Alcott. You''re even using his weapons." SWOSH! Connor swung both his hands at Arad, sending a barrage of shes. Arad lifted his fists to protect his face and upper chest. CLEAVE! Connor ripped Arad''s arms off and severely damaged his upper torso and face. But there was a problem. Connor looked at his ws and the bleeding Arad. "You should be in pieces. Some of my attacks didn''t cut you." Some parts of Arad''s body were covered with a dark mist, connected to his stomach. When Connor struck him, his ws entered Arad''s stomach and exited without ever managing tond a strike. *** As the city crumbled, the ver from before rushed through the street and climbed over the rubble. He looked at the fight. ^I was right. It''s that kid from earlier. He''s fighting the bloody werewolf, Connor.^ He kept watching. *** CLAP! Arad''s wounds healed, and his wings expanded, ripping his upper clothes to shreds. Two massive horns rose from his head as he red at Connor with glowing purple eyes. Eris stepped back. ^That''s no half-dragon. I was wrong. He isn''t a giant. Those ck wings don''t belong to a metallic dragon. Nor to a chromatic one.^ She could guess Arad was a true dragon, but not his true kind. ^It doesn''t matter. If we didn''t force him into the draconic form, we didn''t really drop him to 0HP or even close.^ "Connor! He''s a true dragon. I don''t what kind, but I''m sure it isn''t a metallic one." Eris shouted, "We need to retreat." "So you''re a true dragon?" Connor smiled, approaching Arad. "I wonder what your flesh tastes like?" Arad swung Alcott''s sword at Connor. Connor swung his arm up, cutting Arad''s arm, and then kicked the sword away. "No overpowered and sharp weapons for you." Arad pulled the adamantine sword from his stomach and swung at Connor''s neck. SLASH! Connor cut Arad''s second arm and kicked the adamantine sword away, "Forget it. You aren''t as fast as me. And that dark haze of yours won''t save you every time." ^Feel the void. Let''s cover your body like mes.^ Arad''s body started getting consumed in a thinyer of the void linking to his stomach. His body turned into a ck haze of darkness. SWOSH! The air started moving, getting sucked into Arad. The dirt beneath his feet crumbled as it was sucked into his stomach. ^Be the void, a mass of ever-consuming void.^ "What are you doing?" Connor jumped, swinging his ws at Arad''s neck. SWOSH! The hits passed right through Arad''s skin. Strength and speed don''t matter when you can''t hit your target. Connor''s ws are keratin, a technically dead tissue that could get into Arad''s stomach with ease. Connor quickly noticed that using his ws won''t harm Arad. VROOM! KA-boom! Arad swung his fist at Connor''s face but soon found his wrist bitten off. Connor''s body bent back, and he swung a kick up, hitting Arad in the chest. Arad''s body flew back, crashing into a wall. He could feel the throbbing pain in his chest, but it wasn''t something healing won''t fix. Arad can''t cut Connor without the magical swords, and Connor can''t cut him with his ws. FLAP! Arad''s wings pped harder than before, propelling his body forward. CLING! From his stomach, he pulled a small butter knife. "HAH!" Connorughed, "You finally ran out of weapons? A butter knife is better than nothing, but it won''t save you." BAM! Connor stomped the ground, taking a deep breath. SWOSH! He swung his ws at Arad''s face and ignored the butter knife. SCRATCH! The butter knife''s de touched Connor''s skin, scratching a tiny bit, unseen by the normal eye. BOOM! Connor''s nipples exploded, ripping holes in his chest muscles. "GRWAAAAAA!" He screamed, unable to figure out where the hit came from. Thud! Arad stepped forward, sticking his fingers in the wounds on Connor''s chest, hooking into his chest muscles. "HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Arad screamed, using all of his might to pull the muscles out. CRACKLE! Fire and lightning rushed from his fingers and into Connor''s chest, burning it from the inside out. "GRWAAA!" Connor screamed, swinging his arms down, and hitting Arad''s elbows. CRACK! Even though he could barely muster any strength, he managed to break them. Arad stepped back, healing his broken bones for onest attack. VROOOM! "Action surge!" BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! He unleashed powerful punches, aiming at Connor''s still gaping wound. A shockwave exploded as the punches all hit Connor within the same second, cracking his bones. Arad started feeling nauseous, his muscles burning, and his chest tightened. He had already gone after his limit. His void armor disappeared, and he could barely stand. [HP:10/320]=>[HP: 7/320] CRACK! Connor healed with ease, "You bastard! That dark magic of yours is really annoying. What''s that butter knife made from?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om STAP! SLASH! Connor pierced Arad''s torso with one w and broke his neck with the second one. [HP: 0/320] BOOM! Arad''s body exploded in a burst of the void, and a massive jaw closed on Connor''s arms, biting them off. He was forced out of his human form into his dragon form. Connor jumped back, seeing the massive ck dragon ring at him. "So you were a true dragon!" He smiled, "It will be worth it." Connor opened his palm, and a red gem flew from where Xavvin''s dusted bones were. That was Xaviin''s phctery. "I was supplying him with my mana to regenerate, so I wasn''t using any skills. But I don''t think I can take on a dragon without going all out." Since the moment Alcott killed Xaviin, Connor had started spending the majority of his power to raise his father again. Since he was the necromancer who got him up in the first ce. Eris watched the battle, but then her ears twitched. She could hear something digging above the ceiling. She looked up, "OH! Fuck!" She expanded her wings, turning and flying away. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Connor is too engrossed in the fight. He can''t feel it. There is no way I''m remaining here." She ran away sweating. Chapter 236 Drakaina’s Strike Eris bolted away as Connor smiled, staring at Arad transforming. "Let''s see if you can keep up!" [Dead man''s bones] Purples lines of magic covered Connor''s body. ROAR! Arad roared, charging forward with a bite. Thud! Connor ducked below his jaw and punched upward. BAAM! A shockwave exploded at impact, sending Arad flying to the sky. Arad felt his jaw crack from the hit. Connor''s punch hit him like a truck. What made it worse was that it was concentrated in a small area. FLAP! Arad spread his wings, looking down to breathe at Connor. ^Where is he?^ He couldn''t find him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Thud! "On your back, flying lizard," Connor growled, grabbing Arad''s wings and twisting them to the back. CRACK! Arad felt the sharp pain radiating down his spine. It was just the joints. His biggest muscles were the ones linked to his wings. The source of most of his strength has been ripped apart. It was just now that he understood how important they were. Those muscles helped him move his neck, and upper arms, p his wings, and keep his back straight. [Gravity Magic] Arad tried to shift his body weight by pulling on the ceiling. His body twisted as he pointed his jaw at Connor. ROAR! He roared, unleashing a full power void breath. CRACK! Arad saw a pile of bones disintegrating where Connor was. "I''m here!" Connor said with a smile, hanging from the back of Arad''s neck. "Good-by," CRACK! He grabbed Arad by the hones and snapped his neck. Arad''s body went numb as he fell to the ground, "You lost your weird dark shield after transforming. Is that because of your size?" Connor stared at Arad''s body. "I guess corpses can''t reply," Connor scratched his head. "Don''t worry. I will raise you as an undead. I only need to find out how to make a dracolich." Connor blinked, and suddenly arge green body was standing over Arad''s body. He lifted his head, seeing it was a massive green dragon. ^What? When did it get here,^ The green dragon started licking Arad''s body, like a cat grooming a kitten. "Poor child, you didn''t have a choice in getting pulled to such a ce." The drakaina said, looking at Arad''s body. Thud! Connor took a step, trying to back away. CREEK! ug''s tail swung at full speed. The multiple joins made it like a whip, elerating the tip to an unbelievable speed. CRACK! Thwack! The tip of her tail sted a shockwave before hitting Connor''s chest, sending him flying across the city with a st. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! A deep growl came from ug''s throat, crackling like a massive lion. "You aren''t getting out of here alive." She red into the distance, seeing Connor coughing blood between the shattered stone walls of the cavern. ug opened her mouth, pulling out a decent-sized bag filled with healing potions. She poured the content on the ground and grabbed Arad in her w. CRACK! She snapped his neck back into ce. "You should recover. We dragons are more resistant to brain damage than humans." She lifted a few potions, opening Arad''s jaw with her ws and putting the potions inside. CRACK! CRACK! She clenched Arad''s jaw, making him crack and swallow the potions whole. She sighed in relief, seeing his wings healed. ug stood and looked toward Connor, "Wait here. I will rip that bastard and acquaintance to shreds first." Ginger stared at ug''s back as she stood over Arad. She was massive. He could fit in her w while. VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! A deep rumbling exploded from ug''s body, akin to that of Arad but louder and sharper. Ginger could see ug''s scales shifting as veins bulged beneath them. CRACK! Connor stood, seeing the massive dragon ring at him from a distance, ready to charge. "You lot keep appearing." He growled, "Fine, I will kill you as well." BOOM! With a single push from her hind legs, ug''s massive body sted forward with a massive shockwave, sending Arad, Ginger, and Alcott''s bodies flying back. Connor jumped to the left as fast as he could, trying to dodge. ug lifted her right wing up, swaying her massive body to the left after him. The ground started shaking and cracking on the surface, just the impact from her headbutting the wall where Connor has almost copsed the cavern. Connor''s body ttened with the wall as he was crushed by her hard skull. ug pulled her head back, looking at Connor for a second before biting him, swallowing the whole corpse with a batch of stones. She then looked back at the city, taking a deep breath. ^Those people have his smell around them. They worked with him.^ BOOM! She jumped again andnded in the middle of the city, stomping a few buildings as she stared at the necromancers'' guild. "A dragon!" A man screamed, but ug didn''t care. She swung her w up, ripping the whole building from its base. As the necromancers'' corpses fell from the sky, ug swallowed them one after the other. She didn''t stop ravaging the ce until she ate everyst one that had Connor''s smell. After finishing, ug opened her wings and flew up, crawling through the hole she came from until she reached the surface. She then took to the sky and flew west as fast as she could until she reached the side of a massive mountain. "ug, you came faster than I thought." A massive red drakaina stared at her from the mountainside. "I got the volcano raging as you asked." ug climbed the mountain until she reached the volcano''s maw. BRAAA! She then puked all that she ate into the molten inferno, "Unedible rot," She turned, walking down the mountain while munching on spruce trees. "Thanks for letting me use it, Z." ug looked at the red drakaina. "No problem. Just try learning some storage magic. It will help you a lot." Z sighed, "You can''t keep storing things in your mouth." "You know I''m not good with magic. But we talkter. I have someone to check on." ug spread her wings, flying into the distance. Chapter 237 Played Out! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! ug pped her massive wings, flying across the clouds back toward Rita. She soon reached the hole she dug and crawled down. THUD! She jumped down from the ceiling,nding before the still unconscious Arad. "He still didn''t wake up," She stared at him, nudging his body with her nose. "Both he and Alcott are down." Ginger had already healed up and was bandaging Alcott''s wounds. "Alcott''s wounds are severe, but I can''t say anything about Arad." Arad was still in his draconic form, and Ginger couldn''t say anything about him. "He''s looking to be improving," ug licked Arad''s back, using her tongue to check the base of his wings. "Yes, the bones and tendons have healed." She then turned toward Ginger. "How about the mediator? I can still smell his blood." Ginger looked at Alcott, "I can''t give him too many healing potions. They will starve him to death. He needs to recover slowly, or at least until he can eat." She patted Alcott''s head. "This will cause a lot ofmotion," ug growled, "They areing," Ginger''s eyes opened, "Wait! Don''t tell me!" "The chromatic and metallic dragons have felt the mediator falling. And they are bringing their armies to this city." ug looked behind her toward the crumbling wall where she killed Connor. "That furry human didn''t know what he was starting. If he had killed the mediator, dragons would rip this city out of the ground and toss it into the depth of hell." "Wait! Isn''t their response a bit too quick?" Ginger gasped, "If the chromatic and Metallic dragons met here, they could fight." "Alcott didn''t just mediate between dragons and humanoids. He also mediated between dragon kinds, helping the chromatic and metallic dragons to live in peace." ug closed her head to Alcott, sniffing him. "I killed everyone that had the furry man''s smell and burned them so the dragons won''t get any funny idea. I can see the chromatic wanting to burn the whole kingdom." "I see," Ginger patted Alcott''s head, "Did you hear her? Dragons areing." ugughed, "I came here for Arad," She walked and curled around Arad like a cat over her kitten and started licking his back. "I will nurse this child back to health. That furry man cut my fun midway." "Your fun?" Ginger looked at her. "Ah!" ug looked away, "Nothing, nothing. I was just working on a hobby when I felt Arad getting hurt." She didn''t want to tell her that she was watching them with spying magic and that she got angry when Arad was about to lose." Ginger looked back at the city, "John is dead. I wonder how we will find the twins now." "The twins?" ug looked at Ginger, "Those two already legged it out," She said as if it was normal. "What?" Ginger gasped. "They lied to John, saying they would wait, and ran away a week ago," ug replied, soon realizing that Ginger shouldn''t know that. "How did you know?" Ginger looked at her. "A dragon''s intelligencework is wide." ug looked away. ^I can''t tell her I was watching the twins as well.^ "Do you know anything about them? Where are they? And why did they keep sending pulses of magic from here?" Ginger looked at ug. "Their father wanted to force them to marry a noble who had something for twins. They refused but didn''t have a say in the matter and ended up in the noble''s bedroom." ug looked at Ginger, "Guess what happened?" "I don''t want to think about it," Ginger sighed. "They stabbed the noble''s eye with a hairpin and ran away. Their way brought them here in the city where they put a magical device to deceive their father to think they were here." ugughed, "I was on the edge of my nest every moment as they ran from bandits and vers." "I find it hard to believe." Ginger looked at ug''s face. "The twin came here wishing the search party would get killed in the city. They yed everyone for a fool." ug exined with her tail wiggling from left to right. "They ran from an arranged marriage and even attacked a noble." Ginger scratched her head, "With their father trying to save face, I guess they will end up being gifted to the noble as ves when returned to their home." "That''s right. It would be better to say they were killed here. Let them live their lives freely." ug smiled, ^I want to see how their story will end. But I can''t really say that.^ CRACK! ug heard a small stone fall on the ground, and her head snapped, ring in its direction. "Who''s there? I sense no significant magic or power!" She growled. She usually isn''t that aggressive, but she has Arad sleeping beneath her. "Please! Don''t attack! I don''t mean any harm!" A man walked out. He was the ver who met Arad. "A human." ug looked at him and sighed, "Scram. Your kind has no words here." The ver flinched. He did use all of his courage to get close and speak but had already pissed himself when ug red at him the first time. She was right. Someone like him didn''t have the right to stand before a dragon, especially a chromatic one. "Wait," ug titled her head, "You''re ver from earlier. Did youe here to bring Arad his reward? I don''t see her anywhere." The ver started shaking. When did that dragon know? It just came here. Didn''t it? "She isn''t here. Fled when the fight started and is taking shelter in the ve building." The ver replied. "Then what are you waiting for? Shitting yourself?" ug red at him, "Go bring her! You don''t promise dragon sacrifices and go back on your words." ug growled, and the ver ran away, crying. N?v(el)B\\jnn ug turned back toward Arad and kept licking his back, "I will make sure you get everything," The ver reached the ve building and kicked the door open. The manager rushed to him, "What is it? Is the fight over?" "Shut up and bring Tina and her child. The dragons want them." He gasped for air, standing at the wall, "Fuck, it was a dragon! I shat myself." He looked at the ceiling, "But having a connection with them is good business." Chapter 238 Draconic Army I The ver showed up again in front of ug about half an hourter. He smiled, rubbing his hands together. "A woman stood behind him with a baby in her arms." "Sir dragon, I have brought her." She pointed at Tina behind him. "The woman''s name is Tina, and the child..." He looked at Tina. "Serin, she''s a girl." "Tina and Serin. They are all his," He looked at Arad, who was sleeping in his draconic form. "Who?" Tina gasped, looking at the sleeping ck dragon. "This is him?" "It''s the massive youngd. Make sure to serve him well." The ver stared at Tina and then ran back as fast as he could. Tina looked back at the ver and then at ug towering over her. She gulped down, "What should I do?" she mumbled. "Nothing at the moment besides behaving. At least until he wakes up," ug moved her head around Tina, sniffing her. "A single mom." ug smiled, "Very fitting." "What do you mean?" Tina gasped. "I don''t know," ug sniffed her, ring into Serin''s face. The baby''s eyes glowed with a golden light. You might not be as good as her, but you will do the job." ug smiled ^I sense a hint of divine magic from this little girl. An angelic bloodline sorcerer, and a powerful one at that if it shows even as a baby.^ She giggled. Tina shivered, hearing ug giggles, "You won''t eat me, right?" ug looked at her, "I won''t eat someone that belongs to another dragon. Especially this one." She licked Arad, "He could eat you if he wished, but I will advise him to leave Serin alive." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "He can?" Tina gasped. "Of course. You belong to him now," ug started licking Arad, "You don''t bring a chicken home and expect not to eat it, right?" "We don''t eat it as long as it keeps making eggs." Tina tried to defend herself. "You have to deal with him," ug replied while looking at Arad. "Why do you keep licking him?" "Mammals give anti-toxins and anti-disease properties to their children by breastfeeding them. Dragon gives them by licking our wyrmling and very young dragons." ug looked at Tina, "It helps him recover faster," "He didn''t look like a baby," Tina looked at Arad''s draconic form. "But he is still one." ugughed, "Now that you mentioned it. It''s strange seeing a very young dragon like him having so much power." "Alcott is stable," Ginger stood, "We can go." "Are you sure? Did you check his pulse and breathing?" ug looked at her. "He won''t die even if his heart stopped," Ginger said, looking at Alcott while shoving one finger at each of his carotid arteries. "I linked out the circtory system. He can live with me supplying him with blood." ug looked closer at Ginger, "This is the first time I saw blood link being performed by a vampire lord. Your fingers fused into his neck, didn''t they?" "I will cut them off when he recovers. For now, he would get nutrients when I eat. That''s what matter most." Ginger looked at Alcott, sad that she couldn''tb his hair. "When we get home, I will slowly increase his healing." ug nodded. "Well, get on." She extended her w to them. Ginger lifted Alcott with her wings and looked at Tina, "Come, she will lift us to her back." "Yes!" Tina gasped, rushing after her. ^She''s a vampire?^ She was both fearful and confused about the situation she ended up in. Being gifted to a dragon. ug looked at Ginger, "You aren''t going on my back," "What?" "I will carry you on my palm. A dragon won''t carry any creature on their back." ug snorted. ^I can''t tell then I don''t have any way of securing them to my back. I doubt they can hang onto my scales while I climb up.^ ug then grabbed Arad with her mouth like a cat and jumped into the ceiling, climbing to the surface at an incredible speed. Ginger looked up, seeing faint light at the end of the darkness. It''s surface. BAM! ug jumped out of the hole she dug andnded on the ground. Ginger froze as the dark shadows loomed. Tina pissed herself seeing the horrors surrounding the hole, and Serin started crying. The wholend was covered in a dark shadow as the winged monsters blotted the sun. Thousands, no, tens of thousands of dragons covered the sky and thend, each of them almost the size of a mountain. But their numbers and size aren''t what scared Tina and Ginger. Metallic dragons gathered to the east of the hole, and the chromatic dragons to the west. Each of them was at least an ancient dragon. The undefeated draconic armies red at each other, ready to wage war at any second. The blood lust was unbearable until the dragons spotted Alcott''s unmoving body. BAM! A titanic gold dragon flew from the metallic side, and aparable red dragon did from the chromatic side. The two dragons gentlynded beside ug even though they were bigger than her. "ZOOHOO!" The gold dragon growled, staring at Alcott. "ZOOHOO! DARIIIN!" The red dragon grunted, ring between Alcott and Ginger. "DARIIIN? DUKL DOM RIII!" The gold dragon red at the red dragon, growling with glowing eyes. The two dragons red at each other silently, without blinking. Tina could feel their bodies slowly moving, and Ginger could tell their bloodlust was increasing. BAM! The two dragons lifted their ws, about to start fighting. A silver dragon flew in, pulling the gold dragon away, while a blue dragon did the same, dragging the red dragon away. Tina turned toward ug, "What did they say?" "The gold dragon said, d you''re well." ug looked at Ginger. "The red dragon said, d you''re well, thanks to us." "What?" "The red dragon made it seem like it was a win for the chromatic dragons that I, a green dragon saved Alcott and not a metallic dragon. That infuriated the gold dragon." She sighed, "The gold dragon said. Thanks to us? Your kind tried killing him before." "Chromatic and Metallic dragons hate each other. The fact this ce hasn''t been ttened is a miracle." Ginger pointed at a flower blossoming in the ground. Arad slowly opened his eyes, seeing two massive armies of dragons flying over him, with a heap of bloodlust floating in the air. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! He roared at the top of his lungs, going into high gear and ready to fight to the death. Chapter 239 [Bonus ] Draconic Army II ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR! A loud screech boomed across the nes, and Arad''s voice kept getting louder and louder. Ginger and Tina closed their ears, feeling them about to burst. "Calm down!" ug cried, trying to hold Arad down with her w. ZON! CRACK! Her w hit the ground as Arad already teleported away. "Where did he go?" She gasped. ZON! Arad appeared in the face of the massive red dragon, swinging his w. "HAA WIIN RAACK! (Here you are!)." The red dragon smiled, lifting his ws to catch Arad. BAM! Arad smacked the red dragon on the nose. "AAHH! NIIFII!" The red dragon roared, stumbling back and rubbing his nose. The gold dragon startedughing, "TAAG AALIIK! (He beat you!)." ZON! Arad appeared in front of the gold dragon''s face, grabbing his whiskers and pulling on them. "KYAAA!" The gold dragon cried, "ATLOGNI! (Get away from me!)." He swung his w at an incredible speed and caught Arad." Thud! He managed to catch him. Arad opened his jaw and bit the gold dragon''s w. CRACKLE! Lightning and fire burned from his body. "PIKYAAAAAAAAA!" The gold dragon cried, feeling as if a small dog bite his finger. The silver dragon flew in to help as the red dragonughed. Arad looked back, seeing the silver dragon trying to catch him. He turned his neck and opened his jaws, dark magic gathered between his teeth for a second before exploding in a cone of absolute darkness. CLAP! Arad hit the silver dragon with a void breath head-on to the face, causing him to stumble back. "SHAWA DA!(What was that?)." He looked at Arad, "AHDA! (Calm down!)." N?v(el)B\\jnn A brass drakaina flew in, swinging her w in the air. [Calm] She cast a spell to help Arad calm down. "KHAOUFTOUH. (You scared the little baby)." With the magic coursing down Arad''s body, he started to feel a bit drowsy as his senses calmed down. She took Arad away from the gold dragon and help him in her w, feeling his heart racing like a scared little bird. "TAARFOO GHIIR TAATFAATNOO! ADAAM NTAAKOUUM KHALAOO! (You only know how to fight! Your bloodlust scared him!)." The brass drakaina shouted at the gold and red dragon. After losing a fight, and having his throat severed. Arad thought he died, and it was stressful. What made it worse is that he woke to over ten thousand dragons of absolute power. All of them releasing floods of bloodlust. He wasn''t going down without a fight. The brass dragon looked at Arad, clearing her throat, "Do you understand me?" She tried to speak in a human tongue. Arad kept ring at her. She could feel his ws itching to strike back. He still didn''t fully calm. She handed him back to ug who red at him, "Arad, it''s me. It''s all over, they won''t attack you or anyone so calm your scales down." It took Arad a solid five minutes to calm down. PUFF! He shifted back to his human form and sat below ug, panting for air. "What the hell happened?" "The dragons came to help Alcott, who almost died." ug looked at Arad as a ck dragon, and the gold dragon from earlier approached Alcott. PUFF! The gold dragon took a humanoid shape, a white-haired old man with a beard long enough to reach his crotch strung with his mustache. "Let me have a look at him." He said and the ck dragon pulled his face closer, inspecting Alcott''s body. "You still can''t take a humanoid shape?" The gold dragon looked at the ck one. "I focused on medicine, I didn''t have time to learn polymorph." The ck dragon replied, sniffing Alcott. "The vampire is keeping him alive," He added. The gold dragon rubbed his beard. "His vampire and lycanthropic curses are eating each other inside his body. You can say that his vampire side sees his lycanthropic side as a foreign entity, and the reverse is right." "We have to remove one. A human body can''t handle those two curses together." The ck dragon looked closer at Alcott. "No, they are already integral in his body. We can''t just pull one out." The gold dragon growled. "I will bring this case to Queen L. She might know something having lived since before the second great war." The ck dragon growled. "I will bring it to Holy Mary as well. She might know of a cure. Or at least get us in contact with someone who can fix him." The gold dragon looked at Alcott. "You can''t do anything?" Ginger gasped, looking at them. "I can''t heal such a case, but I will give you this." The gold dragon handed a small sachel with medicine in it. "Condensed nutrient, give it to him with three doses of low-grade healing potions per day." The ck dragon nodded, extending his w and dropping a fifty-kilogram, bag of salt. "The salt is from the star mountain. Mix it in a warm bath for him. It will draw toxins out of his body. And prevent his case from getting any worse as he recovers." "Now with this over," The gold dragon turned, rubbing his beard, and looked at Arad. "Little void baby, it''s rare to see your kind." He approached Arad, who was still resting. Arad lifted his head and stared at the dragon''s face. "Why did you bring all of them?" He looked around, the wholend was filled with mountain-sized dragons, all ready to fight. "We can''t look less willing to help than the chromatic," The gold dragon smiled, and the red dragon brought his head close. "We have as much right to the dragon mediator as your kind." The red dragon growled. "As you see, normally, only I and the ck dragon over there would havee." the gold dragon pointed and the ck dragon waved his massive w. "But, what if the chromatic sent two dragons, and we only sent one? That will look bad for us. Let''s send three dragons." The gold dragon shook his shoulders. "Each time, we tried to one-up each other until we started bringing the whole army to prove a point." The red dragon sighed. "So if someone killed Alcott?" Arad looked at them. The gold and red dragon looked at each other. There one only one thing that they agree on. "The whole dragon kind wille rumbling, killing his family, distant family, race, kingdom, and making sure even the gods forgot their names." The two dragons growled. ROOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR! All the dragons started roaring, "Blood for blood, life for life." They started chanting, "To Tiamat the damned go, her food they shall be." The chromatic dragons started pping their wings. "To Bahamut, the sinners go, their bones forever ground to dust by his tinum grinder." The metallic dragons danced on the mountains. The gold dragon looked at Arad, "We will escort you back to Alina," Chapter 240 Draconic Carriage "You will only cause panic," Arad sighed, staring at the dragons. The red dragon drew closer to Arad, lowering his head to look him in the eyes. "We have no intention of risking the mediator''s life." The gold dragon sighed,bing his long white beard, "I hate to agree with him, but we won''t let the mediator get back home alone." "Give up, Arad," ug looked at Arad, "Those dragons won''t back down," CLAP! The gold dragon pped his hands, "So we are," He smiled as arge golden carriage emerged out of nowhere. "Please load the mediator inside. Ten metallic dragons(Two silver, five brass, one copper, one gold, and one bronze) flew down, shifted into humanoid form, and started working on transporting Alcott and Ginger into the carriage. "Then I will call beasts to draw the carriage." The massive red dragon growled, looking back, "Raigin, bring the lizard!" He roared, and a massive blue dragon flew in carrying a massive steel cage. Arad felt a shiver down his spine. The monsters inside were two titanic blue lizards with twelve legs, two ram-like horns, and lightning dripping from their blue skin. "Behir!" Ginger gasped, looking up, "Are you sure those things are under control?" The blue dragonughed, "I raised them from eggs, don''t worry, they are as tamed to as dogs to your kind." BAM! Hended in front of the carriage and released the Behirs. "My name is Raigin. I rain monsters for the chromatic army." He looked at Ginger with a smile. "Hoi! Don''t try to promote your business to the mediator!" A brass dragon growled. Raigin looked back, "I''m introducing myself, but I won''t mind selling a monster or two to the mediator if he needed some." Ginger sighed, "One of those monsters is enough to level a city, and you''re using them to draw carriages." Arad looked at the behirs, Tina, and her child hiding behind him. "They are strong," [They are. You can''t even defeat those behirs, let alone the dragons who trained them.] Mom sighed, [Your first goal will be reaching s-rank and solo defeating s-ss monsters like those. Then dragons.] "Master Arad, those monsters are." Tina held Serin tightly on her chest. She felt them ring at her like food. Arad lifted his hand, touching the behir''s nostril and pushing it back. "She isn''t food," The gold dragon smiled, seeing a crawling baby pushing arge bulldog from the nose to get him away from his toys. The behir stepped back and looked at Arad, tilting its head in confusion. The blue dragonughed, "Be careful. They might bite your hand off. Well, not intended that it." He approached the behirs and started patting them with his massive w. The behir started nibbling on his w and purring like cats. "This is them ying, but the force of their bite is still enough to hurt you." The gold dragon approached Arad, "He''s right, so be careful until you at least be an adult." Arad stared at the gold dragon, "You already know what am I?" "Of course, I do, void born. But that doesn''t change the fact you''re a dragon. No matter how much power you amass, it will be useless without the experience and technique to use it. You will get those when you be an adult and through training," He smiled, "You need a dragon mentor to teach you how to fight like a dragon. Care if we send one to train you?" "Hoi! Goldy! Don''t you dare send anyone," the red dragon growled, "We will send one as well if you did. We can''t have you be the one taking steps forward." "Jealous?" The gold dragon smiled, "And call me Kinryu," Thud! A silver dragonnded beside Kinryu, "General, we need to start moving. We don''t want to attract the attention of any world powers." "You''re right," He waved his hands, "Let''s move. We talk on the way." "Can''t you just fly us to Alina? And what are world powers?" Arad looked at Kinryu. As Tina and her child rode beside Ginger and Alcott, the carriage started moving and Kinryu was ready to answer Arad''s question as the armies of dragons surrounded them for protection. "We can''t fly you there since the change in pressure could harm the mediator. The carriage is designed to eliminate all vibration so he can be moved safely." Kinryu smiled. "Then who are the world powers that silver dragon mentioned?" Arad asked with a serious face. Kinryu closed his eyes, "Hmmm, world powers." He looked at the sky, "Ancient warriors from the era of the gods, our queen Mary is one of them. The same for the chromatic queen L." He sighed. The red dragon flying in the sky drew near, "An active one is an alchemist Olivia, we thought of getting medicine from her, but that proved hard as she barely speaks with anyone." "Yeah, I was wondering if I could ask Her Majesty Mary to speak with Olivia to make medicine for the mediator." He looked at the sky, "But we need to get back for that," "An alchemist? Is she that powerful?" Arad looked at Kinryu. "She managed to create the elixir of life with the help of the moon Goddess. That made her immortal, so apparently killing her is impossible." Kinryu looked at Arad, "Yet, she still says the elixir is still weak." "Why?" Arad sighed, "She gained immortality." "Her Majesty L said that Olivia is trying to find a cure for someone, and the elixir is too weak to heal him." The red dragonnded and started walking beside the carriage. "And those aren''t the only ones. There are a lot more wandering the world, presumably all in search of a cure for that man." Kinryu smiled. *** After a day of travel, the dragon army stopped. "What is it?" Arad looked at Kinryu, seeing him sweating, "Shit," Kinryu growled, jumping from the carriage and walking to the front. All dragonsnded. Thud! Arad jumped from the carriage and rushed toward Kinryu, "Hoi, why did everyone stop?" He asked. Kinryu pointed toward the distance. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad looked, seeing a man wearing strange clothes sitting cross-legged on a stone. A pink-haired little girl ran around and yed around him. The man looked at Kinryu and the carriage, "I''ve never seen so many dragons in one ce," He smiled. Click! He grabbed the hilt of his sword. Chapter 241 An Absolute Demon "Wait! We''re transporting the dragon mediator," Kinryu shouted, "He''s right. Please sheath your sword." "Is that so?" The man red at them, another four eyes opening on his face. Thud! A tall (Almost nine-foot) woman hit his head with a chop, "Kayden, calm down. I told you I could smell Alcott there." Kayden turned back and looked at her, "Lily, I can''t just let them get close to the city like this." "Do you think they will cause trouble?" Lily sighed, grabbing Kayden''s hand and pulling it away from the sword. "Lily is right," The little girl said with a smile, "Look, colored and shiny lizards are working together. It''s a rare thing to see," Kayden sighed, "You''re right, Kali," He sat down, and his face shifted back to normal, "You can pass, but don''t cause any trouble." The dragons stood and flew to the sky, and the carriage started moving. Arad looked at the man as they passed by him and then at Kinryu, "Who was that?" "Demon lord Kayden, the yer of gods." Kinryu gasped. The red dragon flew close, "That little girl is far more dangerous. You could feel the oppressive demon curses rushing from her body." N?v(el)B\\jnn "The tall woman is the blood demon, Lily, the little girl is supposed to be their daughter, but the records of that are strange." Kinryu looked at Arad, "Don''t fight them if you two ever met again. That man alone could ughter our armiesbined." "He alone? Is he a world power?" "He is one of the strongest. What in the hell is he doing here?" Kinryu scratched his head. "Probably protecting something based on their words." The red dragon said while walking behind the carriage, turning his head to look back at the demon lord in the distance. "What could be in that city for him to protect?" Kinryu sighed, "But, that city is strange, having Alcott, Nina, and a void child living there." He looked at the sky. "Thend there is a genius loci. Is that what he''s protecting?" A silver dragon flew down. "No, that could be a by-product of what he''s protecting." Kinryu looked at the silver dragon. "The genius loci gave me ownership of thend, so Alina is a part of my territory." Arad said, ^Is there something in mynd that I don''t know off?^ Arad looked at the trees passing by, hearing the birds flying away, "Do you think it''s something dangerous?" "I don''t think so. The world powers rarely cause trouble. They are mostly pacifists. That man wouldn''t have shown up if we didn''t have two armies." Kinryu then stared at Arad with a smile, "So, we''re about to tread on yournd. Is that a problem?" "Now that you mentioned it, dragons usually kill other dragons who enter theirnd." Arad looked at Kinryu. "We''re guests, aren''t we?" The red dragon smiled. [Arad, say this. It will give us some power in the future.] Arad looked at Kinryu and the red dragon, "With Alcott living in Alina and me being a void dragon. How about you see my territory as a neutral location?" Kinryu and the red dragon looked at each other, "We might talk peacefully like this," He said. "But we will kill each other if we met somewhere else." The red dragon growled. "Having a neutral ce for diplomatic negotiation is a good thing," He smiled. "Then it''s settled," Arad smiled, "The Alina territory is a neutral ground under my ruling. All you need to do is pay a small fee to hold a meeting there." Kinryuughed, "A very young and already thinking of expanding your hoard!" He looked at Arad, "Very well, I don''t think sir red here would disagree." The red dragon smiled, "It will cost less than finding a new location each time. And it will be nice to have the mediator Alcott and the void dragon Arad as a witness for it." "I will start working on a meeting ce in the mountains. Let''s call them the void mountains." Arad smiled. "Your naming sense is awful," Kinryu sighed, "Let''s go with the sacred void peaks," "I do have to agree with Goldy on that," The red dragon smiled, "But be careful. That doesn''t mean the young dragons won''t annoy you." Kinryu smiled, "Yeah, the same way humans have bandits and ouws, we dragons also have ruffians who cause trouble." Ginger looked at Arad, "Are you sure?" "Of course, but they have to pay." Arad smiled, "I will build a massive castle in the mountains where I can survey all of thends." The red dragonughed, "You''re thinking like a red dragon. We like high peaks, so we can look down on our territory." "Hehe," ug giggled, "Arad was pretending to be a red dragon bloodline sorcerer between the humans. It''s a win for us," The red dragon looked at her, "Really?" He then red at Kirnyu, "Heard that goldy?" "Hoi! Arad," Kinryu stared at Arad, "Red dragons are evil. They cause a lot of trouble and avoid their goddess Tiamat." "And?" Arad looked at Kinryu. "They are bad. You can be a gold bloodline instead. We can breathe fire as well." He huffed mes from his lips. "And look," CRACKLE! Lightning shed from the gold dragon''s me. "We can use lightning as well," Kinryu smiled. "Don''t listen to him Arad," The red dragon approached Arad with a grin, "They may use two elements, but in reality, their output is weaker in both." He red at Kinryu, "Their me can never be as hot as a red dragon, and their lightning will never reach that of a blue dragon." Kinryu snorted, "Said the one who lost to me seven times," He red at the red dragon with a grin, "Last time, I almost cleaved your tail." "You fucker used magic!" The red dragon growled. "Magic is power," Kinryu smiled, "Make sure to learn plenty of it," "Magic is for coward," The red dragon stared at Arad, "Focus on empowering your draconic powers," "How about I do both?" Arad looked at them with a smile. Chapter 242 Ancient Power ? After the long journey, the dragon''s army finally reached the edges of Arad''s territory. The ground itself signaled their arrival with a deep growl. The ground started shaking and rumbling as the dirt cracked and the trees danced. [I shall p the mountains on, had you dare march further.] A giant maw and empty eye sockets emerged from the mountains, ring at them with burning eyes. "Loci, it''s me, Arad. Don''t worry. They are with me." Arad transformed and flew to the sky where Loci could see him. They still had a short distance before they walks on loci. The mountain returned to normal as Aradnded on the ground. A sunflower emerged with a mouth, "A whole army of dragons?" "Alcott got injured, and they are escorting us," Arad replied, shifting back to his humanoid form. Thud! He could see the ghostly figure of loci flying around andnding on his shoulder, "It''s been a while," Arad smiled, "I hope everyone is doing well," He looked at her smiling. Thud! The gold dragon Kinryu approached Arad from the back, "I see, thend approved of you. That''s rare." He smiled. Arad turned his head and red at Kinryu, "I just happened to help her. Now she let me rule over her back." Kinryu nodded, "I can see that she isn''t that healthy. Her earlier threat was a bluff as well." Kirnyu approached Arad, "I might not see you, but I know you''re floating on his shoulder." He smiled. Loci gasped, "Huh? He''s kind of creepy," The sunflower said as Loci spoke. "I''m only following his line of sight." Kinryu shook his shoulders. CLAP! Kinryu pped his hands. "We should probably show respect for thend, letting us walk on its back." Kinryu closed his eyes, "You have my gratitude, genius loci of Alina." All the metallic dragons in the back saw him and did the same, "We thank thee." "Why?" Arad looked at him. "We dragons see it as humiliating to have someone walk on our backs. For a genius loci, who lets people live on its back, brings them water from the depth of the ground, and opens its maw in the face of invading forces. We do give our respect." Kinryu smiled and looked back, "Unlike some dragons," He red at the red dragon general. "Land isnd. It''s made for us to live over, not to respect." The red dragon snorted, "I can blow it to ashes with a single breath," Kinryu sighed, "That''s why we never see eye to eye." He then looked at Arad, "What do you say, void born." "Sacred void peak, someone agreed to that, so respect the ce." Arad red at the red dragon. The red dragon sighed, "Fine," He dove down, "Thanks for letting us pass on your back," All the chromatic dragons did the same, and Arad smiled, "Let''s keep heading toward the city." He then stopped and looked at Kinryu and the red dragon. "It''s a secret that I''m a dragon." Kinryu nodded, "We won''t mention that," He then looked at the red dragon. "Anything for the sake of neutral meeting ground," The red dragon smiled as he took off to the sky, and they kept flying. After a minute, they could see the city wall, with a single woman standing at the fort gate. Nina stood at the front gate wearing leather armor and leaning on her battleaxe. War marks covered her skin as she red forward at the sky. "Hoho," Kinryu smiled, "That woman is something," "Hmm," The red dragon red forward, "She might not beat me, but she sure could beat an ancient dragon." Arad smiled, "You don''t have to worry about her," He walked forward, "Nina! We''re back!" He waved his arm. As soon as Arad reached Nina, she smiled, "Loci just told us the dragons are with you. We had already evacuated the city in the morning, and people are justing back." She looked behind Arad, seeing the golden carriage slowly approaching. "Alcott is injured," She sighed. "And badly, his condition being stable thest days, but he isn''t improving at all." Arad looked back as the carriage stopped in front of the gate, and Nina rushed to look at Alcott. "Too injured to heal with magic or potions," She sighed, "The idiot," "I might be able to help," A voice came from the back. As Kinryu and the red dragon turned, they saw a white-haired old man walking with a crooked back and leaning on his steel cane. A beautiful maid walking behind him. CLACK! Thud! The red dragon wrapped his w Around the old man, and Kinryu grabbed him by the shoulder. "Where do you think you''re going, human." The red dragon growled. "Even the best draconic doctors failed to wake him up. Your method will only worsen his condition." Kinryu said with a gentle smile, "Leave him to us," Cain stopped walking. He lifted his left hand and touched the red dragon w, ring at him in the eyes, "Care to move your paw away?" "You little..." the dragon growled, but soon went silent, feeling tentacles wrapping around his body. His scales crawled as he could feel a burning sensation beneath them. He could feel Tiamat''s rage swelling. Saying the wrong words could get him smitten immediately. "Fine," He moved his w away, confused. Kinryu stared at Cain, slowly lifting his hand, "Do you know what you''re doing?" Cain looked at Kinryu, "That''s a nice beard you have there," He smiled and headed toward Alcott. "I see. Overused his vampiric and lycanthropic, and now they are fighting inside his body, and causing his flesh to necrose." Cain looked closer at Alcott, "Since those two are concentrated in his blood, the first organ to get his is his heart. It had stopped a day ago, and only the blood from her is keeping him alive." Kinryu looked at Cain with a surprised face, "You can tell that? You''re no ordinary human," Cain looked at the city, and then at the maid behind him, "Jemima, the red lily," The maid bowed, pulled a red flower from her pocket, and handed it to Cain. Cain took the flower, shoved it in Alcott''s mouth, and poured some water in forcing Alcott to swallow it with water magic. "What was that flower you fed him?" Kinryu asked, and Cain smiled, lifting his cane up. N?v(el)B\\jnn "A human body can''t take the power he umted through the years, so I gave him a special thing that should give his heart the strength to beat again." Cain swung his cane at Alcott''s chest, smacking him right above the heart. BA-dump! Alcott''s heart started beating, and he gasped awake, "GAH!" Alcott couldn''t speak or move, but his eyes could move. "Hey, you." Cain looked down at Alcott, "You''re finally awake," Chapter 243 Back To Home With Dragons Alcott''s eyes looked around, his body paralyzed. "Don''t bother trying to move. Most of your muscles are torn, rx, and you will be fine a few dayster." Cain said with a smile, staring at Aclott''s face. Cain then looked at Ginger, "Take care of him. Treat him as the dragons," He turned around to leave. "Wait!" Ginger shouted, calling Cain, and he stopped to look at her, "You better start healing him now," Ginger looked at Alcott''s face. His eyes started spazzing, "Someone gets a healing potion." Kinryu rushed in with a healing potion, and Cain left while they were focused on keeping Alcott alive since he woke him up. The people slowly returned to the city, staring in awe at the dragon-filled sky. It was rare to see a single dragon, let alone thousands, and none of them is trying to cause trouble. "Ha! He''s stable," Kinryu sighed in relive as Ginger smiled. "He''s a tough one. He won''t be dead just like this," The red dragon smiled, looking around for Cain, "Where did that old man go? I can''t feel his magic anywhere." "Let him be, for such a master of medicines to rest here. Four thousand years of draconic history and mastery can''t reach the delicate gem crafted by the short and fragile human life," Kinryu said,bing his beard, "And I do have a nice beard," "Humans might not reach us in strength, but they indeed do in wisdom." The red dragon sat down. "Say, Ignis. Shall we have our first meeting today?" Kirnyu looked at the red dragon with a smile. "I doubt there is a suitable ce for us to speak, but we shall do it in the mountains." Ignis looked at Arad, "Shall you guide us?" The guards finally reached their posts at the front gate, seeing Arad, Nina, Ginger, and Alcott, a strange woman carrying a baby, a long-beared old man, and a massive red dragon. The city lord rushed in on his horse, stopping at the gate. "Nina! What''s going on?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Nina looked back, "You''re finally back. Come here for a second," She waved her hand at him. "Alcott was heavily injured in hisst mission, so the dragons escorted him back here." Nina briefly exined what happened to the city lord. The city lord stared at them confused. What could he do with two armies of dragons? He thought of suggesting a feast, but how could he feed such beings? "We''re going with sir Arad now," Kinryu said with a smile, "Excuse us, but we can''t keep the armies away from ournds for a long time." CLAP! He put his hands together, "Mediator, please get well soon." "MEDIATOR! PLEASE GET WELL SOON!" All the dragons roared, shaking the city to the core as their voice boomed like thunder. The city lord could feel his lungs vibrate under his chest. "You''re going with Arad?" The city lord looked at them. "That''s right," Kinryu replied with a smile, "He would be the host of our meetings from now on." "Wait! Here in Alina?" He gasped with a sweaty face. Such a thing can''t be done without informing the king. "Do you have a problem with that?" Ignis stared at the city lord, drawing his nose closer and snorting, "It''s not like you own thend, and even if you do, what prevents us from taking it?" "What?" He gasped. "I can kill you and take thend, but I can''t do the same to Arad. Thend itself approved of him, so he has thest say." Ignis growled. "Oi!" Arad growled, ring at Ignis. "Sorry, I wasn''t supposed to say that?" Ignis stared at Arad with a confused face, "Make sure humans around here know who''s the boss. Otherwise, you will have trouble in the future. I speak from experience." Arad sighed, "Fine," He looked at the city lord, "Leave this to me. You take the guards and escort Alcott back to his home. Puff! Kinryu exploded in a puff of smoke, transforming into his draconic form and carrying Arad in his w. ug carried Tina and her daughter and flew toward Arad''s house. She knew the direction for some reason. The city lord, Nina, and everyone else watched in awe as the dragons'' armies retreated to the mountain range. BAM! ugnded beside Arad''s garden, with Kinryu carefully finding a way to step on the ground without breaking it. The other dragons remained flying as there wasn''t much space for them tond. Ae and Mira rushed out of the house, "Arad! You''re finally back!" Ae raced forward. Mira stopped in the garden, lifting her head up and looking at the dragons. "Loci was right, there are a lot of them, and they are big." She then looked at Arad, "Are they your friends?" "Hmmm," Kinryu scratched his whiskers, "You could say that. But we''re here since he''s a neutral magic dragon." ug looked at Ae, "Arad will be hosting diplomatic conferences between the metallic and chromatic dragons as a neutral power." Ae looked at Arad, "Is that right? Where could we even do that?" "I always wanted to build a castle in the mountains." Arad smiled, "This is my chance, and they will pay us after all." Kinryuu smiled, Puff! He shifted back to his humanoid form, "I will be the first one to invest in our neutral ground." He pushed his hand into his baggy coat, pulling a small leather bag. "Take this, it''s for you," Kinryu handed the bag to Arad. Arad looked into the bag, seeing nothing but darkness. "What''s inside, I can''t see it." "It''s a storage bag, pointed to an empty space and thing of emptying the content," Kinryu smiled. Arad did what Kinryu said, and a golden sh emerged from the bag''s small mouth. CRACK! Mira jumped back and Ae''s eyes opened wide. "What is this?" They gasped. "A small part of my hoard," Arad could see a small mound, half the size of his house of gold and gems. "I''m a gold dragon after all. I collect gold. That''s a few thousand gold coins worth, feel free to use them to build our meeting hall." Kinryu smiled, "I didn''t really count them, I just picked a small scope before I left." "Hoi! Bastard!" Ignis growled, "Your kind won''t have the sole hand in building the hall." Chapter 244 A Short Life Ignis pulled an equal amount of gold to Kinryu, but his smelled of sulfur and pumice. Heired on the peak of an active volcano, and those smells couldn''t be separated from him or his hoard. "It will take hours to count all of this," Arad sighed. He then looked at Kinryu and Ignis, "Can we agree that metallic and chromatic have gifted the same amount? To avoid further conflict." "I can always give you more," Kinryu said with a smile. "Hoi! Kinryu, he said enough, is enough. Don''t try breaking the bnce." Ignis growled. In reality, he didn''t want to spend more money from his hoard, and having Kinryu raise the price would force him to pull more. Dragons are stingy, and red are the most conservative about spending their money. But that didn''t mean they don''t understand the concept of investing. A neutral negotiation ground could give them a strategic advantage in the future, and he won''t skimp to secure a win. Ignis''s mind started counting the events and strategies they could take, like asking for a peace treating while losing to buy time and using the negotiation time to learn of the metallic dragons'' secret powers and weapons. "So, shall we start the first meeting now?" Arad looked at the two dragons, and they nodded, "Let''s head to the mountains. Mister Red here is too fat to fit in your house." Ignis snorted at the bad joke by the gold dragon, "You gold is always hard-headed." Arad extended his wings from his back and flew to the sky, "Ae, Mira, count the gold while we''re out." The three flew away, and ug stared down at Tina, her daughter, Ae, and Mira. "He''s always busy," ug said with a grin. Ae sighed and looked at Tina, "So, care to tell me what a ve and her baby are doing with you?" She could tell since she is technically a ve as well. "She was gifted to Arad by a ver after saving them. And I''m sure they wanted to have a connection to a dragon." ug replied, and Tina approached Ae, "Sorry about that. I didn''t have a say in the matter." Mira walked toward them, "You don''t have to worry. You were enved in Rita, right?" Tina nodded, "Yes, albeit I was being transferred to the city when the Arad saved us," "I heard bad rumors about the ce. ves aren''t treated that well there." Mira approached Tina and looked at Serin. "What cute little baby, is she a girl?" "Yes, her name is Serin," Tina replied with a smile. "I don''t think Arad will..." Ae was about to speak but then stopped. She was about to say that Arad could let her go but didn''t want to give the woman false hope if Arad had something else in mind. "Where are you from?" "I''m from Alseria''s western coast. My husband died when the bandit attacked our carriage when we were moving," She looked at the sky, "My parents should still be living there, but I don''t think I could return to them anytime soon." "We were moving toward here since we heard the news of a potential war between the dwarves and humans. My parents didn''t want to leave, but we had to move since we don''t want her to grow up in a devastatednd," She looked at Serin in her hands. Ae smiled, "At least you can rest here for the time being. I don''t have unless Arad is around, so can you help us with the cleaning first?" Ae pointed at the mountains of gold. "Cleaning you say," Tina giggled, "That''s counting money." She walked toward a nearby bench and put Serin on it. "Stay calm till Mama is back," She then went to help Ae and Mira. Serin remained silent on the bench, staring at the blue sky until a small bug-like woman flew into her field of view. ~You''re alone, aren''t you~ Loci said with a smile. Ae, Mira, and Tina heard Serinughing and giggling on her own, waving her tiny hands across the air. ug looked at them, and smiled, "Arad has grown bigger than thest time I saw him." "What do you mean? Yeah, he''s a very young dragon now," Ae replied. "I didn''t mean that, I''m talking about his status as a dragon." She looked around, "Living like a human among humankind, and even so holding a great power between dragons. It''s so amusing how he''s living a life of dreams." "I won''t say he has any power over dragons," Ae giggled, scratching her cheek. "To me, it seemed they chose him instead." "It''s sad to say, but Alcott won''t live as long as a dragon. To them, it''s important to find a recement." ug looked at the sky and then at Mira, "Human life to us dragons is but a short thing, like a bird''s life to yours." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Mira smiled, looking at the gold. ug was right. Her life would only be a month in Arad''s life. To him, she''s like a month, passing in the blink of an eye to him. Ae mightst a bit longer, but even she would only live a fragment of Arad''s life. "The world of humans is beautiful, and forever changing and evolving." ug looked at them, "Get stronger. That will prolong your time with Arad. And you won''t be left behind when he flies to the sky." Ae looked at ug. She was right. Keeping up with a dragon is anything but easy, and Arad was a special case after that. He''s a void dragon with immense power and growth rate. Ae looked at her palm, sensing the magic flowing in her veins. She can call on her power but can''t gather the courage to try something new. As Mira was counting the money, she stopped, ring at the sky with a strange face. "Wait, Arad said that he will build a castle in the mountains." She looked at ug. "Yes," ug replied. Mira sighed, "I better start working on the furniture now." She smiled, hitting her fists together, "I will put the royal pce to shame," Chapter 245 A Divine Hand "HAAA! Finally!" Ae sighed, falling on her back with her arms spread apart and staring at the sky as she felt a slight burn in her eyes. "Thirteen thousand seven hundred and forty-six gold coins in total," Mira looked at Ae, "And that without counting the jewels." "That''s a hundred and thirty-seven tinum coin. And you have forty-six gold coins left." ug smiled, looking at Ae, "I doubt it will be enough to make a magnificent castle, but it''s a start." "We would start by building a road to the mountain base and then a long staircase leading to the top where the castle would be." Mira smiled, "Arad can transport the materials in his stomach. We should be able to get a foundation ready with this amount of money." Ae looked at Mira, "You''re amazing, already thinking of how to build the castle." She smiled, "I doubt Bob will ept the job," Mira scratched her chin, "You''re right. We need to find someone willing to take long-term work, but those people are usually busy building forts and castles for nobles and lords." "Arad is getting a noble title. Could we use that to get the castle going?" Ae looked at Mira with a smile. She stood up and cracked her back. "Lord Arad''s first castle, a magnificent fort on a snowy peak on a monster-infestednd. Who''s the brave daring to tread the stone stairs to his front door?" Ae waved her palm and looked at ug, "How does it sound," "Sounds like a trial of seven thousand steps. I feel sorry for the one building them more than walking them." ug smiled, and her opal fangs glowed under the sunlight. ZON! Arad emerged from thin air, leaving a faint trail of dark mist after him that disappeared in the blink of an eye. He stared at ug with a magical purple glow in his eyes, "We finished the meeting," He smiled. "Really? This quickly?" ug smiled, getting her head close to him. "Those two old geezers have left?" "No, they are still around the mountain peak. You can still feel the dragons around." Arad looked at the sky, "Ignis said that even if the majority of the chromatic dragons followed the orders of staying away from mynd, there would still be hotblooded young ones who dare attack for glory." "And you can kill them. That''s normal. I bet Ignis even allowed you to hunt chromatic dragons who annoy you. To us, it''s the strong that eats the weak." ug giggled, "But Kinryu had another thing to say, right?" "Yeah, unlike chromatic dragons, metallic dragons are good-natured, and killing is something frowned upon by them. Meaning I would have to have proof of wrongdoing deserving of death before killing one of their kind." "That''s true," ug approached Arad, "You can see it as humansw. You can''t just kill anyone you meet Unless they are a proven criminal like bandits." Ae approached Arad, "So, the mission is over, right?" She looked at his face with a smile, excited to hear they finished an S-rank quest. "Yeah, about that," Arad scratched his head, "The quest was to get the marquess''s daughters. And they seem to have fled the city before we even arrived." "So the quest failed," Mira sighed, looking at Ae as her ears dropped, "You didn''t finish the s-rank quest?" "No, the quest failed. Our job was to get the twins, and we didn''t. It''s a simply failed objective." Arad sighed, "But since we knew why ran away in the first ce, we should probably report that they were killed in the mess." "You intend to lie to the marquess?" Ae looked at Arad with a sad face. "I know you wanted me to finish an S-rank quest, but we couldn''t do it. The twins yed us well." Arad scratched his head, "I bet that noble wouldn''t like that we failed either." ug nodded, "Knowing that ugly pig, he will be both enraged that you didn''t find them and relieved that he doesn''t have to deal with them having stabbed another noble''s eye." "We need to wait for Alcott to be able to move before we can report back, so I have some time to think of a solution." Arad sighed. "It isn''t really a problem," Mira approached Arad. "As you said, it''s simple. No twins failed the quest. That''s it." "You''re right," Arad smiled, patting her head. "Master," Tina approached Arad, "This is the first time I got to speak to you like this. I''m pleased to work under you," She bowed, her hair flying forward. "Yeah, we didn''t really have any time to speak to each other in the carriage." Arad had spent most of his time with Kinryu and Ignis, and Tina didn''t find it possible to speak to him with thousands of dragons watching. Tina looked at ug, ^It''s only one, and she''s as green as a lizard that I can ignore her, she had gotten used to ug and won''t get scared by her presence. "Hoi!" ug red at Tina, "I could sense you wanted to say something disrespectful, didn''t you?" Tina giggled and looked at Arad and then at Serin, "She also seems to have calmed down, thanks to you." Arad approached Serin. She was sleeping in her small bag, waving her tiny hands a the air andughing. Or, that is what everyone besides Arad saw. He saw Loci in her fairy form flying around Serin and making funny faces, and Serin was trying to catch her. ug looked at Arad and noticed that his eyes and Serin''s eyes are looking at the same spot in the air. Her draconic brain quickly drew the conclusion. "Arad, what are you two looking at?" ug asked. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "The genius loci named Loci, she is in her fairy form and floating around Serin," Arad replied, pointing with his finger at the empty space around Serin. "A loci?" Tina tilted her head. Arad lifted Serin and started spinning with her as sheughed, "Don''t worry, I won''t be keeping you tied here as a ve." Arad looked at Tina as he yed with Serin. "When things calm down, I will find a way to send you back home." Arad dered with a smile. Serin giggled, a faint golden light burning in her eyes. For some reason, Lydia''s words came back to Arad. ~Holy magic isn''t a power owned by mortals, but one granted to them by the gods to pursue a good goal. That is why clerics and pdins are heavily religious. their power is granted to them by the gods.~ ug gasped, swinging her w at Serin as fast as she could, sensing a surge in her holy magic. *** A blond angel sighed in the heavens, "Did you really need to do that?" She red back at the oak-tanned muscr man sitting on the golden throne behind her. Another white-haired angel looked back with a grin on her face, "That girl doesn''t have a fate anywhere else." "Her father died protecting her and his wife, a true man. How I could not hold hisst wish true?" The man replied, lifting his palm and swinging it down. CLAP!!! Chapter 246 Back From The Dead A gust of power shed from the god''s hand, trailing from one angel to another, sparking like lightning between the generations till it reached thest one of them. It jumped from them to the blood left in mortals and soon reached Serin''s veins, her sorceress blood boiled with holy magic. Arad saw Serin''s eyes shing golden, and the yellow me expanded to her tiny right palm. It wasn''t a threat. He didn''t feel any bloodlust or malice. It was but a child singing her palm, but with the power of a god behind it, a holy smite wasing down. Being a sorcerer isn''t fun, and no one questions why most of them are orphans. Burning their houses down as toddlers, or electrocuting their parents in a hug. Those idents weremon and the starting point of the life of many sorcerers who tried to seek control over their powers. For Serin, that ident should have been her healing someone, or blessing them with good luck and fortune. But sadly, the one taking the burn of the first hit was a vampire. Arad saw Lydia''s image shing before his eyes, exining how much damage a smite can cause. Ba-dump, time slowed for Arad as he saw ug''s w racing toward Serin. ^Ah! Shit, I need to dodge. No, ug would kill Serin if I did that.^ His brain started throbbing. ^I will pull Serin to me with gravity magic, and try to catch her by the torso. I should be fine as long as I don''t touch her palm.^ [Gravity magic] Arad lifted his arms and pulled Serin toward him. SWOSH! ug''s w flew above her body, bringing a violent gust of air that spun Serina around. Arad tried to catch Serin by the torso, but the spin caused her to slip between his hands, and her palm touched his chest. VOOM! Arad felt a violent vibration coursing across his body, cracking his bones and tearing his muscles. A searing sensation covered his skin as he felt as if being struck with heavy gravity magic, crushing his body toward the ground. CLAP! The smite exploded on Arad''s chest, ttening him on the ground with enough force to leave a mark. BOOM! Arad''s body burned in the ck me of the void, transforming back into his draconic form. "GAHA!" He gasped for air as Serin fell on his chest confused. "GAAAAAAAA!" Arad growled, staring at the sky and feeling the holy magic burning across his body. The remnant divine magic sparked inside his eyes, "That hurt," "ARAD!" Everyone screamed, half-blinded by the sudden brilliant sh of holiness. Arad turned his head toward ug, "You tried to kill her?" "No, I was about to put my w between you and her. Her holy magic won''t harm me that much." ug was trying to take the hit for Arad, and considering that she was a normal dragon, she would have only felt a tiny tickle. "Serin! Master Arad," Tina rushed toward him, unable to decide between getting worried about her daughter or apologizing. "Take care of Serin. My scales are hard." Arad pointed at his chest, but Serin seemed fine. "Are you okay?" ug looked at Arad, "It''s impressive that you survived that, even if it was weak." "That was a weak one?" Arad sighed, "She knocked me out of my humanoid form. I had three hundred and twenty HP." Ae and Mira tried to help Arad get back on his leg, but he wasn''t a sheep to be flipped. He''s too heavy for them to help. Arad pushed onto the ground with his wings and turned over, shaking his head and neck like a dog. His head was still ringing, and he could feel some holy magic coursing across his veins, slowly burning him. "What''s the deal with smite? Did I do anything to anger the baby''s god?" Arad stretched like a cat and then stared at Serin. "Say, are you angry about something?" "Master Arad, I''m really sorry for what she did," Tina bowed, but Arad shook his head, "She''s still a child. Let''s be d she hit me, and no one else would have died." ug stared at him, smiling. "You''re the only one who would get hurt by that." She smiled. "If Ae or even Mira were hit, the worst case is they will be healed from any injury they had." ug expanded her wings. "Are you leaving?" Arad looked at her. "I can''t leave myir for long. There are many people seeking my hoard." ug pped her wings, flying into the sky. "See youter," Arad looked at her flying away, "She left," He sighed and looked toward the road leading to the city, "I should go check on Alcott," "How about you rest first?" Ae approached Arad. "Yeah, Alcott would need some rest first. You can go see him tomorrow and take some food with you." Mira smiled, and Arad looked at his body. "You''re right. I do need some rest before I can transform back to my humanoid form." He turned around and walked toward the door, realizing he was too big to fit in. "I will sleep in the garden," He crawled into a ball like a cat, hugging his tail as he fell asleep. "Mira, do we have something to cover him with?" Ae asked, and Mira pulled Tina with her to help. Ae approached Arad, patting his head, "Rest. You must be exhausted." She smiled, and could still see some traces of holy magic sparking between his scales. *** Thud! "A genius loci is ahead. I can''t proceed further," A headless skeleton growled, holding his skull in his hand. He looked at the sun approaching the west. "My son, you tried to give me my revenge, but I failed you." The skeleton growled, "Now that I had this priest''s body, I shall take revenge on the one responsible for your death," BAM! Xaviin stomped the ground on top of a hill just outside Loci''s back, and armies of undead rose behind him, "We attack at midnight, kill that dragon and then make sure Alcott never wakes up again. I will devour the city, and raise it as an undead nation." He giggled, "Alcott, your actions always bring misfortune. You''re a bane to those close to you, old wolf."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 247 Rogue’s Crusade The sun slid behind the mountains, and Jack stared at Lydia sleeping. "Arad returned. We should visit him tomorrow," He carried the crystal ball resting at the bedside table and put it on Lydia''s forehead. *** [HP: 198/384][MP: 288/288][SP: 169/288] *** "Still not fully healed. I guess a few more days before you''re up and running," Jack sighed, looking at the ball. *** [Name: Jack Bertha][Race: human][ss: Rogue] [Level: 14/20][Exp: 165000][Sub-ss: Trapper thief] [Stats] [Strength: 12] [Agility: 19] [Constitution: 12] [Magic: 6] [Intelligence: 18] [Wisdom: 16] [HP: 182][MP: 84][SP: 231] ---------------- [Skills] [Thives Cant] A secretnguage, a mix of pronunciation, whistles, bodynguage, and pitches that allows you to mix encrypted messages into the day-to-day conversation. It can also be used to encrypt writing. [Muscle memory] Due to intensive training and repetition. You can perform actions without thinking, like walking to a ce or creating a small contraption. [Fast Reflex] Your reflexes were honed after rigorous training. Your body reacts on its own to attacks and moves out of the way as long it''s fast enough. [Vertical work] Since you run a lot, you have gained the ability to climb, slid, and jump through obstacles with ease. [Thief''s eyes] You have the ability to determine where people are looking and stay out of their cone of vision. [Imposter] You can mimic someone''s else speech, writing, and behaviors. The effectiveness of this skill relies on how much you know the target. [Echolocation] You have the ability to determine your surrounding by sound. [Dagger Art] The skill of using daggers knives inbat. *** "Nice, I did master it enough to get a skill," He smiled, seeing the echolocation skill. His time with Alcott wasn''t wasted. With this, he will feel morefortable nting traps in the dark. Lydia opened her eyes, a golden me glowing in them. She sat and looked at the window with a stern face. "I can smell it, the stench of the dead," She growled, looking around for her sword. "You''re awake? What are you talking about," Jack looked at Lydia''s face. "They areing. I can sense them in the air." Lydia tried to stand, but Jack pushed her back to bed, "You rest. I will go see what''s going on and get back to you." Jack smiled. "Fine," Lydia sighed, "But I will charge if I sense them getting close to the city." She red at the window. "There must be a high-rank undead between them if I can sense the stench from here." "Which direction are theying from?" "They already reached Arad''s house. I can sense them around there." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Jack smiled, "Divine sense. Was it? It calls pdins to crusade against great evil. Tell god. It''s a rogue taking the crusade today." Jack ran to the window and jumped out, bouncing off the thin line used to hang clothes and reaching the roof of the next building. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Jack ran on the tile roofs, ring forward, ^I don''t think I can take on a lich alone. My best bet is to do the best I can to stop the smaller undead.^ He whistled. After about a minute, several thieves appeared, running beside Jack. "What''s it? Doing a call at such a time," One of the thieves growled. "Undead attacking the city from the east, trap their way and make sure they never reach the walls," Jack replied, ring at them, "You can''t steal if the people died, can you?" "You''re right, but are you sure there are undead?" One of the thieves gasped, ring at him. "It''s the word of a pdin. You can be sure nine times out of ten it''s true." Jack stared back at them and then looked forward. "I see, it''s that Lydia''s girl. You sly bastard," The thieve giggled, "Leave it to us. We need people to keep making money so we can steal it." BAM! The thieves spread across the city, "Do your best, and steal from your families if you must!" Jack shouted, jumping from thest building before the wall. Thud! Hended in the middle of the guard barracks. He took a deep breath, "WAKE THE FUCK UP! UNDEAD ARE OUTSIDE THE WALL!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, smiling as he pulled a steel wire from his pocket. ZIP! Jack threw the wire at the wall and climbed as fast as he could, quickly reaching the top before the guards could get out. He stared at the city outskirts, smiling. "If they areing from Arad''s house. That considering he didn''t st them. They wille from this direction as it''s easy to traverse," He looked at the middle road, "Or from the forest if they have a smart leader." Jack scratched his head, ^I''m not a tactical leader, but I can guess where they could approach from, and it''s time to put my traps to use,^ Jack jumped from the wall, falling a haybale and quickly emerging out. "AWAA! I''m all scratched up!" He shook his hands, running toward the first spot where he could put his traps. ^I don''t have that many explosives left. I better use them to topple down trees and have them roll downhill to kill as many undead as possible.^ Jack started setting his traps one after the other. CRACK! Jack stopped moving his hands, remaining frozen in ce. He could feel the heavy pressure falling on his back. Something immense and powerful stared at him. "Stray dog, do you want to fight?" A deep growl came from behind him. Jack was barely able to breathe, but he recognized the voice, "I heard this voice before. You''re that tiefling from the crazy vige." "Buying time to think of a way to run away, a smart one indeed," The voice said in a stern tone, "Here, it''s a memento from an old friend of mine. It''s nothing big, but may it brings you a fortune." SWOSH! TING! A small tsubaless wakizashi pierced the ground beside Jack''s legs. Jack looked at the wakizashi. It had a glowing sun mark on its hilt. "Its owner was a rogue as well, going by the name Daraku." "It looks like a magic item, I don''t have enough time to attune to it, and I can''t use magic either." Jack looked at the wakizashi, disappointed. "Do your best," ZON! The voice disappeared, and the pressure lifted from Jack''s chest. Chapter 248 Undead Invasion Arad opened his eyes, as did Ae sleeping beside him, "Something ising," She gasped, staring at the ceiling. Thud! Arad jumped from the bed and rushed to the window, "Get ready for a fight and release everyone." He jumped from the window. Arad looked at the sky, seeing arge purple crystal falling from the stars. BAM! The crystal fell in the middle of the garden. It''s twice as tall as Arad. It started pulsating with waves of necrotic magic with purple-like veins spreading from it. Arad opened his mouth, ROAR! He unleashed arge fire breath, trying to burn it. The mes sshed around the crystal, deflecting like a water stream. CRACK! BAM! The crystal cracked, exploding in a burst of magic. A skeletal hand extended from it, creating a magical ss-like shield. "Dragon of Alcott, I came for your soul," Xaviin growled, ring at Arad with a green me zing in his skull. "You''re that weird corpse Alcott fought," Arad looked at Xaviin, "How did you get here?" He smiled. Loci should have warned him. "We fired ourselves with magic tond where we needed," Xaviin said with a smile, and Arad stared at the sky. Hundreds and hundreds of crystals fell like rain, crashing into the forest and around the city. "Star rain, an amazing magic indeed," Xaviin giggled, ring at Arad, "it''s used to deliver supplies in war, but it can also deliver undead." BAM! Arad lunged forward, swinging a fist at Xaviin''s skull. CRACK! His fist hit the magical barrier, "You can''t break my shield with such weak force. Even Alcott found it hard." PEW! CRACK! An arrow sted through the window, ripping the frame off and hitting Xaviin''s shield with a st. Xaviin slowly turned his head, seeing the arrow tip had pierced his shield and remained suspended in it. ^Heee! Arge amount of force focused on a single small point, a piercing weapon has a better chance than this dragon''s bludgeoning fists.^ BA! BA! BAM! The crystals falling all around Alina exploded, releasing hordes of undead everywhere. "The more of you that dies, the more power I gain. Tonight, I will erase you and this city whole." Xaviin floated into the sky and pulled a staff out of his pocket. ^Storage magic^ Arad could notice a drawing on the bag simr to what Merlin had between her chest. Arad''s brain quickly made a conclusion. ^Either Merlin lied about it needing to be close to the heart for magic and just put it between her breasts for fun. Or Xaviin''s magic source is close to his bag.^ Arad pointed his arm at Xaviin. His fingers burst into mes as crimson orbs of mes rushed forth. [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] Xaviin didn''t bother to move, his barrier easily deflected Arad''s low-level spells. "Such weak magic," Xaviin pointed his staff at Arad, "It''s useless, you won''t break my barrier in a million years." Arad''s mes turned blue and then white as he pushed the refinement further. "Hoho! You can refine it, but it''s still useless." Xaviin lifted his staff and flew around Arad, pointing at him. "Die," [Necrotic st] pointing at him. A purple me expanded from Xaviin''s staff, engulfing Arad''s body. ZON! Arad used [Void Step] He appeared behind Xaviin with a lightning drop kick. BAM! The kick hit Xaviin''s shield but didn''t break it. Xaviin turned around, swinging his staff at Arad. Arad disappeared again before he could get hit. PEW! DING! An arrow bounced off Xaviin''s barrier, and he looked out the window, "Elf, I can see you." Xaviin giggled, "I only needed to change the shape of my barrier a bit to deflect your arrows." CRACK! Ae turned around, seeing several skeletons inside the house. "Where did they get in?" She pointed her bow at them and fired. The arrows slid right between their bones, sting holes in the walls at the back. "AHHHHH!" Ae heard Tina screaming from the other room. The house is already infested. "I''ming," She grabbed a chair on her way to smash the skeletons with. They aren''t strong but are hard to hurt with arrows. BAM! Ae kicked the door open to see a strange scene. Most of the skeletons inside had their skulls and arms shattered, and the majority are nailed to the walls. CRACKLE! A skeleton jumped at Mira, swinging his rusted sword. Mira lifted her left arm, taking the hit on the shoulder. She wasn''t a fighter, she didn''t know how to dodge or deflect attack, only how to protect her head. The moment the attack connected to Mira''s arm, she swung the hammer in her right hand down, cracking the skeleton''s forearm to pieces. As he recoiled, she pulled a nail from her pocket and swung her hammer at its spine. BAM! Mira hammered the skeleton to the wall, pinning him with a nail. "I may not know how to fight, but I know how to get a nail into something," Ae rushed to them, "Are you okay?" "Serin is still in the other room, alone!" Tina cried, and they could hear Serin starting to scream on the other side of the house. Ae took a deep breath, "Everyone! Attack!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs with Arad roaring outside. BOOM! The cer door shattered as hordes of goblins rushed out, growling. Giant ants start crawling out of the garden and the forest, it''s an all-out war. In the other room, Serin cried as a faint light emitted from her body. The skeletons around her started burning, but it wasn''t enough to kill them. One of them approached the little baby, on mes. He lifted his sword, swinging down at her. CRACK! BAM! The wall exploded with Arad rushing in, grabbing Serin in his arm and bursting across the second wall. N?v(el)B\\jnn BOOM! Xaviin rushed after him, trying to st him with beams of purple necrotic me. "Die!" SIZZILE! Arad could feel his skin burning just by touching Serin, she was releasing holy magic to protect herself from the undead, but he was a vampire and is getting burned in the same way. It was then, that he got an idea. Thud! He stopped running in the middle of the garden, using Serin''s wrapping to tie her around his stomach. He stood, ring at his palm burning in holy mes. His scales falling off, and getting healed with the blood had stored before. Arad made a fist, engulfed in blood and holy mes. "I''m gonna try punching that bastard with this." Chapter 249 Stalling For Time "Today, you will die. That ursed Alcott shall follow you soon," Xaviin growled, eldritch mes bursting between his bones. "No one will die," Arad growled, strapping Serin to his stomach and ring at Xaviin. "You won''t get anywhere close to the city." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "And you think strapping a helpless child to your body will help you beat me? Such an ignorant hatchling daring to face the power of the dead?" Xaviin pointed his staff at Arad. "I might be young, but this city has more terrifying monsters than me." He clenched his and lifted it above his shoulder. CLING! The adamantine sword appeared in Arad''s hand, engulfed with the same holy me burning Arad. Arad took a deep breath, pulling the sword back as scales emerged on his cheek. CLACK! His wings expanded in the blink of an eye. ZON! Arad disappeared and appeared behind Xaviin, swinging the sword down. BAM! Xaviin flew away and swung his staff, pointing at Arad, [Earth Pirs] CRACK! Arad saw a stone spike rushing from the ground, headed directly toward Serin on his stomach. Thud! He jumped back, evading the attack. Another spike rose from the ground, rushing at his back. ^There was another one?^ FLAP! Arad pped his wings and took to the sky with a st. GWAAA! Serin started crying, and he stared at her, "Did the eleration hurt you?" He gasped, but that didn''t seem the case. She was sensing something that he couldn''t. Arad red back at Xaviin, "What are you doing?" "Trying to kill you," Xaviin lifted his hand, and ten stones spikes flew from the ground to orbit him, "You better be ready to be raised as a dracolich under me." The stone spikes ignited with an eldritch me and flew at Arad at unbelievable speed. ZON! ZON! ZON! Arad dodged the spikes by teleporting away as he kept an eye on Xaviin. ROAR! The moment he got in range, he unleashed a void breath attempting to drop the lich to the ground. Xaviin lifted his palm and released a st of magic, negating Arad''s breath with ease. "Is this all you have?" But it took him a second to realize, Arad had disappeared again. BAM! Xaviin felt his skull cracking as a hint of holy magic seeped into him, his body racing toward the ground as he looked up, seeing Arad ring down at him with Serin still crying. ^He used the breath to distract me, but that doesn''t matter.^ Xaviin red at the clouds. A grin would have shown on his face if he has lips. *** Thud! Thud! Thud! Merlin ran out of her tower as fast as she could, her hair still as messy as a bush. She grabbed the nearest broom she had and flew outside, flying high enough to get a top-down view of the city. She closed her eyes, sensing the magic around the city. Her eyes bulged open and she red at the sky, "No way," She growled, sensing a massive ball of magic umting above the city, "I only read about it in books. How the hell is someone actually pulling it off?" She opened her palm and created a small ball of magic [Arcane Eye] she then flung it above the clouds to get a better look at the sky. What she saw was terrifying. A massive boulder of pure magic, engulfed in necrotic mes was forming. It will soon fall on the city. "Meteor fall, and a necrotic one at that," she gasped, looking around the city, panicking. ^Where is the caster? Where is the caster? We must kill him.^ She flew across the city sky as fast as she could, tracking the magic, but the army of the undead muffled all tracks. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Merlin stopped, hearing a familiar roar from the city wall. "She''s on the hunt," She smiled, seeing Nina standing on the wall with her battleaxe in hand, ring down at several death knights. ^One, two... Seven death knights. They emit the most necrotic magic. Is the caster one of them?^ Merlin couldn''t tell the source of the magic when the air dripped with necrotic mana. It was like asking someone looking at the sea to guess which spot was the tiest. Nina red down at the death knights, veins bulging on her arm as her skin became as red as the blood flowing in her body. Her eyes shifted to a ruby color, and her hair stood like that of an angry animal. GRWAAA! Nina growled and jumped out of the wall with her axe in hand. The first death knight took a stance, lifting his sword as a green me burned in his eyes. His jet-ck te armor crackled on his rotten bones, as he swung the massive sword in his hand to the side. CLANG! The death knight''s sword hit Nina in the face, bending as she got deflected to the side. He red at his bent sword, "Like hitting a boulder, I can''t cut into her flesh." He looked to the side, seeing Nina''s foot racing toward his skull. CRACK! The death knight flew toward the city wall, crashing into it with extreme force. "Be careful!" Merlin screamed as she saw the wall crack, "If the wall fell, the undead will swarm the city!" But her words fell on deaf ears, Nina was raging, and she only knew one thing. BAM! The other six death knights lunged, swinging their weapons with necrotic mes. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Nina swung her axe, deflecting all of their attacks, before cleaving one in half with a single swing. The death knights jumped away, pointing their hands at Nina. [Hellfire Orb] Each of the remaining five released a massive ze of a crimson inferno. Nina jumped into the sky and red down at them. The one at the wall has already regenerated and is joining them again. ^We must stall for time, till lord Xaviin brings his judgment down.^ One of the death knights smiled inside. They weren''t trying to kill Nina, they knew they didn''t have enough power for such a thing. Chapter 250 Reinforcements CLANG! Arad swung his sword, and Xaviin deflected it with his staff. [Necrotic wave] A shockwave of necrotic magic burst from the lich''s palm, threatening to render the flesh into rot. ZON! Arad teleported behind Xaviin and drop-kicked him to the ground. CRACK! Xaviinnded on his legs, quickly ring at the sky. Arad flew down with a fiery kick, forcing the lich to jump back. BOOM! The moment Arad''s foot touched the ground, it exploded in a rose of crimson mes. He looked at his stomach, and Serin was fine, thanks to his void and wings protecting her. ^I need to finish this quickly.^ Arad red at Xaviin. ^Alcott almost died to defeat him before. Why can I fight him?^ He started feeling weird. ^I can''t get this strange feeling from my head,^ SWOSH! Arad lunged forward, swinging his sword. CLANG! CLANG! Xaviin deflected the two strikes, opening his jaw, [Sonic st] Arad gasped, he could hear Xaviin''s pitch quickly rising, and he won''t be able to protect Serin from it. CRACKLE! A lighting bolt shed across the forest, and a devil carrying two gold engraved des rushed between Arad and Xaviin, pointing his swords forward. [Thunderp] CLAP! Thunder pped as Abel swung at Xaviin''s mouth, and the two sound waves canceled each other. ^A devil?^ Xaviin gasped, and Abel swung a sword at his neck. CLAP! A lightning bolt exploded as the lich flew back. Thud! A woman carrying a really long swordnded behind Xaviin. [Action surge] [Water flow dance] Xaviin rapidly turned, swinging his staff. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! He deflected two strikes, but the third hit him in the chest and sent him flying back. Thud! When hended, Merida had alreadynded behind him. CLANG! CLANG! She hit him twice, sending him rolling. ^She''s far more skilled than those two. A pure fighter. I don''t have enough magic to elerate fast enough to beat her techniques,^ Xaviin was a mage, not a fighter. His martial skills weren''t better than the average man''s. But he used eleration magic and his fast cognitive undead mind to outpace most people. But now he didn''t have full ess to that and is barely able to keep up with a physical fight. CRACK! Meridanded beside Xaviin, kicking him in the skull as hard as she could, and sent him toward Arad. Arad took a deep breath, "This could hurt," He nced at Serina, and pulled his fist back, VROOOOOOOOM! AWAAAAAAAAAAAA! Serin started crying, and a strong wave of holy magic gushed from her body. She was scared and started to smite his stomach. Arad could feel his organs burning. This was a continuing smite unlike the first one and he was about to lose consciousness from it. Arad smiled, firmly sticking his foot on the ground. "I know. You can''t be the only one feeling the burn of it." He clenched a fist, engulfed in void and holy magic. Arad twisted his body. VROOM! Using all of his might, and infusing his fist with all the magic he got. ^Strike! The city''s whole life depends on it,^ "SMITE!" Arad shouted, punching Xaviin in the chest and cracking his ribs. Xaviin''s body flew back, his bones all cracked with a golden light. Thud! But hended on his feet, ring at Arad with glowing eyes. Even though Arad''s fist carried some holy magic from Serin, it wasn''t enough to harm Xaviin. ^This is your end.^ Xaviin pointed his staff at Arad, charging arge spell. CLANG! Jack stood beside him and swung his dagger down, knocking the staff from Xaviin''s hand, "What?" The lich gasped, ring at Jack. ^This bastard, where did hee from?^ CRACKLE! THUD! Abel and Merida charged forward, kicking Xaviin in unison and sending him back. Arad put Serin on the ground to remain safe. He already guessed that Xaviin is on hisst leg. BAM! He lunged forward, using the blood to heal. Merida, Abel, Jack, and Arad charged at the cracked lich. Their only chance was now, they need to crush his bones to dust. *** Back in the city, the guards rushed across the street killing the skeleton and zombies that managed to get into the city. "Clear them out! Send the injured to the church before they transform. We don''t need another disaster. The head guard shouted, but from the side of his eyes, he spotted a dead knight at the end of the street. "Damn it!" The man shouted, swinging his arm, "All the elite guards! Follow me to battle. I spotted a death knight!" He rushed forward, and ten knights followed him. CRACK! When they reached the turn, they saw no death knight. But only found a white-haired old man facing the wall, emptying his dder. "Old man Cain, is that you?" The head knight recognized him. Cain was known as the best herbalist in the city. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Cain turned his head to look at them, "Can you turn a blind eye to this? I''m old and can''t wait till I get home." "Forget that! We''re d you''re safe. We will carry you to safety, so rx," The head knight sighed. "Captain, where is the death knight?" One of the knights asked. Cain looked around, "Death knight? No, I didn''t see any one of you dead." The knight sighed, "No, it''s undead. Arge and armored zombie or skeleton," Cain shook his head, "I didn''t see anything like that. But I can''t see well. So I might be wrong." The knights sighed in relief. They much rathered it being a false rm than a real one. Two of the knights carried Cain, while the rest protected them as they rushed toward the city keep. In the shadow of the back streets, Jemimia, Cain''s maid stood there, staring at them from the darkness. "Master drew their attention. It''s all good," She looked back, lifting a thumbs up. "Why did he even call me?" A tall, muscr woman with coal ck hair and glowing red eyes growled, me gushing from her nose as she burned a death knight corpse. "Even you couldn''ve done this," The woman looked back, and there were several death knights crushed to the ground. "He already destroyed them." Jemima bowed to the woman, "Sorry,dy Zaleria. I asked him to not call you to kill the undead since you are pretty loud." Zaleria scratched her head, "I know, I know. It''s the rules, we can''t draw a lot of attention. I will burn the corpses, but you dispose of the ashes." **** Merlin looked at the sky, "Damn it!" She cried. Chapter 251 The Bone Zone Arad ran toward Xaviin, swinging his fist. The moment it was close to his skull, the lich lifted his palm and deflected it. CLANG! Jack slipped in from the back, swinging his palm. ZIP! A steel wire wrapped around Xaviin''s wrist, pulling him away. "Come here, bones." Jack smiled and swung the wakizashi at the lich''s head. "You''re a mere human with no magic," Xaviin growled, opening his jaw and biting Jack''s de. SIZZLE! A faint hint of holy magic started seeping from the de and burned the lich''s teeth. ^What? A holy weapon?^ Xaviin jumped away and pulled a small wand from his wrist. ^I need to move away from them. The spell is about to bepleted.^ He flew away. CRACKLE! Abel flew after him, pping his devil wings with thunderous lightning, "Fall down," He swung his swords, and Xaviin was forced to block with his arms. SIZZLE! Abel smiled, his holy magic starting to burn Xviin. There was one reason why Arad put Serin down. He didn''t need to be the one delivering holy magic since Abel is here. VROOM! He flew to the sky, swinging his sword at the falling Xaviin. CLANG! Abel managed to hit the lich''s head, while Arad hit the torso. "Arad, let''s bring him to the ground." Air wasn''t the best ce to fight with weapons after all. To use swords and melee weapons effectively, you need to have support from the ground. And that isn''t possible while flying. "I know!" Arad shouted, spinning and pointing his hand at the ground [Gravity magic] He created a cylindrical zone of gravity magic beneath Xaviin, pulling him to the ground at rapid speed. BAM! As the lich smacked into the ground, Jack and Merdia ganged up on him, taking hits and looking for his phctery. A small object that he uses as a core to hide his soul. Xaviin tried to retreat, but Arad fell on his skull with a drop kick. Abel followed soon with a lightning-fast sh. ^I''m dying once again. This is the third time,^ Xaviin growled inside, Arad punching him from the left, Abel stabbing him from the back at Merida trying to cleave his head while Jack tied him in ce with wires, looking for the weak point. Xaviin lifted his wand, aiming at Merida. But before he could st her, Arad punched him in the face. Abel quickly followed with a lightning bolt, and Merida shed again. ^They are faster than me. I need to find an opening and get away.^ Xaviin jumped back, but he got kicked back down. ^They aren''t even letting me move, not a single opening that I can exploit.^ ^What a bad situation, I''m in. I won''tst long like this.^ But, he started giggling inside, his eyes looking at the clouds. ^This is death.^ He could feel his spell finish. And the burden on his mind lifted up. In the blink of an eye, Xaviin stood still, necrotic magic building up from his bones. Jack noticed that Xaviin''s behavior changed and he got alerted. ^Something big ising.^ He opened his fingers and pulled on the strings he was using to tie Xaviin down, and tied Arad and the rest with them. ^You better get away. I feel like he''s about to explode.^ Jack smiled as Arad, Merida, and Abel got pulled away from Xaviin, leaving him alone. CRACK! Xaviin opened his jaw, an eldritch green me burning inside his throat from a purple crystal. [The Bone Zone] Heughed at full power again. As green necrotic mes consumed Xaviin, massive bones spiked from the ground. ^Mortal, today you wee death.^ The lich red at Jack, mocking his flesh. ^Let''s see who''s the best.^ Jack smiled, pulling all the explosives he had stored, and throwing them at Xaviin. BOOM! A fiery explosion covered the ce as bones spiked from everywhere. Arad, Abel, and Merida screamed, seeing Jack getting consumed in the chaos. Xaviin was unharmed by the explosives, his magic had returned to normal, and he could deflect such things with ease. He looked forward, seeing a pool of blood and Jack''s arm on the ground, with a small ss bottle to the side. "He died, I see. Even potions couldn''t save his life," Xaviin sighed, looking toward Arad, ready to finish him next. Thud! Xaviin felt an arm hug his skull from the back, twisting his neck as a knife got pushed between his teeth. "You''re the dead one, I saw it when you regained your power," Jack said, cracking the phctery that Xaviin kept on the back of his throat. CRACK! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The phctery cracked, and Xaviin''s necrotic magic exploded, sending Jack flying toward Arad''s house. BAM! He hit the wall, cracking it. SWOSH! Xaviin wasn''t dead yet, and he flew toward Arad as fast as he could. ^Alcott is dead, and all I need to make sure you''re dead as well.^ He swung his wand toward Arad faster than anyone could react. Arad lifted his arms at thest moment, but a fiery explosion sted him away, sending his body flying toward Alina at an incredible speed. Xaviin didn''t wait and flew away leaving Abel and Merida in the dust. ^The meteor is falling down. I need to get away. That stupid rogue destroyed my phctery. If my body got destroyed now, I''m done for.^ He didn''t want to rest now that he lost his safety. As Nina was chasing the death knights around, CRACK! Arad broke through the trees, and flew at a blinding speed, digging a trench as he stopped on the ground, barely breathing. His eyes stared at the sky, seeing a massive boulder falling down. "Did we lose," He mumbled, but then spotted a woman standing below the meteor with her white hair crackling with magic. Merlin took a deep breath, lifting her staff up. She didn''t lift a finger to fight this entire time, only so she can focus all of her mind on stopping the meteor. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Merlin screamed, [Reverse Gravity] She started pushing back on the meteor with her magic, trying to stop it mid-air, BLUSH! She could feel her arms and muscles crack as she started bleeding from every orifice. ^I have the magic to stop it, but my body can''t take the pressure without breaking.^ Humans are weak, and their bodies cannot handle massive spells without intensive preparation. Merlin didn''t have enough times to prepare for lifting a whole meteor. Chapter 252 Star Born ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR! A loud crackling roar filled the sky, shaking the city''s walls. The ground started rumbling as the mountains seemed to dance. A dark misty haze covered Arad''s body as he shifted back into his draconic form, roaring as his void consumed the ground around him. *** On a farawaynd. "Move! Youzy bitch!" A ve swung his cane, hitting a woman in the face, but she didn''t even flinch and stared at the sky. The ve stepped back, his face red with rage. The woman lifted her palm with a passive face. ^Can''t you just eat it? That''s a tiny celestial body.^ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om *** CRACK! The stars re-aligned behind the falling meteor into a massive eye, and a titanic dark w formed, approaching the celestial body. It then stopped, feeling Arad flying toward the meteor. ^That''s right, this is your territory. I shouldn''t interfere.^ The w disappeared as the eye closed. FLAP! FLAP! Arad pped his wings faster than the eye could see. He flew toward the meteor roaring. SWOSH! Merlin gasped, seeing him surpass her and hit the meteor head-first. "ARAD!" Merlin shouted. She doesn''t have enough power to pull him out. But soon, she realized something. Arad started wing at the falling meteor, with his body covered in a ck void. With each w strike, Arad directly consumed a chunk of the meteor in his stomach, digging his way into the meteor''s core. Necrotic magic kept eating his flesh over the void, but he didn''t stop regenerating from the blood he had stored. Merlin could feel the meteor getting lighter and lighter. Arad was eating it whole from the inside out. This spell had a single weakness, which was a strong point. The stone wasn''t made of magic. It was only a massive boulder. The spell worked by gathering stone in the upper atmosphere, and then dropping it. That means the stone would fall even if the spell was interrupted. But, it meant Arad could still ravage it like regr stone, ignoring the necrotic magic. The more Arad ate of the meteor, the lighter and easier it became for Merlin to lift. And the more she lifted it, the more time she bought for Arad to eat it. Inside the meteor core, Arad opened his jaw. ROAR! He roared, unleashing a void breath. BAM! Merlin could see a dark beam punching a hole in the meteor, followed by another one, and another. The air pressure quickly got inside the meteor from the holes, forcing it to rip apart and explode into multiple small pieces. The people in the city saw the burning fragments fall down, and they screamed. Running into their houses to avoid being hit. Merlin looked down she already felt dizzy and didn''t have enough magic or stamina to create a barrier. ZON! The small fragments stopped mid-air, staying suspended as everyone looked out of their windows. "It''s Nina''s dragon!" One of the nobles shouted, and his word spread across the city. Arad flew above the city, [Gravity magic] He used it to make himself the center of gravity, and the falling shards flew back up to orbit him. Arad''s eyes fixated on a single thing, Xaviin flying away in the distance. FLAP! He pped his wings, flying forward with the meteor fragments spinning around his body. The moment flew past anyrge horde of undead, he dropped some on them, sting them to pieces. Xaviin looked back, seeing Arad flying toward him with what remained from the meteor. "For fuck sake. Those dragons never cease to cause trouble, to think he was able to weaken the meteor''s structure enough for it to self-destruct." Xaviin pointed his staff back, [A thousand bone spear] Thousands ofrge spiky bones emerged from the ground. Arad released the meteors orbiting him, sting the bones to dust as he flew right through. "It doesn''t matter, you won''t catch me with that speed." Xaviin smiled, looking forward as he flew away. [Void Step] ZON! Arad appeared in front of Xaviin, opening his ws. CRACK! He grabbed him by the shoulders, roaring. "You bastard! You could teleport all the way here?" Xaviin growled, swinging his open palm up. Thud! Using his fingers, he pierced Arad''s lower jaw. "It still doesn''t matter, idiot. You don''t have the strength or durability to face me at my best. It''s over. I will scoop your brain out." Xaviin growled. [Void Step] ZON! [Void Step] ZON! [Void Step] ZON! Arad teleported with Xaviin back to the city walls, dropping to the ground. Xaviin looked around, stunned. CRACK! He pulled his hand from Arad''s jaw and kicked him away, "This bastard, he dragged me all the way here?" He was a bit confused. Arady on the ground, motionless. With exhaustion and blood loss, he can''t even regenerate. It was over for him, he isn''t getting back up and Xaviin knew it. CRACK! As the lich tried to run away, he heard something falling behind him. He turned around, to see a brown-haired woman staring at him, with white misting out of her mouth as she growled. "You!" Xaviin gasped, his voice cracking. Thud! Nina grabbed Xaviin by the sky with her bare hand. His necrotic magic couldn''t eat her flesh. [The Bone Zone] [Skull Eater] Xaviin cast two spells, but the bones spikes cracked the moment they touched Nina, and the skull''s teeth shattered. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Nina screamed her lungs out, swinging Xaviin from left to right, smacking him on the ground. ^I know it. Even if the meteor dropped, you would be the only survivor. A barbarian with extreme durability, regeneration, and absurd strength.^ BAM! Nina threw Xaviin''s bones toward the front gate, where a woman walked out, with bandages all over her body. Lydia took a deep breath, "In the name of the great earth mother, her merciful son, and his graceful foster mother of the crimson sun." BOOM! Her sword exploded with holy magic. CRACK! She stomped the ground, swinging her sword with zeal, [Divine cleaver] A brilliant sh of holy light emerged as she hit Xaviin. CLAP! Chapter 253 Aftermath Damage Lydia''s sword passed right through Xaviin''s body, disintegrating his bones into white ash that burned in a golden me. The moment he perished, the other undead started burning, the holy fire of god burning them. Nina calmed down. The veins on her body shrank as she took a deep breath. She turned around and rushed toward Arad, "Are you still alive?" She asked, not mentioning his name as she knew that would be bad. Arad wasn''t moving. The wound on his lower jaw looked deep. Nina slowly opened it to look inside, and she could see a hole in Arad''s upper jaw. "This is bad. It might have damaged his brain." Nina looked around, "Lydia, can you heal him?" Lydia supported her body on her sword, "I''ming, but don''t expect much." BAM! Nina jumped, covering the 100m plus distance in a single leap. "I will carry you," She grabbed Lydia and lunged back to Arad. Lydia put her hand on Arad''s head and closed her eyes. "I can''t heal him. He''s filled with vampiric magic." she looked inside his mouth. She could see some gray mush. "But it''s bad. They got his brain." Lydia and Nina looked at each other, "You should carry him to his house." Nina nodded, "I will do that. You speak to the guard and have them deal with the cleaning." Nina grabbed Arad by the neck, lifting him above her shoulder. Lydia gasped, ^I told her to carry him, but I didn''t think she would do that literally.^ Nina walked toward the forest, marching into the trees. After a few steps, she stopped, veins bulging on her head. "Monsters?" She red forward. The forest oozed with giant ants, dark dire wolves, goblins, apes, and opes. CRACK! A titanic ant queen approached Nina, ring at her and Arad. Nina clenched her fist, ready to st the bug to oblivion. "Ara! Lord Arad!" The ant gasped, ring at Arad and running around Nina in circles. "I smell blood. This isn''t good. The undead held us for too long," Thud! Stopped and red at Nina. "Who did this?" "Who are you?" Nina growled. The ant queen went silent for a second. Thwack! She smacked Nina in the face with one of her legs, sending her flying into the forest, crushing several trees. "I''m the one asking the question, human. Are you the one who hurt him?" Ants can carry several times their weight. Their strength is unmatched, and that trait is carried by the ant queen. CRACK! Nina stood, ring at the ant queen, "You bug," She growled, and the queen could feel a throbbing main in her front leg. She looked at it. ^Did she cracks my exoskeleton?^ The ant queen looked at Arad, "Take him away," Several ants crawled beneath Arad, carrying him away rapidly, "GAROSHA! GARISHA! (Excuse us, excuse us.)" They rushed. "Arad!" Before the two could start fighting, Ae rushed in, "Wait, where is he?" She looked around. "Lady Ae, please leave." The ant queen growled, "A monster is lurking around," Ae looked around, seeing Nina there, about to rage. She panicked, "Stop! Stop!" she rushed at them, "Don''t fight!" The two looked at her, "She''s the ant queen and works for Arad. And this is Nina, our friend." Ae cried. Ae looked between the confused two. ^Muscle brains facing each other. I hope they don''t start fighting.^ Nina rxed, "In that case, Arad is heavily injured, and we need to treat him." Ae blinked, "Arad would be fine. Jack on the other hand," she red at Nina, "He''s dying." BAM! Nina grabbed Ae and jumped toward Arad''s house,nding at the door. She could see Mira and Tina tieing Jack''s wounds. Abel was trying to heal him, but he failed over and over. While Merida rushed around the house, cutting clothes off for Tina to use. "He''s barely breathing," Mira growled. "It''s useless. We can''t stop the bleeding," Tina cried. BAM! Nina rushed forward, grabbing Jack, and her body turned red. BAM! She jumped into the sky at full force. BAM! Ninanded at the city gate and jumped forward, headed toward the person who healed Alcott. BAM! She kicked Cain''s door open, "Old man, are you here?" Cain was sitting on his desk, drinking, "Can you heal him." "It''s no use," Cain stared at her, "It isn''t just his wounds. Necrosis is eating him from the inside. He won''t live long." "But you can heal him," Nina growled. Cain smiled, "I can buy him time." He stood and approached her. He then pulled a potion from his pocket and handed it to her, "Go give this to Arad. I will take care of Jack." Nina put Jack on the ground, grabbed the potion, and rushed away. Cain sighed, "What poor child." Jemima walked out of the back room, looking at Jack, "She finished him off with that irresponsible jump." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Cain looked at Jack, "But I can still do a thing or two." He smiled, "Take him to the maze. It''s been a while since I moved my fingers." *** Jack opened his eyes, staring at a wooden ceiling. He could feel a throbbing paining from his left arm, right leg, and stomach. Jack tried to stand. But felt a burning sensation rushing up from his stomach, and a yellow stream flew out of his mouth as he gasped at the bedside. "Easy, easy, boy. Don''t move," Cain said, standing beside the window. Jack red at him, his vision blurry. "Who..." "I said to take it easy. Jemima, give him some water." Cain looked back with a smile as Jemima helped Jack wash his face. After several minutes, Jack finally calmed down. And he looked at his body. His left arm looked strange from the forearm down. As if it was made of steel and wood, crackling with each finger move. He could feel a hard lump in his stomach, and even his right foot crackled like his arm. "Your left arm got crushed on above the elbow. You lost parts of your stomach, liver, and left kidney. On top of all of that, a blood clot caused your right leg to die, so I had to sever it off." Cain approached Jack. Jack looked at his left arm, "And what is this?" Cain smiled, "You pull it like this," He twisted the arm. CRACKLE! His wrist twisted down, revealing four cylindrical barrels. "You either need to find the elixir of life, get a chosen pdin to heal you, or gain vampirism or lycanthropy within a year if you want to remain alive. Those new toys will make the task a bit easier." Cain smiled. Chapter 254 It Goes KABOOM! CRACKLE! CRACKLE! Jack moved his fingers, feeling a sharp pain above his elbows. "It hurt to move." "Of course, it does. The connection to your nerves is still fresh," Cain smiled, handing Jack a small potion. "It needs to heal slowly, so take this to quell the pain." The potion wasn''t in a fat bottle like they use to. This one was in a cylindrical ss tube with steel needles at the tip. About five of them. Jack looked at the potion, "Do I drink? How do I open it." Cain took the potion from Jack''s hand, "You don''t drink it. You inject it like this." He pushed it into Jack''s arm, and the pain started fading. "How did you make these?" Jack looked at his new forearm, stunned. "How do they move?" "Will take a lot to exin. Let''s say they are enchanted to work." Cain smiled, helping Jack to stand. "Try to walk slowly. Those limbs should be adjusted on their own." Cain looked at Jack''s right leg as it changed in length, fitting his height. "They almost weigh nothing." Jack smiled, tapping his leg on the ground. "They changed to weigh as much as your original limbs. But don''t stress them too much at the start. You could harm yourself." Cain helped Jack walk toward the door and downstairs. "They are working. I can walk with them." Jack looked at the leg with a smile. "I pre-made you a four-barrel gun and a grappling hook into your arm. Sprung knee into your leg and I exchanged the damaged part of your liver and left kidney for magic stones." Cain opened the front door and led Jack to the garden. "Come on, give it a try," Cain handed Jack a small pouch, "Fill this with hooks, steel or iron balls, and your explosive powder and it will recharge your arm on its own. Also, don''t forget to oil your joints," Cain flicked his finger, and Jemima rushed in with a wooden target. "Come, take aim." Jack silently extended his arm forward, looking at the target. "How do I use it?" "Just think about it. It should respond to your will," Cain smiled. Jack took a deep breath, and his wrist joint opened, danging his palm. BOOM! A fireball emerged from one of the barrels with a thunderous boom, shaking the house and scaring the birds. CRACK! Arge hole was blown in the target as the steel ball flew and rested in one of the back trees. Jack red at his arm, "It went Kaboom." "Yes, Jack, Kaboom." Cain smiled, "You can choose how much to fire. All four at the same time, or one by one." Jack smiled, "How about the hook? Is it the same?" Jack pointed at the target and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. CLACK! His wrist closed and opened rapidly, and the hook was ready to fire. BOOM! With another explosion, a four-sided hook flew forward and grabbed the target, leaving a long rope behind. "I didn''t install a pulling system since the arm could rip itself from you. Get stronger and I will have them installed for you." Cain smiled, "Now try jumping." Jack took a deep breath, squatting on one leg. CLACK! His artificial leg extended, propelling him five meters into the sky. "Land on it," Cain waved his hand. Thud! Jacknded back on the same leg, "Just don''t forget to oil it." Jack looked at Cain with a smile, "You said something about magic stones." "Yeah, the magic stone in your liver will work to detox most poisons. It simply gives you poison resistance. The one linked to your stomach will allow you to digest food faster, and more efficiently. Andstly, the one on your left kidney will give you an adrenalin rush once a day." Cain threw a crystal ball at Jack, "Look those are your new skills." *** n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om *** [Name: Jack Bertha][Race: human][ss: Rogue] [Level: 15/20][Exp: 165000][Sub-ss: Trapper thief] [Stats] [Strength: 12] [Agility: 20] [Constitution: 12] [Magic: 6] [Intelligence: 18] [Wisdom: 16] [HP: 125/195][MP: 90][SP: 255] ---------------- [Skills] [Thives Cant] [Muscle memory] [Fast Reflex] [Vertical work] [Thief''s eyes] [Imposter] [Echolocation] [Dagger Art] [Abilities] [Artificial left arm: quad shotgun] [Ammo: 15/16] [Artificial arm: left Grappling hook] [Ammo: 3/4] [Artificial right leg: Long jump] [Artificial Liver: Detoxification] [Artificial kidney: Adrenaline rush] [Charges: 1/1] [Artificial stomach: Iron stomach] *** Jack looked at Cain with a smile, "Where are Arad and Ae? they must see this." It then came to him, "No, wait, what happened in the fight?" "The lich perished, and the city is saved." Cain smiled, "Arad is on the other side of the garden, training." Jack rushed and looked over the wall, seeing Arad swinging a sword down. Alcott sitting in a wheelchair in the back giving him instructions. "Swing slowly. I want you to know each tiny move, don''t try and mask the imperfections with your speed." Alcott looked at Arad swinging the sword. "ARAD!" Jack shouted, jumping over the wall andnding in front of him. "How are you doing? And Sir Alcott, are you all right?" Alcottughed, "I''m fine, I damaged my back and I shouldn''t move for a while." Arad smiled, "For me, I''m mostly fine." Jack looked at Arad, "Something seems strange about you...you look a bit, thinner." Arad looked at Alcott. "A dragon''s brain extends from the skull to the tip of its tail. They don''t have a spinal cord. Arad got his frontal cortex smashed, his recovery has been draining." Alcott exined. "Wait! No way, you didn''t have anysting damage?" Jack looked at Arad, worried. "You''re in a worst shape than me." Arad smiled. "No! No! This thing goes Kaboom! And I like it, how are you?" Jack touched Arad''s arm, he wasn''t as muscr as before. "My void eyes are always active now, and I can''t remain in my human for if I got damaged below 50% health. I also lost a fair bit of weight." Arad giggled. "It might look bad, but those would get cured when he enters the next age stage." Alcott smiled, "He would get a neat ability from that." Jack looked at Arad. "Like what?" "Immunity to beheading. But we have to wait till he age and see," Alcott looked at the sky, "For now, I will teach him how to fight." Chapter 255 Void Forms Arad lifted his sword and looked forward, "I can''t keep taking hits now." SWOSH! He swung the de down, "I have to learn how to fight," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The dark mist radiated from Arad''s skin, hissing as the nts around him slowly disintegrated. "I got three skills when fighting Connor, the big bad evil guy of the mission." Arad took a deep breath as his de turned ck with the void. [Void Dragon w] ZAN! Swinging down, he left a ck trail akin to the night sky. "Void dragon w. This skill covers my sword with my stomach void. So anything I cut gets sucked in." "HoHo?" Jack poked Arad''s sword, "My finger isn''t getting sucked in." "I can control it, so don''t worry." Arad smiled and then took a second stance. [Void Step] ZON! He disappeared and appeared on the other side of the garden. "Void step. It''s faster than my previous void walk. So I can spam it easily." ZON! ZON! ZON! Arad started teleporting around the garden, making it hard for Jack to track him. In a second, Arad was behind him, and in the next, he was upside down in the sky. Arad smiled, stopping in the middle of the garden, "And thest one." His body disappeared in the darkness. [Infinite Void] "I cover my whole body with the void. Even my touch is leather to normal people, and I can eat whatever Ie in contact with." "So you''re a walking disintegrator?" Jack looked at Cain, standing like a ck shadow. "Pretty much, but this won''t be enough. I can''t rely on them." Alcott smiled, "I asked him to create sword moves," He looked at Arad, "Show him what did you learn in the past few days," Arad nodded, sucking his sword back into his stomach. "First void form: Initiative. It''s for when I''m not expecting a fight." [First void form: Initiative] In an instant, Arad activated [Infinite void] In the blink of an eye, sending a shockwave to deter anyone close to him. By the time the darkness of the void cleared, he had already teleported away with [Void step] SWOSH! Arad swung his sword down at the other side of the garden with [Void dragon w]. "And I killed the attacker." Jack approached Arad, "That was fast, so you''re trying to be a swordsman?" "No, I''m just trying to take less damage than before." Arad smiled, "So go back. I''m going to perform the second form." Jack jogged back to Alcott and stood watching Arad get into a stance. "Let''s say there is someone who manages to deflect a sword strike from me." Arad opened his mouth in the blink of an eye. [Second void form: Mini roar] CLAP! A burst of dark void shed, causing Jack''s ears to start ringing. "I use my void to absorb the air close to my face, causing it to vibrate loudly to knock the attacker." Arad smiled, "Of course, I would chew their face off if they got close." He clenched his jaw, referring to his werewolf skill. "Or suck their blood off with a neck bite," Arad then swung his sword in a circle around him, [Third void form: ck shield] "The ck haze left after my de when I swing it can still absorb objects into my stomach, so I will use it to absorb arrows and spells." Arad took a deep breath and looked at Alcott. "You can absorb spells?" Jack looked at Arad, confused. "Yeah, I discovered it when I fought a half-purple dragon woman in Rita." Arad smiled. "A half-dragon? I wish I saw her. Those are rare." Jack smiled, "Looking at you, I would have thought you would drag her back home." Arad giggled, "No way, that woman is crazy." He knocked on his head, "Even when we fought, I couldn''t sense a drop of bloodlust from her. She didn''t seem to fear death or care in the least." Arad sighed, "There is no way I''m letting such a crazy woman near my house." "I mean, I did," Alcott looked at Arad, "Ginger wasn''t a nice woman when I dragged her back home." Arad looked at Alcott, "That''s still dangerous." "Most people aren''t born evil. They only need an opportunity to learn to live normally," Alcott smiled, "She only knew humans as cattle. And didn''t want to open up and see the wide world beyond the limit of her castle." Alcott looked at Arad. "But she was still dangerous." Arad looked back at Alcott. "She attacked me right after we walked out of her castle, so I knocked her out." Alcott smiled, "It took her a year of living in a cage with me teaching her about the world to be able to integrate normally." Alcott looked at the sun, "And now, that human killing monster, the unhuman queen of the vampire castle, saved my life." Arad nodded, "Fine. I will drag her back home next time I see her." "You two." Jack sighed, "What do you think she is?" The two looked at him. "If she is stuck in a circle, someone has to pull her out, even if by force." Arad looked at his stats. *** [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 14/20][Exp: d/165000][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Very Young] [20 years.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 4] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 21] [Agility: 22] [Constitution: 24] [Magic: 27] [Intelligence: 24] [Wisdom: 24] [HP: 448/448][MP: 423/469][SP: 390/434] *** ^Let''s put all four points Constitution. I want more HP.^ [Even though you''re fairly durable. But it isn''t a wasted investment.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 0] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 21] [Agility: 22] [Constitution: 28] [Magic: 27] [Intelligence: 24] [Wisdom: 24] [HP: 476/476][MP: 423/469][SP: 390/434] *** ^Only 28 points for four levels?^ [For each two stat points, you get you level in what you spend it on.] Mom exined, [It''s look small because you''re only level 14. But once you will keep getting more HP each time you level up.] HP= [ss HP modifier+ (Con/2)]x level For Arad now: 476= [20+14]x14 Before spending the points it was: 448= [20+12]x14 Chapter 256 Guild Meeting Arad and Jack pushed Alcott back to his home, where Ginger awaited them. "Did you finish today''s training?" "Yeah," Arad replied, "I only did some basic training," He smiled, getting Alcott into the house. Ginger approached them, looking at Jack, "How are you doing? Getting used to your new limbs?" "Yeah, how did you know?" Jack replied, smiling. "We''ve been visiting you for the past five days." Ginger smiled, "Old man Cain is something else." "Of course he is," A voice came from the kitchen, and Merlin walked out. "I was awaiting your arrival." "What are you doing here?" Jack gasped, "Shouldn''t you be working on the heater?" "I''m here to mix Alcott''s medicine. I have more experience in that field," She smiled, showing them the boiling pot. She then cracked her neck, "I also took a big hit trying to stop that meteor. I need some time without magic." "What meteor?" Jack red at Arad, confused. "Sit down. I will get you back up to speed." Arad smiled, sitting beside Alcott. He then started exining what he remembered from the fight. Jack got both confused and scared, "You mean that bone pile didn''t die after I cracked his phctery?" "Lichs are tough. Especially Xaviin. He was a master necromancer in his life." Ginger looked at them, walking back to the kitchen to help Merlin. Jack sighed, "To think Lydia had to finish Xaviin off." Arad smiled, "She recovered in the past days and is back to top shape." He patted Jack''s shoulder, "She''s been going to quests with Aetely, hunting medium monsters like bulldeers and giant spiders." Jack smiled, "I should be back up as well," He cracked his neck, "Let''s take a mission. I want to test my new fingers," Jack crackled his fingers and then looked at them, "But it''s annoying that they aren''t silent." "I''m sure Cain would have a solution for that." Arad smiled, "Let''s test them first and get back to himter," "Don''t take too many risks when you''re testing new things," Alcott said with a smile, looking at them. "You need a safety if they break," "You''re right," Jack nodded, "Let''s take a small quest." Alcott scratched his chin, "I was thinking what type of quest would be effective..." He looked at them, "Did you ever raid a stronghold?" "A stronghold? That doesn''t seem simple." Arad stared at Alcott. Alcott smiled, "Because it isn''t. This isn''t your usual bandit camp or goblin nest. It''s when they are far bigger and organized with tactics." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad looked at Alcott, "So, you''re suggesting we take one down?" Alcott nodded, "They have a lot of enemies and are a good experience grind. Just be careful not to get surrounded." Arad stood, and so did Jack. "We will go to the guild then,e Jack. I''m sure Lydia and Ae are there as well," Arad turned toward the door, and Alcott waved his hand. "Be careful, and drink a lot of water." "I know," Arad smiled, and they left. It didn''t take them long to notice people staring at them in the streets. Words have got around about Jack cracking the lich''s phctery, and they also heard that Arad brawled with the monster. It wasn''t just Arad anymore, the people around him began to change, and people noticed. Thud! Arad stood before the guild''s door, slowly pushing it open and walking in with Jack behind him. The adventurers moved out of the way. "Did you hear? rumors say Alcott is retiring and that Arad taking his ce." An adventurer whispered. "No way, he''s just taking a break to recover," Another one sighed. "Arad!" Abel waved his arm, calling Arad with a smile. He sat on a table beside Merida, Lydia, and Ae faced him. "We''re here. Have a seat." Arad and Jack approached the table and sat down, "Since when you''re here," "I just came here. Those three were here before me." Abel replied, looking at the three girls. Lydia smiled, "Couldn''t you wait for me to visit?" She approached Jack, taking a look at his face. "I don''t want to remain in bed for a long time. I will get out as soon as I can." Jack smiled, "But thanks for worrying about me." BAM! Arad smacked Jack''s back, "You''re still alive and well. I heard the explosion when you used your arm." "Wait! You already tested that thing?" Lydia growled, ring at Jack as if she wanted to kill him. "Can''t you just wait till you''re healed?" "You''re not the one to speak. sting vampires and lichs while half dying," Jack flicked her forehead. "An Oath is something, and you being reckless is something else," Lydia sighed, rubbing her forehead, "I had to do it to save people. You probably st a harmless inanimate object which doesn''t have any merit." Ae looked at Arad, "How about you? How did your training with Alcott go?" "He''s a good instructor," Arad smiled, "I hope we get the items soon though," He sighed. "I asked Merlin and Mira. Apparently, there is ack of supplies." Ae looked at Merida to exin. "Merchants got scared by the dragons and undead, so they put their trips to Alina on hold. It will take more than time to elevate their fear." Merida looked at Arad, "That weird girl is also stuck in the city," "What weird girl?" Arad looked at her. "I''m talking about Roberta. She''s been looking for you." Merida smiled, "She sold all the jewelry and was looking to get more. Apparently, you''re her only supplier of good products now." "Why I wasn''t told anything?" Arad looked at Ae. "She only came this morning," Ae replied, "I told her that she must speak to you for more jewelry." Arad nodded, "Yeah, we should meet her." He smiled, standing up. "But first, let''s check the quests. I want something easy and straightforward." Everyone stood, "Then we will help you look through the quests." Ae smiled. "It doesn''t matter what rank the quest is, does it?" Abel gazed back at the board. "As long as it isn''t an S-rank or an A-rank that Nina think is dangerous," Arad replied. Chapter 257 The Goblins’ Quest Arad stood before the quest board, looking at the hanged papers with a stern look. "Bandits, goblins, treants, find a cat and bull''s testicles again... Even the needed help from the elephant trunk," He sighed, ring back at Abel. "Hoi! We already took care of your quest. Why is this one still up?" Abel looked away, "It''s not my fault a lot of people want to work there. The pay is good, after all." Arad sighed, "Fine, do what you like," He looked at the board, "Ae, what do you think?" "If I was to choose, I would take this," She pulled a quest from the corner. "Goblin nest clearing," She showed Arad the quest. "It''s right between the border with the elves'' kingdom, and I fear the goblins have kidnapped some people." Arad looked at the quest. [Goblin nest] [Arge goblin nest has appeared behind Eldory''s mountain range in a small cave. Several goblin riders, chargers, and even shamans were spotted marching in armed groups of over thirty each. We suspect a goblin king lives there.] [Quest objective 01: Kill all the goblins, and bring the king''s head.] [Quest objective 02: Rescue any hostages the goblins might keep.] [Quest rank: B-rank] [Quest reward: five gold coins for clearing the quest. Five gold coins bonus for the king''s head. And one gold coin for each rescued individual.] [Notes: The goblin shamans use a lot of lightning, fire, and earth magic. They are also experts and creating traps and poisons. The goblin fighters have been spotted rinsing their rusted weapons in their wastes, so don''t get hit. They use multiple poisons synthesized from the native death bellflower.] "Such evil," Lydia put the bandit quest she picked and started at the goblin one, "We must eliminate those things," she growled. "I know, right?" Ae smiled, "We can''t leave them to fester like this," Jack scratched his head, "You, this isn''t a normal B-rank quest," He stared at them, "I bet it was an A-rank but was dropped since no one took it." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Jack is right," Nina approached them, "It''s true that even a C-rank party should be able to clear it with careful nning. It will take an A-rank for a risk-free clear." She sighed. "Apromise between safety and needed skills," Jack scratched his head, looking at Nina, "So, why aren''t the elves taking it?" "The cave is located in ournd, so it''s our problem." Nina looked at Ae, "The goblins are keen on attacking the elves and then escaping back to ournd where they can''t be chased without causing a war." She exined. "That doesn''t make sense," Arad stared at her, "There are goblins, and they need to die. Which part of that will start a war?" "Sending armed people to ournd. It won''t matter how stupid or trivial the reason is. All that is needed is a spark." Nina looked at Arad, "I''m just repeating the guildmaster''s words. It''s not like I understand." "I understand," Ae looked down. "The goblins aren''t smart enough to understand war. They only knew that the elves won''t chase them back to the cave, so they abuse that power." She looked at Arad. "The elves won''t risk going into the humannd without sending a messenger, but that takes time. And even then, the humans would refuse to let the elves in, and say they will take care of it." She looked at Nina, "But they can''t be bothered to waste resources saving elves, so they throw it as a quest and do nothing about it." "So all we need to do is kill everyone there," Arad clenched his fists, [That would be a lot of exp and souls.] "It won''t be that easy," Lydia stared at Arad, "Goblins would kill the hostages or torture them to keep us away. They don''t have morals to live by," She grabbed the hilt of her sword, "As much as I want to drop a smite from god at them, we have to n carefully this time." "And your site doesn''t work on them that well," Jack looked at her. "It''s half as effective against vampires and undead since they are evil but not unholy," Lydia replied. "So, are we taking the quest?" Arad looked around. "I won''t be able to go if it takes more than four days. I do have duties as the lord''s son," Abel dered. "Me as well," Merida lifted her hand, "I can''t if it will take more than a week. I have to take care of the shop and knit some dresses for the nobles." "Hee?" Ae looked at Merida with a smile, "You make noble dresses?" "A certain someone is bing a noble soon, and they are trying to get ready for his party," She red at Arad, "I wonder who it is, sir Arad." "It''s not my fault." Arad stared back at her. Merida sighed, "I''m getting decent traffic thanks to you. Throw one or two more parties for me. It will help my business grow." Lydia sighed, "I heard it''s embarrassing for a noble to show up to a party with clothes he wore to another party before." Merida looked at her, "Yeah, it makes the noble looks poor, and if he wasn''t, then it''s taken as an insult to the host." Ae looked at Arad, "We need to buy new clothes as well." "You can buy as many clothes as you want," Arad replied with a smile, "But don''t bother for the party. I feel like that would be a waste." [I think you should y the noble role if you could. Getting close connections to the other nobles could provide you with valuable information about thends.] "We should still get some." Ae looked at Merida, "I would like to order a set for me and Mira, as well a woman and...Forget it,e to our house and see for yourself." Arad looked at Jack, "Jack, I''m leaving to meet Roberta, so please take care of the registration with Nina." "I can''t do it. I have to buy supplies and antidots for the death bellflower. Let Ae take care of that with Lydia." Jack looked at the two girls. "Of course," Ae smiled. Chapter 258 Secret Stairs Arad walked out of the guild and marched across the street, heading toward the city za where he should find Roberta''s shop. He got there but still could see her anywhere. ^I hate it being active all the time.^ Arad growled inside, bothered by his void eyes stuck active. Right now, he could see mana as a faint blue haze coursing through everyone, which was annoying. He approached one of the shops there and looked at the owner, "Did you see Roberta''s shop anywhere? It could also belong to a man named Geralt." The shop owner lifted his head, ring at Arad''s face for a second before gasping, "The dragon yer!" She stumbled back. Arad sighed, "I''m not Alcott. Can you stop overreacting?" "I''m not!" The shop owner gasped, "After Alcott''s retirement, you''re the one the dragons spoke with!" "Alcott isn''t retiring. He''s recovering from an injury for the time being, and I''m not even holding his ce." Arad looked at the owner, "Can you answer my question." The shop owner sighed, taking a deep breath, "Geralt only set shop here for a few days before switching somewhere else. I don''t know where he''s now." "Do you know someone that might know?" "Go ask in the alcohol shop over there. I saw Geralt stopping by several times. Thest one was yesterday. So they might know." The shop owner pointed at a small building on the other side of the street with arge barrel sigh [Dwarven Spirit] "Thank you," Arad turned around. He walked to the other side of the street and looked at therge wooden door. KNOCK! KNOCK! "I someone here?" "Of course, get in." A loud deep voice boomed from, shaking the door. Arad pushed the door open and walked inside. The alcohol smell quickly hit him like a truck. He pinched his nose, "What is this?" From behind the counter, a short and stout man with arge beard red at Arad,ughing while tapping on his stomach. "The finest beer, wine, alcohols of all shapes." The man jumped from the chair he was using and approached Arad, barely standing to his waist. Arad looked down, "You''re shorter than other people I saw." "Cause I''m a dwarf." The man puffed his arms. His biceps almost tore his shirt off. "We''re stronger than we look." Arad looked at the man, "So, did you see a man named Geralttely? I''m looking for him." The dwarf''s face changed, "Hmm, he buys alcohol from me. I can tell him that you came looking when hees next." Arad noticed the change in the dwarf''s attitude, and his eyes were picking up magic all over the shop. The dwarf was hiding something. Arad bend down and red at the dwarf in the eyes, "Where is he? I can tell something is off," "I don''t know what you''re talking about, or are you just getting drunk off the smell?" The dwarf growled, returning to his seat. "Leave if you aren''t buying anything." Arad looked around, "Fine, I will leave." He walked behind the counter, and the dwarf grabbed him by the arm. "Where do you think you''re going?" "I''m going to see what you''re hiding behind that door," Arad said with a calm voice, dragging the dwarf with him. ^What a raw strength. Who is this man?^ The dwarf couldn''t believe he was being pulled around like a kidtched to an adult''s leg. Thud! Arad grabbed the door''s handle. CLICK! It was locked. "You aren''t getting inside," the dwarf growled. Arad pulled on the handle, veins bulging on his forearm. CRACK! He pulled the whole thing from its hinges. "Ah! I broke it," It was then that the dwarf started sweating. He couldn''t believe his eyes. Such a monster hade, and there was no way to stop him. SWOSH! Locinded on Arad''s shoulder. ~Magic is hiding the ce. I can''t see anything inside.~ Arad red back at the dwarf, "You aren''t just hiding wine inside?" "Leave! It''s for your own good!" The dwarf growled. N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad smiled, "I''m taking a look inside." He walked downstairs into the darkness. After a minute, he started smelling blood. After two minutes, he started hearing screams, and after three minutes the magic surrounding the ce got stronger. He reached the end of the stairs, facing a wooden door. Arad grabbed the handle, but this one opened with ease. CLICK! "Wee, the customer." A butler bowed with his eyes closed as a fancy hallway extended forward. "What are you looking for? The underground arena, the ck auction, or the ck market?" The butler lifted his head and looked at Arad''s face. He started sweating, "Dragon yer!" He gasped, taking a step back as he recognized Arad. "I don''t care about those. I''m looking for a man named Geralt." Arad replied with a stern face. "Yes!" The butler bowed, "Sir Geralt headed to the ck auction with his daughter Roberta." Arad smiled, "Take me there," Thud! The dwarf finally reached the door, "Hoi you!" He growled. The butler red back, "Get back to guarding the door. I will deal with this." Arad wasn''t the kind of person they could just kick out. From all the rumors, and what happened recently, they concluded that he could destroy the whole ce. Their best chance is to treat him with enough respect to keep him from sting the ce away. After a short time, Arad could hear Roberta screaming, "It was a deal, and it''s over." "That''s what I''m saying. I will buy it off you for an extra two gold coins." A man''s voice came after her. "I''m not selling it to you. I already got so move out of the way." Roberta growled. Arad opened the wooden door and walked into the fancy room. He could see Roberta with Gerald behind her facing five men. Roberta froze the moment she saw Arad walk out of the door. The manughed, "You''re scared. You better sell it to us if that''s the case." He pulled a knife, "We could pay you a visitter," The butler started sweating, seeing veins popping on Arad''s face. Thud! Arad grabbed the man''s head. Purple magic flowed from his eyes. Chapter 259 Underground Association The man red at Roberta with a smile, but he saw Arad''s reflection in her eyes at thest second before getting caught. Thud! Arad grabbed the man by his hair, lifting him a foot above the ground. The man started iling his arms and screaming, "Let go of me! You bastard!" Roberta backed away, sweating. She had a hunch that Arad is a dragon, and this man just angered him. This is going to be a bloodbath. CRACK! Arad turned the man to face him, "You''re going to visit whoter?" "Die!" The man swung the dagger at Arad''s face. CLANG! Arad bit the dagger and red at the man. CRACK! Arad''s teeth cut through the steel dagger as he munched on it, "Tasteless," He growled. Tuf! And spat the metal shards into the man''s eyes, blinding him. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! The man screamed his lungs out, his voice only serving to anger Arad further. ^I need Roberta to sell the jewelry. What is this idiot? Saying?^ Anger slowly boiled inside his head, Roberta might have died if he didn''t show up, and that is uneptable. What if this was Ae or Mira? VROOOM! A loud rumbling boomed from Arad''s chest as he swung his arm, ripping the hair out of the man''s hair, and elerating him toward the door. The man could feel his head getting pulled up and his spine cracking from the contraction. But he quickly lost consciousness as blood pooled in his legs. CRACK! The man''s body flew right through the door, breaking it and hitting the stairs with a loud crack, sending dust into the air as blood trailed down. The butler and the guards who just came froze in ce. They could never expect to see a man''s body move like that. One of them approached the man and touched him. He was dead. Arad threw the man so hard that he almost pulled the spine off. The guards looked at his hands, terrified. Such power was no joke. The butler looked at Arad. ^We shouldn''t anger the dragon yer more than this. We need to get on his good side.^ "Sir, please rx. We will clean the mess, so you don''t have to worry." The butler smiled and rubbed his hands together, ring at the guards to take the man away and prepare a private room for Arad and Roberta. "You two seem to know each other," He smiled, "Did sir Arad need something that we can provide?" Roberta looked back, seeing her father smiling in the back. "Just send us a drink, and we will deal with it." Geralt smiled, approaching Arad. The butler rushed out of the room. He couldn''t ask for a better excuse to get away from that killing machine. "How are you doing, youngd." extending his hand. Arad smiled, shaking Gerald''s hand. "I''m doing well. I heard she wanted to meet me, so I came searching for you." Roberta sighed in relief, seeing Arad smile. For a moment she thought he was going to kill everyone. ^I''m almost certain Arad is a dragon. I can''t offer him anything that he can take by force. I should make sure that he sees us below him, and avoid making him look stupid or in the wrong. That''s how people get killed by dragons, and we won''t be one of them." Inside the private room, Arad faced Roberta and Gerald. "How did the jewelry sale go?" Arad asked with a smile. Roberta smiled, "We got a great reception. The sales made thirty gold coins. Three times what we initially thought." She pulled out a small sack containing Arad''s money and put it on the table. She had been keeping it ready in case he showed up. Arad looked at the money, "So, the sales are good, and the jewelry is in demand?" Roberta smiled, "Of course." Stay calm, don''t offer a thing. Offer a service. "As long as you provide me with more, I should be able to sell them for a profit." "Of course. I have way more to give you." Arad smiled, looking around, "By the way. What were you two doing here?" Gerald smiled, "The trade routes are close indefinity because of the dragons and undead." He looked at Arad, "And we needed some goods to sell. We came here to see if we could find something cheap or exotic in the auction to buy and resell." "That man knew the good we bought could be resold for a profit and wanted to take it away." Roberta looked at Arad, "Thanks for dealing with him." Arad scratched his head, "Sorry, I ended up killing him." "Don''t worry. This isn''t the kind of ce the guards wille look in." Roberta smiled, ^Not that you should care, dragon.^ "You two might find this ce useful." Gerald smiled, pulling a paper from underneath the table. "Here they have the ck auction, where you can find people bidding on rare things. The ck market where they see illegal things, and the underground fighting arena, where people seek fame fighting monsters or other people." Arad looked at the paper. *** n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The butler rushed through the hallway after making sure the tea is headed toward Arad''s room. He wanted to inform the mistress of the underground association about this incident. He finally stooped by arge ck door. Knock! Knock! "This is me, Jin." "What is it?" A voice came from inside the room, and Jin pushed the door open and bowed to the blonddy sitting behind her desk. "The dragon yer has shown up in the third section of the auction. Right now he''s upied by the customer Gerald and his daughter Roberta." The butter slowly lifted his head, looking at her face. "Alcott is injured. He shouldn''t be walking." She red at the butler with doubt, "And Alcott won''t mind this kind of activity." The butler shook his head, "Please forgive me, Mistress. I have exined it wrong. I''m talking about the new dragon yer. Arad Orion. One fabled to reach s-rank soon. He already killed one of the customers for threatening Roberta." The woman''s face froze, shing bright red. "Arad?" She gasped, standing up, "What is he doing here? Thest time I saw him was at my brother''s establishment." Chapter 260 Confrontation Sara stood, about to go see Arad herself. She looked down, and her clothes looked decent enough for a meeting. "I will speak to him personally. You make sure no one gets in his way." "I already did that. Everything should be fine as long as he doesn''t look for troubles." The butler bowed. ^I saw his strength and temper firsthand. I don''t want him killing anyone else.^ "AYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" They heard a happy cry fill the hallway. "Someone invaded the Arena! Who is the new challenger? Will he be a new food for our monster?" It was thementer from the Arena. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Sara felt a chill down her spine. Right now the Basilisk fight was taking ce. Only her brother and Arad are stupid and strong enough to jump in. "Follow me to the VIP room. I bet that him," Sara rushed out, running till she reached the VIP room, panting as she looked from the balcony. She was right. Arad was standing between the Basilisk and the man it was fighting. Sara felt her head pounding. She looked at Arad, smiling, "He isn''t getting petrified." She gasped. The man behind Arad was already a stone. *** A few moments earlier, Arad finished his talk with Roberta and was about to leave. "LET ME GOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He heard a scream in the distance, stopping in his track. "Did you hear that?" Arad looked at Roberta and Gerald. "Heard what? The monster growing in the Arena?" Gerald looked at Arad, "Want to go watch the fight?" "I don''t like those," Roberta sighed, "People might die," Arad closed his eyes and listened. He could hear the monster roaring, but there were some words in there. "WHY ARE YOU RUNNING!" BAM! Arad ran across the hallway, leaving Roberta and Gerald in the dust as they tried to catch him. He could see a faint light at the end. Thud! Running into the light, Arad found himself running down a stadium filled with people cheering as they looked at arge ring in the middle. BAM! He jumped, skipping everyone and falling straight into the middle of the ring, right between arge lizard and a half-petrified man. The crowd went silent, ring at the bizarre event. CREEK! The man was fully petrified, and Arad red at the giant lizard. The giant lizard, the basilisk stopped moving and red back at Arad. "You were screaming a lot," Arad said with a smile, and the basilisk roared at the top of its lungs. Sara started sweating. "He''s the real deal. He isn''t getting petrified even though they are ring at each other eyes. *** The basilisk red at Arad, confused. ^Who is this human? It doesn''t matter. Gets petrified. I need food.^ [Petrefying Gaze] At that moment, the basilisk could feel it. The immense presence standing in front of him. Like a ghostly figure, he could Arad''s draconic form standing behind him as that was what he tried to petrify. ^A dragon? It''s him. I felt his aura before. The dragon ruled thisnd.^ Before getting captured, the basilisk lived in Alina''s forest, and he recognized Arad''s draconic aura. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!" The basilisk roared, shaking the whole arena. "Calm down. I don''t know how to do that now." Arad replied with a smile. He was the only one understanding the basilisk''s words. Thud! Arad and the basilisk started circling around, ring at each other. Arad was the first to stop moving, and he looked at the petrified man. "That''s an amazing ability." Arad smiled and looked back at the basilisk. "Will you work for me? I need someone strong to guard a house." The crowd got confused even more, hearing Arad speaking with an unintelligent monster. The basilisk weighed his options, either remain here, starving, and fighting for a single bite every now and then. Or serve the dragon ruling thend, the choice was obvious. The basilisk lowered its head, standing down. Arad approached the basilisk and patted its head, "Good, let''s head back inside where no one can see us. I will feed you there." Arad walked the basilisk back to the gate where it came from, and they walked all the way to its cage, away from the crowd. BAM! Arad dropped a yeti that he hunted in the mountains for the basilisk to eat. "Eat well, I need you to remain strong." He couldn''t wait to put it at the garden door in his house. Or have it act as a guard for Mira when she wants to get out of the forest. The basilisk started munching on the yeti corpse, and Sara came rushing across the hallway with ten armed men. "Arad!" Arad froze, ring back, "Sara? What are you doing here?" Sara stopped, panting, "That''s my question. What are you doing here?" The two looked at each other. "Master, should I petrify them? But, note that I already tried that woman, and I can''t turn her into stone." The basilisk growled, but Arad understood its words. "I came here looking for Gerald and Roberta, merchants. I did find them but heard this one crying when I was about to leave, so I came to check." Arad smiled, pointing back at the basilisk. "A-rank monster, the basilisk. They are dangerous creatures due to their ability to petrify people and their jaws that can crush stones." Sara looked at the basilisk and got even more terrified seeing a yeti''s corpse on the ground. "Where did you get that?" Arad looked at the yeti corpse, "I was on a walk with Ae in the mountains, and he screamed at us. So I killed him." Arad smiled. But that didn''t answer Sara''s question about how did it get here. "Ahem," she cleared her throat. "To answer your question. I own this ce. The arena, the ck market, and auctions are all businesses that I created. Simply so such activities could be monitored by the lord''s house, instead of foreign hands." Arad looked at the basilisk. "I''m taking this one with me. How much is it?" Sara could feel her skin crawl and her knees shaking. Her stomach turned as she struggled to open her mouth. Her devil instinct told her this wasn''t a negotiation. Chapter 261 Why Is The Cursed Metal So Hard To Get? "You can take it. I can even get some people to deliver it safely to any location you want." Sara said with a smile, shaking inside. ^I rode on his back, and I know how fast he can get.^ Sara looked at Arad, grinning to hide her nervous face. ^At this distance, we''re all inside his striking range. He could kill us before we could fight back.^ Sara could feel a hard lump in her throat as her stomach felt as heavy as a stone. ^His hand might as well be choking my neck,^ Arad smiled, approaching Sara, "Do you know where I live?" Sara stayed frozen. ^He never told me where he lives. Is this a trick question? He would expect that I heard from brother, won''t he?^ Arad saw her silent. He looked closer at her face, "You look a bit sick. Go rest a bit, and send the basilisk to my house in the forest, the danger zone. Abel should know the way." Sara snapped back to reality and nodded, "Of course. Is there anything else I could help you with here?" "Not really. I was only looking for Roberta." Arad smiled. [There is one thing you can ask her for.] Sara was about to leave, but Arad stopped her. Grabbing her by the wrist. "Wait, there is something I was looking for." Sara almost pissed herself at the sudden touch. "W-what is it?" she couldn''t help but stutter. "There is this cursed metal I was looking for. It glows green and kills people who get close to it." Arad started exining, and Sara quickly calmed down. But she got worried. "It had many names, and most schrs quickly dismissed it." Sara looked at Arad with a stern face. "Cursed Iron, green death, unholy steel, or even the rot stone. Even dispelling magic, curses, or holy purification couldn''t make it safe to handle." "Can you get it?" Arad looked at her, and she made a hard face. "I can, but it''s not easy," She would say impossible to anyone else but won''t to Arad. "The problem is?" Arad tilted his head. "Finding it, having someone willing to sell, and then transporting it." Sara looked at Arad, "It isn''t easy to move something you can''t get close to." "Won''t magically enchanted things help?" Arad could imagine them keeping the thing in a magic box or a bag. Sara shook her head, "No, people tried, and it ended badly." She looked at Arad, "There was a schr who put the metal in a bag of holding to transport it. That was sessful, but guess where the problem started." "Where did it start?" Arad looked around. "That death thing the metal has, it umted and got released at once when he opened the bag, causing every living being in a one-mile radius to rot alive." Sara looked at Arad, "I would kill all of Alina if I did that," "So, our only solution is to slowly move it traditionally." Arad scratched his head. "Then we should find arge quantity and move it at once." Sara looked at Arad, wishing she couldugh without him killing her. "Sorry, but that would be a bigger problem." She closed her eyes, "Another schr gathered a bit too much and was experimenting with it, around two kilograms." She looked at Arad again, "Guess what happened." "A lot of people died," Arad replied, guessing it was like thest time. "It exploded, throwing the whole city into the sky. And after that, a ck rain of ash and dust fell, carrying the metal''s curse. Till this day, life cannot start in that ce." Sara approached Arad, "I don''t know who is angry at that metal, but if it isn''t god, I don''t know who. It''s better to stay away from it forever." Arad sighed, "Fine, just tell me where I can find it. I do need quite a bit for something." "Listen. I will do my best to get you at least a tenth of a kilogram sample. Please wait, and be patient." Sara looked at Arad, smiling. She can''t let him bring a lot to the city, and end destroying it. "You will bring some? Are you sure?" Arad looked at her, worried she might kill herself or someone else. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Don''t worry. I can get a team of experts on board to safely get you what you asked for." She smiled. "ARAD!" Roberta cried, finally catching up to him with her father Gerald. "Roberta! You followed me," Arad looked behind Sara, seeing Roberta panting. "You suddenly ran off. Why did you interrupt the fight?" She sighed, barely standing straight. Thud! Arad patted the basilisk behind him, "I took a liking to this one," Gerald stepped before Roberta, ring at the basilisk, "Are you sure it''s safe?" "It won''t attack anyone. None of you has turned into stone yet, right?" They all looked at each other and smiled. "You''re right," Sara sighed in relief. Everyone rxed except Roberta who started sweating buckets. ^Dragon are high lizards. They could dominate lesser ones like basilisks, drakes, and more. He''s a true dragon, and there is no other exnation!^ Arad rubbed the basilisk''s head, and looked at Sara, "Please deliver it to my house safely and quickly. But let it finish eating this first." Arad then walked away, letting the two girls stare at his back. The moment he walked around the corner, Sara fell on her knees, sighting. "That was stress full," Roberta sat beside her, "You better do it," She looked at Sara. "I know. I saw him fight first-hand. I''m not going to risk making him an enemy." Sara was scared as she knew how powerful Arad could get, while Roberta became more certain Arad was a dragon. *** Ae walked into the guild, approaching Nina''s desk, "Nina, is what Jack said right?" Nina nodded with a serious face, "Yes, we got a message confirming it. The goblins raided another elf vige five days ago. You have to hurry," Chapter 262 S-Rank Power Ranking Ae stared at Nina, gulping. "We can get there quickly?" Nina nodded, "I will rmend you ask Arad about that. Carriages and horses aren''t fast enough." CRACK! The guild door opened, and Arad walked in, Jack strolling behind him. "You two,e here." Nina waved her palm, calling them. She pulled arge map and showed it to Arad, "How long do you think it will take you to get there?" She asked. It usually takes weeks to reach the border between the humans and elves. No matter how fast someone could try, it could take over a month to travel. Nina lifted her head and looked at Arad''s face. "Running at full speed and with stamina potions. I could get there in a day." Arad froze in ce. Seeing the distance, it could take him at least five days to fly there without hurting Ae on his back. "You can run that fast?" "I won''t say run, but jump." Nina smiled, "We barbarians aren''t smart enough to throw a rock at birds when we see them. We instead try to jump high enough to catch them. I got Jack back from your house to the city in a single leap." Nina wasn''t joking. It wasn''t that Arad cannot win against her in a fight. He couldn''t even run away. Arad imagined himself flying into the sky, running from Nina. And she jumped into the clouds and caught him by the tail. The great wyrms said she could kill one or two of them before dying, so she must at least match their speed. "Say, how strong are youpared to Alcott and the other S-rank?" Arad looked at Nina, and everyone in the guild gasped, opening their ears to listen. "I''m ranked pretty high between the s-ranks. But I won''t say I''m the strongest by any means. The ranks are changing by the day, but I would say Alcott is in the top twenty while I''m in the top ten." she smiled. "Who is ranked number one?" Jack asked. "A half-devil, half-dragon necromancer named Gray Lisworth. And the second is a human spell sword that goes by the nickname ape. The third is the elves'' spirit king, Grant. And the fourth is the wind devil, albeit he rarely shows up, but the words are that he''s a little kid that always wears a mask to avoid the chains of hell. I would say he''s a warlock." Nina stated some of the strongest S-rank she knows, and whom she thinks are far stronger than her. "Are they stronger than world powers?" Arad asked with a serious face. "World powers? Where did you hear of that?" Nina red at Arad. "The dragons," He replied with a straight face. "The world powers are in another league. It would take the top S-rank banding together to take down one of them. The strongest of them is the demon lord Kayden Daimon, who runs an orphanage chain across the whole world. Please don''t attempt to fight that man. He''s generally a pacifist and won''t fight unless provoked." Nina grabbed Arad''s shoulders, "Don''t even think about fighting them. Just focus on growing stronger and reaching S-rank first. Everythinges in its time," Arad smiled, "Don''t worry about me. I''m not stupid enough to start a fight that I can''t win." Arad looked at the map, "Can I take this? We need something to guide us." "Of course, I brought this for you." Nina smiled, rolling the map and handing it to Arad. She then looked back at Jack. "Did you get everything you might need?" Jack smiled, hitting Arad in the stomach, "And I got him to carry everything, let''s go kill some goblins." "The party consists of Arad, the leader sorcerer. Ae, the ranged archer. Jack, the trapper rogue. And Lydia, the frontline pdin." Nina stamped the papers and put them inside her desk. "Please be careful, goblins might be weak individually, but they can wipe an A-rank party in seconds in groups, especially inside their nest and with their traps." Nina smiled. Arad looked behind him, "People are calling me dragon yer, but that belongs to Alcott. Can you call me goblin yer after this quest?" "Ranking yer!" "Sense yer!" Some adventurers shouted,ughing, "Just be careful, Alina''s star." Another one of them smiled, lifting his mug, "Goblins are green little bastards. A toast to the sess of this mission." *** Arad, Ae, Jack, and Lydia headed through the city streets. They will go to Arad''s house first, then fly from there to the borders. "Let''s go check on L''s shop. She did tell me she got some saddles," Ae looked at Arad with a smile. She wasn''t going to sit on a rug on his back for the whole trip. CLING! Arad opened L''s shop door, walking inside with a smile, "Mother L, are you here?" He asked. "Arad, I''m here," L replied with a smile as she stood behind the counter, facing another customer. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad blinked twice, seeing the strange man. The man stood taller than Arad, but much more thinner. Sutures covered his topless body as if he was grafted from several humans. His short white hair glowed under the light as his red eyes looked at L with a smile. "This vase, it looks nice," The man held a vase, showing it to L, "How much is it?" "Five silver coins," L replied. The man smiled, putting the money on the counter. "I will take it. Do you have anything else?" L pointed at the shelves, "Take a look there and pick whatever you want," The man turned around, "Please excuse me," He walked past Arad and started ring at the shelves, humming. Arad looked at him for a second before turning to talk with L. Lydia red at the man, disgusted, "I smell the dead from you," She growled, grabbing the hilt of her sword. The man stopped, looking at her, smiling, "I''m a necromancer, after all. Sorry if I was stinking. Are you a pdin?" Arad, Jack, and Ae froze. They knew Lydia could snap at any second, smiting the man. "You''re awfully rxed for a necromancer facing a pdin." Lydia red at the man. The man tilted his head, "Only hay fear fire. I don''t have anything to hide. I''m but a schr who studies the dead." CLING! Lydia pulled her sword. She can''t put a blind eye to a necromancer, especially after what happened with Xaviin. "I only came here to visit my dad and beautiful younger sister." The man lifted his long arms, "Smite me if you want. I don''t want to cause trouble." Chapter 263 I Need Saddles The strange man red at Lydia with glowing red eyes, "Come on, try smiting me." He smiled, "I will let you get a hit in," "Lydia, calm down." Arad stood between them, "I don''t sense any malic or bloodlust from him. And we''re in L''s shop." Lydia stared at Arad and then at L, "Sacrifices must be made," She growled, and her sword burst into golden mes. The man smiled, "Well then, let me show you something," He lifted his palm, igniting it with holy mes and staring at Lydia with a smile, "I can also use divine smite." CLING! The holy mes faded from Lydia''s de as she sheathed it, "Damn you! Say that earlier," She sighed. "A quick change," Jack stared at her. "Evil people will never be able to use divine smite," Lydia looked at Jack, "He''s a good one since he can use it." The manughed, "I study undead to learn how to counter them." "Fighting fire with fire," Lydia smiled, "Dedication to good light cannot be underestimated when one has to dip in the filth of evil firsthand." The man nodded, "Lady L," He looked back, "How much is this tea set? And this ornament old robe?" "Ten and nine silver, respectively," L replied with a smile, and the man took them, paying on the spot. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "See youter. I do want to check on my dad," The man walked out of the door, leaving everyone stunned for a second. It''s not every day they meet a good necromancer. "So, what brought you to me?" L looked at Arad with a smile. "Well, we are going on a trip and need saddles. Big ones." Arad said, scratching his head, "My scales are hard and painful to sit on for a long time," "Well, I''m sure that two ox saddles would fit you nicely. Let''s hope we don''t need elephant ones." She giggled. "What do you think I am?" Aradughed, resting his fists on his hip. "It depends on the thickness of your neck, but I will get it done in a second." She pulled a ledger and looked at it, "I don''t have ones here, but I can send you to someone who has." "Thank you, it will help." Arad smiled. Ae looked at L, "By the way, how did that thing go?" L blinked for a second, "I was trying to keep it a surprise," She looked at Arad, "Your armor is ready," She smiled, closing the ledger and heading to the back rooms. After a few minutes, she came back dragging arge stand with a suit of armor. "It''s quite light but durable." L said, showing the red and purple armor to Arad, "A scale mail made from the red dragon scales mixed with your yours. The effects are magic resistance, fire resistance, and cold resistance. It''s also quieter than it looks, so you can still sneak in it." Arad looked at the armor. It looked beautiful. "But, I''m wearing my scales." "Moreyers are always better. You wanted to take less damage, right?" L smiled, and Arad sucked the armor into his stomach. "I also managed to get this," She pulled a medium-sized crate and opened it. "Fire quiver can add a temporary fire attribute to arrows. And this one here is shadow eye made by dusting your scales on a pair of ck sses. It grants some night vision." Ae took the quiver while Jack took the sses, "Nice, I didn''t expect you to have some left." "I hired someone efficient as the materials are rare toe by." L scratched her cheek, "Ableit it cost a fortune," she looked away. "How much?" Arad looked at her. "Fifteen gold coins for the armor, four for the quiver, and four and fifty silver coins for the sses. A total of twenty-three gold coins and fifty silver." "Fine by me," Arad smiled, "Here is the money," He pulled the gold coins from his stomach and handed them to L. "Don''t forget to ask Mira for money if you needed more. She has ess to it back home." "There is no need," L waved her hand, "But I will ask if I needed," she smiled. "So, what about the saddles?" Jack looked at L, "I don''t want to start a mission with back pain," "Ah!" L opened the ledger again, "There is this shop called Leather Works of Dodori. They make leather shoes, Jackets, and saddles. I will give you an order by my name so they won''t suspect you''re the one using the saddles." L pulled a paper and started writing a letter. "Do you think they would have saddles ready?" Arad looked at her. "Of course, They always have a lot in stock." L smiled, "Here you go, give it to them and pay what they ask for. If you felt it to be expensive, tell them that I would pay, and I would haggle the priceter." "How much should I expect?" "Around fifty silver for a low-quality one. A decent one would go for around one gold coin and twenty silver. A premium one can reach upward of two gold coins. Those arerge ox saddles, after all." L looked at Arad, "For your purpose, I would suggest low quality for Lydia as she''s wearing te armor and won''t feel a difference. Medium quality for Jack and the best for Ae." "No, I would get the best for everyone then." Arad nodded. "I don''t really mind a low-quality one." Lydia looked at Arad, "As L said, it won''t matter." "I would buy it so you can switch seats with ease. I don''t want everyone to start thinking about it too much." Arad decided to buy the best. ^I also intend to carry Mira on my back, and probably Tina as well so I need all seats to be suitable.^ L handed the letter to Arad, and they walked out heading to the Dodori leather works. Therge shop was built right behind the adventurers guild, close to the city horse shop. Arad pushed the wooden door, "Excuse me, is someone here?" "I''m here. Did you need something?" Arad heard a woman''s voice, but he couldn''t see anyone. "Where are you?" He took a step forward and tripped on something falling on his nose. "Aw!" The woman''s voice cried, "Be careful, idiot!" Chapter 264 The Halfling Store Owner Arad rolled on the ground, staring around him to see a strange scene. A woman no taller than Ae''s tighs withrge hands, feet, and long ears red at him. "Ya stupid snot, look carefully before walking." She red at Arad. Arad stood and looked down, she barely reached above his knees. "What are you? A dwarf elf?" Arad asked, looking at her. "I''m a halfling. We''re called that since we''re half a human height most of the time." The woman wiped the dust from her clothes and walked toward the counter, jumping above her chair. "So, what do you need?" Arad pulled the letter from his pocket and handed it to her, "Three saddles," The woman looked at the letter and scratched her head, "Well, I do have some ready. But I would much rather have a look at the oxs so I can tailor them to size." She looked at Arad, "Is that possible?" Arad blinked for a moment, "No, we''re supposed to deliver them to the client in a farawaynd." He replied and looked at Jack for help. Jack smiled, "Lady, it won''t matter as long as it slightly fit." The woman looked at them, and jumped from her chair, "Don''tin to meter," She walked toward the back door and dragged three saddles out. "One gold ny silver per one. If you needed them tunedter, you have to pay me twenty silver coins per saddle." Arad smiled, "Fine by me," The woman looked at Arad for a second, "L needs to give you a real beating." "What?" Arad got confused, ring at her. "Learn to haggle, Buffon. And those are the medium quality. I can''t believe she sent you without showing what good ones look like." The woman sighed, dragging the saddles to the back and bringing another three. From a single nce, Arad could tell those ones are made of better material and had a tighter craftsmanship. "One gold eighty silver coins now per saddle, and twenty for the tuningter." She looked at Arad, "Next time bring an expert." Arad looked at the saddles, and then at the woman. "You were testing me?" The woman climbed on her desk and picked up her smoke pipe, lighting it and taking a deep sip, "L said you''re marrying Mira soon. I can''t scam you in our first meeting." "You scam people?" Arad stared at her. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I scam dumb people who avoided learning how to haggle." She smiled, "Take your saddles and leave, of course, leave the money here." Arad smiled, paying her, "Thank you for the saddles, I will bring them back if they needed tunning." "Thank you for your patronage," The woman smiled, waving her hand as they left. *** CLING! Gray pushed the shop''s door open, looking at the beautiful vases and flowers, "Dad! I''m back," He said with a smile. Cain smiled behind his counter, "It''s been a while since youst visited, Gray." "I sensed a necrotic surge around here and wanted to have a look. How are you doingtely?" Gray asked with a smile, approaching Cain. "I''m doing better than before. My bones stopped rattling." Cain smiled, flicking his finger and pulling two wooden chairs for him and Gray to sit on. Gray sat down and looked back. He could feel Jemima''s aura in the back, "Lady Jemima, d to see you doing well. Do you know where sister Sena is?" He smiled. Jemima walked from the back door and stared at him, "Why don''t you ask her?" Thud! Sena grabbed Gray by the head, "You can tell I''m here, can''t you?" "No, I can''t," Gray giggled, "You can always sneak up on me," "What if I can? You never try around us. It''s annoying." Sena growled, "You know I don''t like that," "What are you saying," Gray turned to look at her face, "I can''t even if I tried. There is a reason you''re staying here with Dad," Sena red at him, "Well, you''re right," she sighed. "Come on, you two, you always fight." Cain smiled, looking at them, "I remember how excited Gray was when Sena was born. And I do remember how you looked up to him." He looked at them. "That''s right," Gray closed his eyes and looked at his father, "So, dad. What is that void dragon deal? I can kill him if he''s an annoyance." "No need, leave him alone," Cain looked at Gray, "Unless you want Sena to kill you right away, you know she''s able to." Gray froze, almost turning into stone, as he red back at Sena, "I''m going to skin that bastard," He stood, growling. CRACK! Sena punched Gray in the face, knocking him to the ground. "Mind your own business!" *** Arad and the rest reached his house, stopping by the garden gate as Mira and Tina came to greet them, "Arad! You''re back," Mira rushed out. Tina walked out of the door and bowed slightly, "Master Arad, wee home." Arad walked forward, "We aren''t staying for long. We have an urgent goblin-ying quest. And we need to move." "Really?" Mira sighed, "And I thought you would stay home longer." "We will return quickly. I can fly, you know." "I know," Mira sighed, and then looked at Arad, "By the way, you got something from Merlin this morning." She smiled, running back inside and bringing a box. Arad opened the box, to see arge dark cloak and a small quiver. "Those are the items Merlin worked on," He smiled, showing the box to Jack and Ae. Jack took the cloak and put it on, while Ae took the quiver and strapped it next to her fire one. "The cloak should make you invisible for a short time, while the quiver has arge storage to hold arrows." Arad smiled, opening his palm and dropping hundreds of arrows from his stomach for Ae to use. She picked the arrows, filling her fire quiver and then putting the rest into the storage one. "With this, I can have a faster ess to arrows." Before, she used to take arrows form Arad when her quiver runs dry, but that wasn''t an option mid fight. Chapter 265 Taking Flight Toward The Goblins SWOSH! Arad transformed into his draconic form andid down so Ae and Jack could strap the saddles on the back of his neck. Mira walked out of the house with two wooden chairs stacked, "Use those," She smiled, looking at Jack and Ae. The two slowly strapped the saddles on Arad''s back, making sure to tighten everything so they won''t fall. This won''t be a short trip, and they would spend the better part of the day on Arad''s back "I finished here," Jack waved his hand, "The straps were a bit too long, so I cut them down," He handed Ae his dagger, "Cut them on your end as well." As Jack and Ae strapped Arad, Lydia went through everything that they might need, counting and making sure they stored it safely in Arad''s stomach. "Everything is ready," Lydia looked at Arad, lifting a thumb. Jack and Ae responded the same way. "He''s all strapped down," Jack smiled. Arad stood, stretching his neck as he activated the gravity magic to make sure no one would fall from his back. "I''m all set, get on," He lowered his right wing so they could climb easily. "Jack, you sit in the front," Lydia said, pointing at the front saddle. "Why me?" Jack looked back at her with a smile, "I won''t mind, though." "Shouldn''t Ae be in the front?" Arad turned his head, staring at them. "We will use him as a windshield." Lydia replied with a straight face, "I see," Arad smiled, "Hoi! Wait!" Jack stared at Lydia, "Ah! Fine, Arad''s head should be big enough to block the wind," They climbed and sat on their saddles. Jack is in the front, followed by Lydia and then Ae. "Well then, take care. We could be back in a week or more," Arad said, staring at Mira and Tina. "Take care, and be careful. I hear those goblins are dangerous." Mira looked at Arad with a worried face. "Stay safe, Master Arad. Lady Ae," Tina bowed. "Don''t worry. I can always blow them all out with a single breath. Dragons are a bigger problem than goblins." Arad smiled. CREEK! A long sunflower grew, reaching Arad''s face. "Goblins have killed more strong people than history care to note. I saw ten A-rank parties getting wiped by them on my back alone." Loci said with a serious voice, ring at Jack, Lydia, and Ae. Thud! The fairy sat on Arad''s nose, looking at his eyes. ~And I doubt they grew to be such a big problem on their own. Someone might be behind the goblins guiding them.~ She said with a smile. "I understood. I won''t take them lightly." Arad nodded, expanding his wings as he got ready to fly. FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! Arad pped his wings and took to the sky, quickly rising above the clouds. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Cold!" Jack gasped, covering his body with his cloak. He stared back, "You two aren''t feeling it?" Lydia smiled, "We aren''t the windshield," "Arad, fly toward the sun. I want some heat." Jack looked at Arad''s head. "It won''t matter. The wind is what cools you down." Arad lifted his head a bit. "But I can do this," A gentle me ignited between Arad''s horns, sending a gust of warm wind toward Jack. "AHH!" Jack sighed, "This feels way better. Who knew youe with a heater?" "Careful, you might get burned," Arad released a small gust of mes at Jack''s face, burning the tips of his eyebrows. They flew till nightfall and then camped in the forest. Arad picked a dangerous spot filled with monsters so they won''t get attacked by bandits. On the second day of the trip, Arad stopped midflight, hovering in ce. "Jack, is a white carriage important?" "What? What kind of white carriage?" Jack looked at Arad, as did Ae and Lydia. "I can''t see it that well. It''s far on the horizon," Arad replied, pointing with his w. Arad and Ae tried to look, but they didn''t see anything. Arad''s vision was far better than theirs. "Most people don''t bother painting their carriages. So I say a noble or a merchant," Jack replied, making a guess. "A merchant..." Arad remembered when he saved Roberta. They might pay him some gold if he saved them. Arad looked back at Jack, "You three wait here. I will go take a look at them." "You want to help them?" Lydia looked at Arad, "I will go with you." "I won''t help them for free. They would have to pay," He floated down. "We pdins don''t ask for rewards when helping someone on our own. Meaning I can''t go with you?" Lydia tilted her head. Confused by what he implied. "That''s it," Arad shifted into his human form, "I will be back in a second." "You''re going in human form?" Ae looked at him. "I want to test my sword skills. And I don''t feel like relying on my draconic powers all the time." He remembered how many times he got close to death. ^It isn''t because my enemies were strong, and it wasn''t because I was unlucky. It''s because I''m weak. I can''t control to tame my own powers.^ Arad took a deep breath, ring in the direction of the carriage. BAM! He sted forward, running as fast as he could. *** CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Steel shed with iron as blood sshed across the green grass. The knights lifted their shields, blocking the heavy attack ofrge yellow and ck tigers. Bandits rushed around pulling their crossbows back and aiming, the bolts flying like lightning sparks. "We lost one! Kill the tigers," A knight, wearing full te armor growled, swinging his greatsword and cleaving one of the bandits in half. "It''s useless captain. They outnumber us! We can''t get to the elves at this rate." BAM! The carriage door kicked open, and a blue-haired woman in her early twenties walked out, pulling a thin sword from her waist. SWOSH! She swung the de, cutting the side of her massive skirt so she could move better. Some of the knights and bandits tried to sneak a look, but she was wearing brown short pants with ted steel. "Someone is trying to prevent us from reaching elves. We need to push through at all costs." ROAR! A tiger lunged forward, leaping at the young woman with its jaw wide open. "Your Highness," the knight captain screamed. The woman shifted her gaze. CRACK! In a single swift move, and with a passive face, she kicked the tiger with her heel beneath the jaw. [Freeze] CRACK! The tiger head turned into ice and exploded from the impact. Chapter 266 Summoned Tigers THUD! The tiger''s corpse fell to the ground, and the woman red at it. "Rn, we need to retreat. We don''t have enough power to push n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om through them," ^We need to retreat now and attackter. This is the only way we can push forward,^ She thought. Even with her fighting, they are far outnumbered. Roar! Another tiger lunged at her, and she swung her sword to kill it. BAM! BAM! Two bandits fired their bolts at her simultaneously. ^Their n is annoying. Have the tigers attack, and prevent us from defending or reacting by shooting bolts.^ CLANG! CLANG! The woman deflected the bolts flying at her back and side and then tried to dodge the tiger paw. SLASH! Blood sshed as the tiger''s ws hit her shoulder. She stepped back and looked at the monster. CREEK! Ice froze her wound shut, "I need a shielder to watch my back. I can''t dispatch the tigers alone." "Our hands are full!" The shielders cried, there were more tigers prowling around, and leaving their spots could mean an instant loss. The woman lifted her sword, "Fine, I will do it alone." She looked at the tiger approaching her while keeping an ear on the other bandits. She listened for the moment their crossbows fire. As her concentration rose, she could feel something immense approaching. For a moment, she thought someone fired arge spell at her back. CLAP! Arad jumped from the trees, swinging his sword down at full force. [Void dragon w] With crescent darkness, Arad''s sword cleaved the tiger from head to tail. BOOM! Arge shockwave exploded as the steel met the bones, cracking the ground beneath Arad''s foot as he used his full weight. The woman felt a sharp pain in her ears, followed by a loud ringing. She red at Arad''s back with blurred vision, seeing him bend forward, and take a deep breath. She could see his armor shift as the muscles on his back tightened. Arad exhaled, the veins on his arms and neck bulging as he looked at All the tigers. ^Good, exactly eight left,^ He tightened his grip so the sword would be as sharp as possible. "Action Surge," Arad mumbled. VROOOOM! BAM! He disappeared from the woman''s vision as a cloud of dust exploded, followed by a loud boom that rattled her guts. With eight swings, Arad cleaved the other tigers in the blink of an eye. Sending a loud shockwave as he moved and sliced with [Void dragon w] The woman red in shock, seeing Arad drift on one leg after the massacre, his eyes focused behind her. She turned and saw several bandits aiming their bows at him. BAM! BAM! BAM! They fired. Arad took a deep breath. [Third void form: ck shield] Arad spun his de, creating a ck circle that absorbed the bolts into his stomach. ^What is this? An adventurer?^ The woman gasped, struggling to understand what was happening in front of her eyes. ZON! Arad disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving her even more confused. "Where did he go?" The bandits cried but soon felt a painful sh at their backs. Arad didn''t leave them room to react. The bandits spread out like scared hens, pointing their crossbows and swords at Arad. One of the bandits ran all the way back and pulled a crystal from his pocket, "I call you out! Fangs of the hunt!" He smashed the crystal on the ground. A gust of ck smoke exploded, and arge ck tiger with mes burning from its hide growled, ring at Arad. "What do you think? My best summon!" The knight captain growled, "So the endless stream of tigers for the past two days was from you. ursed warlock." The new tiger summoned was called the ember fang tiger. And it was twice the size of a normal tiger and bosted a strength beyond what humans could hope to achieve. The knight captain knew that he would need at least ten people to take that monster down. Arad red at the tiger, "You''re a big one." He smiled. "Huh! Let''s see you kill it!" The warlock shouted. STAB! Arad appeared behind the warlock stabbing him in the heart, "Why would I? Die," He sliced the bastard in half. The moment the summoner died, the ember fang tiger started rampaging, it didn''t disappear as Arad hoped. "Everyone! Get away, let it get lost in the forest!" The knight captain''s n was simple, let the monster run away. We don''t need to fight it. Arad wasn''t the type that listen, and the ember fang tiger smelled quite nice. To him, it was a waste of food and exp to let it escape. Thud! Arad grabbed the tiger by the tail, and everyone stared in disbelief, sweat dripping from their faces. Arad swung his sword up, slicing the tiger''s tail. ROAR! The tiger roared, leaping away as Arad smiled, "Come back here," With those words, Arad''s boots disappeared as he stood on the ground barefoot. ^Nina said to feel the tremors on the ground to predict the attack of a wild beast that can''t be predicted by normal means.^ He tried to listen well, feeling each slight change in the ground. Thud! Thud! The tiger lunged from left to right and swung its paw at Arad. Arad lifted his sword and blocked the strike, getting sent flying to a tree. "I didn''t feel that attacking, I still need practice." He mumbled. BAM! Arad stood and rushed at the tiger, dodging a paw strike with ease. Thud! The tiger lept back, and swing another paw at Arad. [Second void form: Mini roar] Arad shouted, sending a st that deflected the tiger paw and stunned it for a second. "You aren''t that impressive after all." He smiled. That fight was like a crocodile facing a house cat, unfair. CLANG! Arad swung his sword as the tiger stumbled back, [Void dragon w] And cleaved the tiger''s head, letting blood rain from the sky. He then turned toward the other bandits, but he found them already dead. The knights managed to win since Arad broke the bandits'' formation. Chapter 267 Isdis Lior Ruris CLACK! CLACK! The knights sat on the ground, panting as they looked at the countless bandit corpses they left behind. Their captain turned toward Arad and stared at him for a second, "Thanks for your help. Are you an adventurer?" Arad walked toward him, "Arad Orion, B-rank." The captain gasped, "Only B-rank?" The woman in the back blinked twice, "Arad Orion? The one from Alina?" "Yeah, don''t tell me words traveled to this ce?" Arad sighed, thinking she heard one of the rumors about him. The woman looked down, grabbing her chin and thinking, ^Father received a letter about promoting this man into a noble before I left. I believe he dismissed it with how stupid the im of a human punching a vampire is.^ She stared at Arad, ^But with what I saw now, the way this man moves, he isn''t normal.^ "Say, do you want to work as one of my knights?" She said with a smile, extending her hand. "No, I have other things to do." Arad instantly replied, with a second dy. The captain approached Arad, "We''re here on a mission to escort the elves from theirnd into ours to deal with a goblin infestation. But, some people seem to not like that," He looked at the bandit''s corpse. "Sir Arad, we have to move quickly, but I can''t let you go without a suitable reward." She looked at Arad. ^If he''s this strong now. He''s going to only get more dangerous in the future. It''s in the kingdom''s best interest to keep him close.^ Arad looked at her. This was the part he came here for, "So, what are you paying?" PEW! An arrow flew through the trees, racing toward the woman''s neck. ZON! CLACK! Arad teleport to her side, and caught the arrow with one hand, breaking its shaft. "What?" The woman gasped, "Knight captain, get everyone ready..." "Shut up for a second," Arad growled above her head, and she swallowed her words. ^Who shot this? I can see anyone where the arrow came from. I also can''t feel anything by the smell or noise.^ Arad scanned the forest in the direction of the arrow. ^No, there is something else,^ He could see a faint green trail of magic with his [Void Eyes] across the air. The trail twisted and turned between the trees, eventually making a whole turn. Arad turned his head to look in the opposite direction to where the arrow came from. In the far distance, he could an elvish man, holding arge bow. The elvish man gasped seeing Arad turn toward him from that distance. It was unheard of for someone to catch his arrow, but he could even pinpoint his location. The man turned away to run. Arad looked down at the woman, "I found him. I will be back," ZON! Arad disappeared, leaving that woman shaking in her ce. "Princess Isdis, are you all right?" The knight captain asked, seeing her standing in silence. Isdis turned her head toward the captain, "I''m fine," She looked in the same direction Arad looked, sweating. "For a moment there, he felt bigger than those tigers." "It''s his strength," The captain nodded, "There is no doubt about it. He''s stronger than us by a lot." He looked at the tigers'' corpses, "This is a feat belonging to an at least A-rank adventurer." ZON! Arad appeared again, dragging the elvish man by the ear. "I caught him, the archer." Arad kicked him to the ground. "We were in the forest!" The elf gasped as he didn''tprehend Arad''s [Void step] Isdis and the captain stared at the elf, and back at Arad, "He''s the one who fired the arrow. He was hiding about three hundred meters in that direction." Arad pointed back with his thumb, and Isdis felt as if a heavy stone fell on her head. The royal castle wasn''t that big. Arad could have gotten into its head in what seemed like a second. Isdis looked at Arad, almost ignoring the elf. She can''t let Arad loose. He''s too strong to not be tied to anything. "We will interrogate himter. Let''s discuss your reward first," Isdis rushed back into the carriage. They didn''t carry that much money, and what they had was needed for the trip. She ran through her bag and finally found something useful. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Isdis walked out of the carriage with a smile and approached Arad, "This is for you," She extended her hand, carrying a gold pendant. Arad looked at it, and it had a name engraved on its back. [Isdis Lior Ruris] "What is this?" Arad could see faint waves of magic dancing around the thing, so he asked. "My royal pass. It simply means that you''re working for me." She smiled, and Arad looked at her ^Royal?^ He thought. Isdis smiled, "With it, you won''t be stopped in any checks at any city, and even nobles won''t speak against you. Since it means you''re working on my behalf." Arad looked at the pendant, "But I don''t work for you." "It doesn''t matter, just take the benefits and leave everything else." Isdis smiled, ^I don''t need to be able to order him around. All I need is for other nobles to think he''s working for the royal family. This should buy us time to find a deal to recruit him before any other nations take notice of him.^ Arad took the pendant, "So, what''s the magicid on it?" He looked at Isdis, and she started sweating, "Nothing, just an enchantment to prove the pendant is real and not copy," Isdis looked away, ^I can''t tell him it''s tracking magic. It''s used to find the pendant if stolen and keep an eye on the people using it.^ "Fine," Arad smiled and threw the pendant into his pocket. ^I wonder what Abel would say if he saw this. I''m sure Jack would find a way to abuse this thing for money.^ Arad looked at Isdis, "Are you a royal?" Chapter 268 Drawing Attention "Yes, I''m Isdis Lior Ruris. The sixth princess of Alseria," Isdis smiled, resting her fists on her hips and lifting her chin. "I see," Arad nodded, "Well then, see youter. I still need to go to work," He turned and was about to leave. "Wait there!" Isdis cried, "You can''t just leave." She can''t believe he didn''t react at all. Most people would get scared seeing a royal. But for some reason, she was the one scared standing in front of him. "I can, I left my friends waiting toe here, and I don''t intend to waste a lot of time," Arad replied. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Sir Arad, could you wait for a second." The knight captain approached Arad, "I''m the head captain of Her Highness Isdis''s guards. I wanted to thank you for doing our job." Arad stopped and looked at the captain. He then turned his head toward Isdis. "I saw her kill a tiger by kicking and freezing its head. Was that magic?" "Yes, her majesty is a spellsword, albeit a novice one." He looked at Isdis, "A fighter with an arcane sub-ss," "Oi! Stop exposing my ss!" Isdis cried, but the captain smiled. "I see," Arad looked back at her, "I''m a sorcerer, a red draconic bloodline." Everyone froze for a second. Those weren''t the moves of a sorcerer. Everyone thought he must have been a high-level fighter. The captain looked at Arad, and something clicked in his head. ^That coal ck hair, tall body, andrge muscles. Even the way he stands and speaks,^ "Sir Arad, you must have trained with someone skilled." He smiled. "Yeah, the dragon yer Alcott is the one teaching me swordsmanship," Arad replied, and the captain took a step back. "Of course, you would be strong training under an S-rank," He sighed, ^They look really simr,^ "Wait, Alcott, is training you?" Isdis gasped, staring at Arad. "How could a sorcerer learn sword arts? Even I as a fighter find it hard to learn spells while practicing the sword." She and Arad were pr opposites. He''s a mage who trained with the sword. While she''s a fighter who learned magic. It was embarrassing that he was better with the sword than her. "I said enough," Arad turned around, "I must leave," ZON! He disappeared without saying another word, leaving them baffled. Isdis sighed, "He left," she looked at the captain, "We must move. But let''s hope we can meet him again," She tapped her side, trying to pull the map...her pocket felt lighter. "Wait!" She opened her pocket and looked inside, "He took something!" She screamed, looking inside, but all her things were in ce. "He didn''t?" She looked down with a puzzled face. ZON! Aradnded far away and looked at the carriage. He could see a trail of his gravity magic on Isdis. "This will allow me to track her from afar, or as long as she''s in my field of vision." [Gravity magic is the only one you can stick on her with dealing damage.] Arad sighed, looking back, "Let''s go to Ae and the other, I bet they are bored waiting for me." *** Back on the carriage, Isdis rushed back into the carriage and pulled a magic crystal, "Let''s see where he is now," She said with a smile but soon started sweating. "The hell? He''s six kilometers away?" She gasped, unable to believe what she was seeing. She flipped the crystal and tied it to see what was around the ne or hear what he was saying. Nothing but darkness, silence, andrge violent pulses of magic enough to kill a person. "Why can''t I see anything?" She cried. The knight captain opened the door and looked at her, "He probably figured you out and hid it somewhere that you can''t track," "But I can know how far he is," She looked back at the knight captain, but the crystal suddenly shed with white light. "Wait! I''m getting a look," Isdis smiled, ring at the crystal. Arge nose appeared, someone seems to be inspecting the pendant up close. ~What do you think?~ Arad''s voice came out. ~We could sell it for a few tinum coins, or rent it for a stable ie~ Jack replied flipping the pendant and looking at its back. "So those are his party members?" Isdis looked closely, "Two humans and an elf, one seems to be a pdin." "That means his party can''t be bad," The captain smiled, "Adventurers usually behave close to bandits, but having a pdin means they are at least roughly good." "I know, I wonder if they areing for the elves as well?" Isdis smiled, looking at the map she kept hidden in the carriage. "We must reach the elvish border and guide their troops to clear the goblin infestation, and hopefully set the ground for peace." Isdis smiled. CREEK! The crystal went dark again, and after a second or two, Isdis saw Arad''s location rise up several kilometers into the sky, moving at mind-boggling speed. "Just what is he?" Isdis scratched her head. "If he trained with Alcott, I suspect one of his friends trained with Merlin or Ginger. Those two are exceptional mages." The head guard looked at the crystal, "Storage magic and flight magic." "If we considered his strength, the other party members should be at his level." Isdis sighed, sitting on her chair and throwing the orb back on the seat. Thud! The knight captain jumped out, looking at the sky. "Sir!" One of the knights came rushing, "We were resting, but just noticed that the big tiger corpse had disappeared. "What? It was behind the trees!" He rushed, out to look, but only found the blood stains," ^It didn''t disappear due to the magic fading, because the blood would have disappeared as well. Someone took the corpse away,^ Arad''s image came into his vision, ^Don''t tell me, he carried that thing away?^ He started sweating. The head guard turned toward the carriage and rushed to Isdis, "Please be careful with that thing. Destroy the link if you felt they got suspicious even a bit." He growled. "Why?" She looked at him. "That man, Arad Orion. He carried the ember fang tiger with him." He said, and Isdis instantly understood what he mean. That thing weighed over 500kg, and Arad moved four kilometers in a few seconds with it. "Forget A-rank, isn''t he close to S-rank at this stage?" Isdis gasped. "His face and body structure reminded me of Alcott when he was young, I suspect he isn''t just training under him." The head knight growled. "Are you saying Alcott had a son all this time and we didn''t know? His mother can''t be Ginger, could it?" Isdis looked at the crystal, "She''s a vampire, isn''t she?" "Yeah, we''ve ignored her since she''s with one of the S-ranks. But that man could be a Dhampir." The head knight growled, "And he''s with a pdin..." Chapter 269 Another Strange Village ?269 Another Strange Vige BAM! Aradnded in the forest, "I can see the vige from here," He said, lowering his wing. Jack, Ae, and Lydia jumped down, and Arad shifted back to his human form. "We should be able to get there on foot." "I also wanted to stretch my legs a bit," Jack stretched, cracking his back. "We sat for a long time," He looked at Arad, "But I don''t mind riding a dragon," "I do. It''s exhausting while wearing heavy armor," Lydia sighed, doing tiny jumps, "We should get moving," "That is a human vige. Are they the ones who sent the request?" Ae looked at Arad, "I thought this was an elf problem," "It is. The vigers here aren''t minding the goblins since they aren''t attacked." Arad replied, "It just happened that they are close and perfect for a base as we do the quest," "We get a room there and slowly work on taking the goblins down." Jack smiled, "Do you think they will be happy to see us clear the goblins," "They should be. They might not be attacked, but the threat is still there." Arad smiled, "Let''s get rid of the goblins before they could harm more people," They started walking and soon reached the vige. "Stop right there. Who are you?" The vige guard, a tall man with leather armor and a bow strapped to his back shouted, aiming at Arad. "This is the riverside vige. Identify yourselves, or I will shoot," "His aim is unsteady," Ae whispered to Arad, "He''s untrained andcks the stamina to keep the bow drawn for long," "Arad Orion, an adventurer, and this is my party. I came here on a quest to clear a nearby goblin nest." Arad replied with a smile. "A goblin nest?" The guard lowered his bow and nodded, "Open the gate, but keep an eye on them." Therge wooden gate groaned as the unoiled hinges cried, dragging on the dirt and leaving a trail. It opened for everyone to enter. Arad walked through the gate and saw seven other guards ring at them, "We will guide you to the vige head house. We''re only doing our job, so we ask you to behave," "We''re here for the goblins, not to harm you," Arad replied, walking behind them with everyone. Arge wooden house painted white stood in front of them. It was almost double the size of the rest of the houses and had two horses in the front yard. Two children sat ying in the back, throwing a leather ball around. CLICK! The front door opened, and an old man stared at them, scratching his beard with a smile. "What do we have here, adventurers." "We came here for the goblins. Can we talk?" Arad walked forward, and the man nodded, "But we have nothing to speak off. Go kill the goblins if you want, but aren''t responsible for anything as we didn''t put the quest up." "I know," Arad looked back at Jack, "There should be an inn here for us to stay in. A cksmith to sharpen our weapons and maybe a herbalist," Jack approached. "Those three are avable, have the guards take you to them." The vige chief approached Arad, "But, there is something I must say," "What is it?" Arad tilted his head. "The goblins never attacked us. If you agitated them and we got attacked, you''ll have big troubles at your hands." He red behind Arad, his eyes stopping by Ae. "The goblins are only interested in the elves, and they better stay that way." He growled, "If their existence prevents the long ears bastards from marching through here to invade, then let them be." Lydia red at the vige chief and stood between him and Ae, "The elves aren''t seeking war," "A cleric, no, a pdin." The vige chief snorted, "You better be right. I only care about the safety of the vige. It doesn''t matter if it is short or tall goblins. They are both monsters to be yed." Thud! Arad grabbed the vige chief by the head, and the guards screamed. "Did you just call Ae a tall goblin?" Arad growled, tightening his grip, almost breaking the chief''s skull. "I was talking about hobgoblins, not the elves. Let me go," The chief cried, and Arad dropped him. "Next time, I will crush your head to the ground," Arad growled. Jack approached Arad, "Come on, let''s head to the inn. We better finish this quest quickly and leave," He looked back at the guards. On their way to the inn, Jack whispered to Arad, "I don''t feel wee here. It''s giving me the same creepy vibes of that vige we were at after the red dragon fight." He looked around, "Like we''re watched all the time," "Why do you think that?" Arad asked back, whispering as he looked around for anyone watching or listening. "Goblins are dangerous. They eat cattle, kill people, and don''t get me started with what they do to women. People are terrified of them and would rather kill them at sight." "So it''s strange the chief would rather leave them be since they aren''t attacking." Arad scratched his chin.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "A normal reaction would be like this. Ahem," Jack cleared his throat, "Ooh! You''re killing those bastards, thank the gods. We barely could sleep thinking they might attack at any night. Please burn everyst one of them. We will support you as much as possible and more." Ae and Lydia looked at Jack, "That would be a normal reaction." Lydia smiled. After a few steps, they reached the greenwheel inn. A small building with a crooked door that is rarely used by travelers walking past the vige. It seems to have seen better days in the age of peace between the elves and humans. Arad walked inside, seeing only a single man inside standing behind a counter. "A customer?" The man red at the door. Arad approached him with everyone behind, he looked around and then at the man, "This ce is awfully empty," "I have one resident now. Alex, our hunter, who''s building his house." The owner replied. Chapter 270 A Horrid Horde Of Horrors "Building his house?" Arad looked at the owner, and Jack approached, "Newly married, I guess?" "No, he''s been married for a while and lived alone. His house got damagedst week in a storm. So he decided to build a new one and use the chance to make it a bit bigger to amodate the children." "A storm strong enough to break a house. The other building in the vige must be quite sturdy. I didn''t see anyone of them that is damaged." Jack looked around with a smile. "His house was poorly built." The owner replied, and looked at Arad, "Want to rent some rooms?" "Yeah, two rooms would do it," Arad replied with a smile and left Jack to haggle for them with Lydia. He then took Ae and went out. "Where are we going?" Ae asked looking around and seeing Arad looking at Vige gate. "I want to go check the surrounding of the vige," Arad replied and looked at the road, "Then goblins might leave traces on the ground." They walked outside the vige and into the forest edge. Arad kept looking at the ground look for footprints while Ae inspect the bushes for any broken branches or the like. "Ae,e take a look at this," Arad called her, staring at the ground while sweating. "Arad, what is it," Ae rushed to his side and froze in ce staring at the ground. "All of those?" She gasped. "Small and barefoot prints. Looking at the marks left, I can assume they all had long toenails, so those don''t belong to human children." Arad growled. "Goblin footprints, what are they doing this close to the vige? I thought they won''t attack," Ae looked deeper into the forest, and then foundrger footprints that looked to belong to an adult. "They also have hobgoblins, a lot of them," Ae looked at Arad. "If it wasn''t a small bunch of goblins dancing here, we can assume there are hundreds of them outside, probably even more if this was a mere scouting squad." Arad turned around, "I think we should get Jack here and see what he has to say." Ae looked at Arad, "We should inform the vige. The goblins might be nning to attack it soon." Arad thought for a second, "No, we will inform them at thest possible moment." He looked at Ae, "With their cheif attitude, I''m sure he will ask us to leave if we told him the goblins are about to attack the city. He might even me us for it," "You''re right, so we let the vige die?" Ae looked back at the footprints. "No, we need the people to see the goblins for themselves and convince the chief to evacuate the vige." Arad and Ae headed back to the inn and brought Jack and Lydia to look at the footprints. "Holy cow, what in the nine hells of the abyss?" Jack gasped, "A goblin nest of around forty goblin only send three to four as scouts." "If there were only a hundred goblins here, we''re looking at a thousand strong nests. This isn''t even a goblin stampede. It''s an invasion." Lydia grabbed the hilt of her sword. "If the quest was right and a goblin king was born. It''s better for us to retreat and mobilize a small army to clear the forest." Lydia looked at Arad, "But you won''t agree, right?" "I can always rampage inside their nest and burn it to ash," Arad smiled. "You can''t do that." Ae stared at Arad, "The goblins might be keeping elvish hostages as ves. We need to save them first." "Ae is right. We can''t attack from the front door as they will use the ves as meat shields. They knew we humans hate attacking our own." Jack added and looked at Arad, "We can''t dig from underground either, since we don''t know how stable the goblin nest is if it houses all those numbers." "Can''t you sneak inside?" Lydia looked at Jack. "I can''t even with invisibility, those bastards have a sharp sense of smell," Jack replied, and tapped his cloak, bing invisible and then visible again. "We need another n," "I shouldn''t be able to teleport into their nest if I can''t see its insides," Arad looked at Jack, "Can''t we find a back door?" "We need to find the nest first. Otherwise, we can''t put any strategy." Lydia looked at Jack. "No, we can n one thing," Jack looked at Arad, "Poisonous gas. It can kill goblins in about a minute or two, take about five minutes to affect humans, and about ten minutes to affect adult elves." "Rejected," Lydia stared at him, "It''s too risky, and we don''t know if the elves inside are healthy enough to withstand it." "I understand," Arad looked at the forest, "Let''s head back and think of a better way, we attack at dawn." "I agree, we can''t leave the hostages in there for longer," Lydia looked at Arad, "I wish we could attack now without risking their lives," "We can''t attack without a n, we would only send them to the grave." Arad cracked his neck, "I will fly over the forest at night and scout the forest," "I wille with you," Ae stepped forward, "Me as well," Jack also wanted to go, it will help to have a first-hand look. "It''s not like I can see at night, but I wille as well," Lydia approached as well. Arad smiled, "You and Jack can share those sses." Jack nodded, "As long as you can hover in one ce so we can look." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om *** Later that night, Arad flew above the forest with everyone, looking for the goblin nest. "I figured out a n," Jack said with a smile, "We will find a way to sneak inside and grab the hostages, running as fast as we can," He looked at Arad''s head, "And would leave you there to burn the whole ce to the ground," Arad smiled, "Like thest goblin nest," Chapter 271 Attacked Again, Something Is Off Arad flew above the forest in the middle of the night, searching for any ce that could host the goblins, but he found nothing. "They might be hiding the entrance in the trees or with thick foliage. We need to search on the ground," Jack suggested, looking at Arad''s head. "That''s why I said we need a small army," Lydia looked at Jack and Arad, "Let''s get back to the vige and request armed help to search the forest." "The closest city that has a decent army is a fair distance away. We won''t make it time," Ae replied with a worried face, "I want to get the elves inside out as soon as possible." "But we can''t act rashly," Arad added, "Let''s keep looking from the sky," He kept flying silently above the forest, hiding in the night darkness. As a void dragon, his deep dark scales barely reflected any light, camouging him in the dead of the night. From a ground observer, it was almost impossible to spot him unless he noticed the one or two stars disappearing as he flew below them. Unsurprisingly, void dragons are nocturnal hunters by nature. They can use the night to their advantage. Even if Arad didn''t know it consciously, he could feel more at ease looking at the forest in the dark. "Goblins don''t have magic, do they?" Arad asked as he saw a dot of magic in the middle of the trees. "Goblin shamans can cast spells, albeit primitive ones. This might be lead," Lydia replied. [She''s right, but don''t get too close. Fly away and have Ae take the shaman down if it was one,] Arad slowed down and started circting around the blob of magic, "It doesn''t look stable," "I hear fighting, swords shing with bones. Let''s hurry," Ae tapped Arad''s back. Arad flew down,nding a short distance away, and transformed into his human form as everyone jumped down from his back. "Let''s hurry," Lydia rushed forward. "You will alert them," Arad called her. "They are already fighting. We have to assist!" Lydia replied as she rushed forward with her sword drawn. "Damn it," Jack growled, running after her. Arad and Ae looked at each other, nodding as they chased after the two. "Ae, get up to the trees. I will take the front with Lydia and let Jack pull the injured from the battlefield or sneak attack the big targets." Arad''s draconic brain quickly spat a rough n. *** "Charge!" Isdis shouted, pointing her sword forward as the knights rushed with shields, bashing the hordes of wolves into the trees. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "They areing from the back! Spearmen, take a stance!" The captain shouted, "Arrow formation!" He pointed at the tworge forest giants ring at them. "They are too big! Crossbowmen, assist!" The spearmen shouted, seeing the giants standing taller than six meters with muscr bodies. Isdis rushed to the front, "Stay behind me!" She shouted, seeing the giant swinging a tree trunk at her. BAM! She jumped back, dodging the strike, but the dust almost blinded her. "How annoying," She pointed her sword at the giants. [Frozen Flesh] CREEK! The giant''s muscles cracked as small crystals of ice formed in his legs.¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Ás `n?¦Í?| §ãom "She bought us a chance! Kill him!" The spearmen shouted, rushing beath the giant and lifting their spears, wanting him to fall on them. CRACK! The giant stomped forward, keeping his bnce and swinging his frozen leg. THWACK! His kick sent the spearmen flying. The captain gasped, seeing the ice in the giant''s leg healing. "We can''t win with the wolves distracting us," He shouted and looked back, "Everyone, focus on the wolves first," Isdis rushed toward one of the giants, rolling beneath its tree trunk swing. SLASH! With a single swing from her sword, she cut a deep wound into the giant''s torso, but that quickly started to heal. Isdis turned around and jumped. BAM! The tree trunk hit the ground, so she got above it and ran to the giant''s head, stabbing at his face. "Freeze!" The giant swung his fist, hitting her in the guts, and sent her flying. "Your Highness!" The captain guard shouted. The giant swung his tree trunk off the barely moving Isdis. CLANG! Lydia stood between Isdis and the giant. The tree trunk bounced off her sword as she red forward with glowing golden eyes. [Holy Smite] Thud! The giant jumped back, dodging her swing, and ran into the forest. "Don''t bother with the ones running!" Arad shouted, standing between the captain and the second giant. PEW! PEW! PEW! Arrows fell from the trees, dropping the wolves one after the other. One of the guards opened his eyes, feeling several ps on his face. "Hey, you. Finally awake?" Jack smiled, fastening the bandages on the soldier''s wound. "I gave you a weak healing potion to stop the bleeding. Keep putting pressure on the wound and retreat to the carriage," "Who are you?" The guard barely moved. "We talkter when the fight end, about healing you and the nice words you''re leaving about us in the royal court." Jack smiled, helping the man stand, and then rushed to the next one. Arad red at the giant, and it stopped moving. He could understand that Arad wasn''t a human, so he shifted all of his focus onto him. Thud! Thud! The giant started walking to the side, keeping his eyes on Arad. Arad did the same, making sure to not let the giant get behind his back. It was like two cats about to fight, growling at each other. BAM! The giant made the first move, swinging its tree trunk at Arad. Arad saw the tree trunking. He stepped to the side and swung his sword up. [Void dragon fang] SLASH! CRACK! Arad''s sword didn''t fully cut the tree trunk, only reaching to the middle, but deflected it up with a shock wave. The giant gasped. He was pushing down with all his might, yet this small man produced enough force to deflect the attack. Chapter 272 Ice Kick Arad looked at his sword. Alcott kept warning him about trying to cut hard things with it. He could damage the edge and there aren''t that many cksmiths that could work with such a weapon. "Well, I guess I can''t damage before the quest starts," Arad sucked the sword back into his stomach and cracked his fist. He red at the giant with a smile, "Sorry, but I have to punch you to death," He walked forward, facing the giant monster. Arad closed his eyes, remembering his fight with Nina. He took a deep breath, sucking his boots and upper shirt into his stomach. He could feel it. The ground shook from the giant''s weight and the wind moving as he swung the trunk. Even with his eyes closed, he could tell the giant was moving. That might seem unsteady, but in his draconic form, Arad is always barefoot and topless. He could feel the same things in his dragon form, and it was amazing to predict iing attacks. SWOSH! Arad ducked beneath the tree trunk attack and swung the back of his fist at the spot that he cut earlier with his sword. CRACK! The tree trunk shattered as the giant gasped. Arad smiled and stomped the ground, "Your moves are simple, far simpler than mine," He swung his fist at the giant wrist. CRACK! The giant dropped the tree trunk, grasping his wrist and growling. Healing crush injuries took longer than clean shes. GROOOOOOOOOWAAAAAAAAAAA! The giant screamed, swinging his second fist at Arad. Thud! Arad ducked beneath it and took a deep breath. SWOSH! Arad spun in ce, swinging a back kick at the giant''s guts at full force. Like a horse kick, Arad put all of his draconic might behind it. BAM! The giant''s body flew away, crashing into the trees, his ribs shattered. The giant might look bigger, but Arad''s true form was farrger. And it was a ram kicking a child in the gits. The guards froze in terror, and the captain''s face turned pale. Isdis red at Arad in shock. She never could have imagined seeing a giant flying, and from a human kick no less. BAM! Arad lunged forward after the giant as he stood. Thud! Hended in front of the giant, closing his eyes and bringing an image from his memories. ^That princess Isdis, how did she kick that tiger?^ Arad could remember that memory clearer than the blue sky. ^She gave the monster her back,^ His body followed his thoughts. ^She bent forward, lifting her right leg while keeping the left one firmly stuck to the ground.^ Isdis could see iting, and she couldn''t believe her eyes. ^Such a move require incredible flexibility that I don''t have, but that doesn''t mean my joins can''t achieve it.^ CRACK! Arad''s leg flew up toward the standing giant''s jaw. At the moment of the impact, Arad remembered Isdis''s magic, the one he''s been seeing her use all the timetely. ^Ice, it''s like that of Gojo, but where is the difference?^ Arad thought, sensing the void inside himself. With fire, Arad used the void in the air to rapidly move the air particles to heat them up. With lighting, he rubbed those particles together to generate a shock. But how with ice, it only took his draconic brain a second to figure it out.¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Ás `n?¦Í?| §ãom The humidity and water droplets in the air. Use the void to gather them to make water. Then, do the exact opposite of fire, prevent the particles from moving to cool them down. CRACK! Ice formed on Arad''s foot as he kicked the giant jaw with his sole, [Ice Kick] The giant''s head froze and shattered as Arad red at the corpse falling to the ground with a smile. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He clenched his fists and could see ice crystals forming on his forearms. *** Isdis stared at Arad, her knees shaking. "Royal martial arts, where did he learn it?" She gasped, falling on the ground, "No, that was my kick from earlier, don''t tell me he learned it with just one look." The captain sighed, "I guess we''re dealing with a fish bigger than our pond could handle," He sat on the ground, "With suck power and learning speed, we might bete to trying to pull him in." "But that was Royal marital arts, those moves aren''t supposed to be that quickly. I was training since I was twelve!" Isdis gasped, almost crying. "Sheer talent. You can''t reach s-rank with hard work and luck. You must be built differently than normal people, and he is." "But it''s unfair," She sighed. "Look at his back and arms, I''ve never seen such muscles in my life. A man can train for his whole life and never achieve such a body. I won''t be surprised if he ranked up this year into s-rank," The captain added. Isdis stared at Arad jumping in ce, his boots and upper clothes appearing again out of nowhere. She looked down, a little disappointed. She wanted to have a longer look at him, but couldn''t. Aradnded on his feet, ring at the giant''s corpse. He could noticerge w marks on its back. ^Arger monster lives in this forest. We need to be careful.^ [Giants are nomads. They keep moving all the time. With how old the wound is, I would say they got it somewhere else.] Arad looked around, and the fight was almost over. Ae had dropped thest wolf with her arrows and everyone could finally breathe. Everyone sheathed their weapons as thest wolf died, "How did you get attacked twice?" Arad asked, approaching Isdis. "And what happened to that elf?" Isdis''s face turned bright red and stumbled white standing and tripped on her dress, falling on her face. Arad stared at her, confused, "Are you okay? Did you hit your head or something?" He couldn''t understand why she was acting like a drunk kobold. She stood before Arad, bleeding from her nose, and bowed slightly, "First, let me thank you on behalf of everyone here. You helped us twice." She smiled, blood trailing beside her lips. Chapter 273 Chased By A Dragon "Shouldn''t you be more worried about yourself?" Arad looked at her as she bled, "You should check with Lydia and see if she can fix you up," He sighed, looking back, and started walking. "I''m going after the giant who escaped from Lydia," Arad replied, running into the forest. "STOP!" Isdis shouted, "There is no need to chase a running monster!" Thud! Ae grabbed her by the shoulder, "Let him be," *** Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad ran into the forest as fast as he could. His skin turned ck as scales covered his body. BAM! He transformed into his draconic form and started running between the trees like a big cat. The lines of magic left by Lydia''s holy smite trailed ahead of his, leaving a trail to find the giant. [Probably it''s best not to leave trails. Isdis might help in the questter, and it will be confusing to see dragon ws everywhere.] Arad stopped. ^You''re right. That giant won''t run that far.^ He turned around and closed his eyes, following Mom''s instruction on how to hide his w marks. First, use [Gravity Magic] to decrease his weight and not push too hard on the ground. And then Run on the rtively soft inside of his paws, and rx his joins [Four knees] to absorb the impact of his weight. With all of this, and adding the fact it''s pitch-ck in the middle of the night, god help the poor creatures he''s hunting. After covering his previous tracks, Arad looked for the magic traces and found they disappeared. "He ran away," He sighed. [You can use your nose. Remember Alcott in the werewolf quest?] Arad smiled, going to a spot where he saw the giant running before, and started sniffing the nts and ground. "I got the smell," Arad lifted his head and started running. He silently ran between the trees. CREEK! He stopped. The wind shifted direction as Arad looked around, sniffing the ground, "There are more of his kind around. I smell a couple more." Arad mumbled, thinking. ^Should I go after the other giants or follow the one who attacked us,^ [Go after the other giants. They will offer more experience, and you will eliminate danger to the area in one go.] Mom suggested. Arad nodded this wasn''t his territory where he would try to recruit monsters. There is no way for him to bring them home even if he wanted, so the only choice is to kill for the experience. Arad ran into the forest and jumped from a small cliff, stopping by arge cave entrance, "Their stench fills the ce. Giants live inside," [Like goblins, most wild monsters like those take shelter inside caves.] Arad crawled inside. The cave could fit his draconic form in, at least in the entrance. BAM! A giant could feel the air stop flowing from the entrance as Arad''s massive body walked in so he rushed outside, seeing the dragon ring at him. "Lizard king!" The giant shouted his lungs out, lifting arge long and swinging it at Arad. CRACK! Arad caught the log in his jaw, clenching his fangs. "Damn it!" The giant got stuck, trying to pull it from Arad''s mouth. "Let go!" Arad swung his neck up, lifting the giant and smashing his body on the ceiling, causing the stctite. BLAH! The giant puked blood, falling on the ground and bleeding to death. Thud! Arad put his w on the giant''s back and absorbed it into his stomach. SWOSH! Arad shifted back into his human form and pulled his sword out, "Time to test all that I learned." He could see three giants rushing out. CLING! Arad grabbed his sword hilt and took a deep breath, bending forward as the veins on his arms and legs bulged. [Void dragon fang] BAM! He lunged forward, and the first giant swung his club. Arad ducked beneath the attack and swung his sword up, cutting the giant''s arm on the elbow. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The giant growled, grabbing his bleeding arm and stumbling back. Arad swung his sword down as he lunged forward, passing between the giant''s legs as he shed him from the ground to the shoulder. BAM! The giant corpse fell to the ground, and the other two giants swung their clubs at Arad. CLAP! Arad''s wings expanded, blocking the attacks with ease, but he could feel a stinging burning sensation on them. He bent his wings and dropped the strikes to the ground. Arad turned toward the giant at his left and swung his sword, cutting its head. Thud! The other giant grabbed Arad''s from the back, lifting him up and squeezing his shoulders. "I caught him! Call reinforcements and bring everyone," He shouted. STAB! Blugh! The giant puked blood as he felt arge thing prate his stomach. He looked down, seeing arge ck tail extending from Arad''s lower back and into piercing his torso. "You monster!" The giant growled as Arad looked back at him. SWOSH! Arad transformed back into his dragon form and bite the giant torso, cutting him in half. "I''m bigger than you, by almost twice the size." Arad absorbed the corpse into his stomach. "It''s the same way an adult human can''t catch a cow with his bare hands, you can''t hold me down." Arad looked back and saw more giants rushing in, and he smiled, ^More exp and souls areing,^ The giants stopped, shaking in their ce as they saw a dragon in the middle of their cave. In the monster world, there were three monsters that everyone knew that messing with them is a bad idea. Other monsters have evolved with an instinct to avoid them at all costs. Those three are Dragons, devils, and anything with high divine magic like angels. People think that since high-level pdins are good people blessed by the gods, they face fewer monsters when traveling. Be religious and god will protect you, there was some truth to that as monsters can easily mistake a high-level pdin or a pope for an angel. The giants inside the cave clenched their teeth, staring at Arad. "OH! Great Lizard king, may we have a word," One of the giants approached Arad slowly, dropping his club. Arad looked at the Giant, "GOKSOOO DIN? (What do you need?)" He growled in the dragon''s tongue. "We want you to stop attacking ourir," The giant growled, bowing slightly. Arad nodded, "Big words for someone whose men are trying to circle behind in the cave." He could feel them crawling in the small tunnels behind the walls, trying to sneak behind him. ^Mira''s tremor sense. It''s really amazing. As long as I have my ws on the ground, and I''m able to focus, I can feel them moving.^ "Tch!" The giant growled, extending his palm forward, trying to cast a spell. Arad opened his jaw, and a spark emerged in his throat. "What the..." The giant cried as he got roasted alive with everyone behind him. **** The giant ran away as fast as he could, growling. "Damn it! Damn it! Gonga is dead, absolutely dead. That human wasn''t human. Those are the gazes of the kings of the lizards," Thud! He jumped over arge boulder and rolled into a lower section of the forest. "That woman, the one with the glowing golden sword. What''s her deal? She hits like one of our kind." He crawled between the thick foliage and rubbed his body all over the crushed nts to mask his smell. After running for a few minutes, he stopped, panting at a small cave. And he walked inside, "ZAHINA! We need to warn Dova. Another lizard king appeared." He sighed, walking inside the cave and turning around the corner. He froze in ce, seeing arge ck lizard sitting inside, munching on a giant corpse. "Zahina?" The giant gasped, staring in shock at his dead wife. "ZOHO RINDA! (You came!)" Arad turned his head growling, "ZASHIN GA RUUU. (Whomanded you to attack?)." "How did you find us!" The giant shouted, swinging his fist at Arad''s back. BAM! The fistnded but did almost no damage. "ISK KOJNN GA JOOO. SOOK GJAS NOOR. (I lost your tracks. So I followed the giant''s smell.)." Arad replied. The divine magic that remained on the giant after Lydia''s strike faded faster than he expected, so he started trying to find a giant with smell and ended up here. "Everyone! Help!" The giant screamed. "GODSKO! GOKS EWARD! (Useless! They are dead!)." Arad''s voice boomed across the cave. Everyone inside was dead he killed all the giants he found and ate them. ^Well, I was out for goblins and found giants. They are better dead than endangering anyone else on the road.^ Arad stood, sucking Zahina''s corpse into his stomach and staring at the giant. The giant tried to run away, but Arad bite the back of his head, killing him. [Level 14=> Level 15] [Avable stat points: 1] [20 years => 29 years.] ^Ho! Another level up. I guess giants are stronger than the regr monsters I find in the forest. But what with the aging, it spiked.^ [Most monsters have a few years lifespan, barely hitting triple digits. Goblins, for example, won''t live past eleven years. Giants can live several hundred years, so they grant more.] Arad looked deeper into the cave, "Well, I killed over thirty of them inside." Chapter 274 A Purple Plan ^Let''s increase my strength. I need more power.^ Arad smiled, walking out of the giant cave with a belly full of meat. [Strength 21 => strength 22] He clenched his fist with a smile, "Let''s go back. They should be waiting for me." Arad smiled and started running. *** On the other side of the forest, A brown-haired woman walked down a stinky cave, ignoring the goblins working around. She lifted her hand, igniting a purple me as went deeper. "Eris, you have returned," A deep voice growled as two purple eyes glowed in the darkness. Eris sighed, "I did indeed, Father," She sat on a stone, ring at the massive purple dragon coiled in therge cavern. "Let me guess. The twins slipped from your hand. Even though I told you how important they were," The dragon growled, lifting his head. "I know, but I couldn''t help it. ug came out of nowhere and killed that stray wolf," Eris growled, scratching her head, "Damn it, seven years n went up in smoke like a cremated corpse." "ug, what brought that crazy bitch there? Shouldn''t she be watching and gawking at human nobledies'' drama from her spy crystals?" The dragon looked at Eris. "How could I know," She sighed, looking at the back of the cavern. She could see a red drakaina chained to the walls. "You have your own hobbies like her, shouldn''t you know?" "Humph!" Eris''s father snorted, "I snatched her in the forest. It''s none of your business. I Killed her mate and one of her wyrmlings. Thest one escaped, so I didn''t bother with it," Eris stood, "A purple dragon doesn''t just take the powers of red and blue dragons. You mix their nasty traits as well," She started walking away. "Wait. There is something I need you to do around here." The dragon growled, standing up. "The Deianira family. I can sense their daughter around here," He pointed at the cave entrance, "She''s a blond elf with green eyes, bring her to me alive." "Deianira? The wind family?" Eris looked back at her father, "Yeah. Her blood is essential if I want my n to work." N?v(el)B\\jnn Eris looked back at her father, scratching her chin, "The elvish ne. I heard that the humans stole it from the elves. Is that why you need her?" "Where did you hear about the ne?" The dragon growled, ring at her. "In Rita. Some people in the thief guild were saying that an adventuring party under the leadership of a man named Gojo was trying to steal it back from the royal capital." Eris growled, "I should have tracked that more." "It doesn''t matter. Taking the ne from the humans is as simple as walking in and grabbing it. My problem is harnessing its power," The dragon growled, "Damn that Deianira woman, she sent her daughter away from me at the expense of everything." "Fine, I will take a walk to the nearby human vige and tell you if I found anything, you stay hidden for now." Eris waved her hand, "Can I take control of the goblins? Using them as a distraction would work perfectly." "Do what you like, but I will charge once we find the Deianira girl. I don''t want her slipping out of my hand," "Just don''t interfere," Eris walked out, ring back at her father and the drakaina he kept in the back. "If she''s around, she must be in the vige. Now how do I make sure no one strong is around her?" Eris smiled, looking at the wiggling goblins. "I know," She giggled, "Separate into two groups, the small one head to the east and build a new nest, and the rest remain here but hide." Eris red at the goblins, "I want three-quarters here and the rest in the east." I won''t repeat it a third time, you idiots," She walked back into the cave and stared at the goblins, "Where does Father keep his food?" "From here, Lady Eris," A goblin guided her deeper into the cave. Inside arge chamber, Eris found three chained women and seven men. "The master says women taste sweet, while men are savory." Eris sighed, "Father always had a sweet tooth like a red dragon. I guess I can only use men," She dragged one of the men outside the cave. Eris smiled, pulling her wand [Fire Sigil]. She cast a small spell, and the man rolled on the ground, howling in agony. This is a simple spell that Eris made. It is lightning to stimte nerves for pain, as well as fire to burn the flesh beneath the skin in the shape of a sigil. "Go to the vige and find a blond elvish woman with green eyes. Try and find what her weapon and ss are. Trick them to send everyone into a goblin nest in the east except her." Eris smiled. "What?" The wiggled on the ground, crying as he felt an agonizing burn on his back. "I don''t care what you tell them or what story you make." CRACK! Eris kicked the man in the face, breaking one of his tooths, "I engrained my spell beneath your skin. No mage could detect or dispel it beside me." She smiled, sitting on a stone. "If you want me to remove it," She waved her wand, and the man howled again in pain, writhing on the ground like a dying worm. "Then make it happen. I want the elf woman alone in the vige." Eris pointed toward the vige with her wand. "Hurry up," The man stood and turned around, about to run to the vige. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! The pain returned, and he fell on his face. Erisughed, "Sorry, I wanted to remind you onest time. You better make it happen." She finally released the man from his agonizing, pain and let him leave toward the vige. *** Back in the vige, Arad, Ae, Jack, and Lydia sat around a table at the inn facing Isdis and her guard captain. "How are we going to find the goblins?" Arad asked. Chapter 275 A Pleading Man Isdis looked at Arad, "I hate to admit it, but I''m not that expert in the goblins'' nature. I only intended to escort the elves into ournd to deal with them," The guard captain looked at Arad, "Those goblins aren''t acting natural at all. They only attack the elves, ignoring the humans, so you would rarely find them on this side of the forest." He looked at the door with a worried face. "You''re thinking the same way as me. Something stronger is controlling them." Arad sighed, "I thought the giants were behind it, but they didn''t seem to have a hand." "How could you tell?" The captain stared at Arad, worried about hearing the answer. "I paid them a visit," Arad replied, "They nested in a cave to the north," "What!?" The inn owner gasped, "Giants, around the vige!" He cried, "We need to put a quest to eliminate them before they attack the vige." "No need," Arad sighed, "Already killed them," Everyone froze, ring at Arad''s white sweating. "You must be joking," The captain giggled, "Giants aren''t that easy to deal with, and they live in groups," Arad lifted his hand, and five giant heads fell on the ground, "I do have more stored. I killed them." He red at the frozen captain. Isdis stared down with her mouth gaping open as the inn owner backed away. "Just find me the goblin nest. I have bigger goals in mind," Arad smiled. ^If I managed to impress the royal family, I could use them as a shield from the mages'' tower until I grow strong enough to defend myself. Or at least use their informationwork to my advantage.^ Arad could only see Isdis as a tool to protect himself, putting her and the royal family in the front to deal with the mages. That would allow Arad to seek his other goal with ease of mind. Lydia sighed, "For real, aren''t you the one who told me not to bother by the running monsters?" "One probably, but I can''t ignore a horde of them," Arad replied with a smile, and Jackughed, "Leave some for us. I want to test this on a living thing," He cracked his hand. Ae stood, "It''s almost dinner time. I will go bring something from the owner." She looked at the counter. "Yes!" the owner gasped, "Dinner is ready. I will get the tray out," He rushed inside, and Ae followed him. Arad stood, looking around with a worried face. "Did you hear that?" "Hear what?" Isdis stared at him. She couldn''t hear anything. Jack blinked, "Goblins?" He stood, "Someone is yelling goblins," he looked at the door, rushing to open it. Everyone went into the street to listen, and only then Isdis could hear it. A faint cry for help came from the main vige gate. "GOBLINS!" A man screamed at the front gate. "Arad!" Ae rushed from inside the inn, "I heard someone yell goblins," "I know. It''sing from the front gate." Everyone ran toward the gate to take a look. They found the guards ring at a crying elvish man, "I barely escaped from them, humans. Please let me in the vige." N?v(el)B\\jnn The guards red at the man, confused, "Even if you tell us...We''re at war, and we can''t trust you. You might be a spy," "Please! Let me in," He screamed. "Fine, but you wait here in the garrison until we get word to the vige head. We don''t want to be med for this," They sighed, looking at each other. "You don''t need to bother. The chief''s order is to not let any elf into the city without proof of goodwill." One of the senior guards growled, "We aren''t seeing any of the goblins you speak of," "What''s going on?" Isdis growled, walking between the guards. "Who are you bitch? Scram back to your house," The senior guard growled. CRACK! Isdis''s guard captain punched him in the face immediately, sending his teeth to the ground. "Watch your mouth," He growled. Isdis pulled a royal ne, lifting it up, "I''m here on behalf of the king himself. I, Princess Isdis Lior Ruris hereby take control of the vige by birthright." Simply put, the vige is now under her rule since she''s a direct descendant of the king. "Let the man inside the city and treat his wounds. Don''t forget to check him for poisons or anything of the like." "As you order!" The guards bowed, rushing the man into the city. From the corner of his eyes, the man could see Ae standing in the back. ^A blond elvish woman with green eyes, to think I would find you this easily.^ GAH! The man growled, rolling from the guards'' hands, "Don''t mind me! The goblins, you must deal with them," He crawled on the ground, seeing the bow on Ae''s back. "Send a group of the elite to their nest in the east, smoke them out to the city''s open ins, and then rain arrows on their heads. That''s the only way to safely dispatch such numbers." He growled, crying. Isdis looked at Arad, "With you around," Arad nodded, "I will be the one to smoke them out, everyone gathers on the vige walls and prepares arrows." The man blinked twice, ^Is this idiot serious? He can''t go alone,^ "Don''t go alone, you would die," The man cried, ring at Arad, "Please! Take a strong party with you!" He pleaded, "I don''t want this to fail because we underestimated the green demons." Arad looked at the man with a smile, "Don''t worry, I can handle myself well," He patted him on the back, "Jack, fill the in with traps. Ae stands with the guards on the walls, and Lydia, protect the gate. I believe you can do it." Lydia smiled, "As a protection, and a vengeance pdin. Goblins would only get into the vige after stomping my corpse." The man started sweating, ^This isn''t the n! This isn''t the n! I have to get the woman alone,^ Chapter 276 The First Wave. Arad looked at the man and smiled, "Where is the nest exactly?" he stepped forward, "Can you lead me there?" "Hee!" The man gasped, falling on his butt and crawling back. "Arad, I don''t think we should send him back to the goblins. Especially before he gets any treatment." Isdis looked at Arad, "We can''t send the elve''s people into danger." Arad looked at the man, getting a weird itching in his stomach. It was a faint tingling, and the man looked delicious to him for a second. ^Mom, I do have a feeling that I should bite this man in half.^ [A gut feeling? I can''t sense those from you, so I can''t tell. But if your draconic senses are tingling, it could mean that your unconscious mind is picking something from that man that you can''t consciously recognize.] ^What could it be?^ [Eaither you have a taste for elves, the man is releasing a faint bloodlust, or has magic hidden inside of him.] ^It can''t be magic. The man has none in him. Even if it was bloodlust, he won''t do any damage while being monitored. And he could be releasing it since I wanted to drag him with me to the nest.^ Arad scratched his head. ^I might also have a taste for elves. They live long, after all.^ Arad turned around, "You said they are in the east, right?" Arad rushed forward. The elvish man sighed in relief. "Everyone, take your positions and start preparations to defend the walls," Isdis shouted, looking back at the guards. "It will be an easy fight from behind the walls, but don''t underestimate the goblins, and make sure to aim well," Everyone started running around, checking the wall''s integrity and bringing buckets of arrows and oil jars. "I will help myself to the vige''s smithy for tools. You don''t mind, right?" Jack smiled, looking at Isdis and the vige chief standing behind her. "For what purpose?" the vige chief growled. "Do you need some men to help you?" Isdis replied. Isdis and the vige chief stared at each other, and she red at him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Sorry, please use whatever you want," The vige chief giggled, sweating. "If that''s the case, can I have four of your knights helping me?" Jack looked back at the knights digging trenches, "Hoi! Who wants to set bear traps all around the ins?" Knights looked at their shovels and pickaxes. ^setting traps look more fun than digging.^ They gasped, ring at Jack. "I would help!" "No, I will. I built rabbit traps in the past!" They started arguing, and Jack smiled, picking four of them and dragging them to the smithy. "We need nails, wooden tes and poles, iron pikes, and steel wires. Pick all that you find, put them in a crate, and help me carry them to the ins." Jack smiled, rubbing his hands as he ran in front of the knights. Jack always had to keep in mind how much supplies he has for traps, trying to use them efficiently. But this was the first time in his life that he had an almost unlimited budget. He stopped, "Ah! I almost forgot, can someone drag the grinding stone?" "No way! It''s too heavy, and we''re already carrying too much," One of the knights gasped. "I will do it," Lydia said, approaching from the back. "Ah, you''re here," Jack smiled. "Shouldn''t you be at the gate?" "I will go there when the attack starts. For the time being, I don''t have anything to do." Lydia smiled, grabbing the grinding stone with two hands. "GAH!" She lifted it and took a deep breath, "Oh! It''s heavy, but I can move it without a problem," She started walking behind them, and the knights stared at her, terrified. "That''s a pdin for you." "The crusader rushing at the front of the holy battlefield." One of the knights looked at Lydia, "I remember the holy army charging in the dead of the night to y the undead flooding from the necrotic dungeon outbreak," "I wasn''t a pdin at that time, but I heard of it. A great battle with over five hundred pdins," Lydia smiled. *** Ae walked to the top of the walls with the archers. ^A normal arrow can kill goblins.^ She strapped her steel bow to her back and took a regr warbow. "Good," she pulled the string and aimed at the forest, "Let''s try a shot," she took an arrow and fired it, testing the range and control. "Lady Ae, am I right?" One of the guards approached her. "Yes, do you need anything?" She looked back at him. "By Isdis and chief''s order, you''re the leader of the archery unit for this battle. I came to inform you of that," He bowed slightly. "What? Me, no way," She gasped, stepping back. "Our lives are in your hands. Please guide them well," Ae could remember the elves dying in front of her as mes consumed the forest. A sudden attack came in the dead of the night. She looked at the dark sky. She could remember shes of it, a purple beam falling from the stars. She shouted at the other elves to run outside the burning city, but a second beam burned them to ash. She lifted her hands to create a wind barrier and block the third beam, but the next thing she remember was her standing in the middle of a war between the human and elves. The wind of the shield she made to protect has shifted the elves'' arrows volley, killing hundreds of them. Ae gulped down and stared at the bowing guard, "Don''t trust me with anything. Fire and kill the goblins as you have trained." She looked at the forest, seeingrge hordes of goblins rushing out of the trees after Jack finished putting the traps. "Goblins! Goblins! Hold fire till they reach our range!" One of the guards screamed, lifting his bow but not pulling the string. "Aim!" He screamed again...pulling the string and taking a deep breath. "Fire!" He screamed after waiting about three seconds. Arge volley of arrows rained down on the goblins, killing the first wave before they could even get close to the city, and the guards cheered. Ae looked at the goblins, worried, "Arad went to their nest. I didn''t expect more than a few to show up," She mumbled. Chapter 277 Something Is Going Bad, Really Fast. The people in the vige cheered after the guards, sensing their approaching victory under the royal g of Isdis''s knights. **** "Hum," Lydia mumbled, standing outside the front gate, leaning on her sheathed sword. "You don''t look well," Isdis, who stood beside her, asked. "This isn''t a ce for a princess to stand in." Lydia looked at her with a smile. "Don''t change the subject. The volley was bad?" Isdis smiled, "Even if I''m a princess, I will respect the opinion of someone more experienced than me." "It''s not about that. The volley was perfect." Lydia sighed, "It''s just there are a lot of goblins. I didn''t expect any to show up, considering we sent Arad to their nest," It also clicked in Isdis''s head, "Arad cleared a giant nest. How could mere goblins escape from him? There were a lot of them, and some slipped. It doesn''t seem that way with those numbers." The two looked at each other, "Those aren''t the goblins he''s smoking out?" Lydia asked. "I don''t know, but it''s pertinacity strange. I will send some rangers after him to check it out. Thanks for the warning," Isdis ran back behind the gate to send some knights after Arad. Lydia smiled, "It''s rare to see a royal listening to their soldiers," She looked forward at the second wave of goblins, this one had some hops mixed in, and the numbers started to look scary as they blotted the forest. "Over two hundred goblins and about fifty hobs showed up!" A guard screamed, "Fire two waves of arrows, and let it rain death." Lydia looked above the gate. Seeing Jack standing on the battlements with the four knights with him, all smiling. "Sir Jack! Should I pull it out?" One of the knights said with an excited smile, holding the tip of a steel wire in his palm. "No, should I pull mine?" Another one smiled. "Don''t! Let''s wait. I''m sure there are bigger wavesing after this one." Jack giggled, ring at the battlefield with a nasty gaze. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Lydia sighed, "Haa! That face, he''s going to blow it sky high," She smiled, "Traps are really strong if you can set them beforehand." Arrows fell from the sky, and the second wave got quickly cleared as goblins'' blood filled the ins, staining them red. *** Arad finally found the goblin nest, seeing two goblins gawking at the entrance, sighting. He smiled and walked out of the bushes. "Hoi! How are you doing!" He waved his hand to the goblins. The goblins jumped in fear, ring at him, "Hoomaaam!" One of them cried, pulling a wooden spear and aiming it at Arad. CRACK! It was at that moment that the goblin felt it, Arad wasn''t a human. As monsters, their senses have adapted to perceived danger, and they could tell if they are facing a losing battle. The two goblins froze in ce, crying in goblinoid, "We''re unlucky, another lizard king," Arad red at them, wondering how to scare them all the way back to the vige. "Damn it!" A goblin cried, rushing at Arad swinging his spear. CRACK! Arad kicked the goblin in the head, cracking its skull open as he pulled his sword. "It''s simple to kill everything. I feel sad for everyone else, but they won''t be fighting anything tonight." He rushed deeper into the goblins'' cave, massacring anything in his way. **** Back in the vige''s makeshift medical house, the elvish man was getting treated for his wounds and scars. "How are you feeling?" The woman healing him said with a worried smile. Elves are known to be picky and haughty. The elvish man smiled, "I feel better, thank you," He smiled, surprising her for a second. She smiled, "I thought you would get angry," "Anything feels better after goblins," He sighed, closing his eyes on the bed. "Can you let me take a short nap," The woman stood and walked out of the room. "You seem to be enjoying yourself," A voice came from the window, and the man jerked back to life. He looked to the side, seeing Eris standing at the window with a smile. "I heard the soldiers saying they sent a single man to the goblin hideout, this isn''t what I asked you to do," "It wasn''t my fault, that stupid princess did it." The elvish man growled. Eris sighed, "What should I do? You alerted the whole city and the elvish woman is now in the middle of the whole armed garrison." "I can still make it happen, just let me go to them onest time." The elvish man cried. Eris smiled, "You don''t have to do that," she waved her hand. **** After five minutes, the woman returned to the room, "You have medicine to eat before sleeping. I hope you aren''t asleep yet," She opened the door. The woman blinked twice, but there were no traces of the elvish man. "Where are you?" She approached the bed, only seeing a pile of white dust. **** "Fire! Fire!" Ae shouted at the guards around her, aiming her bow at the hordes of goblins appearing from the forest. "Fire at will!" She shouted again. "We''re firing as fast as we could," one of the guards replied to her. ^It''s strange, Arad won''t let this many goblins toward the vige. If I know him well, he would try to kill them all. Did something bad happen to him?^ **** Lydia could see the goblins'' numbers growing out of control, she looked above the walls at Isdis. "What happened to the rangers? Any news about Arad?" "They should have reported to me ten minutes ago, but I didn''t get any reply," Isdis shouted back so Lydia could hear her. Lydia looked at the hordes with a worried face, "Something is off," **** Ae kept aiming and aiming until her fingers got tired. She retreated to the back lines to drink some water and rest for a bit. There were over a hundred archers on the walls, certainly losing her three or four arrows won''t hurt for a few seconds. "Here is some water," A woman handed the jug to Ae. "Thank you," Ae smiled, taking the jug from the brown-haired woman. "I didn''t see you here before," Eris smiled, "I just came to help," She smiled. Chapter 278 The Purple Dragonoid Ae drank the water with a smile, taking a deep breath. "I should get back to firing," "Yeah, that''s right," Eris replied. Eris stared at the sitting Ae in silence for a second. SWOSH! CLANG! Out of nowhere, Eris pulled a shive and swung at Ae''s shoulder. Ae jumped to the side, swinging her warbow as a club, and a burst of mes and winds exploded, scaring the guards on the walls. Ae stared at Eris with a stern face, "Who are you?" She growled. Eris smiled, "What a quick reaction. You''re truly an elf." She giggled as Ae''s wooden warbow burned into ash. "I asked who you are?" Ae growled again, feeling a sharp pain in her stomach. For a second, she thought the water was poisoned. When she looked down, she saw blood trailing down her stomach. She was stabbed in the guts. "You thought the water is poisoned? Sadly I can''t do that," Eris smiled, throwing the shive away, "Father needs your blood to be clear, and poison would stain them." Ae ignored the pain and bleeding in her stomach, pulling her steel bow and aiming at Eris. "An enemy!" She shouted, firing three arrows. BAM! BAM! BAM! SWOSH! A burst of purple sma exploded from Eris''s body, melting the arrows instantly as she rushed forward. Thud! She punched Ae in the guts, cracking one of her ribs and sending her falling from the wall. "I don''t care how badly injured you are," Eris smiled, staring down at her. "I know how much force is needed to kill a person, and healing magic can always fix wounds." She giggled. SWOSH! Ae pulled one of her arrows, stabbing the wall and slowing her descent a bit before hitting the ground. Eris intended to leave her at one HP and drag her back to her father. Eris jumped from the wall,nding in front of Ae. "You''re a ranged archer. Forget about fighting someone up close." She extended her hand to grab Ae by the hair. CRACK! Eris only saw a steel boot stomp the ground beside Ae''s head as a sharp de raced up, slicing her arms like a loaf of bread. Thud! Eris jumped back, seeing her arm fall on the ground as Lydia stood beside Ae. "You smell like shit, vampire," She growled, golden lightning crackling from her eyes. Eris smiled, "I see, a pdin," BAM! Her arm grew back, "You can sniff us, can''t you? Like a well-trained dog," Lydia pointed her sword forward, ncing back at Ae. "Put pressure on the wound and grab my ankle," Ae did just that, and Lydia released a wave of holy magic through her legs, stopping the bleeding. Eris looked at them, smiling. "Pdins, the ss mixing the healing capabilities of cleric and raw power and skill of fighters. That was the basic healing touch wasn''t it?" Healing touch is one of the simplest spells a cleric or a pdin can cast. It can''t heal wounds, only stop the bleeding temporarily to allow for further treatment. Pdins usually use that spells to stop bleeding mid-fight and keep fighting till thest breath. "We just me, but I already hate. You talk a lot," Lydia red at Eris, "What brought a vampire here, goblins were bad, but it''s even worse with someone like your around." "Is that so? I only need that elf behind you. I don''t care about anything else, so get out of my way." Eris smiled. "I refuse," Lydia growled, lifting her sword up, and lowering it in front of her face. "In the name of mother earth, the newborn sapling, and the zing sun in the sky. You won''t touch anyone in this city," Divine magic flowed from Lydia''s body. "Big words for a single woman, do you think you can protect them all?" Erisughed. "By the gods, it shalle true," Lydia said with determination, ring at Eris with a golden aura. Eris smiled, "Well then, you try protecting them. Let''s see if the gods can protect you," CRACK! She stomped the ground, shattering it as a burst of sma exploded from the cracks like lightning. CLAP! A burning purple spear appeared in Eris''s palm, [Condensed Fire Needle] Lydia lowered her sword to take a stance, and Eris lunged forward, thrusting her spear forward. CRACK! Lydia swung up, deflecting the attack with a thunderp. The shockwave sent Ae rolling back to the walls. BAM! Ae hit the wall and fell on her face. She slowly lifted her head up, reaching into her pocket to get a healing potion. CLANG! CLANG! "That woman," Ae growled, she had already noticed the faint scales on Eris''s neck, "A Dragonoid, half-dragon?" She gasped. Eris swung her spear at Lydia''s neck, but Lydia deflected it and shed at her chest. Eris jumped back, and Lydia followed her, swinging down at her neck. "You''re fast for someone wearing such heavy armor," Eris smiled, spinning around and kicking Lydia in the face, sending her rolling. "But you aren''t as robust as me," Sheughed. Lydia rolled on the ground and stood back up immediately, her face scratched. "Is that so? You''re only a pest," She growled. N?v(el)B\\jnn Thud! Eris''s body fell to the side, and her face hit the ground. She looked down, seeing her right leg, which touched Lydia, it has disintegrated up to the knee. Eris stood and her leg grew back in a single thud, "Nothing that my regeneration can''t deal with," She smiled, "But let me show you some tricks," CLAP! Eris pped her hands with a smile, a wave of blood magic mixed with sma raged from her body for a second before fading away. "Burning butterfly of death: Dance of a thousand burning corpses," Eris chanted and mes exploded around her. Lydia jumped back, avoiding the hot wave of magic. All the goblin corpses burned with sma, the skin evaporating from their bones as they stood and started walking. Everyone in the city cried, seeing the dead goblins stand back up as undead. And a horrifying monster flew down from the sma. Chapter 279 Death Butterfly Vs The Holy Paladin Eris flew down like a burning butterfly. Two dark bat wings spread from her lower back, and tworge purple sma ones from her upper shoulders. The ground started melting beneath her feet as shended, ring at Lydia with a smile. She swung her spear around, and arge de extended from the tip, shaping it into a scythe. Lydia clenched her teeth, pointing her sword forward and taking a deep painful breath of scorching air. "The unholy child of red and blue dragons, mixed with the vampires'' filth," She growled, looking at Eris. "I''m far beyond what you can win against," Eris smiled, hitting her scythe pommel on the ground, causing an explosion. [Scorching Heat Requiem] GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! All the scorching goblin sma skeleton rushed at Lydia at once, surrounding her in a deathly trap. Everyone on the battlefield felt sick in their stomachs from the heat and necrotic magic of Eris''s vampiric blood magic. Normal people quickly fell to their knees, gasping for air and sweating as the field ignited. "Lydia!" Ae screamed. CLAP! A golden lightning strike fell from the sky, and the skeletons burned in to ask. BAM! Lydia walked forward. Each of her steps quaked the ground as she lifted a spectral golden g. "What an extreme link with the gods," Eris smiled, "In a holy war, you would be the g bearer, won''t you?" She smiled. Thud! Lydia stabbed the g on the ground, creating a safe zone and rushing forward at Eris. She swung her sword, [Holy Smite] SWOSH! Eris dodged the strike and shed at Lydia with her scythe. Lydia swung her sword up, [Divine cleaver] CLAP! Eris''s scythe exploded with a thunderp the moment it touched Lydia''s de. "It''s a thin bnce you have there between the blood, fire, and lighting magic." She growled. KA-DOM! Lydia felt a heavy blow at her side, and her vision went dark for a second, finding herself stuck to the wall. "Who said what?" Eris red at her with a smile, "You aren''t as fast as me," She had already recreated her scythe. CRACK! Lydia fell to the ground, barely standing up. Her armor burned and seared her skin. CLICK! Lydia lifted her sword up, looking at Eris. ^She''s strong, but I need to take her down.^ She smiled, the purple mes heating her armor shifted into a warm golden color. "No one else will die!" Lydia shouted, and apressed aura of divine magic started raging from her body. Erisughed, "I fought my share of priests and pdins that wanted to hunt vampires. Some were far stronger than you. But no stood with such injuries." Lydia stared at Eris, ^I would die if I charged at her, but I must kill her. I have no other choice than to damage her as much as I can in a single.^ ^Protection. A pdin should be the first andst one to die. No one behind them shall be harmed.^ Lydia took a deep breath of the searing heat. ^Vengance. No mercy for the wicked. A pdin should be the first one to raise their de in the face of evil.^ [Divine Cleaver] Lydia sted forward engulfed in searing divine me, swinging her sword toward Eris''s neck. Eris smiled, swinging her scythe up to deflect Lydia''s sh. CLAP! The scythe exploded into sparks of purple mes as it touched Lydia''s de, unable to stop it. Eris tilted her head to the side, ducking below the sh and swinging her fist at Lydia''s stomach. STAB! Lydia shifted her torso to about a spinal hit, taking the stab on her left side. She then dragged her de down at Eris''s head. CLAP! It only took a fraction of a second, and everything exploded when Lydia''s divine cleaver hit. "Lydia!" Ae Shouted. Her body finally healed enough, and she could stand. When the dust cleared, she saw Lydia coughing blood with Eris''s right arm jammed into her stomach anding from her back. Lydia''s sword cut Eris from the left shoulder down to the stomach, but she was already healing the wound. "See, you won''t win," Eris looked at Lydia''s eyes, "No with your level of strength." She tried to pull her arm. CRACK! Eris blinked, and her arm was stuck in Lydia''s body. All thank to [Improved Life force] preventing her from losing consciousness. "You won''t go anywhere. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Lydia growled, screaming her lungs out, and her body burst into holy mes, searing Eris''s body. [Channel Divinity] Lydia pleaded to the gods, and they agreed instantly to grant her the power to burn the vampire. Eris could feel her skin disintegrating. Lydia was keeping her in ce by using her divine magic to weaken and keep her arm in ce. "Let me go!" Eris screamed. ^I would really die like this!^ She swung her fist at Lydia''s head. Thud! Lydia grabbed Eris''s wrist with her palm, "I won''t let you go," She increased the intensity of her holy magic. "Then I will burn you before you burn me!" Eris ignited her body in purple sma, trying to counter Lydia''s holy mes. A touring sh between golden holy mes and Purple sma rose to the sky in a spiraling tornado as the two women screamed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ae pulled her bow, aiming at the mes but she couldn''t tell where Lydia or Eris were. It was too bright to look at. Thud! CRACK! A weird steel arm stopped beside Eris''s head, and the wrist bent down revealing a ck, four-tube barrel. BAM! A fiery explosion rushed out, sending a round steel ball that sted Eris''s head to bits, and the mes stopped. In that instant, Lydia''s mes burned Eris''s arms, and she fell on her back, bleeding. "Lydia!" Jack cried, pulling arge healing potion and pouring it on Lydia''s stomach. "Please hold out. We will get you treated immediately. He looked at her, and the situation was bad. Lydia was unresponsive, bleeding buckets from her stomach. CRACKLE! CRACKLE! Jack felt something vibrating on his waist, and as he looked, it was the wakizashi he got from that demon. Jack pulled the de and he could see the sun symbol on it glowing with divine magic. He could only feel one thing, apelling feeling to leave it with Lydia. [Blessing of the sun: Amaterasu] CRACK! Jack felt a warm gust of air behind him. He turned and saw a massive red drakaina with chains around her neck, ring at him as Eris healed in the back. "What?" He gasped. BAM! Jack could see a massive purple dragon appear out of nowhere as if he was a camouged lizard and started walking toward Ae. "I finally found you," The purple dragon growled. Chapter 280 A Rogue’s Creed Jack froze in ce as the red drakaina red at him. She was far bigger than Arad or the red very young dragon they fought before. He knew winning wasn''t an option. "Kill or eat them. I don''t care as long as they don''t get in my way," The purple dragon growls as approaches Ae. "GRRRRRRRRR!" The red drakaina growled like a lion stalking a rabbit, a faint gust of mes gushing out of her nose as her head approached Jack. Jack stood still, sweating from heat and pressure. Lydia was dying at their feet as a red dragon prowled at his head. All his instincts told him it was over, but something else crawled into the back of his head. SWOSH! Out of nowhere, Jack swung his arm, pulling on his cloak. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared with Lydia, and the drakaina growled, ring around. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Out of the vige wall, the only four baristas in the whole ce fired at the same time. The knights who helped Jack set the traps started at the red drakaina with smiles. The drakaina lifted her wing and smacked the bolts aside as if they were nothing. Such mundane weapons didn''t have enough power to scratch her scales. Thud! The drakaina heard something in the distance so she red in that direction, seeing Lydia''s body drop to the ground. "DGAKKK GARDOOM. (That rogue abandoned her)." She growled. BAM! A fiery explosion sted from the ground below the drakaina''s wing, knocking it up slightly as she looked down in annoyance. N?v(el)B\\jnn "GAHDROM? (Traps?)." The drakaina looked around, searching for Jack. She knew he didn''t just give up. Since otherwise, hitting her with a trap would have been meaningless. CRACK! A branch cracked, and the drakaina swung her tail at full speed. The snap happened in a fraction of a second, like whippingst and ripping the trees off the forest. "Human!" The drakaina growled, "Do you think I won''t sense you?" BAM! A mental ball hit the drakaina head beside her left eye, leaving a dent in her scales. She growled, staring around, but she couldn''t find where Jack was hiding. Even focusing on her nose didn''t help. The ce reeked with goblin stench it masked anything human. Thud! Jack walked, his body dripping with goblin blood beneath his invisibility cloak. ^I don''t have enough firepower to damage a dragon. All I can do is buy time,^ The drakaina twisted her neck around, trying to find Jack. It was then that she noticed something strange. Lydia was missing her sword. BOOM! ROAR! The drakaina growled as something exploded beneath her hind legs. She lunged back, staring down to see her left hind leg bleeding. "You bastard human, where are you?" The drakaina growled, staring at the ground. Jack walked silently, watching each step as he tied Lydia''s de to his artificial arm with steel wires. He walked beneath the drakaina, approaching her front right leg. In the blink of an eye, he swung the sword and fired a shell at thest moment to elerate the cut, aiming at the soft underneath of the dracaena''s scales. The purple dragon stared back at the drakaina, "You useless lizard, how are you having a hard time with a human? Hurry and kill him. Burn the whole ce if you need," The drakaina growled, ring back at the purple dragon. It wasn''t like she wants to fight here. He chained and dragged her here. Her red draconic blood was boiling, and she would attack him given the chance. The drakaina lifted her wings up and looked at the ground, mes gushing from her jaw. "Burn to ash," She mumbled as fire breath burst forth. Jack ran away dragging Lydia away and rolling behind the hill, panting as he red at the fading st. "There you are," The drakaina stared at him, "Fire exposed the rat. Wouldn''t it be better if you died already?" Jack smiled, pulling a yellow potion from his stomach. "I was keeping this for Lydia or Arad, but I guess I have to use it." She downed the potion. "It isn''t designed for a weak rogue like me. Usually, only fighters, barbarians, or pdins use it," He threw the empty bottle on the ground as ck veins bulged on his skin. "Berserker potion. Temporarily increase stats and reduce pain." The drakaina stared at Jack as he giggled, "It also jumbles the mind, something a rogue won''t like," She circted around Jack, getting ready to bite him off. Jack stumbled forward, dragging Lydia''s sword in his hand as his vision blurred. His body could barely function with the potion, he didn''t have the stamina or the constitution to process it and respond properly. ^This is it,^ Jack could feel his heart shaking inside his chest, ^I''m about to die, I lost this gamble,^ For a second, Jack looked at falling on his face, and the drakaina swung her w at him. Thud! At thest moment, Jack''s body tilted to the side and leaned on the sword and the drakaina''s strike missed him. The drakaina stared at her w, ^I missed it, was it luck? No, I can feel something magical running inside him.^ Her senses could pick two magic sources heating up, the artificial stomach and Liver imnted inside Jack''s body, they started breaking the potion down and stabilizing his blood. Jack started giggling, and the drakaina stared at him confused. "Yo, gods." He mumbled, "Lydia once told me, that you''re the ones granting people holy magic. Can''t I have some, I''m trying to protect one of your pdins, right?" He barely managed to stand. The drakaina red at him with an amused face, "The gods won''t respond. They barely reply to those who pray to them, let alone a rogue. I''m sure you''re an eyesore, standing beside their vnt pdin." She swung her w at Jack, but he suddenly disappeared. The drakaina stopped her w, "Where did he go?" She gasped for a second, thinking that he actually got some power, but she couldn''t be more wrong. Jack stood still in his ce, only invisible thanks to the cloak. Chapter 281 Elven Blood I The drakaina turned toward Lydia, "Crushing her should force him to show his face," She walked toward her. Jack extended his artificial arm forward, aiming at the drakaina''s cor. BAM! He fired the hook, pulling his body up. The drakaina heard it and turned her head, opening her jaw to breathe fire. CLICK! Jack released thetch of the hook and fired another one at her wing, pulling himself to the side and avoiding the mes. SWOSH! The drakaina reacted immediately and swung her tail at supersonic speed like a whip. Jack already expected such an attack and was ready to pull down with a third hook. CLANG! The tail hit the rope, and Jack''s body swung around it, flying into the sky andnding on the drakaina''s neck. "Get into the sky. I will release your bindings." He whispered, and the drakaina paused for a second. BAM! Jack fired his cannon at her head, "Die, your dragon!" He shouted, "You don''t want that purple one to hear us, so get fucking flying," He whispered again. The drakaina spread her wing and sted into the sky, her whole body burning with crimson mes. Jack noticed that the mes aren''t burning below him, and he smiled, plunging his artificial arm into the drakaina''s cor keyhole. "This bastard needs a dragon-sized key. It will take a while to pick it up," The drakaina nodded, flying left and right as if she was trying to shake him off. But she kept her neck steady so he could work. "I hope you''re open to helping us kick that purple''s ass," Jack said with a smile, feeling a cold sweat down his back. **** Down on the ground, the purple dragon looked up at the drakaina''s taking flight, "Such unsteady moves. Reds are really uncivilized." He growled, looking at Ae, smiling, "Don''t you think so? Daughter of Deianira?" Ae pulled her steel bow and fired three arrows at the dragon''s head. Ting! The arrows bounced off his scale, their shafts cracking. "Mere arrows can''t prate a dragon''s scales unless you use your magic, that is," He smiled, "Come on, show me what you can do." ^I wonder if her blood is as strong as her mother''s. If not, I would have to gamble again with her children.^ Ae aimed again, charging her arrow with as much wind as possible. [Air st] BAM! The purple dragon lifted his head, blowing a faint gust of sma forward and melting the arrow. BOOM! Thepressed air exploded when heated up with the sma, sending a st of hot wind and igniting the ground. "Look at what you did. Is that all you can do?" He smiled, crawling around Ae, "You''re wind magic is far too weakpared to her." BAM! Ae jumped back and ran toward the walls. She was an archer and must maintain a long distance between her and her target. The purple dragon didn''t bother chasing her. To him, she was like a snail trying to get away from a human. Ae took a deep breath, and Isdis stared at her, "Get into the city! We''ll fight him with Balistas!" She shouted. "That won''t work," Ae growled, aiming her bow at the purple dragon, "This size, he can stomp the wall with ease." She took a deep breath, "I will hold him here. Evacuate everyone from the city," She shouted. With a swift move, Ae reached to her quiver and pulled an arrow, and dragged it to her bow. BAM! She fired in the blink of an eye. BAM! BAM! BAM! Her firing rate slowly increased to an inhuman level, releasing about four arrows a second. The soldiers at the wall pulled their bows, "Fire with the archery captain!" One of them shouted, firing an arrow. The purple dragon looked at the sky, seeing a rain of arrowsing down. "Numbers don''t really matter here," He swung his wing, deflecting the arrows back at the city and igniting them aze. "The arrows!" One of the guards cried, looking back at the burning arrows falling on the houses and setting them aze. "They are burning the city!" Ae looked back, shaking, "Why did you fire after me?" She cried. Images of the burning elvish city shed in her mind as she saw the people screaming. "Look at what you''ve done," The purple dragon could smell the hesitation on Ae''s face and used the chance. "You''re kind always bring doom. If you surrendered from the start, no one would have to die by burning," He giggled. "Shut up!" Ae shouted, charging her arrow with wind and firing it at the purple dragon. The dragon smiled, "Look," He ignited the arrow and deflected it at the city, causing it to explode in a storm of mes. "More damage because of you," He started walking toward the city. "You''re going with me, and you better surrender before the whole vige dies." CLANG! A loud sound cracked in front of the gate. The purple dragon looked down and saw Lydia standing there, and her scabbard was stabbed into a stone. "You shall not pass," She growled. The healing potion Jack poured on her was enough to wake her up, and if she was awake, she isn''t going back on her protection oath. "The one who dragged my daughter on the ground. Do you think you can stop me?" The purple dragon smiled. "Or do you intend to cause the people in the city more suffering like that elf did? You don''t even have a sword," "I don''t care," Lydia growled, "It''s their fault for not running yet," Ae looked at Lydia. Something was off about her. "Lydia! Run away It''s futile," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Lydia stood there in silence, holy magic oozing from her body like a beacon of light. Ae closed her eyes. ^No, she is right. Arad said it before, but I cast magic after him.^ Ae pulled a dagger from her waist and smiled. ^Why should I care?^ She remembered the dead elves, ^One days, I will join you. It might even be today.^ The purple dragon smiled, feeling the wind magic spiraling around Ae. "That''s it, let your blood boil. The more concentrated it get, the better," Chapter 282 Elven Blood II "Lydia is right," Ae stared at the dragon, her eyes glowing with emerald green light. "This is it," The purple dragon smiled, growling like a hungry monster, "I should drag you out now. Rare breeds are rare to find, as the name implies," Ae jumped from the wall, and the dragon looked at the ground, waiting for her tond. After a second, she didn''t hit the ground. "What?" The purple dragon lifted his head, seeing Ae run mid-air toward his head, pointing her bow at him, "You can run on air?" He growled, and she fired the arrows. BAM! BAM! BAM! The dragon saw the green arrows rushing toward him, feeling the magic inside them. He knew they didn''t have enough power to harm him so he didn''t bother to dodge. ROAR! The dragon opened his jaw, trying to blow Ae back to the wall. Ae stared at her arrows with green eyes, [Wind Arrow] The arrows shifted their direction. One headed for the dragon''s left eye, while the other two to his nostrils. PEW! The arrows snuck inside the dragon''s nose and headed down his windpipe. Ae clenshed her fist, [Wind st] BOOM! BOOM! The two arrows exploded down the dragon''s trachea, stunning him for a second. "You little elf!" The dragon coughed link an old man with lung problems, growing as he red at Ae. "Come here," He swung his w, trying to catch her. Ae stared at the w approaching her. ^It''s slow. He wants to catch me alive.^ Thud! With a swift move. She bent forward, lunging over the dragon''s w and running on his massive arm, pointing her bow at his head. BAM! BAM! BAM! She fired three wind arrows, [Wind arrows] ^As long I can feel the wind around me, I sense the attacks the moment they start moving, giving me just enough time to dodge and react,^ Ae swung her fist down, sending the arrows at the dragon''s eyes. Thud! Isdis''s knight captain opened the gate, charging with ten other knights. "The dragon is slow. Attack his legs and drop him to the ground." "You fools! Stop!" Lydia shouted, but they didn''t listen, charging right in. CLAP! The dragon''s tail cracked like a whip, sting forward with a shockwave as a dust storm filled the air. "HANES!" Isdis shouted, looking down for her head knight. Her eyes opened wide, seeing the blood on the walls. "Tch!" Lydia growled, "No even corpses remained," "HANES! Where are you!" Isdis screamed. "Dead," Lydia replied with a pained voice. She can''t even move. And even if she did, that dragon would tten her in an instant. "The only reason that thing isn''t killing Ae is because he wants her alive and well," Lydia added. "No way," Isdis gasped, looking at the blood in the walls and recognizing a shard of Hanes''s armor. "Don''t tell me," "Someone drag her away! We can''t have her breaking here," Lydia shouted, and the guards dragged Isdis into the city. This dragon was no joke, and unless Arad make it back soon, their chances are as rare as white crows. Ae pulled her bow, jumping from the dragon''s arm and running down his back, [Wind de] CLANG! The spell broke right upon contact with the dragon''s scales. "You little girl, a feisty elf. How do I capture you without turning you into a corpse?" The dragon turned his head, unbothered by her attacks. The situation was strange, but Ae could feel her position. It was like a human trying to capture a small bug alive, and being careful not to crush it between his fingers. ^Each time I slip away from an attack. It''s because he isn''t putting any speed or power into it.^ She could know. ^I need to find a way to use this. How do I hurt him enough to force him to retreat?^ "I know, send weakling to capture weaklings," The dragon growled with a smile, and Ae sensed several small objects moving through the air. She gasped, looking back to see a volley of rusted arrows. "Goblins?" She gasped, seeing an army of goblins emerge from the forest, firing arrows at her. Ae curled into a ball, lifting arms to protect her face [Wind shield]. She created a gust of air in front of her to deflect the arrows, but the spells won''tst long. After just a second, the spell faded, and the arrows hit Ae''s arms. She survived the first wave, but her arms were almost unusable. She turned around, looking at the dragon as if he was the biggest threat. Ae gasped, seeing a massive w rush at her, catching her mid-air. "Here you go, running around like a scared bird." The dragon smiled, ring at her. Ae screamed, the arrows digging deeper into her arms as the dragon clenched his w around her body. "Worry not. I will drag a healer out of the cityter. I will make sure you''re in top shape before the ritual." He growled, ring closed at her. "Wait, what''s that?" The dragon growled, seeing a glowing mark on her lower neck. Right above her chest. "A ve crest, who? When?" The dragon growled. "No, the smell on you. Who was it? This isn''t chromatic," He growled in anger and Ae smiled. "Sorry, I didn''t want to involve him in this. But he''s going to be angry if I don''t," She stared at the sky. "ARAD!" She screamed her lungs out, her voice echoing across the forest. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! An ear-shattering roar filled the sky, shaking the forest as strange magic filled the air. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om *** A minute earlier. "One hundred sixty-nine, nice," Arad smiled, swinging his sword at one of the goblins. "I didn''t let anyone escape. The others are going to be surprised. I hope they don''t mind," He took a deep breath, seeing more goblins emerge from deeper into the cave. SIZZLE! Arad stopped, feeling something burn in his chest. "ARAD!" He could hear a faint call from the distance. The wind carried Ae''s voice all the way to him. "Ae?" He turned around, seeing tiny specs of green light. "She''s in danger, don''t let us fall into the wrong hands," A faint voice came from the specs of light, CREEK! Veins bulged on Arad''s neck as his eyes glew a mixture of purple, red, and yellow light. Chapter 283 Cursed Dragon Arad stood between goblins as they growled, his eyes glowing red, purple, and yellow. ck scales extended through his arms to his neck as hair covered his forearms and chin. The blood magic around him concentrated, sucking the goblins'' blood like there was no tomorrow. CRACK! He transformed inside the tiny cave, destroying it from the inside as he wed his way to the surface, roaring his lungs. The whole forest was shocked. Prey and predators alike hid in their holes, avoiding the unleashed monster. Then purple dragon stared at the sky, hearing the roar booming above the clouds, "A dragon?" He red down at Ae, "He was here all along?" "Burn him to ash!" Ae screamed, and Arad sted through the clouds, opening his jaw. mes gushed from Arad''s mouth and nose, concentrating into a long blue white of light. The purple dragon opened his jaw, aiming at Arad. "You''re awfully small," He growled, breathing a st of purple sma. The two breaths collided mid-air, and Arad''s breath quickly lost, getting consumed by the hot sma. [Void Step] Arad disappeared as the sma breath covered him and appeared on the purple dragon''s arm, shing his thumb and snatching Ae before the dragon could react. ROAR! The purple dragon roared, hesitant to smack Arad, who held Ae. [Void Step] Arad didn''t wait and teleported to the purple dragon''s face, swinging his w at his left eye and ripping it off. [Void Step] Arad teleported back to the gate andnded on the ground beside Lydia. "He doesn''t want to harm me. Let me stay on your back," Ae said, pulling the arrows stuck on her forearm with her teeth. "What are you?" The purple dragon growled, ring at Arad, holding his eye, "Those scales and horns, you''re no ck dragon." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad didn''t care or bother to reply. All he cared about was ripping this thing into shreds. Red veins bulged in the purple dragon''s healthy eye, causing it to hurt and bleed. "You! What are you?" Thud! Arad appeared on the dragon''s head. STAP! He plunged his w into the eye, ripping it off. The vision wasn''t a dragon''s sole sensory input, and the purple dragon wasn''t that easy to drop. He jumped back, lifting his arms. [Heat Wave] Arad could sense thepressed magic rushing in the air, and he lifted his arms to protect Ae. The scorching heat burned his scales and sted him back. CLACK! Arad''s wounds instantly healed with the blood he had stored, and he opened his jaw. A cold gust of wind gathered around his head, and a st of frozen air gushed forth in an ice storm. The purple dragon got hit chest first, and he recoiled back like an only man getting sshed with ice-cold water. "Fire and cold, you''re a magic one?" He growled, his eyes healing out of nowhere. Arad didn''t sense any holy or blood magic. The purple dragon must be using something else to regenerate. "You''re a magic dragon, aren''t you? What is your kind doing here? I thought you idiots barely care about the world." The purple dragon growled. CRACK! Arad walked forward, his ws melting the ground into the void, ripping apart as gravity magic lifted the stones into the air. "Get your ws off, my woman!" Arad roared gravity magic gathering in his throat. This wasn''t a normal breath, nothing like what the purple dragon had seen before in his life. The gravity pulled stones, trees, air, and debris close to Arad''s jaw, crushing the together as the gravity magic boiled out of Arad''s jaw. BAM! The purple dragon spread his wings, jumping into the sky to avoid the hit. He didn''t know what the breath do and didn''t want to find out. BOOM! Arad unleashed the gravity breath, and the debris flew toward the purple dragon, chasing him across the sky. "Gravity, it''s following me," The purple dragon growled, "But it''s only debris," He swung his w, shattering the line chasing him. ZON! Arad appeared above the dragon, opening his jaw. CLAP! A dark gust of light shed down, hitting the dragon''s back. The void ate all the air around the dragon''s wings, creating a vacuum, and sucking them back more than they could handle. The purple dragon could feel the immense stress of his wing joins as the vacuum pulled them back. They almost got dislocated. The dragon spun around, opening his jaw to st Arad with Ae. He could always search for another century. "Where did he go? Wait, he can teleport!" The dragon couldn''t find Arad behind. ZON! Arad appeared at the dragon''s neck, biting his jugr vein and sucking the blood out. It was then that he could smell it, vampirism and Lycanthropy at the same time. "This little fucker, he''s cursed to the bones." The purpled dragon fell down, swinging his w and smacking Arad away. It was like a human fighter facing a toddler that is a vampire, a werewolf, is fast and can teleport and also use different elements of magic. BAM! The purple dragonnded, ring at Arad. ^I can''t kill him without holy magic, he''ll keep regenerating and attacking back.^ He red at Ae above Arad''s back, ^I almost hit her with him earlier. Should I really give up on this one and kill her?^ He regenerated his neck, ring at Arad. "Who the hell are you? Cursed Dragon," The purple dragon growled. ^He won''t die even if I st him with a breath, I will only kill her so going all out is out of the question. I need to separate them.^ In the back, Eris finally regenerated her head and stared at the fight with blurry vision. "GAH!" She gasped, recognizing Arad and screaming, "Father! Run!" She shouted her lungs out. "What?" The purple dragon looked at her. "It''s the one ug came to protect, she must being toward here!" She knew that the ancient green dragon had an interest in Arad of some kind, and she didn''t want to test that interest limit. The purple dragon red at Arad, "So this is the fucker that bitch is interested in? I can see why, it''s a rare find." He growled, "I''m not leaving without that elf." "Elf, surrender, or I will burn the city to ash," The purple dragon growled. ... "In the days of the holy order," A voice came from the gate and everyone looked there, it was Lydia. "In the heart of the holy seat, and in the name of the lords." She started singing, and everyone could hear a faint whiching from the sky. "There''s a foe of a thousand swords." She looked up, and so did everyone. "Falling from the heavens," SWOSH! They could see a giant ball of mes flying down. The drakaina with Jack smiling on her head. Chapter 284 Imposter "It''sing!" the purple dragon gasped, staring at the sky. A wave of bloodlust rushed down from the sky. ^No, it''s not the drakaina. It''s the human on her back,^ The purple dragon''s vision focused on Jack''s smiling face. ^I can feel his bloodlust from here. He isn''ting to fight. He''s charging toward death.^ BAM! The purpled dragon spread his wings and jumped to the side. ^There is nothing more dangerous than a man who doesn''t fear death.^ "You won''t see the light of day again," Jack growled, "Your fate has been decided," She shifted the drakaina''s direction by pulling on her horns. The purple dragon opened his mouth, charging a sma breath to st the drakaina alongside Jack. CRACK! Arad and Ae teleported to the purple dragon''s neck and punched his lower jaw closed. The sma concentrated inside the purple dragon''s lung, exploding inside his throat. The guards jumped from the wall, hiding behind it as they saw the burning drakaina diving headfirst toward the ground. A ball of death spiraled toward the ground, and the purple dragon expanded his wings to fly away. CLENSH! Arad bit the dragon by the neck, sucking on his blood like a vacuum cleaner. "Let go of me, you little bastard!" The purple dragon growled, "That drakaina intends to st the whole ce. What did that rogue do to her to charge like that?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om *** "That''s it, charge downward as fast as you can. Don''t give him a chance to think of anything else," Jack whispered to the drakaina. "Leave intimidation to me. Just as I can make people ignore me in the streets, I can make them focus on me." [Imposter] Thieves can blend between people, to make themselves unnoticed. A crucial ability that helps them survive in their harsh line of work. So, what if a rogue broke all of the ability''s rules? Using it to stand out instead of blending in. ^I''m not a part of the herd. The herd is a part of me. I''m the center of focus and the main character in this world. Beware, I''ming.^ Jack''s eyes red down at the purple dragon. The pressure, fear, and danger generated by the drakaina''s suicidal dive got channeled through Jack, firing directly at the purple dragon. Creating an illusion of two massive equal threats, the drakaina, and Jack, the imposter. SWOSH! The drakaina reached the purple dragon, about to hit him headfirst. Jack pulled her horns as hard as he could, and she opened her wings shifting direction. GIH! The purple dragon gasped, realizing he was tricked, but it was toote. The drakaina''s right w headed toward his head at a supersonic speed. THWACK! The drakaina''s w smacked into the dragon''s head like a lion hitting a rabbit, sending him rolling across the forest with a firest. BAM! The purple dragon smacked into a mountain, falling to the ground. He opened his eyes and saw the drakaina rushing at him, enraged. "You bitch dare fight back again?" He growled, opening his jaw. Thud! Arad teleported above the purple dragon''s head, swinging his ws down at his eyes. STAB! The purple dragon roared as Arad gouged his eyes again. [Ice Fist] Arad channeled as much cold magic as he could, freezing the purple dragon''s eyes and preventing them from regenerating as the drakaina charged. VROOOOOOOOOOMM! An ear-shattering rumbling raged from the drakaina''s chest. She was going all out. ^I waited for a long time for this moment. The moment that I can gouge your guts out.^ CRACK! She bites the purple dragon from the neck, swinging her w at his guts. CLANG! Her fist hit his stomach, but couldn''t pierce through. He was far tougher than her. She didn''t care, swinging her neck back and lifting him up. CLARK! She smacked the purple dragon back to the ground as hard as she could, a wed him back into the sky with a second hit. VROOOOOOOM! A rumbling rushed from the purple dragon''s chest and his body ignited in purple sma. The heat wave caused a shockwave to expand, hitting the drakaina and sending Jack falling from her back. FLAP! Arad flew in, catching him before he could hit the ground and flying back to the city. CRACK! Aradnded in front of the city gate and dropped Jack and Ae. "You two wait here," He growled. Ae and Jack looked at the mountains. VROOOM! They could hear the dragons'' wings rumbling from here, seeing the purple dragon punch the drakaina in the head, her body bouncing from the ground as if it was a mattress. CRACK! The ground cracked all the way to the city as the dragons'' roars filled the sky, turning it red from the raging mes burning the forest. [Two adult dragons fighting to the death. It''s better to take the chance and run away. You don''t want to stand between them.] Mom suggested, but Arad wasn''t going to listen. "I''m going to kill that purple bastard," Arad growled, and Ae red at him. "That''s insane. Stay here, or let''s fly back to Alina. Look at them. You will die in the chaos." She cried. Mom and Ae were right. Arad knew that he could only dodge their attacks thanks to [Void step] And that he could only tank their heat because of the vampire regeneration. And he can only see their movements thanks to lycanthropy. "I can do it," Arad growled, "No, it isn''t like that," VROOM! A rumbling raged from Arad''s chest, and his body started getting consumed by the void. "That bastardid his hand on Ae. Why is he still alive?" "What?" Ae gasped. "Arad," Jack sighed, "I know you''re pissed off, but don''t get reckless. Not like I''m the one to speak. I riled that red one." ZON! Arad disappeared, appearing in the sky where he red at the two dragons fighting. ^I need to strike when he''s distracted by the drakaina and suck his blood dry, till thest drop,^ [Fine, if you want to fight. But that drakaina won''tst long. You better strike early.] ^Don''t worry, Mom. I won''t miss my chance. That thing is mere food now.^ Arad growled. A vampire dragon is on the hunt for blood. Chapter 285 Second Element VROOM! Arad pped his wings faster than the eye could see, sting toward the purple dragon. CRACK! The purple dragon shifted his body to the side, leaping back and swinging his tail. ZON! Arad teleported forward, dodging the strike and opening his jaw, aiming at the purple dragon''s neck. Thud! Hetched into the back of the dragon''s neck. "Get away from me! You little pest," The purple dragon growled, keeping an eye on the charging drakaina. "I''m no pest. My name is Arad. And I''m here to..." He smiled, "Eat you," BAM! BAM! The purple dragon dodged the drakaina''s w strike and punched her in the face. "Eat me? Stop fucking around!" The purple dragon roared, his body exploding in sma and setting the forest around him aze. [Infinit Void] Arad covered himself with the void, sucking the sma into his stomach as he bite the purple dragon. "I''m not letting go!" He growled. CRACK! Arad''s wstched into the dragon''s neck, securing him in ce. SWOSH! The purple dragon lifted his w, trying to grab Arad and pull him away. Thud! The drakaina caught his arm, "You aren''t touching him while I''m alive," She growled, punching the purple dragon''s guts and tail-pping him. The purple dragon recoiled back, growling, "You bitch, scram!" He swung his w, smacking her down and opening his jaw. CRACKLE! Lightning crackled from his fangs, exploding into a brilliant sh. A purple dragon is the child of red and blue dragons. He can use both fire and lightning or mix them for the much more powerful sma. Since the drakaina is immune to me and heat, there isn''t much of a reason to hit directly with sma and consume too much energy. Lighting alone is enough to damage her. The drakaina growled, jumping away. She wanted to use a breath but knew her mes were useless against such a monster. He''s immune to both fire and lightning. The drakaina rushed at the purple dragon, swinging her w. Thud! He caught her strike and opened his jaw, zapping her again. "You stupid bitch, you will only die. Red has no power over purple dragons." The drakaina recoiled back from the shock. ^At this rate the same will happen.^ She remembered her husband and children getting ughtered by the purple dragon. ^I have to kill this bastard, but I don''t have the power to do it.^ She clenched her teeth, ^Even with my husband, we failed to y him. What power could I have over him?^ She stood, swinging her w again and grabbing him before he could hit Arad. "You persistent," The purple dragon growled. CRACK! He punched her jaw, sending her rolling. The red drakainay on the ground, her vision blurring as she lost her energy. ^We reds can''t beat the purples, it''s what fate decided, and there is nothing that we can do about it.^ Something clicked in her head. She red at the sky. ^Yeah, I''m dying. I wonder what''s over there,^ [You chromatics never pray, don''t you?] The red drakaina heard a voice booming in her head. [I won''t grant you any power. But I will tell you one thing. You create me by generating heat. Don''t eat the mes. Eat the heat itself,] CRACK! The drakaina opened her eyes, standing and looking at the purple dragon. "In Tiamat''s name, I''m going to fight to the death," She growled, opening her jaw. The purple dragon giggled, "The useless goddess, go ahead and die," VROOM! The drakaina started sucking the mes on the forest, draining all the heat around her andpressing it in her chest. "It doesn''t matter how much you charge. I''m immune to mes," The purple dragon grabbed Arad and started trying to pull him away from his neck. N?v(el)B\\jnn CRACK! The purple dragon''s eyes opened wide as his leg froze, "Cold?" Cold is the absence of heat, so when the drakaina ate it all. The forest started to freeze. Sorsores can develop a second element if they are lucky, which means the source of their power can do the same, given the same luck. Such seconds elements are in no way random. Each of them corresponds to the starting element in some way. Fire=>Cold Cold=>Fire Lightning=> Ma Acid=> Base Poison=> Antidots FLAP! The purple dragon pped his wings, opening his jaw and breathing a st of sma to heat the ce. "Since when you bitch knew magic?" He thought it was a spell, not an innate power. The purple dragon red at the drakaina. Be must deal with her before getting back to Arad. She won''t let him touch him. BOOM! A purple light shed through the ice, and a handid on Arad''s head, "So it was really you!" Eris had regenerated her head and joined the fight again. ROAR! The drakaina opened her jaw, rushing to swat Eris off Arad''s back, but the purple dragon extended his arms, keeping her away. "Eris! Pull him away from me. I will keep her at bay," He shouted, and a purple st of sma gushed from Eris''s back. "Come off! You weird ck dragon," Her fingers dug deep into Arad''s skull, pulling off the purple dragon''s neck. BAM! Arad and Eris flew to the ground, crashing into the forest and dropping some trees as they rolled away from the dragons. "It''s you again!" Arad growled, and Eris conjured her spear. Thwack! She smacked him on the head, rattling his bones. "Stay down!" Eris growled, expanding her sma and bat wings, "You aren''t interfering with their fight." ^It''s a bad idea to fight her in my dragon form, I''m a big target for her magic, and I can''t keep an eye on her.^ Therger you are, the harder it''s to deal with fast and small creatures. Arad shifted back to his humanoid form and red at Eris, "Fine, I will kill you first," He pulled his sword, and Eris smiled. "Try it if you can," She spun her spear and lunged at Arad. CLANG! Arad swung his sword down, cutting her sma spear in half, leaving a ck crescent trail after his sh. Chapter 286 Heavy Weight Eris gasped as her sma spear exploded in a purple spark, and she stared down at Arad''s sword. "It''s heavy," CRACK! Arad twisted his wrist, swinging up at her head. Thud! She jumped back, dodging the strike with a stern face. "You''re faster than before," ZON! Arad wasn''t in the mood to speak. He teleported right to her face, grabbing her by the neck. CRACK! Eris grabbed his wrist, feeling her neck and throat cracking. ^He''s crushing my neck,^ SWOSH! With her left hand, she conjured around a spear and hit Arad''s arm, exploding it into ash. Arad swung his leg, kicking Eris in the guts and sending her flying. CREEK! Eris stopped, ring at him with blood dripping from her mouth. She smiled, "You bastard, that hurt," She growled, and her dented stomach healed in the blink of an eye. CRACK! Arad''s arm regrew immediately, and he red at Eris, "Get out of my way. I''m here to kill him," "That''s my father, and I''m not letting you go to him." Eris pointed her spear at Arad, "You die here, fresh blood." Eris and Arad red at each other, and their magic slowly expanded. BAM! Eris made the first move, pointing her spear at Arad and firing a [sma ball] Thud! Arad stomped the ground, swinging his sword down [Void Dragon w]. He sliced the sma ball in half, and each part flew to the side and burned a trail in the forest. SWOSH! Eris flew after the sma ball and faced Arad, swinging her spear as his de was down. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad tried to lift his sword in time. CRACK! Eris stepped on his sword, pinning it on the ground as her spear approached his neck. Arad let go of the sword, bending his body back to dodge the spear thrust. At the same time, he swung his right leg up. CRACK! Arad''s foot kicked Eris in the chin, rattling her skull. Arad exhaled, [Wyrmwolf''s uncanny physique]. He bnced on his left hand, swinging his left foot and kicking Eris in the side, and with a swift move, he stood back up and punched her once with his left hand, spinning for another one with his right fist in the blink of an eye. GUSH! Erisughed blood, feeling her lungs shake inside her chest. The punches were strangely heavy, cracking her ribs with ease. ^He''s a true dragon and is heavier than me.^ She gasped, taking a deep breath and swinging her spear at him. Thud! Thud! With swift moves, Eris trusted two holes in Arad''s torso. And without a word, she touched his chest with her palm, [sma st] BOOM! A fiery purple explosion sent Arad flying back, rolling on the ground. But he stood immediately. "Is this your toy?" Eris smiled, lifting Arad''s sword. "It''s mine now. Should I melt it?" Arad opened his palm [Gravity Magic] The sword rattled in Eris''s palm and suddenly flew at a blinding speed toward Arad''s hand. "Says who?" Arad caught the sword and lifted his hand. "Wait, what?" Eris gasped. CRACK! Arad stomped the ground, throwing the sword back at her. CLANG! Eris swung her spear, deflecting the sword, "You madman, what are you doing?" Arad opened his palm [Gravity Magic]. SWOSH! He pulled the sword back into his hand and stared at Eris. "Ranged attack," Arad started spamming, throwing his sword at her over and over. Always pulling it back with [Gravity Magic] like a boomerang. "Stop it!" Eris shouted, opening her mouth and charging a breath. ROAR! Arge st of sma expanded from her mouth, charring the ground into ash as it elerated toward Arad. Arad opened his jaw, releasing a st of the dark void, erasing her breath. "Time to end this," Arad growled as Eris stared in shock at her breath disappearing. [Gravity Magic: Expand] A pulse of purple magic expanded from Arad''s body, and Eris started floating. "What? No gravity?" Eris growled, pping her wings, "Then I will fly away," "You aren''t going anywhere," Arad smiled, lifting his hands [Infinite Void] His body turned dark, covered with the void, and he started sucking the air like a vacuum. Eris felt her body getting violently sucked toward Arad, and she had nothing to hold onto. SWOSH! In the blink of an eye, he pulled her toward him. Eris lifted her spear, thrusting at Arad''s face. Arad shifted his head, dodging the thrust, and swung his fist at her. She lifted her arms, blocking Arad''s punch with a boxer guard. CRACK! Eris felt her arms cracking, and Arad''s punch sent her flying back. It only took a second, but her body got pulled back toward Arad as he didn''t stop [Gravity Magic: Expand] and [Infinite Void] Eris red at him, ^Again? He''s pulling me in,^ CRACK! Arad punched her again, sending her flying toward the trees before pulling her once more. BAM! CRACK! BAM! CRACK! BAM! After several punches, Arad pulled Eris onest time, transforming back into his draconic form. CRACK! He swung his w down, pinning her on the ground. "This is the end, half-blood," She growled, recalling how she called him fresh blood. Eris coughed blood, ring at Arad with a smile, "Even though I''m stronger than you. I can''t push you around with my weight," When two beings of equal power sh, the lighter one gets pushed back. The same happened with Arad and Eris, even though she''s stronger, the exhaustion from Lydia''s fight, and the fact Arad weighs several times as much as her. She didn''t have a chance at knocking him out. Arad pushed his w at the ground. CRACK! Eris''s body cracked, and he turned toward the purple dragon. ^She''s dead, but I can''t eat her since she''s a vampire. I need to get to that purple dragon as soon as possible.^ He could remember thest time he tried to suck a vampire''s blood. He transformed back into his humanoid form. ^I must sneak between the drakaina''s attacks and bite the bastard''s neck.^ SWOSH! Eris''s body levitated behind Arad, and she opened her mouth, showing her fangs. Arad immediately sensed her. She pretended to die. He turned around, swinging his fist. Eris charged forward, dodging Arad''s fist and biting him on the neck. Chapter 287 Exchanged Bites Arad growled, feeling Eris''s fangs dig deep into his neck. "You still had it in you," He red down at her, opening his mouth. CRACK! Arad bite her neck as well, and she gasped. CLENCH! He clenched his fist and swung at her side. Thud! Eris deflected Arad''s fist and conjured a short version of her spear, more like a shiv, and thrust at his liver. BAM! Arad knocked it out of her hand and grabbed her wrist, crushing it in his palm. Thud! Eris jumped, wrapping her legs around his waist and expanding her wings, dropping Arad to the ground. CRACK! The moment Arad fell to the ground, he pushed with his hand, trying to stand back up. FWOSH! Purple mes consumed Eris''s body as she growled, unleashing her sma to burn Arad to a crisp. But she could feel his hand grabbing her hair from the back, pulling violently. He didn''t want to sit and watch her burn him to ash. Eris clenched her teeth harder so he won''t pull her head away from his neck, grabbed him by the ear, and started pulling. Arad could feel that her hair will rip off if he used more strength. He gave up on her hair and pulled his arms back, sliding them between his and her chest, and started pushing. Eris growled into Arad''s neck, feeling it hard to breathe or swallow. His thick arms crushed her ribcage with extreme force. Eris swung her arm down between Arad''s legs, grabbing him by the jewels and pulling out, trying to rip them off, or at least force Arad to let go of her neck. She gasped, feeling them like leather in her palm, unmoving. No matter how much force she used, they didn''t rip off, and Arad didn''t show any reaction at all. Arad expanded his wings, using them to push his body up to stand, and Eris''s chest cracked her first broken rib. She choked on the blood from Arad''s neck, and for a second her grip waned. FLAP! Arad pped his wing, flying to the sky with her attached to him like a leech. Eris looked at the ground moving away and growled, clenching her fists harder and pulling on Arad''s jewels even more, trying to rip and twist them to see if they tear off. Arad flew just a few meters and dived back down, crashing on the ground with Eris below him. Eris expanded her wings, twisting them below her back to absorb the shock of the impact, and then increased her sma output, shining brightly in the dark forest. Arad finally rxed his hands. She was burning too fast for him to keep a steady max output. But that didn''t mean he didn''t have another n. Arad expanded his hands and hugged her, ^Die, encased inyer uponyer of ice,^ CRACK! Eris gasped, feeling her body freezing as her sma faded rapidly. Ice shards grew from Arad''s body and pierced her skin, freezing her muscles and blood. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om She didn''t sit there and take. On the other hand, she started trying to increase her sma output to melt the ice. The sma burned from Eris''s body and rushed at Arad''s ice, melting it in the blink of an eye. He wasn''t proficient with cold magic so he lost the battle. Arad grunted noticing his ice melting, he had tried his best ns, and none of them worked to get Eris away from his body. This woman was more keep to stick to him than his clothes. Thud! Thud! Thud! An armored woman jumped through the wood, thrusting her sword at Eris''s head. "Die!" Isdis shouted, ice forming on her de. Eris gasped, feeling the ice magic to be more refined than that of Arad. She would freeze her head before she could melt it. She opened her mouth and kicked Arad in the chest, jumping back and dodging the thrust. "Why are you running?" Isdis rushed after Eris, swinging her sword. Eris growled, "You weak bitch, why won''t you die?" She growled, lifting her hand to st her with sma. Thud! An arrow flew from the trees, piercing Eris''s wrist. She gasped, "It''s that elf. Where is she?" She looked around, searching for Ae. PEW! PEW! PEW! Three arrows emerged from the trees, and Eris weaved between them. "Show yourself!" She shouted. PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! Twelve more arrows emerged, and the tree arrows that Eris dodged changed their direction, flying back at her. Eris dodged the arrows, but they kept chasing her, guided by wind magic. Thud! Thud! Thud! Isdis charged in, "Prepare to die," Swinging her sword at Eris''s neck. CLANG! Eris deflected Isdis''s attack and was about to burn her to ash, but the arrows interrupted her. ^I can''t attack, it takes a lot of time to dodge those arrows, and I don''t want to know what will they do once they hit.^ CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Isdis swung her sword at Eris, but all of her attacks got deflected. She wasn''t fast or strong enough to be a threat. Thud! Arad stood, grasping his sword. He didn''t want to waste stamina on Eris, but he doesn''t seem to have a choice in the matter. She''s too stubborn to die. VROOOM! Veins bulged on Arad''s neck and arms as he pulled the sword back, taking a deep breath, "Action Surge!" Arad swung his sword downward as Isdis jumped out of the way. CLANG! Eris conjured a spear and deflected his strike to the side, ^Fast,^ She cried inside. CLANG! Arad swung again, but she blocked his attack, ^But I can melt that thing,^ She smiled inside. Arad could see the edge of his sword turning red. Going further will risk damaging the de. So he dropped it and clenched his fist, ck scales covering his forearm as ws emerged from his fingertips. Arad''s fist flew toward Eris''s face at a tremendous speed, and she ducked down. ^Does he think his fists are more durable than a sword?^ Chapter 288 True Nature BAM! Arad''s fist flew right beside Eris''s head, cutting a strand of her hair. ^He''s fast!^ She jumped back and lifted her spear, seeing Arad still after her with his fists. CLANG! CLANG! Arad fired two other punches, and Eris deflected them with a spear spin, but she failed to reach in time to the next fist, getting hit in the face. CRACK! Eris could feel her nose crack. Arad wasn''t holding back. He wanted her down so he could go finish her father off. PEW! PEW! Two arrows flew from the sky, piercing Eris''s feet and pinning her to the ground. "GUH!" Eris gasped, ^I can''t run away, and my magic is running out. As a vampire, he''s weaker than me. I thought he was stronger, being a true dragon, but I miscalcted and ended up damaging myself,^ Arad still had two punchesing hot, hitting Eris in the face a second time, spinning her body sideways, and ripping the arrows from the ground. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR! Arad roared, swinging thest fist at her guts as hard as he could. BOOM! A shockwave exploded as his fist pushed deeper into Eris''s stomach, deflecting her body back like a soft ball of clothes. Isdis gasped, seeing Eris''s body fly several meters into the air. Her eyes shifted toward Arad, sweating. "Where did that ck dragon go?" She gasped, not wanting him to hear the answer. If what was in her mind is right, she could end up dead soon. BAM! The ground shook, throwing Isdis into the sky, and she fell back on her face. Looking forward, she could see the two massive dragons wrestling at the mountain foot. Arad grunted, his skin turning ck, covered with scales. Isdis sat on her knees, shaking. She could feel it from her spot, Arad was angry, and his bloodlust is out of the roof. The only thing preventing her from crying is that anger is directed toward someone else. BAM! She looked to the side as Arad''s long ck tail coiled around her, and a rumbling dragon growled in front of her. It was him, and she guessed it since they had the same name. "Get away from here. This forest won''t exist by the sunrise," Arad growled. "Wait!" Isdis shouted, and Arad expanded his wings, sting into the sky and leaving her coughing in the dust. "He''s a dragon, no wonder he was so strong," She looked at Arad flying, remembering when he first showed up. This wasn''t a potential S-rank adventurer. It''s an S-rank monster ying a pretend-to-be-human game, and it''s dangerous. When people like her see Arad, they expect a powerful individual to look up to, someone they could expect great deeds and morals. N?v(el)B\\jnn That is wrong. No one knew they were dealing with a whole dragon. The wrong word or action could get them killed. And now, Isdis couldn''t help but remember her father. He might have refused Arad''s noble title with how stupid it looked to expect a human to punch a vampire. But now she knew that wasn''t some empty im. Isdis sighed, "We can''t expect a human mind from a dragon. I should tell Father to be careful dealing with Arad from now on," PEW! An arrow passed beside her face, cutting a wound on her cheek. "You could start by not delivering that information, could you?" Isdis gasped, stepping back, "Ae? Is that you?" She looked around, "Won''t it be better if I informed Father? He''s the king, and I''m sure it will make Arad''s life easier," Isdis smiled, PEW! An arrow flew from the trees, piercing Isdis''s shoulder, "I don''t care what you or him are. Arad doesn''t want his identity disclosed." Isdis gasped for air, grabbing the arrow on her shoulder and growling, "Firing an arrow on a princess, you have some guts. But won''t it be better if I spoke with Arad about it?" She looked at the trees with a smile. GUSH! Esdis suddenly started suffocating. No matter how she tried to breathe, she couldn''t. Thud! Ae jumped from a tree and stared at the suffocating Isdis. "A corpse can''t speak. And don''t expect the luxury of breathing around me," She walked with her bow aimed at Isdis, "You died in the dragon fight crushed in an unfortunate ident." Thud! Ae felt a hand tapping on her shoulder. She turned around swinging her dagger only to see Jack standing there, pointing at his neck. "Sorry! It blocks everyone around me!" Ae gasped, releasing her magic and letting Jack and Isdis breathe. "Let her live. We can use her." Jack gasped, looking at the sky, "We talkter. Let''s get away before the dragons fall to the ground," He pulled Ae by the hand. "Fine," Ae sighed, rushing after Jack. Isdis gasped for air, staring at Ae, "That wasn''t very nice of you," She ran after them. Thud! Jack stopped, seeing Eris bleeding on the ground. "Forget about her. She will die soon." Isdis growled. "That woman is a vampire. Did you how fast she regenerated? She would get up soon." Jack replied. Ae pulled a dagger from her wrist, "Need to finish her then?" "No!" Jack shook his head, rushing to carry Eris on his back. "We aren''t going to get a word out of the big one in the sky. So this woman will do." He smiled. "We can interrogate herter," "We can''t keep her tied," Ae stared at him. "I have the chains Arad was tied with by the dragon cult. Those should keep her purple magic down," Jack lifted Eris and looked at Ae. "We need to get to the city first though," "Let''s hope she doesn''t wake up before that then," Ae sheathed her dagger, and the three ran back toward the city. "I can take custody of her if you want," Isdis stared at Jack and Ae. "No, we will keep her. And nothing is decided until Arad is back." Jack looked at the sky. "I understand, but...?" Isdis looked back with a worried face, "Can he win?" Chapter 289 Purple Slithering ROAR! The drakaina roared, swinging her w at the purple dragon. BAM! He blocked the w and smacked her on the head with his tail. "Know your ce!" He growled but found his w freezing. "Damn it," The purple dragon grunted as purple sma burst from beneath his scales, melting the ice. CLAP! As he red at the red drakaina, he heard something explode in the distance like thunder. He turned his head, only to see a nce of Arad flying toward his face. "It''s you again?" He gasped, and Arad swung his w. The purple dragon swung his wing down to smack Arad to the ground. ZON! Arad teleported behind the dragon''s massive wing and swung at his eyes, gouging it out. Arad only went after the soft spots, the eyes and throat that he was sure his ws would cut. The purple dragon growled, recoiling back. Like a man facing a squirrel with rabies, the purple dragon didn''t want anything with a half-vampire weird dragon. The purple dragon swung his w, trying to catch Arad and pull him away. Arad extended his ws, grasping into the dragon''s neck and running across his back. "Stop moving! You little bastard!" He growled. BAM! The drakaina rushed in, hitting the purple dragon with a w to the face from the blind spot that Arad left. The purple dragon growled, and the drakaina bite him by the neck. FLAP! The purple dragon expanded his wings. VROOM! They stared pping faster than the eye could see. The drakaina got sted back, and the dragon flew to the sky with Arad on his back. [Gravity Magic] Arad growled, almost getting blown away, but he managed to hold on thanks to his ws and Gravity magic. "We came here to y goblins," The purple dragon stopped, hearing Arad growl on his back. "I wanted to have a quiet quest. Why do I have to fight a dragon here?" "Why would I care? Get away from me!" The purple dragon growled, trying to reach Arad on his back, but he wasn''t flexible enough. Arad lifted his front ws and growled, "Die! And get out of my way!" Arad roared, his voice reaching the ground as he swung his ws at the base of the purple dragon''s wings. [Void Dragon w] [Void Dragon w] CLANG! Arad wed at the purple dragon''s back, slowly plucking his scales like feathers, digging deep into his flesh and cutting the tendons around his wing muscles. He then used the void to suck the blood directly into his stomach The drakaina looked up, seeing the purple dragon''s wings going limp as he fell toward the ground. CRACK! When the purple dragon crashed, the whole ground quaked, sending a crack all the way back to the city and shattering one of the walls. BAM! Arad walked over to the purple dragon, standing on its chest, roaring. "Get away from him! He isn''t dead yet!" The drakaina growled, rushing to pull Arad away. The purple dragon opened his eyes, swung his tail, and swatted Arad away like a fly. SWOSH! The wounds on his back healed, and he flew away as fast as he could. CRACK! Arad hit the mountainside and activated [Void Step]. He instantly teleported back the purple dragon''s tail and bit him. The purple dragon turned his head, opening his jaw to chop Arad down. BAM! The drakaina flew in, swinging her w, cutting the purple dragon''s tail and catching Arad. "Let him go! We don''t want to kill him here," She growled, and the purple dragon flew away. CRACK! Arad bit the drakaina''s hand, growling, "Let me kill him!" "Don''t do it! He will explode upon death. You will kill everyone around here," She growled, ring at the purple dragon flying away. "What?" Arad looked at her. "All adult dragons store a lot of elemental magic inside their bodies. That power is released upon death." she looked at Arad, "If you kill him, sma will flood the whole forest and probably erase the vige off the map." Arad finally stopped moving, "The bastard, one day I will eat him alive." The drakaina released Arad, and hended on the ground, growling like a hungry monster. The drakaina sighed, sitting down like a cat. "The fight is over for now. But he will show up again." She smiled. "Who was he?" "Aron, the purple dragon." The drakaina smiled, "He found that fire gets hotter when mixed with pure air, so he was hunting the Deianira family for their wind spirit bloodline," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Deianira? Ae? So that''s why he needed her?" Arad sat and looked up at the drakaina. "That''s what I know. He didn''t speak much about his ns, only ordered people to do things." She sighed and looked at Arad. "You can call me Ignis of the red mountain" She smiled. "Arad Orion," Arad smiled. "Nice to meet you," she sniffed Arad, "Albeit, I find it hard to ept you killed my son," Arad froze, ring at her, "Your son?" Remembered the dragon they massacred a while ago. "I''m not angry," She stared at Arad, "It''s natural for the young ones to fight fornd and sometimes die. He just wasn''t strong enough," "You should be angry," Arad sighed. "I would be angry if an older dragon killed him. But since you were younger than him, it would have been a shame that he lost to you." She looked at Arad and then back at the city. "Fine," Arad sighed, unable to understand how the drakaina''s mind worked. "But you''re stronger than I expected," she smiled, "Are you a young dragon?" "A very young one," Arad replied, and she looked at him, stunned. She then grabbed Arad, lifting him up and looking closer at him. "Aren''t you a bit too big for a very young dragon? And those scales, you aren''t a ck or a purple dragon." She scratched her head, "And you used an ice breath and some weird magic, are you a magic dragon?" "Yeah, a void dragon." Arad growled, "Put me down." "Void? That exins it," She looked at him with a smile. Chapter 290 We Still Have A Nest To Deal With. Puff! Arad shifted back into his humanoid form and sat on the ground, staring at Ignis, "Don''t you have a humanoid form?" Ignis smiled, "Sadly, I don''t. We chromatic aren''t proficient at polymorph magic by nature. You would be hard-pressed to find one with a decent human form." "Is that so?" He sighed, "You remind me of ug. Said she can''t transform into a human." Ignis blinked, "I heard Eris speak something of that matter before. How did you even meet that monster?" "Eris? At Rita," Arad looked at Ignis. "No, I''m talking about ug. That drakaina has a rotten personality. How did you even catch her interest?" Ignis sighed, "Her attention cannot be good." "I can''t see that from the times I met her," Arad scratched his head. "Well, ug''s worst trait is her hobby of spying on people. And don''t forget how pitiful she can be, going all the way to spend years nning to watch someone she hates regret his life." Ignis looked at the night sky. "I met her once in a forest. She came once when I got attacked by griffons, andstly in Rita when I faced a man Called Connor." Arad looked forward with a stern face. "She''s clearly spying on you all day long." Ignis sighed, "Isn''t that right, ug?" She looked around. **** Far away, ug turned her magic crystal off and looked away. The kobold standing beside her sighed, "She called you out and told you it will happen one day," "She has no way to prove it, so it won''t count," ug growled. **** "Why would she spy on me? It''s not like I have anything she wants, or should I say can''t take?" Arad asked with a puzzled face. Ignis smiled, "I don''t know if I should call this a good trait, but she at least only watches for fun. Nothing more." She looked at Arad, "From the centuries of her spying on people, she barely affected their lives in any way and only saw them as entertainment." "You have no way of knowing that," "She only watches important people like nobles, kings, and queens. The more intrigue and drama happen in your life. The more likely she would spy on you to watch and enjoy the show." "And a rare void dragon punching werewolves, vampires, and dragons is something she could enjoy watching," Arad sighed, "I don''t really mind as she does no harm and some help from time to time." ^I won''t lie, she saved me and everyone''s lives back in Rita. She''s like a fail-safe, a we can fall back into,^ Arad stood, patting his shoulder to get the dust off. "Should we get back to the city?" He looked at Ignis. "I would need to leave. I owe you and that rogue a big one. If you ever need help around the red mountain call me and I will show up." She expanded her wings, "Farwell, little wyrm." She pped her wings, flying into the night sky. Arad turned toward the city. [Void step] Thud! He appeared in front of the city, walking slowly. "Arad!" Ae jumped from the wall and rushed toward him, "We saw the dragons fly away. How did it go?" "The purple dragon made a run for it, and the red drakaina left since the fight ended." Arad patted her head, "That purple dragon won''t be back anytime soon." Isdis and Jack who were at the back sighed in relief. They don''t have to fight anymore. At least for now. *** Tomorrowte at night, Arad, Ae, Jack, Lydia, and Isdis were sitting in the tavern, drinking after dinner. Lydia rxed back on her chair, feeling the tight bandages on her stomach beneath the corset the healers gave her. She looked toward Jack with a smile. Unlike her, he had severalrge burns from riding the drakaina. Ae did have two of her ribs broken when the purple dragon caught her in his w, but she was fine otherwise. Isdis sighed, "Since you cleared the goblin nest without letting anyone out and we got attacked by them. I think there is a second nest around here," "You''re right. We need to find and burn it." Arad looked at the table. Their mission was to get rid of the goblins, not deal with the dragons. "I do want to visit the elves after that, but I lost my head captain and some of my strongest guards." Isdis sighed, shaking her beer mug. "Should I send a letter to the capital? No. It will take at least two weeks to reach them, and even longer for them to mobilize some knights. I would say about a month and a half total." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "You also need to get back to the capital afterward. I suggest you give up on visiting the elves." Arad stared at her. "I can''t do that. The rtionship between us is already sore. Breaking a promise would be bad," She looked around, and then at Arad with a smile, "Care to be my bodyguard on the trip to the elves. And back to the capital if possible?" Thud! Ae grabbed Isdis by the head, "What are you up to?" "For the elves, I really don''t want to muddy the rtionship between us further. But I also want to show Arad to my father," Isdis replied with a smile. "I will really kill you," Ae growled. Isdis giggled, looking at Ae with a smile, "You would have already done that by now." Lydia stared at them, "You two, calm down. We need to take care of the second goblin nest first." "I was intending to bring the elves to deal with it," Isdis looked at Lydia. "The nest already agitated. They will attack the vige in the time we take going to the elves and back." Jack looked at them, "It''s goblin ying time," Arad stood with a smile, "You''re right. What happened to that purple woman?" "Still unconscious. You messed her up really bad," Isdis stared at him. Chapter 291 A Rogue’s Warning Arad shook his arms, "It was her fault for attacking us. Leave her chained till we get back from the goblin''s nest," He stood and cracked his neck, "We leave before dawn. Do you know where it could be?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Isdis nodded, "We only need to follow the direction they came from," She stood and looked at Ae, "At dawn it is," Ae looked at her, "Arad said before dawn. Don''t oversleep," "I will go as well," Lydia stood, and Arad stared at her, "No, you''re too injured to fight. Or if you insist,e but only watch, don''t take the front." "Arad is right. You need to slow down." Jack stood beside Arad, "There aren''t many rooms, so you lots take my room. I will spend the night with Arad," This was a small vige, and the rooms in the inn were limited. Arad and Jack would sleep together in Arad''s room, while Ae, Lydia, and Isdis would take Jack''s room. **** Arad sat on the chair in his room, looking at Jack, "So, you wanted to talk about something, is that right?" "You know me well," Jack pulled a chair and faced Arad. "I don''t trust that princess. Keep an eye on her. Or, to be more honest, I think she isn''t honest with us to begin with." Jack smiled. "Why do you think that?" "Nobles usually have motives after everything they do. It''s rare for them to just think from the goodness of their hearts." He looked at Arad, "Ae also smelled something off, but I think her reaction of killing Isdis would cause more harm than good." Arad scratched his chin, "So, what do you suggest?" Jack looked at the ceiling, thinking, "It''s hard to say right now. I need to observe her for a bit longer." "So, are we escorting her back to the capital?" Arad asked. "We can do that without a problem as long as we refuse any invitation to the royal castle. I don''t think the king will go out of his way to annoy you right now, but I''m sure you will end up called when something big happens," "Like a war?" Arad sighed. "That''s just one example. They can call you about anything from monster hunting, to political meetings and marriages. Which is annoying at best, and devastating most of the time." Jack looked at Arad. "I understand the first two, but what about political marriages? I don''t want to travel all the way to the capital for someone''s marriage." Arad growled. "You didn''t seem to understand what I said about that so let me exin more." Jack smiled, "When a noble disobey the king or do something really bad, they get executed. There are two ways for their families at that point." Jack lifted two fingers, "One, a whole family execution so thend will be free from their inheritance. So the noble, his parents and siblings, his wife, his parents and siblings. Their children, and their grandchildren all would be executed." Jack shook his head, "It''s rare, but it was once carried when a noble practiced necromancy and caused an undead break out in the capital," "The second option is family adoption, where the king takes the noble''s wife or daughter, marries her to another noble, and gives him ownership of everything. That would make it impossible for them to inherit anything, and would save their lives." Jack finished exining, "So he would want you to marry someone''s daughter or wife, taking her as a concubine or less of course." "That would be bad, right?" Arad could imagine Ae and Mira not liking the idea. "True, traditionally, it''s the first wife that makes the decision of taking another wife or concubine. In your case, it''s Ae and Mira, but now the king is using his power to interfere. And that usually doesn''t end well." Jack sighed, "Going to the capital. And especially meeting the king would be a whole rabbit hole of problems." "So we aren''t going to the capital," Arad looked out the window, "It''s better to avoid the king for now." "We can go to the capital. As long as we don''t go see the king, it should be fine." Jack giggled, "I doubt Isdis would risk a dragon going crazy inside the capital, let alone the royal castle." Arad smiled, "You''re right. I can always fight back." "I won''t rmend doing that," Jack shook his head, "The capital is home to the main church, the ce where the holy army is stationed." "The holy army?" Arad gasped. "An army full of clerics, pdins, and holy sorcerers and warlocks." Jack said looking at Arad, "Each of those pdins is stronger than Lydia and should be able to output more power with their smite." Arad sighed, "I would die is what you say. I''m a vampire after all." "Yeah, I can''t imagine you winning," Jack stood and pulled a sleeping bag. "We can go, but don''t cause trouble there. They won''t attack unless you harm someone or something," "Can''t Lydia talk with them?" Arad sat on the bed. "I doubt it, she might be strong, but she''s nowhere near the army''s pdins or their authority. It''s like asking a guard to speak with a war general about something. It''s just not happening," Jack looked at Arad. Arady on the bed, closing his eyes. "We will think about it after we get rid of the goblins and visit the elves. I want to see what Ae''s country looks like," **** The next morning quickly came by, and Arad could hear Ae and the other girls wake up. He stood and looked at the sleeping Jack. "Wake up, it''s time," "The sun isn''t out yet," Jack growled, looking into the bag like a dying worm. "We''re supposed to start before down, remember? Get up now," Arad shook Jack and lifted him up. "What a cruel boss," Jack grunted and stumbled back to wash his face. When going downstairs, Arad saw Isdis with Ae in the tavern hallway tinkering with a strange wooden thing. "What''s that?" Arad asked, approaching them. DING! Ae pulled the string, and it made a strange sound. Isdis looked back at Arad, "This? A Biwa," She replied with a puzzled face. Chapter 292 The Spellsword Bard "What is a biwa?" Arad approached, looking at the strange device. Isdis lifted the biwa, showing it to Arad, "This is a musical instrument, you pull the strings like this, and it makes a sound," DING! Isdis stroke the strings with her fingers, pulling on them with her nails. "I can use it to channelrge spells like an arcane focus. Staves, wands, and orbs, you know them." "She''s a bard," Ae said with a deep sigh, "I should have guessed," CLING! Isdis pulled her sword andid the de on the biwa strings, "Isdis Lior Ruris, The kingdom''s fifth princess and a spellsword bard." She smiled. ZIII! DING! "I cast Magic by ying the biwa. Not useful for sneaking around, but perfect for leaving an impression." Arad looked at her, "Magic through ying that thing?" [Magic delivered through sound and voice. It is the same as your roar''s frightful presence.] "Like this," Isdis smiled, pulling on the strings. DING! "Dancing shadows upon the ice. Call the crows, cause death would be nice." CRACK! All the drinks in the shop froze solid, cracking some of the bottles behind the owner''s counter. "This sell only affects liquids, but I can force you to freeze blood." Isdis smiled, "But I specialize in buffing. I can y a song in the back and help you recover faster, hit harder, and feel less pain in the middle of a fight." Arad blinked twice, "You could have done it before, in the dragon fight." Isdis looked away, "Well, the spell is mental in its base form. But you had a ton of resistance that I won''t be able to affect you even if I wanted. Unless you allow me." "She needs the person''s consent to affect them with buff spells. Especially if they are stronger than her." Ae looked at Arad, "But, be careful who you allow to touch your mind. Mind control spells are dangerous," Isdis looked at Arad, "Well, do you allow me to touch your mind? I will give some sweets buffs, and I promise not to look too deep inside." [Let her do it. I would p her if she went beyond giving you a buff.] "You can do it, but don''t look into my mind." Arad stared at Isdis, "It''s for your own best interest." "Come on," Isdis cried, "Seeing your mind would allow me to create better buffs tailored for you. Just a small peak will do," "I said no," Arad stared at her, "Not even a bit," "Pretty please, let me have a tiny look at it." Isdis stared at him. "No," Arad sighed, "Cast the buff, and I will let you look if I got to trust you more." Isdis smiled, lifting her biwa. DING! With a single stroke, she felt her magic travel to Arad''s body. But she soon froze. It was too deep and dark. ^What is this?^ Isdis gasped. With normal humans, it''s usually as simple as popping a spell, and they get affected. But it''s different with Arad. ^It''s like pushing my hand into a dark hole without looking. I don''t know when I will touch the bottom.^ She started sweating. It was like standing on stairs in the dark. Not able to see anything. She lowers her foot, unable to touch the next step, so she ponders where it is. Will she touch a step, or fall into an endless abyss? ^I want to look so I can steer the magic, but he said not to.^ She grunted inside. "Arad, can I take a look at your mind? I can''t steer the magic inside you." "It''s still no. Do it without looking at my mind, or stop the spell." Arad growled, and Isdis sighed. Thud! After a few seconds of ying the biwa, Isdis finally touched something inside Arad and could feel her magic activating. ^Ah! What a relief. It worked.^ She opened her eyes, seeing a massive ck drakaina ring at her. DING! A droplet of water fell on the ground, sending a small wave as the whole sky lit with stars. [Didn''t Arad tell you not to look?] Mom growled. Isdis stared at Mom, sweating. ^This existence, heavy and powerful...^ CLAP! She clenched her palms together. ^BLAST!^ Isdis sent a magic st toward Mom and jumped back, noticing the two curses beneath her wings. ^Three parasites, a dragon, a vampire, and a werewolf. I need to banish them,^ Thud! Isdis gasped, seeing the vampire shadow standing beside her. ^He''s fast,^ She swung her arm, but the vampire dodged and kicked her to the ground. CRACK! Isdis felt the heavy hit on her chest as she barely stood up. ^KEEP A DISTANCE!^ She shouted, forcing the vampire to stand away for a second. Thud! The werewolf jumped forward, swinging his w at Isdis''s shoulder, sending her flying toward Mom. N?v(el)B\\jnn CRACK! Mom smacked Isdis down with her tail. "GAH!" Isdis gasped outside, falling on her shaking knees, "I almost died. What is that?" She stared at Arad. "What happened to you?" Arad looked at Isdis, confused. To him, she only took a second from casting to falling on her knees. ^He''s cursed, really badly.^ Isdis thought, ^Forget the vampire and werewolf. Those aren''t too bad. The problem is that therge dragon. It''s affecting his mind and soul.^ "Arad, can we speak?" Isdis looked at Arad, "That thing inside you, do you know what it is?" Arad blinked, "AH! You looked inside me and met Mom. She said she would p you if you looked inside," "Mom? You think that thing is your mother?" Isdis stared at Arad, confused, "Are you sure?" "I''m sure. It''s our void nature." Arad replied. Isdis stood, scratching her. "I''m not trying to be rude, but she looked like a parasite, a curse eating away at your mind and slowly changing it." She looked at Arad''s face, "It might be better for you not to listen to her. Try acting on your own will," "Mom has more experience as a void dragon than me. I will listen to her as most of the time, she''s right." Arad growled. "You do you. That is what she looked to me with my current knowledge. So I might be wrong." Isdis sighed, sitting on a chair. Chapter 293 Draconic Senses Thud! Thud! Jack walked downstairs, staring at Arad and the rest, "You''re still here?" He yawned, "I thought you would have left without me," He smiled, waving his hand. "Lydia is waiting outside. We can set off immediately," Ae stared back at him, and Arad nodded. "She''s right. Let''s go and get this over with as quickly as possible." He smiled, cracking his neck and walking toward the door. "You seem excited." Jack looked at Arad. "I hate when unexpected things happen, and the dragon attack certainly was one." He opened the door and saw Lydia standing beside a horse-drawn carriage. "You''re finally out. Do you fear the sun? It''s not dawn yet." She stared at Arad. "Not really, but I do prefer the calmness of the night," Arad replied with a smile. Void dragons are nocturnal hunters. Their bodies, color, and even behavior and skills contributed to giving them an advantage at night. CRACKLE! CRACKLE! Arad could hear a strange sound inside the carriage, so he stared at Lydia, "I can smell her," Lydia smiled, "She woke up earlier, so I bagged her with the rations." She slightly lifted the curtain over the objects, and Arad saw Eris''s muffled face. "Why do you bring her with us?" Arad sighed, holding his face. "So she''s in the smiting distance." Lydia swung her sword with a smile, "She moves, and bang, I st her to hell." "HMMM!" Eris growled, seeing the innocent and happy smile on Lydia''s face. "Please don''t do it now," Arad approached Lydia, "We need information from her. We will interrogate her after we deal with the goblin threat." "I agree," Isdis looked at Eris, "Those shackles should keep her power down, right?" "Draconic, yes. But I doubt they will stop her vampire powers." Arad looked at her, remembering how he escaped the shackles. Eris has the same solution. He approached her, looking at her face. "Now that I thought about it, I never saw you in daylight. Do you burn under the sun?" "HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" Eris growled, writhing on the carriage like an angry bug, butting her head on the floor and kicking the walls with her tied legs. "I can''t understand you, but that seems like a yes." Arad smiled, covering her with the rugs, "Stay calm and obedient inside. I will check on you after the mission." Arad could still hear Eris growling beneath the rugs. Thud! He lightly punched her, "I told you to calm down. You won''t die if you remained hidden." "AH!" Jack gasped, "I think I know what she wants!" He approached the carriage with a happy smile. "Your father escaped, don''t worry about him. He''s alive, for now." Jack patted the rugs, and Eris calmed down for a second. And she soon got back to growling. Arad looked at the carriage, "Let''s ignore her and move for now." He smiled, "We didn''t expect her to wake right before the mission, so she needs to wait a bit," *** Everyone headed out of the city and into the forest, following the goblins'' trails. It wasn''t easy at all. Arad saw multiple trails, and each one led in a different direction. Nothing is clear. "What should we do?" Lydia looked at Arad, "Can you fly up and find them?" Arad smiled, "I have something I wanted to test," Arad started taking his shoes off. "What are you doing?" Ae approached him, and he smiled, taking off his shirt. "Something Nina taught me, or should I say, showed me," Arad remembered his brief exchange with Nina at the guild. "Who''s Nina?" Isdis looked at Jack. "The berserker," Jack replied with a smile, and she froze. "Are you serious?" Isdis gasped. "In the flesh. You must be careful. She cares about him." Jack stared at Isdis, making sure his words sounds a little bit like a threat. "You can''t handle her, can you?" The current kingdom was powerful. But Nina was too much for them to deal with. They can kill Nina with enough time and power spent, but the kingdom won''t exist afterward. Fighting Nina would cause enough damage to bring them to their knees. With this threat, Jack managed to provide Arad with a small protection. He can be certain the kingdom won''t directly try harming Arad, since they don''t want a monster on the loose. Thud! Thud! Arad cracked his neck, shirtless, as he stood barefoot on the dirt, smiling with his eyes closed. ^Feel it, the vibrations on the ground. The air movement on my skin, the faint crackles of bushes in the distance.^ He started focusing more on his senses. ^The image isn''t clear yet. Expand it more.^ Arad opened his mouth and took a deep breath from his mouth and nose. His nose picked the smell, and his tongue tasted air like a snake. Aradstly opened his eyes, picking up visual and magical information andyering them on top of all of his senses. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad then pointed his finger in that direction. "This way we can find the goblins," He smiled, "I can feel their footsteps rattling the ground. I can smell and taste their flesh in the air. They don''t leave many magic traces, but I can pick a faint aura of their shaman." Ae looked at Arad, "Is that so? Did Nina teach you all of this?" "No, I saw her use this once." Arad looked at his feet, "She called it tremor sense." ^Monster!^ Isdis cried inside, seeing Arad brush what he did with a smile. ^Is this the power of dragons? An apex predator on the hunt,^ She took a step back. "Let''s go," Arad waved his hand to them, walking in the front with his hands in his pockets. He didn''t bother wearing his shoes or shirt so he could keep his senses active all the time. Thud! With each step forward, the forest seemed calmer. Isdis started getting worried, it was strange that no monster showed up till this point, and it was still dark. Thud! Arad stood, seeing arge viper ring at him. Everyone besides Arad got alerted, pulling their weapons. "Giant Cobra!" Jack growled. Arad approached the cobra with a smile, and she didn''t move. Amb found herself facing a lion. Running away would make her look like prey, and fighting would make him see her as an enemy. The cobra stood still, not moving a single muscle. Chapter 294 The Goblins’ Front Hole Most monsters won''t dare pick up a fight with a dragon. Only the fools or desperate would do it. Thud! Arad touched the cobra with his hand. "Go," He growled, and she slithered away in fear. The dragon wasn''t seeing her as prey, so she survived for the time being. "You could''ve killed it for the experience." Jack looked at Arad. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "We''re focusing on the goblins. We shouldn''t scare them away," Arad looked forward, "Let''s move silently," *** It only took them a few minutes to spot the goblins going in and out of a small hole in the ground. They dug a hole like moles and started living. "Ae, get ready to take a shot," Arad whispered, pointing at one of the goblins walking around the area. Thud! Jack touched Arad''s shoulder, "No, let me take care of the scouts. She kills the guards and anyoneing out of that hole." Arad nodded, and Ae pulled her bow, getting ready to fire. Jack smiled, crouching and going invisible. He pulled a dagger and crawled across the bushes. ^He''s there, good.^ Jack smiled, slowly approaching the unaware goblin scout. Hey behind him beneath the tall grass, waiting for him to exhale. It was a simple practice by rogues and assassins. Stab the target''s throat right after they exhale, so they can''t scream. HAA! The goblin took a deep breath and then emptied his lungs. Thud! Jack stood, grabbing the goblin''s head and stabbing his throat. "Come on, little guy, to the ground." He then pulled the dying goblin to the ground and waited for him to lose consciousness of blood loss. When the goblin died, Jack looked at the second scout. ^Now, to finish that off,^ Thud! Arad touched Jack''s back, "I will take care of the corpses." Jack smiled, "You can''t sneak that well, don''t follow me. Wait till I gather a few corpses before eating them," "I''m not eating them. Those things look gross," Arad growled, looking at the wart-filled green goblin, "I''m just gathering the corpses so we can burn themter." "It doesn''t matter both ways," Jack smiled, "Just watch," Jack went invisible again, crawling toward the next goblin, smiling. Arad looked at Jack. ^I can still see him.^ [Most invisible creatures are using magic to be invisible. Your void eyes can see that.] ^What kind of creatures I won''t be able to see?^ Arad asked. [Those who use non-magical means to be invisible. Dragons with a lifelong experience in camouge can escape the grasp of your eyes as they aren''t invisible. They change their scale color to blend in like lizards.] ^So only creatures who don''t use magic,^ [There is a type of dragon called a force dragon. Or the transparent dragons. They don''t interact with light in the first ce, so they can''t be seen.] ^What does light have to do with being invisible? Won''t that make them ck?^ [No, light pass through them, so they are invisible.] ^I see.^ Arad lifted his head, looking at Jack to see him finishing the seventh goblin scout. ^I better start cleaning,^ Arad crawled behind Jack, mimicking his moves and clearing the corpses. Ae pulled her bowstring, aiming at the hole''s entrance. "Something ising out," Isdis pulled her sword, "Probably they got worried since the scouts didn''t get back." She took a deep breath, "I can send them to sleep with a simple tone," "Don''t. You will alert the one who doesn''t get affected." Ae aimed at the goblin, keeping an eye on him as he moved toward the bushes where the scouts were roaming. Jack looked back at Ae, waving his hand and making a cutting motion around his neck. ^Take him down before he sees the corpses.^ He wanted to scream, but that would expose them. PEW! Ae released her arrow, sending it flying between the trees. BAM! The arrow pierced the goblin''s tiny skull, leaving a gaping hole in it. GUH! The goblin gasped, falling dead. Ae lifted one of her fingers, and the arrow changed direction, flying back to her hand. Jack looked back at the nest, ^Damn it, they are noticing,^ He saw the goblins growling at the entrance. He then looked back at Isdis, signaling for her to get ready to y. Isdis nodded, sheathing her sword and pulling her Biwa. Jack then waved his hand for Arad to stay low as he crawled toward the goblin nest. ^It''s all or nothing. It won''t take them long to send arge group to explore. We then won''t be able to save the hostages if any were inside.^ Jack watched the goblins at the entrance carefully. He would strike if they tried to act. But he hoped they would forget and get back to guard. ^They didn''t see the scouts die. They only heard a sound. It''s highly possible they won''t make much of it.^ The goblins growled at each other as if debating whether to go or not, and Jack started getting worried. ^Come on, let your goblin brains rest and forget,^ In the back, Arad pointed with his finger at a bush. His eyes could spot the small creature crawling inside. [Gravity magic] SWOSH! Jack blinked, seeing a rat rolling in front of the goblin''s nest. "GUHA?" the goblins stared at the scared rat as he ran back to the forest, "GUHAHA?" They looked at each other and went back to standing still. Jack lifted a thumb up to Arad, ^Nice job,^ Arad smiled, returning the thumb''s up. Isdis sighed, relieved she won''t need to y her biwa since the sound would send the whole colony after them. Jack looked at the goblins with a worried face, ^Now, there is one small hole. How could we get inside without them noticing us?^ He looked around for a back hole, ^They gotta have another entrance that they use to run away. Goblins are stupid, but they aren''t dumb.^ He crawled toward the back, searching between the leaves and stones. He soon found arge log that seem to have been moved. ^This is it,^ Chapter 295 The Goblins’ Back Hole Jack signaled to Arad toe closer, waving his finger. Arad approached slowly. ^How can Jack do it?^ He wondered. Jack moved several times faster than him silently. [He''s a rogue, sneaking around is his thing,] Arad reached Jack, "What is it?" "Look," Jack whispered while pointing at the log. "I bet this is the back entrance. We need to get inside and look for the hostages." Arad smiled, "Should I push it aside?" "Yes, but do it slowly. The entrance below it shouldn''t be that big." Jack looked around, "It''s clear, and I don''t hear anything from behind the log," "Wait a moment," Arad said with a smile, "Let me check," He closed his eyes, focusing on all his senses. ^I can feel the movement below the ground. I can smell everything, so identifying isn''t hard.^ "We have hostages. Two men and four women are located in a cell fifty meters deep. There is a fifth woman in a separate room, but..." Arad stopped, scratching his chin. "What is it? Is she dead?" Jack looked at him. It was already strange that one of the hostages is kept in a separate room. "No...She smells nice..." Arad looked at Jack. "What?" Jack stared at Arad, "Well, it doesn''t matter. I will open the locks if any, and you get that woman out." "So we''re separating?" "No, the six people in a single room take priority. The smelling good woman remainsst." Jack replied it was only obvious to try and save the majority first. "Fine, I will push the log away," Arad crawled toward the log, pushing it aside. As Jack predicted, the hole was only small enough to crawl through. It''s only for goblins to use. "We can''t get the hostages out of here," Jack growled. "Fine," Arad smiled, "Let''s find them first, and then I will st this hole open," "That''s a n," Jack smiled, crawling inside the hole and closing his nose. The ce stinks more than the city sewers, apletely horrid stench. Arad jumped in, "Let''s go," He whispered. "Oi! Where did you pick the woman''s sweet smell? I want some of that as well. This ce stinks," Jack whispered. "You wanted it. Let''s go to the cells first," Arad replied, pointing toward the cells. "Fine," Jack sighed, sneaking across the cave till he saw two goblins. "Wait here," Jack crawled behind them in the dark and pulled a second dagger. Thud! In the blink of an eye, he stood and swung at the goblins'' backs. The daggers pierced their small bodies, cutting the spine and dropping them like dolls. Arad quickly sucked the corpses as he followed Jack. "There it is," Jack smiled, seeing arge monster cage with the hostages inside. "One, two, six!" Arad counted them, "All elves, as the reports said." Jack approached the cage, looking for a lock. "A human?" One of the elf men growled, "What are you doing here?" "SHII!" Jack red at him, "Let us get you out of here, and then you can hate on us. Long ears." The elf man giggled, "Sorry, I didn''t mean it." "You''re opening that lock," Arad looked at Jack, "I will go the other woman to save time." "About her! The goblins here work for a dragon. They captured us as food for him. She was taken this morning to be fed to him," the man growled. "Dragon food?" Arad looked at the elf, "Don''t worry about the dragon. We might have dealt with this already," He smiled, walking toward thest woman''s location. Arad walked across the dark hallways silently, following the woman''s sweet smell. Thud! He could see a goblin standing beside a door, scratching his head with a bored face. Arad smiled. ^She is behind that door, but how could I take that goblin down silently like Jack?^ He looked around. Arad couldn''t see much of a space to sneak around, and he didn''t have an invisibility coat like him. ^What magic should I use?^ Arad smiled, ^Fire and lightning are a no go. Void or gravity. Ice should work as well, but which one is best.^ ^I can crush him with gravity, rip him apart with the void, or freeze him in ce.^ Arad lifted his hand. ^I know it. Why not all at the same time?^ A dark gust of the void rushed from Arad''s fingers. ^Use void magic to erase the air and light around him, muffling his voice.^ The goblin grabbed his neck, unable to breathe as his vision went ck. ^Then, sh freezes him with ice magic.^ The goblin''s body turned into an ice statue, ^Then crush him down with Gravity magic,^ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The goblin''s body turned into a ball of fine snow and blood, resting on the ground slime pulp. Arad rushed toward the door, pushing it open as it wasn''t locked. The moment he got a whiff of the air inside, he started drolling. Looking inside the room, Arad saw arge table with a naked woman chained on it, smeared in raw flesh and blood. "HMMM!" The elf woman growled from beneath her muffled mouth, trying to move. Arad slowly approached her, "So this is what they wanted to feed the dragon," He sniffed her, "You smell nice. Did anyone tell you?" To him, she looked like a fine, juicy steak grilled to perfection. "HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" She growled, shaking her head. Arad looked at her, grabbing one of the meat pieces on her body and lifting it. "Wild hog meat?" He looked at the woman, gulping the meat in a single bite. "Sadly, I can''t eat you, it seems. What a waste." The woman''s face paled. Who was this? Another monster. "As I expected, Posion," Arad growled, walking to the edge of the room and puking the raw meat out. "Those little bastards were trying to kill the dragon." He giggled, looking back at the woman, "You''ve been soaking in the poisoned blood and flesh. We need to get you out to our pdin immediately." Arad approached the woman, grabbing the chain around her arms in his palm. CRACK! The chain shattered. Chapter 296 Freeing The Hostages "Heh?" The elf woman gasped, seeing Arad crush the chains in his palm, "Stand up. what are you waiting for?" Arad red at her, smiling, his eyes shing red. "Stop looking at me," She growled, covering herself with her arms. "It''s not like you can choose, can you?" Arad smiled, pulling a rug from his stomach and throwing it at her with a dagger. The elf looked at the rug in her hands, confused. "You''re smelling quite delicious now. If you want me to stop treating you like food, you better stopying down like one." He turned toward the door. The elf woman threw the rug over her body and lifted the dagger, staring at Arad''s back. "They areing," Arad smiled as the door opened. "GOWA! GOWA!" Goblins growled. They heard him shatter the chains and rushed out. "Goblins!" The woman gasped, pointing her dagger at them. "I now have a weapon, you little bastards! I will skin you alive," "Hehehe," Arad giggled, "Elf, that''s gross," He slowly lifted his hands, "What will you do with all the wart-filled skin? The green color isn''t even beautiful." The elf woman stared at Arad, confused. She didn''t know what he was talking about it. Does he need to find sense in an angry grunt? "Be ttened like the grass you share a color with," Arad smiled, a purple aura burning around his palms. [Gravity Magic] CRACK! The goblins ttened on the ground, oozing with blood as the elf woman gasped. "Magic? You aren''t a strength-based one?" Arad looked back at her, "Follow me. We''re going to meet with the others." He walked forward, stomping the corpses on his way and sucking them into his stomach. The elvish woman rushed after him as they hurled toward the prison cell. She stared at his back, ^With such muscles and raw power. Yet he can use magic refined enough to tten goblins with ease. That was gravity magic. Wasn''t it?^ She looked around, seeing the goblin dying left and right the moment they got close to Arad. ^How many mages have mastered gravity magic enough to use it without an arcane focus? Is he the archmage of some human city? What brought such a person here? We were at war with them, right?^ After a second, they could see the goblins gathered around the cell door, kicking and trying to get it open. "Get out of my way," Arad swung his palm to the site, throwing them at the wall. "Jack, it''s me!" Arad shouted, and the door opened. He jumped inside with the elf woman after him, panting from exhaustion. "Arad! You alerted them! I heard that chair shatter from here!" Jack growled. "Come on. I''m not like you. I can''t pick locks." Arad looked back, and the cell was still closed. "You didn''t open it?" "I didn''t have enough time thanks to you! That lock is rusted as hell," Jack growled, rushing to close the door. "What do we do now?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad approached the cage and looked at the lock. It was indeed rusty. "We can''t pick it open?" "We need to find the key," Jack grunted as the goblins started kicking the door again. "The key should be outside somewhere. One of the goblins might be carrying it." Arad nodded, and touched the cage bars, "Let me try something," He grabbed two bars in his hands and took a deep breath. The elf women started sweating. She could guess what he was about to do. The veins on Arad''s arms and chest bulged as he clenched his fists, spreading his arms apart. "ORA!" CRACK! The bares twisted like dough, making the elves inside jump back in fear. The man in front of them had enough power to bend steel like it was nothing. Even as strange as it looked, those cages are designed to house ves and not a whole dragon. Arad smiled, staring at the elves, "Line up. Can you run?" He looked at them and quickly noticed they can''t even stand on their own. "Look," One of the elvish women showed her ankle to Arad. Her Achilles tendon had been severed. "The goblin''s shaman heal us before taking us to be prepared to be fed to the dragon. Most of the time, we''re left like this, so we can''t run." Arad looked to the side, seeing one of the men barely stand, "He can stand," "But this is the best I can do," The man growled, falling on his face. "It''s impossible to stand like this." As an elf, he managed to bnce himself for a second, but walking would be impossible. "Fine," Arad approached the elves, carrying them one after the other. After just a second, Arad carried two women under his left arm, and the two men under his right arm. One woman on each shoulder, andstly the dragon food woman hung on his neck. "Are you sure? I can walk." she gasped. And the elves tried to hide their shocked faces. It''s stupid to call this out after he twisted steel bars like nothing. "But the hole is small. You won''t fit standing, let alone with all of those hanging from your neck." Jack looked at Arad with a smile. "I told you I would st the hole open," Arad smiled, kicking the cell door open, tearing it from the hinges, and killing the goblins behind it. Thud! Arad walked into the hallway with a smile, looking toward the back hole. "Let''s open it up," CLANG! He kicked the door toward the hole with a grin. Arad''s eyes shed purple [Gravity Magic: Reverse Gravity]. The door flew upward, hitting the hole. "Again and Again! With more power!" Arad shouted, bouncing the door up and down at the hole till he dug it out. *** BAM! From the outside, Ae saw the door fly toward the sky. "They go caught!" she shouted, pulling three arrows and getting ready for a fight. Thud! Arad jumped out of the hole, carrying all the elves, "Hold tight," BAM! Hended on the ground and started running away, "I leave the rest to you, kill everything!" He shouted. GAWA! A goblin jumped from the bushes, swinging a dagger at Arad''s back. DING! The biwa sound boomed across the forest, and the goblin''s ears burst. "I''m here, green paste!" Isdis smiled, lifting her sword and pointing the de toward the biwa. DING! DING! [Taunt Tune] She started ying, and all the goblins stared at her, growling. Chapter 297 Surprise Attack DING! DING! Ae pulled her bowstring, firing three arrows at the goblins as Isdis drew them closer with her biwa. "Don''t draw too much of them! I can''t keep up with the numbers." "Got it," Isdis smiled, rushing forward with her sword, "The knights are crying back in the vige," She smiled, swinging her sword at one of the goblins, severing his head. GOWA! The goblins surrounded her, growling and grunting as they iled their poisoned stone knives. "Don''t get surrounded! You idiot princess!" Ae shouted at her. Rear support like a Brad shouldn''t rush to the frontlines. "Hehe," Isdis smiled from ear to ear, pulling her sword. [Ice de] Isdis''s sword cooled rapidly to the point white smoke started dripping from its de. She spun around, swinging at one of the goblins. CRACK! The sword cut the goblin''s neck, freezing the sshing blood into small sharp crystals. CRACKLE! The crystals sshed on the other goblins, blinding them. DING! With a swift finger pull, she pulled the string on her biwa sending a sharp sound. CRACK! Ice spikes emerged from the goblin corpses, freezing them. "As long as they are weaker than me one on one, and as long as they hear the sound of my biwa, they can''t avoid my magic!" A bard, the ss focused on channelling magic through music. Personally, they are weak in one-of-onebat, barely being able to keep up with the other sses. But, they make up for it with their strange casting methods. A bard channel his magic through music, so the moment you hear their instrument or voice, you''ve already been hit with the spell. BAM! Arge hobgoblin stood before Isdis, ring at her with glowing green eyes. "Ho! A strong one," She smiled. GOA! The hobgoblin growled, lifting his club out and swinging down. CRACK! Isdis jumped back, "Sorry, I''m not fighting you," Thud! Jack stood behind the hobgoblin, aiming his hand cannon at its back, "KABOOM!" BOOM! He sted his guts out, sshing Isdis. "You bastard! Look what you''ve done!" Isdis cried, gagging out as she wiped the blood from her face. "You''re looking more like an adventurer like this," Jack smiled, spinning his dagger. GOWA! Several hobgoblins emerged from the holes, followed by some shamans preparing magic. "That''s a lot! Jack, Isdis. Back away. I will take the shamans down first," Ae pulled her bowstring, firing an arrow at one of the shamans. GOWA! A goblin jumped in front of the shaman and took the hit. "Leave the hobgoblins to me and Isdis," Jack smiled, looking back. "You take the shamans," Jack disappeared and the hobs started falling one after the other, stabbed to the death from the back. **** HA! Lydia sighed, "I want to go help them," she looked at her hand and touched her stomach. She could barely move in her heavy armor. She looked at the carriage, "You hit me well," "HMMMMMMMMMM!" Eris growled beneath the nket. Lydia smiled, but suddenly lift her arms, protecting her neck. CRACK! Her gauntlets cracked, arge sh marked on them. "Who''s there?" She shouted. "HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" Eris growled, feeling the fight starting. Lydia swiftly pulled her sword, looking around with a sweating face. "HERE!" She swung her sword as fast as she could [Holy Smite] CLAP! The holy smite exploded in a brilliant sh. BLUH! She coughed blood, finding a de piercing her chest. "A pdin protecting a vampire? How low has human fallen," The elf pulled his sword from Lydia''s chest, kicking her toward the carriage. Lydia rolled and hit the carriage, seeing several elves jumping from the trees as her vision faded. "Major! Someone ising at a high speed." One of the elves said with a smile, "What should we do?" The Major who just hit Lydia grunted, "That''s another vampire. Use the artifact to teleport away, I will strike him when he gets in range," One of the elves pulled a crystal, "As you order!" He smiled. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The crystal shed with a brilliant light, "Morning is soon toe, he won''t survive anyway," In a spark, all the elves disappeared. After they left, a faint golden light emanated from the wakizashi Lydia held that Jack gave to her before. The sun is about to rise. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad approached the carriage, smelling Lydia''s blood. ^Did goblins reach her?^ Arad growled inside, "Hold tight!" He said, rushing even faster. When Arad got out of the trees, he saw Lydia bleeding beside the carriage with the wakizashi glowing on her waist. "Lydia!" He dropped the elves and rushed to her. Thud! CLAP! A sword shed out of nowhere, cutting Arad''s head without wasting a second. "Smeared in holy water, recover from this, monster!" The man growled, pulling a wooden stake from his waist and pushing it into Arad''s back, piercing his heart. CRACK! The elf Major smashed Arad''s body into the ground and stood fixing his long golden hair. "Howe that vampires are involved in this? How hard is it to start a war nowadays?" He kicked Arad''s body aside, surprised at how heavy he was. He approached the carriage, "Sending mere monsters to kill that princess was a mistake. Now I had to dirty my hands." He lifted his sword, "You''re thest one." The Major swung his sword at the nket. CRACK! He could feel it, hitting something solid. "This feeling, chains?" He gasped. BAM! A purple st burned the nket, and a sma spear rushed at the Major''s face. CLANG! He swung his de up, deflecting the attack and kicking Eris in the face. "Did they capture you?" The Major smiled, "Look up. The sun is rising. You better run away," He pointed at the sky. It was dawn. FUSH! Eris grunted as her skin started burning, "Damn it," The Major smiled as the elves appeared back behind him, smiling andughing, "Run! Blood-sucking fiend!" Eris smiled, pointing her spear at the Major, "Now this became personal," BAM! She rushed forward, swinging her spear at his head. CLANG! CLAP! The Major swung his sword to the side, destroying Eris''s de and catching her by the neck so she couldn''t bite him. "You''re weaker under the sun. Like that other vampire, only death awaits you." Eris smiled, "Hehe," she giggled, "Death?" The Major returned the smile, "I cut his head and gouged his heart. The sun should be burning his rotten corpse now," "Cut his head? Stabbed his heart?" Eris giggled, "What kind of vampire do you think he is?" Sheughed, ^That''s right, I tasted his blood. It belonged to the monster. Scarlett, the impaling queen of the blood valley.^ "Major! He isn''t disintegrating!" One of the elves cried in terror. Chapter 298 Wyrmwolf Rage "What?" The Major gasped, staring back at his men. "You''ve wasting time," Eris smiled, "Keep fooling around, and the man you killed wille back to life," RUSTLE! One of the elves heard something between the trees. He looked, seeing a massive jaw approaching his face. "Kya!" He cried, getting bitten in the face by a giant cobra. "It''s a giant cobra!" The elves cried, pulling their bows and aiming at the monster. ZOOOOOOOOO! A purple aura appeared around their bodies. CRACK! They levitated up and then got smashed back on the ground. The Major could feel the magicing from Arad, so he red at him. "You bastard," He could see Arad''s arms extending up. "You''re still alive," CLUCK! Veins rushed from Arad''s severed head, connecting and pulling him toward his body. CRACK! Arad''s head attacked as his body levitated up with his arms extended. SWOSH! The giant cobra coiled around Arad, hissing at the elves. Arad red at the elf Major, "Kill him," he growled. HISSSSSSSSSS! The hissed, snapping at the Mahjor with a lightning-fast bite. Thud! The Major threw Eris down and jumped into the air, avoiding the bite. "You monster! Why aren''t you burning in the sun?" HISSS! The cobra didn''t wait for Major to finish talking, rushing at his with a second and a third bite, forcing him to dodge by jumping over her head. Arad lifted his hand, "Come out of the forest, eat all the armed elves, and don''t you dare touch anyone else." He shouted [Call of the night] Three wolves rushed out of the forest, followed by a pack of wolves. Arad''s spell seemed to have drawn the Alpha of the wolves. Thud! Arad left the wolves to deal with the elves. And he rushed at the Major. "Cobra, he''s faster than you, so leave him to me," He grabbed the Major by the face, "Let''s go somewhere else," [Void Step] ZON! Arad disappeared with the Major, teleporting four hundred meters into the mountains where no soul could see them. *** CRACK! Arad threw the Major on the ground and smiled. "We''re all alone now," The Major looked around, confused with a sweaty face. "Teleportation and Gravity magic? And a vampire on top of that?" He red at Arad, "Who are you? Who sent you?" Arad red at the Major, "I should be asking questions," BAM! Arad lunged forward, swinging his fist the Major''s face. CLANG! The Major lifted his de, blocking Arad''s strike with a worried face. "This power!" He looked at Arad''s fingers. They were unharmed even though he used the edge. BAM! The Major flew back, hitting a stone and looking at Arad, standing with the ground cracked beneath his feet. "Light," Arad growled, pulling his hand back and taking a deep breath. The fine hair on Arad''s body grew around his forearms and chest, reaching to his face to give him a thin beard around his jaw. "What?" The Major gasped, seeing Arad ring at him with glowing golden eyes. "HAAA!" Arad exhaled, his fingernails turning into ws. "Jack would be angry if I don''t pull your guts out," He growled. CRACK! Arad''s toenails expanded into ws as the ground shattered beneath his feet. His body elerated forward at a tremendous speed, using those ws for traction. "HE!" The Major lifted his sword, blocking Arad''s w strike at thest moment. ^His speed didn''t increase. What was that transformation for?^ CRACK! Arad twisted his leg, using the traction provided by his w and the raw power of his legs to shift his direction in an instant with [Wyrmwolf Uncanny Physique] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ^It was this!^ The Major growled, swinging his sword with a back edge strike at Arad''s head. Thud! Arad lunged aside and started running on all four, elerating faster than what could be achieved naturally on two legs. "How could you be a werewolf and a vampire simultaneously?" He lifted his hand and swung it down, [Valcros''s Earth Spikes] The ground cracked, and tens of sharp stone spears burst out in front of Arad. Arad didn''t slow down, running between the spears and avoiding them by a hair strand. ^He''s as nimble as I expected, but that should work against him.^ The Major smiled, pointing his sword at Arad. ^I only need to wait for the moment he starts dodging a spear and aim at that spot.^ [Valcros''s Thundering Needle] A short stone spike appeared in front of the Major''s sword tip. The spike started spinning rapidly before sting forward with a shockwave. Thud! Thud! Arad kept running forward, and the spike reached his face in the blink of an eye. The Major smiled as it was about to hit. CLAP! A wind-infused arrow flew across, hitting the spike at thest moment and sting it into small pieces. AWOOOOOOOOO! Arad rushed through the dust, lunging at the Major. [Stone Stage] The Major swung his sword down, and the ground beneath him rose a few feet, propelling his body back. CRACK! With a single w swing, Arad ripped the stone floor to shreds. FISHO! The Major looked to his right, lifting his sword to block a second arrow. CLANG! CLAP! The arrow hit his sword, exploding in a massive shockwave. The Major growled, ^Wind Magic? I can''t see the archer from here. Who is it?^ He red at the forest, trying to pinpoint the archer. *** Back in the forest, Ae stood on a tree, aiming her bow with veins bulging on her face. She took a deep breath, and a green me of wind magic started dripping from her eyes and bow. BOOM! The moment she released the arrow. A st of air exploded from her body, knocking Isdis away and throwing Jack off his feet. "Be careful!" Isdis cried as she rolled on the ground, feeling the impact resonate in her chest. "Give me a warning beforehand," Jack cried, barely standing up. Ae could hear them, but she would rather focus on aiming than give them a warning. She pulled a second arrow, staring into the distance. Chapter 299 Vampiric Wyrmwolf The Major jumped back, seeing two arrows zing toward him. "This speed and range, a Deianira." He growled, cutting the two arrows but still getting sted away. Thud! Arad jumped at the Major, swinging his w. CLANG! The Major deflected the strike. ^Good think I''m faster than him,^ BAM! Arad shifted his direction and hit the Major with a left hook w. AWOOOOOOOOOOOOO! He howled, sending the man rolling with a shed right arm. The Major rolled on the ground, "Wait, you''re getting faster?" He gasped, lifting his sword. CRACKLE! A stone spear rushed from the ground at Arad. ZON! Arad teleported behind the Major, ck scales appearing around his body. He wasn''t a werewolf, to begin with. He is a wyrmwolf. Arad rushed forward, swinging his w at Major. "Those scales, are you a werewolf or a vampire? What Kind of monster did the humans conjure?" The Major growled, avoiding one of Ae''s arrows. ^I can''t win by only defending. I need to attack.^ The Major rushed at Arad. ^I need to kill him before he gets even faster.^ The Major swung his de downward, and Arad jumped to the side. He quickly shifted the direction of the strike to chase the werewolf. Arad stepped back, and the Major shifted the attack into a thrust. Arad bent back, dodging the attack. "Got you!" The Major shifted into a downward sh. CLANG! Arad grabbed the ground with his arms, swung his right foot up, and caught the sword in his foot ws. Arad''s second foot grabbed the Major in the face. "You bastard!" The Major growled, feeling Arad''s ws digging into his jaw and forehead. CREEK! Veins bulged on Arad''s arms as he stood on them, lifting the Major by the face. SWOSH! Using his ws to grip, his raw power, and the [Wyrmwolf Uncanny Physique] skill, he spun on his hand and smacked the Major back onto the ground. CRACK! The Major coughed blood as Arad disarmed him, kicking the sword away. The Major looked up from between Arad''s ws, ^He''s getting faster, and I can''t predict his moves. Who taught this bastard how to fight?^ Thud! The Major tapped on the ground, [Dominos Grandious] The ground around them split apart, closing on Arad like the jaws of a massive beast. The Major crawled away, barely escaping Arad''s ws. "Damn it! Damn it! How could I kill him?" He growled, remembering how Arad survived the sneak attack in the forest. He looked back at the stones and pointed at them. [Dominos Lockious] More stones flew around the mass and locked Arad deeper into a sphere of boulders. "This should keep him sealed for some time. I need to run and report this back," The Major turned, running as fast as he could. BOOOOM! The stone seal exploded into dust, and a massive shadow toured over the Major. The Major red back in terror. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR! Arad roared, the st pushing the dust away, revealing his massive draconic form. "You were a dragon all along! You monster unfit for mortality!" The Major cried. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRR! Arad didn''t stop roaring, thick fur growing from beneath his scales, and his ws grew longer. "GEH!" The Major gasped, feeling a strange curse pulsing inside Arad''s draconic body. Something unholy wasing out. CRACK! As fur covered Arad''s draconic body, an extra pair of golden eyes emerged on his forehead as his opal teeth grew sharper and his muscles became bigger. Arad never tried to use [Bestial From] in draconic form, but that was something possible. Nothing prevented him from stacking everything. "The curse of Lycanthropy? Since when that can affect dragons?" The Major growled, pointing his arms at Arad to cast a spell. But he then realized something, falling on his knees and pissing himself. "What about the vampirism?" He gasped. Blood magic started gushing out of Arad''s body in a terrifying amount. He had just feasted on the blood of a purple dragon and his vampiric half-dragon daughter. CLAP! A second pair of wings, akin to those of bats emerged from Arad''s back, followed by a third pair of eyes on his forehead, glowing red like rubies. When Arad gazed upon the Major, he could see his magic through the void eyes and tell when he was about to cast spells. He could see his blood flow through the vampire''s eyes and tell when he was about to attack. He could also read the Major''s bodynguage and fine movements to determine his state of mind. "You fucking abomination!" The Major growled as he saw Arad about to lung at him. CLAP! Arad lunged forward. SPLAT! The Major could feel his veins bursting as blood gushed from his eyes and ears. CRACK! Arad opened both his front ws. ^I usually hold the sword with both hands when I action surge, resulting in eight attacks.^ Arad''s got ready to swing, ^But I can coordinate both of my arms with my wyrmwolf skill, so this is possible.^ "Action surge!" Arad roared, sending eight shes from each arm, resulting in a total of sixteen shes, rendering the Major into minced meat. SWOSH! A wave of void rushed afterward, consuming the Major''s corpses and erasing his existence in the blink of an eye. CRACK! Aradnded, grunting and shaking his head. "Probably I went overboard. One w strike could have killed him." He looked toward the forest. N?v(el)B\\jnn *** In a farawaynd, a short woman with red hair and long earsughed her guts out, staring down at a water bowl while floating upside down, her blue eyes glowing in the dark as she saw Arad. "What a monster! How terrifying, how disgusting, and how amazing," She spun around. "But sadly, he is as useless as it gets. What a failure" She swung her hand, switching the view toward the capital with a grin. In the image, she could see a white-haired man walking down the street with his hands in his pocket and a smile on his face. "This one on the other hand is far more horrifying and usable," Chapter 300 Blackmailed Thud! Arad transformed back to his humanoid form and teleported toward the forest,nding beside the carriage to find Jack and Isdis treating Lydia. He looked to the side to see Ae patching her fingers, "What happen?" He asked, approaching her. "Ripped the skin off my fingertips firing those arrows," She shook her hands, "It''s been a while since I channeled so much magic," "For real, you should have seen her. The shockwave of her bow firing shook the trees." Jack looked toward Arad with a smile. "How is Lydia doing?" Arad asked, seeing Lydia still unconscious. "She''s been taking a lot of hitstely," Jack shook his arms, "She''s good enough not to be in danger. She will survive," He smiled, "How about you? What happened to the elf leader?" "Dead, what about the rest?" Arad looked around. "The attacks are all dead. No one escaped since Ae sniped them all." Jack smiled, pointing at the back. "The elf hostages are there," Arad looked to see the giant cobra coiled around the hostages from the goblin raid. "They look scared to me," "They aren''t," Jack shook his arm, "Look at them, happy and alive," "We wanted to ask you about whether to let them live or kill them," Isdis stared at Arad, "They saw you, didn''t they?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad scratched his head, "I don''t know about that," "To me," Isdis looked at the hostages, "I would rather worsen our rtion with the elves and kill those hostages than expose you to them." "I say we deliver them back to the elves," Arad looked at Isdis, "No need to kill them," "They could expose your secret," Isdis red at Arad with a smile, "But, we can always provide protection for you," ^This is my chance to get him under the kingdom. Right now he only has two choices, either kill the elves and cause trouble for the kingdom and be in dept for us staying silent, or side with us to avoid the whole mess,^ Jack and Ae stared at Arad. "HAA!" Jack sighed, "Stuck between the anvil and the hammer," "We''d rather not choose any of the paths," Ae stared at Isdis, "Eaither of them ends with the kingdom having some influence over Arad, won''t it?" "It''s just the nature of the events, nothing that I can do about it," She waved her hands, "So what do you say?" She extended her hand to Arad. "Ahem," Eris cleared her throat in the back, her whole body was covered with a ck nket "Why don''t you turn that princess into a thrall and have her stay shut for the rest of her life?" "Hey! You!" Isdis growled, ring at Eris. "She will tell the king a powerful vampire attacked and she was turned. To save face, he will silently search for a cure for his daughter and bury everything that happened today." Eris smiled, "I will even hold her for you," Arad looked at Eris, "I thought you were chained?" "I was," Eris smiled, "I used that elf''s strike to break the chains," She pointed at the ground. "Fine I don''t think he intended to do it," Arad smiled, "Why didn''t you run away?" "That elf can snipe me down, and I didn''t really want to have you chase me again," Eris sighed, "In my current state, I would die before I can get away," Arad looked at the sky, "The sun?" "That''s only a part of it," Eris looked at Arad from beneath her nket, "It was a mistake to drink your blood. It''s wrecking my guts and I can''t seem to recover from it," "It doesn''t really matter," Jack sighed, looking at Arad with a smile, "We get back to the vige. Get those elves patched up and resupply for the trip to the elves," "Can you decide for Arad?" Isdis stared at Jack, "Isn''t he the one making decisions," Jack looked at her, "Well, I did find something interesting," He pulled a small stack of papers from his pocket, "I believe those were in your stuff, right?" "Give them back!" Isdis rushed at him, snatching the papers away, "You dare go through my stuff," Jack smiled, "Like I''m going to trust you without anything," He smiled, "Look closely," Isdis stared at the papers, her face going pale, "Those are counterfeit," Jackughed, "It''s your fault for carrying economic data from the capital with you. I already gave the real ones to people that I trust," Jack stared at her, "You either keep quiet, or they are exposed to the whole world." "You dare ckmail a princess?" Isdis growled, pulling her sword. Jack scratched his chin, "A princess? Can you show me your identification?" "What are you talking about?" Isdis growled, but soon realized what he meant and rushed to look inside her pocket, everything was gone. No money, no royal ne, and not a single thing proving she''s the princess. "You stole everything!" Isdis cried. "You were used to your head knight managing everything," Jack smiled, "Now, you''re all alone," Isdis red at him, ^I will have him executed when we get back to the capital,^ "You better not get any funny ideas," Jack lifted his hands as if he read her mind, "Arad, catch," He threw a scroll to him. Arad opened the scroll and read it, "A n to cause a rebellion? And it''s sighed by Isdis?" Even he was confused, "I made that one, copied her signature from those economic data. I gotta be prepared when dealing with royalty, that''s what my sister taught me," Isdis sighed, "Give them back," "I won''t, not as long as I don''t trust you." Jack red at her, "You have something on us, and I have something on you," Isdis growled, sighting, "Fine, fine," She red at Arad, "But I can''t do anything to the elves," Arad sighed, approaching the carriage. HISSS! He could hear the cobra hissing in the back, "What is it?" He stared at her. Hissssssss! "I see, but that would be quite hard," Arad scratched his head. "You can understand monsters?" Isdis stared at Arad, "Isn''t that strange?" Chapter 301 A Theory Arad scratched his head, "I don''t know. I can just understand them," [Spokennguages aren''t a part of the void dragon nature. Intelligent creatures might fight the void dragon tongue hard, but monsters understand it] ^What do you mean?^ [Try to speak to Ae without talking. Just stare at her face. Also tell her to clear her mind, and not think about anything,] "Ae, can we test something?" Arad looked at Ae with a smile, "Don''t think of anything," "Yes," Ae nodded and closed her eyes, "Can you hear anything?" Arad looked at her. "Nothing," Ae opened her eyes, "I don''t know what to look for," [It''s not a sound, more of dripping thoughts. The more primal a creature is, the better it will understand it,] ARad scratched his head, "Don''t mind, I can''t seem to get a hang over it, but I should be able to talk with monsters." Jack looked at Arad, "Is it something that our thoughts can interfere with?" [Jack is right. A rational mind will ignore the void dragon voice. Or should I should say, mental voice.] "You''re right," Arad nodded. Jack sighed, "Then it''s no hope for us. You''re probably better with monsters," He looked at the cobra and the wolves, "Are they tamed?" "I won''t say tamed. The wolves would leave back to theirir. The cobra asked if she could go with us," Arad approached the cobra and patted its side, "There isn''t a quick way to take her with us," "She could just follow us to the elves," Isdis stared at Arad with a smile, "I want to see their faces when wee in with such a monster," Ae sighed, "They might snipe her from afar. All we can hope is for them to be reasonable and be willing to talk," Arad scratched his head, "I don''t think they will fire with us standing beside her." "They will," Ae looked at Arad, "The rtions between the elves and humans have been in the mud for several decades now," "She''s right," Isdis stared at Jack, "You can give back my stuff, and I will talk to them," "No," Ae stared at Isdis, "I will do the talking," Arad sighed, "We''ll figure that out when the timees. Lydia needs treatment so let''s go," He touched the carriage, "Everyone, touch my back." Ae stared at Arad, "You can''t teleport us all to the city, can you?" "I should be able to as long as you''re lighter than me," He smiled. One of the elve''s woman hostages stared at him, wondering how could they weigh less than him. Ae smiled, approaching Arad. "Come on, let''s go back," She touched his back, as did everyone. ZON! In the blink of an eye, the whole carriage disappeared with a puff. CRACK! The elf hostages fell to the ground, their heads spinning from the sudden change, "What did happen?" One of them gasped, looking to the side to see the carriage shattered into small pieces. "GAHHHHHHHH!" Arad growled, scratching his head as he rolled on the ground, "I miscalcted. We teleported directly into a tree," He stared at the broken carriage. Jack barely stood, carrying Lydia, "You almost killed us," He looked at Arad. "Sorry, the carriage''s left wheel reformed inside a tree." Arad looked at the disintegrated wheel. "We''re lucky it wasn''t one of us," "You should be careful about teleporting withrge objects in the forest," Eris growled, "Didn''t that monster Scarlett teach you anything?" "Scarlett?" Arad looked at her, tilting his head, "You mean Ginger?" "Who else I would be talking about? She''s a true magic monster, and you have her blood," Eris red at Arad, "She must have taught you a trick or two," "She didn''t," Arad replied, "I got infected by lycanthropy, and she used her vampirism to prolong my transformation," Eris stared at Arad, dumbfounded for a second, "How? Are you telling me you got infected with lycanthropy? Do you know how crazy is that?" "But I was infected. What do you mean?" Arad stared at her, and Eris looked at the elves. "We talk somewhere else, alone or with her and him, I don''t care," She stared at Ae and Jack, "As long as you trust them," Eris looked at Arad, walking to his side. ^Is this dragon joking? His kinds are immune to most curses. There is no way in the nine hells that a dragon got infected by lycanthropy of vampirism.^ ^Could it be sorcery? Some of his ancestors were vampires or werewolves. No dragon cannot get infected.^ At that moment, Alcott''s image sparked in her head. ^Don''t tell me, was it him?^ "Arad, is Alcott, your father?" Eris asked, staring at Arad in the eyes. N?v(el)B\\jnn Everyone froze for a second, and Jack started noticing the simrities between Arad and Alcott. It was the eyes, the stance, the tone, and the expressions. "No, I never met my parents," Arad replied, "But you can say I know mother more than father. I never met, let alone got to know him," Eris scratched her head. ^Bloodline rarely shows itself in the next generation. It can''t be, and Alcott is a human, not a dragon. How strong could he be to leave a sorcerer bloodline?^ Ae stared at Eris, "You think Arad inherited a susceptibility from Alcott if he was his father?" "That was just a theory," Eris sighed, "Now that I''m looking at it, he can''t be Alcott''s son," "You''re right," Jack looked at them, "Alcott''sst wife ran away while pregnant, but there is no way Arad is that child. She was a human, after all," HISSSS! The cobra hissed, coiling around Arad with her tongue springing out. "Rest here," Arad smiled, patting the cobra''s head, "We woulde pick you up tomorrow, so avoid people andy low," The cobra hissed onest time and slithered back to the forest. Arad looked at everyone with a smile, "We can talkter. Let''s focus on getting them back home first." ^I also want to see Ae''s homnd. Elves live for a long time, after all,^ Chapter 302 Gaining Respect The vige chief stood beside the gate, looking forward and waiting for The Princess and the adventurers to return. "What were those noises from the mountain?" The chief looked at the guards. "Sir, we didn''t manage to see anything. That was the roar of a horrid monster, no doubt about it," the guard saluted the chief, standing beside him. "I fear they agitated something we can''t deal with." The chief sighed, "I hope we don''t have to move again due to monsters. The people are exhausted." The guard nodded, "You''re right. We only moved here a year ago, and the people don''t have the funds or stamina to travel." The guard looked at the mountain, "If they angered some kind of monster. This vige is doomed." The vige chief sighed, "For God''s sake, let''s pray it was nothing to fear. The elderly have told me they rather die here than move again," "You''re right," the guard nodded, looking down with a sad face, "My father said the same thing. My old bones can''t move. I would rather die here than suffer the hardship of months of moving. It''s what he said," Thud! "Chief! Look at the forest edge. They areing, but without the carriage," One of the guards on the walls shouted, and the chief looked forward, his palm on his wrinkled forehead. "Did they lose it?" The chief growled, "Don''t tell me they ran away after getting beaten," He lifted his hand and waved to the guards, "Go meet them with ten guards. Make sure not to be rude to the princess." The guard nodded, waving his arm to the back guards to bring the horses. "I can see they are carrying the pdin. She must be injured. Bring bandages and a healer with us," He shouted. "You''re taking a healer for them?" The chief stared at the head guard. "We can''t let a pdin die. It could bring bad luck or the wrath of her god upon us." The guard replied, and the chief nodded, "You''re right," The horses came with the guards, and the guard rode one, "I will be back," Thud! Thud! Thud! The horses rushed across the fields, quickly reaching Arad and the rest. CREEK! The horses froze, stopping in their track from fear just before facing Arad. "Hoi! What''s the matter, move!" The guard whipped his leaves, but the horses grunted, not daring to move a step forward. "Sir! The horses are scared. Those barely react to monsters, yet now they are shaking," He stared at his horse, itching to run away. Thud! Arad walked forward toward the guards with a smile, "You came all the way to meet us here," He smiled, "Can you help us carry her?" He pointed back at Lydia and Jack. NEIGHHHHHHHHHHH! One of the horses roared, violently lifting his front legs and throwing the guard riding him on the ground. CLANK! The guard fell to the ground, seeing his horse rush toward Jack and Lydia as Arad pointed. To humans and intelligent creatures in general. Arad merely looked like arge man. Their consciousness blinds their eyes. To the horses, Arad looked like a dragon, standing in front of them with his ws unleashed. One wrong move and they would end up as his dinner, and their instinct screamed to run or obey. Thud! The head guard jumped from their horse and faced Isdis, "We''re d you''re safe. You majesty Isdis Lior Ruris." He bowed, "How did the quest go? Are the goblins dead, and is the monster of the mountains somewhat rted?" Isdis stared at the man, confused for a second. He stood perfectly between being professional and rude, barely looking at her face yet grunting deep inside. She pointed at Arad, "We had some unexpected events, but He dealt with them, including the mountain monster," Arad red back at Isdis. ^Why are you throwing it at me?^ "We managed to clear the goblins. The vige should be safe now.^ Arad cleared his throat, looking at the elves behind him. "We saved the hostages and will be escorting them back home soon," "I see, thank goodness." The head guard smiled and then stared at Arad. "What are the unexpected events her majesty talked about?" Arad red back at Isdis, wanting to punch her. ^What if I said something that could spark a war between the humans and elves? I can''t just say they attacked us. They would think all the elves are the same.^ "We got attacked by some bandits." Jack interfered, "They seem to have wielded a magic item that controls stone giants," "What!" The guard gasped, "How could such a terrifying thing fall into the bandits'' hands?" He stared at Arad. "Please tell me you recovered the magic item," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad was confused for a second, but Ae quickly took for him. "I made sure all the bandits are dead. I sniped everyst one of them." Thud! The walking ck rug behind Arad pointed at him, "He killed the bandit leader and the stone giants. Sadly, he''s a bit of an idiot and broke the magic item," "Oi!" Arad red, back at Eris, "Who did you call an idiot?" "You," Eris giggled underneath the rug, "I know the fight was hard, but you didn''t neat to st the giant into rubble with your bare fists. The bandit leader pissed himself in terror." The guard leader froze. That was a terrifying feat. Stone giants'' skin is as hard as a rock, and for Arad to st it with his bare fists he needs tremendous strength. ^No wonder the horses are scared.^ The guard leader stepped back, keeping a two-meter distance between him and Arad. ^If this man decided to swing his palm at my armored chest. My spine would fly back before I could feel the hit. "Let''s hurry back then," Arad looked at the head guard, trying to change the subject, "Lydia needs treatment," "As you order, Sir!" The head guard saluted Arad and rushed back. "It''s nice to nt some respect," Eris stood beside Arad, covered in the rug, but he could tell she was making a smug face. Chapter 303 Going For The Throne Thud! Thud! Thud! The guards rushed Lydia to the church to get healed, and Jack walked back into the inn. He stood silently behind the room''s door, looking outside the window. "We''ve confirmed the information you gathered," A masked mannded on the window, staring at Jack from the side of his eyes. "Give me details," Jack looked at the man with arge smile, "The stakes are big this time," The man jumped into the room, rolling a paper on the ground. "Isdis Lior Ruris, she''s the fourth princess to the throne." The man started exining. The king is the current ruler of the kingdom, and he has eight children, five girls, and three boys. By the right of birth, the males have priority to the throne to carry their father''s legacy. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Isdis is the fourth princess meaning she''s the fourth of the girls and after her siblings. She is the seventh to the throne. Thest of the sisters is still fourteen years old, so she hasn''t joined the battle of the throne, meaning Isdis is thest one, hence being sent alone to a dangerous mission with only one guard. Jack smiled, "She is alone," He giggled, looking at the man. If Isdis forced Arad to serve her, her siblings would kill her to try and seize his power for themselves. And if she tried to get Arad killed, they would kill her to get him on their side. She can inform the king, and that would only lead to her losing Arad''s power since the king would likely assign the first prince to keep Arad in check. Even if she tries to expose the ckmail, her brothers will only use it as a reason to get rid of her. It isn''t about truth or lies. It''s all about who makes the first move. "I see. I will go gather more info," The man smiled, standing up, "Don''t forget us when your reach the top," Thud! He jumped out of the window, and Jack sat on the bed. "A battle for the throne, Arad was a mere pawn for them to gain power. But by putting Isdis in a hard spot and using her as a cover-up, we can push him to the front. She can''t control the dragon. The dragon is siding with her." He giggled, "They won''t see their sister riding a dragon, but instead imagine her kneeling beneath him," Jack stood, "Now, all I need to do is to have Arad grow stronger and have his noble domain expand so he can face the princes in political power. And Hopefully, snatch the throne by using Isdis as the key." Jack pulled the papers and smiled, "It would also be nice if we could get the elves behind Arad and Isdis. Using the current incident as leverage, he could get the support of a foreign kingdom, boosting his stand." Jack hid the paper inside his pocket and looked at another stack, "The kingdom''s economy is in shit and drains. I bet Sara and Roberta will find the information useful." He pulled a clean paper and started writing a n. "Let''s sell the information to those two on one condition. They use it to enrich Arad''s domain or sell under hising noble name and with Isdis mentioned in the middle as a supporter." ^With the kingdom''s wealth slowly relying on Arad''s domain, and with Isdis under him, add his power and status as a dragon mediator. He would have a good chance of seizing the throne.^ Jackughed, jumping back on the bed. ^I will make Arad the king, and have a seat right beside him.^ Jack stood and left the room, walking downstairs and seeing Isdis sitting with Arad in the tavern, "Hey, you two," He smiled, approaching them. "Having some good time?" Isdis red back at him, "You''re thest person I wanted to see," She growled, "When will you return my stuff?" "Woha! there," Jack waved his hands, "Calm down a bit. You''re a bard, aren''t you." He pulled a chair and sat beside them. "I know it''s rough up there in the capital." Arad stared at Jack, "What are you talking about?" Jack looked around. The bartender wasn''t around so he smiled. "Listen closely. I know it''s dangerous. One mistake and..." Jack made a shing motion on his neck with his thumb, "You''re dead," "What are you talking about?" "I''m saying that you can rx here," Jack poured Isdis arge mug of beer, "Arad is here. It''s a bit safer beside him isn''t it?" "What are you going on about?" Isdis red at Jack. "What I''m saying is that your siblings will try to steal Arad if you''re the one in charge. But if it was the reverse, with Arad in charge, they wouldn''t be able to do shit," Isdis red at Jack, "You''re either a fool or an idiot for suggesting that to me." Jack giggled, staring at Arad, "Say, want to go for the throne? It will be nice to expand your domain." Dragons usually fight with each other to expand their domains. The simple idea of fighting humans to expand hisnd sounded enticing. Isdis stared at Arad''s face, quickly learning that he was interested. "Won''t it be a great idea to have the elves backing in exchange for a peace promise?" Jack scratched his head, "Those hostages are loose ends. Depending on how they act, we could lose the elves'' support." "What are you three talking about?" Ae entered the tavern, finding it empty except for Arad, Jack, and Isdis. "Ae! How is Lydia doing?" Jack waved his hand. "She''s going to be fine," Ae smiled, "The healers said she has a great constitution, she would be able to walk tomorrow, but they strongly advise her to rest for at least a week." Arad nodded, "That''s fine. She can rest in the carriage through the trip behind the border." "That''s fine and all," Ae looked at Arad with a smile, "What were you three talking about?" Chapter 304 Passing Wind Arad woke up on his bed in the morning, seeing Jack asleep on the couch. He stood, looking at the ceiling. ^Something is on the roof,^ He could feel a faint aura above the tiles. He walked toward the door and slowly opened it, inspecting the hallway. He could see adder at the end with a trapdoor above it. ^That should lead above the roof,^ Arad approached and grabbed onto thedder, [I have a bad feeling about this. That aura doesn''t belong to a human, and it''s being suppressed.] ^The more of a reason to check it out.^ Arad stared at the trap door. ^There was nothingst night. I should make sure everything is okay before we leave for the elves.^ Arad climbed thedder and pushed the trapdoor open, slowly crawling into the rooftop. He looked around, seeing a masked kid sleeping on the roof. On a closer inspection, the kid had two horns sticking from the top of his head, tattoed white skin, and strange clothes that didn''t match anyone he saw before. "Excuse me," Arad approached the kid, looking at the chizzled white mask. The kid tilted his head back, "It''s early on. Let me sleep," He curled back into a ball, snorting. "Everyone should be waking up now. It''s been a while after dawn," Arad looked at the kid. ^Is he a tiefling?^ [That aura is far purer than a tiefling. He might be a demon or a devil. But devils shouldn''t be able to walk the world freely.] "Can I ask what are you?" Arad poked the kid. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Name is Chris, a wind devil." He sat up and turned toward Arad, "Shouldn''t you introduce yourself first, void wyrm." CLANG! Arad pulled his sword, "What are you doing here?" "Nothing to harm you," Chris stood, "I felt that a Deianira was about to fall into the wrong hands, so I flew here. I''m leaving now since she''s safe." [Arad, wind devil. The fourth S-rank. Nina did say he''s a little kid warlock. But she was wrong. He''s the real deal, a true devil.] ^The fourth, so we have no chance of winning,^ Chris cracked his neck, "You''re going to the Elf nation next. I bet you''re going to meet Grant, the spirit king. He might look bad, but give him some ck. He''s a good guy." "Wait, you''re already leaving?" Arad growled, seeing Chris turn around. "Of course, I have no business around here." Chris started floating, "I came to kill that purple dragon if he managed to capture the Deianira girl, but since he failed, I don''t need to interfere." "The dragon ran away. Shouldn''t you chase and kill him?" Arad growled. "Extra work? No thanks, I much rather sleep under the warm sun." He pointed at Arad, "Be careful. You''re growing too fast and are drawing the attention of higher powers. We S-rank might not care, but the high A-ranks mighte to kill you." "You say other adventures areing for my life?" "Right, I would say your power is in the midrange A-rank from the rumors. But from what I see now, you''re barely escaped the lower A-rank." Chris started floating higher, "See you in the future, and hopefully not as an enemy or a corpse. I tend to oversleep and miss big events like I did this time." BAM! The wind devil sted away, leaving a green trail behind him. "We should go to the elves and discover just what Ae''s family is. Something has to be wrong for the fourth-ranked toe all the way here." [You''re right. We should probably get to level up. He said you''re barely above the lower A-rank.] ^I''m still at B-rank. Isn''t that good?^ [From a human perspective, yes. From a survival standpoint, the stronger you get, the better.] Arad walked to the trapdoor and climbed down, seeing Jack walk slowly out of the room, rubbing his eyes. "What is it?" "Nothing. Just checked the rooftop," Arad replied, "We should go out and check on the girls," "You''re right. The vige chief should have prepared the supply." Jack scratched his head, yawning as he walked toward the stairs. As the two walked down, they started hearing Isdis ying her Biwa in the tavern with people listening. Ae sat at the front desk with a bowl of sd in front of her. "You''re awake," Ae smiled, waving her hand to Arad. "Good morning," Arad approached Ae, "Is Lydia still asleep," Ae looked away, "Well, about her." She pointed toward the back door, "She should be training in the backyard," "HAA!" Jack sighed, scratching his head, "I will drag her inside. The healers told her toy low," He walked toward the backdoor, pushing it open. Lydia stood in the backyard. Her eyes closed as she sheathed her sword and stood naturally. ^That attack was fast. The pain in my chest prevented me from elerating fast enough to counter or block.^ She remembered the Major when he attacked her. ^I need a way to draw my sword more efficiently, faster, and stronger. How to counter an attack when I can''t move well?^ She channeled some holy magic into her hands. ^This is the best time to train for such a thing when being critically injured. It stimtes the situation in which I will need to do it,^ Since she was training on a way to counter while injured, being really injured helps make it more realistic. If she can''t do it now, there is no way she will do it in a real fight. ^The stab is on my chest, so I need to avoid using those muscles and even breathing heavily.^ Lydia shifted the position of her legs, turning sideways and pulling her right arm in front. ^I don''t need to move my arms. As long as I do this, I can use my shoulder to deflect an attack, relying on my heavy armor.^ Thud! She then jumped back, releasing a faint stream of holy magic into her body. ^Then I need to stop the bleeding with healing magic,^ "What are you doing?" Jack called her from the back. Chapter 305 Expectations. Lydia opened her eyes, looking back at Jack with a smile, "Getting some exercise done," She scratched her chin, "You know, they say moving is good for recovery," "Not in your case. You need to sleep, food, and rest," Jack dragged her back inside the inn. Arad looked at Lydia, "Lydia, did you feel anything this morning orst night?" "Like what?" She replied, getting away from Jack''s grasp. "I don''t know, like a devil," Arad looked at her with a straight face. "I didn''t sense anything like that," She approached Arad with a golden me zing in her eyes. "Did you see something?" [Was he a fraud?] ^I doubt it. I barely sensed his magic. I think he has a way to escape Pdin''s senses.^ Arad waved his hand, "Nothing. I got a strange feeling this morning. Though you might have felt something." ^I will tell Jackter. It''s better to get a simple understanding of that kid first,^ Lydia nodded, "We can''t underestimate your gut feeling. It''s better to stay alert." "I will go check on the vige chief," Arad stood, and Ae followed him, "You get ready for the trip," "Wait for me," Isdis stopped ying her biwa, making the crowd sigh. Ae looked at her, "Weren''t you ying? The people seem to still want to hear music," She didn''t care about music at all. All she wanted is some time with Arad. Having Isdis tag alone will deprive her of that. "I yed enough," Isdis replied, puffing her chest, "Now, I need to go see the vige chief before we leave. I must go with you," Ae sighed, "Fine, let''s go," she cannot get rid of Isdis this easily. "Let''s go," Arad walked forward, and the two girls followed him into the street. "This vige is quiet and peaceful, isn''t it," Isdis looked around with a smile. "The exact opposite of the capital," Arad looked at her, "Won''t the capital be better with more people?" "Not really, it''s too busy and noisy. And the nobles there are quite annoying. I can''t go around the streets without them starting some rumors." She looked at the fences and people walking inside their gardens, watering the nts. "I would love to live in a quiet ce like this. Just trees, bushes, and clean air." She touched one of the fences. "You humans refused our proposal, remember?" Ae looked at Isdis, "Aren''t you now happy?" "You''re right," Isdis scratched her head, "You elves said we need to embrace nature more and live between the trees. Who knew your kind was right." "We elves live longer than you humans. When one of our elders speak, your oldest and wise pales in term of experience." Ae looked at Isdis. Arad looked at them. For some reason. He could feel those two won''t get along very well. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "You might be right, but not all elves reach that level." Isdis stared at her, "But I will give that to you. Your kind was right." She sighed. Arad smiled, "So I was right about buyingnd in the forest," Isdis turned toward him, her eyes sparkling, "I heard from the reports about your noble title that you reside in the dangerous side of the forest. Monsters aren''t a problem for you, are they?" "Monsters aren''t stupid. They avoid me and anyone who walks into myir. Ae can walk in the forest at night without fearing a monster attack." Arad looked at Isdis, "You know me, right?" Isdis nodded. ^He''s a dragon, after all, the apex predator of the forest. I bet most monsters will act like that cobra, deciding to submit instead of being killed and eaten.^ "Say, can I visit your house?" Isdis looked at Arad with a smile, slightly tilting her head. "Yes," Arad replied. "No," Ae replied. Isdis stared at Ae with a smug smile, "I wille to visit at you''re noble opening party. I hope you don''t mind a princess attending." "Royal rarely visit low-rank nobles, let alone their first party. It''s going to look weird," Ae looked at her and then at Arad, "She will only spark jealousy between us and Ae''s local nobles." "Are you sure?" "Yeah," Ae looked at Arad, "She cane, but she must leave her identity as a princess away. Nobles might act nice with you around, but L and Mira are going to be in danger with you away." Ae looked into the sky, "I hope they are okay. It will be white before we could get home," Arad smiled, "Don''t worry, the monsters are there. They will be fine," *** Back around Arad''s house, trees were being ripped from their roots as two monsters fought. BAM! The ant queen ran across the forest, opening her massive mandibles as she rushed at the woman standing in the middle of the forest. "Ant queen," Nina smiled, "Your attacks are simple and straightforward. How about you try changing them," She lowered her hand, opening her palm. The ant queen rushed at Nina, opening her mandibles to bite. SLAP! Nina swung her palm, pping the ant queen into the sky. BAM! The queennded on the ground, bending her hind legs. BOOM! She sted forward, moving faster than the eye could see and drifting behind Nina. "There are only so many moves I can achieve as an ant," She growled, trying to bite Nina''s head off. Nina smiled, lifting her palms. The ant queen could barely see the afterimages of Nina''s movements. SLAP! In the blink of an eye, she flew away with a crack on her head. ^Those moves, she started slow but suddenly elerate confusing the attacker.^ The ant queen watched closely. "You and your colony are an S-rank disaster. But you alone are an A-rank monster. You won''t reach Arad," Nina smiled, pping the queen again as she charged. "He''s an S-rank monster, a dragon. You won''t stand by his side like this," SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! With each p, Nina sent the ant queen rolling. "It doesn''t matter!" The ant queen growled, jamming her mandibles on the ground. "I stated that I would grow strong enough to fight by his side," The ant queen growled, "And I will reach it!" CRACK! The ground shattered as the queen pulled a massive boulder several times her body size. For an at that was already almost as big as Arad''s draconic form, that cause the boulder to be visible all the way from the city. "Ants can carry several times their body weight," Nina smiled, "Show me what you can do now, as I won''t have time to y with you tomorrow. I have work." She lifted her palm, ready to p the boulder away. Chapter 306 Setting Off To The Elves "Using your raw strength," Nina smiled, "That''s the first step forward, but you still need to do more," She stood still, lifting her right palm, "Show me what you can do," The ant queen lifted the titanic stone with her mandibles, staring at Nina with her eyes. ^A calm barbarian, I still haven''t pushed her anywhere near raging. I''m a bug in front of her.^ Veins started bulging beneath the queen''s exoskeleton as her muscles hardened. ^This won''t be the end!^ She growled inside, throwing the stone at Nina. CLAP! Nina smashed the stone with her palm, retaining a calm face. "Even children knew how to throw stones. You have to do better." CRACK! The ant queen rushed, beating the stone to the other side and catching it with her mandibles, "Die!" She growled, deflecting the stone back at Nina. ^I see,^ Nina smiled, deflecting the stone with ease. ^She throws the stone and then catches it to throw it again.^ CLAP! SLAP! CRACK! Nina kept deflecting the massive stone with her palm, not even bothering to move. The ground started shaking as the two shed, and the people of Alina cried, hiding in their houses. "Is it an earthquake," Mira looked out of Arad''s house, seeing a massive dust storm forming where Nina and the ant queen shed. "I hope they are all right," she looked back to see Tina ring out with an angry face, "Who''s going to wipe all the dust?" she growled and Mira giggled, "Us," Nina looked at the stone flying toward her. ^She was using a massive stone and elerating the hits. She wants to drain my stamina, relying on her monster nature to survive a battle of attrition. So If is this kept out, it will be my loss.^ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Nina smiled. ^That''s what you are thinking, aren''t you? Ant queen,^ She finally clenched her fist, letting her middle finger pip out a bit. Thud! With a heavy stomp, she swung her fist at theing stone, shattering it with a single punch. ^You won''t drain my stamina even with your game. Relying on unconfirmed information is the reason for the majority of deaths.^ Nina looked around, searching for the queen. "She isn''t around?" Nina then felt a tingling beneath her toes, the ground shook slightly, and she smiled looking at her feet. "Beneath the ground, and you''reing up rapidly," As Nina smiled, the queen''s mandibles burst from beneath her feet, taking her into the sky. Nina blocked the mandibles with her legs, keeping them apart as the queen tried to close them closed. "An attack from below. You''re growing smarter," looked at the queen, clenching her toes around the mandibles. "But don''t bite what you can''t chew!" CRACK! With that clench, Nina shattered the queen''s mandibles. GRRR! The ant queen growled, falling to the ground. BAM! As the queen crashed, Nina gentlynded, staring forward as she barely made a dent in the ground. "If this was a real fight, you would be dead." Nina approached the queen. "I know," The queen growled, barely standing up, "Another time," "There is no another time. Your exoskeleton will shatter with another hit from me." Nina stared at the queen, "It''s over for today. Go rest. Or do you need a healer?" The ant queen looked down, "I''m fine," she crawled into the hole she made, going back to herir. Upon reaching her nest, shey in the middle of the cavern, closing her eyes. "Queen!" An ant rushed in. "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" "Queen!" Hundreds of ants rushed in, surrounding her. "We brought food!" They dragged a few monsters they hunted from the forest. "I''m not hungry. I need to sleep," The queen hushed them away as she slowly fell asleep. CRACK! Her exoskeleton cracked. *** Arad walked outside the vige with Jack behind him, "Do we have everything?" "I checked twice. We should be good to go," Jack smiled, looking at the carriage. Ae sat in the driver''s seat with Isdis, looking back inside at Lydia and Eris. "You two are fine back there?" "Yeah, it''sfortable," Lydia replied. "I don''t like being here. There is a pdin with her sword drawn," Eris replied. "Should I kick you into the sun?" Lydia stared at Eris with a smile. "No, thank you," She replied with a straight face, waving her hand. "I don''t want to burn to death." Jack jumped into the carriage as Arad walked beside it. Then looked back, seeing the second carriage following them. "I will stay with the elves. Just in case something happens." Ae smiled, "Not with her around," She looked to the side, seeing the cobra slithering across the bushes, patrolling the forest around the road. Thud! Arad jumped on the elve''s carriage, sitting on the roof and watching their surrounding. ^Monsters rarely approach because of me, and when they do, the cobra kills them.^ [Even though we''re traveling bynd, the trip should go smoothly,] Several hours passed, and night came close. Arad waved his hand at Ae''s carriage, signaling for her to pull aside. The carriages stopped, "Are we stopping here?" The elf who drove Arad''s carriage looked at him. Arad nodded, "Yeah, we better start setting camp. You lot need sleep," Thud! He jumped down, cracking his back. ^I have spent a lot of time sitting,^ "We don''t need sleep." The elf replied, "It''s dangerous to sit in those parts of the forest." Arad looked at the elf, "Don''t worry. In fact, it''s safer to camp in monster-infested ces." "I''m sure you''re wrong about that," the elf sighed, stopping the carriage and jumping down, "Well, I hope you''re right about this time at least," he smiled. "Don''t worry," Arad looked at the forest, "Monsters won''t dare approach. They will keep other people away from us." [The elf is right. Staying in ces like this is dangerous for humanoids. The only reason monsters aren''t attacking is because they can sense you here. They won''t dare approach a dragon,] Chapter 307 Doma Drip! Arad looked around, seeing Ae pouring water into the pot above the mes. The night looked peaceful, and the elves weren''tzing around but helping cook dinner. ^It''s too calm. I thought traveling was dangerous,^ Arad stood walking around the camp, smelling the clean air. HISSS! The cobra slithered beside him. ~Is something the matter?~ "No, I just wanted to take a walk in the forest." He walked past the cobra into the trees, looking around with a smile. ^The trees here are bigger than back in Alina. Do you think this forest is older?^ [It looks like that, ancient, I would say,] Mom said, [Look around closely, what do you see?] Arad approached one of the trees, touching the trunk, and looked at the bark. ^I can see faint traces of magic on the trees, don''t tell me this is another genius loci.^ [No, it isn''t. The trees around here have been living for so long that mana started seeping into them. Medical herbs and alchemical ingredients gathered from here should be far stronger than normal.] ^Is that right? Should I bring Ae and look for some? We might need thoseter.^ [I won''t rmend venturing too deep into the forest. Valuable ces like this are usually inhabited by witches. They won''t mind you passing by, but if stayed for long they might attack you.] ^Wait, what are the witches?^ Arad gasped, moving away from the tree. [Don''t get scared. They aren''t dangerous most of the time. They are sorcerers, manly women, but there are some men here and there. They live in forests like this where they can get ingredients for their spells. And usually fight with druids.] ^Are they strong?^ [Not necessarily. They are sorcerers after all. And their strength doesn''t stray far from that. But some of them are experts in curses, which can be hard to deal with.] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad turned to return to the carriage, ^Curses? Like vampirism?^ [Those are called high curses that can alter someone. Witches use low and mid curses that can range in power and effects.] ^That keeps sounding more dangerous the more you talk about it,^ Arad grunted. He hated to deal with things he doesn''t see or know how to deal with. ^I would much rather them attacking head-on,^ [In most encounters with witches, the victim never actually sees or gets close to the witch. They usually use their curses to deter unwanted intruders and only fight when cornered.] Arad walked out of the forest, sighting, "Should we move the camp? We''re beside the road, so we should be safe, right?^ Arad looked forward, seeing the empty road, and stopped, "Where is the camp?" He gasped, looking left and right. [It should''ve been around here,] Arad sighed, "Ah! Shit, don''t tell me it''s..." He scratched his head violently, "We just talked about it!" He growled, jumping into the sky andnding on a tree, "Please tell me I missed them?" He looked around, seeing no traces of the camp. [Look at the sky, that might help,] ^You''re right.^ Arad looked at the sky, searching for the stars. He only got more confused, "Wait, aren''t I a bit far away from where I should be?" [You''re right. We''re like four miles away. It was probably a protective barrier. It shunts us outside but on the other side of the forest.] ^Should I take that as a sight that the witch is a bit weak? It would have been better if she sent me to the camp since I won''t notice going through her barrier.^ [You''re right. Let''s head back.] Thud! Arad jumped down and rushed across the forest, running as fast as he could toward where the camp should be, following the stars. Thud! He stopped, finding himself back on the road. ^I''m back where I started. Should I fly?^ [A barrier shouldn''t extend far into the sky. Fly high enough, and you should be fine,] Arad smiled, expanding his wings. [Void Step] He then teleported four hundred meters into the sky. ^This should be high enough.^ He pped his wings, flying toward the camp. DING! CRACK! The next moment, his face crashed on the ground, feeling a heavy impact that almost snapped his neck. "My head, did I fly straight to the ground?" He barely stood, his vision blurred. Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! His heart started pounding, and it became harder and harder to breathe. He could feel something clenching on his heart as his stomach twisted and his legs felt as light as feathers. ^Mom, something is wrong,^ Arad growled, his heart elerating out of control. [Transform, that should...] Arad cked out before she could finish speaking. *** DRIP! Arad woke up, his head hurting like hell. "Arad! Arad!" Ae sat beside him, shaking him as hard as she could. "Don''t shake me, I''m awake!" Arad growled, barely sitting up. "Where did you go?" Ae asked, and it was then that Arad noticed everyone staring at him. The sun was already rising. "How did I get here?" Arad looked around him confused. "You just fell from. I don''t know!" Ae gasped. "We spent the whole night searching for you," Jack sighed. "They even let me fly around to look for you. They were really desperate," Eris looked at Arad, covered in the ck nket. "I''m sure I fell into some sort of barrier. Got teleported to the other side of the forest," Arad stood, his mind still hazy. "Barrier? Only witches or druids set those in the forest," Eris approached Arad, "Which one was it?" "Probably a witch," Arad growled, ^Mom, are you all right?^ [Yeah, I don''t remember anything since you passed out,] As Arad stood, Jack could see a small piece of paper stuck in his back pocket, "Arad, did you have that on you before?" Arad reached into his back pocket, pulling the paper out. "Something is written on it," Isdis and the elves stood behind Arad with Ae and Jack as he opened the paper. "To Master Arad: Thanks for your help. As per the contract, you won''t remember anything. But your reward for helping me should be inside your stomach. But beware, it''s quite dangerous, as you saw tonight. Again, thanks for your help, and won''t forget the time we spent together. I appreciate it since you''re the first to look past my appearance, truly thank you. My sincere love and gratitude, Doma." ... "Who?" Arad gasped. Chapter 308 Witch’s Curse Arad looked at the paper, confused. He then quickly pulled any extra object from his stomach. DING! A silver ring fell on the ground, rolling with a spark. Lydia instinctively pulled her sword, "This thing, what kind of curse is this?" She growled, ready to swing at it. "Wait, don''t break it," Arad gasped. "No, this ring holds more curses than you do. It''s better to destroy it before it harms anyone," Lydia growled, swinging her sword down as hard as she could. [Divine Cleaver] CLANG! The sword hit the ring, shing with a brilliant light strong enough to blind anyone. But the ring didn''t budge. "Damn it," Lydia growled, pushing down, "This thing is hard," CRACK! Her sword shattered into pieces, sting her back. The ring remained in its de, sparkling with its curse oozing out like bloodlust. "No way, it survived a divine cleaver?" Jack gasped, ring at Arad. "What kind of monster did you meet inside?" CLING! The ring sparkled, flying toward Arad''s left hand andtching on his ring finger. "AW!" Arad grunted, grasping his palm, "That''s hurt," he tried to pull the ring off but couldn''t. [Arad, look at your stats,] ************ [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage] [Level: 17/20][Exp: 7600/270000][Sub-ss: Void Knight] [Age stage: Very Young] [29 years.] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 0] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 24] [Agility: 22] [Constitution: 28] [Magic: 27] [Intelligence: 24] [Wisdom: 24] [HP: 544/544][MP: 569/569][SP: 527/527] [HPreg: 1/h][MPreg: 1/min][SPreg: 1/s] ************ [Cursed Ring of Doma] A one-pf-kind ring created by the witch Doma, it hosts her contract with the destroyer Arad Orion. As per the contract, the ring will provide its power to the destroyer in exchange for feeding the witch. Cursed ring powers: [ursed] The holder find it easier to survive curses. [Soulbound] The witch feeds off the host. [Special curse] The ring cannot be destroyed or removed by normal means. [Deathbound] The witch will do her best to keep the ring bearer alive. [Doma''s Bane] Locked by the witch. N?v(el)B\\jnn ************ Arad tried to pull the ring off again but failed. It was stuck to his finger. "It''s stuck," Ae looked at Arad, "If Lydia couldn''t break it, then we need something stronger than a divine cleaver," Arad shook his head, "No need for that," He grabbed his finger, "I have my solutions." CRACK! Arad ripped his finger off with the ring, throwing them away. "I can just heal from this," CLACK! The moment Arad healed his finger, the ring grew with it as if it was a part of his body, and the torn finger evaporated. [Special curses like this cannot be applied without the consent of the target. That means you agreed to this,] "I didn''t agree to anything. What happened yesterday?" Arad red back at the forest. [You''re speaking aloud. And I don''t remember as well.] Arad turned toward the forest, "The witch should be inside," His eyes shed purple, "I will ask her directly," "Wait!" Jack tried to catch Arad, but he failed as Arad didn''t wait to st forward, running as fast as he could. "Let''s follow him," Lydia pulled a spare sword from the carriage and rushed after Arad without waiting for a second, and soon everyone followed her. Arad ran between the trees, keeping his eyes open for an attack, "Witch! Show yourself!" He shouted, but something looked off. There was no magic in the trees or ground like yesterday. The forest seemed far too normal. Arad looked left and right. There was no magic to follow. ^Fine, I will find you another way.^ He squatted, the muscles on his thighs bulging, ^From the sky,^ BOOM! With a single jump, Arad flew into the sky opening his ck draconic wings and looking down, "It should be easy, but I could find traces from up here," Arad stopped mid-air, staring down with a dumbfounded face. ^It shouldn''t be easy, should it?^ He scratched his head, seeing a massive tree with a house on top in the middle of the forest. [The barrier should be hiding the witch''s house. The fact it''s visible means the barrier has fallen.] ^That exins the no magic around here?^ Arad flew toward therge tree house,nding in the massive garden at its feet. "This ce," He looked around. Over-grown bushes, fallen trees, crumbling houses that got over-run with veins and dust. [It looks abandoned, as if no one set foot here for decades.] CRACK! As Arad looked around, the ground started shaking as magic swelled from the depth of the garden. BAM! Arad jumped back. ^Something big ising,^ Arge stone hand burst from the ground, oozing with curses, "Mistress Doma!" CRACK! Arge stone golem rose from the ground, ring at Arad, "Finally, he came back," He red at Arad with glowing purple eyes. "Who are you?" Arad growled, cracking his fists. "You almost hurt my feeling, Arad the destroyer." The golem conjured a stone ymore. "As per my contract with Mistress Doma, I''m to do my best to kill you and stain the garden with your blood." "Wait! Why?" Arad gasped, "I came here to ask her to remove the ring she stuck to mest night." "Mistress has been dead for decades," The golem red at Arad, "She knew you wille here one day to seek the ring''s removal, and so she instructed me to try and kill you." [Something isn''t adding up. You met the witch yesterday for the first time. You''re a few months old, and could in no way have met her if she''s dead for decades.] "Then, let the show begin," CLANG! The golem stabbed the ground with his sword, "Beat me and explore the house, or die as mistress wished." The moment the golem released his curse, Arad could feel a heavy lump stuck in his throat. He could barely breathe, Jack, Ae, and the rest who followed Arad into the mansion fell on their knees, throwing up. Lydia grunted, barely gazing at the golem, "A cursed soul. A humanoid cursed for eternal life as a stone golem. What horrid witchcraft the witch here was involved in." BAM! Aradnded in front of the golem, pulling his sword out. "I wonder if a sword is a decent weapon to use against a stone. Should I keep a hammer or a pickaxe in my stomach?" He smiled as the void engulfed the de. "It doesn''t matter," the golem growled as Arad''s arms started turning into stone, "Be cursed to death," Chapter 309 Stone Golem Ba-dump! Arad could feel his heartbeats as stone engulfed his arms, ^Curse of petrification!^ BAM! He jumped back, flexing the muscles on his arms to shatter the stone. CRACK! The golem rushed forward, swinging his massive ymore at Arad''s torso, "You can''t run away," Arad lifted his sword, blocking the strike. He could feel the air kicked out of his lungs as he rolled back. CLANG! ^What kind of raw power is this?^ He gasped. "ARAD!" Ae screamed, pulling her bow at the golem, [Wind st] She fired three arrows. The arrows flew at a blinding speed, connecting with the golem''s torso and exploding in a violent storm. "Mere wind shall not shake the might of stones," The golem grew, ring at Ae, "Be stone," CRACK! In a sh, Ae''s body turned into stone. BAM! Arad lunged forward at the golem, clenching his fist. "Die," Thud! Jack appeared behind the golem, pointing his arm cannon at his back. KABOOM! THWACK! As the two hits connected, a dust storm formed around the golem. "Is he dead?" Jack quickly reloaded and aimed again, "Let me st him again for good measure," Thud! The golem''s hand extended from the dust, catching Jack by the face. "What a weak him, human," SWOSH! He threw him into the sky with ease. Jack growled, quickly switching his arm charge into the hook. BOOM! He fired it at a tree and swung back to the ground. Arad red at the golem''s torso, ^I need to hit him harder,^ He instantly stored his sword. shing attacks probably won''t work. "HAAA!" Arad growled, swinging his fist at the golem''s torso with zeal. THWACK! THWACK! "HORA!" He screamed, throwing punches as fast as he could, aiming at a single spot. "Useless," The golem swung his ymore at Arad''s torso, hitting him in a straight line from his corbone to his hips. BAM! The hit sent Arad flying toward the trees. Arad grunted, feeling a sharp pain across his torso, but the dull stone ymore didn''t cut him. ^He has to have a weakness.^ CRACK! Arad twisted his body,nding feet first on a tree. CRACK! Arad instantly jumped back at the golem, clenching his fist. CLANG! The golem hit Arad again as if he was a baseball ball, sending him back to the forest. Thud! Arad bounced back at the golem without a moment rest, "Let me punch you!" CLAN! CLANG! The golem deflected Arad again and again without avail. The dragon wasn''t slowing down. ^Great power and endurance. No matter how many times I hit him, he instantly bounced back for the next attack.^ The golem thought, staring at Arad flying at him. ^He will soon get a hit in, but that won''t matter as long as he doesn''t figure out how my curse works. That''s why I called their attacks useless.^ Lydia looked at Arad charging at the golem like a mad man, "We need more firepower,^ she rushed toward the petrified Ae and touched her, [Holy wave] CRACK! The stone shattered, and Ae fell on her face, gasping for air. "Thank the gods it worked. Can you fight?" Ae didn''t respond and aimed her bow at the golem, focusing all of her magic on the tip of her arrow. Thud! Lydia smacked her on the head, "Calm down, stop your magic. It won''t damage the cursed golem." She grabbed the tip of the arrow in her hand, "Let me do something," Lydia''s hand shed with a brilliant light, "I can''t feel his weak point, so aim at the middle of his torso." Ae took a deep breath, "Got it," BAM! Ae fired the holy-infused arrow at the golem, ^Please just die,^ The arrow hit the golem''s torso, shing with a brilliant light. [Divine Cleaver] CRACK! The arrow shattered as the golem red at Lydia and Ae, "Holy magic won''t work against mistress''s curses." He said, swinging his ymore and deflecting Arad like a ball. "How about you stay out of the fight?" He pointed his hand at them, "My business is with the destroyer," CRACK! Ae, Lydia, and the elves all turned into stone, frozen in ce. Thud! Jack appeared behind the golem, aiming his arm cannon at its left knee, "Kaboom," BO-BO-BO-BOOM! In rapid session, he fired all four chambers at once, shattering the golem''s knee. The golem started falling forward, and Arad charged in the blink of an eye. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR! He screamed, swinging his leg with a full power kick. CRACK! Arad''s foot connected with the fallen golem''s face. THWACK! Spinning him in ce. Jack rolled away to avoid the crashing golem, "Get him, ARAD!" He shouted. VROOOOM! A loud rumbling burst from Arad''s chest, as he caught the golem by the head, his eyes shing with a purple light. GRWAAAAAAAAA! The muscles on Arad''s arms and back bugled as his thighs tore his pants. ^You don''t go petrifying Ae twice!^ Arad swung the golem up and smacked him on the ground, shattering the ground and causing an earthquake. The status of Ae and the elves got thrown into the air from the impact. "They are going to break!" Jack looked back, unable to do anything to catch them all. The golem lifted his hand, and everyone returned to normal as they hit the ground. "What?" Lydia growled, but she soon got turned back into stone. Thud! The golem grabbed Arad by the neck, "You reckless bastard," He stood, all of his cracks fixed, "You almost killed your own allies," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad opened his mouth, ROAR!, sting the golem with a void breath, and forcing the golem to release him. With a swift move, he grabbed the golem''s ymore, taking it and rolling back. The golem stared at Arad standing, carrying the massive ymore, which was almost as tall as him. "Do you think you can use it?" The golem stared at Arad. "It doesn''t matter as long as it''s something I can smash you with," Arad growled, void engulfing the ymore, "This one is mine now!" "Fine, let''s see what you can do," The golem clenshed his fists, taking a stance. Chapter 310 Albert Python Arad red at the golem, lifting the massive ymore on his shoulder. ^It''s heavy and blunt. This thing cannot be cut. It only crushes. A hammer is disguised as a de.^ Arad smiled, [Gravity Magic] VROOOM! A wave of purple gravity magic rose around Arad, increasing his and the ymore''s weight. ^He''s making it even heavier, as expected of a dragon. Most humans won''t be able to lift that weapon let alone fight with it.^ The golem clenched his fists, lunging at Arad. "Destroyer! Show me what you can do!" The golem growled, swinging his fist at Arad''s face. CLANG! Arad swung the ymore down, deflecting the golem''s fist. "You''re light," He smiled, swinging the de up instantly. CLANG! He sent the golem flying like he was nothing. "Come on! Call your mistress and tell her to take the ring off," The golem red down, "You tell her in your grave," [Shadow of the tombs] CRACK! The ground around Arad cracked, opening into a massive grave and sucking him inside, "Those who live shall die, buried alive in the depth of stones," BAM! The golemnded on his feet, staring at the pile of dirt. THUD! The ymore pierced the ground, sticking out with a dark gust of wing gushing from it. CLAN! CLANG! CLANG! The ymore swung around, sting a hole in the ground as Arad walked out, carrying it on his shoulder. "I like this thing. It fits me perfectly," He smiled, ring at the golem. "You survived my curse?" The golem stared at him with a calm demeanor, "I see. You aren''t the destroyer for no reason," "A curse?" Arad looked at the golem, his eyes glowing with a purple light, "You just put me underground and tried to crush me with dirt and stones. That won''t kill an ant," "You don''t say," The golem stared at Arad. ^That spell should be really effective at restraining and strangling people. The first was supposed to craw into your lungs,^ Arad lifted the ymore and looked at the golem, [Void Step] ZON! He teleported behind him, swinging sideways. CLANG! The golem conjured a second ymore, stopping Arad''s strike. "I can make more," The golem looked back at Arad. CLANG! He deflected him back into the trees. CREEK! Arad stopped himself with the ymore, staring at the golem with a smile, "Release them now," "They will get released if you killed me," The golem pointed at Arad with his sword, "Otherwise, you will die with them," "I see! Fine, you asked for it," CRACK! Arad''s shirt and shoes shattered into pieces, revealing his bulging muscles as tiny purple scales spanned his body. CRACKLE! SWOSH! me and lightning started gushing from Arad''s upper body as ice froze the ground beneath his feet. The space around Arad started morphing like mist, twisting and twirling. ^He doesn''t have control over it.^ The golem stared at Arad. ^He doesn''t understand or know how to use the void, not even close.^ The golem lifted his sword. ^That''s to be expected. I would have already lost if he knew what he was doing. Even wyrmling void dragons should be able to beat me with ease if they knew how the void work.^ The golem smiled inside. "Come at me! Void brat! You won''t get Doma as long as I stand!" He shouted as Arad sted forward. CLANG! The two shed their swords. The golem looked at the ground [Dust storm]. Dust rose from the ground, masking Arad''s mes and starving them from the air. Lightning as well wasn''t that effective, as the golem naturally discharged it to the ground. Arad opened his mouth, trying to charge a void breath. "You''re too naive!" The golem smiled, conjuring a stone spike that pierced Arad''s chest, putting an end to his struggle and breath. "I told her. Relying on stupid divinations will never work," The golem sighed, watching Arad''s bleeding corpse. Thud! Arad''s arm moved and grabbed the golem by the head. "Stones, are technically dead, aren''t they?" Arad mumbled, and the golem''s body started shattering and getting absorbed into Arad''s stomach. "Heh," The golem giggled, "You''re a stubborn one," He stepped back, disintegrating, "Go into the tree," Thud! Arad fell on his face, blinking, "Where did he go?" He looked around, only to see a skeleton on the ground. [Albert Python] Those words were carved on the skull''s forehead. "Did I win?" Arad looked closer at the skeleton, confused. "Arad! Everyone is getting freed. The golem was defeated." Jack shouted as he saw Lydia and the rest turning back to normal. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "But I didn''t defeat him! I didn''t even get to absorb him. Why did he die?" Arad stood looking around. "Like I know," Jack shouted back, "You might have hit a weak point on his head," "Are you sure?" Arad looked at the ymore. It wasn''t disappearing, "I guess I''m keeping this one," He stored it in his stomach and walked back. "Arad! Are you all right?" Ae rushed toward him, and he smiled, "I should be the one asking. Is everyone fine?" Lydia scratched her head, "With how much curses dripped from that thing. I find it strange no one died or got harmed." "Lydia is right. He seemed uninterested in killing anyone besides you," He looked at Arad with a smile, "Did you piss him overst night?" "I don''t remember anything! This is the first time I saw that thing," Arad cried, "He came out of the ground. There is no way he buried himself yesterday." "You''re right. The garden''s ground wasn''t disturbed. He was buried a long time ago," One of the elves scratched his chin, "My guts are telling me it''s dangerous to stay here, but I will do my best to help you search the ce if you so wished," "It''s dangerous to have you around," Jack looked at the elves, "I would much rather you stay here while we go inside," "Jack is right. We were trying to take your hope. This whole mess is unrted to you," Lydia sighed. She hated dragging civilians into dangerous fights. Chapter 311 Accursed House "I will explore the inside of the tree house alone. You stay here and wait," Arad looked at them, turning toward the tree. "I will go with you," Ae stood beside Arad. "You''re an archer. Fighting indoors isn''t your specialty," Arad looked at her, cracking his neck, "I go inside alone. It''s too dangerous," "What about me?" The ck rag approached Arad, wiggling in ce. "Eris, you will survive a hit or two," Arad smiled. "I can''t fight here due to the sun, but I will be able to go all out inside that tree house," She smiled beneath the rag. "And burn the whole ce down? Please don''t," Arad sighed, and Jack approached them, "I can sneak around and search for clues," "Don''t do it," Lydia approached them, "Curses aren''t something you can sneak around. Unless you can see or smell them," Arad looked at her, smiling. "You go with Jack and explore the garden. Ae and Isdis will protect the elves, while I and Eris will explore the tree house." "Sounds like a n, a half-baked one, but it should be a start," Jack waved his hand, walking with Lydia by his side. Arad and Eris approached the tree house, standing in front of the door and looking at it, "This ce stinks," Arad growled. "The smell of rot. At least this is wood rot and not corpses." Eris touched the door, pushing it open, "Let''s get inside. I''m getting sick of this rag," "Fine, fine," Arad followed her inside the house, and she threw the rag on the ground, stretching her arms, "AH! It''s always nice to be able to move freely," "Don''t throw it," Arad picked up the rag and stored it in his stomach, "You will need it to walk outside." Eris looked at Arad, "I heard people in the east have somerge clothes to cover them under the desert sun. Should I pick one of them?" "I don''t know what you''re talking about, but if it''s something that won''t stand out then do it." Arad stared at her, having no idea what she was talking about. The two walked into the main hall, "This ce is bigger on the inside than what it looks on the outside," "Spatial domain, it''s a magic that slightly expands space. A divergent type of storage magic," Eris replied, "I heard of it. But never saw someone who could use it." "Heard of it? Like a spell in tomes?" Arad looked at her. "No, I heard the royal treasury is made with one of those spatial domains." Eris scratched her head, remembering the information she heard from the thieves guild in Rita. ^Than man named Gojo was nning to break into it, wasn''t he? How stupid is it to n a heist on the royal treasury, and what does he want?^ "Where did you hear of that? Shouldn''t such a thing be a secret?" Arad looked at her. "The thieves in Rita, the ones you robbed," She stared at him with a smile, "Didn''t you get this information as well?" "I don''t remember, but I got a lot of papers, and they are with Alcott," Arad looked at her, "Let''s search," He walked toward the wall and pulled one of the paintings on the wall. A great green snake coiled around a golden goblet filled with blood, "What a strange thing," "Art is always strange," Eris looked at it, "But it''s sure the ce looks creepy," She stared around at the rusted chandeliers and torn carpets. Bugs crawled out of the wall holes, scrambling to escape the first guests in decades. "This ce is oozing with strange magic. It''s the curses Lydia talked about," Eris walked toward Arad, "We should be careful. We might face another golem," Arad looked at her, "Are you scared? I can beat it," He smiled. "From what I saw,st time seemed like pure luck," She stared at him with a dubious look. "Even if it was luck, I now know that I can kill him by destroying the head. I can do it again," Arad smiled, cracking his fists. "Is that so? Don''t count on that," Eris walked forward, "The magic is stronger from this direction. Should we follow it up?" "That direction?" Arad scratched his head, "But it''s changing," "What are you talking about?" Eris looked back at Arad. "The magic intensity, it''s shifting." Arad pointed toward a wooden door, "It''s the strongest from here," He then pointed at the door beside it, "And now, it''s the strongest behind this." "Are you saying the source is moving?" Eris stared at Arad, "We can be sure it''s another golem," "Either way, we need to follow it up to find the witch," Arad walked forward and opened the door, walking down the hallway with Eris behind him. "This ce is getting more humid. It''s bing hard to breathe," Eris pulled a rug from her pocket and covered her nose. "What are you talking about..."The moment Arad looked at Eris, he felt a slight shift in the magic surrounding the house. "It''s two sources." Arad gasped. "I can fell it," Eris growled, "One source is in the room ahead of us, the other one is in another room," "Two golems, not those ones are static." Arad approached the door they were sensing the magic behind. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Get ready for a fight," Arad slowly pushed the door open. They were faced with a library full of books and dust. Arad walked toward the middle where a skeleton wearing an old robe sat on a wooden chair beside a small table. "The curse ising from this skeleton," Arad and Eris approached, taking a closer look. "Arad, look," Eris walked toward the table and picked a painting. Three people stood beside each other. A man and a woman, and a little girl sitting between them in a white dress. She read what was written behind the painting. "Albert Python, Medusa Deianira, and their daughter Doma Python." Eris scratched her head, "Is this the witch''s skeleton? Doma wasn''t it the name on the letter you received?" "Wait! The golem outside was her father?" Arad gasped, feeling arge wet tongue licking his back. "YoU hAvE My DaUgTher''s weDdiNg RiNg, DoN''t yOu?" A crackling voice growled from behind him, sending shivers down his spine. "Don''t, fucking, look back," Eris growled, staring straight forward. Chapter 312 Medusa’s Attack "It''s you, the destroyer again," The voice behind Arad hissed, "I thought it would be some time before you return," Arad stood still, feeling the oppressive monster behind them. ^This feeling, it''s far heavier than the golem outside,^ Arad could feel the magic oozing from the monster. "What happened to the witch? What happened to Doma?" Arad grunted. "My sweet daughter? She died almost a century ago of old age," The voice behind Arad growled, "At the young age of twelve, she dreamt of flying on a great ck dragon, so she studied the witch arts to search for that dragon," "Dead? Who gave me the letter? What happenedst night?" Arad wanted to turn around. But he didn''t dare look at the monster. "When I bought Albert, I never knew this could happen," The monster''s voice cracked, "Doma was born, and she quickly grew into a splendid witch, but even she couldn''t beat time," CLANG! The monster smacked the wall with her tail. "Albert and I slept first, but she woke us, cursed to wander her hut until the dragon she dreamt ofes. We were to then give you her letter and ring. And then kill you when youe back, sending you to her." The monster wiggled. "You''re the one who gave Arad the ring?" Eris asked. CRACK! The monster swung her tail, smacking Eris to the wall. "Shut up! Woman!" Arad gasped. He couldn''t see her attack. "I''m talking with the destroyer, don''t butt in, cursed vampire!" The monster growled as Arad stared at the tip of itsrge green tail. Eris started regeneration. Such a hit won''t harm her too much. "So, you''re saying that Doma asked you to kill me?" Arad asked with a calm voice. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "She said to try. That would free us from the curse," The voice replied, "I used to be a beautiful elf woman. Right now, no one dares to look at my face. And those who do dies as stones." "Fine," Arad sighed, pulling an old rug from his stomach, and wrapping it around his eyes, "Just, let me get ready," "You want to fight me blinded, aren''t you overconfident?" The monster giggled. "It''s my only option. I will lose instantly if I looked at you," Arad wrapped his eyes and smiled, "I have other ways to see," Even without his vision, he could still see her magic, blood, and hormones from beneath his blindfold. "My eyes are far superior to yours," Arad started floating as he pointed at the monster. ^You have to avoid eye-to-eye contact. Unlike what the rumors might lead people to believe, all the snakes on her head can petrify, so looking at her from any direction is the end,^ "You took Albert''s sword. Won''t you use it against me?" Therge coiled Medusa growled, clenching her ws as she hissed, the snakes on her head writhing like dying worms. "Looking at the flow of your magic, fighting you with physical attacks should be meaningless," Arad could see a high density of magic in the Medusa''s scales, and judging by the flow of her blood, her physical strength should be superior to him, even in dragon form. It''s like a lion facing an anaconda. It''s all over if it coiled around him. ^I have to keep moving and st here from a distance, until I w her scales out,^ SWOSH! In the blink of an eye, the Medusa swung her tail at Arad''s chest. ZON! Arad teleported behind her, keeping his finger pointing at her. [Fire Bolt] [Fire Bolt] [Fire Bolt] Medusa twisted her upper torso, dodging Arad''s fireballs with ease as she opened her jaw. SPLASH! Two streams of poison sshed forth, covering the air around Arad. TAP! Aradnded, tapping his foot on the ground. CRACK! A wave of cold magic rushed from his leg, freezing the position mid-air. "How much magic did you infuse in this attack? It''s terrifying," Arad couldn''t see, so he won''t be able to tell if what she sent at him was a spell or something else. He can only tell by magic and his other senses. "And it smells bad, burning my throat," He coughed, unleashing a lightning breath out of nowhere. "GIH!" Medusa swung her fist up, blocking the lightning breath but getting her scales slightly burned, "You masked it with a cough. You''re crafty, aren''t you?" "Crafty?" Arad shook his head, waving his hands, "Not at all, I''m just doing my best," He pped his hands together, smiling. [Gravity Magic: Reverse Gravity] SWOSH! In the blink of an eye, Medusa fell upward, smashing through the ceiling, and breaking the second floor. BAM! She finally shattered the ceiling and flew into the sky. "Look! It''s a Giant..." Isdis growled, but she turned into a stone the moment her eyes fell on Medusa. Everyone looked up and ended up turned to stone again, all except Jack, who was invisible. For a Medusa to petrify someone, their eyes need to meet. That means If she can''t see someone she can''t turn him into stone. Jack could see her, but the second condition wasn''t met. SWOSH! Arad flew after Medusa, pping his wings. ^Flying blind is hard. I can barely bnce myself.^ He grunted. [Don''t worry. Look down. You can see Ae and the others'' magic, can''t you? They are at ground level, so use them as a reference.] ^Understood,^ Arad smiled, bncing himself and looking at Medusa, "Lifting you like this is exhausting, so get back down," He disable led his spell, letting her fall. Thud! Medusa coiled her tail around Arad''s legs, crushing them as she pulled him down with her. Arad gasped, ^She caught me?^ Medusa didn''t wait. She coiled around Arad, trying to crush him. ZON! Arad appeared a few meters away, his legs bleeding as they healed, "That was close. You''re fast, aren''t you?" He looked down as Medusa crashed to the ground, destroying half of the mansion. Medusa looked up. ^He''s weaker than me, yet fighting me blinded.^ Her eyes stopped at the ring on Arad''s hand, ^You aren''t helping him, are you? Doma,^ Chapter 313 The True Curses Are Dangerous Arad stared down, "Unlike the golem, my fire, and lighting can harm you." He smiled, "You might be stronger and faster and have a more potent curse, but that all is meaningless as long as you don''t hit me," Medusa smiled, her opal fangs glowing under the sunlight, "Do you think curses are so simple?" She giggled, lifting her right hand and making an ok sign, looking at Arad through her fingers. "What are you talking about? You can''t petrify me," Arad smiled. [Curse Maniption: Stone ves] PEW! THUD! An arrow flew across the air, piercing Arad''s skull. With his magic sense, he could see Ae pointing her bow at him. ^What is she doing?^ CLAP! A st of air followed it, shaking his organs and dropping him to the ground. "In the right hands and with the right skills. Curses can even trick the gods and that is why they are deemed evil by nature," Medusa smiled, "So taste it, the de of the gods." CRACK! Lydianded beside Arad, swinging a stone sword. [Divine Cleaver] CLAP! With a brilliant golden sh, Arad''s body got severed in half across the torso, sending the two parts flying at a terrifying speed, getting pulverized in the trees of the forest. CLACK! Isdis jumped from the bushes, pulling the string on her Biwa. DING! Arad''s blood and torn flesh froze into ice, dangling from the branches like red decorations. "See?" Medusa smiled, "You can''t beat curses," SWOSH! Arad''s flesh got consumed in a dark mist, exploding in a st that sent everyone flying. ROAR! Four wings emerged in the forest as the dragon red forward, enraged to the bones. Medusa smiled, staring at Arad''s draconic form, "Finally getting serious. Did that smite hurt you this much," She giggled, pointing at Arad with both hands, "Let me show you more curses," [Tombstone of...] CRACK! Before she could cast the next spell, she felt a sharp pain in her eyes as she went blind. BAM! She then felt a horrid pain up here, but as something sted the soft spots beneath her tail. "I don''t know why, but your curse didn''t affect me," Jack said with a smile, sitting on Medusa''s shoulders, stabbing two daggers in her eyes. ^Damn her body is hard. The only soft spots I could harm are her eyes and beneath her tail. I don''t know if this is enough to kill her quickly enough,^ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Jack released his hand and aimed at her neck with his cannon, "A steel stake up your ass, and now a st to the neck. Can you bleed out and die?" BOOM! Jack sted half of her neck off, sending blood sshing everywhere. "Damn it, didn''t tear it off," Jack grunted as Medusa growled in agony. ROAR! Jack saw Arad charging toward them, enraged, "Oh! Shit, he''s going to chomp me down with her!" He aimed at the trees with the hook, swinging away before Arad could lung at Medusa''s torn body. "That''s it, eat her alive," Jack smiled, seeing Arad bite Medusa, but he soon felt a sharp pain in his chest. BA-dump. ^What''s now?^ He looked down, seeing several bitemarks on his clothes. ^Damn it. The snakes pierced the armor?^ His body turned into stone and fell to the ground. Medusa''s snake''s hair managed tond several solid bites as he sat on her shoulder. Thud! Medusa pushed Arad by the chest, wrapping her tail around his neck and pulling back, white strangling him. "Get away from me," She growled as her wounds healed, "Fuck them, rogues! Always showing out of nowhere and stabbing in the back. Where was he hiding?" CRACK! Arad''s pushed on the ground with his hind legs, growling as his muscles bulged. The void slowly seeped from his body as he grabbed Medusa''s head with his ws. "You persistent dragon!" She growled, biting his hand as his palm was on her face. "The rogue took it easy, getting bitten by my snakes. You on the other hand won''tst long. This position is directly from me!" Arad''s draconic body started petrifying from his hand. VROOM! Arad''s heart rumbled, beating faster than it did before. [Void Cloak] Just how [Fire Cloak] Worked, just instead of covering his body with mes, he directly covered it with the void. [Infinit void] Since Arad already released his void outside his body, an infinite void stretched beneath his skin and into veins, turning the internal structure of his body into an infinite sinkhole. Medusa gasped as she felt her poison getting violently sucked out of her fangs as Arad''s petrified arm started returning to normal. ^This bastard, where is he putting my poison?^ She couldn''t believe her eyes. ^But it doesn''t matter! As long as I kill him,^ Medusa swung her w, piercing Arad''s chest and aiming for his heart, "Now you die!" [Curse of stones] SWOSH! Medusa''s vision went ck, feeling a heavy pressure on her skin as she stopped feeling Arad''s hand on her face. DRIP! She could hear a droplet of water falling behind her back. As she turned, she saw a massive dragon ring at her. "Who is it!" she growled, pointing her hand at it, but soon realized the dragon was chained, with a woman sitting on its back. "Thanks for your help, Mom. Now you can rest. Go and meet father, he''s been waiting for a while." The woman on top of the dragon smiled, lifting her right hand and making an ok sign, looking at Medusa. "Doma?" Medusa gasped as her body disintegrated into fine dust. "Doma?" Mom growled, "Are you that witch? How can you exist here?" Doma looked down at Mom. "Mother-inw, nice to meet you." She smiled. "Get off my back," Mom growled, trying her best to break the chains and bite Doma. "Don''t even try. Your power is rted to my dear Arad. Right now, neither of you can match me," She smiled. **** SWOSH! Medusa''s body disintegrated a humanoid skeleton fell on the ground with the name [Medusa] carved on its skull in front of Arad. Arad stopped, staring at the bones, "Did she die? Why?" [I was hoping you went into the world and fought other curses. But I''m d Iid a second n for you to fight my parents,] A voice boomed in Arad''s head. "Wait! Who are you? Where is Mom?" Arad gasped. [She''s here with me, but I''m dominating your inner world now as I''m the strongest. My name is Doma, Nice to meet you, darling.] She giggled. "EXPLAIN! And get out of my head!" Arad roared. Chapter 314 Getting A Mentor "Get out of my head!" Arad growled, and Domaughed. "Sorry, but I can''t even if I wanted to," She smiled, flicking her fingers and releasing Mom. "You can Call me Doma, the witch of curses." She jumped off Mom''s back and walked forward, "I was born six hundred and seventy-three years in the past," She ignored Arad''s angry grunts and started telling her life story. After getting kicked out of the elvish kingdom, my mother was branded a monster, so she had to live alone. On her way out, she stole a ve from the city and ran with him as her assistant. That was my father, the one you fought in the garden. Surprisingly I was born just a few yearster, wielding my mother''s powers, and I got a special boon, the ability to understand curses by nature since my mother was a curse user. Curses are a type of magic that leverages double-edged effects. Petrification was developed first to preserve sick people for the future. But it caused most of them to suicide after getting freed decadester due to mental degradation, and staying in the dark for a long time couldn''t be healthy. By the age of twelve. I already mastered hundreds of curses and even developed my own curse. Divination is the one I made. Knowing forbidden knowledge is something the goddess of magic kept warning people about, as it''s only forbidden since it breaks the one who learn it. Using my curse, I looked for a way to prolong my life, only to further understand the root of curses and how to dispel the greatest curse ced upon us by the gods, death. "It was then that I saw you," Doma smiled, looking into the darkness and seeing Arad''s face, "A dragon with a curse engraved on his soul and race, we two could help each other and benefit from ourbined abilities," "What are babbling about?" Arad growled. "The reason you race repel each other is because of a curse. It will take a long time for me to understand it and longer to break it, but I can do it. In exchange, I want to live inside you until I manage to create a powerful enough body to host me, and your void will be really helpful," "How did you get in my head in the first ce?" Arad grunted, grasping his head. "The ring. The moment you woke up, I had already invaded your mind. I only needed to absorb some curses to manifest like this." Doma smiled, "Don''t worry, I would have already killed your soul and taken over your body if I wanted to. But I''m here so both of us can help each other." Thud! Arad sat down, sighting, "Fine, I don''t think I can kick you out of my head. So what do you want?" "I already told you," Doma smiled, "I need curses to regain my power, so I would be grateful if you hunted them down for me. In exchange, I will teach you how to use curses and the true way to use your void," "You can teach me about the void?" Arad gasped. "Yeah, I knew I would be meeting you, so I studied your magic. I should prove more useful than this curse behind me," She pointed at Mom. "Mom isn''t a curse!" Arad growled. "No, she is," Doma looked dumbfounded, "She''s a consciousness fragment tied to your soul. Since she can both help or lead you astray, she is a curse." "So it''s just a definition," Arad sighed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I will make the first move," Doma smiled, "At your current level, you''re strong for normal people and monsters, but weak as hell as a void dragon." Doma smiled, "Let''s start with the void itself. Do you know what it is?" "Nothingness," Arad replied. "True, and where does it exist?" "Where nothing exists," Arad said, lifting an eyebrow. "Wrong!" Doma grunted, crossing her arms, "You couldn''t be far from the truth! You''re a failure void dragon," "You''re voice is pissing me off," "Deal with it! We''re living together now, married for life!" Doma smiled, jumping around and lifting her hands up, "Void exists within everything else. It exists where matter exists, inside it, around it, and with its veryposition." "That sounds wrong," Arad stood, looking at Ae and the rest, "We should build a camp around here, I want to rest for a bit," "Yeah," Ae nodded, looking around confused, "I expect an exnationter," "Yeah," Arad nodded with a smile. "Don''t flirt with other girls while we''re talking," Doma grunted inside his head, tapping the ground of his mind with her fist. "Fine, fine. Voids exist everywhere, right?" Arad closed his eyes. "Everything is made of small particles and void is what holds them together. Even those particles are full of void. If you controlled the void, you control the world at a particle level, something even magic can''t achieve." "I don''t don''t understand," Arad scratched his head, "Are saying that nothing exists within something?" "This is the best I can do. The rest is up to your imagination." Doma smiled, "Once youprehend that, I will teach you more. Taking things slowly is important since you will kill everyone if you lost control." "Fine, but what about curses?" "You already have multiple. Vampirism, Lycanthropy, Mom, and now me." Doma replied, standing in Arad''s vision like a ghost, "Albeit, you can''t control me or Mom," "Not like I can fully control vampirism or Lycanthropy either. To me they more like skills and spells that are something to worry about controlling." Arad sighed. "That''s your biggest problem," Doma put her hand on Arad''s head, "You can''t expect power without learning about your abilities. You should seek vampire and Werewolves books and literature, find powerful people to train with." "And who are those people you''re talking about?" Doma scratched her chin, "I will teach you about voids and curses, but I don''t know much about the other two. Shall we search for a master to teach you?" "I guess, it would make sense for me to train," Chapter 315 A Horrible Witch? Or A ... Jack walked out of his tent, stretching his arms with a grunt. "My ankle still hurts," He wiggled his leg, "I don''t think it''s broken, but it should recover," CLAP! Lydia smacked the back of his head, "Say that earlier!" She dragged him back to the tent, "We need you in top shape, I will cast a healing spell on you," "Let me go, it will fix itself," Jack growled. "Right now, you''re the only one who managed to match Arad when fighting the Medusa, without you, he might have lost," Lydia growled as she dragged him back into the tent. Arad looked at them, and then turned back to Ae, "How are you feeling? Any remnants of the petrification?" Ae shook her head, "No, I''m fine." She smiled, "But, My magic is flowing better than before." "[Mother made youpress so much magic into the arrow you fired at Arad, that might have cleared your magic circuit,]" A woman''s voice came out of Arad''s chest. "Can you stop speaking?" Ae red at Arad''s chest, "Why are you inside him again?" "[To teach him about the void, and use him to get a body]" Doma replied, "[If youpressed the void and rxed it rapidly, you can create vibration through the air, and that is sound. With enough skill, you can tune it to mimic anyone you like.]" Arad sighed, "I guess it''s what you''re using to speak now?" "[Of course, I can increase the waves'' strength. Enough to rip eardrums off. You should be able to do it, but you must muster the skill.]" Arad looked at his palm, focusing. SIIIIIIIIIII! The best he could make was a monotonous whine like that of tree branches. "Ae, Arad, can I enter?" Isdis called from outside the tent. "What is it?" Ae replied, and Isdis moved the curtain and crawled inside, "How is Arad doing?" "I''m here, ask me directly," Arad looked at her. "I don''t know if it''s you or that woman speaking," Isdis stared back at him, "The curse witch, I read about her in the royal library," "[Really? What do human books say about me?]" "A really horrible witch who caused several ges killed thousands of people and cursed both the human and elf armies to death when they were about to fight near her hut. No one was able to kill you until you died of old age at 245 years." Isdis stared at Arad, "You were as feared as Nina the berserker is now," Ae scratched her head, "Someone of her strength should have lived longer, how could she have died of old age? And wasn''t she an elf? She should have reached at least 800 years," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "[It''s true that I died of old age. Some of my powerful curses eat away at my lifespan, those have reduced my life quite a bit. Without them, I might have lived well over two thousand years,]" Doma replied with a giggle, "[You humans always prayed to the gods that I would die. So don''tin,]" "Who isining?" Isdis growled. Arad looked at his chest, "I don''t think you had a reason to kill all those people, or did you?" "[Of course I do, they attacked first. The fear of my power drove them to seek my life, and I won''t die without a fight,]" Domaughed, "[I guess they learned their lesson if they aren''t attacking the woman called Nina.]" Isdis looked down, "She''s right. There has been a passed will in the royal family to never mess with people considered strong enough. Like Nina, or the crimson blood Scarlett. Fighting them will cause more damage than it could fix," "[You heard her, Arad. Your goal should be to be strong enough that they wouldn''t dare mess with you.]" Ae stared at Arad, "There is something I wanted to ask you about. Your mother was a Deianira, just like me." "[You''re right, your bloodline was cursed and blessed after us, wasn''t it?]" Doma replied, shaking her hand inside Arad''s head, "[The blessing is the grace of Zephyr, and the curse is something I ced on my aunt.]" "I know it! You had a hand in it!" Ae growled, almost reaching for her bow. "[Your curse prevents your bloodline from awakening their full power. Since they can turn into a snake monsters like my mother, Medusa. Sadly, that also prevents you from using the wind blessing.]" "I will turn into a snake?" Ae gasped, "That couldn''t be true," "[You might be right. I didn''t check on Deianira while dead. But I would advise against removing my curse at least until it''s been confirmed that you won''t transform]" Doma replied in a calm voice, "[You might even be able to mix poison, petrification, and wind with your archery. Imagine a city-sized could of poison, followed by a rain of petrification arrows. You can be as much a monster as me if you mastered your full power.]" "That''s harder said than done. How could we even confirm such a thing?" Ae sighed, looking at the tent''s ceiling. "[I should be able to figure it out with enough power. So, we need to have Arad gather more curses for me. Like hunting vampires, werewolves, and other cursed monsters.]" "We all need to grow stronger," Arad looked at Ae and Isdis, "I will find a way to deal with her," He pointed at his chest. "[It''s me Doma. Not her,]" Doma grunted with a sad voice. Arad stood, walking out of the tent, "We should get going. We still didn''t make it to the elve''s kingdom," "[Elves,]" Doma sighed "[Elves,]" Doma sighed. "[Thbe at stupid queen should be alive, shouldn''t her,]" "What queen?" Arad gasped, "Won''t it be helpful if you know the elvish queen?" "She''s the one who kicked Mother out of the Elvish capital. When I grew up and realized what she did, I returned to the elvish capital and hanged the queen naked in the middle of the za for a weak,]" Arad grunted, "They won''t like youing back," "[The queen sent an army to subjugate me, so I hanged everyone naked in the capital likeundry. It was known as the great stripping, and the elves see the incident as more insulting than some massacres,]" Arad could see Doma staring down with dead eyes, "[I only meant to teleport them back to the capital and be annoying, I didn''t know my magic won''t be enough, and that I will send them without their clothes.]" "We will have a hard time," Arad sighed. "[If they dared attack you, you can always let me take over your body. I will draw the full power of your void and crush them to dust. You can trust me,]" Doma gave Arad a thumbs up. "No, thank you," Chapter 316 Doma’s Training Thud! Arad walked away from the carriage as they stopped for lunch. Lydia followed him, carrying the sword that he got from Alcott. "You sure I can use this?" She said, staring at his back. "Your sword broke. It''s the strongest we have." Arad looked back, "And that witch asked that you use a decent sword," "[It''s Doma.]" A voice boomed from inside Arad, "[I''ve been teaching you about Mana since we departed. How about some practice?]" Arad sighed, "Can you stop speaking from my stomach for a moment?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad faced a tree, extending his hand and closing his eyes. Mana is the energy fueling magic. It''s an essential part of spellcasting that shouldn''t be reced. Doma told Arad that the part about it being fuel is a half-lie and half-truth. The average spell caster never uses Mana as fuel. It''s the reason weak spells don''t consume it. Higher spells don''t consume Mana. In reality, it''s the caster losing control over the Mana that exited his body and letting it dissipate in the air. And this isn''t a skill issue. It''s a biological issue. A human brain can''t suck the Mana he sent out the same way a lung can''t pull the same air it exhaled. Doma is optimistic that Arad could pull it off with his void brain and eyes that allow him to see magic. If he managed to muster it, then the higher his intelligence gets, and the stronger his brain bes, the less Mana he will need to cast spells until it gets infinitely close to zero. "[I might not be able to give you an infinite amount of Mana, but I can show you how to only need an abysmal amount of it.]" Doma smiled inside Arad. Arad stood, staring forward and taking a deep breath. [Fire Bolt] He conjured a spell, seeing the mana flow from his arms and spread in the air. It then returned to a single point, igniting a ze. KA-B0OM! The spell flew forward, and Arad could see the Mana returning to his arms. "[That was a 0-tier spell. You can naturally regain your Mana after use, but let''s try something bigger. Using an ice spike or a fireball should do the trick.]" Arad nodded, "A fireball is just a bigger fire bolt. Got it," [Fire Ball] Mana acted the same as before with the fire bolt, but the amount is higher. KA-BOOOM! The moment the fireball flew away, Arad could his Mana dissipating into the air like smoke amidst violent wind, getting pulled away from him. "[Therge the Mana released, the harder for you to retain it. Now I want you to focus on pulling it back. Cast the spell again and try,]" The moment Arad lifted his hand to recast the spell, Doma smiled, "[Lydia, st him with a good smite. He needs to learn how to focus under pressure, and you''re the only one here able to threaten his life,]" "GIH!" Arad froze. "He will transform into a dragon," Lydia stared at Arad with a worried face. "[Don''t worry, I''m weakening him to holy magic. One hit from you, and he''s screaming harder than a little girl. Come on. You''re a pdin, aren''t you?]" Doma giggled, "[Your kind loves to st devils and undead, don''t they?]" Lydia sighed, her de shing with a brilliant light, "[Sorry Arad, but this is going to hurt. Dodge well,]" BAM! Lydia jumped forward, swinging her sword at Arad''s neck. Thud! SWOSH! He jumped to the side and dodged her follow-up strike with a hair strand. Her holy light shed in his face. To him, it looked far more terrifying than the purple dragon ws. ^I need to cast a spell and reabsorb my Mana to end this.^ He tried to focus. CREEK! A sharp pain surged across Arad''s body, forcing his body to stop moving. SWOSH! He could see a brilliant sh ahead of his face. VROOOM! He lunged up, feeling as if his legs were crushed. "[Curse of Decay. You only have one minute to make it happen before you fall, do your best.]" ^You bitch!^ Arad growled, his vision blurring, ^You''re damaging my body from the inside with your curse,^ "[I''m trying to push to the limits. Dragons grow the fastest when at the death door.]" Thud! Aradnded, seeing Lydia rush toward him, brandishing her sword. ^This is bad,^ Arad growled inside. ^I have to doge her attacks and ignore the pain, all while focusing on casting a high-level spell and reabsorbing my Mana with a technique I only heard about yesterday, something I had never seen done in person,^ SWOSH! Arad dodged Lydia''s strike, his face rxing. BULGE! As Arad looked forward with an emotionless face, two other pairs of eyes emerged on his face, one pair on his forehead of red eyes and another of yellow eyes on his cheek. Purple scales covered his arms as two horns emerged from his head. "HUH!" Lydia gasped, feeling an oppressive surge of magic from Arad''s body, and most of it was vampirism and Lycanthropy mixed with a draconic aura. ^My brain spans from my head to the tip of my tailbone. The spinal brain will coordinate dodges, and my head will focus solely on casting the spell and reabsorbing the Mana.^ Arad started drolling as Lydia swung her sword at him. ^With my void eyes, I can see Mana surging inside her body. I know when a smite ising. I can also see my own magic. I shouldn''t let the two touch. She will ruin my spell.^ CRACK! Arad''s body twisted, leaping above Lydia''s strike as his red eyes focused on her body. ^Blood is flowing toward her upper shoulders and thighs. She''s about to swing up.^ Using his vampiric eyes, he could see attacks before they could even start. His body twisted mid-air, dodging her attack. His yellow eyes shed. ^I can see her hormones and smell them. The next attack is a feint, even if the blood told me she was going to swing.^ He didn''t bother dodging, letting Lydia''s sword hit him and get deflected off his scales. BAM! Lydia jumped back, "What?" She gasped, feeling like she is facing a wall. "Something is off about you, this creepy feeling," CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Lydia jumped in, swinging her sword several times, but Arad deflected each attack and only dodged the smites. "I knew it! You can read my moves. How do you even know when a smite ising?" Lydia growled, pointing her sword at the standing Arad. He stared at her without blinking, a droll dripping from his lips as arge fireball emerged above his head. Chapter 317 Curse Of The Genius "[Twenty seconds have passed,]" Doma smiled, speaking from inside Arad''s chest, "[Join in, Ae!]" PEW! PEW! PEW! Three arrows shed toward Arad''s head, approaching his skull at a tremendous speed. CRACK! Arad''s back bent backward, whipping his head down away from the arrows. The spell above his head disappeared as his eyes red at Ae. "[It isn''t umon to face multiple people. And the goal is pushing you to the limit, and Lydia isn''t enough.]" Domaughed her lungs out as the arrows that missed Arad turned back and flew at him, "[Ae''s arrows will chase their target till they hit!]" BAM! Arad hit the ground with his left leg, spinning mid-air, avoiding the arrows. CRACK! Lydia jumped behind him, swinging her sword at his head. Arad''s red eyes and yellow eyes focused on Lydia while his void eyes chased the arrows. It was like tracking multiple dots on a single screen from him. ^Dodge!^ ^Arrow from below^ ^Arrow from behind^ ^Thest arrows disappeared behind the trees^ ^Lydia should swing her sword in the next second^ ^It''s a feint. The attackse a moment after^ ^It''s a smite. I have to dodge and avoid the arrows at the same time^ ^The pain from Doma''s decay curse is getting worse. I shouldn''t put my weight on my left knee since it hurts the most^ ^I have to start conjuring the fireball again^ ^I don''t know how much time I have left^ ^Is there a way to stop Doma from interfering^ ^Will she call someone else^ ^How much stamina do I have left^ ^I''m thinking a lot. I need to calm^ ^Weren''t we talking about the void^ In the blink of an eye, a hundred thoughts raced across Arad''s brain as time itself seemed to slow. ^I need to breathe,^ **** "He''s a genius. He''s getting a hold over it rapidly," Doma growled, biting her nails. "He''s my son, after all," Mom stared at her, "Don''t underestimate void dragons," Doma red back at her, "You understand nothing. No one does." She growled, "Being a genius isn''t a blessing or something to celebrate. It''s a curse to be hated." "You aren''t making any sense," Mom sighed. "Of course, you won''t understand the struggle of the genius." Doma stood, ring at Mom. "You start off pretty well, happy-go-lucky. Your talent alone is enough to put you ahead of everyone else," She lifted her hands, grunting. "You start relying on it. It never lets you down." She growled, "But after just a few years, your peers who struggled and built up experience and skill start having an easier time all white you struggle due to theck of foundation." Mom red back at Doma. Her rage wasn''ting out of nowhere. "The people who called you a genius start calling you a failure, ming you for it. White it was them, the bastards who deceived and led you astray with honied words." CREEK! Doma''s eyes turned toward Mom, "You aren''t leading him astray." She started walking toward her, her hair crackling with magic, "If I found you hindering his growth, I will rip you apart from his soul," Mom felt her bond with Arad weaken. The magic bounding her to him was a type of curse, and Doma could easily break it. "HA!" Doma sighed, turning around to look at Arad. "You were treated like that?" Mom stared at Doma. "Kinda. I wasted several years of my life and failed to meet people''s expectations. Some of them died because of it." Doma looked back at him, "It''s true that he''s a genius, but he needs to understand and muster his powers." With a finger flick, she conjured a chair and sat. "His stomach for example, that a convenient ability due to him being a void dragon." "All void dragons have it by nature. There won''t be a moment hecks ess to it." Mom replied. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Doma sighed, "I should really cut your tail off," She flicked her finger and conjured an image. "Dragon shackles. Those are used to seal dragons'' powers." She looked at Mom with a disappointed face. "What if he was chained and all his weapons are stored in his stomach? He''s dead. If they knew he''s a vampire and were prepared, he is screwed." She deleted the image. "What I''m saying is that he needs to learn some actual magic and skills that don''t rely on his innate talents for backup." "You''re right, but I already stated that to him," Mom growled. "That it wasn''t enough," Doma stared at her, "Let''s take his void step and stomach for example. Those two allow him to store and teleport but are tied to his draconic powers. I suggest he start studying teleport magic and storage magic and also keep some items that can achieve that effect on him at all times." "Isn''t that going a bit overboard?" "No it isn''t. Without efforts, he has no chance reaching s-ranks, let alone world powers. Do you think the people standing on top got there with talent alone? They are the ones who dug their way with blood, sweat, and tears. Their talent and genius only make a small fragment of their power." Doma red at Mom with a pink re in her eyes. "We double, triple, and quadruple down on talent and effort. Until the moment we die, that is the curse of the genius." Mom stared at her, and then back at Arad dodging Ae and Lydia, "Do your best, get stronger," Doma lifted her hand, "[Time is almost up. Isdis join them,]" She said, and Isdis joined the fight. Thud! Doma sat down, "Well, I don''t mean he shouldn''t work on his void and natural talent. I''m only saying he shouldn''t rely on them. I will start teaching him what I know about the void when he understands its fundamentals and get some basic skills down." she looked at Mom, "Like how to use his brain and body. Can you exin to me why I''m teaching you child how to speak and walk?" "He can learn on his own," Mom replied, looking away. "No! They learn by mimicking their parents. You just aren''t strict and harsh enough," Doma sighed. "You sigh a lot," Mom replied. "Don''t get me started on how the first thing you thought after him hatching was sending him to get a woman," Doma pointed at Mom, "Why do I smell him on that elf? He should be two months old, isn''t he?" She growled, scratching her head, "You should have got him to train and grind his stages and strength for at least a decade before going out for women," "It''s important for the void dragons..." "No, it isn''t," Doma looked at Mom, "Your kind live for at least ten thousand years, a decade to you is like a week to humans." The two remained silent for a second, "We should stop this topic." Mom sighed. "You''re right." Doma looked aside, "I shouldn''t be fighting with my mother-inw on the second day. Sorry about the rant," "Don''t worry about it. You want the best for Arad. I can see it," The two sat beside each other, watching Arad run for his life from the girls. Chapter 318 Defeated Thud! Isdis rushed forward, pulling the string of biwa and sending a shockwave that froze everything it touches. At that moment, Arad wasn''t focusing on creating a fireball, and he could cast spells. SWOSH! His body burst into mes. [me Cloak] The ice melted as Arad immediately canceled the spell and started creating a fireball. Thud! CLANK! Lydia and Isdis jumped to his sides, brandishing their swords. [Holy Smite] [Freezing sh] As the two des approached Arad, he canceled the fireball and activated [Gravity Magic: Null Gravity]. With a single push from his leg, his body floated upward while horizontally on his back. "He''s hard to hit," Lydia growled, "Ae! Get him!" SWOSH! Six arrows emerged from the trees, the ones she fired before, and with an extra three. They still flew with her wind magic. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad looked at the arrows, ^Those things will chase me forever unless I can do something about the cast,^ His eyes shifted to re at the forest, instantly picking Ae''s location and sending shivers down her spine. Thud! Arad twisted his body, catching one of the arrows and throwing it at the forest. *** "He knows where I''m hiding," Ae gulped, "I''m within the range of his vision. I have to move," she stood and started running silently between the trees. SWOSH! THUD! An arrow zed through the forest,nding in front of her with a thud. She stopped, looking at the fight, "He knows, and more areing!" She cried, seeing the other four arrows she fired rushing at her. "HALT!" She extended her hand, trying to control them with her wind, but it was toote. The arrows flew faster than her magic could be applied. PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! Two arrows missed her, and the other two knocked her two quivers away into the forest. Ae turned around, searching for the quivers. *** Arad smiled. ^With this, she''s out for a few seconds.^ Within the timeframe Doma gave, this is enough to count Ae out without actually hitting her. "Lydia!" Isdis shouted, pulling her Biwa string. DING! DING! An ice mound emerged from the ground. "Hit him hard!" She started ying her biwa, [Enchanted Moral] Lydia felt lighter, as if her still armor turned into a leather one, and she couldn''t feel the weight of the sword in her hands. THUD! THUD! She ran forward, using the mound as a jumping stone to reach Arad mid-air. "It''s over! Vampire!" She swung her sword at his neck. "[Time is up.]" Doma''s voice came out of Arad''s chest, and Lydia gasped. She has no way of stopping mid-air. FLAP! Arad expanded his wings, catching her before she hits the ground. "Are you all right?" He asked with a smile. "Yeah," Lydia sighed, dropping to the ground and leaning on the sword, "That was exhausting," As Arad flew, his wings got pulled into his back, and he plunged head-first onto the ground, panting and sweating like a hog. "That wasn''t so bad," He gasped for air. "You look like you''re at death''s door," Isdis stared at him skeptically. "I''m not. I''m fine," Arad smiled. "[He isn''t fine. He suffers from dizziness and a headache.]" Doma spoke, "[He never pushed his brain to the limit, but now he did.]" "Can you not speak?" Arad sighed. "[And he feels like throwing up, bring him some water.]" Isdis shook her arms, "See? She can speak for you," She turned toward her tent and brought a jug of water, "Here you go, drink slowly." Arad sat up and took the jug from her, "Thank you," Arad started drinking, staring at the sky. "[Don''t worry about failure, you''re learning, and it''s natural to fail.]" Doma said from inside his chest, smiling inside. "It''s harder said than done. It''s as if I don''t have control over the Mana that escaped my body," Arad sighed, putting the jug down. "[You have an infinite potential. Your body is naturally strong. All you need to do is learn and train.]" "How strong exactly? I doubt it''s much as I''m still a very young one," Arad stood, taking the jug back to Isdis. "And S-rank adventurers are powerful. I won''t be able to reach their level any time soon," "[Hehe]" Domaughed, "[If I were to take over your body, I would win against most S-ranks except the first ranked." "Stop joking," "[I''m not joking. The potential in your body now, without any extra additions is already stupid. Just work hard, and don''t neglect any training.]" Arad walked back to his tent, seeing Ae walk out of the bush with leaves all over her head, "I finally found them," she carried her quivers. "Ah! Ae, you''re back," Arad waved his hand to her, and she rushed toward him. "How are you feeling?" Ae smiled, looking at Arad, "Your clothes are dripping with sweat. Should I get you a change?" Arad looked at his shirt, "Please do if you can," Ae rushed toward the tent with a smile, "You knocked my quivers away. I found them several meters away." "Sorry about that. I wanted you out of the fight. Your arrows are really hard to deal with." Arad scratched his head, walking inside behind her and taking his shirt off. *** Outside, Lydia walked to the carriage and looked inside, "We didn''t hear from you for a while. Are you still alive?" Eris growled, covering her face with the nket, "It''s still noon, don''t wake me up," Lydia stared at the half-asleep Eris and remembered Arad, "You two don''t act anything alike," Eris opened one eye, "Don''tpare me to someone who has scarlets'' blood. He doesn''t have to sleep during the day and cannot be harmed by the sun. I can''t even see him as a vampire," She rolled into the nket. Lydia looked back at Arad''s tent, "He''s different," "There will be a day when he will concur holy magic, just like the sun," Eris mumbled, "You might regret letting him live, as such power shouldn''t be wielded without supervision. Especially in the hands of the cursed witch," Chapter 319 Blast A Bear CLICK! Jack cut a carrot with his knife, dropping the pieces into a boiling pot as he stared at Lydia standing beside the carriage. "Lord Arad is powerful, isn''t he?" One of the elvish women said with a smile as she cut some meat, putting it in the pot after Jack. "You saw him. Decide for yourself," Jack waved his hand, ring back at the two elvish men, "Where are the logs I asked for? Do you know much it will take to dry them?" "Samanta can dry wood quickly. Don''t press us," One of the men growled, back, swinging his wood axe at a tree, chopping some branches. "He''s right," Samanta the elf replied with a pained smile, "Let them work at their own pace," Jack shook his head, "No, can do," He red at the two elvish men. "Get it chopped now. I don''t care how, get it done," "No way! We can''t," The two men cried, and Jack stood, "You high and mighty elves, show me what can you do. Chop it down, don''tin, and work harder." The two me red at each other, swinging their axes harder thanst time. "Don''t be the only one doing work. I saw you earlier drying wood with your fire magic. If they don''t finish a bit early, we''re not eating lunch until evening," BOOOM! The trees shook as a pir of me and smoke rose to the sky with a dying screech. The elves gasped, jumping in their ces, "What was that?" Jack stood, scratching his head, "I caught something," "You what?" One of the elf men red at him. Jack turned toward the elvish woman, "Twoe with me. I might need your help skinning a monster." Jack walked in the front, and soon they saw a tree sshed with blood and guts, burn marks spreading vertically on the charred trunk. "It''s a big one," Jack looked back with a worried face, "It seems to have survived the initial st, but would die soon," He followed the blood train until he was stopped by arge corpse. A massive brown bear with massive wsy dead on the ground, a gaping hole in his chest. "What happened to him?" One of the elvish women gasped, ring at the corpses. "This is a demon brown bear, a B-rank monster." The other one covered her mouth. The smell of blood and guts hurt her lungs. "I have the whole area rigged with traps. He fell into one of mine," Jack smiled, "He''s a B-rank monster for a sted monster," One of the elvish women walked away to puke, "We can''t handle flesh and blood well. It looks gross," "You''ve been cutting meat for lunch all this time. I thought you two would be fine," Jack looked at her, puzzled. "We''re cooking for the people who saved us," The woman gasped, "We can handle some meat for that, but this is too much," Jack nodded, standing up and looking at the bear, "Well, I can do it on my own," He pulled a dagger and started skinning the bear. "Just bring me a bucket of water, and some bags to put the hide in then," the two women rushed back to the carriage to bring the water. But they found none. "Lady Ae! Lady Ae," One of them reached Ae''s tent, calling her. "What is it?" Arad walked out, ring at the woman, "Do you need something?" "Master Jack asked for some water, a bucket so he can skin a brown bear that fell into his trap," She gasped, barely able to speak seeing Arad tower over her. "Bring me an empty bucket. You find them in the carriage," Arad replied, going back into his tent. The woman ran as fast as she could, bringing a bucket back. "Master Arad, I brought the bucket," Arad walked out again, pointing at the bucket with his finger. A stream of cold water rushed from his fingertip, quickly filling the bucket. The woman gasped, seeing the crystal clear water, "Water magic?" "No, I have a clear well in my house. I filled storage magic with some of it. You can drink from that if you wish," He replied with a smile. The woman bowed down, "Thank you, I will take this to master Jack," She rushed back, making sure not to spill anything. "[Brown bears live in the elvish territory. We''ve crossed the border.]" Doma said with a smile, "[Get ready for trouble.]" "Why do you say that?" Arad sat beside Ae, listening to Doma. "[Elves are weird. It would be a pain to adjust to them even if they didn''t intend to cause us trouble.]" "We aren''t that weird," Ae looked at Arad, "Don''t listen to that witch," "[Have you heard of the tree''s servants? World tree kins?]" Doma smiled. "I think I have, but I''m not sure," Arad scratched his head. Something inside told him he heard about them before. "[They are identical women born from the world tree to serve it. Some call them the priestess of the world tree,]" It then clicked in Arad''s head, "I heard an elf named Vars speak of them. He worked with another adventurer called Gojo," Domaughed, "[Since the elves are the weird people they are, they use those women as a reference for everything. Distance? They count with feet, which is how long is a priestess''s foot. They also use hands, arms, and pounds.]" "Wait, I can understand feet and arms, but what about pounds?" Arad looked at Ae. She shook her hand, "You don''t want to know," "[It''s how much force and weight it takes to prate a virgin priestess. Yeah, I don''t know who''s the smartass who measured it, but he sure was an elf.]" Arad sighed, scratching his head. "I can''t believe it," "[But, to give them credits. The priestess is a constant reference as they are absolutely identical through the eons. You can be sure that a priestess''s foot today, is the same size as one thousand years in the past, and will remain the same one thousand years in the future.]" "Even so, I don''t think it will be a problem." "[The great elvish empire, we''reing,]"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 320 Doma’s Plan "Leaving the elves alone, they won''t just attack us out of nowhere, would they?" Arad stared at Ae. "The elvish kingdom is far more advanced than the human one. They might have already detected us walking through their borders with magic." Ae stared at Arad with a smile, "We could consider their silence as an eptance," "[Or buying time to strike us, you never know with the elves.]" Ae sighed, "I hate it that you''re right," She looked at Arad, "We can''t drop our guard down until we drop the elves into a city and leave the kingdom," Arad scratched his head, "If the elves already know of us, can''t we drop the elves here and leave?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "We don''t know for sure, so they might end up eaten by monsters." Ae looked at the tent door and back at Arad, "We should at least drop them off with local elves," "Can''t we split up?" Arad lifted one finger, "I can fly in, drop them into a vige and bolt out of there quickly," "[You can''t do that. The elves would be suspicious and would probably kill them. We have to drop them in person.]" "Then how about me using the void step to help us get out?" Arad smiled. "That would work," Ae nodded. "[If elves know something, it''s how to mess up with long-range spells. You will end up teleporting into a tree or a wall. It''s dangerous.]" "Do you have a suggestion then?" Arad growled, staring at his chest. "[I have several ideas, but none of them is certain to work. 70% at best.]" Doma smiled, "[Want to hear them?]" "What kind of question is that? We''re here trying to figure a solution, aren''t we?" Arad grunted. "[What I''m asking is if you want to rely on the wisdom of an ancient witch. Or learn to figure things out on your own. The difference in experience is huge.]" Arad scratched his head, "I do want to figure it out on my own, but I don''t want to risk everyone''s lives for it," "[Fine, I got your back. Can you lend me your body for a second?]" Doma giggled. "What will you do?" Arad looked down, puzzled. "[Set my ns in motion so no matter how badly you mess up, I can bail you out. But I can only guarantee your lives, nothing more, so don''t me me if you failed and Ae ended up losing a leg. I can''t save that.]" Ae looked at Arad, "So we could end up injured in the worst case?" "[Not from my ns. I''m saying that what I can set will only save your lives, nothing more. You have to live with the responsibility of adventurers, isn''t that right?] Ae sighed, "Adventuring is risking one''s own life for the sake of exploration and glory. We can''t remain in this line of work if we aren''t ready to take some risks," Arad nodded, "Fine by me, let''s do it," CRACK! Arad growled, curling into a ball and hitting his head on the ground, "[That''s your first mistake. As a leader, you must discuss such things with the whole party and take their opinions. Call Jack, Lydia, and even Eris.]" "You didn''t have to pinch me that hard," Arad growled. "[Who has the best insight into nning for this party?]" "It''s Jack," Arad grunted, "I know. I should have called him first," He stood, taking a deep breath. "[Remember,munication first. The whole party must walk by the same n to avoid unexpected actions. As if one member made a mistake, they could get everyone else killed.]" Arad then heard someone call from outside the tent. Jack brought the bear meat to Arad to store it before lunch. Ae looked at it, disgusted. She can handle seeing beef or chicken, but this one is too gamey and smelly. "Doma wanted us to have a party meeting discussing how to get into the elf''s kingdom. Can you call Lydia and Eris?" Arad looked at Jack with a smile. "How about we leave it after lunch? You can''t think straight with an empty belly, can you?" Jack smiled, "It would also give me time to process some things in my head," Arad nodded, "Of course, I was thinking the same way," *** After lunch, the meeting started inside Arad''s tent, "So, why did you wake me up?" Eris stared at Arad, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "We need to n forward. You''re traveling with us, so Arad thinks you need to have a say in the matter," Ae growled at her, sneaking closer to Arad. "[It was me who said that, and are you crawling closer?]" Doma''s voice came from Arad''s chest, causing Ae to gasp for a second, "I''m not," "I doubt the elves would attack us," Lydia looked at Arad, "I''m carrying a holy g. That should stop you from attacking," Jack shook his head, "You can''t expect other people to respect it, especially the elves," "I''m carrying the earth''s mother g. They would be fools to disrespect her g," Lydia growled. Arad looked at them with a smile, "There is something I wanted to discuss first. Doma says she can offer a fail-safe for us. We at least won''t die," Jack looked at Arad, "Exin further," After Doma exined, Jack nodded, "I can understand that you will only protect us from death, but how will you do it?" "[Arad, can I cast a spell?]" "Do it," Arad''s right hand moved on her own, the palm opened up, and the fingers pointed up. A white cube emerged out of nowhere. "I call this the sealed box. It''s the item I used in the past to strip the elvish queen and hand her in the middle of her capital. I''m sure she would call all the soldiers to the capital to protect her if she saw it again." "Won''t that expose you?" Arad growled. "[They were sold in mass in the elvish ck market. A lot of people wanted to use it after me, so the elves have been tracking the illegal transport of it.]" "So you''re saying more people have it now, so it isn''t nearly you the one attacking." Chapter 321 The Final Plan, And The Weird Monk "[That would be a distraction, and then I would use a precast teleportation spell to move us closer to the border where we can cross quickly,]" Doma said with a smile. "How about you let me speak instead?" Isdis grunted, sitting beside Lydia, "I came here to speak with the elves in the first ce," She stood, "It''s a diplomatic problem, isn''t it?" "They could take you as a hostage. Remember the tension between you and us?" Ae stared at her, "You''re hearing it from an elf. Humans'' lives are far shorter, and our higher up won''t care about ying dirty." "[Humans won''t live long to remember it, and even if they did in history, it could easily be forged as fake.]" Doma''s voice came from Arad as Isdis sat down, "I know," She sighed. "With that decided, Doma would prepare for the worst-case scenario, and we will try to achieve our goal with as little conflict as possible. Anyone has any ideas?" Arad asked. Jack scratched his chin, "Well, I have an idea," He looked at the tent door, "The elves traveling with us. They were kidnapped from viges close to the border. We can just guide them close enough and watch them go to one of those viges." Arad blinked, "Are you saying we won''t need to take them all the way into a vige?" "Yeah, we only need to get them close enough. It''s not like they are injured or can''t walk. We''re merely protecting them." Jack waved his hand. "Didn''t you hear me? I''m here on a diplomatic trip. We''re going all the way to the Elvish capital and meeting the queen," Isdis growled. "That''s definitely not going to fire back at us, not with a century-old witch with bad blood between her and the elvish queen. They would surely ignore that," Ae waved her hand, looking at Isdis, "We can''t get that close to them," Arad sighed, looking down, "I guess, not elvish support," He remembered his conversation with Jack. Getting the elves'' support and running for the throne. It all looked too good to be true. "[They won''t be able to feel my presence unless they touch Arad directly, and the one who does it needs to know me well,]" Doma said, "[So unless the queen touches Arad''s skin directly, I can make sure they never knew I''m there.]" Everyone looked at each other, "How much is the chance of Arad touching the queen? She won''t let a random adventurer close to her, right?" Ae scratched her chin, "Depends on how the queen sees him," She looked at Arad, "If the reverse of the worst scenario happened, and the elves weed us like heroes. You might end up standing before the queen as an honored hero." "I don''t want to deal with that," Arad sighed, "Won''t a ceremony like that take a lot of time?" "It usually takes two days. We can stay that long, can''t we?" She looked at Arad with a smile. "Can''t we just have Jack be the leader and attend?" Arad scratched his head, "I can''t get close to the queen, can I?" "But you''re the leader," Isdis stared at him, "You can forget it, I''m the leader, and I will deal with the queen." Jack shook his head, "I would prefer it if Arad is the one speaking with the queen," He wanted Arad to get the elves'' favor as the hero that saved their people. He can''t let Isdis take credit only to keep Doma hidden. But then, even if Doma gets exposed, we''re are stuck in trouble. He looked at Arad''s face, "We''re between the hammer and the anvil," Arad looked at Ae, "Is there any way to avoid the queen''s audience?" Ae thought about it for a few seconds, "The only thing I can think of is if the queen sees you as an equal, or at least a power to be reckoned with," "Can you listen to me for a second?" Isdis stared at Jack, "I''m the princess of the human kingdom. I can speak with the queen while putting Arad as the powerful hero that saved the elves." "HAAA!" Eris sighed, staring at them, "It''s like I''m listening to a bunch of kids thinking this through," She stared at Arad. "[Right?!]" Doma said with an excited face, "[Do you have a better n?]" "Of course," Eris looked waved her hand as her eyes glowed red, "We walk in, and meet the queen as expected." Eris approached Arad, "If she asked you to kiss her hand for a reward, just say that problematic for you. She will understand," Arad looked at Eris confused, "What will she understand?" "A hero usually doesn''t pick a side. If you''re calling in life is saving and helping people, you won''t care if it''s an elf, a human, or anything else." Eris approached Arad, "A hero saves people equally. Having you like that will make it easier for the elves to use you as a mediator between them and the humans." She smiled, "You will get their support, without actually needing to server them directly." "Do you think it would work?" Ae stared at her. "If the humans are already helping Arad without tieing him down, the elves would lose face in front of other kingdoms if they tried to control him," Eris exined with a grin. "Be a good asset to everyone, and you will get all of their support." "[You''re right. With that, the kingdom that first make a move to control Arad would look like bad guying trying to harm peace, and they could get shunned.]" Domaughed, "[As expected from a long-living vampire, how old are you?]" "Don''t ask a woman about her age," Eris sighed, "But I''ve seen enough to know," Jack nodded, "She''s right. Arad was already walking down the path of a dragon mediator. A neutral power that everyone should respect. But I will see if there are any thieves contact here to help us out," "Please do," Arad nodded, "So the n is like this," "Deliver the elves to the capital. Meet the queen. Get her support. Don''t touch her. Leave without a fight." Arad sighed, "Let''s hope everything will go ording to n." *** On the other side, an elf sat inside a tent with two soldiers facing him. "Where are they?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Sir!" One of the soldiers stood firm like a log, "They have entered the bleak wood forest. Monsters strangely avoided them, so there is a possibility they hold a powerful monster or an item." "We''ve spotted half of the missing elves alongside them with a woman suspected to be the fourth princess of the Alseria kingdom. We suspect they are here on peaceful business." Themander rested his chin on his hands, "Should we risk it?" He sighed, "Our sensors are screaming blood magic. There are at least two, maybe three vampires in there. Add to that the extra lycanthropic and vague curse magic around them, and the giant cobra sneaking behind. I doubt they are here for good reasons." "Sir, do you think they intend to attack us?" One of the soldiers gasped. "Even if we aren''t on good terms with the humans, we know they never steep too low to work with friends. My guts is that princess is double to lure us out," themander looked at the soldiers, "We shouldn''t fall for it. There are viges full of civilians behind us, and they won''t be able to fight such fiends." "What if she''s the real princess?" One of the soldiers looked at themander with a pale face. "We still trust the humans. She must be captured and forced to work with them. Our priority should be to save her and our people." Themander stood, "Kill everyone besides the princess double and our people." "As you order!" The two soldiers saluted him. Themander smiled, "By orders of her majesty the seventh queen and under the guidance of the first Queen Sylph Ways. We shall return evil with goodness, and save the human princess for them." He walked out of the tent, brandishing his sword and pointing it at the sky. "By the queen''s name and for the future peace! Give up your hearts!" He shouted, and the rumbling of ten thousand elvish soldiers shook the ground as they stomped and shouted. DING! DING! A ringing sound killed their voices. Sitting aside beneath a tree, a single monk with short ck hair sat beneath a tree. Theander paled, "Herald, You''re here?" "That man," The monk rang his bell, and Arad''s image appeared in the air, "Do I get to suck on the queen''s toes if I brought his head," Themander sighed, "No, you weirdo. We''ve been telling you no for decades. Get over it. She will never look at you no matter what." The monk looked straight, tearing from his closed eyes, "How saddening, how discouraging. How unfortunate." He stood, "The spirits of the tree are crying for I don''t get anything." He started praying. "But, I shall remain strong," The monk smiled, "One day, my wish will be granted, and his head I shall bring," Chapter 322 Something Is Off Arad walked in front of the carriage across the dirt road, looking around at the trees. He could feel that magic was stronger here, probably since elves use it more than humans. He stopped, staring forward. DING! DING! A monk was approaching them on the road. He wore a red and golden robe, ringing a silver bell as two women stood by his side. One was a dryad with wooden skin, and Arad could barely look at the second one''s face. DING! Ding! He could feel heat rushing toward his face from his neck. And he could hear the carriage stopping behind him. "You''re far more beautiful than I expected," The second woman said, her face shaking like hazy mist. BA-dump! BA-dump! Arad''s heartbeat elerated, and he could feel a stinging pain in his chest. BOOM! In the blink of an eye. He lunged forward, swinging a kick at the woman''s face. CLANG! The monk stopped the attack with his bell, "She saved you," The monk said with a smile, his eyes closed. "Rare are the people who could resist the allure of a nymph, let alone react after seeing her," DRIP! Blood dripped from Arad''s back. An arrow rested just on his shoulder. Arad looked back, seeing Ae staring down with saliva dripping from her lips, her bow resting by her side. "Ae!" He growled and noticed that everyone else was the same, enthralled by the beauty of Nymph. "She noticed my friend and acted before she could be fully affected by the charm. A strong-willed woman, where did you find someone like her." The monk looked at the angry Arad. "Hey," The Dryad by his side whispered, "Grant, she''s a Deianira. A vtile pact with the wind spirits protects her, albeit not enough to fully negate the effect." Grant looked at the Dryad, "I see. You can tell?" "The hell are you talking about? You''re the onemanding the spirits. Look for yourself!" She growled. Grant smiled, "Even if Imand the spirits, I don''t control their actions. I have no power over the wind spirit if she chose to support someone else," He pointed at Arad, "You two are here fighting by my side of your own will, this is a spirit pact," Crack! Arad rushed forward, swinging his fist with zeal. ng! Grant stopped the punch with his bell, "You''re attacking out of nowhere, aren''t you?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Why is your friend here charming everyone?" Arad looked at Grant in the eyes. "Please do forgive her. Nymphs are the natural born spirits of beauty." Grant looked at the Nymph beside him, "Her face and body are of an otherworldly beauty that only I canprehend her." Arad moved his fist away, "A power she can''t control?" "No, she can control it. It''s just that it can run rampage from time to time," Grant shook his head. "Arethusa here is mypanion, the spirit of Beaty." He then turned toward the Dryad, "And she''s Anteia, the spirit of the great forest." [Arad, don''t fight the spirits. They are rules of nature, and beating them is almost impossible with normal means.] "[Mom is right. To kill the Nymph, you must find the natural spot of beauty she was born from and destroy it. That ce could be on the other side of the world for all we know. And to kill the Spirit of the forest, you must find which forest she''s linked with and burn it down.]" ^So those aren''t their real bodies?^ Arad thought, ^How about the weird monk?^ [I don''t know anything about him. We better avoid any fight,] "[Don''t fight him, that''s the second-ranked adventurer. Grant, the world tree herald and spirit king. He''s mostly a fake pacifist that rarely fights directly, but controls spirits to fight for him. You have no chance to beat him now.]" Arad sighed, "So it''s a misunderstanding. Sorry for the sudden attack." He looked at Grant, "Do you mind releasing them in the back? We still have a long way to go," "Releasing them?" Grant scratched his head, "I wasn''t the one who charmed them." He smiled, "But what do you seek?" Arad pointed back with his thumb, "We saved the elves that were captured by the goblins, and we''re guarding them to the capital," "Really? I thought you were trying to attack the kingdom for a second," Grantughed, smiling, "It''s rare to see a vampire walking in the daylight. Do you by any chance have Scarlett''s blood?" He red at Arad, his eyes glowing with a deep green light. Arad stopped, staring back, "You know a lot," "I lived for over three centuries and faced many dangers. Of course, I would hear of the vampire lord Scarlett. "d we two won''t need to kill each other. I will take the elves from your hand and deliver them to the queen." Arad scratched his head as the Nymph released everyone from her charm, "Sorry, but we need to be the ones delivering them to the queen. It''s a diplomatic matter between the humans and elves." "But I won''t be able to suck on her toes then," Grant stared at Arad with a sad face, "What will you do about that?" "Excuse me, what?" Arad gasped, confused at what he just heard, "Suck on what?" "It''s what you heard," Grant nodded with a serious face, "What why I can''t let you take them to her? I will be the one sucking on them, and not you." "Listen, do what you like. I only need to deliver the elves to the capital, let the princess in the back meet the queen and then leave. What does this have to do with what you want?" Arad tried to wrap his head around the nonsense the monk was spitting. ^Something is off,^ Grant smiled, lifting his hands, "Due to that, I can''t allow you to take the elves to the capital." "[Arad, he''s a pacifist and won''t attack first. He wants you make the first move,]" [She''s right. Monks usually walk by vows, and he should have the vow of peace.] ^Something is off,^ Chapter 323 Pulling The Strings Grant stared at Arad. ^Something is off.^ He as well, could feel that something wasn''t adding up with Arad. ^A vampire dragon werewolf hybrid traveling with a Deianira. It''s all as I learned from observing those naked apes.^ Grant stared at Arad, opening his eyes. "How was your trip so far?" ^I lost track of them right after they crossed the border. What could have happened?^ He started walking to the side, "You look exhausted," Arad stared at the monk, suspicious. ^Something is off about this elf. Something inside me is telling me he should die right here and now. I know. It''s that smile and confidence standing before me that''s so alerting.^ Grant smiled, "Come on, you can finally rest. I''m here to take the elves back to the capital. You can go home and rest." He opened his arms. ^I don''t to fight him with this feeling. I must give up on taking his head,^ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad sighed, ^It''s better to avoid shing with someone like him,^ "Fine, you can take them. Won''t mind going home a bit early," He turned toward the carriage and approached Ae, "We''re going back home," He smiled. "I''m to deliver all the elves back to the capital, her included," Grant smiled, "She isn''t going back with you." "Huh?" Arad turned around, ring at the monk with glowing purple eyes and veins bulging on his forehead. "Say that again?" "Don''t worry. I will only escort her to the capital where she can be identified and returned to her family," Grant smiled, "I can see a ve seal on her. That''s not something we elves don''t like to see on our people." "That''s none of your business," Ae growled. "It''s of my business. I know you''re speaking against your will. That won''t deter me to free you," The monk shifted his attention toward Ae. ^Starting a war cer. That''s something for Vars to think about. I only need to gather the spirits around me, and her wind isn''t something I can miss,^ Thud! Arad started walking toward the monk. "[Don''t attack him. He can''t attack first.]" [Doma is right. Ignore his taunts. We don''t know what he really wants,] Arad looked at the monk''s face. ^Something is off. I never had such a feelinging from a man before. He must die.^ Grant stopped smiling, lifting his hand and looking around, "There is nothing I can do besides asking you to hand them over. Otherwise, I would have to kill you," ^Something is off.^ He grunted inside. ^It''s like I''m staring at a loaded bomb.^ He looked at his side. ^Arethusa and Anteia are strong enough to kill him even without me fighting, but should I call Aron the purple dragon? No, he''s too injured to help,^ "Anteia,e here for a second," He looked at the Dryad, gripping her wrist. [Forest Sense] Grant blinked, ^I see. This must be the reason for my strange feeling, we''re being watched.^ He could see a red drakaina sitting beside the mountains to the east, watching them from afar. ^The one who escaped Aron,^ He then looked to the other side, ^And she''s the second problem.^ He smiled, seeing arge green dragon prowling the forest. "Ancient, but I should be able to handle her with ease,^ "Move out of the way. You aren''t taking anyone with you," Arad growled, cracking his fists. Grant could still feel that something was off, ^The two dragons aren''t the only unwanted observers. A third feeling ising from the sky, and thest one is from his body. A powerful monster is lurking within his body,^ "Did you make a pact with a devil or something?" Grant smiled, "I can''t let anyone leave then. You all must die here," DING! He rang his bell with a smile. "You two, kill them," opened one eye. CRACK! The ground cracked beneath Arad''s feet as he got ready to charge. "[The Nymph''s mental attacks rely on the target seeing her, and the Dryad isn''t weak to fire magic. Her body is full of fluid. Hit her with ice and lightning instead.]" ^Got it!^ Thud! Arad lunged at the Nymph first, clenching his fist and swinging at her face. "You''re slow," She smiled, opening her palm. SLAP! SLAP! She pped him in the face twice. Arad didn''t care, charging at her with a hug. The moment he grabbed her between his arms. [Void Step] The scenery changed around the Nymph, seeing herself with Arad in the middle of the sky, between mountains and above arge river. "Teleportation! Get me back you monster!" She growled, but Arad smiled as she thrashed on his face. "See youter," He dropped her in the river and teleported back. ZON! When Arad reappeared, he could see the carriage had already been flipped upside down. Jack is nowhere to be found. CRACK! Massive tree roots rose from the ground, flying around. Thud! Ae ran across the roots, aiming her bow at the center of the trees. "She''s in the middle!" She shouted. CRACK! "I know!" Lydia growled, swinging her sword on the ground and cutting the roots, "I can''t get to her. Swords aren''t designed to cut wood," DING! DING! Isdis pulled the strings of her biwa, sending waves of magic toward Lydia, "I will support you. Swing as hard as you can," ^I can''t see Jack,^ [He''s probably sneaking toward the Dryad or the monk.] BAM! Arad expanded his wings and sted toward the Dryad, clenching his right fist with lightning and his left one with ice. "If I killed her, we can ignore the monk and leave," CREEK! The Dryad turned around, seeing Arad flying toward her at an incredible speed. "What happened to Arethusa?" "Who knows!" Arad grunted, swinging his fist. Thud! The monk rushed ahead of him, smiling as he stood between Arad and the Dryad. "Hit me," "[Don''t touch him!]" "Gih!" Arad pped his right wing, switching his direction, and crashed on the ground. "You bastard," The monk smiled, "You will hit me, and that''s the moment you lose." Thud! KA-BOOM! Jack stood behind the Dryad, pointing his arm cannon at her head, and sted. As the monk turned around surprised, the Dryad fell to the ground. Jack sighed, pulling a bottle from his pocket and pouring the content on the dryad body. "Burning oil, time to make firewood," He threw a match at her, setting her aze. "It''s your loss, Monk," Arad smiled. ^Something is off,^ The monk giggled, opening his arms, "Let''s fight," and the forest started crying. Chapter 324 Raging Forest "Hmmm!" The monk stretched his arms, smiling as a skeletal tree root emerged from the ground, sucking his body in. "Suck me in!" He gasped with a smile on his face. Arad jumped away, seeing the forest raging with the trees standing up. "Damn it!" Arad cried, jumping back and grabbing everyone, "We need to get away." In the blink of an eye, he teleported them to the top of a frozen mountain peak with no trees around. Everyone looked down, seeing titan roots emerging from the ground as the monk flew with leaf wings in the middle of it, encased in an armor of wood. "Monster," Arad growled, flying toward the forest and leaving everyone behind. "Arad!" Ae shouted, but he didn''t listen. Arad pped his wings harder than before, elerating faster than he did before in his life. His eyes only see one thing, the monk flying in the middle of the air. ^No holding back. I must go all out.^ Arad smiled, pulling the stone greatsword he took from Doma''s father. He looked across the massive forest with a grin, seeing the roots standing as tall as mountains and, as thick asrge monsters. "You can attack anything in the entire forest." He stared at the monk from a distance. "But, sadly, it isn''t as wide as my melee range, is it?" An evil grin crossed Arad''s face as he stared forward, lifting the massive greatsword and swinging down. CLAP! A massive tree root exploded on the other side of the forest as Arad stood above it. "Suprised?" ZON! Arad appeared right behind the monk, swinging his sword down. "You''re dead," CLICK! The monk''s wood armor disappeared as he stretched his arms with a smile, "Hit me!" Arad stopped his swing at thest second, teleporting Again and hitting another massive root. ^Don''t tell. He still isn''t fighting?^ Arad gasped, clenching his teeth. [This is the power of the forest spirit, not his.] Mom replied with a worried voice. Try using the breath that erased the elder fungus. ^I will need time to tune my void to it. Give me another suggestion.^ [Won''t Ae and the other be able to buy you time?] ^No way. They would get squashed in a single hit. And Eris can''t fight in the sunlight.^ Arad growled, pulling air into his lungs and filling them with mes. ROAR! He unleashed arge fire st at the ground, igniting the forest in the hope to damage the forest spirit. CRACKLE! The roots pierced the ground, flipping dirt all over the forest fire, putting it out in the blink of an eye. "Don''t even bother," The monkughed, "You burn one, and ten grow up." He pointed at Arad, "No matter what you do, you will lose this battle." Arad jumped away, seeing hundreds of tree roots approaching him. ^He''s getting faster.^ Arad teleported between two attacks and got smacked by the third one, digging a trench on the forest ground beforeing to a halt. "You must have broken some bones," The monk smiled, "Care to give up?" BAM! Arad lunged from the ground, swinging his void-engulfed sword at the monk. ^Something is off.^ The monk couldn''t understand what will Arad''s void effect be, so he didn''t want to risk it. CLAP! He smacked Arad away with a tree root, staring at him, "How about now? Dead yet?" BAM! The moment Arad hit the ground, he bounced right back like a rubber ball, swinging again at the monk. CLAP! CLAP! The monk smacked Arad twice, hitting him on the ground hard enough to dig a hole. BAM! Unscathed, Arad bounced again, smiling as he swung the sword. ^The hell?^ The monk gasped. ^Most people and monsters would have died with such heavy hits. How is his body still intact?^ "HAHAHAHAHA!" Aradughed his lungs out, "Come on, monk! I''m about to figure it out, don''t stop just yet!" Theugh sent shivers down the monk''s spine, causing him to flinch for a second. ^This thing, my attacks don''t seem to harm him even though I''m sure I squashed him several times. Regeneration, but that should have a limit. What is he thinking about?^ ^Doma was saying to focus on absorbing mana. What if I focused on refining my void instead, getting it ready to only delete the forest spirit?^ Arad couldn''t help but smile. Each hit he takes breaks his concentration, but after healing, he charges again, unfazed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om CLAP! The monk pped his hands, staring forward with a worried face, "You''re looking more like a problem the longer this fight keeps going," A green light emerged from the ground, shing up toward Arad. [Forest Bloom] Blugh! Arad coughed blood as flowers started growing from his mouth and nose. "You breathed the spores released by the forest spirit. Now they grow inside your lungs and eat you from the inside out," The monk smiled, "Only Gray survived this without giving up. It''s over for you." Arad smiled, me and void gushing from his nose and mouth. "Your spores walked into hell itself. Good luck," Arad giggled, lunging back at the monk, focusing on his void. *** In the back, the armies of the elves didn''t dare to tread into the forest for fear of getting squashed. "Is that man really fighting the herald?" The general gasped, unable to believe his eyes. The s-rank capable of crushing armies with his extreme magic is being held back by a single young man. "Retreat! Retreat! We have no chance of winning if the herald can''t make it" He shouted at the top of his lungs. ^I have to report this to the queen. We must not make an enemy of that young man if he survived.^ *** Arad kept getting smacked left and right, but he lunged back like a madman, swinging the stone greatsword at the monk without rest. The monk finally got exhausted and decided to take a blow from Arad''s sword. ^I don''t know what effect that void magic would have, or why I''m getting this weird feeling, but I doubt I can keep this out.^ He lunged forward, conjuring a wooden sword in his hand. "Dragon child. I will cut you apart, and that Deianira girl with me. I bet her wind spirit still didn''t make a contract," He swung the sword at Arad''s neck. "No thanks!" Ae fell from the sky,nding on Arad''s shoulder and pointing her bow at the monk''s head, but she had no arrow loaded. ^Damn it,^ The monk growled. [Tempest] Windpressed inside Ae''s bow, forming an arrow. The monk tried to fly away, ring at her with a worried face. BOOM! The wind arrow flew from Ae''s bow, hitting him square in the forehead, cracking his armor, and sending him flying to the ground. "His peace vow only triggers when he gets attacked directly, and attacks from spirits don''t count," Ae said, sitting on Arad''s shoulders. "Who told you?" Arad stared at her. "The wind spirit, a memento from mother. I will tell you about herter. For now, let me take a seat," She wrapped her legs around his neck, looking down at the monk. "I have limited Mana. I can''t waste it on flying." She looked at Arad, "Can you get me close to him?" Arad smiled, "Of course," He pped his wings, flying at an incredible speed. "Should I take my dragon form?" "No, we''re a smaller target like this," Ae replied, pulling the bowstring and aiming at the monk with a smile. "We only need to injure him badly and run away." "We can win. I managed to focus long enough to adapt my void to erase the forest spirit," Arad replied, "You attack. And guide me around." Arad closed his eyes, flying as fast as he could while letting Ae lead him like a horse. This was the only way for him to get enough time to focus. BAM! The monk flew from the ground, flinging a massive wooden spear at Ae, "Wind spirit, care to have a contract with me?" He shouted, "I promise to treat you well!" Ae fired an arrow, deflecting the massive spear and flying past the monk, barely able to control Arad''s direction with her legs. *** [Doma, do something,] Mom growled, staring at Doma sitting beside her. Doma put her finger on her lips, staring at Mom and signaling for her to remain silent. "[Let him focus,]" She smiled, *** BLUGH! Arad opened his eyes to a tree branch running through his chest. He coughed blood, smiling as the monknded in front of him, lifting Ae by the neck. "She has fallen, and so is you," The monk smiled, "You can die," Aradughed, "Thanks to you. I finally figured it out. Or at least a part of the truth." Arad lifted his hand, "I was thinking too hard about it, the void is nothing, and that''s what I need to not hit you directly." Arad put his hand on the root, erasing it with the monk''s armor. The monk gasped, releasing Ae as Arad grabbed him by the ankle. He smiled, "You touched me. It''s over for..." His vow didn''t activate, and he noticed that Arad''s skin wasn''t touching him, even as he grabbed him. CRACK! Arad iled the monk around, smacking him on the ground. Chapter 325 Void Monster Thwack! Arad punched the monk in the face, sending him rolling on the ground, digging a trench. CRACK! As the monk looked forward, struggling to stop, he saw Arad leaping toward him with a passive face and purple glowing eyes. "You!" Garnt growled, staring back at Arad. Thwack! Arad kicked forward, hitting Grant''s face and sending him back a second time with a shockwave. ^He''s hitting me, but my vow isn''t activating. How is he doing it?^ Grant thought, blood dripping from his nose as he crashed into the trees. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ^It doesn''t matter. I should be able to kill by only using one spirit at a time. No need for more than one.^ Thud! Grant flipped back,nding on arge boulder. "Spirit of stones! Zakar!" He touched the boulder, smiling as his body got engulfed. CRACK! Aradnded a fair distance ahead of him, "You had another spirit hiding underground?" "Not exactly hiding. I called her when you took Arethusa away." Grant smiled, "So you call yourself a wyrm, so let''s see if you can hold the wrath of the ground which you walk upon!" He shouted, lifting his fist up, and the ground exploded. The whole forest ripped from its roots and flipped upside down. SWOSH! Arad teleported into the sky and pped his wings, flying as fast as he could. Shards of stones ripped across the sky, as red as meteors. Arad tried to get closer to Grant to punch him again, ^I can''t use magic or the void while my barrier is out. Do you two have any idea?^ Arad growled inside. [Find a way to retreat. We don''t need to win this fight,] "[You''re only using about a quarter of your brain, so you should be able to pull more.]" Doma looked at Arad''s mind, "[But that would be like asking a random person to do a triple backflip. It''s a miracle if they managed one.]" Arad understood what Doma meant. Even now, he''s barely able to grasp the edge of his void. ZON! Arad teleported toward Grant, swinging his fist as that is his only way of dealing damage now. SWOSH! Grand dodged the strike and swung a punch at Arad using the stone spirit armor. BAM! The punch hit Arad in the stomach, unable to reach his skin, but the force still blew him back. Grant smiled, "You can prevent direct hits but not the force and momentum behind them," He lunged forward, "Then all I need to do you crush you between two boulders, and that would be all you''re worth." BAM! Arad bounced off the ground, rushing at Grant with a clenched fist. CRACK! Stone spikes rushed from the ground, racing to impale Arad in his tracks. Thud! Thud! He jumped between them, only to be faced with two massive bs. "Be crushed," Grant shouted, but Arad slipped out before the bs could close. BAM! Arad delivered a punch directly toward the monk''s torso, smacking him on the ground. Grant smiled, "You know, kid," Heughed, "I noticed something interesting. You''re stepping on the ground, aren''t you?" Arad looked down, sweating. Grant lifted one finger, "Death by a thousand stabs," The ground crackled, crumbling into gravel. [Gravel Storm] With Grant''s scream the ground exploded, sting Arad with all the gravel. CLACK! CLACK! Arge portion of the gravel got deflected by Arad''s barrier, but some managed to push through with the sheer numbers. "You can only sustain the barrier consciously! Having to deal with multiple attacks must be hard, isn''t it?" Grant shouted as Arad''s body started getting torn by the gravel. BAM! Arad''s body flew back, bleeding. Thud! Grantnded on his way, smiling as he removed the armor, "Come to me," He opened his arms. CRACK! Arad''s rolling body hit Grant''s torso, throwing him to the ground. "You hit me, didn''t you? It dealt damage as well, as small as it may be," Grantughed as tiny orbs of light gathered around his body. Seven shadows emerged behind his back as heughed, two butterfly-like wings spreading from his back as he floated, his skin shifting into a pure white shade akin to milk. "I''m the spirit king, the one who dominates all the spirits of nature." [Spirit of Earth] [Spirit of fire] [Spirit of Lighting] [Spirit of Beauty] [Spirit of forest] [Spirit of life] [Spirit of water] Grant lifted his hand, causing Arad''s body to start floating, "It''s over for you, wyrm kid." CRACK! With a single palm swing, he pierced Arad''s chest. "When I get hit, I can use all my spirits at once, and on top, My personal physical powerbines to match them." He threw Arad on the ground and turned to walk away. "I don''t even need your head. I will take the wind spirit girl and leave, as a sign of respect to someone who pushed me this far," He started floating away. Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Grant stopped, hearing drums behind him. He stopped, ring back, "Heartbeats? I pierced your heart!" He growled, seeing Arad standing. "[What a rowdy age, kids like you dancing with fairies. You should''ve gone for the soul, avatar of the world tree.]" Arad smiled, ck tattoos covering his skin as his wounds healed. "Herald of the world tree. I''m not as mighty as to be called an avatar." Grant growled, "I''m surprised you''re still standing." "[Let me tell you something, kid. Don''t go around boasting such a title like it''s yours, fake herald.]" Grant growled, veins bulging on his head, "Your attitude changed, wyrm." He extended his hand, creating seven pirs of molten stone by mixing the powers from the earth and fire spirit. CRACKLE! Lightning started shing between the pirs as Grant smiled, "Let me erase your whole body." BOOM! The seven pirs flew at Arad at a blinding speed, ripping the ground to shreds as theynded. "Dead in one hit. Not amounting to much," Grant started flying toward Ae. "[Was this supposed to do anything?]" Arad stood, waving his hand to remove the dust from his shoulders. "[How about you use something sharper?]" Grant blinked twice, ^With how much magic and elements I mixed into the attack. I should have been twice as hard to block as the gravel storm. How is he still standing? Did his barrier grow stronger?^ Arad smiled, lifting one finger. "[Void exists within the tiny particles forming our universe itself. With enough mastery over magic and some experience, I can cause that void to copse, destroying the particles.]" A brilliant blue light shed from the tip of Arad''s finger, blinding Grant on the spot, "[The result is a massive surge of energy that can be easily directed by controlling which particles I copse first.]" ZIP! A blue beam of light exploded forth, evaporating the ground as it hit Grant, disintegrating his body. Even the ashes were erased. CRACKLE! A tree root emerged from the dirt to the side, forming a humanoid body as the dust settled from Arad''s attack. The body quickly turned into Grant, and he fell to his knees, gasping for air, "Thanks Anteia, Jarozo, I wouldn''t have survived without you two," Grant stared at Arad after thanking the spirit of the forest and the spirit of life. "Who are you?" "[Me? Sorry, I only answer questions from a single man...And a few girls... Ok, probably Jack also counts, he''s helping us after all..." Arad scratched his head and then looked at Grant with a passive face. "[Doesn''t matter anyway,]" Grant swung his hand, sending a massive lightning bolt toward Arad. Arad extended his arm, "[You can teleport up to 400 meters with a void step. That means you can control the void up 400 meters, otherwise, you won''t be able to teleport without setting a waypoint beforehand.]" Arad smiled, "[What I''m saying, is that as long as it exists in that range, you should be able to control the void inside. Including this fraud of a herald.]" She got her palms closer, and rubber them. CRACK! Grant''s body twisted, shrinking into a tiny ball. "[See? It''s the same when water mages draw moisture from their targets, causing them to shrivel. You just draw the void out, causing them to crumble.]" Aradughed as Grant got a new body. "[I spent over a hundred years studying void magic after I saw you. I''m trying to condense all of that knowledge in an easy-to-learn format, so open your mind and memorize every feeling your body goes through,]" Grant barely stood, ring at Arad, "You monster, what is this magic?" CLAP! Arad pped, putting his palms together with a smile. "[Condense your void in a single spot, creating a vacuum that pulls things toward it. Now mix it with a bit of gravity magic, creating a small sphere of destruction.]" A tiny ck orb emerged ahead of Arad, ripping the ground to shreds and sucking it directly into his stomach. [Sphere of Annihtion] Chapter 326 [Void Lair] [Sphere of Annihtion] The tiny ball of pure darkness rumbled, sucking the air around it alongside the ground as Arad smiled. "[This will be your end, elf]." ZON! The tattoos on Arad''s body started fading. He stared forward with a passive face. "[You can''t control it, but try if you want,]" He mumbled, his head looking down. The moment Arad retook control of his void, the sphere started shaking, sending shockwaves across the forest, and soon exploded, sting the monk away. "GAH!" Arad gasped, coughing as blood dripped from his eyes and ears. "[See? Told you,]" "Hehe," Arad giggled, smiling, "I wasn''t intending to control your magic," He lifted his hands up, "I give up, it''s too delicate for me, this isn''t my style," "[What?]" CLAP! Arad pped his palms, staring forward with a crazed gaze. ^The void pull I used before, infinite void, and now this spell Doma made.^ Arad''s body started rumbling as the monk barely stood, staring at him. ^I can''t pass a thread across a needle, I''m not as skilled as Doma. But I can push it across a door,^ A dark mist started rising from Arad''s shoulders as his eyes flickered. ^Don''t worry about power or look, just make it big and easy to control, I only need a rough shape. Release it the moment Doma finishes sucking the mana back,^ BOOM! Arad''s purple eyes turned ck as the void started rushing out of them. [Void Lair] A pure wave of darkness rushed out of Arad as his stomach flipped inside out, expanding a massive sphere of void from his body. The monk''s vision went dark as he got sucked in, and the sphere kept expanding, consuming the forest to grow, grinding it for sustenance. GAH! The monk opened his eyes inside the endless void, feeling his skin ripping off as blood boiled through his flesh. ^What''s happening? I can''t see, feel, hear, or move!^ He gasped, [Spirit Veins] ... The monk''s magic didn''t activate, and he sensed the other problem ravaging his body. Mana rapidly got sucked out of him, and his spirits were nowhere to be found. *** Outside the sphere, The spirits screamed as they punched Arad''sir, "Let us in! Let us in!" They shouted their lungs out. The inside of their was Arad''s stomach, and he has full control over what can get in and what can''t. This spell merely allows him to flip it inside out, and suck everything, including living beings. Whether they can survive the harsh void or not, that is their problem, not his. The monk growled in pain, gathering what little mana was left inside his body and protecting it with a barrier. ^This monster, he''s digesting me alive,^ CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! [Trantion, the monk couldn''t understand a word of it: You have no power here. You''re flesh and magic is being digested. It doesn''t matter how much physical power you had, without a footing, you''re muscles mean nothing. It''s ugly and grotesque, but this is my trueir, we void store our hoards inside our stomachs for a reason, and that is what I just figured out.] The monk''s head started hurting as he heard a continuous clicking inside his head, ^I can hear something, no, it''s projected directly into my head,^ BAM! The monk got punched in the face, his nose cracking, and before he could cry, his nipples exploded as something stabbed his back. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! [I have instant ess to all my treasury, weapons, and items alike, and I can attack from wherever I want!] As the monk''s body started turning into mush, skin first. Arad giggled. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! [And since it''s inside my stomach, I can let the consciousness inside my head run amok.] "[Wee to hell, monk,]" Doma giggled, standing beside the monk as Mom growled above him. [Should we kill him?] "[That''s for Arad to decide. Killing an S-rank will put you on bad terms with the other S-ranks and the spirits as a whole,]" Doma smiled, staring at Arad who floated above them. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! [I can''t let him live after seeing this, can I?] "[I can solve that problem for you,]" Doma smiled. *** The elvish army stared in terror as a massive ck sphere devoured their kingdom''s S-rank, separating him from the spirits and granting him power. CRACK! The sphere cracked, shattering in the blink of an eye like ss. BAM! Arad emerged smiling as his foot stomped the monk''s face to the ground, quacking the ground. "This should have rattled his brain enough," Arad smiled, ring down at the monk. "[It will do,]" Doma smiled. Grant! The spirits rushed in, trying to fuse back with Grant, but they failed. He was already out,cking any trace of magic in his body. "What did you do to him!" One of them cried. "I don''t know," Arad replied with a passive face. He didn''t know what Doma did. "[I scrambled his mind like an egg. For someone as strong as him, a month of rehabilitation will get him functional enough as a living being.]" A mouth appeared on Arad''s hand. "Who is that? Wait, the cursed witch?" One of them recognized Doma''s magic and backed away, "What are you doing here? Did you cast that horrid spell?" "[That was my husband''s magic,]" Domaughed, "[You lots better take him and scram unless you want to be eaten alive.]" "[They do look edible,]" Arad red at them, his eyes glowing. The spirits carried Grant and flew away as Arad sighed, "I would like to take their powers, can''t I?" "[I can''t break the pack without their direct consent and without ess to their origin. We can only kill them, and that''s a waste.]" Doma replied, sinking back into Arad''s body. Arad took a deep breath, "It''s over," He smiled, "I managed to keep him away from Ae..." His head started spinning, and he fell face first on the ground, leaving a crater of destruction. *** Arad opened his eyes, feeling his head throbbing. He could see a marble ceiling above his head with a chandelier lit with orbs of magic. GAH! He heard a voice gasp beside him, and he turned to see a maid sitting on a fancy chair beside his bed. She rapidly stood, rushing toward the door, "Guards! He woke up!" "What!" Arad could hear a man scream right outside the wooden door. CLACK! CLACK! And that was followed by heavy footsteps belonging to an armored man. Arad sat up and looked at the maid who stood beside the door, and she flinched, approaching him with fearful full steps. "Sir...Master...your honor..." She stuttered, "Do you need anything?" Arad''s eyes started spazzing around as he searched for everyone''s mana. It only took him a second to find their magic on the floor above. Ae, Lydia, Eris, Isdis, and even the cobra were coiled beside them. ZON! Arad teleported away, causing the bedsheets to rupture and the maid to fall on her butt, terrified. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om CRACK! Aradnded right beside Ae. His feet clipped into the ground, causing it to shatter with a loud boom. "Hehe?" Ae looked to the side, seeing Arad staring at her. She dropped the chess piece from her hand and gasped, "You''re awake?" BANG! The door sted open, and an armored man rushed in, "Sir Arad has woken...." He went silent, seeing Arad inside, ring at him with zing eyes. CLAP! Arad pped his palms together. ^This ce looks like a fortress. We were captured after I lost consciousness. I should be able to st this whole ce,^ He intended to unleash another voidir where he stood. "Arad, stop!" Ae caught his shoulder, "It''s a misunderstanding, don''t do it again!" Arad stared at her, "What?" "It''s been a week since you lost consciousness. We''re inside the royal castle in the Elvish capital. Don''t destroy the ce," She cried. Arad looked around, seeing Lydia and Isdis staring at him. "Calm down," Eris smiled, "Well, it would be funny if you sted the royal castle. I''m sure the humans won''t mind you destroying the elvish kingdom." Thud! Arad fell on his butt, staring at the armored man, "Sorry, almost ate your castle," "Ate?" the soldier gasped, remembering how the forest was chomped, leaving a massive hole that was almost a mile in diameter. He started sweating, feeling his knees shaking. Those words weren''t empty. This man could eat the whole capital before they could react. "Forget the castle. How are you doing?" Lydia stared at him, "Do you need healing? Are you feeling any pain?" "Just a headache, we dragons could sleep for years, so being out for a week won''t harm me, I guess," [It''s normal, especially since you tried to hold a spell from Doma,] Arad sighed, ^I hope they already dealt with the queen,^ Chapter 327 The Queen’s Plot Arad stood, staring at Ae, "I''ve been out for a week. Is there a bath anywhere around here?" He smiled. "Of course, there is one," She stood, approaching the doors, "Baths here are separated, so you have to go in alone. Is that a problem?" Arad nodded, "I can wash my own back," He smiled. ^I can use the void to clean me, but it never feels right until I take an actual bath,^ Ae knocked on the door, "Dora, are you still outside?" CLICK! The door opened, and a maid walked in, bowing to Ae first and then to Arad. Who was standing in the back? "Did you need something?" She smiled. "You were outside the door. You should have heard us," Arad stared at her. The maid shook her head, "The room is magically sealed. No one from the outside can hear or see anything inside unless called by name and intention to be able to listen." "Arad wants to take a bath. Get one ready for him," Ae looked at the maid. The maid immediately bowed, "As you order, I will get the royal baignoire ready," "Bin war?" Arad stared at her, confused, "What''s that?" The maid bowed again, "Sorry, I meant bathtub." "She took a while to get used to speaking the human tongue. Still, mix words sometimes," Ae giggled. Arad stared at the maid, ^I should be able to understand her, no?^ [Your understanding only extends to draconic,nguage based on it, non-intelligent monsters, and lizardfolk tongue as it is close to draconic.] ^[You won''t understand elvishnguage, norplex ones like the dwarven tongue.]^ Arad sighed, standing up, "When would it be ready?" The maid smiled, scratching her chin and puffing her chest with a grin, "It''s already ready. The queen expected you might need one after awakening, so she gave us a list to do beforehand." "Did she now?" Arad smiled, looking down at the ground. He could sense a lot of people running around the castle, their actions intense by the second. ^Is this the queen''s doing as well?^ [Probably,] Arad approached the maid, "Then lead me to it. No need to waste time sitting around," "With pleasure," She looked at him with a tilted head, "What color do you like?" After taking one step, Arad stopped, staring at her, "I have clothes. You don''t need to provide anything," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The maid shook her head, "I highly suggest you take a lot at what we have. I''m sure you would find something to your liking," Isids stared at Arad, "You can see it as formal clothes for meeting the elvish queen. You better take a set or two from them," "We all got some," Lydia pointed toward the closet, "We''re keeping them there." "Fine." Arad followed the maid to the bath. **** "The Marble Royal bath is the best one in the entire kingdom. The walls are ted with gold and jewels gathered from the whole kingdom, and the water is drawn directly from beneath the world tree roots, so it boasts double the mana of normal water. You can also..." The maid started talking about the bath, exining its marvels to Arad as the queen instructed. A way to impress the dragon is to say. "Isn''t that a waste?" Arad said, stopping the maid in her track. "Yes?" Dora gasped, staring at him and blinking twice. "Why te the walls with gold and gems? That provides nothing, right? And won''t be hard to look at the walls like that?" He stared at her with glowing eyes. "I wouldn''t know that, since I never got the privilege to use that bath," The maid replied with a shaking voice. "And isn''t the mana concentration in regr water almost zero? Twice zero is still zero," He red at her, "Why did the queen build such a thing and didn''t allocate the funds to something else? Is there a meaning behind it?" "I don''t know, I''m but a maid, but I''m sure the queen had a meaning behind it," Dora tried to recover, the queen''s n is backfiring badly. "You''re right since she would be an idiot otherwise," Arad mumbled. [That could be a show of power and wealth.] Thud! They stopped upon reaching the bath door, seeing two guards standing beside it with serious faces. "Open the door," Dora approached them, "The guest is here," The guards looked at each other, "Sorry, but something came up a moment ago." One of them spoke, scratching his head, "Would you mind waiting a bit until we got another notice?" Dora froze, staring at the two guards, "That can''t be," She could hear Arad approaching behind her, and she started sweating. Arad walked past Dora and approached the guards, smiling, "Is that so? It''s a shame, isn''t it?" He stood between them, touching their shoulders at the same time. ZON! The two guards disappeared in the blink of an eye, and Dora fell on her but, shaking, "Did you kill them?" Arad smiled, "I just threw them outside, they should be fine," Dora stood and rushed to look out of a window, seeing the two guards confused in the garden. She sighed in relief. "But we don''t have the key," "That won''t be a problem," ZON! Arad smiled, teleporting inside the bath. CLICK! The door opened and he looked out with a smile, "I can open it from the inside. About the clothes, ck would do." CLICK! He then closed the door. Dora stared at the door for a second, unable to reply before snapping to her senses. "I need to report it, he''s in the bath and no one should get in," She rushed as fast as she could. **** Several minutester, Arad was rxing inside the bath, staring at the marbled ceiling, "This ce is nice, but the walls it would have been better if the walls were white or light blue," He looked around at the golden walls dotted with red and orange gems, "Its suffocating," As he rxed, he could sense a bunch of people approaching the bath, and one of them had unusually high Mana. ^Who is that?^ He looked toward the changing room door, trying to listen. "[From the magic, it''s the queen and some guards, a maid or two as well,]" ^Why is sheing this way? I haven''t even met her yet.^ [Probably passing by, no problem,] A few secondster the queen stopped by the bath''s door and one of her guards opened it. She went inside with two of her maids. She looked inside the changing room, not finding anything. She looked back at the maids, "Did any of you take his clothes out?" The two maids shook their heads, "We wouldn''t dare, your majesty. No one has entered after him. We are sure of that," The maid looked at the bath''s door, "Probably storage magic, or he already left," She sighed, "You two wait here. I will go alone," She took her clothes off and opened the bath door with a smile, looking around for Arad. With a quick nce, she could see a shadow behind the corner. ^That must be him? Did he notice me yet?^ She smiled, her long white hair dragging on the ground behind her. **** The two maids stood in the changing room, sweating from the heat. "It''s a risky move. What if he got offended." One of them mumbled. "He won''t. She''s the queen," The other one said with a smile. "So she nned this?" Arad said from behind them, resting his elbows on their shoulders. The two maids froze, pissing themself as they heard his voiceing with a growl. "I''m sorry," One of the maids started tearing up. Arad extended his hand and took the queen''s clothes, "Thank you, I''m taking those." He smiled, "And you two, enjoy a stroll in the garden. That is what I want to say, but considering your condition, I''m sending you to the uppermost floor," ZON! He then wore his clothes. Arad locked the door from the inside, broke it so it can''t be opened with a key from the outside, and teleported out, scaring the guards. "You!" One of the guards cried, jumping back and drawing his sword. "Don''t worry. I''m not used to doors." Arad smiled, lifting his hands. "Where is the queen?" Another guard asked after ring at his friend to sheath his sword. "Women take a bit to change, especially a queen," Arad smiled, "She will call you when she finishes," He walked away as the guards sighed in relief. **** Inside the bath. The queen realized she was bamboozled after she found a skeleton inside the bath instead of Arad. She rushed to the changing room, finding her clothes and maids have disappeared. She screamed for the guards to open the door, but since she could remember the names of the people working for her and didn''t call them by name, they couldn''t hear her. The maids finally made it back after half an hour to inform the guards to open the door. They found the queen naked and curled in the corner of the changing room, crying as she thought she was locked forever. Chapter 328 Cerilla Zylphyra I Several hourster, the queen called an audience with Arad present. As a way of thanking him for saving the elves. Arad walked toward the throne hall, checking the new clothes the maids gave him. The tight ck suit and frilled white necktie strangled him. Each chance he got, he pulled on them like an annoyed kid. "Calm down, it''s not like you really can''t breathe," Ae stared at him, almost ripping the necktie. "It''s not harmful, just annoying." Arad replied, sighing, "It''s hard to move. Those clothes are tight," Ae giggled, "I mean, no one expected someone of your size to need it," He started at his wide arms and chest almost ripping the clothes. She could bet that he would tear them if he flexed a bit. "We shouldn''t stand before her for long, as long as the nobles keep their mouths shut." Isdis sighed, "We already talked with the queen once." Lydia stood beside Ae, her fists on her hips, "Just ignore them. It would be faster that way," Arad looked at her, "Do you know where is Jack? I haven''t seen him since I woke up," "You''re looking for me. How considerate," Jack called them from the end of the hallway, approaching with a smile. Like Arad, the maids gave him a suit, but he got a white one. Arad smiled, "Where did you disappear to?" He approached. Jack smiled, dragging Arad away, "Give us a momentdies. I need chief for a second," At the room at the end of the hallway, Jack sat on a chair, staring at Arad. "So, what did happen?" Arad looked at him with a smile, expecting something. "Of course, I kept my ears open and got some sweet info about this ce," He pulled out a small map. "This is the capital, the map isn''t detailed, but it''s better than nothing. If you went this way north, you would enter the sacred forest of the world tree, and that clown Grant is there getting healed." Jack pointed, "We better avoid that ce. It''s more trouble than we need," "I agree, is it guarded?" Arad looked at the map. "A lot," Jack nodded and then pointed at another spot, "This is the capital''s auction, and I already asked about a special deal just a moment ago," He giggled. "What kind of deal?" Arad stared at him. "I heard you got hold of some, let''s say rare stuff. And some people there are willing to pay a lot for, enough for a man to retire," He smiled. "You''re talking about the queen''s clothes. That had been less than two hours ago," Arad smiled. "Words travel fast, especially through the guards. They can''t remain shut about such a topic to save their lives," Jack sighed, "Now the nobles are going to be a pain to deal with," "We have to head for the meeting now. We talk about thatter," Arad smiled, "I''m sure she has something interesting to say." *** Everyone stood before the throne hall gate, and the two guards slowly pushed it open, "The queen awaits your arrival. You''re now in the royal presence." Arad walked in the front, Ae trailing on his right and Isdis on his left. Eris slowly marched behind him, her face covered with a ck veil. Thud! Jack walked in the back, rxed as he stared around, ring at the nobles with a grin. CRACK! Lydia punched his side, "Behave for a bit," BANG! BANG! The queen''s speaker marched from, stroking his long white beard as he knocked the ground with his wooden staff. "You''re in the presence of her Majesty, the ruler of the great elvish kingdom. Queen Ceri Zylphyra," BANG! He knocked again, "Bow down!" Arad stared at the old man, crossing his arms and giving him a passive stare. The old man looked around, clearing his throat with a worried face, "Ahem! Bow down!" The guards, nobles, and maids in the back bowed, but Arad kept staring at the old man, ring directly into his eyes without moving an inch. "You won''t bow?" The queen said from the back, smiling. "I don''t feel like," Arad stared at her, "I was willing to do it until I took a bath and my head cleared out," The queen looked at Ae, "And you?" Ae smiled, "You sure aren''t asking me to bow after my husband refused," The queen stared at Isdis, "You represent the humans. I can''t expect you to bow, do I?" "Of course, I won''t," Isids smiled, "But I might do it if Arad did it," She smiled. She then looked toward Eris, "And you, night child," "Make me," Eris red at her from beneath the veil, "I won''t mind sucking on your neck for a bit," She giggled. The queen smiled, "I expected no less from you," She shifted her gaze toward Jack and Lydia, "What about you two?" Jack smiled, "Depends on how much you''re willing to pay," Lydia grabbed the hilt of her sword, "Pdins only bow and pray to their god." She pulled it and pointed at the queen, "I would die before bowing to a mortal..." She stopped at thatst word, thinking about it for a second, "Yeah," And she nodded. "I see," The queen giggled, "I understand. I didn''t expect less," "Insolence!" A man shouted in the middle of the nobles, ring at Arad, "That''s uneptable, to stand before the queen without bowing!" He growled at Arad. Arad looked at the noble, lifting an eyebrow. "Boot licker," Jack mumbled, giggling. The noble got angrier, looking at the queen. "Your majesty, may I speak?" "I believe that everyone should speak freely. I won''t berate them for not bowing as I won''t prevent you from speaking your mind," The queen smiled, and the man turned toward Arad. "He''s dangerous. A monster like him should be eliminated." The noble pointed at Arad, Arad nodded, "I do agree with you. I''m kinda dangerous," He smiled, mocking the man. The man''s face turned red, "You dare...The whole elvish kingdom stands before you, monster. You soon shall taste death. Rampaging on hournd will never go unpunished." As Arad stared at the man, he could hear a voice inside his head. Doma spoke to him, giving him a small insight into the man''s past. "It''s not about dealing with him or not. It''s about how much effort and damage it would take," Jack sighed in the back. "Let me show him why I''m dangerous," Arad smiled, looking at the queen, "Can I?" "Do what you like," ZON! Arad disappeared for a second and then reappeared in the blink of an eye, two elvish women standing beside him, confused. The elvish noble face paled as the two women stared at him, "Jhon?" One of them gasped, "Father?" the other one looked at him confused. "How did you!" The elf noble growled in rage, pulling his sword, "Get your filth hands off them!" He pointed at Arad, getting a spell ready at the tip. Arad smiled, "Come on," He grabbed the two women on my shoulders, "I brought them for their own good. He stared at the queen," His eyes shed purple, and arge metal safe fell in front of the queen''s legs. "Check the inside," Arad smiled. The man looked back, seeing the safe and getting terrified, "You bastard! How did you get that!" The queen knocked on the safe with her legs, looking at the guards, "This thing is locked tight. Who can open it for me?" "Ahem," The queen froze, hearing a voice beside her. "I can do it, but I would expect some payment," Jack already stood beside the queen''s throne, smiling. CLANG! The guards gasped, pointing their spears at him, "How did you get here?" "It''s your job to figure that out, not mine," Jack smiled, looking at the queen, "What do you say," "You can take anything money rted inside the safe if what inside proved intriguing to me," The queen replied, looking at Jack with a grin, "I do have a hunch at what''s inside," "Your majesty, don''t be fooled by those scandals. That safe is merely..." He grunted, unable to figure out what to say, "It isn''t important," Everyone fell silent for a second, unable to believe the pathetic excuse. "...Click out of five, back to one. Three is binding, click out of four, and it''s wide open," Jack smiled, spreading the safe''s door open with a smile. The queen looked inside from her throne, her eyes opening wide as she jumped to snatch some papers from the safe. She started reading them, her nose almost sticking to the paper. "Your majesty," The noble cried, staring at the queen. She red back at him, her eyes shing with a faint blue light, "Shut up!" CRACK! His body levitated, and his arms stuck to his torso as he could barely breathe. "This is treason. Since when you were selling ves to the orcs?" The queen growled, and the noble could feel his torso crushed under her will. "I never did! Those are forged! Fake!" He cried. "He''s been doing it for thest three hundred years," Arad said from the back with a passive face. "Take him away," The queen growled, and the guards dragged the noble out, and approached his wife and daughter. "You two areing as well. This is treason," "Those two are innocent. They joined his life after the fact, and didn''t know about it at all," Arad smiled, "The rest of the family, on the other hand, worked with him for a cut in the profit," "They remain," The queen sat back on her throne, putting one leg on the other, "No, this is a different matter, Arad Orion. How could you know about such a thing?" Arad smiled, "Don''t underestimate the wisdom of wyrms." Inside Arad''s head, Doma talked with Mom. ^[So, I one day needed some elves to test a new curse and had to buy from that man, his prices were quite cheappared to the bigger market, but his ves were in bad shape.]^ [How bad are we talking bout?] ^[Beaten and starving for days and sometimes weeks. I went from testing a sleeping curse to caring for them,]^ Doma sighed, ^[Elves can''t really sleep. They meditate while sitting or pretending to be asleep. So I wanted to see if they could rest more by sleeping, and used a curse to knock them out,]^ [Did it work?] ^[Yes, but they didn''t get any more rest. They seemed to get confused after sleeping, like how humans act after taking a heavy hit to the head.]^n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 329 Dalla Brown: The Slapper Arad stared at the queen as the guards dragged the noble out, smiling. He then turned toward the other nobles, "Does anyone else want to say anything?" "How about the damage to the forest?" A druid of them approached, "We can''t leave the forest half erased like that," Arad looked at him, scratching his head, "I still have the dirt and torn trees. I can dump them back there for use," The druid sighed, "It''s a part of nature," He looked out of the window, "Give us the dirt back. We need something to fill the hole with. I will deal with renting the trees," The other druids between the nobles looked at each other with a smile, "Thanks the world tree, this is getting over," Druids are servants of nature and walk by its rules. As intelligent dragons are, they are still considered wild monsters, and it''s a rule of nature that they fight back like a disaster. To them, Arad destroying the forest is no different than a bear scratching trees. They won''t goining about it. With a single nce, Arad noticed some actions between the nobles. Some still dared to re at him. Probably someone who doesn''t have dirt behind his back. CLACK! A man walked from the nobles, approaching Arad. "Sir Nomarion of the Greenlight household," He stared at Arad with a smile, "Care if I speak my mind a bit?" "Of course, you can," Arad replied, confused at his attitude. He is sure he doesn''t like him and expects her to start screaming. "I have less of a problem with you and more with her," He stared at Ae, "Or should I say with her family, to not be misunderstood," Arad looked back at Ae and at the man, "Then it has nothing to do with her," The man giggled, "Sadly, it has a lot to do with her." He pulled a ne from his pocket, "Do you recognize this," He showed it to Ae. After a second, Ae''s face changed, "How did you get that?" She growled. The noble smiled, "Interested? Your mother didn''t clearly leave the capital in good shape. All of your family''s belonging were confiscated to pay for it," He dangled the ne, "But. I''m willing to get the job done. Get you back everything," He looked at Arad, "Including the corpses," "That''s the face of a bastard if I ever saw one," Jack sighed in the back, "You''re ying with everyone''s lives," "Mind your business, rogue." The noble red at Jack, "So, as I was saying, as long as you and your husbands here help us with some affairs, I will dly return everything to you," CRACK! Arad grabbed the noble by the wrist, clenching his fist and forcing him to drop the ne. As Arad took the ne, he stared at the noble, "Why wouldn''t I just take it from you? Not like you can protect it," "You might take the ne, but nothing else." The noble smiled, grabbing his forearm, "They are hidden. Only I can help you find everything," ^[How about intimidation, that should work]^ Doma smiled inside Arad''s head. Arad red at the noble in the eyes and then looked back at Ae. "You want everything back?" "Honestly, yes. Especially the corpses." Ae replied. Arad stared at her, "With this man''s needs, you don''t seem to be getting anything." Arad growled, "I won''t get your family''s belonging back, but I can bury them down with this city," Ae instantly knew what he was doing and looked down, "If you say so, then let it be done," "You''re bluffing!" The noble growled, "You can''t destroy the capital. You will die, killed by our des." CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! The queen stood from her throne, walking with her heels knocking on the ground. She lifted her right hand and swung her palm at lightning speed. SLAP! She pped the noble, the skin of his cheek tearing apart. And before he could fall, she swung her other palm, pping his nose into his skull. CRACK! The noble flew for a second before falling to the ground, unconscious, "Sorry for that," She smiled, a maid rushing to her with a towel to wipe the blood from her palms. Arad stared at the queen, confused. ^I couldn''t see her moves. She might be as fast as Alcott,^ The guards rushed and pulled the noble away. "I will make sure you get everything back, no strings attached," The queen looked at Arad, "Unlike that idiot, I don''t fancy gambling with lives," "Even so," A maid growled, approaching the queen, "How many times I told you to never fight?" The queen smiled, "Sorry, he annoyed me quite a bit," She looked at Arad, "Sir Arad here could have erased the whole castle," The maid looked at Arad, "You know that isn''t the case," The maid approached Arad, "And even if he tired, I would kill him before he could do it," She reached to touch Arad. ^[MOVE!]^ Doma screamed inside his head, panicking. BAM! Arad lunged back, but the maid caught him by the wrist, "Why are you running?" She smiled. SWOSH! Arad swung his fist at her. ^[Teleport away! You''re already in her range!]^ CREEK! The maid twisted her hand, spinning Arad in ce and deflecting his punch with her palm. BAM! She put him back on his legs, "Your reactions aren''t that bad," She smiled, "Alcott taught you well, but he never told me he had a child," Arad stared at her confused. "Who are you?" Arad growled, "Who told you that I trained with Alcott?" "Da Brown, the gentle hand," She smiled, letting go of Arad. "No one did. I can see him in your moves. The way you stand and speak, the way you fight back. And most importantly, that bulging frame of yours," The queen approached Arad, her guards scrambling to stand between them, "There are three types of S-ranks. The ones with borrowed power like Grant, the ones with self-made power like her and Alcott, and finally, the ones that we can''t understand, like the top ranker, Gray." Da smiled, "I say you''re close to mid-range A-rank in terms of closebat. I don''t know about your magic though, getting caught off guard with it can be lethal." She approached Arad, "I would have died if I was in Grant''s ce. How are people supposed to escape that ck ball of yours?" "They are saying you shouldn''t face S-ranks directly, instead focus on evading their effective range." Jack walked toward them, "And those with borrowed power, just separate them from the source and it''s fine," Da looked at the queen with a smile. The queen pped her hands, "The meeting is over, you''re dismissed," She red at the nobles, and the guards drove them out. "It''s my training time, care to join?" Da looked at Arad, "Ceri hired me as a maid and a trainer, want to y with her a bit?" "Why would an S-rank serve as a maid?" Arad red at her, "You''re strong enough to find a better ce, right?" Da smiled, "The first time I pped someone was eleven years ago when I worked at a bar maiden, pouring beer for drunkards," She walked behind Arad, "pped the bastard so hard his teeth fell out, then I ran away from the guards. pping anyone who tried to catch me till I got rescued by another drunkard," "Who was that?" Arad looked at her. "Alcott and Erebus, they didn''t tell you about me?" She smiled. "Alcott mentioned an S-rank who made a name for themself by pping, but I don''t know who Erebus is," Arad stared at her. "A tall woman with coal-ck hair, purple eyes, and ashen skin. Alcott''s wife," Da stared at him. "Ah! Alcott and she got separated before I arrived at Alina," Arad replied. "HUH?" Da gasped, "For real? How could it be?" She looked down, thinking deeply. "What do you mean by when you got to Alina?" Arad looked at her, "You earlier said Alcott is my father, but you couldn''t be more wrong. I only met him two months ago when I arrived in Alina. But it''s true he did train me for a while. I learned so much that I became an S-rank. Even Nina learned the art of pping from me," "I never saw Nina p someone," Arad replied, "But why pping? Can''t you punch?" "I can''t. I don''t have the strength for that." Da dangled her arms, "pping is for those whock the brute strength of jacked men like yourself. It''s simple, swift, and targets the most sensitive organ, the skin," Arad felt a cold sweat dripping on his back, "It doesn''t matter how strong you are. We all feel the p pain the same." "I have hard scales covering my body. ps won''t harm me since you can''t target my skin." Arad replied. "[Don''t provoke her!]" "Want to test it?" Da stared at Arad with a smile, "It would hurt like hell," "Do it, but I will p you back right away," As Da weaved, her arms seemed to morph, looking as if theycked bones. CLACK! The moment she stepped forward, her palm elerated like a whip,nding on Arad''s shoulder. SLAP! Arad''s suit ripped apart in the form of her hand, tearing his scales and skin and leaving his muscles exposed. He howled, his scream shattering the castle windows in an instant. "Told it won''t matter," Da stared at Arad as he fell on his knees, sweating. Arad barely managed to stand, ring at her, "I saw how you moved," He dangled his arms as she did, "You moved like this, right?" "Heh?" Da gasped. ^He learned so much from Alcott in just two months. Don''t tell me already picked it up?^ Arad''s arms seemed to morph the same way Da''s did. CRACK! He stomped forward, swinging as fast as he could. In the blink of an eye, a shockwave exploded as his open palm elerated toward Da''s shoulder. CRACK! It didn''t sound like a p, and Da''s body flew at the wall, the skin of her shoulder nowhere to be seen, her muscles ripped, and bones broken. The shockwave traveled even to her ribs, cracking them. "GAH!" She coughed blood. One of her rips had pierced her lung. She smiled, blood dripping from her lips as her arm started to heal, "Alcott said that he won''t use it, as it isn''t manly. He rather punches people." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om CLACK! Danded back on her feet, pushing her dislocated shoulder back in ce, "But you don''t care, as long as it''s power. You learn and added it to your arsenal," Arad stared at her. ^I better learn it from her and then teach it to Mira and L since they don''t have the raw power to fight.^ Chapter 330 Exchanged Slaps CRACK! Da cracked her shoulder, approaching Arad, "But I have to say, you put too much power into your attacks." "More power is always better," Arad replied, looking at his hand. "The more power you pour into an attack, the higher the damage and the more likely to kill an enemy." "That isn''t always the case," Da opened her palms, "The world is cruel out there. Especially at the higher end, you''re either fighting someone far weaker than you or someone that can kill you with one hit." "I certainly saw that," Arad remembered all the times that he almost got killed, "They keep popping out," "Everyone picks the fights they are sure to win. You''re new and aren''t considering that. That''s why you end up pitted against them." She smiled, "You don''t know when to run or when to retreat or give up." "I know when to run," Arad red at her. "No, you don''t. If you did, you would have run away from Grant." Da approached Arad. "I like that, we''re alike," "You don''t when to run away?" Arad red at her. "I don''t like to run. I''m the honey badger of the s-ranks. And the weakest one stat-wise. My stats are even lower than most A-ranks," She lifted her hand, pulling a potion from her pocket and drinking it. "Is that so? From thest hit, you seemed to have quite a bit of strength." Arad red at her, tensioning his muscles as he could feel she was about to attack again. "I''m weaker than you by a lot." She smiled, "Ceri, you y with the rest. I will entertain Arad for a bit," "Ordering the queen around," Ceri sighed. "I''m the ruler in training, don''t forget that." Da stared at her with a grin. "Wait," Arad red at Da, "What are you two talking about?" He could feel the queen getting ready to attack Ae and the rest. "Look at me. I''m the one you''re fighting." Arad froze in ce, seeing Da''s hand flying toward his face. ^Shit!^ He instinctively lifted his arm, taking the hit on his forearm. CRACK! The skin ripped from over his muscles, sending a sharp agonizing pain across his spine. CLAP! CLAP! As he got distracted by the pain, he felt two more hits on his side, causing him to vomit in agony, barely able to see. ^My head is spinning. I don''t know where the pain ising from, only that it...^ He puked again. SWOSH! His ears picked on the wind trailing after Da''s fourth swing, causing his body to react out of fear, lunging sideways and jumping out of the window. ^Mom! Doma! What is this? What''s she doing?^ ^[Usally when an arm is torn off, you lose sensation to it and only feel pain at the stub where it got severed. What her attacks are doing is crushing your skin with all the nerves in it, just enough so they remain alive, and sending pain signals.]^ [Your attack earlier broke her arm and sent her flying, but her nerves got crushed, so she wasn''t in pain for long before the ce started feeling numb. You used too much force. Try attacking with higher speed but lower strength.] CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! As Arad looked at the window, he could see Da jumping from it and running down the wall like it was nothing. BAM! Aradnded on the ground, easily tanking the fall as Da used a tree to break her fall. "Who said I wanted to train with you?" Arad growled at her, clenching his fist. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I said it," Da rushed at him, swinging her palm at his face. Arad open his mouth, charging a fire breath as fast as he could. SLAP! Da pped Arad''s neck, sending an imaginable pain toward his throat muscles, forcing them to clench shut. Arad''s lungs shed red as the raging me exploded inside, causing his chest to expand like a ball. "When you feel pain, your muscles tense in an attempt to endure the damage. That''s a natural reaction that you can use," Da swung her hand at Arad''s chest. CRACK! Arad bent backward, sending a kick toward Da''s guts. Da shifted her attack, pulling her hand back and swinging at the sole of Arad''s foot. CRACK! The hit ripped Arad''s steel boots clean off, tearing the skin from his foot and sending him screaming. "Feet are really sensitive. Imagine the pain of hitting your toe, a thousand times shooting through your bones," She looked at Arad''s face, "Sorry, you don''t need to imagine. You''re already feeling it," Arad pointed his hand at her, [Gravity Magic] ^If she doesn''t have a lot of strength, I only need to crush her.^ Arad smiled inside, hoping she would just drop dead. CRACK! Blood gushed out of Da''s ears as she felt her knees about to crack. Her vision ckened as the blood went down to her legs. In a second, her head dropped to the ground, jaw first. At the impact, she regained her consciousness, seeing Arad recoiling from stepping on his injured foot. Even after healing, his brain couldn''t get rid of the fear of stepping on it. Da clenched her teeth and crawled across the ground, tearing her maid apron as she made it out of Arad''s gravity magic. BAM! The moment she was out, she stood, lunging at Arad again. Arad saw her charge at him, "Didn''t you lose consciousness?" He cried, lifting his palm and unleashing a st of lightning. Thud! Da ducked beneath the attack, swinging her palm at Arad''s arm. CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! Three hits were all she needed to shut his magic off, "To control magic, a person relies on feedback transferred by their nerves. If I overload them with pain, they can even lose the ability to use magic as long as the pain keeps going." She smiled, hitting Arad with a p on the chest, causing him to stop breathing. CRACK! Arad swung his palm, catching her by the neck, and growled, "I caught you," he started squeezing, trying to rip her head off. CREEK! Da dropped her pain shows, swinging her foot up and hitting Arad in the jewels, knocking him out. CRACK! Arad''s massive body fell back, motionless like a corpse. Thud! Da fell to her knees, gasping for air. But her airways were crushed by Arad''s grip. She pulled a healing potion from her pocket and poured it on her body, healing herself enough to swallow the second one. BA-dump! Ba-dump! She could hear Arad''s heart beating like drums. He wasn''t done yet. "I fought people who died of pain with a single p. How much have you endured?" She said with a pained smile. Thud! Da saw Arad''s arm suddenly point at her. BAM! Her eyes burst with blood, and she couldn''t see. "What?" Da gasped. Ting! As if time stopped, Da could feel Arad''s hand touching her cheek, he was pping her as Hard as he could. She countered immediately. She pped him in the face as best as she could. SLAP! SLAP! The two pped each other at almost the same time. CRACK! Arad''s palm ripped Da''s lower jaw off, while her p shook his brain, tearing the skin off his face. Thud! Thud! The two fell at the same time, and the guards who were in the back rushed in to check on them. As the guards checked on them, their faces paled. "The headmaid is dying, she lost a lot of blood, and her bones are crumbling," The guard cried, "What about him?" The other two checked on Arad, and then looked at each other, "No pulse, he''s dead." The third guard stared down at Da, "How many ps did he survive from her?" "Thatst one to the face must have fried his brain." Another guard stood, "Forget about him. Let''s focus on saving her life." As they tried to pour healing potions on Da''s body, Arad stood behind them, cracking his neck, "[Damn it, that''s why I told you to run,]" A strange voice came from his body. The guards red back at him, "You aren''t dead?" "[Your castle would have crumbled had I died]" Arad red at them, "[Move away,]" He extended his arm toward Da, [Curse of Regeneration] "[Healing!]" Da''s body regenerated, and she woke up immediately, seeing Arad staring at her. "What happened?" Arad didn''t reply and instead closed his eyes, "FINE! I WON''T KILL HER!" He suddenly shouted, ring at Da and panting. He wasn''t dead, only unconscious. The guards couldn''t feel his pulse since his heart is hidden deep within his void. Da barely managed to stand, "I pped you in the face. How did you stand back up?" "My brain extends all the way through my spine," Arad replied, "I was only unconscious as my brain regenerated using my spinal cord as a backup." "So it''s my loss," Da looked down, "Health, regeneration, and endurance are all parts of a person''s power. I lost in everything," Chapter 331 Cerilla Zylphyra II Arad woke up the next day beside Ae in their room. He sat up, looking at the door. "Come on. I know you''re standing outside," The door opened, and the queen walked in with a smile on her face. "How did you know I was there? I hid my presence well," She scanned Arad with her eyes. There wasn''t any magic around him. TAP! Arad tapped his head, "As long as you think, you can''t escape me," The queen stepped back, seeing the purple me burning in Arad''s eyes, which she found extremely disturbing. "Psionic? That''s a rare power to have, indeed," She closed her eyes, sitting on a chair beside the closet. "But Psionic abilities don''t work when the user is sleeping," The queen stared at Arad, "Aren''t you lying?" Arad stared back at her, smiling, "I never sleep. Each second passes, I''m awake and observing each move around me." Arad stood from the bed, approaching the queen, "All two thousand five hundred and sixty-nine people in this castle, I''ve been watching ever since I woke up yesterday," As a dragon that can stay awake for a long time, Arad never sleeps when in a location he doesn''t trust. Especially on quests, he learned to sit motionless through the night, pretending to be asleep just to watch and guard. "Exins why I wasn''t able to surprise you yesterday," She smiled, "By the way, I came to retrieve my clothes," Arad blinked twice, staring at her. A dark hole appeared on his chest, and he plunged his hand, pulling a leather pouch and showing it to the queen, "I sold them," The queen''s face paled as she stared at the pouch, "To whom?" "Don''t know, put it in the auction." Arad shook the bag, "Twenty-three tinum coins for the full set," The queen''s fresh clothes, as Jack expected, they could be sold for a ridiculous price to the right pervert. "I can''t believe you!" The queen cried, rushing out of the room in panic. Arad extended his hand toward the door, [Gravity Magic]. He used the pull to close the door and then shoved the pouch back into his stomach. "[Don''t worry about it. I neutralized them so they can''t be used to curse her.]" A voice came from his chest, and Arad smiled, "I know," Ae sat up, looking at Arad''s face, "I told you she woulde looking for them," "She shouldn''t have left them in the first ce." Arad looked back at her with a smile, standing up and stretching his arms. CLICK! The queen opened the door again, approaching Arad while panting, "The guards are on their tail. Let''s hope nothing back would happen," "If you''re worried about curses, I already neutralized them. They also can''t be used to track you," Arad approached the queen, looking back at Ae as she stood. "You what? What got you to know curses?" The queen gasped, "Even among archmages and the dark arts, such a thing shouldn''t be easy to achieve," Arad smiled, lifting his hand, "Curses that bind people into submission, ve contracts. Curses that kill people, death snake. Curses of petrification, Medusa''s bane. Even curses that break marriages and force lovers, I know more than I look," He rested his fists on his hips with pride. ^[I''m the one teaching you at night, don''t forget me.]^ The queen''s eyes lit up as she stared at Ae with a happy smile, "If that''s the case, then there shouldn''t be a problem taking you there now," Ae looked back at the queen, "To where?" "You''re family''s domain, the Deianira''s household." She smiled, waving her hand for them to follow her. "We''ll follow you after we change," Arad nodded, but the queen sat back on her chair. "Then I will be waiting," she smiled. "Arad," Ae looked at Arad with a passive face, and he approached the queen, grabbing her by the head, "See youter," [Void Step] He sent her away, dropping her in the middle of the throne room head first. CRACK! She fell on her nose, almost breaking it, "How did he do this?" She cried. *** The queen stood, walking toward the throne as the guards chased after her, "Your majesty, how did you get here?" "This isn''t your problem. Leave at once," She wiped the blood from her nose, hushing them away. "I want the throne room empty." The guards saluted her as they rushed out, locking the door. The queen approached the throne, "What am I going to do with this dragon? I can''t figure a way to keep him around." She knocked on the throne with her hand, and a magical door appeared behind it. The queen walked through it with a sad face. Ding! The door closed. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om **** In Arad''s room, he was changing clothes with Ae, smiling. CRANK! Suddenly, Arad''s eyes shifted into draconic as scales covered his skin, "The queen''s mind disappeared," He growled, feeling as of her soul got snuffed like a candle in a storm. [It''s a huge problem if someone killed the queen,] ^They won''t get away. I will catch them.^ Arad was less concerned with the queen''s safety and more about eliminating the grave threat that just appeared. To a dragon, having someone killed in his presence without him knowing how it happened is a grave insult and danger. The dragon would chase the killer to the end of the world to squash them. The castle shook as Arad sted through the fools,nding in the throne room just five seconds after the queen disappeared. "[It wasn''t a curse, nor teleportation magic. She fazed out of existence.]" CRACK! Arad shifted into his draconic form uponnding in the throne room to enchant his senses, prowling around with deep growls. Everyone in the castle stopped moving, shaking in their boots as they felt the dragon''s frightful presence descending upon their minds. Da woke up from her bed, shivering to the bones, "A dragon? No, it''s Arad," she rushed out in her pajama, running at an incredible speed toward the throne room. The moment she got close, she saw the two guards at the door standing as if paralyzed, crying and pissing themselves from Arad''s sheer presence. "What is happening?" She asked, but they couldn''t reply. Their minds couldn''t decide whether to fight or flee and ultimatelynded on standing there, hoping for the best. Da grunted, "Paralyzed with fear." She grabbed the door with her hand, opened it, and rushed inside. CLAP! The door smacked behind her as she froze, seeing Arad''s jaw above her head. His heavy hot breath gushed at her face as she saw his opal teeth as clear as the sun. GRRRR! Arad growled, sniffing her. "Da. Not the one behind it," He turned around, running like a cat toward the throne. Thud! Da fell on her but, staring at him, "This isn''t a mere dragon. Why is his aura so heavy?" She wasn''t versed in magic, so she couldn''t tell why. Arad stood on his hind legs, lifting his front ws and bncing with his long tail, "This throne. It has traces of a strange magic." Arad growled, "Yes, divine magic, like the one Lydia use but with a different scent." He mumbled. "We can break it, can''t we?" Arad mumbled again, and Da stared at him, confused, "To whom he''s talking?" Two magic circles appeared in front of Arad''s ws, crackling with a bolt of purple arcane lightning. **** The queen walked through darkness, her eyes closed. BAM! She suddenly heard a loud magic burst, stopping her in her tracks. The queen bowed, looking at the ground as a massive tree exploded from the ground, reaching the heavens. "Ceri, the current queen of the elves." A woman''s voice came from the tree, "Lift your head," Ceri lifted her head, staring up to see a throne in the middle of the tree trunk, a blond elvish woman sitting on it, ring down with her ruby-red eyes. "I came as your ordered, goddess of the elves Sylph Zylphyra." The queen said with a calm voice. "You came but failed. The dragon would still roam the world, unbound to the roots of fate," The goddess said with a bored voice, "No wonder he''s useless to her." "Sorry, I couldn''t find the fated one. Where should I keep looking?" The queen said with a sad voice, fearful of her failure. "Being fateless isn''t a bad thing," The elf goddess smiled, "I would say. It''s best for him and worst for everyone else." "What do you mean?" The queen gasped, pondering an answer. "Mortals shall not new fate, and you''re one." The elf goddess smiled, "That elf with the dragon. Her mother prayed with her dying breaths to spirits of wind to protect her daughter." the elf goddess stood, walking down. CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! Her heels knocked loudly on the wood, and she smiled. "The wind spirit has no such power. They are mere forces of nature." approached the queen, "What do you think they did?" "The wind spirit prayed for you asking for help," The queen replied. "Wrong," She red at the queen, "She prayed to whoever is listening, and the one that answered is the fairies goddess," The queen started sweating, "Titania?" "Her name is Ishtar, but she''s the one called Titania." The goddess sighed, "Warn the dragon. She''s hungry for magic. And she''s dwelling in that mansion, awaiting the day of the wind spirit herald arrival." Chapter 332 Cerilla Zylphyra III CRACKLE! The queen looked back, sensing a faint disturbance in the forces. "What was that?" She gasped. The dark void around her quaked, blowing like a breeze. The elf goddess sighed, "This ce is isted from the outer world. It''s a lone demi-ne in the infinite void of the astral ne." She lifted her hand, pointing behind the queen. "That void brat''s natural habitat is the astral ne. His magic is slowly digging its way, and soon he will reach us." The goddess flicked her finger, causing the world tree behind her to quake. The branches crackled, slowly sinking into the ground as the leaves blew away, leaving a faint smell of lemon. "It can''t be. This ce is protected by you. How could Arad jump in?" The queen gasped. She is in the presence of a goddess. A mortal shouldn''t be able to enter. The astral ne is a limitless void. The gods see it as a waste to leave such space unused, especially since it has nothing their presence can crush. Sylph, the goddess of the elves, smiled from ear to ear. "In the past, a red drakaina lived her life as a housewife, raising her two daughters in peace. But one day, the dragon king got a prophecy from the dragon goddess and decided to pull her out of her house to be one of his mates, and wanted to kill her two daughters. What do you think happened?" "I don''t know. She got taken away or blessed?" The queen replied with a puzzled face. In the historical texts, the ancient chromatic dragon king was a multicoloured, rainbow-like dragon with all the elements under his ws. The current dragon queen is the former king''s cursed daughter that got the blessing of an elder god who rose to power in her time. "In a rage, she ripped the king to shreds and jumped to hell chasing the dragon goddess, and killed her in a year. She then got the title of the fire goddess." The elf goddessughed, "Don''t underestimate dragons, the first overgod AO made them as a symbol of power, and the second overgod didn''t bother to change much." "I can''t believe it," The queen looked down, thinking about it. "If all it took to transform a housewife dragon to a god killer is taking her family from her, then you can''t underestimate any dragon, especially this void kid." The elf goddess turned around, "Mess with him, or his wives, and history might repeat itself." She red at the queen, "He would rip you to pieces, tear the kingdom apart and chase me to the end of the world," "That can''t be right, you can beat him, right?" The queen gasped. "I can with ease," Sylph smiled, "But, that''s what the first dragon goddess thought and she ended up killed," Her body started disappearing, "Albeit, I have the strongest monster to call for help," She could feel that silky silver beard on tip of her fingers. "Don''t let your rage take over, this is myst warning," The goddess''s voice echoed across the darkness. DING! The goddess disappeared, and the queen stood in the darkness, "I know dragons are powerful, but can they really get strong enough to kill a god?" She walked back, opening the gate to the throne room. BAM! The moment the gate opened, she faced Arad''s growling jaw, grunting as the whole room cracked. Arcane magic seemed from his ws, sending shivers down her spine. ^A few more minutes and he would have broke in,^ "You''re alive?" He growled, his hot breath blowing her hair back. "What happened?" The queen gasped, ring behind him and seeing Da standing behind, "You''re there as well?" Only Da knew of her regrly going in, this was the first time in a hundred years that someone else noticed. CLACK! Arad shifted back into his humanoid form, looking at the gate behind the queen, "What is that ce? How did you getpletely erased," "I didn''t get erased. I just had some work to do," The queen replied. She isn''t supposed to expose the elf goddess''s involvement in the matter. "It''s a private room where I can work in peace." "A special private room?" Arad stared at the queen. ^Wait? Is there something like that? If I''m going to build a castle between Alina''s mountains, I want a room like that.^ "You could say so," The queen puffed her chest, waving her hand to close the door before Arad could jump inside, "It doesn''t just muffle someone''s presence. It''s linked to a faraway location which causes all my traces to disappear the moment I step inside." Usually, when someone uses invisibility, silence spells, or magic to hide their aura and breath, they can''tpletely erase their traces, and Arad is used to using his senses to track them. To him, it was like a man seeing a house vanish into thin air when the queen went inside. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "How did you get it? I want one." Arad stared at the queen. Such a useful looking room, he won''t pass the chance of having one. "You can''t get one," The queen sighed, "It''s a blessing by our goddess. We, mortals, can''t make such a thing even with a thousand years of work." Arad sighed with a sad face, ^[You don''t need it, but we might be able to get one in the future. Now how about we deal with the mess in the castle?]^ Doma said with a smile, and Arad looked back. CRACK! A brick fell from the ceiling where Arad had fallen through, "Oh, that mess." "What did you do?" The queen cried, rushing toward the hole and staring with a shocked face. "Who did this?" Arad looked away, "Not me," CRACK! The queen''s neck snapped, ring back at him with red glowing eyes, "It was you? How many floors did you break?" Da gasped, "Heh! She''s about to rage, I told her that''s a dangerous skill," she sighed, walking toward the hole. "I''m counting ten, including the two reinforced ones." Da looked up the hole, an exhausted smile covering her face. ^This doesn''t look like a hole, as if he disintegrated the floor as he passed instead of breaking it.^ "Golden chains rage from within," The queen mumbled, golden lines emerging on her skin as she started glowing with white light. ^[A warlock? So she''s a monk and a warlock, wonder if she''s over level 40,]^ Doma smiled inside Arad, ^[Get ready. As pdins call upon their god''s power, warlocks call upon a higher being like devils, angels, or monsters to grant them magic,]^ Arad smiled, "Let me try as well," he lifted his palm, pointing at the queen with his eyes closed. "Infinite curses boiling in darkness," He mumbled, ck tattoos crawling on his skin. CLANG! A massive golden warhammer appeared on the queen''s shoulder as golden chains danced around her body like snakes. "Farryn!" The ghostly figure of arge blood-elvish woman dotted with te armor appeared behind the queen, dripping her aura like oil. Da growled, stepping away as she kept her eyes on the queen. "A warlock of the archangel Farryn, there aren''t many people who can face her divine power. The queen had to make a pact that forced her to serve the elf goddess for life just to call on the angel''s powers." She stared at Arad. ^I can''t sense any pact magic around him, his words are an empty threat.^ She smiled as Arad lifted his palm up. ^He;s bluffing,^ "Arad! Don''t fight her with your own power!" Da shouted, "That apparition is of an angel, it''s holy magic. One hit and you will turn into ash." She knew Arad was a vampire and didn''t want him to die. CLANG! Out of nowhere, arge stone sword emerged in Arad''s hand,nding on his shoulder, and a gust of dark magic started swirling around his body. "Heh?" Da gasped, taking a step back. The ghostly figure of a pink-haired hag emerged behind Arad, lifting her hands above his shoulders. "Something is granting him power without a pact or a contract? That can''t be real," She red at the queen, "Stop! You two can''t sh here!" Arad isn''t a warlock, but he has something that most don''t. A powerful being willing to grant him power without restraint. Doma smiled inside Arad, ^[Be grateful that I don''t ask for a written pact like others. She seems to have the monk, warlock, and barbarian sses. Knock her with a solid punch. I will deal with the source of her power.]" BAM! Arad lunged forward, and the queen did the same. CLANG! The queen swung her hammer down, and Arad swung upward with the stone ymore. A shockwave of curses and Holy magic raged, shaking the castle. CRACKLE! The queen''s golden chains coiled around Arad like snakes, strangling him and burning his skin with holy magic. Dama''s ghost smiled behind Arad, "[Divine chains, what a fickle thing to deal with. You ask too much of this old hag,]" She lifted her wrinkled palms, crossing her fingers as a gush of ck smoke gushed out of her dry lips. [Hail to the Snakes] The queen''s ne and wristbands jerked to-like, turning into worms that soon becamerge snakes, entangling her body and dropping her to the ground. DON! Farryn''s ghost above the queen swung its hammer at Arad''s head. He is tied with the divine chains and can''t dodge or teleport away. The attack wasn''t normal, but instead dripping with divine magic, a holy smite that even Lydia can''t hope to match. A strike is fresh from an angel. CLANG! A ck barrier emerged in front of Arad, taking the hit and shattering. "You look so young and beautiful," Doma started crying, "How good for you, how good for you..." She stared at her with tear-filled eyes, "HOW GOOD FOR YOU!" [Eye Of Envy] SWOSH! Farryn''s body burst into mes, her holy magic rapidly disappearing back into the heavens. [A great curse, I see.] Farryn smiled, [Give Ceri a good hit in my stead,] BAM! She disappeared and Ceri lost consciousness, drained of all of her power. CRACK! As the chains around Arad shattered into golden mist, he looked at Doma. "Why do you look like that? And why are you crying?" ^[It''s just the conditions for an eye curse. When a person sees another person with greater fortune and blessing, they are prone to envy them and wish ruin upon their lives. Envy is a curse that causes people to lose what they were blessed with.]^ Doma exined the curse directly into Arad''s mind as she faded back into him. Arad took a deep breath and approached the queen, "A monk, warlock, and a barbarian?" He stared at her. "A level forty-five. She barely got five levels into barbarian and still cannot control her rage," Da approached them, "What about you?" "Don''t want to say," Arad stared at her, "Unless you told me about yourself," He smiled. Da smiled back at him, "Level fifty-five. Twenty levels as a dancer bard, and thirty-five as a pper monk." "Want the unbelievable truth, the real lie, or the sensible answer?" Arad looked at her. "A draconic mage, a sorcerer as you might call it, and I didn''t reach level twenty yet. The rest is innate power," Arad smiled, lifting the queen. "I didn''t expect you to reply," Da smiled. "But you can expect our support in the future." Da didn''t believe Arad and is certain he lied. The power he holds is beyond their understanding, so decided on the safest option, supporting him until further details are revealed. Chapter 333 To The Deianira Mansion The queen woke up in her room, feeling a sharp pain coursing across her body. "Damn it, withdrawal again?" She growled, reaching into the water bottle at the bedside table. Da stood from the couch and approached the bed, handing the queen the bottle, "In pain?" "As usual, rage withdrawal," She gulped as if she didn''t drink in years, "What happened? I didn''t kill anyone, did I?" Da smiled, "Not this time. Arad knocked you out," The queen sighed in relief, "Thank goddess, I didn''t go all out, it seems." "No, you did," Da said with a passive face, staring at the queen in the eyes. "You even summoned Farryn to aid you in battle." The queen started sweating, "Where is Arad, is he hurt? That was divine magic," "He''s unscathed. In fact, he wiped the ground with you." She looked away, "He even pulled a patron without a pact." "He''s a warlock? He shouldn''t operate without a pact unless his patron is weak." The queen stared at Da, "You must be wrong," "His patron is the curses witch Doma. She is by no means weak." Da sat on the bed, "But for some reason, she''s granting him power without a pact." "The curse witch, that''s the only being I expected to have the worst and most unfair pacts." The queen started thinking, ^Da must be wrong. He can''t be a warlock or have the witch at his side,^ "Is she fine?" A voice came from the other side of the bed. The queen looked back, "Yeah, I''m fine..." she paused, seeing Arad sitting at the bedside, staring at her eyes. "HA!" She cried, rolling out of the bed, "What are you doing here?" "I felt you wake up, so I came to check on you. I punched you hard." He stared at her panting and smiled, "You seem energetic enough," "You can''t just enter. What are the guards doing?" The queen cried. "I asked them the same. They said. [Will a sane man stand before a carriage to stop it?]" Arad looked at the door, "I''m more surprised you didn''t hear me walk in," The withdrawal doesn''t just cause pain but a decrease in all of the queen''s senses as well. She can''t hear that well, and her vision is blurry. Ceri stood, leaning on the bed and looking at Arad''s face, "Bring everyone and wait for me outside. I will lead you to Ae''s family''s mansion.%I will call Ceri by her name from now on. She is still the queen% ***** Two hourster, Arad stood at the castle gate with Ae at his side. Jack and Lydia rested on the side, looking at the capital''s map. "The elf goddess, goddess of dances and swords, and the goddess of spiders. It''s rare to see three churches in the same city without a problem." Lydia smiled. "From the look of it, guards patrol every street. It''s going to be rough around here," Jack sighed, and Lydia gave him a disappointed stare. Eris stood behind Arad like a ghost, her body covered with a ck robe from head to toe as she yawned, "I do want to sleep. Can''t we go at night?" Isdis lifted an eyebrow, "You can stay awake for a bit, right? I heard vampires don''t need to sleep that much." "That isn''t right. We need to sleep as much as humans do, and sometimes for longer when blood is scarce." Eris shook her head, approaching Isdis. "Blood isn''t a problem for you. Is it? We''ve provided you with plenty." Isdis stared back at her. "Your blood doesn''t taste that good, and neither is Ae''s." Eris smiled beneath her veil, staring toward Arad, "His blood on the other hand is a delicacy." "You almost died," Isdis sighed. Eris giggled, "It''s a guilty pleasure. It''s sad that his blood is weaker than mine. Drinking it damages my guts." "We need to get you off the blood somehow. Can''t you drink animal blood?" Isdis stared at her, looking at a cat walking by the wall. Eris stared at the cat for a moment. The cat paused, ring back at Eris and growling. When Eris moved slightly, the cat fled the scene. "I can''t, a vampire need to drink their race blood. The further they get off it, the less value they get." Eris looked at Isdis, "I need to drink half-dragon blood. elves or dragons provide me with less nutrition, so I sleep a lot." Eris approached Isdis, whispering in her ear, "To be honest, your blood taste like watered beer with cheese. Unlike Ae''s blood which tastes like sweet jam with a hint of mint," "I couldn''t be more grateful for someone to call me disgusting," Isdis smiled, "How do Arad taste?" "Like a grilled stake with an amount of hot pepper and garlic. What makes it good is that the taste disappears right after you swallow, making you crave more." She looked at Arad with a grin, "Ableit all that spices burn my stomach," "We should try getting you to walk in the day," Arad looked at her and soon spotted Ceri approaching with Da and five armed guards. "You all seem ready," Ceri looked at them, inspecting their armor from afar. "Took you long enough," Arad approached her, "I wonder why." "I had some matters to take care of," Ceri approached Arad with a smile. "Nothing you should care about," Da looked at Arad, "Her armor didn''t fit, so we had to get her another one." She knocked on Ceri''s back. "It''s a bit tight around her chest, so she might not be able to pant or bend that much." Ceri red back at Da with an embarrassed face, "Who told you to speak?" "You''re unable to fight at full power due to that, and they need to know in case something bad happens." Da looked at Arad and then at the guards, "I will protect her, but keep an eye out," The two guards saluted her, "As you order," "You two always listen to her more than me." Ceri cried the guards follow her orders, but they rarely show any excitement when doing it, unlike when Da is the one ordering them around. The two guards looked at Ceri. "We have to keep a formal attitude around the queen," They lied. Da as the headmaid had been sneaking the leftover food of the royal court to the guards and always spoke up in their favor to the kingdom''s generals. She might have more power over the castle''s guards than the queen herself. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad looked at them, confused at the guard''s smile, "Should we go? We don''t have the entire day." He looked back at Eris. *** Several guards rushed to stand at the castle gate, clearing the way for the queen and her guests to step down to the royal carriage awaiting at the street. People gawked out of their windows, mumbling as they saw Ceri walking down the steps with arge human behind her. "Since when did we start allowing humans into ournd?" An old woman sighed, closing her window, "This best end soon," The carriage door opened and a butler walked out with a smile on his face, "My queen, the carriage is ready," Da approached him, "I will take over from here, good job," The butler bowed, "Take care," He then returned to the castle. Da approached the carriage and inspected it, "Your majesty, the carriage is ready." "I can see that," Ceri sighed, getting inside with Isdis, Eris, Lydia, and Ae after her. Arad and Jack sat beside Da in the driver''s seat as she took the lead. The carriage started to move immediately with the guards beside it on horseback. Ceri looked out of the window, "It''s been a while since I got out," Da red back, "Get your head inside the carriage, do you want to get assassinated?" Ceri smiled, "I have you and Arad around, they can try." "You have someone after your head?" Arad looked back. "I don''t know, but all royals are targeted. It''s more annoying than dangerous." Ceri waved her hand, poking her head out of the window with a smile. Jack looked at Arad, "She''s right, killing her won''t be easy." He smiled, "A lot of fools try it all the time," Da looked at him, "After years, one fool might seed, that''s why we can''t drop our guards." "Speaking about that," Jack smiled, "How do you intend to deal with today''s ambush? It''s getting close," Da stared at Jack, confused, "What ambush?" Jack blinked twice, "Damn it! I thought you already knew!" He stared back, "Ae, five at the northern tower, seven on the east tile rooftops, and the woman pretending to be pregnant on the street. Thud! An Arrow flew in toward Da''s eye, she swung her hand, pping it away at thest moment. CRACK! Ae kicked the carriage door open and jumped outside, pulling the bow string. BAM! BAM! BAM! She fired three arrows toward the rooftops, killing the tree assassins who stood there. ZON! Arad teleported to the tower, finishing the ones hiding there. CLANG! Lydia rushed toward the woman in the street, swinging her sword and killing her on the spot. THUD! Jack rushed out, stabbing the woman''s stomach with his dagger, pulling the halfling hiding inside. "Novices, words about your ambush had already spread." Chapter 334 Deianira’s Mansion And The Peculiar Pixie The carriage reached arge walled garden, and Ceri looked outside the window, "We''re here," SWOSH! Isdis pulled her head inside, "We just got attacked, don''t poke your head out like that!" "But they failed," Ceri opened the door, jumping outside with a smile, "See, No attacks," She puffed her chest. "Be more concerned," Da looked back, walking down to stand beside her. Arad looked at the old crumbling walls. He could see traces of blue magic glittering between the cracks, followed by a golden haze. He walked forward, extending his hand, touching the cracks, "Hehehehe," At that moment, he could feel a sharp pain surging from his fingertips, his mana getting sucked out like a flowing river. "GAH!" Arad cried, pulling his hand out and staring at the wall with a sweaty face, "This thing absorbs mana like hell. We shouldn''t touch it," Ceri put her hands on her hip, "I already knew that. Couldn''t you want me to exin it?" "Forget that now. I will jump over the wall and see what''s inside," Arad turned toward the wall, squatting as the muscles in his legs bulged. Ceri sighed. BAM! Arad jumped into the air, almost getting over the wall. CLANK! He suddenly hit an invisible wall, feeling his mana getting sucked out. "GAH!" As he gasped, his body fell on the wall, taking a second hit before rolling to Ae''s feet. "We can''t jump over it," He said. Ceri walked toward him, "Stop jumping in and let me guide us inside. This ce is protected. It would defeat the purpose of the wind spirit if you managed to get in with ease," "Fine, what should we do?" Arad stared at her, not bothering to stand. "Are you giving up? I honestly expected you to be able to break in with all the insanity you did earlier in the castle." Ceri smiled. ^[This barrier doesn''t seem like the work of the wind spirit. It''s the work of a pixie, a powerful fairy to be exact.]^ Arad stood, approached the wall, and stared at it, "Is there a door around here?" "It''s over there behind the corner." Ceri pointed out. Arad approached the door, looking closely at it, and then smiled, "I have a solution, but it will take some time," He touched the door, sending waves of magic into the metal. He then extended his second arm back, letting Doma absorb mana from the air for him. "I will stuff the door with mana until it explodes," Arad smiled. "Are you insane? That must be painful as hell!" Ceri cried, ring at Arad as he started channeling mana. "If it''s just pain," Da looked at Ceri, "Arad won''t stop," Eris looked at Ae, "Is this your house? It''s quite big. Was your family rich or something?" "I won''t say rich," Ae scratched her cheek, "We worked as high ranking archer family. Mother was the ranged general of the kingdom," Isdis stared at Ae, shocked, "You know how important is that?" "I know, but the title is linked to the person contracted with the wind spirit. Only mother enjoyed that privilege, or should I say responsibility?" "Having great power alwayses with great responsibility," Lydia approached Ae, "Don''t worry about it," she smiled. Ae looked at the door, "It''s been a while since I''ve been here," "RWA!" They suddenly heard Arad cry as his body flew back, half charged as he rolled on the ground, "Damn it, I overloaded my body with mana," He sighed, barely sitting. "I have to rest a bit," Arad took a deep breath and then looked at everyone. "What?" "Nothing. Did you give up?" Ceri stared at him with a smug face. "Not yet, need to rest for a moment," Arad replied with a stern face. HOP! Ae ran away, hopping with a smile on her face. Eris looked at Arad, "How can you even absorb so much mana that you burn yourself?" "I don''t know," Arad replied. Thud! Ae put a wooden table in front of the carriage with a chair, "Arad, you can rest here a bit. I will pour you some water," Arad smiled, sitting on the chair as Ae started pouring him some water. "Was this table on the carriage? I didn''t see it?" Eris stared at the strange wooden table and chair. She was sure they weren''t with them before. "Those?" Ae smiled, "We always keep some in the warehouse for when people want to sit outside," "Weahous? Where?" Isdis looked around, seeing no such building. "It''s right in that corner inside the garden," Ae pointed toward the wall. ZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! The open door cried like it was never oiled in decades, sending an ear-piercing screech. "You opened the door?" Everyone gasped at the same time. Ae looked at the door, confused, "I just walked in out of habit," Ceri looked at her, "I was about to use this to open the door," She showed Ae a ring that belonged to her mother, "You should keep it now," "Wait? I could open the door?" Ae gasped. "Whoever is protecting the house. It can recognize you and your mother, but it''s stupid enough to be fooled with a ring." Jack approached Ae, "Can I look at that ring?" He asked with a smile. Ae handed Jack her mother''s ring, and he inspected it. "Impressive craftsmanship, elvish in origin, but it has a hint of halfling touch. A marvelous ring that could go for up to one tinum coin for the right buyer." He then threw the ring to Arad, "Does it have any magic?" Thud! Arad caught the ring, "None that I can see from a nce, A mundane ring," He stood and gave it back to Ae. Ae put the ring on and walked toward the door, opening it wide for everyone to walk it. "Pleasee in slowly. I don''t know if the barrier is down." Everyone walked behind her safely, "This ce is big," Arad looked at therge nts in the garden, "How long do you need to leave grass for it to grow this big?" The single leaf was almost five times as tall as he, sending a menacing shadow. "They shouldn''t be able to grow this big," Ceri gasped, looking around with amazement, "This ce must be blessed with life." "You didn''t know about it?" Jack looked at Ceri, "Didn''t peoplein about it growing out of the walls?" "No," Ceri looked at Jack, "No one did." Jack stopped in his ce, "Fuck me..." He looked back at the wall, seeing it extending to the clouds. "The grass isn''t the one that grew big. We got smaller," He gasped. "Hehe!" They could hear the faint giggles of a little girl carried by the wind, "You''re a smart one, artifact holder," The voice grew closer, but it was louder. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om BZZZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! As everyone red around in shock, they could hear something buzzing above them. They looked, seeing a giant woman flying with butterfly wings over them. The fairynded on a grass de, dangling her legs with an amused smile as she red down at them. "Wee to my y house," "Get us back to normal," Arad growled. "You have to y with me first," The fairy smiled, staring back at him. Thud! Arad cracked his fists, "How about I pull your wings instead? Would you get us back?" The fairy looked at his, shaking one finger, "No! No! No! The spell would be permanent if I was harmed, or killed," Ceri walked forward, "We will y your game. What is it?" The fairy smiled, "First, my name is Zephyr. I''m the daughter of Mei, the Pixies'' queen. You know me as the wind spirit if I''m not wrong," She looked at Ae, "I''m the one who let you inside." "Then? What''s your game, or are you going to exin something?" Eris stared at her. Zephyr smiled, "I want to y," In the blink of an eye, she caught Ae between her toes and flew to the sky, "The game is to catch me!" She smiled. VROOM! As she flew away, she could feel Arad after her, "Give her back," He growled. "You have something else to deal with," Zephyr smiled. CRACK! Something stabbed Arad''s back, ripping his wings off. "The hell?" Arad growled, looking back to see a cow-sized wasp. No, the wasp wasn''trge. It''s Arad that is small. "See you inside," Zephyr flew away with Ae as a swarm of wasps attacked Arad, dropping him to the ground. Arad gasped, coughing blood as he healed, "Bugs, I will burn them to ash," He lifted his arm, pointing at the swarm. CLACK! As he aimed, arge web fell on him, tying him to the ground. Right behind him, arge spider red menacingly. "A wolf spider! Burn the web and run away!" Da shouted as she pped an ant on the face, killing it. Arad growled, burning the web and standing. He looked around and clenched his fist. "Spiders, wasps, ants, cockroaches, worms, and even more, all the bugs of the garden are attacking us," He shifted into his draconic form, remaining as small as a beetle. Chapter 335 Weak Resolve Arad red forward, seeing spiders and ants rush from between the grass des, bearing their fangs and mandibles. "I''m the only one big enough. Get on my back," Arad growled, lowering his wing. Everyone rushed to mount his back, escaping the hordes of ants. *** "Hehe!" Zephyr giggled, flying through the cracked window and zipping across the rooms. "Let me go! Let me go!" Ae shouted, trying to reach her bow. "Don''t bother. Projectiles can''t fly through the air around me." Zephyr smiled, "I only need to fulfill my contract with your mother. Calm down." "What contract? Let me go. They will die!" Ae shouted, trying to gather her magic but failing. "The humanoids might die, but not that dragon. I wouldn''t have sent the bugs after them if he wasn''t there." Zephyr sighed, "The hell is that thing? Could feel a tingle down my spine when he red at me." "The others shouldn''t die!" Ae red at Zephyr, enraged, "Let me down, now!" She pulled a dagger and shoved it beneath her toenail. "GRWAAAAAAAA!" Zephyr cried, dropping Ae to the ground. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As Ae fell, she pulled a rope from her pocket and threw it toward a desk. The rope entangled around a drawer handle, and she swung across,nding on the chair. Zephyr red at Ae, holding her bleeding toe with tears in her eyes, "You''re as fickle as your mother." "I don''t care, die!" Ae pulled her bow and aimed at Zephyr, "What are you?" "Me?" Zephyr stared at her, confused for a moment. "Ahem, then let''s do it like your mother." BAM! BAM! BAM! Ae fired three arrows at Zephyr, targeting her eyes and stomach. SWOSH! The arrows stopped mid-air, and Zephyr looked at Ae with a smile. "What am I? A friend, probably. An enemy? Conceivably. A power, that''s for sure." "I don''t care. You attacked us, so you''re an enemy." Ae fired three more arrows, sending them toward Zephyr''s face. "Those are useless against me," Zephyr stopped the attack, "You''re a slow learner, aren''t you?" Ae grunted, looking for something heavy to drop on the flying humanoid Mosquito. "A spell can explode and kill your friends. Does that mean that magic is an enemy? It doesn''t." Zephyr red at Ae with a smile, "You brought them here to a sacred ce where spirits could make contracts. Their blood is on your hand, not mine, nor the bugs." "You''re the one killing!" Ae shouted, her face red with anger. "I''m not," Zephyr stared at her, eyes glowing green. "You''re a spirit master, a soul that controls spirits. It''s your responsibility to make sure I don''t cause trouble." The room started shaking, books flying into the walls as a gust of violent wind broke the window. Ae grasped onto the chair, resisting the wind. "A woman who defaults her responsibility to someone else would never control me in a thousand years," CLANG! Arge wind bow emerged in Zephyr''s hand as she aimed at Ae, "Die or take control!" She fired one arrow. Ae released her grasp on the chair, getting swept by the wind before the arrow hit her. She looked down, seeing the table before her. She red up, seeing Zephyr aiming another strike. Thud! She pulled her bow, aiming up. "Told you arrows are useless," Zephy said as his body started getting transparent, disappearing into thin air. "Where did you go?" Ae gasped. CRACK! As Ae looked, Zephyr hit with a kick, sending her smashing onto the wall. CRACK! Ae hit the wall, feeling her ribs shaking inside her chest, half broken and the other shattered. BAM! Ae fell and hit the ground, unable to breathe as blood dripped from her head. Getting kicked by a giant had drained all life from her body. Thud! Zephyrnded a fair distance from her, staring down, "When that dragon got kidnapped by the griffon, you released all your restraint and went on a killing spree in the forest. When danger shows up ahead of him, you always forget about your guilt and pick violence." She smiled, "That''s the only time you look like your mother," Ae could barely hear Zephyr speak. Her mind slowly melted into darkness as she stood at death''s door. "No reply?" Zephyr sighed, "I guess this is the end of my contract with the Deianira." She turned to leave. ^No, I should probably give her onest chance. Poke her tail and see if she''s going to wake up.^ Zephyr looked back at the dying Ae. "Listen, girl." Zephyr smiled, "Since this is the end of my contract, I will kill that dragon brat since he''s the reason you aren''t suitable. You''re happy with that. You would get to meet him in the afterlife." She flew, giggling, "Head there first. I will send him soon," She got out of the window. Aey on the ground, bleeding as her eyes dried open. The wind slowly swirled around her dying body. She can''t breathe, and soon her brain will starve to death, and it will be over. The wind changed direction, flowing into her mouth and nose, pushing deep into her lungs and forcing her chest to expand. PUSH! Ae''s chest expanded once, causing her body to flinch. PHISH! The wind then exited out. PUSH! And again and again, a faint green light burned in her dead eyes. **** Arad ripped his way through the hordes of spiders and ants. They were no match for a dragon, even if his power got reduced with his size. Lydia brandished her sword, [Holy Smite]. She sent a bee into the afterlife with a single strike. "There is no end to them!" She shouted on top of Arad. "I''m nowhere near exhausted, but this would take hours to clear." Eris conjured her spear, throwing it from above Arad to the ground. BOOM! The spear exploded in a magnificent pir of purple mes. "I can clear them quickly, but you get into my mouth," Arad growled. Lydia stared at him and then looked around, "We won''t fit. You have to swallow some of us." Chapter 336 Arad’s Legendary Weapon Arad looked back at them as Jack smiled on his back, "Getting swallowed by a dragon and surviving, a take to tell the grandchildren several decades from now," He jumped to Arad''s neck, "I''m first." BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! As Arad spoke with Jack, they heard something buzzing in the distance, rushing toward them at high speed. "She''s back!" Arad growled, turning to the right to see Zephyr''s smiling face. CRACK! She kicked upward, hitting him in the guts like a man kicking a cat. Blood sshed across the grass as Arad''s body flew into the sky, falling to the ground with a thud. Zephyr giggled, "What a monster." She looked down with sweat dripping from her face. The blood sttered didn''t belong to Arad but to her. When she kicked him, he munched and wed at her leg, shredding her foot. Arad stood, spitting Zephyr''s toes on the ground with blood dripping from his teeth. "You couldn''t dodge since the eleration would kill the people on your back, so you braced yourself and attacked my foot instead." Her foot healed immediately as her eyes glowed with a green eldritch me. Arad immediately turned toward everyone else, biting Jack and swallowing him. "Wait a moment!" Ceri cried as Arad swallows her next, and then Da without caring about their protest. Lydia and Eris rushed toward Arad, "Get us out of the way," He swallowed them without a moment''s hesitation. "Please hold a moment," Isdis lifted her, trying to run, but Arad caught her. "Eating your own?" Zephyr stared at him, "No, you''re protecting them. Should I expect arge area of effect spell or something?" She conjured a wind spear and pointed it at Arad. Arad red at her with eyes glowing purple. SWOSH! The light faded from them, followed by an expansion of darkness. The bug''s bodies disintegrated, getting digested the moment they got consumed. Zephyr flinched as the darkness covered her. She stood in her ce, looking around with a puzzled face, "Nothing?" ZON! Arad teleported behind her, swinging his w at her neck. SWOSH! Zephyr swung her spear, hitting him on the head and sending him flying. "What an interesting attack," She smiled. ZON! Arad started floating in his void, "Why aren''t you disintegrating?" Zephyr smiled, "I have my own protection. The wind is the only thing protecting this world from the hunger of the void. Why can''t it protect me?" She smiled, ring at him with a smug face. "I have my own atmosphere. Deal with it," Arad growled, feeling his scales tingle. This thing is dangerous beyond belief. ^[Arad, run away with everyone. You''re facing a free elder spirit. All the wind of the world is beneath her feet.]^ "Where is Ae!" Arad shouted, but Zephyr just stared at him with a smile. "I can''t hear cause the void, but I know you''re asking about that girl." She stared at his eyes, "She''s dying in the mansion. But don''t worry, that''s as far as she would go." BA-dump! Arad scales stood up as he started growling, magic oozing from his ws. Lumps of stone emerged from the void, the ones he swallowed from digging and destroying the forest. Those lumps started orbiting Arad''s body, heating up as they rubbed on the mana leaking from his body. ^That one!^ Arad remembered the meteor the undead almost dropped on Alina. ^A fast, red-hot rock. Simple but deadly, I want more!^ ROAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR! Arad roared, his void muffled by the void, but Zephyr could feel her atmosphere shaking. "MOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEE!" Arad roared as his entire void got filled with red hot glittering stones that filled it like stars. As Arad roared, countless stars fell on Zephyr, chasing her as she flew away. "Damn it! They are small but dangerous. I shouldn''t have expected less from a magic dragon, let alone a void one." She grunted, "A massive talent for magic, and attunement to thergest element in the world." CRACK! As she flew, something caught her leg. She looked down, sweating. Arad had bit her, growling like a starving beast. "Where did youe from?" She growled, trying to stab him with her spear. CRACK! Arad twisted his neck, spinning like a crocodile and ripping her ankle off. Zephyr smiled, "I should fill this void first," A violent st of wind expanded from her body, trying to push Arad away. "Wind already filled the world. It won''t be hard to fill you as well." ROAR! Arad roared, swinging his w at her chest. Thud! Zephyr flew back, dodging his stroke with a hair strand and only getting a single scratch on her stomach. "That''s all?" She smiled, "I thought you had more strength. Sorry. You''re weakened since I shrunk your size." "Kaboom," Arad growled. Zephyr blinked as her nipples sted into blood, ripping holes as deep as her lungs. The stars flicker reflected from the magnificent de in Arad''s hand, his legendary weapon that guarantees great damage on anything. [Exploding Nipple Knife] BLUGH! Zephyr coughed blood, ring at Arad''s ws, "You hold an artifact? Where did you get that?" She growled as her body rapidly healed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om BAM! Arad lunged back at Zephyr, swinging his second w. Zephyr dodged him. ^It I need to keep an eye on the knife.^ As she looked, the knife had disappeared. STAB! The tip of Arad''s poked her butt. The knife stuck to it. "Ah! Shit!" As Zephyr growled, her freshly healed nipples disintegrated into the void with a bloody explosion. "FUCK OFF!" Zephyr shouted, sting Arad away and pinning him to the ground with a violent gust of wind, "Damn it! That''s painful," She growled, healing herself again. The knife disappeared from Arad''s tail and appeared behind her, flying at her thigh guided by gravity. STAB! KABOOM! Blood sshed from her chest as she fell to her knees, "You bastard," She red at Arad, unable to believe how persistent he was at destroying her nipples. "That''s right," Zephyr smiled, "This is your domain, all attacks can reach me with the right method." She giggled, "But that won''t matter soon," CRACK! The void above them cracked as Ae jumped in, ring at Zephyr with green glowing eyes. "KNEEL!" Chapter 337 Spirit Pact: Wind. CRACK! The void cracked as Ae broke in, ring at Zephyr with emerald mes burning in her eyes. "KNEEL!" Ae''s voice boomed across the void, sending a spark of magic that struck Zephyr''s heart, shaking her to the bones. She could feel her skin shudder, her knees growing weaker as her magic quaked like clouds. "The dominating presence of a spirit master. Powerful indeed," Zephyr smiled, "But you''re still nowhere near your mother. You''re not as deep or cruel." Zephyr crossed her fingers, smiling. Arad red at Ae. ^I should dispel the void. Less Ae gets crushed.^ But he noticed something, Ae''s body was covered with air like Zephyr. ^Wait, it isn''t simr. It''s the same magic!^ Thud! Zephyr put her hands together, looking at Ae with a crazed smile. "Already sucking my magic. We don''t even have a pact yet." Zephyr''s magic spiked and raised beyond what Arad expected from her. She wasn''t going all out before, something big wasing, and Arad feared his stomach might rip open. "Crumble! Weight of the world!" Zephyr shouted, the air around her body expanding rapidly as her hand pped. Arad could feel a painful lump in his stomach. It was filling with air. CRACK! The void started cracking. It wasn''t just from the inside. The whole weight of the atmosphere crushed his domain. "Don''t let her break it!" Ae shouted, flying toward Zephyr with a st of wind. "Keep her here as long as you can!" She shed with the wind barrier around her, pushing as hard as she could. "Don''t worry about me. This bee ain''t going nowhere." Arad wasn''t going to let a meal that entered his stomach out unless it was a friend. It didn''t matter how hard it was to digest. Food is food. Zephyr smiled, staring at Ae''s eyes, "You''re trying to dominate my magic, but you aren''t as delicate as your mother." She lifted her, [Wind st] sting Ae into Arad''s infinite abyss. "Wind flow to the ces with the lowest pressure, resistance. This is a tug-of-war, seeing who can grip the weakest onto the wind without letting go." Zephyr is the spirit of the wind. She''s already rxed to the magic, letting it fly through her body freely. But Ae wasn''t. She was hesitant, fearing it might. Ae flew down into the darkness. The further she got from the spirit, the weaker the magic protecting her got. "Arad!" She shouted, and he smiled. "Got you!" He smiled, opening his palm with a grin. [Void Step] ZON! Ae appeared in front of him, flying directly toward the spirit. ^As long as she''s in my void, I can move her freely with magic.^ Arad pointed his palm at the spirit, "Can I suck your magic as well?" Zephyr red at him with a grin, "Come on, dragon! You''re rough, hard, and violent. Wind magic would never grovel to someone like you." "It won''t be called grovel if I didn''t force it," Arad grunted, pulling Ae to sit on his back, "Hold tight, and release all the wind you can!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om CLANG! The stars shed in the dark, chasing after Arad as he flew with Ae toward Zephyr. "You two can''t do anything to me," Zephyr smiled, sting them away with ease, "Not like how she is now," Ae closed her eyes, trusting Arad to fly while she concentrated on the wind magic. ^It''s flowing out of my fingers. Untameable forces of nature, the only way tomand them is if it allowed it.^ She could feel it flowing from her toward Zephyr, following the path of the least resistance. ^[Hoi! Ae, do you hear me?]^ Doma''s voice boomed in Ae''s head, causing her to flinch, "Who? How did you get in my head?" ^[Does it matter now? I don''t want my concubine to die,]^ ^You''re the concubine!^ Ae growled inside. ^[Told you it doesn''t matter. I can be the pet if you want. Listen for now. You can''t stop a tornado. Your only choice is to let it pick you up and try navigating to the core where the wind isn''t that violent.]^ Doma giggled. ^[I can kill her if you want, but that means you won''t be getting any drop of her power. That''s a force of nature, and you must tame it.]^ "Arad! Let me go!" Ae said, standing on top of Arad with a smile, blood dripping from her nose and eyes. Zephyr''s previous kick damage didn''t disappear. She would die soon if not healed. "What do you want to do?" Arad red back at her as he flew around Zephyr, shing at her with his ws and attempting to use the knife, but she kept dodging those attacks. "I need to get closer to her, absorb more of her magic into me." BAM! Ae jumped from above Arad, flying with her wind and getting swept in Zephyr''s raging tempest. "You!" Zephyr growled as she saw Ae flying toward her with a smile, "Do you wish to die?" "You can''t kill me, can you?" Ae sted herself forward with wind magic, touching Zephyr''s shoulder. "Come back here!" The moment they touched, Zephyr''s magic flew to Ae''s body at a blinding speed. Thud! Zephyr flew away, and Ae started floating in her ce, giggling, "I didn''t stand without a reason. The moment you kicked me, some of your magic seeped into my body. Is this the pact''s ritual? Why didn''t I absorb anything when you carried me earlier?" She stared at Zephyr''s eyes. "The cat is out of the bag," Zephyr smiled, "I decide when the ritual starts." She red at Ae with a smile, "Show me if you have the potential of your mother," SWOSH! Ae and Zephyr flew at each other as fast as they could, shing in the middle and causing Arad''s void to crack. His magic is waning from keeping the spell for a long time and from the powerful spirit going crazy inside. As Ae pushed against Zephyr''s magic, her vision went ck for a second. DING! She opened her eyes, standing at a desk, writing a letter under the candlelight. *** To Arcanum Magic Guild: A registration demand for Ae Deianira. Guild branch, Spirit magic. ... *** The letter had more written, but Ae didn''t get the chance to read it as her body shivered, sending a wave of dreadful magic falling from the sky. "NO!" She screamed, standing up and rushing toward the window, staring at the night sky. ROAR! From the darkness of the night, a purple dragon emerged from the clouds, opening its jaw as it sent a purple beam of death. She lifted her hand, "Wind Dome!" She cried, creating a massive barrier over the city and blocking the dragon''s breath. BOOM! The breath exploded, waking the wolf city in a quaking st of heat. "Mother! What is happening?" She heard a strange voice behind her, she turned, to see herself standing at the door, panting. "Ae, hide in the basement and don''te out," Ae said, speaking to herself that stood before her and then flew away. She flew to the clouds, keeping an eye on the dragon. "Zephyr, spirit assimtion." She said, and her vision went ck again. BAM! The next thing she knew, she was on the ground, burning. "Mother! Mother!" From her bloodied vision, she could see herself rushing in, "I told you to hide," She growled...^Zephyr, protect her...^ Her vision went ck again. Ae then found herself feeling light, floating to the clouds as she looked down at the city. A tiny fairy emerged from a coal-charred corpse, ring at the massive dragon with red eyes. A massive tornado emerged over the city, picking the mes from the rubble and turning into an infernal tempest of brimstones and lighting. The purple dragon got picked like a ragdoll. The elves tried their best to protect their capital, but their magic was no match for the wrath of the raging, palm-sized creature. **** CRACK! CRACK! Arad''s void cracked, exploding into a st of air as he fell to the ground, rolling in his draconic form, and puking everyone out. "DISGUSTING!" Ceri cried, rolling on the grass with tears in her eyes. "That was," Eris scratched her eye, looking at the shaking Isdis, "An experience to say the least." Lydia instantly picked up her sword, ready to strike anything that move. CLACK! Jack stood up, giggling, "Eaten by a dragon and survived, now that is what I can an adventure," Thud! Da stood up, unfazed as she wiped the goopy liquid from her face and looked around, "No monsters and the ground looks destroyed." "You aren''t disgusted at all?" Ceri stared at her, crying. "I was eaten by multiple monsters before. This was a pleasant experiencepared to that." She looked away, "His insides were soft and warm, without any acid." Jack looked at her, "What ate you?" "Multiple giant toads, mountain drakes, andrge Kondas." Da scratched her head, "The worst was when a titan ate and shat me several hourster. Probably shouldn''t have tried to p a fifty-meter-tall humanoid monster." "That doesn''t matter!" Lydia shouted, lifting her sword up, [Rally] "Get ready for a fight. Everyone searches for Arad and Ae and kills anything else that moves." She took the front, leading the party under a holy g, bolstering their health, morals, and magic in a single buff. A golden shimmer covered everyone except Ceri. As everyone ran across the garden, searching, Jack looked at Lydia, "An impressive spell, why didn''t you use it before?" "It can only buff the people Imand, nothing else," Lydia replied. "Ah! So as long as Arad was the leader, it''s a useless spell." Jack understood, "But I don''t consider you as a leader." "You do, she doesn''t," Lydia pointed at Ceri, who had no glowing golden light on her. BAM! Suddenly, they got shifted back to their original size, seeing Ae standing in the middle of the garden, a green butterfly symbol glowed on her back beneath her armor. Arad handed on a three, upside down from his legs. Chapter 338 Zephyr’s Powers. Ae stood, staring at the tree where Arad was hanged. She smiled, falling face first on the ground, bleeding. "Ae!" Lydia shouted, rushing to heal her. "She will be fine, don''t worry," A strange, sharp voice came from inside her head. With a gust of glowing green dust, a tiny fairy emerged from Ae''s back and stood on her head. "She can withstand a few hits," Lydia stared at Zephyr. [Holy Smite] CLAP! Instantly striking her hard enough to evaporate her body. Zephyr''s body disappeared into mist as she appeared a fair distance away, "Why attack me out of nowhere?" She cried. CLING! Jack emerged from the bushes, catching Zephyr and stabbing her repeatedly with his dagger. But no blood came out. "Ha!" Jack sighed, wiping the sweat off his forehead and looking at Arad in the tree. "HA! HA!" He then took a deep breath and started stabbing again. "I won''t die!" Zephyr emerged again from Ae''s body, "This is a mere projection on the wind. I already merged with Ae." She smiled, spreading her spectral wings. The air around the garden started vibrating, "I and she are one till the day she dies." Thud! Aradnded, staring at the spirit with a puzzled face. "Did you really need to fight us? Wind spirit?" "I have a name. Call me Zephyr." She floated toward him, circting around his head. "Someone who can''t take responsibility for their actions, can''t take responsibility for other people''s actions. How is she supposed to control if she was controlled by you?" "I didn''t control her," Arad replied. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Zephyr sat on his head, digging her legs into his hair, "The power of will is an important key to control spirits. You have a lot of it, considering the monster inside you." "Don''t talk about her," Arad growled. Ceri looked at them, "You''re talking about Doma?" Arad gasped, "You knew?" "You touched me several times. Of course, I would notice." She sighed, "Who expected that witch to return like this." Da approached Arad, "Is true that the queen and Doma have a lot of bad blood between them, but that doesn''t mean she would snap at her. That would be foolish." Ceri approached Arad, "In fact, it would be nice if you chained that damnable, snorty, ursed existence away. Wouldn''t it be?" CREEK! A mouth opened on Arad''s forehead, smiling, "[Only if he could, even I don''t know how to chain myself. Since all of those are curses and I control them.]" Doma giggled, trying to seal her away is like trying to tie magma with hemp ropes, utterly ineffective. Ceri stared at Arad, "To be honest, even with how much I hate you, your existence alone is a boon to the kingdom, can''tin about that." "[HAHAHA! Are you talking about the orc army? No one would repeat their mistake,]" "What are you talking about?" Arad looked at Ceri''s face. "At Doma''s peak, the orc tribes to the north tried attacking the kingdom. She cursed their water supply, causing them to get allergic to it. Half of their army died in a single night, and they had to retreat." Ceri looked at the sky, "Till this day, they can''t drink water. Only get it from their food." "You cursed an entire race?" Arad gasped. "[No I didn''t, I made it like a disease. But I miscalcted and it spread like wildfire between them.]" Doma mumbled, her voice fading into the distance as her mouth closed. "Say something!" Arad growled, what kind of horror magic the witch inside him is capable of? "Ae is waking up!" Lydia shouted as soon as she saw Ae open her eyes, "Are you all right?" Ae sat up, gasping for air as she looked around, "What did happen?" BZZZZZZZ! Zephyr flew at her, sitting on her head. "We finished the contract, now you can use my power as much as your body allows you." "What? Thest thing I remember is touching you." "I didn''t need you to win or lose. I only needed you to be willing to fight and stand-alone with confidence, it''s painful to have a weak-willed mistress, you know?" Arad approached, "What kind of powers do you grant?" "Ae is an archer fighter now. The best she can do is summon me like this, use me as a familiar that she shares senses with, and get a slight buff to her wind-based attacks, I also expand her mana pool by a bit." Zephyr smiled, "She could draw more of my power after level twenty if she chose to change ss into a warlock or a sorcerer." "Will she get different powers based on the ss?" Arad asked. "As a warlock, she can start drawing power directly from me. But as a sorcerer, she can empower her wind spirit bloodline that emerged from me sticking in her family for generations." "I was thinking of sticking to the fighter archer after level twenty," Ae said, looking at Zephyr, "I can fire more arrows from Arad''s back." BAM! Zephyr punched Ae on the head, "The whole point is for you to fight. Instead of firing arrows from his back like a golem, how about you fly beside him and st everything with wind magic? You aren''t supported. You''re a ranged half-spellcaster." Ae stood, "Depends on what powers you offer," She sighed. Zephyr looked at Arad. And then at Ae. She then bent around to whisper in her ear, "With enough magic flowing in your veins as a sorcerer or a warlock, the pregnancy with a dragon egg won''tst a long time as you would have the mana necessary to feed it." "I''m listening," Ae whispered back, "Where do we start," Zephyr smiled, disappearing into Ae''s body. "You can summon me at will and share my senses. Now try it." A voice boomed from Ae''s body. Ae lifted her palm, "Zephyr," SWOSH! With a swirling gust of wind, Zephyr appeared floating on Ae''s palm. "Now, close your eyes for a moment and tell me when you want to share senses. I will link us immediately." Zephyr smiled. Ae closed her eyes, "Link senses," Zephyr''s eyes shed with a green light, and Ae stumbled back as she saw the world from Zephyr''s eyes. Her body tried to adjust, but couldn''t. "Don''t throw up!" Zephyr smiled, flying forward at high speed and Ae fell on her knees. Zephyr flew between the grass des and around the tree trunk. Finally dodging the branches and going inside the house through the window. She flew upside down, skipping between the chairs and around the torches. "Wait! A door!" Ae cried, seeing A massive door rapidly approaching her face. "Don''t worry. I can get through!" Zephyr shrunk her body further, going into the keyhole. CLACK! She got stuck. "Damn it!" Zephyr cried, her hips stuck, "I only fail now?" She growled, shrinking further and flying through. "Sorry about that. I''m usually good at calcting how small or big I need to be." Ae fell to the ground, her head spinning from all the rapid flying. "I can get as big as a human or as small as to fit inside a chickpea. You can feel free to use me as a scout or a..." Zephyr stopped, Ae had passed out. *** After an hour, Ae woke up again, holding her head, "What happened?" "You got sick from Zephyr flying and passed out," Arad replied, sitting beside her. "Sorry!" Zephyr sat on her hips. "I shouldn''t have felt like that. I''m used to Arad''s rough flying," Ae replied. "My vision is almost ten times better than elves or humans. The information overload with the movement exhausted your brain," Zephyr replied, liking her eyes to Ae again. "Look," As Ae stared at the wall, she could see the fine details as clearly as if they were on her hand. "You''re right!" "With my vision, you can tell an ant color from a hundred meters away. A good thing for archers, especially snipers to have." Zephyr smiled, puffing her almost non-existing chest. Ae looked at Arad with Zephyr''s eyes, seeing him normally and after blinking, she could see the tiny scales on his skin. "Amazing, all those scales. You don''t have skin," Ae gasped. "Won''t that be obvious?" Zephyr stared at her, disappointed, "How else could his skin be so smothered, yet harder than stones?" "I mean, it looks natural." Ae stared back at her. Arad watched the two argue for a while, "Ae." Ae turned toward him, "What?" "Didn''t you before say something about tree houses? I haven''t seen one of them all the way here." He looked around. Her family mansion looked fairly normal, a bit big but nothing more. "The wood elves to the west build those. It''s a several days trip to get there." She replied with a smile. Isdis approached them, "Aren''t you going to escort me back home?" Jack looked at them, "The capital is on the other side of Alina. We have to get back home before." Isdis''s eyes lit up, "We''re stopping by Arad''s house," Chapter 339 The Brilliant Mirror. Arad and Ae approached the mansion''s door, pushing it open as they walked inside. Arad''s eyes panned around the corners, inspecting the walls and floor for magic or traps. But there was nothing. The little pixie doesn''t have any more tricks. "I expected you to trap the whole ce," Arad looked at Ae''s head. "I did, but removed them when we finished the contract." She pouted, "I had several ones rigged up to st you out. Had you managed to somehow chase me inside?" She smiled, "Luckly you didn''t." "How could I have done it?" Arad walked forward, "You shrunk me. I had to fight all the bugs outside." "There are three ways to break the magic. The first is to break my concentration, but that''s impossible. I''ve been using that magic for over nine hundred years." Zephyr smiled. "That''s one," Jack looked at her, "What about two and three?" Lydia red at Zephyr, "A banishing smite would send you back to the fey world. You can''t keep the spell from there, can you?" She stared at her. With golden glowing eyes. "Dman it, pdins. Gods really gave their warriors the best chance of winning. What next,ing back to life?" Zephyr red at Lydia with a grossed face. "If god still had fate for us, we won''t die till we achieve it. The great pdin of old, Dorak of the golden oath died in the great holy war before the final battle, stabbed in the back by a traitor." Lydia smiled. Zephyr looked away, "Heard the story. The bastard rose back to life as an angel, sted the traitor, and won the battle, the gods wanted him to win, and they blessed him. But after the war ended, he disintegrated into golden ash." "The gods wanted him to win the war, and by their will, he achieved it in their name." Lydia lifted her fist, tapping her on her armor. CLANG! A radiant ng emitted from the tap sent a weak wave of holy magic. Zephyr looked at Arad, "Thest one is magic density. I might have the power, but Ae''s body can''t withstand my full output. She''s bottlenecking my magic. A powerful mage should be able to dispel it, as long as they are more versed in magic than Ae." "So I can dispel it?" Arad smiled. "You should be able to, as long as you focus hard enough. The one inside you is more than capable." Zephyr flew forward, "Follow me," Arad and Ae walked after her as Jack and Lydia headed to explore the other rooms. Ceri, Da, Isdis, and Eris followed Arad and Ae in silence, trying to guess where the wind spirit was taking them. After a few moments, they reached a locked door, "I was told to bring you here once you be a spirit master. It has the prismatic mirror, a magical artifact your mother kept hidden." Zephyr shrunk her body and flew into the keyhole, opening the lock after a few seconds. "Come in, there isn''t much, but it''s here." Arad and Ae walked in, seeing arge silver mirror with gems all around its frame, "Is this it?" Arad looked around. That was the only thing in the room. Arad looked in the mirror. Strange magic danced around its corners, reflecting the candlelighting from the hallway. "This mirror is strange. The magic isn''t acting normally." Ae approached the mirror, "I never heard of it. What does it do?" "I don''t know," Zephyr shook her head, "Such knowledge was hidden even from me. Your mother wanted this to remain a secret until it fell in your hands." Ae looked at the mirror with a worried face, "I have a bad feeling about this. Mother never kept dangerous magic items, but this one is giving me the creeps as if someone is watching through it." She approached the mirror, wiping the dust off its frame with her hand. The mirror quaked, vibrating as a brilliant multicolored light shed from its surface. In the blink of an eye, Ae disappeared alongside Zephyr. "Ae!" Arad shouted, grabbing the mirror. The mirror shed again, and everyone disappeared, leaving the room empty. SPLASH! Arad fell headfirst into a pool of hot water. "What is this?" He growled, standing up. The water wasn''t warm, yet it wasn''t boiling hot. The strange smell reminded him of the royal bath smell, so he looked around. A pure white room made of opal stones. At first nce, this was a bath, but not the royal one. He didn''t recognize it. "Where are we?" Ae cried, standing beside Arad and wiping the water off her face. Arad looked at her, she was naked, and so he was. "HOT!" Ceri cried behind them, and when Arad turned, he saw her, Da, Eris, and Esdis all naked inside the hot water behind him. FLASH! A ray of multicolored light shed from behind Arad, and everyone closed their eyes, crying in pain. "My eyes!" Isdis fell into the water, blinded by the light. Arad turned around, barely able to keep his eyes half open. "[Arad, don''t move. This magic is tremendous, far above what a hundred of me can handle.]" Arad covered his eyes with the void, trying to erase as much of the light as he could, but that achieved almost nothing. He could only make the rough shape of a woman of the source of the light. "What''s this light? A divine being or something?" Arad growled. "I''m no such a thing. I''m but a mortal struggling to live." A voice came from the rainbow-glowing woman. Her voice sounded like that of a woman in her forties, gentle, yet has some depth to it. Arad clenched his fist, extending his void behind him to reach the others. ^I will teleport them as far as possible with void step, this thing is dangerous.^ "Child of my old friend, I wee you." The woman''s voice boomed as her light intensified, shing forward as she approached. Arad stood between her and Ae, "Don''t get any closer!" He growled. When the golden light touched his skin, it burned with holy magic. And when the red reached, it burned like mes. "Sorry, I sometimes forget how fragile other people can get." She smiled, her teeth sting Arad with a brilliant white light. "The prismatic mirrors, artifacts that I made." Another mirror appeared before Arad, sending a dark shadow around him and everyone. "Ae, daughter of my old friend. Take the second mirror to your house. It should allow you to move back and forth between them." The mirror floated andnded beside Ae. Thud! Arad stepped forward, approaching the glowing woman. "Who are you?" He clenched his fist, swinging forward. Thud! His fist stopped mid-air, "A void kid, you still have some time before swinging at your elders. The mirror should only work in your house and Ae''s mansion as they are mana-filled ces." Arad clenched his second fist and swung again, "I asked, who are you?" "Me? Let''s say, someone that her mother helped in the past." She pushed Arad away and sat in the water. "A light dragon, a magic dragon like you. But unlike you, I already surpassed my twilight and have achieved the peak of my draconic heart." "Twilight?" Arad gasped, his eyes forced shut from the light reflected on the water. "The stage after great wyrm. It''s only a few years long when a dragon rapidly declines, grows old, and dies. I managed to survive it," leaning her back on the tub''s edge, right now, I only met one other dragon that achieved it, he is a pain to deal with." She then put one leg on the other, "But words out that the queens already surpassed it long ago, that''s why they are still alive." "What''s going on?" Ae growled in the back, "My skin is burning!" She cried, sshing water on her body. "Oh, my! If not for your shadow, they would have already died." She smiled, "Well, it''s not my mistake that you barged on me bathing." She kicked Arad backward. "You can find more mirrors scattered across the world. Feel free to take them. But I can always sell you one for a hundred tinum coins. Just throw the money on the mirror, and it will spawn a second one." Encased in a brilliant light, Everyone disappeared, falling back where inside the secret room in Ae''s house. Clothed as they were before. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om *** In the bath, the glowing woman looked at the ceiling, the massive gem door ahead of her opening as a woman walked in, covered in full ck armor. "Yourdyship, we sensed a wave of dangerous magic around here." The armored woman said. "Don''t worry. It was my old friend''s child." The armored woman looked around, "I sense a spirit elf, a vampire purple dragon, a human, and two high elves. And a void dragon," She walked forward, "Which old friend are you talking about? The Deianira or the Orion one?" The woman in the bath smiled, "How did you guess?" "Deianiras are the only spirit elves, and Lady Orion is the only dragon you respect enough not to step on." She stared at her, "The fact he barged on you bathing and left with his life is a testament to that." The glowing woman giggled, "Come on, I''m not that bad as to kill a baby still reeking of his mother''s womb. He''s barely out of the egg, a few months fresh." She stood, giggling, "I will wait for him to grow up. That if he survived the Draco rage curse." "You don''t intend to stop it?" The woman sighed. "Why would I?" the glowing woman gasped, her head tilted to the side, "Neither Orion nor Chronos bothers to interfere. Why should I?" "Probably, it''s better than staying in a bath for over a decade, don''t you think?" The armored woman growled, "Get out," "No way!" The glowing woman gasped, curling into the water, "My skin isn''t clean yet, look how dirty I am." She cried. "No, you''re clean, you''re glowing enough to blind anyone looking at you. I can barely make your shape out of the light," She sighed. "No! I need to get more polished, cleaner, and brighter!" She gasped. Her body shed even brighter with a brilliant, stream of multi-coloured light. Chapter 340 A Letter From Home Arad and Ae recoiled back inside the room, staring at the second mirror beside them. "What was that?" Arad gasped, rubbing his eyes. "Zephyr, who was that? Do you know that thing?" Ae growled. "Not a clue. Your mother was a master of the sealed pact magic. If she doesn''t want me to know something. I won''t." Zephyr shook her head, "But as you had found, your mother never makes friends with bad people." "I don''t know what to call her," Arad growled, standing up, "But we got something from it, at least. How does this thing work?" "[A link mirror. When a person touches one, they can be teleported to another mirror that is linked to the first one. The subject''s body is transformed back into energy and then flies toward the second mirror in the form of a light beam protected with magic.]" "Light?" Eris stared at Arad, confused. "What does a torch light have to do with teleportation?" "[It''splicated, but to exin it simple enough for you to understand. Light is the fastest natural power. This mirror uses magic to control its power and use it to move people and objects from one ce to another. The creatures who mastered that power can be counted on one hand.]" "Who are we dealing with?" Isdis stared at Arad. "[There are three types of magic dragons that are known to me.]" Doma said with a worried voice. "[Temporal Dragons, also knowns as time wyrms. Time has always been and always will be. They live in the past, present, and future as they wish.]" "[Void Dragons, also knowns as Astral wyrms. A void exists everywhere and nowhere. They are as vast as the world, living between everything.]" "[Prismatic Dragons, also known as Light wyrms. Light is the strongest force of nature, and they dance with it. I suspect we''re dealing with the one and onlydy of brilliance. The only light wyrm which bothers to leave some traces for us mortals to follow.]" Arad looked toward Ceri, "Do you know anything about it?" Ceri shook her head, "No way, even I don''t have such contacts. But you might find some information in the star dragon peak or the floating tinum fortress." Da looked at Arad, "The chromatic and metallic royal courts. We don''t know where the magic dragons live, but they might have some information." Arad scratched his head, "Probably I should ask Kinryuu first. He might help." "True, it''s better to prepare first before looking into the matter." Ae stood. "Why even bother? She helped us, and power is power." Eris looked at the mirror, "You won''t even need to make the trip between the elvish kingdom and your house ever again." "No power is ever free," Isdis stared at her, "That glowing woman must have had her motives, and I suspect they fall in her own interest, not ours." "Then what do you suggest? Search for her and ask what she wants?" Eris stared at Isdis. "No, that would be foolish. We must seal the mirrors away. Using them mighte with severe precautions." Isdis replied. "[I will study them when we get back home. We should move now.]" Ceri approached Ae, "I will send some people here to clean the mansion and restore it. For now, let''s return to the castle." Ae nodded with a smile, "That would be for the best. I didn''t intend to stay here after all. We should prepare." *** They got back to the carriage and rode back to the castle, stopping abruptly at the castle gate. A strange man stood there, arguing with the guards. "People with demonic blood like you aren''t weed in the inner castle. Scram!" The guard growled. "This is a holynd. We can''t allow you on the castle ground. To speak with the guild if you want." The second guard grunted, pointing his spear at the man''s throat. "I have a letter for a young man named Arad Orion. He should be a guest at your castle right now," The man replied with a calm voice unfazed by the guards. He walked forward, the spear pushing on his throat. CRACK! The spear snapped, unable to pierce the man''s skin. Arad looked out of the carriage window, staring at the man''s back, inspecting his strange clothes, the weird sword at his waist, and that ponytail on his head. Arad''s face paled, his eyes seeing death itself standing in front of the gate. ZON! Arad teleported between the guards and the man, grabbing them by the face and restraining them to the ground. He looked back with a sweaty face, "What a surprise seeing you here, sir Kayden," ^Two draconic armies stopped for this man. I can''t have him snap here and st the castle with everyone inside.^ Kayden smiled, "There you are," He pulled a letter from his pocket and handed it to Arad. "I only came to deliver this to you. It''s from Merlin." Arad grabbed the letter and looked at it, "From Merlin? She could have waited for me toe back, or does she want something," Kayden looked at Arad, "She wanted to send it with magic, but that would have taken a day, so I suggest delivering it." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad started sweating again, "How long did it take you to deliver it?" Kayden smiled, "Don''t worry. I ran as fast as I could without destroying thend. She handed me the letter about ten minutes ago." "Is that so?" Arad smiled. ^This man is a monster! How in the hell do you run all the way here in ten minutes?^ He cleared his throat, "Do you know what the reason for it is? Did something happen?" Kayden crossed his arms, closing his eyes. "I do not know the reason. But I''m suspecting something. It might be the reason." Arad looked at him, "You suspect something?" "I''m bad at reading the mood, and usually get things wrong." Kayden looked at Arad, "That girl named Mira, I suspect she''s the reason." Arad flinched, "Did something happen to her?" "Not to her, but in her. I could sense a dense lump of magic inside her body, draconic magic at that, simr to yours." Kayden looked at Arad, "She might be pregnant," Arad froze in ce his body turning into stone as the life drained from his soul. Kayden pointed at Arad, "Her human body is unable to sustain the lump, or egg if she was pregnant. At this rate, she would shrivel, and die." He approached Arad, "Merlin is providing her with magic through potions and spells, but that won''tst long. You must get back as soon as possible." CRACK! Arad snapped back to life, "Hold up! She''s pregnant?" He started panicking, "I should get back. No, she can''t sustain the egg. What would I be able to help with?" "They should be able to link you to her so the egg feeds off your magic rather than her. It''s best that you hurry back," Kayden patted Arad''s shoulder, "No time to waste. Let''s go." "Arad!" Ae rushed in with everyone. Ceri looked at her guard knocked to the ground, bleeding from their noses. "What happened here? Who is he?" Da stared at Kayden, she saw him before, but when? She scrambled her memory, going back several years. Yeah, it was in the capital, the orphanage there, he owned that ce. Then the memories flew back at her. Nina growled, the bloodied axe lifted above her head as she charged forward. Alcott screamed in the back, and Merlin sighed in exhaustion. CLING! In one swing, Nina''s head flew away. That man stood there, staring at them with six, red glowing eyes as blood sshed. After the fight, they came to know, that is no normal being. Kayden daemon, the first ranker of the world powers, the demon lord, and the god yer himself. An absolute demon. SLAP! Da instantly grabbed Ceri by the face, pulling her back, "Don''t you dare open your mouth, one wrong word and we''re all gone." "This is a sacrednd of Lady Sylph," Ceri growled, her voice muffled by Da''s palm. "Sacrednd be damned, this man can kill Lady Sylph if he wants. So shut up for now, you will thank meter." Da growled at her. Kaydenughed, "Don''t worry, I''m the one who asked Sylph to ban half-demons from hernds. I can control my magic, but they can''t." He shook his head, "Thetent cruse magic in their bodies leaks out with time, seeping into the ground. It can harm the world tree," He smiled, "Albeit, I should be an exception as I can control my magic extremely well." Everyone blinked twice, ring at Kayden. "Forget that!" Arad growled, "We need to get back, now!" He turned around, "We''re set off from outside the capital, let''s go." He started walking, and Ae chased after him. "Wait, what happened?" She asked, stealing nces at the letter he was reading. "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" She gasped as everyone rushed after them. Chapter 341 A Surge Of Magic Outside the elvish capital, Arad stood with everyone and looked toward the sky. "This is far enough. We''ll fly after we cross the mountain." Ae approached him, "Let''s hurry. We shouldn''t keep Mira waiting any longer." She smiled. "Are we going to walk there?" Jack looked at Arad, "It would take half a day," He looked around. "I can''t exactly carry you all," Kayden said in the back, "I don''t have any long-distance teleport magic. What about your void step?" "You''re too much to move," Arad replied, "I tried teleporting you, but you don''t budge." Kayden''s six eyes opened up, looking everywhere as he thought. "I''m not that versed in magic, but I know that the soul''s weight can hinder control." Arad approached him, "What are you talking about? I should be able to move anything as long as the total weight is less than my draconic weight. Why can''t I move you?" "I can''t exin any better than the soul''s weight. I only trained with the de. And how to swing it alongside my demonic powers." Kayden replied with a sad face. "Don''t worry about it." Arad sighed. Thinking about it won''t help. He turned toward the trees. "Let''s get moving," BAM! A surge of magic rushed across his veins, his skin turning ck as his scales expanded. CRACK! His bones grew bigger as two wings burst from his back. Therge tail swatted the trees like a steel whip, ripping them apart. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! A deep growl came from Arad''s chest, akin to a cat''s purr but far more violent, like an engine rumbling with fire. His body felt strange. Something heavy rested inside his chest. Ae blinked, noticing Arad''s body shaking a bit. "Are you okay?" Arad''s vision blurred momentarily. Surges of exhaustion coursed through his mind as he felt his heart shake. CRRRR! Arad shook his head like a dog shaking water from his body, growling to wake himself. [Your body is on the verge of evolving. You won''t be able to shift back into humanoid form before that,] ^What? I''m stuck like this?^ [You can force a shift, but that might hurt you badly. I rmend you fly back home and rest till Roberta and Sara get you the cursed metal.] "You injured anywhere?" Lydia approached him, "I can''t say I know how to heal dragons, but I might be able to help." "I''m not injured. I will be fine. Get on my back." He lowered his wing, and they started getting up. Ae approached Arad''s head, staring at his ck scales, "They lost their glow. You don''t look well." His polished scales now looked stale, losing their mystical glimmer. "I should be fine flying home. We can think of everything elseter." Arad nudged her with his nose toward his wing, "Get up. The sooner we get home, the better." Ae nodded with a worried face, climbing above his neck and sitting on her saddle just behind his horns. Arad looked forward, his eyes scrying the forest for gaps between the trees that he could slip through. It didn''t take him long to decide on a route and lung forward like a big cat. One w forward, and one back, each time he stepped, his knees absorbed the shock and kept his back stable. His wings clung close to his torso, allowing him to slip between the trees. Ae grabbed onto his horns, seeing the trees zap behind them as he got faster and faster. "You move better than a horse. I can''t feel any shaking." Jack smiled, patting Arad''s back. As Arad rushed forward, a bear jumped out of his cave, growling. ROAR! He red at the approaching dragon, swinging his w. "A red bear!" Ae gasped, pulling her bowstring and firing an arrow. BAM! The arrow stuck to the bear''s hide. But it didn''t get deep enough to harm it. "Arrows won''t kill it," Kayden said in the back, his eyes still closed as he sensed the air around them. Arad opened his jaw, and without stopping, he chomped the bear''s upper torso in one go. The bear''s lower half fell on the ground as the dragon raced across the forest, and quickly reached the other side of the mountain. FLAP! Arad expanded his wings as he got away from the city, taking into the sky in one leap. *** Back in Alina, Merlin walked down to herb carrying a basket full of alchemical ingredients. Standing above the wooden door, she reached for the doorknob. CLICK! As the door opened, she could feel the room''s dry air. A sense of danger washed across her body as she saw Cain sitting on the chair, staring at the ground with a distant look on their face. "I got the nts," She approached him, looking at his face. A drop of sweat dripped across his face as a smile crossed his face. Thud! Jemima appeared behind Cain, touching his shoulder. "Master, I''m here." Cain blinked, slowly lifting his head and looking at her, "Jemima, sorry, I''ve zoned out a bit." Merlina stared at Jemima. ^Where did shee from? I''m sure she wasn''t in the room when I got in.^ "How did you get in here?" Merlin asked with a smile. Jemima looked at her, ignoring the question and taking the nts from her hands. "Thank you." She handed them to Cain and walked toward the counter, pouring a cup of water and bringing it to him. "Thank you," Cain drank the water and took a deep breath, standing up. "Let''s make the potions," He looked at Merlin with a smile. "Are you okay?" She looked at him and then at Jemima, "I know you''re a renowned alchemist and a retired mage, but I felt your magic flutter for a moment." Cain looked at her, "Forget about that. I''m fine. I need you to learn how to make the greater mana potions as soon as possible." He picked a ss tube and filled it with magic water. Merlina picked the flowers and took them to the grinder, "Fine, but let''s have a healer check youter. Magic instability can be dangerous. What if you had a wild magic surge?" Cain looked at her, "There is no cure for the damage done by time. And be assured, I won''t have a wild magic surge." He smiled, "If I had one, the world would crumble to dust." Merlin giggled, "Yeah, let''s hope you don''t st myb with fire or lightning," Jemima looked at them and then walked out of theb with a worried face. She walked into the darkness, putting a finger on her ear. ~Lilia, another dose. He almost had an episode.~ ~Shit! It''s been fifty years only. Was it bad?~ ~No, just a passing moment, but I could feel his magic getting loose.~ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ~I will act immediately. We can''t have him slip from our hands.~ Jemima closed the line and went back to theb, seeing Merlin and Cain busy making potions. She stood outside by the door, feeling a cold hand on her shoulder. Jemima shuddered for a moment. She looked to the side, seeing a shadowy figure ring at her. "Staying outside helped him rx, but I believe he should return to my home." The shadow said. "Mistress Gracie, we agreed to let him rx outside. Your domain might provide him with the best time, but it can''t allow his mind to rx." Jemima gasped. The shadow stared at her with glowing pink eyes, "Sofia nned this, didn''t she? Does she really believe that void brat can stop Cain?" Jemima lifted her hand, "That isn''t for me to think about. Speak with her directly." She clenched her fist, and the shadow disappeared. She looked down, sweating, "There are still some years ahead. Let''s hope everything remains fine." She turned toward the door, stopping as she sensed a surge of magicing from afar. **** FLAP! FLAP! Aradnded beside the mountains, rushing toward his house as fast as he could, stopping by the garden. Mira stared out of the window with a smile, "Arad! You''re back!" She waved her hand, lunging out and rushing toward him. "Don''t move like that!" Arad cried, lowering his wing for everyone to get down. "Arad, guess what!" She said with an excited smile. Arad looked at her, lowering his massive head. He was about to speak, but he felt something squeezing his throat. ^[Don''t say it. Let her speak,]^ "What''s happened? I was told toe as fast as possible." Arad replied. Mira smiled, her face slightly red, "You know, I might be..." CRACK! A muscr, tanned hand burst from the ground. Everyone froze, staring at it. THUD! The hand grabbed the ground, pulling up as a huge woman emerged from the dirt. "My Lord! You''re back!" The woman lunged at Arad, hugging his neck so hard she brought him down. Arad was in his draconic form, but he couldn''t breathe in her grasp. Thud! Mira touched the woman''s back, "Let him go," She said with a smile, and the woman let go of Arad with a scared face. Just by the smell alone, Arad could tell that the woman was the ant queen. And most importantly, with a single nce at Mira, he could see the magic surging in her body. There was no mistaking it. She was pregnant. Chapter 342 Who Can Carry The Dragon? Mira stared at Arad, walking around him, "Why aren''t you shifting back?" She quickly noticed that his scales looked off as if they were dry. Arad tilted his head, "I''m about to evolve. I won''t be able to shift back into a humanoid form before hibernating for a while." "Is that so?" Mira looked at Ae, "You received the letter, right?" Arad smiled, opening his wings and growling. A deep rumbling coursed across the forest, calling all the monsters to gather. Everyone shook, backing away as hundreds of monsters surrounded the house. Giant cobras, apes, goblins, and even monsters that no one knew lived in the forest. Those who value their lives had to attend. A dragon egg is about to be born. Even with their high intelligence, dragons are still monsters. They always get more violent and active when they are expecting an egg, protecting some, or waiting for them to hatch. The monsters had to know who was the mother of the egg so they could avoid her. In the wild, dragons, especially chromatic rarely protect their eggs. That job is usually taken by the monsters living in the dragon''s domain for one reason. They are the ones getting eaten if the egg was harmed. The monsters stared at Mira and then at Arad, growling as they slowly backed away. She was the mother of the egg, and they shall protect her as their own. "All those monsters," Isdis looked around, sweating. "A lot of B-rank monsters. Are you sure it''s safe to live here?" "It''s the safest ce for a dragon." Arad replied, "It''s better to put myir in a monster-infested area than an easily essible one." He looked down at the woman that just emerged from the ground. "That gets me back to you. Did you use a magic item or something?" He could see magic surging across her body stronger than before. As if she became something else." The ant queen puffed her alreadyrge chest, staring at Arad with a prideful smile. "I ate a lot, fought a lot, and forced myself to evolve." "She became an s-rank monster by Nina''s words, to be close, a half beast-woman. She can''t speak yet." Mira scratched her cheek, staring at the almost seven-foot-tall ant queen. "You''re only understanding her due to the dungeon and their," Arad said, sniffing the ant queen, "You''re stronger. What about the other ants?" He asked. "They are the same, but the ones hatching from my recent eggs are bigger and stronger." The ant queen replied. Arad stared at her, "You''reying eggs? I only smelled females in the ant colony," "We''re born from a dungeon. Iy eggs without the need for a male. But, if That mage Merlin''s words are to be believed, I would create more powerful spawns if I got a strong male." She red at him with a smug smile, "Someone like you," TAP! TAP! Isdis tapped Arad''srge leg, "What is she saying?" She could only hear the ant queen screeching. Those who don''t live in their can''t understand her. Arad sat down, "As you say. I''m stuck in this form for now." He looked around, "I need to get down to the dungeon and sleep for a while to evolve." Arad''s mind saw this as an opportunity. For Arad, whose main goal was to give birth to as many void dragons as possible, the fertile ant queen who can dish out hundreds of eggs was a golden opportunity. [I suggest you hibernate as soon as possible,] Arad looked down, "Is my room clear? And did Roberta and Sara get back about the cursed stones?" "I don''t know about that. I didn''t hear anything from them. But Merlin wanted to see you as soon as you got back." Mira stared at him, "You do need that, right?" "Of course," Arad replied, staring at her, "But I''m more interest in you now, send someone to bring Merlin." "I''m here," A voice came from the sky, and when Arad looked, he could see Merlin with old man Cain flying on a broom. She floated down and Cain barely climbed down, tapping his back, "I can''t get used to this," Merlin rushed toward Arad, staring at him, "Seeing Mira here, she must have told you." She pulled a potion from her bag. "Mira is pregnant with a dragon egg, and her body can''t sustain it naturally. She doesn''t have enough mana to feed the egg," She showed the potion to Arad, "We can give her supplement with potions, but drinking too much of them can break her stomach and body." Cain looked at Arad, "We need someone to feed her, and that''s going to be you..." He then inspects Arad, "But not in your current condition. How long do you have?" Arad blinked twice, "You can tell?" Cain opened one of his eyes, "I can see it in your scales, the way they lost their light, and how your eyes faded. You remind me of dragons in the twilight, standing at death''s door with pride." "And how do you know about the twilight?" Arad growled, sniffing Cain but smelling nothing. "Not the first time I saw it." Cain approached Arad, touching his scales, "A powerful body requires a lot of power to keep alive, and when you can''t provide it that, it rapidly dies. You''re starving for something. Your body is crumbling without it." Merlin stared at Cain, "What are you talking about?" Cain pointed at her with his cane, "Can''t you see it? His magic is waning, and his bones are cracking. Arad doesn''t have enough energy to keep himself alive, let alone someone else." He turned around, "Give the girl the potions. She would have to keep using them until he gets better." "What is he starving for? I''m sure I can help to get it," Isdis walked forth, staring at Cain. Merlin looked at her for a second, "Princess Isdis!" She gasped, rushing to bow to the royal crown. Even Mira panicked with her. Only Cain and Arad stared at them, lifting an eyebrow. Merlin red at Cain, "Why aren''t you bowing old man? It''s the princess!" Cain looked at her. And then responded in a passive voice. "Does it make sense for me to bow?" Merlin and Isdis paused for a second. Their brains can''t even imagine Cain staring them in the eye, let alone bowing. Even though he was shorter than them with his crooked back, they could only remember staring up at his face. Isdis could feel her stomach turn, her body sweating, "Cain bowing to me?" The mere wording of the sentence caused her to feel disgusted as if eating shit in front of a million people. Isdis bowed to Cain, "Sorry about that. It''s inappropriate considering the circumstances. I will be staying in Arad''s house until he can apany me to the capital, so please ask me if you need any help." WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! As everyone stood in silence, they could hear the cry of a babying out of Arad''s house. Mira stared back, "That Serin! What is Tina doing?" Arad turned his head. A tiny fairynded on his nose. ~Yournding woke her up, and she wants to see you. Tina is in the kitchen cooking dinner,~ Ae rushed into the house, seeing Tina standing beside Serin, trying to calm her down. "Let me handle her for now," Tina smiled, bowing to Ae before handing her Serin, "Shake her a bit, and she would calm down. Bring her to me if anything happened. Cain looked at Arad, "That''s Serin. She''s a talented girl." "She''s a baby," Arad replied. Cain stared at him with a disappointed face, "She''s older than you, don''t your respect your elders?" Arad''s head started hurting. Cain wasn''t wrong, but where did he learn that? The more he stared at this old man, the more the world around him seemed to twist and converge, turning into a whirlpool of iprehensible mess. "Are you okay?" Cain patted Arad''s chin, staring at him with a worried face. "Your eyes have lost their magical re, the trip exhausted yourst supply of energy, and you''re like a human that hasn''t slept in days." Arad blinked twice, "You''re right. My body feels heavy." He turned toward the house. I will get inside... How am I going to fit through the door?" He can''t shift back into a human, so he can''t walk into the dungeon. Arad looked at the ground, trying to void step inside, but his magic failed. His body is on the verge of falling asleep, and all of his magic is starting to shut off in preparation for the evolution. "Rx," Cain said with a smile, staring at Merlin, "Get him inside. You''ve been to hisyer before, right?" Merlin stared at Cain, "I can''t cast magic strong enough to teleport a dragon. He''s past my skills." Cain sighed, "Listen, stop whining and do it. I can see that you''re able to cast seventh-tier magic. A teleport spell should do the trick." Merlin''s eyes glowed as she red at Cain, "I''ve been wondering, how much do you know about magic?" "A ninth-tier spell is what broke my back," Cain replied with augh. "You''re lying, ninth-tier spells aren''t so simple, and you won''t be living a normal life had you known a fraction of its scripture. The mage tower would hunt you down." Cain smiled, "You''re right. That was a lie." He turned around, "But knew that the world won''t wait for you," As Cain walked, a woman emerged from the forest. Arad immediately recognized her, Sena, the woman that sold them the house, and Cain''s daughter. Merlin looked at her for a moment. She only woremon clothes without a single magic item on her, not even an arcane focus or a magic inscription. Yet Mana flowed from her body like that of a monster, radiating enough power that Eris and Isdis went on guard. Sena lifted her hand, and Merlin instantly pulled her wand. She could sense a seventh-tier spelling. CRACK! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Suddenly, they stopped, looking back to see a giant hole in the ground. "Meryem took Arad down," Mira smiled, pointing down the hole with her thumb. "AH! Darlin is on my bed! AH!" Meryem, the ant queen cried as she circted around Arad''s body, clicking her mandibles with a happy chuckle. Chapter 343 Ant Swarm, And The Ancient Bloodline. As the ant queen danced around Arad, everyone stared down the hole. "Wait! You took him down?" Merlin gasped. Sena sighed, turning toward her father. "Father, should I..." She paused, seeing him stare into the distance with an empty re. Kayden reached to his hilt, opening his six eyes and standing before Cain. "Should I?" Kayden said in a calm voice. "Nah," Cain replied, shaking his head. "I''m fine. Probably another time." Kayden stared at him for a second. "Even though I might not be up to the job, you better get something ready." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Cain smiled, "I''m already working on something. Let''s hope I finish in time." He started walking away. "Hoi!" Merlin stared at Cain, "I should just give her the potions, right?" "Yes, until Arad get back on his feet. Go check on her." He added. *** Arad looked around him, seeing Meryem running around him in her ant queen form. His body felt weak, barely able to stand up from exhaustion, but he could tell something was different about her. "You got stronger," Arad said with a smile, curling into a ball, ready to sleep. "I''ve been training with Nina. She far stronger than she looks," Meryem smiled, clicking her mandibles as she sat beside Arad. "Rest, don''t worry, I shall protect you." [Don''t sleep yet. Hold until we get the cursed metal.] The ground started shaking as a flower emerged between them, "Arad, I can''t find that metal anywhere on my back. Shall I bring Roberta and Sara here?" Loci said as a mouth opened on the flower. "Don''t, let''s send someone to call them. Probably Ae or Jack," Arad replied, looking up. "GEHI?" As they spoke, a kobold stared at them from the tiny hole in the corner, "Is the master okay?" He mumbled, his head wiggling as his eyes scanned Arad. "A bit exhausted," Arad replied, signaling to the kobold toe closer with his w. The kobold fearfully approached Arad, keeping an eye on the ant queen staring him down with a ghastly gaze. One wrong move, and he''s getting on her dinner te. The kobold looked at Arad, "Lizard kings love gold," He pulled a gold ring from his pocket, a poorly made one, but it still looked a bit better than what you could find in the market crafted by human hands. "Does this make you feel better?" The kobold gave the ring to Arad with a hopeful smile. Arad smiled, taking the ring, "Thank you, I do feel a bit better," That wasn''t true, but the feeling got through, The kobold''s eyes flickered with pride, "You really felt better?" He smiled, "Wait a moment. I shall bring more than enough to make you better!" The kobold raced out without waiting for a second. A few momentster, a horde of kobolds rushed in with baskets over baskets full of gold and gems, dancing and singling as they poured it around the sleeping Arad. "Dancing with gold, we offer the shiny glimmer to our draconic lord." One of the kobolds sang, pulling a flute from his pocket. "Glittering rings, glowing gems, and precious rings. A lizard king''s pride is his horde, and we shall not be kobolds if our master didn''t have the biggest pride." It only took a few minutes for the kobolds to cover Arad in a nket of gold and gems, this dungeon had almost unlimited mines, and those kobolds are the third-best miners after dwarves and gnomes. The ant queen looked at the kobolds, her face twisting, "My children!" She screamed, and the ants swarmed the room, "Bring me the biggest monster you find outside Loci''s back. Don''t you dare get back without a suitable hunt!" She growled, and the ants rushed out, swarming the forest. *** In the forest, an adventurers group sneaked around the trees tailing a group of wild giant boars. Their druid suddenly stopped, putting his ear on the ground. "The fuck?" He growled, sweating as his face turned pale. "What is it?" The fighter looked back, grasping the handle of his greatsword. "Did they sneak behind us?" "I should get my fireball ready," The wizard woman sighed, waving her staff with an incantation. [Redder than blood, brighter than the sun.] The rogue woman stared at the druid''s face, "Hoi! He''s almost shitting himself," She gasped, seeing his sweat-drenched back. "Hundreds, no, thousands of heavy footsteps are rushing toward us!" He cried, rushing to climb a tree with terror in his eyes. The other three quickly climbed after him, getting ready for a fight. "You sure about that? I will rip your balls off if it was a false warning." The fighter growled, taking a deep breath as he pulled his sword. The ground started shaking, and they could see arge dust cloud in the distance. Momentster, a horde of giant ants rushed through like wild animals, kicking dust and trees as if it was nothing. The fighter silently pulled back, "The hell is this?" He gasped. "B-rank, no, some of them are A-rank. Giant ants," The wizard whispered. The rogue stared at the fighter, "Don''t you dare attack. Hit one, and the whole colony is after our assessment." The giant boars ahead came out of their hiding, running away from the ants, but they soon got ripped apart and carried back home like they were nothing. The figure looked at the rogue, "They are hunting for food. They don''t seem interested in us." "I don''t care," The wizard woman pulled a scroll from her pocket. "I''ve been keeping this in case we got stuck in a bad situation. This seems to be it." She showed them the scroll. "The lesser teleport one, that was three months of savings," The druid stared at the scroll, "We were keeping it to explore dungeons." "Do you want to walk back home between them?" She pointed down at the ants. "The moment they run out of prey, we would get on their dinner list." The wizard used the scroll, teleporting them back in front of the guild''s door. The fighter immediately kicked the door open, "Monsters! A stampede of giant ants is swarming across the forest!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, causing every adventurer inside to tense up. "You aren''t drunk, are you?" One of the adventurers, a pdin approached him with a suspicious stare. CRACK! With a loud bang, a tanned arm burst out of the ground just outside the guild''s door, causing all the adventurers to freeze. Thud! The arm was pushed to the ground, and arge and muscr woman emerged. Everyone instantly pulled their weapons, sweating buckets as they could feel it in their bones. That was no human, but a monster. Arad''s humanoid shapeshift was a bit special as it hides even his draconic aura and magic, people would see him as only a human unless he do something outrageous. But Meryem''s shapeshift was sloppy, only giving her the look of a human, but the magic oozing out of her skin told another story. "GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! (Where is Abel?)" Meryem tried to speak, but the adventurer could only hear growls, they can''t understand what a monster says. Nina stood, pushing her chair back and walking toward the door. All the adventurers hid behind her as she smiled, "GRRRRRRRR! GRRRRRRRRRR! (Didn''t I tell you to remain quiet? Or do you want another smacking?)" A deep growl came from her throat. Barbarians are as wild as the monsters themselves. "Abel knows where to find Sara. I can''t find her. She has something for Arad." Meryem replied. "Arad returned? Nina stared at her, are the ones responsible for the ants in the forest?" She asked, looking behind Meryem at therge hole she made in the ground. "He''s sick, really bad." Meryem replied, "We''re hunting to feed him. Where can I find the women named Sara and Roberta, now!" She grunted, her muscles bulging. "STOP!" Ae rushed in, riding Mc, stopping right at the guild''s door. "What are you doing?" She grabbed Meryem by the head. "Looking for Roberta and Sara," Meryem replied with a scared face. "Get back home! I told you not to act rashly!" Ae growled. "Don''t me her," Nina smiled, "She has even lower intelligence than me." Nina had seven, and Meryem had only six. Barely above what most animals have. Ae sighed, "At seven you can be seen as rude and make really bad decisions. But at six you''re a savage," Ae knew the base description of lower intelligence. Nina smiled, "Send her back. I will find those two and meet youter." She turned around toward the adventurers, "There are no problems. The ant swarm is just monsters moving." Ae looked at Nina''s back, she might look smart and act like normal people, but all of that is a mere imitation, a skill she learned over the years after retiring. Ae stared at Nina, ^You might train a tiger to act like a cat, but when the chance allows him, he would return to being a tiger.^ She could see the monster everyone fear inside Nina because of Zephyr''s magic sense. ^[That woman is a true monster. Even now, she won''t have a problem killing the ant and us in the blink of an eye. But I do sense primordial magic in her veins. Be careful.]^ ^Primordial magic?^ ^[The one belonging to a mindless monster from ancient earth, she''s from Aunt Tarra''s bloodline. A tarrasque''s bloodline sorceress.]^ Chapter 344 Finding Sara ^A tarrasque?^ Ae gasped. ^The ancient monster that could eat the world?^ ^[The Tarrasque had some earth magic, and the earth spirit is her direct descendant, but I don''t think this woman got any of that. She instead got traces of Aunt Tarra''s primordial anatomy.]^ "Ae." Nina approached her, "I will contact Sara. You go find Roberta in the central market." "Yes," Ae rode Mc and turned to leave, ncing back at Nina''s back. ^[Push her to death''s door, and the blood dormant in her veins will rush out. She might have gotten the jackpot that every melee fighter dreams of.]^ As Ae left, Nina walked toward her desk and hid all of her papers. She looked at the other receptionists and smiled, "I''m going to the lord''s house for a moment. Please hold out for me," One of the receptionists nodded, "Yes, of course," She didn''t know what to say. A monster just appeared and left, They could barely understand what happened, but as long as Nina was fine with it, they were mostly safe. Nina walked toward the door, all the adventurers moving out of her way. "No need for a response. The ants won''t pose a problem," She said, opening the door and leaving. The adventuers sat back down, taking a deep breath, "What is happening?" One of them sighed. "I will go check it out," A ranger stood, and soon he was followed by a bunch of druids. Standing outside the guild, Nina looked toward the lord''s castle with a passive face, "I hope she''s there," she squatted, the muscles on her legs bulging. BAM! With a single leap, Nina took to the sky. *** "I''ve seen some birds fly out of the forest. Do you think some adventurers are fighting a big monster?" A guard said with a smile, standing at the lord''s mansion front gate. "I bet you so. Those people can be crazy sometimes. Busting fireball on a sleeping ogre or a troll like it''s nothing," The other guard smiled, shaking his halberd. BAM! As they chatted, Ninanded in front of them, scaring their bones out of their bodies. They stepped back, seeing her stand back up with veins around her face. "Is Sara home?" Nina smiled, standing like nothing happened. "You could have just walked here!" One of the guards cried, his face drenched in sweat. Nina looked at the two guards. ^Arad came back, but I couldn''t sense his presence around. I suspect his condition is extremely bad. Whatever he needs from Sara, my instincts tell me time isn''t on our side.^ "We don''t know about Lady Sara. You have to wait a bit while we ask inside." The second guard replied. He has to get permission to speak from the lord first. They can''t simply disclose the location of his daughter. Nina stared at the guards, "You don''t seem to understand." She smiled, taking a step forward, "I''m in a bit of a hurry. Where is she? Or her father, I assume he would be just as useful." She grabbed one of the guards'' halberds, snapping its shaft in her palm. The two guards stared at each other, terrified. There was no way they could stop Nina. To her, they are no more than air in her way. "The lord is in his office. You can speak to him if you want." One of the guards looked down, sighing. "Please don''t cause trouble. Our heads are on the line," Nina nodded, "Worry not. I merely wish to speak with him." Nina pushed the steel gate with one hand, shattering its lock as if it were nothing. One of the guards rushed into the barracks to bring a new lock. They didn''t dare to stand in her way any further. *** Inside the mansion, Nina finally made her way to the lord''s office, standing at the door with a maid at her side. "The lord is inside. He''s awaiting your arrival." The maid bowed, opening the door with one hand. Nina walked into the office, seeing the lord standing by the window, staring at the mansion''s gate. "That was an expensive padlock. Do you know how much it cost?" Nina approached the lord''s desk, "If I wanted trouble, I would havended in the middle of your mansion. Your guards refused to answer my question, and I don''t have time to await their games." "There were no games. They would have opened the door if you waited one minute." The lord replied, staring at her. "You know that I don''t have the ability to tell when I''m being tricked, so I always act with the simplest solution." Nina replied, "A locked door can always be kicked open," The lord sighed, "You not being able to tell if they are stalling for time or not shouldn''t be an excuse," He sat back on his chair, "Take a seat. What brought you here." Nina sat with a smile, "Sorry for the lock. But you should know how to treat a barbarian," "You don''t know how to act normally outside the receptionist life you''ve been practicing. Right now, I''m not facing the receptionist Nina, but the blood barbarian Heracles of the seven wars." The city lord stared at her with a smile, "What do you want? Speak," "Sara, where is she?" Nina stared at him, and he started sweating. "My daughter? Why would you need her?" The city lord reached with his hand below his desk. "I myself don''t know. A friend of mine seems to need her." Nina replied, looking at the door with a smile, "I can hear you outside. Come in." CLICK! The door opened, and Sara walked in, "Heard from the guards you''ve been looking for me," Sara stared at Nina, "What do you want?" Nina smiled, "Arad returned, and he wants to see you," Sara blinked twice, "You should have said that from the start," She sighed, "If it''s about the cursed metal, I found it, but not a way to bring it here." Nina looked at her, "I do not know what it''s about, but you seem to have an idea. If that metal is what he wants, tell me where it is, and I shall bring it." Sara sat facing Nina, "You don''t understand, even you won''t be able to move it, it curses people to death." She pulled several drawings, "First, your skin turns red, and blisters cover it. After several minutes, you start vomiting blood as your vision blurs. A bit more, and you start feeling better, but that''s only the beginning of what is worse." Nina looked at the drawing, "Necrosis, is it a form of necrotic magic?" Sara shook her head, "No, the metalcks magic. That curse is the property of the thing itself. No matter how we think about it, moving it without tens of casualties is impossible." Nina scratched her chin, "I''m not a mage, but did you try summons? Those things can be an effective meat shield." "Nothing short of undead and constructs can get close to it, and even those soon fall. The metal disturbs magic and life alike." Sara growled, "I was thinking of giving Arad its location, letting him decide how to act." Nina stood, "Fine, but you should go see Arad. Tell him yourself." Sara stood, "He doesn''t trust your words?" "I don''t trust my own words. I might forget the details. And on top. You might be lying, and I have no way of telling." Nina replied, taking a deep breath. "Sorry about the trouble. I will make sure she returns safely," She quickly changed her tone, staring at the lord with the gentle smile of Nina, the receptionist. The lord sighed, "Please do," Sara followed Nina out, "You sure are scary. Not many people can walk into my father''s mansion like this and get out with their heads intact." Nina smiled, "Your father would have died fighting me to protect you if he knew I meant harm. Did you forget your mother? He stood against the church that wanted to purify you with your brother." Sara smiled, "But it was you who grabbed the pope by the head and almost drowned him in holy water." "SARA!" Abel rushed out of the hallway, "Nina! Where are you taking her!" He shouted, his knees shaking. His body still remembers when she shattered his bones. "Arad is back, and he wants to speak to her," Nina replied, and Abel''s face changed. "What does he want from my sister?" Abel growled, getting some courage in his veins. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Sara stared at him with a smile, "He wants me to marry him. I''m going now if you don''t mind." Three veins bulged on Abel''s face, "By the hells, He''s gonna pay!" Abel rushed toward them. Sara smiled, "I''m joking. It''s about the cursed metal." She shook her head, "You still get angry for me," Abel sighed, "But to be honest, I probably won''t mind him." He looked at the wall, "People treat tieflings poorly, us devils even worse. But he is different," Sara blinked twice, "What are you talking about?" Abel looked at her, "That''s right, that''s my whole concern." He stared at Sara, "He might just be the one to treat you fairly. See you and me as Sara and Abel, not two devils." "BROTHER!" Sara gasped, sweating. Chapter 345 Don’t Deal With The Devil Nina walked out of the forest with Sara and Abel, seeing Ae standing in front of Arad''s house with Roberta by her side. "You already found her?" "She was in the market, easy to catch." Ae approached Nina with a smile. Puff! Zephyr appeared above her head, "I sniffed her out from memories. Impressive, right?" Nina tilted her head, staring at the strange creatures with an observing gaze, "A spirit of the wilds, a pixie?" She knew them. Some of the forest barbarians worshipped them, but not her. "I''m more than that!" Zephyr puffed her chest. Nina approached, ring at her, "There is something strange about you. You''re strong." Zephyr started to sweat as Nina red at her. She''s dangerous at this close range. "Forget about me! Arad needs help. That one better has found what we need." She changed the subject, staring at Sara in the back. "I did find the cursed metal, but there are someplications," Sara replied with a worried face, looking around in search of Arad. "Complication?" Zephyr stared at her, "You fiendish devil, I bet you want a sweat contract." Zephyr floated toward Sara''s face, "Speak! You want to control Arad. Make him your pet. Sren''t you?" Abel red at the little thing, "Nothing of the like. Move away from her, or I will pluck your wins like a chicken." He growled. Zephyr wiggled, "Oh My, how could it be." She flew around Abel and Sara, "Two devils came to make contracts with Arad. Just how desperate are you? Let it be known. You won''t sneak anything behind my eyes!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om CRACK! Ae grabbed Zephyr in her fist, "Get back here. You''re trouble on your own." She stared at Sara and Abel, "Sorry for her baseless usations. Did you find the metal Arad was looking for? What are thoseplications?" Sara sighed, "Don''t worry, she''s right after all." She smiled, "Most devils like us walk by contracts. It''s natural to assume we came for one since she doesn''t know us." Ae stared at Zephyr, squeezing harder, "This little girl knew about you. She shares some of my memories now. But forget her for now, the metal. What happened?" "Short story," Sara approached Ae, "We knew the location. But have no way to mine it, let alone transport it." Roberta approached Ae, "I was trying to find some artificers to make a golem to move it. But got nothing so far," "Magic doesn''t work that well around it, so we had to improvise." Sara looked at Ae, "I have a n, but a risky one." Abel stared at her, "Sister, told that''s an insane n. We would only die." Sara red back at him, "If we don''t trust her. Then how are we, devils? I got the word of the mistress, and by her grace, we shall prevail." "NO!" Abel shouted, "She isn''t known for mercy. Trusting her would at worst kill us all, and at best kill everyone beside us. And binds us to the hells!" "Abel, I know what am I''m doing." She red at him, "It all depends on Arad''s situation," She pulled a tainted holy symbol from her pocket. It didn''t take Ae a second to recognize it. "The mistress of the nine hells, the devildy Alice Asmodeus Furberg." She stared at Sara, "Don''t tell me." Sara looked away, "You might not like hearing it, but I''m a cleric to the mistress of the hells." Nina stared at Sara, "I knew you had some holy magic about you, but why Asmodeus?" She stared at her, confused. Asmodeus wasn''t known for mercy, for not answering prayers. People knew she had both holy and curse powers, but not that she could grant them to people. "The mistress of the hells isn''t fond of getting prayed to," Sara stared at Nina, "Praying to her is an insult, and most get burned on the spot." She stared at Ae, "But, when I ran out of options, I tried my luck, asking her for a solution, but not help." Sara smiled, "Guess what? I got a reply. Even cult leaders sacrificing thousands of people never got to hear her lordship''s voice, but I did." "I''m with Abel''s mind. We shouldn''t trust Asmodeus. Zephyr''s words woulde true," Ae red at her. Lydia approached from the back, her arms crossed, "I might not agree with the hells. But I''m in no spot to belittle another person''s beliefs. As the will of the sun, mother earth, and the new birth, as is the will of the hells." Jack stared at Lydia, "What nonsense is that?" Lydia stared back at him, "Albeit being a devil, Asmodeus is a deity. She''s the jailer of the sinners in the hell. That''s a job that must be taken." Sara nodded, "She says that even gods are considered evil. Are there still gods that are necessary for the stability of the world? Lady Alice might be evil, but she would answer to hold the pride of the gods." Abel sighed in the back, "I hate to admit it, but she''s right. Asmodeus will hold her part of the bargain, that is for certain. What I fear is the price. What will she take in return." Sara looked down, "Lady Alice didn''t state a price for her n, only stated what should I do." She looked at her holy symbol. "What was the n?" Nina stared at her. "Me and brother are to open two portals to the firstyer of hell. One here and one at the metal''s location." Sara stared at Lydia, "Devils, by thedy''s orders, would lead a group of sinners to carry the metal through hell." Lydia nodded, "That''s too much," She started approaching Sara, "You do realize how dangerous opening a gate to hell is? And two on top of that?" She shook her head, "A devil''s trickery, your brother is right. Your helldy would stab us in the back the moment the gates open." Eris approached them, "Dancing with the devils, aren''t we?" She smiled, walking in between them, covered in her ck cloak. "Asmodeus is merciless, unlike the red-eyeddy of death. She merely watches in silence," Lydia and Sara stared at her, "What need we have with a god that doesn''t answer prayers?" Eris red back at them, "What I''m trying to say is that as real as miracles are, we shouldn''t rely on them. Nothing is free, especially convenience." "Can''t Merlin teleport it here? She''s skilled," Nina stared at them, "Or shebines her magic with Ginger. Those two can create wonders." Thud! Thud! Footsteps approached from the forest, a woman pushing a man in a wheelchair, "Magic isn''t that simple. We can''t mix it, not move that metal." Ae looked at them, "Ginger, Alcott!" she rushed, "I didn''t have a chance to visit yet, but is Alcott''s condition still bad?" Ginger stared at Alcott with an angry smile, "Let him suffer. The idiot thought it was a good idea to go out and fight a horde of ogres while recovering." She grabbed Alcott by the head, squizzing him as heughed. "Sorry, I couldn''t let the young adventuers die." Alcottughed. Nina sighed, "A group of ogres attacked. Alcott fought them while still recovering and got his condition worse. We''re still investigating it," "Is that so?" Ae stared at Alcott. "Don''t worry about me. I might look like this, but I''m well capable of beheading a dragon or two before kicking the bucket." He smiled, "And speaking of that, why don''t we ask the man himself in question? Where is Arad?" Ae nodded, "You''re right, let me take you to him," Ae walked toward the house, and everyone followed her, "Is he inside?" Sara asked with a puzzled face. "Of course," Ae stared back at her, "What do you think?" Jack shook his head, "Ae, she can''t sense him. His aura and magic have faded so much. Isn''t that right?" He stared at Lydia. "Speaking my words as if they were your own," Lydia sighed, "But that''s true, what you think is Arad''s residual magic is his current aura." Abel''s face paled, "By the hell if that is true. He is either a corpse or close to it." "He shouldn''t die," Ginger growled, "Not like this, not with his blood." Ae looked back at them, "Let''s say, he''s about to grow," She reached the basement door and turned toward everyone. "Don''t attack anything. Unless you want to get killed." Ae knocked on the door, "Open the door!" "GOAGOBA!" A growl came from behind the door as it opened. A small goblin started at her, wiggling in ce as he waved his hand, signaling them to enter." First was the goblinyer, then the Axols, and finally the ants where they were greeted by hundreds of A-rank giant ants, clicking the mandibles at the strange guests. As Sara looked around, she noticed something. The ants didn''t look at Jack or Alcott. They merely red at the women with disgust. "Those ants aren''t weing," She whispered to Ae. Ae looked back with a smile, "It''s their queen, she''s with Arad, and I bet you she wants no other woman around him." As they entered, they froze. Sleeping on a pile of glittering gold and countless gems, surrounded by a toon of armed Kobolds and Royal guard giant ants. A withered, jet-ck dragon slept with a massive ant probing on his side. The dragon barely lifted his head, revealing a woman who sat between his arms. She was none other than Mira. The dragon red at everyone. A fading me flickered in his purple eyes. "You havee," The dragon said. Sara froze in ce. This dragon was Arad. She could see it, feel it, sense it. But, something was even more strange. He looked weak, felt weak, with no power, magic, or aura, but something kept screaming in her mind. That''s a sleeping bear, one wrong move, and he would wake up enraged. Chapter 346 An Adversary "Arad? Is that you?" Sara stepped forward, staring at the massive dragon in front of her. "I am," Arad replied, his voice crackling inside his throat. He slowly moved his head closer to her, "Holy magic? No, it''s unholy, cursed." He red at her. Sara gulped, "I''m a priestess of Asmodeus, the devil goddess of the hells. I can use both holy spells and curses granted to me by her." "Your curse magic seems too simple. You don''t have any powerful spells?" A faint purple light gleamed deep inside Arad''s eyes, the witch inside him inspecting Sara''s magic. "I''m not a fighter, and worshipping thedy of the hells can cause some problems." She looked away, "I might have cked a bittely," Thud! Abel walked forward, "You can''t worship Asmodeus without being med for every ge and lost soul in this world," He stared at Arad, "It''s best for her to use as little of the hells''dy''s gifts as possible," "He''s right," Lydia smiled, "We shouldn''t trust devils, albeit Sara and he can be an exception." "That hurts my infernal heart," A deep booming voice came from the shadows, two red eyes red at them. Everyone froze for a second as Arad growled, his magic rushing back out as he red into the darkness, "What are you?" Lydia pulled her de, igniting it with holy magic. "A devil! Cut the bastard!" BAM! She lunged forward, swinging at the shadow''s neck. CLANG! Her sword stopped at the devil''s neck, shining with a bright light, revealing the infernal''s red skin and wings, leather-rough skin, and long ck horns. "You stink, like acid," The devil lifted his palm, catching Lydia''s sword and pushing her back. BAM! She regained her stance and red at him, "You smell like charred rot," The devil bowed, "I was sent by Her Majesty, the immortal devil of the nine hells. Arad Orion, I bring you a contract," "That can''t be right!" Sara cried, "I was tasked with speaking with him!" The devil stared at her, "The queen watches over her children, and you failed. It was obvious that kids can''t save children." The devil walked out of the shadows and looked at Arad, "A majestic void wyrm with infinite potential. It''s sad to see you wither and die of starvation," He smiled. "That''s none of your business, scram!" Arad growled, his muscles bulging again as he walked down his mound of gold. The devil lifted his hands, "Each step gets you closer to death. It''s better if you don''t pretend to be deaf." The devil waved his hands, "Stand down, child of none. Before the void beckons," "I told you to leave!" Arad growled. He could feel it in his bones and hear both Doma and Mom screaming inside his head. That thing is an Archdevil. He can''t win. And even if he won by a miracle, he would die of starvation and exhaustion. "We curse lives to the eternal. Take the contract, and I shall bring you the metal." The devil flicked his fingers, and a me sparked, "You better sell when your stock has a price." "Arad," Nina who was in the back walked forward, "If you won''t take contract, can I kill this thing?" Arad red back at her. Doma shouted inside his head, She would die, An Archdevil isn''t something a mortal should face, they are too much to handle even with holy magic. The faces of the hell''s terror. "Don''t fight! I won''t take the contract, but stand back," Arad growled at her. Ginger emerged from the shadows behind the devil, staring at him with a smile, "It''s brave of you toe here alone," She smiled, "It''s been a while since I tasted a devil," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Brave? You''re the ones in need of my help, mercy, and favor. Refuse my offer and he would die, soon followed by you all." He smiled, hellish magic flowing from his ws. "Good thing I was watching," DING! Merlin emerged in a spark of white magic, pointing a small wand at the devil. "You speak of our need, yet that only shows your desperation." Merlin smiled, "You approach Arad when he''s young, weak, and vulnerable. You rot worms of the hells barely hold the courage to face someone of your power," "Big words from a mere human," The devil red at her. Thud! Nina walked forward, "You two stand back. I will finish this quickly." She started approaching the devil. The devil red at Nina, "Big words from a human. and insolence from a magicless, mindless, and crazed animal." He swung his arm, throwing a trident at Nina, gouging her stomach and sending her body smacking into the wall. "NINA!" Arad roared, and the devil startedughing. "Dead like a bug, guess who the worm was." He stared at Arad, "Take my contract, or everyone will end like her. Stuck to the wall like art..." The devil''s lips stopped as he saw Nina standing with the spear still protruding from her stomach. She walked toward the devil with a passive face, standing a few meters before him. With one hand, she grabbed the trident shaft and pulled it out of her stomach. Blood gushed out, and Nina tossed the spear at the devil''s feet. "Try again." The devil red at her, sweating as he opened his palm. ZON! The spear flew back to his hand as he rushed forward, thrusting at Nina''s neck. CLANG! The trident stopped at Nina''s skin, unable to pierce her neck. "I faced kids stronger than you," She lifted her hands, grabbing the devil by his horns. Thud! Nina jumped up, pulling her legs toward her stomach. SWOSH! She then swung both of her feet at the devil''s face while still holding onto his horns. CRACK! The devil''s horns shattered as his nose sniffed his brain, and his body rolled with a ssh of blood through the air. GROAR! Nina growled, her skin turning into a dark red color as her veins bulged, her eyes bloodshot as she leaped forward. [Rage] Thud! Before the devil could stop, Nina grabbed his bloodied face in her palm and swung him at the ground like a stick, shattering the ant''s royal room. Merlin smiled in the back, swinging her wand, "This is going to be fun. I''m taking the horns and the tail." She smiled, pulling the devil''s shattered horns toward herself as she conjured a barrier. [Arcane ward] "The blood and liver are mine," Ginger licked her lips, "It''s been a while since such a rare ingredient showed itself." She giggled, "I lost count of how many times I tried to bait a devil into a contract with me so I could farm him for alchemy," CLACK! The devil healed himself as he bounced off Nina, standing on the wall with glowing red eyes, "Mortals dare defy a devil?" "You hurt my feeling," Ginger appeared beside him, "I''m immortal, you know?" A blood spear emerged in her hand as she stabbed forward [Action surge] BA-BAM! The devil swung his trident and deflected Ginger''s barrage of thirty-two stabs in the blink of an eye. BAM! He jumped back,nding upside down on the ceiling. Ginger smiled, remembering how her belly was full today. How she spent the past weak sucking on high-quality blood, Alcott''s blood. She''s at full power and doesn''t have any reason to hold back. The devil pointed at her with his spear, ready to st her with a spell. But he saw her smiling, making him confused. ^That woman just used an action surge. She should be feeling the bacsh. A well-known opening of such a powerful ability,^ Ginger''s blood rushed through her veins. Her immortal body defied natural boundaries. Exhaustion, breathing, heartbeat, and life itself. As long as she has blood, she cares for none. [Action surge] [Action surge] [Action surge] She sted forward with another barrage, using the third action surge to cast her blood magic, and thest one to summon her kin. The whole room turned dark as blood spikes rushed from the ceiling at the devil. And when he fell to the ground, shadow wolves lunged at him. One of them was a barbarian called Nina. The devil stopped. ^Wait, that''s isn''t a familiar^ Nina grabbed the devil by the tail, swinging him around like a rage door, smacking his body on the ground and walls before kicking him toward Merlin. Merlin sighed, seeing the devil flying toward her. "Mages are rear support," She sighed, lifting her wand and opening her palm. "In the name of the flickering magic, I call upon your wisdom. I, the white mage of Alina, seek knowledge whom you keep." Strands of blue magic flickered around Merlin, shing with sparks of golden light. "Goddess of Magic, Lilia Bodhi-Micah." Merlin''s magic turned from elemental into holy, her palm shing with a divine light. "A mage seeks the forbidden knowledge of holy magic." [Banishment] She pointed two fingers at the devil, dropping the biggest, andrgest divine smite Lydia had ever seen in her life. A hell gate opened behind the devil, ready to take his charred body. Chapter 347 Hell Has It’s Laws FLAP! The devil expanded his wings, spinning mid-air andnding feet-first on the skeletal hell gate, growling as his face healed. "Damned wizard," He red at Merlin with rage, "I will decorate my throne with your skin!" STAB! As the devil stared forward with rage, he felt a sharp pain in his back. He turned to see Jack smiling, stabbing him with a wakizashi. "You bastard!" He growled, feeling his insides burn as the de glowed. CRACK! Jack pushed the wakizashi deeper into the devil''s back, "There is a shred of holy magic in this de. Wonder if it hurts." The devil grunted. The magic was weak but potent. He could instantly recognize the symbol carved into the de''s leather handle. The zing sun of the east, the inevitable eclipse of the end. The symbol of the goddess of the Dusk and down. The red sun, and the eclipse, Amaterasu. "Thedy''s foster mother, to this I wouldn''t fall, never!" He growled, grabbing Jack by the neck and jumping into the hell gate. "Take the contract if you want a chance of saving him!" The devil smiled. "JACK!" Lydia shouted. BAM! Nina lunged forward as fast as she could before the gate closed, but she waste, barely putting her fingers between the iron doors. CLANK! As the gate mmed shut, Nina growled, pushing against it, trying to force it open with all her might. Merlin grunted, "Damn it, he took him." she pointed her wand at the gate. "What was that idiot thinking of?" Ginger growled, "Open it again!" She red at Merlin. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I''m trying!" Merlin cried, "The goddess of magic isn''t answering! That bitch must be finding this amusing!" No matter how much she tried, she couldn''t muster holy magic again to open the gate. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Nina screamed as the veins on her arms bulged. The gate crackled, its metal growling as Nina put pressure. Merlin and Ginger stared at Nina with terrified smiles on their faces as they saw the gate slowly open, "That''s a hell gate. Are you serious?" Ginger giggled. Merlin pointed her wand at the crack, "Hold still! I will pull Jack the moment I see him!" GRAWWAAAAAAAA! Nina roared, applying even more force at the gate, forcing it halfway open. BAM! BAM! Lydia rushed forward, her de burning with a divine re, "Give Jack back!" She screamed, jumping over Nina''s head and squeezing into the gate. "Another idiot?" Ginger cried, "Arad, don''t let more of them jump. I will bring those two back..." She turned around, only to see him missing. **** SWOSH! As Lydia jumped into hell, she could feel the putrid, charged smell assault her senses. The pure heat and acidic air burned her throat and skin as her hair and armor started catching fire. She blinked as her eyes started burning with acid, seeing the scope of the firstyer of the hells. It was infinite, bare mountains of sold stones, fire, brimstone, and acidkes with lightning crackling in the red sky above. The gate spawned in the middle of the sky, and she had already started falling toward the ground. Hordes of imps flew toward her with hunger and rage in their ws. Lydia''s golden glowing eyes shed as she located Jack and the devil falling below her. Holy magic ignited her de as she swung at the imps, "Get out of the way!" [Divine Smite] With a brilliant sh, the small imps turned into ash as Lydia fell after the devil and Jack, swinging her burning sword. PIKYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! The devil screamed an ear-shattering screech boomed in the hells as he looked up at the pdin falling at him with a swing. "Should have killed me," A voice came from beneath the devil, sending shivers down his spine. As he stared, Jack red at him with the hell ground approaching. Thud! Jack grabbed the devil by the neck and stabbed his chest with the wakizashi, "Half-assing it won''t get you anywhere," Jack smiled. "You abominable monster!" The devil growled, ring at Jack with terror. [Divine Cleaver] Lydia swung her sword down at the devil''s neck, barely wounding him before his tail pped her away. BLAH! Lydia coughed blood, falling at the imps chasing her, aiming to eat her corpse after she fell to her death. The devil spun in his ce, kicking Jack toward the ground with an angry frown, "Die, mortal." He smiled, "With the pride of scaring a devil, you achieved more than the other worms of the outer world." The devil lifted his hands, expanding his arms, "Forces of hell, devour those two souls and bring me their rotted bones!" He shouted, and the thousands of imps inhabiting theyer heeded hismand, swarming the ce. SWOSH! As Ae was falling, a ck shadow flew and caught her, and soon, that shadow snatched Jack andnded on a nearby hill. The imps stopped. Their bones shook as they saw the massive ck dragon ring at them, bringing bad memories of the past. Arad expanded his wings, roaring with his jaws open. The hell ground sharted shaking as the devil growled. "What a fool, you chose death over life?" The devil stared at Arad with a smile. As Arad roared, ck tattoos covered his already dark scales, and a blue orb started forming between his teeth. ^[Breath, roar! If we''re going to die anyway, let''s make it count!]^ Doma started using every trick she knew, bending Arad''s void magic to pull the hell ground into the breath, crushing it to charge theing st. The devil couldn''t feel any powerful magicing from Arad''s breath, but there was an immense sense of danger feeling his bones. A cornered dragon, hisst sh of life, nothing good wille from it. The devil formed a shield of fire. Turning his back to Arad to run didn''t seem like a wise option. Doma smiled inside Arad, "[Me and my darling''s most powerful magic.]" Her eyes shed purple, "[[Fuck Everything In That General Direction!]]" She didn''t have time or energy to think of a name, so she shouted in anger, enraged at the devil and the hells. The matter crumbled in Arad''s jaws as the void got sapped out, releasing a beam of blue light, shing toward the devil in a brilliant light. The devil''s vision went white for a second, and then ck as the breath erased him, and sted a chunk of a faraway mountain. The beam traveled further, hitting a jet-ck iron fortress, quaking its walls. **** Inside the ck iron fortress, in the innermost chamber. A titanic, twenty-headed drakaina woke up from her slumber, standing up as the devils swarming her hall cried. Her head wiggled like snakes, "Who dares knock on my doors?" She growled, taking a deep whiff. "I see, the void kid." She smiled, "And a nice meal," BAM! Her massive body disappeared. **** As the massive drakaina flew to Arad''s location, she saw one of the mountains cut in half and hordes upon hordes of dead devils. "Did he do all of this?" She looked at Arad, seeing a sea of blood as a barbarian woman swung her battle axe through hordes of devils, ripping them to shreds as she screamed. **** A few seconds earlier, Nina mustered all of her strength to open the hell gate and jumped after Lydia and Jack, summoning her axe at thest moment. When she fell into hell, she only saw a decimated battlefield. A mountain has been cut in half in the distance, and imps feel dead from the sky like flies. BAM! Shended beside Arad and stared at him, he looked as dead as he could get, but there was still a whiff of necrotic magic in his body. His vampirism is holding his body together. Calling upon her previous battles against vampires, Nina sighed in relief, "He should survive with some blood," She grabbed her axe, cutting her wrist and dripping blood in Arad''s mouth. As she did so, more devils swarmed. This was Hell. Expecting a moment of peace is too much to ask. Nina picked up her axe and roared, raging once more as she lunged at the swarming devils. As she hacked and shed hordes upon hordes, the devil''s body emerged from the ground, rising to the sky with a smile on his face. "Fools! Fools!" Heughed, "Hell has itsws," He expanded his wings, radiating curse magic. This was hell, a ce of suffering. No matter how much its inhabitants die of torture, they alwayse back to life to suffer more. Devils abuse this power by pulling fights to hell where they can''t be killed. "You fight me on mynd, fools. Your death shall be grand!" He conjured his trident. Nina growled. She knew that she couldn''t win here. It''s an endless fight. Could she hold until Merlin manages to open the gate again? "No more deals, it''s over!" The devil smiled, "He''s in my grasp. I shall raise him as a dracolich pet, serving me for eternity." The devilughed, "I made the right move, at the right time." BAM! As the devilughed, a massive drakainanded behind him, "Yournd?" She growled, and the devil froze in his ce. "No...I didn''t..." He cried, but she didn''t allow him time, swallowing him with a single bite. Nina froze. The drakaina''s ws were asrge as mountains. She stood above else, radiating magic like nothing else. Everything beside her looked so pale it became meaningless. "This had gotten out of ws," The massive drakaina growled, "In hells, none shall touch you if you prayed to my name." She expanded her wings, flying without pping them. "No more deals, it''s over! A greater fate awaits you, void born." BAM! She disappeared, and Nina sighed, seeing the devils fly away. She walked toward Arad, seeing him stable. The hell me and acid have stopped harming them as well. There was a single dragon who could do this. Even Nina wasn''t ignorant enough not to recognize her. "Tiamat," She growled, sitting beside Arad and looking at the sky. "She resides here after all," CLACK! A massive red gate opened, and Sena walked in, looking around, "Nina! Arad!" She shouted, her eyes quickly spotting them. "We''re here," Nina waved her arm, exhausted. "It appears she arrived in time," Sena sighed in relief, but then stared at Nina, "Ahem, I mean, I arrived in time," "Let''s get out. I will help you get Arad''s metal." Nina looked at her, "We just fought a devil," Sena tilted her head, extending her palms toward them. [Telekinesis] Arad, Nina, Lydia, and Jack levitated as Sena waved her palm, throwing them through the massive gate she opened. Sena took a deep breath, staring at the hell sky. "I know you''re there," She smiled. ZON! The sky shifted as Tiamat showed herself again, floating down. She didn''t leave but merely used her camouge. "You picked a powerful one," Tiamat growled, ring at her. Sena stared at her, "Aunt Alice didn''t send that bastard, did she?" She growled. Tiamat scratched the chin of her red dragon head, looking back at the mountain, "I don''t believe so. She won''t act like this," "Then who was it? Don''t tell me that fool acted alone?" Sena growled. Tiamat got her face closer to Sena, "This kid has a lot of potential. And you know how powerful people would react." Sena looked down, "They will either try to enve him to control his power. Or kill him before he gets out of hand." "That''s true," Tiamat growled, "Powerful people aren''t stupid. They won''t send weaker minions to him and make him stronger. They will attack at the first chance with all their might." "Then what do you suggest I do?" Sena sighed. Tiamat smiled, "If you want him, then take him," She looked closer at Sena''s face. "You mustpromise with how weak he''s now," Sena looked away, "Don''t want to," She approached the hell gate, "You don''t have any right to tell me that. I won''t ept someone weaker than myself." Chapter 348 Sena Lisworth CRACKLE! Hundreds of steel chains emerged from the thin air, and a massive skeletal gate rose from the ground. The gate opened with a growl, sending a gust of searing acid heat. From it, Arad flew out, rolling on the ground, unconscious. "They came back!" Ginger rushed toward him, looking around for Lydia and Jack. "Those are with me," Sena walked out of the hell gate, Jack and Lydia floating behind her. "They need healing, fast," Sheid them close to Ginger and Merlin, "A restoration spell to lift curses would help them as well. I suggest you take them to father instead of the church," "How did you open a hell gate?" Merlin approached Sena, "Even I can barely call an eight-level spell, and that was much higher." Sena stared at her, "The same way you opened one, I called upon a god''s power," She smiled, "You call on the goddess of magic, and I have my own." "Which god? Not many are open to the idea of opening the hells," Merlin growled at her, "Nuteral ones like the goddess of magic will grant it for fun, and only to achieving wizards. But even she doesn''t grant such fine control," Ginger red at Sena, trying to pick on the smell of her blood. Something was off. She could feel it. ^She isn''t a humanoid, but a monster shifted into a human form.^ It only took a second for her to back away. Ginger looked at Sena''s head, channeling blood magic into her eyes and trying to probe into Sena''s mind. For nothing more than figuring out what kind of monster they are dealing with, as such information can be the difference between life and death. At that moment, a sharp pain struck Ginger. For the first time in a century, her heart beat faster than drums, and her eyes burned. Slimy tentacles and sharp ws scrapped on her skin as she drowned in zing divine water as dense as tar. CRACK! The illusion shattered as Ginger opened her eyes, seeing Sena staring back at her with one eye, "I don''t mind you looking, but I suggest you be careful, lest you burn your mind." Sena approached the unconscious Arad as Nina walked out of the hell gate, drenched in blood. "His condition got worse. We can''t leave him like this," She patted his head. "But he''s too weak, too young, and too naive. I can''t help but feel he isn''t worth the effort," She stood, "But, I do want to help him, and I hope he''s good enough to make it worth it." "What are you talking about?" Ae red at her, confused. Sena lifted her hands, "What do you mean? I''m not a whore jumping from one man to another. I want to make my first one count, and I absolutely hate a weak man," White magic swirled around Sena''s body as she started floating, her eyes glowing with an eldritch white light. "That cursed metal, I shall bring it," Sara stared at her, "You will die! Don''t underestimate it," She rushed toward her, "We have to n this. Arad won''t like it if anyone dies because of him," Sena red at her, "Sensible words," Her light faded as shended back on the ground, the hell gate behind her disappearing. Merlin approached her, "What was that magic?" Sena smiled, "Figure it out on your own," "I did," Merlin red at her, "Draconic, divine, and something else, an abnormal magic that shouldn''t exist." Sena giggled, "Even I don''t know. We shall knowter, right?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Merlin felt a gust of cold wind brush on her cheeks, the faint smell ofvender coursing through her nose as she rxed, "Yeah, we should focus on Arad," She nodded. "Can someone exin to me what''s happening?" Roberta stood, her knees still shaking. Ginger sighed, scratching her head, "In short, Arad''s condition got worse. Mark us the location of the cursed metal, and we shall find a way to bring it as soon as possible." Roberta nodded and pulled a paper from her pocket. Sara approached her, and they started drawing a map. "Head east until you reach the mountains of Zelor, then turn right across the beasnds until you reach the death-cursednd, but be careful. That ce is full of monstrosities." Roberta drew a mine of the map. "You will find a red ravine in the wastnds of the death. Inside you shall find the metal. But keep in mind, that informations are made based on rumors as not many idiots would investigate the ce." "Not like those idiots who went there lived to tell the tale," Sara sighed. Sena nodded, "I see, a ce with a curse that kills people. The cursed metal should be there." "I will fly there, It might take some time, but that''s our only option," Merlin conjured her broom. "No, you remain here and tend to Mira and Arad with the rest," Sena replied, "I should go," Ginger stared at them, "Won''t it be easier to take Arad there? You can teleport right?" Sena stared at her, "The problem isn''t teleporting him there. It''s the fact we have to protect him as he evolves." She smiled, "I''m sure teleporting him while he''s incubating would cause some problems to his innards," Ginger imagined them teleporting Arad as he evolved, causing his organs to misalign and killing him, "You''re right, that could be lethal," She looked at her, "But we could leave him there, right?" "That ce is oozing with monsters. We have to stay and protect him while he sleeps. That''s dangerous for us," Sena replied, "It would be much faster and easier if I flew there, grabbed the metal, and came back." "Bring as much as you can, within reason," Ae approached her, "I''m sure he would need more for his next evolution," Sena giggled, "Sorry, but I''m only bringing as much as he needs now." She smiled, "I need him to get stronger. The fact he didn''t prepare the metal beforehand shows ack of nning and insight." "That isn''t nice," Ae sighed with a smile, "But I can understand. Sorry for the trouble." Sena smiled, "You don''t need to apologize to me," She flicked her forehead, "My aunt once said that a man''s worth is the size of his pride, and a woman''s worth is the size of her man''s power. But, to each her ce, and stepping over the order should be faced with blood." Sena turned, vansihing into silvery mist. Isdis who sat in the back finally walked forward now that the magic cleared. She stared around in confusion. What just happened? "A devil appeared. You and the bloodchild back there seem to have failed against his presence," Ginger approached Isdis, touching her forehead. "Good, you aren''t charmed," She then turned toward Eris, "And you, well my presence is more troublesome for you than anything else," Eris stood in her ce, staring forward with a nk stare. "You seem to be rted to one of my spawns. How pitiful, the moment you stood before me, your blood quickly turned you into a spawn," Ginger waved her hand, and Eris fell on her knees, gasping for air. "Damn it! What was that?" She cried. "Vampire spawns, people that I suck their blood until they die, I can turn them into vampire spawns if I wished. They aren''t true vampires and are eternally enved to me." She smiled, "I can also turn them into true vampires like I did with Arad," "What are you talking about?" Eris growled. "What I''m saying is that now I''m here, you became my blood ve. A mere puppet for me to y with, and you shall remain like that for eternity," Ginger waved her hand, "That''s what I would have done a century ago. Right now, Alcott won''t exactly like that." She smiled. SWOSH! A burning crest emerged on Eris''s back, smoking as she screamed, "Come on, don''t cry, let me finish," Ginger waved her hand as her eyes gleamed with a bloodright re of magic. "Here you go," She waved her hand as Eris fell on her face, "I linked you to Arad instead of me. You''re his vampire spawn now, or should I say blood ve to make it simpler?" "What did you do?" Eris growled, barely able to stand. "Just like how a mother vampire grants her blood child some of her vampire spawn upon birth, I granted you to Arad, since you were already his prisoner." She smiled. Eris sighed, standing up and shaking her head, "You could have just freed me, making me an independent vampire." "Freedom of blood is never free," Ginger smiled, "But, Arad is still young and naive. You can deceive him to free you if you wish. Or serve him. It''s your decision, not mine." Eris looked at Arad, "You''re right. I should be able to trick him quickly." She shook her head, "But as you said, that''s for me." She smiled, "I do have some purple blood in me. I would certainly rather have him a master than you," *** Outside, The old man Cain sighed, sitting underneath a tree, ~Alice, you didn''t send that idiot, did you?~ ~Absolutly not, you know I wouldn''t do it. I''m investigating it right now.~ A voice replied in his head. "Please do. Don''t make mee there to flip the hells like a pan." He growled, "Don''t let anything big around Arad Orion. Sena has taken a liking to him." ~Really? Let''s hope he can handle her. She''s as vicious as Sofia and as hardheaded as you.~ The voice giggled. ~It didn''t help that Zaleria and Selena helped raise her.~ "Don''t remind me. I tried to raise her as a normal girl, but her blood was too strong. At least she isn''t like Gray," He smiled. Chapter 349 Brother And Sister In a farawaynd, a cursed ghoul ran between the rotted trees. Panting as he never did in life, the death magic coursing through his body shook as he red back. Behind him, other ghouls ran covered in blood, rushing to hide in a hole behind a small hill. "Did it go away?" One of them whispered, his knees shaking. Another ghoul closed his mouth, "Shut the fuck up! What if it heard you?" The ghoul red back at him, screaming inside, ^Why are you shouting then?^ The earth quaked, and the trees cracked as a horrid stench washed over thends. The devils froze, feeling their souls shake like scared rats. SIZZLE! Their skin started charring as a wave of hold magic washed over the forest, but they remained still, clenching their teeth in terror. If only they could remain hidden for a few seconds. The monster would move away. CRACK! Tentacles smashed the trees away, lifting the trunks and throwing them away. Massive ws dug the ground, moving mounds over mounds of solid stones and dirt. One of the ghouls gulped, crawling up the dirt and sneaking a look at the monster. ZON! The ghoul''s vision started to twist. He could see a ck shape but notprehend it. His mortal mind struggled to interpret the creature. Soon enough, a sharp headache assaulted his brain, causing his body to start shaking, falling on his face covered in sweat. "Don''t gaze upon the ineffable. It''s useless to try to understand something that doesn''t exist within your mortal boundaries." A woman''s voice came out, searing the ghoul''s body. A ck tentacle came out of the monster''s body, touching the ghoul''s forehead, "Even this one, it''s the simplest shape your mind can interpret." SWOSH! The ghoul''s body disintegrated into ash with the overflowing holy magic, and his undead soul started sinking into Hell. "You killed a lot of people in life, but dying by my hand would send you way deeper, far than you deserve." The monster growled, catching the ghoul''s soul with its tentacles, and pulling him from the dirt. The soul quaked, unable to move or resist, "You shall feed me for a thousand years, and I will release you into the lowest heaven." The tentacles pulled the ghoul''s soul into a giant, abyssal maw with teeth, and magic, binding it with the tens of thousands feeding the monster. "I heard a monster was on the loose," A man''s voice came from behind the monster. He smiled, "And look who I find, my dear, sweet sister." Gray smiled, pulling his staff away. The monster shifted into a humanoid form, facing Gray. Sena smiled, "I''m sure no one survived seeing me," "The corpses can speak," Gray smiled, "You didn''t eat everyone that saw you. Some only died from their flesh brains overloading." "Now that you know it''s me, can you leave me be?" Sena stared at him, and Gray held his heart. "Oh, no! Sister is shoving me away," He cried, "And I came here since I was concerned you might be in danger." Sena sighed, "Danger? You know you and me are the danger?" "Hehe," Gray giggled, "You''re absolutely right," He pointed at her, "But unlike me, there are still some things that can harm you." Sena stared at him, "Father eliminated all the abominations. None of them would be wandering around the world anymore." "In that you''re wrong," Gray''s face shifted, "They can''t be eradicated. Father merely shoved them outside the crystal sphere." Gray opened his palm, revealing a tiny ck sludge. Sena jumped back, "Where did you get that!" She cried. "It fell from the sky to the south, and killed a whole region before I could reach and eliminate it." He sucked the sludge through his palm, "The dracorage mythic. The shards of that ursed meteor are smashing into the crystal sphere, cracking it." Gray red at Sena and growled, "Once the real thing hit the sphere, it would not only cause all the dragons to go mad and ravage the world, but those things would return, alongside the age of chaos." "Do father know?" Gray nodded, "He knows, but can''t do much about it. Keeping this world intact alongside everything else is draining his life. We need to find a way to erase that meteor before he hits the sphere, and no, simple magic won''t affect it." "Won''t Father or Lilia have the power to st it away? I''m sure they have it," Sena stared at Gray with a sad face, "Why aren''t they acting," "I was told by mother not to tell you. At least for now," Gray replied with a sad face, "It''s not that they can''t, but it shouldn''t be just sted like any mundane thing. It must bepletely erased from this world, from the future and past." Gray lifted his palm, several orbs of magic floating between his fingers, "It should have never existed in the first ce. Complete eradication is the only safe solution." He then smiled, "Let''s change the grim subject. What brought you here?" Sena flinched for a second, "I came to find the cursed metal," Gray blinked twice, "For that baby dragon? Can''t hee fetch it himself?" "He''s sick. He didn''t get it before evolving," She looked away with a red face. "Mother wouldugh at you for a decade. He''s so weak." Gray stared at her with a teasing smile. "I don''t care what Aunty Morena thinks. I chose whom I like," She growled at him, as if about to bite him. "Father killed mother four times before she finally submitted to him. One when she was alive. One when she returned as a dracolich, one when she went to hell, and one when she got back." He smiled, "You''re too softpared to that." "My mother is different than you. She had the wisdom to see our father''s potential. I also see Arad''s potential," She stared back at him. Gray nodded, "I see," He smiled, "But to be honest with you, I don''t care as long as you''re happy and having fun." Gray''s magic started flowing, "I wille skin him alive if he fails to provide those two." His eyes shed with an eldritch me, dripping death magic like death itself. BAM! Sena punched his face, "Don''t touch him. I don''t need more trouble." Gray didn''t even flinch, "More trouble. Someone attacked you?" He growled. "Not me, but Arad. A devil tried to force him into a contract." She sighed, "Aren''t you supposed to be overseeing them?" CRACK! Two horns emerged on Gray''s head as ten ck wings burst from his back, "Leave it to me," "Thank you," She smiled, looking at the ground, "Now to find the metal." Gray stared at her, "A contract, you call me brother, and I shall bring you all the cursed metal in this cursednd." Sena giggled, "You''re making it a contract?" She smiled, "Dear brother, can you help me get the cursed metal?" Gray smiled, "Of course." He smiled with a happy face, lifting his arms. The earth shook as hordes of zombies rose from the ground, dragging every bit of metal out. Sena looked around, "You already sent them, didn''t you?" She giggled, "Did you n it?" "I sadly didn''t," Gray shook his head, "It''s just a trick mother taught mest decade. Worm corpse exchange." Gray opened his palms, "A magic that allows me to swap my stored undead with the worms in the ground," Sena stared closely at the magic, "I can''t understand necromancy no matter how many times I look at it," "It really isn''t that hard," Gray replied, "Your only problem is seeing souls as living beings, not currency to be used." "I know the souls aren''t alive," Sena stared at him with a tired face. "Sorry, I might have exined it wrong." He smiled, "I see souls as coins to be used. You see them more like cattle. You can throw chickens at someone as an attack. You can''t see that possibility due to your attunement to holy magic." "Since they were alive and deserve a better ending," Sara stared at Gray with a smile. "Compared to the eternal life in the heavens or the eternal suffering of the hells. A mortal life is pathetic, worthless, and nothing but the dirt at the doorstop," She waved her hand. "I agree with you on that," Gray nodded, "If mortals here understood what awaits them, they won''t spare any effort to try snatching a spot in the heavens, and avoid the hells." Sena flicked her fingers, and the metal the undead brought disappeared, "You''re right. But I must go now." Sena turned around, "Arad needs me," Gray smiled, "Call me if you need anything. I''m always listening where death exists." Sena looked back at him with a smile, "Thanks, brother," ZON! She disappeared in a silvery mist, and Gray looked around. He walked toward the trees, standing at the edge of the hole where the ghouls hid. He stared down at them with a smile, "You were listening, so I offer you a choice. Heaven or Hell?" One of the ghouls forced himself to speak, "Heaven," Gray smiled, "Fine, go to hell. I need servants there," With a flick of his finger, they all burned with crimson mes. Gray then stared at their ashes with a smile, "You only turn into a ghoul if you kill and eat innocent people in your life. I''m not going to spare you," **** Back home, Sena returned after just a few hours. She appeared right beside the unconscious Arad. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I brought the metal. Where should I put it?" She asked with a smile. But then froze, seeing the ant queen curled above him in her ant form. Chapter 350 Kidnapping Attempt Ae walked into the city''s gate, holding arge bag filled with greens. She looked at the houses, "How long has it been?" "Ae, wait for me!" Mira rushed after her, "We were supposed to go together." "You shouldn''t run, right?" Ae stared at her. "Don''t worry, it''s not like a normal human pregnancy. As long as I drink enough mana potions, I would be fine," Mira smiled, puffing her chest. "I hope that''s right," Ae smiled, "But you can''t keep drinking those potions, right?" Mira sighed, "You''re right," she tapped her head, "I can hear a faint ringing in my ears, and my body feels lighter than it should be. Not to mention, my stomach is quite restless." "Humans aren''t supposed to drink mana potions like that," Ae looked inside her bag. She had three potions inside for Mira. "When will Arad wake up? It''s been a month since he went to sleep." Mira sighed, "Ever since Sena gave him the metal." Ae closed her eyes, ^[Zephyr, how is he doing?]^ *** Inside Arad''sir, Zephyr flew between the tunnels until she reached him, staring with a passive face. "Still the same," She could see a massive ck cocoon nested in the middle of the room. Arad''s body expanded before as he started evolving and hasn''t moved since. ^[You sure? How many days has it been?]^ Ae asked. ^[Thirty-two days.]^ Zephyr floated around Arad and sat on a flower that strangely bloomed beside him. "His magic is still increasing," The flower spoke, and Zephyr stared at her. "You can sense him, Loci. Wasn''t there any change, no matter how small?" "Psychic waves have been surging from him every now and then," Loci replied, "Even I can sense the power of his mind. Whatever power he would get upon waking up, it''s going to rte to that." "Not like you''re certain," Zephyr stared at her, "You aren''t a void dragon healer, are you?" Zephyr sighed. "He''s a vampire, dominating people with the power of his mind should be a natural ability." Eris walked into the room, standing beside Zephyr and Loci. Zephyr stared at Eris with an exhausted face, "What vampires use is illusion and blood magic." She flew to her face. "You either use your blood magic to starve the victim''s brain so he starts hallucinating or show him an inclusion through magic, like the vintage of a lover or a friend." Thud! Zephyr kicked Eris in the nose. "A woman is inclined to allow her lover to kiss her neck, isn''t she?" Eris scratched her nose, Zephyr''s kick was so weak she almost didn''t feel it. "Sounds like you experienced it," Eris stared back at the flying pixie. "Not me, one of my old mistresses fell to it. And thanks to that I was stuck with her in the service of a vampire for a thousand years." She sighed. "Is that vampire still alive?" Eris asked, hoping she could find and kill him to get his blood. It''s easier to get help for such a mission when it''s a personal enemy of the wind spirit. "No, I burned him and all his spawns after my mistress died." Zephyr smiled, "I made sure he''s...." She froze, ring into the sky. "What in the hell?" She flew, drilling a hole in the ceiling and flying out at top speed. "What happened?" Eris red at Loci. "Ae lost Mira, someone kidnapped her." Loci growled, "Three mages and onerge fighter. They are running across the west side of the city while using an anti-magic item to prevent people from tracking them." "It''s daytime," Eris growled, "Did you inform the others?" "I''m doing that now," Loci replied and a hole appeared in the wall, "Go, this will lead you to the sewers. Hurry." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Eris nodded and rushed away. Loci stared at Arad''s cocoon, "This is the second time," She sighed, "Even though we killed them allst time," **** In the city, the fighter ran in the front, carrying the tied-in-a-bag Mira on his shoulder. "You better get that spell ready," He growled. "Shut up! It''s hard concentrating on magic while running," One of the mages behind him panted, "This is aplicated spell," "I don''t care, the first team got annihted by that elf woman. We''re dead if she catches us." The fighter growled back at them, "Hurry before she puts your sorry asses in the ground," "We should find a ce to stop or at least walk," Another mage said, panting like a dog, "We can get the spell faster like that." "Sewers, there should be an entrance nearby," The fighter replied, "But it''s guarded by the city guards," He red at the mages, "You need to carry the woman," "No need for that," One of the mages pulled his wand, "A sleep spell is a simple one, I will knock them out," He started running beside the fighter, "Lead us there," "Understood," The fighter smiled. Thud! Thud! Thud! Soon they reached the sewers, and the guards red at them, "Who are you? Stop!" "Excuse me! Do you know where I can find the blue church of the ck cow?" The fighter said rapidly, drawing the guard''s attention to him for a second. The mage behind him waved his wand, sending a wave of soothing magic. BAM! CLANG! The guards fell to the ground, fast asleep like babies. Thud! The fighter jumped over them and opened the sewer''s door, "Hurry, ignore them." "We know!" One of the mages replied as he rushed after the fighter, "Let''s hope we can find a ce to stop," "Start inscribing the spell," The fighter red at them, "We can''t stop or the elf woman would catch our scent. She''s like a dog, a well-trained one." **** Back in Arad''s room, Loci stared at him, "You''re still asleep, don''t worry, they will retrieve her." Loci smiled, "And they shall have a lot of stories for you," As she said that, she could feel waves of psychic magic rushing from the cocoon. Far stronger than anything she had seen before. The threads of magic knitted like fabric, dancing across the sky and expanding faster than the wind. "Are you waking up?" Loci got to hope for a moment, but that soon faded as she didn''t sense any physical change in the cocoon. He only radiated psychic magic. **** As the kidnappers ran across the sewers, they rushed past a fat rat that the fighter noticed, "That''s a big one," "Now you''re getting distracted?" One of the mages growled at him. The fighter stared at the mage, "That isn''t it, this is the first time I''ve seen such a big rat." He looked forward, "Is the spell ready?" "Not yet, we''re a third through." One of the mages replied as he waved his wand. The fighter looked to the side, spotting a door. "Is this one leading outside the city?" He stopped to open the door. The mages didn''tply but instead sighed in relief, they could finally catch their breath. Albeit unpleased with them being in the shit-filled sewers. The fighter slowly pushed the door open, wary of the possibility of guards standing on the other side. As he opened the door, the mages shined the light inside. The fighter could see a strangely dark room with a single rat standing on a barrel in the middle, staring back at him with pitch-ck eyes, menacingly. "Another rat?" The fight gasped. CLING! Suddenly, tens of red eyes emerged in the dark, sending shivers down the fighter''s spine. CLAP! He immediately closed the door, feeling the tens of rats smacking into it. "Shit! A swarm of rats!" He growled, "We run away," He started running, and the mages chased him. "They are only rats. Can''t you deal with them?" One of the mages growled at him. "I will fight an ogre while naked and unarmed before I fight another swarm of rats," The fighter growled, "You attack one, and the rest start chewing on you, and they are infested with diseases." After running for a while, they reached another door, "By the gods, let it be filled with shit and not rats," He opened the door and saw a woman standing inside. "You came?" Eris smiled, conjuring a ming spear in her palm. "Shit!" The fighter mmed the door closed and red at the mages, "Seal it the fuck out!" [Arcane Lock] One of the mages sealed it immediately with magic. "Why the fuck did you scare us?" He growled. "That bitch is a vampire, I saw her teeth. How many monsters does this city have?" He started running away and the mages followed him. Thud! The fighter stopped, and the same fat rat from earlier stood before them, cutting the way and standing on its hind legs. "Damn it!" The fighter pulled his sword, swinging at the rat and cutting it in half. He then stopped, staring at the corpse and sweating. "The hell is he smiling?" He couldn''t believe his eyes, the rat corpse was smiling. "KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!" One of the mages cried, screaming in pain as a massive rat bit his leg, dragging him away with to a full swarm of rats. The mages watched in horror as the rats chewed on their friend. "Run the hell out!" The fighter growled, "We need to get this woman to the master." The mages rushed with the fighter abandoning their friend. *** The rats stopped eating the man, keeping him alive as the big one climbed on his chest. The man watched in horror with his tear-filled eyes and bloodied body as the rat smiled. The rat''s mouth opened and closed, his eyes shing purple, "Wh..." the rat gasped, shaking, "Who sent you?" The rat spoke, ring down at the man. "SPEAK!" The whole swarm said at the same time. "And I shall spare your life," The massive rat said with a grin. Chapter 351 I’m Hungry The mage''s eyes quivered, "In death, we''re one, and with blood. We''re bound!" He cried, hellish blue mes raging from his chest. The rats got incinerated instantly as the mage''s body turned into ash. *** Thud! Thud! Thud! The fighter ran as fast as he could, "We''re almost at the end. Is the spell ready?" He red back. "It should have been ready if we didn''t lose Jaron. A minute is all we need," A mage growled, a faint magic circle emerging around his wrist. A tiny ball of magic danced between his fingers. The fighter looked forward, seeing an iron bar door. "We reached the end. This should take us outside the city." He looked at the bag on his shoulder, "Hold tight,dy. This is going to be rough," He pulled his sword, smiling as veins bulged on his legs and arms. CLAP! The fighter swung his sword like a sh, cutting through the iron rusted iron bars as if they were nothing. BAM! With a single leap, he flew out,nding on a tree branch and jumping again from it to reach the ground. CRACK! The fighternded, followed by the mages, "The spell is ready. Get over here!" The fighter smiled, turning toward them, "It was about fucking time. Let''s get out of this damned city." "You''re right," A sharp, high-pitched voice came from the woods, and the fighter red back, seeing a tiny pixie staring at him with a smile, "Time to fuck out," **** Back in the city, Ae pulled her bowstring. Her eyes sank with Zephyr. She took a deep breath, charging a massive amount of magic in her arrow. BOOM! She fired in the middle of the busy street, scaring everyone around her. The arrow flew, zapping between the people''s heads and arms. It swiftly darted between the gate guard legs and looped around the walls, racing between the trees toward the fighter. The fighter lifted his sword, blocking the arrow. BOOM! A st of air sent him flying backward, but he quickly regained his bnce, staring forward to see another two arrows flying toward him. "Monster!" He took a deep breath, and swung his de like the wind, ripping the two arrows apart. "Deal with the bug!" The mages pointed their staffs at Zephyr, "Beware of the size and sleep magic. Pixies are known for their trickery!" One of them cried, casting a spell. [FeyWard] A ck glyph emerged on the ground, oozing dark magic, and Zephyr growled, "You''re ready this time, aren''t you?" She stared at them. One of the mages red at her, "The previous party fell to your size magic. You shrunk them. And then slowly killed them by stepping on them one after the other. You even ate two of them, you monster!" Zephyr smiled, "I didn''t eat them. I sucked their mana dry and spat them out," She giggled, "Half of them died happy." "Your wings, dust, skin, blood, and tears are all valuable alchemical ingredients. I will make sure you die a slow and painful death," He pointed a staff at her, [Chain Monster] n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chains tied Zephyr down, dropping her to the ground, and the mages approached her. "What should we start with?" One of them lifted her up, "Plucking your wings should be a good start." "Please! Let me go..." Zephyr cried, tears flowing out as she wheezed. The mage started at her for a second. Something was off. He could notice it, those weren''t real tears, and she wasn''t afraid. Zephyr went silent for a second, "Damn, I''m still a bad actor." She sighed, looking at the mage''s face as he realized she was faking it. PEW! Zephyr extended her lips forward, blowing at the mage''s face. The mage looked forward for a second, Zephyr''s breath smelled nice and sweet, enough for him to try and take a deep breath. CRACK! The wind flew from the sky, pushing into the mage''s nose and mouth, rushing into his lugs with a violent gust. Zephyr smiled as the mage''s chest expanded like a balloon, his rips cracking and eyes popping out of his skull. CRACK! He fell on the ground, wind seeping from his corpse. Thud! Zephyrnded on his forehead, tapping on his forehead with her feet. "See, doesn''t matter if I shark you or not, you lots always die beneath my feet." BAM! BAM! The fighter rushed forward, swinging his iron boot. CRACK! He kicked Zephyr into the forest like a tiny ball, sending her bouncing from one tree to the other. "Cast the spell! We''re getting out!" He shouted, cutting two of Ae''s arrows. One of the remaining mages lifted the scroll, "Dominor daror Al bartorn!" He growled in a strange tongue, and gusts of magic flew from the scroll, engulfing them. ZON! The fighter and the mages disappeared, leaving only a charr on the ground. Zephyr stood, growling, "The bastards teleported away! That scroll was a [Teleport] spell." Ae grunted in the city, "You let them away, I told you to kill all the mages while I deal with the fighter." "Don''t scream at me! That FeyWard spell they used actually works, it weakened my senses and magic by a lot." Zephyr stood, cracking her back and flying to the sky. "Otherwise, why would I blow at that bookworm''s face? I needed a direct conduit for magic," *** Inside Arad''s room, Loci stared at the cocoon, "They teleported outside my detection range. At this pace, I need to call for help." A gust of magic flew through the ground, racing toward a certain house in the city. CRACK! But before she could do it, the cocoon cracked. "Arad! You''re waking up?" She cried, an eye emerging on her flower body. CRACK! CRACK! The cocoon cracked open, and a flood of ck liquid flooded out and burned the ground. Loci looked inside, the cocoon was empty. *** Outside the forest, the fighter and the magesnded on the ground, panting, "We made it," One of the bookworms cried with a happy smile. "Save the celebration till we get back to the camp. We need to keep running," The fighter looked forward. One of the mages sighed, "I hate that you''re right, let''s run," They started running. CRACK! The fighter stopped, feeling the fine hair on his back and chest stand as a shiver crossed his spine. A brown squirrel stared at them from the tree, the birdsnded and the ants stopped moving. The wind ceased to move and the trees cracked. "Something is off." The fighter growled, "Is there any magic around?" He looked at the mages, seeing their faces turn pale. He looked back forward, seeing a naked muscr man, dripping in ck sludge standing in front of them. At that moment, the fighter stopped breathing. A single stare at the man''s naked body told him everything, he was up for a backbreaking fight. Arad slowly turned his head toward them, his clear eyes glowing with a purple haze. Arad lifted his palm, and Mira''s body flew toward him. Heid her on the ground and ripped the bag open. Mira was unconscious with an arrowhead sticking to her left shoulder, sleeping poison. "One, two, three, four, five..." He started counting, looking at Mira''s body and ignoring the fighter and mages. The fighter pulled his sword and chugged a strange potion, "Hoi! Naked bastard," He approached Arad, "Don''t you know how to wear clothes?" Arad gently brushed Mira''s hair, slowly standing up, "Too many, I can''t count them all." He said, looking at the sky, "Too many blood drops, too many hairs, too many lives." "The fuck are you talking about?" The fighter red at Arad, "Cover yourself," Arad stared at the fighter with a passive face, "Why should I bother?" He smiled, "I never heard of someone bothering to wear clothes in front of food." The fighter growled, roaring at the top of his lungs as he lunged forward, stabbing Arad in the chest. "Die you bastard," Arad didn''t move, he stared at the fighter with an empty gaze. HAA! He opened his mouth, biting a chunk of his shoulder through the armor. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAA! The fighter cried, crawling back and touching his shoulder. Arad bites him, crushing the armor and a chunk of his shoulder bones. Even ogres can''t get through his armor, yet this naked man did it. Arad grabbed the sword stuck in his chest, slowly pulling it without flinching. He then lifted it up, munching on the de before swallowing the whole thing. "Disgusting, but I''m hungry after waking up," He red at them, the wound on his chest closing in the blink of an eye. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A woman screamed between the mages, pointing his staff at Arad and firing a massive lightning bolt. CLAP! The lightning bolt exploded, but Arad remained unscathed. He lifted his palm, staring at the woman''s eyes. "Come to me," He said with a gentle smile. The woman shook her head, feeling something itch on the back of her head. "Come to me!" Arad repeated again, a purple me burning in his eyes. "I muste," the woman mumbled, walking forward in a daze. Chapter 352 A Deal With The Dragon CRACK! ck scales covered Arad''s skin from head to toe, shifting into clothes and armor in the blink of an eye. He extended his hand forward, pointing at the dazed woman. "The poison in Mira''s wound, I can smell it on your hands. Are you the one who made it?" He said in a calm voice. The woman''s head cracked, shaking from one side to the other. "I...did...I...Alchemist..." The fighter in the back growled, "A psionic monster!" He lifted his de up, "Release her at once!" BAM! The fighter lunged forward, swinging his sword sideways. Arad pulled the woman toward, him, jumping into the sky and avoiding the strike with ease. CRACK! The fighter stomped as hard as he could, taking a deep breath and looking up, his palms clenching on the sword hilt, ready to strike. In the sky, he could see Arad biting the woman''s neck. Her body withered and disintegrated in the blink of an eye. Arad looked down, there were three mages remaining with the fighter. Taking them first should be a wise decision, he doesn''t know what spells they can throw out. "You are the back, who wants to get eaten first?" He smiled. "You''re dead!" The fighter growled as one of the mages pointed his staff at him. [Haste] The other two did the same. [Empower] [Iron Fortress] Their magic flew into the fighter''s bones and skin, bolstering his power like never before. He smiled, skin glowing red as the air around him twisted, his body heated up and he smiled from ear to ear. "Let''s y the monster!" Arad looked down with a smile, standing upside down in the air, "y? What?" The two red at each other for a moment, and the fighter suddenly disappeared. Arad''s eyes darted from left to right, trying to locate the heavy man. Fighters are trained in multiple arts, and from them is the art of escaping their opponent''s vision. After years of rigorous training and battles, they can spot and determine the shortest route and elerate at an incredible rate. After panicking for a fraction of a second, Arad''s mind calmed down. He doesn''t need to see the fighter to see him. As long as he''s an intelligent being with a thinking mind, he''s always going to leave a trail. A tail emerged from Arad''s back, blocking the fighter''s sword with ease, without him looking back. The fighter growled, "Blind sense? Very well, let''s see how far you can go!" Arad smiled, "A sword? I ate yours earlier. Did you have a spare one?" "I have a spare for my spare, and a spare for that as well, and several other weapons tucked away. Don''t underestimate fighters." The fighter pulled a dagger from his waist and swung at Arad''s neck. CLANG! CLANG! Arad turned around, swinging his palm and deflecting the attacks. The fighter started sweating. Arad was fighting him without a weapon, only if you didn''t count the weird gauntlet that emerged with the scales earlier. "Get the girl!" The fighter shouted, kicking Arad away. One of the mages rushed toward the unconscious Mira. He pointed his wand at her head, mana gathered at the tip as a blue magic circle appeared. CLICK! The fighter froze, seeing Arad smile, pointing a finger at the mage. A dreadful wave of magic rose from his body, rushing in a purple haze of twisting waves. [Gravity] CRACK! The mage''s body floated up, and smacked right back on the ground, bouncing like a ball till his bones turned to mush. "Damned squishy mages!" The fighter growled, lunging at Arad, "Look at me!" He swung his sword. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Action surge] [Adrenaline Rush] The fighter roared at the top of his lungs, unleashing a blinding sixteen attacks in the blink of an eye. CLANG! The sword shattered as the fighter shed beside Arad,nding between the trees with a growl. Behind him, in the sky, Arad floated with his wings covering his body. They slowly opened up as he stared back. A half-dragon form, with two massive ck wings,rge horns, scales, and ws covering his arms and legs, and a long whip-like tail with ck bone spikes covering it. The fighter threw the broken de and smiled, "As expected, a dragon. I won''t be able to kill with normal means, will I?" He pulled an arrow from his pocket. A long ck tip and a long and thick ck shaft. Strange symbols are drawn in the wood, oozing with a gust of arcane magic. ^[Arrows of dragon ying. Don''t get hit, or they will dig right through your scales. But they are expensive and hard to make. He won''t have more than an arrow or two, three at best.]^ The fighter smiled, "You have noticed? I don''t have much, only this one." The fighter giggled, "Since I saved my money for this, or should I say the client''s money." He pulled out a ck long sword, marked with hundreds of arcane runes. "Do you know of this one?" The fighter smiled, "Impressed? Dragons should be telling their wyrmlings horror stories of this de." As the fighter swung the sword, the air around it quaked, shivering as the magic inside the metal burned. ^[The dragon yer sword. It takes the form of a typical longsword but is ck in color. It was forged five thousand years ago by the dwarves to y a tyrant dragon. Since that day, it was sold around like an art piece, since no one is stupid enough to face a dragon head on wielding it.]^ Arad floated down, staring at the fighter in the face. "I''m the one named a dragon yer, not you. I''m taking that sword." "On my corpse, dragon." The fighter lifted the sword up, taking a wrath stance. "On my blood and soul, you shall not live to see tomorrow." Arad nodded, "I see. Wealth only belongs to those strong enough to rob it. I shall take the sword and your corpse as a dinner." The older Arad got, the more he got attuned to his draconic nature, the more of their arrogant and dominating selfishness. Dragons are proud and arrogant, and think the world belongs to them. It''s their birthright to fly high and mighty, staring down at the ants they could burn with a single breath. ^Doma, I need a spear, a solid one. Have an idea?^ Arad smiled, lifting his hand up, and a violent gust of wind swirled around him. Stones got pulled from the ground,pressing into a single long pole. A conjuration of earth magic,pressed by gravity and void magic to create a durable, yet heavy stone shaft. The fighter blinked twice, seeing something silvery in color glowing at the pole''s hard tip. A kitchen knife with a strange aura around it, yet he couldn''t mistake it. "Where the hell did you get that?" The fighter smiled. "The same way I''m going to get that sword." Arad smiled, spinning the spear around his body, and then pointing the tip at the fighter. "True damage weapons aren''t something you can find easily," The fighter giggled, "How about we make a deal? Interested?" Arad stared at him, "Making deals at this point?" "As you see, this thing is only useful against true dragons. Using it means risking a direct confrontation. It isn''t that useful weapon to me, very situational." He smiled, walking sideways while keeping his eyes on Arad''s face. "Give me the knife, and I will give you the sword. I will even throw a pretty penny with it, a hundred tinum coins." The fighter red at Arad, "Our client also wants the girl, don''t even know who he is. But he would pay us a generous one thousand tinum coin for her to be delivered alive." Arad walked to keep pace with the fighter, and the mages held their breaths. Depending on what Arad says, they might not walk alive from this. Arad smiles, "Fine, but bring the money first, or none of you are leaving alive." The fighter lifted his palm, "Open the lock," he shouted at the mages. "But! We can''t do that!" One of them growled, "Making a deal with a dragon is risky. It''s far riskier than dealing with devils!" "Hehehe," Arad giggled, his wings wiggling, and waving as he red back at the mage. His stance shifted, as he waved his palm, "Lives, expired. To you, this could end up as a boon, or with only doom." "Open the lock!" The fighter shouted, "It''s a deal, otherwise, everyone might die. He hasn''t transformed yet," The mage growled, waving his wand and opening a tiny portal close to the fighter''s shoulder. The fighter shifted his arm and pulled a sack from the portal with a smile on his face. CLANG! He threw the sack toward Arad with the sword, "There should be over one hundred tinum coins in there." Arad nodded with a smile, throwing the knife at the fighter. The fighter sighed in relief as did the mages. "Done deal, it''s over." Arad smiled, "You have the knife, and I have the money and the sword." Arad picked up the dragon yer sword and red at the fighter. "Now for you to pay for kidnapping Mira," Arad giggled, "I look forward to looting the knife back from your corpse. And selling whatever is in your camp," The fighter froze, "The camp?" A wave of magic started surging from Arad''s body, "The moment you opened that tiny portal, I could sense thoughts from the other side. All I needed was to link it with magic and locate where is the other side." Arad clenched his fist, "No more dealing, it''s OVER!" Arad''s eyes burned with eldritch mes as he lunged at the fighter with an open palm. The fighter tried to block the attack, but Arad grabbed his wrist, jamming the knife back into his forehead. As Aradnded beside the mages, the fighter''s chest exploded in a rain of blood. "Four!" He''s counting. Chapter 353 The Last Spark Of A Wizard’s Life. CLACK! One of the mages pointed his staff at Arad, charging a fireball. "Burn to ash!" He shouted. In a crimson sh, the massive ball turned dark red in color, expanding toward Arad''s face. He swung his wrist up, smacking the ball to the sky. "GIH!" The mage gasped, stepping back as he saw Arad swing the sword at his neck. [Mist Step] Covered in silver ash, the wizard disappeared leaving a weak magical presence. He appeared a fair distance away, pointing his staff at Arad. "AH! Lady of mysteries and magic, grant the student a hint of your wisdom." The wizard''s body ignited in an eldritch me as he smiled, giggling. "What are you doing? You idiot!" One of the other mages growled. The mage smiled, the mes dancing around his body. "Today, I shall offer thy a dance within magic. Let''s y," he pointed his staff at Arad. Arad stood there, staring at the mage. For some reason, his presence now overshadows the other mages. Arad walked sideways, staring at the mage and inspecting his mana with the void eyes. ^I thought he was getting power from the goddess of magic, but he isn''t. This is his own power, albeit he''s emitting more than what he should be able to handle.^ ^[Thest spark of a mage''s life, all wizards dream of freely wielding magic. Command it to their heart desire without fear of bacshes or failing spells.]^ Domaughed, ring through Arad''s eyes. ^[That wizard is ready to die and is charging at you in a suicide, his spells won''t follow normal rules so be careful, or let me handle him.]^ ^Nothing I can''t handle,^ Arad clenched his fist, lunging at the wizard, "Time to put you to rest," "Fire!" The wizard shouted, sending a st of mes at Arad''s face. Arad swung his arm, trying to deflect the mes, but he ended up frozen. CRACK! Arad flexed his muscles, shattering the ice and looking around. The wizard pointed his staff forward, "Frozen while burned? How interesting, what about teleport?" He vanished, and Arad''s body shook, his chest caving in as he got blown back. CRACK! Arad smashed several trees before stopping as the wizardnded on the ground, pissing himself andcking an arm. BLUH! The wizard puked blood, "Damn it, how the fuck did time stop? I only wanted to touch your chest to cast a curse, but it resumed and you were sted." Arad coughed, standing up as his chest healed, "Stopped time? The hell you do that?" "I don''t know," The wizard smiled, "It could be the fourth or tenth form of the eldritch runes, but I''m not sure." He replied honestly, "Make sure to write that down after my death. I only sucked enough magic for a fourth-level spell, while stopping time usually takes a ninth level." "I''m not a wizard," Arad growled, "Your knowledge is dying with you," The wizard smiled, "That''s also good, Magic is magical, and its mysteries shall be solved, in due time." Arad blinked, staring at the mage as he heard Doma speak some words in his head. "That was the second line of the runes, you didn''t stop time, but slowed it a lot." Arad recited what Doma told him, she was an expert in magic, and even she was observing the mage''sst spark of life. The wizard''s eyes opened wide, You''re right, how could I be so blind!" He cried,ughing, "I see! Getting half mark isn''t half as hard as getting a full mark. Thosest few grades are the most time-consuming," He took a deep breath and started approaching Arad, "My esteemed schr. I''m Jergal of the Shadow Fort, a wizard." He bowed, blood dripping from his burning severed arm, "I have a request of thee, a deal, even though you said deals were over." Arad red at him, "Speak," He kept an eye on Mira and let the other try touching her. The wizard smiled, "I know how to make deals with your kind, I tried to warn him. Poor muscle head," He looked back at the fighter''s corpse. "Here is the deal," He smiled, "I want you to record the details of my death, the magic I''m about to conjure, and keep that for future schrs." "Why would I do that?" Arad red at the wizard, "And what do you get from it?" "You get the spells, the possibilities of magic." He paused, "You can even name the spells yours, I do not seek glory, or wealth in this mortal world. All I wish for now is that something I helped start would make it into the goddess of magic''s library, something that could impress her, even by a little," The mage walked forward, staring into Arad''s eyes, "Shall you keep myst spark of life engraved into history, so I may get thedy of mysteries favor?" Arad smiled, "Fine, I''m fighting you to death anyway, show me all the magic you can cast." The wizard smiled, "Our base, I assume you know its location. Kill everyone, don''t let a soul escape. I felt blood magic from the client who wanted the girl, I assume his spawns have already infiltrated the ce." He pointed his staff at Arad, "This is it, I don''t have much time left." BAM! Jergal flew toward Arad with a storm of magic raging across his body, he swung the staff in his hand, releasing a booming thunder wave that sent Arad rolling. SWOSH! A burst of mes burned beneath Jergal''s feet as he sted forward with a lightning spark, his lost arm growing back with mes. Arad swung his sword down, cutting the wizard''s newly formed arm with ease. "It isn''t sturdy," "But it allows me to make magic hand signs, so it''s useful," Jergal smiled back, opening his mouth, "By the mana! Release!" He barfed a wave of acid, rotting the trees as Arad barely dodged it and flew to the sky. "I''m here!" Jergal smiled, appearing behind Arad and expanding his arms. "Shaking waves!" He roared. Arad''s senses heightened, he could sense the danger. He could see the mage''s hand slowly move, leaving after images as he could barely move. CLAP! A lighting bold emerged out of nowhere, sting Arad''s legs away into dust. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As Arad growled, Jergal''s right arm disintegrated, and his body was failing rapidly. Jergal smiled. "Onest spell, can you heal your legs?" CRACK! Arad''s legs grew back in the blink of an eye, "With ease. Is this all you got?" "Almost, but this is thest spell," He smiled, taking a deep breath, "Sorry, this might hurt you badly." Jergal pointed his leg toward Arad as he didn''t have arms anymore, he smiled, "Holy magic and curse magic are two faces of the same coin. The same basics of magic, yet the result is drastically different. Those words are the epitome of sphemy, but I see potential in it. Magic is forbidden by all gods except the goddess of magic herself, she won''t mind me trying that at the end of my life." Sparks of golden goodness and dark pure evil swirled around Jergal. His soul screamed in agony as he smiled, "Bodhi-Micah, goddess of magic and arcane arts. I plead to you, grant me your holy magic so I can defile it with curses for the sake of magic and knowledge, a forbidden knowledge." Arad shivered, he could feel a powerful presence ring down at them from the sky, she was watching. Holy magic engulfed Jergal''s body, she is allowing him to do it. And on top of that, Jergal started crying as sparks of curse magic came with the holy magic. The goddess herself provided him with both holy and cursed magic so he wouldn''t defile his soul. Jergal burstughing, "As you wish! Mydy, my shortdy! I shall do my best, mess everything with aughing tornado of doom!" ck and golden winds engulfed Jergal''s body, and Arad lifted his arms to block it. ^The hell is this?^ He could feel it in his skin, regeneration wouldn''t save him from this, one hit and his soul would get snuffed out. Doma burstughing inside Arad''s head, her body spinning like a storm, ^[I know it! I know it! That is why holy magic can dispel curses and why curses can defile holy objects. How beautiful, how ugly, and how magnificent.]^ ^Did you go crazy? We''re about to die!^ Arad growled at her, transforming into his draconic form and teleporting Mira all the way to hisir. It only took him a blink, but Arad smiled as well, "Fine, I shall swallow that spell of yours!" He opened his jaw, changing the properties of his void to only erase holy and cursed magic. "It''s sloppy, ugly, and unrefined, but look at this!" Arad shouted, [Devoring void] A burst of void rushed forth as a spear of holy and cursed wind flew down, shing in a brilliant sh. CRACK! Arad fell on his legs, his skin burned and his wings fell off as ash. Jergal''s head floated, in front of him, burning in an eldritch blue me. "My spell, my magic, my life''s worth, take it and make it known to the world. The goddess of magic allows me a peak at her face, or library of I''m to indulge myself." His face started disintegrating, "If you ended up in her heaven after death, look for me, we can share a drink. My friend that I only know for a minute." Arad''s body instantly healed as he stood, "My we meet again. But until then, I shall put your magic to good use." *** Arad transformed into his draconic form, being even bigger than his very young state. He''s young now, and his power has grown far beyond his past self. Arad''s mind quaked as he looked in the direction of the attacker''s camp, "I can sense them," This evolution mainly affected his mind, giving him several powerful psionics abilities that the void dragons are known to abuse in space where matter is scares. Controlling lesser creatures like animals, and influencing humanoids'' mental statuses. The ability to manipte people and bend them to his desire. That also pushed his cognitive function to the limit. Now his brain extends from his head to the tips of his fingers and toes, each nerve is now an extension of his brain, neural cells encased in the void, folded over a thousand times and keeping records of his body and surroundings. Even if he was beheaded, chopped into a thousand pieces. Like an annoying worm, he would grow a new body and keep fighting. Chapter 354 [Bonus ] Dragon’s Rage A fair distance away, in the mercenary camp. Their leader was having an urgent meeting. "He took the money from the safe. Do you think he was caught?" A woman asked. "I expect so. We lost his signal shortly after, so I think. He was killed," A man sighed, shaking his head, "Another team, let''s try with another approach next time." "What next time? We wasted enough resources on this mission." The woman growled. "We can''t stop now," The man replied, "You know what we''re dealing with, right?" He red at her, "This contract must be finished no matter what," *** Above them in the sky, something was approaching at a tremendous speed, its gazes focused on the middle of the camp. *** "All this trouble for a single woman, what could she do to be worth it?" The woman growled, "We lost several talented warriors and mages for her," "That is none of our business. All we need to know is that she''s worth a thousand tinum coins, so someone out there. Nothing else matters," He looked around the table at the other leaders. Most of them nodded, "We already got halfway. We only need onest push to grab her." A man between them said with a smile. "How about I go myself?" The other gasped, staring at him and smiling, "You''re going? Then we have nothing to worry about. You''ll snatch her like this!" One of them flicked his finger. *** The woman sitting in the back, her face suddenly changed as she felt a chill run down her spine. Her eyes gazed upon the ceiling, "Something ising!" She shouted, pulling her staff. Everyone sprung into action, pulled their weapons, and got ready. Some of them felt the presence, but the rest didn''t catch it before it disappeared. "What was that?" A man growled, "A huge mass of magic was above us, right?" Their leader, a woman armed with a long spear looked at the mage woman, "Put a barrier up. We might be getting spied on," She took a deep breath, sitting back on her chair. Thud! She felt something strange. She wasn''t sitting on the wooden chair but on something soft. CLACK! Everyone pulled their weapons and pointed at her, terrified. No, they weren''t aiming at her, but at the strange sitting on her chair, the man she sat on hisp. "Yo!" Arad lifted his arm, "Care to exin why are you after my wife?" "Who the fuck..." CRACK! The leader growled, standing to attack Arad, but her head flew away, smashing into the wall in the blink of an eye. "Why are you after my wife?" Arad asked again, blood dripping from his palm. "Die! You bastard!" One of the leaders charged at him with a sword. Arad red at him, "Those are my words! You worms trying to kidnap my wife twice! My child twice! Death is too good for you!" He roared, veins bulging on his neck as his body grewrge, sprouting wings and ws. ROAR! A massive dragon emerged from the leader''s tent, his booming roar shaking the whole camp. Arad red down at the camp, enraged, his eyes red with blood. His draconic blood boiled at the thought of those foolsying a hand on his wife and child. "A dragon! Kill it!" A man screamed on the ground, firing a javelin at Arad''s neck. CLANG! The Javalin bounced back like a toothpick, falling on the ground and shattering in half. CRACK! Arad''s neck snapped as he red at the ground, the wind getting sucked into his massive jaw as he took a deep breath. The void inside his lungs expanded. CLAP! A ck beam shed from between his opal teeth, and the ground evaporated. The void ripped the camp apart, consuming everything that it touched and pulling it to Arad''s stomach. Arad expanded his wings, flying into the sky as he headed back to his home. He left a city-sized hole on the ground, an example for those who darey hands on his kin. *** FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! Aradnded on the mountains of Alina, staring at the forest with a passive face. "This can''t stand," He growled. [You want to build the castle?] "That''s right. I need a fortress to protect my wives while I sleep." Arad replied, shifting back into his humanoid form and teleporting to his house''s garden. He can now move up to 4km with a single cast of [Void step] When Aradnded, he saw Ae and Merlin treating Mira on the garden''s bench. "How is she doing?" He asked. Merlin red back at him, "Where did you go?" "ughtered everyone who worked on kidnapping her," He lifted his palm, "This was in their camp. I sucked it with my breath, and a friend said it could help," A green bottle emerged in his palm. Doma smiled inside his head, "[Antidote, they didn''t make just the poison.]" Arad nodded and approached Mira, pouring half of the bottle on her wound and making her drink the rest. Almost instantly, her breathing slowed, and her body rxed. Merlin and Ae sighed in relief, "Thank the gods it worked. This paralytic poison was harming her. Whoever made it didn''t consider she might be pregnant," Arad red at them, "That doesn''t matter. What matters is that they even tried to harm her," Merlin stared back at her, "I know you''re angry waking up to this, but it isn''t our fault. Can you not take it on us?" Arad stared at her and at his hands. He was radiating bloodlust like a crazed monster. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "Sorry, I need to calm down." He sat on the ground, and Ae approached him, "Sorry we couldn''t protect her," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "That isn''t your fault. I''m more angry at myself." Arad replied with a passive face, "I should do better to prepare for such things," Ae shook her head, "You''re doing enough. There was no way you could expect someone to try kidnapping her." Arad shook his head, "Someone put a thousand tinum coins as Mira''s price if brought alive. I can only think of one bastard that could want her, that vampire brat," He growled, "It''s my fault for being weak and letting him escape!" Chapter 355 Calming Down Arad looked at Mira and then at Merlin, "Get her inside. She will get better rest sleeping on a proper bed," Merlin nodded, "You''re right," She waved her hand, and Mira levitated, "You should get ready. We can''t have her keep drinking potions any longer. I''m linking her to you as soon as we get inside," "Linking her to me?" Arad looked at her, confused. "Of course. The egg needs a lot of mana to grow. We''re going to use yours instead of having her drink potions. You have a lot that you don''t use, right?" Merlin started walking toward the front door with Ae and Arad to her sides. Arad nodded, "It isn''t a matter of me using it or not. I need to give her mana, and that''s what I''m going to do," He walked inside the house after them and sat on the couch as they carried Mira upstairs. SWOSH! Zephyr emerged in front of Arad with Loci, "You''re still on edge, aren''t you?" Loci stared at his face. "I can feel it," Zephyr looked closer into his eyes, "You probably need to calm down a bit, take a nap, and drink some tea." Arad sighed, "You can say that," He rxed on the couch, closing his eyes. "It''s a strange feeling, fear of losing her, anger at the kidnappers. I don''t feel like I could rx or sleep for days." "You will feel better with time," Zephyr sat on his shoulder, "You''re alert now. Take a deep breath of fresh air. It will help calm you down. Or ask Lydia to cast a calm spell on you." Loci smiled, "In fact. She''sing toward here now with Jack." Arad looked at the door, "I can sense her at the city gate. Did something change in her magic?" He could feel something strange sticking to Lydia''s aura, something immense. Zephyr looked at him, surprised, "You can tell from here?" "She got a divine favor for taking her oath to the hells. It''s been centuries since thest pdin who fought devils in hell." Loci sat on Arad''s head, "Everyone in the church felt it, and it was magnificent. I heard the church even made a mural of her in their main hall," Arad looked at Loci, "And what about Jack? Is he all right?" "He got something else," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om *** A few minutester, Lydia knocked on Arad''s door, "It''s me, Lydia," "Come in," Arad replied, and Lydia opened the door, seeing him sitting in the living room with Tina, bringing tea with Serena in her arms. Arad looked at Lydia''s face, noticing how weird it looked, sparkling without a single blemish or a scare. In fact, her skin looked so smooth you think it was sculpted from stone. Jack walked behind her, The white of his left eye had turned back, and it was bright red. Faint ck lines crossed his skin from the eye down to his palms. "What happened to you two?" Arad stared at them, confused. Jack sighed, walking past Lydia and sitting beside Arad, putting one leg on the other. "Nothing important, just consequences of going to hell." "You''re blind in one eye?" Arad stared at Jack''s eye. Jack smiled, "No, this one allows me to see in the dark, both natural and magical. I also got attuned to hell, which gave me resistance to fire and acid." Arad sighed in relief, "For me, you won''t like what you''re going to hear," Lydia smiled, sitting beside Jack. "I got a divine favor. My smites have gotten stronger, and my divine sense has gotten sharper. I also received a divine presence that allowed me to frighten evil creatures and buff my allies." Lydia waved her sword. "How stronger are we talking with your divine smite?" Arad giggled. "A lot. My divine cleaver now feels like I''m just using a holy smite. So I say almost double the power. "Listen to this!" Jack approached Arad, "Last week we took a quest to y a spined devil. We wanted to test how far she would go against a fiend, and guess what?" "She killed him in one hit?" Arad looked at Jack. "Well, that''s at the end." Jack scratched his head, "The whole vige was infested with imps! But they all ran away the moment she stepped in. We had to track that spined devil for three days before we cornered it." Jack stared at Arad''s eyes, "And even when we did, that fiend shat himself upon seeing her holy magic engulfed divine smiteing." Arad smiled, "Good to see you two still fighting well," ^I better learn that spell that mixes holy and cursed magic as soon as possible. Doma, what are you doing?^ ^[It takes some time to make it safe to use. Let me study it in peace for now. I will tell you when it''s ready.]^ Arad rxed on the couch as Tina poured them tea, "Arad, you''re here," Isdis and Eris walked down the stairs and approached them, "d you''re okay." Arad looked at them, "You were up. Did Merlin call for me?" Isdis shook her head, "No, she asked us to ask Lydia toe up and cast a healing spell on Mira. They just finished patching her wound." "You will join themter when Mira wakes up," Eris approached Arad and pulled a chair to sit facing him. Arad looked at her face, and he could see it twisting a bit. She had something on her mind but wasn''t telling him. "Speak up. What do you have in mind?" Arad looked at her with a gentle smile. Speaking with them like this quelled his rage, and his chest started to feel lighter. Eris looked down, and then away, her eyes fluttered from one side to the other before gathering the courage to open her mouth, "Apparently, I''m your spawn now," Arad blinked twice, "What is a spawn? Do you mean pawn? That word I heard off," Eris sighed, "I admit, it''s kind of a disposable pawn. And we vampires usually see it as a short for a ve pawn. That''s a spawn." She then exined what Ginger told her. "So, in short, right now I''m your spawn, a bloodve that you canmand at will." She waved her hand, "So, what should I call you now? Master? Lord?" "Just call me Arad, and what need do I have for a spawn?" He sighed, "It would''ve been better for Ginger if she released you, right?" Eris red at him, "Remember? I''m your prisoner. Me standing here without chains doesn''t change that fact." Arad smiled, "Do you want to run?" Eris looked away, "Probably, who knows?" She could feel the traces of the red dragon blood in her veins boil. The dragon before her is far stronger than her. A perfect candidate, but she doesn''t want to admit it. "You''re a dangerous vampire, a half-dragon, and our hostage against your father. I can''t allow you to run," Arad stared at her, "I would have to cage you down if you made any funny moves." Eris sighed, "I won''t. I would have already ran away when you was asleep," Chapter 356 The Magic Seal Arad walked up the stairs when Merlin called him, he saw Mira sitting on the edge of the bed with her shoulder bandaged. "How are you feeling?" He asked. "I''m fine," Mira smiled, lifting her arm, "The wound itself isn''t that bad," Arad sighed in relief, sitting beside her and looking at Merlin, "You sure all the poison is out of her body?" "Of course, she only needs to rest so her wound can heal. Otherwise, she''s as healthy as a horse," Merlin smiled, pulling a bottle of ink and some parchments. "I will get the spell ready, You two wait there," She started writing. Mira looked at Arad, "The monsters, they didn''t show up this time," Arad nodded, "I could sense them," He looked out the window, "They were lured to the edge of the forest by somerge monsters." "At the end of the day, they are animals and beasts," Merlin stared at Arad, "Even if you can speak with them and give orders, that doesn''t mean that can''t be easily manipted." "They were prepared this time since it''s the second time they tried to kidnap you." Arad smiled, "But don''t worry, there won''t be a third time," "You''re here to protect me?" Mira smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "That''s a part of it, but there aren''t any more kidnappers," He patted her head. "What do you mean?" Mira stared at his face. "They were a bunch of bandits taking that kind of job, I flew to their camp and burned it to the ground. I made sure nothing was left but a giant gaping hole," Arad opened his palm and a stream of gold coins started falling, "They had a lot of money, feel free to use it as you like." Mira shook her head, "No need! I don''t need all that money," She closed Arad''s palm, "I only wanted to know why did they want me?" Arad crossed his arms, "Well, I probed one of their minds and learned one thing," He stared at her, "Their client is a kid with a lot of money, the only kid I know of that has a lot of money and could want you is that vampire brat." "Vampire brat?" Merlin stared at them, "You mean Chuzuke? He''s back?" "Not sure, but I think it''s him." Arad sighed, staring at the wall. "I will hang him in the sun like a rag till he burns to ash," "Vampires usually n everything beforehand," Merlin stared at him, "You''re only chance of winning is attacking first," Arad nodded, "Yeah, he''s a thread to be left out in the world," Arad stood, "The magic is flowing around that parchment. Is it ready?" Merlin nodded with a smile, "It is. I need you to keep this on you. You can eat it, it won''t matter. And I will draw the receiving end on Mira''s stomach," "On my stomach?" Mira stared at her. "A magic circle around the womb to act as a transfer gate of magic. That way Arad''s magic can make its way to the egg without harming your body." Merlin smiled, "But if you feel a bit adventurous, you can try to pull some of his mana to yourself and use it," "But she doesn''t have spells to cast," Arad stared at Merlin, "Won''t the extra mana harm her?" Merlin stared at them, "You''re right, the best she could do is randomly release your magic. In this case, it''s the void," "I guess, I have to keep her close, right?" Arad looked at Merlin''s face and then at Mira, "It''s not like I don''t want to take her with me, but won''t the trip exhaust a pregnant woman?" Merlin shook her face, "Since the egg mostly needs mana, Mira''s body won''t face any exhaustion, not at this stage at least. She would be fine. But I suggest you keep yourself in check since you''re the one feeding the egg." Merlin gave the parchment to Arad and then approached Mira with a quill. "Lie down and show me your stomach, It won''t take long for me to write the circle." *** After that, Arad didn''t waste any time and went down to check the spell''s range. It was as he expected, he could link with the spell as long as Mira remained in his domain. And that is the range that he can teleport to with a void step. That range is now four kilometers in every direction. **** Several dayster and after an uneventful trip. "Run!" A man screamed, rushing across the dead of the night. His eyes darted left and right, looking for escape. "Come on! Man," A white-haired man walked behind him, bored with his hands in his pockets. "I''m only asking you to tell me which tavern I can find them in," The man stared back, "Get away from me! Monster!" He cried, seeing the man''s blue eyes glowing in the dead night. Thud! The man hit something as he ran away and fell back. "Come on!" The white-haired man said, staring down at him. "Gojo! Don''t y with him. If he doesn''t want to speak, I can always open his maid with magic." A blond elf mage approached, pointing his palm at the man, and a small crystal orb floated forward. Gojo looked back, "But, Vars. You aren''t going to find more than I can do. We have to get him to speak." Vars stared at the man, "How about we torture him a bit? Rip his nails one after the other, then heal him to do it again." The man''s face paled. "That''s nasty, isn''t it?" Gojo stared at Vars, "We gotta find another way. It isn''t fun." "I know it''s a bit savage, but he isn''t leaving us with any choice." Vars sighed, "We have to know which tavern it is," Gojo blinked twice, "Ah! Sorry, you misunderstood me." Heughed, scratching his head, "I mean that we already used that torture method before. Can we change it? Like dropping him in a bug-filled hole or slowly cooking him alive?" Vars sighed, "My the elder trees, I always forget how unhinged you can get. We need a clean method that doesn''t leavesting damage. Beside the mental one." Vars looked away as he said thest sentence, "That''s the point, after all," Gojo red at the man''s face with a smile, his eyes burning with disturbing magic, glowing under the moonlight like dying stars. "How about you speak before I get more bored," Gojo slowly lifted his hand, and waves of magic rushed from his fingertips and eyes, piercing the man''s mind. The man shivered, seeing Gojo rip him to shreds, hair by hair, bone by bone, each time freezing his wounds so he wouldn''t bleed out, and slowly munching on his flesh. Death was a mercy. The man jolted, the life fading from his eyes as he looked down. "The East, The Weeping Window." Vars stared at Gojo and the man, "What did you do to him? He lost all the will to live in the blink of an eye." Gojo smiled, "I showed him an image of what I''m going to do to him. Humans are easily frightened." He stood up and flicked his finger, "Go, we have no need for you," *** Gojo and Vars walked back to the city, taking their time. They have been gathering information and working nonstop for days, and they both agreed to ck at every possible moment. "Now, all we need to do is get the information from Baldomor, and we''re set," Vars smiled, taking a deep breath, "The elder tree blesses us this day," "Elder tree you say," Gojo sighed, "I wonder about that," He looked at the moon, "If I was to choose something to worship, it would be something massive and majestic, something out of reach." Vars stared at him, "You told me once that if I were to force you to learn about the elder tree, you would freeze it," Gojo smiled, "A god that can be killed isn''t a god, but a fake." He flicked his finger, "A true god needs to be omnipotent, powerful, and majestic." "People ce their beliefs in what gives them peace of mind or grant them power." Vars waved his hand, and a gust of wind rushed out, "The elder tree grants me some of its magic, and I merely make an offering to her. Water mostly, and that''s a cheap price to pay for spells." *** When they approached the capital''s massive gate, Gojo stopped, staring inside with arge smile, "He''s here," He mumbled. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "He?" Vars stared at him, quickly blinking as he figured it out, "Do you mean Arad? What brought him here?" "This is about to get fun," Gojo smiled, taking the first step into the city. The moment his foot touched the ground, the whole city fell silent. Everyone stared at the stars, wondering what is that strange feeling they got. Arad who stayed in the weeping window looked at the door, "This feeling," Chapter 357 Half-Drunk Arad. Arad sighed, sitting on the wooden table, looking at the wooden wall ahead of him, hearing the peopleugh in the back of the tavern. He blinked. "Boss! Another drink!" A tall man with white hair, an artificial arm and leg shouted, standing on top of thergest table. He waved the empty beer mug in his hand with a smile on his face. Arad blinked again. An armored woman walked into Arad''s view, grabbing the man by the face and dragging him away. He struggled like a dying worm but couldn''t match her might. Arad blinked again. A blond elf woman stared at his face, so close their noses almost touched. "Are you all right?" She touched his forehead and sniffed his breath. She pinched her nose and stumbled back, "By the...what did you drink?" She gasped, tapping her arms on the table and ring at his mug. Her gazes shifted toward the bartender, dripping with rage. Arad blinked again. The elf woman was strangling the bartender, shaking him like an old rug. "Why did you give him dwarven firewine? That thing has its name. It''s only for them!" She growled. Arad blinked again. The armored woman was trying to solve the fight as the bartender started foaming, his face ashen and his legs shaking. Arad blinked once more, feeling a warm tingle down his throat. He pulled the mug toward his mouth, finding it empty. A sense of sadness filled him. Why is it empty? Arad turned his head, looking at the stairs. A brown-haired woman stared at him, walking down with a smile on her face. "You lot are here," She took a step down. The woman stared to the side, seeing Ae choking the bartender. And Lydia trying to get them apart. She cried, rushing down to help. "What is happening?" Arad blinked, and Mira slipped. She was still in the middle of falling. Arad blinked again, theughter behind him getting deeper and slower, and a burning sensation rushed from his chest up to his head. VROOM! CLAP! Silence fell as a shockwave sted across the tavern, scaring everyone. They looked toward the stairs, seeing Arad standing there, his feet digging into the wood with Mira in his arms. "What?" Ae gasped, staring at Arad''s table, seeing two holes in the ground and a shattered chair. Arad sted right from his seat toward Mira. "Happened?" "She slipped, and I caught her," Arad replied. Staring at Mira with a smile, "Are you okay?" Mira looked up and down at Arad''s face, "I''m fine," "You didn''t twist an ankle or anything, did you? Let''s get Lydia to look at you." Arad smiled and turned around, his feet ripping the stairs as he pulled them from the holes they made. "Put me down, I can walk." Mira gasped, her face red as she stool nces at the full tavern. "After Lydia checks you up." Arad ignored her and walked down the stairs, approaching Ae and Lydia. Ae dropped the bartender, and Lydia quickly hit him with a healing spell before turning toward Mira. Arad sat Mira on a chair and stood beside her, a smile on his face. Ae approached him, "Weren''t you drunk? Dwarves Firewine is what this idiot gave you, right?" "That? I asked him for it, wanted to see how it feels to be drunk." Arad scratched his head. "Even with that, I had to rx myself quite a bit for it to work." Ae looked at the chair and the stairs, "And you could still react like this?" Arad nodded, "Sady, the moment I get excited even a bit, my body erases anything the alcohol does and clears my mind on the spot." The bartender opened his eyes, coughing like a dying man, "By the gods! I saw the heavens!" He gasped. Arad stared at him, "You''re still alive?" The bartender shook his head, trying to wake up, "I think so. This is my old and musty tavern." He stood, ring at Ae with an angry face, "Almost went to see my parents thanks to you." He pointed at her face, growling. Ae frowned, "You should be thanking me then!" Seeing the bartender got her blood boiling. If Arad got too drunk and transformed, this whole capital could end up destroyed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I will show you!" The bartender growled, reaching to his desk. Arad stared at him and extended ws from his fingernails, ready to strike the bartender down if he pulled a weapon. The bartender turned toward Ae with a smile on his face, "Now you will learn to mess with me!" He produced a piece of dried meat in his hand, pointing it at Ae. Ae gasped, taking a step back and pinching her nose. The bartenderughed, "This a piece of dry-aged meat. To me, it smells like heaven." He rubbed the peace of meat all over his face and chest and stared at Ae. "I know it! To you, it smells like a piece of shit rotting under the sunlight for weeks!" Heughed like a madman, "Do you dare approach me now!" Ae hid behind Arad, her nose pinched, "Arad, can you punch him?" She pointed at the bartender. "He will die," Arad replied. "Haha! You hide behind your husband! Aren''t you an adventurer?" The bartenderughed. "You two! Stop it!" Lydia stared at them, "Jack is enough trouble for me to keep in check. Try to act your age." Arad looked at her, opened his mouth, and started screaming, a poor imitation of a baby cry. CLICK! The tavern door opened, and Eris walked in, stopping at the door and looking at the chaos. "What is happening?" She asked with a puzzled face. Ae pointed at the bartender, "He tried to get Arad drunk," She cried. ("Not I asked him," Arad mumbled. "He asked me," The bartender mumbled.) Eris nodded, "I see. I will cremate him immediately," She started approaching the bartender. The bartender stared at her long ears, "Another elf," He smiled, pointing the dried meat at her. "Get away from me! ELF!" He shouted like he was exorcising a demon. Eris approached him, grabbed the dried meat between her fingers, and burned it to ash, "What a waste," She then conjured a ball of fire in her palm. Arad looked at her. She can''t be serious. There is no way she would kill a man just like that. SWOHS! With a passive face, Eris tossed the ball of mes at the bartender''s face, igniting his whole body. GRWAAAAAAAAAAA! The man screamed. "What did you do?" Arad growled at her, but she pointed at the bartender. "HAHAHA!" The bartender startedughing, the mes around his body fading as he looked at Eris, smiling, "Cold mes. Is this all you got?" CRACKLE! Eris conjured a lightning bolt between her fingers. The bartender stared at her, waving his hands and urging her to stop, "Please don''t do it," He started sweating, "That would kill me for real," Eris stopped her magic as she looked at Arad with a smile, "See? He''s still alive." "Edward Burnhill the name. A fire elemental bloodline sorcerer." He smiled, bowing down, "Nice to meet you again. Your friend Jack made told me about you. My daughter has taught you well it seems," "Your daughter?" Arad stared at the man for a second, "WAIT! Amber?" Chapter 358 The Three Dangers Of The Capital Arad smiled, staring at the man, "Did you know about us?" Edward smiled, "She sent a letter talking about you. She said a neer has been showing off in the guild." Arad pulled two chairs and sat down, urging Edward to sit with him, "What did she say?" "She called you a magic and martial monster, boasting both a powerful body and innate talent for fire that surpasses our elemental bloodline." He stared at Arad''s chest and shoulders, "I say you can put some pdins out there to shame even though you''re a sorcerer," Arad stared at his own arm, "In what way?" Edward smiled, staring to the back where a bulky man sat on a chair with a stern face, reading a book with a hard leather cover decorated with gold. "That''s a pdin of Amaterasu, the goddess of the dawn and dusk. They boast a high resistance to curses and the power to smite with me and holy magic." Edward snorted, "Look at those muscles. He''s huge, like a bull. But nowhere near you." Arad looked at the pdin in the back. ^I can''t really mess with them, can I?^ He sighed, imagining an army of muscr men running after him with smiting des held up high. ^I would die,^ "How many of them are there?" Arad whispered to the Edward. "A lot, I don''t keep count, but the royal court had once said they have over five thousand pdins in the capital alone." He stole a nce at the pdin in the back, "If they intended to crusade, they could gather over twenty thousand men in a week." ^Holy hell, literally. I can''t win, but at least they can''t fly.^ "Even so," Edward smiled, scratching his head, "There is an elite unit of holy blood sorcerers that took the pdin ss as well. Those can manifest angelic wings, fly, rain holy swords from the sky, and even summon low-ranking celestial beings to fight by their side. I would count them like ten pdins each." Arad started sweating, "Holy shit, they are insane." Edwardughed, "Holy bullshit I say. But at least they aren''t as insane as the mages or bards." "What?" Arad gasped, staring at Edward, "The what?" "Wizards able to drop meteors from the sky to obliterate cities. Bards with powerful enchantments and charms that could seduce the mightiest dragons and demons. I say those are more dangerous." Edward smiled, "Isn''t that right?" He looked at the woman who was sitting on the edge of the tavern. The woman sighed, "You give us more credit than we deserve. At least make it so that we can buy beer with it," She growled, taking arge gulp of her mug. "It''s not that simple to charm a powerful creature like a dragon. Their brains are built differently." She sighed. "I mean, some of your people in the coge of words can, right?" Edward stared at her, and then back at Arad, "She''s a bard in the coge of words. They study the meaning of words like love, hate, fear, death, and more to inscribe into their songs." The woman smiled, "Words carry magic, names are important, and they don''te back after being spoken." She looked at Arad, "Have you heard of Princess Isdis? Her name carries the meaning of an ice goddess. Thus she can use its power to draw upon cold magic." "Then I can change my name, and get power?" Arad stared at her. "No, your name is only given once." she smiled, staring at Mira, "Make sure to pick a nice one for your child." She stood and approached the counter, paying the bartender for the beer and looking at Arad with a smile. He red at her, ready to strike. "Don''t look at me like that. There isn''t that man''s reason for a man to lung like you did, but protecting a child. Treat them well," She then left. Ae looked at Arad, "So you have to avoid bards?" "I guess. I don''t want to end up seduced by one." Arad replied, looking back at Lydia and Mira, "Is she fine?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Told you I didn''t get hurt," Mira replied, smiling. "I''ve been sensing a lot of holy magic since we came here. It''s as expected from the capital with three massive churches and a lot of small ones." Lydia smiled, taking a deep breath. "If it wasn''t ruined by the stench of beer and wine." Edward stared at her, "Beer and wine are good, not for your health, but your head." "Anything that muddles the mind is generally bad." She smiled, "But I didn''t say you should stop it. Everything has its ce." Eris looked at Arad and then at the bartender, "Care to bring us something decent? A wine, not too strong nor weak." Edward smiled, "Something to discuss a top with? I got the right thing," Eris sat with Arad, "I checked the city. This ce is beautiful at night, but going to the back allys is a deadly mistake." Arad blinked, "Did you get attacked?" "Of course I was," She sighed, waving her palm, "Robbers, kidnappers, scammers and even weirdos. s, I can handle it myself," Arad stared at her face. ^She killed them or fed on their blood. I hope she didn''t leave any traces.^ "Here you go," Edward gave the drinks they asked for, "Halflings deadknock wine. It''s made of glitter grapes and is known for its sweet yet strong taste. And even though it''s as strong as the dwarf''s firewire, its effect onlysts for a few seconds. You won''t remain drunk for longer than five seconds." Eris took a sip, her eyes rolling back, and quickly came to their ce, "Wow, this thing holds a punch. Try it." Arad took a sip, feeling nothing. He then gulped the whole thing, sensing a shiver in the back of his head, radiating to his lower back, but quickly faded. "It''s weaker than firewine. But good," "Man, you''re going to get some hate. Halflings are stubborn about their wine." Edward smiled. Arad looked at Eris, "You better go sleep. After we deliver our package(Isdis). We''re going to the marketce to buy some clothes for you and the rest." Eris smiled, "I can sleep this early," She looked back, "Aren''t I used to stayingte up with you," Arad stared at her, confused, "That''s your fault, learn to sleep," She smiled, standing and heading up. On her way, she stopped and pointed at the holes in the stairs, "What happened here? Who''s going to pay for it?" "Of course me," Arad sighed, looking at Edward, "How much is the repair?" "I don''t know. I need to hire a carpenter to look at it first," Edward smiled. "I don''t know the prices around here," Mira stared at the stairs, "But I would say about ten to fifteen silver coins. Arad, do you have some wooden nks?" Arad stared at her, wanting to cry, "I have," He screamed inside, ^You shoved your whole workshop down my throat!^ He then red at her, "But you aren''t fixing it. Leave the work for someone else and rest." Chapter 359 How To Massage A Dragon Arad stood, walking toward the stairs and carrying Mira across the broken steps. "I can walk!" she cried, unable to escape his arms. "Not taking any chances." Arad ignored her cries and took her to their room. Ae and Eris quickly followed them. CLICK! Arad opened his room''s door, staring inside to see Isdis asleep on his bed, hugging the pillow like a massive teddy bear. He red at her, counting the distance she left from the edges. ^She''s dead in the center of the bed,^ Arad growled, grabbing her by the ankle, "Move! That Mira and Ae''s ce." "A few more minutes..." She mumbled, crawling beneath the nket. "Let her sleep," Mira said with a smile, "I will sleep on the couch," Arad stared at her, "No, you two are using the bed." Arad pulled Isdis by the ankle, dropping her from the bed. BANG! Isdis''s forehead smacked on the ground, and she woke up. Crying, "AWA! What happened?" She stared at Arad. "That isn''t your bed," Arad stared at her. "You could have woken me up!" Isdis growled, and Arad red at her, poking her red forehead, "I tried. Use the couch." Isdis stood, dragging herself to the couch and sitting on it, "Couldn''t we rent more rooms?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad stared at her, "We arrivedte. All rooms are full, and we barely managed to get two," "Even so, if you said I was here, they could have emptied some rooms." She sighed. "And have a rain of assassins storming us? No thanks, Mira is here as well, remember that." Arad red at her, "Tomorrow, we will cross the city and get you to the castle. You''re only sleeping on the couch once," Ae and Eris walked after them. They Saw Isdis squatting on the couch with tears in her eyes and a red dot on her forehead. "What happened?" Ae asked with a puzzled face. "He hit me!" Isdis cried. Ae stared at her, "Is that so? What did you do?" Erisughed, "You deserve it. I bet he dragged you out of the bed." Arad stared at them, "That bump on her forehead is from dropping from the bed." Isdis grunted, and Eris approached her, "If Arad hit you for real, you won''t be alive to speak of it. And he''s more of the type to mess with you rather than get violent," She smiled. Ae approached the bed and sat beside Mira, "Where will you sleep? This bed is small." She looked down. That was a two-person bed. There was no space for a third one, let alone someone as thick and wide as Arad. "The ground, I''m sitting in the corner for the night," Arad replied with a smile, "I can better observe the door and window. "Standing guard," Eris sighed, "You''re a hardworking one, but you need to sleep." "I can stay awake for weeks," Arad replied, lifting his hand. BAM! A coffin appeared out of nowhere, dropping to the ground. "You bed," "Thanks!" Eris smiled, opening the coffin andying a pillow and nk sheet inside. Arad sat in the corner, cracking his neck. Ae stared at him, "I can give you a massage if your shoulders are stiff," Arad looked at her, "Can you do it?" "Of course," She smiled, standing and waving her hand for him to get on the bed. Arad stood and went to the bed, lying on his stomach. Ae rolled her sleeves and cracked her knuckles with a smile. "Tell me if it hurt a lot," She put her palms on his back and started squeezing and squeezing. Her face turned bright red as the veins on her arms bulged, her fingers white yet never digging into his back. Like a rock, she couldn''t dent him. Arad turned his head, "You can''t do it?" "Give me a moment. I will start getting serious." Ae growled, almost popping a vein. "Wait!" Mira stopped her with a smile, "Leave it to me," She said, clenching her fists and puffing her chest. "Have a n?" Ae stared at her, not expecting much. Mira nodded energetically, "Yes. Arad, get the hammer!" Arad lifted his hand, creating a small ck hole in the air. Mira ran her hand through it and pulled a hammer. "Get ready, this might hurt," Mira lifted the hammer and swung down as hard as she could. CRACK! The hammer hit Arad''s back, its shaft snapping as the head flew away, smashing a hole in the wall. Mira scratched her head, "Oh! My! It didn''t work," Arad looked back, "I mean, my scales deflect most weapons. I won''t even feel a hammer hit," "If a hammer won''t work," Mira smiled, reaching back into the hole. She then produced a sledgehammer. Worthy of being called a war hammer, a maul. Ae gasped, "That thing is too big. Are you intending on breaking his back?" Mira smiled, "I''m not sure even this could help," She spat on her palms, rubbing them together before lifting the sledgehammer above her head, taking a deep breath, and swinging down. BAM! The bed bounced as the floor shook, and a shockwave spread across the wooden inn as dust started falling from the shaken roof. The sledgehammer rested on Arad''s back, and he slowly looked back, "Nothing, it''s like getting hit with a light tap." Eris smiled, getting out of her coffin and approaching them, "Let me try. I have a few tricks." She smiled, pushing Ae away. "What can you do?" Arad looked at her. "Just watch," She smiled, "You will be surprised," She rolled her sleeves and looked at Arad''s back. "Would you mind taking your shirt off? I don''t want to rip it apart." Arad sat up and snapped his fingers, the shirt disappearing into his stomach in the blink of an eye. Eris smiled, "Now look at this," She tapped his chest, "This is what I call strongly built." Arad immediately fell on his stomach, "Get to it, let me get surprised," Eris cracked her fingers and smiled. CHANK! Her nails turned ck, extending forward as sharp ws. "Don''t worry, I''m not stabbing you. I just need longer fingers." She grabbed his shoulder, her ws wrapping around his corbone and taking hold. She used that as a support and started pushing her fist into his back. Eris''s face turned pale, and her skin seemed to dry off as she growled, pushing with all her might. CRACK! Finally, Arad''s back cracked once. "HAAAAAA!" Eris gasped, falling on her butt. Gasping for air, "That was exhausting. How are you this hard?" "Draconic muscles," Arad replied, "Can you do it again?" "I can, but not with my hands. They are too weak," Eris sighed, standing up, "I need more power," She climbed on the bed. "What are you doing?" "Legs are stronger than arms. They have more muscles." Eris smiled, stepping on Arad''s shoulder, her toenails extending into ws. She grabbed onto him like a bird to a branch and then started pushing her right foot on his back. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! "It''s way easier this way," She smiled. "That''s it, on the neck," Arad gasped, "I always try stretching in my draconic form like I saw cats do, but that can''t help me that much," Arad smiled. "I take pride in my strength, and even I''m struggling," Eris stared down at Arad, "We should probably start asking that ant woman to do it," "Meryem? You''re right. She has a lot of strength and should be able to use her hands." Arad sighed, "It''s sad that she has to stay, but it can''t be helped." Isdis stared at them, "Meryem is a queen. Her colony, her kingdom needs her." Ae and Mira stared at her, "Should youe give it a try?" Isdis pointed at her face, "Me? I don''t have that much strength," She looked away, "Even Eris barely managed to crack his back with her legs." Ae smiled, "Speaking of legs," She looked at Mira, "I will massage his right arm. You take his left." She then stared at Isdis, "You take his legs with Zephyr," PUFF! Zephyr popped out of thin air, "Why me?" "Do it!" Ae red at her, and she sighed, "Fine." Zephyr flicked her finger, and her body expanded to the size of a human. Thud! She stood, staring at Isdis, "Get your ass up. I''m massaging the right leg. You take the left." "Why, I''m the princess here," Isdis growled. "We''re all equal in his room, so get to work!" Zephyr growled at her, pulling her toward the bed with wind magic. Isdis sighed, looking at Arad''s leg, "Fine," she rolled her sleeves up and started squeezing. Unlike the others, she wasn''t struggling. "How are you doing it?" Ae stared at her, "His arms and legs are just as hard, right?" She poked his left leg. "It''s about the technique." Isdis sighed, "We princess, or any noble girl are destined to be sent on political marriages. They can''t have us be clueless about basic things to the point where we get divorced." "Is that so?" Mira stared at her, "I heard such a thing from Merida." "She was right," Isdis stared at them, "It''s purely theoretical, but it makes sure we can get it good enough on the first time." Ae blinked twice, "So you can cook?" "Of course?" Isdis smiled. Ae red at her, "Had I known, you would have taken your turn in the cooking shift." Chapter 360 A Friend Arad rolled on the bed, staring to the side and seeing Ae and Mira by his sides, Isdis lying on the couch with Eris inside her coffin, "Tomorrow, we will get rid of her." He can''t wait to send her back home and have some time with his girls. He stood, walking toward his corner and leaving enough space on the bed for the two girls to rx on. He stared back. That bed is too small, but the same size as the one he has back home. Arad looked at his arms, "I didn''t getrger in my humanoid form this time, but I mightter on. I should invest in a bigger bed. Or at least, something more durable than wood." He sat on the corner, closing his eyes while leaving all of his senses turned up to the maximum. He could sense the thoughts of people and animals in a four-kilometer radius. ^I still can''t understand them.^ Arad sighed inside, and Mom smiled. [They sound like distant screams. It will take you a while to be able to understand them. For now, keep in mind that the louder the thoughts, the more intelligent the creature is.] Time quickly passed, and morning came without a problem. N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad opened his eyes as the sun rose to the sky. He could see the sunlight threads piercing the window''s frame. He stood, looking at the bed. Ae and Mira are still asleep. Isdis isn''t showing any sign of waking up, and Eris''s coffin is as silent as the other in the ground. He walked toward the door, slowly opening it and walking down the stairs. Out of the kitchen, he could see some adventurers lined up for breakfast. He looked back, seeing a water jug and a basin where they washed their faces. Arad washed his face and then approached the tavern counter, pulling a chair and sitting, "Edward, got anything to eat?" "A moment please," Edward replied from inside the kitchen, rushing to prepare the meals. "Don''t worry, I ordered one extra for you." A voice came from beside Arad, scaring him. There was something off. He couldn''t hear any thoughts beside him, meaning the person who spoke was a monster above anything else. As Arad turned, he saw a man with white hair, pure blue eyes, and a gentle smile. He sat there beside Arad. This thought was silent. "It''s been a while." "Gojo!" Arad gasped, "What brought you here?" "Work," Gojo replied, "I''m with my party, seeing to annoy a certain being," He grabbed his mug, dangling it, "Can''t really tell who is it though," "Annoy? Job must be a bitplicated," Arad closed his eyes, and quickly opened them, "I saw in some paper from the thive guild in Rita. Are you trying to grab something here? With more than just asking for it?" Gojo giggled, "As expected of you, catching faster than Gug did," He looked at Arad''s eyes, "That''s exactly it. We can''t let that object remain where it is. We should return it to the elves as soon as possible." "To the elves?" Arad approached Gojo and whispered, "I was with the queen, and she didn''t mention anything about any stolen artifact. What is it that you''re looking for?" "An artifact of the god of murder, a dagger tainted with ck, rotten blood." Gojo whispered back, "It''s quite powerful. With the right elf user. It can drastically increase a kingdom''s ability to kill in wars." "Is it the reason for the tension between the elves and humans?" Arad whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "Yes, we better get it back to them before this situation gets out of hand." Gojo waved his hand, "It''s cold war now since the elves want to avoid a direct conflict and avoid the artifact being used against them, but if they got worse, they would have no chance but to attack." "And how did you end up chasing the artifact?" Arad whispered to him, "Is it okay for you to be in the middle of two angry kingdoms?" "Not me, Vars is," Gojo whispered, "He was sent to retrieve the artifact on a secret mission. We''re helping him reach it so he can teleport it back home." "That doesn''t sound safe," Arad sighed, "You''re infiltrating the castle and stealing? Something will go wrong," "You''re right. That way we''re taking our time to prepare. I prefer it if the humans only noticed the artifact missing after a few years." Gojo smiled, "So no fights, just a lot of waiting and thinking," "Need any help?" Arad asked. "Not currently," Gojo smiled, "I''m free for at least a week while we wait for someone to get back to us. Want me to show you around the capital?" Thud! Edward approached them, putting tworge tes filled to the brim withrge chunks of half-cooked meat, blood still dripping from the sides. "This isn''t cooked," Arad stared at the te, and then at Edward, "They are for him," He pointed at Gojo. Gojo pushed one of the tes toward Arad, "I ordered this one for you," He smiled, "I know it''s a bit overcooked, but it will do," "Overcooked?" Edward sighed, "This is basically raw, only seared from the outside. Can''t even call it rare. It''s raw." Arad looked at the te. It''s true that he prefers raw meat, and this is just at the edge. "And how did you know?" Arad pulled a chunk of the meat and gulped it down. "I know what someone likes when I see them. You''re just like me, a monster in a human carcass," Gojo smiled, wolfing his meat. Edward stared at them, "For real, you two look like monsters eating that," He stared back at the other people waiting. Gojo stood after finishing their breakfast, "Call me if you need a guide around or an ally in battle," He smiled, "I''m always near," Arad stared at Gojo leaving, "The air around him is strange," ^[Magic twists and bends around him. He has moretent mana than you. I can tell he isn''t human, but I can''t probe his mind to know what he is exactly.]^ Doma seemed to have the same thoughts as Arad. CLACK! CLACK! Jack walked down the stairs, yawning and scratching his head, "Arad, you''re awake?" "I never sleep," Arad replied, pointing at the basin in the back. Jack washed his face and approached the counter, sitting beside Arad, "Can you go with the girls to the castle? I want to take Lydia to the main church," Jack replied, "It''s a costume to visit on the first day," "We came yesterday," Arad replied. "Night doesn''t count," Jack replied, "Or should we go with you to the castle?" Arad crossed his arms, thinking, "I have no problem with you going, but..." "Job only ends when we deliver Isdis safely to the castle gate," Jack sighed, "You''re right, cities are the best ce to assassinate someone, we don''t want a princess''s blood on us," Arad nodded, "We will deliver Isdis first and then you can head to the church. Of course, I''m not going with you for obvious reasons," Jack smiled, "They will wake soon," He waved at Edward to bring him something, "You can take them to therge market, get them some clothes or souvenirs, we better enjoy our time here," Chapter 361 A Small help, Dragging Troubles

Chapter 361 A Small help, Dragging Troubles

The girls woke up and walked downstairs to eat their breakfast except for Isdis, who remained in the room. She couldn''t get out in front of people, so Ae got her food in the room. Arad walked outside and stood in the street, taking a deep breath. ^Nothing beats the fresh air of the morning.^ He smiled, looking around. He stopped, looking around. A lot of people were staring at him. It''s strange to see a man as tall and muscr as him around. A man approached Arad, "Are you a pdin, young man?" He asked with a smile. "I was looking for someone to banish an imp from my father''s abandoned house," Arad shook his head, "Sorry, I''m an adventurer. A sorcerer," He smiled, scratching his head, "I know nothing of banishing imps," He could kill the monster. But would rather take the girls to the market. The man smiled, "Come on, I''m sure your oath urges you to help," Arad pulled the guild card from his pocket and showed it to the man, "Look, I''m a sorcerer." The man stared at it and gasped, "Wait, you weren''t joking?" He stared at Arad, "Most sorcerers are thin like mages. I might have believed you had you said a fighter or a barbarian," The man scratched his head, "I''ve been trying to find a pdin for days. None of them has time to deal with an imp," "Neither I do," Arad stared at him, "I have more important things to tend to," The man looked at Arad, "Look, you''re big, and I''m sure you have a deadly spell or two. I will give you fifty silver coins to st the little devil back to hell. Just freeze it or burn it, whatever power your blood gives," Arad sighed, "Leave, I don''t have time," "Come on, please," Arad sighed, looking back into the tavern. The girls would take a minute or two to get ready. He then looked at the end of the street and saw a stall selling fruits. Fifty silver coins would get him a full basket with change, a good snack for the girls during the day. Arad looked at the man, "Where is your house?" "It''s an abandoned home outside the city," The man said, pointing into the distance, "That way. Please wait here. I will go hire a carriage," "That won''t be necessary. I told you I don''t have time," Arad caught the man by the wrist. The scenery around them changed in the blink of an eye. The man stared around, his eyes darting between every stone and grass de, "What happened? We were in the city," "Stop crying. Where is the house?" Arad red back at him, "Told you I don''t have time," The man gulped, swallowing his words. He realized the only exnation was that they teleported. Such magic is so rare that you barely find an archmage capable of using it. "It''s from here, sir," He didn''t want to prey further, instead focused on praying to the gods he didn''t cross paths with an A-rank, or gods forbid, an S-rank. Arad started walking, and the man fearfully trailed after him, ^If he''s an A-rank, he must know that fifty silver coins is too low to y an imp. It''s at least two gold coins per head,^ They reached the house, and the man pulled the key, slowly opening the door and looking inside. Almost immediately, two red glowing eyes emerged in the dark. A red-skinned gremlin with bat wings fire burning from the tip of its tail red at them. The man cried, and the devil sensed his fear, rushing forward with bloodlust, growling like a dog. The man fell on his butt, and the imp saw Arad, freezing in his ce. Those purple stares pierced his soul. That man wasn''t afraid, but staring at him like food. The imp growled, and the second one fell from the ceiling. The man screamed again, crawling away in tears. "By the gods! There were two, sir, run away!" Thud! Arad walked forward, getting into the house with a smile on his face. The two imps shook. Arad''s face made it clear. Seeing a second one only made him hungrier. More food the better. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It was then that his scent finally reached them, and they turned to run away. That man was a dragon, and they wanted nothing with him. BAM! Arad lunged forward, grabbing the imps by their heads. CRACK! Blood trailed down their red necks unseen, and Arad walked with them back to the man outside. "They are dead," He said with a passive face. The man stared at Arad, tears, and snout trailing down his ugly face, "You killed them?" "Of course, that''s why I wasted timeing here," Arad replied, dropping the corpses on the ground. "Do you have a way to dispose of the corpses?" He wanted to take them if he didn''t need them. "Devil corpses, It''s better to send them to the church so they can investigate and find their source. Killing the fiends is the first step of the process after all," The man replied, barely standing up. Arad sighed, he really wanted to eat them, but s, an apple would be better. He extended his palm to the man, "There were two, so it''s one gold coin," They stared at Arad''s hand for a second. And then back at his face, "Of course, sir!" He pulled a gold coin from his purse and put it on Arad''s palm. Arad clenched his fist and smiled, "Thank you. Want to get back to the city?" The man shook his head, "I need to stay here for a while. You can leave without me," Arad smiled, "Then see youter," ZON! He disappeared into thin air. *** When the girls got out of the inn, they saw Arad sitting beside the wall with a basket full of fruits, eating grapes while waiting. "What took you so long?" He extended the basket to them. **** Hourster, the man found a pdin and brought him to see the corpses. "Sir, what do you think?" "Imps are dangerous to fight without holy magic. They can curse people." The pdin said in a calm voice, inspecting the imps. "Are you saying he crushed their head with his bare hands?" "Yes, you can see their crumbling skulls," The man replied, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "And you say he''s a sorcerer?" The pdin asked again. "Yes, he could use teleportation magic, so no mistaking that," He added. The pdin stood, scratching his beard, "A sorcerer with a blessed body, great magic, and the devils ran away from seeing him," He stared at the man, "And you say he only took one gold coin for two imps?" "Yes, albeit he seemed a bit angry about it. Impatient, he said he had more important work to do," The Pdin stared at the man with a smile, "Suck generosity, power of will and might." He lifted his hand, hitting his te armor with a sense of pride. "I say you have met a holy soul sorcerer, a man blessed with the power of the celestial and angels. That''s the only exnation," He smiled, "He might not belong to our order, but the goodness of his heart flows like rivers, blessing those around him." "To think I met such a man," The man mumbled, "What do you think?" The pdin looked at the man, "Nothing, but I will try finding him. He might be willing to join our order. A man of his power could lead a battalion in no time, smiting evil and spreading the word of god," Chapter 362 [Bonus chapter] Into The Castle

Chapter 362 [Bonus chapter] Into The Castle

Arad looked forward, hearing the wooden carriage crackle beneath him as they rode across the streets. Ae looked around, "The human capital is busy even at this time. Shouldn''t people be out working?" She counted the people just walking the street and browsing the market. "You aren''t the same?" Arad looked at her. "At this time? Each cksmith would be in their workshop and each shopkeeper in their shop. We elves barely move out without a valid reason." She looked at the market and saw a man sitting at the side of the road, begging for money. "He can go to the forest and gather herbs or wood to sell. There is no need for him to stay there," She sighed. "Humans don''t know much about the forest like elves," Arad looked at the man, "He might be sick, who knows?" "Even if he was sick, he should be out seeking a cure, not begging for money like this." She sighed, "If the human church is anything like ours, they could help him." "Ae is right," Lydia peeked her head from the back of the carriage, "They offer free healing for people in need and even shelter and food. Since he isn''t with them that means he''s healthy and begging for another reason. Probably a debt," "If it''s debt," Ae looked at the man. "It''s on him," Eris sighed in the back, "Forget about him and look there," She pointed at a shop on the main street, "Those clothes look nice," She smiled. Arad looked. From where he sat, the clothes looked smooth and nicely tailored. They might have something for Eris to cover her whole body in the day and still be able to move. "We''ll visit itter," He smiled. After three hours of driving through the busy streets, slowed by the turtle-like traffic of carriages and walking people, they finally approached the royal castle gate. The carriage stopped, and Arad jumped down. He looked at the lifted drawbridge and lifted his head, "How do we get this to open?" He shouted. A guard peeked from the top of the walls, pointing his bow at Arad''s head, "State your business or family name," He yelled. "Arad!" Isdis whispered from the carriage, they were still in the streets, and it would be bad if people knew she was out. It''s better to get inside without stating her name. The princess returned with strangers after her guards were wiped out in a goblin attack. Such rumors would be bad for the royal family. Arad approached the carriage and looked inside, "Tell him that you''re bringing the ice maker," Arad blinked twice, confused for a moment, but he went back to the draw bridge. "I''m bringing the ice maker. Drop the drawbridge," He yelled. The guard pulled his bow back, staring at Arad for a second as if assessing him, "We can''t have warm wine, can we," He stared with a passive face and signaled to the guards in the back, "Drop it," Arad smiled, seeing the massive wooden crackle down. He walked back to his seat and urged the horses to move. Once inside the castle, several guards, almost forty strong surrounded the carriage with their spears pointing at Arad and Ae, "Who the fuck told you that? Drop the act and surrender. The torturer is going to have his fun making you two spit everything out." Isdis kicked the carriage door open and jumped out, "Stop, it''s really me!" The guards jumped back the moment they saw her, sweating, "Princess? Where are your guards?" "Dead, killed by a purple dragon," She replied, looking away. The guard froze, "A purple dragon? How is that? You were heading to a peaceful negotiation with the elves." "He was ordering the goblins around," Isdis sighed, looking back in the carriage and helping Mira down. "How did you survive?" One of the guards asked. It didn''t make sense with how much dragons like to eat humans, especially young and tender women. Red dragons are nefarious for wanting those sacrifices, and Isdis would make a prime target for a purple dragon. "He drove it away," Isdis pointed at Arad, "Barehanded," "What?" The guards stared at Arad in disbelief. His massive frame only made it seem like the truth. "Put your spears away if you don''t want the castle flipped on its head," she growled at them, and they dropped their spears. Isdis sighed, "Good. For a moment I thought you were going to pick a fight anyway," "We won''t!" One of the guards cried, "We won''t disgrace you by such actions," They all stared at Arad, "What is his name," "Arad Orion," Arad replied immediately with a passive face. The guards stared at him for a second, blinking before jumping back, "The dragon ying and vampire punching werewolf brawler of Alina? The king thought that was a joke for Alina''s lord!" Isdis stared at them with a smile, "Sorry, but that is the truth," She looked at Arad, "I spent enough time with him to know one thing, the rumors are true, and he''s even stronger than what they say." Thud! Jack and Lydia jumped from the back of the carriage. And Jack approached the guards. He waved his arms, "I saw Arad swing a dragon from its tail, and his mere res scare devils shitless. You better show some respect," The guards looked at each other and then at Arad''s eyes. His eyes held an eldritch purple glimmer burning with a keen intellect, which they found disturbing. "We aren''t blocking you in any way," One of the guards said, walking forward, "Please follow me. I will lead you to the guest room." He looked at Arad. Another one reached out to Isids, "Your Highness, please follow me to your quarter," Isdis stared at him and then at Arad, "I''m staying with him," She approached Arad, standing by his side. The guards stared at her, confused. They clearly wanted to scream and drag her to her quarter, but they couldn''t she''s the princess, and more importantly, that''s a monster standing by her side. "Fine, as you say," The guards sighed, guiding everyone to the guest room where sat. Arad looked at the door. A maid stood at each side, their eyes closed and ears clogged. They are here to serve, not listen or see what the nobles and royals are doing. Isdis stared at Arad, "They can only hear high-pitched noise. Use this bell," She gave him a golden bell. Arad lifted the bell and rang it. The maids jerked to life, opening their eyes and removing the earplugs. Both of them approached Arad and bowed, "Need anything, master." Arad stared at them, standing and ring at their faces. The maids started sweating, taking a step back. "Master, is something wrong?" Arad lifted his arm, clenching a fist. SWOSH! He then swung at one of them, his fist barely stopping before her cheek. The maid didn''t move, "Master, is this some kind of joke?" She said, shaking. Arad sighed, sitting back on the couch, "You two got some courage, you have my respect," Everyone stared at him, "What are you about?" "I won''t say unless they do," He looked at the maids, "Nice to meet you," The two maids stared at each other, smiling, "Fine, guess it can''t be helped." As they smiled, horns emerged from their heads andrge tails from below their skirts. The first maid approached Arad, bowing. Her golden horn and tail glittering, "My name is Kin, an adult gold dragon acting as an emissary of dragons." The other one walked forward, bowing, "My name is Gin," Her silver horns and tails remained still, "Like her, I''m an emissary of the dragons as well." Arad looked at everyone, "They can hear and see us even with their eyes closed and ears plugged. They spy on the king''s guests and report back to him." "It''s as you said," One of them smiled. Isdis stared at them, shocked, "Wait? I''ve been here for years. Howe I was never informed?" "Only your father knows about us. Not even the queens know about us." Gin smiled. "Trying to read our minds," Gin stared at Arad, "We are busted if we blocked you, and we''re busted if we didn''t." She sighed. "I will inform the king that you''re a magic dragon and one that shouldn''t be made an enemy at any cost." She bowed to aRad, "Your kind are rare, and we like to preserve them." "An endangered animal, but you''re a dragon," Gin stared at him with a passive face. Arad looked at them, "How many of you are here?" Gin shook her head, "We only know about ourselves," She looked at Gin, "The king might have other spies around the castle, but only he knows about them." The two maids shifted back to lookpletely human and bowed, "So, Master Arad," They said in synergy, "Want tea? How much sugar?" N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad smiled, "Anything would do," Chapter 363 A Civilized Discussion

Chapter 363 A Civilized Discussion

BAM! The door burst open as the maids poured tea. Arad looked, seeing an armored old man with a long white beard, wrinkled face, and a golden gown above his head walking inside. "The rumored Arad Orion, I heard tales about you, most of them seem unrealistic." He stared at Arad, standing close to the table. "You''re the king?" Arad asked, standing up and staring at the man in the eyes. "Father, why are you armored?" Isdis asked if it was the first time she had seen him wear it in years. The king bowed, "King Baltos Lior Ruris, named after my ancestors, but I still do not meet their standards. So thank you for saving my daughter," Arad nodded, "Don''t worry about that." He looked at Isdis, "She''s surprised to see you wearing armor. Why is that?" "I haven''t fought in years," The king replied with a smile. Gin looked at Arad with a grin, "Don''t underestimate those old bones," Kin smiled, "No matter how powerful a king gets, he can''t move much to use that power," Arad looked at the king, smiling, "You''re looking for a fight?" "You spent a while with my daughter. I want to see what you''re made from," Baltos fixed his gauntlet. "Father! Stop it!" Isdis shouted, and Baltos stared at her, "Worry not, I won''t kill him." "Let him be," Arad said with a smile, "It won''t take long to drop him to the ground," A dragon can''t refuse a challenge from a king, and Baltos''s reasons are still unknown. No matter how much Arad tried probing his mind, it always came back empty. "Shall we get started? And let''s make it quick," Baltos stared at Arad. ^[Beware! He''s dangerous!]^ Arad instinctively lifted his arms, Baltos''s iron boots connected with his forearms, sending a shockwave across his whole body. Arad could feel the pressure rushing to his shoulder, his legs lifted from the ground, and his body flew out of the balcony and fell from the castle. He blinked and saw Baltos falling after him with a passive face. Arad growled, lifting his palm and firing a massive fireball. Baltos fell right through the mes, unharmed. He swung his fist at Arad''s face and sent him to the ground. BAM! Aradnded on his legs, smiling, "You old bag of bones, that hurts," He smiled, swinging a fist and hitting the fallen king on the face. CRACK! Baltos''s body flew at a blinding speed, crashing into the castle walls. CRACK! As bricks fell around his body, Baltos opened his eyes, smiling, "Now that''s a punch," He fell on his legs, cracking his shoulder and approaching Arad. "Almost lost a tooth." "I expected the human king to be weak, taking Alina''s lords as a measure, but I seem to have been wrong," Arad smiled, taking a deep breath and stepping forward. SWOSH! Baltos''s body ignited in red mes, his eyes shing with a white light as golden scales emerged on his face. "To tell you, I have the blood of a gold dragon coursing through my veins. Fire won''t harm me," Arad clenched his fists, refraining from showing his scales, "Is that so? It''s not like I''m limited to fire," he smiled, and lighting crackled from his shoulders and down to his fists. The white sh of light illuminated the whole garden, blinding the poor guards rushing to help. "Father! Stop! You can''t beat Arad!" Isdis shouted, ring down from the balcony. BOOM! A red sh exploded beneath Baltos''s feet, propelling his body forward like a missile, shockwaves bursting from his shoulders as he swung a fist at Arad. CRACKLE! Lighting crackled, and Arad''s body disappeared in the blink of an eye. He then emerged behind Baltos with a smile. "Slow," VROOM! He swung a lightning-fast punch. SWOSH! Baltos spun in his ce, deflecting Arad''s fist with a kick and hitting him with his knee to the head. BAM! Arad''s body spun in ce, his head digging through the ground as Baltos went for another punch. The ground crackled, and arge ice spike flew up, forcing Baltos to stop his attack and leap back. "Ice?" He gasped. Arad''s purple eyes gleamed from beneath the ground, ring at Baltos with an eldritch magic shing from them. His body started levitating, pulling his head out of the ground and standing upright. "Those rumors aren''t wrong. You''re a true monster," Baltos smiled, "No matter how hard I hit you, it doesn''t seem to affect you, and you can retaliate at a terrifying speed. You punching a dragon to death won''t be strange, let alone vampires and werewolves." Arad smiled, "Same for you. I faced a monster that couldn''t punch as hard as you," Baltos smiled, approaching Arad, "Haven''t fought like this in ten years. Since that Buffon came here. Alcott, do you know him?" Arad blinked, "Alcott? He taught me how to fight," The king stared at Arad, scratching his beard, "Your mentor? I expected more. You two look awfully alike." He stared at Arad, "Thatrge build, sharp re, and boiling temper, and the face you came with my daughter. Except, he came with my sister instead." "I only met him a few months back," Arad replied,nding on his feet with a smile. The king approached Arad, extending his hand for a shake, "Arad Orion, or should I say, Baron Arad Orion the dragon yer, wee to the royal castle, and make yourself at home." Arad shook the king''s hand with a smile, "Nice to meet you," After a moment of silence, the king smiled and closed his eyes, "Onest thing," He said, "Keep away from my daughter," He swung his leg up, kicking Arad in the jewels as hard as he could. Arad felt his bones quake as the blood rushed to his head. He ground his teeth, and grabbed the king by the beard, swinging him up and smacking him on the ground face-first. CRACK! As the kingy on the ground bleeding, Arad fell beside him, unconscious. A few minutester, Arad and the king were transported inside for treatment, and they were left asleep in the castle''s healing quarter. Isdis and Ae stood beside them, looking at them with disappointed faces. "Those two numb skulls," Isdis sighed, staring at her asleep father, "Especially you," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ae stared at Arad, "You could have dodged that kick. Why the hell did you take it?" Isdis stared at her, "Probably father''s sleep aura," She sighed, "His gold draconic bloodline gives himmand over fire and a sleeping gaze. It numbs the senses and can drop people asleep," She stared at Arad, "I''m surprised he fought that long without falling," CLICK! The door opened, and Kin walked inside, "You majesty Isdis, your sister is here for you." Isdis looked at Ae, "I need to go. Call me when Arad wakes up. I think I should apologize in my father''s stead," Ae shook her head, "No, we''re heading out as soon as he wakes up." She smiled, "We have a market to explore, don''t want to waste more time here," Isdis giggled, "Calling the apology of a princess a waste of time, you''re a savage." Kin looked at them, "I don''t think sir Arad would care for an apology. As smart and wise we dragons get, we always talk better with our ws. I''m sure he and the king had an understanding," "Like what? An eternal vengeance?" Isdis sighed. "More like," Kin scratched her chin, "His Majesty Baltos won''t worry about you being with Arad as he trusts his strength, and Arad won''t have a problem respecting him since he has proven his power." Gin walked inside the room, "Kin is right. As a dragon, Arad can only ever respect the strong, and as a father, his majesty can only trust a strong man with you. Fists are the best at conveying that," "What do you mean trusting him with me?" Isdis cried, rushing out of the room as the maids stared at her with passive faces. Chapter 364 The Capital’s Market

Chapter 364 The Capital''s Market

Arad opened his eyes, staring at a ceiling he didn''t know. Beside him sat Ae with a smile. "Are you okay?" Arad sat up and scratched his head, "How did I end here? Did that old man knock me out?" Ae looked at him, "You were taken by a sleep spell when you took a painful hit." He looked around him, "Where is he?" "The king woke up earlier and left for a meeting with the nobles. They need to find a way to deal with the elves now that the tension is lessening," She helped him stand, "Shall we go?" Arad smiled, "We delivered Isdis, we can head out," Ae giggled, "I thought you would want to wait for a reward," "Gold be damned, I need to get you, Eris, and Mira some new clothes." He smiled, "Also, I''m sure Baltos would do something about itter." Arad walked out of the healing quarter, seeing Eris and Mira waiting at the door. Both of them rushed at him, "Are you all right?" "I''m fine," He looked around, "Did Jack and Lydia already head out?" "Yeah, they left." Mira replied, "They should returnter at night," "Those two maids have prepared rooms for us. We can stay in the castle as long as we want." Eris approached Arad, "They have a nice bath here." Arad smiled, "We will check itter at night. For now, let''s head to the city." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om *** Arad and the girls walked through the hallway and to the guards. The guards saluted them before they reached the castle''s gate. The moment the gate guards spotted them, they yelled, "Drop the bridge!" Ae looked back at the garden as they walked across the draw bridge, "Arad, can we get some flower seeds? Maybe an apple tree as well?" "Of course, as long as they can survive the trip." He looked at her with a smile as they entered the streets, "You want to nt some in our garden?" "It would be amazing to have some roses, and a fruit tree can never hurt." She replied. Mira looked at Arad, "Since you own a lot ofnd and you''ve been dered a baron by the king, why not put thatnd to use?" She smiled, "A vineyard or a sprawling emerald grove of fruit trees." "That sounds like a good idea, would be nice to get a winery as well." Eris looked at Arad with a grin, "Baron Arad''s beer. Now that could be fun." "If we wanted to do it, I need to hire farmers and someone to manage things. I can''t stay with them all day long," Arad replied, thinking as they entered the market. "You might end up building a second city beside Alina, depending on how sessful you''re domain would be in the forest." Eris tapped Arad''s shoulder. Arad looked around, "We''re in the market. Anything you want? Besides clothes, of course, we will get those when we find a decent shop." He stared around, and his eyes stopped at a small stall at the end of the street. "Look there," Arad said, staring forward. Ae looked, seeing an olddy sitting on the ground, selling a bunch of strange trinkets and baubles. They approached the olddy and looked at her wares. "Young man, want something for thedies?" She smiled, "It''s rare to see a man with more than one woman around here," She giggled. Arad looked around him, "You''re right," He smiled and looked at what she had, rings, nes, hairbs, and...ropes and rocks? Arad picked one of the rocks, a yellow one with a strong acidic smell, "This stone, what is it?" The old woman smiled, "Brimstone, picked from the eastern volcanic mountains. People like to throw it in their bathes," Mira stared at the stone, confused, "This thing? Stop joking. I might throw it at someone as a weapon." Ae picked a hairb, "This one is made from fur wood, an elven craft?" "I don''t know, I bought it from a traveler. But it looks nice," The old woman replied. Arad looked at Eris, "Want something?" Eris shook her head beneath her hood, "Nothing caught my eye. They are all mundane objects, no magic in them." The old woman giggled, "If you want magic objects, I''m not the person to look for." She lifted one of her nes. "My prised item is but a silver ne." "How much is the hairb?" Ae asked with a smile. "Five copper coins," The old woman replied. "I will give you four for it," Ae pulled the money. Arad stared at them, "Ae, give her six copper coins." He smiled, and both stared at him. "Why do you say that?" The old woman asked. "You bought that thing for five copper coins and was selling it for the same price." Arad replied, "I can see that in your face." He lied. He did read her mind to check for the real price of theb. Had she inted the price, he would have taken the lowest price. After paying the old woman, they head deeper into the market, looking around for something to buy, "As big as the capital, they don''t have that many things on sale. Interesting ones at least." Arad sighed. "They do," Ae looked around, "I see a section there where they sell monster parts, hides, bones, and even poisons. And look there, someone is offering healing with magic for a low price, and over there they are selling a lot of fruits and vegetables." Mira stared at her, "Arad said interesting things," She smiled, looking at him, "What do you mean by that?" "Weapons, magic items or spells, and clothes as well." He replied, looking around. Eris sighed, "You won''t find weapons in the main market. We should look for a cksmith for that. And for magic items, they are valuable. So no one would put them on disy on the streets." Thud! As they walked, a woman bumped into Arad and fell on her back, "Ow!" She cried, scratching the back of her head, "Look where you''re going!" Arad stared at her and extended his hand, "Let me help you up," He sighed, "You''re all right?" The woman took a deep breath, "Yeah, sorry forshing out. I''m the one who was rushing," She looked at the three women beside Arad. Ae red at her with a terrifying smile, and Eris already pulled a knife. Only Mira looked at her with a worried face. Arad looked at the woman''s face, "If you were rushing, you should go," He kept walking, and the girls followed him. The woman stared at them and then rushed away, slipping between the building and stopping in a dark ally. "That was close!" She sighed, "Strolling with four women, he must be noble of some kind," She pulled a leather pouch from her pocket, "Let''s see what he had on him." She opened the pouch she snatched from Arad, looking inside to find it filled with nails and chainrings. "The hell is this? Is he a carpenter of some kind?" She looked at the pouch, disappointed, "Might be worth selling," She turned around to see two red eyes ring at her from the darkness. "Who!" Before she could scream, a hand blocked her mouth, pulling her into the darkness. Thud! The woman smacked onto the ground and looked up, seeing Eris ring at her, "What do we have here? A thief, a pickpocket?" She smiled. "You! That dagger woman from earlier!" The woman cried. "It''s me," Eris pulled the dagger, spinning it between her fingers, "My husband noticed your trick, Care to check your own pocket?" The woman panicked, reaching into her jacket to find her pocket missing. Erisughed, "You tried to steal from him, and he stole from you." She pointed her dagger at the woman, "Well, I came on my own. Shall I kill or leave you?" The woman stared around confused, "Get away from me!" she stood to run away. "Calm down," Eris red at her with glowing red eyes, and the woman felt her chest grow heavy. Her will to run away faded. Eris approached the woman, touching her neck with a grin, "I haven''t fed in a while. Your blood will do." "As you wish," The woman mumbled, her eyes sleepy and glowing red. **** Several minutester, Eris returned to Arad, "Did I miss something?" Arad stared at her, "Where did you?" Eris smiled, "I dealt with that thief. Her blood didn''t go to waste," "Killing her is wrong for attempt pickpocket, and leaving her alive would spell trouble." Arad red at Eris, hoping she didn''t just suck her blood and leave her wandering the city. "Worry not," Eris smiled, "My bites numb the senses and soul, She won''t remember anything that happened today, and neither she would have bite marks." Arad sighed, "I hope you''re right. I don''t want any trouble while we''re having a nice time. And this ce is filled with pdins. It''s our death if you caused were discovered." Chapter 365 Women Only Shop

Chapter 365 Women Only Shop

Thud! Arad stopped beside arge wooden door on the main street. Chiseled stones adored the only walls. The engraving around the door''s frame seemed awfully familiar. "Potions and scrolls for the mages, pay only with gold," Arad mumbled, reading the engravings. Ae stared at him, "You can read that? It looks like mere scribbles," "I Didn''t know you understand the dwarven tongue." Eris approached Arad with a smile, "You like reading or something?" Arad shook his head, "Doma read them for me. I felt I saw it before, at the cksmith in Alina. Some of his weapons have simr engraving." "Want to check it out?" Ae asked, but Arad shook his head, "Let''s keep looking. Your clothese first," As they walked away, the shop''s door opened, and a dwarf stared in their direction, "I smell an Artifact," He mumbled, ring at Arad. After walking for a bit, they finally saw a shop that sells clothes. A small brick building with wooden doors and windows, a lemon tree growing beside the main door, and a cat stared at them from the second-story window. Arad grabbed the doorknob and turned it, pushing the door open. RING! RING! "Is someone inside?" A woman stared at them, "Men aren''t allowed inside. Scram." She growled, "Only women may enter," She approached Arad, a broom in her hand. She red at him, "What are you waiting for? Leave!" Arad stared at her face, "You seemed to sell clothes," He asked, ignoring her threat as he walked to her side. "Women clothes, get out, or I will kick you myself," Arad looked at the woman''s face, smooth and glossy. Her blue eyes glittered under the magical light in the ceiling, and her ck hair danced with the faint winding from the window. Ae walked behind Arad, looking around, "A women-only shop?" She looked at the shopkeeper. "Gods bless you, my daughter. Is this man with you?" She stared at Ae''s face, "If so, they tell him to remain outside." "You could at least tell me why?" Arad red at her. "You''re denser than a brick?" She approached Arad, "Only women are allowed here. So they can pick their clothes with ease. You don''t want another man staring at your wife picking her underwear." She poked his chest, "If so, then wait outside." Arad looked back at the girls and at the women. She''s right. "Ah! Here you are!" A voice came from the door, and everyone instantly stared at the source. Gojo stood there with a smile on his face, walking inside to Arad''s side. "Ah! Gods!" The woman cried, "Another one? Are you two brothers or something?" Gojo stared at Arad, "Yeah, you can say that." He smiled, "Mind if I took him out for a second?" "Anything, just take him out." She sighed, and Gojo grabbed Arad by the arm, "Come, I have a ce we can visit. Let the girls shop as they want." Arad nodded, "A moment," He reached into his pocket and pulled out arge purse. He then gave it to Ae with a smile, "Buy whatever you want," Ae eyed the purse in her hand. The weight alone made her sweat. She opened it, and quickly closed it back up. "All of this?" Arad noded with a smile, his thoughts seeping through her and into Zephyr, [Protect them at All costs] A giggle came from Ae''s mind, the spirit insideughed in excitement. [Worry not, for I cannot let Ae get angry at me.] Arad then stared at Eris, "I don''t need to tell you, do I?" Eris smiled, "Come on, Master Arad." She approached him, "You know how much I like my work. I can''t wait to find a reason to get back to it," Her mouth got closer to his ear, "Cremating people is fun, so don''t worry," Arad smiled and left the shop with Gojo. **** As Arad left, Ae stared at him close the door and then looked at Mira, "We should pick something quickly," Mira smiled, "Don''t worry, he''ll go for a walk with Gojo, might even forget us here," She approached the shelves, "How about we focus on finding something useful," Mira pulled out a tiny piece of clothes and threw it at Ae, "Check this out, might help at night," Ae grabbed the pink piece of clothes in her fist, lifting it up toward the light and opening it. The thing was shaped like the letter V if the base had a cut in it. Ae stared at it, confused for a second, "Those are torn, look, there is a hole in them." She showed the piece of underwear to Eris. Eris smiled, "How do I exin it?" ^[Ae, well those are supposed to look like that for...]^ Ae paused for a second before throwing them back at Mira, "They suit you more!" Mira caught them with a smile, "Suit yourself. Don''t cry if Arad keepsing back to me," She turned to look at more clothes. Eris walked past Ae, "I''m also picking some. I might end up taking your ce if you don''t act quickly," poked her shoulder. Ae stared at them, her eyes glowing green, she wanted to blow them away but had to contain herself. "I will pick something more decent, thank you." She went to the back, searching the shelves and her eyes stopped on a semi-transparent piece of garment. She picked it up, it was a nightgown. "Is this supposed to be a nightgown?" She looked at the shopkeeper. "The de dancer''s wits. The de maidens of the dark elves dance wearing them under the moonlight, usually as an offering to the sword goddess, or to their husbands." The shopkeeper replied, "You can see both as a nightgown or a holy clothe. Depends on your use case." Ae stared at the clothes, "Dark elves? Been a while since I heard about them." The shopkeeper nodded, "They do live on the other side of the sea of death, I got those nightgowns five years ago from a traveler. I''m sure this emerald-tinted one would fit your eyes nicely." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Eris walked around the shop and soon stopped at a strange shelf. Several bottles with multiple colors were arranged in a perfect line. "Mydy," The shopkeeper approached her, "Those are a replica of the witch''s nail polish. They have the same mystic glow, butck in magic." Eris approached the bottles, staring at them. "You say they are fake?" As she looked closer at the bottles, a whiff of magic danced around one of them. A genius one was mixed in between them, it was the ck one. Eris looked at the shopkeeper. ^Should I tell her? No, she might raise the price...^ "I already paint my nails ck, so I''m taking this one." She picked the bottle that had magic flowing through it. "I will pack it up for you," The shopkeeper smiled. "Can I try it?" Eris smiled, and the shopkeeper nodded, please use that chair. Several minutester. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! A loud scream filled the shop, and everyone rushed to check on Eris, seeing her holding her hand, and sweating. "Are you all right?" Ae asked, "What happened?" The shopkeeper looked around. Eris shook her head, "I''m fine, sorry for scaring you. I just stabbed the inside of my nail," She stared at Ae, signaling for her to take the shopkeeper away. As Eris was left alone, she stared at her right palm. The nail of her index finger smoked, a gust of magic coursing from it. "Damn it, it hurt as if my fingernail was pulled off. Arad would be surprised," She giggled. Chapter 366 Brothers Arad and Gojo walked across the busy streets, standing out like a sore thumb. Arge man as thick as the mountains and a slender one with white hair and an alluring face. Just their stares scared people as if they stared at their souls. "Where is your party?" Arad asked, looking at Gojo and then around them. The people left a clear way for them to walk on. Gojo smiled, "Each one is doing something, except Gug. She is asleep." Gojo looked around, lifting one finger, conjuring an ice rose. "Even I, right now I''m working on a spell," Arad stared at the rose with a smile, "This looks beautiful, what is it?" "Ice bane, the spell will freeze the water in the air and cause it to blossom like roses on everything." The ice rose floated above Gojo''s finger and evaporated. "A good distraction," "Why would you need that?" Arad stared at Gojo, "For the mission?" "Don''t underestimate humans. No matter how strong you get, they can find a way to win. They are the heroes to y monsters, after all," He stared at Arad with a grin, "Dragons fell thousands of heroes, yet always they lose to someone in the end. And it''s usually thest one expected since they didn''t n for it." Gojo waved his hand, "The little girl of the fire mountain ying a dragon, the crazy wizard of Alora ying a devil, and the serial killer who ravaged the god of murder ns, forcing him to get weaker." "Who are those?" "Heros that the world doesn''t speak off enough. They only know the adventurers who publically y monsters, but who do you think is better? A man fighting for money and fame, or the ones trying to survive?" Gojo waved his hand, "Powerful people have their own ns," Arad nodded, "Information about S-rank powers is hard toe by. It makes sense that if someone isn''t intending to get famous, they won''t." "That''s the point," Gojo smiled, "Don''t underestimate people. It doesn''t matter if they looked weak." Arad approached a small tavern and pulled a chair in their outdoor set. Gojo sat facing him as the bartender approached, "What can I bring you?" He smiled. Gojo stared at him, "Two beers would do," He waved his hand, "And if you have something light to eat, bring it as well." As the two faced each other, Gojo extended his hand to Arad, "Mind shaking it?" He smiled. "Why?" Arad stared at Gojo''s hand, getting a feeling that he shouldn''t do it. "Don''t worry," Gojo smiled, "The worst that could happen is you getting sted to the other side of the capital," Arad stared at Gojo''s hand, "That''s dangerous," He sighed, shaking his hand. Nothing happened, and Gojoughed. "Do you know, can you realize just how magnificent this small action is?" "We just shook hands. What of it?" Arad stared at Gojo, gripping his palm. "The fact that we can touch," Gojo smiled, pulling his other hand with a cube floating on top of it, "Thanks to this one, I call it the ck cube." Arad looked at the cube, and Doma stirred, ^[I can''t understand the magic swirling in it,]^ "Want to see what happens if I turn it off?" Gojo smiled, and the cube started spinning. "I get sted to the other side of the city?" Arad replied with what Gojo said earlier. "Not just you," DING! The cube stopped spinning, disappearing into thin air. As if time stopped, Arad could sense the magic around him scream, his chest constricting, and his soul shook. Their hair started dancing as Gojo smiled, his body levitating back, and soon Arad realized the same was happening to him. BAM! Like a massive hammer, something heavy hit them on the chest, sending each one flying in opposite directions at a blinding speed. To the bartender, they were shaking hands in one second and got sted in the blink of an eye. Arad snapped back to reality, his body flying back at an insane speed. He tried to breathe but couldn''t. Something was pushing on his chest. He red forward, seeing Gojo getting sted in the distance as well. Arad tried to fight against the invisible force, but his arms broke. He can''t push forward no matter what. As Gojo flew back just as hard as Arad, the cube emerged again and floated between them, shining with a purple radiance. The force suddenly stopped, and the two fell several miles apart, staring at each other. Stuck in a shattered tree trunk, Gojo lifted his right palm, staring forward with an arcane radiance. "Spatial Void: Frozen end." Arad could see the space between him and Gojo bend, to the point they almost touched. The city around them twisted and extended, disappearing into pure darkness. CRACKLE! Arad fell on the pure dark ground, looking around to see Gojo standing before him. Extending his hand, "I will help you stand," Arad stood on his own, "What is this?" He gasped, "Did you st the city?" Gojo shook his head, "No, the city is safe. To them, this would only look like a white sh." He red at Arad, "You know what this means?" Arad stared at Gojo, "You''re a void dragon. I can feel it now." Gojo smiled, "And not just anyone. I might as well be your brother. I catch a simr scent to mine in you." "I was the only egg around," Arad growled, "And we don''t even look alike," "I was born a year ago. I''m older than you. And, we void dragons take our appearance from the humanoid parent. Since I suspect we have the same mother, our fathers are different." Arad approached Gojo, "Do you know who Mother was?" Gojo shook his head, "Sadly, no. I searched for her and my father but to no result. She''s better than us at hiding." He opened his palm, "I first suspected my father to be that old man named Cain, but I was wrong. He''s a different kind of monster. My father is someone else, probably with white hair and blue eyes." "Why only tell me now?" Arad growled, "I could have used a brother in the past weeks," "We could have ended up killing each other if we didn''t share the same mother. I also needed to keep my distance tuning this thing," Gojo pulled the cube again. "What is it? It''s the reason we aren''t repelled now, right?" Arad touched the cube. "Since I was born a year ago, I was presented with two choices to fix our race problem. I felt that mating and having a lot of eggs is useless, only treating the symptoms, not curing the problem." The cube started spinning in Gojo''s hand, "So I decided to abandon that and focus on finding a cure, and that''s how I ended up finding this thing," Arad looked at the cube, "The magic in it, it''s strange." "I can''t understand it as well, trying to learn more about it," Gojo smiled, tucking the cube in his pocket. "How did you get it?" Arad looked at Gojo''s face, trying to read his mind. "Want to have a look? Be my guest." Gojo smiled, a blue sh glowing in his eyes. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! ~Hello, can you understand me?~ Gojo''s and Arad''s minds intertwined, their memories merging as their thoughts transferred between them at a blinding speed. Arad could see Gojo waking up in the forest, walking down the river, and finding an abandoned tent. The tent was filled with wooden sculptures of elven feet and hands, to the point that Gojo wanted to burn it whole. Soon after, the elf called Vars came out and attacked him, thinking he was a thief. Gojo lost the fight having just been born, and Vars locked him in a ss bottle and forced him to listen to him rambling about the beauty of elven feet. "Vars have a problem," Arad said, and Gojo sighed, "Keep looking. I did get to punch him once." After one day, Gojo managed to control his void, and a voice spoke in his head, telling him to find a mate. He immediately sted the bottle open with a breath and escaped. The voice in his head kept urging him to find a mate, find a human settlement. But he wasn''t having any of it. After a short confrontation with Vars, they identified the voice as a shard of Gojo''s mother, chained to him with a curse. To the elf, it wasn''t hard to break the curse and bind the voice to an object. With the voice gone, Gojo lost all of his human feelings and started to think more like a dragon and less like a human. The void dragons'' life circle now meant nothing to him. "Where is your shard of Mother?" Arad growled. "As you saw, Vars and I extracted it from my soul and linked it to a ne. I''m keeping it stored away." Gojo replied, "As long as you have it inside you, you''re urged to live like a human. I need to be a dragon if I''m to find a cure. Keep watching," Arad closed his eyes, seeing a horde of barbarians fighting in the middle of a forest, arge temple burning in the back. Arge woman with a battle age ran on the corpses, axe held up high as her eyes darted around, seeking escape. Gojo and Vars lept out of the burning temple, the artifact in their hands as they saw the woman, Gug running with a gaping wound on her stomach. Vars called to ignore her, but Gojo lunged and snatched her from the battlefield. As Gug growled, Gojo transformed into his draconic form and flew away with them. The memories of great fights, deadly foes, and countless near-death experiences shed across Arad''s mind, and Gojo have grown faster and faster. As tough as the void dragonse, he devoured his way across everything, freezing and eating them. Arad opened his eyes. In one year, his brother had experienced more than a human can achieve in a full lifetime, and there he stood an Adult void dragon. N?v(el)B\\jnn "I saw it, your memories." Arad gasped. "So I did," Gojo smiled, "It''s how we void dragons catch up to each other." Arad scratched his head, "But, I still feel it was dangerous to travel with someone as unhinged as Vars. A necromancer and a student of the forbidden arcane arts, and also obsessed with feet for some reason." Gojo scratched his head, "I know Vars can get weird, but dangerous is what you need in a fight. You saw him raise hordes of undead, didn''t you?" "I did, and that''s powerful," Arad smiled, "I can''t fault, I also ended up with some badpany," Gojoughed, "You mean yourself? A vampire wyrmwolfbination, and a curse witch living freely inside your head. Vars can help you rip all of those out if you wish," Arad shook his head, "No thanks, I need them for now," Gojo smiled, "Now that we caught up, dear younger brother. Would you help me steal the second artifact we need?" Arad scratched his chin, "Inside the royal castle treasury," "Vars and I already stole this one," He showed Arad the cube, "And the results are magnificent. I bet the second one would get us one step further toward curing our race." Arad scratched his chin, "You intend to see what can be done with it before giving it back to the elves, and Vars agreed to let you have it for a while before returning it." Gojo nodded, "We will eventually give it back to the elves, but only after we get what we need from it." Arad smiled, and so did Gojo, "For the Voids!" Gojo giggled. "We void dragons never got the chance to work together due to that cursed disease, but now we can," Arad giggled, shaking Gojo''s hand. "Two brothers, one goal. No one can stop us," Gojo said, flicking his finger and returning with Arad to their seat. *** Two seconds earlier, Arad and Gojo still sat on the table, and the bartender turned to bring them their order. SWOSH! A violent gust of wind sted, and he turned back to see the table empty with the chairs falling to the ground. Ding! A white light shed across the sky, and the two men appeared standing beside the table as if nothing happened. "What?" The bartender gasped. Gojo stared at him with a smile, shaking his palm, "Sorry, a magic trick. I tried a light spell," "Was that really magic?" He cried, looking around. "Yeah, it was a bit too bright. Sorry, I won''t test it again around people." Gojo bowed slightly, and the bartender sighed, "Fine, just keep the fire away." Chapter 367 Vars: The Arcane Master

Chapter 367 Vars: The Arcane Master

Arad looked around, "What just happened? No one noticed it," Gojo smiled, "You will learn some tricks once you grow into an adult. In the meantime, you should focus on studying magic like a wizard." He waved his hand, "But this is just my opinion. You might find a martial way." Arad lifted his hand and clenched a fist, "Magic or martial, which one do you think is best?" "We''re tuned to magic by birthright. You should be able to excel at it with enough effort. But martial arts might make you a bit more bnced." Gojo replied, flexing his arm, "Or you could try both if you''re crazy enough." Arad looked at Gojo''s arm, "But weck time," Gojo pointed at Arad, "You catch quickly. Ten years isn''t enough for us to grow, let alone one year." "What I pick won''t matter in ten or twenty years, but it matters in theing months," Arad mumbled, "I will try my best," Gojo giggled, "There is a third option for you that isn''t avable to me," He smiled, "You could lean more to your rabid side. You know what I mean," He winked. ^My vampiric and Lycanthropic powers. Those would make me stronger. ^ Arad looked into his own mind, finding Doma. ^What do you say?^ ^[What''s the problem? Just make sure you don''t lose control.]^ [Doma and Gojo are right, albeit I don''t agree with him removing my shard. Growing without guidance is a quick way for a wyrm to go astray.] Mom added. "I see. I will look into it. But for now, what of your quest." Arad asked. Gojo scratched his chin as the bartender brought them the drinks. "We still need time to prepare. Like knowing its exact location beforehand, the rounds of the guards, and more." Gojo waved his finger, "It''s better if we grabbed it like this," Flicking his fingers, "No one saw anything," "That would be for the best. I don''t want to get in trouble with Baltos." Arad sighed. "Don''t worry, that''s the main reason we''re preparing." Gojo took a sip from his cup, "I can go in and out by force. I doubt the capital has anything that could stop me. Even the dragons hiding within the castle aren''t a match for me. But I don''t want to kill anyone if not necessary, and it''s better if no one knew anything," "From what I saw, you and Vars have enough power to level the capital," Arad stared at Gojo, remembering the shards of memories he saw. A single breath from his brother is enough to split the capital in half. And that pervert elf Vars, he could cast great magic to raise the countless corpses as an army of undead, overwhelming the capital in seconds. "What of the pdins?" Arad asked. "They are powerful against the non-living and infernal, they hold some power against Vars creations, but they don''t stand to me or Vars himself." Gojo smiled, "The chaos would be enough for us to escape," "Here you are," A voice came from the back, and Arad turned to see Vars standing there, "I was wondering where you went," He pulled a chair and sat beside Arad. "He already knows I''m his brother now," Gojo said with a smile, "And about our n as well," Vars sighed, "It can''t be helped. Can it," He looked around, "So, what did you say?" Arad looked at Vars, "I would help, as long as we don''t make a fuss about it," "Worry not," Vars smiled, "Maides won''t approach a criminal, would they." Arad stared at him, "Again with your hobbies," Vars smiled, "Did Gojo tell you? Or did you see his memories?" He looked around, "I say human feet and hands aren''t as beautiful as elves, but they can get the job done." Arad cringed for a moment, staring at Vars''s face as he sensed a faint hint of lust as he stared at the women around them. But soon that feeling felt strange. He''s hiding something behind that lust. Vars noticed Arad''s gaze and smiled, shifting his thoughts, "Careful, you don''t want to learn the forbidden arts of magic. As there is no return after that," "Forbidden arts," Arad stared at Vars, "Your great magic, where did you learn something as horrifying as that?" Vars smiled, "Shadow Graveyard, you saw it, didn''t you?" "I saw it in Gojo''s memories," Arad growled, "In the blink of an eye, shadows engulfed the ground, and thousands of the dead crawled back from the ground, empty husks of their former self as they lusted for blood. Vars smiled, "Your brother isn''t the only one with a powerful move," He looked at Gojo, "Spatial Void: Frozen end. And you''re..." Gojo said, looking at Arad. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Void expansion." Arad sighed, "If we three cast all of them at once, we can raise hell," Gojo lifted his hand, "Getting ripped apart by your void, Vars undead eating them alive, and my void stretching them like dough." Gojo smiled, "You''re right, it''s hell on the mortal ne." Arad looked at Vars, "Can I assume we won''t need to do that?" "Of course," Vars smiled, "Who am I to waste all the beautiful women living in this city?" Arad stared at him, "I can''t help but feel a vile presence from your words. What kind of rot floating in your mind," Vars giggled, "Does it matter if my brain is rotten?" Gojo sighed, "It doesn''t matter. We have the same goal, and he won''t cause unnecessary trouble." Arad looked between Vars and Gojo, "I trust you," he stared at Gojo, "But I don''t know about him," Gojo waved his hand, "You''re just getting crept by his weird side." He smiled, "But as I said, it doesn''t matter as long as he gets the job done." "You''re right," He looked at Vars, "But stay away from my girls," Vars smiled, "Of course I will," He waved his hand, "I know where to direct my madness, and it shall be toward my enemies." "You can trust him on that part," Gojo stared at Arad, "Since I met him, he kept himself in check." Arad stared at Gojo, probing his mind and looking for memories. Gojo didn''t block him. But instead guided him through his own mind. Vars''sst prey was a group of bandits that refused to give them information. They all now rest as corpses, lined inside his magic, ready to be used. A mad necromancer, Vars isn''t someone to make an enemy. But someone to keep in check. "Satisfied?" Vars smiled, "You already saw it in Gojo''s memories," Arad nodded, "Fine, I won''t bother you again," "You have my thanks," Vars bowed slightly, "And now, back to business." "What business," Arad stared at Vars, "I thought you were waiting for information?" Gojo sighed, "Don''t ask him," Vars smiled, staring at Arad, "Well, there is this new brothel that opened to the west. I wanted to give it a look," "I have wives," Arad growled. Chapter 368 [Bonus chapter] Turning Cogs

Chapter 368 [Bonus chapter] Turning Cogs

Arad stood up, staring at Gojo and Vars, "Call me when the timees. I will help as much as I can." Gojo smiled, "Same for you. Call me anytime if you need help. I''m strong enough to make people question their lives. I''m sure you would find me helpful." Arad turned around, leaving, "I''m counting on you, big brother." *** Arad returned to the clothes shop, hearing Ae and Eris talking inside. He knocked on the door, "I''m back. Did you finish?" The door quickly opened, and the shopkeeper stared at him. "They are waiting for you." Arad smiled, "You can be nice," "And you can stand outside," She smiled back, "Wait a moment," She walked back inside and called the girls. Ae, Mira, and Eris walked out with smiles, staring at Arad, "Did we make you wait?" "No, what did you get?" He asked. "A lot of things. It''s best to see them at home," Mira stared at him and walked to his side, "How about you? Did you find anything while you waited?" Arad scratched his chin, "Do you remember Gojo?" Eris stared at Ae, "Who?" "An adventurer from Alina, white hair and blue eyes and ice master." She replied. "Yeah. Apparently, he is my older brother. Gojo Orion," Arad said, and the girls froze. "Wait? You have a brother?" Mira gasped. "Even I only knew," Arad replied, "It''s both a long and a short story," He exined what happened to them, leaving Gojo''s mission out. The girls stared at him, "This...needs some time to sink in," Ae said, "To think you have a brother," "It''s all good, isn''t it?" Mira smiled, "It''s nice to have rtives," She looked at Arad, "As long as they don''t cause you trouble." "Come on," Eris patted Arad''s shoulder, "Let''s find something to eat. I ordered a veil and a robe. It would be ready after an hour." As Eris''s palm touched Arad''s shoulder, he could feel a shiver run down his spine. Doma smiled inside him, ^[She found a nice toy]^ A smile covered Eris''s face as she showed her nails to Arad, "How do they look?" Arad looked at her hand, "Filled with magic, what did you do to them?" "Witches nail polish," She smiled. "Witches? Since when you were one?" Arad sighed. "A witch is a woman who holds an arcane magic in her body. I fit it being a vampire spawn, and having draconic blood. " She showed her other hand to Arad. ^[Witches use their blood and hair as catalysts, and the nail polish acts as a conduit for magic. They also allow her to cast magic without the need for an arcane focus like a staff, or a weapon. Her nails are enough. Or should I see vampire ws?]^ Arad patted her head, "Congrattions if you find more, you can buy it." Eris blinked twice, "O-okay?" Confused at his answer. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad turned around, "I can smell something nice at the end of the street, grilled chicken. We can eat there," Ae pinched her nose, "You sure it isn''t stench?" Arad scratched his chin, "So, how about we buy what we need and find a quiet ce to eat?" He smiled. Everyone nodded, and they headed to buy their lunch. **** CLACK! CLACK! Lydia and Jack walked out of the main church. She stretched her arms, "This ce is even more amazing than I thought," She smiled. Jack looked around, "You sure? To me, it looked like a fancy barn," Lydia stared at him, "Well, the main goddess here is Mother Earth, followed by the zing sun and the god of rebirth and renewal." CLACK! As they walked, arge man cut their way, staring at Jack, "I heard someone with the stench of hell was in the church. Care to exin yourself?" "Huh?" Lydia red at the man, holy magic dripping from her eyes, "What did you just say?" The man stared at her, "A fierce lioness, I can sense your dense holy magic from here." Jack stared at the man, "I do reek of the hells? Probably should have expected that. A devil dragged me there while we fought," The man stared at Jack, "A mere...rogue?" He stared at Jack''s clothes, "You can''t have a chance against a devil," "That''s none of your business," Lydia growled, "He didn''t get burned walking into the church, so the gods epted him," "That can''t be for sure. There are a lot of spells that can protect him," The man smiled, "A trial bybat. If he survived a smite, then he''s good to go," He grabbed the hilt of his sword. CLACK! Lydia grabbed the hilt of her sword, "You might as well say you want to kill him," The holy magic seeping from the two shed, shaking the whole church. Thud! Jack touched Lydia''s shoulder, "Calm down, I can handle this idiot on my own," The man smiled, "The arrogance of a devil," He pulled his sword, "I will send you back to the hells," "Are you sure?" Lydia growled, staring at Jack. Jack smiled and walked forward, "Don''t worry, don''t worry," He smiled, "This man, after all, is weak," The man''s face twisted, veins bulging on his head, "You dare insult me?" Jack stared at the man with a passive face, "Of course, Buffon," Even though he looked calm, Jack needed to do his best to enrage the man. Rage clouds the mind, and since Jack''s main fighting style relies on tricks and traps, it''s best if his target is piss-off mad. The man growled, lunging forward, swinging his sword. Jack smiled, weaving his hands and two thick wires emerged between them. CLANG! The wire caught the sword and kicked the man in the guts pushing him away. The man fell on his back, "You bastard," He growled, seeing Jack smile. Jack pulled a small pouch from his pocket and threw the red dust from it on the man, causing him to scream, eyes red and tearing. "You got too angry you didn''t even notice your smite failing. What an idiot," Jackughed, "This is the main church, as she said. I wouldn''t be standing here if the gods thought I should die," Lydia stared at the man, "A pdin smitees from their god and oath. It''s a borrowed power. And the gods won''t lend it to you for your personal gains." She pulled her sword, burning with holy magic, "In the name of god we lift our des, and in his name we fight and die," Jack stared at the man, "You thought killing me would rank you up. What a failure. Go fight a real devil, will you," The two walked past the growling man, ignoring his screams. Jack looked at Lydia, "See? I told you there are a lot of idiots like him in the church," Lydia sighed, "I know," She looked at Jack, "Even though the holy order is supposed to be a force of good that helps people. People like him are giving us a bad face," Chapter 369 The Plaza Clown

Chapter 369 The za Clown

Arad walked through the city streets with the girls, looking for a calm ce to sit and eat. "We''re in the middle of the capital. We won''t find a calm ce." Eris stared at Arad, smiling, "We could find a clean bench and take a seat." Ae looked around, "We can''t sit on the roofs in the human kingdom, can we?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Mira stared at her, "You can do that in the elvish kingdom?" "We''re mainly archers. Vertical movement is encouraged, so the roofs are publd," Ae replied. "I don''t think that''s the case here as well," Arad looked around, "I don''t see anyone on the roofs. We best find a bench like Eris suggested," *** "Come here, go there," A clownughed in the middle of the za, waving his hands as the children gathered around,ughing. Arad stopped and stared, "What is that?" He eyed the weird creature, seeing that it was a human, but failing to understand why he was dressed so weirdly. "A clown," Mira said as she saw Arad confused, "They dress like that to amuse people. Mostly children." she exined, "You can say it''s a form of entertainment," Arad looked at her and then back at the clown, "Entertainment, you say," He approached, looking at the clown juggling several balls. The clown noticed Arad standing like a mountain behind the children. He smiled, and looked at him, "You there, big guy," The clown said with a joking voice, "Want toe on stage? Show the kids a trick or two, lift them up with one hand," With Arad''s size, it wouldn''t be strange if he could lift a child with one hand. The children would see it as a fun trick, and thisrge man who has been so engrossed in the performance would get a chance to participate. A win for everyone is what the clown thought. Arad stood still, lifting his hands and mimicking the clown''s movements. The clown smiled, Arad''s movements were rough. A poor imitation of his technique. But they felt strange. Arad''s hand movement quickly changed, getting closer and closer to the clown''s movements until they matched. It only took him a few seconds to learn it. As the clown stopped juggled his balls, staring at Arad with confusion. Five crimson orbs of fire emerged ahead of Arad, and he started juggling them. The clown started sweating, his sweat washing the makeup on his face. The kids started cheering, seeing a man ying with fire. The clown coughed, clearing his throat, "Ahem! A wild wizard has appeared, look at the magnificent magic!" He shouted with a smile. Arad tried to step forward, but moving messed with his hands. He didn''t see the clown move, so he has no base to learn from. His mind looked for the simplest solution to move without shaking his torso, and he reached a strange conclusion. Arad''s eyes glowed purple as his body levitated a foot above the ground. He started slowly floating toward the stage, and the clown lept back, leaving an empty space. The children shouted in excitement, "He''s flying!" Ae looked at Arad and sighed, "He''s still a baby, isn''t it..." She looked at Mira. "I don''t think a baby should be able to do that," She said, looking at Arad with a smile. "Did you see his hands?" Erisughed, "He copied that clown''s moves in the blink of an eye, and made the weird bastard shit bricks." The clown stared at Arad, sweating even harder, ^Flying magic? That''s a third-tier spell. No ordinary mage would be wasting his mana on a children''s show, who is this wizard?^ "We want to fly as well!" One of the children shouted, jumping in his ce, trying to imitate Arad. Arad''s eyes shed, and his hands stopped moving as the fireballs started orbiting around his head. Hended on the ground, slowly lifting his arms up. CRACKLE! A purple aura of magic rose from Arad''s arms, reaching the ground beneath the children, urging their natural powers to sleep. The Gravity slowly faded, and they started levitating. Some children curled into a ball, some cried and mostughed, swimming in the air as Arad stood on the stage, his hands raised and an eldritch me burning from his eyes. The clown''s face paled more than how he was with the makeup. He wasn''t an expert in magic, so all he saw was Arad making over a dozen people fly, which was ridiculous. Even the archmages can only make up to seven people fly, not over fifteen. The clown approached Arad, his knees shaking, "Sir, you can stop," He smiled, "I''m sure you have done enough," Arad looked back at the clown and nodded, "As you say," Arad didn''t know much about this clown thing, but if he said this should be enough, it must be so. Arad slowly lowered his arms, putting the children back on the ground. The mes in his eyes faded alongside the balls orbiting his head, and the clown sighed in relief. "Everyone, give a p to our esteemed mage." The clown started pping, and so did the children. With a smile on his face, Arad walked down the stage as the clown waved to him. The clown resumed his show, thankful that Arad didn''t press him further. He then pulled his hat, showing it to the children, and then spun it on one finger. In the blink of an eye, he pulled a flower from it, and the children pped back for him. The show was his once again. But the clown''s reign on the show didn''t end, as he saw Arad ring back at him once again. His hands lifting up and mimicking his moves. For a moment, the clown felt safe. ^He has no flower prepared, nor a hat to hide it in. Is he here just to learn the tricks?^ But, something screamed in the back of his head, this man isn''t over. As Arad''s hands mimicked the clown, his head tilted as the magic flew from his chest. His eyes shed purple once again, and from behind his wrist, he produced a spruce tree. The clown''s jaw fell to the ground alongside his butt, and he crawled back, both baffled and amazed. The tree cast its shadow on the children, carried by Arad with a single arm. This was no more a mere clever trick. This is true magic. "Does it work like this?" Arad mumbled, staring back at the clown, "Using the movements of your hands to cover the magic to pull something out. It could be of any size, right?" The clown stared at Arad, confused at the question. Neither of them understood the other''s intention. The clown was here merely to entertain the children, using his clever tricks. Arad, on the other hand, misunderstood it as a magic show and thought it was a good chance to learn some magic tricks from a master. He was as impressed with the clown, as he was with him. ^Those hand movements, how did he use them to hide his magic?^ Arad though, was unsatisfied with his magic being visible. Doma giggled inside Arad''s head. She knew the clown didn''t use magic and knew that Arad thought he used magic and hid it from him. But, she won''t say, letting Arad experiment with his power, and he might invent something. Chapter 370 A Fancy Lunch In a Back Alley

Chapter 370 A Fancy Lunch In a Back Alley

CRACK! Arad rested the tree on his shoulder and thought, "I probably need a hat. I''ve seen mages wear one. Is it for that reason?" He looked toward the clown with a smile. "What?" the clown gasped as the children rushed to look at Arad''s tree, jumping to try and touch it. Ae approached Arad, "Put the tree away. You''re drawing attention," She sighed, patting his shoulder. "Sorry," Arad lifted the tree up, sucking it back to his stomach in the blink of an eye. He then looked at the clown and smiled, "Thanks for the lesson," As Arad and the girls left, leaving everyone baffled. The clown returned to his show, trying to scrap what dignity was left for him as the children urged him to produce a tree as the strange man. One of the children, a kid stared at Arad from the sidelines, smiling, "That power, and judging by his behavior, he isn''t a student of the arcane arts, but born with them. A sorcerer bathed in the raw magic of the world," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The kid flinched, grabbing his eyes and heart, and stumbling back. He started sweating as pain shot across his chest, "Mommy and Daddy live in this city, would you disturb our peace," He red in Arad''s direction. The kid''s left eye shifted, shing with a dark green light as ck magic filled his chest, "Shall I kill him? Hell guard?" Arad stopped, staring behind him as he felt the gaze of a monster, but all he could see was a bunch of children. He looked closely, trying to find traces of magic, but nothing was left. ^Doma, did you feel that?^ ^[A curse from the hells, but it''s faint as if contained within a fragile case. I say it''s a low-level warlock. You don''t need to worry about such weaklings,]^ Arad turned and left, ignoring the strange feeling. *** The kid in the back sighed, sitting on the ground panting, "You live this day, intruder," Another kid approached him, "Are you okay? You''ve been acting weird," "The de of the capital is always okay," The kid replied, "I''m only basking in the glory of mynd," The other kid stared at him, "Yeah, yeah, the de, right? Stand up you''re getting your clothes dirty, aunt will kill you." The kid, self-acimed the de of the capital rushed up, standing with shaking eyes, "I''m clean, don''t tell mom," *** After walking a bit, Arad finally saw an empty spot behind some houses, an abandoned back alley where people could get robbed. "That looks like a nice ce to sit and eat," Eris stared where Arad was looking, and then turned at him, "You sure? That looks like the kind of ce you go to when you want to send someone to their god," Mira looked at Arad, "We won''t get attacked there, would we?" Ae smiled, "Don''t worry, that ce isn''t dangerous to us. We''re the danger," She walked beside Arad, confidently. They walked into the back alley and looked for the cleanest spot. Arad pulled arge rag from his stomach and theyid it on the ground. Ae was about to start pulling the food they bought, but Arad stopped her. "Wait a moment, I still have things to pull out," He smiled, waving his hands and pulling a whole dining table, dishes, and candles. "Let''s get a proper meal," Mira sighed and started helping Arad set the table, and after a minute, a full dining table wasid in the empty street. With wine and candles, and everything that made it look fancy, unbefitting of the ce. "How much stuff do you have in your stomach?" Eris asked with a puzzled face. "Till this point? Everything I ate," Arad replied, "Even when I swallow someone whole, their clothes and armor get stored. I also swelled the whole camp of the idiots who tried kidnapping Mira, This is from their stuff," "You have their whole camp?" Eris gasped. "I intended to only test the limit of my stomach, but I don''t seem to have reached them," Arad replied, sitting on his chair, "I can pull their whole camp if I wanted. Could probably house a hundred people," Everyone sat to eat in silence, people avoided those alleys and rushed through them when they must pass through. But Arad was different, a lion doesn''t avoid the sheep''s way, they avoid his. Thieves in the alley noticed Arad''s presence, but the strangeness of the situation kept them at bay. Who in the nine hells sets a fancy dinner in such a ce? After a few moments, and when Arad and the girls were in the middle of their meal, an armed man approached them, pointing a dagger toward Ae. "Say, friend, what are you doing on mynd?" The man growled, his gaze fixed on Arad. Arad took a sip of his wine, his eyes meeting the armed man and flickering with a purple me. "You do not own the street, it''s for the public," Arad replied and kept eating. He knew very well the man was lying, he was the leader of a local gang, and Arad could sense his people in the houses around, ready to strike. The man growled, swinging his knife, "Then I will slit her throat," Ae didn''t care nor bother to dodge, she knew the man was a fool. They are under Arad''s wings, and he isn''t reaching them. Arad''s eyes shed, "Kneel!" A surge of gravity magic fell on the man, dropping him on his knees. Thud! He tried supporting his body with his arms, but to no avail, his nose kissed the ground in the blink of an eye. Arad took another sip of his wine, "I do not walk without a purpose," He waved his hand, pulling a letter from his pocket, "I have a letter to the man called the fencer," "You think you''re strong enough to meet the boss?" The man growled, "You''re but one mage, he has many," Arad smiled, "I wouldn''t take it otherwise," He stared at the man, "Tell him the fencer of Alina is sending him her regards." "Alina? That lowly town," The man growled, his nose bleeding on the ground from the sheer pressure, "Do you think she can protect you? The smaller towns have no power over the capital, neither in light nor the dark," Arad nodded, "That is true, but it''s not for you to decide. Go, tell him I seek a meeting. And if he refuses, I shalle to him on my own." Arad stood, lifting his right arm, and the fire in his eyes grew stronger. CRACK! The walls and windows cracked as all the thieves got pulled to one spot, smacking into each other. Arad clenched his fists, crushing them together till he heard the first bone snap, "I can crush you to death, just like that. If I don''t get a reply within a day, consider yourselves dead," He then released them, and they all went running. ^[Helping Sara expand her power over the underground business. I admit, she''s useful for gathering information and rare items,]^ ^I help those who help me,^ Chapter 371 [Bonus ] A Dragon’s Ambitions As the thugs ran away as fast as they could, Arad sat back on his chair, sipping the wine. "Fool," He mumbled, staring forward. Thud! One of the thugs stopped, turning around and pointing his crossbow at Arad, "Die, Monster!" He shouted. Ae snapped like a spring, pulling her bow and aiming at the man. "Doused in fear, your mind loses touch. So, what if you had an itch?" Arad extended his hand to the man, sending waves of psionic magic, "Die, as you won''t get closer to my wives, not even an inch." The thug''s arms shook and violently trembled as he pointed the crossbow back to his face. His finger clenched shut, and the bolt, through his eye went. Arad lowered his hand, and a dark cloud sucked the thug''s twitching corpse. The running thugs stared back at their friend''s death as they ran. This wasn''t something they could fight, a monster, a demon, a creature beyond their understanding. **** About an hourter, inside a house in the city''s upper district. CRACK! A man''s body rolled on the ground, bleeding from his face. He''s One of the thugs that Arad sent away. "Master! I swear by the gods, that isn''t a man but a monster!" He growled, blood gushing out of his nose and mouth. "You know? I find your lie hard to believe," A voice came from the room''s shadows. A masked man stood there. "A bolt, or a dagger, and he would have started bleeding," The man shook his head, "We tried. He has weird magic. Lifted and smashed us together. He even made Jolen kill himself." The masked man sighed, "Did he scare you to that degree? I was wrong to trust you with any decent job," He stood, pulling a dagger, "Here you die. You ran to me, and that was for naught." From his voice, the thug could tell he was smiling. The thug''s body started shaking, convulsing, and suddenly stopped, "When fear takes hold, the mind is easier to allude." The thug said, standing straight as if his fear disappeared. The masked man stopped moving, taken aback by the purple spark in the thug''s eyes. The thug smiled, "Careful, don''t get scared. As that when you get snagged." The masked man lowered his weapon, "You''re the monster they spoke of. As I expected, you rigged my poor assistance," Thug looked at the masked man, "You''ve been nothing but trouble to a dear friend of mine. Blocking the goods as if you own them," "The capital is my domain," The masked man growled, "If Sara really sent you, then tell her, wizard. I shall skin her alive when I get to her," "The capital is your domain? No, it isn''t, not anymore." He waved his hands, "You either serve her or lie cold. On the floor." "In your dreams, wizard," The masked man growled. "Don''t dare sleep and sink in dreams, as I''m always near, more than it seems." The thug smiled. A fly came out of the window, slipping beneath the man''s mask. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om GRWAAAAAAAAAAA! The masked man fell on his face, growling in pain, and took off his mask, his left eye bleeding. "A bug is enough for a bug, don''t you think?" The thug smiled, and the masked man raged, taking off his head, and screamed, "That bastard!" The thug''s head fell to the ground, smiling as the purple mes in his eyes faded. **** Out in the street, Arad smiled, and Ae looked at him. "Did you finish?" "Yeah, I gave him a warning," He looked back at her, "I can control animals and bugs just fine, but I need the humans to be terrified to the bone to get hold of them." "I suspect that man showed something other than fear," Ae replied. "He showed anger, dissatisfaction, and greed. I sensed no fear from him. As far as he knew, he ruled the ce for years, and I''m just another challenger for his seat." Arad exined, and Eris smiled in the back, "I can go right now and snag him for you. He won''t even realize what happened to him." Arad shook his head, "We still need to learn the vault''s location from him. Our best chance is me controlling his mind and forcing him to tell us," Arad smiled, "With that knowledge, Sara can control the capital." Mira giggled in the back, "You speak as if overthrowing the capital''s underworld is but a side job you do while on a vacation," Arad smiled at her, "It is a side job, after all. To this point, they didn''t prove to be big enough of a threat." If Arad''s enemies aren''t strong enough to resist his psychic abilities, they aren''t even worth the time. The bar of those who can challenge him has been raised, and so the fights ahead are going to get even more dangerous. Dragons are known to dominate their area and manipte and control humanoids to do their bidding. Arad is no different, and like any other dragon, he''s driven by an ambition that only he has. ^My family is my weakness. It doesn''t matter how strong I am if they can just target my wives and eggs.^ Arad''s mind started turning. ^I shall build a protectiveyer to safeguard my house. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, monsters, and magic. Air beyond the deadliest of mazes, one that doesn''t need me to protect it,^ Arad could see it, feel it. Tens of maidens carrying his eggs to a hatchery of gold and silver. Guards upon guards, walls upon walls, and barriers upon barriers. Everything beneath his ws as he gazes down from the highest peak, and his enemies burning at the very edge of his domain, his house to them is like the stars, untouchable, unreachable. A dragon''s arrogant dream of wealth and power, Arad smiled at the thought, walking beside Ae. He shook his head. Now is the time to work. He can enjoy it when it bes true. No one is going to build it for him. No, he won''t let anyone build it for him. He can''t be happy if it isn''t his own work, and what if they sabotaged it? He can''t trust anyone with his dream. It''s his pride, and he shall see it done. Ae looked at Arad, sensing the dragon stirring. Even beneath his calm face, she could sense his lust for power. The older he gets, the closer he gets to his draconic nature. Is that what they really want? CLAP! Mira smacked Arad on the shoulder, smiling, "Arad, you''re face is scary. Smile!" Arad stared at her, confused, "What?" "You''re thinking too much. I can see it on your face." She grabbed him from the cheek, pulling them apart to force a smile. "You said this is a vacation for us. Let''s have fun," She pointed into the distance, "I want to see the capital''s famous garden. I heard a flower field lies in the middle of it." Arad smiled, "A flower field. That would be beautiful to see." He looked forward, "Let''s go," Chapter 372 Natural Beauty Upon reaching the central garden of the capital, Arad stopped at the gate and stared inside at the vast, lush forest sprouting in the middle. "To think such a ce existed around here," Ae looked at Arad, smiling, "We wouldn''t havee here," She giggled. "You had to find those thugs," Eris added. Arad shook his head, "I could have searched for them at another time," He replied while approaching the garden gate, "For now, let''s go see that flower field." "Sir, please wait a moment," An armed guard approached them, standing in front of the gate. "What is it?" Arad approached the guard, "You better not tell me it''s closed," His mere presence towering over the guard caused the poor man to start shaking in his boots. "The garden has rules that you must follow," The guard gasped, "Don''t throw trash or you will be removed, don''t feed the animals so they won''t start targeting people for food, and don''t ignite any mes." The stated the three main rules with a shaking voice. "What? Is that all," Arad smiled, "We can follow those with ease," He smiled. The guard rxed, stepping aside, "You can enter now," Mira asked Arad as they walked inside the garden, "Isn''t thatmon knowledge?" Ae sighed, "You''re right, at least for us elves. Respecting the forest is an important thing," "Humans are stupid. You will find a lot of fools that don''t follow the basics of decency." Eris sighed, pointing in the distance to a ground of people hiding their trash inside the bushes. Arad sighed, "Give me a moment," He turned around and returned to the gate. He then returned to the girls after a minute and they asked him what did he do. "I told the guard. They should get removed soon," He growled, "I came with you here to enjoy a beautiful flower field. Not a trash-filled field." The girls watched as ten armored guards rushed inside the garden, surrounding the people hiding the trash and giving them a beating. After that, they were forced to clean their own mess, and arrested. Arad kept walking deeper into the forest with the girls trailing behind him. With each step, the forest got denser until it suddenly cleared out. "We''re there," Arad smiled, staring forward at the vast colorful field ahead of him. Yellow, red, orange, and purple flowers spread across a vast field with a single massive white tree blooming in the middle. "Look at that tree," Mira pointed out, "I''ve never seen a tree with white leaves," Ae crossed her eyes, staring hard at the tree, "Those are petals. It''s blossoming," She walked forward and sat between the flower carpet. "The forest here is calm, and it has been like this for decades," Ae looked around, "To think humans actually protected such sanctuary." Mira stared at her, "I heard the capital was built upon a holy spot of unimaginable beauty. This must be it." She looked at the tree, "But I wonder, what kind of wood woulde from such a tree." "Don''t cut it," Eris stared at Mira. Mira giggled, "I won''t, I know leaving it is best," Arad walked with the girls toward the tree, sitting beneath its massive branches. Arady on the ground, closing his eyes as the girls basked in the sun. Suddenly, Arad felt something heavy on his chest. Something was off. The girls aren''t heavy enough to feel like this. He opened his eyes, spotting a naked woman sitting on his chest before going blind. Arad growled, and the weight on his chest lifted. He sat up, and the girls stared at him confused, "What is it?" Arad blinked, and he could see again. He stared around, sweating. ^Was it a dream, or did my regeneration already kick in?^ He looked around for a sign of the woman but found nothing. He stared at Ae, "Did you see another woman around here?" Ae blinked, "No, it''s just us. How did she look?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Pale skin, white hair. She was naked and sat on my chest," Arad replied, "My eyes burned the moment I looked at her," Eris and Mira stared at him with doubtful eyes, "Aren''t you just a bit horny?" Eris smiled. "I can always sit on your chest. The alchemist also has hair dyes." Mira smiled, approaching Arad. Ae on the other hand scratched her chin, "You eyes burned..." She looked around the tree, "The description fits too well. You weren''t dreaming," She stood and approached Arad, "I suspect it was a nymph, a newborn one at that," Everyone stared at her, "I thought nymphs seduce people like cubus." Ae shook her head, "Nymphs are the living incarnation of the raw beauty of a location. They are born when a peace of divinely beautifulnd remains undisturbed for years." She approached Arad. "A newborn nymph won''t be able to control the power of her beauty, resulting in anyone thatys eyes upon her going blind." She exined. Arad''s hand started shaking as he stared at them, feeling the nymph hug him from the back. "Dragon..." A voice whispered into his ear, and the girls gasped, unable to see what sat behind him. "She''s with you," Ae gasped, sweating, "Don''t look at her. We can''t see her, so we know she was just born. The moment we got here." Ae looked at her hand, "A beautiful flower field, a sleeping dragon, and the wind spirit sealed in an elf. All those three gathered together to provide the necessary mystical aura of the ce." "This ce," the nymph whispered, "I waited for a long time for something powerful, magical, and fae in nature toe. You and the wind spirit provided me with what I need to start manifesting. Thank you..." The presence behind Arad disappeared, and he growled, "Where did she go?" Ae looked around, "It will take her a few days to fully manifest. We shoulde check on herter." "Did she really need me and Zephyr?" Arad sighed, staring at Ae. "We aren''t in the elvish kingdom where the world tree roots spread across thend and give magic to the birth of fae spirits like nymphs and dryads. This is the human kingdom. Itcks in mana and purity." Ae replied with a smile. [The mere existence of a dragon changes the nature around them. Red dragons turn mountains into volcanos while ck dragons morph forests into putrid swams. Your body radiates magic. The same is true for Zephyr.] Mom exined. Arad stood, staring around, "A nymph, what did we get stuck in?" He sighed. [You''re lucky none showed around you till now. Thirty nymphs were born from your mother''s draconic body as she slept. The arcane amethyst glow of her draconic body was like the night sky.] "What?" Arad gasped. [Dragons are the apex of anatomical function and beauty, an alive and massive art piece created and designed by the first overgod AO. Your mother is an exceptional one with an unrivaled twilight beauty. It only makes sense for nymphs to get born from her massive and perfect body,] ^Mom, are you just boasting?^ Arad sighed. [A bit, but it''s true that your mother is a one-of-a-kind beauty. Not that anyone saw her real face or body, probably not even your father as she should have been disguised.] Chapter 373 The Blade Of The Capital Outside the capital, in a secluded cave. Deeper and deeper, stone walls extended, lit by burning torches until they reached a massive open cavern. Under the faint glow of candles, a man opened his eyes, tied to a stone altar. He growled, realizing his mouth was closed. He tried to stand, but he was chained. The man struggled, cursing beneath his muffled screams. CLICK! CLACK! From the shadows, a blond elf approached, a smile on his face. "Come on, you''re the ones who attacked first." Vars giggled, "Thugs like you are okay to kill since no one woulde looking for you," The only thing Vars cared about was the safety of his mission and the secrecy. The man growled at the top of his lungs, ring at Vars. Vars smiled, "Come on," He giggled, "Undead don''te out of thin air, and the worse the person''s death, the stronger the creature would get," He lifted his staff up, "In the name of the bloodied one, under the red god of murder." STAB! He stabbed the man, and the screams filled the cave. Dark magic flowed from his staff into the struggling man, transforming him into a ghoul. Varsughed, "Stand up, I need you to do something for me." He waved his staff as the ghoul stood. "A year ago, an abyss gate opened beside the capital, but it was immediately closed even though tens of powerful demons rushed out. I don''t know who defeated them, or how they managed to close the gate." Vars shook his head, "But I managed to track their magic, and the signal is as weak as a child. It must be some old adventurer, he goes by the name of the de of the capital." the ghoul stared at Vars, lifelessly. "Take ten greater zombies and get rid of him, I will give you the scent of his magic." Vars waved his staff, and the ghouls started growling. "I don''t want him to intervene in thest act, bring me his corpse so I can turn him into a death knight." As Vars turned, the ghoul rushed out with the zombies. **** Outside the city, in the death of the knight. A little kid walked out of his house beside their family farm, yawning. "Need some water," He headed out to the well. He walked as he usually did, throwing the wooden bucket down the well and pulling a full one with the rope. With one scoop, he washed his face, and he drank the second. "Nothing beats cold water," "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" As he rxed, he heard his mother''s scream filling the night sky. The kid gasped, rushing into the house as fast as he could. The kid kicked the door open, and his mother cried, "Leon! Run away!" He could see her getting dragged into the darkness by a rotted hand, his father wrestling a zombie in the corner. Leon growled, rushing toward the table and taking a knife. Fearlessly, he lunged into the shadows after his mother, swinging at the monster dragging her. CRACK! He hit the zombie in the forearm and kicked his elbow, breaking the arm. The zombie didn''t flinch, but Leon kicked him back and grabbed his mother by the arm, pulling her as hard as he could. "Run!" He shouted. GROWL! The zombie lunged forward, biting the mother in her leg. "Get away from her!" The father roared, tripping the ghoul with an ankle kick, and lunged over the dinner table. The zombie growled, swinging and thrusting his fingers at the father''s stomach. Zombies had more strength than a normal human, and so his hand pierced the father''s torso. As the father''s blood dripped, he smiled, grabbing the zombie by the neck. "Got you," He ground his teeth, gathering all of his strength in one motion, and swung the zombie around, throwing him toward the ghoul in a forceful swing. Leon backed away, his back hitting the wall as his knees shook, failing to lift his weight. "What am I going to do," He gasped, "It''s like that day..." His teeth started shaking as his eyes red at his mother bleeding on the ground. [It''s like the first time, hunter. Take up my power once more, and your contract would set in stones.] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Leon stopped shaking, and lifted his hands, putting them together with a crazed smile. ^She''s right, I don''t have time to think. I need to push it out as soon as I gather enough mana. I shall worry about the contractter, now it''s time to hunt once again.^ The zombies paused, their heads turning toward Leon in the blink of an eye. "The magic, it was him, not the father." The ghoul growled lunging forward. "ROAR! Queen of the hunt, Maharaja." In an instant, all the candles in the house snuffed, and a dark shadow lunged forward, snatching the head of one of the zombies. The ghoul snapped back, lifting his hand ready to st the house with a fireball. "A warlock. I should have known since you''re still a kid." Warlocks and pdins are notorious for borrowing power from powerful beings. The only difference is that one of them must devote his life to the servitude of a god, and the other has to sign a contract that is never fair. The ghoul could see it, prowling in the shadows on four legs. A white beast, with ws and fangs with ck fur, munching on the zombie''s rotten skull. [ck Jaguar] "The power to shift into animals, I expected more." The ghoulughed, conjuring the fireball above his palm. Thud! The ck jaguar faded into the shadows and the ghoul took a whiff of the air, "I can smell you," GWA! The zombies started growling one after the other, quickly falling silent with the sound of their skulls rupturing. The ghoul growled the human''s blood muddled his sense of smell, and the jaguar''s ck fur helped him meld into the darkness. It would be hard to locate him in such a room filled with objects to hide behind. The ghoul smiled with his twisted teeth, opening his arms, "Lit!" with his words, a wave of magic spread across the house, lighting all the candles with an unholy me. "Show yourself, an animal won''t stand to the forces of death," He growled. The mother, lying on the ground could see him, hanging on the ceiling with its ws, there her sony, a wild monster with the stare of a human. The ghoul noticed her stare and looked up, but he was toote. He only saw the beast''s teeth as they clenched on his skull, ripping it apart like an apple. Leonnded on the floor, his jaws dripping with blood as he stared around him at his terrified parents. "Much blood spilled, yet the beast within still yearns for blood." Leon said in his Jaguar form, "To the forest, I go. I must find prey," He lunged out of the window, leaving his parents baffled. Almost at the same moment, the door burst open and five heavily armored men rushed in, "We sensed necrotic magic, what''s happening?" The pdin shouted, his eyes darting around the room, seeing Leon''s parents. "We got survivors, heal them. Don''t you dare let them turn into undead, the gods will never forgive you!" He shouted, pulling his sword and rushing toward the ghoul''s corpse. "By the gods, a ghoul. A necromancer must be nearby. Search the whole region." He yelled again and jumped out of the window to chase the source of the necrotic magic. The other pdins started healing the parents before they could turn into zombies from their wounds, and the night of the de ended. *** On the other side of the city, Arad and the girls returned to their room in the royal capital andid all that they bought there. "What a big room," Eris ran into the room, staring at the massive three beds lined for them. Ae stared at the room and then went outside searching for Gin the maid. "Gin! I finally found you," Ae said with a smile, waving her hand. Gin bowed to her, "Lady Ae, is there something I can help you with?" "About that," Ae scratched her chin, "I told you three bedrooms, not beds." "Is there a difference?" Gin smiled, staring at Ae with a confused face. A vein bulged on Ae''s forehead, "Get us three separate bedrooms, now," Kin walked into the scene, staring at the two. "I told you to prepare three different rooms. The ones on the east are best." Gin sighed, "But that''s too much work," Kin red at her, "Get there and get them ready in an hour, and I don''t want to hearints," Gin looked down, "As you order, Sister Kin." She turned around and left with a sad face. Kin approached Ae and bowed, "Sorry for sister''s behaviors. She can be a bitzy." "I''m more surprised you two are working as maids," Ae sighed. Kin looked at her with a smile, "Sorry if this might sound bad, but you as an elf shouldn''t bother reasoning our actions. It''s the same as if someone asked why is Arad a mere adventurer but with a different reason." Ae stared at Kin, trying to determine her intentions. ^[I bet my wings are spies, or at least double agents for the metallic dragons. They work for the kings as maids, a political move, while also keeping an eye on the human royalty reporting everything to the steel queen of the metallic dragons.]^ Ae smiled, "I wonder who you work for?" Kin stared at her with a passive look, "I assign some maids as support for you tonight, or even cast a spell to block anyone from looking or hearing what happens in your rooms. You need something like that tonight," Ae nodded, "Just the spell please," "Consider your rooms secure as long as you stay here," Kin smiled, walking with Ae toward their room. Chapter 374 Royal Bath I As they reached the room''s door. Kin opened it with a smile. Gin was inside shifting the bed into the middle of the room. "I''m still cleaning. Get backter," Gin said, staring at them and lifting her hand. A silver haze covered her palm, and the door mmed shut. Kin sighed, turning toward Ae, "Let''s leave her to her work," She looked to the end of the hallway. "How about you take Sir Arad to the royal bath?" Ae''s face lighted up, and she stared at Kin, smiling. "Really? Is it avable?" "It should be," Kin scratched her chin, "One of the queens asked to use it, but that idiot can be guided away like a cat," Ae blinked twice, "Did you just insult the queen?" "It''s not an insult when you tell the truth," Kin smiled, "Take Arad and the others to the bath. It''s on the lower floor. You can''t miss it." Ae rushed to their old room to tell Arad, and the other and Kin headed in the opposite direction. After walking for a bit, she went up the stairs, and the hallway changed from wooden walls to marble and gold art pieces. Two maids stood guard and bowed as soon as they saw Kin, "Wee back headmaid Kin," Kin walked behind them and said with a smile, "Follow me," They headed deeper until they reached arge golden door. With a single touch from her hand, it opened up into a vast room. Kin walked inside and fell on the bed. Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at the other maids, "Cancel my bath. I will rest here for a while." One of the maids stared at her, "Why cancel the bath? Is there a problem we can help with?" Kin shook her head, "No, I just promised the guests that they could use the bath." She swung her hand, and long golden ws extended. "I know. How about you do my nails now? I can have a bath afterwardter." The maid bowed, "A brilliant idea," She went to bring her tools. CLICK! The door suddenly opened, and an old man walked in without permission. The maids bowed, "Your Majesty," The king looked at Kin, "What do you think about the guests?" Kin stared back at him, "Baltos...Why ask a humble maid?" Baltos smiled, "A humble maid isn''t a good description for one of the two people who have been with me since I was born, First Queen Kin." Kin giggled, "Gin has a more objective opinion. I quite like them." Baltos smiled, "If someone as hardheaded as you like them, I guess that Arad is quite a good person." Kin shook her head, "I''m a hardhead?" Sheughed, "I''m a gold, remember? Void dragons are rare, and that man still has a heart of gold. Better not let it turn into one of pure darkness." She stood, approaching the king, "In the void, there is only loss, darkness, and nothingness. No happiness, not love, and no life." "What do you suggest?" Baltos asked. "Give him Isdis. It will be up to her to keep him in check," Kin smiled, "He''s better with us, not against us." "You think he''s going to be against us one day?" The king asked. "I shall not interfere this time," Kin sat back on the bed, "You need to give him a good reason to protect the capital and castle." **** Back in Arad''s room, Ae opened the door and looked inside, seeing Arad standing on the balcony with his eyes closed, Mira on the bed knitting something, and Eris cleaning her coffin. "Kin said we can use the royal bath," Ae said with a smile, "We''ve been traveling for a while and didn''t get time for a decent bath. Shall we go?" Arad smiled, "A bath, nice," He turned, walking toward the closet to pull his clothes. Ae approached the closet with Arad and looked inside, "You head before us. I will bring the clothes." She smiled, pulling him back. "I haven''t seen your clothes yet," Arad said as he stepped back. "You will see themter on," Ae smiled, and Arad nodded, "Well then, see you in the bath." "Do you know where it is?" Arad nodded, "I do," **** Arad walked out of the room, walking down the hallway. ZON! He disappeared, teleporting directly to the bath''s door. "There are five people inside," He sighed, grabbing the door handle. "But they are standing still." He walked inside and saw two maids standing in the changing room. They bowed the moment they saw him. The bath''s door was locked with magic and only opened for the maids or the royal family. Since Arad opened it, that only means the headmaid Kin has allowed him to pass. "What are you doing here?" Arad asked. One of the maids bowed once again, "Bath handmaids. We help you change clothes, wash your back, or give you a massage." "Not all people can bathe on their own. It''s our job to help." The other one said with a smile. Arad stood there, staring at them. ^What would they think if I stripped here?^ He thought of the girls. "My wives areing. I better wait for them," He sat on one of the wooden benches. The two maids approached him, "Sir if you''re ufortable being the only one stripping, we could do it as well." Arad shook his head, "That isn''t it," He sighed. After a few minutes, the girls walked in, seeing Arad sitting on the bench with his eyes closed and the maids standing at the door. N?v(el)B\\jnn The two maids bowed to the girls, "Ladies, we''ve been waiting," Mira stared at the maids and then at Arad, "What are you waiting for?" "Those two said they could help me strip, and there are three other maids inside the bath. What do you say?" Arad asked, looking at them. Ae scratched her head, "And?" "Is it okay for me to strip? While they are here?" Arad asked, "Doma said I should ask first," "Ah! About that," Ae giggled, "Usually, you should. But not you, and not them." She looked at the maids, "Don''t mind them. They are here only to serve," Eris shook her head, staring at Ae, "I won''t be so sure," She giggled, "Did you see howrge Arad''s hands are? That maid''s whole face could fit in it," Ae looked at the maids, "Arad is definitely farrger than them," She smiled. "The stronger and bigger you are, the more attractive you get. I doubt those maids can act normally around him," Mira giggled. Ae looked at Arad, "You''re almost seven feet tall, and they are only five and a half feet tall," "You underestimate us," One of the maids smiled, "We are indifferent. That''s why we were assigned here." The other one nodded, "The queens would have killed us if we wereying our hands on the king or the one of the crown princes." Arad sighed in relief, "As long as they don''t get angry," In the blink of an eye, his clothes disappeared into his stomach as he stood naked in front of the maids. The two maids froze in ce, falling on their butts as they red up at Arad''s face. Ae red at the maid with a smirk, "He''s ours. Don''t darey a hand on him." She hugged Arad''s side. Chapter 375 Royal Bath II

Chapter 375 Royal Bath II

"She''s right," Mira growled from the side, grabbing Arad''s other side. "Hands off," "We won''t," One of the maids cried, barely standing. Eris stared at the maids with a smile, "Don''t listen to them. You can alwaysy your hands on him." She giggled, "Would give me an excuse to eat," She only saw them as food. Arad walked forward, opening the bath''s door, "I''m going in first. You follow me when you finish taking your clothes out," The two maids stood, staring at Arad''s back as he walked into the bath. "AW!" The two maids cried as Ae and Mira pulled them by the hair, "You''re helping us. Stop gawking at him." Ae growled. Arad walked inside the bath, seeing a marble shower room with arge cubic water jug in the ceiling. A hit of magic radiated from it. ^There is something hot inside that jug. It heats the water inside.^ Arad thought his eyes glowing as inspected the magic device, "I should get one for home." "It''s quite expensive. Fire stones aren''t easily found, nor cheap," A voice came from behind Arad. When he turned, he saw three maids standing behind, only covering their bodies with towels. "You''re the three maids serving inside the bath." Arad turned toward, "You know about it?" "It''s cost five gold coins for a firestone thatsts about a month before draining. You can buy them at the magic shop or order them from the counselor of the castle." One of the maids replied with a bow and approached Arad, "That''s a talk forter. Now we help you bathe." Arad nodded, "Fine," He turned around, standing beneath the water jug. The maid lifted her hand, "Open," The jug showered Arad with hot water. "Stay there for a few moments, please," The maid said as the other two rushed to bring the soap and sponges. Arad remained standing as the steaming hot water dripped across his shoulders. The remaining maid stared at his back, "Howe you have abs on your back?" She asked with a confused face. Arad turned his face toward her, "I do?" "They look like abs. Six of them bulging out, but I''m sure they are something else." The maid looked closer at his back, "Muscles. They are linked down to your hips. I studied muscture and bones for massage. But I never saw such a physique." Arad thought about it for a second, and his maid quickly realized the nature of those bulges. They are muscles, the ones responsible for moving his massive tail. "I do have those. It''s probably rted." In the blink of an eye, Arad sprouted his tail and wings. Thud! The maid jumped back, slipping and falling to the ground, her towel dropping as her eyes stared at Arad''s tail. A scaly ck tail, thicker than her hips and almost three meters long. The strange muscles on Arad''s back wrapped around the tail''s base, giving it movement. As the tail''s tip brushed on the ground, it scratched arge cut into the marble floor as if struck by a heavy sword. The other two maids stared in Arad''s direction as they heard their friend fall and gasp. Their faces twisted as they saw the two massive ck wings expanding across the bath, each one almost five meters long and harder than steel. Arad turned toward the maid, four horns emerging from his head as he red at her with purple glowing eyes, "I''m a half-dragon. My physiquees from my ancestors'' thick blood and might." The maid smiled, standing up, "You kind are so rare and hard to convince that we didn''t have any samples to study. Sorry if my massage skills would be insufficientter," "Don''t worry about it," Arad shook his head, "It shouldn''t be that hard for someone with knowledge," "Did you get massaged before?" The maid asked, approaching him. "Isdis gave me a massage and she didn''t have any trouble," Arad replied, scratching his chin as his wings and tail got sucked back into his body. The maid gasped, "Isdis? Princess Isdis?" She stared at Arad, baffled. "Excuse mynguage, but are you sure it was that brick?" "You just called the princess a brick?" Arad stared at her. "She''s hardheaded, arrogant, and most notably, unwilling to do anything extra for other people. Except for making ice for the knights and kitchen, but she said that''s a training, and she likes cold beer, so that is that," The maid looked down, noticing Arad''s hanging meat. "You didn''t sleep with her, did you?" She asked. Arad shook his face, "No, I only sleep with my wives if I understood you right. But if you mean sleeping, we did sleep in the same room for at least a week travel," The maid looked at Arad''s face, "This is some great news. I will talk with her immediately. This isn''t something to be ignored." The maid buffed her bare chest and lifted her towel from the ground with a smile on her face. "Is something off?" Arad asked. The maid approached Arad until her chest touched his side, She whispered, "ssified information, but we were informedst month to train Isdis for an arranged marriage when shees back from her trip. The king had ns to marry her to the prince of the western dwarf kingdom." The maid smiled, her hand slipping into Arad''s stomach, "With you around, we might be able to reverse that." She giggled, "I''m sure the king is rethinking that. If he didn''t scrap the n already." "You''re too close," Arad stared at the maid, unfazed. "While we deal with that," she stared at his face, "How about me? Care to spend a night. I can teach you a few things." Her hand slipped where it shouldn''t. "No," Arad replied with a stern face, "You''re too old, and I can''t keep you around, so it doesn''t make sense," The maid froze in her ce, rejected without a single reaction. Even though she was rubbing her body all over his side, her hand had been hard at work. The snake didn''t even flinch or stand. "Come on, one night is enough," The smiled, trying to recover. Thud! Arad grabbed the maid by the head, lifting her up, "If you aren''t ready to carry a child and settle down then no. And my answer doesn''t matter. You have to get through my wives first." Swosh! With a single swift motion, Arad threw her into the bath. SPLASH! As the maid fell in the water, she lunged out, "HOT!" she cried, rushing out and shaking the water out of her body, "You threw me?" "I would have killed you if he didn''t," The maid heard a voice beside her ear, and when she turned, she saw a tiny naked pixie flying beside her face. "Get away from him," Tick! Zephyr flicked the maid''s forehead and sent her to the water once again. The other maids came back with the soap and sponges, seeing their friend walking slowly out of the hot bath. "Why did you get that close to him," One of them sighed. "I mean," The maid cried, "Look at him!" The two maids stared at Arad and then turned to their friend, "We are desperate, but not as much as to go after a married man," One replied and the other threw a sponge to the maid, "Ge back ready to work, his wives areing," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ae, Mira, and Isdis walked out of the changing room, covering their bodies with towels. They paused, seeing a naked maid standing in the middle of the bath, her skin flushed red. Arad standing in the back under running hot water, his fists resting on his hips as he red at them, naked. "What is going on?" Mira asked. SWOSH! Zephyr flew in front of the girls. She pointed back at the maid in the water, "She got horny and tried to make a move on Arad, so he threw her into the hot water," Chapter 376 Royal Bath III

Chapter 376 Royal Bath III

Ae stared at Arad, "Is that right?" "Yes," Arad replied with a passive face, "She''s too old for me," Eris giggled, "Shouldn''t have expected less," She approached Arad and stared at the maids, "We said it for the two in the changing room, but hands off, he''s ours." Mira and Ae nodded, approaching Arad as the three maids stood facing them. Two of them bowed, "Sorry for her inappropriate behaviors. Shall we get back to helping you wash?" "Of course," Arad replied, turning to face the wall, and so did the girls, standing beneath the flowing hot water. One of the maids approached Arad with the sponge in her hand, rubbing it with soap, and then started scrapping his back. She scrapped and scrapped, but nothing happened. "It''s too tough," She growled, using her nails to scratch his back. After a few seconds, she noticed her nails getting damaged and not his back. "Spong and your nails are too soft to get through my skin. You better find something harsher," Ae looked at the maid, "I''m used to using a metalwire scrubber on him, the one used to clean pots and urns," The maid gasped, "That would rip the skin off a human," She stared at Arad''s back, remembering therge wings and tails. He''s a half-dragon. The maid turned, "I will be back in a second," Arad stood there, waiting. His draconic scales are too hard to clean with a sponge or anything less than metals. They are used to protect him after all. The maid soon came back with a metalwire scrubber, and a cheese grader for some reason. Arad stared at the cheese grader, "What is that?" "With how hard your skin is, I doubt this metalwire would be helpful," She started scrubbing his back and was right. The metalwire barely had an effect. She would take a whole hour to finish cleaning his back. The maid sighed, "Cheese grader it is," And that seemed to work, but the teeth dulled so badly she had to throw the cheese grader at the end. "Done," she tapped Arad''s shoulders, and by that time, the girls were already in the water. "I bet not even swords can scratch your skin, can they?" Arad turned toward the maid, "They break upon contact," He smiled. Cleaning his scales wouldn''t have been easy. Looking at her red fingers told him everything he needed. Arad walked toward the hot water and slowly sat inside, "Nothing beats warm water," He sighed, not realizing that the water was too hot the girls barely managed to get in. Ae crawled, sitting at Arad''s right side, "You say it''s warm?" Mira did the same and sat at his left side, "It''s hot enough to boil eggs," She joked. Eris stared at them, "Leave some ce for me, or you will regret it," She growled, approaching Arad and trying to find a spot beside him to sit. Ae stared at her, "Regret it? Try if you can," Eris smiled, "You two are novices." She crawled over Arad''s legs, sitting on hisp, "This is the best spot, no argument," She gigged, rxing her back at his chest. N?v(el)B\\jnn Eris started shaking her but at Arad''s hips as the two girls cried by his side, and Zephyr rxed on his hair, "Come on, Arad," Eris turned to approach his face, but Arad opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. Eris stopped, "What is it?" she asked. "People aren''t supposed to sneak around the castle roof, are they?" He asked, lifting his hands. The maids stared at them, "Probably an assassin. We should inform the guards," "No need for that," Arad pped his hands together, a purple me burning in his eyes, "Get him down, now," *** Up on the roof, a masked man crawled silently, trying to approach the princess room. He stopped, seeing a hawk ring at him with glowing purple eyes. "Hush! Hush!" The man tried to scare him away, but ten other hawksnded, all ring at him. He knew it was the end. GWAAAAAAAAA! The hawks swarmed the man, wing his face and flying with him all the way down to the guards'' training ground. *** Arad sighed, separating his arms, "Got rid of him. Did he use a teleport spell to get up there?" "How did you notice him from here?" One of the maids asked. "The hawks living on the roof informed me," Arad replied with a smile, patting Eris''s head, "You don''t have to worry about anyone sneaking into the castle while I''m here. This is my domain..." He paused, "Sorry, it''s their domain, not mine." He smiled, remembering Kin and Gin as one of the hawks saw Kin standing inside Isdis''s room, waiting for the assassin. "Are you a druid?" One of the maids asked, but Arad shook his head, "No, but I have some skills," "Arad," Ae poked his side, and he smiled, "What?" "Who''s first tonight?" She asked with a worried face. Arad scratched his chin, "Regr order, you first then Mira," He smiled. "Hey! Can I get a turn?" Eris growled at them, "If not, I will do it here!" Ae and Mira stared at each other, "Fine," Mira sighed, and Ae stared at Eris, "You can get it but after us," Eris smiled, "Yay!" She then looked at Ae, "But won''t it be better for me to go first and teach him some stuff?" As Eris said that, a gust of wind sshed water all over her face. "Did you lots forget about me?" Zephyr flew down and waved her hand, sending Eris flying to the other side of the hot bath. She floated in front of Arad, [Size Magic] In the blink of an eye, Zephyr''s body expanded to the side of a human, and shended on Arad''s hips. She smiled, her wings wiggling, "I will be teaching him with Ae. The girls red at her, "No you won''t," As the girls fought over him, Arad remained still with his eyes closed. ^[They do want a piece of you,]^ Doma giggled inside his head. ^I feel like I shouldn''t interfere. They have to pick for themselves.^ ^[You''re right. You can''t favor one over the other except with what cannot be changed, like Ae going first since she''s the first one that met you.]^ ^You''re right.^ ^[Say, want an advice from me?]^ ^Speak,^ ^[Seperate them unless necessary. Zephyr and Ae are one person, so they go together, but the other must be separated.]^ Doma giggled, ^[And, don''t always focus on whether a woman can bear an egg or not.]^ ^I will keep that in mind. What about you, Mom?^ [The more, the better.] Chapter 377 Royal Bath IV

Chapter 377 Royal Bath IV

Arad stood, pushing Eris back to the water, "Ae first, Mira is second, and youst," He stared at them, "Probably not all tonight, so make it a shift each day if you must," "Hehe, it''s Ae and Me today," Zephyr flew down, circting around Arad''s head like an annoying mosquito. Thud! Arad caught her in with his hand, "Ae, can you tie her down?" Ae shook her head, "Sadly not. I''m not strong enough topletely overpower her." "Why would you want to chain me down?" Zephyr cried, "Me, such a lovely little fairy," "A little fairy, yes. But I doubt the lovely part," Arad stared at her, "You tried to kill us the first time we met," "That is one thing, and this is another! I have to make sure Ae has a daughter so I can transfer my contract to her when she dies. It''s not an easy life being a contracted spirit," Zephyr cried, struggling to escape Arad''s fist. "Then you don''t have to worry about it," Arad said, letting go of Zephyr. Zephyr floated down,nding on Ae''s chest, "AH! I can finally move my legs. I almost died," Zephyr stared at Arad, "I doubt you can with how non-existent is your experience. I fear for the family''s future," She red at Arad''s eyes, and he red back at her. The bath started shaking, and the wind around it howled as Zephyr slowly floated toward Arad''s face, "I will show you how to do it right," She growled. Arad stared at Zephyr, taking the jest away. She still is the wind spirit. A true monster who shouldn''t be underestimated, and she''s serious for once. To her, Arad having a daughter, and an elf on top of that isn''t a possibility, but a must. "Zephyr! Stop!" Ae red at Zephyr, trying to catch her, "Ae, don''t worry," Zephyr said with a smile, "We won''t fight. It doesn''t make sense." She floated down and sat on her head. "I just want him to know, it''s a must, and I won''t back down on it," Zephyr red at Arad, "And if you won''t guarantee it, I can always kill you and have Ae find another partner," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad sighed, "Fine, but it''s still up to chance." He looked at Zephyr, "You can''t make it a sure thing," Zephyr smiled, "Of course, you need to have a lot of children. Me and you have the same goal, why not work together," Arad smiled, "Got yourself a deal. Know any way to make that easier?" Zephyr scratched her head, thinking, "Deep dragon turtles are a delicacy between the dark elves, and their flesh is known to help conceive twins." Zephyr looked at Arad with a grin, "You can hunt one, can''t you?" Ae, Mira, Eris, and the maids all stared at her, "Wait what?" "Deep dragon turtles are massive creatures. You can''t even ask someone to buy their meat for how expensive it is, let alone hunt one." One of the maids cried, "It''s a delicacy that even Royals barely get unless they are hunting for heirs." Arad nodded, "Should be simple," He smiled, "Where can I find them?" "It''s a bit far away, we should leave it forter," Zephyr smiled, "We should focus on solving the main problem with elves first." "What is it?" Arad looked at Zephyr. "Elves'' reproductive problem doesn''t stem from the men, but from the women. They only have their period once per year, which means they only have one egg a year inside them. Add to that how fragile the egg is and how hard it relies on the mother''s hormones to survive. Some elve women went without a prior or an egg for decades just due to stress orck of interest." Zephyr smiled, staring at Ae, "I doubt she has even considered that till this point," "I did," Ae cried, trying to catch Zephyr. "When an elf women get horny, their raw strength increases and their intelligence reduces. That only happens for a day or two of the year, but you have to hunt for that time to get it consistently," She stared at Ae, "Have experienced thattely?" Arad blinked, "There was this time she drank a potion called Tears of someone. Tears of Gracie if I''m not mistaken," Zephyr sighed, "Then it''s over. If you did it that night it should have been set in stone now. Time would tell," She flew and sat on Arad''s shoulder, "Let''s get out of the bath. I have much to teach you." Arad stood, walking toward the changing room and the girls followed him. The three maids inside got to clean the bath as the ones in the changing room pulled out the clothes that Ae brought with her. Arad looked at the clothes, some of them he didn''t recognize. A velvet robe adorned by golden stitches in the shape of roses. A white dress, simple yet elegant made of clothes so soft that Arad feared he might damage. Andstly a gold and emerald robe with leaf patterns on it, and surprisingly, quite tight. Arad stared at them and then at the girls, "Is this what you bought?" "No everything," Ae replied with a smile, "We still have a bit more," She giggled, and Arad stared again at the clothes, "They look nice. Nothing like them exists in Alina," Mira tilted her head, "Of course, this is the capital," She lifted the white dress, "This is mine, simple yet clean. Don''t you like it?" "I do," Arad replied, "And I suspect the red is for Eris and the green is for Ae?" "How did you know?" Ae stared at him. "Greens suits you more than red," Arad smiled, turning toward Eris, "I want to say that dark brown like the ones Mira had might have looked better on you, or something dark purple, but this red has its charm," Eris giggled, "Well, I wanted something in the color of blood. It would be bad if it got stained," The maids stared at her, confused, and Arad sighed, "It won''t," *** Night fell, and it was dinner time. Inside therge dinner hall, Arad sat with Ae, Eris, and Mira around the long dinner table, looking around at the maids lined at the wall. "Are we eating alone?" Ae asked. One of the maids walked forward, "Lady Isdis wanted to dine with you, but she went with her father and mother to visit thete king''s estate. Her grandfather and mother have been worried sick about her." The maid looked to her side, staring at the royal family drawing on the wall. "The other princes are also upied by their work. Tonight, you''re the only one in the castle besides the youngest princess. And she doesn''t love getting out of her room much," Arad nodded, "She loves reading stories to her pet mouse," The maids stared at him, "How do you know that? No one should," Arad scratched his head, "I heard it from Isdis," he looked away. In reality, he connected to the mouse''s thoughts when he scanned the whole castle for the assassin earlier. The real reason the youngest princess isn''t going out is that she''s scared of the dragon yer in the castle, aka him. "Is that so?" The maid stared at them, "Dinner is ready," She said as the food starteding out of the kitchen. Right after dinner, Arad retreated to Ae''s room. The first calm night he had in a while. Chapter 378 Aella’s Night I: Return to Baby [R-18]

Chapter 378 Ae''s Night I: Return to Baby [R-18]

CLICK! Arad opened the door''s room, slowly pushing it. He could see Ae sitting on the bedside, looking at the burning candles beside the bedside table. He walked inside, looking at the chairs and the walls, "A clean room," He then stared behind Ae''s head, seeing Zephyr using a scarf as a hammock at the window. He silently walked around the bed and looked out of the window, feeling the cold breeze of the night. "Worry not. No one can look inside the room from the outside or hear anything," Zephyr put one leg on the other, rolling in her hammock. "That maid''s magic is too powerful," Arad extended his head out of the window frame and looked back inside the room, they were invisible, and the room even looked dark as if the candles were out. Arad nodded and walked back inside. He looked at Ae, "You''ve been silent for a while," "You didn''t say a thing since walking into the room," Ae replied with a smile. Arad closed his eyes, expanding his senses to the small animals and bugs living around the castle, "I''m keeping watch. I know you don''t feelfortable here," "You''re wasting time," Zephyr shouted, staring at them and waving her hand, "She will forget all of the ufortableness when you start. It doesn''t matter as long as it''s a fact you''re safe and have privacy here," She pointed at them, "Start, and let Aunt Zephyr direct you," "Aunt Zephyr?" Ae stared at her, doubtful. "Usually someone has to exin it in detail for him or you, but both of youck parents, unfortunately. Since I lived with your mother, I''m like an aunt," Zephyr smiled, floating out of her hammock, "Do well, and I won''t have to jump in with in-hand directions," She wiggled her hand. Ae sighed, reaching for her shirt button, "Fine, it won''t matter if you talk in my head or outside," "STOP! There is wrong!" Zephyr growled, "Leave that work to Arad. Who told you to move?" She floated at Ae''s face, "Sit here, and don''t move," She pushed her to the bed''s edge. "Arad, you take her clothes out," She smiled, "And..." She floated and whispered in his ear. Arad nodded, "Are you sure?" Zephyr smiled, lifting a thumbs up, "Do it," "Wait, what did you tell him? I didn''t hear it." Ae gasped. "I used to wind. So you won''t hear me for a reason. Just sit and take it like a good girl," Zephyr stared at her and then floated back to her hammock. "Arad, it''s in your hand for now. Finish the first step, and I will give the second," Arad stared at Ae his eyes glowing purple, and she flinched, backing till her legs locked on the side of the bed. He reached with his hand, grabbing her face between his palms. Her eyes raced from left to right, trying to move her head but to no avail. She doesn''t have the strength to rest him. Ae held her breath as his lips touched her, her hands grasped onto his arms, slipping on his soft hard skin. Her body shook and her legs kicked around as she felt his tongue digging deeper into her mouth. "Hmmmm!"? She growled, and soon Arad stopped, pulling a few inches away from her face. She gasped for air, confused at what just happened. Zephyr giggled in the back, "His learning skills don''t just extend to killing things," As Ae stared at Arad''s eyes, his hands slipped down her cheeks andnded at the cor of her shirt. With a dexterous move, his fingers slipped between the gaps, pulling the buttons off. Ae stared down, seeing her grasp of her dress lessen around her chest. Her arms instinctively rushed to hide her chest, but Arad''s arms stopped her as if they were ready. Taking her move into ount, Arad pulled the dress down her and down to her stomach, exposing her upper body. Ae gasped, but her bosom still had the bra holding it in ce. She knew Arad didn''t know how to unlock it as the lock on the back was a bit intricate. "Don''t break it," Ae gasped as she saw Arad''s hands reaching to her bra. Arad smiled, touching the bra with his finger. ZON! The bra disappeared, causing Ae''s breasts to bounce up and down under their weight. She gasped, lunging back and falling on her back on the bed. Arad stared at her with a smug smile, it didn''t matter if he didn''t know, he could just teleport the bra into his stomach. "You ate it?" Ae gasped. "Why not?" Arad stared at her, pulling her back to sit by the shoulders. Ae looked away, taking a deep breath and rxing her arms. Arad''s hand slipped across her shoulders, wrapping around her chest and squeezing gently. "Don''t use too much force. I can see you''re squeezing a bit hard," Zephyr shouted from the back, waving her hand and rubbing her own chest. "Like this, don''t push your fingers too deep. It will hurt and decrease the effectiveness." Even though Zephyr was barely a foot tall, hanging sitting on her hammock at the other side of the room, Arad''s eyes caught the movement of her hands and perfectly copied it in the blink of an eye. Arad''s hands wrapped around Ae''s breasts, carefully avoiding the nipples for a start as they would be forst. Even though Ae looked still, Arad could catch slight spasms in her stomach and legs when he moved certain ways. As per Zephyr''s instruction, he made sure to note everything that made her react in his head and keep that knowledge forter. Ae gasped for air, bending forward as Arad got closer to her nipples with his fingers. He took that chance, opening his mouth and biting on them, as gently as he could. DING! At that moment, Arad froze in ce, wires shifting inside his head. Behind the multyered void brain of his, a spark shed pulling instinctive memories that were suppressed by the draconic nature of his body. Mom felt the insides of Arad''s head shift, pushing the draconic instincts away as something else rushed for. The human blood from his father flowed down his veins and across his brain. [What''s happening?] Mom gasped. N?v(el)B\\jnn Doma smiled. ^[He might be a mighty young void dragon, but don''t forget he has human blood, and that''s still a baby.]^ She giggled, putting one leg on the other. ^[It was but a drop, but naturally that''s the best thing he would taste.]^ Arad''s eyes shed open, bloodshot as he paused, taking another suck at Ae''s nipples, "WHAT IS THIS?" He gasped. Zephyrughed in the back, curling on her hammock, "I expected a reaction, but he literally returned to the baby. Human blood is so strong after all," What Arad tasted was a single drop, of milk. Chapter 379 Aella’s Night II: Compromises [R-18]

Chapter 379 Ae''s Night II: Compromises [R-18]

Arad backed away, staring at Ae''s chest, baffled for a second. As his heartbeat, the blood rushed to his head and cleared his mind, the child inside went back to sleep. ^[It didn''t take long,]^ Doma giggled, surprised at how fast Arad''s draconic blood got him back to his senses. Arad might have lied, saying he''s a red draconic bloodline sorcerer, but he seems to have human blood running in him instead. "Are you okay?" Ae asked, staring at his face with a worried stare. Arad smiled, shaking his head, "I''m fine, just zoned out for a second." He stared at her chest, "They have milk in them," "I mean, they should." She looked at Arad, her head tilted with a puzzled stare. "Right?" "You ask me? I don''t know," Arad looked at Zephyr, "You didn''t tell me." "Discovery is the key," Zephyr stared at them with an amused smile. "Keep going. There is much ahead of you." Arad stared at Zephyr with a suspicious face, "Fine," He looked back at Ae, "Let''s keep going," "You sure?" Ae stared at him, touching his forehead, "You seemed surprised, more than I ever saw you before." Arad shook his head, grabbing her breasts in his hands, "Worry not, I''m fine," He closed his eyes. ^I should stay away from those for now. Too much to handle.^ He stared at her nipples. Ae gasped, her body writhing as Arad kissed her stomach, stopping at her belly button and forcing her to jerk back. "Don''t run away," Arad stared at her with a smile, and she cried, looking away, "It tickles," Arad looked up at her face through her chest, "Is it?" As he was about to stop, a gust of wind rushed across the room, "Don''t stop. Follow the instructions," Zephyr was lying on her hammock, facing the other with her eyes closed as if asleep. "When she says no, she means yes." "That doesn''t make sense," Arad sighed, and Zephyr giggled, "Youck experience. Just do what I say for now. It will make senseter," "I''m fine, keep going, don''t mind me," Ae gasped, her eyes closed and her arms gently tucked behind her back. Arad blinked, licking her all the way down her stomach, and then grasped the remaining edges of her dress, slowly pulling down as he licked down her thigh. Ae gasped for air, squeezing her legs together, but Arad ignored her faint moans as he reached her knees, pulling the dress down her feet. He then stopped, pondering for a second. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "The choice is up to you," Zephyr waved her hand, "This is as far as I take you." She closed her eyes, and Arad couldn''t be mistaken. She really fell asleep. ^[See youter. I''m locking your Mom as well,]^ Doma flicked her finger, locking herself away with Mom deep into Arad''s head. They couldn''t connect with him even if they wanted unless someone got badly hurt. Arad stared up between Ae''s legs at her red face. It was just the two of them. Ever since he was born, this is the first time mom left him without a valid reason like stopping a curse. No, Doma must be using the same principle to keep her away as well. "We''re alone," Arad sighed, thinking for himself for a second. Zephyr gave him an idea that he didn''t want to follow but left the decision in his hand. ^Ae isn''t honest. You haven''t broken her out of her shell yet. Appeal to the elf inside her.^ Arad thought, staring at Ae''s glowing green eyes. "Arad, what is it?" Ae gasped, "That''s a weird look on your face," noticed that he was, for the first time, stuck debating a difficult decision. Arad then smiled, a giggle escaping his mouth, "I have to give it to Zephyr," He nodded, "She''s really something. I need to show her more respect," "What?" Ae stared at him, "What are you going on about? What did she tell you?" Arad looked at Ae, "The essence of love, the foundation of rtionships, and the main building block ofpanionship. I shouldn''t seek to be a good father before being a good husband," He smiled, "Compromises, that''s the heart of every rtionship," As Ae looked at Arad, confused. He bent down, kissing the tip of her foot. BAM! Ae lunged back to the corner of the room, her heart pounding like drums as she stared at Arad, her eyes shaking and unable to look away from him. Arad stood up, "Come here, why are you running?" ^She''s an elf, I should have noticed earlier. From the first day at the inn, it was obvious. All this time she''s been keeping it away,promising her feelings for me, she could have asked from the start, but didn''t.^ Arad growled, ^And what did I do? Just stood there and took it? Is Mira the same, have I been ignoring their feelings all this time? What have I missed,^ "Arad," Ae mumbled, staring at his face. Arad stopped, staring at himself in the mirror. His face was twisted, veins bulging on his forehead and his eyes bloodshot. ^Idiot! You''re doing it again, getting angry will only make her worry more. Avoid it, suppress it, you don''t need to get angry as long as you fix it,^ Arad took a deep breath and smiled, "Sorry, I was angry at myself." "At yourself?" Ae approached him, "For what?" Arad hugged her, "For not looking at you, for not thinking about you how you think about me." He lifted her in his arms, "Sorry for ignoring you all this time," "You weren''t ignoring me! What did Zephyr tell you?" "What she said doesn''t matter," Arad kissed Ae on the forehead, "Let''s forget about the eggs for a while and focus on ourselves," He sat on the bed, Ae on hisp, "What do you want to do?" Ae looked around, "Can we keep going? In a ce less...you know." Arad smiled, "You don''t trust Kin''s barrier, neither do I," Arad expanded his wings and both he and Ae got covered by their clothes. "The crows told me of a beautiful ce, ake at a mountain peak lit by the silver moonlight," As Arad smiled, ZON! Both he and Ae disappeared. Ae opened her eyes, seeing the capital far below on the horizon. She was standing beside a clean white bed. Sitting beside a cleanke reflecting the moonlight. Ae turned around, seeing Arad, behind the bed, his draconic wings reflecting a dark shadow over her as they got sucked back into him. Ae smiled, pulling her robe over her shoulder and dropping it to the ground. She took a light step toward the bed and sat at the edge, thenid on her back, "Come, let''s do it until we can''t see the stars," Chapter 380 Aella’s Night III: Rough [R-18]

Chapter 380 Ae''s Night III: Rough [R-18]

DRIP! A water droplet fell into the silverke, sending waves across the calm surface. The faint rumbling of hooves and ws shook the ground as the monsters ran away from the mountain peak. Adventurers at the mountain base stopped, unable to move as they stared up. "This magic," Their wizard gasped, "The aura of a true dragon. It''s reshaping the mountain as it''s domain," "Should we form a hunting party?" The fighter asked, pulling his sword, "A dragon this close to the capital is dangerous," "Don''t be a fool. The moment you step into the dragon''s aura, he wille with rage," The wizard growled with a sweaty face, "The dragon is aggressive at the moment. We better let it calm down," The fighter giggled, "I can sneak around," He smiled, crawling into the forest, "I will just have a look, see what kind of dragon we''re dealing with, and bolt it out," "Idiot! You will die!" The wizard shouted at the fighter, and the rest of the adventurers stared in shock. Thud! The fighter stepped into the forest, his vision twisted as his nose ttened. His metal te crumbled like candy as his whole body got sted back with the force of a cannon, digging the ground as he rolled. The wizard looked back, "Fool," He then turned toward the forest, swinging his staff, "Oh, mighty dragon. I seek to protect thynd, a barrier to keep fools out." CLANG! He smacked the tip of his staff on the ground, and hundreds of stone spikes started emerging around the mountain. "We humans shall not disturb your rest," The adventurers started tending to the fighter as the wizard stared at them, "You saw what happened to him. Don''t be arrogant. No human can face a dragon head-on. Barging into his home or camp only means death," One of the rogues stared at the wizard, "I heard a dragon yer stopped by the castle. Shouldn''t we inform him?" "Was it the great mediator Alcott?" The wizard smiled, "If so, then the gods have smiled upon us," "Don''t know. They said it''s a tall muscr man with ck hair." The rogue replied, and the wizard giggled, "That must be him. The tides of fate are on our side," **** On top of the mountain, Arady on the bed with Ae sitting on his stomach. He gently turned his head and stared at the horizon, "Heed the words," He mumbled. Ae looked at him, "What is it?" "Adventurers tried toe and check this ce. I stopped them, and their wizard warned them not to anger me. He can sense my draconic presence." Ae smiled,ying on Arad''s chest, "Is that so?" She rubbed her hips on his hips, "Can we go for another round? They won''t disturb us, right?" "They won''t, and I will eat them if they did," Arad lifted his hands, grabbed Ae''s left breast in his palm, and pulled her toward him, his other hand squeezing her butt. Arad slowly lined himself up, pushing deeper into her with care. He doesn''t need to go deeper than she wants, only as much as she can handle. He stopped halfway of his potential, hugging her on the bed, "You okay?" "Yes, you can go deeper if you want," Ae gasped, wrapping her legs around him and pulling him deeper. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad giggled, "What, want another go?" Ae giggled with a red face, "I will let you go at it as well," she licked his chest, "Can you give me one more time? Please?" Arad smiled, pulling out of her, "Of course, no need for please," Arad sat her on the bed and pulled her legs up, "If want it, just tell me," He opened his mouth, giving her toes a lick. Ae''s face burned red. She wanted to pull her feet away but stopped herself. She''s an elf, and for all this time with Arad, she kept those thoughts sealed away since a dragon would never agree to them. But she was wrong. Arad isn''t a mere dragon. He is her husband, and what between them is between them. "Sorry," Ae looked away, and Arad smiled at her, "Don''t worry about it. When we''re in bed, forget about anything else and enjoy yourself." He patted her head and then lifted her in his arms, "My turn," Ae gasped, feeling him push at her entrance. This won''t be as gentle as thest time. Arad kissed her, "I can give it up," He stared into her eyes, "We can stop if you don''t want to do it." Ae closed her eyes and then stared at Arad''s face, "You already did what I wanted, go ahead, give me no mercy." Arad nodded, "I will stop if you tell me, so keep it in mind," Heid her on the bed and rested at her entrance. Ae stared down, sweating as her heart started pounding. It''sing. CLACK! In a single fast move, Arad jammed his entire length inside her, pushing her body back and causing her spine to twist. AGRAAAAAAA! Ae cried, feeling the pain shoot from her stomach to her head. Her hands gripped into the bed as she looked down, seeing a tiny bulge in her belly. He''s too big for her. Ae gasped for air, "What did you stop?" She looked at Arad''s face. "You look more in pain thanst time," He patted her forehead, "You''re sweaty as well, I can stop," Thud! Ae kicked Arad in the face, "Don''t stop," Her face pouting. Arad smiled, biting her foot, and moved it away from his face. "Fine," He started moving rapidly. Ae gasped for air, clearing her head as her hands clenched on the bed. Arad''s draconic body is tough and durable. That advantage doesn''te without a drawback. His sensitivity is far lower than humans. He can tell something is touching him, but not any more details than his whole tiny hard scales. The reason is the countless scales protecting his humanoid body. Ae stared at Arad''s face, barely holding her voice in. She sensed him slowly down, so she swung her legs, wrapping them around his hips, "Don''t slow down," She gasped, "I can take it, keep going," As Arad went back to moving as hard as he could, Ae thought, ^I better find a way to make him more sensitive, or my hips won''tst,^ As she thought of that, the image of Nina and Meryem shed in her head, ^Those two must have enough durability, why is that? High strength, I guess,^ "Your mind seemed out for a bit," Arad stopped moving, and looked at her face, worried. Ae shook her head, "I was just thinking, is it from the dragons'' nature to like it rough, or is it a fault of your human shapeshift? Can''t you disable the scales down there?" Arad looked down at himself, "I don''t know, probably a bit of both," He lifted Ae in his arms, shoving his flesh all the way inside her, "Until we discover that, you''re stuck with it," He smiled. Ae giggled, pushing him down on the bed, "I will move. Let me try," she took a deep breath and lowered her entire weight, forcing all of his flesh inside her. "See? I can take it, so don''t worry about me," She started humping up and down, ignoring the pain until started to feel numb. Chapter 381 Sorry, Didn’t Know This Was a Holy Place.

Chapter 381 Sorry, Didn''t Know This Was a Holy ce.

The sun started to rise, and Ae couldn''t lift herself from the bed. His hips were screaming in agony, numb from the inside and burning from the bones. "Are you okay?" Arad asked, helping her sit. Ae touched her hips, scratching them, "I''m as red as a tomato and as soft a tenderized piece of meat. I won''t say I''m fine as that would be a lie," She smiled, managing to stand up, "Nothing that a simple healing spell won''t help with," "You sure?" Arad stared at her, feeling guilty as that was certainly his fault. Ae stared at him with a smile, "I''m not fine, but this isn''t a problem," She walked toward his side, patting his shoulder. "Just be gentle with Mira next night. We don''t want you cracking the egg inside her." Arad nodded, "Sorry," "You don''t have to," Ae giggled, "I did half the moving, remember?" She giggled. Arad looked at her, "I will take your words then," He lifted his hand, and a gust of dark void consumed the bed and everything around it. He then stared at theke. What a beautiful ce. Didn''t have much time to explore it. They walked by thekeside, staring at the sun''s reflection on the water, and soon they found something buried under a mound of bushes and mold. "Something is there," Arad said, approaching the thing. He started pulling the vines away with his palm. Ae stood beside him and then started scoping the mold with her hands. After just a few seconds, a stone statue emerged. A naked with long ears and flowing hair, holding a sword as if dancing with it. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad lifted the statue and put it straight, staring at it''s eyes. "The moon maiden, the goddess of swordy, songs, and dance." Ae said, looking at Arad, "One of the dark elves goddesses, Elis." "So this was a ce of worship in the past?" Arad asked, looking around. Ae froze in ce and started sweating. She turned around and looked where the bed was, "We need to get out, now," "Fine," Arad grabbed Ae''s hand and attempted to teleport, but he couldn''t. His magic won''t work. A divine light emerged from the statue''s eyes, radiating power as theke trembled. [You Mortals dare defile my holynd?] A gentle voice boomed from the statue. Arad swung his fist at the statue, "Sorry," CLANG! His fist connected with the stature but didn''t harm it. "GAH!" Arad pulled his hand back. His fingers were broken. [You dare hit the statue of a goddess?] CLANG! Arad hit it with a second punch, breaking his fist again. [You do not learn, Mortal] "Speak for yourself. What are you?" Arad growled, but Ae grabbed his hand, "Calm down, listen to her." [She is right, I would have smitten you already if I so wished, but I''m in debt to thee.] The voice boomed again. Arad sighed, "I assume you are that goddess. Elis was your name?" [The aliased mortal kind use to address me, ursed one. Far few those who knew my name and lives to tell of it.] The voice seemed to drift away, and then rush closer, [You have restored my statue. Thus my power can once again reach my holynd. I shall forgive your transgression upon my sacred ground.] Arad looked at the statue and then at Ae, "You could have just remained silent if that was the case. I never heard of gods speaking directly to mortals, even when the whole world is in danger." Arad said with a smile, still trying his best to activate the void step and bolt it out. "Don''t poke her," Ae stared at Arad with a worried face. She knew the matter wasn''t simple when a god spoke, and any wrong word could kill them. [You speak of wisdom, ursed dragon. And you, spirit master of the wind. Fear not, as I came to you with a mission to reward your efforts in cleansing mynd.] "You reward work with more work?" Arad stared at her, "Is that how it works, or is this a hook?" Arad stared at the statue. [You speak like a devil, ursed dragon. But fear not, I do not hoard power like your kind,] the divine magic oozing from the statue seemed to smile. [Listen well, and obey. In the depths of the ground, amid the dark caverns of the forgotten kingdom, the daughter of the unholy shadow assassin of old, hunts. That abhorrent, ugly deformed lump of hatred and blood is none but an ursed child just like thee. Mortals have forsaken her, only seeing the monster ravaging their flesh, yet I have not.] Arad looked at the statue, "So you want me to kill her? Or help her kill?" [Neither. Help, save, and lift her curse. And I shall be thy advocate, in the hall of the gods.] Ae blinked twice, "What?" she poked Arad''s side, "She''s serious?" "You serious?" Arad looked at the statue, "And advocate, what''s that?" [Daughter if the spirits, you may speak to me directly. I do not hate your kind, as some tradition may entitle.] The statue vibrated. [Advocate. I shall speak in your favor to the gods, what they might grant you, that I don''t know. But I can at least promise that their power shall not kill you,] Arad sighed, "Vague promises, but I would at least try. Would be nice if I didn''t have to worry about a wild smite sending me under the dirt," [My the silver light guides thee.] The divine magic started fading from the statue. But then returned. [Almost forgot. You can do it again here, not like much of my worship remains. But I won''t refuse a dance, if possible...possible...possible...] The voice faded away. Arad stared around, "Was that truly a goddess? My guts telling me she''s a fraud." Ae looked at the statue, "This is indeed a statue of Elis, a dark elf goddess. I never heard her voice before. I don''t think any of her worshipers did for that matter. But that was a huge amount of divine magic." Ae recalled what she knew about the gods, "The rituals of worshipping her are a bit...well, weird." "She said something about a dance," Arad replied. "Her priestesses must be dark elves and ones skilled with the sword on top of that, preferably longswords. They dance with their de, naked under the moonlight. Their steps slowly take them over the water, and those who manage to dance over it without falling to theke, are favored." Ae exined. Arad nodded, "I see, dancing dark elves, but why?" He stared at her, confused. "Two words, de dance. The most powerful sword fighting style. It uses the momentum of each attack and moves the empower the next. Legends have it that if you master the skill, you can fight perpetually till the end of time without getting tired, and with each of your attacks being stronger than thest." Ae sat on the ground. "But, the skill is insanely hard andplicated. To the point where any extra weight on you would twist your understanding of it, it''s best to train naked they said." Ae sighed. Arad stood, "She''s getting no prayers here," He sighed, "I will look into the sword skillter, but for now, let''s head back and see what the others are up to," He smiled. Ae smiled, "Mind carrying me? Someone got a number on me," She stared at him with a smug face, tapping her hips. "Of course, of course." Arad smiled, kissing her on the forehead, and lifted her in his arms. "Let''s head back," Chapter 382 The Elementals’ Wizard I

Chapter 382 The Elementals'' Wizard I

As Arad and Ae teleported back to their room, the sun rose. Ae looked around, sensing that Kin''s barrier still stood, yet it had changed. "It''s mimicking my aura," Arad mumbled. "Good morning," Zephyr yawned in the back, sitting up with her hair as messy as thorned Bushes. "Would''ve been strange if you disappeared suddenly at midnight, so she''s covering up for you." Arad put Ae down and walked toward the bed, taking a seat and looking out the window, "You went shopping yesterday, so what shall we do today?" Arad looked at Ae with a smile. "I don''t know," She smiled, "First breakfast, and then would see if the others have any idea." "I have one! I have one," Zephyr flew toward Arad''s face, circting him. "What is it?" Arad asked. She has helped him discover something important. He should start listening to her more often. "There is someone I want to kill, care to help me out?" She stared at Arad with an innocent smile, as if she didn''t just say what she said. "Sirlon Jadfrey. A wizard that lives here in the city. He has built a tower with a magic shop on the lowest floor. We can find him in the middle of the city," Zephyr said with a smile, her face then twisted, "He used to send parties to hunt pixies and rip their wings apart. He needed their dust, tears, and blood for his magic experiments and alchemical potions. For that crime, he has to die." "I don''t think killing a mage like him without causing amotion is possible," Ae replied, "Can''t you just prove him guilty to the royal court?" "I hardly have any evidence tracing back to him except magic. Rare are the people who are sensitive enough to feel what I do," Zephyr is the wind spirit, a high spirit with insane magic coursing through her body. The wind tells her of every whisper, every breath, and every thread linking the killing of her people to the wizard. "Also there are several captive pixies in his tower. We have to save them. They did send me several calls of help," Zephry added, sitting on Arad''s shoulder, "So, what do you say?" "Of course, he''s as good as dead," Arad replied with a smile, "But..." He looked at Ae, "It''s best to leave them here. The more people we take, the more likely we''re to get caught," "Then, do you have a n?" Zephyr asked. Arad nodded, "Hold a second," He closed his eyes, and psionic energy radiated from his body. After just a moment, Arad smiled, "Done, I got us some help." "Help?" Ae stared at him, confused. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I asked brother Gojo if he can help, and he said he''sing with Vars." Arad smiled, "Apparently he scammed Vars of staff, and they did want to get back at him. I would also take Jack. I have a feeling he''s an expert on the matter," "How about Eris?" Ae stared at him, "I want you and her to remain here and protect Mira in case that underworld idiot attacks." "I see, but be careful," Ae smiled, and Arad stared at her, "After breakfast. I''m sure they won''t mind waiting," Arad then giggled, "Brother say he wille walking for once. We have time," "He''s listening?" Zephyr stared at Arad. "I just called him and didn''t cut off the link yet. I can hear him, and he can hear me," Arad smiled. "So it''s like a sending stone, but in your head." Ae scratched her chin, "We might need to buy some of them." Arad shook his head, "This wizard we''re going to have to have some stored. I will grab one or two, maybe the whole tower," *** After breakfast, Arad and Jack walked out of the castle and saw Gojo and Vars waiting in the shades, "Took you long enough," Gojo smiled, approaching Arad and throwing a gentle punch. Arad blocked the punch with one from him, ending in a slightly rough fistbump. "Good morning to you as well," Arad replied with a smile. Vars stared at Jack, "Nice eyes, those of one who doesn''t mind getting his hands dirty," Jack stared at Vars, "Yours are scary, the eyes of someone who sees life as nothing more than a currency. If I''m a criminal and a thief, you''re a serial killer," Vars smiled, "The nature of my job," He rubbed his face and smiled, "How about now? How do I look?" "An innocent elf initiate trying to learn magic. Naive and easily tricked," Jack replied with a growl, "Impressive disguise, even if it''s just expressions," "That should be enough to set a basic level of trust, won''t it?" Vars extended his hand to Jack, "We''re allies now. Can we work together?" Jack shook Vars''s hand, "I don''t mind, not that any of us is clean," He giggled. "Shall we go?" Gojo stared at them, "You seem to be friends already," "Onest question. Where is my sister?" Jack asked, "She was with you." "She''s gathering information, the reason we''re waiting." Gojo replied, "I wished to bring her with us, but sadly that isn''t possible," "I see. She has always been a harder worker," Jack smiled, "I might not have her skills, but I shall do my best." Vars stared at Jack, "Strange, she always said she isn''t as good as you. Calling you a genius of the craft, able to trap a whole castle in a day and trick the strongest of minds into falling to your tricks." Jack waved his hand, "I''m nothing close to her. Lucky is probably all I have," Arad stared at Jack. Lucky won''t cut it to be him. The fight against the incubus, the dragons, and all of the quick thinking he has. She might be right. Jack is a one-of-a-kind genius. "Have more confidence," Arad patted Jack''s shoulder, "You got us from a lot of sticky situations. You''re the best thief I''ve ever seen," Jack smiled, "That''s very convincing,ing from someone who only saw one thief, me." "I only needed you. That says something." Arad smiled, and Gojo giggled, "Brother is right. Be confident, and greedier, and you shall achieve what you want." Gojo turned to look forward, seeing the wizard''s tower standing in the distance, "That wizard is going to have a really bad day. We go in, bash his head in, take anything that seems useful, and then teleport away." "Don''t forget about the pixies. We have the save them." Arad cracked his fists. "Of course," Vars sighed, "Don''t tell me we''re going through the front door?" "We are," Jack replied, "At least give me a chance to see what the inside of the tower looks like," Gojo lifted his right hand and stared at his fingers, "I have a spell, animal shapeshift. I can turn us all into animals, bugs, or anything like that. I should be useful," "You''re a druid?" Jack stared at Gojo. "No, I''m a wizard, a monk, a knight, and an ice sorcerer. I think that came from my father''s side?" Gojo mumbled. "Wait? Over level 60?" Jack gasped. "Level 69, to be exact, nice isn''t it?" Chapter 383 The Elementals’ Wizard II

Chapter 383 The Elementals'' Wizard II

Therge metal doors of the capital''s wizard''s tower swung open, and a white-haired man stepped inside. The moment he sat foot inside, all the mages turned to stare at him, "Such raw mana," One of them gasped. "It''s screaming around him, twisting and twirling like an ice storm," He approached Gojo. "Are you perhaps a cryomancer? Or, dare I say, a sorcerer? White blood perhaps, or is it silver?" He stared at Gojo''s face, "Ah! Don''t tell me, an elemental, I''m sure of it." Gojo smiled, lifting his palm, "Close. I''m both a cryomancer and an ice elemental sorcerer." He conjured a rose of white ice. The wizard gasped, "Such fine control. It can''t be achieved without both the talent of sorcerers and the dedication of wizards. Which noble state do you hail from, bender of the cold magic," He waved his hand, bowing slightly and taking off hisrge, wizard hat. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Sadly, I''m an orphan adventurer. Give me more free time to work on my spells," Gojo smiled, waving his hand and releasing a trail of snow. "It saddens my heart to see another student of magic suffer the uncurable sickness of loneliness, but fear not. The mana never abandons us. Neither is the amused gaze of the goddess of magic." The wizard smiled, patting Gojo''s shoulder, "Trust in her, and you shall find happiness." Gojo giggled with a smile, "Sorry, but I''m notpletely alone. I do have my younger brother with me," He looked back. The wizard stared behind Gojo as arge man walked into the tower. The door seemed to barely contain the massive shadow, and the moment it stepped inside, a wave of dreaded magic rushed across the whole tower. The wizard backed away, sweating, "Curse, gravity, and psychic magic all mixed into one. I do sense a faint hint of vampire blood magic and lycanthropic curses. That isn''t all, fire and brimstones. I sense a draconic aura inside him," The wizard fell on his butt, crawling away. Gojo looked back, "Hey, brother. Keep your magic down. See? You scared them like chickens," He waved his hand, "You know that a scared chicken''s meat is tough andcks vor?" Arad closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "This is the best I can keep it down." Arad''s aura was well under control to hide from themon folks. But here, in this den filled with wizards and experts in magic, it only takes one of them to get lucky and notice it for the rest to start following his trail like bees after honey. It wasn''t Arad''s skill that was shabby, but Gojo''s ability to hide his magic from literal wizards that seemed like an otherwise shapeshifting. A dragon among humans is like a wolf among sheep, a fox among chickens. "Gojo, Arad, do we look like we have time?" Vars walked from behind them, "Stop ying with them. We have a deal to seal," The wizard stood up, brushing the dust off his robe, "Another wizard? What wild magic brought this upon us," He smiled, "Need anything?" Jack walked from the back, a smile on his face, "Sirlon Jadfrey, I want to buy a scroll from him." He then pointed at Gojo and Arad, "Brought them with me to make sure I''m not scammed. I know how easy that can be when you''re not expert in what you''re buying," The wizard nodded, "That''s right, but sadly Sirlon isn''t taking any meetings now." He shook his head, "He said that he would be staying at the top of the tower. Anyone who wants to meet him has to find a way to get all the way up to him." Gojo looked up, "How high is the tower?" "From the outside, it is a ten stories tower." The wizard smiled, "But from the inside, there are one thousand and one stories. Each of them is an intricate maze filled with summoned elementals." He giggled, "A marvelous of magic engineering achieved by the raw power of a ninth-tier spell. Cloud''s tower." "That''s a pain," Gojo sighed. "You can use the stairs, but you have to clear each maze to gain ess to the next stairs. Or engineer a teleport spell, but that is almost impossible with the violent magic of the tour interfering. Unless you''re a mage of Sir Sirlon''s caliber, getting to him isn''t worth the effort." Jack looked up at Gojo, "So instead of telling people to fuck off, he created a whole ass dungeon to make getting to him so annoying they would give up?" The two stared at each other, and then Jack stared at the wizard, "Are you all that insane?" Gojo scratched his head, "Typical wizard. They always make things moreplicated, and use massive amounts of magic to create something utterly useless." Gojo then stared at Vars, "Can you teleport us all the way up?" Vars shook his head, "The walls are extremely resistant to magic. It''s like a human trying to throw a softball through a wall. No matter how hard he tries, it''s just going to bounce back," "I can''t see a way to teleport as well," Arad sighed, squeezing his eyes to look through the wall''s magic, but it was as thick as a cloud. Gojo walked forward, "What am I going to do?" He looked at Arad, "You might not have been able to reach that man without me," He smiled. "You can get through that?" Arad stared at Gojo with a doubtful eye. "I won''t call it easy, but I can do it." Gojo smiled, closing his eyes. "It''s impossible to teleport all the way up, give up." The wizard said with a smile, "I will send a letter to Sirlon. You might get a reply within a year or two," "I''m not saying it''s possible to teleport all the way up," Gojo smiled, opening his eyes, and the wizard gasped, seeing the blue, pure mana dripping from Gojo''s eyes. Gojo extended his hands forward, pping them together. "If you can''t hammer it in one go, then do it over a thousand hits," The wizard lunged back, scared of the disgustingly huge amount of magic coursing across Gojo''s body. "I call upon the frozen wastnds of the hells, the mystic ciers of the heavens, and the coldnds of the mortal nes. Layers uponyers of ice, stacking sheets upon sheets to block a thousand steps." With Gojo''s words, the mana flew between his palms. Only Arad noticed it. Every word Gojo said was a mere act, covering the nature of his draconic magic. CRACKLE! Magic crackled between Gojo''s fingers as he opened his palms, a thousand magic circles made of ice sprouted like the pages of a book as they sparkled like the stars. ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! The scenery in front of Arad''s face changed one after the other. Once he saw a burning fire skeleton, and the next was a weird woman, arge golem, and then a transparent blob of goo. In the blink of an eye, a thousand images shed across his head. Thud! As theynded, Arad, Jack, and Vars fell on their back and only Gojo remained standing, "If I can''t teleport in one go, all I have to do is teleport a thousand times between theyers." He said with a smile, staring at the massive golden door in front of them. "He''s behind this door," Chapter 384 The Elementals’ Wizard III

Chapter 384 The Elementals'' Wizard III

Arad stood, and so did Jack and Vars, "That was hard to keep up with. How fast can you cast magic?" He asked. "He''s behind that door. This fight won''t be easy. Leave him to me and deal with the rest." Gojo replied with a smile, staring back with glowing blue eyes. "I''m the one who asked to do this," Arad growled, "You can''t take my kill," "You would be the kill if you fought him alone. He might not be as important as the mages of the mage tower, but he''s still a powerful caster." Gojo walked toward the massive door, kicking it open, "Hither! Hither! I''m here to see you wither!" He shouted with a smile, walking with his hands in his pocket. Inside therge room, a single man stood on the balcony wearing a red robe and holding a tinum staff in his hand. "Two void dragons, a necromancer, and a mundane rogue? What an unusualbination. What brought you to my domain?" "Isn''t it obvious?" Gojo smiled, "Your head, wizard." The wizard turned around, staring at Gojo with glowing blue eyes. The mana around him trembled, "May I ask why you seek my life? I doubt you have a morality use. Seeing you travel with a necromancer." Gojo looked back at Arad, "What reason?" "Killing pixies for their wings, dust, and tears. Got asked by a close friend to take you out for it," Arad replied, keeping Zephyr out of the question. "For those little things? I doubt whose life is worth more, a pixie or a human?" The wizard, Sirlon sighed. "Depends on the person in question," Gojo smiled, "Remember? We''re two dragons and a necromancer. What do you think?" Sirlon stared back at Jack, "You''re a human. I bet even a criminal scum would answer that question right." He smiled, "But s, I doubt much humanity will remain in someone possessing so many divine artifacts," He eyes Jack''s prosthetic arm and leg. "That leg and arm, and the one inside your body." He licked his lips, "Those are some rare strands of mana, forged from the raw chaos of creation and imbued with strands of the mother of all life''s hair." He giggled, "Where did you get those?" Jack blinked, "A janky old herbalist in an old shack," He replied, not believing a word the wizard said. Gojo walked forward, "There isn''t much use in talking. Can we get to killing each other?" He smiled. Sirlonughed, "You dare challenge a high wizard at the top of his tower. You have a death wish." Gojo smiled, "I''m taking on him. You deal with the others," His void deepened, and Sirlon smiled, "Come! Forces of nature." With the wizard''s booming words, the room expanded as far as the eyes could see, and several massive elementals showed up. A tornado of fire, a cloud of violent storms, a raging mound of dirt, and arge ball of water. BAM! Arad lunged forward, swinging his fist at Sirlon. "Didn''t your brother tell you to stay away?" Sirlon smiled, pointing his staff at Arad, [Disintegrate] A beam of concentrated green magic rushed at Arad faster than he could see. BAM! Arad froze in ce as Gojo extended his hand ahead of him, catching the beam in his palm and rolling it into a ball. "You aren''t a match for him at your current level and understanding of magic. Let me deal with him, take on the elemental as I told you," Gojo said, throwing the ball to the side. The ball disintegrated anything in its way into ash. If it had touched Arad, he would have turned to ash faster than what his vampiric regeneration could keep up with. Arad stared at the disintegrated ground, shocked. ^[Gojo is right. I can beat that wizard if you want to let me control your body, but now you can''t do anything against him.]^ Sirlonughed, his blond hair trailing with the wind caused by the swirling magic around his body. "I didn''t know that a disintegrate spell could be caught. Was it the void?" "We''re a magic dragon. The best ss for us is pure wizard. All we need is the patience to study and master its arts," Gojo smiled, lifting his palm, "Are you ready to die?" "Pure talent against pure dedication?" Sirlon smiled, pointing his staff at Gojo, "Thest question, how are two void dragons in the same ce?" "That is none of your business. You''re dying today," Gojo pointed at the wizard, mana charging at the tip of his finger. "Come on, at least let me know that before dying." Sirlon smiled. "Dead men can speak with a simple spell, and you aren''t really expecting to die. So I''m not sharing anything," Gojo disappeared, emerging behind Sirlon with a finger pointing at the back of his head. "Blow up," Sirlon smiled, a crystal ward covering his body as he spun around, pointing the tip of his staff at Gojo''s stomach. [Banishment] A wave of magic covered Gojo''s body, and Sirlon smiled, "See you in the hells," CLACK! Gojo grabbed the portal by the edges, and the wizard started sweating. He started bending it, and Sirlon took a step back. "Ice, cold freezes everything, and the void devours it," He smiled as the spell shattered, "You need more control to hit me with a spell," BAM! He punched Sirlon in the face, sending him flying. *** In the back, Arad swung his fist at therge earth elemental, sending it rolling back. "You''re strong and heavy but slow." SWOSH! The water and fire elementals rushed at Vars, but he remained still, tapping the ground with his hand, "Rise, Death knights!" From his shadow, two skeletons burning with unholy green me emerged. Full te armor covered their bodies as they swung two great swords at the elementals. "They are both immune to fire and have enough heat to evaporate water," Vars smiled, "Have a nice time dealing with them," On the other side, Jack pulled a tiny sack filled with flowers from his pocket, he threw it at the air elemental with a smile. "How do you hurt air?" He smiled, "Set it aze," Jack pointed his arm cannon forward and fired at the air Elemental, igniting its whole body. BAM! Arad extended his arm, sucking the whole earth elemental into his stomach and disintegrating it. He then looked at Gojo and the wizard leaping around, exchanging punches at a ridiculous speed. ^Doma, can you beat him?^ ^[With your body? With ease, I took full control. But I would need to get ruthless.]^ Arad smiled. ^I bet Zephyr counted on you being with me when she sent us on this mission. Let''s give it a try,^ Doma smiled, ^[Let''s do it, darling]^ Her voice faded into his head. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad''s eyes closed as countless ck scars filled his body, curse marks and magic circles created by Doma. Vars felt a shiver down his spine. Whatever Arad did, something horrific wasing out. ZON! Arad''s body disappeared. Sirlon dodged one of Gojo''s punches with a smile on his face, "You''re skilled, but I shall win," "No, you won''t, I''m just warming up." Gojo giggled, "Don''t start bragging when I didn''t even shift into a half-dragon form." Thud! Sirlon hit something as he backed away, feeling a hand clenched on his jewels. "Do you know what they call a man thatcks courage?" A voice came from behind Sirlon. CRACK! Sirlon howled as his jewelry was ripped off and thrown to the ground. As he fell on his face, bleeding he could see Arad walking between him and Gojo with a bloodied hand. "A curse that makes you terrified of me for the rest of your life as long as those who witnessed you losing them are still alive," Arad startedughing maniacally, "It''s always fun seeing that face on you wizards. How much do you fear us?" Sirlon could see it with a nce, not Arad, but the witchughing inside him. "I''m going to take your eyes, ears, and spleen and make cursed soup. No, I will use your leather to make a lethal poison and sell it for copper," Arad startedughing. "You cursed witch! How did you take over a dragon''s body?" Sirlon growled. Arad suddenly stoppedughing, ring at Sirlon with glowing pink eyes, "Oh,e on," Arad giggled with a shy smile, "He''s my husband. We share mind and body always," "Damned Hag," Sirlon stood, healing his body and ring at Arad, "I will rip you apart from his body for what you did." Arad smiled from ear to ear, "You asked earlier about morality. Who do you think is the most vile one here?" He stared at Sirlon, "Is it the necromancer delving into forbidden magic? Nah! Is it you, torturing the peaceful pixies? Nah!" He shook his head, pointing at Sirlon with one finger, "It''s me, the one who curses people into suffering for all eternity," Sirlon screamed in terror as the curse kicked in, falling to the ground and crawling into a ball crying like a baby. In his eyes, Arad has turned into the worst horror he had ever seen. Gojo stared at Arad, "As I said, it was a matter of knowledge. Arad doesn''t know enough about magic to counter it, but you can," He smiled. Arad put his hands on his hips, "Of course I do, kid. I''ve been studying curses longer than this Buffon has ever breathed air." He approached Sirlon and kicked him in the guts. "Let''s give him the happy end he deserves. He shall die with a smile." Arad pointed his finger at Sirlon''s terrified body. "Fear not, child. Die with a smile." Sirlon suddenly startedughing, andughing, andughing. His body twisted and covolted violently. [Death Laught] Arad smiled, "He willugh to death, a curse for those who seek happiness but don''t deserve it." Chapter 385 The Elementals’ Wizard IV

Chapter 385 The Elementals'' Wizard IV

Sirlonughed andughed, his lungs bleeding and his eyes turning red from the blood. Arad stared down at him with a smile, "What a surprise, you had one rigged up," Gojo''s eyes shed open. VAM! A concentrated st sent Arad''s body flying back at a blinding speed, bleeding from his mouth and ears. "This one!" Gojo growled, opening his palm and pointing at Sirlon, "What did you do?" A blue ball of magic emerged in his palm, exploding into a massive st. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om SWOSH! Sirlon''s body flew away, stillughing, but his skin had turned red, magic flowing with his blood as elemental energy started swirling around his body. "What is going on?" Jack rushed forward, "That doesn''t seem good," SWOSH! He slid behind Sirlon, pulling arge web of his metallic wires. "Ge away from him!" Gojo shouted, trying to pull Jack away. Jack smiled, "Getting a hit in," He pulled Sirlon''s body down, stabbing his back with his dagger. "Got a load of wyvern poison. How do you like your organs getting digested while you''re alive?" Sirlon''s body fell to the ground, seizing and convoluting as his organs melted. The routs of mana inside his body leaked and caused his magic to start going out of control. Gojo stared at Jack, smiling, "Where was you hiding that?" "Wyvern posion? The alchemist guild said they had none," Vars red at Jack, "Did you buy it all?" Jack shook his head, "Come on? I didn''t. That''s too much money to pay," He smiled, "I robbed their whole stock and stashed it in Arad''s stomach," Wyverns are also called lesser dragons. They only have two legs and wings like birds but with no feathers. Their neck is long and ends in a crocodile-like head. They sting their food with their scorpion-like tail, using their powerful poison to digest their prey from the inside out and then slurp the juices. Wyvern''s poison is the third strongest poison known. The second rank belongs to the purple worm''s poison, and the first is the green dragons, which have the most lethal poison in the world. CLACK! Sirlon''s magic returned, and everyone stared at him. ^[Arad, I will control the magic. You can fight him physically.]^ Doma said, and Arad smiled, standing up and cracking his shoulders. "I like this," Gojo turned around, staring at Arad with a grin, "Look at you, working together," Arad pulled the adamantine sword he got from Alcott from his stomach, and three orbs ofpressed blue magic appeared around his head. "I''m going to slice him apart," "[And I will grill him,]" Gojo looked at the orbs around Arad''s head. Doma was using the void inside the air particles to crush them and release all the energy stored within. Bncing three wasn''t something easy, not a thing that can be achieved in a decade. She must have spent decades over decades studying magic, and void magic alike for her to be able to show this kind of control. BAM! Arad lunged forward, and Gojo went with him, "Let''s stop this wizard before he blows up," Gojo waved his hand, Freezing Sirlon''s body. "Doma says he isn''t about to explode, he''s trying to merge with an elemental, but she can''t tell which one as it hasn''t manifested yet." "Destroy the brain. He seems to have a certain level of tolerance to poison. We can''t count on that," Gojo shouted as he saw Arad slice Sirlon across the torso, and the three orbs of light burning the body. BAM! Sirlon''s body got reconnected and healed. "Be careful around the wizard. They can get insane if you push them too much." Arad shouted back, "We did push this one," He stared at Sirlon''s body, remembering thest wizard he fought. Thud! Gojo lunged forward, touching Sirlon, "Annoying wizard. Die," ZON! In the blink of an eye, his void disintegrated the wizard''s body. "This is bad," Gojo sighed, seeing the body reform from thin air, "We can''t destroy him with normal means. It must be a contract that binds the soul to something powerful," "I can confirm that," Vars shouted from the back, "His soul is tied to something material. It must be hidden in this tower, but tracking it is futile," "Why?" Gojo stared back. "I''m trying to find it since he didn''t die the first time, but I can''t seem to get a hold of it," Vars replied, his eyes shing green. "Let''s pulverize him!" Arad shouted, lunging in and punching Sirlon in the face. Gojo smiled and did the same, "He might not regenerate as minced meat," BAM! CLACK! Arad punches Sirlon in the face, and Gojo punches him in the guts. Doma uses Arad''s gravity magic to spin the poor wizard, draining his blood out as Jack fires a crossbow bolt drenched in wyvern poison. As Sirlon stopped spinning, Arad grabbed him by the leg and swung him at Gojo, who kicked him in the face and grabbed him by the neck, throwing him back to Arad. Arad clenched his hands together and smashed the wizard down, only for Gojo to kick him across the room like a ball. ZON! Arad pped his hands teleporting to where Sirlon''s body hit the wall, and pointed at him. Doma burned the corps with a st of fire, and Arad grabbed the burning body and ripped it in half, throwing the parts back to Gojo. Gojo smiled, catching the two halves and smashing them together, then throwing a barrage of punches at the torso as he stomped the legs, finally throwing them back to Arad. Doma smiled. [Temporary curse: Force] Arad felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Something inside him shifted. Doma damaged his body and exchanged that for an increase in his physical power. This curse can be cured by a simple healing spell, but right now, it''s a buff. Arad took a deep breath, filling his lungs with air, and then shouted as loud as he could. ROAR! His voice boomed, sending a shockwave that sted the body back to Gojo. Thud! Arad lunged forward, chasing Sirlon''s body as it flew toward Gojo. They must keep him crushed until Vars finds his soul. Suddenly, Sirlon''s mouth opened, and a dreadful feeling filled the room. Arad could sense a chill running down his spine, and Gojo lifted his arms to protect himself. [Hades''s Soul Sinder] Those words came from Sirlon''s mouth as if he wasn''t the one to speak them. A rumbling shook the ce as a wave of magic rushed toward Gojo. His life shed in front of his eyes. DING! Sirlon opened his eyes in a whiteb, looking at the back of a redhead halfling, standing on a wooden chair as she mixed alchemical ingredients. He was confused, but could neither move nor speak. "I said, nothing above level twelve spells. I don''t care if you spend five centuries creating it. I won''t let it be used." The halfling said, and Sirlon opened his eyes between Arad and Gojo. Gojo had his arms blown off. But he stood with a passive face, staring down at Sirlon. "Your spell failed at thest moment," "The hell was that?" Arad gasped, still unable toprehend the magic lingering in the air. Silon couldn''t move or feel anything. In fact, something seemed off. He wasn''t breathing, and his eyes couldn''t move. His field of vision slowly turned dark as he screamed internally, calling for help, but none came. Gojo sighed, "The magic in his eyes faded. He''s dead for good," Looking at the mangled blood mess on the ground, a smashed body with the eyes resting on the pile of gore. Chapter 386 Getting Out Of The Tower

Chapter 386 Getting Out Of The Tower

Thud! Gojo, Arad, Jack, and Vars emerged back on the first floor of the wizard''s tower as if nothing happened. "What? You''re already back?" The wizard that greeted them at the start approached with a confused face, "Did you meet sir Sirlon?" Gojo smiled, "Yeah, we did," He looked at Arad, "If you only saw the look on his face when we walked into his office," "I bet he was surprised if you made it to him in a few minutes." The wizard smiled, "I won''t ask what you wanted, but was it a sessful deal?" Vars stared at the wizard with a gentle smile, "It was, albeit I think he ripped us off with a high price..." "Typical sir Sirlon," The wizard scratched his head, "A bad trade is only on you," He looked at Vars, "Let''s hope next time you get a nicer oue," "A deal is a deal," Jack stretched his arms, "Let''s head back," "Onest thing," The wizard approached Gojo, "Did Sir Sirlon say anything about the tower, or when he wille down?" Arad stepped forward, "He said he woulde down after summoning a powerful elemental. Right now he''s testing," The wizard eyes lit up, "I knew it! Sir Sirlon was working on a powerful summoning spell. I only hope he doesn''t summon his death as Simon did." "Simon?" Arad looked at the wizard. "In short, Simon summoned a subus and ended up being sucked to death. A waste of talent," He sighed. Gojo turned around, "That''s what you get," He looked back at the wizard, "Cubus is dangerous, kill on sight. Summoning one doesn''t make sense." The wizard shook his head, "Simon tried to summon a handmaiden of Gracie. A subus that was born and raised in the mother of all life''s kingdom." "What''s that?" Arad remained confused, but Doma exined briefly in his head. It''s a kingdom in the abyss ruled by the goddess of Cubus, love, lust, shadows, the mother of all life. It''s only inhabited by subus, virgon subus, and nothing else. Doma can only imagine how bad it would end for a wizard who pulled a starving subus from there. Arad shook his head, "Had iting. A starving subus isn''t something to mess with." The wizard stared at Arad, confused, "You know that? Simon spent decades digging in ancient records. He even dared to steal a book written by the ursed witch Doma. Which cursed him to always be thirsty, hungry, and infertile." Arad stopped, wanting to look away, ^Doma. That was your book,^ ^[Everything I wrote had multiple curses. Simply because I had a habit of doodling on the side of the papers. The book should have burned after cursing him.]^ ^Don''t start making cursed objects just for fun,^ ^[I admit it was fun, but the book was important. What kind of witches can''t make decent love potions? I''m the one who invented the fake tears of Gracie. It might not match the original one, but it''s still quite potent. And you don''t need to get it from a goddess.]^ ^So you made that one...^ Arad remembered the potion Ae got on their first night. That thing was an invention of Doma. *** Gojo walked out of the tower, and everyone followed him. They don''t need to linger anymore. It could take months for anyone else to reach Sirlon''s floor. It could be years before they discover he''s dead, and then, they can only me it on a failed summon. He then looked at Arad, "Well, they won''t be finding anything since you have him." Arad nodded. He took the corpse, and they cleaned the whole floor, erasing everything possible evidence, and then scrambled the ce. Sirlon disappeared without a trace. "I will give him to Zephyr," Arad smiled, "He was a bigger threat than expected. She better have something more than thanks for me," Gojo grabbed Arad by the arm and pulled him away, "Listen, brother. I don''t suggest you get intimate with a pixie, especially the wind spirit. Those little bastards feed off mana. She would drain in no time." "I''m not doing that. And she can''t drain me," Arad whispered back. "I don''t have first-hand experience with them, but I heard a lot from other people." Gojo whispered, staring back at Vars, "Stay away from subus, Nymphs, and pixies. Anything else shouldn''t pose a problem for a dragon," "They are that bad?" "Subus drains your life force. That''s your HP in the system. Nymphs drain stamina, and Pixies drain mana." Gojo stood and sighed, "I don''t want Jack or Ae toe calling, telling me you''re dead with a tiny pixie in bed." Arad shook his head, "That won''t happen, not in a million years." "I would trust you in that." Gojo smiled, "But, if she''s willing to give you an extra reward, as for her dust or tears. They are pricy," "How much?" Arad asked. "A gram of a regr pixie''s dust already sells for over twenty gold coins. And the tears are ten gold coins per drop." Gojo looked at Arad, "If theye from the wind spirit, those prices are going to shoot up into the tinum if not more with the right buyer." Arad nodded with a smile. He has a little gold mind flying around his room. *** Arad returned back to the castle, and the guards stared at him, "Sir Arad, right?" Arad stopped and turned toward the guards, "Yes, need anything?" The two guards stared at each other, "Well...The truth is...we wanted to ask how do you train," One of them said. "Yeah, we always wanted to know how could someone reach such power." The other nodded. Arad scratched his chin, thinking of what he did differently. "I eat a lot of meat, train on any skill I find whether it be magic or martial, I do find monsters regrly..." His eyes shed, "Right, it must be that," "All of those are valid, what else could it be?" One of the guards stared at Arad. "Women, sleep with as much as you can. The more the better." Arad said with a smile, "Then, I need to get back," He walked past the guards, leaving them pondering on what he said. CLICK! Arad opened the door to Ae''s room, walking inside only to see her sitting on her desk, cleaning her bow. "Doing maintenance?" Arad asked with a smile. "Yes, I don''t want to trouble Mira each time," Ae replied. BUZZZ! Zephyr lunged from Ae''s head toward Arad, "Did you kill him?" She floated in front of his face. Arad opened his mouth and attempted to bite her. CLACK! As his jaw clenched, Zephyr dodged with a grin on her face. "I''m quick, I''m nimble, I''m the wind," "Come here, I want to send you to him in my stomach," Arad smiled, "But seriously, I can''t pull him here, he''s a mess of blood and guts." Zephyr stared at Arad with a smile, "I hope it wasn''t much of a problem," She stared closely at his face, "And, did you find any pixies?" Arad shook his head, "Sadly, all dead." He pulled a closed box from his stomach. "More than I can count," "Damn it," Zephyr growled, "That sick bastard, at least it''s over now." She touched the box and a gust of wind rushed from her wings. "You can take the box. I sent the corpses to their families with a bit of my magic as an exnation." Arad opened the box and found it empty, all the dead pixies were sent away. He sucked the box back into his stomach and then looked at Zephyr. "Then, that wizard was more trouble than we expected... do you have any decent reward for the kill?" Zephry scratched her chin, "A reward...something that no one got..." She smiled, "I have one, but you aren''t an elf. So you won''t like it," "Brother said your dust and tears are pricy, you can pay me with those," Arad suggested. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "That might do it, but I want to give you something else." She smiled, "Something far more... appropriate." Chapter 387 King and Cheese.

Chapter 387 King and Cheese.

Zephyr floated across the room, staring at Arad, "I have three things in mind. I''m sure you will refuse two and ept one." Arad pulled a chair and sat down, "What are they?" Zephyr smiled, "Well if you were an elf, I would have suggested licking my toes as a reward." She shook her head, "But that trick only works on them," Arad instantly thought of Vars and Grant, the monk. Those two would definitely take it as a reward without a question. "Of course, I won''t. What else do you have?" Zephyr giggled, sitting on Arad''s head and bending to stare at his eyes, "I can help hasten the nymph''s manifestation. I''m sure she would love to hand around you as long as you allow her," Arad nodded, "Having another powerful ally, that''s quite enticing..." He lifted his hand and squeezed Zephyr, "A nymph would suck my stamina dry. Are you trying to kill me?" He growled. Zephyr cried, trying to escape his grasp. "Sorry! Sorry! I was joking, I''m joking!" She struggled, and Arad released her. She panted, staring at him. "You never take a joke, do you?" "I take a lot of jokes," Arad replied, "You have something decent in mind, do you?" "The contract I have with Ae. It entitles me to one minute of vacation each month. I will grant you control over one." Zephyr said with a proud smile, puffing her chest. "And what can you do," Arad stared at her, "One minute isn''t that long, and you don''t seem to have any noticeable power." Zephyr red at Arad. "Ae is the bottleneck of my power, but in that minute I can use your mana. I bet I would be able to spam magic at full power." "And what can you do at full power? st people away?" Arad stared at her, doubtful at the effectiveness of her power. Zephyr smiled, "Well, I''m the wind spirit. How powerful do you think I truly am?" Arad stared at the small pixie, assessing her power and the density of her magic. "You can throw a house away with violent wind," He said with a confident smile. "I can throw a house, but my powers are far beyond that," Zephyr smiled, "I can lift this whole city and throw it all the way to Alina with arge enough tornado," She lifted her hand, "Of course, Ick mana now," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad''s face turned serious again, "Then you''re saying I can ask you to conjure a tornado once a month?" "I rather not do it each month. It isn''t easy, you know." Zephyr shook her head. She didn''t want to exhaust herself. "The casualties would be too massive to do it often." She then floated back to Ae, sitting on her head, "But, if she were toe to harm. I''m erasing everything around her," "Nobody is going to harm her while I''m around," Arad smiled, "Then it''s a deal. Now I got myself a curse teacher and a one-in-a-month tornado. What else do I need?" Zephyr flew to Arad''s face and stared into his eyes, "What else do you need," She scratched her chin, "Probably something to eat. Shall we go to the dining hall?" Arad giggled, "That''s just you," He turned as Ae stood to follow him, "Let''s eat something," *** Several minutester, the maids were hustling in the kitchen trying to make lunch. One rushing to bring the meat and the other watching over therge pots. The alcohol expert sampling the bottles heading to the king''s table stood at the back. And more servants rushed on every corner. Alica Dormwick, a humble maid carried an empty basket and rushed to the store room to bring the fresh vegetables. They have set the usual portion of food, but there are some guests at the castle, and they have arge man who eats a lot. She stood at the storage room door panting. She''ste. Her hand slowly gripped the handle, stopping as something tingled in her ears. She could hear it, a faint crunching sound from the inside. Alica put the basket down and walked back. She grabbed the nearest broom and approached the door with a worried face. "This sound, it must be a rat." She gulped down, grabbing the door handle with her trumbling hand. ZIIIII! The door cried as she slowly looked into the dark, looking for the sound source. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! It was as clear as day, on the other side of the door beside her. She rapidly turned around, swinging her broom down and hitting something. OW! A voice cried, and she slowly opened her eyes. There in the dark, she could see her broom resting on an old man''s face. In that corner, Arad, King Baltos, Ae, and Zephyr sat. Munching on what they found stored in there. "What are you doing?" King Baltos cried, putting the cheese slice in his left hand and the bread in his right on the table. Arad looked up, munching on a dry-aged cow leg while Ae had an apple in one hand and arge carrot in the other, her nose pinched with a clothes peg. Zephyr sat on a rack, scooping honey with her arm from a jar. The maid stared at the king. Confused, "What are you doing here? Didn''t Kin tell you not to?" She sighed. "Kin won''t keep me away from my snacks," The king growled, "I''m old and don''t have many years left, so I will live them as I want," He stood, munching on the cheese slice. The maid stared at the king, and Arad could sense it. She wasn''t afraid, but exhausted. This isn''t the first time they found the king snacking alone in the dark storage room. "Just ask us, and we will bring you food," Alica sighed, "In fact, we sent you snacks just half an hour ago, didn''t we?" The king red at the maid, "Alica, I asked for cheese and bread, nothing more. Nothing less. You maids sent me a tiny blueberry cheese that won''t fill a rat, and that fancy bread with weird seeds in it. How many times have I told you that isn''t something I like," "The chef spent an hour preparing it," Alica sighed, and the king scratched his beard, "Then I have to kick that chef out. He made me wait an hour while I merely asked for cheese and bread. Look I got it myself in less than a minute." Alica scratched her head, not knowing how to deal with this king. He might keep the demeanor of a noble, but he''s fed up with almost everything. CRACK! As Alica pondered, she spotted Arad behind the king, biting the cow leg in half, munching the bone, and swallowing everything. The faint hair on her back stood, and she froze in ce. That wasn''t something a human jaw could achieve. "Alica, are you listening?" Baltos waved his hand in front of her face, "I''m taking the cheese wheel with me," Alica was stunned, staring at Arad eat. The room was slightly dark, so she rubbed her eyes. Maybe he was holding something besides a cow''s leg. No, Arad definitely was eating a whole cow leg, bones and everything. "What is going on?" Kin walked through the door with Mira beside her. They stared at the mess. "Baltos?" Kin sighed. "Arad?" Mira smiled. "Want some?" Arad extended the cow leg toward Mira, but she pushed it away with her hands, "Sorry, it isn''t cooked so I can''t eat it." "Kin! Tell her, or are you with them?" Baltos growled, and Kin approached him. "I''m with the maids. A king should act like a king." She stared at Alica, "Give him what he wants but in his room and make sure his healer approves it." She then approached Arad, "You follow me." Arad stood, staring at Kin, "Why?" "You haven''t eaten in a while, have you?" She looked at Arad, "We''re going to the basement. I will give you something to eat." Alica stared at Kin, confused, "The basement? Why?" "Take care of Baltos," Kin red at her, and Alica bowed. Kin wasn''t just their headmaid, but the first queen. She can''t afford to offend her and keep her job here. Alica stared at Baltos and bowed down, "Sorry for my actions earlier," Baltosughed, "Don''t mind it, don''t mind it," He smiled, "Just send me my cheese," Alica smiled. As a king, Baltos had ruled the kingdom since he was fifteen years old, conquered the orcs, and defeated the redcap pirates of the Dead Sea. But those countless adventures and expeditions have molded him into a troublemaker. Baltos was used to sneaking out of the castle to drink, and eat, and there was a time when he was missing for a whole week. Only for him to return having yed a horde of bandits that captured him when he was out. Baltos took the cheese wheel with him and strolled out as Alica followed him silently. He can rule with an iron hand if he wants. But he doesn''t. Alica smiled. They should be thankful he isn''t a tyrant but just an old man trying to enjoy his life. Chapter 388 The Divination Dragon

Chapter 388 The Divination Dragon

Arad followed Kin through the castle halls. With each step, the walls changed. From exquisite marble to golden brown wood and then to pale gray stones with a musty smell in the air. Arad looked around, his eyes stopping at Kin''s back, "You have air beneath the castle?" Kin looked back with a smile, "I do. My sister has one as well." She giggled, "We are living here, aren''t we?" Arad nodded, "Two dragons living beneath the city. Even if someone attacked the city, they would be in for a nasty surprise." "Suprise?" She smiled, looking at Arad with a giggle, "There isn''t a need for me and my sister to fight. We aren''t the only dragons around here." "There are more?" Arad closed his eyes, sending his psychic energy across the whole castle and out to the city. He couldn''t find any other dragon. "An ancient bronze dragon is living in the city as a beggar, a copper one working as a clown, and two silver ones working as healers. You would be hard-pressed to invade the capital without them raising hell," Kin giggled, "Especially the bronze one, she has a nasty habit of throwing evil people and those who don''t give her coins when she begs into uninhabited inds to let them die slowly." "You serious?" Arad gasped staring at her, "Just for that?" "Yes, just for that." She smiled, "Last week she was kidnapped by a band of bandits to be sold as a ve. She freed everyone and threw the bandits on an isted ind. They are shouting for help in the sea now," "You metallic are weird," Arad sighed. "We''re better than the chromatic," Kin stared back at Arad, "We aren''t living isted in the forests and mountains and demanding sacrifices or stealing from travelers." Kin reached the stairs leading down to the basement, "This is the way. Stay close to me so the magic doesn''t reject you," Kin walked down the stairs and opened the old wooden door. It cried as its hinges were barely oiled, "Follow me," Kin said walking inside, but soon stopped as she saw Arad standing by the door. "What are you doing?" She asked. Arad reached into his stomach and pulled a bottle of oil, "Oil your hinges. I''m sure Mira would be raging if she saw this," He poured some at the door hinges and then swung the door to make sure it was silent. "Good," He smiled. "You obsessed with repairs? I don''t know much about magic dragons'' habits." Kin stared at him. Arad shook his head, "I do know as much as you do, nothing," He smiled, "I might have picked this from Mira as I said before." Kin smiled, "Well then, I have something big for you to eat, so follow me," As they walked inside, Arad could smell something sweet and fishy. "What is this?" He asked, staring into the darkness with a smile. Kin lifted her hand, conjuring a ball of light and sending it toward the cavern ceiling. In the middle of the stone chamber, Arad saw arge creature dead on the floor. A massive whale, fresh out of the sea. "How did you get that here?" He smiled. Kin pointed with her finger, "On the other side of the cavern there is an undergroundke that leads directly to the sea. I usually swim out to hunt from there," Arad lunged forward, transforming into his draconic form andnding beside the whale. Kin gasped, seeing howrge Arad was, a bit bigger than half of her. That wasn''t the size of a young dragon, but that of a young adult. "Are you sure you''re only a young dragon?" Arad turned his head. Staring at her, "I''m sure. I only hatched a few months ago, after all," Kin started sweating as she watched Arad devour the whale. ^This one might be a problem, growing so fast,^ She thought, ring at Arad, ^Is it safer to kill him here before he bes a threat?^ She pondered for a second before pushing the thought out of her head. ^No, using magic makes more sense,^ she smiled, closing her eyes as strands of white magic rushed from her hair. [Divination] She closed her eyes, looking into the possible future. ^What if I killed him here and now?^ Kin''s eyes shed open with a bright white light. She could see it, fragments in a future where she killed the dragon ahead of her. She froze in ce, seeing the capital flung across the sky by a violent tornado, arge void dragon chasing and erasing it with his breath. She and Giny dead, their draconic bodies gored and ripped apart by that dragon. In the distant east, millions of titanic ants emerged from the ground, devouring Alina and marching forward, blindly eating and trampling everything in their path. After days, the dragon and the storms ceased and calmed, but the ants didn''t. They devoured the whole kingdom and spread across the world, pushing everything to extinction. The gods didn''t have a void in that future. They abandoned this world. GAH! Kin gasped, sitting on the ground. ^So much hangs on him. How?^ She stared at Arad, confused. How could the death of a single dragon signal the end of the world? Arad looked back at her, "You okay? Your face turned pale." Kin stood, shaking her face, "Nothing. Do you need a second one?" Arad stared at the half-eaten whale, "You have another?" Kin smiled, "No, I will catch one," She expanded her wings and flew into the dark cavern. Arad kept eating, he sensed her using magic, but since it wasn''t directed at him, he didn''t care what she did. Kin flew across the darkness and shifted to her full draconic form. SPLASH! Plunging into theke and swimming toward the sea, she thought about what her divination magic told her. ^That dragon, a void one like Arad, but he seemed much older. Most likely a sibling that hid in the city. I''m his first victim after I kill Arad. He killed me only one minute after Arad''s death. Sister Gin rushed to help. But she was gored and half-eaten alive.^ Kin growled, ^The wind spirit living with that elf felt Arad''s death and went into a mad rage. She first ripped the maids serving them lunch and then flew out of the castle, summoning a massive tornado to rip the capital apart. Her wind was strong enough to rip the castle and city from its roots and flung it above the clouds. Even if me and sister were there to fight her, we would have died in seconds,^ The rage of a spirit wasn''t something to scuff at. They are forces of nature of terrifying might. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "What about the ants? Those titanic beings weren''t normal," Kin growled, quickly noticing, that those ants had draconic scales, ck and dripping with Arad''s void. "Don''t tell me," She red back, "What kid mated with a giant ant queen? What kinds of horror did he unleash?" Kin sighed, scratching her head, "This is the future that I managed to kill Arad in. How about the one I fight him, I want to see if I can even beat him," She closed her eyes as she swam across the water. A dragon of her age can''t help but n ahead for anything. That is why she became a divination wizard. Kin smiled, seeing herself striking Arad down, his bleeding body crashing onto the ground. Shends, and a pink spot emerges from his corpse. A humanoid woman looks like a pink-haired elf and res at her with a smile. "You''re watching through divination, maid," Kin''s face paled as she heard those words. The pink-haired elf she sees through divination magic spoke to her. ^Wait, this isn''t a real future. How is she even speaking? She can''t be real.^ Divination magic only gives an estimate of the future. Whatever shows, it''s an illusion conjured by theplicated spells trying to predict it based on everything around the caster. The pink-haired witch in the divination futureughed, "Your magic isn''t failing. I''m talking to you. Kin who swims across the sea." Kin stopped swimming, there was no mistake, this thing was speaking to her, aware of its nature as a mere prediction of the future. "Who are you?" Doma smiled, "A Divine the likes of you should be begging to learn from," She lifted her hand, clenching it. CRACK! Kin''s horn twisted and snapped violently as her screams shook the water. Domaughed, "Next time you look into my or Arad''s future, I''m making you eat your sister alive in the city za." Doma''sughter faded as Kin''s divination magic slowly dissolved. She sank to the bottom of the sea, feeling a hand clenched on her heart. A curse was ced upon her. *** Several minutester, Kin returned to Arad with another whale. Arad stared at her, noticing she was missing a horn. "What happened?" He gasped. Something must have gone horribly wrong if a dragon like her got injured. "It''s nothing important," Kin shook her head, "I hit it on a sold rock, that''s all," She sucked her horns back to her body, taking the shape of a normal human maid again. Kin walked past Arad but felt the hand clenching on her heart and organs, fondling them like toys. ^[You''re walking past me without an apology? Should I curse your sister as well?]^ Doma giggled, her voice only reaching Kin. Kin froze in ce, ^Sorry, won''t happen again,^ ^[Hehe...]^ Doma giggled in Kin''s head, ^[Just so you know. Arad is my dear, darling, loving husband. Lay as much as a talon on him, and I will curse you and the whole world to oblivion.]^ It was then that Kin understood why the gods abandoned the world in her first premonition. This witch must have cursed the whole world, spiraling it out of the god''s favor. Just, what is she? Chapter 389 Dawn of Cinder

Chapter 389 Dawn of Cinder

Back in Alina, inside Arad''s house, a woman walked out of the basement door, stretching her arm. "Meryem, did you finish?" Tina stared down at the tall woman, "They aren''t hungry, are they?" Merym smiled, stretching their arm and scratching two horns. She walked forward but hit them on the door''s frame. She was almost asrge as Arad standing at more than two meters tall, and her horns pushed that even further to almost two meters and a half. Her brown skin faded into the wooden walls, sharing the same color. "They are full. I only gave them a little treat." She looked at Tina, "They can hunt for themselves, and the underground is filled with vicious monsters," She looked back at the basement door. "Even I didn''t expect them to grow so fact. I would have held back a little on the eggs," Meryem sighed. "How much was it?" Tina looked behind Meryem. "I''m an ant so... I didy over five hundred eggs a day. But I didn''t expect that Arad bing a young dragon would affect the dungeon this much." She sighed. Since Arad evolved, she has beenying hundreds of eggs a day, all of them hatch ten dayster. Meryem sighed, out of all things, Arad rejected her because she was too good. She can remember him sighing and saying that if he did it with her the hundreds of eggs turned to be void dragons. They would suck her mana dry and kill her before shey them. She is strong enough to be recognized by Arad, but still weak to the point she can''t bear his children without a significant risk. In her depression, Meryem retreated to her nest and startedying eggs as she did before, and even managed one thousand eggs a day. To her surprise, when the ants hatched they were massive and had draconic scales like Arad. Even since Arad concurred with the dungeon, he became the boss, so the monster had to evolve to resemble him, giving the whole ce a single theme. Void-touched monsters and the boss is a void dragon. It just makes sense. Tina smiled, "How much are they?" "Over fifty thousand, and I''m still pumping more. Probably if I built arge enough colony I will evolve again and hopefully have enough magic to bear one hundred of Arad''s eggs," She smiled, her eyes flickering like stars. "I heard ant colonies can get into millions. Is it the same for you?" Tina and Meryem walked into the living room. Meryem shook her head, "I don''t know. The only limitation I see is space and food. The first is taken care of by Loci. She said the more ants the better for her health, so the only issue is making sure their bellies are full," Tina scratched her head, "I heard some ants love eating mushrooms. Did you try that?" "That''s why I sent them hunting underground. Merlin told me that some ants farm mushrooms, and she showed me where they can be found." Meryem dropped herself on the couch, "They are on an expedition for food," KNOCK! KNOCK! Tina approached the door, "Who is it?" "Me," Nina called from behind the door, and Tina opened it, "You''re early," "Other took my ce for now," Nina walked in with a smile, taking her sandals and sitting beside Meryem. How are they?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Under control, you don''t have to worry," Meryem replied, "Still think they are a danger?" "When the food runs out, they willsh out," Nina said with a passive face. "My children will starve to death before disobeying my orders. We''re still searching underground for the mushrooms Merlin mentioned." Nina smiled, "I never thought the day where I speak peacefully with a monster woulde, not one with the potential to invade a whole kingdom." "If this weren''t Arad''s dungeon, you would have reported it, and several S-ranks would being to eliminate us," Meryem replied smiling. "You''re already above an average s-rank monster, and those children of yours are of the same ss. Having thousands of them is terrifying, to say the least." Meryem giggled, "You left us to fester and now are stuck with thousands of monsters ready to topple the city," Nina shook her head, "Not at All. You could crush the whole kingdom. But, we rather have you on our side. That''s why I''m here." "Is that so?" Meryem stared at Nina with a teasing smile, "From your smell, I say you came here to kill us all," Nina smiled and stared at Meryem''s eyes, "You seem to need another beating. You know you can''t beat me," As the two were about to start fighting, Tina grabbed them by the heads, "Arad said no fighting over Loci''s back," The two looked at each other and then at Tina''s terrifying smile, "Fine," Nina sighed and stood, "All is well it seems," She cracked her neck and looked at Tina, "Leaving this ant aside, how is your training going?" Tina looked away, "Pretty bad..." "Really," Nina looked at her with a disappointed face. "She started crying halfway, too much for her to handle," Meryem said in the back, and Tina gave her a sharp re. Nina stared at Tina, "I only asked you to crawl in the bushes for half an hour. You can''t do it?" "My elbows and knees got scratched and bloodied. They hurt too much I wasn''t able to move," Tina cried, showing her scratched arms. "You need to at least learn how to run and hide," Nina stared at her, "Or study magic," Tina shook her head, "Magic is tooplicated for me. I can''t get where to start, and I usually waste so much time I don''t have enough to do housework," "Then start training," Meryem stared at her. "You know that you need to be at least able to do that," Tina looked down, "Can''t the ants and goblins protect me and the house..." "They can, and will," Nina stared at her, "But you need to get a grip on yourself and bepetent enough to run. If not yourself, then for Serina, to carry her and run away." Tina looked down, "I will do my best," Knock! Knock! Tina slowly approached the door and opened it. Roberta, Sara, L, and Merida stood there with worried faces. "What is it?" Nina stood and stared at them, smelling the blood on them. Merida looked down, and L approached Nina, "Her father was killed," She stated, shocking the whole room. "What?" Tina gasped in the back, and Nina''s eyes shot with blood. "That isn''t..." Merida tried to speak but started crying... "It probably was lord Foran''s men. They have been sending Merida constant marriage proposals, but she refused them all. His men came today and killed her father when he refused to give her to them. Old man, Cain was in my shop when they came and told me," L growled, "He headed to Riverside alone." "He will get himself killed," Roberta stared at Nina, "We want you to stop him, please." "Forget saving him. I will kill Foran myself," Nina growled, walking toward the door as Meryem stood in the back. "The children need some food. Count me and them in." Chapter 390 A Marquis’s End

Chapter 390 A Marquis''s End

Arad stood, walking toward the stairs, stretching his arms with arge smile, "I never felt better," He patted his full stomach. Two whales were a decent change of vor from the usual monsters. He changed back to his humanoid form and started walking up the stairs until he reached the door. He grabbed the handle with one hand and pushed the door open, enjoying the silence. Nothing beats the beauty of a well-oiled door that doesn''t squeak. He walked out of the basement with a smile on his face as he passed by the maids. They all stared up at his face, standing tall enough that he could barely fit in the doors. "Here you are." A voice called, standing in front of Arad with an arrogant re. His arms crossed as he blocked the wall, "Arad the dragon yer I presume," Arad stared at the armored man with an empty stare, the smile never fading from his face. "What do you want?" "Don''t even know manners," The man growled, "To let you know, I''m Marquis Alfred Stoneheart of the still foundry. Remember my name now?" "I don''t," Arad replied, searching his whole memory but finding nothing about the man. The only Marquis he heard about before was the one whose twin daughters ran away. "Dragon yer my ass," The man growled, "You were supposed to retrieve my daughters. Where are they?" He growled. Arad blinked. It was confirmed. "It''s true that I killed dragons, and I''m called a dragon yer now, but I''m not the man you seek." Arad waved his hand, "You''re looking for Alcott, right?" Alfred stared at Arad, "Your name doesn''t matter to me. You share his title so go find him, bring me that failure. Otherwise, I will execute you in his stead," "Hehe," Arad giggled and startedughing, "You want to execute Alcott? A feeble leek, you won''t even touch him," "You dare mock me?" Alfred growled, "Your life is forfeit," He lifted his sword, ready to strike. "Arad?" Mira walked from behind Alfred, looking at Arad with a smile. "Where did you go?" She waved her hand. Alfred stopped his attack, staring at Arad with a smirk, "How about this?" CRACK! With a swift move, his hips shifted direction as he swung back. He turned toward Mira, dropping his longsword on her head. At that moment, Mira stood still, a single nail dropping from her sleeves. Arad watched with a grin as if in slow motion. His reaction speed allowed him to interfere at thest moment if Mira couldn''t handle the situation on her own. But that was unlikely. Mira ducked down and the sword barely gazed at her hair. Her eyes focused down as she pulled a small hammer from her back pocket. As the falling nail aligned, her hammer came roaring down, hammering it directly into Alfred''s steel boots, nailing him to the ground. Alfred growled, trying to step back, but he started falling. His right foot is nailed, he can''t move, and the pain is making it hard to think. CLACK! He moved his left foot back, bracing himself for a second swing. His de rushed toward Mira''s neck, lusting for her blood. Mira''s hand twisted, turning back and swinging the hammer at Alfred''s knee, hitting it before his de could reach her neck. Alfred growled, falling on his back with his right foot nailed to the ground and his knee shattered. As he cried, Mira pulled another nail and swung at his right arm, nailing him to the ground once again with a rapid hit. Mira stared down at Alfred''s face, her hammer dripping with blood as he cried, "You? What''s the meaning of this?" She growled. Arad giggled, he knew from the start that Alfred was no fighter. He only wore the armor and carried the sword to impress and scare Arad, but that trick only worked on fools. Compared to him, Mira, with her rough hands, harshened from her work, her hard nature, and the fact she already fought zombies and undead, he can''t reach her. The king who was passing by stopped, staring at the mess, and approached. "What happened?" Mira red back, "This knight of yours attacked me," She growled, "Keep them in line," The king stared down, recognizing Marquis Alfred. "No, that''s the Marquis." Mira blinked twice, realizing she just nailed one of the highest-ranking nobles to the ground like floorwood. The king looked at Alfred and then sighed, rubbing his face in distress, "I will deal with this," He sighed again, "You two can head..." CRACK! The King and Mira froze, and Arad stepped on Alfred''s head, crushing it beneath his foot. "My wives aren''t so weak to fear the likes of you, and I''m not so lenient to let you live." He growled. King Baltos started sweating as he stared at Arad, and the messed blood-brain on the ground. "You killed him?" "So what? He attacked my wife first," Arad walked past the king, leaving a trail of bloodied footsteps. The king stared at Arad''s back as he stood beside Mira, patting her head. "You will protect all of your wives no matter what?" The king asked with a serious face. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad red back at the king, sending shivers down his spine, "Look at her, what do you see?" The king backed away, seeing Mira standing in the middle of a coiled dragon, his sharp ws, muscr tail, and hard scales covering her body but doing no harm, only spelling doom to those who dare approach. The king giggled, "I see, that''s like your kind." He smiled, "You never cease to amaze me," He thought about it. If Isdis went with Arad, she could also sit in the dragon''s maw without getting eaten. Mira stared around between Arad and the king, puzzled and terrified. Did Arad kill the Marquis to take the me for her? No, Arad won''t take the me for anything. Arad looked at Mira with a smile, "Is something wrong?" Mira stared at the dead Marquis and smiled, reaching a final conclusion. She took a step toward the corpse and used her hammer to retrieve her nails. She then reached to the corpse''s neck and pulled out Alfred''s golden ne. She approached Arad and handed it to him, "I heard family leaders among nobles carry their family insignia around their necks. This must be it," Arad smiled, taking the ne and staring at the king, "I''m taking my spoils," The king eyed Arad with a curious gaze, "You want his whole wealth?" Arad looked at the king with a puzzled face, "I don''t want it." He smiled, "It''s mine now," The king giggled, "This is a bit problematic, you''re only giving this old head more headache to deal with." He stood tall, staring at Arad, "I can''t let you kill everyone in his family," "I won''t kill them, they are free to leave." Arad smiled as he rested his hand on Mira''s shoulder. "Fine, it''s yours. I will say he dared attack a royal guest and got executed on the spot. That isn''t a lie after all," Baltos smiled, looking at Alfred''s corpse, "This will shift power in the kingdom by a lot. A tough month awaits us," Chapter 391 To The Blacksmith With Mira

Chapter 391 To The cksmith With Mira

Arad walked into the castle''s garden with Mira by his side, "Did you see Eris?" He asked. "She''s asleep in her room," Mira replied, "You know, she isn''t fully used to stay awake in the day," Arad nodded and looked at the clear blue sky, "It will be hard to get her to switch out of being a nocturnal being," Mira looked at Arad with a wry smile, "I mean, she was used to avoiding the sun for decades." She then approached him and touched his face, "What about you?" Arad looked at his hand, "As a dragon, I don''t have the same sleep schedule as humans, and the sun doesn''t harm me," He looked up, "Albeit I prefer the starry night sky," Mira then looked at Arad, "And before you ask, Ae is hanging with the maids in the kitchen, trying to learn a thing or two. She told me she can''t walk that well due to pain in her hips. I wonder what''s that about," Arad looked away, changing the subject as fast as he could, "You could use a hammer as a weapon. That was impressive." Mira stared at him, "You saw me fight with it before. Trying to change the subject, are we?" Arad''s eyes darted around as if seeking escape. Today is Mira''s night. All that would go to waste if she got scared now. He has to change the subject by any means. Arad smiled, "Doma say you should try adding some tricks to your hammer." He lied, and Doma gasped in his head, ^[I didn''t say anything.]^ Mira started thinking, "I saw Jack use that ck powder of his...I was thinking I might put it inside my hammer and use it to shoot nails upon impact." "That doesn''t sound safe," Arad replied with his arms crossed, "What if it explodes or something?" Mira smiled, "Are you willing to test it for me?" She was joking, but Arad nodded, "Of course, it won''t harm me." Surprised by his answer, Mira smiled and pointed into the distance. "The royal cksmith. Let''s go and see if he has anything I could use." Arad and Mira headed toward the cksmith Arad closed his eyes. He took control of a rat and sent it toward Jack who was wandering the streets, looking for anything useful. Upon seeing the rat with purple glowing eyes, Jack knew Arad wanted him so he started following the rodent. Arad and Mira stood before the royal smith, and a short man red at them from the inside. "Back the fuck away! Your clothes would burn," He growled, his voice shaking the whole ce. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad looked down, and the man noticed them, but he was engrossed in his work, hammering the steel. He mostly saw their shadows and nothing more. "That''s not a manner of speaking," Arad walked forward, ring at the man. The man sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he red at Arad, "Listen, you fucker. You can''t just..." His eyes shifted,nding on Mira on the back, and his hands closed his own mouth. "Wait, don''t tell me it''s your wife?" He whispered to Arad. "She is, have a problem?" Arad growled. "I would have tried to swear less," The man whispered back and looked back at Mira, "Those mothe...." Ahem! "Those idiot soldiers have been pestering me for a while. Thought you were with them," Arad looked around, seeing several footsteps marked on the damp soil. "They wanted weapons?" "Of course, bit...Swordsmanship failures break their weapons and thene to me to fix them." The man grunted, finding it hard not to curse. "I can''t fix their swords twice a day. It''s impossible. And they go to report me to the general, and he takes it to the king. You don''t know how many times they used me ofzing around and not doing my work." Arad nodded, "Twice a day? Are they swinging at stones?" The man shook his head, "I don''t have the mind of an idiot, so I can''t possibly know of such wisdom." He smiled, "And you, those muscles aren''t for show. It''s your weapon, show it to me," As they talked, Mira walked around the shop inspecting the smith''s tools and forge, trying to see what she could use. Arad reached into his stomach and pulled the adamantine de that Alcott gave him. He wanted to show the smith the nipple knife or the dragon yer sword, but those could cause somemotion. The smith froze when he saw the de, snatching it from Arad''s hands, "Where the hell did you get his?" "Got it from my sword teacher," He replied. "There is no way a sword teacher would give such a de. I made this thing for that asshole Alcott," He growled but quickly closed his mouth. The sword got him agitated. "You''re right." Arad replied, "Alcott is the one who trained me. He seems to have got a better sword, so he entrusted this one to me." The man looked at the sword and at Arad, "Fine, I will give it a look," He lifted the de and stared at it with one eye. "Slightly bent as if a hill giant swung it, you seem to be in one mind with those idiots." "I do have a bit more strength than the average person," Arad replied with a smile. "You''re right," The man sighed, "Those muscles are worth something, at least," He carried the de to the table and sat it down. "It will take a few hours for me to reshape the de and sharpen it. Come see me then," As those two talked, a loud crash noise burst from the back and they turned around, seeing Mira had pulled arge steel rod from a pile of trash. "Careful not to harm your hands," The man shouted. Mira stared back at him, "That''s insulting, you know?" She waved his hand at him and he giggled, "Sorry, those aren''t the hands of a woman." Mira''s hands were rough from years of working wood and swinging her hammer and pulling on her saw. Mira took the steel rod to Arad, "This looks usable for the hammer''s head," Arad looked at the rod and at the cksmith. "You can take it if it''s from the trash pile." He replied and then approached, "The name is Weldon of house red horn." resting his fists on his hips, "I''m a half-dwarf, nice to meet you." Arad extended his hand to Weldon, "Arad Orion, a dragon yer and soon-to-be baron. And this is my wife," "Second wife," Mira specified in the back. "We''re both humans," Arad added. Weldon eyed Arad for a second, "Nice lied, but I can smell it on you," He smiled, "A half-dragon, aren''t you." "You can smell it?" Arad asked. "I might not be a pure dwarf, but I got their strong sense of smell from my mother. I can sniff the scales on your body with a single whiff," Weldon smiled, "You can''t fool me if you stood this close." Mira looked around, the only forge avable was being used by Weldon, so she approached Arad. "Arad, can you heat it red for me?" She gave him the steel rod. Weldon stated to Mira, "Aren''t you asking the impossible?" Arad lifted the still rod and blew on it, a fire breath emerged from his lips, crimson in color. That fire quickly turned blue then white, heating the steel in an instant. Weldon''s jaw dropped seeing Arad lifting the red hot steel rod in his hands as if it was nothing, "Where do I put it?" He asked. Mira looked around and saw an unused anvil. "Can you put it on that?" Arad approached the anvil, lifting it with one hand and taking it into a spot under the shade. "You should work here, it''s less hot," Mira smiled and pulled her hammer and started molding the steel. Each time the steel seemed to cool down, Arad would heat it for her again. Chapter 392 Arad Can’t Forge

Chapter 392 Arad Can''t Forge

CLANG! CLANG! Mira swung her hammer down, molding the steel with sweat dripping from her forehead. Each hit boomed across the forge alongside a streak of red hot sparks. "Arad, did you call me?" Jack rushed in, running after a massive ck rat. Arad smiled, waving his hand, "It didn''t take you long," He crouched down, extending his hand to the rat. Squeeze. The rat squealed, running up Arad''s arm and resting on his shoulder. "Thanks to that little guy," Jack walked forward, resting on the nearest chair. "So, what did you need?" Arad extended his hand to his stomach. He pulled out a tiny slice of cheese that he took from the castle''s food storage and handed it to the rat. The rat stared at the cheese, confused for a second before grabbing it and starting to eat. For a second, Arad realized this rat didn''t know cheese could be eaten, and needed time to think about it. ^It''s stinky, but food is food.^ The rat''s thoughts flew into Arad''s mind. Arad blinked twice, "What do you like to eat?" He scratched the rat''s head. ^Grain, meat, and anything like seeds.^ The rat replied directly into Arad''s mind, staring back at him. "False knowledge? I will give you something else." Arad smiled, taking the cheese back from the rate. For a moment, the cksmith and Jack gasped as they saw Arad lift the cheese. "Don''t!" Arad gulped the piece of cheese as if it were nothing and quickly pulled a fist full of wheat grains from his stomach. The rate raced across Arad''s arm to eat, and Arad poured it on a table and let the little one eat in peace. The cksmith rushed to Arad, "You shouldn''t eat that cheese! Especially if a rat ate from it!" Arad stared at the cksmith. He can''t reveal he''s a dragon that can eat almost anything. When you eat a human full, you eat them, their organs, and every disgusting thing stuck inside them. A little cheese eaten by a rat can''t pose a greater risk than a rotten zombie or a wild poisonous snake. Jack sighed and approached Arad, "Leave the rat alone for now. What did you need me for?" Arad stared at Jack, "For what else?" Jack blinked, "ck powder? It''s the only thing I have, and don''t keep some in your stomach." Arad smiled, "You know me well," He looked back at Mira, "She''s making an explosive hammer. We need some." "You know it''s not safe. I mean for her." Jack scratched his head as he pulled out a small bag of ck powder. "But be careful, it''s as expensive as it''s dangerous." Arad nodded, "Don''t worry, we won''t waste it. I know your whole fighting style relies on it as a basic for your most powerful traps." "Even small smoke bombs use some of it," Jack sat back on his chair as Arad stared at the back powder. Mira swung her hammer down, hitting the red b of steel sitting on the anvil. A tiny red spark flew as time seemed to slow down for Jack. His eyes followed the spart with fear as it approached Arad. Jack''s body started moving, rushing to snatch the bag from Arad''s hand before the spark hit it. The tiny red spark dodged Arad''s head and flew toward the open bag of ck powder, sending shivers down Jack''s spine. FISHH! Arad caught the spark with two fingers andughed, "That was close," He then flicked it away. Jack snatched the bag from Arad''s hand, "I''m keeping this with me until you need it," He growled, "You might survive the explosion, but not us." He closed the back and threw it into his pocket. Mira stared at them, "What are you two doing?" Arad looked back, "Jack brought the ck powder." "You should probably keep that thing outside the workshop. This ce is full of fire and ash," Mira walked toward Arad, holding the hot b of metal with an iron tongue. Arad took the b and heated it again, "Can I try hitting it?" Mira smiled and handed Arad her hammer, "Don''t hit it too hard," Aradid the b of steel on the anvil, holding it between his fingers as he lifted the hammer up. He took a deep breath and decided to use a quarter of his full strength. As Arad swung the hammer down, he hit the b of metal. Sparks flew from the metal as it squashed, the hammer in Arad''s hand bending and stressing its handle. CLANG! With a booming sound, it snapped, sending the hammerhead flying into the ceiling and leaving a hole. The hot b of steel flew away and almost hit Jack, breaking the stone wall with arge spark. The anvil bounced from the ground andnded back down with a puff of dust, sending a shock across the whole forge. Arad slowly looked at the handle in his hand and then turned toward Mira. "Sorry about the hammer." As everyone stared at him, the hammer flew back down, breaking the ceiling andnding on the table beside the rat. The rate froze in its ce, sweating buckets as the wheat fell from its mouth. Squeak! He looked at Arad, terrified. That almost ended his life. Silence fell. "Don''t touch anything!" Jack cried, looking at the red-hot steel stuck on the wall beside him. Arad is too strong to work steel, he doesn''t have the gentle touch. Arad giggled, "I probably need more practice." "Don''t practice with other people around." The cksmith stared at Arad with a deep sigh, "You half-dragons are always crazy." The cksmith walked toward the wall and plucked the red-hot steel with an iron tongue. "Leave the girl work, you sit there and watch." He pointed at a chair. Arad walked toward the table with a sad face and pulled a chair to hit. He then watched Mira work as the rat rested on hisp, eating the wheat. After a while, the rat finished eating and decided to leave, running out of the shop at top speed. As the rat rushed across the castle garden, three soldiers saw him and pulled their swords. "A rat, kill it before it could bite anyone." They ran after the rat. Arad looked out at the rat running away from the guards. His eyes glow purple, and so did the rat''s eyes. the rat stopped running and turned around, dodging a sword swing and running between the soldier''s legs. The sword swing hit one of the soldiers dropping him to the ground. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The rat took the chance to run away into the bushes where Arad released him from his control. He stared toward Arad from the bushes, ^Thanks, friend.^ Chapter 393 Blood Contract

Chapter 393 Blood Contract

Arad sat on the chair, talking with Jack as Mira hammered the steel into shape. The two of them had no skill in the craft and couldn''t help with anything besides heavy lifting. Mira finished shaping the steel and then took to the oil bath to cool it. After doing so, she approached Arad, "Care to help me with something?" Arad stood and followed her, "What is it?" Mira walked to the smith''s tools and pulled arge saw. "This is a special saw made to cut steel, but it takes a lot of time and effort." Arad stared at the saw and lifted it, "Show me where to cut," Mira smiled, "I knew I could count on you. "I need to cut this piece in half, so saw here," She gave him the newly formed piece of steel, and he fastened it to the anvil. Aradid the saw on the piece of steel and started sawing it. Quickly, the speed of his arm increased to an incredible level. DING! The saw snapped after just a second, and Arad stared at it confused. The de has bent and twisted. "How the hell did you do that?" The cksmith rushed in, sad at the loss of his expensive tool. OUCH! The smith cried as he touched the saw, finding it burning hot. The friction heated it to a point where it couldn''t stand the force of Arad''s rough movements. The smith sighed and poured some water on his hand. He then handed Mira a bucket of oil. "Slowly drizzle this on the saw as he cuts. It could keep it cool enough," He then stared at Arad. "You''re one monstrousd, aren''t you?" The smith walked back to his work and waved his hand to Mira, "Keep your husband in check. He''s a force of nature. You''re paying for the next tool you break." Mira stared at Arad, "We might need a new set of tools for you." Arad giggled, scratching his head, "I''m a bit too strong," The smith stared at them from the back, "I bet he won''t damage dwarven tools, but sadly those are too expensive to buy." He waved his hands, "Dwarves hate parting with their tools, so they put stupid prices on them to deter buyers. Who will buy a steel saw for ny-nine tinum coins?" Arad stared back at the smith, "Is there another way to get them?" The smith stared at him as he started working, "Make a favor to a dwarven n. If they considered you an axe kin, they will forge you a set of tools." "Where is the closest dwarven n?" Arad asked, but the smith shook his head, "I don''t know. Father came from another continent, so I don''t know anything about if one is close." Jack looked at the castle walls, "Behind the ck sea of death," He sighed, "We can''t simply sail the seas," "Pirates and monsters are a big problem. Getting lost is another issue." The smith replied as he started sharpening Arad''s sword. Arad finished cutting the steel piece in two, and Mira took it to add some details. He watched her work with a smile. Unlike Ae or Eris, she didn''t have any power or magic, just a human woman with a bunch of skill in craftsmanship. After some hours of continuous work, Mira finally sighed, finishing the hammerhead. "I never had this much fun since the steel bow," She approached Arad and showed it to him, "Now I need a handle and some powder to fill it with. My nail goes in this small hole, so it fires at impact." As Mira exined it to Arad and Jack, the smith took a few seconds to digest something Mira said. A steel bow?? "Lady, did you say a steel bow?" The smith approached them. He had seen Mira work and knew she had skills. She might have done it. Mira stared at him, "Ah! Yeah," She scratched her head, "I did make a steel bow, and it worked better than I expected." She giggled. "Can I see it?" The smith gasped. Mira stared at Arad, and as he nodded she looked at the smith with a grin, "Yes, but I won''t give you the schematic for free," "Of course, I won''t ask for it without a price," The smith crossed his arms, "State your price." Mira lifted her hand and opened all of her fingers, "Fifty percent profit from all the sales, and you have to sign a contract that you won''t disclose the schematic to anyone else." The smith scratched his head, "Fifty percent is a bit much. Don''t you think? What about crafting costs?" "I said from profit, didn''t I?" She pointed at the smith, "After you deduct all costs and taxes, we split the profit in half." The smith smiled, "I''m in," He giggled. As Arad smiled, Ae approached the smithy led by a small bird. He waved his hands to her, and she smiled. "Did you call me?" "Yeah, can you show your bow to the smith?" A bit confused, but Ae pulled her steel bow and an arrow. She pulled the string and fired a shot, causing a small shockwave. The smith gasped with a happy smile, "It''s like a giant crossbow, but this one can be pulled by hand. I bet it requires a lot of strength," Mira smiled, "The specific angles and materials, also the hardening method of the steel and quality of the string. They all work together to make it easier to draw than if you just made a normal steel bow." "It''s a promising new weapon. We should find a powerful mage to create our contract as soon as possible." The smith said with an excited voice, he can''t wait to start making them. Arad smiled, sitting on a chair and resting his chin on his hand, "No need to find a mage," He giggled, "[I''m right here,]^ His voice shook, changing tone as he red at the smith with glowing pink eyes, tattoos slowly covering his body with a dreadful aura. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad opened his hand, and a white paper emerged and dropped on the table. He lifted his hand and extended his w, poking his own finger to draw blood. On the paper, he wrote the content and then looked at Mira, "A blood contract, I need some of yours and him as well," With a smile, Mira extended her hand and Arad poked her thumb with his w. He then used the blood to write her section, which was mostly that she''s the one to get half the profit and all. The smith approached Arad with a smile, "Didn''t think you could write contractsd, or are you a warlock with a patron?" Arad smiled, "[You''re right, I''m his patron. Since I can make contracts with people, writing this one is as simple as it gets.]^ The smith extended his hand to Arad to draw blood. Arad then finished writing the contract and lifted it up, "[Let it be written in blood and sighed with fire. This contract shall stand as long as the two parties are alive.]" The smith smiled, "Yes! I can now start making a new weapon, finally something exciting." "[If you failed to pay, Mira would be noticed and may choose whether to punish you or not. So keep that in mind. On the other hand, she must give you the true schematic and help you address any problems with their function. May this be a prosperous business for the both of you.]" The contract was then split into three papers. Onended in the smith''s hands, one in Mira''s hands, and one swallowed by Arad. Chapter 394 Arad Vs Mira

Chapter 394 Arad Vs Mira

As the sun was about to fall behind the mountains. Thest streak of light faded. Mira walked out of the workshop carrying a medium-sized sledgehammer on her shoulder. Arad stood outside the forge, looking at her with a smile, "A nice hammer. Is it usable?" Mira stared at the hammer with a smile, "It should be, but I won''t know until I tried it in fights," She lifted the hammer and carried it with two hands. "It''s designed to be carried with two hands but can be used with one. The nails and ck powder are stored in the shaft and get fed up into the hammer head using a spring. I only need to reload it once every ten shots." Arad opened his arms, "Want me to test it?" Mira stared at him with a smile, "Can I test it on you?" Arad looked at her with a grin, "Come at me as hard as you can," with those words, time seemed too slow for Mira. She could see the afterimages of Arad''s hands dropping, his body shifting to the left as he prepared to charge at her. Mira remained still as she watched, her body too slow to reach. Thud! Arad reached her side, swinging his open palm at her face at a tremendous speed. Her body finally started moving, lifting the hammer to her side. BOOOM! As Mira lifted the hammer, Arad''s hand hit the hammerhead, igniting the charge inside and firing the nail. Mira rolled to the side as a cloud of smoke filled the air, her arms screaming in pain from the recoil. The nail rested on the other side of the garden, stuck to the castle wall. Arad stood in the smoke, staring at his wrist. "Now that''s a hit," He smiled, a hole drilled into his palm, "To think it would prate my scales." Mira barely managed to stand, growling as blood dripped from her forehead. She was hit with some shrapnel above her ear. "AHH!" Mira grunted, wiping the blood and looking at Arad, "I need some goggles, earplugs, and gloves." She held the wound on her head with one hand. "You okay?" Arad stared at her, and she nodded, "But a scratch, let''s keep up," She smiled, and then red at Arad, "You tried to p me." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I intended to stop before hitting you. But you managed to reach in time," He lifted his hands, smiling as the wound on his palm closed. Thud! Mira rushed forward, clenching her fists on the hammer and screaming, "Die!" She swung down at Arad''s head. Arad gently moved his head back, dodging the strine, "Die? You''re cruel," A grin crossed Mira''s face for a split second. She pushed her left foot on the ground and clenched her teeth, forcing the hammer''s weight to shift. The hammer was now heading toward Arad''s slightly bent left knee. KABOOM! Upon impact, the hammer bounced back lifting Mira from the ground. Arad growled as the nail pierced from his knee down and nailed his foot to the ground. Using the momentum of the recoil, Mira twisted her body, swinging the hammer toward Arad''s head with a roar. A smile crossed Arad''s face. Nothing pleased him more than his wives being strong, and now Mira who was the weakest has enough strength to defend herself. He lifted his arm and caught the hammer by the shaft before it could hit him. The smith watched from a distance, his mouth gaping. "Isn''t Arad her husband? Why is she trying to kill him?" "She can''t hope tond a hit if she wasn''t that determined. Arad isn''t someone you can face halfheartedly," Jack replied with a passive face. "He won''t die from those hits," The smith stared at the fight, confused, "A hit to the knee could end the carreir of any adventurer." Arad giggled, staring at Mira, "I caught the hammer. What can you do?" With a grin on her face, Mira twisted her wrist, and the hammer head started smoking. Arad''s eyes opened wide as it shed. BOOM! Another nail flew right through his elbow, forcing his grasp on the hammer to loosen. The recoil sent Mira back with the grin still on her face. Shended on her feet, shifting hammer weight to rest on her shoulder. "I did put a manual trigger in the shaft," She showed Arad the small ck bump of the shaft. "I don''t need to hit anything to ignite it," She said with the hammer smoking behind her head. Arad stood, healing his elbow as he smiled, "A nice trick, But that recoil can''t be good for you." He stared at her shaking knees and gargling voice. She''s exhausted and drained from enduring those three hits. Mira sighed, "You''re right," She stared back at the hammer, "It needs some modifications. A lightning charge would be nice as an alternative, some gloves and armor would go a lot to protect me," CRACK! Arad pulled his leg from the ground with ease, throwing the nail on the ground. He then approached Mira, "Buy anything you need and take all the time you want." Mira stared around and then back at Arad, "Lightning stones are a bit too expensive, but can I buy two or three?" "How much are they?" Arad asked, but Mira shook her head, "I don''t know the current prices, butst I saw them. They sold for seventy gold coins a piece." Arad nodded, "Buy as much as you need." Mira smiled, "I can take three stones and link them together. I will then store them in a wooden box on my back and use a copper link to link them to my gloves, which hold the hammer." She said with an excited face, "More copper links on the shaft would guide the lightning to the hammer head to hit on each strike. But I need a switch to toggle it on and off," She went on, "I also heard mithril can conduct mana extremely well while being very light. If I made an armor with multiple lines of that, I might be able to deflect magic with it or use it to charge the lightning stones." Thud! Arad patted her head with a smile, "Feel free to try everything," He stared at her, "I can afford the price, I guess," "I would!" Mira said with a smile, putting the hammer down. The cksmith approached them, "That was amazing, I never saw such a weapon before," "It still needs some work," Mira replied, "But I will get it done soon enough," She smiled. "She''s a hard worker," Arad lifted her in his arms, "It''s almost night time, let''s go," The smith stared at them, "Onest question," He shouted and looked at Mira, "Are you an artificer?" Mira smiled, "I guess it''s obvious. I''m an artificer with a carpenter subss." Artificers are a ss that has no magic or fighting skills, but theypensate by making powerful tools, items, and trinkets to help them fight. Most weapons and armor of the world were invented by artificers who shared the secret of their craft with the world. Chapter 395 Into The Church’s Watchlist

Chapter 395 Into The Church''s Watchlist

Even if Arad wasn''t serious, Mira did fare well. And with what she intends to make, she won''t be easy to kidnap again. Arad carried Mira in his arms after sucking the hammer into his stomach. Jack collected her tools and followed them to the castle''s church. The tiny church was only meant for use by the soldiers and workers around the castle as the royal family had one made for them inside the inner quarters. Arad approached the church''s door, releasing a faint wave of his gravity magic and exerting a force between him and the door to force it open. BANG! As the door smacked open, the head priest stared out of his cab with a scared face. "How many times I told you fools to be gentle with the door!" He yelled. Arad red at him, "You were asleep. You won''t even open it if I knock." "I wasn''t asleep!" The priest growled. Arad stared at him. It appeared on his messed face that he had just woken up. "And why is the door locked?" He growled. "That''s because..." The priest growled. "You were asleep, I know." Arad sighed, "Forget about that. We need healing," "Let me down, walk!" Mira gasped again in Arad''s arms, but he wasn''t letting go of her. Thud! Arge man stood at the church door, "Priest, what''s going on?" The strange man growled, staring at Arad and Mira. Arad red back at the man with glowing purple eyes, "We need healing," The strange man red at the door, "The lock is broken and the hinges are twisted. Did you break in?" He pulled his sword. "Why is he sleeping on duty?" Arad stared at the priest. The strange man stared at the priest and then sheathed his sword, "His face speaks. He was indeed asleep." The strange man sighed, "Please don''t break the door next time," "No, next time. I will break it beyond repair and kick him in the face," He growled, ring at the priest, "Mira''s life might not be in danger, but what if someone else came? Someone at death door?" The strange man scratched his head, "You speak...Ah!" He growled, "A healer can''t sleep on duty. This might be a peaceful ce, but no one knows when a disaster might happen," The priest rushed forward, "Bring her here, I will cast a healing spell, and you can go," The strange man approached Arad, "I will report this to the inner sanctum. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, knight," Arad nodded as the strange man left. From his appearance and the oozing magic, he was a pdin. The priest cast a healing spell at Mira as Arad stood watching at their heads. Jack reached the church''s door, panting as he carried a heavy box full of Mira''s tools. He saw the pdin leave and stared at him, noting that he had gone inside the castle. The priest stood with a sigh, "It''s done, she is fine now," He said with a smile, "Just, what happened, this doesn''t seem like an everyday injury," "I was testing an explosive hammer," Mira replied with a smile, and he stared at her, puzzled, "I don''t know what that is, but don''t get close to it again. Continuous damage to the head is known to get people insane." Mira stood beside Arad, "We should head out." *** Inside the castle, the pdin walked into the inner sanctum of the quarter''s church to meet the high priest there. "Sir Robin, are you avable?" He knocked on the door. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om CLICK! The church''s door opened, and the head priest stared at the pdin with a smile, "What brought you here at this time?" "Sir Alor was asleep on duty, and a patient had to break the door to wake him up. We need someone to fix that," The pdin replied with a stern face. The priest scratched his head, "And who is this patient who broke a "That doesn''t matter. What matters is that he wasn''t ready to fulfill the duty entrusted to him by god," The pdin''s eyes gleamed golden, divine magic crackling from his shoulders. "Calm down, calm down," The head priest sighed, "No need to get agitated over it. The castle is a calm ce, and he rarely gets any work. You can''t fault him for taking a nap every now and then," He smiled. "I will send someone to fix the door immediately and make sure he gets in line." The pdin nodded the high priest''s words with a smile, "Then so be it, by the light of god follows you." He turned around to leave, and the priest stared at him at the pdin''s back. The priest stared with a puzzled look, ^The castle''s church door is reinforced with iron bars so the soldier won''t break with how mannerless they are. For someone to break it, it can''t be one of them.^ He walked back into the inner church and stared at the tall status before him. The statue was of a woman wearing a strange set of clothes, standing tall with a sun on her right hand, and an eclipsed sun on her left hand. The priest smiled, ^He must be the new guest at the royal court, Arad Orion was his name, right?^ The priest closed his eyes and his palms, praying, ^My your light dawn on this country, Mistress of the zing sun and the dreadful eclipse, Amaterasu.^ As Arad walked with Mira inside the castle, his first stop was the bath, "We should get cleaned a bit, should we?" He smiled. Mira stared at him and then at her arms. Her shirt still had some drops of her blood, sweat, and soot from the forge. "You''re right," Arad looked left and right, "Follow me," He started walking toward the nearest maid. Belma walked through the hallway, exhausted from a long day of cleaning the castle''s inner halls. But even with that, there were some parts she didn''t manage to finish. "Headmaid Kin will yell at me again, why I''m the only one who can''t finish cleaning on their shift." As she walked. Thud! Something hit her face. She fell back on her but and stared up, "Who''s there? Look in front of you!" She growled, but the shadow before her caused her to gasp. A tall man standing like a mountain, ring her down with glowing eyes and a stern face. She could feel her soul stuck in her throat, his arms were thicker than her thighs by a lot. "Arad Orion," Arad replied, "And I was standing still, you bumped into me," He bent down to re at her face. As their eyes met, the maid was about to cry. "What do you want?" Arad smiled, extending his hand to help her stand, "I wanted to ask if the bath is avable." Belma stared at Arad''s palm. It was almost as big as her forearm. She gulped down, "It''s empty, but isn''t prepared for anyone to use," She slowly lifted her hand, and Arad pulled her back on her legs. "Can you get someone to get it ready?" Arad asked with a smile, and the maid nodded with tears polling in her eyes. Belma stood, ready to bolt it away when Arad called her back, "Tell Kin you were preparing my bath, she won''t nag you on the cleaning," She stopped, staring back at Arad. "Wait, how did you?" She gasped. Arad smiled, his eyes glowing purple as he tilted his head, "Don''t get scared in front of me, I can read your mind." Belma was both confused and terrified, but she also felt hopeful, that telling Kin what he said could get her a peaceful night. "Thank you, sir," She bowed and ran away as fast as she could. Chapter 396 Hardworking Hands

Chapter 396 Hardworking Hands

Arad and Ae walked into the bath, looking around to see the maids standing at the walls. They were still there, doing their job as thest time. "Sir, it''s only you two this time?" One of the maids asked, wanting to know if she needed more tools ready inside for the other girls. Arad nodded, smiling, "Just the two of us, as far as I know." He started taking his shirt off, "We had a fight in the garden, and wanted to take a bath to wash the sweat away." The maid stared at Arad, "Also blood, I should say," She looked at his clothes, "Shall we take and give them a good rinse? A bit of soap and they would be cleaned. Only that they might take the whole night to dry." Arad looked at his clothes. His pants were drenched in blood. "Can you get our clothes?" The maid nodded, "Of course, I will ask Lady Ae for them, don''t worry," She smiled, "Even if she didn''t, we would have..." She stopped, staring at him, "Clothes for Lady Mira, but sadly, I don''t think we have anything that can fit you." Arad and Mira took their clothes and walked into the bath, washing in the shower with the maid''s help before taking a dip in the hot bath. He rxed in the hot water, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Mira stretched her arms, soaking up to her neck, "That hammer hurt like hell," She smiled. "Hammer?" The maid said with a puzzled face. "An explosive hammer that shoots nails. I just made it and tested it on him," Mira pointed with her thumb at Arad. The maid stared at Arad with open eyes, "That was your Of course," Arad replied, "That hammer is quite powerful," He smiled. One of the maids stared at Arad, "We heard explosions from the garden, was it you?" Arad pointed at Mira, "She''s the one swinging the hammer." A grin crossed his face, "One hit is enough to blow a human''s guts out," The three maids stared at each other, terrified, but Mira added with a smile. "It isn''t finished yet. I can''t be sure it can kill a monster in one hit. I doubt I can get lucky tond more than one hit." Mira was well aware of her fighting capabilities and that Arad held back against her. If she fought a serious opponent, she would have been killed before she could swing. "This is why I need it to hit harder and also armor. That would help a lot," Looking into Mira''s eyes, the maids could spot a re of mad intellect, something they found extremely disturbing. It felt wrong for them to see someone so keen on making such a leather, and violent weapon, and even talk about it with a smile. "You know it''s not like a sword, right? One hit and the target''s guts would spill out," One of the maids gasped, imagining a graceful sh and the gore mess Mira''s hammer could make. "Does it matter? If the choice is between me dying and them. Then it should be." Mira replied with a passive face. "I already caused Arad and the others a lot by getting kidnapped twice." She looked down, "At least, now I can defend myself a bit," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad patted her head, "I''m proud of you, but you don''t have to worry. I''m always watching, and I shalle flying as fast as I can if anything happens to you." Mira looked at Arad''s face, "Then I should be good enough to hold out until you arrive," "Only a few seconds. You can achieve that by running away," Arad replied. "What could hold me for longer?" "I don''t know," Mira rested her head on his shoulder, lifting her palm and dripping the water down, watching each drop as itnded back in the bath. "Two many droplets and it''s be a flood. One person might not hold you, but many will." Hearing her thoughts, Arad''s mind quickly slipped into the pdins. To kill him, they must go through his humanoid body, then the half-dragon body, then the dragon body, and then the vampiric wyrmwolf dragon. That may seem a lot, but considering that one divine smite could end one of his forms. It would only take four hits for him to perish. ^So it''s a contest to see how long can I dodge their attacks and how fast I can kill them before they attack.^ Arad smiled. ^That is what they would think, but the stars won''t be on their side.^ Arad''s evil smile scared the maids, causing them to back away and fall. The disturbing intellect in Mira''s eyes couldn''t bepared to what shows on Arad''s face. Arad stared at the maids as they fell, "Are you okay?" He asked. [You scared them. In the same way, your magic shows in your eyes, your emotions do, and so does your will. It''s the same thing when a human innately senses a devil''s lies or the benevolence of a god. They can sense you''re a powerful dragon, but their conscious mind rejects that idea.] ^[They were also scared of Mira''s gaze, but that''s the same as a necromancer''s stare. They can sense the unhinged ability to create something terrifying.]^ Arad stared at his own hand, ^I still need to control my emotions and magic, my aura and mental barrier. As well as the animals in my void range... That''s a lot to keep track off.^ [Don''t worry, you''ll get a hold of it soon.] Arad pulled Mira toward him with his arm, catching her in a one-arm hug. Holding her like that helped him rx, like a kid holding a teddy bear, but the bear is a human girl. She smelled a bit sweet, but Arad quickly washed that thought from his head. Mira stared up at Arad with a confused face and blushing cheeks, "Arad, the maids are here," She whispered. Arad looked directly into her eyes, wondering why is he with her. The question Zephyr instilled in his head, is why is he with any of them, and what does he like about them? What can he give to her, and what is she giving him? It only took his draconic brain a second to conjure one thought, Mira''s rough hands, her sweating under the sun as she hammered the wood, the suntan on her arms and shoulder from wearing sleeveless clothes to work in the heat. ^I know it. I like her hardworking nature and outgoing courage. She doesn''t fear charging at me with a hammer that could kill her, nailing an armored man, or standing tall to protect Tina from the zombies despite being just as helpless.^ He smiled, lifting her palm in his hand, "Rough and strong hands, the marks of dedication," He mumbled. Gasping, Mira tried to snatch her hand away feeling like her eyes were on fire, "You don''t like them?" She cried, but her hand was stuck firmly in his palm. Arad bent down and kissed her hand, "The opposite, I like them," He smiled as she couldn''t breathe. Chapter 397 Another Attack

Chapter 397 Another Attack

Arad smiled, standing in the water with Mira in his arms. "Should we get out? We''ve been here for a while," Mira looked away, not even bothering to tell him to put her down. "You''re right," She gave up way too quickly, knowing he wouldn''t let her go with words only. "Please, a moment!" One of the maids bowed and rushed toward the changing room. She smacked the door open and red at the two maids in the room. "Did their clothes arrive?" The two maids pointed at the shelves, smiling. "They did a moment ago. Lady Eris brought them." The maid sighed in relief and turned back into the bath, "Your clothes have arrived. Please head to the changing room." She walked toward Arad carrying a white clean towel. "Arad, put me down." Mira looked at Arad''s face, "I need to dry my hair before wearing clothes. Otherwise, they would get wet." Arad gently let Mira stand on her own. "You''re right," Another maid approached Arad with a towel, "I will dry you hard," She said with a smile, but Arad looked at her and lifted his hand, "No need. I have a faster way," FISSH! The water dew on Arad''s skin and hair evaporated as heat emerged from his body, radiating across the bath in a gentle burst of warmth. The maids stared at the ground, steaming as Arad''s body dried in the blink of an eye. He used fire magic to heat his body with an extremely weak version of me cloak. As the maids stared at him in surprise, Arad walked into the changing room and started wearing his clothes. Mira stared at the surprised maid beside her and snatched the towel, "It will be faster to do it myself," The maid gasped, "Sorry, mydy." She bowed, "I will get to work immediately," Her did stop as she stared at Arad. *** After the bath, Arad and Mira went to the dining room where they had a fulfilling dinner with Ae and Eris, discussing her new weapon and intentions to improve it. Arad stared at the girls talking with a smile on his face. They seemed to be getting along, and that made him happy. As the dinner ended, Arad stood and took a walk around the castle before heading to Mira''s room. The reason was simple, the friends of the assassin he killed before seem to havee for revenge or to finish the mission. *** Up on the roof, four assassins silently crawled across the castle walls, "We''re going over this wall and climbing to the roof through the old drain tubes. Make sure to use the one at the most left as that''s the maids'' quarter, and they should still be working around the castle." "Where did Athen dies?" one of them asked, looking around for guards. "You sure our path isn''t exposed?" one of them asked white looking for guards. "We won''t get killed as well, would we?" "Athen died on the roof. I bet it was a random guard, probably trying to sneak a peak at the princess in her room," Another replied, "Keep your eyes open, and we will be fine," They kept pushing through until they reached the rooftop, looking around for the pervert guard that killed Athen. CHIRP! CHIRP! One of the assassins blinked, hearing a bird chirping behind him. It was midnight. Shouldn''t birds be asleep? He stared back, sweating, and saw a tiny yellow canary flying across the sky, approaching them. The assassin could hear his heart beating loudly in his chest. His life shed as he saw the bird draw closer to him, looking both harmless and intimidating. TAP! The bird hit the assassin on the shoulder with what looked like a gentle tap, but that onlysted for a split second. CRACK! The assassin''s shoulder cracked, his bones breaking and twisting to the other side of his body. Thwack! His corps sted away with a ssh of blood, ripping several roof tiles off and breaking a chimney before flying outside the castle. The other assassins froze as their friend''s blood sshed on them. "What?" One of them cried in terror, it onlysted for the blink of an eye, but his friend was nowhere to be seen. CLICK! CLACK! Behind them, they heard something crawl on the tiles, snapping them back to reality. They turned, seeing a big ck rat staring at them. As the three assassins gulped down, the rat stood on his back and took a stance, a silver knife glowing under the moonlight in its hand. Bewildered, two of the assassins turned and lunged off the roof, running for their lives as thest one rushed at the rat, swinging a dagger. The rat expertly dodged the attack, stepping on the assassin''s dagger before cutting his throat with the knife and using his head as a stepping stone to lunge back. Thud! As the ratnded, the assassin''s chest te expanded as blood rushed from his armpits and stomach. Something had burst in his chest. The rat red toward the two running assassins, seeing them jump off the castle''s wall and lunge into the water canal outside the city, making a run toward the thick mountainous forest. The rat''s teeth started clicking as his body crushed, disappearing in the darkness. The two assassins ran as fast as they could. What was that they saw? An assassin rat? GAH! As they ran, the one at the back cried as a tiny hole burst across his chest. He slowed down, holding his chest as the blood rushed out. "What is this?" As he cried, he could see it, a tiny fly circting around him. BUZZ! The fly suddenly elerates to a blinding speed, flying through the assassin''s body and riddling him with holes. Thest assassin cried, "What is that? What is that?" He turned around and threw a smoke bomb. He then used that cover to make a dash deeper into the forest, never looking back. After a minute, he stopped to catch his breath, believing he was safe. CRACKLE! The assassin''s face twisted as he looked up at the tree, seeing a tiny brow squirrel staring at him with glowing purple eyes. He instantly knew this was the monster that chased them. "Did you think you can run away from me?" The squirrel spoke, staring down at the assassin with a gold re. The assassin''s mind slowed to a halt, he did know what this was, but couldn''t understand where all that raw power came from. CRACK! The squirrel''s neck twisted as dark magic consumed its body, transforming it into a massive shadow. As the assassin pissed himself in terror, he could see the massive jaws and ws emerging, a full dragon red down at him. "Who sent you?" Arad growled. "Monster!" The assassin crawled away, crying. CRACK! Arad swung his massive w down, crushing the man into a paste. Arad looked down at the blood on his w and scrapped it on the trees, "Well, this is it," He sighed and looked toward the castle, "Someone doesn''t want Isdis alive, probably one of her brothers," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om **** Back in the castle, Mira sat on her bed, brushing her hair as she heard a bird chirping outside. She smiled, rushing toward the window, and opening it. A tiny yellow canary flew inside,nding on her shoulder. "What took you so long? I was getting lonely," She smiled, patting the tiny bird. The bird flew from her shoulder and transformed, Aradnding ahead of her. "I went on a walk through the roofs and the forest." Mira stared at him, "I heard something loud, was it just a walk?" "A very enthusiastic walk. Include killing some assassins that came after Isdis, again." Arad sighed with an exhausted face. "The castle isn''t safe when a power struggle is on," Even Mira could guess, it was one of Isdis''s brothers sending assassins after her. Arad scratched his head, there was nothing he could do right now besides enjoying the night and hoping for the best. There can''t be two attacks on the same night. With a smile on his face, Arad looked at the walls and sensed Kin''s barrier was active. He can''t do it with Mira here after he took Ae on a whole trip. "We''re going out, get some clothes on yourself," Arad smiled. A few minutester. GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Mira cried on Arad''s back as he flew close to the sea surface. "Where are you taking me!" She cried, seeing nothing but endless water around them. Chapter 398 Mira’s night I: Measured [R-18]

Chapter 398 Mira''s night I: Measured [R-18]

FLAP! FLAP! Arad flew over arge rock in the middle of the sea, an isted piece ofnd the size of a few houses. It was enough for his draconic body tond, leaving some extra space. As hended, Mira slowly climbed down his wing and stood on the jagged ck stone. The salty and cold breeze of the sea washed over the body, causing her to shiver. "Cold!" She gasped, clinging closer to Arad''s warm arm. Arad stared at her with a smile, shifting back to his humanoid form, "A beautiful ce. Isn''t it?" He looked around, stopping to look at the glittering waves, and smiled, taking a deep breath. "I can smell them from here,rge fishes swimming underwater." "Smell what?" Mira stood beside him and asked, looking at the water with him. "A deliciousrge fish the size of a house," Arad mumbled, "But that can wait forter. We have more important things to do," putting his hand on her shoulder, Arad pulled her closer with a smile. With a smile, Mira stared back, "On jagged stones? You''re a bit too rough," Arad giggled, "Of course not," Lifting his hand, a wave of his void rushed forth, and a whole set of furnishing popped out of the mist. Arge bed with a blue sheet, a table, and two chairs. "I made those," She pinched Arad''s face, "Thought I wouldn''t notice with a thickyer of paint and new sheets?" "I painted them like this since you left them barewood." Arad said with a passive face, "You''re the one who said it''s bad for the wood." Mira giggled, "You were listening then," She grabbed onto his shoulder and pulled her body up with one arm, reaching to his face and kissing the spot where she pinched him, "Sorry about that. Did it hurt?" Arad shook his head, "Not one bit," He patted her head, "You shot a nail through my knee, and now you ask if I felt pain after a pinch?" Mira giggled, "Well, sorry about that." her hand slipped down to his knee, "I know just how durable you are," She giggled, "And how hard can you get," With a swift swing from his arm, Arad picked Mira and started walking toward the bed. No use wasting more time, even if the night is still long. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Heid Mira on the bed and sat beside her, "It''s quite cold here. For you isn''t it?" Mira swung her body to sit on hisp, "We should stick closer then," She giggled, her hand sneaking its way beneath his shirt. *** Inside Arad''s head, Doma dragged Mom deeper into Arad''s mind with a smile, ^[We''re going to sleep, enjoy]^ Her voice faded away like a coin dropping into a dark well. *** As Arad felt her hand sliding beneath his clothes he smiled, reaching with his hand beneath her shirt and gently pulling it up, his hands stucking beneath her chest. "Want to take it off?" He smiled as she clenched her chest on his hand. "Don''t want to, it''s cold," She smiled, "Unless you take yours first, then I can have something to lean onto," She grabbed his shirt, pulling it up above his head. Mira couldn''t help but smile, her lips curling up as she saw Arad''s chest pushing against his tight tank top. No, it wasn''t tight. Arad''s chest was bigger than the biggest tank top they could buy. His arms wererger than her thighs, and the heat radiating from his body felt as warm as sitting beside a warm stove. "You weren''t this hotst time," She smiled, dragging her fingers on his tank top and taking it off, "What should I do with that?" Arad stared at her, confused for a second, but he decided not to meddle and let her do her thing, "Who knows, someone might have said it felt cold around here." Mira giggled, sitting her head on his bare chest, "I can''t hear your heartbeats. It''s both a sad and a relieving feeling," She stared into his eyes, "There is no heart here to kill, but nothing for me to listen for." In a dangerous world, the heart was seen as a weakness. A ce where a single stab could end the mightiest of warriors. A sword to the heart is amon way to die in this cruel world. "There is no need to be sad," Arad wrapped his arms around Mira''s neck, pulling her head closer to his chest. Ba-dump! Ba-dump! "You can pull my heart from the void with one word, no matter how far it has sunk." Mira giggled, hearing Arad''s heartbeats loud and clear inside his chest. She turned toward Arad''s chest and closed her eyes, resting her forehead on him. "Well,st time you did me well," She went silent for a second and then took a deep breath. Rubbing her face on Arad''s chest and taking a deep whiff. He smelled ofvender from the bath and had a tiny hint of blood on him. Arad giggled, "What are you doing?" He asked. "Just stay still," She growled with her face still buried in his chest, "I asked Eris for some nightly advice, and she gave me a whole book and a lecture. I will give it a try here," "She has some experience?" Arad asked looking at her face. "She referred to the book every time she said something. I doubt she had any experience besides reading that." Mira replied with a smile, "Now, sit still," With a grin on her face, she reached down and grabbed the edge of his pants, pulling them down in one fell swoop. "Fine by me," Arad replied, rxing and falling on the bed, "Do what you want, for now. Ask me if you need any help." Mira stared at him and smiled, "Start by sitting back up, and at the bed''s edge if you please," She extended her hand and grabbed his wrist, helping him sit. As Arad sat, Mira crawled between his legs and stared at therge hunk of meat ahead of her face. She paused for a second, "Definitely too big, and long," Using her palm, she closed her fist around his flesh, trying to give it a rough measure. "Three fists and a bit more, around thirty centimeters. And it''srger than what my fingers can wrap around." She gasped, staring up at Arad, "No wonder this didn''t fitst time," "Ae took it well," Arad replied, but Mira sighed, "Yeah, seeing how she could barely walk, she took it well." Chapter 399 Mira’s Night II: How to Make it Easier [R-18]

Chapter 399 Mira''s Night II: How to Make it Easier [R-18]

? Mira opened her tongue, reaching down with her head to the base of Arad''s flesh, giving it a lick from the base to the top. Arad stared at her, "What are you doing?" He was confused. No matter how much he searched his mind, he couldn''te up with a reason. Mira giggled, seeing him confused, "I thought you would have guessed it by now," She clenched her fist around his flesh, rubbing it up and down, "You always figure it out," "You should stop. I don''t see a meaning to it unless you want to." Even if he didn''t get it, he wouldn''t mind letting her keep going. He learned his lesson from Zephyr, and not everything needs a reason in his mind anymore. "The book said it''s good to lube it up," Mira stopped moving her hand, "Especially with something this big, it would hurt less if I did this beforehand," She looked away, "And it can make it shorter if I got it stimted enough," she mumbled "I can''t change my size," Arad replied upon her. "I meant time, not size." She opened her mouth, taking the whole head in. "That book said getting it stimted beforehand can make the course time shorter," Mira stared trying to push Arad''s flesh deeper into her mouth, but she could barely get past the tip. He was just too big for her to handle. "What is that book?" Arad sighed, "And why did Eris have it?" Mira stopped sucking and looked toward Arad with a smile, a droll dripping from her lips, "Melissa''s guide to surviving thergest in the world. I barely got past the first chapter called Vani." "Where did I hear about that before?" Arad scratched his head, but Mom and Doma were asleep to answer his question. He had to rely on himself to interpret that. "Won''t it work in reverse?" Arad''s draconic brain started working more than it should have, driving his thought process deeper into a territory that it never reached before. "Reverse?" Mira asked, and Arad extended his hand behind her back, lifting her up as she iled her legs. "What are you doing." She cried. "Testing something," Arad replied as heid on his back, slowly sitting Mira on his face, "Like this." Mira gasped, pushing with her legs on the bed trying to stand, but Arad stopped her, speaking from beneath her butt. "If you licking me can make it easier, won''t be doing the same to make it double easier?" "I don''t think so!" Mira tried to stand, but Arad held her in ce, "Let me go, I didn''t finish with you yet," She cried, trying to get him to sit up. Arad smiled, "We might dry out if we did it separately. Keep licking from there, and I will handle this," Mira''s body shivered as she felt a rough warm thing brush between her legs, she instinctively clenched her hips, but Arad''s head kept them apart like a stone between mountains. "Let me go!" Mira cried, gasping for air as she tried to reach toward Arad''s flesh, but each time his tongue brushed against her, she shuddered and let go. "Arad, I can''t do it like this, let me go," She cried again, falling on his stomach with a red sweaty face, convoluting with each lick. Arad stopped for a second, "You all right?" He looked at her as her legs pulsated. "Probably a bit too all right," Mira gasped, staring back at him with a weird smile. "You should probably get on top, I can''t focus enough." Arad nodded, wrapping his arms around her back and sitting up, he thenid her on the bed with her head dangling at the edge. Arad gently pressed his flesh against her lips and bent forward over her body, reaching between her legs. He has to be careful, he''s farrger and heavier than her. It''s safer for her if she is on top, but if it has to go this way, he should not let his whole weight on her. CRACK! CRACK! Arad''s back cracked as he bent it to reach his destination. He then used his arms to support his whole weight on the bed and bent between her legs. As Arad started licking her, Mira opened her mouth and took a deep breath, letting Arad''s flesh slowly slip inside her mouth and into her throat. Her body didn''t like it, trying to gag each time but she held it back as hard as she could. Her vision blurred for a second as shecked air, tapping on Arad''s legs to pull out. Arad quickly backed away and stared at her, "You okay?" Mira coughed, "I''m fine," She started at Arad with tears dripping across her forehead and her droll across her cheeks, "I only needed a breath," "You can''t breathe?" Arad stared at her, he did feel that her chest stopped moving up and down, but only thought she was breathing slowly. "Not with this thing shoved in my throat," Mira flicked her finger on Arad''s flesh, "More girth than I can handle," "Sorry about that," Arad sighed, "I will look for a way to make it smaller, probably Zephyr would have a solution," Clensh! Mira closed her fist on Arad''s flesh, "It isn''t a downside, just a thing that I can''t handle." She sat up, wiping her face, "I''m sure someone else would love it like this. An ant queen perhaps," "Meryem?" Arad stared at Mira. "Who else, she''s as big as you," She grabbed Arad by the hand and pulled him toward her. "This should be enough, put it inside," Arad''s flesh rested between her legs as he slowly pushed forward. Mira''s body jerked in ce, her hips writhing back and forth trying to avoid Arad''s flesh. "AH!" Mira gasped, feeling it slip inside her. It was less painful thanst time, but that didn''t change much. She still felt as if her insides were about to rip apart. She stared down, only the head was inside. Clenching her teeth, Mira wrapped her legs around Arad''s hips and locked them, using what strength she could muster, she tried to push him deeper. To her surprise, Arad''s speed didn''t change no matter how much she pulled. He gently pushed deeper at a very slow speed, doing his best to make sure she didn''t get hurt. As Mira thought, Arad bent over her reaching to her chest, "Can I lick those?" "Of course, don''t ask," Mira cried in surprise and Arad grabbed her breasts in his palms, squeezing them gently. They are smaller than Ae''s, but far more springy. With a swift move, he licked her right nipple, giving it a gentle bite before sucking on it, trying to get something out. To his surprise, he only managed to squeeze a few drops of milk from her, unlike Ae. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad kept sucking, albeit a bit disappointed. Chapter 400 Mira’s Night III: Must Be Gentle [R-18]

Chapter 400 Mira''s Night III: Must Be Gentle [R-18]

Arad sighed as he sucked down on Mira''s breasts. They are dryer than he thought. He would have been happier if they were half as juicy as Ae''s. He then shook his head. He can''tpare them since to each her charm. Mira stared at Arad as he shook his head, "Don''t rub your face on my chest," Arad stopped and smiled, "You did the same. You can''t fault me," With a grin, he gently pecked one of her nipples. Mira gasped for air, her hands pushing on Arad''s head as she tried to move his head away from her chest. "Forget about it. You don''t have enough strength to get away from me," Arad was just as persistent as her. If he wanted something, he would take it. "Fine, but don''t suck on them," She exhaled, trying to pull her breasts down away from Arad. "That isn''t something I canpromise on," Arad smiled, giving her nipples a hard double suck. If one didn''t have enough milk, two might. Mira''s body writhed, convolting as she gasped for air. There was one reason she didn''t want Arad around her breasts. They were too sensitive, far from what she wasfortable with. As Mira was busy focusing on her chest, she felt something push inside her stomach. Arad had reached her limit, and it was going to be agonizing if he pushed further against her cervix. "Arad, please stop. You''re going too deep," Mira gasped, extending her hands to push on his chest. Arad stopped pushing deeper, "I''m only two-thirds of the way in," He said looking down, and then stared at her face. "You took it deepst time," He asked with a worried face. "I only know you reached the limit. I can''t take you deeper," She then scratched her chin, "If you pressed further, you might damage the egg," As she said those words, Arad froze in ce for a second, pulling out immediately. "What do you mean?" Mira was surprised he pulled out but preferred to answer his question first, "The egg should be behind the limit you reached. If you went any deeper you would be crushing it," Arad nodded, something boiling in his head. His consciousness rushed deeper into his mind, waking Doma, "You never told me doing it while she''s pregnant could damage the egg!" Doma woke up with Mom. ^[She won''t be harmed as long as you stay sensible. A normal human can''t possibly cause harm unless in thest months, but you''re a dragon with massive size and steel-like hardness,]^ [Take it slow and go only as deep as she allows you,] Mom added as she went back to sleep with Doma. Arad sighed, and Mira looked at his face, worried, "You okay?" "I''m fine. It''s just that Doma or Mom didn''t warn me about this before. What if I pushed too deep by mistake?" Arad growled. Mira smiled, "You won''t, and you didn''t." She extended her hands, touching his face, "Come, we still have a long night." She pulled him closer. Arad gently lined himself back and pushed forth. Mira gasped as she felt him rub against her again, but this time urged him to move a bit faster. She would be fine as long as he doesn''t go too deep. Arad started to once again suck her breasts, causing her to writhe and wiggle as he quickly ramped up speed. From now on, he has to be careful with her, especially since she''s pregnant. "Arad," Mira smiled, reaching up to Arad''s face. Giving him a gentle kiss. "Sorry, I can''t take you whole," She looked into his eyes, "After this egg is out, I promise to let you go all the way in, no matter what." "Don''t worry about it," Arad kissed her back. **** n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Knock! Knock! Knock! Ae opened her eyes, hearing someone knocking on her door. She mumbles, "Whoes thiste at night?" Whoever this person was, he interrupted her meditation. "Hold!" Zephyr flew out of her, "You remain here, I will see who''s there," "You sure?" Ae asked, and Zephyr smiled, "They can''t hurt me, and even if they did I will just emerge from you." Zephyr acted as a summon for Ae. She would merely return inside her if she was killed in battle, which means Zephyr could be summoned again if she or Ae had enough mana to do so. Zephyr flew toward the door, shrinking her body enough to fit through the keyhole and go outside. She could see arge armored man standing there, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently. "Oi! Big guy!" The man blinked, looking around and poking his ear, "I just heard something," "You deaf human! I''m here!" Zephyr shouted, and the man stared at her. She was as small as a fly, standing on the door''s lock. The man looked closer at her, surprised and fascinated at the sight of a rare creature. "You''re a pixie, aren''t you? What are you doing here?" "Hemph!" Zephyr tilted her head, ring at the man''s face. She could sense no malice from him. He''s here with a purpose. "Speak up human, I have no time," The man nodded, "Sorry, you can call me Adron of the golden hands, an officer in the holy army of Alseria. We serve the goddess of the sun and eclipse, Amaterasu, the goddess of the harvest, Jemima, and the god of dawn and renewal, Evander." He bowed. Zephyr stared at the man, thinking, what does the holy army have to do with Ae? Arad didn''t cause any trouble with them, yet. "What does a messenger of the gods do at my front door? You know the fae don''t fancy the mortals'' beliefs" Zephyr red at the man, "One wrong deed and I will attack," She lifted her hand, causing the wind in the hallway to howl. "Of course, I don''t intend to offend you." The man bowed again, "We sensed a trace of Elis''s divine magic around here, the goddess of the dark elves. I was sent to investigate that." He looked at the door, "If a messenger of hers is here, we very much like to have a talk with them about the one thousand-year-old war." Chapter 401 [Bonus chapter] The Great Wind Sprit, and the Old War

Chapter 401 [Bonus chapter] The Great Wind Sprit, and the Old War

Zephyr stared at the man. She knew of the war. One thousand years in the past, thisnd was upied by the dark elves who loved coastal regions. They loved to bathe in the sun and get tanned. In the past, a cult of high elves tried to burn the world tree and failed. The tree punished them with a curse, abandoning them and taking her grace away. The cult members burned with holy mes and flew deep underground, their skin as ck as charcoal. They were the first dark elves. But after milleniums, a hero named Cain Lisworth came and managed to mend the bad blood between them and the world tree, and they once again were graced, turned back into high elves with pale skin. It was the birth of the first moon elves. Those elves split into two groups one that lived as high elves and lived as moon elves. But since they were shunned in the dark for thousands of years, they yearned for the sun. For decades after the grace, you can see the elves lying in the sun on beaches, bathing in the glory of sunlight. Those elves got sunburns, badly to the point their skin turned into a dark tane. And humans began to call them dark elves again, or tanned elves. Yes, dark elves are tanned high elves. And that stuck through the generations as a right and a tradition. Thisnd belonged to them, but the humans invaded one thousand years ago and drove them out. The holy order of the three gods probably wants to apologize to the dark elf goddess but has no way of contacting her. Zephyr sighed as the information flooded across her mind. She smiled, "If your head pope wants to apologize for the invasion, he''s out of luck. We have none associated with Elis enough to contact her." The man''s eyes opened wide, "The wisdom of the fae, you could guess it," He gasped. "Guess it?" Zephyr stared at him, poking her ear like he did before. "I was alive when it happened, kid. Don''tpare me to you," The man backed away, staring at her, "You lived at that time? How old are you?" "Don''t ask ady about her age," Zephyr growled. "The storm jungle? The howling queen? Ring a bell?" "I read about it," The man nodded, "A spirit that lived in the wild mountains and set a tool on both armies. The leader of the elves and humans had to go together to her domain and beg her not to trample the armies." He stared at Zephyr with a drop of sweat trailing across his face. "They said the meeting was less than pleasant, but the spirit didn''t interfere after that." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Zephyr reached into her pocket, pulling a tiny object with a smile on her face. The object grew in size and was revealed to be a scroll. "A contract between me and the first pope, a copy of it at least. I''m keeping the original sealed." She threw it to the man. The man sat at his hands, shaking. "I expect the pope tomorrow, and he''s better be ready to beg and apologize. Annoying me is a valid reason for me to turn hostile again," She smiled. The man opened the scroll and gave it a read. It all boils down to one thing. Zephyr owned all the forestnd and had been letting the dark elves live there since they gave her offerings. The first pope and the dark elves leader didn''t negotiate with the spirit. They begged it not to destroy their armies. The negotiation didn''tst a day but a whole week, and those two spent it begging and pleading to the spirit. The spirit, Zephyr agreed to stay out of their fight as long as they didn''t annoy her. And if they did, she''s free to kick them both out. "Go!" Zephyr red at the man, "If I don''t get an exnation, I will throw this city and your whole army into the death sea." The man stared into Zephyr''s eyes. Her words were no mere boast She meant them and has the power to do it. "The great wind spirit?" He gasped. "Yep, that''s me," She stared at him, "Get moving! Out of my sight, and don''t you ever daree knocking on my door. Call to me on the wind and I shalle if I feel like it." Zephyr snapped her fingers, and a strong gust of wind dragged the man away across the castle halls, throwing him outside. He stood and ran as fast as he could to the central church. Zephyr stared into the hallways and then shrunk herself, going through the keyhole and back to Ae. "I dealt with him, only a messenger of the church." "What?" Ae gasped. "Don''t worry. They won''t cause trouble for Arad as long as they know who am I," Zephyr smiled, "Even though I decided not to bring that up again," She sighed. "Bring up what?" Ae stared at her. She was listening to their talk outside, but still couldn''tpletely understand it. "It''s a long story, too long to tell in detail." Zephyr sat on Ae''s head, "Simply state, I owned thend beside the elvish kingdom in the past. It''s what you call now the kingdom of Alseria." Zephyr flew to the floor and tapped her foot on it. "Thisnd is mine, the whole kingdom. I only let dark elves live since they gave me a lot of gifts and money and they almost treated me like a goddess. But when the humans tried to invade, they were too proud to ask for my help and fought alone." Ae could guess the rest, "The war started destroying thend, so you got angry," "Yes, the two leaders came to ask me to stop throwing their soldiers into the sea, but I was really angry at the time." Zephyr sighed, "I wasn''t taking any of their offers, and they ended up dancing and singing, trying to appease me." "Then they started begging since you didn''t stop killing their soldier," Ae mumbled. "I didn''t stop my storm. After four days they gave up all the tricks and started licking my feet and begging me not to kill more of their soldiers, and I ended up giving up and not interfering any further." Zephyr sighed. "They kept begging you like that for three more days?" Ae gasped. "I was young and hardheaded," Zephyr smiled. "You don''t be a patron without power," Ae stared at Zephyr, "You don''t seem that much to be honest." "Of course I have power," Zephyr stared at Ae, "Me and Doma are beings people should antagonize. It''s a miracle that your party has us both," Chapter 402 Invading the Inner Sanctum

Chapter 402 Invading the Inner Sanctum

In the morning, Arad returned with Mira to the castle. They instantly teleported inside upon getting close. "You can go back to sleep. I will check something out," Arad said, walking toward the door. "The sun is about to rise. What do you have to do?" Mira asked with a worried face. Arad smiled, "Nothing important. Zephyr wants to talk to me. I will check with her quickly," He opened the door and walked away and Left Mira to rest till the morning. When Arad went into the garden he saw Zephyr flying around the flowers and roses, staring at them with a smile. "You never once called me to talk like this, is something the matter?" "It''s a long story," Zephyr turned around and stared at Arad with a passive face, "Want the long or short story?" "Long, can''t miss details," Arad replied. Zephyr flew toward him and told him what happenedst night, exining everything rting to her, the dark elves and the invading humans. She even showed him the contract, a binding vow to the first pope. After sitting for a while, Arad stared at the sky, "What should I do?" "[Can I say something as a fellow patron? We who reached a level of power high enough to grant people magic, yet not enough to leave the mortal nes or ascend.]" Doma said, a mouth appearing on Arad''s hand. "What do you suggest?" Zephyr stared at Arad, waiting for Doma to reply. "[Thisnd should stay in the human''s hand. There is no need to restart the old war. But I suggest you renew the contract to better terms. And not with the pope.]" Arad could feel a weird excitementing from Doma. She had a nasty n brewing inside her head. "[Arad is slowly taking a role simr to Alcott as a dragon Mediator. How about we add humans and dark elves? Heck, even the gods.]" The face appearing on Arad smiled, "[When gods try to make a deal with each other through their servants, let''s put Arad in the middle. As a first job, he will oversee the negotiation between the humans, you, the dark elves, and the respective gods.]" "Wait? I can''t do that." Arad gasped, shaking his face, "You know how many pdins are there? Four hits, and I''m going to the grave faster than I can throw punches." "What she is saying is that you have potential. And don''t worry about them. They can''t smite you anyway." Zephyr smiled, flying toward Arad''s face, "Harming you mean starting a war against Elis, the goddess of the dark elves, and me. Pdis serve the gods, not fight against them." "I thought each one served one god," Arad looked at Zephyr, confused. "Those are clerics. Pdins serve the greater good. To make it simpler, gods usually band together and form what we call pantheons. There are many like the elvish pantheon which has gods like Sylph and Elis, and the human pantheon which has others like Jemima, Amaterasu, and Evandor." Zephyr exined. "Alina''s church is dedicated to the earth Mother? Who is that?" Arad remembered Lydia calling her like that. "The earth mother, an over deity named Chauntea. But that church is dedicated to the human pantheon. It''s those three I said before." Zephyr flew and sat on Arad''s shoulder. "They will kill me when they know I''m a vampire," Arad sighed, but Zephyr stared at him, pulling on his hair. "They won''t, and no one said I would allow them to check you." She giggled. Arad nodded and smiled, "So then, where should we meet?" "They usually pray in the church right after dawn. That is how followers of Amaterasu, Evandor, and Jemima do it most of the time. We can wait for them to call us or catch them first." Zephyr smiled. Arad turned and looked into the castle, "I know where the inner church is. Heard they call it the inner sanctum. Let''s give them a surprise visit," *** The head pope walked inside the castle''s halls, heading toward the inner sanctum guarded by the general of the Pdin army and several other men. To this country, his importance is almost equal to the king since most people follow the same religion. Thud! Upon reaching the golden door of the inner sanctum, the pope stopped and stared at the handle. "Strange, I sense the divine magic of the dark elves goddess, Elis." He looked at the pdin general, "No one has the key other than me and you," The general approached the door, his eyes glowing golden as he grabbed the handle in his hand. "It''s locked tight. He must have slipped in without going through the door." The pope sighed, fixing his goldced clothes andrge onion hat, "First the great spirits show up, and now this messenger of Elis is challenging us. What could we do?" The general looked back at his men, "Protect the pope, but don''t attack the messenger first, and even if he did, they to convince him to speak instead of fight. We must solve this in a peaceful way," The pope nodded, "Good judgment, we mortals have no right to start a fight between the gods. Also, that spirit is a disaster if angered. We must tread carefully." The general pulled a silver key from his pocket and unlocked the sanctum''s door. He looked back and slowly pushed the door open, keeping an eye forward for any surprise attack. Looking inside, the inner sanctum looked like any regr church with the statues of the gods in the front. The only difference is the quality of the building and materials. Everything was made of rare marble, gold, silver, and gems. On the front row of seats, arge ck-haired man sat with one leg on the other and one arm resting on the seat''s backrest. It only took the general one stare but he could sense it in his bones, this man was a real problem. "Elis''s messenger I presume, may I ask how did you get inside?" The general walked in the front, keeping his eyes fixed on Arad''s head. Without turning, Arad replied in a passive tone. "Through the front door." The general blinked, Arad wasn''t lying but the door was locked tight. It doesn''t make sense. "You opened it?" "Arad pointed at the statues of the gods, and asked them," He turned his head, ring at the pdin general with glowing purple eyes, "Wait, statues don''t speak," A vein bulged in the general''s head, he wanted to strike, but sighed instead, "Fine, shall we talk now? Or did you onlye to pray?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Do I look like I''m praying?" Arad sighed, imitating the general, "You seem, a bit angry, aren''t you?" Chapter 403 Fluctuating Stress

Chapter 403 Fluctuating Stress

The pope stared at the general and Arad. He could feel their magic shing and burning like waves of thunder. It would only take a small trigger for those two to fight. "Calm down, both of you." The pope said, walking between them and lifting his hands, "This is a holy ce. No need to kill each other." Arad turned and looked at the statues, "You''re right," the general walked to sit on the opposite chair to Arad, putting his massive greatsword beside him. "It''s not a ce for the unholy," He red at Arad, "But the gods would have struck you down if they wished." Undead, vampires, and ghosts burn when walking into a church due to the excessive holy magic flowing inside. The fact that Arad could remain there only meant the three gods didn''t mind his presence. The pope walked between them and reached to the statues to pray. A tiny fairy emerged from Arad''s pocket and flew to sit on Amaterasu''s statue''s head. "It''s been a while, humans." She smiled, ring down at the pope. The pope stared at Zephyr, sweating, "Can I please ask you not to sit on the holy statue?" Zephyr smiled, "Rx, human. It''s only a stone," Zephyr knocked on the statue''s head, "The gods live above in the heavens, and prayerse from the heart. This is only a representation created by you humans. I doubt it resembles the real thing," "Is that supposed to be the wisdom of an ancient being?" The pope stared at Zephyr with a worried face. "You can see it however you like," Zephyr flew back to Arad and rested on his head, dangling her legs from his forehead. "You wanted to try and mend your rtionship with the dark elf goddess, didn''t you?" The pope looked around and approached Arad, "Before that, we wanted to apologize for sending one of our men to you, great spirit. We have no intentions of repeating that and will do our best to fix the rtionship we have." Arad stared at the pope with a puzzled face, "Rtionship? She''s letting you live on hernd for free. I can''t see how that is called a rtionship," He red at the pope, "You''re technically using her," "We dare not," The pope replied with a stern face, "After the ancient agreement with the first pope. Zephyr decided to allow the winner of the war to live on hernd." Zephyr shook her head, swinging her legs and hitting Arad''s forehead, "That''s right, but it isn''t fair." She said with a smile, looking down at Arad, "This one here doesn''t represent Elis, nor the gods," She started ying with Arad''s head. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "A dragon yer and mediator like Alcott," The pdin general said from his seat, staring at Arad. "You want him to oversee the negotiation?" Zephyr stared at the general with a grin, "You''re right. I do trust he would get me a nice deal," The pope stared at Arad, "Before that, why do I sense Elis''s divine magictched onto you if you don''t represent her?" "I fixed one of her shrines on the peak of one western mountain. She then asked me to help a soul in her name. An unholy and cursed assassin that I''m to save in the underground cities." The general stared at Arad, "The divine magic quaked. It''s indeed a holy mission befit a pdin." "I''m no pdin," Arad replied with a passive face, staring forward. "If not now, she might make you one upon thepletion of the holy mission," The general smiled, "The god''s trials are fickle. I do remember mine." "What was yours?" Arad asked as he felt the general''s magic calm down. "I was a humble knight in the past, but one day, I got a vision from Amaterasu while praying to the gods in the church. A little kid, I was to kill." He smiled, "What do you think?" Arad stared at the general, "Let me guess, a vampire?" The general burstughing, "And I hesitated to do it for weeks. But when I gave up and swung my sword down at his neck. The beast revealed itself." The general lifted his hand, clenching a fist. "I could feel the holy magic flowing in my blood, seeking the vampire''s doom. My sword burned with holy mes as it burst into my first smite. In the name of the mighty sun." "We heard you punched a vampire," The pope stared at Arad. "He was going by the name Chuzuke and disguised as a kid, fooled me for a while before we managed to confront him." Arad smiled. "Now I feel bad," The general stared at Arad with a smile, "Is that how you were turned? Night spawn." Arad shook his head, "Actually, no," He sighed, "I was infected with Lycanthropy in a mission, and a friendly vampire I know infected me to prevent me from bing a feral werewolf." "And to think you were able to keep your sanity with both curses," The general stared at Arad, "But heed my warning, don''t trust those powers. They drive people to madness as they eat away at your soul." Click! The door lock clicked, and both the pope and the general stared back. The other pdins pulled their des. "The door was locked and we have the only keys." A muffled voice came from behind the door, "A click out of one, nothing on two, three is binding...and it''s open." The door opened, and Jack looked inside, "Holy shit! A lot of them," He gasped. SWOSH! The door got pushed open as Lydia red inside, seeing Arad sitting with the pdins. "She was right," Lydia mumbled. Ae told her that Zephyr went with Arad and they might have encountered the pdins, so she came to try and make any fight if possible. "A pdin traveling with a vampire?" The general stared at Arad and then at Lydia, "I didn''t expect that. As your superior, I''m a bit disappointed." Lydia red at the general with a golden fire glowing in her eyes, "You dare insult the gods?" She grasped the handle of her de, "As pdins, we only answer to the gods and the greater good. You''re neither," The generalughed, "A true hell rider." He stood, "And what about him?" He stared at Jack standing outside the door, "A rogue as well. You don''t seem to choose yourpany well," Thud! Jack walked into the inner sanctum, and the moment he set foot there, a wave of divine magic rushed forth from him. The pdin general gasped, staring at the wakazashi hanging from his waist. "Where did you get that?" Chapter 404 Demon and Blood

Chapter 404 Demon and Blood

Jack stared at the general, "From a friend, that is all the details you would get." "Those items are dangerous in the wrong hands," The general stared at Jack, unapproving of him carrying the wakizashi. That thing was a relic from ancient times, known as the de of Amaterasu, once held by a rogue hero from the east called Daraku. "The de of Daraku, the protector of the first priestess of Amaterasu, Miko. That''s not something a rogue should be ying with," The general stood, approaching Jack. "Hand it over," Jack shook his arms, "I''m not strong enough to prevent you from taking it by force. But, beware." He smiled, "The one who entrusted it to me won''t be happy with you taking it," "I have no care for those who desecrate holy relics. This one shall be kept safe in the holy house of the sun." The pdin general walked forth and snatched the wakizashi from Jack''s hand with a swift move. Jack smiled, "Then deal with it alone," Sizzle! The wakazashi started burning with holy magic, charring the general''s hand. "What? Is it this unstable?" The general growled, trying to calm the magic, but the divine will in the de itself rejected him. The relic was already attuned to Jack and won''t be held by anyone else unless approved. The pdins in the back froze in ce and the priest fell on the ground as a deep voice shook the inner sanctum. "Mutt, drop that thing from your mouth, NOW!" The general turned around and felt a sense of doom. A six-eyed demon red at him, sword in hand. "That de is my friend''s keepsake. It''s not for you to y with," The general immediately pulled his greatsword, [Archon''s Smite]. He swung the massive de down at a blinding speed, shaking the ground. As the sword approached the demon. The divine magic faded, and the de crumbled. CRACKLE! Everyone in the room felt as if they were at death''s door. Nothing there mattered as the demon lord lifted his de. "This de killed countless demons, devils, angels, gods, and abominations of the outer realms. PUT THE WAKAZASHI DOWN! MUTT!" Kayden growled, and the general dropped the de, his soul almost disintegration. Kayden''s aura faded as he sheathed his de, picked the wakizashi, and approached Jack, "I asked you to keep it safe...But I guess you can''t do anything against this mutt." He looked back at the general. Jack took the wakizashi again and smiled, "Thanks, I didn''t expect you toe immediately." Kayden stared at the wakazashi, "My friend, Daraku left that de. It''s blessed by Amaterasu and reforged and cared for by me for thousands of years." Kayden smiled, his six eyes fading into a normal pair. "Darkau was like you, a rogue. And like you, he chased a woman of clothes following Amaterasu. History is repeating itself, and this de is back to the assassin of the eclipse." ZON! Kayden disappeared as quickly as he appeared, leaving everyone puzzled. "Who was that?" The pope gasped, and Arad stared at Him, "Kayden Daemon. The first rank of the world powers." "The demon lord? The gods'' yer himself?" The pope cried. He knew that an absolute demon of unimaginable power had apanied the first priestess and her guard Daraku, but he didn''t expect him to be alive. Arad stood and approached the general. He stared at him with a passive re, "Why did you even want to meet me?" The general shook his face, he still hadn''t recovered fully from being hit with Kayden''s aura, but he at least stood and replied. "The pope wanted to open the kingdom to the dark elves. After excessive discussion with the king, we decided to ept anyone as a citizen if they just asked." The pope rushed in, knowing that it was better to bury the matter of the wakzashi. They want no beef with Zephry, let alone the strongest world power. "The previous pope allowed dark elves in but didn''t let them get citizenship or build churches for Elis''s worship. I intend to change that. We will even build a garden for Zephyr." The pope said with a smile. He knew they couldn''t keep at it like this. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Now that sounds nice," Jack smiled, patting the general''s shoulder, "Holy relics are bound to their user, don''t try taking one again by force. Even if you''re the strongest pdin of that god." Lydia stared at the general and the pope, Jack''s words ringing in her head. The church is at best dysfunctional and at worst unfaithful and dangerous. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, "Jack, let''s go," She walked and pulled Jack with her, "We have several things to buy," She said with a smile. "Do you need money?" Arad said, looking at them. "We should have enough," Lydia replied with a smile, "I only need a new sword and Jack wanted some new trinkets," Jack looked at Arad, "But we could use a bit more gold," He smiled, "Would be nice to pick a high-grade sword for Lydia, a pair of armor, and some extra ck powder for me." With a smile, Arad gave Jack several gold coins, those two needed to arm themselves well, especially Lydia. Rare are the swords that can survive an action-surged divine cleaver. As Jack and Lydia left, Arad stood beside the general, "Is that all?" The general and the pope stared back at him, "What do you mean?" Puff! Zephyr flew from Arad''s head, zapping around at high speed. "I call a new contract! The pope and general stared at her, "You can''t put a new contract without the dark elf patriarch present." Zephyr froze in her ce. That was a term she put in the first contract. Scratching her head, "That would take a while..." Everyone stared at each other. "That''s enough for today," Arad pped his hands, "I do have some work to do. Thus, I must go," The general stared at him silently for a second. "We should talk more. Do you have timeter?" Arad turned back as Zephyr flew to him, "I don''t know. But I doubt I will have it today, probably another time." He walked out, waving his hand with a smile. *** Arad stretched his arms, almost hitting the ceiling of the castle''s hallways. "I should visit the guilds. Do you think Ae has time toe along?" Zephyr shook her head, "I don''t know, but someone else just woke up," She pointed forward. As Arad looked, he saw Eris walking across the shadows, carefully avoiding the sunlight. "Eris, you''re early," Arad said with a smile, approaching her. Eris yawned, rubbing her eyes, "I want to sleep," She stared at Arad with one eye. "Can I get back to sleeping during the day?" Arad stared at her, "You''re the one who wanted to integrate into human society. You will soon get used to it," He stared at the window and put his hand under the sunlight. "We will find a solution for this as well," He smiled. Eris giggled, approaching him, "Probably, if I nibled a bit on your neck. I might be able to walk in it," She giggled, her face approaching his neck. Thud! Arad grabbed her by the face, "Don''t," He pushed her back, "At least not now." "Fine," She cried, looking sad, "But I would get some tonight," Arad nodded, "That depends," He approached her, "I''m going to the guild, care to join me?" Eris smiled, "The adventurers guild? Why?" "I want to see what kind of quests they have here," He smiled, clenching his fist, "I also have a letter from Nina to the guild. She''s asking them on behalf of Alina''s guild master Malta to send several appraisal orbs and scrolls." "Doing a favor for Sara, and a delivery quest for Nina," She giggled, "Don''t tell me you have another weird mission?" Arad smiled, "I don''t think so," The two stared at each other for a second in silence. A maid walked into the hallway, seeing them standing. The maid approached, looking at them with a puzzled face. Why are they silent? "You''re Sir Arad and Lady Eris, right?" The maid asked with a smile. "You''re searching for him?" Eris growled, ring at Arad''s face. With a gentle smile, Arad replied waving his hand, "Of course. If I did missions for other people, I better do one for myself, right?" "What can you even do if you found him?" She growled, "In Alina, he might have been alone and away from his domain, but if he really lived around the capital, you would die." "I won''t," Arad replied, patting her shoulder. "There are only two of us," Eris grunted, "He might have hundreds if not thousands of spawns." "The more, the better," Arad smiled and looked at the maid, "We are Arad and Eris. Care to leave us alone for a moment?" As the maid nodded with a confused face, Eris pulled Arad by the hand and walked away, "We will go instead. We talk somewhere else," Arad was searching for Chuzuke. The dragon is on the hunt. Chapter 405 The Guild Master of The Capital

Chapter 405 The Guild Master of The Capital

As Arad walked with Eris toward the adventurers guild, he found its doors wide open with countless adventurers going in and out. Some were injured, and some jumped with the money they got from their quests. The moment he looked inside, he could see adventurers lined up to reach the guild''s desk, and some were even sitting beside the walls, awaiting their turn. Arad sighed, missing the calm of Alina''s guild. "Let''s find someone to give Nina''s letter to first," He looked at Eris. Eris nodded from beneath her ck veil, "It''s for the best. We might end up waiting for hours." Thud! Arad stepped inside the guild with Eris, and silence fell. All the adventurers turned around, staring at them. It was rare for someone as tall and massive as him to be seen around even among adventurers. Not many people had purple eyes, so he stood out even more. Arad looked at Mira, "Your clothes are weird. They attract attention." "You''re too big and attract attention," She looked back at him with a grin as they walked inside the guild, ignoring everyone. "Should we cut in?" Eris asked, but Arad shook his head, "There are too many people, and the guild staff are busy at this time." Arad approached the desks and asked for a spot in the line. They registered his name and asked him to wait until they called him. He turned and started heading toward the quest board to give it a quick look. Therge decorated wooden board was divided into three sections, [Kill Quests] [Guard Quests] [Misc Quests] Kill quests revolved around killing monsters or hunting rare animals. The difficulty rank was decided by the monsters'' rank and number, as well as their rarity. They ranged from hunting rabbits to behirs and giants. "The highest quest is A-rank, a bandit band tamed several giants and goblins are terrorizing the western fields. Guess no S-ranks. Those would be emergencies after all," Eris sighed. "We should be thankful there are none," Arad sighed. His time wouldn''t have time to stay with the girls if an S-rank disaster started. Guard quests were the simple ones. Guarding something from point A to B, whether it''s a caravan or a kid going to the forest. Arad looked at the quests, reading them one by one until he stopped at a certain one. "I feel like someone is chasing me at night when I head to the garderobe. I need a guard and will pay 50 copper coins a night." Arad couldn''t help but stare puzzled at the strange paper, "What?" Eris stared at it andughed, "Probably a prank set by a kid. What the hell is this quest?" Misc quests usually are random or iplete. Exploration and repair quests get posted here. Everything from cleaning the sewers to searching for missing people. "Arad, look at this one," Eris pointed at the wall and showed Arad a colorful poster, "Armored Gorgon testicr removal. Our Gorgon Bull has been acting uptely and attacking the cows. We want a strong adventurer to help with removing its testicles to calm its urges down. Testicules must be harvested intact and the bull unharmed otherwise. 85 Gold coins." As Arad read the poster, he scratched his head, "I believe I saw a quest like this before in Alina." "Gorgon''s meat is a delicacy. Farmers would pay mountains of gold to catch a bull and raise it for meat. Some try to breed them with cows, but they achieve minor sess as the meat is barely simr to the original." Eris exined with a smile. The two of them spent several minutes staring at the quests, reading them as the lines progressed, "Adventurer Arad!" A voice called from the desks. It was Arad and Eris''s turn. Arad and Eris approached the dest, "I''m Arad. Is it our turn?" The man behind the desk smiled, waving his hand, "Of course, sir Arad. What can the guild help you with today? Hopefully, you aren''t encountering a dire situation." The man stared back at the stack of paper behind him. "We are quite busy at this time of the year." Arad waved his hand, "Not at all. I can handle most problems I face myself," he reached into his pocket and pulled Nina''s letter. "What is this?" The man asked, looking at the sloppy cover. "A letter from Alina''s guild," Arad said with a passive face, "Nina sent it," The man''s face paled, "What?" He gasped, staring back and then at the letter. His face started sweating as his hands shook. The man slowly opened the letter and gave it a read. The handwriting was bad as if someone wrote it with his feet. Scribbles at best and scratches at first sight. Clenching his eyes and straining his mind, he managed to piece sense from the letter. Nina can write well when she''s doing paperwork, but when ites to writing a letter, thinking about the words, the tone, and how to write it, she quickly falls down. The man sighed in relief, "Thank goodness, she''s only asking for supplies." He smiled, reading thest part of the page. "The man delivering the letter is as strong as a monster. I would say he would soon surpass me as an s-rank." Reading thest line, the man started shaking as he stared at Arad. Arad tilted his head, "Open the letter. There is still some on the back." The shaking man turned the paper, seeing a clear handwriting. This didn''t belong to Nina. But even so, he could recognize it. "Arad is quite an astounding adventurer. He will rece me as the dragon yer and mediator. Make sure not to anger him, okay?" His eyes paled as he read that. "He might be a failure as a wizard, but his sorcerous powers are like a raging volcano. Don''t me me if he burned the whole building there." Those words came from none other than Merlin. The letter was also signed and stamped by Alina''s lord which made it even more terrifying. This adventurer Arad can''t be a normal person. The man stood with a smile on his face, a drop of sweat trailing on his forehead. "Sir Arad, please follow me to the guildmaster''s office. The second-inmand headmaster would fill you in on the details of the shipment." Arad stood, and so did Eris. They followed the man upstairs to the guildmaster''s office. The room looked simple but Doma made sure Arad knew of every enchantment hidden within the mundane walls. Arad looked around with his void eyes as Doma exined in his head. Tracking magic, fire resistance, lightning resistance, temporal distortion making time a tenth slower inside, anti-magic field with a limited function, teleport veil that sends anyone outside in case of an attack, tens summoning circles hidden beneath the ground that could summon monsters, and more. "This ce, it reeks," Arad growled. Even though the room looked empty, he could feel like a thousand des were pointed at his neck. He and Eris sat on the old couch, waiting for the second inmand to arrive. A few minutester, a ck-haired woman walked in with a smile on her face and wearing a baggy wizard robe. She gave Arad a quick nce and smiled, licking her lips, "What a rare breed. You don''t see your kind often," She walked toward her desk and sat, one leg on the other. "My name is five, and I take the role of a second-inmand headmaster. Pleased to meet you," Her eyes gazed between Arad and Eris. Arad looked at the woman, his eyes feeling foggy. "Five? What''s your name?" "Yes, my name is five." The woman replied, "I have sisters as well, one to ten." She switched her legs and leaned forward, resting her head on her hands. "You''re Arad Orion, am I right?" ^[Arad, that woman isn''t real. It''s an astral projection. All the magic in the room is muffling the traces and even after that, the signal ising from hundreds of sources. It''s impossible to track the real body.]^ "Hehehe," Five giggled. "Your witch is quite fickle, I like that." Her eyes glow with a faint blue light, "From how many curses I sense, it''s Doma, the witch of curses," Arad froze in ce, and his sword instantly came out of his stomach, ready to fight. Eris looked around and then touched Arad''s shoulder, "Calm down. The real body isn''t here so fighting is useless. Let''s hear what she has to say," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "My name is Alice Dagon, I''m six hundred and sixty-six years old. I live on the ind of grief, locked beyond the eternal tempest of the magic goddess. I''m not married and have no intention to. I work as a mage for myself, crafting anything that exerts magic. I always sleep naked at dusk and wake up at the first strand of dawn. I don''t drink, but I love taking baths in alcohol to kill the tiny monsters. I only sleep while hugging a pillow, and wake up on the ground. After admiring the status of the goddess of magic and cleaning it, I do twenty minutes of stretches with my massive leather ball before going to bed. I never dream when asleep, and always wake up like a baby without fatigue or stress. I was told many times that I was insane, but I will never eat tomatoes again." Arad was taken aback when she started talking with a monotone voice, crackling with magic inside out. "I assume you''re the guild master, the one behind this projection." "No, the guild master is One. I only watch and y." Her eyes shed, stopping as she stared at Arad, "The supplies would be sent as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can have this." She opened her palm and a crystal ball emerged. Arad caught the crystal ball as it slowly floated toward him. "An appraisal orb," Arad recognized the crystal and smiled, "Can I ask what are you?" He looked at the woman. "If my body is the one you ask about, I shall let you know I''m a titan. And if it''s my soul you wonder about, then it''s a devil. And if you fancy magic, then I''m but a spec of dust that once was blessed to be stepped on by the goddess of magic. A mere nothing in her presence," Arad got even more confused, "Fine, you''re devil titan with a speck of dust or whatever. Don''t tell me you don''t want." She stared at Arad, "A void dragon with a human father, a half dragon with a draconic father and an elf mother. A strange mix to say the least, but not the strangest I saw. Vampires even, but worry not, I do not care one bit." Arad looked at the crystal. DING! [I do not want to bloat the chapter with 1000+ words so Look at the auxiliary chapter: Arad Orion Draconic Status Status: Heavy spoiler for chapters before 400. It''s free,] Arad blinked, "It doesn''t show my curses," "Of course it won''t," She said with a smile, shifting her legs again. "You better hide those untilter." Chapter 406 Arad Vs Five I: How Fast Can I Go?

Chapter 406 Arad Vs Five I: How Fast Can I Go?

Arad stood, and so did Eris by his side, "If this is all, I will take my leave then," He said with a smile. Five, Alice''s projection stared at him with an emotionless face before breaking into a clearly faked smile. "This one might not be tuned well, but it still holds some of my power." She lifted her hand, staring at her fingers. "So?" Arad stared at her. "I have something you can help me with. In exchange, I will give you a specially made magic item. Titans'' spatial bag," She pulled on her hair, looking at it with a grin. "If it only stores things then I don''t need it," Arad replied, "I already have my own," "Titans'' spatial bag is made from our hair and strung with magic. A true piece of artwork a load of money," She extended her hand toward Arad, opening her palm. "Cursed metal, I will make one that can hold that safely. For capacity..." She paused, looking at her hands... "A witch on top of being a wizard," Eris red at her, "Even this projection has her nails enchanted," The projection smiled, "That''s right, I haven''t made a bag in quite a few decades. I want to gauge my magic output and see what can I make." She showed Arad her fingernails, "Witches cast magic using their nails, hair and blood. Each medium can affect the result, but nails are popr among witches as durable and replenishable." Arad stared at Five''s fingers with a puzzled face, "Last I heard, hair and blood refresh with time as well. But who I''m to ask? I''m not a witch," "Sadly, you''re right. It is about magic durability. Hair gets burned with a simple spell while nails don''t." Five took off her shoes and stared at her toes, "My collective magic output is...a bit higher than it was a decade ago. I can make a bag that holds three tons, give or take half a ton." Arad smiled, "What the mission is about?" Five smiled, "I knew this would interest you." She flicked her fingers, and arge map popped out of nowhere. "Some bandits have tamed giants and goblins, and are attacking people left and right. I want you to kill everyst one of them and burn their whole encampment." She pointed at the bandit''s location on the map. "One question," Eris stared at her with a sharp, "Why don''t you kill them?" "Only a tenth of my power is distributed on my projections, and there are ten of them." Five opened her arms, "I five, merely hold one percent of my true body power. There is only so much I can achieve on my own," "Like what?" Arad stared at her. "The only magic I can use to kill them all in one swoop is meteor fall, but if I did that it would cause a lot of noise and attract attention. And I won''t have enough magic to hide it." She shook her head, "I can either cast arge enough barrier or st them, not both at the same time," "That''s when Ie into y," Arad sighed, "You lock everything in a barrier while I kill everyone inside and clean the mess." Eris smiled, "After that, it will look as if those bandits have disappeared without a trace." "Now that everything isid on the table, want to help?" Five looked at Arad, faking an anticipating stare. She wasn''t that good at mimicking human emotions, making it creepy for the observant. ^[A projection, she''s more like a doll mimicking the original''s actions, speech, and will. The true Alice Dagon must be asleep in herir as her mind controls those puppets.]^ "I will do it. Such a bag would be invaluable." He smiled, but Five waved her hand, stopping him. "Not now. The mission must be done at night. Otherwise, your partner won''t get a chance to fight." Arad smiled, "Is that all?" "Of course, with how many bandits are there, it''s a waste for them to be killed without a reason." She smiled, "They can serve as food, for you and her. She also can''t fight during the day." Eris smiled, "Two vampires going out to hunt at night, that would be fun," "Well then," Five smiled, pping her hands. The scene around them changed, and they emerged in the middle of a wide dirt arena. Arad could see adventurers lined around the area, shouting and cheering. He red at Five, "Where is Eris?" "Left her at my office. She can''t walk in the sun, remember?" She smiled, "Don''t worry, they can''t hear us speak," "What are you up to?" As Arad growled, veins bulged on his head, "I will snap your neck." "Don''t get angry. I only want to see how much can you handle." She put her hands together, "It''s kind of a tradition here to test every new adventure to know exactly how much they can take. It helps us give appropriate quests." "Ranks are enough," Arad growled. "No, they aren''t," Five smiled, "Sometimes, an adventure with a power far above his rank can appear. This helps us find those people instead of letting them be treated like weak F-ranks." CLANG! Arad pulled a regr sword from his stomach. He won''t use his true weapons. Those are better kept for opponents that won''t live to tell the tale. "Come at me, kid," Five smiled, lifted her hands, and put them together, closing her eyes as a wave of magic covered her body. Her eyes opened and Arad started to move. His body bent sideways, leaving after images as he moved faster than the eyes of the adventuers could track. Thepressed draconic muscles beneath his skin acted like steel springs under high tension, snapping into a violent charge. CRACK! Arad stopped with his right foot forward, his arm swinging down the de at a blinding speed, racing toward Five''s head. Five smiled, parting her hands, and a long quarterstaff appeared. With a fluid motion, she shifted the base and hit Arad''s right ankle, breaking his stance. Arad''s body started tilting, now without a bnce, the force of his swing was driving his body astray, away from Five''s head. But his mind didn''t care, sending a wave of magic across his nerves, forcing a smell to emerge from within his legs. [Gravity Magic] Arad''s body froze rigid mid-air for a split second. Using the magic as a leverage point, he kept swinging. Seeing Arad''s de heading toward her head once again, Five smiled, her body shing blue as she teleported away. DING! CLAP! The adventurers cried as a loud boom assaulted their ears. Arad who was standing facing Five was now drifting toward the guard rails, his feet digging trenches as his eyes stayed focused on her. Only a few managed to steal a glimpse of what happened. "You''re fast," Five said with a smile, "You almost hit me. This is the ninth time someone managed that." Arad stood, ring at her with purple glowing eyes, "Almost?" He looked down at his shoes. Those were a new pair of leather boots. But they had torn apart. Of course they did, he didn''t intend to fight today, and they weren''t made for it. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om With a sight, "They were new," And a sad face, Arad took off his shoes and shirt, throwing them in his stomach with the sword. The adventurers watching stared in shock, seeing Arad''s muscr back that almost didn''t look human. "I have to get serious, don''t I," He started cracking his neck and back, "Even if you''re merely one percent," Thud! Thud! He started hopping in ce with a smile on his face, his arms quickly lifted into a stance as sparks of mes came out of his fists and feet. "Serious? You should have done it from the start," She smiled, pointing the quarterstaff toward him. BAM! Suddenly, Arad kicked the ground, and a jet of mes burst beneath his foot, propelling his whole body forward and sting all the adventures behind the guard rail away. Five smiled, Arad''s ming fist racing toward her at an unhuman speed, raging with his draconic might. It looked more like a falling meteor than a punch. She smiled, shifting her head to the side. [Icearos] CRACK! A wave of blue magic rushed from the tip of the staff, forming a between her and Arad. When his fist hit the, it slowed down dramatically like a ball hitting a piece of cloth. Arad wasn''t done, fire exploded beneath his left foot as it lifted up, shattering the ground beneath him as he smiled. Five''s eyes shed to the side, seeing her fiery kick lifting up toward her side. Arad was too tall, and his kick would wrap around her. She had to respond. Disabling the, Five tilted her staff and blocked Arad''s kick with the lower pommel. Arad smiled as she fell for his n. CLENSH! With his toes, he grabbed the staff. Five''s eyes opened wide as she felt a tremendous weight pulling on the quarterstaff. Arad wasn''t a human, he didn''t have arms and legs, fingers and toes. All he had was four limbs with ws, draconic ws that never let go of his prey. CLACK! As the quarterstaff got snatched from Five''s hands, she swung her hands and pped them together. [Teleport] Escaping away from Arad. CLAP! To the watches, they got sted one second and in the next, the arena center charred was ck with Arad standing there, Five''s staff beneath his foot. "Hehehehe," Five giggled in the back, looking at Arad with a smile, "You''re already pushing against A-ranks, and you''re faster than most of them." "Using fire to elerate is a trick that a senior adventurer taught me to use," Arad said, tilting his head as the purple me burned in his eyes. "But it seems, I''m still too slow to catch you," He took a stance. "Let''s he how fast I can go." CRACKLE! Lightning sparked from his back to his arms and legs. Chapter 407 Arad Vs Five II: Rumble of Lighting!

Chapter 407 Arad Vs Five II: Rumble of Lighting!

Five flicked her fingers, summoning another staff, pointing at and smiling. "I''m not even using a wand. Do you think you can match my speed?" CRACKLE! From the tip of her staff, a massive lightning bolt shed toward Arad. As if time slowed down. Arad''s body started shifting to the side. His lightning crackled from his right shoulder and reached toward the fences. His body gets pulled by the powerful maic field generated by the violent current. With a spark and a sh of mes, Arad dodged Five''s lightning bolt in the blink of an eye, flying around the arena with tremendous speed. "Using both lightning and fire to elerate, most people''s minds won''t be able to track them at such speed. Let alone survive the eleration." Five smiled, spinning her staff, "But it''s easy to stop," She released another wave of lightning, interfering with Arad''s. CRACKLE! Arad could hear the lightning falling on his back. She has more control over magic than him. He can''t win a tug-of-war against her. SWOSH! Arad flew at Five, swinging a kick at her face. She smiled, flicking her finger and sting him away with a shockwave. "Your lightning exposes your location. I don''t even need to see you to defend." She replied, pointing at Arad as he fell to the ground. CRACK! Arad lifted his foot up, kicking the ground and sting his body up. In the middle of the air, he extended his right hand behind him, opening his palm. CRACKLE! With a spark of lightning, his eyes shed, "Come to me," The maic field generated by the lightning expanded, targeting a single object in the castle. *** Back in the castle, the royal cksmith was working in his workshop, hammering his steel when he heard a rumbling behind him. He turned, seeing Arad''s adamantine sword shaking. "What?" BAM! The sword flew out, sting a hole in the roof as it soared into the sky, seeking its master. *** SWOSH! The adamantine sword flew across the blue sky, reaching Arad''s hand with a loud thud. He smiled, "Abel''s style," with those words, the dragon yer sword he got from the fighter who tried to kidnap Mira emerged from his stomach. In Arad''s mind, countless images of Abel swinging his swords shed. His body rapidly got ready to move in the same way, "Rumble of lightning," Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Five let go of her staff and pulled a wand, and Arad''s eyes red forward. ^Abel used only two lines.^ Arad could see the magic he was trying to conjure with his void eyes. Two invisible lines of lightning create a structure simr to a rail, guiding his swords toward Five. The lightning magic will follow those rails, creating a tremendous pull force that elerates him forward. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ^No, I can do better,^ Focusing even harder, Arad conjured another set of rails, making them four, ^Not enough, faster, stronger,^ With onest set, he reached a total of six. "Six rails!" With those words, Arad''s body sted forward, elerated even further with jets of me gushing from his feet. Five saw several white shes rushing toward her at a blinding speed, she lifted her wand and created barriers faster than anyone could see. CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! Arad flew past her, releasing a massive sonic boom that sted the adventurers in the back, shattering their eardrums. As Aradnded, a drop of Five''s bloodnded on his cheek as he had managed to hit her shoulder. But, he wasn''t willing to slow down a bit, "Rumble of lightning: Six rails..." His eyes shed with pink and purple me. ^Sharp turns to slow me down quite a bit, I need to kill that. Doma, handle gravity magic,^ tattoos covered Arad''s body as his nails turned ck. He licked the blood on his cheek with a smile. Ba-dump! Five felt her heart tremble for a second, something gripped it. Arad''s magic was releasing inside her stomach, making her the primary target for a cursed spell. ^Curse of Attraction, with gravity magic?^ If she didn''t dispel this curse now, her body would be a gravity center and Arad would start orbiting her, taking dives for attacks without losing any momentum. Five smiled, "It''s been a while since someone pushed me this far," Her staff started orbiting her and charging magic, "Come closer if you want," "Falling star," Arad shed forward, flying around Five like a shooting star as he kept an eye on her. BAM! For a split second, he would orbit close enough to strike and then fly back to his orbit, getting faster each time he did it. After just two seconds of deflecting those attacks, Five smacked her want to the ground, [Time stop] Sending a wave of ancient magic, freezing everything around her. With a smile on her face, she could see Arad frozen mid-air. "You won''t be able to move in the stopped time, this is your limit," She stood, pointing her wand at him, "Sadly, you won''t even know what happened to you. As much as I hate it, it''s always satisfying to beat a dragon." CRACK! As she prepared to st him with a spell, she noticed something off, Arad''s foot twitched, the light in his eyes returning. CRACK! His pupils shifted to re at her, menacingly, [Time slow: 90%] CRACKLE! Arad''s body shed forward in the blink of an eye, his foot smacking into Five''s face, cracking her nose and neck as her body flew back, tearing the guardrails of the arena and smacking into the wall, bleeding. Five had slowed time by 100% That is a time stop. It means Arad''s speed and awareness decreased by 100%. But what if he used a 90% Time slowly? That means he would be able to move normally at 90% slowed time. Five''s time stop only slowed Arad by 10%, and on the other hand, exhausted a lot of her magic and stamina. BOOM! The arena exploded with a st, and the adventurers crawled away as if escaping a natural disaster. On their way, they saw Five stuck to the wall, her face gushing with blood as Arad''s footprint remained clear on her face. A wizard stopped, staring at her with a pale face, "Wait, I sensed that she activated a time stop," He stared back at Arad, shaking, "Don''t tell me, he kicked her in the stopped time?" Thud! Thud! Arad walked forward, opening his arms and smiling with his head tilted, "Stand up, he growled, his eyes radiating magic. BLUGH! Blood gushed from Five''s mouth as she startedughing, "It''s really been a while, this is amazing, exhrating, and utterly ridiculous. You''re truly a monster!" Thud! She stood, her face healing. "Show me all that you got! One of the select few!" She shouted. Chapter 408 Gemini

Chapter 408 Gemini

Hearing her shout, Arad smiled and sheathed the swords at his waist. "Fine by me. I will see how long you will survive," A wide smile crossed Five''s face, and she red at Arad with a crazed face. "You''re going to use your ss? Show me what can you do, druid!" Arad smiled, closing his fists and leaving his middle and index finger extended. One arm pointing down at his feet and the other at his shoulder. "I call upon the countless stars of the night sky," He said, magic slowly radiating from his body. "What? How could a circle of the star druid fight like that?" One of the adventurers in the back gasped, "Idiot! He must have several sses, now one with that strength is lower than level sixty." "Zodiac: Gemini!" Arad''s words boomed like thunder, the stars appearing behind his back with a magnificent glow. He stood and started walking, slowly as his body left, and after image trailing right behind him. Arad''s afterimage looked exactly like him, only having pink eyes instead of purple. The double''s body was covered in tattoos and had ck nails while he didn''t. Five pulled a crystal ball from her pocket and stared at Arad, sweat dripping across her face. ^Druids usually only have ess to one constetion, but void dragons have ess to all by birthright. On top of that, Gemini is the weakest of the constetion and only allows you to create a second copy of yourself for one minute a day.^ She pointed all her magic toward Arad. ^It''s considered weak since the caster would have to half his conssioness between the two, dropping all of his metal stats by half and robbing him from any spell casting. It''s only usable to make a dumb body double.^ She thought, feeling her hands shake. Arad''s close stared at Five, a sinister smile on its face. "[You,]" Doma giggled, "[You aren''t safe outside your office.]" ^That isn''t the same for someone with two minds in his body. Gemini would allow him to temporarily split off from that witch and let each of them act independently,^ Five thought. Doma lifted her hand and Arad walked to her, doing the same as they touched arms, "Sadly, I can''t draw this ce in blood. It''s bad for him," Doma looked at Arad''s face with a smile. She can''t use curses as that would make it harder for him. Arad smiled, handing Doma his dragon yer sword. "Don''t kill her, I don''t need to say that," "[Of course, I will only make her cry,]" Doma smiled, putting her hands together, "[I will support you from here with magic, you take the lead,]" BAM! Arad lunged forward holding the adamantine sword with both hands. In the blink of an eye, his body sted forward faster than anyone could notice. Five pointed her wand at him, [Wither] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Magic crackled at the tip of her wand. The spell was about tounch when suddenly it started to fade with a pink spark. "[Counter spell, don''t forget about me,]" Doma smiled in the back, lifting one finger up and pointing forward with her sword. [Damage Twin] For a second, Five was puzzled as she didn''t know such a spell. Even though she has a library full of scrolls, that spell shouldn''t exist. Doma swung the sword down, cutting her own hand. "What are you doing..." Five said before feeling a sharp pain in her wrist. Her hand fell to the ground with her wand. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine as Doma giggled. ^Voodoo curse,^ She thought, ^The bitch masked it as a spell, the wizard around us won''t know better with how limited they are to spells.^ CLACK! Doma''s arm healed while Five''s kept bleeding, "[Let''s see how far can you heal. Little girl.]" She lifted the sword and stabbed herself in the chest, causing Five to puke blood. BAM! Arad emerged beside Five, swinging his sword at her neck. [Teleport] Five teleported to dodge the attack, the wound on her chest prevented her from moving too much. [Void step] Arad didn''t let her go, teleporting right after her with a fiery sword of me and lightning. PLUCK! Doma pulled the sword from her stomach, healing instantly as she swung it up. With an evil smile, she trusted the sword into her skull. CRACK! BAM! Five''s vision turned back as she was about to dodge a kick from Arad. She was only a projection of Alice Dagon, so an injury to the head merely immobilized her for a second. CRACK! When Five regained her vision, her face was already beneath Arad''s foot, her head getting pressed to the ground with the weight of a mountain. "It''s my win," Arad stated, ring down at her with glowing eyes, "I only used about half of my skills and powers," "And I''m only one percent of my full power, don''t get cocky," Five giggled, "But, I have to admit, you were far stronger than I expected," Arad removed his foot and she barely stood, "Especially when you broke my time stop," Doma walked toward Arad, her body disintegrating as the constetion faded like stars at dawn. "I do have neen constetions on top of several wild shapes and spells, I might have been using less power," He stared at her. "Either way, beating me is only the start for you," She tapped her robe, wiping the dust away as her body healed. "Wee to the guild, Arad Orion." "I was already a member of the guild," Arad replied. "Ah! Sorry, I forgot to tell you," She smiled, "Beating me is the s-rank entrance exam. Albeit I can''t rank you up without you finishing the required number of quests and monsters yed. You now have the reputation and respect of an S-rank." She looked at the other adventurers, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" They shouted, cheering as they weed a new madman to hell, S-rank aren''t known for power or valor, they are known for being insane. Fighting them always feels unfair, and Arad makes people feel like the odds are stacked against them. "Wait? You should have told me!" Arad cried. "Why?" Five smiled, "I didn''t expect you to win. You really caught me off guard when you kicked me in the stopped time." She giggled, even her real body got a scare out of that. She stared at Arad for a second, "So, how long do want to remain shirtless?" Arad looked at himself, "For a while, I don''t mind staying naked most of the time," He''s a dragon and barely cares about clothes or how he looks, "But, I guess I can''t stay like this," He sighed, pulling a shirt out of his stomach and a fresh pair of boots. "ARAD!" Eris shouted from inside the guild and Five looked back, "Oh, my, she broke out quickly," Eris took her baggy clothes, throwing them over her body as she kicked the door of the room she was locked in open. She walked outside, panting as she left a charred corpse in there. The corpse held the number six. Eris looked out of one of the guild''s balconies, "You bitch! Finally found you!" She growled, "Come to the shadows, coward!" She growled, her red eyes''s glow appearing even beneath her veil. Five flicked her finger, teleporting herself, Arad, and Eris back to her office. As theynded, Arad and Eris saw Five standing beside the charred corpse. "Wow," Five sighed, "Fixing this would take a lot of time and effort," She looked back at Eris, "You could''ve held back a little," CLAP! A fiery spear rushed toward Five''s face. CLANG! Arad caught Eris''s spear with his palm, looking at her face, "Calm down, that was a test," Eris took a deep breath, thinking for a while before turning off her magic. Arad stared at the charred corpse, "You really roasted her," Five stared at Arad, "I can see the fight through our shared memories," She smiled, "Your girl is rabid, she fought like a wild beast, sting everything she came into contact with while abusing her vampiric regeneration to ignore any damaged Six delts to her." Arad stared at Five, "Does this mean that both of us are eligible for s-rank?" "In terms of power, yes. But for experience, that is still to be seen." She smiled, pulling her quest paper, "Get rid of the bandit camp at night. I will create a strong barrier for you to work with ease." Arad smiled, "Well then, get the bag ready." **** The sun started to fade behind the mountains, casting an eminent shadow over the hills. That night was silent, only leaves could be heard dancing upon the trees. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad walked out of the woods, Eris by his side. He took a deep breath and smiled, "What a nice night," Eris giggled, her eyes glowing red as she gazed at the bandits'' camp in the distance. "I can''t wait to sink my fangs into something soft and bloody," Chapter 409 Bloody Romance I: Vampiric Assault

Chapter 409 Bloody Romance I: Vampiric Assault

Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad walked out of the forest, Eris trailing after him. Both of them smiled as he looked at the sky, "The beautiful moon," He giggled, "I can smell them from here," With a silent grin, Eris stared forward and saw the bandits'' camp in the distance. "Fresh blood. It''s been a while since I hunted like this," "Don''t make a mess, or do if you want." He pointed toward the camp with his thumb, "I would have to clean afterward." "Don''t worry, I will do my best." Eris cracked her knuckles, licking her lips as her eyes glowed red. "I will burn the mess afterward," *** "Brother, won''t you go inside?" A man asked, holding a spear as he stood guard outside a long wooden wall. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Nah! Some freaks are ying with goblins and giants. I want no part in that." The other guard beside him sighed, "The hell is going on with them?" The other man gasped, cringing, "Yeah, better stay here." He looked toward the ground, a sad expression on his face. "Even though we got a good harvest today." "A whole vige. We got decent gold and goods, even some girls to y with," The other manughed, "It won''t be long before we grow strong enough that the kingdom won''t hold us back." "I''m not too sure about that. Why let us grow like this? They are bound to send someone to take us down." "Huh! Let them try. The giants would crush them to the ground." He waved his spear down, mimicking a giant swinging a club. "You''re right," The other one smiled, "And since they are monsters, the powerful pdin army won''t be more effective than a regr army that is a bit strong," Thud! Thud! As they talked, they saw two figures approaching the camp through the wood. The moon shining behind them. "Who are you?" One of the bandit guards walked forth, pointing his spear forward with a growl, "Don''t think you would leave this ce alive," "Stop right there!" The other one added. Arad and Eris stopped, staring at the guards from a distance. "Good, that''s like it," One of the guards slowly backed up and rang the warning bell, calling reinforcement. As Arad and Eris waited, about twenty armed bandits rushed to the gate, pointing the bows at them. "What do you want?" The bandits growled, and Arad giggled, "Dinner, we came for food," His eyes glowing red, radiating bloodlust. "Food? Sure, you can be food for the giants," One of the banditsughed, "Shoot the big guy! We''ll have fun with the girlter, so don''t harm her," Arad walked forward as the bandits fired all of their arrows. PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! Tens of arrows pierced Arad''s body as he walked forward, never stopping. Seeing their attacks having the same effects as needles on a cushion, five of the bandits pulled their wands and started flinging spells at Arad, chipping on his body. The bandits finally halted their attack as they saw Arad''s body stop moving, riddled with arrows and charred from the spells. "He died standing. He wasn''t big for nothing," One of them said. "Hehehehe," A giggle escaped Arad''s bloody throat, "Where are the giants and goblins? Those might prove better than you," His eyes started to glow as he stared at them like a living corpse. The arrows stuck in his body slowly sank deeper, disappearing into the depth of his torso. Now that Arad has be a young dragon, his organs are fully encased inside his void. There are none in his torso, only the infinite nothingness. To strike his heart, you must force him to bring it back to his body. The bandits started shaking as they saw Arad crack his neck, blood squirting from his jugr vein. CLACK! His wounds healed with a thud as he smiled, "Eris, what do you think?" "Not much, there aren''t many people that could pose a threat to you," She smiled. Arad then stared back at the bandits, "You wanted to y with her. Why don''t you give it a try? But be careful. She bites," Eris smiled, her fangs reflecting the moonlight. "You bastard..." One of the bandits growled, trying to pull his sword when something shed beside him. "Guh!" He could hear a pained cry behind him. The bandit slowly turned back, seeing one of his friends withering as Eris bit his neck. "Eris! Don''t kill him," Arad shouted from the back, "Bring him back to me. There is something I want to try," Eris took her fangs off the man and lunged in the air, hurling him with her like he was nothing. BAM! Shended beside Arad and smiled, throwing the shaking man at his feet. "Here he is," With a smile, Arad lifted the man by the hair and bit his neck for a second before dropping him to the ground. "Now, let''s see how this works," The man''s body twitched and spazzed, ck veins emerging on his body for a second before a tortured cry for help escaped his throat. "Spare me!" As the man''s screams sent terror among the other bandits, he fell silent and motionless. BAM! His arms iled and hit the ground. His legs twisted as he stood like a newborn animal. The man''s eyes glow red, and his fangs have grown longer. The starved re on his face said it all. "Nice, it worked," Arad smiled, and Eris stared at him, "What else did you expect? Ginger taught you, right?" The newly created spaw turned toward Arad, bowing down, "My cruel master. I have been born anew. What order you might have for me?" Arad stared at the other bandits with a smile, "Those are your friends? Might you be willing to guide them to the right way?" The spawn stared at the other bandits, "Brothers and sisters, tonight is a good night," He smiled, "A master of blood has blessed us with his presence. Shall you not join me?" Confused and terrified, the bandits lifted their bows and called the giants. "Onest thing," Arad stared at the newly born spawn. Pointing at Eris, "Right now, you''re worth less than the dirt beneath her boots to me," He smiled, "Prove yourself first." The spawn bowed, "Yes! My Master!" He smiled, lunging at the other bandits. Chapter 410 Bloody Romance II: Blood Kin The spawn lunged forward and dodged the arrows fired by his friends with ease. "A vampire! A vampire lord, call everyone!" They screamed in fear as Arad and Ae stood in the back, smiling. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om CLANG! The spawn pulled his sword and swung it as fast as he could, sliting one of the bandit''s throats, "Die! For my master!" He pulled his hand back, about to swing again. Thud! His hand stopped, held by Eris, "What do you think you''re doing?" She red at him. "Killing master''s enemies," He replied with a terrified face. "See?" Arad waved his hand in the back, "Told you he''s worth less than the dirt beneath your boots," "Those aren''t his enemies! They are his food and your future siblings. Don''t waste their blood!" She swung her palm, gouging the spawn''s left eye and kicking him in the chest, "Get to work!" The spawn cried, crawling toward the terrified bandits, "Sorry, food, sorry, brothers!" He extended his hand, tearing blood. Thud! Thud! Thud! The bandits'' leader rushed out followed by five giants and hordes of goblins, "What the hell did you spit?" He red forward, seeing one of his men, turned spawn hunting the rest with blood tears on his face. "Damn it!" The bandit leader red around, looking for the vampire lord. It didn''t take him long toy eyes on Arad and Eris standing menacingly in the back. "Which one is the vampire lord?" He growled, "Damn it, it''s still midnight," He ran toward them, "But die!" Arad stared forward, "You''re the leader of this ce," His face turned passive. He didn''t know if it was his instincts or something else, but he had different feelings toward leaders. Respect, or spite, he didn''t know which one it was, but his ws ached to rob the leadership to himself. [A dragon rules. There can''t be two rulers in the same ce unless the respect is mutual between them.] Mom said, and Arad understood what he felt. This is the bandits'' leader, and out of respect from one ruler to another, he won''t hold back and crush him with all of his power. Arad''s eyes shed purple as he smiled, spinning in ce as the bandit leader lunged at him, sword in hand. Using the momentum of his spin, Arad lifted his foot up and dropped it down, pushing forth with thebined might of all his draconic muscles and bones. CLICK! His eyes saw the leader, focusing only on him. His heart ramped up in the blink of an eye, rumbling like an engine as it pumped boiling blood through his veins. All the tension on his body faded for a split second, his muscles ready to tense up. The decision was made, and his whole brain from head to the tip of his tail sent the signal at once, ensuring that all his muscles acted with extreme uracy. The moment Arad''s fist started elerating, a shockwave exploded from around his knuckles. The bandit''s leader''s life shed in front of his eyes, seeing his sword evaporate in slow motion as Arad''s fist drew closer. ^Mom^ Was the only thing coursing across his head. No pain, no sound, only regrets. The leader could see his own body evaporating into a red mist from behind his back. He was dead, his soul drifting away before he could fullyprehend it. SWOSH! CLAP! Arad''s fist only hit the air as the leader''s body disintegrated from the shockwave alone. The st rushed forward ripping the ground apart as it toppled a few trees. A human swinging his fist close to the ground and kicking up dust and leaves. The other bandits froze as their leader was erased from existence with a single hit, they didn''t stand a chance. "Tiny! Human!" One of the giants in the back growled, ring at Arad with glowing green eyes, "Weak creature, die!" He lunged forward, swinging his club down. Eris lifted her hand, conjuring her sma spear. SWOSH! As the club passed across the spear, it turned into white ash, drifting with the wind. The giant stared at his club, surprised, "Strong but dumb," She then looked at Arad, "I don''t fancy monsters'' blood, what do you suggest?" "They are too big to keep, kill them," Arad replied and she smiled, "I was hoping you say that," Eris''s spear crackled with lighting and fire, shing with a purple haze as she lifted it up. In a strange move, she threw it forward. The sma spear pierced the giant, incinerating his organs and flying toward the others in the back. The giants lept out of the way, dodging the spear. "Avoid glowing things!" Eris smiled, lifting two fingers up and pointing back toward herself. The spear flew away and then turned, flying back like a boomerang. As the giants noticed and were about to block it, Eris lunged forward with a smile on her face. CLAP! She grabbed one of the giants by the head, kicking his skull with her knee. BOOM! The giant''s head burst into mes as its screams boomed. The other giants swing their clubs trying to kill her but instead pulverize their brother. *** "Master!" The spawn returned to Arad, dragging two bandits at the grasp of death, "I drained them for you," He bowed as he threw them to Arad''s legs. The two bandits'' bodies twitched as Arad lifted them up, biting their necks. As the two transformed into spawns, the first of the spawn looked at Arad with glowing eyes. "Was I useful to master?" He asked. "You''re better than dirt at least," Arad replied, "Those two are under yourmand, take them and hunt me the rest," The spawn bowed as he stared at the new two, "Brothers! Follow me!" He shouted, "For master''s glory!" The spawns rushed into the camp, massacring everyone inside and collecting their blood. Only after ten minutes, Arad had over forty spawns running around causing havoc. Eris approached Arad, wiping her hands, "I finished the big ones," She smiled, "The goblins seek to serve you," She pointed. The goblins hid behind the bushes, bowing down motionless. "That saves us the hassle," He smiled, walking into the camp with ease as the screams filled the sky. "By the way, I never asked you, but what is your preferred blood type?" Eris asked, "I like sweet blood, some people have it," Arad thought about it for a second, "I like blood with the purest magic and the one with the softest flesh. I say virgin women between twenty and thirty years old." "Red dragon also like that, your kind could probably make a whole cuisine off that." She giggled. Arad looked at her, "You would make a fine meal, but you''re a bit too spicy," Eris stared at him with a grin, "Was that supposed to be an invitation?" She approached him, "Not now, we''re at work," brushing her hand on his chest. "But I don''t mind taking a bite. A single sip out of your neck," Chapter 411 Bloody Romance III: The True Monster

Chapter 411 Bloody Romance III: The True Monster

As Arad looked at Eris, he could feel something shaking beneath the ground. He stopped, "Five won''t have sent us here if it wasn''t something bad," Eris red down, "From the shaking, this isn''t an ordinary gang," "No, it''s an ordinary band of bandits that were lucky. Or unlucky enough to get their hands on Giants and goblins." Arad walked forward, leaving Eris standing, "I will kick that woman once we get back, setting me up like this," "What do you mean?" Eris looked around, trying to sense the magic dwelling beneath the ground. Her eyes opened wide as she gasped, "It can''t be," "It''s the reality, back away," Arad growled, "Take the spawns to a safer ce, this isn''t a ce for you to stand on," The shaking got even more violent as Arad''s eyes started shing with a purple light, "No wonder she wanted to st the whole ce at once. Come out, It seems I was tricked to kill you," BAM! Arge skeletal w burst from the ground, oozing with necrotic magic. ^[Arad, let me st this thing away,]^ Doma cried inside his head but Arad blocked her inside his mind. ^No, this time it''s a matter between me and him. Don''t interfere,^ He replied as the massive skeleton rose from the ground. "Bastard! I sense death from my pets!" A massive draconic skeleton burst from the ground, shaking the whole ce. "A long-dead dragon, an undead. You''re the one behind the bandits'' quick rise to power, aren''t you?" Arad asked, standing in front of the dragon with a stern face. "Hatchling?" The dracolich growled, "Praise be to the god of murder, you''ll make a worthy sacrifice," "I know it''s my fault for interfering with another dragon''s ns, and I will leave at once. No need to get violent," Arad said, keeping his passive face as he sensed the massive waves ofpressed magic rush out of the dracolich. He can''t start a fight now, Eris is still close. "Legacy of death," The dracolich growled, "I do not take offense to kill, but I take offense to hindrance," He prowled around Arad, "My god said a usurper to my title was in the capital, someone who wants to take holds of my power and seat as the death bringer," Clouds of stinky, rot-filled mist flew out of the dragon''s rotten bones and jaws. "First that green bitch tricked me and I ended up dead, and now a mere humanoid is trying to im my power. Unforgivable." "Green bitch?" Arad asked with a puzzled face. "ug, ugiyliamator of the crypt forest. Came to kill her and I ended up dancing in her palms, killed by the raging army of the capital." The dragon growled, "I can smell it, her stench on you." Arad nodded, "Sorry for my earlierment, I was indeed tricked into interrupting your ns, but that was before you told me ug wanted you dead," "So? What do you make of that?" The dracolich growled, lifting his w up, "I can crush you with ease," "ug is my benefactor, she saved my life once before, and I intend or repay that. Making sure you remain dead is a good way to start," Arad replied with a smile. "You? Kill me?" The dracolichughed, "I''m already dead, I can''t be destroyed by normal means," DING! Arad could sense it. Eris and the spawns have moved a fair distance away, and he''s free to start fighting. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad lifted his hand and extended it toward the dragon, "The dead shouldn''t be alive," "The living shouldn''t stand up to death. I exist to make sure the likes of you don''t get that wish," The dracolich kept prowling around Arad, "Come on, show your ws, scream, roar, and die," Arad smiled, "I don''t think I need to shift," He looked into the dragon''s eyes, "It''s strange you haven''t attacked first, isn''t it?" The dracolich growled, stopping in his ce, "Insolent bastard." He lifted his w and swung at Arad. SWOSH! The dracolich stopped his w right before Arad''s face, "Bastard," Arad giggled, "Come on, touch me if you dare," The dracolich wanted to crush Arad, but he couldn''t get the smell out of his rotten nose. This dragon in front of him isn''t normal, a void dragon he may be, but something else is mixed in his blood. Thud! The dragon lept back and opened his jaw, charging a breath of toxic gas. SWOSH! In a single st, a green cloud of death washed over the ns. The ns withered and the trees crumbled as Arad stood still, unbothered. "Poison breath, you were a green dragon in life. Interesting, were you one of the dragons chasing after ug?" "I didn''t," The green dragon growled, "Brother did, but he never returned. That drakaina ate every dragon that approached her," "That only means they were weaker than her," Arad replied, "Same with you, talking about death and not daring to touch me," The dracolich growled inside, he could feel it in his old bones. The monster that Arad is, is something no other dragon has. "You won''t leave this ce alive," The dracolich growled, getting his magic ready. Arad smiled, "Well since you asked to see my draconic form, how about I show you the thing that spooked you?" His aura disappeared for a second, curses flowing across his flesh and bones. CLACK! Two pairs of eyes opened on Arad''s face as his body started to shift and twist. Three pairs of wings burst on his back as two massive tailsshed out from his lower back. *** The spawns in beside Eris stopped moving, staring at their hands, "He''s calling, calling us!" One of them eximed. "Back to his blood," Another added as blood started to pour out of his eyes and ears. The spawns smiled, "Back to master we return," BLAP! Their bodies burst into a rush of blood, flying toward Arad. "Spawns are part of a vampire lord''s power, when he''s going all out, they return to his blood." Eris gasped, "I was gifted to him so I won''t dissolve, but I can feel it from here, his bloodlust," *** Outside the barrier, Five sat on a hill watching from afar. "Hehehaha," She giggled with a vicious smile, "She was right, how ugly, how unholy, how disgusting," She took a deep breath, "But, what a rare specimen, I never heard of something like him." *** On the ind of grief, Alice Dagon stood naked on her bed, ring at the crystal before her. "A vampiric wyrmwolf void dragon, and on top of that he''s the son of Orion the hunter. The goddess of magic said he was useless to her ns, but could such a monster really be ignored?" She shook her head, "No, her attention is thest thing a mortal wants," She stared back at Lilia''s statues she kept in her room. "Did you n this? Did you know a dracolich was there?" She growled at the statue. The statue remained silent as Alice growled, "You short little bitch," She lunged out of the bed, "Five! Change of ns, it wasn''t the n for Arad to fight a dracolich, assist him!" "If I dropped the barrier, the pdins woulde rushing in. He won''t stand a chance," Five replied. Alice growled, the only other close projection was severely damaged by Eris, what can she do to help? It then clicked in her mind, "Yes! I can call her!" Alice rushed to lift her crystal ball and screamed, "What are you watching? Stop immediately and fly out!" ug lifted her head away from her crystal ball, "Shut up! Alice," She growled, "Lord Emiris and Lady Granbell are about to kiss, call meter," "Stop spying on other people''s lives and move, Arad has picked a fight with a dracolich," Alice growled. ug lifted her massive head, and she growled, "Did one of your projections drag him into trouble?" "I was only following a spark of magic, I swear it wasn''t on purpose," Alice cried, "I swear it, from one shut-in to another!" ug stood and red at the kobolds in herir, "I''m leaving, watch and tell me what happened with Lord Emiris and Lady Granbell when I return." She lunged out of her den, crawling up into the forest. "How is he doing?" ug called Alice, asking for details. "The dracolich is wary of Arad, fearful even. He doesn''t understand his nature and that is terrifying him. But I say the tides will shift once he gets a hold on how Arad fights," Alice exined. "Fear of the unknown, I bet he nned for thousands of scenarios, a dragon-like Arad pulling in and threatening him wasn''t one of the ns." ug pped her wings as fast as she could. *** Back on the battlefield, the dracolich unleashed a massive poison breath. Arad opened his jaws, sucking the poison cloud into his stomach as if it was nothing. pping his six wings, he flew forward at a mindboggling speed, wing at the dracolich''s head. "Action surge," CLANG! CLANG! With Arad''s current explosive strength, he managed to release fourteen w attacks in the blink of an eye, ripping the dracolich''s neck. The dracolich regenerated immediately and swung his w at Arad. [Time Slow: 90%] Time slowed and Arad started moving to the side, dodging the dracolich''s w while opening his jaw. [Fire Breath] [Lightning Breath] [Cold Breath] [Void Breath] As the time returned to its normal speed, the dracolich was struck by the four breaths in order. His bones heated by fire and lightning, rapidly cooled with the cold breath, cracking like chips, and they were finally sted by the void breath. *** As ug reached the scene, she saw Arad standing on a pile of bones, roaring his lungs out. She giggled, "Alice, you seem to have underestimated him. Since I''m here in person I can confirm it, With the vampire and Lycanthropic blood, Arad can punch way above his weight ss. He devoured the dracolich''s soul to cultivate his age." Chapter 412 Bloody Romance IV: Into The Deep ug smiled, her heavy footsteps shaking the ground as she approached Arad. With each step closer to him, she got more wary, finding herself approaching him in circles. Arad stood on top of the dracolich''s bones, his six wings slowly pping to push the dust away. He red forward, seeing ug getting closer. "You came? This one must have gotten you into a lot of trouble in the past," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "His brother once sought me as a mate, but he was too weak, so I ate him. This one wanted to kill me as revenge, but I managed to pit him against an angry army and he was in by them." "His brother sought you as a mate? If he''s as weak as this, that was a stupid decision." Arad said, his head tilting to the side as his six eyes blinked. "He was as strong as his brother, but I was a fair bit weaker in the past as well. I ate his brother since he was too small for me," "Size matters?" Arad giggled, "But, you''re bigger than the average ancient green dragon," "I was always a bit brawny. I might do well with a big red dragon, or even a gold one if I felt like taking a risk." She giggled, "Sadly, you''re too small currently," "We voids grow far bigger than the rest of dragon kind, let''s see how big I will get in a year," Arad stated, staring at ug with a sharp re. ug giggled, the tip of her tail wiggling, "You''re still weaker than me, and you''re almost a quarter of my size. But your growth rate speaks for itself," She prowled around Arad, "If you were to be a shred as strong as your mother, I might consider you." "Let''s leave that forter. What brought you? It wasn''t just this one." "Alice asked me toe help you. She didn''t know about the dracolich," ug shook her head, "She''s a good woman. But I say a bit too invested in the goddess of magic, and this time was fooled by her." "Titans, I''m not that keen on getting friendly with them." Arad growled, "I was about to fly and eat all of her projections for this," "Leave them. The world needs them." ug approached Arad, staring at his neck and back, "You got severely wounded by healing. I can smell the dracolich''s bone dust inside your body." "He got my neck pretty bad," Arad sighed, "I''m lucky that all my organs are hidden in my void. Otherwise, his second sh would have gutted them out." "All dragons cover their organs with their elemental energy. If I was struck with a sword. My toxic blood will ssh out." ug exined, "The insides of a red dragon are searing hot, while a ck dragon''s organs swim in acid. That''s the case for all dragons." "Then it''smon to stab a red dragon only for your de to melt," Arad looked at ug, "But mines work better," "It''s the void, hiding your organs all together is an advantage." Eris approached Arad, staring at him and ug, "Arad, She is..." ug looked at Eris, "The half-dragon woman that ran away the moment she sensed my approach in Rita. That was a wise decision." "Since when fighting a dragon could be considered wise? It''s always something that you shouldn''t do unless there is no other choice," "You''re right," ug turned around, expanding her wings, "I need to go. I left some important matters unattended. I can''t stay for long," "Is it something I can help with?" Arad looked at her, and she turned to look back at him, her opal white fangs reflecting the faint moonlight. "Very serious business. The politics of a whole kingdom rely on it." ug smiled, thinking in her head. ^I wonder if they kissed or not. I''m going to mess that whole man''s fields if he chickened out now.^ To her, nobles'' rtionships only existed for her amusement. Even Arad''s rtions weren''t safe from her scrying eyes. ug expanded her wings and soared into the sky, staring back down at Arad and Eris on the ground. ^Well, even if those nobles didn''t get on, I still have the life of Arad to watch.^ Arad growled, shaking his head and neck from left to right. This transformation was powerful, but it made him feel a bit weird. His muscles ached, and his mind slipped through a hazy mist as if he were fighting to remain awake. ^Doma, is it safe to fight like this?^ ^[Yes and no, there is always an inherent risk in using curses. That''s the main reason most people avoid them. As a void dragon, you can resist it extremely well, but that exhausts you mentally and physically.]^ Doma looked deeper into Arad''s mind, discovering that he was in fact, exhausted. ^[You better sleep soon or at least once between each transformation. Otherwise, you might end up passing out in the middle of it. I''m sure no one wants to deal with a rampaging Arad or do they?]^ ^No they don''t,^ Arad took a deep breath and stared at Eris by his side, "All the bandits have turned into vampire spawns and are inside me. The giants were exterminated and the gobins gave up. I say we finished here." Eris looked around with a smile on her face, "It''s been a while since I smelled so much blood in one ce. It''s sad that I don''t have any corpses to cremate." Arad thought about it for a second and then asked, "Does Alina have a funeral house?" "I asked around, but it seemed they buried everyone directly into the ground. Funerals are usually carried out by the family of the deceased, everything is prepared by them." "Then how about you create a funeral house? You can use the spawns and hire some workers for a start." Arad pointed out, "I have enough money for that, and if not, it won''t be that hard to make it by killing powerful monsters." "And the dragon gets a cut of the profit, I like that. With me, Roberta, the kobolds, and Mira, you would have a lot of extra ieing in." She nodded, "You wanted to build a castle in the mountains for dragons to meet, didn''t you?" "And that needs funds." Arad confirmed and then looked toward the bandits'' camp, "We should clean this up, we''re already past midnight." *** After half an hour of Arad and Eris walking around, using his void to clean all the destruction, they could feel Five''s barrier slowly fading away. She canceled her magic and left, leaving them alone. Arad transformed into his half-dragon form and flew to the sky, scrying the forest around the camp only to find what he sensed. Only animals and monsters prowled around with no intelligent creature in four-kilometer radios. ^We''re alone, but I still can''t be sure.^ Arad flew down and transformed into his draconic form to dig arge tunnel leading deep underground. Eris rode on his back, protected by his wings. "Your digging skills are amazing. wing down with your ws, sucking the dirt into your stomach then taking it out through the tip of your tail to close the hole behind you." She looked back, thinking this looked simr to something that everyone was familiar with. "As long as it works." Arad didn''t care how the whole operation looked, as long as it allowed him to burrow through the ground while making sure no one followed him. Crack! After several minutes, Arad finally reached an underground caverge enough for him tond into. Eris looked around, and even though she could see in the dark, she could only make shapes and not colors in a ce with no source of light. Arad shifted into his humanoid form and stood beside her, lifting one finger and forming a tiny fireball. "You can ignite a light." "I know," Eris lifted her hand and created a purple sma ball, "I even can do this!" With arge grin, she created several more sma balls and sent them flying around to illuminate the ce with a purple haze. "Now this looks better," She looked at Arad with a smug grin, knowing he didn''t have the fine control to achieve such a thing. Arad looked around, the cave consisted of onerge cavern with multiple stgmites and stctites covering the floor and ceiling. He could hear a waterfall in the distance as the humidity in the air was quite high. Searching for signs of life made Arad sure, they were over eight kilometers deep and the only beings around were monsters that avoided him like the gue. "No one will see or hear us again, perfect," He walked around, stretching his arms as he looked for a nice ce to set the furniture. Thud! Eris touched his shoulder, her fingers slowly reaching up to his neck. He could feel the sharp point of her nails scratching on his skin, "Before that," She giggled, "Can I get a sip?" Chapter 413 Bloody Romance V: Sucked To Death "Of course you can," Arad stared at Eris, his eyes glowing with a purple haze, "But be careful, you might burn," Eris giggled, approached him, and gently stroked his chest, reaching toward his neck, "I do like spicy food," Extending her tongue forward, she licked Arad''s neck, slowly pushing her fangs into his flesh. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Vampire bites are simr to those of bats. Their droll holds an anticoagnt and a sedative. The victim won''t even feel the touch of their lips, only the faint sensation of their blood rushing up to the wound. Arad closed his eyes, trying to feel his blood, but he couldn''t. No matter how much she sucks out of him, it will never be a drop in the massive pool of blood that his draconic body holds. Cough! Eris coughed, almost choking as she felt a sharp burning sensation in the back of her throat. Her eyes started tearing, and her nose began running like a floods. With each gulp of Arad''s blood, her stomach turned and twisted. But she didn''t stop. As Arad remained still, his eyes closed with Eris sucking on his neck, he started focusing on sensing his blood. His mana-rich blood flew out of him and into Eris''s fangs. He could see it clearly through his void eyes even with his eyelids closed. The blood got sucked into Eris''s fang, flowing through her upper jaw before splitting in two. Some rush to her brain while the majority is flushed into her throat through holes in her wisdom teeth. Eris''s body twisted as Arad''s blood flooded across her brain, triggering a response that caused pleasure. But that wasn''t all that Arad discovered. The more blood coats her brain, the harder she bites, and the more blood she sucks. He felt that something was off, but didn''t give it a mind as he didn''t know better. Eris is a half-dragon half-elf vampire and thus gets the most nourishment from dragon and elf blood. Arad to her is like a hot spicy meal, while she suspects that Ae would taste minty, but she hasn''t tasted her yet. Eris''s mind started gutting mudded, a white mist clouding her thoughts as she drowned in the pleasure of sucking on Arad''s blood. She bit harder and deeper, sucking even more blood. The burning sensation of his blood quickly turns from pain to pleasure as well. Arad opened his eyes, noticing that Eris''s whole body weight leaned on him, and pure white liquid dripped from between her legs as they went numb. That smelled simr to piss but was different. "Eris, you okay?" Arad asked, using his right hand to shake her body. He could feel a bit of resistance as she mumbled into his neck, "Yes," she managed to reply with Arad''s blood gargling in her throat. Arad rxed once again, relieved at her response, but that was naive. And with Doma and Mom asleep to give them some privacy, the timer started ticking down for him to realize the problem. Eris has drunk Arad''s blood before without a problem but never did right after he transformed into the vampiric wyrmwolf. A dragon''s blood is already too strong. Add the vampirism and then thepressed magic of Arad''s transformation, and you have a recipe for disaster. The more she drank, the better she felt. And the more she needed to drink more to keep that feeling. The pleasure only masked the damage his blood did but didn''t fix it. "Eris, you''re drinking more than usual," Arad mumbled without moving a muscle. He thought she must have been thirsty after how hard the night was, but he was once again wrong. Eris''s mind slowly sank into a pure white world, devoid of all sensation as she floated in her own thoughts. With each sip she sank deeper and deeper, making it harder for her to snap out of it. Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Arad felt his heart skip a beat, lifting his hand to touch his chest. He wasn''t low on blood, so what was it? With a single re, he saw it. That wasn''t his heart that fluttered but something else beside it. That organ was the draconis fundamentum, a walnut-shaped lump of flesh and nerves, beating like a heart and pumping mana across his vein. A foreign type of magic was floating in his veins, something that his draconis fundamentum noticed and tried to eliminate. Arad red down at his chest, squeezing his void eyes as much as he could to trace that magic. The source quickly became clear as his mind shifted to Eris. Her body was limp on him, and she kept sucking more and more of his blood. Arad looked at Eris, a drop of sweat trailing across his forehead as the realization came to him, seeing his magic all over her body. With a powerful jerk, he yanked her off his neck, dropping her on her back. He could see it clearly, and there was no mistake. Upon ingesting arge amount of his agitated blood, Eris''s body failed to digest it and started failing. Arad''s powerful blood slowly digested her from the inside out. This was a powerful and magnificent defense mechanism that would prevent other vampires from praying on him in battle. But the little amount of magic that remained in his blood after shifting back to a humanoid shape was still dangerous. Arad lunged forward, biting Eris''s neck and using his void to selectively suck his own blood from her, but that wasn''t enough. Only a powerful punch to the stomach did the job of forcing the majority of what she drank back out. As the excess blood cleared from Eris''s body, her regeneration kicked back in, and her mind slowly woke up. "GAH!" With a gasp, she jerked back to life. "AHHHH!" She cried, feeling an extreme pain rushing between her head and stomach. "Are you okay?" Arad asked with a worried face, seeing her shaking in ce. "I''m fine. What happened?" Enduring pain was something she could do with ease, but this time was different. She felt extremely weak. "You sucked too much of my blood and started losing it," Arad replied, thinking of a way to describe what happened to her. Eris scratched her head as she stood, taking deep breaths and focusing on her blood, "I''m fine. I''m healing nicely," She giggled, "It seems that I was rejected like any other spawn," A vampire spawn can only be a vampire lord if he sucked his master dry and absorb his power. The only other way is for the spawn to be strong innately, which Arad was. Eris sat beside Arad, "I should make a note to only drink small amounts of your blood from now on," She smiled, running her hand on his thigh. "Can you keep up?" Arad asked, and she smiled, "Of course, I''m more durable than you think," She reached with her hand to his pants. Arad looked at her, feeling a bit better now that she was back on her feet. He thought she was a goner when she fell earlier. He should''ve been the first one to not underestimate his own blood. With a swift move, Eris pulled his flesh out and gave it a smug look, "It''s limp," "I thought you were dead a second ago," Arad replied. Even he as a dragon can get stressed. There is a lot that his raw power can fix, but a dead person isn''t one of them. "Don''t worry about me," She smiled, "I already died decades ago when I first became a vampire. That''s the first reason I became the head of a funeral house," She started licking his meat, attempting to get it rigid enough. "Surrounded by death," Arad gasped, "That''s something you like?" "Death isn''t the end. It''s the beginning. Probably seeking purpose by watching other lives fade away." "Wouldn''t it be easier to give life?" Arad replied with a smile, and Erisughed, "Trying to sell me on bearing an egg? Already told you I won''t," His flesh already got rigin enough for her to start sucking for real. "We vampires are dead. You can say we aren''t a suitable environment to bear life. We usually get children through an eldritch magic ritual," She stopped sucking. "That isn''t the case if we''re talking about a dragon, right?" Arad could see it in her eyes, the fear of the unknown. "Dragons are the epitome of power, life force, and creation. Legends say that Asgorath humped a stone, and thus earth dragons were born." She recited an old legend of the first dragon god. Arad giggled, "You''re joking. Right? AWA!" Arad cried as he felt her teeth sink into his flesh. "Don''t bite me!" "Sorry," Eris took Arad''s flesh out of her mouth, leaving a clear two red dots on it. "A sponge filled with blood. How could I resist?" Arad sighed, "Can we do it at least once without you trying to bite me?" "No," Eris replied with a smile. Chapter 414 Vampire’s Night I: Pain And Pleasure [R-18] "You''re a vampire, after all," Arad sighed, staring at Eris''s smile. "Not just that, I''m a half-purple dragon and a half-elf. I have blue and red dragon''s blood in addition to elves." She stroked Arad''s flesh with her hand, "Do you know what that means?" Arad thought about it for a second, "You have a weird love for blood and feet," He sighed. Eris giggled, "I''m more of a hand girl, but I wouldn''t mind a bit of that. Blood, hands, violence, and patience." She exined. Red dragons value power and violence over everything else. A red mate would like it rough and as violent as possible, as anything besides that, and she would feel insulted. A red dragon is strong enough to take it. Blue dragons value patience and time. A blue mate would hold herself for hours, prolonging the session beyond belief. And to them, the one who ends first is the weakest. Eris slowly climbed up Arad''s torso, licking his abs and chest, "Get it inside me, as deep and fast as you can." She whispered. Arad looked at her, "Well, you asked for it." He wrapped his arms around her back, pinning her in ce. Eris shivered, feeling him gently pushing on her front door. She knew it wasing, and so her hips writhed. CLAP! With one powerful thrust, Arad jammed his entire length forward, filling her in a single motion. "GAH!" Eris cried, gasping for air as her insides burned. She could feel her heartbeats slowing down and her organs shaking. The sharp pain rushing from between her legs, mixed with pleasure assaulted her senses and caused her arms to erect straight. She slowly breathed, pulling her arms down and hugging Arad''s neck. Mustering all of her power, she forced her hips to tighten on Arad, "Is this all you got?" Arad stared at her face, seeing the tears trailing down her cheeks, "No, but are you sure?" Eris shook her head, sshing the tears away, and red at Arad, "Of course I''m sure! This is nothing, keep going, or I will start moving!" Arad thought about it for a second. He doesn''t fully understand what she wants, but as long as won''t sustain anysting damage, giving what she asks for is best, right? Arad''s brain started shaking inside his head. Eris had just almost died by drinking a lot of his blood. Her decisions and what she likes won''t be necessarily in her best interest. He shouldn''t go along with everything she asks for. Arad closed his eyes, making an important decision. ^Hoi! Doma, wake up.^ ^[Don''t wake me up,]^ ^Just a second, is this safe?^ ^[Fine, but this is thest time. Do this...]^ Doma gave Arad a few crucial instructions. Some of them seemed strange, but he could trust her decision to an extent. *** Eris red down at Arad''s face, growling as she slowly lifted her hips, ready to force her whole weight down and push his all the way inside her once again. But suddenly, he opened his eyes, armed with a few tips from a half-elf witch. "Arad?" She gasped. "Let''s do it," He wrapped his arms around her back, holding her in ce. Eris looked around, a drop of sweat trailing down her forehead as she saw Arad lip his palm up. SLAP! He dropped his palm on her butt, sending a shockwave across her body from head to toe. Eris clenched her teeth, droll dripping from her lips as the air got knocked out of her lungs. "Don''t move on your own," Arad said with a passive face. A lightning spark shocked Eris''s body and her blood tingled. As Arad''s spawn, that sentence was more than mere words. Spawns are ves to their lord. And their lord''s words are both the whip and carrot. When a spawn gets an order from their lord, the words feel terrifying and sweet. The fear of failing their master and the punishmenting from it, and the excitementing from fulfilling them. They might get their blood sucked, or even better, get a chance to drink their masters'' blood. "Yes, I won''t," Eris gasped, a smile crossing her face. Arad clenched his hands around her butt, lifting it up until he was only tip deep. With one powerful pull, he jammed himself all the way in. CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! "AHH! AAGH! AHHH! AHHH! AH!"With each powerful thrust, Eris moaned and cried, feeling her insides getting crushed by Arad''s massive size. Each time her body instinctively tried to pull away, he pped her butt hard enough that her bones shook. Even if Arad''s thrusts seemed violent and rough, he tightly kept control of his power, making sure he didn''t use enough strength to hurt her. He pertinently could shatter her hips with one thrust but didn''t. Deep down, Eris knew that, and she felt insulted that he couldn''t go all out with her. The proud red blood in her veins won''t ept such reality. But s, only a true drakaina or a subus could survive Arad''s full might. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Eris moaned, feeling her insides twist. Even with how much she hated it, she couldn''t hold it much longer. She lost the power struggle and her red blood felt ashamed. Yet now, she''s about to reach her limit first, and her blue dragon blood is raging at the fact. Eris''s hands scratched Arad''s back as she held her breath, her toes curled and her eyes quivered. ^Not so soon.^ She thought. SLAP! With the next p to her butt, Eris''s body jolted, trembling as the dam broke and water rushed out. She screamed her lungs out, falling on Arad''s chest. Arad stared at her shaking, he hadn''t reached his limit yet, not even close. That was intentional as focusing on something else and using his scales to numb the sensation on his parts made it possible for him to grind it for hours. Arad stood and extended his arm. WOSH! Therge white bed popped out of nowhere. "Come here," He lifted Eris andid her on her stomach, her legs dangling down. Eris gasped for air, her legs unable to carry her, she remained motionless as Arad lifted her butt up. "Let''s keep going," "Gah!" Eris tried to say something but was interrupted by Arad''s rod smacking deep inside her. Her moans filled the cavern as she clenched her hands on the bedsheet. CLAP! SLAP! CLAP! CLAP! SLAP! Arad kept humping her as hard as possible, pping her butt each now and then until she turned bright red. After several minutes, Eris was almost knocked out cold, dripping as her eyes rolled back. Arad sighed, staring at her shaking on the bed, "How was that?" Eris didn''t have enough strength to reply between her heavy breaths, but she managed to form a vague thumbs up, signaling that it was good. Thud! Arad sat beside her, patting her hair. Eris opened her mouth and started sucking on his fingers, resting as her hips kept convoluting. Arad looked at her with a smile, he wasn''t done yet. There was one part that Doma mentioned, but left doing it or not at his discretion. "Say Eris, want another round?" He asked. Eris looked at him and stopped sucking on his fingers, "I don''t think I can take any more, seriously," She rubbed her hand between her legs, feeling a tingling pain stinging her insides. "I know," Arad replied, "It was Doma''s suggestion," Eris blinked, "I read enough that I know where this is going," She sighed, "That damn witch, but she isn''t wrong." Eris smiled, "Let''s do it, but I get my way with you afterward." "Deal," With a smile, Arad waved his hand. SWOSH! Eris''s coffin appeared out of nowhere,nding on the hard stones with a thud. Eris gulped as Arad lifted her, putting her stomach first inside the coffin. Arad pulled her hands behind her back as he went inside above her, locking the coffin behind him. Now trapped inside this cramped space, Eris had no way to move, especially with Arad''s weight pushing down on her. She tried to wiggle her arms, but they were held tightly behind her back. Her body quivered as she felt his rough tongue licking her neck and she gasped. Arad opened his mouth, biting her neck and that was enough to send her sensitive body into another climax. Arad wrapped his hand up, grasping Eris''s face in his palm and pushing one finger into her mouth. Without waiting, she started sucking. Suddenly, she could feel his flesh pushing right up her back end. Eris gasped for air, clenching her teeth on his finger. Even if it only gave her a few drops of blood, that was enough. CRACK! With one powerful thrust, Arad dropped his entire weight, pushing his massive flesh all the way inside her back end, and she cried, biting so hard on his finger that she might have snapped it. "AGHHH!" Eris moaned, climaxing once again. Her vampire blood tingled as Arad sucked her blood. The pain from her back end only contrasted that. Eris stopped biting Arad''s finger, and he stopped moving, "You okay?" He asked. "Yeah," Eris replied, "May I say something?" "If it hurts too much we can stop," "That bitch Doma, as much as I hate it, she was right," Eris sighed, "Promise me that once she gets a body, make her cry at least once, or let me punch her." Arad looked at her, "That between you two to deal with," Eris smiled, "That''s a promise. Let''s keep going," The coffin remained locked for over an hour. Eris''s moans and screams echoed across the cavern like the howels of a wraith. Chapter 415 Vampire’s Night II: Vampire [R-18] CRACK! The coffin burst open, and Arad walked out, his back cracking. "That was tight," Thud! Eris grabbed the edge, sat up, and stared at him, "Which one?" "Both." He replied, "Get it?" "I don''t know if jokes suit you, but I get that one," Eris smiled, "So, it''s my turn now?" "Of course, I promised." Arad nodded, "So, what do you want?" Eris was about to speak but then stopped, "Now that I thought about it, I can''t decide," "Spoiled for choices?" "What else could it be? I''m trying something fun that I won''t regret." Eris scratched her. "Take your time thinking," Arad looked up, "The night isn''t running away," Eris nodded, "You''re right. Let''s start with some water. Do you have some?" Arad pulled a jug of ice-cold water from his stomach, "I should have pulled it before," He quickly gave it to Eris. Eris grabbed the water jug and chugged down half the water in it. Arad had never seen any of the girls drink that much water. If he excluded that one time he saw Amber drinking beer. He can swear she might chug a whole barrel. "Ha!" Eris put the jug down and sat on the bed, stretching her arms, "Nothing better than blood other than water. It feels like it''s cleaning my throat." Arad directly drank from his stomach as he usually does for food. It worked like an inventory where he could eat. Without even taking the things out. He took a moment to think how useful his stomach would have been if he hadn''t already overpowered its usefulness with his vampiric regeneration. While other people need to manually drink a potion after getting hit, he can spawn it inside his stomach. Jack had suggested that Arad use a potion with other effects since he doesn''t need healing. Use things like potions of speed, invisibility, and other buffs. After a brief test, Arad realized the painful truth of his existence. His all-mighty dragon body quickly neutralizes any foreign effect, no matter what it is. Simple alchemy won''t cut it, and weak magic effects get burned in the blink of an eye. That only left him with mana and stamina potions. Thetter was abundant, but the first was in short supply for Arad''s uses. When Arad started to fight with his rumbling and draconic form, abusing his breaths and gravity magic he started to feel the limitation of his mana and stamina. It''s nice to have a fuck everything in that general direction extinction beam, but being able to only st it once a day didn''t sit well with him. Arad looked at his hand. The reabsorbing mana that was suggested by Doma is nice, but it only works with spells that he can cast and has enough brain power left to think about absorbing the mana. It''s useless if he needs to put all of his concentration into a massive spell. "What are you thinking about?" Eris asked as she saw Arad zoning out. "Void expansion. I was thinking about asking Doma to figure a way to fill it with the vampire spawns." He smiled, "That would be effective," Eris gasped, "What came into you now? Your void expansion is already a hellscape, and you want to make it more deadly?" "Deadly for humans, true. But a motivated dragon can escape my four-kilometer radios in about twelve seconds. I need to think about fighting them." Arad''s enemies are only humans, but monsters that can''t be stopped with normal means. "And..." Arad remembered a short mock fight that he had with Alcott. Short story, the moment Arad activated his void expansion, Alcott diced him so badly that he was forced into his draconic body. "Alcott was able to beat you before you could even move, but that''s a dragon yer we''re talking about. He could smell that you were about to cast a massive spell and took you down in the split second of activation." Eris tapped Arad''s chest, "There is alwaysg when using magic. It''s easier and faster for you to try working around it rather than eliminating it." Arad nodded as he sat on the bed, "That''s why I will fill the void with spawns." Eris sat beside him, putting one leg on the other while reaching to his flesh with her hand. "Right now, you have other things to fill." She smiled, "But I''m still sore. So we can put that on hold for now." Arad looked at her, "Then what did you want to do?" Eris let go of his flesh and leaned back on her arms, "Nothing sexual to be honest. I just wanted you to test a few things for me," With her fist, she tapped his chest. "I heard vampire lords can change their appearance and shapeshift into bats or mist, brainwash people with their gaze, and grant power to their spawn through blood. What can you do?" Arad closed his eyes, his body turning into a ck mass in the blink of an eye. A tiny hamster fell between Eris''s breasts, nesting there. "I''m a druid and can shift into small animals. I can do it with blood magic, but that limits me to vermins and makes my blood magic noticeable." The hamster said, his tworge teeth grinding against each other. CLACK! The hamster shifted once again, turning into a massive one-foot-long ck spider. "You''re right. You''re oozing with blood magic now. You will only foolmon folks." Eris could feel it as clear as the day. The spider jumped away from between her boobs andnded on the ground, shifting back to Arad. "Let me try that blood shifting," Arad closed his eyes, trying to change the shape of his body. A faint ck mist reeking of blood covered his body as it tried to morph. Eris backed away, sensing his blood magic flowing in a weird pattern. "What are you doing?" She gasped. "Trying... to make it work!" Arad growled as he tried to control the magic, but failed. BOOM! The spell went out of control, exploding and sending him rolling back in his normal form. "Nop, can''t do it," Arad sighed, lying on the ground like a dead fish. "What a shame. With it, we could have used you to bypass a lot of encounters." Eris looked at him with a sad face. "But, we can still use it," Arad said with a smile as his body started to morph, taking the form of a blond woman with red eyes. Eris recognized her as one of the spawns. "Doma can make it happen. I just woke her up, and she kicked me in the face." Arad said, standing up and staring at his body. "My...my...voice..." His voice slowly shifted to match the woman''s, and Eris started pping. "Way to go!" "[Don''t count on it too much. I don''t have that much control over his blood magic. This is already annoying to control. I probably won''t be able to keep it if he starts to move violently.]" Doma said, and Arad burst back to his original body. "What about the wyrmwolf part? What can it do now?" Eris asked. "It''s better to keep it unused until I pair it with the Orion Constetion." He replied, closing his eyes and sensing the wolf inside. "Orion, the hunter''s constetion. It''s a strange coincidence that it''s your family name." Eris approached Arad, "Was your family named after it?" "Mom says void dragons use constetions as family names. We should expect other void dragons with surnames of the other constetions." Arad replied, approaching Eris. "I see," She moved to the side, tapping the bed with her hand. "Lay down. I rested a bit," Arady on the bed, rxing as Eris approached him with a smug grin on her face. "Where should I start?" She ran her hand from his stomach to his neck. "You shift gears quickly, but that''s up to you." Arad replied, opening his eyes, "And, Ae seems to have feared I might get angry about some things she likes to do. I won''t, so don''t worry." Eris looked at Arad, "Ae? She''s an elf after all. Going for feet or hands isn''t umon. You could say it''s to them like butt and breasts for humans." She approached his neck, biting it. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "You go for blood, just don''t drink too much, or you might die," Arad sighed, remembering what happened earlier. Eris extended her hand toward his flesh, gently grasping it. She stopped drinking Arad''s blood and looked down as her hand started rubbing it rapidly. "Say, which one she used?" Eris shifted from rubbing him with her hand to her feet, and then back to her hands, "I can provide a change," "Ask her, not me," Arad replied, wrapping his hand around Eris''s waist and pulling her up, "Didn''t you want to drink my blood?" "One sip at a time," She approached his neck and licked the blood trailing down from the wound. Arad remained still, but this time, keeping an eye on her let her start dying again. "Do whatever you want," Chapter 416 Approaching Ice Storm

Chapter 416 Approaching Ice Storm

As Eris approached Arad, she saw his face change. "Did something happen?" Arad stood with a stern face, his eyebrows curling as he growled, "The king is dying," **** Two hours before... "Father, I came back with good news," Inside the throne room, the first prince. Alfred Lior Ruris bowed to his father, the king. "I managed to secure Princess Lumina''s hand. This will ensure a fresh and new peaceful start with the Western holy nation." The king smiled, "You have indeed achieved a great deed. Our rtionship never was stable. But with you, that grim fact might be history." The prince bowed deeper, "I don''t deserve your praises. I have yet to show my best achievement." "Hoho?" The king stared at his son, eyes full of anticipation. "The ice tribes of the north," Prince Alfred smiled, "I managed to secure a peace treaty with those barbarians as long as we treat them like any other nation." The king stood from his throne, "They have been assaulting our borders for centuries, ravaging viges as if they were hunting wild animals. How do you expect me to treat them like a nation?" "My king, no, dear father. Do you not wish for an end to the bloodshed? Each month that passes, tens of our citizens are killed. Making peace will stop that." Alfred red at his father, "At least consider it," The king growled, his face twisting, "I shall not forget their massacres and crimes against my people. But they do not have the structure of a kingdom to be treated as one. They don''t even have a defined border." "They operate based on tribes, unlike us who rely on nobles. They are going to unite under a single n. The chieftain is their equivalent to a king." The king sat down, "Finally getting some sense into them? To think those cannibals have started to show some intellect." All he can remember of them is their naked armies rushing in, killing all the viges near the northern mountain and eating them. Until now, he can''t get the stench of roasted corpses out of his nose. "They were united by their hero who took over and is now the chieftain. He''s more sensible and wishes to amend his predecessors." The prince exined with a smile, "I suggest we support him," "Alfred," Kin, who stood at the king''s right side growled. Gin at his left also opened her eyes, ring with glowing eyes. Alfred stared at her, confused. He knew she was the first queen, but most nobles in this room didn''t. The queen that the public knew as the first queen is actually the third, with Kin and Gin taking the first and second ce. He couldn''t reply, staring around at the nobles. The nobles already started mumbling in the back, and he could hear them. They were disgusted by the fact a mere maid growled like that, addressing the first price with disrespect. Thud! Thud! Gin was the one to walk forward, her eyes fixed on Alfred. "Who''s their hero? I thought the stench on you was left from a battle, but don''t tell me." The nobles shivered. They could feel the room getting colder as Gin red down at Alfred. The guards could feel it. One wrong word, and she would smack Alfred away. "Please, at least let me exin." Alfred said, and Gin sighed, "You better have an exnation." She walked back to the king''s side. "A white dragon, EirwanKari. He has taken over the frozen north as his territory, and the barbarians are following him. We can''t ignore such power." "EirwanKari, in the dragon tongue, that name trantes to white snow covered with snow. Layers uponyers of ice." Gin stared at the king, "I don''t know of him, so he shouldn''t be an ancient." The king sighed, "Since he''s chromatic, can I assume he wants something in exchange for peace?" Everyone in the room red at Alfred, "What did the monster want?" One of the nobles eximed. Chromatic dragons only love gold, sacrifices, and magic items. Not of could be sated with ease. "As I said before. He asked to treat the tribes as a nation." Alfred stared at his father, "And as such, he wants to tie our kingdoms through marriage." "sted! Alfred, don''t tell me you''re marrying a foul-blood daughter of his." Gin shouted, the ground beneath her feet freezing. Everyone in the room jumped in surprise, but the king signaled for her to calm down. Alfred started sweating, "I would have loved it if I was the one to go," He looked around the room, and then at the entrance. "He doesn''t have a mate." His eyes then stopped at the king, "He asked for Sister Isdis''s hand." The king froze, ring at Alfred. "Forget it. I already decided on Isdis''s husband. I can''t give it to him." "Father, he''s a dragon and a king." Alfred looked around, "At least, let Isdis make that decision. Give her a chance to speak." "Alfred, I''m making no such decision before the dragon Mediator is present. I will send him a letter and will discuss this if he epts my invitation." He looked at Kin, "Get someone to send a letter to Alcott." He then signaled her to approach him. Kin got her ear so close to the king''s mouth that they almost touched. "I know you don''t need me to tell you, but inform your family at once," He whispered, urging her to get the metallic dragons involved. Alfred stared at them, sweating, "He''sing tonight." His words dropped like a bomb, shaking the whole pce. CLICK! The throne room door slowly opened, and the wind rushed in. Everyone red back with a terrified face as someone walked in. "Who called me?" Isdis walked in, a biwa on her shoulder. She looked around, strolling between the nobles and approaching Alfred. "Look who it is, dear brother." She smiled, "It''s been a while," She waved her hand, greeting him casually. Alfred giggled, "Sister, you never change, do you?" He stood, looking at her with a worried face and a faked smile. "Isdis, who called you here?" The king growled, looking at the door to see a maid standing there. The maid gasped as the king red at her, falling on her butt with a terrified face. "Prince Alfred asked me to bring her," She instantly cried. "Alfred!" Kin growled. "Father, she deserves to know," Alfred replied, looking at Isdis, "A white dragon took over the northern tribes and united them. He wants to marry you as a sign of peace." He didn''t waste a breath and told everything as fast as he could. Isdis just nodded, "I see, why me?" "Said he loves your ice magic," Alfred replied, "White dragons are good with cold magic. You two might get along from what I saw," Isdis shook her head, "No. I''m already written out." She shook her head. "Isdis, this is a dragon. Father can''t force you to refuse his offer." He stared back at the king, "If he has forced you into some arranged marriage, I''m sure this dragon can bail you out. And of course, you tell him no if you wish as well." Isdis smiled, "You weren''t here, so you probably didn''t hear yet, but Father didn''t arrange a marriage for me. I picked a jacked adventurer from a forest at the elf''s border. Nothing political at all if you think I threaten your ce." Arad is technically a jacked adventurer, and they did meet in the forest. But hearing it like this, Alfred only imagined him as a nomad ranger living in the woods like a hermit. Alfred giggled, "Please don''t use me of such things. I never once tried to hurt you." Behind his smile, Isdis could see the countless times he tried to kill her since they were barely fifteen years old. Not only her but all of his siblings. "Come on, brother. Remember the day you convinced me to ride a horse in secret? I almost died, and the one time you gave me that faulty set of armor, or how you stabbed me in the back while we were practicing swordfight." She smiled, pulling her violin. DING! "Those were kids mistakes," He growled. DING! DING! "My stupid brother," DING! DING! "Your mistakes almost killed me several times, and I feel this time you''re sending me straight to a dragon''s dinner te." She smiled, "You''re either an imbecile, mentally disabled ape wearing a human carcass. Or a brilliant genius trying to eliminate me from the throne''spetition." DING! DING! Alfred sighed, "Fine, but hear this. We''re talking about a dragon. Consider it well." "OHOOOHO!" Isdis gasped with a smile, staring at Alfred. "What? I already said he was a dragon." Alfred stared at her, confused. Dealing with a bard was never easy, and she won''t stop. "Sorry, I tried to speak in anguage you understand." She red at Alfred, "My answer is obvious, no is no," She flicked the strings of her biwa. DING! "BODAK!" Alfred could feel a sharp tightening in his chest, a deep sadness emerging from the depth of his heart, urging him to cry. Grinding his teeth, he resisted. "Don''t cast magic on me. Especially that spell," Isdis smiled, "Sorry, it came on its own. I''m a genius musician and singer after all." The spell she cast was called [Vicious mockery]. You insult someone so badly, that they take psychic damage. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Alfred sighed, "Fine. But you have to tell him that yourself. He won''t believe any of us to speak in your ce." Alfred stared back at his father, "As I said, he''sing tonight," Isdis blinked, "Really? I better get my man," She turned around. "I advise against that. The dragon might be inclined to kill him on sight. You better get him to leave the city as soon as possible." Alfred stared at her. Isdis red back at him with a grin, "Then I will dly give myself to him. My man is jacked as hell," Alfred looked at her, confused. The nobles heard that Arad fended a dragon, and they expected him to put up a decent fight before losing and could see Isdis''s hope. But only Kin knew the truth, and she couldn''t imagine Arad going down against an adult white dragon. "BAM!" The ground shook as they heard the guards scream. Kin''s eyes shed as she looked toward the king, "The white dragonnded in the garden. He dived straight down from above the clouds." Chapter 417 EirwanKari’s Entrance

Chapter 417 EirwanKari''s Entrance

The guards screamed, their armor getting so cold it''s stuck to their skin. Each drop of sweat froze as they fell like hail. Under the stars, the massive creature towered over the garden, his ws digging into the ground. "A dragon!" One of the guards cried, lifting his crossbow. CREEK! The white dragon shifted his massive head, ring at the guard pointing at him. In the blink of an eye, the guard fell on his knees, shaking as his limbs froze in ce. "I would have already killed you all if I wanted," The dragon growled, shifting its head around, "Call your lord, king, and leader!" He roared, shattering half the windows of the castle. Thud! The king rushed to the balcony, ring down with a worried face. "What do you want?" he screamed internally, ^Bastard, he didn''t waste any time.^ "I believe your son already informed you. I came for Isdis." The dragon replied, his body twisting and shifting as he turned into a vaguely humanoid shape. He looked closer at lizard folks, but with white scales and a dragon head, wings, and a massive tail. Thud! Thud! Thud! The guards rushed to surround the dragon, pointing their spears at their necks. "Bastard! You shall not get the princess," The guard that greeted Isdis first when she came with Arad growled. The dragon stared at the guard, "You aren''t courageous. Foolish is what I call this," He was right. Their mundane weapons can''t pierce a dragon''s scales. CLANG! The head guard pointed his spear at the dragon''s face, "Even in death, we won''t let you get close to her." The white dragon, EirwanKari, smiled, "I''m not backing away. But, you''re free to throw your life away." *** ^Those eyes!^ the head guard thought, ^That smug smile, this bastard is nning on something. I''ve served for twenty years and will never miss it, the expression of someone bringing harm,^ He clenched his hand on his spear. ^As long I''m alive, he won''t set foot in the castle.^ "You aren''t wee here! Scram to where you came from!" The head guard growled, veins popping on his head. "You fool guard!" Alfred shouted from the balcony, "He''s the king of the northern nation! Apologize at once," "All guards, back away!" King Baltos shouted, waving his hand, "EirwanKari is my honored guest for tonight. Don''t start a fight with him." He said, trying to protect their lives. The guards slowly backed away. Only their captain stood his ground, ignoring orders. "You still stand in my way and disobey your king?" EirwanKari smiled, opening his arms. "My oath is to protect the fourth princess and the royal family." red forward, "Step on my corpse," "As you wish," EirwanKari Smiled, stepping forward. GRAAAAAA! The head guard shouted, thrusting his spear at EirwanKari''s neck. CLANG! With a swift move, the dragon deflected the strike with a hand tap. CREEK! The head guard didn''t slow down. Instead got faster, throwing thrusts like there is no tomorrow. And to him, there wasn''t. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The dragon deflected the tens of thrusts thrown at him with ease, never breaking his smile. With each attack fended, he approached the head guard. Spears have an effective range. With the dragon getting too close, the head guard can''t stab him. CRACK! EirwanKari swung his palm, striking the spear''s shaft, and shattering it. SWOSH! BAM! With a swifter move, he punched the head guard in the ear and then in the liver, sending him flying. ^Am I dead?^ He wondered, his vision slowly fading. His heart slowed almost to a halt, but then his blood started boiling. ^NO! Fight tost breath.^ CLAP! As the head guard''s body spun in the air, his arm moved, catching the tip of his shattered spear. His eyes glow with a golden light as he growls, [Action Surge] [Adrenaline rush] In the blink of an eye, sixteen thrusts rushed toward EirwanKari. Thest struggle of a dying man pushed beyond his limit. He had never managed over twelve attacks before, but only death awaited now. "Hehe!" EirwanKari giggled with a raging smile, rushing forward without caring to block any of the attacks. They simply bounced off his scales. EirwanKari thrust his fist forward, piercing the head of the guard''s stomach and ripping a chunk of his spine out. But he wasn''t done yet. The dragon swung his second fist at the man''s head, trying to finish the already finished job. CLANG! EirwanKari''s eyes opened wide as both his arms were caught. He could see a hand grasping the fist he sent at the man''s face and one clenching on the one that pierced him. "How about you stop?" A voice came, and EirwanKari red to the side, about tosh out. "GUH!" He stopped, those two blue eyes ring down at him. Gojo looked at EirwanKari and the head guards with a smile, "This fight is over. How about you go rest?" "Who are you to order me around?" EirwanKari shouted, but deep inside he knew this man was a problem. The fact he stopped his attack with ease was terrifying. "You better listen," Kin was already standing there, a golden broom in her hand. CRACK! CRACK! Gin cracked her knuckles, "Sister, can I start punching?" She asked with a passive face. "My back hurts," An olddy wearing tattered clothes appeared out of nowhere, walking forward with a bent back and approaching them, extending her hand to EirwanKari, "Have any coins to spare for a hungry olddy?" Gojo pulled a gold coin from his purse and gave it to the olddy. "Here you go." He smiled. "Thanks my son," She smiled, extending her hand to EirwanKari once again. "Please?" EirwanKari pulled his hand from the head guard''s torso and snorted, "Here you go," He pulled a gold coin and gave it to the olddy. "You''re generous, my boy, thank you." She turned, walking away. EirwanKari stared at the old woman. He can tell by her smell. ^A brass wyrm and those two maids are gold and silver. Since when did the metallic bastards infiltrate this ce? Did someone rat us out?^ He growled inside, staring at Gojo, ^Who is this bastard? I can''t smell any dragon from him. What is he? A powerful adventurer or a hero?^ "Who are you?" EirwanKari asked, ring at Gojo. "Gojo, her husband''s brother. So you could say she''s my sister-inw." Gojo smiled, pointing at Isdis on the balcony, "You aren''t deciding anything till he arrives," "Hemph!" EirwanKari turned and started walking toward the castle as the healers rushed to the dying head guard. "Fine by me," Kin approached Gojo, "You can''t kill him?" "I''m not stealing my brother''s prey." He replied, "I will keep it at a stand-by." Gojo won''t allow EirwanKari to harm or approach Isdis until Arad returns to finish him. Kin sighed, "Fine, we don''t want trouble as well. Killing him might send us into a full war with the barbarians of the north," "Well, that''s a problem," Gojo smiled. *** Several minutester, dinner time came. The king sat on the long royal table, EirwanKari facing him on the other side. Kin and Gin stood beside the king, the princes on the left side of the table, and the queens and princesses on the right side. The first prince, Alfred Lior Ruris sat with his arms crossed, ring back at the maid beside him, "I told you I don''t want Iroke''s wine. Bring me something else. Closed bottle!" He growled. The maid bowed with a scared face, "At once," and rushed away. "Brother, be respectful," The second prince, Charlie Lior Ruris, "You look like a fucking imbecile." He started with a passive face. The fourth princess, Isdis Lior Rurisughed in the back, "I know, right?" Her giggles filled the room. "You two! We''re at the dinner table with a guest." A woman with arge chest and a wrinkled face red at them, The first queen(The third in reality, after Kin and Gin) Emma Frostwell. She''s Isdis and Charlie''s mother. "Dysfunctional as usual," The third prince, Thomas Lior Ruris. He fixed his sses, staring at his father, "Won''t you say anything?" "Does anyone listen to me around here?" Baltos sighed, Kin and Gin tapping his back. "My dear," The second queen(Fourth in reality after Kin, Gin, and Emma) Looked at him with a gentle smile, Her red hair dangling in braids behind her and almost reaching the ground. "They listen to you more than you think," "Mommy''s right!" A little girl, almost fourteen years old shouted. She''s the fifth princess, Lucy Lior Ruris. She lifted her fist, waving it with great energy, and then pointed at the white-haired man sitting beside her, "Right?" "How the hell should I know?" Gojo sighed, and Lucy pinched his cheek, pulling on his hair, "Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!" She cried. Gojo Orion. Currently working as Princess Lucy''s sword trainer. The kind didn''t know he was Arad''s brother until EirwanKari came. His true mission was infiltrating the castle and mapping it for the heist, and being with the easily manipted Lucy helped out. With a few words, she would nag the guards into letting her and Gojo into the restricted sections. ^Damn you, Vars. You told me dealing with this little shit was going to be easy.^ Gojo growled internally. Lucy was smarter than they anticipated. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om When the royal family made a request for a sword master to train the first princess. Vars enrolled Gojo without even asking him. He said with his strength and dashing look, he would have no problem getting the princess''s approval. EirwanKari stared around the table, confused. Was this the royal family of the biggest human kingdom? "Ahem, I only came here on a peaceful visit. I hope I didn''t trouble you too much," He tried to start a conversation and lifted his wine ss. He smiled, "For the the prosperity of our kingdoms," Everyone looked at each other and lifted their sses, except Lucy who didn''t have any drinks. "Cheer!" Everyone drank, but as soon as Gojo got the wine ss close to his mouth, Lucy smacked it out of his hand. "I told you no drinks on the job," EirwanKari And Alfred red at her, surprised, "Why did you do that?" they couldn''t believe she had done that. As long as Alfred remembers, Lucy never acted that rash before. Why only this time out of all? Gojo stared at the spilled wine on the table as one of the maids rushed to clean it, his eyes quickly shifted toward Lucy who was so close to him that she almost hugged his arm. "Get your filthy drinks away from him!" She growled with an angry face. ^Lucy is a wild magic sorceress, violent magic always surrounds her body in one-meter radios. It''s harmless most of the time, but only she knows what the wild magic is doing.^ Gojo though, ^Is there something in the wine that only she could see?^ Chapter 418 Death Bed

Chapter 418 Death Bed

King Baltos looked at Lucy and Gojo with a wry smile, "Lucy, please behave in front of our guest," Lucy nodded, "I will behave with Mentor Gojo," She smiled, lifting her te so the maids could clean the wine. Kin stared at the spilled wine from her stance and then lifted the king''s ss, taking a sip from it. "Spicy with a hint of cinnamon, a variant of dwarven spirit." She put the wine ss down in front of the king, "It''s clean," Alfred giggled, "Come on, I brought that wine. Father loved dwarven spirit, didn''t he?" "That''s a rare brew originating from the ice dwarves of the north," EirwanKari said with a smile, "A sign of goodwill," Gin stared at the bottle, "One bottle of this could go for hundreds of gold coins," Gojo red at Lucy, "You spilled that! Each drop could be worth a whole gold coin!" He pointed at the spilled wine as the maids cleaned it. "It smells strong. You would get drunk," Lucy replied, "All alcohols are filth, liquid rot," She hated all alcohol in the blood. The king lifted the ss and took a sip. He had tasted hundreds of drinks, but this one was really exquisite, the sharp taste and the spicy aftertaste in the back of his throat. "I do like it," He said with a smile. *** The maids brought the tea after the dinner tes were lifted, no one had left the table for even a second. Gojo stared at the maid bringing the tea with a smile, "Do you have milk? If so, can I get some with my tea?" The maid bowed as sheid the cups on the table, "Of course," She headed back to the kitchen to inform them. Baltos lifted his teacup and took a small sip, "Chieftain EirwanKari, shall we discuss the purpose of your arrival now?" EirwanKari took his teacup, cooling it down to almost freezing, "Of course," He then turned toward Isdis, "Since I''m building a new kingdom, I want to mend the bad blood between our nations. Humans create political rtions through arranged marriages and using family bonds. That''s why I''m seeking Isdis, the only princess of marriage age." Isdis lifted her teaspoon, hitting the edge of her cup and creating a ringing sound. "At the end," Ding! Ding! "A monster mimicking humans can never grasp the art of courtship," Kin looked at EirwanKari and Isdis, closing her eyes, "Dragons only know how to take." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Gin looked at Gojo, "If a dragon saw a drakaina and wanted her, or the reverse if a drakaina saw a dragon and wanted him. They usually drag them away by force." She walked toward Gojo, grabbing him by the hair and dragging him toward where she stood before. Strangely, He remained sitting on his chair like a statue. "Careful, I take care of my hair," Gojo stared at her with an exhausted face. He then stared at EirwanKari, "It''s strange you are asking in the first ce, what''s your game?" EirwanKari smiled, "What is your game?" He red at Arad, "Someone of your power dragged by her, you stopped my fist, remember?" He tried to pray about the nature of Gojo''s power as that was a mystery to him. "I have a weak spot for maids," Gojo replied with a smile, "I also don''t care that much," He looked at Gin, "It was but a demonstration." Baltos nodded, "They are right, what''s your goal?" "Marrying Isdis is the goal of meing here, and if you want my end goal, that is to create a kingdom strong enough to support me. With the right step up, I can rule over the whole frozen continent." He smiled. An ambitious n, but wasn''t impossible for a dragon. Since all dragons desired wealth and power, it wasn''t unreasonable for him to want that. "There is always a catch," Gojo smiled, looking at Gin and Kin, "Dragons never act without an ulterior motive that they keep to themselves." "So we can''t establish trust yet," EirwanKari sighed, "I should probably give up on Isdis," "Giving up so easily?" Emma, Isdis''s mother said with a worried voice. She had a hunch EirwanKari was after something besides her daughter. "Are you mocking us? Or are you that dense?" Charlie stared at EirwanKari with a suspicious face, "This is the worst n I saw from someone wanting to marry," "You said she already has a man," EirwanKari looked at Gojo, "Your brother, what does he do?" Considering how intimidating Gojo looked, he started to expect Arad to be an equal monster. "Brother?" Gojo scratched his chin, "He lives in the forest and hunts monsters for a living. He already got a noble title and is well on his way to climbing ranks," "A sessful man from a humble start," Charlie said with a passive face, "I saw him from afar and I should be honest, that''s a bear, not a man." "I would love to meet him," EirwanKari took a sip from his tea. Kin stared at them, ^Arad is far more than that, and the monster inside him is far worse.^ She stepped forward, "I suggest you keep a formal tone with him. And never attempt to harm him." "That depends on him," EirwanKari stood, "I will speak with him tomorrow when he gets back, and leave afterward." He looked at one of the maids, "Please guide me to my room if one is ready," The maid bowed, "Of course, please follow me." King Baltos stood, his vision turned back for a second and he leaned on the table, gasping for air. "Baltos!" Kin cried seeing his almost fall. She stared at him, sniffing the air but sensing nothing strange in his body. Baltos stared at the table, his mind zoning out as he started to hear his heart flutter in his chest. He could smell blood with every breath as his body felt lighter and lighter. He looked at Kin, "To my room, and call everyone," He gasped. Scales emerged on Gin''s forehead for a second before disappearing again, "Don''t tell me?" She growled. "What''s happening?" Everyone asked, staring at him. "Maids! The guests to their rooms, call all the guards to gather around his majesty''s room and summon the crown names." Kin growled, carrying Baltos and his wives gasped. Two veins popped on Chairlie''s forehead, "You fucking Maggot!" He grabbed Alfred by the neck, "Did you poison him? I''m going to skin you alive!" Alfred gasped for air, "Kin! Inspected the wine, I didn''t do anything!" He cried. "Brother," Thomas said in the back, "Alfred is right, trust Kin," He stood, "Go call the best medic you can find. I will get the alchemists." Charlie threw Alfred on the ground and rushed out, kicking the door open with a powerful hit. The queens and Isdis rushed after Kin and the king, and the maid guided EirwanKari to his room, leaving Gojo alone in the room with Lucy. "You aren''t going?" Gojo said, staring at her. "I don''t know what to do," Lucy replied, looking down. "You can start by telling me why you smashed the wine from my hand," "I felt like throwing up when I smelled it." She replied. Gojo started thinking, ^That wine wasn''t poisoned, but I''m sure it had a hand in this mess,^ He approached the table, sniffing it, ^Nothing, could Baltos be allergic to something in it? Or this is just a bad coincidence? I need to find the root cause if I want to fix this,^ He turned around and started walking, Lucy by his side. ^Let''s see Baltos first,^ As Gojo walked into the king''s room with Lucy, they saw Baltos lying on the bed, everyone surrounding him. A dying king, ready to speak the name of his sessor. "Toote," Gojo growled, he could see death looming over the king, his next word would be thest. "A...A..." The king struggled, mustering all of his power, trying to push the name of his heir with hisst breath. Alfred smiled, he could hear the letter A, it''s his name, no mistaking it. CLICK! The door opened and EirwanKari walked in, "I''m reluctant to help, but I can freeze him to buy time," He stated. Everyone stared back at him, "You what?" "Don''t look at me like that. Even I know how valuable saving a king''s life is, that won''t be a debt you can easily repay," He walked forward, extending his hand, "I will freeze and take him and any one of you with me. Since I need him close to keep my magic stable. In the meantime, we can gather healers and alchemists to try and save his life." "A...A...!" Baltos''s eyes almost popped out of his face, and Alfred stared back, "I will remain here to act as a temporary recement, please make sure Father survives." He blinked and then saw arge muscr man squatting over the King''s bed. Baltos eyes fixed forward, "Arad?" He gasped thest breath. Staring with a passive face, A faint pink glimmer sparked in Arad''s eyes. Chapter 419 All Out War

Chapter 419 All Out War

As Arad stared at the dying Baltos, Doma giggled inside his head. ^[Live Voodoo is an advanced curse that requires five people at least, a caster, a medium, a sacrifice, a victim, and a power source.]^ ^Can we save him?^ ^[The caster starts by taking a bone from the sacrifice, burning it to ash, and then giving it to the medium. One has to feed it to the victim by any means possible. It has the advantage that it doesn''t smell or trigger any poison detections as it''s the same as eating animal meat. I mean, if you cooked human flesh and fed it to someone they won''t make the difference.]^ As she exined how the curse works, Doma started casting her curse to overwrite the voodoo curse. ^[When the victim ingests the ash delivered by the medium, the caster then can kill the sacrifice to kill the victim as well. For assassinations, they usually poison the sacrifice so it dies like a normal death and thus the victim dies in the same way. But, it has a weakness, if the method of killing the sacrifice can''t kill the victim, they can survive. That is why Kin is still standing there. The poison used on the sacrifice can''t kill a dragon.]^ Thud! Arad grabbed Baltos''s face in his palm, "Reverse Curse," A massive gust of curses rushed out of Arad''s body as tattoos emerged on Baltos''s face. He fell asleep as Arad red to the side, staring at Alfred. ^[I bought us ten minutes. We can get another ten by knocking the medium unconscious. That''s him,^ "You ursed monster!" Alfred shouted, pulling his sword. CLAP! In the blink of an eye. Arad blitzed behind him, shattering the de with a smile. "GAH!" Alfred gasped, turning around to look for Arad. CLENSH! The moment Alfred turned, Arad caught him by the shirt and lifted him up, smiling. "You''re the medium," "I''m the..." Alfred cried. CRACK! Arad punched him in the face. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! Arad unleashed a barrage of punches, shattering all of Alfred''s ribs, his jaw and bones all cracked, and his teeth fell to the ground as blood sshed all across the room. As Arad stopped throwing punches, Alfred''s body burst into mes for a second, searing all of his wounds. "Now you won''t bleed to death, and shall never wake up." He threw the half-dead Alfred on the ground. "What?" Finally, Charlie gasped. Arad turned toward Gojo, opening his palm and sending a small orb of light. "Track this and Kill the owner, there should be a sacrifice there, bring it to me." Gojo smiled, "At once." He snatched the ball, opening his eyes and looking into the sky. "Four thousand kilometers to the north, I will be back in half an hour." He lifted one finger. BAM! EirwanKari lunged forth, swinging his w at Gojo. CLAP! Arad caught his wrist, "Who the hell are you? I know, the power source." Arad red at him with a smile. "You just killed the price of a kingdom!" EirwanKari Growled at Arad. "Do you think you will get away with that?" "I don''t care, you two tried to kill my father-inw. Only death awaits you!" Arad replied with a grin. "He tried to marry me," Isdis said in the back. Arad''s smile disappeared and veins bulged on his head, "He what?" CRACK! EirwanKari''s wrist snapped in Arad''s palm. CLING! Gojo teleported away, rushing as fast as he could to kill the caster and bring the sacrifice. "Arad! What are you talking about?" Kin growled, confused about who to strike. But she would rather not harm him. "Someone tried to kill Baltos with an advanced Voodoo curse, those two are the medium and power source for it," Arad replied, clenching a fist and swinging at EirwanKari''s face. EirwanKari Lifted his palm to catch Arad''s fist, but the punch''s raw power won and he smacked him with enough force to send him flying across the castle walls. CRACK! BAM! BAM! CRACK! EirwanKari''s body rolled across the walls, shattering them until reached the royal garden, stopping at therge fountain. ^Is this Arad, Isdis''s husband? What the fuck is this raw power and curses flowing from him? It''s even more disgusting than our old hag,^ He stood, ring forward as Arad walked out of broken walls, cracking his fists. He would usually pull a sword to fight, but not this time. This dragon didn''t only try to kill Baltos, he also tried stealing Isdis. Fists are the only solution. "What are you?" EirwanKari growled, standing and summoning a tome in his hand, "A dragon, I can sense the oppressive magic rushing out of your body. BAM! Arad didn''t bother replying and lunged forth, swinging a fist at EirwanKari''s face. CLANG! EirwanKari deflected the attack, their scales boomed like steel shing. DING! Isdis pulled the strings on her Biwa, standing on top of the balcony and shouting as loud as she could, "Kill the dragon!" CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! Guards emerged on top of the walls, pointing their crossbows at EirwanKari. BAM! The pdin general lunged over the wall, his de glowing with a bright golden light, "I sense curses," He red at Arad. "Idiot!" Charlie shouted from the balcony, "That fucking scale face lizard and brother Alfred tried to curse father. Arad is holding their curse back!" The prince jumped from the balcony, breaking his fall on a tree. He then ran toward the pdin general, "I will fight as well," Thud! Prince Thomas stood at the balcony, holding a staff in his hand, "Brother, you aren''t a fighter so stand back," He waved the staff, "Sister, I will put a barrier," He looked at Isdis before casting his magic. [Prismatic Barrier] A multicolored wall of force covered the castle, "I don''t think this will prevent him from running away, but it''s the best I can do," Isdis smiled, ying her Biwa, "Arad! Here is a song for you," [Battle Song] Arad could feel his body getting hotter, his senses getting sharper as his stamina regeneration elerated. The spell Isdis used was a buff that reduced the target''s sense of pain, raised its morale, and increased its strength and stamina regeneration. A stable spell that the drummers of war always used when their army went to battle. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The pdin''s general smiled, lifting his sword, "Curses are like shit. I respect a man that swims in it to save the king," He red at EirwanKari, "Today you die by my de, invader," Thud! Arad walked forward, tapping the pdin on his shoulder, "Touch him, and I will rip you apart. He''s my prey," Arad growled, "You deal with the others," "Others?" The general gasped, looking around. CRACKLE! From the sky, hundreds of ice spears fell on the capital, piercing the streets. "What is this?" He cried. EirwanKari put his hands together, "No matter how confident a dragon is, we never move without backup," He smiled, [Thousand Frozen dolls] The ice shared expanded into Giant Ice golems, throwing the whole capital into chaos. "I will deal with the dragon, you save the capital," Arad walked forward cracking his shoulder. "You can''t kill a dragon alone. We must fight together. The other pdins can save the city," The general insisted. "Let Arad fight alone," Isdis shouted from the balcony, "This isn''t the first dragon he killed, and it won''t be thest," The general remembered that Arad was supposed to have fended off a purple dragon and saved Isdis. Purples are far stronger than white dragons. "Fine," The general turned. "Ae, Zephyr, Eris, help them fight off the golems," Arad shouted as he lunged forward, and the first two to show up in the sky were Eris and Zephyr. Two massive purple wings of sma, the burning body that sheds a bright light. The crimson butterfly of death smiled, lifting her spear into the sky, "Who dares interrupt my time!" She growled. "Oh my! Oh my!" Zephyr giggled by her side, "Ae, you can start sting," Ae stood at the highest peak of the castle, watching over the city with her bow in hand. She closed her eyes, only seeing through Zephyr''s vision and getting a view of the city. She pulled the string of her bow, taking a deep breath before releasing a shot. Ae''s green arrow flew silently across the building, twisting and turning with the wind until it hit the first Golem, shattering into pieces. "One done," Zephyr said with a smile, "Let''s see, there are...over two thousand remaining," Ae grunted, she could one-shot the ice golems, but can only do it three at a time. This means it would take her a little over eleven minutes to finish them all. In the meantime, everyone else has to survive. She smiled, "No, she isn''t alone," She stared at Eris who flew to the city with a grin. With all of their powersbined and the pdins, this fight shall not take over three minutes. CRACK! Arad punched EirwanKari, "Die!" ^Even if I can''t beat him alone, I can consume him into void expansion and then unleash Orion''s constetion with the wyrmwolf. Even he won''t survive that,^ Chapter 420 Arad Vs EirwanKari

Chapter 420 Arad Vs EirwanKari

BAM! Arad swung his fist, punching EirwanKari in the chest. CRACK! The ground beneath the white dragon shattered as he remained still, "Do you think you can kill me alone?" EirwanKari swung his fists down, trying to crush Arad''s head with a dual strike. Thud! Arad swung his torso, dodging the attack, and grasped the ground with his hand, sending an upward kick that hit EirwanKari in the jaw, sending him to the sky. EirwanKari opened his jaw. A light blue light shed from between his teeth. [Frost Breath] A cone of cold rushed down, racing toward Arad like a frigid storm from the arctds. CLAP! Putting his hands together, Arad concentrated his mana around a nearby tree, [Center Gravity] The gravity wave diverged the breath, pulling it toward the tree as Arad charged forth. "Gravity magic and a ton of raw power," EirwanKari smiled, "That alone can''t defeat me," He pointed his hand down, [Hail storm] From behind EirwanKari, the sky turned back with clouds. Hail started to fall like arrows from the sky. Each one dented the ground. "Can you save yourself or the city?" Heughed. Arad looked back, hearing screams boom in the city. No human could survive even one of those hails. "Zephyr!" Arad shouted, lifting his arm up, [Fire Ball] He conjured a ball of fire six meters in diameter and sted it toward the clouds. "One minute is all I can give you," Zephyr smiled, creating a massive storm that absorbed the me and dyed the sky red. "Kock him out!" Arad took a deep breath, "Fine, it''s not my problem alone," He pulled a de from his stomach, the dragon yer sword. EirwanKari''s eyes opened wide as he saw the sword, recognizing its origin. "How the hell did you get that?" He swung his hands, stopping his concentration on the hail storm to cast another big spell. [Ice Dragon Maw] BOOM! From beneath Arad, arge dragon made of ice emerged, swallowing him whole. EirwanKari smiled in the sky, "The inside of that ice dragon is colder than any ce in the world, and you''re getting constantly shed by the ice. Die in agony," CLAN! The ice dragon got shed several times from inside his stomach. He shattered into shards of ice as Arad stood in there with a smile on his face, the dragon yer sword resting on his shoulder. [Taurus] The stars emerged after Arad''s back, robbing him of every single drop of mana but granting him amplified strength, thus increasing his explosive speed. BOOM! Arad''s body disappeared from EirwanKari''s vision as he lunged forward. "Fast!" EirwanKari gasped, and swung his arm down, creating a wall of ice. Thwack! CLAP! Arad burst through the thick wall of ice with ease, EirwanKari barely dodged the sh and lost an arm. "Get away!" EirwanKari shouted, conjuring apressed storm of ice, sting Arad away. BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad''s body rolled across the ground, crushing the castle walls one after the other beforending inside the main kitchen. "AHHHHHHH!" One of the maids was there and she screamed in terror seeing Arad stand unscathed. He stared at her, "Get inside, it''s dangerous here," "I''m in the middle of the castle," She cried back, finally her brain recognized him. "Ha?" Arad looked around him with a dumbfounded face, "You''re right, this is the kitchen," He scratched his head, "Sorry, I should take the fight away from the city," CLANG! He rested the de on his shoulder and got ready to leap. "You better move, the shrapnel will kill you," Arad red at her. "Sorry!" She cried, running deeper into the castle. BAM! With a smile on his face, Arad lunged forth. The shockwave left behind destroyed the kitchen. EirwanKari panted, ring at the hole Arad left in the castle, "What is this bastard," He growled. "I better get away as soon as possible," BAM! In the blink of an eye, Arad had his hand on his face. EirwanKari gasped, "What?" "We''re changing ce," Arad said, leaping into the sky and dragging EirwanKari by the face. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om EirwanKari couldn''t believe it, he couldn''t resist the raw power of Arad. "Let go of me," He lifted his hand, trying to st Arad away. "Since I''m this close," Arad swung his sword, stabbing EirwanKari several times in the torso. "This de is made to break dragon scales, how does it feel?" SWOSH! Arad swung his hand, throwing EirwanKari toward the ground as they got out of the city. BAM! As EirwanKari''s body blew, he was forced back into his draconic form. BOOM! ROAR! He roared, "You fucking bastard!" He couldn''t believe it, Arad forced him outside of the city just like that. "You''re angry, you''re angry," Arad giggled, staring at EirwanKari. DING! The stars shed behind Arad and he looked back with a dumbfounded face, ^It ran out, and a minute ended just like that. Yeah, I wasted time speaking to that maid and waiting for her to get far enough so I wouldn''t kill her. Also the jump all the way here took some time,^ "I can sense you manaing back, druid. You can''t use that absurd strength anymore." EirwanKari roared, opening his jaw and charging a breath. Arad saw the breathing and he smiled, [Leo] As the stars appeared behind his back, the toughness of his scales increased and he would have lost all of his fears if he had any. Leo symbolizes courage and toughness. Most druids use it to tank attacks that would usually kill them, like a dragon''s breath. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad ran straight forward through the ice breath, emerging beneath EirwanKari''s jaw, "I''m not done yet, idiot," EirwanKari gasped, ^Two constetions in a row, a void dragon!^ SWOSH! Arad swung his sword at the dragon''s front right leg. CLANG! The de was stopped by a thickyer of ice. "Void, that changes things," EirwanKari growled, "I thought you bastards were neutral!" "Not when you go after my wife," Arad growled, swinging his sword up at EirwanKari''s neck. BAM! EirwanKari lunged back, "At least mark the bitch!" He screamed. Had he smelled a void dragon on Isdis, he would have dipped immediately. But, since void dragons barely left any smell, and Arad hadn''t slept with Isdis yet, she was still clean. On another note, EirwanKari remembered Gojo calling Arad his brother, "Wait! That exins how that bastard stopped me!" He roared in anger, why was Gojo hiding all of his draconic power, in fact, how could achieve that? Arad smiled, "We void are supposed to blend into the humanoids, even dragons won''t tell us apart," Gojo was an adult void dragon, he''s far more expert in polymorph than Arad and could probably change his shape freely. BAM! BAM! EirwanKari rushed forward, "Since we got here, you can die!" He swung his ws at Arad. BAM! Arad dodged the first strike and it shattered the ground. He then deflected the second w with his sword, and the third hit was a tail swing that he caught. "That was fast! But I saw faster," Arad smiled, pulling EirwanKari by his tail, "I''m not killing you, I will eat you!" Arad smiled, swinging the whole dragon up and smacking him on the ground. EirwanKari''s body twisted and he sted Arad with a point-nk ice breath. Arad stood still, frozen in an ice cube as EirwanKari stood back up, "What a monster," CRACK! The ice shattered and Arad stared at the dragon, "If the book I got from the guild was right, white dragons are the weakest of the chromatic, right? Also the dumbest." EirwanKari grunted and Arad giggled, "It''s strange you can take a humanoid shape, albeit twisted," "Shut up!" EirwanKari lunged forth and Arad teleported out of the way by using [Void Step] Discussing the matter with Mom, Arad concluded one thing, "You..." He looked at EirwanKari, "Are the pet of a mage, or at least was." EirwanKari opened his jaw, unleashing another breath at Arad. BAM! Arad appeared standing in another spot. "Hit a nerve? Then I''m right," Heughed, "That exins how you can cast spells and create such a plot. How did you escape the mage, did he die of old age, that must be it," "I fucking killed him!" EirwanKari growled. "Puff! Yeah," Arad stared at EirwanKari, "When he was getting old and senile." "Shut up!" Arad looked at EirwanKari with a disappointed face, "I once saw this red drakaina named Ignis, she was far stronger than you." The red drakaina they saw with Eris''s father. "Don''tpare red to white!" EirwanKari lunged forth and Mom exined in Arad''s head. Red is the strongest of the chromatic white and white is the weakest. CLACK! EirwanKari opened his jaw. Cold is the absence of heat, to freeze something, you need to absorb the heat from, the kic molecr energy. Now, where does that energy go when a dragon freezes things? "Huh?" Arad blinked as a crimson st of mes gushed out of EirwanKari''s jaws, incinerating a massive chunk of the wilderness. Thud! Arad''s charred body put his hands together. [Void Expansion: Orion] Chapter 421 [Void Expansion: Orion]

Chapter 421 [Void Expansion: Orion]

[Void Expansion: Orion] EirwanKari gasped as darkness consumed everything around him in a sh. Arad''s figure stood before him and then blitzed away, leaving him dumbfounded. Arad opened his eyes, "Blood bath!" The ground beneath EirwanKari shifted into blood, and tens of vampire spawn clung to his legs, biting his ws and sucking on his blood like leeches. "Damn it! I have to stop him before he..." EirwanKari ignored the spawns and turned toward Arad, but he didn''t see him. CLANG! Arad shed behind the massive white dragon, shing his left wings off. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "GAH!" EirwanKari growled. He was toote to stop him. Behind EirwanKari, Aradnded on the ground, growling with a droll drop down his beard, long ws extending from his fingers as fur rapidly covered his body. The hunter Orion is one of the strongest and most dangerous constetions a druid can have. It reinforces their wild shape, attuning them to their inner beast to be a natural predator. Usually, a druid would polymorph into a predator like a tiger or a lion and then activate Orion to rampage in a blood rage. But the drawback is that he won''t stop until he either dies, or there is no life around him for as long as his beastial form can smell. Simply, if the animal can track you, the hunt never ends. Arad didn''t use it with a normal wild shape. He cast it with one of the strongest apex predators, a werewolf. Add the fact he''s a Wyrmwolf, and EirwanKari is in big trouble, being hunted by a raging monster. An adult man facing a rabid pitbull. "You monster!" EirwanKari cried as Arad turned to re at him, growling with droll dripping from his jaws. Thud! EirwanKari lunged up, pping his remaining wing in a desperate attempt to run away. "You won''t escape," A voice boomed in the endless void, and a pink-haired witch emerged. [Gemini] EirwanKari opened his jaw, unleashing a frost breath at Doma. "How sad. How long can you stay here without a breath?" She smiled, the ice storm washing over her body, "This is the void. When you re down, it res back at you. Fall into the bottomless stomach," Hundreds of pink eyes emerged in the darkness, ring at EirwanKari with an ominous glow. His scales started cracking and disintegrating as the void began digesting him alive. His body started falling into the abyss. BAM! As EirwanKari red around, Arad smacked him on the head with a powerful w strike. "You little bastard!" The white dragon roared, unleashing a wave of destructive cold magic. ^This little bastard is fast, powerful, and invisible. The whole ce reeks of his smell and magic. I can''t make him apart.^ He growled inside his head, swinging his body to get rid of the spawns clinging to his legs. SPLASH! A wave of blood emerged from the countless pink eyes. All the blood Arad consumed rushed to assault the dragon. ROAR! With one roar, all the blood froze as EirwanKari climbed it up, his ws clinging to the ice as he red around, "Come face me!" AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! From the darkness, a massive muscr werewolf lunged out, swinging its w forth. "There you are!" EirwanKari swung his w, engulfed in a wave of cold magic. SLASH! Arad twisted his body mid-air, slicing EirwanKari''s arm from the wrist up to his neck, shing across his lead and ripping one of his horns off. GWA! EirwanKari cried, trying to step away. SWOSH! Arad swung w down, using EirwanKari''s back as a breaking board beforending on the tip of his tail. BAM! The white dragon growled, violently iling his tail to get Arad off, and he got what he wanted. Arad''s ws lost grip as the dragon''s scales got digested by the void. Thud! The moment Aradnded, he lunged forward, shing the tendons off EirwanKari''s hind legs, dropping him to the ground in the blink of an eye. VROOOM! EirwanKari''s body rumbled as he violently jerked into motion, swinging his w down at Arad''s head. CRACK! Arad blocked the attack with his arms, but his body was slowly getting crushed in the frozen blood. "You can''t wing against me in a contest of raw strength." EirwanKari roared, trying to freeze Arad as he held him down. Arad''s eyes shed with a golden light, his blood boiling. VROOOOOOOOOM! His heart rumbled as the spawns rushed to attack EirwanKari''s arm. The void around them screamed, and suddenly the block of frozen blood they stood on disappeared. "What?" EirwanKari gasped. CLENSH! Arad bit EirwanKari''s w, and the massive dragon''s body started shifting. ^Gravity magic?^ EirwanKari''s mind sparked, ^He''s using it with his void. I can''t keep him in ce without something to lean on,^ Only using his neck muscles, Arad violently swung EirwanKari left and right, shaking his internal organs in a violent rage. CRACK! As Arad held EirwanKari, the white dragon swung his tail and tried to stab him with the tip. BAM! Arad let go and lunged back, avoiding the attack. Thud! Arad lunged into the sky, and EirwanKari blinked, "Where did he go?" He looked into the ck sky, seeing a massive ball of fire elerating toward him. Orionid meteor shower, a hail of celestial bodies rushing from Orion''s border with Gemini once a year, and as many as twenty meteors cane out in one hour. Now that Doma was using Gemini, that reaction between the stars was avable, albeit, he could only call one in the timeframe of this battle. "What in the frozen hells!" Orionid meteor shower cried, seeing that Arad was the meteor, falling down at a tremendous speed with his body engulfed in crimson mes. EirwanKari timed a breath with the meteor''s fall and managed to escape with only a few bones broken. He red in terror as Arad stood amidst the me, his ck fur smoking. AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Arad howled, purple mes of gravity magic burning across his body and ws. EirwanKari growled, getting ready to counterattack and run away as soon as possible. ZON! Arad''s body got pulled toward EirwanKari with Gravity magic, covering the distance in the blink of an eye. EirwanKari swung his w, but Arad lunged over it and bit him in the neck, crushing his throat. The white dragon struggled like a wild bull in the jaws of a tiger, but soon, life faded from his eyes. Chapter 422 [Bonus ] The True Nature Of Magic As the sun dawned, the massive ball of darkness resting outside the capital faded. From its shadows, a massive white dragon fell to the ground. The ice golems in the city faded with the first light, and everyone stared at them, surprised. "We won!" Screamed a wounded soldier. "Take that! You fucking ice buckets!" A dwarf growled with a smile on his face, leaning on his hammer. The city guards rushed to stand on the outer wall, staring as the dragon''s corpses slowly approached the city. Upon closer inspection, they can see Arad dragging it by the horn. They started sweating, and one of them gasped, "He fucking took him down!" He red at the other guards, terrified. "Isn''t that the man that came with Princess Isdis? The one they said drove a purple dragon away?" Another guard mumbled. "It''s him. I think his name was Arad," The guard stared at Arad, seeing him drag the white dragon''s corpse toward the city gate. "I only heard of Alcott doing such a thing before." "Stand up! The royal guards!" Of the guards shouted, seeing an armed battalion protecting Isdis and her two brothers as they rushed across the city on horseback. "Open the gate!" Charlie shouted, waving his sword. The guards on top of the wall rushed to pull the portcullis up. Charlie, Thomas, and Isdis rushed out. Seeing Arad almost reaching the gate, dragging the massive dragon corpse toward the gate. Arad looked at them, his eyes glowing with a purple me. His magic was still vtile from the fight. "By the gods, you killed him." Thomas gasped. He stared at the dragon behind Arad. "Sweet heavens between Amaterasu''s tits, the dragon is dead with her dawn!" Charlie jumped out of his horse and approached the dragon''s corpse. He then looked at Arad, "You don''t drink milk, do you?" "I do. Milk is good for the bones," Arad replied, staring at the prince standing beside him. "To be honest, the moment this lizard showed up I thought we were going to lose Isdis. There isn''t much we can do against such a monster without Alcott around. But that might change with you here." "Charlie! Don''t get too close to that thing. We don''t know if it''s really dead." Thomas approached on his horse. "Is it dead?" He looked at Arad. "What does it look like to you? Dead," Arad kicked the dragon''s face. "I mean, we saw no ice explosion." Arad blinked, "Ice what?" CRACK! EirwanKari''s eyes opened, his w rushing toward Isdis with a blinding speed. VROOM! Arad''s heart rumbled like an engine. His body twisted as he clenched a fist. Thwack! One solid smack to the skull sent EirwanKari rolling back. "Stay dead!" Arad shouted at the top of his lungs. This dragon is persistent. BAM! BAM! EirwanKari''s body stopped rolling, his soul slowly fading. He could remember the mage that raised him from an egg till he grew young, ^You always rambled on and on about spells and their true effect. How we ice dragons actually use heat instead of cold, but your words always seemed meaningless to me.^ CRACK! EirwanKari opened his jaw, ^Selicia, had I known how true your words were. I might have carried you on my back for the rest of my life.^ A spark of me emerged between EirwanKari''s teeth. Cold is the absence of heat. To cool something, you must take heat from it. That was Selicia''s theory, and so, she experimented on EirwanKari for decades, trying to figure out where all that heat went. Ba-dump! Arad could feel it in his heart, this was bad, absolutely bad. This dragon is about to blow the whole capital off. CLACK! EirwanKari''s jaw opened wide. All the heat my cold magic robbed for centuries was stored right here above my heart. A ze of fire, a revenge for all of my life. Arad turned toward Isdis, "Run!" He then turned back toward EirwanKari, rushing to block the breath. ^Tiamat, I only have one wish upon death...send my soul back to my mistress. This time, I shall serve her well.^ A brilliant sh burst from EirwanKari''s mouth, all the heat his magic robbed for decades, unleashed in one breath big enough to eclipse mountains. [Void Expansion] Arad unleashed his void, trying to consume the fiery wrath. The ze of fire shed with Arad''s expanding void. He growled. The fire heated the air increasing its volume, which was rapidly overwhelming Arad''s void by filling it faster than it can expand. *** In the distance, a tanned womany naked on a stone bed, a fair maiden massaging her back. "Hum?" The woman gasped, opening one of her eyes and looking at the ground. "Lady Esther, is something the matter?" The maiden asked, fearing she harmed the dark elf queen. "No, it''s just that I remembered something," She closed her eyes, a purple spark raging in them. "Is that so..." The maiden stared at her, confused. The one before her was Lady Esther. She became the dark elf queen two months ago when helped a bunch of drow escape from vers. Seeing her bravery, the current dark elf king married her as his sixth wife, and surprisingly, she has been his favorite ofte. "Say, Ritana. Head or tails," Esther pulled a coin out of nowhere. "A coin toss?" Ritana stared at her confused, "Where was you keeping that?" "Who knows? I have a big heart and a bigger chest. Now choose," She turned her head with a smile. "Tails," Ritana replied with a confused face. Esther threw the coin, and itnded on the ground. "Sadly, it''s heads," "What does that mean?" Ritana asked with a puzzled stare. "It''s mean you''re joining me in the king''s room tonight. You had some things to ask about, right?" Esther stood. "Really?" Ritana gasped. "Now, do me a favor and close your eyes." Esther smiled, "I will have you executed if you open them." With a gasp, Ritana closed her eyes. Esther sat back on the stone, putting one leg on the other and pointing a finger forward. "You''re a handful. This is the second time I acted." [Void Expansion] *** As Arad''s void shed with EirwanKari''s mes, the sky that was turning blue with dawn turned back to ck. Purple stars glittering in the sky. Arad''s void got stronger and stronger. His power pushed against the me. Something was enchanting his power, and he noticed it. BAM! The mes deflected from Arad''s void, burning the farms on the sides of the capital. The moment EirwanKari''s mes faded, the sky turned back blue, and Arad stared at it. "What was that?" ^[I don''t know. Impossible to track.]^ As Arad turned back, the city only survived since it was in his shadow. Otherwise, this would have been their end. *** "Hoo!" Esther sighed, flicking her hand as sheid back on the stone, "You can open your eyes, Ritana." Ritana opened her eyes, "What did you do?" "To everyone their secret," Esther replied, scratching her long ears. *** Later that night, in the dark Elve''s king bedroom. Ritana tried to poison Esther and the king. She attacked them with poisoned needles as they were in the middle of action. She seeded. As the maids heard screams, they rushed to the room to find Esther and the king dead naked and dead on the bed. In the middle of the night, Ritana ran across the rooftops, hiding her face with a hood as her eyes gleamed purple. "Damn, from a ve to a queen and now to an assassin. Life never ceases to amuse me," Thud! She lept from the roofs. "There she is!" One of the guards shouted, pointing his bow at her. ^I can dodge this with ease. But no, a dark elf woman won''t be able to move midair.^ BAM! The arrow hit her shoulder, and she fell onto the roof of a barn, bleeding. The guards managed to catch her as she struggled to stand. "Sir! What should we do with her?" One of the guards growled. "To the interrogation room. Torture her for any information. If you get nothing after two hours, have your way with her and only stop if she says who sent her." The captain replied. "Sir, she''s awake and listening," One of the guards gasped. "I want her to listen," The captain pulled Ritana by the hair, "Fear makes people talk. Killing the king isn''t an easy crime to get off from." CRACK! He kicked her in the guts, sending her rolling. "Take her!" He waved his hand. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The next morning, Ritana was executed by burning on a stake. As she was tied to the pole, an armored woman approached with a smile on her face and glowing purple eyes. Thud! As the armored woman approached the pole, she smiled, "I never expected a woman to approach mest night." She smiled. The woman tied to the pole opened her eyes, staring confused at the situation she was in. "It was nice to meet you," The armored woman smiled, igniting the me and walking away. "Seras, sorry you had to be the one igniting the mes." A guard approached her. "Ah, don''t worry about it. We agreed about itst night," She smiled, "I also talked with her in our...private time. She didn''t seem to mind it being me." The guard scratched his head, "Yeah, you were thest to head to her cell. No one expected that. But, who I''m to judge." "You there!" The captain of the guard approached, "No time for rest. A group of goblins is terrorizing the western farms. Get your spears and rush in," The two saluted him. "Roger!" Seras picked her spear and rushed with the other guards, thinking. ^From a ve, to a queen, to an assassin, then a guard. I''m really talented.^ Chapter 423 Aftermath Of The Battle The raging mes of the white dragon burned two trenches around the capital, decimating several farms and ending with a death toll in the hundreds. Albeit that, the millions living in the capital survived the disaster. "Bloody hell!" Charlie cried, "And that''s is our winter rations gone up in mes," He stared at the burned farms right after the st. "At what stage the evacuation was? I sent an order for everyone to hide underground," Thomas rushed to the wall guards. One of the guards approached them with a worried face, "Midway. Just from the walls, the scouts can spot fifty dead people. And those were barely visible bones," His face paled like ash. "So we''re talking in the hundreds," Thomas grasped his head. "Brother, you can''t expect to fight a dragon without losses. We''re lucky half the city didn''t get sent to see our ancestors." Charlie patted Thomas''s shoulder. "Do you know what this means?" Isdis stared at them, and they red back at her. "This can''t end without a public statement. We might need to execute Alfred." Thomas replied. "Killing each other is fair game, but Father was supposed to be out of it," Charlie sighed, "Let me punch that bastard once before we put him in the dirt." "I only kept him alive since the curse wasn''t done yet. Now with that dragon dead, I was intending to go crush his head." Arad stated in the back. Isdis turned around to see him dragging the dragon''s corpse with him, "Drop that dangerous thing!" Arad swung his arm, throwing the dragon''s massive corpse toward her. The dragon''s body rolled toward her feet, stopping a few meters away from her. "This is how it ends for those toe after you," Arad said with a passive face, ring at Thomas and Charlie. "This is the man you said not to worry about?" Charlie stared at Isdis. She had told them Arad was only a bit stronger than the average adventurer. "He eviscerated a fucking dragon, nah sister. This is shifting a lot of power," Thomas stared at them, "She''s free not to reveal her cards," He smiled, "We might be free from Alfred''spetition, but now she''s here," Thud! As they talked, Gojo appeared out of thin air, holding a dying old man in his hands. "Wait! You returned?" Charlie gasped. "The sacrifice," Gojo approached Arad, putting the old man on the ground. Arad rushed in, his eyes shifting pink as Doma inspected the curse. "Wyvern poison, we should find an antidote." Arad red back at the two princes and the guards, "Hurry, your father''s life is on the line," "Wait, I already ate such a poison," Gojo smiled, "Leave it to me," He extended his hand above the old man, "Now that I know what it is, I can just delete it." A ck gust of wind rushed from Gojo''s fingers, his eyes shing with a blue light as his void covered the old man. In the same way, Arad managed to extract the elder fungus from the Loci, Gojo was far more proficient and dexterous with his void. ^He''s an adult after all. This is a skill I should be able to use freely at that age.^ [It''s more than that. His skill is refined by his extreme proficiency with magic. Whoever his father was, he must''ve been a man blessed by magic.] Arad stared at Gojo''s face, "Do you know who your father is?" "I don''t," Gojo replied, "But I have my suspicion of two. Three if something I found was true." ZOOOO! The conversation between them shifted into telepathic magic. Thenguage void dragons use to talk in the vacuum of the void where sound doesn''t exist. *"It''s either that old man called Cain or yourpanion Jack. Those are the only two white-haired guys with blue eyes. But as I said, I have another theory that could be wrong,"* *"What is it?"* n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om *"I discovered that one of our grandparents was a cubus. Mother should have their blood in her veins. In that way, it can be anyone as those fiends feed off men,"* ^Mom, is that right?^ [Your mother didn''t leave any information about her parents or her nature with me. But if she had a subus bloodline, she would need to feed constantly to keep herself sated. Or there will be a rampaging dragon that no one can stop.] *"How did you know that?"* Arad asked Gojo. *"I managed to find that mother had to deal with Alcott''s mother. Apparently, she asked her to buy a statue of Gracie for her. Only subus worship the darkdy of the shadows and lust."* *"This is all but a theory. We still aren''t sure of anything,"* *"Eastern Lamia, a race of snake people that used to live in the east."* *"Used?"* *"I found traces of void magic there. She sted the whole kingdom and only left a bottomless hole. I don''t know what they did to anger her. They didn''t stand a chance."* *"The whole kingdom?"* *"Twice as this one in size. What I''m trying to say is that Mother is an unhinged monster that only follows her desires and instincts, and she has the power to back herself."* Arad stood, carrying the old man, and turned toward the princes. "We should head back," He approached Isdis and touched her shoulder. Gojo teleported with Charlie and Thomas. *"Why are you telling me this about Mother now?"* Arad asked Gojo as they walked toward the king''s room. *"Look at this,"* Gojo showed Arad a piece of his memory, as he flew back from the northern kingdom and went above the dark elf kingdom. The sky turned ck, and a massive void sh cut off his wing, almost killing him. *"That was her void magic. I probably flew too close to her, and she attacked me."* *"She''s in the dark elves'' kingdom,"* Arad thought, looking at Gojo. *"You suggest I stay away from there?"* *"I managed to dodge the attack and only ended up with a sliced wing, but you would have died if you were in my ce. Be wary of her."* Arad nodded, keeping his brother''s words in the back of his head. CLICK! They entered the king''s room, seeing him panting on the bed with the queens around him. "Baltos, how are you?" Arad asked. "I''m fine," Baltos looked at Arad with a smile, "Kin told me everything. You almost killed Alfred." "I intended to kill him," Arad replied, "He tried to kill you after all, and even almost gave Isdis to that white dragon," "And the dragon?" Baltos looked at Kin, "She can''t sense its presence," "I killed him," Arad replied with a passive face. "That''s a lie," Charlie stared at them, "He eviscerated the poor creature. If you saw the corpse you know, that must''ve been a one-sided ughterfest." Thud! Thud! Ae, Lydia, Jack, Eris, and Mira entered the room, "Arad, how did it go?" She asked as she didn''t see the fight inside the void expansion, for all she knew, Arad could be severely injured or exhausted. "Dead," Arad replied with a smile, and everyone sighed in relief. "AGHHH!" Baltos tried to stand, feeling his whole body aching, "Who''s the old man?" He looked at the one Arad carried. "The sacrifice used to drive the curse at you. We already removed the poison and the curse. He should wake up soon," Arad replied with a smile, "Can I get a room for him?" Baltos stared at Gin, "Find a room immediately, and make sure a healer takes a look at him." Gin bowed and rushed out. The king stared at Arad, "I will deal with Alfred. You can rest. You''ve already done enough for this kingdom." Arad looked at his body, "Kin, can you get the maids to make me a bath? Got blood everywhere from the dragon''s fight," Kin walked to the door, opened it, and looked in the hallway. She could see the maids and servants curled at its end, hiding and awaiting who came out. "Get the bath ready. Arad asked for it." Kin said, staring at them. "And before I forget, he killed the white dragon, so make sure not to offend him." The two maids who worked in the bath''s changing room froze in ce, feeling their souls escaping out of their mouths. They looked around, "Anyone wants to take our ces?" The other maids ran away, "No way," Not a single one of them dared take the job. "I''m ugly. just seeing my face could offend him!" One of the maids cried, running to the kitchen. The two maids looked at each other, "At least help us fill the bath," "No way! What if we got it a bit too hot or cold? We''re not dealing with a man that can snap a dragon''s neck with his bare hands." What scared them wasn''t Arad''s power alone. His calm demeanor despite the power he holds. Remembering how they found him munching on meet like a rat in the storage room. How he helped them carry water, and how some of them even shouted at him when he walked with his boots on the floor they just cleaned. CLACK! Arad walked out of the king''s room. His clothes were drenched in blood. His eyes slowly shifted to the side, staring at the maids. The maids jerked to life, running away to get the bath ready. "What''s wrong with them?" Arad asked, looking at Kin. "They are scared of you," Kin replied, "You''re too strong. Killing a dragon isn''t a feat that one man can hold alone." She smiled, "They fear that a single touch from you could kill them." "I''m not going to. I can be gentle," Arad tapped the door with his finger, "See?" "Truth doesn''t matter here. It''s only their thoughts. It will take a while for them to feel safe around you," Kin smiled, "Head to the bath. You will understand what I mean," *** After a while, Arad headed to the bath. He reached the door, extending his hand toward the handle. But, the door opened on its own. The changing room maid stood behind the door. She opened it wide and bowed down, "Wee." Arad walked inside the changing room, and he could see the other maid standing in the corner, her eyes and ears closed. The maid bowed again after closing the door, "Master Arad, do you wish to have us take your clothes off." She intentionally avoided the words help and need. Arad stared at her and the maid in the corner. "You know what?" Arad smiled, "I do need your help this time. I''m a bit exhausted." Chapter 424 Gojo’s Future Plans After the maids helped him take his clothes off. Arad headed to the washing room where he met the three maids working inside the bath. They stared at him in silence for a second. It wasn''t an hour since they heard the news of him killing the white dragon that visited. Isdis had told them that Arad could beat a dragon thest time she came to the bath, but they didn''t take what she said seriously. Beating dragons can never be a one-man job. "I don''t bite," Arad said, looking at their faces twisting, "If I was as dangerous as you think, I would have caused trouble long ago," He sighed. "No! We didn''t mean it," One of the maids gasped, rushing toward him, "It''s more like..." She scratched her chin, "No one took the fact you drove a purple dragon seriously. Most thought that Isdis''s previous guard''s sacrifices andbined effort was what brought that win." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Another maid approached. "It''s horrifying tobel a lion as a cat. If your power was fully understood, everyone won''t have this reaction." Arad remembered the noble that attacked him before. This was probably the reason. He didn''t know how dangerous Arad could be. ^As a dragon, I do respect strength...^ Arad looked at the flowing water of the bath, ^But why does this feel like...^ "Hypocrisy." He mumbled, "Me being strong or weak shouldn''t change the fact we saved Isdis before," The third maid blinked, "In an ideal world that would be true. But in reality, people act upon what they believe you are. They don''t know what you know, and don''t act upon what you believe." "You might see someone as a cruel evil person, but in reality, they are just people acting in their best interest. As everyone is." The first maid added. Arad nodded, "The white dragon only wanted to raise his own fame and power. Typical dragon behavior." Arad smiled, "Even Prince Alfred, he only devised a n to win the throne which he and his siblings are fighting for. Underhanded method, but in reality, those are the most effective ways." Arad walked under the shower as the maids surrounded him, bringing the cheese grater with them. They knew fromst time that Arad''s skin was far tougher than to be wasted with mere sponges. Washing him felt like trying to clean rust off the steel. CLICK! The changing room door opened, and everyone turned toward it, "YO!" Gojo waved his hand with a smile. "Brother, what brought you here?" Arad sighed. "Come on! I flew all the way to the northern kingdom and busted a whole n of witches to find the curse user and save the sacrifice. Of course, I need a bath afterward," He approached them, and the maids gasped, lunging away. "What''s the matterdies," Gojo stared at them with a grin, his eyes shing blue, "Brother looks better than me," "It''s not that..." The maids stared at each other. Arad had a brother? They screamed internally, and did he really just fly all the way to the northern kingdom? That''s like a month''s trip. One of the maids approached Gojo, tapping his back with her fist. CLACK! CLACK! It sounded like dried wood. The maid turned back with a passive face, "Bring another cheese grater. This one is just as hard." Gojo turned his head toward them, "Cheese grader?" He then looked at Arad, "You didn''t make anything for bathing?" "Hands are usually enough," Arad lifted his palm, and Gojo nodded. It''s true that their ws are the easier thing to use to wash their bodies. Gojo closed his fist and then opened it. A ball of twisted green threads emerged in his hand, "This one is made of enchanted mithril, it''s bard new so you can keep it." He gave it to Arad. "Where did you get it?" "The dwarf kingdom''s colosseum, they used it to wash tough monsters before battles." Gojo smiled, "You should pay them a visit, but be careful." "Careful of what?" "I gotughed at for days for not having a beard. It''s been painful being called bean sprout on each turn." Gojo giggled, "The women there find any man that is skinny or without a beard to be absolutely disgusting. I was their definition of unattractive to the point of repelling them away." "I have some bulk, and I can grow a beard if I wanted to," Arad smiled, remembering how he looked by channeling only a bit of his lycanthropic blood. After the maids helped them wash off and they rested in the hot water, Gojo smiled, "Well, there are two things I wanted to tell you. I had a change in ns. After we finish here, I will take Princess Lucy with me to the northern kingdom in search of a way to control her wild magic. I feel like her magic would be a vitalponent in solving our problem." He said, talking about the void dragons repelling each other. "What would you do there?" Arad asked, "Besides helping the princess?" "I will take that white dragon''s ce and horde, or should I give them to you since they are your kill?" Gojo smiled. Arad thought about it, "Nah, keep everything. I don''t n on going all the way north right now. I would make more living around here," "Thanks, feel free toe any time you want and take anything," Gojo then looked at Arad, "And about treasures, I''m leaving the best one for you here." "You brought something?" "That frail old man, his name is sebas." A grin crossed Gojo''s face, "They didn''t use a random, person for the curse. His value had to rival that of the king, and that man is powerful albeit old age is catching up to him." *** After the bath, Arad walked out and headed to check on the old man. KNOCK! KNOCK! He reached the room, knocking on the door. "Who''s there?" A maid replied from inside the room. "It''s me, Arad," CLACK! He could hear something fall. BAM! The door suddenly opened up, and the maid looked at Arad with a smile, sweat dripping from her forehead. Arad looked inside the room, the old man was still asleep and the thing that fell was a wooden chair. She seems to have been sitting in the corner reading a book. "How is he doing?" Arad asked. "Yes! Ah, he''s stable for the time being. There are no traces of poison in his body, but it will take someone of his age a while to recover." She replied, "I was stationed here to watch over him and inform the healers once he woke up." Arad looked at the maid and then at the old man, "Tell me when he wakes up," "Of course," She bowed. Chapter 425 Raising Suspicions

Chapter 425 Raising Suspicions

Arad walked out of the room, thinking. ^I can''t sense any power from that old man. Even asleep, he should at least leave some traces.^ [Your brother is far older than you. His senses are sharper and could probably tell what power the old man had even if they didn''t appear at first nce.] Arad cracked his neck, stopping in the middle of the hallway and staring out of the window and to the garden, "Daytime. How long do you think is still until Brother''s n?" [About three days, give or take when they get the information they need.] ^I will go investigate something on my own.^ Arad turned and headed toward the king''s room. "Baltos, it''s me Arad," "Arad? Come in," Baltos replied from inside his room. Arad walked in, seeing him asleep on his bed, still recovering from the curse''s impact. Humans are fragile. Had it been Arad that was cursed, he should''ve already recovered. "Did you need something?" Baltos asked. Arad scratched his head, "I wanted to ask you about something, but I won''t exin anything about why I''m asking." Baltos scratched his beard, "Brewing something, are you? Well, I''m used to dealing with troublemakers, so ask ahead." "Did you steal something from the elves? An artifact." Arad asked. The king blinked, "Artifact? No, the kingdom didn''t deal with the elves in almost three decades. We barely speak with each other." "So no," Arad started thinking. That undead dragon he killed said he served the murder god, and the artifact Vars is looking for also belongs to that god. Vars is also a necromancer. Something is adding up too well. "Is that all you have to ask?" Arad then looked at Baltos, "You won''t ask why I''m asking?" "I promised not to question you." Baltos smiled, "But you have my word. The kingdom didn''t steal anything from the elves. At least from what I know, and I''m the king. And of course, I wouldn''t know every detail about the kings before me. You better ask Kin about that. She lived far longer." Arad nodded, standing up, and walked outside the room, searching for Kin. "Kin, are you around?" Arad mumbled. "You''ve been looking for me?" Kin called from behind Arad, and he turned with a smile. "I just mumbled your name. Your ears are sharp," Arad smiled. "I have to listen in case Baltos calls me," Kin smiled, "So, what did you want to ask about? I can''t listen into the rooms, especially Baltos''s room." "Did this kingdom steal something from the elves?" Arad asked. "Define steal. When talking about kingdoms, there is a huge difference between stealing and scandalizing them." Kin smiled. "Took something without them liking it," Arad replied. "That makes several things across the years." Kin smiled, "Well, most of them could''ve been returned had they agreed to give us what we paid them for it. Basically dealing that they wanted to back away from after dealing," "Thanks," Arad thanked her and turned to leave. "Wait, why are you asking," Kin called him, "I didn''t give you any details, but this is still ssified information. Do you have a reason to need them?" Arad looked back at Kin, "Let''s keep at this. Someone told me you stole from the elves, and that''s the reason for the deteriorating rtionship you have with them. But seeing what I saw here. I''m starting to think they were lying." "Someone trying to frame us?" Kin smiled, "I always thought that we had no reason to have such a bad rtionship with elves. And it seemed like something was fueling the hatred, but couldn''t get a grasp on who it was or if they even existed." "That''s what I thought," Arad replied, "When we crossed the border, a group seemed to want to start a war, and they tried to kill Isdis. I would get you an audience with the elf queen. After I settle matters here." "That would be sweet, it''s time elves and humans dropped this silly war." Kin approached Arad, "But we won''t meet them on theirnd, and they won''t meet us here. It''s too risky for both sides." "You meet in my home," Arad replied, "My domain is a neutral ground for the dragons to meet and make deals. It won''t hurt to let kingdoms use it as a neutral ground as well." "I won''t call you neutral while marrying Isdis," Kin smiled. "I have Ae, theirst Deianira, and the wind spirit Zephyr. That should at least equal a princess," Arad replied, "I could bring more people to prove the ce is neutral." "The dragon generals?" Kin stared at Arad, wondering what kind of people he might bring to make it seem more usible he wasn''t siding with anyone. Arad thought for a second, scratching his chin, "How about Kayden Daemon? He''s the strongest world power, isn''t he? I''m sure he won''t refuse if I call him." "Speak such a name so easily. Do you know what kind of monster are you talking about?" Kin red at Arad. "I know. I saw him more than once to be sure that I can call him." Arad smiled, "Or how about Alice Dagon? She might note in person, but I''m sure she would spare me one of her clone puppets. ug as well, but I''m not sure she woulde." Arad sighed, "Alcott will be there as well. Nina the Berserker is a name that no one wants to mess with. And how about a vampire lord? I know one and a werewolf progenitor as well." He smiled. "That''s," Kin stared at Arad, a drop of sweat trailing down her forehead. "A lot," She remembered what could happen if he were to die. None of those people he mentioned was a cursed witch or an ant queen capable of destroying the kingdom. He must be keeping them as a trump card. Arad smiled, "So, what do you say?" Kin stared at him, "You saved Baltos''s life and for that. I will trust you blindly for a while." She smiled, "You have the kingdom behind your back." *** After that, Arad headed went on a walk across the castle. Everyone has gone back to sleep since they exhausted themselvesst night in the battle. Ae was out, Mira was out, and Even Eris had retreated to her coffin. As he was bored, Arad closed his eyes and sensed that Isdis was awake, and stressed in a room downstairs. ^Let''s see what she''s doing,^ When Arad reached the room, the two guards standing at the door stared at him, terrified. A sign on the door says, [Isdis''s Office: Do not disturb] Arad looked at the two guards. "Please go inside." One of the guards smiled, moving out of the way. There was no way he would stand in front of a man who bodied a dragon. Paper can''t stop a cannon they say. Arad knocked on the door and pushed it open. For a split second, Isdis red at the door with a hint of anger, but the moment she saw it was Arad, she went back to her work. Arad walked inside, seeing two simr maids sitting beside Isids, passing her papers and writing their own. "Doing something?" Arad asked. "Father is recovering so I''m dealing with a lot of paperwork," Isdis stopped and looked at Arad, "Brothers are now dealing with the headache called Alfred. Whether executing or banishing him, it''s their problem to figure out." "I see, and what you''re doing now is dealing with the kingdom''s..." He looked at her hands, "Papers?" "No the kingdom, that''s Kin and Gin''s job now. I''m dealing with the aftermath of the white dragon attack." She gave Arad one of the papers. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Damage details, death count, healing supplies, funds, armed manpower, unarmed manpower, food, housing,ck of rations, damage to the walls, a potential riot... "That''s a load," He gasped. "My hands are tied down." Isdis said with a smile, tapping the maids beside her, "Lucy I have those two with me," Arad looked at the maids, "They look simr," "Rey and Ray, twins. They''ve been serving me since I was four years old. As you might expect, they got the same royal training I did, so they are efficient in dealing with the kingdom''s matters just like Kin and Gin are to father." "I''m Ray," The right maid replied, "And I''m Rey," The left maid added with a passive face, and they got back to their work. "They look young," Arad inspected their faces. He couldn''t sense any real power from them, but they looked younger than he would expect maids had served Isdis since she was four years old. "Ray and Rey are twenty-two years old. I''m twenty-one. They started serving me when they were five years old." She smiled. Ray looked at Arad, "Abandoned at the castle gate, so we were picked and trained as maids." "Albeit, we spent the first ten years studying with Isdis, rarely did any work besides brushing her hair or ying sword fight with her," Rey added. Arad then looked at Isdis, "Is there anything I can help you with?" "Not paperwork," Isdis shook her hands, "No offense, but you''re more suited to raw power jobs. Not writing reports." She then paused, "Yeah, I''m the right job for you!" Rey handed a paper to Arad, "I believe this is the one Lady Isdis is talking about," "A massive boulder is blocking the eastern wall. Please send more soldiers to remove it. If possible, we like to block a well just outside the wall that has been flooding nonstop since the fire disaster." Arad looked at Isdis, "So, remove the boulder from the wall and use it to block a well, right?" Isdis smiled, taking the paper from Arad''s hand and signing it, "Yes. Please show them this paper and have them sign it after you''re done," Arad stood, "Will be back soon," "You better take the western road. It''s shorter," Ray showed Arad a map of the capital. "No need," [Void Step] With a smile, Arad disappeared into thin air. "Ha!" The two maids stared around with a dumbfounded face, "Where did he go?" Ray gasped. "Disappeared," Rey said with a passive face. With a smile, Isdis patted their heads, ruffling their hair. "Told you he''s strong, didn''t I?" "You did," Ray. "Yes she did," Rey. "That''s right sister," Rey. "She didn''t say he can teleport," Ray. "She didn''t say that, sister," Rey. "Isdis lier," Ray. "Isids keeps details away," Rey. Chapter 426 Heavy Boulder I

Chapter 426 Heavy Boulder I

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Several soldiers and adventurers swung pickaxes at the five-meter-tall boulder blocking the wall''s gate. "Hurry! There are people in need of healing behind it!" the localmander shouted. "Damn it. We know!" One of the adventurers growled, "This boulder isn''t budging!" "It survived the dragon''s breath and was sted all the way here. Don''t expect us to crack it with iron picks!" One of the soldiers threw his pickaxe away. Its tip had ttened from the constant use. "Wizard!" Themander then red at the mages in the back. "Don''t look at us. The boulder is too big, and you''ll need a sixth-level spell slot to move it. And even if we did, we can''t move it that far away." One of the wizards, a woman replied. She walked forward, extending her staff at the boulder. "Egg-shaped, and with a meters radius. At least five hundred cubic meters of heavy stone." She looked at themander, "One cubic meter of stone weighs almost one thousand and six hundred kilograms. We''re talking about eight hundred thousand kilograms of stones. That isn''t a weight even I can move," "The gems you wear are brown. An earth wizard?" Themander gasped. "That''s right, I''m not joking here," She walked forward, "I have to do those calctions each time I cast a spell, so I''m confident that I''m close to the real numbers." She waved her staff, "You either cut the weight by slowly shaving it down, or we find a fire mage and blow it up, but that would probably destroy the wall as well." "This thing survived the dragon''s breath," A fire mage sighed, "There is no way I can blow it up." "It survived due to its shape," The woman replied, "I will create small holes inside it, and you st your me inside it. That should at least crack it," "Then we can take it down with several sts," The fire wizard thought, "But won''t the constant explosions damage the wall?" "And the houses around it, but there is no way around it." The woman smiled, "They need to be rebuilt anyway," "Hold up! Don''t go sting anything away!" Themander gasped, "We should wait for the royal decree," "You''re the person who said people are dying outside," The woman stared at him with a smile, "Let us blow it up. Unless you can find another dragon or titan to lift it up. Then we''re your only bet at taking this boulder out today." "I will send a request immediately," Themander sighed, "You wait a bit," "How boring," The woman sighed, but suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder pushing her aside. "Move a bit," she heard a deep voice beside her. "Who are..." She turned around, and her face twisted. She instantly recognized the man standing beside her. "The one who beat Five?" She gasped, jumping to the side. The fire mage backed away as did the others. They still could feel the fight Arad had with five as if it was still happening. "Why is he here?" The guards on the walls started sweating. They still remember Arad. They saw him fight the dragon and win. They do remember when he punched the dragon''s corpse away at the end. "The dragon yer!" One of the guards gasped, and everyone stared at Arad. "The one who killed the white dragon?" One of them cried. Arad approached themander, "Isdis sent me. She said there is a boulder here that I should move outside and block a well with it." Hearing his words, the earth wizard instantly felt the fine hair on her body stand, and her breath got heavy. ^Move, not break? He killed the dragon, yes. But does she expect him to carry that thing and block the well with it?^ Arad handed Isdis''s order to themander, "Here is the paper," Themander stared at the paper. That was indeed a royal decree signed by Isdis. "We only need to be able to transport the injured people into the city. As long as that''s possible, there won''t be a need to move the stone." Themander smiled with a sweating face, "We can fill the well with dirt and stones until we get time to fix it. Albeit it''s a bit too big." Arad nodded, "I understand, but I will do as she asked and move the stone to the well." He started walking toward the boulder. The soldiers and adventuers ran away, expecting him to start casting a spell. "Wait, not staff?" The earth wizard gasped, staring at Arad''s back with a puzzled face. Arad touched the boulder with his hand, staring at it. BOOM! BOOM! Something exploded beneath Arad, and everyone flinched. Some even jumped back in fear. "What happened?" Arad looked down, seeing his boots torn apart. Their hard-leather sole exploded. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What? A magic spell?" Some questioned, confused at what just happened. Only the earth wizard knew. Such a thing was bound to happen. "What a monster," She gasped, sweat dripping across her back. ^All the boulder''s weight. He tried to push it, but those boots couldn''t handle the pressure.^ "Ae bought those for me..." Arad looked down with a sad face, "She''s going to eat me over them," He took the boots off and stored them in his stomach, surprising all the mages who didn''t expect to see storage magic. "Wait! Is he a physical or a mage ss?" They gasped in confusion. Storage magic is hard to learn, and only a rare few wizards managed to pull it off, but certainly none could hide things like Arad. The boots just disappeared. After hiding his ripped boots, Arad took his shirt off, which was bought by Mira. A tight-fit ck long sleeve that was durable enough to not break under normal circumstances. Moving a boulder wasn''t normal, so he had to take it off. The moment everyone saw Arad''s back, they knew something was off. The man standing before them wasn''t normal. No human had such tight muscture. Arad touched the boulder once again and took a deep breath. CRACK! It moved. Chapter 427 Heavy Boulder II

Chapter 427 Heavy Boulder II

The ground beneath Arad''s feet shattered as he pushed the boulder back. Everyone stared at him, shocked. "He''s moving it!" An adventurer gasped. "Impossible, how could it be?" Another stared with a distant look on his face. The earth wizard clenched her teeth, "Damn it!" She ran toward the boulder, "He isn''t minding the stability of the wall. At this rate, it will crash on his head. Protect him at all costs!" She shouted, pointing her staff at the wall. [Mold Stone] Patches of dirt shed with a brown light, moving toward the wall and filling the cracks. "Hurry! I can''t keep the wall standing on my own!" The soldiers rushed to climb the wall and remove any stones behind the boulder so Arad could push more easily, "I don''t care if your fingers broke! Clear a path for him, right, fucking, now!" The captain shouted, grabbing debris from behind the boulder and tossing it away. The soldier rushed to clear a path so Arad could push the boulder, doing their best to make sure the boulder got safely moved. "CRACK!" The wall above Arad''s head cracked, and a chunk of it started falling, heading toward his head. Thud! An adventurer wearing leather armor jumped above Arad''s head, swinging his sword at the stone with a smile. CLANG! With a booming sound, the stone shattered into small pieces as the adventurernded away. "We''ll bully the small stones. Keep pushing, sir s-rank!" The man smiled, tapping his sword on his shoulder, "You can count on us with that!" "Hell yeah!" Other adventurers jumped in, flinging spells and arrows to st the debris falling on Arad. CLANG! An adventurer rushed forward, swinging his Warhammer at a falling brick. CLANG! He gasped. That sound was bad. ^Shit! It had steel inside.^ The brick didn''t shatter and instead got deflected, flying toward a mage at a blinding speed. From his clothes, a newbie caster ss, a sorcerer, or a wizard wearing the cheapest staff in the market. The adventurer knew he messed up. That kid was going to die. ZON! CRACK! At thest moment, a purple aura engulfed the brick, violently pulling it toward the ground. Everyone froze, and the mages tracked the strange magic back to Arad. The other adventurer follows their gazes. "Gravity magic?" A fire wizard gasped, seeing the purple aura engulfing Arad''s body. "Such intuitive use of magic. He isn''t casting spells but molding the magic itself." "Don''t stand near me," Arad growled as the boulder got pushed away from the wall. The purple aura of gravity magic engulfed it. Everyone watched with gaped mouths as he slowly lifted the stone up and set it on his back. "Now fucking way, by the gods." A cleric gasped, his eyes almost popping from his wrinkled face. BAM! BAM! BAM! Arad''s footsteps shook the ground as he walked, the massive boulder resting on his back. *** Back in the castle. "Sister, sister. LOOK!" Rey said, standing and staring out of the window. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "It''s moving. I see it, sister," Ray stood beside Rey. Isdis looked out of the window with a smile, seeing the boulder outside the wall, burning with an eldritch purple me as it slowly moved toward the well. "Strong, isn''t he?" The twin maids stared at her, no emotions on their faces. "That me, is it magic?" Rey asked. "Seems like it, he isn''t just an ox," Ray added. "That''s gravity magic, Arad seems to be using too much of it that it started appearing like a burning me. The boulder must be extremely heavy. Look how big it is," Isdis exined. "I see," Rey. "Sister saw," Ray "Meant I understood," Rey. "Didn''t Lady Isdis ask you to look?" Ray. "What?" Rey. "What?" Ray. The twins stared at each other, confused. Thud! Isdis grabbed their shoulders, "Come on, you two." She smiled, "Arad will be back soon. Let''s finish the boring work so we can give him another task." The twin maids nodded in unison, "By the way..." Rey started talking. "...If he''s that strong..." Ray continued. "...Won''t he break..." Rey kept going. "...Your hips..." Ray added. "...Tonight?" They asked in unison. "Guh!" Isdis gasped, staring at them with a sweaty face. "Talking about that, Ae said I won''t get out of it without some pain. By her words, his size alone is a sign of concern." "Really?" Rey asked with a baffled face, "No wonder that woman Mira spent the whole day asleep after their night." Ray added. "I already settled myself to it," Isdis sighed, "Look, I even bought soft chairs so I can work tomorrow. And you two would be giving me a massage afterward. I''m sure I won''t get out of it without some back pain." "We can do more than that," Ray said with a passive face but clenching her fists in determination. "We can tank some hits for you," Rey added, mimicking her sister''s pose. "With both of us, he won''t have enough energy to hurt you," Ray said, finally showing a determined face. Isdis shook her face, "Don''t even try. I doubt ten women in a row would be able to exhaust him. I go alone, and get it done quickly." The twins stared at each other, "How about we exhaust him with jobs today so he can''t go at it that much at night?" They said simultaneously. Isdis lifted one finger but then dropped it. "You know what, you''re right." "Exhaust him to the point he can''t move," Ray said with a mischievous smile. "Then give him a bath and a nice massage so he feels rxed and sleepy," A grin crossed Rey''s face. The twins looked at each other. "Then he would be too sleepy to go crazy ondy Isdis," "Just so you know," Isdis stared at them, "When we tried to massage him before, Mira hit him with a sledgehammer, and he didn''t flinch." "But you managed to massage him," Rey said. "That means we can do it as well." Ray smiled. The twins looked at each other, "But if we can''t massage him," Their res got sharp, "We''ll use the forbidden technique," They red at Isdis. CLACK! Tapping their heels on the ground, they red at Isdis, "Ashiatsu!" Chapter 428 Forest Fire I

Chapter 428 Forest Fire I

BAM! The ground shook, and the trees danced. People ran away, and soldiers scrambled to move the injured people out of the way. With each step, the earth quacked as Arad approached the well, carrying the massive boulder on his back. Thud! Arad stopped walking. One of the soldiers stared forward. The water rushing from the well has turned the ground to mud, and Arad can''t move forward without getting stuck. "Bring logs to pave a path for him! I doubt he can stand for long, so hurry!" The soldier shouted, his eyes darting around, seeing anything useful. A faint purple sh emerged in Arad''s eyes as he took a deep breath. ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR! From a faint rumble to a deafening roar, Arad''s scream washed over the city, forcing each person to stand still for a second. That didn''t sound like a human but more like a giant monster howling. With one foot forward and his arms holding tight, Arad''s torso jerked rapidly. The massive boulder flew forward and crashed into the leaking well several meters ahead with an earth-shaking boom. Half of the soldiers fell on their assess, staring at the well in terror as the ground shattered. Their eyes shifted toward Arad as he cracked his neck, "Done." He mumbled. Arad turned around. The moment his stare washed over the people, they gasped, stepping back. Thud! Thu! Arad started walking with a passive face, heading straight for the soldiers''smander. "The paper, is it signed?" Arad asked the moment he got close. "Paper?" Themander gasped, confused for a second before his mind started working again, "Yes, the paper!" He cried, running toward his tent, "I will bring it at once," Rushing into his tent, themander scrambled to find a pen and hastily singed the paper, his arms shaking. ^It''s happening again!^ His mind cried, remembering a barbarian woman throwing building in the capital as she shed with the pdin general. ^One wrong word and we might end up creating a monster that we can''t handle,^ He grasped his hand, stopping it from shaking, ^Images of a buff swordsman swinging his de down, dicing hordes of guards as he protected a vampire in a cage,^ ^ying a dragon-like Alcott and boasting a monstrous strength like berserker Nina, the hell is Princess Isdis ying with?^ He took the paper and rushed to Arad, "Here is it, sir. Sorry for beingte." Arad stared at the paper, inspecting the sign. It was a bit shaky, but nothing major. "Got it, thanks," Arad turned toward the crumbling gate, walking to get back into the city. Soldiers and adventurers moved out of his way alike. No one wanted to stand in front of an S-rank, especially if they didn''t know his personality. Until the ways of dealing with him, what he likes and finds offensive is known, approaching him might be as dangerous as tickling a dragon''s tail. Arad walked through the gate and slipped into the shadows, teleporting back to the castle with [Void Step] The moment no one was looking. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om CLICK! Arad opened Isdis''s office door and walked in, "Got the job done," Heid the paper on her desk. Isdis smiled, "Thank you a lot. That''s a month''s work cleared in less than an hour," She pulled another paper, "Can you keep helping us?" She pulled another paper. Arad smiled, "As long as it helps you finish work early," He took the paper to read it. Isdis smiled, a sweat droplet trailing down her forehead. ^He clearly intended to break my hips tonight. I can hear it in his words. Ae already warned me.^ "I need to stop a forest fire?" Aradid the paper on the table, "How am I supposed to do that?" "You can either dig a trench to prevent the mes from spreading or ssh it with arge amount of water from the river," Isdis exined, resting her chin on her hands. "Water mages spread thin, and they should be starting to run out of mana," Rey said with a passive face. "Fire spread, no wood for the winter andrge devastation." Ray clenched her fist, "No venison soup," Arad looked at them for a second, "The river, how far is it from the burning forest?" "The mes are at the edge of the river. You can see them from the balcony," Isdis stood and showed him. A raging crimson ze gleamed in the distance, consuming the great forest at a terrifying speed. The dragon''s mes have ignited it, but it''s a stroke of luck the fire started close to the river. "I rather not use my stomach, so I will try putting the me in another way," Arad stated, and Isdis nodded. "We are counting on you!" Ray smiled, lifting a thumbs up. "We will have more work for you, soe back quickly," Rey added, and Arad stared at her for a second, "Don''t give me aplicated job," ZON! In the blink of an eye, Arad disappeared. Isdis walked back to her seat and sighed, "He finished the boulder quickly. We need a more exhausting task," Rey said. "Let''s break his back, sister," Ray pulled a stack of papers, searching through the jobs for something harder. "You two really want to test his limits," Isdis stared at them with a wry smile. "Only so you won''t get hurt," Ray said with a passive face. "We need you healthy to work tomorrow," Rey added. "Come on, you two are just having fun," Isdis smiled, "But Arad can take it. He is far stronger than you can imagine." *** Thud! Aradnded beside the river, instantly closing his mouth as the winds shifted, pushing the smoke in his direction. "It''s bigger in person," He gasped, lifting his hand. "Zephyr! I know you''re awake,e here!" He shouted. Coming from the distance like a bird, Zephyr answered Arad''s call andnded on his head, "What? I was asleep," She yawned, curling into a ball on Arad''s head. "Choke the mes," Arad said, pointing toward the raging me. "I can''t do it, Ae is exhausted from straining herself taking down the golems," Rubbing her face in his hair, "Can''t you deal with it in another way?" "Can''t you use my Mana instead?" Arad tapped her head. "Unless you want to waste the one minute you have this month. Otherwise, I can''t do much." Zephyr mumbled, almost falling asleep. Arad grabbed her in his fist and started squeezing her tightly, "AW! AW! AW! AW! AW! AW! My tits! You''re squashing them!" She cried. "Do something!" Arad growled, ring at her, "I can smell the magic inside you," "You''re going to spill that magic with my guts!" Zephyr cried, "Fine, I will divert the wind against the fire spread. Is that fine with you?" Arad looked at the fire, "Do it," Chapter 429 Forest Fire II

Chapter 429 Forest Fire II

Zephyr lifted her hand, closing her eyes as the wind started howling. The water wizards trying to put the mes out stopped, "The wind is shifting with magic?" One of them mumbled, sensing the faint flicker of mana in the air. "It''s shifting away from the forest and toward the river! A powerful wizard or sorcerer must be doing this!" Another wizard shouted with a smile on his face. Adventurers looked around, searching for the source of magic. Their eyes stopped at Arad, standing in the middle of the river and ring at the raging mes. ^Is that the source of the magic?^ One of the wizards thought, but the moment he blinked, Arad was nowhere to be found. "Where did he go?" The adventurers gasped, and the soldier rushing with buckets of water stopped, sensing that the water level of the river had dropped a bit. FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! Arad fell through the clouds, wind rushing between his clothes as he stared down, "This is high enough," Expanding his wings, his fall stopped, and he red down. He could see the crimson-red patch of burning woods, the screams of animals inside echoing in his ears. "I think," He mumbled, "As a druid, I can''t ignore this even if Isdis didn''t ask me to put it out," Arad lifted his arms, closing his eyes as he focused on his stomach. He could hear the gargling inside him. A massive amount of water swirled in his belly, ready to spill out. With his arms extended out, a massive burst of water exploded forth. *** Several minutes before and on the other side of the fire. A water mage extended his staff forward, [Water Jet] A stream of water gushed out of its tip, drenching a whole patch of trees. "It''s useless!" He cried. The embers burning inside the tree evaporated all of his water, bursting into hell the moment his water jet stopped. A wave of scorching hot steam gushed toward him, and he jumped back, "Damn it!" Thud! A fighter lunged forth, grabbing the wizard and running away. "Hold tight!" The fighter smiled, swinging his sword at the burning trees blocking his way. CRACK! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om BAM! Engulfed in me and smoke, the fighter lunged out of the mes andnded outside the forest, dropping the wizard on the ground. "OUCH! HOT!" The wizard cried his robe aze. With a single kick, the fighter dug the ground, pushing a wave of dirt off the mage and putting the me out. "You''re still alive?" The fighter asked, waving his sword. DING! The fighter''s sword cracked, and the de fell off the handle to the ground, glowing bright red. "Damn it," The fighter sighed, "This is as far as I go, damn it fire," He red at the burning forest. The fire wasn''t normal. A forest full of mana and powerful monsters, ignited by a dragon''sst breath. Of course, those mes are dangerous. "The crimson me of regret," The wizard said, standing up, "The dragon must have died with unfulfilled will, and now his mes rage at that fact." "How do we deal with it?" "Like any other mes, we just keep in mind it''s several times hotter and counted as magical damage." The wizard lifted his hand and showed the fighter a burn on his forearm, "I drank two healing potions, and it isn''t healed yet." The fighter nodded, "Slow recovery, but I memory serves me right, magical mes are dangerous for another reason," "They are too hot they can break non-magic water and use it as fuel," The wizard pointed down to some wizards standing at the edge of the forest chanting as the soldiers ran past them with buckets of water. "They are making the water the soldiers carry a magic water by enchanting it. That way it doesn''t agitate the fire." The wizard started walking, "Let''s go. I can''t help in the forest, so I must go chant with them," "You''re right," The fighter sighed, "Without my weapon, all I can do is join the soldiers and swing buckets left and right," The two ran as fast as they could. *** Inside the forest, a ck Jaguar rushed across the mes, his fur burning aze. GROW! The animal growled, two people hanging from his jaw by the legs. Thud! Thud! Thud! The Jaguar''s eyes shed yellow as he leaped from one tree to the other, his paws burning. ROAR! The adventurers outside the forest gasped, pulling their weapons as they heard the beast roar inside the mes. PUFF! The Jaguar lunged from the mes, burning like a match, and rolled on the ground. The adventurers pulled their weapons and surrounded the animal, "Monster! Stop it!" They cried. The Jaguar opened his jaw and dropped the people inside, his flesh evaporating, and a kid came out, his top half almost fully burned. "A healer," The kid gasped before falling on his face, unconscious. A wooden sword rolled beside him, glittering with magic. "Stop! That''s warlock magic!" A wizard screamed, rushing in to check on them. "He''s severely burned. Those two are choking on the smoke." A pdin rushed in and carried the two men as the wizard stood with the kid in his hands and the wooden sword with him. "Probably his parent," The wizard looked at the kid, "You were brave, now rest," *** As a soldier rushed with a bucket of water, he felt a droplet of water falling on his nose. He stopped, looking around him. No one was there. He could feel his heart pounding, "OH! Gods, no!" He dropped his bucket, praying. DRIP! DRIP! DRIP! Water droplets fell, and the soldier cried, "Please no! Gods!" SWOSH! A heavy rainfall came down from the sky on the forest, and everyone turned pale, running away for their lives. The mes crackled, breaking the water into oxygen and hydrogen. In the next second, it''s turned blue, exploding into the clouds in a hellish infernal. Arad''s instincts kicked in thest second, and his wings med, moving his body out of the st''s way. He gared forward, the firelight reflecting in his eyes. "What in the hell?" He cried. *** In the castle, Isdis and the twins rushed to the window, ring out with terrified faces. "What happened to the mes?" She gasped. Chapter 430 Forest Fire III

Chapter 430 Forest Fire III

"Damn! It''s raining," A woman cried, running toward the mes. "Wizard and fighters back away!" With each step, sparks of fire ignited beneath the woman''s feet. "Where are you going?" A wizard shouted, pointing his staff at the woman, "You will burn to ash!" Tap! A man tapped the wizard''s shoulder. Running after the woman with a smile, "Stand back, bookworm!" The man lunged, his eyes glowing with a blue light. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Wizards learn magic by controlling mana, their power limited by its expected application and ranges. That makes them extremely inefficient when dealing with wild magic. It''s the same as a dog trainer being able to train dogs but not wild wolves. They are a different breed. Thud! The woman lunged into the mes, her clothes catching on fire instantly. "GWAAAAAAA!" The woman''s screams filled the sky for a second before they turned into giggles, "Hahahahahahahaha!" Herughter shook the crowds as her skin zed in crimson me. "mes! Bow!" With a swing of her arm, the blue me parted, cutting a way for herself. "Fire Elemental sorcerers?" The wizard gasped. CRACK! The other man swung his arm, conjuring a wall of ice in the mes, "This is our yground!" Sorcerers, the caster ss attuned to their bloodline. They draw most of their power from their own blood, granting them resistance akin to monsters. Something that wizards can''t achieve with mere study. On top of that, their casting method is extremely different. While wizards study mana and its properties, trying to find ways to mold it to their whips. Sorcerers just force it to change by sheer will. They swung their hands, and the primordial magic flowing through their veins ignited the mana around them like a candle thrown into mes. They are to wizards the same way barbarians are to fighters, no technique, just raw power. Every sorcerer worth his salt jumped into the forest, flinging every drop of magic they had. The forest is already unsavable, so better bury it. The me wouldn''t spread if it burned fast enough to eat all the trees and fade away. "You''re reckless!" A wizard shouted as he saw tens of sorcerers jump into action without a care in the world. "Fuck it! It''s not like we can do better!" A soldier shouted, "Do what you can!" CRACKLE! In a lightning bolt, a half-elf woman flew across the mes. Lightning shed from her hair and lunged at the trees, charring them to ask in the blink of an eye. "Burn it to ash so the fire won''t find anything to burn!" She shouted with a smile on her face, lunging from one tree to the other. The sorcerers'' n seemed to work, only ash remained after them and the mes started getting weaker. "Keep pushing! We''re winning!" A man shouted, fire gushing out of his hair and eyes. **** The blue light reflected in Arad''s eyes, seeing the fire reach the clouds. "It got bigger!" He red down, seeing the mes expanding at an even faster rate. ^I shouldn''t have dropped water on it,^ pping his wings, Arad flew down. [Void Step] **** As one of the adventurers ran as fast as he could between the forest, he felt a tingle on his back. ^Magic? Heavy,^ He couldn''t breathe, feeling as if a wall fell on his head. CLAP! Arad appeared midair,nding on his legs ahead of the adventurer. Time seemed to slow for the sorcerer as his body struggled to keep his magic stable. ^That oppressive magic, it''s from him,^ He could see Arad lifting his hand, and fear rapidly filled his head. Images of Arad fighting the white dragon outside of the city shed in his head. ^It''s the same, that ck thing ising,^ The adventurer''s body turned, trying to run on its own. [Void Expansion: Airless] The adventurer saw the road ahead of him get consumed in darkness, a sharp pain surging across his whole body as his veins boiled. SWOSH! Light came back as Arad''s void expansion disappeared just a fraction of a second before it was activated. It only remained active till the mes were starved from Oxygin. Blugh! The adventurer puked blood, his skin red as blood almost escaped his body into the void. He turned toward Arad, his vision all red, "Monster!" he gasped before falling on his face, unconscious. **** Arad sighed in relief as the mes disappeared, ^At least we''re done there,^ He turned toward the adventurer. "Sorry," He lifted the adventurer, seeing the guild card he hung on his neck. [B-rank: Alfonce Robani] Arad closed his eyes and tried to sense all the adventurers around him. ^Fourty two adventurers were caught in my void expansion. Thirty-six of them passed out like this one while the other five were trying to figure out what happened.^ [Void Step] Arad teleported outside the forest to the soldier''s camp and dropped the adventurer, "There are thirty-five others in the same condition. They were caught in my magic. Get ready with healers." The soldiers had already guessed Arad was in the forest when they saw the massive ck orb appear. Some of them already had considered sending a letter to the guild or the castle asking for his help. "We already have healers at the ready, put him on the ground, and we''ll take care of the rest," A soldier shouted. He rushed to call the healers. By the time the soldier returned with the healers, Arad had already fished all of the injured adventurers and lined them on the ground. "Are those all of them?" The soldier started counting as the healer began casting spells. "There are still five in the forest, but those can still move on their own," Arad replied, getting ready to teleport away. "There were only five A-rank adventurers present here. It must be them." The soldier said with a worried voice. The gap of strength between A-rank and B-rank is huge. It''s the gap between the high-end adventurers and normal ones. Simply put, you can''t be an A-rank without being special, and even more to be an S-rank. "I see. I will bring them back as soon as possible." Arad replied. "If it was your magic that hit them, they could attack you. Be careful." The soldier cried as Arad teleported away. Chapter 431 Gura The Barbarian

Chapter 431 Gura The Barbarian

Thud! Aradnded in the middle of the charred forest, staring around. ^I''m sure I sensed a faint hint of intelligence here.^ Considering how low the intelligence he sensed, Arad expected the adventurer to be dying. That''s one of the main reasons he came here first. "Probably buried under the..." CRACK! As he mumbled, a palm smacked his face, sending him flying and shattering the burned trees. BAM! Arad''s body stopped. His eyes red forward, his vision a bit blurry. ^What was that?^ He gasped internally. He didn''t sense any intelligent creature around him, nor magic. Thud! Arge foot stepped on the ground where Arad stood before, a hand pulling on a tree as a massive three-meter-tall naked woman walked out. After a careful look, Arad determined she wasn''t always naked. The mes burned her clothes off. She probably didn''t count on that before charging into the mes. Arad stood, leaning on the tree, "That low intelligence, a barbarian," He smiled. The woman''s eyes red at him, "Dora hit, Dora crush!" She growled and pulled the tree to use as a club. Arad used his void eyes to inspect her body. He was wrong earlier. There is magic inside her body, but it''s hard linked to her heart. "You got a magic crystal stuck inside your chest. Ever thought of taking that out?" Arad stood, taking a stance. ROAR! The barbarian woman roared like a beast, veins emerging on her whole body. BAM! In the blink of an eye, her massive bulk disappeared. "Hehe!" Arad giggled, seeing her foot almost at his face. ^She''s fast, but her attacks are simple,^ With a grin, he took the hit. His body spun in ce, but he used that momentum to punch her in the guts. "GRA!" She gasped, her body rolling back. CRACK! Arad lunged forward, clenching his fist, "Come! Stand up!" ROAR! The woman growled, standing up and swinging her fist at Arad''s face. BAM! THUD! BAM! THUD! The two exchanged fists without even bothering to block or dodge, tanking each other''s hits like they were nothing. Unlike Arad who remained almost unscathed thanks to his tough scales, the woman''s skin started to show purple patches from his fists. "Nice, I like this," Arad smiled, catching her wrist and drilling her head to the ground with a round kick. Arad stood, cracking his neck, "Finally unconscious," with an exhausted face, he pulled a white nket from his stomach and covered her body. [Void Step] ZON! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad appeared back in the soldiers'' camp, dropping the barbarian woman in front of the healers'' tent. A nun who was walking out with a bowl of water dropped it, "Gura?!" She stared at the barbarian woman with a shocked face. "I was trying to get her out of the forest, and she attacked me. Had to knock her out," Arad scratched his head. Not only did he knock a bunch of B-rankers. He also knocked this one out. "Forget that! I worked for the guild for ten years, long before she became an adventurer, but I never saw her in need of healing!" "Really? But now that you mentioned it, the mes didn''t hurt her." Arad looked at Gura, noticing the bruises on her body had faded. "Well, it''s a long story." The nun started casting a spell on Gura to heal her. Gura''s mother was an adventurer, a fighter with exceptional power, and almost reached A-rank. But one day, she retired upon getting pregnant. Soon after the child was born, everyone knew that the father was a giant. By the nature of her blood, Gura wasn''t that smart and almost only acted on instinct but had immense strength and grew to two meters tall by the age of five. When she became an adult, the only job she could do reliably was work in the mines, helping haul magic crystals. One day, a hoard of behirs attacked the mine, killing almost everyone there. As she tried to run, a bunch of crates filled with magic crystals crumbled and fell on her. Secondster, the crates shattered as Gura raged, a glowing crystal stuck to her chest. The mines only remember her tanking the behirs lighting attacks and swinging them around with her bare hands. Arad stared at Gura. The shard in her chest absorbed magic and output as passive regeneration. "A rare birth mixed with a freak ident created an A-rank adventurer." Arad turned, "I still have to find the rest," [Void Step] As Aradnded once again in the forest he looked around carefully. He can''t be as careless as with Gura. A-rankers can damage him with a solid hit, and considering they have a far vaster fighting experience. Thinking they might be able to take him out like what Alcott did isn''t that far-fetched. "By the heavens, isn''t it Alcott," A voice came from behind Arad, and he turned around, surprised. ^I can''t sense him at all, no magic, no faint breaths, and no aura. His mind must be as clear as the void itself,^ He red. A wrinkled old man stared back at him, sitting on a charred tree, a katana in his hand. "Got the wrong person," Arad replied with a smile, "What''s with everyone mistaking us?" The old manughed, "Knowing you bastard, you probably drank something and got younger." He jumped down, his body weaving with the katana in his hand. "Been a while since west fought. Want to see how much I improved?" The old man''s eyes closed. "Don''t want to!" Arad gasped, "I''m not Alcott, and can I get you out of the forest? You''re injured, right?" "Humph! That st of earlier? Won''t get even a scratch from such a weak thing," The old man growled. The crackling in his voice said otherwise. His lungs have sustained a lot of damage. Arad could smell blood in the air. The old man wouldn''tst without healing. "I can smell it," Arad growled, "You''re bleeding into your lungs. Soon you will drown in your own blood," The old man giggled, looking down, "You couldn''t even y along. How arrogant have you be," "What?" Arad got even more confused. Did this man hit his head or something? "I shall not die, not to magic," The old man took a stance, and Arad got alert immediately. ^This old man! He knows he''s dying and wants to die in a fight. It wasn''t that far from dragon mentality. They much rather die in battle than of old age.^ Arad smiled, "Not, I''m taking you to the soldiers camp." Chapter 432 Keno and Meimei

Chapter 432 Keno and Meimei

The old man sted toward Arad at a blinding speed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad gasped, pulling the adamantine sword from his stomach. ^Fast, but not as much as Gura, let alone Alcott.^ CLANG! With a swift swing, Arad deflected the downward sh. SWOSH! The old man shifted his weight rapidly, his sword changing direction toward Arad''s side. Blood sshed as he delivered a solid sh. "Rusty," The old man smiled. But soon gasped, his sword stuck in Arad''s flesh, refusing to move. "What?" Thud! Arad grabbed the old man by the face, "It''s over!" He smiled. [Void Step] In the blink of an eye, the old man found himself standing beside the healing tent with Arad still grabbing his face. "Keno?!" A priest gasped in the back, "You old fart, you were in the forest?" He rushed toward them. "Get away from me, kid," Keno stared at Arad, "You, who are you? Why do you look like Alcott?" "A lot of people said that to me, but I only trained under him for a while," Arad replied, pulling Keno''s katana from his side. "Forget defeating me if you can''t do it in one sh. Next time, go for the head." He threw the katana at Keno''s feet and Disappeared with another [Void Step] "Stop it Keno, you won''t defeat him," The priest sighed. "I can''t ept it!" "You have. He wiped the floor with Five. And also he''s the one who murdered the white dragon that came for princess Isdis." The priest approached Keno, casting a healing spell on him. "Defeated Five? So he''s an S-rank? Fuck my life, always bested by the young ones." Keno fell on his butt, gasping for air. "Even though I dedicated my life to the de." "How did he look to you?" The priest asked. "A monster, never felt something the same as facing him face to face." Keno smiled, "I knew he wasn''t Alcott from the start, but I couldn''t help but want to see what he could do." Keno giggled, "If I were to describe it." He scratched his beard, "It''s like facing a vicious dragon, oppressive, mighty and proud." **** Thud! Aradnded again in the forest, "Two attacked me. I hope the other three are a bit more friendly." He started walking, "I know you''re here! I came to help!" Arad called, looking around for the third A-rank. "You can help?" He heard a voice from behind him. He turned around and saw a little girl staring at him from underneath the ground. "A little girl?" CRACK! The little girl punched the ground off and crawled out of the hole, "Little girl, how rude." She growled, "I''m a halfling, you giant!" "I''m not a giant," Arad replied. "Look who''s talking, the two-meter monster. I''m barely ny centimeters tall." She mumbled, flicking her finger, and her ck hair flickered with fire. "Meimei here, a sorceress that actually learns magic," As a ck robe covered her body and a massive hat appeared over her head, she sat on a burned log and ignited a pipe. "I''m probably twice as old as you, young man," "You''re one year and a half old?" Arad replied as he was barely six months old. "I''m forty-two years old! Are you mocking me?" She growled, "I will blow your head off!" Arad shook his hands, "No! No! No! No!" He forgot that to people, he looks in his early twenties. "What brought you here?" She red at him, trying to assess the magic flowing from his body. "I came to take you back to the soldiers'' camp. You were hit by that darkness earlier, right?" Arad said, looking at her. Meimei blinked, "You mean that void rush? I blocked it with a barrier and then hid underground with a burial spell to avoid any secondary attack. But none came." "You blocked it?" Arad gasped. "Yeah, it seems like a fool just expanded an uncontrolled void magic all over the forest in an attempt to quell the mes." She started ying with her pipe. "Usually I will find the bastard and set them aze, but since their n seems to have worked, I can turn a blind eye to such a reckless deed," Arad pointed at his face, "That was me. The mes seemed to go out of control, so I starved them." "Stop joking! You don''t have enough mana tomand such a vast amount of the void." She red at him, her eyes glowing blue. "I don''t care if you believe me or not," Arad approached her, grabbing her hand, "To the soldiers'' camp," [Void Step] Arad felt a heavy sensation fall over his chest. A sharp pain spread from his head to his knees. Looking forward, he didn''t teleport but remained in ce. "What?" He gasped, holding his head with one hand. "What did you just..." Meimei was about to speak when Arad grunted, "Again." [Void Step] [Void Step] [Void Step] [Void Step] [Void Step] [Void Step] [Void Step] [Void Step] "Stop casting that!" Meimei lunged up and smacked him on the head, "You will fry your brain, idiot!" She red at him, "Don''t you feel the pain?" "Pain isn''t enough to stop me," Arad replied. "You can''t teleport me. I''m heavier than you. Magic wise at least," She looked down, "How do I exin it? I have multiple tattoos and enchantments cast on my body, in addition to several enchanted gems that I swallowed or wear as jewelry." "How does that make it harder for me to teleport you?" Arad asked. Meimei scratched her head, "How do I exin it to a muscle brain...It''s like you''re trying to lift boxes and they are all light. Then you try living one but''s far heavier than the other, but you don''t know that. You might break your back, right? It''s the same for magic." "I don''t get it," ^[It''s the same way mages will find it hard to charm you if they don''t know you''re a dragon. They can''t make a suitable spell. Unless you know the nature of the magic her body is enchanted with, you can''t teleport her,]^ ^What magic is she carrying?^ Doma started stating Meimei''s enchantments while showing Arad replicas of the inscription used to make them. [This halfling has expanded magic capacity on her earring and basic protection magic on her left ring. The wristbands host five charges of fire arrows each, and her ankle rings hold an illusion spell that makes her look two centimeters taller. The tattoos on her back give her enchanted speed, and the one on her chest can restart her heart if she were to get on the brink of death.] ^Is that all?^ [She still has more. Lightning charges are stored inside her left arm while two charges of holy magic, healing to be specific are stored inside her right leg. She has several magic items inside her stomach, probably for emergencies.] ^She even imnted some inside her body?^ [Don''t even get me started about the sack of the elixir of life she has tucked on her colon. One squeeze of her stomach and she would get fully healed, and all her MP and SP charged.] ^Damn!^ [You got a mix of a wizard, a sorceress, and probably an artificer. And don''t even try killing her. She will explode and have a really bad day.] "How should I exin it better?" Meimei started thinking when Arad stared at her. "Probablyter, to the camp," He said. Meimei stared at him, "Didn''t you..." As she blinked, she found herself standing before the soldiers'' tent. Her eyes opened wide as she turned back to re at Arad. "Wait!" He teleported back to the forest before she could catch him. "Damn IT!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, ^That bastard! If he teleported me it mean he knew about every magic enchantment I have. How did he even do that!^ "Hoi! Meimei, you little devil." Keno waved his hand sitting beside Gura, "Did that Arad kid give you a hard time?" Meimei turned back, "Shut up, old fart! Who''s that brat?" "Defeated Five and solo killed the white dragon." Keno smiled, "A new S-rank, A-ranks like us who were outside the city on quests and only came today can''t help but miss his existence." "Strong! Like punches, heavy." Gura said with a smile across her face. Keno stared at her, "He even knocked you out." Chapter 433 Gathering The A-ranks

Chapter 433 Gathering The A-ranks

Thud! Arad teleported back to the forest, staring around. "The fourth one should be around here," He looked around, "I came to help. Show yourself up. I don''t want to fight." As Arad stared around, he could see a kid lying on the ground. This time he didn''t make the same mistake. That''s a halfling. From the white shirt and holy symbol in his hand, it was clear he was a cleric of some sort. "Are you okay?" Arad asked, approaching the man. ^[Stay away!]^ Doma''s voice boomed in his head as his legs held tight. ^[Something is off,]^ Arad stopped and red at the halfling with his void eyes, seeing a violent current of corrupted mana coursing through his heart and mind. "The hell is this?" Arad gasped, and Doma growled, ^[The bastard has a devil sealed inside him. Stay away for now.]^ Thud! Arad jumped back, keeping a fair distance between himself and the halfling. "Is he about to explode?" CLACK! A mouth opened on Arad''s cheek, "[Your void weakened him, and now he can''t keep the seal down. Depending on what is inside of him, killing him might be the only solution.]" CRACKLE! ck lightning shed from the halfling''s back. His body started to levitate as ck goo consumed his skin. "[Baalzebul''s spawn, they are not powerful devils. But at least one that can kill you if they fully materialize.]" Doma said with a giggle, "[This A-ranker has us tied with a troublesome foe.]" Arad clenched his fist, ring at the halfling as his body shed with lightning, the ground beneath him shattering. "This isn''t anything like the devil from before." [Devils have three major types and three ranks. Contractors are the weakest type, and they focus on forcing contracts on people to gain power. Fiends are the creation of evil. Their main call in life is causing mayhem, the typical devil people think of. And finally spawns, they are shards of power dripped from the devil lord''s magic. They spawn from their essence and are vastly stronger.] Mom exined. "[Also, in each type you can find the ranks. Lower, middle, and upper-rank devils. This one is a middle-rank spawn of Baalzebul, the devildy of insects and lighting. Knock him out before he fully manifests,]" BAM! Arad lunged forward, swinging his fist at the halfling''s face. CRACKLE! Before his fist could hit, the halfling''s body shed away in the blink of an eye. Thud! The halflingnded in the distance, lighting covering his arms and legs, forming ws and jagged spikes. The ground beneath him burned as he opened his ck eyes. The cursed aura of the devil washed over the city, rming all the pdins to the presence of the monster. *** In the city, the pdin general turned with a stern face, "Amolis, you finally lost control of the devil. As I promised, I shall be the one to put an end to it." BAM! He lunged over the castle wall, leaping from one house to the other as he rushed toward the forest. *** As the adventurers rested in the camp, they sensed Amolis''s devil and snapped up, "Amolis? Damn it!" Meimei growled. Keno pulled his sword, "We must hurry and save that Arad guy," He red at Gura, "Amolis''s devil isn''t so..." BAM! As they talked, something flew past them, digging a trench in the ground before stopping in a cloud of dust. "What? Did he lose this quickly?" Keno lunged into the dust, searching for Arad. But soon, he stopped in the blink of an eye, seeing Amolis bleeding on the ground with several punch marks on his skin. Keno gasped as he lept back, barely dodging the raging ck lightning. BAM! Aradnded in the back, walking toward Amolis with glowing red eyes, "You''re really a handful," CRACKLE! Amolis shed toward Arad, swinging a massive w of ck lightning. Arad clenched a fist, covering it with his void. CLANG! A sold punch drilled Amolis''s head to the ground, "Your lightning cannot harm me as long as it can''t reach me," Lightning as people know it in air cannot happen in the vacuum of the void because lightning depends crucially on the generation of positive ions and negative electrons by ionization of molecules of the air in high electric fields. Arad''s arms werepletely isting the lighting as long as he kept them covered in his void. That only meant Amolis was harmless to him, as long as he didn''t get fast enough to hit him before he could cover himself. Amolis''s body twitched on the ground, barely able to move. "Leave him to me!" A dwarf rushed in from the forest. Keno looked at the dwarf with a smile, "Jogan you, old bastard!" Jogan stood over Amolis, lifting a tiny wand. "By the bones of the hells, let the seal be re-written in ash. May the lightning quell under the name of everything holy," A white spark struck Amolis, and the devil''s aura started fading. Arad looked at the dwarf, "And who are you?" Jogan looked at Arad with a smile, "Jogan of the steel forge n, just call me Jogan. I''m an A-rank warlock, and this fool''s friend." He pointed at the unconscious Amolis with his thumb, "Amolis, a cleric of Amaterasu that''s sealing a powerful devil as you have seen. The monster is too strong, and we can''t kill it without sustaining a lot of damage. That''s why we keep his seal." Arad looked around. "So you are all the A-rankers?" His eyes darted between them. "A regenerative barbarian that absorbs magic. A hard-headed old swordsman, a suspicious wizard halfling with a ton of magic items, a cleric that hosts a devil, and a Warlock dwarf capable of maintaining such a seal." Arad said with a passive face. Meimei stared at Arad with a smile, "And you''re the mysterious dragon yer from Alina, Arad that beat Five and wiped the ground with an adult white dragon." Keno sheathed his sword, "Your power is something else, newbie S-rank." "I''m a B-rank," Arad replied with a straight face. "No, you aren''t. Your power is at least A-rank. Defeating five head to head is a feat initiating S-ranks." Jogan smiled, "Usually after doing a ton of A-rank missions, you can finally take the exam which is fighting her. If you win, you get your rank. If you lose, then you need more power." "I still need to do missions then," Arad sighed. Even if he has the power of an S-rank, he can''t get the rank without finishing enough quests. But at least Five was right, defeating her and granting him s-rank treatment from other adventurers. He looked a the A-rankers. They probably won''t even bother speaking to him in the first ce if he didn''t defeat Five, or might have started suspecting the source of his power. BAM! As they talked, the pdin generalnded beside them, his eyes glowing with divine magic. "Where is Amolis?" Jogan smiled, pointing at Arad, "He managed to knock him out, so I recast the seal." "Arad?" The pdin general gasped, seeing Arad standing there, "You stopped the devil? Without holy magic?" Keno sighed in the back, "He just punched his head to the ground, no tricks or fancy spells. Manhandled that devil-like he was nothing," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "How about the devil''s curse? You aren''t feeling sick?" ^[Devils use curses instead of magic. His lightning had the same property. But since you have me, it only proved a delicious snack for me.]^ Arad waved his hand, "Not the first devil I had to deal with," Chapter 434 The Merchant

Chapter 434 The Merchant

"Not the first devil, you say," Meimei said with an exhausted face, "Do you know how ridiculous it is to beat a devil without holy magic?" "No," Arad replied, "Anything will lose if I punched them hard enough," "Power dominates," Gura nodded in the back, "We agree," She smiled. Keno stared at her with a wry smile, "You two pertinently are alike. Raw power wins," "Now that the fire is out and everyone is safe, I have to go," Arad said, getting ready to void step back to the castle. "Wait!" Amolis woke up, barely able to stand, "I''m sure I lost control, how did you stop me," "As I said. I punched you unconscious. It''s that simple," Arad replied, teleporting away immediately. The A-rankers stared at each other, "Say, can we beat him as a team?" Keno asked. "I can''t say," Meimei scratched her head, "I doubt he went anywhere near all out on any of us," "The gap of power is too big," Jogan sighed, "Let''s hope we never have to fight him. I''m not thrilled to know what he is like when pushed to the limits." **** Thud! Arad appeared on Isdis''s balcony. With a quick step, he walked inside, dropping on a chair with a deep sight. "I see the mes are down," Isdis approached him with a smile. "Almost burned the ce, but it''s all good now. I even had to beat four A-rankers. Lucky me the fifth one wasn''t willing to fight." Arad stared at her. Rey and Ray approached him, "That''s how adventurers converse," Ray said with a passive face. "Rough and ragged," Rey added up. "You exhausted, or can you do a bit more for me?" Isdis stared at him with a smile, and Arad stood, "What is it?" "Apparently the southern gate is blocked by a merchant. I don''t know who, but they are preventing injured people and rescue forces from getting in and out of the city." Isdis walked to the balcony and pointed at the southern gate. Arad could see arge wagon blocking the gate. Ray approached Arad, "But, the goods matter," "Food is nice," Rey added. Arad nodded, "I understand. Depending on what the merchant is trying to get in the city. They might have priority. He could be transporting medical supplies or rations for all we know." "That''s right," Isdis smiled, "Can you solve that problem?" "I guess the matter of whether to let her in first or not is up to me?" When Arad looked at Isdis, she handed him a signed royal decree allowing him to judge and act in that matter. That gave him the same power her words have. With a nod, Arad teleported to the southern gate. Thud! Landing beside the gate, he could hear people shouting in anger outside the wall. A simple nce revealed two horses stuck inside the gate. The wide wagon cannot pass through the small gate. "Wrong side," he teleported outside the gate and stared at the crowd shouting in anger. "Get your cart off the way!" "Move this piece of junk away!" "My husband is dying! Get out of the way!" Screams filled the air as the refugees and injured cried, trying to get into the city as fast as they could while the wagon remained stuck at the gate. Arad walked between the people, pushing them aside to reach the wagon. "Who''re you bastard?" An old man growled as Arad pushed him aside. "Oh! My!" A woman gasped as he nudged her. "Let me pass," Arad grabbed an olddy and moved her out of the way before reaching the wagon. A lot of people were dissatisfied with him pushing between them, but none had the courage to actively try to stop him. One of the wagon guards rushed to stand before Arad, getting baffled when he realized her far shorter and looked smaller even with his full te armor. "Stop, citizen!" Arad pulled the royal decree, "I''m here on..." CRACK! Before Arad could finish speaking, the guard smacked the paper out of his hand, "Move away! Citizen!" Arad stared at Isdis''s royal decree resting in the mud. ^This is bad...^ He gently lifted it up, "A moment please," He teleported back to the castle. "Isdis, what should I do when someone smacks the decree out of my hand? They can''t do that, right?" Arad asked. "That''s equivalent to pping me or father, death on the spot," Isdis replied. "Not all the time," Rey approached Arad, "Fear, intimidated by you." "What?" Arad looked at her. "You''re big andrge, he was probably too scared to think rationally," Ray added. "That doesn''t matter. Ignoring it would make the royal decrees a joke," Isdis looked at Arad, "Make sure he at least gets close to death, that way people won''t take the decree lightly." With a smile, Arad teleported back to the guard. "You! Where did..." CLAP! The crowd went silent as a guard flew beside them, bleeding and his body smacked into a tree. Arad stared at the guard from where he stood, his fist drenched in blood, "You owe me and two maids for your life. I was ordered to kill you for disrespecting a royal decree," He growled. The guard wasn''t dead, Arad broke his lower jaw with a powerful punch so much that he wouldn''t eat solid food for weeks. The other guards standing around the guard froze, and the merchants finally appeared. A man with his wife. The man was a bitrge but far shorter than Arad, his clothes consisted of a purple jacket and a gold engraved robe. His wife on the other hand wore a red dress with a massive hat, the clevage of her chest visible as she red at Arad. "Who are you?" The man growled as the guards moved out of the way. "Arad Orion, I was sent here as a messenger from Princess Isdis to solve this problem." Arad gave the man the dirt-drenched royal decree. "He''s the one who smacked it out of my hand," The merchant nodded, "I don''t see anything suggesting I should move. It says you have to decide that," Arad nodded and looked back at the crowd, "Please wait for a second! I will deal with this," The people went silent, waiting to see what Arad would decide. "Can I check the cargo?" "Of course!" The merchant said with arge smile on his face, "I have here over fifty tinum coins worth of rare goods!..." As the merchant started exining his goods, Arad stared back at him, "I don''t care how much are they worth, I care what they are so I can decide whether they go in first or the people." Arad looked inside the carriage. It''s filled with jewelry [He even recognized some made by his kobolds. Apparently, they were imported from Alina] rare hides, woods, and even some art pieces and pottery. Arad walked out, "People go in first," He stated, "Nice cargo, but it can wait, the injured can''t." "That can''t be," The merchant''s wife growled. Arad red at her, "Your wagon or carriage thing can''t pass through the gate anyway. Pull back and start thinking of another way to get it inside and let people enter in the meantime," He pointed at the bleeding soldier in the back. The merchant stared at the carriage, his face twisted for a second. "You''re right, pull back up," He growled. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The carriage guards tried to pull it back but remained stuck. "Sir! We can''t move it!" "Move away," Arad pushed the guards away and tried to pull the carriage himself. He could hear its wood cracking, any more force and he would shatter it, damaging the cargo. "Damn it! She doesn''t want to move," "What will you do?" The merchant stared at Arad, almost amused at the fact. "I will either punch a hole in the wall or teleport all the people inside." Arad mumbled, looking at the wall, "This looks expensive, Isdis would kill me if I broke it so teleport it is," He walked toward the crowd and put his hand on the head of the first man he came across. [Void Step] ZON! Arad teleported the man inside the city and then went out in the blink of an eye. The people gasped, seeing one of them disappear like that. In a few seconds, Arad already moved tens of refugees inside the city. The merchant stared at him with a terrified face. The mages he knew could only teleport once every few seconds, they take time to cast the spell and certainly won''t be able to move such arge number of people. After three minutes and forty-five seconds, Arad had moved all the two hundred people and thirty-three people into the city, including the injured guard. As the people stared at him in awe, he could hear two voices calling from behind him. "Oh! Great one!" "Absolute lizard, hear us!" Arad turned, and he could only see the two horses dragging the merchant''s carriage. He approached them and the two horses looked down, avoiding eye contact. As animals, they could already sense he was a dragon and were risking their whole life calling him. "What do you want?" Arad asked. "We do not want to. We plead to the dragon." A horse shook his head. "Humans, hate," The other horse smacked his hooves on the ground. "I will help. Tell me what you plead or want." Arad smiled. The two horses looked at each other, "They transport ghost grass. Beneath the carriage." A horse said. "Sells well in dire times," The other horse added. "A moment please," Arad nodded with a smile, teleporting back to Isdis. "Finished? I can see the people inside the city," Isdis asked with a smile. "Ghost grass, what is it?" Arad asked. "A nt used to create strong illusion potions. Can also cause hallucinations when ingested due to the magic in it." Isdis stared at Arad, "It''s illegal to sell without a decree from the court or the alchemist guild approval. Did the merchant have it?" "Didn''t tell me, the horses ratted them out," Arad replied. Chapter 435 Spreading Fame

Chapter 435 Spreading Fame

"I see," Isdis scratched her head, "Find the grass and let the guards handle the rest. I don''t think delicate matters are your strong part," Arad nodded, "I much rather have clear work to do," He smiled. Arad would much rather take simpler jobs. [Void Step] ZON! Arad teleported back to the gate, standing beside the horses. "Thanks, I will handle this," He patted them, "Now, y along," He opened his void eyes and looked behind the wall. The merchants and their personal guards were discussing something, but they didn''t seem to be trying to get the wagon out of the way. With a smile on his face, Arad''s body turned ck as shadows consumed him. A ck rat stood there beside the horses'' hooves. The horses stared down, not daring to move. They could see it, feel it, but the humans can''tprehend it. Even with the dragons'' incredible polymorph skills, they rarely transform into something significant. You will never find a dragon transforming into a tiger or a lion for one reason, they don''t need to. A dragon is already an apex predator, he doesn''t need to mimic others for ws or a vicious look. That''s why most dragons end up abusing their polymorph abilities to look like humans to blend into society, or turn into small animals to deceive people by looking harmless. A squirrel dancing on the trees, entertaining children. That''s a gold dragon. A weak and frail-looking beggar, better be careful, that might be a brass dragon. A stray ck cat across the street, one re at those eyes and you would see the ck dragon in disguise. And now, a ck chubby rat, that a void dragon prowling named Arad. Arad slipped into the carriage by climbing the wheels and squeezed inside. Between the floor''s wooden tiles, he could see a small hole hiding something. He entered and looked around, patches over patches of ghost grass hidden out of sight. The horses were right, and this amount, it''s strange they are hiding it. "I better inform the guards about this," Arad walked out of the carriage and headed to the nearest guard post. Several minutester, a whole battalion of guards approached the carriage. The merchant rushed to greet the guards. "Sorry about blocking the gate sir, we''re trying to get the carriage to move." The head of the battalion, named Morris stared at the merchant. "We didn''te for that, but for something else." He nodded to his men to surround the carriage, "I want everything inside out," As the men started taking everything out of the carriage, the merchant gasped, "What''s the meaning of this? You''ll damage my goods!" "Damage the goods?" Morris stared at the merchant with a passive face. "Guards! Tie him and his wife up," He growled, turning around, "They wait in the cells." "You bastard!" The merchant cried as a guard knocked him to the ground. The private guards of the merchants tried to interfere, but they were quickly captured. "Sir! We found patches of ghost grass hidden inside the carriage. No license though," A guard shouted. "And I doubt this idiot is carrying it," Morris smiled, walking away from the carriage and back to the barracks. He entered his office and saw Arad sitting on his chair with Jack beside him. Morris bowed, "Sir Arad, we have captured the merchants and confiscated their goods, including the ghost grass." "Good work," Arad smiled, pulling a decree and putting it on the table. "I will be taking the ghost grass as per the royal decree," "Of course, We will have it ready in half an hour. We will also register it so it''s not stopped again," Morris said with a smile. Arad looked at Jack, "And you heard him. Do what you like," Jack smiled, "Sent it to the alchemist guild. I will go with you," Morris rushed out to get the grass ready. "What will you do with it again? Smoke bombs?" Arad stared at Jack. "Smoke bombs that cause hallucinations. Of course, I would antidote for myself so they are safe to use." Jack smiled, "I can''t believe you managed to get Isdis to sign a royal decree for this." "She said that the grass would be burned anyway. So it''s better to use it as a weapon than just wasting it." Arad replied. Jackughed, "This is why I want people in the royal court," He looked at Arad, "It won''t be legal for us to have such weapons unless a royal approves, and you''re my ticket." "But if it''s just alchemy, won''t people resist it?" Arad asked. "That''s a good point, magical effects are naturally stronger than alchemy. But there is a catch, you have to detect something for it to be resisted." Jack smiled as he exined, "Magic effects can be resisted immediately when you sense their magic." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Then alchemy the same, but weaker, right?" "No. Alchemy doesn''t have magic so to be detected, the effect must start," Jack giggled, "Even if you can resist a poison, you would still take at least one point of damage so your body detects it and starts resisting. Of course, the resistance stays active for weeks after that so you take no damage." Arad blinked, "So you''re saying even if someone could resist the hallucination effect of ghost grass, they would still get affected for a brief moment," "Yes, even a fraction of a second can create a big enough opening to end a fight," Jack replied as Arad stood. "I will head back to Isdis. I still have a lot of work to do. See youter," "Don''t let her work you to the bones," Jack waved his hand, "Or, let her. If her jobs get us such rare items." He smiled. ZON! Arad teleported away. Jack stared around the office with a smile on his face, "From dragged here to get locked away to working with them. How things changed in a few months," He walked out. *** Thud! Landed in Isdis''s office, he walked toward a chair and sat with an exhausted face. "Anything else?" Isdis scratched her chin, "A lot to go," She pointed at a stack of papers. Arad sighed, "What do you have?" Isdis gave the remaining missions to Arad one after the other. From restoring water supplies to carrying medicinal and trying to calm down the raging cattle after the dragon attack. Each time Arad went and returned, Isdis gave him more missions. But unlike her two maids, her goal wasn''t exhusting him, but getting his name across the capital. She made sure he got known to the guards, soldiers, merchants, farmers, and even the adventurers venturing into the wild. With each mission aplished, his name spread across the capital like wildfire. It wasn''t just rumors of him beating Five or killing a dragon. Even the people who missed those events had to see him in action at least one time. Chapter 436 Isdis’s Night I

Chapter 436 Isdis''s Night I

Arad barely managed to finish all of Isdis''s missions by thete afternoon. He came back and rested on his chair. "I hope this is all," He sighed with an exhausted face. But, he was more exhausted mentally than physically. "Exhusted?" Rey approached Arad with a smile. "Sister, he''s exhausted," Ray added. Arad stared at them and smiled, "Not really. Tell me again, why did I have to find an olddy''s dog that got missing?" Isdis stared at him, "Grandma Rina. She''s the city''s cheese master," She stood from her chair, packing all the papers into the drawers. "Due to her skills and age, she''s specially protected by the royal family." Arad stood as he saw Isdis about to leave, "That reminds me, Baltos likes cheese." "Father was the one to sponsor her in the past. From what I heard, she was but a farm girl before she found father." Isdis and Arad walked out of the office with Rey and Ray walking behind them. "She found him?" "Dead drunk in the middle of the street." Isdis replied with a giggle, "She didn''t recognize him as the king. But thought he was a drunkard." Rey approached Arad, "Dept collectors for a local gang happened to approach her the next day, and his majesty was the one to open the door." "His Majesty was strong at the time. He wiped the ground with the gang members and raided their base alone." Ray added. Isdis stared back at them, "Rey, Ray, get the bath ready for us. Arad has been working for the whole day, and I need a massage to my back after sitting all day." The two maids bowed and then rushed forward. Thud! Thud! As the maids rushed across the hallway, Charlie opened his office door and walked out, his maid cracking her neck beside him. Charlie looked at Isdis and Arad, "Busy day, sister?" "I got help," Isdis replied with a smile as Charlie''s maid bowed slightly in the back. Charlie looked at Arad and then at Isdis, "If you call this 140kg of muscles and manhood a mere help, you''re awfully wrong," Heughed, "Just today I got several reports of him decimating everything in his wake. Just seeing him carry that boulder from here made me hat my scrawny ass," "What could I say..." Isdis smiled, "I have nice assets," "What assets? He''s the working force of a whole kingdom." Charlie looked at Arad, "What did they feed you to get that big?" "I trained under Alcott, Nina, and Alina''s archwizard Merlin. I had to get strong to keep up," Arad replied, the story he and Isdis decided to keep. The secret of Arad''s strength is that he was trained by other talented s-ranks. "I never thought the day woulde when I hear that killing machines could teach people." Charlie could only remember Alcott causing trouble and Nina being an absolute menace. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As they talked, Thomas walked in, "You seem to have finished your work as well," Charlie stared at him with a smile, "Didn''t expect you to finish on time. Did you make a decision about our idiot brother?" Thomas paused for a second, "He would mostly be exiled to the Dead Sea. We can''t really execute him without causing a lot of trouble," Isdis scratched her chin, "Other countries might try to interfere," "That''s true," Charlie sighed, "I was hoping we could feed him wyvern poison and watch him slowly die like a worm under the sun," "That cruel," Thomas stared at Charlie. "I don''t care, he fed the sacrifice Sebas wyvern poison. So technically, he tried to kill our father with it." Charlie stared at Thomas, "It would be only fair to kill him like that," "I would dly punch him onest time," Arad said in the back and Charlie stared at him with a smile, "That also would be fun," "As I said, exiling him is the most sensible course of action. At least until one of us secures the throne, or our father recovers well enough to deliver that punishment himself." Charlie scratched his head, "If I were to sentence him to death, people would think I sat him up from the start and I would lose most of my chances to the crown." "Not that you have much," Thomas stared at him with a wry smile. "Don''t forget about me," Isdis stared at them, "The throne is mine. Or do you want him after your heads?" She pointed at Arad. "Hell no!" Charlie gasped, "Look at those arms, they are thicker than my waist. He could use me like a jumping rope for all I''m worth!" He took a few steps back. "Lady Isdis," Rey came from behind them, "The bath is ready," Ray said from behind her. "I''ming," Isdis replied with a smile. She turned and waved her hand, "See youter," She and Arad left, following Rey and Ray to the bath. Soon after, they reached the bath''s door. Rey opened it, Isdis and Arad walked inside and Ray closed the door. Inside the changing room, Arad looked around and saw the two bathmaids there, Rey and Ray as well, "Lot," He sighed. "What?" Isdis asked, looking at him as his face became a bit worried. "Too much," He pointed at the two bathmaids and Rey and Ray, "Extra women," "Do they bother you?" She replied and Arad shook his head, "No, it''s just strange." Rey looked at Arad, "It can get out of hand sometimes. They work here as bath maids, while we''re Lady Isdis''s personal maids. Situations like this happen quite often." "Lord Arad doesn''t have a maid?" Ray asked with a puzzled face. "Someone of your power should already have a dozen servants," "I don''t," Arad replied. Isdis stared at him, "What about Tina? But I guess she''s more like a housemaid." "You think so?" Arad started taking off his shirt, "I never treated anyone like a maid," "That''s true as I never saw you order her around." Isdis giggled, "Ae handled that part," "Sir Arad, we will help you," The two bathmaids approached Arad while Rey and Ray helped Isdis. Arad lifted his hand to stop them, "Look, I figured out a new trick," With a smile, all his clothes disappeared in the blink of an eye. "I can hide them in my storage," He lifted his hand, "And drop them away," The clothes fell in the basket to the side. Chapter 437 Isdis’s Night II "What was that?" One of the bathmaids gasped. "Storage magic. As long as it''s in contact with my body, I can store it." Arad replied with a smile on his face, approaching Isdis and touching her shoulder. ZON! Isdis''s upper shirt disappeared in the blink of an eye, "As long as I can overpower the wearer''s magic, I can suck it." Arad''s stomach had several limitations. For once, he can''t store living things. Not because it''s impossible, but because they would die. To store a living being, Arad has to overpower the creature''s innate magic control. That means a strong enough individual can resist getting sucked into Arad''s stomach. For example, he can suck Isdis into his stomach, but can''t suck someone like A-rankers. The stomach doesn''t seem to have a space limit as Arad didn''t hit that, but it does seem to have a speed limit. It takes time to suckrge things or get them out. It has a low precision when getting things out. If Arad tried to wear his clothes directly from it, they might collide with his skin and cause a rejection st, dealing a lot of damage. When a living being carries an item or wears it, their magic flows through it and makes sucking it harder. Arad has to overpower their magic with his own to do it. That means to take Isdis''s clothes, he has to overpower her innate magic. This is especially true when the item is magical. Bounding magic is a special magic that binds a weapon or an item to a person, making it impossible for Arad to disarm them. Nina''s great axe and Jack''s prosthetic limbs are bound items that Arad can''t rob. To avoid some of those limitations, Arad can use his void expansion and enforce his own magic over arge area. Isdis stared at Arad with a smile, "Strip touch, can you disarm someone when punching them?" "Depends on their willpower," Arad replied, touching Isdis''s corset. He tried to suck it away but couldn''t. "Enchanted demon spider silk," Isdis replied, "It''s a light underclothes armor. I can''t be too careful with the assassination attempts." "We probably should get some for the others," Arad said, and Isdis nodded, "I already set orders for them, but it will take a while for clothes to be made." "Made for order," Rey said with a passive face. "Too expensive to waste on shelves," Ray added. Isdis looked at Arad with a smile, "Go ahead before me. I will follow you when this thing is out," She tapped her corset. The thing was tied behind her back with several silver bindings. One of the reasons she can''t take it off on her own. Arad walked into the washing room to see the tree bathmaids waiting inside, "Wee back, Sir Arad," They bowed slightly. "You''re calmer than thest time," Arad said with a smile, walking beneath the hot shower. "Sorry for our previous ugly show," One of the maids bowed deeper, "It''s unbefitting of us to be scared of the one who saved the city," Arad pulled the sponge Gojo gave him and gave it to the maids, "You can use this," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The maids stared at it with a smile, a mithril sponge designed to clean hard things. Helping him wash is always a pain with how tough his skin is. CLICK! The door opened, and Isdis walked inside with her two maids. She was naked while they covered themselves with two white towels. Arad looked back a them, "That was quick," "We''re used to helping her," Ray replied with a smile while Rey asked the bathmaids for the sponges and soap location. Thud! Isdis stood beside Arad and turned on her water, causing him to stare at her for a second. Her water seemed weirdly cold. He''s already been aware that his tolerance for heat as a dragon isrge. What could burn people feels nice to him, so he asked. "Is your water freezing cold, or I''m just mistaking it since mine is boiling?" Isdis stared at him with a smile, "You''re right, I usually bathe with cold water." "You would get sick," Arad replied with an exhausted face, "What if you caught a cold?" "I feel morefortable in cold water," Isdis lifted her hand up, sshing some on him. Arad didn''t even flinch, "It doesn''t bother me, I''m only worried for your health," Rey stared at him, "Since always been sensitive to hot stuff, water, tea, soup, everything," She said scrubbing Isdis''s back. "Elemental affinity," Ray said with a passive face as she brought the soap, "Spell casters that focus on a single element usually start attuning to their element. It''s hard to burn a fire magic or freeze a cold mage like Isdis." She exined. "I see," Arad nodded, thinking about something. After a while, the maids finished washing Arad first. "We''re done," the maids said, sshing his back with a bucket of water. Arad looked at them, "Thanks," He then moved toward the hot bath, standing at the edge and staring at the steaming hot water. His eyes darted around, noting that there was only one pool. "Isdis usually have this one cold, right?" Arad asked, looking at the bath''s maids. "Yes, Her Highness usually has a cold bath," Rey replied as she washed Isdis''s neck, almost strangling her. From that brief look, Arad thought those two maids with here were as strangely inefficient as the other maids. Arad ignored the feeling and extended his arms over the bath, closing his eyes. Magic flew from his heart to his fingertips, thest time he used cold magic, and saw Isdis cast it. Those informations aren''t enough. A gust of cold wind rushed across his arms, the white dragon''s breath shing in his head. Moving the heat away from the water and toward his body, is easier said than done. Steam stoppeding out of the water as Arad cooled it down in the blink of an eye. Even now, it''s easier to cast magic with his innate power as a dragon rather than forming a spell. "We''re terrifying," He mumbled and one of the maids stared at him, "We?" Arad was talking about dragons in general, "Nothing," He replied. ^There are dragons out there that wear armor and practice swordsmanship, dragons with power far above their innate might. Can I stand up to them?^ [Depends on how you train and grow, but you need to actively seek weapons and magic to keep up.] Mom said with a smile. Chapter 438 Isdis’s Night III Arad walked into the cold bath, rxing in the water. To him, such a temperature difference wasn''t that significant. The three bathmaids walked to the edge, standing ready for any call. Soon after, Isdis finished washing and approached the bath, smiling, "You cooled it?" She tapped the water with her foot, finding it cold. Arad nodded, "I don''t care what temperature it''s in, so I might as well make it what you''refortable with," Isdis giggled, slowly sliding into the water, "I didn''t expect that from you." "You have Zephyr to thank for this," Arad closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tried to rx for a while. "COLD!" Rey cried as she tapped the water with her toes. "Is it cold?" Ray asked with a worried face. "It''s cold!" Rey replied, shivering. Ray approached the water and touched it with her hand, "It''s not that cold, a bit lower than room temperature." Rey approached her from the back and with a gentle tap from her foot. She pushed Ray into the water. SPLASH! "COLD!" Ray cried, standing up like a nail as the fine hair on her body stood. Rey stared at her with a smug smile, "See, it''s not cold as you said," "SISTER!" Ray growled, grabbing Rey by the ankle and pulling her toward the water. Rey resisted, trying to hold her ground. "Let go of me!" Rey growled, kicking Ray in the face, trying to push her back to the water. Arad opened his eyes, staring at the two naked maids fighting at the edge of the water. "Why are you two fighting?" He couldn''t under what was their problem. To him, both of them wanted to get into the water. Why is Ray angry Rey pushed her there then? Arad could feel that he was missing something. He waited for them to reply to his question, but the two were so busy fighting that they didn''t hear him. "Do they always fight like this?" Arad asked, looking at Isdis. "They do," She replied with a deep sight, "They do fight quite often when out of work. I remember once waking up in the middle of the night to them fighting with brooms. When I asked, they said something about a rat and noise." "A rat in your room?" Arad asked with a puzzled face. Such a creature shouldn''t be able to get to the princess''s room. "I don''t really know. They didn''t give me a clear answer, and I was sleepy, so I went back to bed and left them to fight." Isdis replied, putting one leg on the other as she closed her eyes. Arad looked back at Rey and Ray, a faint glimmer crossed his body. For a split second, his body looked as if it was covered with oil. Rey had Ray caught in a choke hold with her leg, pulling on her hair with one hand while kicking at her guts with one leg. Ray had Rey''s calf in her mouth with a bite, pulling her toward the water with all of her weight like a crocodile trying to drag a struggling deer. Arad sighed. The fight was getting out of hand rapidly. He lifted his hand and pointed a finger at them. The glimmer around his body faded as the color of his skin shifted for the blink of an eye. He was sitting in the cold water, and the two maids wrestled at the edge. That only meant one thing. Some of the bath''s water rushed into Arad''s stomach, cooling even further until almost frozen. The cold water rushed across Arad''s body and to the tip of his finger, charging into a ball. Isdis blinked, sensing how cold that water was. PEW! A stream of cold water burst from his finger, rushing toward Rey''s head. Rey''s eyes shifted toward the stream, as if time itself slowed. Arad could see her letting go of Ray in the blink of an eye. Thud! Her body jerked down, dodging the stream at thest moment. Arad blinked, surprised she managed to dodge it even if the attack was barely refined. Her reactions must be on the edge of what a human can do innately. He fully opened his palm, shooting four more streams of water at Rey. She twisted her body, the streams barely gazing at her as they passed between her legs and arms. Arad instantly knew that the first dodge wasn''t luck. She''s capable. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Rey stared at Arad for a moment, her eyes focused on his left hand that just started moving. She expected another five streams of water to rush out of his fingers. As Arad''s palm lifted, nothing came out of his fingers. He turned his wrist, making them point at himself. The first five streams that missed Rey curved before hitting the wall, guided by Gravity magic as they got pulled back toward Arad. Arad could see Rey''s expression change as she realizedte. PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! The five streams hit her back and butt, sending her flying to the water in the blink of an eye. Her body fell at Arad''s feet, her eyes spinning from the impact. Arad lifted her body with his leg, "Never stand in one ce even if you can dodge. A still target is a dead target." He said. Thud! Two thighs wrapped around Arad''s neck from behind his head, and two hands closed his eyes, "Then why didn''t you move?" Ray had snuck behind him as her sister acted as bait. "I already moved," Arad replied, his body disintegrating into silver dust. Ray gasped, confused. Thud! Ray felt a foot push her into the water. SPLASH! She instantly stood in the water, staring back to see Arad standing there. "What did you do?" Ray gasped. Arad looked down at her, "Gemini, a druid constetion. I left a dummy body and turned into a small fish before I even fired the first stream." He walked into the water, sitting in his ce. "You two aren''t just maids," He stared at Ray, "Trained bodyguards, your skills are equal to that of d-rank adventurers." Ray sat in the water as Rey woke up, "Someone has to protect Lady Isdis," Ray said with a passive face. "Sister is right, albeit this was an embarrassing demonstration." Rey sat up. Isdis opened her eyes, seeing Rey and Ray sitting beside Arad, almost hugging his arms. "What are you two doing?" She asked, ring at them. "Warm," Rey replied with a passive face. "The water around him," Ray added without any expression on her face. SPLASH! Isdis rushed forward, grabbing them by the arms and pulling them away. "He''s mine," She sat on Arad''sp, almost growling like a hungry beast. The two maids stared at her, "Unfair," Ray said. "Really, where did you find him?" Rey added. Chapter 439 Isdis’s Night IV "That''s none of your business," Isdis growled at the two maids. "It is," Rey said with a passive face. "You don''t find someone like him everywhere," Ray added, looking at Arad and Isdis. "You know we''re supposed to beat most assassins," "Arad is strong, isn''t he," Isdis said with a smile, rxing on Arad''s chest. [In a world full of monsters and where their lives aren''t certain. Humans start to get attracted to power like all other monsters. They might not be as extreme as dragons or titans, but a woman would prefer a strong man over beauty most times. The reverse is also right.] ^Are you saying I''m ugly?^ ^[She sure is]^ Doma giggled. [I mean, your strength matters more than your look. As long as you have it, you can get by. Sometimes, it''s more important than gold.] ^Power rules, power controls, and power dominates.^ Arad thought, looking at the two maids and at Isdis. "Say, what do you like in a man?" Arad asked directly without thinking about it and everyone froze in ce. "What do you mean?" Isdis gasped with a worried face. Rey scratched her chin, "As long as you won''t die to the average monsters, I''m mostly fine." Ray nodded, "It would be sad if he went to work and never came back," The three bathmaids in the back nodded, "They are right," One of them said, "Before I worked here, I was married to a farmer. Sadly one die died in amon wolf raid." The other one looked down with a sad face, "Father and brother were gate guards, they both died when a Hydra attacked." "I worked as a debt collector in the past, and was quite strong." The third maid said while looking away, "One day, bandits targeted me with a coordinated attack. I managed to wing and kill them, but I suffered too many injuries that I can barely walk." She scratched her ankle, showing a hidden scar hidden beneath light paint, "I was too weak to survive without damage. I wish I was stronger, or left the job for someone stronger." One of the maids looked at her, "There isn''t a safe job in the world," The other sighed, "Even though our job here can be one of the safest and easiest. We can still die in an assassination attempt," Another added. Rey and Ray stared at the three maids, "That would be us, we''re the one protecting Lady Isdis," Ray said with a smile. "Sister is right. But lucky, not many assassination attempts happened since she came back." Rey added. Arad blinked, "Not many? I was clearing idiots every night," "Wait! What?" Rey and Ray gasped, "That disfigured corpse we found in the garden..." Arad pointed with his thumb at his face and replied with a passive face, "I killed him. They were sneaking on the roof searching for Isdis''s room." Isdis stared at Arad, "You didn''t tell me! How many, who sent them?" Arad started counting on his fingers, trying to remember how many he killed, "About thirty I would say, give or take the ones I chased to the forest." He said, "Wait, thirty-one now. My rats just ate one that was sneaking in the sewers beneath the castle." Arad stood, pushing Isdis aside. He walked to the drain and stared down, his hands resting on his waist. "There are another three trying to sneak here at the moment." He looked at Isdis, "Someone really wants you dead," "What? I would inform the guards immediately," Isids gasped. "No need," Arad waved his hand, "With where they are hiding, they would escape before they could get caught," Arad replied, kneeling down and touching the ground. Isdis started at him with a smile across her face. ^Of course, he''s a dragon. He has been living here for a few days, this castle is already like hisir. You can''t sneak into a dragon''sir and expect him not to notice. Gin and Kin are already here, but they won''t interfere with the crown candidates no matter what.^ She stood, "What are you going to do?" "Kill them, all I need to do is pull them up with Gravity and they will get crushed on the ceiling of the sewers," Arad replied. "Don''t kill them. Pull them up, but not hard enough that they would die." She stared at one of the bathmaids, "Inform the changing room maids to report this to the guard." She looked back at Arad, "Where exactly?" "Twenty-three meters down, seventeen north and five west," Arad replied. Isdis tried to imagine the ce, doing her best to remember the castleyout. "From here... That would be the main sewer line going between the kitchen and this bath." She looked at the maid, "Go," The bathmaid rushed to inform the changing room maids. Who reported it to the guards outside. Arad pulled the assassins up with gravity magic, tying them until he felt the guards'' presence beside them. "They are caught," Arad replied, looking at Isdis. "A light torture session and some spells and will get answers to who sent them," She sat in the water, "To think all of those assassins wereing behind my back," She sighed. Rey and Ray stared at Arad, "We aren''t needed?" Rey said with a sad face. "He''s too much, sniffed them all the way from here," Ray added with a sadder face. Isdis stood slightly panicked and shook her hands, "No! Don''tpare yourselves to him. He''s a bit of a special case," She said with a tense smile, ^It''s unfair to ask them to match up to a dragon.^ She thought. Rey and Ray still looked sad, Arad didn''t just beat them to a kill, he also was protecting them and Isdis since they came without them knowing. Arad looked at them, "So, no one answered my question," "Reliable," Isdis replied with a smile, "As long as I can leave my back to you and be at ease, that all is needed. You''re exceptional at that." Rey looked at Arad, "Strong senses, as long as you can notice the small changes. You''re fine," Arad looked at her, "Like the fact you cut your hair a bit between our meeting anding here?" "Heh!" Rey gasped, "I tried helping the maids heat the water and ended up burning the tips of my hair. It was less than a finger so I just cut that bit..." She stared at Arad, "You noticed that?" She said with a shaking face. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "For me!" Ray looked at Arad, "Muscles! You can''t be thin as an asparagus," she approached Arad, touching his arm, "Ah! And be taller than me!" Arad stared at her, "Bold words for someone like you," Arad could see her standing almost as tall as Ae. She and her sister are almost 180 cm in height. "Drop your expectation a bit," Ray stared at him with a grin, "You''re far taller, why care?" Arad blinked, understanding what she meant, "I''m only taking her," He pointed at Isdis. "What!" The twins cried. Chapter 440 Isdis’s Night V "They are my maids for life," Isdis looked at Arad, "They areing with me," "That''s another matter," Arad nodded, "Them being maids is different than what she meant." "I know what she means," Isdis replied with a grin on her face, "Why not take them as well?" Arad scratched his head, "Well, the other must approve first, and I was thinking of putting a standard," He looked at Ray and Rey, "Theyck magic. I would prefer to not sustain more than Mira," Arad said. Magic or more urately mana, the resource needed to nourish a void egg. Out of all the girls, only Miracks it. Arad can probably sustain several women like her with his mana, but that would weaken him a lot. He sees it as risking the girls and the potential eggs, which he doesn''t want to allow. "What?" Isdis stared at him. "As I saw before," Arad looked at them, "You girls have standards like strength. I do need you to have mana, so I''m putting that as my standard." Isdis sighed, "That''s fair," She approached the two maids, tapping their shoulders, "Don''t look sad. You two can start studying magic. I''m sure you will get strong soon enough," The two maids nodded with determination, "We will do our best," *** Isdis looked at Arad, "Well, how about you start with something else." The twins smiled, "Massage time!" They approached Arad, "The stone bed is there, go andy on your chest," Arad looked at the massge bed. Arge white marble block with a cutout for the head in the front. Even with howrge it was, he still barely fits on it. The only reason beds could fit him is because Mira made them specially for him. Arady on the massage bed. Isdis and the twins approached him as the bathmaids watched from afar. Rey approached Arad, knocking on his back with her fist. CLACK! CLACK! It sounded like knocking on wood. His muscles and skin were hard, or so she thought. What she felt was the scales on his back as they formed a protectiveir-like armor around his body. "Sister!" Ray said, looking closely at Arad''s back that her nose pushed against his skin, "His skin is strange," Rey stuck her nose in, getting a closer look. "Scales!" She gasped, "They cover his body!" "Arad is a half-dragon. Didn''t I mention that?" Isdis said with a smile. "You didn''t!" The twins gasped at the same time. "We knew," The bathmaids said in the back. They had seen Arad''s wings before." CRACK! Arad expanded his wings, tail, and horns. The two maids lunged back, ring at Arad. His two-meter-long and thick tail dragged on the ground, the tip scratching the ground like a de. His massive ck wings expanded and retracted, moving the air in waves as they gleamed like polished steel. His three-foot-long horns expanded forth like spears, their tip ending in a sharp point. "No wonder why," Rey gasped. "Dragon''s blood, thick and dense." Ray touched Arad''s back. "How long does your blood run?" "Mother was a dragon," Arad replied. "A direct offspring of the dragons. Forget other draconic bloodline sorcerers. With such close rtives, you''re one cut above the rest." Rey said. It was true, that the more diluted the blood gets, the weaker it bes. So the closer a sorcerer is to their ancestor, the stronger their blood is. "Sister," Rey looked at Ray, "We should start. This is going to be exhausting," "You''re right," Ray replied, "Should we skin regr massage and get to Ashiatsu?" "No, let''s try the normal way first. If that failed then we use that," Rey looked at Arad''s back and cracked her fist. She swung down, punching Arad''s back as hard as she could. Rey growled, stepping back and holding her fist. Her knuckles started getting red. It felt like hitting a stone wall. "His skin! It seems soft when you push on it slowly, but it bes rock hard when facing an impact," "Any technique that includes hitting or tapping is out of the question," Ray said, putting her hand on Arad''s back and gently pushing down with all her strength. "Sister, use your elbow," Rey said, using her to push at Arad''s wing muscles. For a dragon, those were thergest muscles in his body. That''s the reason why a dragon''s punch is stronger than their kick. Isdis approached, "You two are worrying too much about him," She started pushing down on Arad''s lower back with all of her strength, "You can try to kill him, and he won''t even feel it. Go as rough as you can," She was right. No matter what they do, they can''t harm him even if they want to. At that moment, she can only imagine Nina or Meryem being able to harm Arad in a massage. As the three worked as hard as they could on Arad''s back, it started to prove more difficult than they expected. Arad had worked a lot that day, from killing dragons to moving boulders and running across all the capital. His shoulder and back were really stiff, to a point that even Isdis was finding it hard to fix. Rey and Ray looked at each other, "He''s rock hard," They looked at the bathmaids in the back, "Bring the bncer. This will take some effort." The bathmaids rushed to the back, bringing arge metal stand simr to a swing. But without the chains and chairs. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The maids dragged the bnce above Arad and fastened it to the ground. "It''s ready," Rey approached Arad''s head, "Your back is too hard for us to work on without hands. I''m going to step on your back." "Using your whole body weight?" Arad turned his head and looked at her. "Look up," Ray showed Arad the bncer. "Usually, This is used to bnce on someone while stepping. But for you, we''re going to use it as leverage to push down even harder." She exined. "Do what you want," Arad replied, "But, you better start getting stronger if you intend toe with Isdis." Even Mira had more muscles than them. That says a lot, even though she''s a carpenter that works a lot. Rey climbed on top of Arad and started stepping on his lower back, pushing down with all her might. Ray did the same on his upper back while Isdis went to massage his right leg. Isdis red at the three bathmaids, "What are you standing there for?" She called them, "You take his left leg. You two take the arms. Get to work!" The maids rushed in and could feel just how hard Arad was to massage. It felt more like they were trying to bed steel rather than flesh. "It''s as if," One of the maids growled, "He isn''t human at all." She gasped for air as she started getting exhausted. Isdis giggled, ^If they only knew. He''s a real dragon and a powerful one at that.^ She could feel her skin shudder. Arad was still a young dragon and she knew that he was only going to get tougher as he grew older. Rey looked down at Arad, "Can des even cut you?" "They can''t," Arad replied, "Swords dull and chip away when they strike me, and hammers and arrows bounce back unless they have magic." "Holy gods," Rey gasped, "Sister, did you hear that?" "Yes, I did," Ray replied with an exhausted face, "Really, what did you eat to get this tough, monsters?" Arad blinked. She was right. He eats monsters. "Who knows? I might be," He replied. If they are going with Isdis, it''s probably best to tell them he''s a dragon. But, not now when the bathmaids are present. Chapter 441 Isdis’s Night VI

Chapter 441 Isdis''s Night VI

After about an hour, the twins stared down at Arad, "How is it now?" sweat dripped across their faces as they panted. The bath''s steam only made it harder to breathe. "Better," Arad replied. He could feel his being a bit lighter than before. Their effort worked to an eptable degree. The twins jumped down his back and fell on the floor, exhausted. Isdis and the bathmaids sat down, trying to catch their breath. "That was tough." One of the bathmaids sighed, feeling arms screaming in pain. "Really, what is he made from?" Another one looked at the ceiling, wanting nothing more than to take a nap. "I''m going to get some water," Thest of the bathmaids stood and went out for a moment. "Don''t rx too much. We still have the tail and wings," Isdis said, trying to stand up. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The twins stared at her, "You must be joking, right?" "Look at it. Do you think we can leave it?" Isdis touched Arad''s tail. It felt like arge lump of hard steel. "Don''t bother with it," Arad said, sitting up and sucking his tail and wings back to his body. "You''re already exhausted," "If you think so," Isdis sat down. Arad cracked his neck and stood. The twins stared at him. It was clear that they missed his neck. "How about you get Isdis a massage instead," He said, walking away from the marble bed. The twins stared at Isdis with sparkling eyes, "That''s right," "Aren''t you a bit too excited?" Arad asked. "Compared to you, she''s as soft as cotton." Rey said with a smile, pointing at the marble bed, "Get on the bed." Isdisy on her stomach as the twins started massaging her back. Arad sat there watching them with the bathmaids, his eyes fixated on their hands. The bathmaids looked at Arad as they saw his hands move on their own, his fingers twisting and his fists opening and closing. A sense of terror washed over them as they realized what he was doing, "Impossible." One of them gasped with a sweaty face. It was clear from the start that Arad didn''t know how to massage anyone, yet now his hands were moving like an expert out of nowhere. The bathmaids have spent five years training and worked here for another ten years, yet right now, the skill he''s showing is far beyond what they can achieve. "How in the..." One of the bathmaids cried, her eyes shifting toward the twins massaging Isdis only for her to realise the reality. Arad''s hands were mimicking the twins'' movements. ^Impossible, he already surpassed us who have over fifteen years of experience.^ One of the bathmaids looked at Arad. ^He wasn''t known until recently. I bet he wasn''t hiding. He only started bing an adventurertely. This learning speed is unheard of,^ Arad stood, approaching the twins, "Can I try?" Rey looked at him, "No. With your strength. One wrong move, and you would break her spine." "Sister is right." Ray looked at him, "We will teach youter," Arad looked at Isdis''s back, his eyes sparking dark purple with a hue of yellow flickering. His void eyes, vampire, and wyrmwolf vision all activated at the same time. He could see blood flowing in Isdis''s vein, the muscles and bones of her body twitching and moving. The weakest of them were the stiff ones. "So now you would go here," Arad pointed. "Yes, good guess," Rey replied and went back to her work. "You forgot this part," Arad pointed again, "Look, it''s a bit tough if you poke it." Ray looked closely, "Wait, you''re right," "How about here? This joint didn''t pop yet," He pointed at a part of Isdis''s spine. Rey stared at Arad, confused. She put her hand on Isdis''s back and pushed down. CRACK! The twins paused and stared at Arad, "How the hell did you know?" "I can see it," Arad replied. "No, that doesn''t make sense. How can you see it?" Rey gasped. Arad was disying a strange sense. Most expert massagers relied on their experience the most, but he didn''t have that. "That''s it, I can see it." Arad replied with his hands resting on his hips, "My eyes are powerful enough," "The same way you detected the intruders? How sharp are your senses?" Ray looked at Isdis, "Did you know about this?" "Yeah," Isdis replied, "Arad can see the weakness in people''s bodies to fight them. I bet he''s using that on me," Arad''s three eyes work in a simple way. His void eyes detect magic and show him mana as a blue haze. The vampire sight clearly shows the flow of blood through the body, which usually allows the vampire to bite efficiently, but here, he''s trying to see which part of the body has weak blood flow, too much. Andstly, the wyrmwolf eyes are sensitive to motion and can detect the slightest twitching in muscles and bones due to the heart pulses. And from that blood, Arad''s nose also became extremely good at smelling pheromones and hormones inside other people which allows him to learn their mood, how they feel, and if they are sick, exhausted, or the like. "Let him try, you trust his skill," Isdis said with a smile and Arad started helping the two maids massage her. As Arad slowly worked on Isdis''s back, one thought coursed across his mind. ^This would work well with the pping style. Instead of pain, I can disable someone by hitting them in the correct spots,^ *** After the bath, Arad, Isdis, and the twin maids headed to the dining room for dinner. To their surprise, the royal dinner was canceled that night with everyone taking their food to their room. Simply because the king isn''t present. Arad, Ae, Mira, Eris, and Isdis talked for a while as the maids quickly prepared their food. *** "Lady Isdis," The twins approached carrying and pushing a whole table, "Dinner is ready, shall we head to your room?" Arad and Isdis stood, it was time. Chapter 442 Isdis’s Night VII Arad opened Isdis''s room and walked inside, and she was behind him. The twin maids pushed the tray of food behind them and rested it in the middle of the room. "Please rest. Will get everything ready." The two maids bowed. Arad looked at the food and then at Isdis, "Shall we eat somewhere else?" Isdis''s head twisted, staring at Arad with sparkling eyes, "Really! We''re going now?" Her gasp scared the twins in the back, causing them to stop working. "There no reason not to," Arad replied, and Isdis jumped in ce, "Wait, I have to get my mantle. This would work as well," She rushed to the cab and pulled a mantle and a scarf. The two maids stared at them, "What about dinner?" Isdis stared at them, "Forget about that! I''ve been waiting for this for such a long time!" She had heard tales from Ae and Mira about Arad''s tendency to fly them away. She was especially excited when she heard of Mira''s first trip and how fast Arad could move. Isdis has always been a fan of riding horses. She loves nothing more than sprinting across the ins on a fast steed. To her, Arad was a horse on steroids that could fly and was several times bigger. "If that''s the case," The twins stared at her, "Can we go with you?" Isdis stared at Arad, "I don''t know," Arad thought about it. There was no reason to hide being a dragon from them since they would remain with Isdis. "Why not?" Arad said with a smile as he approached the food tray. With one touch, it disappeared. "Where did the food go?" The two maids red around, and Arad waved his hand, "Don''t worry, I stored it so we can eat outside. Now wear something warm for the trip." After making sure they wore enoughyers, the three stood before Arad. "We''re ready. Where are we going?" Isdis asked. "There is an ind to the west across the sea. we''re going there." Arad had already scouted the area from the sky, and that seemed like a nice ce. "Wait," The twins stared at Arad, "That''s two weeks away," Rey said, "And there is the active trench of Abor in the way." Active trench of Abor, a series of mountainous terrains burning withva and active volcanos. It''s sometimes called Hell on Earth, a ce where tames and sorcerers go to hunt fire-type monsters. There are many active Trenches across the world in the same wayskes and arctic regions exist. "We''re going right through it," Arad replied, his fists resting on his hips as he smiled. Isdis jumped in ce, "YEAH!" The two maids stared at her confused. What could be fun going through such a ce? No, how are they even going there? It''s impossible to get there in less than a week let alone in the middle of the night. Arad extended his arms, "Hold onto me. We first need to get out of the city." The twins remembered Arad teleporting to the walls. "We''re teleporting out?" Rey asked. "Of course, we aren''t walking there," Arad replied. Ae and Mira had told Arad about Isdis before. She mainly likes two things, adventure and writing songs about those adventures. So he has been preparing for a while for this trip, making sure he got a dangerous route. Enough so she can find it fun, and easy enough so he can fly them across safely. As everyone touched Arad''s arms, they found themselves standing in the middle of nowhere, looking at the city from the edge of a mountain. "How?" The maids gasped. They didn''t expect Arad''s range to be this big. Arad cracked his neck once again, and Isdis pulled the twins away from him. "Stand here for a second." She said with an excited face, "This isn''t something that money can buy," The twins stared at her, "What?" CRACK! CRACK! As they asked, they heard Arad''s bones crackle for a second. They turned toward him to see his wings expanding. His massive tail whipped around like a whip, cracking arge stone and ripping a tree in half. Arad''s skin turned ck as his eyes shed purple, his hands twisting into ws as his body bent forward. His body expanded, and the two maids fell on their butts, shaking. BAM! Arad''s wnded on the ground as his massive body growled, ring down at the girls. The two maids looked scared while Isdis held her face with an excited smile and a blush! "Majestic!" She gasped. "Wait! What''s the meaning of this?" The twins stared at Isdis. "I''m a dragon. Well, mother was a dragon, and father should be a human, so you can still call me a half-dragon." He said, his void booming deep causing their chest to vibrate. "A true dragon?" The two maids almost cried. "Don''t worry, I don''t bite," Arad said. "He swallows his food whole," Isdis joked, poking the twins. "Come on, stand up. We''re going on a trip." "No! Dragons are proud creatures," It''s always a known fact that most dragons don''t like carrying people on their backs. "He won''t carry us," "I''m here, remember," Arad called them, "Get on my back. I already prepared a saddle fastened with gravity magic. You won''t fall." Isdis rushed to climb Arad''s wing, taking a spot right above his neck, "This is my ce!" The twins stared at each other and then at Arad, "Really?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Of course, get on my back." He pointed with their w, and they climbed his wing with fearful steps. Arad turned his neck and stared at them, making sure they were strapped well on his back. At the speed he intends to reach flying, the eleration alone could kill them if they slipped outside the gravity magic on his back. Isdis lifted her hand, "Ground trembles beneath the draconic w, the mighty beast flying across the twilight sky, illuminated by the crescent moon." She said with a loud voice. "A dragon''s pride and arrogance is not narcissistic vile, but the power and freedoming with it." Isdis looked down at Arad''s head. "If you''re strong enough, you can do whatever you want, and no one would stop you. Those are dragons, right?" She asked. "Of course, if I want to carry my mate across the sky. I''m doing it, and I don''t care what anyone says or thinks," Arad replied. Isdis looked at the twins. "And there you have it. If a dragon wants to do anything, they will do it. That''s their pride of might makes right. As a dragon, freedom is your creed." As she said that, Arad started moving. Slowly trotting across the forest, he picked up speed before lunging into the sky and expanding his wings. Chapter 443 Lost Red

Chapter 443 Lost Red

As Arad pped his massive wings, Rey and Ray held for dear life as they saw the ground getting far away. Isdis screamed at the top of her lungs with a smile. This was the first time she flew like this and saw the world from above. "Arad! How fast can you go?" "Faster than you expect, hold on tight." ******* Back in the castle, Eris opened her eyes as the night settled. She got out of her coffin and pushed it back under her bed. Arad had asked her to do something when he was out, and she had to start working. She walked toward her bag and opened it up. Inside it, there was arge crystal orb. An appraisal orb. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om DING! The orb glows with white light, and Eris''s stats show in front of her, "Well, it''s working," [They are at an auxiliary chapter at the start of the book. It''s free so look it up. Stats can fill a whole chapter, so I would like to avoid them here.] "I better get moving," She tucked the ball in her pocket and walked out of her room. *** FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! Arad soared across the sky, piercing the clouds at a high speed. Isdis couldn''t get the smile out of her face seeing how fast they were flying. She had heard of people riding griffons or pegasus before, but she was sure none of them reached the speed a dragon could. Dragon riders are rare and a force to reckon with. "I''m going down," Arad said, "Hold tighter," "Wait!" Rey gasped, "You''re fine! There is no..." SWOSH! Arad dived down toward the mountain range. Everyone screamed as they saw him flying directly toward a cliff, "We will crash!" Ray cried, her tears leaving a line in the air. BAM! Arad shifted his body weight and changed his direction. His ws touched the cliff wall as he started running on it at high speed. A dragon''s ws are long and sharp making them natural climbers, and it isn''t strange to see dragons run on walls or cavern ceilings like it''s the ground. CREEK! Arad released his ws and slid across the wall, sliding beneath a massive stone archway in the blink of an eye. CRACK! The moment Arad got out of the arch, a massive lizard emerged from the walls. "An earth wyvern!" Isdis shouted. CLAP! Arad smacked the ground with his tail, causing his body to spin above the wyven. His jaw clenched on the monster''s neck as he ripped his throat apart. The twins stared back in horror as Arad ran past the wyvern, a monster that could terrorize a city have been killed in the blink of an eye. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad ran on the ground for a while until he saw a cave entrance. The mountain was less than four kilometers wide, so he could do a small trick. BAM! He jumped up and expanded his wings, flying one meter above the ground at an extreme speed as he entered the cave. Everything went dark for a second before Arad ignited two mes on his horns, shedding light on the terrifying cavern they were flying inside. "We''re going to hit a wall!" Rey shouted, seeing the ceiling and floor clench down on them as they approached a tight corner. Everyone closed their eyes as the wall approached them rapidly. ZON! No impact. Isdis slowly opened her eyes as she sensed wind racing around her head, She could see the stars of the sky as Arad pped his wings. He used void steps to teleport them to the other side of the mountain. "Don''t worry, we won''t crash into anything," Arad said with a giggle, "I know how to fly, at least I think so," [Dragons can run on all terrains thanks to their ws. They can also fly at high speed with extreme control, swing and hold their breath for almost an hour, and burrow at high speed thanks to their powerful ws.] Arad stopped his wings and fell back toward the ground. Just before the impact, he swung his ws at the soft dirt. Like a wooden nk falling into the water, Arad burrowed into the dirt to absorb the impact and then resurfaced immediately. As Arad stood still, the twin maids lifted their heads, shaking like newborns. "That was..." Ray puked to the side, and Rey barely held herself. "That was amazing!" Isdis shouted, looking at Arad''s head. "That was just the beginning, look," He pointed forward with his w. Burningnds, smoke, and brimstones,va dripped from the mountains ahead of them like rivers. "Hold a moment," Ray gasped, her hands shaking, "Can we rest for a brief moment?" Arad nodded, "Of course," He lowered his wing for them to climb down and pulled a water barrel from his stomach. "Rest here for a bit. I will go hunt some monsters." Isdis and the maids watched Arad lung into the mes as if it were nothing. "No wonder he has all that strength," Rey sighed, sitting on the ground as Ray washed her face. Isdis looked at them, "Well, he''s a dragon," She giggled. **** Arad ran across the mes searching for something to eat. Humans'' food was delicious, but to him, it wasn''t enough. "I heard monster that lives in hot areas taste spicy, like smander and fire cobras," Arad mumbled with a smile. He hadn''t eaten a smander since the incident in Alcott''s well. ROAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR! Suddenly a roar filled the sky, shaking the ground as Arad stoopped, "This cry, a wyrmling?" Arad looked around. [A metallic dragon would help if it was a metallic wyrmling and kill if it was a chromatic one. A chromatic dragon would kill and eat the wyrmling. And we void ignore it and leave.] Mom said. Arad thought for a second, "ug came nheless." BAM! He rushed toward the roar. **** In the middle of the mes, a wyrmling stood atop a pile of monsters. Her right arm was ripped apart and her tail was broken. No matter how many she killed, more kept crawling out of the ground. She red at the monsters, growling and ready to lung again. BAM! A massive wnded behind her, causing the ground to shake so violently that her body bounced up. Arad opened his jaw, [Void Breath] The wyrmling''s vision went ck for a second before she could hear a loud explosion. She didn''t want to turn back as she knew it, an older dragon was behind her. "You look injured, aren''t you?" Arad said, and she didn''t reply. "I would have already killed you if that was my goal," Arad nudged her with his w, "Take this," He threw her arge healing potion. The wyrmling slowly turned her head, staring back at Arad. To her, he seemed titanic, "An adult ck, why help me?" She didn''t know better. "A green dragon came to my help once," Arad replied, staring at the wyrmling, "I just wanted to do the same," The wyrmling stared at the healing potion, hesitant to bite it. "You ran here thinking as a red wyrmling that you could dominate the ce. It seems you were wrong." Arad red closely at the corpses beneath her. "They are resistant to fire," The wyrmling looked down, blood still trailing down her body. She hesitantly bites the potion to heal herself. Arad thought about the wyrmling for a second. She''s a prime target for monsters and humans alike. Since most people know how powerful dragons can get, they target them right after birth. "Come here," Arad lowered his head down, licking the wyrmling. "Here you go. Monsters should avoid you if they smell me on you. But that won''t work on humans so avoid them." The wyrmling stared at him, "Why?" She growled. Dragons never ept help from anyone. "This will onlyst for two or three weeks on you. If you felt it hard to survive on your own, head west, and you will find my domain in Alina. You can stay there till you grow strong enough." Arad then turned to leave. "Who are you?" The wyrmling growled. "Why is a ck dragon helping a red?" "I''m no ck dragon," Arad replied, staring back at her, "I''m a void dragon, one of the magic dragons. My domain is neutral, and everyone is wee as long as they don''t cause trouble." **** Arad returned to Isdis and the maids after hunting several monsters for his dinner. "Where did you go? You took some time," Isdis looked at him as he took more time than she expected. "I found a red wyrmling on my way so I helped her," Arad replied. "A wyrmling? What a shame. Red is nefarious for causing forest fires, so her scales might have been more useful." To Isdis, killing the wyrmling was a more sensible action. "I thought the same as well, but it''s a waste even then," Arad replied, "As a wyrmling, her scales and ws aren''t that developed, and she won''t have much of them either. It''s better to only hunt adult dragons." He replied. "You know better," Isdis said, looking at the twin maids, "You two ready to go?" Chapter 444 Isdis’s Night VIII

Chapter 444 Isdis''s Night VIII

"LOAD THE CANNONS!" A man shouted at the top of his lungs the ship groaned, the deck cracking. SPLASH! A massive brown tentacle rose from the sea, grabbing one of the sailors and throwing him into the water. BAM! The watcher on the crow red down, the ck g pping above his head, "ursed kraken!" His eyes darted down toward the cargo''s chamber, "Cannon charges..." He grabbed the rope off the sails and jumped down, cutting it with his skeleton as he glided across the sshing waves. The Kraken swung his tentacle at the man, hitting the rope. CRACK! The tope twisted, and the sailer''s body spun in the air. He fell face first but didn''t remain down. His legs moved on their own, rushing to the cargo room. ^I must get it,^ BAM! The tentacle rushed behind him, swinging the massive barrel. The sailor jumped at the door, breaking it and rolling into the chamber. His eyes darted around, spotting the cannon charges. Small leather bags filled with ck powder. He smiled, snatching two of them and running outside. "Monster! Come here," He shouted, hiding the bags beneath his shirt. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om SPLASH! A tentacle rose from the sea, rushing at him. ^Fool monster, I will be yourst meal.^ He smiled. Thud! The tentacle stopped at thest moment. The said, stood surprised, but it didn''t take him long to notice why. Even he could tell the wave of magic rushing toward them. "What?" In that split second, he turned his head seeing a ck mass rushing toward them across the sky. Arge body, massive wings, and ws, glittering beneath the stars. The water started shaking as the air rumbled. "DRA..." CLAP! Before the man could finish his scream, Arad flew past the ship, snatching the Kraken by the tentacle with a bite. The kraken''s massive body got pulled from the sea as Arad soared to the clouds causing a massive wave that threw the ship into the sky. SPLASH! As the ship fell back on the water, the surviving sailors rolled on it and one of them cried, "What was that?" "A dragon! Look!" Another pointed with his finger at the sky. The sailor dropped the charges, staring at the sky, "Maids?!" The other sailors looked at him, "What?" "At that moment, I think I saw two maids crying on top of the dragon." He said, staring at the other pirates. "Who cares about your death fantasies? Get the sails down, and let''s get out of here!" The captain shouted in the back, "We''re lucky a dragon was hunting nearby. We must leave before hees for us." **** In the sky, Arad flew into the clouds as Isdis shouted, "We got him!" CLACK! The Kraken wrapped his tentacles around Arad, tying his wings and neck. With his wings, Arad couldn''t keep flying naturally. His body flipped upside down, and the twins fell off. Only Isdis managed to stay by holding onto her saddle. "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Rey and Ray screamed as they fell across the sky. ROAR! Arad roared, swinging his w at the Kraken''s head. CLACK! The Kraken had tentacles to spare and managed to hold Arad in ce. CLANG! Isdis pulled her sword, "Grilled Octopus!" SWOSH! A tentacle rushed at her. Thud! She jumped from Arad''s back and fell in the air,nding on the tentacle and running toward the Kraken''s head. SWOSH! The Kraken sent another tentacle at her, but she managed to dodge it with grace, "Boneless blob!" She swung her sword at the monster''s head. CLACK! A tentacle wrapped around her body, squeezing her in ce. "AHHHHH!" She screamed, before starting tough, "Freeze!" CRACK! The Kraken''s tentacle froze and shattered as Isdis lunged forth and stabbed him in the head. "Brain freeze!" Sheughed as the ice spread across the monster''s head. CRACK! Arad ripped the tentacles around his body and swung a w at the Kraken''s head, killing and absorbing it into his stomach. The twins fell at high speed, approaching the water. Ray closed her eyes as they were about to crash. FLAP! Arad flew down and caught them at thest second, "Are you okay?" He asked. "We almost died!" Rey cried, while Ray almost lost consciousness. "We told you to hold tight," Isdis said as she looked at them with a smile, "You were supposed to be my bodyguards, right?" "No one said we could ride dragons!" Rey said with a sad face, "Where did the monster go?" "We killed it. I didn''t expect to see a Kraken around here," Isdis replied with a smile, "This was the first time I fought mid-air and I love it," "You''re insane!" Rey sighed. She couldn''t believe how weak is their princess''s sense of danger. "I can see the ind, get ready tond," Arad said as he saw a patch ofnd emerge on the horizon. The girls looked to see it, "We really reached it," Rey gasped. "I''m quite fast," Arad replied, "But I can go even faster if you weren''t on my back," "What do you mean this isn''t even your top speed?" Rey giggled. Arad stopped pping his wings and glided down gently until hended on the beach. The girl looked down from his back, "Do people live here?" Isdis asked. "No, only monsters," Arad replied. The ind was small enough to fit in his range, and he couldn''t sense any intelligent creatures. After the girls got down from Arad''s back he transformed back to his humanoid form, "We''re finally here," Rey and Ray looked around. AWOOOOOOOOO! They could hear dire wolves howl in the forest behind the beach. The cold wind washed over them as they stared back at the sea, "What are we supposed to do here?" They asked. An isted ind filled with monsters and in the middle of the night above all else. Normally, surviving here would be impossible. Even with that, the twins weren''t that afraid, either because they were too exhausted to care, or because an apex predator was with them. "That was a dire wolf howel, right? It sounded strange," Isdis had a sharp hearing, and she asked Arad. "Dire wolves aren''t that big," Arad replied, "This one is a massive lizard," CRACK! As Arad said that, the trees at the forest edge cracked, and a massive creature walked out. The ground shook from its weight. "HE!" The twins jumped to hide behind Arad, and even Isdis walked back, sweating, "This might be a problem," She gasped. The creature was massive, standing on two legs like a chicken but featherless. It had a massive skull with a terrifying jaw, small eyes, and front arms. Its gigantic tail swings from left to right helping it bnce. [That''s a t-rex, some schrs think they are the dragons'' ancestors. But that''s a false im.] "Stay here," Arad walked toward the monster with a smile, ring at it, "Get back to the forest," ROAR! The t-rex roared, preparing to lung at Arad. Arad looked back at the girls, "Close your ears. This one only understands screams." CRACK! Arad took a deep breath and opened his mouth, ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! His voice boomed across the whole ind, shaking the forest to the core. Even people standing at the kingdom''s shores could hear a faint whine in the sea. The moment the t-rex heard Arad''s roar, he could understand. The image of an even bigger monster than him showed. The ind has been isted for centuries, people doe here, but none was like Arad. Thud! The t-rex backed away, running back into the forest. "Now, let''s eat dinner," Arad looked back at the girls with a smile. "That was loud," Isids said with a smile on her face. "Monsters here are quite strong, so don''t wander far from me. Try to stay at least within one kilometer," Arad said with a smile, and the girls stared at him, "We aren''t getting ten meters away from you." Arad extended his hand and pulled arge table from his stomach alongside the camping equipment. "Food should still be hot, but let''s ignite a campfire. I want to grill some of that Kraken." Arad and Isdis started eating without a sign of stopping, while the twins found it hard to swallow any food. "You won''t eat?" Arad looked at them. "We''re a bit too exhausted." Rey sighed. "Sister is right. Who knew we would fly all the way here," Ray added. "You two wanted toe with us," Isdis stared at them. "We thought you were going to eat at the garden''s table or in the city," Rey stared at Isdis, "With you like this, you''re putting your father to shame with his night trips to the tavern for cheese and beer." "Are there any monsters that you can''t defeat?" Ray looked at Arad. "I never heard of a half-dragon that can transform into a dragon," "Stronger dragons and probably some types ofrge monsters or special ones," Arad replied. "He isn''t omnipotent, and monsters around the human kingdom aren''t that powerful. Go to the demonoid-infested east, and Arad won''t survive for long." Isdis said, waving her spoon. "Demonoids?" Arad looked at her, "Tieflings?" "No, tieflings are half demons. True demons live in the abyss, while demonoids are monsters with demonic blood." Isdis exined, "Demons rarely harm humans as the demon lord lives with us, and tieflings are normal people. That only leaves demonoids to cause trouble." "I see," Arad nodded as they finished dinner. **** "So now," Arad lifted his hand and conjured a massive bed, "Kin and Gin aren''t around, so we should have some privacy." Chapter 445 Isdis’s Night IX

Chapter 445 Isdis''s Night IX

"Outside?" Isdis looked at Arad, "I know no one lives here, but really?" "You said it yourself," Arad looked around, "I say we have more privacy here than back at the castle with Kin and Gin around," "You''re right," Isdis nodded and turned toward Rey and Ray, "So, what about you two?" "We will wait here in case you need any help," Rey bowed in the back. "It''s our job to help with anything. We don''t want another Marinarona situation," Ray said with a gentle bow. "Marwhat?" turned toward Isdis with a confused face. "One of the previous queens. She died from blood loss on her first night. And her sister had to take her ce as queen." Isdis replied, "It was then when the tradition of always having two handmaids became mandatory." "It would have been caught had a third person was present," Rey added. "We''re both trained as Dos and midwives as well. You can rely on us when the timees," looked at Arad. "Once again, what''s that?" Arad stared back at Isdis. "Do refers to a maid or a servant who is trained in giving physical and emotional support to a pregnant woman. Things like walking around, changing clothes, and helping through times of emotional instability. Midwives are also maids or servants, but they are trained to help a woman give birth and take care of everything else." Isdis pointed at Rey and Ray, "Their skills are unmatched," Rey looked at Isdis, "You forgot the important parts," "We''re also expected to care for the baby and even breastfeed it if the mother got sick or didn''t feel well," Ray added. Arad stared at the two maids. He was worried about any of the girls giving birth to an egg and how could that work, but now he could offload that to Rey and Ray to think about it. "Then I have a job for you two," Arad looked at the two maids, "Find a way for a woman to safely give birth to arge egg," The twins looked at each other. Women don''t give birth to eggs. "We''ll think about it." They replied. Both maids thought the same thing. It didn''t matter whether that was true or false. It''s their job to find it. **** "Arad!" Isdis waved her hand, pulling Arad to the bed, and stared at the twins, "Give us some space." The twins bowed, "Have a good time," They started walking away before stopping. They turned around and looked at Arad, "Call us if you find her boring," "You two!" Isdis pointed her hand at them, [Ice wave] A gust of freezing wind rushed at Rey and Ray, sending them flying. Each of them had a passive face as theynded beside the tents on their legs. They looked at each other, "I thought she wouldn''t control her magic," Rey said. "She''s still calm," Ray nodded. *** Beside the bed, Isdis panted as she red toward the tents, "Finally, they are gone," "You''re the one who wanted to bring them," Arad stared at her. "Well," Isdis stared at him, "Only in case we need them," She turned toward the bedside and looked inside her bag. From it, she pulled her biwa. "Shall we start?" Arad looked at her, confused, "I doubt we would need that," At least, he now has enough experience to know they don''t need that clunky piece of wood on the bed. Isdis pointed at him, "First step, service." crossing her eyebrows and staring at Arad with puffed cheeks, "Can''t skip that," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ^She seems slightly angry for some reason. It Better let her keep going.^ "Go ahead," Arad nodded. "Your show was the trip, and it was amazing. Now it''s my turn. I shall show my worth as a bard," She smiled, pulling on the strings of her biwa. One sting after the other with no words,plimented with graceful moves beside the campfire. Isdis danced and sang as Arad watched in silence. In the back, Arad could spot Rey staring at them with a passive face. She waved her arms around as if trying to say something. "Humph! Humph!" She kept repeating the same moves. Intrigued, Arad tried to see what she was thinking of. From the vague information he got, he learned that whatever she wanted, could be achieved by mimicking her. Arad lifted his palms and smacked them together, pping. And slowly, he started to follow Isdis''s tune. He could see Rey in the back giving him a thumbs up and disappearing back into the tent. Soon after, Isdis slowly started getting closer and closer to Arad, shaking her chest and butt right in front of his face. He stared at her for a while. He got the feeling that he should take her clothes off but wasn''t sure. As Isdis started to get visibly frustrated, Arad managed to spot Ray in the back doing a motion simr to taking her clothes off. ^So I was right,^ Arad lifted his hand, touching the tip of Isdis''s rove with his finger. ZON! It disappeared, leaving her only in lingerie and corset. White bra and panties, beige corset, and long semi-transparent white stockings. Isdis stared at Arad as she danced and then suddenly stole a nce at the maid''s tent. They were standing there. ^Arad beente to act, but he never made a mistake. I''m sure those two are tipping him off somehow,^ She thought. "Thinking of something?" Arad said, staring at her. "No," Isdis looked back at him with a smile, approaching him so close she almost sat on hisp, "You seemed to give more attention to the tents over there," "About that. Rey and Ray helped me figure out what you were doing," Arad replied immediately, and he could see the twins ring back at him from the tent. "No hesitation," Isdis looked at Arad with an exhausted face, "Well, I guess there is nothing to hide," DANG! She stopped ying with her biwa and sat on hisp. "Well then, shall we get to it?" With a smile on her face, Arad could feel her hand slowly pulling on his pants, "My show isn''t over yet," Chapter 446 Blood Trail

Chapter 446 Blood Trail

Back in the castle: Thud! Eris knocked on Ae''s door, "Ae, it''s me," Ae opened the door, yawning, "Eris, do you need something?" Eris pulled a small bag and handed it to Ae, "Hold onto this for me. I have work to do," "What kind of work?" Ae asked, sensing a faint magic from the bag. "Investigate something for Arad," Eris looked around and walked into Ae''s room, locking the door. "The god of murder''s cult. Arad believes there are some of them in this city as we faced a dracolichst night." Eris exined. "If that was true, wouldn''t it be dangerous for you to go alone?" "More people would make it harder for us to sneak around," Eris pointed at the back, "Look inside." Ae looked inside the bag only to see a vial of blood, "That''s my blood. I heard strong vampire lords can bring their spawns if they are killed. Arad can''t do it now, but I''m sure he will achieve that level in a few years." "Wait, you can''t rely on that," Ae closed the bag. "You aren''t going alone," "Sorry, but I must go," Eris looked around, "Zephyr, knock her out," Zephyr emerged above Ae''s head, flicking one finger, and she fell asleep. Zephyr stared at Eris as she used her wind to move Ae toward the bed, "Arad didn''t tell you to investigate them, did he?" "You can tell," Eris smiled, looking down. "They serve the god of murder. There are bound to be some pdins with them," Zephyr said. Pdins serve the gods, but that doesn''t mean the gods need to be good. "The pdin of the murder," Eris growled, "That vile urge masked as a holy being," "I see," Zephyr sighed, "That''s your target. Won''t it be safer if you waited for Arad? Or even, why do you want to kill him?" "All I know about Mother is that she was killed by the vile urge, or at least that''s what Father said once. So, I''m going to kill him." Eris growled sparks of purple sma glowing in her eyes. "Your life isn''t yours, so don''t waste it," Zephyr smiled, "Shi no Cho." "What was that?" Eris stared at Zephyr, confused. "The butterfly of death, don''t fly too close to the pyre or you will burn." Eris lunged out of the window, quickly climbing the castle walls and rushing away. Eris stood on top of a high building, staring down at the capital under the moonlight. ^I can smell blood from here,^ She looked toward the slums. ^It''s the god of murder after all.^ Thud! She jumped down, thrusting her ws at the wall to slow down. BAM! After a swiftnding, she looked around in the darkness, smelling blood everywhere. ^The blood of one man and one woman, he''s dead, but she was only injured.^ By sniffing the blood, a vampire can get a rough estimate of their prey''s condition like a wolf chasing its bleeding prey. The way it works is by determining if the blood is clean and what is in it. If it''s parts of an important organ, he''s mostly dead. But if it''s clean, it''s mostly alive. ^The man''s blood has parts of his liver and intestine. Disemboweled, and he won''t stay alive for long.^ By being an expert mortician, she has dicected enough bodies to tell. ^The woman was only cut across her back. She will live, probably left for the altar''s sacrifice.^ Eris growled, standing and chasing the smell of the blood while keeping to the shadows. The god of murder, even his name remains hidden as it''s only told to people before their death. ^They took only took her several minutes ago. I should be able to save her.^ After several minutes of chasing the smell, Eris reached the city walls. She looked around, but there didn''t seem to be a way for the cultists to go, especially while carrying a corpse and a woman. Standing there for a few seconds, She only found that the smell of the blood ended there. ^They can''t go through the main gate, that only means...^ She approached the wall, ^No, they didn''t climb it,^ Feeling the cold breeze around her, Eris racked her brain trying to figure out how the cultists escaped. Since there was no clear way, it only meant one thing. ^Teleport magic. But their range must be short since otherwise, they would have teleported from a spot far from the wall.^ She looked around, the ce was empty, but it could be easily watched from afar. They will only risk it if they don''t have any other option. She expanded her ws and started climbing the walls. The gate guard would try to stop her if she went there, and that wasted time could lead her to miss the cult. One of the guards on the wall spotted something climbing, and he pulled a torch, "Who''s there!" He growled. Eris red at the man, her eyes glowing red, "You can go sleep." The guards waved for a second as he turned around, "I can go sleep..." He mumbled. Eris quickly climbed the wall and jumped down, looking around. ^Good, I can smell the blood again.^ She walked across the empty grasnd, still smelling the burned wood from the dragon''s attack. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ^Damn it, the smoke is covering the scent of blood. I can''t run, or I will lose track of it.^ Eris kept moving slowly until she reached an old farm. Therge wheat farm had half of its crop burned, the barn torn down, and some parts of the main house charred, but it still had light inside. People still live there. Eris approached the door and took a big whiff. There is no mistaking it. The cult went through this house. Knock! Knock! She knocked on the door, "Excuse me! Is someone home?" After a few seconds, she could hear footsteps approaching the door, "Who is it?" "Eris from the eastern farms," Eris replied. Click, the door opened slightly, and a woman stared at her. "Don''t know that name," "I recently married," Eris looked down, "Our house just crumbled from the burns. I was wondering if I could spend the night inside?" She asked, staring at the door. It was still closed with chains, she must convince the woman to open the door on her own, or she will alert the cult inside. "We''re struggling on our own, scram!" CLAP! The woman smacked the door closed. "Look somewhere else," "Only today! Please. I can''t keep walking," Eris called again. "You came here. Surely you can go somewhere else." The woman replied from the inside, and Eris could hear her going deeper into the house. ^How about I make myself seem like a rare sacrifice? That''s has to change their minds.^ "I''m pregnant and won''t be able to move much," Eris called, and she could hear the woman inside stop. ^It''s working...^ CLICK! The woman opened the door, "Fine, but you leave at the first light," As Eris walked inside, she could see the chains flickering with magic at the door. It was the right call not to barge. "You sleep on the couch, rest, and I will bring you some water," The woman said with a smile, turning to head toward the kitchen. ^Three people. This woman in front of me. One man was upstairs, and one just walked in through a door in the basement. The scent of blood is strong down there so that must be the secret entrance, and he should have the key.^ FLICKER! The candles flickered for a second as Eris opened her mouth. CRACK! The woman gasped as she felt fangs digging into her neck. She tried to scream, but her neck felt numb. Thud! Thud! Using her elbow, the woman started smacking Eris on the stomach to force her away, but to no avail. The man upstairs walked down, seeing the woman struggling in Eris''s mouth. "An intruder?" He growled, pulled an axe from his waist, and threw it. Eris used the woman as a body shield to stop the axe before dropping her and lunging forward. One foot on the table and another on the stairs, and in the blink of an eye, her ws pierced the man''s stomach. Thud! The man didn''t flinch and swung his arms down, grabbing Eris by the head and smacking her on the face with his knee. "GRAH!" He cried as his knee started bleeding, and Eris''s fangs ripped clean through his flesh. "Monst..." Before he could finish, she bit his neck, draining from all blood. "GAH! Disgusting, but I need the healter," She wiped her lips as she looked at the basement door. "What''s the noise?" The door opened, and a man walked out. His eyes darted across the room, seeing the woman''s corpse on the ground. "We''re..." CRACK! Eris''s hand reached down from the ceiling, catching the man by the face and lifting him up. He struggled, trying to swing his fist up and hitting Eris''s hand. "WRYYYY," Eris sighed, tanking all of his punches to her arm, "It''s over," CRACK! Her ws dug into his face, killing him on the spot. She jumped from the ceiling andnded beside the man, searching his pockets. ^Good, I found the keys,^ She pulled every key he had and went to the basement to try them all. Inside the dust-filled, old musty basement Eris easily saw a stone door hidden behind the barrels. ^Nice skills, but I can smell blood so you aren''t hiding it from me.^ After three attempts, she finally got the door open. As the massive door crackled open, Eris stood there ring down. The rancid smell of the dead assaulted her nose. ^A rotten morgue,^ She growled, taking a step inside. Her eyes glow with a faint purple me, decorated with a crimson glimmer. With each step, her blood boiled. "This ce needs some cremation." She mumbled. Chapter 447 Rancid Blood

Chapter 447 Rancid Blood

After a few steps, darkness consumed the stairs as Eris pushed deeper. Tip! Tap! She could only hear her footsteps as she looked into the dark. The stairs have shifted into a humid, musty cave stinking with blood. She could feel it in her bones. This cave isn''t a ce someone should stroll into. Thud! The cave opened into arge cavern with stone stairs spiraling down into an open teau. "You daree back?" A voice called from the ceiling. A man stared at Eris as he stood in a balcony-like stone formation close to the ceiling. He pointed a bow at her, "Can''te here without murder," "Don''t worry," Eris stared at him with a smile, "I will embalm you soon," "Sacrifice the priests to their god, poetic for our god," The man smiled, "But your blood is far better for the job," He pulled the string, "Murder her," Eris could hear several bows getting tight. She took a deep whiff of the air but couldn''t catch where they were hiding. The stench of blood masked everything. She smiled. FUSH! A firey spear emerged in her palm, shedding light on the endless darkness. "Try if you can," With one powerful jerk, she threw the spear toward the man on the balcony, sting a hole in his skull. At that moment, Eris could see ten arrows around her body. Her eyes darted between them, quickly deducing where they came from. ^Found you,^ Swosh! She dashed to the side, her eyes leaving a red trail. CRACK! ws extended from her feet as she started running across the wall with a smile, dodging the tens of arrowsing her way. THUD! Her head jolted at an extreme speed, dodging thest arrows as she lunged at one of the archers, "Suprise!" The man pulled a dagger and swung at her with a smile on his face, "Die!" Eris blocked the attack with her arm and punched the man in the chest. As he gasped, her w sliced his face. Thud! The man fell on his face, bleeding, and she used him as a tform to jump from. More arrows rushed at her, but she already knew where the archers hid. SWOSH! A fire spear emerged in her hand, and she threw it at the ceiling, causing stones to fall and kill two of the archers. As the dusk masked the darkness even further, the cultist archers could only see the red trails of Eris''s eyes shing in the dark. Her footsteps were as silent as cats, but her shes left a gory and mushy echo in the air. After a few seconds, only one cultist remained, "Magnificent murder," He said with a smile. Thud! Eris emerged from the darkness behind him, swinging her w, "But I''m blessed," With a smile on his face, he turned and deflected her strike. BAM! Punching her in the face, he sends her flying back. "The more of mypanions die, the stronger I get," His fist crackled with strange red magic. SWOSH! Eris quickly regained her stance and lunged at him, "Your blessing means nothing," She swung her w again, but he deflected it, countering with a punch that she dodged. "Lucky," He said with a smile. CRACK! In the blink of an eye, Eris lifted her leg at a tremendous speed, hitting the man''s jewels as hard as she could. His eyes almost popped out of their socket as his breath stopped. "Got the strength and speed, but not the skill to control them." BAM! BAM! She gave him another two kicks to the jewels, dropping him on his knees. Thwack! In the blink of an eye, she hit him with her knee to the jaw, lifting his body up. "There is only one man!" Eris growled, punching the man in the chest and shattering one of his ribs. "That I would!" Two w stabes to the guts almost drew his intestines. "To hit me!" She unleashed a barrage of punches at the man''s chest, tattering his bones. "In the face!" CLAP! She smacked him in the face with an open palm, following it with a downward punch to the cor bone, shattering it. "And get away with it," In the blink of an eye, she swung her w and ripped the man''s throat, knocking his body to the ground. CRACK! Her footnded on his skull, "And he isn''t you," With just enough force, she forced his brain out. Eris stared around at the bloodbath, remembering the old days in Rita city where she killed for money and food. "We might not be so different after all," She walked deeper into the cave. Before, Eris defeated one of Alice Dagon''s projections. That feat alone put her on a power levelpared to S-ranks. As with thebination of her bloodline magic and vampiric nature, she won''t be killed with normal means. **** A long hallway of smooth and marbled stones spread in front of Eris, leading to a massive stone door. A dreadful aura emanated from the cracks, chilling the air. ^An ancient burial, they must be using it as a temporary base. Since where those lunatics were holed up here?^ She approached the door, touching it. The door remained sealed, refusing to budge an inch no matter how strongly she pushed. Eris looked around, inspecting the area around the door only to find the murder god symbol on the ground, ^A sacrifice? No, something else,^ "Mistress? Did youe back?^ A squeaky voice came from the dark, startling Eris. She lunged forth, catching the ugly creature. Red, tiny, and disgusting. Long ears, mangled eyes, and a massive nose. The stench of the hells reeked of the cursed being. An Imp, drenched in its own blood. "Monster!" Eris growled. "Mistress, I''m no monster, I swear." The creature cried, "No, wait. You aren''t mistress, she''s already dead," "What are you?" Eris extended her ws, ready to open the creature like a pumpkin. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Name''s Pin, ugly Pin Mistress called Pin." The creature lifted his hands, "I''m Mistress Demitric''s loyal pet," Thud! Eris threw the creature on the ground, "Mother''s pet?" Cough! Cough! Pin coughed, rubbing his neck, "Rough with Pin, just like your mother was, I like it," He smiled. "Why are you here?" Eris growled, willing to listen to the creature, but still considering turning him to ash. "Ahem," Pin cleared his throat from the blood and looked at Eris, "Since your mother failed her task, Pin was sentenced to kill himself over and over, and over until the god of murder willed me free," Eris stared at the creature, "What mixed you, mother, and the god of murder?" She couldn''t understand what the god of murder had to do with it all and why he had a say in her mother''s familiar. "Your mother was a candidate to inherit this ce, and lead the believers of blood to salvation." Pin lifted his hands, "Pin was excited, drenched in joy as she almost stood atop this disgusting ce. But s, she failed," He shook his head. The blood in his eyes flowed, "But, that doesn''t matter now, past is past." "It matters," Eris growled, conjuring her spear and pointing it at Pin''s head. "It isn''t for Pin to speak in the matter now," He waved his hand, moving out of the way and leaving Eris facing the massive door. "You''re her daughter and the rightful heir. And I shall be your, little Pet." He giggled. CRACK! The door cracked as it slowly opened, "Go ahead, Blood mistress. Reim your inheritance, your birthright from the usurper inside." As the door opened, a wave of magic and death stench washed over the cave. "What a magnificent odor," Pin twitched, sniffing the air, "Like a rotten rat on the street of a sunny summer day. Utterly disgusting," Eris red back at Pin. "Go ahead, Mistress. Pin opened the door for you. My the god of murder watch over you," He said with a grin. CLING! Eris pointed her sma spear at his neck. Pin lifted his hands. "Pin Is sorry, Mistress. I forget my usualpliments." His head twitched, "You smell utterly, rancid. Like you''re been ying with corpses for decades. Ah, yes, I can see it." He smiled, "You''re been a mortician all those years, a befitting job for someone so attuned, to death. Pin likes it." Disgusted, and feeling a bit ufortable, Eris decided to ignore the imp and proceeded into the cultist''s base. *** Pin watched her march inside and nodded with a smile, "May murder guide you." He giggled, "Ph! What is Pin saying, Murder already guides you, isn''t it?" He looked back, able to smell the corpses Eris left in her wake. Puff! He disappeared in a puff of mes. *** Inside, Eris could see the burial expanding and the symbols of the god of murder filled the ce, drawn in blood. She looked forward, and the main hall was filled with chanting cultists, standing around an altar with the kidnapped woman chained to it. Chapter 448 Clash Of Killers

Chapter 448 sh Of Killers

The burial opened into arge chamber lit by torches and glowing blood bowels. The middle tform rested in the middle, holding a massive obsidian altar. That is only essed by four staircases, one on each side. And blow those stairs, what seemed like a limitless void spanned into the nothingness. Looking around, tens of cells dotted around the outer perimeter, containing both the dead and the living. Inside the burial chamber, the cultists gathered around the sacrificial altar with the woman chain on it. Most of them chanted, their voices shaking the ce. CLICK! CLACK! CLICK! CLACK! Eris walked out of the main door, slowly descending the stairs. The cultists stopped chanting and stared back, seeing her glowing with blood magic. "Who are you?" One cultist stood before Eris, lifting his hand to block her. CRACK! Without moving much, She extended her hand, grabbing him by the neck, her ws digging into his flesh. "I''m already full, so get out of the way," With one shove, she threw him into the abyss, and his screams could be heard getting further away. "Beautiful," The armored man standing beside the altar said with a smile, putting the dagger he was holding on the table beside the chained woman. Eris red at him, "Release her," Her eyes shed red. The room quickly filled with her presence, [Draconic divergence] "RIGHT NOW!" She growled, and half of the cultists fell on their knees, shaking. "Sadly, I can''t. He requires a sacrifice and one that screams well at that." He lifted the dagger again, licking it, "Want to get in her ce? Escaped little girl?" He giggled, "Or should I just kill her, right now?" He swung the dagger down, stabbing the woman''s leg, and her screams filled the room. He then stared at Eris, "What will you do now? Time is running out." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Eris cracked her neck, "Normally, I should scream and lung at you. I have my personal motives to rip you apart as well," Her face twisted, "But there are tens of people locked in the cells around us. Making a rash move could make me lose and doom them to oblivion." Eris''s eyes looked around the man, and she noticed something. ^He may be an evil god, but a god nheless. If I stepped into the ritual altar, I would get burned by holy magic. The man was baiting her,^ He burstughing, swinging the dagger around then threw it into the void, "Of course, you won''t be so soft," The man started walking toward Eris, holy magic crackling from his armor. "A child lost to time only lived with luck," He said, his eyes ring with magic. "Demitric didn''t really raise you, but you grew to be a ruthless killer just like her. To bad that side ruthlessness didn''t extend to her daughter," "I know you killed her, and I came here to cremate you," Eris growled, conjuring her sma spear. "You just don''t know," He giggled, "Your mother was our leader, a bloodthirsty vampire lord that walked on a mountain of corpses." Eris red at the man, and he giggled, "Don''t look at me like that. She trained me for years. I knew her better than you. That''s why, I was saddened when she failed her holy order," SWOSH! Eris swung her spear at the man, and he blocked it with ease, "The lord of murder demanded she kill her own daughter. By doing so, he will grant her the purest of his power, the incarnation of violence." CLANG! He deflected Eris''s spear down and punched her back with a powerful holy fist. "Instead, the foolish didn''t just fail her holy mission. She sent you away where none of us could kill you and help her finish the mission. She couldn''t be saved, and god gave me my holy mission, to kill her." He pointed his sword at Eris as she stood, her bones rattling. "AH! Mistress!" Pin appeared standing on the altar, "Kill the imposter and take your mother''s inheritance. The rightful owner hade back, seeking a blood sport," As the imp lifted his arms, the ground shook with a thunder wave, sting all the cultists to the out perimeter. The man looked back, smiling, "You filthy little imp, you were still alive," BAM! Eris lunged forth, swinging her w at the pdin''s head. "One-on-one, I won''t have it any other way." He swung the de up and blocked Eris''s w. KA-DON! sma engulfed Eris''s foot as she sent a kick at the pdin''s head. CLANG! He deflected the kick with his de, only to see Eris''s other w flying at his face. CLANG! CLANG! BAM! CLANG! One strike after the other, Eris kept throwing ws and kicks and he parried and deflected all of them until his de turned red hot. Thwack! With thest strike, he lunged back and took a stance. "Ouch! Hot," He stared at her with a grin. "Tch!" Eris grunted, "Monster," "Hehe," He giggled, "Thanks for thepliment. And now, it''s my turn," Thwack! With one powerful leap, he blitzed forward at a blinding speed. CRACKLE! Isdis conjured her sma spear, lifting it up to block the attack. [Divine Smite] BAM! The pdin''s sword connected with her spear, emitting a bright light that washed over the burial chamber. BOOM! With an explosion, Eris''s body flew back at a tremendous speed, smacking onto the wall. GAH! She coughed blood, and the moment she opened her eyes, she could see him flying toward her with a second swing. "Damn it!" Eris moved to the side, dodging the swing at thest moment.?The wall cracked as the second divine smite hit. The other cultists cried, some cheered and the others screamed as they saw Eris run away on the walls. The Pdin stared at her with a smile on his face, "Vampire, your ws are useful. We humans don''t have such things," He bent down and lifted a stone from the rubble. "Have you heard of stoning?" With a grin on his face, he bent backward [Divine Smite] BAM! He threw the stone like a thunderbolt, a crackling with holy magic. "Huh?" Eris jumped off the walls and back to the arena, dodging the stone. ^If he has ranged options then I can''t just stay away and fire at him.^ She lifted her hand, conjuring a sma spear. BAM! She threw the spear like a javelin, burning harder with her sma. The Pdin stared at the spear in that split-second. ^Unstable magic, it will explode on impact.^ He picked another stone and threw it [Divine Smite] With a smile on her face, Eris pointed down with her finger and the spear changed direction, dodging the stone and flying directly at the pdin. "GEHE!" The pdin gasped, ^She can control it?!^ He jumped aside, using his sword as a shield. [Shield of Faith] BOOM! The spear exploded in a rose of mes upon contact, and the pdin got sted back. The moment hended and lifted his head, he could see four more spears flying toward him. "There are moreing!" Eris shouted, conjuring a fifth spear and throwing it. CLAP! She pped her hand, "Dance!" PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! The five spears flew at tremendous speed and the pdin barely dodged aside, leaping from one spot to the other as they tried to hit him. As he did his best to dodge, he could see Eris moving her fingers. ^She''s manually controlling them, I should be able to distract her.^ With one swift move, he kicked a stone at her [Divine smite] BOOM! One spear hit him and exploded, but the other four all missed and exploded at the wall as Eris dodged the stone. ^Tch! The bastard is sharp,^ She growled, getting ready to fire another spear. The moment the smoke cleared from where the pdin was hit, he was nowhere to be seen. CLICK! Eris''s ears picked up the sounding from her back, she instantly turned swinging her spear. Nothing was there, only the pdin''s helmet rolling on the ground. "What?" She gasped. BAM! From the edge of the tform, the pdin emerged and swung his sword at Eris [Divine Cleaver]. He''s been waiting for her to turn around. Eris turned around rapidly and lifted her spear, blocking the divine cleaver at thest moment. CRACK! BOOM! Eris was sted back and hit the wall again, her body smoking from the holy magic. "Tch!" The pdin grunted, "Your spear took most of the hit and exploded, sting you away from my spear. Barely any holy magic reached you," With a smile on his face, "How many pdins have you fought before to get such an experience?" CRACK! Eris fell on her face, sma crackling from her hair and back. "A shit tone of your kind," She stood, leaning on the wall, "But, one of them was a real monster. Even more than you," She smiled, remembering her fight with Lydia. Chapter 449 Burning Plasma

Chapter 449 Burning sma

CRACK! "AHHH!" from the dust of the wall, the pdin walked out, cracking his neck as his burned face and caved nose healed. "I never got hit like this before." He growled, blood dripping from his mouth. ^He''s still alive after that? He''s human!^ Eris red at him, unable to stand. "Wanting to know how I survived? It''s simple, really," He smiled as his face healed, "When I noticed you overpowering me, I focused all of my holy magic on healing instead of attacking. To be honest. It was a fifty-fifty gamble." Eris growled, sparks of sma igniting on her back and fading again. She''s burned out. "The reason you lost is because you gambled everything on one move and didn''t have the support of our god. Power that belongs to you is as limited as yourself, while holy magic drawn from the gods is as limitless as them. You never stood a chance against me," Heughed, lifting his de up, "I wonder what blessing I would get by murdering you." He smiled, "AH! You would make a fine sacrifice," BAM! He lunged forward with his sword held high. ^Tch!^ Eris growled, ^Move!^ She screamed internally, barely managing to stand up and move out of the way. CLAN! The pdin''s sword struck the ground, but he didn''t stand. In one swift move, he swung a kick at Eris''s chest, sending her flying. "It''s your end! Eris Kisue!" Stomping forward, the pdin swung his sword like a thunderp [Divine Cleaver] Striking the falling Eris from the shoulder down to her hips. CLAP! Eris''s body flew back at a tremendous speed, smacking onto the wall. "Hem?" The Pdin stared at his de, it glowed red and the edge had already dulled. "Even though I tried avoiding your heat and cooled my sword by swinging it, your me still damaged it. What a shame, it cost me a lot." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Eris fell down, her body didn''t get cut in half only since the pdin''s sword had dulled, but that didn''t mean she didn''t get hit with the full burn of the divine cleaver. Eris''s vision turned ck as she felt her heart slowing toward a halt. Her vampiric abilities and regeneration have shut down, and the holy magic in her body rapidly destroyed her cells. Death was close. ^It''s finally my funeral...^ Eris thought, ^I shouldn''t go without cremation.^ With all of her vampiric powers gone, she only had onest thing. [Unleashed sma] She would simply release all the draconic magic in her blood, causing it to explode and kill herself and everyone else around. Onest burst of heat. Eris lifted her arms, fists closed. "Spark of sma, back to ash..." She mumbled and the pdin instantly jumped back, sweating. ^A dying dragon, she has something hidden.^ It was a known fact that a grown dragon never goes down easily, and the white dragon that attacked recently was the greatest example. He could feel it in his bones, she''s a dying dragon, nothing could be more dangerous. Eris stared forward at the pdin, her blood slowly lighting with a purple glow. *** CRACK! Eris remembered a day when she fought Arad in a mock battle and he punched her in the face each time she approached him. "Hey! Can you stop?" Eris growled, ring at Arad. "No, why are you talking instead of hitting back?" Arad replied, staring at her. "You''re stronger and faster than me. Trying to punch you stupid, I would only open myself for a counter," Eris replied. She had already tried and failed. "Hmmm," Arad thought approaching her, "When I first took you in, I thought that I got myself a dakaina mate. But I seem to have been wrong, you''re more elvish than draconic." He looked at her face. "I''m a half-dragon," Eris red at him. "Then act like a drakaina, why do you give up like elves or humans?" Arad stood there, eyeing her. "I''m weaker than you and that''s a fact, I have to act per that in a fight if I''m to have a chance at winning," Eris stared back at him, "Forget that, I''m your spawn as well. I might have no chance at winning against you." Arad nodded, "You really aren''t a drakaina. No heat, no arrogance, and no anger." When a dragon takes a drakaina as a mate by dominating her in a fight, she will submit, but that''s only on the surface. The arrogance of the dragons would never allow her to believe she''s weaker than him, and in every waking second, she will actively n to grow stronger and kill him. "Dragons are proud, arrogant, greedy, and narcissistic. Why is your draconic blood and pride so weak?" Arad tapped her head, "Be arrogant, prideful, and greedier, look down on everyone so me defeating you can have a meaning." *** Eris smiled as blood trailed down her face, "Fuck it! I don''t care anymore," She lifted her hands with a crazed smile on her face. The Pdin stared at her for a second, bbergasted. She forced herself to stand, her bones cracking but her muscles holding tight. As the pdin looked at her smile, he could feel a cold sweat drip across his back. ^Dragons are more dangerous close to death. Their bodies are perfected and might not fit humans'' logic. They operate on apletely different biology.^ CLAP! Eris put her hands together, ring forward with a grin and her eyes twitching. The image of Arad unleashing his Void expansion for the first time shed in her mind. ^Why can he do that and I can''t? No, I can do it, it doesn''t matter, I''m going to get stronger than him.^ "Mix unleashed sma with death butterfluy. Don''t care about the coteral damage, just unleash everything in your blood and beat it into submission." She mumbled, "I not getting beaten by my own blood, that would be a disgrace." CLAP! She smacked her palms together. [Unleashed sma] [Death Butterfly] Her body burst into sma sending a wave of heat that started melting the ground. "sma Expansion: Purple Sun!" Chapter 450 [Plasma Expansion: Purple Sun]

Chapter 450 [sma Expansion: Purple Sun]

[sma Expansion: Purple Sun] Eris shouted, and the pdin lunged at her, swinging his sword down. "I won''t let you!" He yelled, [Divine Cleaver] Eris lifted her hand, sma bursting from her back into butterfly-like wings. CLANG! She caught the divine cleaver in her hand, the sma forming a thickyer between her palm and the holy magic of the de. Sparks flew everywhere as the ground beneath Eris''s feet cracked and melted "GEHE!" The pdin gasped, "Impossible! A vampire caught a divine cleaver?" As Eris red at him, it was apparent. What he faced now wasn''t a vampire but a drakaina. Looking at her eyes, he could see they had already shifted into cat-like eyes, shing with a deep purple glow. "Human," Eris growled, "Burn!" BA-dump! BA-dump! Eris''s heart started racing as her blood sparked with a purple wave of sma. VROOOOOOM! In the blink of an eye, her heartbeats elerated to hundreds. The pdin''s sword started melting as thepressed sma exploded from her body, filling a ten-meter radius sphere. Some tried to look at the battlefield, but they got blinded as the magnificent glow of what Eris conjured was too much for the human eye to bear. A purple sun emerged. Everything had happened in a sh, from her standing up to the sphere exploding. No one had a moment to consider or run away. AGRAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! The woman chained to the altar screamed as her chains and shackles started melting on her, and all the cultists were forced out due to the heat. The imprisoned sacrifices in the cells crawled to the corners, dumping every drop of water and blood on their body as the bars of their sells bent and twisted. A purple sun had emerged in the middle of the burial, shining with a blinding light. Its heat radiated through the ground and the cave walls, expanding toward the surface. Up in the city, people suddenly felt it getting hotter and hotter. In the castle, Kin and Gin, who were going around to check on the king, froze, their senses screaming as thepressed magic and heat spread across the city. They looked down, "A purple dragon," Gin gasped. "No, I know this magic. It''s that girl that came with Arad, Eris." Kin said. CRACK! The pdin''s sword evaporated as Eris took a step forward, the purple sun moving with her. [Unleashed sma] Constantly released more sma from Eris''s body, and she forced it to stay in one sphere using [Death butterfly] That only meant that the sma''s density increased by a second. THA-DON! Holy magic burst from the pdin''s body, trying to keep him from evaporating, but that was useless. With each passing moment, the purple sun heated the ground beneath it into sma and absorbed it, getting even heavier to the point it started pulling matter in. But that only meant that preventing it from exploding was getting even harder. With a smile on her face, Eris took another step forward, shaking the whole cave as the purple sun almost detonated. "GAAAA!" The pdin screamed as Eris grabbed him by the face, "Die!" SWOSH! In the blink of an eye, his body evaporated without a trace left. Eris could feel the purple sun trying to expand. Any moment now, it will explode and level the whole cavern, if not the city above. But then suddenly, the sun faded with Eris feeling her magic fade away. She fell face first to the ground, sma crackling from her body as everyone screamed in agony around her, Burned and blinded by her sun. Shey there, on top of the molten ground. Her consciousness slipped away. "Mistress!" Pin said with a smile, standing at the altar, "You win! The bastard is dead. Now, He''sing!" Heughed, lifting his hands, and his body cracked. Limb by limb, he twisted and turned until everyst blood got squeezed from him. The blood slowly moved forth, bubbling. It levitated, taking shape and finally ending in a humanoid form. The being moved his head, looking around and then at Eris, gargling as he tried to speak. Words finally came out from his mouth as his body twisted like a mass of writhing worms. [I didn''t expect that idiot to die] Said the god of murder, [But today, you take upon your mother''s legacy as my new servant.] He lifted his hand, and the imp''s blood rushed toward Eris. [I''ve been looking for an avatar for myself for a while, and you will make a good one. Myst avatar went rogue, you see. He''s trying to concure my power for his own gain. But he''s a fool.] Eris screamed as the blood tried to enter the body, but resisting a god''s will was impossible for mortals. And on top of that, she was already drained from every drop of her power. But yet, the dragons never bow easily. The god felt her soul fighting back, pushing against his holy magic with its very existence. [Struggling, dragons are always a pain to deal with.] The murder god said, but he then gasped. Feeling a foot on his head, [Ara! Ara! I believe I said anything sun rted is mine to deal with.] A woman''s voice came from behind him. [Not when it a rightful owner to my religion,] The murder god growled, his voice shaking as the being behind him giggled. [I don''t care,] SPLAT! The woman said, and a crushing sound was heard. [Here you go. I didn''t expect a mortal to almost birth a sun. It would have sted the whole city if I had beente.] The blood trying to rush into Eris''s body faded, and she fell back to the ground. The gods'' presence disappeared as only the burned sacrifices screams filled the air. BUZZZ! Zephyr flew across the cave till she reached the cavern, seeing everyone cry and scream their lungs out from severe burns, only Eris unconscious on the ground. "Oh My! You messed the whole ce," She flew and lifted her with wind magic, "I knew you were in trouble when your magic filled the city. What the hell did you unleash here?" She looked around. Everyone melted and glowing red hot. Zephyr looked around, "The Pdin army is alreadying. They will save whoever can be saved of you. In the meantime, I have to make sure this one remains alive." She flew with Eris, waving her hand to the screaming sacrifices and cultists. As Zephyr flew out at a blinding speed, they went past the rushing Pdin army. "What was that?" One of the pdins stopped, staring behind him. "Ignore it," The pdin general growled. He knew it was Zephyr as she was the one who called him. "We have more work inside." *** Zephyr flew with Eris as fast as she could, heading directly toward the castle. "Lydia! Eris needs healing!" She busted through the window, seeing Lydia fully armored and ready to run outside. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Lydia stared back in surprise as she saw Zephyr carrying Eris with a red face, exhausted from the trip. "What happened?" She asked. "I don''t really know, but she looks like you," Zephyr said, putting Eris on the bed. Upon a close inspection, "Her clothes were burned, not taken away?" Lydia asked as she inspected Eris''s naked body, "Most likely burned with her sma. She might have gone overboard," "I brought her hidden in my wind, so no problem," Zephyr lifted a thumb up. "Jack just left a moment ago, go lock the door before he returns," Lydia pointed at the door and then turned back to Eris. Zephyr did as she was told and locked the door. Lydia put one hand on Eris''s chest and one on her head,paring the flow of magic across her body. "She ate a divine cleaver from the god of murder directly to the chest. Her vampiric abilities are temporarily blocked until all of his holy magic is drained from her body. "Can you heal her?" Zephyr asked. "A healing spell would kill her, all I can do is try to remove his holy magic. But it''s strange," Lydia scratched her head. "What is it?" "The god of murder''s holy magic is bonded to her vampiric bloodline, stopping her abilities, that true," Lydia stared back at Zephyr, "But, I sense Amaterasu''s magic bonded to her draconic magic." "Was it that bastard..." Before Zephyr could finish speaking, Lydia shouted at her, "Stop! Don''t say his name, thest thing we want is an evil god staring at us," When you speak the name of a god, they look at you. That attention isn''t desired most of the time, especially from evil gods. "You''re right," Zephyr scratched head, "So what about Amaterasu? She''s your church''s goddess?" "The goddess of the sun and eclipse, she rules over dusk and dawn," Lydia looked back at Eris, "I think that she took a divine cleaver, shifting the bnce of powers between her draconic and vampiric blood. Therefore, as ast resort, she pulled something from her draconic bloodline that aligned with Amaterasu''s portfolio, and the goddess interfered." "She angered her?" Zephyr asked. "Amaterasu is a fickle mistress, but she isn''t evil. The fact Eris is still alive tells me she probably impressed her." Lydia waved her hand over Eris''s body, "Pulling her holy magic is easy, and then would clean the murder god''s holy magic." She got to work. "In the meantime, bring us some healing potions." "At once!" Zephyr flew out as fast as she could. Chapter 451 Isdis’s Night X [R-18]

Chapter 451 Isdis''s Night X [R-18]

Back on the ind, Isdis approached Arad, shaking her chest. He lifted his hand and touched her corset, sucking it into his void. "You really like dancing," He said. "That''s what bards do," Isdis replied with a smile. Dances, songs, mockery, jokes, and insults. Bards excel in them all, giving them the ability to influence the battlefield in a strange way. Even now, Arad could feel something off as he listened to her sing and dance. Thud! Isdis sat on Arad''sp, wrapping her arms around his neck, "You have jewelry, right?" She rubbed her face on his cheek, "Can I get some?" "Why not?" Arad waved his hand, dropping a pile of gold jewelry on the bed, "Pick and choose," He always carried a portion of his hoard in case he needed funds. Isdis gently kissed Arad''s cheek, "Thank you. I promise it''s in a functional way. I won''t ask for them if they were only for looks," She looked into the pile and picked several pieces. Golden Wrist and ankle bracelets, six silver rings, two chain nes, and a golden hip belt. "I''m sure, you would like those," She said. Arad retrieved the rest of the jewelry, seeing the two maids staring at him from their tents. ^I should give them someter,^ Isdis wore them all and did a spin in front of Arad, "How do they look?" "They suit you," He replied with a smile. Isdis giggled with a blush, "Now, look at this." She sat on Arad''sp again and lifted her foot, shaking it and causing the bracelets to rattle against each other. CRACK! A small bush froze in the distance. "We bard cast magic by using sounds. Either by our voice or instrument. Usually, people target those two to disable us. But I can now use that jewelry as a catalyst to cast magic." She said with a smile, "See, told you it has a use," Thud! Isdis put her biwa on the ground and turned toward Arad, "I''ve been waiting for this for a while," She reached toward his lips. "Thought you only wanted to use me for the throne," Arad whispered back. "Of course not," She giggled, "No bard would live such a life," Their lips touched and Arad could feel her ice-cold skin. She shivered, He was far hotter than her, sitting on hisp felt like a warm couch. Their lips parted, leaving a strand of silver. Isdis stared at Arad, "I really didn''t expect to be able to choose," With one move she sat on the ground, reaching forward with her hands to his pants. A gentle move removed them. Isdis turned her head and stole a nce toward the maid''s tent, ^They are watching, aren''t they? She could feel them there, but she never expected them not to be present.^ "Do they bother you?" Arad lifted his hand, "I can block them from here," "No need," Isdis replied, "It''s the noble life," She opened her mouth, trying to push him into her throat, but she stopped just shy of halfway. GAH! She gagged out, "It''s too long, and thick," "You don''t need to do it," Arad patted her head and she stared at him with puffed cheeks, "I will do it, I should be able to," She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and got to it. Trying over and over until she managed to resist gagging. It only took about half an hour. Isdis stood, wiping her lips, "How was that?" Extending her hand forward, she pushed Arad onto the bed with a grin on her face. "Don''t answer, I know it was half-baked," She sat on his hips, holding his shaft in her hand, "Let me put it in, this is my first time and I''m sure it will hurt," Arad nodded andy on the bed, his hands behind his head as he let her take the lead for the start. Isdis pushed her panties to the side, trying and align herself. Slowly lowering her hips, she could feel him stretching her out. "OWOW! That hurt!" She cried, pulling out immediately. "You okay?" Arad looked at her, that scream was loud. Isdis giggled, "I''m fine, I just didn''t expect it to hurt like that." She scratched her cheek, "Let me try again," "KYAAAAA!" She cried again, unable to even get the tip inside. Another half an hour passed of her only rubbing the tip, never managing to get it to fit. "Lady Isdis," As Isdis was trying, she Heard Rey behind her, "I told you two to stay in the tent," Rey and Ray approached the bed. Rey held a ss filled with a hot brown liquid and a healing potion. Ray carried a bowl of warm water and a white towel. "It''s our job to help, you''re being too, slow. To say the least," Rey said staring at Isdis. Ray red at Arad, "Why are you lying there like a dead fist?" "Don''t want to hurt her. I won''t force it in if she can''t take it." He replied without bothering to move. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Rey approached Isdis and handed her the ss, "Mint tea with dried dates and some herbs, it should help with the pain." Isdis blinked and looked at the ss, "Really? Never heard of it," "You didn''t take the alchemy sses and opted for art, just drink it," Rey handed the ss to Isdis, "But let me push you down slowly, there is a speed limit," Isdis stared at the ss, confused. ^Fine, they know what they are doing.^ In a single gulp, she drank the whole ss. Rey put her hands on Isdis''s shoulders. "Line yourself and rx, I will push you down slowly." Isdis nodded and did what she was told. "Take a deep breath," Rey said. Isdis closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, "I''m ready," Rey applied a slight pressure on Isdis''s shoulders, but suddenly used all of her strength to force Isdis down. CRACK! "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Isdis screamed as she felt her insides almost ripping apart, "It hurt!" She turned toward Rey with tears in her eyes, "It didn''t work!" "Like such a thing would work," Rey red at her with a grin. "You tricked me!" Isdis swung a punch at Rey but that whimpy hit was easily dodged. "Sister, bring the water and potion," Rey looked at Ray. Ray brought them as Rey pulled Isdis away from Arad. "Here, drink this to stop the bleeding," In the meantime, Rey reached the warm water and took a towel, soaking it to clean the blood. After cleaning everything and making sure Isdis stopped bleeding, the two maids carried their stuff, "Master Arad," Rey looked at him, "Lady Isdis hates pain, she only tolerates it when she''s angry or annoyed. So please don''t mind her," Ray nodded, "She only hates it, but she won''t get hurt from you being a little bit rough." "You two are really cheeky!" Isdis growled, ring at them, "Get back to your tent," The two maids looked at her, sitting at the edge of the bed, "Do it or we will take your ce." Rey red back at her. "From what we heard from nobledies of the city. You should have been already divorced, at least reced by someone else." Ray added, "Either do it. Ory down and let him take the lead." "Sister is right," Rey nodded, "You can''t hog the lead and then do nothing for half an hour," The two maids turned around and stared at Arad, "You as well, don''t let her slow you down," "Let her go at her own pace, don''t rush her," Arad replied. The two maids sighed, "We know you want to be considerate, but you two will never go anywhere if you wait for her." They stood, bowed, and left back to their tents. Isdis kept ring at them, "Those two," "Shall we get back to it?" Arad looked at her and she turned, "Sorry," She grabbed his flesh on her hand and pushed it inside, all the way in. For a second, Isdis stopped and stared at herself, "Wait!" She pulled out and touched herself, feeling a slight numbness. "What drink works, but it takes a few moments to kick it," Isdis realized, ring back with an enraged face, "REY! You did it on purpose!" Aradughed, "They really yed you," He sat up and lifted Isdis by the hips. With one swift move, heid her on the bed and got on top, pushing himself all the way inside. "AH!" Isdis moaned. She might not feel the pain, but could still feel him inside her, stretching her. "AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH!" Isdis started moaning as Arad moved, slowly increasing his speed and racking the whole bed. Seeing her chest bouncing around, Arad remembered how Ae''s milk tasted so he went in to try them. He gave her nipples a few licks and started sucking, but to his surprise, they were as dry as the desert. Chapter 452 The Awaited Time.

Chapter 452 The Awaited Time.

The dew of the first sunlight fell from the green leaves in the royal garden, dropping into the ground. CLANG! CLANG! Gojo swung a wooden sword at the fifth princess, Lucy. But she blocked with her sword. She grunted, struggling to match his speed and power even though it was clear he wasn''t putting in any effort. "Come on! Put your back into it," Gojo said with a smile, holding his sword with one hand. "I''m trying!" Lucy growled, pushing forth with both hands. CLANG! She jumped to the side and swung at Gojo''s neck but got blocked. "You''re doing well. That was a good strike." Gojo deflected her attack and swung down, hitting her head. "But stay ready to defend." Thud! Lucy fell to the ground, rubbing her head. "That hurt," She growled and red at Gojo, "It won''t matter if I won with that strike." "That for when you''re strong enough to achieve that. Most people aren''t," Gojo replied. "Keep training," "Are you bullying that little girl?" A woman''s voice came from behind them, and Gojo turned with a smile, "You came back, Liliana." "GAH!" Lucy cried, "A purple demon!" Liliana red at her, "I''m a tiefling," She took a step forward and disappeared. Lucy gasped, and a voice came from behind her, "Learn that, cheeky kid," Thud! Liliana lifted Lucy by the head, "You don''t want me to be a real demon," "Gojo! Kill her!" Lucy cried, iling her arms and legs. Gojo giggled, "I wouldn''t keep carrying her like that if I were you," Liliana stared back at him, "What could a kid do..." As she was replying, Lucy''s body glowed with a faint white light, magic crackling from her like sparks as she cried. Liliana turned as a powerful surge of magic rushed out of Lucy''s body, sting her back. Liliana rolled on the ground, parts of her burned, parts frozen, and others wet and crackling with lightning. "GAH!" She gasped, exhaling smoke as she barely managed to sit, looking at Gojo consulting the little princess. "Wild magic," Liliana sighed, "You should have told me," "It was fun seeing you getting sted." Gojo replied with a giggle, "But be careful from now on. She can''t control her magic, not one bit. I don''t even know what she''s capable of, only that streams of mana keep violently rushing across her body." Liliana stood, "You know why I''m here?" Gojo nodded, "It''s time. You finished everything?" "Of course, all we need to do now is follow the n. I did some tweaks on the way as well. Should make it easier." Liliana pulled a scroll from her bag and handed it to Gojo, "Get ready," "I''m always ready," He replied. *** In the adventurers guild training ground, Vars sat on the stairs, reading a book and watching Gug train. Someone had to keep an eye on her. "Gug! Gug!" sheid on a stone, benching two adventurers sitting on a steel spear shaft. "I didn''t expect this when she asked us to help her train," One of the adventurers sighed, and the other nodded, "What is she even trying to do?" FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! A ck crow flew across the sky,nding on Vars''s hand. "Liliana''s crow, anything new?" He could see a small piece of paper tied to the crow''s leg. After reading the letter, Vars looked at Gug, "It''s time, Liliana is back," GRR! Gug grunted, throwing the spear away with the adventurers. Luckily, theynded on their legs. "Gug''s steel," She growled, staring at Vars. Vars waved his hand, and a ck portal appeared on the ground, the handle of a massive sword wrapped in bandages extended from it. Gug grabbed the handle and pulled the sword out. It was a massive chunk of steel in the rough shape of a cleaver, no handguard and proper wrapping. She pulled the sword, swinging before resting it on her shoulder, "Gug ready," Vars sighed, "Just don''t hit anyone with that for now." **** Eris opened her eyes in Lydia''s room. Her head throbbed as if her skull had cracked. She stood up, grunting, "My head," Lydia, who was asleep sitting on a chair woke up, "How are you feeling?" Eris stared at her, "Where am I?" "Back at the castle, Zephyr brought you." Lydia stood and approached Eris, touching her head, "Good, all divine magic has drained from your body. You should be fine." Eris looked down, "Wait! I killed the pdin, but what about that ugly devil?" She growled, remembering how Pin had transformed. "That was the god of murder, but don''t worry. I found traces of Amaterasu''s holy magic in you. She must have interfered." Lydia lifted her hand from Eris''s head, "What did you even do? To get her to act, or was it just to stop the murder god?" "The goddess of the sun helping a vampire, you must be joking. I don''t remember anything that could...draw her attention?" Eris stared at her hands, "The purple sun," "I did cover my whole body with sma, creating something akin to a sun," Eris gasped. "Akin is probably underestimating what you did, seeing that Amaterasu responded. That exins the heat wave that washed over the city and the melted burial chamber," She sat back on a chair. "Too close to the real thing," "Wait, why didn''t I burn then?" Eris gasped, "If that was close that the goddess herself interfered, it should have burned me." Lydia nodded, "I also thought about that, why Arad isn''t harmed by the sun," She stared at Eris, "I doubt the blood he got from Ginger is the reason. Since she''s unharmed by the sun due to her long family bloodline, Arad doesn''t have that," "You have a guess?" Eris looked at her. "The thing protecting Arad from the sun is his draconic nature. The light bounces in his void until it fades before reaching his vampiric blood or his draconic blood protects his vampiric one directly." Lydia lifted her arm, pulling her sleeves back. "We humans have an immune system that counters diseases. Draconic blood might be acting in the same way to protect the vampiric blood. But, there is another thing." Lydia''s eyes shifted to stare at Eris, "You don''t have the void, so the second exnation fits you, but I have another one for you. Acquired resistance, since you made your own sunlight," Eris opened one of the window frames and watched the sunlight shine inside the room. She slowly extended her hand toward the rays, hesitant to touch them. **** "The whole ce melted, you say," Ae said, dangling her legs from the chair as she stared at Zephyr flying around. "True, I could sense her magic filling the whole cave. She must have created something akin to Arad''s void expansion." Zephyr replied, throwing punches, "See, told you she can handle herself." "Heee," Ae red at Zephyr, "That doesn''t the fact am not forgiving you for knocking me out," "Come on, events proved me right," Zephyr buzzed around like a restless bee. "You would have stopped me if I wanted to go fight alone," Ae grunted. "You know you aren''t like her or Arad. Those two are monsters in their own right. "Well, I''m a fatter monster than them," She looked down, scratching her head. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "If you''re a monster, can''t I use your powers?" Ae red at Zephyr, "For what purpose was that contract even?" "You haven''t chanted for me once," Zephyr stared at her, "You can''t expect power from a patron without giving back," "Believe it or not, your mother is the one who wrote that strange script. Chant it, and I may grant you something akin to their expansion." Zephyr stared at Ae, her eyes glowing with a horrifying green light, "A tornadorge enough to cover the city with a rain of arrows," **** Outside in the cksmith shop, the smith and Jack stared at Mira, sweating in terror as she giggled. "Lady, that thing looks dangerous," The smith said with a worried face. "I might have helped you stabilize it, but I don''t think it will hold up," Jack added, taking a step away from her. "Come on! You can''t make anything new without taking risks," She chucked a lighting crystal into a small wooden box and strapped it on her back. "At least, let Arad test it first. If someone is fine with their back blown away it has to be him," Jack moved further away from her. With a smile on her face, she linked the copper pipes across her right arm and lifted her sledgehammer with two hands. "Let''s see if it will work," She moved a leaver from her side, and lightning crackled across the copper tubes and reached the hammer, electrifying the head. Miraughed as her hair started spiking up, "It''s working! It''s working!" She yelled. "With this, I can get more charge than just putting a small crystal in the hammer itself," CRACKLE! A small lightning spark sparked from her hair and hit her eye. "GYA!" Mira cried, falling to the ground as lightning started stinging her everywhere. It wasn''t damaging her, only painful. "Stop! Stop it!" She cried, moving the leave with a lot of strength and breaking it, "Jack! Do something," Jack lunged in, ripping the copper tubes from her backpack, "You okay?" He looked at her. Mira lifted a thumb up, "I need goggles while working with this thing," she sat up, "And probably some armor, resistant to lightning if possible." "You better do," Jack sighed, "Arad would kill me if you harmed yourself," Chapter 453 Tickling The Dragon

Chapter 453 Tickling The Dragon

Thud! Arad teleported into the castle''s garden with Isdis and the maids, "We really came back," The twins looked around, astounded at Arad''s teleportation range. They walked across the garden. Walking past the sprawling fountain under the sunlight. But then, he stopped. "What is it?" Isdis stared at Arad, and he smiled, "You three head inside. I have something to deal with," Isdis and the maids looked at the keep''s door, seeing Eris standing there in the shadows, her eyes glowing purple. With one step forward, she walked out into the sun, sma cracking from her eyes. "Run," Arad pushed Isdis and the maids away. He then smiled, "The dragon scent in you has gotten stronger. What did you do?" Eris lifted her hand, summoning a sma spear, "You''re the one who asked me to be attuned more to my draconic powers," ^That look on her face. It''s the same confidence she had before our fight in Rita City. She''sing for the kill.^ Arad smiled, "That''s more like it. Even the sun doesn''t burn you anymore," With a grin on her face, Eris threw the spear at Arad. He lifted his hand, deflecting it toward the sky with a passive face. ^That was strangely weak...^ CRACKLE! A long sma chain with a morning star at the end flew toward Arad at a blinding speed, about to smack his head from the side. ^So that was a distraction,^ Arad thought, lifting his hand to catch the chain. CRACK! The chain twisted, changing direction and going down, wrapping around his legs. ^So she can control it,^ CLACK! With one move of her arm, she pulled Arad into the sky with the chain, swung him around, and smacked him to the ground. When Arad looked at the sky, he could see Eris dropping down on him with a spear thrust. BAM! Eris stabbed Arad in the chest with a smile on her face, but that quickly changed as the scenery around them changed. Arad teleported them into the mountains. CRACK! With his left hand, he grabbed the spear, and with his right hand, he grabbed her ankle, "Did you forget that I don''t have any organs? Only a void exists in my chest." BOM! Eris''s spear shattered as Arad stood, lifting her upside down by the leg, "You can''t match my strength or durability. Think of another way," With a powerful swing, he threw her. Eris smacked into several stones before hitting a massive boulder and stopping. Thud! Shended on the ground, supporting her body with her hands and coughing blood. "Dosen''t mean I won''t try," She replied. Arad smiled, "I like a strong one," He cracked his fists, "Try beating me if you can," BAM! Eris lunged forward with a smile and a spear in her hand. Arad easily deflected the first thrust with his hand and blocked her shaft attack right after. ^Barehanded?^ Eris gasped and swung several other attacks, each one shaking the ground as her sma pushed upon contact with Arad''s hands. ^No, right before his hand touches my spear, he covers it with ayer of the void.^ Thud! Arad caught her spear in his hand, "You need more power to harm me, like that lung from earlier." CRACK! The sma spear shattered in his hand as he grabbed her face by the other, throwing her back. BAM! Eris smacked into another boulder, ^Even now, he isn''t taking me seriously. It won''t do if I don''t get him at least get serious a bit,^ CRACKLE! Five sma spears appeared behind her back as she conjured the chain and morning star in her hands. "This might hurt you," She started spinning the chain on her hand, ripping the ground apart. BA-BA-BA-BA-BAM! The spears sted across the sky, rushing toward Arad like missiles. SWOSH! Arad weaved to the side, dodging them with ease. There might be five of them, but they are controlled by one mind making them easy to predict. So as long as he has enough speed, dodging them is never an issue. CRACKLE! As he danced with the spears, he could see Eris flying around him using her sma wings and chain. ^Unlike those spears, I don''t know if she will run with her legs, fly, or swing with that chain. Her movements are unpredictable. I better set a safe n.^ Arad''s body glew for a moment as if he''s covered in oil. "Are you trying to confuse me? I can track you and the spears with ease," Arad said, pointing his hand, [Ice ball] He conjured a ball of ice andunched it at Eris, but he missed. CRACKLE! Eris used her chain, pulling herself toward Arad in the blink of an eye. She conjured a spear in her hand and thrust at Arad''s side. CLACK! His body twisted, his arm iling toward her at an incredible speed. Thwack! He managed to hit her in the face, sending her spinning in the air. ^What?^ Arad gasped, ^She didn''t bite my arm? Was she?^ Arad waste, and her chain tied him in ce. ^Shit! I fell for it,^ As Eris''s body spun in the air, shended on all four with her veins glowing purple. CLACK! She opened her mouth, her eyes all purple as a roar escaped her throat. Lightning crackled from her neck and back as a ball of sma emerged in her throat. Arad tried to escape the chain, but the short amount of time he had wasn''t enough. Eris roared, a sma breath escaping her mouth in a concentrated beam of light. ^She''s more of a dragon than a vampire now,^ Arad thought before his body got hit with her breath, sending him to pieces. "Got him!" Eris shouted with a smile on her face, sweating from how heavy that was on her body to pull. Thud! A handnded on her shoulder, "Sorry, but I''m fine," Arad stood there. "That was a Gemini clone. I dug through the ground as a molerat." "I knew you would survive, but not unscathed like this," Eris said with a sweaty face and a smile on her. Arad lifted his hand, "At least you got me to use this," [Void Expansion] Darkness rushed out of his body, swallowing Eris whole and covering the mountain. The people in the capital saw it and gasped, thinking their hero was fighting another monster. But, none was worried. He had beaten a dragon before. What could go wrong this time? Eris could feel her body about to rip apart from the void, but she giggled, putting her together in a ball shape. ^I was waiting for this.^ [sma expansion: Purple Sun] A star emerged in Arad''s dark void, illuminating the whole ce with its magnificent purple glow. ^What''s that?^ Arad looked at the sun, barely able to stare at it directly. ^I should get the expansion to the maximum size quickly. He decided to y it safe and stay away from it for a while. Hehe! Eris giggled inside her sma, ^This time. No need to hold it back.^ She opened her hands, extending her fingers with a grin. [Purple Sun: Nova] The sun flickered, expanding for one meter before copsing. Arad gasped as a blinding light filled his void. A st rushed forth, filling the void with gas faster than he could stretch it. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om From the city, the people saw Arad''s dark void flicker with a purple light, shattering in a loud boom that shook the ground. Silence fell between them as they realized it wasn''t how the void cleared before. Something must have been forced to explode. Arad fell to the ground, puking blood as if he felt a bomb exploding in his guts. His vision got blurry, and he couldn''t feel his legs. Thud! Erisnded beside him, conjuring a spear of sma. "Come on, I know you aren''t done yet," CRACK! With one kick, she sent him rolling to a boulder. BAM! As Arad smacked into the boulder, he fell sitting on the ground. "That''s phase one. I still have two to four to beat," She said with a smile. Arad''s eyes shed purple. CLACK! His wings expanded, and a massive tail emerged from his lower back. Two ck horns extended from his head as he stood. Half-dragon form, he still has the dragon and the vampiric wyrmwolf. [Death Butterfly] Eris sma covered her body, extending two purple butterfly-like wings from her back as she pointed her spear forward, "I never got to face this before," CRACK! Arad disappeared from her view for a second, and she went blind, feeling a crack in her nose. ^Heh?^ BAM! Her body smacked on a boulder and fell to the ground. Arad dropped from the sky, ready to stomp her stomach, but he stopped at thest moment, "You, you can''t follow my movement?" Eris lifted her hand, waving it and signaling for Arad to stop. Thud! Arad sat beside her and tried to pull a healing potion from his stomach. GAH! He gasped, feeling an extreme pain in his guts. He will throw up everything he has stored if he tries to use his stomach. "Sorry, I can''t use my stomach now. You have to heal with your blood." He said, and Eris pointed toward the sky. "I see," Arad extended his wing over her, hiding her body in the shadow, and her vampiric regeneration kicked in immediately. GAH! Eris gasped as her face healed and sat up, "Really, a punch in the face?" She stared at him. "I thought you would dodge it or something," Arad scratched his head. "That doesn''t matter now. I know I can''t match your half-dragon form, but at least I can beat you normally and even st your void," She giggled. Arad patted her head, "You did well before you couldn''t even match me in human form." "Well, I thought I would at least be able to defeat your half-dragon form, but that tail of yours is better than I thought," She patted Arad''s massive ck tail. Arad''s brain expands from his brain to his spine in the humanoid form, albeitpact. That form isn''t ideal as the brain has too much space to swell with blood when working. Therefore, when Arad shifts into his half-dragon form, his brain expands from his head to the tip of his tail, allowing more blood flow and resulting in higher performance. The fact that his tail, horns, and wings exit his body also relieves stress on his internal frame, allowing more space for his muscles to expand and grow bigger for higher strength output. The wings assist in movement and blocking iing attacks while his horns act as antennae to amplify his magic and mental detection. Arad''s power increase in half-dragon form isn''t due to a magical surge of power. He merely can use more of his power, the closer his biology gets to a dragon. Therefore, humanoids like Eris find it hard to reach him with their weaker bodies. Eris looked at Arad, "What should I do to get strong enough to beat you?" Arad scratched his chin, "You should be able to get a half-dragon form since you''re a half-purple dragon. But your death butterfly doesn''t count as it''s merely your sma covering your body," He looked at her. "sma is stronger than flesh," Eris replied. "If you''re facing someone other than me, that works. But it means nothing if I can outss you in speed and reaction time, let alone strength," Arad stared into her eyes, "Can you get one?" "I will try," "You aren''t going to argue back it isn''t possible?" Arad stared at her, surprised. "Last time I did, I got nothing. But when I did what you said, I got stronger. This time, I will listen without asking too many questions," Eris replied, "Sorry I didn''t take you seriouslyst time," She stood, "Shall we get back? They must be worried," "Before that," Arad looked at her with a smile. "Come on, here?" She sighed. "You lost," Arad stood, "I doubt anyone would have remained alive around us," "Fine, I did lose after all." **** Several minutester, Arad and Eris returned to the castle. "What happened?" Ae rushed at them, "Isdis told us Eris wanted to kill Arad," "That''s true, but she failed," Arad replied. Eris approached Ae, one hand on her hip, "Sorry, but I need to rest in my room. He almost broke my back," "In a fight? Arad went that far?" Ae gasped. Eris red at her, "No, idiot," And she walked to her room. Pop! Zephyr emerged in Ae''s head, "He''s a dragon after all, she had thating by tickling him like that," Chapter 454 The Dragon’s Heist: Plan of Infiltration.

Chapter 454 The Dragon''s Heist: n of Infiltration.

"Arad, do you have a minute?" Gojo approached Arad with Liliana, Vars, and Gug behind him, "We have something to talk about," "A second, please," [Void Step] Arad went and brought Jack with a smile on his face. "What? Where am I?" Jack looked around, confused. He had just been sitting on the street following someone for practice. "Time to work," Arad said, and Jack''s face changed, "I''ve been waiting," He looked around, seeing Liliana ring at him. "Ah! Sister! Hello, it''s been a while," He waved his hand. Liliana grunted, seeing him wave his prosthetic hand, "Sorry, I should have taught you better," "I''m the idiot who went against an Elder lich. I deserved it," He smiled, scratching his head. Vars looked at them, "Let''s move. The game is about to start," He turned around and started walking. Everyone followed him till they reached outside the city and headed into the forest. Vars stood and extended one finger, waving his hand around with his staff, [Lisworth''s Magnificent Tower: Inverted] CRACK! The ground in front of them changed into a circle of gray bricks with a trapdoor. "We can talk inside," "What''s this?" Arad asked, looking at the strange structure," "Lisworth''s magnificent tower, a spell that created a tower, but I used the inverted version that digs the tower into the ground and makes it seem like a bunker. The rooms are isted from the world, so they are perfect for meeting and channeling great magic without anyone noticing." Vars exined. "There is an old man in Alina called Lisworth. Is it his magic?" Arad asked, but Vars shook his head, "He''s just a distant descendant. The white mage Lisworth died five thousand years ago. But, he left hundreds of spells in his writings." Vars walked toward the trapdoor and opened it. Everyone walked in except Gug, who couldn''t fit, and Gojo teleported her inside. Walking inside the tower, Arad was surprised to see a clean and fully furnished room, "Magic made all of this?" "No, the room is empty the first time you summon it. You have to furnish it yourself and then dismiss it. You can say it''s like a room you build and summon." Vars stared back at Arad. "Magic that doesn''t st things is more interesting. So I could have a moving house orir?" Arad looked around with a smile, "Can I learn the spell?" "Do what you like," Vars waved his hand, and a book flew at Arad, smacking him in the chest, "Overlyplicated, cost a lot of mana, and highly unpractical without modification. Lisworth wrote that this spell was created to flex on the elves, nothing more." Arad opened the book and gave it a look, "Why it''s so thick?" "Earth magic to build the tower, wind magic to fill it with air, water magic to supply it with water, time magic so nothing rots inside, gravity magic to keep it stable, space magic to create a pocket to store it, summoning magic to call it, banishing magic to send it back without destroying it, barrier magic to create the protectiveir...Should I keep going?" Vars looked at Arad, "Tooplicated for what it is, a flex with multiple types of magic mixed together." "You two, we should talk about work," Jack walked toward the couch and took a seat. "Well said," Liliana sat beside him, "Little brother is right, I have a ton to share," She pulled a map of the capital and its surroundings, "The vault in the castle has a lot of wealth, but it doesn''t have our artifact. It''s instead hidden beneath the supreme general court in for Alior burg." She tapped the fort''s location. "It''s where several artifacts that are considered weapons are stored to be used in war at a moment''s notice." "Instead of a castle, we''re infiltrating a fort," Gojo stared at Liliana, "Would our n change?" "Yes," Liliana nodded. Vars scratched his head, "Gug can''t distract the guards by going into a rage, with their power they would catch her immediately." He smiled, "But I have a n." He tapped at the forest, "I will summon a horde of monsters and undead behind them for her to fight, this will draw most of the fort''s men to support her," "Won''t we just need the monsters, why send Gug?" Gojo asked. Jack sighed, "Of course we send her, if they saw the monsters alone, they would get holed up in their fort and fight from behind the walls. We want them to charge into the forest." Vars looked at Gug, "What do you say?" "Gug loves it, kill and scream, simple." She smiled, smacking her stomach with her fist and growling. "Kill only monsters, avoid humans, and protect them if you can." Vars looked at her with a smile, "I will make sure the monsters keeping and remain under control," "How do we slip in?" Arad asked and looked at Vars, "I''m sure they won''t let us through the door, and what about that supreme general, he isn''t a pdin, right?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "We will slip through the sewers," Liliana added, "Vars will handle that," "The supreme general is a warlord, a high-level fighter for all we know. But there is an easy way to send him away," Liliana smiled, pulling a green bottle from her pocket, "I already mixed this into his wife''s food, she will be having horrible diarrhea for a few days. Her husband and their court mage should be running all around the capital searching for a healer and aren''t home today." "Why go after her?" Arad asked, but Vars replied to him, "Of course, she''s the weakest. Her husband won''t even flinch and the court mage barely has time to eat and it''s hard to get her. The wife who usually eats a lot of sweets can be targeted with ease, and even after, the sickness could be thrown at a rotten egg used in cakes or something," "How can we slip into the sewers?" Gojo looked at Vars and he smiled. "Those two will lockpick us inside and I will use a mass polymorph to turn us into rats to slip through the cracks," Chapter 455 The Dragon’s Heist: Gug’s Distraction

Chapter 455 The Dragon''s Heist: Gug''s Distraction

Gojo stood, "Then what are we waiting for?" "Night," Vars replied, "We have higher chances at that time." Thud! Gojo sat back down, and everyone looked at each other, "We wait then," *** Time quickly passed by, and the night fell. Vars stood, "Moving toward the room''s center and tapped the ground with his staff." "I will start now. Gug, move to the forest and get ready." He looked back, and Gojo approached Gug, "Take care," With one touch, he teleported her away. Thud! Gug found herself standing alone in the forest, surrounded by trees and the cold wind. She smiled, "Wilderness, it''s been a while." Thud! She took one step and could hear the ground shaking as birds flocked out in terror. She lifted her de up and grunted, "GRRRRRRRRR!" CRACK! A three-horned buffalo lunged from the trees, growling as it charged forth, kicking dust like a storm. Gug dropped her sword and caught the beast by the horns, stopping it in its tracks. The beast couldn''t believe it but soon felt his skull crack as she headbutted him. As the buffalo stumbled back, disoriented, Gug swung her massive de down, chopping its head off. With blood sshing, Gug lifted the buffalo''s skull up with one arm, iling it in celebration as she screamed, pounding her chest with one arm. Thud! BAM! With one move, she then threw the head forward, smacking a dire wolf in the distance before rushing from with one jump. BAM! Shended in the horde of monsters on one leg as she kicked a tige with her other leg. ROAR! She roared, swinging her de and ripping through the horde in a fit of rage and carnage. *** The fort and the castle guards shuddered as they heard a roar fill the sky. "Bring the spyss!" One of them shouted as they tried to look at the mountain foot. "Sir! It''s a stampede! Multiple types of monsters ranging from dire wolves to goblins and wild ogres, I can even see some giant snakes and horned beasts," The observer shouted, "It''s a hell hole!" "What could have caused this," Themander there growled, "The general isn''t even here today, he''s out with his wife," He shook the table with his fist. "Another notice, a barbarian woman is engaging with the monsters alone, she''s holding them back but won''tst long!" A man came in rushing, "Hordes of undead are approaching from behind the monsters, they are the ones causing this. We suspect it''s a dungeon break," Themander stood. "Barbarians are like wild animals, they know when something is wrong. We can''t let her protect us like children, stand up!" He stood and rushed out, "All soldiers! To arms!" He shouted. The whole keep started buzzing like a horned nest as every soldier got armed and wore their armor. CRACKLE! CRACKLE! The chains moved and the mass drawbridge dropped, battalions of knights rushed out on horseback followed by hundreds of armed soldiers. "To war! Drummers!" BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! The bards of the army started hitting their drums, shaking the forest. This both increased the army''s morale and intimidated the monsters. As the army reached the battlefield, they could only see blood, ripped trees, and dead monsters. "Careful! Something is charging at us!" A soldier shouted, and a massive red rhinoceros emerged from the trees, gouging his horse in a split second. "Spread apart and nk it!" A soldier shouted, lifting his spear. Thud! Thud! The rhinoceros rushed forth, shanking the soldier''s horse the moment he finished speaking. BAM! The soldier fell on his face, struggling to stand up as he saw the rhinoceros charging at him. "Someone!" He screamed, blood dripping through his helmet. BAM! At thest moment, Gug came in with a heavy punch, cracking the monster''s skull. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om BRRRRRR! The rhinoceros growled, shaking its head. With one swift move, Gug kicked the soldier all the way back to the backlines, breaking one of his ribs, but getting him faster toward a healer. Thud! Thud! The rhinoceros charged, swinging its horn and hitting Gug''s shoulder, barely shaking her. With her right hand, she caught the horn and pushed it to the side. With her left arm, she dropped her de down at the beast''s neck. CRACK! The de stopped midway, stuck in the rhinoceros''s thick bones. But Gug wasn''t that soft, she pulled the de out and swung it again, chopping the head in the second strike. AWOOOOOOOOO! Dire wolves surrounded her, seven of them lunging at the same time. Thud! Gug, grabbed the rhinoceros''s head by the horn, swinging it like a club and smashing four wolves in one swing. The other three managed to bite her, two on her legs and one on her left arm. ROAR! Gug roared, biting the wolf on her arm in the head, and crushing its skull between her teeth. As the wolf dropped from her hand, she stabbed her sword down. Killing the wolf on her left leg, and smashing the one on her right with the rhinoceros''s head. She looked at the distance, the soldiers were already mowing down the goblins with ease, but the horde of the hobgoblins would prove annoying to deal with. She took a deep breath. ROAR! She lifted the rhinoceros''s skull, throwing it with all her might at the hobgoblin hordes. CRACKLE! The head ripped the hobgoblins apart as it flew between them, leaving a trail of blood as the soldier stared in shock. BAM! With one jump, she covered the fifteen-meter distance andnded in the middle of the hobgoblins, stomping one of them to death. GAR? The hobgoblins barely had time to react to her before she swung her de sideways, ripping several of them apart. CRACKEL! CRACKLE! Two meter-long giant spiders ten-meter-long cobras, and wild ogres, and giants walked from the forest, hungry for blood. Gug angrily stabbed the ground with her sword, roaring. "GRWA!" BAM BAM! She punched the ground with her fists several times like a mad gori and then started pounding her chest. The monsters stopped, staring at her. To them, that was a dominant monster of the forest, they aren''t getting past while she''s alive. Gug pulled a stone from the ground and threw it at full force, killing one of the ogres with a headshot. The monster stared at the dead ogre in shock as Gug jumped in celebration, bounding her chest with one arm. "Form a shield wall! Kill all the monsters that slip through her!" Themander shouted. Chapter 456 The Dragon’s Heist: Infiltration

Chapter 456 The Dragon''s Heist: Infiltration

From the fort''s side, Arad and the rest watched the soldiers rushing out on horseback, with Gug''s roaring in the distance like a giant monster. "How long will shest?" He asked. "As long as there are monsters to kill," Vars tapped Arad''s shoulder, "Let''s hurry inside," They marched alongside the walls till they reached a small crack in the ground, reeking with horrifying stench. "The sewers are here," Vars looked inside, pointing his staff to shine a light forth. With one nce, everyone could see the ck, disgusting mud riddled with flies and worms. "Ah! Shit," Jack sighed, unexcited to move forth. "Literal shit, let''s move," Liliana smacked his back, "We have a job to get done and wealth to rob," "No wealth will save my hide from smelling like crap. She will snap my back in half." He sighed, "But work is work," Jack lunged into the hole. DAM! Out of the blue, hended on a white tform of magic, glittering like jewels. "She would cut my ears for getting her in shit," Vars sighed, jumping after Jack, "Your sister is scary," CLACK! Liliananded behind them, pushing Vars forth, "Hurry, my contracts with you lots end soon," She then looked at Jack with a smile, "I know how to get a nice contract," Jack looked back at Arad and Gojo, waving his arms, "You hear that?" He said, following his sister and Jack. Arad and Gojo looked at each other, smiling, "They don''t know how disgusting this ce is," Gojo shook his head. "No they don''t," Arad giggled. The two brothers have a heightened sense of smell from being dragons. To them, it wasn''t just about the mud or worms, but the whole ce was almost unbearable. To the dragons, hearing othersin about a ce without being able to fully sense it was hrious. After walking for a while, they finally reached a dead end. Arad looked forward, seeing the rusted steel bars gate blocking their path. "Two locks. Should we break them?" He asked. "Wait a moment," Vars lifted his hand, observing the gate. "I sense no magic, but to avoid noise, let those two take care of it," He looked toward Jack and Liliana. Liliana pulled some lockpicks, looking at Jack with a smile, "Where''s your tolls?" With a swift wrist move, Jack pulled a lockpick that he was hiding in his artificial arm, "Got one right here, and some there," He pointed at Arad. Arad lifted his hand, pulling a massive barrel full of lockpicks from his stomach. "No wonder there was a shortage. The hell you need a whole barrel?" Liliana stared at Jack, "How expensive was that?" "Depends on who''s paying," Jack looked at Arad, "It was several gold coins at first, but I seem to have some connections with the king, a princess, and the royal cksmith. So I managed to get them mostly for free." Arad blinked, "Wait? What did you do with the money then?" "Nothing yet," Jack pulled the gold coins, "I was between buying a holy silver de for Lydia or several charges of fire oil, still can''t make a decision," "Both. I will pay the rest," Arad replied, "We could use some stronger smites, and fire oil would be handy eventually." "Thank you, boss!" Jack waved his hand as he reached toward the rusted gate with Liliana. "Got a nice employers there," She said, lockpicking the upper lock. "I never had this much material for traps before. Probably won''t find a better ce to work," Jackughed, lockpicking the lower lock. Arad looked at Gojo, "You paying them well?" "Same as you, can''t spare expenses when needed like this," Gojo replied. *** They kept following the sewers, going deeper and deeper into the fort''s lower structures. CI-CHIP! A massive rate stared at them, running back into the shadows. Thud! Vars lifted his staff, stopping everyone. "Magic, halt," Arad opened his void eyes, looking ahead of him. Another gate like earlier, but this one oozed with magic. "That one is trapped," He said. "Good eyes," Vars smiled, "And not just any trap, that thing nasty," He pointed with his staff at the gate. "You touch it, lockpick it, or dispel the magic. It sends a notification to every mage in the castle. You break it. It releases an rm and wakes every rat in this old fort." He looked back, "Even if we had the magic key to pass, it will still notify every make that someone had passed, and they wille to check as we aren''t registered." "Then what do we do? Teleport past it with void step?" Arad suggested, and Vars giggled. "That would trigger the rm as your magic will go through the gate to the other side." He walked forward and turned to the side, "We will instead go around it. The magic spread only three feet away from the gate sides." [Grave walk] As he stepped into the wall, the stone opened up into a pocked his side and allowed him to walk right into it. Everyone looked at themselves, "Neat," said Jack, walking behind Vars. Everyone followed them as they walked through the walls around the gate to bypass its magic. "Most digging magic would shake the ce enough to trigger the rm, but grave walk allows us to seamlessly pass through walls without disturbing it," Vars said as he walked out of the wall on the other side, followed by everyone else. After walking a bit, the sewers started to get tighter and tighter, "Are we supposed to polymorph here?" Arad asked. "Want to check?" Vars pointed up at a small hole in the ceiling. *** CRACK! CRACK! Inside the fort''s bath, a drain crackled as a fat ck rat nudged his head against it. It quickly got plucked out, and Arad walked out. He looked around, seeing a maid cleaning in the bath''s corner. He already had her detected beforehand. ^This looks like the bath. We need to get deeper.^ Arad turned around, trying to use his detection to find other people walking around the fort. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As he was thinking, the maid in the corner turned around, her eyes fixed on the big rat. With her mop in hand, she walked silently toward Arad, determined to crush his head on the spot. Chapter 457 The Dragon’s Heist: Approaching The Vault

Chapter 457 The Dragon''s Heist: Approaching The Vault

Thud! Swosh! The maid swung her mop at full speed, and Arad turned with a surprised rat face. CHI-CHIP!? Seeing the mop racing toward his head, Arad lunged up, dodging the attack with his legs spinning as he tried to act like a scared rat. "Heh!" The maid smiled. Out of the blue, her speed increased dramatically, almost doubling as her body spun in ce, THUMB! With one step, she pinned Arad to the ground. CHIP! CHIP! Arad growled, hesitant to use more force than what a rat could have. Otherwise, this maid might discover their truth. "You''re one unlucky fat rat," The maid giggled, "Action surge, did you like it? I only got a few months ago," ^A low-level figher, of course, the maids in a fort would be able to move a bit better than normal.^ Arad though, trying to think of a way to get out of this situation. ^I can kill and stuff her in my stomach. No, a missing maid is thest thing we need.^ QWARK! The maid paused, hearing a toad. She looked toward the sinks, seeing one green, muscr, and ugly toad the size of a human fist staring at her. "What?" She gasped as the toad opened its mouth, dangling its tongue out. As Arad looked at the toad, he knew that was Gojo. But he didn''t know if that was an innate ability of his brother or a spell cast by Vars. What mattered most was that his brother was. QWARK! Gojo opened his mouth, taking a stance and threatening the maid that He was about to jump at her. The maid clenched her fist on the mop, ready to swat the toad in an instant. QWARK! Gojo pretended to back away before making one sudden lung toward the maid. She swung the mop as fast as she could but missed the toad by a hair strand. STUD! Gojonded on her face, biting her nose. "AGRAAA!" The maid screamed, stumbling back and lifting her foot from Arad''s body. Arad took the chance and lunged back into the sink. Gojo soon followed him and escaped. **** Thud! Aradnded on Vars''s magic tform with Gojo beside him. He sighed, standing back in his rat form. "That was close," He looked at Gojo. The toad(Gojo) replied, "Next time, try something smaller. A fly would be best for infiltration." "A maid?" Vars looked at them. "A fighter maid, probably level two or three." Arad replied, patting his hide, "She used action surge to pin me to the ground with her foot." He sighed, "I didn''t expect such moves," "Well, I wish that was me," Vars said with a weird smile, "But, let''s keep it forter," He shook his head, "Most people in the fort received at least basic training and could hold their ground against normal people in a fight. It would be exquisite if they would stomp..." QWARK! Gojo jumped up, hitting Vars in the face, "The bath is above us. Where should we go?" Vars scratched his chin, "Fine, fine. No jokes. If the bath is above us, did you see which direction it''s door?" Arad pointed toward the wall, "This direction, but on a slight angle," "I see, so that means the vault is in that direction," Vars pulled a rough draft of the fort''syout map. "How did you get this?" Arad shifted back to his humanoid body and asked. "I sent a scrying eye into the fort by sticking it one of the servants, got some rough info from it," Vars rolled the map and gave it to Gojo to hide it. The party kept walking through the sewers until Vars stopped, looking around, "I sense a wave of magic. Stop!" Lifting his hand, he waved his staff around, "Something is off about it," His eyes darted across the sewers. "The stench of the hells," Liliana walked forward, her eyes glowing, "Probably not something we should worry about," ^[Don''t worry, it''s only hell stone. A rock brought from the hells, probably stored in the vault. Aside from being dangerously cursed, it''s harmless. Even less since I''m here,]^ Doma said inside Arad''s head, confirming Liliana''s suspicions. "That''s hell stone. I won''t pause a problem," Arad said, walking forward and lifting his hand up. Thud! Vars grabbed Arad''s hand, "Don''t interfere with its waves, my guess is the archmage left it here to scare intruders, especially mages who got through the gate without ringing the rm." "He''s right," Liliana added, "The moment we disable or neutralize it, she wille swooping down." ^[That''s a possibility, we then should ignore it and keep going,]^ Gojo and Jack looked at each other, "They keep hitting us with bait and switch. First, a door will inform everyone of our presence if we went through it, and now this stone," Jack said. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Active security, they are assuming any intruder would have the skills to bypass any regr defenses so they are relying on us making the wrong call," Gojo replied, "This would have been much easier if I could run in and snatch it by force." Vars turned to stare at Gojo, "Told you that would cause problems, we need to steal it back without anyone noticing." "I know, I know. That artifact is the whole reason behind the tension between the elves and humans, stealing it back in silence will force both sides to shut down for a few years." Vars exined. "The humans can''t ask about the artifact since they stole it in the first ce and the elves can pretend they still don''t have it, causing both sides to seek a peaceful end, probably by the elves who would pretend they don''t care about the artifact anymore." Jack said and Vars nodded, "That''s the n, and the elves are already working on it," Arad walked after Vars in silence, ^Would Ceri do this? She seemed like the person to seek a peaceful end,^ ^[You''re wrong about that. From what I know about her, this n doesn''t seem like something she would be involved with. It''s either something Vars came up with or the council of the elves has nned.]^ Doma quickly stated what she knew about the elvish queen. "Vars, who put this n together?" Arad asked. "Me with a few tips from the higher-ups, this is as much as I can tell you," Vars replied. ^Higher ups, those are multiple people so it''s probably the council.^ Arad thought. Chapter 458 The Dragon’s Heist: Crumbling

Chapter 458 The Dragon''s Heist: Crumbling

After a few moments of walking in the sewers, they finally stopped, and Vars smiled, "We reached it," "The vault?" Arad asked, and Vars shook his head, "No, the entrance to the dungeon," "What dungeon?" "The one they keep prisoners in," Vars replied, "This is a fort, remember?" "We can''t go all the way to the vault by the sewers since no one would need sewers there. The closest we could get is the guard''s quarter beside the dungeon''s entrance." "Then we keep digging. Why risk the dungeon?" Jack stared at Vars. "Tremors or magic could ring the rms set around the vault. We have to approach it by the front door and get in." Vars waved his staff, pointing at the hole above them. "We go to the dungeon," "Hold on," Jack approached Vars, "You were all about secrecy. Anyone smart enough to make those gates before would do the same with the vault. Opening it''s door will notify everyone in the fort that someone got inside." Vars pulled three potions, "I have a n. We use those." "Ghost potions," Liliana stared at Jack, "They are one use only, but it will allow Vars, Arad, and Gojo to get into the vault, snatch the artifact, and void step away afterward," "And we?" Jack looked at her, and she stared back at him, her fists resting on her hips, "Our job is to lockpick the whole way across the dungeon, make sure no one spots us, and then lock everything behind us. Then we leave on our own," "Then our job is to take them to the vault and then sneak out," Jack scratched his chin, "That makes sense, but wouldn''t you have been able to do this without me and Arad''s help?" "Actually, no," Vars shook his head, "I have a lot of mana, and I''m hard to move, the same for the artifact. Gojo alone won''t be able to get us both out. That''s why I needed Arad''s help," Arad looked at Vars with a surprised face, "Even brother can''t?" He then turned toward Gojo, "Are you two for real? How could I help?" "The main problem is the artifact. It''s almost a divine object, and it''s hard to teleport and impossible to destroy. Add to that that to keep it in control I have to constantly cast magic to prevent it from attuning to any of us," Vars lifted his hand, and a blue magic circle started floating above his palm. "I will be the one drawing the magic of the void teleportation. You only have to assist me. Unless you can teleport high magic or artifacts." Gojo looked at Arad with a smile. ^[I should be able to do those calctions for the artifact. Leave it to me]^ "I can teleport the artifact," Arad replied with a confident face. Doma''s skills can''t be underestimated. "If you say so," Vars scratched his head, "If you fail, I will have Gojo teleport us a second time," He walked beneath the hole and looked up, extending his staff. "Is it clear up there?" "I sense no one," Arad replied, "And there is no magic," Gojo added. Vars turned toward them and nodded, "Then, take a deep breath." [Mass polymorph: Flies] A faint light rushed from his fingers enveloping everyone. In the blink of an eye, they became a swarm of flies. Jack looked at himself, "I''m a flie?" "I didn''t change your voices, so don''t talk," Vars stared at them, "Let''s fly silently through the dungeon. Thest thing we want is to alert the guards." The two guards at the dungeon entrance were asleep, deep into their dreams. Vars flew first toward one of Gojo flew toward him and stored them in his stomach. Those would be usefulter. After flying through the dungeon and having Jack and Liliana lockpick every door the keys didn''t open. They finally reached the closed passageway to the sealed vault beneath the fortress. Arge stone door on one of the walls. "This went smother than I expected," Aradmented as he saw the door. "I was nning for this for years. I would be damned if a single guard showed up," Vars replied, turning everyone to their humanoid form. He then looked at Jack and Liliana, "This is where we separate. You have three minutes to escape the fort. Hurry," Jack and Liliana nodded as they rushed away. Vars then pulled the ghost potions, handing one to Gojo and one to Arad. "Drink those, and we will be ghosts for one to three minutes." "We walk inside, wait till the spell wears off then snatch the artifact." Gojo smiled, "Wait, you have to cast your magic to prevent it from attuning to us," "Of course," Vars downed his potion, and his body disappeared as he turned into a ghost. Gojo and Arad did the same. Arad could feel his chest clenched. His head throbs as fog clouds his mind. Doma and Mom''s presence in his inner mind seemed to fade away rapidly as his whole body disappeared. "What in the..." He gasped, holding his head. "Feels awful, doesn''t it?" Vars giggled, "Don''t worry, no one can hear or see us," Gojo shook his head, blinking twice to clear his vision. "This is worse than alcohol," "Bing a ghost literally messes with your body functions. The mind fog is normal." Vars replied. ^Doma, Mom?^ Arad called inside his head, but he could only hear distant screeches fading away into his void. "Something is off. I can''t hear Mom," Arad mumbled. "Of course, you can''t," Vars looked at him, "We''re currently in the ethereal ne as ghosts. Curses can''t follow us here. You will hear her again once the potion wears off," The three walked into the vault, seeing mounds of magic weapons stacked over each other. This is where the human army kept most of its weapons. "There it is," Vars walked forward, approaching a rusty brown dagger, "The de of death, it''s been decades since Ist saw it," "Hurry," Gojo stared at him, "We don''t have time, right?" "We have a bit. Let''s wait till the potion wears off," Vars replied as he sat there, waving his hands to prepare the magic. As the potions wore off, Vars lifted the dagger, "Finally, it''s time," Arad scratched his head, "I still can''t hear them," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Don''t worry," Vars pped his hands. SWOSH! Gojo disappeared, and the cubic artifact he held fell on the ground. Arad''s head looked down as his arms went limp. The purple light in his eyes flickered for a moment before fading. Thud! Thud! Thud! Vars walked toward Arad with a smile on his face, "You know, you and your brother are a real pain in the ass. Do you know how much it took me to figure this out?" Heughed, tapping Arad''s face. "Now, go to the dungeon, kill anyone that enters," Vars growled. Arad silently turned, walking toward the vault''s door. CLICK! With a flick of his fingers, Vars opened the door. As Arad left and the vault was locked Again, Vars cracked his neck. "Buruma," He said, and a skeleton appeared beside him. "Yes, my lord," It said in a woman''s voice. "Take this cube and fly as far as you can. Only stop if you reach the other side of the world." He pointed at the cube. The skeleton reached with her hand, but the moment she touched the cube, her arm cracked. "What?" Vars gasped as the cube started vibrating violently, the ground beneath it getting crushed. "You fucking monster!" He growled. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR! A violent roar burst from the cube, shaking the whole fort and reaching the city. The skeleton woman stared at Vars, "What should we do?" "I''ve spent years preparing for this day. Forget two hours. This will barely keep him inside for an hour. I must hurry," Vars turned and pulled his staff, "I will attune to the artifact. You lead the undead army to the city and start the ughter. I need souls to ascend." "What about the other void dragon?" She asked. "I mind-controlled him. The witch in his head was a problem, but I pushed her away with that." He pointed toward the ghost potion, "He won''t be up anytime soon," **** Arad walked toward the middle of the dungeon and stood in the middle of thergest room, blocking the way toward the vault. "Who are you?" A guard shouted as he saw Arad walk inside. He pulled his sword and approached. CRACK! In the blink of an eye, the guard''s body split in half as two swords appeared in Arad''s hands. As other guards heard the noise they rushed in, but none of them made it halfway into the room without being ripped apart. In less than ten seconds, no sign of life besides Arad could be found in the dungeon. **** Back in the city, the pdin general heard Gojo''s roar booming in the sky and stood, "What''s this? It''sing from the fort..." And soon he gasped, sensing hoards of undead emerged from the mountains. "Call to arms!" He shouted, rushing out as fast as he could. Chapter 459 The Dragon’s Heist: Undead Rush

Chapter 459 The Dragon''s Heist: Undead Rush

"Sir Alphonse!" A pdin shouted as he saw the general running across the street, crackling with holy magic, "I sense a wave of necrotic magic. This isn''t a drill, right?" The pdin general Alphonse stopped, staring at the pdin. "I pray to the gods each second this was a dream, but it isn''t." He looked into the sky, "There are thousands of them. An undead overlord must be around." CRACK! A bone burst through the ground behind Alphonse. Necrotic magic washed over the ce as the pdin roared, swinging his sword at the bone. [Divine Smite] CLANG! The pdin''s strike stopped, his de shattering upon contact as the bone pulsed, flesh covering it. "Get back!" Alphonse shouted at the top of his lungs, "You can''t handle that!" CRACKLE! A burst of necrotic me emerged from the bone, and veins and blood expanded as it formed a lump of flesh dripping with magic in the blink of an eye. The pdin lifted his arms to block, but he waste. The bone shard and flesh lunged at him, burrowing into his stomach. GRWAAAAAAAA! The pdin screamed as the necrotic lump ate him from the inside out, recing his organs as he growled in agony. In a few seconds, he went silent as green necrotic mes emerged from his eyes, "A well-trained body, it will do," The corpse said with a deep growl. Alphonse pulled his greatsword, "A flesh eater, who sent you?" "Find that for yourself. If you can." The flesh eater opened his arms with a smile. Shards of bones fell from the sky across the whole city, and Alphonse could hear people screaming as the undead ate them alive. "Damn it," Alphonse growled, lifting his greatsword in a wrath stance. **** Back in the castle, Mira was asleep in her room, exhausted after a hard day. A maid sat on the couch, half asleep half awake. Her job was to guard. Swosh! A gust of wind came through the windows, pushing the drapes away. The maid opened her eyes, hearing the pping of the drapes. DING! She could see something twinkling in the night sky. PEW! A sharp bone flew through the window, piercing her throat. GA! GAH! GAH! The maid struggled, but couldn''t utter a sound as the undead took her ce, eating her from the inside out. Now standing over Mira''s head, the undead maid conjured a bone in her palm, "My lord wants your life to be snuffed, to death your return," She lifted her hand and swung down at Mira''s chest. BAM! The wall shattered as Kin rushed in with a w swinging, sting the undead maid outside the castle with one strike. "What?" Mira woke up terrified, "What''s happening?" She cried. "Stay close to me. We''re under attack," Kin growled, fire crackling from her teeth as she red out of the hole the maid left in the wall. The whole capital boiled, people running all over the ce like ants, mes bursting in tens of houses as screams filled the sky, "Flesh eaters, a type of parasitic undead that controls eat a person from the inside to take control of their corpse. It''s over if one of them stabbed you with a bone," "Wait a moment," Mira rushed toward her closet. "You care about clothes now? I need to get you to safety first," Kin stared at her, but Mira smiled. She threw off her nightgown and pulled a leather armor dotted with steel tes. Mira strapped the prototype backpack and pulled her massive explosive sledgehammer from the wardrobe, "I will fight as well," She put on the goggles she had bought that evening, "This isn''t the first time I faced zombies or skeletons," She smiled. "Those aren''t mere zombies..." Kin said, but suddenly an undead servant shattered the door, lunging into the room and trying to stab Mira whom he felt was the weakest. "Mira!" Kin shouted, about to swing her w at the undead. With a smile on her face, Mira swung in ce with the sledgehammer in hand, hitting the undead servant in the head. CRACKLE! BOOM! Lightning shed through her right arm as an explosion burst from the hammerhead, sending a nail straight through the undead and burning its brain. SPLAT! As blood sshed on the wall, Kin stared in shock at Mira, "I''m still a low level, so please protect me till I reach Eris or Arad. Ae would be flying around, so she can''t protect me." Mira thought of heading toward Lydia but could guess a pdin like her would be focusing on taking the undead down rather than protecting a sole person. It will be more effective to let her fight freely. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om **** VOOM! Eris jumped from the wall, throwing her spear at a group of flesh eaters, burning them to ash. "You''re already dead, so get cremated already!" CRACK! As she shouted, a bone stabbed her back. "You should die. We don''t need you," The undead growled, pushing the bone deeper into her back. "That hurt, idiot," Eris growled, and the undead started feeling something off. The bone in his hand was getting hot, smoking even. "What?" He gasped, pulling the bone back to find it had gotten shorter. The end has turned to ask as sma gleaned from Eris''s wounds. Void dragons like Arad have their organs protected by the void. Green dragons'' organs swim in poison, while ck dragons'' organs reside in acid. With Eris being a half-purple dragon, that''s slowly forcing her body to utilize more of her draconic power, her organs float in a thick goo of sma, making her body uninhabitable to most diseases, parasites, and even melt weapons that stab her. SWOSH! Eris spun around, crushing the undead''s head with her w. She smiled as the undead surrounded her. "I don''t even feel like embalming you before cremation. Time to work," **** CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Lydia jumped from the castle wall, slowing her fall by wing with her gauntlet at the wall. BAM! As shended in the city, she saw two women jump at her, growling. "More flesh eaters?" She growled, [Divine smite]. Her de sliced through them like butter, sending a ssh of blood as she stared forward. BAM! Alphonse flew across the sky,nding beside her with his body covered in blood. "Are you injured?" She cried. "Not my blood," Alphonse replied, "It''s his," He looked forward as the ground started shaking. "Mommy...Blood...The lord...we kill!" A gigantic lump of flesh with a hundred faces crawled across the streets, growling and burbling with blood as it focused on Alphonse. "Glutton flesh eater. I already killed five of them, but they keeping back using the civilians," Alphonse growled, "Leave the city to me. Head to the fort. That scream came from there," "That was Gojo, Arad''s brother." Lydia growled, "Do you know anything else?" "You aren''t the first I send there. I already asked the A-rank adventurers to head there. Go support them. I will handle the city here with the pdins." Alphonse said, and Lydia lunged forth, straight toward the Glutton flesh eater. "Don''t! Leave him to me!" Alphonse shouted as he saw Lydia about to swing her de at the undead monster. [Divine Cleaver] CLAP! Lydia''s sword burned with holy light, illuminating the whole street as she cleaved the monster in half with one swing, rushing between his two halves without slowing down. Alphonse smiled. ^Those monsters are resistant to holy magic. Whoever unleashed wasn''t oblivious to the pdin''s existence in the capital. But, she cleaved right through that glutton with one swing,^ He giggled, "How long has it been," He lifted his de, pointing at the sky. "In Amaterasu''s name! In Jemima''s name! In the name of Mother Earth and everything that''s holy," He shouted at the top of his lungs, "I Alphonse Dir Gromwell decalers a holy crusade. Bring the light of the sun to the depth of night!" As his voice boomed across the city, pdins could be heard shouting as sts of divine magic shed across the whole capital. *** FLAP! FLAP! Ae flew into the sky, hiding Zephyr beneath her cloak. "Are you all right?" She cried. "I''m fine," Zephyr grunted, her skin burning and her wings rotting, "Whoever is behind this attack, he knows us well." She red into the sky, seeing seven undead pixies ring at them with ships of necrotic mes. "Someone set us up," She growled. Ae pointed her arrow and was about to fire a shot, but then rotten vultures rushed at her. "Damn it!" She dodged the attack in the neck of time, "Where are theying from?" She growled. BAM! From the ground, a sh of golden light flew to the sky, slicing one of the vultures in half. Ae gasped, "That''s pdin!" Alphonse stepped on one of the vultures, his eyes focused on the undead pixies. He took a deep breath, the muscles on his arms expanding, [Action surge] [Divine Cleaver] In the blink of an eye, he sliced the vulture he stood on, jumped forward, and sliced the remaining seven vultures. His de shed as he swung it at the pixies, ripping them to shreds in holy mes before they could even react. And then used thest hit of his sixteen-attack action surge to propel himself back to the ground. Ae stared at him, stunned, "A fighter-pdin. Like one divine cleaver wasn''t enough, someone had to learn how to fire sixteen at the same time." "That''s the pdin general, Alphonse, he can take care of himself. Let''s focus on finding Isdis first. We can then search for Arad, he''s also capable of taking care of himself." Zephyr growled, "I will heal quickly now that those bastards have died, give me a few minutes and I will st all the undead out of this city." Chapter 460 The Dragon’s Heist: Turned Tables.

Chapter 460 The Dragon''s Heist: Turned Tables.

Thud! Keno stood before the fortress''s gate, "Open up!" He shouted. "I doubt they will," Meimei sighed behind him, "You can hear them fighting in the forest, and whoever Alphonse sent us to hunt must be messing them up inside." "You might be right," Keno looked at Gura, "Smash it," Thud! Thud! Gura walked forth, and Amolis and Jogan cried, "Wait! Who''s going to pay for the damage?" "The soldiers we''re going to save," Keno patted Gura''s back, crushing it. "ARAAAAAAA!" Gura screamed, swinging her fist at the door. The steel frame bent and twisted as the portcullis snapped from its hinges, falling on the ground with a loud crash. As the A-ranks walked into the fort, a guard rushed toward them, bleeding from his shoulder. "A-ranks!" He cried, "Thank the gods," Amolis rushed to heal the soldier, "What''s going on? Who''s the monster behind the attack," "Un...Undead..." The soldier started twitching, and his eyes rolled back. A bone spike rushed from his throat toward Amolis''s head. CLANG! In the blink of an eye, Keno swung his katana, slicing the bone with ease and beheading the soldier. "The whole ce is infected," He growled. Meimei closed her eyes, "I sense a huge lump of magicing from below, but something is off," "What is it?" Jogan asked, "Don''t tell there is a whole nest of those rotten bastards below." "I can sense Arad''s magic inside," Meimei said, sweating. "Did he? That was a fast response. I expect nothing less from an S-rank." Keno smiled, sheathing his katana. "That means there is no need for us here, right?" Jogan sighed, "We should go assist the soldiers in the forest," "No," Meimei cried, "His magic is unstable. I sense a necrotic aura wrapped around his soul. He''s in trouble," She red back at them, and they started sweating, "We have to move," Keno growled, running toward the cer''s entrance as everyone followed him. "I should be able to exorcise the necrotic aura from him if that was all it is. Just get me close to him," Amolis said, "He stopped me from raging. I won''t let him die to such a thing." "I still can''t sense the nature of the necrotic magic from here. Don''t get your hopes up. He might be behind all of this," Meimei growled. "That can''t be true," Amolis growled at her, "He won''t do such a thing." "Be practical," Meimei red at them, "We have to assume the worst," "I certainly love to be powered with hopes and dreams," Keno sighed, "Fighting that man again couldn''t be anything but a nightmaree to reality." BAM! As they rushed across the hallway, the ceiling shattered, and a massive humanoid beingnded, growling with smoke gushing from its mouth. "A monster?" Jogan cried but soon realized that was false. "Gojo, hurt." Gug growled, "Gug kills everyone," "Wait! You''re Gug, from the white guy''s party." Amolis remembered once seeing her train in the training ground. He knew her name as she usually got adventurers to use weight, but he had no information about her party. Besides that, their leader was a guy with white hair and blue eyes. Gug stared at the A-ranks, sniffing the air. CRACK! Gura stepped forward, ring at her in the eyes. The other A-rankers backed away. It never ends well when two barbarians face each other. It''s like putting two wild animals in the same cage. "Forward, bad guy, Gura kills," Gura growled. "Bad guy? Harmed Gojo?" Gug stared back, veins bulging on her forehead. "Bad guy," Gura nodded. "Gug Kills!" Gug growled, and the two barbarians stared forward, their rage directed deeper into the fort''s dungeon. Keno poked Amolis, "Whoever is down there, they are going to have a shitty night." "I wouldn''t want to be in their ce," Amolis replied. *** Vars stood still, the dagger in his hand as he focused on channeling its magic into his body. Getting attuned to it would grant him the power he seeks, and it should be enough for him to survive the raging monster behind. VRAAAAAAAAA! The cube behind him rumbled, vibrating so hard that the ground beneath it turned into sand. "You know, that thing kept a Djinn sealed for decades. How is it that it can''t contain you for an hour?" Vars turned back at red at the cube. He could see the cube failing slowly, and the beast inside grew angrier by the second. With each passing moment, he grew stronger in a blood rage directed at the betrayal. "Gojo, you''re a real monster," Vars smiled, "But soon, even the likes of you would die with a simple word. The game ended for you the moment you got sealed in that box." he closed his eyes. Attuning the artifact. "You brother, on the other hand, I only had one sealing cube, so I had to get creative. Instead of sealing him, I thought mind-controlling him would be efficient." Vars giggled, "But that witch inside his head was a problem. Luckily, there was a simple solution." He turned again, "She now thinks that Arad himself is shutting her out from his mind. And I''m betting on it," He giggled, "On how malevolent she can get." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What is it? She''s an evil witch?" Vars pretended to listen to Gojo, "No, read some history. Doma only retaliates when she or those around her are harmed. I failed to find one instant when she started trouble. She will respect Arad''s will to shut her out of his mind, and she won''t even try to pray into his soul." "She''s the kind of woman to skin you alive if you looked at her the wrong way, but otherwise, a peaceful soul. Her goodwill is his downfall," With a smile on his face, Vars sends amand to Arad below. [A-rank adventurers areing toward you. Kill them, and after you finish, head to the city and kill the pdin general Alphonse. He''s hurting my armies a lot.] **** CREEEEEK! Keno pushed the door to the main room in the dungeon open, and it creaked. Two purple eyes flew in the darkness, sending an eerie feeling toward the adventurers. Meimei waved her staff, [Light] With her magic, the faded candles in the room lit one after the other, slowly revealing Arad standing in the middle of the room, holding two des in his hands. Meimei''s teeth started cracking as she felt pressure builds in her chest. her knees shook as she gasped, "He''s...controlled..." At this distance, a simple nce allowed her to get a vague understanding of Arad''s situation. BAM! Gura lunged forth into the room, roaring like a monster as she swung her battleaxe down at Arad''s head. CLING! Arad swung his adamantine sword, cutting her triceps one move as his second de dropped toward her head. Thud! CLANG! Gug lunged between them, kicking Gura back and blocking Arad''s strike with her great sword. Her knees bent as her feed dug into the ground. She grunted, feeling her bones crack as she gasped, "Heavy!" His de slowly cut into her skull. SWOSH! Keno rushed in, swinging his sword at Arad''s arms and cutting his triceps. CRACK! But his Katana cracked, losing its edge from one strike. [Grease] Meimei cast a spell to make the ground beneath Arad''s feet slippery as Jogan jumped and touched his side [Force st] CLAP! With a thunder wave, Arad flew back several meters beforending back on his feet. Alphonse rushed to heal Gura and help her recover faster while the rest stared at Arad, sweating like they were drenched in water. As Arad stared back at him, his arms healed instantly. "We''re fucked," Keno giggled, a terrified smile on his face. Chapter 461 The Dragon’s Heist: Wild Card

Chapter 461 The Dragon''s Heist: Wild Card

Thud! Isdis jumped from the balcony, carrying her mother in her arms, "Rotten bastards!" She screamed, ring back at the hordes of flesh-eaters on the balcony. "Isdis! The ground!" Her mother cried, but Isdis smiled, shaking her legs to rattle her ankle bracelets. CHA-CHIN! In the blink of an ice, an ice slope burst into reality, and the two slid on it, jumping over the walls. CRACK! The twonded on a tile roof, falling inside a house and destroying a bed. "GAAA!" Isdis cried, and her mother puked beside the bed. She took a heavy hit to the stomach. When Isdis looked to the side, she saw a woman hiding in the closet with a little girl, a mother with her daughter just like them. "Ah, Shit!" She sighed. Her mother isn''t a fighter and is injured, and on top of that, she hands two civilians that she can''t just abandon. She approached the window, pulled a whistle, and blew it. A few secondster, two whistles replied from the castle. "Good, Rey and Ray are fine. If it''s just running around, those two would be fine." "A coin, please." Isdis heard a voice behind her, and she almost freaked out, "You scared me!" She turned around, ring at the olddy staring at her. Isdis''s mother, the civilian mother, and her daughter stared at the olddy. They didn''t see her enter the room. "A coin, please." The olddy replied, and Isdis snorted at her, "Fuck off old hag. We have a city to save. You can beg for moneyter." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The old hagughed, "Always the same, aren''t we? Gin and Kin must have taught you well," "Not enough to save the capital, it seems," Isdis scratched her head, "As the princess, I ask you to st every undead in the city if you can. Avoid Eris and Arad. You don''t need me to tell you that, right?" "Fine, but I expect an adequate payment," The old hag disappeared. A flesh eater apanied by several zombies and skeletons approached the house. They got word that the princess was hiding there, so they came to kill her. BAM! The flesh eater kicked the door open with a smile on his face, excited to taste royal flesh. He froze in ce, seeing something he didn''t expect. A massive, cat-like green eye stared at him from the room. A brass draconic head so big it was breaking the ceiling red at him. From behind the house, the other undead could see the body of a massive brass drakaina, only her head in the house with her neck and body sitting beside the wall, hiding by the other houses. "Run!" The flesh eater screamed, but it was toote. The drakaina opened her mouth, and her lungs expanded. ROAR! A st ofpressed air exploded in a repulsive breath. The shockwave shattered the skeletons'' bones and sent everyone flying back across the streets. **** Back in the fort, Vars pulled a crystal orb and looked at the city from the sky, "The brass drakaina of Cluckenberg. The retired warmonger is a problem, isn''t she? I was surprised when she decided to stop Gojo and the white dragon from fighting before, but I guess she''s been paid to protect the city." He giggled, shifting his focus toward the castle. "Kin and Gin, the agent sisters of the metallic dragons. They''ve been monitoring the humans for centuries while serving the royal family, but they seem to have gotten a bit too attached. The golden diviner is currently protecting the castle''s servants from the undead while the silver storm is taking care of the royal family. Those are the three dragons in the city," He smiled, "No other threats are left unmonitored. As Vars smiled with everything going ording to n, one of his monitoring points cked out. "What?" He looked once again into the crystal, "A lucky shot? I''m sure Arad''s group, the dragons, or Alphonse are nowhere near it," He looked, but another one cked out. "Something is taking the vultures down," Vars shifted the vision into one of the undead in the city, and he saw it, a ck Jaguar leaping from one building to another, hunting his undead vultures one by one. ^A druid? No, that magic belongs to a warlock,^ Thud! The Jaguar stopped for a second, ring at the flesh eater Vars control for a brief moment before disappearing into the darkness of night. ROAR! From the dark, the Jaguar lunged, crushing the flesh eater''s skill in his jaw. Engulged in ck smoke, the Jaguar shifted into a little kid, wiping the sweat off his face, "I''m the de of the capital. You think I won''t smell your evil from here?" The kid growled, his eyes turning toward the mountains. "AH! Maharaja, grant me thy power. Today, we shall have a great hunt," His eyes shed golden. CLACK! Vars growled, almost throwing the crystal ball away, "The de of the capital? Who''s that kid? No, he said Maharaja. That''s the Rakshasa''s queen of the hunt and the god eater. Since when that wild animal is granting power to people?" "Send Titanozora! I don''t care about the damage. Kill that kid. I don''t want any wild cards on my table!" He growled, and a pair of ghosts rushed out, flying to the mountains. **** Inside the dungeon, Arad lunged forth with a kick, hitting Gug in the face with a passive face, sending her flying back at the wall. CLANG! Meimei tapped the ground with a staff, [Horrid Wilting] Strands of magic rushed toward Arad, sucking water out of his body at a rapid rate. "I will dry him out! Knock him out the moment he started showing weakness." She cried but soon gasped as she felt a massive amount of water getting sucked out of him with no end in sight. Keno luged forth with a horizontal swing at Arad''s neck, "Die!" Thud! Arad bent down, dodging the strike, and caught Keno by the ankle. CRACK! Keno''s bone shattered under Arad''s grip in the blink of an eye, and he cried. "Let go of me!" Without hesitation, Arad swung a fist at Keno''s head. Thud! Gura caught Arad''s fist by the wrist and kicked him in the face, sending him rolling across the room. "GAAAAAAAAA!" Keno screamed on the ground, missing his left foot. "Amolis! Fucking heal me!" "At once, don''t move!" Amolis rushed in, but as soon as he started healing Keno, he saw Arad lunging at them. "Stop him!" He cried. BAM! Gug rushed in, punching Arad in the face, but he retaliated with another punch. ROAR! Gug growled, sending a punch after the other, and Arad kept retaliating. In one second the two were exchanging punches at a terrifying rate with blood sshing everywhere. "When will your spell work?" Amolis red back at Meimei, but she replied with a sweaty face. "I don''t know! It''s like he has a whole fuckingke inside him!" She cried. Arad''s water supply seemed bottomless to her. She didn''t know about his stomach or that he kept it stocked with massive amounts of water, food, potions, weapons, and gold. "Damn it, then do something else!" Amolis growled, "Keno almost bled to death here!" He pped Keno''s back as he finished healing him, "Go!" Keno quickly jumped back into the fight, and Meimei ground her teeth. "I have another thing. It''s bad news." Meimei growled. "What now?" Keno shouted as he swung his de at Arad''s neck, forcing him to move away from Gug. Jogan lifted his hand and shouted, [Force field] A clear sphere of pure magic engulfed Arad, locking him for a few seconds. "I don''t sense any stress on his body yet," Meimei said, "He isn''t using even a quarter of his power," CRACK! The sphere shattered, and Arad lunged forth, swinging his sword at Meimei''s head. "Heh!" She gasped, ^I''m dead,^ CLANG! Keno lunged in and deflected Arad''s sword, "Gura!" He shouted, and Gura kicked Arad away from them. "At least his movements are simple. Whoever is controlling him, he can''t tap into Arad''s full skills, or at least anything that relies heavily on his mind and experience." Keno said with a smile on his face, "We can with this, as long as we don''t make any grave mistake." Chapter 462 The Dragon’s Heist: Hope after Hopelessness

Chapter 462 The Dragon''s Heist: Hope after Hopelessness

"He''s movements are predetermined!" Keno shouted, "Whoever controls him, he can''t tap into Arad''s full potential!" Jogan smiled, "Then we just overwhelm him with multiple decisions at the same time," CLAP! Putting his hands together, "Let''s hit him with everything we got. One solid wound, and he will wake up!" [Eldritch Burst] With one word, four beams of concentrated magic rushed out of Jogan''s hands. CLACK! Keno lunged forth, swinging at Arad''s chest while both Gura and Gug went into a bloody rage, lunging forth with reckless swings, only aiming to tear Arad apart. "Fuck it!" Meimei growled, [Hold Person]. CRACK! The spell shattered. ^Not a human? What? Damn it^ [Hold Monster] Arad''s body froze for a split second, and Amolis lifted his hand toward the ceiling, "I call a divine punishment. A holy beam!" [Divine st] A ray of light fell over Arad''s head as all the attacks approached simultaneously. CRACK! The hold monster spell shattered as quickly as it took hold. Arad kicked up, deflecting Keno''s de while his hands blocked Gura and Gug''s attacks. Jogan smiled, expecting his spell to hit alongside Amolis''s holy magic, but that smile quickly got wiped from his face. As the bolts of force rushed toward Arad, he jerked his hips to the side, deflecting one of the four bolts while getting hit with the other tree on his back. And Amolis''s divine st got a clean hit. "The hell was that? He deflected it?" Everyone stared at Arad, shocked at the strange move, but only Meimei and Amolis thought of something else. One was horrified, and the other hopeful. Meimei stared at Arad, sweating, ^That move just now as if he tried to hit the spells with something that didn''t exist on his back, a tail? My Hold person didn''t work, but the hold monster did. He isn''t a human, but a monster? Or is the spell reacting to his controller''s nature?^ And she was right. At that moment, Arad was trying to use his tail, but s, that wasn''t out yet. Amolis smiled, seeing Arad''s skin burn with his holy magic. ^Meimei said a necrotic spell is controlling him. My holy magic seems to be affecting him nicely.^ "He''s weak to holy magic! Probably because of the control spell, but the reason doesn''t matter! Take those!" Amolis pulled several bottles of holy water from his pouch and threw them. Keno caught one of the bottles and poured it on his katana, "Finally, something we can rely on," Gura and Gug just smashed the bottle with their weapons to slither them with holy water. "Big, strong, and tough," Gura grunted, "Gura likes that," She took a step forward, ripping her leather armor off, only leaving the hide shirt she wore beneath. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Gura''s heart started pounding like an engine. The magic shard stuck in her heart absorbed mana from the air and burned it, engulfing her in raging mes. CRACK! Gura stomped forth, taking a deep breath as mes got sucked into her lungs. BAM! Arad lunged forth, swinging his de at her. Keno tried to interfere, but the sheer heat released from Gura''s chest kept him at bay. ROAR! With a loud roar, she swung her axe at Arad''s sword. CLAN! As the two steels shed, sparks shed, illuminating the room with a blinding light. CRACK! Gura''s axe shattered, the wooden shaft burning into embers under vtile magic released from the shard stuck in her chest. "I always forget, she''s also a monster," Keno smiled, "That magic she absorbs doesn''t only go to healing, in her rage, she can release it for a short time burst of energy as heat," Thud! With one step forward, Gura''s foot dug into the ground and she flung a left at Arad''s face. CRACK! Her fist smacked into his face, caving his right cheek. As Arad''s head recoiled back, Gura shifted her hips, sending a right toward his liver. CRACK! She could feel something crack, she got one of his ribs. In a fit of rage, She released several more punches, leaving tens of burned dents on Arad''s torso and face, finishing with onest hit to the throat, twisting Arad''s body backward. As Arad''s body bent backward with a smile on his face, his right foot lifted up, hitting Gura in the chest with a powerful kick, sending her flying toward the wall. CRACK! Gura fell on her face, puking blood as she felt her organs rip apart from Arad''s kick, she stared at him, blood pouring out of her nose and ears as her mes flickered, "Undominatable power, as heavy as a bull," She growled. CLAP! Jogan pped his hands, [Spawn Darkness] [Hungry Demons] Half of the room was consumed by darkness, hundreds of mouths armed with razor-sharp teeth emerged in the middle of the dark, biting Arad from every direction. Jogan red at the others. ^Prepare for a coordinated attack while he isn''t seeing us,^ Sent a telepathic message to Meimei. VROOM! Out of the darkness, Arad lunged out directly at Jogan, ^Wait? How could he see me, no, how did he get away from those teeth without a scratch?^ It was simple, razor-sharp isn''t enough to pierce a dragon''s scales, let alone Arad''s body that''s protected by his void. SWOSH! Arad swung his fist down, aiming to divorce Jogan''s head from his neck. CLING! Keno lunged his, his katana dripping with holy water, [Action surge] [Adrenaline rush] CLICK! CLACK! CLANG! In the blink of an eye, Keno forced his old bones beyond their limit. In a desperate attempt to save his old friend''s life, that body of his pushed for a power that it didn''t have. At that moment, he could only think of his rival, Alcott. With each millisecond passing, his cellsmented hisck of power. If he only was like him, if only he wasn''tcking, it wouldn''t have gotten to this point. Filled with regret, fear, and desperation his cells forget their desire for survival and only focus on clearing those feelings, pushing over their limit like a sad man overworking himself to feel better. Keno''s max speed was eight attacks a second before, and with his skills, it usually reached a maximum of thirty-two attacks. (8*2[Action surge]*2 [Adrenaline rush]=32) But now, he could step into a realm that he could only dream of, if only for the blink of an eye. His body forced almost twice what he could before, reaching a base of sixteen attacks a second. (16*2[Action surge]*2 [Adrenaline rush]=64) Forty-six shes fell upon Arad''s body. Arms, legs, torso and stomach, neck, face, and eyes, Keno''s shes decimated Arad''s body, albeit failing to slice through his bones. The increased speed came at the cost of his regr raw power. As Arad''s body fell in a pool of his own blood, Keno fell on his knees against his will. His arms, legs, and chest muscles were ripped apart from the stress. His Katana shattered. His body had reached its limit. But Keno giggled against the sharp pain in his chest. "See, Alcott. I managed to step into your league," He smiled, falling on his face. "KENO!" Jogan shouted. Meimei stared around, "Amolis, that attack should have awoken Arad. Heal him first. He might be ourst chance at beating whoever is after this. I will keep Keno alive with healing potions," "Got It!" Amolis shouted, rushing to heal Arad as everyone sat to take a breather. "Damn it, old man!" Jogan shouted, "Don''t die on us!" Keno giggled on his own, "Alcott, I finally reached you." "Let him be," Meimei sighed, "He''s half unconscious, he will be fine after getting healed." She looked toward Amolis healing Arad. "What a beast," She then turned toward Gura who was lying on the ground, exhausted. "Let me stabilize your shard, we don''t want it blowing up," As the A-ranks looked for rest, Gug started at them, "No time to rest, must save Gojo," "We won''t move until we get Arad on his feet," Meimei stared at her, "There is no telling if we can handle whoever is ahead on our own," "Gojo stronger, he''s better," Gug replied. "Doesn''t matter if we can''t save him since weck power. We need Arad to save the Gojo you''re talking about," "You lot! Stop fighting!" Amolis said with an annoyed face, "I''m trying to focus," Meimei stared at him, "You always..." She froze in ce. CRACK! A w rushed into Amolis''s chest, ripping his heart out with one move. He gasped, blood gushing from his mouth as he turned to look at Arad. Arad''s eyes glow purple as his wings, tail, horns, and ws emerge, entering his half-dragon form. "He''s still controlled!" Meimei cried. CLAP! With one swing from his wing, Arad sent Amolis crashing into the wall as blood sshed everywhere. "This fucker had a second phase?!!?!" Jogan screamed. BAM! Gug lunged at Arad from the side, swinging her axe. "DIE!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad''s tail whipped at supersonic speed, pping her in the face and sending her flying at the wall. Void crackling between his scales. **** As Amolis bled on the wall, heartless. ck lightning started crackling from his wounds. Meimei gasped, sensing two lumps of magic rushing toward their location. An oppressive lump of divine magic and a vampiric cursethered with draconic magic. And as well, her eyes turned toward Amolis''s body, "Devil''s curse magic," Chapter 463 The Dragon’s Heist: Desperate Struggle

Chapter 463 The Dragon''s Heist: Desperate Struggle

BAM! Arad lunged forth, pping his wings to elerate toward Meimei. He swung his w down and aimed a blinding fast blow at her face. Time seemed too slow for the wizard, her brain racing to finish constructing a barrier before Arad''s w ripped her brain out, but her body was slower than she thought and was unable to finish the magic in time. ^I''m dead...^ She gasped, almost giving up. CRACK! CLANG! The dungeon''s door burst open, and a golden sh rushed in, deflecting Arad''s w to the side with a great sword. Alphonse, the pdin general red at Arad as he smacked his ws aside, "Why are you attacking them?" Without uttering a reply, Arad swung his second w at Alphonse. Alphonse shouted, parrying Arad''s w swinging at his face with a burning divine smite. CLAP! With a st, Arad jumped to the other side of the room, dodging the holy magic. BAM! Eris jumped into the room, her eyes darting around, "Arad! What''s going on?" She cried. "Someone is controlling him!" Meimei cried, "We don''t know how to wake him up!" Eris stared at her, "How?" She gasped, but at that moment, she could see Arad''s w approaching her eye. "HA!" Eris cried, conjuring her spear and deflecting Arad''s w. With a burst of sma beneath her feet, she flew away. ^Wait? Did I react? Am I getting faster, or is he slower?^ She thought and turned toward Alphonse, "Holy guy, bait him!" "Don''t go ordering me around, bloodsucking fiend," Alphonse smiled, lifting his sword up in a wrath stance. "Arad. I''m going to st your skull open," BAM! He lunged forth, swinging down [Divine Cleaver] Arad pulled the adamantine sword from his stomach, blocking the downward divine cleaver and deflecting it to the side. In the same motion, he swung forth toward the general''s face. Alphonse smiled. ^What a monster.^ CLANG! With a fist, he punched Arad''s sword away and changed the direction of his greatsword,ing in with a horizontal divine cleaver. Arad lifted his fist up, mimicking the general''s moves. Thwack! He punched the divine cleaver away, covering his fist with the void. As Alphonse gasped, Arad spun a right at his face. CLACK! The general blocked with his de, but that wasn''t the end. Arad kept spinning, his right-winging for a hit, followed by a tail swing, the left wing, and then a backhand left that sent Alphonse bouncing on the ground. [Divine Cleaver] While falling, Alphonse threw his de at Arad with a blinding smite, cutting his left arm on the spot. Arad stopped moving, staring at his severed arm. The wound sizzled with holy magic, preventing him from regenerating with blood. "It hurt, doesn''t it?" Alphonse said with a smile, his wounds healing with ease. "I will cut your limbs and leave you as a torso until we find a way to lift the mind control." Arad stared at his arm and opened his mouth. Everyone gasped and started shaking as he bit the stem of his severed arm, spitting the flesh burned by holy magic on the ground. CLACK! Now with a fresh wound without any holy magic, Arad''s blood regeneration kicked in immediately, regrowing his arm in the blink of an eye. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Eris already knew, but that was the moment everyone realized how bad this situation was. Jogan and Meimei started shaking and Gura and Gug stared in silence. Sweat dripped from Alphonse''s head, "What in the gods is he?" "Snap out of it!" Eris shouted, "He''s weaker than I remember! He should have already killed us, but he can''t!" ^That''s right, I know something was off about him.^ She thought, ^His movements are fast but sluggish. There is ag between each attack and the other, and the moves he makes are extremely predictable. He evencks his usual explosive eleration. "Whoever is controlling him, he can''t make full use of Arad''s body. I say he''s two-thirds of his usual power!" She shouted ^He didn''t even use his expansion so I think he can''t even use magic.^ "Overwhelm him with multiple attacks! I might be able to wake him up if I got a bite to his neck!" She cried. Eris is Arad''s spawn, She can be a vampire lord by killing and sucking his blood, or him making her one. The catch is that when a spawn bites their master with the intent to kill them and be a lord, that rattles their bones and brain to the core. She''s counting on that to wake him up. Eris lifted her hands, conjuring five sma spears, and hurled them at Arad. "And don''t critically injure him again! We don''t want him transforming!" "Transforming into what?" Meimei cried, unable to believe Arad had a third phase. "You only need to know that we''ll all die if that happens. It''s several times stronger than this form." Eris replied. Alphonse knew Arad was a vampire, so he thought it had something to do with that, and he certainly didn''t want to face someone as aggressive as Arad in a vampire lord form. "I understand!" He shouted. CRACK! Arad disappeared into thin air, pulling the adamantine sword from his stomach and swinging at Eris''s head. ^This isn''t a problem now, I can predict his pattern and react.^ CLANG! With a swing from her sma spear, she deflected Arad''s strike to the side. "Wake up!" Swinging a fist at his face. From her knuckles, a burst of sma washed over Arad''s head. The sword disappeared from Arad''s hand, getting sucked back into his stomach. ^He''s going to switch!^ Eris predicted that he would attack with the other hand, but the moment she turned her eyes to stare at his left palm, she jumped back in fear seeing what he pulled. By a hair strand, Arad''s swing missed her. Eris red at the gleaming silver knife in his hand with sweat dripping from her forehead. ^That thing, it''s dangerous.^ "Don''t let it hit you!" Eris screamed and Alphonse swung his greatsword at Arad''s back. Alphonse''s sword burst with light as he swung, aiming at Arad''s wings with a furious swing. Arad turned around, blocking with the knife and Alphonse smiled. ^She''s right, he isn''t thinking. I wouldn''t block my greatsword with a small knife.^ CLANG! The knife was forced out of Arad''s hand and Alphonse kicked it into the corner of the room, "You don''t know what weapon you''re holding, you only understand attack and defense." CRACK! With a powerful kick, he sent Arad flying. "Attack, weapon fails to hit, you pull another from your storage and try again. If the attack was blocked and depending on the impact felt, you decide whether to attack, counter, or deflect and counter with another weapon." Alphonse stared at Arad with a grin. "You aren''t directly controlled. The bastard behind this created a set of rules and integrated them into a necrotic spell that attaches to the soul." Heughed, "I know what kind of bastard can do this, Baelnorn. An elf bound to mission in a form resembling that of a lich, but remaining mostly intact. I''ve faced and killed two of them in my days, and I know their tricks." "If you know then wake him up!" Meimei shouted swinging her staff and sting Arad away with a force st. Alphonse stared at Arad, focusing on his the necrotic magic in his body. "I can sense two souls in him. Arad''s soul is locked tight and cannot be reached, but the other one is only masked below severalyers and it oozes with curses." Alphonse lifted his sword. "A second soul? Curses?" Meimei scratched her head, "We need to hit him with a curse to wake that second soul, and hopefully that''s enough to break the necrotic bind." "We''re up against a lich, suchplex spells are expected." Jogan jumped forth, "I have a curse if we really need it," [Blood...] The moment Jogan started channeling a curse, an evil smile crossed Arad''s face as he lunged at a blinding speed. Alphonse and Eris both swung at Arad to stop him, but he didn''t care, taking their hits to the back and rushing as fast as he could toward Jogan. Jogan gasped, blood gushing from his mouth as Arad ripped a chunk of his torso. ^He''s hard-wired to prioritize anyone using curses.^ Alphonse gasped, ^We confirmed the spell''s weakness, but at what cost?^ BAM! He lunged to heal Jogan while Eris tried to distract Arad with a barrage of sma spears. Alphonse turned his head to the wall, staring at the dying Amolis as he healed Jogan. "Wake up! Let her out. That''s our only chance of stopping Arad!" He shouted. **** DING! Amolis opened his eyes, alone in a cold, dark room. "Where am I?" He mumbled as he sat. "Sadly, it''s not hell," A woman''s voice replied from the darkness as a lightning spark emerged. Amolis sighed, "This voice, the fuck you want?" "That''s not nice of you." The voice giggled as it took the vague shape of a woman made of pure ck lightning. "And I came to help you." "I don''t need the help of a devil, even more. If it''s you," Amolis growled. "Hehe," Sheughed, "You''re heartless, bloodless, and your friends are courageless." "Even if I died, they will win. I could feel himing. General Alphonse will handle him," Amolis smiled, "Let me die. I''m not attached to living anyway," "You think the general can beat that monster? You must be dreaming," She approached Amolis, walking behind him. "Your words might hold true if the general was alone or with other pdins. With the rest of your scrawny friends holding him back, he can''t unleash the full might of his holy magic." She put her hand on Amolis''s head, "Let me take control. I promise that I won''t kill anyone, not even that monster Arad." "You aren''t taking control, not even for a second. You fiend." Amolis growled, "Get back to hell and let me die in peace," "How about this? Let''s write a contract." She giggled,bing his hair with her hands, causing it to spike. **** "Wake up! Let her out. That''s our only chance of stopping Arad!" He shouted. A voice boomed in the room. Chapter 464 The Dragon’s Heist: A Devil’s Will.

Chapter 464 The Dragon''s Heist: A Devil''s Will.

To beat an A-rank monster, you usually need one A-rank adventurer. But, sadly isn''t the case when talking about S-rank monsters. A whole S-rank party is needed to y one. And even more when talking about restraining the monster. The strongest of the dragons are the time, prismatic, and void dragons that rule the main elements of nature. The time, light, and the void that hold the universe together. Even their wyrmlings are extremely dangerous due to the nature of their elements, and the young ones are counted as S-rank monsters. Arad Orion being a young void dragon is ssified as such, a special case monster that shouldn''t be faced without preparations. Throughout the ages, and due to their weakness, Humans developed a clever way of dealing with the apex predators of the world, only using their wits. A strategy that allowed them to sit, and sip on wine as the powerhouses of the world died with ease. That strategy was, pitting S-rank monsters against each other to fight, then killing them when they were weak. "Let her out!" Alphonse shouted as ck lightning raged from Amolis''s body. Amolis stood, the hole in his chest already stopped bleeding as he clenched his fist. ck lightning sparked from his hair and to his back. His eyes were fully white as he stared at Arad. **** Back in the city, Ae flew across the city, searching for survivors as she sniped down every undead she saw. After a few minutes, she noticed a misty haze simr to what was around Arad''s house covering the central park of the city. "Don''t tell me those undead have another trick?" She growled. "No," Zephyr smiled, "She''s fully born, that Nymph," She pointed at therge tree in the middle of the part, "Look," Ae stared, squinting her eyes, and could see a woman covered in ck leaves sitting on the tree branches, singing as the people took refuge around it. "Thank goodness, with her here I can fly to Arad." Ae turned toward the fort, ready to fly but soon froze, her knees shaking as curses washed over the city. Her hair stood from the static electricity as she gasped, "What''s this?" "A lightning devil, probably as strong as me if not more. We need to hurry before it kills everyone," Zephyr gasped, knowing she might be the only one able to stop the devil by going all out on it. *** "Your smile pisses me off," Amolis said in a woman''s voice. A ck lightning bolt blitzed at Arad, striking his head. Arad lifted his hands, his face healing as his muscles twitched. The devil in front of him oozed with curses, and he must kill it before Doma sniffed it and woke up. From his stomach, Arad pulled the stone greatsword he took from Doma''s father. Lying the de on his shoulder, he smiled as the void rushed through the stones. "Finally getting serious? I like your kind," Amolis smiled, lifting his hand up as a lightning spear formed between his fingers. [Lanza de Rmpago] Arad took one step forward, and Amolis disappeared from his sight. CLANG! As fast as lightning, Amolis smacked Arad''s face with his lightning spear shaft in the face, ripping his lower jaw apart and sending his body sting through the fort''s walls and into the outer garden. "Last time you only fought a rampaging Amolis using a shred of my power. Don''t get arrogant, dragon." The devil smiled, lightning crackling across the whole fort. Arad flew into the garden, his body rolling on the ground as the devil appeared above him with a grin on her face. Amolis''s body already started shifting to resemble her with a long lightning tail, two horns, and a glowing body of ck lightning. ROAR! Arad roared, swinging his sword at her, but she dodged with ease, grabbing him by the face and flying into the forest where they could fight with ease, all the way dragging his head on the ground, trying to force the witch inside him toe out. As they reached the forest, she threw Arad across the trees as she watched hime to a halt on a stone, bleeding. **** CRACKLE! As Ae flew toward the fort as fast as she could, she could see a massive ck lighting bolt blitzing from the fort, slithered with Arad''s magic. "We''rete! Arad is already fighting the devil!" Zephyr shouted, "He''s going to die if you don''t hurry," **** "Void dragon, you might be strong in this world, butpared to the suffering of the hells, you''re far too naive." She smiled, "They are built to torture everyone, including you and the gods. There is no way a devil from the loweryers of hell would lose to a softling raised in this world." Arad''s body expanded as he transformed into his draconic form, his roar shaking the whole capital. CRACKLE! The devil disappeared once again, appearing beside Arad''s chest and touching him with her hand. "With enough voltage, lighting can jump through gaps no matter howrge." CLAP! With a thunderp, ck lighting covered Arad''s body as it jumped over his void protection and reached deep into his organs. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR! Arad roared, his body frozen from the electrical interference the lightning had with his nerves. "My curse is simple, people give me an offering and I kill their target with a lightning strike from the sky. I''m here to fulfill such a contract, to strike the witch inside you with a bolt." Another lightning bolt fell from the sky, striking Arad. Arad''s body fell on the ground, smoking as it shrunk into a humanoid form. He stood, tattoos emerging on his body as he fixed his hair. "That bastard Vars, and you as well, the devil." Doma growled, "The fuck happened." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "The great witch in person, or should I say in soul?" The devil smiled, "You''re lucky my friend Amolis asked me to help get you out. You better be thankful," "Your friend, more like a ver keeping you caged, the devil." Doma stared at her with a mocking smile, "Do you want me to free you? A thank for helping Arad," "Free me? Nah, thank you," The devil shook her head. "Do you have your own ne, or have the humans broken you already?" Doma stared at her, "Where is your pride? You devils are proud, right?" "The humans broke me? Jokes on them, I would lick Amolis''s feet for the rest of my life if it meant not going back to hell. You know how horrid that ce is..." The devil''s aura faded as she went back into Amolis''s body, sealing herself once again. Thud! Amolis fell on his face, the hole in his chest clogged. Doma stared at him in Arad''s body, "How intriguing," she looked up, seeing Ae rushing toward her. "Good, someone to take care of this dead weight." She cracked her neck. "The spell chaining Arad''s soul can be broken if I manage to deal any damage to Vars," She looked at the fort with a smile, "I will only break the binding and let him deal with the rest, he must learn not to fall for tricks like this again." She lifted her hands with a smile. [Void Step] **** Thud! Aended, looking around for Arad or the devil but she found no traces, only the unconscious Amolis on the ground. "Where did they go?" "The devil is sealed inside his body, and I sense Doma''s curses around, she was here a moment ago," Zephyr replied, "We should take him to the fort or find a healer," "Arad''s safetyes first," Ae replied, ready to leave Amolis there to die and rush toward Arad. "Doma should have sensed using, she must have left us to deal with this one. We sure don''t want him dying and having that devil out again." Zephyr stared at her and Ae sighed, "Fine, we send him to Lydia first." *** ZON! Doma teleported directly to Vars with [Void Step] Shended in the vault with a passive face as she looked around. Meimei was lying on the ground unconscious with a hole in her stomach, Jogan who was freshly healed stood in the corner, gasping for air as he bled from a lost arm. Keno was nowhere to be seen and Eris panted as she leaned on her sma spear, clouds of necrotic rot eating at her back. In the middle of the room, Vars stood with Alphonse levitating in front of him. "General, I already knew how you fight, and that you can''t go all out with people around you. Your pdin''s oath prevents you from killing people you believe are innocent, even if that was as coteral damage from your full-power smites." Vars giggled. Vars slowly turned his head, looking at Doma. "As expected, you would take control of Arad from me in the blink of an eye. The old witch is unfair, isn''t she?" "It was smart of you to use Gojo as a basis to study void dragons and create a spell powerful enough to dominate one, albeit merely a young one." She smiled. "They are monsters. We mortals sacrifice everything, even our lives, cursing our souls to death and barely attaining any power, yet those dragons are born proud and strong. Do you think that''s fair?" Vars stared at her. "It isn''t fair, but that''s what makes stepping on them fun," She smiled. "What makes it fun, you say," Vars looked toward the cube where Gojo was sealed. "Gojo is pissed," Doma said with a smile, "No matter where you would run, he would chase and rip you apart." "I would love to see him try, mortals can''t reach me after I attuned to the murder artifact. I have the power to kill anyone with my mere words, death itself runs from me." Vars smiled, the artifact they were seeking already attuned to his body. "Then, let me teach a lesson with the power of a mere mortal, self-acimed demi-god." Doma smiled, disappearing from Vars''s view. SLAP! Vars could feel his soul''s sake as Doma pped him in the face, sending his body spinning in the air. "All those people you killed still curse you after death, do you think power attained from that can be stable? You fool," She stared down at him, not impressed. Vars red at her, his eyes bloodied red. "DIE!" [Power word: Kill] A strange word came out of his mouth like thunder. Doma stared at him, "Who do you think you are to order me to die?" She red at him, unaffected by the spell. "Impossible! It should kill anything!" Vars cried. "I already gave you a small hit, and Arad is dying toe rip you apart. I will leave you to him," With a smile, the tattoos around Arad''s body disappeared. "VARS!" Arad growled, void gushing out of his eyes. Chapter 465 The Dragon’s Heist: Souls 465 The Dragon''s Heist: Souls Arad looked back at the injured A-ranks and Eris, "Leave the rest to me. Take those." With a wave of his hand, several stamina, healing, and mana potions flew at them. Meimei barely opened her eyes, "You can''t. Whoever was that woman talking now, she''s gone. He''s already ascending," "Ascending?" Arad stared back at Vars, "I can help you with a punch to the sky," Vars giggled, "The god of murder seeks kills in his name, so he grows stronger. What I''m doing is using his artifact to kill people, and instead of offering their souls to him, I''m taking them for myself. With enough, I will ascend into a demi-god." He waved his staff, "Far weaker than any god, but strong enough that mortals won''t get in my way." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Getting power from souls..." Arad sighed, "Do you know how slow is that? Would''ve been useless if it didn''t help reduce thirty-five years of work into less than a year." He thought about his cultivation. Till this point, he knew nothing about its intricate rules or how to optimize it. Arad then looked down, thinking, "Now that I thought about it, shrinking thirty-five years into less than a year is insane." "What are you talking about..." Vars stared at Arad, "Ah! Your void cultivation, it''s not strange that you aren''t getting much, even from big kills. The quality always matters, not just the quantity." He looked at the vibrating cube where Gojo was sealed. "He figured it by trial and error, killing, taking notes, and then killing again. Decreasing variables in each kill to learn its rules." Vars stared at Arad with a wicked smile, "Did you know you get more time by eating a young maiden alive than killing an adult dragon? There is a reason why dragons ask for sacrifice after all, even if they don''t benefit from it. And did you know that people important to the world grant more time, that you can get more experience by eating a mere pigeon if that bird''s fate was delivering a world-changing message between kingdoms?" CRACK! Arad pulled a staff from his stomach, one that he had taken from one of the countless bandits he killed before. "You talk a lot, but I''m sure an evolving demi-god is worth a lot." "That''s where you''re wrong. My soul won''t be worth anything as I''m expanding it with the souls to gain power." Vars pointed his staff at Arad, "Time to end this," Arad took a step forward, teleporting to Vars''s side in one move. "Rot away," Vars pointed his staff at Arad''s chest. [Death mist] CLACK! With one powerful swing, Arad smacked Vars in the head with enough power that his staff exploded, sending the necromance flying like a tiny ball. Arad looked at his chest, seeing his shirt rot and fall to the ground as did his skin, "Only a scratch," In the blink of an eye, blood gushed out of his skin as it healed rapidly, expelling all of Vars''s mist in one go. Arad then opened his mouth, sucking air as his chest expanded. "Huh?!" Vars stared at Arad, surprised for a split second. me cracked in Arad''s mouth, ROAR! He shouted, unleashing a massive cone of crimson mes. "Holy hell." Meimei created a crystal barrier and several ice spikes to protect herself and the other 18:44 adventures, "Where he was keeping all that?" Vars lifted his hand, "Useless," [Bone Wall] The me shifted color from crimson to blue then to white as Arad refined his magic further, and soon the heat got out of control, and the A-rank party started dying by just standing there. "Holy hell." Meimei created a crystal barrier and several ice spikes to protect herself and the other adventures, "Where he was keeping all that?" Thud! Thud! Eris stood, walking forward in the heat unfazed, "I''m not done yet," She growled, sma gushing from her skin. [Death butterfly] Two massive sma wings emerged from her back as she flew forth. Directly into Arad''s mes. SWOSH! Eris''s hand extended from the mes, catching Vars by the face. "The only thing I know is that you must burn," In the blink of an eye, a stream of sma that was even hotter than Arad''s mes burned Vars''s head, evaporating his skull. Thud! Erisnded on her legs, watching Vars''s body fall to the ground, "It''s over, just like this." "This isn''t a stage you stand on!" A voice came from Vars''s body as his arm moved, pointing his staff at her stomach. [Bone Spikes] Arge bone emerged from the ground, stabbing Eris from the back and out of her stomach, lifting her body up. SWOSH! Green mes burned Vars''s body as his bones moved, "The more people die outside, the stronger I get. You won''t destroy me like this." SWOSH! CRACK! Arad shed across the vault, shattering the bone piercing Eris''s body and swinging a fist at Vars''s chest. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! One punch after the other, Arad cracked Vars''s bones, but he could feel them getting harder and harder. First, they were crunchy, then like wood and now it felt like he was punching steel. Vars''s skull regenerated as his green eyes red at Arad. [Power word: Kill] Arad could feel a wave of dreadful magic wash over his body, but it quickly faded. "What''s your game?" With a quick move, he grabbed Vars by one of his ribs and kicked him to the sky. Vars stared down at Arad. ^Death magic isn''t working, is that because of that witch, no it''s something else.^ He tried to inspect Arad, ^Why is the spell not working,^ He then red toward Eris. [Power word: Kill] Eris fell on her knees, feeling a severe headache but it quickly faded. "You tried to kill me," She knew that feeling well, "You bastard!" She growled, releasing five sma spears at him. Vars dodged a punch from Arad and stared at the A-rankers ^Probably since they are vampires,^ [Power word: kill] Meimei puked blood as she felt her guts turning inside out, but the pain quickly faded and Vars stared at her perplexed. [You Fucking Traitor!] A voice rumbled in the air, a cruel and cold divine spark cracked from the blood on the ground. Vars growled, "So it''s you. Katal, the god of Murder." What is Vars''s real n? Chapter 466 The Dragon’s Heist: Rampaging Necromancer [Did you think you could use my power against my will?] The god of murder Katal fought back to regain control of his artifact. Divine magic crackled through Vars''s body, sparking with golden light as his bones cracked and healed. ^Damn it. I didn''tpletely sever the artifact''s link.^ Green me engulfed Vars''s body as his magic spiked uncontrobly. The more he tried to use the artifact''s power, the tighter Katal''s grip on him got. Vars giggled, "Why I''m still active? Are you giving me a fighting chance, or is it that you can''t destroy me? It''s thetter, I know it. You can''t destroy me." [You insolent bastard! My power doesn''t belong to you, and it shall never yield. My chosen will y you.] Katal''s voice boomed across the room. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "That dracolich got destroyed by Arad, and the pdin you adored so much got evaporated by Eris. You only have me left, and I''m taking all the power down with me." The necrotic magic racing across Vars''s body gushed out, burning Katal''s divine magic. [Eris! ept my power and destroy this undead!] "We don''t need your help!" Eris shouted as she threw a spear at Vars, "Scram!" Arad teleported to Vars''s face and punched him hard enough to send him back to the ground in the blink of an eye. "You''re desperate, Katal. Did Amaterasu mess you this badly, to the point you can''t muster a toe''s worth of power? How pathetic!" Vars looked at Arad, "That''s right,e at me." He lifted his hand, [Undead Rain] Out of nowhere, tens of skeletons appeared in the air, falling at Arad and Eris, their jaws biting anything theynded on. Vars grunted. ^I must finish assimtion before those two can destroy me...^ SWOSH! Arad jumped into the sky, pulling the adamantine sword from his stomach and swinging at Vars. Eris opened her mouth, and a spark of sma flickered between her teeth as she roared. A purple light shed from her mouth, sending a small ball ofpressed sma to the skeletons. BOOOM! The sma exploded, wiping most of the undead as Eris flew up with her spear, "I will cremate those bones! You deal with the elf!" Vars dodged Arad''s swing to the side, his eyes leaving a green trail. "Stay down," Without even using his staff. He formed a magic circle above Arad. [Earth Bind] Arad''s body got violently pulled toward the ground, and arms of stone rushed to pin him down. And soon after, bones skewered him from legs to chest. Arad puked blood, and with each passing second, new spikes of bones pierced his body, keeping him sewn to the ground. Vars didn''t wait a fraction of a second before sting toward the city. His goal was simple, kill as many people as possible and absorb their souls to finish the ritual. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance." He shouted at the top of his non-existent lungs. CRACK! Arad''s eyes changed, glowing with a dark purple re as ck scales started showing in his skin, preventing the bones from piercing him. He stood, shattering the arms and pinning him. His wings and tail expanded as he transformed into his half-dragon form. "You won''t get away," With a single p, Arad sted into the sky at a horrifying speed. [Fire Ball] Arad released tens of white fireballs at Vars, aiming to strike him down from range, but all were easily dodged. He tried to teleport to him, but he couldn''t as the bursting necrotic magic around Vars interfered with Arad''s magic. Where two mages try casting a spell in the same space, the one with superior control dominants. Vars is a mage with decades of experience and practice, and Arad couldn''t match his skill. Thus, he couldn''t use the void step to teleport to his side now that he was actively being blocked. "The bastard!" Arad growled, [Be careful. You might have an effective magic area of four kilometers. Vars can dominate three hundred meters around him unless you''re there in person.] "Then I must get closer," Arad flew faster, but he soon heard a voice behind him. "I''ming as well!" Eris flew after him. Arad looked back at her, "Be careful then," "I thought you would tell me to stand down," Eris giggled. "Not a drakaina. You won''t stand down even if I told you." Arad smiled, "Now, try to keep up." With a powerful p, Arad elerated even further. Eris grunted, her wings unable to keep up, "I too, have some tricks!" She shouted as he was getting further and further away from her. With a sma st from beneath her feet, she elerated further to reach Arad. "What do you say now?" Arad turned his head and looked at her, "Let''s go," He sent his tail, touching her shoulder. [Void step] In the blink of an eye, they teleported to the city. "The city?" Eris gasped, looking around. Thud! Arad tapped her head with his hand, "I told you to be careful," "What?" The moment Eris turned, a bone spear stopped at her eye. Arad''s fist clenched on its shaft. "He''s here," Arad said as Vars flew into the city. "Void step. I expected you woulde here before me." Vars pointed his hand down, "Sadly, I don''t have time to y." [Cloud of Death] A ck cloud of miasma gushed out of Vars''s hand and fell at the city. Screams of agony started rising as people rotted alive. Arad flew at Vars as fast as he could, swinging a left at him. CLACK! Vars took a solid hit, crashing into the church''s bell tower. "The miasma isn''t going away!" Eris shouted, opening her hand and trying to ignite it, but to no avail. "You can''t stop it," Vars giggled, standing up to see Arad ahead of him, "You can''t stop me. Only Gojo can, and he isn''ting back anytime soon." Arad lifted his hand, [Void Expansion] Limiting his void to ten meters so he only covers Vars and does not harm the people at the tower''s base. CLACK! In the blink of an eye, Vars pulled a red gem from his chest and threw it away. The gem quickly formed a new skeletal body for him, allowing him to escape Arad''s void expansion before it could reach him. Arad stopped his expansion and stared down at Vars flying through the city, killing everyone he came into contact with. "This is like, what Alcott told me about that dragon attack," He growled, "They knew we can''t go all out in the city and kill innocent people, they why they close to fight here." Rage slowly rushed through his veins. Chapter 467 The Dragon’s Heist: To Each Their Reason Arad flew toward Vars at a blinding speed, "You aren''t even looking at me," He lifted his adamantine sword, swinging down. Vars conjured a bone sword and deflected Arad''s blow, "You''re persistent. The more you press me, the more people are going to die," "When Alcott minded the people, the red dragon still burned the whole city down. If that''s the case, I''m just going to fight anyway," Arad replied, swinging his sword again. Each time Vars deflected the attack, he found it harder. "Cold logic, let them die if they are going to die anyway?" Vars giggled, "By your words then. All humans die eventually. Why do their lives matter?" "To me, it doesn''t. I only care about a select few," CRACK! Arad kicked Vars through the street. "This city belongs to Baltos, so I''m going to protect it. Mira is a human, so I''m protecting humans. Ae is an elf so I''m protecting them as well." Thud! Arad lept forth, the void engulfing his sword, "And you wronged my brother. I don''t need reasons to let people live. I only need reasons to kill, and you gave me plenty to end you." "A dragon''s arrogance, thinking the whole world revolves around you." Vars growled, "You can''t put your mind in another. You''re but a monster imitating humans," Vars remembered his days in Katal''s cult, and then Eris''s image shed in his head. "The only difference between me and her is that I''m like you, capable of cold logic," CRACK! Vars grabbed Arad by the neck, "This is my fight, so don''t get involved!" He screamed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om All the undead in the city entered a rage, rampaging everywhere and killing anything they saw. "You bastard, your words don''t make any sense, let alone logic," CRACK! Arad head-butted Vars, sending him flying back. "You''re a monster imitating humanoids," Vars growled, "You can''t possibly understand me," [Mom, am I missing something?] [Not to my knowledge.] "[Yes, you are. He''s right. You won''t understand him, but it''s best you don''t.]" A mouth opened on Arad''s face. Vars giggled, "Doma the witch, you do understand me." He stood, "I wish I was alive in your time, studying under would have been fun." "[No, thanks. I don''t take students, especially the ones like you.]" Doma''s mouth disappeared. BAM! In the blink of an eye, Arad flew toward Vars swinging his sword at the glowing red gem inside his chest. CLANG! Vars shifted the bone sword into two daggers and blocked Arad''s swing, "You''re annoying," He growled. ^He''s getting faster? His attacks are getting sharper, and he learns fast. If one move is a mistake, he doesn''t do it twice in the same situation. It''s a matter of time before he defeats me. I have to act fast,^ Vars banged the daggers together, [Necrotic st] A ck explosion of death sent Arad flying back as Vars escaped to the sky. SWOSH! Eris flew at Vars with a chain in hand, "You came to me," Vars stared at her with a smile, "Sister in murder, how did it feel to finally get your revenge? Was it sweet or bitter," "Murders aren''t going to stop just because I killed that pdin. So mind your business," Eris swung her chain at Vars, wrapping it around him. Guh! Vars grunted, "You rats! Rack up kills in my name!" With his scream, the undead got even more aggressive, "We''re almost there!" BAM! Arad flew up, Swinging his sword. "Get down," He growled. Vars dodged Arad''s attack and sted him away again. I should use eighty percent of my power to stop Arad, fifteen percent to keep Eris at bay, and five percent in case someone elsees. Vars flew away from Eris, sting her with a continuous stream of ice shards. "You''re really getting on my nerves!" Arad growled, taking a deep breath, "RUN AWAY! DON''T BLAME ME IF YOU DIE!" He shouted as he charged a breath. All the people still alive in the city understood, that this ce was turning into a battlefield and that they were in the way. ROAR! Arad released a massive void breath toward the sky, aiming to erase Vars in one go. Vars teleported behind Eris and kicked her toward Arad, "Well she would die first then. You care about her, don''t you?" At that moment, Arad turned his neck and changed the direction of his breath, barely avoiding Eris. "This would have ended," Vars appeared beside Arad, "If you just killed her with me," With one touch, Vars sted Arad once again. He can''t teleport him, but he can move him by force. "Since you seem to care so much, Deal with this." As Vars said. A massive ball of necrotic me appeared in the sky. "Its explosion can burn half of the city. Have fun," "I''m having fun," A woman''s voice giggled in the sky, and Arad gasped, "You''re still alive?" He stared at Ae and Zephyr in the sky. "Didn''t I send cursed pixies at you?" "Alphonse sted them with a divine st," Zephyr replied with a smile, "You''re unlucky, that''s it." With a single swing of her hand, violent wind swept the massive necrotic ball toward the mountains. "I knew that I can''t. Rely on one n!" Vars swung his hand, summoning a horde of dead pixies. "Seven should''ve been enough to kill you, but I''m a cautious one. Now deal with over fifty." Ae pulled her bow and fired at one of the pixies. But they were fast, nimble, and most importantly, Zephyr couldn''t harm them since she''s the wind spirit. They share the same magic so her wind is mostly useless. In the same way, fire can''t burn fire elementals. CRACK! Vars heard something behind him so he turned, "You''re already back, Arad..." He gasped, the one behind him wasn''t Arad, it wasn''t even a man. Lydia swung her sword down, [Divine Cleaver] "SHIT!" Vars dodged in thest moment, a part of his skull disintegrating from the holy magic. ^This one is different from Alphonse''s, Amaterasu is giving her far too much power.^ CRACK! Lydia stomped forward, swinging her foot at Vars''s face. [Divine Crusher] Thwack! She hit Vars square in the face, sting his skull to ash and sending him flying. Lydia stood baffled for a second, "He didn''t dodge?" That kick was supposed to be a feint, she expected him to dodge left where she could slice him. But he took it, is he smart, or is it something else? "AHH!" Vars stood, his head regenerating, "That was painful, but nice," He cracked his neck, "Another thing scratched off the list," He nodded. **** CRACK! Gojo''s seal cracked. Chapter 468 The Dragon’s Heist: Sibling’s Trap BAM! Lydia rushed forward, her sword burning with holy magic. "Sorry, but here you die!" Vars shouted, swinging his staff [Rib sher] With his swing, tens of sharpened ribs flew out, cutting anything they came into contact with. When one of them touches the ground, it leaves a deep gouge. CLANG! With a swing of her sword, Lydia deflected one of the ribs away, releasing a holy spark. ^I knew it. Alphonse might be stronger and faster, but he''s ultimately amander. His movements are calcted, so he''s easy to guide away. This woman here is a different breed. She''s a frontliner, a suicidal idiot who charges head first.^ Vars growled, seeing her running toward him directly instead of taking cover. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Lydia smacked all the ribs away as she charged forward, her eyes fixed on Vars''s phctery, the red gem in his chest. That''s where a lich hides its soul, its true body, and one weakness. [Divine Cleaver] Rushing across the des, she lifted her sword and swung down at Vars. "You maniac," Vars growled. [Bone Spike] A massive bone emerged from the ground, rushing toward Lydia''s chest. Vars expected her to dodge, but she didn''t bother moving. The bone went straight through her upper shoulder as she kept swinging down. CLAP! With a massive st, she cut Vars from the shoulder down to the hips but missed the course due to the stab and Vars dodging. Thud! Arad appeared behind Vars, swinging his sword at the core. ^Now this one is faster and stronger than her, as bold even, but hecks divine magic to finish me off.^ Vars snatched his core and threw it away before Arad could cut it. "You slithery bastard!" Arad growled. GAH! Lydia puked blood as she grabbed the bone in her shoulder, pulling it off. The holy magic running in her veins stopped the bleeding as she slowly healed. "Are you okay?" Arad stared at her. "It''s only a scratch," She replied, "Pin him down for me. I will send him back to dust." "Got you on that," Arad was about to fly behind Vars when Lydia stopped him, "One question, where is Jack?" "I don''t know. I haven''t seen him or Liliana since before Vars betrayed us," Arad replied. "Knowing Jack and if his sister is the same, they are probably preparing a n or a trap," Lydia said with a worried face. "Even I can''t sense them around," Arad said, but almost immediately, he felt something. On the castle''s walls, Jack hid behind the crions with his sister and hordes of soldiers, giggling like they went insane. "We humans aren''t defeated yet," DING! He pulled a string linked to tens of mangonel, trebuchet, and the enter castle''s defensive siege weaponry. **** BAM! BAM! BAM! Vars heard the siege weapons fire from the castle, and he turned around, seeing a wave of urns flying toward him. ^Those urns, I can feel it. They are filled with holy water.^ The soldiers in the castle stood, pointing the arrows at the sky. "The bastards! They aren''t aiming at me, but at the undead," He growled. "Holy Rain!" A soldier shouted as they fired their arrows, breaking the urns in the sky to rain down holy water on the whole city. As the holy water rained, Vars could hear his undead scream. Such a small amount wouldn''t be enough to harm him, but the small minions he relied on were a different story. He turned to fly toward the castle. ^I bet they have priests blessing barrels over barrels of water behind the walls. If I could kill them, this rain would end.^ SWOSH! As he flew, he could see arge urn flying toward him. ^Useless, no matter how much water they ssh on me, It won''t be strong enough to harm me. I will take a page out of your book, pdin.^ He remembered Lydia charging forth and decided to do the same. As he passed by the urn, time seemed to slow for him as his senses spiked. Something was off. CRACK! The urn''s lid burst open, and a hook flew off, catching a building as Jack emerged, swinging back at Vars with a smile. "You only knew sister as a rogue," Jack caught Vars by the corbone and swung Amaterasu''s wakizashi at his core. Liliana ran away from the trebuchet she used to fire Jack and went toward the row of mangonel, "Seventy degrees left, fire then send the horses!" She shouted with a smile on her face. "Use ropes and the ballista to climb to the walls and activate the weapons there. None of the undead will escape the city!" The soldiers tied ropes to the ballista''s bolts, firing them at the wall to create paths to cross above the undead-infested buildings. ^I make traps for people, and she makes them for armies. It only took a few words to grant her control over the military. You and your minions are but flies caught in her web.^ Jack smiled as he pushed the wakizashi toward Vars''s phctory. "You''re one slippery human," Vars growled, spikes of bone bursting from his body. GAH! Jack gasped as he blocked the spikes with his artificial arm and leg. Vars took the chance to fly away, but Jack wasn''t letting him go that easily. CLANG! He fired the hook at a building, swinging around it to turn, and then fired the hook again, catching Vars by the ribs as he pulled himself toward him. "You''re a mere human!" Vars shouted. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om CLACK! Jack stepped on a building wall, trying to prevent Vars from flying away. Only the pull strength kept Jack standing on the wall. "You can say, I''m two-thirds the man I was before," Jack growled, activating his artificial leg to pull harder. CLANG! With one powerful jerk, he swung Vars to the ground where Arad, Lydia, and Eris awaited him. CRACK! As Vars smacked to the ground, he could see Jack falling after him, pointing at him with his hand cannon. Arad rushed from the front with a void sh while Lydia from the back with a Divine cleaver. Eris thrust her spear from the side, burning like a star. And Ae to the side, pointing her bow at his core. *** "GUG!" Gug shouted, swinging her greatsword at the cube that sealed Gojo. "Gura!" Gura did the same with all her might. CRACK! The cube cracked, and they could finally sense Gojo''s raging magic escaping. The moment he''s out, this whole thing would end. Chapter 469 The Dragon’s Heist: Brilliance Vars gasped, sensing Gojo''s magic across the air. ^The seal won''t hold him that much longer. For real, what a monster.^ CLANG! Arad smacked Vars''s head with a punch, sending him straight toward Lydia''s divine cleaver. CLAP! As the holy st threw him back, Vars was met with Jack''s cannon to the head. BOOM! As the shards of his bones flew, Ae picked them up with her wind and threw them back at him, ripping holes in him with his own bones. Seeing Vars almost broken, Eris went in with a sma burst, trying to cremate those rotten bones of his. "I''m not going down! Not now!" Vars shouted, hundreds of bone spikes bursting from his body to keep everyone at bay. BAM! He jumped into the sky, pointing down with his staff. [Eldritch...] CRACK! Before he could cast the spell, a boulder came flying and smacked him in the head. Vars''s glowing green eyes shifted, staring at the walls to see Liliana standing behind a league of ballistae and trebuchets. "Fire!" She screamed, and hundreds of massive bolts and boulders rushed across the sky, aiming at Vars. "I see. The sky is her web now." He growled, flying back to the ground, and let the stones smash on the nearby buildings. Anything that flies a bit too high would get knocked right back to the ground. "And here," Vars looked ahead of him, seeing Arad and everyone else rush at him. CRACK! He got punched into a building, and Eris burned the whole ce. He ran out, and Ae sniped him. The moment he tried to counter, he triggered a makeshift trap made by Jack. And then Lydia dropped a burning hot divine cleaver on his back. ^They are ganging up on me. I can''t regenerate fully without exposing my phctry. The moment I got it out, Arad would blow it to dust with his void. The only reason he isn''t directly using his void is because he''s keeping a load charged and ready to burst.^ Vars could see it. The moment he starts regenerating and exposing his phctery, Arad would roar with a void breath to erase him and a cone shape out of the city from existence. ^He doesn''t care if humans were still hiding behind me. He''s just like his brother, hostages, and trickery won''t work against them...^ It was then that an idea sparked in Vars''s head. ^No, Gojo is far more dangerous. Arad can still be intimidated, and hostages work against him. I just need to pick the right ones.^ In the blink of an eye, Vars lunged toward Ae and pulled her to him by the neck, using her as a meat shield. ^Gojo doesn''t have wives to care about. He probably won''t even care about Gug and Liliana. His only weakness now is Arad, and Arad has many weaknesses.^ [Graveyard: Song of the dead] With those words, the whole city glew green. Arad held his breath. If it was Eris, he wouldn''t have minded sting a hole through her chest. But Ae can''t survive such a hit. Bone hands grabbed Arad by the legs, dragging him underground in the blink of an eye. "ARAD!" Jack cried, but soon, Eris and Lydia got pulled as well. Jack managed to dodge the arms as Vars didn''t seem to spend that much on him, focusing on those that can dish a ton of damage. After seeing that the strong ones were buried alive, Vars let go of Ae and flew up. The moment Liliana saw him, she shouted, "Fire!" But nothing happened. She turned around to see that all the soldiers were pinned down by skeletons. Vars graveyard spaned across the whole city. "Damn it!" She pulled the ballista trigger herself, but Vars easily dodged the lone shot. At that moment, Vars could feel it. With the graveyard unleashed, he had racked enough murders to challenge the portfolio. He made sure no one was around, especially Arad, and pulled his phctery. "This is it!" He giggled, seeing his red phctry glowing with a pure white glow. "A demi-god of murder," **** CRACK! As if Vars heard it miles away, he turned toward the fort. "It''s shattering." He gasped. CRACK! CRACK! The artifact sealing Gojo cracked, and his void started leaking out. That void then engulfed the whole cube, ripping it apart. Thud! Gojo stood there, and the A-ranks that were trying to free him stared skeptically. The moment Gojo lifted his hand, Meimei shat herself. The amount of mana that he pulled was disgusting, making her feel sick. [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] "FUCK! He''sing!" Vars gasped, gathering all of his magic, and newfound divine powers to protect his phctry. The world isprised of matter, and matter is a bunch of molecules exiting together, made of atoms. Even inside the atoms themselves, a void exists separating the nucleus from the electrons. Gojo''s void expansion can increase or decrease that void, and now, he eliminated itpletely between his palm and Vars. ZON! Vars got pulled violently as Gojo flew forward, and the two met in the middle with a blue-glowing, solid wall ofpressed matter between them. "It doesn''t like being thispressed, do you know?" Gojo smiled as the wall shed with a blinding light. GROWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Vars''s magic instantly disappeared as a titanic beam of light shed across the sky, loud enough to send the soldiers crawling on the ground as their ears bled. [Quasar] Gojo floated mid-air, the mountain range on the horizon had a burning hole in it as the monsters of the wild ran away. All the mages in the city fell on their knees, that wasn''t a spell. It was the pure wrath of mana itself. CRACK! Arad dug through the ground, pulling Eris and Lydia with him. As he reached the surface he stared at the sky, seeing Gojo floating there. "Brother! I don''t sense Vars, is he dead?" Arad asked, putting the two girls on the ground. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Gojo flew down to Arad, "Depends on what you call alive, but I blew his body into nothingness." He replied with a smile, "But, I sensed him bing a demi-god right after getting out of the cube," Gojo still had the cube with him, and it strangely remained intact. Probably a property of it that still needs studying. "We aren''t getting repelled so that thing still works, right?" Arad looked at the cube, and Gojo nodded, "It seems that way," "Gojo, I knew you were a problem." Vars''s voice came from behind them and Gojo stared back with a sigh. "That''s cheating, Vars," He said, seeing Vars''s ghostly form. He can''t be destroyed or killed due to his demi-god status. "You''re the one cheating!" Vars growled. Arad got ready to fight but Gojo lifted his hand, "Don''t bother, we can''t erase him now." A divine beam of light fell from the sky and engulfed Vars''s ghost as itughed, "Finally, it''s time." Gojo stared at him, "Hurry and to the heavens, you don''t belong in this world anymore." "About that," Vars stopped raising and looked at the sky. "OH! The great old one, I call thee! A mere drop of water in your see, I seek a hearing!" The golden light falling from the sky expanded, and hundreds of ck tentacles dangled from the sky as hundreds of eyes emerged staring at Vars. Gojo immediately lifted his hands, covering the capital in his void expansion to protect it. What Vars called wasn''t something mortals should deal with. Vars bowed, "I seek to challenge Katal''s portfolio. Who of us is just, it''s up to your wisdom to decide." Gojo growled, "The idiot," He stared up, "Vars, you fool! Do you think that thing thing grants power for free? What about what we found? People take hundreds of thousands of believers and barely manage to get a portfolio, and you challenge an already existing god?" The eyes stared at Vars and a deep growl rushed from the sky, "Granted. Vars Is the new God of Murder. Katal is demoted back to a demi-god." Gojo''s eyes opened wide as he saw a man fly down from the sky in front of Vars, screaming in rage. "How is this possible?" Katal wasn''t satisfied, but Vars didn''t waste a second to slice him apart, ending his legacy at once. With Katal dead, and him ascending to the heavens in his ce. Vars giggled, "I guess, this is it," He pulled his phctry, and lifted a middle finger to Katal''s falling corpse. "Get fucked! It''s over!" CRACK! Vars shattered his own phctry, causing his soul to start flickering. "What are you doing?" Gojo shouted, and Vars stared at him with a smile. "I killed Katal and now killed myself, the new god of murder. The portfolio will return to the overgod and relive the world from its burden." Vars giggled. "Like her," He pointed at Eris, "My family was mixed with their cult a few centuries ago. But, unlike you, I didn''t go after theckeys and minions, I didn''t even go after Katal himself." "Your enemy was the murder portfolio itself. You wanted to rid the world of it so no murder god could be born, and no cults killing people should spawn." Gojo scratched his head, "You idiot weirdo," "HAA!" Vars sighed, "If I knew beforehand, I would have just begged him to deal with it directly..." His soul disintegrated. Chapter 470 Vars: A Lonely Rebellion "Vars! Oi! Vars wake up. We have work to do." A man shouted, and Vars opened his eyes, still exhausted. "Is it time? We''ve been working all night," He growled. "The viges are still alive. We can''t sleep." The man replied with a grunt, "It''s either kill or be killed," He looked away, "If we don''t, he''s going to pit us against each other. I rather kill a stranger than someone I knew for a day," He walked away. Vars scratched his head as he stood, "Does it matter? Whether we know each other or not? That won''t change the fact we''re killing." "The more reason to not care. We don''t have a choice, not against a god." The man waved his hand, urging Vars to hurry. "Hurry!" "Yes, Dad." Vars walked behind his father, yawning as they entered the inner sanctum of Almora''s ancient burial, one of Katal''s biggest cults on the eastern side of the elvish kingdom. "Didn''t we already wipe a vige yesterday? I thought we were going to have a calm day for once." Vars asked. "Lord Katal is in conflict with other gods. He seeks offering. Apparently, yesterday''s vige wasn''t enough." Vars''s father replied, causing his son to start thinking. "We aren''t the only cult in the world. Last I read there was over two hundred spread across the world. If we all got the same order, that means over two hundred viges were sacrificed and it wasn''t enough." He looked forward, "That''s absurd, tens of thousands of people and it wasn''t enough." "Vars, we don''t calcte a god''s wishes. We obey his orders, and he''s the one deciding what''s best." His father red at him. "I know," Vars sighed, "Let''s get back to work," "You''re right." His father sighed, "It''s best to get it done with quickly," **** A few hourster Vars was standing beside a burning vige, watching as the people in it screamed. "I suspect, this another couple of thousands of people down the drains." He sighed and stood, "Not like I can do anything about it, if I refuse, they will kill me and get someone else to do the burning," He stood and left. **** That night back in the burial. "Vars, we got a celebration tonight. Lord Katal seems to have won against whoever he was fighting with." Vars stared at his father with a smile, "Hee? I bet someone is going to die tonight anyway." He knew how nasty Katal can get. "Don''t say that," His father shook his head, "We''re getting a chosen one." Vars stood, "Can we not?" **** A few minutester, Vars was standing in the inner room, looking at the main sanctum. "Why is my father standing with the other leaders?" He asked. This sanctum was divided into four sections, north, west, south, and east. Vars''s father was the south leader, they specialized in burning people. The shaman olddy walked to the sanctum, barely able to walk. "Katal''s mercy falls upon us today. A chosen of Katal is going to be picked by him." She said. Vars sighed in relief, "So it''s going to be one of them? Hopefully, Father gets it," Another cultist poked him, "He won''t. The east leader is far stronger, he''s head yer!" "They won''t be fighting, at least I hope so." Vars sighed. "Katal requests a pure blood sport, the survivor will be his chosen." The olddy said and Vars scratched his head, "I knew it," He red at Katal''s statue, "That nasty bastard, pitting his believers against each other for fun." The four men began to fight, and the one winning was the east lord, the head yer. One of the cultists poked Vars''s side, "Sorry for your loss, but I told you." Vars stared at the bloodied arena, looking at his father''s corpse as the east lord shouted in celebration, his wounds healing with divine magic as he became the chosen of Katal. Thud! Vars walked forward with a straight face, going down the stairs and stepping into the sanctum ring. "Hoi! You! What are you doing?" The shaman''s old hag shouted, ring at Vars as he approached his father''s corpse, closing his eyes. "We killed a lot, we deserve such an end, don''t we?" He asked. "I asked you what are you doing?" The old hag growled, her voice growing weak due to her age. Vars ignored the shaman and stared at the east lord, "That''s holy magic you have. Got anything else?" The east lord stared back at Vars, "You''re his son? What a pity," He red forth, "I got a divine spart, my kills go directly to Lord Katal without the need of a ritual or a shaman as the middleman." Vars smiled, "I see, I could work with that." He stood, cracking his neck. "What are you doing?" The east lord growled. "We''re a bunch of killers, and today is a celebration. How about we kill each other for Katal''s amusement, and the winner keeps the title?" Vars smiled. "You insolent bastard!" The shaman olddy screamed again. "There is no way..." She stopped, "Katal approved...you two get to kill each other, a blood sport." She walked out of the sanctum. The east lord pulled his sword, "So you want to meet your father quickly, I will grant you that wish." "This is the end," Vars mumbled, lifting his staff. BAM! The east lord lunged forth at a blinding speed, swinging his de at Vars''s neck. CRACKLE! A ming spark shed from Vars''s staff, releasing a fire st at the east lord, setting him aze. GAAAAAAAAA! The east lord screamed, but Vars didn''t give him a second to think, sting him again and again with fire. All while keeping a calm passive face, not even bothering to move. The east lord regeneration failed to keep up with the Vars''s mes, he ended up as a charred corpse just one minute after the fight started. The shaman olddy walked into the sanctum, "You really did it," She gasped, "The title is yours." Vars felt the divine magic rushing into his body, yet it was still linked to Katal. ^When I kill people, their souls turn into power that Katal takes. I might be able to take it for myself,^ CRACKLE! A fire spark emerged in Vars''s hair. The shaman gasped, "Kill him! NOW!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, all the cultists stared in confusion as the fire crackled from Vars''s body. "This is the beginning of the end," He red back at them, and soon a blinding sh engulfed the whole burial, a burst of pure white mes. "This bastard!" The shaman olddy cried as her body evaporated in Vars''s explosion. SWOSH! From the mes, Vars zipped out as fast as he could, flying through the tight caverns and barely dodging the stones in his way. "There he is!" Some of the cultists survived, "Kill the traitor!" Vars ran away as fast as he could, keeping an eye on the people chasing him. ^I took almost forty of them. That means twenty are left at least. Only five are chasing me so the rest are injured.^ SWOSH! Another cultist emerged at the end of the cave, staring at theing Vars with his sword raised. ^Shit! The guards,^ Vars lifted his arm to block the sh. CRACK! The sword went right through his arm and took his left eye as he blitzed over the guard. "Damn it!" Vars growled, burning his arm and eye with mes to stop the bleeding. ^The regeneration isn''t kicking in, of course, he won''t grant me power now that I betrayed him. Yet he still takes power from everything I kill.^ Vars flew into the night sky, leaving the cultists growling on the ground. "The bastard ran away! Should, send people after him." A man shouted. "Leave him be, we suffered a lot of damage and we need to make an offering tomorrow. We don''t have manpower to spare." Another growled, "My Katal bring his doom," *** After flying for half a day, Vars crashed into a river beside an elvish vige. The farmers picked him up thinking he was an adventurer who got taken down by a monster. The moment he woke up, Vars left the vige, trying to get as far away from Katal''s cults as possible. He needs time to study the powers of the chosen, and how to exploit them against the god. After fifty years of traveling around the continent, he managed to get his arm and eyes healed by a witch in exchange for some of his blood. Another centuryter he discovered that Katal couldn''t take power from his kills if he turned the corpses into undead and bound their souls to the bodies. With that in mind, he went on a search for necromancy. Twenty yearster, he discovered the location of an ancient tome. Morena''s binds of necromancy. And one yearter, he managed to get it by raiding an acid-filled tomb in the frozen wastnds of the north. Another four hundred yearster, he had mastered necromancy to its peak, but his body was growing old without him finding a way to destroy Katal. His only solution was lichdom, bing an elf lich, a Baelnorn. Another century passed, and he managed to seed in the ritual and became an immortal lich with the only purpose of destroying Katal. But his skeletal body made it hard to blend between the people. Another centuryter he managed to create a spell that binds him to corpses and allows him to look like an alive elf for the rest of what the corpse''s natural lifespan was. And thus, he could look like a normal elf at the cost of one elf every one thousand years. His first target was a leader of the Katal''s cults, and he managed to look like he used to. Another three hundred years passed, and he finally discovered the traces of an ancient artifact. A dagger that was once used to kill a god and became a symbol for murder. Anyone who is attuned to the dagger should be able to absorb power from killing people and eventually bing a demi-god. Some scriptures even say Katal used it to be a god. One yearter, Vars started his search for the dagger, but soon he discovered another side effect of his lichdom. The way he acts seems abnormal, always unempathetic to everything. He had to spend two years studying elves in an attempt to learn how to act like them again, and soon he managed to give people a decent impression that none suspected him to be a lich. Ten yearster, He discovered the location of the dagger. It was stored in Ruris''s kingdom vault. The humans held it for centuries, making sure none got to it. Vars then spent five years traveling across the sea andnd to reach the human kingdom, almost getting killed several times on his way. One yearter, he was closer to dagger than ever. All he had to do was take a ride from Alina to the capital, and he could start nning. On his way to Alina, he mistakingly walked into the territory of a n of barbarians. Thest thing he wanted was attention, so he decided to try and talk his way out, but the idiots didn''t care. One dayter, he was tied with ropes and locked in a wooden cage over a boiling pot as the barbarians danced around the me. This was Gug''s n, and she was dancing down with them. They will cook and feed him to the beasts they raised. Cooking was amon way to make sure monsters'' flesh lost its poison, and barbarians didn''t care and boiled everything just to be safe. ^Maybe I should just burn this ce. But, I don''t have any more space to store undead.^ Vars sighed. He didn''t want to kill them and give power to Katal, and he also didn''t want to discard any of his already trained undead. "What should I do," He sighed again, maybe making a run for it is the best option. **** KA-VROOOM! As Vars sat in the cage, he felt like the sky fell on the ground, the mana across the whole forest screamed as the small monsters ran away and the strong ones became wary and terrified. As a lich, he could feel, "An arrogance was born," He growled, staring at the forest. Half a dayter, a weird white-haired man walked from the forest heading toward the n. Vars could know it at a nce, that man was a monster of the arrogant blood, a dragon. Gug cut Gojo''s path, standing in front of him ahead of the n gate. "Skinny human! Beast food!" She growled. Gojo reached into his pocket and pulled out a whole wooden foot, danging it with two fingers, "I found this, is it yours?" He looked at Gug with a smile. Vars gasped, "Wait! He raided my camp?" Gojo blinked as he heard Vars''s gasp and stared at him, "So it''s yours? Why are they cooking you?" He waved his hand. "It''s not like I want to be here. Ask them not me." Vars growled. Gojo looked at Gug, "Why are you cooking him? Do you eat long-eared people, I mean elves? Can I have some?" "Not for Gug, for the beasts," Gug pointed at a pen filled with bears and wolves. "You make good food," She lifted her fist, swinging at Gojo''s head. Gojo weaved her attack, knocking her down with a backhand fist to the chin. He walked toward Vars with a smile, "I found more in the forest," He showed him the wooden foot. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Forget about that, release me," Vars replied with an exhausted voice. "No way," Gojo replied, "I''m hungry and want something to eat." Vars knew it, to dragons, humanoids were mere food. GRAAAAAAAAAAAA! The barbarian chieftain rushed toward Gojo, enraged. With a smile on his face, Gojo rushed and ran toward the chieftain, sending him flying with one kick that exploded with the void. He then made a walk to the chieftain''s hut and sat on his throne. "This ce is mine." He said, staring at the rest of the barbarians. "Free me!" Vars shouted, "I can help you!" "Food shouldn''t talk," Gojo sighed, ring at the other barbarians. "Anyone of you want to be eaten?" [Listen!] A voice boomed in Gojo''s head, a telepathic message from Vars. [I know you''re a dragon, It''s only a matter of time before people find out and start hunting you. I''m a mage and I can help you.] Gojo stood. What Vars said aligned with a strange voice in his head iming to be his mother so he decided to trust him for the time being. After three years of nning, Vars managed to execute his n and defeat Katal, destroying the portfolio of murder from its root, at the cost of his life, and hundreds of souls from the capital. **** DING! Vars opened his eyes, standing in pure darkness with a golden throne in front of him. A white-haired woman with twenty-four pure white wings walked and sat on said throne. "God of murder Vars, you have died." The woman said with a smile, "I''m Aria, the collective consciousness. I''m here to tell of your life, and end." Vars lifted his head, "What happened to the portfolio of murder?" "It returned to the overgod, none shall have it again," Aria replied. Vars smiled, "Then it''s all over," "I was asked by the overgod to state the numbers to you," Aria cleared her throat, "Katal had his cults sacrifice an average of fifty thousand souls a month worldwide. He''s been doing it for two thousand years." Vars nodded, "What a horrible existence, don''t you agree?" "I only agree with the overgod," Aria replied, "Your ascension consumed twenty-five thousand souls, half what Katal kills in a month, but you managed to overthrow him. Congrattions, you achieved your life goal." Vars smiled, "Sacrifice twenty-five thousand to save fifty thousand each month from now on. Do you think it''s a fair trade?" "It''s not my ce to think of what it is, I only deliver the overgod''s words." She stared at Vars with a passive face. "Your soul can''t be saved as the gods die a true death and return to the primordial sea of magic. You don''t have much time left, anyst words or wishes?" Vars looked up, "I wonder, what do toes taste like," "I cannot grant that wish," Aria replied. "I see, what a shame..." His soul disintegrated into a golden mist. Chapter 471 Sniping Opportunities. Arad looked at the sun as people started walking out of the forest, terrified and injured. The growls of Vars''s undead vanishing filled the sky with a bone-chilling rumbling as the first soldier lifted his sword. "Victory!" Screams of celebration filled the sky as Gojo looked at the clouds, "You could have asked for my help, at least. You know I''m a monster." Arad approached him, "Each month waited meant hundreds of thousands of deaths. He wanted to finish it as soon as possible. Or so Doma said," ^Did you know from the start?^ Arad growled inside his head. ^[Not from the start. I knew when I released you from the mind control.]^ Doma replied. The undead fairies flew down, looking at Zephyr as their bodies disintegrated into dust. "Tempest queen, It''s been an honor to see you onest time," One of them said, bowing deeply. "Ama, Goten, Ashely, Zs, Sylvanor, Shylore. Who killed you?" Zephyr asked with a stern face, "Was it that elf?" Goten smiled, "We''re honored you still remember our names, but Vars wasn''t the one to kill us. We died in the fey fall to the spirit eaters. He wiped the beast in exchange for our help after death." "I see. May you rest in peace beneath the world tree." Zephyr saluted the fairies as they turned into ash. "You knew them?" Ae stared at her. "They once were my royal guards when I ruled the wind spirits as a queen. Albeit, that changed after I became the wind spirit and retired from my position." Zephyr replied as she stared at the clouds, "That was a few thousand years ago," "There is a difference?" "Fairies expert in controlling wind magic are usually called wind spirits by humanoids. Albeit they should be called wind fairies or pixies, I was their queen before I became the wind spirit." Zephyr exined. "Really? I knew that strong pixies are called fairies. And that stronger fairies could be called spirits." Ae stared at her with a smile, and Zephyr giggled, "There''s more to that," **** "What should we do now? The city is in shambles, and Vars''s n seems to have been fake," Arad looked at his brother, and Gojo scratched his head, "Yeah, I doubt the elves even owned that artifact." "How about the war between them?" Arad looked around at the people celebrating, "If the artifact isn''t the reason, then what could it be?" "I don''t know," Gojo sighed, "But for now, let''s rest for a while. I didn''t get to fight that much, but my head hurts a bit." "From Vars''s betrayal?" Arad looked at him. "From trying to break out of that prison, it was a headache to deal with." Gojo waved his hand. He wasn''t indifferent to Vars''s actions, but thinking about them won''t solve anything now. "The prison, how did it work?" Arad asked, and Gojo pulled the cube from his stomach, and let it float in the air. The cube''s prison is a demi-n ten kilometers wide in each direction enchased in a tenyered magic barrier enchanted with a reversed gravity field. When a creature tries to get close to the barriers, they get repelled back as if they and the wall were mas. Since the demi-n is an empty sphere, you would be floating in the center without any support to push from toward the walls, making it almost impossible to even try attacking or applying force on it. "How did you get out?" Arad asked. "I filled the ce with matter from my stomach and exploded it repeatedly until the gases expanded so much it cracked the walls," Gojo replied, and Arad looked at the burning mountains, sweating. "I wouldn''t have gotten out even if I tried," He giggled. "You probably would expand everything in your stomach and never get out," Gojo waved his hands, "But I now know one thing. This artifact''s power is rted to Gravity," The two turned around, walking toward Jack who was looking over the unconscious Lydia and Eris. CRACK! The city''s gate opened up and everyone stared at it, "Who''s there?" Arad growled, taking the front with Gojo. The aura they could sense from behind the gate seemed a bit strange. From the gate, a bloodied kid walked in, leaning on a wooden sword. His eyes darted around and fixed on Arad, "It''s you again," The kid growled, "Are you the one behind this?" He pointed his sword at Arad. "You''re injured," Arad approached him, "Were you hiding outside?" "Shut up! Viin!" The kid touched his wooden sword, "Roar! Maharaja!" He shouted, sparks of golden lightning shing from the sword to his body, but they quickly faded. CRACK! He fell on his knees, bleeding from his ears and nose. His eyes rolled back as he fell face first, unconscious from over-exaggerating his body. Arad lifted the kid, taking it back to Jack for healing while Gojo went out to see what happened outside the city. "Arad!" Gojo shouted, "You must see this!" Arad left the kid with Jack and went to his brother. The moment he got out of the city, his eyes opened wide. "How many are there?" Hundreds of undead ranging from skeletons to zombies and flesh eats, spread like dead sardines with their skulls crushed. "Did he kill them all?" Arad stared at Gojo. "He''s probably a warlock. Those are the ones to get most of their power early. The contract naturees into effect, but that''s generally the case." Gojo looked back at the kid, "He did say Maharaja. Vars found some writing about her, a titanic jaguar-like monster capable of leveling the world if she was summoned." "Even if that was the case, some might have slipped out. Do you think we should go search for surviving undead?" Arad looked around, closing his eyes and trying to sense the thoughts. "Undead doesn''t think most of the time, you won''t sense them. But, Vars''s undead won''t survive for five minutes without him supplying them with mana. It''s been a while since he died and I expect they already died too." Gojo turned around, "We better search for survivors," Putting his hands together, Gojo disappeared as he started the search and rescue. "No time to rest," Arad sighed, doing the same. He used his detection though to find surviving civilians and teleport with them to thergest church in the city. **** Two hours passed. "Ae, where is Arad?" Isdis rushed in on horseback, seeing Ae helping the nuns in the church. "He''s still out with Gojo searching for survivors," Ae replied, but she quickly gasped, seeing blood on Isdis''s left shoulder. "Did you get injured?" "Got shed in the shoulder by a war zombie, but it''s only a scratch," Isdis tapped her shoulder, "He didn''t cut through the bones," She then looked at Ae, "Mira isn''t doing well," "What! Wasn''t she with Kin?" Ae gasped. Isdis shook her head, "It wasn''t a battle injury. Remember that backpack she made to power her new hammer? It exploded on her back as she was fighting undead," "Is her injury that severe?" Ae rushed toward Isdis, "She''s stable, the healers in the castle managed to reach her in time. But that thing almost blew her spine out." Ae scratched her head, "We told her magic crystals are dangerous," Zephyr flew out from Ae, "They must have overheated. Next time I hope she makes something to cool them off," "There won''t be a next time," Ae stared at Zephyr. "I will talk with Arad about stopping her from making such dangerous devices." "It''s natural for an artificer, I never heard of one of them that didn''t almost die to one of his creations." Zephyr then stared at Isdis, "How much did she kill?" "Forty-two undead, mostly skeletons and zombies." Isdis replied, "That''s honestly an impressive number." "That''s terrifying, for a level three non-fighting ss." Ae said with an exhausted stare, "So, then what happened to the rest?" "Gin protected the royal family while Kin dealt with the undead crustacean that emerged from the sea with the help of a brass dragon. It wasn''t a fair fight at all, but they were numerous." Isdis sighed, "The cleanup would be a pain," "Undead crustaceans?" Ae looked at Isdis. "Ten-foot undead lobsters, massive crabs, and shrimps. I even saw an undead whale at some point," Isdis scratched her head, "Just what kind of necromancer summoned all of those?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "It''s, a long story," Ae sighed. "That demon woman called him Vars," Isdis stared at Ae, "We''re currently investigating the situation. But don''t worry about it, I will handle the results." "We''re counting on you," Ae giggled with a drop of sweat trailing down her forehead. "I hope you lots don''t cause more troubles in the..." CLACK! As she spoke, an arrow pierced her neck. Ae blinked, seeing Isdis fall down from the horse, bleeding. "Huh?" She gasped, turning her head aside to see a masked individual running inside the building. Ae pulled her bow and pointed at the man, but before she could fire, a roar shook the whole city. Arad roared in rage behind the city''s wall. Chapter 472 Draconic Rage BA-dump! BA-dump! Three hours after the undead attack on the capital, the fourth princess was struck with an arrow to the neck, dropping her from horseback. Everyone felt a shiver, and even people who couldn''t sense magic sensed a cold wind as the mana diverged behind the walls. Arad sensed Isdis''s thoughts fade as blood dripped down her neck instead of going to her brain. As the scent reached his nose, his mind stopped processing thoughts like a human. Rage reveals the true self of creatures, and the dragon ying a human returned to his wild nature. A booming roar shocked the capital and cracked its walls. The loud roar was enough to shatter eardrums, pop thin blood vessels, and shake the bones of all those close enough to the main gate. Ae carried Isdis away on instinct while Zephyr used her wind to sweep all civilians she could in the split second they had. Both of them knew, that the oneing wasn''t the Arad they knew. The first time he''s enraged to the bones, that terrifies both of them. CRACK! The wall shattered and the gate flew into the sky, a massive ck shadow flew in as debris rained from the sky, ruining everything that was close. The man who shot Isdis turned around to run after sniping her, a smile on his face. They''ve been at this for weeks, and only now has he achieved their goal. He''s a mere assassin and knows nothing of what their client gain from such a thing, only that several tinum coins are on the princess''s head. The moment his mind imagined the piles of gold, Arad''s roar hit the sky. His brain didn''t get a chance to process the roar before his eardrums burst. To the assassin, he suddenly felt his ears explode silently, sending shocks across his skull, jaw, and spine. ZRAN! The assassin started a gasp, and before he could even finish it, a massive ck w came through the ceiling. Erasing all debris as if it didn''t exist as it shattered its way down. CRACK! BLUGH! The w smacked the assassin to the ground, causing him to puke blood as his ribs shattered. Arad intentionally didn''t kill him in one go, he wanted him to die slowly, so he gets terrified and allows him to look into his mind. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om When humans die in terror, they plead to their god, mourn their lives, and what Arad seeks, they curse those who sent them to their deaths. Arad could taste those boiling thoughts in the assassin''s head, his family that lives behind the mountains, his secret worship of Katal, and his cursing the assassins'' guild branch in this capital that sent him to kill the princess. Arad expanded his wins, shattering the building they were in. The people who looked toward the chaos saw a massive ck dragon, glittering with white specs of light as it stared into the sky, purple magic dripping from its eyes like a stream of lightning. Not a second passed, and Arad had devised a two-phase n to deal with the situation. [Void Expansion] Like the beating of a heart, Arad''s void expanded over the whole capital, sinking it into a maddening darkness. His senses search for specific individuals, clerics, nuns, priests, and any healers. Anyone he could taste a lick of holy magic on. All got struck. [Void Step] Arad''s void expansion disappeared as quickly as it appeared. In the blink of an eye, they all found themselves standing in front of Ae who carried Isdis. "She dies, so does the city." Arad''s growl shook the ground, and everyone felt it reverberate in their chests. He wasn''t giving a threat, only stating a matter of fact. All the healers scrambled to heal Isdis, crying and begging her to wake up. They knew it. If her heart was to stop, they wouldn''t even get time to realize it. FLAP! FLAP! Arad turned and saw a massive Brass drakaina flying toward him at an incredible speed. To her bad luck, he didn''t have time or patience to waste with her. Thwack! The moment she got close, Arad mimicked ug''s move. His massive tail swung at supersonic speed like a whip, smacking her in the head in the same way ug killed Connor in Rita. She couldn''t even see the attack. Even though he was smaller than her. Surely younger, she couldn''t see herself reaching that speed. In the same way, a werewolf would gain superhuman speed in his human form, Arad with his lycanthropic blood got the same benefits. As even a kid werewolf could get a hit on an experienced warrior if they didn''t expect the explosive superhuman power. CRACK! The brass drakaina rolled the building, and two of her teeth fell to the ground. She growled, her mind muddled from the strike that reverberated across her whole body. Thud! As she tried to stand, a human stepped on her head. "That''s as far as you go, old hag." It was none other than Gojo, ring down at her. The drakaina tried to move, but the moment Gojo put pressure down, her head got drilled into the ground. "Don''t press me,dy," Gojo said, shaking his foot as he put even more pressure on her head. "I''m quite violent, you know," He looked at her, two veins bulging on his forehead, "Especially when my brother''s wife is almost dead," He growled, his eyes shing blue as he pointed at Isdis. Gojo was as pissed as Arad is, but he wouldn''t interfere with his brother''s revenge or retaliation. The drakaina''s eyes expanded as she saw the clerics and healers scramble to heal Isdis. "What?" She gasped. Arad looked at the assassin beneath his w. CRACK! He finally crushed him to death, then shook the blood from his w. He then stood on his hind legs, bncing with his tail. [Void Expansion] He had already located all the assassins from the man''s thoughts, and it was time to start the judgment. In the blink of an eye, Arad''s void expansion reached its maximum radius of four kilometers, engulfing the whole capital in darkness. It disappeared in the second blink, leaving trails of Arad''s magic on all the assassins. Everyone in the capital started freaking out, and Arad pped his ws. CLAP! [Gravity Magic: Amplify] One of the assassins had just put his beer down and started looking around in confusion after hearing the roar and seeing the sudden shes of darkness. Suddenly, the gravity around his body rapidly amplified, crushing his t on the ground like a pancake. CLAP! He pped his ws again, Letting them slide on each other. [Gravity Magic: Twist] A woman of the assassins was sitting in the garderobe when the gravity around her swirled like a whirlpool, twisting her body like a rag. Thud! Arad put his hands together and then parted them. [Gravity Magic: Two Sources] An assassin ran across an underground tunnel when his body froze in ce, his legs pulled toward the ground while his head to the ceiling, ripping him in half. SWOSH! Arad wiggled his ws. [Gravity Magic: Dancing Source] Another man who locked himself in a room to be safe felt a strange aura around him, but that waste. His body flew toward the wall, then at the other wall, to the ceiling and ground. He got smacked around like a bouncing ball till his body got crushed. CLAP! CLAP! Arad pped his ws twice. [Gravity Magic: Single Source Crush] Two assassins who ran away together after finding their friend crushed in the bar quickly met their demise. One of them got crushed t vertically and the other horizontally. Arad shifted his head, noticing that three mages of the assassins already dispelled the traces of magic he left at them with void expansion, but that wasn''t a problem. He extended his w forward. A bolt of pure white me emerged, spinning at a rapid rate. [Fire Bolt] PEW! He fired it forward. ^Doma^ [Gravity Magic: Control] Gravity formed around the fire bolt, directing it through the city. The bolt zipped across the building and through windows, passing above people crying as she shifted direction toward a manifold to the sewers. It shed across the dark tunnels until it reached another hole, getting out right beneath the mages'' feet. CRACKLE! The bolt pierced one of them from the crotch to the chest before he could even realize it was there. The other two conjured barriers on instinct. The bolt shifted its direction, guided by Doma''s precise control. CRACKLE! It pierced the second mage''s skull, roasting his brain but exploded on the third one, leaving him only with a burning robe. In the blink of an eye, the mage pissed himself realizing his mistake. Those mes contained the magic of whatever demon was killing them. Arad put his ws together, moving them as if he were squeezing a rag. [Gravity Magic: Twist] CRACK! The mage could see his feet twist and crumble, then his knees, hips, and stomach. He cried hisst scream as his chest twisted before his neck and brain. CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! pping as Isdis taught him that night, he chased every assassin his mind spotted. After a five-minute performance, over one hundred assassins were killed. Arad opened his jaw, [Void Expansion] Onest beat, pulling all of the corpses and blood toward him. [Gravity Magic: One source] He thenpressed it into a ball, which he swallowed. CRACK! Arad dropped his front ws, standing back on four as he turned to walk toward the clerics and Isdis. He red at them, sending waves of magic. With one look he could see that Isdis was stable and her wounds healed, yet the clerics kept trying to make sure she was alive. One slip up and they are all dead. Hearing his growls, everyone ran away as he approached Isdis, sniffing her to make sure she was fine. SWOSH! He shifted back to his humanoid form, sitting on a nearby piece of debris, his face twisted with rage. Ae approached him fearfully, "Arad, are you okay?" "No," He replied. Chapter 473 A Dragon On The Hunt Arad sat beside Isdis, staring at her with a stern face. Something kept boiling inside his head, and it never seemed to calm. Killing those assassins only fuelled his rage further. They were hired to do the job, but the one hiring them was still out there. Thud! Gojo smacked Arad''s head with a chop, "Still angry? Dragon''s rage isn''t that easy to deal with." Arad stared back at him, sighting, "Do you know anything?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Nothing about the attack, but I can help you deal with rage. It isn''t healthy for a dragon to remain angry for long. That''s how kingdoms get burned to the ground." "Did he calm down?" An old hag approached them, a red mark still on the side of her face. "Still angry," Gojo replied, "The one after the attack is alive. So he can''t get the rage to fade away." He looked at her. "Our leads are all dead?" The olddy looked around, "It was a rash decision to kill all the assassins." Gojo stared at her, "What would a chromatic do?" "Burn the whole capital and nearby viges," The olddy replied, "But we metallic try to rightfully hunt and judge the mastermind." "We aren''t metallic," Gojo stared at her with a smile, "You''re already asking too much of him not to burn the city. All dragons have anger issues, most more severe than the others." He looked at Arad, "He''s far more in control than I was," "You raged before?" Arad asked. "Several times," Gojo replied with a smile, "Thest one was with Vars. I erased him with those." He pointed at the burned mountains, "Do you know how many lives were there? Animals or adventurers? I don''t know since I didn''t check. I just sted him away." "He at least checked first and only killed those responsible." The olddy stared at Arad. Thud! Gojo tapped Arad''s shoulder. "I will take care of everything here. You go to the forest, build a temporaryir, and gather minions. There are plenty of monsters and bandits to enve. Amass power and track the one who hired the assassins to kill Isdis. You will only calm down when they are dead." "There is no need for that," The olddy stared at Gojo. "Judgment will be served. He should wait for the city to investigate and find the one behind it. We''ll eventually get them. It''s not like we dragons don''t have enough time to wait." "You should know that we don''t wait for our rage out. Arad would snap again before they could find the culprit. And let me tell you," Gojo pointed at the city, "They have enough to deal with now. An investigation might not start until monthster." "I will find whoever did this," Arad stood, "I''m a druid. It won''t take long," Arad shifted into his draconic form and flew into the forest. "I hope he doesn''t go overboard," The old hag sighed, walking away. "Dragons always go overboard. What else could humans expect from trying to kill the wife of an apex predator besides blood?" Gojo stared at the olddy, "Don''t get in the way, metallic. I will not stand for anyone getting in my brother''s way." "You better not drag the whole city into this," The old hag red back at Gojo, her eyes glowing green. "Show scary, show scary," Gojo looked back at her with a smile, "I''m shivering," "About Arad," Ae stared at Gojo, "Will he be fine?" She asked. "He will be fine. Just let him vent his rage first. Kill whoever tried to assassinate Isdis." He stood, "He isn''t just angry, he''s scared." Gojo said, looking at the sky. "Scared of what? He''s a dragon," Ae looked at Gojo. Zephyr emerged from her head, "He''s afraid this is going to happen again." She sighed, "Each second, he can''t help but imagine all of his wives dying in the same way. As long as the main threads remain alive, he can''t rest." "We''re weird creatures, aren''t we?" Gojo stood, walking toward the castle, "WE cook up hundreds if not thousands of ns for one thing, making sure everything goes down as we want. All to fight our fear of losing our wealth, life, and freedom." He looked back, "I give Arad a week. Whoever did this would know the horror of being chased by a dragon to the end of the world." "Won''t it be against that purpose to leave us alone?" Ae stared at Gojo. "He didn''t leave you alone. I''m here after all." Gojo replied with a smile, "My eyes are on all of you until hees back," **** FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! CRACK! Aradnded in the forest, shaking the trees. The animals and monsters around him froze in ce, knowing that he woulde after them if they ran away. Dragons were like big cats. Running in front of them means you''re a prey. Arad turned his head, staring at the side to see three goblins standing in ce, sweating as he approached them. He could sense it from them. Terror. "Zoho, Vagin dil moris?" Arad growled, and the goblins started shaking, "Daros vim Ohz Sarih!" He approached them. They can''t understand draconic, yet they understand his words. "Ants, you aren''t alone. Where is yourir?" One of the goblins turned toward Arad, "What do you want from us? We aren''t worth eating," Arad''s eyes stared at them, glowing with a horrifying intellect. Those goblins spoke a different tongue than the one at hisir, but it was simr enough for him to pick up on its meaning. "I seek servants, one who would patrol the forest and report on any humanoid passing by. Arad red at them. GO!" The goblins ran away as fast as they could, rushing back to their nest. A dragon appeared in the forest, a new Alpha predator. If they don''t serve him. They will end up on his dinner list. FLAP! Arad lifted his wings, "Birds of the sky, gather!" He roared, and flocks of ravens, sparrows, eagles, and pigeons flew in, allnding on the trees, heeding the call of the druid dragon. "Be my eyes, survive the city." His magic extended to all the birds as he did to the rats before, sending them back to the capital as he looked for a cave to set base. Arad walked through the forest, making sure to order every animal or monster on his way. In less than two hours, his mind was already flooding with visual information from all the animals he linked with, looking and hearing through their senses. He stopped, sensing several humans on the other side of the forest. He lowered his body and started approaching them, skulking like a cat of prey. Dragons are adept at hunting on the ground as well as they are in the air. The soft tissue padding on the palm of their ws resembled that of a cat''s paws, silencing their footsteps. They use their tail for bnce while making sharp turns, and use the extreme power of their wing muscles when jumping at their prey for a finishing bite with their powerful jaws. Aradcked only one thing adult dragons have, the ability to camouge themselves like lizards. Some humans had the misconception that most dragons are loud, and alwayse roaring. That couldn''t be further from the truth, as dragons are practically silent and invisible when hunting. They are like tigers, solitary ambush predators. On the other side of the forest, bandits were setting their camp, getting ready for the night. "Boss, should we really get close? The undead just disappeared." One of them said with a worried face. "You fool, we''re stealing everything of value we find in the rubble. It''s our golden chance," The boss replied, ring at the man, "Anyway, you''re always..." The boss saw his men''s faces twist, their knees shaking as they backed away from him. "I''m not that scary, am I?"...One of his men pointed back, and the boss turned to see Arad standing behind him, a massive ck dragon ring down at him. "Who''s the boss here?" Arad asked. "Me..." CRACK! The boss spoke, but Arad bit him in half immediately. "I''m the boss now," He red at the bandits, "Any objections?" "You!" One of the bandits growled, but Arad swatted him like a fly, "No more challengers?" The bandits stared at their friend''s corpse, crushed on a tree like a fly on the wall. "No," One of them said, looking at Arad, "No other challengers, you''re the boss." "Form an assassin guild, go to the capital, and spread words," Arad said, "You shouldn''t have anypetition. Find clients, and report back to me." "Anything we need to know?" One of them asked, carefully picking his words so as to not offend the dragon. "Mention my presence, and you''re all dead. Run, and you''re dead. Fail to get clients, and you''re dead. Waste time, and you''re dead. I feel you''re trying to trick me, and you''re dead. Go!" Arad growled, and the bandits immediately headed toward the city in horror. Whoever sent the assassins the first time, he never gave up even when Arad killed them night after another. These times won''t be different, they would look for another killer to do their dirty job. The moment someone seeks assassins to kill Isdis, they are directly contacting Arad''s servants. Arad retreated to a cave andy down, observing everything he set. The birds and small animals fly across the city as scouts, listening to anyone speaking about the assassination. The monsters surround the city to inspect everyoneing in and out, seeking hired foreign assassins or running nobles. Humans would take too long to investigate the assassination, theyck resources and leads. A dragon has his own way of doing things. Chapter 474 Druids Of The Forest A man walked through the city''s streets, sitting in the local tavern, watching people haul the rubble away. It''s been two days since the undead attacked. Rumors about a dragon rampaging close to the main gate were the hottest news. Was it mere hallucinations or a reality? No one knew, but that man was certain. The dragon that sent them here was mad. He sighed, standing up and joining them in the work. His eyes peeled for anyone in distress. *** "Today, start the second meeting after the disaster. How is the situation." King Baltos said, sitting on his throne with his hand strapped with bandages. Even he didn''t survive the attack without sustaining injuries. CLACK! A woman in full te armor approached, holding a scroll. "Top priority, we haven''t found the person who sent the assassins after herdyship Isdis. We haven''t discovered any traces of Arad Orion either." "I suggest we bring all the nobles here," Lucy, the fifth and youngest princess, approached the throne. "Quelling the Arad''s rage should be our only concern, as he''s a danger we can''t ignore." Thomas walked forth, "We have no leads on that. It''s best we focus on restoring the city and its citizens first. Whoever tried to Kill sister Isdis will eventually show up," "You must be crazy, brother." Charlie looked at Thomas, "That motherfucker would snuff the city with one breath if we don''t find the other fucker who tried killing sister. Just look at what his brother did," He pointed out of the window at the mountain Gojo burned. "That''s a gaping hole in a goddamn mountain if I ever saw one." "Charlie!" His mother stared at him, "No swearing in the court." "Sorry mum," He sighed, "But we don''t want that," He pointed at the mountain, "In the middle of our city," He pointed down. Baltos scratched his beard, "Charlie is right, Arad in himself isn''t an enemy. But there is no telling how he would deal with the threat. That''s the danger." He looked forward, "What do you think?" His eyes stopped at Arad''s friends. "I doubt Arad would harm the city," Ae replied, "Even when he raged before, he only killed the assassins." "Does it really matter how he would react?" Jack stared at them, "I''m sure the one behind this is a noble in search of power, we should send spies to a bunch of them." "A divine judgment, some of the clerics should have lie detection blessings." Lydia said, "All it takes is ten pdins showing up at their door one by one and we''ll pull whoever is behind it all." "Whoever did this should have thought of that," Eris sighed, "People rarely hire assassins unprepared for such things. It''s naive to think they didn''t ount for spells or investigation." CRACK! The door busted open and Isdis rushed in, "Don''t let me out of this!" She growled, "I will go talk to him, I''m sure that will calm him down." "And risk yourself getting shot again? No chance," Baltos stared at her. "Arad killed all the assassins right?" Isdis stared at her father, "I will be fine." "We can''t be sure of that, thest thing we want to enrage him further. You''re staying in the castle under surveince." **** FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! As Gojo sat on the castle''s roof, he looked at the sky to see a flock of pigeons fly and spread across the city. He lifted his hand and one of themnded on his finger. Staring at her eyes, he smiled, "You''re watching, brother. They are safe, feel free to focus on finding the culprit." He lifted his arm and the pigeon flew away, a disturbing purple glow in its eyes. **** Kids yed in the city za, running with sticks after a squirrel. "Come back!" One of them shouted. The squirrel jumped through a stall and climbed a tree, lunging into a house through the window. "You kids!" A woman shouted, "Stop bullying the little thing!" She patted the squirrel, feeding him some old bread. But the moment she turned around, she felt as if someone was watching her. "Who?" She rapidly stared back, seeing only the squirrel there. Inside an old tavern, people sat to drink after the morning hard''s hard work. "This ce is always a shithole," One of them sighed. "Why don''t you clean it? Look, there is a spider there." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om They looked at a massive ck spider, dangling by her web from the ceiling. Another man stood, lifting a stick, "It pisses me off," He tried killing it, but she ran into the wall and kept watching them. All across the city, animals and bugs became Arad''s eyes and ears, allowing him to spy on the whole vige. **** Four days after the disaster, the king held another meeting as they had unusual guests showing up. As the throne room''s gate opened, an olddy wearing clothes of animal hide walked in with two buff men at her side wearing the side kind of clothes and carrying wooden staves. "What brought druids to my castle? Your people rarely like to interact with civilization." Baltos said. The olddy walked forward and stared at Baltos, "You know why I''m here," She said, her voice shaking, "Nature is angry, the forest is crying." She gasped. "And what that has to do with us? We couldn''t help it with the undead attack." Baltos replied, "I can give your people shelter if that''s what you want," The old hag shook her head, "No, you don''t understand. Your people are the problem. Four days ago, we felt the presence of a dragon in the forest and went to check on it." She started telling her story. When the druids felt Arad''s presence in the forest, they first tried inspecting how nature was reacting to him. How the animals and monsters are moving, how the nts are growing, and if the wind is changing. It was horrible, animals were stressed, the nts had started growing rapidly due to his mana, and mist slowly covered the forest. The monster changed their territories and the wind started blowing with rage. The dragon was furious, they could feel it for miles. "We tried appeasing him." She said. The druid picked two of their finest maidens and a dozen cows, painting and decorating them before making a pilgrimage to what they thought was the dragonyer. Before the cave, the druids bowed and the olddy called. "Ah! Great king of the forest, answer our prayers." She lifted her hands, "We brought you a sacrifice!" From the darkness of the cave, Arad walked out. A massive ck dragon glittering like polished obsidian. His purple eyes red at the druids. "Those are yours." The olddy slowly moved back as the two maids stood, each pulling six cows as they approached Arad. "Leave!" Arad growled, "I do not seek sacrifice." He red at the maidens, "The human blood I seek is not theirs. One of the capital harmed one of my wives, that''s the blood I seek." **** The old hag''s eyes opened wide as she red at Baltos, "It''s your kind''s fault! You''re the ones who offended the dragon!" She shouted, almost tearing her own voice cords. The two men held her, "Mother, please calm down. We aren''t here seeking a fight, we seek a peaceful solution." One of them said. "Let me go!" She yelled at them, "It''s his fault!" She pointed at baltos, "If you call yourself the king of this ce, then keep a leash on your people!" She pushed her sons away and approached Baltos''s throne. "If you do not mend this, you will pay dearly and we''re going down with you. The one who messed with the dragon must be chained and offered as a sacrifice, there is no other way around this." She screamed. "The dragon you talk about," Baltos looked at her, "His wife that got attacked, she is my daughter, the fourth princess." "Then you failed as a king and a father! Do you think that changes anything?" She shouted at him. One of the guards looked at the old hag, "Calm down, druid olddy. Arad Orion is a friend of the kingdom..." He paused, seeing her shaking. "What on earth did you just say? Orion?" She started backing away, "You''ve gone and done it again..." She pointed at Baltos. "What''s gotten into you now?" "We''re leaving the forest, now," She looked at her sons. "Answer my question," Baltos red at her. "Orion, one of the holy formations of the sea of stars. Orion, the hunter." She replied, "You''re enraged by the wrong dragon. You have no idea what kind of disaster you''ve unleashed upon us." One of her sons stared at Baltos, "Orion, our legends call her name as a powerful Drakaina. The termination of dreams, the stars of the desire, and the endless night. One of your kingdoms, Asmarina. Do you know of them?" "Asmarina, the kingdom that fell into the ground and only left a hole." Baltos stared at them. The other son looked at Baltos with a worried face, "That kingdom didn''t fall into any hole. Orion ate it whole after they killed a man she took as a husband." "Your kingdom would face the same tribtion!" The old hag screamed and the throne door burst open. "Your majesty!" A guard rushed in, sweating. "Count Almore, his wife, and oldest son were found dead. Their bodies were ripped apart in their house. The youngest kids, the maids, and the servants were found and didn''t even hear any noise." "So it''s beginning," The old hag looked out the window, seeing a ck crow flying across the sky. "He sniffed them out, and it''s time for termination. A judgment from the stars," Chapter 475 The B-Rat Is Back! "Hoi, James," One of the bandits that Arad sent to the city approached his friend. "Can we go?" He asked. "Go where Araman? Remember our job?" He sighed, "He said no cking," The two walked out of the city, heading to the nearby vige to keep searching and expanding theirwork. It wasn''t like they didn''t do such jobs before. It''s just that this was the first time they were looking for clients instead of clients approaching them. "I''m saying that we should make a run for it." Araman smiled, "We''re going to a vige already. All we need is smear ourselves in some shit from the animal pens so he won''t track our smell and ride a carriage to another city." FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! A crownded on a tree near them, "GWAAAAAAAAA!" The two looked at the crow for a second before looking at each other. "What do you say?" Araman smile. "You must be insane. I doubt that would get us out of his grasp. Dragons are relentless." Jame pointed at Araman''s face, "Take that silly idea out of your head," "If you aren''ting, then I hope you won''t dieter," Araman stared back with a smile, "I''m getting the hell out of here." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Before Araman could get away, James caught him by the arm, "Listen, you idiot. Don''t go. Dragons aren''t creatures that you cross, fuck around, and find how ruthless and dangerous they are." "You''re a coward. But it was nice knowing you." Araman smiled, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Araman shook James''s hand and started walking away. "GWAAAA!" The crow lifted his wings, pping them, "GWA! LAGWAAAA!" The two stopped to look at it again. "What''s wrong with that crow?" Aramin asked, and suddenly his left arm twisted like a rage, each bone shattering in the blink of an eye. GRAAAAAAAAA! Araman fell on his face, screaming in agony as the crow pped its wings, a faint purple glow in its eyes. "I''m letting you off the hook easily for James. Next time, I will twist you from the legs to the neck." James stared at the crow, his knees shaking, "This...He''s watching," FLAP! FLAP! As Aramina cried, a hawk flew down from the sky,nding beside him with a red potion in his w. "That''s a warning. I''m only giving you this because I rather not have injured people slowing the search down or drawing attention." The crow said, "Next time, I rather bury your corpse than waste my potions for a warning." James rushed to feed the potion to Araman, watching as the hawk flew away while the crow remained. **** On the other side of the city, a rat controlled by Arad walked into arge mansion, sneaking beneath the expensive wooden floor and listening to everyone inside. It''s Count Almore''s mansion. "Damn it, she survived." A voice growled, and the rat stopped, listening closely. "We can always try again. Our orders were clear, and we got the funds to back it up," A woman''s voice replied with a sigh as if disappointed. "Aren''t you twoplicating it? Just hire a carriage and drug the horse so it''s ramage toward her, a in ident, and it''s over." A third voice replied, "No need to rely on stupid assassins." Inside his cave, Arad stood, a purple me gushing from his eyes. Their next words would decide if he doesn''t care or if it''s theirst day in life. "The guards would never let such a thing closer to her," Count Almore said, standing beside the balcony with his wife as their son sat inside the room on the couch. "Tch!" The son growled, "We would never know if we don''t try. Can''t we hit her another way?" The father snorted, staring outside with his wife, "Son, you''re still too naive. Such silly tricks are easily traceable. We need toy low for some time and hire another assassinter." The count sighed, "Albeit, they''ve been ignoring our messagester. Are they chickening out mid-game? We thought they had the spine needed for a royal assassination." His wife put her hands on her thigh, "That princess is just too lucky. We''ll get her eventually..." CRACK! As the two spoke, they heard a crashing sound behind them, followed by snapping wood. The two turned, and their faces turned pale. Arad stood there with his foot stomping their son''s head to the ground alongside the couch. He turned toward them, his eyes burning with a disturbing purple me. Arad might have been on the other side of the city, but he was only one void step away from them. All he needed to do was set the teleportation point to one meter above his rat. "Who are you!" Count Almore cried, his knees shaking as Arad walked toward them, the furniture shattering upon contact with him. ZON! Arad teleported directly into the wife''s face, staring her down with a raging face. His mere height and bulk dwarfed her. "Who sent you?" He growled. The ss windows vibrated at him growl. "You bastard!" Count Almore picked up his sword and lunged at Arad, [Action Surge] [Adrenalin rush] Even for a noble, he''s been a well-trained fighter capable of dishing a zing fast eight attacks a second. CLAN! CRACK! Arad lifted his hand, catching the count by the neck after the first swing hit, and his de shattered. Arad''s scales were too tough to be cut by normal metals. "I ask you again," Arad growled without even staring at Count Almore. "Who sent you?" CRACK! He broke the count''s neck with one hand while still interrogating his wife. The wife gulped down, "HA!" She swung her hand at Arad''s neck. CRACK! Arad opened his mouth, biting her hand off and spitting it on her face. "This disgusting blood. I knew that rat was hiding somewhere here," Arad growled as the wife stared at him, her eyes turning ck and her wound slowly healing. A vampire spawn she was. She stared at him, shaking like she never went into a toilet in her life. ^I couldn''t win. There is no way. That reaction speed doesn''t belong to a human.^ She turned toward the balcony to run away, but Arad grabbed her by the hair. "Doma," He said with a passive face, his de carving her back. She screamed, but no voice came out. "Die in silence. That bitch rat will think you fell to a pdin." As she fell, Arad cut her into hundreds of pieces in the blink of an eye to make sure she wouldn''t regenerate and revive. "What was that?" He tapped his own head, asking Doma about the earlier exnation. He just repeated what she said. [Chuzuke is a brat, so I called him a bitch rat which can form B-rat. You''re quite dense on jokes, aren''t you?] "That doesn''t matter now, does it?" Arad turned around, swinging his sword and shredding the husband and son''s corpses to pieces just in case they were vampires as well. He was right. The son''s body twitched onest time before halting. He was pretending to be dead, awaiting Arad to leave so he could run and warn Chuzuke. ^First you attack Mira, and now Isdis. You''re really trying to drive me mad,^ Arad teleported away, counting the seconds till he rips Chuzuke apart. Thud! Aradnded back in his cave, shifting into his draconic form and sitting down. He already located Chuzuke''s location byparing the smell of the woman''s blood to anything his rats and birds smell. "North-east of the capital, he has an isted mansion where he lives." He sighed, "Should I attack now?" [Probably. He won''t be able to face you that well in daylight] "I see," Arady down, closing his eyes, "I will attack at midnight. Rip him apart in his own domain." ^[Don''t let the draconic arrogance cloud your decision.]^ "I need to set an example for him. Even the night won''t be safe for him anymore." Arad replied, "And, do you think he won''t be prepared for a day attack? He might not even be in the same location." Arad waited until midnight. Under the full moon, Arad stood and flew into the sky, silent as an owl. **** Inside Chuzuke''s mansion, he sat on a chair, sipping on a wine ss as he revisited his ns. "To think that woman Mira is here, should I go for her as well?" He looked at one of his maids. "Do what you think is best, Master." She replied. "What worries me is that Arad bastard. Unhinged monster is the least I can say. He will surely attack us at some time. We best be prepared." He smiled, shaking his ss. "He would attack at noon while we''re the weakest." She said. "You''re right. Even a dragon like him won''t take his chances with a vampire lord at night. So I set several barriers and explosives to kill him when hees." He giggled, "Those spells take a lot of blood to keep active, so I''m happy his movements are easily predictable." "You called him unhinged. What if he came at night." The maid asked again. "He won''t. As much as I hate him, he isn''t a fool. But I kept the barriers up in case he sent some minions. Dragons usually order a lot of monsters," He was about to stand. **** Up in the sky, Arad was silently flying down at top speed, diving head-first toward the mansion. **** Mid-standing, Chuzuke''s eyes opened wide as he sensed Arad''s magic at thest moment. ^Death has called your name,^ As if he heard those words radiate in his chest, he could see Arad''s horrific image. A six-eyed, four-winged, two-tailed furry draconic monstrosity flew toward his mansion engulfed in the burning void. A raging vampiric wyrmwolf. "Fu...!" Before he could even finish cursing, Arad crashed into the mansion headfirst, shattering it into a million pieces. Chapter 476 A Stupid Knack For Mimicking Humanoids The mansion exploded, shattering into a million pieces as Chuzuke got thrown out,nding on his legs with an angry face. "You bastard!" He growled, seeing Arad standing in the dust, burning mes gushing out of his teeth. What kind of monster did you be?" "Get away! Master!" One of the spawn maids extended her wings, flying at Arad with a blood sword. "You fool! Get away from him!" Chuzuke screamed. CRACK! Arad opened his jaw, biting the maid in half like she was a carrot. "He''s a monster..." Chuzuke gasped. He can no longer feel her blood. Forget holy magic. Arad eats vampires. ROAR! Arad charged at Chuzuke, his horns twisting as they pointed forward. Chuzuke conjured a blood spear and blocked Arad by the jaw, "You''re the ugliest vampire I''ve seen in my life." He grunted. "Soon, I will relieve you from that misery," CLACK! Arad opened his jaw, charging a blue ball of voidless matter. "Fuck!" Chuzuke gasped as he got sted with a blue breath of energy. Simr to what Gojo used against Vars, but far smaller and less powerful. Hundreds of meters from the forest went up in mes as Chuzuke flew away, his eyes darting around and looking for Arad. ^What was that? Pure mana? No, it''s like a beam of concentrated heat. What did he burn to achieve it?^ ZON! Arad appeared behind Chuzuke, shocking him. ^This thing can teleport as well?^ He extended his hand, trying to st Arad away with a fire spell, but ended up getting it bitten off. Chuzuke stared at his missing arm, ^Fast,^ CLAP! In the blink of an eye, Arad swatted him down with his tail. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR! Arad roared, his crackling void shook the ground all the way to the capital. The people gathered on the walls, seeing the massive ck dragon roaring above a mountain of fire like a rampaging hellspawn. "Haha," Gojo sighed with a smile, "He found him, it seems." Baltos stared at Gojo, "Wait! That thing is Arad? Since when?" "From the start. And He''s still a mere young one." He stared back at the king, "You humans seem to forget a lot and need Alcott to remind you, but today, I will say it. When dragons start stomping around, you''re kind are no different than ants beneath their ws." "You''re right," Baltos replied. "I think we might need to take refuge." "No, Brother won''t drag the fight here. Just sit and watch. That will be the thing you face if you wronged him in the future." "An example of what would happen if we challenged him," Baltos nodded. Chuzuke conjured a blood axe and flew at Arad, "You''re a real pain, you know?" Swinging it at his head. CLANG! Arad deflected the axe with his w and spun, swinging his tail at the vampire''s back. BLOP! The blood in Chuzuke''s axe started to shift, moving the head to the axe''s pommel. CLAN! Swinging up, he sliced the tip of Arad''s tail. CLACK! Arad''s tail started healing as Chuzuke flew back, pointing a finger at him. "I can use magic as well," [Fire Lance] [Fire Lance] [Fire Lance] Arad dodged the spears and red at Chuzuke, opening his mouth. [Gravity Magic: Single sourse] Chuzuke felt his arm twisted, so he cut it, a smile on his face. "The tip of your tail isn''t healing as fast as the rest of your body. Does it have something vital?" He giggled, "I say the nerves in your spine are important," SWOSH! He flew at Arad faster than the eye could see,tching onto his back. "Let me get a taste," CLACK! In the blink of an eye, he thrust his arm into Arad''s spine. ZON! Arad shifted into his half-dragon form and flew away from Chuzuke, carrying the adamantine sword in his hand. Chuzuke stared down at Arad with a smile, licking the blood on his hand. "Brain, your brain extends all the way through your spine?" He giggled, "I couldn''t hit any vital organs no matter how I stabbed you, but your spine seems to be in ce. Your nothingness doesn''t hide it, does it?" Arad lifted his sword up, taking a deep breath as the veins on his upper body bulged. "Your draconic brain, your strongest asset is your biggest weakness." He shifted his blood and changed the axe into two cleavers. "Time to cut you up. You''re not the only one who got stronger." [Arad, calm down. Rushing would only result in your death. He isn''t an opponent you can beat with raw power.] Arad took a stance. ^First, Alcott...^ He let go of the sword, shifting his stance. Two arms up with one knee high. ^Second, Nina...^ Chuzuke watched Arad shift between multiple stances, confused. "Multiple stances, sses. No, techniques learned from other people?" He mumbled. Arad broke into a smile, "I found it, the one to smack you around.^ With one hand on his chest and one at his side, one foot forward, and his eyes closed, he made a gentle bow. ^Da Brown,^ His eyes burned with a purple me as he mimicked the elvish royal maid. "What''s that? Trying to be a butler?" Chuzuke giggled, mocking Arad''s stance. ZON! Arad disappeared, emerging behind Chuzuke swinging his hand. "You won''t..." Chuzuke spun around, trying to block Arad''s strike, but he was surprised when Arad twisted his torso, sneaking his palm beneath the spear''s shaft. SLAP! A rod hot p smacked Chuzuke''s face, racking his entire body into oblivion. All his nerves screamed, and his silent vampire heart screamed. Dacked the strength and weight to fight, which is why she developed that fighting style, a weapon for the weak to challenge the strong. But what if someone like Arad used it? Someone with enough power and speed to take it to the next level. SLAP! SLAP! With two quick moves, Arad swatted both of Chuzuke''s hands away, shattering his bones and disintegrating his skin. Before the vampire could scream, Arad swung his arm with all of his might. SLAP! Hitting Chuzuke''s chest, aiming above the heart. The shockwave from Arad''s p traveled across Chuzuke''s blood, damaging it, and hindering it from clotting into weapons. SWOSH! CRACK! Chuzuke was sent straight to the ground, crashing like a stone on the water. Out of instinct, he immediately stood, his vision ck and his legs shaking as he pissed himself. He could feel nothing but searing pain across his body as if thousands of needles were grilling his nerves. He could still sense Arad''s magic above him, so he tried to form a weapon. The blood gargled in his shaking hand, but quickly spilled on the ground, unable to retain the shape he willed. CRACK! Aradnded beside him, staring at the ground. "You''re really still a kid." ^Nina...^ Swinging his leg up, he kicked Chusuke in the chin and sent him flying to the clouds. CLACK! Thud! Arad gently lowered his foot and took a deep breath, the veins on his arms and legs bulging up, his muscles tensed as he focused as hard as he could with a clenched fist. ^Set your foot on the ground and feel it, make sure to push back with your legs when you punch. Before swinging, remember all of your anger, rage, and will to live. Channel all of those emotions into one mad punch carrying the whole weight of your body,^ Arad resited what Mira said, teaching him how to fight. BAM! Arad''s right footnded on the ground at the moment Chuzuke fell back, being right ahead of him before hitting the ground. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad''s body rxed for a split second, Images of both Injured Mira and Isdis shing in his head. VROOOOOOOM! Arad''s heart beat fast enough that his veins started bleeding, and the bones from Arad''s leg up to his fist cracked as his muscles clenched over their limits. The nervous signal zing across his nevers shed like lightning, sending ripples of pain across his body. ^Punch! As if your and their whole life depends on it!^ ROAR! Arad roared at the top of his lungs. Arad''s fist connected with Chuzuke''s chest, right above his heart. The vampire''s body started expanding, his blood boiling as his skin disintegrated and bones cracked into dust. Arad''s arm cracked, his bones shattering and his muscles tearing as he pushed them over the limit. Chuzuke''s body exploded into a red mist as a powerful shockwave exploded, ripping the ground and trees around Arad into pieces. The shockwave expanded, ripping trees apart until it reached the city''s wall, shattering it and pushing everyone who failed to hide, dropping them from it. King Baltos cried as his eardrums ripped apart, as did everyone else who didn''t cover their ears. Gojo whistled sitting on the wall unfazed, "As expected from my little brother, that would put me down for sure if I took it." He giggled. "You would die?" Kin asked as she stood there with Gin and the olddy. "Nah! But it would hurt a lot. Surely would get me to puke." He looked back toward where Arad stood. "He seems to have inherited his mother''s talent," "Your mother? What talent did she have?" The olddy asked. "A stupid knack for mimicking humanoids, both in manners and fighting." Gojo smiled. Chapter 477 Hunting Vampires Arad stood straight, his right arm dangling from his shoulder with blood dripping on his fingers. He looked at it with a passive face. "It''s broken, isn''t it?" He sighed, feeling the bones from his legs to his arm crackle. He wasn''t used to such exertion. Blood rushed across his veins, and his bones started to heal, sticking together as he looked forward at the red mist. "I know you aren''t dead. I don''t have holy magic, after all." He growled, clicking his teeth, "I have to eat you so you die, right?" He remembered thest time they fought. Chuzuke had regenerated from a blood drop. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thud! Arad stepped forward and pulled a long chain and a mace from his stomach, linking them together at the pummel as Eris did. The blood mist gleamed pure red, shimmering as a skeleton formed. SWOSH! SWOSH! Arad started swinging the chain and mace in his hand, ripping chunks from the ground with a smile on his face. "Time to hunt some vampires." Veins and muscles covered the skeleton in the air. A bone-chilling cry boomed from its throat across the forest. A twisted bat-like face, two messed-up wings on its back, ws and fangs. A terrifying monstrosity showing the true nature of vampires, monsters taking the shape of humans. GROAR! Chuzuke roared, blood mist gushing from his deformed mouth. The ground beneath Arad''s legs turned red, with countless spawns jumping out. "Look who''s ugly now," With a smile on his face, Arad swung the chain and mace in circles, ripping the closest spawns to him apart. With one stomp, he sent the mace forward toward Chuzuke. SWOSH! The vampire lord dodged to the side, pointing his hand at Arad. CRACK! Arad jerked his hands, sending a wave through the chain, forcing the made at its end to spin and wrap around Chuzuke''s body, tying one of his arms to his torso. PEW! A blood beam rushed from Chuzuke''s finger, piercing Arad''s head through the left eye. GROAR! Chuzuke roared, and his spawns lunged at Arad. Arad''s body twisted back as if he was ying limbo, stopping at a really ufortable angle, all the attacks missing him. "At them," Arad said with his left eye glowing red, his spawns jumping out of his body to fight Chuzuke''s spawns. Chuzuke gasped. He already felt Arad''s vampire blood but didn''t know he was strong enough to have spawn, let alone have them stand to his own. TAP! TAP! TAP! Arad''s feet started tapping the ground as he pulled the chair toward him, dragging Chuzuke closer. CRACKLE! A burst of lightning exploded from his body, bolts rushing toward Chuzuke from the chains. CLACK! Chuzuke swung his ws, cutting the chains and turning away to run. He doesn''t want to get close to Arad and get pped again, and fighting at range is disadvantageous to him. This whole fight is a mess, and he would rather run away and tryter. CRACK! Chuzuke stopped, hearing something walk toward him from the bushes. He could spot two golden glowing eyes, but they were close to the ground, a half-human short. ^This smell, a kid?^ He looked closer, seeing a child holding a wooden sword in his hand. "Monsters,ing to my city, killing the innocent. You shall never escape the de." He lifted his sword to the side, putting his hand on the de. "Roar! Maha..." Thud! Arad snatched him, and with one swing of his arm, he threw the kid into the sky at a blinding speed toward the city walls. The kid growled, feeling the eleration in his chest. "That idiot? How am I going to evennd from this?" He stared back, seeing the wall approaching rapidly. "ROAR! Maharaja!" Golden lighting crackled from his body as he transformed into a ck Jaguar, twisting his body mid-air tond legs. But to his luck, Gojo caught him before he hit the ground. "I understand your enthusiasm to fight, but don''t get in my brother''s business." Thud! He punched the Jaguar in the head, knocking him out. **** Chuzuke stared at Arad standing in the forest, an eerie feeling around him. Arad slowly turned toward Chuzuke, staring at him in the eyes. "You won''t run away likest time," CLACK! He pulled the Adamantine sword from his stomach. ^Where did the chain go? No, that de, that stance, I saw it before.^ He could remember something from the deepest corners of his memory. "You dare..." Arad said, and Chuzuke could see Alcott in him. "Attack my wives?" The image became clearer. ^That fighter who came after lord d.^ "And think you can run away?" Arad growled. d, Ginger''s father tried to retrieve her once from Alcott and sent a few assassins. Alcott pulled up on his castle a few monthster and ripped him apart. Chuzuke had been one of d''s spawns at the time, and he saw his fight with Alcott. Arad lifted his sword above his head, taking a wrath stance. ^This is different. He isn''t actively trying to mimic him.^ Chuzuke lifted his hands, forming a blood shield. "Action Surge, Adrenalin rush," Arad mumbled. VROOM! The void engulfed his de as his heart rumbled, the veins on his limbs bulging as he lunged forward, swinging the sword as fast as he could. CLANG! CLANG! Arad cut through Chuzuke''s shield like butter, ripping his arms, legs, and head apart. Chuzuke gasped. ^I managed to protect my torso. I can regenerate at top speed. As long as my heart is intact.^ He can regenerate indefinity with blood as long as his heart is intact. But if his heart was destroyed, he could only regenerate his whole body twice before getting forced into aa. Arad turned around, and Chuzuke felt something poke at his back. Artifact''s magic is malleable. Their effect can shift slightly depending on the mana poured into them. Explosions can be changed into cones from spheres to get more pration. They can even be directed. Upon impact, two beams of concentrated mana formed, piercing Chuzuke''s chest, lungs, and heart. All originating from his nipples. "You can''t block it, can you?" Arad said behind him, holding the explosive nipple knife in his hand. Blugh! Chuzuke coughed blood. Chapter 478 The End Of A Battle "You won''t take me down, not this easily!" Chuzuke growled, his eyes shing red as he red back at Arad. Blood gushed from his chest, sshing like a de. SWOSH! Arad sucked the knife back to his stomach, his body morphing back to the vampiric wyrmwolf. [Void Expansion] Half the forest sunk into darkness, and a dark orb glittered in the middle of the night as everyone watched from the city. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "He didn''t even use his constetions, did he?" Zephyr sighed, "I wished to see that vampire dealing with Orion." "Come on," Ae stared at her, "It''s over now that Arad trapped him in his void." "We''re talking about a vampire lord. If I was in Arad''s ce, I would find a way to deal with him as quickly as possible." She looked back..."Isn''t that right..." Lydia wasn''t where she was standing before. "Where did she go?" Jack shook his arms, "She disappeared once Arad unleashed his void expansion. He must have teleported her to finish him." Zephyr sighed, "So he isn''tpletely blinded by rage." She looked at Ae with a smile. "You don''t have to fear anything. He''s in control." Gojo stared at them, "Did you really think Arad would snap like a madman? " He looked at Arad''s void. "We dragon rarely go into a fight without prior nning. My guess is that he nned to eat the vampire, but that failed, so he called Lydia. If that failed, he would bring Alphonse. And if that failed he would pull the whole pdin army into his void and have priests bless barrels of water as he stalls for time." "All those ns?" Baltos sighed, "Aren''t you overthinking it?" "This overthinking is what makes us such a pain to fight. You can''t expect to beat a dragon in nning even if you have the power to kill it, and would eventually be overyed." He tapped Baltos on the shoulder, "Your kingdom would have already felt for that white dragon if Arad wasn''t there for you." "You''re his brother, what do you suggest we do?" Gojo scratched his chin, "Well...If I was to think of my brother''s future...Your g looks a bit nd, only a blue rose growing on a staff. How about you add something there?" "Tying him down is a bad thing, even I know as much." Baltos stared back at Gojo. "I know, you aren''t tying him down, you''re tying the country to him. Changing your own g to amodate a protective beast. That would give him a rank above any noble while allowing him full freedom." Gojo giggled, "Anyone attacking the kingdom would have to think about Arad, and everyone wanting to mess with Arad has to think about the kingdom that backs him up. You deal with small annoying things, like diplomacy, while he deals with what he knows best. The brawn." **** Inside the void, Arad rushed toward Chuzuke, his jaw wide open. A white fire breath charged between his teeth. Arad''s only goal was sting his defenses away. Chuzuke lifted his hand, creating a sphere of blood around his body. ^I need to get out of here before he reaches me.^ BOOM! The mes burned Chuzuke''s defense as if it was nothing, now that he lost his regeneration, he started getting weaker rapidly. Unlike Arad who hadkes of blood stored in his stomach, and had his organs protected by a seemingly infinite void, Chuzuke looked, far inferior. CRACK! From the burned blood, Lydia rushed in with her sword burning with divine magic. Arad had already tried Chuzuke''s blood and it hurt his stomach, the bastard seemed to have already nned so no other vampire could steal his power. Chuzuke''s eyes met Lydia, "So it''s you again, that crazed pdin." [Divine Cleaver] CLAP! With one swing, she cut Chuzuke in half. Thud! His body fell on the ground as Arad lifted his void. His blood burning in a red me. Lydia stared at Chuzuke with a passive smile as his body evaporated into ash, burned by the holy magic. "You''re finally down, blood-sucking fiend." "You dance with death, mortal." Chuzuke giggled, "One day, you will meet a horrific end, paying for dancing with immortal monsters." CLANG! Lydia stabbed Chuzuke''s skull, evaporating his head with holy magic, "We pdins never expected a nice end. With de we live and with it we die." **** DRIP! A red blood droplet fell from a corpse,nding in a wine ss under the faint fire glow. The man sitting on the throne hummed, staring at the blood surface as he waved the ce around. "Chuzuke, you have finally met your end. This what happens to all dogs that bite the hand that feeds them." He smiled. Therge scar extending from his forehead to his chin tingled, his blinded eye still ached as he saw Arad''s figure in the blood. "Even so, your opponent wasn''t so bad, was he?" He touched the scar on his face, "My blood remembers the scares you gave me, Alcott. To think your mere de could injure me so badly, even if youcked holy magic." He giggled, "You know, even I get angry when my rabid pets get put down." He looked forward, a woman watching him with an emotionless re. "What do you say?" The woman slowly approached the wine ss, her crimson hair reflecting the firelight like it was a red ruby. "He failed to teach his son manners, did he?" She said, "As expected from someone like him," "So, what do you say? Should we kill him?" The man asked with a smile on his face. The woman shook her head, "Lord d, we already have enough in our hands. We don''t need a dragon after us." d sighed with a sad look on his face, "I too want revenge, you know? And seeing him, I only get the urge to kill him and see if Alcott would cry." "Don''t just, Alcott might disy a warm nature, but his violence andck of empathy even puts monsters like us to shame. Instead of crying, his first reaction would being to kill us." The woman replied with a slight anger in her face. "But, he would bring my daughter with him, won''t he?" d looked at the woman with a sad face, "I wonder how she''s doing, is she still practicing implement as I taught her?" "Lord d, you''re courting death by picking a fight with Alcott. I suggest we leave him and his son alone until we get our shelter demi-ne ready to survive the dracorage mystics." She growled, pulling a cube like the one Gojo had. d looked at the cube, "Where the meteor flies across the sky, the wyrms would fall into a blood rage. I''m not sure that cube would even help." "The mage''s tower is keeping a bunch of those for research, soon, we will get answers about their nature and if they are useful." The woman hid the cube with a swift move. "I hope so, I''m already getting bored from only searching." d stood from his throne. "We must keep a low profile, Alcott still thinks you''re dead." The woman approached d with a smile, "The day you kill him will surelye." The next day, early morning. Arad woke up at dawn, yawning as he stood in a white bed in the royal castle. He looked at his side, seeing the bed already empty. Ae seems to have woken up before him and already headed out. He stood and looked around, scanning the castle. Only Eris, Lydia, and Ae were awake, the rest were still asleep. He walked toward the door after changing his clothes. Ae had gone to the kitchen to cook something for Arad, while Eris was training in the stone mountains beside the city to perfect her sma expansion, and Lydia seemed to be praying in the castle''s church. As Arad walked through the castle hallway, he noticed maids bowing as he walked past them, the nobles either approaching him for a quick greeting or steering out of his way. "Lord Arad," A maid approached him with a smile as she saw him standing with two nobles. Arad''s head turned in an instant. He couldn''t wish for anything more than an excuse to get away from those nobles. "They seem to need me," Arad said with a smile, "See youter," He started walking toward the maid, then stopped. He looked back at the noble, "Wait a moment, forget about thend or prospect, I don''t know much about those. But I know one thing that could help you," The noble smiled, "And what it is the wisdom of a dragon?" "Well, first, I doubt your wife hates your balding head, I think she likes it. So, focus on ruling yournd first, you can expand your wealthter." Arad smiled, "Don''t stress overnd or money, that could also help with your hair. And...Yeah, there was a dead rat in your eastern well, clean that up and it should solve your stomach pain ge thing," Arad then rushed to the maid, leaving the noble puzzled. Chapter 479 Sibling’s Time. Arad followed the maid through the hallways, looking through the windows as he sensed Eris training in the mountains to maintain her magic. "I have breakfast ready. Also, a bath if you want to take one. After that, the king requested to meet to announce a reward for stopping the necrotic invasion and erasing the vampires that infiltrated the capital," She said with a smile. "You as scared as when I killed that white dragon?" Arad asked as he saw the maid''s calm demeanor. He had expected them to be shaking by now. "Humans are afraid of the unknown. Achievements are seen differently depending on who does them. At first, we didn''t know you, how strong you are, or with what side yound. But now, we know you''re on the kingdom''s side. Be it a dragon or anything else, I doubt much would fear who protects them." She exined. "You know a lot," "We get several years of education. We maids must be knowledgeable enough to support our masters in time of need, and I''m a maid in the royal pce." Arad remembered how Rey and Ray helped Isdis with her work. It would be nice if the girls got that education as well. "I will be going for a few minutes," Arad instantly disappeared, leaving the maid puzzled. **** CRACK! Eris''s sma expands into a ten-meter radius sphere, which keeps getting denser as more sma ejects from her body, till it reaches its limit and explodes. Thud! Eris fell on her knees, panting as the stones around her melted. Her legs felt weak as she looked around her at the melted stones. ^No matter how much I try, I can''t get it to act as I want.^ She stood, lifting her hands in an attempt for a third cast. "You better stop now," Eris turned, seeing Arad and Gojo standing there, watching her from afar. "It''s you two." She sighed, "You know I can''t control it more than start and explode. Those aren''t that flexible." "You and him," Gojo pointed at Arad, "Still don''t understand how expansions work," Thud! He jumped down and started walking, "Should I teach you a quick lesson?" Thud! Arad jumped after him, "I was thinking the same. I also do need to know if there is a way to decrease my evolution time, and also a way to cultivate faster." "Let''s start with expansions as it''s the most important weapon you would be using." Gojo started exining. Expansion as the name implies, is an extension of one''s magic. When a fire dragon sets everything around him aze, that''s an expansion. When a cultivator creates a massive array, that''s an expansion. When a mage creates a barrier, when a monster marks its territory, when a fighter concentrates on cutting everything that gets close, all of those can be seen as expansions. "You mean it''s like when you go hunt a white dragon and find them in the middle of a snowstorm," Eris approached Gojo. "Yeah, it''s all the same." He opened his hands, "You first need to understand your own element, what kind of magic flows naturally in your blood." "My innate magic is the void. I control the space containing the matter of the world, shrink, and extend it at will. That allows me to crush said matter and release massive amounts of power and heat at once." He looked at Arad. "Your void and my void aren''t the same. I shrink and extend while you destroy." He opened his hand, a tiny ball of blue light floating above his palm. "This is mine," The ball then shifted into a ck-on-nothingness, "This what you use. I cannot create an expansion like you, and you can''t create one like mine even if we have the same element." Gojo then looked at Eris, "What do you think your element is?" "sma?" Eris replied. "Wrong, your elements are fire and lighting. You use those two to heat matter around you and create sma. From what I saw, sma needs heat and pressure to thrive, and your expansion provides it with the pressure while your lightning and fire generate the heat. Try to control it by changing those variables." Eris lifted her hands, trying to start her expansion. "Hoi! Hoi! Stop! Don''t expand it here, or you already did twice. Try controlling a small amount of your magic in your hand, then go to expansions." As Eris nodded and ran away to the train, Gojo looked back at Arad. "Now, it''s your turn." "I know how to use my expansion," Arad replied. "You use your void to digest anything inside your expansion using the low pressure." Gojo approached Arad with a grin, "This isn''t what I''m trying to teach you. It''s how to effectively use it, as otherwise, you will start taking years to evolve." "Are you saying my void expansion would help me evolve faster?" "Have you ever wondered, why did you have an adult mind after just being born? It doesn''t make sense, does it?" Gojo smiled, lifting his hand. "You''re kinda right, isn''t that because we get a shard of mother''s mind?" "That''s partially true, but it goes deeper than that." Gojo looked into his hands, "We were born far before. The things we hatched from weren''t mere eggs, but an extension of mother''s void expansion. A protective bubble of her power." He smiled, "Our minds were alive in it, feeding off Mother''s magic and psychic energy to grow both physically and mentally." It quickly clicked in Arad''s mind, "Don''t say that I need to create an egg with my expansion." "I would call it a cocoon like the one caterpirs use to evolve into butterflies. They use their silk, and we use our void to protect our bodies from the outer world and give them the optimal conditions to grow." Arad sat down, thinking. "So, the density of magic and the emptiness make it easier for our bodies to transform and change. But doesn''t that mean I need to keep focusing on my expansion while unconscious?" "I did manage to do it, so you can as well." Gojo smiled, "I don''t mind babysitting you in my domain as you evolve as well if you want." "No, I will do it on my own." Arad shook his head. The information alone was enough. "But, this mean mother did care about us." "Hmmm," Gojo scratched his chin, "That''s the one thing I can''t understand. For once, I''m certain she raised us in her expansion before dropping us as eggs into the world. But what I can''t wrap my head around is why she attacked me when I flew over the dark elf kingdom." "Probably you were a problem child?" Arad looked at him with a smile. "Or," Gojo looked back at the castle, "I had a bug on my face, and she wanted to p it." He mumbled and looked at Arad, "Keep an eye on that old man Sebas that I brought. It''s either mother who hates me, or wants him dead." "Sebas," Arad started thinking, "Won''t it be best to drop him in another city and let him go free? Live his life away from us?" "That could be a solution, but I think it''s best to get to the bottom of why she wanted to kill him." Gojo sighed, "We''ll keep an eye on him," Arad stood, closing his eyes, "Should I start training now?" He asked. "Probably not. You still have that meeting with the king. I talked him into giving you a lot of nice things," He started stretching, "Want to spar a bit?" "A fight against you?" Arad smiled, cracking his fists. "That should be fun," Eris''s head turned so quickly she almost snapped her neck, ^I''m dead if those two started to fight! Time to run away!^ She flew as fast as she could. Arad rushed forth, throwing punches at Gojo, each one faster than the one before, and he even activated Taurus. With smooth moves, Gojo dodged each strike with grace. He was faster than Arad, and even more, seemed to be able to predict his moves before they were even sent out. ^[He''s looking at your mana with his void eyes to determine your attacks. Control it to deceive him.]^ "Hehe!" Gojoughed, "Something moved inside your head. Is it that witch speaking? I''m sure she noticed." Thud! he caught Arad''s fist, "She''s right. Use weapons and spells, mix your attacks, and make them unpredictable." Arad kept switching between weapons, yet he wasn''t able tond a single hit on his older brother. Atst, he gave up and lifted his hand. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [Void Expansion: Devouring void] Arad''s void digests everything it consumes. It''s an extension of his stomach. The moment Arad''s expansion covered Gojo, he could feel that something was off. His older brother felt as heavy as a stone in his stomach. "Didn''t I tell you?" Gojo talked in the void as if it was nothing. "I can shrink and extend the void. Twisting it is also possible." He lifted his hand. [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] The two expansions collided, and since they share the same element, the one with the finest control dominated. Arad''s void twisted into a thin string in Gojo''s palm akin to a hair strand. It then burst into a beam of light, ending the fight. CRACK! Gojo approached Arad, who was stuck in a rock, bleeding. "Sorry, I got a bit rough. You still alive?" "This hurt. A lot." "I said sorry. As a void dragon, I almost forget I can hit your organs." Gojo helped Arad down, "What you''re feeling now, is what a human feels getting stabbed in the liver." "It isn''t pleasant," "It shouldn''t be," Chapter 480 Gojo’s Lesson Arad got out of the stone he was stuck in, approaching Gojo and holding his chest. "That hurt." "Come on, I wasn''t that serious. I could have unleashed tens of sts like the one I erased Vars with." He giggled, "As long as I have matter topress," "With your stomach full and thend around your expansion, I expect that can go for a long time." Arad thought about it. "You can do the same, but I don''t think to my level," Gojo lifted his hand and created a ball of void. "For now, let''s get you older quickly," "I guess you know a way to make it faster? The cultivation is faster than growing normally, but I can''t seem to understand how it works. Vars did exin it a bit, but I don''t think I would enjoy eating sacrifices or the like." Arad lifted his hand, pulling two chairs from his stomach. As the two sat down, Gojo waved his hand, "That''s a way, and definitely the cheapest. But, there is an expensive one." "What is it?" "Eat magical items, artifacts, or anything of the same nature. But be careful not to eat anything sentient or malevolent. It can affect your soul or mind." From his stomach, Gojo pulled a silver sword. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Witch hunter''s de is an A-rank weapon that deals more damage to people based on their mana capacity by shorting their magic. Try eating it." Arad looked at the sword, "An A-rank...how much did this thing cost?" "Hehe, don''t mind that and eat it. It wasn''t that expensive." Gojo smiled. ^It was six tinum coins though. But it''s a bit useless with my and my brother''s power now,^ Arad lifted the sword, hesitant to eat it. "Are you sure? How useful this weapon could be? It''s a waste to just eat it." "The damage increase is pretty pathetic, up to 10% depending on their mana. But I only managed to get up to 6% against strong opponents." Gojo sighed, "Unless you''re going to an even battle, it''s usually better to grab an ally or a scroll." Arad gave the sword a second look, "Fine," He sucked it into his stomach, digesting it almost immediately. [Age: 42==>43] "It was worth a year," Arad smiled. Gojo nodded, "I see. To me, an identical weapon was worth a week. The older you grow, the more expensive cultivation gets. You have to be on the lookout for strong opponents and rare magic items." Arad nodded, "So I can either buy magic items for cultivation or try hunting for them by taking on quests. How much do you think this will give me?" He pulled the exploding nipple knife. "A true damage weapon. Those things are more than rare." Gojo inspected the knife. "It uses the target''s own mana to attack by concentrating it in the mammary nds. Upon release, that mana burst up, leading to the damage from within." Gojoughed, "In thest battle, I saw you direct the explosion toward that vampire''s lungs and heart." He gave the knife back to Arad. "It''s a bit difficult to control with how fast the explosion happens." Arad looked at the knife''s de, "I wonder how it was made." "Artifacts are made from the insanity of their creators. Someone must have dedicated their lives to make this thing, and it''s a powerful weapon." He pointed at the knife, "Master it, and you would have a guaranteed two hits that bypass defenses." "How many years do you think it''s worth?" Arad had the urge to just eat the knife, seeing how powerful it was. "I never ate an artifact before, but seeing that the strongest magic item I ate gave me around fifty years. This would be far more than that, especially since you''re still young." "Should I eat it?" "No, that would be a waste. True damage weapons with guaranteed hits don''t grow on trees, and this one gives you two hits at the same time." Gojo pulled a dagger and a sword from his stomach. "Since it''s a knife, you can dual-wield it with a sword. Sneak some attacks in," Gojo thrust the air with his dagger. "By the way, what weapon do you use?" Arad asked as he pulled the adamantine sword from his stomach, "I mainly use this," He then pulled the dragon yer, "And this one for dragons." Gojo hid his weapons and pulled arge staff from his stomach. "This is my weapon." The staff wasrge, the head decorated with a crystal ball, and the pommel had a wooden shard nailed on it. "Don''t tell me..." Arad said with a worried face. With a yful smile on his face, Gojo pointed at the staff. "This is a staff for power. I glued this crystal ball to the top of uracy and nailed this wand to the pommel for speed. Each increases my power by 80%." He looked at Arad with sparkling eyes, "It''s an art piece, isn''t it?" "That''s cheating," Arad sighed. "As long as I win, it doesn''t matter. If a problem can be resolved with a fair fight, it should have been resolved with a conversation first." He stored his staff back in his stomach. "You''re right. If it got so bad between two people that they had to fight each other to death, I think it doesn''t matter anymore. Everyone gives it their all to survive." Gojo pulled the staff again, "How about I show it to you? It''s my greatest creation, and the only one that still works." He pointed it at the mountains with a grin. "Long range with the crystal?" Arad asked as soon as he saw an image appear on the crystal. "Looking at the mountains?" "No, I can even target things in Alina from here." With a giggle, the image shifted to show Alina. "Look, it''s that herbalist old man Cain." They could see Cain sitting on a rocking chair in his garden, sipping on tea with Jemima standing behind him. "I can heat his drink from here. Do you think he will be surprised?" Gojo giggled. "Guh!" Both of them froze, feeling a chill down their spines. Cain''s maid had turned her head, ring directly toward them. Gojo couldn''t tell if she had noticed them, or if she was looking at something else and happened to stare in their direction. But then, Cain turned to re at them as well. His eyes emitted a faint blue light. He sighed and returned to drink his tea. "Jemima, what''s for dinner?" "I didn''t decide yet," She replied. "Grilled dragon meat seems like a nice option." ZON! Gojo stopped his magic immediately, sweating. "They didn''t notice, did they?" He looked at Arad. "I don''t know, don''t ask me." Arad sighed. The two sat in silence for a few moments, "Well, the crystal allows me to aim perfectly at distant objects, and the wand makes thetency of my attacks lower, so I can react and shoot people without missing. The power from the staff helps as well." "I said it before, but that''s cheating," Arad stood, "You''re a wizard. Do you know any useful spells?" "I do know a lot of spells," Gojo waved his staff, "What kind do you want to learn? Crowd control spells? Damage, illusion or transmutation?" "Anything you think is useful." "How about....." As Gojo spoke, his void disappeared. "...Did it work?" "What was that?" "A silent spell erases all sounds in a given area. You can either cast it through magic or control the void in the air to stop it from vibrating." Gojo looked at Arad. "You gotta exin how it works." "Sound is merely vibration through the air. It travels in waves like those in the sea. But, they can''t travel in the void. So, either create a barrier with the void to contain the sound, or disperse the waves like you''re running your hand across the water to stop them." "Like GRARARARARARAR!" A loud screech filled the air and Gojo closed his ears, "You made your words ineligible, but you instead created a bunch of new waves. You need to dampen the waves without creating more." Arad looked at his hands, "Can I use this sound?" "Sound magic exists," Gojo pointed his finger at the horizon. "Use the void to vibrate the air particles," BOOOM! A sound wave burst forth, ripping the ground apart. [Sonic st] "I made this with magic and not the void. Use whatever you feel is easier," "Isn''t magic limited?" Arad asked. "Depends on who is using it. We void dragons find it easier to create effects without void, but to humanoids, magic is their key to the mystical world of spell casting." He smiled, "A fire dragon would be better with fire than any mage with fire magic, isn''t that right?" "Is that why we are called magic dragons?" "You''re right. Even without learning magic, our element makes us look like powerful mages." Gojo waved his hand, "I will teach you magic. You might find it useful in case you couldn''t use the void for any reason." Chapter 481 The Royal Rewards Arad stood, "We should head back. Baltos must be waiting." "He sure is," The two brothers looked back, seeing Eris staring at them from afar. She had escaped once they started fighting and was waiting for them to finish. They immediately teleported to her. "We''re going back. Youing as well?" Arad asked. "Yeah, I can trainter. For now, we should head back." Eris pointed up with a finger, creating a small ball of sma. "It''s just that I want to y with my magic." "It''s fun, isn''t it?" Gojo smiled, creating an ice dagger in his hand. "The ability to draw on air freely with mana." "Is it that fun?" Arad looked at him, "Magic is a weapon like any other, just more versatile." "Close your eyes and imagine. What could do if all the magic in the world was limited to a ten-centimeter cube of ice creation?" Gojo opened his palm, and ice started forming into keys, apples, a humanoid doll, a hand, a rose, a spoon, and different shapes. "Making trinkets?" Arad looked at him, confused. "Look," Gojo waved his hand, creating multiple tiny cubes with pegs and holes on them so they stick together. Just by stacking them, he formed an ice wall. "Even when limited to such a small size, you can still make big things by cutting them to pieces." He quickly created a small knife and an ice ball in his hand. "You''re going to fight with those?" Arad asked. "Why not? I can be the ice cube warrior and beat everyone. Magic is like paint, and the world is our canvas. The limit is our creativity, and creativity is limitless." With one flick of his finger, he creates a doll in Arad''s shape of ice. "Magic is limitless as long as you understand its rules." Eris looked at him, "Well, wizards aren''t one of the strongest sses for nothing." Arad stared at his doll with a puzzled face. It was well made for something that Gojo created on a whim. "I won''t say that," Gojo looked at her, "Wizards are pathetic mages. Those bookworms keep their noses down and lick ink for a living. What''s the fun in using pre-written spells while you can make your own?" He then scratched his hand, "I guess, those spells are tested and optimized to achieve the most power and use the bare minimum amount of mana, so they are an easy way to power for humans whock mana." "We have a lot of it, or rather, we regenerate it faster than them." Arad replied, "But I''m relying on mana absorption to keep up." Gojo smiled, "We aren''t human, remember that." He waved his hand, teleporting everyone to the castle with one void step. Immediately, one maid spotted them appearing out of nowhere in the garden and called. "Lord Arad! His majesty has been waiting!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I have to go." Arad rushed after her as Gojo and Eris walked at their own pace, finally reaching the throne room. When Arad opened the door, all the nobles inside stared at him, gossiping as he walked toward the throne. In front of him, he could see the girls lined up, except Jack, who was already sitting down with crossed legs. "Arad, what took you so long?" He asked with a smile. "I checked up on Eris and Brother," He pointed back as the two opened the door and walked in. "We even had a short spar," "Gehe!" The nobles'' gasps were audible. They knew Arad was strong, so having another spar with him was quite unexpected. "How did it go?" Baltos asked from his throne. "I lost," Arad sighed, "It wasn''t even fair," He stared back at Gojo. "I didn''t cheat, did I? I just have better control than you, being older and such." Gojo giggled. Just then the nobles realized, Arad wasn''t the biggest problem in the room. It was his older brother. Ae approached Arad with a smile. "We''re already been talking before you came." "A few surprises await you," Zephyr giggled, "I got us a nice deal with the pdins as well." "Less of a deal and more of a treaty," Lydia said in the back, pulling Jack up to stand, "They won''t interfere with you. And will hold your word first in case of a problem. Unless proven otherwise." "He won''t understand like that." Alphonse walked out from between the nobles, "You won''t be chased or hunted by our forces across the country, and even if you were to be used of a crime, we will take your word as trustworthy unless proven otherwise." ^When vampires are usually killed on sight, I guess this is quite a desired oue. Well, I doubt they can kill me without suffering major losses.^ Arad smiled, shaking Alphonse''s hand, "What should I say? Thank you. Honored?" "Nothing, we''re the ones who should be thanking you for saving the capital," Alphonse smiled. "Not like they have a choice," Gojo said in the back, his hands behind his head. "If they were to kill you, I will erase this whole kingdom." Eris red at him, "Stop joking. You''re not funny." Gojo stared at the king, his eyes glowing with a blue re. "I''m not joking," Silence fell. "Arad is currently my only family and kin who I can approach and talk with. Harm him, and you''re on my list. This tiny kingdom of yours fit nicely in my jaw." Arad thought about it, ^In his jaw... does he mean...wait...I''m a young dragon, and my void expansion grow to four kilometers. He''s an adult, three stages above me(Juvenile[40km], young adult[400km], adult[...])...so his grow up to...^ He started counting on his fingers, "It''s that big!" Arad gasped. Everyone stared at Arad as he gasped, "He isn''t joking. It probably would fit." "You just realized," Gojo stared at Arad, "That ck sphere of magic Arad creates, I also have one, and mine can spread up to four thousand kilometers. And inside it, countless of that beam that burned the mountains range fires down indefinitely." He stared at Baltos, "Take it as a threat, a bluff, or however you like. My point is that I''m more dragon than human. Attack my kind, and I go on a rampage." Isdis stared at Arad and Gojo, "Let''s stop the scary talk and get to the rewards. I can''t wait to get back home," "I thought you would be running for the throne," Jack stared at her, and she almost kicked him. "That would have to wait," She said. "Sister is right," Thomas, the current first prince approached. Charlie pointed at King Baltos in the back, "Father is still alive and kicking. I say we have a few years to prepare before we can go for the throne. Unless one of you is as stupid as a certain someone." Baltosughed in the back, "Sorry, but I will stay stuck to this chair until I die. You have to rack up achievement in the meantime, currenly Isdis and Arad are at the lead with saving the capital." If things remained the same, in a few years when Baltos dies, Isdis would inherit the throne, and Arad, as her husband would be the king. Albeit the power would remain in her hand as she''s the one with royal blood. That means only her children can inherit the throne. Arad''s other wives'' children albeit being the offspring of the king, cannot inherit the throne. Baltos looked at the back and waved his hand, "Bring it to me." With his voice, two butlers approached carrying arge pillow with a g folded on it. "Starting from today, this would be our new g. A symbol of peace between us and dragon mediator Arad Orion." It was the same g with a dragon head beside the rose. Isdis giggled, whispering to Arad. "The nation''s gs are made of demon spider silk and are expensive. To save costs, I asked them to just knit a dragon symbol on the previous g. Since we''re going to have all cities and forts do the same for theirs. I hope you don''t mind," "Why would I mind? That was smart." Arad smiled. "And for the actual reward," Baltos stood, Kin and Gin approaching him carrying arge box with a silver key on top of it. Baltos took the key and approached Arad with a smile on his face. "I hereby announce that Alina''s mountain range is now called the Orion Vally and is under the jurisdiction of Arad Orion as its new ruler. This change shall not affectnd owned by the lord of Alina." He handed the key to Arad. Arad took the key and looked, "Is there a hole in the mountain I should be sticking this key into?" Baltos giggled, "No, it''s just the key for that," He pointed at the chest. "As the current king of the kingdom of Ruris, and on behalf of all its people I herby invest a portion of our wealth in the funding of the savior Arad Orion''s new domain," He pointed back at the chest, "Five hundred tinum coins worth of gold and jewelry shall be granted." "I was thinking of building a castle there, onerge enough to host dragons and humans alike," Arad said. "That won''t be a problem," Baltos smiled, "I can arrange that with some help," He looked back at Kin. "Leave it to me." Chapter 482 Dawn Of Cinder: Rot In The Wind Several days before, in Alina, the incident with Merida''s father happened. Noble messengers came looking for her, got a bit rough, and resulted in his death. Merida was taken by Roberta, Sara, and L back to Arad''s house while Nina and Meryem decided to seek the noble who sent the killers and bring him to justice, but it was then that they heard the news. Cain Lisworth, the herbalist of the city, has headed there before them alone. **** Nina and Meryem ran through the city, seeing Alcott and Ginger for assistance. CRACK! They kicked the bathhouse door open, "Alcott! We need help," Alcott walked downstairs, yawning, "Did something happen?" "It''s quite bad," Nina exined what happened to him as briefly as she could. "Got it!" Alcott shouted as he looked deeper into the house, "Ginger! Get ready we have a mission, an urgent one." He pulled his armor from the wardrobe close to the entrance and started wearing it with Nina''s help. "First objective, save the old man Cain. The second one is bringing that stupid noble with us." He shouted, and Ginger replied from inside the house as she changed, "Got it." Swosh! From the sky, Merlin flew in on her broom, "I heard what happened. I''ming as well." Alcott smiled, "Being a while since we formed a party," Nina, Merlin, Alcott, and Ginger. Two frontline fighters and two mages, such formation was quite popr for its versatility, and the mere fact Alcott and Nina are in the same team again was horrifying to most. Meryem being with them almost didn''t make a difference, but none knew her powers yet. Old adventurers who saw them running across the street immediately knew, something must have gone extremely wrong. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om **** The five of them rode a carriage to Riverside, hoping to catch Cain before reaching lord Foran''s territory and getting himself killed. On their way, they saw the old man walking back to Alina, one step at a time, leaning on his cane as if he wereing back from a stroll. The carriage stopped, and Alcott jumped off, "You old man!" He smiled, "Thank the gods you had some sense in your head. Don''t charge off like that again." Cain looked at him, "Isn''t it Alcott, how is your health?" "I''m fine thank you, but please don''t scare us again. We will deal with Lord Foran and bring him to justice." Alcott tapped Cain''s shoulder. "Foran, ahh! You mean that old fool, he''s already dead." Everyone froze for a second, "You killed him," Nina gasped in the back. "Come on, you''re joking, right?" Cain giggled, tapping his back, "What could those old bones do? I went there to give him an earful, but the fool summoned a devil and his wife a demon. They died by their own magic." **** A few hours earlier. Cain reached Riverside''s main gate, staring up at the guard. "Mind opening for an old man?" The guards stared at each other, "Open the gate," CRACKLE! The gate slowly opened, and the guards approached Cain, "Do you need any help? Food, water, a ce to rest?" Cain nodded, "Yeah, a ce to rest would be nice. My back hurts." He tapped his back, "Mind showing me the closest inn?" The guards pointed into the city, "Follow the main road and ask for directions at its end. The inn is called the floating boat." "Thanks, my sons," Cain walked into the city, unhindered by the guards. One step at a time, Cain walked past the inn and headed into the lord''s mansion. [Mist Step] Engulfed in silver smoke, he teleported into the mansion,nding in front of the main door. Knock! Knock! CLICK! The wooden door opened, and a butler stared at him, "Who are you?" "I''m looking for that old fart Foran. He''s inside, right?" Cain asked the butler gave him a strange stare. ^Isulting a city lord is punished by death...Unless he''s an old friend? Judging by his age and the fact the guards let him in, that might be the case.^ "Please excuse me. Come inside, and I will call Lord Foran." The butler bowed. "No need," Lord Foran looked down from the window, his wife at his side. We talk in the garden. Cain walked toward the garden''s tea table, taking a seat as Lord Foran and his wife came, surrounded by ten armed guards. They sat facing Cain, "So, who are you, and what brought you here? Leon said you might be an old friend, but I don''t remember your face." Lord Foran smiled, waving with his hand, and the guards pointed their spears at Cain. "Me? You men must have brought you the news, right?" Cain smiled, "You done it and killed a man I held as a friend." Lord Foran grunted, "Hmmm," His eyes red, "That''s none of your business, old man. You barely have any years left. And you want to waste them bying here?" "Honestly," Cain lifted a cup of tea, and everyone gasped. They didn''t bring tea. Where did ite from? "Everyone dies when their timees. He was no different. That day, he should have died in another way than being stabbed to death." Cain poured his tea into the table, "I''m here for blood, and those soldiers smell of his blood." He sighed, "Burn everything to ash, Spirit of Phlegethos, Inanna." CLAP! In the blink of an eye, the soldiers surrounding Cain got diced into minced meat, burning into ash by hellish ck mes. Thud! Lord Foran and his wife lunged back, sweating, "You aren''t half bad, wizard." He waved his hand, "By blood contract, I call from a soldier from hell, a true incarnation of evil, hellspawn." Lord Foran''s right arm glows with a crimson light. His wife giggled, "Let''s do it. By blood contract, I call forth a soldier from the abyss, a true incarnation of violence, A demon." Her left arm dripped with ck goo. "Pitmaster of hell, Spindle," Foran growled. "Demon lord of the abyss, Demogorgan," His wifeughed as two massive gates opened behind their backs. Behind lord the bone gate of hell emerged from the ground, its doors two skeletons cut in half, each bone crackled as the door forced open, chains crackling from inside as a foul horrid smell rushed out, rotten flesh, acid, charred bones, and eons of agony and dposition. From the gate of hell, a massive imp-like devil standing twenty meters tall walked out, wearing a robe of chain and skulls, seven horns on his head as the fire burned on his back. At his left hand, he dragged a massive cleaver made from the bones of sinners. The gate behind the wife shattered, crumbling into a ck hole of the abyss, sucking air as it flew into the sky, shattering it like ss. From the cracks, two massive tentacles emerged, and a two-headed gigantic ape-like demon looked down. CRACK! Expanding the crack in the sky, the demon lord jumped down,nding at fifty meters tall. He had two tentacles arms, a scorpion-like tail, and fish-like scales across his torso and spiny back. He growled, staring down at the woman who just summoned him. Lord Foran and his wifeughed, "With such power, we could take over the whole kingdom. No, the world itself won''t stand a chance against us." Cain stood, looking at the devil spindle. "AH! Master, spindle missed you a lot!" The massive devil wiggled like a sickmb and jumped to Cain''s side with a smile on his ugly face, and he bowed down. Cain patted Spindle''s head with a smile, "You''ve grown a lot since thest time I saw you. How are you doing?" "Spindle had a lot of fun and children." The devil replied with a thankful smile, "I''m now a pit fiend in the lower hells. Devils can''t bully Spindle anymore." Lord Foran started shaking in ce. "Kill him!" He shouted, but Spindle red back at him. Cain looked at Spindle, "Handle it however you see fit," Thud! Spindle lifted his hand, "To hell with you!" Hundreds of burning hot chains rushed from the gate of hell, snatching Lord Foran and dragging him to hell as he screamed. "Are you sure?" Cain looked at Spindle, "You had a contract with him." "His souls matter not to Spindle. I do not bite the hand that fed me even if I were to starve to death." Spindle stood, "Want me to deal with that thing?" He red at the demon lord Demogorgan. "No need, you go rest and deal with stupid lord. I will handle everything here," Cain replied, and Spindle bowed onest time before walking back into hell. Cain looked at the lord''s wife, "So, it''s your turn." He mumbled. "Kill him! Kill him! Kill him now!" Foran''s wife screamed her lungs out, pointing at Cain. Demogorgan stared at Cain with a smile. Each of his head giggled. "I can smell death on you. Your bones have grown fragile, and you''ve gotten old and weak." He red at Cain. "Humph," Cain sighed, lifting his cane up. "Me getting weaker doesn''t mean you got stronger. Even the dying corpse of a man can still crush ants." CLACK! ck tentacles rushed out of the abyss gate, wrapping around Foran''s wife and Demogorgan. She pissed herself in terror and the demon roared, "You bastard!" Foran''s wife stared back at the gate, seeing a massive maw with thousands of sharp opal teeth waiting. "Please...let me go..." She cried. Cain pointed his staff forward, "The kids won''t be able to defeat you now, so I have to take care of you." CLACK! The tentacles pulled Foran''s wife and Demogorgan toward the maw, where they were chewed alive before the abyss gate closed. Cain sighed, flicking his fingers and the sky flickered, the barrier he already set faded. Thud! Jemima appeared behind him, "Master, did you have to do that?" "She left him in this city because she knew I would protect him." He replied, "What do you think would happen if Arad came back and found Alcott dead?" "He would have charged alone and died to the Demogorgan as well." She replied, "How many souls did they sacrifice to summon him?" Cain pointed toward the mountain, "They didn''t pay in souls. They nted that thing in the world on his behalf," Jemima looked and her face twisted, "Crimson rot of the abyss, this is bad," She was about to go deal with it, but Cain stopped her. "We interfered enough, Arad can deal with that. Leave it to him when hees back," He smiled. Chapter 483 Yuwaku No Kyomu ps boomed across the capital as a white carriage raced across the street. Arad stretched his head out of the window and sighed, "Do they have to do this?" "Let them celebrate. It''s the least they can do now." Isdis replied from beside him. She then looked out with him, waving her hand to the crowds only to get them fired even more. "Humans always celebrate every small thing," Zephyr appeared above Ae''s head, sitting on her hair and stretching her arms. Thud! Ae caught her with one hand, squeezing, "Small thing? Saving the city?" "There was nothing to save from Vars, and that Chuzuke kid would have perished sooner orter to the pdins if we left him," Zephyr replied as Ae shook her like a can of soda. Eris sat beside Ae with a worried face. "Is no one going to mention this?" She pointed at the ceiling. Everyone there, including Mira and the two maids, Rey and Ray, looked away. Mira turned toward Arad, "More importantly, what about Sara''s request?" "I have some minions around dealing with it. You can say the underground scene was already invaded by me when I first went to the forest." Sara had asked Arad to put her name out there in the capital, give her some power, and release some shipments the local gangs blocked. The bandits he controlled were efficient and bold as they had the backing of a dragon, and they made light work of the local gangs in one swoop. They are now under Arad''s indirect control. "That''s good to hear. We need Sara to secure supplies." Mira smiled, "The rare ones." Isdis stared at her, "High-capacity lightning crystals are illegal to transport or own without a license for a reason." She looked at Arad, "They burn backs when they explode." "There is no invention without some small failures," Mira said with a smile. Isdis red at her with bloodied eyes, "We could see your damned spine, and you smelled like roast beef. No more ying with dangerous crystals." "Chiiii," Mira sighed, looking away, "What do you say, Arad." "Isdis is right," He replied with a stern voice. "I will test any dangerous weapon you make first. I''m the most durable of us." "That would make more sense," Isdis added, "What do you say?" "I don''t want to see him hurt," Ae replied with a pained smile. "He can take it, roast him." Zephyr gasped. "OI! I said someone exins this to me!" Eris growled, pointing at the carriage ceiling with a red face. "Don''t act as if she isn''t there." Arad looked at Eris with a passive face. He then looked at the ceiling. A naked, pale-skinned, elvish woman with hair like the night sky and purple eyes stared back at him,tched to the ceiling like a spider. "I see nothing," He replied. Isdis and her maids looked up, but they saw nothing. Mira and Ae were the same. To them, no one was on the ceiling. "Stop pretending," Eris growled, and Arad looked away, Zephyr the same. "You two can see her as well. Why aren''t you saying anything." "Well..." Zephyr scratched her cheek, "Her kind are prone to seducing people. You can even go blind looking at her." "Zephyr is watering down her look with magic. And even so, only us three see her without getting blinded." Arad replied. "I bet brother can see her as well." The Nymph born from the capital''s central park, Arad''s draconic existence, and Zephyr''s magic kept close to them. Arad and Zephyr were two of her three sources, and she must stay close. Ae giggled, "I can''t see her, but I can feel her presence." She looked at Eris, "It''s honestly a bit creepy like someone is constantly watching me." Eris could see the Nymph sitting on the ceiling upside down, staring directly at Ae''s face. "Because she''s staring at your face!" Eris growled. "Leave her be for now!" Zephyr said, standing on Ae''s head, "She''s akin to a ghost now. We can''t put clothes on her. Once we get back, I will perform a ritual to give her a dryad body. We can make her wear something then," "Zephyr is right," Arad confirmed, "That should also limit her blinding people part. Or so Doma said." CLACK! A mouth opened on Arad''s cheek. "She''s the embodiment of Beauty. When you look at her, your brain shorts as it tries to process her form and bleed internally, causing blindness. But that shouldn''t be a problem if we put her inside a rtively ugly dryad body." "I do remember the Nymph we saw with that monk." Ae said, "What abilities does this one have?" She looked up, "Do you have a name?" "She''s sitting beside you." Eris said, and Ae immediately turned left, extending her hand, "What''s your name?" "The other side," Eris added, and Ae turned again, "Sorry, what''s your name?" "She doesn''t have one yet," Zephyr replied, "We should be careful with what name we give her." "Why?" Eris asked. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Depending on what name you give her, her powers might change. I wouldn''t want to give her something scary," Zephyr exined, "She''s a concept, the embodiment of the beauty of a ce. The noisy canyon, the crying canyon, the weeping canyon, and the wailing canyon. Which one sounds the worst?" "The name of a ce is a part of its natural beauty or mystic. Changing the name can make it look sad, terrifying, or precious." Ae nodded. "You fey are full of shit," Eris sighed, "A name doesn''t dictate the person." "But does dictate the ce." ^Say, Doma. Is that true?^ Arad asked to confirm. ^[It''s true. I can give her a name if you want. Which one would you prefer, a calm one, a powerful one, or an unfair one? Or all at the same time?]^ Doma giggled in his head. She was up to no good. ^All at one, as long as she''s on our side, she should have all the power she can hold.^ Arad replied, and Doma smiled. ^[Then call her this...]^ Arad looked up at the Nymph, "I got a name for you," She stared back at him, endless darkness dancing in her eyes. "Oi! What are you doing?" Zephyr stared at Arad, "Don''t say anything! You can''t change the nameter!" "Yuwaku no Kyomu [Seducing Void]. I will call you Yuwaku Kyomu." Arad stated her name and Yuwaku''s innate magic changed to reflect her name. "Come to me..." Everyone could hear those sweet words, getting the urge to vomit. "Hold it in! It''s your soulsing out," As Zephyr screamed, for a moment, she felt as if her body was falling into an endless void. ^A curse name, that Doma! I bet this was her doing!^ Arad stood, tapping Yuwaku''s head, "Stop it," She stared back at him, holding her head. "It hurt," ^[The seducing call of the void. Upon contacting her by any means [Sight, hearing, smell, touch, or anything.], she can send people into a trance instead of blinding them. Urging them to jump into the abyss of your stomach.]^ Domaughed inside Arad''s mind. ^[She''s the beautiful Nymph dancing and tricking travelers to wander deeper into the forest, chasing after her until they found themselves in the maws of a dragon.]^ Chapter 484 Agnar Asim "Hmm?" Gojo turned around, looking toward Arad''s carriage from his. "That Nymph''s power changed," He mumbled. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "The what?" Lilia stared at him. "Nothing important to us," He replied with a smile, looking around. Gug sat in the corner, watching the building pass by like a kid. Jack sat on the other side, flipping a coin while Lydia read the holy scripture. "That fight ended quickly," He said, "I''m surprised you were ready to deal the finishing blow." Lydia stopped reading and closed the book, "To finish a vampire, you need holy magic. Arad could eat Chuzuke, but that might hurt his stomach." She touched the hilt of her sword. "I''m sure Arad didn''t want to take chances with Chuzuke escaping again, so I expected to be called from the start." She smiled. "Isn''t it arrogant to expect a dragon to need your help?" "I only expect my duty to y undead and fiends. Arad isn''t stupid enough not to use his friends." She replied. Gojoughed, "You''re right, but do you know there is another way to bury infinitely regenerating monsters?" "Another way besides holy magic?" "Erase their body." Gojo replied, "They won''t regenerate without a base." "So it''s not to leave a single drop of blood. Overwhelm a vampire with firepower." She nodded, "I will keep that in mind." Jack looked at Liliana, "Sister," "What?" She stared at him. "Can''t wear, well, something less revealing?" He pointed at Lydia, "Like her." SWOSH! Lilia tried to kick him in the face, but he dodged. "Mind your own business. It''s easier to work like this," Liliana growled at him. "You''re always been like this," He sighed. Lydia stared at Liliana, "How is a tiefling Jack''s sister?" She asked. "I''m not his blood sister. I raised the abandoned children on the street and gave them food and shelter to survive. At some point, I became everyone''s elder sister." Liliana replied. "She''s why most of Alina''s thieves are on good terms with each other. We''re all brothers raised under her," Jack added. "Some thieves were mentioning a brotherhood." Lydia sighed, "So that''s what they meant." **** The city gate opened, and the carriages strolled out. Arad looked out of the window toward the driver seat, "So, care to tell me why you''re here?" The kid stared back at Arad, sitting beside his mother, who was driving. "Agnar Asim," The kid said, then pointed at his mother, "Sofia Athor, and my father there is Simon Asim." He pointed at Gojo''s carriage. His father sat beside Sebas, the sacrifice they saved. "I didn''t ask for your name, but why are you here?" Arad stared at him. "Our farm burned to ash, so we''re working in transport now," Agnar replied. Arad looked, seeing the kid still carrying his wooden sword. "I''m not dealing with a wannabe hero five years old brat." "You underestimate the de. The capital is in good hands now, and I shall seek experience." Agnar replied, holding his de''s hilt. "Start by carrying a real sword." Arad stared at him. "I''m not allowed to until I reach seven years at least." Agnar replied with a proud face, "Right, Mom?" "I don''t know anymore," She sighed, "I know you''re stronger than your age, but you''re still a kid. I fear you might jump into danger and get yourself hurt." "Like how he jumped into my fight with Chuzuke." Arad stared at Agnar with a smug smile. "I do not sit like a pig in a pen and hope someone else saves the day." Agnar stared at Arad, "I''m a hunter, a weak, wless, and fangless one, but a predator nheless." ^[The tiny lion cub stood, growling and hissing at the wolves. He won''t go down without a fight.]^ She giggled, ^[This kid will grow to be strong one day.]^ "You did kill a lot of undead, after all," Arad sighed. Sofia looked forward, "Ghouls attacked our house. Those aren''t monsters we hope to win against. But he hunted them down. I don''t know whether to be proud or scared for him." "Just let him join the guild when he grows, or send him to the knight''s order." Arad replied, "He should thrive there." Agnar looked at Arad, "We''re going with you to Alina. I said the capital doesn''t need my protection." Arad smiled, "You don''t know, but this carriage is only a dummy and will stop when we enter the forest. I''m carrying everyone back home," "As I said, I''m going to Alina with you," He stared at Arad. "You aren''t," "I need a powerful master, someone I can learn fighting from," Agnar added. "I don''t teach people. I can barely learn myself." Arad cried. "You''re going to build a castle there, aren''t you?" Agnar stared at Arad, "I''m sure you can afford a disciple or two, maybe even a guard?" "I''m not going to hire a brat to guard a castle," Arad sighed, looking at Agnar''s mother. He then looked at his father in Gojo''s carriage. "What about your parents?" Arad asked. "They areing with me. Our house got half destroyed by the undead attack," Agnar replied. Arad sighed, "Fine, but you''re servants until we finish the castle." He slipped back into the carriage, sitting and taking a deep breath. [You took him in?] Mom asked. ^Isn''t it better to catch a talent young?^ Arad knew he needed to gather servants, soldiers, and workers for the castle at some point. The ce wouldn''t magically manage itself. [What about the bandits?] ^We''ll leave them here. I can contact them through Sara, as she will take control of the capital''s underground.^ He thought. "What are you thinking of?" Isdis stared at Arad with a smile. "The castle''s ns. I want arge hall, training ground and a massive personal quarter. A basement leading to the dungeon beneath my house would be a must." Isdis smiled, "The builders and experts will arrive in three to four weeks, they will start the work, and we can tell them how we want the castle." Rey stared at Arad, "The problem with building a castle is moving material. They are too heavy." Ray nodded, "Castles and forts are an essential structure to any kingdom. We did the studies and have the know-how to build them however we like." Isdis looked at Arad, "We know more about building castles and forts than homes or roads. It''s funny, isn''t it?" "They are engines of war," Mira added, "Of course you would know how to build them." Chapter 485 Uninvited Guest The carriages rolled out of the city as the people cheered. Arad looked back at the capital''s gate, "I hope they don''t keep watching us for long." Ae giggled, "Would it matter?" She looked at the gate with him, "You can teleport us away with a void step before flying." Arad nodded, "I was thinking of carrying the whole carriage instead of having you ride on my back." She looked around, "We''re not sending the carriages back." She giggled. They were numerous to ride on Arad''s back. *** CRACKLE! Gojo heard something in the back of his carriage. He turned, "Did you hear that?" He asked. "Only luggage rolling in the back," Liliana replied. "No," Gojo looked back, "That sounded like flesh on wood and a soft one at that." "You know it''s weird if you can tell that?" Lydia stared at him. "You can sense people and animals like Arad. You would have sensed if anyone was there." Jack stared at him. Gojo thought about it for a second, looking out of the window. "Stop the carriage. We have an uninvited guest." The carriage stopped, and so did Arad''s carriage. Gojo walked out and opened the luggage storage in the back. "There is only one person who can slip through my detection," Gojo said as Arad and the rest walked out of the carriage to check what happened. CLICK! Inside the luggage locker, he looked around, only seeing their bags. "There is nothing inside." Liliana sighed, looking inside. Wiggle! Wiggle! It was small, but he saw that one of the bags moved a hair strand. Gojo lifted the bag, opened it, and took a look inside. "GRRR!" Lucy, the youngest princess, stared at him from inside the bag, growling. He extended his hand inside the bag, "Why are you..." "AW!" Gojo snatched his hand away as she bit him. He looked at Isdis in the back, "Do something about your little sister," "Lucy!" Isdis gasped, "What are you doing here? You''re supposed to be in the castle," Lucy closed the bag on herself, "I''m not going back." Arad approached Gojo, "The magic around her body is a bit weird," "Wild magic, her is so strong that it can muffle our detection," Gojo replied. "Less of muffle and more of making her have the same presence as wild mana." Arad looked closer at the bag. "She feels more like a magic item to me than a human," Gojo added, "If I didn''t know she''s a human, I would assume she''s a doll enchanted with magic." Isdis tried to open the bag, struggling against her little sister, who held it close. "Try this," Jack handed Isdis a ss potion. "What''s this?" She asked. "Demon Skunk essence, one drop should be enough to force her out," Jack replied with a smile, lifting a thumb. "I will make you drink it!" Isdis screamed, "Why do you even have this?" "It never harms to keep a stink bomb close by," Jack replied with a smile, and Liliana approached, "You''re right," She also had a bottle. Isdis growled, "Those two sure do act the same." Gojo sighed, "I will be back in a second," He disappeared. Two minutester, he came back with a signed document. "What''s that?" Arad asked. Gojo showed them the paper, "A signed contract from the king to teach his daughter Lucy swordsmanship and magic for a year." Isdis stared back at him, "You''re taking her with you?" "I mean," Gojo scratched his head, "Look," In the blink of an eye, he pointed his finger at the bag, firing an ice spear. [Iciclence] CRACK! The spear shattered the moment it got closer to the bag. "That was a regr cast. The wild magic around her makes spells unstable like hell." He sighed, "She''s probably best staying with me to learn magic and control her power rather than staying in the castle doing tea parties with humans." "She''s human!" Isdis sighed, holding her hurting head. Thud! Lucy extended her hand out of the bag, "My father has approved!" She shouted, getting out of the bag. "Well done," She pointed at Gojo. PEW! A small ice bead fired from Gojo''s hand and smacked her in the forehead. "Your wild magic interferes with spells. If I made something custom with denser mana, you won''t dispel it before it hits you," Lucy held her forehead, almost crying, "You dare hit the princess?" "Yes, yes. Of course, I would. Princess Lucy Lior Ruris." Gojo stared at her. "I would have you executed for being rude to a royal princess," Lucy growled, and Gojo nodded in approval. "Please do try," He extended his hand into his stomach and pulled out a book, throwing it at Lucy, "The Basics of Magic. I will have a quiz for you once we reach Alina." "A quiz?!" She gasped. "You''re running for an hour if you don''t get it. You better start studying now." Gojo red at her. "I don''t have time to deal with children who can''t protect themselves." Lucy opened the book, "This is...too many words," "It''s simple when you understand it," Gojo replied, walking toward the carriage. "Let''s keep going. We will set off to the frozen north after we spend a few days in Alina. There are some spell tomes there I wanted to purchase first." "Ho," Arad approached, "Magic that you want, what kind it is?" "A spell that keeps mosquitos away. There is also one that keeps drinks warm for an hour." Gojo replied with a smile, "There is even one that changes cloth color," "Mundane spells," Arad sighed. "They are the most fun. I already knew how to st things, so I''m looking more into convenient spells." Gojo got into his carriage. **** A few minutes after the carriages started moving again, Lucy growled and fell on Liliana''sp, her eyes spinning. "I can''t..." She growled. "Motion sickness," Liliana sighed, "It gets worse if you try to read something," Gojo pulled a bag from his stomach, "Here, keep reading and try to hold out. You can get a feeling simr to motion sickness when running out of mana. This is a good way to train for that." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Really..." She cried, her eyes spinning. "It usually starts after you get below 50% of your capacity. Your training already started." Chapter 486 A Bad Omen After the carriages reached the forest, they stopped, and Arad and Gojo walked out. "Arad, mind to life both carriages?" Gojo asked. "Why?" "Look," Gojo''s body shifted ck, expanding rapidly to form a titanic dragon. Gojo was massive, standing over one hundred meters tall and a whopping two hundred in length. Even his wing span covered half of the forest. Unlike Arad, Gojo''s scales flickered with specks like ck diamonds. Everyone looked out of the carriage, their knees shaking as they sensed the magic rushing out of him. "Oh my!" Zephyr giggled, "What''s that?" "It''s subtle, but the magic rushing out of him is terrifying. Remind me of angry Nina," Lydia said with an exhausted face. "Unless I''m in my humanoid form, it''s almost impossible for me topletely shut off my aura." Gojo looked down, "If I flew like this, I would scare the nearby monsters, and they could run away, creating stampedes all over the ce." "That makes sense," Arad looked at Gojo, "But can''t you teleport us back? Your range is quite big, right?" "I can," Gojo replied, "But it''s more fun to travel, and I would like to give Lucy some time to learn her spells." "That doesn''t sound like a reason to me," Arad stared at him, "There is something you aren''t telling me about..." ring suspiciously. Gojo sighed, "You''re right. It has to do with Lucy. I don''t know what teleporting her would do to her wild magic. Last time I tried, it exploded." He looked at the carriage, "Dealing with unknown magic is annoying, and I didn''t want to deal with her until after you''re settled in Alina." Arad remembered himself trying to teleport Meimei. "You can''t teleport things you don''t understand." "It''s a bit different in her case. I understand her wild magic, but it''s so random that it would change and cause unexpected effects." Gojo replied, "I would like to not take chances with her." "Me too," Arad sighed, "I can''t have Isdis''s little sister blown to mist upon teleporting. Fine, I will carry us to Alina." Gojo nodded, extending his w to Arad and pulling a book from his stomach. "Tales of the Great Wall. It''s a magic book about barrier magic and tells some stories of how that magic was used." "Teach you how to cast the spell. How to use it effectively inbat," Arad smiled, flipping the pages of the book. "The best use would be locking your expansion into a barrier, or using it to trap people and objects, as a means to block attacks or separate things." Gojo extended his hand, "Like this." Arge ss-like wall appeared, refracting light into a prismatic array of colors. "I use it to block attacks most of the time. Especially ones that I''m not sure of." "Shall we go then? I will read it on our way back." Arad transformed into his draconic form and Gojo shifted to his humanoid form. In each arm, he lifted one of the carriages and flew to the sky. The horses began to freak out even though Arad told them not to, so Gojo had to put them to sleep with magic. After flying for half a day, Arad spotted something on the ground. A carriage was being chased by bandits as they rushed across the open ins. "Evil doers! Master, shall we teach them a lesson!" ¡­.shouted, staring down from the driver''s seat. "No, leave them be. We have a trip ahead of us, and they should be able to handle themselves." Arad replied. "We can''t do this! It''s the strong''s duty to protect the weak." He looked down, pulling his wooden sword. "Listen there, I don''t want to get sidetracked." Arad red down at him. "Come on master, you''re a dragon, aren''t you? Soar down at them with the wrath of the heavens!" ¡­. Screamed again. "Those aren''t normal bandits. Look closely at them." Gojo sighed, and everyone looked down. Crimson fungustched on their flesh, making them look more like zombies than humans. "Crimson rot, Vars once read a book that theorised that one of the demon lords, a woman to be exact ruled over rot and fungus. One touch and you''re infected." "Really?" Lydia stared down, "Then we can''t ignore this. The infection might spread." Arad looked down, "Fine." He sighed, "Ae, burn them to ash." Ae smiled, "Of course!" She pulled fire arrows from her quiver and aimed out of the window. "Zephyr, let''s do this." Tens of burning arrows fell from the sky, burning hotter with Zephyr''s wind, and sniped all the afflicted bandits. The traveler watched in awe as a divine punishment rained from the heavens. From that day, a rumor started spreading. The gods themselves saved the travelers, and Ae''s arrows were held in a shrine by the locals, worshipped as divine objects. After a few more hours of travel, Aradnded as it started getting dark. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ae walked out of the carriage, stretching her arms, "Nothing beats the fresh air of the forest, does it?" She looked back. Lucy was half dead, barely walking out of the carriage. The other girls walked out, looking at the clear river. "I bet we could catch some nice fish there," Mira smiled, "Arad, can we fish and grill some for dinner?" "Do what you like," He replied, finding a stone to sit at. "We will gather firewood," Agnar''s father, Simon, said as he walked with Sebas to the forest. "I will fish," Jack pulled a steel wire from his pocket and headed to the river with Liliana and Mira. She seemed to have already found a long stick and intended on making a fishing pole with Jack''s wire and some nails she had on hand. "Leave the rocks to me," Lydia started walking beside the river, looking for stones for the firepit. Agnar''s mother, Sofia, pped her hands and called the girls. "Come closer. We will get ready to clean the fish when they catch it." "We have tools," Rey said with a passive face. "And knives," Ray added with a smile, carrying several sharp des. "Gug wants deer," Gug rushed out to the forest on her own, and Gojo waved his hand, "Be careful, and call me if you need help." Thud! Lucy sat beside the carriage, taking a breather from the long trip. "How are you feeling?" Gojo asked. "I''m fine, this is nothing," She replied with a grin. "Well then,e, casting training in next." Gojo waved his hand, pulling a small wand for her. "NO! You demon teacher!" She cried. "Noints. Monsters won''t wait for you to rest." He dragged her to the riverside to train. "Master." Agnar approached Arad with his wooden de in hand. "What?" Arad looked back at him, "Want a fight?" "Sword training," Agnar replied, "That little girl Lucy is already back to grind. I can''t fall short." "Fine," Arad stood, pulling a sword from his stomach. "We won''t fight, but try mimicking my moves." Arad took a stance and swung his sword. "YES!" Agnar lifted his sword, stood beside Arad, and started swinging with him. "Swing down, kick, and the slice again," Arad said, performing the moves. "Remember, decide before the battle starts whether you want to kill or spare your opponent. You can''t hesitate in the middle." "Hesitation opens the door for counters!" Agnar replied with a firm voice, keeping with Arad''s moves. "Remember, you''re a human unlike me. You can''t afford to take hits." From his stomach, Arad pulled a small shield and gave it to Agnar. "Get used to it," Agnar took the shield and smiled, "Thanks for the gift!" "Attack! Block! Block! The attack!" Arad moved, "If the opponent wasn''t leaving any opening, bash them with our shield to force an opening," The two kept training while Lucy cried in the back, doing her best to cast a fire bolt. Chapter 487 Birth of a Hero

Chapter 487 Birth of a Hero

SPLASH! Jack shouted, "I got it!" Pulling a catfish out of the river with the pole Mira made. Liliana jumped into the water, catching the catfish and stabbing its head with a dagger. "Stay down, little whiskers. You''re our dinner," she smiled, waving her hand to Jack, "Pull it over." "Girls!" Sofia called, "They caught a fish. Bring a bucket of water, and get ready," She pulled a knife out of the carriage and got ready for work. On top of one of the trees around the camp, Zephyr sat surrounded by flowers. "They are working, working," She smiled, sipping on nectar from the blossoming roses, her eyes quickly shifting to the training ground. *** SWOSH! Agnar swung his wooden sword, sweat dripping through his face. He was near the limit of his body, and his legs started giving up and shaking. "Sh-shall we rest?" He looked at Arad, who still didn''t even look bothered by training for over an hour. Arad nodded, "This is the end of moves training," He turned toward Agnar, and the kid shivered. SWOSH! As if time slowed for him, Agnar saw his life sh ahead of him as Arad swung his sword at him. A terrifying whistle filled the air as his mind panicked. ^Move! Move!^ He screamed at his body, and his arms slowly lifted up, blocking Arad''s swing with his wooden sword. CLAP! Upon impact, a shockwave spread from his arms to his spine, sending him flying back. ^Heavy!^ He gasped, the air knocked out of his chest as his back smacked into a tree. Upon blinking, Agnar saw Arad''s body shifting, taking a stance with his sword pointed toward the back. ^He''sing, should I transform? No, he would kill me if I did that.^ BAM! Arad lunged forward so fast he seemed to disappear from Agnar''s vision. Out of instinct, Agnar lifted his sword up, blocking Arad''s attack once again. He might not have transformed, but the blood of Maharaja still floods through his veins. All his previous transformations have left him with sharper instincts and senses. He tried to stand and run, but his legs gave up. Too exhausted to move, his vision slowly turned ck as he looked back, seeing the demon with red glowing eyes ready to lung at him. [Focus, he''s testing your will. Humans always stop when exhausted, but that''s only a limitation to protect your body, not a real one.] Maharaja''s voice boomed in his head. Agnar tried to calm his breathing down and focus all of his remaining power into one counterattack. ^I can do it,^ CLANG! With how fast Arad''s moves were, his efforts were in vain and he was smacked back like a ball, rolling on the ground. ^I can''t,^ Agnar gasped, unable to move his legs or arms, feeling as if his heart would jump out of his chest at any moment as the scent of blood rose through his nose. CLACK! Arad shifted his stance, lunging at Agnar''s mother instead of him, swinging his de down at her head. Time froze for Angar, his eyes dting and shifting to be catlike. The muscles on his limbs ate themselves to generate power and snapped into action. CLAP! With one leap, Agnar covered the distance between him and Arad, hitting his sword as hard as possible. Agnar didn''t have enough strength to deflect Arad''s attack, and his wooden sword shattered upon impact. Arad stopped his attack before it hit Agnar''s mother. Agnar fell on his knees, puking. Each of his limbs screamed in pain, but he was alert. "See? You still had some in you," Arad said. "You''re going overboard!" Sofia screamed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Alcott and Nina''s words, not mine. Humans are weak, fragile, and easily give up. Most of them train until exhaustion. That''s fine for most and sure is enough for them to gain muscles and strength to carry out daily tasks." Arad sucked his sword back to his stomach. "But that isn''t enough for adventurers dancing with death. I might be a bad example by being a dragon, but that''s a fact." "That doesn''t make sense," Sofia cried. "Humans doesn''t make sense." Arad replied, "Those are Alcott''s words. It doesn''t make sense that my body limits my strength to protect itself when I need that strength to run away from the monster trying to eat me alive." Sofia froze as Arad red at her, "Nina''s words. If you want to be special, how about not stopping when normal people would? My head was once cut off, but my body kept fighting. I didn''t lose consciousness. Because if I did, I would have died. That is why people fear me. They can''t see me dying by regr means even though I''m a human," CLACK! Angar stood, supporting himself with his broken sword, "That''s...annoying," He growled. Arad nodded, "You can rest. When breaking your limits like this bes second nature, you will notice that your limits will shift back to something else. Then break that as well, and keep pushing the limits to grow stronger than other people in ways they can''t even try to achieve." Arad pointed his hand toward the firece, pulling a whole butchered bison from his stomach. "Only call Maharaja as a trump card, now go eat and rest." He walked back to his training. "YES! MASTER!" Agnar shouted with a smile, almost falling on his face. **** Gojo stared at Arad and Agnar''s fight, and then looked at Lucy with a sad face, "Come on, I''ve been waiting for an hour." He sighed. "I can''t cast it!" Lucy cried. "Maybe I should try killing you like Arad did with that brat," He red at her. "No! I will cast it!" She extended her hands, focusing so hard that veins bulged on her forehead, but no spell came out. "That''s enough, enough." Gojo pped his hand, "You''re a spell caster, and your limits lie when you run out of mana, not in casting spells. You''re akin to a swordsman who can''t swing a de. We have to fix that first." "What should I do?" She asked. "Cast and repeat until you seed. Then we can start the real training to shorten your cast time and increase your speed and mana capacity." Gojo looked back, "Stop when the food is ready, eat, sleep, and keep studying tomorrow in the carriage." Chapter 488 Back To Alina...

Chapter 488 Back To Alina...

CRACKLE! Arad stood beside the mes, staring at it as the girls lined the fish and bison meat on sticks. "We need something to sit on," He mumbled. "Some stones would do," Mira replied, "Or you can pull a table and some chairs from your stomach." "I would usually do that, but it doesn''t seem to fit the ce." He walked toward the back, shifting to his draconic form. "What are you doing?" Ae called him. Arad turned his head toward them, "Getting chairs ready," He approached the trees, finding a nice straight one. He grabbed the tree and pulled it from the roots with ease. One swipe with his palm over the trunk, and he removed all branches and bark. He then munched the roots off with one bite. In less than half a minute, he turned therge tree into one long trunk and sat it beside the mes. He then looked at Mira with a smile, "I''m a good carpenter," She looked at the tree trunk. It''s impressive that Arad did it so quickly, but she wouldn''t call that good skills. He just cleaned a tree. "A decent carpenter," She replied. Arad turned back to the forest and cleaned four more trees. But then, Eris noticed something on his back. "Arad! Be careful. Yuwaku is on your back!" Eris shouted. Arad turned his head, seeing the girl asleep between his wings, and her body seemed stuck to his. "Yuwaku, are you awake?" He asked. She opened one eye, looking at him before going back to sleep. He was her source. Probably, it made sense for her to stay around him. "I''m going to shift back, get down." He asked. "AWAWAWA!" She grunted, rolling on his back, down to his tail, and then to the ground. Arad shifted back to his humanoid form and lifted her. "At least sleep in the carriage." "You''re her source," Zephyr replied, "She feels more at ease with you." Arad looked up at Zephyr as he took Yuwaku to the carriage to sleep. "Come here, it''s time to eat," He added, "Wait, you spirits like elves can''t eat meat, right?" "Not necessarily," Zephyr replied, "We feed on mana. Food like meat and nts doesn''t provide us with any nutrients. We only eat since it''s delicious or fun." "So you can eat meat," He looked at Zephyr and then turned toward Ae, who was preparing arge bowl of sd, signage, and some weird nts. "Eris, you''re a half-elf. How does meat taste to you?" He asked. "Dragon blood is denser than elvish blood. I follow an omnivorous diet like you." She replied. Elves were herbivorous. They couldn''t digest meat, and dragons ate everything. Around the campfire, everyone started eating. Arad pulled the bison''s whole leg and started munching on it, his teeth cutting directly through the thigh bones. "Bone marrow! Bone marrow!" Zephyr sucked on the bones, sipping every drop of the marrows inside like a butterfly on flowers. Ae stared at her, disgusted. "Tough!" Lucy cried, barely able to bite the bison''s hard flesh. Gojo extended his hand, snatching the piece of meat from her hand and running his void through it, ripping the meat inside out and shredding it. "Thank you," She said with a smile, and he sighed. "It''s another level of failure when you can''t even eat." He ate the ribs whole, crunching them like biscuits. "The fish is softer," Jack said in the back, eating from a bow of shredded meat. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Liliana filled a bow for Lucy and handed it to her. "This should be softer," CRACK! They heard a bone crack from someone beside Arad and Gojo. They looked, and it was Agnar. "Agnar! Your teeth!" His mother cried, but he waved his hand, opening his mouth to reveal a fanged maw. "Warlocks usually have a covered demonic eye, bandaged arms to hide the devil scales or a tail. It''s A side effect of the contract, but I only got a stronger jaw and muscles." He replied, exining why he had all that explosive power as a kid. Gojo smiled, "Maharaja is supposed to be a Jaguar-like beast. She''s bigger than mountains and crackling with golden lightning. It makes sense you got a bit of her power without even transforming," Lydia stared at Isdis, seeing her cut the meat with a knife and a fork. "Hoi, can''t you eat without those?" "It''s make it easier to cut the meat into biteable pieces. It''s tough." Isdis replied. "Fancy nobles," Lydia sighed, munching on the meat, "What''s fun is when eating like that? It''s better to get a good bite than a small one." With a smile on his face, Arad looked at the full moon. "It''s a calm night, isn''t it." Booo! Booo! An owl flew from the trees, soaring through the sky. From the owl''s eyes, he could see the whole forest and make sure no monsters were close. *** After three days of travel, they reached Alina, thanks to Arad''s absurd speed. Hended at the mountain foot and shifted back to his humanoid form. Sebas, Angar, and his parents walked out of the carriages and sat on the driver''s seat as the horses woke up. "Is there a need for Master to hide his presence?" Agnar asked. "It''s troublesome," Arad replied. "I doubt they can harm you..." Agnar scratched his head, and his father approached. "I see. You''re still young, after all." "What?" Agnar turned back to his father, "He''s a powerful hero," "The problem isn''t his power. It''s safety and convenience." Simon added, patting his son''s head, "He doesn''t want people begging on his door for help each day and doesn''t want to endanger his family by exposing them to viins." "A hero should help people in need," Agnar replied. "But, not all people are in need. Humans seek convenience. They would rather pay a dragon gold to kill a monster than form a party and take care of it themselves." Simon looked at Arad, "We have a dragon. Why not just pay him to protect the city from monsters? We then won''t need adventurers." Simon looked at Arad, "That''s a pain to deal with. Isn''t it? It will prevent you from dealing with what matters most." "I never thought of it like that." Arad replied, "But you must be right," "Did no one approach you for shelter or protection?" Simon asked. "No one..." As Arad said those words, he couldn''t get Merida''s image to stop shing in his head. He stopped. ^She didn''t know I was a dragon that night, so why...^ He turned back, "I got a bad feeling about this..." Chapter 489 Rot In Blood

Chapter 489 Rot In Blood

A red rose grew and extended up, forming a pair of lips. "Master, it''s been a while." Loci said with a giggle, "I see you brought a monster with you," "Calling her a monster," Isdis stared at Loci, "Aren''t you a bit rude to her?" "You might be right, but you''re wrong," Loci replied. Zephyr nodded, "Unlike you, we''re all monsters. No matter how human we look." She then flew around Yuwaku, "You''re only alive around her since me and Arad are keeping her in check. You can''t even see her properly, can you?" "No, I can''t. I barely sense Yuwaku''s magic." Isdis looked at the empty air in front of her, sensing a blob of magic that seemed twisted, mixed with Zephyr and Arad''s mana. Loci turned to Arad, "Since she''s like this, I suspect you want to give her a dryad''s body." Zephyr flew to Arad''s shoulder and nodded, "Make it close to a human," She smiled, "We want everyone to be able to see her and not. Well, die." "Can''t she just control it?" Agnar asked, "If it''s magic, I''m sure she can figure a way to not kill or blind people." Zephyr shook her head, "That''s impossible. It isn''t magic." She flew in front of Agnar. "Imagin walking alone in a ghastly forest, exhausted and drained. Then youe along a vast flower field with a great blossoming tree in the middle, a mythical obsidian dragon sleeping beneath it with fairies dancing under the sunlight like specs of golden light." She smiled, "Yuwaku represents that mystical scene. People getting blind or stunned isn''t because of magic. It''s because their brains can''t handle that image in the form of a single woman. She can''t do anything about them being too green for her." The dryad''s body would be like a veil, sealing her beauty to protect others. Currently, Arad and Gojo can handle her because of their powerful draconic brain, Zephyr is a great spirit, and Eris is a half-dragon with a strong head. "I''m taking her with me," Loci said with a smile, wrapping leaves around Yuwaku. "I will be out of a few hours to make her body. Please be careful." "Worry not," Arad smiled, "I have a lot of helpers this time." Flocks of crows, rats, birds, and bugs rushed across the forest, spreading his spies everywhere. Arad crossed his eyes, worried, "This is weird. Are those some new monsters?" He could see an adventurer dragged into the church for healing, his left arm and leg rotting with red fungus. But Loci had already left. If she didn''t inform him, it wasn''t his problem, at least for now. He turned toward the carriages, "Go rest in my house. I''m heading to the guild." "Master, I''m going with you," Agnar said with a stern face. "You''re too young for the guild," Arad replied, but he quickly sighed, seeing the dead-serious stare on the kid''s face. ^Who am I to object? He''s five times older than me.^ "Fine, but stay close. It shouldn''t be dangerous, I think." Agnar is a fiery kid. He might end up ticking Nina off and have her break his legs. Like what happened with Abel? **** Upon approaching the gate, the guards panicked as they saw Arad. "Open the gate!" One of them screamed. "Baron Arad is back!" Another cried. "You''re famous here as well," Agnar stared at Arad. "I''m not. I only lived for a few months." Arad replied as the gate opened, and they walked inside. "It''s been a while, Arad." Rowan approached with a smile. Arad smiled, "Father Rowan, how''s Nigel doing?" "He''s doing well, out on a quest right now." Rowan looked at Agnar, "Not as good as you. Did you already have a kid in a few months?" "I''m not the father," Arad replied. "I''m his student. I currently train swordsmanship under him." Agnar replied. Arad looked at him, "You aren''t going to yell. I''m the de of the capital! Or something like that?" "I''m not!" Agnar gasped, "We aren''t in the capital..." Aradughed, patting Agnar''s head, "He''s a great swordsman, helped protect the capital against an undead invasion." "If you picked him up," Rowan smiled, "I''m sure he''ll grow as fast as you did," After the brief conversation, Arad and Agnar headed directly to the guild. The moment Arad opened the door, all adventurers stared at him. He could hear the woman in the back cry, "He has a kid?" "ARAD!" Alcott called him from the guild''s tavern, waving his hand with a mug of beer. Beside him, a man in a strange outfit with a pink-haired little girl sitting on his shoulders. "That''s," Arad approached, ^The man who stopped the dragons'' army, Kayden.^ "Who''s the kid?" Alcott asked. "A talent from the capital," Arad replied, looking at Agnar, "Wanted to grow stronger, so he stuck by my side." Angar bowed slightly, "Nice to meet you." Alcott stared closely at Agnar, "Hmmm, I see traces of determination on you. With tattered hands and sharp eyes, you''re definitely a rough gem." CLACK! Kayden stared at Agnar with one eye, and it made him freeze in ce, terrified. "Rakshasa''s blood, you''re contracted with that big cat," Kayden said, drinking his beer. "You have potential," Arad patted Agnar''s head, "You got the approval of the two best swordsmen I know. One day, you''ll be a hero." "Arad!" Nina waved her hand from the counter, "Are you ignoring me"? "I''ming," He replied and then looked back at Kayden. ^Isn''t he the one who cut her head off in the past?^ [From what she said before, he was protecting his orphanage from her rage. There is no reason for bad blood between them,] Mom exined, and Arad headed to Nina. "It''s been a while," He smiled, and she nodded, "We missed you, and a lot happened." "There was this thing," Arad said, "I saw an adventurer with a strange rotting wound at the church. Do you know what was that?" "You saw that?" Nina gasped, "Apparently, it''s a new type of monster that causes fungus to grow in blood. It infects the host through wounds and sucks the life out of them. We got to call it Crimson rot." "Zuggtmoy," Kayden said in the back, and everyone stared at him. "The demon queen of rot and decay, thedy of fungi. Someone must have summoned one of her minions to the world," He looked back at them, "Don''t breathe, don''t open your eyes or ears, don''t get hit, and use fire. Defeating them should be easy." Kali, the pink-haired girl with Kayden, sighed, "I should have cleaned the backyard. Didn''t expect such fungus to grow," Some adventurersughed, "Who''s Zuggtmoy, old man." "Aren''t you drunk?" Only Arad, Alcott, and Nina in the guild knew that Kayden was a problem. Everyone else thought he was only a drunkard. CLACK! The guild''s door burst open, Merlin panting as she rushed inside, "I''ve found it," She lifted an ancient, crumbling book. "That rot, it''s a trait of an ancient demon called Zuggtmoy. We must be against one of her spawns. But, we know nothing of their weakness." The whole guild stared at Kayden, "You serious," "I''m not repeating myself," He went back to drinking, Kali mocking the adventurers with a weird face.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 490 The Blade

Chapter 490 The de

Panting, Merlin''s eyes shifted to the side, seeing Arad standing in the tavern with Alcott. "ARAD! You''re back!" She cried. Nina walked out of her desk, "What did you find?" "AH!... She looked at Kayden. What did you say?" Merlin looked at Kayden after realizing he must have said something important before she arrived. Arad was the one to reply, "It works like an infection. We can''t fight with open eyes or ears. We can''t breathe it, and we need to use fire to burn them." Kayden smiled, "So you were listening," Arad giggled. ^You stopped a dragon army, of course, I would listen.^ "Master, should we deal with them?" Agnar asked, and Arad stared at him, "You won''t," He can''t fight blindfolded or without breathing. He also had no fire attacks, making him useless. "Rely on mana sense to fight. That would be hard while flinging fire spells," Merlin scratched her chin, "But it''s doable." With a smile, Arad looked at the guild receptionists, "Register him for me," He pushed Agnar forward, "Let him train here for a while as we deal with this," Alcott tapped Agnar''s shoulder, "You can''t start at the top. Get stronger so next time you will fight with us," Arad looked at Alcott, "Can you fight? I don''t remember you having fire attacks, and how are your legs?" Alcott giggled, "I''ve recovered from the injuries, and thanks to some medications, my aliment seems stable." He smiled, flexing his right arm, "Few fungi aren''t going to harm me," "Before that," Nina stared at them, "Arad, there are a few things we need to talk about," Arad went with Nina to the private room while Agnar went to register at the desk. Nina sat on the couch, pondering how she should exin what happened. "You know I''m not good with words, so this might seem confusing," She said. "I''m sure it''s not that bad." Arad smiled. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Well, Merida''s father..." She looked away, "He was killed by a bunch of noble servants from a nearby city." SWOHS! At that moment, everyone in the guild could feel it. A surge of heavy magic, a terrifying presence in the guild. "What''s this," One of the adventurers cried, and Agnar smiled in the back, "Master is angry," Nina gulped down. That look in Arad''s eyes. The moment he gets a name or a location. He''s going to burn it down. "Who and where?" He growled. "They are already dead. We took care of it." Nina made sure to exin the results first before giving Arad any lead to start killing. "To be exact, the two who caused that ended up summoning a devil and a demon, resulting in their death. Cain was able to confirm that." She looked at Arad, "Don''t go around killing anyone." Arad sighed, "You sure about that?" He remembered when Cain and his maid red back at them from Gojo''s spell. ^He''s stronger than he looks. Those two might not have been killed by their summon but by him.^ "Where is Merida? How is she doing?" Arad asked. "She went to her grandparent''s house on the western side of the city to rest. But I haven''t seen her in a while," Nina replied, relieved that Arad wasn''t thinking about blowing anything up. Arad stood, "Is that all? I should pay her a visit." "Wait," Nina stood, "She asked to be left alone for a while," "Did she?" Arad stared back at Nina, thinking, "I''m visiting her anyway. It doesn''t sit well with me not to say anything." He walked out of the room, seeing Agnar heading to take a physical test. Nina approached the receptionist, "I can sense he''s a warlock from the magic. Why a fighter test?" "He said his primary weapon is the sword, and that he barely uses his warlock powers." The receptionist replied, "Don''t worry, he''s against an F-rank newbie, the rank he would get if his performance was decent." F-rank are the newbie adventurers who just joined, all the guild asks from Agnar is to do well against someone of the rank he would get. Winning isn''t necessary, only showingpetence. "Hum," Alcott snorted in the back, "That''s unfair," "For real," Even Kayden scoffed at it. "Come on, he''s a kid, how are we going to make it easier?" The receptionist replied. "I don''t think that''s what they mean," Nina stared at her, scratching her cheek. "It isn''t fair for the F-rank," Arad added. **** Outside in the training ground, Agnar and the F-rank Gabin faced each other. Gabin pulled his long sword and dagger, taking a stance. "Don''t worry, kid..." CLAP! Before Gabin could finish speaking, Agnar blitzed him with a strike to the face, knocking him down, then kicking his head for good measure. Everyone fell silent, "That isn''t fair! The fight didn''t start yet!" The other adventurersined. "See? Unfair," Alcott sighed, staring at the guild receptionist. "That kid mightck skills, speed, and power, but he has seen death. He fought for his life, for other lives. His only care is eliminating the threat." Kayden smiled, "Of course, the F-rank would lose, he''s only been seeking to finish quests and get paid." Nina giggled, "He didn''t waste time speaking, instead he saw it as a weakness in his opponent and struck immediately. He even kicked him to make sure he won''t stand again." Arad looked at Alcott, "I''m going to visit Merida, can you take care of Agnar?" "So Nina told you," Alcott nodded, "Don''t worry, I will y with him a bit till youe back," He smiled. Arad walked out of the guild and headed to the western side of the city, seeking Merida''s grandparent''s house. Knock! Knock! After knocking, an olddy opened the door and looked at Arad. "A fine young man," She smiled. "Grandma, is Merida here?" He asked. "Merida? You came looking for her?" She replied. "Yes, is she inside?" "No, she left a week ago, saying that someone needs to take care of the shop." The olddy replied, "Even so, my son had only died recently," "My condolences. I came looking for her for that reason. I was out on a quest and had just returned to the city." He bowed gently. "Don''t worry about me. You should find her at their house," Merida''s grandma replied, "She needs you more than me," She looked back at her husband, rocking on his chair. "Thank you," Arad headed to Merida''s house, but he found it closed. The shop is empty. He stood outside for a second, pondering it. "Did she go out..." He immediately lifted his hand, extending his senses across the whole area. ^Find Merida!^ Loci and all the animals in the city panicked, scrambling to find her. "Nothing, she isn''t anywhere in a four-kilometer radius. ^Loci! When was thest time you saw Merida?^ Arad called. ^One week ago when she left her grandma''s house,^ **** At the mountaintop of Bubosh near Riverside City, the door of the sh sword school burst open, scaring all the students inside. A woman stood at the door in a ck coat, her face shed across her left eye, leaving that blinded. Her right palm had been crushed, only gripping her rushed sword thanks to the countless bandages tying it to her wrist. The countless scars and wounds on her body had tints of crimson fungi in them, as her only functioning eyes stared forward, burning with mes. "My de, where is it?" She growled. The sword in her hand had rusted and started to crumble. She needed a better one. "You daree back?" One of the swordmasters growled, pulling his sword. CLANG! In the blink of an eye, Merida sliced his head in half, walking toward the extremely long sword disyed in the back of the dojo. Chapter 491 The Fall of Cuchilla

Chapter 491 The Fall of Cuchi

SPLAT! Blood sshed on the ground as Merida walked past her old master''s corpse. "How dare you!" One of them growled, pulling his sword. But he froze the moment she red at him. Those dead cold eyes, devoid of any signs ofpassion orradery. To Merida. They were nothing more than dust in her path. She turned, ignoring them and approaching the sword. She slowly started unwrapping her sword from her crushed hand, blood spilling on the ground, but she didn''t even flinch. All the students red at her back, knowing full well the reason for her rage. But none of them could dare challenge her, not after she dropped their master. Three centuries ago, their school was built to fight off the Zuggtmoy infection of thends as conventional methods of fire started to wane when the creatures started picking weapons and armor. The dance of des, a sword style focusing on shes with extra long swords made specially tobat the long tendrils of the infected fungi of the crimson rot. Merida lifted the sword, looking at its long, golden engraved de of silver steel. Using the bloodied bandages, she tied the sword to her right hand, making sure it never fell. CLACK! CLACK! The doors of the training room got kicked open once again, and tens of armored fighters red inside. "MERIDA!" One of them walked forward, growling as he pointed his de at her after seeing Father''s corpse on the ground. Merida turned her head, giving an emotionless re, "Amorin? Jeremy is dead, you know?" "Shut up!" He screamed. "I looked into it. You''re the ones who sent Jeremy to that dungeon." She turned, her de scratching the ground. "Your men were the ones who came and killed father, all to force me to return here. You and that fool lord summoned a demon and can''t contain it. Now, you want me to y it for you?" "I said shut up!" Amorin shouted, "You and your mothers were the only ones to master the art, yet you chose to escape, live afortable life in Alina, and ignore everything here." "Mother said it, didn''t she?" Merida lifted the sword, piercing a hole in the ceiling, "It''s not our concern to bear the burden of what your family summoned." "Whine as you like. It''s your duty, and you''re here." Amorin smiled, "It''s your fate, whether you like it or not." All of the marriage proposals she got were from this man, Amorin Cuchi. They wanted her to marry him and spend the rest of her life fighting off Zuggtmoy''s spawns, and teach the dance of des to her children and the students in the dojo. CLANG! She pointed her sword forward, aiming at him, "You killed all of my family, left me alone." She smiled, "Now that I''m free, I guess I could put an end to this." "Finally ready to submit?" Amorin smiled. Merida smiled, "This is the end," BAM! She lunged forward, swinging her sword at him. Amorin pulled his sword, blocking her attack. "Have you lost your mind?" He growled. CRACK! Deflecting her sword aside, he jumped back and tried to swing at her neck. With ease, she deflected the attack and lunged at him, kicking him out of the dojo. ^This bitch...she snapped...^ He fell on the ground and immediately rolled to the side, dodging a stab from Merida. ^She intends on killing us with the demons...^ He stood, inspecting her body. ^Several shes, broken ribs, and a crushed right hand. All infected with the crimson rot, she must have yed the devils at the mountain base, but how is she still moving?^ He took a stance, "You won''tst long. I can have our healers heal you. Only if you submit," "Stop whining," She took the same stance, "You already killed everything that held me down. I don''t care if I die, as long as I''m taking everything down with me." CRACK! The other students lunged from the dojo, swinging their swords at her, "For master!" Thud! Merida took a step forward, swinging her sword above her head and slicing five of them into chunks. "Kill her!" Amorin screamed, and one of his servants touched the ground. [Mold Earth: shing mounds] A de simr to a saw tooth made of stones, the size of a human emerged from the ground, rushing toward Merida at high speed. With a smile on her face, Merida supported the long sword with her left hand and swung horizontally, cutting the spell in half and lunging at Amorin with a swing. He lifted his de to block, but it wasn''t enough. CLANG! When Merida''s sword impacted his, the sheer strength behind it sent him sting through the fences. Amorin growled, his eyes staring at Merida, "You''re the monster," BAM! She disappeared from his vision, and then. CLANG! He could feel her sword impacting his side, cutting through his armor and into his guts. BLUGH! He coughed blood as his body flew out of the peak''s edge, falling from the mountain as he stared up, seeing Merida standing there, staring at him. ^Alone...you were supposed toe back to me, not against me...^ **** The Cuchi family made a deal with one of Zuggtmoy''s demons, reaping his spores and mushrooms to sell as curses and bases for drugs throughout the kingdom. But, contracts with demons alwayse with a cost, and there was a door to the abyss where waves of spores started spreading into the mortal world, slowly infecting the mountains. The Cuchi family couldn''t stand the situation of being exposed to the kingdom, so they made a deal with Riverside''s ruling family to keep it a secret in exchange for money. They then build a dojo on the mountain to train warriors to fight the infected and keep the situation under control. For generations, they managed to keep the situation under control, but everything started falling apart when Merida''s mother found out they were still dealing with the demon. She and the other warriors weren''t fighting to defeat the demon, but only to keep the infection from spreading. She ran away with her daughter, remarrying a noble in Alina and hiding for years. Everything worked out until one day she fell sick, and the Cuchi took the chance to intimidate her toe back, using her daughter and husband as a weakness. She returned, but instead of letting her fight the demons like before, she was killed immediately for running away. But, the Cuchi''s dojo never produced a master of the dance of des after her. All the students, not one of them could reach three-fourths of her strength. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om They then heard of Merida winning thepetition of whitehold, the traitor has taught the dance of des to her daughter, and the little girl seems like a genius. Their attempts to bring her backfired, and they created a monster. An avenging ghost seeking their end. Chapter 492 Sparks In The Guild

Chapter 492 Sparks In The Guild

Arad stood before Merida''s house, staring down. "I just came back," He growled, crackles of void sparking from his skin. Everyone in the street stopped moving, staring at the faint ck smoke rising from his body. "How long since she left?" He grunted, and everyone in the city started feeling their chests tighten from the increased mana pressure in the air. Even though it was noon, the people started losing their sight in the darkness and mist. Arad''s domain which was restricted to the forest slowly seeped into the city, like how a red dragon''sir burst into me orva. The city was about to burst into void and mist. All mages in the city could feel it, a great monster was in the city, one strong enough to level it down, and it wasn''t happy. FLAP! The first one tond beside Arad was Merlin, "Arad! I knew it was you, what happened?" She approached, weary of any sudden movements. Arad turned toward her with a passive face, "Merida isn''t here," "Heh?" She gasped, "What do you mean she isn''t here? She was at her grandparent''s house," "She left a week ago. She isn''t anywhere in a four-kilometer radius." The weight on the city disappeared as he walked toward Merlin, "We''re going to find her," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om *** CRACK! Arad pushed the guild''s door open, walking directly toward Nina''s desk as everyone stared at him. Thepetent adventurers already knew. That heavy pulse of mana came from him. "Yo! Arad, how are you doing?" A hand touched his shoulder, and he red aside. "You don''t look well," Nigel said with a smile, "Calm down, would you?" Arad took a deep breath and sighed, "You''re right. It keeps boiling in my head," "Whatever it was, you aren''t solving any problem by being angry." Nigel tapped Arad''s shoulder, "What''s the problem? How big is it?" "Merida disappeared a week ago. I''m angry nobody noticed until I came here," Arad growled, staring at the guild. He kept walking toward Nina. ^Merida isn''t in my domain. I can''t find her by calling on animals or beasts. I need information,^ He thought, standing in front of Nina. "I suspect she went after the one who killed her father. Who is it, which city?" He growled, a purple me burning in his eyes. "I won''t say. You''re going to destroy that city," She replied, knowing how a dragon''s rage could end. He would fly there, crash in the middle of the city, and start sting everyone to oblivion. "What I do with them is none of your business," Arad replied, "If it was, Merida won''t have gone out alone," CRACK! The ground beneath Nina''s feet shattered, and everyone in the guild ran away. Only Alcott and Merlin remained. Kayden already left a while ago. "My job is to protect adventurers from dangerous quests and protect the people from the adventurers. You now fall into thetter," She walked from her desk and approached Arad. "You didn''t stop Merida. You already failed the first one." He replied. "She left on her own and didn''t consult the guild. If I knew, I would have stopped her," Nina stared at his face, "Now that I know innocent people could die, I can''t allow you to kill them." A dragon and a barbarian, the two types of people with the worst anger issues are facing each other in an argument. It could only end one way. Before the two could start swinging at each other, Alcott called them. "Stop, no need for bloodshed," He stood, "We better start working on retrieving her, don''t we?" He walked between them. With a grin on his face, "My health has been getting better thanks to Cain''s disgusting herbal mix. If you''re going to fight, at least let me join in." Agnar who was watching from behind the guild''s door with a scared face gasped, "Those three are monsters." "I thought you were about to break the fight!" Merlin jumped in, pushing Arad and Nina away from each other, "Stop! We don''t have time to waste, do we?" "You''re right," Arad sighed. Nina took a deep breath, nodding, "Right," She walked toward her desk and took a seat. "A new quest, search and rescue of Merida." "I''m heading off now," Arad turned to leave and search, "What town?" "You have to wait for us," Alcott stared at him, "Don''t rush off like that old man," Merlin sighed, "Cain was lucky, wasn''t he." She looked at Arad, "What''s themon ground between you two? Wanting to rush out alone?" "We don''t have time to waste. It''s been a week already." Arad stared at them. "When Cain left," Alcott looked at Arad, "The ones he faced summoned an archdevil and a demon lord. If we''re to face such a thing and have hope of saving Merida, we need to be prepared." "Archdevil? Demon lord?" "Spindle and Demogorgan, I confirmed it was their magic." Merlin looked at Arad, "I also have a feeling the crimson rot has something to do with this. I bet Zuggtmoy won''t be out of the conflict either." "We could end up facing two demon lords and an Archdevil," Arad scratched his head, "I don''t know how strong they are, but from the names, they aren''t something I can just smash." "Demogorgan is the biggest threat. I don''t know if me and Ninabined could defeat him. Our odds get even worse if he pulls us to the abyss." He looked back, "Brother," ZON! Gojo appeared out of nowhere, "You called me?" "Demogorgan, Zuggtmoy, and Spindle, can you defeat them?" Arad asked. "I don''t know anything about Spindle, I heard of Zuggtmoy from Vars, but I do not know how strong she is. For Demogorgan, I can''t defeat that thing. I''m not even close." Gojo scratched his head, "He''s a demon lord for a reason. Those creatures are beyond our understanding." "You heard it from him. We can''t act rashly," Alcott added. "But," Gojo looked at Arad with a smile, "They won''t follow mortal words, even if they could die. They are proud and arrogant." He giggled, "Even if someone summoned them, they would only kill the summoner and leave. You have to worry about their servants who aren''t as strong." "Cain said they killed the summoners," Nina looked at Merlin, "Get everything ready," "I will be here protecting everyone and keeping an eye out. Call me if you needed my help." Gojo disappeared again. Chapter 493 A Demonic Infection

Chapter 493 A Demonic Infection

"RUN!" A man shouted, swinging his sword to block a lightning-fast mushroom flying at his face. The mushroom bullet deflected toward a tree, shattering several branches before flying to the sky. The swordsman could feel his arms tingle from the impact, but he stood still. Tens of red, prolonged mushroom tentacles flew from the trees like whips, each shattering trees as they passed. "It''s a tentacle demon! Bring fire!" He shouted, deflecting each of the tentacles as the others behind him pointed their swords forward. [Fire Wave] Their des turned bright red, releasing a burst of me and setting the bushes aze. A sharp, ear-piercing cry burst from the woods, and a zombie-like man infested with mushrooms rushed out, burning as tentacles came out of his body. The swordsman grunted, closing his eyes with a pained expression, "So you have fallen, Eren," He lunged forward, cutting the demon''s head, "May you rest in peace." Thud! As the corpse fell on the ground, burning, the other swordsmen casters approached to pray. lights¦­¦Ïv¦Ål ?¦Ïm "Commander Detory. It was Brother Eren, after all. May he rest in peace," PEW! As they stood, a small stud fired from the corpse, piercing Detory''s shoulder. ^Shit!^ The crimson rot instantly spread from the wound up to his neck, trying to reach his brain. Commander Detory cursed, reversing the grip of his de. "Burn me!" He shouted, cutting his own head at thest moment as the fungi spread to his brain. His face twisted, and mushrooms sprouted out of his eyes and ears, tentacles trying to connect his head back to the body. "Commander!" One of the swordsmen screamed, jumping back as the others pointed their des forward. [Fire Wave] The fire flickered from their des but quickly faded as they couldn''t burn theirmander. CLAP! A tentacle burst from themander''s chest, rushing at them with a blinding speed. SWOSH! From the shadows of the forest, Merida lunged in, swinging her extra-long sword, cutting the tentacle from the tip to the base in one move. Like a sh, sixteen shes eviscerated themander''s body, exposing the hard core of the demons. Merida turned, unleashing another sixteen shes at the core, cutting it to pieces before it could decide whether to explode into spore or infect one of the swordsmen. One of the swordsmen stared at Merida in awe, noticing the crimson rot covering her body. ^She''s infected but sane? No, she isn''t,^ He growled, ^She''s far too gone,^ CRACK! Four infected humans emerged from the forest, sending their tentacles at Merida. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om BAM! Merida disappeared from the swordsmen''s view, only leaving a small puff of dust where she stood. CRACK! Shended feet first on a tree trunk behind one of the infected, cutting him apart before he could even realize it. The tentacles missed as she wasn''t in her original ce, and the infected realized she was far faster than them. PEW! A core flew from the corpse that Merida cut, aiming at her head, more specifically, the brain. CRACK! Merida bites the core, crushing it in her jaw and spitting the spores out. She was already infected, and more spores couldn''t enter her body. In the blink of an eye, she jumped at the other infected, shattering the trees she stood on. ^You can''t infect an already infected person, and the crimson rot fungi seem to be enchanting her body as it does with the infected. Yet, she ughters them,^ One of the swordsmen gulped, seeing Merida glide through the air with her sword, cutting the tentacles and turning the infected into diced meat. The crimson rot tried to take over Merida''s mind when she was first infected, but it failed. A mix of her iron will, rage, and honed body managed to reach an equilibrium where no one was on the lead. A symbiotic rtionship was born. The fungi eat away at her mana and body, and in exchange fuel her body with power and euphoria to achieve her single goal. Merida was turned into a rampaging, single-minded monster, seeking to destroy the Zuggtmoy spawn, its infected, and the Cuchi family. All until death takes her already crumbling body. The swordsmen watched as Merida lunged into the forest, chasing the infected. "Let''s retreat, we can''t stop her," "What was that?" One of them cried. "A demon," The swordsmen replied, "We need to go!" They rushed back, racing across the trees until they got out of the forest, stopping in their tracks in horror. Red sparks rose to the sky in the ck clouds. Ash fell like snow as they gasped. "Impossible." One of them mumbled, falling on his knees. "Damn it," Another growled, "It''s all falling apart," He stared at the mountain, their dojo engulfed in crimson mes, a red re dancing on the mountain peak. He turned toward the forest, crying, "Monster! Kill them all!" He screamed his lungs out, but then a tentacle pierced his chest, and tens of infected started walking out of the forest. BAM! He lunged between them as his body quickly turned into an infected, "I won''t die alone!" His sword turned bright red, exploding in a crimson st. **** Currently, for almost two decades, there was no dance of des master to train the swordsmen or support their front liners against the infection. The Cuchi family''s grip on the demonic infection that they profited from grew looser by the day, and now it had imploded upon them. The demons spread across thend, terrorizing the surrounding area and quickly growing in power. The only thing people could do was to pray for the sess of a single infected woman who rushed into the heart of the forest, thest known dance of des master. Supporting her wasn''t an option as that would mean going through hordes of infected demons, each one of them capable of taking a seasoned fighter down with ease. **** Deep in the pits of the abyss, Demogorgan puked blood, dragging his half torso on the ground, ^I finally resurrected...to think, it would end any other way was foolish.^ His two baboon heads giggled, ^I need to think of another way to get out,^ His body started shrinking. Chapter 494 The Strongest Party

Chapter 494 The Strongest Party

The rescue party formed outside the guild, and Arad didn''t want to exhaust his wives right after arriving, the members he hadn''t fought much with before. But, due to theposition, Arad was reduced to a mere support. Frontline charger: Nina Fangborn, the berserker. Frontline fighter: Alcott Demorian, the dragon yer. Backline magic buffer: Merlin, the archmage of Alina. Backline magic ster: Ginger(Scarlett) Voi(Voivode). The impaler queen. Arad Orion: General support and porter. "Weck a healer," Arad looked around. "Any priest or a pdin willing toe?" All adventurers looked away. Who could keep up with those monsters? "Don''t bother," Nina tapped Arad''s shoulder, "They can''t heal us anyway. There is no s-rank healer in this city." Alcott nodded, "I only remember hearing of that pdin Lydia getting promoted rapidly, but everyone else pales inparison." Arad looked back, "I''m sure she woulde with us if I asked...But, she would charge forward instead of healing us," "If we only need fire to kill the demons then there is no need for holy magic," Merlin looked at Arad, "Did you master fire magic?" Arad looked away, "Not really, but I can use it." Merlin giggled, "I''m sure you can use it well. I know how crazy your magic can get," She tapped his back. "Forget about the mundane fire. Did you learn any interesting magic? Considering the one inside you." Ginger stared at Arad with a grin. She could feel Doma inside him stirring. "She''s been teaching me a certain spell, or should I say, I let her tinker with a part of my body." Arad giggled. "I wonder what it could be." Ginger smiled. "Nothing special," Arad walked forward, "Let''s go, we can''t waste any time." "We won''t take that guy with us?" Alcott asked. "You mean Gojo?" Nina replied then stared at Arad, "He was here earlier," "It''s a long story, but he''s remaining here to guard the city," Arad replied as they stood before the carriage. ^I don''t know if Brother would mind them knowing he''s a void dragon. For now, it''s just that I know him.^ "If you trust him," Alcott replied, jumping into the driver seat, "It''s been a while since we went on a quest together, was it." "For real," Merlin sighed, "Last time Nina kicked my chest out of my body," "You''re the one who got in the way. How many times have I said not to try stopping me when I rage?" Nina cried. "And, you''re shield is weak." "You don''t expect a prismatic wall to be shattered by a kick, do you?" Merlin red back at her. "What are they talking about?" Arad asked Ginger. "A prismatic wall is a seventh-level light spell that creates a wall of multicolored light. Each color nullifies an element, for example, red nullifies mes, and white nullifies physical attacks." Ginger looked at Merlin and Nina arguing. "Merlin expected the raging Nina to go around the three-foot wide wall and then fall into a sleeping trap, but she kicked right through it, shattering ten of Merlin''s ribs." Ginger said with a scared face, "Apparently, the spell didn''t nullify attacks. It just had high resistance to damage, and Nina overpowered that." Alcott giggled, "That was a surprising magical discovery, but, we''re lucky Merlin survived the kick. That spell did its job reducing Nina''s kick damage to almost nothing." Arad looked around. ^I don''t feel like I fit here.^ He sighed. ^[I would fit more,]^ Doma giggled. ^True, you''re as big of a monster as them.^ He rxed as the carriage started to move. They would fly on his back as soon as they got into the forest. Alcott pulled a sword from his magic bag and started sharpening it. With each stroke, it shed with countless sparks. After each stroke, he stared at the de to make sure it didn''t bend or chip. Merlin opened her hands, creating a small ball of magic, and started changing its colors, ying with it as a practice to improve her mana control. Ginger pulled some tools from her pocket and started working on a small project she''d been on for a while. Knitting a scarf. Nina kept staring around at the building, following each one as they passed by like a dog in a car. Arad opened his eyes. He couldn''t feel right sitting there in silence doing nothing, so he lifted his hand. [Barrier] A crystal sphere appeared floating above his palm, shimmering under the sunlight. "HO!" Merlin stared at it with a smile, "Barrier magic! It''s been a while since I saw one," "I''ve been studying it for a day or two now. How is it looking?" He asked with a proud smile. She looked away, "Wantpliment or truth?" "Of course, the truth," He replied, and she extended her hand, touching the crystal and causing it to shatter. "You''re bad, a lot to be honest." She lifted her hand, creating a simr crystal ball. "You''re merely mimicking the shape. But leaving the internal structure." Arad pulled the barrier magic tome Gojo gave him and showed it to Merlin, "I only read about a quarter of it," Merlin''s eyes opened wide as she saw the book, a smile crossing her face. "Of course, you never got past the first chapter." She nodded, and there were still five volumes to it. Ginger looked at them, "Merlin is the one who wrote that book," She said, pointing at the end of the book where it was signed, [Archmage Merlin Vo1-ver05] Arad quickly read thest page of the book, "You really wrote this!" He gasped. "Of course, what did you expect from an archmage?" Merlin stared at him. "Putting quests to use people as test subjects and turn them into frogs," He stared at her, and she looked away, "Sometimes, you need to test spells on humans." Alcott red at her, "Like that one time you gave me that potion?" "NO! That was a mistake! I didn''t know that designing it based on myself could lead to that effect. I already apologized." "I understand that stuff needs to be tested," Ginger red at her, "But! Do you know how confused I was when I saw him?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Aard looked at Alcott, "What''s this about?" "Remember when we first spoke in my bath, and I told you how I became a vampire, werewolf, zombie, and other things?" Alcott whispered. "Guh!" Arad grunted, "I remember. The only potion you spoke of was the one that turned you into a woman for a month." "She made it as a full heal potion that works by restoring your body into a registered state." He looked at Merlin, "And since she based it on herself, the registered state was a woman''s body." Arad scratched his head, "But you used it," "I got badly injured in a fight and had to use it," He sighed, "Imagin how confused the devil I was fighting was. He thought I ran away and swapped ces with a woman." As the two talked, Merlin extended her hand between her chest and pulled several small bottles. "I did mix a few dozen of it afterward. They work perfectly on me, after all." CLANG! Alcott pulled his sword, pointing at her neck, "You still had those?" "They are for me!" Merlin cried, "They get automatically consumed when I receive a fatal injury and restore my full health." With a sigh, Alcott pulled his sword away and sat down. Arad looked at him, "How was it being a woman''s body?" "Bad, it is a real transformation and not an illusion. I got a lot weaker since I wasn''t used to moving in that body and almost lost the fight against the devil." He scratched his head, "But, I got used to it by the third day and got my full power and range of motion." "How many stupid items are there in the world?" Arad sighed. "A lot," Alcott looked at Merlin, "As long as mages as her keep fooling around, useless and weird magic items would never stop flowing," "I once saw a ring that ys a song when you pull your weapon," Ginger stared at them, "It was popr with bards as it allowed them to instantly cast a spell upon startingbat," ^[I did make several cursed items as well,]^ Doma giggled in Arad''s head. Chapter 495 Merlin’s Magic

Chapter 495 Merlin''s Magic

"Cursed Items?" Arad gasped as he heard Doma''s giggles in his head. ^[The one I remember best is the cursed sword pins. They make the wielder drowsy the more they swing the de.]^ ^What are pins? And who would use them?^ Arad sighed. "Arad," Alcott stared at him, "Cursed items?" He had heard him gasp earlier. "I was talking to her in my head. Do you know pins? She''s saying to ask you." He tapped his head. "You mean those?" Alcott lifted the sword he was sharpening and showed Arad the handle. "See those small pins? The ones holding the wooden part of the handle to the de so it can be wrapped with leather." "Those are the pins," Arad pulled the adamantine sword from his stomach and looked at it. "She says she used to make cursed pins that make the user drowsy. Can that be used?" Alcott blinked, "Of course, that''s more useful than you think," He smiled. Merlin stared at them, "If the kingdom was going to war, they would try and sneak those cursed pins into the enemy supplies. Those things can stop a whole war," Arad nodded, "So it''s like poisoning the army," "It only works on humans," Alcott said with a smile, "Elves and dwarves are cautious and inspect everything. Only humans can import crap from other nations and sell it as genius," Merlin nodded, "Elves are proud and would insult anything that isn''t made by an elf, and dwarves are ruled by honor. No dwarf would sell another a faulty item." ^[They are right,]^ "By the way," Arad extended his hand into his stomach, "I wanted to show you this thing," He pulled the dragon yer sword. "Nice isn''t it?" He smiled. Alcott stared at the sword for a second, "The dragon yer!" He gasped, "Where did you find it?" "I got it from a mage," Arad replied with a proud face, "Nice, isn''t it?" "Of course," Alcott nodded, "Well, if you''re facing dragons it makes sense. If not, it''s useless." Alcott inspected the sword, "As I thought, the magic flowing through the de is amazing. It''s perfect to cut through dragons'' scales and bones." Merlin took a look at the sword, "It also deflects their magic. A fire dragon won''t melt this sword no matter how hard it tries." "I thought you would be interested," Arad smiled. "If you want me to buy it, I won''t." Alcott replied, "I already have more well-rounded swords. I do fight dragons more than normal people, but I do also face monsters and humans." "I thought so," Arad nodded, "I just wanted to know if the de is genuine or not from an expert." "The de is. Does it have a sheath?" Alcott asked, and Arad pulled the sheath from his stomach, "This what came with it." After a short stare, Alcott sighed, "That''s a replica, a fake one." "It has magic, but it''s only mimicking the feeling of the original one, not its power," Merlin replied. Arad looked at the sheath. He could sense nothing strange in it. ^[I don''t know what the original one is so I won''t be able to tell the difference.]^ "What can it do?" Merlin started exining, "The original sheath can transform into a shield that absorbs mana from dragon''s magic and breath. You can either recharge your mana with it or release it again as a st of the same elemental energy." "So if I hit it with a fire breath, it can release the fire back at me." Arad nodded, "That won''t work since dragons are immune to their element." "The fire from the shield would hurt them." Alcott said, "You can even infuse the magic into the de," Ginger sighed, "What they mean is, the dragon yer alone is like a de that just cuts dragons a bit better. To unlock it''s full potential, you need it''s sheath as well." **** After a while, they finally reached the forest and stopped. Merlin jumped down from the carriage and flicked her finger. [Dispell summon] The horse and the driver disappeared in a silvery mist. "Can you get out of the carriage?" She asked, "I want to cast some spells on it," Nina stared at her, "You have something in mind?" "I saw it in some books," She smiled as everyone got out of the carriage. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I read about the people of the east riding elephants, and they used a modified carriage to mount them." She smiled, "I''ve been cooking a spell for some time to do just that," "Since you saw Arad," Nina stared at her. "You can''t me me," Merlin gasped, "People see a tiger and think about riding it," "I got bigger, you know?" Arad stared at her. "Don''t worry," She waved her hand, sending strings of magic to the wooden carriage. "I''m the archmage Merlin. My magic isn''t that restrained." From between her breasts, she pulled arge crystal ball. The crystal floated in front of Merlin, shimmering with magic as she constructed the spell. The silk threads of magic infused into the carriage, shifting the wood and wheels, creating ribbons and chains to tie it, and then forcing it to float in the air. "Arad, mind-shifting now?" She said, mana dripping from her eyes and fingers. Swosh! Arad instantly transformed into his draconic form, and Nina gasped, "You''re almost as big as an adult red," "I looked into void dragons," Alcott said, "And they seem to grow too big," He looked at Arad, "Your kind are native to the ethereal ne that surrounds the other nes. That vast empty space is the reason you grow too big." The mortal world, the nine hells, the endless Abyss, the ashen wastes, Mechanus, and the other ns of existence all float in what the mages call an ethereal n. That is where the void dragons live. Merlin waved her hands, and the carriage stuck to Arad like a backpack, chained to him so it wouldn''t fall. "Does it hurt anywhere? Can you move with it?" She asked. "Snug and perfect," Arad replied. He could barely feel it on his back. His scales were tough. He then expanded his wings and did a backflip like a dog trying a trick. "No problems with moving," Merlin smiled, "Then, onest thing, what color do you like?" "Color?" Nina stared at her, "That doesn''t matter," "I meant his. We can''t fly on a void dragon without drawing the mage''s attention. I will change his color, and allow him to camouge." She replied with a smile. lights¦­¦Ïv¦Ål ?¦Ïm Arad scratched his chin with his w, "How about red? Nina just said I''m almost as big as an adult red," "You can use fire, right?" Alcott stared at him. "All elements," Arad replied. He can use the void to recreate all the breath weapons, and even if an element is tricky, he could let Doma do the math instead of him. Merlin smiled, "So red it is," She waved her hand, and Arad''s scales turned red, spikes emerged in his back and his wings color started to flow faintly like hot steel. Arad opened his jaw, releasing a puff of mes. "Arad the red," He giggled, "How should I act?" Alcott nodded, "You''re far more perceptive than I thought. Try acting arrogant, be a bit angry, and address humans as, humans, or ants." "Just look down on people," Merlin replied, "Red dragons are known for that," "Watch your mouth, human," Arad red at Merlin, fire gushing out of his nose, "You look like a decent snack," He growled. Alcottughed, "That''s more like it," "It was good, now try camouge. You should be able to activate it at will as long I''m close and not unconscious." Merlin nodded, approving of Arad''s act. Arad disappeared, his body molding into his surroundings. "Remember, you aren''t invisible. The color of your scales matches the colors of the environment around you, any human can spot you if they focus hard enough." She exined. Arad appeared again, "But it will work inbat or to sneak around when no one is expecting me. It also seems to affect the carriage." "It''s my magic, after all, not your natural camouge." She giggled, "Let''s get going." Arad stared at Nina who was sitting in the back, trying to touch a small fox. "What are you doing?" He asked. The fox''s tail spiked as he slowly backed away, with Nina trying to calm him down. "Arad! You''re scaring her, shift back." Nina stared back at him. Arad looked at the fox, "I''m not going to attack you, calm down," The fox stopped moving as Arad addressed her, staring at him with weary eyes. ^I see, her cubs are just behind the tree. She must have been scared when I appeared out of nowhere.^ Nina stared between Arad and the fox, "You can understand her?" "I do, I can speak with animals, you''re the same?" "I can''t speak with them, but we barbarians are used to living with nature." Nina stood as the fox rushed back to her cubs. Aradughed, "So I best you in one thing," Nina stared at him, "Want to test your power in a fight?" Arad stared back at her, "I know I still can''t beat you," He looked around, "In fact, I might only have a chance against you, Merlin," He turned. Merlin giggled, "It''s true, I don''t have powerful attack spells but don''t underestimate me." She waved her hand, and Arad went blind for a second. "I can knock you out with magic if I try hard enough," She immediately returned his vision, "We should go," With a second wave of her finger, all of the rose to Arad''s back and sat in the carriage. Arad cleared his throat, "HOLD WELL! HUMANS!" He roared, "MUHAHAHA!" Laughing as he took to the sky. "Your acting is bad..." Alcott giggled. Chapter 496 Attacked Village

Chapter 496 Attacked Vige

As Arad took to the sky, the color of his scales changed to meld into the cloudy sky. ACHOOO! Merlin sneezed as the icy wind blew across her arms, "It''s cold.?Winter is close." "Really?" Alcott looked at her, "It''s not that cold for me," "It feels nice," Nina stared at her. "You two are the strange ones," Ginger pulled a nket from her pocket and curled into a ball. "Too cold for you, human!" Arad growled, "Bask in my great mes!" A mane of red mes burst on Arad''s neck, covering the carriage in a gust of warm wind. "You don''t need to act while only us are here," Merlin stared at him, "But, thank you," Nina gave her axe to Alcott, "Can you sharpen it for me..." "Still can''t do it?" Alcott sighed, pulling his tools. "I tried, but I ended up damaging the edge." Nina replied, "I''m not that good with skill work," "Skill work, you say," Alcott stared at her, "You don''t have patience, that''s all." He smiled, "Look, sharpening a weapon takes time and care. It''s a skill you develop through the years and not something you can master by trying it several times." After flying for a while, Arad heard screaming in the distance. "I hear screaming." "I only hear the wind," Nina replied, "I can''t hear it as well," Ginger and Merlin added. "Dragons have sharper senses than us," Alcott replied and stared into the horizon, "Can you see it?" Arad squinted his eyes, "A medium-sized, fenced vige, humanoids covered in fungus are attacking. It''s the one before the mountain that Riverside is behind," "It''s on our way, fly over," Alcott pulled his sword. Nina stood and cracked her neck. Merlin pulled staff and Ginger a wand. FLAP! FLAP! Arad pped his wings, shockwaves bursting around his head and shoulders. Thud! As Arad got close, Alcott jumped from his back with a smile. "Alcott!" He screamed. "You back, you idiot!" Ginger shouted. "Let him be," Nina smiled, jumping as well. "You too!" Arad screamed, "We''re four kilometers above the ground!" Merlin sighed, "Those two are always like this," She waved her wand, flying out with magic. "Wait for me!" Ginger extended her wings and flew after her. Arad sighed, "I hope you can survive the fall. I''m not catching any of you!" He flew up, turning mid-air and diving straight down. **** "RUN!" A man shouted, standing with a shield and sword in hand, his wife beside him carrying a spear. "I''m fighting as well," She growled and pointed the spear forward. The man looked back, seeing the other vigers and children run away. "Stay behind me," He stood forward, defending with his shield. His wife stood behind him. He''s the defender with the shield, and she would stab anything that he blocks. GROWL! The fungal zombies rushed in, growling like frenzied dogs. BAM! He blocked the first with his shield, stabbing it in the chest with the sword. His wife rushed from behind him, stabbing the infected in the eye with the spear. "One down!" She smiled. CRACKLE! Tentacles wrapped around the spear from the zombie''s head and started pulling. The wife growled, "It''s alive." The man swung his sword, cutting the tentacles. But, almost immediately, other tentacles tightened around the spear. Other zombies lunged in, and the man screamed, pushing his wife back and swinging his sword at them. BOOM! At that moment, something crashed from the sky between the man and the zombies, releasing a massive dust cloud. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "AHHH! My ass broke!" Alcott growled, "Feather fall boots, my ass broke you damned Damsul." He stood, rubbing his lower back. The feather fall boots he bought failed to activate. The man gasped, seeing Alcott standing in front of him, staring at the zombies with an exhausted face. "And I was looking forward to a gracefulnding," "Who are you?" The man growled, trying to figure out if Alcott was an enemy or not. As far as he knew, humans don''t fall from the sky. Alcott looked back at them with a smile, "Fighting with your wife?" He started patting the man''s shoulder,ughing, "Two hands are always better than one," The zombies remained still, their gazes fixed on Alcott''s back. They can feel it, one move, and he would dice them. "I asked who are you?" The man pushed Alcott''s hand away, "We''re getting attacked." "Don''t worry, don''t worry," With a gentle smile, he touched the handle of his sword. "Close your ears," CLAP! Alcott blitzed across the zombies, sending a shockwave strong enough to crack the building around them. A painful ringing gued the man and his wife''s ears as they watched the zombies fall apart, cut into cubes. "I''m getting my edge back," Alcott smiled, sheathing his de. "Cain''s herbs are no joke," CRACK! Nina appeared at the end of the street, covered in blood and gore as she dragged her axe around. "Alcott, did you finish here?" "Yeah, what about you?" "Everything dead on my side." Merlin and Ginger flew in from above the building, "We cleared the ce," Gingernded beside Alcott with a smile. Merlin showed them a small ss bottle with a zombie inside, "I captured one for research. I bet I can make something out of him," "That''s my brother!" The man''s wife shouted. Merlin stared back at her, "He''s my test subject now," "You can''t do that! He deserves to be buried," The woman screamed. "I will give him to you after I''m done with him," Merlin replied, "Studying him to save others is the right thing to do." "He already suffered enough. It''s right to put him to rest." "The morally right thing to do is burying him, and the logically right thing to do is studying him." Merlin stared at the woman with a sharp re, "I picked the first one I came across. The rest are buried. He was just unlucky," "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" People''s screams echoed across the sky, and the man and his wife panicked. "Did they catch them?" They red back. It was the direction the people ran into. "Don''t worry," Alcott smiled, staring at the two, "He''s over there." **** "Carry them over!" A man screamed, looking back at the people lifting the elderly and children over the fence. He then pointed his sword at the approaching infected, "Hurry! They areing!" As one screamed, the zombies stopped moving, staring at the wall. "Mom! Look!" a kid pointed up, and when the people looked they could spot the vague shape of a dragon moving above them. As Arad''s camouge lifted, the people could see him towering over them, fire gushing from between his massive fangs. With the horrifying presence of a dragon, everyone who could see him froze in ce, contemting their next move. Even the infected knew it. The hivemind controlling them didn''t want any troubles with dragons, as they are known to be nothing other than a pain to deal with. Arad red down, seeing both humans and infected staring at him, awaiting his next move. Chapter 497 Shifting Tides

Chapter 497 Shifting Tides

Arad stepped over the wall, his massive pawsnding between the people. Even one of his silver ws almost reached a man''s height. The heat started rising, and the slightly wet ground around them started drying as he red at the infected. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR! Arad roared, unleashing his frightful presence toward the infected. And awe was present toward the people beneath him, and they curled at the base of his tail, hiding behind his legs like they were trees. Mindless corpses? No, they aren''t. The host might have died, but the fungus controlling them is still alive, and even it sought its survival. They took a step back. Arad''s stomach shed red, and the light slowly traveled to his chest and then to his throat. The people who were touching his legs got their hands burned. The infected turned to run away as they knew it wasing, the dragon''s infamous weapon. ROAR! Arad opened his jaws, releasing a line of red mes across the street, charring all of the infected in one st and leaving a ck tray on the streets. The people stared at the ashes. Then their gazes shifted to the massive dragon above them. "Humans! Where did those rot pilese from?" Arad growled, turning his head toward them, but he got no reply. Everyone was too scared to even speak. "Well, no need to ask," He looked back at the vige, "I can ask you instead," From the between the houses, a twisted abomination of several mixed humans infected with fungi walked out. The monster stood three meters tall, muscr with seven bloodied arms, five heads, and blistered gray skin. "Wyrm kind," The infected spoke, "Our lord, doesn''t seek to intrude on your kind. If this was your hunting ground, you should have only set your domain, and we wouldn''t have entered." ^Setting domain, like marking my territory.^ Arad thought, ^Of course I don''t have this ce marked. It isn''t my domain. I bet they won''t evene close to Alina since they can sense my magic there,^ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad extended ws, lifting one of the vige women, one that he saw to be in her early twenties. "I do not rule thisnd. I merely take sacrifices from them," Arad dangled the woman as she screamed. The infected grunted. "I came to see what happens to my cattle pen, and I find your kind here," Arad red, "Zuggtmoy spawns." The infected gasped, taking a step back and bowed, "By any chance, are you an acquaintance of rot queen?" ^Good! They work for her, that''s confirmed.^ Arad put the woman back on the ground, "Get yourself cleaned for when Ie back, human," He then started walking toward the infected, "Where is your portal to the abyss? I still have my mother''s dept to her," The infected lifted his head, "Your mother? I never heard of red dragons being that social," Arad lifted his w, conjuring a ball of red mes. "Watch this," The ball of me shed yellow, exploding into a massive blue ball, rivaling Arad in size. It then shifted to a white color, and it started swirling like a tornado above him. The infected gasped, "Such magic!" Arad''s eyes shed as the while mes started sucking air into itself using his gravity magic. Then with a sneaky touch of his void, he morphed the mes to look ck by sucking the light out of them. The ground beneath Arad started cracking, and the dust got sucked into the mes. The infected gasped, holding to one of the houses so as not to get pulled into the inferno. "We''re a long line of fire wizards," Arad growled, "Do not count me with the other lizards," "Those mighty mes!" The infected gasped, "Are you of the Shadowend bloodline?" "Took you long enough," A deep rumble crackled in Arad''s throat. He red closely at the infected. "Maybe I should burn all of your kind and find the portal myself?" "No, no need for that," The infected apologized, "Our demonic patriarch is up there in the mountain." He pointed. "I see," Arad nodded, the ck mes disappearing. "Lead the way," The moment the infected turned, Arad bit him across the torso and lifted him to the sky. "GRWAAAAAAAAAA!" He growled, fungi spreading across Arad''s face. ROAR! Arad unleashed a second fire breath, incinerating the infection in his jaw and sending the ashes to the sky in a beam of light. Arad then shook his head, the withering fungi falling off his cheeks and neck. If those creatures took over bodies by growing into them, he only needed to make his body uninhabitable by mixing the void with extreme temperatures. "ARAD!" Alcott called, walking across the street with the rest. "You''re done over there?" "Their base is in the mountains," Arad replied. "I see," Alcott looked at the mountain as the man and his wife rushed to the other vigers. "Do you think she got mixed into this?" Merlin asked. "I hope not," Nina replied, "I doubt her ability to resist being infected," "Same for you, human!" Arad growled, and Nina giggled, "You''re right, well. They can infect me IF their roots can pierce my flesh," Nina''s muscles and bones were so hard that growing into them was akin to growing in steel. It didn''t matter where those fungi came from. It just isn''t going to happen. "We''re using magic," Merlin pointed at herself and Ginger. Alcott scratched his head, "I''m the only one that could be affected? No, I doubt they can survive in my body," Ginger giggled, "All those types of blood-fighting inside, the fungi would be walking into a warzone." "Sir," An old man approached Alcott with a scared face, "Is he. Safe?" He looked at Arad. Arad''s eyes shifted to re at the old man, and he ran to hide behind Alcott. "Well get that woman ready for you immediately!" He cried. Alcottughed, tapping the man''s shoulders, "Forget about that for now and get the vige on its feet. We''re going to find someone, and hopefully deal with those monsters." "Human!" Arad growled, "I won''t..." SPLAT! Arad''s head exploded, as something piercing it at a blinding speed. On top of the mountain, a demon sat on a stone, pointing his hand toward the vige, "Draconic threat eliminated. I repeat, draconic threat eliminated." He stood with a smile on his twisted face. Chapter 498 Layers of Protection

Chapter 498 Layers of Protection

Blood sshed on the ground as Arad''s body fell to the ground, motionless. Nina''s skin turned deep brown, and her eyes shot red with blood. The veins on her muscles bulged as a deep growl escaped her lungs. BAM! She instantly jumped, disappearing from everyone''s view. The ground where she stood shattered, destroying the building around in one st. "Don''t!" Merlin shouted, but she waste. Nina was already hundreds of meters away. "That flea barbarian." She growled, Ginger, how is he?" "He''ll be fine," Ginger said with a smile, looking at Arad''s body, "He only lost his head. But, protect him with a barrier." Merlin waved her staff and enclosed Arad in a tenyered prismatic barrier. "Alcott cut anything that gets close," Ginger pointed at Arad, and he pulled his sword, taking a stance. A second shot won''t slip through him. **** CRACK! Nina smashed into the top of the mountain, screaming as her eyes darted around. The sniper was nowhere to be seen even though the projectile came from this direction. "HAHAHAHA!" The demonughed, looking at her from another mountain. "A sniper never reveals their location. It was a curved shot, bald ape," He turned, a ck portal opening for him to return to the abyss. CREEK! Nina''s eyes turned, glowing red as she spotted him from kilometers away. He was in the middle of walking through the portal when a st took him by surprise. His left arm and parts of his chest got ripped apart. BLUH! He puked green mucus, staring with one eye, seeing Nina behind the portal with his missing parts. SWOSH! He slipped into the portal and closed it, "Damned monster," He fell on his face, bleeding as the other demons rushed to him. "We miscalcted. The biggest threat was that barbarian woman. I repeat, kill the barbarian woman first." He fell unconscious after delivering the message to the hivemind. Nina stared back, seeing that he escaped even though she ripped his heart alongside his left lung. As a demon, he probably had more than one heart. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! A roar akin to an ear-piercing screech escaped her throat, shaking the mountain and causing a stone avnche. All the monsters in the mountain quaked, hearing the screams of a raging beast. Screaming calmed her down a bit, and she sighed, lifting what she ripped from the demon and jumping back to the vige before her rage ended. CRACK! Ninanded in the vige, destroying the house shended on. From the rubble, she walked out, throwing the demon''s heart and flesh at the ground. "He escaped," She said. Merlin stared at the bloody mess and giggled, "I''m surprised you even got him." "He didn''t curve the shot magic phase it?" Alcott asked. "He did curve it. He was on that mountain." She pointed in the direction they came from. Alcott giggled, "People fear you for a reason. Even being a mountain away didn''t save him." "Hoi," Merlin said with a worried face, "This is a high demon. The big one Arad killed is like ants to this thing," She red at Nina. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "And?" "How in the hell did you even rip him apart like this?" Merlin asked with a high-pitched cry. Nina stared at her hand, "My nails chipped a bit, and I do feel some pain in my elbow and shoulder. But it wasn''t something I can''t tear apart." Ginger tapped Merlin''s shoulder, "Listen, your protective spell will never protect you from a kick from her." "What did your n even feed to you to make you such a monster?" She sighed. "I don''t know," Nina replied, her hands on her hips. "Forget about me. How is he doing?" She looked at the prismatic dome Merlin created. She couldn''t see Arad inside as the blinding light protected him. "He''s recovering," Merlin replied, looking at the dome. In fact, Arad wasn''t inside the dome. She pulled him deep into the ground with burial magic. Even Alcott who stood there guarding the dome was a fake. The real one was with Arad underground. At this level, everyone uses at least one level of protection at all times. Merlin herself has the recovery potions ready in her storage magic in case she got fatally injured, and even Ginger could revive in her coffin if her body was destroyed. **** Arad fully healed in a few minutes, waking inside a small cavern with Alcott sitting beside him with a tiny firece. "How are you feeling?" Alcott asked. "I was taken down," Arad growled, "A heavy headshot," "It seems, things are taking a turn for the worst," Alcott said, stoking the mes. "This mission might be a bit too much for you to handle. You can return to Alina. We will take care of the rest and bring Merida back." He said, "Even if it was only her corpse." Arad stared at him. The possibility that Merida was already dead was high. Considering that someone who can blitz him from a distance existed. "I''m not going back," Aradughed, "It was fortunate that they aimed for my head," His wings wiggled, and his eyes expanded like a cat ready to pounce. "You have something in mind?" "Doma asked if she could pluck my eyes out and cut my brain apart a bit," Arad couldn''t stop giggling, "I said no, but she did it anyway now that my head had to regrow." "Are you sure it''s safe to let her y with your brain?" Alcott sighed with an exhausted face. "I thought the same, but now that I can see what she made, I have to say," He smiled, "She''s nasty. I pity those who Iy my eyes upon." His eyes shed green. Alcott looked at his arm, feeling a tingle under his skin. "I see, it''s nasty." He giggled, "But it won''t work on me, I''m blessed," "Figured as much, but I doubt those demons have a blessing like you. Where did you even get that?" Arad nodded. "It''s a long story. I got it from a Nymph." Chapter 499 Dead Leads

Chapter 499 Dead Leads

"So, you''re fine with staying?" Alcott stood with a grin. "As long as they don''t destroy my head, spine, and heart at the same time, I won''t die," Arad replied, cracking his neck. **** CRACK! Merlin''s prismatic dome cracked, and Arad walked out, "I''m fine. What happened to the sniper?" "Sorry, he escaped," Nina pointed at the pile of flesh. "No, you managed to get him?" He stared at her. "There is a reason why people fear her," Alcott said, sheathing his de, "We need to keep going," "Before we do, Can Arad fight in this?" Merlin stared at Arad. "I won''t fall again," He said, ring back at the terrified vigers, "I''m no human. Did you think sting my head was enough to kill me?" Alcott looked back at the vigers, "We''re going to see what''s causing this. You can either hole up here or move to another vige for refuge. I don''t think any of them is any safer," An old man of the vigers walked out. He was their chieftain, "We don''t have anyone to protect us on the way," He nodded. Staying in the vige exposes them to more infected attacks, and going out to the wilderness is the same, but with monsters to worry about. "You won''t happen to be able to protect us?" He asked. "I can, but I won''t." Alcott replied, "Stopping the root cause of this infection takes priority to save the most lives." "We will remain here then," The chieftain replied, "Please, end this as fast as possible." **** Heading into the mountain range, Arad stopped at the forest entrance, smelling the blood and fire. "Monsters love mountains as they are hard to traverse for humans," Nina said. Arad lifted his head, "There are no infected in this mountain, but I smell Merida''s blood around it. At the peak, look," Merlin pulled a crystal orb from her storage and looked at it [Scrying] At the peak, a ruined mansion rested in its own ashes. "Looks like a storm hit it," Merlin sighed, "If I remember correctly, this is the Cuchi dojo. A noble family of swordsmen in the service of Riverside''s lord." She pulled a map and confirmed the information, "Yes, it''s them," FLAP! Arad pped his wings and flew directly to the top,nding in the dojo''s courtyard. "I don''t sense any thoughts," He looked around. This ce was abandoned. Merlin jumped down from Arad''s back, [Detect Life] "I sense bugs and animals but no humanoid life," She said, shifting her staff and reversing her magic. [Reversed Detect Life: detect dead] "Right there," She pointed at the crumbling left wall of the dojo. There is a cliff, a corpse is down there skewered on a branch. Arad walked and looked down, seeing the straight rocky wall of the cliff. In the middle, a tiny tree grew with a corpse impaled on one of its branches. "Get down," Arad said, and everyone walked down his wing. "Keep guard. No need to waste magic here," He said, extending his w andtching to the cliff. Dragons are expert climbers thanks to their long ws and muscr builds. They are known to rival even spiders when thees to moving on vertical, or even upside surfaces. Arad walked down the cliff, his head facing down as if it were nothing until he reached the branch. "Rotting, but still new," He said, snatching the corpse with his jaw and walking back to the dojo. Thud! Arad dropped the corpse on the ground, "It''s new," "Four or five days I say," Ginger looked at the corpse, pinching her nose, "The stench though," "Merely five days and his body is rotting," Alcott snorted, "He looks like a fighter, but such a fragile body is a disgrace." He touched the corpse''s arms, "I say he never surpassed his limit or even reached level twenty." "Is that so?" Arad asked. "We fighters hone our bodies beyond their limit." Alcott replied, "Some fighter corpses never rotted for years after their death. That''s how sturdy and well cultivated their bodies became." "How long will your body remain? Is it even useful? You would be already dead." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I would be proud if my bodysted a century after my death," Alcott smiled, "Look at this handsome face. It''s waste to have it rot," Ginger looked at them, "It makes resurrecting them easier," She looked at Alcott, "I doubt you would die," Alcott waved his hand, "It''s the same reason why the stronger you get, the longer your life span bes. Manayers under your skin, weave into your muscles and bones, and be a part of your very own being." "It''s the same process that transforms animals into monsters when exposed to extreme mana concentrations. Albeit for us, it''s controlled." Nina exined, and Arad stared at her. "You can exin that?" "A n tradition. The stronger our bodies be, the closer we reach our mother, the primordial mother of earth." "What''s that? Another god-like Katal or something?" "No, she''s a living being, a mortal like us. Legends say she''s asleep at the core of Earth even now. We call her Tarrasque, the primordial mother of earth." "Can you be quiet for a bit?" Merlin stared at them, waving her hands over the corpse, "I''m trying to focus. I''m not that good with this spell," Her eyes and hands burned with green mes, and threads of magic escaped her fingers and burrowed deep into the corpse. [Speak with the dead] A spell that stirs the rotting brains of corpses, using what little energy still remains in their muscles and bones to transmit information. The magic to force corpses to speak. CRACK! The corpse levitated beneath Merlin''s hands as waves of necrotic magic flew from her. "It''s already too rotten, a few questions is all I can get," "Who killed you?" Merlin growled. "Merida, ourst master of the dance of de art..." The corpse replied, its voice cracking and gargling. Arad red at the corpse, "She was here. Four days ago," Depending on Alcott''s estimate for when the corpse died. Chapter 500 Into The Demons’ Maw

Chapter 500 Into The Demons'' Maw

"Who are you?" Merlin asked, and necrotic magic flew out of the corpse as it talked. "Amorin Cuchi," "Hold up," Merlin pulled a scroll from between her breasts, "We need to keep this." The scroll opened up and burst into mes, creating a blue magic circle above her and Amorin. "This is Merlin, Archmage of Alina. We found Amorin Chchi''s corpse amid the demonic infection. I can only ask it one question due to him being dead for a while, so let''s make it count." She smiled. "Amorin Cuchi, what does your family have to do with the demonic infection?" She asked. The corpse twitched, "Our ancestors summoned the demon centuries ago. We''re been exploiting the contract for drug production, but we kept the infection in check by sending de dance masters to kill the infected demons." The corpse fell to the ground. The magic couldn''t force it to speak anymore. "You heard him," Merlin looked at the magic circle with a smile, "We''re going to find a way to deal with this infection." CLAP! CLAP! She pped her hands, and the magic circle disappeared, transforming into a scroll. "What did you do?" Arad asked. "We can use this as proof of what happened here in case we were framed, or at least Merida." Merlin looked at Arad, "She at least killed the son of a noble. This would prove to be in her favor." "Precautions," Arad nodded. "Of course, it won''t..." PLOP! Two hands emerged beneath Merlin''s feet, pulling her into her own shadow in the blink of an eye. CRACK! Nina was about to lung into the shadow, but her legs sank as if she stood on water. SPLASH! Immediately, she found herself drowning in water before falling from a ceiling into arge ck room. "Where am I?" PEW! A projectile flew beside her head, taking a chunk of her right ear. "What''s up, bitch?" In the darkness, the demon she almost killed earlier stared at her with a smile, "Wee to mynd," Nina red at him, "It''s you again. What do I need to do to kill you? Mince you down?" "I''m ttered. You remember me even though you were raging. All barbarians I fought before were mindless animals," The demonughed, standing and aiming at Nina. "Here you die," "Is that so?" Nina stared at him, pulling her axe from her back, "I was told I''m a mindless monster, not an animal." **** The moment Merlin and Nina were snatched, Alcott pulled his sword, but the next thing he knew was seeing infinite darkness, standing alone in the abyss. "Where am I?" "Ourdy said to separate and kill you one at a time." A demon spoke from the darkness, on its mouth showing. "I see," Alcott looked back, "So I have to kill you first," Veins were bulging on his forehead. **** n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Ginger! Ginger!" A woman rushed to Ginger, "It''s been a while." Ginger stared at the woman, then stabbed her with her hand. "Illusion, do you think this is enough to fool me?" The woman turned into a mushroom and withered down. Ginger was standing in a vast mushroom forest, stared down at by arge demonic tree. "That was your sister," The tree replied. "And? She''s already dead," Ginger replied with a bored face. Her fangs grew longer, and her eyes burned red. Two bat wings emerged from her back and slowly floated, "Probably I should teach you demons how to be evil for once. "You''re a mere vampire," The tree growled. "Demon, start begging for your life." Ginger smiled, "I''m known to break my toys faster the more pathetic they are." **** Merlin looked down, seeing the woman pulling her into darkness by the legs. "Subus? No, you''re infected." She pointed her staff down. [Chain lightning] CRACK! CLAP! A lighting bolt incinerated the two subus into ash. [Fly] Merlin looked around, sensing the mana around her. "This magic, it must be the abyss. Dimensional warp? No, that was shadow magic, the shadow phase." "You think aloud a lot," A voice came from the darkness. "Now I''m hearing things," Merin said, "Matter not. I think aloud since it helps me focus." "No, you think aloud since your mind is writing the magic inscription. You can''t have two voices in your head, can you." The demon replied emerging from the shadow. "Look at you, an Oni," Merlin could see the demon, a ten-foot-tall woman with purple skin and one horn on her forehead. Her body oozed with magic signaling her as a wizard. "It doesn''t matter what kind of demon I am." The Oni smiled, "I was hired by Her Highness Zuggtmoy as a battle wizard. I asked to be one to the one to kill so I can keep your spellbook," Merlin pulled a book from between her breasts, "You mean this? Good luck deciphering it. I created my ownnguage to encrypt it." She put the book back in her storage. [Death cloud] The Oni pointed her hand at Merlin, unleashing a wave of green toxic smoke. "Really? A fourth tier?" Merlin waved her staff, [Gust of wind] Blowing the cloud away. "Really? A first tier?" The Oni mocked her, "I have arger mana poll. How about this?" [Force st] A beam of concentrated magic flew at Merlin at a blinding speed. **** Arad looked around, finding himself standing alone in front of arge throne with a woman sitting on it. "You know I can hear and see everything my servants do?" The woman said with a smile, resting her head on her hand. "Who are you?" Arad growled, his wings expanding and his tail spiking like an angry cat. "Zuggtmoy, queen of the fungi," She smiled, "You imed to be a shadowend while aren''t, and thought that deceiving my servants is easy." She giggled, "The moment I heard that tant lie I sent my servant to blow your head off, but you didn''t remain dead." ^So that attack was a retaliation,^ Arad stared at the demon queen, trying to figure out any weakness that he could exploit. Zuggtmoy stood, walking down of her throne. "I need a new servant. I''m sure you would fit the role," She extended her hand, "Of course, I only need your corpse." Chapter 501 Unfair Odds

Chapter 501 Unfair Odds

CRACK! CRACK! Demogorgan stood as small as a human. He is a monstrosity with two baboon heads, a long snake tail, and four tentacles for arms. His legs are those of a goat, and the deep growl of his breaths can be heard from meters away. ^I''m down to one-third, no, one-quarter of my power.^ He growled, lifting his hand up and opening a small portal. ^Human souls, that''s the fastest way to regain my power. Damn you, you be damned to the infinite abyss, Cain Lisworth. The horror that never dies,^ Grunting, the crumbling demon lord stepped back into the mortal world, taking a deep breath of its clear air. "I can smell them, humans! women! Children, fresh souls everywhere. This is truly a feast fit for a lord." Heughed. "You''re ugly, did anyone tell you?" Zephyr sighed, staring at him from a tree. Her eyes burned with a green me. Demogorgan stoppedughing, staring at her, "Great wind spirit Zephyr, I heard of you, the same way your kind hear of us demon lords." He smiled, "You''ll make a fine main dish," Sheughed, "I know we fey might seemzy, but if not for our presence, your kind would be crawling into this world like maggots on a corpse." She started floating, "Begone, a demon that crawls in the abyss. This mynd," TAP! TAP! A finger tapped Demogorgan''s back, "Hey, Zephyr." The white-haired and blue-eyed man asked. "Do you know this ape-face," "Get your hand off me, ant," Demogorgan growled. "Hehe," Zephyrughed, "I knew you''d show up, but leave this to me," Demogorgan grunted, Gojo kept tapping his shoulder with one finger even though he asked him to stop. SWOSH! In the blink of an eye, the demon lord swung his tentacle arm, smacking Gojo in the face and exploding the area in a burst ofpressed water. "A mere human," Demogorganughed, "Wind spirit, what did you even think this man could take off your hands?" Cough! Cough! Gojo waved the water away with his hand, annoyed, "Did you just puke at me? Was that supposed to do anything?" Gojo stared at Demogorgan. ^I hit him with enough power to kill five humans. I have to preserve my power to fight the wind spirit and escape if Cain shows up again, but it is sure to kill this human.^ "Why aren''t you dead?" Demogorgan growled. "Why? Cause I''m breathing? My heart is beating and I''m sure I''m not an undead," Gojo replied. He then pointed at Demogorgan''s heads. "Zephyr, this isn''t some random ugly race I don''t know off, right?" Gojo asked with a puzzled face, "He looks humanoid enough and smells of the same magic of the tieflings," "I''m a demon lord, ignorant," Demogorgan growled. "AH! Is that so? Sorry, I never heard of a tiefling ruling a nearby city," Gojo bowed. "He isn''t," Zephyr stared at them with a smile, "He''s the demon lord Demogorgan, one of the rules of the abyss, albeit of the higheryers." She giggled, "He''s an outsider of the mortal world, and seeks to devour all the human souls in the city." "Oh!" Gojo smiled as if he realized something, "So, he''s a threat to deal with," CRACK! With one hand, he grabbed Demogorgan''s right face. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The demon lord grunted, offended. He tried to pull his face from Gojo''s hand but then realized. ^His grip is tight.^ CRACK! Gojo kicked Demogorgan in the guts, twisting his insides and sending him flying away from Alina with a st. ^That wasn''t a human kick.^ Demogorgan puked green blood, his body rolling across the clouds. **** DING! Alcott pointed his sword down, looking around at the countless demons surrounding him. "It''s like I''m on a battlefield, all alone against an army," He mumbled. "Cause you are!" The demon general. Gatora shouted with an exhausted breath. He lifted his hand, "Cut him to pieces," Alcott swung his sword, cutting each demon that got close with a calm face. ^He isn''t trying to get close but runs away each time I try approaching him.^ He smiled. ^That''s the right way to deal with a fighter.^ Since fighters are strong and durable, it''s usually hard to beat them in close-quarterbat. Due to their speed, dodging magic is a simple task as well. The simplest way to deal with a fighter was to exhaust them with sheer numbers, and slowly carve onto their stamina till they drop down. This demon general, Gatora, did just that by conjuring countless demon shadows to fight Alcott as he waited for a good chance to finish him off. ^Even one of those demons would cause havoc outside the abyss, they aren''t the kind of monsters humans should be facing,^ Alcott thought, swinging his de and cutting two demons at the same time, ^I can''t keep doing this forever. I will sooner orter lose to exhaustion.^ Thud! Alcott lunged at Gatora, trying to slice him and end the fight, but the demon just disappeared. ^He dodged? No, I cut something.^ Alcott looked down, seeing the disintegrating corpse of one of the demonic shadows. ^Did he switch ces with it at thest moment?^ "You can''t kill me, human!" Gatoraughed, "Kill him!" Countless demons lunged at Alcott, swinging their ws and swords. CRACKLE! In the blink of an eye, Alcott blitzed them and cut Gatora again, but he only found the corpse of a demon shadow. ^No, he isn''t dodging. I''m killing him.^ Alcott smiled, ^He turns into a demonic shadow each time he dies.^ "You''re a lively one, aren''t you?" Gatora stared at Alcott, annoyed, "It''s been centuries since I saw a human as disgusting as you," "Thanks for thepliment," Alcott giggled, "Ugly to demons is handsome to humans," He lifted his sword, blood trailing from his palms and to the de. "I''m finally recovering from an ailment, you see." Alcott smiled, "It''s been a decade since I used this. I can''t contain my excitement to go all out again," "Blood Massacre" Chapter 502 Burning Blade

Chapter 502 Burning de

Using his vampiric magic, Alcott controlled his blood and extended it out of the tip of his sword, expanding its reach. His muscles contracted, supported by his lycanthropic skeletal structure and guided by his years of experience. "Blood Massacre." [Action surge] and [Adrenalin rush]. Those are the two basic skills a fighter gets and the ones Alcott honed the most. Activating them in sync allowed him to quadruple his attack speed, and coupled with his recovery, he could go even faster. With all the powers in his body, Alcott achieved an unhuman two hundred and fifty-six attacks a second, quadrupling that got him to one thousand and twenty-four attacks. Yet, that wasn''t all he had. Forcing the skills to remain active by risking damage to his body, he could extend their duration to just over six minutes. Adding the blood to the mix, extending his range to around twenty meters, he turned into a ball of carnage. Blood Massacre wasn''t a skill, but just the name he gave to abo he created. On top of everything, he wasn''t chained to one location, thus allowing him to move. Alcott''s explosive speed showed up as he lunged across the demons with a blinding speed, dicing them like a human blender. Gatora gasped. In four minutes, all of his thousands of demons were turned into bloody mush, and the dragon yer lunged at the general with a bloodied sword. "A demon corpse appears when I kill you. That was wrong. A demon spawns when you''re injured. I bet you cut yourself thousands of times before facing me. So what would happen if I killed them all at once? You don''t have time to spawn more." His eyes had a faint golden glow to them. BAM! Gatora jumped back, extending his hands forward with a growl, "This isn''t over!" Alcott could still keep going for two minutes. The blood massacre is nowhere near its end. Countless shes rained down on the demon general. With each wound, Gatora spawned a shadow demon, but they instantly got torn apart in Alcott''s storm, never giving them the chance to see the darkness of the abyss. Some worms are known to regenerate into two worms after being cut in half, a magnificent feat of life, but that all doesn''t matter when thrown into a blender. Alcott''s sword started heating up from the friction against the demons'' tough skin. And It turned bright red, setting the blood around it aze. ^A burning de, are you saying he''s swinging it that fast?^ The demon general gasped as the mes burned his wounds, making it harder for him to regenerate. CRACK! Finally, a few seconds before Alcott''s timer could run out, his sword shattered, unable to handle the sheer pressure of the swings. It had grown dull from the continuous cutting of demon flesh. Alcott stopped, staring at the sword, "Even this isn''t good enough?" He sighed, but it couldn''t be helped. Demon''s skin is as tough as iron. It didn''t matter how sharp the edge was, or how strong the de''s metal was. Doing several thousand cuts on iron in a short span of time is bound to damage the de. "Hehe!" Gatoraughed, "Magnificent skills, but weak equipment." He extended his hands forward, charging a spell. Thwack! Before he could even start his magic, Alcott lunged forth, punching him in the face and drilling his head to the ground. "Do you know? Gods are annoying. They only grant power to their devout believers," Alcott lifted Gatora by the head and dropped the burning sword hilt. "But, there is one god that only grants his power to humans. And not just any human, those who fight to protect humanity. The heroes." CRACKLE! Divine lightning crackled from his fist as his eyes shed with a holy light, "You demons threaten humanity. Of course, he would retaliate." Gatora growled, "You reek of vampire blood. There is no way someone like you could wield holy magic?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Who decided that?" Alcott red at Gatora, clenching his fist. "You''re their hero?!" The demon screamed. A fighter can use any weapon he desires. Even stones, sticks, and ropes could be seen as weapons. That also includes their fists. Thest thing Gatora saw was Alcott''s burning fist,ing down like a falling star upon his face. [Action surge] [Adrenalin rush] [Divine Smite] CRACKLE! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! It only took one second for a thousand divine fists to smash down on Gatora''s body, ripping his existence apart as his flesh burned in divine magic. "I was ready to retire, though." As the demon turned into ash, Alcott sat on the ground, panting and staring at his shaking hands. "This looks bad," He smiled, "A half-assed vampire like me. Shouldn''t be using this," Hey on the ground, resting to allow his body some time to recover. ^I hope Merlines to pick me up soon. I can''t dimension warp out of here alone.^ **** ROAR! The sniper demon lunged back, pointing his arm at the roaring Nina lunging after him. "You''re a rabid beast," Heughed, sting her to the ground with a beam of fire. BAM! Nina rushed directly through the mes, sshing them like water as she swung her axe down at him. "Can we at least talk?" He dodged, sweating. ^I keep sting her, but my magic bounces right off her skin.^ CLACK! He pointed at her again, firing apressed bullet of mana. DING! The bullet hit Nina''s head and bounced off, barely budging her hair. ^Her skin reflects magic?^ Nina swung her axe at his head, and he lifted his solid arm to block. "You''re a pain to deal with. Did anyone tell you?" He deflected her axe aside and sted her again. As he got a fair distance away, he condensed a stone bullet and fired it at her, hitting her shoulder. The bullet grazed Nina''s shoulder, signaling that her physical resistance wasn''t as potent her magic reflection. But, the scratch on her shoulder didn''t evenst enough for an eye to blink, regenerating faster than any demon he ever saw. The demon lifted his hand, "I learned this from a devil, a nasty curse," SWOSH! me gushed out of Nina''s nose, and the inside of her lungs burst into me before her whole body got engulfed in a massive fireball. "Selfbustion curse." The demon smiles, "The fire of rage burns people from the inside out. The stronger their anger is, the hotter the me burns," He smiled, seeing Nina''s charred body fall onto the ground. "Your magic reflection is limited to your skin. You can''t do anything about magic activating inside you," Heughed, "But your insides felt a bit weird." He turned to leave, "Well, it doesn''t matter. You''re already cooked to the bones." ROAAAAAAARRRRR! Nina''s body moved as she stood on all fours, roaring with her flesh regenerating at a blinding speed. The demon stopped, staring back with sweat dripping across his face and back, "You''re serious? Are you immortal or something?" Chapter 503 A Lizard From Ancient Earth.

Chapter 503 A Lizard From Ancient Earth.

^This woman!^ The demon jumped back, turning away to run. ^She isn''t normal. Something is off about her.^ CLANG! Nina flew right past him, ripping one of his legs off with a kick. Her skin was bright red as steam rushed out of her body due to the excessive heat generated. "BURN!" He screamed, burning her once again, but she tanked it, healing almost immediately. ^Her regeneration is out of control.^ The demon jumped aside, trying to figure out a way to stop Nina. Usually, fire and acid were the things to go with, but if even internalbustion wasn''t enough to hinder her regeneration, acid isn''t even worth trying. ^I''m not wrong!^ He grunted, his leg regenerating as he pointed his arm at her. "I can feel it, your body. Something is wrong with it." BAM! Nina lunged forward, roaring with a clenched fist, racing toward the demon''s face. He barely dodged, touching her stomach. [BLAST] CRACKLE! CRACKLE! CRACKLE! Several beams of concentrated magic rushed from his palm, attempting to pierce Nina''s stomach, but they just sshed like water on steel. CLACK! Nina held her axe high, dropping it down toward the demon''s head. ROAR! SWOSH! The demon flew back, extending two wings and staring at Nina, His right shoulder and arm were ripped off by her axe. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ^I''m doing almost no damage at all, and one solid hit from her would kill me.^ His arm regenerated, ^Let''s try piercing damage,^ Nina didn''t wait for him, jumping right toward him relentlessly. The demon flew out of her way. ^My only advantage is the simplicity of her attacks. She closed the distance as fast as she could, then swung. As long as I time my dodges well, she isn''t a threat,^ BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! As the two flew across the battlefield, the demon grunted, ^But at this rate, I will be the first one to fall,^ CLICK! As he gathered enough mana, he pointed his hand at her. "Eat this!" A stone the shape of a bamboo emerged out of thin air, spinning at a horrifying speed enough to shake the air around it. ^Wait until she jumps...^ He aimed, PEW! He fired the bullet right as Nina lunged at him, wishing to blow her head off with a shot inside her ever-roaring mouth. "Impossible!" The demon cried. Nina clenched her jaw down on his bullet, shattering it between her teeth. THWACK! As if squatting horizontally, Nina flew directly at the demon''s face with two kicks as she swung her axe at his torso, cutting him in half. The demon''s upper torso rolled on the ground, with his blood boiling due to Nina''s axe. "To think. I would lose so easily," He giggled, "But it isn''t over!" He screamed. From the darkness, hundreds of demons like him appeared. All aiming down at Nina. "We''re an army! We''re one! Even Lady Zuggtmoy won''t survive this!" BOOM! All demons fired at the same time, blowing Nina and theirmander in a massive st. "Commander Iiric, may you rest in the eternal swap of Zuggtmoy." One of them walked forward, lifting his hand and saluting the explosion. "May he rest!" All the demons repeated. "Follow me, we''re assisting Gatora. I did feel his magic flickering." The demon turned to leave, but then the explosion me faded. ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Nina''s scream blew the mes off as she crawled out of the infernal hell the demons created enraged more than ever. "For real? She survived that?" The demon gasped, sweating as he aimed at her. "Again!" BOOM! All the demons fired, sting her with a second st. "You were lucky to survive the first one. You should have justid down..." ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR! Nina lunged out of the explosion, ripping the demon in half with her bare hands. All the demons cried, half rushing to fire at her while half attempted to run away. None of them wanted to deal with someone who survived a st that could kill a demon lord, twice in a row. **** On the other side, the Oni woman fighting Merlin stopped, staring into the distance. "This magic, no life force." "Do you have time to look elsewhere?" Merlin pointed her wand at her, firing a mence. The Oni created a barrier, blocking Merlin''s spell. "You''re annoying," ^That life force,^ The Oni grunted, ^A tarrasque? But how could it be? That lizardys asleep at the core of the earth and only wakes once in a few centuries. We didn''t pull it into the abyss. We aren''t that stupid.^ She dodged a few spells from Merlin and fired a beam of lightning at her. ^No, the life force is far lower than the tarrasque. A newborn? No, this is a sorcerer, someone with the tarrasque''s blood.^ CLAP! Merlin teleported to the Oni''s side, smacking her in the face with a quarterstaff. "I''m the one fighting you," Merlin said with a smile. She could sense Nina going crazy in the distance. The Oni growled. Merlin wasn''t allowing her a chance to leave. ^At this rate, they will all die. Trying to kill that thing is useless. I need to throw her back into the mortal world.^ She lifted her staff and tried to conjure a portal. "You won''t leave," Merlin pulled an orb, sending waves of magic and disturbing the portal, shattering it. "As long as Nina is here, you will lose eventually." Merlin stared at her with an evil smile, "You don''t have the means to stop her," **** The demons screamed, running for their lives. No matter how many times they blew her up, she kepting back again and again. Each time, she became faster, stronger, and even more aggressive. The fearless demons crawled on the ground, digging holes to hide in as the blood of therades sshed across the sky. They started shaking and crying. Each time they looked back, they only saw her cutting them apart. "GOD! SAVE US!" One of the demons prayed, crying as he could feel Nina''s oppressive presence approaching. Thud! "Nina! You''re getting too angry!" A girl''s voice boomed across the darkness. "GRRRRR?" Nina stopped, staring to the side to see Kayden with Kali sitting on his shoulder. "I will kill the demons," Kayden said, "You calm her down before she loses all her sanity," "Don''t worry!" Kali jumped from his shoulder, her pink hair glowing as she walked cheerfully toward Nina. CLING! The moment Kayden pulled his sword, all demons turned into a red mist. "Nina! I want to y!" Kali lifted her hand. SWOSH! Consumed in her rage. Nina kicked Kali in the face, but the little girl didn''t budge an inch. "Don''t want to?" Kali said with a sad face, pping her hands. "Well then, probably next time." Nina''s skin returned to normal, and she fell to the ground, unconscious. "Should we take her back?" Kayden asked. "A tarrasque doesn''t have neither a brain nor a heart. If we had left her rampage, she would have lost herself and turned into a monster." Kali looked back at Kayden, "But that doesn''t mean we can interfere too much. We''ll leave her here. She would be fine." Kayden nodded, "If we left her rampage, she would have eventually reached Zuggtmoy and killed her. What if she raged again?" "She won''t," Kali replied, "Zuggtmoy and Demogorgan have to worry about the Orion brothers. Nina won''t wake in time," Chapter 504 MAGICAL SLPASH FLARE!

Chapter 504 MAGICAL SLPASH FLARE!

The Oni growled, ring back at Merlin, "Get out of my way!" "Hehehe!" Merlin giggled, spinning her staff with a giant smile before turning it into a broom. "There are no people around here. I can test a few things," She burst outughing, sitting on her broom and pulling a wand into her hand. The Oni stared at Merlin, ^Wait, what''s this?^ A crystal orb emerged from Merlin''s storage and started orbiting her as three stars of light shed above her head. ^The mana around her. Is pulsing?^ The Oni swung her hand, [Wind sh] A de ofpressed air flew toward Merlin with a loud whistle. Merlin''s broom wiggled, growing a leaf. With a crack, the leaf turned into a massive trunk that smacked the wind de with a st. The trunk shifted to resemble arge muscr arm, and the Oni gasped, "What?" CRACK! CRACK! Another arm grew from Merlin''s staff, followed by two legs from the brush. The staff''s shaft turned into a torso as Merlinughed, sitting on the golem''s head. Arge titan standing at fifty meters tall in the shape of Arad wearing a hey skirt from the broom''s brush. [Wood Golem creation: TITAN ARAD] "The hell is that!" The Oni screamed, lifting her hands as the golem swung its first. SWOSH! SWOSH! SWOSH! They only flew around, dodging the golem''s punches like a running mosquito. "Faster! Faster! ARAD!" Merlin couldn''t stopughing. CRACK! The golem managed tond a hit, but the Oni blocked it with a barrier. The golem lunged, kicking the Oni like a ball. She flew in her barrier orb, crashing on the ground. She lifted he head, seeing the golem falling down at her with a kick. ^I have to ignore him. Hitting her should stop the spell.^ ZON! The Oni teleported right to Merlin''s back. "YO! Die," She pointed her hand at her, charging a firest. Merlin turned her head, seeing the me spiraling in front of her nose. "GAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She screamed with a scared face. The Oni smiled, "This is your end..." Merlin''s scream quickly got louder and louder, and the Oni could feel her ears screaming in pain. ^This...^ As Merlin screamed, a st exploded from her mouth, sending the Oni flying back with her magic. [Sonic Boom] Merlin''s scream turned back into augh, "Fall from the sky, I call a hammer of thunder!" A ck cloud formed in the sky, crackling with lightning. The Oni swung her staff, trying to inscribe a fly spell. CLAP! Lightning fell from the cloud, striking her. "More and More!" Merlin pped her hands, the orb orbiting her shing with lightning. CLAP! CLAP! One lightning bolt after the other, the Oni got struck several times before she could start flying normally. ^She''s using all three arcane focuses. The broom acts as a staff, empowering her spells. I can''t destroy that as it''s now taken the shape of the golem. The crystal orb around her increases her uracy and control over magic while the wand in her greatly enchants her casting speed.^ The Oni pulled a new staff, a ck one, and pointed it at Merlin. "How long can you keep that up?" A long firence emerged in front of the Oni''s staff, "Primordial fire, the heat of creation!" [Vuur Zonne-as] Thence rushed at Merlin like a missile, its light illuminating the abyss. Merlin waved her hand, creating a domed barrier to deflect it. The Oni smiled, pointing down with her fingers. Thence shifted its direction and hit the Golem in the chest, setting it aze. "Let''s start by taking your firepower, shall we?" The Oniughed. "HAAAAAAAAAA!" Merlin cried, the golem''s head she was sitting on burning beneath her. "My ARAD!" SWOSH! Suddenly the mes faded and only left vapor rushing out of the golem, and the two wizards stared at the golem, surprised. "AH!" Merlin gasped, "I forgot, he''s made of green wood, that isn''t dried yet and is hard to burn." ZON! The Oni teleported right behind Merlin. She expected her spell to fail, but not for that reason. Anyway, it doesn''t change her ns. SWOSH! She swung her fist at Merlin, trying to use her superior body to knock her out. Onis average around ten feet in height, and their muscture structure helps support that, making them able to easily beat an untrained human. Thud! Merlin caught the Oni''s wrist, she wasn''t an untrained human. CRACKLE! An electric pulse flew from Merlin''s hand, zapping the Oni. As the Oni cried, Merlin followed with a p to the face, shocking her once again. The Oni grunted, tanking the hit and swinging a kick at Merlin''s face. With a smile on her face, Merlin ducked beneath the kick, creating a small gravity source in her palm and using it to snap the Oni''s wrist she was still holding. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om CRACK! CRACK! Merlin followed it with several punches, filling the Oni''s body with lightning. ^This woman is martially talented.^ Attempting to use raw power against Merlin fired back worse than she could have anticipated. [Burning sh] The Oni ignited her body in a fiery ze, trying to prevent Merlin from getting closer to her. "Get her!" Merlin jumped back with a smile and the golem caught the Oni in his hand, trying to crush her. GAH! She puked blood, feeling her ribs cracking. [DEMON FLASH BURST] CRACKLE! The Oni''s body shed with magic and Merlin''s vision got engulfed in a blinding light. BOOOOM! The mes rose to the sky as the fire of the hells burst into life, shattering the golem and sting Merlin away. "Did she self-destruct?" Merlin gasped, her vision blurry from the sudden sh. CRACK! She then felt something pierce her chest, "I got you," The Oni giggled, blood dripping from her mouth. "I didn''t want to use that as it weakened my mana poll, but it''s worth it to take your heart." CRACKE. She pulled Merlin''s heart out, "It''s here you die, wizard. You''ve done well for a human," Merlin lifted her shaking hand, putting it inside the gaping hole in her chest. "This is..." She said with a sad face, pulling an empty potion from the wound. "Huh?" The Oni stared at her, confused. That was the restorative potion she once gave to Alcott. [MAGICAL SPLASH FLARE] Merlin released all of her mana out, breaking it and forcing an explosion. A blinding pure white light illuminated the abyss as a shock wave reached the loweryers. The Oni didn''t get a chance to know what happened before her own mana ignited, erasing her with everything else. Chapter 505 The Demon Queen

Chapter 505 The Demon Queen

"So," Ginger sat on a stone, staring at the rotten forest ahead of her, "Are you done yet?" The whole forest burned in red mes, and therge tree demon cried, "You''re a vampire! Your magic shouldn''t affect me!" "Hehe," Ginger giggled, "I don''t need to rely on my vampire powers," She lifted her hand, [Fire Strom] "I''m a wizard after all," She watched as the forest burned, "You demons tried to pick an opponent that has an advantage against us, but your n would backfire. S-ranks always have multiple ways of dishing damage, or resisting it." She then looked back. ^I''m more worried about Arad. He has multiple skills, but I fear he won''t be able to keep up.^ "Firewood," Ginger stared down with a smile, "Where is our dragon? Where did you send him? Tell me, and I might let you live." The treeughed as it burned to ash, "There is no need to hide it anymore. He''s sent to his death. Lady Zuggtmoy awaited him," Ginger started sweating, ^The demon queen of fungi, even the four of usbined won''t be able to stand against it.^ CRACK! The sky above them cracked, and Merlin flew in, "Ginger! You''re fine?" Ginger looked up, "I felt your magical ssh re from here. That was an impressive burst for a support wizard." "I do train," She looked at the burning forest, "You seem to be done here. Let''s head to find the rest." "You won''t put the mes out?" The demon tree growled as she saw Ginger and Merlin flying away. Ginger stopped and looked back at it, "I said. I might, and I decided I won''t." **** "Arad is facing Zuggtmoy. We need to get to him first." Ginger said, and Merlin nodded. "I know, I already tried teleporting there, but a magic barrier is stopping me. That demon queen is blocking us." Merlin looked at her crystal orb, "We need to find Alcott and Nina while I''m trying to crack her barrier." "Got it," Ginger nodded as they phased through reality. **** Arad stared at the demon queen, feeling the heavy pressure of her magic. ^I don''t know where I am. I can''t teleport away,^ [This is bad. Run while I figure a way out.] Mom said. ^[I doubt even I can beat her, but I should be able to help. Keep running for now, and don''t take any direct hits.]^ BAM! Arad lunged back, extending his hand forward. [Gravity magic: One source] He created a gravity orb behind Zuggtmoy to pull her away from himself. "Hehe," Sheughed, unaffected by his magic. "The pull is weak," She red at Arad. [Spring Fungi] CLICK! Arge mushroom appeared behind Arad,pressing and then releasing all that power in one go, smacking Arad in the back. CRACK! He could feel his spine crack, his body few directly toward Zuggtmoy who caught him in her embrace. "Don''t run away from me. Soon, you will serve me for the rest of your life." She smiled. ROAR! Arad screamed, his body bursting into mes. The fire quickly grewrger andrger, from red to blue then to white, exploding in a massive rose. ZON! ZON! ZON! Arad teleported away, but Zuggtmoy kept teleporting after him, making sure he didn''t get out of her embrace. "You''re an energetic one," She giggled, her spores digging into the wound on his back. CLAP! Arad pped his hands. [Void Expansion: ORION] SWOSH! The ck void consumed everything around them as Arad''s body expanded, growing wings and ws. The vampiric wyrmwolf roared as it soared across the empty void. Zuggtmoy smiled, "A void born, but you''re young." [Spawns of the Bog] Hundreds of demons appeared out of nowhere, rushing toward Arad even though they were in his void. Arad''s six eyes shifted in color, glowing with a bright green glow. CRACK! The demons around him turned to stones, petrified with his gaze. The modification Doma was working on inside his eyes and brain was this, giving him traits simr to Medusa. CLAP! Zuggtmoy pulled a quarterstaff made of one long fungus, "Curse of petrification, how impressive." She jumped up, pointing at him. "By the order of the demon lord, turn back to a humanoid." Arad''s body froze in ce, morphing back to his humanoid form. Zuggtmoy stared at him with a smile. "I rule this ce, and no one can go against my rules. Think of it like your void expansion." BAM! He lunged back, swinging his fist at her face. She dodged and smacked him to the face, sending him rolling across the ground and bursting his void expansion open. "I won''t survive here if I can''t deal with someone like you," She smiled, approaching him. "But, you''re doing well for a toddler." Arad tried to stand, blood gushing from his mouth. She ripped a wound inside his stomach. Her attacks are wider than they seem. He red back at her, ROAR! Without a warning, he unleashed a void breath at her. Thud! Zuggtmoy took one step, bypassing the breath and appearing behind Arad. "You''re slower than me, weaker, and have less magic, experience, and even natural talent." She giggled, tapping his back with her hand, "And worse, you''re fighting me in my domain. You''re going to lose, no matter what," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om SWOSH! Arad turned, swinging a kick at her face. She dodged, but he followed with several fists, trying to chain some ps into them. He even tried to hide a nipple knife stabbed in the middle, but she weaved them all. CLAP! She caught his hands and smiled, pulling him toward her, "I can''t wait to have you serve me for the rest of time." She kissed him, her spores rushing through his mouth and into his body. Arad''s body stopped moving, the light in his eyes fading as the fungus spread across his veins and muscles, eating him from the inside out. Zuggtmoy giggled, "A new servant. It will take a while for you to wake up, so I will be waiting," She turned to leave, letting him fall face first on the ground. The fungi grew from Arad''s back, consuming his corpse as the demon queen walked away. Then, a faint pink glimmer faintly glows in his eyes with tattoos emerging on his skin. Chapter 506 A Challenger

Chapter 506 A Challenger

SWOSH! CRACK! Demogorgan flew across the sky from Gojo''s kick, smashing into a mountain peak and bouncing back. GAH! He gasped, opening his eyes to see Gojo staring down at him, about to throw a punch. "You bastard!" Demogorgan shouted. THWACK! Gojo punched him in the face, sending him down with a shockwave strong enough to disperse the clouds covering the peak. BOOOM! Demogorgan smacked into the ground, shattering the forest and barely standing up, one of his jaws torn apart, and blood gushed out. ^I only have a quarter of my power, but none should be able to harm me. Who is that man?^ "You done yet?" Gojo said, standing behind Demogorgan with a smile. The demon lord red back, the white hair and blue eyes giving him shbacks. ^He looks just like him.^ "Who are you?" He growled. Gojo stared at him, "You''re quite tough. Most would have turned to mush from that," He started stretching. "I asked who are you?" Demogorgan shouted, his wounds already healed as his two heads grunted. PEW! In the blink of an eye, Gojo lunged at the demon lord, grabbing his right head and punching his left head. CLAP! The ground beneath them shattered. BLUGH! Demogorgan coughed blood. ^Heavy, it''s not just weight.^ "Get away from me!" He screamed, unleashing a st that sent Gojo flying back. Thud! Gojonded on his feet, walking toward the demon lord with a smile. "You''re stronger than I expected. You really should have died from those hits," ring at him with two glowing blue eyes. ^I can''t sense anything strange from him, and that''s strange.^ Demogorgan thought, ^He looks nothing more than a regr human, but why do I see him in him?^ He grunted, "You''re good at hiding your power, excellent, I dare say." Demogorganughed, "I''m sure your soul would be worth the effort." CLACK! In the blink of an eye, he swung his tentacles. Thud! SWOSH! Gojo dodged each swing. His eyes were fixated on the demon lord as he analyzed his speed, power, and magic purity. Everything was excellent, far more than he ever saw in anyone else. He might be the second strongest being, aside from his mother, going by how she attacked him. CLACK! Gojo caught one of Demogorgan''s tentacles and smiled, "I like it. It''s been a while since I had to fight like this." He startedughing. Gojo''s eyes opened wide as mana rushed out of his body, rising to the sky like a beam of light. ^This mana...^ Demogorgan gasped, ^Denser than air?^ CLAP! Gojo put his hands together, [Ice Magic: Mighty Fortress] Ice rushed from beneath Gojo''s feet, freezing the whole forest in a sh. Massive walls of ice started rising from the ground, forming a great fort engulfing the whole area. CRACK! Demogorgan could feel his feet freezing. This fortress forcibly tries to freeze anything inside or around it except the caster. Continuous frost damage also exhausts and sap the stamina. "I''ll melt it in a sh," He opened his maws, exhaling a massive st of fire. CRACKLE! Engulged in lightning, Gojo appeared beneath Demogorgan''s jaw, swinging an ice de. [Thunder Step] He pushed the sword into the demon lord''s chest and touched his stomach with his hand. [Force st] BA-BA-BAM! Three consecutive bursts of force sted the demon lord back. CLOCK! Demogorgan''s tentacle wrapped around Gojo''s leg, pulling him closer. "This powerful magic, you remind me of him," [Demon Spray] Demogorgan pointed his tail at Gojo, sshing a ck liquid at a blinding speed. Gojo could see it, but it was too fast for him to dodge, especially when caught by the demon lord''s tentacles. But, his instincts told him, he shouldn''t let himself be touched with something he doesn''t understand, the fear of the unknown. [Time Stop] Gojo started moving, leaving after images as he cut Demogorgan''s tentacle, rushed behind him, and then kicked him into the fortress''s wall. Inside the stopped time, he can''t cast magic. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ZON! CLAP! One second, Demogorgan had his hold on Gojo, and in the same second, he was stuck to the wall, puking blood. Demogorgan stared at Gojo, rage swelling in his chest. ^Time maniption? Who is this man? I, a demon is losing?^ CRACK! Gojo ripped his shirt off, remaining in a tank top as he took a stance, taking a deep breath. Lightning started crackling from his back as pure magic dripped from his eyes. The magic form is dual cast. Magic type, Innate and learned. Start constructing the learned magic first. The spell is [Nutron''s Pulse], and the goal is to form a powerful maic field in the shape of a cone, starting from Demogorgan all the way back until five hundred meters from the closest humanoid. The magic is the innate expansion of the void, [Void Expansion, twisted void] But constrain it to two targets, me and Demogorgan. All the void between my fist and his chest should copse, pulling me toward him. Upon impact, release the hold on the matter that gotpressed between us, and unleash the st through the [Nutron''s Pulse] ^He''s gathering an enormous amount of magic? I should escape to the abyss. I have an advantage there.^ That was the first thing Demogorgan thought of. [Quasar] Everything shed white as Gojo sted at Demogorgan. The shockwave could be heard from the elvish capital half an hourter, and its light illuminated the sky in a blinding sh. Thud! Gojonded in the burningnd, staring around. A ck crack in the sky was left where Demogorgan was."I''m sure I punched him. Did he escape?" Thud! Demogorgan fell into the abyss, half of his body blown off. "To think. I would be injured twice in a row. Is the age of the godsing back, the age where monsters roam the world." He stood, giggling as his body instantly regenerated. "A quarter of my power isn''t enough to stop that man. I should wait here, and I will kill him first when I recover." He swore vengeance. CRACK! A massive ck w emerged from the closing gate, and Demogorgan could feel a shiver run down his spine. A massive draconic eye stared from the crack, "Dinner!" A second w emerged, forcing the gate to grow wider and wider. ^He''s forcing the dimension gate to open? No way, those ck ws. The wyrms that prowl the ethereal realm between the ns of existence. Gojo slipped through the gate in his draconic form like a cat through tight fences. His eyes fixated on Demogorgan. "Found you." CLACK! Demogorgan transformed into his full form, turning to run away. [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] Chapter 507 Absolute Destruction

Chapter 507 Absolute Destruction

Demogorgan looked back as he ran away. He wants nothing to do with a void dragon. Had he known from the start, he wouldn''t have engaged in the first ce. Gojo, in his draconic form, lifted his hands. Expanding his wings as he stared at the running Demogorgan. ^Extreem regeneration, sure-kill poison, and absurd strength. Simple yet potent powers worthy of a demon lord.^ Gojo thought, the void slowly gushing between his ws. ^It''s been a while since I needed to use this at full power. I hope you survive it so we can fight again.^ [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] Gojo''s void expanded in the blink of an eye, swallowing four thousand kilometers of sphere around him. Unlike Arad''s expansion, he didn''t suck things into his stomach but instead twisted the void of the real world. They were in the middle of Demogorgan''s domain in the abyss, thends he ruled and drove power from. Yet, arge chunk of it was covered in the blink of an eye, trapping him inside. Inside his domain, the demon lord Demogorgan is effectively an immortal being, an indestructible entity that towers over everything else. Yet, even he runs away from an adult void dragon, as those creatures are unfair, much like the other magic dragons, the light and time dragons. Since he was in the abyss, Gojo didn''t need to hold back or care about his surroundings. All he needed was to st the demon lord with everything he had. SWOSH! Demogorgan''s body got sted into vapor. A void exists everywhere. Gojo''s void erased it from the atoms, causing them to copse and fuse together. The result was extremely unstablepressed matter, waiting to burst in a nuclear fusion. From every point in Gojo''s expansion, that fusion exploded toward Demogorgan over and over, fueled by the matters he consumed from the abyss when expanding his void. Even though the crust looked pitch ck, the insides of Gojo''s expansion shined with light brighter than the stars as countless beams of light rained down on the demon lord, killing him hundreds of thousands of times. After about one minute, Gojo could feel that he was running out of matter to burn, amon problem in his domain. Shifting his hands, Gojo decreased the radius of his domain by five hundred meters, creating out outeryer of void that pulls matter into it. The demons who were right on the edge screamed as they ran away, seeing mountains get swept into this burning engine of doom. After sucking a full kilometer of matter around his expansion, Gojo''s five hundred meters of void reached its limit pulling rate and couldn''t suck more. Yet, he wasn''t satisfied with how many times Demogorgan had died, so he went for more. Gojo closed his wings, falling with the demon lord across theyers of the abyss. His expansion ate everything in their way as he kept cooking Demogorgan. Demon lords are immortal as the abyss itself, even if they were killed, their bodies will form once again from the ashes of the limitless darkness of the abyss. Yet, they kept their memories and power. The countless deaths Gojo inflicted on Demogorgan seeped into his soul and mind, cracking them piece by piece until that became the norm. CRACK! Gojo''s void expansion stopped, and hended on the ground, staring forward. The newly regenerated body of the demon lord Demogorgan stood motionless as a corpse. His mind and soul already epted death. It will be another century until he recovers. Gojo stared at him, "As much as I want to eat you, I doubt my stomach can digest an immortal being, you would only give me pain for now," He turned, to leave, "Stay here like preserved meat, until I grow old enough to devour your soul." FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! He soared across the sky of the abyss, the demons watched in terror from afar as the outsider cracked a massive portal in the sky, leaving with a roar as he only left destruction in his wake. CRACK! The sky in the world shattered Gojo fell down in his humanoid form,nding in Arad''s forest. He looked around with a smile, "Got the coordination right," "You''re back, what happened to that demon lord?" Zephyr was there awaiting him. If he had run back here, she would have needed to fight Demogorgan herself. "I won," He replied. "That thing is immortal, especially in the abyss." She stared at him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "You''re more absurd than your brother," She sighed. "I''m older, after all, he would be just as strong when he ages. All living beings struggle in their early life, striving to survive and grow." Gojo walked toward Zephyr, cracking his neck. "That was a bit exhausting so I''m going to rest a bit, call me if any other monster appeared." "I could feel that Demogorgan was weakened a lot. I doubt you would win against a full-powered demon lord." She stared at him. Gojo scratched his chin, "Nah, I''d win." He giggled, "I have to, I must win." He looked back at her, "Me and Arad lost our parents. I feel like it''s my responsibility as the older one to make sure my younger brother has a home to return to." Zephyr smiled, "He has wives, unlike you," "Ick the drive of the void dragons," Gojo giggled, "That''s why I must protect my brother''s hoard. You, his wives, this city, and the people in it. All are a part of his wealth. If he doesn''t feel safe leaving it in his brother''s hand, then to whom?" ZON! Gojo disappeared. **** As Zuggtmoy walked back toward her throne, Arad stood behind her. She stopped, "It should take several hours for you to wake up. Were you weaker than I thought?" CRACKE! The fungi on Arad''s body withered as he patted the dust out of his clothes. "How annoying. He already saw it," A woman''s voice came from Arad''s throat, and Zuggtmoy stared back. "The grim future I saw," Doma said, extending her hand forward. "Who are you?" Zuggtmoy red at Arad, sensing that the one talking was someone else. "A cursed brat who saw the future," Doma replied. "Now, pay for your sins with your destiny. Whore who daredy her hands on my husband," Chapter 508 Doma’s Curse

Chapter 508 Doma''s Curse

Doma lifted her hand, "Prepare to die," CRACKE! The sky above them cracked, and the two looked up in shock. Arge demon lunged out, flying toward Zuggtmoy, crying his eyes. "Mother! Save me!" CLANG! From behind him, Merida lunged out, slicing his body in half. The rampaging Merida. Her goal was to end the infection and the fate that fell upon her family. To that end, she was no fool. Killing the infected was meaningless, and even killing the demon that contracted the Cuchi family was foolish. Unless she burns the main source, their rot will spread again, and the demon queen will send another demon to lead her armies. Merida wanted the demon queen dead, and the fungus infecting her body wished a simr goal, to overthrow their mother and take control of her power. To both ends, their way leads only to Zugtmoy''s death. A symbiotic rtionship was born between the two. The fungi draw power from Zuggtmoy and give it to Merida, and she uses her skills and will to guide that power back toward the demon queen. Doing that will slowly cause Zuggtmoy''s power to flood into Merida''s fungi, and when the bnce ticks in its favor for more than half, the demon queen''s authority will shift users. Merida and her fungi goal were obvious, get as close to Zuggtmoy as possible and sh with her. Suck over half of her power and take her ce. Merida''s eyes shifted aside, seeing Arad. "Arad?" She gasped. "No time to exin!" Doma replied, "His brain and spine were damaged, it will take him a few minutes to wake up again," She pointed one finger at Zuggtmoy. [Unluck] Zuggtmoy could feel her limbs getting weaker. ^["We talk over this! She can''t hear us this way."]^ Doma created a telepathic link between her and Merida. ^["What brought you here?"]^ ^["Those are my words! What is Arad doing here? He wasn''t supposed to get involved in this mess."]^ Merida screamed back at her. ^["We came looking for you, then this demon queen pulled us to her domain. I was nning to blind her and run away, but having you here gives us a fighting chance."]^ Doma smiled, ^["Isn''t that right? Fungus?"]^ The fungus in Merida''s body giggled. At this point, it had already developed its own consciousness. ^["I already absorbed 10% of mother''s power. Get me over 50%, and it will be our win."]^ Doma lifted her hand, [Chained: Taurus] Chains appeared around Merida''s neck and torso. ^["Sorry, a temporary curse. But it will increase your physical powers in exchange for your magic and freedom."]^ ^["You can do that?"]^ Merida and the fungi are two in one. But are still two separate souls. By cursing Merida to be her ve for a few minutes, she could rob her of all her mana and then grant her one of Arad''s constetion Taurus. The same curse she used on her parents to grant them curses after death. BAM! The two lunged at Zuggtmoy, Merida taking the frontline while Doma supported her with spells from the back. ^["One minute and a half until Arad wakes up. I only hope hees sane."]^ Doma dered. ^["I''ll need seven minutes to reach 50%. Let''s hope he can at least help."]^ The fungus added. ^["Since most of his nervous system got destroyed, his consciousness retreated to my soul, and we switched ces. But that also means he can see my mind."]^ Doma said as she sted Zuggtmoy away as Merida shed her. ^["I know you might have some embarrassing memories, but it''s not time to worry about that."]^ Merida replied. ^["He can see everything about me if he wants. What I fear is him looking through my irvoyance. It''s the natural talent I used to see him when I was young."]^ Doma flew back, conjuring a barrier to protect Merida from one of Zuggtmoy''s attacks. ^["Then I hope he can see a way to beat this thing."]^ ^["I shouldn''t call it a talent, but a curse. It''s my curse, and only I should suffer from it. He doesn''t need to see what shouldn''t be seen."]^ **** SWOSH! Arad floated in the middle of the air, looking down only to see himself and all his wives standing in front of a silver coffin. He''s the one who carried it all the way to arge golden tomb, leaving it in the central chamber. Hundreds of years passed, and he finally reached his twilight, turning into dust and leaving his wives awaiting. Massive ant-like beasts destroying the world, and inds floating in the limitless blue sky. Thousands of years passed, and he could see white-haired twins chained down to an altar with a cult screaming his name. From their ritual, he emerged yet turned to on them, dropping the world''s inds back to the ground. Several thousand years, and he woke up from his slumber, surpassing the limits of his twilight. On a journey he went, chasing the remnants of his wives to summon them back to him. In front of his eyes, hundreds of thousands of years passed, and the world changed rapidly. A retired god fooling with humans, a little girl falling back into the golden temple he once put the coffin in, and a great power answering her call. A one year that seemed like an eternity when the world stopped moving. Arad''s mind got bombarded with the unhinged nature of Doma''s curse, irvoyance that looks into the future. "GAH!" Arad opened his eyes, panting as he fell to his knees. "What?" He looked aside, seeing Merida dodging Zuggtmoy''s mushroom tentacles, slicing them one after the other. BAM! Zuggtmoy turned, seeing Arad with a clenched fist behind. ^This witch never...wait, where are the tattoos?^ Arad had seen glimpses of the far future, informing him that what he knew, the power he currently possesses is a mere droplet in what awaits. Merida, the one he came searching for is here with him. All he needs is to stop this demon so she can be safe. ^I did it before in hell, and I can do it again. Just like how my brother did it, how Doma exined it first. The void exists everywhere. Crush it with your will and cause it to copse.^ CLACK! Arad''s fist smashed into Zuggtmoy''s face, and blue lightning crackled from his knuckles up to his shoulders. The air between his fist and Zuggtmoy''s face crumbled on itself, igniting in a bright sh. It was far weaker than what Gojo could produce, but the same thing nheless. Just like a kid''s punchpared to that of an adult, what Aradcked was only time. A beam of light shed, and Zuggtmoy''s body flew away, missing half of her face. "DOMA!" Arad shouted, "Prepare to st her with Orion!" Arad clenched his fists as massive amounts of his mana flew to the sky, conjuring a massive lump of stone. "Merida! Come with me. We''re holding her off!" BAM! He lunged forward, swinging his fist at the demon queen. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "YES!" Merida cried, rushing after him. Unlike Demogorgan, Zuggtmoy relied more on her servants than her raw power. He was a lone hunter, while she was amander. Chapter 509 Power From The Scales

Chapter 509 Power From The Scales

CLANG! Zuggtmoy flew back, ring at the two rushing at her. Arad pulled the adamantine sword from his stomach. ^Doma, you two had a n, right?^ She started dumping the information into his head as he swung his sword. CLANG! CLANG! Using her long mushroom tentacles, Zuggtmoy deflected Arad''s swings and tried to stab his head. CLACK! Merida jumped in, deflecting the tentacle before it could pierce Arad''s neck. Arad jumped over Merida''s back and swung a punch at Zuggtmoy''s face. CRACKLE! She could feel her neck crack, and the shockwave of his punch radiated down to her feet. SWOSH! Merida slipped between Arad''s legs and swung her sword at Zuggtmoy''s knees. CRACK! She couldn''t cut them, but the impact was enough to drop her down. Before she could hit the ground, Arad kicked her face, forcing her to stand again where Merida swung at her face. ^Those two... are in sync. No, she''s the one following his moves. At this rate, getting out of theirbo is hard.^ Zuggtmoy thought, being thrown left and right by Arad and Merida. ^At this rate, they would kill me...^ Her rocked from left to right, white mucus sshing out of her wounds. ^NO! Even one death is insulting,^ Her eyes turned white. [Fungal Garden] From the ground around Zuggtmoy''s feet, sharp mushrooms sprouted like spears, as thick as hair. Arad snatched Merida and started void stepping everywhere, dodging the countless thrusts. ^Should I transform, no, that would make me arger target.^ Arad started thinking of a n to buy time. ^She can''t be petrified and doesn''t have blood, so my vampire skills won''t work. She''s quite resistant to magic as well.^ Merida''s fungus slowly absorbed Zuggtmoy''s power and weakened her, but that takes time. Arad''s mind raced to find a way to survive, even for a few more minutes. It was then that the images Arad saw from Doma''s irvoyance came to his mind. ^In the far future, humans used my scales to lift inds into the sky to escape the monsters ravaging thend.^ Thud! Arad stood, letting Merida stand behind him as he smiled. With his nails, scrapped scales from his shoulders and arms. "I got a nice idea." ^It''s the same in the capital when I spread my magic with void expansion to locate targets and activate magic around them. But not I''ll use a more permanent attachment.^ He threw one fist-full toward Zuggtmoy and sent one into his stomach. The scales around Zuggtmoy started floating, pulling stones toward them with gravity magic until they formed one-meter radius balls. They then burst into mes, resembling meteors as they started orbiting Zuggtmoy, ready to fall on her head. "I do have more," A wall of the void appeared behind Arad and the weapons he gathered from all the bandits he killed slowly poked through, pointing at Zuggtmoy. "I have a hoard, a treasury, so I might as well use it." ^All those weapons have a scale on them that he uses to control them with gravity magic.^ Zuggtmoy stared at Arad, ^This bastard, he''s growing by the second.^ "DIE!" Zuggtmoy pointed her palm at him, sending hundreds of tentacles his way. BAM! Arad rushed forward, the swords floating around him deflecting Zuggtmoy''s tentacles and shattering with each deflection. CLACK! The meteors he created started smacking Zuggtmoy left and right, never giving her a chance to rest or focus. "As I thought!" Zuggtmoy growled, "You kind are better off dead! You magic dragons are monsters that shouldn''t exist!" The tentacles rushing at Arad increased. Thud! [Time Slow] Arad has been keeping this in the back seat. He didn''t touch it since thest fight he had with Five. But it''s always nice to keep a hidden card all the time. Time slowed by 90% and Arad''s sword burst with void as jets of me pushed him from the back, elerating him further. Arad cut all of Zuggtmoy''s tentacles in the blink of an eye, his de reaching her body before she could even realize it. "Action surge, adrenaline rush," VROOOM! CLAP! Twenty-eight attacks fell on Zuggtmoy, chopping her head off and dicing her body as Arad sted through her. At that moment, when Zuggtmoy realized that her head was chopped, all the meteors fell on her, exploding with enough power to incinerate her flesh. Arad stood in the back,ughing as blood trailed down his nose. Keeping all this magic active wasn''t easy on his mind, but he wasn''t going to stop anywhere soon. Each time a meteor exploded, Arad''s scale flew out of it, picked more stone, and ignited again for another attack. An endless rain of meteors kept falling on where Zuggtmoy dropped as Arad tried his best to keep her dead as long as possible. ^He''s a monster,^ The fungi in Merida''s body said. ^Stop talking and hurry. We need you to absorb her power as quickly as possible.^ Merida growled at him. ^I don''t know how long he willst,^ ^Gentle words from the one who once tried to throw all of this on him and hide behind his back,^ The fungi replied. ^Shut up! That''s none of your business!^ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ^Just saying, but I''m at 30% of her power. Hold for a bit longer.^ CRACKLE! As Merida watched, she heard something in the sky. Orion, the constetion Arad assigned Doma to create. As she looked up, her eyes opened wide. A titanic ball of mes zed above them, and aet powerful enough to st the demon queen to ash was getting born. [Halley''s Comet] At one moment, an aneurysm burst in Arad''s brain from keeping this much magic active, and his mind stopped working for a second. That slither of time was enough for Zuggtmoy toe back to life, sending one of her tentacles zing toward him and piercing his chest. "You''re still a mere mortal!" Zuggtmoy shouted as her body regenerated. Thud! Arad crabbed her tentacle with his hand, a smile on his face, "I caught you." "40%!" Merida shouted. [Void Expansion: Devouring void] Chapter 510 Void’s Assault

Chapter 510 Void''s Assault

[Void Expansion: Devouring void] Darkness expanded from Arad, covering him, Zuggtmoy, and Merida in the blink of an eye. The demon queen stared at Arad as her tentacle pierced his chest. "Useless struggle. I don''t need to breathe, and such pressure won''t pose a problem for me," Zuggtmoy smiled. Zuggtmoy, the demon queen of fungi. She didn''t need to breathe, and creatures at her power level were already beings above the natural order. Surviving in the void for a few hours wouldn''t be a problem for her. CRACK! A fistnded on her face. From one eye, she saw a ragged man with a ck beard, a blinded left eye, and a smile on his face. Behind him, tens of armed men and women lunged with blood spears. ^Vampire spawns?^ Zuggtmoy knew what they were instantly. "Such weaklings, do you think they can..." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om CRACKLE! Lightning crackled from the bearded man''s fist, exploding with a sh and ripping half of her face out. That was the same beam Arad used before. BAM! The bearded man jumped back, carrying Arad, and flying away. "Deal with her!" He shouted. As her face regenerated, Zuggtmoy''s eyes could see it, the scales of Arad imnted deep into the spawn''s bodies. Just like the meteors, he can activate his magic on them. The spawns jumped at her, thrusting with their spears, punching and kicking like they went insane. Each of their attacks unleashed a beam of light, ripping her body apart. The bearded man looked back, "Gang up on her! Rip her apart! You''re bandits. You know how to do that," He smiled, "It''s the Master''s orders! Keep her at bay at all costs!" The spawns weren''t fast enough to keep up with Zuggtmoy''s speed, but since the bearded man''s fist punchnded and stunned her for a while, they could keep her locked in a stun by damaging her constantly. **** Blugh! Arad coughed blood as his chest slowly healed, "Master! Here, blood," The bearded man pulled a red potion. Arad downed the potion immediately and took a deep breath, "Thanks, Zora. I didn''t think this would work as well as I expected it." "I told you to trust us," The bearded man smiled, "No matter how strong an opponent is, once we get him beneath our boots, they are merely a rug," He then looked toward Zuggtmoy, and the spawns, "Is what I want to say, but that''s a demon lord, the demon queen Zuggtmoy." He growled, "I doubt the boys can keep her busy for longer," Arad and Zora stopped, "You go protect Merida. We don''t want her or the fungi interrupted. I will st Zuggtmoy," "Take care, Master. No, My Lord!" Zora flew toward Merida as Arad faced Zuggtmoy. Arad took a deep breath, ripping his shirt off with one hand. ^Brother mentioned that Eris''s sma was a mix of lighting and fire magic drawn from her draconic blood.^ ZON! A massive ball of stone and dirt appeared above Arad''s head. CRACK! In the blink of an eye, it got crushed into a nail-sized marble of pure light. The marble ofpressed voidless matter floated down to Arad''s face. He opened his mouth, transforming into his half-dragon form. Lightning crackled from his wings and shoulders as mes burned inside his chest, escaping from his nose and mouth. Arad opened his jaw, swallowing the orb of light. CRACK! He stood on all fours, anchoring himself to the ground with all his limbs and tail. His stomach and chest expanded, white light escaping through his flesh as thepressed matter and sma got mixed inside him. His half-dragon body wasn''t able to contain all that heat and power, so he shifted into his full draconic form. ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! The light expanded from his stomach. Up to his chest and through his long neck, the vtile mixture released an ear-piercing screech as it boiled, even in the void, signaling that whatever Arad was about to spit out. It was louder, not just in sound. Zora stared at Merida, "Close your ears. If we can hear it now. It means matter is escaping from his body to the void." "I can hear you, and who are you?" Merida stared at him. The man crossed his arms, "Zora, former bandit leader and currently the second inmand for My Lord''s spawns. We can hear each other because my lord is covering your body with air so you can breathe. It''s a two-meter radius sphere around you, and since I''m in it, we can talk." "And that attack is?" Merida asked. The man scratched his beard, "Excuse mynguage,dy, but I can''t find other words to describe it." He pointed toward Zuggtmoy. "That attack is so horrid I can''t see anything surviving it, living, inanimate, or else. It burns everything, causing the matter itself to ignite." He smiled. "I call it the [Fuck everything in that general direction]." CLACK! Arad''s jaw opened, and a beam of white light rushed out. Bursting with a loud boom Merida felt her bones crack from the sound alone. SPLAT! The spawns turned to blood, escaping away as Zuggtmoy regenerated. She looked to the side, seeing the pure light rushing at her. "What?" It didn''t even take a fraction of a second for Arad''s breath to evaporate her body with everything else in her direction. Even his expansion got ripped open from the side. "Did he get her?" Merida looked closely, but she could see something forming back up. She was an undying demon lord. Even if her whole body was evaporated, she would get resurrected by the abyss itself. ZON! ZON! ZON! More light started emerging in Arad''s stomach. "No way! He can fire that thing multiple times?" Merida gasped. "No, he can''t," Zora growled, ring at Arad, "My Lord! Stop it! Your organs are already charred from the first breath!" He screamed, but Arad kept charging his breath. Zora scratched his head, "I said stop it! You will lose control over it and explode. You''ll kill us all including her!" He pointed at Merida. ZON! Arad stopped charging the second breath and fell down, bleeding from his mouth and nose. After about half a minute, Zuggtmoy''s body reformed, and she stared at them with a smile, "Did he finally fall? That annoying void brat?" Sheughed. "Huh?" A woman''s voice came from the peak of Arad''s expansion. Everyone looked up to see a pink-haired elvish woman staring down with two glowing pink eyes. "What did you just call my husband? Whore." Doma red down at Zuggtmoy, lifting one finger to the sky. "I said it, didn''t I? You''re going to pay with your destiny." Something ranked in Merida''s head, "We''re over 50%! Her demon lord status has transferred to my fungus! She''s a mere demon now!" "What?" Zuggtmoy looked at her hands. She can no longer hear the voices of her fungi around the abyss. She was overthrown from her throne. Doma smiled, "Demons like you should crawl on the ground like worms. This suits you more," SWOSH! She pointed down with her finger. CRACK! Arad extended his wing over Merida and Zora, covering them as his void expansion disappeared. As Doma''s figure disappeared with the void expansion, arge meteor was revealed in the sky. [Halley''s Comet] One of the strongest meteors in the Orionids of Orion constetion. Chapter 511 Birth Of A New Demon Lord

Chapter 511 Birth Of A New Demon Lord

[Halley''s Comet] As the burning meteor fell from the sky, the ground turned red, burning from the heat. "You can''t protect anyone in this state," A voice came from Merida''s body, and tens of mushroom tentacles burst from beneath her feet, forming a dome around her and Arad. Spears of fungi pierced Zuggtmoy''s limbs, holding her in ce so she wouldn''t run away. "Your power shall be mine," The voice giggled, "Today, as the pink-haired witch said, your destiny ends." "Usurper!" Zuggtmoy screamed, and the meteor crashed on her head. The heat and pressure from the impact expanded as it evaporated the ground, sending a shockwave reverberating across the abyss. The massive fireball expanded into arge mushroom, befitting the end of the fungi queen. As the ashes fell down, the fungi protecting Arad and Merida withered, and they stood up, looking at the massive crater. "Is it over?" Merida asked. "Seems like it," Arad nodded, "I can''t sense her magic anywhere," CRACK! From the ground, fungi sprouted and grew into a vaguely humanoid shape. "The previous queen is dead," It stated. "Mushroom!" Merida stared at it, "Did you take her power?" The being nodded, "The full 100% of her domain. I''m currently the demon lord of fungi." It replied. Merida sat on the ground, taking a deep breath, "So it''s over," The fungi shook its head, "No, it isn''t. My fungi are barely keeping your body alive. You better get healed soon," He pointed at her. "Broken bones, a hole in your lungs, wounded heart, your liver is cut in two, and the content of your guts should be spilling on your organs. You would die on the spot if my mushrooms stopped prolonging your life." It then looked at Arad, "Take her out, I will keep her alive until she gets fully healed." Arad shifted back into his humanoid form, barely able to stand on his own as Zora supported him. He was out of both mana and breath, it was the first time in weeks that he felt this beat up. CRACK! The sky cracked as a portal opened up. BAM! Alcott flew down,nding on his feet in a stance, holding the hilt of his sword. As if time stopped, the fungi turned and looked at him. Seeing Alcott move as if in slow motion. As Zuggtmoy''s wisdom that was stored in the fungalwork poured into his head, he could recognize Alcott''s existence. ^The hero?^ CLAP! Alcott blitzed the fungi, cutting him apart. As a shockwave burst, the fungi thought, ^That attack, he shaved off 5% of my power just like that.^ Arad only noticed Alcott''s existence when the shockwave exploded, "STOP! It''s with us!" CRACK! Alcott stopped in the middle of his fifth attack as he heard Arad''s voice. CRACKLE! The fungi''s body quickly formed back, "Damn it, that was 20% of my power, if the fifth attacknded, I would have lost another 5%," It looked at Alcott''s hands, "Demon ying sword, where were you keeping that? I doubt Zuggtmoy would have pulled you to the abyss had she known you had that," CLANG! Alcott sheathed his de and looked up. From the portal in the sky, Merlin flew down with Ginger sitting behind her carrying the still-asleep Nina. "Arad!" Merlin flew toward them. Arad looked at Alcott, "We couldn''t defeat that fungi thing without that, let him be..." Thud! He fell face first, the damage and exhaustion finally reaching him. Thud! Merlinnded and pulled one of her potions, handing it to Merida. "You drink this, it should heal you to shape," She then rushed to Arad, pulling another potion. CLING! It was then that Alcott extended his sword to her neck, "What''s that potion? It isn''t what I think, right?" He red at her. Merlin stared at him with a giggle, "His life is in danger, we have to heal him quickly," "A fighter should be able to stay at death door for a while. We take him out of here then heal him with proper spells and potions," Alcott red at her. "You want to leave him half dead?" "Better than being a woman for a month," He growled at her. Lifting Arad and looking back at the fungi. "What are you going to do?" The fungi looked around, "I do have a lot to fix here, and I need to recover the power you just sliced off from me. I''m staying here, but." He looked at Arad and Merida, "If you found yourselves stranded in the abyss, my domain is a safend for you. If you faced any of my demons, my name alone should stir them away." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What''s your name?" Alcott asked. "My name is...I don''t have one yet," It realized, "I will think of er, for now, I''m the fungi demon lord." Lifting its hand, it opened a portal to the mortal world, "We talkter, now you have to heal him." They went back to the mortal world, leaving Fungi alone in the crater. It turned around, walking in the dust. "Today, history was changed," From beneath its feet, fungi grew. It lifted its hand, "Demon lords never forget. Your image shall be carved on the abyss for all eternity," CRACKLE! A massive fungi grew from the center of the crater, reaching the sky. At its base, several statues were carved from fungi, stone, and mold. Arad in his draconic form, and Merida swinging her sword. Zuggtmoy crawled on the ground as arge meteor loomed in the sky. It pped its hands, and hundreds of fungus demons emerged from nothing, staring around in confusion. "Where is her lordship?" One asked. The fungi stared back at them, "Zuggtmoy is no more, from today, I''m your lord." All demons could feel their bodies tremble. The fungus inside them recognized the new demon lord. "BOW!" Fungi shouted, turning around toward the status and bowed, "Those who don''t, shall die," All the demons bowed. "As the new demon lord I now dere, their flesh is forbidden, their existence is essential. Don''t forget their faces as long as you live," "We shall never forget!" The demons repeated. Chapter 512 Riverside’s Inn

Chapter 512 Riverside''s Inn

Arad opened his eyes, looking at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling. He could sense it. The people around him were strangers. He sat up, pushing the bedsheet aside. He looked at the corner of the room and saw Merlin sitting there, reading a book. "You''re awake?" She asked. "No, I''m asleep." He replied with a passive face. "What happened to Merida?" "She''s in the other room asleep. Even though my potion can restore her body, it didn''t workpletely on her for two reasons." Merlin lifted her, pulling one finger, "Her body was already starving and didn''t have enough energy to heal." She then lifted another finger, "The further the target is from me, in shape and magic, the less effect this potion would have as it''s modeled after myself." Arad stood, looking around, "Where are we?" "Riverside, the east gate inn. Travel would be hard on the injured Merida, so we stopped here. It''s been almost a day." She closed her book and walked toward the window, opening it. "A beautiful city, isn''t it?" "Let''s see about that," Arad lifted his hand, and a pigeon flew through the window,nding on his wrist. "Show me everything about this city," Arad stared at the pigeon''s eyes, a purple sh glowing in both of them. FLAP! FLAP! It flew out of the window, soaring into the sky. Arad took a look at the city from the sky. Riverside is arge circr city with a river by its western side. They even have a small harbor. Then, hundreds of images flew through Arad''s head as he connected with more animals across the city. "I see, I see," He said, "The river is connected to the ocean making this ce a trade center. Most of Alina''s imported goodse from here for that reason." "You''re quick to adjust," Merlin looked at him with a smile, "It''s kinda scary," She giggled. Arad stood, "I''m going out. Is there anything else I should know?" "Nothing, we''re only waiting for Merida to wake up. Feel free to roam the city. As long as you don''t cause trouble." She pointed out. "I''m not a kid," Arad stared back at her. "You''re a kid. And Alcott is an adult yet he already started a fight with a local gang," She sighed, "Don''t be like him," She sighed, sitting back to read her book. Arad opened the door and walked to the hallway. Inspecting the wooden walls as he walked toward Merida''s room. The inn had two stories above ground. And they were on the highest one. He couldn''t sense any more people in this story. Something might be up. CLICK! He opened the room''s door and walked inside, looking at the window side bed where Merida slept. Most of her wounds healed, but she still had some broken bones and scars and looked famished. They can''t keep shoving food down her throat, so their only option is to have her eat, sleep, and repeat until her body has enough energy to be healed. Arad quickly left the room to not disturb her and walked downstairs, slowly starting to hear the ruckus from the tavern. Thud! Thud! Thud! The moment he walked down, everyone fell silent, staring at him. Even among adventurers, it was rare to see someone as huge as him. They also remembered when they came, Merlin lifting Arad and Merida with magic like they were bags of wheat. A typical scene is when rookie adventurers try their luck with powerful monsters and end up getting beaten. Arad pulled one of the counter''s chairs and sat, waving his hand at the bartender, "I want something to eat. Meat will do." The bartender looked at him, "How much, sir?" "A lot," Arad replied. "Understood," He went to the kitchen and brought arge de with five massive tomahawk steaks. "I will get drinks and something else ready," He put the meat in front of Arad and headed back inside. Arad held the steaks by the bone, munching the meat part in two bites, then crunching the bone whole like biscuits. The adventurers in the back stared in surprise. They never saw something eat the bones, let alone this fast. And the fact that he crushed them that easily with his jaw, it wasn''t hard for them to think it was rted to his massive size. When the bartender returned, the steaks were nowhere to be seen. He wasn''t in the kitchen for long, so it was strange. "Sir, I did bring you steaks, didn''t I?" He asked. Arad nodded, "I ate them, need more," He pushed the te toward him, "Double, no triple that amount," "Heee!" The bartender gasped, "It will take a while to cook them, and those are expensive. Do you really want three servings like that? You don''t mean three steaks, right?" Tap! Arad put his right hand on the left side of the counter, slowly pulling it to the right as gold coins, gems, and jewels rushed out of his palm, filling the counter with a mountain of wealth. "I can pay. Get me three servings of that. No need to cook them. And if you did, just don''t go overboard. Of course, don''t forget bread, drinks, and sd, anything that can be eaten. Bring it." SWOSH! He then swept his hand, sucking the treasures back to his stomach. "Yes, Sir!" The bartender rushed to the kitchen. To most dragons, expecting them to be unable to pay is an insult. The moment the bartender stated that Arad might not be able to pay, he had to show his wealth. After a few seconds, the bartender looked out of the kitchen, "Sorry, sir. But how much drink do you want? And what kind?" "A barrel of whatever you have," Arad replied. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "You sure?" Arad looked over the counter, seeing arge beer barrel with a faucet at the bottom. It''s two-thirds filled as the bartender was serving people from it. Arad extended his hand over the counter and lifted the heavy barrel from its edge. A shocking disy of power, but he didn''t stop there. He lifted the barrel over his head and with one hand pulled the faucet out, drinking the whole barrel in a few seconds and then putting it on the counter. "More," He red at the bartender. "YES!" Chapter 513 Mages’ squabble

Chapter 513 Mages'' squabble

CRACK! Arad put the empty te down over the stack he created. "How much was it?" "Three gold coins and fifty-one silver..." The bartender stared at the over ten tes Mount Arad left. CLACK! Arad pulled the money one of his pocket and put it on the counter, standing up to leave. The adventurers sitting there stared at him, not worried about how much money he had, but unable to figure out where he was putting all that food. He did drink almost two barrels of beer in one sitting with what seemed like half a cow, including the bones. That without counting the bread and other stuff he ate. They all watched in silence as Arad walked out of the tavern, a faint purple glow in his eyes. Each person he looked at his eyes directly, could feel a shiver down his spine. Riverside is a trade city. The streets are full of shops, stalls, and merchants shouting in the air to bring in customers. Arad walked through the busy streets, standing out as his head towered over everyone else. What could he do? Gathering information wasn''t a problem as his animals allowed him to even see things he shouldn''t around the city. For food, no matter how much he eats, it won''t be enough. For a dragon, hunting in the forests is the best source of nutrition. Usually, when he hunts, he ends up eating four to five wild buffalos, sometimes even more. The almost half a cow he ate didn''t amount to anything more than a light snack. But, there was one thing he could do. He lifted his hand, and a crownded on it, "Show me, where can I find the best cksmith," FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! The crow flew across the city, and it only took Arad a few seconds to start seeing all the cksmiths and weapons shops around the city, while listening to the people talking about them. Some shops were expensive and only sold decorated weapons that were meant for ceremonial activities. Some refurbished old weapons and some had direct links with cksmiths. Arad started walking again now that he found a decent cksmith. "You there, that was scrying magic," A voice came from behind him. When he turned, he saw a woman pointing a staff at him, charging a spell. "Aggression is a crime in cities," Arad replied, pointing at her staff. "Scrying magic could be counted in the same way," She replied, "What was that?" FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! Flocks of birds flew to Arad,nding on his shoulders and on the nearby houses. Everyone in the street ran away. "I''m a druid. I was talking with them," Arad lifted his hand, and an injured pigeonnded on it, "You humans aren''t the only ones living in the city." He pulled a healing potion from his bag and dripped a few drops from it in the pigeon''s beak, healing its broken wing. The wizard woman growled, she''s certain that she sensed psionic magic from Arad, not druidic magic. The magic that controls minds, notmunicate with them. She could sense that Arad wasn''t a normal druid, but something else, something bigger,rger, and undoubtedly more powerful. PEW! She charged the firebolt, firing it at him. Such a weak spell wasn''t something dangerous for any decent mage, and Arad was the same. Between them, it was like a friendly punch. The normal act was dispelling it, but Arad was no mage. SWOSH! The firebolt curved, flying toward the sky without even touching his body. "What?" The woman gasped, and Arad started walking toward her. Her robe started pping as she felt a force pushing her back. Suddenly, her body flew back. ^I''m getting pushed away from him? No, I''m falling away from him. Reverse gravity centered on his body.^ It didn''t take her long to understand the nature of the magic Arad was using. That was the thing that deflected the firebolt. CLAP! Her body stuck to a building as Arad kept approaching her. With each step, the pressure on her body increased. She couldn''t even move her hand to wave her staff and cast a proper spell. [Dispell magic] She growled, trying to dispel Arad''s [Reverse Gravity] But, it failed. "No, magic? Are you serious?" She could feel it. Arad didn''t cast any spell on his body. Where was this [Reverse Gravity] Coming from? Unknown to her, Arad had cast the spell on one of his scales. As long as she didn''t target that specific scale, she wouldn''t be able to dispel the magic. "You wizards! Stop it!" Two guards approached them. With a sigh, Arad stopped his [Reverse Gravity]. And the woman fell on her face, panting. "What are you?" She growled. One of the guards stared at Arad for a second, and he then started sweating, "It might be him?" He poked his friend. "No way, but...you might be right..." The other gasped, looking at Arad. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Sir, are you by any chance, Arad Orion?" He asked. "You know me?" Arad pulled out his guild card, handing it to them. "OH! SHIT!" One of them cried, "We got the real deal here," "Arad Orion? Who''s that?" The woman gasped. "We got news from the guild, an A-rank adventurer named Arad Orion wiped the floor with Five. Punched a vampire lord into Oblivion and stopped an undead invasion." The guards looked at the shocked woman, "He''s an A-rank on paper only since hecks quests finished, but in terms of power, he''s S-rank." "We''ll take her to the garrison immediately!" They didn''t say it, but the letter they received included a warning written by Five herself. Arad had the power to blow a whole city if you pissed him off, and bars can''t contain him so don''t offend him. Arad took his card back and watched as the Guards rushed to restrain the woman, "Let her go, it was just a friendly squabble between adventurers." He said. "Nobody was hurt, so it''s not a problem, right?" "Of course!" The guards cried, letting the woman go immediately. Chapter 514 Riverside Blacksmith

Chapter 514 Riverside cksmith

Arad walked away from the scene, slowly releasing the animals from his control. It was useful, and the average person wouldn''t notice it. But mages could. If he kept using it and walking around, wizards would catch him. People stared at his back as he left, looking at the guards and woman in disbelief, "Who was that?" "S-rank," One of the guards replied, "Someone stronger than what we can chain," "He beat her by just walking toward her!" A kid shouted. Pointing that from an average person''s perspective, Arad just walked toward the woman, and her body got sted to the wall. **** Arad reached the cksmith he saw, pushed the door open, and walked inside. "This should be Liora''s shop." He called. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om CRACKLE! From the back room, a five-foot-tall dwarven woman walked out. "I don''t remember telling my name to someone like you," She red at him. "The birds told me," Arad replied, lifting one of the long swords she kept on disy. "This is a nice de," "That''s a D-rank sword," She replied, "Not my proudest creation," Arad stared back at her, "I know, you hate mass-produced junk," He put the sword back in its ce. She stared at him, smiling. "I expect you came here for something else, didn''t you?" "I want a hundred weapons. I want treasures made for battle, not art pieces to be hanged." Arad stated. Since his battle with Zuggtmoy, his look wealth started to change. Gold, silver, and jewels aren''t worth his time or the space in his horde. What if he can use that money to make and buy weapons, hundreds and thousands of them? He can then switch between them freely in battle, and even summon them all at the same time as he did against Zuggtmoy. "Do you know how much money and time that will cost?" She sighed, "Are you some rich noble kid wanting to arm his personal guards?" "Are you also a fool?" Arad stared at her, "Do I look like that to you?" From behind him, ten swords emerged out of nowhere, pointing at her as they floated in the air. "I do fight with them," He then grabbed one of his swords and bit the de, shattering it. "I''m sick of using those pieces of junk. I want something that won''t shatter in one hit." "I see," She giggled, staring at one of the swords that floated around Arad. "Those are all F and E rank." "See? I want a hundred des that won''t shatter," Arad replied, "And I have the money to pay," He then paused for a second, "Wait," He closed his eyes, counting. "Do you make armor? How about different types of weapons?" She stared at him, confused. Hearing her refer to him as a noble kid wanting to arm his personal guards gave him an idea. He has around fifty vampire spawns in his blood that he can call. What if he can give them the best armor and weapons? He would have an army that he could summon at any moment at night. Or call them inside his void expansion so they won''t burn in the sun. "I do, but what are you going about?" She stared at him, even more confused. Arad smiled, "I want to arm my personal guards as well," "So you''re just another rich kid," She sighed. "Add fifty weapons and armor sets to the order," He startedughing. "I do have eleven weapons ready if you want them. Of course, I can make you everything new." She pointed behind the counter where she kept a special stash of weapons. "I don''t care if they are new or old as long as they are strong and durable." Arad replied, "Good-quality weapons are made tost," He walked there, inspecting the spears, swords, and halberds. "I will take them, how much," He asked. She went to the weapons and started counting. "This one is 1G56S, and I will give it to you for 1G45S. This one halberd is 2G, But I will give it to you for 1G75S..." "Give me the total price." Arad looked at her. He had already inspected the weapons are they were of good quality, and each of them was at least worth two gold coins. She sighed, "Fine, 17 gold coins for all of them." Arad pulled the money from his stomach and ced it on the counter. "You really can pay," She bite one of the gold coins, "Mind telling me why did youe to my shop? I''m not that famous, and certainly not the best cksmith in town." "The birds told me," He said, "You''re the most consistent with your craft. If I were to get weapons from you, I can trust they would be of equal quality. I also knew you sell cheaper than other shops based on quality." He smiled. She growled, looking away, "So you knew, each of those..." "Is worth more than 2 gold coins. You gave me a deal since you barely sold anytely," Arad said. "You got me," She sighed, scratching her head, "I would have haggled for more if I knew you wouldn''t back away from the deal." "I will get the rest of your weapons ready. But it will take time to forge them all." She stashed the gold under her desk. "I''m working alone, but I will send them to you each finished ten." Arad nodded, "Why do you work alone? No skilled enough to work with a dwarf?" "That''s a part of it," She pulled a gold coin, "And this is the second part," She sighed again, "The skilled ones are expensive. I can''t hire them," She looked at Arad, "To be honest, this is the first time I made over two gold coins in a week. Let alone in one day," Arad nodded, extending his hand into his stomach, and pulled arge bag. CLACK! He put it on the table ahead of the cksmith. "Down payment for the order, the rest once you finish or deliver a stash of weapons." He said. She opened the back and stared at it, almost getting blinded. "One hundred gold coins. It should be enough to get you started with buying material and hiring a helper," "Really?" She stared at him, "People usually only pay after they receive their weapon. Even then, they haggle for a lower price. Especially from a shop like mine." "I do not get information from humans," Arad stared at her, "I know for sure that your skills are worth it. And, there is something else." "What? Another order?" "I heard a new castle will be built soon around Alina. That would need a cksmith stationed in it." He smiled, "Get this order right, and I might be able to get this spot handed to you," Chapter 515 Blood Lord

Chapter 515 Blood Lord

CRACKLE! As Arad was talking with the cksmith, the ground shook, and she fell on the ground. "What''s this?" She cried. Arad growled, looking out the window, "I stopped monitoring for half an hour. What did happen?" FLAP! FLAP! A crow flew across the sky, ring behind the city''s walls. Soldiers stood behind the wall, forming a shield wall as mages fried from behind them. A massive horde of monsters rushed out of the mountain foot, causing havoc. "A stampede?" He mumbled, ^No, it''s not a simple one. The appearance of demons on the mountain and me being there. We must have scared the monsters, and they started running on the opposite side, which had this city.^ "I have to go," He said, walking toward the door. "Do you know something?" She asked. "Monsters, hundreds of them, are rushing at the walls," Arad replied, teleporting away. ^Half of this is my fault, and Merida is asleep in the inn right after the wall.^ He growled. [Did you take precautions?] Mom asked, and Arad confirmed with a nod. "I have both the cksmith and Merida protected with a barrier, the best I could make now." He nodded. ZON! He teleported to the top of the wall, standing between the soldiers. "GAH!" One of the soldiers cried as he saw Arad appear out of nowhere, standing there and looking above their heads. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Who are you?" Arad handed him his guild card, "I will deal with this," He looked across the battlefield. Several types of monsters were rushing at the shield wall. Most of them were monsters he never heard of. The variety of monsters made it hard for the soldiers to form a variable counter, and their forces rapidly dwindled. When a mage flung a fireball, it killed two demonic buffalo. But it empowered a smander. When they shot cold magic, it killed the smander but empowered a massive frost tiger. "S-rank Arad!" The soldier gasped with a hopeful face, "All forces! We have an S-rank! I require leadership to be switched!" He screamed. "S-rank?" The soldiers stared back with hopeful faces, "Switch approved!" Most of them cried. Since the death of the city lord, the leadership of the city has been in a shamble with several nobles fighting over resources. The soldiers were caught in the middle of it, and now have to fight with limited resources and under heavy restrictions. But under the leadership of an S-rank, all of that means nothing. It''s eliminate the threat first, and that''s what they like. Arad nodded, "Fine, arm yourself and get ready to strike." He walked forward, "I might be able to resolve this without a fight, so wait for my signal." "Arm ourselves?" One asked. Arad looked back at him, "Use everything and anything. Hundreds would die if monsters broke through the wall." The awaited green light. ZON! Arad teleported between the soldiers and the monsters, standing there with a stoic face. "Stop," He said, tapping his foot on the ground. The monsters kept charging, and the soldiers at the front line lifted their shields, ready for the impact. "I said, STOP!" Arad shouted, smacking his foot on the ground. A massive purple wave gushed out of his body, and the soldiers fell to their knees, barely supporting their bodies with their hands. The monsters were the same, falling to the ground, their bodies heavier than ever before. SWOSH! Merlin flew over the wall with Ginger, Alcott, and Nina scaled with them, and stared forward. "Being able to teleport is useful, isn''t it?" Alcott smiled. "Teleport is always faster than running," Nina said with a smile. Merlin and Ginger stared at the battlefield, "He''s usingrge-scale gravity magic to keep the soldiers and Monsters in check, dominating them with his sheer presence." **** "The threat behind you is gone," Arad stated, ring at the monsters. They could see behind his humanoid appearance. Not a single one of them failed to notice him being a dragon, and one powerful enough to wipe them out. "Begone," He growled, "This is mynd. One step, and you''re prey." The monsters started to slowly step back. TAP! TAP! From the hordes, one tall man walked forward with a passive face, long ck hair, and a long mantle over his shoulders. Looking at the man in the eyes, Arad felt his body getting lighter, a cold sweat dripping across his back. His eyes opened wide as he felt the deep urge to run away. The monster started shaking in their ce. Arad could sense the terror running down their spines. "RUN! AWAY!" Alcott screamed his lungs away. Bubble! Arad''s skin turned red as his blood started to boil, seeping out of his nose and ears. The monsters around them died, bursting into blood. The man lifted his hands, "I came for a meal," In the city, people walked down the street, before they stopped, noticing they were all bleeding from their noses. PLACK! The blood inside their bodies hardened, transforming into spears and impaling them across the streets. The only survivors were Merida, and the cksmith woman Arad protected with his barrier. Merlin had protected herself with magic, Ginger seemed unaffected, but she couldn''t use magic, so she fell face-first from the sky. Alcott fell on his knees, his skin blood red like Arad, his blood boiling. "How boring," The man stated. The blood of Riverside people flew toward his palm,pressing into a ball, and he ate it. "You''re grown weak, Alcott, as all mortals should. Where is your holy sword?" "You bastard, you were still alive?" Alcott growled. "A vampire like me is already dead." The man smiled, looking back at Ginger, "Isn''t that right, sweet daughter?" "I hope you were alive. So we could kill like everyone else," She growled. "You foolish daughter of mine," He said, disappointed more than anything else. "Then I will juste back as my current self." He then looked at Arad, "I intended to kill everyone except Alcott and my daughter." He stared at Arad, who was on his knees, bleeding from his skin. "I expected Alcott and that wizard Merlin to survive. But that''s it." He sniffed Arad''s blood, "How are you alive? Dragon constitution? Vampires are powerless against me." CRACK! The man blinked, looking back to see Nina walking toward him, needles of blood piercing her skin, but she kept moving. "How interesting," He smiled, "No one ever stood in my presence, let alone walked without a divine protection." He giggled, "Now, fall," CRACK! Nina''s body froze into ice, and she fell to the ground. "Even you, it will take a while to stand from that," Alcott attempted to stand, but when the man red at him, he fell back down, "Don''t even try. Without the holy sword, you can''t stand in my presence. Have you forgotten who I am?" The man lifted his hands, "I''m the blood lord, d the impaler," He startedughing but suddenly stopped, "How sad," He sighed. "I wanted to humiliate then kill you, but...It doesn''t feel right without you having the holy sword. It leaves a bad aftertaste in my mouth." CLING! He created a blood sword, "I will cripple you, then kill youter when get the holy sword back. Yes, that would make for a fitting ending," ZOVROM! ZOVROM! As d lifted his sword, he heard somethinging from Arad''s side. He looked and saw a bright light forming inside Arad''s stomach. The light started spreading across Arad''s torso as the rumbling sound grew louder, and he started to move. "You as well?" d smiled, waving his hand, and Arad''s body froze like Nina''s. "Mortals and vampires are useless against me. As long as you have blood, you can''t defy me," CRACK! The ice around Arad''s body cracked and started melting. The violent engine inside him emitted so much heat that mes gushed out of the cracks. "What?" d gasped as Arad shattered the ice, lunging at him with a punch. d dodged Arad''s punch and kicked him away. He then looked at his mantle, finding it burning. Even his enchanted leather show started melting. "An extreme biology. I didn''t expect you to be like this," He sighed, his sword turning back into blood and returning to his body. "I got my meal, and I got to see Alcott on his knees," d stated, "My fool daughter, your ce at the castle still stands. Come back, and I might consider stopping my hunts," He then disappeared into a cloud of smoke. Chapter 516 Aftermath Of the Blood Lord I

Chapter 516 Aftermath Of the Blood Lord I

CRACK! Arad fell to the ground, his body cooling down after d left. The vampire king''s power was indisposed blood control. If you have it, he owns it. He''s a being over mortals with shackles on their very life. Arad''s vampire side shut down before the kind, losing its free will. But the draconic side was an arrogant, unbending monster of pride. Just as a human''s body drops its blood pressure when suffering a wound, Arad''s body reacts. But on the other side. The muscle walls of his veins tightened, forcing the blood to remain trapped in his circtory system, resulting in his blood pressure rising. Arad''s heart started beating faster and faster, activating his fight or flight response and beating the blood into submission, forcing it to course through the veins. But that shouldn''t have been enough to withstand the king''s dominion. Something else in Arad''s blood stirred. The Lycanthropic blood stood fast, resisting his will. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Alcott had the lycanthropic blood but not the draconic blood. So he couldn''t resist it. Nina''s tarrasque blood was powerful. More than anything else, it got her the furthest, but a single blood never stood a chance. Arad''s blood pressure dropped, and his body started to cool down. They were lucky this time. If d pushed for another few seconds, he could have wiped them out. The blood king already got his objective, so he had no reason to stay besides having fun, but Arad''s resistance spooked him, and he left out of caution. An hour passed, and Arad finally recovered enough to stand. "Who was that?" He growled. "He''s my father," Ginger replied, "d the impaler, the king of all vampires." "A monster that has absolute control over blood." Alcott replied, "As long as we rely on blood to be alive, we can''t fight him." Merlin stared at Arad, "And before you ask, we can''t use Alcott''s holy sword. That thing shattered years ago. d shouldn''t know that." "What could even shatter a holy sword? That should be durable, right?" Arad sighed. "Holy swords are divine objects created for a purpose. They shatter after that, so we can''t abuse their power." Alcott sighed, "The holy sword I had was meant to stop a dracolich that tried to raise a race of undead dragons to rule the world. I defeated them, so the sword shattered." "Now, with d back, won''t another holy sword appear?" Arad asked again, looking at Alcott and Merlin. "It won''t," Nina replied, "d isn''t a threat to the other races." Alcott sighed, "Humanoids will survive under d just as cattle survive under humans." "We aren''t the only race that has a rightful slice of the world. Humans, elves, dwarves, vampires, and even monsters." Merlin stared at Arad, "You can hear and speak with animals. You should understand it better than anyone." "Survival for the fittest," Nina looked at Arad, "Humanoids have no natural predator except vampires and lycanthropes. In the same way, the gods will never drop a holy sword to stop lions from hunting deer, or to stop humans from ughtering cattle. They won''t drop a holy sword to stop d." Arad lifted his hand, and tworge crystal spheres flew from the city toward him. One had Merida, and the other had the unconscious cksmith. "Arad! What''s happening?" Merida cried. Even with how weak she was, she still woke up. "My barrier protected them." He said. "Since he was targeting a lot of people, like bowing at ants. That is far different to what he will use against someone in a fight." Merlin replied, "Your barrier only worked for that reason. He wasn''t putting any effort behind it." Thud! Arad put Merida down and then the cksmith, who didn''t move an inch. Even though she was inside his barrier, Arad could see red spots on her skin. He pulled a healing potion and poured it inside the cksmith''s mouth, waking her up. "How are you feeling?" "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She creamed, "Blood! Blood everywhere!" She started crying. "Calm down, it''s over," Arad tried to calm her down, but he wasn''t good at it, just standing there, confused. "It was just blood, take a deep breath," "Let me handle it," Merlin pointed a finger at the cksmith''s forehead, [Calm] She started to calm down, but her hands and legs still kept shaking. "What happened?" She cried. "Vampire king d attacked out of nowhere," Alcott said in the back, "He ate everyone in the city in the blink of an eye." "d? Ate them?" "Vampires drink blood and use blood magic," Alcott sighed, scratching his head, "Out of them, he has an unparalleled dominion over blood. He took control of everyone''s blood, killed them with it, then ordered it to fly toward him. And drank it all." "An undwarven monster," She growled. "He''s a vampire, what did you expect? He''s an absolute monster to all things with blood." Alcott growled, "My head is starting to hurt just trying to think of a way to deal with him without a decent weapon," He stood, "Me and Ginger will set on a trip to find some people who could help, Merlin and Nina stay in the city to protect it." "I can form a barrier with enough time to protect the people," Merlin smiled. Arad stood, "We should go back to Alina," He then looked at the walls. And the shriveled soldiers on the ground. "Can''t leave them like this, can we?" He looked at Merlin. "We better give them a proper burial. The city had a graveyard to the west." Merlin replied. "Wait here," Arad flew to the middle of the city and stood in the za. [Void Expansion] For a split second, he expanded his void to locate one thing. He immediately got it. It''s a map of the city. [Void Expansion] In the second one, he sniffed all the corpses no matter where they were hidden and marked their locations. He also marked them so their ce of death could still be located. ^Doma, I need help with this.^ ^[Of course,]^ [Void expansion] At thest one, he sucked all the corpses into his stomach alongside everything around them, excluding structures. This left the houses empty as if they were never furnished or lived in before. Everything got organized inside his stomach the way they were. The families remained together with all their belongings. "It''s useful, isn''t it?" Arad mumbled, "To have a storage magic that can extend for such a range." [Who are you talking with?] "Myself," Arad replied. Remembering when Alcott told him about the red dragon that burned a whole city. "This is...the first time so many people died, even though they were behind my back." He looked down. [At least we can give them a proper burial. Let''s head to Alina. They will figure out how to deal with this.] Chapter 517 Aftermath Of the Blood Lord II

Chapter 517 Aftermath Of the Blood Lord II

After cleaning the city, Arad flew back out to Alcott and the others, finding the vigers they met before emerging from the forest. They have made their way here, seeking refuge. "No way," The vige chief stared at the city, falling on his knees, "How could it be," "There was nothing we could do," Alcott replied, "d isn''t something we can fight without preparation," "Damnable blood-sucking fiends," The chief growled, standing up and looking at the other vigers. "Who had family here," He shouted. Several people approached, and Arad pulled the city map for them. "Can you point out where they lived so I can pull them out for you?" One after another, each family who had rtives had Arad bring their corpses out for one final look. The shriveled, bloodless bodies only served as a reminder of how cruel the world is to the powerless. "Where do you want to bury them?" Merlin asked. "Not here," A man replied, "We would prefer them to be close so we can visit them." "The graveyard of whatever city you move in," Merlin scratched her head, "Alina is our only choice." Arad sucked the corpses back into his stomach, keeping them organized. The vige chief looked around, "By the way, where is he?" He looked at Arad, "I don''t see that red dragon," "He..." Alcott was about to reply. "It''s me," Arad shifted into his draconic form, then shifted his red scales back to ck. "Even though I was here. Even though everyone was behind my back. I couldn''t protect them." The vige chief smiled, "Don''t say that. You once saved us, protected us from monsters." He approached Arad, "To everyone their limit, the fiend was just too much." The vige chief turned, walking toward the other vigers. "From today, we are nomads, no vige and no city. We have to way, travel, or settle beside Alina." Everyone looked at each other, and then one of them replied, "We''re over a hundred. I don''t think Alina can support us. Finding a job there would be difficult." "Not to mention they would have to deal with what happened here," A woman looked at Riverside''s wall. "The city won''t house us inside the walls. We have to build another vige." A man scratched his head, "Gettingnd would be a pain. It could take months if not years. And winter ising. Are we camping that out in the snow?" The vige chief nodded, "Even if the lord decided to give usnd immediately. It would take at least a month to get approval from the king." "I can help with that," Arad said in the back, "If you''re camping out anyway. How about you start building in my domain? I own the mountain range beside Alina." The vigers froze, staring at Arad, "Really?" "Wait!" The cksmith growled in the back, "When you said something about a castle being built beside Alina..." "That''s my castle," Arad replied. "I got thend and a noble title from the king. I also get the ground''s approval itself, so no one should have a say beside me in whether someone could build there or not." "Now that you said it," Alcott stared at Arad, "You''re a noble now, aren''t you?" "I mean, does it really matter?" Arad looked back at him, "Loci already granted me thend," "Alina''s lord will allow you to build immediately anyway," Nina stared at the vige chief, "The problem is getting you there," She looked around. Among the one-hundred-plus vigers. There were elderly, pregnant women, and children. Traveling for days isn''t going to be easy. "It''s either we move or die in theing snow." The chief replied. "How many viges were around Riverside?" Alcott asked. "Twelve," The chief replied. "No way," He then looked at the forest, almost crying as he saw more people walk out. The whole twelve viges were destroyed, and the survivors slowly marched to Riverside for help. "Over one thousand," Alcott growled, looking at theing people, "This is going to be a slow trip back," Arad looked back at the city, "Let''s salvage carriages from the city and start moving immediately. We can''t let the snow catch us," He turned and slowly walked toward the city''s main gate, pushing it open. The vige chief exined what happened to the other survivors, and everyone agreed to move to Arad''s domain in Alina. After having Arad pull the decision to their families again, they finally started getting ready for the trip. They lined over ny carriages and wagons only for people to sit in carrying only what they needed. Arad stored everything else. "Lord Arad," The vige chief approached Arad. "No need for lord, Arad is enough," "All horses are dead. We couldn''t find a single alive animal in the city to pull the wagons." "I already know," Arad replied, pointing at the forest with his w. "I called for some help." From between the trees, packs of dire wolves and demonic vipers emerged. "Monsters!" The vige chief cried, hiding behind Arad''s massive legs. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The monsters approached Arad, bowing to him. "They are under me," Arad said, "Weak monsters submit to dragons like how dogs submit to humans. Those are the ones who will pull your carriages," The monsters moved toward the carriages to be strapped like horses. "They are safe as long as I''m close," Arad said, looking at the vigers. "But please keep kids away from them. They can still harm them," He made sure to warn them. After getting everything ready, the convoy of carriages slowly moved with the children riding on Arad''s back so they wouldn''t mess with the monsters. The trip took almost two weeks, and luckily, no one died thanks to Arad''s healing potions and heat that kept the weak ones alive during the trip. Fall''s cold was only bested by the hard frozen nights of theing winter. At night, the people built their tents around where Arad sat, basking in the heat generated by his body. *** Arriving at the edge of Alina, Loci was the first one to greet them, "Arad? I see you brought a lot of people," The vigers behind Arad gasped, seeing a tree talk. "Refugees, or should I say they would live in my domain from now on?" He looked at her, "It''s a long story," "Everyone ising to help," She replied, and the apes immediately showed up on the trees. "I''ve been training them well. They can help with anything until you reach the foot of the mountain. Anything I should inform Alina with?" "Rations and healing potions, I''m almost out. Also, get some builders under Mira to start nning a vige that could handle over two thousand people while prioritizing the building of enough to handle one thousand as soon as possible." Arad slowly exined everything to Loci as they kept marching toward the mountain foot where his house was. **** It only took them half a day to march through Arad''s domain into the mountain foot, finding Mira already gathered a bunch of builders from Alina. Alina''s lord approached Arad, asking about the situation with a hopeful face, but it was too grim. As everyone focused on slowly getting the vigers a home, Arad, Eris, and the vige chief went around the forest trying to find a suitable ce for a graveyard. Chapter 518 The Burial Catacomb

Chapter 518 The Burial Catb

BAM! BAM! Mira swung her hammer down, nailing two wooden beams together at the house''s foundation. "I need more nails!" She stood, wiping the sweat from her forehead as she stared at a shed in the distance. "Did you hear me, Urdalin?" The dwarven cksmith Arad brought stared out of the shed, "I have a bucket ready. Send someone to pick it up." "You heard her, kids!" Mira stared at the children ying around, "Bring that here," As the children rushed toward the shed, Mira looked back at the tens of houses getting built. Every capable man and woman were banding together to build houses as fast as possible. CRACK! CRACK! Meryem walked out of the forest carrying a massive tree on her shoulder and a wood axe in the other, "Mira, where should I put this?" She asked. "That one is a bit big. Put it behind my shop. Ask the mage we hired to dry it out before the other carpenters start chopping it up." Mira replied, pointing aside. BZZZZ! Zephyr flew out of the forest. In her tiny hands, she lifted two massive buffalos. "Ae asked me to deliver those," She dropped them beside Arad''s house. It looked strange seeing that palm-sized fairy flying with two massive creatures. She sure could haul a heavy load. Several men and women stopped working and headed toward Zephyr, "Thank you, we will get them cleaned and butchered." Zephyr nodded, "We did get rations from Alina, and even workers and tools. But you better get used to living independently around here." "We did get permission from Lord Arad to nt farms after we finish the houses. I can''t even believe he exempted us from taxes for a few years." "You don''t even have a roof over your heads. Not even food to survive. What is there from him to tax?" Zephyr stared at him. "I heard dragons take human sacrifice," "You heard right, but Arad doesn''t do that." Zephyr flew away, "Do your best to build a functional town first." Behind them, Tina started bringing knives and bowls from Arad''s house for the people to start butchering the buffalos. Thud! Thud! Thud! Isdis rushed into the vige on horseback, stopping beside Arad''s house and staring at Tina. "Where is Arad?" "He''s out with Eris. The burial isn''t over yet." She replied, "Remember how many there were?" "A few hundred thousand. As much as the victims of total war," Isdis sighed, "Well, the first segment of builders and architects from the capital have arrived. They are ready to start mapping the mountain for the castle." "Did he say you could handle them when they arrive?" "I mean, what if he didn''t like my designs? As the castle''s master, I want him to get involved." She looked around, "Won''t you say so?" "You should have enough time. Remember, he wanted you to focus on defenses first? Start by building the walls." Tina stared at her as she walked toward the buffalos. "You''re right," Isdis smiled, "I will build the best defensive wall the kingdom ever saw," She rushed back out on her horse. On the other side of the mountain foot, Arad stood with Eris and some vigers. He finally found a spot suitable for burial. But burying on the surface can cause some trouble. Monsters could desecrate the graves. "Loci, you said we can use this ce," Arad said, looking around as a flower rose from the ground. "I did," She replied. With one of her leaves, she pointed at a massive boulder, "That fell a few years ago from the mountain peak. It blocked a cave entrance." "We can create a catb inside?" One of the vigers said, staring at the massive boulder. "But how are we gound to move that?" "Of course, that''s me," Arad took a step forward, his eyes glowing with a purple light as his body expanded. He transformed into his draconic form and grabbed the boulder, dragging it away from the cave''s entrance. The vigers stared down, "It''s dark," One of them looked at Arad, "There is no risk of them bing undead?" "That risk is always a thing," Eris stared at them, "For that reason, I want you to build me a funeral house above the entrance. I can either cremate them to put an end to the undead problem or bury them whole, but you have to pay extra for the maintenance." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Burial is the easier of the two, and the way most people want to bury their families and loved ones, but that risks them turning into undeadter. Funeral houses can prevent that in two ways. The first is constantly sshing the graves with holy water. Once a month should be enough. Sometimes the deceased family are the ones to do it by nting flowers over the grave and watering them with holy water every now and then. Such a procedure must be maintained until the body fully dposes, which can be a pain when dealing with fighters'' corpses, which can take decades. Clerics, pdins corpses don''t seem to birth undead, so they don''t require much attention. But, they end up the ones with the most holy water spilled on them since clerics and pdins visit theirrades a lot. The second solution is cremation. If there is no corpse to turn into an undead, there is no need to worry. This is what Eris preferred, and made the cheapest option. "But," Eris scratched her head, "For now, let''s start burying them. Payment doesn''t matter now, does it?" She smiled, ^I''m sure building a whole funeral house covers my costs for the most, and I can see it as an investment.^ Arad shifted back to his humanoid form and walked toward them, looking inside the cave. "Loci, some people just entered the forest," "They are clerics from Alina. The Lord has sent them to help with the burial," Loci replied, "Should I lead them here?" "We need all the hands we can have, bring them." He replied as he walked into the cave with everyone else. Inside, he dug ten rooms and created four stone beds inside each of them. It''s where Eris can cremate and prepare the corpses for burial. As Eris worked on that, Arad started working with Loci to expand the cave into the vague shape of a catb. They can always redesign itter and make it look better, but for now, this will do. The vigers helped clean and dig the graves, cleaning the outside of the cave and creating the ques with the names. The work started going faster when the clerics arrived to help, and they could start burying people at night. It wasn''t just the vigers, even people from Alina came to see their rtives from Riverside before Arad could know it, hundreds of people were lined in the forest, wishing to bury their rtives. Arad sat at the mountainside, watching as the people buzzed around the vige and catb. "I hope no more troubles happen," At that moment, he could sense it. Two dragons enter his domain, and they are fighting. Chapter 519 The Red Dragons

Chapter 519 The Red Dragons

^Two dragons, one big and the other small,^ Arad stood. ZON! He teleported with a void step. **** CRACK! CRACK! A small red wyrmling lunged between the trees, missing half her tail and left wing. CRACKLE! From behind her, a massive red dragon knocked the forest down, swinging his ws at her. "You little damsel! You dare hunt in mynd?" With his second strike, he ripped her right wing. He could''ve killed her long ago, but dragons are akin to cats, ying with their prey. She rolled on the ground, leaving a trail of blood, before opening her jaw and charging a fire breath. Red dragons are immune to fire, and the adult dragon knew it. He won''t even feel her breath. This was herst struggle to live. "No fire in mynd," A voice came from between them. Arad stood there in his humanoid form, his eyes glowing with a purple me. The wyrmlin''s eyes opened wide, seeing Arad there. She tried to stop her breath, but being a wyrmling shecked that control. The me ising out whether she likes it or not. After scratching at her jaw with her ws and not being able to put the mes, she directed her breath to the sky, setting a branch on fire. She stood there, staring at Arad as her heart raced. ^It''s him. I messed up,^ The adult red approached Arad, sniffing him, "Human, you dare stand between dragons?" He giggled. With one hand, Arad grabbed one of the dragon''s teeth, pulling it out. As blood gushed out, the dragon roared as it backed away, "You bastard!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad stared at the dragon with a passive face, "I''m not in a good mood. Scram before I eat you whole." The adult red growled, fire zing out of his nostrils. "You aren''t a normal human, are you? I smell draconic blood in you. You''re a half-dragon, aren''t you?" "Leave," Arad red at him, "I''m not giving you any more chances to live," The red wyrmlin stared at Arad''s back. Unlike the red dragon, she could sense it in Arad. He''s pissed off about something, it''s not them, but it''s apparent from his magic. ^The adult isn''t seeing it,^ She thought. ^Between the three of us, I''m the weakest. As much as I hate it, I can only feel fear, but that''s what''s making it easy for me to pick on a violent attitude, the need to survive.^ The moment Arad''s body moved, even slightly, she would flinch, and her scales stood. She felt that Arad was enraged and that her survival relied on that rage being directed at anything else besides herself. "Leave?" The adult red growled, a giggle escaping his throat. "A half-dragon like you ordering me around? What do you think about yourself? Do you own this ce? Your kind''s rules don''t apply to me," "I heard you saying she hunted in yournd. That''s why you''re trying to kill her." Arad growled, and the little wyrmling flinched, taking a step back as she was brought into the conversation. "I did," The adult red growled, "Because she''s useless," He pointed at her with his w, "She''s weak, useless. Only if she was an adult drakaina, I might have considered taking her as a mate." mes gushed out of his throat, "She''s too young, too weak, useless. Death is her only end," Arad red at him, "Then, you don''t mind me doing the same, do you?" "You dared hunt her in mynd. You aren''t a drakaina, so I don''t need you. But a dragon''s body is expensive, isn''t it?" Arad lifted his hand, "No, I won''t eat you." A void hole appeared, and he pushed his palm inside. "I''m building a city, and you look just like the right funds. Where is your hoard?" The adult dragon flinched, jumping back as he saw the hilt of the dragon yer''s sword. "Why do you have that?" He roared. "No," Arad pushed the sword back into his stomach, "I never learned how to butcher a dragon. I might damage something expensive." The dragon blinked, taking a step back. "I will catch you alive and see how much you''re worth. Then I will decide how to sell you, parts or whole." ck scales started showing on Arad''s skin. ^Sucking this dragon''s blood can empower my vampire side, but it won''t help against that thing.^ He remembered d. ^I can eat his flesh and make my lycanthropic side stronger, but is that really worth it? I can always decideter if it''s worth it or not,^ CRACKLE! Arad transformed into his draconic form, "I''m taking you alive to the za, and selling you for the highest bidder." "You were a dragon, and those ck scales, you don''t have horns curved forward, so you aren''t a ck dragon. What are you?" The red dragon growled. "The one going to sell you," ROAR! The red dragon roared, "Learn your ce!" He charged forward, swinging his w at Arad''s head. CRACK! Arad caught the dragon''s w with his swinging ck, but his w got caught as well. As the two dragons pushed against each other. The ground beneath them started cracking. "Now, how do I catch you alive?" Arad growled, "But first, I need to deal with her," SWOSH! He swung his tail at the red wyrmling. She thought it was her end, but the moment his tail touched her, she got teleported away and dropped beside Arad''s house, right under Meryem''s eyes. "You killed her?" The adult red smiled, "No, that was different. I can still sense her magic away. Did you send her to yourir?" "I know," Arad smiled, "It''s been a while since I used this. Can it work against a dragon?" Arad''s eyes glow red, [Blood Magic: Faint Spell] The adult red stuttered back for a moment before regaining his footing, "What did you do?" He growled, feeling a sharp pain in his head. ^[That blood magic stops the blood flow to the brain for a moment to render the target unconscious. A dragon whose neuralwork spread to the tip of his tail will only feel a headache as they can still work off their spine.]^ "Answer, you bastard!" The red dragon shouted, roaring at Arad''s face. CRACK! Arad opened his jaw, roaring back, but he was far louder. He even used magic to amplify his voice. The red dragon''s roar was muffled by Arad''s roar. And the ground beneath them cracked. ^If you want to scream, I can scream louder!^ Arad''s roar was heard all the way in the city. Alcott who was sitting in the guild''s tavern could see his drink shaking. "A giant monster?" An adventurer cried. "No," Alcott said, "It''s dominating roar," He lifted his cup and started shaking the drink, "It''s nothing for us to worry about," ^And dispute. I should have expected it to happen sooner orter. But Arad doesn''t seem to be losing, so it''s fine.^ "You won''t help?" Nina approached Alcott. "No, he''s winning," Alcott replied. Chapter 520 Survival For The Fittest

Chapter 520 Survival For The Fittest

Arad pushed the red dragon back, biting his neck. Blood flew out of the wound directly to Arad''s mouth. The red dragon kicked Arad''s chest, jumping back with a roar. His eyes darted around. It isn''t strange for dragons to eat each other, but it is strange to seek blood alone. "You bastard," The red dragon growled, "You''re cursed, a vampire dragon." Fire started crackling on his scales, "Is that why your scales turned ck? An adaptation to endure the sun?" The mes started burning in his throat, "And those purple eyes. You You''re a purple dragon." The red dragon opened his jaw, a fire breath about to burst forth. Arad charged forward, forcing the dragon''s maw closed to block the breath. "I said, no fire in mynd." With one w, he smacked his head to the ground. Enraged, Arad kept smacking the dragon''s head on the ground, each time recasting his blood magic. [Blood magic: Faint spell] [Blood magic: Faint spell] [Blood magic: Faint spell] [Blood magic: Faint spell] "Stop it!" the red dragon growled, his whole body igniting as he bit Arad''s leg, dragging him to the ground. "No fire!" SMACK! Arad swatted the dragon''s side with his tail, careful not to break his ribs. The red dragon slowly realized his ws and fangs weren''t getting through Arad''s scales. Something is strange with this purple dragon. He''s too hard, and his scales are too clean as if he''s still young. ^Something is off,^ He could feel it. Humans might not be able to tell, but dragons can. Like how we can tell someone''s vague age by looking at their skin, hearing their voice, or how they walk, dragons could tell when looking at their kind. Everything about him screamed he was young, except his size. "Burn to ash!" The scales of the red dragon started glowing yellow as orbs of fire formed on his spine. BA-BAM! Hundreds of fireballs exploded from him, flying into the sky. Arad waved his wings, smacking half of them down, but they restrained in the forest, starting a widespread fire. A fireball flew toward Arad''s house, but a burst of wind swatted it away. "For real," Zephyr sighed, flying, "Hurry and get rid of him," She said, waving her hand, "If you don''t, I''m ripping him to shreds first," [Airless] A burst of magic rushed from her and spread across the whole forest, starving the mes for air and putting them out. Arad looked at Zephyr, and she smiled, "Take him away," CRACK! Arad grabbed the dragon by the neck, "You''ve done it and started a forest fire," ZON! The two teleported away,nding in devastatednd to the west. This was the same ce Gojo fought Demogorgan. "Teleport magic?" The red dragon growled as Arad smacked him on the ground, "And you can even move me," "Stand," Arad growled, his tail rattling like a snake, ready to strike. "A dragon that could teleport," The red dragon giggled, "Fine, you showed me your trump card. How about I show you mine?" He stood on his hinds, expanding his wings. The wings heated up until they became red, smoking as the red dragon smiled. "I''m stronger," He growled, [Fire Expansion: Burst of Inferno] A fiery explosion stared at the red dragon, expanding like a blue re and consuming the whole area. The mes didn''t stop and kept gushing out endlessly as the ground cracked, andva slowly poured out. "Everything here will burn to ash! How do you like it? Are you even alive?" The dragonughed. "An expansion?" Arad mumbled, "I guess. Adult dragons are strong enough to do it," The red dragon gasped, "You''re alive?" "I''m a dragon like you," Arad lifted his front ws, putting them together, "What do you think?" [Void Expansion: Devouring Void] Darkness consumed the red dragon''s mes, dropping him into the endless abyss of Arad''s stomach. His mes faded, and he could feel the air getting sucked out of his lungs. "In my expansion, air doesn''t exist," Arad said, staring at him. "And everyone is put under extremely low pressure. Their bodies start breaking apart, and that''s how I digest food." "For you," Arad smiled, "I will spare you digestion, but I''m not letting you have any breathable air." The dragon started suffocating, and his blood rushed out of the wounds on his neck from Arad''sst bite. Just like how fire can''t burn in the void, the red dragon quickly fell down, dying. "Doma, if you please." DING! [Curse of the eternal sleep] ^[As long as you''re conscious, he will remain asleep. But if you fall asleep, you die.]^ Doma exined, ^[Of course, I will lift this curse once this idiot is out of your hands so you don''t have to worry about the side effects.]^ Thud! Arad stopped his void, staring at the unconscious red dragon. "I wanted to petrify him, but I don''t know how will that affect his price." ^[Dragons are magical creatures, and especially idiots like this, they leave a trail of mana after them.]^ Arad looked at the sky, seeing red lines where the red dragon came from. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I can follow those back to hisir," Arad flew into the sky, teleporting alongside the magic trail until he reached a cave on the peak of a snowy mountain, and inside, he found the dragon''s hoard. Piles of gold, gems, weapons, and skeletons of those he killed. "Small wealth for an adult dragon," Arad sighed, "I expected more," [From how it didn''t have any magic besides natural abilities, I say it might have just woken up from evolving a few years ago.] Mom exined, [Not all dragons are as attuned to magic as magic dragons,] In the blink of an eye, Arad sucked all the treasures into his stomach and teleported away. He was away for only a few minutes, and the red dragon''s body had remained in its ce. "I guess. No one wille close to a ce that just got burned," Arad shifted back to his humanoid form and touched the dragon''s nose, teleporting with him to Alina. Chapter 521 Laughing Mage

Chapter 521 Laughing Mage

"What''s that!" a guard screamed, seeing a red dragon falling in front of the main gate. Looking closer, he saw a man dragging the creature by its horn, digging a trench as he approached. "No! That''s Arad!" The guard cried, sweating as the fine hair on his body stood. "He''s dragging a whole dragon to the city!" "Is that thing," Another guard gasped, his knees shaking, "Alive?" He could see it breathe. As Arad reached the gate, he could see that there was no chance this dragon was fitting through. He pulled a table and a chair andid them in front of the dragon''s head. He then pulled arge que of wood. And with a knife and carved [For sale]. He then hung it from one of the dragon''s nostrils. Arad sat on his chair, one leg over the other, and waited. "Is he really, selling that thing?" One of the guards gasped, seeing the weirdest stall in his life. Merlin flew above the wall. Nina and Alcott rushed out of the gate and stared at him. "For sale?" Merlin scratched her chin, "That''s an adult red, and it''s alive. How much?" Thud! Alcott grabbed her by the head, "Hold on, Where do you intend to keep it? Can you even make sure he doesn''t destroy the city?" Merlin looked back at him, "Oh, my. I sure can," She giggled, "I''m using a very young dragon heart for the heater. I was thinking that the heart of an adult would work better." "Kill it for the heart, then re-sell the rest to recover some money that you lost buying it whole." Alcott sighed. "From the guild''s records, it''s been over two hundred years since thest time a living dragon got sold like this." Nina said, "I''m not sure how much did it go for, but I''m sure it wasn''t cheap," Arad looked back at the dragon, "If you three aren''t buying it," He sighed, "Then probably cutting it apart first is the way to go." "No! Don''t," Alcott waved his hands, "Dragons are difficult to catch alive, almost impossible. I would usally say release him, but from my experience, he''s going to st the city if we did that." "And this is a dispute between me and him," Arad stated. Alcott nodded. If it was a human selling that red dragon, someone might argue that as the dragon mediator, he should interfere. But, this time it''s two dragons fighting over territory, and the loser''s life is forfeit. Soon, people started gathering to take a look at the dragon Arad caught. Even the city lord made time and came to stare. Driving a dragon away is one thing. Beating it is another, and killing it is the feat of a legend. But catching and putting it for sale is a whole other level. He was certain, that the word they got from the capital about Arad Orion beating Five, and that he wasn''t something that they could chain down was true. Like all other S-ranks, he''s grown too big to be held in the same way as others. Thud! Thud! Cain approached, leaning on his cane with his maid helping him. "Now, this is impressive. Well done, Arad," He smiled. "Old man Cain," Arad smiled, "How are you doing?" "I''m doing well," He smiled, looking at the dragon. "I doubt anyone in this city has enough money or needs to buy this thing for what it''s worth," "You think so?" Arad looked at him, "I never sold a dragon," "I never bothered as well, but I knew someone who did," Cain smiled, "Should I call her? I''m sure she would buy this for an extra," "Who can even do that?" Alcott looked at Cain, "And how came you even know such a person," "I''m older than you," Cain replied, "And she''s already on her way here," As Cain said that, Alcott felt as if the air froze, seeing two bare feet slip above Cain''s shoulders. Thud! A short halfling sat on Cain''s shoulders. Her long red hair flopped in the wind as her blue eyes dripped with magic. The crystal on her forehead crackled as if on the verge of exploding. Everyone froze, their hand shaking as they looked at her. Merlin could feel her magic crackling, twisting, and failing in the presence of the halfling. "Muhahahaha!" The halfling burstughing, iling her feet and kicking Cain''s chest several times by ident. "What''s that? A mere adult red? I have a warehouse of them on hand," She couldn''t stopughing, flying from Cain''s shoulders toward Arad, her body spinning in the air. BAM! BAM! Out of nowhere, Gojo appeared between Arad and her, two veins bulging on his forehead as he red at her eyes. "Get away from him," He growled. She smiled, everything turning ck and leaving the three of them there. "Void dragons," she giggled, "You''re more fun than this red lizard," "Brother!" Arad stood beside Gojo, feeling they had a fight awaiting. "This little bitch is Lilia, the archwizard of the mages'' tower. The lunatic hunting our kind down." Gojo clenched his fist, "You run away. I will hold her as long as I can," "No, I will fight," Lilia stared at them with a grin, floating upside down. "I''m here for you two, but I don''t intend on capturing you," The two stopped and looked at her, "I do need to catch some void dragons, and I already did." Sheughed, "Well, they were useless, so I had to wait," "What are you talking about?" Gojo stared at her. With a wave of her leg, the cube teleported out of Gojo''s stomach to her hand. "I made this thing, the eternal seal." She giggled, "I wanted to catch two void dragons to test some artifacts on them and try to find out why they repel each other." "I found why!" She shouted. "The Dracorage Mythics, a relic of an ancient great war ising back to this world. Aet big enough to st the whole world out," She threw the cube back to Gojo. "But it will miss, so don''t worry about that part," She startedughing again, "When ites, dragons would lose their minds, fall in a bloody rage and burn the world to the ground." "The void dragons'' bodies are reacting to it, and I want to know if I can use that to stop it." Lilia waved her hand, "That thing, I will buy it from your hands," She pointed at the red dragon. "You change gears quickly," Gojo sighed. "I want you two to get stronger." She smiled. "But!" She gasped, crossing her arms, "Spending that much money could break the economy of the human kingdom." She waved her leg, and a massive metallic wall appeared behind her. "I want to trade for it. I will pay twenty tinum coins and give you this," She pointed back, "Five hundred tons of what you call cursed metal."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 522 The laughing Tornado

Chapter 522 Theughing Tornado

"What do you say? A deal?" Lilia stared at Arad, extending her hand for a shake. "Deal," The two shook hands, and Lilia stared at Arad''s face with a grin, "You recently faced d. I can smell his magic on you," Arad could feel her grip on his hand tighten to an ufortable degree. Wasn''t she a mage? Where is she pulling that much raw strength? "That has nothing to do with this deal," Arad replied, tightening his grip, and before long, the two were actively trying to crush their hands. "Constetion Taurus, that is your only offensive weapon against him. If you managed to find a way to resist his blood control." She giggled. "What do you know?" "d is physically stronger than this body of mine. By almost twice," She smiled. In the blink of an eye, she pulled him by the arm and jumped, kicking Arad in the face and sending him flying back. SWOSH! Gojo lunged at her, swinging a kick at her face. Lifting her arm, she caught Gojo''s leg with a grin and kicked him toward Arad. Arad opened his eyes. His nose bled from her kick as the bones dug into his skull. "What happened?" He mumbled. CRACK! Gojo crashed beside him, "Brother?" Thud! Thud! Lilia lunged at them, and Gojo quickly stood, swinging a fist at her. TAP! Lilia deflected the punch with her palm, watching as a beam of pure light burst forth. "GAAAAAA!" Gojo screamed, throwing punches at her like there was no tomorrow, but she kept weaving them all with a grin on her face, punching his face and chest. Arad lunged in to help, but Lilia stared back at him with a crazed smile. She grabbed him by the hair, smacked him on the ground, and then hit Gojo with him, sending both brothers rolling on the ground. "I''m only using half of my physical strength and speed. That means you aren''t even a quarter of d''s martial strength." SWOSH! She ran toward them, swinging a kick. Even after one minute, the two brothers still couldn''t beat her and ended up beaten to a pulp. Lilia carried Gojo, thest one still standing, and threw him over Arad, piling them like rocks and sitting over them. "Two dragons and you couldn''t beat a single midget," She giggled, "But don''t get me wrong, you''re strong." She stared at them with a smile. "Weren''t you supposed to be a mage?" Arad growled, barely able to move. "You''re right. I''m the second strongest mage of all time." She smiled, rubbing her nose, "But physically, this body doesn''t rank that high. It probably doesn''t even enter the top ten thousand named beings." She kicked Gojo in the head as she felt he was about to st her with magic. "Don''t even try," "GAH!" Gojo finally stopped moving. "I''m weak, so is d, and you two are even weaker. No matter how powerful you get, there is always someone better than you. Keep that in mind." She waved her hand, "You should get stronger," "We''re trying," Arad replied. "I know," She jumped from above them andnded beside the cursed metal wall. "You better hide this. It''s too dangerous to leave outside." The two brothers barely managed to stand. "We aren''t in Alina, are we?" Gojo growled. "No, we aren''t. I teleported us into one of my demi-nes. This is the ce where I conduct experiments." She smiled, "By the way, I will be sending a few mages to kill you, so be careful." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "OI!" Arad screamed at her, "I thought you were going to stop!" Lilia giggled, "Who said I''m going to stop? I might not need you two anymore, but I sure would love to keep a few rare void dragons." "Those mages you''re going to send." Gojo red at her. They won''t survive. "I''m sending constructs and monsters, so feel free to kill them if you can." She waved her hand, and a human wizard appeared out of nowhere. "This is one of them, look," She pulled the man''s arm off. He was entirely made of steel and magic. "I want you two to grow strong enough to be useful," She tapped the golem''s head, and its chest opened up, showing a glowing core of the cursed metal. "A reward," Sheughed. "Why are you doing this?" Gojo red at her, "Wizards never act without motives." "Well," Lilia scratched her chin, "It''s simply that the world is changing, and its great masters are trying to raise the new generation. We won''t interfere with your business, like d. That''s yours to deal with. But, we will try guiding you in the right way as long as you prove to have potential." "So we''re just chickens that''s your fattening up, right?" Arad sighed. "I can at least tell you this," She smiled, "We aren''t singling you two, there are tens of potential heroes out, and we''re helping everyone. The new hero could be one of you two or someone else." Arad touched the cursed metal wall, sucking it into his stomach. "Where is the money?" He asked. "You change gears faster than me?" Lilia stared at him. "We don''t have a way to beat you, and I don''t think I will get a better deal than this anywhere else." He stared at her, "For the time being, I can put up with you." Lilia started floating, "You two aren''t the strongest being we''re watching, but aren''t the weakest as well. Stand proud, you''re strong." With a wave from her hand, she summoned a bag of coins and threw it to Arad. The golem wizard she conjured disappeared as well. Arad and Gojo stared at her. Even though she was a mage, her physical prowess was far above them, this weird little thing. "What are you? You don''t smell like any other humanoid," Gojo could pick something strange from her, "Mana itself flies around you." "I''m the half halfling, half-elf, half wizard half pdin, half caster half melee fighter. The archwizard of the mages'' tower, Lilia, theughing tornado." She flew, her hands on her hips as she stared at them with a smug smile. "Be amazed!" "That''s a lot of halves," "I know," She burstughing, and the two brothers stared at her, confused. The world around them changed as Lilia flew toward Cain, giggling as shended in front of him. As if time just started to move, Merlin''s eyes opened wide, and she pointed her staff at Lilia, "Archwizard Lilia? What are you doing here?" Lilia stared at her, "Took you long enough to wake up, but the important part is that you woke up on your own. Remember, you''re post is always ready for you to return to the tower." "I won''t," "You''re a wizard, Merlin. You''lle back," Lilia stared at her with a grin, but then Cain tapped her head with his cane. "You''re teasing them too much," He stared at her, and sheughed. "Sorry," Lilia started flying, "See youter call me again," As she flew away, the people started moving and looking around. Chapter 523 Accursed Pillar

Chapter 523 ursed Pir

Lilia flew away, leaving a trail of blue magic after her. Arad looked at the sky, "Another monster that we can''t deal with," "She seems like a big problem." Gojo added, "I''m going around and training a bit." ZON! In the blink of an eye, he disappeared. Arad looked at the bag of coins in his hand, "Well, I got funds for building," He smiled...but then something clicked in his mind, and he made a dumb face. ^Wait? A mountain of cursed metal in my stomach?^ He looked at his hand. ^Won''t that mean I can''t take anyone inside?^ ZON! Arad teleported away immediately,nding on the peak of his mountain. He closed his eyes, staring into his stomach. ^It seemed like a wall at first, but looking at it now, it''s a long rectangr stick of cursed metal that weighs five hundred tons.^ He pulled a sword from his stomach and looked at it, "Good, it isn''t infected." He sat on a stone, thinking, "What will I do with it? I still need like twenty-nine years to evolve or something..." It was then that his draconic brain started to pulse, setting ns to use that cursed metal as a weapon. What if I spawned it in the middle of my void expansion? Arad shifted into his half-dragon form and flew into the sky, standing above the clouds and putting his hands together. [Void Expansion: Devouring void] ZON! As the massive sphere of darkness appeared in the sky, Arad spawned the pir[Now that''s sitting it up right] of cursed metal in the center. Arad nodded with a smile, "To me, it feels great. Anyone else, they should be dead." He lifted his hand, pulling one of his vampire spawns out. "How are you feeling?" He asked. "I''m fine, Master." Arad scratched his chin, "They are immune to it since they are a part of my blood? I won''t say immune. Attuned is the word." "You can go now," Waving his hand again, Arad made the spawn disappear. He then approached the pir, touching it. "Now, let me try agitating it a bit. See how it goes." A faint rumbling sound resonated through the pir as Arad gently stroked its void. It then started heating up rapidly as it gleaned with a bright blue light. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Heughed with a smile on his face, "It''s going! It''s going!" Arad''s void expansion was unlike that of his brother. It didn''t twist the void by nature, but instead expanded Arad''s stomach out. Its main property was the lower pressure andck of air that suffocated and digested anything inside. Currently, Arad''s void expansion has two more attack methods besides Arad himself. The tens of vampire spawns that can use the same beam Arad learned from his brother. And now the death pir he can spawn in the middle, damaging anyone inside automatically as long as he activated it. "I should change it," Arad smiled. [Void expansion: Devouring void] Is when I open my stomach, using the basic effects of my void without the spawns and this pir. [Void expansion: Blood dance] Is when I release the spans inside my stomach, having them and the basic effect at the same time. [Void expansion: ursed Pir] Arad''s void expansion faded, and he flew down,nding in front of his house. "Meryem, where is the little one?" "ARAD!" Meryem ran toward him, dropping him to the ground and rubbing her face on his chest. Arad tried to push her away, but her grip on his chest was strong enough that he couldn''t. "Calm down! You''re always like this," "You never take me with you. I''m not letting you go." She mumbled. "I''m not going anywhere, at least for now," Arad growled as it slowly got harder to breathe. "Come here," Tina approached from the back, grabbing Meryem by her antenna and pulling her back. "Master, her antennae are sensitive. Pull her from them." "I know," Arad stood, "Where is she?" "I asked the kobolds to transfer the red wyrmling into the dungeon. She fell asleep the moment we healed her wounds with potions." Tina looked at the house, "What caused those injuries? Was it another dragon?" "Yeah," Arad nodded, "He won''t being back," "I hope so," Tina looked back at the fences. Monsters, wolves, and apes surrounded the whole house. They seem more agitated than before. Arad pped his hands, and the monsters turned to look at him, "It''s okay now. She''s inside myir, you can rx," The monsters knew better than to anger Arad. When a dragon takes over thend, the animals and monsters there start showing strange behavior, protecting the dragon''s eggs even if he didn''t ask. If we were useful he wouldn''t eat us. That was all they could think of. **** Days passed by, Arad and Erispleted burying everyone in a week, and a few houses started to pop out at the base of Arad''s mountain. The architects from the capital and Isdis have started building the castle''s outer wall with the help of Meryem''s ants. Arad went into the city to buy some supplies, but he then met Alcott and Ginger at the gate. "You''re going on a quest?" He asked, seeing them filling a carriage with their luggage. "Not a quest," Alcott replied, putting thest box in. "We''re going to search for some people, other s-ranks," "For fighting d." Arad looked at Alcott, then at Ginger. "Father is a pain to deal with. Without the holy sword, we might need a party of powerful s-ranks to take him down, and this time we will make sure he neveres back." She growled. "You sure there is no holy sword?" Arad pulled the dragon yer from his stomach, "Or at least, a vampire yer like this?" "Not as far I know," Alcott scratched his head, "Silver weapons usually work against them, but d is different. He isn''t just immune to the sun. He''s also immune to anything that usually harms vampires." "Father is the king of vampires for a reason. We need help, and we''re going to get it," Ginger growled. "Be careful. He might attack you on the way." "We know how to slip undetected." Alcott smiled, "You take care here. Nina is staying, so ask for help if anything happens." After Alcott and Nina left, Arad headed into the city to buy the wood and steel the builders needed. He didn''t know why couldn''t they just cut trees from the forest, but what could he say when Mira was the one asking. Two days passed and Arad was asleep in his house. He opened his eyes, sensing something in the air. Sitting up, Ae stared at him from the bedside, "You''re awake?" She mumbled. "Did I disturb you?" He looked at her with a smile. "Not at all. What was that?" She also woke up for the same reason. "Zephyr, do you know what was it?" The half-naked fairy rolled at the bedside, mumbling in her sleep. She didn''t even wake up. "Loci, what was that?" Arad asked, and the flower in the vase at the window wiggled, growing a mouth. "That was Nina. She jumped from the guild and took off," Loci replied, and Arad stood up. "I''m going to check with the guild and see what happened." "I''ming as well," Ae stood and went to the cab to wear her clothes. Arad lifted Zephyr by her left leg with two fingers and dangled her like a rat, "Wake up," "Be gentle with thedies," Zephyr mumbled, opening one eye as she yawned. "I''m a fragile being," She stretched and then closed her eyes to get back to sleep. Arad stared at her for a moment and then headed to the cold water jug. CHLOP! He dipped her like a tea bag. "BOWAAA!" She cried, shaking, "What are you doing!" CHLOP! Arad dipped her again, "Are you awake yet?" "I''m," Zephyr replied, "Why did you wake me up?" She said with an annoyed face. "Nina left the city," Arad replied, "We''re going to see what''s happened." "She can leave if she wants, isn''t that her right?" Zephyr stared at him, "Why do you have to bug her? She''s strong enough to take care of herself." "From what Loci saw, she jumped from the guild without a second thought," Arad looked at the flower pot. "She busted a hole through the guild''s ceiling. Nina won''t do that if she was responding to something normal," Loci added. Chapter 524 Renown

Chapter 524 Renown

Arad and Ae changed their clothes and walked down the stairs, Zephyr hovering around them. "Arad, is there a problem?" Eris woke up and looked out of her room. "Nina left the city. We''re going to check why with the guild." He replied. Eris stared at him for a second, "You sure? She''s quite strong. She might return before you reach the city." "Since d''s attack on Riverside, I doubt Nina would leave Alina unprotected for no reason." Arad looked at her, "Are youing?" Eris went back to her room to get changed. The three headed out, and Arad looked around. "Come out," He called, and Mc walked out of the bushes. "Can you carry three people"? Mc shook his head, tapping his hooves on the ground. ^Leave it to me!^ he thought. Arad jumped on Mc''s back, and so did Ae and Eris. They rushed toward the city without wasting any time. The guards sat on the walls, yawning. The sun started rising, and one of them looked toward the fields. "Hoi! Look!" He pointed. The other guards looked. The rising sun blinded them as it emerged from the mountains, casting a shadow on the forest on the wheat fields. "That''s a horse?" One asked. "No, a horse doesn''t have horns." Another squinted his eyes, trying to cover the sun with his hand to take a look. "It''s Arad and his moose!" He yelled. "What? Open the gate!" As the portcullis slowly rose up, Arad did slow down. "Wait! He isn''t stopping?" A guard shouted, "Rise it faster!" "We''re trying! This is as fast it goes!" One of them looked back at Arad and saw a strange scene. Coming from the sunrise on a moose''s back. Arad lifted his arms into a T-shape. The moose''s hove slowly levitated from the ground as it started running in the air, crossing over the gate. The guards gasped, seeing the massive creature flying above them. Its eyes and spit-filled mouth flew over them with a growl. One of them who was a bit interested in magic could feel it. Arad cast something on Mc. Only then did the guards notice, that Arad wasn''t the only one on Mc''s back. So did Ae and Eris. SWOSH! Mc ran over the guards andnded on the rooftops, running and leaping from one house to the other. "Our valiant hero came on a moose," One guard sighed, with a weak giggle, and worried face. "A moose on the loose. That thing can even fly now?" Another sighed. ck, one of the guards sat on the bench near her, "Maidens dream of a silver knight on a majestic horse and a gentle face." Another one sighed, "What did we get? A handsome muscr man riding a moose across the sunrise." "I mean," Another of them sighed, looking at the other women, "He''s handsome, but isn''t he a bit too big?" "Yes! And there already several girls with him," Another one noted. "On the other hand, did you see that white-haired guy?" "Yes! Yes! That one with the blue eyes!" Another one cried, "I tried approaching him yesterday, but he gave me an ice rose and left." "Huh!" A man from the guardsughed, "Do you think that pretty face would be of any help?" He stared at them, "Did you see how Arad dragged a dragon to the gate? You talk about how he looks better, but when life and death are involved, you flock to the strong like pigeons to bread." "Who asked you?" She red at him. "You''re the one who started first," He stared at them, "Arad is better than that beansprout pretty face of yours." The woman growled, "Gojo is better! White hair is a sign of wisdom. I bet he''s a talented mage," "We got a warning for Arad. He could blow the whole city it seems. What did that Gojo of yours achieve? One fight and his pretty white hair will turn red by blood," The man red at them, "The strong shall prevail, and Arad is strong." The ranks of the guard had started to divide into two groups. Arad''s side consisted of mostly men with soldiers, knights, and hardened fighters. What little women supported him were the fighters and barbarians who focused on strength. All those soldiers once dreamed of mowing hordes of monsters, dragging dragons home as heros. Arad was their superhero who achieved their dream. And there was the part that supported Gojo, the white-hired wizard who has been popping aroundtely with his ice magic. Those who supported him were mostly women, archers, and wizards who liked the slick and clean look he had. They also got hope. There weren''t that many women swarming around Gojo. **** CLACK! Mc jumped from one of the buildings,nding right before the guild''s door and scaring a bunch of adventurers who were getting out. Arad jumped down from Mc''s back and walked toward the door. The adventurers stared at him for a few moments, then one of them approached. "Are sir Arad?" He asked. "Arad, I don''t know about sir," Arad stopped and looked at Ae and Eris, "Go ask inside. I will follow you soon." "Hurry," Ae said as she rushed inside with Eris. Mc on the other hand stood beside the guild''s wall, eating the grass growing between the bricks cracks. "What do you want?" Arad asked, staring at the adventurers. There were four of them. One looked like a wizard, two fighters, and a cleric. The one who approached Arad was a fighter, standing at almost 1.7 meters tall and wearing leather armor. He had a thin build but was clearly better than the average person. The fight pulled his weapon from his back. A steel staff is cut into three sections linked with chains. "How would you use this?" Arad looked at the strange weapon, holding it in his hands. "Why do people cut a staff? There is no rigidity," "Do you know a way to use it?" The adventurer asked. "I could start by returning it and buying a sword or a proper staff. But I guess that isn''t an option?" "A friend sent it to me," The adventurer sighed, "I had never seen such a weapon before, so I thought someone with more experience could know." Alcott had left. He was the one newbie adventurer who went to for advice. Arad grabbed the two outer sticks by their base and swung them. "I never used such a thing, but if I had to I would turn it into something I''m familiar with." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Holding it like this makes it seem like I''m holding two normal sticks, which helps. I can leave the middle part for defense." Arad did a few swings, "It''s mostly a close-range weapon, but if the opponent tried to move away, I would hold it from one end to try and use its full reach." After a few swings, Arad stopped and looked at the weird staff. "But, I have a big problem with it. Inbat, I like throwing my opponent around, and for that, I need a rigid weapon, a sword, or a staff to work best for that." "I don''t have enough strength to throw anyone around," The adventurer scratched his chin. "Now, but in the future you would. Use it as best as you can, and be careful not to hit yourself." Arad gave the weapon back to the adventurer and walked into the guild. Thud! The second fighter tapped the one who talked with Arad on the back, "How is it? Told you he would know." The adventurer smiled, "Did you see him swing it?" "That was," The cleric looked at the door, sweat dripping across her face, "Horrifyingly fast. This thing is heavy," She couldn''t even lift the staff. "Thoserge arms of his aren''t for show," The fighter smiled, trying to swing the staff, "Now I got a look at how to use it. Let''s go test it against some weak monsters." They left. **** Arad walked into the guild, and the adventurers inside stared at him. Beside the counter, Ae and Eris stood with one of the guild receptionists as she tried to exin to them. As he walked, he looked up seeing some workers trying to fix a hole in the ceiling, and Nina''s axe wasn''t in its ce. "What''s happened?" Arad asked as he approached Ae and Eris, "Did she tell you?" His eyes turned toward the receptionist, and she started shaking, taking a step back. "She doesn''t want to tell us," Ae said, "She said that if Nina left like that, it must be something dangerous. They already sent a call to Merlin and are waiting for her response." Thud! Arad approached the receptionist, ring at her face. "What happened to Nina?" "That I can''t say," She replied, her knees shaking. The guild''s floor started shaking and the lights flickered, the tables where the adventurers sat quaked and crackled. "Here is it!" Another receptionist jumped in, handing Arad a letter. ^Nice job, Doma.^ ^[Just a bit of gravity magic and they would start shaking.]^ Arad opened the letter, finding a leather piece inside with words written in blood. [The Great one is waking up] Those words were written in what he could only describe as written by chickens, scrambles that barely resembled words. Chapter 525 Urgent Call

Chapter 525 Urgent Call

"The great one? What does it mean?" Arad looked at the receptionists, "Do any of you know?" "The great one is a beast Nina''s n worshipped. From what she told us, the great one is the tarrasque." She turned around, "A moment please," After a minute, she returned with a thick old book. "Take a look," On the first page, Arad saw the drawing of a massive lizard standing on its hind legs like a chicken. It had massive front ws,rge teeth, and a turtle-like carapace on its back. Beside it, a mountain barely reached the beast''s knees. "It''s that big?" Arad looked at the receptionist, "That''s not all of it. Read what was written after that." The tarrasque is a three-thousand-meter-tall lizard from ancient earth. All the recordings lead us to believe it''s a female, thest one of her kind. It remains asleep in the core of the world and onlyes out once every few centuries to feed everything is food to her, but she''s attracted to those with a lot of mana. Each time she appears, it''s in a different ce in the world, and until now, she never appeared in the same ce twice. Schrs even found that she once appeared on the ocean floor, fed there then went back to sleep without anyone noticing. Through the several appearances she made, two adventurers had managed to beat her, but the fact she returned again proves she''s immune to death. The tarrasque is believed to be an immortal creature that possesses a tremendous regenerative ability. "Wait," Arad red at the receptionist, "The next page says she can reflect all magic thanks to its carapace, and what''s this about it being able to jump hundreds of kilometres?" The receptionist looked away, "The tarrasque is treated like a natural disaster. We can''t fight it. The normal reaction would be evacuating the area and letting her eat a part of thend. She will then retreat back to sleep in the core of the, and the likelihood of her appearing in our kingdom for the next one thousand years would be almost negligible." "Then why did only Nina leave? Who''s going to help with the evacuation?" Arad growled. "Nina''s n rules the area they live in. You can see them as an independent nation, but without the politics. They had outsider interference. They won''t even listen to us if we talk." She said. "Then you''re going to just leave them?" Arad red at the door, "I''m going after Nina. I''m sure she would end up facing that monster alone." "Don''t!" The receptionist stared at him, "Nina is special. She''s strong, she never lost. You aren''t the same. You would die." "I won''t, and don''t dare to try stopping me." Arad red at her, and she twitched. "But...if you agitated the tarrasque, it could jump andnd in another spot." She was about to start crying, "The barbariannd isn''t densely popted so there won''t be that many casualties. But what if the tarrasquended in a city? It will be a disaster." "I don''t care, I''m killing that thing and bringing Nina back," As Arad walked toward the door, Ae and Eris followed him. "You two areing?" He asked. "Of course," Ae replied with a smile, "You will need all the help you can get," "I don''t about how it''s immune to death, but if it was defeated before, then we can do the same." Eris giggled, thinking of blowing the tarrasque with her sma expansion. As they walked out of the guild, Eris stared at Arad, "Who should we take with us?" "Range should be useful against arge lizard." He replied, "It can reflect magic. So casters won''t help." "Casters can still help," Ae looked at them, "Me with wind and you with gravity, we can lift objects and throw them at him." Zephyr sat on her head, "You mean me, not you." "If it prefers to eat things with concentrated mana then I''m a prime target. I can use myself as bait to drag it into a trap." Arad looked at Ae. "I don''t think Jack can make something big enough to catch such a monster," **** BAM! Nina jumped from one hill to another. Her goal was her n a few hundred miles away. To any human, traveling such a distance would be hard but to her it was nothing. After hours, she finallynded in the forest of her n, standing on a boulder at the river as she stared at the erupting mountain in the distance. "Since when that was a volcano? No, it must be because the tarrasque." CRACKEL! As she mumbled, the ground beneath her shook and the trees cracked, the river sshed as birds flew into the sky. The ground cracked and she jumped away, looking around, "Earthquake, I knew it." After a while, the ground calmed down, the faint stench of blood rising from the cracks. Something was in there. BAM! Nina jumped into the sky, seeing the tents of her n in the middle. Monsters rushed out of the forest in fear as the barbarians screamed, fighting to protect the n from the rampaging beasts. Nina fell into the middle of the battle, stomping a triple-horned ape demon beneath her feet. The monsters froze, staring in her direction. Her skin turned red as she roared, and lunged forth, ripping a drake''s head with her bare hands. The monsters stopped moving as Nina red at them, their eyes and limbs twitched before they bolted away in every direction. "Strange," Nina stopped her rage, "Why run away? Stempedes usually never stop like this." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Nina! Back!" Arge bulky man standing almost two meters tall approached her, ring at her with a sharp re. "Ah!" Nina stared at him, "You''re still alive, Dad." She couldn''t believe it, with how fierce the patriarch''s leadership is, she suspected he would have already died in a power struggle. "Me not dead!" He growled, "Me, wait, daughter back." He smiled, pointing at the forest, "Animals, run of the great one. Now scared of Nina." Nina started trying to think. She''s stronger than her father, but he isn''t weak. If the monsters ran away from her, they should have run away from him in the first ce. Nina started sniffing herself, most monsters act by smell, and that might prove a lead. She only carried her smell and Arad''s scent. Humans barely leave theirs on other people, but dragons are like cats. The fact she was with him on a mission, for monsters now, her body reeks of his scent. "They are either scared of me or Arad. And enough to rival the great one fear," She smiled, "That Arad, to think he''s power woulde this far," Chapter 526 The Barbarians’ Clan

Chapter 526 The Barbarians'' n

Nina looked back at the n''s warriors, "Need to know. Where?" She stared at her father. "East. Bom, Bin, Shi searched." He replied. "Bom and Bin? Even Shi? I thought Shi couldn''t fight. Wasn''t she sick?" As Nina said that, the ground started shaking, and trees bent. Another earthquake rumbled across the ground, and the mountain to its east exploded in a volcanic eruption. "Get down!" Nina jumped forward, knocking her father to the ground just before the st passed by the vige, blowing all of their tents. "Nina! Leave!" Her father growled, standing up and lifting his axe. "You''re the one who should leave," She stared at him and then at the whole n, "West! Run!" She shouted. The barbarians stared at her in silence for a few seconds before lifting their weapons. The idiots wanted to fight the great one. "If we leave, it will only eat some trees and dirt for a few hours, then go back to sleep. We can rebuild the nter," The n only built tents, which meant their vige wasn''t hard to rebuild. "Nina, we fight." Her father said, and the other barbarians started screaming. Like wild animals, the barbarians were extremely territorial. This lizard won''t drive them out without a fight, and to them, this only seemed like a challenge. People thought that Nina''s n worshipped the tarrasque, but they were wrong. Her n isn''t smart enough to understand what that even means. To them, strength rules, and that powerful creature deserves respect. Nina stared at them, trying to figure out which way was easier, dragging them away from the tarrasque or drawing her away from them. Her father sent her the letter, but that was more of an invite to see the powerful creature or even fight it, not a cry for help. She sighed, cracking her neck and back, "Fine, you only listen to the strong," She red at her father, "Come at me!" If she beat the chieftain, the others should listen to her and move away at hermand. Her father stared at her for a moment and then smiled, understanding what she wanted. He threw his axe away. This is a fistfight, and the winner rules the n. "Sorry, but I have to beat you a bit," She would rather not fight her father, but this was the only way anyone would listen to her here. The other barbarians gathered to watch the fight, cheering as they brought roasted meat and drinks. Nina faced her father, taking a stance, but the moment they were about to start, they could feel something in the distance. CLAP! CLAP! Everyone froze, staring in the distance to see a ck dot between the clouds. ZON! It disappeared, and something crashed at their vige''s gate. "That hurt," Ae growled, rubbing her butt as she leaned on the gate''s frame to stand. "That was a rough ride," Eris grunted, holding her head with one hand as she stood, "Couldn''t you fly a bit slower?" "I''m fine!" Jack waved his hand, Lydia carrying him like a princess. She is fully armored, so neither the flight nornding bothered her. Arad stood in the middle, his eyes darting around the vige with a purple glow. He saw Nina in the middle of the crowds, ready to fight arge man. He didn''t know that was her father. He took one step forward, sucking his shirt and armor into his stomach to look like the other barbarians. Thud! With one step, he appeared right behind the crowd of barbarians. "Who?" A barbarian growled, but Arad grabbed him by the face, pushing him back with enough force that his body rolled across the vige. Something seemed off, the barbarians would usually gang on any intruder, but this man looked weird. He was taller,rger, and more muscr than any of them. To them, those were signs of power. The barbarians were primitive in most aspects, except their instincts. With that small interaction, the majority of them backed away from Arad. He wasn''t something they could fight. But that didn''t prevent them from growling at him like agitated cats. BA-BAM! A half-naked barbarian woman jumped from the crowds, swinging a fist at Arad. He dodged her attack and quickly swung a punch at her guts. She pushed on his fist with her left arm and jumped over him, ready to attack his back. If the weak ones retreat, the ones confident in their skills will take the chance to show off. CRACK! Another seven male barbarians surrounded Arad, all jumping at him like crazed chimps. The usual barbarians ganging in about to start. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thud! As the womannded behind Arad, she spun with a kick flying toward his head. Arad''s eye quickly red at her, and she knew that was a wrong move. Thud! Arad caught her foot in his right hand and pulled her. Using his raw strength and weight, he swung her around like a club, smacking the other seven barbarians down with her. She coughed blood but wasn''t about to stop. With a grin on her face, she already set her eyes on Arad. Tightening her muscles, she bnced herself and started swinging at Arad''s face with her left leg. Arad stood there, lifting her from her right leg and taking her kicks to the face without even flinching. That halfling''s kicks were heavier, this won''t bring him down. The Barbaria woman giggled. In the whole n, she was the fifth strongest. Only the chieftain[Nina''s father] and the squad that went to investigate the great[Bom, Bin, Shi] bested her. Those seven barbarians were the ones making moves against her, but she hated every one of them. They are weak, far weaker than her to the point it isn''t even funny. She wants nothing to do with them. If they are weak, how weak their children would be? Are they evenpetent enough to protect her offspring? To her, that won''t do. He must be strong, stronger than her, overwhelmingly so. It won''t do if her mate can''t put her down. And Arad here, is quickly ticking all of her boxes. Sheughed, wrapping her thighs around his neck, and twisted her hips, attempting to break Arad''s neck. CRACK! Chapter 527 The Barbarian Father

Chapter 527 The Barbarian Father

CRACK! The barbarian woman twisted her hips, trying to drop Arad down by twisting his neck. "Jona!" She growled, stating her name at the moment she thought the win was her, but Arad didn''t budge. His eyes red at her as she dangled from his neck. Her move only seded in cracking his neck, nothing more. She gasped, and Arad took a step forward, "Arad." Stating his name as he bowed forward. His body jerked at such speed that Jona''s body mmed into the ground, shattering it. ^This man is a monster.^ She grunted in her head. Arad clenched his fist, swinging at her face. She moved her head left and right, dodging his punches. Each of them leaves a dent in the ground. One hit and her skull bursts like a rotten tomato. ROAR! Jona roared, the veins on her body bulging and her skin turning a shade of pink as she went into a rage. She released Arad''s head from her thigh grip and kicked him in the face, sending her own body flying away from him. She needs distance, and even in rage, she already learned that the hard way. The moment shended down, she took a stance and lunged at Arad, kicking him in the guts. Unlike before, the strength she gained from rage helped her, pushing Arad back several meters. But even with that, she could feel the bones in her leg crying in pain. ^Rock, Hard^ She red at him. Arad stood, jumping back as she did and taking the same stance. She stared at him, dumbfounded. Even in her rage, what she saw was nothing but strange. BAM! Arad lunged forward as she did, kicking her in the guts and sending her flying across the vige. [Blood magic: Faint spell] When she tried to stand, her vision ckened. Arad knew that she would fight until she couldn''t move, and that would take a lot of time. Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad started walking toward Nina and her father, and the other barbarians backed away. Nina''s father, Karo, pushed her aside, "Arad!" He could feel it. A challenger hase. He started sweating, the veins on his forehead and body bulging. GRRRRRRRRR! A deep growl came from Arad''s throat. He''s about to charge. CLAP! Karo pped his hands, screaming, "ARAD!" BAM! Arad lunged at him, roaring like a beast. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Karo swung his fists the moment Arad got in his range, one punch after the other. He targeted the face, neck, chest, eyes, and joints. He then finished his rush with a kick to Arad''s face, putting enough power behind it to kill any barbarian in his n. Arad''s head bounced back, and with the same momentum, his right leg lifted up, kicking Karo in the guts and sting him to one of the tents. ^That was the same kick I showed him in the guild,^ Nina gasped. CRACK! Karo stood in the ten, the wooden support beams falling at his side as he coughed blood. ^Nina, Kick,^ He growled. This changed everything, at the start, Karo thought Arad was here to challenge him for his position, but that doesn''t seem the case. He''s here for his daughter. Karo''s skin turned red as blood rushed across his veins. This Arad already took Jona down, he has multiple women behind him and is facing him now for his daughter. If he didn''t stop him, they would lose all the barbarian women to him. He roared into a rage, lunging forward with a clenched fist. Swinging his fist, he unleashed the same fist Nina taught to Arad, and the one he used to evaporate Chuzuke. Karo rushed at Arad, his fist almost burning as he punched him in the chest. The shockwave exploded from it and shattered the ground as Arad''s body flew back with a ssh of blood. "ARAD!" Nina screamed, and her father targeted Arad''s heart. Any human would have died even if their body remained in one piece. "That, my blood," Karo growled, his fist shattered and blood pouring down his fingers. CRACK! Arad stood in the middle of the rubble, a purple mark on his chest. "Only a bruise from that?" Nina gasped. ^No, I shouldn''t expect human flesh to beat dragon''s scales. Barbarians are proud, they fight the barehanded barehanded.^ Since Arad didn''t use a weapon, Karo won''t pick up his axe. But that left him at a disadvantage. If Arad took that hit from Karo''s axe, his body would have been cut in half. Karo stared at Arad, "Monster," Arad growled, lunging forward with a wide swing of his fist. Karo dodged left and right as Arad unleased a barrage of fists, and then kicked him in the guts, sending him flying back. Thud! Karo stood there, watching as Arad stood again. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, rxing. "Wait?" Nina gasped, "Calming down in rage?" Barbarians lose control when in their rage, but her father talked and even calmed down, what kind of power did he develop while she was out? "Arad! Stand down, he has something big," She shouted. "So am I," Arad replied with a smile, he then started walking toward Karo, his hands lifted up like a bear. BAM! Karo lunged forward, opening a clenching fist as his mind aimed at one point. Arad''s naval. From his experience, he managed to conclude that a hit to that area knocked out most enemies he fought. Unlike the chest, there are no bones protecting it. The shockwave will spread from the guts and up to the heart and lungs, turning them into mush. Everyone that he used this fist on, exploded from the inside out. SWOSH! Karo reached Arad, swinging his fist at Arad''s torso. At impact, the ground beneath them cracked. And Karo''s fist pierced right through Arad''s body. Arad swung his palms down at Karo''s ears, sending a shock to his brain. [Blood magic: Faint spell] Karo fell unconscious and Arad stood there, "Sorry, but that won''t work," He smiled, his wound rapidly healing. Arad is a void dragon, his organs are protected by his void. That is why he didn''t fall from the heart hit, and why his body won''t explode from this fist. Besides piercing his scales, Karo hit nothing inside. "Lydia, are you done there?" Arad looked back and she waved her hand, she had finished healing the barbarians he knocked out and was rushing to Karo. In the meantime, Arad approached Nina with a smile, "Are you all right? Who is this idiot?" He looked back at Karo. "That idiot is my father," She stared at him. "Oh..." Arad looked back with a dumbfounded face, "Sorry..." Chapter 528 Evacuation

Chapter 528 Evacuation

The barbarians stared at Arad in confusion. The chief''s punch had pierced his torso, yet his wound already healed, Just like the tales of old. Jona woke up from her slumber, staring at Arad''s back and seeing thest traces of his wound fading, "Tarra''s blessing," She mumbled before falling unconscious again. Arad didn''t resort to magic besides his [Blood magic], which he used to end the fight. Nina stared at him. That dragon was growing stronger at a terrifying speed. Just a month ago, she could swear her father could beat him. "Nina! I didn''t know he was your father. I saw you two about to fight and just wanted to help." He said, staring at her with a half-scared face and half in jest. "I was about to beat him as well," She sighed, "But this works." She looked back at the other barbarians, "Order them to evacuate. We can''t fight the great one." "I came to kill it," Arad replied, "It was defeated before, and we could do the same now." "We can''t," Nina stared at him, "And even if we did, it would cost us more than we would gain. I''m not risking you, the n, or anyone else." Arad scratched his head, "Fine, but I''m fighting it. It sounds just like the right experience." "You aren''t." Nina stared at him, smiling. "You''re evacuating as well, and I didn''t even start about how you followed me here." "He was the chief, right?" Arad looked at the unconscious Karo. "Since I beat him, shouldn''t you do what I say?" "That''s easy," She stared at Arad, a gentle smile on her face. BAM! Arad immediately cast [time slow: 90%] and saw Nina''s body sh red for a split second. He tried to move but couldn''t. Even in the slowed time, his body couldn''t react in time. Nina swung her right foot, kicking him in the left temple. As his head bounced, she instantly shifted her torso and sent another kick, This time with her left foot at his right temple. The violent left and right bunch sends a shockwave from his brain down to the tip of his spine, disrupting his nervous function at once. With her left foot beside his face, she jumped with her right and wrapped her thighs around his neck, twisting her hips and spinning his whole body in the air. CRACK! The whole vige shook as Nina smacked Arad''s face on the ground, sitting on his head as her legs squeezed his neck. TAP! TAP! She tapped his head, "My strength is over 80, more than twice yours. And since you cast a spell right after I started to move, the fraction of a second cooldown as your nervous system adjusted was enough for me to get the first kick in." Ae stared at them with a passive face, "It was over faster than when he fought Alcott." She mumbled. "I want to see...your stats..." Arad growled in the ground, unable to move. "No way, that''s like me stripping down." She tapped his head, but then smiled, "So, if you managed to strip me down, I won''t mind showing you." "I would die," He replied. "Don''t worry, I would only beat you like this." She giggled. "Your father wasn''t as strong," "Of course, he wasn''t. I left the tribe and found countless monsters. They only fought the native monsters of this area." She stood, "I nned to knock him out with one kick, but then you came out," Arad stood, stinging feeling a stinging pain spreading across his back. He looked at the barbarians, "Evacuate." Nina waved her hand, "Father, with everyone, Genara hills." She pointed with her hand, and her father stood. He had already woke up. He nodded, "Still, Bom, Bin, Shi." He replied. "I would find them, get everyone away," Nina replied. Her father nodded and started directing the other barbarians to evacuate. Ae and the rest approached Nina. "Who''s Bom, Bin, and Shi?" Lydia asked. "Three barbarians, two guys, Bom and Bin, and a woman named Shi." Nina exined, the two men had long ck hair, and the woman had a dark brown one, cut short." She tried to draw them on the ground with a stick but failed miserably. "Those look like monsters," Arad said, staring at her deformed stick figure drawing. "She''s just bad at drawing," Ae whispered to him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I heard she had a pretty bad handwriting as well," Eris added. Jack and Lydia stared at them, sweating as they noticed Nina''s hand twitching, "Hoi!" Zephyr stared at them, "How about you shut up for a second and focus on what matters? Right, Nina?" She looked at her with a sweaty face. Nina sighed, "Yeah. Those three should be the strongest after Father since they were sent to investigate the great one''s awakening. I doubt they would die, but we must find them." "Won''t theye back on their own?" Arad asked. "I don''t know, but we should find them if that was the case." Nina stared at him, "Since you''re here, can you sense anyone?" "Not a single human intelligence around." He replied. Nina looked away with a sad face, "Sorry, I have 7 Intelligence, and I''m considered a genius among barbarians. Please lower your standards." Arad blinked twice and looked at the other barbarians. He couldn''t sense a thing from them. He stared focusing more on his detected thoughts, and finally stopped. "They are barely better than crows." He said with a puzzled face. Pinching her fingers together, Nina mumbled with a dead voice. "Crows have an intelligence of 4, most barbarians have 5. That''s the equivalent of a five-year-old kid. People used to call us bird brains, and they weren''t wrong. Most barbarians didn''t understand the insult, and though people praised their strength, thinking they would fly soon..." Thud! Ae hit Nina on the head, "Calm down, it''s not the time for you to have a mid-life crisis." "Sorry," Nina mumbled, standing up. "Beside them. I could only sense one more intelligence in the forest." Arad pointed in the direction, "It''s thirty meters underground in that direction." "We''rete..." Nina growled. "They might be unconscious, but don''t get your hopes up. We should hurry." Arad replied, "We find the barbarians and get the hell out of here," "Don''t worry," Zephyr smiled, sitting on Arad''s head. "I could wrestle the tarrasque to buy you a few minutes to escape." "Really?" Everyone looked at her. "You can face a legendary monster?" Ae asked. "Not really, I''m far weaker than her, but I can buy time. Even if I were to die, I would pop out inside you like it''s nothing," Zephyr looked at Ae. "Then we''re counting on you when things get dire." Arad looked at her. "Not for free!" Zephyr stared at him, "You will do one thing for meter," Arad remembered thatst time it was killing a wizard. He got a few things from it. So it won''t be a bad thing. "You got a deal, but I still have a minute each month from you, remember?" "Of course. You will do me a favor if I need to hold the tarrasque for more than a minute." Zephyr smiled. Chapter 529 The Beast

Chapter 529 The Beast

Running across the forest, Arad looked behind him, "Can you keep up?" "No problems," Lydia replied. Even in her heavy-te armor, she could still run for a long while. "I don''t think I have a problem," Jack replied, a drop of sweat trailing across his slowly paling face. Ae and Eris didn''t seem to have a problem, and Zephyr was chilling out on his head. Nina was thest thing he worried about. He would get exhausted before her. CRACKLE! As they ran, the ground started violently shaking. "An earthquake?" Ae gasped. "No, it''s the great one!" Nina shouted as the ground cracked, a foul gust of blood stench rushed out. "The hell is this?" Jack muffled his mouth with his arm, "It''s foul!" "Blood!" Lydia growled, "That thing must be injured." She immediately assumed it was the tarrasque''s blood. "It can''t be the great one. With her regenerative ability, she won''t bleed for long," Nina added. "Hold to the trees. The shaking should stop soon." Arad said, "She''s probably feeding underground on monsters." "Hulking cockroaches or something?" Eris stared at him. "I don''t know. It''s just a theory." As he said that, the shaking stopped. Nina''s eyes opened wide, "JUMP!" She screamed, and everyone lunged away, with Zephyr carrying Jack and Lydia away. The ground shattered, and blood started gushing out like a gyzar. Two massive crocodile-like eyes the size of melons popped out. The massive creature swam in the bloodied dirt, its massive tail knocking trees down. Thud! Arad caught Eris between his legs, and Nina and Ae in each arm as he expanded his wings and started flying. "What''s that? A massive gator?" "I have never seen such a thing in the guild''s monster manual," Nina replied. "Doesn''t matter if we kill it," Eris pointed her hand at the monster. [sma spear] PEW! She fired a zing spear in the blink of an eye. PING! The moment it hit the creature''s head, the spear bounced back toward Zephyr. "Be careful!" Zephyr cried, dodging the spear at thest moment. The sma spear flew to the sky, exploding in a massive st. The monster red at them, roaring, its voice gargling in the blood before it dived back to the ground, swinging its massive deformed tail up, almost hitting Arad. "What was that?" Lydia gasped. "That deformed tail, is this it''s blood?" Jack looked at the blood-filled forest. It had be like a swamp. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad looked at Zephyr, "Let''s find another ce tond. That massive boulder there." He pointed at a small stone peak. Afternding, everyone stared at the forest. "I''m barefoot," Nina gasped. "You didn''t sense it with your tremor sense?" Arad stared at her, "But you warned us." "I only felt the liquid gargling beneath the ground at thest moment. Now we knew that was blood. I didn''t sense it digging up." She stared at him. "Even I can''t dig that quietly, let alone that thing," Arad scratched his head, "Its intelligence was even lower than that of a turkey." "A turkey is 2, so that must be a 1." Nina scratched her head. Lydia stared at Arad, "One intelligent monster only understands two things. Eat and survive." "They can sometimes eat themselves to death." Eris added, "As Lydia said, they keep eating until they fall asleep from exhaustion and then repeat." Jack looked at Arad, "Can you eat that thing? It has a lot of blood at least." "Don''t you smell that?" Arad stared at him. Eris nodded, "I feel like throwing up just from the blood stench. That thing is inedible." "Wait here," Arad lifted Eris, "Let''s give it a try," "Put me down! I''m not drinking that!" She cried as he flew with her to the blood swamp. Thud! Theynded on a dry patch ofnd, closing their noses from the horrid stench. "It''s disgusting. Can we leave?" Eris squatted at the blood side, extending her finger to touch it. Dip, the moment her finger touched the blood, it swelled into a red-bloodied tumor. In a panic, she instantly severed her wrist and burned the hand to ask with her sma. "The hell was that?" She cried as her hand regenerated. "Let me try," Arad approached the blood and extended one finger, touching the surface. It took a second, but his finger quickly swelled into a red tumor, and it was quickly spreading to his palm. With a quick swing from his sword, he cut the hand and burned it with mes. "It took longer to affect me," He said. ^[Parasites,]^ Doma said inside his head. "Parasites? Like worms?" As Arad asked, a mouth appeared on his hand. "[No, the blood itself. The cells are parasites. The moment you touched them they started infecting your sales and transforming them. Your pure draconic blood is quite sturdy, and your vampiric and lycanthropic curse also showed resistance to protect you. That is why it affected you slower than Eris. She only has half dragon blood and pure vampire blood.]" "What if the blood touched a human? Like Lydia or Jack?" "[The parasites would spread across their bodies through the bloodstream in one heartbeat, and they would be a deformed mass of flesh in the blink of an eye.]" "We should get them away from here then," Arad growled. "[I didn''t count that holy blood flows in Lydia''s body, or that artificial liver that Cain gave to Jack. Ae has Zephyr inside her body as well. It might not be one hit kill for them. But I don''t know about Nina. She''s a human.]" Arad stood, thinking about it. CRACK! A massive jaw emerged from the ground, and Arad and Eris were in the middle of it. "Huh?" Eris cried, seeing the maw closing on them. Thud! Arad grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, opening his jaw and sting the monster with a fire breath down its throat. ZON! He then teleported away. ZON! Arad and Eris appeared on the stone beside the rest. "Are you all right?" Nina stared at them, but they were fine. Arad smiled, "It isn''t fine," He pointed at the monster. His breath had blown its throat open. "It will die soon," But that didn''tst. The monster immediately started regenerating, and what''s more, its jaw looked bigger than before. "I can survive that?" Ae gasped. "At least we know, the inside of its mouth can''t reflect magic," Arad sighed. This isn''t going to be easy. Chapter 530 Finding The Barbarian

Chapter 530 Finding The Barbarian

"Stay close to me. We will find the thoughts source and leave." Arad said, pointing at the horizon in the direction he sensed the thoughtsing from. "If it''s only one, then the other two are dead," Nina looked at Arad, "It isn''t worth risking everyone''s life." "She''s right." Zephyr said, sitting on Eris''s head, "Won''t you agree?" "Why ask me?" Eris red at her, "But she''s right. That thing could one-shot us with his blood. We risk a total party kill by just staying here." Jack scratched his chin, "As a rogue, I should say we retreat, but I doubt that''s right," He looked at Lydia. "True, a difficult decision. Should we abandon one life to save the majority?" She looked at Arad. "Arad," Ae stared at him. "It''s not about saving a life," Arad looked back at them, his eyes panning toward Nina, "You say we abandon thest one, but would that sit well with you?" "What?" Nina gasped. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "If we weren''t here, you would dive head first, searching for thest survivors." He took a step toward her, "I might be weaker than you, but I''m the one knowing where thest survivor is. That thing can''t kill me in one hit, and I already blew his throat open." Arad red at her, "Doma said that''s an extreme life form that only seeks to feed and survive. Butst I heard, we dragons were at the top of extreme life forms." Arad growled, scales shing on his skin as his eyes glowed purple. "Let''s see who survives natural selection, me or a bloody gator." "Do you even have a n?" Nina red at him, "I''m not letting you kill yourself." "I find thest one, and I teleport away with him. If that gator attacked, I would teleport thest one away, and then blow the monster from the inside out and burn it with a void expansion." Arad stated a simple n. "Your expansion won''t kill it," Nina stared at Arad, "I''m taking you and everyone away." Arad smiled, "I got something interesting in my stomach. Five hundred tons of cursed metal, I wonder what would happen if I shoved it down its throat," "Wait? Cursed metal, that much?" Nina gasped. "Got it as a payment for a red dragon," He replied, "I can kill that thing. We only need to find the survivor," Nina stared at him in silence for a minute. "What? Raw strength isn''t everything," Arad tapped her head, "You''re stronger than me, but that doesn''t mean I can''t help you." "Still too risky," Arad sighed, "Listen, a certain fairy said rtionships are based onpromises. What''s wrong with me being weaker than you?" Zephyr hid behind Ae''s head. "You cover my weakness, and I cover yours. It''splimentary. You have raw strength, and I have a countless arsenal of tools and spells that could help us escape different situations." He put his hands on her head, "I''m weaker than you, but for now, you listen to me, got it?" Nina stared at him, thinking about it. "Strength isn''t everything, rx. In this mission, I''m stronger." Arad turned around. "With that out of the way, let''s hurry and get thatst barbarian out of here." Eris tapped Nina''s back, "Let him handle it. You would be surprised to see how much power he can pull when needed." They jumped from the hill and ran across the forest, reaching the massive crack in the ground after a few minutes. "It''s inside. Several meters on the other side in a cave at the side wall." "Guide the way," Zephyr waved her hand, "You know the location," Arad looked at her, "What I''m saying is that we''re getting underground. Stay close to me." Jack walked forward, firing his hook and swinging down with Lydia in his arms, "It''s this cave? Right?" "Yeah," Arad jumped, and the rest followed him. Moving across the terrain isn''t hard. Landing inside the cave, they looked out into the ravine. "This thing is deep," Ae said. "It''s get too dark down there, but I can see the bottom," Arad looked, his eyes glowing. "I would say it''s about nine hundred to a thousand meters deep," "Your eyes are sharp," Nina said, looking down but seeing nothing past a few meters. "Elves have better sight than humans, and dragons surpass that," Lydia tried to look but saw nothing as well. "With his eyesight and thought detections, Arad would make a terrifying scout," "Can you sense that thing?" Jack asked. Arad shook his head, "I''m still looking for low intelligence, but that thing isn''t thinking at all. It''s a mindless monster. We better hurry," They rushed inside the cave, following Arad as he led them to where he sensed thest barbarians, and it didn''t take them long to find him. "Bin!" Nina shouted, rushing toward the bloodied barbarian leaning on the cold stone wall. Blood poured from his back, and his heart barely held a beat. "Bin! Bin! Wake up!" She screamed, and Lydia reached to her side, "Let me handle this," Lydia started healing him, "It''s bad," but she then growled, "A jagged stone punctured his stomach, and the content spilled on his organs. His whole body is inmed. His lower spine was also crushed. I doubt he would walk again," "At least he''s alive. Let''s get him out of here," Nina said. Arad approached, and the moment he was about to touch Bin, the man mumbled. "Run, Shi, Monster..." his eyes didn''t even move, devoid of life even though his body still held with a hairstrand. But the man''s thoughts reached Arad''s mind, and his eyes opened wide. DRIP! Ae heard something. And she turned back, seeing the massive crocodilian creature staring at her, his eyes as big as her whole body. It grew twice asrge in the span of minutes. "ARAD!" Zephyr was the one to scream, and Arad turned in the blink of an eye, about to st the beast, but he hesitated. BAM! Bin''s dying body moved, lunging forward and grabbing the monster by the jaws. "RUN!" He screamed, and Arad expanded his wings, teleporting everyone away. Thud! The moment theynded, Nina stared at Arad. "We left Bin there!" She cried. Turning toward the crack, "I''m getting him out, even if as a corpse." Thud! Arad grabbed her, "No, you aren''t going." He red at her. "Let me go," She growled. "I said you aren''t. It''s end here," Arad pulled her closer. "What''s with you now? You''re the one who was eager to beat that monster." Nina shouted at him. "Arad," Zephyr stared at him, "Is it what I think it is?" "Yeah," Arad growled, "Bin''s mind was active in hisst moments. I got a rough idea of what happened, and it''s ugly," "What are you two talking about? We just left Bin to his death," Nina red at them. Zephyr red at her, "He was already dying," She then red at the blood swamp in the distance, "And it''s not that Arad couldn''t save Bin or repel the beast. He hesitated to do it," "Why?" "That monster," Zephyr red at Nina, "It''s Shi." Chapter 531 The Three Barbarians And the Crystal

Chapter 531 The Three Barbarians And the Crystal

CRACK! Bim, Bom, and Shinded beside the crack, staring at the abyss. "Ground, shaking," Bim said with a smile, "Monsters, the great one," "Don''t know," Shi replied, pointing down with her axe and tapping her foot on the ground, "Small things, a lot." "Fight, Bom," Bom approached Shi, but she punched him. "Monsters," Bom growled with a sad face but quickly broke into a smile, putting his axe above his shoulder. The three of them jumped down like one, ready to kill anything down there and find out why they could sense the great one from the ground. At the bottom of the ravine, a hulking cockroach stared up, seeing the three barbarians falling. It rushed inside, knocking on the stones to ring the rm, and intruders were approached. BAM! Bin kicked the wall with his foot, bouncing from one side to another with grace. Even if his human eyes couldn''t see anything, the moment his feet touched the walls, he could feel the monsters moving at the bottom like ants. Bom swung his axe at the wall, using it to slow his fall, and extended his hand to Shi, "Mom, help," Shi smiled as she fell, "No," She fell straight down,nding feet first in the middle of the dark, scarring the hulking cockroaches inside. Thoserge muscr humanoid cockroaches red at her, each of them standing at almost three meters tall. They growled and grunted. This woman looked small to them, but something seemed off about her. Shi couldn''t see in the dark, but she still could hear them breathing, and feel the beat of their massive hearts on the ground through her feet. One massive hulking cockroach approached her, bending down with its horrid breath gushing out. "JOOO?" Shi lifted her hands, grabbing the monster''s head in her palms. In the next moment, she swung her head forth, headbutting the creature and caving his skull in. As its body started falling, she swung one fist, piercing the monster''s upper chest and heart. "Roaches, hard to die," "JOOOOOO!" The other roaches screamed. They expected intruders, but not someone that strong. The hulking cockroaches weren''tpletely beastial. They had a slither of intelligence to them. Their average stood at four, equivalent to apes and crows. They were capable of simple nning and understanding. They knew surface dwellers shouldn''t be able to see or fight in the dark. For that, they couldn''tprehend how Shi already killed one of their kind. Why can''t they sense fear from her? Why are they the ones trembling even though they have advantages? The roaches charged forth, swinging at Shi who didn''t bother to move, a grin on her face. CRACK! The moment the roaches approached her, Bom and Bin reached the floor,nding on the monsters beside Shi. As the roaches sttered into green goo, "Kill," Shi said with a grin, and the two barbarians rushed forward with their axes, cleaving the monsters. The roaches roared, calling their strongest ones to deal with the intruders. If one was a problem, having three is a disaster. Before Bom and Bin, tens of massive cockroaches started merging from the cracks, trying to overwhelm them with sheer numbers. The two barbarians smiled. They were used to fighting hordes of wolves and goblins alone. The monsters being bigger didn''t change anything. If not, it made them easier to hit with their axes. Some of the roaches tried to run away, but they were faced with Shi waiting for them with a smile, standing tall with her arms crossed. To them, she was a true monster. CRACK! Bin returned, "Found, red stone," He said, and Shi followed him to Bom. Besides the crushed corpse of a roach shaman rested a red crystal glowing with an ominous re. The great one''s aura wasing from it. Shi approached the stone but suddenly stopped, "Monster, a big one," She stared back. Bin grunted, "Small ones, a lot," "Kill!" Bom growled, ready for blood. As the two barbarians got ready to fight, Shi extended her hand to lift the crystal. They must take it to the vige. Right behind the crystal in the shadows, Arad stood there, watching with closed eyes. The moment Shi touched the stone, it turned white and crumbled, Causing her veins to glow red for a second before fading. Bin stared back at her, "What?" "Don''t know," Shi replied, looking at the crystal''s ashes, as confused as everyone else. The three barbarians rushed to face theing massive monster. Thud! They stopped at an opening in the cave, staring down and feeling a massive creature writhing on the ground. It was long, hard, over five meters thick, and several hundred long. "Worm," Shi growled. "Big," Bom nodded. "Bad, don''t know color," Bin stared at them, "Danger," Underground worms were known for their sheer strength and deadly poisons. The native barbarians did hunt them, but only in groups of five or more, and they also had to take into ount the creature''s color. Arad stood behind them, ring in silence. Shi paused for a second, suddenly turning around and ring at Arad. But in her eyes, she saw a tall muscr woman with long brown hair and eyes, and a body full of war paints. She blinked, but then no one was there. She rubbed her eyes, confused. Bin and Bom stared at her, "Okay?" "Okay," Shi replied, "We kill the worm," The three barbarians jumped, ready to face the worm. Even as dangerous as they are, if they manage to get it on the head. It will be over quickly. They weren''t known to make smart decisions even if they knew it was dangerous. Bin and Bom swing their axes, hitting the worm in the head. CLANG! From the metallic sound, they knew it was a gray worm. "BACK!" Shi shouted, kicking the wall and bouncing all the way toward the end of the coiled worm. The gray worm''s weakness was two green patches at its rear end, the testicles. Shi held her axe as she reached the green patches. One good swing and the worm would bleed to death in seconds. [Don''t, Rage] A voice boomed in her head. Shi froze for a second, hesitating to rage and attack. "Kill it!" Bin shouted, and Shi got smacked by the worm''s tail, sending her body flying away. Bin and Bom growled, perplexed at the powerful Shi''s hesitation. Something was off. At that moment, the worm sneaked Bom, biting his left leg off. Bin growled, swinging his axe and knocking the worm down. "Shi! Rage!" He screamed. Shi grunted her teeth. [Weak, blood, rage,] the woman''s voice kept booming in her Shi''s head, but she decided to ignore it, raging as she did her whole life. Her skin turned red, and she could feel the power coursing through her veins...BLOP! But, blood gushed out of her eyes and ears, her skin started falling off, and everything stopped in terror. ROAR! Shi screamed, lunging in a ssh of blood, and swinging her axe at the worm, cutting it in half. As the worm writhed in pain, scales covered Shi''s body as it expanded and grewrge, taking a deformed crocodilian shape. "Shi!" Bom jumped at her, trying to understand what was happening, but she swallowed him whole. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Bin gasped, but Shi''s attention shifted toward the massive worm. She bit its writhing body and swung it around, ascendingly smacking Bin and sending his body bouncing across the cavern, finallynding inside the cave where Arad and everyone found him. ^It''s my fault,^ Bin thought as he sat there, unable to move with Arad standing at his side. ^If I didn''t ask her to rage,^ Bin lifted his head, his dead eyes looking forward to see Arad and everyone standing before him. Hours had passed since he remained there, unable to move. He could see Shi farrger than before creeping at them from the darkness, and Ae turning around to face it. ^I want to make things right.^ Arad turned with Ae''s scream, teleporting everyone away and letting Bin face Shi for onest time. Chapter 532 Arad Vs Shi: Two Monsters

Chapter 532 Arad Vs Shi: Two Monsters

Thud! Arad took one step forward after telling them what he saw. "I knew it," Zephyr sighed, "I did sense a slither of human mana from that thing." "What was that stone? Can we reverse this?" Nina stood atop the mountain beside Arad. "Doma says we can''t. The change is physical, and it''s already taken root." He said, "Our best bet is to leave," "That isn''t easy," Eris stared at him. "We could have left it alone if it was a tarrasque, but now we don''t know if it will ever stop." "That thing is a tarrasque," Zephyr said, staring at Shi in the distance. "Or should I say, it''s bing one?" "[That crystal was most likely crystalized tarrasque blood. When Shi touched it, she gained a tarrasque bloodline but then lost control of the power when she raged.]" Arad waved his hand [Gemini]. He split into two people so Doma could exin more easily with magic. "[Do you know how draconic bloodline sorcerers can develop wings or scales when they get strong enough? It''s a result of their blood transforming their body''s gic traits and getting closer to the perfect body for that power.]" She waved her hand, creating arge humanoid shape with magic, showing the wings growing on its back. Doma then pointed at Shi, "[She''s the same now. Her body is adapting and evolving to contain the power in her blood. It''s alreadyte now that it''s started.]" "There has to be a way to save her," Nina stared at Doma, but she shook her head, "What little humanity was left in her that Zephyr sensed had already dissolved in that blood. That''s a wild monster now, and we can''t let it roam the world." Nina growled, "Fine, I will finish her off," She stepped forward, but Arad stopped her, "You aren''t. You can''t resist the blood." "We don''t know that," Nina red at him. CRACKLE! CRACKLE! The barbarian n rushed through the mountain, reaching the peak where Arad and the girls stood, "Monster, great one?" Nina''s father stared at them. "No, Shi," Nina replied. The barbarians stared with stunned faces, "The monster?" "We barely understand it," Jack stared at the barbarians, "But we must stop her before she wreaks havoc on thends," Lydia pulled her sword, stabbing the ground, "Can''t holy magic help? I have a lot of it," "I doubt it," Zephyr replied, "That isn''t an evil being. It''s a poor creature in pain, trying its best to survive." Eris scratched her head, "If she lost control of it that means her mind is either dead or given up, and it''s only her body trying to evolve into an immortal tarrasque." Arad cracked his neck, "I''m going to end this. Support me from afar," Nina grabbed his shoulder, "Don''t go alone," "I''m the only one who can face that thing without dying upon contact," Arad replied, pushing her hand away. ZON! He teleported away, and everyone stared in silence. Thud! Arad appeared in front of Shi, staring at her with a passive face. "We meet again," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Shi, now reduced to a rampaging beast, stared back at him in silence for a moment. ROAR! She roared, swinging her right arm down at Arad''s head. Arad lifted his left arm, blocking her attack as the ground beneath him exploded from the sheer pressure. Two purple eyes gleamed from the dust as Arad transformed into his draconic form, lifting Shi''s arm up with him. "You aren''t the only big monster around here," He swung his right w, releasing a st of void at her head. The shockwave sends Shi rolling back, tainting the forest red with blood. Arad stared at his forearm, seeing his scales falling off. ***** [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage. Druid] [Level: 25/40][Exp: 9560/480000][Sub-ss: Void Knight. Monsters'' Whisperer. Star Druid] [Age stage: Young] [36 years.] [Evolution avable at 64] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 0] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 35] [Agility: 32] [Constitution: 38] [Magic: 37] [Intelligence: 40] [Wisdom: 38] [HP: 948/975][MP: 962/962][SP: 900/900] [HPreg: 1/min][MPreg: 1/s][SPreg: 2/s] [Blood Pool(BP): 230Liters] ***** "This is but a scratch," His arm healed. [BP: 230L]=>[BP: 227.3L](1L=10HP) [HP:948/975]=>[HP:975/975] Arad red at Shi, prowling around and waiting for her to make a move. BLOP! Shi''s body disappeared into the ground as if it were nothing, and Arad blinked. His bare ws are touching the ground, yet he can''t feel her dig around. He looked down and started tapping his ws on the ground, baiting her toward him. SWOSH! Out of the ground, Shi''s massive jaw emerged right beath Arad. Arad smiled, opening his jaw to breathe a st of inferno right in her throat. The crimson mes gushed out, but the moment they touched her mouth, they bounced in her throat before shooting back at Arad, sending him rolling into the sky. [HP:975/975]=>[HP:912/975] He stared down with a grin, "I thought you can''t reflect things inside your mouth," Shi red at him as she sank into the ground without disturbing it. "That thing is evolving and adapting, I better finish her off before she bes capable of reflecting anything I throw at her." He expanded his wings, turning in the middle of the air and soared down to the ground, flying close to it while activating gravity magic to lift chunks of the forest. SWOSH! Out of the ground, like a crocodile jumping at its prey, Shi lunged with her jaw open, aiming at Arad''s neck. ZON! Arad teleported away, letting the stones he gathered fly directly at Shi''s head. SWOSH! The stones fazed right through her body as shended on her feet. "Dirt, stones, and anything ground-rted pass right through her body as if she isn''t there. Is that why we can''t hear her digging around?" Arad mumbled as he hovered in the air. [Earth dragons have an ability called earth glide that allows them to pass through the ground like ghosts. The tarrasque might have something simr.] Mom exined. Shi squatted down, her body sinking into the ground as a grunt escaped her throat. As Arad saw her retreat, he knew that he had to keep pushing her. If he remained in the air for long. She could leave and attack another ce. "No time to waste," He dodged down andnded on the ground. The moment Aradnded, Shi came out slowly, staring at him. Arad smiled, "Time for more,e at me," ***** [Name: Shi][Race: Tarrasque Fetus][ss: Barbarian] [Level: N/A][Exp: N/A][Sub-ss: N/A] [Stats] [Strength: 45] [Agility: 30] [Constitution: 48] [Magic: 30] [Intelligence: 1] [Wisdom: 22] [HP: 1100/1100][MP: 875/875][SP: 875/875] [HPreg: 1100/s][MPreg: 875/s][SPreg: 875/s] ***** Chapter 533 Arad Vs Shi: Ever Evolving Beast

Chapter 533 Arad Vs Shi: Ever Evolving Beast

Arad stood there, staring at Shi with a passive face. "Let''s try this," He waved his hand, and her shoulder got sted. [HP: 1100/1100]=>[HP: 923/1100] He smiled, "So it works," Instead of using the void to create magic and hit Shi, Arad opted to use the void topress the air and fire it at her. Those attacks have no mana in them since they are justpressed air, the same as lifting a stone and throwing it with magic. Shi stared at her bleeding shoulder, confused at how did it happen. Her arm was there, and now it wasn''t. The bones of her shoulder were showing up as she bled. CLACK! [HP: 923/1100]=>[HP: 1100/1100] BAM! She lunged forward, grabbing Arad by the face and diving with him underground, trying to grind him on the stones. [HP:912/975]=>[HP:875/975]=>[HP:842/975]=>[HP:803/975] Arad smiled. ZON! He teleported to the surface, looking forward, "So you''reing at me?" SWOSH! Shi emerged from the ground, swinging her w at him. Arad lunged back, and her fist shattered the ground, sending a st of dust and stones. SPLAT! SPLAT! As if swinging, she chased Arad with her front ws swinging at him left and right. Arad opened his mouth, and a st of the void rushed out of his jaws. In the blink of an eye, Shi dodged and swung both of her ws down at him, smacking him deep into the ground. [HP:803/975]=>[HP:701/975] She dived after Arad without wasting a moment, intending to finish him off. The ground around them dried up,pressing to the ground. Arad giggled, extending his ws forward. BOM! The forest exploded with a geyser of water, sending Shi into the sky with a gaping hole in her chest. [HP: 1100/1100]=>[HP: 512/1100] "Water hates to bepressed. How did it feel? Worse than air, I assume." Arad swam up the geyser he made, finally taking flight after Shi. The barbarian watched in horror as the sky turned red, raining tainted water and blood. "Monsters!" A barbarian gasped. "Arad can unleash that much power?" Nina stared at the girls. "Don''t look at us. He never goes all out when around us. Even with you, I bet he never seriously tried to harm you." Ae said with a proud face for some reason. [HP: 512/1100]=>[HP: 1100/1100] Shi red at Arad the moment she got healed. A deep growl escaped her throat. Arad gasped as he looked at her skin. Something was off about it. Her bloodied scales glow with a faint light. But he didn''t have time to worry about her. Extending his ws forward, he unleashed several sts at her. BA-BA-BAM! [HP: 1080/1100]=>[HP: 1070/1100]=>[HP: 1065/1100] "No damage?" Arad gasped. Those sts blew her shoulder before, but now they did almost nothing. [HP: 1065/1100]=>[HP: 1100/1100] She immediately healed, and her skin turned into a metallic hue. Her weight increased, and she fell straight down at Arad, smacking him on the ground. [HP:701/975]=>[HP:320/975] ZON! Arad teleported away with a grin, "I see! I can see it now," Heughed. [BP: 227.3L]=>[BP: 161.8L] [HP:320/975]=>[HP:975/975] Arad fully healed, extending his hands forward, "Your soul!" Water got sucked from the ground with Arad''s void,pressing into tens of bullets before firing at Shi. [HP: 1100/1100]=>[HP: 365/1100] Her body got ripped apart, riddled with holes like a honeb. But... [HP: 365/1100]=>[HP: 1100/1100] She instantly healed like it was nothing, and even more, her scales gleamed with the same faint light. CRACK! Her body suddenly becamerger, twice as much as Arad''s draconic form. [HP: 1100/1100]=>[HP: 1100/2200]=>[HP: 2200/2200] "She''s still evolving," Zephyr said, "With each passing moment, she gets closer to the tarrasque''s true power." They stared at the massive Shi. Her skin had turned brown, and spikes emerged from her turtle-like back. Her two front arms have grownrger and muscr, and the tworge muscr arms she fused into them. Her tail became far longer than her body, extending for over six hundred meters, and swung left and right. "She''s like a frog''s tadpole," Eris gasped. "Earlier, she was but a fetus. That''s why she bled everywhere. Now, she''s out of the egg," Zephyr growled, "Soon, she would grow into the real thing," Arad flew away from her while facing her, extending his ws forward. "Once more!" The water bullets rushed at her, but they simply bounced off her carapace. Those are already useless. [HP: 2200/2200]=>[HP: 2199/2200]=>[HP: 2198/2200]=>[HP: 2197/2200]=>[HP: 2196/2200]=>[HP: 2195/2200] She insteadly healed the thin body hair she lost, [HP: 2195/2200]=>[HP: 2200/2200] ZON! Arad teleported to the tip of her tail, grabbing it and running around her in circles. His hands burned as her blood tried to kill him, but he didn''t give it care and only focused on making this long thing aspact as possible. [HP:962/975]=>[HP:942/975]=>[HP:913/975] ROAR! Shi roared as the bones in her tail shattered as Arad tied her with it. [HP: 2120/2200]=>[HP: 2040/2200]=>[HP: 1960/2200] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad let go of her tail as she started to heal and smiled. [HP: 1960/2200]=>[HP: 2200/2200] Using his void, he vibrated the particles in the air at an extreme speed, heating the air to an unimaginable degree and bursting the whole ce aze. ROAR! Shi roared as she got burned, but her skin still reflected the mes that contained Arad''s void. [HP: 2200/2200]=>[HP: 1680/2200] "It doesn''t matter if you reflect it. Burning you wasn''t my goal," Arad giggled, forcing all the void to halt immediately. Heat is the kic energy of particles, so by stopping thempletely. The whole forest froze in a sh. CRACK! Shi''s body twisted as puked, her skin falling apart and her bones cracking. [HP: 1680/2200]=>[HP: 263/2200] "I don''t care how durable you are. I doubt you can survive that swing in temperature." Arad giggled, "I''m almost there," [Time Slow: 90%] [HP: 263/2200]=>[HP: 483/2200] Arad didn''t know Shi''s stats or her healing rate. But, there is one thing that he noticed. Her healing isn''t instant. But it happens in one second. Using his magic should give him time to attack again before she fully heals. He flew at her as fast as he could in the slowed time. [HP: 483/2200]=>[HP: 703/2200] CLING! He swung his weapon at her, and both her nipples burst into blood, digging two massive holes in her chest. [HP: 703/2200]=>[HP: 0/2200] As Arad flew behind with a wide smile, carrying the exploding nipple knife in his hands, he looked back. "No nipples for you," As he said those words, he gasped. His instincts told him, it wasn''t over. [HP: 0/2200]=[HP: 220/2200] A tarrasque is immune to death. You can''t simply kill it and be done. Arad''s time spell ended, and Shi regenerated in the blink of an eye. [HP: 220/2200]=>[HP: 2200/2200] CRACK! Her body expanded once again as she evolved, tripling her size as if she breathed. [HP: 2200/2200]=>[HP: 6600/6600] She rapidly turned, swinging her w at Arad. ZON! He teleported into the sky above her, shifting back into his humanoid form with a grin on his face. ^I see. You take damage and evolve to resist it giving yourself immunity to all elements, magic, and physical attacks. You also boast immunity to death and even a full health regeneration within less than one second.^ He giggled, lifting his hands. ^I''m not risking any hit from you since I know your raw stats should be far higher than mine now and may be evenparable to Nina''s.^ Arad burst outughing as Shi jumped into the air after him, extending her w to catch him. "I love the strong ones. I would have dragged you to myir if you had a bit more sense in you." His eyes red down at her, "But, you die here," [Void Expansion] Chapter 534 Soul Eater

Chapter 534 Soul Eater

[Void Expansion:...] Darkness gushed out of Arad as Shi''s w drew closer to his body. [...ursed Pir] The massive ck pir of cursed metal appeared behind his back. Countless vampire spawns emerged from nothing, lined around the pir, the blood dancing beneath their feet. Unlike Gojo''s expansion which twists the void, Arad''s expansion simply opens his stomach to the outer world. Anything that was inside him could be used there, including the cursed metal. His range usually extends up to four kilometers as he''s a young void dragon, but since using it all would suck the barbarians and the girls inside, he decreased it to a reserved two-kilometer. To make sure the hell he''s about to unleash won''t leak out, Arad relied on Doma''s assistance to enclose his expansion in several barriers, protecting everyone outside and preventing them from entering. The cursed pir behind Arad gleamed with faint green light before that turned into a blinding blue sh. The monsters that were caught in Arad''s expansion turned red, boiling from the inside out as they exploded. The cursed metal''s effect was natural. Its true identity was uranium. It only needed Arad''s void to tickle it the right way for its hell to set loose. Arad''s void expansion now turned into a sealed core of a nuclear reactor, with Shi stuck inside with him. The radiation ripped through her cells destroying the gics responsible for regeneration. At the same time, the sheer heat evaporated her blood and bones. [HP: 6600/6600]=>[HP: 0/6600] Arad floated in the middle of his expansion, staring down at Shi with a smile. He knows she''s already dropped to 0hp, but also has the feeling that she would regenerate the moment he stops burning her. At that moment, she might evolve again with resistance to the cursed metal. For that, Arad has to finish her here and now. He parted his hands with a grin, extending them into a T-pose. "I said it, didn''t I?" He giggled. "I can see your soul," ***** Shi, the human stood naked in the middle of darkness, her eyes closed as chains held her body to the ground. Those chains cracked, falling one after the other until none was left. Arad stood in front of her. "Death is the separation of soul and body," He said, grabbing her by the neck and lifting her up. "The tarrasque''s immunity to death isn''t that the bond between its soul and body can''t break. It''s that even if it broke, the soul can create a new body out of nothing to survive." He red at her with a smile. She didn''t even reach, what he held in his hand felt human, but it acted more like an empty husk, a dool devoid of everything. "We void dragons cultivate our age by eating the souls of our prey. If I killed your current body and kept it dead long enough, I would have to eat your soul without allowing it time to create a new body and resurrect it." "I can now understand what Brother and Vars meant by the quality of the soul. It isn''t just raw strength. Rarity and quality matter. Eating the soul of a fine half-tarrasque woman like you would probably give me seven or ten years of age." He smiled. Shi''s soul flinched, trying to fight back, but it was all over. Arad looked back, "I''m surprised you still had some life in you. The tarrasque blood messed you well, but not enough it seems." He let go of her neck, and her body curled into a ball, floating in front of him. "I will swallow but not eat you yet. For Nina''s peace of mind, I will wait a bit. If we found a way to bring you back, then shall be it. If not, you''re my preserved food." The void consumed Shi''s soul, sending her straight into a locked section in Arad''s stomach. Arad opened his eyes standing in front of the burning cursed pir, Shi''s body had finally died now that itcked a soul to stitch it to life. She won''t regenerate again. Using his void, Arad started quelling his expansion. First shutting down the pir, cooling the whole ce, cleaning all the radiation then unlocking the barrier before lifting the void. The barbarians stared at the erased forest in terror. That wasn''t a fight between two monsters. It was a fight between two s-rank monsters capable of leveling cities if not kingdoms. Ae stared at the sky with a smile, "Arad! Are you okay?" Arad lowered his hands and turned to look at her with a smile, his eyes shing purple. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "For real?" Lydia gasped, "Is that immortal monster dead?" "I wonder if he left anything to sell," Jack sighed. "I don''t think so," Eris looked, "It seems he cremated the thing to make sure it won''t stand again." "What''s this!" Zephyr screamed, "I didn''t get to help at all!" She cried, sad that she couldn''t have Arad do the thing she wanted. Nina looked forward with a bitter smile, "So, Shi finally rested in peace," ZON! Arad teleported to them,nding behind the Barbarians, "I''m back," All the barbarians jumped away with scared faces, they fought this man before, but now they saw him as a monster unlike anything they had seen before. A being stronger than what they called the great one. "Arad, are you sure it won''t stand again?" Ae asked. "I''m sure," He then looked at Nina, "Don''t look sad, I have some good news," Nina nodded, "She''s resting in peace," "No, I have her soul inside me," He said, and everyone stared at him with confused faces. "You know how I eat souls to grow older? Once she dropped to 0HP, her soul separated from her body. I then had to keep her at 0HP for a few seconds for me to eat her soul, and prevent her from resurrecting." He smiled, "I won''t call her alive, though," Lydia stared at him, "Wait? Do you have her soul? Like how necromancers bind souls to corpses to create undead?" "I don''t know about that, but her soul is with me. If there is a way to create a new body for her, we might get her back, but don''t take my words on it," He scratched his head, "I know nothing of that, other than I can store the souls I swallow instead of eating them directly, since I have good control of my stomach," The barbarians understood nothing of his words, and even Nina only understood that Shi might still be saved, but the chance of that is extremely small. Thud! Arad patted Nina''s head, "I told you that you can rely on me," Chapter 535 Nina’s Fall

Chapter 535 Nina''s Fall

***** [Name: Arad Orion][Race: Void Dragon][ss: Draconic Mage. Druid] [Level: 26/40][Exp: 153000/590000][Sub-ss: Void Knight. Monsters'' Whisperer. Star Druid] [Age stage: Young] [36 years.] [Evolution avable at 64] [Stats] [Avable stat points: 1] [Avable skill points: 0] [Strength: 35] [Agility: 32] [Constitution: 38] [Magic: 37] [Intelligence: 40] [Wisdom: 38] [HP: 982/1014][MP: 1001/1001][SP: 936/936] [HPreg: 1/min][MPreg: 1/s][SPreg: 2/s] [Blood Pool(BP): 161.8Liters] ***** As Arad patted Nina''s head, Shi''s minced corpse wiggled. "Don''t tell me!" Ae gasped, pointing her bow forward, "That thing is still alive." "Don''t worry," Arad said, "It''s dead," The corpse started disintegrating into gray ash, leaving a red glowing crystal. "To protect itself, the blood gathers together and crystalizes." Arad said, turning around, "That''s an impressive instinct to survive." ZON! He teleported andnded beside the crystal, "Now that I got you," He smiled, lifting the crystal. The blood didn''t even bother invading his body. To it, he was akin to stones. ZON! He teleported back with the only thing left from Shi''s body. Nina stared at the crystal, "Wait, is this the crystal you talked about? The one Shi touched?" She pointed at the crystal. "Shape might be a bit different, but it should be the same one. It''s the tarrasque''s blood," He nodded. "Are you sure?" She stared at him. "Of course." Arad replied, "Why ask?" "I''ve seen one before when I was a little girl ying in the forest," Nina looked at him, "When I was five or six, I was hunting in the forest and had to take shelter in a cave from the rain," "What? You found one before?" Everyone stared at her, terrified. "I yed with it a bit, but it turned into ash in a matter of minutes," Nina replied, "This might not be what turned her into a monster. Otherwise, I should have already turned into one," As she said those words, the blood in the crystal flew at her, sinking into her body in the blink of an eye. Arad blinked twice, staring at the crystal in his hand as it turned into ash. Nina''s skin shed red, and her veins bulged. Just as quickly, she turned back to normal. "What happened?" Nina stared at her hands, "I feel better," "I don''t care!" Arad screamed, "The tarrasque''s blood got into your body!" He growled. Nina stared at her hands, "I don''t feel anything," "No matter what, don''t rage again. Shi''s rage triggered the transformation," Arad grabbed her shoulder, "I''m sure Merlin could find something to help. For now, we need to get back to Alina as fast as possible," "As I said," Nina stared at him, "I''m fine..." CLOP! She sank into the ground. Everyone stared in silence for a second, "NINA!" Her father shouted, and Arad transformed into his draconic form, sting through the ground as he rushed after her. SWOSH! Zephyr flew away, carrying everyone in her wind, and Eris growled. "That idiot, she didn''t transform," "No, but she can''t control it," Zephyr stared at them, "That was earth glide, a magic that allows the tarrasque to phase through the ground like a ghost." The first one after Zephyr to understand what was happening was Lydia, and she grunted, "If he doesn''t catch her, she''ll sink to the core of the world and meet the real tarrasque." [Earth Glide] This natural magic allows creatures like earth dragons and the tarrasque to move through anything earth-rted like ghosts. But they can still be stopped with living matter, which means Arad''s ws should be able to catch Nina. Arad rushed through the ground, digging as fast as he could. "Damn it! Damn it! I didn''t work on my burrowing skills," He growled. As fast as he could dig, he couldn''t match the speed of a falling human. For the firstyers, the soil and stones were soft enough, but the deeper he got, the harder they got due to pressure, and his ws started finding it harder to dig. Hisrge body also held him down, making it even harder to chase after Nina. Arad''s mind raced. This was bad, even worse than anything he nned for. ^I can''t teleport without knowing if there is an opening tond, and I can''t st the ground with void expansion without causing the whole area to copse.^ Arad looked to the side, sensing some monsters walking around. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om He shifted his direction, digging to the side in the hope of finding a ravine or a cavern so he could rush down faster. CRACK! To his luck, he was right. Upon seeing a dragon burst through the wall, one of the monsters shat himself as he ran away in terror. But Arad didn''t have time to care about anything. He started running straight down on the walls. Arad can''t expand his wings as the ce is tight. He can''t even teleport without risking one of his limbs appearing in the stones, slowing himself down. CRACKLE! From the stones, a massive worm emerged, drawn to the noise. She opened her mouth, but immediately sensed Arad''s aura and regretted her decision. She tried to move out of his way, but it was toote. Arad ripped right through her body with one swipe of his ws, killing her in one hit without even slowing down. ^Can I cast magic on her? Gravity would help. No, I don''t have her marked with my magic. And I can''t extend my void without destroying the ce.^ Arad growled, reaching the bottom of the ravine and digging further down. He could feel Nina getting further and further down away from him. ***** Nina gasped, iling her arms around trying to grab onto the dirt and stones, but her hands failed to catch anything. To her, it felt like free falling through the sky. ^What''s happening?^ She tried to think, but her 7 bits of intelligence weren''t that helpful in a pinch. The most she could do was understand that she was falling through the ground and that this was something rted to the tarrasque. "RAGE!" Nina blinked. A naked muscr woman with war paints covering her body stood at her side, eyes closed. Nina paid little heed to the illusion at her side. Mind babbles that the barbarians gave little care about. "Child! RAGE!" The woman repeated. Nina kept on ignoring her, trying to catch onto the ground. "I warned that woman, but she didn''t listen." The woman said, "But you''re different. You must RAGE!" [Intelligence: 7]=>[Intelligence: 1] Nina''s skin turned red, and her veins bulged, pulsing like a heart. Chapter 536 Earth Glide

Chapter 536 Earth Glide

The moment Nina raged, the tarrasque blood in her veins boiled. Barbarians are powerful fighters even without that skill, but using it means they are in clear danger and need to end the fight as soon as possible. The blood picks up on that note, racing to protect the holder by shifting their biology to resemble that of the great mother, the primordial tarrasque. The change starts with the brain. Having such a weakness that''s essential for survival is a danger. The blood eliminates the brain and instead transforms the whole body''s neuralwork into a cognitive system. That resulted in a decentralized nervous system that stores information in any part of the body while providing sharp reaction time and instincts. Even if the holder''s body were to be blown apart, leaving only one toe, that toe''s nerves are the brain, and they would have at least the bare minimum information to regenerate the whole body in a second. Nina''s brain shrunk to nothing, expanding through her nerves causing a sharp drop in her intelligence in exchange for a semi-immortal regeneration. BA-DUMP! Her heart beat once before stopping. Why does the body need one pump for blood? That''s a ring weakness. If it were damaged, only death awaits. Nina''s heart disappeared, and instead, the muscles outlining her blood vessels started squeezing the blood through like how intestines move food in them. Her whole circtory system became the pump. Until now, everything was the same way it was for Nina''s rage before. She got the nervous resilience from birth and the vascr resilience from the tarrasque shard she found while young. In the past when Kayden chopped Nina''s head, her body kept fighting not because of iron will alone, but also because the vital organ known as the brain wasn''t vital for her survival anymore. When fighters stabbed her in the heart in battles, she didn''t bleed to death since she didn''t need her heart to pump blood around her body. Arad blinked. He could feel a massive shift in Nina''s aura. Her usually clean mana due to her never using magic, had now been tainted with the smell of earth. "Earth magic?" Arad gasped, staring in Nina''s direction. Nina''s skin turned red as she raged, and the second tarrasque shard that she just absorbed finally activated. The extreme blood cells recognized that their host held the tarrasque bloodline, and were assured of their survival, so they didn''t start messing with her body, but instead, integrated with her cells, sharing their DNA to provide more power. Nina''s cells shifted, locking their cores in a hardened shell of crystalline material and allowing the outer world to flow through their membrane. The magic worked simrly to the petrifying curses, but the new nature the tarrasque blood provided Nina''s cells made them able to mimic anything earth-rted and not only stones. Also due to the protected core, the cells were free to move and carry their biological function even in that state. Arad could feel Nina''s body shoots upward, instead of falling. "What now?" He stopped running down and started rushing upward to catch up with her. In her rage, Nina finally understood how [Earth Glide] works. Bing one with the earth is the only way of controlling it. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Inside the ground, she couldn''t see or hear anything, but her tremor sense was heightened to the extreme. Instead of just using her feet on the ground to detect vibrations, now it''s her whole body on the ground, sensing every slight change. **** On the surfaces, the barbarians could feel it, Nina''s rage rushing toward them from the dept of earth. Zephyr noticed their distress and moved everyone away with a burst of her wind. SWOSH! Nina popped out of the ground, flying directly into the sky faster than anyone could see her. CRACK! The ground beside them shattered as Arad flew out, pping his wings as he tried to catch Nina, who flew to the clouds. When using [Earth Glide]. If the caster tried to raise to the surface as fast as possible, their speed would ramp up quickly, and considering that Nina is far lighter than the tarrasque or the dragons that use this skill, she elerated to an extreme speed. Arad caught Nina in his w, "Nina!" As he screamed, her skin turned back to normal, "I''m fine. I won''t lose control while raging," She said with a smile. "Are you sure?" Arad growled, pping his wings and hovering amongst the clouds. Nina nodded, "I didn''t know. I absorbed that crystal and got [Earth Glide] From it. You don''t have to worry about me transforming," Arad stared at her, not believing her words. ^Doma, what do you think?^ ^[Even if she could control it now, there is no guarantee she won''t transform under pressure. I bet the blood would do anything to survive.]^ ^So, as long as she isn''t pushed to death, the blood won''t rampage?^ "What are you thinking about?" Nina asked. "Don''t rage again until we know how this all works," Arad said, ring at her, "You survive once, but we don''t know why or how." "I''m telling you, I would be fine," "Listen to me." Arad sighed, "I don''t want to have to kill you like Shi, and I don''t want you endangering everyone." Nina giggled, "You kill me. You''re dreaming," "I''m not," Aradughed, "Beating you is beyond me, but killing isn''t that hard." "I would drop you down with two kicks," She said, "Wait, I did that already, didn''t I?" "I didn''t suck you into my void," Arad grunted. "I would drop you before you deploy it," She stared at him with a grin. "That..." Arad looked away, "I would make it work, somehow," "Fine," Nina smiled, "For now, I will listen to you." Arad soared down with her,nding in front of the confused barbarians. "Is she all right?" Ae asked with a worried face, rushing at them as fast as she could. "I''m fine, as you see," Nina replied with a smile. "Even I was scared for a moment," "What as that?" Zephyr flew toward Arad, "Did she absorb some kind of power from that crystal?" "Earth Glide," Arad replied, "But, she can control it now, so no need to worry," "To think someone could tame the blood of the tarrasque," Eris stared at them, "I heard Nina the berserker was a monster, but nothing measured to this," "It''s all remours," Nina stared at her, "For now, let''s head back to the vige," She turned around, and Arad started scratching his chin, "About that..." Everyone and the barbarians stared, seeing the vige nowhere to be found. It was trampled in Arad''s fight with the tarrasque. "How?" Nina cried. "That isn''t the only problem," Arad looked away. "What?" "All the monsters and animals have run away from this area, and I don''t think they will be returning anytime soon." "So we have nothing to hunt here?" Nina sighed. This fight has destroyed her homnd. If not, it had at least disabled the ce for a few years. Zephyr floated around and thennded on the ground, "Since Arad sucked all the water from the ground to fire at Shi, the ground''s fertility had dropped like crazy. I doubt rain would be enough to save it. Soon the trees in the forest that wasn''t charred by his fire would die." "Are you sure?" Nina stared at her with a stunned face. Zephyr lifted a thumb up, "Total annihtion. But it''s far more tamed than what''s known for the fights between S-rank monsters." "I don''t know why, but sorry. I should have fought better," Arad looked sad. "It''s not your fault! We can''t expect you to think of the forest while fighting an immortal monster." Ae rushed toward Arad as he shifted back to his human form. "Even so, he could have..." Zephyr flew toward her, but Ae kicked her away like a ball. "[That doesn''t matter,]" Doma said from Arad''s side. As everyone looked at him, she added, "[Forget all that damage. All thend that was caught in his void expansion is dead for good. Nothing short of that could have stopped the tarrasque, so instead of talking about what he destroyed, talk about how muchnd he saved by finishing the tarrasque before it grew.]" Everyone looked at Arad in silence. "[Forget this small vige of barbarians. The whole kingdom would have been destroyed if he wasn''t here to finish the beast, so keep that in mind.]" Her voice faded inside him. *** [You seems a bit angry,] Mom stared at Doma. ^[Of course I''m angry,]^ Doma replied, ^[They don''t understand what defeating the tarrasque mean,]^ [It means he had be a monster equivalent to a natural disaster.] Mom added. [All void dragons are like that.] ^[Arad is special. I saw it, I saw him. This is only the start,]^ Doma sighed, sitting down. ^[I will cook him several curses to use. Medusa''s petrification won''t be enough for him.]^ She giggled. Chapter 537 A Big Family

Chapter 537 A Big Family

Arad shifted to his humanoid form, standing beside the barbarians and looking at the devastated forest. "It happens once again," He sighed. "At least. There was no death that we could have prevented," Eris tapped his back. Arad looked back with a smile, "How many people do we have this time?" Nina looked around, "Over three hundred," Jack approached Arad, "We did nothing to help," He tapped his shoulder, "You''ve grown far stronger than us. To think you would take a tarrasque down." "Don''t count fights that need raw strength or magic. Your powers show when we need traps, Lydia''s power shows when we need holy magic, and Ae can take multiple enemies from afar." Arad walked toward the barbarians, "Any of you want to move? I have a piece ofnd beside Alina. You can hunt as much as you want." The barbarians stared at him in silence. ^Hold up, don''t tell me they are attached to this forest.^ Nina walked forward, "They are a bit dense, but they would go." She smiled, "Most kingdoms won''t want them in their forest, so they usually get shunned away. That''s why they ended with theirnd here." Lydia stared at her, "Shunned? They are the ones that refuse to follow thew since the rulers are weaker than them." Arad giggled, "I can imagine that," "But that won''t be a problem for us, would it?" Ae stared at Arad and Nina, "I doubt they want to fight Arad," Arad looked at the barbarians, "Want to fight?" No one came forth. The barbarians were battle-hardened, but they weren''t crazy. Nina approached her father, "Arad has huntingnd. We move." Kora nodded. The barbarians had no problem. They honestly didn''t care where they lived as long as they could hunt in peace. Eris looked at the sky, "We came flying, but it seems we have a long way back," She sighed. Zephyr nodded, "With over three hundred barbarians, including children and elderly, it''s going to be a slow trip." Nina approached Arad, "You''re doing it again," She said with a sad face, "Carrying the refugees back to your domain, cleaning after disasters." Arad patted her head, "Don''t be sad about it. If I learned one thing, it''s to care. We aren''t the center of the world. Bad things happen, and we have to live with them." "Those aren''t the words you hear from a dragon," Zephyr sat on his head, "But from a human, one that saw a lot," "Said the wind spirit. Aren''t you the one who gave yournd to humans?" He looked at her, smiling. "Shouldn''t I preserve lives in my domain? The more people live there, the better." "You''re right," She looked at the barbarians, "Abandoning people is bad. Carry them in their time of need. And one day, they would carry you if the need came to be." Arad nodded. "We should start moving. We will reach a fresh forest by nighttime," Zephyr nodded, "You will carry those who can''t walk, I assume," "Of course," Arad cracked his neck, shifting into his draconic form. "Children, elderly, those who can''t walk, or the sick, everyone climbs onto my back." He said, and the barbarians stared at him in silence for a second. "A lizard!" A kid screamed, jumping at Arad and swinging a stick. CRACK! He hit him in the leg, "Kill it!" Arad stared at the kid, then rolled on the ground, "I''m dead..." The kid turned toward the other barbarians, shouting in victory. Arad extended his tail and caught the kid, lifting him up, "Never drop your guard," "Heh!" The kid gasped. Arad opened his jaw, "I''m going to eat you," "Save me!" The kid shouted. "But, you aren''t much food for now," Arad put the kid down, "Grow first. For now, you should avoid fighting anything bigger than yourself." Jonaughed in the back, walking toward the kid, "y there," She pointed at the other kids. Arad recognized her as the woman he beat first upon arriving in the vige. Jona looked at Arad, only now understanding how all her attacks barely affected him. Those massive arms are thicker than her body. One swing and those sharp ws will cut her into pieces. She smiled, not knowing if Arad saw her any different than that kid. A mere child tickling his iron scales. She is far too weak for him. Most of the barbarians in the n are, except one. Jona looked toward Nina. It''s been a while since she saw her fight, and even now, she doesn''t know how Nina looks when going all out. How would a death battle between her and Arad look like? For a barbarian, Jona started to think a lot. "Arad," Nina approached Arad, "You met father before, right?" Kora stood behind her. Arad shifted back to his humanoid form. It seems they won''t set off immediately after all. "I did," Arad nodded. She turned back, "That''s my mom, Nora." She pointed at a tall brown haired woman that slowly approached from the back. "And that brat that hit you, he''s my younger brother, Nen." Arad looked at them with a smile, "It''s good that they would be living closer to Alina, isn''t it?" Nina nodded, "But I haven''t finished yet," She pointed back, "Those two are Grandma Zor and Grandpa Toro, father''s parents. The two over there are mother''s parents, Grandma Shir and Grandpa Ralr." She walked toward Jona. "This is Jona, my cousin. She''s the daughter of my uncle Ron, mother''s older brother." She pointed at a man and a woman in the back. "Ah! By the way," She looked through the crowd, "Shi was the daughter of grandpa Toro''s brother. Bim was her son, and Bom was her daughter''s husband..." "Ok! Please stop," Arad had to stop her. "Is this n one big family or something?" "Not really. There are about five different families here," Nina said, but her father stared at her, making eight with his fingers. "Sorry, three families have joined since I left. There are eight different ones." She looked back, "That''s true. There are some faces I don''t recognize besides the kids," Her mother approached, "Ash, long road." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "They came from the ashen east," She smiled. "I think," Arad looked at her, "We should start getting ready to depart. We won''t want your family staying homeless for long, right?" "Barbarians are used to the nomad life. I don''t know about traveling long distances, but they sure... AW!" Ae pinched her, "Come with me for a moment," "Much, talk," Kora approached Arad. Arad nodded, "For a barbarian, yes," ^She really talks a lot for a barbarian. I guess that seven intelligence of here back when her rage ends.^ ^[Her rage is simr to a pseudo-transformation,]^ Doma added. [She doesn''t talk much that often. She''s just excited to introduce her family to you. Make sure to sit through that when we get back,] Mom said, staring at Arad inside his head. Chapter 538 The Trip Back.

Chapter 538 The Trip Back.

Arad looked at the barbarians gathered, ready to embark on the long journey. The wind started blowing cold, signaling the start of winter. Ae looked at the grey clouds and felt the wind, her eyes shifting toward the trees. "Animals have started retreating to their borrows." She approached a bush, seeing a small hole in the ground. "This one is empty," Zephyr said, sitting on her head. "Probably ran away due to Arad''s fight with Shi, but that doesn''t change the fact they are preparing for the winter." Ae stood and looked at Arad. "It might start raining or snowing soon," Arad nodded, transforming into his draconic form. His ck scales glow with a faint light, shifting in color and turning red. Merlin''s spell still worked. The barbarians gasped, "Red!" Arad''s wings ignited in mes as he slowly pped them, releasing a gust of warm wind around the barbarians. Soon after, a crystalline barrier appeared above him and spread for thirty meters, creating a massive umbre. "Exercise," Arad said, "As long as you stay close to me, don''t fear the cold or rain," As he said that, a gush of cold wind blew from the side and went underneath his umbre. Ae shivered, looking at Arad. It was the same as if the rain fell horizontally and went under an umbre. "Give me a break," Arad sighed, "I can extend the barrier down, but it then could get stuck on the ground or hit the trees at the side of the road. My control isn''t that good yet," Ae shook her head, "No, this is more than enough," She giggled. Arad nodded and put the mes on his left wing. He then lowered it and looked at the barbarians, "Those who can''t walk, get on my back," The barbarians looked at each other. Even those who cannot walk still refuse to be carried through the journey. Arad looked toward Nina, "Can you convince them?" "Leave it to me," She walked toward them, approaching one olddy, "Get on," Nina pointed at Arad''s back. The olddy shook her head, "Old, weak. We stay," Thud! Nina grabbed the olddy by the head, "I don''t care," She threw her on Arad''s back with one swing. "Be careful!" Arad growled, but the olddynded on her feet as if that was nothing," "Don''t worry," Nina looked at Arad, "We''re more resilient than that city''s people. She smiled, "They can''t walk for a whole day, but they won''t mind some action for a minute or two," The olddy stared at Nina in silence, "Fine," She sat on Arad''s back, resting her wooden cane on her leg. Arad turned his head and looked at her, "Are you all right?" The olddy nodded, and Arad smiled, "Get the rest," Nina started gathering the barbarians, asking those who couldn''t walk to get on Arad''s back and forcing those who didn''t want to ride his back by throwing them like bags. The children purposefully refused to get on his back, only for her to throw them, treating it like a game. Arad even caught some trying to get down from his back, so she threw them again. When everyone got in their ce, Arad pulled the saddles from his stomach andid them on his neck where the girls would sit. "Get on," "We can walk," Ae said, "No way I''m letting you walk," Arad lifted them with gravity magic and put them on his neck. "I won''t say no for a ride," Jack said with a smile, "I will treat you to a drinkter," "Hopefully, something strong," Arad replied. "Fine," Ae tapped Arad''s neck with a smile on her face, "Just don''t push yourself too hard," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "It would take more than this to push myself slightly," He replied. Slowly starting to walk with the remaining barbarians trailing behind him. In this world of monsters and magic, humanoids always end up squashed in the struggles of those beasts. Even the tough and battle-hardened barbarians weren''t an exception. Only those who attained unrivaled strength, the honor of being called monsters could survive in peace in the world. After a half day of travel, the night fell and the barbarians stopped to camp. Arad let those on his back down and looked around the area. A long green forest spread to their right. The trees already shed their leaves in preparation for the winter. The barbarians approached the forest, swinging their axes at the trees. Arad walked in his draconic form, finding a suitable t piece of ground for them to rest. "Those look good," Ae smiled, "Let''s set camp here." Arad nodded as he used his ws to dig a hole the size of a cow. "Nina, tell them to make their pyre here." "I will," Nina replied as she went to check on the barbarians. "You want a big pir of fire," Jack looked at the hole then said, a smile on his face, "The bigger the better," "It''s for warmth and protection," Arad replied, "One massive me and me in the middle, and the tents spread around us," Eris approached, "Want to keep the barrier up?" "Of course, and since we aren''t moving, I will lower it down so monsters won''t enter," Arad replied. "People need to go to the forest every now and then," Jack looked at Arad, "We don''t want a shit show here," "I didn''t think about that," Arad scratched his head, "I will see if Doma can help me make changes to the barrier," Arad sat there thinking. Lydia approached Jack, "Where is our tent?" "I just got it from Arad," He replied, going with her to his bags. From them, he pulled the folded tent. Lydia smiled, handing the tent to him, "You build it, I will gather wood for our fire," Jack pulled a small hammer from his pocket, "Time to work," He started setting the tent, adding a few snare traps around it. Lydia went to the forest, seeing the barbarians chopping threes for the pyre. "We don''t need that much so," She looked around, gathering an arm-full of sticks and branches, enough for their me to burn for the whole night. CRACK! She heard something behind her. "Who''s there?" She turned, and her eyes opened wide. A white steed with rainbow hue hair and tail, stared at her with two glowing white eyes and one horn pointed forward. "I smell the breeze of the spirit," It said in a deep voice, "My Highness seeks an audience with her Highness." Chapter 539 Unicorn

Chapter 539 Unicorn

BRRRRRRRR! The creature neighed, his eyes dripping with rainbow-colored magic. ^A unicorn, here of all ces!^ Lydia slowly reached for her sword, "Who are you?" "My great self?" The unicorn stared at her, smiling, "I''m the majestic steed guarding this forest." "Some good protection you''re doing around here," She growled. "I advise you, maiden of the holy order," He said, slowly lowering his head and pointing at her with his horn. "You do not pull a sword in my presence. I shall pierce thee like a fish on a harpooooooooon," He walked sideways, extending thest word. "Fine, what do you want? From what I know, your kind never shows itself to just anyone," Lydia stepped back, still ready to strike. "I felt the great beast of earth behind the mountain," He said, lifting his head up in pride. "I was about to head there and kill it, but one of your people seems to have beaten me to it," "Then all well and done," Lydia red at him. "It is not. I seek to speak with the wind spirit apanying you about that matter." He nodded, "The old traditions, lead me to her, or I shall find her myself," Zephyr''s voice boomed across the forest, "Bring him to the camp. He''s only refraining froming alone since appearing in my presence without getting an audience is a sin to the fey," "What?" Lydia gasped, and the unicorn smiled, "Heard her, Mady pdin." "I got a bad feeling about this," She sighed, leading the unicorn back as she brought the wood for her and Jack''s fire. Once the unicorn walked into the camp, the barbarians stared at it in awe. Where did the magnificent beast of infinite glowing colors emerge? "A unicorn!" Ae and Eris gasped, "Lydia! Where did you find that!" "I didn''t find it. It found me," Lydia sighed. The unicorn stared at Arad, "So this is the majestic dragon that took down the beast," It bowed, "My congrattions," "A unicorn, they called you. Are you a fey spirit like her?" Arad pointed with his tail at Zephyr, who sat on his head. "Perceptive as expected." The unicorn nodded, "I''m indeed that but to a far more humble beginning," Zephyr stared at the unicorn, "Forget that. I know the barbarians'' forest wasn''t under your responsibility, but you could have helped." "I was about to help," He said, "Believe me, wind queen Zephyr. I was just about to rush out to fight for bnce." "I meant that you could have destroyed the blood crystal. Your horn is capable of that, isn''t it?" She red at him, eyes glowing green, "If you can''t use it, I will pluck it out," The unicorn could feel tension on his horn. One wrong word and Zephyr would rip it off with her wind. "I was doing just that," He said, "Would you allow me to exin myself?" Zephyr sighed, "Go ahead. I don''t want to waste their time with my royal duties," "Eight hundred years ago, a brave hero fought the tarrasque to the east, several days that way." He pointed with his horn. "The blood crystal was from that battle. In the past, I did clean all of it, but some seem to have slipped my perception." "A whole two slipped your senses?" Zephyr stared at him. "I have nothing to say to that," He looked down, "One mysteriously disappeared several years ago, and the second one caused this mess." Zephyr nodded, "So, what did youe to do?" "It''s shameful, but I came to ask you to allow me to purify the blood crystal. It''s dangerous to leave out in this world," He said. Zephyr looked to the side, her eyes reaching toward Nina. The unicorn turned as well, and he paused for a second. "A maiden..." Nina''s shape darkened in his face, only saw her two eyes glowing with a golden re as the shadow of the great beast growled behind her. The unicorn stepped back, his eyes shaking, "The crystals!" "She would kill you," Zephyr said, "If you want to try your luck with her, be my guest," "You must be joking," The unicorn stared at her, "How is that possible?" "Even I don''t understand it," Zephyr shook her head, "But it seems to be her birthright." "A tarrasque bloodline? But I never heard of it having offspring, let alone with humans... No, how is that beast capable of reproducing in the basic sense?" The unicorn looked down, confused. "I don''t know, and don''t care," Zephyr stared at him, "Nature dictates it, so be it." "Just to be clear," Arad red at the unicorn, "Don''t even think about trying it," The unicorn looked back at Arad, "Her Highness Zephyr can stop me, and I doubt I can beat that tarrasque maiden." He smiled, "But, you aren''t my opponent," "Careful," Zephyr red at him, "You might be stronger with the base stats and abilities. You had several hundred years to cultivate your power, after all." She waved her hand, pointing at Arad''s head. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I bet my whole domain, you would end up on his te in less than a minute." She smiled. If the two were to fight, the unicorn would be the first to attack. Arad would dodge by teleporting away, and the unicorn would give chase. At that moment, Arad would unleash the void expansion that killed the tarrasque, ending the fight. "If you say so," The unicorn stared at Arad, finding it hard to understand how this red dragon could beat him. In fact, he found it weird that he defeated the tarrasque and ced half of the credit on Zephyr. "Then," Zephyr stared at the unicorn, "Shall you speak of the real reason you''re here?" "Saw right through me, your majesty," He smiled. "I dare guess you want to rule thend Arad and the tarrasque destroyed." She stared at him with a bored face, "You would even im it''s for, repair," The unicorn gasped, looking away. "Is it that obvious?" He growled to himself. "Listen, here''s my deal," She smiled, "Send me five pony unicorns. And direct this year''s new pixies'' queen to set colony in the forest near Alina. They would find me there." "Trying to create a new fey forest?" He smiled. Zephyr looked at Arad, "Having ess to fairy dust and unicorn hair and tears is quite a luxury for alchemy. You can make rare potions or sell unicorn silk for ridiculous prices." "Can you even do that?" Arad sighed. "Don''t worry, unicorns cut their hair just like humans. And pixies actively shed dust." A grin crossed her face, "With Yuwaku at home, all you need is a talented alchemist, and you will have high potions for life." The unicorn sighed, "We aren''t amodity," Zephyr stared at him, "Want me to bring theke''s subject again?" "Ah, no please," He looked away. "Whatke?" Arad looked at her. "A bedtime story," She smiled. Chapter 540 More Residents

Chapter 540 More Residents

The unicorn turned around, "I understand," He said, "Soon, my people will reach Alina," Zephyr waved her hand, "Don''t forget likest time, I need them this time," "Who is that?" Arad asked, "It''s clear you know him," "That Boarrak, a two thousand years old unicorn." Zephyr said, "Don''t let his look deceive you. He''s a bloodthirsty monster. His main ability is the divine step. When he takes a step, his hoovesnd where his sight ends." "Teleportation?" "No, he moves in a rainbow of light," Zephyr sighed, "That''s an ability he got when Luminance used him as a mount for decades." "He moves? That''s sheer speed? And who''s Luminance?" "She''s a magic dragon like you, a prismatic light dragon." Zephyr stared at Arad, "Magic dragons are far stronger than the rest of dragon kind due to their attunement to powerful elements. She controls light and moves with it." "You mean this?" Arad waved his w in the air, "I can''t catch it. She controls the light?" Zephyr nodded, "And she''s fast as hell," She pointed at the sky, "It''s not dark yet, but do you know the moon?" "Yes," Arad replied. "She went there and returned in the blink of an eye." Zephyr shivered, "I talked to her several times, and she told me about something she discovered," "What''s it?" "The damage a punch does depends on the arm weight and the speed it''s moving at. She tried it once in the abyss, and now a continent-sizednd had disappeared." Zephyr sighed, "Mana speed is one-thousandth of the speed of light. Meaning that she could outrun mana. Do you know what that means?" Arad scratched his head, "Teleportation happens at the max speed of mana. That means she is one thousand times faster than literal teleportation magic?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "She''s the fastest being I ever saw," Zephyr nodded, "But she''s the only light dragon I saw. So I won''t know," As Arad sat there, a memory came to his mind. "Is she the glowy bath woman that you had her mirror in Ae''s house?" "You''re right, that''s her. She sells those and more magic items to fill her hoard." "Do you think I can do the same?" "Even with magic knowledge, it still takes a lot of effort and time to make magic items. They are expensive for a reason." Zephyr flew from Arad''s head and headed back to Ae. Arad looked around at the barbarians preparing for the night, ^I''m still a young magic dragon. Should I focus on aging faster or should I focus on honing my skills? Aging rapidly shouldn''t decrease my life span as I don''t have one... But I could grow into a weak adult if I rushed it,^ [You''re far stronger than most young void dragons. Take your time. Leave the older dragons until you reach their age.] ^You know,^ Arad thought, ^Let''s rush to adulthood so I get my ss skills, then I will start focusing on leveling up.^ [That should be possible. The most prevalent magic dragons are the void, time, and light dragons. Void dragons are dangerous because they can delete matter from existence. Light dragons for their speed, and time dragons since they can freely move through time.] ^I don''t intend on fighting them, and I won''t be able to meet any void dragon in the near future.^ [I can hear it in your head. Magic dragons keep to themselves most of the time. They won''t bother you if you don''t bother them. Don''t start unnecessary fights, and focus on growing stronger.] "I know," Arad sighed, going to sleep as everyone else formed the camp around him. ******************* The trip back home took seven uneventful days, and Arad took that time to hone his barrier magic further. Upon arriving at Alina, it already started snowing. Arad shifted back to his humanoid form as the barbarians started unpacking at the mountain foot. "More people?" Mira approached them, "Don''t tell me we have to house those as well. I barely managed to get a dorm for the viges before it got too cold to work." She said, standing beside him, wearing a thick leather jacket. "Yeah," Arad scratched his head, "Nina said they would be fine, but I don''t feel like letting them camp," The barbarians never build anything moreplicated than basic camps and tents made of monster hides. They never lived in homes, so spending the winter like this was normal for them. "ARAD!" Gojo called, appearing out of nowhere in the forest. "I heard you''re back," Arad turned toward him, "Heard? You felt me here and came to take a look," Gojoughed, scratching his head. "You can tell?" "Of course," Arad looked at him for a moment. Feeling that something was off. "Your scales are different, aren''t they?" "Thought you won''t notice." Gojo smiled. "You really did age. A mature adult dragon," To the average person, Gojo didn''t seem that different, but Arad could feel and sense it. The infinitely growing void inside his brother. "I''m still learning how to control it, but I''m much stronger now," Gojo smiled, "But I didn''te here to brag. I was waiting for you." "Want help?" "No, I wanted to tell you that I''m leaving for the north with Lucy, Gug, and Liliana. I''m already too old to not have a domain to rule," "You were keeping your hoard inside your stomach this time, didn''t you?" "You''re right, and that can''t remain the case." Gojo smiled, "I will visit when I have time. You''re also wee toe." "I still haven''t tried using the void to elerate my evolution," Arad looked at Gojo, "Won''t you help me?" "From what I can see, you still have some time before evolving. You cane visit me then. I''m not that far away from dragons," Gojo waved his hand, teleporting away. "And he left," Arad looked around and then back at Mira, "Did anything happen when I wasn''t here?" "I heard that Merlin is going crazy over her heater. There were rumors of some strange monsters popping out on the eastern border with the tiefling kingdom. And Roberta has been making wagons of money with Sara after you opened the capital for them to trade." Mira exined what should could remember off the top of her head. Crossing his arms, Arad thought. ^What should I do first...^ Chapter 541 Arcane Seduction

Chapter 541 Arcane Seduction

"I''m going to give Merlin a visit. We might be able to use her heater to keep the barbarians warm." Arad started walking away, and Mira stared at him. "Stop by the house first and rest a bit," She called. "I will do thatter. It''s just a five-minute trip to Merlin and back," Arad replied. If the heater could be deployed to the barbarians. He would want it active as soon as possible. ZON! Arad teleported, appearing right at Merlin''s tower door. "GAH!" The guard there gasped, "Sir Arad? Where did youe from?" "Magic, is Merlin inside?" He asked. The guard smiled, "She is," He approached Arad, "I heard she''s about to activate the heater today. I can''t wait to see this snow go away," He looked at the whole streets. It looked beautiful, but the cold really hurt themon people. Firewood isn''t cheap, and the hard winter is too long for them to keep up. Most people resort to buying goat and sheep hides to furnish their houses and sleep with multiple nkets to survive the cold. ^I can barely feel the cold, but with how thick Mira dressed, it''s pretty hard on the people here.^ He looked at the door. "She didn''t say no one can visit her?" "No, she didn''t warn us. You will find her in herb. Just try not to interrupt her if she is in the middle of casting a spell." The guard said with a smile, opening the door for Arad to walk and closing it after him. He looked at the streets, smiling. "Soon, this cold would go away." ZOOOOOO! The guard saw his shadow extend across the street as a pink sh burst behind him. Before he could turn, a burst of magic flung him into the snow. "What in the..." He turned back, seeing a massive pir of pink-colored light extending to the clouds where the tower was. "...In the nine hells is this!" **** "GAH!" Arad opened his eyes and pointed at the blue sky, his whole body screaming in pain. He barely managed to roll in ce, feeling as if his skin was getting ripped apart. The pain quickly faded as it shifted into the worst headache he ever felt. His vision blurred as he grasped on the grass. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! He couldn''t even hear his own voice over the sound of his heart beating in his head, throbbing in pain. But just as quickly, the pain faded away, and he gasped for air, looking at the endless green fields around him. "Where am I?" He stood, ^Mom, Doma? Do you know what''s going on?^ He stood there in silence. ^Mom? Doma?^ "No reply," He blinked then looked around, seeing the green fields extending as far as he could see. "What?" He rubbed his eyes and looked again, "It''s blurry?" He squinted his eyes, trying to look at a grass de several tens of meters into the horizon. "I swear I was able to see hundreds of meters away clearly. What''s wrong with my eyes?" He rubbed his eyes again. His void eyes, vampire, and wyrmwolf vision both failed to work. Arad sighed, sat down, and looked at his hand. He can''t use magic. No matter how he tried, he could void step. ^I don''t get it. I can feel that this ce is filled to the brim with mana, but I can''t see or control it with my void.^ He stood, ^I have to move and look for some answers.^ He jumped and fell back on his face. "AHH!" He growled, bleeding from his nose, his face all scratched from hitting the ground. He couldn''t get over two meters. "My strength as well?" He growled. ^This feels like those anti-dragon shackles.^ He growled, wiping his face clean. ^But now, all my powers are sealed.^ Arad stood there, "This is bad," CRACK! As he said that, he heard something behind him. He turned. He saw a naked Merlin, looking at him with a nk expression. "Merlin?" Her skin looked too pale, and her mana was far lower than what he remembered. "My Arad," She mumbled, opening her mouth. "MY ARAD!" Her cheeks ripped apart as her body expanded, growing an extra pair of muscr arms with fire gushing out of her now blue skin. "NO!" Arad turned and started running away as she bolted after him. ^That isn''t Merlin. It''s a monster.^ Arad looked back, seeing her running on all of her six limbs, growing and giggling like a hyena. With each step, he could feel his legs getting heaveier as it got harder to breath. ^I can''t outrun it. I''m getting exhausted, for real?^ He looked back again, tripping and rolling on the ground. "YOU''RE MINE ARAD!" She growled, lunging at him with a gaping mouth. Arad rolled to the side, standing up and punching her in the face. CRACK! With one hand she grabbed him by the neck, and with another she grabbed his arm, trying to divorce his neck from his body. "DON''T RESIST! YOU''RE COMING WITH ME!" She growled. "I''m not, you monster!" He bit the arm grabbed his neck, and kicked her in the chest, pushing himself away from her. ^Think! Think! I can feel mana, and there is a monster in front of me. Why I can''t use my void?^ He red at her, noticing the me on her back. ^That''s right, I can''t use my void, my innate abilities.^ He smiled, waving his hand up. CRACKLE! A fire spark shed from the tip of his fingers, leaving a line as he pointed at the monster. "I did learn this one, didn''t I?" [Fire Bolt] KA-BAM! Fire shed from his fingertip, exploding at the monster. "But I seem able to cast magic the human way." GROWA! "IT''S HOT!" She jumped out of the fire, swinging her arms at him, "GIVE ME A WARM HUG!" Arad dodged to the side, swinging a round kick at her, [Fire kick] KA-DON! As the fire exploded, she was sent rolling back as Arad stood, there, his foot aze. "Come at me! As weak as this magic is, I got a weapon!" He smiled, sweating buckets as this was taking a toll on his body. **** n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Outside in Alina, everyone had gathered outside the pink pir, staring at it in awe. "Sir! We got a result!" A wizard approached the city lord and Ae who sat there, "Is it dangerous? Did you find Arad?" "We found no traces of Baron Arad around the pir. He must be inside." The wizard replied. "But we know that pir is," "Spit it out!" The city lord growled. "That''s abyrinth conjured by Merlin''s magic. One of her seems to have failed and activated thebyrinth core she was using with the dragon heart as the core of the heater." He looked at Ae, "This is bad," "If it''s just abyrinth, Arad won''t have a problem clearing it," Ae said with a happy face. "But, there is a problem," He looked at her, "Thisbyrinth is strange. It seems to be created with Merlin''s mind, and it''s locking everyone out with some rules." "What rules," Ae looked at the wizard. "Only wizards can enter, but no one of us was able to, but Arad wasn''t rejected. He''s a sorcerer, right?" He looked at her. "Yes, Arad is a sorcorer," "That means if he''s inside, he won''t be able to use his abilities. But he should be able to rely on his physical strength, don''t worry." The wizard smiled. "Sir!" A ranger approached, "We can''t send our beasts to scout the inside. That means outside monsters aren''t allowed in," The wizard nodded, "Another rule. This is getting exhausting," Ae blinked. ^Arad is a monster though. Doesn''t that mean he has no strength inside?^ She started panicking internally. "Father!" Abel rushed in, looking at the pir, "What''s going on?" "Merlin spawned abyrinth," The city lord replied. "No, I meant why is aphrodisiac magic spreading across the city," Abel said with a passive face. "The what?" Ae and the city lord stared at him. "Sir," The wizard looked at them, "Isn''t it getting a bit hot here?" Chapter 542 Hot Blaze

Chapter 542 Hot ze

"Get everyone out of the city and away from thisbyrinth," The city lord shouted, and the guards and adventurers rushed out to help. "Get them out to where?" Ae stared at him, "It''s freezing outside," Abel stared at her, "Better than the whole city turning into my elephant trunk." He looked at the wizard, "Get it together and find us a way to get into thatbyrinth. We must clear it as soon as possible," The wizard stared at the streets, seeing an olddy staring out of her window at the maze. He smiled, "Mommy, I''ming!" He rushed forth, running like an animal. "Damn it!" Abel growled, [Lightning] CRACKLE! He zapped the wizard, knocking him down. "Those with a high sense of magic are getting affected faster. Inform the mages at once!" "Abel, you as well," The city lord stared at him, "You''re a talented wizard. Get going." Abel scratched his head, "How do I exin it...I''m already depleted for today. Don''t worry about me. I will get a sister and the rest out of the city," Abel rushed away, waving his hand. "Send the Arad''s house," Ae stared at the city lord and looked at the ground, "Loci, we need your help." CRACKLE! A flower grew from between the road pavements. "I already got Meryem to open a passageway to her colony. People should be safe there for the time being," "You will find a muscr brown-haired woman there. Follow her." Ae growled as green magic spiraled around her body. "Where are you going?" He shouted. "Force my way inside!" She pulled her bow, aiming at thebyrinth, "You won''t get between me and Arad! Open up!" She screamed, firing a burst of air strong enough to shake the city. Zephyr appeared on her head, "Leave some of him to me!" She waved her hand, sending a second st. The city lord stared at them, sweating. ^They are affected as well...^ He turned to run away. ^I can only prey their lust remain pointed Arad.^ **** Arad smiled, extending his hands, ^If I can use the magic I learned, won''t that mean I can cast gravity and barrier magic as well? Let''s smash this thing between two boulders.^ [Gravity Magic...] He felt a sharp pain in his chest as his mind started to spin. His knees gave up as he fell down, nasua overpowering him to the point he started puking. ROAR! The monster lunged forward, kicking him in the chest and sending him rolling across the field. Arad gasped, hearing a crack at his side as he tried to sit. Looking forward, he could barely see the monster with his blurred eyes. ^Damn it, of course, I won''t be able to use that magic on a dragon scale.^ He growled, extending his hand forward. [Firebolt] The me flickered at his fingertip and faded, the spell failed. "Damn it!" He turned to run away as the monster chased him once again. The more he ran, the sharper the pain in his side got, and the louder the cracking noise became. Breathing got more and more painful, and suddenly he coughed blood. ^Something broke inside... one of my ribs...^ He gasped, holding his side. ^That''s right, if my void is disabled, then my organs are inside me now. They can be damaged.^ He finally realized. ROAR! The monster screamed behind him, her arms turning into pincers as she swung them at him. A red spark of me emerged in Arad''s eyes. BOM! From beneath his feet, a burst of fire exploded. [Fire Kick] The monster gasped, seeing him fly away close to the ground. Arad stared back at her, "I''m a dragon, do you think a human body would stop me?" He turned, [Fire Kick] [Fire Kick] n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om me burst beneath his feet like jets, propelling him toward the monster like a rocket. She swung her w, but he ducked beneath it, swinging a counter punch and smacking her in the face. [Fire Punch] KA-BOOM! The shockwave exploded into a gust of me as the monster recoiled back. Arad didn''t stop there, shifting his weight aside and lifting his foot, elerating it with a [Fire Kick] CRACK! The monster got sted away, rolling on the ground with her head charred. BOM! Arad flew after her, "Thanks to Amber, I learned some basic spells," He extended his hand, [me de] "Don''t ever take her shape again," SWOSH! Arad swings the me de, cleaving the monster''s head with one strike. He quickly turned, stabbing her in the chest and setting her aze. At this moment, he doesn''t trust she would die just by losing her head. GAH! Arad gasped, falling on his knees as vapor burst from his back. He coughed smoke trying to cool off. Those spells didn''t bother his draconic body, but now that he''s limited to a human, he could feel it. ^I can overheat and kill myself with this magic. Was it always this hard?^ He sighed, trying to rest. ^No, I wouldn''t know. It''s not like those limits mattered to me before.^ SWOSH! The monster''s body disintegrated into ck ash and got blown by the wind, leaving one pink glowing crystal. Arad looked at the crystal, feeling the mana inside it. ^This feeling...^ He lifted the crystal and tried to crush it in his hand, but he didn''t have the strength for that. ^I''m a human now. I shouldn''t forget that.^ He decided to crack it with his teeth instead. The moment he did that. He could feel mana seeping into his body as his wounds slowly healed. ^I know it. This is the same as that one barbarian Gura had.^ He smiled, ^As long as I pick the monsters one at a time. I should be able to survive until I find a way out...^ CLACK! Arad stopped thinking, looking behind him only to see three naked Merlins staring at him with passive faces. "MY ARAD!"... "LET ME!"... "SUCK!"... The three turned into monsters, shooting their ws at him without a warning. [Barrier] He cried the spell out and barely blocked their attack at thest moment. CRACK! The barrier shattered like ss, but it managed to protect Arad as he jumped back, keeping his eyes on the monsters. [Gravity Magic: Reverse gravity] He limited the spell to only lifting one of the monsters, and to only lift them a few centimeters off the ground. Trying to use more than his mind can handle could get him killed. [Fire Bolt] BOOM! Arad then sted her in the face, standing a few meters away from them with a smile. ^Barrier magic for defense, fire magic for offense, and gravity magic for control.^ He smiled, "Come and suck if you can!" [Fire de] [Barrier] He took a stance, sword, and board in hands, ready to fight. Chapter 543 The Fire Mage.

Chapter 543 The Fire Mage.

Arad took a stance, feeling his knees tremble from exhaustion. ^I better finish this quickly. I need their gems to heal my chest.^ He could still feel the throbbing pain at his side. BAM! One of the monsters jumped at him, swinging her leg with a growl. Arad docked, swinging the me sword at her groin. CRACK! The other two jumped forward, turning their arms into sickles and swinging at his neck and chest. [Barrier] CLANG! Their attacks deflected on the ss-like carapace as Arad smiled, "I mightck my power, but I''m still me," Thud! He grabbed one of them by the hair, pulling her toward him. "Didn''t I tell you not to take Merlin''s shape?" His eyes shed red with fire magic as he red at her. KA-BOM! Fire burst beneath his foot, lifting his knee up to meet the monster''s nose, caving her skull in like a cracked egg. CRACK! The second monster bit Arad''s me de, trying to pull it out of his hand. "You monster!" Arad growled, seeing her jaw burning, but even so, she didn''t let go. BAM! The third one jumped at him, swinging her four arms at his back. ^Shit!^ Arad let go of the sword, bending backward and seeing the ws fly above him. ^Should I use it, no. I need to keep it for when I really need it.^ Arad shifted his torso, pushing on the ground with his hand lifting his leg up, and kicking the monster in the face [Fire Kick] As she recoiled back, she swung a kick at his face and sent him rolling. Arad immediately stood back up and pointed his fingers at her. [Gravity magic] The monster''s second leg lifted from the ground, causing her to fall head first. Arad shifted his stance, lunging at her swinging his fist. [Fire Fist] BOOM! SWOSH! The first one appeared behind Arad and he turned in a panic, ^She''s alive?^ He could see her arm turning into a sickle, rushing at him with a stab. [Barrier] CRACK! The sickle went right through the barrier, exploiting Arad''s rush to make it. Arad gasped, blood gushing from his mouth as the sickle went right through his guts. "You..." He growled. The other two jumped in, stabbing him as well in the chest and shoulder. "ARAD IS MINE!" One growled and the others grunted, "NO! HE''S MINE ALONE!" CRACK! CRACK! They started punching and kicking him with their remaining arms. Tens of punches and kicks came at once, trying to put an end to Arad. **** In front of Arad''s house, a wizard rushed toward the city lord and Nina, "I got good news," He saluted the lord. "What is it? Is the evacuationplete?" Nina stared at the city with a worried face. "Yes, we managed to get all the people out of the city and into the ant''s caverns, albeit some refused due to fear of the monsters, we managed to convince them." Everyone there sighed in relief, all they needed to find a way to deal with thebyrinth. "There is something else," The wizard stared at them with a smile, "A wizard had managed to get inside thebyrinth. Albeit we still don''t fully understand the rules." "Really? Who?" Nina stared at him. "She is..." **** As the monster beat Arad, he growled, ^It was foolish to fight all three at once. I should have run away and nned. But...^ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [Fire cloak] A fire sparked in Arad''s chest, engulfing his whole body in a zing me. The monsters growled, pulling their sickles from his body and protecting their faces with their arms. "Burn!" Arad screamed. BLUGH! But his vision immediately blurred, the sudden blood loss wasn''t simple to take on, and his body went into shock. The spell faded and the mes disappeared even quicker. "ARAD! ASLEEP!" One of the monsters growled. "FINALLY!" Another added. "HE''S MINE!" VRRRRRRRRRRRRR! As they stared at Arad, they heard something in the distance, so they looked around. "A STRANGE SOUND." VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! "ABOVE!" The three monsters looked at the blue sky, seeing the sun. [FIRE STORM] The sun exploded into a tornado of fire, sucking the three monsters in. "A Thief! Trying to steal Arad from me!" One of the monsters growled. A woman''s voice boomed from the mes, "Horrid creations of Merlin''s twisted mind! Repent in the zing inferno of the elemental ne of fire!" The monster looked around as their bodies started burning. "Fire and ze, the burning hells. Fade from memories like the sparks of the great mes." [Fire Burst] VROOOOOOOOOO! The fire tornado turned blue, violently pulling the ground up as it charred the three monsters into dust. SWOSH! The mes faded a woman wearing a brown wizard robe and hatnded beside Arad, tapping her staff on the ground as she stared at him. "HOI! Kid, wake up." She poked him with her staff. She sighed, "You''re supposed to be stronger than this. Aren''t you?" She reached inside her robe, pulled out a healing potion, and poured it on his chest. "Nina is going to rip me apart if you died," She squatted beside him, poking his face with her finger. "Wake up. Wake up!" GROWL! She turned around, seeing tens of monsters emerging from the ground. "You''re spawning too quickly," She stared at them, "I guess. This is the s-rankbyrinth core Merlin was using in the heater?" She stood, cracking her neck and pointing her staff forward. "Tenyers, each harder than the first. The dragon heart or Merlin should be the power source, which means we have to reach the tenthyer to free her... What a pain," The monster rushed at her, and she smiled, "From the endless darkness of the abyss I call forth a torrent of destruction!" She screamed. [EXPLOSION] With a sh, the monsters exploded to shreds, shaking the wholeyer and cracking the ground. As the cloud of smoke reached the sky, it shimmered, and arge white tower appeared in the distance, linking the ground with it. The woman smiled, "All the monsters of theyer are dead, so the entrance appears." Arad slowly opened his eyes, confused. She looked back at him with a smile, "Finally up? How weak can you be? I thought you were a whole lot stronger," She approached him. "Well, I do like it when I''m stronger though," Arad stared at her, "Amber, what are you doing here?" Chapter 544 The Weird Mage

Chapter 544 The Weird Mage

Arad sat up, and Amber smiled, "Are you okay?" "Yeah," He replied. "Do you know how to get out?" "We can''t get out unless we clear thisbyrinth," She replied, helping him to stand, "You''re strong, so take the frontline. I will support you from the back with magic," "You say that," Arad looked at her, "But I''m useless here. I can''t use any of my powers." "Most are," She looked at him, "Unlike dungeons,byrinths have rules. It usually takes weeks of study to determine all of them before adventurers are allowed inside," "This one just appeared, so we''re working with limited information." Arad looked around, "Got a weapon with you? A sword would do," "Why would I carry such a thing?" She looked at him, confused, "I''m a sorceress." "I mean," Arad looked at her, "Merlin was keeping stuff between her breasts. Aren''t you doing the same?" Amber stared at him in silence for a second, then pinched her eyes and growled, "Listen, you oaf, I''m not that weirdo," "So you don''t have any?" "Most mages keep their stuff in one of those," She pointed at her small satchel, "A bag of holding," "Merlin said something about the magic needing to be close to the heart..." "That if you needed several carriages worth of storage. I''m not carrying a wholeb with me," She sighed, pulling a long cylindrical quarterstaff from her bag. "This is what I have," She gave the quarterstaff to him. "Don''t break it, it''s worth a lot," Arad looked at the quarterstaff, giving it a few swings, "How much?" With his ridiculous strength, he could feel the staff''s weight in his hand, making it seem nice. "Ninty silver coin, so don''t break it." Arad blinked twice, staring at her, "Only ninty silver coins? It feels a bit heavy..." He then remembered, ^Ah, I don''t have my strength.^ "What do you mean only ninty? This thing was far too overpriced. I won''t pay over eighty-five for it again." "Is ninty coins even a lot of money?" He stared at her. She blinked twice, "Aren''t you the one who couldn''t pay for an inn night a few months ago? Or did bing a Baron get to your head?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "That''s not it..." Arad scratched his head, reaching into his pocket... he could find some coins there. "Look," He pulled what was with him, and it was a handful of gold coins. Amber gasped, her eyes sparkling as she stared at his hand, "Wait! How do you have so much..." She reached out, but Arad closed his hand. With the coins out of her sight, she snapped back to reality. "Did you get from the king? For bing a baron?" "No, just doing quests, and some chores here and there. I have a lot more, but I can''t get them while we''re stuck." He said. "What do you mean you have more?" She cried, "That!" She pointed at his hand, "Is enough for me to retire and drink for the rest of my life. That''s too much money. Do you know that most people barely see a gold coin in their lives?" "I do have some tinum ones," He added. "PLATINUM!" She screamed, holding her head, "Howe!" "Calm down," Arad tapped her shoulder, "I can pay for the staff, so I will be using it as best as I can, even if it breaks," As Amber turned, he extended his hand, holding a gold coin between his fingertips. "Change," Amber snatched the gold coin, "Come on, want change?" "You said you won''t pay over eighty-five silver coins," Arad looked at her, "Are you trying to scam me here?" "Come on, you have so much. Surely you can pay a gold coin for it," She looked at him with a cheeky grin. "I can pay. But why are you stuck on the money?" He sighed. "Cause I''m poor," She replied with a straight face. "No, you drink too much," He stared back at her. "Drinking sadness away! Life is hard, and with stress, I end up drinking, but that added more to my financial stress. It''s a cycle." She looked at him, fists resting on her hips. "If you''re aware, then stop drinking!" He rubbed his face. "I can''t!" She replied with pride. "Fine, take the whole coin," Arad handed her the gold coin. She smiled, "Keep it with you until we get out of here," She pushed his hand back toward him. "I won''t take it now," "Are you sure?" He looked at her, but she smiled back at him. "Getting you out of here alive takes priority," "Getting me out?" Arad sighed, "Fine, let''s find Merlin and leave this cursed ce." Arad started walking forward, and Amber looked at him back, a smile on her face. ^I doubt Merlin could move even if we found her,^ She pulled a crystal from her pocket. ^This can only get two people out of here. Sorry Arad, but I doubt me and you can clear this ce alone. Once we find Merlin, I''m sending you two out.^ Arad stopped, looking at her, "What are you waiting for?" "Nothing," She said with a smile, "Can I hold those gold coins for a second?" "I thought you didn''t want them?" Arad stared back at her with a disappointed face. "I don''t know. I only want to hold them for a while, see how it feels to have so much money," She replied with a grin and an excited smile. "Fine," Arad handed her all the gold coins. She stared at them in her hands, eyes glowing, "This much gold, it''s heavy!" She sniffed them. "You''re weird," Arad sighed. "Yes, I''m weird!" She took another deep whiff, "I''m rich," "No, you aren''t," Arad replied. "Here you go," She then handed him the gold back, "Thank you," "For what? Satisfying your desires," He sighed. "Desires?" She stayed silent for a moment, "NOOOOOO!" She cried, pulling her hair with a disappointed face. "I messed up!" Arad couldn''t be more confused at this woman. "Are you okay?" Arad tried talking to her. "I''m not..." She started panting, "Merlin once told me you''re looking for wives. If I had slept with you, I could have gotten so much money!" Arad sighed, "What are you now? A pervert? And you''re too old for me, no thanks," "Come on, one night. I''m not that bad," "No," Arad smacked her on the head with the quarterstaff. "Get to your senses." "AWE!" She cried, staring at him with a sad face, "You''re mean," "I''m not. Let''s do more and not waste time." As they walked, she looked at his back. ^Truly, what a missed opportunity.^ ^At least, I got to feel rich once.^ She stared at the crystal in her pocket. ^You and Merlin are amazing. Compared to you two, I''m useless, worthless, and receable. The world still needs you, and I will make sure you survive this,^ Chapter 545 The Draconic Nature

Chapter 545 The Draconic Nature

"What are you doing?" Amber asked as she saw Arad gathering the monster''s healing crystals. "We need those," He replied. "I know, but they are too hard to use." She stared at him, "Absorbing their power takes a lot of effort. It''s mostly useless." "I can absorb the magic if I break them with my teeth." He replied. "The heck? That would crack your teeth," She gasped, approaching him, and opening your mouth. "She stared inside, seeing one of his back teeth was already cracked. "You idiot! Those are as hard as stone. Did you bite one?" "Yes, to heal." He replied. "You idiot! That tooth should be screaming in pain. How are you going to fight like that?" She stared at him. She quickly pulled a healing potion from her pocket, "Drink this," "No," Arad pushed her hand back, "Keep it for yourself. I don''t need healing now." "Are you an idiot? I''m saying you won''t be able to focus in fights with such pain." She red at him. "Pain?" Arad looked at her with a passive face, "It''s annoying, but what''s the problem?" "What?" She stared at him confused, "It''s painful." "I''m asking how could pain be a problem?" He tilted his head, "It''s telling me about my injuries. Why would that be a problem?" It was then that Amber realized that something was fundamentally different between her and Arad. **** Arad and Amber approached the massive white tower, "Be careful. Unlike dungeons, they get their power by killing people and eating their life force. Labyrinthes get it by keeping people here and feeding on them slowly." "What?" Arad looked at her. "Those monsters would have beaten you to death''s edge, then kept you alive with their healing jewels to feed thebyrinth." She lifted her staff, "The strongest monster would try to keep us from going higher since it''s harder to keep us alive closer to the core," BAM! The ground shook, and a massive naked statue of Arad stepped out of the tower. "GYAAAAAAAAAA!" Amber screamed, wanting to close her eyes but keeping them open. "That Merlin! What''s her mind doing!" She pointed her staff at the twenty-meter-tall marble statue. Arad stared at the statue, sweating, "I don''t know, don''t look at me." "We have to fight it, so I''m looking," Amber cried, her face beet red. "I don''t care if you see me naked," Arad sighed, walking forward with his staff, "But," He red at the statue, "You look nothing like me," "What?" Amber stared at him. "He''s too small," "Don''t say that!" She cried. "He''s too thin. Probably from before I grew older," Unlike Amber''s thoughts, Arad was trying to guess at what point Merlin saw him naked, but he couldn''t figure it out. He then turned toward Amber, "It isn''t attacking," He pointed at the statue. "It''s job is to keep us from going up. If we don''t try to leave. He won''t attack." Amber pointed, "That works for us. Let''s prepare an attack." She pointed her staff and started charging a spell. From a lightning spark, a fireball merged at the tip of her staff. BAM! The fireball expanded, causing the grass around Amber to burst into mes. Arad stood a few meters ahead of her, ready to block any attack from the statue. KABOM! The fireball started spinning, turning into an oval shape like an egg, then into a long spear. "Arad, this won''t kill it in one go, so be ready to block a counterattack." She said, sweating. "Got it." Arad started spinning the quarterstaff. [Barrier] KNOCK! A crystal wall appeared ahead of him. "Here I go!" BOOOM! Amber released the fire spear, and the statue started to move immediately, taking one step and bending forward. PEW! The fire spear missed, barely grazing the statue''s head. "You missed?" Arad gasped. CRACK! The statue squatted down, swinging a low kick at Arad. Arad jumped in ce, pointing at the statue''s second foot. [Gravity] CRACK! The statue''s kick hit Arad''s barrier, shattering it. He lifted his arm, to block the hit. BAM! The moment he took the hit, his feet were already out of the ground, so he flew away. ZOR! The statue''s second leg to pulled by the same force sending Arad away as he already caught it with gravity magic. CREEK! The statue tripped with his foot getting pulled, and he fell head first, its neck cracking under his weight, but it didn''t shatter. Amber gasped, "What?" CRACK! Arad''s body smacked on the ground, spinning mid-air with blood sshing. His left arm shattered, and his right arm dislocated from the pull. Arad''s vision turned ck, and he could barely hear anything. Dragons are more akin to animals than humans. They don''t show pain and weakness as it makes them look like prey. CRACK! Arad cracked two crystals he was hiding in his mouth and jumped. SWOSH! The statue fist flew beneath Arad. He dodged the attack at thest moment. Amber swung her staff, redirecting the missing fire spear toward the statue. "GORAAAAAAA!" The statue growled, swinging his arm to catch Arad. [Barrier] [Gravity] Arad cast a barrier close to his feet, jumped on it then used Gravity magic to make him levitate a few millimeters above the ground. Pointing his staff back, [me thrower] Using the spell like a jet, he propelled himself forward, skating on the statue''s arm until he reached its cracked neck. At thest moment, Arad jumped from his barrier and spun midair, swinging his open palm at the cracks. SLAP! CRACK! "AHH!?" The shockwave made the cracks bigger as Arad used his momentum to roll away from the statue. PEW! Amber''s spear pierced the statue''s neck, exploding it into pieces. "Did we get it?" Amber rushed toward Arad, finding him half unconscious on the ground, bleeding. "You idiot," She pulled the potion from her pocket and started pouring it into his mouth. She looked at the smoke, "I''m sure I heard something," As the smoke cleared, she could see a naked Merlin lying in the dust with a happy face. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "It''s you!" Amber cried. Chapter 546 A New Ally, But She’s Useless.

Chapter 546 A New Ally, But She''s Useless.

"Huh?" Amber stood and approached Merlin. She picked a stick and started poking her chest from afar. "Guu!" Merlin growled, rolling away, "Mom, five more minutes..." "Wake up." Amber started poking her like a kid tormenting a worm. "Pervert wizard, wake up," Amber lifted the stick up. SWOSH! A small me burned the tip, turning it into a red-hot amber. PSHHHHHHH! With one poke at her side. "GYAAAAAAAAAA!" Merlin cried rolling away, "That stings!" "Finally awake," Amber stared at her, disappointed, "What am I doing here wasting my life on you?" "AHHH!" Arad woke up, sat up, and turned toward them. "AH! Merlin, where did youe from?" Amber stared between them in silence for a second before jumping between them. "ARAD! Don''t look!" She spread her robe, covering Merlin. "ARA?!" Merlin looked down, "I''m naked, aren''t I?" "So what?" Arad asked, "Is something wrong with her being naked?" "You aren''t to say that!" Amber growled at him. "She saw me naked enough to make that stone thing, and she even rode on my back. Why would she care if I saw her naked?" Arad waved his finger. [Gravity Magic] He lifted Amber''s legs off the ground, causing her to fall. "Now that you mentioned it," Merlin thought, remembering how she rode on Arad''s back in his draconic form. He''s practically naked all that time. "I did ride on your back while you were naked." "What rtion you two are in?" Amber shouted, her eyes darting between them. "She spies on me all the time with magic," Arad pointed at Merlin. "That''s probably how her mind made that statue." "OI!" Amber turned toward Merlin, pulling her by the neck, "You pervert wizard! How could you spy on someone? Let alone someone we know, an ally? That''s an invasion of privacy," She started shaking her like a jug of milk, no, she had two of those on her. "He''s a rare specimen," Merlin cried, choking, "It''s like watching a rare bird in the wild... For magic." "I would take that over mages cutting me apart," Arad said with a passive face. "You shut up, kid! I''m sure this pervert had other motivations up her ass, big ones." Amber red at her. "Can''t deny that..." Merlin growled with a shaking face, "But I have big motivations up my chest as well..." "You''re choking her!" Arad called Amber. "This pervert still jokes around, she''s fine, that won''t kill her." Amber growled, dropping Merlin down with a grunt, "You better drop that act of yours, immediately," "I will think about it," Merlin giggled. Arad sighed, taking his shirt off, "It''s bloody, but you can wear it. Amber seems to be distracted by you being naked." Amber sighed, "Well, that would...hold up!" She cried, seeing Arad topless. "Why are you stripping?" She cried with a red face. "I''m giving her my shirt?" Arad looked at Amber, confused. "I mean, you weren''t wearing only one in the freezing snow, were you?" She cried. "I was, the cold doesn''t bother me," Arad replied with a passive face as he handed the shirt to Merlin. Merlin looked at the shirt, and sniffed it, "ARAD''s scent?!" She took a deep whiff, "It reeks with blood." "Why sniff it!!" Amber rushed in and snatched the shirt from Merlin''s hand. "Human''s sense of smell is weak," Arad looked at Amber as if stating the obvious. As a dragon, Arad identifies people by sight, sound, and smell like most animals do. But on top of that, he can also identify people based on their magic, the tremor they feel when walking, and their thoughts. "Hoi! You, how defenseless can you be?" Amber stared at her, but she fell silent, staring at him topless. "HOLY ABS! Are those twelve?" She cried. "See, how can I not spy on those?" Merlin giggled, "They look delicious," She was starting to droll. "Right...NO! I mean SHUT UP! Couger!" Amber growled, "Since you''re here, time to leave. No need for us to clear this wholebyrinth," Amber reached into her pocket about to pull out the teleport crystal. "I can''t leave," Merlin said with a serious face. Amber paused, "What did you say?" "I can''t leave, look at me," Merlin replied. "She''s empty," Arad said. It was then that Amber realized. Merlin doesn''t have a single drop of mana in her body. She''s a mana-less human. "Howe!" Amber cried. "Thisbyrinth is smart," Merlin wore Arad''s shirt. "ARA! Look, it fits me like a really short robe, as expected from the huge Arad." "Focus!" Amber stared at her, "What do you mean hisbyrinth is smart?" "It knows humans care about their lives. All of my and Arad''s powers are sealed at the topyer with the core." Merlin looked up, "She let me and him here in hope we would give up, and leave without our powers to survive. Doing that would allow thisbyrinth to absorb that power and grow stronger," Amber scratched her head, "That''s kinda smart, it''s the power thebyrinth is after, not killing us." "That''s true," Merlin replied. "Can''t we rush to the upperyer and steal your powers? I''m sure you can get us out in one spell." Amber stared at her, "I don''t like how you act, but I''m not doubting your skill with magic." Merlin thought about it for a second, "I doubt I can do it. Thisbyrinth is resistant to my magic since it was built with it after all," "Then what can we do?" Amber scratched her head. ^That doesn''t matter. We get her power then I send her and Arad out. This is the only solution.^ "But," Merlin smiled, looking at Arad, "Thebyrinth is scared of Arad. It was really trying to kill him and be done with it," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Scared of me?" Arad looked at Merlin with a passive face. "Abyrinth is scared?" Amber gasped. "I mean," Merlin looked at Arad with a smile, "With his power, he''s more terrifying than me. He could probably rip this wholebyrinth to shreds in a second." "Arad can?" Amber stared at him. "He can," Merlin stood with a smile. "Well then, shall we go to the secondyer?" Arad stood, cracking his neck. "I''m motivated now that we know Merlin is safe," "ARAD!" Merlin jumped at him, hugging him from the side. "Come here!" Amber pulled her away, "You''re practically naked wearing only his shirt, stop getting too clingy!" "I need Arad to protect me with those strong arms! I can''t fight now, remember!" Merlin pushed Amber away and hugged Arad again. Just then, it finally clicked in Amber''s head. ^Thisbyrinth was releasing a strange aura into the city, was it this idiot''s hornyness?^ "Arad! Protect me!" She started rubbing her face on his chest. "Come here!" Amber pulled Merlin away by the hair, ^Magic must be affecting her, but even so. I gotta protect Arad from this cougar, even if it was thest thing I do.^ As Amber pulled Merlin toward her, ^OH! It might really be thest thing I do if everything goes ording to n.^ Chapter 547 Burned

Chapter 547 Burned

ZIIIIIIII! Arad pushed the tower''s door open, staring inside. Arge marble spiraling stair reached up into the sky. "We''re going up," He looked back at Amber and Merlin. "Of course," Merlin replied, "But be careful, the monsters in the secondyer are far stronger." "I''m not asking about that," Arad could barely see the top from there. He might be fine, but he''s sure as hell Merlin won''t make it to the top. "Can you climb all of those?" He pointed up. Merlin looked, "Probably not. My legs would give up without even reaching the middle." "Then how are we going up?" Amber sighed, "I can''t carry you and fly. And this ce is too tight to even fly by myself." "We can rest in the middle," Merlin said with a smile. Arad looked at them for a second, thinking. Thud! He then approached Amber, staring at her. "What are you looking at?" She asked with a worried face. Arad shifted his gaze toward Merlin, "You two don''t weigh much, do you?" "What kind of question is that," Amber gasped. "I''m heavy!" Merlin replied, smiling with a proud face. "I''m carrying those after all," She shook her hips and squeezed her chest. Amber stared at her, disappointed, "What are you doing?" "That won''t be a problem," Arad replied, "But try to lose weight in the future." "What are you saying!" Merlin growled. "You deserve it," Amber giggled. Arad pointed at her chest, "Even with Ae''s strong back muscles, she oftenins that her chest weighs her down in extended aim and rapid movements. Try making them half the current size," He then pointed at her hips, "And if those were muscles, you would be able to climb the stairs, lose the fat, and gain muscles." Amber startedughing as Merlin red at Arad with a red face, "And what do you know?" "I know that Nina has a stronger and better body than you. Magic is good, but you''re the one who said I should work on my body and martial skills, so don''t ck down." He said with a passive face. "When you get exhausted, I will carry you." He sighed. "Arad, stop," Amber kept giggling on the ground, "She''s already charred." Arad stared at her, "You better stop drinking. I still smell beer on you. Alcott said it weakens the heart and reduces stamina in the long run." "I drink what I like!" Amber gasped. "Not when you''re an adventurer with other people''s lives hanging on your performance," He squatted down, ring at her eyes. "I take it back!" Amber started iling her arms, "I take it back. Being with you is going to be bad," "I will make sure you drink far less, and you''re going to train more," His eyes quickly shifted toward Merlin, and she looked away. Merlin scratched her chin. ^Forgot, he''s a dragon and has different values. Strength is their thing.^ "Fine," Merlin and Amber sighed. It was true that they couldn''t get to the second floor in any reasonable amount of time without Arad carrying them. CLACK! CLACK! They started walking up, and the stairs didn''t seem to end. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Arad, how did you smash that Statue? I thought you lost your powers," Amber asked. "Da''s ps. They worked since I only needed to send a shockwave through the cracks to make them open up," Arad replied, looking back at them. "Da? The S-rank?" Merlin stared at him, "When did you meet her?" "When I went to the elvish kingdom. She''s working as a maid for the queen and her personal guard." "Really?" Amber gasped, "I heard nothing hurt more than her attacks," "You don''t say," He sighed. "Did you fight her?" Merlin looked at him with a teasing smile, "I would have loved to see you pped around by a maid," "For real, those ps hurt like hell. But I pped her back until she started crying," He replied. "No mercy," Amber sighed. "Why would she need mercy? She''s an adventurers and s-rank. It''s disrespectful to go easy on her." He looked at them. "If we fought," Merlin stared at him, "Would you p me?" "You''re a wizard. I would blow you with a fireball," He replied. "Beat them with their specialty. Is that some kind of pride?" Amber approached Arad. "No, I''m learning from them, and the best and fastest way to test my skills is against their masters." He replied, and it was then that Amber understood another fundamental difference between herself and Arad. Arad doesn''t care what he uses as long as it works. That is why he never sticks to one fighting style. He isn''t afraid to try new things. Merlin approached Arad as well, "I would be discouraged if you hit me with a fireball that I would crawl into a ball on my bed and cry," "Crying won''t help you," Arad replied, "Instead, work on a barrier that stops that spell. Doing that would prevent you from feeling that sadness the next time." After several minutes of climbing the stairs, Merlin and Amber quickly reached their limit, barely able to stand. "I can''t," Merlin sat down. "My thighs are burning," Amber sat beside her. "You''re growing old," Merlin red at her with a grin. "I don''t want to hear this from you," Amber red at her. "It has nothing to do with age," Arad turned toward them, "Nina''s grandma would put you two to shame," "What? You met her family?" Merlins stared at him. "Yeah," Arad replied, "That crooked back olddy ran so fast that Jack and Lydia couldn''t catch her. And I even saw her snapping branches from logs for the fire with her bare hands." "An old hag?" Amber stared at him. "Running faster than Jack and Lydia?" Merlin said with a puzzled face. "Won''t that make her faster than a horse?" "She was," Arad replied, "The fastest Grandma I ever saw," Amber and Merlin stared at each other, "Barbarians are built differently," "They build themselves differently," He approached them, "Come here." Arad carried Amber on his back and Merlin in his arms and kept climbing the stairs. "Arad," Amber said, her face resting on Arad''s shoulder. "What?" "Sorry, we aren''t even a quarter of the way up," She looked away, "To make you carry us like children," "Don''t worry about it," Arad replied. "Hoi! Merlin, say something," Amber looked down, seeing Merlin licking Arad''s chest. "HOI!" She screamed, "What are you doing, you pervert!" She pulled her staff, smacking Merlin in the head. "I mean! It''s this close to my face," She cried. "And you!" Amber stared at Arad, "Say something, don''t feel sorry for pping her." "Well, it''s not bothering me, and she isn''t harming anyone." Arad looked at Amber, "I didn''t see a reason to stop her." "YOU NEED HELP! IN MORE THAN ONE WAY!" Amber cried. Chapter 548 Don’t Learn From Her

Chapter 548 Don''t Learn From Her

Thud! They finally reached the end of the stairs. "We''re here," Amber gasped, rushing toward the door, "Finally, the light," Merlin said with a happy face, rushing after Amber. "AWW!" They both screamed as Arad grabbed Merlin by the shirt and Amber by her robe, pulling them away from the door. BAM! BAM! They both fell to the ground. "What are you doing?" "This seems like a safe ce," Arad said, "We rest here for half an hour. We leave after that." He sat beside the door, "And don''t rush out like idiots. We don''t know what awaits us outside." "Monsters never camp close to theyer''s entrance," Amber stared at him. "Amber is right," Merlin confirmed her words, "It''s unheard of," "Probably if this was a regrbyrinth, not one created from your mind," Arad stared at Merlin, "I''m not trusting the norms here," He pointed at the door with his thumb. "Amber stands at the door''s side, Merlin hides behind her, and I open the door. Be ready to st anything that moves," He closed his eyes, "I''m going to rest a bit now," Amber and Merlin stared at each other, "He''s a bit too cautious." Amber stared at him. "Probably for the best," Merlin smiled, sitting beside him. "You''re right," She sat at his other side, focusing on her staff to create a rapid firing fire bolt for when they open the door. A few minutester, Arad''s body bent to the side, falling down. Thud! The two girls stared at him, "Is he asleep?" Merlin asked, poking his side. "Probably," Amber approached, "He might not show it, but I bet he''s exhausted to the bones." She sat beside his head and tried to lift him up, but her back stung her. "Damn! He''s heavy!" Amber growled, her face beet red as two veins popped on her forehead as she tried to lift him. "Let me help you," Merlin helped her lift Arad''s head andy it on her thigh, "I won''t feel my leg after this," Amber cried. "Are you okay?" Merlin looked at her red face. "His head is digging into my bones." Amber grunted, "Help me shift him a bit." She took off her hat and the top part of her robe, curling them into a pillow, and put it on her thigh. With both of them working together, they finally managed to get Arad''s head on the pillow. "Now my leg won''t die," Amber lifted a thumb to Merlin, "But we switch soon," "Of course," Merlin looked at Arad''s asleep face. "I''m surprised he didn''t wake up," Amber smiled, "He''s a bit cute, isn''t he?" Merlin scratched her head, "Ae told me once, that Arad is quite tame around the people he trusts," "What do you mean?" "If it''s us speaking and causing noise, he won''t wake up." Merlinbed his hair with her fingers, "But if it was a sound he doesn''t recognize, he would wake up immediately," "Is he a wolf sleeping with one eye open?" Amber sighed. "There is a tale," Merlin said with a smile, leaning on the wall and putting one leg on another. "A wizard turned a dragon into a small fly to tame it," "Then the dragon who became a fly flew into the wizard''s eyes and ate his way into his brain, causing the wizard to suffer for months before dying," Amber finished the tale. "And with the wizard dead, the dragon returned to his normal form and proceeded to kill all those rted to that wizard in one night." Merlin smiled. "What I''m saying is that even weakened, Arad is still Arad." "Yeah, but that story was about a dragon, not a human." Amber sighed, "You''ve put too much stress and expectation on him," Merlin smiled, "I doubt it. He''s the kind of person I can trust," **** Arad opened his eyes, staring up at two mountains. "Are you awake?" The mountains asked. She bent forward, her chest closing on his face. Arad lifted his hands, parting Merlin''s breasts away to look at her face, "Don''t put them on my face," He grunted. "AHHH!?!" She gasped, "Be gentle..." She stared at him with a smile. "What are you doing?!" Amber stared at him, pulling his hands away from Merlin''s chest. "Is something wrong?" He looked at her. "Everything is wrong. Why are squeezing her chest?" "Ae doesn''t mind, neither Eris nor Isdis." Arad sat up. "Those are your wives, Merlin isn''t!" Amber cried. "We still haven''t married so that statement is wrong," Amber cried, "I know you understand what I mean. So don''t try fooling me!" "Come on," Arad looked at her, "Until now, you''re the only one I heardining about this," "Since this is the first time you''re doing it with a stranger." "Merlin isn''t a stranger," Arad replied. "Amber," Merlin stared at her, "You''re confusing him." She then looked at Arad with a smile, "I don''t mind it, but you should only do it with the girls you love. And ask them first," "I know that," Arad replied. Merlin blinked twice, "Then why did you touch me?" "Getting back on what you were doing earlier," He replied. With her eyes closed, Merlin started sweating remembering how she was licking his chest as he carried her on the stairs. "Merlin!" Amber turned toward her, "What are you teaching him!" "I''m not," Merlin cried, "He just mimics everyone he meets," "Arad!" Amber stared at him, "You aren''t a child? Don''t mimic this idiot," "But am I." He stared at her. Amber scratched her head, "Fine, I take it you two are in a rtionship." She sighed, "Do what the hell you like, I give up," Arad stood, cracking his neck, "Are you two rested?" "We were never tired, you carried us up the stairs, remember?" Amber replied. "I see," Arad stood ahead of the door, holding the knob with one hand. "I will open it," Arad looked back at them, "Merlin, hide, and Amber, be ready to st anything that moves." ZIIIIIIII! Arad pushed the door open, looking outside. Arge tree-filled swamp spanned as far as the eyes can see. He signed to the two to wait inside as he took a step outside, looking around the door, at the sky, and at the ground. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad sighed, turning back with a smile, "It seems safe at the moment." The two walked out of the door, "GAH!" Amber growled, "A swamp, I hate those ces." "Too much dirt," Merlin looked around, "At least it''s not a strange environment," SPLA! From behind Arad, eight tentacles emerged from the dirt, flying to catch him. "GAA!" Amber cried. Merlin stared at the tentacles with her eyes sparkling, "Lunch!" Chapter 549 Magic and Experiments

Chapter 549 Magic and Experiments

Arad turned, seeing the tentacles rushing at him, "What?" He gasped, swinging the quarterstaff and deflecting two. Thud! Thud! The remaining tentacles grabbed and started dragging him to the mud. From there, two eyes shed, "Come to me!" The monster growled. "What is this thing?" CRACK! Arad stabbed the ground with his quarterstaff, holding still. "It''s lunch!" Merlin said with a smile, "Catch it!" "No, we won''t!" Amber growled, pointing her staff at the monster. [Fire Bolt] [Fire Bolt] [Fire Bolt] As they burned, the tentacles let go of Arad and retreated to the mud. "Don''t let your guard down," Amber shouted, "It will attack again." SLAP! A tentacle emerged from the ground and snatched her, swinging her in the air before mming her into the mud. "AMBER!" Arad shouted, pointing his quarterstaff at the tentacles. [Firebolt] [Fire Bolt] [Fire Bolt] The tentacles dodged the spell. They won''t get him twice. CLAP! More several more tentacles emerged from the ground, tying Arad in ce. "There is a second one?" He growled. From the mud, a third octopus monster emerged, putting its eight tentacles together. CRACKLE! Lightning shed between them, charging as the monster pointed at Arad. "This thing can use magic?" Amber growled, waving her staff to cast a spell. CRACK! Electricity shocked her, causing the spell to fail. "This bastard!" Arad pulled on the tentacles, trying to escape, but he got electrocuted as well. The third octopus got ready to kill Arad. Thebyrinth knew he was the most dangerous and shouldn''t let him live now that he was pushing higher. Thud! Merlin stood between Arad and the monster, extending her arms, "NO! You won''t harm my Arad!" She shouted. "Get back to the stairs." Arad growled, "You can''t fight!" "I won''t!" Merlin screamed, "Shoot me! You monster!" "You idiot," Arad growled, trying to escape even harder. CRACK! The monster shot his lightning bolt at her, but at thest moment, Merlin''s tearful and worried face shifted into a nasty evil smile. CLAP! With her hand, she caught the lightning bolt. The monster froze. In the blink of an eye, the lightning bolt shattered into three pieces and turned into stone spears. BA-BA-BAM! And Merlin fired them at the monsters, sting their heads open. "You dare hit me with my own magic?" Merlin stares at the dead monsters, "You sure don''t know who you''re messing with," Thud! Thud! Arad and Amber were freed and fell down, "What did you do?" Arad stared at Merlin. "Thisbyrinth is built by my magic. The monsters use the same mana wavelength as me. That means even if I don''t have mana or the ability to cast magic, I can still control my magic back when they throw it at me," She approached Arad with a grin, "Am I impressive?" "Should have told us before," Arad sighed, "I could have nned to use you as a magic shield." Thud! Thud! Merlin approached Arad, "It''s a secret, but I won''t be able to control powerful spells before they kill me. It''s better to let thebyrinth think I can control everything and shut its magic arsenal." She whispered. She stood with a smile, "It''s time to eat, isn''t it?" She looked at the monster with a smile. "They aren''t disappearing," Amber gasped, "What did you do to them?" "I shifted the spell to bind them to reality," Merlin giggled, "They won''t leave a gem, but they won''t disappear which makes them a valuable food source." Arad sat on the ground, taking a deep breath. ^How she moved earlier, her hands almost matched the spell''s speed.^ He looked at her, seeing that her fingers were trembling. ^I guess, her prior physical powers were a result of some spell. But now, forcing her body to reach that speed without the spell is hard.^ He smiled. "You''re capable after all," He looked at her, "I thought you werepletely useless without magic," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Of course I''m not," Merlins stared at him, "I did beat you once, didn''t I?" "I was far weaker then," He stood, "Now, how do we cook this?" Amber stood, her legs still shaking from the electric shock, "I can ignite a me," She pointed at the trees, "You''re strong. Can you rip some branches with your hands? Can''t you?" "I''m weaker so I don''t know how much I can chop, but I will try," He approached one of the swamp''s trees and grabbed the nearest branch to him, pulling it apart. "Amber. Let''s ignite the me close to the stairs door, so we can retreat if we need to." She pointed. "I know," Amber smiled, "This isn''t my first time in abyrinth," She looked back, "Albeit, this might be the strangest one I ever saw. Here," She pulled a small knife and handed it to her. "Oh my," Merlin stared at the knife with a smile, "I''m cutting the monster?" "Don''t pretend you never cut one before, dissection maniac," Arad looked at them, "You cut monsters before?" Merlin stared at him, "Both dead and alive, we did experiment on a lot of them after all," "You say that to me?" He stared at her with a worried face. "As much as I want to see your insides," She smiled, "It''s a rule to never cut something that we don''t have spare of," "Really?" He sighed. "If we managed to catch a male and a female to breed, we can then experiment on their spawn without disturbing the natural order. We did that a lot with new monsters," "Isn''t that too cruel?" "Not when the monsters eat and kill humans every day," She looked at him, "Humanity''s only power is knowledge. If we don''t take every advantage we have, monsters will keep stomping us to the end of time," She stared at him, "You know that, right?" Arad remembered how d ate a whole city, and how his fight with Shi trampled the barbarian''snd. "You won''t me us for experimenting on some vampires and dragons to protect ourselves, do you?" "Do what you like," Arad stared at her, "It''s survival of the fittest after all," "That''s true." She smiled. "But," Arad said with a passive face, "Do you know what it means?" "Don''t worry, no one wille after you or those close to you. Those we experiment on are mostly monsters caught attacking cities or viges." Chapter 550 Food and Massage

Chapter 550 Food and Massage

STAB! Merlin took a sharp branch and stabbed a chunk of tentacle meat from one side to the other. SIZZLE! She then put it beside the fire to roast. "No salt, but it will do," She smiled. "I''m not sure it will," Amber sighed, roasting a chunk of meat on her own. "I tried seafood before, and it''s disgusting. I don''t like the smell." She looked back at her, "And without salt, it''s just going to be a fishy mess," "Better than nothing, isn''t it?" Merlin stared at her. "I wish I at least had some beer," She sighed, "But we can''t ask for more in abyrinth." The two looked at Arad, "What do you...What the hell are you doing!" Amber cried her lugs out, seeing Arad eating the tentacles raw. "Eating," He replied. Thud! She rushed, snatching the meat from his hand. "Roast it! Those things usually have poison or parasites. That''s why we cook them." "That would make it taste bad...AHH!" Arad cried, seeing her chuck his meat into the fire. Merlin giggled, "Arad, let her cook," Thud! Arad sat down, "Fine, it doesn''t matter anyway," Amber stared at him, "For someone who doesn''t care about pain, you''re really particr about food." "Not really," Arad looked at the fire. "Do you call not needing any preparation particr or picky?" "I don''t think so," Merlin stared at him, "Being picky is wanting to eat a specific food or refusing to eat it. You on the other hand eat everything, and not even cook. I would call it convenient." "That''s just gross," Amber stared at her, "Cooking is an art," "Hmmm," Merlin poked her meat, "Dragons eat everything. Their magical organs can digest it. But, we documented brass dragons licking the morning dew off nts each day to survive and preserve the desert." "I know that," Amber flipped her meat and took a look at Arad''s. It still needs some time. "But why are we talking about dragons here?" Merlin smiled, looking at Arad, "You don''t really need to eat, do you?" "I eat a lot," Arad replied, snatching his meat from the fire. "It''s not done yet," "Half cooked is good for me," Arad took a big bite, "Cook it too much, and it loses its taste," He finished it with the second bite. "Do what you like," Amber sighed, "Ae is the one to care for you when you get sick. Not me," "She won''t need to do that," Arad replied, "Hopefully, I hate being a burden," Eating a second chunk of meat. "Arad," Merlin said with a smile, looking at him, "You know that isn''t a problem, do you?" "What isn''t a problem?" He stared at her sneaking around to take another chunk of meat and eat it raw. "Being a burden," She pointed at him with her meat, "I''m sure Ae won''t hate having to take care of you every now and then." Arad scratched his head, "But I''m too big and too heavy," He looked at Merlin, "But, I do let them massage my back," "HOO!" She stared at him, "Can I do it for you?" "Why are you two even talking about that?" Amber stared at them, "If you want to massage his back, then go and do it. Or should I do it?" "You''ve awuflly excited for this," Merlin replied. "I don''t want our frontliner getting sluggish," Amber looked at Arad, "If he needs it to perform at his best, I will do it," "Hitting me with what I said earlier," Arad smiled, twisting his torso. CRACK! CRACK! His entire back and shoulder cracked, "I don''t really need help with that," With them distracted by his action, he managed to take another chunk of meat. "What you did won''t help," She stared at him with a disappointed face. "Even if you two tried," He looked at them, "Mira couldn''t do it even with a sledgehammer," Not even hiding it, Arad stood and headed toward an uncut tentacle, cutting arge piece of it and dragging it to the fireside. "With the what?" Amber gasped, "A sledgehammer?" "You''re getting pretty rough, aren''t you?" Merlin giggled. Amber stared at her, "How could you even use that for massage?" Merlin looked at Arad, "Out of them, who''s the best at massage?" She giggled, "I do want to beat them at it," Arad thought about it for a second, "If I have to choose the best..." Eating as he tried to remember. "It''s Rey and Ray," He said, swallowing half of the tentacle he brought. "Who in the nine hells are those?" Both Merlin and Amber stared at him. "Isdis''s twin maids." Arad smiled, putting more meat beside the fire, "They have this massage method where they step on your back using their whole weight. They don''t create an instant annoying shock as with a sledgehammer, and aren''t as weak as doing it by hand." He already started eating before it got cooked. "Royal maids...you''re really a baron now," Amber sighed. ^What a waste. Should have joined earlier.^ She thought, staring at Arad swallowing even more meat as if it was nothing. ^Where is he putting all of that meat?^ "Stepping on your back? Ashiatsu, and eastern methods if I remember correctly." Merlin looked at him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I don''t know," Arad replied, still eating, "They learned it, but I only know they work best for me." "Want me to step on your back?" Merlin looked at him with a smile. "Probably not before learning it from them," Arad replied, "Let''s have them show you how to do it when we get back," "I''m not letting your maids step on me," She stared at him with a smile. "How about I step on you then?" He stared at her. "I would love that," She giggled, "But I would probably die," She tilted her head, "How about youy on my back instead of stepping on it?" "You wizard!" Amber red at her. "That isn''t a massage," Arad sighed. "Well, can I get a hug at least?" Merlin looked at him with a grin. "Why not?" Arad replied, opening his arms with arge half-cooked tentacle dangling from his mouth. "Finish eating first," Merlin replied, "But, it''s been on my mind, but how are you eating his much?" "I always eat a lot," He replied. "You eat a lot? Here?" She stared at him... "AH!" Arad paused, "You''re right!!" He opened his palm, focusing on it but nothing appeared. ^I still don''t have ess to my stomach, but I can eat a lot so the food is making its way there.^ Arad giggled, sticking two fingers down his throat. "What are you doing," Amber screamed, "Are you insane?" "GA! GA! GAHHHH!!" Arad gagged, puking a small chunk of metal. The two of them flinched, staring at the thing with crazed smiles on their faces. "What''s that?" Amber asked. Arad giggled, lifting the knife, "As long as it fits in my throat, even without magic I can puke what I stored out." "The exploding nipple knife," Merlin smiled, "An artifact," Chapter 551 Let Me Slap Them

Chapter 551 Let Me p Them

"An artifact?" Amber gasped, "You had that with you all this time?" Arad smiled, "I didn''t know I could take it out without my power," "The biological link between your mouth and stomach is still intact." Merlin stared at him, "So this maze can steal out power, but not things that are essential for biological life?" "I tried to pull the adamantine sword, but the handle kept getting stuck," Arad looked at her, "That knife is the biggest thing I can pull out. Sadly I don''t have any weapons or potions that are smaller than that." "I mean you have other knives that size, but that''s the strongest thing you can pull," Merlin sat beside the fire, "Besides the damage, that weapon doesn''t give us any way to make clearing this ce any faster." "What does that thing do?" Amber looked at the knife, "The magic in it is a bit scary," "The exploding nipple knife, it does what the name implies," He smiled, waving it, "One poke and your nipples go BOOM!" "Keep it away from me," She jumped back, and Arad chased her, "Come here, we need to test it," "I''m not! Throw that thing away!" She cried. Watching them, Merlin giggled, "You two, we better group up," She waved her hand to them, "Do you feel it?" The two stopped running. Amber could feel a shift in thebyrinth''s magic. It''s like the wind changing direction and getting colder. With him standing there, Arad could feel a faint tremor in the ground beneath his feet, "A lot of monsters areing," "It took a while for them to adjust," Merlin said with a smile, "You have to protect me this time. They aren''t ying around." BAM! BAM! From the dirt, tents of octopus emerged. "They gave up on magic and want to kill us with sheer numbers," From behind the monsters, arge being emerged. A half octopus half human with Merlin''s naked upper torso as the human part. "That''s the big one," Arad looked at her. The monster smiled, "ARAD!" She giggled, "Those horse faces in the firstyer failed to catch, but you''re mine now." "I know what you say," Merlin nodded with a smile, "But. Arad is mine. I''m not handing it over, half slimy octopus," "Big talk, magicless wizard," The octopus queen red at her with a twisted smile, "Your days already ended, and it''s ours now. Thank you for giving birth to us through your magic, but it''s high time you died." "You have children?" Arad stared at Merlin. "No," Merlin stared at him. "You an idiot?" Amber stared at him, "She mean that they were created from Merlin''s magic, not literally her children." SWOSH! A tentacle emerged from the dirt beside Arad, trying to snatch the knife from his hand. Arad dodged the attack,nding in front of Amber and Merlin. He looked at the octopus queen with a smile. "This knife is useless against the small octopus monster. They don''t have nipples," He red back, opening his mouth and pushing the knife down his throat. "But you," He stared at her exposed chest. The queen giggled, "I heard you earlier," She stared at Merlin''s chest, "Mine aren''t as big as hers, but they are firmer just the way you like them," She squeezed her chest, "Come here to me, leave those milk bags to rot there," Arad smiled, "Jokes on you," He spun the quarterstaff, taking a stance, "I like milk as well," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The queen''s face twisted as she growled, "Choose one." BAM! Arad rushed forward, ready to take her down. "Kill the women and bring me Arad alive," The queen shouted with an enraged face. Arad ducked beneath the wave of tentacles as Amber fireballs flew above his head, exploding at the monsters. Thud! Thud! As Arad ran forward, he quickly approached the end of the cobblestone pavement around the stairs. ^I love this fool,^ The queen smile. ^The moment he steps in the mud, it''s his loss.^ The octopuses were used to swimming in that mud, even through the cobblestone so they could attack even close to the stairs, but Arad and the rest were different. A human would get stuck and slowly drown until their death, not to mention the octopuses waiting to attack. ^Come at me. My minions would catch for me. Then I can kill those two bitches as slowly as I want.^ She smiled. Arad''s right foot approached the mud surface, and the queen''s smile couldn''t be bigger, ^This is it. Arad is mine, forever!^ DING! Arad''s footnded on a crystal barrier. "What?" The queen gasped. With gravity magic lifting the barrier from the mud, Arad extended his staff behind him [me thrower] BOOM! With the fire acting as a jet Arad skated across the mud as Ambers fireballs exploded everywhere. He aimed for the queen. "Catch him!" The queen shouted. The octopus that survived Amber''s st turned to catch Arad, but their tentacles got burned by his jet, and approaching from behind him was almost impossible. SPLAT! From the mud, a slightlyrger octopus emerged ahead of Arad trying to use its size to block his path. Arad pointed his quarterstaff to the left, sting himself to the right in the blink of an eye and evading the octopus''s tentacles at thest moment. At the same time, he swung his left hand with a smile. SLAP! His hand pped one of the octopus''s tentacles. The tentacles spiked, freezing straight as their colors shifted rapidly. A pained screech escaped the monster as its eyes popped with blood. An octopus''s boneless body is controlled entirely by nerves and muscles. Their brain spread all the way to their tentacles, augmenting their sense of pain to an insane degree due to the sheer number of their nerves. This had made them exceptionally susceptible to pain, and Arad''s ps delivered that and more. One p and they would die from agony alone. SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! Merlin smiled in the back. ^A dragon is a dragon, you can steal all of his power, and he would still find a way to make you regret fighting him.^ As the octopus died of agony everywhere. Arad jumped over them, ring down at the queen. "You said your chest is firmer than Merlin?" He red down with glowing red eyes, "Let me p them to see if that''s true," Chapter 552 BAM-BA-BAM!

Chapter 552 BAM-BA-BAM!

SWOSH! Arad flew over the octopuses, ring down at their queen with glowing red eyes. "Stay away from me!" She cried, diving into the mud. Aradnded and kept gliding across the dirt, quickly shifting his attention to the other octopuses. SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! ^I can''t keep this up. I will soon run out of mana. I need a n to drag her out,^ "Arad! Come back here!" Amber shouted, ring at him from the distance. "Don''t remain there for long, I can''t support you well," "I''ming back," He stared back at her. She was right. The further he went into the woods, the more trees got between him and her making it harder to aim. ^No, wait,^ Arad thought. ^If I can pull the knife from my stomach, won''t that mean I should be able to eat from my stomach?^ SWOSH! He slid between the octopuses pping them one after the other, ^I''m running out of mana rapidly. I should give it a try,^ He tried. But couldn''t absorb anything. The action of taking things out is simr to puking so he can do it, but to drink a potion, he has to open it first inside his stomach, which he can''t do without ess to his void. Thud! Aradnded in front of Amber, his quarterstaff smoking. "You insane idiot, get back here and fight properly. I need someone to protect me while casting spells." She cried, pointing her staff at an octopus. [Fire Ball] KA-BOOM! From the mud, the queen popped her head out with a smile. "My children, he''s almost out of mana. Rush them. If he falls, it''s our win," Merlin stared at Arad, and the queen was right. He barely has 10% of his mana left. "Let''s retreat into the stairs. They can''t follow us there," Merlin said, looking back. "Gehehe," Arad giggled, a long smile on his face. Everyone froze, staring at him. "Buahahaha!" He burstughing, "Me out of mana? Do you know who you''re dealing with?" He lifted his right fist, dropping it on his chest. "Huh?" Amber stared at him, pounding his chest like a gori. ^What is he doing?^ Merlin gasped, and Amber pointed her quarterstaff at the octopuses, "Arad, stop messing around, and let''s retreat. Without your power, we can''t beat them in a battle of attrition," BAM! BA-BAM! BAM! BA-BAM! BA-BA-BA-BAM! BAM! BA-BAM! BAM! BA-BAM! BA-BA-BA-BAM! "Wait..." Merlin gasped, "This tune, the Drums of War written by Princess Isdis?" ^Did he learn a bard spell? No, I sense no magic from his actions.^ "GAH!" Arad gasped, trying to pull a potion out of his stomach. He can start that action, but the potion always gets stuck. Its neck is smaller than the body causing it to be unable to pass through its esophagus. "Hehehe!" Arad giggled, hitting his chest as hard as he could. The potion tried to get up, its neck stuck inside his esophagus. And with each hit, Arad increased the strength. "Restrain his arms! Don''t let him keep this going!" The queen shouted, sensing that Arad was about to do something dangerous. BAM! BA-BAM! BAM! BA-BAM! BA-BA-BA-BAM! CRACK! From his continuous violent hits, the potion neck stuck in his esophagus cracked, spilling the content back into his stomach. Merlin gasped, seeing Arad''s mana charge immediately. SWOSH! Arad immediately flew back into the battlefield, pping the octopuses left and right. "This bastard," The queen growled, "Even with all of his powers sealed away, he''s still a pain to deal with." Merlin smiled, ^An extreme life form. Dragons don''t think like humans. And that is why thisbyrinth is scared of him. Just like me, it knows he''s someone to reckon with.^ "Tch!" The queen growled, "Fine by me! Come here. I will face you myself." She emerged from the mud. "Arad! Don''t take her bait!" Merlin shouted, "She wants to drag you into the mud when you run low on mana," At some point, Arad would run out of mana again and have to retreat. It was obvious as day that she aimed for that moment to capture him. "Shut your trap! Wizard!" The queen growled, "This isn''t your ce to speak!" "Want a one-on-one fight?" Arad smiled, "Fine by me!" He flew at her. "You idiot!" Merlin and Amber shouted at the same time, baffled by Arad''s inability to see the trap ahead of him. "You will lose!" Merlin screamed. "Nah! I''d win!" Arad said with a smile, swinging his palm at the octopus''s queen. "Hehe!" The queen giggled, sending her tentacles at Arad. Arad spun his quarterstaff, dodging the first tentacle and gliding on it toward the queen. SWOSH! She swung another tentacle at his head, but he deflected it with his fist. GA! The queen screamed, seeing Arad''s palm rushing toward her flesh. SPLAT! With her other tentacles, she sshed the mut at him, dampening his p. "Two arms can never match eight in closebat," She shouted, unleashing a barrage of bludging ms with her eight tentacles. Arad swung the quarterstaff as he stood on his barrier, and deflected all attacks by using it like a sword. "I trained with someone that seems to have one hundred arms," Arad red at her with a smile, remembering how fast and unpredictable Alcott was. CRACK! Arad smacked her in the face with staff, and she jumped back with her tentacles. "It seems you''re stronger than we expected," She giggled, "But I still have more to show you." Mud rushed from the ground and engulfed her body. Waves of mana started rushing out from the cocoon. Arad immediately pointed his staff at her [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] [Firebolt] He knew it was bad the moment he sensed the magic, but the mud acted as a protectiveyer against his fire. SPLAT! Eight tentacles encased in hard scales emerged from the mud cocoon as it exploded. "Hehehe," The queen giggled, "Let''s see if you can keep up now," She stood in a humanoid shape with her tentacles extending from her lower back like tails. CRACKLE! Lightning crackled from her tentacles as she looked at Arad with a grin, "Bewary, those sting," Arad lifted his fist, beating on his chest. BAM! BA-BAM! BAM! BA-BAM! BA-BA-BA-BAM! BAM! BA-BAM! BAM! BA-BAM! BA-BA-BA-BAM! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om His mana recovered then his wounds healed as he broke potions down his esophagus. CRACKLE! mes sparked from his skin as he stood facing the mud octopus queen with a smile. "I''m the king of thisnd, and you aren''t one of my queens," He red at her with a grin. "I''m the queen, and you''re going to be my king," She giggled, pointing all of her tentacles at him. Chapter 553 Copycat

Chapter 553 Copycat

BAM! Arad jumped forward, swinging his quarterstaff at the queen''s face. She lifted two of her tentacles, blocking the attack. Thwack! Arad immediately lifted his foot, kicking her in the face. [Fire Kick] She flew back,nding on her tentacles, "Kicking my face?" She waved her hand, and the mud beneath Arad''s feet formed into spikes, rushing at his chest. [Barrier] CLANG! The spikes bounced off the barrier, and Arad lunged forward, swinging his palm down. The queen dodged Arad''s p. She''s weary of those. Even if she could get hit with the staff or a kick, allowing those ps to get in is the only thing she won''t let slip through her guard. SWOSH! SWOSH! SWOSH! Arad waved at the staff, swinging at her chest, arms, and legs, but she dodged the attacks, dropping one of her tentacles at his head. BAM! He blocked the staff, sending a kick at her. "I won''t fall for the same move!" She dodged, grabbing his foot with her tentacle and swinging him up and back to the ground. "Now you drown," She giggled but lost the smile faster than she made it. Aradnded with his hand on a barrier he created, swinging both of his legs at her face and chest, getting a solid three hits in. As she took the hits, she swung a kick at his face as well, sending him flying back. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ^He''s getting faster? No, his moves are slowly losing all unessessary movements. He''s getting used to his weaker body by the second.^ Tap! Aradnded on a barrier and lunged forward with a burst of me beneath his feet. The queen took a deep breath. ^We''re closely matched, but I have more limbs. As long as I don''t get hit with a p, he''s the one to fall first.^ VA-VAFF! She spun her tentacles, sending eight consecutive strikes toward Arad in the blink of an eye. Arad created a small barrier on the ground and used his quarterstaff and a burst of me to jump into the sky, evading all of the attacks. Mid-air, he threw his staff up and reached with his hands. Taking his boots off with one move. "They''re getting in the way, but I might need themter," With one motion, he threw the boots back toward the stairs and fell toward the queen, his quarterstaff falling behind him. The queen stared at his bare feet for a second. ^Don''t tell me he can...^ She moved back, "Kids! Get him!" Several octopuses rushed forward, swinging their tentacles at Arad. TAP! Hended on one of them, smacking two with his staff, kicking two, and pping the one beneath him. ^I totally thought he would be able to use those ps with his feet, but am I wrong?^ She stared at Arad''s eyes, ^No, he''s baiting me. He certainly can p with his feet.^ SPLAT! More octopuses emerged from the mud, rushing toward Arad to overpower him with numbers. SWOSH! Arad stepped sideways, extending one foot forward, and with his arms twisted one up and one down. His head tilted back to avoid a tentacle as he delivered two ps. As his quarterstaff approached the ground, he pulled his body back with his foot and grabbed it, lunging toward the queen immediately. ^This man is a monster,^ The queen thought, ^Why are you so hard to deal with even without your power?^ Merlin who watched from the back smiled, ^His moves are clunky and ungraceful, but those pertinently belong to Da. He''s both weaker and slower than the queen, she can rush him with sheer strength and hit him with a stab to the torso, but she would get pped, more than once. That would kill both of them.^ ^His hands and feet are the weapons keeping the queen at bay and what he intends to kill her with,^ she saw Arad catch the quarterstaff and block two tentacles'' attacks. ^He uses the quarterstaff to magnify his power with leverage when he needs it. Never forget that he''s he could use fire with all of his limbs, the queen must remain wary of the me. And there is the trump card in his stomach, that knife.^ "He''s impressive!" Amber said as she mowed down the octopuses with fire, "Is he a monk? I never saw one fight like that," "He isn''t," Merlin replied, "Those moves are a janky mixture between Alcott''s moves, Da''s ps, Nina''s aggressive nature, my gravity magic, whoever he got the barrier from, and your fire magic." She smiled, "And look closely," Amber stared at Arad''s hands and legs, "Wait, why is he swinging like that?" "He''s already trying to move his limbs like the octopuses'' tentacles, albeit his bones are getting in the way." Merlin said with sweat dripping across her face, "He''s a copycat, but a genius one." Arad approached the queen in the blink of an eye but she jumped back. He bent down, scoping mud with his hand and sshing it at her face. "What''s your game?" The queen growled as she swatted the mud away with her tentacles, seeing him rush after the mud, holding the quarterstaff like a greatsword in a wrath stance. She dodged the downward swing, "What are you trying to do?" Arad immediately switched his grip and thrust with the quarterstaff like a spear three times at the queen''s face. She dodged and dived into the mud, appearing several meters away. ^Jack, Lydia, and Eris, he isn''t letting anything he saw go to waste.^ Merlin couldn''t hold back her smile. "Risk nothing get nothing," The queen stared at him as she dove again under the mud. Arad was standing on his barrier so he couldn''t feel the tremors of her swinging underground. SPLT! Arad turned the moment he heard something pop behind him and swung a p. It connected, but the one there was an ordinary octopus, a pawn. At that moment, the queen emerged behind Arad. Shetched into his neck with her thighs and used her arms and four tentacles to hold Arad''s arms in ce. Her other four tentacles held his legs in ce. "Hahaha! I got you," She red at his face. "GAHHH!" Arad opened his mouth wide open, taking a bite off her thigh. "AWWWWWWW!" She screamed, but that only agitated Arad more, causing him to start chomping her flesh like a wild dog. "You like me that much?" She growled in pain, "I''m an octopus, remember? And I love you as well." SPLASH! A burst of ck ink squirted from her vagina as she transformed back into her half-octopus form, blinding him for a split second. At that moment, Arad found himself facing the one beak all the octopuses had, biting right through his shoulder and chest. "ARAD!" Merlin screamed as the queen dragged Arad with her into the mud. Chapter 554 Tenacious Body

Chapter 554 Tenacious Body

"She got him?" Amber growled, pointing her staff toward Arad and the queen, "I call forth a st of crimson red," [re Burst] A massive fireball emerged in front of her staff, shifting in color to blue before sting forward with a loud whistle. The queen pulled Arad with her and dived into the mud. The mud dried from the fireball''s heat as it exploded into a blue rose of me. The octopuses nearby got burned to a golden brown crisp, releasing a sweet smell as their insides became perfectly cooked. "GAH!" Amber gasped, panting as smoke gushed off her back. She stared forward, sweating. "The bitch dodged," "Amber, stop attacking," Merlin looked at her. "I still have mana," She started forming a fireball, "I can burn them all," "You''re overheating, use more spells, and you will burn yourself. Rest for a few seconds." Merlin started fanning her with her shirt. "Hehehe," The queen giggled, her eyes poking through the mud, "Your man has fallen, and you''re unable to fight anymore," She emerged with Arad''s unconscious body in her arms, "You will die here." She pointed at them with her tentacles, "My children, eat them alive." "Give him back," Amber growled, the skin around her eyes cracking with fire gushing out, "Before I cook you," Her eyes shed with a dark orange light as mist started gushing out of her back. The queen stared at her, "You cook me?" The thick mist started covering the swim as Amber took a step forward, the mud drying instantly beneath her feet. "GAAAA!" Arad opened his mouth and licked the queen''s chest, terrifying her. "You''re awake?" She gasped, but at that moment it was alreadyte. She could feel a sharp thing poking her nipple from Arad''s throat. BOOOM! Her breasts exploded in a ssh of blood as Arad pulled her down by the hair, swinging his palm down at her face. SLAP! SPLAT! With that single p, he smacked her body down in the mud. As her body spasmed from the mortal wound and the pain, Arad lifted his foot up and dropped it on her head, shattering it. Arad stood there, panting. "Thu!" He spat aside, "Taste like mud," At that moment, his vision blurred and he fell beside the dead queen. Her body then disintegrated, leaving only a massive gem. The other octopuses ran away as the queen fell, and Arad lost consciousness and started sinking. FUSH! Amber cooled down, "Arad!" She screamed, pointing her staff forward, [me thrower] The burst of me dried a path of mud toward Arad''s side. "I''ll help!" Merlin picked a branch and rushed after Amber to drag Arad out before he drowned. Amber pulled from his arms while Merlin tried to pull him with the stick. After a tiring ten minutes, they finally managed to drag him out. "How heavy could he be?" Amber sighed, her arms hurting. "Come help get the gem back, I can heal him with it," Merlin extended her stick toward the gem floating above the mud. "That isn''t Arad, let me try this," Amber extended her hand and unleashed a burst of fire, drying the mud around the gem. "Nice job," Merlin reached out with a smile and picked the gem by hand. "How is he doing?" She then asked. "Isn''t breathing but his heart is still beating," Amber stared at Arad''s shoulder, "She took a chunk of his corbone, ribs, and left lung," "He would bleed to death if we don''t do anything," She took a deep breath and stood at Arad''s head, "Healing him would take a while. Help me drag him to the stairs." "Of course," Amber stood and the two of them dragged Arad all the way to the stairs,ying him inside. After they finally put him down, the two dropped to their knees banting. Arad who stood tall at 2.15 meters weighed almost over 200kg in pure muscles and bones. "My back," Amber cried, "I might have broken it," "We can heal thatter," Merlin gasped, putting the gem on Arad''s chest as she started drawing the magic inside it with her mouth open as she panted. Amber leaned on the wall, took herrge wizard hat off, and started fanning Merlin. She knew that thebined exhaustion of carrying Arad and using magic wouldn''t be easy to handle. After a minute, Arad''s wounds closed enough for him to stop bleeding. "Good, the gem wouldst, but we might need more," Amber opened the stairs door and approached Merlin with a handful of gems. "I picked all those octopuses dropped." She showed them to Merlin. "Put them on his chest," Merlin smiled, "Now start blowing in his mouth. We need him to start breathing as soon as possible." "You do it," Amber cried. "I can''t. I''m casting magic," Merlin stared at her with a red face, "If I could I would have already done it." Amber stared at Arad''s face, "His heart didn''t stop beating. Are you sure he won''t just start breathing?" Amber gulped down and approached Arad''s face. "Don''t me meter," As their noses almost touched, Arad''s eyes opened up, and he took a casual breath as his mind started working again. His eyes quickly stared at Amber''s eyes, her lip almost touching his. "Your breath reeks of beer," Amber''s face burned red as she growled, going for it anyway. But before their lips could even touch, Arad''s eyes rolled back as he coughed blood on her face, falling unconscious again. "A bone shard remained in his lung, and he''s now bleeding there. He''s drowning in his own blood," Merlin gasped, focusing more on healing him. Amber wiped the dots of blood from her face and stared at Merlin, "Aren''t you supposed to be an archmage?" "I''m not a healer!" Merlin cried. Amber sighed, taking a seat, "Be careful with him," One minuteter, Merlin smiled, "Closed the wound, now do it," Amber stared at her with a suspicious re, "He won''t wake up again, or would he?" "Do it. I don''t care," Merlin stared at her. Amber went down to do it again, but Arad''s arm moved at a blinding speed, smacking the ground beside her leg and flipping him over. Amber hair spiked up in suprised, her soul almost leaving her body. Arad coughed all the blood in his lungs on the ground then swung his fist at his chest, breaking a healing potion down his esophagus to fully heal. "Arad!" Merlin gasped, approaching him. "I''m fine, don''t worry," He replied, taking a deep breath, "I can live for a while without breathing," He then turned to look at Amber who sat there with a sad face, almost crying. "Are you okay?" He asked. "I thought that hit me," She gasped, fully aware of what would happen if Arad''s palm touched her. "I might have wet myself..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 555 We Need Water

Chapter 555 We Need Water

"Really?" Merlin stared at her and then looked at Arad. "Don''t look at me. I barely woke up," He sighed, standing up, "It doesn''t matter, does it?" "It does," Amber cried with a red face. "Let her be for now," Merlin stood beside him, "We need to figure a way to get water, and I have a n," "Really? There is only mud and trees outside," Arad looked at the door. "Mud has water in it," Merlin smiled, "I need your fire Amber. And your barrier," And then looked at Arad. "You can make water?" Amber stared at her. "Of course. We would have needed it sooner orter," Merlin smiled, "Follow me," She walked outside and looked at the endless mud covering thisir with a grin. "Arad, can you create two barriers?" "No, I can only make one at a time with my current self," He replied. "I see. How big can you make it?" Arad extended his hand and created a massive sphere big enough to fit three people inside. "This is the best I can do," "As expected," Merlin smiled, "You''re impressive," "This isn''t much. I can do far more with my power." He replied with a passive face. "We wouldn''t be stuck here in the first ce if you still had them," She pointed at the ground, "You learned the spell. Now, I will teach you how to use it." "What should I do?" Arad extended his hand, canceling the barrier sphere and preparing to cast it again. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Merlin, what should I do?" Amber looked at them. "I need your fire after Arad gets his barrier ready. For now, wait a bit," Merlin replied before turning back to Arad. "You can''t cast magic inside other living beings as their mana blocks the way, but you can cast it inside the ground." Merlin pointed down, "Cast the same barrier sphere but with half of it going underground." Arad looked at the ground, [Barrier Magic] "Done, is isn''t that diffirent from a normal cast," He looked at Merlin. "Of course. With barrier magic, all spells are the same. The only difference is the location of the cast and the shape which are set to custom by default." "The book said that if I can''t imagine the shape or location, I could just shout the name in a chant. Would that work?" Arad looked at her. "Of course, but consume more mana and alert your enemies to what you''re about to make, so don''t do it unless you can''t imagine the shape." "I see," Arad looked at his barrier, "We got this now, then what?" "We need to lift it up to dig a hole," She tapped the sphere, "But, it should have tens of kilos of dirt and cobblestone. Good luck, our only man," Merlin gave him a thumbs up. "I''m going to p you," Arad red at her. "I''m joking, I''m joking," Merlin waved her hands with a worried face, "I will get a long branch to get it out. Wait a bit," She then ran toward the trees. With a deep sigh, Arad looked at the barrier. It wouldn''t be a problem if he had his draconic powers, but even with gravity magic, trying to lift this is almost impossible. Amber looked at him, "From everything till now, I won''t find it strange if you can do anything," Arad looked at her, seeing her stand about six meters[20 feet] away from him. "Why are you standing all the way there?" "Don''t worry about it," Merlin growled. Arad touched the barrier, "It''s smooth with nothing to grab on, never mentioning it''s half of a sphere and low on the ground. I can''t get a solid grip or a stance, not to mention the weight." "I''m back!" Merlin called, struggling to drag arge branch toward them. "Arad don''t just stand there,e help me!" Arad sighed, heading toward her, "You know that Ae could have moved that with ease," "She''s an archer, right? and I''m a wizard," Merlin stared at him, "Don''tpare us with physical strength. Here you''re the only one having it," ^But I''m a mere sorcerer now, I don''t have my draconic strength,^ He thought, forgetting that his humanoid build was far stronger andrger than most people. ^But he''s a sorcerer,^ Amber thought, ^But he stands taller than most doors and his arms are almost thicker than my thighs.^ Arad pulled the long branch toward the barrier and stuck it at the side. "Amber,e here and help me pull this down." Merlin waved her hand. "I''ming," "Arad, where we lift it up a bit, pull it out if you can." Merlin looked at him with a smile. "If I can''t." "Then we try the long method by digging slowly," She replied. Merlin and Amber grabbed into the side of the branch and pulled it down, lifting the barrier a bit. Arad immediately inserted his hand beneath and lifted it up. As the barrier got out of the hole, Arad rolled it away and disabled the magic, dropping the pile of dirt on the ground. "Now that we dug a hole, what else?" He looked around, "Put mud inside?" "No, line the outer walls of the hole with stone and make sure to fill all the gaps," Merlin took her shirt off and put it away, "We''re going to get dirty. It''s better to work like this," She smiled. "What are you doing?" Amber red at her. "Getting ready to work," She tied her hair above her head in a knot. "Arad is here," "He''s Arad, so I don''t mind," "And what about your hair? That won''t open up ever again, you would have to cut it," "I won''t, no matter how jumbled it gets. I can always open it up with a spell when we get out," She started picking up cobblestones. "Arad, let''s start working," After half an hour the two had finished lining the hole with stones. "Amber, get ready," Merlin pointed at her, "Arad, create a long surface with the barrier magic from the dirt to this hole and inclined it a bit, like this," She drew it on the ground with her finger. "Got it," Arad extended his hands and created the barrier. "Amber, heat the mud beneath the end of the barrier so it dries up," She pointed. Amber pointed her staff at the mud and sted it with fire. The water inside evaporated and rose up, hitting Arad''s barrier and condensation before it dripped all the way to the hole they made. "And myself," Merlin picked up a small stick and rushed to shovel more dirt in ce of the dried one. "I will help as well," Arad could still move with the barrier active, so he started shoveling with her. After a lot of hard work, they got arge hole full of clear water. "It''s not much, but better than nothing," Merlin smiled, "I know you''re exhausted, but can you make a bucket for Amber to use?" "Of course," Arad created a handless buck with a barrier magic and handed it to Amber. "Thank you..." She stared at the bucket. "The water tastes weird," Arad said as he took a sip, "Of course, this is pure water extracted from the mud with magic. The water you usually drink gets contaminated with the earth ites from and the barrels we store it in." Merlin looked at him with a smile, "That exins why water can taste slightly different from one spring to another," "You sure know a lot," Arad stared at her. "It''s just a theory the mages of the tower came with," She replied with a smile. "The mages'' tower," Arad sighed, "They sure know a lot," Merlin looked at his face for a second, "ARAD!" She jumped to sit on hisp, "Can you untangle my hair?" "You''re naked," He stared a her, "Go wear the shirt first," "I can''t wear it with my hair like this, it will get stuck," She smiled, "Can you untangle it?" "Fine," Arad sighed. Chapter 556 Shaking Souls

Chapter 556 Shaking Souls

"I''m done," After about an hour, Amber returned. She found Merlin walking around with her hair untangled. "You managed to get it undone?" She stared at her, surprised. "With that tie, I can''t imagine doing it without magic." Merlin giggled, "Arad did it. He''s surprisingly good with his hands." She replied, "Now give me the bucket, I need to wash Arad''s shirt," Amber handed her the bucked, remembering that the shirt still had Arad''s blood on it. "Arad''s hands arerge. Are you sure he didn''t use magic?" She smiled. "He''s quite skilled," "Not me," Arad said, sitting at the door, "It''s the girls. I did watch Rey and Ray do Isdis, Ae and Eris''s hair a lot. Only Mira seemed to prefer doing it on her own," "You learned just from watching?" Amber stared at him. "I tried once, but I almost pulled Ae''s hair out of her head. It''s been a while since I touched hair tob it," Arad replied. Merlin took the bucket and picked up Arad''s shirt to wash it while Amber kept talking with him. "Did any of them show you how to untangle hair?" "No," Arad looked at her, "I watched enough to be able to do it on my own." "Do you know it''s scary?" She looked at him, smiling, "How fast you learn," "Amber!" Merlin called, "Can you dry it with your mes?" "I can, but..." She looked at Arad. "Is that okay? It might get damaged," "I don''t care. It''s just a shirt," Arad replied. "If you say so...and you have money, so that shouldn''t be a problem." Amber smiled. "Really?" Merlin looked at the wet shirt in her hands, "I thought you would object a bit," ^Dragons are known to be possessive about their stuff...And this shirt isn''t cheap...^ Merlin thought. Amber started drying it, "Where did you buy it? It looks nice," "The elvish capital, I picked it up with Ae," Arad replied, and Amber immediately extinguished her mes. "You! How much was it," "It''s made of demon spider silk, so it cost about four gold coins," Arad replied, and Amber stared at the shirt with a pale face. "You don''t dry those with fire!" "Oh my," Merlin looked at the shirt with a smile. "I knew it looked a bit too good to be cheap," Amber fliped the shirt over and over but didn''t find a single marking. "Why is such a thing looking like a rug bought from the used market? It doesn''t have a single marking for its maker." "The shop I bought it from seems to have been owned by a noble, and that man was at the court when I talked with the queen. It seems they didn''t want troubles so they left it stamp-free like what they make for the queen." Arad exined. "No!" Amber gave the shirt back to Merlin, "I''m not drying it. You won''t find another shirt like this, don''t waste it." "I have five simr ones," Arad said, staring at her with a passive face. "Shut up," Amber growled. "They all look the same, so don''t worry about damaging that. The important thing is Merlin not getting sick," Arad approached them. "Dry it so we can search for the stairs to the thirdyer." Amber stared at him, "Fine, it''s your money," She took the shirt back from Merlin''s hands to dry it. As Amber dried the shirt, Merlin approached Arad, "Do you wear those all the time?" "I don''t know," Arad replied, "The girls pick my clothes most of the time," When takes a batch or wants to change, he usually asks them to bring his clothes, and he wears whatever they brought him. **** After drying the shirt, packing some octopus meat, and making sure they were hydrated well, they headed out in search of the stairs. Amber and Arad walked at the front as she dried a path for them with her me. "There are still some of those monsters around," Amber said, seeing some tentacles in the distance. "Now that their queen got killed they are too afraid to attack us," Merlin replied, "Don''t worry about them." "They are monsters. Can we trust that to remain the case?" "No," "So we should hurry," Arad looked at them, "I''m keeping watch, so don''t worry about an attack," "Arad, look there," Merlin pointed behind the trees'' branches, "I can see something," "A stone building? I can''t see it well. Amber let''s go there and check it out." Arad said. "Of course," She started changing direction, drying a path toward the stone structure Arad and Merlin saw. After the trees there existed arge tform, this time with no tower but one small stage in the middle, arge red ball floating with an ominous aura oozing out. "That thing," Arad said, "It doesn''t look safe," Merlin squinted her eyes, trying to recognize the thing, "I don''t know what that is. But I don''t see a tower, so we should probably ignore it," She said. "You''re right," Amber said as she was about to start building a path in another direction. "HOW SAD!" A deep voice boomed from the red ball, "To think mistress forgotten me, no, she won''t recognize me like this," it turned sad. The red ball started spinning rapidly, shaking the air as it turned into an oval shape. "This voice," Merlin gasped, "Let''s run!" Amber didn''t need to hear more and started drying mud as fast as she could. Arad looked back at the spinning ball. It stopped, looking like two red wings covering something, "It''s alive, he said," "What are you doing?" Merlin stared at him, "Ignore him! Let''s run!" She growled at him. "Running won''t help, Mistress." The wings slowly opened up, and one red-glowing eye red at them. "The stairs won''t appear until I''m defeated," As the wings opened, a tall slender man with red skin, two long horns, massive red bat-like wings, a long leathery ck tail, and long ws stared at them. "This thing," Arad growled, "A devil," "Yes," The devil opened his arms, "Mistress tricked me in a deal several years ago, and with it, I became herb rat." He waved his hands, taking a gentle bow. "Aloris Baton Ver Deonte Gaton, at your service." He smiled. "Arad, you know devils. He''s lying about the stairs. Let''s go." Merlin growled. "Devils do not lie," Aloris flicked his fingers, and the stairs appeared behind then quickly disappeared. "For using me as a power source for your spells for years," He looked at Merlin, "It''s high time I got paid. Your soul would be mine," He pointed his finger at her, and a long chain appeared between his hand and Merlin''s neck. CLACK! Merlin gasped as she saw the cor around her neck. "Nowe, I can leave this ursed ce with your power," CLANG! Aloris blinked as Arad grabbed the chain with his hand. "Who are you?" The devil asked. CLANG! Arad suddenly pulled the chain, dropping Aloris on his face and taking it from him. "You bastard," The devil growled as Arad approached him. Arad bent down and grabbed Aloris by the horns, lifting him up, "Who are you taking?" Tap! Aloris touched Arad''s chest, [Curse of Chains: Soul ve] The devil''s magic seeped into Arad''s body, seeing his soul. The moment he got closer, everything turned back before his eyes, followed by a single pink sh. "What''s going outside? Why can''t I sense Arad?" Doma asked, sitting on a chair in the middle of the sky and staring down at Aloris. "Where..." Aloris gasped but the skin on his left arm started peeling and his bones cracked, the hairs from his head pierced his skull and came out of his left eye. "Who gave you permission to ask questions?" Doma red down at him, "Answer, devil," "I..." CRACKLE! His legs gut crushed, turning into a mush. "An answer to my question never starts by [I] unless you''re intending to say I don''t know, and I don''t count that as an answer," She lifted her hand, extending her palm toward him. "It''s my fault for asking maggots that crawl in the world''s biggest dumpster," She said and the Aloris''s body started twitching. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I see, I see," Doma grunted, "Arad is stuck in abyrinth created by a failed spell from Merlin. What a pain, I seem to be stuck on the tenth floor with the rest of his power." She red at the devil. "But, since you tried to touch Arad''s soul, you also touched mine," She waved her hand, "You won''t get back to the hells," The devil''s body smacked left and right everywhere, turning into minced meat as Doma watched. Outside, Aloris stood still as Arad lifted him by the horns. His eyes went white as he stared forward with a lifeless stare. CRACK! Arad kicked him in the guts, sending him flying back and breaking his horns. "What?" Merlin gasped as her chain shattered, "This can''t be..." She looked as Aloris''s corpse started disintegrating. "He''s..." She approached. "Dead?" Amber gasped, "What did you do to him?" She rushed toward Arad. "I don''t know. I just kicked him," Arad replied. "He isn''t going back to the hells. His body seems to be falling apart." Merlin looked at Arad, "His soul got destroyed. He isn''ting back even with magic," The stairs appeared. Chapter 557 The Stairs To The Third Layer I

Chapter 557 The Stairs To The Third Layer I

Arad stared at the stairs in silence, "Here they are, he''s really dead," "More than dead, his soul was destroyed," Merlin said, "I don''t know what happened to him, but it was a stroke of good luck," "Luck?" Amber looked at her with a tired face, "This is Arad we''re talking about. I won''t be surprised if he could pull something like this off," Merlin thought about it, ^The devil''s curse affects souls and enves them. I''m sure he tried to enve Arad.^ She stared at Arad. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ^Wait, if that''s the case he must have touched her soul, she and Arad are tied together,^ Merlin thought, ^The witch of curses Doma. I expected her soul to be powerful, but for her to beat a devil''s soul. It must have been a close fight, but it''s good she came on top,^ "Let''s check the stairs," Arad said as he approached them. "Wait," Amber called them, "This devil didn''t drop anything," "Of course he won''t. He wasn''t created by the maze but instead was captured by me a few years ago. He must have been trapped here and defeated the boss," "So he wasn''t the boss," Arad looked back. "Of course, he isn''t," Merlin replied, "Devils don''t just pop out of nowhere." Amber looked at Arad, "It''s extremely rare to find a named race in abyrinth. Unless it''s people who got trapped there," "Speaking of that," Arad looked at them, "Do you think they figured the rules by now?" "I doubt it," Merlin replied, "Analysing thebyrinth''s magic can take days, even with my help. Basic rules still apply but those won''t be of help," "What are the basic rules?" Arad asked. "Natural mana-less objects can enter, animals unbound to any druid or a mage, and non-magic air," Merlin replied, "All aren''t of help to us," **** Outside thebyrinth. "GAAAAAA!" A mage screamed, rolling on the ground, "What the hell was that?" He growled, holding his arms. "Something hit my back," "I didn''t see it, it''s dark here," Another mage replied. "Sorry, I can barely focus on the seduction barrier, I wasn''t paying attention." Another said, "Did something hit you?" "It smacked me across the street," He stood, his back still hurting. "Whatever it was, it must have run away," Another mage sighed, "Check your stuff. It''s dark out here. It might have been a thief." **** Arad approached the stairs door and held the knob, "I''m opening it up," "Don''t worry, the monster can''t spawn in the stairs," Merlin stared at him. "We aren''t sure of that," He looked at her. "This at least I''m sure of. If they existed in the stairs their magic would disturb the flow of mana between theyers, causing the whole ce to copse." She replied. "If that''s the case. Then can we destroy this ce by shoving one there?" "No, they can''t physically get in there. To them, it''s like there is an invisible wall blocking them." Merlin approached the door, "This is a safe spot where we can retreat and rest," "Can we rest?" Amber stared at them, resisting a yawn, "I know we''re in a dire situation, but we need some rest," "I''m used to staying awake," Merlin stared at her, smiling. "No, you two need to rest as well," Arad said, "I did sleep for a while. You two should take this chance," Merlin nodded, "You''re right," She then looked back, "Should we rest here or climb the stairs first?" "Here we have firewood. We don''t know about the thirdyer," Arad looked at them. "We can sleep beside Arad," Merlin said with a smile. "You know the inside of the stairs is made of cold stones?" Amber stared at her. "Don''t worry, I have a n," Merlin smiled, "You take off your robe, and we will sleep in Arad''s embrace, using that as a nket," "No way," Amber stared at her, "I''m wearing someyers, but I would be in my underwear. You know I use fire magic to heat myself most of the time," "You''ll be in your underwear," Merlin lifted the shirt she was wearing, "I''mpletely naked. It''s not the time toin." "How about we take firewood with us?" Arad looked a them. "Too much to carry, and you''ll be exhausted again," The two stared at him. "We either sleep here or risk the cold upstairs," "We aren''t risking the cold," Merlin looked at Amber, "You''re just risking sleeping in your underwear in Arad''sp," "That''s a risk, and we don''t even know. It might be an iceyer!" Amber red at her. Merlin lifted one finger trying to say something, but she stopped for a moment. "See? We can''t risk it," "No, we can," Merlin smiled, "Amber, can''t we teach Arad how to control fire magic better?" "It will take time," Amber looked at him, "It''s not worth it now. We have to survive with what we have." "It''s a safe space, isn''t it?" Arad looked at them, "I''ll carry the wood. We can then all sleep up there. Is there even a need to go? Can''t we just rest here beforehand," "Depending on the nature of theyer we might need to prepare. It''s best to have more time," Merlin looked at him, "It''s all about not wasting time. The longer we remain here, the stronger thebyrinth will get." "She''s right," Amber agreed, "We''re pressed on time," "How strong could thisbyrinth get?" Arad asked. "Probably high s-rank if it absorbed my and your powers." Merlin replied, "That wouldn''t have been a big problem if it was in the mountains, but it''s in the middle of a city," "And that''s your fault," Amber stared at Merlin. "Don''t look at me," Merlin cried, "I did provide thebyrinth core I got from a quest, but it''s a constructed phctery that failed." She iled her arms in frustration, "The lord provided it saying he bought from the capital, I knew I should have made my own or sourced from a mage I know in person," "I don''t know what that is, but you should''ve inspected it first," Arad sighed. Chapter 558 The Stairs To The Third Layer II

Chapter 558 The Stairs To The Third Layer II

As they walked inside, Arad noticed that the stairs room was a bit bigger than the one at the firstyer. "This looks nice," He smiled. "It''s not like we''re staying here," Amber looked around, "Should we get moving?" "A moment," Arad walked out and brought the firewood for the fire, "I''m ready. Let''s head out," They slowly climbed the stairs, resting every few minutes so Arad wouldn''t get too exhausted. "Arad, we carry a bit. Give us some branches," Amber stared at him. Arad looked back at her, "You''re lifting your knees slowly. You''re too exhausted to carry anything," "I can work," She red at him. "You can''t mean you can''t," Arad sighed, "I know you two don''t like seeing me being the only one carrying things, but this is for the best," Merlin shook her shoulders, tapping Amber''s back, "Drop it, he won''t let us carry anything," "He''s our front liner," "We''re going to rest at the end. It won''t matter," Arad stared at them. "It matters," Amber stared at him. "I said drop it," Merlin looked at her, "He won''t listen, you''re just wasting energy," **** A few minutester they reached the top, and Merlin and Amber fell on their butts, panting. "My legs hurt!" Amber cried. "I can''t," Merlin sighed, "My thighs are stinging, and my feet are numb," She was walking barefoot on the cold stairs all this time. CRACK! Arad dropped the firewood and leaned on the wall, "We''re finally up," He approached the door, "I''m taking a look outside." "Don''t go, just look," Merlin said, waving her hand. Arad pushed the door slightly open and looked. He paused for a second, "What?" "What did you see?" Amber stared at him. "It''s," Arad opened the door wide open, "Alina''s front gate," Right in front of the stairs stood arge gate simr to Alina''s front gate. And with a single nce from Merlin, that was confirmed, "Thisyer has a replica of Alina. I bet my tower would contain the stairs to the nextyer," As Arad lifted his eyes he could see two guards standing above the wall, staring at him with empty res. "Those aren''t humans," Click! He closed the door. "Of course, they aren''t," Merlin stared at him, "Probably magic projections. One hit, and they would disappear." "I heard of thoseyers before," Amber looked at them, "It''s what adventurers call the emotional damageyer," Merlin nodded, "Those people would act, cry, and beg like humans but stab you in the back the moment you stop attacking. This ce mainly drains people''s mentality and exhausts them psychologically." "That won''t work with me," Arad looked at the door, "Let me mow them down," "Don''t say that," Amber stared at him, "Their cries would get into your head," Merlin stared at Amber. ^She doesn''t know that Arad is a human-eating dragon. He can speak with animals and monsters, yet he still kills and eats them like nothing. What difference are humans to him in that regard? Nothing,^ She stared at Arad. ^He only cares about people since he takes his mates from them. Thisbyrinth might be smart, but it''s in for a nasty surprise as it doesn''t seem to understand how dragons see us humans.^ Merlin smiled. "I will take the front," Arad looked at Amber, "Leave the killing to me," ^Humans are to dragons like ants are to humans. They build colonies in your backyard. You actively avoid stepping on their nests, might asionally drop them some breadcrumbs, and shield them from the rain if you''repassionate enough. But, you aren''t trying to avoid stepping on individual ants. You won''t even notice killing them. And if the colony happened to get in your way, won''t even think twice about bringing a shovel and removing them.^ Merlin sat down. ^That''s even more true when we''re talking about children like Arad, the young dragon. An old man might sit in the backyard watching ants reminisce on his passing life, but a child would most probably piss on them for fun.^ "Whatever it is," Arad looked a them, "Let''s rest first, take some sleep, and we deal with them afterward," He sat leaning his back on the wall. "Where should we make the firece?" Amber asked. "I don''t know," Merlin replied, "The city gate is right outside the door. We can''t camp there, so our wood is pretty much useless," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Amber sat on the ground, "This is bad. I don''t want to take on a whole city while sleeping and exhausted." She sighed, "My legs hurt, I want to sleep," Merlin looked at her, "Then get to stripping. Your robe is our only cover from the cold," "I don''t want to..." Amber cried. Arad waved his hand, [Barrier] Creating arge tform, "You should be able to sleep on this, but you still have to use Amber''s robe as a cover. I will create a small fire and stand as a guard," "No," Merlin looked at him, "You''re our most valuable asset here. If any of us need to rest it''s you." "She''s right," Amber looked at him, "Right now you''re the only one who has been taking down bosses and powerful monsters. Your well-being and rest are our survival thread. We can''t let you go without sleep," "Fine," Arad looked at them, "I can keep one magic up while being asleep. I can''t focus," Merlin nodded, "Barrier magic is easy to control after being cast. It''s like trying to wake up at a specific time without rm magic. You just happen to wake on your own." "I don''t think it''s like that," Arad looked at her, "It doesn''t require any input from me after being cast beside the asional mana drain and the order to dispel it. He exined," "Fine," Amber sighed, taking her hat off and staring at Arad, "You better remember this. I will never forget it," She grunted. "Shouldn''t you be hoping he forgets it?" Merlin stared at her with a wry smile. Amber pulled her robe off her head. She stood there wearing a grey short shirt above her chest and really short silk beige pants. "Ho!" Merlin looked at her, "So you were still wearing something beneath that robe," Chapter 559 Much Needed Rest

Chapter 559 Much Needed Rest

"You''re thest one I want to hear that from," Amber growled at Merlin, "You''re the one running around butt naked like it''s nothing," "It''s not like I have a choice," Merlin stared at her with a grin, "And it''s Arad here, not someone else. Why would I mind being naked around him?" "He''s a man," Amber growled, "No, forget it, don''t get naked in front of anyone, a man or a woman," Merlin stared at Arad, "A man?" "What?" Arad looked back at her with a passive face. "Well, he isn''t," Merlin said, "Worst case, he''s a brat, and the best case, he''s a monster," "Huh?" Amber stared at her with a confused face, "You might be blind," "No," Merlin stared at her, "You''re the blind one, look at his eyes," Amber looked at Arad''s eyes, her eyes glowing with a faint red light as she approached his face. "There is nothing in there," She got closer, that their noses almost touched. But then, as she stared at Arad''s eyes the darkness in his eyes seemed endless, and Amber slowly zoned out, getting a sudden sense of falling. "AHH!" She cried, falling on her back and crawling back. "What was that?" She stared at Merlin. "What do you think it is?" Merlin stared at her with an exhausted face, "Let''s sleep. If you didn''t realize it on your own, you aren''t that much better than the average mage." "I mean," Amber looked at her, "I know that was the magic of a dragon, but he''s a draconic bloodline sorcerer. What I don''t understand is what is strange about that?" Merlin waved her hand, yawning, "Juste here and let us sleep," ^He doesn''t have his draconic powers now, so sensing it is hard. His draconic nature won''t feel any different than a normal sorcerer.^ Merlin crawled above Arad, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes. "Fine," Amber did the same, lying on Arad''s chest, then pulled her robe over them. Arad extended his hand out, ^I hate this human body,^ His eyes slowly closed, ^It''s too weak, too frail, too slow, and get exhausted easily,^ **** Back on the firstyer, the monsters there looked around. "Something entered the maze," One of them said, turning to the side. CRACK! Her body got sent flying, spinning in the air with her bones broken as arge shadow rushed across the field at an incredible speed. "Stop it!" Another monster shouted as she rushed toward the being, but it only took one ram from her to fall to the ground and then get trampled. "The boss would stop him," Another shouted. "You idiot, it didn''t respawn yet. That thing would slip right to the secondyer." Another replied. **** Arad opened his eyes, seeing only darkness ahead of him. Something heavy rests on his face. "Get off me," He growled. "Another minute," Merlin mumbled, wiggling in ce. Arad lifted his arms, grabbing her by the hips, "You move a lot," He lifted her butt up, "Can''t you learn to sleep in one position?" "Hahaaaaa," Merlin mumbled, half asleep half awake. "I said wake up," She shook her and she woke up, "What''s going on?" As she looked down, she saw Arad lifting her butt over his face, "What are you doing?" "That''s my question. You started hitting me with your elbow, then ended up turning around andying at my face. Are you an hour-finger thing or something?" "They are called hands," Merlin replied with a smug face. "I don''t care," Arad sighed, "You move a lot in your sleep," She sighed, "Sorry, in my tower I have four kingsized beds sat beside each other in a square and filled with pillows and nkets. I usually sleep there alone like it''s a nest." "I see," Arad looked at her. "You''re seeing too much," She looked back at him, "Mind putting me down?" "I''m thinking about it," "What do you mean by that?" She gasped. Arad gently put her down and she sighed, "Thanks," She said with a tired face, "How much time has passed?" "I don''t know, but I would say not more than two hours," Arad replied. "How do you know?" Merlin stared at him, "You don''t know time magic, do you?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I know a spell that slow time, but I can''t use it with this body," Arad pointed with his finger at the lighting from beneath the door, "I used that to count," Merlin blinked, "You know how to slow time?" She smiled, "Impressive. But, you can''t rely on the sun inside abyrinth to tell time," "It didn''t feel longer than expected," Arad looked at her, "And does that matter now? It''s already passed, and our only option is to keep clearing this ce," "You''re right," She looked toward Arad''s torso, seeing Amber crawling there and using his stomach as a pillow. "We should her rest a bit longer," "She needs to rest," Arad smiled. "We''re an archmage that is used to sleeping three hours a day and a dragon that barely sleeps." Merlin giggled. "I can''t say I don''t need sleep now," Arad replied. "This current body I have get exhausted easily. I might be in the same boat as her," Merlin sat beside Arad, "Rest your head," She tapped her thigh, "You need to sleep more, don''t you?" Arad put his head on her thigh and closed his eyes, slowly drifting into sleep. "I was watching as you fought that tarrasque." Shebed his hair with her fingers, "Your power is growing faster than anyone I''ve seen in my life. I''m sure you will clear thisbyrinth and more in the future." "You spy a lot on me," He mumbled. "Of course I do," She giggled, "Your power is far beyond what people arefortable dealing with. It''s best that I be the one keeping an eye on you rather than anyone else." "The tower won''t send people after me," "Do you trust that halfling words? I''m expected to report if you turned evil since I didn''t. That''s the only way no more wizards areing here to catch you alive." Merlin smiled, "Wizards don''t only work for the tower. They are crazed people. They would catch you for their own experiments even if Lilia didn''t need you." Merlin blinked. Arad had fallen asleep. Chapter 560 We Have A City To Burn

Chapter 560 We Have A City To Burn

Amber woke up, "How long has it been?" She looked up, seeing Merlin asleep with Arad resting his head on her thigh. She stood and stretched. Looking into her palm, she ignited a small me. "Consumed 33 mana. I say it''s about five hours and a half.^ She reached to Arad with her hand, "Wake up," Arad opened one of his eyes, waking almost immediately. "You''re awake?" He asked. "No, I''m talking while sleeping," Amber replied, "It''s been a while. We should get moving." Arad looked up and saw Merlin waking up. He stood and stretched his arms, "How are we going to tackle this?" He looked at the door. Merlin looked at them, rubbing her eyes. "How long has it been?" "Five hours and a half since I fell asleep. I was counting with lost mana," She replied. "You can use that? You didn''t tell me," "What''s that?" Arad looked at them. "Nothing impressive, just a small spell that does nothing but consume mana. You then calcte how much you lost while sleeping, of course adjusting based on how high is your mana regeneration to count time." Amber exined. Merlin approached the door and opened it slightly, peeking through the crack. "The gate is still there. They didn''t march an army or anything," "They are confident in their wall''s durability," Arad said, "They would shower us with arrows and bolts the moment we get out," "That won''t work, would it?" Amber stared at him, "With your magic barrier, I mean." "I used to deflect Ae''s tempest arrows. Even if I''m weaker now, I should be able to hold their mundane arrows down." He approached the door. "We can fly with fire magic," Amber suggested. "That would make us prime targets," Merlin looked at them, "I doubt they would send mages knowing I''m here, but that is still a possibility," "We have no other choice than to walk out," Arad replied, "I will block the arrows, and we fly over the wall if we can''t open the gate," Amber wore her robe, and they were ready to get out. Arad opened the door and walked out at the front with the two trailing behind him. "STOP RIGHT THERE!" A guard shouted from above the wall. Arad looked up, "Open the gate," The guard stared in silence, but soon a second guard approached and whispered something to him. "Fine!" He shouted, and the gate slowly opened up. "That was easy," Arad mumbled as he walked with Merlin and Amber behind him. The moment they got inside, they found tens of fully armored guards awaiting them with spears and halberds pointed forward. "You three are hereby arrested," One of the guards said, approaching Arad and pointing his spear at his neck, "Surrender at once," Arad lifted his hand and grabbed the spear. CRACK! He broke the tip off with ease. "By whichw?" Arad grabbed the broken tip, breaking another chunk, "Do you know in whosend this ce is?" CRACK! CRACK! "I make thew here," The guard stared at his spear, now being a ten-centimeter stick. "You don''t," The guard growled. "Hoo," Arad smiled, "You challenge my rule? I don''t mindpetition," He giggled, "If I don''t make thew here, then who do you think does? Where is that one? I need to kill him, don''t I?" "You...You won''t get close to the city lord," The guard gasped. Arad giggled, "AHH! Try and stop me," He took a step forward. "Don''t move," The guard screamed. SLAP! The guard''s body spun in ce, falling head first on the ground with blood dripping out of his ears. "Get out of the way, fake," The guard''s body disintegrated, leaving a gem on the ground. Those might look like people, but they are monsters. "STOP HIM!" The guards surrounded them with spears, "Don''t let them run free," Arad looked back, "Amber, can you take them on?" "Humph," She grunted, "I can take tens if not hundreds of those. Don''t underestimate B-rank adventurers," "They are monsters, but they are limited to what humans can do," Merlin looked around with a smile, "In all intent and purposes ofbat, those are regr guards." Amber pointed her staff at the guards, sting five of them with a fireball, "Their armor won''t protect them from mes. My fire gets through the cracks and burns them," She smiled. "Then I''m going to kill their leader," Arad said, "Do you have a way to deal with arrows?" "I can cast firewall. That should be enough if I don''t ck," Amber replied, "Go. The faster you kill their leader, the less time we will spend here." She sighed. Arad bolted away, pushing the guards away as headed in search of the city lord. Amber looked at the guards, "There are some faces I recognize here for the damned hells," She waved her staff, "You shall pay for using their faces and voices," "Kill them!" A guard screamed, and Amber swung her staff, sting him across the streets. The people closed their home windows as the fight started, "Amber," Merlin growled, "If they are mere soldiers, I should be able to deal with one or two," "Got it," Amber took a deep breath, [Firewall] The street was one long straight path. The moment she cast the spell, everything went into a ze with fire rising taller than the buildings. The soldiers jumped aside, shattering doors and windows as they escaped the me, yet seven of them got caught, screaming as they burned. CLACK! A soldier poked through a window, aiming his crossbow. BAM! Amber immediately pointed at him with her staff, sting his head off with a [Firebolt] "You know?" Amber said, "We mages love fireballs," She smiled, waving her hand with sparks burning from her fingers. "They explode, and they burn shit down," [Bonefire] CLICK! She flicked her fingers, and one of the houses started smoking as its wooden frame caught aze. "Most of the houses in a city are built with a wooden frame at least," Amber waved her staff, "Do you know how many wizards dreamed of burning a city to the ground?" CRACK! A soldier jumped through the window, swinging his sword at her head. [Fire kick] Amber spun around, kicking the soldier in the face with a scream, "This city gets cold in the winter. If they just let me burn it down it won''t be so cold!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 561 A Magic Monster.

Chapter 561 A Magic Monster.

BAM! BAM! BA-BAM! The mes ate the streets as the soldiers lifted their shields, "We have a rampaging mage. Call reinforcements!" A soldier turned around, running as fast as he could. PEW! A firebolt shattered his head the moment he walked away from the soldiers, "Who said you can run away?" Amber stared at them, smiling. "You can''t face a mage without magic. How about you give up and cast spells?" They growled, grinding their teeth as they hid behind the shields. ^That woman is behind you,^ Their gazes shifted toward Merlin. Any magic they cast would be taken by her and morphed into their loss. "Ten of you distract her. White, we send someone to kill Merlin." The soldiers'' captain whispered. A soldier snuck into one of the houses, finding a family sitting inside, "We have to take Merlin down." He said. "I can kill her," A little girl replied, "Humans are stupid, they are bound to hesitate," "You''re right," The soldier nodded, looking at the parents, "Get her as close as you can without being detected and give her a knife, a small one that she can hide." The father stared at him, "She''s bound to be destroyed. We need a second n," "You''re right," The little girl looked at them. "You soldiers are wearing armor. They notice you by noise. We need someone silent," "I will attack afterward," The mother replied, "But ask the neighbors to charge as well." "You don''t have to tell us that," He turned around and snuck out of the back door. **** "Don''t burn the houses!" The little girl rushed out crying, heading toward Merlin with the knife hidden behind her back. CRACK! Without wasting any moment, Merlin kicked the girl in the face, sending her flying across the street. "Kick the... Oh, you already done it?" Amber giggled. Merlin stared at the little girl as she smashed into a stall, breaking it, "You know me better than this, don''t you?" She giggled, "I won''t fall to your tricks," Puff! The little girl''s body disintegrated, leaving a glowing gem. The mother jumped out the window, swinging a knife at Merlin''s back as the people looked out of their windows, throwing utensils at Amber. Merlin spun in ce, catching the mother''s hand, twisting her shoulder, and breaking it before dropping her to the ground. The mother struggled, but Merlin stared at her with a smile, "Come on, even I can overpower children and the likes of you," CRACK! She twisted the mother''s head, killing her. The mother''s body disintegrated immediately as Merlin stood to look at Amber, "Burn the whole ce. We need to support Arad as soon as we can," "You don''t need to tell me," Amber spun her staff, "Burn into ash, I call a storm from the ne of fire," [Storm ze] A violent gust of wind ignited into mes as it rushed across the building, setting them aze. SWOSH! From the fire, a wet knight rushed toward Amber, swinging his sword at her neck. "Got you!" But, just before he could reach her, the earth quaked. BOOOM! Everyone stopped moving, staring around in shock as they could feel the ground trumbling. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Arad''sughs filled the air as a massive explosion burst beside Merlin''s tower, and then several houses shattered to pieces. "The hell is he doing?" Amber gasped. BAM! A nearby house exploded as something smashed into it at high speed. It was the fake city lord and the ruler of the city mobs. He coughed blood as a fake Merlinnded beside him, "Are you okay?" She screamed. She was the guardian of the stairs to the nextyer. Thud! Aradnded on the building in front of them with a smile. "I only epted one ruler on thisnd besides myself. You might look like him, but you''re a disgrace." The two stared at Arad, sweating. "Come at me, show me the strength you im right with," Arad said with a grin, fire crackling from his eyes. The fake Merlin growled, ^This bastard, we sealed all of his draconic powers. With what he''s fighting now?^ She pointed her staff at him, [Stone Crusher] A massive boulder appeared at the tip of her staff, flying at Arad at a blinding speed. Arad extended his left hand behind him. CRACKLE! Sparks crackled from his palm as a burst of me gushed out, propelling him forward and dodging the stone with a hair thread. Merlin growled as Arad flew past her, grabbing the city lord by the face. "Come on, fight back," Arad smiled, fire bursting from his feet as he flew away with the city lord, dragging his face across the building''s walls. [Fly] The fake Merlin flew away, pointing her staff at him as she tried to charge a spell. Arad immediately threw the city lord away and spun in ce. Fire gushed from the back tip of his quarterstaff like a jet as he threw it at the fake Merlin. "Fuck!" She cried, barely dodging it. ^Each time he cast a spell, his understanding of its basic function increased. His skills with magic are rapidly growing with each cast. But what I can''t understand is where he''s getting all this mana from. No matter how much he casts, his mana doesn''t seem to drop.^ BAM! With fire gushing beneath his feet, Arad flew into the sky like a missile, catching Merlin by the hair before she could fly away from him. "Why are you running away? I just want you to prove it." He spun her around using a jet from his left hand then threw her after the city lord. [Barrier] The fake Merlin covered her body with a barrier to survive the impact as shended on the same building as the city lord. She growled, blood dripping across her forehead. He almost pulled her hair out of her scalp with that throw. [Barrier] Arad created a floating barrier in the air and stood on it, staring down at them. "Do you know why we love high peaks?" Arad said, smiling. "So we can look down on monsters like you two," He giggled. The two stared at him in terror. "This wholebyrinth is built by Merlin''s magic, and eachyer should be stronger than the one before. Do you know what that means?" He smiled. "It means there is no way this wholeyerbined can reach a tenth of Merlin''s power. And when counting the energy needed to build theyer, the city and the people here, and that pathetic excuse of a city lord, what''s left for you, fake Merlin?" The fake Merlin stared at him with a scared face. "One hundredth? One thousandth?" He smiled, "You don''t amount to the real thing, so don''t pretend to be her," "Come on, attack me." Arad opened his arms, "I will y with you until I get bored. We like to y with our prey before eating them, after all," "What is he doing?" Amber gasped, "In those spells, I could feel his mana dropping, but it immediately recharged." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Merlin grabbed her by the hand, "We should run. He reminds me of Alcott when he was young, minus the magic." She pulled her away. "What part of him resembles that idiot? Besides the muscles," Amber said as she ran away with Merlin. "It''s the talent. Alcott was a martial genius. Even without proper training, he could embarrass sword masters in mock battles." Merlin looked back, "He''s recycling Mana," "What?" Amber gasped, "I never heard of a wizard being able to use it without being an eight-tier at least. It even took you two years to master it, right?" Merlin smiled, ^He showed it to me before, that witch Doma taught it to him, but he was relying on his void to use it before. It seems he is finally managing to pull it off on his own.^ She looked back. ^Thisbyrinth made a mistake. It''s forcing Arad to learn the normal way and is bringing his fast-learning talent out,^ "SPEAK!" Amber shouted. "He already knew it before," Merlin replied, "He has the mana capacity. He has the talent. He has a strong body to support it and has the will to learn, and the arrogant to keep learning even after tens of failures." "Remember the traveling swordsman?" Merlin asked. "The one who spat on Alcott when he was eleven years old? Calling him a wanna-be swordsman?" Amber looked back at her, "It only took Alcott a week to beat him into a pulp and piss on him in the city za." "Age and getting married really tamed him down. He was an absolute monster back in his prime," Merlin looked at her, "What I''m trying to say is Arad might be like him. We''re seeing a vicious monstering to life." "But this time he''s a mage instead of a swordsman," Amber cried. "Seems like he''s both," Merlin replied. **** Arad lifted his staff. ^Create the firebolt form, but don''t cast it. Instead, weave the recycling at its end. Drop the firepower a bit, but make it spin. Now added a line to make it stable in that way, but willunch forward with a mana tick.^ Arad red down at the fake city lord and Merlin. ^Make more and more,^ over ten balls of fire appeared above his head. He smiled. ^Now to fire them all simultaneously, I only need a mana tick.^ BA-BA-BAM! All the spells burst at one, wrecking the building the two fake ones were inside. Chapter 562 Why Are They Called Magic Dragons

Chapter 562 Why Are They Called Magic Dragons

SWOSH! The fake Merlin grabbed the city lord and flew away as fast as she could, barely dodging the rain of firebolts fired at them by Arad. PEEEEEEEEEW! Arad flew with an ear-piercing whistle, propelled by the me beneath his feet. With the fake Merlin carrying the city lord, he easily flew past them. ^I can''t keep up.^ The fake Merlin gasped as she Arad turned and swung a kick at the city lord''s face, sending him flying in the other direction. She growled, her wrists stinging from sudden jerk. [Magic...] She was about to cast a spell, but Arad immediately punched her in the face and grabbed her by the hand. [Fire Kick] [Barrier] She managed to protect her torso with a simple barrier at thest second, but that didn''t protect her left wrist from snapping from the recoil. BAM! The city lord rushed at Arad with his sword lifted up. Arad smiled, swinging his quarterstaff and throwing it at Merlin, propelled with a jet at its back tip. CLANG! The staff hit Merlin''s barrier, pushing her across the streets away from Arad and the city lord. SWOSH! The city lord swung his sword at Arad''s neck, but it was dodged. Arad bent down and spun on the ground, sending a swiping kick at the lord''s ankles. The city lord shifted his weight to his back leg to not fall and then swung his sword down at Arad. With a passive face, Arad stood and tackled the city lord, holding him in a bear hug and preventing him from swinging. "I know I can''t punch armor with human knuckles. So how about I give you a hot hug?" [Fire Cloak] Arad''s body burst into me, engulfing the whole street. The city lord screamed his lungs out, his voice shaking the whole city. PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! Five magic missiles flew from the buildings, aiming at Arad''s head. Arad let go of the city lord, kicking him away as he dodged by flying into the air. The magic missiles shifted direction, chasing him down. ^I can''t shake them off, they are probably homing attacks.^ Arad smiled, flying directly toward the fake Merlin. "I can lead those to Merlin," Arad shouted, "But I''m the ruler of thisnd, I won''t do something so underhanded to prove my ownership." [Barrier] Arad covered his body with a barrier and then tanked three magic missiles before shattering, but in the meantime, he already got the second barrier ready to go and blocked the remaining two. "You fell for it," The fake Merlin pointed her staff at him. "I call a blinding sh, the divine judgment of the storms," She screamed, [Lightning Beam] A pure white stream of lightning shed forward from the tip of her staff, rushing toward Arad. [Gravity Magic] Merlin''s feet lifted from the ground a little bit, causing her to fall back and her staff to swing back, messing her aim and projecting the beam toward the sky. BAM! Aradnded in front of her, grabbing her by the face. VOOOM! me gushed beneath his feet as he flew forward with her, smashing through the wooden walls of the city building and killing half of the residents there. "GAAAA!" Merlin screamed, pointing her staff a his face. At the same time, all the people inside the house that they stopped in rushed at Arad with knives. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [Ice Spear] CRACK! Arad dodged the spear, letting it pierce the ground instead. Immediately he punched Merlin in the guts, sending her flying across the walls before bursting into another [Fire Cloak] And killing everyone in the house. The fake Merlin puked blood, ring forward as Arad walked out of the fire with the people screaming behind him. "Don''t worry, I won''t p you," He smiled, "Da said that was for the weak to challenge the strong. It''s not for the strong to teach the weak a lesson." "You monstrous bastard," She growled. "Thisbyrinth is on mynd, so you walk by my rules." He walked toward her, fists clenched. BAM! The city lord burst through the wall, swinging his sword with a half-burnt body. Arad smiled, jumped back, and flew through the walls with jets of fire gushing out of his hands. "Come back here!" The city lord shouted, rushing through the smoke, dust, and debris to catch him. The moment he got out, he saw Arad standing there, with his staff in hand. ^Don''t tell me, he dragged Merlin all the way here to retrieve his quarterstaff,^ The city lord gasped as Arad stared at him with a grin. BAM! Arad lunged forward, swinging the quarterstaff at the lord''s head. "You won''t!" The lord lifted his sword to block, but a jet of mes burst beneath Arad''s feet, causing him to jump over the lord and smack him in the back. GAH! The lord gasped, feeling a sharp pain rushing through his spine. Arad smiled, opening his palm and pointing at the lord''s back with his fingers. BA-BA-BAM! A constant stream of fire bolts bashed the lord''s back, sending him flying toward the next building. The whole street got pained red from the crimson mes. The fake Merlin pointed her staff at him, "Stop!" Arad turned his face, his arm moving with the quarterstaff and pointing at her. BA-BA-BAM! He started sting her, and she barely protected herself with a barrier. ^My mana is quickly running dry,^ The fake Merlin growled. ^I can''t keep fighting for long. I don''t have the original''s recycling skills.^ She is a fake. After all, shecks all of Merlin''s powerful skills and abilities and evencks the massive mana pool. In all aspects, she but a fragment of her power. ^We made a mistake. Void dragons are called magic dragons for a reason. Even with his power sealed and his mind weakened by his human body, his soul is still that of a dragon.^ "I finally understood it," Aradughed, stopping his barrage of fire bolts and flying into the sky with jets, finally standing on a barrier tform. "I understood why brother loves magic so much!" He put his hands together. "No! We sealed that." The fake Merlin cried, her knees shaking. "He''s bluffing! Attack him. There is no way he could pull his expansion off with his human body." The city lord screamed his lungs out. Arad red down at them with two red eyes, "Time to cook," Chapter 563 A Dragon’s Dominion

Chapter 563 A Dragon''s Dominion

CLAP! Arad put his hands together, ring at the two with glowing red eyes. "Time to cook." A spark of me emerged from his back, the crimson light from it darkening his face to them as the wine barrels in the building burst. Expansions are the process of releasing one''s magic in a violent burst to gain environmental advantage. It is mostmon with powerful entities with an abundance of mana to waste, such as spirits, dragons, and devils. The city lord started turning away to run, while the fake Merlin lifted her staff, trying to conjure a barrier as fast as she could. A water dragon fights best in water, so they would benefit from flooding the battlefield, and their enemies would suffer. Arad''s body burst into mes, and the ss windows of the buildings shattered. The wooden houses around them started smoking. It''s like a candle''sst re, burning arge chunk of the caster''s mana to gain an advantage, a path to victory. [Fire Expansion:...] Mages have been watching the natural world and some of them have created spells to mimic that. Those spells ranged from tame ones like barriers, and storm spells like firestorms. The most known expansion-like spell humans managed to pull is the sanctuary spell, a holy spell that heals everyone in an area around the cleric. mes exploded from Arad''s body, igniting the streets in the blink of an eye. He had a spell that acted simr to an expansion, [Fire Cloak]. In exchange for arge amount of mana, he could expand its range from just around his body to several meters away. [...: st Furnace] Arad had already seen a red dragon use an expansion, all he needed to do was morph the [Fire Cloak] Form to achieve something simr but on a much smaller scale. While the red dragon Arad saw could expand his fire to hundreds of meters. At this time, Arad could only extend his fire to a ten-meter radius, the same as what Eris could do. GAAAAAAAA! The city lord got caught in the st, his armor burning red hot and melting onto his skin, slowly cooking him alive. Thud! Aradnded on the ground with inferno still bursting from him like a welding torch, ring at the fake Merlin. "Your turn," He took a step forward, and she got pushed back. "Damn it," She growled as her barrier got pushed toward the walls by Arad''s mes. "You monster," She cried. With a smile on his face, Arad approached her, the mes gushing from his body, pushing on her barrier until it shattered. BAM! In the blink of an eye, Arad''s mes burned her to a crisp. Her limbs fell off as ck as coal as her body disintegrated. SWOSH! Arad''s mes faded as he killed the fake Merlin, ring back toward the crying city lord writhing on the street like a worm as his armor cooked him. "You''re next," Arad turned around, his eyes burning. The city lord tried to crawl away, and Arad slowly walked toward him, "Now. Who''s makingw here?" He stared at him with a passive face. Dragons weren''t strange to monsters and humans iming rule over theirnd. Usually, it ends with one less city on the map or a meal for the dragon. To Arad and to most dragons, it didn''t matter what it was, abyrinth or a dungeon. As long as it''s in their domain, it''s under their rule. This was the reason that most of the time when adventurers seek dragons they find them hiding inside dungeons, caves, or as thest boss of abyrinth. At that time, the city lord couldn''t hear or see. His whole body was already charred. "You don''te to me withws on mynd," Arad said, lifting his quarterstaff, "I only approved one lord of Alina, and you dare mock him and take his form." Dragon barely cares what humans or monsters say about them, but there were some things they took for an insult. In the rare case, that a dragon approves of someone ruling on theirnd, and that someone gets mocked or challenged for his seat, it''s the same as spitting in the face of that dragon. CRACK! Arad crushed the lord''s skull with his quarterstaff, causing his body to disintegrate into onerge gem. Arad bent down and lifted the gem, staring at it. "This is arge one," He turned around, walking to pick up the fake Merlin gem as well. The people who survived at the end of the street stared at Arad in terror. It only took him a few minutes to beat the city lord and the stairs guardian. "How are we supposed to stop that from going up?" One mumbled. "He''s bound to get killed in the higheryers," A woman growled, picking a cleaver, "Thebyrinth lord would punish us if we ran away from him." She took a step forward. N?v(el)B\\jnn "What are you doing?" A man red at her. "Even if we die," She said, "We can be reborn again from the core. I''m doing my best to stop him." Arad looked across the street, seeing her approaching him. He smiled. "You approach me even after seeing this?" Arad looked at her, opening his arms as he started walking. "I can''t cut you apart without getting closer," She waved her cleaver, "We can''t run away from you," "Don''t worry," Arad smiled, "I like women who can put up a fight." She stood facing him, sweating. "What are you doing?" Arad looked at her eyes, "Attack, I''m waiting," "HAAAAAA!" She screamed, swinging her cleaver at his neck. SWOSH! CRACK! Arad dodged the attack and punched the back of her head, knocking her to the ground. Arad squatted beside her head, "If that fake lord was as straightforward as you, this would have been a slightly better ce." He stood, "Stay there," He then walked across the street as the people avoided him. "Merlin! Amber!" Arad shouted, "Where are you? I beat the fake city lord and the stairs guardian," He called, "That guardian looked like you, Merlin. But she was weaker and slower," CLANG! One of the houses'' doors shattered open, and a soldier rushed out, swinging a greatsword at Arad''s neck. "For the lord!" CRACK! The sound of bones cracking echoed across the streets. Chapter 564 The Baron’s Majestic Mount

Chapter 564 The Baron''s Majestic Mount

CRACK! The soldier''s body got rammed and sent rolling across the street. Arad turned back with a smile, "Merlin did say animals can enter," HoAhhhhhhhhhhh! CRACK! CRACK! Mc stomped the soldier with his hooves until he disintegrated into ash. The soldiers hiding inside the houses stared at the 800kg[ around 1750 pounds] and over 2.2 meters[Over 7 feet] tall, at the shoulders and almost 3.1 meters at the antlers[Over 10 feet] moose in fear. Where did such a creaturee from? "It''s a mere moose!" A soldier screamed, "The lord might have fallen, but we won''t." He rushed forward, "Charge!" "What in the hell is that just a moose?" Another soldier cried, "It''s a MOOSE!" Arad jumped on Mc''s back, patting his neck, "I can''t talk with you now since I don''t have my powers, but can we fight?" Ahaaaaaaaaa! Mc replied, stomping the ground as he growled at theing soldiers. His eyes turned back, showing their white. "Bring the crossbows!" A soldier screamed as Mc rushed forward with Arad on his back. Mc rammed the soldier, sending him flying up where Arad smacked him with the quarterstaff. Arge and heavily armored knight stood in the middle of the street, "I can wrestle bulls down. Come at me!" He growled. BAM! Mc rammed the knight at full force, but surprisingly, he didn''t fall. The weight of his armor held him. "I said I can wrestle bulls," CRACK! Arad swung the quarterstaff and smacked the knight''s helmet, wracking his head inside. "I''m here, don''t forget about me." Arad looked at him with a grin. PEW! PEW! PEW! Soldiers aimed their crossbows, firing at Arad and Mc. Arad waved his quarterstaff, drawing a circle in the air, [Barrier] The bolts bounced off, hitting the walls as Arad rushed toward the soldiers. "Get off the way, or you''ll get trampled!" He shouted with a smile. CRACK! CRACK! Mc rammed his way through them, rushing across the streets. Ahooooooooooooooooo! He roared. "Amber! Merlin!" Arad shouted, "The fifth road east of the za. Come we will run to the stairs," Mc turned to head toward that street following Arad''s hand. **** "The fifth road east of the za. Come, we will run to the stairs," Arad''s voice boomed across the city, and the two stopped. "It''s Arad," Amber said, staring out of the window, "We should move," "Are you okay?" Merlin stared at her, "Yeah," Amber replied with a smile, "I''m not dizzy any more." Amber stood, taking a deep breath as she looked outside. She had exhausted all of her mana, burning the city. She could still see the burned houses at the end of the street. The two approached the door, opened it, and rushed into the street. "Why don''t you use your bloodline?" Merlin asked. "I told you before. The fire is hot enough to burn me," Amber replied. "I thought with all those years you would have gotten used to it," Merlin looked at her. "Sadly, no," Amber sighed, "The moment I try using it, my skin starts burning," "The bloodline of a fire elemental. Your magic circuit might be oneyer deeper than it should be beneath your skin. I might be able to pull it out with magic," Merlin suggested. "No thank you," Amber replied, "I don''t want any wizard ying with my body, and especially not you," "Come on," Merlin looked at her, "Only two of myst subjects turned into frogs, I managed to return one to normal, and the other one still transforms once a month," n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Those aren''t good odds," Amber looked forward, "I can feel Arad''s magic. He''sing around that corner," She pointed. CLACK! CLACK! From the corner, Arad emerged, riding Mc at his top speed. Albeit beingrger than a horse, a moose could still run at up to 60kmph[Around 37Mph] With the monster-infested forests around Alina, the native moose had to evolve through the years to run and resist attacks from monsters. Thisd let an explosive growth in their speed to run and durability. Unlike other moose, Mc who grew around Alina''s forest could reach a horrifying 100kmph[Around 62Mph] and had hid strong enough to withstand sharp ws, making mundane des useless against him. Amber and Merlin instantly knew the moment they saw him, "A moose?" Amber gasped. "Arad''s moose!" Merlin cried, "He''s riding it!" She pointed. "I didn''t notice!" Amber gasped, finally seeing Arad who was on Mc''s back. Arad stopped beside them, "Get on, he can handle it," "Wait! No saddle?" Amber gasped. "I did buy one for him, but he doesn''t seem to have it on," Arad replied as fast as he could. "Hurry and get up." The two scrambled to climb on Mc''s back, "I still have mana, but my whole body is screaming in pain. I need to rest before fighting again," "Of course you are!" Merlin growled at him. "People usually run out of mana before they feel circuit burnout," "What''s that?" Arad looked at her. "Muscle pain but for magic. I was certain you would feel it after going that crazy earlier," Merlin tapped his head, "Don''t use magic for a while. You need to rest." "Bolts can still harm Mc," Arad replied, pointing back, [Barrier] CLANG! CLANG! The remaining soldiers were aiming at them with crossbows. "I''m up," Amber said wrapping her arms around Merlin''s waist. While she wrapped her hands around Arad''s waist. "To the tower!" Arad shouted, and Mc roared. Aohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Mc raced across the street, ramming everyone that got in his way. "But really," Amber stared at Mc with a wry smile, "A moose, couldn''t you get a normal warhorse?" She looked at Arad. "Hoi, you!" Arad looked at her, "What''s wrong with my beautiful mount?" "Not that, well, I''m just asking why a moose off all creatures? Horses are cheaper to keep, and you won''t find a mount better trained for battle than a warhorse." Amber looked at Arad with a wry smile. ^He really likes his moose.^ "Those bald warhorses won''t ever reach Mc. Look at those beautiful horns." Arad patted Mc''s neck, "You trained horses not to get scared in war and not to fight. Mc here would fight instead of just carrying me to war," Merlin giggled, "You''re the first noble I saw riding a moose. Baron Arad Orion strolled the streets on his majestic moose. The bards would have a party with it," "They better be," Arad puffed his chest, "Mc came here on his own to help. I doubt any horse would have done that," Aohhhhhhhhh! Mc roared with a smirk on his face. "Wait, he... he''s smiling?" Merlin red at Mc with a sharp re. ^Any dragon would have eaten me. But Master Arad saved me, freed my horns from the tree, and let me go. He even offered me shelter, and thanks to that, no bear or wolves had ever bothered me again.^ Mc flew across the streets reaching the tower. ^Till the day my antlers fall, and my body rot, I will make sure I would at least save Master once as he saved me.^ Chapter 565 The Stairs To The Fourth Layer

Chapter 565 The Stairs To The Fourth Layer

"I can see it!" Arad pointed forward toward Merlin''s tower, "The stairs should be there," "The guardian is dead, right?" Amber looked at him as she held onto Merlin. Mc wasn''t slowing down, and riding his back was harder than a horse, especially since they had no saddle. "It was a monster that looked like Merlin," Arad replied, "Don''t worry, I did burn her to a crisp and collected her crystal," "Are you sure you lost your powers?" Amber asked again, "How did you beat the city lord and the stairs guardian at the same time? Since when can you use mana recycling?" "It''s a long story," Arad replied, "But this ce didn''t steal my ess to magic. I did learn mana recycling before, but wasn''t that proficient in it," "What other powers do you have?" Merlin asked, "This ce took all of my mana and casting abilities. But you still have them. Can''t I teach you spells?" N?v(el)B\\jnn "We could do that, but it will take time," Arad replied, "I have a time-slow spell, but my body can''t handle it now. I did also try Medusa''s curse, but I can''t use it with my eyes turning back to human," "Wait!" Amber gasped, "Medusa''s curse?" "Yes, I was able to petrify things by looking at them," Arad looked down, "I can still use the tremor sense I learned from Nina and Alcott''s swordsmanship. Anything that doesn''t rely on my innate powers is possible," "If your body can handle it," Merlin touched his neck, "You''re sweating, and your skin is turning red. The mana recycling is still hard on your body. Try not to use it when you don''t need to," "We''re close to the door," Arad shouted, and Mc hit the brakes, drifting to Merlin''s tower. Merlin jumped to open the door while Arad and Amber looked back, seeing the soldiers rushing after them. Arad pointed his quarterstaff forward, and so did Amber. The fire sparked between the staves. "From the depth of the fire ne, I call ance of destruction," Amber said. Arad grunted, and she stared at him, "Chanting the spell makes it stronger and uses less mana. Do it if you have time for it," "Fine," He sighed, "From the crackling hells to the burning deserts of Zaleria, I call a torrent of crimson destruction." "The spear of fire, burn them down," Amber growled. "I''m fire, I''m death," Arad grunted. A massive burned spear emerged in front of Amber''s staff, spinning with a violent burst. [me Lance] As the spear spun, a storm of crimson me gushed out of Arad''s quarterstaff, engulfing it. [me Thrower] The spear flew forward followed by Arad''s mes, burning the whole street as if it was a dragon''s breath, evaporating all the soldiers into gems and setting half the city aze. "Hurry!" Merlin called them, "It''s safe inside," Arad and Amber rushed in after Merlin and Mc, closing the door and saying farewell to thisyer. Thud! Arad sat down, leaning his back on the wall, "I''m exhausted," "Me too," Amber sat at his side and leaned on his shoulder. No way she would lean on the ice-cold walls. "The fact you two are more physically exhausted than mentally is impressive," Merlin looked at them, "I''ve seen seasoned adventurers hesitate and end up stabbed a thousand times by a mob of those people monsters," "As long as I know they are dangerous monsters, I will fight," Arad looked at her. "I always wanted to burn a city to the ground. It was fun setting those guards aze," Amber replied. "A monster, a pyromaniac, and a wizard. It''s rare to have a party of unempathetic people," She giggled, sitting beside Arad. Ahoohhhhhhhhhhhhh! ^What about my majestic being? Human female person? Those iron human persons dared to attack Master, and I rammed them across the stones.^ No one could understand his words, and they only understood that something about what Merlin said bothered him. As Mc roared at her, she looked at him with a giggle, "Sorry, and a moose. You did ram those soldiers well," Amber looked at Arad, "By the way, did you get anything from those two?" "Nothing more than their gems," Arad pointed at the two fist-sized gems he alreadyid on the ground. "I guess the main thing to take from thisyer is the city itself," Merlin looked at them, "If we could clear the city, we would have ess to everything there from beds to water and food," "Can we even eat their food?" Amber sighed. "Ah, you never went to argebyrinth before," Merlin looked at her, "Even ifyers like this are a mental pain, they are extremely useful as safe zones after getting cleared." Merlin looked at the door, "The boss usually respawns each one to three days depending on theyer''s size and the adventurers inside. So we usually camp for them," "You kill them the moment they respawn. Isn''t that nasty?" Amber sighed. "Clearingrgebyrinths is impossible without using someyers as a safe stop point where adventurers can live, resupply, and heal," Merlin looked at them. "Speaking ofbyrinths," Arad looked at her, "This was all created with a failed spell that used abyrinth core," "The Ground motherbyrinth," Merlin looked at Arad, "A tenyeredbyrinth with the final boss being a half-subus half-earth dragon. It was cleared two decades ago," "A brown dragon?" Amber looked at her, "Those are hard to kill, even though they can''t fly," "We managed to kill it without a problem, but I won''t say it was easy," Merlin smiled, "Especially for twenty years ago," "What is thergest knownbyrinth?" Arad looked at Merlin. "Babel''s tower of the twin gods, one thousandyerbyrinth with eachyer being almost asrge as the kingdom," Merlin looked at Arad with a smile, "I checkedst month, and it was still only cleared up to the 121yers, and that was the case for the past decade," "That''s too big," Arad sighed, "If people only reached the 121yers, it must be quite tough there," "Babel..." Amber sighed, "I heard of it..." She looked at Merlin, "Are the rumors right?" "About Alcott?" Merlin smiled, "They are right," "That man really doesn''t look the part," Amber sighed. "What are you two talking about?" Arad looked at them. "Twenty years ago, the Babel''s tower was only cleared up to the 48yer. Alcott powered through all theyers up to the 121," Merlin looked at Arad, "He only stopped since he got a call to deal with some dragons and never bothered to climb theyers again," "For real?" Arad looked at her. "Do you think dragons would listen to someone normal?" Chapter 566 Labyrinth’s Rule

Chapter 566 Labyrinth''s Rule

Arad cracked his neck, "I need to rest a bit. We can talk about Alcottter," He stood and walked toward Mc, whoy on the corner, resting at his side. "Amber." Merlin looked at Amber and pointed at Arad and Mc, "You better rest as well. We''ll climb the stairster," "I won''t say no," She approached Arad and sat beside him, leaning on Mc, "But I don''t know if sleeping beside a moose is fine," She looked at Mc''s hide, "He doesn''t have bugs. Does he?" CRACK! Mc swung his head, smacking her head with his antlers. "Ahohhhhhhhhh!" Growling at her. "You can understand us?" Amber stared back at him, rubbing her head, "Sorry, but it''s winter, and ticks are a real problem for you," Amber stared at Mc, and he grunted. ^What is this female person saying? I''m as clean as the oak trees. Lady Ae made sure none of us were sick, me, the bear, or the wolves,^ He red at Merlin, ^And the apes were quite helpful with the tiny bugs,^ "Arad," Amber stared at him, "We should probably check his hide," "I''m pretty sure he doesn''t have any," Arad replied, "And having a tick or two for a while won''t kill you," "It will," Amber stared at him. "There are clerics and healers," Arad rolled, trying to sleep, "Lean on me if you don''t want to lean on Mc, but he''s warm, you know?" Amber sighed, leaning on Arad''s chest, "Not like this would prevent ticks from leaping onto my head," She sighed. **** Merlin stared at Mc''s face with a curious gaze, "You don''t look like an average moose," She looked at him through a hole she made with her hands. ^Of course, I''m not average. I''m the smartest andrgest bull moose in those woods. Look at my massive antlers,^ Mc thought, staring at her as if smiling. "You might be dying soon," Merlin said, "Do you know that?" ^GWAT?^ Mc stared at her with a shocked face, ^What do you mean? I''m as healthy as bulls get!^ "What is it?" Merlin mumbled as she stared at Mc, "I can''t tell without my magic, but I have a feeling you won''t be living to see spring," ^If you don''t have a reason, don''t spit nonsense,^ Mc grunted, shaking his head at her. "I can a faint trace of back at the back of your head," Merlin stood and walked around him, "It''s either a brain worm, or you''re slowly turning into a monster. Maybe due to living in Arad''s domain for long enough," She scratched her head, "Cases of animals turning into monsters near dragons and spirits dens to match their power aren''t umon," ^I hope it''s the second,^ "Either way, you''re dead," She looked at him with a worried face, "In the first, you would die, and in the second, your mind would die, and you would be reborn as another being," ^Please no!^ "Once we''re back, I will check you out and find a way to keep you alive. Don''t worry, you''ll be fine, probably, I think, I sure hope," She gave him a thumbs up. ^You aren''t reassuring at all, female person!^ **** After almost an hour, Arad woke up feeling much better. As she saw him wake up, Merlin woke Amber out, "Wake up, we''re going up," "Another minute," Amber grunted, hugging Arad''s chest and refusing to move. Arad smiled, "Let''s wait a bit longer. She needs more rest than me," "She expanded a lot of mana," Merlin said, sitting down. "About that moose," She looked at Mc, "Can we use him as a messenger to the outside?" "If he''s an animal, he cane in and out, right?" Arad looked at her. "I know that," Merlin looked at Mc, "Going back might be dangerous," Ahooo! Mc growled, and Arad smiled, "He looks confident," "From what I observed till now, thisbyrinth might be only allowing people who don''t use their ss skills or powers," Merlin touched the walls, "It detects people based on the world system and confirms the information by observing the target''s mana waves then rejects them. It''s probably using one of my observation crystals," "I don''t understand what you mean," Arad looked at her, "And I doubt he could tell them that," "It means that thebyrinth is trying to reject everyone for now until kills me and you. It failed to reject Amber since she was casting magic like a wizard while being a sorceress. And since she''s been doing that for years, her mana waves don''t match with the description [Sorcoress] of the system. It can''t pinpoint her for rejection." N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad scratched his head, "So, if a fighter tried to walk in, thebyrinth would use the system to find that he''s a fighter, then create a rule to reject him as a fighter. But, if we were talking about a warlock that walks in, thebyrinth would detect that and try to reject him." Merlin smiled, "But if the idiot actually worshipped his patron like a god, his mana wave would resemble those of a cleric," "And he won''t be rejected," Arad scratched his head, "That''s..." "S-ssbyrinth, their rules can get crazy," Merlin waved her hand, "What matters is that we should get people outside to try and confirm this theory as soon as possible," "Is there an easy way to get him to deliver the message?" Arad patted Mc''s neck, "I doubt we can write it on him," "You''re right, we can''t do that," She smiled, "Say, can he speak with that spirit Zephyr?" "He can speak with Zephyr and Loci," Arad replied with a smile. "Can he tell them one word? Avaron?" Ahooohhhh! Mc roared, and Arad giggled, "He probably can," "Avaron is abyrinth that had this rule. If they knew I told him to tell them that, they are sure to figure I want them to test its rule." "What are you talking about?" Amber mumbled, slowly opening her eyes as she looked at them with a sleepy face. "We''re discussing thebyrinth''s possible rule." Chapter 567 Into The Fourth Layer

Chapter 567 Into The Fourth Layer

Arad nodded, looking at Mc, "Go. You can talk to either Loci or Zephyr," [Barrier] Extending his hand, Arad covered Mc with a barrier to protect him from any attacks on the way. "You sure?" Merlin looked at him, "We might need that. You can only cast one." "We need him to deliver the message," Arad replied, "If they can amass a clearing party to help us, that would be far better," "I know," She looked at him, "It seems we just have to do without it for ayer," "That would be hard," Arad stood after Amber woke up for them to head up the stairs. "Go, this should keep you safe," Ahohhhhhhhhhhh! Mc roared, rushing out the door, and trampled his way toward the stairs to the secondyer. "We have to go," Amber sighed, cracking her neck, "Don''t we?" The three of them slowly made their way up the stairs, looking at the old cracking walls. "This ce doesn''t look like it was just built," "It''s just how the ce looks," Merlin replied. "It might be mimicking Merlin''s magic, old and wrinkly," Amber looked at her smiling. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What wrinkles are you talking about?" Merlin lifted an eyebrow, "Even without makeup, I still look young," "Mana, I know about that," Amber sighed, poking her eyebrow. "Look at me, I''m starting to look my age," "My mana is denser than yours," Merlin looked at her, "My body has more support than you have," "What are you talking about," Arad looked at them. "Mana lines beneath the skin, through muscles and bones to help maintain them. That is what causes people who grow stronger to stay young for longer." Merlin replied. "To be more precise," Amber looked at Arad, "For humans, it helps maintain the body around the age of 25 to 28." "For most people, that''s the peak of their natural physical build." Merlin exined, "You as well look at around 25. Don''t you?" "Now that you mentioned it," Arad looked at his hands, "It''s strange that I look like this," "Ideal body, ideal time," Merlin looked at him, "Your mana is far denser than mine, more than anyone can imagine," "For real?" Amber looked at Arad''s face, "Well, considering how fast he''s growing, I should have guessed," "My body shouldn''t even work like you two," Arad looked at them, "That might also y a role," "Look," Amber nced at him, "You might be taller and more muscr than us, but most humans work the same from the inside. Mana just makes your body tougher, meaning less degradation over time." Arad scratched his head, "I''m pretty sure I''m not like you two," Merlin looked at Amber. ^She didn''t know Arad was a dragon. His body is designed to live for centuries. six thousand years them is like sixty years to us humans,^ She looked forward, ^Even with my magic density, I might barely survive as long as elves for a thousand years before falling to old age. I would have seen generations over generations, the rise and fall of countries before seeing my white hair.^ She stared at Arad''s back. ^What about him? In just forty years, Jack and Lydia might be old enough to have grandchildren. What after then? After eighty years they would be dead, and their children would fall to old age. After two thousand years, our grand grand grand grand children would wander the world, all while Arad still stands unchanged, walking alone.^ "What are you thinking about?" Arad looked at her as he noticed her stare burning his back. "Nothing," Merlin waved her hand with a smile. ^Two thousand years, to a dragon that is like twenty years of age.^ She looked at Amber, ^And on top of everything, he was a vampire. In the end, it might be only Eris standing at his side.^ "We''re almost there," Arad pointed up as he could see the stairs end. "It''s getting hotter," Amber growled, "I don''t like it," "You''re a fire mage," Arad looked at her, confused. "I''m not immune to fire, I don''t want avayer," "I thought fire elementals are immune to fire," "I''m not an elemental. I might have their blood, but don''tpare me to the real thing," She sighed, "Even if you have dragon blood, that doesn''t mean you''re immune to fire, are you?" "It''s true that I''m not immune to fire," Arad replied. ^But I''m immune to void and time magic that affects me.^ "This isn''t hot enough forva," Merlin said, staring at them, "Let''s get up there and see what we''re dealing with first." With each step, the air got hotter and drier. Merlin and Amber instinctively started fanning their faces with their hands. Arad on the other hand could feel sweat dripping across his back, "It was winter outside, wasn''t it?" Arad stood in front of the fourthyer''s door, staring back at the two. "We''ll take a nce first," He reached for the doorknob, but he immediately pulled his hand upon touching it. "Hot," He gasped, looking at his palm. It wasn''t burned, but that was extremely hot. "It doesn''t look good," Merlin growled as Arad slowly opened the door. "Oh!" Amber sighed, "Damnned hells, why?!" She growled. Waves over waves of golden sand spread as far as the eye could see with unimaginable heads and blinding sunlight burning across them. "Sand?" Arad mumbled he had never seen such a thing before in his life. "An endless desert," Merlin looked around, "Arad, shoot a fireball at that mound there," She pointed. "For what?" He asked. "Just do it," Merlin looked at him, "It''s so we know if we can step on the sand or not," Arad pointed at his staff, taking a short breath of the scorching air. [Firebolt] PEW! BOOM! The firebolt exploded on the sand, arousing a massive small dust cloud. "Nothing happened." Arad looked back at Merlin. Her face twisted, "AH! We''re fucked," CRACK! BOOM! The sand exploded, and a massive worm bigger than Arad''s draconic form emerged growling with a painful roar. "It''s the brown worms of the desert," Chapter 568 Afraid

Chapter 568 Afraid

"Brown worms?" Arad closed the door, "Those were big," "Too big," Amber grunted, "Should we get back?" "No, we have to clear theyer," Merlin looked at them. "But you saw that," Arad pointed to the door, "That''s huge. None of my spells would even dent its skin," "Neither mine," Amber sighed. "You two are...right," Merlin looked down, "Without my magic, taking those things down is almost impossible," "Wait, did you just say those?" Arad stared at her, "I only saw one," Merlin stared at him, "You should''ve read the monster manual at the guild. Brown worms live in groups like maggots. I bet there are tens of them out there." "We can''t win a fight," Amber stared at them, "Do you have a solution?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "We run," Merlin squatted down and started drawing on the dusty ground. Brown worms are blind and deaf, but they can sense things with their tremor sense. Their range differs depending on the worm''s size and age, but it''s usually fifty to one hundred meters in all directions, on the ground. She drew a wavy line depicting the sand and multiple thick ones beneath it to depict the worms. Due to their low intelligence and weak senses, they can be easily baited by mages and wizards. Merlin drew a cube on the right side, signifying the stairs they were in, and beside it, she made a ssh of the sand lying everywhere. Amber''s mes could create a big enough shockwave to draw the worms toward it. Merlin erased the worms and drew them beneath the explosion, and in the middle of the air, she drew a bad dragon with two stick figures on it, one withrge breasts and one with a wizard''s hat. "Why the details?" Amber stared at her. "Who''s who?" "Arad''s the dragon," Merlin replied with a smile. "That isn''t what I meant," Amber growled. Merlin ignored Amber and drew a stream of fireing from the dragon''s butt and a secondrge cube to the left with a door. "I do not fart mes," Arad stared at her, "But you can fly with us, can''t you?" She stared at him, "I don''t know how you''ll do it, but can you?" "If I used fire from all of my limbs, that might be possible," Arad replied. "The two of usbined would barely weigh as much as you do," Merlin looked at him with a smile, "If two fire jets from your feet can carry you, I''m sure four can carry double the weight," Arad scratched his chin, staring at them. Merlin followed Arad''s eyes, finding them staring at her chest and hips. "What are you thinking about?" She cried. "As a human, I weigh 200kg," He replied, "You look thicker than Amber, so you''re around 120kg, and she''s 80kg." He stared at Amber, "It''s a problem if you two weigh as much as I do. Even Ae, Eris, and Isdisbined won''t weigh as I do," "Since when did this be a conversation about our weight?" Amber cried, "And she said we''ll barely weigh as you do. You''re the heavy one here," "Weight is subjective," Arad replied. "What''s your point?" Amber stared at him. "Weight slows you down. eleration, deceleration, and general speed are important inbat and in dodging small andrge monsters'' attacks." Arad flexed his leg, almost ripping his pants apart. "The more weight your muscles have to move, the less likely you''re going to survive an encounter," "You sound like Alcott," Merlin looked at him, "If the weight on you is muscles and bones, then it''s okay since they would help support and move your frame, but if it''s something else, it''s just slowing you down," Merlin sighed, "You don''t value strength," She approached him, "You value survivability. You can''t help but point things out. You don''t want to see people around you fail to dodge an attack and get killed." Arad remembered the first time he went on a quest with Ae, and she got eaten by a giant toad, and how their fight with the bandits ended. The sheer speed and raw strength of Alcott was what saved them. "Humans are fragile," Merlin smiled, "Every bit of advantage is worth going for," Arad could remember how Isdis got sniped out of nowhere. She wasn''t perceptive enough to notice, Ae wasn''t fast enough to react and save her, and even he wasn''t good enough to prevent the attack. "Magic is powerful, but it isn''t omnipotent," Merlin sighed, "Even the best wards can''t save your life all the time," Arad remembered when d attacked, no one was able to stand. Even Merlin''s magic couldn''t protect her. Yet, beside him, one was able to move, Nina. The sheer power and strength in her lean yet dense muscr body allowed her to stand and take a step. If there was only one opening, she might''ve been able to run away. "You''re afraid," Merlin approached Arad, patting his head, "It''s not that you don''t want weak people around you, as if that''s the case, we''re thest race you would''ve approached. It''s just that you''re afraid, scared, and terrified of losing those around you," "We''re thest race he would''ve approached?" Amber stared at her. "Calm down, Arad," Merlin smiled, "We''re alive. We won''t die," She patted his head, "We aren''t weak, we won''t get eaten, won''t fail to run away," Arad stared at her in silence. "I said we barely reached your weight, but that was just a description. I and Amberbined might not reach 150kg. We aren''t slow, we aren''t dense, and we won''t get snatched by those worms," She looked at Amber. "You can fly with fire, can''t you?" "Of course," Amber replied, "You can carry me, can''t you?" "I should be able to, yes," Amber replied while being a bit confused as her earlier question wasn''t answered. "You heard her," Merlin looked at him, "We can fend for ourselves. We aren''t as fragile as you see us," ^To a dragon, we''re too fragile to risk. Arad is like a soldier asked to run across a field filled with hungry wolves, while we two are little kittens hanging on for dear life on his back. Of course, he would be concerned if we said we weigh as much as he does. He would think our ws won''t hold up.^ Merlin looked at her drawing. ^Arad didn''t seem to disy fear when fighting with Nina or Eris. He seems to trust their powers. He fought them and understood their powers well.^ Chapter 569 Eaten Alive

Chapter 569 Eaten Alive

Arad sighed, "Fine," He tapped his finger beside Merlin''s drawing, "We fly straight to the stairs, ignoring every fight." "You''re right," She nodded. "We have one chance," Amber looked down, "Can the door open while the guardian is alive?" "It should open," Merlin replied, "This is amon tactic used to skin annoyingyers inrgerbyrinths." Arad stood, "Get on my back. We''re moving immediately," He said with a stern face. "It''s hot here," Amber stood, fanning her face, "Let''s get out as fast as possible," "If it''s hot, you can strip down," Merlin giggled. "And then get sunburned into golden brown like a chicken breast on a pan? No thanks," Amber stared back at her, "You go and get burned if you want," Merlin looked at her arms and thighs, "I''m not going out of here without some browning, am I?" "Arad is having it worse. He''s topless," Amber pointed at him, "How about you give him his shirt back and strip?" "No need for that," Arad replied, "I can heal itter," None of the injuries he could sustain here matters. As long as he gets out alive, his blood regeneration will kick in and heal him. Sunburns are nothing. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad bent down, "Sit on my back," Amber looked at him for a second, "It really feels wrong to ride you like a horse," "It doesn''t matter now, does it?" Arad looked at her. "And since when there was a problem with that?" Arad is always on all four when carrying people in his draconic form. To him this was just like trying to fly without wings and while being far smaller in size. "Me first!" Merlin jumped on his back with a smile. "You really are..." Amber sighed, scratching her head, "Annoying at best," She slowly sat on Arad''s back, "At least show some respect," Thud! She smacked Merlin''s head. Merlin stared at her, "But this is the n. Isn''t best if we get out of here as fast as possible?" "That doesn''t mean to jump on his back like you did," Amber smacked her once again. "You two, stop fighting on my back and get ready," Arad sighed. Merlin looked back at Amber, "I want you to fire two fireballs. The first one attracts the worm''s attention away from us, and the second is after Arad takes off to mask it," Amber nodded, "Understood," Merlin reached with her hand to the doorknob. "KYAAAAAAAAA!" She cried, immediately snatching her hand away, "It''s hot!" She started blowing on her palm. Amber reached with her hand, "You crybaby," "PIKYAAAAAAAAAAA!" She howled, falling off Arad''s back and rolling on the ground, blowing on her hand, "It burns!" Arad looked at them with a worried face, "You two...at least have some tolerance," "You can''t me me, can you?" Merlin cried, "I have soft hands, but she''s a fire sorcerer, me her," "You witch-like wizard," Amber growled. "It doesn''t matter," Arad sighed, "Just let me open it," He extended his hand and opened the door. It slightly burned his hand, but it wasn''t something that could stop him from fighting. Amber slowly stood and sat on his back, holding her staff with one hand and supporting the weight with the second one. "Don''t drop it," Merlin looked at her. "It won''t," Amber replied. "One hand is enough," Arad turned his head toward them, ring at Amber, "Drop it, and I will p you," Cracking his wrist, "We need you to fire magic, so don''t fail." Amber giggled, "Of course, I won''t drop it. Nothing will stop me from casting the spells," She stared at him with sweat dripping across her face. She couldn''t know if it was from fear or the heat. "You''re joking about the p, right?" "Of course, I''m joking," Arad replied, and Amber sighed in relief. "A p to the butt is called spanking, after all." He added, "Don''t fail," "Of course," Amber replied, almost shaking in ce. Arad slowly crawled outside, his eyes panning across the sand, wary not to step out of the sizzling hot cobblestone. Amber pointed her staff at the distance, [Fire Ball] [Fire Ball] She fired two consecutive shots with a five-second dy between them. Arad waited for the first fireball to explode in a crimson burst. Tens of massive brown worms emerged at the explosion''s base, wiggling like writhing earthworms. Merlin was right. There is no way they can fight and win against such massive monsters in their current state. VOOOM! Arad ignited me beneath his feet and hands, taking to the sky in the blink of an eye. The worms sensed his taking off and turned around, but soon the second fireball exploded, drawing their attention again. PEW! Arad flew across the air with the two on his back, going as fast as he could to reach the stairs to the secondyer. As long as they get out fast enough. They won''t face the boss. "I can see the stairs," Merlin pointed, "Land there and will get out of here before the wormse back." "I know," Arad replied, shifting his direction toward the stairs they just saw. But at that moment, the stairs disappeared, and instead, a titanic maw appeared in their ce. Arad gasped, ^A trap? Illusion?^ His eyes panned around, seeing the actual stairs being just a short distance away. The boss opened its titanic maw, lunging toward Arad like a crock lunging at its prey. ^I can''t dodge at this speed,^ Arad grunted, turning around and snatching Amber and Merlin off his back, "GO!" He shouted, throwing them toward the stairs. "ARAD!" Merlin cried. CLAP! The boss mped his jaw on Arad, swallowing him in the blink of an eye. At thest moment, Amber grabbed Merlin and dropped her at the stairs beforending at her side. "ARAD! ARAD! CAN YOU HEAR ME!" Merlin shouted, "Go for the heart if you can find it! Try to escape," "It''s no use," Amber growled, "He can''t hear you from here," She took a step forward, her grey eyes shifting orange. The nails on her left hand fell off, reced by a burning ze. Chapter 570 BURN!

Chapter 570 BURN!

"Burnhill! Hoi, Burnhill!" A red-haired woman called, sitting on her throne as she looked down on a bowing cleric. The blond cleric blinked, "Sorry, your highness." She finally replied, "I zoned out a bit," "Mind that not," The red-haired woman replied, "Do you feel that? Is the spark trailing down your blood? The blessing I bestowed on your lineage," "We can''t be thankful enough to be blessed by the great deity of the elemental ne of fire." "I''m not talking about the present," The red-haired woman held her chin, ring into the void as her eyes sparked red. "A faithless of your descendant dares to call upon my name. What do you think of that?" "I have nothing to say," She replied, "That might be why I zoned out earlier. Do whatever you see fit," "Hehe," The red-haired woman giggled, standing up from her throne, "Fire is mindless. It doesn''t discriminate and burn everything on its way to ash." She waved her hand forward, "Let the mes be her blessing and punishment," "As you wish," CLAP! The blond woman put her together, "May the eternal ze guide them," ***** ^We can fend for ourselves. We aren''t as fragile as you see us.^ Amber remembered Merlin''s words. She took a step forward, her grey eyes shifting orange. The nails on her left hand fell off, reced by a burning ze as cracks expanded from them to her elbow. ^I came here to save them, not for them to save me.^ She stared at the boss, fire burning beneath her feet. BOOOM! With an explosion, Amber sted into the air at a blinding speed. "Amber! Get back here. You don''t have enough power to fight it," Merlin screamed as she saw Amber''s hat fall on the charred ground. The boss stared back. Unlike the other worms, he can see and hear well. He won''t miss her attack. "GRRR!" He growled, and tens of worms burst from the ground, trying to cut Amber''s way and bite her. SWOSH! SWOHS! Amber flew between the worms as her speed kept increasing. The mes gushing from her feet shifted from red to blue then to orange, and then to a bloody crimson red. BA-BAM! Shockwaves burst around her body as she broke the sound barrier several times in a row. At that speed, she could barely keep her eyes open and had to rely on her mana sense to target the boss. ^Arad''s magic, I can sense it. Faint, but it''s inside that monster,^ Amber thoughts. The inside of the brown worm was filled with toxic gases and acid. Arad should have lost consciousness almost immediately after falling down its throat. That is a blessing as the victim won''t feel the acid burning them. ^Faster, hotter,^ She growled, the cracks on her left arm expanding. ^I only got one hit,^ Magic is divided into two types. Learned and hereditary. Wizards learn magic, and sorcerers are born with it. This has its merits and demerits. Since wizard are the ones taking the initiative to learn their magic, the only problem they can face is theck of mana to cast their spells. But sorcerers have a different problem in hand. The power they carry could be too big for their bodies, leading them to live their whole life without tapping into it. Albeit that is usually remedied by training to get used to that power, in some cases, it''s fundamentally impossible for the sorcerer to withstand their power. Ice too cold it kills, a speed so great that the user''s organs instantly burst and fire so hot, their bodies burn to ash upon unleashing it. Magic might be real, but human bodies are still bound to their natural limits. You can''t be a human and have inhuman powers. Alcott was the first one to prove that by having to jump from being a vampire, werewolf, zombie, and more transformations just for his body to withstand the power he tried to cram into it. Amber clenched her teeth, growling as she opened her left palm. ^I''m not a superhuman, I never was, and I never will.^ mes gushed from where her nails were, forming a fiery w. A spark of fire jumped from the red-headed queen of the elemental ne of fire toward her clergy, trailing down their bloodline through the generations, heating up with each elemental that held it until itnded in Amber''s soul. Amber pulled her arm back, ready to swing a palm strike at the massive worm. ^Arad is stronger than me,^ Amber thoughts, remembering the first day she taught Arad magic and how he quickly overpowered her. ^He''s better than me. He''s stronger and can attune to his bloodline.^ She smiled. BA-BAM! She broke the sound barrier again, going even faster before the impact. ^I won''t let him die here, no matter what.^ Seven worms lined their bodies between the boss and Amber, trying to protect him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ^No, I only have,^ Amber growled but quickly changed her mind. ^No, be greedier, angrier like the me you''re about to unleash.^ Amber exhaled. ^Close your mouth, and tighten your chest, squeeze your anus closed so your organs don''t fly out from the impact.^ mes gushed out of her left forearm, leaving a crimson trail behind. ^Scream to mellow the burning pain and grind your teeth to draw as much power as you can.^ "BURN!" Amber shouted at the top of her lungs, swinging her palm at the first worm protecting the boss. A crimson sh of fire sparked right before the impact, turning the sky blood-red as she burst through the worms. BOOOOOOOOM! The seven worms exploded into burned mush as Amber flew right through them, her now-only-bones left arm impacted the boss, sending a tremendous shockwave across his body. The boss gasped, and Amber screamed, the mes gushing out of her bones and drilling a hole in his side as she flew right through, shattering his body into pieces. "Give Arad back!" She screamed, snatching Arad directly from the boss''s burned guts. CRACKLE! The wholebyrinth shook, and the impact was heard even from the outside as the sand on the fourthyer turned into ss from the heat. Merlin gasped, "That power, seventh, no, it might be the eighth level." Amber flew toward the stairs with Arad in her right hand, but she lost consciousness mid-air, and they fell on a sand hill, rolling all the way to the stairs. "Amber! Arad!" Merlin rushed at them, but she gasped the moment she saw them. Arad''s body was half digested with some of his ribs showing up, but Amber was worse. Her left forearm disappeared, only leaving a roasted stem above where her elbow was. Severe burns spread from her left arm all the way to her face and stomach, coupled with visible bruising on the rest of her body from the impact. Chapter 571 Flames of the Fire Elementals

Chapter 571 mes of the Fire Elementals

Merlin pulled some of the gems they gathered from the lower floor and sat beside the two, healing them just enough to stabilize and stop their bleeding. As she made sure they were stable, Merlin dragged them toward the stairs as fast as she could, starting with Amber, who was in a far more critical condition than Arad. When Merlin managed to drag both of them inside the stairs to avoid the searing heat of the desert, she finally started inspecting their wounds in detail. As she expected, Amber had it far worse than Arad. She lost her left forearm up to the elbow, and the muscles of her upper arm had also burned, causing them to cease function. The leftover stem tip was burnt to a crisp, causing parts to start falling apart. Looking above, Merlin could see cracks spreading from the burned arm up to Amber''s left cheek and chest. The heat had rapidly spread across her veins and seared the muscles of her upper left side. With a worried face, Merlin checked Amber''s left eye only to find it white like those of cooked fish. "Blinded, I doubt any of the muscles of this side would even work," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She checked inside her mouth, but luckily, her teeth seemed to have survived. "If the heat spread through her veins, it might have damaged the heart since it''s also leaning toward the left side." Merlin put her head on Amber''s chest to listen to her pulse. ^Sounds normal to me, but I''m no healer.^ She pulled another gem and put it on Amber''s chest, "I also fear your left lung might be burned, so this should be needed," Merlin started healing Amber''s chest even though she couldn''t see any visible injuries besides burns on the skin. After that, she checked her lower side, finding the fire cracks spreading down to her hips and thighs. Just to be sure, she healed her there two. "Hopefully you''re stable now," She turned toward Arad, pulling two gems. "You might be stuck in a human''s body, but I doubt you will die as easily as one," She looked at his chest. Arad''s skin was falling apart in some ces and remained intact in others. With a single touch, Merlin could see ribs at his side, which made her flinch. "You''re quite durable," She started healing him, "You''re lucky the acid doesn''t seem to have leaked into your body, or at least enough to kill you," Arad''s skin quickly healed, and his wounds closed. "Now, a moment to clear the toxins from your blood," She cracked the second gem above him, starting a second healing. "GAH!" Arad gasped, waking immediately as soon as the toxins left his blood, "What happened?" He looked around. "Calm down, it''s over," Merlin said, waving her hand for him to lie down. "The boss ate you." At that moment, Arad''s memories started toe back. Right after throwing Amber and Merlin away, he got swallowed by the massive boss worm. Unlike how it appeared at first, Arad didn''t immediately lose consciousness. As he trailed down the boss''s throat, he used his tremor sense to locate the monster''s heart and started unleashing his me to reach it. But that quickly backfired as it caused the mucus surrounding the boss''s digestive system to evaporate and saturate what little air was there, increasing the toxin''s concentration and knocking Arad immediately. If he used anything besides fire, he might have killed the boss from the inside out. Arad then turned aside, seeing Amber lying beside him. "What happened to her?" He asked. His eyes panned around her burned arm and the wounds spreading across her body. "The boss did this?" "No," Merlin replied, "It was her own magic," She stood and opened the door, showing Arad therge ss crater created by Amber''s spell. "She sted the boss and seven worms, pulled you out of his stomach, and flew here all with one spell." "She said we can''t beat it," Arad gasped. "Since she would end up like this," Merlin looked at the unconscious Amber, "Forget about red dragons. She has the blood of a fire elemental. Those things are living mes. The heat they can generate surpasses all. Even their mere existence can cause the air around them tobust." Dragons use their mana as fuel to ignite the fire, but elementals work the other way around. They userge amounts of mana to ignite a single spark that''s hot enough to break down the moisture in the air into hydrogen and oxygen. Those two elements thenbust instantly, starting a horrid chain reaction that expands outward in a violent manner akin to an explosion. The elementals then use their ability to control fire to keep the st under control and use it to attack their targets. Water is a part of everything immune to fire or otherwise. Unless the target is a fire elemental, they won''t survive a hit without getting burned. Even a fire dragon cannot resist the mes of an elemental. Arad approached Amber, sitting by her side and staring at her arm. "She''s a human made of flesh and bones, water. Her body is like firewood to her mes." Merlin said, sitting beside Arad. "Can''t she control those mes?" "Fire elementals are made of fire. That is why they are immune to their own mes. They never developed a way to protect themselves from their fire, and we humans don''t have the high intelligence needed to survive such power unscathed." Merlin looked at Amber''s arm. "The fact she managed to exert so much control that she survived with only one arm missing is astounding. If she didn''t, her whole body would havebusted alongside this wholeyer, killing everyone and everything here." "Those mes are hot," Arad said. "They can burn fire dragons. I doubt that anything less than a being made of literal fire could survive what she smacked the boss with," Merlin sighed, "Having so much power is both a curse and a blessing," "You think so?" "I would say, any amount of abnormal power is a curse when you only have a human body." She looked at her hand. Arad looked out the door at the ss formation, "So this is why she cast magic like a wizard and not as a sorcerer," Chapter 572 Into The Fifth Layer

Chapter 572 Into The Fifth Layer

Amber opened her eyes to a sharp pain radiating from her left arm up to her head. She immediately noticed a numb feeling around her left eye while she could only see from the right one. She gasped, coughing as the scent of blood and burnt flesh gushed out of her lungs, "I''m still in one piece," She tried to sit, supporting her body with her right hand. "Don''t move," Merlin said, staring at her. "I''m not a healer, so expect the equivalent of sticking paper to the wall with spit," Amber smiled, "A shitty job, but it''s good enough." She looked at her burned left arm, "I expected to lose everything up to my shoulder." "The muscles are burned. You might have as well lost the whole arm." Merlin replied, "You might not want to use that again." "Aren''t you the one who urged me to try and control my powers?" Amber giggled. "But I understand what you mean. I should have tried using something smaller," Merlin sat beside her, looking around. "It''s not like youck control. The magic you''re trying to use isn''tpatible with anything water based like flesh," "Is Arad okay?" Amber replied, "I''m sure I pulled him out of the boss, but I can''t remember much after that." "He''s as healthy as a horse. It didn''t take much healing to get him up, and he woke up almost immediately." Merlin smiled, "Those muscles of his protected his organs from the acid long enough." "Probably I should take his advice and work on getting more muscles on me." Amber giggled, "But that won''t work, would it." "It won''t since muscles have water. You will be just adding fuel to the fire." "So, where is Arad?" Amber looked at her. "He climbed the stairs to check the fifthyer," Merlin looked up, "We couldn''t carry you upstairs in your condition," "What do you think he will find?" Merlin started thinking, scratching her chin, "The firstyer was a t grasnd, and the second was a mud swamp. The third is a city that could be turned into a safeyer, and this one is a scorching desert." "So, the fifthyer could be?" Amber tilted her head. "Something that contrasts thisyer, probably a coldyer with thick trees. We might even find a settlement in the sixthyer to keep the pattern," Tap! Tap! Tap! The two looked up, hearing footsteps trailing down the stairs. "He''sing back," As Arad approached, Merlin stood and asked, "What did you find?" "As you said, it''s cold up there," Arad looked down at them, "A snowy jungle filled with giant and white hairy apes," Merlin scratched her head, "How did they look? Long legs andrge feet, or short legs and bulky torso?" "I have seen both, and some were six armed small ones that barely reach two meters tall," Arad replied. "Yeti, bigfoot, and asura baboons." Merlin mumbled, "It isn''t getting easier," "Amber, how are you feeling?" The moment Arad saw Amber sitting beside Merlin, he rushed toward her. "I''m fine," She smiled, "Although I need some healing magic once we''re out. I don''t know if I can afford it though," "Don''t worry about that. I''m paying for everything. You saved my life," Arad looked at her. "Well, I''m relying on you for that," She giggled. She touched her satchel with her hand. The teleportation crystal there can only get two people out, and she won''t be one of them. Merlin stood and approached Arad and Amber, "I''m fighting the monsters of the fifthyer. You two can''t face them," "They are ice monsters," Arad looked at her, "I can use fire, so leave them to me," "That would be the case if we''re fighting in normal conditions." Merlin looked at him, "Their ws naturally exert cold magic to freeze their targets. In a frozen environment, the effect stacks rapidly, and it''s hard to deal with." Amber blinked, "If their ws have magic, hitting you mean." "I can absorb that to cast spells," Merlin smiled. "That won''t do," Arad stared at her, "By the time their ws touch you so you can absorb their magic, they would be already tearing into your skin. You cast magic before their ws rip your body in half," Merlin smiled, "How fast do you think I can activate magic?" She stared at him. The uncaring confidence in her eyes made it clear, she wasn''t joking. "Those monsters'' ws don''t have that much magic in them. It''s only deadly since it stacks. What could you do with such little mana?" Amber looked at her, "You would get at most fifty," Merlin giggled, "It''s true that I might not be able to use recycling with it here, but fifty mana is enough to cast that spell," Amber blinked with a surprised face, "You aren''t talking about that," An evil smile crossed Merlin''s face, "Physical enchantments. Since I''m a caster, I spent years optimizing the spell for my body that I don''t need that much mana to keep it up," "How much power could such a spell get you?" Arad stared at her, "And for how long?" "I can get double your current strength for a minute for just twenty mana. That means I would have around two minutes and a half to clear theyer," Merlin looked down with a grin on her face, "That if they were stupid enough to try hitting me with their ws, but they monkeys, they would do it." "I would fight with you as well," Arad cracked his neck and stared at Amber, "You rest for thisyer. You can''t fight in that state," "I can still fight," Amber tried to stand, "Those wounds don''t make it impossible to cast spells." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad looked at Merlin, "What do you say?" "Casting magic would agitate her wounds. It''s like throwing salt on them," She stared at Amber, "Don''t cast magic, just sit inside the stairs and wait," Arad approached Amber and carried her, "I already ignited a fighter upstairs at the fifthyer. You can rest by it''s said to warm up," "I want to fight," Arad closed his eyes, thinking for a second, "There is a hard line between what you want and what you should do." He opened his eyes, staring at her, "For the party''s survival, you must learn that." "Arad is right," Merlin looked at her, "You must rest for now to fightter." Chapter 573 Apes Of The Snowy Jungle

Chapter 573 Apes Of The Snowy Jungle

Arad carried Amber in his arms and slowly trailed up the stairs, with Merlin following shortly after. "It''s getting colder," He opened his palm to ignite a small me beside Amber. "You don''t need to worry about me," Amber looked at him, "Carrying me is enough. I''m the only one with decent clothes, after all," Even with her rob''s left arm burned and having a massive hole at its side, it still amounted to farrger coveragepared to the topless Arad and the one shirt Merlin. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "It''s frozen up there," Arad looked at her, "Once we reach it, you stay put beside the heat while we clear theyer," "I know, you don''t need to remind me," Merlin stared at them, "You aren''t fighting either, Arad," She climbed the stairs a bit faster, getting ahead of Arad, "I''m the one clearing theyer. You two have already taken enough damage," **** "We''re here," Arad put Amber down and created a small me with a fireball at her side. "Wait a bit," He opened the door, and a burst of cold wind rushed out, causing the two women to flinch, "I''ll be back," After a minute, he walked back in with a handful of branches from the jungle, "Those should do," He threw them into the me, increasing its heat until they dried and started burning like proper firewood. Merlin smiled, "Wait by the mes," She walked toward the door, stepping outside for a few seconds. Arad kept looking at the door, and she quickly rushed back in, shaking like a dancer on a stage. "Want me toe with you?" Arad stared at her, and she looked away, "If you please," He smiled, "I told you it''s too cold there," He walked to her side, lifting his palm to create a tiny fireball, "You need someone to heat you up, at least until you get magic from the apes." "I hate it that you''re right," She growled, "A half-naked woman in the freezing snow, my toes would necrose with frostbite before I get to fight any monster." Arad turned toward Merlin and carried her, "You won''t walk in the snow until we find an ape," He smiled. She giggled, "Aren''t you a gentleman?" "What does that even mean?" He started walking toward the door. "Just how it sounds, a man that is gentle." "Then you''re horribly wrong. I am neither a man nor gentle," They walked outside, "You''re dealing with a violent dragon," Arad walked with her into the forest, and it didn''t take them long to hear a loud scream akin to a woman''s howel of death. "That sounds like a cougar," Merlin looked a the trees, "No, it''s a yeti," Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Arad looked back, seeing arge shadow slowly walking behind the trees. With each step, the ground quaked. "It''s one with the big feet," CRACK! Arad jumped back the moment his senses ticked, barely dodging a rain of stones from the trees. His eyes red up, "You bastards are too silent," He smiled, seeing the six armed asura baboons ring down at him with stones in their hands. "Babbons, apes, chimps, and even weird-looking monkeys," Merlin growled, "There is more than one type of demon apes there," SWOSH! Arad swung Merlin to his back, giving her a piggyback ride. "Hold tight. And don''t forget to steal any magic you can," Arad lifted his arms as Merlin held to his neck. He opened his mouth and screamed, pounding his chest to mimic what he had seen from the monsters here. The demon apes stared at him for a moment in silence and then roared in rage. BAM! From the woods, a yeti lunged out like a raging gori, swinging his massive fist at Arad''s face. Arad blinked, seeing the yeti''s fist clenched. It knew Merlin would absorb the magic of their ws. Arad bent down, dodging the strike and swinging his quarterstaff at the yeti''s head. ROAR! The yeti opened his jaw, biting the staff and twisting his body backward, pulling Arad with ease. [Fire Bolt] A bolt of fire rushed out of Arad''s left hand, hitting the yeti''s throat and forcing him to let go of the quarterstaff. CRACK! Out of nowhere, Arad could see a massive foot approaching from the side of his vision. Instinctively, he lifted his left arm and blocked. Thwack! Arad''s body flew across the forest, rolling with Merlin on the snow. "I wondered when you woulde out," Arad looked forward, seeing Bigfoot standing beside the yeti, smiling. "A puncher and a kicker," Arad stood with Merlin clinging onto his back. PEW! PEW! Stones flew at them at a blinding speed, but Arad swung his staff, deflecting them and swatting one toward the yeti, gazing at his face. Arad giggled, "It''s simple, isn''t it?" He pointed the staff at the yeti and Bigfoot, "Punching, kicking, and throwing stones, primal aren''t you?" He lifted the quarterstaff, pointing at the sky, "Big stick," BAM! BAM! He then pounded his chest, growling. With thest pound, he opened his fist, extending two fingers out with fire cracking between them as he lowered his hand to his side, leaving a trail of fire. "And fire," Arad looked at the apes with a grin on his face. "OOO! OOOOOOOOOO!" The yeti screamed, and so did Bigfoot, ring at Arad as they pounded their chests. "OOOOOOOOOAAAA!" Arad screamed back at them, doing the same. Merlin stared at the back of Arad''s head as she clung to his neck, ^He''s fighting them on their own ground. Arad might have been a dragon before, but he''s a human now.^ "Arad, don''t fight them head-on, you''re a human now. Primate muscles are several times denser than humans, you won''t win especially since they''rerger than you," She said, but Arad didn''t reply. All reason got thrown out of the window. Arad''s goal isn''t winning, it''s forcing one of the monsters to swing its ws. He got a big stick, he got fire, and he got muscles and height. His mind is slowly trying to mimic them, stealing their violent fighting style. Chapter 574 A Predator On The Snow

Chapter 574 A Predator On The Snow

GA! Arad shouted, swinging his fist at the yeti and smacking him in the face. mes gushed from his elbow, pushing his fist forward and sending the yeti rolling back. The yeti gasped, opening his teary eyes to look up, only to see Arad flying toward him with a burning fist. CRACK! Bigfoot jumped at Arad, swinging a forward kick. Arad lifted his left arm and blocked the kick, barely managing not to get blown away. Bigfoot smiled, grabbing Arad''s arm with his foot. He then stood on his hands and swung Arad into the air. Arad smiled, swinging his quarterstaff down at Bigfoot''s crotch and smashing it. Bigfoot cried, his toes opening and letting go of Arad''s arm. But, since he already picked up momentum, Arad flew toward the demonic baboons-infested trees. CRACK! Arad caught one of the tree branches with his hand, looking around to see tens of six armed chimps and monkeys pouncing at him. SWOSH! He spun his quarterstaff, smacking two chimps down, and grabbed the third by the neck, swinging him at the others. At that moment, the monkeys tried snatching Merlin from his back, but they were met with a fire sting from his foot. They can''t reach her as long as Arad is alert. The baboons were smart enough to understand it. Arad isn''t just protecting Merlin on his back. He''s actively using her as a bait. Those who try to grab her are exposing themselves, and he''s taking that chance to kill them. "OOO! OOOO!" A baboon growled, signaling to the rest that going after Merlin was a trap. Kill Arad first, then deal with herter. Two chimps lunged at Arad from both sides, aiming to grab his arms and snatch the quarterstaff. BAM! Arad jumped into the sky, using jets of fire from his feet to burn the trees. The yeti had already recovered. He stood and picked arge stone, throwing it at Arad. Arad''s barely dodged the stone, "OOOO!" He growled at the yeti, mocking his aim. Those weren''t words, not something that could be understood, but the yeti got it. That mocking grin on Arad''s face. That high-pitched growl infuriated him. BAM! Arad unleashed a massive burst of fire from beneath his feet, propelling himself toward the yeti at an incredible speed. CRACK! Bigfoot jumped back into the fight, blocking Arad''s drop quarterstaff m with a kick. The ruler of thebyrinth had informed them about the massive ck-haired human. Out of the three intruders, he''s the biggest problem. Even with all of his powers sealed, he still can''t be stopped. SWOSH! Arad spun in ce, giving Bigfoot a [Fire Kick] to the crotch once again. The monster cried, rolling back in the snow in agony. ROAR! The yeti rushed in, swinging his fist at Arad''s face. VAM! Arad dodged the strike, punching him in the guts [Fire Fist] BAM! The yeti flew back, and Arad rushed after him, dodging the barrage of stones thrown by the demon baboons. The moment the yeti looked up, Arad smacked him in the face with the quarterstaff, spinning for a second and a third hit on his torso. Enraged and in pain, the yeti iled his arms, pushing Arad''s quarterstaff away and rushing with his jaw open. His arms and fists aren''t his only weapon. Like everyone else, his massive jaw gave him a powerful bite. Arad swung his fist, smacking the yeti''s jaw with his backhand before he could bite him. He then quickly went in for a bite of his own, ripping the monster''s nose. The baboons in the trees went silent as the yeti stood there, shocked as blood dripped across his lips and teeth, dripping on the white snow. Arad opened his jaw, spitting the yeti''s nose on the snow as he red at them. They could feel it. Bigfoot stared back, shocked. Arad might look human, but the thing standing there, ring back at them, wasn''t a human. Some of the baboons turned away to run as Arad took one step toward the yeti. They can see it in his eyes, an apex predator ring back at them with hunger and bloodthirst swirling in his soul. That''s a dragon, not a human. BLUGH! Merlin extended her head to the side, puking, "Arad, slow down a bit," Arad stopped, looking back at her, "Are you all right?" "I rode over a thousand horses, and you''re nine hundred and ny of them," She mumbled, "You''re shaking my organs as if I''m a wine bottle at a party," N?v(el)B\\jnn "Sorry," Arad sighed, "But you have to deal with it," He cracked his fist on the quarterstaff, "Those apes seem to have misunderstood something," He red at them. "I''m not relying on her n," He pointed at Merlin, "You''re my prey, not hers," "Wait a moment," Merlin gasped, her neck jolting back as Arad burst forth at Bigfoot, blitzing him with a burning kick to the face. Bigfoot rolled on the ground, bouncing off a tree only for Arad to give him a second kick to the face. ROAR! The yeti emerged from the snow, his roar distorted due to his severed nose. He swung his arm at Arad''s head. "Your attacks are simple and easy to predict. After facing Alcott, Nina, and countless monsters that think, the likes of you would never hit me." Arad wiggled, bending his torso and dodging the strike. Merlin gasped as the yeti''s arm barely missed her. Using that momentum, Arad swung his quarterstaff at the yeti''s legs, tripping him down, and before he could hit the ground, Arad''s fist burst with mes as he punched him in the face, sending him flying between the trees. CRACKLE! CRACKLE! The trees started shaking, and Arad sighed, "It''s about time. Those apes were slowly getting on my nerves." Tens of yeti emerged from between the trees as a deep voice growled behind them, "Then I will give you more of them," A massive yeti standing at almost five feet tall red at Arad from the snow. "An Abominable Yeti?!" Merlin gasped, "That wasn''t the only one?" "That one with the big feet is the leader of the demon apes. Thisrge one leads the yeti, and he should be the one guarding the stairs." The Abominable Yeti lifted his hand and dropped it down, "Kill him!" He shouted, and all the yeti''s lunged forward. "With those numbers," Arad smiled, "There is bound to be an idiot who pulls his ws. Make sure to catch him before you get hit," Fire ignited in his fists. Chapter 575 Learning To Strike

Chapter 575 Learning To Strike

SWOSH! Arad dodged the yetis''s attacks, jumping into the sky and pointing his hand down. [me thrower] The yetis backed away and lifted boulders. A split secondter, Arad got smacked in the face and chest with the countless barrage of thrown stones. He can dodge one or two, but not tens of them. Thud! Arad fell on the snow and stood immediately, seeing the yetis lunging at him all at once. He blocked several fists and smacked a yeti to the trees with the quarterstaff. CRACK! A yeti caught Arad''s quarterstaff and punched him in the face. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The other yetis took the chance to start swinging down. The countless apes managed to take Arad out of his rhythm. "That''s it," The Abominable Yeti smiled, "Pile the hits, don''t give a chance to fight back. He''s stronger than you individually, but numbers always win." "OOOOOOO!" A yeti growled, swinging his ws on Arad''s neck as he saw him falling. "You fool!" The Abominable Yeti screamed, trying to throw a stone to kill the idiot before it all fell apart, but he waste. Merlin extended her hand from Arad''s back with an empty re on her face, the beast''s ws barely grazing her skin. A yeti''s ws are naturally enchanted with ice magic to freeze whatever they scratch. It''s not something they can disable just like how humans can''t disable the keratin in their nails. But it''s still magic, and one that should belong to Merlin. CRACKLE! The yeti''s arm got ripped apart alongside his left eye as a bolt of lightning shed in the middle of the battlefield. Everyone stopped moving and looked at Arad. Merlin was nowhere to be seen. "Give me this," One of the yetis in the back felt two small hands opening his right palm with an incredible amount of force, grasping his ws. He quickly turned, swinging his fist only to find his other arm missing. The Abominable yeti gasped, "Where did she go?" His eyes panned through the trees. CRACK! For a split second, he only saw a glimpse of Merlin''s face before he got punched across the whole forest. TAP! TAP! TAP! As the Abominable Yeti''s body crushed trees on his way, Merlin ran after him at a blinding speed, her whole body covered with glowing white tattoos crackling with magic akin to lightning. Those tattoos are the markings left by her magic, the channels that support her body, muscles, and bones to increase their power. Like a superpowered exoskeleton made of magic, but it had a time limit as to what little mana she got from the yetis'' ws. It wouldn''tst for long. CRACK! Merlin ran past the flying Abominable Yeti and kicked him in the face, sending him rolling in another direction. **** Back, the yetis kept pummeling Arad down as Bigfoot barely managed to stand, his knees shaking and his face paler than it was ever before. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! Punches, kicks, stones, the apes dropped everything they could on Arad, sending him flying between them like a ball. Bigfoot took a stance, ready to get a revenge kick in, aiming at Arad''s crotch. But then, Arad opened his mouth, lifting his hands up. CLAP! He pped in the air, lowering his touching palm down to his chest. Merlin isn''t on his back. So she would be fine. [Fire Expansion: st Furnace] CRACKLE! A spark of fire ignited from Arad''s back, exploding into a ten-meter radius fireball. The yetis screamed as their fur caught on mes, and Bigfoot took a step back. The fireball didn''t seem to disappear. It remained there, centered around Arad. "She''s finally off my back," Arad took a step forward, and the expansion moved with him, "I can burn everything now," He lifted his quarterstaff from the ground. Bigfoot and the yetis thought that Arad was using Merlin on his back as an advantage to kill everyone who ignored him and attacked her, or a shield to protect himself from their freezing ws. But they were wrong. She was in fact holding him back, he couldn''t unleash powerful mes as they would burn her as well, and he also couldn''t elerate massively so he wouldn''t kill her. The fire expansion suddenly disappeared after burning tens of the yetis. Bigfoot stared around, searching for Arad in the midst of blinding vapor filling the air. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thud! Arad appeared behind Bigfoot, bent a bit while taking a deep breath, swinging his open palm. For a kicker like Bigfoot, its main weapon was his weakness. The powerful kicks of his legs are powered by a single pair ofrge and powerful muscles. And in apes, that was the only ce devoid of protective fur. SLAP! Arad pped Bigfoot on the but, ripping his skin and muscles apart. Bigfoot screamed his life out as his legs gave up with the muscles torn apart. Arad spun in ce, unleashing an uppercut that hit the falling Bigfoot''s side on the left kidney, going beneath his ribs, pushing on the stomach, lung, and heart which were slightly on the left side. With fire gushing down from Arad''s elbow, Bigfoot got sted upward into the treetops. Arad never bothered protecting his organs as the void did that for him, but now that he was bound to a human body and got hit several times, he started to notice how much he hated getting hit in certain ces. The crotch, kidneys, liver, guts, and chest, all of them hurt like hell, so why doesn''t he aim for them in fights? **** The Abominable Yeti smacked on a wall legs first, lunging right back toward Merlin with a loud roar, "You must die!" swinging a punch at her. Merlin clenched her fist, blocking the Abominable Yeti''s punch with one of her own. He punched again, and she punched his fist immediately. "What happened to the monsters looking like me?" She smiled, "At least then they were ugly-cute. Now you''re just a deformed ugly mess," "She warned us about you," The Abominable Yeti roared, "We shouldn''t let you get magic," He smiled, "And if we did, at least it shouldn''t be clean," BLUGH! Blood gushed out of Merlin''s nose, ^The pressure leaked into my body. The mana wasn''t stable.^ She smiled, ^I expected two minutes and a half. But with this, I barely had one minute.^ "To think your ape brains actually rigged your mana," She shouted with a crazed smile. "I wonder what your hide would look like as a carpet in my living room," She started getting mad. Chapter 576 The Vengeful Wizard

Chapter 576 The Vengeful Wizard

CRACKLE! Merlin shed forward, swinging her fist at the Abominable Yeti''s face, cracking his lower jaw. "One minute is more than enough to destroy this wholebyrinth," She Grabbed him by the head. "You won''t! It''s here that you die!" He roared, trying to grab her. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Merlin swung her empty hand, skimping across his ws in the blink of an eye and absorbing all the magic they had. She then kicked him in the guts, "Come, I will take you on a trip all the way to that bitch at the top," CLAP! With a thunderp and the Abominable Yeti in her hand, Merlin shed across theyer, heading toward Arad and the other Yetis. **** Arad was fighting the other yetis, lunging from one to another, smacking them left and right as he protected himself with fire. But then suddenly, a lightning bolt shed around him, ripping all the yeti''s palms off before he could even notice. "What?" He gasped, but then Merlinnded beside him, the Abominable Yeti foaming in her hand as the countless palms fell with the air filled with the apes'' screams. Merlin looked at Arad, smiling. "Arad, you can rest now. It''s now my responsibility to deal with thisbyrinth." "Wait, what are you talking about?" Arad gasped. Just like Alcott and Nina, Merlin is an S-rank wizard. Out of the three. It''s her power that''s extremely hard to grasp. Alcott is known as the one dragons fear and respect. Nina is both an unstoppable force and an unbreakable wall. Yet, Merlin was left with nothing more than the title of an archmage. ^You can alwayse back if you want. The tower is always open for you.^ Arad remembered that halfling''s words. ^What could Merlin have so they want her back?^ [Enchant: Unbreakable Body] Merlin smiled, and the Abominable Yeti''s body turned into a metallic hue. "Enjoy the pain, ape." She stared down at him, "This spell makes you undestructive for a day by turning your skin into an enchanted Metal. You can''t even move, and your skin is technically all peeled at the moment the spell is cast." She giggled, "I''m sure you want to scream, but I only need your hide for my living room." She swung her arm, throwing him up. [Enchant: Burst] Arge red circle appeared on the ape''s stomach, charging as it sucked half of Merlin''s mana. "Now, be my shovel," A massive jet of me emerged from the circle, sting the Abominable Yeti at theyer''s ceiling. "Arad, go bring Amber. We''re retrieving your power and leaving," She said with a smile as the Abominable Yeti burst through theyers, reaching the tenthyer and leaving a massive hole after him, from which a flood of water and dried Lava fell. "Working on it!" Arad rushed toward the stairs with a burst of fire to retrieve Amber. Merlin looked up with a smile on her face, "I can feel it from here. The tenthyer is oozing with Mana. You bitch don''t want me reaching you, but remember my words. I''m going to feed you to pigs." From the hole. All the way from the tenthyer two red eyes red down at Merlin. "She broke through," The woman there sighed, "For fuck''s sake, I can''t even decide who''s the biggest problem. The dragon, who''s still unstoppable even after losing all of his power, the fire elemental sorceress who acts like a tactical weapon of mass destruction, or the mad wizard of the tower, Merlin the Enchantress." **** "Merlin, what''s going on?" Amber shouted as Arad reached Merlin with her on his back. "Got enough mana to st a hole directly to the tenthyer," Merlin looked at them, "I do have some left, so we''re going up," "You sure? We don''t know what awaits us up there," "What awaits us is a woman that''s a part subus, a part red dragon, a part devil, a part djinn, and a part demon." Merlin looked up, "I could feel her mana from here," "Just one of those is a problem," Arad said, "We sure can''t beat her as we are now," "She shouldn''t be a problem," Merlin looked up, "I have some mana left. The moment we get there, I will snatch Arad''s power back and take as much as I can from mine, then we gang up on her and invert her organs inside out." "That''s risky," Amber stared at her. Arad looked back at Amber''s severed arm, "You know what?" He smiled, "Is she edible?" "You can have her," Merlin smiled, "You sure need food," "What?" Amber stared at him. "Monster who establish themselves as rulers on mynd gets a quick pass onto my dinner," He growled, his eyes glowing with a red re. "I knew I could count on you," She approached him. Arad shifted Amber into his arms as Merlin climbed on his back, "Mc seems to have exited thebyrinth," [Barrier] A crystal ball appeared around his body. The magic pushed the snow away and filled it with warm air, "Hang on well, It''s going be a rough ride," mes started gushing out from beneath his feet. BAM! Arad sted into the sky, melting the snow off arge chunk of the devastated forest. Like a bolt, he flew toward the hole Merlin made and flew through it directly into the sixthyer. A dried ocean with fish still suffocating on the empty seabed. Thisyer was filled with seawater, and it all drained. Going through it would have been almost impossible. Merlin pointed with a grin on her face, "It''s my aboleth, look there." Arad looked, seeing what looked like the unholy child of a whale and a squid with one massive eye where his nose should be. "It''s already dying," Arad looked up as he flew directly to the seventhyer, feeling the scorching heat gush at them. A volcanicyer of moltenva and red-hot stones. "The stairs!" Amber pointed. The stairs had their door open withva already getting inside. "If theva got inside, that means it must have dried upon contacting the sixthyer of water. Those stairs should be clogged with solid stone for at least several meters. If not tens," "I''m a good digger, but not in this form," Arad replied as he flew straight into the eighthyer. The moment they got out, a sickening sweet smell filled the air as they looked around, and there were hundreds of naked women written on the ground. Some of them were killed by the Abominable Yeti that Merlin threw. "What in the hell?" Amber cried. "A subusyer," Merlin closed her and Arad''s nose, "Don''t breathe the air Amber," She looked at her, "It''s filled with the evaporated subus sweat. This is a potent aphrodisiac," Merlin was a bitter. Amber was already sucking on Arad''s nipples as if her life depends on it. "We''re getting out," Arad said as they left the eightyer and entered the ninth. CLANG! Countless des flew at them out of the darkness, crashing on and bouncing off Arad''s barrier. "I can''t see a thing," Merlin grunted. HAA! Amber screamed, "Why I''m doing this!" She cried with a red face. "Hold on, I can see the light of the tenthyer," He said, looking down at Amber, "And I don''t mind you doing it. No need for you to worry," "It''s not about that!" Amber covered her face with her single palm. Chapter 577 Final Flash.

Chapter 577 Final sh.

Thud! Aradnded on the tenthyer, seeing an empty wastnd spanning as far as the eyes could see. "This looks like a rock desert," Merlin said, looking at the brownish stone formation, mountains, and bright sun in the sky. But strangely, it didn''t feel hot. "I don''t see any monsters around here," Arad said, looking around them with a worried stare. "There aren''t any monsters in thisyer," A woman''s voice came from atop a mountain, and they looked up, seeing a ck-haired Merlin with glowing white eyes staring down at them. "So you''re the one behind all of this," Arad smiled. "I was a mere subus imprisoned by her." She replied, "You can call me Ann, that what I was called before getting caught," "Caught?" Merlin giggled, "You can''tin after sucking over a thousand men to death, subus of Avalors." "It''s how we eat. The cows don''t me you for drinking their milk," She slowly lifted her hand, "With thebyrinth, I mana to suck all of your power and make it mine. After I''m done with you two, I''m going for a well-deserved meal," She giggled, "Let''s start by draining Alina first," "Merlin, don''t waste time," Amber growled, "Get your power, now," "I know," Merlin replied, slowly lifting her hand. BAM! Ann fired a massive fireball at them, and Merlin easily deflected it, absorbing the mana in the process. "Magic doesn''t work. You''re only empowering me." Merlin said, "And I''m already capable of stabilizing the twisted mana you tried to poison me with." "I bet there is a limit to how much you can clean at once," Ann smiled, firing a second fireball at them. Arad blinked, sensing Doma''s presence in theyer. Now that they are on the sameyer, she''s trying to pull herself back into his body with all of his power. "Where are you!" Arad shouted, looking around, "I''m here!" He screamed. "Find her," Merlin lifted her hand to block the fireball. ^It works for us if Doma is looking for Arad. I''ll deflect this fireball and charge my mana then search for curses,^ CRACK! As Merlin blocked the fireball, something solid came out of it. It sted right through her and Arad. Arad puked blood, looking down to see a head-sized hole in his chest and Merlin missing a chunk of her right side. Whatever it was, it had blown right through his barrier as well. "Do you take me for a fool?" Ann looked at them with a bored face, "Why won''t I mix something nonmagical in there?" She pointed back at a sharp stone. "I''ve been elerating it for a while just to make a magicless weapon to take you down with, Merlin." Merlin''s vision went dark. The stone took a chunk of her stomach, her right kidney, intestines, and liver. Her body instantly started to shut down. She isn''t a pdin or a cleric. She doesn''t have the healing to keep up with such wounds. Thud! Arad fell on his face. Now that he''s missing a chunk of his spine, his legs stopped moving. "Damn it!" Amber screamed, lunging forward and creating a firewall. She immediately reached into her pocket, "Forget about powers. Cultivate them once again," She pulled a small red crystal and threw it between Arad and Merlin. "Wait, what are you..." Arad growled, his vision blurring. "You got to S-rank in a few months. I''m sure you can do it again," As she smiled, a massive burst of fire shattered her firewall. DING! The crystal cracked, and both Merlin and Arad were transported outside thebyrinth, allegedly without their powers. Thest thing Arad could remember was lying in the snow in Alina''s street, looking at Merlin''s bleeding in front of him as he quickly lost consciousness from the rapid blood loss. **** Ann looked at Amber, "You could''ve sent them out all this time? Why didn''t you do it before?" "Their powers are important, unlike me. The world needs them," Amber smiled, "I wanted to give it a try if we could retrieve them," "And you failed," Ann giggled, "Now you''re left here to die," "I''m not debating that. I''m so dead now, but..." She gasped. "Laugh as much as you like, abomination," She took her hat off, "You might have their powers now. They can''t kill you." Her eyes turned orange, "But that means nothing to me," CRACK! Her skin cracked, setting her robe aze, "If I''m dying anyway, I might as well do it," "You''re about to..." Ann stared at her. "I hail from the Burnhilds, a long line of clergy in service of the goddess of fire, ruling over the elemental ne of fire," Amber shouted, and her blond hair turned bright right as it ignited. The ground around her started melting as a burst of me engulfed her. BAM! A massive explosion shattered the ce, and Ann barely dodged. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Did she just blow herself off?" She looked around, but her eyes opened wide. The massive explosion still persisted, flying across the sky at a supersonic speed akin to a massive fireball. "Taste the power of our goddess, Zaleria," Amber shouted. **** In the elemental ne of fire, the goddess sighed, "How faithless can you be to mistake my daughter for me? Well, her power should be more than enough so take it," She smiled. **** "The cataclysmic re that blinded the sun, and terrified the gods." Even though the tenthyer looked almost limitless from the inside, Amber flew so fast that she started orbiting at its edges, elerating beyond belief into her mes encircting the outer edges. "I shall burn everything away, and be the spark that once ended the world!" Amber shifted her direction, flying directly toward Ann who formed a massive barrier with all of the magic she could use from Merlin''s power. "Zaleria''s! Final sh!" Coming like a raging meteor, Amber smacked herself into the wall, sending a horrid st of pure heat, igniting the wholeyer at once in a ze of purgatory. The st instantly filled the wholeyer, shaking the wholebyrinth seeping through the hole, and burning everything down to the firstyer. The sound alone was so loud that it escaped thebyrinth, shattering half of Alina''s houses and getting heard from miles away as a crimson re illuminated the top of thebyrinth like a light bulb and turning the night into a bright day. Chapter 578 Retrieved and Unleashed

Chapter 578 Retrieved and Unleashed

CLING! A ck ss orb fell from the top of thebyrinth, hitting the roof of a home. "Hurry! They are bleeding to death," A cleric shouted, pulling arge potion and pouring it on Merlin, "The situation is bad! Hurry!" Two nuns rushed in as fast they could, drawing a cart behind them. "Who should we take?" "Take Merlin, she''s in a much worse condition," He turned and rushed toward Arad, "Come on, you''re a big man, stay with us," He started healing him. ^Damn it. He has no pulse,^ The cleric growled. ^Spare the dead might save him.^ He lifted his hands, and they crackled with a blue spart. ^I heard you''re a tough one. Come on, don''t die from just your this.^ DING! DING! The cleric stopped, looking back as he heard something. His eyesid upon the ck orb, seeing it rolling toward them. He started sweating, feeling the horrid curses boiling inside the unholy object. "What''s this now?" He cried, standing and rushing toward the orb with a kick, "To the hells with you!" SWOSH! He missed the ball by a hair strand. Was it bad luck, his fear, or hesitation? He didn''t know. The orb rolled and touched Arad''s arm, melting into his body. BA-dump! A loud beat came out of Arad''s chest, sounding like a war drum banged by a great mace. With it, blood sshed from his wound. The cleric watched in horror as Arad''s veins started moving like worms, closing his wounds as his spine grew back and his organs extended into their ce. BA-dump! BA-dump! With Arad''s heart beating two more times, the power of it alone shook the ground, reverberating across the city. The cleric started backing away, his eyes fixated on Arad''s throbbing chest. Nothing there sounded like a human but like those of giant monsters. Little did he know. That was a giant monster waking up. ck tattoos covered Arad''s body for a moment with two pairs of eyes appearing on his scalp, spazzing and ring around with malice. The moment the cleric blinked, all those disappeared, and Arad looked like he was before, but without the wound on his torso. "It healed?" The cleric gasped but immediately closed his mouth as he saw Arad''s arms twitch, his eyes opening up. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! The cleric''s head throbbed in pain, countless clicks crackling in his skull, dropping him to his knees. He couldn''t understand any but learned one thing. It''sing from Arad, and he''s pissed. He fell on his butt, holding his head and squinting. Soon, he reopened his eyes, but Arad wasn''t there. "Sir..." He turned around, seeing Arad standing at thebyrinth''s side, lifting his hand to touch it. "Don''t! You''ll get rejected!" He cried. TAP! Arad touched thebyrinth, and a golden lightning burst jumped from its wall to his arm, trying to throw him back. Arad stood there, touching the wall without a care as he tanked the rejection. "You''ll die again!" The cleric screamed. Arad lifted his second arm, grabbing the wall with both hands. "Give them back," Arad growled, his voice far deeper than it was before, crackling like twisting steel. CRACK! The ground around him cracked, and the cleric stared forward with a dumbfounded face, his teeth shaking, "Impossible," "RIGHT NOW!" Arad screamed, his roar echoing across the whole city, loud enough that it burst the cleric''s eardrums. Tens of purple magic circles appeared around Arad''s body and circted the wholebyrinth. CRACKLE! Thebyrinth tilted a bit as Arad the building around Arad started to crack. The cleric shat himself, seeing thebyrinth move, pulled out of it''s roots. The people of the city cried, pointing at thebyrinth with fear, "What''s this loud roar?" "Monster must''ve escaped thebyrinth. We''re doomed!" A man cried. Arad swung his arms, "GET OUT!" He shouted, throwing the wholebyrinth into the sky assisted with gravity magic and some curses from Doma. The people of the city gasped, seeing the wholebyrinth fly and crash between the mountains. "What was that? Can it fly now?" A woman cried. Ae who was there looked up, "No, that''s Arad," She mumbled, "He''s angry," Arad immediately teleported from the city to where thebyrinthnded. "Shall you wish," A flower grew behind him, "I would mp the mountains on it," Loci said, looking at Arad and thebyrinth. She would have already done that if thebyrinth wasn''t located in the middle of the city. "Leave it, it''s mine," Arad growled, transforming into his draconic form. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thud! Thud! Arad approached thebyrinth, growling. **** BAH! Ann gasped. Half of her body burned to a crisp as she barely managed to escape with her life. "That sorceress," She growled, "To think she would do that," Despite how it looked, what Amber did was extremely simple. With her bloodline, she managed to create a spark hot enough to dissolve and ignite water in the air. The spark generates heat to start the reaction. It dissolves water into hydrogen and oxygen. Those two elements burn and explode, releasing heat and merging back into the water, which gets dissolved once again with the generated heat, creating an endless cycle of explosions. Ann could feel her body shaking. The explosion only stopped because she used her authority on the maze, erasing all the water inside. "I don''t care. I''m going to eat her soul." Ann stood, walking around the burned wastnds, "Wait, I can''t feel it," She gasped, only now noticing that Arad''s power was nowhere inside thebyrinth. Doma being the menace she is, managed to slip out through a crack created by Amber''s st. "At least..." She looked where the st started, "Where is it, that sorceress''s soul? It shouldn''t have gone far," Souls that die in abyrinth are absorbed by it for energy. It''s how the ce feeds. "Where is it?" Ann extended her magic around, searching for Amber''s soul, "It should be here somewhere. Her magic is powerful, it would be..." She mumbled, but then the wholebyrinth shook. "RIGHT NOW!" A loud voice boomed across thebyrinth. Chapter 579 How To Crack It Open

Chapter 579 How To Crack It Open

"What?" Ann gasped, looking up, and the ground suddenly flipped upside down as Arad threw thebyrinth into the sky. [Fly] She started flying around and looked at the sky, "That dragon, how did he move this?" She growled, "It must be his gravity magic, using it to make thebyrinth lighter," CRACK! Thebyrinth fell to the ground, and the ground around Ann cracked with the mountains tumbling down. AAAAAAAAAA! CRACK! AAAAAAAA CRACK! She could hear Arad''s roarsing from outside, sounding like a stretched screech of arge demon sheep. CLAP! Ann put her hands together, "It''s only a matter of time before he breaks in." Before her, armies of soldiers emerged, "Get ready to fight the dragon," They stared at her, "Can we win?" One of the humanoid monsters asked with a puzzled face. "Don''t know," Ann replied, "We''re like a chicken stuck in a barrel, and he''s one hungryrge bear. It''s only a matter of time before he breaches in." CRACKLE! The wholebyrinth shook as Arad kept swinging his ws at it from the outside, slowly using his void to shave the magic barrier protecting it. One swing after another, he quickly started getting impatient. It felt like trying to crack arge plywood wall. What would a man do, run back and ram it with his shoulder? Arad extended his wings, flying into the sky. He quickly reached the clouds, flying over them until he could see the whole world. What''s the dragon''s version of ramming? Flipping mid-air, he took a nose dive, going straight down. mes crackled around his body. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om BAM! Arad covered his body with a thin barrier magic, aiming at thebyrinth''s base. BOOM! Crashing head first, the ground around them exploded, sending a massive dust cloud into the sky. Upon taking the impact, thebyrinth flew up, and it spun and hit Arad''s head with its tip. Arad backed away, his head spinning as he shook it. The impact of the fall and now thebyrinth hitting him. That hurt a lot. It''s probably best to not hit it like that as it might bounce back once again. **** "It''s silent," Ann looked around as she couldn''t hear Arad banging on the walls anymore. KA-BOOM! The wholebyrinth jerked. Ann saw the ground spins around her body with the stones falling upward and the army scattering like dust into the sky. "The hell is that thing doing?" She looked up. **** Arad shook his head as he approached the maze, sniffing it for cracks. It didn''t take him long to find a small one close to the base. He started scratching it like a cat sharpening its nails but found it annoying that he kept getting jolted with magic each time he touched thebyrinth. ^Thisbyrinth is built with Merlin''s magic. It might be aplicated structure, but it feels simr.^ Arad sat beside thebyrinth and lifted his front arms. Countless magic circles appeared between his ws, spinning as he tried to understand how that thing worked. ^This seems like conjuration magic for the outside, barrier magic for protection, and spatial magic to create the internal demi-n, exining why the insides are farrger than the outside. The rejection magic is a form of force magic, lightning, I can''t know.^ He scratched his head, walking around thebyrinth. ^If a nose dive from far above the clouds didn''t shatter it, I might need something stronger,^ Arad grabbed thebyrinth by the base and made it stand on its top. With one pull of his ws, he anchored it to the ground. ROAR! ROAR! He roared with a white sh emerging inside his stomach, traveling through his torso, chest, neck, and to his head. Arad opened his mount, unleashing a blinding white st of energy at thebyrinth''s base. The beam sshed at the tip, scattering like light through a prism, and exploded everywhere across the mountains. "Arad! That hurts!" Loci growled, staring at him. "I took the impact of your fall, but this just burns," CLACK! Arad closed his jaws on the beam, shaking his head as smoke escaped from between his teeth and a sizzling sound filled the air. GRRR! Arad turned and looked to the ground. "Sorry, Did it hurt?" "Your fall felt like a punch to the guts, and now this isn''t better than getting burned. Try to be a bit more careful," Arad looked at thebyrinth, "I need something powerful but precise." He closed his eyes, thinking about what he could do. The first thing toe to his mind was what he learned about expansions. If he has the mana, he can change their element as they are a simple extension of the caster''s magic. ^Doma, is there a way to break thisbyrinth open?^ He asked. ^[Huh,]^ Doma giggled, ^[No matter the time, the solution was always simple.]^ She opened her eyes, staring at him from the darkness. ^[If violence doesn''t work, use additional violence. The question is what can you do, and the answer always is violence.]^ ^What''s that supposed to mean?^ Arad sighed. ^[Violence is everything. If you want to build a house, you cut trees with violence. You want to eat. It''s violence. You want to live and survive. It''s always violence.]^ Doma stood, extending her hand. ^It''s the curse of survival. A species'' life depends on the death of others. What you need now is violence, a lot of it concentrated in a small area.]^ Arad smiled, "I see what you mean," he lifted his left w up, conjuring a spear-shaped barrier around it. He then engulfed it with his void to make sure it could dissolve the rejection magic protecting thebyrinth. ^Now make it spin. You have all your weight concentrated in a small point, and now you only need movement there.^ Mom added, ^And don''t forget to aim at the crack.^ Arad took a deep breath, "And I''m increasing my weight with gravity magic. I only need a hole enough for a rat to crawl through," Chapter 580 Unstoppable Dragon

Chapter 580 Unstoppable Dragon

CRACK! The walls of thebyrinth resisted, their magic jolting back, crackling like lightning as it pushed Arad back. Arad smiled, "Crack open! I only need one tiny crack." The void coursing from his body to the barrier drill pulled matter out of thebyrinth''s walls with the mana alongside them, quickly draining the walls of energy to resist. Even though Ann had all of Merlin''s magic and mana. she didn''t seem to be able to unleash it at a powerful enough stream to sustain thebyrinth while fending Arad''s magic. It barely got there. A small opening appeared. From the cracks, a ck rat poked his head into thebyrinth. The moment its front footnded inside, the whole ce pulsed. "He got inside! Stop him at all costs!" Ann shouted at the top of her lungs. **** At the firstyer, the deformed Merlin''s monsters stood, staring at the tiny ck rat that entered in horror. It looked so small. So tiny and harmless, yet they knew it. That thing was anything but harmless. The rat''s body started expanding and shifting. It grew wings and a massive tail. Sharp scales emerged from its skin as it burned with a dark purplish magic. "DIE!" One of the monsters jumped. Arad opened his jaw, biting the monster whole. As the rest stared, he gave her a chop and swallowed her. "The void consumes," Arad growled, opening his jaw. The voice inside his stomach started violently pulling air in like a vacuum, sucking everything around him. The monsters held onto the stones, trees, and ground for dear life, but it didn''t matter what it was. Anything that got close to Arad''s jaw got eaten. BAM! The stair guardian, the giant Arad golem rushed toward Arad with a swing. Arad turned around, smacking him with his tail, shattering him with ease. He then extended his wings and flew up, digging his way to the secondyer where he swam through the mud. "You''re back!" The octopus queen rushed at him. "Sorry, but it''s our job to stop you. We were resurrected just for that," Arad opened his jaw and turned toward her. Everything around her went ck as a shockwave crushed her boneless body into a mush. Arad''s void breath erased her alongside the other octopuses around in a single hit. FLAP! FLAP! Arad didn''t even bother to slow down, smacking directly into the ceiling and digging his way to the thirdyer. Thud! At that moment, he felt a hand grab him by the tail. As he looked back, he saw arge muscr man looking like him, but this one had fish skin and a long ck beard. "What are you?" Arad asked, snatching his tail from the man''s hand. The man pointed his trident at Arad, throwing it with a st of lightning. "Yeah, I remember," Arad smiled, biting the trident off. "That devil killed the stair''s guardian before we reached him. That was you, wasn''t it?" Sparks emerged from between Arad''s teeth, "This is how you use lightning," CLAP! A massive bolt of lightning charred the boss in an instant, and Arad kept moving. Now that he regained his powers, most monsters here felt so weak he could barely tell them apart. The fake Alina city started shaking, the ground beneath it cracking as Arad approached. The fake Merlin and the city lord rushed out, "Set a barricade, will stop him here." The lord growled. "You must be dreaming," The fake Merlin replied, "We could barely stop him as a mere human. We have no chance now that he got his power back," "A dragon or a human, they are the same," The city lord growled, "You won''t know until you try," CRACK! Arad emerged from the ground, and the lord pointed at him with his sword, "Fire!" All the soldier shoot their arrows, cannons, and balisata in an attempt to stop Arad in his tracks. Everything just bounced off Arad''s scales like droplets of water on a tile roof. A dragon''s scales can''t be pierced with mundane, magicless weapons. BAM! In the blink of an eye, Arad disappeared, and a line got cut in the middle of the city. The soldiers got sted as debris rained from the sky like hair. "What happened?" The city lord growled, looking around with a shocked face. "He ran," The fake Merlin replied, "He ran through the city, nothing more." She looked back at Arad, "Even at that size he''s faster than what the eye can follow." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Such a thing can''t be," "Look," She pointed, "Such mass moving at that speed, we won''t even..." Aradnded on the other of side of the city, and no one remained alive there. Even the fake Merlin failed to notice something before dying. Arad wasn''t just running across the city. That would be pointless. He was just running around, eating everyone in his way. They died thinking they got rammed, but in fact, they were chewed. Arad immediately flew up to the desertyer, emerging from the sand like a hungry scorpion looking for foot. He stared around. Amber lost her arm to kill that massive worm. He could see the boss. "Why are you still alive?" Arad growled. Countless small worms bit Arad''s limbs and wings to pin him down as the boss rushed forward, opening its massive jaw to bite. Thud! Arad took one step forward, the worms holding him down and ripping apart as they couldn''t tie him. Arad''s scales turned red, fire crackling, "You should be burned to death. Are you telling me losing her arm wasn''t enough to put you down forever?" Arad opened his jaw, biting the boss''s jaw and swinging him around like a rope, only using his neck muscles. His scales crackled with fire as he unleashed a powerful breath. The boss''s body shed red from the inside, inting like a balloon before exploding in a burst of fire and blood. ^Monster that terrorizes humans,^ Arad thoughts, remembering how he ran with Merlin and Amber on his back. "To them, to us, at that time, you were a monster, an apex predator of the desert." Arad looked at the blood, "But now, I''m the monster to you, worm." Arad extended his wings, taking into the sky, "I shall never forget. The weakness and fragility of humans. And the terror we monsters hold," He looked up, flying toward the nextyer. "So one day I won''t end up like you," Arad started digging his way to the next floor. "I shall keep my own power in check," Chapter 581 Pride, Respect, and Love?

Chapter 581 Pride, Respect, and Love?

BAM! Arad burst into the fifthyer. His maw opened wide as he unleashed a st of crimson mes, burning arge chunk of the snowy jungle and setting the rest aze. The demon baboons, apes, the yetis, and bigfoot ran away as fast as they could, but the fire quickly caught up to them, burning the whole ce. Going into the nextyer, Arad quickly realized what happened. The hole Merlin drilled had already closed. This means this ce can regenerate and reset with time, or that Ann reset it to stop him. ^Whatever it be, she doesn''t seem to be able to do it all the time.^ Arad smiles, "She''s struggling to survive, good." SPLAT! Arad broke through into the endless oceans of the sixthyer, immediately getting entangled by tentacles. "Merlin called you an aboleth, didn''t she?" He looked back, seeing the squid whale opening its beak, trying to bite into his scales. ''^Dragons are excellent swimmers, but unless you''re a cyan dragon. You won''t beat me here. Time to drown and bleed to death,^'' Arad could hear a voice resonating inside his head. This creature speaks telepathically. ^Hoo, you can speak like this. It''s rare.^ Void dragons are usually psionic creatures that talk with telepathy, as sound doesn''t travel in the void. CLANG! The aboleth''s beak bounced off Arad''s scales without even scratching them. ^This is sea water. Right?^ Arad''s tail extended with the spikes running down his back erecting. ^Time to make some fish soup,^ CRACKLE! Lightning sparked between his spines, shocking the sea in the blink of an eye. The fishes and small monsters of the sea jolted, falling dead one after another, yet the aboleth didn''t let go. ''^I too can do it,^'' The aboleth''s body sparked as well, sending a powerful jolt directly into Arad''s body. ^I got hit with worse,^ Arad smile, opening his jaw and opening a direct path to his stomach, sucking the sea water like a whirlpool. The aboleth growled, grasping onto Arad''s side so he won''t get sucked in. ^How much can you drink, fool?^ But the boss quickly ate his own words as the water level sharply dropped, and Arad didn''t show any signs of stopping. Everything whether it was fish, rock, or corals all getting sucked into his stomach. SPLAT! Arad drank the sea dry, and the aboleth dangled from his side, his head hitting the ground. ''^You monster...^'' Arad looked at the aboleth with a grin. ^I was once a guest at a gold dragonyer, and she offered me a whole whale. That was great, and so was the fish here.^ He opened his jaw, ^How do you taste, aboleth?^ ''^DAMN! YOU!^'' Arad ate the monster whole and then flew to the nextyer. As Arad burst through into the hotva, he felt a familiar presence there. Thud! He stopped, looking around with a smile on his face. "A husk you have be, red," The first red dragon Arad killed. That young one stared at him with closed eyes, his scales peeling off. "How had death treated you?" The young red dragon stood in ce, necrotic and draconic magic flowing from his bones. A zombie red dragon, still not at the level of a dracolich. CRACK! The red dragon''s jaw opened, "y...old one." Necrotic magic started rampaging from his bones, but he didn''t move. His body started shaking, sparks of fire gushing out of his eyes as his ws dug into the ground. BAM! Arad shed across, cutting the young dragon in half. Burning all of his magic with the void. "Rest with pride. I never seen one speak after death. You''re strong," The red dragon''s body crumbled, "Ven..." He couldn''t finish thest word before falling apart. Arad nodded, "I know," He red up, "Vengeance. I can hear your thoughts," Arad flew up, bursting into the nextyer without wasting any time. "He''s here!" One of the subus shouted, and all of them pointed at Arad. "Great Magic: Arcane Spellbound." They screamed, their seduction magicbining to mindwash the dragon. Arad growled as clouds of sweet pink gas rushed toward him, engulfing his whole body. His mind slowly cleared out, the memories fading into the sensation. As the smoke cleared, the subus celebrated, seeing Arad standing there in his humanoid form. "We got him!" One couldn''t help but jump, "We tamed the dragon, send new to Ann." She flew up to inform thebyrinth''s ruler as the rest approached Arad. "While shees back," They giggled, surrounding Arad. One approached him, wiggling like a worm. "Want to have some fun," She gently stroked his chest. "Yes," Arad replied, lifting his hand. She giggled, "Then let..." SLAP! In the blink of an eye, Arad pped her head across theyer as her body fell down, twitching in her own blood. All the subus gasped, unable to believe their eyes. Arad blinked, looking down at the corpse and then at his hand, "What? I thought you were stronger, what a disappointment," He turned toward the rest with a gentle smile on his face. "Well, doesn''t matter. Look at how many strong ones are here," He opened his arms. "Come! Show me what you have, strong ones." They took a step back. Dragons value strength more than beauty. As each animal has their own mating rituals, dragons have one of the most violent ones. To make sure their race survives as the strongest they inherently seek mates stronger than themselves. The dragon''s marriage is an interesting one. The dragons are usually bigger and stronger than the drakainas and, therefore more attractive in their culture. It''s usually drakainas who propose to the dragons. The proposal is always a challenge. The drakaina walks into the dragon''s territory. The dragon usually awaits to see what she does before treating her like an intruder. She can then do one of two things, approach hisir for a fight. Or settle down, asking him toe for the fight. The fight can end in several ways. The dragon wins and rejects her because she didn''t put up a decent fight. Therefore his offspring with her could be weak. The second one is him acknowledging her strength, but not enough to take her as a mate, or because he has someone stronger in mind. This usually ends with the drakaina asking for a favor, and that is most of the time to be impregnated, which the dragon almost always epts and she leaves after the deed. That usually gives her offspring a chance of inheriting the dragon''s strength, therefore having a better chance for themselves. Another ending is the dragon epting her as a mate. After that, she would move to live in his domain to care for the children together. Albeit the two dragons always keep separate hoards. After the mating, the two couples can be spotted fighting regrly as they try to decide on the dominant one, usually once a year. Another possibility is the dragon losing, which the drakaina would leave disappointed. In some bad cases, if the dragon proved too weak, the drakaina could end up eating him. Arad walked toward the subi. His arms opened up for them. "Come at me!" Their magic worked. Arad is enthralled by them and can only see hundreds of strong-looking drakainas posted around him, asking for it. "I do have low standards," Arad called with a sweet smile, "Only one scratch and you''ll get it. I know my void can be hard to deal with," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "You!" A subus cried, "You have wives, don''t you? Did you fight them to death as well?" Arad nodded with a smile, "I did go for some of them, so they didn''t need to fight me. But some did. Eris fought me and proved herself." "You bastard!" A subus lunged at him, her fingers extending into ws as she swung at Arad''s neck. CLANG! CRACK! Her ws cracked the moment they hit his scales, "That''s more like it," He grabbed her with a hug, "Put more magic into it," SPALT! Squeezing his arms, the subus''s torso exploded, sshing blood everywhere. Arad looked at his arms dripping with blood and guts, a disappointed look on his face. "Another weak one," He looked at them. "Are you faking your strength with magic?" Arad looked at them. ^Fuck, he''s realising it.^ One of the subus growled. ^If he were to wake up, he''d go straight to Ann. We need to keep him busy at all costs,^ She approached Arad with a smile, "Care for a word before we fight?" "What is it?" Arad replied with a smile. "Let''s y a game, it will help us show our strength at their best." She lifted one finger, conjuring an orb of fire. "I see," Arad smiled, "You aren''t physically gifted, but you might have magic or something else," He nodded, "Everything goes, show me, what can you do?" She gulped, "Stand still and let me show you," She pointed her finger at his chest, charging a tiny ball of fire. ^Focuse, you only need to scratch him. If I manage that, I could stall him in bed.^ Chapter 582 Blood Bath

Chapter 582 Blood Bath

"HAAAAAAAAAA!" The subus screamed her lungs out, fire zing from her ws as she swung at Arad''s chest. The fireball in her palm exploded with a magnificent glow, rising to the sky in a pir of fire. She backed away, panting, "Did I get him?" The smoke cleared, and Arad stood there, unscathed, "Too weak," He said, "You make me sad," Lifting his hands, he looked at her crying. "What a disappointment. Get out of mynd." "Heh?" She gasped, but Arad instantly blitzed her with a punch to the face, sending her head flying across theyer. The other stared in shock. Even such a hit couldn''t scratch Arad''s scales. "I said toe at me with all you got," He stared around, taking a stance, "Too much fake ones, too much deception and weakness hidden behind masks of beauty." His eyes burned with a purple me, "You don''t deserve a fair chance. Eris proved herself in a straight fight, and so you should." The subi turned to run, screaming as he lunged at them, ripping and tearing through them like they were nothing. "Fakes, fakes," He said, "How shameless. Don''t assume strength that you don''t have." "Someone! Stop the seduction spell!" A subus screamed as Arad ripped her body in half. "We can''t! We sacrificed control for potency. This spell won''t end!" Another cried. **** Domaughed her guts out inside Arad, tearing up as she stared out at the subus dying one after the other. ^[Fools, what fools. What kind of idiots seduces a dragon before getting its respect? That''s a recipe for disaster.]^ [The tales of bards seducing dragons are a bit misleading. Those always happen after an arduous battle where the bard and his party managed to at least give the dragon some trouble.] "You lots! Back away and leave him to me." A subus shouted, expanding her massive golden wings. The other looked at her, "The queen!" She took a step toward Arad, "I''m the queen of this colony. I won''t allow you to kill more of my children." "A queen?" Arad red at her, tilting his head to the side. "Where are we now?" "My colony," She replied. Arad red at her with a sad, crying face with tears dripping across his cheek, "Deceit wasn''t enough. You now im rulership on mynd. You hurt my feelings," "What?" She gasped, and he disappeared from her vision. CRACK! He appeared in front and smacked her neck with a clothesline, sending her body sipping backward at a blinding speed. She coughed blood as her throat regenerated. She stabilized herself by expanding her wings and stared forward, "You rude bastard, attacking out of nowhere," Arad was nowhere to be seen. Thud! Then, she could feel two arms wrapping around her waist, closing tight. "Wait!" Her body lifted up, and Arad suplexes her to the ground, drilling her head in the dirt. He then took a step back, lifting his right leg backward ready to kick. "Get out of mynd," He mumbled, kicking her in the guts with enough force to send her flying into the distance. With a subus average weight, she felt nothing more than a small ball. Arad then returned to fighting the subus and one minute passed by. He stood alone in the barrennd, his right arm moving on its own to p him in the face. ^[Wake up,]^ Arad blinked twice, "What happened?" He looked around, seeing the massacre. ^[They used a seduction spell on you, it seems they didn''t know they would have to fight you.]^ She giggled. "You could have woken me earlier." ^[Why would I do that? It was fun seeing them terrified and running for their lives. Considering what they intended to do to you, I take that as a suitable punishment.]^ Arad scratched his head, "Mom, what do you say?" [They got what they deserved. Now, hurry up.] "Of course," Arad shifted back into his draconic form and flew up, breaking into thestyer. PEW! The moment he emerged, a steel spear flew toward his eye. ZON! Arad appeared on the ceiling, staring down at Ann with a fire burning in his eyes. "Teleportation? You''re going to be a pain to hunt, won''t you?" Ann smiled, waving her staff and summoning three humanoid golems. A sword and shield warrior, An archer ranger with a massive tigerpanion, andstly a longsword-wielding swordsman. "I want to see what your skin looks like on my mantle," She smiled. ROAR! ROAR! Arad growled, jumping from the ceiling andnding in the middle of theyer, ring at them with fire gushing from his closed jaw and nostrils. [Dragon Bane] Ann pointed her staff at him, summoning a cloud of gas toxic to dragons. This spell weakens their scales, slowly their movements, and dilutes their mind. A debuffmonly used against dragons. And is considered essential to hunt one. Arad growled, pping his wings to blow the gas away. From the cloud, the swordsman ran behind Arad and jumped on his tail, strapping himself there with a climbing kit. Arad turned, trying to bite the swordsman off, but the warrior rushed in with his shield, bashing him in the legs. "Don''t even try," PEW! An arrow flew out of nowhere, piercing Arad''s eyes then exploded with a burst of lightning. His head felt numb as his neck grew weaker. Thud! Thud! The tiger ran toward Arad, leaping for a neck bite. "Give up! Give up!" Annughed, "Those are professional dragon hunters created by your beloved Merlin. They look mundane, but their speed, strength, and durability areparable to s-ranks." She pointed her staff at him, "All of their attacks are toxic to dragons. Merlin had made them to help Alcott after all. They were supposed to do his work of hunting dragons when he needed rest." Arad started pping his wings to fly. The ranger ran around Arad and fired an arrow with a rope attached to it toward Arad''s wing, piercing it and going toward the other wing to get stuck. The ranger then gave his end of the rope to the warrior to run around and tie Arad''s wings together, preventing him from flight. "Those ropes are made from brown dragons'' tanned leather. They are enchanted as well for durability, so you won''t snap them no matter how hard you try," She giggled. Arad felt his draconic power quickly fading again. "Ah, forget something," She smiled, "They seal dragons'' power as well, like those," She pulled a pair of dragon cuffs from her magic pocket. Arad looked down, opening his mouth as wide as he could. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om BLUGH! He started puking a flood of blood, scaring everyone there. "What''s he''s doing?" The warrior jumped back. "My tackle couldn''t have caused this much damage," "Neither my poison," The ranger shouted, "Tigris as well. We would have seen blood if he cut the jugrs, but those are protected in all dragons." "I''m trying to cut his tail. I didn''t do anything," The swordsman replied as he hacked down. "Don''t look at me," Ann shouted, "I don''t have any spell to cause that much damage," The flood of blooding out of Arad''s mouth increased to a horrifying degree. [Vampire Expansion: Blood Lake of the Spawns] Chapter 583 Unleashed Monster

Chapter 583 Unleashed Monster

The dragon hunters jumped away from Arad, "What''s this thing doing? No dragon can puke so much blood!" The ranger screamed. "This isn''t a normal dragon," The warrior replied, "We hack at his scales until it dies, nothing more, nothing less." "Don''t be hasty. Let''s watch first and see what this dragon can do." The swordsman took a stance. "Are you saying we let it transform or whatever?" The ranger growled. Ann shouted at them, "The swordsman is right. Don''t jump in blindly and get killed. Thest thing we are losing one of you to recklessness." "Fighting a dragon is recklessness in its purest forms!" The ranger shouted back. "Unless we take risks, we won''t take it down." "My magic is weakening him. Give it time, and you''ll carve his scales while he''s alive." Ann smiled, looking at Arad, who sat in his ce, puking a flood of crimson blood. [Blood Expansion:...] Everyone froze as they sensed Arad''s draconic magic getting reced by something else. A sinister stench of blood filled the air, the magic of a vampire lord. [...: Blood Lake of the Spawns] SPLAT! Arad''s blood exploded into an endless flood, more of it getting conjured by his draconic bones as his body sucked thebyrinth''s mana to fule himself. Like a disease, every part of thebyrinth that his blood touched got infected, its mana melting into said blood and flowing back to Arad. So he could create more blood. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "The fucker had a second phase!" The ranger screamed, "I knew we should''ve interrupted his transformation!" The entirebyrinth turned ck, with eachyer boiling with Arad''s blood, eating all the monsters conjured there and forcing them into servitude. An army of blood servants quickly marched up, thirsty for blood. CLACK! A second pair of bat wings burst from Arad''s back as another pair of red eyes emerged on his forehead. A deep roar escaped his throat as he red at the dragon hunters, "Cut them apart!" From the blood, the spawns started emerging everywhere, rushing at the hunters with the weapons Arad kept in his stomach. "Damn him!" The swordsman growled, jumping left and right, cutting several spawns with each swing. "That thing was a vampire all along? Our weapons were optimized for dragons, not blood-sucking-fiends." Ann lifted her staff, "I call forth a storm of thunder and lightning," She shouted. [Lightning storm] ck clouds emerged in the sky, crackling as the violent wind swept the spawns away, "Keep them at bay! I have anti-vampire magic as well," "You have?" The ranger looked at her with a smile, "Good, get it ready," "You don''t need to tell me," Ann shouted back, "All of you, protect me while I chant it," BAM! Arad flew toward them, swinging his blood-drenched ws. CLANG! The warrior blocked the attack with his shield, swinging his sword down and cutting one of Arad''s ws. "He doesn''t have his draconic toughness. We should be able to damage him with normal attacks. Hail down at him," He cried. CLACK! Arad''s w instantly regenerated as he swung again. CLANG! The swordsman deflected the attack and swung at Arad''s left front arm, severing it. "You''re soft but regenerate like hell," He smiled, "Then all we do is keep slicing and dicing until her magic is ready," The tiger bit Arad by the tail and started pulling him back while the swordsman and warrior attacked from the front. The ranger pulled some bombs from his pocket and started flinging them at Arad''s head, trying to distract him. "Ann, hurry!" The swordsman shouted, "This thing can regenerate an arm in the blink of an eye!" "You don''t have to scream!" She pointed her staff at Arad. "I call a restraining order, bound by blood, unleashed by the night, spawns of the hells begone, to endless wastes of hades, an endless agony." [Blood Bane] ROAR! Arad roared, the flowing magic from Ann disturbing his vampiric curse, weakening it by hijacking the magic itself. Arad growled and grunted, taking a step back. "It''s working, keep it up," The ranger smiled. "This thing is no joke," Ann replied, "I''m using about 10% of Merlin''s magic to sustain thebyrinth in its destroyed state, 30% to stop his draconic powers, and now another 30% to suppress his vampiric powers. Thest 30% is spread between you three." She growled, "I can''t move, so go finish him quickly," "Got it!" The warrior smiled, "Merlin was always a powerful mistress to have." "Hold on," The swordsman cracked his shoulders, "Would severing his head suffice?" "It won''t cut him to pieces and burn it," Ann grunted. "We have no fire," "Just cut him, and I''ll release his draconic powers and then burn him before he can fight back. If he can do so as minced meat." She added. "We got it," They jumped at Arad, swinging their des at him one after the other, trying to finish him off. Arad growled as they cut into his flesh, almost reaching his bones. The growls switched into a cry and slowly into a howl. AAAAAAAAAAA! AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They gasped, sensing another magic gushing out of his body, and jumped away. AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Arad''s howl grew louder and louder, turning into a deafening screech. "The fucking bastard!" The swordsman screamed. ck for covered Arad''s body as a second tail emerged from his lower back. A second pair of arms emerged from his sides, with two golden eyes emerging on his cheek. Wolf wears appeared beneath his horns as his ws turned into a shade of grey, growing longer as his stance changed. "He''s getting bigger?!" The warrior gasped as he saw Arad almost grow to 1.5 of his original size. "Those are more muscles?" Arad growled, smoke gushing out of his massive maw. BAM! He disappeared, and the warrior lifted his shield, barely blocking the w attack at thest moment. CLANG! The warrior got sent flying into the distance. Arad was already a muscr dragon, boasting a stunning physical might. But the wyrmwolf blood had put all of that into overdrive, forcing his body to grow more muscles,rger bones, and an even violent fighting style. What is the difference between a human and a werewolf? That''s the same difference between Arad''s normal physical might, and him now as a wyrmwolf. A whole other league of raw violence. BAM! BAM! "He''s fast!" The ranger screamed, "Get him!" The tiger lunged forward, trying to catch Arad with a bite. A cat trying to catch a wolf would never end well. CRACK! Arad bit the tiger on the face, lifting it into the sky and swinging it back at the dragon hunter. The swordsman carried Ann and lunged away, and the ranger barely dodged himself. CRACK! Arad smacked the tiger on the ground, chewing and swallowing its head. He then howled into the sky, his voice shaking thebyrinth. The hunter were constructs, so the howl didn''t bother them, but Ann shat herself. A werewolf''s howl is supposed to be heard, and tell everyone who hears it that they are about to be fed upon by the beast. Chapter 584 Fall of The Labyrinth

Chapter 584 Fall of The Labyrinth

The dragon hunters rushed away from Arad, trying to regroup back with the warrior. He''s their party''s tank, and without him, Arad could one-shot any of them. "Take her away!" The swordsman shouted as he turned to face Arad, "I will hold him here!" He lifted his sword up, swinging it down at Arad''s head the moment he got in range. CLACK! The de bounced off Arad''s head, barely scratching his hide. AWOO! Arad swung his ws at the swordsman without wasting any time. The swordsman gasped, taking a step back and swinging his sword to block. Sparks flew everywhere, ^This monster, He''s fast.^ The moment Arad noticed his strikes getting deflected, he lunged back and took a deep breath, focusing on how to direct his power. "Leave me and go fight him!" Ann shouted, smacking her fist on the ranger''s back. "Shut up, shitty Ann! He''s smart, he would ignore us and attack you." The ranger replied. Looking back to see the swordsman struggling to keep up, Arad''s speed and aggression kept rising without a limit. BAM! Aradunched forward, ramming the swordsman and rushing toward the ranger and Ann with a bite. BAM! CLANG! The warrior managed to get back in time, barely blocking Arad''s strike with his shield. "We''re together, let her stay in the backlines," "You''re finally here," The ranger smiled, throwing Ann away and pulling two daggers. SWOSH! The swordsman rushed from the back, lunging at Arad''s tail, spinning all the way from the tip of the tail to Arad''s head, shing like a madman. Countless strikes rained down on Arad. The ranger swung his daggers at Arad''s face, aiming at his eyes. The swordsman went after the wings and the warrior tried to smash Arad''s knees to drop him down. "Don''t give him a chance to fight back!" Ann shouted from the back. "Run away! Bitch!" The ranger shouted at her. "Don''t stand there like an idiot!" The warrior growled, waving his sword at her. "Get the hell out! One wrong move and he''ll jump at you." AWOOOOOOOOOOOO! Arad screamed, his howl so loud it stunned the hunters who stood so close. He then lifted his ws up and smacked them down, sting the ground. The hunters flew away from the shockwave and debris, barely dodging the massive hit. "How aggressive can you be?" The ranger growled, "You draconic blood wolf," BAM! The warrior rushed in, bashing Arad with his shield, "Take her as far as you could." The ranger growled as he picked Ann and ran away, "We can''t fight with you close by," He grunted at her, "You''re a weak point, protecting you is making us more vulnerable than a mug of free beer on a tavern counter," "Shut up! I''m the one holding his draconic and vampiric power in check, at least, deal with one." She red at him. "I''m saying we can''t do it with you around. He would kill you and release your magic." The ranger growled, "Can''t you find a way to teleport away, sacrificing an arm or something? You mages always pull shit like that out of your ass." "I''m not Merlin," She growled at him, "I might have her power, but that doesn''t mean I can do anything she could." "You''re such a pain," The ranger growled. "How much can¡­Dodge!" She screamed her lungs out in his ear, and he jumped to the side, only losing an arm as something flew by. "The fuck was that!" The ranger looked forward, seeing three massive grey ws stuck on the ground. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He slowly turned back, seeing Arad''s ws instantly growing back. "The fucker can throw them?" AWOOOOOOOOO! Arad howled, leaping from one hunter to another, shing at them. When they tried to get away, he threw his ws at them mid-strike. CLANG! The warrior lost his arm and shield, and Arad didn''t waste a second and swallowed the shield. "Fuck it all," Ann growled, pping her hands, "This won''t work!" ZON! The wholebyrinth disappeared. "You bitch!" The ranger screamed as he disappeared alongside the hunters. "Begone!" She red at Arad, sealing his wyrmwolf powers as well. Arad screamed, his body shifting back into his humanoid form. Thud! He fell to the ground and Ann stared at him, panting. "You bastard! How the hell do I need more than 90% of Merlin''s power to keep you down." She growled, "And Fuck you!" [Paralyze] "Stay down! No human power, no dragon, and other bullshit." She started scratching her head, "This bastard is a problem," She growled, "How much I have left? Nine? Eight percent of Merlin''s power? I''m as vulnerable as a rabbit." She looked around, someone mighte to help now that thebyrinth disappeared. The one who worried her more was the barbarian Nina. "That barbarian might being," She looked around, "Or this bastard''s wives he''s been yapping about with the subus." [Teleport] She cast a spell, teleporting, and appeared only a meter away from where she was. "What?" She gasped, "Miscast? Damn it," [Teleport] She returned where she started, the magic wasn''t working right. "Dancing in the night," Arad started singing and Ann turned toward him, terrified. He should be paralyzed, unable to even speak. "A dragon upon the twilight sky," He pushed his torso up with his hands. "You! Stay down!" She cried. "One dream, that only came." Arad stood, staring at her with glowing pink eyes. His hands slowly approached each other. "You''re using Merlin''s power, so what if I gave him mine?" He said with a smile. Doma immediately gave Arad ess to her power while she handled any background spells or inscriptions that he might need. "Stop it!" Ann pointed her hands at him, charging a massive fireball. [Curse Expansion: Medusa''s Pitfall] A massive hole appeared beneath them as they both fell down. Ann looked, seeing the floor filled with thousands of writhing venomous snakes, vipers, and cobras. Let alone their poison, their eyes dripped with the petrification curse. CRACK! Arad grabbed Ann by the neck, "Did you hear me before?" He growled, "Give Merlin and Amber back," CRACK! With one punch to the face, he sent her racing toward the snakes. Chapter 585 Eraser

Chapter 585 Eraser

A giant, tens-of-meters-tall ck viper extended his head out of the pit, wrapping around Ann''s leg, and swung her at the walls. The walls shattered and gasped. She barely managed to protect herself with a thin barrier. "You bastard!" She growled, [Ice Wind Tale] Frigid winds rushed out of Ann''s hands, swiping across the pit at the snakes. Made with magic, they might be, but their blood is still cold. Hit by the cold, the snakes got slower and more docile. Their bodies can''t handle it. TAP! Arad a snake that dangled from the walls by its tail and swung across the pit, jumping toward Ann with closed hands. "I''m not used to this," He swung his hand mid-air, and a massive viper flew from behind him at her. [Thunder Step] With a lightning spark, Ann flew away at a blinding speed andnded on the other side of the pit. CRACK! Arad''s viper smacked into the wall, digging a hole in it. [Thunder Step] Ann shed through the walls, trying to flee. She could see the night sky and the stars. The moment she gets out, she''s nevering back. TAP! As she reached the top, two tiny feetnded on her face. "Get back down there," Zephyr sted her down with a gust of wind. "A fairy?" She shouted, [Fire st] Firing a massive fireball at her. PEW! PEW! Arrow came in at a blinding speed, piercing Ann''s arms and legs. But the ones aimed at her chest got deflected with a barrier. Zephyr giggled, opening her hand with a tiny spark of fire in it, "Look what I found, sealed with curses." She stared down the pit, watching Ann fall. "Thisnd belongs to me. I lent it to those who live in," She waved her hand, "I too. Still holds some power. And I invest a portion of it in her." Her wind started stoking the mes, causing them to spark and growrger andrger. SWOSH! BAM! Arad jumped into the air, grabbing Ann by the back of her head. "You aren''t going anywhere." "You idiot dragon!" Ann growled, "That''s tiny fairy said she rules thosends. Go at her," "She does. What''s the problem with that?" Arad swung Ann by the hair and threw her at the walls. ^Should I just release his powers and then use Merlin''s full power to run away? No, can I cast magic faster than he can strike? It''s a risky gamble.^ She growled, "Damn it all!" Arad took a deep breath, "A weapon!" He screamed. CLANK! A hook flew out of the hole,tching into the wall. With a long rope, Jack swung down toward Arad with a zweihander in his hand. "ARAD! Catch!" He threw him the greatsword. "White hair? Another high human?" Ann growled, extending her hand toward Jack. [Chain lightning] CLANK! Jack released thetch of his hook, pulling the rope back to his arm, and then fired a burst from his artificial leg, sting himself toward Ann and avoiding the chain lightning. BAM! He fired the hook once again,tching onto the wall behind Ann and pulling himself toward her at a high speed. "Stay still!" Ann screamed. [Force st] [Force st] [Force st] CLANK! CLANK! Jack evaded all the sts as he closed the distance, pulling the wakizashi from his waist and swinging it at Ann. The moment she saw it, her mixed blood trembled. Devil, demon, subus all those parts felt it, the crackling divine magic held within the ancient de. "A divine artifact, no, a holy sword?" She screamed, [Endless Binding] Hundreds of ropes and vines rushed from behind her toward Jack. SWOSH! From the pit''s mouth, Lydia jumped down, swinging her sword. [Divine Cleaver] With one strike the binding spell burned into golden mist as Jack flew through it, swinging the wakazashi at Ann. "Got you." He smiled. [Divine Severance] CLAP! A golden spark raged from the wakazashi, shing with a brilliant light. "Tch!" Ann growled, pulling all of Merlin''s power back to herself and releasing Arad''s powers. Using that, she barely managed to deflect the strike, leaving with only one severed arm. "The fuck a hero is doing here of all ces?" She growled, but then felt it. It''s all over. Arad shifted into his draconic form, Zephyr erging the greatsword to fit his size. That zweihander was taken from Alcott''s house, a de he once used and now left with his mother, so she can sell it and live by the money if he happened to die in a quest. The de had one property that wasn''t that useful to fighters. The ability to channel magic into the strike, sucking it from the user. Arad''s void magic flew across the sword, rushing out from the tip as a constant stream akin to his breath, rising into the stars. Ann growled. ^That''s an attack. If I got hit, that magic would erase my body from existence. Channeling all of his magic into one hit.^ She then smiled. ^If he misses, it''s my win.^ "Suprise, forget about me?" Merlin whispered in Ann''s ear, touching her back. Ann turned, seeing Nina carrying the bandaged Merlin. "Give me my power back," Ann was already releasing magic to protect and empower her body. The moment Merlin came into contact with that, she sucked all of her powers back, leaving Ann vulnerable. "Give it back," Ann cried. "Nope!" Merlin teleported away with Nina, leaving Ann facing Arad''s falling sword. SWOSH! Unlike before, the strike was silent, dark, and without any sparks. The void feels down, erasing everything in its way like an eraser on a chalkboard. As the strike ended, air rushed in to fill the void, exploding in a massive st that caused Lucy to cry, "AWA! That hurts!" Arad looked at the ground, "Sorry about it," "Don''t worry," A flower emerged from the ground, "I''m the one who asked you to finish it in one strike. I rather take one painful hit than multiple ones with you going crazy." Lydia looked around, standing alone at the bottom of the pit surrounded by vipers. "Don''t worry," Jack descended toward her with his rope, "They are harmless, that what Arad said," "Really?" Lydia looked down at the countless snakes, and they looked back at her, hissing and coiling around, wagging their tails like dogs. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She smiled. Looking at Jack''s wakazashi, "To think that small thing is a holy sword. It''s strange, isn''t it?" "It''s not about size. It''s about how to use it." He sheathed the sword, "But it''s strange. To have a rogue as a hero," "It''s Lady Amaterasu''s will. And that is an ancient de from a long-forgotten era." She approached Jack, "You''re the hero, and I''m your sword and shield." Chapter 586 Eldritch End.

Chapter 586 Eldritch End.

DING! Ann opened her eyes, staring at an endless darkness. "Where am I?" She growled, trying to move, but her body felt heavy. Each time she tried to take a step, it felt like she was to the neck in mud. "Hello?" She shouted and then went silent, trying to cast a light spell. She felt the mana leaving her body, but no magic showed up. "Does anyone hear me?" She screamed again. "You won''t shut up, will you?" A voice replied to her from the darkness, old and crackling, "You''ve been a real pain, do you know that?" She smiled. ^This voice, I feel like I heard it before.^ "Show yourself. We need to talk." She said, "I would love to know what''s happening here," Two blue eyes shed in the darkness, "There is nothing for me to exin to you," The voice replied, "Starting a mess close to me, you have a real problem, don''t you?" "Who are you? Show yourself," Ann called, "I''m sure I''ve heard your voice before." From the darkness, an old, wrinkled face with blue eyes, white hair, and a beard stared at her. "You messed up," He said. "You old creaking bastard? Cain?" She smiled, "I guess it''s my lucky day." [Release] PEW! A sharp magic bolt infused with mind control magic flew from her forehead, ast-measure spell she had already precast and stored inside her head as a gem. Even in anti-magic zones, she could still release it. Thud! The bolt stuck in Cain''s forehead, his head tilted back a bit, then returned to ce. "What''s this?" He said, and her face paled. His eyes burned with disturbing blue mes as he smiled, opening his mouth. His tongue extended outward like a tentacle and pulled the bolt from his forehead, and he swallowed it. Ann started sweating as she saw Cain tilt his head with a disgusting smile, "How cute, a mind control spell. What mind are you trying to control?" He giggled. "What are you?" Ann cried. "Come on," Cainughed, "Tell me, which mind did you try to control?" At that moment, Ann felt a sharp headache as she unconsciously sensed Cain''s mind. "Millions, no billions of brains," She cried, her eyes almost popping. "Cute, isn''t it?" Cain looked at her, "I''m not someone the likes of you can control. I find it hard to find a match to me, even if I''m the one trying to make them." "I said what are you!" Ann screamed. "ME?" Cain looked at her, "Now that''s the next level of rude, don''t you know? Everyone should know when they think deeply about it. It''s a cosmic rule that I set." Ann''s face grew paler, "Absolute Omnipotent." She mumbled. "See, you know." He tilted his head with a grin, "Your crime is waking me from my slumber, and now you get to pay for it. This is neither heaven nor hell. It''s where I keep those who deserve it for the past and future." A ball of light appeared in the ceiling, and Ann''s eyes got blinded for a moment. She''s been in the darkness for so long. As her vision slowly returned, she realized what she''d been into. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She screamed, seeing her naked body stuck in a pool of writhing worms. She tried to move but just realized that her ankles were chained to the ground. "Calm down, you''re a noisy one. Aren''t you?" He giggled. "Get me out of here! Now!" She cried. "Don''t worry, death can''t im you here." Cain looked at her, "Those worms would eat your body, leaving only your brain, spinal cord, and nerves intact. I will add those to my collection, and you''ll live forever in the hivemind of the collective consciousness." "GET ME OUT!" She cried as she saw Cain turn around to leave, leaning on his cane and tapping his back. "Ahh, this is a pain." "GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT!" Cain stopped, looking back, "Eat slowly. &%*&¡ê$&%¡ê*$." He recited all the worms'' names at once, "I don''t want you to get stomach ache." He left, leaving Ann behind. Cain opened his eyes, sitting on the chair in his shop. He stood, approaching the window and opening it. He took a deep breath, "What should I wear? I''ve never been a fashion one." He looked at the table, a sealed letter with a new seal on it. Baron Arad Orion. And another with the holy seal of the church. Cain lifted the letter, "The hero ceremony at the church in the capital, and then this?" He lifted the letter, reading the content without opening it. "Are you going?" His maid approached. "Of course, I''ll go," Cain replied, "I have to wack that brat in the head with my cane, getting this old man to move a lot," "Exercise is good for your health," She replied with a smile. "I hope you''re ready to help me pick something to wear," He looked at her, "And you better do a good job." She smiled, "Would I get a reward if I did a bad job?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "No," He replied, and she sighed, sad. "Fine, you want the fancy one or the normal one?" She asked. "Something normal," He replied, "That cheeky Arad, having several weddings in a row instead of a big one. Does he think people can attend for a month? That''s a third of the winter!" "Merlin''s heater is working, so the cold won''t be a problem." She replied. "Did you read the letter?" Cain looked at her. "No, it''s sealed." She replied as if it was obvious. "You could have read it like this." "A maid doesn''t read or tinker with its master''s letters." She replied with a straight face. "He''s holding the wedding at the foot of the mountain. In that vige he''s building," Cain looked back, "The heater doesn''t reach there, and he seems to be relying on one red wyrmling for heat." "One wyrmling?" She looked at Cain, "She could do it, but that''s hard work." "Dragons are prideful. She''ll die before epting to be a freeloader on hisnd. I''m sure she''s the one who asked for a job, and that''s what she got." Cain waved his hand. "I''m right. She''s getting paid in food, protection, and gold to start forming her own hoard." Cain sighed, "He even gave her a cave to use as ayer on hisnd." Chapter 587 An Infernal Spark

Chapter 587 An Infernal Spark

Thud! Ae put the water bucket beside the oven and looked toward Tina, "How is it?" "It''s almost done. Can you bring me the garlic?" She replied with a smile, looking back as her breath left a trail in the frigid air. "Ah! We''re out of that." Ae gasped, "Hold for a few minutes, I will bring some." She turned to leave. "Wait! You don''t need to go all the way to the city. We can do without it." Tina called her, almost spilling the soup from therge iron pot. TAP! TAP! Ae stopped just before opening the door, "I did smell some in the vige. I bet one has some." "You''re going to ask for it? Garlic is expensive, you know?" Tina approached the window. She opened it, letting the fresh air in and the smoke out. "What about Master Arad? Won''t he have some in his stomach?" "Probably not. But I can always find some in the forest." Ae opened the door and rushed out. Tina sighed, "She''s too energetic for a bride. Nobles I saw get really docile, trying to figure out what clothes they wear." She returned to cooking, "And here she is running around like she has all the energy of the world." CRUNCH! CRUNCH! Ae ran down in the snow, walking down the dirt paths toward the vige. On her way, she passed by the wyrmling red drakaina standing in the middle of the za, breathing fire into the air. GASHAAAAAAAA! "Ignis, good work. How are you today?" Ignis stopped and looked at Ae, running toward her. "It''s a bit colder today. Getting the outer edges of the vige is bing harder." She replied with a strange voiceing down her throat. Ae looked at her, "That ne Merlin made is working well, isn''t it?" Ignis wore a golden ne around her neck enchanted with Magic from Merlin. The ne automatically muffles the wearer''s voice, trante it into anothernguage, and then releases the sound as words. The ne trantes draconic into humannguage. Since now, only Arad, Eris, Zephyr, and Merlin can understand what Ignis says. "Do you need anything to make it easier?"?Ae asked with a gentle smile. "No, it will soon be heated." Ignis replied, "Minor inconvenience, nothing that I can''t handle." "Well then," Ae turned, "See youter," She waved her hand, rushing out to search for garlic. **** Isn''t thatdy Ae? A man at the smithy turned toward Mira and Eris, "Isn''t she looking for you?" Eris stared back at him, "She would havee if that was the case." Eris replied. "You''re the one who said you left the house without saying a word." He replied, lifting a box of hinges and nails and walking with it toward Mira. "Eris!" Mira looked at her, "Keep the heat up." Eris turned back toward the forge, seeing that the me quickly dwindled. "Really? I was just sting it." She extended her hand in, unleashing a burst of fire and sparks of sma. "Keep the heat. Welding those things together is a pain." Mira replied, turning toward the dwarf smith, "How are the frames?" "Done." The dwarf woman replied with a smile, "We''re ready to assemble." "Then give me a minute, I need to reheat those." Mira looked at Eris, "Keep the heat this time." "Yes! Yes! Why aren''t we using firewood?" "It''s a valuable resource for the vige. We can''t waste it on making boxes and doors." Mira replied, "Not when we have you. With how hot your fire is, we don''t need to wait that long for the metal to heat up." She added. "What am I now? A forge fire?" She looked at the sky, "I wonder what Arad is doing?" "I heard he''s out with Zephyr trying to find an infernal spark," Mira replied. "Really?" Eris looked at her, "Why didn''t he tell me? I''m good with fire. I could''ve helped fetch it out." "If he took you with him, who would stay to light the forge?" Mira stared at her with a smile. "And I was thinking I missed a chance not to be here heating a forge." Eris looked at Mira, "What''s the infernal spark for?" "Don''t you know?" **** n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Knock! Knock! Arad knocked on Merlin''s tower, "I came back." CLICK! A guard opened the door and saw him, "Sir Arad!" He bowed. "I''m looking for Merlin. Is she up in theb?" "Yes." The guard nodded, getting out of Arad''s way. Arad walked inside, and the guard closed the door behind him, "Sir Arad, might I say something?" "Of course, what is it?" Arad turned. "This ce won''t explode into anotherbyrinth today? Would it?" He asked with a worried smile. "I don''t know." Arad replied, "But if it did, it''s just bad luck." The guard sighed, "You''re right. I hope it doesn''t happen again." He smiled. Arad headed up the stairs until he reached Merlin''s private floor where he could sense her inside. Zephyr poked her head out of his jacket, "We''re away from the cold?" "Yeah, we''re in Merlin''s tower." He replied, lifting his hand to knock on the door. "Come in, no need to knock," Merlin called. She already sensed his magic. Arad opened the door and walked in, finding her in her underwear changing. "You said I coulde in." He stared at her. "Close the door." Merlin pointed out, "And are you worried about seeing this much after everything?" "Not really," Arad replied, walking inside. He then looked at the floor beneath Merlin''s feet, seeing a familiar white hide. "Is this?" He mumbled with a droplet of sweat dripping from his forehead. "That abominable yeti. I managed to retrieve and skin him." She replied with a smile, "I said I would use him as a carpet, didn''t I?" "People don''t usually take those threats literally." "But I do." She replied, pulling a chair toward her desk and sitting, "You brought it, didn''t you?" Arad pulled a glowing ember from his stomach. "Is this it?" "Yes! Didn''t Zephyr tell you that it''s what you''re looking for?" "She said probably." Merlin looked at Zephyr, "You said you know it." "I''m more proficient with wind-based objects. I did have an idea of what we looked for, but not an exact one." She waved her hands. "It doesn''t matter now." Merlin took the infernal spark and tapped it with a wand. It sparked with a sh. Zephyr opened her hand, pulling the fire spark she collected after thebyrinth fell. "I already paid the fire spirit for it. You can start the summoning," Zephyr said. "Sorry, you had to deal with her. I know you high spirits don''t like each other that much." Merlin looked at her. "Are you joking?" Zephyr replied, "It was humiliating for me to ask that stupid cow for help. That dumb smirk on her face, I will make her cry one day." She growled. Merlin ced the infernal ember on a pedestal, and Zephyr sent the me to it. Chapter 588 Elemental Fire

Chapter 588 Elemental Fire

Magic can kill the user. That''s a well-known fact between mages. The power of the arcane is both powerful and harmful. Since the body itself can''t regte it without the consciousness. The ember spark shed with light as it ignited with the me Zephyr kept. Merlin waved her hand around it, trying to form it as best as possible. Elementals are some of the strongest beings in the world, rivaling dragons and ancient spirits in their might. The ancient schr Olivia once said. that if dragons are 100 in power, then they have 50/50 between physical strength and elemental energy. Elementals are 90, with that whole 90 dedicated to their elemental magic. A dragon can''t win against them in a fight of magic. "Here shees. I was right." Zephyr smiled, "That nova should''ve killed Ann if your curse witch didn''t direct it toward the wall at thest moment." She stared at the mes, "But that was all good. She sealed this spark after all." "We have Doma to thank for that," Arad said, extending his hand toward the mes. "That attack was reckless." "How did she do that as a mere soul?" Merlin sighed and looked at Arad, "It''s your turn again, break all the chains." "I ready, send me in." Arad cracked his neck. Merlin waved her hand, and the whole room disappeared. Arad found himself standing in arge wastnd of rock, mountains, and hills. A massive orb of fire flew in the air while chained to the ground with golden chains. ^Amber''s magic was actively trying to break her body down. It wasn''t a side effect, but one of the mes'' main purposes.^ Arad took a step, and mes burst from the orb, charring the ground. ^But the mes'' main purpose wasn''t killing Amber. It was only getting rid of her weak human body. It was probably close to how draconic sorcerers can grow wings and scales over time. But the process and result differ from one origin of power to another.^ Arad approached the first of the ten chains, grabbing it with his hands. Using all of his might, he shattered it with one move. ^The mes were trying to transform her into something akin to a fire elemental, an evolution like mine.^ He stared at the next chains as the mes got hotter. ^And like me, Amber needed something that she didn''t have. The Infernal spark is a source of power to sustain her transformation. Just like how the cursed metal is for me, and without it, I could die mid-evolution.^ CRACK! Arad shattered the second chain. ^Doma only knew that if Amber''s mes wanted her dead, she would have burned first before unleashing that attack. But the mes obeyed her to the end, and only burned herst. For that reason, she cursed Amber''s soul so she wouldn''t leave the mortal world and remain as a fire spark. The same curse that keeps people''s souls wandering the world as ghosts and vengeful beings.^ CRACK! CRACK! Arad broke the third and fourth chains, and the fire exploded again, melting the mountains around. ^We had her preserved, but none of us was an expert in fire or its magic. Even Doma didn''t study it much but had only focused on curses.^ CRACK! The fifth chain broke, and Arad took a step toward the sixth. ^The only reason we knew of the infernal spark, and this whole thing is Zephyr. As a high spirit, she knew some people who were experts in fire.^ Arad shattered the sixth chain, ^The fire spirit.^ ^Since the ritual already failed once. The world would reject her back to the elemental ne of fire where she would serve the goddess there for all eternity, probably why she let her use the power in the first ce.^ Arad broke the seventh chain. ^Those are the chains that pull her there, and that''s why I need to break them. Usually, it''s an impossible feat, but I alone can do it since my void can iste me from the spark that burns everything.^ He looked at the fire. ^Those aren''t Amber''s mes. They areing from the elemental ne of fire. This whole ce is like and between the worlds.^ CRACK! Arad shattered the eighth chain, and the ground started melting. ^We had to go through several steps. Sealing Amber''s soul. Which was done by Doma. Getting the infernal spark which I did dig out of the burningnd beside the capital. Merlin was the one to put Amber''s soul inside the infernal spark. And now I''m here to break the chains.^ CRACK! He shattered the ninth chain, and the fire got so hot that matter started flying through his void, reaching into his scales. Arad''s body started expanding as he transformed into his draconic form, empowering his void as he walked across the hellish ze of the ne of fire. In that ce, there is no air to breathe, no solidnd to stand on, and not a single drop of natural magic in thend besides fire. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Outside, Merlin looked at her hand. "The demi-ne I made is quaking. It''s about to happen again." She looked at Zephyr, "Another st. Do you think he would survive it?" "He has an elemental advantage over her," Zephyr replied, "The void is a high element, just like light and time. He should survive as long as he can endure the heat andck of air. But we can be sure his body won''tbust out of nowhere like how everything else ends in the mes of the elemental ne of fire." Zephyr sighed, "Or this is at least what the Fire Spirit said. She''s even providing us with a vessel. I doubt she''ll deceive us at this point." CRACK! Arad shattered the tenth chain, seeing the mes around his rage into a blood-red ze, shifting to blue. He stood there, staring at the orb where Amber''s soul and the infernal spark were. He should pull her out. SWOSH! The mes disappeared, and he took a step back, hearing the silence as a tiny, blindingly-white speck of dust flew from the ground. [SURVIVE THIS AND I''LL LET YOU HAVE THAT WOMAN!] Chapter 589 HO-White Nova

Chapter 589 HO-White Nova

The moment Arad saw the white dot emerging, every cell in his body screamed to run. To make a dragon feel fear, who was the one that challenged him? [HO-WHITE NOVA] FLAP! Arad expanded his wings, [Void Expansion] He flew around the orb, expanding his void to cover the whole ce, devouring all the mes. That thing was small, as tiny as a spec of sand. But the power surging in it was more than anything he had ever seen. The void rushed from around Arad and covered the orb, trying to digest it, but that seemed impossible. The more he ate, the more came out of it. ^No, wait! If I failed, she would die...^ He looked at the chained mes. He opened his jaw, swallowing the orb and canceling his expansion. ZON! He immediately teleported out into Alina''s sky. Merlin was sitting with Zephyr, talking about magic when they suddenly felt it. Blood gushed out of Merlin''s nose as her eyes were bloodshot. Zephyr froze in ce, staring at the sky, "The hell is that?" "This magic, it''s over ninth-tier spells. How?" Merlin looked up. She was spreading her magic across the city to control the heater, and when she came into contact with Arad and the orb, she got jolted. "I don''t know! It''s more magic than what I have." Zephyr flew out, seeing Arad above the city, looking around with a panicked look on his face. "Arad! What''s happening?" She screamed. FLAP! BAM! Arad pped his wings, sting away as fast as he could, teleporting forward every time he could. CLACK! Zephyr heard something down, and when she looked through Merlin''s window, she smiled, "Wait? The spell worked, then why?" She flew back in. CLAP! Arad flew over thends, each p of his wings sending a shockwave that reached the ground. ^[Faster! To keep going forward. This thing is about to explode.]^ Doma shouted in his head. [ARAD! Drop it. This isn''t worth the risk.] Mom screamed. ^No! I''m not missing this chance. I''m dropping this on his head.^ [You''re an idiot!] In Alina, Cainughed his guts off. "Only dragons think like this! Go, stick it up his ass!" He shouted, then startedughing. "Jemima, water." As Arad flew across thends, the grass slowly seemed to fade as it shifted into a dead wastnd without a single leaf in sight. ^[We''re almost there! But we don''t have that much time,]^ Doma shouted, and Arad could see it in the distance, a massive grim castle in the middle of arge ruined city. Leagues of vampires walked around, forming an endless army. The vampires looked at the horizon, seeing Arad flying toward them at a horrifying speed, his roar shaking the clouds. "The hell is that? A stray dragon?" "No! Those ck scales and wings! It''s that dragon the lord talked about!" One shouted, jumping into the sky and expanding his wings. "He came to us on his own. Prepare to take him down!" N?v(el)B\\jnn d was sitting at the dinner table when he felt something off. He put the blood ss down and looked at the window. "This overflowing magic, what in the hell?" FLAP! Arad flew over the soldier and stopped right before the castle. He doesn''t have any time left. "Kill him!" The general of the vampire shouted. Arad opened his jaw, pping his wings in the middle of the air, looking down at the ground. A stream of fire gushed down his throat, sting the ruined city into a sea of mes. The vampires growled, the weakest of them getting charred into ash while the rest protected their faces. "A fire breath, so he has a red linage, an overly ck purple dragon." The stream of fireing out of Arad''s throat turned into a transparent gas filled with purple shards of sma. And the vampires got certain, "He''s a purple dragon. Use ice magic!" One shouted. d looked out of the window, protecting his face from the heat, "Something is off. Why does he have the courage to attack my castle alone?" The gust of gasing from Arad''s throat shifted into a pure stream of sma as he emptied the contents of his stomach that was heated into oblivion by the orb. A hole started being dug in the city as the sma gushing out of Arad''s mouth exploded, keeping all the vampires at bay. "Wait for him to stop spewing sma then attack as he recovers," The vampire general shouted, "His head is ours! Will offer it to our lord!" d blinked, "Oh! Fuck!" He just felt iting. In a moment of silence, Arad''s sma breath stopped, and a single dot of light dropped out of his jaw, heading toward the ground. ZON! Arad teleported upward immediately, not waiting a fraction of a second to see what happens. The dot dropped, its blinding light illuminating the whole city and castle as their shadows danced across thend. DING! It touched the ground, and in the blink of an eye, a st akin to a zing white sun consumed the whole city, covering several kilometers around. Arad emerged from his teleportation. But he didn''t get out of range in time, losing his legs and tail. ^Barely made it.^ He gasped, pping his wings as he ran away from the expanding fireball, getting his wings and torso burned like a man sleeping on a zing forge. **** "Armin," A man called, "Bring the sheep this way!" "Coming!" The child replied to his father, waving his cane to hush the herd uphill. He then noticed his shadow extending rapidly as the ground washed with red light. He turned around alongside his father, seeing a massive fire mushroom rising on the horizon beneath the dusk. Alongside the first star of the night, they saw a fireball rush toward them, engulfed in cinder and smoke. BAM! The massive being crashed at the hillside, sending a st that sent the poor farmer and his child flying away. "The hell was that?" The father cried. "Dad! That was the forbiddennd, wasn''t it?" The kid cried. The father looked around. ^The vampires live in that direction. What''s happening?^ He turned toward where the fireball crashed, thinking it was a chunk of debris. The man froze as his knees started shaking. That was a dragon. Arad opened his eyes, his vision blurry. GRRRRRRRRRRR! A growl escaped his throat as he lifted his head. His hind legs, wings, tail, and hips were too damaged to lift him up. The best he could do was sit up. "Dad! It''s a dragon! I never saw one," The kid screamed, and the farmer pped his hand on his mouth, "SHHH! Don''t make a noise. A dragon''s attention is thest thing we want." "HMMM!" The kid grunted, his lips burning. The father whispered, "Listen, we''re ants. We don''t talk back to those bigger than us." Arad turned toward them, "Humans? Fear not. I''m not here to harm you." The father didn''t dare reply, only looking back, prying the dragon wouldn''t pounce on them. Armin pushed his father''s hand away, "Dragon! What happened there? You came from it, didn''t you?" He pointed at the smoke mushroom in the distance. "I had some personal problems with the vampire lord over there, so I dropped him a hot gift," Arad replied with a grin on his face. "VAMPIRES?!" The Kid cried with sparkling eyes. "That''s d''s kingdom of vampires?" The father gasped. "I was lucky. I didn''t know if d was there or not as I simply tracked the biggest mass of vampirism curse. But, he was." Arad said with a proud grin. "He ate a whole human city that was behind my protection. So I blew his whole kingdom off." His body had already regenerated, so he stood. "Dragon! Wait!" Armin rushed toward him, "Was that your breath that blew it up?" Arad thought about it for a moment, "Yes, it was my breath." He extended his wings, "I''ll be leaving," He looked at the kid, "And listen to your father. Most of the dragons would just kill and eat you." He flew into the distance, leaving the two watching. The father looked back at the mushroom cloud and the first star of the night. "Venus, the dragon of destruction." The people local area were frequently preyed upon by the vampires. To them, the dragon who appeared out of nowhere and blew them to dust was nothing less than a saving deity. They gave him the name of the star he came from and kept that held in for theing generations. Arad flew back to Alina, teleporting directly into Merlin''sb the moment he got within range. "ARAD!" Zephyr flew at him, "What happened? What was that?" She cried. "Don''t worry," He replied, "What''s happened to Amber?" "Amber is fine. The important thing is what was that?" "Amber was supposed to serve the fire goddess. She didn''t like me taking her away, so she tried to give me a divine punishment and sent me a spell she called HO-white Nova. I was to take Amber if I survived that." Arad smiled, putting his arms on his hips, "The spell didn''t explode for a whole minute, so I searched for the vampirism curse with Doma''s help and dropped the thing on d''s castle." CLICK! Merlin opened the door and walked in, "Is what I heard right? You dropped what on d?" "A HO-white Nova." He replied. "It was stated in texts as one of the divine abilities of the fire goddess. One of her weakest spells, Holy origin white nova." Merlin looked at him, "To be honest, you would''ve been fine if you teleported out of the domain with Amber. That''s a powerful st, but it can''t travel dimension." "What?" He looked at her. "I''ll exinter. Want to see Amber? She''s asleep in the other room." She pointed with her thumb. Chapter 590 A New Deal

Chapter 590 A New Deal

Arad walked to the other room, seeing a humanoid figure of a woman made of crimson mes asleep on a stone bed. "Is this her?" He asked. "You''re right," Merlin replied. "Fire elementals are made of pure fire and heat." She grabbed a steel rod and waved it into Amber''s body. The rod passed as if nothing was there. She''s really only made of mes. "But look," When she passed the rod inside Amber''s chest. CLACK! CLACK! As if it hit a stone. "The infernal spark is where her heart should be. It''s the source of her power and the only weak point a fire elemental has. Destroying it means she dies unless she can find another source of fuel." Merlin exined. Zephyr flew and sat on Arad''s head, "If the infernal spark was destroyed, she could survive off burning wood or anything that can. But, the spark is the only thing that can sustain and elemental for a long time." Arad sat on a chair, "That means we have to find more infernal sparks for her," He looked around, "How long will this onest?" "About a year," Merlin replied, "The elemental ne of fire is made of them, and there they are moremon than stones. So most summoned elementals usually don''t have to worry about. But she needs to worry." "Is there a way to go there?" He asked. "No, that I know off." Merlin sat on another chair, "For now, she''s fine and will wake soon. We will discuss this with her when that timees." "On another note," Zephyr stared at him, "What was that HO-white nova spell? You could teleport with it. So you at least understand its concept, right?" "Nothingplex," Arad replied, "A concentrated ball of pure fire and heat, frozen with time magic for one minute." "So she took a lot of energy,pressed it till it was about to explode, and then to keep it safe to handle, she froze it in time to half the explosion." Merlin scratched her head, "Howrge was the damage?" "It blew an area about five timesrger than Alina into dust. I''m not even close to having a fraction of that energy," He looked at Amber. "I doubt even brother has it, but I''m certain mother would be able to output that much." "So it''s only a matter of time before you start dropping those left and right." Zephyr sighed, "You magic dragons are a real pain," She giggled, "Times dragons have always been and always existed, traveling freely through time. The prismatic light dragons travel the world in the blink of an eye, they can outrun teleportation magic and have been known to punch time dragons through time itself. And you void dragons can alter the matter of existence itself, shifting the powers of the world." "Where did you know that?" Merlin stared at her. "I''m a high spirit, I know more than you humans do." She looked at Arad, "Remember not to st that like it''s nothing. There are people living around, you must keep your powers in check." "I know that," He stood, "I need to go as I have some preparation." "The marriage." Zephyr smiled, "Ae being jumping around like an excited puppy, you better hurry." Arad nodded. ZON! He teleported away. "Is it normal for someone to survive that?" Merlin asked, looking at Zephyr. "Nope, he''s the first I hear of to survive a divine tribtion, and on top, he used it to st d." She scratched her head, "It''s possible the goddess gave him more time as she knew of his intention to blow d." "Is that even possible?" "Gods weigh their options more than humans do," Zephyr sighed, "Instead of blessing multiple pdins and starting a crusade, it was probably convenient to let a dragon st him." "So you''re saying her objective might have shifted from punishing Arad for trying to take Amber away from her, into giving him a divine mission to st d and Amber being the reward?" "Gods have extreme foresight, she might have already guessed Arad''s first thought would be sting d," Zephyr started flying, "I''m going as well, I need to talk with the fire spirit once more." "I thought you hated her so much that you wouldn''t initiate an unnecessary conversation." "We can''t let Amber go into the world like this, she''ll burn everyone she touches. I will try to negotiate a fire pixie body for her." Zephyr replied. "You can''t grant her one?" Merlin asked. "I can only give birth to wind spirits, we''re limited to our elements." She looked at Amber, "I can''t grant fire bodies." "Care to tell me about the processter?" Merlin smiled, "It would be a one-in-a-lifetime chance to get a high spirit talking about the pixies'' ascension." "I don''t know about that," Zephyr shook her head. "It''s not a ritual we share with outsiders." "Moon Spider Lily''s nectar, I have a full flower bed fully grown in one of my greenhouses." Zephyr froze in ce. "Where did you get those?" Droll dripping from her lips. "I have dragon tongue, Yoros''s ash rose, and Wisdom apple roses as well." Merlin looked at her with a smile, "It''s a give-and-take deal. Information for the flowers. I won''t ask how you know, and you won''t ask how I got those." "Deal," Zephyr smiled. "You better keep your part of the deal," **** Thud! Aradnded at his vige''s entrance, walking through the wooden gate. "Lord Arad, you''re back." A man rushed to greet him. He''s the guard responsible for the gate. "How is the building going?" Arad asked. "The castle?" The guard looked back, pointing toward the mountain, "As you can see, it''s progressing nicely. I heard them say they can start building the keep by the end of the winter." "Arad?" An olddy approached them, a smile on her face. She barely stood at 1.6 meters due to her hunched back, and she looked at Arad, barely opening her eyes. "Grandma," Arad smiled, "That was Nina''s grandma," "AHHHHHH! A thief!" A man screamed, pointing toward an adventurer who was running away after not paying for what he bought. This was something that gued small viges thatcked guards. Arad sighed, getting ready to catch the thief. BAM! The olddy sted away before anyone could react. The adventurerughed, jumping over the fence, "Catch me if you can!" BAM! Thud! Nina''s grandma quickly ran past him, her golden glowing eyes fixed on his face. "What!" He gasped, and she grabbed him by the wrist, smacking him in the face with a kick, and sent him flying back to the vige. "What in the hell!" The guard gasped. He could barely see the olddy run after that thief. "Barbarians rarely live to old age due to their wild lifestyle, and those who do aren''t people you should underestimate." Arad giggled, "She''s at least at a B-rank adventurer level despite her age."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 591 Guests From Afar

Chapter 591 Guests From Afar

The gate guard stared at Nina''s grandmother, "She''s fast," ZON! Thud! Arad teleported away and immediately came back, two strangers unconscious in his hands. "More rats?" Grandma Shir said with a smile, approaching Arad and dragging the thief behind her. "They were hiding in the forest," Arad replied, ring at the thief that Grandma Shir caught. The thief stared at the two men with a worried face, sweat dripping down his scratched face, "I don''t know them," He cried. "You do," Arad threw the two unconscious men at the ground. "They are bandits pretending to be adventurers. I''m sure they are targeting the vige since it looks new andcks guards." "You''re going to catch them yourself?" The guard gasped, looking at Arad with a worried face. "Leave it to the guards." "Isdis''s knights can''t handle everything. I would like them to keep patrolling the city," Arad replied, "And I would prefer not to lose any soldiers now," "If you don''t mind," A voice came from behind them. When Arad looked, he saw a familiar old man with glowing golden eyes, a silky long beard reaching his knees, and long hair approaching him, wearing a goldced white robe. "Kinryuu!" Arad smiled, "I didn''t feel you around," The golden general of the metallic dragons came to visit. "Great wyrms can do more than camouge their colors with their surroundings. I received your message and came as soon as I could." Kinryuubed his beard, "You''ve grown strong," "Not enough to feel you, it seems." Kinryuuughed, "That can''t be helped. We spend centuries perfecting it to fight each other, right?" "It is so," A deep, heavy rumbling voice shook the forest, and everyone in the city looked toward the gate, seeing a titanic red dragon emerging out of thin air, his wing covering the whole vige in its shadow. "But you need to work on your senses," He said, looking at Arad with a smile. The guard standing beside Arad started shaking, "What''s this?" N?v(el)B\\jnn "The general of the chromatic dragons, and this one of the metallic dragons. I sent them a magic letter to invite them," "Hello there, little one." The massive red dragon said, staring at the guard. His breath alone felt like standing in front of a zing forge. "About the bandits," Kinryuu approached Arad with a smile, "We brought ten great wyrms each as guards. They want to handle that for fun. Is that all right?" Arad looked at the sky. Grandma Shir tapped her back, "Oh, my. So many flying ones." Twenty greatwyrms appeared in the sky as they canceled their camouge, blotting the sun. Ten of them were metallic and came to guard Kinryuu, and the other ten were chromatic for the opposite. "I don''t mind," Arad nodded, "But don''t kill them. We''re sending them to Alina so they can deal with them." FLAP! The dragons flew toward the bandit''s camp, which to them was like taking five steps aside. The bandits looked at the sky as it turned dark. They rushed out, "What''s happening?" "I don''t know," One of them ran toward the forest, hitting an invisible wall before reaching it. "What''s this?" He tapped the wall with his hand, trying to feel it. "It''s smooth and cold." The dragons canceled their camouge, and the bandit found himself feeling the side of a silver drakaina''s massive tail. "Careful, human." She growled, "I''m not known for dexterity," The man fell on his back, crawling away. The tail alone was twenty meters thick at least. When trying to look at the drakaina''s head, it seemed to be far in the distance close to the mountains. "OI! Look around!" One of them cried, and they could see there were twenty great wyrms surrounding their camps. "What''s happening?" One gasped. They were done for. "You better give up and surrender, humans." A ck dragon growled, acid dripping between his teeth, melting the trees. "Even the dragon hunter Alcott won''t be able to escape us," A green dragon said. "He could do it," A bronze dragon said in the back. "I agree. He''s sh us first and then go for the eyes," A copper dragon added with a smile, "Might even use one of us as a shield to create an opening to run." "We know he''ll sh us. We can close our eyes and then attack." The green dragon argued. "The fool," A blue dragon stared at the green one, "I have to agree with the metallic scales over there. Closing our eyes? We''re giving him the opening to run that he wanted without him working for it." As the dragons argued, some of the bandits tried to slip away, but they were instantly frozen with magic. "You aren''t Alcott," The silver drakaina stared at them. "You''re helpless against us," **** Back in the city, Arad smiled, "I''m going home. Are youing?" He asked. "Of course," Kinryuu smiled, "Where else could we go? He''s staying in the forest though," He pointed at the red general. "I can''t shapeshift into a human," "It''s not that your neck can''t make it all the way to my house without you sitting in the forest," Arad looked at him. "You''re right. It doesn''t matter if I sat one step away." To a dragon his size, one step is several hundreds of meters. "Giant Monsters," Grandma Shir said, looking at the dragons. "You''re right," Kinryuu replied with a smile, "We''re too big, too strong, and too destructive to the fragile world." He looked at the vige. "We metallic call for restraint and humility, to make sure our power doesn''t harm the little ones. Chromatic calls us insane for it, and that''s why we fight all the time." He looked at Arad. "To be clear," The red general looked down, "It''s like humans trying to rights to ants. Can you punish every human for every ant they stepped on?" "Ants can''t speak, can''t think, can''t reply," Grandma Shir looked at the red dragon, "Humans do," "Ants think as well. They are far more organized and intelligent than humans." The red dragon replied, "It''s you humans who are too stupid to understand other creatures, always consumed by your own thoughts and ambitions. Ask him," "They can speak," Arad replied, "I can understand them," He looked at one of the fences where ants rushed into their borrow. "Hurry! Go inside!" An ant cried, "Or the massive ones might stomp you!" "We chromatic are you, humans. We don''t want to be bothered by the rights of those smaller than us. If you want to question us, then question yourselves first. Give the ants, the bugs, and the animals their rights first, then ask about yours from our ws." Kinryuu scratched his head, "We''re trying to find a middle ground here," "I''m saying there is no middle ground, you metallic better stop your insane ideals." "Humans can reach us, Alcott proved it." "That''s one! One human dropping dragons down, there are millions of fire ants alone dropping humans left and right. Why haven''t they approved of them yet, we aren''t going to do it over one human that would perish sooner than tomorrow." "Don''t fight here," Arad stared at them. The two dragons sighed, "We''ll finish thister." They agreed to not agreeter. "Speaking of things proving power," Kinryuu approached Arad, "The hell was that thing you dropped on d''s kingdom?" "Yeah! That massive st." Chapter 592 Invitations

Chapter 592 Invitations

They are talking in draconic, so no one in the vige understands them. "A divine punishment from the goddess of fire. I took it and threw it down on d." Arad replied, walking with Kinryuu toward his house. "The punishment was for you or him?" "It was supposed to be for me." "And even with that, you carried it to d and sted him." Kinryuubed his beard, "I never heard of such a feat before. The closest I can remember is a story from history," "I was alive at the time as well," The red general replied, "When Kussuth killed Tiamat." "That was an angry mom if I ever saw one," Kinryuu giggled, "Ites to show how dangerous we dragons are." "What happened?" Arad looked back at them. "The chromatic dragonkin was looking for a mate and came for her. She refused since she already had two daughters, so they fought." "Let me guess, she won?" "She wiped the ground with him. Her husband was weak, and she acted quite tame. To humans, it was close to a gentle mother. Everyone thought she was weak." "Why would he go after her if she was weak?" "The chromatic king was experimenting with gics at the time, and he had his eyes on her," Kinryuu replied. "I was a mere young at the time, and I saw it happen for the sidelines." The red general replied, "But in the short story, she won, and Tiamat wasn''t happy as she was supporting the king''s experiments to make the chromatic dragons stronger." "So," Kinryuu looked at Arad, "Tiamat cursed the two daughters Kussuth tried to protect to kill each other." "Tiamat is still out there, right?" Arad looked at the red general. "Not the same one. Tiamat had changed three times. The one Kussuth killed, the one after, and then another. You can say currently Tiamat is a duality of the second and third ones." The red general exined. "The evil one died for good." "Kussuth murdered her well. Since that day, dragons were the first race to be able to kill gods without divinity. She just went to her and wed her down." Kinryuu swung his fist with a smile. "So, why this reminds you of what happened to me? I took a divine punishment. I didn''t face any god." Arad looked at them. "Since that red drakaina is the fire goddess now. She''s the one who sent that divine punishment after you." Kinryuu looked at him, "If she killed a goddess as a mortal, then what now as a divine being, what she did to you was immensely tame." The red general approached his head to Arad, "Kussuth is the goddess of fire, her older daughter Morena is the goddess of undeath and undead, and the young one Zaleria is the goddess of war and inferno." "A family of monsters...wait!" Arad gasped, "What''s their family name? Is it shadowend?" "It is," Kinryuu replied. "How did you know?" "I faced a demon while disguised as a red dragon. He suspected me of being a shadowend when I said I''m from a family of fire sorcerers." Arad scratched his chin, "So this is why they fear that family name..." "Pretty much," "If that''s the case, do you know anything about Orion?" "If you''re asking about your mother, there is only one, and all the higher dragons know her. She''s a weird one," Kinryuu said, and the red general nodded. "What do you know?" "She''s too powerful to walk the earth in her draconic form. She uses a humanoid body that she controls from herir to live multiple lives as if she''s ying a game." Kinryuu sighed. "Some dragons believe she was given a divine mission by the overgod. But an extremely boring one, and that''s why she ys like that." The red general looked at the sky, "That being isn''t malevolent nor benevolent. I''m sure she got paid in some way, but we don''t know." "She didn''t tell anyone?" "I met her once," Kinryuu looked at Arad, "And I asked her that question." "What did she reply?" "She said to tell anyone who asked me the question. Look for it on your own. You''re old enough, big idiot." Kinryuu said those words and paused for a second, "Wait a damn minute! Why I''m only remembering this now?" He smacked his own head, "I knew it!" He growled, pulling a strand of magic. "That''s!" The red general gasped, "A memory thread." "The bi... Ahem! That drakaina," Kinryuu growled, "Arad, she seems to have put a memory thread in my head to remember that at this specific moment. She probably meant those words for you." "Is that spell pre-configured or controlled from a distance?" Arad gasped. "Tooplicated for me to say," Kinryuu squinted his eyes at the fading magic thread. Arad smiled, "It''s worth a shot," He looked at the sky, "Mom. If you''re watching, I''m getting married soon. Drop by if you can." "Think she''s hearing you?" The red general said, "As far as I can tell, there is only one weirdo watching you," "You mean her?" Kinryuu looked at the clouds, "I''m sure she''s watching," "I sent her a magic letter yesterday. It should reach her tonight." Arad replied as he walked with Kinryuu across the vige. "Lord Arad," An old grandma called him, "Do you mind helping me move the cows? They are quite unwilling today," Arad stopped and looked at her. Kinryuu smiled, "Well, of course they would be." He approached the farm, "They are sick, the cold drinking water wasn''t that good for them." He jumped over the fence. "You''re going to help her?" Arad asked. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Yeah," Kinryuu replied, "I will deal with this, can''t just sit around, can I?" He turned toward the grandma, "Let''s go, I can heal them." "What did you need from the cows?" Kinryuu asked. "Milk of course. We need it to make butter, the lord is marrying soon and thedies are scrambling to make sweets." The grandma replied. "Then let me help you." Kinryuu smiled, "I might not look like it, but I''m a farmer as well." "Really?" She looked at him, "I saw you with the lord, and thought you''re some kind of noble, especially with those fancy clothes." "I''m no noble, just a humble soldier who owns a farm he works on in his downtime." "At that age? You might consider retiring." She giggled. **** Arad reached his home with Grandma Shir, opening the door, "I''m back." "YO! Scaly one, you''re back!" A short, red-haired halfling waved her hand at him, standing proudly on his living room table to appear taller. Arad blinked twice, "I didn''t invite you." "I invited myself. And I came for Merlin, not you. Gotta attend for my most talented student." "Leave." "Make me," "Fine, what do you want?" Chapter 593 Encrypting Magic

Chapter 593 Encrypting Magic

Arad took his shoe off and walked inside, walking past Lilia. "You give up easily, don''t you?" "I''m not going to start a fight inside my house." He looked back at her, "I know I can''t take you down with one hit or even restrain you." Lilia jumped from the table,nding on the couch, putting one leg on the other and her hands behind her head, "Then I''m resting here until Merlin''se back." "What do you need from her?" He walked to the other room to wash. "I do need to teach her a lesson so she won''t get her powers stolen again. As you say, they can be dangerous in the wrong hands. She''s the only high human I taught in the past centuries that managed toprehend enchantments to her level." She said with a smile. "What''s a high human?" Arad looked at her through the door before turning toward the stairs. "Tina! If you''re here, we have a guest. An unweed one." "What are you saying?" Tina looked out of the kitchen, "I don''t care. We''re giving her the best we have." "Did you see? Did you hear?" Lilia nodded, "That''s how people should treat their guests." "Salt is more expensive, so I''m giving her that with tea." Tina gave Arad a thumbs up. "You tall human!" Lilia gasped, "I drink my tea without any salt or sugar," "Who puts..." Arad sighed, sitting down and facing Lilia. "Answer," "They are the same as high elves and elves. In the past, they were extremely weak physically in exchange for ridiculous magic, but that isn''t the case anymore." Lilia looked at Arad, "They can lose anything to gain anything, albeit it''s decided on birth." "She''s physically weak. But has a lot of magic?" "No, but that''s for her to exin." Lilia looked at him, "You can tell high humans apart by their pure white hair and colorful eyes. Blue is sometimes associated with magic, and red with evil, but those are false ims." Arad looked at her for a moment, "Wait?" "You''re right," She looked at him, "Jack is a high human. And your brother seems to be the son of one as well." "Is there anything like a high dragon?" "No, magic dragons are the closest to a better dragon." She looked at Tina as she walked into the living room. "AO created the dragons as the perfect living beings. You improve on the best, only get different vors." Tina put the tea cups on the table, and Lilia snatched hers. Giving it a taste. "Well, it doesn''t have salt in it." She smiled. "But, you woman..." She stared at her. "It has this." She pulled out a tiny bag of red seeds. "I knew it," Lilia growled, "Red fennel seeds. Stronger than the normal ones, those don''t just cure stomachache and poisoning. They actively force the bowels to move, usually leading to extensive diarrhea and dehydration, even death if consumed in arge amount." "Don''t worry, I only added enough to give you a bad day." "There is no need for me to even worry," Lilia looked at her, "It won''t affect me even if I ate the seeds for dinner." She tapped her stomach, "I''ve been perfecting my creations for untold eons. This won''t harm me," She downed the tea at once, flicked her finger, and the cup got refilled on its own. "What was that?" "Conjure tea, a spell I created in the past." Lilia smiled, waving her hand, and a whole basket of bakery and sweets appeared out of nowhere. "Conjure Crunch. One of my favorites." "Magic can do that?" Tina looked at the basket. "You store the ingredients in a timeless space, then create a form to cook and prepare everything in the stopped time before pulling it out." Lilia started exining how the spell works as Arad took a sip out of his cub, "So, what did youe to teach her." Lilia looked at him and pulled a book out of nowhere. "This is for you. I''ll give her a copy as well." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Magic encryption by Lilia?" He read the title of the brick-thick book. "It details forty different methods to encrypt your magic so other people can''t dispel or steal it like what happened before." "You can do that with magic?" He looked at her, flipping the book''s pages. "It does have those methods, but I rmend you create your own encryption to be safe. I''ll be staying in Alina for the time being to teach you and her, so visit me each day you have time." ^Doma, can I mix the void''s telepathguage with some curses?^ ^[I can help you make an encryption that none would crack.]^ Doma replied with a smile. Her curses are vtile and dangerous to the inexperienced user, so no one even wants to take her power, but it''s still a new thing for her to learn. "Do you have a ce to stay in? You can take the room to the left," Arad looked at her. ^Bet milk her for every drop of knowledge possible, that''s power after all. And I hate losing my powers.^ "Ah! No, I already have a ce to stay in." She stood, flying over the table and looking at them as she floated upside down. "I''ll be staying at Cain''s house. The herbalist old man," "A lot of dangerous people stay with him," Arad remembered Kayden. "As if he isn''t as more dangerous." Lilia shook her head, "By the way, how was thebyrinth?" "Got a few levels off it, but no items to speak off." Arad sighed, "Well, since trying to bring Amber back was a side effect, I got that magic ball I blew d with." "That one," Lilia started thinking, "Youck the energy reserve and time magic to make it stable on your own. It''s a spell beyond human reach, but not that far away from the best of dragons." "Really?" He stared at her. "The upper limit of dragons is higher than humans. Isn''t thatmon knowledge? Or did you expect those two-legged humanoids to rival the mountain-tall, elemental-breathing, raging balls of destruction?" "With magic, everything is possible," Arad looked at her. "Listen, dragons are smarter than humans. They can learn magic better than them." Lilia looked at him with a grin, "Let''s give humans a chance, shall we?" "By what?" "A healthy, trained adult male vs a newborn wyrmling. Who wins a struggle with no weapons, just nature at its core." "The wyrmling," Arad replied, "Even at that age, most dragons are at least as strong as some big cats." "That''s right," Lilia smiled, "You won''t tell me a human can beat a tiger. In fact, wyrmlings bite force is equivalent to that of crocodiles. Their scales are the same as well..." She looked at Arad, "Now that I thought about it. Wyrmlings are just crocodiles with tall legs and wings that spit elemental energy. That makes them faster and able to glide through the air, albeit they can''t fly yet." Chapter 594 Back To The Slave Market

Chapter 594 Back To The ve Market

"Arad,e here for a second," Ae looked inside the house through the window, "You need to try this." "What is it?" Arad stood, walking out to see her. "We''ve been testing the food for the wedding, and I want you to try it." She pointed toward arge pit fire with a massive pot above it. "Why are you cooking outside?" "Since we need to cook arge amount, the space inside the kitchen won''t be enough," She replied. "The house is a bit small for all the work. So we''re preparing things in the kitchen, then cook them outside where we can light the fire and line therge pots." "So it''s just a test," Arad approached the pot, "Then why all of this?" Unlike what they usually cooked in, this pot was massive and probably had enough to feed twenty people. Arad started counting inside his head. "You, Mira, Eris, Tina, Isdis, Rey,?and Ray," He looked at her, "We''re eight, less than half this amount." "Did you forget Meryem? You eat two people worth, and we have Nina who eats like you, and don''t forget Merlin as well." Ae smiled, "You can always eat any leftovers, can''t you?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Meryem? I thought she hated human food," Thest time he remembers her trying to eat, she ended up preferring to hunt monsters. Arad can''t me her as he also prefers hunting monsters for food. Arad looked at the boiling pot. For a dragon, this was no more than a spoonful of soup. Ae took adle, filled it, and gave it to Arad, "How is it?" Arad took a sip and smiled, "It''s good as usual. But we should have more lined up," "Roasted chickens and some bison meat would do for the guests. I''m sure we''ll have some elves, so I''ll be preparing something for them as well." "Speaking of other guests, who did you invite?" "I don''t really have anyone to invite, but I sent one to Da and the elvish queen. I also sent one to the ve market owner and the handler there." She smiled. "Now that mentioned it, you''re still a ve." Arad looked at her. "I wonder why they didn''t contact us again." SWOSH! Zephyr emerged from Ae''s head, looking at Arad. "The ve contract has a race detection built in. I''m sure they discovered a few days after the sale that you''re a dragon and gave up on interfering." "Wait! What?" Arad gasped, "They knew I''m a dragon?" Zephyr giggled, "Of course, they would. You don''t want to sell a ve to a disguised devil, would you?" She looked at him, "Albeit dragons are a problem, once you sell them a ve, they consider it their property, and trying to tell a dragon what to do with his property is the same as asking for your whole city to be blown apart." "So, they think Arad would blow Alina if they said anything," "Pretty much." "We should check on them," Arad said with a tired face. **** Knock! Knock! Is anyone here? Arad pushed the ve market door open, walking inside with Ae behind him. "Wee to out...AAAA!" The old man handler walked out with his usual smile, but the moment he saw Arad, a gasp escaped his throat. "Sir Arad?!" "Why are you scared?" Arad looked at him, "I don''t bite." "I mean...no...I''m sure your contract didn''t get triggered withdy Ae." The handler pulled a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his old wrinkly forehead. "By any chance, are you here to buy another ve?" "No, I just came to check on you. Did you receive Ae''s letters?" Arad looked at him. "Letter?!" He gasped, looking toward the back, "Silis! Pull the mailbox, now!" "Immediately!" A woman called from the back. "Sorry, but we only expect mail once a week. People usually only ask about pricing, so we don''t expect anything serious toe in." He looked at Ae, "You could''ve mailed us to the magic address link." "Magic, what?" Arad and Ae looked at him, and the handler blinked, "Ae, remember the first course once you got enved? The magic charm?" Ae remembered a woman teaching them a magic circle once she got enved, but since she at the time wasn''t that proficient in humannguage, she could barely make heads or tails of what she was saying. Ae closed her eyes, "Like this?" "Yes," The handler replied, "We give this to all the ves to call us back secretly in case they got abused. But many simply use it to keep in contact with us," Arad looked at him, "You okay speaking about it in front of me?" "It''s an assurance for the ve. Each master must ept it. But I doubt you''ll mind. Your contract is still clean." "Long story short," Ae looked a the handler, "What do you know about Arad?" The handler looked at her with a worried face, "That he''s a young void dragon, vampire, and a type of werewolf. But has an angel sealed inside him." Arad blinked twice, less surprised they knew about him, and more appeled by an angel making an appearance out of the woods. ^Doma! I''m sure he''s talking about you.^ ^[About that. I did have a spell that hides my nature so people wouldn''t chase you and me with pitchforks as they sense flowing curses.]^ She said with a giggle. ^[Come on, it would''ve been more realistic if they thought I''m a devil with how many curses I have.]^ ^Why an angel? Couldn''t you put something normal?^ ^[It''s just what I put when I was little. Come on, Arad. Angels use holy magic, and devils use curse magic. Those are totally different.]^ ^You''re right,^ Arad sighed. "Sorry if we intruded on your privacy. The magic of the contracts acts on its own." The handler said with a worried face. "Don''t worry about it," Arad replied, "We only came to check on you." "Sir!" The woman rushed from the back, "There are two letters from Lady Ae. One for you and one for the owner." She gasped. "What they say?" "I only opened yours, but it''s an invite to Arad''s noble party and her marriage with him." The handler blinked twice, gasping, "Wait, really?" He looked back at them, "You two are getting married?" Arad nodded, The handler looked at Ae, "With a dragon," "Yeah, is something wrong with him?" "Do you know he wrestled werewolves, punched vampires, and recently threw a wholebyrinth into the sky, and sted an entire vampire kingdom?" "Wait! How do you know about thest one?" "Some of our ves live by the kingdom''s borders, and they reported a flying obsidian dragon that blew the vampires with an opal gem of light. You''re been named Uranus, the first star of the night." "How do you know that was me?" "I saw you fly in that direction," He replied. "And the timing aligned. We do a lot of detective work to bring justice to our ves, so finding that wasn''t hard." Chapter 595 A Masked Guest By The Winds

Chapter 595 A Masked Guest By The Winds

"You''re really meticulous for a ve market, I expected this investigation level from the guards, not here." Arad looked at the handler. "We''re under harsher eyes from His Highness King Baltos than the nobles ruling cities." The handler replied. "And," The woman approached from the back, "Blowing a kingdom of vampires is bound to stir the powers of the world. It''s not for a human to say to a dragon, but be careful." "The bigger I am, the more attention I''m going to draw." Arad replied, "And it isn''t the people''s attention that''s dangerous." "You''re right," A masked kid said, walking through the front door, a long spear hanging on his back. Arad froze for a second, "This voice," He turned, "I''ve seen you before, on our way to the elvish kingdom." "You know him?" Ae looked at Arad. "The wind devil, the fourth-ranked," Arad looked at him. "I''m the third, not that it matters. We aren''t ranked by strength but with achievements." The wind devil replied, looking at Ae and the handler. "I''m Chris, nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you," The handler bowed, "What brought you to our establishment?" "The white tiger Lora, she''s supposed to be at sale here." The wind devil asked. "She indeed is," He looked at him, "But it''s rare for someone to ask by name." The wind devil pulled a ne made of fangs and showed it to him. "The sign of her tribe. Her parents want to buy her freedom, and I''m just the delivery man." "I''ll bring her at once if she confirms the ne is genuine, well proceed with a contract that dissolves with her parent''s signature." The handler bowed to the wind devil and then to Arad, "Please excuse me for a moment," He then rushed to the back. "Boy! How are you doing?" Zephyr popped out of Ae''s hair and looked at the wind devil with a smile, "You didn''t grow a finger." "Mistress Zephyr, it''s been a while," He kneeled, "How have you been," "You know him as well?" Ae looked at her. "She''s the one who taught me how to use wind magic and my spear," The wind devil replied, "She''s also the one who protected me from the hell gate when I was first born." "He has an elf body but a devil''s soul, the hell gate opened right after he was born to suck him, but I protected him." Zephyr replied, "His mother mated with a man, unknown to her that he was a devil and so this kid was born." "Wait, so you''re..." "An actual devil, yes, I never tried to hide it, people even know me as the wind devil." He replied. "This mask created by Mistress Zephyr is the only thing hiding me from the hell gate." "It''s a massive bone gate that will open if he takes the mask off, chains will fly out to chain and drag him into hell." Zephyr added, "But worry not, it''s just that the world rejects devils from the mortal realm to protect mortals." "There are no exceptions?" "The best rules are those without exceptions," The wind devil looked at them, "I''m but a kid, but my power already pushes me to the higher ranks of mortals. I can''t imagine the horrors if there was an exception to no one staying here permanently." "Devils mostly stay in the mortal world until their summoner runs out of mana. This also caps their strength, so it''s a good bnce." Zephyr smiled. "Just so you know, my curse is the wind that ruins crops and rips houses off their bases. I''m the typhoon that curses kingdoms into oblivion." The wind devil looked at Arad. "Well, speaking of kingdoms and nobles." Arad smiled, "I''m officially bing a noble and marrying soon. Care to attend?" "I''m a stranger to you." "The more, the better. Who won''t love to have one of the top-ranked adventurers attend their noble party and marriage." Arad smiled, "It''s put a good show of power," "You''re smart," The wind devil giggled, "People might underestimate a lone adventurer no matter how strong they were. But, if they thought he had friends to avenge him, no one would dare stand against him." "Just like Alcott," Arad smiles, "You mess with him, and the dragonse in ready for war." "You''re the same, aren''t you?" The wind devil smiled, "I saw you blow that vampire kingdom. And there are twenty great wyrms in your forest. Currently, your house is one of the safest ces in the world." "I can''t be in two ces to protect everyone, and even if I could, I won''t be able to be in three ces. It''s better to have people to trust with your back." Arad said, walking toward the couch and taking a seat. "Am I wrong?" "No. The first star of the night, Uranus." The wind devil giggled, "What a name, it''s rare that people give someone a decent nickname." "The news is spreading fast," Arad scratched his head. "You blew the kingdom of the vampires to cinder, a threat that the whole world worried about, and you came out of nowhere and sted them to the sky. It''s not just rumors, all the kingdoms of the world are already talking about you, and who should take your power." He stared at Arad. "No one can steal my power..." Arad stopped, "In the future, give me a week. For now, they could," He didn''t learn encryption yet. "I''m not talking about stealing your powers. It''s about who gets to keep you as a weapon living in their kingdom. Offers and threats would starting toward you soon." "Let theme," Arad smiled, "I''ll just send them back," "You would expect the human kingdom or the elves to win," The wind devil looked at Arad, "But, it seems that the free wilds of Beasts'' Savanna are the ones taking the lead. A powerful force of nature should be ruled by nature. That''s their argument." "How do you know?" Arad looked at him. "Unlike you, I have a lot of contacts," The wind devil smiled, "And the meeting happened right after you blew the vampires." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "They''re fast." "And they want to relocate you to the mountainous region of the beasts'' savanna to live." The wind devil looked at Arad, "They are treating you like a giant monster that should be given a piece of nature and left alone." "I''m not moving," Arad sighed. "To them, you''re a wild animal that should return to nature. A red dragon would burn one city after the other. Take hours or days to finish the deed. Yet you dropped a spell, sting the whole thing at once." Chris stood as he sensed the handler approaching, "Give the dragon enough food and gold, and he''ll sleep for centuries on his pile of treasure. For rulers that only live about a century, that''s good enough to rid them of the responsibility and the headache of dealing with you." "They just want to push it to the next generation," Ae mumbled. "The lion king rules the wilds. The throne is handed by battle, so it''s certain he''ll one day die fighting for his throne." Chris nodded, "That''s my guess as well. He just doesn''t want to deal with a kingdom-sting dragon," "It''s kinda sad," Ae looked at Arad. "Humph," Chirs snorted, "They fell of grace when Maharaja left to her throne in the hells." Arad blinked. It''s Agnar''s warlock patron. "The ck Jaguar?" "Yes, the eater of the gods. Queen of the Rakshasa. Even in the hell, she still stands at the top of the food chain." "Sounds strong," Arad smiled. Chapter 596 She’s Back.

Chapter 596 She''s Back.

"It looks beautiful, isn''t it?" Kinryuu smiled, "They might be soldiers, but they are quite skilled, don''t you say?" Arad looked at the massive building, "How did you even build this?" He started with a dumbfounded face, seeing a keep built at the mountain peak. "The chromatics had a brown dragon, and we got a skilled copper one. With molding magic they bent the dirt and stone to form it." "How long does it take to have this fine control?" "Over centuries of practice, you might be able to get the vague shape in a few tries, but..." Kinryuu approached the wall, touching it, "Look, you can see engravings with art on each block." Arad looked closely, seeing drawings of dragons, elves, and poems engraved between the seemingly natural cracks. "It''s even better than I expected." "It''s how a dragon flexes his skills," Kinryuu smiled, looking back at the copper dragon that made it, "You topped yourself again this time. Gatomri." "I hate to admit it," He looked toward the brown dragon, "But it won''t be possible without his pure earth magic. I never had such amazing y to work with in my life," "Kinryuu, what''s this?" Arad looked at the wall, noticing a peculiar drawing of a dragon getting punched from the sky by an ape-shaped being. Right beside it is another depiction of the ape swinging a dragon by the tail at a wall. "Pithikos Dynamis," Gatomri looked at Arad, "It''s a demonic ape that preys on young dragons that go astray. Wandering away from the nest before their age closes." "A story to scare the young ones? Just like humans do," Arad smiled, looking at the wall. "But that thing is real." Kinryuu looked at Arad, "It''s a monster that preys on dragons before they reach adulthood and get stronger. Those apes develop the same elemental powers as the dragons they consume. So if one ate a red dragon, it''s start breathing fire and punching with it." "Have you ever faced an item that prevents you from using your draconic powers?" Gatomri smiled. Those are made from those apes. "Chains had the ws burned in their molten still to give it those properties. And the apes themselves had that power," Kiryuu smiled, "One punch and you''ll feel weaker, take another, and you won''t be able to move." "With a third, you''ll be paralyzed and get eaten alive." Gatomri looked at Arad, "Be careful. If you faced one, take it down from a distance and try to kill it in one hit." "You won''t find them around the human territory. They always chase their food, so they are touring around the star mountains of the dragons." Kinryuu exined. "I won''t want to face an angry ape," Arad could imagine it. An ape monster that preys on dragons. Even if he can beat it, he isn''t thrilled about meeting one. Kinryuu looked back as the human architects approached, their jaws open, "How did this happen?" "We built it," Kinryuu smiled, "You still have the castle to finish on your own, but that is forter. Get to filling the ce," He pointed at the keep with his thumb, "We don''t provide furnishing," "Of course," Half rushed inside to inspect the rooms while the other half went into the city to buy the standard furnishing. "I can build them," Mira approached. "That would take time," One of the architects looked at her, "And it will be a massive amount of work. It can''t be good for your health." "Fine," She sighed, "I did want to make custom furnishing...but it can''t be helped. Follow me to the shop. I do have some on sale." "Wait, what?" The architect looked at her. Arad smiled, "She makes most of Alina''s furnishing market." "Really?" They looked at her, "Wait, let me check something," The architect rushed back into his tent, taking a look through papers. "It''s true!" He gasped. He walked out with a smile on his face, "Sorry I didn''t notice it earlier,dy Mira." He looked at the paper again, "Most of the castle''s beds, cabs, desks, and even the royal throne are imported from Alina. You''re the carpenter who made them," Mira smiled, "You''re the one who said we shouldn''t waste time. Get to fill the ce. I''ll work on the woodwork of the other buildings." Merida arrived at Arad''s house the next day, walking inside searching for him. "Ae, did you see Arad?" She asked, knocking on the door and walking inside. "He''s out hunting for meat. A flock of wyvernsnded on the mountains, and he needs to thin them out a bit." Ae wiped her hands dry and walked out of the kitchen, leaving the rest of the work to Tina, Rey, and Ray, "How are your grandparents?" "They are doing well," Merida replied with a smile. "Did youe for what we talked about before?" "Yes. Roberta got me the shipmentte at night," She smiled, "You cane and pick the clothes you want." Ae smiled, "Did you finish Arad''s set?" "Do you know how many clothes that ate? Almost enough for two people." Merida stared nkly. "Arad is huge after all," Ae smiled, "It''s almost impossible to find clothes that fit him now." "All those muscles, I needed to get a new mannequin carved." Merida sighed. "How did you get one made in such a short time? And how did they even make something the size of Arad?" "They didn''t," Merida looked away, "Merlin managed to pull a naked stone statue in one wave of her staff." "How in the hell did she?" "I don''t know, she always dodged the question," Knock! Knock! Knock! As they talked, they heard a knocking on the door. "I''ll go see who it is," Ae stood, approaching the door. CLICK! She opened it, seeing a massive cat-like golden eye staring directly at her, blocking the whole door. The green scales at the edges made it clear who that was. "It''s been a while," ug said with a smile, her breath almost pushing Ae back into the house. "Ha?" Ae gasped, "HAAAAAA!" She cried, "How did you get into the vige? You didn''t stomp anything, did you?" She looked outside. "I''m not stupid. I made sure to only step on the roads." ug replied with a smile. "NO! NO! NO! Look!" Ae pointed, "Your ws dug a trench where you walked, and your tail already smashed some of the vige''s outer walls!" "HA?" ug looked back, "Isn''t the road supposed to be walked on?" "Not for a dragon that weighs as a mountain! And what about the fence? Keep your tail up enough not to hit it." "You''re asking ady to walk with her tail up?" "You all look the same, don''t crush the vige. There is a reason they didn''t get in," She pointed at the other chromatic dragons standing outside. "You''re the ones who told me I can go in!" She red back at them, and they looked away. Ae sighed, "It can''t be helped that you can''t shift into a human, sit outside with the rest of the dragons until Arades back. the noble party will start tomorrow at the evening," **** Time quickly passed, and the party came. Arad looked at the mirror. "Those clothes look funny." He sighed. "They suit you," Ae smiled in the back as she stood with her arms lifted, the two maids Rey and Ray strapping her corset. "I feel like they would rip with one move." Arad lifted his arm. The ck and white clothes were a bit too tight around his shoulders. "It''s my first time making such a big one," Merida stared at him as she wore her leggings. CLICK! The door opened, and Amber walked it. With a swift move, she pushed the door to close behind her. "They need..." CLACK! The door closed, and she cried, jumping in ce with tears in her eyes. "AWAWAWAWA!" She turned around, blowing on the air. Out of nowhere, two massive, red, and semi-transparent butterfly-like wings appeared behind her back. The wing''s edge was bent and twisted. Mira looked at her, "Again? This is the seventh time you closed the door on them," "I told you, didn''t I?" Zephyr said, sitting on the desk in front of the window, brushing her hair, "Always face the door before closing it," "I can''t help it," Amber cried, "I''m not used to it," "Do you know how expensive that body was? The fire spirit is stingy," Zephyr looked at her, "Try harder not to damage it," "Sorry," Amber looked down. "How much did it cost?" Arad looked at Zephyr. "If you''re thinking money, we spirits doesn''t use that. It has no meaning to us." Zephyr replied, "I did pay for it, and that''s all you need to know," "Why can''t you tell me?" "Since it''s between us high spirits," Zephyr replied, shaking her head and looking at her long flowing hair. "Nice," "Spirits trade in Mana," Ae looked at Arad, "She probably paid a portion of her power to the fire spirit for the body," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "That isn''t it," Zephyr sighed. Chapter 597 The Noble Party: A Chaos Start

Chapter 597 The Noble Party: A Chaos Start

Arad looked at Amber, "You''re doing well, considering everything. You didn''t get smaller when the door closed on your wings." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I can barely hold this magic, and it takes a toll on my mana reserve." She took a step forward. CRACK! She rammed her small toe on the table edge. "GAA!" She cried, her body disappearing in a puff of smoke and fire. A tiny, palm-sized fairy emerged. Arad approached her, "Are you okay?" "I might have broken something," Amber cried, curling into fist fist-sized ball. "You''re fine," Zephyr looked at her, "That body is more durable than you think, but you still feel the pain." She flew from where she sat to Amber''s side, patting her back. "Should I get you to Lydia for healing?" Arad looked at them. "No, I''ll be fine." She transformed and waved her hand, [Erge] Puff! With a puff, she got back to a humanoid size. "Why don''t just stay in your fairy form? It''s convenient," Zephyr looked at her. "No way I''m letting people see me like that," Amber gasped. "Would it matter?" Zephyr sighed, "You''re a fire elemental now, and that is merely a vessel. So you won''t burn everything around you." "I''m a human," "You were," Zephyr mumbled. KNOCK! KNOCK! "Arad!" Tina called, "Someone is looking for you. He says why don''t youe drink with them," "Who''s he? Did he leave a name?" "He said his name is Charlie," Tina replied, "Been mumbling about himself being a prince, but that doesn''t seem the case. He has no guards." "Wait?" Isdis who was in the back in her underwear trying to decide between two dresses gasped, "What''s he''s doing here? Did father already arrive?" "I''ll go look," Arad approached the door, "The ck one looks better on you, and it matches with your dark wood tool." "It''s called a violin," "Well, it matches," Arad opened the door and left. Isdis looked at the dresses, "And I was about to go with the white one for some contrast," She threw the white back on the bed and started wearing the ck one. Ae giggled, "You''re the one who spent an hour looking at them," **** Arad walked through the hallway and found Tina, "Where is he?" "I kept him standing outside," She replied, "No princees like that," "I thought I asked Ae to buy you a few dresses?" "I went with her and chose some," Tina replied, "But for now, I''m working as a maid." "Nobles areing from everywhere to the party. If any one of them annoyed you, tell me, and I''ll throw them across the mountains," Tina smiled, "I''m sure you would," She looked back at his face. He wasn''t joking about throwing them across the mountain part. He''ll do it. "Don''t throw them, they''ll die." CLICK! She opened the door. "Arad, it''s been a while." Charlie waved his hand, standing alone outside with a smile on his face. "It''s a bit cold out here, won''t you say?" "What brought you here?" Arad sighed, "You should be arriving a few hourster," "Wait? He''s the prince?" Tina gasped in the back. "Surprise, I told you that. Nobody would''ve guessed." He looked at her from Arad''s side. "So?" Arad looked at him, "Come inside. The party didn''t start yet, but you could sit and wait." "As much as I would love a toasty seat and something warm to drink to fill my freezing throat and heat my rear." He looked back at his horse, "Our carriage broke a few kilometers before we could reach yournd. Father and Mom are stuck there with the guards," "And you came to call for help?" Arad looked at him, "Was it a broken wheel?" "It was a majestic feathery blessing that came from the skies, giving the horses a chance to see the heavens'' beautiful gates." He looked at Arad with a passive, emotionless face, "A griffon snatched the horses, and the impact shattered arge part of the wheels. Only one horse survived, and that''s the one I came on." "Wait!" Arad gasped, "It was a griffon attack? You should''ve said that earlier!"?Arad rushed out, flying into the sky as he transformed. "What a majestic beast," Charlie stared at him, "Would he know where they are without me?" "He can follow their smell. He should''ve picked some on you," Tina said, moving out of the door, "Prince Charlie, please get inside and rest with the early guests." "Thank you, beautiful maid of the dragon," He bowed, stepping inside. "Where is the guest room?" "To left," Tina walked forward and stood at the door, opening it for him, "This is it. Please take a seat and rest. Master Arad would make sure your parents arrive safely." With a happy face, Charlie walked into the room, feeling his blood instantly drying up. "You bastard! You''re cheating!" Gojo growled. "Ho! Ho! Ho!" Cainughed,bing his beard, "You''re naive, young one." Kayden growled at the side, looking at the cards in his hand. "The damnable luck," "How foolish," The wind devil put a card on the table. "I''m taking this win," "I''m really not good at this," Grey smiled, scratching the stitches on his face. "What do you say," "Hmmmm!" Jack squinted his eyes, sweating, "I might lose this one." "What are the rules again?" Kinryuu whispered to Cain, "I never yed this before." "This wine," Grant took a sip, his bald head reflecting the light from the ceiling, "It''s dwarven fire wine." "It''s my win!" Abel smacked his hand down, "Look at this! You can''t top it," Tap! Cain put his hand down, "A royal sh, I win," CLING! Kayden pulled his sword, pointing it at Cain''s neck, "You''re cheating," "It''s not cheating if I don''t get caught." "I caught you," **** Charlie looked at them, shaking in ce. ^What''s this? Why is it so chaotic, and is that Kayden, the strongest of the world powers? What is he doing here?^ They all went silent, staring at Charlie. "Toothpick, who are you?" Kayden stared at him. "You looked at me, didn''t you?" "Sorry, I was just surprised to see someone pull their weapon here." He replied, shaking in ce. Kayden looked at his hand, "Sorry, my bad," He sheathed the de, but instead clenched a fist full of demonic power, "I''m going to smack him with this." Chapter 598 The Noble Party I

Chapter 598 The Noble Party I

CLICK! The maid''s door opened, and Arad walked inside, the king and queen behind him. Tina walked out toward them, "Master Arad, how did it go?" "Don''t know," He replied, "The griffon ran away the moment it sensed me approaching, and I didn''t think chasing it would help anyone." "Yeah," King Baltos said, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "It''s a wild monster. We can''t waste time on it now." He looked around, "Are there any chairs we could sit on and rest a bit?" "Yeah," The queen sighed, leaning on Baltos, her head spinning, "It was a rough trip," Tina blinked, looking at them for a second, "What happened to them?" "I carried their carriage with the guards to here," He looked outside at the guards lying on the ground like dead fish, "They couldn''t handle it," "Ah, that''s it." Tina giggled, "Arad can be a bit rough sometimes." "Get them a ce to sit," Arad walked upstairs, and Tina led the king and queen to the guest room. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om CLICK! She opened the door. "DIE!" Jack swung his arm, throwing a card at Charlie. Charlie dodged with a smile. TACK! The card passed by the king''s face, sticking to the door''s frame. "You sack of horse radish," Charlie rushed forward, getting behind Jack and lifting him up. CRACK! Then suplexed him on the ground. The queen looked at the card stuck at the door and then at her son, "Charlie, calm down." King Baltos growled, "Charlie! You''re getting in a fight?" He shouted, and both Charlie and Jack looked at him. "Why didn''t you wait for me?" He threw his mantle away and cracked his knuckles. "What?" Jack gasped as he saw the King jump at him. "BOY! Get the arm!" "Yes! Father!" Baltos grabbed Jack''s right arm, and Charlie grabbed the left one. "Wait! You two!" Jack gasped. "Boy! Kick!" Baltos lifted his leg up and kicked down with his son toward Jack''s ankles simultaneously. CRACK! Jack''s legs lifted up as the father and son mmed him down. Jack gasped, and the wind kicked out of his chest. "Drop on him!" Baltos lifted his elbow up, about to drop on Jack''s chest, but suddenly two hands grabbed him and Charlie by the hair. The two stopped, looking up to see the queen staring at them with a smile. "Come with me," She dragged them away. Jack opened his eyes, feeling a sharp pain across his head. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Hey, you." Cain looked at him, "You''re finally awake. The other guests arrived." "What?" Jack looked around, seeing the guest room almost empty. "What did happen?" "You got drunk with the prince and fought, finally he and the kick gave a solid hit enough to knock you out." Cain exined, "It''s been almost an hour since then." "Wait? An hour, did I injure my head?" Jack gasped. "It was more the alcohol than anything else. You''re currently fine," Cain stood, "Let''s go to the main room." Jack walked behind Cain as he opened the door, showing him the packed main room with countless people. Nobles, merchants, lords, and generals from all parts of the country." "My Queen!" Grant cried, walking after the elvish queen as her guards pushed him away. "Don''t approach the queen!" One of them growled. He looked to the side, seeing Isdis sitting with a whole band, ying music for the party. "It really started," "Jack! You''re finally awake?" Lydia approached him. Jack looked at her, wearing a long white dress, "That suits you." She paused for a second, "Come with me," She dragged him away. Rey and Ray walked into the ballroom, pushing carts full of food through the guests. "Jack woke up?" Arad appeared behind Cain out of nowhere. "HA!" Cain gasped, turning back, "You scared me," "That looked fake," Arad smiled, "You felt my magic before I teleported here." "Does it seem like that?" Cainbed his beard. PUFF! Lilia emerged above Cain in a puff of smoke, sitting on his shoulders, "You did!" Sheughed. "Get off his shoulders," Arad tried to snatch her, but she dodged his hands with ease. "Let her be," Cain smiled, "She''s light," Arad sighed, "Don''t cry about your backter," "Can I cry about it now?" Cain asked. "No," Arad replied. "How sad." "Are you Baron Arad?" A man approached him from between the guests. "Excuse me for a moment," Arad left Cain and Lilia, heading to talk with the man and the other nobles. The guests stared at them, it was a strange sight seeing the massive Arad towering over the other nobles. They might look to weigh the same but for different reasons. As Arad expected, those nobles only talked about what Alina''s lord had already spoken with him about. They want permission to create roads through Arad''s territory, push trade, and define borders. "I won''t mind roads for trade, it''s for the benefit of the people." Arad smiled, "But, I''m quite new and naive when ites to other politics," He smiled, "So, may I call an adviser?" "Of course, go ahead," The nobles replied with smiles. "YO! Baltos, can you help me here a bit?" Arad called through the room, and everyone froze in ce. You don''t address the king like that and wasn''t his presence here just a formal thing? The king is obliged to attend the noble party of each noble that he approves. That usually takes the form of him showing up for a bit, dering the person in question a noble, and then leaving immediately. All the nobles who didn''t know Arad beyond his name thought one thing, ^He''s dead.^ Baltos red toward them, "Arad, is something amiss?" He took a step forward, "If one of them is bothering you, we can skip the trial and go directly to the block. You have an axe here, right?" He remembered thest time a noble messed with Arad. That man ended up dead in seconds. He understood well that Arad wasn''t a human. He couldn''t hold him to human standards. Baltos smiled inside. ^Arad is growing. He didn''t kill them immediately.^ "Father," Charlie approached Baltos, "I saw a chopping block outside, it''s perfect." The nobles started shaking. It was clear from their voice. That the king and prince weren''t joking. Chapter 599 The Noble Party II Uninvited Invited Guest

Chapter 599 The Noble Party II Uninvited Invited Guest

"I''m not good with politics. I wanted to ask you about it." Arad said, looking at them, "And no, don''t use my firewood chopping block for that." Baltos smiled as he approached, "So, what is this about?" "I hear business talk." Alina''s lord joined in quickly. **** Mira stood upstairs, staring down in Arad''s direction. "What are you doing?" Eris approached her, "Ah, he''s talking with the king." Mira blinked, looking back at her, "Who? Arad, no, I''m not looking at him." She shook her head. "Come on," Eris giggled, "No need to hide it," "No, really, look at the chairs behind him. They are a bit crooked." Mira pointed. Eris took a look, "You''re right. Now I can''t unsee it," "Want to help me take them out?" Mira asked, "Nobles are really picky, and I don''t want anyone noticing them, especially since this is Arad''s house, and I''m the one who made them." "Didn''t we check everything?" Eris scratched her head. "They must have got crooked afterward, probably bad nails or glue." Mira walked down with Eris on a mission to sneak some chairs out of the party. *** Nina approached Arad''s house with Jona and her grandmother, reaching toward the door. "Is this Baron''s Arad house?" A voice came from behind them. Nina turned around, seeing a tall woman with long ck hair, faintly glowing purple eyes, and skin that seemed to reflect the moonlight as she spoke in a gentle voice. From her clothes, she seemed like a farm girl from the vige. "You live here?" Nina asked. "Sorry, but I didn''t get an invitation," The woman bowed, "But, can I get inside? I just want to see him once." Nina stared at her for a second. She didn''t feel threatened. Not having an invitation letter while not being someone anyone knows could be dangerous. But, with Arad''s strength and the countless world-level powers in the house, that was very unlikely. "Fine," Nina smiled, "But we''re informing Tina. The decision is up to her." "Of course," The woman bowed again, and Nina approached the door, "Tina, are you around?" "Lady Nina, I''m here." Tina immediately rushed toward the door, "Did you need anything?" Nina pointed at the woman with her thumb, "No invitation, but want to get in," "Arad said everyone is allowed toe in and eat. The only limitation is if it is crowded inside." Tina smiled, "But." She stared at the woman, "Be careful and mind your words. The king and prince almost just executed some nobles on the spot," "That''s scary," The woman gasped with a wry smile and looked behind Tina at the bustling ballroom. Jona and Nina''s grandmother walked inside as she looked back, "Come in, what are you waiting for?" "I just got a bad feeling," She smiled, walking inside after them, "As if something is amiss," "Like what?" "Left my son alone, and his father isn''t here at the moment." She replied, "He recently killed some bats in the barn, and I fear he might get bitten by them." "Bats?" Nina looked at her, "Those pesters were dealt with in this area, it''s been a while since I heard of them." She thought, "I''m getting some people from the guild to investigate and eliminate them." "They are dangerous, aren''t they?" "You''re right, they transport diseases, and that''s a problem," Nina replied as the two of them walked into the ballroom. **** Out in the bushes, a pale woman growled, ring at the keep where Arad was holding his noble party. ^Don''t rush, keep calm,^ Her eyes glew red as she red through the window, fixed on Arad. ^I don''t know if Lord d survived the st, but my mission now is clear, search and destroy.^ She looked back, ^I could kill this vige and the whole of Alina to empower myself, but that would expose me. I''d lose the surprise attack.^ She took a deep breath, lying on the ground, prowling around the keep. ^Keep quiet and to the shadows, strike from the darkness and send the target to death in a stter of red.^ She put her hands together, ^Charge it, use all that you have,^ She closed her eyes, the blood in her body rushing across her veins and bones. ^I was out on an investigation in the human kingdom. Did I survive the st with luck, no, it''s fate.^ ^The lord of murder is no more, so it''s an offering to lord d, my this fool''s blood pleases you,^ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om *** Inside the ballroom. CLING! Kayden pushed his de slightly out of its sheath with his thumb, his six eyes shifting aside and ring in the woman''s direction. Tap! Cain touched his hand, pushing the sword back in its sheath, "Well, well, calm down." "That''s a true-born vampire," Kayden red at Cain. "There is no need for us to help this time," Cain said, his eyes almost looking like an endless ck abyss. "Fine," Kayden closed his eyes, "If anyone dies, it''s on you." The music started, and everyone started dancing. In the middle of the room. Arad moved with Ae holding his hand. One step at a time, their shadows danced over the windows. "He''s a quick learner," Da said, sitting beside the elvish queen. "Even so, those dance moves are as awkward as I expected," The elvish queen took a sip from her wine ss, "His big frame isn''t helping him dance with Ae. She''s far shorter and smaller than him." Arad spun Ae away, extending his hand to shift to Merida as she was the only one he could see in the room. Mira and Eris were busy sneaking chairs out, and Nina was on the other side of the ballroom, stuffing herself with food. Merlin is actively dodging that halfling called Lilia, and Amber is hiding upstairs as she has shifted into a small fairy. Arad danced with Merida. Her moves were far faster than Ae''s, sharp and snappy that he could finally rx a bit. It was clear that she had far more skill at it than him. TAP! Arad shifted from Merida, reaching with his hand to the crowds. Mira was supposed to be around. But she still didn''t get back. He intended to drag Tina or Da if he reached them. One is his maid, and the other is the one who taught him how to dance. TA-TAP! The ck-haired woman took a step in, grabbing his hand and pulling back into the middle of the ballroom. Arad blinked. ^Who''s she?^ That long smooth ck hair and purple eyes, he couldn''t quiteprehend where she came from. **** Outside, the vampire woman growled, ^Damn it, get out of the way,^ She growled, her blood boiling as it charged in her fingers. ^Cattle.^ She grunted, ^I could pierce through her, but that might give him a chance to dodge. I need to make sure he''s giving me his back. And that at least one of his wives is facing him so he won''t dodge and attempt to block instead.^ TAP! Each time Arad was about to get in a straight line between the vampire woman and one of his wives, the woman pulled him aside. Each of her steps looked far too strange for a dance, and he only kept up with her due to his learning speed. "You''re quite strong, aren''t you?" She said with a smile. "If you''re from the vige then you know," Arad replied, trying to step aside, but she pulled him toward her. "Well, that''s true," She giggled, "Tall, wide, and strong, you remind me of someone," She looked around at the girls who stared at them, confused, "And you even got a lot around you." From the side of his eye, Arad saw Mira and Eris walk into the ballroom, so he tried to wrap the dance out. This only happened to keep it going with no one to dance with. Arad pulled away, but the woman pulled him back into the dance by the hand, "Are you scared of me? Don''t worry," She smiled, "Rx," "You know I need to go dance with them?" He stared at her. "I know," She replied, "I''m taking you for a while. They can wait," She took a step, walking to his back, and then spun him back, sliding into the crowds. Arad stopped, searching for her, but she was nowhere to be found. "Arad," Mira approached him, "Who was that?" "I don''t know. I lost track of her. Did you see her?" "She slid between the nobles, but she isn''t there anymore," Mira looked around, "Isn''t it strange that you of all people lost track of her?" **** The vampire woman outside smiled, her blood charged, and the perfect situation presented herself. Arad gave her his back with Mira standing right in front of his chest. He either takes the hit or she dies. On top of that, with how strong a sense of smell vampires got toward blood, she could tell immediately, ^That woman is pregnant. That''s even more reason for him to take the hit.^ Tap! At that moment, a footnded on her head, gently pushing it down a bit. "Who do we have here?" The vampire turned as fast as she could, but her head got stomped to the ground. "You! That woman," She could see it, stepping on her face. The same woman that danced with Arad red down at her with glowing purple eyes. The forest burned into darkness as the stars shifted, aligning into a massive dragon eye. Chapter 600 The Noble Party III Empress of The Void

Chapter 600 The Noble Party III Empress of The Void

"HA!" The vampire woman spun around, swinging her ws at the woman''s leg. SWOSH! The ws passed across the thin air, causing a dust cloud to rise. "Where did she go?" She growled. The dust cleared, and she found herself standing in a vast, empty world filled with craters. "Who are you? Where are we?" "I did have multiple names," The purple eyes woman replied with a smile, standing alone, facing the vampire. "Call me whatever you like. I bet you I had that name once." BAM! The vampire lunged at her, "Astera, guardian of d," She swung her w at her with a blinding speed, "Die nameless," "Nameless? Is that supposed to be a name?" She blocked the vampire''s strike with her forearm, not even budging or bothering to move her other hand. "Safi-Kenos-Vasilissa Orion" She smiled, "The Empress of the clear void of space, wee to my hunting ground." CRACK! She punched Astera in the face, sending her rolling across the wastnds. The vampire turned around, flying away from Vasilissa. "Don''t need to fight you anyway," She flew as fast as she could. ^I need to kill that dragon Arad. She''ll just waste my time.^ Vasilissa sat on the ground, "Run as far as you like," She smiled, "Food never makes it out of the te on its own." Astera flew for minutes, and those quickly turned into hours, and days through a seemingly endless night without seeing a trace of civilization, "Where did she teleport me? At this rate, that dragon should be almost at the wedding," She flew up into the sky. Wastnds spanned as far as her eyes could see. No matter where she flew, there was nothing resembling the traces of a humanoid or a monster, not even nts. All she could see were massive craters and exposed ore veins. "Tired of running away?" Vasilissa appeared behind her, sitting on a stone and trimming her nails. Astera turned with a scared face, sting her with a massive burst of blood. Vasilissa swung her hand, deflecting the blood. "Don''t waste your blood. You''re like a pea spinning around in an empty te, and spitting your juices out." "Who are you calling a pea?" "You. Didn''t you realize it yet?" Vasilissa stood, putting her hands in her pockets as she stared down at Astera, thosemon clothes of her pping with the wind. "We aren''t in the mortal world anymore. You''re on my dinner te," "Stop lying! This ce is too clean to be the waste of Hades, and it isn''t a demi-ne. No one can make such arge world." Astera shouted. "You''re right," Vasilissa smiled, "This isn''t the waste of Hades, and I don''t have the power to create such a vast world." "Giving up on your lies so quickly?" "But I can swallow it," Vasilissa stared at her with glowing purple eyes, "If it fits in my stomach, I can eat it whole." The stars in the sky shifted, taking the shape of a massive draconic head with the moon being its eye that red down. "This humanoid body is a mere puppet of my magic, and you''re on my dinner te." Astera looked up with a terrified face. The world zoomed down as she realized it, the massive dragon stared at the whole, towering over it as she growled. "When the stars shift, you''re already inside my stomach, as is this world," She stared at her with an empty face, "You can run as long as you want, but neither people, nts, animals, or times exists here. It''s a mere ce where I bring my preys to eat." "What are you?" Astera gasped. "A void dragon Great wyrm." She looked at her, "Several thousands of years ago, I was tasked by the Overgod to protect the world inside my stomach from intruders. You vampire lord must have heard of me, right?" Magic dragons consist of mainly three types. Time dragons who hunt time travelers disrupt fate, the same dragon exists in the past, present, and future. Light dragons are made of light itself, shining brighter than the sun and flying faster than anything in the world. As their speed is the limit of the world, their strikes carry an almost infinite amount of power, giving them the ability to one-shot almost anything unprotected by a divine. "The world doesn''t make sense," Vasilissa said, "Schrs found that no matter how much magic they counted, there was always a surplus that they couldn''t exin. The area has 2000 mana, but they could only find 10 of it," She took a step forward, "That remaining unknown existence is me." "Shut up!" Astera lunged forward, swinging her fist at Vasilissa. SWOSH! Vasilissa disappeared,nding on a mountain with a smile on her face. She looked down, "You dared point your magic at my son, his wife, and my grandson or granddaughter. Come at me. I''ll let you live if you manage to hurt me." "You''ll die, dragon!" Astera screamed. She wasn''t by any means confident in her ability to kill a dragon, but she was at least certain of their pride. If this dragon said she''d let her live if she got one wound, she would. ^Dragons are too prideful and arrogant to get back on their words. All I need is to get a hit on her.^ **** Back at the party, Arad started dancing with Mira the moment they couldn''t find Vasilissa. Ae looked to the side, noticing that Gojo was asleep on his chair, leaning on his fist on the table. She approached him, "Gojo, wake up." She shook him, and he opened his eyes. She knew it since she lived with Arad for so long. It''s rare when a void dragon truly sleeps. Even at night, Arad sometimes spends it with his eyes merely closed. It was strange for Gojo to pretend to be asleep, which meant he might have been really asleep. "You really asleep?" She asked. Gojo stared around, "I was just drinking here," He looked at the side, seeing his wine ss half full as he left it. "How did this happen?" "That''s why I''m asking," She looked at him, "I know you and Arad rarely sleep. Are you that exhausted? If that''s the case, there is an empty room outside where you can get some sleep on a proper bed." Gojo pinched his eyes, "I don''t think I am. It feels like a zoned out more than sleep," **** HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! SWOSH! Astera flew back, growling as she stared at theughing Vasilissa flying after her. "Stay in one ce!" She shouted, extending her arms forward. [Blood Barrage] Tens of sharp bullets of blood flew out of her fingers, rushing toward Vasilissa. "Is that all you have, vampire?" She waved her hand. Her void rushed through the air and pulled on the one existing between the links in water molecules forming moisture. They turned into Oxygen and hydrogen, crackling like fireworks and exploding a fraction of a secondter. Astera flew out of the raging blue mes, her half-burned face healing as she grunted. She turned into ck mist, fazing through the fire and reaching Vasilissa, swinging a fist at her face. With a grin, Vasilissa grabbed Astera''s arms, disintegrating them in the blink of an eye. "HA!" Astera screamed, her arms healing as she opened her mouth, firing a sharp spear of blood from her throat. Vasilissa dodged the spear with ease, swinging her palm and pping Astera down. SLAP! CRACK! Astera smacked on the ground, her ears ringing and her entire face numb from the p. Even her vampiric regeneration was halted by the power of that p. ^She unleashed a precise power, just a bit lower than what was needed to st my head into pieces.^ TAP! Vasilissanded in front of her, staring down, "Come, stand up. Don''t remain on your knees for long." ^I''m on my knees. The shock traveled down my spine. No, my whole nervous system got jumbled, thus I can''t move.^ She realized. She was kneeling on the ground, staring straight down with a droll dripping from her lips, half unconscious, half awake, dancing between dreams and reality. CRACK! Vasilissa pushed Astera down with her foot, stepping on her face, "Come on, do something. Move, you''ve been sitting there for a whole minute. I''ll eat you if I get bored, you know?" "GAAAAAAAAA!" Astera screamed, swinging her fist up at Vasilissa''s leg. CRACKLE! Lightning sparked between Vasilissa''s legs, smacking Astera before she could finish her swing, sending her flying away with lightning crackling out of her body. "All particles in the air have lightning in them. With my void, I can pull that out." She looked at her, "To shut my elemental maniption, you need to fight me in the void." Astera tried to stand, but her arms disintegrated, and her healing couldn''t keep up. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "What?" Vasilissa stared at her, disappointed, "You''re already breaking apart? Vampires are fragile, aren''t they?" "Shut up," Astera growled. "Let''s end this. Time flows here differently, but I am still wasting it by prolonging this," Vasilissa smiled, "Let me tell you something. I would''ve eaten you anyway even if you injured me. You''re fighting in vain." Astera paused, "But you said..." "If you injured me," Vasilissa replied, "What you''re fighting now is my avatar, a humanoid puppet made of flesh and bones, a projection magic. You were beaten by the upper limits of a human body," As she said that, Vasilissa''s body flew into the night sky, and it was then that Astera realized. Those stars aren''t just taking the shape of a dragon head. They were a real dragon head. The stars moved like a massive jaw in the sky. [I''m here. Come at me if you can.] Astera stared up in silence. [I guess. You were still a mere pea on my te.] A beam of pure light descended from the sky, sting a crater on the ground and erasing Astera. Chapter 601 The Noble Party IV Mothers

Chapter 601 The Noble Party IV Mothers

TAP! Vasilissanded back outside Arad''s keep, patting the dust off her clothes. ^Of course, some would have survived ande for Revenge for d.^ She looked at Arad''s keep. ^Shall I hunt them down? No, the rest are weaklings that Arad and Gojo can handle on their own. d is a slippery bastard. I should be looking for him instead.^ She walked back toward the keep. ^No, I should leave d for them. I can''t interfere too much.^ CLICK! She opened the door and walked back in, looking between the guests. "Where did you go?" Tina approached her. "Master Arad and Lady Mira looked for you after the dance," "Sorry, mother''s instincts. I left my son alone at home and felt as if I heard him crying, so I bolted out." Tina remembered her daughter asleep upstairs, "I know how you feel. Hope he was all right." "He was actually crying," Vasilissa replied with a wry smile, "Really sorry for leaving like that." "Don''t worry about it. Feel free to stay as long as you want." Tina turned around to lead her toward the ballroom. ^Now that vampire is dead. I can drop this body''s power to a human level without leaving any traces that Gojo might pick on. No need to put him to sleep.^ Vasilissa walked into the ballroom and looked around, taking the chance to search for a certain old man. ^Where is he? That ape is dangerous at many levels,^ "You look confused," Ae sat beside her. "Lady Ae!" Vasilissa gasped. Tap! Ae touched her shoulder, "You danced with Arad, then left without notice. You have courage, don''t you?" "Sorry, I had to check on my newborn son," She replied with a worried smile. Ae blinked, thinking. She lost her mother and might be one soon. ^How would I act if I had a child?^ "I hope he was fine," Ae sighed, rxing on her chair. "But no monster would get through the dragons guarding the vige." "It''s not just monsters. Babies cry a lot." She looked at Ae''s face, then at the dance party, listening to the tunes Isdis yed with her band. "I do not know much, but dragons aren''t omnipotent, are they?" She waved her hand, "Something might slip through their ws like a fly slipping past a guard." Ae looked at the ballroom, "A fly slipping through the cracks." She could see a small fly going through the window. She wouldn''t have noticed it if she wasn''t actively looking for them. "You might be right," Ae stood, "I''ll ask Merlin to teach us how to create a massive tight barrier to block unauthorized entries to the local area. That should stop monsters, bugs, and humans alike." "No need to make such a drastic change because of me." "You brought up an important topic. It would be troublesome if anything interrupted the wedding, so I''ll try to get it done before that." A smiled. "I was listening," Arad approached them. The moment she saw him, Vasilissa bowed slightly, "Sorry for leaving suddenly earlier." "No need," Arad stopped her mid-bow, "The suggestion of the people is important. I''ll make a box where people can leave their anonymous ideas. It''s Baltos''s idea, and he said that I could put it for show and ignore it, but your suggestion proves it''s worth looking through." "That is deceiving the people with fake hope if you don''t at least read the suggestions and give them a thought. Does it really need her idea to make you check them?" Ae stared at him. "And what do I know?" Arad sighed, "I''m just learning, and I can''t possibly know if something is bad or good for the vige unless I give it a try." "If a king told you it works, you''re bound to believe them," Vasilissa giggled. Arad looked back at Baltos, worried, "You''re right." "By the way," Vasilissa smiled, "I never saw Lord Arad''s parents around," Arad and Ae looked at each other, "I don''t know who my father is, and my mother abandoned me at birth... No, should I say let me go about life on my own? She didn''t abandon me if she left that..." He remembered Mom in his head. "I don''t know much about dragon kind," Vasilissa smiled, "But I doubt she''s abandoned you like that," "Really?" Ae looked at her, "I doubt a powerful dragon would have trouble raising a child." "They do look like birds," Vasilissa said, touching her lips as she thought, "I heard some drop their chicks from the nest to teach them to fly. Even if one looked young, and struggling on the ground alone. Its mother is always watching from above the trees." She smiled, "If they called for help, or a predator appeared she''ll swoop down and deal with it without the chick even noticing." Ae looked at her, "ck raptors and giant eagles do that. Some inexperienced adventurers get carried away and try to catch the defenseless chick, only for them to get snatched by the mother before they could even approach the little bird." Arad looked at Vasilissa, thinking, "It''s a bit strange, but I guess different creatures act differently." Vasilissa smiled inside. "But what about the father?" Ae asked. "I mean, did he leave and never got back? Or are they like lions where a new alpha kills the previous one with his spawns?" Vasilissa looked at Ae. ^I''m sure I dropped him here right before Alcott arrived. Mother''s instinct in humans aside, fathers can also have it, and I''m sure Alcott is one of them.^ "I don''t know," She replied, "Couldn''t she be a lone mother? Like tigers?" "I''m the son of a dragon and a human. That I know." Arad looked at her, "She once almost killed her brother. I doubt with her strength she''d lose to anyone, even the dragon yer Alcott." ^I was trying to kill that ape... Gojo shouldn''t be harmed by me pping a fly off his hand. It might stink, but that''s all it is.^ Vasilissa looked at Arad. "I heard the dragon yer can beat any dragon." Vasilissa replied, "He''s a respected middleman between the dragons and humanoids. Can she win against him?" "No doubt," Arad sat on a chair, "But I wish I''d at least met one of them." "Arad," Mira approached and pointed back with her thumb, her mother, L Belethor, standing behind her. "Didn''t I say it before?" L approached Arad, sitting beside him, "If your mother isn''t around, you can alwayse back to me. If you''re marrying my daughter, then you''re my son. That''s why we call them son-inw." She pulled Arad''s head toward her chest, patting his hair. "The strong, we care," Nina approached alongside her grandmother, "She also likes to have a word," "That''s ours," Grandma Shir said with a smile, "The tribe''s son," ^[-I hear you!-]^ A telepathic message rang through their heads. ug was listening from the outside. ^[-A dragon is better for him. I''ll be his mother.-]^ Zephyr flew from Ae''s head and sat on Arad''s, trying to push L away with her hand, "He''s mine. I''m the oldest." "You, small," Shir stared at her. "Shut up, Speedy grandma. You''ll be his grandma, so don''t fight on the mother role." She instantly growled at her then looked down at Arad, "I''ve more experience and a lot of things to teach you." "I can''t have that," Out of everyone, Kinryuu approached, "Letting a chromatic dragon raise him, or a spirit could be bad." He looked back at two women[Silver and Gold dragons morphed into humans.] "When metallic dragons reach the wyrm stage they lose the ability to have children so they focus on nurturing and teaching the next generation. Any of those two is happy to be his mother," The two approached, "We can''t let him grow learning from the chromatic or spirits, can we?" The two smiled, approaching Arad. Merlin watched from the back, "Ara. How many single moms are there? Can''t they find something else to do rather than to flock around my Arad?" Vasilissa stared at them, annoyed. Her eyes red at Arad and the countless women pping their wings around him, "Can''t leave him be?" L stared at her, "Well, he''s ours until his mother shows up," "She''s going to get an earful," Zephyr stared at her. "Smack!" Shir swings her fist, "Bad mother, we smack." Nina looked at them, "Grandma says she''ll beat her with a cane for abandoning a child. Such behaviors are extremely hated by us barbarians who live in tribes." "It''s also that way among us dragons." The two metallic dragons added, "Leaving your children for no reason is one of the highest crimes. The father is just as responsible." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Kinryuu nodded, "If they are cognitive enough to decide to a make a child. It''s their responsibility to care for it. That''s why we marry for life, unlike them." He red at the window where ug sat outside. ^[-To us, it''s better to let them experience the world on their own. Once they grow enough to hunt, they can leave the nest.-]^ Chapter 602 The Noble Party V Brilliant Luminance

Chapter 602 The Noble Party V Brilliant Luminance

"Sir Arad," A man in clergy clothes approached with Merlin at his side, "I have a letter from the church," Arad smiled, "Excuse me for a moment," He stood, walking away with Merlin and the cleric. "Is it done?" Arad asked with a smile. The cleric smiled, "It is done. Feel free to drop by any day except Sundays. It''s the day of the prayers to the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu. That''s why we call it sun-day." "Are the other days named the same?" Arad asked. "They are, each named after a god. But not all gods have the days of the week named after them. There are only seven, after all." The cleric smiled. "You heard him. We can go tomorrow." Merlin smiled, "The preparations are done after all." "You''re right. We''ve been waiting for the clearance, but I would love to give the guests at least one day ahead." Merlin said as she thought, "It would be best if we held Ae''s ceremony in the Elvish capital, but getting people there is a problem." "Since we don''t know that many people there, it could end up as an empty marriage." He sighed. "We could attract people by dragging the queen alongside. The elvish citizens are bound to flock to a wedding that their queen attends." "It won''t feel the same. They areing for the queen. I need theming for Ae''s wedding," He stared at her. "It''s your wedding as well," Merlin smiled. "I honestly won''t care if people attended or not as long as I''m marrying Ae. She''s the important one. But, she seems to care about how the marriage looks, so I can''t let it be nd." "ARAD!" Zephyr flew toward him, sitting on his head, "Go to the bath, someone wants to talk with you," "Who?" Arad stared up at her, confused, "Why the bath?" "She''s obsessed with staying clean and sparkly," Zephyr replied, "So go, I called her to help, so be thankful." "If you say that, I guess, I''ll give it a look." Arad walked upstairs, still confused. Why the bath of all the ces? "Who is it? A wind spirit doesn''t call normal people." Merlin looked at Zephyr, "Who and what did you pay this time?" "I didn''t pay anything this time. I called, and she said she''ll do it for free," Zephyr replied, sitting on Merlin''s head, "What are you looking at?" She red at the cleric, "Want me to take your churches down?" "Nothing at All," He bowed, "We won''t want to offend the spirit of thend. Please excuse me." He turned to leave. "So," Merlin looked at Zephyr, "Who is it?" "Luminance," "Wait! That, how could calling her help in anything? Do you know who you''re dealing with?" Merlin gasped. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "The Great Wyrm light dragon, she''s a gold digger. But a decent drakaina." Zephyr looked away. **** Click! Arad opened the bath''s door and walked inside. Suddenly, he could feel his surroundings changing in the blink of an eye. Blue, green, and red lights shed out of the door separating the changing room and the bath, dancing in a blinding rainbow hue of colors. "Son of the void,e in," A voice called him, and he stepped forward. "It''s you again, the one who made the mirrors." "The woman of mirrors, the prismatic light great wyrm," She replied, "The shining light of this world," Arad opened the door and walked in, covering his eyes from the blinding light. "This is still as ufortable as I remember it," Arad growled. "I''m naked here in front of you, can''t you look?" She said with a giggle. "Can''t you turn that light down?" Arad growled. "Looking at the sun is one hundred times easier than turning my face to you with my arm covering it. She smiled, "For I''m the most beautiful drakaina in the world. Even the mountains burn and crumble, falling to their knees upon looking at my face." "No one can confirm. We can''t look at you." Arad sighed, "What do you want? I never used your mirrors, so you aren''t going to ask me to pay for that." "I''m a gold digger," She replied, "But my beauty is unmatched. I''ll let you know that." CHLOP! She switched her legs in the water, "Zephyr asked me to help you move people to the elvish kingdom for Ae''s wedding," She said. "That little fairy," Arad growled. ^I told her not to start troubles with powerful beings.^ "I''ll grant you another pair of mirrorsrge enough to fit arge carriage. One will be at your house and the second one at Ae''s mansion," Luminance said as she stood, "And I''ll deliver them. Now." The light turned off for a split second beforeing back as Arad felt a hand touching his chest, "I''m back," "What happened?" Arad growled. "I flew to myir, picked two mirrors, and dropped one at your house and another at Ae''s house. It was that simple and that quick." Luminance giggled. "That speed is ridiculous," Arad growled. "Light is the fastest thing in the universe, and I move at that speed." She ran her fingers on his chest, "You''re still young. You can''t possibly fathom this speed until you be a great wyrm. But even then, I''ll still be several times faster than you." "Who said I''m going to race you?" Arad grunted, "Be ten times faster than me. I don''t care." Arad thought, ^Even if she was that fast, I could just slow time to match her.^ "Go, they are waiting for you." She whispered, and the light faded. Arad fell on his face in his bath''s changing room. He growled, standing up and rubbing his burning eyes. Ahead of him, he found a note, it reads. "Just to put it clearly, each time I carried you to my bath all the way from your house, and returned you. Even now, I flew with you back. Did you notice it?" **** Luminance stood alone in her bath, glowing brighter than any star as she looked at her forearm, seeing a scratch. She lifted her hand and licked the wound, "Vasilissa''s avatar was there. She managed to snipe me with a w stroke out of the air," She giggled, "If he could only get as strong as his mother, that would be a dream." "Mistress Luminance," A woman said in the changing room. Her head and body were covered in a reflective ss suit to protect her from the skin-burning light. "It''s time for work," TAP! TAP! Luminance walked out of the bath, standing before the woman, "Don''t you hate work like me?" "Not until the day I can gaze upon you, Mistress Luminance." Tap! Luminance put her hand on the woman''s head, "I love people like you, but don''t push yourself too hard." She walked past her, "So, what shall adorn my body today?" "Light absorbing fabric. We got a new batch made, and it''s better than thest one." The woman replied, turning around while still bowing, since the light might pierce her protective suits and burn her eyes if she made the mistake of facing Luminance. "Ho! This is the achievement of the century. With this, I can stop 6.85% of the light emitted naturally by my body. Last time it was 6.70%." She giggled. "You''re right," The woman replied, "Grandma told me. An advancement of more than 0.02% is a cause of celebration. Advancing a whole 0.15% is unheard of." "Quadruple the research team sry and their research funds." Luminance said with a smile, "Inform them that if they get another achievement close to this, I''ll raise their sry tenfold. Making it forty times the current one." "You''re a generous." "I''m not. I don''t want to waste the chance." She looked back, "As long as those mages are alive, I''ll suck all their power and intellect to make fabric powerful enough to hold my light." "You''re still generous," "Even though I''m using you?" "If you''re paying, no one would care. I''m sure they''ll be thrilled to hear you like their work." "Money is temporary, and light is eternal. What do you think of that man?" Luminance looked at the woman. "To be able to stand in your presence with only his forearm protecting his eye. I couldn''t have been more shocked. Last time, I wasn''t here when you brought him." "You''re right. Your mother was here, and she couldn''t believe it as well." Luminance giggled, "Void dragons have an endless void inside their bodies. They could absorb my light," "Won''t his scales make good material for the research?" "That isn''t an option," Luminance replied, "For now. I''ll keep my eyes on him. I have no need for his mother, and his brother is too skinny for me." "Ha..." The woman sighed with a smile, "Mistress Luminance, you''re so Ill-natured." **** Vasilissa looked around the ballroom, a sore smile adorning her face. ^I just missed her face. Predicting that woman''s movements is almost impossible.^ She could see Arad walking out of the bath, his skin slightly sunburnt. Chapter 603 The Elvish Capital Church

Chapter 603 The Elvish Capital Church

The night quickly passed by, and the morning came. Tens of full carriages lined up at the vige''s entrance, getting ready to travel across thend to the elvish kingdom. "Why the elvish kingdom?" A man sighed, his breath freezing in the cold. "Baron''s Arad wife is an elf, that''s why," A woman replied, "They said he''s going to take care of getting us there and back." "Can he really move us all?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om **** As the people talked, they saw Arad walking out carrying a massive mirror, reflecting the faint sunlighting through the clouded sky. "What is he doing?" "Who knows?" Arad walked toward the street and looked back. Gojo walked after him with a massive shovel, pushing the snow out of the way with one scrap. Thud! Arad put the mirror down, making sure to push it down until the lower frame gotpletely buried. "The wooden frames are here," Jack walked in, dragging long wooden beams. "Hold a minute." Arad pushed the mirror even deeper into the ground, making sure it sank at least 0.3 meters [One foot.] He then tapped its corner, causing it to sh with a blinding light and turn into a shade of grey. Jack pushed one of the wooden beams into it, and it went in without a problem. He then sat the beams on the ground to make something the carriage wheels pushed on so they wouldn''t break the frame. "Do we really need to do this?" Gojo tapped the frame with his hand, "I doubt I could crack it." "It''s not that much work, and I don''t want to risk it failing," Arad replied, helping Jack line the beams as Gojo held the Mirror in ce. After lining all the beams, they quickly build a frame to support the mirror''s back, "It''s read! Drive the carriages into it, and you''ll get to the elvish kingdom on the other side." Arad called with a smile, waving his hand. The people stared at him with skeptical gazes, unable to believe it. They heard of teleportation magic, but that thing was too expensive and consumed a ton of mana that it was out ofmoners'' use. "Are you serious?" A man mumbled, "Even so, won''t that be illegal? Going to another country without passing a checkpoint?" "Don''t worry. There is a checkpoint at the other side." Arad tapped the mirror. At that moment, an elvish woman donned in te armor extended her head out of the window. "Holy lemons! It really works," She gasped, "This ce is so low on..." She noticed Arad''s face beside her, ring at her. "Hello, Baron Arad." She said with a scared face, looking back at him with sweat dripping across her forehead. "Didn''t I tell you it''s dangerous to go through if carriages are about to pass?" "Come on, Baron Arad." She tried to exin, "It was just set. There would be no one..." At that moment, Da poked her head out beside the elvish soldier. "You''re here? I found a nice pable butt on the other side," Da stared at her with a smile. "Get back to your post before I p you," "Yes!" The elvish soldier cried, rushing back to her post. "Just got here. Everything is clear on the other side so get them to move." "I know. Make sure no one gets in the way," Arad nodded as he approached the carriage. "One after the other, drive through the mirror. On the other side, you''ll find yourself at a checkpoint by the elvish soldiers. You don''t need any identification, they''ll just scan you with an appraisal orb that detects criminal acts like the one used by the church." He pped his hands. "Don''t worry about the result as the orb has been modified to only give a beep when a certain threshold of crime has been detected. Even the apprising soldiers won''t know if you stoke a bag of rice ten years ago or not." The people looked at each other. Arad waved his hand, "Hurry! I want to start the ceremony as early as possible. Inpensation, I can bring you back at any time you want for the next two weeks." "Wait," A young adventurer who was going to the ceremony with his family gasped, "So we can go to the ceremony for today, then spend two weeks there before returning if we wanted." "That''s right, but I also hope you''ll make time to attend the other weddings as well," Arad replied to him. "I needed a new sword. And I heard the elves make amazing rapiers." He smiled, "I need to check them out." "Man!" A woman cried, "Hurry and bring the money! We aren''t wasting this chance," Arad looked at them as they panicked. He thought, "Won''t this make me moneyter?" "It will," Jack replied, "We need to talk about it with the elvish queen, but we can make a safe instant link between the human kingdom and the elvish kingdom for trade and tourism using this mirror. The money would flow like rivers." "I would still need to pay a part of it to the elvish kingdom for the upkeep of the checkpoint and their share." Arad replied, "I''m sure I''ll have to do the same here, but since it''s on mynd, I''ll be paying myself." "I''m sure Luminance would ask for a share." Gojo added, "Still, I think it''s a solid investment for passive ie." "I''ll give Roberta a monopoly on the trade and Sara a monopoly on the underground trades." Arad added, "The elvish queen suggested that the illegal market should be controlled by the royal court to make sure it doesn''t get out of hand." "Trying to block people from it will always lead to more ck markets appearing everywhere." Jack sighed. "So it''s better to go with it," Gojo smiled. **** The carriages rode past the mirror,nding at the checkpoint where the elvish knights stopped them for inspection. It was quick but not without trouble. A husband was found to have cheated on his wife five times with their neighbor''s wife. Funnily enough, she was also caught cheating with the same neighbor. They both cheated on each other with the same neighbor and his wife, who was also caught in the inspection. This revtion almost sparked a fight at the checkpoint, but the two families decided to keep it down and solve itter so they were allowed through. A man who murdered his brother fifteen years ago was caught and sent back for trial in Alina. Arad was appealed by how the orb worked. It checks the person''s soul for guilt first, and if it detects it, it then cross- references it with thend spirits to see to which god the person in question believes. The god will then respond to Sylph, the elvish goddess who made the orbs with the man''s deeds. Of course, their god can refuse to answer or lie. Which usually causes people who believe in evil gods to pass with flying colors. The god of murder for example won''t count murder as an evil deed, but that one is dead, so the murderer got caught. As the guests fully moved to the elvish capital, the soldiers led them toward inns where they could stay for the duration. As most of them can''t speak elvish, a knight was left with each family, making sure they got around without any troubles. Zephyr flew out of Ae''s mansion, stretching her arms as she flew around, looking for Arad, who left earlier. A man saw her. His screams filled the whole capital. "It''s the wind spirit!" Elves rushed from all of the capital toward Arad''s mansion, seeking to see the spirit. "What''s going on here?" Ae looked out of the window. "I''ll go check it out," Eris walked out to the garden, seeing Zephyr hiding behind the fences. "What''s going on here?" Eris asked, and Zephyr stared at her with a sad face. "Humans rarely remember me, but elves who lived for hundreds of years never forgot me. Each time I''m spotted, it ends like this." "I''ll call the guards to kick them out," Eris took Zephyr back inside the mansion and called the guards. **** Arad walked into the main church of the Elvish capital, seeing people rush around with the preparations. Some cleaning, and the other setting of the stand and rails. A halfling dangling from the goddess''s statue hand, cleaning it with a towel. "Sir Arad," The head priest approached him, "As you see, we''re almost done with the preparations. We can hold the ceremony afternoon." "It''s a beautiful church," Arad said, looking at the engraved marble walls, and the massive colored ss window behind the giant opal statue of the elvish goddess. He especially liked the high ceiling, which was almost twice anything that he saw in any other ce. "It is," The priest replied with a smile on his face. "This church was built five hundred years ago by the goddess herself in the divine war." He looked at the statue with the sunlight passing through the windows behind it. "Yggdrasil, the world trees keep growing. With each passing year, it blooms with emerald flowers, and if we''re lucky, it sprouts fruit." He took a step forward, "Sometimes, it''s a Miko, and other times, it''s a really sour lemon or a lime." "Why lemon and lime?" "Yggdrasil was a lemon tree, mimicking the golden hair of the elves. Until the goddess thought it would be funny if it sprouted a green line like the Elves'' eyes. And so the tree started doing that." The priest exined. Chapter 604 Aella’s Wedding: Troubles

Chapter 604 Ae''s Wedding: Troubles

The elves gathered under the sunlight, standing right outside the main church in the snow, peaking inside the church as the guards blocked the main door after the ce filled. The humans from Alina had already taken the majority of the ce, making it harder for the church to fit more people. This might have looked like a regr marriage from the outside, but it wasn''t. Inside the church, and beside the human, not a singlemoner elf stood. Only the highest of the nobles of the country managed to attend since the people in question were special. The great Uranus, the dragon who sted the whole vampiric Kingdom of d, is marrying Ae, the herald of the wind spirit. A dragon that holds power in its w and an elf who contracted one of the most beloved spirits in elvish history are marrying. The tension only grewrger as time passed inside. The nobles slowly started mumbling as it took Arad and Ae a while to get out of the priest''s cabin, which they reserved to prepare. The priest stood in silence in front of the altar. His eyes closed as he held two fruits in his hands, a lemon and a lime. "What''s taking them so long?" Eris asked, sitting with the crowds beside Mira and the rest. "I want my turn quickly," "Merida used Ae''s old measurements to create the wedding dress," Mira replied, tilting her head closer to Eris''s ear. Merlin approached, "Since Ae was busy, she didn''t bother trying it. And she also wanted to wear it for the first time at the wedding." "Her shoulder and back muscles grew a bitrger since thest time she got measured. That messed the tight fit around the shoulder and chest that Merida was going for." Amber exined. "I told her to go with something simpler," Lydia said, "Merida said that since Ae has a strong back andrge breasts, it''s better to go with a design that ends on her chest and has an exposed back." "So it didn''t fit?" Eris sighed. "Worse," Mira giggled, "Each time she wore it, it always fell off her upper torso since it couldn''t fit. Merida is now trying to patch it up with a few strings that wrap around the back." Suddenly, Tina walked out of the changing room and approached the girls, "Is she done?" Eris asked with a smile. "Ae''s dress is almost fixed. But we have another problem." Tina approached them, whispering, "Arad ripped the back of his suit when tried to take the pose Merida wanted Ae to take so she could fix her dress. He was trying to help by showing her how, but ended up ripping it." The girl sighed, "For real, he didn''t think about it..." Mira sighed. "I told you, we need to do something about Merida and her tight clothes. She takes measurements literally," Lydia said, "What do we do?" Eris looked around, seeing Isdis, who stood behind them with a passive face. "You with us?" Mira poked her, and she gasped. "What?" She looked around, panicked, "Did it start?" "What were you thinking about?" Tina stared at her. Zephyr giggled, "Probably daydreaming. She''s thest on the line, after all, having that royal preparation in the human capital taking so long," Unlike the other girls, Isids was the princess of a whole country, and her marrying meant the birth of a potential king, and the fact the people need to know that she might as well end up as their queen soon enough. With the humans being less advanced magically than the elves, it took them longer to prepare for a wedding, especially since Isids was a princess and not a member of an honored family like Ae. "Listen, you''re a bard, so what do you," Tina re-exined the situation. "I see," She started thinking, "This is an elvish marriage, so they won''t need to kiss. All they have to do is bite the lemon and lime the priest has. They won''t need to give the crowd their sides, let alone backs." "Really?" The girls gasped, "Won''t they need to walk out of the church?" "Elves are mostly experts in magic and archery, so Arad is expected to show off a bit by taking Ae out of here in a novel way. Most elves either carry their spouse out or move them with wind magic." "Then Arad can use magic to get out?" Eris smiled. "Pretty much. There is no need for him to show the crowd his back, and he can just teleport with Ae out." She smiled. "But, I have a better idea that would remain in romantic songs for generations," Isdis giggled, "How about if he burst his wings out? And fly with her above the clouds. No one would ask why his back is ripped out. It''s where his wings came from." "Flying out? through where?" Mira looked up at the ceiling, "This ce is closed." "No, the windows on the dome should be openable, just as a priest to go on the roof and open them beforehand for Arad and Ae to get through." Isdis smiled, "I''m sure they can fit, look how big those windows are." "They probably should just teleport," Eris sighed, "No need for flying out, and we don''t need him destroying his suit even more." "You''re right," Isdis sighed, "It would have been a nice poem," "We need him wearing something for us," The other girls stared at her, "I doubt Merida can fix it if he spread his wings and sted it to bits." "I''m going to check on them again," Tina rushed back into the cabin. CLICK! She opened the door and walked in, seeing Arad sitting on a chair, waiting as Merida sewed strings on Ae''s back. "How is it?" Tina asked. "She tried to use two strings to finish early, but it seemed that Ae''s breasts could spill out if she moved wrong, the muscles on her back as strong enough to rip the strings out of the fabric. "I''m going to use six strings," Merida said, "And I''m trying them to different ces. You need to take short breaths, and don''t make any sudden moves." "Don''t tell me they could spill outside," Tina sighed. "No, I meant she stop breathing heavily here when I''m sewing. It''s making the job harder." Merida stared at Ae, "Calm down," "I''m a bit nervous. You can''t me me when it''s my wedding," Ae gasped. "AWA!" Ae cried as Merida poked her back with the needle, "I said don''t move," **** The people started mumbling outside, waiting for Arad and Ae to show up. Vasilissa looked at the cabin with a worried face. ^They won''t fix it in time, would they?^ She stood, approaching the girls. "Excuse me, can I ask something?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "They''lle out soon," Eris replied. Probably telling strangers what was happening wasn''t a good idea, and she stuck to that reply. "Did they damage the wedding dress or suit by any chance?" Vasilissa asked with a smile, staring at the girls with a sharp re. "It''s happened to me before, and I could help." The girls looked at each other, "What happened?" Vasilissa looked away, scratching her chin, "The tailor mixed my measurements with another woman, and the dress didn''t fit, and my husband tore his suit when he tried to do stretches." She giggled, and that story was true. ^I made a mistake and gave the measurement of one of my guises, so the dress didn''t fit me. And Alcott did try to stretch a bit and ripped his pants.^ She remembered. "What did you do?" Mira stared at her. "Flipped the pants outside out and gave them a rough stitch. It won''t show when you flip them. As for me, I tightened my corset a bit and asked a friend to make me a bit smaller, using a horrid witling spell." Vasilissa giggled. "Wait! The spell that kills people by drawing moisture out of them?" They gasped. "It was my wedding, and damn it, I''m going in the white dress even if it kills me." Vasilissa looked at Merlin, "You''re a great wizard. I''m sure you have some spells to make herrger or smaller." It clicked in Merlin''s head, "Let''s ask Zephyr," "Yeah," Mira smiled, "Come with me, you can sew clothes, can''t you?" "Yeah, I can," Vasilissa replied with a smile, and Mira immediately dragged her to the cabin. The moment the door opened, Mira, Merlin, and Vasilissa walked inside and closed it behind them. "I thought none would get here?" Arad stared at them. "She can help. Give her your jacket and shirt. She can sew them together." Mira pointed at Vasilissa. "Hope she won''t mess it up," Merida pointed back, "Use my toolkit," "Got it," Vasilissa rushed to work. "Merida, Zephyr might be able to help." Merlin looked up, and Zephyr popped out of her hair, "I do not have that fine control, but I can make you overall smaller to fit better." Chapter 605 Aella’s Wedding: End

Chapter 605 Ae''s Wedding: End

The cabin finally opened, and everyone extended their necks up to look. Arad and Ae finally made it out. The elves sighed. Finally, the wait was over. Arad and Ae approached the priest''s stand, looking back at the people in the church. The priest looked at them, then turned around, "Today is a blessed day. Under the watchful eyes of the goddess and the world tree, we witness the wedding of two souls." He lifted his hands, "In my hands, I got two fruits of the world tree." He then turned toward Arad and Ae, "Sir Arad Orion, do you ept Ae Deianira as your wife for all eternity?" "Yes," Arad replied. "Lady Ae Deianira, do you ept Arad Orion as your husband for all eternity?" "Of course," She nodded with a smile. The priest smiled, "Then may you be together in life and death." He extended his hands toward them, handing Arad the lemon and Ae the lime. "Take one bite of the sacred fruit of the world tree, and the goddess may grant you a blessing." Arad and Ae took the fruits. She took a bite while Arad managed to munch and swallow the whole lemon with one bite. She felt a faint rush of magic across her head as the sour taste engulfed her mouth while a clear green light shed in Arad''s eyes. To them, the whole church turned ck, engulfed in darkness as everyone disappeared. Arad and Ae looked back, seeing branches burst from the ground and forming a massive tree with a throne in the middle. A blond, red-eyed elf red down at them as she sat on the throne, one leg on the other with her head resting on her hand. [CONGRATULATIONS] "This magic," Arad said, looking at the elves'' goddess. "It''s the same ce I was digging toward when the queen disappeared." "Sylph, the elf goddess." Ae gasped. [You''re right, child of the void. This a demi-ne I meet people in for granting blessings or advice.] "I thought it was just customary, not that you really show up." Arad smiled. [I show up to every elf''s marriage, birth, and death. I watch over them, bless their lives, and guide them through their existence till death brings them back to me.] "I never thought a day woulde when I''d see you," Ae smiled. [We don''t have time, so here is your blessing. It''s not like any other I''ve granted.] TAP! A small pot with a tiny tree growing appeared in front of Ae. [The world tree cultivated power for billions of years since AO first made the whole world. This is but a branch, an insignificant fragment. You may grow it at your house.] She then looked at Arad, [Beneath the world tree, you, her, and your other wives of the future shall heal, and death may not im you. When this tree grows, put your sick one under its shade to heal. Even that vampire would heal.] "So it world beneath this and the real world tree." Arad looked at the pot Ae carried. [It works with both.] Lights came back up. Arad and Ae found themselves back in the church. The guests there blinked, seeing Ae carrying a pot with a branch bursting with the life force of the world tree. They took a step back, noticing that both Arad and Ae, the girls in the back as well had started absorbing the tree''s magic for passive regeneration. Through the centuries, the blessings were nothing more than rings, a word of advice, or a magic item at best. It''s the first time such a thing was granted. Arad looked at Ae with a smile, "It''s done," "Yes," "Please wait a moment," The priest pulled a pen and a small notebook, writing on it. "Here, take this." Arad looked at the small notebook, "This is?" "Your family notes. Right now it only has you and Ae, but in the future, you added your children to it." He smiled, "May the blessing of the world light your life," Arad took the notebook. It''s time he left with Ae. He looked at her with a smile, touching her back. ZON! They suddenly disappeared as he teleported out with her. "Teleportation magic? And without chanting?" An elf gasped. "He''s indeed a powerful mage," **** Thud! Arad and Aended back in the priest''s cabin, and she fell on her knees, gasping as the size magic Zephyr cast disappeared. "Finally, it''s over." "Take deep breaths," Zephyr approached her, fanning her face with wind magic. "Will she be fine?" Arad asked. "Yeah," Zephyr replied, "Size magic could feel really ufortable, especially for unclear changes. To be fine, you either need to be too small or too big. You can''t just get a bit smaller." "It''s like motion sickness," Merlin looked at them, "She''ll be fine." The girls entered the cabin, "Congrattions," Eris smiled. As the girls congratted her, the elvish queen walked in and approached Arad, "So, when will you beat her?" "Wait? What?" Ae gasped. "This was an elvish marriage. How about the dragon one when you two fight?" She smiled. "No need for that," Arad replied, "I already knew their strength, and it doesn''t need to be fighting all the time," Eris giggled, "The queen is right. Dragons fight for the marriage ceremony. Since beauty to them is strength, that''s an act of showing it to each other." "That''s true when the two dragons don''t know each other," Merlin looked at the girls, "Arad knew you all before. He doesn''t need a second look at your strength through a fight." Arad nodded, "Should we go back? We still have preparation for Mira''s wedding at Alina''s church," Ae smiled, "You''re right, we should hurry." She looked at them. The other girls worked hard to make this day possible for her. She won''t ck on them. They walked out through the church''s back door, leaving in a carriage that awaited them and heading back to Ae''s mansion. As the girls went into the mansion Arad approached the guard post. "How is it going?" One of the guards approached him, bowing, "First. Congrattions Baron Arad," Looked at Arad with a smile, "My the blessing of the world tree be with you for the rest of time." He stood from the bow, "The mirror is fine, no damage was spotted through the transport, and we''re already getting ready to send the guests back to Alina." Arad smiled, "Thanks for the good work," He looked at the mirror, "That thing is really something," "It is," The guards smiled. "How did it?" A guard asked, "No troubles?" "I ripped the back of my suit," Aradughed. "That must''ve been scary," An elf giggled, "For me, I spilled water on myself while stressing out inside the cabin," "My wife tripped the moment we got out of the cabin and almost broke a tooth. I told her she doesn''t need high heels." "Can''t me her, those are the goddess'' preferred shoes." Arad looked at them, "High heels?" One of the guards looked at him, "That''s right, the goddess Sylph was known for always wearing them everywhere, even to battle." He smiled. "The sound of her heels clicking on the ground was told to send terror into her enemies." "I thought those make it hard to move?" Arad looked at them, confused. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "That''s why," A guard giggled, "When came to a fight with them meant that whoever she was fighting wasn''t even worth it. Probably an act of domination," Arad thought about it for a few moments, "Would they make a nice gift?" The guards looked at him, "For an elvish woman? Of course, high heels, silk white robes, and hair ties are the best gifts that most would take." "He''s right. Anything besides those need to be special to the woman. If you don''t know what she likes, one of those three is a safe bet." "Or give them a bow or quiver if they are an archer," Another one added, "To us, Archery is more of a hobby or a sport than a fighting style. We even havepetition all year around, and people can get really enthusiastic about it." Arad nodded, "I see. I''ll get them all beside the bow. She already got one special." Ae had the steel bow that Mira made. He doubts anything can top that. Even magic bows won''t make sense as they need the user to attune to them which can take time and the mana that she uses to cast wind magic. "I''m going out for a bit," Arad left into the elvish capital marked, browsing the shops for the three items he needed. A white silk dress, a hair tie, and a pair of high heels. **** After an hour, Arad returned to the mansion where the girls were waiting for him, "Where did you?" Ae asked. "I was talking with the mirror guards and decided to go buy some things from the city," Arad pulled a bag from his stomach. "Buy what?" "I was thinking of buying something for you as a gift but didn''t know what to get, but while talking with the guards I got some idea," Arad handed her the back, "Those are for you?" Chapter 606 The Second Wedding at Alina

Chapter 606 The Second Wedding at Alina

Arad and the girls returned to Alina by the sunset. The day had already ended, and tomorrow would be Mira''s day. As they sat at the house, Arad left alone to the church to check on the preparation. CLICK! Arad walked into the church, seeing the nuns rushing around, and cleaning the ce, decorating it for tomorrow. "Things look like they are going well," He said. One of the nuns approached him, "Baron Arad, you returned from the elvish kingdom?" Arad nodded, "Just a few hours ago," He smiled, "How are the preparations?" "First," The nun looked at him, "Congrattions," "Thank you," "And about the preparation, we''re almost done. It should be ready before midnight," The nun smiled, looking back and calling the head priest. "Baron Arad," The priest smiled, "Can I have the family notebook you got from the elves?" "Why?" "Register everyone in one ce, since it''s one family," He replied. "That makes sense," Arad pulled the notebook from his stomach and handed it to him. "I get it ready for Lady Mira and Lady Merida by tomorrow. The time didn''t change, so it''s afternoon." The priest turned around. "See you tomorrow," Arad left, returning home to the girls. The moment he walked out of the door, Mira greeted him. "How was it?" She smiled. "Ready. Since we''re here, it''ll be you and Merida right after another, so we can then head to the capital for Isdis." He smiled. "I can''t wait," Mira giggled, "Merida is already testing the dress. So we won''t have the same problem as Ae." "Please do, and make my suit a bitrger," He walked around the house, seeing Isdis. "By the way, where is Sebas?" He asked. "The first house on the road from here to the vige. He''s been preparing it for a while." Isdis smiled. "I''ll go check on him. It''s been a while," Arad left the house and walked through the garden, opening the gate and heading down the road in the snow, finally reaching the house that Isdis mentioned. Arad walked into the house''s garden, approaching the main door as he looked around at the garden. He knocked on the door. "Sebas, are you here?" "Baron Arad?!" A voice gasped from the inside with footsteps rushing toward the door. "I''ming," He opened the door, looking outside as he fixed his sses. "Baron Arad, what brought you at this hour?" "Nothing important, just wanted to check on you?" Arad replied with a smile, walking inside. "I''ve finished furnishing the house and already settled down. I was thinking of starting my work as a butler soon," "Don''t force yourself. You still haven''t fully recovered from the poison," Arad smiled, sitting on a wooden chair beside the table as he looked at Sebas. "I''m getting better," He replied. "Then I''ll count on you after the weddings end," Arad smiled, "I doubt we''ll be staying home for long, so I''ll count on you to keep things in check." "I''ll do my best," Sebas smiled, "Those old bones aren''t fragile yet, not that I''ll be doing any hard work," He giggled, sitting face to face with Arad. "I think you look healthier than most old men I saw," Arad looked at her, "Your back isn''t hunched, and your reaction times are impressive." "Really, how can you tell?" "Your eyes follow me almost the same moment I move. Such reaction times are those of a fighter," Arad looked at him, "Were you a soldier at some time?" "I was forced to fight in an arena as a ve. You could say I was a diator in my young days. Pitted against monsters and humans alike, we didn''t have a choice besides killing each other, fighting for survival on starved stomachs." Sebas looked out the window, "Each morning, we hope we''re fighting something fair." "I could find that arena and st it," Arad looked at him, "Of course, I''ll take all the ves out first," "Don''t worry about that," He smiled, "We killed everyone there in a riot. I personally punched the manager there to death," He giggled, "Of course, we got caught afterward, and that''s how I ended as a sacrifice," "That kingdom is already being changed by a brother," Arad stood, "I''ll ask him to deal with it," "Thank you," Arad left the house, d that Sebas was doing well. Sebas stared at the door, his eyes shifting from brown to golden with a tint of red. A lion-like tail emerged from his lower back, waving like a whip as his ears grew longer, and two horns emerged from above them horizontally. He hunched forward a bit as his arms and upper torso grewrger and more muscr, covered in brown fur as his jaw elongated. He looked like a mixture of an ox, a gori, and a lion all mixed into one creature. "Need more time," He smiled. **** The next day came quickly, and Arad found himself standing with Mira and Merida inside the cabin. Unlike Ae, those two didn''t have a problem with their dress. "How do we look?" Merida asked, spinning around Arad. "Beautiful," He replied with a smile, then looked at Mira who looked worried, "You as well," "I know but," Mira looked at her shoulders and arms. The tan she got from working in the sun was apparent, and she was ufortable with it. "I don''t like how those look," She stared at her arms. "Can''t you do something about them with that paint?" He pointed at the desk. "You mean the makeup? No," Mira sighed, "It won''t help, not on this scale," "Magic would do the trick," Merida looked at her, "I already called Merlin for it," Soon, Merlin walked inside the cabin, "I heard someone needed me for some fixing," "Not fixing," Mira stared at her, "Can you do something about this?" "There are two ways," Healing magic, but the sun burnt skin will fall off, or illusion magic to mask it." "Illusion magic, please," Mira gasped, and Merlin pulled a wand, waving it above her head. "So what do you want? Tan or no tan?" Mira looked at Arad, "Which one?" "Both are fine. Take the less noticeable one." Arad replied. "Then all tan," Merlin smiled, "Since then I would have a smaller area to hide, meaning it''s less likely that other mages would notice." With a wave of her wand, Mira''s full tans covered all of her exposed skin. Mira looked at her arms, then approached the mirror and turned around. Looking at her back and neck, everything looked fine with a uniform color. "This is amazing!" She gasped, turning toward Merlin, "Thank you." "No need to thank me," Merlin smiled. "Let''s go then," Arad stood, "It''s time we got out," **** Outside, people gathered around the church and inside it, waiting for Arad, Merida, and Mira toe out. "Is he really marrying both of them at the same time?" A woman sighed, standing inside the church. Cain who stood beside her nodded, "That seems the case," He looked at the ceiling, "Since they need to go to the capital as well." "Is that really a reason?" She sighed, looking at him, "They could at least hold two weddings here, one for each girl." "The nobles in the capital have tight schedules. Princess Isdis'' marriage can''t be changed, so it''s best to finish here first before going there," Cain looked at her. "And what''s wrong with that?" "I don''t know, probably give them a day each," "Do you think Arad won''t give them that if they wanted it?" Cain stared at her with his eyes glowing with a faint blue me, "Ae asked to get married in the elvish kingdom, and he made it happen." He stared at Arad, and Mira and Merida walked out. Look closely at them, "What do you see?" The woman looked at them, "They look. Happey?" But then, she could feel it. The shadow of a massive monster loomed behind them. "They don''t need to follow the norm. But do what they want." Cain walked away toward his seat. ^The de of Winterhold that faced a demon queen. And the carpenter who only focuses on making new weapons.^ N?v(el)B\\jnn "Arad Orion," The priest asked, "Do you ept Mira Belethor as your wife, in life and death?" "I do," "Arad Orion," The priest said again, "Do you ept Merida Gilmat as your wife, in life and death?" "I do," Arad replied. The priest turned toward Mira, "Do you ept Arad Orion as your husband, in life and death?" "Of course I do," Mira stared at him. He then turned toward Merida, "Do you ept Arad Orion as your husband, in life and death?" "You have to wonder why I''m standing here, wearing an ufortable white dress." She stared at the priest, her eyes glowing green, "Of course I do," "I mean," The priest stared at her, "We have to go through this," "I know we have to do that," Merida looked at Mira, "What do you say?" "I mean," Mira scratched her chin, "I''m a bit awkward around a lot of people. Just standing here is making my knees shake," "Me too," Merida said with pout, ^I don''t care about this. When will this day end so I can get into bed with Arad? That is why I asked Mira to join her here. She''ll feel morefortable with me at her side, and I won''t have to wait another day.^ Her mind screamed. Arad looked at them with a wry smile. He can feel Merida''s mind. Chapter 607 Alcott is Back

Chapter 607 Alcott is Back

Arad stood in front of the priest with Mira and Merida at his sides. "With the power granted to me," The priest said with a smile, "I dere you wife and husband," He said, standing between Arad and Mira. He then took a few short steps to the left, standing between Arad and Merida, repeating the same sentence. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om BANG! Just as the priest finished, the church burst open, and two nuns rushed in, crying their eyes out. "His face is red!" "What did I miss?" Arge man panted, "Am Ite?" Alcott stood there, his eyes scanning through the church. Just a secondter, his eyes stopped at Arad, "Did it end?" Arad smiled, "Finished Ae''s ceremony yesterday," "Damn it," Alcott growled. "Hey, don''t curse in the church," A priest stared at him. "I was walking past the capital yesterday when I heard they are preparing for Princess Isdis''s marriage. I instantly knew it had to be you, but they were told you''re supposed to be in the elvish capital," Alcott tried to catch his breath, "I was about to run all the way from the capital to the elvish capital but decided to stop here to check, I''m d I did that," "Wait?" Everyone stared at him, "You ran all the way from the capital to here? In one day?" "Since my health is getting better. I''m slowly regaining my power and endurance." Alcott took a deep breath, "How do you think I catch dragons that run away?" Arad shook his head, "Not by running after them," "We humans are persistent hunters. No matter how long our prey run, the moment they turn around. We''re there after them." Alcott walked between the crowd and stood in the front, blocking the view, "I gotta apologize to Ae after this. I missed her wedding." Alcott turned around, seeing Ae standing in the back. He waved his hand, "Let''s talkter!" Thud! Gingernded at the door on her broom, "Alcott, you''re too loud," Alcott stared back at her, "Really?" Ginger looked toward Arad, "Sorry about him. He always used to be a ball of energy, but being sick in thest years tamed him a bit," She stared at Alcott with a smile, "Now that he''s getting better, his energy is slowly returning," Arad looked at the priest, "Can we finish?" "Of course," As the priest carried on with the ceremony, Alcott blinked, turning aside and looking at the crowd with a sharp re. Everyone in that direction flinched as the dragon yer gazes grew sharper. Thud! Alcott took one step forward, pushing the men until he reached where the women gathered, staring at one of them in the face. "I feel like I saw you before, didn''t I?" He red at Vasilissa. ^What in the hell are you? A hellhound?^ She turned toward him with a smile, "There are many women with ck hair around. Aren''t you mistaking me?" "I don''t know," He red closer at her face, "My guts are telling me I know you, and I trust them more than anyone." She pushed his face away with her hand, "Can you please not be a creep? Don''t get too close." "It''s with my guts that I dodge deadly attacks and counterattacks. I trust them with my life," Alcott pushed back at her hand with his face. "Ginger," He said, "What is she? A vampire, demon, or a disguised dragon? This feels like thest one." ^You monster, where are those gut feelingsing from? A perfected void dragon polymorph can''t be told apart, not even by magic, and you''re telling me you can sniff me off.^ Vasilissa growled inside. ^I was right to leave for good and stay away from you. You''re a problem.^ "She isn''t a vampire or a demon, I''m sure of that," Ginger replied, "But the magic inside her body is a bit weird, nothing abnormal but just strange a bit." She smiled, "I''d say she might have a draconic bloodline, probably rted to a dragon you faced before." "Dragons live for thousands of years," Alcott mumbled, "It won''t be strange if their blood got mixed in humans," He backed away, "Sorry for the trouble." "Ah, I don''t mind," Vasilissa replied. ^Just leave me alone! If this conversation kept up, your guts might start ticking again.^ Alcott returned to his ce, watching the rest of the ceremony. Vasilissa stared at him from the sidelines. ^Alcott Demorian, the best man that human blood can offer of this era. It was first Adam, the first human, then his reincarnation, Chad, and now it''s this man. I do y a lot of this projection, and I had countless children with it. But, Alcott is the only one I spent a life with using my true body morphed into a human.^ Vasilissa shifted her eyes toward Arad. ^I doubt he knows how insane his father is. That man once died, and his soul punched the goddess of death in the face and ran back to his zombified body, taking back control to kill an elder lich.^ She smiled. ^Chad Lisworth, the previous best had taken the position of a god while being a human, living till this day and dominating the heavens. And that being is the one supporting Alcott.^ Alcott stared back at her, "Still angry for earlier?" "Worried I''ll report you?" "Nope, I was thinking that if you''re that soft, you''ll have paled a bit." He stared at her with a smile, and it was just then that she realized what his gaze was. Vasilissa stared around, seeing the women around her shaking with paled faces. The golden sh in Alcott''s eyes, the predatory bloodlust of the werewolves. ^I messed up. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn''t notice it.^ She growled, ^One re and they all started shaking and trembling,^ "I don''t care if you''re a dragon, a doppelganger, or a devil. As long as you don''t cause trouble, I won''t bother you again," Alcott approached her again, "But cause one problem, mess one thing, especially in his weddings." He red down at her, his muscles expanding as his eyes glowed with a golden me. "I''ll chase you to the end of the earth and cut you apart," Said with an evil smile on his face, golden divine lighting crackling from his hair to his massive neck. BAM! BAM! BAM! Alcott''s heart started beating loudly, almost sounding like a faint hum of drums as the air around him rumbled. Vasilissa smiled. ^Don''t start getting me turned on again. That''s why I loved you out of all people. Of all the humans, you''re the only one like this.^ "What are you two doing?" Arad approached them, "You''re scaring everyone." "This man is threatening me," Vasilissa pointed at Alcott with a smile on her face. "I suspect she''s a dragon," Alcott replied, "And I don''t trust the ones that don''te clean," "You''re over-exaggerating," Arad sighed, "Even if she is a dragon, I doubt she''ll cause trouble." "You might be right," Alcott stared back at him, "But that naive thinking lost me several cities that got burned to the ground, thousands over thousands of deaths." He red at Vasilissa. "All because I hesitated to gut a dragon I felt was a threat but looked innocent." Vasilissa smiled at him, "Try me." She giggled inside. ^Probably I should try him again. He''s going to be fun.^ "Come here!" Ginger pulled Alcott by the ear, dragging him away. "Sorry for the trouble. I''ll take this muscle brute back home to rx a bit." Arad stared back standing beside Vasilissa, "Sorry for the trouble," "No, I don''t mind," She smiled, "In fact, I like men like him." "You have a child," He stared at her. "Ah, I forget," **** At the day''s end, Arad was resting in his house with the girls, getting ready to make their trip to the capital the next day when they heard loud knocking on the door. "Who is it?" Tina called back. "It''s Alcott and Ginger," Arad said, sitting on the couch, "Can you open the door for them?" "Already working on that," Tina opened the door, "Hey! How are you doing?" "Sir Alcott, wee. What brought you sote at night?" Tina replied. "Ah, look," He pulled a small magic bag from his pocket, "I got gifts for Arad and his wives," He smiled, "Since I heard, I picked some things on my way here," "Pleasee in," She moved out of the way. "Arad, how are you doing? Happy with your marriage?" "Still didn''t finish," Arad looked back at him. Alcott walked in and sat facing Arad, "I brought some gifts for everyone," He put the magic bag on the table and turned around, "I brought gifts. Those who want somee here!" Ae who was in the kitchen looked out at him, "You didn''t need to," She walked out, wiping her hands dry. Alcott pulled a bow from the bag, "Warking bow of magic, it channels the user''s mana into elemental energy and enfuse it. With it, you can fire arrows of magic even if you ran out of arrows." Chapter 608 Alcott’s Gifts

Chapter 608 Alcott''s Gifts

Ae inspected the bow, smiling. "It''s amazing," She pulled the string, and a spectral arrow ofpressed wind emerged, whistling like the howling winds of the elvish forest. "It might not reach the same raw power of your steel bow, but it more than makes it in elemental damage and range. You have Zephyr. You''ll never run of wind for arrows." Alcott smiled and looked at the door, "I know you''re there. Come here before I stand to rip your head off," Click! Arad''s main door opened. Vasilissa stared at him, standing at the entrance. "I hate those with a sharp sense," "And I hate those hard to track," Alcott stood, and Arad beside him. Both rested their fists on their hips, creating a wall between Vasilissa and the girls. "Is she a problem? She only helped," Arad said, tilting his head. "Don''t know. All I know is that she''s a dragon in hiding at least, probably something else, at least not human." Alcott replied, "Strong and hiding her presence to look human," He tilted his head like Arad, only in the opposite direction. "It''s only your guts, don''t forget that." Vasilissa, "Don''t go around using people." Alcott giggled, his eyes turned white as a strange magic crackled through his bones. The muscles on his frame expanded a bit, causing his shirt to tear a bit. Vasilissa took a step back, "You''re scaring me," "I''m not," Alcott smiled, pointing at the girls in the back. Their faces had paled, and their mana started flickering, their subconsciousness telling them to run away from Alcott. Arad looked at Alcott from the side. ^What''s this?^ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ^[HAHAHA!]^ Domaughed her ass off in Arad''s head. ^[All of the curses and tribtions he went through are sparking inside his body and soul in harmony. After a decade of decay due to the contradiction of the vampiric, lycanthropic, the undead, and countless shifts his body went through, they are finally starting to coexist.]^ Vasilissa stared at Alcott, holding her smile. ^He''s power ising back, and he might even surpass his peak. He''s a human, but he went far beyond the limits. A creature, soon he might be the strongest creature that isn''t a magic dragon or an outer being.^ Thud! Alcott dropped on the couch, putting one leg on another and taking a sighting, "I bet she''s a steel dragon. Those bastards are good at hiding as humans. If you''re here to watch over Arad, tell the metallic queen that I still didn''t need to visit her pce. She''ll love to keep it like that." Vasilissa walked into the living room and sat facing Alcott, putting one leg on the other, "Let''s keep it at this. This conversation better not continue. Unless we want to trash Arad''s house." She stared at him, ^Dominance, He means every word. He never had trouble with either the chromatic or metallic queens, but if someone is crazy enough to pull up on them, it''s him.^ She remembered how he dragged Scarlett[Ginger] out of her castle even though she turned him into a vampire. "You''re right," Alcott red at her. Arad, stood in silence, his eyes jumping from one to another. ^I''ve a feeling that I shouldn''t anger any of them. Brother, where are you? I might need help here.^ "Let''s keep this under wrap for now," Alcott reached to his bag of holding, pulling a ne, "This is for Mira," A blue crystal tied with a steel chain. Someone might even say it looks bad. Like made by the worst craftsman ever. "What''s that?" Arad looked at it, "My Kobolds makes far better gear," Zephyr flew like the wind,tching to Alcott''s face and ring at his eyes, "Where did you get that? Did you steal it?" She screamed. Alcottughed, "No, I asked nicely. But those pixies were sweating when I pulled on them bathing in the spring of youth." "What''s this?" Arad asked, and Doma answered in his head. ^[Fatal ne. If the wearer dies, it''ll shatter and revive them. This one has a curse on it that will teleport both the wearer and the one who killed them away. Right now, it''ll take them to Alcott.]^ "You paid them? Right? Only one can be made a century!" Zephyr growled, "Those little ones need the money to survive!" "Didn''t have the money on me, but I showed them where they could find an underground magic crystal mine that I found years ago in their forest, that should cover their costs," Alcott threw the ne toward Mira, and she caught it. "If a mine there, it''s theirs! Mostly the crystallization of the spring''s water." Zephyr kept ring at his eye, more annoyed than enraged. "Finders keeps, I found it, so it was my property. I simply exchanged it for the ne." He pulled Zephyr by the wings and sat her on the couch, "Calm down," He turned toward Arad, "You sit as well. My bag is full." Pulling a tsuba-less and handle-less katana riddled with rust that''s that''s three times as long as a regr one. "Merida, this one for you," He threw it toward her, and she barely managed to catch it. "This is just a long de," She growled, "And rusty," As she grabbed the de, fungal veins grew from her wrist, melding the de into her palm and expanding to the edge. They pulsed like a heart, casing their de to seem alive. "The living de. It''s a fungus-based demonic de that lives off the user''s blood and in exchange never loses its sharpness or break, and it also gets naturally sharper as the wielder''s blood gets more saturated with mana, meaning as they level up." Alcott smiled, "You dealt with that fungus. I''m sure you can handle this one and don''t worry about your hand. It can be removed with a mere thought." Merida closed her eyes, and the de released from her wrist, not leaving a single mark. "Where do you keep finding those things?" Arad looked at him, with a suspicious re. He knew Alcott was strong and went through a lot, probably knowing more about the secrets of the world than anyone he had met, but seeing him pulling one thing after the other, didn''t seem right. "In my past, I acted like a dog. Taking what I needed and burying every item that I didn''t need around the world so I could dig themter." He smiled, "I just made a detour to dig some of them up, probably why that thing is rusted." Resting on the couch with her eyes closed, she switched her legs and leaned forth, resting her chin on her fist. "Don''t go around burying powerful weapons like a squirrel hiding his acorns. Learn to organize your stuff," "You remind me of a woman I was with," Alcott looked away, poking his ear, "Always nagging about me leaving my clothes everywhere," "Probably why she left you," "I''m sure it''s something else," Alcott looked forward, his face changing, "I would''ve dragged her out of nine hells if I could, but she just disappeared, and even I couldn''t track her down." "She might be dead," Vasilissa giggled, shaking her head. "She''s alive," Alcott''s eyes shed gold, "I can still catch a faint whiff of her smell at night and see traces of her face in the stars." ^Humans are persistent hunters. They chase their prey until they beg for death. Now give that human enchanted power and senses from countless curses and transformations, and you''ll have a killer that can''t be shaken away.^ Vasilissa smiled. ^Going back might not be a bad idea.^ Alcott swung his fist in the air, "First thing, I''ll give her a good beating for running away without a word. At least say something," "Please don''t," Arad sighed at his side. "If she can evade me, I bet she''s at least can fight." Alcott smiled, "Well, she was a mage, but nowhere close to Merlin," "If you think Merlin was better," Vasilissa stared at him, "Why didn''t you marry her instead?" "She turned me into a woman for a month," Alcott replied, "And I prefer women who aren''t shaken by my strength, or at least the ones willing to try killing me," "Me too," Arad smiled, nodding. "A hard life," Vasilissa looked down, "The weak always dies around you, and you don''t want that farewell to be with someone close. You two are really alike," "You think so?" Alcott reached toward his back, "Isdis," He shouted, "I got something for you. I bet even Baltos can''t match it." Alcott pulled a ck and goldced flute. The moment Vasilissa saw it, she lunged forward, swinging her hand to smack it from Alcott''s hand. Alcott moved his hand, dodging her palm, and jumped toward the door, "Look, you''re fast, aren''t you." Zephyr flew toward him, "Damn you, Alcott! That thing is supposed to be destroyed. Why are you still keeping it around?" Alcottughed, opening the door and rushing outside, "Catch me if you can," "I''ll keep an eye on him!" Vasilissa rushed after him, and Zephyr stared at Arad, "You better break that damned flute. It''s akin to your nipple knife, a true damage weapon that targets the mind," ^[If Isdis had that flute, she could control the kingdom''s people like the rats in the Pied Piper. It had driven every user to madness and drenched them in the lust for control.]^ ^Does it even have rules, or is it mind control?^ ^[I did put some rules when I made it. I might be able to dispel the negative effects.]^ Chapter 609 Parent’s Squabble

Chapter 609 Parent''s Squabble

Thud! Alcottnded outside in the grass, a smug smile on his face as he watched Vasilissa run out the door to chase him down. "What''s up, steel drakaina? Want my little flute," He shoved it in his bag,e and take it. Vasilissa growled. ^The flute is a mere reason. He wants to fight.^ She took a deep breath and jumped. ^This body is a mere projection, but I can ess my stomach. I can pull enough steel to mimic a steel great wyrm.^ "Don''t me me for getting rough," Vasilissa jumped, her right fist engulfed in shining metal as she swung at Alcott''s face. Alcott caught her palm with a shockwave, "You can do better, can''t you?" The nails of his right hand grew longer into ws, and he swung at Vasilissa''s torso. She blocked, protecting her chest and stomach with a thickyer of reinforced steel tes, but they sparked, w marks remaining in them as she got sted back. ^Werewolf ws, is he getting fine control over his curses?^ Vasilissa stood. ^As one of the three cogs of bnce, I can''t let that flute exist. Fine, Alcott. You''ve been a handful since I met you, and this won''t change anything.^ "You really," She stood, her eyes shing green, "Want me to send you to the grave." Steel scales started growing on her face and hands as two massive wings of countless des emerged on her back. Kinryuu walked toward Arad''s house, "A steel drakaina? It''s been a long while since I saw one." Thud! Aradnded beside him, "Can''t you tell her to stop? We only found she''s a steel dragon." "You found out? That''s bad," Kinryuu sighed, "Steels hate to get exposed. Dragging her identity to the light is like stripping her naked," He looked at Arad, "Of course she''ll be furious. I won''t stop her, even if she''s facing Alcott." "Well, there was this flute..." Arad told Kinryuu about the flute, and his face shifted. "Once she loses, I''ll beat some sense into Alcott. We told him to destroy that cursed thing." He rolled his sleeves, getting ready to join. "Mind control is bad, mass mind control is worse, and mass mind control that drives the user insane and drenchs them in the lust of domination is even worse." Alcott shoved his hand into his magic bag, pulling a long sword with a wide grin on his face. Vasilissa flew at him, swinging her palm and her ws extended, aiming for his neck. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "sh!" Alcott said, swinging the sword, cutting her ws as she smacked him in the face, and both flew back with a st. Vasilissanded on her feet, staring at him and shaking her hand. "He''s hard," Alcott walked out of the trees with her steel ws in his mouth, wolf''s fangs filling his mouth, making his dental structure akin to that of an ape. He munched on the steel ws, cracking them as he approached. As he stopped, he spat the shards away, "This taste forged, what weak steel drakaina." ^Of course, they are forged. I''m pulling steel out of my stomach, not refining it like a steel dragon.^ She''s been using metal from the weapons and structures she keeps in her stomach, her treasure hoard. "Use something harder when fighting me," With a bored face, Alcott waved the sword in his hand, sending a sh ofpressed blood flying at a blinding speed. "HAA!" Vasilissa cried, swinging her fist up and deflecting the sh, ^Vampires'' blood maniption. This gives him more range and options than he had before.^ Alcott disappeared, the ground where he stood exploding from the impact. Vasilissa''s eyes jolted to the side, following the inhuman movements of that creature, running on all fours like a wolf with a de in his mouth. She as well lunged, moving out of his way and trying to catch up. Arad gasped, raising a barrier to protect his house, "Was she that fast?" "A great wyrm steel dragon. Couldn''t expect less." Kinryuu smiled, "But, that bastard Alcott, how in the hell he''s moving like that?" "You can feel it, can''t you?" Arad looked at him. "I know it''s the lycanthropy curse. If a human can be a dangerous monster with that curse, what if possibly the strongest human, contending with dragons and hunting them got it?" Kinryuu looked at Arad, "I wasn''t looking for an answer, more surprised." "Does levels even matter at this stage?" Arad sighed. "The buffs gained from curses aren''t. If a creature already has a powerful base, even if low level, the curse would help him close the gap." Kinryuu stared at Alcott and Vasilissa shing around, shing steel at a speed unseen by humans. "There is a reason why humans seek vampirism for the night, lycanthropy for the strength, and lichdom for the immortality." Alcott dodged Vasilissa''s w, pulling a mace out of his pocket, and swung at her, "Crush!" He shouted, sting her across the forest. ^Alcott Demorian is a weapon master.^ Vasilissa thought,nding on her feet. ^His main attacks are sh, crush, and pierce, all using different weapons or even his body. Try wrestling him, and he''ll dance with you, fight at close range, and he''ll pull swords or maces, get a bit away and he''ll pull halberds and spears, chains even, and if you try to run, he''ll snipe you with bows.^ She swung her hand, sending hundreds of spikes to cut his way. ^This projection of mine is magic-based. Fighting him physically like this is a massive disadvantage. To beat him with those limitations, I need to hit him with a massive spell, in a ce where I can restrain his movements.^ She opened her mouth, sharp des gushing out of her skin all over her body, [Steel Expansion: Barrier enclosed de storm] Albeit being one of the weakest expansions Vasilissa can use, it''s currently the strongest she can pull with that body, and her fake identity as a steel drakaina. It wasn''t weaker than anything a steel wyrm might pull but was considered above average in their ranks, helping her blend her identity. A massive one-hundred-meter, dome-shaped barrier traps the target within as countless extremely sharp des infused with magic grow off the dragon scales, flying in every direction to rip everything inside the dome to pieces. Thud! Alcott jumped into the dome on his own, smiling as he approached Vasilissa, his arms wide open. ^I see. She''s simr to most steel dragons I fought. Relying on physical attacks, then trying to one-shot the target with a massive burst. Exhust and kill, amon tactic.^ He smiled, moving his hands up. ^As a physical fighter, I do not have an expansion to counter hers.^ The smile on his face grew wider as he saw the endless des burst from her body. ^But that doesn''t mean I can''t st this thing apart its weakness is the barrier trapping me and the rtively fragile body of the caster.^ Alcott''s nails extended into wolf ws as the clothes of his upper torso burst into pieces due to his muscles expanding, revealing a jacked, scar-filled, veiny body. Crimson blood leaked from beneath his ws, sshing outward as des. [Blood Massacre] Kinryuu gasped, his eyes losing track of Alcott''s hands. For a split second, he looked armless to him. Even a great wyrm couldn''t follow the abnormally fast moves the dragon yer unleased, reminding his old bones of the horror of being hunted. With a burst, the barrier got dissected into small pieces, raining down with shards of steel as Arad protected his house. "What did happen? I didn''t see it," "Neither I. He''s too fast," Kinryuu growled, but he soon gasped, unable to believe his eyes. Even a steel great wyrm didn''t stand a chance against the dragon yer. In the middle of the forest, they could see Alcott squatting beside the fallen Vasilissa, poking her face with his finger, "Wake up, do something," He said, "That kick shouldn''t kill you. I held back quite a bit." ^I''ll y unconscious for a while. This fight shouldn''t keep up while I''m limited. I''ll smite the fluteter from the stars.^ She thought. ^Just wait, if I used my real body, you''d be the oneying beneath my w faster than you can blink.^ Alcott pulled the flute from his bag, looking at it, "Wake up, it''s here. Do you smell it," He started shaking it. Like a stick to a dog. "It''s here, so close, you can break it." Vasilissa didn''t respond, lying down motionless. At this distance, even if she were to move, she has no chance of outmaneuvering this hulking beast. "Well," Alcott stood, lifting her up his shoulder, "Arad should be able to dispel the side effects, even I won''t want Isdis to be a sadistic enving witch." The chromatic and metallic dragons watching from the sidelines stared in silence, "Who said we could gang up on him?" One sighed, "We were impressed by Arad''s achievement and forget who''s the real monster out there. The old hero is sharpening his fangs once again, it''ll be a rough century." ^Arad,^ Vasilissa thought, ^Your dad could still whip your ass, don''t ck on growing your power.^ Chapter 610 Power Scales.

Chapter 610 Power Scales.

Alcott stood in the living room, handing the flute to Arad, "Can Doma disable the negative effect?" Arad took the flute and looked at it, "A cursed object. Holding them always feels weird." "[There was a jester that used this flute to lead rats out of a vige. He was the one who brought the rats in the first ce and used that as a scam to extort money. I was there, in an inn, so I chained his soul to the flute, creating the cursed object.]" Doma exined through a mouth appearing on Arad''s arm. She smiled, "[That would teach him a lesson, not that he''s alive to learn though]" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What was his name?" Alcott asked. "[I never asked or cared. I just boxed him up. Now that you mentioned it, I don''t even remember if he was a man or a woman, a human or an elf. It''s been a long while.]" The flute started rattling as a ck gust of smoke gushed from it, getting sucked into Doma''s mouth. "[Without the negative effect, the flute''s power got a bit weaker. It can now only control unpowered people, and the strain gets dumped on the user''s mind, resulting in a headache. Isdis would be able to control around twenty people with it,]" Arad walked toward Isdis and gave her the flute, "Use it well," Isdis took the flute, staring at it with a confused face, "Would it work?" She looked around, her eyes stopping at Tina. "You can test it on me, but nothing embarrassing," Tina replied. Isdis would have tested it on her maids, but those two are trained assassins responsible for guarding her. They should be too strong for the flute to work on them. Isdis put the flute on her lips and blew in it. A gentle tune filled the room as she stared at Tina. "I don''t feel anything," Tina looked a her hands, "Is it working?" "[It is,]" Doma giggled, poking Arad''s mind. "Tina, can you bring us something to drink?" He said based on Doma''s instruction. Tina slowly turned toward him with a passive face, "Sorry, but I''m busy now." "Busy with what?" Arad asked. Tina ignored him, turning back toward Isdis to check if the flute was working. "[Even she won''t realize the spell is working on her. Right now, and based on what control Isdis wants, Tina thinks she''s Isdis''s maid, and she would ignore orders from anyone else, the same way she''ll ignore an order from a stranger.]" Doma exined with a giggle. Isdis stopped ying, but Tina didn''t get back to normal, "I need to release her manually," she then yed a small tune, releasing Tina from the flute''s grasp. Tina blinked twice, her face burning red as she turned toward Arad, "Master Arad, sorry for earlier..." She cried, realizing she just rejected an order as if it was natural. She quickly turned toward Isdis, "I said nothing like that!" "Don''t worry, it isn''t a problem," Arad smiled, "Now we know the flute works, and that the affected won''t realize they are controlled." Alcott sat on the couch and pulled another object from his pocket, a chalice filled with spikes, glowing with power. "Eris, this is for you," Alcott called with a smile on his face. Zephyr sighed, "I''ll not even ask again," "Don''t worry, this one is safer. A bit." Alcottughed. "The Elder blood chalice. Wasn''t that supposed to be in d''s castle?" Eris who stood at the kitchen door stared at him, confused. "It was until I went there years ago and took Ginger out." Alcott sighed, "I did think I killed the bastard then, but he seems to have survived." "d is like a cockroach. He always finds a way toe back. That''s why he ruled the vampires for centeries." Zephyr sat on Arad''s head, "I hate to think about it, but there is a chance he survived your Ho-white nova." Arad started thinking, "Even if he did, I would have weakened the vampires to a point they never were at before. Stranded,ndless, and rankless. The abusednds around them would find a chance to thrive and fight back, and soon, their legacy as the night''s horrors would end." "It might have already ended if d died, but if he didn''t," Zephyr looked down, green magic sparking in her eyes, "I''ll deal with him if he returned. You protect everyone." "Can you even fight him?" Arad looked at her, "Is wind effective against immortal vampires?" Zephyr turned toward Alcott, "He doesn''t seem to realize it yet," She said. Alcott sighed, "Arad, even if everyone here banded together. We won''t stand a chance against that little spirit on your head." Kinryuu nodded in the back, "World powers are creatures that can end the world or have an ability that allows them to do that. Zephyr there is one," [Atmospheric copse] Zephyr flew to Arad''s face and stared into his eyes, "I take the entire air of the world and crush it down on the surface, ttening everything. I can even absorb or change itsposition." She waved her hand and Arad could feel an extreme pressure building on his skin. "I''m not even trying, and I could tten you to the ground and everyone here if I felt like it." "Humph!" She shook her head, cancelling her magic, and flew into Arad''s chest, hiding inside his shirt and poking her head out, "Since I''m a peaceful free spirit, people tend to forget and underestimate my power. Especially the short-lived humans." A mouth opened in Arad''s neck, smiling, "Want to test it out? I can create a powerfulmp using the rotting corpse of the great wind spirit." "Curse witch Doma," Zephyr smiled, "If you took full control of Arad''s body, I admit that even I might have some troubles tying him down, but I''ll still win." Vasilissa opened her eyes, sitting up, "Are you okay?" Alcott asked. "Yeah," She looked at the chalice, "Exin to Eris how to use it," She said, before looking at Arad, seeing Zephyr and Doma ring at each other. ^Zephyr fighting Doma? A close fight,^ She thought, ^But Zephyr would win in the end. Domacks in mana capacitypared to someone who''s tuned to the wind of the world. She cracked her neck, ^But about d, I don''t sense him anywhere in the world, but if he''s hiding somewhere and dares show up. I''ll pull him up to space if Arad can''t handle him, then take my time showing him why no one messes with Orion.^ Chapter 611 Mother’s Gift

Chapter 611 Mother''s Gift

"This chalice," Eris lifted the spiky, weird goblet and stared at it from the sides, sensing the magic flowing from it. "I heard stories about it. But never expected them to be true." "Believe me," Alcott looked at her, "It isn''t as useful as it sounds," He pointed at the chalice. "The more skilled as a vampire you are, the more useless that thing would seem." "Drink blood from it once a week, and your blood healing will restore mana and stamina on top of health, granting you an almost endless supply of power as long as you have blood." Eris said, waving her hand over the chalice, "I want to try it." "Vampire blood control is more about skill than actual abilities and spells. It''s like trying to do a flip. Everyone has the limbs and muscles to do it, but few can, and even less master it." Alcott waved his hand, "Ask Ginger to teach you. She almost never runs out of stamina and mana when using blood magic." Thud! "Did you call me?" Ginger appeared behind him, and Alcott slowly turned, sweating. Ginger pulled Alcott by the ear, "You left me and rushed ahead. Do you know how hard it is to keep up with you?" "AW! My ear!" Alcott gasped, "You could have teleported or flown behind, couldn''t you?" "Arad''s st was impressive. I saw the hole it left. But I doubt father would perish from such a thing, and my blood magic didn''t expand, meaning that he''s still out there." Ginger growled, staring back at Arad, "Father is still alive. There is no mistake. If he died, I would have grown stronger as the next in the bloodline." "[d is the blood king of vampires. Ginger would take his throne and be a blood queen if he died.]" A mouth opened on Arad''s face, "[The only way to kill him is for Arad to eat him.]" "Would my stomach be able to digest him? Brother wasn''t able to eat that demon lord, and he''s an adult." Arad tilted his head, "Is there a way to train my stomach?" "Thing about beating father first, then think if you can eat him or not." Ginger stared at them, "I doubt you can fire that thing again," Arad smiled, "In fact," He giggled, "I''ve been slowlypressing matter inside my stomach by removing its void. I''ve already amassed a tenth of the Nova''s power, but it''s getting almost impossible to control. Anything over this, and it would explode." The girls looked at each other, "You really love to y with fire," Ae said with a smile. "The spell is simple, why won''t I try it?" Arad looked at them with a grin. "Albeit, the simplicity is the problem. The goddess used brute force to achieve the ho-white nova, flexing her power. To us, it''s like telling us we can tten a mountain by sneezing." Arad looked at his hand, "I do not have the energy output, mana control, or time magic to stabilize the nova on my own." "Then how about you start learning magic for real? I gave you that book about gravity magic," Merlin walked out of nowhere, just teleporting into the room as she sensed Ginger''s presence. "Ginger, it''s been a while." "I heard you exploded into abyrinth, tell me how it happenedter, I''m sure it''s a fun story," "Not even close." Merlin looked down. Arad looked at Merlin, pulling the book out of his stomach, "Already finished it, and it''s useless. It only details how to use gravity magic based on the user being a human. As a dragon, I can scale things with sheer force, but''s not magic designed for dragons." He waved the book, "I need dragon magic, not human magic." "There aren''t that many dragons capable of using gravity magic, let alone ones willing to share their skills. To us, it''s a part of our hoards." Kinryuu looked at him, "I would have given you something if I had it, but sadly I only have fire, sleep, and gold magic. I dabbled into lightning, but it''s been a pain." "A dragon mage, I can only think of brother, but I doubt he had enough time to develop his own gravity magic. I knew he developed dragon''s ice magic." Arad remembered, "Probably I should start researching magic on my own." "That''s your best bet," Merlin looked at him, "I''m a human and can''t research dragon magic based on my body. Or you can try your luck asking other dragons." "An object''s gravitational force is directly rted to its mass," Vasilissa looked at Arad, "As a dragon, you naturally change your mass when shifting from a dragon to a human form, that''s why your feet don''t crush the ground beneath you." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She waved her hand, pulling a book out of her pocket. "As a dragon, you can inscribe the magic on your scales or wings, which can assist in the cast. Try elevating the nova''s mass until it copses on its own and starts pulling matter. At that point, you won''t even need gravity magic to grow it." She threw the book to Arad. "Then I can iste it with my void, and I only need time magic to stabilize it and explode it at will." Arad smiled and opened the book, "You did research draconic gravity magic?" "Don''t ask questions," Vasilissa red at him, then looked away, "Think of it as a wedding gift, since this Buffon doesn''t seem to have brought anything to you." She pointed at Alcott with her thumb. "To think a steel dragon knew gravity magic, and I didn''t know," Kinryuu stared at her, "Why didn''t you use it against Alcott?" "Mind your own business," Vasilissa red at him. Kinryuu giggled, waving his hands, "Mutual respect, we metal respect the privacy of other''s hoards. You don''t need to tell me if you don''t want to," Arad had read a few of the book, "With this, I might be able to pull the ho-white nova after evolving once." He smiled with an excited face. Vasilissa looked at him, thinking with a smug face, ^Excited about a ho-white nova, wait until you know that you canpress it further to create an all-consuming ck hole, thenpress that to create a time-space fissure that erases everything it gets close to.^ Chapter 612 Blood Droplets In The Night.

Chapter 612 Blood Droplets In The Night.

"You really... didn''t bring him anything?" Vasilissa mumbled, staring at Alcott from the side of her eyes. "As a dragon, Arad doesn''t need magic items of money from me," Alcott replied, staring forth, "He''ll find more use to skills, training, and guidance. I''ll show him how to hunt monsters he never hunted. How to take down those stronger than him and survive in this world." "That''s something you''ll do," She smiled. As they talked, Merida stood in the back, ring at the busy living room with a slightly sore face. She sat on a chair, staring in silence. Ae approached her, "You can go sleep if you''re exhausted. It''s been a long day for you." Merida stared at the sword Alcott gave her, "I appreciate the gift, but I would have taken a night of silence." She leaned the de on the wall, sighing. "I feel some bloodlust on me," Alcott mumbled with a worried smile, "Did I do something wrong?" "Who knows." Vasilissa whispered back to him, "She''s ring at us," **** Arad walked into the garden, staring at the night sky slowly shifting as dawn approached. With Alcott here, they barely got any sleep. It wasn''t a problem for him, but he wasn''t sure about the girls. Especially Merida, she seemed a bit agitated. The girls were already waiting down the hills, ready to ride the carriage. Arad took a step, his eyes glowing with a bright purple light. The dragons awaiting around the area moved, shifting their heads and staring toward him. They could sense the magic shifting as Arad was about to transform, the mana twisting and twirling as his void excited the very existence of the void in the matter of the whole area. "A dominant dragon, ruling over thend not just with might, but with the magic released from his body." The red dragon''s general smiled, "He would''ve made a great conqueror," Arad''s steps left a burning purple me in the ground that quickly faded, leaving no trace as the magic dissipated into the air. The stars in the sky trembled, and veins of purple magic shed across his arms, sending a quiet hum into the air like an engine revving up. His body started expanding as his scales sucked the mana from the air, showing up as dark purple patches on his face and arms. CLICK! A woman stared out of a window, yawning as she rubbed one eye, staring at Arad with the other, "It''s Baron Arad," Arad''s body shifted, his arms extending and wings growing out of his back as he leaned forward, transforming into his draconic form as his tail whipped into the sky, crackling with magic. As he sat up like a cat, staring into the night sky, his scales emitted a faint purple light, blending his shape into the endless space as the woman stared from the vige, looking up toward him. "Is everything all right?" Ae asked, standing beside his ws. "I''m checking through the animals. We''ll leave as soon as I make sure everything is okay." Arad replied, opening his wings. The wings had a faint light to them, showing a shimmering star pattern that blended into the sky. The wings amplified Arad''s magic, extending the range of his dominance over the forest''s animals. "The ce is clear, but there is a pack of monsters trying to move into the eastern side." Arad stood, pping his wings and flying into the night sky. Vasilissa stared at him take off. ^Those aren''t any monsters. They look like vampire familiers, probably that one I killed wasn''t the only loyal blood-sucking fiend outside d''s kingdom. They do choose the worst time to attack.^ "I got a bad feeling," Alcott looked into the sky, "I smell blood," He pulled a sword, "I''ll go after him," "Let him go," Vasilissa held him by the shoulder, "Arad can handle them," She smiled, "I can smell them from here, vampire familiers with a high vampire. I would say around level 90." "Level 90," Alcott looked into the forest, "Depending on how experienced they are, he might have a problem." "You''re right," Vasilissa nodded, "Level merely shows how advanced you got into your sses. It only means you have more skills and higher base stats, but not necessarily how you use those skills." Merlin approached, "Since by level twenty, any mage has the potential of learning ninth-tier spells and cast them if he has the mana, it means any development after that is how to use the powerful magic." "Level isn''t a measure of power. It''s a measure of option, how many styles a person could use in a fight." Zephyr sat on Merlin''s head, "Fight as a mage, pull a sword and charge then summon the power of nature like a druid." Alcott looked at her, "As a high-level being, how does it feel?" "Like using tools," She replied. **** Aradnded, ring forward as the horde of monsters appeared. Shadow-engulfed wolves, snakes, bats, and hawks burning in a dark-red eldritch me surrounded him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "You!" A man growled, "You''re that ursed dragon who sted our kingdom," He walked out of the darkness, enraged with blood magic boiling out of his skin. "How dare you!" "How dare me?" Arad looked at him, Prowling around and forcing the monsters to evade his massive ws. To him, they were no more than the grass on the ground. "d killed a city behind my back," Arad said, his jaw pping like a bear trap, his opal teeth reflecting the moonlight, lusting for blood. "Since when was it wise to insult a dragon?" "Humans live to be our food," The vampire growled, "The same for you dragons. You eat them, don''t you lie!" The vampire sniffed the air, "And you''re a vampire as well. You must know, how blood tastes, and how worthless the lives of those holding it are." Two vampire women appeared from behind him, "A dragon you might be, but a vampire going against the blood lord is a sin," One of them said. Arad nodded, shifting back to his humanoid form. "I see what you mean," He smiled, fixing his hair, "Then, when will you give me your blood?" Suddenly, one of the women''s heads burst, burning into ash as a sh of light illuminated the trees. Her corpse fell down, and even her vampire regeneration was unable to keep up for some reason. The remaining two vampires gasped as lightning shed from Arad''s back, linking to his chest. "I got a wedding to attend, don''t waste my time with mind control blood magic," Arad looked at them, only his eyes glowing with a bright purple sh. "You always pick the worst time." Chapter 613 Dreams of Desire

Chapter 613 Dreams of Desire

"We have our ns," The vampire growled, ring at the woman''s corpse beside him. ^Something is halting her regeneration. His magic is abnormal.^ In the blink of an eye, the vampire sted forth toward Arad, swinging a w of crimson blood at a blinding speed. Arad grabbed the vampire by the hand, spinning around and smacking him in the face with the back of his fist. As the night spawn flew back, he saw Arad''s foot flying toward his face, crushing his nose into his skull and sending him toward the trees like a tomato toward a bad actor, spilling red juices everywhere. The vampire smacked into a tree, his eyes watching as the second vampire woman ran toward Arad, her body turning into mist as she fazed between the trees. Arad remained standing in his ce, looking forward with a gentle smile, uncaring as he couldn''t feel a threat from those beings. "Rip him apart!" She cried, pulling a me-engulfed de as the beasts surrounded Arad, trying to attack from all directions. Arad lifted his foot, smacking the ground and shattering it, sending shards of stone and dirt flying everywhere in a burst of earth. As the small beasts got their lives ended by that, the following sparks of lightning jumping from Arad''s body finished the rest, forcing the vampire woman to take a step back. ^The raw power of a barbarian, the discipline of a fighter, and the magic of a wizard, is he over level sixty?^ She growled, ^And a vampire dragon over that. No wonder he sted the kingdom.^ She ducked, shifting back into mist and slipping between the mess, swinging her sword at Arad''s neck. In the meantime, the other vampire rushed to heal the first woman, inspecting her wounds. Arad saw the firey de rushing toward his neck like an axe seeking a tree. He shifted his neck to the side, dodging it like a deer turning at thest second, dodging a lion''s leap at its neck. As she realized her hit missed, the vampire woman pushed further, increasing her speed to send a kick toward Arad''s face. Arad opened his jaw, clenching his teeth on her foot and ripping her toes off with a single bite. She gasped, staring at the blood rushing off her foot. Arad remained standing, unfazed as he spat her munched flesh on the ground, "Gross, what was it again? Vampires stronger than you have bad-tasting blood, or was it the weaker ones?" Hearing him mumbled, she kicked him in the stomach and used that to get some distance. "F. I fixed Sara''s neck. She''ll heal soon." The vampire shouted from the back, "He isn''t the one that sted her head. It''s a curse within his soul." "Thene and help me, Jhon!" Shended, her foot fully healed, "This bastard is strange. I know we''re higher level than him, but he feels off," The two stared at Arad as Sara''s head regenerated. Arad stood there, waiting for them to attack. "He''s mocking us," Jhon growled, lunging forward with a w strike toward Arad''s face. Arad dodged, but the vampire quickly shifted his body, punching him in the neck. "Stop underestimating us!" He shouted, pulling Arad''s throat out with his w. "You''ll regret attacking our kingdom," Heughed. "That''s it!" F rushed after him, swinging her fire sword and stabbing Arad''s chest, pinning him to the ground. Sara finished regenerating and lunged forward, "That hurt, you bastard," Blood rushed from her hand, freezing into a long red de as she swung, assisting F in turning Arad''s chest into a piece of Swiss cheese. "HAHAHAHAHAH!" The vampiresughed their lungs out, rolling on the ground as Yuwaku dangled her bare feet from a tree branch, staring at them with a passive face. Arad pped his wings,nding behind the tree she sat on, and looked forward, seeing the vampires writhing on the ground. "What''s going on?" He asked. Yuwaku turned toward him, "Fear of the unknown. It turns into confidence after being solved." She turned to look at the vampires, "They feared you, so upon seeing my face, they saw immediate death, coupled with the fear of their vampiric regeneration not working. Then after a few moments, they got familiar with your face and started fantasizing about winning, pulling their desire into their dreams." Yuwaku jumped from the tree, took a few steps toward the vampires, and looked at them with an emotionless face, "Those who see me get pulled into the abyss. They can''t resist the urge to jump." She turned toward Arad, "Right now, they are beating you over and over as you cry for help, ask for forgiveness for sting their kingdom." "I''m standing right here," Arad replied, staring at her. "It''s their dream," Yuwaku stepped on Sara''s face. The vampire woman''s body withered as every sign of life faded from her, leaving a crumbling husk akin to dried leaves. "A nymph is the incarnation of beauty. Instead of showing them a desirable body, I showed them a desirable wish." She walked toward F, stepping on her face and crushing it like an egg. "The same way people get blinded by the sight of a nymph, the same way they die upon seeing us naked. I can simply kill them like this." She looked toward Arad. "Is it illusion magic?" Arad approached her, "I''m sure I didn''t see you cast magic," He looked around, his void eyes not seeing a single thread of magic in the air. "Zephyr and Merlin are great teachers, but the little pink girl is better," Yuwaku replied, "She taught me how to shift the nature of my beauty," "You must be joking, that''s impossible." Arad sighed, "It must be magic, and who is this little girl even?" Yuwaku blinked, "She called herself the great demonic goddess of destruction, annihtion, and patron deity of the orphans and the lost." She replied. "A god won''t walk among mortals. She must''ve tricked you," Arad expanded his wings, "If you can take care of the situation here, I''ll head out with the rest to the capital. Sorry as we can''t take you with us," "Don''t mind me. At the time I''m bound to the forest. I can''t move even if I want to," She finally smiled, "Bring me some gifts." "I''ll make sure to bring you a lot," Arad flew into the sky. "Didn''t expect you to keep my name," A high-pitched voice came from the forests. A tiny little girl with pink hair walked, her twintail reaching her feet, dragging on the ground. "Kali," Yuwaku stared at her, "You asked me not to tell him," "I was joking. No one would believe that" Kali pped her hand with a smile, and the vampire''s body ttened into a sheet of paper, burning in a pink fire in the blink of an eye. "Destroyed and annihted, as all things should be. Except for chocte and strawberry, I like those two. They get a pass," She startedughing with a prideful stance. "It''s almost dawn," Yuwaku said, and Kali''sugh paused, "OH! Myself! I must go," She growled. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "That was supposed to be. Oh my god." Yuwaku stared at her with a passive face. "I''m myself''s god. But, Daddy Kayden might get worried and blow this whole ce, and I''m afraid of Mother Lily. She gets terrifying when she is angry, like the demonic worms of the bottomyers of the abyss." Kali waved her hand, turning to leave. "I don''t know what that is." Yuwaku stared at her. "Long worms made of eyes and mouths dripping with stomach acid and rot worms digging through their flesh as they scream like a hundred men getting ripped apart. Don''t imagine it. It gives bad dreams." Kali ran away, racing between the trees like an excited baby goat. Chapter 614 Challenged At The Gate

Chapter 614 Challenged At The Gate

FLAP! FLAP! King Baltos sat on a chair at the highest tower of his castle, watching the sky with unease. Arad was a powerful dragon but still held the boundaries of dragons, a manageable threat. But now that he can blow the whole kingdom into the sky in the blink of an eye, it''s getting harder and harder to think of a way to defend against him if he turned against them. "It was the right decision back then," He mumbled, remembering the noble that Arad killed after he tried to Attack Mira. "A twilight emperor, with an opal star of death. I still remember him munching on a cow leg like a ck marmot on a carrot." "You''re highness, they''ll be here soon," Kin approached from the back, bowing as she looked forward with one eye, her vision piercing the clouds, spotting Arad and the dragons in the distance. "I say, an hour at most. He''s carrying people in a carriage." "What''s Gin doing?" Baltos turned, asking. "Making sure no one dares to cause trouble. Thest thing we want is Arad getting enraged and sting the whole capital to ash." Kin replied, "We ratted everything out and made sure the whole wedding ceremony was guarded with triple the force that was at your wedding." "Arad, Isdis, and all of their guests make sure we don''t have a reason to worry," Kin went back into the castle, leaving Baltos alone, watching the sky. In the past few days, he had made sure everything was ready. Food was enough for all the dragons, enough seats, and protection. He didn''t leave a single thing he could think of without nning for it. All he can do now is hope, nothing goes wrong. Time passed, and he could see Arad and the dragons show above the mountain, parting the clouds as they approached. He stood with a smile, "Better get ready to greet them," He was about to head to the castle''s courtyard where he prepared a massivending tform, coupled with a band of bards to greet them. He stopped, sweating. ^Why are my senses tingling,^ He looked back, seeing Arad and the dragons slow down before entering the city''s air, hovering right outside the wall. "HOI! Don''tnd there!" He cried. "I understand the chromatic dragons, but not you, Arad!" **** Arad slowly lowered the carriage to the ground until its wheels touched the ground, and hended, followed by the chromatic and Metallic dragons behind him, blotting the forest as they sat down. The metallic dragons quickly shifted into their humanoid form to save space, while the chromatic dragons and ug found empty ces where they could sit without smashing anything. The guards of the walls rushed out in a panic, they were notified that Arad and the dragons wereing, but they had prepared for them in the castle''s courtyard, not here. "Surround them! Prevent any citizen from approaching, especially adventurers!" The head guard screamed his lungs out, looking around for a certain idiot that just returned to the capital. "HO! HO!" A buff man cried in excitement, "How beautiful! It''s the most dragony-looking thing I''ve seen in my LIFE!" He stood, ck mes burning from his eyes. "Calm down," A woman sighed beside him, "That''s the king''s guest. We were told not to make troubles." "But!" The man turned toward her with the biggest smile ever, "Look at IT!" "That dark purple scales and glowing eyes, it''s majestic, I agree," The woman replied. "NO! I''m talking about that green one in the back. Look at those thick arms and legs," He pointed toward ug, "Is it wrong that I want its children?" "No. But I would prefer the purple one." She giggled, "The guild also said we should keep down for now," "I''m not keeping down," The man lunged forward, burning like a ck meteor. ug head turned rapidly, spotting the adventurer flying at her with a raging lust. "The hell?" She dodged by twisting her neck, smacking him in the back with her front left w, and sending him to the forest. The adventurer hit the ground, digging a trench beforeing to a halt. He gasped, opening one eye and looking at her, "AH! That felt amazing," "Human, what is your problem?" ug stared at him, confused for a bit, but in the back of her head, she already knew what the idiot wanted. "Attacking out of nowhere," A blue dragon growled, "Let me smash him down," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Let him be," ug growled at the blue dragon, "My prey, and he isn''t Alcott, so it''s not a problem." Alcott looked out of the carriage, "I''m not such a problem." "You are," Kinryuu stared at him, "We can take anyone down except you. It''s been a rule among the metallic and chromatic dragon that no one is to fight you alone unless they want to die." The adventurer stood, barely injured, as he pulled two daggers out of his magic pocket. "S-rank, level 145, titled the ck me and still single at the age of 35 years old. Nice to meet you, beautifuldy." "You remind me of that excited random idiot going after the princess of the Western Republic even though he knows she''s already married." ug walked forward, her ws leaving marks on the soft ground, "Seen a lot like you, I''m not interested." "Not only beautiful and stunning, but intelligent as well. Let''s make a family!" He approached, his arms open. "Listen, I''m stuck as a dragon, and you''re stuck as a human. It won''t work." ug sighed, "And, you being an S-rank means nothing," "Dragons love power!" He took a stance, "I shall prove myself your way. Let''s fight," He lunged forward, swinging his dagger at her face. Alcott sighed in the carriage, "Going for the head is stupid. He should''ve gone for the front left w." He noticed that ug''s nose was between her eyes and the w, making her reaction to attacks in that location a bit slower, and should''ve given the adventurers a better chance atnding a hit. CLAP! ug smacked the adventurers back toward the forest with her head like a giraffe. Arad sighed, "Why do people think they can take on a dragon head-on, just because Alcott can?" He turned toward the wall, seeing the other woman waving her hands, chanting in an unknownnguage. Chapter 615 Roar Of The Void

Chapter 615 Roar Of The Void

"I swear I told Baltos to make sure no such troubles start," Arad opened his jaw, roaring at the woman. She smiled, "Look at those pure white fangs. They would work well in my pot," Her nails gleamed with eldritch green magic, channeling into marking across her body before a tiny ball of magic appeared in front of her. [Eldritch Eraser] A beam of green magic burst from her hands, flying toward Arad at a blinding speed. Arad opened his jaw, blocking the beam with apressed breath of the void, and erased it. "If you can cast magic, it means you can think," Arad said, staring at her, "Stop attacking at once, or I''m afraid I''ll have to beat you down. My wives are in the carriage, and I don''t like to fight near that," "I''m a witch. I''ll try my luck," She smiled, pulling a crystal ball, and several dots of magic appeared floating around her, "Let''s see what can you do," Witches are known for being worse than wizards when ites to experimenting on stuff. While the wizards of the tower study to push the magic development further and give humanoids an edge against monsters, witches experiment for their own pleasure and power, seeking benefits only for themselves, often causing ges and destruction with their failed concoctions. Arad''s massive body disappeared, leaving a tiny dust patch, floating on the ground. The witch gasped, instinctively shifting her magic to protect her body with a barrier. Arad flew past her, his eyes leaving a purple trail behind as his palm approached the witch''s chest, smacking into the barrier at a blinding speed. She gasped, feeling the impact across the barrier as her body rapidly elerated backward, jolting her limbs and almost tearing them off. She flew back across the city, reaching the sea in the blink of an eye. The witch gasped, looking at the blue sky, her guts, and chest twisting in agony from the impact. As she looked up, she could see Arad in his humanoid body standing between her and the sun, looking down with a passive face, "I said, I can''t fight you close to my wives." ^He pulled me all the way here? With no magic?^ She couldn''t believe what happened. The barrier she formed is supposed to be stationary, unmoveable without spells. N?v(el)B\\jnn "What did you do?" She growled. Arad didn''t bother to answer. To him, she only stood between him and Isdis''s wedding. "I shall not entertain your experiment," She flew at her, kicking her in the stomach with enough force to send her flying into the sea, staring down, "Slow casting, you lost the moment I got close," He flew back. The witch sank deep into the sea, her mind dancing between dreams and reality. ^Casting a spell takes time. He smacked the barrier before it gotpleted and thus sted me as it hadn''t been fixed in ce yet. Raw speed and power. The reflex and cunning mind of a dragon.^ Her eyes closed, ^I should''ve, used another spell,^ **** ug smacked the adventurer again and again, each time he stood back, jumping at her with a smile. "Give up, you''re annoying," She growled. The only reason she came was to attend Arad''s wedding. It''ll sour the mood if she killed a human, or at least, that''s what she thought. Watching people deal with idiots like this man looked easy, but now that she was having it thrown in her face, she could finally understand why she hated them. "You aren''t getting anything! Never! Ever!" ug growled, "Get back to your human house and get busy with your human problems. That''s best for you, and everyone," "A goat even if it flew, I''ll chase my chance till thest breath! Come to me! Baby!" He cried. ^How do I deal with this idiot? Arad invited me. I don''t want to be left out next time just because they think I might kill someone.^ ZON! Arad appeared between her and the adventurer, looking at him with a passive face. "ck mes hotter than white or blue mes. Is that why you are an S-rank?" "I''m quite skilled with weapons as well," He replied, "Now get out of my way. I want her, not you." "Arad! I''m not the one causing troubles, it''s him," ug pointed with her w, "Can I just kill him?" She growled. "I''ll deal with it," Arad looked back at her with a smile, "You sit back and rx," He then turned toward the adventurer, the gentle smile that was on his face reced with a passive, cold re. "Can I have a quiet marriage?" Arad said, taking a step toward the adventurers, "I might need to give Five an earful," Out of nowhere, Arad opened his jaw unleashing an ear- bursting roar. The ground around him vibrated as everyone closed their ears in pain. The people living on the other side of the capital could hear it reverberating in their chests, shaking the windows as they gasped for air. "How it''s. So loud?" ug growled, barely standing her ground behind Arad, ^No, it''s weaker on our side. That adventurer is having it worse.^ She realized the flow of magic around Arad. The void had formed a thin barrier, muffling the sound going back while leaving the majority sted toward the adventurer. Arad''s anatomy wasn''t like that of humans and was vastly different from other dragons made of flesh. As a creature adept at living in the void of space and speaking with telepathy, he didn''t have innate vocal cords, and that is why he couldn''t speak in his wyrmling stage as a dragon. By that time, his body adapted to the air, producing sound by using the void to vibrate the air down his throat. This had made it possible for him to speak even when out of breath, without moving his jaw, and even, produce far louder sound than any other kind of dragons can. The adventurer''s ears bled as the fine veins in his body burst, his bones cracked, and his brain trembled from the roar, and his consciousness faded away as every cell of his body was about to burst. He fell face first as Arad stopped his roar, staring at the adventurer with a passive face, "Doma said to try it, but who knew it would work this well." Arad turned, walking back toward the carriage as the adventurer fell to the ground, the whole city turned to stare at the wall, wondering where the roar came from. "That was loud," ug approached, staring at Arad, "Is your throat okay?" "I''m fine," Arad replied with a smile. "Arad!" Isids jumped out of the carriage, running toward him with a smile, "That roar, it was like that one on the ind," "But louder," Arad looked back toward the adventurer. "Doma said I could use my voice as a weapon, so I tried it. Not all peoplee prepared to face that." "The roar of a dragon, loud enough to pierce ears and shatter bones," Isids looked around, "Would make for a great tune, a poem for generations toe," She waved her hand. "What would you write? He screamed so loud, he almost killed a person?" Arad looked at her with a smile, resting his fists on his hips. "The majestic roar of a dragon, loud, deep, and heavy." She waved her fingers in the air, dropping snow from her palms, "Bone-chilling, shaking and crumbling screech, bursts like an explosion, and sends a message. If you can''t handle the dragon''s roar, then don''t bother fighting, as what is toe, is even worse." "The closest sound that I heard was the orange dragons'' explosions." Kinryuu smiled, walking toward them, "When their white breath touches water, it explodes." Chapter 616 Before The Capital’s Big Ceremony

Chapter 616 Before The Capital''s Big Ceremony

The guards rushed out of the capital''s gate, seeing Arad walk toward them. "Lord Arad! Those two are..." "I know," Arad stopped, looking back at the unconscious man in the back, "I''ll talk with Five about themter." Behind the soldiers, Arad could see Gin staring at him with a passive face. "I saved that witch," Gin said, "I found her almost dead at the bottom of the sea. I can''t believe she survived in the condition you left her in." "She was aiming her spell at me, but the carriage was behind me." Arad replied, "She''s lucky I didn''t rip her head off," "Crushed ribs, lungs, and stomach," Gin looked back, "If not for the protective magic she had on her body, she would''ve been crushed by the sea pressure if she survived that smack of yours." "Coming from me," Arad walked toward the carriage, going past Gin, "Is considered holding back, see that one?" Gin looked forward, seeing the soldiers confused about how to handle the bleeding adventurer in the back. "How is he doing?" Gin asked the soldiers. "Mydy," A soldier looked at her, "For theck of a better word, he''spletely fucked." "All bones cracked, bleeding internally and externally like a smashed orange. His brain isn''t responding to magic, so we suspect it''s got damaged as well from the roar." The healer with the soldiers growled, "To think a mere roar can mess a man this badly," "I never heard of a sound dragon," Gin looked at Arad, "Do they exist?" "Why ask me? I don''t know," Arad shook his head. "I thought you saw one and used their roar. Well, no new discovery for me today," She waved her hand, lifting the adventurer with magic. Arad walked toward the carriage, seeing Isdis standing at the door, awaiting him. "Are you done?" Arad nodded with a smile, "Yeah, we should head to the city," Arad grabbed the front of the massive carriage, pulling it with ease. "Arad," Isdis stared at him, "Those were S-ranks," She looked back. "And?" Arad looked at her. "You beat them just like that?" She waved her hand, pulling the flute and looking at it, "I thought they would be far stronger," "They are strong," Arad replied, "But the fight ends quickly when you exploit someone''s weakness." He lifted his hand, conjuring a ball of blue me. "That man could produce ck mes. I cannot burn him, and he could burn me to ash. He has immunity to mes from fire monsters, and the firepower to st any non-resistant monster to ash. It''s just that..." Arad smiled, looking forward. "He didn''t have resistance to sound, making him as weak to it as a baby," Isdis smiled, "And what about that witch? She wasn''t a wizard, right?" "Yeah, she''s a witch. I noticed her mana slowing down after she cast that beam, and I learned she''s a bit slow when casting magic," "So you exploited that opening to smack her down," Isdis looked at the carriage, "Who can do that, besides the knowns." "Except Alcott, Merlin, Zephyr, Nina, and the dragons, I doubt any of you would''ve even picked up on her slow casting, let alone exploited it." He waved his hand so quickly Isdis could barely see it, "This is how fast you need to be to notice her mana recoiling," "You seem stronger thanst time," Isdis smiled, "Did thebyrinth leave something in you?" "After getting limited to a human body, I learned how to efficiently use my body and power, conserve energy, and watch enemies for opening to exploit." Arad smiled, and Jack looked out of the driver''s seat. "Damn it, I can fight fair and square, but I''m going for that nut shot," Arad looked toward him with a grin, "Exactly," Isdis sighed, "You two are alike," She looked forward as they walked past the city''s main gate, seeing a parade of soldiers blocking the sidewalks, standing ready with their swords up. "We wee you!" The soldiers shouted. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad stopped pulling the carriage and looked at the soldiers, "Horses?" "They are ready!" Four knights rushed forth, riding majestic ck steeds. They stopped before the carriage and started tying the horses to it. Arad was the city''s guest. They can''t let him keep dragging a carriage through the streets. At the street''s end, Baltos rushed on a horse, finally stopping beside Arad with a worried face, "Thank the gods you''re fine," Isdis stared at her father, "The city is fine," She smiled. Unlike most people, she understood his dilemma. Arad was powerful, far more than what the human kingdom could handle. Isdis knew her father didn''t hate Arad or fear him, but the possibility of someone triggering him up, and the whole capital getting crushed as coteral damage was real. Baltos sighed in relief, "When I saw younding outside the castle, the blood dried from my veins," "Did you expect us tond in the castle?" Arad pointed at the chromatic dragons outside the city, "Exactly how?" "Theynd outside, and yound, and theynd in the castle," Baltos looked at Kinryuu, "You got the notice? Right?" "I indeed got Kin''s letter," Kinryuu smiled, "But, it won''t be fun, and disrespectful to the chromatics if we metallded outside, so I rejected the idea." Kin walked from behind Baltos, approaching Kinryuu, "I''m sure I exined it well to you," Kinryuuughed, patting Kin''s head, "You''ve grown, but still need some time to learn," He looked at the red general outside. "We meet here peacefully, but this is a frail peace-treaty. It''s based on equivalent exchange and rights, none of us can stand taller than the other, or it might be taken as an offense." "We do understand the necessity, old bag of gold." The red general growled. Kinryuu smiled, "Didn''t expect you to be that intelligent," "Even so," Kin growled, "At least inform me if you rejected it, how were we supposed to n for it?" "We reply to confirm and to reject. If you didn''t hear back from me, you should''ve nned as if I didn''t receive your message. You still need some time to learn," He looked at Baltos, "But, you''re taking great care of her, thank you." "Do you know Kin? You two seem familiar?" Arad looked at them. "She and Gin are my granddaughters." Kin smiled, "Seeing them reminds me of how old I''m now," "Eight thousand, five hundred and sixty-nine years old." [8569 years in dragon age is close to 85 years old in human age.] Kinryuu sighed, "I do remember the old days when we flew alongside Bahamut, it seems like yesterday," "Or the days that bastard Cain roamed thends," The red generalughed, "The fucker was a white cockroach armed with ninth-tier magic," "Do you remember his father Chad beating the previous chromatic dragon king? Swinging him around by the tail?" "Don''t remind me, I was terrified, unable to believe the bastard was a human," Chapter 617 Arad’s Presence

Chapter 617 Arad''s Presence

Sitting on a chair inside the church''s cabin, Arad looked at the walls, "It''s all the same everywhere," "This church is bigger than that of Alina, albeit with a different architecture than the one in the Elvish capital," Isdis said, lifting her hands up as Merida pulled the straps on her back, trying to squeeze her into the tight dress. "You''ll do with a diet," Merida growled, "Did those breasts of yours get bigger since thest time I measured you?" Isdisughed, "I wish," She touched her chest, "But it''s probably my lungs. I''ve been practicing with air instrumentstely, and it takes quite the breath out of me." "Larger lungs,rger chest and it makes the breasts look bigger by pushing them forward." Merida looked at Arad, she hadrge breasts, but it made her a bit sad that even his chest was bigger than her, pure muscles and bones. "Churches are built for different gods," Arad touched the walls, "This is for Amaterasu, and the one in the capital is for Sylph, right?" "Goddess of the sun and the goddess of the elves," Isdis replied, "A red sun over the emerald paradise. Those two were known as one of the strongest in the age of war, and are still powerhouses of legends." "Not that matter to us now," Arad looked at them, "Don''t tell me she doesn''t fit like Ae," "I''m trying to stuff her inside, but we might need Zephyr''s help again," Merida replied with a growl, trying to put a bit more force into strapping Isdis down, without ripping anything off. "I''ll go call Zephyr. I''m sure she''s out somewhere stuffing her stomach." Arad stood, heading toward the door. "Can''t you just locate her?" Isdis stared at him, "Like you do with everyone?" "I can, but it feels strange. She can sense me trying to find her, and always looks back at me." Arad replied. "She''s the wind spirit, after all," Merida giggled, "Send her our way. I do need her help here." She pped Isdis''s back, "This one isn''t going to fit," "Keep trying," Isdis stared at her as Arad left the room. **** "Look! It''s him," A nun gasped, seeing Arad walk out of the cabin room looking like he just woke up from sleep. But it was just him, feeling exhausted having to deal with the girls not fitting in their wedding dress again. "He''s huge! I never seen him this close," Another one beside her whispered, seeing Arad''s head towering over the wall murals. "He''s even bigger than the pdins," The first nun whispered, following Arad with her eyes. "I''m sure he''ll look better in a te armor," "No, he looks like the kind to wrestle bears in a forest bare-top and win," Arad stopped and turned toward the nuns, his eyes looking far behind them at the church''s gate, he could sense a flow of wind magicing in, meaning Zephyr was probably outside. The two nuns gasped, looking away, "He spotted us," "Idiot, he probably heard us." Arad blinked, walking toward the nuns. He not only heard them but could feel their thoughts flowing as clearly as the sunlighting from the windows. ^I definitely stand out among humans with this size, I know it''s natural but who in the hell was my father for me to look like this? A giant? No, probably a titan.^ [Your father was a human, I can assure you that,] Mom said, ^What kind of humans grow thisrge?^ Arad sighed, looking more tired to the nuns. Arad stood before them, their heads barely reaching his chest as he red down at them. They stood between him and the door, not realizing they were in his way. "Baron Arad, do you need something?" One of them asked, sweating as her legs slowly took a step back on their own. Her neck hurt from looking up. "I was going out to look for someone," Arad said in a calm voice, a smile on his face, "Do you mind?" He pointed at the door behind them, it can''t be opened with them in the way. The two immediately jumped aside, their knees shaking. They heard his roar earlier, and they heard how he punched a witch from the city''s gate all the way to the sea. They looked at his hand, his palmsrger than their faces and his arms putting their thighs to shame. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Baron Arad," One of the nuns gasped, "Citizens are gathered outside the church, waiting for the wedding ceremony to start. I don''t think it''s a good idea to walk outside," Arad stopped, his palm grasping the doorknob, and he stared back at her, "The guards are stopping them, right?" "They a-re, but you d-on''t kn-w what m-might happen," She tried to speak, but started stuttering. The more he red at her, the weaker her legs and neck got. Arad smiled, patting her head, "Don''t worry, they are annoying, but there shouldn''t be there any danger for me," The nun fainted the moment Arad''s hand touched her head, thinking he was about to crush her down. As she fell to the ground, Arad stared at her, confused and sweating, "What? I didn''t do anything," He looked at the other nun, terrified. ^Since when did humans be this fragile?^ "Baron Arad, please don''t worry," The other nun gasped, shaking the unconscious one, "She''ll be fine, probably too much stress." Arad stared at the nun for a few seconds, even more confused. But he quickly remembered the time he spent in thebyrinth. ^For a human, no, a nun that never got into a fight, I must be a terrifying monster.^ "Do I look scary?" Arad looked at the other nun. She paused, staring at him, "I won''t say that," She looked away, "It''s just, expectation? I bet any of us would die if you just bumped into us," "She got scared when I touched her head," Arad looked at his hand, "Probably I shouldn''t do that anymore," His eyes shifted toward the nun, ring at her. "Anything else I shouldn''t do?" "Probably, don''t re at people like this. It''s scary," She mumbled. Arad blinked, rubbing his eyes, "re? I was just looking at you while speaking," "You''re tall, and your eyes are sharp and glow with a feint purple light. Even an innocent look can seem like a mad re," She looked away, "Especially when you look down at someone," "Should I avoid eye contact?" "I don''t know," She started shaking, the longer the conversation went, the more stressed she got. "Sorry," Arad stood, "I''ll keep that in mind from now on," He smiled, "But, please keep in mind, I don''t bite, I''m not as dangerous as you people might think," "That''s rtive, it all takes one mistake to offend or enrage you." The nun said. "You can p me in the face and I won''t get angry, it takes specific offenses and intents to get me to hit someone back. Like going after my wives, andnd, or harming someone I care about," He pulled a healing potion and put it in front of the nun, "In case she got hurt when she fell," Arad then went outside. Chapter 618 The Tiny Eater

Chapter 618 The Tiny Eater

As Arad walked outside, the people around the church started cheering and shouting. The soldiers struggled to keep them on the sidewalks, blocking them from rushing toward Arad. Arad''s eyes panned around, glowing with a purple hue as they scanned the air for magic. He could see strands of green wind magic trailing in the streets, guiding him through the buildings to where Zephyr was. ^Ae and the rest are still inside the church. What is that fairy doing?^ He took one step forward, disappearing like he never was there. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The people fell silent, then all screamed, an event he less magic-savvy folks could realize. It wasn''t a normal teleportation spell. Chant-less and fluidly mixed into his motion, the epitome of what mages strive for. On the other side of the city, Zephyr sat on a table, munching on the side of a whole roasted turkey. She waved one finger, and the whole thing got smaller, fitting in her mouth. She munched, then spat the bones out, each one getting back to their original size the moment they got out of her lips. It looked like a magic trick, which it was. "Where is she fitting all of that?" The maid serving her the food mumbled, walking toward the table with another turkey, looking back at the pile of bones. "Two cows, thirty chickens, and now this is the fifth turkey," "Don''t forget the sd, drinks, and bread. Count everything," Zephyr looked at the pain, patting her stomach, "I still have a lot to go. Is themb done yet? I have a wedding to attend," "Almost done, please eat this first," Sheid the turkey on the table, staring at Zephyr with a strange re, "Do you need anything else?" "If you have honey, I''ll have a barrel or two," Zephyr lifted two fingers. "I would have kicked you out if you didn''t already pay," The maid sighed, remembering how Zephyr dropped them a bag of gold. ^She hadn''t even reached half what she paid for. How much can this thing eat?^ ZON! As the maid walked away, she hit somethingrge, hard. She looked up, seeing Arad looking at her with a smile, "Are you okay?" "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She screamed her lungs out, terrified. Her mind instantly recognized Arad and panicked. Zephyr turned toward them and waved her hand, [Calm] The maid could feel her head clear out like water washing dirt from stones. She blinked, staring at Arad with a nk face, "What?" She mumbled. "I came looking for Zephyr, no need to be scared," Arad walked past her and sat facing Zephyr, "What are you doing?" Zephyr looked at the maid, "I can smell thembs from here! Bring them on!" She waved her hand, shouting, and the maid rushed back to the kitchen, confused at everything. "Answer," Arad sighed, looking at the pile of bones left by Zephyr, "Aren''t you like the elves? Only eating nts or something?" "I can indeed live on the morning dew alone," Zephyr smiled, "One lick off a grass de a day is enough to keep me alive and well," "Then?" He pointed at the bones, "You''re too small. I doubt you can use all that food," He lifted an eyebrow, "Where is it even going?" "First thing you got wrong," Zephyr lifted a finger, eating the turkey''s leg. "Elves and pixies are herbivores, but we fairies are omnivores. I for one prefer flower nectar over all else," "I saw you suck on flowers before," "Second thing you got wrong," She spat a bone out, "I probably need more food than you, especially when I intend to fight," The bone she spat returned to its original size, falling into the pile. "Ae''s mana isn''t enough to sustain me at full power, and neither is you. That''s why I need to eat, and a lot," She kept eating, "To put it simply, I''m bulking up before d shows up again," "I''ll be the one to put an end to him," Arad growled. "I''m not counting on that," Zephyr smiled, "And, I don''t want to see Ae sad, so I''ll be taking care of him," "I''ll kill him first," Arad red at her, and she giggled, "I''ll let you try, but I''m not letting d kill anyone," "He won''t, now let''s head back. I need you to help Isdis fit in her dress."Arad stood. "Wait a moment," She looked back, seeing the maid from before approaching with five other people, dragging two roastedmbs on a massive tray. "It''s here!" Zephyr waved her hand, pulling the two roastedmbs with her wind. Right in front of the maids, the twombs shrunk to be as small as bugs, flying toward Zephyr''s mouth. "Where is the sauce?" Zephyr stared at them. "Sauce?" "Where is themb sauce!" Zephyr lifted the whole tray with her winds, finding the small pot hidden in the lower section, "I knew he put it somewhere." She pulled it toward her and drank the whole thing, spitting thembs'' bones right after. "Seeing you eat is horrifying," Arad said, looking at her thinking, ^Do I look like that when eating? No, I eat the bones as well,^ Zephyr shrank the wine and honey barrels into tiny cups in her hand and drank them whole, wiping her lips clean with a massive smile on her face. "It''s been a while since I had a full meal," "Will this really make you stronger?" Arad stood. Zephyr stared at him with a smile. Arad was watching her magic flowing like normal, green waves of wind-aligned mana pulsing from her body. Nothing out of the ordinary, but then, everything in his field of vision turned green, then shifted into a blue color. He couldn''t breathe and could feel all of his body itching under massive pressure. He jumped back as far as he could, but the feeling didn''t change. He looked up, seeing Zephyr''s massive hand falling upon his head. He closed his eyes, trying to conjure a barrier to protect himself, but then felt her tiny hand on his forehead. "Calm down, it''s just the side of my mana. Shut your void eyes and take a deep breath. I''m still small, and no matter how much of my mana is in the air, you can still breathe it normally." As Arad opened his eyes, he could see Zephyr floating in front of his face, two holes left on the ground where he stood before he jumped. "Might not look like it, but I''m a world power, keep that in mind," She smiled. Chapter 619 The Royal Wedding I

Chapter 619 The Royal Wedding I

"I''m here! Did anyone call me?" Zephyr flew through the keyhole of the door, waving her hand as she approached Isdis and Merida. Arad opened the door and walked in, "I brought her," "Finally, what took you so long?" Merida stared at him. "I was eating," Zephyr waved her hand, and Merida could feel the resistance on the straps drop. "You can tie her now," "Thank you," Merida smiled, tying the straps on Isdis''s back, pulling hard enough that she gasped, "Don''t tighten it too much," Isdis cried. "You''re a princess. I can''t let my clothes look bad on you," Merida tapped her back, "Go, show the nobles what I got," "Are you treating me like an advertisement," "It''s once in a lifetime chance," Merida giggled, "I''ll have to take my chances." As they talked, they heard someone knocking on the door. Arad immediately knew who it was. "Come in," He said. The door slowly opened, and Ae walked inside. Looking around, "Is Zephyr here?" She immediately spotted her chilling on the counter beside the makeup. "What happened? The link between us suddenly burned hot, the magic you supplied me with almost quadrupled," Ae asked with a worried face, "You aren''t sick, are you?" "If I was sick, you''ll get less magic," Zephyr flew toward her, "I just had a decent meal," "We weren''t starving you," Ae looked at her, confused. "I was starving myself," Zephyr waved her hand, "Keeping a lot of pressurized wind inside me will ensure that I vent it often. That usually takes the shape of tornados and typhoons." ^[Natural disasters are the result of spirits venting their pent-up energy. Zephyr was protecting thends from herself, by starving and limiting her own power.]^ "You intend to fight d?" Ae red at her. "Of course, do you think I''ll sit here and sunbathe?" Zephyr stopped, "Probably I''ll do that, but after I crush that blood-sucking fiend," Ae sighed, "Let''s leave this talk forter. The people are waiting outside. We need to get the ceremony started," Arad stood, "She''s right. Baltos said he wanted to hold a party in the castle afterward. We can''t keep wasting time here." Isdis rushed to stand at his side, "Let''s go," Arad opened the door and walked out with Isdis. He could see the people starting to enter the massive church under the guards'' surveince, making sure they stayed out of the way. As messy and unorganized as they seemed, most of them were the kingdom''s nobles fighting to stand in the front lines. The marriage of the kingdom''s princess was bound to attract a lot of attention, some wanted favors, and some just wanted to be remembered as present at the wedding. "Small deeds like this rack up to the nobles," Isdis whispered to Arad, "Not attending my wedding could get them in trouble like being called over itter, or even being rejectednd and favors from my father." "Are you sure that''s it?" "And they can''t afford to offend you. For all they know, you could blow the capital into the clouds with a sneeze." She giggled, "And it would be awkward for them to try doing business with youter when they didn''t even attend your wedding," "I feel like it both makes sense and doesn''t," Arad mumbled, standing with Isdis in front of Amaterasu''s alter. The priest approached them, looking at both with a book in his hand. "We meet today in front of Lady Amaterasu and the gods of her pantheon to celebrate a happy asion, the wedding of our princess Isdis Lior Ruris and the protector of the capital, Arad Orion." He opened the book, "Princess Isdis, Do you ept Arad Orion as your husband, and promise to share the throne with him in case you win it." Isdis smiled, "I know my wedding is far more impactful than the average wedding. The fate of the whole kingdom could possibly be hanging on the line, but I do promise to do my best for the throne, and the prosperity of the kingdom." She looked at Arad, "I do ept Arad Orion as my husband, with all the responsibility aligned with that." The priest smiled, turning toward Arad, "Arad Orion, Do you ept Isdis Lior Ruris as your wife knowing the full weight and responsibility aligned with her blood and heritage as the princess of the kingdom? With this step, you''ll be in line for the throne alongside her. It is a responsibility far too great." Arad blinked, ^Bing a king means I''ll get a biggernd and more treasures for my hoard.^ "Of course, I do ept her as my wife. Why would I be standing here otherwise?" Arad smiled, "And for the kingdom, as a king, I dare anyone to trynding their hand on it." Everyone could feel it, bloodlust dripping from Arad''s words as the air around them felt thicker, making it harder to breathe. The nobles knew Arad was powerful, but didn''t expect his mere bloodlust to strangle them. "Calm down," Zephyr flew and sat on Arad''s shoulder, "Don''t imagine it, your bloodlust is getting out." The mana reacts to the person''s will and conjures the magic, it''s how people can cast spells and it''s mainly controlled by the brain. When a creature wills death, or imagines himself ripping something to shreds, that intent gets carried to their mana and ends up ejected out. The resulting waves are usually far too weak to do any damage, but they start having an effect when the power difference between two creatures is far too great. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Creatures have started training and evolving to sense those waves as a form of telegraph for violent actions. If someone intends to stab you, those waves wille before the strike, signaling the threat. It was thus called bloodlust. On the other side, some powerful creatures discovered that those weak waves could be weaponized against those weaker than them. If the bloodlust ising from an extremely powerful creature and is directed toward a weak one, the effect could be real, and the will of death will manifest. In simple terms, the bloodlust of an ancient dragon could kill an ordinary man. Arad took a deep breath and stared at the nobles, "Don''t worry. As long as you don''t cause trouble, everyone will be safe." He smiled. Right now, no one of them could breathe under his bloodlust. "Ahem!" The priest cleared his throat, lifting a small goldced white pillow with two rings on it, a silver and a gold one. Chapter 620 The Royal Wedding II A Blessing

Chapter 620 The Royal Wedding II A Blessing

The priest lifted the pillow, reaching with it toward Arad and Isdis. "Sir Arad, Lady Isdis," He said with a smile, "Please take the rings," The two rings were of simple design, one made of silver and the other of pure gold, glittering under the faint sunlight sneaking out of the church''s chiseled windows. Arad took the gold ring, and Isdis took the silver one. The priest looked around, and then whispered, pointing with one finger at the back of the alter, "It''s written there if you didn''t memorize it," Arad stole a nce. Amaterasu''s binding vow was clearly engraved on the stone altar. "Tie now, the crimson thread," Arad said. "Tie now, the roots of our blood," Isdis added. "The rose, so that we may not be separated," Arad closed his eyes. "The Amaryllis, so that we may note part," Isdis closed her eyes, and the sun in the sky shed brighter than ever. "Dance around the sun, praying," Arad and Isdis put the rings in each other fingers, chanting in one voice, "Until the day it implodes white," The moon started bloating the sun, drowning its golden light, dying the sky crimson as the ck dot in the horizon shed red as if dripping blood. It sent terror into the people of the capital. An Eclipse, a once in a hundred years event that''s linked to Amaterasu''s wrath and interest. Schrs suspect it''s the goddess''s way of nerfing her own powers with the help of the hare of the moon, in order to peak into the mortal world, whether it''s to kill or to bless. Golden and ck chains emerged from the ground beneath Arad and Isdis, [Child of nothing, spawn of the deste space] A voice boomed across the church, and none could move a muscle. They could feel her, sitting on top of the head of her own statue, ring down. Arad tried to lift his head, but his neck refused to move. [What could the sun grant the void around her?] "You really like to waste time, don''t you?" Zephyr said, staring up with a tired face, "You''re hurting them, do your business and get out of mynd," She could see her as clear as the sun in the sky. A tall woman with fair skin, crimson red nails, and coal ck hair twice as long as her body, most of it tied into a ball on her head with several pins and decorations. She wore arge Eastern dress, iling open from above her knees and down. She smiled, her blood-red lips seeming to reach her ears as she red down with her heterochromia eyes, one as ck as the eclipse and one a zing red sun. [You''ve grown, great wind spirit Zephyr] "Hurry and go!" She started hushing her, "Or I''ll tell grandma, she''ll get angry." [She''s dead drunk on in my heaven. Good luck contacting her,] Amaterasu giggled. [But you''re right, I''m only here to deliver a friend''s blessing, she doesn''t want to show up.] Amaterasu waved her foot, and the two rings in Arad and Isdis''s hands glowed. [Jemima''s Blessing, as long as you wear those rings and there are nts in your vicinity, you''ll have a passive regeneration, and neither of you would die while the other is alive, and the rings aren''t destroyed.] Amaterasu started floating up. [I''ll save my blessing for someone else.] Her eyes panned around the church,nding on Eris. [I do not bless soft women. Take note from Lydia, child of blood.] CRACK! The ground beneath Arad''s feet cracked, and his right arm moved a hair strand. Veins bulged on his arms and neck, and the void inside his body boiled, raging to rush out. Zephyr stared at him, a bit confused, but understanding, "How in the hell?" [Void born are monsters] Amaterasu smiled, [First he almost barged into Sylph''s inner room, and now he''s trying to move in my presese. An impressive disy of power and will, but for now, I''ll take my leave.] She flew out like a bee, leaving a glowing trail behind as the eclipse instantly disappeared. The people gasped, "What was that?" One gasped. "I felt something. Did you feel it?" They looked at each other. To them, it was but a sh that their minds almost didn''t register, leaving only the faintest feeling of being in divine magic for a brief moment. The priest started crying out of nowhere, "Even for a brief moment, I felt her presence. Our goddess has looked upon us," Isdis blinked twice, her hands shaking, "What happened to the rings?" She asked, looking at Arad to see him sweating with veins bulging on his face and neck, looking enraged. "Heh?" She gasped. Arad took a deep breath, sighting, "Zephyr, you could move?" He red at her. "Of course, I could. I''m a great spirit, remember?" She flew to sit on his shoulder, "I''m more surprised you were conscious there and even managed to move a bit," She looked back, "No one here beside you and me was present there. To them, it was a mere feeling, as fast as a sh and as gentle as the warmth of the sunlight." "Why was she here? I thought the gods never interacted with the world," Arad growled. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I won''t say never... But Amaterasu is more active. She sets the sun and raises it every day, after all." Zephyr waved her hand, "You can see her like a pesky, cheeky, and haughty noble mom with a heart of gold. If you got her attention and are still alive, congrattions, you''ll only get benefits," "She wasn''t after me," Arad looked back toward Eris, who stood there, her mind elsewhere. "Why do I feel like?" She mumbled, the purple sma inside her chest burning like a star, "I need to ask Lydia something?" In the depth of her veins, and within her flowing, crimson vampiric blood. A holy spark shed. Zephyr stared at Eris with a worried face, "I heard stories from Grandma Mei that Amaterasu once created a holy devil. Don''t tell me she''s trying to make a holy vampire now." Chapter 621 Arid Winds

Chapter 621 Arid Winds

Isdis stood, staring at her golden ring with a smug smile. She looked at Arad, "This concludes the ceremony here," Arad nodded, "Yeah, Baltos have a party prepared in the pce. A fancy wagon should be waiting outside." He then blinked, drawing Zephyr''s attention, "What''s wrong?" She asked, and everyone looked at him. "A few bandits are trying to sneak through the eastern gates as the guards are busy here with the ceremony," He turned, "They knocked one of the remaining guards with poison and are trying to silently kill the rest and get the keys. I''ll quickly deal with them," "Stop," Nina looked at him, "Let''s leave this to the guards, just notify the ones here," "I can st them with a spell," Merlin waved her hand, "Where are they exactly?" Arad looked at Nina, "It''ll just be simpler if I dealt with them," He didn''t want anything interrupting the wedding, but sadly, bandits are still thinking humans, and they won''t miss such an opportunity to slip in. "I did want to move a bit," Zephyr''s body started glowing green as she grew into the side of a human, standing as tall as Ae. "Arad, give me a long sword with its sheath, and a belt to tie it to my back as well," Arad waved his hand, pulling what she asked for out of nowhere, "Here you go, but do you intend to fight melee?" "I''ll limit my speed and strength and test some moves on the bandits. I''m sure I''ll need to weaken d with physicalbat before sting him away," She smiled, tying the de to her back and sheathing it. "I''ll scale the movester," BAM! She lunged forward, running toward the door. With a green shimmer, Zephyr''s body phased through the door like air, slipping between the cracks in a gust of wind and reforming behind it. "Baron Arad," The head guard approached, "What''s happening?" He asked. "Bandits trying to slip through the eastern gate. She''ll deal with them," Arad replied with a passive face. "WHAT?" He cried, "We need to mobilize the guards at once," "What guards would you mobilize? Carry on with the wedding as nned. The one going after them is an even bigger monster than you can imagine," Arad turned toward the priest. "He''s right," The priest put his hands together, "We pray to the goddess of the sun, the goddess of the harvest and renewal. But we never forget the spirits blessing thosends, the one who keeps the bnce." The nuns stopped moving, lining after him, "The golden rays of the glorious sunshine send down a blood-red light, forcing devils and evil to retreat to the shadows. Arid winds across the mountains, moving life throughout thends, and after humans came to transform the ground." The priest said, looking at the crowd. "When the wind is slow, and the sun is down, the monsters wait to see whates. When the air blows through with a brisk attack, the evil gets ripped apart. It''s how nature bnces itself," **** Zephyr ran through the street, refraining from using any power above what an average human would. She expects d to be almost three times stronger and faster than her physically while overpowering him in magic and range by andslide. She took the first turn in the street, running so low to the ground she almost looked to be running on all fours. She lifted her hand up, touching the hilt of the sword on her back. To mimic such conditions, she dropped her physical powers to a third of that of an average man, while limiting her magic to twice what a normal person could unleash. Everyone''s goal was to get rid of the bandits as soon as possible to go to Arad''s wedding, but she had a different mind. Zephyr could see the eastern gate where the bandits were. She rushed in, jumping through the window. ^I can crush him with one pressure spell,^ Zephyr thought, but smiled as she saw one of the bandits'' face twist in panic as she jumped in. ^No, I can''t be too careful, I can''t be too prepared. Simte the fight, and wash the rust away,^ She thrust the sword, stabbing the bandit in the groin. The bandit screamed, bending forward in agony, but that was his ticket to getting his throat sliced as Zephyr swiftly pulled the sword and swung up. CRACK! Two bandits rushed out of the next room, one pointed his crossbow at her while the other threw a bottle of wine at her face. Zephyr wanted to hide behind the bandit''s corpse, but there was no such wall when fighting d, she took a step forward, lifting the de up and forming a thick gust of wind around the sword. PEW! The violent wind shifted the bolt''s direction a bit, causing it to barely miss Zephyr''s face, scratching her cheek. She then quickly ducked to dodge the much slower wine bottle. As she dodged out of the way, she saw the wine bandit rushing at her, swinging a long sword, ^I can''t dodge in time, I don''t have the speed.^ The sword went right through her neck, chopping her head, but not a single drop of blood was spilled. The bandit''s eyes opened wide as he saw the inside of Zephyr''s neck being hollow like a ball. Zephyr''s arm moved, grabbing the bandit by the groin, "When fighting men, always go for the balls when underpowered." She clenched her fist, ripping them off with her long nails. As the bandit rolled on the ground, howling in pain, Zephyr''s head reattacked, "I do not keep my nails long or paint them green for looks. I already stopped caring about that, I keep them long to rip stuff apart, and the green pain is a poison that stops blood from coagting and increases pain sensitivity." She swung her hand, sshing the blood back on the bandit as she turned to face the crossbow one, her eyes glowing green. "GGYYY!" The bandit gasped, his knees shaking as he saw her take a step toward him, hunched forward, "GIVE ME YOUR BALLS!" He turned around, crying as he tried to run away. Zephyr threw the sword at him, stabbing him in the back. He stopped, seeing the de poking out of his chest. Lifting his hands, he thought about pushing the sword back out, but soon felt a hand on his groin, "I said, give them to me," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om With a swift pull, she ripped his treasure off. As the bandit rolled on the ground in agony, others started showing up upon hearing the screams. "AH! I remember now," Zephyr smiled, staring at the ceiling, "I didn''t use to go for the groin to beat those stronger than me, but I went for them since it''s a fate worse than death," She looked at the bandits with a smile. "Rip their balls to break their bloodline, crippling their whole lineage, and watch them suffer for the rest of their lives." The bandits stared at the bloodied ground, noticing the pattern, "What''s in the hell?" One gasped. "What did I do for women though?" She stared at them, "Well, I''ll remember soon enough, it''s been a few centuries," Chapter 622 Natural Disaster: Wind

Chapter 622 Natural Disaster: Wind

Zephyr took a step forward, "I don''t see any women among you," She approached the bandits, her body swinging from left to right, leaving a green trace as the tip of her sword scratched the ground. "Kill her!" One of the bandits kicked a chair toward her, rushing after it to attack with a mace. Zephyr ducked forward, swinging her left palm and catching the chair from the leg. She took one step forward, pushing it on the charging bandit, blocking his mace with ease and knocking him back. He gasped, trying to step aside to smack her, but she spun the chair with one hand, entangling his arm and the mace, pulling him down. Zephyr quickly kicked him in the groin and then clenched her left fist, leaving her middle finger bulging out. With two swift jabs, she smashed his eyes into his skull, then crushed his throat as he recoiled back from the chair knock. As the bandit fell down screaming, the remaining bandits rushed into the room all at once, over seven of them fully armed with swords and crossbows. "Bitch! Who are you?" One of them growled, pointing his crossbow at her head. "The one who killed them," Zephyr pointed down at the dead bandits. "I know you did it! I asked who are you!" "Myself," Zephyr smiled, mocking him. The bandit couldn''t handle her smirk, releasing the bolt immediately toward her eye. Zephyr swiftly moved her head out of the way, she knew he''d fire, and she taunted him for that reason. Taking the chance, she rushed toward the bandits, swinging her sword. Four of the bandits carried swords. They all swung at Zephyr simultaneously as the one with the crossbow stepped back, reloading. Zephyr dodged the first swing, but the other three got her. One cleaved her neck, and the remaining two diced her torso like it''s a sausage. The bandits smiled in the blink of an eye. She died faster than they expected. Zephyr''s body reattached as she bent forward, swinging at the bandit''s ankles, cutting two of them down. As they fell, she stabbed one in the ground, and kicked the other one, crushing his jewels. "How is she alive?" One cried. "I didn''t see blood!" The other screamed, turning to run away. The running one was forced to a halt, feeling as if ws dug into his groin. "Cutting air is stupid, isn''t it?" Zephyr whispered into his ear, pulling his sack out like a rotten orange. The other bandit dropped his sword and lifted a chair, "No cut, then smash!" She swung the chair at her head, screaming. Zephyr ducked immediately, swinging her sword horizontally toward the back, hitting the bandit''s stomach and disemboweling him. "Wear armor, idiot." She smiled, standing as he fell down into his guts. "I do remember now," Zephyr stared at the other bandits, smiling as blood dripped across her face and arms, "Those beautiful days before I mellowed and settled down with the Deianira. I used to rule mynd with tempests, and anyone who didn''t suit me got a tornado at their door," Even more, bandits rushed into the room, armed and enraged. "Who is she? Why didn''t you kill her yet?" A fully armored man growled. Zephyr lifted her hand, closed except two fingers which she drew a line in the air with, taking the shape of a wind wave. The furniture in the room rattled, and the candles got extinguished, as the drapes pped, the shadows danced and Zephyr disappeared, her sword falling on the ground. The room was still well-lit from the sunlighting from the windows. "She ran away!" The armored man growled, rushing toward the window. "Wearing a codpiece, how luck," Zephyr whispered into his ear, and he turned around, terrified. She was nowhere to be seen. Zephyr''s sword flew from the ground, cutting the man''s armpit as it was lightly armored. He cried, dropping his sword as the other bandits gasped, terrified at seeing the sword move on its own. The armored bandit spun around, flinging his fist at the sword. "You bitch! You''re there aren''t you!" He screamed but soon got cut again on his other armpit, back of the knees, and finally, throat as the sword danced around him. "You can''t neither see nor hit the air," Zephyr giggled, "Good luck in your trial with the gods," The bandit fell, his soul going to the afterlife to be judged. "I''m not even trying," Zephyr''s left eye showed to the bandits, glowing with a green light, "What to see something horrifying?" "She''s there! Fire!" A bandit shouted, releasing his crossbow bolt at her eye. The bolt flew right through Zephyr like she was nothing, "Well, I''ll show it to them on you," She appeared fully, as by the rule she sat, doing both at the time would be going over her magic limits. She tapped her foot on the ground, and the bandit''s chest copsed inside-out as his ribcage shrunk into the size of a grape, squishing his organs and pulling his head into his chest. The bandits stared at their friend in silence, unable to understand what happened. "He would have survived if he had the faintest knowledge about magic," Zephyr sighed, pulling a chair and sitting in front of them, putting one leg on the other, "The spell had no resistance. A kid could have rejected the effect if he tried." Zephyr stared at the bandits, standing in front of her in silence, "Won''t you attack?" "What are you?" One gasped, falling on his knees. "A natural disaster," Zephyr replied, switching her legs. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The bandits fell on their knees, begging for their lives. She stared at them for a while, amused, "I do like seeing you like this," She stood, "But, the best one of you had killed five people, and they all died begging for their lives. I know since all souls in my domain pass through me," She lifted her foot, putting it on one of the bandits'' heads, "Squash it is," She ttened him to the ground. The bandits tried to stand and run, but all their heads got pushed toward the ground with a solid stream of wind. They gasped, struggling to move, but there was no escape. Zephyr took her time, stepping on each of them, and crushing them to the ground. She only left one at the end. "For you," She smiled, "All of them are going to the gods'' trial where they can either go to heaven or hell, but let''s be honest, it''s clearly hell," She kicked the chair that was behind her away like a horse. "I''ll test something even more horrifying on you, but in exchange, I''ll allow your soul to reincarnate as a human so you get a second chance. No memories. Your brain won''t survive this," She lifted her foot up with a vicious grin. [Wind Expansion]... **** Zephyr flew out of the building in her fairy form, humming with a smile as she buzzed her way toward the castle like a bee, "That was refreshing," **** When the guards walked into the building to check on the bandits, they found them all dead on the ground, but something caused them to turn back, puking in horror. The whole room was covered in red, blood-stinking foam, and with bones, hair, nails, and ripped clothes scattered everywhere. "What the hell happened here?" One gasped. He had never seen such gore even in the worst battles. **** Back in the pce, the gustsughed as they watched the tiny Zephyr dance on a table with a stupid face, drunk after swimming in a barrel of dwarven firewine. Chapter 623 Blood Omen

Chapter 623 Blood Omen

"Why you!" Ae rushed toward the table, catching Zephyr in her hand and lifting her up, "Snap out of it, I know you can." She growled at her. "Hehehe!" Zephyr giggled, her head dangling around as she drooled, "More!" Arad sat on a chair in the back with Isdis at his side, "The guards told me they found the bandits messed up more than they would live to describe," Isdis looked at Arad''s face, "From their eyes, she didn''t hold back," Arad shook his head, "She held back more than you can understand," He looked at his hand, seeing the silver ring glowing. "Probably I should put more on," He reached into his stomach, pulling Ae, Merida, and Mira''s rings, putting them to fill his hand. ^[And this from me,]^ Doma added onest ring on his thumb, filling his fist. "Still more to go," He stood. "Where are you going?" Isdis asked, looking at his back. "Walking around the ballroom," "Arad! Come here!" Charlie waved his hand, inviting Arad toward the massive dinner table. The table spanned several meters long and held several roasted animals on top, everything from sheep, pigs, chicken, and turkeys, there was even a half-roasted cow taking a quarter of the table. Drinks were lined all the way in the corner of the room at a small bar with an old man sitting there, serving drinks to whoever asked. Arad stood beside Charlie and looked at the table, "How did you even roast that cow?" He looked at the meat, "Have a massive oven or something?" "Kin can cook," Charlie smiled, ripping a chicken leg off and biting it, "Eat and drink, you''re the groom, aren''t you?" "Don''t get drunk though," Thomas approached, sneaking a stare at the crying Zephyr in Ae''s hand, "Dealing with the wind spirit is enough, we don''t need a drunk dragon going crazy," Arad smiled, pulling the cow''s legs off with ease. He lifted the massive chunk of the meat and bit it, his teeth going straight through the bones as if they were biscuits. "Don''t worry, I don''t get drunk that easily," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om CLANG! Jack put a massive jug of dwarven firewire on the table beside Arad, "Want a drink? I poured this just now," He lifted a mug of his own, drinking. Unlike most people, the artificial liver Jack got from Cain allowed him to drink like a monster. Arad lifted the massive Jug of wine Jack brought him, an appropriate size, albeit still feeling like a spoonful. He sniffed it and then stared at Jack. "You just came in?" Arad asked. "Yeah," Jack smacked the mug on the table after finishing half, "Was out with Lydia," Arad looked back at his jug, "Fairy bath wine," He put it aside. Jack seemed to have poured them from the barrel Zephyr swam in. Most people won''t notice, but Arad could smell her in the wine, like the fragrance of mint and lime on a mojito. ^[You eat people whole, disgusted by that?]^ ^I just, don''t feel like drinking it,^ Arad looked at Jack, "Where did you get that?" "Look," Jack pointed at a crowd of people fighting over a barrel of wine, scrambling to drink from it. "If a lot of people are fighting for it, it must be good." "Do you know?" Arad looked at Jack, "Zephyr was swimming in that barrel." Jack stopped drinking and stared at his mug, "So that''s why they are fighting over it," He sighed and kept drinking, "Would''ve kept for saleter if I knew, what a waste of fairy dust." ^[Fairy dust is the falling scales from a fairy''s wings, it restores youth, and man and even dispels weak curses and grants good luck. By restoring youth I mean it makes you look younger by getting rid of wrinkles and the like, not actually aging you backward.]^ [It doesn''t work in dragons,] Mom added after Doma. **** Isdis approached Eris, handing her a ss of wine as she saw her standing alone on the balcony, "What are you thinking about?" "Isdis?" Eris turned, taking the ss from her, "I''m fine." "No you aren''t," Isdis tapped her back, causing her to almost spill the wine, "Speak, we live under the same roof," Eris sighed, looking at her palm and the drop of red wine dripping across the ss like blood. She could feel her heartbeat, and the blood rushing in her veins pulse across her limbs, sending sparks of magic down to her nails. "I do not feel my own death anymore," "You what?" "We vampires are counted among the dead most of the time. That isn''t an empty im, I was able to sense my death, and that is why I worked as a funeral parlor director. Besides being entwined with Katal and his cult of course," She smiled, "No more murder, and now no more death," "Isn''t that good? What''s the problem?" Isdis smiled, "You look free to me, aren''t you?" "I feel off like something has been going on inside my body since the day I achieved my sma expansion. I don''t know if it''s my draconic blood boiling, or something else." She stared into the stars. **** Far away, arge steel coffin opened up in a cavern deep underground. Blood gushed out like a river, drowning the caves in the blink of an eye as runes of magic sparked red everywhere. A pale white hand emerged from the coffin, grabbing into its side as a naked thin man crawled out, his extremely long hair covering his whole body as his red eyes sparked with magic. He gasped, coughing blood, "That bastard, to think he''ll do that," d growled, staring at his own distorted reflection in the blood as his eyes and the runes illuminated the ce red. "This is the singing Coffin of the north, a young half-elf body." He stared at his own hands, sitting down in the blood. He extended his hands forward, "My blood, my soulless body," He mumbled, seeing his blood on all the vampires in the world, seeing them all. "I see, she as well," His eyesnded on Eris. "I managed to achieve sun resistance with magic, and my daughter Scarlett inherited it, but you are about to achieve something greater," He growled, "A holy vampire, I''ll give you enough time to grow and ripe, all for me snatch you to my side," He smiled, staring at Arad through the blood. "You dragon, take care of her well." He giggled, "For soon I''lle for your wife''s ass, I wonder if we''ll give birth to a perfect vampire?" d clenched his fists, "That''s it, but I need to n first." He waved his hands, blood forming a crimson robe on his body as he stood, "My goal is catching Eris Alive and having children with her until I get a perfect vampire to use as a vessel. But for that, I need to deal with that dragon, Alcott, and Nina, countless problems," He stood, looking at the ceiling as his hair started rising, "Zephyr is the biggest problem, I need generals, people strong enough to fight and win." He took a step forward, "Wait for me, I''ll be there for revenge soon, and you''ll regret blowing my kingdom." Chapter 624 Vampiric Sun Dragon

Chapter 624 Vampiric Sun Dragon

Eris stood from her chair, staring back into the ballroom, "Ae," She called. Ae approached her, "Need something?" "Tell Arad to meet me at the destroyed Alter," She said, her eyes glowing with purple and golden. Her body shifted into a ck and golden mist, shimmering through the night sky as she flew into the sky, leaving a trail of strange magic. Ae lifted her hand, catching some of the mist, "Holy and blood magic at the same time, they aren''t canceling each other, but instead getting stronger." She could see the full moon shimmering in the sky, "No, a sma draconic mixed magic was mixed in." "If Amaterasu blessed her," Zephyrnded on Ae''s head, "Vampiric Sun Dragon," She said, "It probably won''t be a transformation, but she''ll slowly?mix her bloodlines with holy magic and grow stronger," "A vampire that can''t just resist the sun, but holds its power," Ae turned to call Arad but found him standing right behind her. "You here? Eris said to meet her at the alter," "Katal''s Alter, the ce she blew up weeks ago," Arad took a step, walking past Ae, "She''s already there, probably asking for a fight." "I don''t think that''s the case," Ae sighed. "Arad is right," Zephyr said, "I can''t get in her head, but it''s how dragons marry," Zephyr looked at Ae''s eyes, "Since she''s the oneing to him, she went andid rest close to him, waiting for him to attack." "Fire, lightning, sma, sun, and blood. She''ll be waiting there with all of her might, waiting for me to answer her call," Arad''s muscles expanded a bit, "I''ll not disappoint her," ZON! He disappeared into thin air, using [Void Step] To teleport to the house that had the cavern''s entrance. Uponnding in the courtyard, he could feel an ominous presence pulsing from the building. He looked around, seeing that people had woke up in the middle of the night, sensing danger and starting to move away. Not a single animal or monster remained near. They all fled out. "Like a proper dragon, her mere presence is forcing the ecosystem around her to change. Arad approached the door and held the handle, feeling a cold sweat dripping across his back. Upon opening the door, he could feel a gust of warm wind rush out, carrying Eris''s scent, will, and magic out like a powerful perfume. He smiled, walking inside the abandoned house. With each step, he could feel Eris''s presence grow stronger. She was the same woman he knew, but something about her was different, holy magic trailed alongside her magic that he knew. Arad reached the stairs leading to the basement, and he could smell Eris inside, like a flowing cloud. He could see her magic gushing out of the basement. Arad smiled, "In such a short time. By only having an additional element, her power spiked this much. She is stronger than that adult red. No, she may have reached the level of an adult purple dragon like her father. Despite being a half-dragon." He pushed further, reaching the stone door blocking the entrance to the cave system. Strands of magic sealed the door, only allowing entry to those authorized. This wasn''t magic set by Eris, but something left by others. ^I thought Eris destroyed the ce. Did someonee here after that?^ He touched the door, and it shed white. "You shall not pass," A woman''s voice came out of the door, "What is the word?" She added. Arad stared at the door for a second, "It isn''t wise to get between a dragon and his mate," The door remained silent for a second, then opened up, "Go in," She said. As Arad entered, Doma was inspecting the magic of the door. ^[To think magic would respond to a dragon? I doubt that thing understood fear or reasoning. Was it programmed to let Arad in? What were the conditions?]^She then giggled, ^[I get it, a fiend,]^ Arad walked through the cave until he reached the open cavern, and he could hear Eris breathing inside. He went inside and could see her sitting on a stone, staring at him with glowing eyes. "That was quick," She said, "I expected you to take longer," "I can wait if you still need to prepare," Arad smiled, opening his arms, "I never expected you to awaken such power, albeit it could be my fault as well," He remembered how Amaterasu showed up and he couldn''t move, if he was a bit stronger, it might have yed differently. "No, I''m ready," Magic pulsed out of Eris''s body as she jumped down from the stone, all of her nails glowing crimson as her bare feetnded on the ground, scorching it. Arad cracked his neck, "Last time, you managed to push me to half-dragon form, but lost immediately," "I''d love to say I''ll drag you to the bed," Eris stared at him, "But no one got her time since the weddings started, and I''ll not step over them," She smiled. "So even if you won, you''ll wait for them?" Arad smiled. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "And you should do the same," She waved her hands, her nails leaving a golden trace in the air, "I just have this itch, to test my strength on you." "It''s the same," Arad stared at her, "When a human girl gets something beautiful, like jewelry, let''s say a ring, the first thing she does is show it to her lover," He took a step forward, "For dragons, it''s the same with power. You want to show your strength," "Does that mean," Eris looked at him, "You never loved anyone, you never attacked any of us," "I do love you all," Arad clenched his fist, "It''s just that I understand that only dragons express their love with violence. Humanoids appreciate different things, and I do try to learn." "Guess," Eris took a stance, sma and holy magic sparking from her nails and up to her shoulders, "More dragon than an elf," "Express yourself as you wish," Arad took a stance, "Be it in dragon''s way, or in elves'' way, I''ll adjust to what you feelfortable with," "Thank you," Eris smiled, her lips glowing red as her fangs grew longer, lusting for blood, "For now, I''ll act as a dragon. But I''ll try being an elfter," Chapter 625 Clash of Dragons

Chapter 625 sh of Dragons

Eris pointed at Arad with two fingers, [Purple Sun Burst] A fist-sized ball of sma shot forth, flying toward Arad at an incredible speed. Arad bent forward, fire gushing from his back and beneath his feet as he burst forward with one leap, using his innate magic to remove the void from the air ahead of him, pulling himself forward at even greater speed. He zapped beneath the purple sun, letting her burst behind his back as he threw a blinding fast fist at Eris''s face. Eris''s left eye shed red at thest moment, [Eye Burst] And Arad''s eyes exploded, the blood in them raging and ripping them into pieces. But even with that, he wasn''t fazed, his fist kept flying toward Eris''s face. Eris didn''t want to stop his attack. She got hit in the nose with his punch, her head recoiling back. She wanted him to not see the next attacking. She twisted her torso, swinging her foot up and hitting Arad''s neck at full force. [Divine Smite] Eris could feel Arad''s neck crack on her ankle, seeing his head jolt as a blinding sh of light exploded with a p from her foot, shaking his whole body from head to toe. Arad''s body started flying away from the powerful impact, but he lifted his left hand, catching Eris''s foot that was pushing against his neck before he could get flung away, pulling her with him. Eris gasped, ^Impossible! That didn''t push him to the second phase?^ "Nice kick, but an indirect hit won''t take me down," Arad pointed at her stomach with a finger. BAM! A burst of water exploded from his finger, sting her to the other side of the room. "I don''t have that many non-lethal attacks, but I do have a ton of water stored in my stomach." Arad took a step forward, his body glowing faintly purple with his eyes already healed. "What did you do?" Eris glowed, drenched wet as she barely stood, her white dress sticking to her body, half-transparent. But it instantly dried from the heat generated by her body. "Barrier and gravity magic," Arad pointed at his neck, "I formed ayer of gravity that pushes physical objects away from me if they got too close. Your kick never reached me," "But the burst hit you," Eris smiled, "You''re a vampire. You can''t tank that for long," "I can tank four indirect hits," Arad looked at her, his fists resting on his hip, "You got one indirect hit, three more to go before you force me into half-dragon form." CRACKLE! Lightning crackled from Eris''s back as fire burst from her arms reaching to her hair, quickly mixing together into a veil of purple sma. She took a stance, holy magic flowing up from her toes to her hip and chest. The two energies got mixed together, sending rays of light everywhere as she lunged forward. "Is it hard to use your vampiric powers with holy magic active?" Arad''s upper clothes disappeared, leaving his torso exposed. He didn''t want to destroy Merida''s clothes with his wings. He''s certain Eris would at least push him that far. Arad took a step forward, stomping the ground with his whole weight as he clenched his fist, engulfing it in the void. Upon swinging it, the void erased the air, releasing a shockwave that pulled more air in than exploded. ^Another big attack with a wide telegraph, is he messing around, understimating me?^ Eris waved her hand, and countless blood spikes burst from the ground, forcing Arad to dodge to the side. She used that chance to slip between the spikes, swinging her palm at his side, her nails glew with sma and holy magic, sending bursts of light. ^The second hit,^ ZON! Arad disappeared at thest moment,pletely evading her strike. Eris gasped, realizing she made a huge mistake. Arad pulled her by the hair, turned her around, and punched her in the face, sending her flying. But before she got far, he teleported in her way and kicked her up into the ceiling. She smacked into the ceiling, and Arad pulled her back down with gravity, unleashing a barrage of punches on her, too fast for her to dodge. ^Those big attacks, he was baiting me. I was the one underestimating his skills. I need him to stop holding back. His lethal attacks are easier to predict and dodge than those crafty ones.^ [Divine Surge] Eris''s body shed with holy magic, lightning-like amp as she released a powerful burst, forcing Arad to get away. A second hit got delivered and he stared at his hand, seeing sparks of holy magic crackling. "Not bad," Arad smiled, looking forward, but the only thing he could see was Eris''s bare foot in front of his nose. He dodged, but she immediately shifted into a dropkick, hitting him in the shoulder. ^I blocked it with gravity, but it''s still a third undirect hit. I barely have a quarter of my HP left thanks to the holy magic,^ His eyes shifted toward Eris''s foot, seeing her toenails smoking with sparks of sma gushing out of them. ^That is what elerated the drop kick,^ Arad lunged back to get some distance away, but Eris didn''t let him go. Lunging alongside him, she wrapped her legs around his neck, sitting on his throat and ring down at his face sitting between her thighs. Arad gasped, protecting his body from direct contact with gravity, but he couldn''t be more vulnerable than this. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om She clenched her fists, swinging at his nose. [Divine Smite] Her fist dropped his head to the ground, drilling it to the ground with a massive st. Eris lunged back, looking at the smoke, ^That was the fourth hit. He should be shifting,^ The smoke cleared, and she could see Arad lying on the ground, motionless. To think that his base form gave most people a hard time, and even A-ranks couldn''t keep up with it, but now she had taken it down rtively easily. Arad startedughing, two massive ck wings burst from his back as horns emerged on his head. The massive tail erecting off his lower back helped his body stand facing Eris. His arms got covered with scales up to the elbows and his nails turned to ws. He shook his legs, sucking his shoes back to his stomach as his feet shifted as well, the scales reaching his knees with ws digging into the ground. "I like your ck toenails," Arad looked at her, "Were you casting magic from them just now," He pointed at her feet and then hands, "Do you know what that means?" "It doesn''t make a difference to you, does it?" She tapped her feet on the ground, sma crackling from her toenails to her fingernails, arcing with holy and blood magic. Chapter 626 Earned Power

Chapter 626 Earned Power

"A witch," Arad stepped forward, clenching a fist. "By casting magic using your nails, you avoid all theg of using an arcane focus, resulting in a cast as quick as moving your hand. But on the other side, it ces a massive toll on the body, so most witches end up looking like old rags," N?v(el)B\\jnn "I won''t end up like that," Eris smiled, getting ready to block Arad''s charge, "I''m an immortal vampire with dragon blood flowing through my veins, and now, holy magic that keeps me healthy. I can take the toll with ease," Eris kept her eyes open, tracking Arad''s every move. Thest time she fought his second phase, she got blitzed before she could see him attack. Arad disappeared from her vision, and she felt her guts twist violently. The moment she realized it, Arad had already plunged his fist into her stomach, sending her back at a blinding speed. Eris barely stopped herself from smacking into the wall by extending her toenails into ws andtching to the ground. "I see, this is why I couldn''t see you," She growled, smiling. Arad stood there, staring at her with his eyes glowing, "The eleration fools the eyes, but the speed is real," "Slowing time to move faster. With you being able to drop it to 90%, that means you got ten times faster than your humanoid form," Eris took a stance, her stomach healing immediately. "You can''t spam that, so as long as I survived the first hit, I''m fine," She sted forward, sma gushing from her back like jets, propelling her faster than she could before. As she reached Arad, blood gushed out of her hand, forming a de. CRACK! She stopped right before reaching Arad, swinging the sword up with holy magic crackling from her fingers and through the blood like lightning. Arad stared at the sword, ^Divine smites.^ His mind raced, ^The spell is granted by a god to a mortal to dispel evil and undeath,^ He stepped back, dodging the attack. His eyes followed Eris''s body, trying to read her flow of magic. A fraction of a second before the attack, a charge of holy magic appears in the user''s heart like a spark. That''s the power the god grants them, and it takes a great toll on the body as it jolts it all. Eris swung the sword down, and Arad barely dodged, seeing his arm almost getting sted with the smite. SWOSH! CLAP! The divine spark travels from the heart to whatever is the user''s weapon of choice. For Eris, it''s the blood sword. At that moment, the weapon will be infused with holy magic, ready to burst. Then upon contact, it discharges the divine magic into whatever it hits, sting it. But, there is a catch, a bit of the divine magic remains in the air between the de and the target, exploding soon after as a secondary burst. It was probably put there by the gods to prevent the undead from escaping in case they survived the hit. And that''s what gets me even though I block the de with gravity magic. Arad teleported behind Eris, swinging his fist at her, but she turned around, sending a spinning kick at his face. Arad blocked the hit with gravity magic, but the secondary explosion got him again, sending him flying back. ^Works as the gods intended. It''s giving me trouble.^ Aradnded on his hands, doing a flip while keeping his eyes on Eris. ^If I found a way to bypass that, would the gods patch it? Make it so my solution would stop working?^ Eris lunged forward, swinging her foot at his face with all her might, [Divine Crusher] Arad opened his arms, smiling with his eyes glowing green, "Amaterasu, you fool. Do you think a game of catch would prevent me from trying?" CLAP! Eris kicked Arad''s face, stomping his head to the ground with a massive divine explosion. She blinked, he didn''t move out of the way, but he still blocked with gravity. If he didn''t have more phases, she would have stopped her kick, but for now, she might be able to push him to dragon form. But then, she felt it. The thing beneath her foot didn''t feel like a face. But as hard, cold stone. She looked after the dust, seeing Arad''s upper torso and face had turned into grey marble, petrified. "What in the hell?" She gasped. Arad''s face turned back to normal, "Gravity magic to block the initial hit, but how do I deal with the secondary st? The answer was simple. Curses are the opposite of holy magic. As I expected, they cancel each other, but the petrification effect on me remains and protects me." Eris jumped back, sweating as she watched Arad stand unharmed after eating a divine crusher to the face. He stood, staring at her, "What''s the problem? Keep attacking," "Just in the hell, how could you do that?" Eris mumbled, staring at him. The gods rule the world and the system. An evil being won''t ever be able to get immunity to their magic through the system. It won''t make sense for the gods to grant immunity to those they want to kill, but the only exception is when the creature serves like she''s now with Amaterasu. **** Amaterasuughed in the heavens, "As I expected, he has what it takes." She stared down into a pond, seeing them, "A power that doesn''t rely on anything besides his own strength and wits." She waved her hand, "Go! Kisue Eris! Hit him with more holy magic than he can cancel out," Amaterasu poured a flood of magic unwieldable by mortals into Eris''s body. Her goal was simple, overwhelm Arad with quantity. **** Eris''s body burst with holy magic, flowing faster, stronger than ever. She clenched her fists, giggling, "You were right. Find a solution, and theye with a counter," Arad extended his hand toward her, "Wrong!" He smiled, "Gods they may be, but their powers flow through mortals, limited by flesh and bones." "What are you talking about?" "It''s a contest, to see who will dry first." Chapter 627 Monster Of Learning

Chapter 627 Monster Of Learning

Eris lunged forward, sucking the blood sword back into her veins and conjuring a long spear. "You''ll run out of mana first!" She thrust at his face. The spear burned with divine magic, ready to deliver a divine piercer. Arad smiled, clenching his right fist. The scales on it turned into stone as the curse of petrification engulfed it. With a burst, he uppercut the spearhead. Gravity magic prevented direct contact, and the curse of petrification nullified the secondary st, shattering in the process. Eris gasped, unable to believe that she had just seen someone punch a divine piercer out of the way, and he was a vampire on top of it. If she told the church, they''d call her a heretic. She used the momentum left from Arad hitting the tip of the spear to spin it, trying to smack him on the side. Arad swung his left hand down, smacking the spear away and deflecting a divine crusher. ^He could have tried to petrify me and end the fight quickly, but he''s intentionally choosing the hard way. If I were the target, I''d just nullify the curse and make it useless. But he''s choosing to use it on himself and manually block all the attacks since there is nothing I can do about it,^ She took a step back and swung her foot at him, her nails crackling with sma. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "How about this?" She cried. Arad stepped forward, hugging her with her leg up, pushing her knee into her face. The force of her kick has all disappeared. Eris tried to move, but in that hug, she had no way of overpowering Arad''s might. She stared at his passive face, terrified, ^This man is something else,^ Her whole body shed with sma and holy magic, burning like a re. Arad let go of her and jumped back, shaking his hands with a smile as he looked at her, "That burns," He then opened his arms, "Come for a second hug," He said. Two veins bulged on Eris''s forehead, ^He''s mocking me?^ Her right fist zed with sma. As she burst forward, she swung at his face. Arad ducked down, taking a step forward and hugging her from the stomach, lifting her up. The sma in Eris''s fist burst forward as she missed Arad''s chest, exploding far back and shaking the whole cave. Eris growled, swinging her fist repeatedly at Arad''s back with holy and sma magic, but nothing got in. The scales on a dragon''s back were the hardest and by adding his gravity and curse, she couldn''t damage him at all. "Ok! This is getting embarrassing." Eris growled, her whole body bursting with holy and sma magic in a massive burst, sending Arad flying back, his face charred. "Do you like that?" She stared at him, "Stop hugging me, keep that for the bed." Arad stood, his face healing as he smiled, "Yeah, I like this," He cracked his neck, his eyes glowing, "When you expand so much mana and holy magic to get me off you," Eris could feel her knees growing weaker, her chest tightening as she started feeling her mind dazing away. ^I see, he was taunting me to expand massive amounts of mana and stress my body with a lot of holy magic. He can recycle mana, he''ll never run out, and only he knows how much blood he has stocked up for heals.^ "Noticed?" He took a step forward. "Late, but I did," She stared at her shaking palm, ^I already stressed myself with holy magic, I''m not used to it since I only got it.^ "Clench your teeth," Arad looked at her, his eyes glowing purple and he disappeared from her vision, for her to see his fist at her face. ^He can use time magic again,^ Eris gasped, taking his fist to the face. But at the same time, her foot dug into his side, exploding with a massive burst of sma. Both of them got sent flying, and Arad smiled, holding his bleeding side. ^She tanked that and countered? Did she give up on trying holy magic and return to using raw power?^ He stared into the distance, seeing two purple sma wings glow. [Death Butterfly] Eris stepped forward, wearing her sma and holding a massive purple spear in her hand. Each step she took melted the ground beneath her feet. Her face healed as her eyes dripped sma like tears, "That hurt, you know?" "You kick hurt as well," Arad walked toward her, his body healing as he expanded his wings, his tail iling around like a whip, ready to strike. "But I like women who can kick me back," "Lower your standards. There aren''t many who could do that," Eris stared at him with a smile, "I too like those who I can''t kill," Her spear scratched the ground, leaving a long melted line. In the blink of an eye, she threw the spear at him aiming for the torso. Arad dodged, and Eris flew straight to him, her fingers shed with sma. Her palm struck Arad''s face, and he kicked her at the side. Both tanked the hits, swinging again and again at each other. ^She''s holding to the ground by melting the stone around her feet, and on top, healing with both blood and what remained of her holy magic. I can''t shake her off,^ Arad smiled, taking sma-infused punches and kicks from left to right. ^He''s heavy,^ Eris growled, ^His leg ws are fastening him to the ground, and his weight, magic, and bulk are sucking most of my attacks. I can''t move him,^ She thought, taking hits left and right. The cave started cracking as the two shed, each hit sending a shockwave powerful enough to crack the walls. BAM! The two lunged back, bleeding with smiles. "My holy magic is back," Eris smiled, lifting her hands. "And so is my time spell," Arad put his hands together. Putting her hands together, her nails shed with sma, blood, and holy magic, sparking into her eyes and back. The void started rushing out of Arad''s back, crackling into his hands, infused with gravity magic and the petrification curse. [sma Expansion:] [Void Expansion:] Chapter 628 Praise The Sun

Chapter 628 Praise The Sun

[sma Expansion: Purple Sun] sma gushed out of Eris''s body, condensing around her into a massive ball akin to a purple sun, releasing so much heat that the cave started melting. [Void Expansion: Devouring Void] Darkness gushed out of Arad''s chest, shing with the purple sun and engulfing it in the blink of an eye. Unlike their previous sh, Arad had expected Eris''s expansion and smiled. Her purple sun hadn''t grown bigger since thest time he saw it, probably due to her being unable to keep it stable more than ack of power. And so to prevent it from exploding and tearing his void, he started crushing it with gravity magic instead of trying to eat it. Eris could feel the ground around her purple sun disappear as Arad consumed her into the void. That had made it harder for her to feed the sun matter to expand it, but it wasn''t a problem. She already had it big enough. [Burst] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om They expanded rapidly, pushing against Arad''s gravity. He clenched down on it with all his might, and it exploded in a brilliant re. At the same time, Arad used his void to suck as much as possible of the gases and matter released from the sun as quickly as he can in an attempt for preventing his stomach from bursting. The sun faded, exploding inside Arad''s space, shining brightly as it died. Arad smiled as the sun disappeared, holding his aching stomach as he dispelled his expansion. "Nice try, but I already saw it once. You won''t get me twice." He looked at Eris, who stood in ce, sweating buckets. Eris giggled, wiggling in ce and barely managing to stand. Arad stood, taking a deep breath. He never felt such pain before, the only thing topping it when Eris actually burst his expansion open. "You''re really impressive. I fought adult dragons who can''t output this much power," Eris stared at him with a crazed smile, "Arad, do you remember?" She lifted her hands up. "This is a fight of domination. No one would lose like this," She extended her hands up in a Y shape. "Praise the Sun!" Arad blinked, confused. [Holy Expansion:...] Eris''s body shed golden, the light washing Arad''s vision, painting it white. [...Sr Domain] Arad''s arms evaporated as he got sted back, his consciousness switching between life and death as Eris flew at him, kicking him in the face. Her whole body was healed, and her mana was restored. Since the divine mana needed for holy magic is provided by the god, the caster isn''t bound by the limit of their own poll of mana, but only with the endurance of their body. For mortals, the only way for them to keep spamming holy magic is by using that same magic to heal their bodies, reducing their lifespan in the process. But, for an immortal vampire, Eris doesn''t need to worry about losing years of her infinite life. Abination that shouldn''t exist due to the nature of vampirism and holy magic, but her special case allowed for such a thing. CRACK! Erisnded before Arad as his unconscious body transformed into his draconic form. "You know what''s funny? My holy magic is far weaker at night than at day," Eris''s holy magic is tied to the sun, growing stronger as the sun rises and reaches its peak at noon. Her vampire side is the opposite, reaching its peak at midnight. But, strangely enough, she''s at her strongest at dusk and dawn, when the two powers mix. Her draconic side is the most stable, being active equally throughout the day, providing her with a strong foundation that she can rely upon. She pointed up, "The sun is rising," She smiled, "I only have a few minutes, I''ll win in them," Three horns emerged on her head, two ck ones in the back, and a long white one from her forehead. Four wings emerged from her back, two bat ones and two sma ones, glowing brightly as holy lightning crackled from her toes up her hands and horns. Her hair shifted blond as she stared at Arad, a gentle smile on her face. Arad''s draconic body moved, lifting his right hand and giving her a thumbs up. She blinked, "Okay?" Arad stood, cracking his long neck, "I didn''t expect you to pull a holy expansion right after your purple sun expansion. The toll both on your body and mana reserve should''ve been great. I let my guard down and wasn''t ready to guard against holy magic." "My power doesn''t grow linearly with my phases." He stood tall, his massive body towering over Eris as his eyes glowed with a purple re. "Don''t let your guard down, this is several times stronger, sturdier, and faster than before." Arad lifted his right w up, telegraphing his strike. "How fast could..." Arad''s w dropped before she could see it, ripping her right arm and wing. "What?" She gasped, her eyes turning aside. "I told you to be careful. I can''t hold back in this form as well as I do in my humanoid form," He lifted his left w, "More muscles, more surface to absorb mana, and stronger nerves fully stretched across my body. It''s should''ve been obvious." [Holy Expansion: Sr Domain] Eris cried, unleashing the holy expansion once more. Arad stood there, staring at her with his eyes glowing green and purple. A thickyer of cursed stone engulfed his body, shielding him from the holy magic. "How long can youst?" Eris growled, staring at Arad as he looked like a statue standing before her. But suddenly, her head got pulled toward the ground, smacking her nose on the stones. She tried to stand but felt heavy. Her face, knees, and hands cracked as she got pulled toward the ground with an even greater strength. Amplified gravity from Arad had brought her down, and she was forced to stop the expansion. As the holy magic dissipated, Arad looked at Eris as she panted on the ground. "Magic grows stronger depending on how much mana, thinking, and refining you put into it. Stand up, and I''ll admit defeat," "No, I give up," Eris growled, "Stop it," Arad nodded, canceling his magic, letting her breathe, "Are you okay?" "The gravity pulled my blood down, and I wasn''t able to heal," She rolled on her back, "I could use holy magic, but I feared you might think it''s an attack and increase the output of your magic. Either way, I would have died," "You fought well," Arad looked at her, getting his massive head closer to her. "Especially witchcraft. You wouldn''t havested half as long if you relied on an arcane focus." "That what impresses you? Not the holy magic?" Eris chuckled. "Holy magic is a borrowed power, not something you own. I hate that kind of power," Arad replied. "Witchcraft is a power you own. I''ll praise that more even if it was weaker," "The nail polish was worth it," Eris sighed, "I''ll tell that storedy that my husband loved it," She looked at Arad. "You don''t mean that," Lifted an eyebrow. "Of course, the store owner didn''t know what she was celling," Eris replied, "No use telling her," She sat up, her wounds healing, "So, what do you say, should I get some tattoos? Ones that hold magic scripture for mana recovery and capacity. I heard they even make transparent ones that glow blue when using magic," "I don''t know," Arad scratched his chin, "Can they be removed? So you can exchange the effects." "They should, but I need to look more into them," She extended a hand toward Arad, "Would you fund my witchcraft research?" "As much as reasonably possible," Arad shifted back into his humanoid form, carrying Eris. "For now, rest," Chapter 629 At Dawn

Chapter 629 At Dawn

"Put me down. I can walk on my own," Eris gasped, trying to push Arad away. "You can''t just walk on your own, but fight as well. You''re powerful enough to beat my half-dragon form. Judging by how you''re a half-dragon as well, I say in that, you''re stronger than me." He kept walking, ignoring her push, "There aren''t that many people like you." "I did talk with Lydia about this," Eris looked at the dawning sun, "She''s the one who first beat me. So I wanted her opinion about using holy magic," Arad looked at the sun with a worried face, "About Lydia...seeing her fight before, I can''t shake this feeling that she could wake me down," "She''s slower and weaker than both of us," Eris stared at him, "She might have a far superior control over holy magic than me due to experience, but I doubt that edge would help her win," "Alcott is physically weaker and slower than the dragons he hunts, yet he still rips through them like a scythe through wheat." Arad looked at Eris, "You can be as proficient as her," "Then I need to rack up experience by fighting monsters and humanoids alike," Eris smiled, "Let''s get back. I bet the others are worried." "Before that," Arad extended his hand into his stomach, pulling two rings, a silver and gold one. "Oh! My, you had some for me as well," She smiled, extending her hand toward him. "You saw the rings before," Arad sighed, pushing the gold ring into her finger, and she pushed the silver ring into his right hand. Arad looked at his fist, it was full of rings, and now he''s starting to fill his right fist. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Too much rings," He mumbled. "You looked like a wanna-be rich merchant pretending to have a lot of money by wearing jewelry." Eris giggled, hugging Arad''s neck as he teleported with her toward the castle,nding on the balcony of the ballroom where he was before. "You''ve had quite the dance," Amber said, staring at them as she sat on a chair, pointing at the garden below. Arad looked, finding the ground as dry as the desert. "Wasn''t it just raining?" "The heat and magic released by your fight almost cooked the capital," She stood, approaching them, "Next time, get even further away before you get down to your business. Don''t forget that we aren''t humans," She looked at her hand, "You, me, and her, most of us are now monsters beyond human conventions. Coteral damage is still a thing," "I know. I wasn''t expecting such heat to be released," Arad sighed. "That was probably my expansion," Eris stood on her own, looking at Amber, "It might not be as hot as yours, but it''s still a purple sun." "Mine?" Amber sighed, shaking her head, "I don''t have one, and don''t call that an expansion. Igniting the air could be a disaster," "I won''t let that happen." Zephyr flew in, sitting on Amber''s head, "The air is my domain, and I have enough power to make sure you won''t burn it," "Thanks," Amber sighed in relief. "Forget about that," Zephyr grabbed Amber by her eyshes and pulled her face up, staring at her eyes. "How about getting in with Arad, he has money," "Don''t joke like that," Amber sighed, pulling Zephyr off her head, "I might be a gold digger, but I''m not that cheap," She looked at Arad. [She can bear eggs now. Being a fire elemental raised her mana stability a lot,] Mom said in Arad''s head. What makes a woman unable to bear a void egg isn''t age and physical degradation. But it''s more magic degradation due to old age, sickness, or an unnatural shift in magic like what happens with wild magic sorcerers. Amber''s magic circuit had degraded due to age and excessive alcohol consumption but transforming into a fire elemental fixed that. The same could be said for Nina. Physically, she couldn''t be better, but the strange blood flowing down her veins would get in the way of a healthy egg. So unless she gets rid of it, or fully controls it, she can''t bear void eggs. "But," Merlin showed behind Arad, walking around him, "What about me?" She smiled. "No," Arad stated, "I know it''s possible with a high human, but the magic consumption would be far too great. Your body won''t handle it," "I know I''m physically weak, but I canpensate with magic," "Magic doesn''t make you healthy," Arad looked at her, "And you won''t do any weird experiments on me?" "I''ll only write a book about void dragon mating rituals and habits," Merlin smiled, staring at Arad with interest, excited to record anything about the rare species of dragon ahead of her. Arad sighed, walking into the ballroom as the other girls followed him. The guests had already left and he found the rest of the girls sitting inside, drinking tea as they read arge pile of papers with King Baltos. "What''s going on?" Arad asked. Baltos handed a paper to Arad, "Take a look," "A strange monster got spotted at the kingdom''s edge," Ae said with a worried face, "Not a single person encountered it and lived, and it had already killed a dozen A-rank adventurers." "Since when?" As Arad read the paper, his eyes could only grow wide. Nina approached him, "Two days ago, but it was thought to be a normal monster, and we expected the party of A-ranks to deal with it, but now we lost them." "So, you want me to take care of it?" Arad put the paper on the table, "Work right after the wedding. This is a bad timing," "Judging by how it''s moving, its path would cross yournd eventually." Baltos looked at him, "I didn''t want to push the work onto you, so I wanted to discuss the problem with them first," He looked at the girls, "See if it''s something you deal with first. Before asking you for help." "No matter how strong it is," Arad lifted his hand, his rings reflecting the light, "One pull into my expansion, and it dies," He thought about the cursed pir he has. "You''ll take the job?" Baltos gasped, "If that''s the case, I''ll start the preparation," Arad shook his head, "No need, I got deal with it quickly ande back," He said, ^I do want to get back to making eggs as soon as possible. I won''t take a week''s quest.^ "I''ll go alone so I can move at top speed, reach and st it to ash with an expansion, ande back before the sunset," Arad said, and Baltos looked out the window. It''s only a bit after dawn. "You sure? It''s dangerous." He looked at him. "At least take someone with you," "I''m taking one with me," Arad smiled, thinking of Doma inside his head. "Go back home with Alcott. I''ll be back before you know it," Arad walked toward the balcony, "It''s already daytime, so get ready for the night." He whispered to Ae, "Get the other ready as well," "She nodded, blushing," ZON! Arad teleported into the sky, flying into the sunrise. **** One weekter, no word came back from Arad until a sealed box was delivered to Alina''s guild. Nina immediately recognized the box. It''s the one the guild sends the remains of adventurers into their homes. She opened the redter, and her face paled upon seeing the first line written there. [The Remain of Arad Orion of Alina, S-rank adventurer.] Chapter 630 Shocking News

Chapter 630 Shocking News

Nina gasped, the ground beneath her feet cracking as the whole guild building shook, sending terror across all the adventurers. Everyone looked toward her. A box with the remains of an adventurer wasn''t unusual. In fact, it wasmon. A ranger looked through his fingers, using a skill to peak all the way to the paper in Nina''s hand, curious as to who died this time. [The Remain of Arad Orion of Alina, S-rank adventurer.] The blood froze in his veins. His sweat gushed out as his skin almost turned into stone and his soul wanted to leave his body. That monster Arad died? It didn''t seem real. What could be powerful enough to drop such a being down? "Hey, who is it?" The fighter beside him asked, poking his side with his elbow, "Jorn? Don''t tell me, that idiot Alomir?" "I must be blind," The ranger mumbled, not wanting to believe his eyes. "You aren''t, who was it?" He poked him again. "Arad Orion," He mumbled back with a frozen face. "Stop joking, even I''m not dumb enough to believe it," Heughed, poking his friend once again. "Hoy, stop pretending," The fighter said with a forced smile, "You''re scaring me. Drop it. There is no monster out there powerful enough to beat Arad. If that was the case, it''s the world''s end," "You''re right. The world is about to end," The ranger gasped. The earth started shaking, a deep rumbling gushed from its dept as the streets and buildings cracked, and a powerful earthquake shook Alina. All the children in the city started screaming their lungs out, shouting in terror. "The ground is angry! Run!" They started panicking all over the ce, causing confusion among the people. Nina stared down, "Loci! Calm down!" She screamed, smacking the ground with her foot. CRACK! The ground before the gate, forming a massive jaw twenty meters is width made of stone, roots, and dirt. "Who was it? I''ll eat them whole!" "Calm down!" Nina screamed again, "This must be a false im," "A false im?" Loci calmed just enough for her to stop trying to move, if she did, Alina city that was on her back would crumble, killing everyone there. "I''m sure he''s alive somewhere," Nina repeated herself, ^Albeit, I never saw a false death before.^ Nina grabbed the top of the sealed box, cracked it open, and took a look inside, finding arge ck clothes. She squinted. The smell of rot assaulted her nose. "It''s," She gasped, lifting the clothes and unwrapping them, finding Arad''s left arm with all the wedding rings still on the fingers. "His arm?" The ground started shaking again, and one of the city walls crumbled immediately as Loci tried to stand. "I said calm! This is good news." Nina kicked the ground again, "It''s his humanoid arm," Loci stopped moving, realizing that even if Arad died in his humanoid form, he would be pushed into other forms. As long as they didn''t get a mutated vampiric wyrmwolf arm. There is still hope. The guild''s door opened up, and Ae walked in, "Nina! Luci is freaking out, and I don''t know why," She rushed toward the counter, seeing Nina standing there with the box and Loci''s flower on the side. Her nose immediately tingled from the smell. The magicing from the box was familiar. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Arad?" She gasped, staring inside the box only to see Arad''s arm. Her eyes quickly jolted toward the letter and snatched it from Nina''s hands. "This must be wrong," She gasped. "That''s what I think," Nina replied, "Calm down and don''t panic like Loci, we need to figure out a n to find and rescue him," "He said he''ll be back in a day, but it''s already been over a week," Ae looked at Nina, "We need to act quickly," "Arad should be able to survive. We need to n well," Nina turned around, "I''ll get the guild master involved. You get everyone ready. If something took Arad down, we can''t underestimate it." Nina rushed to the stairs, jumping straight to the second floor and lunging toward the guild master''s room. She pulled a golden key from her pocket and opened the door, walking in and closing behind her. The room was clean, only having arge desk, two chairs for the guests, and arge cabin at the back. Nina approached the cabin, "You said to never let anyone get behind this, and that it''ll be an emergency if someone tried to see what you hid behind," Nina clenched her fist, "Someone like you woulde back if it got crushed." BAM! The whole guild shook as Nina smacked the cabin out of the guild with one punch, sending it flying across the streets. Nina gasped, her eyes opening wide as she saw something she never expected behind the cabin, a massive bone gate with a skeleton stuck to each of the doors, their hands grabbing the handles with eldritch red mes. "A hell gate?" She gasped, "What''s this doing here? No, what would the guild master do with it?" The hell gate opened up and Guild Master Malta lunged out, grabbing Nina by the neck and pushing her out of the secret room. "Who...Wait! Nina?" Malta gasped, letting go of Nina. "You broke into the room?" Malta growled. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry, I don''t care," Nina growled, "An adventurer died. We need your help." "They die all the time. Is that a reason to break into this room?" Malta growled at her. "It''s not any adventurer. I''m talking about Arad Orion," Nina stared at her. "Now you lie?" Malta growled, "If that man died, the world would end. I''m still alive, and the world still exists, so he''s alive." "We got a box with his remains. I''ll bring them to you," Nina walked out, and Malta sighed, dropping on her chair and looking back at the shattered secret entrance. "That''s Nina for you, no thinking. She just moves forward until achieving her goals." Malta smiled, waving her hand and fixing the entrance. Soon, Nina came back with Arad''s remains, putting them on Malta''s desk. Malta took one look inside and her face changed, "This is bad," "Figured anything?" Nina looked at Arad''s hands. Malta pointed at the cut, "Look here, see this ck goo? It isn''t rot. It''s something else, and I think I heard of it." "You can help then?" Nina looked at her, trying her best to keep up. "Not me," Malta shook her head, "But... If it''s what I think it is. Arad might not remain alive for long," She started sweating, "My husband fought in a war where the thing that this goo came from might have existed. We''ll need to ask him," She put the hand back in the box and stood, heading toward the secret room. "Where are you going?" Nina gasped. "To my husband," Malta looked at her. "There is only the hell gate in that room," Malta paused for a second, "Well, how do I exin this?" She looked around, "My husband lives in the hells." "The firstyer of the hell?" Nina gasped, "I never heard of expeditions there," "Sorry," Malta looked down, "In fact, we live in the ninthyer," She looked away. "The deepest one?!" Nina gasped. "And my husband is quite respected," She giggled, "He''s the pit lord of the pit fiends." "An Archdevil?!" "You already saw the gate." Malta looked at her, "You cane visit, but don''t tell anyone. It''s a secret," "How did you end up with an Archdevil? A contract firing back?" Nina looked at her as they approached the gate. "In fact," Malta blushed, "Spindle was with me since he was a tiny, cute little gremlin of an imp," She started wiggling, "Now he grew into a massive pit lord thatmands a part of the devil lord''s army," Chapter 631 Nina In Hell

Chapter 631 Nina In Hell

The hell gate opened up, sending a gust of acidic, searing wind reeking of rot and blood. Nina closed her nose, "It''s horrid!" She gasped. "It''s hell and the ninthyer nheless." Malta pulled a small band, throwing it to Nina. "Cover your mouth and nose with this. There is no clean air inside. This would help you breathe without your lungs melting from the acid." She then gave her two pairs of goggles that she pulled out of her magic pocket, "And after you put those on, I have a protective robe for you." Nina looked at the ground as Malta kept pulling protective gears from her magic pocket, "Do I need all of this? You know I can''t die," "No one dies in hell. They suffer for eternity." Malta stared at her, "You need the gear as long as you aren''t native of the hells, meaning a devil," "And you''re a devil or half-devil?" "Pure blood devil, and an old one at that," Malta replied as she helped Nina wear the protective clothes. Their design is a bitplicated for a barbarian to figure out, and Malta didn''t want her ripping them off." "How old?" Nina looked at her, "You do look young," "I was alive well before the war of the gods," She looked at her. "The war of gods. That was over five thousand years ago." Nina looked at her. "Since people don''t die in the hells, we devils end up living for untold ages. I believe I''m deep into my eight thousand." Malta smiled. The two walked into the gate, and Nina immediately gasped. Even with the protective gears, she could feel her skin burning as if she stood close to a furnace. It quickly got harder to breathe, and she could feel the bones inside her limbs as she moved. They stunk like a sore tooth. As Nina opened her eyes, she found herself standing behind Malta in a massive room made of ck stones, strange obsidian metal, andva. "This is hell?" "No, it''s my basement," Malta looked back at her, "But before we walk out, please keep this in mind." She approached Nina. "We''re in the ninthyer of hell, the harshest and most dangerous. The weakest devil here we call a disgrace soul worm of rot, is capable of beating ten of you workingbined." Malta red into Nina''s eyes, "This is the ce where powerful sinners get sent to be punished, including dragons, titans, and demi-gods that failed to ascend. You don''t want to fight anyone here, don''t taunt anyone, and don''t break anything." "I''m not that stupid," Nina stared at her, "We just need information about Arad. That''s it," Malta sighed as she heard Nina''s response, but knowing her, she might snap at anyone. As they walked out of the basement, Nina saw a maid subus wearing a strange ck leather outfit approaching them. "Lady Malta, who is that?" She asked, her eyes glowing pink, "She doesn''t smell like a sinner. Is it food?" "She isn''t, don''t touch her, and tell the other maids not to. She''s our guest and will be leaving soon." Malta stared at the maid, and she bowed. "As you say, Lady Malta. What a shape. She smells quite nice." Malta and Nina walked past the maids. "Say, is she a subus?" Nina asked, looking back at the maid. "Don''t look at her," Malta grabbed Nina by the head, turning her to look away from the maids. "She''s a subus that worked for the mother of all life. Look her wrong, and she''ll get turned on, and you don''t want her going crazy," Malta waved her hand, signaling for the subus to get back into her work. The subus maid smiled, waving her hand, "Don''t forget my food next time," "Hey," Nina poked Malta''s back, "She didn''t feel that strong," "As I said, don''t be an idiot here. Subus disguises themself as humans to prey on humanoids. They are proficient at hiding their strength and pretending to be weak. Forget about the weaker devils in thisyer. She''ll give you a worse fate than hell''s torture." As they walked, they walked past some imps, wiggling their way around the corridors, "Lady Malta, Piple says hello, good day upon you," One of them waved his hands, his tail wiggling like a puppy as his ugly face formed a smile that can only be described as unsettlingly adoring. The other imps bowed behind him, and Malta smiled, "Piple, the papers are ready, right?" "Of course," He bowed and then looked at Nina, "A guest? What shall I bring you?" "Nothing, she''s only here to ask Spindle a few questions." Malta said, "She''ll leave before you can prepare anything," "How sad, my regret." He turned toward Nina, "Lady, I don''t know who. My greetings and farewells. Please stay safe. Your blood smells quite nice," He sniffed the air, "Brimming with life," "How many times have I told you not to sniff other people''s blood?" Malta bet forward, smacking him on the head, "Get back to your work," The imps all rushed away, leaving Malta and Nina alone. "And that imp is?" "A blood imp and the other are regr imps. He''s working here as a trantor since we get all kinds of creatures." Malta pulled Nina by the hand, "We wasted a lot of time. Let''s go. And yes, he can wipe the floor with twenty of you, so don''t even try." "Is the difference that great?" "It must be that great. If you were to turn evil,mit atrocities in the world then die and get sent to hell for torture and punishment, the devils here should be able to handle you. That''s why they are strong. The job calls for it." Malta exined. "I thought devils convince people to sin?" Nina looked at her. "So they get more work, it''s business. The more sinners, the more work, the better pay they get." Malta smiled, "Remember the maid? She often watches the outside world, looking for men and women that she likes. When she finds one, she goes out to seduce, or convince them to cheat, to force themselves on other people. So when they sin and get sent to her, she can have them as her toys for a long time. It''s all a carefully constructed n," Devils arewful evil creatures. They have their own rules and role in the multiverse ecosystem as the punishers of sinners. They abuse that power as much as they can for their own whims. As they walked into a massive room, Nina froze in ce as she saw two massive red eyes ring at them from the darkness. Torches ignited all over the room, and she could see the massive creatures sitting on an obsidian throne, ring down at them. "Malta returned to Spindle." He stood, barely fitting in the room as he red down at Malta and Nina, "Spindle is happy, happy indeed." Malta looked at Nina, "My husband, Spindle," She smiled, then looked at Spindle. "Darling, we got something we want you to look at," "Spindle doesn''t need to look. Spindle got a good nose indeed." He said, his head wiggling, "Foul smell, even by hell''s standards. You better report that to the inner court." "I know, but can you tell us what you know?" "That''s the smell of an abomination, a third-grade one. By the way, I only fought the weaker first and second grades," Spindle''s face changed, "Whoever you lost is dead." "He''s Arad Orion," Malta looked at Spindle, and he froze. "No way! Master would kill us," Spindle started shaking. "He didn''t kill us so must be still alive somewhere. Can you help us?" Spindle started thinking, "Let spindle have a look," He looked inside the box, inspecting Arad''s arm. "An ooze type, no, a dream walker. It stands at ten feet tall, vaguely humanoid in shape but extremely slender, and its whole body is covered in ck slime and smoke. It can force people into a dreand, knocking them out." Spindle looked at Malta, "Those bastards travel in a group, so they must have taken Arad to their colony to suck on his psychic power, he''s a void dragon after all," "How do we defeat them?" N?v(el)B\\jnn "I don''t know. In the past, it was Lady Zaleria who dealt with them." He looked at Nina, "As with all abominations, they are ineffable. You don''t either system experience from them as they are outsiders, and you can''t learn how to fight as they are hard toprehend by nature. All loss and no benefits to their existence," "Do we have a chance to save him?" "You better ask someone free to help you. There are three in the outside world that can beat those abominations and are easy to talk to." Spindle looked at Malta taking a serious face. Kayden, the god yer. Gray, the clone of divinity, and Sena, the shadow of creation." "We need to find them first," Nina mumbled. "Our best bet is Kayden. He''s the strongest of them. And we can find him easily." Malta smiled, "Thank you, love." "No need to thank Spindle," He smiled, "I hate serious talk, but not when it''s necessary," He looked at Malta, "Guide her out ande back. We still have a lot of work," Chapter 632 Dragons Are Vultures

Chapter 632 Dragons Are Vultures

Nina returned alone to the mortal world, walking out of the hell gate, and immediately took her protective gears out to stretch. Her skin itched from them as if she was wearing needles. "I guess a minor itch is better than the suffering of the hells," She put them in a small basket and closed the secret room, then the guild master''s office, walking down with a thinking face. ^The guild master was a devil, and she lived in the ninthyer of hell. She is a good leader, so I trust her even with that, but it''s probably due to me being a barbarian that I don''t care?^ Most barbarians are simple-minded, and Nina thinking about her decision and questioning her actions was a testament to her genius. Among her n of barbarians, she''s the smartest. "Nina!" One of the receptionists rushed at her. She stopped, panting with a red, sweaty face, "Where have you been? It''s awful," "What happened?" Nina asked, looking around for clues. "Adventurers Fr and Johan tried to harass Ae, who was running around gathering info, and she snapped at them," The receptionist took Nina to the holy room where the two adventurers were getting healed. Nina gasped the moment she saw them. They lost their eyes. Their arms were shattered from the fingers to the armpit, riddled with arrow wounds, and most horrifyingly, their sacred treasures were ripped off and lying in an ice pot, probably Zephyr''s doing. "People seem to forget that Arad''s wives are strong on their own. Since he overshadows them a lot," Nina looked at the receptionist, "Is this all?" "An army of massive ants had emerged from the forest, ready to march at any moment," The receptionist added. Nina rushed out and jumped into the sky to take a look, and her eyes opened wide. Millions of elephant-sized ants were posted outside the city, and one massive queen the size of Arad, if not bigger stood between them, ready to march. "Meryem?" ROAR! Nina heard a powerful roar from the clouds, and as she looked up, she saw a massive blue dragon flying in with lightning crackling from its wings, reaching the clouds it left behind. Now that Arad is gone, dragons have started showing up to steal his hoard. "An adult blue?" She gasped, "Alcott! Don''t let it into the city!" Nina shouted at the top of her lungs. But Alcott didn''t show up. Meryem reached with her mandibles to the ground, ripping a massive boulder out. The dragon dove down, charging its lightning breath, ready to st the swarm of titanic ants. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Meryem jerked her head, throwing the boulder at the dragon, sshing its lightning breath and hitting him in the head. As the momentum carried the dragon a bit down after it was hit by the boulder, Meryem picked some of her children with her mandible, throwing them at the wyrm. The antstched onto the wyrm''s body, climbing into his back and chewing on his wings, dropping him to the ground. As the dragon crashed, the swarms of ants ganged on him, eating him alive as he roared. Like a swarm of ants hunting a small lizard, Meryem and her children are Arad''s army, protecting hisnd. "News spreads like wildfire, especially when it''s someone as strong as Arad." Alcott approached the guild where Ninanded. "In just one hour, two dragons showed up, I killed the first, but the ants wanted to eat, so I''m leaving them to their job," "Can''t you talk to them?" Nina stared at Alcott, "You''re the dragon yer," "Dragons are vultures, but instead of corpses, the hoard of dead dragons attracts them. More would keep showing up until another dragon takes Arad''s hoard, or it''s split up to the point of being insignificant." Alcott looked at her, "That brat left quite the hoard," "How much? I didn''t see it," Nina looked at the sky, "Can we split it apart and hide it?" "No way, his Kobolds were mining and crafting all this time. He has several wagons worth of jewelry, each piece going for at least several tens of gold coins. And I''m not counting the gold and gems left," Alcott waved his hand, "How do you think he''s intending to build a whole castle on top of a mountain?" "No wonder the dragons areing for it," Nina sighed but immediately heard another dragon roaring from the sky. "Another one?" She looked up and saw a red dragon showing up. This wasn''t as big as the blue one. It was a young adult, trying to strike it rich by stealing Arad''s hoard. This red dragon was watching from afar and saw how the blue dragon died. He wasn''t stupid to fly close to the ground and remain high in the sky, breathing massive fireballs down at the ants'' army. Suddenly, a bright beam of light shed from the ground, sniping the dragon''s head and exploding on its lower jaw. "Something shed," Alcott gasped, watching the red dragon fall like an injured bird. Merlinnded beside them, "She took him down," She smiled. "Who was that?" Nina asked. "That Eris''s sma beam, to think she aimed that well," She then pointed to the dragon as he crashed and the ants ate him alive. **** "Won''t you do anything?" In a small herbalist shop, Jemima stared at Cain as he sat in the corner, drinking a cup of warm tea. "Real threats won''t both with money and gold. Only the small fry, inexperienced and desperate will show to rob another dragon''s grave." Cain replied, "Also, I don''t want to be there when he snaps." Jemima remembered and nodded, "You''re right. The noise will wake the children from their nap." "Kayden can protect this ce on his own, but what about Sena? She rushed out alone," Jemima stared at him, worried. "That girl still needs to learn," Cain looked back at Jemima, smiling. "She''s a strong one, only needs some experience." **** On the other side of the city, in an isted orphan, Kayden was sitting in the garden with his legs crossed, his eyes closed as he meditated under the sun. The dragon''s roar annoyed him, but he has seen worse. That wasn''t enough to move him out of his meditation. But soon, the children started to wake from their nap inside the orphan, exhausted, and some of them who were too young, even began crying. His six eyes opened up, glowing red, "Those mutts, keep yapping and yapping," He reached with his hand down, holding the guard of his sword, "Better put them down," The moment he pulled his sword out of its sheath a hairstrand, everyone in the city froze, sending Kayden''s eyes ring at them. Those who never knew fear shuddered in terror, and those who knew it, shat themselves as they felt as if a knife pierced their lungs. A priest tried to pray as he sensed Kayden''s aura, but soon he regretted it. His divine connections to his god separated. All priest and warlocks lost their connection to their power source as even the gods didn''t dare stand in the way of the destroyer. As Kayden stood, ready to pull his de, all the dragons approaching Alina burst into mes, turning into ash. That wasn''t Kayden''s doing, but someone else. "So you saved them," Kayden sighed, "As long as they stop yapping, thanks," He sat back down to meditate. Tiamat the goddess of the chromatic dragons burned all the chromatic dragons that tried to approach Alina with a divine tribtion. Having them die normally and go to heaven or hell is better than having their souls burned by the demon lord of the abyss, casting them to wander aimlessly in the endless darkness of the demonic abyss. Or serve him as demonic dragons for eternity. Chapter 633 Eldritch Monsters

Chapter 633 Eldritch Monsters

One week in the past... In a farawaynd, a vige was being raided by monsters. A man ran away toward the gate, blood gushing out of his severed arm. "Hurry! We''ll trap them inside!" A guard standing at the door screamed, waving his hand for the man to run faster. The monster behind him was numerous, and he was thest one. "Don''t close the gate!" The man screamed, looking back to see the tall abominations ring at him, their eyes glowing with a blue me. Each one of them was several meters tall, engulfed in thick slime and smoke. They stood like shadows, running after him without their legs moving, a truly horrifying sight. The man reached the gate, sliding right beneath as it closed. He panted, looking toward the guard, crying with a happy face, "Thank you, you didn''t leave me there," "Of course, I won''t let you," The guard smiled, "Now, let''s head to the feeding nest," "What?" The man gasped. The guard''s smile grewrger, reaching his ears, "Your wife was already sent to the breeding pen, and you two children were sent to theb to be drugged and grow faster." The guard giggled as the man''s face twisted into a frown. "You''re old and injured. The breeding pen is already filled, so I can''t send you there," The guard''s face shifted, his armor melting as he grew into a massive abomination, his voice crackling as he looked closer at the man. "Despair, hope, sadness, happiness, envy, and love. We feed on those emotions," The abomination lifted the guard by the head, "It''s your fault. Negative emotions are easier to achieve than happy ones. That''s why it''s more efficient for us to make your kind suffer," "You monster!" The man screamed, iling his arm and hitting the monster. "See? Just a few words and you''re a fine meal," The abomination smiled, unbothered by the man''s thrashing. "On the other hand, one day we feed you bread to be happy, and the next you ask for milk. We give you one gold, and the next day you ask for two," He shook his head, "Your race''s greed is what drove us to torture you for food, only me your kind." He lifted his second hand, putting it above the man''s head. At that moment, he froze, feeling an immense presence from the sky. The abomination''s hand burned with a blue me, and the man screamed for a second before falling silent. The creature dropped the man and looked at the sky, "This feeling, don''t tell me it''s one of them? Here in the mortal world," From the white clouds, two massive ck ws emerged, followed by a massive body of muscles, scales, and pure darkness. "No way," The abomination didn''t know whether to smile or scream, seeing Arad''s draconic body emerge from the sky, "A void dragon!" ^The ck one!^ ^There are tens in the city!^ ^Burn it all.^ ^No, a child is stuck under the rubble on the western side, five men and two women to the east, and several more to the north,^ ^I can''t st it all,^ ^Crush it with gravity,^ ^No lift it to the sky,^ ^Handle them one at a time with half-dragon from,^ ^No, I don''t know how strong they are, better to stay as a dragon,^ ^Curse them to death,^ ^Yes! Curse the whole city and then release the people,^ ^Would an expansion work?^ ^I can''t pinpoint and exclude the people, so it''s better not to use it here,^ ^Can I distract the monsters with animals? It probably won''t work,^ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ^Wait, wasn''t the quest saying one monster? How are there so many? This isn''t my target? No, it''s it. The guild probably didn''t have much information to work with,^ ^Should I retreat and get help? No, the people here would be dead before I came back,^ ^If they are dying anyway, I shouldn''t hold back,^ ^Their lives left to fate,^ ^No, the girls probably won''t agree,^ ^I must save them, or do my best,^ ^That''s risky,^ ^But I can survive most attacks,^ ^That bastard is looking at me.^ ^You''re reading my mind, aren''t you?^ Arad''s eyes glow purple, staring at the abomination on the ground. What even the strongest psychic could hear as mere clicks in their head when listening to Arad''s thought, got read easily by the abomination. Arad opened his jaw, roaring as he soared down, shaking the ground before he evennded. The abomination lifted his hands, and almost immediately twelve more of his kind showed up out of nowhere, "Give us your brain," They said. Aradnded, shattering the ground and releasing a cloud of dust big enough to cover his whole body. The abominations formed a circle, watching each other back, "He''s a bit bigger than normal, but he''s still a young one. Just watch for his void step and elemental energy," One of them said, putting his long arms in a cross shape, looking around for Arad, waiting for him to teleport. PUFF! From the thick dust, a tall ck-haired woman with glowing pink eyes emerged, running toward them with a smile on her. "A she? Did I miss reading the mental waves?" One of the abominations gasped, turning toward the woman and pointing his hand at her, "Our win, we can make more void dragons and tame them," CRACK! From the ground behind them, Arad burst out in his half-dragon form, swinging his fist at one of the abomination''s back, sending him flying away. "Who are you?" The abominations growled, not sensing a single drop of magic from Arad, that how he got past their senses. Arad pulled a sword out of nowhere, and swung it, slicing one of the abominations arm. Gemini separated Arad and Doma so they could fight against the number advantage. Doma used Virgo to get a woman''s body and move more freely. Arad used Taurus to increase his physical might in exchange for his mana, allowing him to slip past the abomination without being detected. "Which one is the real dragon?" An abomination growled, jumping back and swinging her w at Arad. "With a smile on his face, Arad dodged her attack and swung his fist at her," A massive shockwave exploded as her head turned to mush, and her body flew back, digging a trench in the ground. "How can he use that much power?" Another one gasped. Arad stared at the abominations, smiling as the abomination blood evaporated from his fist. "One down," He pulled the nipple knife, looking with a grin, "Do you have nipples?" Albeit temporary, the buff to his physical might from Taurus''s binding got his strength and speed to a level matching his draconic form. All the while... Doma swung her palm, [Curse of Guts] The abominations bent forward, holding their stomachs, "I once had this extremely bad stomach pain, I sealed it in a curse, and now it''s a gift to you," She said. ...Doma could still use magic. Taurus didn''t affect the body created by Gemini and Virgo for her as they were cast before it. Chapter 634 The Dragon’s Fall

Chapter 634 The Dragon''s Fall

Arad lunged at the abominations, "Just what are you? I feel like you''re a problem," He smiled, swinging the nipple knife at one of them. The abomination jumped back, doing a back flip even with his twisting stomach. Arad''s first strike missed, but he teleported forward,tching into the abomination''s face with [Void Step], and without wasting any moment, he stabbed it over and over like a madman. The abomination growled, grabbing Arad with his hand and throwing him away. Aradnded beside the wall, staring at the knife, "No nipples, then this thing is useless," He sucked the knife back into his stomach and pulled the adamantine sword. At that moment, Arad gasped as he saw one of the abominations fly past him, crashing into the wall. His eyes looked back, seeing Doma lunging from one to another. Doma jumped at one of the abominations, barely dodging its w strike and pointing at its chest with her finger, [Dead Worm] White worms emerged from the abomination''s chest, and Doma smiled, flicking her fingers, [Explode] The worms exploded, sting the abomination back, but the bastard healed before he could even hit the walls. "External damage doesn''t work? Then how about this?" She spun her hands, drawing a circle in the air, [Dance of Devils and moon] The ground seemed to twist around her, and the sky turned back. The moon fell down, exploding into silver dust as the abominations lunged away to dodge. Arad smiled, seeing half of the abominations screaming in ce as Doma tried to crush them mentally first in an illusion. He jumped forward, Doma left him five of the monsters to deal with, and he couldn''tply. "Kill the woman first! She''s dangerous," One of the abominations screamed as he lunged toward Arad, swinging his w. Arad slipped beneath the w attack and swung his sword at the monster''s knee, cutting his leg with one swing. The monster growled, keeping his bnce as he swung his second w, trying to catch Arad. In the blink of an eye, Arad disappeared and only left a small puff of dust on the ground. "Teleported? No, he''s that fast!" The abomination looked to the side and saw Aradnd on the wall, and then disappear once again as he jumped back toward him. "He''s faster than what a normal young void dragon should be," One of the abominations shouted, waving his hands and casting a spell. Arad gasped, feeling a tingle in his chest and he started getting nauseous.?But that wasn''t enough to stop him, he kept flying forward, cutting one of the abomination''s head with one swing. CRACK! As he looked for another monster to cut, Arad got kicked at the side, but he blocked the hit, yet the impact sent him flying, breaking the wall and crashing inside the city. The abominations walked into the city from the crack left by Arad, staring at him as even more of them crawled out of the ground. "What are you? We never saw a young void dragon this strong, even in space." BAM! A massive crossbow bolt flew from the walls, and the abominations dodged it. "Another one survived?" They said. On the wall, a local A-rank fighter growled as he stood beside the ballista, his severed arm bleeding through the dirty rags he tied it with. ^Damn it, I missed. Those things are too fast and powerful to deal with directly,^ One of the abominations lifted his hand, "Die!" He charged a ck ball of magic, firing it toward the adventurer at a blinding speed. "I''m dead!" The adventurer gasped. ZON! Arad snatched the adventurer before he could get sted into ash, teleporting with him above a building, "Don''t butt in like that!" Arad growled. "Use everything you can! Adventurers live and die alone!" The adventurer shouted back at Arad, "Are you still green? You should''ve let me die and used the opening to slice them up!" Arad looked back at the adventurers. That man was right. If he let him die, he could''ve sliced one or two of the monsters. "Your n won''t work," Arad replied, "I kill two, and a dozen remain," He looked forward, "Look, they crawl out of the ground like cockroaches," ^Gemini and Virgo time already ran out, and so is my Taurus,^ Arad thought, clenching his fist. "What are you thinking about?" One of the abominations stared at him, standing with his back twisted, ring with glowing blue eyes. "We want your brain. You please be cooperative and give it to us without trouble," Hundreds of abominations stood on the wall, crossing their arms as their mental energy resonated. "He''s in the zone!" They all said at the same time. Arad lunged forward without wasting any time, clenching a fist toward the abomination''s face. The abomination dodged it by a hair strange, ^The hell? He''s immensely faster than before?!^ CRACK! Arad''s foot dug into the ground, shattering his boots as he twisted his upper torso, ripping his upper torso clothes as he swung a right hoot at a devastating speed. With [Time slow] Active, Arad slows time by 90%, resulting in his own speed spiking by ten times. As Arad''s left hook raced toward the abomination, it crackled with energy, rushing out of Arad''s veins. The first that he learned from Nina and used to evaporate Chuzuke. Arad''s heart rumbled like an engine as all of his blood rushed toward his muscles, pushing them to the absolute limit. The burning fist Arad was about tounch wasn''t done, in that fraction of a second he recalled his brother, and how he punched Vars. Just like him, Arad tried it, pulling matter out of his stomach and putting it between his fist and the abomination, crushing it with the void to unleash a burst of energy. The abomination could only see a sh of light wash his vision as Arad''s fist approached, a beam of pure light exploded forth, evaporating the abomination, and the others behind it, and erasing a hole into the wall, the ground and all the way to the mountain where it exploded into a massive burst of fire. All the abomination shook, ^Isn''t he a young one? Where all this power ising from?^ SWOSH! Arad shifted his pose, swinging his left arm with the momentum, "Hurry! The fucker isn''t done yet!" One of the abominations screamed, but his voice camete, a second punchnded, burning another horde of them, and exploding at the mountain. The adventurer in the back couldn''t even see Arad move, only the sts that vited the ground itself. To his eyes, Arad wasn''t a human or an adventurer, just an even bigger monster than those creatures. Arad''s body expanded into his draconic form in the blink of an eye, opening his jaw and unleashing a continuous stream of sma,pressing it into a small beam and swinging his neck, ripping through the walls and abominations, leaving a trail of fire and destruction. As the abominations screamed, Arad lifted his hands, [Void...] "Arad! Stop!" He paused, hearing Ae''s voice in the distance. "What?" Arad turned, seeing one of the abominations holding her up, "Why are you here?" Arad growled, and lunged forward, "Don''t move!" The abomination ripped Ae''s arm off, causing her to scream. "You stop?" The abomination smiled as he saw Arad pause. "Don''t y too much," Another abomination appeared, throwing Mira''s head toward Arad, "Everyone is dead except her," As Arad stared at Mira''s head, the abomination surrounded him. **** BAH! One of the abominations gasped, falling on his butt, panting as the fire consumed half of the city and forest. Arad''s draconic bodyy dormant in the middle of the city. He finally fell to their dream right after unleashing his breath. "The fuck is this thing? I never saw a young void dragon this powerful, or can split into two," He growled, looking around as other abominations approached him. "Good work, sealing that woman," They said. "Seal? Are you stupid? I only capitalized on whatever spell they used to separate themselves to keep them separate." He threw an old, mummified heart to them, "The bitch sealed herself before I could take her ce and infiltrate the bastard''s mind. This what she made of herself," The abominations inspected the heart, "A cursed heart, she''s sealed in it?" "Yeah, that I said," The abomination stood, "She saved the bastard, if I got in his mind, he''ll be our ve for life. For now, don''t get the heart anywhere near that void dragon, I''m sure this woman would find a way to get back to him, and then our spell won''t be able to keep him sleeping. "We understand, but what should we do with him?" They looked toward Arad. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "He damaged us a lot. Send him to the second colony for psychic extraction. We''ve put him in a nightmare, so give him something even worse to dream off, then siphon that energy to rebuild and incubate more eggs. It''s been a century since we got such a powerful energy source." The abominations stood, "It''s our time to rise back to our glory," He lifted his fist. "For the dream walkers!" The abomination shouted, to them, that this was a golden opportunity for them to expand and colonize the world, finding a new ce for them to call home. The abominations are outsiders,ing from the furthest edges of the unexplored universe, far outside of the gods'' jurisdiction. Their only goal was to invade the world and make it their own. "Won''t peoplee look for him?" An abomination asked. "You''re right. I fear such a powerful being is being supported by the gods. Take this," With a flick of his hand, Arad''s body shifted back into a humanoid form, "Rip his arm and throw it into the wild. The mind controls some humans and spreads the news that they perished. Humans are stupid, so their paper world would give us at least a week to hide him and rebuild our strength." "As your order," As the abomination left, theirmander stayed on the wall, watching as Arad got carried away. "For fuck sake, who is the real monster? We or him, stupid gods." He mumbled, looking back at the destroyed city, burned forest, and sted mountain, "We merely hunt for food, and this thing sts the world like this?" He jumped down from the wall, touching a flower with his massive hand. "In &¡ê$%&¡ê, the world isn''t this beautiful, we have no flowers, no dirt or clean air, only filth and gore." He looked at the sky, "Why do humans get to live in such a stunning world even though they destroy it, and why are we the ones seeking to survive being cast away?" "Commander! We''re leaving," "I''ming," He replied and then looked at the horizon, "We''ll take better care of this world than those naked apes,e on, can''t you just give us a piece." **** "NAH!" Cain growled, rocking on his chair, "Suck my toes for a thousand years and no fucking way I''m giving you a shit. You monsters eat souls, and your victims never return to the cycle of life and death, disturbing the flow of energy. Do you know? Energy should be constant, never changing, and only change its form, but you erase it. That''s why your old world turned to shit, and that''s why I won''t let you turn this ce into an even grumpier shit," Cain closed his eyes for a second, "Also," Lifted his hand, pointing at the sky with a finger. "Also, Fuck you in particr!" **** A lightning bolt fell from the sky, evaporating the abominationsmander where he stood. The idiot made the mistake of calling to the heavens. So the heavens could see him. **** "Cain, you''re swearing too much," Jemima approached him. "When someone asks you a stupid question, and on top they keep sshing spit onto your face, you gotta get angry, right?" "You said Sena needs to handle this, so sit down and don''t interfere," She gave him a cut of tea, "Now rx and watch, don''t cause trouble," "Say, what if she got harmed? I won''t stand it," Cain mumbled, "You see I''m old and sensitive. My million hearts won''t be able to handle it," He pretended to cry. "Neither Sena nor Arad won''t get a chance to learn anything if you interfere more. Let the birds learn to fly on their own," DING! DONG! The shop''s door opened, ringing the bell attached to it. An olddy walked in, and Cain immediately stood, rushing to the shop. "What a beautifuldy. What can I get you?" He said with a smile. "Oh! My, ady you say..." The olddy blushed, and Jemima smacked Cain on the head with her broom. "Stop it! You''ve had enough, don''t chase the hags!" She growled at him, and heughed. Chapter 635 Flying Toward The Scene

Chapter 635 Flying Toward The Scene

"Is everyone ready?" ug said, standing beside Arad''s house with a massive wagon strapped onto her back. "I''ll go a bit fast, so hold on," Ae looked out of the window, "We got sick bags. Go as fast as you are cold. We shouldn''t waste time." Ae pulled her head back into the wagon, and everything changed. She looked back, seeing a massive room spanning ahead of her eyes. Merlin sat on a couch in the back, reading a book with a crystal ball in her left hand. "And what about you?" Ae approached her, "This room of yours won''t copse?" "As long as I keep supplying mana, this room won''t copse," Merlin looked at her with a smile and pointed toward a box of mana potions that she kept at the side. "This is a modified version of Lisworth''s magnificent mansion. One room is easier to keep than a whole mansion. What was that idiot thinking of wasting mana," Merlin sighed. Amber flew toward them, "If he just needed a spell to conjure a ce to sleep in while traveling, he could''ve stopped at making it one room," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Flexing probably," Alcott said as he sat in the back, drinking tea as Ginger massaged his shoulders. "Whether it''s wealth or money, people love to show off," "I doubt he thinks like you," Ginger clenched her fist on Alcott''s traps, causing him to flinch. Jack walked from the back and sat beside Alcott, "It doesn''t matter now, does it?" He looked back at Merlin, "As long as we are using the spell now and it''s working, it''s all good," "Knowing the reason wizards create spells is important as it might help us create stronger versions, or optimized ones that don''t consume as much mana," Merlin replied, "Like what I did by making it one room," "Can you stay quiet for a while?" Eris growled, sitting alone with her legs crossed, waving her hands over a pile of bones, hair, and blood, "Ae, tell ug to keep going north," "You''re reallymitted to witchcraft," Merlin looked at her with a smile, "All of Arad''s wedding rings returned except yours which was on his right hand. It was smart to use that to try tracking his location," "Not just that, Doma''s ring is here with us, and she''s with Arad," Eris said, focusing harder on the magic. "I''m trying to track her as well," "You''re doing well!" Zephyr shouted with a smile, dancing over Eris''s head, and cheering her up, but she only ended up annoying her more. "You''re the more experienced witch," Eris growled, "Stop dancing over my head and locate Arad," "It''smon to block powerful beings from tracking someone you want to hide," Zephyr looked at Eris''s face, "They first block the gods from tracking them with a curse, and then block our spirits from finding them with magic. Some even go as far as to name powerful individuals and block their insight." She sighed, "I can''t see Arad. They are hiding him from my magic." She sat on Eris''s head. "With modern magic, I only heard of one wizard managing to track targets while being actively blocked by magic." Zephyr closed her eyes. "Lilia, the archmage of the tower," Merlin said in the back, "She''s an absolute monster. Her magic is like nothing else I saw in my life," "Her magic doesn''t matter now," Eris replied, a gust of ck smoke rising from the bones ahead of her. "Something is off, I feel like Doma and Arad aren''t in the same ce," Amber flew to in her fairy form and sat on Ae''s shoulder, looking toward the corner of the room at a pile of pillows. A little girl with pink hair sat there, ying with dolls. "Can she really help?" Amber sighed. The little girl turned toward her with a smile, "I do!" She shouted with a proud smile, "Daddy here as well," She pointed at the corner where Kayden sat, sharpening his de. "She''ll be a better help than me," Kayden looked at them, "I''m but a dog trainer that''s a bit skilled with the sword," "I don''t want to argue with that, but," Alcott looked back at him, "You''re not so simple, first-world power," "I didn''t ask for the title. It''s a name your kind gave me," Kayden replied. "I can help!" Kali rushed to sit beside Kayden, staring at the sword as he sharpened it. "It''s my duty to support orphans as their patron," Kali stared at Ae and Eris, "I can''t interfere much thought," She burstughing. "Can someone shut her up?" Eris growled, "I keep sensing that Arad is separated from Doma, and I don''t like that," Kayden stared at Kali, "Keep quiet. Let her focus," "But the two are separated. She''s sensing right," Kali stared at him, "We''re walking into a trap," Her face shifted into a serious stare, her eyes glowing pink as she looked at Eris. "Or I guess we''re flying there!" She keptughing. Kayden smacked her on the head, "Focuse, what kind of trap?" "We save Doma. Leave Arad alone," Kali looked at Kayden with a smile, "He''s a ticking bomb to them," Ae and Eris stared at each other, sweating, "Doma can handle herself better than Arad, right? We need to save him," Ae mumbled. "How did they even get separated?" Eris sighed. Isdis walked in, "Doesn''t matter. We march, save both, and sing afterward," She shouted, "I wrote more songs than you can imagine. It''s time for the evil to hear the drums of war!" "What do you think?" Isdis looked at the side, seeing Nina lifting two massive weights, working out, "You''ve got more experience," "I do not think," Nina replied, sweating as she was working like that for more than an hour. "Show me who to kill, and I''ll kill. Asking a barbarian for their ideas is a sure way to disaster," "Nina is right," Alcott looked at them, "It''s better not to leaveplicated matters to her," "Then what do you think?" "I don''t know either. My guts scream to save Doma, but I have a strange feeling that I should be rushing to save Arad instead." He replied, closing his eyes as he started thinking. "Conflicted? That doesn''t happen often," Ginger stared at him, "Are you sure you didn''t have a bit too many drinks," "You know I don''t get drunk that easily, even if I drank a barrel," Alcott stared at her. **** Far away, a shockwave sted in the sky as something flew at a blinding speed, shaking the viges living on the ground. They looked up, "What was that?" One of them gasped. Sena flew through the sky as fast as she could, heading toward where Arad was supposed to take the monster down. "Reach ground zero then start the investigation from there. Don''t mess around and follow the hard evidence until you find him." She mumbled, speaking with herself. Chapter 636 Sena’s Investigation

Chapter 636 Sena''s Investigation

Thud! Senanded in front of the city where Arad got kidnapped as gently as a feather falling down, not wanting to disturb any evidence. She stepped forward, looking around with a passive face. "Look who''s there!" A strange man wearing leather armor shouted, waving his hand for more people toe, "A woman, and a beauty at that!" Heughed. It was amon urrence, bandits rushing to destroyed cities to scavenge any leftovers. Only they knew how much wealth could be extracted from the ruins of civilization. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The bandits surrounded Sena, pulling their weapons. "Comedy, what brought you here?" One of them approached her, pointing the knife at her throat but she didn''t react, still looking around for Arad''s tracks. "Probably looking for a lover or family," Another one of the bandits approached her, "Don''t worry, we''ll give all the love and warmth you need," As he approached, he got in her line of sight, blocking her vision of the ground where she was looking for tracks. CRACK! Sena waved her hand, swatting him into a sh of blood, which deflected off an invisible barrier around her body. The bandits screamed in fear as they saw her keep ignoring the rest of them, looking closely at the ground as she kept searching. "This bitch!" One of the bandits screamed, swinging his sword at her head. CLANG! The sword shed with the barrier, deflecting as if it hit a stone. "Take this! And this!" He kept swinging at the back of her neck until his sword shattered, but she didn''t as much as bother to notice him. Sena''s eyes shifted to look like those of frogs, glowing with a sharp blue re as she touched the dirt with her hand, "Tracks have been trampled by humans. The pests," She stood, finally looking toward the bandits, "Flies, you''re the ones who trampled the tracks?" She said with a calm voice. "Finally looking at us you..." The bandit''s face twisted, his skull crushed into his chest. "I see, flies indeed. Rushing to scavenge the remains of the city," She looked around, "You''ve messed with the tracks without knowing it," She sighed. She turned and started walking away to keep searching in another part of the city, leaving the bandits confused and shaking in their boots. "You!" A bandit screamed, trying to run and stab Sena''s back, but his legs refused to move. "What?" He gasped, his body frozen in ce. "What''s this? What did you do?" He looked around, seeing that everyone else was like him, unable to take a single step. No matter how much they screamed, Sena didn''t even look back at them as she kept searching for tracks. Sena didn''t want them interfering with the tracks anymore, so she froze them in ce, where she totally forgot about them. They remained standing there until they died. After an hour, Sena found traces of Arad''s magic on the ground. Just by touching the tracks, she could see how he took a step back, shifting to swing a fist. "He fought here, and there as more than one dream walker. Several of them," After looking further, she found a drop of ck slime on the ground, "This slime looks clean, a colony must be near," She wiped the slime with her finger, pouring mana through it, "I see, the fight got pushed inside the city." "You aren''t a normal girl, are you?" A bald elf monk stared at Sena from the back, lifting his hand to pray, "Not a bandit or an adventurer, what are you?" Grant, the spirit king said as he stared at her. "Grant, this woman is bad news," The forest spirit emerged from his back, sweating as she stared at Sena, "Something is horribly off about her," "She''s right, let''s leave," A Nymph voice boomed from his chest, "I don''t sense a limit to her mana," "Human woman, what are you?" The monk took a step forward, "I''m Grant, the spirit king. You must know about me. I recently ranked fourth among the adventurers." Sena looked at him, "The monk who controls a lot of spirits. Depending on the conditions, you might hold more power than the wind spirit Zephyr," "Of course, since I have more spirits." He smiled, "If you know that, care to exin yourself," "Ask your spirits. Does anyone one of them dare to fight?" Sena red at them. "Grant, let''s leave. This woman is bad news." The water spirit emerged from his arm. "I feel like I''m being caressed by slimy tentacles. It''s creepy and gross." "The spirit who could flood kingdoms says that?" Grant looked at her, "How much power do you think this woman has?" "I don''t sense a limit to her mana. I can''t guess," The water spirit growled. "I do have infinite mana," Sena stated, staring at them, "Inherited it from father," Grantughed, "Infinite mana? You must have gotten crazy. I believe you have one hundred million mana, and not that it''s infinite. No matter how big the sea is, it''s eventually run dry," He lifted his hand, "Seeing how monstrous you are. And that you refuse to exin yourself to me," A staff appeared in the monk''s hand, "I suspect you''re the one behind the destruction of the city. I hereby sentence you to death," He opened his eyes, "Merge!" His body shed with light, bursting with mana as he mixed with all his spirits. From the dust he emerged, a white doll-like creature without a face. He had six dragonfly-like wings emerging from his back and extremely long fingers. "I''m the spirit king, Grant, and you shall die here," He said, floating up without pping his wings. SWOSH! Grant''s vision blurred as his body elerated sideways, feeling a sharp pressure on his side. With a shockwave, his body broke the sound barrier as he was sted several kilometers away from the city, crashing into the side of a mountain. "The hell was that?" He gasped, lifting his head to look forward. For a split second, he could see Sena flying toward him. CRACK! He got smacked again, sending him crashing onto the ground with a massive st. Sena stood at a boulder, staring at him, "You''ll keeping after me if I leave you alone. That''s why I''ll at least cripple you here," "That eleration," Grant growled, "Time magic?" Chapter 637 True Weakness

Chapter 637 True Weakness

"Was that time magic?" He growled, "What other annoying tricks do you have?" "Time magic? Ah, you think that because of the eleration," Sena stared at him, a grin crossing her face as her eyes red with a blue fire. She extended her arms, "Let''s go with broken limbs and no mana for a month, that''s gotta keep you out of my way," "Try if you can," Grant growled, swinging his hand and sending a crescent moon of fire toward Sena. The ground beneath his feet cracked as hundreds of roots writhed like snakes, smacking him across the mountain foot. Sena dropped her hands and more roots blocked the fire, "The spirits are limited by your body, it''s like a flood trying to seep through a tiny hole," With a burst, Grant jumped toward Sena, pping his wings to elerate even further. His vision blurred once again as he felt a powerful impact on his body, sending him flying several kilometers away and crashing into a second mountain, scaring the people living at its base. "Stay put so I can cripple you without killing you," Sena stood at a tree, staring down at Grant with a passive face, "You''re quite annoying," "That''s again," Grant growled, "Fine, you don''t look like someone I can take lightly, a world power I bet," He put his hands together, and the spirit''s hands emerged from his chest and stomach, creating several hand signs. [Spirit Expansion: Court of the King] The whole area got consumed into a ball of light, and Sena found herself standing in a throne room with Grant sitting on the throne, ring down at her as all the spirits inside his body surrounded her. "You said the spirits were bottlenecked by my power, now they aren''t," Grant smiled. "There are even some world powers in them. I''ll enjoy watching them stop you until you beg for mercy," "Your expansion looks exactly like you, reliant on borrowed power, you wimp," She looked around with a grin. "Time to shut your mouth," The forest spirit growled at her, "You''re in the king''s presence," Sena stared at her, "Well, I heard it''s a felony to bow to someone besides the king when he''s present, so how about you bow to me?" "Like I would, you..." The spirits'' bodies started to move on their own, they slowly lowered their heads until they touched the ground, prostrating themselves in front of Sena. "You! What are you doing? Does she have mind control magic?" Grant stood from his throne, staring into the spirits'' minds. No, they weren''t controlled. "We can''t move. Our bodies aren''t responding to us," One of the spirits growled. Sena turned toward Grant, "Now, let''s start by breaking your legs," "Like you would," He pulled a sword, but at that moment, all the muscles in his legs contracted, shattering his own bones and ripping themselves off, Grant fell down, screaming in pain as Sena slowly walked toward him, "Next time when ady tells you to scram, you scram away," She lifted her hand, "Now, let''s take that mana of yours," Grant could feel his heart beating louder, his chest tightening as he started feeling all the veins of his body. His body grew hotter and hotter as he could feel a searing pain rush from his fingertips into his stomach. He shouted in pain as a blue crystal burst out of his belly button. "What are you doing?" Grant red as he saw her grab the crystal, vanishing it with the flick of a finger. "Taking your mana," Sena stared at him with a disappointed face, "I already said that, didn''t I?" She looked back at the spirits, "If I was to exin it with the system, I took your maximum mana down to 1 only so you can remain alive. Don''t worry, it''s slowly healing but that would take months in the worst case," "Give it back!" Grant growled. "I can give it back, but I won''t." Sena smiled, "It''s mine now." "You steal other people''s mana to increase your mana''s maximum limit, that''s how the spirits thought your mana was infinite," Grant smiled, "Your trick is out. Once I heal, I''lle after you," "Please do, that''ll give me more mana to take," She giggled, turning to leave as Grant''s expansion started to fade. "To think, such a power existed with the system, unknown to anyone," Grant sighed. Sena stopped, looking back at him, "I don''t have a system," "What?" Grant gasped. "The system is for the weak to rely on. Relying on an entity that you don''t even know or understand for power is a weakness. And you took it a step further by relying on spirits, an even more pathetic weakness." She started floating, "Stay put. I didn''t triple the spirits as they are unreceable unlike you. So I hope they can nurse you back to health," She sted away, leaving Grant bleeding on the ground. **** Thud! Senanded back in the city where Arad got kidnapped, "Now that I dealt with the idiot," She looked around, "It seems, you noticed my presence," "Human woman, you reek like the heavens," A dream walker crawled out of the ground, staring at her with a sharp re. "Do I now? Is that supposed to be apliment or an insult?" She smiled. "In your tongue apliment, and in ours an insult," The dream walker replied, "As a notable threat, we will make a special case and kill you right here and now," From behind him, hundreds of dream walkers crawled out of the ground, forming crosses with their hands, "Together, we''re forming the dreand!" They chanted and Sena could feel their mental energy synchronising. They have a hive mind, each of their brains linked with the other forming aplicatedwork that influences mana and releases it as waves that can affect the brains of creatures that aren''t linked to thework, forcing them into an endless dream. "One of you is a problem, but having hundreds could even drop a world power into an endless dream that they would never wake from. No wonder Arad got captured," She looked at them, "So what? Is it working on me?" The dream walkers started sweating, "Her brain isn''t responding to the waves. It''s as if it doesn''t work at all," One of them growled. "Of course, it won''t respond, I think with my liver," Sena stared at them with a gentle smile, "And now I''m thinking with my kidneys, or how about a new organ all over, let''s call it papulgus." "She''s a monster!" One of the dream walkers growled. Sena lifted her hands with an innocent smile,bing her fingers with her palms reversed. She then wiggled her fingers like tentacles, "It''s known as an expansion, right?" "Kill her before she activates that!" All the dream walkers lunged at her, trying their best to reach her. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Life Expansion: Tentacle Dungeon of Ecstasy and Gore] Chapter 638 The Eldritch Demon

Chapter 638 The Eldritch Demon

[Life Expansion: Tentacle Dungeon of Ecstasy and Gore] "Kill her!" A dream walker screamed, "She''s like him!" Sena''s eyes shed blue as her hair rose up, turning into tentacles akin to writhing snakes, expanding in size to match massive towers, and started swinging from left to right. Her arms and legs turned into tentacles, rushing out toward the abomination at a blinding speed. The creatures jumped back, struggling to keep up with the countless whip-like limbs. The ground beneath the abomination feet burst, and even more, tentacles emerged, swinging faster than any of them could even imagine. "My Expansion is simple," Sena said, standing alone between the tentacles as all the abominations got restrained, each one of them tied from head to toe with tents of writhing tentacles. "I control life. I can shift and control the cells that form every creature, change their function, or destroy them." As she said that, one of the dream walkers expanded into a ball of deformed flesh, and then exploded into a ssh of blood. "General order, multiply. I only asked the cells to multiply rapidly and fueled them with his own flesh." She stared at the other abomination, "Where is Arad? Or do you want to end like that?" "You''re an abomination like us. Why are you doing this? We can share resources and strive to live in this world together," One of the abominations replied, making one desperate attempt. "You say that even though you earlier said I look like him," She smiled, "You should have already guessed," The abomination body exploded. "An eldritch demon like the overgod. Are you rted to him?" "Of course," She smiled, exploding the abomination into a ssh of blood, "Does anyone want to answer my first question? I''ll keep killing you like this until I get a reply," She waved her tentacles, squeezing them harder. "Don''t make me use this," She pulled one of her tentacles toward herself, making it sweat a pure, clear liquid. "Aunt Gracie helped me synthesize this. Believe me. You don''t want to try it," The dream walkers gasped, merely hearing the name Gracie made them shiver. That''s the mother of all life. "Staby stab," As if messing with them, Sena didn''t even give them a chance to reply and shifted her tentacles into stingers, stabbing them in the necks and injecting them with the liquid. All the abominations started twitching and giggling, "Don''t know, wasn''t told, transported somewhere else," They mumbled as their brains melted. "At least, you know where is your colony." Sena titled her head, "Right below, several kilometers deep," "That''s all I needed from you," She exploded them all and stopped her expansion,nding alone in the blood-drenchednd. "If you dare hurt Arad, I''ll turn you all back to eggs and smash you," She disappeared. **** One week ago, and far away in another colony of the dream walkers, inside the main chamber. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad got dragged toward therge metal table in the middle of the room by four dream walkers, each of them grabbing him by a limb. "Is the extraction system ready?" One asked, and the other nodded. Handing him a crystal helmet, "Put this on him. We''ll power the system with him first," They put the helmet on Arad''s head as they started strapping him to the table. CRACK! Arad''s leg jerked, kicking one of the abominations into the wall, killing him in the blink of an eye. "He''s awake?" The others jumped away but soon realized that Arad was still asleep. "He moved in his sleep?" "Sleep myoclonus? Is he a fucking baby or something?" One gasped, looking back at their dead friend. "Tie him well. We don''t want a void dragon sleepwalking in the middle of the colony," They strapped Arad to the table as hard as they could so he wouldn''t move. **** "We arrived," ug said as she hovered above the clouds, "Are you sure it''s down here?" Eris looked out of the wagon''s window, "It''s several kilometers beneath the ground, I''m sure of it." "It was your decision to look for Doma first, remember that," ug turned her head to look at the wagon, "It''s a collective decision," Ae added. SWOSH! At that moment, Alcott lunged above their heads, falling down toward the ground. "Alcott!" Ae screamed and ug sighed, "Let him be, that''s the dragon yer," "Wait for us!" Ginger flew after him followed by Merlin and Nina. BAM! From the ground, a dream walker emerged, "As expected, they came to save them," He said, clenching his fist. Alcott pulled his sword and swung at the dream walker. The dream walker dodged and swung his fist at Alcott''s side, which was blocked, but the sheer force sent Alcott flying back. "They are fast and strong!" Alcott shouted, "I say around forty to fifty," He looked up, "Nina! Crush him!" Merlin waved her hand, [Lilia''s Big Hand] A massive blue hand of energy appeared, linked to her palm as she used it to grab Nina. "Here you go!" She threw Nina down toward the dream walker, increasing her speed. "Humans think they can stand against us," The dream walker stared at Nina, "Die in a dreand," He tried to influence her mind. She wasn''t a void dragon like Arad so he didn''t need to call reinforcment to influence her mind. Nina ignored the mind control and fell straight on the dream walker, stomping its head to the ground. Ginger smiled in the sky, "That was a mind control spell. I feel like it''s a strange mix between the sleep spell and vampire''s blood seduction, but it forces the target to fall into a deep sleep and dream." "Those creatures are powerful mind maniptors, their physical strength won''t be something crazy, but be careful of their spells and tricks," Merlin pulled a crystal ball out of nothing, [Scrying] "There is a lot of them crawling from the ground! Get ready for a big fight," Merlin immediately waved her hand. [Mind Zero] A spell that prevents outside stimuli from influencing the mind. [Clear Ego] A spell that prevents personality changes induced by magic or toxins, this includes taunts. [Sleepless] A spell that prevents the target from falling asleep. [Focus of ron] A spell that helps the target control their focus better. "I cast mental protection spells on everyone. Since I have to keep them active, I won''t be able to unleash big damaging spells, so it''s up to you to do the killing," Merlin shouted as she flew away, protecting herself with a barrier. ugnded behind them and the girls walked out, pulling their weapons ready to fight. Chapter 639 A Nymph’s Blessing

Chapter 639 A Nymph''s Blessing

"As we expected, more of you stingy people came crawling from yourfy seats," A dream walker walked out of the horde of abomination, staring straight at Alcott and Nina, his eyes panning back toward the girls, "Why don''t you grant us a ce in the world?" He stared at them, his eyes glowing blue. "This feeling," Ae growled, "That one isn''t like the others," She pulled the string of her bow, charging a massive wind arrow. "Zephyr!" "I know," BAM! She fired the arrow toward him with a powerful surge of magic. Upon impact, the arrow exploded in a massive shockwave. "How sad, my friend." Everyone gasped, seeing the dream walker standing in the back alongside the one Nina killed, "Don''t worry, even if we don''t see the new world, the future generations will eventually," The dream walker''s ck hide started smoking, shifting in color to white as mana condensed on his skin. SWOSH! Alcott lunged forward without warning, swinging at the abomination''s neck. As the sword impacted, it shattered with a powerful shockwave, and Alcott flew past the dream walker. "Call me Angus, the blood yer of the dream walkers," His eyes shifted toward Eris, "You smell bad, reeking of the gods," He disappeared. Eris instinctively lifted her arms in a boxer''s guard, blocking Angus''s punch. She could feel the bones in her forearms crack as her body got sent back, ^This thing, it''s faster than Arad with time slow,^ Eris growled, and a ball of sma emerged in front of her forearms. [sma Beam] The ball burst into a ray of purple light, racing toward Angus. Angus disappeared again. It only took him one leap tond behind Eris and dodge her beam. From his hands, two massive shadow des emerged, crackling with unknown magic as he swung at Eris''s back. "Get away from her!" Zephyr flew in, punching the massive beast in her fairy form, sending him flying. "What was that?" Angus growled as he rolled on the ground, bleeding from his mouth as he held his cheek, "That was a heavy hit," His eyes quickly noticed the tiny flying creature, "It was you?" He red at Zephyr. Isdis gasped, sweating as she saw Angus standing again. ^What happened? He was standing far away. Why is he here? And why is Eris''s arms bleeding?^ He was too fast for her to see, her human eyes holding her back. "Everyone!" Isdis pulled a drum, "Get ready!" She shouted as she started drumming, [Drums of War] From behind her, a spectral band emerged out of the shadows, ying with her. Ae pulled her bow strong, aiming at Angus, but then two regr dream walkers emerged from the ground behind her. ^I can''t dodge,^ She gasped. "Ae!" Zephyr teleported into Ae''s body and emerged from her head, sting the two abominations into the sky with an air burst, "Don''t let your guard down," "Alcott! I''ll taunt them and you..." Nina looked back, seeing Alcott fall on his face, asleep. She paused, stunned, "He fell for their spell?" "Damn it! Even I didn''t fall for it!" Merida growled, lunging forward, "Nina! Let''s go, let Ginger wake him up!" Ginger looked at Alcott, seeing specs of light floating around his body, "No! This is... First Nymph''s blessing!" Alcott Demorian was an ordinary adventurer at the start but with his hard mindset and tendency to dance with the most dangerous and weirdest things in the world, he had gathered several blessings and curses that aren''t even registered in his system. From the blessing he got, he has cleansed the beauty origin of four nymphs and gained their blessing. Thetest one he got was a mind-one blessing that prevents his personality from being tampered with unless the caster targets the nymph with him. The one before that is a simple blessing that makes him even more attractive to women. Albeit, that had helped him gain the attention of many powerful women. The second to first one was an immunity to all nymph''s magic and nature, he can''t die or be blinded by them, and they can''t seduce him. He asked for it since the first nymph he had met had scarred him badly. The first nymph he ever met and got her blessing was a cheeky, seductive, nymphomaniac. Of course, being young and naive, and with how mindbogglingly beautiful the nymph was, Alcott epted her invitation to sleep with her. He thought it was a once in a lifetime. ^Let''s see how a nymph tastes.^ Unknown to him, a nymph''s thirst couldn''t be quelled so easily, and he had already passed out from exhaustion after six hours of action, which led the nymph to grant him a blessing to help him keep going. As Merida and Nina rushed toward the abominations, they could see a shadow fly past them at a blinding speed, cutting the dream walkers in the blink of an eye with a shockwave. Alcott stood behind the sshing blood, sleepwalking with a de in his hand, his whole body crackling with the nymph''s magic, fueling his body with stamina. The blessing allows Alcott to keep moving even when asleep and also grants him extra stamina by converting the mana of the blessing into that. It was first intended for him to satisfy the nymph''s desires, but now he had turned into a weapon that got the fear and respect of all dragons. "Here we go again," ug growled, "That''s the restless dragon yer the wyrms fear," Ginger smiled. ^Now with his enchanted senses thanks to my blood and the lycanthropy curse. He''s still a formidable foe even when his eyes are closed due to being asleep.^ The dream walkers gasped as they saw their friends get cut into pieces, "That man had gotten faster! Kill him first!" Several of them lunged at Alcott as the rest tried to block Merida and Nina. Giver waved her hand, and hundreds of blood spikes emerged from the ground, impaling the abominations. "I can''t use their blood! It''s strange," She shouted, "Don''t rely on my blood magic a lot!" She pulled a staff and pointed it at the abominations. [Chain Lightning] A bolt of lightning crackled from her staff and jumped toward the abominations, which they easily dodged. But that left them open as Nina swung her axe, ripping them apart with Merida who backed her, making sure to finish any abomination that survived her rage. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om CRACKLE! In the distance, Eris ran beside Angus, her body crackling with sma as she clenched a fist, staring at him. "You''re fast," She said. "Said the one who''s barely keeping a kick at his knee. Angus dodged, lunging back. TICK! His leg pushed a steel wire, causing the ground beneath him to explode in a massive re. "What? A trap?" He gasped, rolling on the ground andnding on all four. He then immediately saw a sh of bright lighting from between the mes. Lydia stomped forward as she swung her sword at his head, [Divine Cleaver] CLAP! Lydia got a direct hit, sending him flying backward with a deep cut into his face. "Eris! Those creatures are hated by the gods! Holy magic should be effective!" "Got it," Eris smiled, holy magic cracking from her shoulders. [Holy Expansion: Sr Domain] Chapter 640 Training Dummies

Chapter 640 Training Dummies

"This woman!" Angus growled, crossing his arms to guard, engulfing his whole body with shadows. Eris''s body shed with holy light, exploding in a massive burst of holy magic. Everyone closed their eyes, evading the blinding sh as the dream walkers got burned by the holy rays. Holy magic is the power of the gods. It''s their element, and it carries their will. It harms devils, who oppose angels. It burns the undead who defy life. It burns the vampires who terrorize the night and clear the world from everything that the heavens deem unclean. "There is no way the gods would let you off the hook!" Eris lunged from the expansion, seeing that Angus had covered himself in a ball of shadows to absorb the holy light. She clenched her fist, "Give me Arad back!" sma crackled from her fingers as she plunged her open hand into the shadows, piercing all the way to Angus and grabbing him by the neck. Angus gasped, seeing her glowing red eyes staring at him from the hole. With a spark of lightning, her arm ignited beside his neck, exploding in a massive burst of sma. Angus got sted back, his bones still hurting from the holy magic. ^I need to get some distance and heal. My shadows can''t fully block her expansion. VROOM! Eris flew after him, her whole body engulfed in sma. [Death Butterfly] She kicked Angus in the face, sma jets pushing her soles forward to increase the force of her leg. As Angus got sent back, she smacked him in the face with a punch infused with a divine smite. Amber sat on a charred corpse in the back, looking at the dream walkers surrounding her, afraid to get close. "Eris could throw hands with Arad. Do you think it''s wise to think of her as a lesser being?" She lifted her hand, [Firestorm] "She fights like a vicious drakaina. I bet Arad loves her so much," ug smiled, sitting in ce as she swung her tail left and right, smacking the dream walkers as if they were bugs. "You can help a bit more, can''t you?" Jack shouted, ring back at ug. "I''m a physical fighter, but I can''t fight freely here without stomping you. And my breath is extremely toxic. I can use it, but you''ll all die a slow painful death and doubt humans can live in thisnd for decades." She replied. "You lived for hundreds of years! You must have learned a spell or two!" Jack growled once again, pointing at her. "I can do this," ug smiled, her body shifting to look like a silver dragon, "I can change my look. I learned it while trying to morph into a human, but I failed in achieving that," Jack then looked back, "AW! Shit, traps are running out. Gotta set more," He pulled a small bag from his magic bag and rushed into the battlefield. "What''s that? It smells weird," ug said, looking toward him. "ck powder that I had Lydia bless it," Jack smiled, "It''s now a holy ck powder." "That''s sacrilegious," ug sighed. "Wait until you hear about this!" Jack waved his arm, firing his hook toward one of the dream walkers,tching onto its head. He pointed his arm cannon at the abomination''s eye, "You can bless molten metal like you bless water," BAM! With a single shot, he sted the creature''s head into pieces. "Holy bullets, wires, and toxins, there are a lot of things you can make with a bit of creativity," An evil smile, crossed his face. "Lydia! n L," "Got it!" She shouted, stopped using divine smite, and instead only wounded the dream walkers, leading them toward Jack''s traps. **** Kayden looked out of the wagon on ug''s back with a passive face, "Those are but the front-line soldiers, like how human guards amount to nothing when facing adventurers. Those don''t amount much," He turned toward Kali, "Can Arad win alone?" "Who do you think he is?" Kali smiled, "He''ll save himself. We have to worry about Doma," She pointed down, "Help them," Kayden looked down, his eyesnding on Alcott jumped from one dream walker to another, slicing and dicing them like chicken. "Don''t want to," He mumbled, "Why?" "He reminds me of Chad," **** Alcott lunged forward, swinging his sword at one of the dream walkers, slicing his arm off in a single swing. The abomination tried to jump back, but Alcott spun after him, dicing his arm and face, then used him as a jumping pad to lung into the sky. The dream walker looked up, "That''s the main problem! Focus on him!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Alcott stored the sword in his bag as if it was never there. He then quickly pulled a massive bone bow. "Dragon bone bow?" ug gasped, "That massive thing is made from the ribs of an adult dragon, and its string is woven from the webbing of our wings," "I thought he sold that thing," Ginger gasped, seeing him pull a massive arrow, two meters long, and with a tip made of magic crystals. Ae pulled her bowstring, firing several arrows at Angus to support Eris, and then looked toward Alcott, "He can use bows?" BAM! Alcott fired the arrow down at the abomination and pulled a second one almost immediately. Upon impact, each of them exploded in a massive burst of fire. BAM! A dream walker rushed forth and jumped into the sky, going behind Alcott, ready to strike him down. In the blink of an eye, Alcott stored the bow back into his bag and pulled arge Eastern fan. With one swing, the air generated pushed him out of the way of the strike. As the dream walker''s strike missed, Alcott had already stored the fan and pulled a long chain, throwing it at him andtching it to his neck. With one pull, he flew toward the dream walker and pulled a long halberd from the back, stabbing him in the chest. "Fightersck the magic of the casters. That is why most of them choose to master one weapon to its utmost limits. Alcott on the other hand seems to have chosen to master several weapons, but give each of them a specific use," Kayden looked down, "I''ll deal with the Dream Walkers king if he appears, but those are decent training dummies for them," Chapter 641 The Attack At Arad’s House

Chapter 641 The Attack At Arad''s House

Back in Alina, Agnar Asim was walking down the snowy vige, sneaking peaks around at the massive ants patrolling the forest, their footsteps sending faint vibrations through the ground. "Didn''t that Kayden old man say the dragons won''t attack again?" He mumbled, walking back toward his home without looking back. The ants stopped moving, bobbing their heads around as they sensed something. They looked at the ground, immediately digging as if their lives depended on it. Agnar stumbled down as the ground shook beneath his feet, "What''s going on?" He gasped. Everyone in the vige woke up, panicking as they saw the ants freak out. Agnar pulled his wooden sword and started running back toward his house. The only thought in his mind is checking on his parents. CRACK! "I smell one of the gods," A massive ck w emerged from the ground, almost killing Agnar in one shot. Agnar rolled away. ^I only survived due to my jaguar senses.^ He looked at his bleeding leg. He almost got split in half. A dream walker emerged from the dirt, "We came to destroy the void dragon''s nest, but what do we find? Two people smelling of the old gods, how disgusting," "A monster?" Agnar lifted his sword, "Roar! Ma..." CRACK! With one smack, the dream walker sent him flying through the streets, hitting a tree with blood gushing out of his head and face. Agnar''s vision started blurring, ^What happened? I didn''t see it... His consciousness slowly faded.^ "Still a human brat? I see, a borrowed warlock power," The dream walkerughed, "You aren''t a threat if I kill you before you call it, what pathetic being," He then turned around, "You know, I might torture your parents in front of you, that''s would give us more power out of you," He giggled. "Sacred blood, drawing the predator," Agnar lifted his hands and the dream walker could sense him dying, but something felt off about it. The dream walker jumped far away back, sweating as he could feel the magic in Agnar swelling, "Is he summoning her?" Agnar smiled as he saw a white robe appear ahead of him, glowing with magic in the snow, "Guess another time..." He lost consciousness from the blood loss, and his wounds froze. "Howe that no one told me my little brother got kidnapped?" Gojo lifted one finger, pointing at the dream walker, "I don''t know what you are, but it''s time to make you go extinct," "A mature Adult?" The dream walker gasped, "That young had an older brother around?" **** Mira was walking outside in the back garden, shoveling snow out of the pathway, "They should have reached the city where Arad disappeared," Mira said, looking at the night sky. The ground beneath her feet cracked. FLAP! Ignis, the red wyrmling dragon flew toward her as fast as she could, snatching her out of the way but having her tail severed by the w. "Ignis!" Mira screamed as she saw the boiling blood fall into the snow, bursting into mes. "I''m fine," Ignis growled, shaking as she barely stood, "You must run. That''s a monster," She red at the w that emerged from the dirt, and then a dream walker crawled out, "Saved by that wyrmling? Dragons are always a pain, no matter the type," He stared at Mira. "But, I have to thank her," He giggled, "I smell that young void in you, probably should keep you alive until you give birth to that egg for us to use," Ignis opened her jaw, breathing a burst of fire toward the dream walker, but he didn''t even bother to dodge. Her mes were nothing to him. "Thanks, it''s a bit cold here," Heughed at the flimsy me. "Run!" Ignis screamed at Mira, and she was about to stand and run away when a massive shadow jumped over them. A massive, three-meter tall horned gori with two ox-like horns on his head rushed forward,tching on the six-meter tall dream walker''s head. "Where did that thinge from?" Mira gasped, seeing the strange monster show up out of nowhere. "This smell?" Ignis gasped, "Sebas?" The gori monster clenched his fist, punching the dream walker in the face, drilling his head back to the ground with a massive burst, cracking Arad''s house. "Sebas? That old man?" Mira stared at Ignis. "That one of the monsters that prey on younger dragons!" Ignis growled, faintly remembering the stories Kinryuu told her when he was around. "OOO! OOOO! OOOOOOO!" Sebas started freaking out, pounding his chest as he lunged at the dream walker, violently swinging him around and ripping his flesh with inhuman violence. Tina was walking on the other side of the house when the enter thing shook. She stumbled down, falling on her knees, and Rey and Ray rushed out of the kitchen toward her, "Lady Tina, are you okay?" "What was that?" Tina said, looking at the twins when she noticed a massive eye staring at them from the window. "Duck!" She pulled the twins by the clothes before the monster could thrust his w through the window. "I missed," The dream walker growled, "This should be the entrance to hisyer if the memories we read are correct," He took his hand out, looking inside, "Some humans? Do you know where the entrance to the dragon''sir is? I''ll give a painless death if you answered," (In the background you can hear the dream walker attacking Mira as that happened at the same time.) CLICK! Tina pulled a musket from beneath her maid skirt. "Where did you keep that?" The dream walker gasped. BANG! She sted his eye open with one shot, "A magic pocket sewed to the underside of my skirt," She and the twins ran away as the dream walker growled. "What did you shoot him with?" "Probably holy bullets that I was testing for Jack. They seem to have worked fine," Tina replied with sweaty face. She had never felt such fear in her life. The twins stopped, "You run and get back up. We''ll hold him here!" They pulled their daggers, "Hurry," "And I thought I''d ask nicely," The dream walker broke the wall, already healed. "Will you tell me now? In his hand, he held Serin, Tina''s baby daughter," "Serin!" Tina screamed, the twins barely stopping her from rushing toward the monster. It was then that the dream walker stopped moving as he sniffed something from Serin, "You?" He looked down, "Aw, shit." He sighed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Serin''s body shed with a golden light, reminding Tina of the time Serin hit Arad with a smite. CLAP! The dream walker''s body got sent flying toward the forest as a burst of holy magic shed from Serin''s body. Serin fell to the ground, crying in pain from the fall, but the bump on her head instantly healed, and she stopped crying at once. The dying dream walker growled, his body mangled on the trees, "Chad..." **** The ground in the forest exploded as Meryem got sent flying into the sky in her humanoid form. Behind her lunged a four- armed white dream walker, "You''re the dragon''s strongest minion?!" Heughed. "What took you so long to attack us?" Meryem growled. "Waited for your main force to be baited into our trap first. They all should be dead or enved by now," CRACK! A massive red w grabbed the white dream walker, squeezing him. "Who?" He looked back, seeing a great wyrm red dragon ring at him. "The great general of the red dragons," The massive dragon replied, "The shiny ones are already flying toward your bases. You have started a war you can''t win," Thud! Merymednded on thin air, but it quickly cleared that she stood on the camouged hand of a massive ck dragon, "What took you so long?" "We don''t understand ants''nguage," The ck dragon replied, looking toward the dream walker. "Is this ugly creature one of the monsters that kidnapped our mediator?" He asked. "Don''t know, probably yes," "Congrattions," The ck dragonughed, "Know what happened to thest bastard who angered dragons? I''m sure you don''t know, we killed all the knolls and erased them from history, and now it''s your kind''s time," The chromatic general roared into the sky, "Find all of his kind! Murder them at sight and make an example out of them!" Hundreds of chromatic dragons emerged in the sky, spreading across the world to search and destroy dream walkers. "Sure this isn''t an overreaction?" Gojo flew up, "Killing on their colony should be enough," "It might seem strange, but I actually prayed to Tiamat and asked for her advice. I didn''t do that in centuries." He looked at Gojo, "She actually replied, and said kill them all. And she''ll make it a bit easier for us to take a humanoid form," The chromatic general got his head closer to Gojo, "It''s actually what humans call a holy crusade in their terms for us chromatic dragons now." "I don''t trust the gods," Gojo stared at him. "Neither do I," The chromatic general smiled, "What why I never prayed to her before? But now she''s giving us a reason to rampage, and we''ll dly take that. She isn''t known to get back on her words," Chapter 642 Shifting Scales

Chapter 642 Shifting Scales

"Gojo!" Mira shouted, rushing toward Gojo as she saw him flying toward the house, "You came back?" "I mean, I''m here now," He smiled, "I would have preferred if you told me that Arad got kidnapped," "We tried contacting you yesterday," She replied, tilting her head. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Ah! It must''ve been when I was knocked out after fighting the titan chieftain of Iceberg," He scratched his head, "Sorry, I''m not used to keeping amunication line open. It was Vars''s job." "Knocked out?" "I too have problems like Arad," Gojo smiled, "I do lose sometimes. It''s just that when Ie help Arad it''s like himing to help Ignis or someone else." "Gojo!" Meryem rushed toward him, "It isn''t over yet," She said as the chromatic dragons spread into the sky to search for the dream walkers. "A second wave, I know," Gojo smiled, "The chromatics left me to deal with it here. Those monsters seem to have multiple colonies linked together in the ethereal realm that they can manifest in the mortal world underground." He looked down, his blue eyes glowing as his hair started waving, and sparks of blue magic crackled around his body like fairy dust. "From what I could suck out of their brains," Gojo lifted his hands,bing his fingers, "There is a decoy colony around the city where Arad got kidnapped. There is one hosting Doma and another where Arad is being used as a power source to power their whole kingdom. You can think of each colony as a city in a kingdom with powerful fighters and a ruling noble that varies in strength." The ground started shaking as they could feel the ants fight underground with the crawling army of the dream walkers. "Don''t worry. Those psychic monsters won''t drag any of you into their dreand as long as I''m here," He smiled, "They won''t be staying here long enough afterward," [Void Expansion: Void March] The rumbling stopped as Gojo disappeared. Meryem gasped, "Hold on! All the dream walkers disappeared with him?!" Thud! Standing in the middle of a vast, snowynd, Gojo looked toward the confused army of the dream walkers. "I don''t need to touch someone to teleport them with me with a void step. Now as long as you fit in my expansion''s range and that I can stain you with my magic, it''ll work." He took his robe and shirt off, stretching, "Of course, limited by how much mana I want to waste. And how strong each of you is," "That isn''t an innate void dragon ability," A dream walker gasped. "I''m a wizard, after all. I can modify my spells and expansion," Gojo cracked his neck, "And as a wizard, I spend a lot of time sitting over books, so it''s time to move a bit," His eyes shed blue as he took a stance, "So let''s get to boxing," CLAP! In the blink of an eye, he blitzed the dream walker that spoke first, pping him in the face hard enough to send him flying. ^I also did run out of mana teleporting us here. I can regenerate it forcefully by re-sucking it, but that would interfere with some spells that I have set at base. I rather not do that,^ Gojo thought as he lunged at another dream walker, punching him three times in the face and then kicking him into the sky. **** CRACK! Senanded inside arge cavern. She dug all the way into the Dream Walkers'' colony. A vast alien city spread in front of her eyes, countless grey bots dripping with ck goo pulsed like hearts as the magic around her twisted. "Invaders!" Sena shouted, waving her hand, "I''m here,e to get killed," She paused and stared at the empty ce, "It smells like sweat, so I don''t want to get in," None replied to her or appeared, leaving her standing alone there for half a minute. "I''ll be angrier if you made me fight in your stench. Are you sure you don''t want toe out and have an easy death?" She asked once again. Her eyes told her. The dream walkers were hiding inside with the whole city trapped to kill her. "Wait?" She gasped, extending her head forward as she stared at the city from a hole she made with her hand like an OK sign. "He isn''t here you bastard. That''s just a chunk of his magic." All the dream walkers lunged out at once, "Fuck! She noticed!" Arge white dream walker pulled a long gun, pointing at her face as he jumped toward her. Sena red at him, and his body twisted, shrinking, and bleeding until he became a mere distorted fetus, falling on the ground and drowning in his own blood. The other dream walkers froze in ce, staring at the horrific scene. "ARAD ISN''T HERE! YOU BUGS!" Sena growled, her voice booming across the whole city, growing harsher and deeper as her body twisted, turning into a massive monstrosity that the dream walkers'' brains couldn''t even process her horrifying shape. For some, she looked like a massive ball of tentacles, for others, she looked like goo, and for most, they only saw a writhing mass of blood and teeth, gargling blood as it dripped magic from its countless eyes. An ineffable monster, a creature so horrid their brains couldn''tprehend its existence. In the same way, people can''t understand orprehend the beauty of a nymph and end up blinded or dead, Sena''s eldritch form, just like her father''s, made those looking at her go insane from the horror it imposes. The dream walkers startedughing in despair. They thought they had a chance. She looked like a normal human girl. But the reality was far worse than they could''ve ever imagined, "It''s..." One of them gasped, but before he could finish, Sena stood alone on the surface, and only a massive hole remained where their colony was. "Where is my Arad?!" She growled but soon saw someone standing behind her, "Sena, calm down," That voice sounded familiar, her brother Gray. "Brother?" She turned, and he smiled, "You worried about Arad?" "You know something?" She growled. "I said calm down," He smiled, "I trusted his abilities enough to let you chase him. He isn''t the kind of person you should be this worried about," "And what do you know about him?" "That the dream walkers are having trouble sucking energy from him, and that he keeps flipping around like a baby in a cradle, messing their wholeb." Gray giggled, "Never expected my brother-inw to be such a menace even at his current strength," Sena started to calm down, "If the dream walkers are here in the mortal world, that means their technology isn''t advanced enough to contain a void dragon..." She shifted into her humanoid form, "They intended to siphon some energy from Arad and use that power to process ores into metals, then create better tools and equipment to suck even more power of Arad. But it seems the process is harder than they expected." "For one reason," Gray giggled, "Putting Brother-inw in a constant nightmare while keeping him in deep sleep caused him to develop a severe case of Somnambulism. I mean, they shouldn''t have tried their method on a baby. It''s normal that it''s going to have a side effect." "They don''t know he''s a baby," Sena gasped, "For all they know, he''s thirty-five years old, young void dragon." Chapter 643 Meltdown And Fall Of The King

Chapter 643 Meltdown And Fall Of The King

"His mental energy is spiking above what we can absorb!" A dream walker shouted as the magic circles in front of him burned, bursting at his face. "Damn it! What''s happening in that dream?" Another growled, taking a peak at the nightmare they gave to Arad. It''s already been a week with him trapped in there. They did start it, but how it develops could go past their control. The moment they looked inside, they saw Arad flying across the sky, roaring in rage and despair, sting the elvish kingdom with his breath as the elves shifted into dream walkers. CRACK! Arad''s arm jolted, ripping their chains off and shattering them in the blink of an eye, sending a shard of metal flying toward one of the dream walkers, almost blinding him. "Where are the casters? We need to paralyze his body again!" The dream walker shouted, calling reinforcement. The casters lifted their hands above Arad, casting their magic while sweating ck goo, "It''s no use. His body already adapted to it. We can''t paralyze him anymore with our spells." Arad''s body jolted once again, shattering the shackles on his legs, sending shards of metal toward the casters, dropping two of them with grave injuries. Void crackled from his skin, sucking air in and releasing it in a shockwave, shaking the wholeb. "We should kill him!" One of the dream walkers cried, "Without current equipment, we can''t keep a young void dragon chained," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Where is the scout team? When will they bring the dragon sealing chains?" Another cried. "They didn''t find any," A voice replied from the walls. "Send more people to search!" The dream walkers tending to Arad cried, "We can''t contain him for longer! He''s destroying the wholeb!" "Figure something out! You casters create a stronger paralyze spell and keep him down for a day or two. We''re short on people right now," "Theye here and help!" As the dream walker screamed, Arad growled in the back, struggling on the metallic bed he''s been chained onto for the past week. "Shit!" The dream walker cried, rushing to pull a scroll, but was interrupted by a st emanating from Arad, messing the wholeb. "AAAA!" Arad screamed, his whole body jolted as the struggles in the dream reached reality. Instead of sweating like most humans when struggling with a nightmare, Arad was a dragon, and his scales sweated his void out instead, sucking the air and releasing it as multiple sts, trashing the wholeb and shaking the dream walker''s kingdoms. "Fuck it!" A dream walker cried, "I''m getting out of here. He''s getting out of control!" He turned to run away, but at that moment darkness engulfed Arad''s body, violently sucking air and everything in theb into his stomach. The dream walkers held for dear life to the walls, looking back as they saw their precious equipment get pulverized into dust as it got absorbed into Arad''s stomach. The wall was stripped off, and the dream walker holding into it got sucked into Arad''s stomach. Like an elephant forced through a needle, his whole body burst into a stter of blood as it disappeared into Arad''s void. "Call everyone! The void dragon is getting out of control and might wake up! We need to knock him out again!" One of the remaining dream walkers screamed into a small crystal ball. The ceiling cracked from the repeated sts and low pressure caused by Arad''s void, and a massive boulder fell down, hitting Arad on the face. Arad''s eyes opened up, confused between dream and reality, he instantly transformed into his draconic form. Theb got crushed by Arad''s massive bulk, killing everyone inside. Being confused, and now finding himself locked in what amounts to a tight jar for a human, Arad roared his lungs out, unleashing his void breath in the enclosed space. **** With a massive sma burst, Angus rolled on the ground, his whole body charred into charcoal as Eris walked toward him, "Would you die already?" She growled, the whole area around them burned and was ravaged by explosion holes. "Do you never get tired?" Agnus growled as his limbs slowly crumbled. As Eris stared at him, her wounds instantly healed, "Since when do vampires get tired?" She said. "I see," Angus giggled, "I never stood a chance..." He died. Eris sighed and looked back, seeing the girls were about to finish thest dream walkers running away. "To think I only killed one," She sighed. "I won''t say one," ug stared at her, "Several dream walkers died as coteral damage to your fight," She pointed to the back with her w and Eris could see several charred corpses where her explosions and holy expansion were released. "That white one you killed was at least four times stronger than the ck ones, he''s chosen of his race. Like how high humans are to humans and high elves to elves." ug waved her w to the other girls, "Come here when you finish! I''ll dig for us to reach the colony and save Doma," "Leave them," Kayden said, standing up, "Everyone, gather beneath ug!" He shouted, jumping from her head andnding behind everyone. Ginger woke Alcott and everyone rushed to stand beneath ug. "What''s going on?" Nina asked, "Did you notice something?" Alcott stared at him, he knew Kayden was powerful enough to beat Nina with one strike, making him a swordsman that even he couldn''t win against. "Their king ising, and that big dog is for me to cut," He stood there, silently watching the ground. "I see!" A loud voice rumbled from beneath the ground as a massive titan shattered the earth. "It''s you!" Kayden blinked, "Do I know you?" "You killed grandfather''s entire kingdom just to train in the abyss!" The massive titan of a dream walker shouted, his voice even hurting ug''s ears. "And now youe to kill my children!" "Those aren''t children. They are monsters," Kayden stared at Dream Walker King with a passive face. "Right?" He turned toward Kali who stood above ug''s head. "Abomination spawn aren''t children. If they were, they would be under my protection," She lifted her foot and tapped it down. "Stomp them, squish squish." She smiled, "They harmed a child," She stared at the king with her eyes glowing with a disturbing pink me, her words referred to Arad. "What''s that thing?" Eris gasped. "Just by magic," ug growled, "He''s several times the red great wyrms I saw in my life. I doubt he''s lost in strength as well," "This is the main problem about those abominations," Kali stared at Eris, "The small ones are powerful mind maniptors, but this big one is the true danger, the elder brain that all their collective consciousness flows through. His physical and mental power is equal to thebined power of all the small ones under him," She smiled, "All of that power, at once." "All of the dream walkersbined? Won''t that make have stats in the tens of thousands?" Kali scratched her head, "They are monsters from outside this world that operate with their ownws and limits. But I''m certain they aren''t a part of the system, that''s only for mortals to use and is managed by the archon Aria," She smiled, "I don''t know, but he''s strong enough to not be something that should exist in the mortal world," "You keep talking..." The dream walker king growled, but soon he froze, his body splitting in half from head to groin. "Sorry," Kayden looked at his drawn sword, "I only wanted to smack you away," "You should''ve been more careful. That thing lived in the mortal world. He couldn''t have more minions than the ones that lived in the abyss." Kali sighed, "We''ll catch another one if we found it," Kayden sheathed his sword, pulled a small cube, and threw it at the king''s corpse, "I hope she''ll pay a bit for the corpse. The orphans need the money," Chapter 644 Saving Doma

Chapter 644 Saving Doma

ug dug all the way down to the Dream Walkers colony in a few minutes,nding in a massive entrance right outside it. "We arrived," She said, lowering her wing for them to walk down from the carriage. "I can feel Doma''s curses from here," Merlin sighed, "She might be locked up, but she''s reeking of them all the way here," She giggled. "Agree," Ginger walked forward, "I bet she''s trying to get people to notice her presence," "I smell blood, human one," Eris looked at Ginger, "You do as well," "It''s faint. I say they are at death door," She pointed into the western side of the city. Eris turned toward Lydia, "Let''s go, Arad won''t like it if we let them die," "He might me himself for not being able to st those dream walkers right away," Lydia held Eris''s hand. "We''ll be back, ug please get ready," Eris flew with Lydia. "You''re paying for this! You know we don''t just carry anyone on our backs," ug sighed, sitting in ce and waiting as the rest walked into the dream walker city following Doma''s cursed mana. Thud! Eris and Lydianded in front of arge building. The mere smelling from there caused them to recoil, closing their noses in disgust. "This smell!" Lydia growled, "Those unholy monsters!" She swung her foot at the door, kicking it down with a holy st. "The forces of the church are here! Please calm down!" Lydia walked inside shouting, lifting her golden glowing holy symbol up. Inside the building, she could see tens of naked people chained like cattle to the ground. This was the breeding centre where the dream walkers tried to increase their batteries without needing to go out and hunt for humans. Two abominations were hiding right behind the door frame, and they watched Lydia walk inside silently. They were the guards of the breeding centre. And the moment she spoke, they both swung at her head. A golden me engulfed Lydia''s body,ing out of her holy symbol and blocking the two punches. The abominations gasped, and Lydia stared at one of them, only shifting her eye toward him with veins bulging on her forehead and neck. "Dare attack a pdin holding her holy symbol? Fiend!" She turned, pointing the holy symbol at him. The fiend gasped, his body getting pushed back toward the wall by the mes. "Come, get close!" Lydia stepped toward him, and his body kept getting crushed on the wall. He couldn''t get near the holy symbol burning with divine magic, and now that she kept approaching him with it, the pressure crushed his body. "Hold the holy symbol, or die," She pushed the holy symbol forward, and the dream walker''s body burned and burst at the wall, leaving a massive blood mark that immediately caught on fire. The second dream walker ignored Lydia and decided to jump at the prisoners and try using them as a shield and hostages. "This brings back bad memories," Eris smiled, catching the dream walker by the head as she floated behind him, "Isn''t that right, Pin?" A small malformed and deformed imp emerged from an eldritch me, wiggling as it giggled, "Yes mistress, those sweet, bloody days at Katal''s temple. The priests there used to do this to the sacrifices for fun," He took a deep breath, "What horrid, amazing days," "You know it''s weird that you liked those days?" Eris looked back at him. "I''m an imp created by Katal''s ideals by your mother," He giggled, "It''s natural for me to find it funny," "Well, I don''t," Eris sighed as the dream walker turned to punch her in the face. Pin lifted his hand, and the dream walker froze in ce, "Bad monster," He smiled with his ugly face, "Do you know when you attack someone with their pet dog around? That poor puppy gets angry and sad, and then chews your face in a marvelous show of blood," Pin''s body morphed, growing into a massive devil equal in size to the dream walker, and and bit his face off. "Pin is that little pet. Be careful, Pin bites," Pin smiled, talking about himself. "Is that a devil?" Lydia stared at Pin, confused. "A witch and a vampire, it won''t do if I don''t have a familiar. I tried to summon one, but to my surprise, Pin revived and became my familiar as he was to mother." She smiled. The people inside the room stared at Eris in fear, they were happy to see a pdin, but now someone like Eris showed up. "Don''t worry," Eris noticed their worries and turned toward them, pulling a holy symbol of Amaterasu from her pocket, "I''m too a pdin, sort of," The symbol shed with holy magic, she wasn''t lying. Even though they found it hard to believe, it''s not like they had any other choice. Lydia and Eris healed the people and guarded them all the way to ug, where they hit inside the wagon that Merlin expanded with magic. Soon after, the rest returned with Doma''s heart. "We found this, it should be here," Merlin had the heart levitating with gravity magic as she didn''t want to touch it. That old mummified thing dripped with cursed mana like it was the end of the world. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Lydia gasped as she stared at the heart, "I didn''t expect it to be that much," "Me too," Merlin looked at the heart, "It contains Doma''s soul. She should inhabit the body of whoever eats the heart," "What?" ug gasped. "Why eat?" Eris looked at Doma''s heart, "Anyone would die of the curses before even licking it," "And like how? Cut it to pieces and grill it?" Lydia sighed. "Arad could probably swallow it whole." Ae said, "I saw him slurp a giant cobra-like it''s nothing in his draconic form," "Arad doesn''t chew eggs," Isdis looked at them, "I doubt he even cares if they were peeled or not. I saw him swallow them one after another like they were peas or olives," Eris smiled, "I mean, he''s huge." She turned and started walking back toward the city, "You get out and wait for me far away, I''lle quickly," "Be careful," Ae waved her hand, rushing with everyone to ride on ug''s back. ug wed her walk out of the colony, reaching the surface and flying away. Eris stood alone in the middle of the colony, staring at the ceiling. Tens of dream walkers that were hiding emerged from the shadows, lunging toward her. Eris lifted her hands, putting them together, "It''s the End," Lightning and fire crackled from her body as sma gushed out of her, [sma Expansion: Purple Sun] Eris''s body shed with a blinding light, washing the dream walkers away as the purple sun emerged in the middle of the colony, melting the ce. "Burst." The purple sun exploded, wiping the whole colony. ug looked back, seeing the earth crumble as the colony got sted beneath it, "It''s better not to leave anything," She looked around for Eris, but suddenly felt a sharp pressureing from the horizon. "This magic!" She looked, seeing a bright sh in the distance, followed by a massive mushroom of smoke and fire. "It''s Arad!" Chapter 645 Out Of Control

Chapter 645 Out Of Control

ROAR! Arad roared, smacking his w down at a running dream walker, crushing him t on the ground. The cavern around him started crumbling from his previous breath, but that didn''t even bother him. Several dream walkers rushed toward him, this time armed to the teeth. "Kill him!" They screamed. Fighting a void dragon in the heart of their colony is something none of them want. It''s where they live, where their families live, and where the critical infrastructure for their crumbling civilization is. Arad opened his jaw, unleashing a massive stream of fire at them. Two walked forward andid two massive shields, "Cut him down!" They screamed as their shields heated. Before they could strike, Arad teleported behind them with a void step, and a massive electric shock exploded from his body, zapping and charring all of them in the blink of an eye. Right after the electric shock, a burst of fire exploded from Arad''s body, followed by a gust of freezing wind. The extreme and rapid shift in temperature shattered the rocks of the cavern, causing it to copse at once, burying the whole colony, even though it was already shocked, burned, and frozen from its magic. Buried alive, Arad didn''t care. Like a raging kid, he couldn''t even see ahead of him or think properly. As if crying and iling his arms in a blind rage, Arad roared, unleashing all of his magic left and right, fueled by the sorrow of everyone''s deaths. [Void Expansion: Devouring void] The whole area got consumed into Arad''s stomach as he used that to dig himself out, flying toward the surface, roaring his lungs out. From the walls of the hole he made. Five white dream walkers lunged at him, swinging massive spectral swords. Since Arad''s became unstable, they had evacuated the entire colony to a small cavern a kilometer away. The colony that Arad erased only had theb dream walkers and their personal guards. Arad''s eyes cracked, dripping red as they red at the dream walkers. If there is a creature that he loathes to the bone, it''s those cockroaches. Just knowing some of them are alive out there, while his wives have been viciously murdered by them, made his blood boil. He could only see them red, tainted in blood as rage blinded his mind. At that moment, only two things existed in the world for him. It''s himself and the dream walkers that he should be killing. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad opened his jaw, collecting matter from his stomach and crushing it by removing the void from its atoms, releasing a massive beam out of his throat of pure energy, evaporating one of the dream walkers in the blink of an eye. The beam hit a nearby mountain, cutting the tip off and causing a massivendslide of rocks and dirt. The small vige at the mountain''s foot managed to escape in the nick of time, only sustaining damage to structures and property. But they were terrified to the bone as they saw a second beame out, sting a raving across the forest and unleashing a hellish fire across thends. When mages fire spells in wars and bow the ground up, they don''t even see or notice the ants and bugs living there. Arad was the same. For now, he couldn''t even see or notice the humans living around. He probably even forgot that humans even existed. Void dragons are neutral by nature, drive them made, and they''ll swing more toward the chromatic dragons, and treat them nicely, and they''ll respect you and your life like the metallic do. The remaining dream walkers gasped, seeing another one of them evaporate with a breath. Only three of them were left. "I thought he cared about the humans living around!" One cried. "This bastard is out of fucking control!" One jumped forward, "We have to buy time until the queen arrives!" Where there is a king, there is a queen. Arad''s body shed with a purple haze of gravity magic as the ground around him shattered. Hundreds of house-sized boulders flew and started orbiting his body as he flew into the sky. With each spin, they gained heat, burning like meteors. And without wasting any moment, Arad released them like burningets at the dream walkers. "Fuck! Run!" They turned around, running to the sides to evade the meteors, but to their surprise, they kept following them. "Still controls them with gravity?!" Blood droplets emerged on Arad''s tail, shifting into the upper torsos of vampire spawns. They red at the dream walkers, their eyes shing green. One of the dream walkers noticed and hit behind a boulder while the other two got petrified, dying to the meteors immediately. But Arad wasn''t taking any chances and burned where they died with another massive breath. The dream walker looked from above the boulder, seeing Arad growling as more meteors flew toward his location, burning like the sun. "I''m dead!" He cried. CRACKLE! A massive white hand burst from the ground, blocking Arad''s meteors and shielding the dream walker. "My Queen!" He cried as a massive dream walker emerged from the ground, putting its arm between Arad and the white dream walker. "You killed enough of my children, void monster," The queen growled, her eyes glowing with a menacing blue fire. Just like the king, her power increases by how many dream walkers are under her. Arad roared, lifting his w and pulling it back. The dream walker''s body experienced heavy pressure pulling him toward Arad. He smacked into the boulder he hid behind, shattering it and flying toward Arad. The queen managed to catch the dream walker by the hand, but his arm ripped off from the massive pull force of Arad''s gravity magic. And he ended up in Arad''s jaw. Arad didn''t bother to chew or swallow the dream walker. Instead charged an energy breath and sted the ashes back at the queen''s face. The queen gasped, her face half burned and healing as she stared at Arad roar in ce, the ck void gushing out of his scales, disintegrating the matter around him and sucking it as energy to fuel his breaths. "Should''ve lied quietly in there," The queen walked forward, "Time to break all of your bones and put you back in to give us the energy to fix what you destroyed." Arad''s body burned with magic as he grew two extra horns, a second pair of wings, another tail, and a pair of from arms. The curses in his body boiled as another pair of eyes emerged beneath his draconic purple eyes, one where yellow from his wyrmwolf, and the other red from his vampiric side. Chapter 646 The Dragon of Revenge And Destruction

Chapter 646 The Dragon of Revenge And Destruction

"What a monster," The queen giggled, "To think I''ll see a void dragon tainted by vampirism and lycanthropy," She took a step forward, "No wonder..." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om CRACK! Arad disappeared from her vision, teleporting to her face with [Void Step]. His punch stopped at her face without moving her an inch. "Look at the disrespect, won''t even let me finish speaking," She swung her fist, punching Arad so hard his whole body flew back with a ssh of blood, smacking at the hole''s walls with many broken bones. "Thanks to my rule, I far outss the living in strength and speed," She smiled, opening the closed fist she punched Arad with, "You can''t beat me," Arad fell off the wall,nding on his legs as his wounds healed instantly. His eyes shed purple as he rushed forward, running like a wild cat. As he got closer to the queen, he started teleporting from left to right. "Don''t know when to give up," The queen smiled, lifting her arms in a guard. "Let''s take you seriously and see what can you do," At thest moment, Arad directly teleported behind her head. The queen lifted her left arm with a grin, about to block Arad''s strike. As Arad swung the back of his right fist toward her ear, he cast multiple spells in an attempt to amplify the strength of his strikes. Those weren''t conventional buffing spells. He knew none but were applications of his void and magic that he thought would help. Hit her with something fast and heavy. Kic energy is directly proportional to the mass of the object and to the square of its velocity. E1=(1/2)m*V^2 [Time Slow: 90%] This spell slowed time, increasing Arad''s fist speed tenfold. [Gravity magic] The most he could do at that moment was quadruple the weight of his fist. He used his void to erase all air between his fist and queen''s head, pulling his strike toward her face even faster, at almost double the speed. The matter absorbed was used to even further elerate the fist by rereleasing it from the other side of his fist. E2=(1/2)[m*4]*[(10*2*V)^2] E2=1600*(1/2)m*V^2=1600*E1 Upon impact, the queen instantly knew this punch wasn''t like thest as her bones rattled and her head jolted, the bones of her jaw cracked as her whole body got flung aside, blood gushing out of her mouth as Arad''s arm exploded from the massive pressure on it. Her body smacked on the hole''s wall. Confused, she looked forward, seeing Arad lunging at her, his arm regenerating in the blink of an eye as he swung one again. "Wait!" She lifted her arms in a boxer''s guard to block Arad''s second punch. The air around them exploded upon impact, sending a massive shockwave as the queen''s arms cracked and her body bounced off the hole''s wall. She didn''t waste any time, turning to run away. ^HOW?^ Arad''s head jolted, turning back with a beam of light forming between his teeth. Thepressed beam of energy cut the queen''s way, the crack it left exploding in a hellish ze. ^I should be hundreds of times stronger than him,^ She gasped, turning toward Arad, "Die!" From her massive maw, a wave of magic gushed forth. ZON! Arad teleported behind her. He didn''t even wait to see what those waves do, just ignored them as they wouldn''t even hit him and clenched his four arms. "Action Surge!" Arad''s first punch hit the queen''s face, sending her flying. In that short moment, he teleported into her way and delivered the second punch. He repeated that four times until all of his arms were destroyed, bouncing her around like a pinball. The queen could barely stand, staring at Arad with a grin on her face, "I can see it. Your regeneration has stopped. By any chance, did run out of blood to heal?" Droplets of blood started gushing out of the dirt, rushing toward Arad''s scales, and his arms healed in the blink of an eye. "You!" She gasped, her mental energy finally picking up the screams of her people. Tens of vampire spawns were massacring her children she worked so hard to evacuate from the city before Arad went out of control. "Bastard thought this far ahead..." But she quickly gasped. The thoughts leaking from Arad''s head weren''t what she thought. He wasn''t nning for anything. He only sent the spawns to murder her children till thest one of them. Getting blood to heal was merely a convenient coincidence. He didn''t even know whether he could heal with their blood or not. ^There was once a stay-at-home red drakaina mom who in a fit of rage, wiped the floor with the chromatic-dragon-king (Thought of as invincible at the time) Then went to hell and killed the first chromatic dragon goddess Tiamat.^ The queen''s eyes started jolting around, looking for escape. ^Am I facing such an anomaly?^ [Void Expansion: Devouring Void] For a split second, Arad activated his expansion and thenpressed it down to only coat his body, turning his scales into the purest darkness, not reflecting even a slither of light. The ground around him started disintegrating, and the wind got sucked into his body with an unimaginable force, assisted by his gravity magic. The queen started getting pulled toward him as the ground beneath her feet cracked. Without much traction, even her insane strength wouldn''t help her get away from Arad. ^He''s sucking matter into his body? Is he preparing arge breath like those of before?^ The queen gasped, trying to grab onto the ground with her ws but failing. Suddenly, the pull stopped, and Arad lunged at her. She gasped, turning around, and hetched onto her upper torso. Arad''s hind ws dug into the queen''s chest as he used his lower two arms to hold her arms open, and his upper ones to force her mouth wide open, where he started breathing a constant stream of ck steam and ash. The queen struggled, but Arad used [Time Slow] To give himself ten times the time to fire. The ck smoke turned into a pure stream of semi-transparent sma, and then a tiny speck of light fell from his mouth down the queen''s throat. He jammed her jaw shut, holding her in ce as whatever he dropped inside her exploded. [Ho-white Nova] It wasn''t as strong as the one the goddess sent at him before, but whatever he managed toplete together wasn''t anything to scuff at. A quarter of the energy that sted d''s kingdom was spat into the queen''s throat, sting her and the immediate area into a hellish explosion of raw heat and destruction reaching the upper clouds. Out of the molten ground, Arad swam out, his scales healing as they got burned by his own fire. A deep growl as loud as a roar escaped his throat, his rage wasn''t quelled, and he couldn''t help by look around, searching for more of those monsters to kill. It''s been like this for the past week for him since they killed everyone he knows, and it won''t change any time soon. Arad isn''t even aware that he was put into a nightmare and woke up, to him, everyone really died, and he''s now alone in the world with the sole purpose of killing all the dream walkers and those who try to stop him. "ARAD!" Sena shouted, finally arriving at his location. She had to transform into her real for to be able to fly fast enough, but even with that she seemed to have beente. Arad had already killed the queen. Arad''s head turned toward the voice, his eyes and sensing unable to recognize the ineffable creature standing ahead of him, and his mind immediately shifted to killing it. Sena gasped as she sensed Arad''s endless bloodlust washing her whole body, "Wait..." Before she could finish, Arad punched her across thend, his arm exploding from the impact. Chapter 647 Finally Calmed Down

Chapter 647 Finally Calmed Down

Sena gasped, her body getting flung back, and was barely able to breathe. Arad hit her right in the middle of her core. ^This power,^ She gasped, using her countless tentacles to stop herself from flying too far, and then looked toward Arad, seeing his arm regenerate. The bones grew first, then got covered with muscles and veins, and finally protected by abyssal-ck scales. "Stop attacking!" She screamed, "What''s gotten into your head!" Arad roared, and everything around him shock, cracking and crumbling as he sucked matter into his stomach, disintegrating it to fuel his breath. Arad wasn''t listening while drowning in rage, and once his mind had made the decision to kill something it shut all unnecessary functions and focused on achieving that goal. The moment Arad saw her and couldn''t recognize her at first, it was all over. His mind put her on his list, and she isn''t getting off it with words alone. Sena could see the light going up Arad''s throat as the breath was about to be released, "I said stop it!" She screamed, and Arad unleashed his energy breath toward her. Sena gathered a bunch of her tentacles together like an arm and was about to block the breath. Such a thing shouldn''t be hard with her power. ZON! Arad teleported right behind her before the breath could even reach her and punched her back, pushing her face into the breath and preventing her from even blocking it. Sena''s body flew through the entire of Arad''s breath before hitting the wall on the other side, confused. ^Even with void step, he shouldn''t have outrun his breath. Was it time slow? That must be it,^ Arad''s body started violently sucking matter into his stomach, charging another [Ho-white Nova]. Unlike the queen, this new foe didn''t seem to take any damage from his breath and punches, so that was his only hope of damaging it. "You can fire that multiple times?" Sena gasped. She noticed that the [Ho-white Nova] he used to kill the queen was barely a quarter of the power of the one the goddess sent before, but just him being able to condense that much power was terrifying. To her Arad, Arad was like a violent kid throwing a tantrum and trying to hit her. His attacks could barely do any damage, but they were annoying. And now, that kid had picked arge firecracker and intended to throw it at her. She wouldn''t die or sustain major injuries if she protected her vital organs, but that thing would hurt. "You killed the queen?" A deep voice came from the surface at the hole''s edge, and both Arad and Sena stopped moving. They looked up, seeing Kayden ring down at them. "And without weakening her? An impressive feat for a mortal," "You!" Arad growled, "Everyone died! And you did nothing!" Arad''s bloodlust shot through the roof, rising to levels even higher than what Sena felt. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Kayden pulled his de, "But if you want to fight, be my guest," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Kayden! Stop it!" Sena shouted at him, "He''s just confused!" Arad looked at Sena, "So you''re working with this monster," He growled. Thinking that Kayden was working with the unknown monster(Sena) who worked with the dream walkers. "I''ll the both of you!" He roared. "You face two?" Kayden smiled, "Did killing the queen get over your head?" Arad split into two identical vampiric wyrmwolf dragons and caused both Sena and Kayden to pause for a moment, staring at him dumbfounded. Gemini still works, and now they have two angry Arads to deal with. The two Arads roared, [Void Expansion: OR...] "Arad!" Eris shouted, and Arad immediately stopped his void expansion and teleported, snatching her from behind Kayden and flying away at top speed. "Now he runs away?" Kayden sighed, seeing the two dragons flying away. "Arad! What''s going on?" Eris cried, being held in his w. "You''re alive. Was it vampiric? No, it doesn''t matter as long as you survive." Arad said with a relieved sigh, "Killing those two can wait. I''ll get you to safety first," The second Arad turned around, unleashing a massive energy breath toward Kayden and Sena. All the energy he stored to fire a second [Ho-white Nova] was used in that breath, simply because he didn''t know how would Eris react to the impact of the st or if her regeneration would keep up with the immense heat. CLING! Arad''s breath got split in half as Kayden appeared,tched onto his nose, "Calm down, Arad. No one died," Kayden said, staring at Arad''s eye. "You''ll die soon!" Arad teleported away, and his clone rushed toward the falling Kayden, "Nobody died that you care about!" The clone roared, swinging a w at Kayden at full force. "I see," Kayden said, his eyes burning read. "As Sena said, I need to catch you first so you can listen to us," ck me engulfed Kayden''s body, "Then be the first in three thousand years to see this!" From the mes, a six-armed demon with three heads, and a reddish- gray body lunged at Arad. Kayden dodged Arad''s strike by leaping over him and then clenched a fist, "This will hurt," CRACK! He punched Arad''s clone in the head, sending him crashing to the ground. The clone disappeared from the impact, and Kayden stared at the flying Arad on the horizon, "You aren''t getting away," Arad looked back, seeing Kayden''s demonic form growing into a massive titan, reaching with his hand toward him. "Just what are you?" Arad growled as Kayden caught him in his hand like catching a small lizard. "No one died! I''m talking about your wives," Kayden growled, "It was all a dream made by those dream walkers, so calm down." Arad froze for a moment, blinking twice then looked at Eris in his hand, "I was trying to tell you that, but you weren''t listening to me," "No one died?" "Not a single one," Eris sighed, "They are all fine. Look there," She pointed toward the distance. When Arad looked, he saw the girls standing on top of ug''s head as she flew toward him. "It was all a dream..." Arad looked around, "It was so long it seemed real," "What did they show you even?" Eris sighed, finally rxing. "Those monsters killed all of you, and I''ve been killing them for the past half-year," Looked at the sky, yawning. "Dreams seem longer than they actually take. Especially those made by the dream walkers," He smiled, putting Arad down and shifting back into his humanoid form. "I''m d..." Arad mumbled, falling face first, unconscious. "Arad!" Eris screamed. "Don''t worry, the exhaustion finally caught on to him now that he rxed. I bet it was mentally taxing for him to suffer for that long. He''ll wake up soon," Kayden sheathed his sword, and Eris stared at him, "You didn''t answer Arad''s question. What are you?" "A Dog Trainer by profession, tricked by a with and became a demon, and then became a bandit. After several events, I ended up getting blessed by Asura, the demon god of destruction." Kayden smiled, "The bastard ended up killed by Talos as he was granting his strength to his daughter Kali, so I killed Talos and started raising Kali on my own. So you can call me the demon lord of destruction," "What nonsense are you mumbling about? That form was a titan," Eris looked back as ugnded. "It wasn''t a titan," Kayden mumbled. "How is Arad!" Ae and the girls jumped from ug''s back, rushing toward Arad. But before they could reach him, his body burst into the void,pressing into an egg-shaped mass of infinite darkness the size of a small house. "What''s happening?" Ae stared at him, and Senanded behind Kayden, "Probably he''s evolving, dream walkers might not grant experience as they are outsiders to the world, but the souls of the people they consumed remain inside them, and Arad seem to have consumed all of it and a lot from the queen herself." She sat on the ground, "He''ll be fine. And I hope he gets some nice dreams this time," Chapter 648 The Perfect Being

Chapter 648 The Perfect Being

?Ae walked toward the void ball that Arad was inside, "This is unlike any evolution he had before," She looked and saw that the egg-shaped thing was floating mid-air, not releasing a single drop of mana. All energy was directed toward Arad''s evolution. She touched the egg, finding it as smooth as ss and too slippery that she might be drenched in oil. But after a close inspection, Ae noticed that her hand wasn''t actually touching the egg. It stopped just before reaching the surface, blocked by a void barrier that prevents any matter from reaching the egg. "I can''t touch it," She tried pushing the egg, but couldn''t move it an inch. That thing was stuck in ce. "Let me try. We can''t leave him here," ug extended her w and grabbed the egg that fit in her palm like how a chicken egg fits in a human hand. "I can''t!" ug growled, using all of her might to move the egg, but unable to. Her whole body got pulled toward the egg by the might of her arms, and still couldn''t shift it a hair strand. Kali jumped from ug''s head andnded on the egg, staring down, "Location locked and protected by void magic so it won''t be damaged or moved, a protective measure." Her eyes shed repeatedly with a pink light, "If you tried to move it forcefully, you might hurt Arad inside," Kayden grabbed Kali by her side and took him off Arad''s egg, "Don''t stand on him," He put her down and touched the egg, trying to push it. "Yeah, any more force, and I''ll end up breaking it," He sighed. "Would Gojo be able to move him?" Alcott asked, looking at the egg, "They are brothers. He might know something." Kayden stood still, his six eyes spazzing and glowing with a crimson light, "Found him. He''s in the Arctic North fighting some dream walkers." Kayden then gasped, "He killed my demon. I''ll be back in a second," He disappeared and returned almost immediately with a confused Gojo, "Where am I?" Gojo looked around, confused as the scene changed in front of him so fast he barely noticed. "Gojo!?" Ae gasped. She knew Gojo was far stronger than Arad, and for Kayden to just bring him in such a short time. "It''s you?" Gojo looked around, seeing everyone staring, "A moment please," With one weave of his hand, arge robe covered his topless body, "I''ve been in a bit of a fight," He then looked back toward Kayden, "So, I don''t sense any malevolent intent from you, albeit you''re strong enough to pull me all the way here." With a grin on his face, he looked back at Arad''s egg, "I guess this is the reason," "I thought you''d be more angry about being snatched like this?" Kali stared at him. Gojo giggled, "I''m not a fool to start a fight with someone who pulled me like that," He red at Kali, ^And especially you,^ ^So you know me,^ ^Found several ancient tables speaking of you. But shouldn''t you be a grown woman by now?^ He stared at her, thinking and holding his chin with a lifted eyebrow. ^I patron orphans now, so I stay like this. It''s a more important rule in my opinion,^ She stood proudly, ^I grow to my adult form when I''m tending to my other profession.^ ^Tamar, Hakai, it was written in multiplenguages, but I never found an urate trantion.^ ^Destruction, I took after my father Asura.^ She pointed toward Arad''s egg, ^Enough mental speech, you can move him, can''t you?^ Gojo approached the egg, "I''m the one who made this. Moving him won''t be a problem," "You made it?" Eris approached, "When?" "When we were in the capital. Arad asked me how to make his evolution quicker so I told him about this, and gave him one," He pushed the egg, and it moved, "You can say I''m incubating him in my void to provide a more suitable environment for him to evolve." "Then how do you evolve?" Isdis stared at him. "I prepare my environment beforehand. It takes a lot of work and resources to make. It''s faster and more cost-effective for Arad to have me help him for free," He flew with the egg, transforming into his draconic form. "I''ll go first. Follow me at your own pace," He was about to leave, but then looked at Kadyen, "Wait, what happened to the dream walkers I was fighting?" "My demons held them back, and a white great wyrm already arrived at the location and killed them. The chromatic dragons have started a crusade against the dream walkers," Kayden replied. "I know about that, and where are the metallic dragons? They were supposed to be here," Gojo looked around. "Arad almost killed all the humans living around here in his rage. They are saving those people, so he won''t be dealing with a crime after waking up," Kali replied, "I did diverge them a bit as well," She giggled. "I see," Gojo flew away with Arad''s egg, heading toward Alina. "We should get back as well," Ae sighed, looking at the rest of the girls, "It''ll take some time, but we''ll be there soon," She then turned toward Sena, who stood in the back, "How did you get here?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I flew here," Sena replied, looking away. "You could do that?" Ae lifted an eyebrow, turning toward Merlin, "I''ll run out of mana before flying a tenth of the distance to here," "Me too," Amber added, looking at Sena with a suspicious re, "I feel something off about your mana," "It''s quiterge," Sena smiled, lifting her hands up, and they shifted into massive ck crow-like wings, "I do shapeshift into different creatures to fly while consuming minimal mana," (A lie) She pped her new wings, flying into the sky. "What a load of crap," Merlin mumbled, looking right through Sena''s lie. "I''m sure she''s hiding something even more powerful than just shape-shifting." She sighed, flying to ug''s back. **** As Sena flew back toward Alina, she thought. ^The ultimate being embodies the powers of each and every living thing, all lives gather as one,^ Her body shifted once again into a transparent dragon, flying through the sky at an unimagiable speed. ^I grant life and take it away, forcing the very essence of it to bend to my will. I''m all creatures, and not any of them at the same time, the perfect lifeform.^ Chapter 649 In Sena’s Office, A Guest From The Hells

Chapter 649 In Sena''s Office, A Guest From The Hells

Senanded straight at the door of the roofs of the forest. With one hand, she opened the front door and walked in. "I''m back," "Master Sena!" A woman rushed toward the door, "Where have you been," "Taking care of some personal matters, didn''t I leave you a letter?" Sena stared at her. "Letter? Where did you leave it?" The girl tilted her head. "Selica, it''s in my... office..." Sena sighed, "And I have the keys, sorry," "Please remember to leave it somewhere else. This isn''t the first time," Selica pouted, staring at her, slightly annoyed, "Don''t me me for this," She pointed back at a massive stack of papers. "What in the..." Sena walked toward the table and looked at the papers, "Damage funds? What damage? Did an earthquake hit Alina or something?" She scratched her head. "Listen! Somerge scary monsters crawled out of the ground and wreaked havoc. They eventually disappeared, but not before they dug massive holes in the ground. Some caused houses that we sold under warranty to copse," Selica waved her hands, trying to show how big the monsters were. She then approached Sena, whispering in her ear, "Apparently they wrecked the garden and side wall of that adventurer Arad. I personally checked and made arrangements with his wife Mira outside the protocol," She gave her a thumb up, "She looked against it, but we can''t let someone like him find his house destroyed and get angry at us," "I see," Sena stared at the papers, "I''ll be in my office to review the papers, bring me a cup of tea or anything to drink," "Make a decision," Selica stared at her, confused. "Anything to sip on while working that isn''t water," Sena stared at her. "Vinegar or beer?" "Another joke and I''ll hang you on the tree in the garden." Sena red back at her, and Selica ran toward the kitchen, "She''s angry!" Seeing Selica run away, Sena sighed, walked toward her office, and opened the door by transforming her finger into a bone key. "Probably shouldn''t press her too much about it. This ce is undamaged after all," She sat on her chair andid the stack of papers ahead of her. The paper on top of the stack wasbeled [Lisworth''s Garden] "As if!" She lifted the paper up, "What do you want?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Is that a way to speak to your dad?" The words on the paper formed a face, "I just wanted to check on you," "Check on what? You could''ve at least prevented the attack on Alina," She growled. "I''m too old to do it, and isn''t good to have the young ones take care of it?" Cainughed. "Do you know how much damage that caused? I''m looking for a mountain of gold worth," Sena tapped the stack of papers. "Pay it in god is far better than people''s lives" Cain smiled, "You left the city unprotected even though it had things you consider valuable. Selica could only protect your office, but what about the streets? The city, the people you hold dear? You left those unprotected." "You are here! And Aunt Jemima as well," Sena red at the paper, "Even Aunty Lily, and don''t tell me Grandma Zaleria or Morena aren''t close by," "Morena and Zaleria are in the back room ying chess, and I''m now drinking tea with my father," He giggled. "Grandpa Chad is here as well? Then why did you let the attack happen?" She growled. The face on the paper twisted and changed, "Sena," Chad spoke, "You''re a grown woman, deal with your problems on your own, learn to take responsibility," Sena stared at the paper silently, "Next time, don''t forget to leave defenses. Cain is trying to teach you and that brat Arad how to think well," "You''re right..." Sena looked down, "Sorry, I''ll do better next time." "That''s good," Chad nodded, "But we did make sure no one died," He smiled, "Suffering mary losses can be endured with ease, especially for someone like you. But lost lives won''t return. You know that better than anyone, except Gracie." "Us being able to control life doesn''t mean we understand the worth of life better. We might even see it less than others," Sena mumbled. "Words are but a means to exchange meaning. As long as you understand what I mean, it doesn''t matter if the sentence itself is correct or not." Chad replied. The paper shifted back to Cain, "Sena, Arad is the same as you. This world is cruel, and we don''t want him to end up making a mistake that he can''t fix." "Is why you let him get caught by the dream walkers? Just so he can see everyone get killed?" She gasped. "Yes. A dragon''s biggest fear is losing their loved one. That is the true reason they seek strong partners. Schrs might say it''s so their children get born strong, and make the draconic race stronger, pushing selective evolution toward strength and nothing else, but I''ll tell you all of that is a load of crap. Dragons are greedy, narcissistic, self-centered prideful, and haughty elemental lizards with wings. They don''t care about their race or anything else, but if a dragon is to love another dragon and take them as a partner, that partner better be strong enough not to get killed while the other partner is out." "If we didn''t get to him, he would have kept rampaging until either he died or killed all of the dream walkers in the world," Sena mumbled. "Sofia, the second Tiamat. Alice, The queen of hell Asmodeus. Selena, the god eater Maharaja. Gracie, The death. All of them suffered what happened to Arad, but in their case, it was a reality and not a dream." Cain sighed, "I don''t want Arad to end up like them," "He won''t destroy the world with you around," Sena red at the paper. "I''m an observer of his growth, nothing more so don''t rely on me and instead make sure both you and Arad are up to par and face the world with caution. If he were to destroy the world and kill everyone, I''ll not stop him." He stated. "Arad isn''t a monster, he won''t destroy the world even if he could," Sena red back at the paper. "Don''t test a dragon''s patience. For me, at least, the metallic dragons endeavor is a pipe dream, and the chromatics view on the world is closer to truth." Click! The office''s door opened, and Selica walked in with a teapot and two sses. "We have a guest?" Sena stared at her, "Or is that for you?" "I would''ve wished it was for me, but we do indeed have a guest," She put the teapot and cups on the table and turned toward the wall. A zing portal emerged, and from it, a devil in a suit walked out, "Landlord,dy, and mistress of the living and alive. Barony Alony, a humble devil of the secondyer of hell, at your service." He bowed gently, waving his hand. "What would a devil want from me?" Sena red at him, "I''m sure I said I''ll kill any one of you thates here after thatst fool," Alony shook his hands, "Not a bit! I''m not here for trouble at all. I''m only to deliver this," He pulled a scroll and handed it to Selica, who passed it to Sena. "This is a contract," She scratched her head, "So you''re here to collect a debt, by from who?" "Sadly, my client is already dead," The devil shook his head. "I can''t bring them to life if that''s what you''re after," She then stared at the contract, "But since the contract didn''t burn, I guess you can still collect it?" "My client did ount for her own death and made it possible for me to collect the payment from her daughter. The two signed the contract eighteen years ago," The devil smiled, "It''s but a small payment, and I only ask the contract to be delivered to her so she can be notified to pay in the urgent future." "I can read the contract?" "Do as you wish," Sena opened the scroll and gasped, "Roberta?!" "Yes," The devil nodded. "But, how could she...AWW!" Sena growled, scratching her head as she realized, "She''s twenty-one years old. That means she was only three years old when her mother made her sign the contract. And I don''t have the right to burn this thing..." "Worry not,dy Sena." The devil lifted one finger, stating with enthusiasm and arge smile, "I do not seek money, servitude, or her soul. I''m not such a pathetic fool." CLACK! He took a step forward, standing with his arm raised up and he then slowly lowered it, pointing at the wall, "I only seek her mother''s goal! Isdis Lior Ruris, and Roberta''s father, my client''s husband. Their heads on the ground must roll." "Their souls, in the wastnd of the abyss, must stroll. Fed on by the demons, they must be their stool." The devil smiled, flicking his fingers and a fiery portal appeared behind him. "Leave that copy to thedy, I shall be in my house in the hells, waiting for my payment to roll, or else, it''s all for the ghouls," He moonwalked backward into the portal. "Can''t you kill the bastard?" Selica stared at Sena. "He''ll revive in hell, and if I did that or destroyed the contract, Roberta''s soul would be bound to that devil forever. All because she signed the contract," She grabbed her head, "I wonder if my father can do something about this...no he''s the one who made the rule about not messing with devils'' contracts in the first ce..." Chapter 650 Selica and Explosions

Chapter 650 Selica and Explosions

"Now that''s a problem," Selica stared at the contract in Sena''s hand, "Cosmically obliged to deliver this to her." Sena sighed, "It''ll take me a while to figure a way out of this thing," "What do you suggest?" Selica approached and sat on the chair facing Sena''s desk, pouring tea for the both of them. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I''ll call her and show her the contract," Sena replied, taking a sip. ^She brewed it with holy water?! A prank may be, but it''s enough to tell the devil he isn''t wee here.^ "Then what? You keep it?" Selica looked at the contract, reading it. "I''ll need to give it several deep reads and try and figure some loopholes. At least from one nce, I see none." She shook her head, "We''re in a pickle here," "I suspect killing the devil is out of the question, and so is burning the contract," Selica gave the contract back to Sena, "We have to y with the rules this time." "We can y by the rules, but I''m worried about what Arad would do if he knew about the contract," Sena put the contract aside and started reading the other papers and signing them to finish her work. "Arad is scary," Selica said, wiggling in ce. "You know what he is, so can you stop acting?" Sena stared at her, "He won''t harm you or us," "I mean, I''m a mere pebble half eaten by a slime''s slime," Selica replied, lifting her hands with a confused face, "I''ll die if he just sneezed at me," Sena stared at her, "You''re right, but if you thought that, what normal people should think? Last I checked, one punch from you and they''ll die in an explosion," Selica licked her arm from the elbow to the tip of her fingers, her spit turning into green slime as she clenched her fists. "You made me like this. If you had just washed me down by the river before turning me into a human," "I wanted a guard maid that could handle humans well, not a powerful monster of destruction," Sena smiled, swirling the tea in her cup. "I don''t know whether to call you a benevolent mistress for granting me life or a cruel one for making me like this. But back to the contract, what should we do?" "Go and call Roberta. I''ll think of something in the meantime," Selica stood with a smile, the green slime on her arm crackling with tiny explosions as it burned into ash, getting washed by the wind. "I''ll be back soon," "Don''t explode it here. It leaves dust everywhere," Sena sighed. "I''m the one cleaning, so it doesn''t matter," Selica turned to leave. "Have your weapons?" Sena said, looking at Selica''s back. "I have them with me," Selica replied, "You worry a lot about me," "You aren''t that much stronger than an average to a high-rank adventurer. It only takes a few people ganging up on you to lose," "Fair enough," Selica smiled, "I''m more of a servant than a fighter," She walked out of the office and headed to the changing room, taking her work uniform out and wearing a casual, ankle-length, brown tunic belted at the waist. She tied her hair into a ball and covered it with a long scarf that she wrapped around her neck to ward off the winter''s cold, finishing her outfit with arge hide cloak and a pair of knee-high leather boots. She left the office and locked the door after herself, taking one step after another in the freezing winter, heading down toward Alina, which was just down the hill. "Where are ya going!" An old man shoveling the snow off his house''s entrance waved his hand to her, "It''s cold for you, isn''t it?" "I have some things to take care of. It''s you who should be inside. You''re too old to work like that," Selica replied, waving her hand back to him. "Gotta keep moving those old bones, lest they crumble," The old man tapped his back and went back to shoveling the snow as Selica made her way to the city gate. The guards saw her approaching and recognized her immediately, opening the gate without her even asking. "Thank you!" She waved her hand to them as she saw the gate open. "It''s cold. We won''t let you wait in the snow." A guard replied with a smile, warming his hands on a torch hanged to the walls. Selica walked into the city, not finding a single trace of the snow or cold. Merlin''s heater was already working and doing its job, warming the whole ce and warding off the cold. Selica took her cap off and removed the scarf off her hair, only wrapping it around her neck as she took a deep breath, "This heater almost became a disaster, but who cares if it''s working perfectly now?" She smiled, strolling through the streets as she approached Roberta''s shop. "Who said that?" She heard a man scream and sighed, "No again," She looked, seeing Roberta standing in front of her shop, facing a bunch of thugs. "Why does it have to happen this often?" She approached with a tired face. "Roberta, you alone today?" Selica asked, and all the thugs turned toward her. "Selica? Father got a cold, and those idiots are taking the chance to start troubles!" Roberta shouted, "Call the guards!" Selica pushed her hand into her tunic''s cleavage, pulling a double-barrel musket. Just like Merlin, she had a storage spell inscribed right in front of her heart, between her breasts as a magic circle. "Where did you pull that?" One of the thugs giggled, "Think that weird musket would stop us?" They surrounded her, "You look like a nice..." One of them approached, looking closer at her face. Tuf! Selica spat on his face, causing him to recoil back, "You b..." The spit on his face turned green, crackling before bursting into a fiery explosion, sending him rolling back. Selica pointed the musket at him. BANG! BAMG! She emptied the two barrels on his back end, burning a hole in his clothes and leaving him smoking, unconscious. "Don''t worry, they are false shells. They''ll burn and break bones, but you won''t die," She opened the musket like a double-barrel shotgun, spitting inside the shell champer to fuel it, then closed it back. "This woman!" The other thugs pulled their swords and crossbows, "You won''t get away with it," "Too much, but I''ll manage the cleaning," Selica stared around at them, her eyes glowing red. "Ah! Selica!" Mira walked around the corner, waving her hand, "What''s going on here?" She looked around, seeing about twenty thugs there. "Bring the hammer," Selica smiled, "Care to help?" "Can''t be helped," Mira pulled a sledgehammer from her pocket, "This''ll hurt," The hammer crackled with an electric spart. Mira already upgraded her lighting hammer to be morepact. Chapter 651 Don’t Mess With The Ladies

Chapter 651 Don''t Mess With The Ladies

"Wait! Is that Arad''s wife?" One of the thugs gasped, "That her, Mira!" Two pointed their crossbows at her, "What brought you here? We have no business with you." Mira rushed forward, bending down and slipping beneath their crossbow bolts. One of the thugs swung his sword at her, but she blocked it with the hammer''s shaft. "Sorry, girl. Youck strength," The thug smiled, pushing her back. "No, youck teeth," She smiled, a nail firing from the hammerhead and piercing the thug''s chin, shattering his lower jaw and dropping several of his teeth down. "I came to order leather for some couches that I''m working on," Mira red at them, lightning crackling from her hammer, "What are the guards doing? How could the likes of you still be crawling the city in daylight?" The thugs growled, lunging at her with their swords, "Arad is dead, or at best crippled for life. He didn''t show up in days!" BAM! Selica sted one of them in the back with one shell, dropping him down. The thugs turned toward her, "You! We''re talking here!" "No," She said. BANG! She shot her second shell at the jewels of the thug who talked, sending him crying on the ground with his pants on fire, "It''s burning!" He cried. "Arad or Geralt not being here doesn''t give you the right to do what you want," Selica red at them with a disgusted face, her eyes glowing red, "You be thugs since you failed at even being adventurers. You can''t fight." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om In this world, those who don''t take a craft or a regr job end up in one of two ces, either adventurers who rely on their power to hunt monsters and make a living, or a soldier serving the kingdom. It''s generally known that strong people be adventurers as that makes more money, and gives them less responsibility to worry about. The weaker ones end up joining the military, training as soldiers to serve as knights and guards, but those are still the people who couldn''t face monsters head-on. On the other hand, the weak cowards who didn''t fit for adventuring, and didn''t make it into the army as well as refused to take a normal job or a craft to support themselves ended up escaping to the mountains, banding together to rob traveling merchants for easy money. Some of them do end up finding power and a purpose in life, bing bandit lords and powerful criminals to be feared. "Rats like youing after a small shop in daylight to threaten them for money are the lowest of the lowest. Those who swarm like bugs always end up squashed like them," Selica red at them. One of the bandits growled, standing up, "So you want a fair fight? Be my guest," He clenched his fist, walking forward and signaling to the others to stand back. ^Her spit seems like an explosive slime, probably a sorcerer''s ability, but seems fairly limited from what we''ve seen. And since she hasn''t reloaded yet, all I need to do is smack her before she does that.^ Selica stared at him with a smug, mocking re, "Really? Come and try," She giggled. Two veins bulged on the bandit''s forehead, he growled, jumping forward with a clenched fist. Selica dropped her musket, and the bandit gasped mid-attack, appalled at her action, but he didn''t slow down, his fist elerating toward her face. CRACK! His fist smacked into her face, but he could feel a sharp pain rushing through his wrist as he saw Selica''s face being a dark shade of purple with her eyes glowing red. "Broke your fist?" Selica spat right into his fist, covering it in her explosive spit. The bandit stepped back, crying and holding his broken fist, desperately trying to get the spit off it before it exploded, but ended up spreading it into his other hand as well. BAM! The bandit''s fists exploded, shattering his fingers into pieces as he rolled on the ground in pain. Selica rolled up her sleeves, her forearms and fists turning purple as she licked them, covering them in her explosive spit. "Wait!" He cried, but Selica didn''t listen, jumping forward and swinging her fists. A right hook to the chin exploded his cheek, and the second uppercut to the liver dropped him down with a ck charred mark on his side. "Run!" The other bandits turned to run away, but Mira smacked her hammer in their way, "Where do you think you''re going? The guards areing to give you a nice room in jail," "Get out of the way!" They lunged forward, swinging their swords at her. Mira swung her hammer sideways, aiming to smack their swords out of the way. CLACK! A hand blocked her hammer while another blocked the swords. Between them, a tall white-haired man stood with a smile. "Don''t get into fights. Arad would get angry," Gojo stared at her, letting go of her hammer, "They have crossbows. You can''t block bolts with a heavy hammer," He pointed back with his thumb. "This white hair!" One of the bandits gasped. "Hello there," Gojo turned toward the bandits, "Good day to you," "It''s him!" They jumped back, shivering, "The ice wizard! Gojo!" Gojo stepped forward, walking between the thugs without a care in the world, and picked up Selica''s musket, "Lady, you dropped this," He handed it to her. "You only showed up when Mira was attacked," Selica took the musket, staring at him with a suspicious eye. "I mean, she''s Arad''s wife. You aren''t," Gojo looked back toward Roberta who stood in front of her shop''s door, "But I came here to buy some stuff," His eyes quickly shifted back toward the thugs, "You''re still holding your weapons?" He shook his head, "That isn''t wise, do you know?" He stepped forward, and they stepped back, "Want me to throw you naked in the frozen north to be eaten by bears? I''ll do that, I swear." He lifted his hands, wiggling his fingers as if casting a spell with a smirk. "Huff and puff, and you''re bear food," The thugs turned away to run, but they immediately froze in ce, "Wait there till the guardse. I hope you won''t die to the cold," He smiled, turning toward Roberta, "I was looking for this ck silk cloth. Do you have it?" He walked forward, pulling a ripped piece of cloth and showing it to Roberta. "No, but I can order it for you," Roberta took the cloth of his hand. "Please do. I''ll buy arge amount, like five or six rolls." "That''ll be expensive," "Added another five or six rolls that are golden, silver, blue, and white," He smiled. "That''s like thirty rolls?" "I can pay. Needs them to make clothes and scroll covers," He pulled a bag of gold, "Buy and call me when they arrive. Just say Gojo, and I''ll show up," "Fine..." Gojo disappeared right in front of her eyes. Chapter 652 Did He Only Mention Names?

Chapter 652 Did He Only Mention Names?

"So..." Roberta looked toward Selica and Mira as the guards dragged the frozen thugs onrge nks of wood drawn by horses. "Needed to buy anything?" Selica looked toward Mira, "Deal with her first. I''m here on a more. Official matter," She pointed with her head. "Don''t tell me there is a problem with the shop?" Roberta gasped. She had bought the shop from Sena and had been using it for a while. But it wasn''t that long, and troubles could have still arisen if nobles interfered with the dead under the table. "Nothing like that," Selica looked toward Mira, "We''ll talk inside. So get her order done first. Our conversation might take a bit of time." She smiled, "You don''t want us to keep you waiting, do you?" Mira stared at her, "You sound like you don''t want me here," "To be blunt, that''s right." Selica said with a straight face, "What I need to talk with Roberta about is something private. Since I don''t know if she''s okay with sharing it with others, I''ll only talk about it with her." "I see," Mira sighed, waving her hand and pulling out a paper, "The order and measurements, I''ll take it if it''s a bit bigger, but not smaller," Roberta looked at the paper, "I see, I''ll get it in line. Should I send it to Madam L''s shop? Or to Arad''s house?" "Send it to my shop in Arad''s vige." Mira turned to leave. "Wait a bit," Roberta called her and then looked toward Selica, "Is it bad or good news?" "Bad news," Selica replied with a straight face. "From one to ten, how bad is it?" Selica started thinking, scratching her chin with a worried face, "Depending on what I know and feel, I''ll have to say it''s you''re fucked out of ten," She growled. ^It''ll be a ten if it''s a mortal problem, and now that''s a devil involved, it''s only right it''s gone off the chart.^ "That bad?" Roberta gasped, "Mira, can you stay? I don''t feel like I could take the news on my own," "Of course, if you don''t mind," Mira smiled, "We can get Arad to help once he wakes up. If it''s someone targeting you, I''m sure he can beat them senseless." Selica stared at Mira, "I doubt even Arad..." She paused for a second. ^No, I can imagine that muscle mountain dancing topless into the devil''s mansion and pping him.^ "... could help..." "Let''s hear what it is and then decide," Mira smiled, walking into the shop, "The sooner you pluck that tooth out, the sooner it''ll stop hurting," "You''re right," Roberta smiled as she walked behind Mira, and Selica followed her. The three of them sat inside the shop, and Roberta closed the door, lighting some candles as they sat around a table. "So, what is it?" Mira looked toward Selica. "To start, I don''t have all the details at hand. For those, you must head to Sena''s office and read on your own," Selica stated, "Get ready, and don''t panic," "It''s this bad?" Roberta stared at her, worried. "A devil has you chained in a contract," Selica said with a serious face, "He demands your father''s and Princess Isdis''s lives." The two stared at her, puzzled for a second, "Wait? A devil?" Mira gasped. "Are you joking?" "Sadly, I''m not, and you know I''m not good at joking," Selica said, "I''m as cold as a stone, or should I say a pebble," "A devil once tried to force Arad into a contract, and he managed to beat him, with help, yes, but he was weaker at the time." Mira smiled, "Let''s wait for him to wake and ask him to go teach that devil a lesson," "I can''t stress this hard enough," Selica stared at them, "The difference between fighting a devil without being in a contract. Or while being in one is stupidly massive." "We must y by the rules," Roberta mumbled, "Is it what I think it is?" "Your mother made you sign that contract eighteen years ago when you were a little girl. I don''t know why. But the devil showed up today to deliver a copy of the contract." Selica looked at Roberta, "The situation is bad," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Roberta started scratching her head, looking at the table. Mira shifted her eyes between the two, sitting straight, "Did the contract ask for Isdis and Roberta''s father by name?" "Yes," Selica replied, "There is no mistaking that." "Did it specify anything else? Like humans, born at a certain date, or I don''t know? Or have certain marks?" Mira tapped her finger on the table. "I don''t fully remember, but I don''t think it did. It mentioned their full name, and what the terms are..." "Well then, it''s simple," Mira looked around, her eyes stopping at the burning candle lighting the table. With a gentle move, she lifted it, getting it closer to her lips. And with one blow, the me vanished only leaving faint white smoke. "Isdis''s life snuffed out," Mira smiled, grabbing the candle with her second hand and breaking it in half, "And her body severed into two parts." Selica and Roberta stared at the candle. Mira smiled, "If he didn''t specify what they are exactly, this candle is Isdis for all we care. If someone contracted me to make a house and they were skimping on the materials expecting me to pay for them out of my pocket, they''ll get a house as per the contract. It''ll be a dog house instead of a human one, but they didn''t specify what, so they get their material''s worth," "We need to read the fine print before," Selica scratched her chin, "But this might actually work. Only delivering what he asked." She giggled. "I''ll keep my hopes down," Roberta sighed, "It doesn''t feel real," "Worry not," Mira smiled, "This is only my idea. I bet everyone else has their own say in how to outsmart a contract. Even if my idea doesn''t work, I''ll bet Doma or Zephyr would have something to say," "Wind Spirit Zephyr?" Selica nodded, "You might be right, such an ancient and wise being. I''m sure she has dealt with a devil at least once," "You''re right," Roberta smiled. Mira stared at them, remembering Zephyr dancing at the wedding on a table, drenched in dwarven fire wine, drunker than anyone she ever saw, shaking her thin hips from left to right, chanting, ^Ay! Ay! Ay!^ With a stupid face. ^Not a single drop of wisdom in that,^ Mira sighed, "But, we have two people we could ask for help. Abel and Sara, I''m sure those two would have a lot to say," Chapter 653 Devil’s Dilemma

Chapter 653 Devil''s Dilemma

Abel sat on a chair, thinking with his chin on his hands. His eyes stared directly at Mira, Selica, and Roberta, who sat facing him. In the background, you could hear a woman moaning as they were in the elephant''s trunk guest room. "A devil''s contract," He mumbled, "For all I know, those are absolute," He looked at them, "Me and Sara live here in Alina. We don''t have any notable rank. And even if we had a high rank. It''s impossible to void a contract. They were made so they can''t be broken by either the devil or the humanoids." "Don''t you have any idea how to get out of it?" Selica stared at him, "You must know something, seeing as those two trust you," "You can try negotiating with the devil and see if you can agree to change the terms. The content of a contract can always be modified if the two parties agree," Abel leaned back on his chair, looking at the ceiling, "This is a shitty mud pit to get stuck in. People might think that at least it can be solved by words and negotiations it''s more essible and easier to navigate. But that couldn''t be more wrong." He looked toward Roberta, "It''s a hundred times easier to solve problems like this with blood than to be stuck with a contract. But s, we can''t kill our way out of this," "You talk about killing as if it''s a simple thing," Roberta looked at him, confused at his words. "Can''t we just have a pdin smite him?" "If it was that easy, no one would consider the devil''s contract a danger. The moment an essible solution to a problem emerges, that problem is no longer problematic. It bes a mere task." He lifted his hand, waving it and conjuring a small locked box, "If all people could open this lock, I wouldn''t bother locking it in the first ce as that would be meaningless." CLICK! The main door opened, and Sara walked in, looking around and hearing the customers moaning in the back, "Abel, didn''t I tell you to make the walls thicker?" "I did. The girls are just loud." Abel replied, but almost immediately they heard a man''s moan, "And Jeffrey, he''s loud as well," Abel sighed, smacking the wall with his fist, "I''ll throw you out naked! Keep it down!" Sara walked toward the girls and smiled, "Sorry for meeting you in such a ce," She smiled, sitting down beside Roberta, "I was told you have a problem that I and brother might be able to help with," "A devil''s contract," Abel said. Sara looked toward Roberta, "You signed a devil''s contract?!" "Mom made me do it when I was a little girl, but she''s dead now," Roberta looked down. Mira grunted, "Isn''t it unfair for a devil to ept a contract signed by a child?" "Roberta''s mother is to me here and not the devil," Sara looked at them. "Devils aren''t upheld by human morals. They only care that you signed it. You can be a fetus for all they care. The me is on Roberta''s mother, making her own daughter sign a deal with the devil," "It''s already done," Selica looked at Sara, "Let''s leave it in the past and think of a way to get out of the contract," "There is a simple way," Sara looked at them with a serious face, "But it''s risky," Everyone stared at her, even Abel gasped, "You don''t mean that!" Sara nodded, "Swim with the flow. Let the devil win and enve Roberta. And then go save her from his house in the hells," "Devils are immortal in hell, and let''s not forget the immense power they hold and the suffering of hell. No mortal could survive there without having their entire existence be a constant searing agony." Abel tapped the table, "Beating the devil in his own house is out of the question," "It''s the clearest path," Sara looked at her brother, "We need to put all options on the table," "If you killed a devil in hell, he''ll revive at the spot. They also gain a massive power boost from being inside their house due to enchantments, the overflow of cursed mana, and their own magic and minions. And on top of all of that, they are the jailers of the sinners. You''ll be weak to their attacks if you''re trying tomit the sin of stealing in front of them, and that if you were a holy priest-monk of goodness before." Abel exined. "What about Arad?" Sara smiled. "He is...wait, a dragon," Abel smiled, "They don''t steal..." He giggled, "This might work, but is he strong enough to beat that devil? We don''t know how that thing is strong, do we?" "Sena might know how strong that devil is," "Wait," Mira stared at them, "If Arad is trying to steal Roberta back from the devil, he''s stealing." "For dragons, wealth is for those strong enough to take it. To them, it''s not a crime to steal, as long as they beat you and prove they are the strongest." Sena smiled, "He''ll be fine on that side, as long as he didn''tmit any crimes before." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Does killing a red dragon that came to kill a red wyrmling count?" Mira looked at her. "No, he was protecting a wyrmling," "I''m sure he hunted a young dragon when he was a wyrmling," Mira added. "That might count as murder if he initiated the fight. If Arad got counted as a sinner in hell, the devil would have an advantage over him," Sara scratched her head, "We need an expert''s opinion," "Killing humans doesn''t count?" Roberta looked at Mira, "I''m sure it''s best if we leave Arad out of this, I don''t want him to end up harmed in hell because of me," "Humans don''t count as far as I know," Sara shook her head, "Humanoids are like ants to dragons. A man won''t be judged by the count of ants he killed, Although metallic dragons are fighting to make that count, and they do get judged for killing humans in hell." "The reality," Abel looked a them, "We''re a bunch of ignorant children discussing the cosmicws of the hells. We probably shouldn''t put a n without finding an actual expert, someone that lived in the hells." "Do you suggest we summon a devil?" Sara stared at him. "I suggest you pray at least once to Asmodeus and see if she responds. You''re a priestess of her, right?" Abel looked at Sara. "Do you know you''re talking about that Asmodeus? The queen of hell herself? To her, contracts are the most sacred. Asking me to talk her into voiding one is like asking god to burn his own scriptures. I''ll end up cursed, and she might drag us all down," Sara stared at her brother. "Come on," He waved his hand, "What I''ve heard about her, she''s quite chill." "How many Asmodeus there are?" Sara stared at him. "One," "You know nothing, so let me handle this," Sara sighed, "There are two Asmodeus, they are twins. One is merciful and the other is vengeful, calling upon them would bring us more harm than help," Chapter 654 The Devil’s True Goal

Chapter 654 The Devil''s True Goal

"Talking like this won''t get us anywhere near any solution," Selica sighed, "Let''s head to Sena''s office for Roberta to see the contract and read it," "I''ll go check on how Arad''s egg is doing," Mira stood, "I''m sure we''ll need his help with this," "Can he really beat a devil?" Abel stared at them, "I know Arad is powerful, but this isn''t a problem that could be solved with raw strength," Mira smiled, "Arad is probably the smartest of us when ites to understanding an opponent and adapting to him. I''m sure he''ll figure a way to win," **** "HAHAHAHA!" The devilughed in his house, sitting on a chair and staring at the mortal world through a scrying crystal, "They are thinking of a way to void the contract. Fools, aren''t they?" He looked back at a bowing woman, chains dangling from her neck and limbs. "You''re the fool," The woman smiled, "Do you think you can beat my Roberta?" The devil smirked, lifted his hand, and pulled the woman by her neck chain, "For a woman that forced her daughter to sign a devil contract, you''re awfully trusting of her ability," "I might be a lost cause. But Roberta isn''t," Robera''s mother red at the devil. "Cry as much as you like," The devil pushed her away, "Soon, I''ll have her soul and eyes, and at that moment, all devils shall bow to me infinite wisdom." "Infinite wisdom, you say," The mother giggled as two horned devils dragged her back to her cell. "She''s the one toughst," "If she doesn''t know, she''ll never get out of this," The devil stared at her getting dragged away, "Soon, you''ll be of no use and get thrown into the worm''s pit," As the mother got dragged away, the devil stared back into the crystal, looking directly toward Roberta''s glowing golden eyes, "Those shall be mine. They''re too good for a mortal to have," He waved his hands, "I''ll away your arrival," The crystal went ck as he turned it off. **** Roberta stood with Selica and Sara, "We''ll go to Mistress Sena," Selica said, "You go and check on Arad. We might end up needing his power," "And ask Zephyr for her opinion. We can''t ignore the wisdom of an ancient spirit like her," Sara added, "She could know more than anyone else," "Got it," Mira nodded, walking out and rushing toward Arad''s house. Abel stood and looked at his sister, "I''ll get one to hold the shop and then go do some research," "Mother''s library," Sena stared at him. "I know you don''t like getting in there, so I''ll go and check it," Abel smiled. "Thank you," "Don''t mind it," Abel waved his hand as he walked into the back rooms of the shop. "Juliana! Where are you?" "Master Abel?" "Come here and hold the shop for me!" They could hear him yell as they left. **** As the girls walked out of the city''s gate, they saw a stream of steam approaching from the forest. Upon a closer look, it was Merlin and Amber walking with a massive burned snake dragged behind them on a magic tform. The heat rushing out of Amber''s body melted the snow. Sara blinked, "Merlin! Do you have a moment?" "I always have time for 30% of my research budget," Merlin smiled, approaching them. Merlin got the funds for her research from several sources. For example, the heater''s funds were collected from the people of the city. They got informed that Merlin was working on a device to heat the entire city through the window and that she needed a stupid amount of money for testing and magicponents, so the people made a donation box and filled it with money for her. Albeit, that wasn''t enough, so she had to do some quests to supplement the remaining amounts. The lord asionally funds her research, and he contributes a lot, but when Merlin wants to try something questionable, he always says no. This usually is for research on things like different alchemical drugs, magic items with strange properties, or outright inhuman objects like pain droplets. But, It only happened that Sena usually funds those things for her as they sell well in the ck market. She''s the one who funded the research on the healing potion that turned Alcott into a woman for a month. "You see me as funds?" Sara sighed, "We need your help with something, and it''s urgent," Merlin looked at them, "Roberta and Selica are here. I did sense a devil''s presence around Sena''s office earlier. Is this about that?" "You know?" Selica stared at Merlin, "Mistress Sena put a barrier, didn''t she?" "I did make you a small heater for your office, didn''t I?" Merlin smiled, and Selica growled, "You installed spying devices there?!" "Who knows?" Merlin looked away, "It''s not like I''m spying on everyone," "You ug of humans," Selica sighed, "But, since you already knew...Let''s head to the office," Amber looked at them, "What is this about?" "It''ll be a long story," Merlin looked at Amber and then turned toward Roberta, "Don''t worry, I might be able to catch the bastard and cage him," **** Inside Sena''s office, everyone sat around a table with tea already poured, "You''ve been spying on me?" Sena red at Merlin. "No..." Merlin looked away, "But let''s focus on the devil," She changed the subject, her eyes shifting toward Roberta with a grin, "What do you have that he wants?" "What?" Roberta gasped. "Unlike popr belief, devils aren''t unreasonable. Give them what they want, and you''ll get what you want," Merlin''s eyes looked closely at Roberta, "If we gave him what he wants from you, I''m certain he''ll leave you alone." "He wants Isdis and father''s lives," Roberta pointed at the contract that Sena pulled. "A devil''s goal is always the target failing the contract. From that, I can assume he wants you, not those two." She pointed at her, "We need to figure out what he wants," She waved her hand, leaving a trail of magic. "Giving a devil what he wants is a bad idea," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Probably, but a good one for Roberta''s safety," Merlin replied. "Do you have any magic items that you''re attuned to?" "No," Roberta shook her head. "Then follow me to the backroom," Merlin stood, "I''ll use some spells to inspect your body for anomalies. You might have something inside you that he wants," "Inspect?!" Roberta gasped. "It''s just a spell. It''ll interfere with my spyware here," Merlin whispered to her. "I heard that!" Sena growled. **** "I want those eyes of hers," The devil giggled, "But they are attuned to her soul. You can''t separate them from her by normal means," Chapter 655 Telling Aella

Chapter 655 Telling Ae

"Nothing strange," Merlin sighed, looking at Roberta with one eye closed and the other one glowing blue, "Except your eyes that can detect lies, but that is amon and easily attained spell," Roberta gasped, "Wait? Finished the inspecting?" She looked around, "I didn''t even take my jacket yet," "Who said you need to take it off?" Merlin blinked to stop her spell, staring at Roberta with a confused face, "Clothes won''t block inspection magic unless they were magically enchanted. But I guess you aren''t a make, so you don''t know that," N?v(el)B\\jnn "It''s true that I can know when people are lying to my face," Roberta approached Merlin, "You sure that isn''t what the devil is after?" "I''m certain if he wanted that, he could cast a spell and get it," Merlin shook her head. "It''s somon that most guards have several mages ready to cast it when interrogating criminals." "I''m not casting a spell," "Even if it''s an inborn ability, it won''t be that important since anyone can get it if they don''t have it," From between her chest, Merlin pulled a small book and showed it to Roberta. "See? This fits in the palm of your hand and it''s only priced at several silver coins at best. Anyone can learn the detect lie spell and casting for little mana, as low as ten if they are talented." Merlin exined, closing her eyes and opening them again, [Detect Lie] She could see under Roberta''s skin, sensing the blood flowing in her veins. When the pressure changes a certain way, the spells signals a lie. Roberta blinked, her eyes glowing golden. She could see Merlin''s body engulfed in a blue haze, burning like fire as she smiled. "You can have that tome for free, learn the spell, and test it," Merlin said with a smile. In Roberta''s eyes, the aura around Merlin shifted, burning brighter as sparks of red flew from her skin to the edges like crackling mes. "Nothing is ever given for free," Roberta sighed, "I can take this time for free now, yes. But you''llter ask for a favor if you needed." "Isn''t that why people are for? I scratch your back and you scratch mine," Merlin smiled, "We help each other," The two walked out of the room, smiling. **** "Ae!" Mira opened the front door, walked into the living room, and called for Ae, who looked out of the kitchen door with a pinched nose and long gloves and goggles, "What? I''m busy here," Mira looked past Ae, "What are you..." She saw a halfmb carcassid on the counter, "Oh, cutting meat," "It''s horrid, the stench stings in the back of my nose," Ae sighed, "So, what did you need me for?" "I actually needed to talk with Zephyr, it''s about Roberta," Mira took her shoe and thick jacked, walking into the kitchen. "Don''t tell me something bad happened to her?" "Didn''t happen yet, but might happen soon," Mira replied, "Long story short, she''s stuck in a contract with a devil and could lose her soul if she didn''t kill her father and Isdis," "Wait! What?" Ae gasped, "How did she end up in a contract with a devil? She isn''t that stupid to sign one," "Her mother made her sign it when she was a little girl," Mira grabbed themb''s carcass with her hand, cutting the leg with one swipe of a knife, causing Ae who struggled with it for an hour to gasp. "How could you do that?" Ae looked at the leg, "And how could her mother do that?" "I don''t know, and it doesn''t matter now. Where is Zephyr? I''m sure she can help or at least give advice," Mira replied, showing Ae where the joints of the leg were and how to cut through them. "She''s out hunting in the mountains," Ae replied, "Said she needs to bulk up in case d attacks," "Hunt? To think a fairy as small as her would need to go hunt for food like Arad does, he''s at least a massive dragon," Mira kept showing Ae how to cut themb as they talked. "She said that a creature''s food requirement raises as its power output rises. I''ve been sensing it for a while, Zephyr''s mana quality and level have been increasing rapidly since she started eating like that, as if she was starving before and only now she''s getting back into shape." Ae looked out the window. "How is Arad doing? Any change?" Mira looked back toward the basement''s stairs. "Nothing at all, the usually spikes in magic but nothing else," Ae replied, "Let''s cut this first and take it to the cold room and then check on him," The two cut the halfmb into pieces, packed it inrge steel bowels, and carried it down to the basement. "Open," Ae called. "Do! Do! I open!" A squicking voice came from behind the door, pulling it open. A tiny goblin bowed to them, "Wee,dies. Can I help you carry that?" "Thank you," Mira handed him her bowl as she rushed to the kitchen to grab another one, "There are more upstairs, take another send two to bring the rest to the cold room," Ae added with a smile. "As you wish," The goblin turned and shouted, soon, two more goblins came to carry the meat. Ae and Mira made their way to the cold room, arge empty space frozen into ice by Isdis''s magic. As Arad went into hibernation, they couldn''t rely on his stomach to store food anymore, so they are now using this room. Ae paused for a second, "Now that I''m thinking about it, it sounds wrong, doesn''t it"? She shivered. "What sounds wrong?" Mira looked at her, confused. "Arad stored the food in his stomach so it won''t spoil. Doesn''t that mean we''ve been eating his pu..?" She looked at her. "STOP RIGHT THERE! TAKE THAT OUT OF MY MIND NOW!" Mira cried, "It''s a storage magic! STORAGE MAGIC!" Ae giggled, "Sorry, can''t be helped now," "You..." Mira growled, "Fine, let''s go check on Arad," She sighed, trying to change the subject and wash the thought out of her head. The two walked deeper into the dungeon, eventually reaching the koboldsyer, "Ladies, did youe to check on our lord?" The kobold guard bowed. "How is he?" "Brimming with magic," The kobold giggled. Chapter 656 This is... ME!

Chapter 656 This is... ME!

Ae and Mira walked into the cavern where Arad''s egg was resting. They could see it on top of a mountain of gold, gems, and jewelry, pulsing with magic. The room keeps changing. Each time they walk in, new things grow, and the older ones growrger. BA-DUMP! They could hear the egg throbbing like a heart, emitting a faint purple glow as it discharged mana into the room thatter condensed as pure mana crystals on the walls, ceiling, and ground, dangling and protruding down like stctites and stgmites. Mira gasped, taking a step back. "Sorry, almost forgot," Ae waved her hand around her, engulfing her in a ball of wind magic, "Better?" "Yeah, thanks," Arad''s egg constantly absorbed air from the cavern, dropping the pressure and oxygen concentration a lot, and on top of that, the discharged mana fills the air and overwhelms anyone who isn''t used to it. For someone like Mira who isn''t attuned to any kind of magic, she feels like she''s standing on a mountain peak, thousands of feet in the air. On top of that, the concentrated mana overwhelms her and makes her feel like she hyperoxiginated. This cavern isn''t an environment that humans can survive in without the aid of magic. Mira blinked, "It hit faster today." "The mana in the air is a bit denser than before. It''s honestly getting to terrifying levels," Ae walked forward, and Mira slowly trailed behind her until they reached the start of Arad''s gold bed. "But isn''t it natural?" Mira said, looking at the gold and the egg, "This looks like those stories of great monsters. The egg would crack when we try to steal the gold, and we''ll face the powerful monster guarding the treasure." "Alcott said it feels like abyrinth level fifty boss room. And that was three days ago," Ae looked at Mira, "It''s probably more than double that now," "If Arad won against adult dragons and even managed to kill an abomination that most might not be able to handle," Mira stared at the egg, "What kind of power would hee up with," They could sense the mana in the room slowly rising, leaking out of the egg as heat, radiating with power and magic. "How is he doing?" Meryem walked into the room, looking at the walls as if to inspect the growing magic crystals. "Seems well," She smiled. "The magic is growing steadily, so we can guess he''s doing fine," Ae replied, "It reminds me of butterflies. They start asrvae then evolve in a cocoon to full gown adults," "Do you know what scares me?" Meryem approached them, "He''s only bing a juvenile. Would he even be able to live with us when reaching the higher stages? Or he''ll have to disappear from the world like other magic dragons?" "We don''t hear much about other magic dragons, but if Gojo is still around he''s a mature adult now. Arad would be with us for a while," Mira smiled. "Gojo is only two years old," Ae looked at her, "Arad might not be with us for more than three years before reaching a level where life like it is now can''t sustain him. Just looked at how much he eats now. I doubt the forest''s ecosystem could handle him," "He''ll probably start hunting in other ces," Mira looked at the egg, "But his magic discharge would be quite troublesome," Without Ae''s protection, just standing in this room could kill her. "Zephyr is back!" Ae smiled, "Let''s go see her," "You''re right," Mira looked at the egg, "Good night, Arad," The two left, leaving Meryem sitting there with the egg. She looked at the ceiling, "It''s been a few days. What are you doing in there?" She sighed, "Don''t make us wait," **** Upon walking out of the basement, Ae and Mira could see Zephyr asleep on the couch, scratching her bulged stomach. "She looks pregnant," Mira sighed. "Ate herself to sleep," Ae waved her hand, "Wake up," Zephyr opened her eyes, "What? I''m digesting food here," "Long story short, how do we void a devil contract?" Mira stared at her, and Zephyr blinked, "A devil? I sensed one of them earlier..." "Roberta is stuck in a contract," Ae looked at her, "Can you help?" "Depends on the contract and the devil we''re talking about," Zephyr replied, barely managing to sit. "But please keep in mind, I don''t have much authority in hell." "I know you can''t tell the devil to quit, but can''t you figure out a way to void the contract," Ae stared at her. "Contracts are give and take. What did he give for you to be held by the contract? Equivalent exchange, isn''t it?" Zephyr flew and sat on Ae''s head, "The devil is as held by the contract as we are and is ying the same game of trying to figure a way to make us fail the contract. This the mostmon case," She looked at Ae''s eyes, "Let''s go give that contract a read." **** In hell, the devilughed as he watched, "As expected of the great wind spirit, she is immediately aware of the game and intends to y," He smiled, standing up, "Most devil''s true goal is making their clients fail their contract, but that a double- edged sword," The devils in his room bowed, lining up to form a path as two of them conjured a hell gate, "Be well," "Time to make my first move," With a smile, the devil walked into the gate and stood in the mortal world with arge smile on his face. He extended his hand forward, "Mydy...I am not shady," He giggled. "Your father in hell, and to this world, I might bring," Merida sat in front of one of Alina''s food stalls, eating a piece of grilled chicken as the devil appeared behind her. She slowly turned her head, seeing as the people around her seemed frozen in time. "Who are you?" Merida asked, her eyes glowing green. "Someone who''s here to help, what do you say, want your father back?" He smiled, extending his hand toward her. "About that," Merida said, ck veins bulging from her right arm up to her neck. She lunged at the devil and pulled the longsword Alcott gave her from her magic bag in the blink of an eye, swinging at the devil''s neck. N?v(el)B\\jnn The devil lunged back, only having a long scratch across his chest. "You''re fast and aggressive, aren''t you?" He smiled, wiping the purple blood dripping from his wound. BAM! Merida''s body disappeared from his sight, causing him to gasp, ^What''s this speed? No, her magic isn''t that of a human.^ The devil''s head jolted to the side as he turned, seeing Merida already standing on the wall of the church tower in the distance, about to jump back at him.^ BAM! With one leap, she crossed a hundred meters back and swung at the devil''s neck. CLANG! The devil lifted his arms and blocked the sword with his forearms, ^The demon lord of fungus is lending her his power?^ "To think you could call upon a patron''s power this fast," The devilughed, "But, no matter how much power he lends you, you can''t beat me," "This is...ME!" Merida said in a gargling voice, the fungus spreading across her body. "This is thest time I ask," The devil pulled an unsigned contract, "Want your father back?" Merida took a stance, ready to strike. "So you don''t want him back? What a shame," The devil waved his hand, and the contract burned into ash, "Now even if you begged, I''m not bringing him back...BLUGH!" He coughed blood, feeling his heart throbbing as his vision blurred. "What shrooms are you on?" Merida said, her voice changing, "Yeah, my shrooms," It was then that the devil realized this wasn''t Merida''s he was facing, but the demon lord of fungus himself. "You! Helping a mere human like this? Do you have no pride?" The devil stared at Merida. "She''s the one who got me where I stand," The demon replied, "To me, she''s like a mother. And my pride is making sure people like you never insult my mother, trying to trick her into a contract," ^I see!^ The devil growled internally. ^She never heard me in the first ce. The moment I stopped time, the demon lord of fungus took her ce.^ The devilughed, "Then this route is blocked, no matter," He waved his hand, "I''m no fool to face you alone," Chapter 657 Contracted Debt

Chapter 657 Contracted Debt

Merida blinked, looking into the stall with her food in front of her, "Something moved," She said, noticing that the piece of chicken that was supposed to be in the skewer in her hand was on the te. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [A devil came, I kicked him out] Fungus replied inside her head. ^You didn''t need to do that?^ [Devils are notorious for hitting painful strings with lies and deception to get their goals. It would''ve been an emotional rainfall if you met him. That''s why I kicked him out.] ^My family had enough deals with demons for me to know how dealing with devils could end.^ Merida smiled, finishing her food, ^Thanks for taking care of him,^ [No need to thank me. I said that you''ll have my full power behind you once I be the new demon Lord of Fungus, and now that I got there. I''ll do my best to keep that end of the promise.] ***** In the forest, a massive horned tiger was running from adventurers, making its way deeper and deeper into the woods when it suddenly stopped, staring at the mountain. Its fur stood out, and it grunted, taking a step back. "It stopped! Kill it!" The adventurers screamed as they saw the monster stop. The tiger looked back at them and then started running in another direction, changing his path after sensing something ahead. On the mountain Eris sat on a stone with ten small balls of sma floating around, sweating as she kept her eyes closed with a sword piercing her heart. "You''re leaking a lot of magic," Isdis said with a smile, sitting at the side and watching her. "I''m trying to keep control," Eris growled, feeling her entire body aching to pull the sword out and heal like she''s been holding her breath for a long time. "As a vampire, I should be able to survive without a heart," "Aren''t you born with that ability?" Isdis stared at her. "Don''t joke, we aren''t," Eris replied, "A novice vampire can be killed like any human. The high-ranked vampires survive heart stabs because they use their blood control to move the blood through their veins manually. It''s by no means easy to do or something that you get naturally by being a vampire. Do it now," Isdis stood, pulling her sword and approaching Eris, "I''m going to do it," She swung her sword, chopping Eris''s head with one swing. Eris''s head fell in her hands, fixed in a tense expression. The balls of sma around them pulsed but quickly calmed down as Eris tried her best to keep calm and control her magic. Eris''s headless body twitched and stood up as her head floated in the sky, controlling the body with threads of blood. The blood thread quickly disappeared and was reced by sparks of holy magic which disappeared soon after. "This is better thanst time," Isdis smiled, "You can do it!" Eris opened her eyes, ring at her body. The body quickly started twitching, and Eris''s head flew in and reattached, and as quickly, she pulled the sword out of her heart and healed herself, falling to her knees and gasping for air. "I can''t hold it for longer," She panted, falling on her face, "Holy magic and my vampiric blood magic could assist each other in keeping my body alive and moving, but they quickly start fighting and spiral out of control. I can keep my head alive and well easily, but the body is a problem," "You surviving that long with a stab through the heart by a silver sword, and then having your head chopped by vampire yer sword and still being alive, I would say that''s impressive enough," Isdis approached her with a towel, "Rest for a bit," "Thanks," Eris took the towel to wipe the sweat from her forehead. "But it isn''t enough. I have the leisure to focus here, but in a real battle, I won''t be able to do it," She sat and looked at the sky, "Still need to work more on it," "I can imagine a pdin or a vampire yer cutting your head off with pride, only for you tough and put it back on," Isdis giggled. "The more of those things youyer on top of another the harder it bes to fight you. If I started the fight normally with a regr spear, then started flinging sma left and right, actively avoiding the sun just to mislead the enemy. And when they finally manage to drag me into the sun, they discover that it doesn''t hurt me and that I was only messing with them," Eris stared at Isdis with a grin, "The battle grows desperate, and they pull all of their tricks to cut my head off, just for my body to keep fighting. All of this, and they still didn''t know I could use holy magic or elemental expansions." "Always keep a n B around." As Isdis said that, Zephyr flew out from the mountain edge, her wings pping, barely lifting her body. The two stared at her massive stomach, "You were eating again? You can do that slowly, can''t you?" "Don''t know when d would attack, so I''m stuffing myself as much as I can," Zephyr replied, sitting on Isdis''s head, "AH! My stomach hurt," "If you came then it means something happened," Eris looked at her, and a smile crossed her face, "Don''t tell me Arad woke up!" "No, he didn''t. We have a problem. It''s with Roberta," Zephyr looked at them. "Did more bandits target her shop? I''ll call a royal guard squad to guard her," Isdis said with a smile. "She''s stuck in a contract with a devil," Zephyr said, "It''s stickier than old slime. With Arad asleep, we might need your help," Zephyr pointed at Eris. "My help with what?" Eris looked at her. "And expedition to hell. We need someone sturdy to ce spy items and spells. We''re ying a game against that devil," Zephyr smiled, "We''ll make him fail his end of the contract before we fail ours," The two stared at her, "And what''s the contract about?" "Our side is simple. We have to kill Roberta''s father, and you..." Zephyr pointed at Isdis, "It''s rather simple, but his description makes it so that the contract isn''t finished until you and her father rot in the abyss," "And what is his part of the deal?" Eris looked at Zephyr, and Isdis gasped in the back, "Wait? Kill me?" "The devil''s side of the bargain was making Roberta the wealthiest woman in the kingdom with no strings attached or legal problems, pure riches," Zephyr smiled with her eyes glowing green, "He knows we can''t kill Geralt or you. That''s why all he needs to do to win is make Roberta the richest, and she''ll be considered to fail her contract." "Won''t that make her riches onlyst a moment?" Eris looked at Zephyr, "How is that right?" "This is why making deals with the devil is a bad thing. They always y on words, and make it harder to understand and get what you want." Zephyr put one leg on another, "It''s been a long time since I yed a tug of war with a devil. What was it called in the past?" She started thinking, trying to remember. "AH!" She opened her eyes with a grin, "Contracted Debt, a game when the winner is whoever makes the other one drowns in debt first," "And you need me to help set spying items so you know the devil''s moves and make the first attack," Eris smiled, "I''m ready," "No, that devil already won the first round by killing Roberta''s mother before she could kill her husband and Isdis. If she seded, she would''ve still died but would left Roberta with unlimited riches," Zephyr started thinking, "No matter how I think about it, the mother''s goal is still vague. From the outside, she seems to have wanted to make her daughter rich no matter what, but that still seems off, as if she was trying to make the devil fail his end of the bargain just as much as he wanted her to fail," "I don''t understand," Isdis said, trying to look at Zephyr who sat on her head, but only managed to see her legs, "You''re ying a game with the devil? And you''re sending Eris to hell as a spy? Can you even send people to hell?" "Not by conventional means. I would''ve sent Arad if he was awake, but now Eris is the best option," Zephyr stared at her, "Sorry, but he''s far stronger and durable than you," "It doesn''t bother me to be his second n. In fact, I find it stunning that there isn''t anyone else besides me you can send," Eris giggled, "Could I even survive there?" "We only need you to go to the firstyer, nothing deeper." Zephyr smiled, "It''ll be painful, like swimming in a pool of acid or getting roasted alive, but you''re quite heat resistant. The second part won''t bother you." "And about the acid?" Eris red at her. "We''ll give you the best items Merlin has, but I''m almost certain they''ll fail sooner orter. Mortal magic items aren''t designed to withstand hell," She waved her hand. "So the question is if I''ll swim in acid and regenerate through my flesh and bones melting for Roberta''s sake," Eris giggled, "I''ll y!" Sheughed, "I bet my sma and holy magicbined could burn the hell''s acid away." "Just don''t die. If you died there your soul would get bound to hell, forever," Zephyr stared at her. "Then let''s gather up to prepare," Zephyr nodded, "Time to beat the devil at his own game," Chapter 658 Stepping In to Hell

Chapter 658 Stepping In to Hell

"This doesn''t look right." Eris looked down at the massive brown robe they made her wear and the stupid-looking goggles, mask, and long leather scarf they intended on wrapping around her head. "He''ll is a ce of pain and torment. Even I won''t survive for long exposed to the elements there. Wear proper protection so you would suffer the least, hopefully not suffer at all." Zephyr buzzed like a bee between the girls,nding at Ae''s head. "I can''t go as I need to remain here and set the other side of the spells," Merlin said with an apologetic face, "Out of everyone, you''re the most durable one," "Anything I should know about hell?" Eris asked, covering her face with the mask. "The lower you go, the harsher the environment gets. The gate would drop you at the peak of a mountain in the firstyer of hell, Avernus. At such high, you''ll only feel a bit of difort and irritation, probably get an annoying itch all over your body from the acid, but nothing more." Zephyr stared at Eris. "And I guess the lower I go, the more dangerous it gets," Eris replied. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Pretty much, at the mountain base, your skin would melt and boil from the acid, and in a matter of an hour only bones would remain, at which you''ll get resurrected as a sinner to be melted again, over and over for eternity." Zephyr waved her hand. "That set of equipment would protect you for almost two hours." Merlin approached, "Avoid fights at all costs and try to set the spells and items then run back to the gate as fast as you could." "Of course, I''ll avoid fights," Eris stared at Merlin with her fists resting on her hips, "They won''t just waste my time, but those protective gears could get damaged, at which I''ll have even less protection," "That''s true, so be careful," Zephyr nodded, "I did think of sending Nina, but she''s clueless about magic, and I doubt she''ll be able to avoid starting fights." "The sooner we get it done, the better," Eris waved her hand, and Merlin conjured a massive hell gate. "Are you sure?" Roberta stared at Eris with a worried face, "You don''t have to," "I''m not doing this just for you. Exploring beyond the boundary of our world is quite fun," Eris smiled, "How many people do you know that went to hell and came back?" "Fun? You might not be able to return. Which mortal walks willingly into hell? The ce everyone is supposed to spend their whole lives striving to avoid getting into?" Roberta gasped. "Those who wish to stand out," Eris replied, "Everyone can grow stronger by leveling up, everyone can ess magic items, and everyone can get blessings or curses to be a vampire. If it''s open to everyone, then how do you stand out from the masses? How to show the world you''re different, that you''re someone they can''t reach even in their dreams," Eris smiled, "By doing what no one dares to. If pdins would think twice before attacking a vampire lord, they''ll think ten times before attacking a vampire that survived hell," Ae sighed, "Why do you two look alike," She looked at Eris, remembering Arad, "I guess it''s the dragon blood. Just don''t die," "I''m already dead," Eris smiled beneath her mask, walking toward the hell gate. "Be careful, I''m opening it," Merlin waved her hand, and everyone backed away. They could feel their skin burns just from the acidic air, and their noses twisted from the horrid stench of rot. Eris walked into the gate, and Merlin immediately closed it after her. **** The moment Erisnded in hell, she could feel her limbs tingle. The fine hair on her body stood as she shivered, goosebumps covering her whole body as stared into the infinite torment of hell. Crackling ck clouds of ash and cinder, spark with lightning that strokes the ground below, melting the stones on impact. The cries of sinners masked the howels of the violent acidic winds blowing across the wastnd, melting everything. asionally, parts of thendbust as the lightning ignites the acidic gases unleashed by the rotting corpses of the sinners, bursting into a blue inferno with a loud explosion. The sinners sought those explosions to die and taste the relief of death for those few seconds before they were resurrected again. "This ce," Eris mumbled, staring down the mountain shended on, "Is foul." Her sharp eyes spotted some sinners, desperately crawling toward a pile of rotting corpses, hoping it would explode in fire. Their bodies were tied with steel chains hinged on their bones, binding them to hell for all eternity. "And this is only the firstyer," She started walking down, heading for the location Merlin mentioned. ^Go to the mountain base where you could find a massive crack in the ground, and throw the items there. And for the spells, cast it close to a pool ofva. The bigger the better,^ "Clear directions, but where the hell do I find those?" With each step she took down the hill she could feel the hell''s air around her getting denser, the cursed mana rising, and her itch grow stronger. "Why don''t they climb up here?" She mumbled, staring at the sinners crawling far at the bottom of the mountain, "With what Merlin and Zephyr said, the top should be better," "An intruder?" A voice came from behind Eris, and she rapidly turned, seeing three naked imps ring at her, "Entrance to hell is forbidden," "Then should devil''s entrance to the mortal world," She smiled beneath her mask, ring at the three devils ring down at her. "Big words for a mortal," The imps giggled, "We''re the from the jailer''s battalion of Avernus. Our job is to make sure the sinners keep to the lower levels and suffer. If we found one of them crawling up here five times would throw them down one of the pits," They pulled long, three-headed red spears. "I''m no sinner," Eris stared at them, lifting her hand up, "I''ll throw you down the pit. Do your job and search for sinners," The imps giggled, "Pin really has a strong mistress," They put their spears away, "He left word for you. We imps won''t bother you, but don''t tell the higher devils we''re ignoring your existence, you''ll get un in trouble." One of them flew down and pointed his spear in a direction, "There is only imp watch in this direction, take it and keep low so other devils won''t spot you," "Pin talked to you about it?" Eris asked. "Of course he did, the bastard wouldn''t shut up about how powerful and a strong mistress he got. Seems his ims were right, seeing you made your way to hell." The imps giggled. Chapter 659 An Intruder In Hell

Chapter 659 An Intruder In Hell

Eris rushed down the mountain, following the directions of the imps as she avoided the other devils. In each corner she could see them patrolling around with their spears and swords, kicking any sinner that tried to climb the mountain. "How many of them are around?" Eris mumbled as she hid behind a massive stone with a small imp. "We imps are the bottom feeders of hell. Eachyer has three ranks of devils. They are lower, mid, and upper-rank devils," The imp exined. "So you''re lower rank in the firstyer," "Yeah. But keep in mind that the lower-rank devils of the secondyer are stronger than the high-rank devils of the firstyer," The imp added, "Even ten of us lower ranks couldn''t hope to beat a single middle rank. Be careful," 15 lower-rank=1 mid-rank 15 mid-rank= 1 upper-rank "I guess those red-skinned humanoids are mid-rank devils, right?" She looked behind the stone at the devils. "In thisyer, goblinoids like us imps are lower rank. Humanoids are mid-rank, andrge monstrous devils are high-rank," The imp looked at her, "You''re impressive yourself. Judging by magic alone, you''re almost as strong as five mid-rank devils," he giggled. ^I''m not letting any magic out, and what''s leaking is me using my fireside to fend off the heat. I''m probably able to at least fend off a high-rank devil.^ Eris smiled, "Let''s go. I don''t have much time here," She rushed down the mountain, quickly reaching the foot and hiding in a massive crack in the ground. Eris poked her head out, "There are another four cracks in the ground beside this?" She looked around, sweating, "No, those aren''t crack, w marks?" She gasped. Those cracks were sorge someone could mistake them for ravines from afar. What kind of titanic monster could leave such a mark? Even mountain-sized great wyrms aren''t this big. She looked around for one of the imps, "What left those w marks?" The imp looked down, "Ourdy, the current dominator of thisyer." "Dominator, you mean the devil lord of Avernus?" "She was the lord of thisyer before, but now she only uses it as a feeding ground as she has other things to tend to," The imp replied, his legs shaking in ce. "Tiamat, the goddess of evil dragons. Even if everyone in the hell were to band together, they wouldn''t save you from her jaws if she saw you as food." "She isn''t a devil, is she? Can''t the devil lord Asmodeus do something about it?" Eris asked. The imp showed her his index and middle finger, "She and thedy of hell are like these. Never separated. Some rumors even say they are married to the same man, so be careful," The imp shook his head, "And yes, Tiamat is stronger than thedy of hell inbat. In fact, her power is feared across the multiverse as one of the harbingers of destruction." "A goddess staying in hell? I find it hard to believe she could be that strong. At least probably fell from grace," Eris giggled. "You couldn''t be more wrong, thedy of hell stated it herself. Tiamat is staying in hell because her mere presence would rip the heavens apart and burn half the other gods." "Seriously?" Eris pulled a paper from her pocket, "Better record this. Knowledge about the world is quite rare." "Hell is a ce to punish the sinners, but it also humbles the stranded visitors like yourself. The world is still too big, and the mortal''s achievements and limits are just like that, mortal and finite." He pointed forward, "That a ravine, didn''t you want to find one?" He pointed at the distance. "You''re right," Eris smiled, lifting her head and looking around. "There are no mid or high-rank devils around. You can go," The imp said with a smile, "But keep an ear for my warning. Leave at once if I give you a signal," "Got it," Eris rushed toward the ravine. Immediately she pulled a scroll and started setting Merlin''s spells. An hour had passed, and she could feel as if needles were piercing her skin all over her body. The protection of her gears dropped with time, and she barely had any left. ^I''m almost done, could have wished for a better oue, an hour uninturupted. We might pull this in one try,^ "Lady!" The devil whispered to her from afar, "Mid-rank devils,e back here," She heard him and turned around, waving her hands, "A bit more time! One minute is enough," She whispered, "Distract them," ^I''m almost done. We''re getting this over with here and now.^ As three mid-rank devils approached the ravin, the imp cut their way, "Masters, do you have a moment?" They stopped, staring at the imp, "What''s it? Critter," One of them growled. "Calm down, calm down," the second one smiled, "The imps work for us all day long, let''s give him a moment of our time," The third one red at the imp, "Make it quick," "The western sinner field has one noisy dwarf. Should we drop him deeper into a ravine?" "A noisy dwarf? You mean that bastard. Throw him as deep as you want. He''s a sinner, who cares," They red at him, "Youe to us when there is an intruder, or a sinner too strong for a group of your bugs to handle, not when you want to ask stupid questions," He kicked the imp away, "Get out of our way, fool," n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om One of the mid-rank devils went silent, his face twisting, "Those idiot imps, their senses are as dull as dirt." He growled, "Focuse, I feel a magic unchained to hell!" He growled, lunging toward the ravine, looking from above to see Eris sitting at the side, hiding behind a boulder. "Draconic fire magic, a red dragon or a half-red," The devil growled, and the rest rushed after him, "You''ve slipped behind the imps'' backs, but not ours!" They pulled their spears, pointing at Eris. ^Tch! I just finished setting the spells, but how do I get out?^ Eris slowly turned her head toward the devils. ^My gears are about to break, and the gate is a long way up the mountain,^ "Those who trespass into hell are bound to it," One of the devils growled, walking forward, "We''ll kill you once, and then the chains of hell will keep you here till the end of time," "Can I just leave?" Eris stood, staring at them, "Can''t you just pretend that you didn''t see me?" "A woman?" The devil smiled, "What a lucky find," "Should we call the high-ranks?" The second one mumbled. "They''ll hog her for themselves. We catch her alone and call a few more mid-ranks. She''s strong," One of them walked forward, "Should''ve known it''d end badly if you came to hell," Chapter 660 Eris Vs First Layer Of Hell

Chapter 660 Eris Vs First Layer Of Hell

^I shouldn''t fight them.^ Eris lunged past them, running up the mountain toward the gate. "She''s fast!" The devils growled, turning to chase her, "Stop here!" One of them threw his spear toward her, forcing her to dodge to the side. "Tch!" Eris growled, looking around as she saw even more mid-rank devils surround her. "You really craw out like worms out of rotten corpses," She said as she ran between them. "Said the woman who walked on her own into hell," A devil stared at her with a smile, "You aren''t running away," More cut her way, forcing her to stop, "We said stop, you aren''t going anywhere," Eris lifted her fists, "I''m not going down without a fight," "Your choice," One of the devils rushed at her, thrusting his spear forward. With a giggle, Eris jumped over his attack, stepping on his head and jumping away, using him as a tform to escape the devils surrounding her. "This woman!" A devil growled, seeing that she deceived them that easily. CRACK! As Eris ran away, a massive devil emerged from the ground, swinging a kick toward her face. She lifted her arms and blocked with a boxer''s guard, getting flung back at a blinding speed. "Spears!" The massive devil growled, "You''re supposed to inform us when there is an intruder," The mid-rank devils shrunk back as he red at them, a high-rank rage devil. He was to them what they were to the imps. Eris stood, the clothes around her arms ripped apart and her goggles cracking, "One hit, and it''s gone," She growled, seeing that her protective gear was at itsst leg, breaking apart from a single hit. "You''re mine," The rage devil stared at Eris with a smile, "Those idiots couldn''t even catch you, but speed is all that you have," The mid-rank devils surrounded her again. "I bet you''re avoiding fights as your protective gear can''t protect you from our attacks." Eris sighed, seeing the skin around her arms bubble and peel off from the acidic air. Even her eyes started burning as a searing pain engulfed her body. "And they are done, no more protection from the elements," She threw the goggles away. A mid-rank devil pointed his spear at her neck, "I''ll kill first to bind you to hell. You can then get used to air at your own pace," He giggled, "With your strength, it''ll only be a few decades before you''re able to maintain your form," Thud! Eris grabbed the devil by the face, her bloodied fingers digging into his skull. "Shut up," With one move, she crushed his body to the ground. "Nagging and nagging," She growled. With the searing pain she was feeling, thest thing she could endure was an idiot babbling in her ear. The mid-rank devils gasped, and even the high-rank devil took a step back. Now that she took her protective gears off and didn''t care about hiding her power. They could feel it. "It''s a purple one!" The high-rank devil growled, and Eris flew at him, swinging her fist at his face. The mid-rank devils who stood beside her burned in a st of sma. The rage devil lifted his arms to block, but Eris''s punch blew right through his defense, caving his nose into his skull. As the devil got sted back, he did a flip, and his face healed almost instantly. ^This raw power, how did she go undetected?^ Eris conjured a sma spear and swung it at the devil''s face like a quarterstaff. He dodged the first strike, but she used the momentum to send more whistling hits after him. CRACK! CRACK! CLAP! CRACK! Each hit messed up his hard skin and shattered his bones, like a steel rod smacking a tree trunk, cracking it, and peeling its bark off. The devil ground his teeth, sacrificing a limb to block Eris''s spear, and swung a fist at her face, hitting her in the nose. "This..." He gasped, his knuckles cracking as Eris bled from her nose, "My husband punches harder than you," She swung her fist up, breaking his arm with a punch. "He punches you?" The devil dodged to the side, "A sinner like him would rot in hell," He tried to swing a kick at her face, but she easily dodged, and shed past him with a burst of sma from beneath her feet. "It''s so bastard like you can''t take me down," She stared back at the devil, a massive chunk of his torso missing. Eris looked at the devil''s heart in her hand, about to throw it, but then decided to chuck it in her pocket. ^Merlin could buy it.^ "My husband doesn''t need to worry about my safety in this cruel world," She jumped away, rushing toward the portal as the hell''s air melted her skin. ^My regeneration is keeping up thanks to my training, but I''ll soon run out of blood. I can use holy magic to heal, but Lydia warned me that devils are sensitive to holy magic. Using it here is akin to calling every powerful fiend in thisyer to hunt me.^ As she ran up the mountain, five deformed devils rushed toward her. ^More high-ranks? I guess they called for backups,^ She elerated herself with sma, trying to run past them. Her goal isn''t to fight and win but to escape hell. BAM! One of the devils lunged in her way, swinging a sword. ^He is faster than the one before. Like humans, being of the same rank doesn''t mean they have equal speeds and strength.^ She dodged the sword, but the devil kicked her in the guts, sending her flying back. The devil stared at his leg, "It hurt like kicking a stone," He growled, staring at Eris with a wide smile, "You''re strong, aren''t you?" ^I can easily beat them one-on-one, but facing multiple is a problem.^ Eris swung her arm, firing several sma sts at the devils to separate them. The devils dodged the sma st, and Eris took the opportunity to lung at one of them, thrusting a sma spear at his head, and pinning his skull to the ground. He won''t be reviving anytime soon. Seeing an empty exit, Eris flew as fast as she could, propelling herself forward with sma. CRACK! An arm emerged from the ground, grabbing her leg and throwing her back. ^Another devil like the first one,^ It was another rage devil, and more came after him. In the blink of an eye, she was surrounded by twenty high-rank devils. "Give up, sma woman," One of the devils said with a giggle, "You might be stronger than two of us, even a three, but you can''t handle twenty," He clenched his fist, "It''s the first time in a decade someone gave us troubles," With a smile on her face, Eris lifted her hands, putting them together andbing her fingers, "It''s a gamble!" Seeing the crazed smile on her face, the devils instantly knew they messed up getting this close to her. They saw that look thousands of times. When sinners spend thousands of years in her, their only wish bes death. ^Sucidal maniac, she doesn''t care if she dies?!^ [PLASMA EXPANSION: PURPLE SUN] sma exploded from her body, burning all twenty devils at once before they could even run, but the st resonated across the entireyer, calling all devils and drawing the attention of a certain voracious glutton. Eris knew that, and she didn''t waste a second to st as fast as she could toward the gate. She could see the gate at the top of the mountain. ^I''m there! ^ CRACK! A devil emerged from behind the gate, punching Eris in the guts before she could reach it, blowing a hole in her torso. "To think high-rank devils fell to you," He growled, looking at Eris, who hung on his arm that pierced her torso. "I''m the devil lord of Avernus. Did you really think I couldn''t make it here in time after you unleashed that st?" Eris giggled, grabbing his face in her palms, "Yeah, I''m all out of blood. This hell really drains my power," Her eyes turned gold. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Wait!" He gasped. [Holy Expansion: Sr Domain] With a crackle of golden lightning, a st of blinding light illuminated Avernus. All devils could feel the powerful surge of holy magic as the devil lord burned to ash. Thud! Eris fell on the ground, crawling toward the gate as her muscles melted from the hell''s air. ^I need to, reach it...^ CRACK! The devil lord resurrected beside the gate, "Did you forget? We don''t die," He said with all the devils she killed rising from the ground behind her, "But to kill me, an impressive feat. None would touch you beside me," He swung his fist at the gate, shattering it, but not before a faint green light rushed in. The devil lord blinked, seeing a second woman, bleeding as her skin melted from hell, sitting beside Eris, "Go home, I''ll take it from here," Zephyr put a crystal on Eris''s head, and she got teleported out of hell. "Got her out, but the gate is shattered," He giggled, "How long until they can create another gate? An hour at best?" "With their current skills, I''d say like four hours," Zephyr stood, blood dripping across her skin. "You''re stuck here with us for four hours. Do you think you can survive and escape out of the gate?" He burstughing, and so did the other devils behind Zephyr. "You seem to misunderstood something," Veins bulged on Zephyr''s forehead as her eyes glew with bright green light, "You''re the ones stuck here with me for four hours," Chapter 661 Zephyrus Anemoi Enlil of Mei

Chapter 661 Zephyrus Anemoi Enlil of Mei

Sensing Zephyr''s magic spiking in the blink of an eye, the devil lord of the firstyer jumped back, lifting his arms to protect his head. "Monster!" A shockwave exploded from Zephyr''s body, sending hundreds ofpressed wind des everywhere, dicing all the high-rank devils before they realized. "Laying a hand on one of my little children," Zephyr growled, "You''re getting on this grandma''s nerves," A green crown of pure magic emerged on her head as veins bulged across her body. Zephyr''s nails extended forward to inch-long green ws, and green tattoos engulfed her arms and legs, inscriptions of a long-forgotten wind magic. Her butterfly wings doubled, growingrger as a violent tornado emerged around her out of nowhere, wrecking the whole mountain with sharp des ofpressed winds like a titanic blender. "This magic, queen of the wind spirits. The tempest witch, Zephyrus Anemoi Enlil of Mei. Why is someone like you here!" The devil lord growled, flying away from the tornado. "Curse of eternal death, slumber and fate." He waved his hands, conjuring a crimson staff and pointing it toward the tornado, "Sleep for all eternity!" [Lost Time] The curse that gets people into idents and seals them away in aa for untold years. A massive purple lightning bolt shed from the devil lord''s staff, piercing the tornado and hitting Zephyr, causing half of her body to darken and start dripping with purple blood. The devil lordughed, "Even you won''t survive a direct curse from, and even more so since we''re in hell. It''s your fault for challenging me in my domain," Zephyr giggled, the tornado shifting as half of her green wind turned purple. Her left eye twisted, turning back and only leaving it white as she stared at the devil lord, a smile crossing her face. "Do you know who my father was?" The devil lord''s curse twisted inside her body, burning and merging into her wind magic as Zephyr flew into the sky. "Wait? You''re already cursed?!" The devil gasped, seeing Zephyr lift her hands. "Father was Focalor, the evil Djinn of destructive wind," She lifted her hands, "Grandma was also the mother spirit Mei," With one half of her wind cursed, the other half turned blessed with gushing divine magic. "Wind brings both fortune and misfortune. I have more curses and divine magic in my blood than I ever wished to have," Zephyr''s tornado turned into a light show of holy magic and curses, ripping the hell''s ground from it''s base, ripping the ground part and throwing it everywhere. "Why is someone like you even born?!" The devil lord cried as Zephyr swung her arms down, sting him and half of theyer into a violent tempest. Burned by both holy magic and curses, the devil lord''s body quickly ripped apart. But it didn''t take him long to resurrect again, finding Zephyr flying over where he emerged. "Already resurrected?" She clenched a fist, "You devil never suffer in hell like sinners, now I''m making this your hell," The devil lord gasped, running away, "Why is a woman like you even born into this world?" With one swing of his hand, all of Avernus''s devils rushed toward them. "Kill her!" The devils couldn''t even approach Zephyr, who stood in the middle of a violent tornado, using her wind to cut the devil lord into minced meat. After an hour of wreaking havoc on the firstyer of hell, and killing the devil lord almost a hundred times, Zephyr stopped, lifting him by the hair. "I was born to bnce the wind of the world, and I already finished that. My story ended, and I already retired into giving elves contracts and granting them power for fun and to pass time until I die of old age," She smiled, "But now, I found grandchildren to care for. I''m back in the game," She threw him across theyer with a burst of violent wind, exploding like a shockwave from her hand. "That''s enough," A deep voice came from deep underground, and Zephyr flew away. The earth exploded, sending dirt and debris into the sky as a massive eight-headed dragon emerged, even the palms of her hands were as big as mountains, making Zephyr look like a speck of dust staring at the titanic existence. Zephyr giggled, "Look who is here. Did the noise wake you up?" "I was already awake long before that half-purple dragon walked in thisyer," The drakaina''s heads twisted, and she red at Zephyr with a massive red head. "I came since you''re bing a bit of a problem," She said. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Tiamat, the goddess of all chromatic dragons." Zephyr stared at her, "Do you think I fear you? I already lived long enough to not care about death," "I do not expect you to fear me," Tiamat replied, smiling, "Like you, I''m an olddy trying to live my life," She looked around, "It''s bing quite annoying to protect them from your winds," Zephyr looked around, seeing the small imps and sinners engulfed in balls of stone. "To them, I''m a walking terror, but since they got the courage to pray to me, I''m not letting them down," "I see," Zephyr sighed, stopping her storm and tornados from wrecking Avernus. "I''ll not inconvenience another old bag like myself," Tiamat sat down like a massive muscr dog, her tail fading into the horizon of Avernus, "My children already wiped most of the dream walkers out of the mortal world. And I gained one priestess," Tiamat giggled, "It''s thanks to that kid Arad. Give him my thanks and tell him that he can rely on me if he needs help with something that doesn''t disturb the cosmic flow," She smiled, ^We''ll. I might be his mother-inw soon,^ "He won''t understand that," Zephyr flew up to look Tiamat in the eyes, her whole body bleeding from the hell''s acidic air. "He isn''t old enough to get what it means," "One day, he''ll be as old as you," Tiamat startedughing, "Good luck dealing with the devil''s contract. I''m going back to my work," As Tiamat turned, her body disappeared into a massive elemental chaos, leaving a massive charred hole on the ground, with a single hell portal standing at the center. Zephyr smiled, floating down, "At least, I''m not staying in this ce any longer," She approached the gate, looking back as the devils she killed regenerated, "The dragon goddess saved you. Next time, you won''t be as lucky," Zephyr walked through the hell gate, appearing in the middle of Merlin''sb where they sent Eris. "Wait!" Merlin gasped in the back. "You''re back? You can conjure hell gates?" "AHHH!" Zephyr sighed, her body deting into her fairy size as the winding from her mouth sent her flying like a balloon,nding on the table on her back. "I''m hungry!" She cried, her stomach rumbling like an engine. "Hungry?" Merlin looked closer at Zephyr, seeing that the wounds and scars on her body from the hell''s air already healed, getting her back in shape. "What did happen there?" "Nothing important." Zephyr waved her hand her eyes closed as she deted even further as if melting on the table. ^Exhusted...^ "Just taught the devils there a lesson about respecting their elders," "Eris had a devil lord magic on her wound. You know what kind of monster that is. How did you deal with him." Merlin stared at her. "A purple dragon made a massive ploy to steal my power, an idiot monk kept chasing me, and the whole church respects me as a god even though I''m not one since I allowed them and the elves to build kingdoms on my domain." Zephyr looked at Merlin with one eye, "Humans really forget quickly. If you''re a wizard then search about Zephyrus Anemoi Enlil of Mei." "I know you''re the wind spirit," Merlin stared at her. "The great elemental spirit is the job we took after retiring. It''s like knowing someone with the hobby they picked in theirte years rather than their career," "I give it a look," Merlin replied, "You aren''t some kind of evil demon or something?" "Nah, I''m but a ball of joy and happiness," Zephyr gave Merlin a thumb up, "And an empty stomach," She started floating, "I''ll go find something to eat far away." Seeing Zephyr about to leave, Merlin tried to stop her, "Can''t you find something to eat in the forest? Arad might''ve made it his domain, but it''s still filled with monsters," "I''ll destroy the ecosystem before I''m half-full," Zephyr flew out of the window, mumbling, "And I wanted to save that for d. Now I''m hungry again. At least those devils weren''t worth using my expansion on," Merlin stared at the window for a few seconds before rushing deeper into herb toward the room where Eris was being kept for treatments. As expected from a vampire, just giving her some blood was enough to heal most of her wounds, but she was still out of mana and would need to sleep to recover that. "Zephyr is back, so no need to worry," Merlin said with a smile, even though Eris was asleep. She then waved her hand, and a small magic circle appeared in front of her. "Ae? Do you hear me?" "Yes," "Zephyr is back, but she''s out eating," "I know. I felt her magic. Was she injured?" "It was, but a few scratches probably managed to outrun the devils with her wind magic." "How about the magic?" "Linked, we can spy on the devil," Merlin smiled, "The devil''s next target is... Prince Charlie. To stop the devil''s n, our easiest way is to have you assassinate a farm girl in the capital," Chapter 662 A Cold Wind To The Capital

Chapter 662 A Cold Wind To The Capital

Ae flew across the air with Zephyr and Isdis, "This has be a huge mess," She sighed, remembering her conversation with Merlin. **** "Prince Charlie?" Ae asked. "Not sure how, but this farm girl called Ame has been getting closer to him on behalf of the devil. She''s acting more like a lover, but like Roberta, she''s under a contract to convince Prince Charlie to call Roberta and give her the position of the jeweler of the capital. Her argument would be some of the jewelry that Arad''s kobolds made, and she''ll use them to prove that Roberta would do well," Merlin exined. "How did you get so many details?" "Spying on the messages sent through magic, and I can also read the remnant of messages that were sent in the past day if I managed to locate and decode their signal." Merlin giggled, "I already had a sample of the devil''s magic that I got from the contract he left at Sena''s office." Ae he''d her head, sighing, "You can decipher a devil''s messages. Where did you even learn that?" "I did have a contract with a devil once. I did manage to win by achieving my end of the bargain and captured that devil for experiments. That is how I learned. Albeit Arad killed him in thebyrinth, or should I say Doma did." Merlin sighed. **** "We can''t leave Roberta to that devil," Ae looked at Isdis. "Forget Roberta for now. If there is a snake around my brother, I''ll cut her head in the capital''s za." Isdis growled, "No! I''ll have them cut her nipples off first!" "Calm down. She''s under a contract just like Roberta," Ae stared at her, "We''ll do our best to solve the problem without harming her," "That''s her!" Eris pointed forward, and the two stopped flying, "I can''t see her." Eris gasped. "You''re right," Zephyr smiled, "I can sense her magic from here, but she doesn''t look like someone you two can''t beat and tie to a chair," She started flying away. "Wait! Where are you going?" Ae stared at her. "To find something to eat. We don''t know when d might attack, so I can''t stay like this," She waved her hand, "You also have ess to my powers, so you don''t need me around, do you?" "I can draw some of it, but not much without you being close," Ae replied. "I know you can do it," Zephyr giggled, "Take me and Eris out of the equation, and you''re the next oldest," Isdis stared at her, "Wait? The oldest?" "I''m 215 years old," Ae replied, "In human age, that would be around 21 years," "You''re young for elves, but..." Isdis gasped, "Older than grandma and grandpa?!" "They won''t be older than 100 years, so I''m older," Ae replied. "Grandma is 105, and she''s bedridden, while Grandpa is 109 but still could walk with a cane," Isdis stared at Ae. "You''re almost twice as old as them," "They lived over a century? They must''ve been strong in their young days." "Grandpa was a fighter while grandma was an alchemist," Isdis looked forward, "Should I call you madam? A senior citizen?" "With that, Zephyr would be a rotten mummy," Ae giggled, "She''s far older than any of us could imagine," By that time, Zephyr had already left. At the border between the forest and the start of the wheat fields existed a sizeable hill with a massive olive tree on top. The twonded behind it and stared down. "It''s colder than in Alina," Ae looked around at the snow, "It''s twice as deeper as there," "I heard that the further north we go, the more it snows," Isdis replied, "It''s fun when you have adequate heating," She looked at the capital, "We have no heater like the one Merlin made or a red wyrmling like Ignis to heat the city for us," "Want me to make fun of the capital?" Ae stared at her. "Don''t need to," Isdis smiled, "It''s quite embarrassing for us to be relying on firewood. I''ll make sure Father buys a heater from Merlin next year," Ae pointed forward, "Shh! Look, there she is," The two stared forward, seeing a young woman, probably just hitting her early twenties with long coal-ck hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and a face full of freckles walking out of a tiny farmhouse. "At least her contract is far simpler than Roberta''s one," Isdis said with a smile. "All we need to do is make Charlie lie to her," Ae looked at Isdis, "Say yes to her demands, which will conclude her contract, but then have him betray his promise." "I doubt brother would do that unless we tell him about the contract." Isdis sighed. "Her rules are simple," 1- Convince Prince Charlie to make Roberta the owner of all jewelry trade in the kingdom. If you get rejected three times, I''ll take your soul. 2- He must not know about the contract. If he did, I take your soul. 3- If Prince Charlie epts, I''ll change his heart about you. 4- If he found about the contract, he''ll die, and you''ll fail. Meaning, I''ll take your soul. 5- For the duration, I''ll grant you a power of mine to use. "We need to let her convince him first. Then we convince him with the opposite without bringing the contract into y," Ae pulled her bow. "The sneak is ahead of us," Isdis pulled her flute, "I''m sure if she got injured she''d call for brother." Ae loaded an arrow and pulled the string of her bow, taking a deep breath. "Sorry, but you have toy in bed for a while. Little girl," PEW! Ae''s arrow flew across the air, cutting snowkes as it raced toward the girl. The girl stopped, turning to face the direction where the arrow wasing from, the snow around her feet shaking. ^It''s whatever power the devil granted her,^ Ae smiled, ^But I''m not your average snipe.^ She lifted a finger up, and her arrow changed its direction. It flew past the girls and grazed the snow on her roof, forcing the whole thing toe tumbling down on her. The girl cried as a small avnche of snow crumbled on her head, burying her. "You''ll kill her," Isdis gasped. Ae smiled, having the same grin as Zephyr, "I''m not your average mage as well," GAH! The girl cried, crawling out of the snow unharmed, "What was that?" She was shaking, wet to the boots, and her Directly support the authors on WebNovel! fingers started turning blue as a cold wind blew around her. Ae stared at Isdis, "When my arrow touched the snow, I sent a gust of wind inside it to make it soft and fluffy so it wouldn''t crush her. I then spun the arrow mid-air using winds and used that signal to cast a minor spell from the side, [Gust of Wind]." Ae giggled, "She''s drenched wet and added some cold air. I call get a cold and stay in bed," Ae lifted her hand, and her arrow returned to her. "It''ll take her some time to call brother," Isdis looked toward the gate, "We need to sneak into the city without anyone noticing us," "Can''t you just talk to the guards?" Ae looked at her. "We can trust some of them, but not all. We''re screwed if they got word about me being in the capital to the pce. Brother has sharp ears, and he''ll know," Isdis shook her head, "That might ruin our ns," "Then what? Use the flute? You can''t fully control it, can you?" "I can''t. It''s a powerful item," Isdis shook her head, "But I know some people that would get us inside the capital," She pointed toward the wall, "First, we need to enter through that," Ae looked, and her eyes opened wide, "The sewers? Are you serious?" "You can say, it''s a shitty situation," Ae sighed, "Stop with the jokes. Where would they lead us?" Isdis looked away, "I might have some people, and I might have been thinking of starting a revolution to overthrow my brothers. On the side, I might have created a group of fanatics training to be my shadow squad," "You what?" Ae red at her. "The assassins that were after me before wanted my head not for the crown, but since my assassins were stealing from their business. After Arad killed them all, those fanatics of mine should''ve dominated that market," She looked away with a guilty face. "You didn''t tell Arad?" "He knows, I told him after the capital events." She started poking her fingers, "He said that no matter how he looked at them, they looked like a bunch of idiots wanna be assassins. And that they won''tst long," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Let''s go and see what they can do," Ae sighed, and the two headed toward the sewers. As they reached the stinky entrance, they covered their noses with their scafes, slowly making their way inside. "But why the sewers?" "No one wille here," Isdis replied, "And they said it''ll look cool to have an underground base," "Because it looks cool? If Arad didn''t like them that meant they didn''t look strong, and he''s pretty lenient on that department. How was they even able to take market share from the real assassins?" Ae red at her. "All assassins are shady," Isdis looked away, "They kept taking missions and failing them, which destroyed the reputation of the local assassins." Isdis kept mumbling, "And since they look like a bunch of fools wearing assassins'' clothes and doing stupid poses, the assassins couldn''t pinpoint the real members of my squad and ended up killing two innocent people, which further dragged them through the mud." "You look dead," "Those girls are trying their best, but they aren''t experts trained since birth. They excel at disguise since all they do is y with clothes and makeup, but they suck at killing people. To be honest, they look like a bunch of really good actors that suck at being real assassins." **** Inside the assassins''yer, a woman walked down a dungeon- like hallway lit with candles, rushing her steps. ^Garderobe, Garderobe,^ She quickly pulled the door open and jumped inside, her eyes quickly taking a nce at the water bucked beside the toilet, it was filled. "Thank goodness," She pulled her pants down, sitting. At that moment, the wall beside her opened up and Ae and Isdis walked inside through the secret passage. Chapter 663 The Prince And The Serpent

Chapter 663 The Prince And The Serpent

"WAWAWAWAWAWAWA!" The girl cried, "Princess?!" "Sorry for the interruption," Isdis waved her hand as she left the garderobe immediately with Ae. "Hey! Why is the entrance in a garderobe?" "Closer to the sewers, and this is one of the deepest ces," Isdis replied as they walked down the hallway, quickly reaching another door. "We''re there," She opened the door, and they walked into a massive room with a stage. "I''m the wielder of the great de!" A woman shouted, pointing her sword at another woman who turned to run away. And then another cut their way with a shield. "Cut it! Get past me first! Wielder of the demon de!" Eris stared at the woman with a disappointed chuckle, "Is this a theatrical performance? Their acting is so bad," The girls stopped acting immediately and looked back, gasping as they Isdis standing there. "I know it might look sad for assassins," Isdis walked toward one of the women. She looked like a normal knight, nothing special. With one hand, she rubbed her face and revealed a totally different person. The woman had a different facial structure and skin tone. And she was even a half-elf and not a human. "Wait! What?" Ae gasped. The women lined up and bowed, "Princess Isdis, wee to our den," They looked at the door, "How did you get in here?" "There is a secret entrance at thest garderobe," Isdis replied, "But that doesn''t matter now," "Wait?! A secret entrance, and you didn''t tell us?" "It''s supposed to be a secret," Isdis sighed, "But, we need a disguise good enough that brother won''t recognize me," "We can do that," One of the women replied with a smile, "But, where is sir Arad?" "He isn''t here," Ae replied, "You know him?" "Of course, we saw him at the wedding, and he came here once to look at our base and quickly left," She looked down with a sad face. "He was disappointed the first time he came here. He expected an assassin den and found them to be a bunch of actors," Isdis shook her head, "I did warn him though," "We''re working on our skills," Another woman gasped, "So, won''t we see Arad again?" "Why are you focusing on Arad?" Ae stared at them. "Well," One of the women giggled, holding her face with a blush, "He''s a sight to behold, isn''t he," "Stay away from our husband," Ae stared at them. "Get his attention, and he''s punch across the continent," The woman stopped wiggling for a moment, "That would be a problem," she then kept wiggling with a giggle, "He can strangle me though. With those thick arms!" Thud! Isdis grabbed the woman by the head, "The disguise, now." "AH! Okay!" She gasped, and Isdis let her go, "For real," She walked back and found a chair to sit on, inviting Ae to sit at her side. "They''ll get their clothes and makeup ready. We''ll move after we make sure no one can recognize us. You know how to keep your magic down, right?" Isdis stared at Ae, and she got a confident nod. "Of course, I can," Ae turned her magic output to almost zero, looking like a magicless elf girl. "Elves have some magic at least. Raise the output a bit to be normal," Isdis replied. **** An hourter, Isdis and Ae walked out of arge building fully disguised. The two had their hair painted ck, and their eye color changed into ck and blue respectfully, and woremon clothes. "Look," Isdis pointed with her head toward a racing wagon heading outside the city, "That''s one of brother''s armed force healing carts," She said, dragging Ae to hide with her behind a wall, "He probably sent it to get that girl," After waiting a quarter-hour, they could see the wagon racing back into the city, "I can feel the girl''s magic inside. They are talking her to the church to get healed." Ae said. "They won''t," Isdis looked at her, "Holy magic might expose her contract with a devil. I''m sure she convinced them to take her to the castle instead." Isdis smiled as she saw the wagon turn and take the castle''s road. "I''m right," The two headed toward the castle after the wagon until they reached the gate. Hiding behind buildings, they looked. "How do we get past the guards?" Ae asked, "I can climb over the walls, but what about you?" "We take the guard''s private door," Isdis smiled, pulling Ae by the hand toward the side of the castle. "Wait! That''s even more guarded." As the two reached the guard''s private door they saw arge man standing there with a helbard, guarding it. "Who are you? Back up unless you want to die," He growled. "I''m not like the castle''s gate guards. I''m allowed to kill anyone who isn''t a guard that tries to pass through here," Since this was a private door for the guards, that meant anyone elseing here probably wouldn''t have good intentions. Otherwise, they''ll take the main gate. Isdis red at the guard, "Anyone who isn''t a guard? Stop joking," The guard giggled, "Already got enough hoes inside, don''t need any more," "Ice snow, frozen ash," She said, and the guard pissed himself. "No way!" He gasped. "Keep quiet, and you saw nothing," Isdis walked toward the door, pushing him aside and calling Ae, "Come, we don''t have much time," "Sorry for blocking you," The guard mumbled, "I saw nothing. Go," "What did you say to him?" "That''s my princess, and he better behave as he just called me a hoe, and that could end with his execution," Isdis giggled, "Also, bringing prostitutes into the castle is a major security risk, and he admitted that to me. You could say I caught him red-handed in a major felony, and his only way of survival is that he pretends that he never saw us here." "Would you ignore what he did?" Ae looked at her. "Of course. As long as he never tells on using in disguise, I''ll never tell on him." The two walked inside, "Follow me," Isdis rushed across the hallway until they reached the garden. She looked outside, seeing it empty, so they rushed to the other side. "Where are we now?" Ae asked as they entered arge building. "The maid utility warehouse. Where find mops, buckets, kettles, and such," Isdis started searching the boxes, "We''re looking for maid outfits. That woman should be in brother''s private quarter," "Isdis, here." Ae pointed at arge box, pulling a maid outfit from it. "Good job." The two quickly walked out of the building disguised as maids. "You two! I didn''t see you before," A maid approached them, "What department are you from?" Directly support the authors on WebNovel! "His Highness Prince Thomas''s new enrolments," Isdis replied, "We''re just starting today," "Really? I haven''t heard," She shook her head, "But what do I know? I work in his highness prince Charlie''s service," The maid smiled, "If you need anything please feel free to ask," she approached Isdis, "Even about direction, this ce is easy to get lost into and then get yelled at for beingte," "Madam Juliana whipped the man into our heads," Isdis shook her head with a sad look, "I know this castle better than my own home," "She can be terrifying," The maid giggled, "But you know, getting a few spanks from her is better than getting a royal punishment or losing your job," Isdis and Ae walked past the maid, "See youter," They went into the main building and started heading toward Charlie''s quarter. On their way, they saw Gin menacingly staring at them from the end of the hallway. Ae froze, and that silver dragon noticed them. With a sigh, Gin turned and left, going directly outside the castle. "Didn''t she notice us?" Ae whispered to Isdis. "She did. This disguise won''t fool the eyes of dragons." She scratched her head, "But I''m sure she''s misunderstanding the situation." "Misunderstood what?" Ae asked. "She probably thinks I''m here to kill brother Charlie for the crown. She and Kin won''t interfere in the crown struggle, and that''s why she left the building." Isdis sighed. "We can solve that misunderstandingter. For now, let''s hurry and see what happened with that woman and Charlie," Ae looked forward, "His quarter''s entrance is over there, right?" "At the end of the hallway, yes." They walked and reached the quarter''s door. Isdis put her ear to the door and listened, "It''s clear, let''s enter." She opened the door, and they snuck inside. "We''re a new addition to Charlie''s maids now. Royal maids barely contact maids from the other royal members as they could leak secrets." Isdis warned Ae. "I already guessed that," Ae smiled, and they luckily reached Charlie''s room without meeting any maids. Strangely, the ce seemed awfully quiet and empty. "Not a single person on the way here," Ae listened, "No, the enter quarter is empty for us, Charlie, and that woman inside." "That''s strange. This ce should have at least thirty maids running around." "Charlie..." They heard a voice from inside the room, and they started listening, with Isdis staring through the keyhole. "You scared me. What got you outside in that snow? What if you died of cold," Charlie growled, sitting on a chair. "I''m fine. I''m telling you it was just an ident." The woman stood from the bed, approaching Charlie who sat on his chair, reading some documents. "What are you reading?" She asked with a smile. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Demands from some investors and farmers, want to look?" He smiled. "What about what I talked to you about before?" She sat on the chair beside him. "That merchant Roberta? I''m sure her mother tried to kill sister Isdis," He stared at the woman, "Even if she''s skilled, it''ll be hard to convince the nobles to give her a solid spot in the trade," "But you can do it? Can''t you?" She looked at him, "You saw the jewelry she can provide. Those would be a hit among the nobles. If you managed to get her on your side, you can even get funds to take the crown, can''t you?" "You might be right," Charlie sighed, putting the papers away. "Then? You''ll call her for the spot?" The woman smiled. "She can help me get the crown," He looked away, "Brother Thomas would likely take it. If not, it''s sister Isdis. I''m not going to be the king," "Don''t lose hope. You''re talented. I know you''ll make a great king." She tapped his shoulder. "Don''t worry about me. Fight for the throne. Take opportunities like this and grow your power," "I see," Charlie mumbled. "You''ll give her the spot?" Charlie slowly turned his head toward her, ring at her face with a stern face. "I refuse! You devil-infested bitch!" Chapter 664 Fighting Wind

Chapter 664 Fighting Wind

She gasped, recoiling as she heard his words, "I knew you since we were young!" Charlie pointed at her face, "But this time, you''ve crossed the line! B!" He jumped back, lightning crackling from his shoulders. ck veins bulged on B''s neck, growing to her face as the chair she sat on got crushed. She red at Charlie, lifting her hand, and growled in a booming, deep voice. "To think you found out! Human!" She lunged forward. "Die! For messing my ns!" B swung her fist, piercing Charlie''s stomach. "Do you think someone like you could beat me?" Charlie smiled, "I don''t think. I do," He grabbed her by the face, bursting in a lightning spark and burning the whole office. B coughed, her body half-charred as Charlie fell down, but one of his rings shattered, and he immediately stood unharmed. "Since I knew you a decade ago, you''ve always been weird. You even poisoned me twice and tried to get a witch to curse me into loving you." He red at her, "I ignored everything, thinking that it''ll get better, you''ll get a brain, I can fix her, I thought." Lightning crackled from his hands and up to his head as he pulled a small wand from his pocket. "But making a deal is something I''ll never forgive! You''ll mess the lives of everyone around you," He pointed the wand at her, "And knowing how devils work. Does that woman Roberta have anything to do with you? No, I think it''s one of the fiend''s targets," B twitched, standing up as her skin healed, "You''re... too smart for your own good," "I know it. She''s getting under my protection, and whatever you may be, Roberta or the devil, I wish you both rot in hell," A lightning bolt jumped from his wand, heading toward her. B swung her hand, smacking the lightning away as if it were an object. Her moves were getting faster and stronger, farther than what Charlie could see or predict. CRACK! The half-burned door burst as Ae jumped inside, blocking deflecting a punch from B that was about to shatter Charlie''s head. "The dragon''s wife?" The devil controlling B''s body growled. A wave of ice rushed from the door and froze B''s legs to the ground as Isdis rushed toward her brother. "More bugs..." The devil grunted. "Devil! End the contract!" Ae clenched her fist, "Zephyr! Grant me your power! ARA! ARA! ARA!" She swung forward, one punch after another, and a barrage of hits fell upon B''s face and chest, sending her flying through the window. Before B could fly far from the wind, Ae flew out and grabbed her by the face, smacking her on the wall surrounding the castle and dragging her around. "Aggressive, I see someone have an influence on you," The devil growled, grabbing Ae''s hand and kicking her away. "But, you''re..." Before he could finish, he gasped, seeing Ae already pointing a bow at him. "Wait..." He could swing fast to deflect lighting, but knowing how fast and how many wind-infused arrows Ae might dish out at once, he doesn''t have enough leverage or support to jump away in time. BAM! Tens of magic wind arrows burst out of Ae''s bow in a cone that spanned over four meters where B was, cutting all escape routes. "Tch!" B jumped away, two arrows stuck on her shoulder, which quickly faded away. ^My curse is waning. This body won''t hold my power for longer. I need to finish this quickly.^ B pointed toward Ae. "Herald of wind, Ae! Today your power shall be mine, regret your choices in hell," Chains emerged from her back, lunging toward Ae like snakes. [Chains Of Domination] [Ice wave] Isdis swings her de, banging on a stone to get a loud ringing son. From the swing, a wave of ice rushed forward and froze the chains in ce. "Get your spells off her!" Isdis shouted, lifting the flute and blowing in it. With a gentle whistle, tens of soldiers jumped from the windows with crossbows, and more of them lined on the walls, getting the castle''s defenses ready. "I''m taking control! You''re beyond saving, B!" The soldiers pointed the mounted ballistae at B, about to fire. "You control nothing! Human!" The devil growled, "I''m the master of domination. My chains, extend!" The chains grew long with red-hit sparks, melting parts of the ice as they flew toward Ae in the blink of an eye, chaining her down. "Your powers are mine!" The devil growled. ^No, I feel some resistance. This elf is already enved? Did they know of my power? No, humans'' magic can''t beat mine, I''ll plow through their pathetic binding spell,^ The devil''s curse tried to break Ae''s ve contract, but it soon hit two massive walls. ^The other person in the contract, it''s dragon?^ The devil growled, ^Of course it''s him.^ His curse struggled to remove Arad from Ae''s contract. Like a kid clinging to his toy and screaming, Arad''s soul held to Ae''s with ws and teeth, not letting go. "Stupid Brat! Let go, you''re already asleep!" The devil growled, sending more chains. Before they could reach Ae, the chains binding her shattered. ^A second power, it''s that spirit?! Is she getting her power back?^ The devil grunted as he felt Zephyr''s magic shatter his curse inside and free Ae. Ae lifted her hand, "I''m the pure spirit of the sky, dancing upon the clouds. The calm breeze and howling wind, tempest and fury, arrows upon the sky, raining on the sign of war," The devil jumped back, ^She''s chanting? In the middle of a fast fight with me? Doesn''t she fear I might strike her down? No, she''s getting a massive spell ready and is confident in that woman''s ability to protect her,^ The massive bolts of ballistae fell upon B, forcing her to run around. ^This woman''s body won''tst long, it''s far too weak to contain even a fraction of my power.^ The devil stared toward Isdis, "You die first! Human!" [Wind Expansion:...] A strong gale started pulling the devil toward Ae as her expansion formed. He looked at her, "You''re annoying, did anyone tell you that?" [...Arrows'' Howling Tempest] Thousands of wind arrows appeared behind Ae and started spinning around her like a tornado, forming a 10-meter sphere of flying arrows, each capable of killing arge monster. "Fool! Such a weak and simple expansion won''t harm me!" The devil swung his hand, "Dance, my chains!" [Chains of Domination] Tens of chains emerged from B''s body, sting the arrows away as they swung like tentacles. In the building, Charlie stared down, gasping, "They are fast, I can barely see their spells," His eyes couldn''t track either Ae''s arrows or the devil''s chairs. All he can see is the two of them facing each other, menacingly with sparks flying everywhere. "Tch!" Isdis grunted, like her brother, she can''t follow the two. ^I''m but a human with nothing special. I want to cast spells, but I feel like they''ll only get in Ae''s way now,^ SWOSH! Out of nowhere, Gin flew in behind B with a clenched fist. ^Fuck! It''s that silver drakaina,^ The devil growled, trying to dodge her fist, ^I can''t, I''m too slow in this body. I can''t turn my spell off or I''ll get ripped apart by the arrows, but I can''t dodge fast enough with it active! I''m stuck!^ His mind raced, but it quickly calmed down as Gin''s fist smacked the back of B''s head. Ae took the chance to join in, swinging her fist toward the B''s chest. "ARA! ARA! ARA! ARA! ARA! ARA!" The two unleashed an endless barrage of fists toward B''s body from both sides. Gin stared at Ae as they pummeled B into a pulp between them. ^She''s keeping with my speed? I might be weaker and slower in humanoid form, but she''s an elf, to think she''ll move like this,^ Gin blinked, ^I see, she''s using the wind to decrease the friction on her body, while also pushing her fists with it. As long as she''s in contact with air, she''ll get several buffs,^ With a double fist, they sent B toward the wall. As B smacked on the wall, she fell face first, bleeding as the devil''s presence faded from her body. The devil''s presence in her had reinforced her body a bit, but not enough for him to beat Ae and Ginbined. Now that B got close to death, he ran away not to die with her. "Heal and lock her in the main church. Prepare all the necessary rituals to deter devils from touching her again until we figure this out," Gin shouted and several nuns rushed in to treat B. Ae sighed, taking a deep breath. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Ae," Gin approached her, "What''s going on? Weren''t you here to kill Charlie?" "No," Ae shook her head, "We came to stop that fiend, but we wanted to do it without harming that woman..." She looked at the bloodied B. Isdis jumped down from the building with Charlie, "We didn''t expect a brother to already know about it," She pointed at Charlie with her thumb. "I''m not stupid," Charlie said, "Do think I''m a bald squirrel that lost his nuts?" "You''re balding a bit and that''s a fact," Isdis giggled, "Receding hairline," "Leave my hair alone," He growled. "You''re the one who started it," Isdisughed. Charlie looked at B as the nuns took her away, "I used to sneak and y with her since we were kids. She''s always been a bit crazy here and there. I thought that might be a product of how she lived, so I thought I might be able to help her as the prince," He sighed, "But contracting a devil was unexpected," "You cleared your quarter to fight her?" Isdis looked at him, "We didn''t find any maid inside," "Yeah, I told them to leave for an hour or two," Charlie looked at the maids staring with terrified faces from the windows, "I didn''t want them to get caught in my fight with the devil, B was my problem," "That was risky," Gin stared at him, "You could''ve asked for my of Kin''s help. We can''t interfere with royal struggles, but we''ll dly help you clean a devil." **** FUCK! The devil growled in hisyer, punching his chair''s armrest. "How insulting! To think I''ll be fended off by maids of all things," He screamed, "How did they discover my n? Do they have a spy here, what''s it''s your game, Zephyr!" He growled. "Master?" A devil looked at him. "Is there a problem?" The devil growled, sending a chain that split the devil in half. "Shut up! ve!" The devil stood and walked away from his throne. "I''m the devil of domination! Those mortal insects won''t force me to move as they like! It''s uneptable, unforgivable!" He growled with a twisting face. Chapter 665 The Devil Doesn’t Play Games

Chapter 665 The Devil Doesn''t y Games

The devil growled, "Those mortals have a way of spying on my moves. I bet it''s rted to thetest rampage of that spirit in Avernus." He waved his hand in the air, "Unforgivable! To think those bugs are crawling beneath my house, I shall crush them all with my entire might," He red at the devils lined in his throne room. "Lord Alony, just give the order, and we''ll search every crevice of Avernus to find what they did." A devil stated, bowing to Alony. Alony red at him, "DIE!" The devil''s body exploded immediately, "You''re an even bigger fool. That spirit rampaged on Tiamat''snd and didn''t get eaten. That only means the mother of the chromatic dragons is on their side, at least tolerating their existence," He approached his henchmen, "You that mean she won''t let us roam free in Avernus. Fighting her isn''t an option," He growled. **** Ae and Isdis returned home after making sure the devil''s n in the capital failed. Theynded in Arad''s garden, and Tina looked out of the window. "They returned!" She turned and called the others. Upon walking inside the house, Ae asked, "How is Arad doing?" "The magic released from the egg has grown even stronger." Tina replied, "He might wake soon," "I see," Ae took her boots off and walked, Isdis trailing behind her. "The devil''s n failed. Brother wasn''t that easy to manipte," "Merlin already told us when she received your message." Tina replied with a smile, "Thankfully, the devil doesn''t seem to be nning any moves for the time being," Ae and Isdis sat on the couch, "I doubt he has any easy way of making her the richest without direct help from the royal family." Isdis smiled, "I warned Father. Kin and Gin are investigating with the pdins for any devil activity. He won''t get anything from them," "What about Roberta?" Ae looked at Tina. "She''s being protected in Merlin''s tower by Lydia and Eris." The door opened, and Mira and Merida walked in carrying wood axes and a stack of firewood, "Tina, did Ae and Isdise back?" Merida looked into the living room. "Take your shoes off first! Don''t drag mud inside," Tina red at them, "And thanks for the firewood. Yes, they came back," "Merlin said you two stopped the devil''s n," Mira looked at them as she handed the firewood to Tina. "Here it is," "Thanks, I''ll get it ready at once," Tina replied to Mira. Mira looked at Ae and Isdis, "We''re taking a bath. Want to join in?" "Well go after you. It''ll get cramped if we all go at the same time." Ae waved her hand, "We''re wasting firewood, but what could we do?" "Just wait until the mountain''s castle gets built. I got the architects to design a royal bath using a natural hot spring source that we found in the mountains. We can make twice asrge as the one we have at the royal capital," Isdis said with an excited voice. "That''ll take a while," Ae sighed. "We''re going quick," Mira and Merida rushed toward the bath. It''s been a long, cold day cutting firewood and working on furniture. Mira had Merida work as her hauler for the day, exploiting her massive strength to carry furniture and tools around. **** Inside Merlin''s tower, Roberta sat on a couch, reading a book with a tired face. "I can''t sleep," She mumbled. "I''ve told you to rx a bit," Eris said, staring at her as she sat on a chair in the corner of the room, ying with a tiny sma ball to master her magic further. "We got the news that they defeated the devil in the capital. It''s 2-0 in our favor now," "Eris is right," Lydia smiled as she was reading a ck book beside the firece. Apparently, it was the holy scripture of Amaterasu. "That devil won''t win. Not with two pdins protecting you," "They said that woman might die," Roberta sighed, "I can''t get it off my head that she might lose her life because of me," "That B? Prince Charlie already said she was crazy from the start. Dealing with a devil is her fault." Lydia closed the holy scriptures, looking at Roberta, "It isn''t your fault, and if that devil came, I''ll punch him in your ce." "Punch a devil from hell? I''m sure he isn''t from the firstyer, probably the third. Isn''t that what Sena''s said?" Eris giggled, "I fought devils from the firstyer. They are powerful." Eris resited what she learned in hell. 15 low-rank devils = 1 mid-rank devil. 15 mid-rank devils=1 upper-rank devil. 1 upper-rank devil in the firstyer = 1 low-rank devil in the secondyer. "If he''s a low-rank in the thirdyer that means he''s 225 times stronger than the upper ranks of the firstyer, the ones who I can barely beat three of them at once. If he''s a mid-rank, he''s 3375 times stronger. And if he''s an upper rank, It''s over 50 thousand times stronger. Do you know what that means?" Eris stared at Lydia, "We aren''t beating that thing in a fight, don''t even try, you''ll die," "Hell doesn''t seem right," Roberta looked down, "What kind of scaling is that?" "It''s designed to jail anyone. That means the loweryers should be able to contain even world powers, demigods, and entities strong enough to threaten the multiverse. What did you expect from the literal hell? Be beaten by mortals who train for a few decades?" Eris giggled, "It would be pathetic. No one would fear hell if that was the case," "HELL! HELL! THE HELL HAS IT LAWS!" ck chains emerged around Roberta, and Merlin busted through the door open, "He''s here!" She screamed. The devil Alony emerged out of the fire waving his chains around Roberta, "How were you doing? The richest woman in the kingdom, did you enjoy it?" He whispered, the chains cracking behind them. "I spent a fortune to make it happen, so now I want my part of the deal," He giggled, "Don''t have it, then I''m taking you with me," A cor emerged around Roberta''s neck. "How did you!" Merlin growled. ^Did he make her the richest? He didn''t move a bit, not a single n or a mission. Don''t tell me he shelled out from his pocket. What does Roberta have for a devil of the thirdyer to want it so badly?^ CRACK! Lydia jumped behind the devil, swinging her sword at his neck. [Divine...] Alony turned around, swinging a back fist and smacking her in the face, ripping her lower jaw off, and breaking her sword. "Mortal..." Lydia didn''t stop moving, with blood gushing out of her mouth and her upper teeth scraping the devil''s arm. She clenched a fist, [...Cleaver] Her fist hit Alony''s face, exploding with a brilliant light and spinning him in ce. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Eris gasped, ^In that fist, she had more holy magic than I could fit into ten expansions?! The depth of faith corte to the amount of holy magic the gods grant you,^ She growled, ^But it isn''t without a price.^ Lydia''s arm was nowhere to be seen, and the bleeding from her lost jaw would kill her in seconds. As Alony''s head hit the ground, Lydia stepped on his face with her steel boot [Divine Cleaver]. Her scream quickly turned into a screech akin to monsters as holy magic burned from her body, crushing the devil''s face to the ground. Alony waved his hands, and the ck chains of hell caught Lydia, pulling her into the mes and toward the depth of hell. "GAH!" Alony growled, standing up. "Fucking pdin, those bastards never chance." He looked around with a smile, "You can''t move, can you?" He giggled with blood gushing out of his nose. Eris and Merlin were frozen in ce, his ck chains holding them. "I''m Barony Alony, a humble devil of the secondyer of hell. My curse is domination. I control and steal the power of those I win in a contract." He waved his hand, bowing as his face healed. "A faithless wizard and a super holy vampire that came from the god of murder and just started serving the goddess of dusk and dawn," He smiled, "Your faith, will, and power of determination aren''t strong enough to beat my curse. But that pdin was, her oath was to protect and take vengeance, and her words, she honored." "About punching you? I didn''t expect that she''d actually do it," Eris stared at him, "What''s happened to her?" "She''s dead, dropped into hell. I don''t even know whichyer shended on. I just flung her inside." He smiled. "We''ll..." Eris growled, but before she could finish her words, her body split in half as the devil waved his hand, "I''m not listening to any word from you," Eris''s severed body burst into hellish ck mes, "Stay dead until I''m out of here, or forever. That me can''t be put out." Alony turned toward Merlin, "Grand magic at the expense of your own life won''t kill me. That''ll only make my curse stronger, and you''re dead," He waved his hand, cutting her head in half. "I do not y games. You''ve messed up my ns enough, and this is the end. It''s over, doom." A hell gate opened at his side, and he shoved Roberta inside, "See youter," "YOU!" Gojo burst through the wall, swinging a punch but barely missing the gate closing, "Damn it, Merlin! Make an exception in your barrier," He looked at the carnage, "He was only here for a few seconds, and..." Gojo smiled, "Wait, so you''ve made an exception. He slipped in after him." [Contingency spell: Activated] A voice boomed across Merlin''s tower, [Protocol: Sever cranium and brain trauma] **** Inside Arad''s house, time seemed to slow down. Mira was in the middle of handing Merida a stack of clothes with a smile as a devil swung his sword toward her neck, and Merida was panicking, trying to move as fast as she could. Ae stood to pull her bow as she could see a gust of mes gushing behind Tina, two devils rushing out faster than she could react. Deep inside the dungeon, two devils ran toward Arad''s room chased by Meryem. She screamed after them to stop as they charged their spells, aiming at Arad''s egg as the kobolds stared back in shock. In a sudden attack out of nowhere, the devils seemed to spawn out of thin air in Arad''s house. Their goal was simple. Kill everyone as fast as possible and before they counterattack. With no talking and no warning, the devilish master had gotten hold of his target and only cleaned up the remains. As the two devils were about to unleash their spells at Arad''s eggs, trying to kill him before waking up, the egg shed with a rainbow light, whistling with an extremely high pitch that dropped everyone to their knees. "HOO!" A kobold gasped, crying, "He''s waking up! Our lord, our ruler. How beautiful. How majestic, it''s the most powerful thing I ever saw! The egg cracked with a sh of light, and the two devils lost two chunks from their torsos in the shape of a human''s hand with ws. Their whole bodies crumbled into the wounds, vanishing into nothing as Meryem gasped, unable to see anything. "What was that? What happened?" She screamed, looking forward to seeing Arad''s egg as an empty shell, "No! No way! They got Arad while I''m here," She cried. "They didn''t!" A kobold shouted, "Our lord got them! And he''s out for more blood!" The devils attacking the girls in the kitchen suddenly disappeared, only leaving faint sparks of mes before harming anyone. "What happened?" Ae and Merida gasped at the same time. "What?" Mira looked toward them, and so did Isdis, "I felt a bit of magic?" "Devils? But where did they go?" Ae looked around, holding her bow. "Arad mauled them before I could act," Zephyr sighed, appearing behind her. "He stacked two times slow on top of each other, one cast by him and the other by a Gemini clone. That slowed time by 99%." "Arad woke up?" "He forced himself to wake up," Zephyr sat on Ae''s head. Chapter 666 The Devil of Domination

Chapter 666 The Devil of Domination

Thud! Alony stepped into his castle, dragging Roberta behind him with the chain around her neck, "You''ll rest with your mother for a while until I get ready to pluck those eyes of yours." He giggled, "Don''t worry. Hell''s air isn''t burning you here, isn''t it?" "The sell beside her mother is ready," A subus appeared behind him and bowed, "Splendid, send her there," He threw the chain to her. "As you order," the subus smiled, pulling Roberta and turning around, only to see Arad standing naked behind them, ring her down. His body looked thin and starved. ^A mortal?^ She gasped, staring at him. Arad lifted his hand, extending it to her to hand him Roberta''s chain. She thought of attacking, but a single look at his eyes made her shiver. ^A monster, one wrong move and he''ll eat me alive,^ She growled, clenching her teeth. ^No! He''s an intruder...^ RON! In the blink of an eye, she lost her upper body, leaving the chain to fall in Arad''s hand. Alony blinked, sensing one of his subus''s life disappeared right behind him, "What?" He turned to see Arad putting his hand over Roberta''s head with the subus''s legs still twitching in the back. ^How did he get here? I didn''t sense him. No, he was evolving. Did my devils fail?^ "Calm down," Arad said, ruffling Roberta''s hair, "You''ll be fine. I''ll handle this." His void slowly covered her body. "I already chained her with my curse. You can''t take her," Alony said, lifting his hands. "She belongs to me now, my property, the box holding my long-awaited gift." Arad tilted his head, "Those chains are your curse?" He grabbed the cor around Roberta''s neck with his hand, "A curse of domination, I see." "If you understand that, then you know it''s over for her," Alonyughed. "It''s better if you cut your losses and leave. She''s unsavable now. It''s over. It''s best for us both if you leave. Go back to the mortal world and deal with your mortal problems." "You''re speaking now?" Arad pulled Roberta toward him. ^Bastard!^ The devil growled inside his head while keeping a calm face. ^Why isn''t the hell air burning and melting him? This is the secondyer, Dis! No, look how shriveled his body is. His evolution was cut short. He can''t have that much energy left.^ "Look, stupid dragon," The devil waved his hand, and Roberta pped Arad, her body moving on its own. "She''s under myplete control now, and you aren''t getting her back. Leave, or do you want me to take everyone else you care about?" Arad''s void engulfed Robera''s body, burning like a ck me. "What trick are you trying to pull off?" Roberta disappeared, sucked into Arad''s stomach. "I''m keeping her safe until I find a way to make you release her," "You? Make me?" The devil giggled, "Darlin, think again. You''re in my castle, in my domain, the greatyer of Dis. You expect to make me do something?" Alony pointed at Arad, "Look at yourself, standing at the brink of death, barely handing to life as you stand. Once you die, hell will bind you to the end of time," Arad lifted his hands, and a violent gust of wind started rushing toward him, sucking air and Alony''s furniture into his stomach. Arad''s muscles grewrger, healing as his skin turned from looking like a dry, shriveled fish into a sparkling hunk of bronze, his scales adapting to hell and blocking its toxic and acidic air from getting in by creating a thinyer of nothingness around him. "I didn''t cut my evolution short," Arad looked at Alony, "I woke up before recovering from it, and I just did that," "Doesn''t matter! It''s here where you die!" Alony shouted, extending his hand toward Arad and sending a barrage of chains toward him. BAM! Arad lunged forward faster than the devil''s chains, reaching him with a clenched fist, "Release, her!" Alony blocked Arad''s punch, but the impact sent him flying through the hallway, crashing onto its end. Upon evolving into a juvenile void dragon, Arad''s bones hardened to support the incredible output of his muscles. Layers uponyers of calcified cartge expanded through his void, making the internal volume of his bones almost asrge as his stomach. SWOSH! Tens of devils lunged out of the doors and windows of the castle. The weakest of them were mid-rank of the secondyer. "An intruder! Kill and bind him to hell!" One of them screamed. Arad waved his hands, [Gravity magic: Repelling st] Using his body as a center point, he unleashed a powerful wave of gravity that pushed all the devils away from him for a split second before canceling it and lunging after Alony. "Why isn''t hell burning him?" A devil growled as he smacked on the wall, pointing his hand toward Arad, "If you have gravity! I have something for you!" [Curse of Sight] Arad lost his vision for a split second, and two muscr devils rushed to cut his way, "Kill him! He''s blind!" The devil on the wall screamed. The two devils pulled their spears, thrusting at Arad''s head. SWOSH! Arad bent forward, dodging their strike as if he saw them. "What?" One of them gasped, but the next thing he knew was Arad''s foot on his face, divorcing his head from his body and sending it flying like a ball out of the window. The second devil swung toward Arad''s neck, but his attack missed as Arad dodged again. "How could you!" The devil growled as Arad clenched a fist, pummeling him into a pile of minced meat. Arad already learned tremor sense from Nina in the past. She uses it by walking barefoot and sensing the faint vibration in the ground to determine where her enemies are without seeing or hearing them. But Arad didn''t stop at that; if he could sense the vibration in the ground through his feet, why not sense the vibration in the air through his skin, his scales? As Arad ran toward Alony, he pulled the devil that blinded him toward him and crushed him to the ground with a stomp. "You love to run away, don''t you?" Arad teleported toward Alony with a void step, swinging a fist at his face. Alony dodged the punch and countered with a kick, hitting Arad in the ear and sending him flying back. "I can fight as well. Don''t overestimate your power, mortal." CRACK! Aradnded on the wall and immediately jumped back, shattering it. More devils cut Arad''s way, "We''ll kill you!" Arad''s looked at them with a passive face, the void of his stomach sucking air around his body as his absorbed matter. Without saying a word, his body shed with a blinding light, sting a massive chunk of the castle in an explosion. "You''re wrecking my house!" The devil growled, ring at Arad from atop the rubble, "Do you want me to go out and kill everyone you know and love?" Arad stopped moving, staring toward Alony with glowing purple eyes. "So that got your attention? Good," Alony smiled. Arad startedughing, "Kill them? You?" "What''s funny?" "You didn''t kill anyone, and you won''t kill them," Arad red at him, "From now on, I''ll skin you over and over until you release Roberta from the binding curse. It''s simple," N?v(el)B\\jnn "Didn''t kill anyone? Ah, you probably don''t know," The devil waved his hand, "I already killed one before you came, and I threw her into hell. That blond pdin," "A blond pdin? Lydia?" "Don''t know her name, but she whacked me good in the face, stepped on my face even. First mortal to do that in over a thousand years, even you a dragon hadn''tid a hand on me yet," Alony rubbed his cheek, "My teeth still itch from her holy magic," ck scales emerged on Arad''s neck, "Then I don''t have time to waste. I need to go look for her," "By now she''ll be bound by the hell''s chains and is a sinner who would never leave hell. Add to that. Even I don''t know whichyer she dropped into. Could be the ninth for all I care." Arad shifted into his half-dragon form, "Then I''ll swallow all of hell to find. I don''t care what corner of the world you hide her in. I''ll pull her out and skin you alive here," BAM! Arad disappeared from Alony''s vision. Alony smiled, jumping away and dodging Arad''s kick, waving his hand, [Curse of Domination: Ice Bearer] From Alony''s fingers a mountain of ice rushed out toward Arad, melting in the heat of Dis. Arad dodged the ice mountain, but his vision got impaired, and he couldn''t sense the vibration in the air well thanks to the water vapor. Thud! The devil grabbed Arad by the face, dragging him through the moltenva. "I make contracts and get people to lose so I can bind them to me. By doing that, I can steal their power, however weak it was," He smiled, throwing Arad away, "I then can use that power, but it gets amplified to my status as a devil lord of hell." He waved his hands. [Curse of Domination: Lightning of Damnation Blue lightning crackled from Alony''s fingers, turning ck as it got infused with curses, "I took this from a paralyzed mage after I promised to teach him how to use lightning to control his unmoving legs. Of course, he failed to fulfill the contract, and here ites," ck lightning rushed from the devil''s hands, striking Arad and pushing him deeper into theva. "This isn''t all that I have," He smiled, [Curse of Domination: Apple Gravity] Arad''s body got pulled out of theva, "You used gravity before. Can you use it better than me?" Arad''s body got pulled toward the ceiling of Dis, smacking it with a massive st from the sheer speed. From the dust, Arad''s eyes gleamed purple as he stared at Alony, a disturbing intellect burning in them that enraged the devil further. "What''s that re for?" Alony growled. Chapter 667 Swindler

Chapter 667 Swindler

Several minutes before. CLICK! Roberta''s door opened, and a man walked in, "Is anyone here?" He said with a smile. "Yes!" A woman replied, walking to the counter and gently bowing, "Wee, how may I help you?" "Ho," The man smiled, stroking his chin, "A beautiful new girl? I''m used to seeing Roberta or Geralt here," She giggled, "Beautiful,e on." Sir Geralt is currently sick, and his daughter Roberta has some business to handle. He hired me to attend to the shop in their absence. "Of my!" The man held his chest, "Is he all right? Can I see him?" "I don''t know about that." She shook her head, "Tell me your name, and I''ll ask him if he can see you." "He''s sick, then no need to ask him toe down. Let him rest," The man smiled, "Just tell him Johan came to visit," "Got it," She rushed up the stairs and informed Geralt. "He said thanks for worrying," She came down quickly, "He also said he''s sorry that he can''te down to greet you as usual. Just sitting up is enough to make his head spin," "He doesn''t need to be sorry," Johan shook his head, "I''ll be back soon with a gift for him," He then walked toward the shelves. "Looking for something?" "My master needs several silver rings," He said, looking at her, "Ten to be exact. He''ll enchant them with fire magic for his maids to use to keep their hands warm while working around the mansion," "You work for a noble?" She gasped. "Side-butler, father is the butler." He replied, looking at the lined rings, "Nothing expensive or intricate, simple rings of silver," "I''m sure we had some. Give me a moment," She pulled a paper from beneath the desk and gave it a read, "Box number 48, we should have some. Let me count if we have ten in stock," She rushed toward the back and quickly came with ten rings in hand, "I found more than you asked. Here ten," "Just what we needed, as expected of Geralt''s shop," Johan smiled, Looking at the girl''s hands. "What is it?" She gasped, pulling her hands away. "Sorry, please forgive me." He looked away, "Talking about rings, I just noticed you don''t have one," "Of course I don''t," She giggled, "I''m not married or engaged," She stared at him with a smug face, "Are you by any chance hitting on me? I''m not that easily swayed." He waved his hand, "As I said, I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it like that." He smiled, "It''s true that I''m looking for a woman to spend the rest of my life with, but I''m not that insensitive to ask someone I just met," "I''m willing to give the son of a butler a chance if you can treat me to dinner," She looked at his face, "A clean and clear face, should have a decent ie and a safe residence with a noble''s protected estate, I won''t have to worry about monsters," "Well, the dinner would have to fit into my schedule. You don''t want to be with a butler who doesn''t do his job right," He smiled, "This might be fate. I''ll see to get us a night to eat out and get to know each other," From his pocket, Johan pulled a rolled scroll, "Can I get the bill?" He put the scroll on the table. "They do have to make sure you don''t steal the money?" She opened the scroll, "Housemaster, Alony.... sale of ten silver rings..." She sighed, "Why do nobles have toplicate things too much she sighed, "We poor people barely get to learn how to read," "Reading is hard for you?" Johan stared at her. "I only learned what mom taught me, and she doesn''t know much," She sighed, "Schools aren''t cheap. I can''t read you two pages like this," "Want me to read it for you? You can take it up to Geralt to see," Johan said with a smile. "Nah, no need to bother him. What should I do?" She turned the paper toward him. "Write your name here, how many rings I bought here, how much they cost each in this ce, and how much I paid here, then sign here," He exined, "This will tell the household exactly how the transaction went so our ountant can calcte itter, in whatever tax sorcery he''s cooking," She giggled, "I''m a simple saleswoman here. I don''t do that magic." She wiggled her hands, "Can''t do math." She giggled, "It''s Roberta and Geralt''s job, I''m only told to mark what I sold and for how much in this book," "We''re in the same boat, aren''t we?" He smiled. "We''re kinda simr," She mumbled, writing her name, "Can''t they have you carry a small book to write in?" "The house lord is quite strict. He likes everything written in contracts. Always says that the way to sess is treating both small and big businesses the same, noble,moners or royals, it''s all about treating them equally." Johan said, smiling. "Do you know what they say about contracts?" She looked at him, marking the price of the rings. "Don''t sign them without reading everything. It''s how devils get you." Johan replied, giggling, "I''m a devil, and I''ll steal your soul. Sign my contract!" He growled. She giggled, "Devilishly handsome, probably." "Ho! Did I hear apliment?" "I said nothing," She puffed her cheek, "We''ll talk about it after you invite me to dinner," "I''ll make sure to do that," He smiled. She sighed the scroll and looked down with a passive face. "Roberta and her father trust each other, so they rely on each other to maintain the business when one is absent. She left to Merlin without informing him about the devil, so he didn''t suspect anything and hired someone to handle the shop in their stead." Johan smiled, rolling the contract into a scroll. "All I had to do is find the type of man you could like, a name that Gerald trusts, and then show up," He patted the girl''s head, and she didn''t react. "Most people in this world are illiterate. As you said, school is expensive and isn''t avable for everyone." He sat on the table in front of her. "It''s not my business to make you read the contract. I''m only required to tell you that I''m a devil and that I''m taking your soul. Since you mortals love to talk about myths and how the devil would get you with a contract, slipping my requirement it was as simple as starting a conversation that was bound to happen," He gently tapped her face. "In anguage you understand, you can read, and you signed it. On your own will," He opened the scroll, "It basically boils down to selling ten silver rings to me and your soul for money. You already got the money, so it got into effect immediately, but don''t worry, it''s not done yet," He pulled another contract, "Technically, you still work for Roberta and Geralt," The devil looked around with a smile on his face, "I''m buying this beautiful ceramic cup. It''s from Roberta''s collections, right?" "What a beautiful piece of art," He giggled, "How much worth do you think it is?" "Fifty copper coins," She replied. "Come on, art in the eyes of its buyer. I say it''s worked several thousand tinum coins, right?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I can haggle down for a tenth of the price, and I can haggle up as much as possible," She replied, mumbling like a corpse, "You can pay as much as you want, as long as it''s above the original price." "Here," He pulled a massive bag the size of a human out of a puff of mes, "One million tinum coins, saved over several centuries. It''s a lot, but the cup is worth it," He extended his hand, "Can I take the ring?" She handed him the ring, "Thank you for your patronage," "Sold," He smiled, standing, "It cost me a kidney and a liver, but it''s worth it," He smiled, "She''s the richest in the kingdom from one sale and doesn''t even know it. She already lost the contract, and the wizard Merlin will notice. Keeping her off my tracks has been a pain." He bowed to the girl, "My love, please wait here for a bit. I''ll go deal with some unfinished business," In a puff of mes, he disappeared. **** Arad fell from the ceiling of Dis, his eyes glowing purple as he red at Alony, "Your curse is quite powerful," He said, "And it only has rules to getting the power, not using it," "What do you know? Dragon!" Alony screamed, "You''ll be begging on the ground in seconds. Prepare to suffer in hell!" [Curse of Domination: Dimensional Gate] Arge portal appeared behind Arad, and Alony flew toward him at a blinding speed, "Get in!" Before Arad could dodge, Alony kicked him in the guts, sending him through the gate. "Die in the depth of the abyss. None can get out of that once caught. It never lets go," He giggled, seeing ck magic grasp Arad''s body and pull him into the darkness. With one motion, Arad grabbed his head. "What are you doing?" Alony gasped. Using his massive strength, Arad pulled his own head alongside his spine, throwing them out of the gate. "You freak!" Alony cried, seeing a sh of magic burst from Arad''s eyes and spike as they regenerated into a whole dragon. ^I can feel it better, deeper, stronger,^ Arad thought. ^This body of mine is but a vessel. I''m a void dragon, born of nothingness, and to it belongs. A brain piloting a golem of flesh and bones.^ A ball of light started forming in Arad''s jaw. ^I can use my void to crush matter into pure energy, but that means I can do the reverse, reform it.^ Chapter 668 Void’s Second Stage: Reform

Chapter 668 Void''s Second Stage: Reform

With a spark, the ball of light in front of Arad''s jaw disappeared. CRACKLE! The whole ce exploded into a brilliant blue inferno. [Curse of Domination: Fire Master] Alony flew back, using his curse to fend off the mes. ^Those are hotter than thisyer''s mes, but they aren''t that impressivepared to the loweryers,^ "What..." He tried to speak, but the moment he took a breath, his chest and throat exploded from the inside out, shing into the blue mes. ^This smell? What did he do? It wasn''t magic...^ Alony fell from the sky, not being able to sense any magic before getting his lungs sted was strange. Any spell that activates inside another person could be easily tracked since it touches their mana. As he fell toward the ground, the sky of Dis shifted for the first time since the hell was created and it started raining. Alony could see Arad pping his wings, disappearing into the lightning-infused storm clouds. ROARRRRRRRRRR! Arad roared shaking the clouds as lightning struck down. Hundreds of bolts fell from the sky, sparking between each droplet of water and reaching Alony, charring him before the wholeyer exploded into blue fire once again. ^Not a single drop of magic...how is he doing it?^ Alony''s body rolled on the ground, charred to the bones as he couldn''t even predict Arad''s attacksing. And before Alony could know it, it started raining again. [Curse of Domination: Barrier of the Golden Jail] Alony protected himself with a powerful barrier. Just like before, lightning sted the whole ce before it ignited into a blue inferno. ^Same pattern? That dragon isn''t a fool. Can''t he control whatever he''s doing?^ **** Arad can control the void, even that exists in atoms themselves. This had allowed him, so far to crush matter back into pure energy and fire it as a powerful beam. Now, he''s discovering that with his improved control over his void, he reforms that energy back into matter. He is by no means skilled to create anything he wants but still could recreate the simplest atom, the basic of basics, Hydrogen. Dis is ayer of hell that boasts a temperature around 1500c, enough to melt iron. To keep that, it was akin to a massive, oxygen-rich furnace in which devils and sinners live. Instead of firing a beam, he created a massive amount of hydrogen gas and released it into the air of Dis, which ignited upon contact with oxygen and heat of theyer leading to a massive explosion of blue mes reaching temperatures over 2000c. That heat was far above what the people of thisyer are used to, burning Alony and everyone else to a crisp. When oxygen and hydrogen burn together, they result in water vapor, which forms clouds and rains down. By flying through the newly formed clouds, Arad''s void agitated the water particles around his body, creating static electricity in the clouds and resulting in a massive lightning storm. The light degraded the water back into hydrogen and oxygen, which re-explodes and repeats the cycle, over and over. **** "I don''t what you''re doing, but I''ll kill you anyway," Alony looked around through the thick fog, "Show yourself." He quickly regretted that, seeing two massive void dragons prowling around him, growling like starving wolves. "Two?" Alony cried, waving his hand. [Curse of Domination: Point Shift] He teleported away, but the two Arads remained around him as they followed him with void steps. "You''re wasting my time," One of the two Arads said. "Release Roberta''s bind," The other said. "Like I would do that," Alony smiled, "It''s only a matter of time before run out of energy. I cannot die," "Go search for Lydia, burn the entire hell to the ground if necessary," One of the two Arads said, and the other flew away. "You think you can threaten hell?" Alony stared at him. "Did I stutter?" Arad swung his w at Alony. Alony lifted his arm [Curse of Domination: Barrier of the Golden Jail] Arad''s w smacked him, shattering his protective barrier and sending him flying into the horizon. Alony puked blood, staring toward the desertedyer and seeing Arad open his jaw in the distance, charging a massive beam. With a swing of his hand, he pulled Roberta''s mother out of her cell in the basement of his castle. "Void dragon! Look, do you know who this is?" Arad stopped charging his beam. "Yeah! That''s right. You have a good nose. They smell alike, don''t they," Alony giggled, "This is your beloved Roberta''s mother. You don''t want to kill her over and over, do you?" Arad''s knowledge about the situation was very limited, he only woke up and wasn''t present for the whole devil investigation. All he could understand was that Roberta was taken by a devil and is under a curse, and that devil can lift it up. Roberta''s mother wanted to scream, but being under the devil''s domination curse she couldn''t utter a word. Danging as the devil held her by the hair like a doll. Alony smiled as he saw Arad closing his jaw, "That''s it, you better behave and..." ZON! Arad appeared standing before them in his humanoid form, ring down at Roberta''s mother with a void burning from his skin, creating a gentle breeze around his body. "You!" Alony gasped. He didn''t expect Arad to be able to morph into his humanoid form and teleport in that split second. Arad lifted his hands, grabbing Roberta''s mother''s face in his palms, staring directly at her eyes as he burned with a purple me. "A mother, a ck soul, yet still fighting," He sucked air through his lips, and her body disappeared into his stomach engulfed by darkness. "It''s between her and her daughter," "You bastard!" Alony screamed as Roberta''s mother was snatched right from beneath his hands, "Die!" Arad dodged Alony''s fist and swung back at him, unleashing a barrage of blinding fast punches, then grabbed Alony by the face and ground him on the floor as he flew away. ^What''s this raw power,^ Alony gasped, kicking Arad in the guts and flying away, ^No matter what I do, he just keepsing after me,^ He looked back, seeing Arad''s foot flying toward him, kicking him in the back and breaking his spine. ^I see, gravity magic. He''s getting pulled toward me at all times.^ Alony healed his back and flew into the sky, keeping an eye on Arad. Arad suddenly appeared in front of Alony''s face and punched him back to the ground. ^That wasn''t teleportation. He used time magic to elerate.^ Alony gasped. ^I should be the strongest. I have the domination curse,^ Thud! Aradnded beside him, looking toward him with a passive face. "It''s all on your face. You wonder why you can''t beat me with your curse," Arad said, lifting his hands, "You have an overpowered one after all, taking the abilities of anyone you control and using them." "What are you babbling about?" Alony growled. "Don''t worry, I''m as a fool about curses as you are." Pink tattoos appeared around Arad''s body, "But I can show you what true curses are about," Arad''s voice shifted into a woman''s midsentence. [No touching] CLACK! Alony''s skin bubbled like soap, falling apart as he howled in agony, rolling on the ground and iling his arms. "The stronger Arad gets, the stronger curses I can conjure," Doma said, "This is a simple one that hits people touched by devils. You''re one, so your entire body gets messed up," ^How does it work?^ Arad thought. ^[Long exnation. Let''s focus on giving this idiot a lesson first.]^ "Release Roberta and her mother from your curse. I''ll consider releasing mine," Doma said with a grin. "This won''t keep me down," Alony growled, standing with his skin falling off, "Just how you aren''t going all out. I''m still not taking you seriously," He put his hands together. Doma jumped away, ^[Arad, we need to keep our distance.]^ "Let''s see who gives up first! Me or you, dragon." [Domination: Pce of Chains]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 669 The Dragon’s Disrespect

Chapter 669 The Dragon''s Disrespect

?[Domination: Pce of Chains] Thousands of massive ck chains burst from the ground, akin to hell chains but dragging people and monsters instead. As Arad flew back, he could count demons, elves, humans, strange beings he had never seen before, and even other devils and some dragons, all chained and getting pulled upward. "This is your end, dragon!" Alony screamed, blood dripping from his disintegrating skin, "Full release," The dragons unleashed their breaths, and the demons released their curses. The humans all used their powers, casting fire, lightning, acid, and even holy spells. Arad dodged a dragon''s lightning breath by teleporting away only to get drowned in a back dragon''s acidic breath, then get boiled as a fire dragon breathed on the acid, followed by a white dragon that froze him, to be struck with lightning once again. Time froze as a mage unleased the ninth-tier spell [Time stop] and the other over fifty wizards cast [Meteor fall], another ninth-tier spell. That resulted in the frozen and zapped Arad getting buried beneath a rain of over fifty meteors exploding above his head before time could even move. SWOSH! Alony flew as fast as he could, assisted by tens of enchantments from the souls he had bound with his curses. From nowhere, he pulled a long ck sword, "Edge of Night, Harp!" He blitzed past Arad, cutting him in two with one swing. "The de that kills Medusa, that soul inside you, is rted to her, right?" He smiled, swinging again, and cutting Arad into four pieces. Arad''s body burst into a spark of fire, expanding as a sh as he transformed into his draconic form. Alony flew away from him, "Handle him for me!" He shouted, and the massive dragons flew toward Arad. They ranged from adults all the way to a ck wyrm. FLAP! Arad pped his wings, flying toward the adult red dragon, swinging a w. The dragon tried to dodge, but Arad easily cleaved his left wing and smacked him toward the ground with a tail strike. SWOSH! The ck wyrm rushed in, striking Arad''s back with his acidic w, cutting him open and sending him flying toward the ground. Before hitting the ground, Arad''s woundpletely healed as the air around him pulsed purple. "What are you doing?" Alony stared toward Arad as the devils and dragons rushed him. "Wizard, st him once more. I don''t know how is he regenerating," "Lord Alony," A wizard said, pointing his staff down, "That dragon is a vampire and a werewolf. He''s regenerating with blood." "That can''t be right," Alony sighed, "He would''ve already run out of blood by now," "He''s using his own blood," The wizard replied, "Those bones of his are producing blood for him to heal with, and for food, he''s eating hell itself." Alony gasped, seeing the air around Arad pulse purple once again before he fully healed. "Wait...eating hell?" He remembered how dragons can digest pretty much anything. "We need to finish him with onerge attack," Alony growled. "That attack must at least burn all of his bones, spine, and brain. Otherwise, he might regenerate back up," A wizard stated. "No, he won''t die even if we evaporated him fully," A druid said, "We''re fighting a Gemini clone, not the real body. He''ll regenerate infinitely as long as the true body still eats and generates blood for him to heal," Alony turned, "Fuck!" He cried. ^To beat this thing, I need to find the one that ran away to search for that pdin?!^ "When will Gemini run out?" Alony cried. "I don''t know," He replied, "I can''t sense his link to the stars," "Keep him busy! I''ll go find the true body and summon you back there," Alony flew away to chase Arad''s true body. "To think you tricked me, bastard." As he flew, Alony saw an old man appearing in front of him. He looked rough, wearing what only could be described as a bandit outfit, and had arge ck beard and a smile on his face. Not having enough time to care, Alony swung his sword at the man, "Get out of the way," SWOSH! The man dodged the swing and smacked Alony in the face, sending him back. "Look back!" Alony turned, seeing Arad sitting on the ground in his draconic form, puking a flood of blood. [Blood Expansion: Devoring flood of spawns] CRACK! The man kicked Alony and sent him flying even faster toward Arad, "Our lord wants your blood!" He smiled. The blood flooded the ground, killing and absorbing sinners and low-rank devils that couldn''t fly away, turning them into spawns for Arad to use. They were temporary and would revert back to sinners and devils upon dying once as hell would retake them, but they were good pawns to fight Alony''s massive army. As the spawns slowly overrun the ce, Arad closed his mouth, fur growing on his body as he growled, the muscles on his legs and arms growing thicker as his ws extended forward, his grows shifting to howels. BAM! With one leap, he sted through an adult blue dragon, flying straight toward Alony with a lightning-fast w swing. Alony dodged at thest moment, "Just what are you?" He growled, "How many abilities do you have?" Arad didn''t bother to reply, chaining a second swing toward Alony. Alony swung his hand, pushing Arad back with his chains. ^I never faced such a stubborn opponent. Where was he hiding in the past decades and centers? He never made a move until so I don''t have any information about him.^ **** Deep into an unknown crevice of hell, Lydia fell face-first to the ground, bleeding as her consciousness quickly faded. She tried to move or stand, but her body refused, only letting out faint sparks of holy magic, attracting hordes of devils and sinners toward her. Thud! A woman stood beside her, staring down with a grin, "Even at death''s door you still try to pull holy magic from Amaterasu. Don''t you ever get enough," As Lydia looked aside, she could only see two bare feet with ck toenail polish. "You''re trying to pull even more, can''t you hear me?" She looked down, "Ah! Your ears are busted. Think I''m a devil standing beside you, how rude," She giggled. As devils and sinners looked toward Lydia, they froze in ce, seeing the woman standing beside them. None of them dared to move, "Do you know what''s the difference between curses and holy magic?" The woman squatted beside her, and Lydia could see her golden hair glowing with holy magic. "Think of it as a gift from your senior. They are the same. Do with that knowledge whatever you like," The woman stood and waved her hand around Lydia, causing her to disappear. The devils gasped as the woman stared at them, "What are you looking at?" She smiled. All of the devils and sinners rushed and bowed before her, "Nothing,dy of hell. We sensed holy magic and came to check the ce, that''s all," "I see," The woman walked past them and approached the strongest one, "How did she look to you?" "A devote Amaterasu followed," He replied, "A creed as strong as steel and a will that''s even harder, reminds me of the pdins of the god''s war. Indomitable spirit," "A high praise from the baron of Nessus. As a devil lord, what do you think of my small gift?" She giggled, looking back to where Lydia was. "I can''t have a say. As her, you once were a pdin to Amaterasu. If I may say," He looked at the blond woman, "She might think of it as a curse," "Really?" The woman walked away, "My holy magic is akin to that of Amaterasu, and I offer curses as well. Will she notice," "She will," He replied, looking at the woman, "Lord of the nine hells, Asmodeus. Why shift her magic source to you?" "That''s not your business," She smiled, flying away. **** In Dis Arad flew across the deste, moltennds scanning the ce, looking everywhere and trying to sense any holy magic. ^If she isn''t here, I might need to search otheryers,^ Arad growled, ^How big is the ce?^ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om But as he flew away, he sensed a spark of holy magic in the distance, pulsing between the mountains. He quickly turned and teleported toward her, finding Lydia unconscious at a cliffside. Her arm, lower jaw, and leg had regenerated. He shifted back into his humanoid form andnded beside her, "Jack would have killed me if I didn''t find you," He lifted her up and sucked her into his stomach as he did to Roberta and her mother. **** Back to Alony and Arad''s clone''s fight, the devil was slowly trying to get the upper hand by having his wizard stay in the backlines and st the spawns with AOE ninth-tier spells like [Meteor fall] And [Lightning Storm] Arad finally returned, and Alony growled, "Don''t tell me? She fell in thisyer?" He growled, "Don''t let them merge!" Chapter 670 Palace Of Stars

Chapter 670 Pce Of Stars

"Don''t let them merge!" Alony screamed, and all of his controlled minions rushed to stop Arad, but they got outmaneuvered. He teleported past them with a void step, teaching his clone. [Void Expansion:...] Arad''s void evolves alongside him. The older he grows, the better his control and dominion over it bes. The two clones merged together, shing in a brilliant light. Arad had three types of expansion he could unleash. The devouring void that was the most basic one, digesting matter with his stomach. The elemental expansion where he uses his void to conjure a massive amount of an element by manipting matter around, and then thest one, the ursed pir that kills by summoning the massive tower of cursed metal he got from Lilia, the archmage of the mage''s tower. Arad''s void expanded far beyond what it could before, reaching a radius of 40km[Around 25 miles] ten times what was possible before. It engulfed a massive chunk of Dis and sucked Alony and all of his minions in the blink of an eye. Unlike before, this time Arad''s void wasn''t empty, but instead filled with gas, hydrogen to be exact. It was the first, and only matter he could create now as he was fresh out of evolution, but, it wasn''t him merely using what he could. The arrogance of dragons was great, and that of the magic dragons even greater. They are the ones who ruled over time, void, and light itself, each of them was a monster unfit for the world due to how absurd they could go. A time dragon traveling to the past to kill his enemies as they are born, a light dragon punching with infinite power as it flies at the ceiling of speed, and void dragons... Till this point, there are two existences that Arad could think of, the me goddess who sent the [Ho-white Nova] at him, the spell of massive destruction that terrified him to the bones. And his wife, Eris whom he can trade blows inbat. He had alreadypressed a weak version of [Ho-white Nova] on his own before, but now he could do it better. The hydrogen gas in Arad''s stomach started spinning around multiple small points,pressing with the help of his gravity magic. Instead of trying topress any matter that was in his stomach, which was hard to achieve,pressing the simple hydrogen gas he creates now was far easier and simpler. The devils stared nkly at the void as the gas heated up, glowing brightly as it grew denser, unleashing waves of scorching heat that put the secondyer of hell to shame. BOOM! Thepressed gas exploded as it reached a critical point, forming several tiny [Ho-white Nova] around Arad, who floated in his draconic from between them, holding his hands together. [...Pce of Stars] The insane gravity of the newly formed stars pulled the devils toward them while the heat cooked them alive, the void shredding their flesh apart like a meat grinder dicing them like roasted brisket. As to not waste any, they got digested by Arad''s stomach each time they revived, fueling the engine of the void dragon oven. CRACK! Arad grabbed the screaming Alony in his w, "Your minions'' flesh isn''t enough to sustain this expansion," Arad said, pping his wings and flying around Dis with his expansion, devouring theyer to keep burning the devils over and over. "YOU! HELL WOULD MAKE YOU PAY! DO YOU THINK YOU CAN FEND THE THIRD LAYER DEVILS!" Alony cried as he got cooked alive, eaten, revived then cooked and eaten again, over and over. "Let theme," Arad red at him. "Your curse is powerful, giving you the ability to steal other people''s powers. But that''s your weakness," Arad said, "Stolen power, granted power, system''s power, all of them aren''t your own. They are merely gifted to you by other people. It can be stolen, or robbed back. You aren''t adapted to it, and you can''t develop or modify it to fit situations. You''re merely a faker, hiding behind other people''s power. A devil only has petty tricks, after all," The disturbing intellect Alony felt staring at Arad''s eyes before was clear to him now, this creature ahead of him was learning, observing, and adapting. He before managed to hit Arad and smack him into the ceiling of Dis, he felt happy about the achievement, but he was wrong. Any attack, curse, spell, or move that he showed to Arad and didn''t kill him with was getting funneled into Arad''s draconic brain, analyzed, and engraved into his memory. "A monster that shouldn''t have been born into the world," Alony growled. **** Thud! About two hourster, Aradnded in Merlin''sb, walking out of a hell gate naked as he entered hell. Gojo was sitting there on the couch, "You''re back?" He looked at him with a smile, "Put some clothes on, human find it strange to walk like that," He said. Arad looked down, "Sorry, didn''t notice," In the blink of an eye, clothes engulfed his body, arge pair of ck pants and a tight ck shirt. "It''s only natural. Dragons don''t wear clothes in their true form. Clothes and armor are merely the human''s way of mimicking a fraction of our scale''s power," He stood, "So, I assume the devil is dealt with?" "I killed and ate him over and over until he released the contract on Roberta and her mother," Arad replied, "He tasted like a rotisserie chicken. But a bit acidic from hell." "To your health," Gojo smiled, "But, don''t forget to drop the women onto the church for healing. I''m sure they are quite injured," "You''re right," Arad nodded, about to teleport. "Ah! What about!" He gasped. "Don''t worry. I put the ck mes burning Eris out and she already healed, and Merlin survived thanks to a contingency spell that she made. She''s asleep in the back room," Gojo pointed with his thumb. ZON! The two of them teleported to the church, appearing right in the middle of the prayer hall. The nuns cried as they saw the two brothers appear. "KYA!" One of them cried, jumping back as she saw Gojo. "You! W-what brought you here? Swindler!" "What?" Gojo stared at her, confused. "You''re right! It''s him, the swindler devil!" The other nuns cried, moving away with red faces. Gojo didn''t know how many women thirst over him in Alina, and since he left for the north, the church got countless of women consulting about having a crush on a white-haired man that suddenly disappeared. "You," Arad approached one of the nuns, looking at her face, but to her, it was a sharp re. She barely reached 4''11, and he was 7 feet. She couldn''t reach his chest as she looked up at his face, "I have people that need healing. Hurry," Hearing his deep voice, she could only slowly back away. Even though Arad didn''t do anything beyond asking for help, she only found him intimidating. Arad pulled Roberta and Lydia from his stomach, but he couldn''t pull the mother out. He blinked for a second before realizing that unlike Roberta and Lydia, Roberta''s mother had already died, and what he took from hell was only her soul. "Lydia!" The nuns gasped, rushing to heal her and Roberta, "Where did you get them? What monster did this?" "I pulled them out of hell," Arad replied. "We know the situation is bad, but where did you get them?" One asked again. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Hell," Arad said with a straight face. "Don''t describe it? Was it a fire monster? A poison one, what was it?" The nun asked once more. "As I said, I pulled them out of hell," Arad said once more. "Forget it," The nun looked away, "Let''s focus on healing," As Arad sat on the church''s chairs with Gojo, the nun stole a nce at him. "Why doesn''t he want to say where they got injured like this? I can see acid, burn marks, and even some traces of curses," She mumbled, "I want to press him for answers..." Her eyes stopped at Arad''s massive arms. "Adventurers can get violent quickly. I probably shouldn''t." After only a few minutes, the two woke up. "What happened?" Roberta asked. "That devil!" Lydia growled, holy magic crackling from her body. Then pausing for a second as she felt it was a bit strange... "I beat him up until he released you," Arad said, sitting on the church chair, "He won''t bother you ever again," He sighed. Sadly, devils can''t be killed in hell as they''ll infinitely regenerate. Without any simple way to force him out of hell where Doma could destroy his soul. A true kill wasn''t possible. Arad stood, "Let''s go," He said, "Everyone should be worried," Roberta looked at him, "Can I go look at my father first?" "Of course," Arad replied. "Sorry, but if the devil managed to get me, I can''t think of another way other than going through the business using father," She added. "How about you?" Arad looked at Lydia. "I''ll go on my own," She looked at her, "Something feels off and I want to test it," "Got it," Arad replied, grabbing Roberta by the hand and teleporting away. Gojo waved his hand to the nuns, "See youter," He teleported away. "That fiend!" They growled, blushing. Thud! Arad and Robertanded in her shop, immediately seeing Geralt shaking the woman at the desk. "What gotten into you, reply," He could barely move or talk, yet he growled at her. Roberta rushed toward him, "What happened?" She asked. "Where have you been?" Geralt looked at her and at Arad, "I don''t know what happened to the girl. Customersined of her standing like a doll, and here she is," Arad looked at her, she was still alive and breathing but remained still as if zoned out. He sighed, "It''s that devil''s curse. Must''ve got her in a contract," "Is that how he got me?" Roberta growled. "I''ll be back," Arad turned. "Where are you going?" She gasped. "Wait! What''s this devil talk?" Geralt stared at them. "Long story." Roberta looked at her father. "I''ll go see if Merlin is awake and can open a hell gate." Arad replied, "I''ll give that devil a second beating until he releases her," He smiled. "You just fought him! You''re exhausted, you can''t risk it," "N''ah, I''d win," He teleported to Merlin''s tower. An hourter, the girl woke up. Chapter 671 Vlad The Insane Immortal

Chapter 671 d The Insane Immortal

?Thud! Arad walked out of the hell''s gate naked and engulfed in mes. He took a deep breath, and the mes faded, immediately covering himself up with the clothes he wore before and stored in his stomach. Going to hell with unenchanted clothes is only asking for them to get burned, so he had opted to take them off before walking. "To think you don''t need protection against hell," Merlin stared at him with a smirk, "My scales are better suited to resist hell. I can also protect myself with barrier magic and the void," He looked at her, "But, it''s quite annoying," "Finding hell annoying at worst is not something I thought I''d hear someone say in my life," Merlin sighed, approaching Arad and staring at him, her eyes glowing blue. "Good, no lingering curses. You''re good," She tapped his shoulder. "I told you," Arad smiled, "Doma would clear anything out," "Better be careful," She turned, "You can go check on the girls, they are waiting," ZON! Arad teleported straight to Roberta''s shop to see if Alony had released the girl from her binding. "Roberta, is she fine?" He asked. "I told you! That devil is dangerous. Why did you send him? He''ll die!" He could hear the girl shouting. "I''m telling you, Arad would win. You woke up, all right? That means he won," Roberta shouted back at her. "What''s going on?" Arad walked into the back room, bending to fit into the door. He looked inside, seeing Roberta and the girl arguing with Geralt, holding his aching head at the back. "Can you two calm down a bit?" He stepped inside. "Who?" The girl turned, seeing Arad staring at her. She took a step back, "What do you want?" "You look fine," He smiled. The girl misunderstood his words and jumped back, terrified. "Arad, so the devil is?" Roberta sighed in relief. "He was up and ready for a second match, but I still beat him until he released her," Arad replied. Finding a chair to sit on, and looked toward Geralt, "Did you get a healer to look at you?" "Yeah, it''s just a cold," Geralt replied, "I''m old. Getting sick is inevitable," "Wait? Arad? He beat the devil?" The girl gasped. "He''s Arad Orion. You must''ve heard of him." Roberta stared at the girl with a grin. "Arad Orion? That man who browless with werewolves, punches vampires, dragged a dragon to the front gate, and sold it?" She stared at him for a second, suspicious, but one stared at his arms being thicker than her torso made her quickly change her mind. It was him. "That would be me," Arad looked at her. The girl looked at Roberta and Gerald, "So now he adds beating a devil to the list. The adventurers aren''t going to believe this," "To be honest," Geralt sighed, "Beating a devil isn''t something I expect even from an s-rank," He stared at Arad, "You''ve grown strong, young blood," "Won''t say strong," Arad smiled, "Competent enough to survive." "You say that," Geralt grabbed his cane and smacked Arad''s arm, making a sound akin to hitting a tree. "This isn''t how muscles are supposed to sound like. They''re as hard as stones," "That devil could still cut me easily with his sword," Arad replied, "It might look strong, but I still have to work on it," He held his arm. Roberta and the girl stared at him. ^But it took a devil to cut you...^ Knock! Knock! As they sat, they could hear a knock on the door. Geralt looked at Roberta, "Check who is it," "It''s Sena," Arad replied, "I can smell her from here," He stood and walked to open the door instead of Roberta. Opening the door, Sena rushed in and closed the door behind her to not let the winter''s cold in. She looked toward Arad, "Good morning," He blinked, thinking for a moment, "Yeah, I was asleep until recently," He smiled, "Good morning," "You beat the devil of control, the devil lord of the secondyer of hell," She smiled, "You''re getting stronger, aren''t you?" "You could''ve beaten that devil on your own. I can tell looking at you now," Arad stared at her, "Why didn''t you take care of him?" "I can''t just mess with contracts, and I''m legally bound to not interfere with the devil lords of hell without them making a direct move against me first," She replied. "Whatw holds you down?" "Cosmicws, on my mother''s side," She added, looking past him to see Roberta and the girl, "You two are all right?" "Yeah," Roberta replied. Arad looked at Roberta, closing his eyes and looking deep into his soul. Right at the center, he had two souls lying asleep, waiting for something to wake them up. Shi''s soul, the half-tarrasque he beaten, and Roberta''s mother''s soul that he stole from hell. "Roberta," Arad looked at them, "Your mother''s soul, I have it," He said. "What?" Geralt gasped. "I know," Roberta sighed, "I saw her while I was inside your storage magic. She was unconscious at that time," She looked toward her father. "I don''t care at this point," Geralt sighed, "Do what you wish," Roberta stared at Arad. "I''ll keep her until you make a decision," He shook his head, "And I don''t know how to wake them on my own, so that has to be a whole mission on its own," "Thank you..." She looked at him with a smile. **** "Our lord!" A man said, bowing down. "Our armies are ready, with one word, all shall move," d stood, a smile on his face, "All forces would attack the base of Uranus. Leave the dragon himself to me." He lifted his hand, "Each general has his own target, so don''t y around and kill as fast as you can," "As you order," The army of vampires disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving the ce reeking with blood. d stood, looking at the side to the man standing there, "Zia, do you know where that girl Eris is?" d giggled, "I can''t wait to get her here," Zia sighed, "You''ve only been babbling about her. You had a wife, and a daughter called Scarlet," "They''ve already grown and left the nest. It''s time for me to make new ones." He giggled, "Do you think she''ll like red apples like Gehena did? Could she be fond of virgin blood or the taste of leprecon''s blood siphoned at the moonlight?" "For the sixty-eight time, I don''t know. She could shit gold for all I care," Zia approached him with a deep sigh, "Can you focus. For one time?" "I''m focusing on her," d smiled, "She won''t get that far from my hands or hips," "That''s what you said about your previous wife," Zia clenched a fist, wanting to smack him in the face. "And she ran away. With your bloodstone goblet," "That she did," He looked at Zia. "You know she slept with Alcott before running to the abyssal arctic of the north? You know she and that man did it on purpose, don''t you?" She growled. "We can''t be sure of that," "He literally fucked your wife and daughter, get a grip and be serious for once. He was but a human!" Zia swung at d''s head, but he dodged by simply waving his head to the side. "That''s why I''m looking to make a new family, with my new love Eris. Hopefully, we could make a perfect vampire child. What should we name him?" He looked at Zia, "Any ideas?" "Not my fucking problem," She growled. "Well, we can name him that, but I''m sure the poor child would hate me." d looked at the ceiling, seeing his golden chandelier wiggling from left to right, the me of the candles on it dancing with the wind as he could hear seagulls squeal outside. "That dragon brat Arad," d smiled, "He blew my kingdom. I was so pissed at the time," "As you should, he blew a thousand-year-old kingdom," Zia held her face, not knowing what to think of d. She''s been serving as his maid for decades, but till now she can''t understand how his mind works. "I mean. It took a lot of work to build that base. It was a shame to see it sted," d looked at her, "But what can I say? Well yed on his part. Using a goddess''s divine punishment to st me was a smart strategy," He giggled. "You''re insane," Zia growled. "I''ve been alive for thousands of years, long before the war of gods," He closed his eyes, remembering the days of the old war, him hiding beneath the ground, starving for decades as the gods fought the abomination in what seemed like an endless war. "Compared to that, the current world''s problems look like spices on food," He waved his hands, "Once I take a spit, I cough and spit it out. It''s too spicy, too hot..." He looked at Zia, "You see red, sweating and angry, but then I smile, damn, but it tastes good," "That''s it, you''re insane," "Immortality is a curse, not a blessing," d extended his palm forward, "I''ve seen so many days, so many lies, so many lives that I''m getting bored, too exhusted, and I can''t stand the world the way is it," He stood, opening his arms, "Either the world better change to be fun for, or I don''t need it," "The world doesn''t revolve around you," Zia looked at him, "I know you''re the oldest and strongest vampire, but please be logical, for once," "My sweet, I''m not saying the world should revolve around me. It shouldn''t, because it''ll be boring if that was the case," He waved his hands in the air. "How many times did I tell you''re insane? Sit, and let''s direct the arms as we nned. Don''t mess things up. You''re the one who nned them in the first ce." She growled, "Your previous head maid died because of that," "She''s alive. It''ll only take her some time to regenerate," d sat again with a bored face, "When will I get my hands on you, my little Eris," He looked to the side, seeing Zia ring at him with a disgusted re. "Come on," d sighed, "If a vampire is going to kill and take my ce, it''ll be my child, the strongest vampire and hers, the holy vampire," "You want to die?" "I want to have fun, and life isn''t fun anymore," "Then just drop dead! Save us the hassle. We vampires also want to live a quiet life," "Me dying like that is no fun," He smiled, "I once thought. When I was a human." He lifted his hand, pointing a finger at the wall. "If I wanted to die, I won''t throw myself out of a building, or burn myself. I''ll pick a weapon, and do whatever I like until the world stops me." He closed his eyes, remembering the old days, "They even forgot about me in my cell, and I spent years licking my own blood from my rusty shackles to survive until I became a vampire." "That isn''t how vampires are born," "I was because I''m special," He stood, "But, don''t fail the Zephyr n. The fight will be no fun with her around," He pulled two swords, shapeshifting into a swarm of bats and flying out of the window, standing alone on top of the stem of the bowsprit as the ship sailed toward the shores. He took a deep breath, spikes of blood emerging behind him. "Men, women, and everyone, what a nice smell." He nged his des, "Time to impale you, so prepare your booties." He smiled, nging the swords once more, "Eris, prepare your booty, and Arad, Alcott, I dare you to try and fucking stop me!" Heughed as the vampires charged at the human capital from the seat right after dusk.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 672 Vlad Vs Zephyr

Chapter 672 d Vs Zephyr

Back in Alina, Arad was in the forest cutting trees. CRACK! One swing of his axe after another, he ripped the trees apart and dropped them to the ground. Meryem walked toward the trees and lifted them on her shoulder, carrying two at a time and dropping them behind his house where Merida cut them to pieces. "I think ten is enough," Meryem looked at Arad, waving her hand to signal him to stop cutting. "You think so?" He replied, having already cut two more trees. "Yeah, this should be enough for more than a few weeks," She smiled, "Bring those two to be cut as well," She took an axe that was sitting beside the fence and went to help Merida chop the trees. Arad picked up the two extra trees he cut and followed them, "Meryem, you''ve been getting stronger, didn''t you?" "Nina trained me for a while." She looked back at him as he put the trees down, "As a monster, I''m a power type." She flexed her arm, the muscles on her expanding as her veils bulged. "I know that," Arad looked at her, "I said that you''ve been getting stronger faster than normal," "That should be since you''re staying inside the dungeon for too long and evolving there," She looked at the ground, "Just as a dragon''s existence affects nature around them, your existence in the dungeon is affecting us, pushing us toward bing something else." As they talked, Arad blinked, looking at the clouds, "This feeling," BAM! The clouds parted as a massive golden dragon showed up, crashing in the middle of the forest. Arad immediately teleported to the crash site, "Kin! What''s happened?" Shouted as he stared at her. Just getting close he could see that she was missing arge part of her tail, hind legs, and her body riddle with holes. How she made it here was beyond his understanding. "d...the capital..." She mumbled and fell silent. The veins on Arad''s neck and arms bulged. He rapidly turned, about to st toward the capital, but he suddenly saw a green light sh from his house, flying out faster than he could see. He took a deep breath, shifting into his draconic form and carrying Kin, "Let''s get you help first," He growled. **** d sat on the highest tower of the capital''s royal castle, staring into the horizon as screams echoed through the air. "What a nice song, isn''t it?" He giggled, standing up and pointing his swords forward, "You''reing, aren''t you?" Zephyr flew as fast as she could toward the capital, dragging a whole tempest behind her as her magic swelled up, growingrger with each passing second. A green crown of magic shed above her head as she reached the capital, flying straight toward d. It only took her a few minutes to get to the capital. d pointed his sword forward, "Hello," He smiled, waiting for Zephyr to run into his de on her own. SWOSH! Zephyr didn''t care about his sword. Being in her small fairy form, she flew around the de, punching into the sea with a st, cracking the tower. SPLAT! d crashed into the water, standing on its surface and rubbing his nose, "What disrespect. I''m older than you, do you know that?" He growled, staring forward as shended ahead of him on the water''s surface, floating with veins on her neck and forehead. "I have no respect for those who don''t respect the world," Zephyr growled, "It''s not your toy to y with." "Nop," d smiled, "The world is my ything. It always was. And would always be," He lifted one of his swords, setting the edge horizontally, "Thy life, thy death," CLANG! He smacked it with the second sword horizontally, "By blood, we live, and by death, we unlive," The swords crackled, sending a spark of light, "Amen," "Akame''s rogue priest," Zephyr stared at him, "To think you still hold her teaching even after losing your mind. To think that even vampires grow senile, not for physical deterioration, but due to their soul crumbling with time," BAM! Zephyr pointed a finger at him, firing a bolt ofpressed wind, piercing a hole in his forehead. d recoiled back, but a smile crossed his face, as he pointed his sword toward Zephyr, fiering apressed arrow of blood. CLANG! The arrow bounced off a wind barrier that protected Zephyr, and she fired a second shot at him, piercing his face. d didn''t move, taking the hit and firing a second blood arrow, then another one and another one until the two were sending hundreds of shots at each other each second. Zephyr stared at d''s body, standing as a mess of blood and minced meat, yet he didn''t fall, still lifting his swords and pointing at her. "I guess, physical damage can''t take you down," She sighed, seeing him fully regenerate, "With you only having a humanoid body. It would take centuries of continuous killing to make you run off blood," d smiled, "Sadly, it''s true. Holy magic can kill me as well, but it''ll only take a few decades to take me down," "Yeah," Zephyr smiled, "How about I spread your body across the world," A massive tornado exploded from her body as she lifted d into the sky. "Try to regenerate from this." Across the whole world, drops of blood rained from the sky, and Arad looked at the ground, "Is this Zephyr''s doing?" Zephyrnded in the city streets, "Let''s see if that worked," She looked around, seeing tens of people ughtered, and impaled on spikes. "He already massacred the capital," She sighed. Thud! A vampirended ahead of her, and she looked at him, "If d couldn''t beat me, what do you think you can achieve?" She smiled. "Don''t know, was thinking of telling you it''s quite painful to be spread across the world like that," The vampire''s body twisted and shifted into d. "All of the vampires in the world are my vessels," He giggled, "I can just regenerate from one of them. Killing me like this is impossible," "I see," She sighed, clenching her fist. "And I was hoping to end you quickly," d lifted his hands, "My turn," He disappeared, swinging a fist at Zephyr''s face. She barely dodged. ^He''s fast. With his extreme control over blood, he can use it to enchant his speed and defenses.^ She swung a kick at d''s guts, trying to kick him back to the sea. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ^We shouldn''t fight here. There might be some survivors.^ Thud! d caught her foot without budging, "Nice toes. Mind if I lick them?" He smiled. Zephyr could see his long ears. ^He was an elf before bing a vampire.^ "If you''ll die, I''ll let you." She replied. d sighed, "Sadly I won''t die from that, so no toes for me," "The get the hell out to the sea!" Zephyr screamed. At the time of their conversation, she scanned the surrounding area for survivors and found that there was only one little girl buried beneath the rubble behind her. From Zephyr''s foot, a st of air exploded and sent d flying all the way toward the sea. Zephyr turned around and waved her hand, sting the rubble away, and picked the little girl with a gust of wind, "Go!" She sent her flying into the air before going to fight d. As Zephyr reached the sea, a massive sh of blood flew toward her faster than she could dodge. ^He''s attacking back,^ The sh flew straight through her body, doing no damage as it crashed into the capital''s port, cutting it in half. "Are you sure you want to do that?" d approached her, walking on water and holding his two swords pointing down. With a grin on his face, he giggled, "You aren''t the only one around," Zephyr turned around, seeing tens of people ripped apart where the shnded. "Can you beat me and keep casualties to a minimum? I doubt that." He nged his des again. "You won''t win like this," He swung, sending another sh toward her. Zephyr waved her hand, deflecting the sh toward the sky with a burst of air. As she did that, d already reached her, swinging the sword toward her neck. "Let''s dance, queen of tempest," He shouted. Zephyr shrunk her body to dodge the strike and touched d''s chest, "Wind Cutter." Thousands ofpressed wind des gushed from her hand, dicing him into tiny cubes, flung into the sea by a st of wind. The cubes fell into the sea, tainting it red. SPLAT! d''s hand emerged from the red sea, grabbing onto the water''s surface as he climbed up, already healed. "Get serious if you want to kill me," Zephyr sighed, "You asked for it," She looked back at the city, "Sorry," From her body, a massive tornado emerged as her winds changed color, shifting from green to ck and golden. She lifted her hands, putting them together, [Wind Expansion] Chapter 673 Apocalyptic Nightmare World

Chapter 673 Apocalyptic Nightmare World

?[Wind Expansion: Atmosphere Rejection] The air around Zephyr''s tornado shed green, golden, and ck. Unlike others, Zephyr couldn''t cast an expansion not forck of power. But because she had it cast. Since the first time, she cast it two thousand years ago upon taking the crown from the previous wind spirit, she had never halted her expansion once, and most of her power was directed toward maintaining it. d''s skin bubbled into blood-red foam as the air inside his cells that was supposed to burn and create energy revolted, ripping his cells from the inside out. His regeneration tried to fight it, but the existence of holy and cursed magic in Zephyr''s wind halted his magic. ^So I was right.^ d stared at her with bloodied eyes. ^Your expansion is everywhere...^ The world needs great spirits to be sustained each of them holding a part of it stable. Zephyr is the great wind spirit, and maintaining the atmosphere of the world is her duty, and that atmosphere in its entirety is her expansion. Zephyr had two ways of interacting with her already cast expansion. Taking direct control or forming a secondary small expansion. Her small expansion is only capable of targeting a few humans, probably arge monster, and killing it, but it isn''t anywhere near strong enough to kill someone at d''s level. Zephyr had chosen the first way and took direct control of her expansion, which was unimaginably difficult due to its massive size andplexity. The order was simple, killing everything in Area 1, which was the northern side of the human kingdom. To keep the people safe, she used her magic to engulf the whole area in a tornado of her magic while leaving d to face the wrath of her expansion. World power is a title given only to those capable of destroying the world, and Zephyr could do that with ease if she so wished. After half an hour, Zephyr finally felt d''s magic stopping as his body stopped regenerating after her expansion ripped his cells part. "Finally, to think it took this long for you to run out of blood, how many thousands of people have you devoured," Zephyrnded on the destroyed harbor, looking at the capital behind her. The building has crumbled, and hundreds of people died from her tornado. ^I had to engulf them in a tornado to protect them from my expansion, but that still is...^ She sighed, seeing a priest crawl from beneath the rubble with his legs bleeding. "OH! Great wind spirit," He cried. "You''re alive?" She stared at him, "Sorry for the destruction," "That monster!" The priest cried, "I saw him impaling civilians from the butt up to their throat, hanging them in the streets for fun," The priest couldn''t stand due to his legs. All he could do was sit and prey. "He''s already dead," Zephyr said with a passive face, "Pray for this kingdom to recover instead," "It''s here," As Zephyr was about to fly away, people started crawling from the rubble, praying behind the priest. ^They''ve seen hell since d showed up here,^ Zephyr sighed, ^They don''t even care that I killed some of them. All they care about is that d is dead.^ "I''m pretty sure praying to me is forbidden. I''m not god," Zephyr walked toward them. "We want to show our thanks," A nun said, and Zephyr scratched her head. "Fine! Fine! I''ll stay for a while," She waved her, lifting the rubble of the building, "All those who could use healing magic get to work. Priority is for those who could use healing magic but are injured. We need as many healers as possible after all," After a minute of work, a little girl rushed toward Zephyr with a crown of flowers. "Wind!" Zephyr ignored the little girl. Moving the rubble away and getting the people trapped beneath it was more important. ^Let the kids y. It''s the blessing of ignorance.^ "Hay!" The little one smiled a glowing red light in her eyes, pushing a gray cube into Zephyr''s stomach, "Pushy push!" At that moment, Zephyr''s consciousness shifted back away from her magic and to her body, "You little!" She was about to kick the little girl away alongside the cube, but that was toote. The cube shed, sucking Zephyr inside and falling to the ground. The rubble and debris that Zephyr had floating fell back down, crushing several people. As the blood drained into the ground, a skeletal being grew from the dirt, flesh, and veins covering the bones until d emerged back up. "Nice. Job," He patted the little girl on the head. Zia appeared behind him, "The n worked." She said, looking at the little girl, "Your mind control seems to keep working even without you being conscious," "ying dead with Zephyr was a massive risk. If she kept, pummeling me with her expansion for another half an hour, I would''ve run out of blood and died for real," d replied, "Take the little girl to the sanctuary ind and give her a high rank among the cattle." "What high rank?" "The highest possible, helping take care of the wind spirit is no small feat, even if it was my mind control working," He waved his hand, and Zia carried the little girl, flying across the sea. d expanded his wings and flew into the sky, lifting his arms and looking down upon the burning city. "In the future, when the Dracorage Mythic hits, dragons would rip the world apart, consuming the living and dead and spelling the world''s doom," He smiled, "That''s fate. It shouldn''t change," Blood started dripping from his wings, "But. What if I killed the world before them? The great dragon-vampire war would be upon us, and I''m sure that time would be fun," d lowered his hands and killed everyone on sight, impaling them across the capital, "My children, for the vampires'' glory, hunt the world down," ***** Back in Alina, Arad, Eris, Alcott, Ginger. All could feel a jolt shing in their heads. The vampire blood coursing through their veins cried, ^Obey the king, ughter the living,^ Veins bulged on Arad''s forehead. He growled, staring at the sleeping Kin Inside hisyer. "NO!" His eyes shed purple as the muscles around his body bulged, "This blood is mine. You showed yourself, fiend!" He turned around, ready to st toward d. Eris grabbed her head, gasping for air as her fangs itched, but she quickly felt better as Arad resisted d''s will. Her blood was linked to his thanks to Ginger so he acted as a shield, protecting her will. "This is bad. All the vampires heard him," She rushed downstairs to call the girls. Ginger grunted, "Damn it," She looked at Alcott who stood from his seat inside their house, "Your father is such a pain," "I know," She stood, "All the vampires of the world heard his call, they''ll rampage and follow his will," "Do you know where he is?" "The capital," She growled, "I doubt anyone survived there. Father isn''t known for mercy. Humans to him are nothing more than food, cattle. He can''t see them more than how humans see sheep or cows." "AHHHHHHHHHHH!" They heard a screaming from outside, and Alcott immediately grabbed his sword, "There are vampires in this city?" He flew out, "I didn''t know. They probably avoided using their blood magic near here due to my presence," Ginger growled. BAM! Alcott jumped over the fence of his house and ran across the street, following the scream and blood sent, finally reaching a house at the city''s za. Arge brick building with a tile roof, reeking of blood. Without wasting a second, he lunged inside, shattering the door. Right through the main entrance in the living room, he could see a vampire holding a man by the neck, half the family dead. "All hail to the blood lord," The vampire said, breaking the man''s neck with one hand while turning toward Alcott. "A fellow blood brother," He smiled, "You heard our lord''s call. Do you seek assistance?" CLAP! In the blink of an eye, Alcott blitzed the vampire and diced him beyond recognition, "Burn," Alcott pulled a bottle of holy water from his pocket and poured it on the vampire''s diced body, finishing him off. "Alcott! This isn''t the only ce, there are tens of vampires across the city, and they are spreading rapidly," Ginger shouted, flying to the sky, "By blood I order thee! HALT!" She screamed. [Blood Magic: Royal Command] She used her blood to fight against her father''s will, forcing all the vampires in Alina to stop moving for a minute. This spell was exclusive to d and his direct descendants, and even with that, they got a version far weaker than d himself. Alcott jumped out, quickly locating the vampires through scent. At the same moment, he noticed the adventurers running around to fight back, especially Nina, Abel, and Merlin, who had already yed the vampires. **** In Arad''s vige, a vampire approached a small house, "I smell something sweet inside," He opened the door, staring directly into the kitchen and seeing a family sitting around a table. Parents and a small kid, Agnar Asim. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Who are..." Agnar''s father stood, but before he could finish the sentence, Agnar kicked the dinner table toward the vampire and rushed at him with a kitchen knife. Angar''s mother cried, falling back as the father gasped. The vampire lifted his hand to block the table. "What''s that kid?" He gasped, but Agnar didn''t give him any time, slipping beneath the table and slicing the vampire''s ankles. The vampire fell down, seeing Agnar swinging the knife toward his throat. "Cheeky brat!" He growled, smacking Agnar in the face and sending him rolling into the house. The vampire stood, his ankle fully healed, "You are strong for a brat," His eyes opened wide, seeing Agnar squatting in the corner, his wooden sword in hand. "Howl! Maharaja!" Agnar screamed, scratching the sword with his nails. The sword shed for a second, and Agnar''s body turned back, fading into the shadows, only leaving two glowing golden eyes that disappeared quickly after. "Where?" The vampire turned around, searching for Agnar only to see a massive jaw approaching his face. A ck Jaguar bites the vampire''s head, dragging her into the shadows of the house''s garden, and munching the skull open. Agnar shifted back into his humanoid form, dragging the vampire close to the door, "Father, we have holy water, right?" "Yeah!" The father rushed inside. Agnar looked at the vampire''s body, "Not all vampires have the same regenerative ability, and the brain is the hardest part for them to regenerate. You better stay dead," **** Inside the local bar, Meryem was sitting with Nina''s grandma Shir, drinking ale. "Arad keeps ignoring me, he says what if Iid too many eggs..." She sighed, looking at the table, half- drunk. "Strength matters, and so does magic," Grandma Shir patted Meryem''s back, "You strong, magic weak," "I know, right," Meryem cried, "I don''t have enough magic to support even one egg," She bawled her eyes, "What do I do," "Me not know," Grandma Shir looked at her, "Drag him," "I can''t...He''s too strong..." CREEEK! The bar''s door opened, "I smell..." CRACK! The moment the vampire walked in, Grandma Shir turned her head, cracking her neck and ring at him with one eye. "Person bug," She growled. Barbarians barely cared what monsters are named, but they knew that there are bugs that suck blood [mosquitoes] and that the vampire is a humanoid [A person], so they call them person bugs. "Hot blood for such an olddy," He said, "Mind if I suck it out?" The vampire smiled, smelling that something special ran in the olddy''s blood, the fading traces of a great being. "I''ll let you suck my blood if you let me stomp your face," She stood, rushing forward toward the vampire. "She''s fast!" The gasped, blocking a kick straight to the chest that sent him flying into the snow streets. "How could she be..." The vampire growled, turning to run away. He turned to look back, seeing Grandma Shir keeping up, running after him. "I''m a vampire olddy! Don''t be as fast as me!" He screamed. "Got it," Grandma Shir replied, and he could only see her foot swinging past him as she got even faster, surpassing him with ease. "What?" He looked forward, seeing her sole rushing toward his face, stomping his head to the ground and crushing his skull. Grandma Shir was a kicker in her young years, and even now she didn''t ck off on her running for the sake of maintaining her health. With the vampire''s skill crushed, Grandma shit looked at him, "Here, boy." Waiting for him to stand and suck her blood, but he didn''t move. Quickly, Meryem rushed in with holy water, finishing the fiend. Chapter 674 Counter Attack

Chapter 674 Counter Attack

CRACK! Aradnded beside Meryem and Grandma Shir, "A vampire?" He looked at the smoking corpse. "Person bug, dead," Grandma Shir smiled. "There was another attack at Agnar''s house. He dealt with the vampire, but I can hear them attacking everywhere." Arad shifted into his half-dragon form, "Tens in Alina, and even more in the viges spread around us. I can feel some even attacking the bandits outside mynd," Before, Arad''s magic could only expand into four Kilometers around him which was his domain. But now after his evolution, it has extended to forty kilometers, giving his senses the ability to sense outside hisnds. "Arad!" Gojo appeared behind them, and Arad turned toward him, "I know, go. I''ll handle things here," ZON! Gojo teleported away, "What''s going on?" "He needs to go protect the frozen north. The vampire attacks seem to be spread across the whole world," Arad cracked his neck, expanding his wings. "I''ll clean the immediate area," ZON! He teleported. *** Arad appeared in Alina beside a vampire, cutting him in half with one swing before getting noticed. "The fifth, all of them as far too weak." He looked around, "A strong one is..." BAM! Arad could see trees thrown into the sky as a maniacalugh filled the air, a powerful vampire lord flying backward with fists engulfed in me, ring forward with a stern face. "Is that all you have?!" Alcott shouted as he jumped toward the vampire, cutting his arms in the blink of an eye. The vampire growled, regenerating his arms and pointing toward Alcott, "Burn!" [Fire Torrent] Several beams of fire burst from the vampire''s fingers, cutting trenches in the ground, then bursting into fiery explosions. Alcott easily slipped between the beams, pulling a chain from his magic bag and swinging it like a whip, catching the vampire in the air, "Have you ever hunted with ropes, fiend!" With one pull, Alcott dropped the vampire to the ground and kicked him in the face right after he bounced back. The vampire''s body got flung back, ripping trees apart as he tried to regain his bnce and heal his now crushed ribs. ^I know he was strong,^ He stood, [Scorching eyes] Sending twopressed beams of heat toward Alcott. Alcott let go of the chain and pulled two short swords, cutting the beams in half in one motion. "Impossible!" The vampire cried. BAM! With one leap, Alcott disappeared from the vampire''s vision as if he teleported, appearing right in front of his face with a smile. GAH! The vampire gasped, lifting his arms to block, but Alcott''s fist pushed right through his guard, smacking him in the face. The impact gave the vampire enough momentum to send him flying back, but... "Where is d!" Alcott clenched his fist, jumping behind the vampire before he could be sent flying back, punching him in the back. Alcott started going around the vampire, pummeling him with punches and forcing him to stay in one ce. N?v(el)B\\jnn ^No wonder d lost before...How can a human move like this...^ The vampire gasped, igniting his whole body in an attempt to shake Alcott off. SWOSH! Alcott stopped punching and lifted his hand, pping at the vampire''s face. The shockwave released a violent burst of wind that blew the mes off and sted the vampire away. "I''ve seen better!" Alcott rushed after the vampire, grabbing him by the face and pushing him through the trees, "Speak! Where is d?!" "Never!" The vampire growled. "Then die!" Alcott threw the vampire away and pulled a long sword from his magic back, quickly sheathing it back into the bag and pulling it out drenched in holy water. The vampire lifted his arms, trying to form a wall of fire, but he was too slow. Alcott flew past him, cutting him into pieces and making sure to dice the head and heart into mush. "Alcott!" Arad called,nding behind him, "I finished the weak ones," "I heard something heavy crash earlier," Alcott looked at him, "d is in the capital. Zephyr already went after him. We should be able to finish everything here first then follow her," Alcott hid his weapons back in his magic bag, "Zephyr should be able to beat him. Let''s only hope he won''t be able to pull a fast one on her. d is quite tricky," Alcott looked at Arad, "If all the vampires around are dead, we better hurry to assist her," "Zephyr''s is far stronger than what we think. She won''t lose," Arad replied, "I''ll carry us to the capital. But since I''m going to fly at an extreme speed, I''ll only take those who can handle it," "d is smarter than you think," Alcott said as he walked toward Arad, looking at the burning forest behind them. "How sad," A voice came from the woods, and both Arad and Alcott stared back. ^I killed all vampires I could sense around,^ Arad thought. ^I was certain no other powerful vampire was left. Where did this onee from?^ Alcott pulled a sword. "Hio Died. The fire bastard died," The vampire scratched his head, growling as blood dripped across his face, "Our lord won''t be pleased. Who''s fault is it? It''s yours. Isn''t it? You''re the problem? HAA?!" He red at them, eyes glowing red. ^This bloodlust.^ Alcott grunted, ^Another ancient vampire drowning in madness. Where did d find him?^ He took a deep breath, slowly taking a stance while observing the vampire''s every move. Arad noticed that Alcott was being careful, so he did the same, getting ready to go all out, and took this unknown creature far more seriously than he took Alony. CRACK! The ground beneath the vampire''s legs cracked, and a humanoid hand rushed out, grabbing him by the face and smacking his head to the ground. Meryem growled, "You''re everywhere, here, in Alina, and even in the forest and outskirts. Where did your bugse from?" The vampire conjured two knives and tried stabbing her in the arms or chest, but all of his attacks just bounced off her skin. She was an ant, and just like how Arad''s human skin is only his scales, Meryem''s skin is her exoskeleton, an extremely hard outer shell. "Who are you?" The vampire growled. The ck mist starteding out of Meryem''s body as her eyes flickered with a purple light. Arad could tell immediately, that was his voiding out of her. When he, a dragon took over the dungeon and made it hisyer, the dungeon changed to suit his nature. Arad became the dungeon boss, and the monsters inside started slowly evolving with him, getting influenced by his magic to create a matching theme for the dungeon. It started first with the ants getting draconic features like scales, or growingrger than they should, but now, their magic started shifting, and their queen, Meryem started doing the same. Two mandibles emerged from Meryem''s cheek as her mouth shifted into that of an ant. She slowly opened her jaws wide as the vampire struggled in her hand, "Let me go! Let me go!" He screamed, but she immediately bit his head off, dripping acid across his whole body, melting him into nothing. "My children," Meryem growled, the muscles on her body expanding as her body got engulfed in a ck aura, "Vampires are invading our colony. Hunt every one of them," ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! ZON! The ants started void-stepping from the ground to the surface, filling Alina''s region with hundreds of thousands of house-sized giant fighter ants. "Arad! Vampires are attacking all over the ce," Eris rushed toward Arad and Alcott, seeing Meryem standing in the front, oozing with bloodlust. The ant colony got agitated, and it was starting to rampage. "The ants will protect the ce," Arad said, shifting into his draconic form, "I''ll go to the capital and deal with d," "I''ll go," Meryem turned around and jumped,nding on Arad''s back in one go. "Wait!" Alcott jumped on Arad''s back and pointed toward Alina, "Nina and Merlin areing as well," As Arad looked, he saw the two flying toward them, Merlin carrying Nina. "Meryem, can you fight?" Arad turned his head and looked at Meryem, "d can control blood. You might get killed out of nowhere," "Invaders, I can''t let them go," She growled. "The ant queen usually stays in the backlines," "Not me," She replied. "Wait!" Ginger flew in andnded on Arad''s back, "I too want to give my father a beating. You''ll need me to resist his blood magic," "I''ll go as well," Eris climbed on Arad''s back, "I''m sure we''ll need holy magic to finish him off," Arad lifted his head, staring into the night sky, and roared. His voice booming across all of Alina, "To all! Hunt the vampires if you wish to remain in mynd!" Goblins and kobolds rushed out of Arad''s house as the apes and wolves of the forest giggled and howled, rushing across thends in a violent rage against the blood fiends. But that wasn''t all... A vampire was sneaking through a back ally in Alina, only to notice a clowder of cats ring down at him with glowing purple eyes. "What?" He gasped as they lunged at him, biting and scratching. Another who was sneaking in the sewers faced a swarm of massive rats that ate him alive. And a vampire who tried to fly into the forest got violently ripped apart by a murder of crows. The dogs barked, and squirrels chipped the wood of the stake that pinned their chain to the ground, releasing them onto the night prowlers. Mosquitoes formed swarms alongside bats to show the blood- sucking fiends who were the better at the job, and even sheep and cows broke out of their pens to fight, heeding the dragon''s call. All animals in a 40-kilometer radius of Arad knew what awaited them if they failed to follow the dragon''smand. Eaten alive by sunrise is the best the cowards who run could hope for. All the animals of the world have long since evolved and adapted to living alongside dragons, and this was the natural response. A vampire ran across the forest, only to trip and fall on his face. "What is this?" He looked down, seeing his leg covered in blue slime, burning with acid. "A slime?" He gasped but suddenly felt a wave of blood lust around. He turned, seeing a roon standing on his hind leg, T- posing beneath the moonlight. Quickly after a gaze of them surrounded the fiend, ring him down with glowing purple eyes. Inside a house, a vampire managed to sneak in, trying to bite a young boy asleep in his bed. "A fiend!" The family''s pet parrot screamed, pping his wings in his cage, "A blood fiend! Kill! Kill! QUAAAAAAAAAAAAC!" A ck widow spider fell from the ceiling on the vampire''s face, biting him in the eye. He screamed, iling his arms as the kid woke up, terrified. A horse extended his head from the window, biting the vampire by the neck and pulling him out. As the kid stared out of the window, he saw the horse throw the vampire into the cattle pen for the cows to trample him. The giant ants took care of the powerful vampires, hunting them down by tracking the scent of blood, while the animals used their senses to track and locate the weaker ones and sniff them out of hiding as the best of them at steal couldn''t hide from every bug in thends. Chapter 675 Holy, Fire, and Inferno.

Chapter 675 Holy, Fire, and Inferno.

FLAP! Arad flew across the sky, teleporting forward every time he got a chance to save time. His only limitation was Meryem. She wasn''t used to such flying speed. "Vampires are attacking everywhere," Merlin looked down, seeing sparks of fire from the viges and cities on their way. "I know," Arad replied, "I can hear the screams, but we better finish d as soon as possible," **** Back in Alina as Arad flew toward the capitals, the vampires kept their attack, infecting more people when they could and causing havoc. CRACK! A vampire walked toward Alina''s front gate, "Yo! Guards, wasn''t this where that dragon yer Alcott lives? I heard he almost killed our King d." The guards stared down from the walls, sweating. The vampire attack has be widely known, and the whole city went into a defensive mode. BAM! A ballista fired a massive, holy-water-drenched bolt at the vampire. CLANG! The vampire pulled a massive great sword, swung it to the side, and deflected the bolt, "Is this all you have?" He smiled, wiping the drops of holy water from his cheek. "Blood General Aluc, I was sent here by our immortal lord d to clear the city," The vampire bowed, "This ce houses the dragon yer Alcott, the berserker Nina, and we suspect it has Uranus, the dragon who sted our kingdom." He looked up, "Bring them to me," The guards growled, "Who is he to call for those three with that confidence? Even one of them would be enough to wipe the ground with," Aluc looked around, "No response? I guess I''ll start by killing everyone then, starting by that vige in the forest," He looked, seeing the giant ants fighting the other vampires alongside adventurers. "But those things are a pain," He smiled, lifting his sword, "No matter," CREEK! The city gate slowly opened, and Aluc turned with a giggle, "They were here, finally!" The smile quickly left his face when he saw someone he never heard of, a blond girl wearing heavy armor, carrying arge shield in one hand and a longsword in the other. "An insult," He growled, "Do you think a mere soldier can stop me?" He waved his sword, [Blood Magic: Eye burst] His eyes shed red, sending a wave of eldritch magic. CRACK! Lydia stomped forward, taking a stance and lunging forth. ^My blood magic didn''t work?^ He gasped, taken aback by something that he had never seen before. No one had managed to resist his blood magic till now. CRACK! Lydia''s steel boots cracked the ground as she swung her sword, [Divine Cleaver] "Pdin!" Aluc gasped, dodging the swing and deflecting Lydia''s sword up with his greatsword. Lydia took the chance to bash him with her shield. CLANG! The vampire blocked her shield bash with his hand, releasing a sound akin to steel shing with steel. His hand was far harder than any armor she saw, except Arad''s skin. "We expected pdins to stand in our way, but not in the city with those three monsters," Aluc growled, hitting Lydia''s shield with his knee and sending her flying back. CREEK! Using the base of her shield as breaks, she managed to keep herself standing while stopping right before hitting the city''s gate, "A power type? That makes things simpler," She thought. ^Jack is helping the soldiers trap the city against the vampires, and Abel is busy taking care of the south gate. Even if I can''t beat this one, I must hold him here until reinforcement arrives.^ CRACK! She pierced the ground with the tip of her sword, "A pdin never flees. A crusader only knows how to charge." Her body burned with holy magic, "It''s an oath to protect till thest breath, and an oath to im vengeance for those taken by evil," She red at Aluc, her eyes burning with golden me. "You pdins and your stupid oaths," Aluc growled, "You aren''t my target! You''re only a side hustle not worth my time. I''m here to y Uranus, the dragon yer Alcott, and the berserker Nina. So get the hell out of my way!" He screamed. CRACK! Lydia took a step forward, her boots leaving marks on the ground, cracking it. "I said get the hell out of my way! What''s glory in killing such a nobody like you to me?" He growled, veins bulging on his forehead from rage. "Glory is for the arrogant! I''m here to protect and im vengeance for the fallen," She red at him, "All those you killed, sucked their blood and cast into damnation, their souls, wishes, lives, and will still call for their birthright, for you the one who robbed them from their rights to be put down, judged by mortal hands here first," She smacked her shield with her sword, "And the gods in the afterlife," "Shut up!" Aluc screamed, extending his wings and flying toward her at a blinding speed, swinging his sword at her neck. CLANG! Lydia blocked his attack and swung her sword at his wings. Aluc easily dodged and swung again at her, only for his attacks to get either deflected by her shield or blocked by her sword. ^She isn''t as fast as me, but having that shield is making it harder to hit her,^ He growled, ^She isn''t as strong, but that heavy armor and sword, coupled with holy magic is making her attack extremely lethal,^ The guards at the city''s gate gasped, unable to assist Lydia with arrows or ballista as they couldn''t even follow the two''s movement. Aluc threw his sword back, engulfing his arms in blood, "You asked for it," He rushed forward. Lydia gasped, lifting her shield to block. ^He''s even faster without the great sword and that hardened blood on his arms.^ CRACK! CRACK! CLANG! CLANG! Aluc purposefully targeted her shield, unleashing a barrage of fists that quickly dented the steel, shattering the shield into pieces. "This is your limit! Human!" Aluc shouted, swinging his fists at Lydia. She swung her sword, blocking one but getting punched in the face, chest, and stomach with a dual fist, sending her flying toward the wall with a ssh of blood. Aluc took a stance, watching as Lydia hit the wall and fell down, "Time to finish you off then head to find those three," CLACK! Lydia tried to stand, supporting her body with her sword, "A revtion it may be, but I don''t like it," She growled, a tiny ck me crackling from her sword''s handle as she red toward Aluc, a burning dark me in her eye. "You?!" He gasped, about to lung at her. Thud! The two stopped, seeing a womannd between them on a broom, holding a bottle of beer in her hand, "You bastards, messing my night," Amber growled, "Burn! Burn! Into ash," She waved the broom toward Aluc. "A wizard?" He gasped, a massive fireball flying toward him. SWOSH! In the blink of an eye, he jumped away and dodged, "Hey you! Using so much..." He was about to shout at her for using a massive fireball beside a forest, but he closed his mouth, seeing ten more fireballs floating above her head. "The hell I care-eh," She gasped, hups overwhelming her speech. She swung her broom down, sending the massive fireballs flying toward Aluc. As Aluc dodged, Lydia started coursing holy magic through her body to heal. ^Good, I don''t need to use that rot.^ SWOSH! Amber flew through her own me, swinging her broom at Aluc, "Get out!" She cried. "You drunkard wizard!" Aluc growled, dodging her slow swing and sending a fist toward her face. KA-DON! mes gushed out of Amber''s body, burning the hardened blood on his fist and charring his skin. "The fuck?!" Aluc jumped away, pping his wings to fly, only to find their webbing burned. Amber wiggled in ce, her arms dangling as she held the broom and the beer bottle, dripping drops on the ground. "Eh-eh!" She gasped, her hair shing red for a moment. "Wait...You''re..." Aluc gasped, seeing Amber eye''s burn red, "Eh-eh," The ground around her burst into mes, sending enough heat to force the guards on the walls to retreat. "A ticking bomb!" Aluc growled, flying at her as fast as he could. Fairy wings of fire emerged from Amber''s back as her hair turned into a stream of pure fire and her skin into burning embers. [Blood Art: Blood Shock] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Aluc flew through Amber''s mes, punching her in the guts and sending her flying toward the wall with a massive shockwave. He stood in ce, gasping as his right arm fell as gray ash, his face''s right side burned. "A fire fairy, and one with elemental blood above all? Do you want to burn this whole kingdom by getting drunk here?" He growled, "We don''t want to invade an ashen wastnd, you fire monster," Lydia growled, standing to fight, "Amber, stay back. I''ll handle him from now," She took a step forward. Now with her body fully healed again, she could try tond a [Divine cleaver] And finish the fiend off. ^Amber''s mes weakened him. It''s my chance to end this fight.^ "He''s souring my drink!" Amber growled, standing with her me crackling, "I''ll burn him and this whole ce," She swung her beer bottle in a drunken rage. Lydia stared at her, ^Shit! She might actually burn Alina.^ "Amber! Snap out of it!" Thud! As Lydia screamed, a strange womannded before Amber, patting her head. "Go to sleep. You''ll wake with a hangoverter," The woman smiled as her long ck hair iled with the wind, her green glowing eye turning to re at Alcu with a grin on her face. "Who are you?" Aluc growled, his body regenerating. The woman turned toward him, walking as the muscles on her well-tuned body expanded slightly, and her ck nails sparked with fire. "The inferno witch, Zaleria Shadowend." The woman took a step forward with a grin. "A shadowend?" Aluc stared at her with a mocking smile, "What a pathetic lie, iming to be shadowend, and even using the name Zaleria," He giggled, "You don''t fear retribution from the gods? Even we aren''t that bold," "It''s been a long time since I spent some quality time with my husband," Zaleria said with a grin, "And now that I had it, you''re kind had to cause trouble, blocking my fun time," Zaleria took a stance, holding her right wrist with her left hand. "Here Ie!" "You are but a..." Aluc was about to speak when he felt it, seeing a massive red dragon standing behind Zaleria towering over the clouds. He lifted his hand in a panic, "The fuck!" "Red Punch!" Zaleria shouted with a smile on her face, her heart rumbling like an engine revving up in her chest. VROOOOM! CLAP! ZON! Alcu''s vision blurred as she disappeared from ahead of him, and he only felt a thud on his chest, with his ears ringing. He gasped, blinking to see a vast tropical forest spanning in front of his eyes, his back stuck to a stone cliff. He looked down with a dizzy mind, seeing a n of Orc barbarians chanting and staring at the sky. "Orcs?" He gasped. Orcs lived on the eastern continent across the Death Sea, which was several thousands of kilometers away. "She sted me all the way here?" He tried to stand but realized his hands shaking through the stone. He looked down, seeing his whole boy looking almost transparent, slowly fading from his chest where she punched him. "This is..." He gasped, "My soul?" Aluc''s body disintegrated where he stood. Zaleria''s fist had pierced right through his soft body. "Don''t attack at night while I''m around! Vampire!" Zaleria pulled her fist off his chest, and his body burned into ash. "Who are you?" Lydia stared at her, but Zaleria ran back into the city, "Sorry! I Don''t have time to waste. I need to get back to my husband!" Chapter 676 Meryem Vs Vlad

Chapter 676 Meryem Vs d

d smiled, staring at the sky as he sat on a half-destroyed wall, "So you came, Uranus, the dragon of the end," He could see Arad flying toward him from the horizon. He stood, "I won''t let you juste and st everything likest time," d''s body faded into ck mist, "Have fun dancing," He disappeared. FLAP! FLAP! Arad hovered above the capital, and the vampires infesting the streets screamed, "It''s Uranus! Drop him before he unleashes another st!" They screamed, expanding their wings and flying toward him. Arad looked down, his eyes glowing purple, "The sky is too small for us. Crawl on the ground," He growled, a powerful wave of gravity rushing from his body, dropping all the vampires back to the ground like dying flies. "This power!" A vampire growled, struggling to lift his face from the dirt, "Gravit magic," Even with their superhuman strength, facing Arad''s magic made them realize. This dragon didn''t have a single trick. Eris stared down from Arad''s back, "If your gravity magic stopped me, they wouldn''t stand a chance to fly in it," She smiled. A vampire waved his wand, sending a wave of ck magic. The other vampires slowly stood up, "We can move?" "I can''t resist that magic for long on my own," The vampire wizard growled, "Got it!" The other vampire wizard replied, turning into mist and going into hiding. Quickly after, the wizard sighed, "This is better," "It takes tens of them to resist Arad''s magic?" Meryem looked down, "Is Arad''s spell that powerful?" "No," Merlin replied, "All spells are equal. The only difference is the brain behind them. Resisting a spell is a contest of skill and intelligence. It''s only natural that it takes a lot of them to contend with a dragon''s brain," "Where is d?" Arad growled, looking around the capital, "I''ll blow this whole ce if he doesn''t show up," The vampires growled, knowing that Arad wasn''t bluffing. He had already blown their kingdom to pieces. It isn''t strange for him to do it again. Alcott pulled his sword, "d is an expert at hiding and striking from the shadows. You won''t detect him with normal means. He''ll wait for you to strike and take you down," He jumped down,nding between the vampires, "Yo, missed me?" The vampires took a step back. Thest time they saw Alcott, he killed half of their army, fought their princess, and won even though she turned him into a vampire. Ginger flew down from Arad''s back andnded behind Alcott, "It''s been a long time," "Princess Scarlett!" The vampires growled, pulling their weapons, "In you still own your will, return to your throne." One of them said, "It''s our fault that we failed to protect you," Ginger giggled, "What do they say? You might hate something, and it''s good for you," She approached Alcott, licking his neck and cheek, "I''m staying with him." Meryem and Eris jumped down,nding between Alcott and the vampires. "Who dare invade my colony? Where is your king?" Meryem growled, "Who cares about their king?" Eris smiled, "Kill enough of them, and he''ll show up," She clenched her fist. Merlin looked at Arad, "Arad, take Nina and go. You know what I''m talking about?" Arad nodded as Merlin jumped and flew down from his back. He pped his wings and flew away with Nina. "Is he retreating?" A vampire giggled, walking forward with a smile, "If he isn''t around, then we don''t need to fear that st. Taking care of you should be easy enough." He stared at Alcott, "Princess Scarlett, you''ll being back with us," Alcott lunged forward, swinging his sword at the vampire who ran his mouth. CLANG! The vampire blocked the swing with a grin, "We''re hand-picked to stand against you fools. The only thing we couldn''t find a way to deal with is that opal star of Uranus," Merlin waved her staff, sending sts of fire at the hundreds of vampires surrounding them. As the fight went on, Meryem stopped, looking down at her feet with a passive face. The two tiny ahoges on her head wiggled. She could feel the faint tingle beneath her toes, and her nose could smell blood. She lifted her hands, feeling the air slipping between her fingers, "A battle of kings. This is the only thing I came here for," She took a stance, jamming her palm in the dirt. BA-BAM! In the blink of an eye, she swung at the ground, digging through it with a st, and sending a pir of debris into the sky, shocking everyone around. ^Since when, I forgot? My role as a Queen?^ In a few seconds, she burst through the ceiling of a cavern, seeing d sitting alone in the dark, ring at her with a pissed face. ^I kept following pleasure, seeking attention.^ Meryem''s eyes met d''s. ^I won''t get Arad with such a half-assed attitude. I''ll kill this invader, then dragon Arad to my nest by force.^ With the falling dust and debris, Meryemnded several meters in front of d as the hole she came from closed, crumbling on itself. Tuf! d spat the dust in his mouth, "How did you find me? Ant." He growled. "Woman''s instinct," Meryem replied, lifting her hands, "You children got into my home and killed my kids. As their mother, I''m here to give you the same," "A bug challenging the vampire king? Do you seek death?" He red at her. "I seek my duty," She replied, "Stand. I''ll carve your corpse, dragging across the dirt, and present it as food for Arad. That has to get him in the mood to make, it''ll prove my strength," "Arrogance, ignorance, what a bug," d stood, taking a stance, "Fine, you''ll get back to him already mated if that what you seek," Blood magic started gushing from his body, [Prism''s Barrier] He engulfed the whole cavern in a barrier to hide their presence and shift the tremors of their fight. "No one would hear you scream and beg for mercy," d said, lifting his hand up, a massive blood club emerging from his fingers. Meryem blinked, barely able to track the club as it moved down, firing a blood st toward her. CLAP! The blood st smacked Meryem in the face, sending her flying toward the wall at a blinding speed like a file smacked with a roll of new papers. N?v(el)B\\jnn As Meryem reached the wall, she hit it with her feet and jumped straight back toward d, swinging her fist at him. CLAP! d smacked her again, and she bounced straight off the wall to counterattack. ^Almost no damage at all? That hard cartge of her is tougher than I expected,^ d stared at her with a passive face he smacked her left and right, ^I''m faster, stronger but she has a stronger defence.^ CLAP! CLAP! He smacked her left and right, but she managed to predict and dodge one of his swings, almost hitting him with a punch. CLAP! He smacked her away. ^She has strong senses. Finding me here is the proof. If I made another mistake, she''d sniff it out and attack me. I can take a lot of damage, but I don''t want to waste my energy on them before facing Uranus. That''s why I''m hiding here and letting my men deal with Alcott and the others,^ He smiled, ^I don''t want to even use my blood domination. Its magic is stronger than the barrier and would slip right out.^ CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! As Meryem got smacked around, trying over and over to hit d, she started noticing. ^He is not using his full magic. Is he saving it for Arad?^ ^From what I''ve heard, he should''ve been able to use blood magic to try and restrain me. But he isn''t doing it.^ She bounced off the walls, swinging a kick at d''s head. CRACK! He smacked her on the ground and then hit her again, sending her toward the walls. ^Trying to figure out why he isn''t going all out against me is useless. I can only assume that he sees me as weak.^ She smiled, ^Yeah, I understand it now. This is the difference between me and Arad. If I was worthy to be his make, d''s would''ve seen my strength and went all out,^ She startedughing, ^If I managed to force him to use all of his power, Arad would approve of my power. Even if I don''t win, him going all out would call Arad here.^ She flew at d, "Vampire! Go all out! Stop holding back, you fool!" ^What is she babbling about?^ d stared at her, ^Well, she figured I was holding out so my fear of her senses was justified.^ "What a pain," d growled, pulling a second club. CRACK! CLAP! BAM! Meryem hit the wall, stopping. She stood, ring at d with a dark aura of the void crackling around her body. ^Magic? That looks like the void, pure nothingness that consumes everything. To think such a monster exists, but that only makes sense.^ d took a stance, ^This monster is a dungeon boss, if I assumed Uranus used that dungeon as ayer, it isn''t strange for the monsters beneath him to start showing up some of his magic. The natural adaptation,^ He smiled, ^This is bing fun,^ He giggled, ^This confirms that Uranus is a void dragon, one of the rarest monsters in the world. "Come at me, Ant Queen," d lifted the blood clubs, "I''ll pound you down until you give up on life," Blood magic gushed out of his body in a red aura. Chapter 677 Second Plan

Chapter 677 Second n

Thud! Meryem stomped forward, her body burning with Arad''s void. "Nina told me about world powers," She said, ring at d. "The first requirement is being able to destroy the world, and the second is being strong enough to beat or match another world power," "What are you talking about?" d stared at her. Meryem clenched a fist, pointing it at d''s face, "I can fulfill the first. Now, I only need to prove my personal strength." "The ants stampede, millions of your children infesting and consuming the world." He giggled, "You''re simr to me, ant''s queen," He waved his hand,?sucking the blood clubs into his veins and conjuring a massive scythe. BAM! Meryem jumped forward, swinging her fist at d''s face. "Slow!" With a grin, he swung the scythe at her neck. ZON! Meryem teleported behind him with a void step. Just like her children, she also inherited Arad''s void step. And then swung a kick toward d''s skull. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om d blocked the kick of the shaft of the scythe, but Meryem immediately turned her torso, kicking his hips with her other leg. d''s body flew away, and he looked at her with a passive face, "Those moves..." He smiled. BAM! Meryem lunged after him, teleporting left and right to hide her attack direction. Out of nowhere, she sent a punch toward his face, but he blocked it. "Life is interesting. I never expected to meet a monster like you," d smiled, "Nina taught you how to fight, right?" CRACK! CRACK! Meryem unleashed a barrage of fists, forcing d into the defensive. "The void dragon''s pet is a ferocious ant. I should''ve expected that a dragon that could st a kingdom would have some powerful minions. How many people like you he has?" d smiled, swinging his scythe at her. Meryem dodged and kicked across the cavern, taking a stance and lifting her hand up. "You talk a lot," CRACKLE! With a burst of the void, a massive stone greatsword appeared in Meryem''s hand. "This is Arad''s gift to me. He got it from his father-inw." That was the sword of Doma''s father. "A three-meter-long de of stone, for a woman like you standing at two meters it still looks massive." d smiled, "But taking your true form, I guess you weigh far more than your size making such a de easy to use. I doubt that stone is something natural, I can smell a faint curse surging in it," Meryem took a deep breath, roaring as her muscles bulged, her honey-colored skin grew darker as red blood filled beneath her upper skin. The ground beneath her feet cracked and her eyes shed with a red glow. "Rage? So you''re a barbarian," d smiled, "Make sense since Nina trained you," He swung his scythe, taking a stance. BA-BAM! Meryem disappeared from his vision, ^Fast!^ d gasped, turning back and lifting his spear. CLANG! He managed to block Meryem''s swing, but it sent him flying back at a terrifying speed. ^But her attacks are simple and predictable, a prove she never had actual martial training like Berserker Nina. Monsters relying on raw strength and speed to overwhelm their opponent,^ Thud! Hended on his feet, turning to the side and swinging his scythe, ^Youck the regenerative ability needed to sustain such a violent fighting style,^ His scythe was around Meryem''s neck, ^me your simple attack pattern,^ CREEK! Two mandibles emerged from Meryem''s cheek as her mouth opened wide. SPKASH! A violent stream of acid gushed out of her mouth, forcing d to jump back, his right arm melting. d opened his wings, flying as he looked down. The whole cavern floor filled with acid, and the air inside had started bing acid, making his eyes burn and his skin itch. "An acid breath akin to dragons, I would say it''s around what ck wyrm could unleash," He looked at Meryem standing in the acid unharmed. "I should''ve expected that from an ant," ^I locked the cavern so I can''t escape, and I don''t have a way of getting rid of the acid. I can''tnd, and staying in the air won''t help against the acidic vapor.^ CLACK! He regenerated his arm. ^The acid is interfering with my regeneration, I won''t be able to regenerate in time from a severe head injury. The moment I lose consciousness, she''ll rip me apart and melt me into nothing in her acid.^ He smiled, pointing at her with the scythe. "Good move, Ant," He smiled, ^She''s strong,^ BAM! Meryem jumped after him, swinging the stone greatsword with all of her might. FLAP! d dodged, "You don''t learn? Do you?" He smiled. BAM! BAM! Meryem bounced off the wall back toward him, and he dodged again. She didn''t stop, jumping from one wall to another like a ball, her speed increasing with each jump. d started flying everywhere, trying to dodge her relentless barrage of swings. The more he flew through the air, the faster the acid vapor ate at his wings. CREEK! d''s left wing''s membrane ripped apart, and he lost bnce for a split second before his regeneration could kick in. CLANG! Meryem finally got him with a hit, splitting his torso in half. GAH! He gasped, blood gushing out of his stomach as his body fell toward the ground. CRACK! Meryemtched onto the ceiling, opening her mouth and breathing another stream of acid on top of him, drowning his body and filling the cavern to half. ^Is he dead?^ Meryem thought, looking down at the acid for any sign of movement while keeping her guard up. Any normal vampire would have melted beyond any regeneration point, but this is the vampire king. It wouldn''t be strange for him to be able to survive this. The acid started bubbling, shifting the color. Meryem lifted her sword. ^He''sing!^ The dark cavern shed red as a red light flew toward Meryem, smacking into her sword, "HAHA!" dughed as his face regenerated. CRACK! Meryem''s back got pushed into the ceiling and she felt her limbs growing numb, "The fight above is growing dire as well. You gathered a decent team to derail my n, but no worry," The lighting from his body got stronger as he pushed Meryem with even greater strength, "I can shift the tides on my own!" CRACK! He pushed her through the stone and dirt, drilling his way to the surface with her. He already gave up on hiding and decided to take the front lines. GAH! Meryem gasped, coughing blood as she felt her exoskeleton crack. **** On the surface, Alcott swung his sword cutting two vampires at once, "Where did Meryem go?" "I can''t sense her anywhere," Merlin replied, "She dug underground, but her signal disappeared." "Don''t tell me they took her down," Alcott growled, cutting two more vampires as Merlin sted them with a lightning bolt. Eris flew between hordes of spawns, burning them with her sma, "Meryem is strong. She won''t that easily." Shended on her feet, "I doubt even a powerful vampire could take her silently like that," "The only one could," Alcott growled, "d! He''s hiding underground!" He growled, "Merlin, dig me a hole!" "You can''t face father on your own!" Ginger shouted, "Wait for me!" She waved her hand, forcing all the blood of the vampires to drain from their bodies and fly into her palm, condensing in a small ball that she swallowed. The ground started violently shaking as if a powerful earthquake started. "Meryem''s signal is back!" Merlin shouted, looking at the ground, "But," "Father''s blood magic!" Ginger flew as fast as she could, snatching Alcott while Eris flew away on her own. BOOM! The ground exploded, sending debris into the sky as Meryem''s body got thrown out, bleeding as she fell back to the ground,nding on her legs with a dent in her torso, coughing blood. "Meryem! Stay still!" Eris flew toward her as fast as she could to heal her,nding at her side, "d did this? He was hiding underground?" "I wasn''t able to kill him," Meryem growled, "But, I dragged the leech out," She looked forward, and saw d standing on a hill ahead of him. CLAP! CLAP! He started pping, "Impressive, ant," He smiled, "Forcing me to use my blood magic and get out of the cavern is no small feat," He lifted his hand, and his eyes glowed red. "But, this doesn''t make your chances any better," BLUGH! Everyone fell on their knees, their skin turning red and they started bleeding from their ears and eyes, puking blood. Ginger tried to stand, but she fell like everyone else. "How could it be," She growled, trying to use her blood magic to protect everyone but failing. "My daughter," d stared at her, "I know you were with them, of course, I would take measures so your blood magic won''t stop mine," CRACKLE! Holy magic sparked from Eris''s body as she tried to move, "This won''t keep me down," She growled, her eyes burning with a golden light. "Don''t push yourself too hard," d looked at her with a smile. "I''m using my blood control to force all of your muscles to contract at once, ripping them apart. Trying to heal through that and move would only earn you even more pain, having all of your muscles torn and healed over and over tens of times a second," "If it''s pain alone," Eris growled, purple scales emerging on her skin as her nails grew longer. "I won''t stop," d giggled, "Regenerating over and over is allowing your body to shift more toward your draconic side. If you don''t stop, you''ll end stuck in a half-monster form for the rest of your life," BAM! Something fell from the sky,nding between everyone and d. A man stood over seven feet tall. "So you came," d smiled, "Fall," He waved his hand as he saw Arad and hit him with blood magic. "Nina is protecting the royal family alongside Gin. Sorry for beingte," Arad looked back at them, smiling. "Sorry. I wasn''t able to kill him." Meryem growled. "You don''t need to feel sorry," Arad said, turning toward d, "You''ve done well," His eyes shed purple as he red at d, steaming out of his back, "Where is Zephyr?" "Mortals who can''t stand in my presence don''t deserve answers," d smiled, "I''m taking that woman with me, and you''ll all die here," He stared at Eris. "Just like you did," He then red at Alcott. Alcott tried to move, but d''s magic seemed to have grown even stronger since thest time. d shifted his attention back to Arad, "Time for you to fall, on your knees," He unleashed even more magic toward Arad as he was still standing. CRACK! Arad took a step forward, his skin steaming and his foot burning the ground. "How can you move?" d gasped, seeing this seven-foot muscle monster approach him like it was nothing. CRACK! CRACK! One step after another, Arad approached d until he stood one foot ahead of him, ring down at his face. "Why wouldn''t I move? I already saw your magic before," "That doesn''t make sense," d stared at him, barely reaching Arad''s shoulders in height. "I''ve no obligation to exin to a rival," Arad said with a passive face. He already guessed that d was going after his wife. "I''ll only rip your balls and feed them to you forying an eye on my wife." A white light flew from Arad''s chest. "She''s mine alone, mosquito." "I''ll take her whether you like it or not. Arrogant dragon." "I''m a dragon, after all," Arad stared at d''s eyes, "And this is my kingdom. Get out." Chapter 678 Arad Vs Vlad: Part I Adaptation

Chapter 678 Arad Vs d: Part I Adaptation

d clenched his fist, "It''s been over a thousand years since someone brute forced himself through by blood magic," He smiled, "How are you doing it?" CRACK! In the blink of an eye, he punched Arad in the stomach, sending him flying toward the forest with a st. He stood with his smoking fist extended forward, "But can you fight effectively like that?" "Arad!" Eris screamed. CRACKLE! CRACKLE! From the forest, Arad walked out with a hole in his torso, unbothered in the slightest, "That was a nice punch," His stomach healed like it was nothing. "And it''s my turn," ZON! Arad teleported toward d, swinging a fist and smacking his face. BAM! BAM! d''s body flew back, busting through the city wall and several buildings before stopping. "HAHAHA!" d started tough, his twisted face healing, "I see, it''s a fight of immortals. You''re as big of a monster as me," He stood, shifting into mist and teleporting to stand before Arad. "Let''s y," He lifted his hand, firing a blood de that slicked a wound across Arad''s torso. Arad''s body bent backward from the impact, but he quickly stared back toward d, roaring. BAM! In the blink of an eye, he jumped forward, swinging a fist at d''s shoulder. d jumped back with a flip, letting Arad''s fist rip a chunk of the ground as it swung all the way to the dirt. Getting out of his flip, d waved his hand, sending a blood sh toward Arad, cutting his left arm. ZON! Arad teleported toward d, swinging his severed arm. As it healed, the fist smacked d, sending him flying through the wall and into the city, ripping several buildings apart beforending on the wall of the capital''s wizard tower, which was extremely sturdy due to magic. "Two holes in the wall? Don''t you care about coteral damage?" d shouted with a smile, but his eyes quickly burst open, seeing Arad running through the city, breaking buildings as he swung at d. d turned around, running upward the tower''s wall. Arad looked up with his fist plunged into the stone, pulled it out, and swung the other one, digging upward through the wall. As d looked back, he could swear Arad was swimming through the wall of the tower at a horrifying speed. It didn''t take d long to reach the roof, and Arad was right behind him, swinging two fists down and smacking him on the head, sending him bursting through the tower''syer all the way to the base. CRACK! dnded on his legs, ^This tower used to have thousands ofyers maintained by magic, but now that the wizard was long dead, it returned to being on twenty floors.^ He looked up, seeing Arad falling after him andnding beside him. "You''re a problem," d touched Arad''s chest and unleashed tens of blood des at point nk, sting Arad out of the tower. "But you aren''t using magic. Is that how you''re resisting my blood magic?" He flew after Arad, conjuring a scythe and swinging at his neck. Arad bent forward and swung his fist, deflecting d''s scythe as blood gushed from his wounds. d waved his hand, and Arad''s blood that spilled turned into spikes and stabbed him. "You aren''t using your magic, and I can control your blood once it gets out of your body," d stood there, staring at Arad with a passive face, "I also never saw someone so hot. Your blood is hotter than that of red dragons. What are you doing?" CLACK! Arad''s wounds healed as he stared at d with a smile, purple light sparking in his eyes. "You''re doing something," d swung his arm, sending a sh of blood that sted Arad across the city, and he flew after him, "Then show me how long you canst," ^I can wound him, but his bones are tough. Cutting them with blood shes alone is difficult,^ d thought as he waved his hand,pressing spears of blood. "I guess you have high resistance to bludgeoning damage, mid for shing, and weak for piercing." d fired the spears at Arad. Most were dodged, but one pierced Arad''s chest, leaving a gaping hole where his heart should be. "I''m right," d stood on a building, watching as Arad''s chest healed, "If I wanted to damage you as much as I can do with my fist by only using blood. I''ll have to resort to piercing attacks," He smiled, "But, where are your organs? Only a few vampires can regenerate their heart without flinching," As Arad''s wound healed, a white light emerged in his chest for a brief moment, shing out as steam started gushing out of Arad''s back. "Here, it happened again," d pointed at Arad, "The reason I can''t control the blood in your body," Arad''s eyes shed green as he red at d. d gasped, feeling his heartbeat as his hand itched. He looked down, seeing his palm turning into stone. "Petrefication curse?" He growled, cutting his wrist and flying back, "Do you think no one had tried petrifying me before?" ZON! Arad teleported behind d and swung a fist. d turned and blocked it with his palm, swinging at Arad''s face. Arad blocked the punch and swung back at d. For a minute, the two exchanged fists at a blinding speed, each trying to knock the other out by shattering their skull. With a grin on his face, d started mixing piercing and blood shes between his attacks, cutting Arad''s body bit by bit. The building around them crumbled as d''s blood attacks ripped everything to shreds. CRACK! Arad managed tond a punch on d''s face due to his defense growing weaker from mixing blood magic into his attacks. d''s face caved in as he flew through several buildings like they were nothing andnded in the capital''s za. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" d started tough as his body levitated, staring at Arad as his face healed, "Surprise, I won''t get knocked out even if you evaporated my whole body," Arad walked through the destroyed building, his legs pushing the rubble aside as he healed with a bunch of steam gushing out of his wounds. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "We aren''t getting anywhere fighting like this," Arad finally spoke, staring at d with a passive face. "Really? I don''t think so," d replied, "You''ll run out of blood to heal with before me." Arad cracked his neck, "I''m getting used to the heat and refilling. So it''s time to try and use some spells," Arad had kept pondering how d''s blood control worked since he got hit in Riverside. Magic does exist, but it''s all spells that affect the world in specific ways to change it. It required him to get to the bottom of blood, the true existence of vampirism beneath the curse magic holding it together. He didn''t understand it that well but got deep enough to figure few things. Vampirism acts more like a disease than anything else, and so does d''s blood control. It infects the blood of the living and forces them to obey orders. Since blood vessels spread across the whole body, d can easily control people like dolls by moving the blood in their body like a second skeleton. That had meant two facts that Arad realized. Just like how fever makes it harder for diseases to operate in someone''s body, d''s control seems to wane the hotter Arad''s body temperature gets. This seemed useless at first as d could even control red dragons whose internal temperature can melt steel, but he''s a void dragon. Arad had all of his organs stored in a safe space in his void while he raised the temperature of his body by igniting matter inside his chest. Now, he''s keeping a small [Ho-white Nova] burning inside as a heat source. That also proved to him that d''s control can''t cross theyers of his void, meaning his organs can get blood supply without needing to heat that blood. Heating his blood to that degree caused it to start getting damaged rapidly, which also disrupted d''s control. And now that Arad''s bones have evolved, they''ve been resupplying him with tens of liters of blood to rece what was burned or lost. They won''t stop as long as he has food, which his stomach and the ground beneath his feet have plenty of. But, there was a severe downside. Since he''s effectively fighting what would be a deadly fever, letting the boiling blood reach his brain could fry his nerves and cripple him. Arad couldn''t hide his brain inside his void as that would induce enoughtency in his moves for d to beat him into minced meat. Arad was also using his void to iste the [Ho-white nova] inside his chest, transfer the heat, and get rid of the damaged blood. All of this wouldn''t be possible without his innate void control, so hiding his brain was a no-go. It''s a critical organ for this fight. He had to get creative with a n to deal with that. He started forcing the blood that went into his brain to circte on his back, colling off first before getting into his spine and up to his head He also decreased the amount of blood reaching his brain so it could be cooled easier and faster. That was the reason steam periodically gushed out of his back. For this entire fight, Arad wasn''t trying to fight d, but he was instead focusing on optimizing his cooling system to provide more cold blood to his brain. PUSSSHHHHH! A gust of steam gushed out of Arad''s back as his sweat nd released water vapor as the blood cooled. He stared at d with a grin taking a step forward. Chapter 679 Arad Vs Vlad: Part II Build Different

Chapter 679 Arad Vs d: Part II Build Different

?"You did it again," d looked at Arad with a giggle, "What''s that steam for?" Arad took a deep breath, taking a stance with a clenched fist pulled to the back. The muscles on his shoulder and chest expanded as his thighs almost ripped his pants off, "Slowly!" He growled, the knuckles on his fist turning ck as they opened to his void, pulling air in at a violent rate. "GAH!" d gasped, his body getting pulled toward Arad''s fist. CRACK! d plunged his legs into the ground to resist the wind''s pull, "What are you up to?" The wind pull stopped, "Seconde the push!" Arad swung his fist forward, unleashing all the air he sucked into his stomach at once. It was akin to a man swallowing air only to burp it back a secondter, but at the scale, Arad was doing it through his fist. The result was devastating. The unleashed air took the form of a thinyer ofpressed air flying toward d in the form of a shockwave, sting him away alongside the buildings around him. N?v(el)B\\jnn d flew away, "A seventh-tier wind st? No, that wasn''t magic." He burstughing, "Are you trying to surpass magic itself?" [Wind Breeze] Is a 0-tier spell that creates a weak breeze. It''s a simple spell that''s easy to learn and doesn''t consume any mana. Anyone can learn it to fan the heat in the summer. But any man can achieve the same effect by fanning his face with his palm alone. No need to resort to magic, and to most, it''s only a choice between spending either stamina or mana to achieve the same thing with a different method. Arad''s stomach is a biological function of his body as a void dragon, to him it''s like breathing. It doesn''t need that much brain power to use, even in his limited state due to theck of blood going to his brain, it''s still perfectly usable. So why won''t he use it to achieve effects simr to magic now that he doesn''t have the brain power to cast spells? "Who said that I can''t use spells without magic?" Arad stared at d, lifting his arm up. He swung it down, releasing a boulder from his stomach out of his palm and sending it flying toward d at a blinding speed. d tried to dodge, but he was a bitte, losing his left arm to the flying boulder. "Stone cannon? You keep pulling those things out like they''re nothing," "Of course they are nothing," Arad said, taking a step toward d with his shoulder muscles growlingrger as he got ready to throw another thing out of his stomach, "It wouldn''t do to be limited by magic," SWOSH! Arad swung his arm, and a long chain emerged from his palm like a whip, wrapping around the building beside d as he dodged it. With one pull, Arad pulled himself toward d at high speed. d pped his wings, flying back andughing his ass off, "This fighting style," Arad swung from one house to another with the chain, pulling a longsword from his stomach and swinging it at d''s neck. "It''s just like Alcott," d dodged Arad''s attack, pulled arge scythe out of his palms, and swung at Arad. Arad dodged and swung back at d''s left wing, cutting it. Right before falling, d pointed two fingers at Arad''s stomach, "BANG!" A condensed, one-foot diameter ball of blood flew right through Arad''s torso, sending him flying back with a trail of blood until he hit the city''s wall. Thud! dnded on his feet, "You''re getting faster by the second," He smiled, watching as Arad fell on his knees, his stomach wound healed and he stood once more. SWOSH! A violent gust of steam burst from his back. "And here it happens again," d stared at him, "What are you doing? Charging a spell? Regenerating your void?" Arad bent down, took his boots off, and threw his already half-ripped shirt away. "Did you know," Arad said, "Witches paint their nails and toenails with enchanted ink so they can use them as Arcane focus instead of staves of wands? It allows them to cast spells with their feet," "Common knowledge," d replied, "What are you getting at? Your nails aren''t pained with anything, you aren''t a witch," "One of my wives is a witch, and I was wondering what spells could she even use with her feet besides elemental kicks, and it finally dawned on me," Arad stood, extending his arms outward, "What if I did this?" He bent forward, taking a running stance. ^I can release what is in my stomach with any part of my body, not only my hands. That burst of air, what if I did it like this?^ BAM! A shockwave exploded from beneath Arad''s soles, sending him flying forward at a blinding speed. d gasped, lifting his arms in a boxer''s guard. CRACK! Arad swung a punch right through d''s guard, smacking his face and sending him flying back. The two of them burst through several buildings beforending in the middle of a tavern. d opened his eyes as his face healed, sitting up and staring at Arad. Arad growled, standing up, "Sorry, I don''t know how tond," He stood, shaking his head, and took a step aside, grabbing a barrel and sniffing it. "What are you doing?" d stared at Arad, confused. "HOO! It''s dwarven fire wine, you won''t find anything stronger than this avable around," Arad lifted the barrel with one hand, gulping it down like it was nothing. CRACK! Arad dropped the empty barrel, "This bar, I feel like I was here once before," Arad looked around with a smile, "Yeah, it''s the one owned by Amber''s dad. I''ve stayed here for a night as we brought Isdis home," "What are you babbling around?" "I''m saying I know who owns it so I can pay him for the barrel," Arad opened his mouth, and a massive burst of fire gushed out. "You''re using magic, fine," d waved his hand. [Dispell magic] SWOSH! The me hit d, setting him aze. He growled, staring at his hands, "Wait, this isn''t magic?" "I can separate water from alcohol in my stomach, do you know it can catch fire?" Arad lunged forward with a burst of air from beneath his soles, punching the burning d in the face and sending him flying away. Arad simply separated the alcohol from the water, concentrating it further in his stomach, and since the dwarven fire wine was already as strong as whisky, it got done in a few seconds. What Arad breathed was alcohol set aze by the heat generated from the [Ho-white nova] in his chest. d gasped. The me around his body wasn''t fading as the alcohol stuck to his skin, then mixed into his wounds, and started acting like fuel. BAM! BAM! Using the air burstsing out of his soles, Arad could jump off air. He flew over the building to chase d''s burning body. His control was still sloppy as he was just learning to fight with his stomach and without using magic, but it was still enough to disorient the vampire who used sensing magic to predict opponent attacks. Jumping off the air, Arad flew past d and clenched a fist, punching him again and again, bouncing his left and right as if he were ying catch with himself. "I see," d growled, "I shouldn''t treat you like any other opponent, you''re quite special, not just strong, but a quick adapter that learns and improvises on the fly," Clensh! d grabbed Arad by the wrist and punched him in the chest. "Is this how void dragons fight? I never met one before." d smiled as blood gushed out of his skin and diluted the alcohol to stop the mes. Arad swung his fist at d, but the attack was dodged. He was far smaller than Arad and could wiggle around his fists. CRACK! d punched Arad once more, "I''ve changed my mind. I''m not killing you." He punched Arad again, "You''re built differently. You must be studied," d screamed, unleashing a barrage of fists toward Arad, pummeling his chest and face. SWOSH! Another burst of steam gushed out of Arad''s back, evenrger than anything that came out before. His cooling system was getting closer to perfection, and he''d be able to supply his brain with enough blood to fight at that moment. "Vampires! Answer my call!" d shouted, and ten vampire lords rushed in, surrounding him and Arad. "Even if I can beat you on my own, I''m not wasting energy or taking any chances. You''re too unpredictable to be taken lightly," d clenched a fist, "Only me your talent for your misfortune," He conjured a massive blood de, "I''ll cut him apart, and you lots take those parts and stay a kilometer away from each other. Don''t let him regenerate," VOM! Arad suddenly swung his arm at d''s face, but it got dodged again. d smiled, only having a faint scratch on his cheek, "I''m watching your every move, you won''t hit me ever again," As d smiled, his nipples burst into a stream of blood as his eyes saw the shiny little knife poking from Arad''s palm. Arad took the chance and grabbed d by the neck, stabbing him several times with the knife in the face. With each stab, d''s nipples re-exploded, opening a massive hole in his chest. While still grabbing d and stabbing him, Arad flew away using jets of air from his legs and ground his skull on the capital''s streets, painting them red. "Bastard!" d screamed, kicking Arad''s jewels at full strength. "Get away from me!" But he quickly gasped, finding Arad unfazed. "Da''s ps hurt more," Arad pinned d to the ground with his foot, ignoring the charging vampires. He lifted his right fist with the exploding nipple knife poking from between his fingers, as well his left open palm. BA-BA-BAM! Arad unleashed an endless barrage of punches and ps at the pinned d, sending a shockwave across the ground strong enough to send the vampires around them flying away. Chapter 680 Arad Vs Vlad: Part III A Thousand Year Too Young

Chapter 680 Arad Vs d: Part III A Thousand Year Too Young

"The hell?" The vampiresing to help d cried, getting flung away by the shockwaves of Arad''s strikes. "Use blood magic to make a barrier," A vampire cried, holding onto a broken wall as the shockwaves almost sted him away like a leaf in a storm. "Already tired," Another vampire cried, barely holding onto a crack in the ground, "I don''t have any magic that could withstand that pressure," SWOSH! A burst of steam gushed out of Arad''s back as he kicked d away, jumping after him with a burst of air. "GAH!" d gasped, feeling his skin burning. Arad didn''t only unload one or two ps on him. He unloaded tens of them so that even he, an immortal vampire who''s fine with ripping his guts out, could feel the pain. "You never faced Da, did you?" Arad jumped after him with both fists pulled back. dnded on his hands, standing back on his feet as he swung his hand toward Arad, "Get away from me!" He screamed. Five spears of blood gushed from his fingers toward Arad at a blinding speed. CRACK! CRACK! d burst through several homes before getting flung in the air. Arad jumped after him, assisted by the air bursts. "True power is using everything you have, doing the best you can," BAM! Arad punched d back to the ground. d''s body hit the ground, bouncing back as Aradnded beside him, swinging a wide p. CLAP! Arad''s palm hit d''s chest, sending a shockwave through his whole body, ripping the thin veins and nerves to shreds. d screamed as he got flung into a house, sshing blood everywhere. Arad stood in ce, a gust of steam gushing out of his back, strong enough to st the heavy debris of the building away from him. d quickly healed, but his limbs still felt numb from the pain, "This pain, it doesn''t stop," He growled. "I don''t remember exactly how Da exined it. But pain is located here, not on your limbs." Arad tapped his head, "It doesn''t matter if you healed or not," "Is that so?" d growled with a maniacal smile, stabbing his head with a finger, "Then what about this?" He started twirling that finger, lobotomizing his own brain, "Now this feels better. If it''s my brain that''s causing the pain, I only need to damage and fix it to get a fresh start," He pulled the finger out drenched in brain matter, and the wound quickly healed, "Yeah, it feels better indeed," Arad stared at d. ^This bastard can heal his brain like that? How is he doing it? The brain controls the body. Damaging it would lead to inevitable loss of consciousness.^ Arad took a stance, ^I only need another minute at max, but even at that point, how do I kill this bastard if destroying his brain doesn''t work? Damaging him enough and having Eris finish him with holy magic? No, I doubt she could move,^ BAM! d lunged toward Arad at a blinding speed, swinging his fist. Arad blocked the punch and tried to counter. d spun his torso at an unhuman angle, shattering his own spine but kicking Arad in the face and sending him flying away. "If I have the best regeneration in the world, you bet I''ll abuse it," d lifted his hands, putting them together. "Unlocking the first blood coffin," He said with blood magic gushing out of his body. "Unlocking what?" Arad gasped, seeing d''s magic spike to a mind-boggling level, almost seven times what he had before. From the ground, countless blood spears rushed toward Arad, piercing his arms and torso, "You certainly didn''t expect to beat the best of the vampires with only pain and physical attacks," d''s body burst into a flood of blood, and from him, tens of massive, house-sized bats emerged, flying toward Arad in a bloodied frenzy. Arad flexed his arms, shattering the blood spears, and jumped back, seeing the bats flying toward him. "Familiers?" He growled. One of the bats opened his mouth, unleashing a supersonic st loud enough that Arad almost nked out, getting sted outside the capital with one hit. Arad blinked, finding himself flying mid-air with the bats surrounding him. ^Fine,^ He smiled, taking a deep breath and crawling into a ball. One of the bats rushed toward him, swallowing him in one bite. Just a secondter, the bat''s body inted like a balloon and exploded as Arad released massive amounts of air inside him. Freshly out of the bat''s guts, Arad found that his situation didn''t get any better. More bats surround him, and he has no way of escape. ^Bats are blind. They use sound to echolocate their prey. Those were Alcott''s words.^ Arad took a second deep breath, ^You aren''t the only ones who can weaponize sound,^ "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA," Arad screamed his lungs out, and the bats flinched. Their sonic screams were directed forward so they wouldn''t harm their sensitive ears, but they had no real way of defending against sound. Taking the chance he created, Arad jumped off the air with an air jet and punched one of the bats in the head, piercing the skull and reaching into the brain, "BOOM!" He unleashed a burst of air inside, exploding its skull out of its sensitive ears. Arad jumped toward another Bat and did the same before screaming once again to stun them. PEW! A blood spear flew from the ground, piercing one of the bat''s ant ripping Arad''s lower jaw, barely missing his skull. d smiled, standing on a roof, "My aim is shit," He giggled, "I didn''t throw spears like this in a while, so it''s to be expected," Arad gasped, ^Didn''t he shifts into the bats? No, no one said that, and I didn''t see everything that came out of the blood.^ He clenched a fist, about to fly between the bats to attack d himself. d smiled, and the spear he threw turned behind Arad, flying back and piercing his heart, "Did you really think? You can beat me that easily?" d giggled, "Vampires shiver and bow to my name. None ever stood before me without licking my boots, and do you think you''ll beat me?" The bats that Arad killed exploded, their blood rushing out and shifting into spears that flew toward Arad from every direction. "You''re a mere newborn vampire. Did you really think you could face the vampire''s king in a few months after turning?" d lifted two fingers, "You''re a thousand years too young," Arad growled, protecting his head and spine, and the blood spear pierced his body mid-air. "I''m the vampire king. You won''te out of the woods and tell me what to do, young blood," He clenched his fist and pulled Arad down, smacking him on the ground, "I''m taking Eris, and you can''t do anything about it, no I''ll take you as well for experiments. Your power must be studied," Arad tried to stand, but the blood spear kept him pinned to the ground. "Sit and watch," d turned, "I''ll drag Eris now," He opened his eyes, seeing a barefoot flying toward his face. "Nice toes..." CRACK! Eris kicked him in the face with a [Divine Smite] d''s body flew away, crashing through a barn beforending on a hill, smoking from the holy magic. N?v(el)B\\jnn Thud! Erisnded where d stood, her whole body bleeding as it crackled with sma and holy magic. d burstughing, "Impressive, to think you''ll also move under my blood control," He stood, staring at her, "Even though my blood magic keeps ripping your muscles apart, you''re healing through the damage and moving like a zombie. Is this freak here influencing you?" Eris stared at Arad, noticing the heat source in his chest. "I see," She smiled with blood gushing out of her teeth and eyes. "Yeah! He''s influencing me," She lifted her hands, "You darey your hands on my husband?" [Death Butterfly] Eris''s body ignited with sma, forcing her body temperature to reach a level unimaginable to mankind. From head to toe, and from brain to guts, everything in her body swam in sma, bing one with it. It only took d a second to realize his control over her broke. Her blood had gotten to a point where it couldn''t be controlled. BAM! Eris flew toward Arad to rip the spears that pinned him to the ground, but d cut her way, kicking her away from him. Eris rolled on the ground, standing with her nose dented from the kick. She stared at d, her nose healing as her skin crackled with sma and holy magic. "Unlocking the second blood coffin," d lifted his hands, and his skin turned back, flowing like blood. Eris took a deep breath, putting one hand forward as she took a stance. ^Arad is trying to adapt to the blood control with heat. He isn''t a fire dragon or sma dragon, so it''s taking him time.^ Her eyes slowly paned toward Arad. ^I need to free him at all costs.^ Chapter 681 Arad Vs Vlad: Part IV Into The Final Stage

Chapter 681 Arad Vs d: Part IV Into The Final Stage

Eris stared at d, taking a deep breath. "HA!" She screamed, firing a purple ball of sma toward the ground between them, creating a massive explosion. Using that as a cover, she immediately turned around, kicking one of the spears off Arad''s back. Arad gasped, staring at her, "Run!" Eris ignored him, swinging a second kick toward another spear. SWOSH! d flew through the mes of the explosion, kicking Eris in the back of her head, sending her flying and rolling on the ground. "Turning you back to me is a big mistake. Ignoring his words was another big one," d lifted his hand, pointing a finger at her, "Let''s if your blood is as strong as his," Eris stared forward, her eyes burning with a purple spark of sma as the ground beneath her feet melted. d stood between her and Arad, ^I know I can''t beat him. Our only hope is to get Arad back into the fight.^ Two jets of sma burst from her back, shattering the ground behind her as she got ready to elerate.?^Get behind him. And cut the spears.^ BAM! She burst forward at terrifying speed, melting the ground on her way. d waved his hand down, sending a sh of blood toward Eris. Eris flew around the sh, dodging it in exchange for an arm as it was too fast. d followed her with his eyes as she flew by, amused. Eris swung her fist, ripping one of the spears off Arad''s back, immediately trying to go for another one. BAM! d kicked her in the back, sent her flying, and rushed after her. She regained her bnce, looking back and seeing him swinging a fist at her face. She moved her head to the side, and barely dodged his fist, but after losing her left ear, ^I didn''t have enough strength nor durability to block any of his attacks. That means he''s leaving me alive on purpose.^ She swung her arm, crossed her fingers, [Holy Expansion: Sr Domain] BAM! With a massive st, she illuminated the night and sent d flying back, his skin charred and his flesh falling off in chunks. CRACK! d''s body hit a wall, and Eris rushed toward Arad to free him. SWOSH! Before she could reach him, another blood sh cut her way. ^The bastard can still fight?^ She growled. ^I need to pummel him a bit more to put him down long enough.^ She shifted her direction toward d. "An all-direction explosive smites, an impressive expansion, and a deadly one at that," d said as he healed, looking at Eris charging at him. "But, the potency is quite weakpared to other pdins smites. Probably since your faith is quite new, or the fact you aren''t faithful to Amaterasu at all, heretic loved by the goddess." N?v(el)B\\jnn He smiled, lifting his hand and conjuring a blood de, "I feel all the smitesid upon my vampire descendant by the pdins and can tell who is the strongest. Your holy magic isn''t nowhere near the top ten," "Give me a break," Eris conjured a spear of sma and swung it at his head, which he easily dodged. "I only got under her a few weeks ago," Her spear shed with divine magic, burning d''s left cheek. "You say that," d smiled, "But do you know that the pdin named Lydia has the second strongest smite? Right after pdin general Alphonse?" He swung his sword toward her stomach, but she moved back, using the range of her spear to get some distance. d''s sword extended with blood,cerating her stomach, "Range isn''t a problem for me," He smiled. "Neither it is for me," Eris smiled, her spear shifting into a scythe and sshing d''s head off. ^I''ve been watching you fight. That scythe of yours looked useful.^ Eris kicked d''s body away and used that force to jump back toward Arad, swinging the scythe toward the spears on his back, cutting two at the same time. d''s head rolled on the ground, smiling. ^She won''t know, would she?^ He tried to speak, but only his lips moved as he had no lungs nor a throat. PEW! A spear flew out of nowhere, piercing Eris''s chest. Eris gasped, seeing a maid flying toward her at a blinding speed, kicking the spear and pinning her to the ground. "Who are you?" Eris growled, blood gushing out of her mouth. "Anti-vampire spear. Took it from Alphonse''s corpse," Zia said, pulling a second spear out of her pocket and stabbing Eris in the chest, "This one is an anti-holy magic one, the cursed spear of the night," Eris took a deep breath, blood gushing out of the wounds on her chest. ^Then I''ll st with a sma breath.^ "And this," Zia pulled a pike with chains, smacking Eris in the stomach, arms, and legs, "I''ve been watching from afar. Those are anti-dragon shackles. Good luck moving again." d approached, pping, "Good work, Zia. I knew I could count on you," Zia red back at d, "I can''t believe I''m helping you get another woman," "Come on," d smiled, "You know you''re my favorite. She''s only here for her power," "I''m stronger than her," She stared at him, pouting. "It''s not about strength. She''s the only vampire in the world capable of using holy magic. A rare specimen," He stared at Arad, "Can''t let this idiot have her," "Hehe," Eris giggled. CRACK! Zia stepped on her face, pushing her head to the ground, "What''s so funny?" She red at her, "I''ll have my fun training you, and you won''t like it," "I did my job," Eris replied, "He''s going to rip your ass open for stepping on his wife," CRACKLE! Darkness started gushing out of Arad''s body. The minute he needed to finish his cooler had ended. Zia turned toward Arad, seeing him looking like a dark silhouette, sucking air in at an rming speed. "Lord d, leave it to me!" She jumped from Eris and pulled more spears, stabbing Arad several times, "I do have more anti-dragon and anti-vampire weapons. Say goodbye to your powers. And I''m not an idiot," She pulled a third spear, plunging it into Arad''s chest, "This one is for your lycanthropic side. I can already sense it," "As expected," d approached Arad and Zia, watching as Arad''s void stopped, and he turned and started looking like a human again. "We did n for this, you won''t ever pull something behind our backs," BA-BAM! Arad''s eyes turned pink as he grabbed Zia''s ankle. "Still moving after all of this? How..." [Taurus] Arad stood, lifting Zia up from both legs and forcing them into a split. She screamed in pain as Arad opened his arms even further, ripping her legs apart and cutting her hip in half. Eris smiled, "Told you he''ll rip your ass open," "How can you move while your powers are sealed?" d stared. "No, I see, there is a second soul in your body," Arad the spears in Arad''s body disintegrated as a curse engulfed his body that even d couldn''t recognize. The void engulfed Arad''s body once more, "I said I''m going to rip your balls and shove them down your throat, and I''m not going back on my words. Vampire," Arad''s void expanded rapidly, swallowing Eris and hiding her inside his stomach. d stared at Arad with a smile, "I see, you''ve managed to adapt to my blood control," He extended his blood and sucked Zia back inside him. "So now it''s the two of us shing at full power," He extended his hands, waving them and a flood of blood gushed out of his back, "Full coffin seal unlock, dance of the blood lord." Armies of spawns, wolves, ghouls, giant bats, sneaks, titanic centipedes, and scorpions filled the forest all the way to the mountains. d looked up and opened his mouth, a sword''s handle emerged from his throat and he caught it, pulling the de out. "I personally forged this sword from the iron harvested from the blood of a hundred thousand virgin clerics, pdins, and nuns that opposed me," The sword pulsed like a beating heart, "The Royal Blood de of d, named after me of course," He giggled, "Like your little knife, it''s a true damage weapon that heals upon hit, destroys blood and smite the living with curses. Its de holds a thousand deadly diseases so even if you survived one hit, you won''t live a weak after," ^[Arad, that sword is on the level of a cursed relic. Indeed fit for the lord of vampires,]^ Doma giggled in Arad''s head. Arad opened his palm, pulling a sword from his stomach and d gasped, "Where did you get that?" "The edge of night, Harp," Arad looked at the sword, "I just took it from a cheeky devil," It was Alony''s sword. "That''s Alony''s sword, the devil lord of Dis," d stared at Arad, confused, "Did you make a deal with that bastard? Or is he the one controlling you?" "I skinned him alive, that''s all," Arad replied, and the de in his hand burned with a powerful curse. "Matter not," d giggled, "That''s the sword provided to Cronos by his mother Gaia, which he used to castrate and depose his father, Uranus. It''s quite ironic that someone called Uranus is wielding that de, and is using it to try and cut my balls off like Cronos did to his father." Heughed, "It''s attracted to cutting them off." "I don''t care about where it came from, as long as it can sh with your sword," d waved the sword sword. "That weapon''s history returns to long before the war of gods and abomination, you don''t know the worth of what''s in your hands," d smiled, "And that tells me you don''t know how to use it," Chapter 682 Arad Vs Vlad: Part V [Ho-white Nova]

Chapter 682 Arad Vs d: Part V [Ho-white Nova]

?Arad and d face each other beneath the moonlight. Everyone around the capital could feel the heavy magic burning in the air from them just getting ready. d opened his arms, standing in a T-pose as his familiers charged toward Arad, roaring in a massive stampede. Arad smiled, lunging forward and cutting them one after the other with his sword, rushing toward d. His draconic wings expanded alongside his tail and horns, making him even faster and stronger with greater maneuverability. d opened his palm, creating a spear of blood, and threw it toward Arad at a blinding speed. Arad turned toward d, seeing the spear rushing toward him at an inhuman speed. [Time Slow: 99%] Arad stopped the ground, using his void to force the particles in the air to stop moving, and sent a wave of frost, freezing all the familiers around him at once. Even in the slowed time, the spear still was fast. Arad smiled, waving his palm, [Gravity Magic] He shifted the direction of the spear, forcing it to miss him and fly away. The slowed time ended, and d stood in ce, staring at Arad with a smile, "Time magic? You''re an impressive wizard as well?" ZON! Arad teleported behind d and swung the sword at his back. SWOSH! d shifted into mist and phased through Arad, grabbing his wrist, spun around, and smacked him away with a backhand, sending him spinning in ce. Arad pped his wings to stop spinning, starring at d''s hands, ^Where did his sword go?^ d took a step forward and punched Arad in the guts, sending him flying back a few meters. d smiled, "Barrier and Gravity magic? You have an impressive defense as well," Arad cracked his neck, looking at d with a smile, "This is nothing," Slowly lifting a finger, "How about this?" Thrust! A blood spear pierced d''s back, causing him to puke blood. He looked back, "This is my spear." He turned toward Arad with a grin, "You maneuvered it around the capital with Gravity magic?" "It''s over, d," A tiny dot of light shed above Arad''s finger, engulfing the whole capital with its light. d smiled, "The white opal of the end," CRACK! A sword pierced Arad''s back, and the ho-white nova faded. Arad could see it''s d sword, and he turned back to see who stabbed him. Zia stood behind him, half naked as her main uniform was ripped in half before. "You''re alive?" Arad smiled. "Splitting me in half won''t be enough to kill me," Zia replied, twisting the sword. SMACK! A fist hit Zia''s face with a backhand, exploding in a blinding sh [Divine Cleaver] d blinked, seeing his maid fly away on the verge of death with Arad standing there with four arms. Two looked awfully thin for him. From Arad''s back, Eris''s head poked out with a smile, "Don''t forget, we''re the same as you two." She looked around for d''s sword, but it was in Zia''s possession. "My poor maid, getting abused left and right by you two," He looked at them, waving his hand and sucking in her into his blood. The sword appeared in his hand. Eris faded back into Arad''s body, waiting for another opportunity to strike. Arad looked at the wound on his chest, ^It''s hard to heal and consumes a lot of blood.^ With a smile, he lifted a finger, conjuring the ho-white nova again. "It''ll take more than one stab to stop me," He pointed his finger toward d. "Alcott and the rest are around here. Shoot that, and they''ll end up with more than severe burns." d smiled, taking a stance. "Try me." Arad fired the ho-white nova at d. ^Bastard really fired it? Doesn''t he care about the other...no? He''s a vampire like me. Why did I even consider the possibility of him caring about them?^ d swung his arm up, raising arge bone wall, [Dead Wall]. Puff! The moment the ho-white nova hit the wall, it faded out of existence without doing any damage. d stood there confused for a second when Arad teleported in front of him, grabbing him by the face, and flying away. "You! Tricked me," d growled, trying to push Arad away from him but couldn''t. Using gravity magic and the suction of the void made Arad''s grip far stronger than anything d had faced before. "We''re going away," Arad said, stabbing d in the neck with his sword. Eris extended her arms out of Arad''s chest and started unloading punches infused with divine magic at the vampire lord, tens of smites as they flew away. After almost half a minute, Arad threw d away into a deste ind in the sea, a ce where they could fight without fear of harming anyone. d crashed on the ground while Arad flew in the air, his chest, face, and arms all scratched from d''s thrashing, and even Eris had lost an arm. "You''re a handful. Did anyone tell you that?" Arad flew down,nding before d as his wounds healed and Eris''s arm disappeared into his massive chest. d wiped the blood from his lips, "You bastard," The wounds left by Eris''s smites were extremely hard to heal, and he was slowly feeling weaker. He stood, staring at Arad with the skin falling off where Eris punched him, "I can feel it," d smiled, "It''sing," He lifted his hands, and blood started spilling out of his wounds. "The blood of elders," Arad transformed into his draconic form andnded in front of d. The void peaking from between his scales started sucking air and matter toward him, cracking the ground and pulling the sand out of the ind''s beach. "HAAA!" d sighed, staring at Arad with a crazed smile as he lifted his hand up. His sword started sucking the blood out and growingrger until it shifted into a greatsword. "That''s the lizard face I know, the one who blew my kingdom," d lunged toward Arad, swinging the great sword at his head. Arad dodged to the side with ease, turning his massive bulk around and swatting d with hisrge, thick tail. dnded on his feet, swinging his hand and conjuring chains of blood to tie Arad down, "Don''t move!" The chains wrapped around Arad, tying his wings and arms. d pointed his sword toward Arad and ran forward, jumping into the air to stab Arad''s head. Arad opened his Jaw, biting d. d forced Arad''s jaw open, "To think you can still move," He growled. A stream of white light started gushing out of Arad''s throat, and the rushing heat started burning d''s skin as Arad unleashed a powerful energy breath, sting the vampire king to the ground. The ground exploded in a massive rose of fire, "Did you really think I can''t kill you?" dughed as he stood, his body regenerating, "How about this?" d disappeared, smacking Arad''s arm with his greatsword. "Hard scales!" He shouted flying around and hitting Arad everywhere. Arad growled, feeling like a human trying to catch a bee. He stood still and took the hits, following d with his eyes until he found his chance. CRACK! In the blink of an eye, Arad swung his w and smacked d to the ground, "Don''t even try, in this form, I''m stronger, faster, and harder than you," d pointed a finger toward Arad, "I was a wizard before bing a vampire," He smiled, [Lightning Burst] A massive lightning bolt flew from d''s finger and pierced a hole in Arad''s left wing, "I was waiting for this," Arad lunged back, [Gravity Magic: Field] He created a zone of extreme gravity around d to crush him. [Dispell Magic] CRACK! Arad''s gravity magic shattered as d stood, "My proficiency is better than you. You can''t beat me in a fight of magic," Arad flew into the sky, pointing his open jaw to the ground. A gust of ck smoke started rushing out, and d could feel a cold sweat dripping across his back. "The opal star!" d growled, flying up to drop Arad before he erased the whole ind from the map. The smokeing from Arad''s jaw shifted into a pure stream of white sma, slightly golden. d flew right through it, ^Burn me if you want, I''ll...^ CLAP! d felt something heavy hit him in the face, pushing him toward the ground at an insane speed. ^You bastard! No, you bitch!" He screamed his lungs out, burning on the ground as Arad''s breath pinned him to the ground. Inside Arad''s stomach, Eris swam in Arad''s sma, soaking it in holy magic as she looked toward the growing [Ho-white Nova] He''s condensing. The stream of smaing out of Arad''s mouth quickly shifted into a condensed beam of energy, piercing the ground and igniting the whole ind into a hellish inferno. Arad stopped pping his wings as the beam faded for a second, a small white dot dripping from his mouth, and trailing to the ground. He Teleported away 40 kilometers back to the kingdom''s harbor, watching with Eris sitting inside his jaw. N?v(el)B\\jnn DING! The moment the dot hit the ground, a blinding light turned the night as bright as day. Chapter 683 Arad Vs Vlad: Part VI An Old Golden Light

Chapter 683 Arad Vs d: Part VI An Old Golden Light

As the me settled and the dust and debris started falling from the sky, Arad expanded his wings, "Let''s check on him," "Yeah," Eris replied, "Last time he survived an even stronger st. Not to say this is a weak one," "Half the power of the first one," Arad started flying, "But this had your holy magic. It should deal more damage to him than the first one," Arad flew across the sea, seeing it slowly turning dark from the ash and charred remains of the ind as he approached the beach. CRACK! Uponnding, he looked around to see a massive hole, several hundred meters in diameter, in the middle of the ind. The fire still burned in it. "The me," Eris giggled, "It''s a holy fire," She tapped Arad''s teeth. "Can I get on your back?" "No, stay in my jaw. I can protect you easier and faster like this," Arad replied, closing his jaw and only leaving her a small hole between his teeth to stare out from. Arad slowly climbed down the hole using his ws. He looked like a cat going down a wall, quicklynding at the base. "Now, where is he?" "Probably evaporated? Holy magic disintegrates vampires into ash," Eris replied. "My guts are telling me he''s alive," Arad said, sniffing the ground. Like a cat, he has to inspect his kill. "You sound more like Alcott," She remembered how Alcott and Vasilissa kept arguing. "That''s probably a good thing," Arad giggled, "His guts were right after all," Arad turned his head and stared at the center of the hole, "d, I know you''re alive. You might''ve escaped the god''s punishment, but you aren''t escaping me. I haven''t cut your balls yet," "You still on about that?" Eris sighed, "You still on about that?" Another voice said the same thing. "Ha..." Eris gasped, looking forward. CRACK! Two arms emerged from the ground,bing their fingers with a loud p. [Blood Expansion: Castle Of The Dead] Arad could feel his bones quiver, and he sensed Eris crawling into a ball inside him, shivering, "He''sing," She mumbled. The ck sky of the night turned red as the see around the ind turned into blood. The hole where Arad was got inverted outward, rising as a tall, steep mountain with arge castle on top of it. Arad flew out to the beach and stared at the new mountain, seeing rivers of blood gushing down from the castle''s base. "So this is his expansion?" Arad swallowed Eris back into his stomach to protect her then opened his jaw, charging a breath. CRACK! Some fast flew past, punching him in the face. Arad turned his head, "You..." He growled, seeing Chuzuke flying there with red skin. BAM! A bolt flew out of nowhere, hitting Arad''s face. He looked, seeing the vampire he killed around his house in the past. "Whenever a vampire dies, whether by holy magic or not, the blood I gave them, or gave their ancestors returns to me where their souls shall rest for the rest of time," d said, standing at one of his castle''s balconies, staring down at Arad. From the mountain and the ground around him, several millions of spikes emerged from the ground with crying people on them, skewered from the butt to the throat, and dripping blood on the ground. d lifted his hand, staring down with red glowing eyes, "I swear, my people. I shall be your only king for the rest of time," "Bastard," Arad growled, "There are children there as well," "Humans also eatmb. They take it as a delicacy even." d replied, "You''re a dragon, like me. You''ve eaten humans before. I can smell it, feel it," "I did," Arad replied, "But not children, only bandits..." At that moment, it dawned on Arad, "I see, so this is why the gods never dropped a holy sword to kill you," "Ho? What did you guess," "Human andmb," Arad growled, "Only those at the top of the food chain can be vampires." Arad looked at the sky, [Secretly trying to assess the range of d''s Expansion]. "Vampirism exists to bnce those races by creating natural predators for them, from them." "Completly eradicating us would throw the world out of bnce, and leaving us to grow in numbers would do the same." d replied, "The gods always try to trim our numbers by sending in pdins, but they''ll nevere to purge us from existence," "I see," Arad took a step forward, and an extra pair of arms emerged from his shoulders. "I''m not the gods," CRACK! He grew a second pair of bat wings and a long furry tail, pping beside his dragon tail. "I do not care for the bnce of the world," Two pairs of eyes burst on Arad''s head as four horns grew out of his skull, leaving him with six horns and eyes. Chuzuke and thousands of vampires flooded toward Arad like a tsunami. Light emerged from between Arad''s scales as he started disintegrating matter with his void and releasing the heat out, sting the vampires that got close into ash. Arad pped his wings and started slowly flying up, "Time to finish this fight," ROAAAAAAAAAAA! A roar came from the sky, and d looked up, "Who?"... He gasped, seeing a red barefoot just above his face. CRACK! Nina stomped his face, pushing him through the balcony and the castle''s walls until they reached the ground. As Nina stomped d''s head to the ground, he twisted his body and kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying back. "How can you move? I''m sure you''re in my blood control?" He growled, standing as he healed. CRACK! Nina stood, her massive axe on her shoulder. d extended his hand toward her, [Blood Control] At that moment, he could see it, a massive lizard ring back at him. Nina''s blood rejected his control. "I see, the tarrasque''s blood." He giggled, "Even I, the vampire king, I''m still too weak to control it," Nina roared, lunging at him, swinging her battle axe, cutting his arm off. The blood in his arm exploded, shattering the severed limb and damaging the stem left in d''s arm. d jumped back, "But I''m sure you can''t fly, and even you won''t be able to jump over the sea and fall from such high," He looked at the sky, "How did youe?" CRACK! The sky cracked, and two massive dragons flew in, a second Arad and arge silver drakaina. d''s eyes opened wide, "Gin? She''s still alive?" He gasped, "And why is there..." He looked at Arad who stood before him, seeing him staring back at him with a cheeky grin. "VLAD!" A deep rumbling voice crackled from the sky as a golden w half as big as Arad emerged from the dark clouds, "You dare harm my daughter?!" Kinryuu extended his massive head down from the sky, ring down at d with his massive whiskers crackling with fire and lightning. "If he''s here," d growled, ring back at Arad, "You bastard!" "Of course, I don''t care if it''s fair or not," Aradughed at him, "I can beat you on my own, but I''ll drag the metallic dragons with me just in case you try to escape," CRACK! Kinryuu flew toward the ground, shifting into his humanoid form andnding between Vald and Nina. "How can you move?" d red at him. "I''ve no obligation to exin myself to you," Kinryuu replied. He turned toward Nina, "Go help Arad deal with the flood of Vampires. I''ll beat this idiot," BAM! Nina jumped toward Arad while Kinryuu approached d, cracking his knuckles. "You really think you can take me on your own? Metallic general?" d smiled. "Don''t worry, I''m not going to kill you. I''m only here to cool my rage and crack a few of your bones," Kinryuu''s muscles started expanding as his long white beard danced with the wind. BAM! d lunged forward, swinging his sword at Kinryuu''s neck. N?v(el)B\\jnn CRACK! Kinryuu caught d''s arm, twisting it with both hands like he was squeezing water out of an old rag. He grabbed d by the neck, plucked his eyes out, and started iling him around, smacking him into the ground and stones at an unbelievable speed. **** CRACK! Arad''s clone and Ginnded beside Arad, "The other dragons are waiting outside d''s expansion. The blood control inside is too much for them to handle," "I know," Arad replied, "My Gemini clone was with you," He and the clone merged, "Stay in ce and don''t move," Arad lifted his front ws, putting them together. Gin nodded and sat in ce. [Void Expansion: Devouring Void] ^[To separate them from d, there is only one way.]^ Doma smiled as Arad''s void expanded, swallowing the flood of vampires rushing toward them. CRACKLE! Kinryuu punched d in the face, sending him skipping on dirt until he smacked into the base of the mountain. "How could you move? I can''t sense your blood," d growled. "Won''t say," Kinryuu looked back, "Arad seems to have taken care of your army. It''s high time we finished this." Chapter 684 Arad Vs Vlad: Part VII I Keep My Words

Chapter 684 Arad Vs d: Part VII I Keep My Words

?Arad''s void expansion faded from the distance as Kinryuu smiled, "He finished them," d stared at his hands, "The blood," CRACK! Aradnded behind Kinryuu. Heat and steam gushed out of his massive back, "I ate them all," Arad growled, approaching them. "You look scary like that," Kinryuu smiled, seeing Arad''s vampiric wyrmwolf for the first time. "I was about to fight him alone," Arad replied, shifting into his human form, "But thankfully, you and my clone returned," "My only job was to hold him off," Kinryuu smiled, "I only made his defeat faster and safer for us. I also got to beat him to a pulp for Kin." He walked past Arad as he shifted into his half-dragon form. Arad cracked his neck, walking toward d. d stared at his hands, "Where is the blood?" "I ate them all," Arad replied, "Your vampires, minions, ves, and the souls you kept inside your coffins to feed off. Did you really think I wouldn''t smell them the first time you unlocked your coffins?" "You did what?" d gasped. "Eris is already praying the sacrificed souls into the heavens and freeing them. I kept the vampires and sent the core of your blood magic to your daughter Scarlett, we call her Ginger," Arad cracked his knuckles, "I was ipatible with that power. Otherwise, I would''ve kept and used it to kill you," d grunted, conjuring a spear of blood, "Do you understand how long it took me to build this kingdom?" "I don''t care," Arad replied, "You mess with a dragon, and they burn your kingdom down. It doesn''t matter if you''re a human, an elf, a devil, or a vampire," N?v(el)B\\jnn "SHUT UP!" d threw the spear at Arad, piercing his shoulder. Arad stood still, unfazed. With one hand, he pulled the spear and threw it to d. "Try again," CLANG! CLANG! The blood spear rolled to d''s feet, and he looked at it. "You bastard!" He lifted the spear and rushed toward Arad, stabbing him in the throat. "Die!" He twisted the spear, ripping Arad''s neck apart and leaving his head dangling with his spine. "See! You die like all of them," dughed. Arad''s eyes opened up and he grabbed his head with one hand, returning it to ce. The flesh around his neck healed as he looked at d with glowing purple eyes. "Your regeneration was stronger than mine," Arad said, "Because it relied on countless people trapped within your blood that you fed upon." d took a step back. "But, even though my regeneration is weaker than what you had. It''s based on my bones fueling me with blood, it''s my own power. I''m not reliant on something that can be robbed," ZON! Arad teleported behind d and grabbed him by the balls. "Who''s the wife you were going after?" He growled, pulling them off with one move. As d screamed his lungs off, Arad grabbed him by the neck, forcing his jaw open by breaking the bone that connects the mandibles to the temporal bone. d tried to regenerate but he had no blood, Arad had eaten everything and left him dry. "Those are yours," Arad pushed d''s jewels into d''s mouth, forcing him to swallow them. Arad then grabbed d by the skull and started squeezing, "Eat yourself and scram from this world. Vampire, I don''t want you sniffing in the same ne of existence as my wives ever again," CRACK! Arad shattered d''s skull and the body dropped down, twitching. "How scary," Kinryuu giggled in the back, "You''re growing into a scary dragon, kid. Reminds me of Alcott''s young days, he was just as savage." "It had to be done," Arad lifted his hand and d''s corpse started floating. [Gravity Magic] Using gravity magic he crushed d''s corpse into a ball of flesh then burned it with a fire breath until it became nothing but a ball of ash. Kinryuu pulled out some clothes and a long golden chain. "Come here," He approached Arad and started wrapping the ball of ash. "How powerful is that seal?" Arad asked. "Not much how is it now," Kinryuu replied, "But it''ll almost unbreakable when we throw it down the star mountain. The chromatic has agreed to take care of it," "Didn''t you say to my clone they are salty about losing a skirmish?" Arad asked. "They are, but you''re a neutral party, we can work with you." Kinryuu smiled, "Don''t tell anyone this, but apparently, our queen Mary and the chromatic queen L have both agreed that dragons should help you whenever possible," "Really? I should probably pay them a visit," Arad watched as Kinryuu wrapped the ash and then chained the ball. "Howe the chromatic have a seal you metallic don''t?" Arad asked. "The chromatic live in the star mountain, it''s an ancient ce dripping with power. We metallic on the other hand are nomads. Our capitals change location all the time," Kinryuu replied. "You could''ve settled down, won''t you?" Arad sighed. "We would takend from the humanoids. Since we dragon can live withoutnd, we shouldn''t be taking that right from other people." Kinryuu smiled, "And I bet our capital is better than the chromatic dragons," "What is it?" "A massive flying kingdom that''s five thousand kilometers in diameter made of fortified steel," He giggled, "An armed flying fortress bigger than most kingdoms." "That''s a flying continent," Arad gasped, "How is it flying?" "Our queen is a steel drakaina and is the one who made it. She''s also the one keeping it afloat with Gravity magic," Kinryuu smiled, "You should probably have her mentor you about Gravity magic, you won''t someone as knowledgeable in that magic as her," "I would definitely visit one day," Arad smiled, handing the ball of ash to Kinryuu after he inspected it, "He''s dead." "I''ll take care of the rest," Kinryuu was about to fly away but he stopped, "By the way, we have cannons, guns, and muskets, we''re constantly inventing in them so you can consider us a weapon manufacturer." "Do you make swords?" "We do," Kinryuu replied. "And you call for peace?" "Peace requires weapons. We want it to be thend of freedom after all," Kinryuuughed, "We can protect the humans by selling them weapons to protect themselves, and make a profit for our hoards," "Dragons are dragons after all," Arad sighed, "Send me a notice when he''s sealed," "I''ll do," Kinryuu flew away. Arad looked at the night sky, "Now, the legacy of the vampire kind has ended," He smiled, "Wait, Ginger is the new vampire queen," He looked back. The power of the vampire king is hereditary like the crown in a human kingdom. d''s only daughter is the only one who can inherit the throne. ^Wait, won''t that make Alcott the vampire king?^ Arad extended his wings and flew to the ind''s beach,nding beside Nina who sat there waiting for him. "You done?" She asked. "Yeah," Arad waved his hand, letting Eris out of his stomach. "How did it go?" "I purified some of the souls," She replied, "I''ll work on the restter. He seems to have over a million souls that he bleeds." Arad scratched his head, "We''ll, I''ll keep them safe so work at your own pace. We can have Lydia and the church in Alina help as well," Arad shifted into his draconic form, ready to fly them back to the capital. "Hm?" He gasped, looking around with a worried face. "What is it?" Eris stared at him. "Don''t tell me he''sing back!" Nina growled, her skin turning red. "No, it isn''t d," Arad replied, his head jolting to the side as he stared at the sea, "OH no, we might have messed up," He jumped in the water and dove down. "Arad!" Eris shouted, but he had already gone far too deep to hear her. "What''s gotten into him?" Nina looked at her. "I don''t know," Eris looked at the water, "But he''s a dragon with senses stronger than us. He might''ve detected something," Eris closed her eyes and tried to listen but heard nothing, she sniffed the air but didn''t get anything. "I can''t see anything," Nina looked at the water. "See? Arad''s eyes can see magic, he probably saw something in the air," She looked around and it quickly dawned on her, "Wait, where is she?" Eris gasped. "Who''s she?" "Ae would kill us," Eris cried. **** Arad swam through the water, even thergest of predators of the sea swam away upon seeing him. As a void dragon, Arad doesn''t have gills to breathe underwater, but he could stone air in his stomach to dive for a long time. As several schrs noted, dragons are the most terrifying, all-terrain assault monsters, it doesn''t matter where you hide, they''ll chase you down. Arad sawm into a massive crack that he found underwater, following the faint tracks of magic he sensed. Several minutester, he reached the bottom of the crack several thousand meters beneath the surface. He looked there and saw a tiny cube drawing in the sand of the sea bed. With his jaw, Arad swelled the cube and saw back up. Chapter 685 A Limitless Blue Dream

Chapter 685 A Limitless Blue Dream

SPLASH! Arad''s massive w extended from the water, grasping into the sandy open beach. He emerged, looking at the water beneath his legs, "So the sea has a drop point after going a few meters into the water. If someone swam too far from the beach, they could suddenly find themselves drowning." He started walking toward the beach, shaking the water off his scales like a dog. "Arad!" Eris rushed toward him, followed by Nina, "Is it her?" Arad shifted into his humanoid form and pulled the stone cube from his stomach, "Yeah, she''s locked in here. It''s simr to the one Vars locked brother inside," "A seal?" Nina stared at the cube, "We should get Merlin to look at it," "How did Gojo get out?" Eris asked, "Can''t Zephyr do the same?" "I bet brother has a higher concentrated damage than Zephyr. He was able to pierce through the seal''s barrier," Arad replied, "And don''t forget we''re void dragons. We have it easier dealing with extra-dimension barriers like this." "So," Eris looked at the cube, "If she still didn''t get out, that means she''s either unable to get out on her own or has spent too much energy fighting d and now has nothing to eat inside and replenish her power." "Can you break it from here?" Nina looked at Arad, "By biting it like a nutcracker?" "I don''t know if that''ll work, and I might end up hurting her," Arad shook his head, "It''s better we take a careful approach. He looked at the cube, "But we also can''t waste time." Arad sucked the cube back into his stomach and lifted Eris and Nina to his back with Gravity magic. He slowly turned, looking at the smoke rising from the ground. The whole ind had been devastated, burned, and crushed by their battle. "The harbingers of doom, now that descriptions make sense for us. Wherever there is a conflict involving us, thend ends up destroyed," He remembered the forest where he fought the young dragon, the red dragon that Alcott faced, Riverside, d''s kingdom, and now the capital. "I do leave a trail of destruction and doom wherever I go," Arad sighed, "I''m supposed to be nothingness, yet here I am being destruction, I''m death." He pped his wings, flying toward the capital''s harbor. "Arad, it isn''t your fault," Eris looked at him, "You never started the fights," "But," He mumbled, "I''m the one who sted the ind." "That doesn''t matter," Nina looked at him, "d would''ve done more damage if left alone. Hundreds, if not thousands of people around the world were dying from the vampire''s rampage, but killing d stopped them." "You''re right," Arad replied, "But I feel like this happens a lot," He could remember walking back to Alina with the viges of Riverside, and even the time he brought the barbarians after sting their forest fighting Shi, the half-tarrasque. N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad reached the harbor and looked around for a safe ce tond, he quickly saw a patch of destroyednd, seemingly a part of the harbor that was sted with a powerful spell. He slowed down and tucked his wings on his back, using gravity magic to slowly descend andnd. Eris and Nina looked at the city from Arad''s back, seeing most of it as he was too tall. Arad did the same, but his senses were far stronger. From where he stood he could see the impaled corpses decorating the street, hear their blood dripping on the ground with the stench slowly washing away along the sea breeze. No one could hear it beside him, but his ears were clearly picking up the cries and groans of people hiding beneath churches, bleeding and dying from their wounds. Countlessst breaths are being spent even now that the battle already ended, and he can''t do anything about it. "This is," Arad sighed, taking a step forward, "Isn''t funny," "You okay?" Eris climbed over his head and stared at his eyes. "Yeah," He replied, "But the capital and its people aren''t. We lost so many lives, so many futures." He stopped, looking at the impaled corpse of a child in the corner of the street. "Humans are so fragile. That kid could be ten times older than me," He sighed, "I can understand what both the chromatic and metallic dragons want," "You''re right," Kinryuu flew down from the sky,nding beside Arad in his humanoid form, "The chromatic dragons just don''t want to deal with this. If they don''t see humans as something important, they won''t feel what you feel. And they won''t have to care. We on the other hand," "Are far dumber than them," Arad stared at him, "It isn''t the humanoid''s fault for being weak. It''s the world''s fault for having monsters as strong as us," "So you understand it," Kinryuu sighed, "You''ve grown faster than I thought," "The humanoid''s civilization is hanging with a thread, they can''t survive the world on their own. Our existence has pushed them to the brink, they''ve started living in walled cities like cattle, but even that didn''t save them this time." "Walled cities and fortifications are to protect themselves from the cruel, monster-infested world. There are the random outliers powerful adventurers, but you can''t judge the who race by the rare few. Humanoids are mostly too weak to face any monster," Kinryuu waved his hand and pulled a long white cloth, covering the child''s corpse. "I assigned a battalion toe and help with the clean up. They''ll put everyone to rest as best as they can." "Humanoids need a safer world, something they can handle on their own," Arad looked at the night sky, "I can''t cage them in walls like cattle. They already did it to themselves, and it doesn''t seem to work," His eyes dted as he got an idea, "The stars," "The what?" Kinryuu stared at him. "The metallic fortress floats in the sky, and it''s as massive as a continent," Arad looked at him, "What if we lift several more like it to the sky and have humans live there, away from the monster-infestednd? It''ll be the same as how continents float on the sea, but now it''s on air." "Continent doesn''t float on the sea. It''s one massive..." Kinryuu sighed, "Forget it. No need to exin geology here. Your idea is simply impossible in practice. Even our queen can barely lift our fortress, and you want to lift several? Can''t you make them a bit small?" "I don''t want humans to be caged to lessnd than what exists on the ground, a floating peacefulnd where they can thrive," Arad replied. "The peace would make them grow weaker with time," Kinryuu replied. "We can put animals and weak monsters there, probably slowly raise the strength of monsters to give humans enough time to adapt and evolve." "They aren''t as fast as you, it would take them several generations. Even if we could achieve everything perfectly, it might take them several thousands of years to slowly grow stronger, if not more." Kinryuu shook his head, "It''s impossible," "It''s worth a try," Arad looked at him, "For them, it''ll be better than living each day not knowing whether a vampire king is about to skewer them the next day or not," "That should be left for them to decide, and I can assure you there is no gravity magic in the world that could live such mass to the sky." Kinryuu looked at the streets. "For now, we can''t do anything. But give me a century, a thousand years even. I might be able to figure something up with gravity magic." Arad smiled at the sky, "Tens of continents floating in the sky, a near limitlessnd in the blue sky floating between the snow-white clouds. Limitless blue," Arad blinked, remembering the vision he saw with Doma''s future foresight when he was fighting the demon lord of fungus Zuggtmoy. ^Those countless inds floating in the sky, the chants of those weird priests,^ He smiled, "I can achieve it. I''m certain of that." "Where is that confidenceing from? Is it the dragon''s arrogance, young blood?" Kinryuu smiled, "I thought you were less hot-blooded than the rest of the youngins," "I keep my word," Arad looked at him with a smile, "I have a vision of a better world, and it''lle to reality." They walked across the street until they reached thergest church in the capital. Arad stood and looked at the cracked, blood-stained wall. This is where he got married several weeks ago, and now it''s a mess. "Arad!" Alcott called from everyone sitting behind the church, "We''re here," "I can see you," Arad turned around the church with only a few steps, stopping for Eris and Nina to step off his back. "What happened to d?" Meryem stared at Arad. "Dead," Arad replied. Kinryuu pulled the ball of ash and sent it floating toward Ginger, "Probably I should give you this for a second," Ginger looked at the ball of ash, "Father," She looked at Arad, "You could''ve left something for me to burn," "Didn''t want to risk him regenerating," Arad replied, but he then stared at her, "But can''t you feel it? The blood inside you?" "I do," Ginger sighed, "Why did you leave it to me?" "I didn''t. It''s bound to blood, and you''re the only heir to the throne," Arad sat down, looking at Alcott, "She''s the current vampire queen. That would make the vampire king," "That doesn''t sound good," Alcott sighed, "But at least we can keep an eye on the vampires," "The war is over," Merlin said, staring at the sky. Chapter 686 I am No Longer A Baby, I Want Power!

Chapter 686 I am No Longer A Baby, I Want Power!

"The war is over," Merlin said, staring at the sky. Arad sat and lifted his right w, pulling the cube out of his stomach, holding it floating above his palm with gravity magic as he handed it to Merlin. The cube slowly floated to Merlin, and she caught it with her gravity magic, staring at it for a second, "Hold up!" She gasped. "Yeah, Zephyr is inside," Arad dered, and everyone stared at the cube in shock. "How did she end up sealed like this?" Alcott gasped. "She''s the wind spirit, how did this happen?" Ginger stared at the cube, "Father shouldn''t have enough power, intellect, or magic to seal her." "She didn''t have all of her magic," Eris gasped, and Merlin''s face paled, "The energy she wasted trashing the firstyer of hell. She told me she''s at around 60% of her whole magic before getting into the firstyer. If she spent at least half of that and only spent a day or two recuperating after that...that means she might have gone to face d with only around 40% of her magic, 50% at best," "30% of her power to destroy the firstyer of hell? You must be joking. I bet she spent the whole 60%, at least 50%," Alcott argued, "That means she faced d being even weaker, 20-30% at best," "That doesn''t matter now," Arad looked at them, "I bet d tricked her into using her expansion by the promise of victory, then sneaked her after her guard was down," "What could even make a person like her drop her guard?" Eris stared at Arad. "The people," Kinryuu replied. "Zephyrus Anemoi Enlil of Mei, the kindred wind spirit. People rarely give her credit, but out of the great spirits, she is the only one who truly cares." Arad turned toward him, "All that power..." "She could''ve ruled thend with a fist of steel like the other spirits. She could''ve taxed everyone from humans, dragons, and nts for the act of breathing her air, but she didn''t. She gifted her vastnds to the humans and dark elves to live in, allowed the whole world free ess to her air, calmed the frequent storms and tornados, and even starved herself for decades and centuries so she wouldn''t harm the natural order." "What do the other spirits tax? I never had to pay anything when lighting a fire," Eris stared at Kinryuu. "Fire requires fuel. You always have to sacrifice something to ignite it. It also regrly consumes thend in violent wildfires that could eat forests and cities. Don''t you know that even cremating corpses is an offering to the great fire spirit? You were a mortician, right?" Kinryuu stared at her. "I never heard of that," Eris gasped. "Elves'' lives are short, and humans even shorter. I don''t expect you to know the old ways," He sighed, "The ground eats back the nts that grow on it, eats the corpses buried in it, and even splits apart to swallow those who don''t appreciate it. Don''t get me talking about the sea and the massive waves it drives to shores. Those are but a fragment of what it consumes from ships and the animals of the deep sea." "Are you crying?" Arad looked at Kinryuu who started tearing up. "Our whole kingdom flies in her domain by her grace. The queen''s magic might be lifting us up, but trespassing on another being''snd is a sin, and yet she''s letting us roam free. It''s unforgivable to let this slide," He growled. Arad could feel a cold sweat dripping across his back, an almost infinite wave of bloodlust washed over the capital as the metallic dragons camouging around the area and in the air shifted back. Thousands of wyrms and greatwyrms were ring toward the cube, enraged. "It''s unforgivable! We won''t stand for this, and each passing second is a disgrace." He lifted his arm, "Don''t you think so? Steel fortress?" The night sky disappeared from above them alongside the moon and a pitch-ck darkness swallowed the world, only the faint ember light from the torches spread across the capital remained. Several spotlights shined from the sky, pointing to where Arad and the rest stood with the cube. A massive chunk of steel and cannons emerged in the sky, covering almost a quarter of the whole continent. "One cannon is as big as the capital itself?!" Eris gasped. "Is this how it looks from below?" Merlin looked up, sweating, "I only saw it once from above," "You did?" Eris stared at her. "Alcott, I and Nina got teleported there once before to have a talk with a copper dragon alchemist. It''s when we were trying to figure out if the potion I fed to Alcott and turned him into a woman was something permanent." Merlin quickly exined. "With such firepower, they could probably whip the entire continent in minutes," "Arad Orion!" Kinryuu growled, "It''s not only our problem now. It''s not us the dragons alone who lived in Zephyr''s grace. Soon the Titans, Devas, dwarves, elves, arachnoids, insectoids, tieflings, fairies, other spirits and everyone else would seek her return. They shall not stand silent," As Kinryuu growled, the tides of the sea started shifting and Arad could feel an immense concentration of magic several times bigger than his own approaching from the sea. He stared, seeing a massive blue-haired womanrger than anyone he had seen. If a great wyrm is a crocodile, she''ll be a human. "That woman," Arad growled, "The guild master, Alice Dagon?!" He only met her projection before, the woman called Five who''s directing the guild. At that time, Alice exined to him that she was a titan living in seclusion and that she controlled ten projections. Kinryuu smiled, looking back, "To think yourzy ass walked all the way here, I thought you hated going outside and could barely bear thepany of other people," "All of my projections got destroyed and then I could feel the wind spirit''s magic fading," Alice replied, her void crackling like thunder in the sky, "Where is the bastard who did that?" She growled, her hair spiking out with lightning and magic, sending a wave strong enough that anyone could feel it. "Calm down," Kinryuu sighed, shifting into his massive draconic form and standing over the capital, "It was the vampire king d, and he''s now dead, as well as ash and sealed thanks to Arad over there. The unfortunate part is that the great wind spirit Zephyr had charged ahead on her own and got tricked and sealed by the fiend." Alice''s eyes shifted down, ring toward Arad. She paused for a second, "AHH!" She cried, taking a step back and falling on her butt in the sea, sending a massive tsunami to the shore. "Be careful," Kinryuu growled, raising a massive barrier of magic and blocking the water. "You can''t handle being around people that well, get back to your ind and we''ll talk in detail about magic," She stared at the shore, panting and holding her chest, sweating, "I''ll calm down, give me a minute," "Don''t drown the humans," Kinryuu stared at her, n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "What happened to the seal?" "A fist-sized dimension cube, gray in color and oozes with magic, feint, but Zephyr''s magic leaks out a bit," Kinryuu looked at Merlin who sent the cube flying into the sky. "I see," Alice stared at it from the sea, "I read about something like it in an ancient tomb. I suspect they were a weapon created by the agents of the gods and provided to key people around the world so they could seal powerful abominations and wait for someone capable of ying the beasts to arrive. A device to buy them time is the best I can describe it," "The important part, can you crack it open?" Kinryuu asked. "I can crack it," Alice stared at him with a worried face, "But, I might end up killing or severely harming Zephyr inside. It''s like trying to open a safe with one of your cannons, you can''t expect the money inside to survive the st." "How did they even manage to open them in the past?" Arad looked at Alice. "They didn''t need to open them, right?" Arad looked confused. "I don''t know whether you''re a genius, an idiot, or simply lucky with words. I hope it''s the first," Alice giggled, "You''re right, those things can''t be opened, they aren''t meant to be opened. You seal the abomination inside, and when someone strong enoughes, they st the whole thing and destroy it with the beast." "A cage designed to be thrown into the fire," Kinryuu sighed, holding his head. "We might be able to figure something out," Alice looked at Arad, "You''re the mediator of the dragons. It''ll be best if you kept Zephyr, that''ll be better than having every race and their mothers fight over her." "I''m keeping her whether they like it or not," Arad stared back at Alice, "Zephyr is contracted to my wife, she taught me a lot and I won''t leave her to anyone else," "So everyone here, each of the major races is indebted to her, especially the long-lived ones, the Titans and dragons." Alice smiled, "They''ll fight over her as hard as you''ll do," Arad looked up at the metallic dragon''s fortress, ^One shot from those cannons and they''ll evaporate my body, I can regenerate or teleport out of the way, but I can''t take the barrage of all those cannons firing at once. Even my expansion is only 40km and this fortress is well over 1000km in diameter.^ His eyes shifted toward Alice, ^She has more magic than me, and probably spent centuries perfecting spells while I only had a few months at best. I''ll probably get sealed in a wine bottle before I can realize it if we fight.^ The void started crackling from Arad''s ws, slowly sucking matter from the ground and melting it into energy absorbed by his body, ^I am no longer a baby, I''m a juvenile, yet still too weak for the world,^ With his body glowing purple, and eyes burning, "I am no longer a baby, I want power!" Kinryuu smiled, ^This kid is aware, unlike the rest of the juvenile dragons. Usually, when they reach the juvenile stage and feel their power showing, they get arrogant and think they can do anything, and that is what usually gets them killed or hunted by adventurers. Arad on the other hand is aware that whatever power he holds now, it''s not his best.^ He giggled, ^Calling me and the metallic dragons to help with d just in case something went wrong, is a testament to that. He realizes his growth and never overestimates it. He''ll survive and grow even stronger,^ Chapter 687 Blood and Snow

Chapter 687 Blood and Snow

"So it''s been decided," Kinryuu smiled, "I already took a sample of the cube''s magic. Zephyr would stay in Arad''s care until we find a way to free her," "I also took a sample, and I''ll be doing my research on my ind," Alice turned to leave. She would rather not be stared at by anyone if she can help it. Being a titan, and one with long blue hair on top of it made her stand out too much for her liking. Kinryuu jumped into the sky, "Arad, I''ll call you if we find anything. Please be careful of other races approaching yournd. Don''t hesitate to call for us to help, or even the chromatics. As much as I hate to say it, they''re the most reliable when you only need them to fight." "I know," Arad replied, looking toward Alcott and Ginger, "We have enough power to defend ourselves, but I''ll call for help anyway just to be sure nothing will go wrong." He turned toward Kinryuu, "Don''t me me if you came and didn''t find anything to fight," "I didn''t me you this time, did I? I only served to distract d so he wouldn''t retract his expansion and prevent you from eating everything he had," Kinryuu approached the flying fortress, and a massive steel gate opened that he flew through. The massive fortress quickly disappeared as easily as it appeared, leaving no trace in the night sky. Arad looked down, turning his head toward the church''s closed door. Now that silence fell again, the cries of the injured inside grew louder in his ears. "We''ll camp here until the people inside are able to move," Arad said, shifting back into his humanoid form. "What would they be able to do once they can move?" Alcott stared at him, "I''ve seen enough destroyed cities. They won''t survive the winter here with how the capital got destroyed." "I know," Arad replied as he slowly pushed the church''s door open and walked inside, "We''re moving them to the nearest city that can ept refugees." "We''re in the midst of winter, I bet most of the cities in the area relied on the capital for a lot of their supplies. With the trade route eliminated, they''ll be in the red too, and we aren''t counting the fact they got attacked by their local vampires as well," Alcott walked behind Arad as they reached Amaterasu''s statue, went behind it and started going down a secret path of stairs. "Baltos should know," Arad looked back at Alcott, "If he''s still alive," They quickly reached a second door, and Arad pushed it open seeing several dozens of blood-drenched nuns running around like rats, scrambling to keep up with the countless injured. "Heh!" A woman who was running between the nuns giving them rags saw Arad and she jumped in ce, dropping what was in her hand. "Sir Arad?" "One of Isdis''s assassins? So this was one of youryers?" He looked around, spotting a bunch of them everywhere. "Y-yes...it''s..." She started looking everywhere in panic, "Suzan! The rags, hurry!" "Sorry!" She cried, lifting what she dropped, gave Arad a quick bow, and bolted away to the nun that called. "Eris?" Alcott looked at Arad. "Used too much magic while fighting d. I had her infuse my [Ho-white Nova], and she then purified several souls that were trapped in d''s blood. She needs time to recuperate her magic," Arad replied, taking a step forward, ZON! He teleported directly past the nuns into the locked room in the back. Arad looked at the bed, "How are you doing?" He asked, looking at Baltos whoid on the bed with his left leg wrapped in bandages from toes up to his hips. "ARAD!" Charlie who sat beside his father gasped, "What happened? If you''re here..." "d is dead and the vampire attack stopped," Arad replied and Charlie fell on the chair, a sight of relief escaped his throat. "Those who were unlucky to be away from Kin and Gin died," He mumbled. "A blood spear pierced Father from the sole of his foot up to his hips, he barely survived it and is hanging by a thread. Mother was at a noble''s meeting, and she died. Brother Thomas died as he shoved stepmom out of the way, and she''s injured in the next room." "How is she doing?" "Better than father. Brother did a great job protecting her," Charlie looked at his hands, tired, "She got stabbed in the guts, the nuns said the spear got her womb, killing my little brother she was carrying," Arad looked at the wall to the next room, ^She was pregnant?!^ "No one knew she was pregnant, not until the nuns said so today," Charlie mumbled. "Isn''t there any pdins left?" Arad looked around, "Mostly sensing clerics, there were about five or six pdins around, but that was a small number," "Dead, they took the frontlines. The blood spears targeted them first," Charlie looked at Arad, "The first attack when the spears first struck, they took the pdins down. d himself faced General Alfonce and killed him." "I''ll go hunt us some food," Arad turned, "Eris will be here once she regenerates her stamina and mana," ZON! Arad teleported back to the surface. "Nina," He approached her, "I''m going to the forest to hunt some monsters and gather anything edible by humans. I doubt I''ll find much in the winter, but I''ll try," He turned toward the sea, "If not, I''ll pull something out of the sea. Go with Ginger and find anyone that doesn''t have anything to do and get them ready to prepare and cook," "Got," Ginger said with a smile, approaching Nina, "Don''t worry, we''ll get it done," n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad looked at Eris sitting on a stone in the corner, it''s midnight and her holy magic wasn''t regenerating as well as it would do in daylight. He could sense Alcott helping the injured in the church''s basement as well, the only missing one was Meryem. It only took Arad a few seconds to locate her. She deep underground digging, ^What is she doing?^ ZON! Arad teleported to her underground andnded on a stone, seeing a vast pool of acid ahead of him. "Meryem, what is this?" "Arad?" She looked at him in her ant form, poking her head out of the wall, "This is my acid, I used it when I found d and pulled him out of hiding. It''s too close to natural springs and some channels that can lead to the sea, I''m trying to diverge it away to a safe ce. We''ll need drinking water from the city''s wells if we''re staying here for a few days," "Meet me up when you finish," "Got it," ZON! Arad teleported back to the surface andnded right at the capital''s crumbled gate. He stood and looked at it, seeing the dead guards spread everywhere. He could remember some of them greeting him and the girls as they brought Isdis here in the past, as they left, and as he went in and out on their stay. Arad turned toward the forest and lunged forward, running between the trees at an unhuman speed, his eyes and nose peeled for any sign of edible monsters or animals. ^As expected, not much in the cold snow,^ As he ran across the forest, he sensed a faint magic twirling between the trees, calling him in. SWOSH! Arad stood in ce, looking at the trees surrounding him, the snow piled on the ground, and the snowkes falling. "You''ve gone to the trouble of showing yourself. Get out," Arad said, his eyes glowing purple, "I''m not in the mood for games," "How scary, how scary," A man walked from behind a tree, lifting his hands up, "To think you spot me from such feint leak of magic. I wasn''t trying to get detected, you know?" The man stood almost as tall as Arad while being just as muscr, having silver hair, a pair of glowing white eyes, and a thin beard. "You don''t look like a wizard," Arad stared at the man''s structure, "How could you do that?" "Look at my arms, brother," The man''s arms got covered in silver scales, "I''m a dragon like you, a silver wyrm to be clear," "The metallic dragons left," Arad red at him. "I was left behind to monitor the ce, and make sure no secondary attack happens," He smiled, waving his hands, "I''m sorry if my presence has bothered you," "The metallic dragons left someone behind to guard while I am here? While Alcott is here?" Arad lifted his hand, extending it toward the man, "Stop lying, tell the truth. My guts are telling me you''re one bad liar!" The manughed, "It''s guts alone shouldn''t be enough to tell if someone is lying. You need a mind that recognizes patterns subconsciously and analyzes them to make predictions. That, or one good animal instinct," He smiled, "Like that man Alcott, he''s a human but was born with an instinct like that of a wild animal." The man lifted his hand and stared at Arad from a finger hole, "I see, you got that dog in you, the lycanthropic blood," [Time Slow] Arad instantly slowed time to 99%, rushing forward with a fist at the silver dragon. His body got ready to transform into his draconic form the moment the punch made an opening. "OH! Time, STOP!" The silver dragon shouted, lifting his arms and casting [Time Stop], freezing the world in ce right before Arad''s fist could reach him. The man walked around Arad, looking at him, "This is your true body, Gemini isn''t active. I managed to catch you off guard," He clenched a fist, crackling Arad''s skull open, and with a swift barrage, he smashed his spine. "You being Alive is bad for my ns," He smiled, "Die here before you be a real threat. This is the end of your life." "Time, begin to move again," The silver dragon let time flow again, watching Arad''s corpse fall to the ground. The dragon''s eyes opened wide, dting as he gasped, "WHAT!" As he saw what was in Arad''s head. Chapter 688 True Evil Chapter 688 True Evil ??"WHAT!" The silver dragon cried, clenching a fist. "Why! I should be looking at his brain and spinal matter spilling out, painting the snow red!" He looked at Arad''s open skull, "Why then! Why in the nine hells is this man''s head empty!" Nothing came out of Arad''s head. It was empty, without a single trace of a brain. "This airhead, where is his brain?" The silver dragon swung his fists at Arad''s corpse, pummeling it from head to toe, "It matters not," CRACK! A thin hand emerged from Arad''s back, scaring the silver dragon and making him step back. "What is this?!" He gasped, seeing a child crawl out of the corpse. Chuzuke turned toward the silver dragon, his eyes glowing with a mixed light of purple and red. **** d''s vampiric power wasn''t simple. It was, in fact, separated into three different stages, excluding the natural vampire powers like enchanted senses and super regeneration. The first stage was the king''s authority, which made it so that all the dead vampires flowed back into d''s bloodstream and increased his blood control to a level unobtainable by other vampires. This was the part that Ginger inherited upon her father''s demise. The second stage was the content of d''s blood that Arad ate in his expansion. It two was separated into three parts: ves, spawns, and the dead vampires. ves were the live humans that d slowly fed upon, and they were the ones Arad was trying to have Eris free with her holy magic so they could finally fully die and rest in peace. They are now in Arad''s stomach. Pulling them out would only result in them suffering further as they already became one with the blood thanks to d''s authority. The spawns were the same as Arad''s spawns, humanoids that d sucked their blood directly and turned them into weak vampire ves. They are counted as a part of d''s familiars, and now they are inside Arad''s stomach as well. The dead vampires were the vampires that already died and returned to d''s bloodstream. Hundreds of thousands of them had collected through the centuries, and they were the bulk of d''s expansion power, an army of the night. Thest stage was an application of d''s authority mixed with the content of his blood. As d''s natural regeneration was something better than any other vampire, he had to get creative a bit. d used his blood control to move his soul into his blood and link it to one of the ves. Once he takes deadly damage, he changes what was damaged from the ve, using them like spare parts for repair. This allowed him to remain alive even when badly injured, but it also contributed to his continuous building of insanity. That means d was only vulnerable in three situations. When he runs out of ves to use as spare parts, when he gets separated from them in his expansion, or when hit with holy magic powerful enough to free any ve soul that d tries to use as spare parts upon taking damage. At the fight, Eris''s holy magic wasn''t of high enough quality to do that, and killing d over and over until he ran out of ves was a tall order. Arad managed to beat d by forcing an expansion and using his void to eat all the ves, spawns, and vampires at once. d could''ve canceled his expansion and wasted Arad''s n if he noticed, by Arad had already nned for that. He needed someone to distract d. Nina could do it, but Arad wasn''t sure if it was safe to let her fight him and have the possibility of turning her into a vampire or doing something fishy. Eris wasn''t strong enough to keep d busy enough that he wouldn''t notice Arad''s n. And Arad himself wasn''t that keen on sending her to d like that. That only left Kinryuu to be the distraction. **** "Who! Who are you, brat!" The silver dragon shouted, pointing at the emerging Chuzuke. "Why is a dered in vampire crawling out of Arad''s body!" SWOSH! Chuzuke swung his arm, sending countless spears of blood toward the dragon. The silver dragon jumped back, dodging the spears, "Such a slow and weak attack, it''ll be nothing!" He growled, "Out with your tricks, Arad Orion!" He rushed back beneath the spears and punched Chuzuke in the chest, sting his upper torso into a ssh of blood. "Tch! Turned to blood before I hit him? Suck reaction isn''t from him," The silver dragon grunted with his face twisting. The blood sshed on the ground, bubbling on the snow before exploding into a massive burst, and from that, thousands of vampires gushed out at the silver dragon like an endless flood. The silver dragon flew back,nding in the middle of the forest, and looked around. Finding himself surrounded by an army of vampires. Arad had eaten d''s army of vampires and spawns, which meant they were still in his stomach. Thanks to his sharp draconic, lycanthropic, vampiric, and inherited genes from Alcott, Arad''s body and mind reacted at thest moment before the silver dragon could stop time. Like how a man closes his eyes right before getting punched in the face, Arad sucked his own brain and spine into his stomach as he does with the rest of his organs, recing them with Chuzuke to create a distraction. "This is..." The silver dragon stared around, growling with a twisted face, "d''s army, you monster took them all?!" He looked at the trees, spotting Arad sitting on a branch with Zia sitting on hisp only wearing one of his shirts as he ripped her uniform before when he cut her in half. "He can''t stop time twice in a row," Zia said, looking at Arad''s face, "At best, he''ll slow it down as you do," Arad''s eyes shifted toward the dragon, ring at him with a burning purple me, "Who are you?" "Tch!" The dragon grunted, "I see. I can''t seem to kill you with my current equipment. I''m in need of more preparations," Ginger might''ve taken the crown, her birthright. But Arad kept the army he consumed for himself. "The moment you struck my head I realized it," Arad said, "After I sted his kingdom, d was left alone," d was the only survivor of Arad''s [Ho-white Nova] in the vampire kingdom due to his ve''s sacrifices. Even Zia had died with the kingdom, and the one that walked with d thereafter was a mere figment of his grief pulled out of the blood that returned to him. Except for the vampires around the world that started attacking randomly. The attack on the capital was by d alone, armed with grief and the death of his kingdom. "He killed a city of strangers to me," Arad said, "And I killed a whole kingdom of the people he loved and cared about. For thousands of years, d came to know most of his citizens personally." "Are you only realizing it now?" The silver dragon giggled. "Vampires are humanoid''s natural predators, can they be med for eating and terrorizing them? Humans do the same to cattle. Is a human''s life really worth more than a vampire?" "It isn''t," The dragon smiled, "You''ve killed an entire kingdom of innocent vampires. What you called a sin was them acting on their natural instinct." "Holy magic kills vampires," "To bnce the world, vampires were far too powerful than mere humanoids and the gods needed something to bnce the powers of the world. They aren''t harmed by holy magic because they are evil," The dragon pointed at Arad. "Have you ever wondered why the gods never dropped a holy sword to fight the vampires? It''s the same reason they won''t give elves a holy sword to kill humans, or the sheeps a holy sword to kill humans," "Don''t listen to him," Zia whispered to Arad, "It doesn''t matter now," "You''re the viin, you''re evil in this world, Arad Orion," The dragon growled, lifting his palm and clenching his fist around his wrist. "The metallic dragons are biased, you''re the very evil we should be striving to eliminate," "If I was the evil you make me seem, why haven''t the gods dropped holy sword to y me?" Arad stared back at the dragon. "Think again," A golden sword appeared out of nowhere above the dragon''s palm, burning with a powerful divine light. "One already dropped to end you: Vessel of the queen of curses."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad''s eyes opened wide. "Two great evils with one sword," The dragon smiled, "We''lle after you again when we have the tools to bypass your semi-immortality," SWOSH! The dragon disappeared in a mist of holy light, leaving Arad there alone with the vampires. "I''m the evil of the world?" Arad looked down at the horrid army of vampires he raised, "Is he right?" [Don''t listen to his nonsense,] Mom growled in Arad''s head. ^[That was a legit holy sword, and I guess the time stop is a blessing he had as well. This might be bad,]^ Doma added. "Does it really matter if he''s right or wrong?" Zia whispered to Arad, "Do what you like, our blood lord," Chapter 689 Stress Chapter 689 Stress ??Arad sucked all the vampires back to his blood and looked down, Zia still sitting on hisp, dangling her legs down. "Call me whenever you need help," She looked at his face. "You''re awfully quiet," Arad stared back at her, his eyes glowing red. "The vampires'' first andst wish was for our king d to finally find the peace of death. You gave him that so I''m not that angry about it," She lifted her hand, pinching Arad''s cheek, "But splitting me apart wasn''t fun at all," "Talk about it with Eris, she''s your senior." Arad sighed, ignoring the pinch, "And don''t expect that you''ll get off just with that. I''m sure she''ll give you something in return for stepping on her face when we get back home," "Let here, I''ll step on her face again if needed." "If she calls me again, I''ll be happy to split you apart once more so don''t get overconfident," Arad growled. "You can split me in half in more than another way¡­" She stared at him with a smirk, "For that, I might even¡­" Arad immediately sucked her into his stomach. "Strange one¡­" He sighed; Jumping down to go hunting. **** Arad returned to the ruined capital, looking at the massive central church. A nun was boiling water over a fire pit right outside; Beside her was a pile of bloodied rags that needed cleaning. The nun stood, looking at him. "Sir Arad."N?v(el)B\\jnn "I hunted some monsters for food. Where do I put them?" He asked; eyes looking around for an empty space. The nun gasped. "Oh! The food group already went to salvage the market for any surviving rations, where are the monsters?" She looked around; Almost panicking. "Weck strong people to move them here from the forest." "Don''t worry, just show me a ce to put them." Arad pointed to an empty space behind the church; the small garden was used to hostmon events every now and then. "You can, it''s cold so the mean won''t spoil." She nodded. Arad approached the empty space and extended his hands, the void crackling from between his fingers as he started pulling the monsters out. Reindeers went to the left, woolly rhinos went in the middle and the buffalos went to the right. A total of seventeen carcasses were put down and the nun gasped, holding her mouth closed as she saw what Arad pulled. As the nun stood still watching in shock, Arad shifted into his draconic form and sat beside the church, expanding his wings over the area. "I''ll keep the snow at bay," He turned his head and looked toward the capital''s market. "You there!" He called the people salvaging for food, "Send a group of you to skin some monsters that I''ve hunted." The people in the market gasped, seeing Arad''s head towering over the destroyed buildings, "Sir Arad?! We''ll be back at once." A man cried, looking back, "Get anything that isn''t crushed or drenched in blood." They quickly gathered what they could and rushed back to butcher what Arad hunted for them. Time quickly passed by as Arad sat in ce, watching them skin, butcher, and cook what he hunted. They cut the meat into small pieces, diced vegetables, and threw everything into massive pots that were meant to be used to cookrge quantities of food for weddings. Some old women gathered inside a house beside the church and broughtrge bags of flour to bake bread. It only took them a few hours to start getting bread out, and that happened to be exactly at the same time therge pots of soup finished cooking. "Sir Arad." One of the men approached Arad, "You can take the left pot, it''s done." "I don''t need food," Arad replied, pointing with his w at the church''s door, "Get it to the sick and injured as soon as possible. A warm bowl of soup and a soft loaf of bread could save their lives," The man stared at Arad for a second before smiling, "As you wish," He rushed toward the pots and wrapped his hands with an old cloth; picking the pot and taking it into the church where even more people followed him with bowers and bread, ready to started serving the injured in the secret basement beneath the church. CRACK! Meryem emerged from the ground, shaking the dirt of her hair and arms, "I''m back," She looked at Arad with a smile. "I can see that." Arad replied as he smiled, lowering his head toward her, "They got food ready, get yourself a bowl and rest." "I''m not hungry," She shook her head, jumping over his head and sitting on the back of his neck. "But, I don''t mind satisfying another form of hunger." She rubbed her face on his neck. "Fine, but you''ll have to wait until we get back home. This is neither the ce nor the right time," Meryem''s eyes sparked with joy, "Really? You sure?" "As long as the girls don''t disagree." Arad added, "You''ll have to talk with them yourself," "Don''t worry about that, I already got permission from Ae." "And what about the others?" "I''ll manage¡­they''ve already told me that keeping you busy at night is bing quite hard," She giggled. "Wait, what? I never heard of that¡­" Arad gasped. "Especially Mira and Isdis, they always wake up too sore to move," Meryem looked at him, "Only Eris doesn''t seem bothered." Arad scratched his head, "Why didn''t they tell me?" He sighed, "I should probably slow down with them a bit more¡­" "A bit more?" Meryem stared at him, confused. "It started with Ae, but I''m already holding down a bit as it seemed too sore after our first night. I didn''t know it was still hard on them," Arad looked up, "They should''ve told me. No, I remember asking Isdis and she said it''s fine." "They probably didn''t want to ask you to be gentler with them even more. Probably trying to be considerate." "In Zephyr''s words, rtionships are those ofpromises. But this isn''t what she meant." Arad sighed, "I should talk with them once we get back." "You don''t need to be gentle with me," She smiled, staring at him with a smug smile, "I might be better than them for you." "Who knows? I don''t know if¡­" Arad was speaking but he suddenly stopped, "No, it''s not about eggs this time. "Then what is it about?" Meryem stared at him with a smug face. "We''ll talk about it when we get back, this isn''t the ce." Arad looked around, "Especially with a lot of people," Meryem jumped from his neck and sat on the church''s roof, looking at the destroyed city, "I can''t wait," "Once the injured ones get healed enough to be stable, we''ll have Merlin pack them up on my back with that magic wagon spell of hers then we''ll head back home," Arad looked at the sky, "I only hope things get better from here on," He sighed, "I should probably avoid fights for a while and try to rx a bit," "You''ve almost been fighting non-stop since birth, right?" Meryem looked at him, "It''s impressive to watch your growth, but¡­" "But what?" Arad looked at her. "I was talking with Amber before. She said that life isn''t only about fighting, focusing too much on the bloodied battlefield causes people to lose themselves, which is sad," She looked at Arad, "She said that she for once can''t handle the stress of fights without drinking, killing people, and the adrenaline rush of fights takes a toll on her mind." "Is that why she drinks a lot?" Arad could easily imagine Amber sitting on one of the guild''s tables, downing a beer bottle after another, looking in the distance with an empty stare. "Yeah, and drinking a lot is why she almost has no money." "I don''t know if dragons react to that the same way humans do," Arad looked at Meryem, "Would fighting continuously stress us out? Are we even affected by that?" "Even if dragons aren''t, you''ve been growing rapidly, forcing yourself through stages that should''ve taken you decades. You evenpromised sleep for that," She looked at him with a worried face. "You might not notice it, we might not notice it as you''ve only been born recently and we don''t know how you actually act unstressed," She looked at him. "I might have an idea," Merlin looked at them from the ground. She waved her hand casting a spell, [Fly] And flew to them. "Arad, remember the first day you came to the guild? You''ve had one long sharp tongue and a strong attitude. Now you''ve gotten calmer and less aggressive in speech." She sat beside Meryem, "That could be character growth or stress buildup." Arad looked forward, clearly recalling those days in his mind. "I don''t know. I probably should take a nap and rx for a while, yes, you''re right." He took a deep breath, stretching like a cat. "I''ll give it a try," He looked at them with a grin, "Someone just called me a viin for sting the vampire''s kingdom and now killing their king," "Wait? What did you just say?" Merlin stared at him. "The bastard''s a silver dragon, a wyrm at that." Aradughed, "The idiot said vampires are humanoid''s natural predators and that it isn''t evil for them to kill humans, so killing them was bad," The two girls stared at Arad nkly for a second, "And what do you think?" "Dragons are the natural predators of whoever messes with them," Arad smiled, "The vampires had iting," "That''s a way of thinking about it," Merlin smiled. Chapter 690 Challenging Her Once Again Chapter 690 Challenging Her Once Again ??Three days passed since Arad stayed in the capital, watching over the remaining survivors of the capital until the healers could get them to a point where they could endure a trip. He sat beside the man church on a stone bench, looking at the snow-filled street, and yawned. "Too much for trying to have fun and rx, I hate staying still, it''s too boring," He gently tapped the back of his head on the church''s wall, passing time. Crunch. Arad blinked, a smile crossing his face. "Finally some movements," He stood, cracking his neck and looking into the distance, at the city''s destroyed wall. He lifted his foot, about to take a step. ZON! As his sole was about to touch the ground, he teleported forward with [Void Step] Taking a five-hundred-meter step. Right outside the wall, a band of bandits approached the ruined capital, looking for anything valuable to take. It was almost a natural thing to do, expected whenever a city fell to a monster attack. "Jackal," A bandit pointed at the broken wall, "We can slip inside through there," Jackal, the bandit''s captain, walked forward. "Seems decent enough, get the horses ready. Look for jewelry, pottery, or anything you think is of value. Small and light is preferred, we can''t haul a lot," The bandits following him, almost fifty men strong approached the wall, getting ready to salvage the city. Tap! As they approached the crack in the wall, Arad appeared in front of them, staring with a smile and his hands tucked in his pocket. He smiled, vapor gushing out of his mouth as he looked at them, "Wee, I''ve been waiting," The bandits froze in ce, "Where did youe from?" One cried. "A wizard? Did he teleport here?" A short scrawny man wearing a robe pulled an old, twisted oak wand and pointed it at Arad, chanting beneath his breath as he kept his eyes peeled open. "No with that body, he''s a fighter," One man pointed at Arad with a bow. "One move and I''ll pierce your eyes!" "Fuck! He''s huge!" A woman of them cried, pulling her sword. She pointed it at him, her hands shaking. "Woman, are you afraid?" Arad stared at her with a grin, "Don''t worry, I''m only here to have fun. You won''t be dying today," The moment Arad''s eyesnded on her, she could feel the blood draining from her head and arms, her knees started shaking as her vision slowly blurred from the tears rushing out of her eyes. A dragon-like Arad directly addressing her had made her bones quiver. Merlin floated above them in the sky, looking down with an amused smile. ^Dragons have two presences. The frightful presence and awe presence. The mana released by the dragon, the deep frequency of their voice, the hormones, and the scent released into the air. For thousands of years, schrs thought that it must''ve been a necessary adaptation by living beings. Every living creature could innately detect a dragon''s presence, albeit intelligent ones fail to recognize the feeling.^ She floated down and jumped off her staff, sitting on the capital''s wall. ^It''s a phobia born from the terrors'' dragons brought. The brain detects the little hints of a dragon and starts freaking out, leading to what she is experiencing.^ Merlin smiled, ^But, dragons being the crazed monsters they are, they have learned to take advantage of that, shifting their mana, voice, and scent to trick the mind into feelingfortable, to love the dragon, worship it, and heed its words like a close friend. That''s where the awe presence came from,^ Thud! The woman fell to her knees, and she suddenly felt better. Arad stopped his presence. ^Of course he can turn them off at will,^ Merlin looked back, seeing Alcott standing behind her with ginger, "You two arete," "Had something to do," Alcott replied, "Looks like bandits," He looked forward with a passive face. "Arad is ying, let''s watch," Merlin replied with a smile and the two sat beside her. Arad walked toward the bandit''s captain and stood in front of him, "We''re about to travel a long distance to Alina and we need some capable men to help us move. You''ll be helping the injured, carrying luggage, and ying small monsters. You might even end up cooking or skinning hunts," "What are you talking about?" The bandit''s leader red at Arad''s smiling face, "Who do you think you are to order us around?" "I''m not ordering you around, I''m hiring you as a mercenary. Better than killing you all here, is it not?" Arad replied, keeping his smile. CLANG! The bandit''s capital suddenly pulled his sword, swinging at Arad''s neck. The sword stopped at Arad''s neck, cracking as if it hit a stone. The bandit leader gasped, sweat dripping across his face, "How in the hell?" "Come on," Arad kept his smile, "Don''t tell me she''s the best out of everyone here?" He pointed at the woman from earlier. "Do as he says!" The woman screamed her lungs out, "That isn''t a human, he''s something else that we can''t hope to beat!" The bandits stared at her and most of them started sweating even though it was freezing cold. The woman was a level 13 fighter while the rest of them were only around level 5 and their captain was level 9. Up until now, the captain kept his position as he''s the one who led them to wealth, but in terms of strength, she''s the best they have. Arad lifted his hand, swinging it down toward the forest. CRACK! From the motion of Arad''s palm, a massive sh ofpressed wind cut a crack in the ground all the way to the forest''s start. "I need humans to help, would care to be hired?" He red at the bandit''s captain with a terrifying smile. "Yeah, it''ll be our pleasure," The captain gave up, seeing such an attack being thrown without effort made it clear, that Arad wasn''t giving them a choice. CRACK! Nina fell from the sky, cracking the ground. She red at the bandits, ready to lung at them.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Calm down," Arad waved his hand at her, "I already dealt with them," Nina blinked, "You did? They are still here, or do you intend to arrest them? You know you aren''t a guard, and that we can''t take them to any city capable of jailing or judging them," "You memorized that?" Arad looked at Nina, "That was a lot of details for you," Nina''s face turned red, "What if I memorized them? All that matters is that I know what to do," Arad waved his hand to the bandits to head into the city and they started to move. Alcott jumped from the wall to watch them as Arad stood in front of Nina. "Say," Arad looked at her with a smile, "I''ve spent the past few days thinking of what I like to do. What do you think it is?" "Fighting, what else could it be?" Nina bent down and took her shoes off, throwing them back. "It''s clear you''re looking for a fight, don''t me me if you ended up sleeping on the snow for a while," She took herrge coat off and threw it away, remaining only in her barbarian hide armor, "What do you say?" Arad smiled, his eyes glowing purple, "You''re right. Last time I lost before I could even fight back." Thud! In the blink of an eye, Nina lunged forward, swinging a kick toward Arad''s head. Arad''s eyes turned to the left in a split second, locking on Nina''s foot. ^It''sing! I can see it this time,^ He remembered thest time in the barbarian vige when she knocked him out with one kick. Arad bent forward, dodging Nina''s kick by a hair strand, her explosive speed and powers were something to behold. Thud! Arad took a step forward as Nina put her foot back on the ground, ending up standing an inch away from her back. Ginger blinked as she sat on the wall, "He dodged it?!" "His quick growth is terrifying," Merlin looked at them with an exhausted face, "But, he''ll tick Nina off," Arad stood still, ring at the back of Nina''s head with burning purple eyes, menacingly towering over her back. All the while she stared forward with a passive face, her eyes glowing golden as veins slowly bulged on her arms and thighs. The animals in the forest woke from their hibernation, running away as fast as they could. To those who can see, it was two humanoids standing next to each other. But to animals and monsters, it was an arrogant dragon and a tarrasque squaring up. "The girls won''t mind if I drag you home," Arad said, staring at her. "Come and try," Nina replied with a smile, "It''s been a while since someone got this far," Merlin couldn''t help but smile, "Those two are monsters." "Dodging the kick that once knocked him gave him back his confidence, and Nina is getting turned on by the thought that she might finally find someone who could marry her," Ginger smiled, "She''s been looking for a man strong enough to marry her for years and was starting to give up. He''s reigniting that me," Chapter 691 Nina Vs Arad: Clash Of Immortals Chapter 691 Nina Vs Arad: sh Of Immortals ??Arad stood behind Nina, ring at her back as she stared forward. The mere presence of those two monsters forced the animals and monsters to flee the area, it wasn''t bloodlust flowing the air, but the arid wind of aing natural disaster. The wind blew strong, pushing snow down the frozen trees. CRACK! The first lump of snow hit the ground, and Arad swung a punch at Nina''s head. A shockwave engulfed his fist as it elerated, reaching Nina''s ear. BLOP! Nina''s body sunk into the ground in the blink of an eye, evading Arad''s fist at thest moment. The shockwave released from the attack sted all the snow around them into nothing, echoing across the ruined capital. BAM! Nina popped out of the ground behind Arad, swinging a fist at his back like he did to her. ZON! Arad teleported in ce, using the void step to instantly face Nina, his arms open in a T-pose. As her punch approached his torso, Arad clenched his arms down like a trap, sending two lightning-fast ps toward her cheeks. Nina bent down, elerating her fist even further and dodging Arad''s ps at the same time. Arad smiled, lifting his knee up, kicking her wrist up, and clenching his fists. He then dropped his two arms like hammers, aiming at her shoulders. BA-BAM! Nina swung in ce, kicking Arad''s stomach with a roundhouse kick as he smacked her to the ground, sending a powerful st. "Those two!" Merlin growled, the shockwave of each of their attacks sent a powerful burst of air and debris, making it almost impossible to get close to them. "Two unstoppable forces colliding," Ginger growled, rolling backward on the wall, "It''s not something that we wizard who are physically weak can endure,"N?v(el)B\\jnn "What''s happening?" The king who only woke up that morning gasped as the ground shook and the candles beside his bed danced, everyone gasped in terror, thinking it was another attack. He tried to stand, leaning on the chair beside his bed, "Gin! What''s happening?!" He shouted. Gin opened the door and looked at him, "Arad and Nina are fighting," "What?" He gasped, his face paling. "Don''t worry, Merlin says it''s just them ying around." "Nina is an unstoppable monster that cannot be controlled, are you saying Arad didn''t just lose in one hit? He''s fighting back?" He cried, "That''s...unbelievable." "We told you he beat d," Gin stared at the confused king. "d''s power was blood magic, not raw strength. Nina would lose to d as she has no way of overpowering his blood magic, but in terms of raw power, she''s league above," The king growled. "Two things," Gin smiled, "While father Kinryuu used self-induced time stop to freeze his own body in time and halt d''s blood control, Nina didn''t," Her eyes shed blue, "She entered the blood lord''s expansion and kicked him down from his castle, she overpowered the blood control on her own," "That can''t be..." "And the second thing, both of them possess a mind-boggling regeneration speed. Near immortality," She looked at the ceiling as the ground shook violently once more, "The fight won''t end easily," **** CRACK! Arad''s body crashed through the ground, digging a trench before bouncing from a boulder and smacking into the forest, ripping several trees from their roots. He immediately regained his bnce, grabbed one of the severed tree trunks, and threw it forward. SPLAT! SPLAT! Nina butterflies through the solid ground as if it were water, diving in and out like a speeding dolphin before jumping at Arad''s face, dodging the tree trunk. [Earth Glide] Is the ability to move freely through the ground, a unique trait of the great tarrasque, and she could ess it through her blood. Albeit the true monster moves through the ground like a ghost, she seems to treat it like swimming, but much faster. SWOSH! Arad dodged her fist and teleported behind her, grabbing her by the hair and swinging her around. CRACK! He tried to smack her on the ground, but shended on her feet, pulling her neck back. Arad could feel an immense pull on Nina''s hair, "Haha!" Heughed as she swung her head, swinging his left and right with her hair, and smacked him on the ground. BAM! Arad smacked the ground, standing up in the blink of an eye. CRACK! Nina lunged at him, swinging a lightning-fast kick. Arad blocked, but the strike ripped his arm off like it was made of jello. CLACK! Arad''s arm regrew immediately as he used it to swing an instant punch at Nina. She lifted her arms, blocking Arad''s punch with a boxer''s guard but she got sent flying back at an immense speed and crashed onto the city''s wall. Ginger protected her face with her arms from the debris while Merlin used a transparent barrier. "They are insane," She growled. GRRRRRR! Nina stood, pushing the crumbling wall left and right as she shook her shoulders, the muscles on her body bulging a bit as veins emerged on her forehead. She''s getting warmed up. Thud! Thud! Arad walked out of the forest with a smile on his face, "How did you survive that?" He lifted his hand, "Doesn''t matter anyway," He swung his palm down, sending a sh ofpressed air. BAM! Nina lunged forward, and the ground where she stood exploded into a st from the sheer force of her legs. She plunged into the ground, swimming around Arad''s sh, and lunging at him with a flying kick. Arad took a step forward, shifting his torso to the side and dodging her kick, swinging a fist at her chest in the same motion. TAP! CLAP! Nina grabbed his fist and used it as leverage to spin around, wrapping her thighs around his neck and twisting him in the air, smacking him to the ground head first. Arad blinked, seeing Nina''s butt on his face, "Sitting on my face? You know I have those." He opened his jaw, ready to bite a chunk out of her. BAM! Nina jumped, dodging his bite at thest moment. She spun mid-air and stared down at himying on his back. Arad lifted his arms, then smacked down at his side, busting his body into a standing position in the blink of an eye. He stared at her with a smile, "I can hold my own," He pointed his hand at her, "Sorry, but I''ll use some spells." Droplets of water emerged from his fingers, dancing before his hand. BA-BA-BAM! The water spun at a high speed and then fired out as jets of piercing, high-pressure water. Nina lifted her arms to block the water, but the jets ripped her forearms and calves off upon contact. CRACK! Shended standing on the stumps of her legs, roaring as they regrew in the blink of an eye. Her skin turned dark red as the tarrasque magic in her blood started to boil. Arad smiled, swinging his palm and sending another sh ofpressed water. BAM! Nina dodged and lunged toward him, swinging a fist. Arad wanted to dodge, but she was too fast for him to make it in time. ZON! He instead teleported a quarter meter to the side, effectively dodging the strike. He swung a p at her face, but she blocked it and grabbed his wrist, punching him in the guts and ripping a chunk of his left side off. Arad didn''t even flinch, punching with his other arm at her face. She opened her mouth, biting his fist off, but he pierced her shoulder with the stump of bone on his forearm. Nina swung her fist off and ripped the bone in her shoulder off, only for Arad to fully head his fist and grab her by the neck. Nina lunged backward, pulling Arad with her. She quickly lifted her right foot, about to kick him in the jewels. Arad opened the palm of his other hand, putting it on Nina''s chest, "This''ll hurt," BA-BA-BAM! He unleashed a barrage ofpressed water and air shes, sting Nina away in a ssh of blood. "Did I really grow strong enough to stand up to you?" Arad said with a smile, but he quickly felt something strange, a chilling, warm feeling below his navel. He looked down, seeing a hole ripped from beneath his belly button down to his ground, Nina had ripped everything off. Her kick missed, but her toes pierced his stomach, so when she pulled her leg down, she ripped everything apart. Nina stood, the front of her body cut apart. Her wounds started steaming as they healed rapidly, and in a matter of two seconds, she was fully healed as if never been injured. "I thought magic deflects off her body!" Ginger gasped, "How is he hurting her with spells?" "Those aren''t spells," Merlin replied with a sweaty face, "He''s using his void and gravity magic to elerate water or air from his stomach and use them as weapons. What''s hitting Nina is mundane, magic-less water and air, but the speed and pressure still deal a lot of damage." "That''s¡­insane," Ginger gasped. "Nina is a mage''s worst nightmare, a fast and powerful unkible monster that''s immune to magic. But Arad''s magic is so out of the known magic that he''s actually managing to use magic against her," "Those who study magic in a conventional way, or level up to gain powerful magic like sorcerers and warlocks can never hope to reach this level of mastery," Merlin giggled, "They aren''t called magic dragons in vain, he''s a magic monster," Chapter 692 Nina Vs Arad: Boiling blood. Chapter 692 Nina Vs Arad: Boiling blood. ??ZON! Arad teleported forward,nding in front of Nina''s face, ring down at her as his muscles expanded and void crackled out of his back, sending a violent gust of air. Nina stared at his face with a passive face, the wind gushing out of his massive body pping her back as if she stood in a tempest. BA-CRACK! She swung her arm, punching in the guts as he kicked her in the side. Neither of them budged, but their bones shattered from the violent impact. Tanking several punches from each other, Nina came on top, kicking Arad in the guts with enough force to shatter his whole body like an egg. She stared forward, seeing Arad''s bits flying several hundred meters back. But she then gasped, seeing his head with spine attacked flying toward her like a snake, crackling with magic. Nina jumped back, moving away from the charging remains of Arad. Arad''s head unleashed several beams ofpressed air and water toward her, forcing her to dodge by doing several back flips, the beams barely missing her. Arad''s head and spine teleported toward her, and she did another flip, dodging a spine swing. The upper half left of Arad''s body regenerated, swinging a punch at Nina''s face mid-spin. The hit got in, and Arad used that change to grab her face. His whole Body regenerated and he wrapped his legs around her face, locking her head between his thighs just as she did to him before. And with one violent hip jerk, he smacked her head to the ground, sitting on her face. Nina swung her leg, kicking him in the face and sending him rolling away from her. **** "How can he fight like that? Father could fight with severe damage, but even he wasn''t sane." Ginger gasped, seeing Arad''s spine fly toward Nina while still casting spells. "It''s not that he doesn''t feel pain, he doesn''t care about it. To a shapeshifter, the body is but a golem controlled by the brain. Pain is the signal the brain gets for damage, nothing more or less." "Since Arad knew he could regenerate, pain means nothing to him," Ginger mumbled, "But..." She sighed, staring at them with a passive face, "He could''ve worn something after getting healed." "Yeah...I know that with how fast Nina is, trying to wear something would be a big enough opening to get sted, and I''m sure Nina doesn''t care at all. But sitting on her face like that..." ****N?v(el)B\\jnn BAM! As Aradnded on his legs, he pointed his hands toward Nina, sending a barrage of shes and piercer spells at her. Nina clenched her fist, those shes were like des, and the pierce spells were like spears. Both of them only damage when hit by their front. CLANG! She punched one of thepressed water des at the side, sting it into a mist. And she did the same to another spear of air, and then again and hair, boxing the spells away as Arad faced her, unleashing even more. **** As the two shed, Eris flew in from the city, "What''s going on here?" She looked, seeing Arad and Nina facing each other with Merlin and Ginger watching. She flew to them, "Did you hear me?" "We did look at them," Merlin pointed, "They aren''t even serious about the fight yet," "She''s right, Arad is still in his humanoid form and Nina didn''t rage or call her axe," Ginger sighed, "It''s like they are ying for fun," Eris looked at the fight, "Why is Arad naked?" She asked. "Nina sted his body alongside his clothes a moment ago," Ginger replied. Merlin looked at Eris with a smug face, "He just sat on her face naked, are you okay with your husband going around chasing other women?" She giggled, "Isn''t that cheating?" "Speak for yourself," Eris sat beside them, "Let him be. Do you think he''ll be doing this if we said we mind?" "I don''t live in your house, so I don''t know." Merlin stared at her with a smile. "It''s not my job to consult other people''s marriages," "You''re right," Eris looked at the fight, seeing Arad sting spells at Nina and her deflecting them. **** Some of the spells started hitting Nina''s body, cutting her up as she tried to deflect them all. Arad was simply overpowering her by the sheer number of projectiles he could fire. Nina ducked down, rushing between the shes and tanking most of them until she reached Arad, swinging a fist at his chest. He jumped over her fist, and she swung her second arm at him. He grabbed both and dual-kicked her in the chest, ripping her arms off and sending her flying toward the wall. Before she could hit the wall, her arms had already healed back and her skin burned with a red mist as she roared, finally entering her full rage. Seeing her, Arad smiled, summoning a pair of pants on himself from his stomach. Two massive ck wings emerged from his back alongside a long and thick ck tail. A whole four, ck horns emerged on his head pointing upward as he red forward. ck scales covered his forearms, calves, palms, and feet as his nails and toenails turned into long ck ws. BAM! Nina disappeared, sinking into the ground. Arad stood still, looking at the ground trying to sense where she was. SPLAT! Out of the dirt behind him, she lunged in with a clenched fist. Arad turned his torso, swinging his wing at her. BLOP! But she went back into the ground, the attack was a feint. SPLAT! SPLAT! Nina kept jumping out of the ground like a fist, swinging at Arad but going back right before he could block her attack. It was clear she was trying to disorient him, and he smiled. She isn''t that good at hiding her strategies, everything is clear and straightforward. ^If this was a real fight, this is the point where I summon the ursed pir. I did consume half of it when evolving so it''s not as strong as it was, but it should still take her down,^ He lifted his hands, ^But I''m not trying to kill her. I need her alive, and she''s the same.^ He took a deep breath, [Void Expansion: Devouring void] Arad''s expansion can extend up to 40 km now, but out of consideration of the capital, and the fact he doesn''t need such a range for this fight, he limited himself to a 50m radius. His gushing void consumed all air and dirt from the affected area, creating a void. By that, the air tried to feel the gap, copse onto the space, and pull Nina with it toward Arad. "If you won''t attack, then I''ll bring you to me." He said, his arms open and his voice unheard due to theck of air. Nina stared at him as she got pulled in, and she screamed. The air in her lungs burst out of her mouth like a jet, sending her flying back. Arad gasped, sweating as the air impact sted him back as well. ^The hell was that? No, it''s her insane muscles thatpress her lungs, of course, she could exert such power,^ He stood, seeing Nina''s foot flying toward his face. CRACK! She kicked him in the nose, sending him rolling again. Before he could regain his bnce, she grabbed him by the face and swung him into the air and back to the ground, pushing him harder into the ground. She then looked at his face and screamed, sting him with another burst of air from her lungs. From beneath her palm, a beam of pure light gushed out and then sted her in the face, exploding in a massive rose of mes. As the mes rose to the sky, Arad flew out of them with a ball of fire after him, growing with a roar. Thud! Hended on the ground, and Nina rolled after him, charred to a crisp. "I didn''t want to do this, but you made me use it," When Arad uses his void to crush matter and releases the energy as a beam, that beam has nothing to do with the magic that started it and is just a reaction. That means it can hurt Nina. t immunity to magic means nothing when facing it, as he isn''t bound by it. SWOSH! Nina''s body regenerated in the blink of an eye as she roared, lunging faster than he could see. He lifted his arms to block in a boxer''s guard, but she punched him in the guts so hard that her arm pierced him. Arad opened his mouth, sting her in the face with a powerful beam. The beam of light rushed forward, splitting the capital walls in half and cutting a line in one of the districts. **** "He''s a monster," Ginger growled, protecting her face from the heat with a shield of blood. "No! Something is off," Merlin growled, "NINA! STOP! CALM DOWN!" She shouted. "What is it?" "She filled me in about what happened in her vige and I started keeping a tab on her body," Merlin said, looking at where the charred Nina healed from the beam. Nina stood still, and blood started gushing out of her body like rivers. Arad froze in ce, "AH! SHIT! NINA! STOP!" He screamed, "This fight must stop!" Chapter 693 The Mother Of Steel

Chapter 693 The Mother Of Steel

"Nina!" Arad screamed, seeing rivers of blood gushing out of Nina''s body. He could feel it, the scream of survival, the ancient blood in her body was scared, feeling their death creep closer. =Death is close= A voice rang in Arad''s head, booms like the cries of a thousand women singing, a screech of pain. =No one knows, no one feels= Arad lunged forward, extending his hand to grab Nina, but the blood sted him away. =It hurts, thousands dies= The blood ate Arad''s arm, melting it like acid, and when he tried to heal, what his body fixed got immediately ripped apart before it took form. Arad looked at his own arm. "I can''t heal?" His head started hurting badly, and his vision blurred, feeling a strong urge to vomit as his veins turned ck, his own blood disintegrating from the inside out. =But I must carry on= =This suffering, nothing worse could happen= CLAP! Arad''s vision blurred as Nina punched him in the face, ripping his skull off and flying off with his body to the mountain peak. As Arad''s twitching body fell on the ground, Nina stood beside him, shaking as the blood on her skin turned into brown scales and fingers into massive ws. "GRWAAAAAAAAAAA!" She screamed, swinging her fist at Arad''s chest. =End it now, make it better= CRACK! Her punch cracked the mountain in half, but Arad was nowhere to be found. She stood still for a second, staring around with blood gushing out of her skin, eyes, and ears. ZON! Arad appeared in the sky, his body covered in tattoos and his eyes glowing with a pink light. "[That was close, who is that?]" Doma red at Nina, "[No, it''s obvious. Her blood is alive, it''s fighting to survive.]" =I felt a void, not even hope= =As long as I breathe, I may have a chance= ^[This voice,]^ Doma thought, ^[It must be that Arad sting her with magic has triggered the tarrasque blood flowing in her veins. When faced with an unknown power that threatens its survival, the blood will fight to thest breath to protect its host. She''s in pain, and those voices are of her blood,]^ Doma flew down, standing in front of Nina. ^[Both Nina and Arad are out, leaving only me and this blood monster,]^ She smiled, "It''s a monster against another," Doma lifted her hands, "Tarrasque blood, mind calming down?" BAM! Nina lunged forward, swinging a fist at Doma''s face. [Time Slow: 99%] Doma fazed away from Nina''s fist, extending her hand forward, [Sleep Curse] "The more I damage you, the more terrified you''ll get of death, and the harder you''ll fight. Isn''t that right, tarrasque''s blood?" Domaughed. Nina''s eyes turned back, falling forward as the curse took hold. CRACK! But before she could hit the ground, she extended her right foot forward and stopped herself from falling. ^My curse isn''t taking over?^ Doma stared at her. ^I see,^ Nina roared, blood gushing out of her body as she lunged toward Doma swinging a punch once more. "It''s useless," Doma smiled, dodging the attacks, "You might be able to move faster than Arad can react, but you''ll never be as fast a soul controlling a body with magic. Those made of flesh and bones are always at a disadvantage," ^This isn''t just a state or a form, her internal anatomy has shifted greatly. She has no brain, but things and acts by using her nervouswork as a decentralized processingplex, allowing for lightning-fast reactions. That exins why a curse that targets the brain didn''t affect her,^ "ARAD! What''s going on?!" Alcott lunged in and quickly noticed the tattoos on Arad''s body, "Doma?! What happened?" "Nina lost it and her blood took over, Arad got knocked out and I swapped with him," Doma replied, but in the blink of an eye, Alcott found Nina''s fist rushing toward his face. He lifted his sword and deflected the punch, "How?" He saw a kick approaching and blocked it, only to get punched back. ZON! Doma teleported to him, "She''s thinking with the nerves on the muscles that would act. If she''s punching, the thought happened in her arms. Even Arad who thinks with his spine has no chance of reaching her reaction and action speed," CRACK! As the two talked, something heavy crashed behind them. "Who is it now?" Alcott growled, staring back. "This magic," Doma gasped, seeing a tall woman with long blond hair and glowing golden eyes and wearing heavy steel te armor standing there. "I''ll deal with it, you two stand away." "The metallic queen?" Alcott gasped, "What are you doing here?" "It''s not like our fortress would''ve moved that far," She pointed up with one finger and the camouge fortress showed back up. In the past few days, it''s moved far enough that its edge was finally visible. "No! You won''t do that!" Doma cried, ignoring Nina and lunging at the dragon queen. [Restart] The queen mumbled, and everyone''s vision turned ck. **** SWOSH! Nina''s body regenerated in the blink of an eye as she roared, lunging faster than Arad could see. He lifted his arms to block in a boxer''s guard, ready to st her with a breath. SWOSH! The metallic queen appeared between them, catching Nina''s fist with one hand and closing Arad''s jaw with her other hand. "Your fight shall not proceed further," She said. Arad grunted as he found a metallic fist grabbing his face ready to punch her as hard as he could, and Nina roared as she swung her other arm. "That won''t be wise," The queen said, [Restart] **** CRACK! The egg hatched in silence, and the creature was born. Arad opened his eyes, and his head was hurting. He looked around, dazed, "Where am I?" N?v(el)B\\jnn "The mortal world, Arad Orion," The queen said, standing right beside the tree where Arad hatched, staring at him. "Who are you?" He asked. "Mary Asgorath, queen of the metallic dragons and daughter of Bahamut Asgorath, the metallic dragon god." She replied. "Good," Arad sighed, "Why is a crazy person here out of the blue?" Arad looked to his side as if talking to someone. "They all say that, and in fairness, I''m not important to you now. Just remember to listen, or I''ll kill you before you even hatch, or at least leave you tailless," She turned, walking around the tree. Arad chased her, but she was nowhere to be found. **** "BLUGH!HH!" Nina ran out to the vige''s border, seven years old. "BLEEEE!" She extended her tongue out, mocking the other barbarians as she ran away. They sighed, staring at her before walking back into their tents. One hope after another, she ran across the dirt road, "Ga! L! Ga! L!" CLACK! Nina stopped, seeing a tall woman with long blond hair wearing full te armor walking in front of her and standing there. Nina tilted her head, walking toward the woman with a sharp re across her face, like a wolf, she growled. The armored woman took a step and Grabbed Nina by the neck, lifting her up. Nina struggled but she couldn''t escape the woman''s grasp. "Name Mary," She pped her once, twice, and then another one. "Barbarians don''t remember people well, let alone names or speech," Mary walked toward a tree and kicked it down. She sat there and put the struggling Nina on herp. SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! She started whipping her but with one p after another for the rest of the day until the enraged Nina started crying like children her age. Mary stood and threw her on the ground, "I hope this is enough for you to remember me for theing years." She started walking into the sunset as Ninay on the ground, crying and unable to move an inch. **** "Do you two remember me now?" Both Nina and Arad started sweating and jumped away from Mary, "It''s you! The insane woman!" Arad growled. "The armored bitch!" Nina screamed, "I''ll kill you!" Arad started charging a breath while Nina lifted her hand up, summoning her axe from where she was keeping it in the capital. Mary sighed, "You two should understand by now," [Restart] **** As Arad looked behind the tree for Mary, she grabbed him by the shoulder, appearing behind him. "I''m here," Arad gasped, "How did you get behind me?" "You''re quite dense, so I''m here to tell you that I can kill you," She sighed. "Really? I''m sorry¡­" SWOSH! Arad swung his fist at her as hard as he could. TAP! Mary caught his fist with ease, "Nice swing for a newborn," She pulled him toward her and kicked his ankle, tripping him on his face. As Arad tried to stand, she sat on his back. "Get off me!" She stared at him, "No, it''sfortable here. But I leave if you promise to listen to me." "Like I would! Get off me!" He screamed. She clenched her fist and smacked him in the head, "Make mee here another time and I''ll treat you like an idiot barbarian and spank until the sun sets." She suddenly disappeared, leaving Arad puzzled. **** Nina was rolling on the ground, rubbing her burning butt, ^Who was that? Is the outside world all like this?^ CLACK! She heard the sound of Metal and turned to look, seeing Mary squatting beside her. "GAAA!" Nina screamed, rolling away but Mary caught her, "You never listen, so time for the second round," She spanked her till morning, then walked away into the sunrise, leaving Nina crying, half-conscious. **** "Want more?" Mary said, standing between Arad and Nina, "I can keep going until you grow some brains," "Who are you?" Arad growled. "Fine, time for spanking," She red at him and he jumped back, "No, I know, Mary queen of the metallic dragon and all, but what are you doing?" Nina kept ring at her with a sharp, bloodthirsty gaze. "Good, you two are finally getting some sense," She smiled, "If you kept fighting, this won''t end well," She looked at them, "Arad and Alcott would be killed by Nina''s blood, and I''ll kill Nina after she murdered what remained of the capital," ^[Arad, that woman is a problem.]^ Doma growled in his head, ^[Don''t offend her, say yes, and get over it. Legend has it that thousands of years ago, she slept with the overgod, and the children that came from her were the time dragons. She''s their mother who taught them to defy fate itself.]^ Chapter 694 The Queens of Dragons

Chapter 694 The Queens of Dragons

"The metallic queen," Arad looked at Mary standing in front of him, "I see now," He smiled. Unlike the other dragons, she felt vastly different, her very mana burned the air around her, being several times denser than his. Even standing there without much effort, she''s emitting more magic than he does when about to unleash a [Ho-white Nova] ^That since she''s maintaining the steel fortress afloat,^ He started walking around her like a prowling animal, keeping the same distance while staring at her. "Can you travel in time?" He asked. "It doesn''t work like that," She replied, "But you can say I travel in time. The results aren''t that different," She turned toward Nina, "I''m d you know when to stop." "The metallic dragon queen? Why did youe to me that day?" Nina growled. "Since you didn''t listen to me now." She stared at her, "What I''m saying is that I can go back in time and kill you when you''re weak. Albeit, I don''t really need to do that." "I wonder about that," Nina growled, her axe flying out of the capital andnding in her hand, "Why did you interfere, why did you stop our fight?" Mary stared at her with glowing golden eyes, "You''re a hard-headed one," She smiled, "I wanted to show you that trying to fight me is useless, but I''ll beat some sense into you now if you want." She turned toward Arad, "Dragons could be as hard-headed as barbarians as well," ^[Don''t fight her. We can''t win, not today, not in a decade. Even if I had my body and items, I''d still doubt my chances,]^ Doma warned Arad. "Probably not," He pointed up at the flying fortress, "If you can lift that, I doubt I''ll win a fight." "Albeit being a descendant of her, you''re quite reasonable," Mary stared at him with a passive face. "Descendant of who?" "The chromatic dragon goddess, void dragons came from her, and the light dragons came from the chromatic queen. Time dragons are my descendants," She replied, "I thought you''d have a higher temper than her," She pointed at Nina. "As I said," Arad sighed, "I''m not stupid. Even though my expansion can''t fit that fortress, I''m clearly outssed. And you don''t look like an enemy," "You''re right, I only came here to stop a disaster," She smiled, "Feel free to visit the steel fortress. Only make sure not to cause trouble there, Kinryuu is a nice dragon, but I can''t say the same for the other metallics," "I thought the metallic ones were good, didn''t they?" Arad stared at her with a smile, "I guess it''s Kinryuu carrying the goodwill," "No specific race of dragons is good or evil, we''re all arrogant monsters of destruction. The only difference is the target of our destruction." Her eyes shed with a golden light. "With such powerful gravity magic and time travel, I can see where that destruction coulde from," "What do you call time travel is an innate ability I have, not my draconic magic. And the gravity magic is something I learned from scratch like everyone else, that''s my draconic magic," She pointed at the steel fortress. Arad looked up with his void eyes, and his face paled, "Wait!" He gasped, ring at her, "No you aren''t," "Steel creation magic," She opened her wings and started floating with gravity magic, "All dragons are born strong, even wyrmlings can change the ecosystem of their environment. That power only grows when the dragon ages, and then stops at the great wyrm stage, where dragons stop. And at that stage, they reach the limit." She stared at Arad, "Don''t get arrogant, those who surpassed the twilight are few, but they are to great wyrms, what great wyrms are to ants," She pped her wings, flying into the fortress. ^[I read about the theory of twilight before. It''s the stage of rapid deterioration that dragons enter upon reaching the end of their life span, it''s then that they grow old and frail and eventually die. But, some spected that if a dragon managed to push through that stage and not die, they''d achieve a height of power that the mind of mortals can''t imagine. That book also said that the two draconic queens have surpassed the twilight,]^ ^Do you think that''s her expansion?^ ^[I can tell how much mages exert themselves when using magic. I didn''t feel like she was using any magic,]^ ^All of this is nothing to her,^ He sighed, looking at Nina, "Seems our fight was cut short." "I''ll kill her one day," Nina sighed, plunging her axe onto the ground. "Don''t try, you''ll get killed," Arad approached her, "Let''s get back to the capital for now." "ARAD!" Merlin and Ginger rushed toward them, "Who was that woman half-dragon? I saw grey wings." "It didn''t feel like a normal woman," Gingernded and Merlin remained flying on her broom. "What took you so long?" Arad looked at them. "Our magic stopped working when she appeared," Merlin replied, "Did she use any anti-magic spell?" "No, I didn''t feel anything," Arad looked at the steel fortress in the sky as it got camouged once more. "Who was she anyway?" Ginger asked. "Mary Asgorath, the metallic dragons'' queen," He replied. "Wait! The queen came down? I never heard of her leaving the fortress!" Merlin gasped. "People are going to freak out about this," Ginger sighed, scratching her head. "I don''t care," Arad sighed, "I''m tired, let''s go back to the city and rest a bit. We''re heading out after tomorrow, right?" "Yeah, but are you alright? You look pale," Merlin approached him and stared at his face. "I''m not. Told you I''m tired." He walked and extended his hand to them, "Want to get a ride?" "I won''t say no to teleportation," Merlin smiled and touched his hand. Ginger and Nina did the same and Arad teleported them back to the side of the church with [Void Step] **** Beneath the snow, Arad sat on a bench outside and stared at the sky, "How do I drop that thing down," [The fortress? You should be able to swallow it in your expansion when you grow old enough, but that would be like dropping a ho''s nest. The queen will be a hard fight even if you''re a great wyrm.] "That time travel thing is something else. Can I stop her from doing it?" He mumbled, watching the snow falling. [I don''t know, I never heard of it being stopped.] "Doma, what do you think?" ^[Don''t fight her. Even if you matched her in raw strength, she could go back in time and kill you when you were weaker. She''s someone to be avoided, not fought or beaten. No wonder she sat on the dragon''s throne for thousands of years,]^ "If this is the metallic queen, what about the chromatic one?" Arad asked. ^[Her name is L, but doesn''t have a family name. Legends say that she and the overgod rebelled against her father and killed him and that is why doesn''t carry a family name. She''s also the progenitor of the light dragons. A tall woman with rainbow-colored hair, eyes, and scales signifying her mastery over all the chromatic dragon elements.]^ N?v(el)B\\jnn "So she has all colors, another broken monster," Arad sighed. ^[She''s known to have a snotty brat attitude andugh maniacally a lot. Even though she can''t have a conversation without insulting the chromatic dragon goddess Tiamat, she still seems to be able to take a humanoid form and master divine magic,]^ "How about magic dragons? Do we have a king or a queen?" ^[Not that I know about. There are a lot of powerful magic dragons, but no one was able to im the top as an absolute power. You can try doing that, and you might stand equal to the queens.]^ Arad smiled, "The throne is empty for those strong enough." He stood, cracking his neck. "I got a new goal for now," "Arad!" Eris called him, "Minding here for a moment?" "What is it?" Arad turned and walked toward her, "Is there a problem?" "I won''t call it a problem, but do you mind helping us clear the street from debris? We need a clear road to get the wagons here to carry people," She pointed toward the street. The battle with d has left them filled with rubble, blood, and ash from the burned houses. "It''ll only take a minute," He smiled, walking alongside her. "Merlin was talking about the metallic queen showing up. How was she?" Eris asked. "The steel fortress is made and maintained by her steel magic and levitates with her gravity magic and she can teleport. Since she said she''s the daughter of Bahamut, I expect her to have a fair amount of holy magic so a crap ton of smites and regeneration. To add salt to injury, she seems to be able to time travel freely and has a near-infinite supply of mana," Arad stated what he knows, clearly annoyed. "How can someone fight her? Can she even be beaten?" Eris gasped. Any one of those powers would''ve been a game over, but all at the same time. "I don''t know. I can''t think of any way to hit her, let alone injure or beat her. She can just go back in time and kill me right after I hatched," He sighed as they reached the road that needed cleaning. Chapter 695 Arads Magic Chapter 695 Arad''s Magic ??Arad lifted his hands, sucking the debris from the street straight into his stomach. Eris stood beside him, watching the streets get clean with each passing second. "How is your magic doing?" "The void?" Arad looked at her. "What else would I be asking about?" She stared at him, tilting her head. "I managed to divide it into three types. Null, which is the nothingness of the void, is my elemental type. That''s the part that powers my stomach and innate void breath that erases things." Arad shook his hands, "This one," Eris stared at his hands sucking the debris, this was the null application of his magic. "Then I have a negative application of it which I subtract void from matter to cause it to copse into pure energy and heat," He stopped sucking matter and lifted a finger up, conjuring a ball of bright light akin to a welding arc. "This is the negative application, it''s the one you use to make that destroys everything in a general direction," She nodded. "Yeah, the [Fuck everything in that general direction] Breath as my spawns named it, I learned it from brother," He smiled. "That name is a horrifying one, especially when you hear how loud that breath is," She giggled, "And the third application is positive, right?" "Yes, the positive is when I added void to existing energy to force it to stabilize back into matter," He smiled, the ball of light on his finger fading into a puff of smoke. "For now, I can do two things." The air around his finger exploded into a blue me and it faded quickly, releasing a whistling sound. "The first one is a gas that burns bright blue[Hydrogen] and this one that I had to make when trying to cool my blood when facing d. It''s quite a decent instor for heat, and it doesn''t seem to catch fire or harm living tissue[Helium] But making it was extremely harder than the first one and took almost four times the energy," He sighed, "At this rate, I won''t have enough to make that much," "Four times the energy for something can only inste things, it''s bad, isn''t it?" Eris stared at the air, "It doesn''t do any damage, does it?" "Well," Arad smiled, "aT LeAst I cAn Do tHiS!" He spoke, his voice booming in a high pitch, startling Eris out. "What was that? Voice-changing magic, why did it sound so funny?" She stared at him weirded out. "It wasn''t magic, I breathed the second gas I made instead of air. Depending on how much of it I breathe with air, I can make my voice sound LOuder and LOUder, and even LOUDER!" "I won''t call that loud, it''s just high pitched, like a whistle or a ringing sound," She looked at him, "But wait, if you have some of that gas stored in your stomach, you can change your voice without using magic?" "Yeah, I won''t call it without magic as I would need to use it beforehand to create the gas. But once it''s stored, it can be called magicless," Arad smiled and kept cleaning the street, "I''ll try to focus a bit on studying my own magic and void. I bet I could get something powerful bybining it with gravity and barrier magic," "You''re mastering gravity magic," Eris looked at him, "But I never saw you cast a conventional spell," "I can do that," Arad stopped cleaning the street with his left hand and pointed toward an empty spot, [Reverse Gravity] The ground cracked where he pointed out in a purple haze and pieces started levitating, "This is a conventional gravity spell. It simply reverses gravity in a designated spot," Arad wiggled his fingers, "But, the best it can do is cause things to levitate, it isn''t that powerful and only useful as a trap to catch fighters." "And that''s why you started modifying the magic," "Yes," Arad closed his fist then reopened it, stopping the spell he had cast. "Look at this," His hand glowed with a purple light, pulling a boulder to his palm. "This is gravity magic that pulls things," He smiled, and then the boulder flew out of his hand, smacking a wall so hard it blew a hole in it. "And this is the reverse of that magic, the reverse gravity that pushes things away," Eris looked at his hand, "And you can change the point of effect," "Yes," Arad pointed at a part of the road, making it pull things toward it. "You''re right." "I can understand those two, but what about barrier magic? It doesn''t have that many properties to modify besides shape, does it?" Eris waved her hand, creating a small barrier of sma. "In fact, it''s quite powerful," Arad stopped cleaning the street and put his hands together, creating a small nk of barrier magic one meter on each side that floated ahead of him. "As you can see, it has two sides. If I used fifty mana, I had to spread it across the magic and choose which side to reinforce. An equal spread would be twenty-five for each side." He smiled, "But, I can make one side have forty-nine and the other only one." "You''ll make one side vastly harder for defense. But still spend the same amount of mana. You can''t make a side have zero as it''ll shatter just from the air." Eris punched the weak side of the barrier, shattering the whole thing. "That''s right, that also means I can use it to trap people inside a barrier or keep them from entering one." Arad smiled, creating a second barrier, "But, it doesn''t have only two surfaces," He pointed at the edge and made the barrier just 0.1 by 1 meter akin to a thin de. "Let''s make this edge far harder and sharper by changing its shape." Arad then waved his hand, sending the barrier flying toward a wall and cutting it in half. "You can use the barrier as a way to create magical weapons, des, spears, and crushing mauls." She sighed, "That''s horrifying, especially since they are almost fully transparent," "It is, but I still don''t like it that much. Since it can be nullified by magic immunity," He looked at the wall, sending hundreds of barrier des and diced them into cubes in the blink of an eye. He then waved his hand and sent a de made ofpressed wind and sted another wall. "I can shootpressed wind or water des that can''t be nullified with magic immunity, but I''m limited to one shot at a time. I can fire them rapidly, but that''s still limited by my casting speed. On the other hand, barrier des can be nullified by magic immunity. But I can create hundreds of them and fire all at the same time," Arad waved his hand, dicing a second wall, "I use the wind de against those immune or resistant to magic, and the barrier des against everyone else." Eris walked toward the diced walls and looked at them, "This is horrifying, this still doesn''t count your physical speed and strength. If someone got hit with this, even if they survived, they''d still have a whole dragon around that can st a mountain with a single breath," "And I can use the barrier des multiple times, so I can just cut the target again," Arad added, quickly finishing cleaning the street. "What about fire magic, you learned that, didn''t you?" Eris looked at him. "I did, but it''s mostly useless as I can generate more heat with crushing matter. I''ll only use fire magic, or make fire with my void if I need to hold back against someone," "I can''t see anyone getting a chance against you," She sighed. "Nina managed to hold up, in fact, I was the one holding against her. Her skin deflects magic so I can''t use the barrier des, and she managed to punch mypressed wind and water des with her bare hands. Not to mention her speed matched mine, if not being faster and stronger. I could''ve tried using my void or expansion, but It wasn''t the goal to kill." Arad looked around the clean street with a smile, proud of his work. He then walked toward Eris. "I need to figure out other ways to use what magic and powers I have. Especially gravity magic. I feel like there is a lot to discover and learn there." "You''re going to train a bit?" She looked at him. "Read books. I''m pretty sure Baltos won''t need that much convincing to let me get a look at the royal library, even some secret books. I''m sure he has some stored in the castle," He smiled. "Kingdom secrets, I doubt he''ll agree," Eris stared at Arad. "What do you bet?" Arad stared at her. "I''ll teach you about sma magic if he agrees, and you''ll let me suck your blood if he disagrees." She stared at Arad with a smile. An hourter. "Want to reach the kingdom''s secret library?" Baltos gasped whoy on the bed with Charlie beside him. Arad and Eris nodded, facing them. "Sure! But the vault in the castle''s basement only opens with my magic. You''ll have to take me there to open it for you. If you tried to brute your way inside, it''ll destroy all the books." Baltos smiled, and Eris pped her forehead. "It''s my loss." She growled, then red at Baltos. "Those are the kingdom''s secrets! You sure want to give them out this easily?"N?v(el)B\\jnn "If there is someone who should be able to ess them." Charlie smiled. "It''s Arad. He saved the kingdom twice, albeit we lost the capital in the second one." Chapter 696 The Guardian Doll Chapter 696 The Guardian Doll ??Arad teleported to the castle''s main gate, staring at the crumbling portcullis. He stepped forward, looking at the side and spotting blood trailing down the white snow, an armored arm poking from white fluff. "This was a battlefield," Eris looked at the snow, "Tens of soldiers died when d attacked." "It''s not just soldiers, almost everyone living in the capital got killed. Only the lucky ones survived," Arad walked through the gate with Eris slowly trailing behind him, "Should we bury them?" "Of course," Arad replied, "When we get out of the capital, I''ll use my void to suck all the corpses and we can then bury them one by one," "Our catb would get filled quickly," Eris sighed, "I can''t believe that we haven''t even built the castle, and we''re already burying more people than a city does in five years," "I can get morend from Baltos in our catb isn''t enough. I''m sure he won''t mind, considering that the capital just got sted," "He''ll probably shift the capital into another city. It''ll take years for the kingdom to heal, and it''ll be an easy target for invasions," She looked at the several corpses scattered on the snow, "Without the capital, it''s a headless kingdom," "Let theme," Arad looked at her, "I''ll st them at the borders. I doubt anyone would get as threatening as d," "That depends on when and how they attack, we aren''t the only ones with adventurers, s-ranks, and monsters," Eris stared at him, "Remember that Alcott and Nina are S-ranks, other high-ranked adventurers could be dangerous if they joined a war against us," "tos isn''t dead and he''ll keep ruling out of another city, and with me still around, I doubt anyone would dare mess with us after we killed d," Arad sighed, "But I''m sure some idiots would think this is a good time to strike after we''re exhausted." They walked through the main keep door, went through the hallways, and headed toward the basement. "This is where Baltos said it was," Arad pushed the door open and looked inside. The room looked normal with a ton of old, dusty furniture, weapons, and piles over piles of junk. "This ce is a mess," "Charlie said it''s purposefully left like this to hide the entrance," Arad walked around looking for any traces of magic. "There it is." At the corner of the room, he could see an old tattered doll missing an eye, sitting on a box with its robe ripped apart and cotton leaking out of its back. It looked as if a dog had ripped it apart. "Is this the doll?" Eris gasped, staring at the thing, "''It''s weirder than I expected," She looked at Arad, "Are you sure this is it?" Arad approached the door, "Open the library, I know you can hear me," The door remained silent. "We must have the wrong one," "No, we have the right one," Arad approached the door and grabbed it, staring at its one eye. "Open the library, Baltos told us you''re the only one who could do that. And if you don''t¡­" He started squeezing it in his fist. For a few seconds, the door remained silent until something cracked inside. "PIKYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The doll''s mouth ripped open as it screamed, the sheer loudness of the scream ripped Arad and Eris''s eardrums out, shattering half the windows of the castle as the horrid screech was heard from the capital''s walls. Arad stared at the doll unfazed, "It''s your fault for not replying," He tightened his grip. "I can do this all day." "Sorry! Sorry! Stop, you broke my spine!" The doll cried, "For real! Can''t you have a joke?" Eris blinked twice, seeing the doll move but not hearing anything besides the painful ringing in her ears. "d attacked the capital, I killed him but Baltos was injured. He gave me permission to use the castle''s library." He red at it, "Open the library," "I''ll do it! Put me down, I only wanted to scare you a bit. That''s all," the door sighed, wiggling and trying to escape Arad''s palm. "Thought it would be funny seeing a big guy like you jump up startled." Arad put the doll down and it turned around, "My back¡­" She walked toward the wall and lifted her hand, "Open," She said and a magical white door appeared on the wall, "Teleportation gate, this will lead you to the library burned underground," She looked back at Arad. At that time, Eris had already healed her ears. "Buried underground, so it''s not here?" "Even I don''t know where it is," The doll replied, "King Baltos paid Alice Dagon to hide the royal library and so she did. She also made me act as a gatekeeper."N?v(el)B\\jnn "So you''re a golem?" Arad stared at her. "You can say that, but I''m quite different," The doll replied, "I''m a human soul bound to this doll as a punishment." "What kind of punishment would lead you to this?" Eris sighed, staring at the little doll with a confused face. She had never heard of such a strange punishment. "I was an alchemist who experimented on humans. Got a sentence of four hundred years and so she put me here to actually spend that time," The doll growled, "I''m almost done, three hundred and fifty-six," "Why don''t you run? Or what would you even get when that time ends?" Arad stared at the doll as he approached the white gate. "I don''t run because I can''t, she put a ve contract on my soul. And when the time ends, I can finally die in peace. But I''ll likely end up in hell, so I''m not that excited about it," The doll sighed, staring at the ceiling, "Due to boredom, I spend most of my time asleep down here," ^No wonder the doll is that tattered if it was here for over three centuries.^ "You''ve really fallen off from an alchemist to this," Arad looked at her with a sad face, "You could''ve just, done your alchemy without experimenting on people," "Shut up, it''s none of your business. I was trying to impress the great Olivia, and I did reach my goal," The doll growled. "Who''s Olivia?" "The greatest Alchemist in all of existence. What kind of muscle head fool are you to not hear of her? I heard she''s been looking for an elixir of immortality that bypasses divinity, probably for her to live for all eternity, and I found her a solution," The doll smirked, "Philosopher''s stone, it''s made of humanoid souls to extend the user''s existence. The more you sacrifice and pile into the stone, the longer you live. It basically steals other''s lifespan." Arad sighed again, "Is that Olivia an idiot? She could''ve be a vampire," "I''m not her so I don''t know what she was thinking," The doll sat down, "When I made the stone, the cosmic police, the inevitables, showed up out of nowhere, destroyed the stone, and chained me down. Then apparently Alice Dagon got a divine mission from the goddess of magic to punish me, and so she did," "Cosmic what?" Eris stared at her, even more confused. "Large humanoid steel golems of various shapes and sizes and shapes. They hold an imaginable power and their mission is to stop anyone that tries to break the world''s integrity. From what I knew about them, only two people managed to beat them. The current overgod and current goddess of magic." "I can understand the overgod as he probably rules over them, but what did the magic goddess do?" Arad asked. "Alice said that the magic goddess was targeted by them as she was a mortal for centuries, but each time they came for her, she beat and turned them into maids serving her. That kept until the overgod appeared and gave her the title of the magic goddess after she killed the previous magic goddess. Have you never read her scriptures?" The doll red at Arad with a confused face. "Every mage should know this," "I don''t," He replied, looking toward Eris, "Neither I, where did you read it?" "As I said, the magic goddess scripture?" "Never heard of that," Eris stared back at her. The doll facepalmed, "How ignorant the world has be in the past centuries. It matters not, go to the library before the gate closes." Arad and Eris walked through the gate and the doll sighed after they left. "What kind of monster is that man? He''s terrifying," **** Arad and Eris walked through a white walkway until they reached a small portal, going through it led them to appear in arge dark room. "Here we are," Eris lifted one finger and conjured a tiny ball of purple glowing sma, illuminating the ce. It''s true that both of them can see in the dark, but that won''t be as good or asfortable as seeing normal. Discerning colors with dark vision is a real problem, and reading books could be a major issue. "Let''s look around for anything that might help," Chapter 697 The Royal Library Chapter 697 The Royal Library ??Arad walked around, looking at the seemingly endless shelves of books spreading across the library. "So much in one ce," He said. "All those books must be worth a fortune," she looked at one shelf, finding several magical books for spells and weapon schematics. Arad approached one shelf that was locked inside a steel cage and ripped the lock apart, looking at what was inside. "Eris, look at this." She approached, "Hair, art, and toes? What in the hell is this?" "[It''s a basic witchcraft guide, nothing amazing,]" Doma created a mouth on Arad''s face and spoke, "[I can trante it for you if you want,]" Arad opened the book and looked inside. From the first chapter to thest, it looked like a guide on how to make delicate haircuts, nail care, and how to draw tattoos with a needle and some ink. A weird subject, but it didn''t look that witchery for him. "You say it needs to be tranted?" Eris looked at Arad, talking with Doma. "[It''s one of the books I read in the past. I won''t call it great, but it''s a start.]" Tattoos spread across Arad''s arms and neck as Doma took control, "[Let me show you how to trante it]" "[Some body parts are considered dead in the magic form, that includes nails and hair. Witches paint their nails with magic-infused ink, usually created by the witch herself after years of brewing. They can then use all of their nails as an arcane focus enabling move versatility with spells.]" She pointed at the nail care section, "[It''s not that urate, but this is how you apply it. And it''s usually extremely painful as the magic seeps into your nerves.]" "I remember," Eris gasped, feeling a shiver down her spine, "When I used that ink I bought to paint my nails ck. It hurt like hell," "[The purer and stronger the magic, the more painful the painting is.]" "It felt like a nail piercing my finger," Eris looked at Arad. "[No wonder your witch nails are weak. Not only you didn''t make it yourself, it barely caused any pain. You should try making one and re-painting your nails.]" Doma smiled, "[It''s called Pain-ting for a reason,]" "It did hurt!" Eris gasped, "How much else should it hurt," "[A good measure is that if nothing leaked out, you probably didn''t make it good enough. I writhed in my own waste for a week after painting each nail," She lifted her finger and showed them to Eris, "[Look, even in Arad''s body, they still show up. They are engraved into my soul.]" Arad blinked, retaking control of his body, "What about the hair?" "[The hair isn''t used as an arcane focus, but it''s used as a substitute for consumables and a medium for magic. Curses especially benefit from it, like you can make someone insane by just putting a hair strand on their door,]" Eris nodded, "And I heard that blood is used as a sacrifice," "[That''s a whole other subject of witchcraft and an advanced one that this book doesn''t even mention. This one here is tattoos, you can think of them like writing a spell''s form on a scroll, but now the scroll is your own skin. Those tattoos on my body draw channels for mana to move through efficiently, amplification, and sensors, I also have several ones running passive tasks like deflected lower tier spells and sending a wave of jamming magic to make casting spells harder and also muffle detection and prevent people from seeing me through high-level detection magic. It''s the mostplicated one, and not something a beginner witch should dabble with,]"N?v(el)B\\jnn "I''ll probably be bald with ck nails and a body full of tattoos if I wanted to be an experienced witch." Eris sighed. "[I''ve seen many witches turn into shriveled hags with long noses and half-balding heads, don''t go overboard.]" Doma giggled, fading into Arad''s body. "Guess I''ll keep this one," He swallowed the book into his stomach and kept looking inside the locked shelf while Eris exploded the rest of the library. Several minutester, "Arad! I found this one," She approached, carrying a thick book with a leather cover and title engraved with gold. [Sara''s Guide to Kingship] "What''s that?" Arad looked at the book in her hand, "It doesn''t look like a magic book," "Because it''s not. It''s written by the first queen of the kingdom and talks about how to manage a kingdom. I bet several kings have read this to learn from it," "I''m going to manage a castle, which is more like a small kingdom so this would be useful¡­" Arad opened the book to read it, but his eyes immediately started hurting the moment he saw the pages almost ck with how much was written on them and how absurdly small the font was. "Did she have to pack it like this?" He looked at how thick the book was, "She could''ve written four or five small books," He sighed. The thing weighed over 10kg¡­ "It''ll be useful so keep it," She gave the book to Arad, who swallowed it immediately. "It''s going to be a pain to read it all, but I''ll manage over a few weeks." "We''ll probably need to build you a study or a wizard''sb," Eris looked at him, "I can''t wait to see you sitting behind a desk, starting a book for an entire day." "I''ll probably use [Time Slow] to finish it quickly," "Believe me, time slows on its own when you try studying magic," She giggled as Arad kept looking for any useful book. She on the other hand looked around and found several notable books about agriculture, cooking, and entertainment, there were even several stories thrown around. As Eris explored the library, Arad pulled another strange book from the locked shelf that tickled his interest. [King of the Seven Seas: Jack Parrot] "It''s the man buried in Rita''s temple," He smiled, "Was he important or something, I guess a king is a king," "Did I hear Jack Parrot?" Eris started toward Arad from behind the bookshelves. "That man ruled all of the world''s water with his massive fleet of pirates. If you want to travel the seas, reading about his life and how he navigated is a must." Arad opened the book, this one seems to be written by the man himself. [I have never written a book before, so I don''t know how to start, I''ll just wing it. I love my wife, her red hair is striking¡­] Arad flipped several pages of the book, and Jack was still praising his wife in detail. Then it suddenly shifts in tone, [Beware, the overgod''s brother resides in the seas, his name is Abel. A one-eyed, tall, and white-haired slender man with a toned build and seven beautiful witches that live with him, they are his wives. After a conflict with his brother, he decided to live a calm life of peace on a private ind and keep to himself. I only ruled the seas because he isn''t even trying, don''t sail the waves with arrogance, or he''ll strike you down,] "That escted quickly, after a long dragged wait¡­" Arad sighed, closed the book, and threw it into his stomach, "I''ll read it if I want to sail across the sea." He kept looking, and he quickly pulled out another strange book. [Heroine of Bronze: Shout of Thunderp] He stared at the book for a second and gave the first pages a few reads. The book was written by a woman called Roberta about a bronze drakaina called Nemmoxon. She mastered the power of her draconic shout, the supersonic st of the bronze dragons to a degree where she could fine-tune it into an even deadlier weapon. It details a theory about how the drakaina used her wings and scales to amplify the volume of her force breath to the point it could reverberate across the whole world like a massive explosion called Nemmoxon''s thunderp. There are even records of her shouting at a devil so loudly she erased him out of existence. The book also details that sound is waves, vibrations that travel in the air. When the pitch is high enough, it can shatter ss, even humans can achieve this. But when someone like Nemmoxon learned that, she screamed a devil into nothingness by creating an extremely high pitch that vibrated through his body and destroyed his molecr structure. "A drakaina that loud, I wonder if she would be alive somewhere¡­" Arad flipped the pages of the book, [...Nemmoxon was fond of sharks and whales, and she almost ate them to extinction¡­] The book had too many details. "I can be quite loud so I might be able to weaponize this as well," He tucked the book in his stomach and kept looking. "What''s¡­" Arad gasped, feeling his head hurting when he saw the next book''s title. [Heaven''s Kitchen War: Goddesses of the divine order stomped by an olddy.] "What even is this?" He opened the book and looked inside, the few first chapters detailed a crisis that urred in the world after the ancient god abomination war and how all divine magic halted across the world as the goddess reserved all of their power to face off an olddy called Mabel in a contest to cook off the overgod. And they lost badly. The book details several recipes that could grant various effects and blessings depending on the way they were prepared and the ingredients used. Chapter 698 Golem’s army of the infinite droplets Chapter 698 Golem¡¯s army of the infinite droplets ??Arad lifted his hand, sending a wave of void magic to cover the whole library, "Eris,e back here. I''ll suck everything into my stomach, we can read itter," "Wait! Did you ask Baltos about it?" She gasped. "I didn''t, but I''m sure he won''t want to leave them here unguarded. They only have that little doll outside." He lowered his hand and Eris rushed to hide behind him. "Just be careful not to damage anything," Arad''s magic extended from his palm all the way across the library, sucking everything into his stomach from bookshelves to old scrolls. Only they could realize howrge this library was, far bigger than they expected. "Let''s go back," He turned around, seeing a wall where they came from. "How do we get out?" Eris asked with a passive face. "I don''t know¡­" Arad replied, touching the wall, "We''re locked here," "That stupid doll!" Eris growled looking around for any door that could lead them outside, but she found none. The library is a closed box with no windows or doors, the only way in and out is the magical link created by that stupid doll, and they are now stuck until she opens the door for them again. Arad turned toward Eris, "Come here," He approached her. "You''ll dig out?" She held his hand and he slowly sucked her into his body. "That''s the n," He said as she faded into his body. Arad slowly lifted his arms, releasing faint waves of his magic into the walls, sensing where they were exactly. He closed his eyes, feeling the stone engulfing the library. He can extend his magic for 40km, the range of his expansion. He smiled, taking a stance. [Void Step] ZON! Arad disappeared in the blink of an eye,nding emerging above the clouds. The library was buried 12 km beneath the ground inside a massive boulder 2 km in diameter, most likely built by an ancient powerful human wizard. Since Arad teleported the maximum distance he could upward, he ended up 28 km above the surface, far above the clouds. He looked down with a smile, shifting into his draconic form to get the best of his eyes. Even at that distance, he could locate the capital and specifically the castle with ease. "Found it," He took a dive, falling head first with air burning around his wings. The nuns walking around the church stopped, hearing something above them. One of them looked up, seeing a massive burning dragon parts the clouds as it fell headfirst toward them, turning the sky red. The nun dropped the basket of clothes she carried and pissed herself, terrified that the capital was about to get sted into ash. ZON! [Void Step] Arad disappeared, leaving a powerful gust of hot wind to fall on the surface, melting some of the snow and drying the wet walls in the blink of an eye. The nuns looked up, feeling their skin dry from the heat as they searched for the dragon. "Where did it go?!" "Was I dreaming?" One cried. CLACK! Aradnded in the castle''s basement in his humanoid form with his skin smoking. His glowing purple eyes red at the doll sitting on a barrel, "YO, I''m back." "You came on your own?" She red back at him, "Why go through the hassle," "Since you tried to lock us there," Arad said with a passive face. "I didn''t try to lock you there, buffoon," The doll stared at him, "Did neither of you think of reading the sign on the wall? It said to Chant [Out, Out, Portal] to teleport you outside," "I didn''t see it," Arad said, and Eris in his head confirmed that she didn''t. "Even so, why didn''t you tell us about it?" "It''s been years since I sent someone there, you can''t me me for forgetting to state the obvious. It''s like telling a man that he should read the signs on the road to know his direction in the capital." She waved her hand, "me yourself," Arad looked inside his stomach and he quickly found the sign there. He sucked it into his stomach before they turned around to leave, that is why they didn''t see it. If he didn''t suck everything, he would''ve seen it when they tried to leave. "Fine, it''s my mistake," He sighed, scratching his head. "So, what would you do?" Arad looked at the doll.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Stay here and guard, what else could I do?" She red at him, "It''s my punishment and I can''t leave," "The capital was destroyed and I emptied the library, you''re guarding nothing," "You what? Stole everything from there?!" She gasped, standing up, "It''s my job to guard it, I can''t let you steal the books," "We''re moving the capital and the library should go with it," He replied with a passive face. The doll lifted her tiny hands, "It''s my job, that''s all I need to say," TAP! She put them together. Arad blinked, staring at her. [Conjuration''s Expansion: Golem''s army of the infinite droplets] As Arad stood there, he could see the area around him disappear as it got reced by an endless field at sunset. Hundreds of thousands of armored soldiers faced him with all the weapons they had as the sky got engulfed in ck clouds, dripping acid, poison, and a bunch more alchemical concoctions. That rain buffed the army by healing and granting them effects, while it only acted to debuff and damage Arad. "What?" He gasped, finally sensing the magic leaking out of the doll. Alice Dagon had to personally stop her, which means whoever this doll was in life, she wasn''t someone that the human kingdom or anyone weaker than Alice could hope to beat easily. PWE! The doll flew out of nowhere, punching Arad in the forehead and sending him spinning backward at an insane speed. CLAP! Before he couldnd, an armored knife rushed in with his great shield and smacked Arad back toward the doll. Arad shifted into his half-dragon form, expanding his wings to slow down, and swung a w at the doll. Thud! She jumped over his wrist and kicked him in the face, grabbing him by the hair and throwing him into the sky in the blink of an eye. The army behind her pulled their bowstrings, firing hundreds of thousands of poison-engulfed arrows at him. Arad looked down, his vision slightly blurring. ^I''m getting weaker and she''s getting stronger, and howe she''s this strong? She might be worse than d,^ He pointed his hand forward. [Barrier Magic] And conjured a massive barrier to block the arrows, "Now you''ve done it," He shouted with a smile, pointing down with a finger. A ball of light emerged at the tip of his finger, shing as he fired a powerful beam toward the army. The soldiers in the army lifted their swords up, wings emerging on their backs as they scattered everywhere like a storm of mosquitoes,pletely avoiding Arad''s st. STAB! As Arad stared at them, he felt something sting the back of his neck, "Judging by that beam, you''re a void dragon, aren''t you?" The doll had stabbed his neck with a syringe, pushing a strange green liquid into his veins. Arad tried to swat her with his palm but she flew away, and he only ended up smashing the syringe. "What was that?" "I already expected that you''re a dragon judging by your magic, that''s a general-purpose poison to kill draconic creatures. It attacks the nerves first and is tested through hundreds of dragons and half-dragons," She said with a smile, flying away from Arad while keeping an eye on him. "The poison is nothing," Arad smiled, not feeling anything wrong with his body. "It''s supposed to feel like nothing," She said, seeing as his skin turned purple and his hair began to fall, slowly forcing him into the deformed shape of a humanoid with draconic parts. "It goes beneath the dragon''s immune system and slowly eats their brain from the inside. The first symptom is the inability to keep your shapeshift." She smiled, "I don''t have anything specific for void dragons, but I''ll whip something new just for you, give me a second or two," Arad couldn''t feel anything strange with his body, he could only watch as his face elongated to that of a dragon. "What?" He gasped, forgetting how to even stay in a human form, something he had done since birth without a thought needed. "Then I don''t need it!" He roared, letting it go and shifting into his draconic form, "What would you gain from forcing me into my strongest form?!" He opened his jaw to fire a breath at her, but he suddenly started falling. He tried to p his wings, but no matter what he did, he kept falling. "It takes a lot of power and precision for a dragon to lift his massive weight only by pping his wings. The poison messes with your nerves, throwing them out of rhythm and making flight impossible." Arad tried to fly, but his shaking wings failed to respond to him. The flying army of soldiers rushed toward him, stabbing him everywhere like a crazed swarm of bees. And even so, he couldn''t feel a thing, his sense of pain had already faded. Chapter 699 The Queen in Purple Chapter 699 The Queen in Purple ?699 The Queen in Purple As the swarm of soldiers left Arad to fall to the ground, they watched him hit the ground, skewered like a pin cushion. CRACKED! Arad instantly swung his w, ripping his own head and spine off, and threw them away, fully regenerating in the blink of an eye. "It doesn''t matter since I can recreate my whole body!" He stared up at the doll, ready to st her with a breath. "You forgot your hind legs and wings," She pointed down, and Arad turned to see that her words were true, his body didn''t fully heal. "I bet you''re missing several organs as well. My poison targets your nerves so your brain is already soaked with it," The breath Arad was charging faded away as he started puking blood. His arms started shaking as his scales seemed to fall off. "The poison multiplies using a dragon''s blood and would eventually surpass a lethal dose. That also means even if you were to get rid of it all, and forget a single drop, you''ll be at death''s door again in a matter of minutes." The doll smiled, "In my time, we used to poison dragons like this and then wait for them to die. We can either do it by sending a suicidal attacker, or a trapped sacrifice." Arad''s body started rapidly regenerating as the poison digested him from the inside out, stuck between life and death as he tried to stand. "You''re quite durable, most dragons would''ve already died. Is it because of your vampiric blood?" The doll lifted her hand and the clouds in the sky turned green. "To make it quick, let''s give you another poison," SWOSH! Eris flew out of Arad''s blood, burning in an armor of sma as she swung a kick at the doll''s face. "I was waiting for you toe out," The doll smiled, five armored soldiers rushing from behind her. One of them blocked Eris''s kick with his shield as the remaining four swung their swords at her. Eris''s foot shed with sma, melting the knight''s shield and kicking him in the neck. With the same motion, she swung around and kicked the four knights with a spin. STAB! "You''re less perceptive than him," The doll smiled, sticking a needle into the back of Eris''s neck. "It''ll work faster for a half-dragon," "Think again," Eris red back at her with glowing purple eyes, smoke gushing out of her skin as her clothes burned into ash, [Death Butterfly] "What!" The doll gasped, jumping back as far as she could as she sensed a powerful wave of burning heat gushing out of Eris''s body. ^Shit! Arad didn''t expect the poison and his blood wasn''t that hot so he got infected easily, she on the other hand knew of it and her blood was burning sma. The poison can''t survive inside her body,^ BAM! Eris flew toward the doll, kicking her in the guts and sending her flying backward, spinning violently mid-air with a burning body. The doll waved her hand, sending a horde of soldiers to block Eris''s path. Eris''s toenails shed with dark purple magic as she condensed all of her sma into her legs. Out of her toenails, she released a massive chunk of her mana as an explosion, propelling herself forward through the soldiers at an unimaginable speed, melting a hole through them as she swung a fist at the doll''s head. "Now you''re a problem," The dollughed, pulling a vial from her pocket and cracking it. Its soft cloth body expanded a bit, turning as hard as stone as its ripped parts got closed. Magic rushing through its whole body. BAM! She swung her palm upward, deflecting Eris''s punch and trying to kick her in the face, but Eris dodged and conjured a long spear of sma, swinging it at the doll''s torso. The doll lunged over the spear and she waved her fingers, sting Eris in the face with a massive water burst. The moment the water touched Eris''s skin, the raw heat disintegrated it into oxygen and hydrogen, whichbusted at the spot resulting in a massive explosion. Tens of apple-sized balls of purple sma flew out of the steam and the doll swung her fists, deflecting them left and right. Out of the steam, Eris emerged pointing a finger at the doll, firing even more balls at her like a machine gun. From behind Eris, several tens of knights flew at her, swinging their halberds. She turned with a smile, conjuring a spear and stabbing one of them in the chest, melting a hole in his torso. She then caught one of the halberds with her bare hands and sted the swinging with a kick to the face. No matter how fast or coordinated the soldiers tried to make their attacks, the heat gushing out of Eris''s body melted their armor making it hard to move, and she was far faster than then, each hit of her was fatal. "All attack at once! Overwhelm her with numbers!" The doll screamed, sending her entire army after Eris. "I don''t think so," Zia flew in wearing a strangely tight nun robe. "What''s that outfit for?" Eris gasped. "Shut up! You''re wearing sma. And you''re the one who made Arad rip my maid outfit, I had him borrow this for me from one of the nuns, and it doesn''t fit well," She red at the soldiers with glowing red eyes. "You''re d''s maid?" The doll stared at her, "What are you doing here? Doesn''t matter, kill her as well," "Think again," Zia smiled, pulling a small wand from her pocket, [Rust] A green wave of magic gushed out of her body, hitting the flying soldiers and causing their armor to rust, turning brown and cracking. "Good one!" Eris opened her hands, carrying a sma ball in each of her palms, "It''s their end," She smacked the balls together, causing a massive st that sent a shockwave, shattering all the soldiers into pieces. "Rust magic? You''re a pain to fighters, turning all of their expensive items and equipment into trash," The doll flew at them, "Sadly It won''t work on me," As she said that, more soldiers started gushing out of the ground. BLUGH! The moment the soldiers stood up, a flood of blood washed them away and everyone looked toward Arad, seeing him puking waves over waves of blood, rapidly filling the doll''s domain. "Aren''t you dead yet?" The doll growled, "Just kick the bucket already," [Blood Expansion: Army of Blood] Arad released all the vampires he got from d, tens of thousands of them flew out of the blood, charging at the doll and her soldiers to rip them apart. The doll stared at the blood and vampires swallowing her army faster than she could remake it, "Then I''ll help you die faster," [Hemotoxin] She pointed down with a finger as she dodged a spear from Eris and a fireball from Zia. The clouds in the sky started ripping a clear rain, each droplet that hit Arad''s blood flood made it thicker, separating the white from red. The ground quickly started to look like patches of melted butter on the red crust of a cheese-less pizza as the sma separated from the red blood cells. "This is bad," Zia growled, looking down, "You go help him, and I''ll st this doll to hell," Eris smashed her fists together, her eyes shing with a purple spark. The muscles on her frame expanded slightly as a grin crossed her face. "She''s too strong for you to beat on your own," Zia growled. "Nah, I''d win," She started lifting her hands, and Zia instantly felt, the presence of a purple drakaina. Eris''s magic spiked over what she had ever felt from her, reaching a height that even d would''ve been on guard against. "I''ll get him out!" Zia screamed as she flew toward Arad as fast as she could. A massive blue lightning bolt rushed out of her left hand while a zing fire tornado burst out of her right hand. "Red and blue dragons, upon mating, their offspring could be a purple dragon. It''s the literal mix between the two colors." Eris said, pulling her hands closer. The doll could feel that something was off, Eris''s magic wasn''t that of a normal purple dragon or a vampire, it''s mixed with holy magic. [Fire Magic: Heat] [Lightning Magic: Shock] She pped her hands, keeping them closed, "Those two mixed together would generate far more heat and pressure than what is possible under normal circumstances, resulting in a bright purple sma." She pulled her hands apart, a fist- sized purple sun in front of her chest. Holy magic gushed out of her back, linking to the sun and feeding it, "The holy magic of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun. Most pdins extract her holy magic in smites, but I never heard of someone who can exert the true origin of her divinity. Worshippers of a fire goddess could cast fire spells and have them grow stronger by infusing their goddess magic into the spell, but no one could do that with the sun." The doll turned to run away. "That''s until I came," Eris said with a smile, the purple sun in front of her expanding rapidly. "I''m the sun in Arad''s void, and you aren''t going to pass without getting judged." [sma Expansion: Divine Smite of the purple sun] The purple sun instantly expanded to ten meters, engulfing Eris, it then expanded again to a hundred meters, setting the doll''s domain aze, and evaporating everything inside in the blink of an eye. Eris red at the running doll, [Divine re] The purple sun exploded, ripping the entire dimension created by the doll apart, the sheer heat and gravity enforced by the death of a star twisted time and spar, ripping everything on multiple levels that even the doll couldn''tprehend. CLACK! The doll appeared again inside the castle''s basement with Eris stepping on her face, "You had a spare body here? You''re smart," She red down at her, pushing her head into the ground.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Were you crazy?!" The doll screamed, "There are innocent civilians in the city! You could''ve killed them if my expansion didn''t take the hit of your sun!" "I only care about Arad''s life," Eris''s toenails turned into long purple ws, piercing into the doll''s forehead as purple scales appeared on her calves and arms. She lifted her hands, putting them together in the same pose, ready to unleash another expansion. "Burn!" Chapter 700 Fragment from the past: Pink

Chapter 700 Fragment from the past: Pink

"You''ll never find an antidote if you killed me," The doll growled, "Arad would just wither and die with time, losing his mind like he has a rotted brain with dementia," Eris turned around, seeing Arad looking down at the ground as Zia carried him, something seemed off as his eyes shed with sparks of purple magic. "How is he doing?" She shouted. "I don''t know," Zia shook Arad, "Can you hear me? Say something," Arad''s muscles pulsed and expanded for a moment, surprising Zia. "Wait¡­" The doll gasped, "Why is he in his human form? He shouldn''t be able to maintain it," She stared at him and would be sweating if she wasn''t a doll. ck tattoos spread from Arad''s chest across his entire torso, and his eyes shed with a pink light as he stood, taking a deep breath and cracking his back with a twist. "I never thought about the day where I think my fast brewing method is too slow," He said in a woman''s voice and the doll''s face paled even though she wasn''t alive. "Let me go! That voice!" She started iling around but Eris kept her pinned to the ground. "I was thinking about it, but your magic has changed a lot in the past many years." Doma stared at the doll, "How are you doing?" "Well¡­the doll gasped, I''m fine¡­" She looked away. **** Around 600 years ago¡­ Snow had been falling for the past month in the elvish great forest, even the snow the cold monsters had retreated to their dens, avoiding the coldest winter in several decades. Crackling through the frozen roads, arge caravan of three wagons dragged by two ice drakes. The first wagon was a massive wooden one covered with cold-resistant magic and barrier magic for protection. The other two in the back were massive cages of steel covered with old ragged clothes, filled with ves getting trafficked through the human-elvish border. The wind started to blow violently and the drakes refused to move. The driver jumped down from the front wagon and stared at them, "They can''t keep going! We have to stop." He shouted at the first wagon. A tall man looked out with a sore face, "Shut up and whip them, they''ll move with enough effort." "I can''t do that," The driver replied, "It''s best if we rested for a night than to risk them dying on us in the middle of this snowstorm." He looked at the man with a stern face, "It''s not something that we should ignore," "Fine, get them to move us to the tree shade at the roadside then let them rest," The man sighed, getting back into his wagon and closing the window. "Lord Amile," An elvish woman who sat inside wearing arge white fur coat looked at the noble elf, "What about the ves? A night wait and some of them might die of cold," "Just have some of them gather firewood to heat themselves," He sighed, "We shouldn''t stay in this forest for long. Damnable drakes," He growled. "I told you we should''ve bought something stronger, probably some dire drakes?" She looked at him with a disappointed face. "You know how expensive those things are. That''ll eat all of our profits from this trip," He looked out of the window, "And don''t tell me it''s an investment. I''m not going through this forest again. Not that now we know that witch might be making her hut around here," The woman stared at him with a worried face, a droplet of sweat dripping across her forehead, "The witch of curses," "The bitch a psycho, you heard the letter from the capital, what she did to the queen," "Shhh!" She growled at him, "Keep those thoughts until we leave the forest, she might be listening with her curses," The wind blew stronger, and the wagon shook to the core. The driver growled as he walked toward the back wagons and looked inside, seeing the ves bunched together in the cage to survive the cold. "Come five of you, you''ll gather firewood and light a fire." He picked five strong-looking men for the work and dragged them out, "The fire is for you, so make sure to gather as much wood as possible. Put it between the two carriages where I''ll set it aze," Time quickly passed by as the ves gathered firewood, until a scream rushed out of the forest and they ran back toward the carriages. "The fuck was that!" The noble stared out of his wagon''s window, "Kill the ones who want to attract monsters," The driver rushed toward the ves and looked at them, one was missing and two of the other four had heavy scars on their backs. "What happened," He asked, looking at the forest. "Arge monster, it has white fur," One of them cried. "Leave them for the monstera to eat, we''re moving." The noble shouted, "They''re the ones who attracted them by their screams," The ves looked at the noble, terrified. "Large with white fur isn''t a description, is it a bear? A yeti?" The driver growled, he wanted to ignore the noble''s screams as that bastard was slowly getting on his nerves. "I don''t know," The ve cried, holding the wound on his shoulder, "It stood on two legs, looked like an ape, and had two horns on its head and glowing blue eyes." "Shit, how big was it?" "As the trees." "We''re dealing with an abominable Yeti, that means there is a den of Yetis around, we might be surrounded by tens of them," The driver growled, "They want us to move so they can ambush us," "Those ves never fail to cause troubles," The noble growled as he walked out of the carriage, "All we need is to kill that abominable one," He walked toward the forest and stopped, suddenly pointing a finger back and sting the ve with a fireball. "This is for dragging the monsters to us," He growled. "Why did you kill them?!" The driver screamed. "If monsters found them, they should''ve run in the other direction and got eaten on their own. Why drag us with them?" He grunted, "Now I have to fight in this cold," He pulled a wand from his pocket and looked around, [Detect Magic] He sent a wave of mana through the woods, "I found him," Fire engulfed the noble''s body as he flew between the trees like a meteor. Fiery explosions started illuminating the forest as the driver watched, but then suddenly hordes of yetis started showing up from the woods. The driver pulled his sword and unlocked the ve''s cage, "Get ready to fight. They intend to kill us while lord Amile is fighting their leader," He looked around, counting over twenty Yetis. Even one of them would''ve been a problem, but with such numbers, there is no escaping death. As the battle heated up and the deaths started racking up between the ves, the driver threw a key into the cage after losing an arm, "Run away!" He screamed at the women and children there. "You bastard! What are you doing!" The woman inside the carriage cried, seeing the keys fall between the ves. "I''m dying anyway, so I''m giving them onest chance," Heughed, turning toward the Yetis, "White apes,e get fucked," He lifted his sword with one hand, wind blowing around his body as he smiled. The Yetis growled, staring at him with caution as they slowly got closer, ready to charge all at once. The driver pulled a ne that he had around his neck, it had the symbol of the world tree made of wood. He kissed it, praying, "Oh Sylph, divine queen of the world tree and rulers of the elves. This soul is getting wasted, may you grant me strength onest time," As if his prayer had been answered, he could feel his mana spiking up with the pain of his wounds fading. Instead of blood, he could smell a faint odor of lemon in the air. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He leaped forward, swinging his sword at one of Yetis and the beast growled, swinging its massive w at him. Using his wind magic, he dodged the strike and shed the monster''s arm. The monster roared and the driverughed, "An arm for an arm, you bastards!" He flew between swinging left and right like a madman. "I feel it! The gaze of the divine queen! She''s watching, and a great show I must make!" He started getting faster and faster, cutting the monsters as if he were getting stronger after each strike. The women and children locked in the wagons unlocked their cuffs and ran into the forest, trying to make it as far away from the monsters as possible as the woman in the carriage screamed her lungs out "Amile! The ves are escaping, that bastard Leon has betrayed us!" As she looked out of the wagon''s window at the running ves, she felt a foot on the back of her head. "Who''s there!" She gasped, turning around with a knife in her hand. The first thing she saw was a pale foot with long pink nails close to her face. The woman froze in ce, the carriage was locked, where did this one enter? "Put that thing aside," The foot slowly moved, grabbing the knife by the de and pulling it away. The de rusted and crumbled as the wooden handle rotted into nothingness. Sitting behind the woman was a young elvish girl with long pink hair and glowing blue eyes wearing a ck robe. ^Barefoot and barehanded, pained nails, she looks young, like fifteen years old, but her face says otherwise. Those glowing eyes and long pink hair, not to mention this arid magic twisting around her body. The curse witch¡­^ The woman pissed herself, freezing in ce as Doma red at her, sitting with one leg on the other. "Nice body you have there, do you think I can make a bag out of your skin?" Doma said with a smile, ring at the woman, and slowly pulled a scalpel. Chapter 701 Fragment from the past: Queen of Curses Chapter 701 Fragment from the past: Queen of Curses ??"No¡­" The woman cried, moving away from Doma. "Don''t be¡­" Doma said, but stopped as her head hunched back, about to sneeze. "Acho!" BAM! The moment Doma sneezed at the woman, she blew her skeleton out of her back, shattering the wagon''s door and only leaving a pile of flesh in ce. Doma pulled a handkerchief and cleared her nose. "I should''ve worn more clothes, but¡­" She shivered, "But who would bother," She stared at the pile of flesh ahead of her with a smile, "Sorry, you''re already dead," She walked over the pile of flesh and out of the wagon, leaving a trail of bloodied footprints. Most of the ves ran away and Yetis are winning, she didn''t control the monsters, they were natural predators around here and their presence was a well-kept secret since they were so meticulous about killing everyone and not leaving survivors. Who would survive a gang of ten-foot-tall apes in the middle of freezing snow? The apes had just finished killing the ve warriors and the driver as they looked toward the carriage. Their faces paled as they saw Doma there, they weren''t intelligent, but even they could tell that she was a problem. Every time they shed with her, she ended up toying with them. All of the Yetis have now developed a primal fear of pink. In this white and brown forest, seeing that pink hair was enough to trigger terror in their bones. Doma turned her head toward them, "Carpet," They immediately turned heads and bolted away, but one of them fell down, feeling something grab him by the leg. The Yeti stared down, seeing a hand of snow pulling him toward Doma. He screamed and cried, but she started pping, "Come here! Carpet! Come here, carpet!" with a smile on her face. She approached the terrified yeti and looked at it with a smile, "What fine fur, I did need one for the study room," She pulled the scalpel and cut a small wound on her hand. "But I won''t waste you like this." She drew arge circle in the ground with her blood filled with magical scripts in less than a minute and then approached the woman''s pile of flesh, took the heart and liver, and walked back to the circle where she put them in the middle. The yeti started struggling left and right as she approached him, "Come, baby, time to cut you apart." She grabbed him by the ear, dragged him over the blood circle, and pulled arge kitchen knife out of her pocket. She looked around with a sore face, "It''s really annoying to find the lines of magic in the ground with such weather. Don''t you think so?" She sat on the yeti''s shoulder as she looked everywhere. "Ah! Found it!" She quickly stared back at the yeti with a grin and turned the yeti to face the line of magic. She then took the knife and slowly sliced the monster''s throat, letting him il on the circle as he bled out. "When a monster is killed like this, all of their mana crystallizes into a crystal that can be used in magic. It''s basic witchcraft," She watched the monster die and his stomach bulge as the crystal formed. As the monster let out hisst breath, she waved her hand and stored the corpse in a magic pocket to skinter. BAM! From between the trees, the noble Amile flew in with a terrified face, behind him the Abominable Yeti flew in riding a massive white dragon, "GUGA!!!" The monster screamed. The moment they all looked toward the wagons, they saw Doma standing there and stopped in their tracks. Both the noble and the Abominable Yeti started sweating, their hands shaking as she red at them. The dragon red at Doma, cold wind gushing out of his body and froze the blood on the ground. "No wonder the snowstorm grew stronger," Doma stared at the dragon with a smile, "It usually doesn''t get this snowy or cold," She turned toward them and took a step forward, "White dragons are the dumbest of dragon kind, the most bestial and violent." She slowly lifted her hands, "You''re a wyrm, so you should understand when I tell you to get out of my domain." Amile stared at the destroyed wagons and gasped, "Where is everyone?" "I killed the woman, the ves other than the dead ones have escaped." She pointed back, "Yetis killed them," He growled, flying away as fast as he could, "Fuck this¡­" CRACK! Something forcefully stopped him and he looked down, seeing Doma grabbing him by the ankle with a crazed smile on her face. "Why are you running?" She swung him down, smacking him back to the ground. Amile smashed on the ground and bounced back, his eyes jolting left and right as he searched for Doma with his fists burning with a crimson ze. "GWAAA!" The Abominable Yeti growled at the white dragon to run away, but the dragon didn''t move an inch. Even he wasn''t stupid enough to turn his back on Doma. **** "You''re slow for an idiot who tried to traffic ves through my domain. I thought rats were supposed to be fast and nimble," Doma said, standing with her back leaning on Amile''s back. SWOSH! Amile spun rapidly, swinging a backhand toward her face. Doma, being quite shorter than him, ducked down easily and avoided the strike, her foot spun alongside her body and kicked Amile in the side, sending him rolling. Amile rolled on the ground, coughing blood. Even though she didn''t use any magic or curses, her kick still shattered one of his ribs over the enchanted leather armor he was wearing. Such strength could be well over 90. SWOSH! A fire burned beneath Amile''s feet as he sted toward Doma as fast as he could, "Like this would stop me!" He swung a fist at her face but she easily dodged with a smile on her face. He didn''t stop, swinging fists and kicks at her but she kept waving through them as if she was dancing, her hands in her pocket. "Told you''re slow," She grabbed him by the robe and pulled him closer, "Use AOE magic, you can''t beat me in a fistfight," She red at him with glowing pink eyes. Amile''s strategy wasn''t bad, in fact, it was a good one. With Doma looking like a little girl, him being a grown man who had trained in martial arts for decades, he should''ve been able to overpower her in hand-to-handbat. To make sure he won, he even enchanted his attacks with magic, but even with that, he didn''t seem to be reaching her. He lunged back, ring at her with a worried face. ^I knew it was a losing battle to challenge her in magic, that''s why I''m trying to beat her in closebat,^ He growled, lifting his hands as his staff spun around his body, unleashing a zing me that rose several meters into the sky. "That''s it! Use the empty space, don''t hold back, human!" Domaughed. "You little bitch," Amile pointed his staff at her, [Hellish st] CRACK! The moment he fired the spell, Doma''s barefoot crushed his nose, sending him flying through the trees. "Using a beam? Are you stupid, how is that supposed to hit me?" She ran after him, and the moment he was about to stop she kicked him into the sky. As he slowed down in the sky, she appeared above him and punched him back to the ground.N?v(el)B\\jnn As Amile hit the ground, he coughed blood, several of his ribs and bones had shattered and his organs had started to fail as if hit by three bulls in a row, he couldn''t even hold his bowels down. Domanded beside his head, "Still alive? You''re durable for a wizard," She pulled a tiny ss tube from her pocket and pointed it toward him. "I see if I can make a chimera out of you," With strange ck magic rushing out of the tube, she sucked him inside and closed it. "One sample gathered. This what you get for trafficking people on my domain," She stored the tube and turned toward the white dragon. "So, what would you do, big one?" She smiled, "I''ll let you go for a hundred scales and five ws. Give me two fangs as well and I might be bothered to heal you before you leave," She red at him, her blue eyes burning with a pink light inside. "Was that a curse?" The dragon growled, even the dumbest kind of dragons had intelligence that far surpassed the perception of humans and elves. "Inspired by druids," Doma stared at him with a smile, licking the snownding on her lips, "Sacrifice magic to get physical power," The white dragon nodded, "Get ready," He growled at the Abominable Yeti on his back, "One wrong move and we''ll die." Waves of cold magic started swirling around the dragon and yeti as a dark-pinkish aura engulfed Doma as she lifted her hands, she canceled the strength curse and was ready to fight with magic. **** Far away, the ves ran deeper and deeper into the forest, unknown to them, rushing toward Doma''s hut. Chapter 702 The true essence of curses Chapter 702 The true essence of curses ??The Abominable Yeti and the dragon stared at Doma, their eyes glowing blue as their cold magic slowly leaked out in a hazy mist. Doma''s eyes shed pink as she lifted her hands with open palms, cursed magic engulfing her whole body as she smiled. "My rat." She licked the snow off her lips. The ground shook beneath the ves'' feet as they ran away. Loudughter came from behind them, silencing the sky. They stopped and looked back, seeing shards of ice floating in the sky. HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! Doma''sughs filled the sky, sending a bone-chilling shiver through their bones. BAM! Doma''s body flew through the air at a blinding speed with shockwaves bursting around her as she smacked back into the ground. BAM! Doma''s body flew through the air at a blinding speed, with shockwaves bursting around her as she smacked back into the ground. The white dragon ran after her like a big cat, mowing down the trees as he rushed forth with the Abominable Yeti sitting on the back of his neck. Doma lifted her arm, pointing forward with her palm open, "Paper, paper cut. Frozen snow, thinyers uponyers of pain. Frigid ash, sting demons art." The falling snowkes in front of her condensed into sharp des and flew toward the dragon at a blinding speed, cutting all the trees on their way. Uncaring, the white dragon charged headfirst into the shes; his front limbs and wings got cut into pieces before he could realize it. ^Wait! I''m resistant to cold and ice.^ He gasped as his blood tainted the ground, and his limbs flew forward toward Doma. With a flick of her arm, Doma smacked the dragon''s front w away as if it were nothing. The curses gushing out of her body crackled like thunder. The ice shes weren''t cold magic attacks; they were a curse. Just as paper can cut the skin, she applied that unfortunate event on a wide scale and integrated it into thin sheets of ice. Paper shouldn''t be able to sh a human, and ice shouldn''t be able to sh a white dragon. But it works as a curse. The horrifying nature of Doma''s magic isn''t the extent of her raw elemental damage. But it''s the implications of the true essence of the phenomena the curse conjures. Have you ever walked into a room and couldn''t remember what you wanted to do there? Have you ever zoned while walking only to find yourself a fair distance away from where you wanted to go? Have you ever heard of a war starting over a stupid reason? What about the misfortuneing out of nowhere? Getting kicked out of your job due to something outside your control. The pain of losing someone, even though you hated them. What about the lingering anger and unrationalized hatred toward something you can''t exin? Even what seems like positive emotions and events could be cursed. The sickening love toward someone, only for you to start ruining your life over it. Even the hatred you might harbor when met with not the same love. Grief, jealousy,passion, solidarity, and even society itself. They are all shackles that hold a person''s rational thoughts and beliefs. You might choose topromise to keep a rtionship. Harbor an idea you don''t believe in just to fit in society and gain their trust and protection, like religions. You lost your job and suffered for a few months or years, only to get a far better job and make up for those years. Doma maniptes those curses of all shapes and sizes, shifts and twists them to her will, and uses them to fight. A man praying to a god, hoping for good fortune, and seeking a blessing. Or another finding hope in the dark path, learning witchcraft and sorcery to fend off what harmed him, fighting fire with fire. There isn''t any other way to fend off Doma''s curses besides holy magic or curse magic of higher power and refinement than hers, and she''s the cursed queen. The dragon rushed forward, stopping above Doma, and growled. His deep grunts shook the ground as his limbs regenerated in the blink of an eye. Doma red at the dragon''s head with a smile as he red back at her, their mana shing between them to the point the Abominable Yeti felt sick. With a deep grow, the dragon swung his massive w at Doma''s torso. She ducked down, dodging the attack. With a strange force engulfing her fist, she punched the dragon''s w upward and kicked his wrist with a spin, ripping it off. The dragon''s w regenerated as he swung again at her instantly. Domaughed as she dodged his attacks, "Impressive regeneration. You aren''t a normal dragon." She flew above his ws and touched his snout with her palm. After constant years of abuse, the mere movement of the abuser''s hand could trigger fear and terror in the abused''s soul. [Lingering Terror] The dragon jumped back as fast as he could, his tail trembling as Doma red at him with a grin, wigging her finger and calling him toward her. "Come to mommy, little dragon," She giggled, "I won''t skin you alive," "Illusion, no a curse of fear?" He growled, channeling a wave of magic across his body. Only the arrogant pride of the dragons could keep him standing on his feet. Without saying another word, Doma waved her hand in a downward motion. The Abominable Yeti could feel the fur on his back stands, and without thinking, he jumped off the dragon''s neck. A massive ck lightning bolt fell from the sky and struck the dragon, exploding in a st. "How unlucky you are? To get struck by lightning, did someone pray against you? Is it the umtion of Karma?" Doma smiled.N?v(el)B\\jnn The Abominable Yeti growled, grinding his teeth. Doma''s curses were tooplicated to grasp, and he couldn''t even predict the nature of her attack, let alone how to dodge it. He only survived as the attack targeted the dragon and not him. He rushed forward, conjuring a spear of ice, and threw it at Doma. "GRWA!" Doma dodged the spear, caught and threw it back at him. "I never saw it before!" Doma shouted as the Yeti dodged the spear. "Someone so unlucky, so cursed that their enemy caught their spear or arrow and threw it back! How pathetic could it be? Tell me!" She flew at him, swinging a kick. The dragon dodged several lightning bolts in the back as some still hit him. Doma''s curse against him still didn''t stop. The Yeti dodged Doma''s kick as it barely hit his face, but she twisted her ankle, grabbed his hair with her toes, swung his head around, and stepped on his face, cracking the ground. "Now you get stepped on? How pathetic," Her eyes started glowing with a pink light. The Abominable Yeti growled, swinging his arm to grab her leg. But the moment he was about to do that, she started running around with him, stomping his head on the ground several times before kicking him away. The heartless monster sat up, bowling his eyes out in sorrow. It took him a few seconds to wake up and punch himself, "This extreme sadness is a curse. Get over it," As he wiped his tears. He could only see Doma''s face a few inches away from his as she floated upside down. With glowing pink eyes and a smile, she made a box with her fingers. "Want to see true sadness, devastation? True curses?" "Your techniques are mere illusions that hurt the mind! They aren''t a reality!" He growled in hisnguage, but the queen of curses could understand him by sniffing his emotions. In the box made of her fingers, she showed him an image of his mate getting railed by another male. "It''s happening right now. You''re fighting for the n, and he''s taking the chance. How unlucky you are." The Abominable Yeti froze in ce as she shifted the image, "The one left at the n is already nominating another Abominable Yeti in your ce. You were always receable, useless, a mere ape between hundreds of apes. You aren''t special and will never be," "GUU!" The Abominable Yeti extended his hand to grab the image between Doma''s fingers, but she pulled it away and burstughing. As Domaughed her guts out at the Abominable Yeti despair, a massive white drakaina emerged out of nowhere, and the white dragon rushed in with his scales burned from the lightning. ^Another one?^ Doma thought as she danced between their ws. ^This one is a great wyrm. It''s a dragon and his mate.^ A smile crossed her face. The white dragon couple nned it from the start. It is a n to kill Doma and take her forest as their nest. There is no way a brat elf could beat a great wyrm and wyrm at the same time. Doma spun around, kicking the two dragons in the face, and jumped into the sky, staring down as they pped their wings, reaching toward her with their ws. ^I see, a decent n for the stupidest kind of dragons. I might lose a lot of equipment if I had to kill you two here with raw power. The forest and my hut would get wrecked.^ An unbelievable amount of cursed magic rushed out of her body. [Curse Expansion: Witch''s cursed domain] Doman''s expansion, Witch''s cursed domain, isn''t like any other elemental expansion, as it isn''t set to a single element. It isn''t limited to a range but instead covers anything Doma can sense or see, bathing them in a curse of her choosing and forcing it to take effect. She chose a primordial curse, the curse of existence. Everything is cursed to exist in the world, to suffer and wither to the torture of time and the elements. Objects get abused, crushed, and used above their will, and living things have to strive for survival. "Fate binds everything with what''s written for them. They can''t change their fate and must follow it. This is everyone''s inescapable curse. You''re forced to breathe to stay alive. You''re forced to eat, to feel sadness and happiness. You''re forced into this game of doing good and bad in a slim hope of reaching either heaven or hell. You didn''t have a choice. And never will." She floated beside the two dragons as time seemed to slow to a halt as they reached out to a shade of her. "How pathetic, how sad, and how pitiful. Even the mighty dragons are ves to their own fate, unable to break free." She waved her hand, pulling the two dragons'' souls and putting them in a small jar. Doma canceled her expansion, and the two dragons fell dead where they stood. They lost their lives without even knowing it. "GWAAA! WAAAA!" The Abominable Yeti screamed his lungs off and ran to the forest, crying his eyes out. Doma stared at him with a bored face. "What I showed you is a lie, but you''ll only discover that after you kill your mate and your children." She giggled, turning to look in the other direction as her curses sucked the two dragon corpses into small jars. "I''m a curse in and of myself. There is a reason why people don''t stray into mynd. They''ll only suffer." She teleported,nding in between the running women and children ves, ring at them with glowing pink eyes. "Your turn," Everyone froze in ce, not daring to take a single step as she showed up. Chapter 703 Ashen Snow, Aisha

Chapter 703 Ashen Snow, Aisha

"You aren''t going anywhere," Doma said with a smile, standing between the running ves. They remained frozen in ce. "As much as I hate it, the snowstorm isn''t calming anytime soon. You''ll stay in my hut for now," Doma pped her hands, and a bright light showed between the trees. "Go in," She said, and the ves did as she said out of fear. Doma watched as they walked into her hut and turned back, "Now, one is missing," She sighed, "I guess she tripped down the cliff. Running barefoot in the snow gotta hurt," She flew away. Right below a massive cliff, she found the little girl, seemingly unconscious among the snow, and her fingers turned blue from frostbite. Doma stared down at the little girl, "Are you dead? Those who fall asleep in the harsh could usually die within seconds," The little girl growled, her mind barely holding its consciousness by a thread. "I see. Let''s head back to my hut," Doma lifted her hand, and the little girl''s body started floating. ZON! They teleported to the hut in the blink of an eye. The moment theynded, the little girl could feel a warm breeze wash over her body. The sun shines brightly in the blue sky above them. The other ves were sitting around on the green grass, staring around with confused faces. How could suck a ce exist in this forest. "You get warm water from the tap there," Doma pointed with her hand toward a small fountain, "My golems would bring you food and help break your shackles. After you rest, I''ll teleport to the elvish capital border." She walked toward her tree house with the little girl floating before her. "You''re helping us?" A woman gasped. "It wasn''t your fault that you got into my domain. I already took my payment from the ver and his assistant," She smiled, "Or do you want me to use you as ab rat?" The woman shook her head, "No! Please no," "Then, noints. Get your shit together and scram to your lives." She growled at her, "Normal people shouldn''t stick around in my cursednd, nothing good woulde out of it," The ves looked at each other, then went toward the golems to break their shackles. **** Inside the tree house, Doma put the little girl on herb table and looked at her limbs, "You already had a weak body, were malnourished, and then ended up buried in the snow longer than everyone else." She walked toward the counter and pulled some herbs. "Stay where you are. I know you want to warm up, but we need to treat your limbs," The little girl growled, unable to speak. N?v(el)B\\jnn "I know, you don''t feel any pain," Doma looked back at her, reading her thoughts. "That''s a bad sign. Your nerves are dying." She crushed all the herbs into a paste and slithered the girl''s hands and feet in it. "Now, this might be a bit ufortable," She reached below the table and pulled out a long thin tube. "Hold still," She grabbed the little girl by the head and shoved the tube down her nose, all the way to her stomach as she struggled. "You''ll die of starvation if I give you a healing potion, and you can''t eat or even drink now." Doma sighed, pulling a funnel and pouring warm water into the tube from a jug. "It''s working," Doma smiled, Walking toward the counter and heating some milk. She poured the milk into arge ss and mixed some honey with it. She then went back to the girl and fed her that. "Just stay calm for a while. Give it a few minutes to get absorbed, and I''ll give you a weak healing potion to start with." Doma giggled, waving her fingers above the little girl, "You''ll be fine. Hehe." She then jumped back and pulled arge ck pot from beneath her counter. "Time to cook, I guess," She looked at the little girl''s eyes with an excited spark. "I didn''t do this in a while. Hopefully, you won''t turn into a frog. Like myst patient," Doma flicked her fingers, and a massive fire appeared in the middle of the room. She put the pot on it and poured a bucket of water, followed by a bag of strangely glowing green powder. "Water, vex''s ash, chicken feet, a dash of crushed warthog''s bones." With a cheerful face, Doma pulled arge cane and started stirring the pot, "Now we added a live hummingbird. Sorry, that was a joke. It''s a pickled one," She threw it inside and burstughing as the pot started smoking. The little girl slowly turned her head, looking at Doma. "This''ll take a while to simmer," Doma hummed, "But, you see, I can make it faster by adding some of this." She pulled a jar filled with white dust. The little girl could only growl. "Crushed children''s bones. Don''t ask me how I got them. I certainly don''t have a side hustle as a tooth fairy." Doma turned toward the little girl, "You still have all of your teeth, right?" She grunted. "You think this might be toxic? Don''t worry, it won''t kill you at least," Doma flicked her fingers and increased the heat, singing as she stirred the pot, slowly pouring her magic into the mix. After about ten minutes, the strange, bubbling green concoction and Doma poured it into the little girl''s stomach using the tube, even though she tried to resist. "Come on," Doma smiled as she poured the concoction in, "Don''t resist. It''ll help fix your organs. Well, at least prevent them from dying further until I give you a potion," After she finished feeding her, she poured some water in to clean the tube and sat beside her on a chair, "Let''s give you a few seconds before pouring this in," She waved her fingers, and a weak healing potion appeared. "You eat to get energy, then I''ll give you a potion to heal. That consumes energy. You rest, then we repeat until you''re healed." Doma smiled, "But your limbs aren''t looking that fine. We might have to cut the dead fingers," She pointed at the little girl''s frostbitten hands and feet. After several healing rounds, Doma sighed, "As I expected," She looked at the little girl''s limbs, "They are already dead beyond repair. You don''t have the constitution to grow them back at this age with healing potions or magic. It''s sad, but it can''t be helped." Doma approached the little girl''s head and tapped her forehead. "To sleep with you," The little girl lost consciousness and only woke several dayster in a soft bed inside a room that she didn''t recognize. She sat up, and it didn''t take her long to recognize her severe hands and feet. "She cut them off..." She sighed, "How am I supposed to..." "You''re awake?" Doma opened the door and walked in. "Well, you aren''t sleepwalking," The little girl stared at her, "You cut my hands and feet," "They were dead and rotting. I couldn''t leave them." Doma replied, "And I have those for you. They should work as a recement, except you can''t feel anything with them." Doma had a small basket in her hand with a pair of doll hands and feet. "Where is everyone else?" She asked. "I already sent them to the elvish capital. You''re the only one left," Doma sat beside her, pulling a measuring string. She gently pulled the little girl''s arm and started measuring it. "This one will fit..." She started mumbling as she took all the measurements. "Will you kick me out soon as well?" The girl asked. "I''ll kick you out as well, but not soon, in a few years at least." Doma smiled, standing up. "I''ll bring you something to eat first. For now, rest. Putting those doll parts on is going to be painful. I''ll have to sew them into your limbs directly." Doma fed her, and several hourster she sewed the doll''s hands and feet into her body and let her recover until the next day, when they started her rehabilitation. After the girl learned to use her new limbs, Doma started teaching her alchemy for the next many years. "Mistress?" The girl asked, five yearster. "I told you to call me Doma," Doma stared at her as they were in theb testing some potions. "Why did you save me that day? Now that I lived with you for some time, I know you would''ve thrown me out with the rest of the ves." The girl asked. Doma smiled, "Listen, Aisha." She looked at her eyes with glowing pink fire. "You almost killed my husband," Doma replied, her eyes ring directly at the girl''s face, "Is that enough?" "Howe that I almost killed your husband? Are you even married?" The girl sighed, "Can you stop with the jokes?" **** Shifting to the current time, Arad stared at the doll as Eris pinned her down with her foot. "Remember the old days? Aisha." Doma said in Arad''s body, his eyes glowing pink. "Mistress Doma?!" Aisha gasped. "It''s been a few centuries, my little student." Doma said with a calm stern voice. Chapter 704 Temporary Effects

Chapter 704 Temporary Effects

Aisha blinked, staring at Arad[Doma]. "Who''s you''re calling little?" "Who else besides you, Aisha? It seems that you''ve grown stronger in the past years." Doma giggled, "You did put Arad in a tough spot, didn''t you?" CRACK! Eris pressed down on the doll''s head, pushing her into the ground, "Doma, do you know her?" "You can let her go now. She isn''t a threat anymore," Doma smiled as Eris lifted her foot. "Now that I''m out, she can''t be of any harm." "You say that, but her poisons are dangerous," Eris replied as Zia nodded behind her. "We can''t trust her," "It did take me a while, but I already created an antidote in Arad''s stomach. He''s recovering now," Doma sat beside Aisha and stared at her with glowing pink eyes. "She can''t beat me," "Like I would fight you," Aisha looked at her with an emotionless passive face, "If you''re in him, I find it hard to believe I won the fight." Doma giggled, "It might be partly my fault. I told Arad that he''d lose the fight beforehand, that only railed him to fight." "No wonder he didn''t st his expansion," Aisha sat up, "I doubt I would''ve won in an expansion tug of war," "It''s between me and him," Doma smiled, "Arad had this habit of underestimating some skills. Albeit he''s quite willing to learn new skills and abilities, he''s also prone to belittling some of them. He isn''t a fan of the mundane disguise skill of some assassin around here. He can''t see a benefit for makeup and outfits with shapeshifting magic existence." She waved her hand, creating a magic circle. "He underestimated alchemy?" Aisha stared back as Eris and Zia sat down as well. "With a high enough constitution, his body would naturally detoxify poisons. He can also buy and stockpile healing and recovery potions. Buying them seemed like an easier, simpler, and more effective approach." Doma giggled, "I can''t fault him. His thinking is valid, but the problem isn''t in him. It''s in the people he''s facing. He couldn''tprehend the idea that his enemies already ount for those defenses and work around them all the time." "When a new wonder drug, a powerful antidote is created. The poison makers usually develop a stronger poison to bypass it within a few months, making it obsolete." Aisha exined with a passive face. "It''s usually the role of the cleric to use their holy magic mid- bat to develop and change their spells to counter poisons for their party, but since Arad fights alone, he needs to find another way to do it." Doma clenched her hand, shattering the magic circle she created before. "He needs to learn alchemy, study it, and be an expert capable of mixing and brewing concoctions in his stomach on the fly." Aisha sighed, even though she was lungless, "So he thought beating an alchemist would be easy since it''s not a fighting skill, and you gassed him up to face me intentionally, so he''ll lose." "I wanted him to understand that there is no such a thing as a weak or a trash skill. Da showed him that before with her ps, but since he underestimated Alchemy, I had him feel it burn once." Domaughed. "Da, that pper?" Aisha gasped, "You''re evil. But, I guess you''re the queen of curses," "He doesn''t hate it that much. It was like a bet between us," Doma smiled, "And since I won, he''ll be learning alchemy, even with how boring it may get." "If you want him to learn Alchemy, does that mean he''s going there?" Aisha stared at Doma with a worried face. "The great university of the arts. He''ll be mainly learning Alchemy and the basics of magic and spell craft," "I guess. You sent me there as well. You know a lot about Alchemy, but how do I exin it? Your concoctions are quite exotic and require strange materials most of the time. You aren''t that good at teaching as well," Aisha stared at her with a suspicious re. "Like Arad, I''m good at learning," Doma replied with a prideful stance, "He''ll be better learning from actual teachers in the university. I''ll only batch whatever misunderstanding or loopholes they have in their spells," "There are a lot," Aisha confirmed, "You''ll have a lot of work correcting their books and lessons," Eris finally spoke, "The arts they teach there are theoretical. They aren''t necessarily trying to teach people how to weaponize magic or the likes," "You went there?" Doma and Aisha stared at her. "I went five years ago to take a look. I ended up getting expelled due to poor grades." Eris looked at Doma with a smile, "I hope Arad is ready to put on fast reading sses. They might look good on him," "It''s been a while since I heard of those things," Aisha smiled, "What are they? A new magic item?" Doma asked. "Yeah, didn''t you hear of them?" "I was dead for a long time. I don''t know most of the items made in the past century or so," Doma shook her head. "They look like normal sses, but they allow you to read books faster. Up to 1.4 times the speed if you bought the expensive ones," Aisha replied. "They made new ones in the past years. It''s up to two times the speed now. It''s one of the reasons I wanted to join. Sadly the new sses are only rented, not sold," Eris waved her hand. "I didn''t know," Aisha looked at her, "No books about that came to the library," "Of course. The new sses work by linking to the university magic system. They don''t function outside its perimeter. They say the magic is too strong to contain in the sses without risking them exploding," Doma stood, "Let''s head out. We need to report back to Baltos, and I do want to let Arad rest a bit," "He didn''t wake up yet?" Eris stared at her. "The damage to his brain was a bit extreme, it''ll take him a few hours to wake up, and several days to fully heal." Doma smiled. "Only that?" Aisha gasped, "My poison should''ve at least left him crippled for life, if not killed him outright," "Believe it or not. You''re the one who done him the most damage for a long time." Doma sighed, "Mainly since your poison keeps regenerating and damages the brain to a deep level that''s hard to heal. And even after healing, reconstruction of the damaged information is what takes the longest time." Eris thought, "So when he wakes up, the physical damage to his brain would''ve healed. But the days or week off is what he needs topletely regain the lost information in his brain." Zia stood, "Then, could you take me back inside?" "Of course," Doma replied, sucking Zia back into Arad''s blood." The remaining three then flew back to the church to speak to Baltos. Thud! Theynded in front of the church, and Doma walked toward one of the nuns, "Is Baltos awake?" The nun jumped up in terror, "What?!" She turned around and stared at Arad, confused more than an elf in a barbeque party. "Is tos awake?" Doma repeated. The nun rubbed her eyes and the inside of her ears with her pinky, "Did I hear that right?" She couldn''t get over the strange voiceing out of Arad, let alone the tattoos covering his body and the shing pink light in his eyes. "A woman''s voice?" "It''s a long story," Eris approached, "Is Baltos awake? I won''t ask again," "Sorry, Baltos is awake." She bowed down, and then looked at Arad''s face, "Was this a freak ident?" "You could say so," Doma replied, looking back at Eris carrying Aisha. After talking to the king and informing him that Arad had possession of the library, he told them that they should clear the treasury as well, which Doma quickly did in a few minutes and returned to the church. "You done?" Eris asked as she saw Doma walk back into the church, "Yeah, is there a bed I can sleep on?" Doma asked, her eyes darting around. "I expected that," Eris stood, "Follow me," She guided her deep into the church to an empty room with a bed inside and a small table. "I had the nuns prepare this room," Doma quickly went on the bed and took a deep breath, yawning, "I''ll leave Arad to rest here. He''ll wake in a few minutes, so wait for him," She fell asleep. Several minutester, Arad opened his eyes with a horrible headache, "AH! That doll..." He growled. "You''re awake?" Eris stared at him as she sat on a chair beside his bed. "Doma was right. That poison is something," He grunted, tapping his head. "I did beat that doll. Her name was Aisha." Eris stood, "Do you need something to eat?" "No, I''m fine." Arad stood and took a deep breath, "How long was I out for?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Three hours. Doma said you need to rest for a few days to fully heal," She approached him with a smile, "How do you feel?" Arad clenched his fist, sensing his void, "A lot weaker. I can''t control my void or body that well. Look," He grabbed her wrist and clenched on it. "Uneven," Eris scratched her chin, "You can apply your full strength. But aren''t consistent with it. It''s amon side effect of nerve damage. You better rest, as she said," "We are moving, aren''t we?" Arad asked. "Gin is taking care of that. You should rest. You''ll have recovered by the time we reach Alina," "You''re right," Arad sighed as the two of them walked out of the room and went to see Baltos. The next morning came, and Gin stood outside the city in her draconic form, ready to lead the caravan to Alina. Chapter 705 Spirit Attack Chapter 705 Spirit Attack ??Gin walked in her draconic form, carrying a massive wooden carriage above her back, followed by several wagons. As it started to snow heavier than in the past weeks, the knights riding around her got close to hide behind her wings.N?v(el)B\\jnn "It''s getting insane, isn''t it?" One of the knights sighed, looking forward where a barrier made my Merlin shed with the snow piled on the road, pushing it to the side as they moved. "The magic in the air is moving strangely," Gin said, looking around, "I can''t tell if it''s a cold spirit, a dragon or an elemental, but something is close by," The knights gulped, "We shouldn''t let our guard down," One of them growled, putting his hand on his sword''s handle. "It hasn''t been a day since we left the capital," "You''ll be surprised how monsters show up." An adventurer riding a horse in the back said, "The moment you get away from cities, they start crawling from everywhere." "Is that so?" The knight looked back. "You''re one of the new recruits of the army, right?" Gin looked down at the knight. "That''s true. d targeted the soldiers based on their strength and experience. Only us lower ranks were spared," The knight looked down. "You don''t need to feel bad about it," The adventurer hurried forward to ride beside the knight, "I heard that he could sense how strong someone is by their blood, counting how much they bleed." "I heard so as well," The knight nodded. "d could smell all the wounds someone sustained in their life. We were spared in favor of killing experienced adventurers first." The adventurer sighed, "Even though the A-rankers are out on quests. Of course, d waited for them to leave to attack," "He nned the attack," Gin replied, "If not for you, we would''ve lost," She gently lifted her head, Arad sitting above it covered with a leather coat. "I only did my part," Arad replied, standing up, "But, troubles keep following us." He looked forward, seeing a tall pale elf standing in the middle of the road, ring at them as his long silver hair danced in the frigid wind. "Get me down," Arad said. "You sure?" Gin lifted her hand for Arad, and he climbed it. She then slowly lowered him to the ground. "That''s the source of the extensive cold. You should let me or Eris handle him," "Let''s hear what he has to say first," Arad walked off Gin''s massive w and walked forward alone, approaching the strange elf. "Do you mind getting out of our way? We''re transporting refugees to a safer ce." Arad said, standing two meters away from the elf. The elf smiled, "My name is Kory, a high cold spirit." He bowed down, "I felt the wind queen''s fall, and the unfortunate events of the human''s capital." "I don''t feel bloodlust, but I have a bad feeling about you," Arad sighed, his eyes flickering with a fading purple light. "So I''ll cut to the point. I want Zephyr''s seal and the king to grant me thend of the capital. In exchange, I''ll preserve thend for him," Kory smiled. "You''re trying to use the chance and extort him," Arad sighed, "And someone like you is a high spirit." [Spirits are divided into several ranks. Lesser, middle, high, noble, and then royal. Usually, there is one royal spirit, for the wind Zephyr is the royal spirit of the wind. This one is two ranks below Cold Spirit Queen, a peer to Zephyr.] Mom exined in Arad''s head, using the library he has to bolster her knowledge. "But it''s a good deal, isn''t it?" Kory smiled, "You can''t fight in your current condition, can you? And I can freeze that wagon before anyone gets out." He stared at the wagon above Gin''s back. As a silver dragon, most of Gin''s attacks were that of cold and ice, they wouldn''t even make the cold spirit flinch. The rest who could fight are inside the wagon. It''ll take them a second to get out, but that''s more than enough for Kory to freeze the wagon and lock them inside. "Do you think I won''t w you down?" Gin growled. "Move at such speed, and you''ll break the wagon. The recoil of the wizard''s magic breaking would rip everyone inside apart, including your precious king." Kory smiled. Arad looked at Kory''s face with a tired sigh, "It was a silver dragon first, now a cold spirit. Why two ice types in a row?" "I felt that fight," Kory giggled, "I doubt she knows you almost killed one of her kind," He stared at Gin. ^I can''t risk fighting with my void. It could go out of control and suck everyone inside into my stomach.^ Arad thought. ^[You want my help?]^ ^Yes. Just like when I faced the elvish queen, you can act as my warlock patron, right?^ ^[What do you want?]^ ^[Your expansion. I need to finish him in one hit.]^ ^[Even if you weren''t injured. Your body would barely be able to sustain my expansion for ten seconds. Now You''ll be lucky to hold for two seconds,]^ ^It''ll be enough to kill him.^ Arad''s right hand nails extended forward into ws. Kory smiled, "So you''ve..." [Curse Expansion: Witch''s cursed domain] The world around Arad seemed to crumble as he walked forward and stood facing where Kory was. ^The oldest and strongest curse is that of existing. By using Doma''s domain, I can remove myself from the whole world. Stands outside it as an observer,^ Arad could see the reflection of the world in his eyes. "So you''ve chosen death." Kory swung his arm, freezing Gin whole with wagons in a second. ^It''s not even two seconds, it''s 1.78 seconds. That''s how long I can survive outside existence without being unable to turn back.^ Arad lifted his palm, ^But, that also means I''m standing outside time and space, time doesn''t flow, and distance doesn''t matter here. Whatever that spirit does in that 1.78 seconds, I can choose to act at any point in that time, and I know what should''ve happened there.^ CRACK! Arad plunged his palm in the middle of nowhere, and he got back to reality where his hand was grasping Kory''s heart. "So you''ve..." Kory shouted, about to cast his spell on Gin and the wagons. But he stopped, seeing Arad suddenly appear too close to him, his palm plunged into his chest. "What?!" He gasped, looking at Arad''s face to see his eyes shing with a golden and pink light, ck tattoos covering his whole body, slowly fading with a gust of hot wind. "Borrowed power, I should learn to put my hand in the dirt every now and then," Arad pulled Kory''s heart out, and the spirit fell to his knees, puking blood. "Did you do?" He cried. Arad walked past Kory and opened his mouth wide, munching the heart in one bite, swallowing it in a single gulp. Arad''s eyes shed with a faint yellow light as the lycanthropic curse in his body pulsed. Kory turned around, "You monster, I''ll just heal..." He growled with blood gushing out of his nose and mouth, but he soon realized, his magic rapidly faded and he wasn''t able to heal. It was strange, a spirit like him shouldn''t be killed from such an injury, he should''ve healed immediately. Arad looked back at him, licking the blood from his lips with a passive face, "I ate your heart and soul. Albeit I don''t understand how the second one worked." Arad did physically eat Kory''s heart, but eating the soul was something that Doma pulled off. "You!" Kory shouted, but his body immediately disintegrated into snow, crumbling down. "Arad! What did happen? I''m sure he was about to cast a powerful spell," Gin gasped, realizing that her w was already lifted before she noticed. "I did zone out for a second, did you do something?" "No one can escape the fate written for them," Arad said, walking toward her, "Only the queen who rebelled against the curse of existence." The knights, adventures, and escorting bandits just realized that they stood a few steps forward, their noses burning from the cold. "He''s dead!" One shouted as they saw Kory''s crumbled body. Arad looked at Gin''s face, "We should get moving," "You''re right," She lowered her w for him and carried him over her head. ^[You must rest for the rest of the trip. Even that small use of your lycanthropic curse is quite a burden on your mind. Go inside and sleep, let Alcott or Eris guard the caravan.]^ Arad smiled, "This was an unlucky encounter, Gin should be able to handle any threat." He turned around walked toward the wagon door and knocked on it. "Merlin, let me in." The door opened, "Come in," Alcott opened the door, "I''ll sit guard from now." "It''s cold out there," Arad replied. "Don''t worry about me. Go and rest, you''re still recovering, right?" Alcott patted Arad''s shoulder. "Yeah, I can barely fight like this," Arad walked inside the carriage to rest. Two weekster and after seven monster attacks, the caravan finally reached Arad''s domain borders. Chapter 706 Arads return to the village Chapter 706 Arad''s return to the vige ??Upon walking into his domain, Arad could see the faint lines of arge stone castle emerging in the distance. "They got this far," He smiled, sitting on Gin''s head. "It looks like they finished the walls and Keep. It still needs some time, but it''s looking great," Gin nodded. Arad jumped from her head andnded on the ground, expanding his wings. "I''ll go take a look," He flew into the sky, teleporting upward and reaching the clouds in the blink of an eye. Arad looked down, his purple-glowing eyes jolting from left to right as he surveyed hisnd. The castle''s main keep rested on the peak of the highest mountain, with the wall spanning around the mountain''s base, a long stone road leading from the ground to the top in a spiral around the whole formation. The vige rested right outside the wall at the mountain foot, beside Arad''s house, where they grew around it like nts around water. "It''s growing," Arad smiled, closing his eyes to sense all the animals and monsters prowling the ground. Immediately, he could see and hear the whole area through their senses. Ae, who was in their house''s garden hanging theundry, looked at the sky as she sensed Arad''s magic, "He''s back!" She turned toward the house and called Mira, who was cooking in the kitchen. "I see," Arad giggled, "Troubles always await. Of course, they won''t let a growing city without butting their heads in," He lifted his hands. "Should''ve waited until I came back," Inside the new tavern that recently opened in Arad''s vige, a stout man sat in the back seat with a drink, listening to the other patrons. But at that moment, he saw a squirrel hanging to the ceiling, ring at him with glowing purple eyes. In a back alley, a well-dressed man was talking with an old woman, "Come on, it''s a good deal. Do you know how much is this worth? You won''t ever find a better deal. You can even move to the best district in Alina." He said with a smile, shaking a small bag of gold. "I said I''m not selling mynd. It''s not even mine," The old woman shook her head. "You''ll regret it soon. This isn''t a deal..." He paused, seeing a chunky, fat rat ring at him from over a barrel, standing on his hind legs with glowing purple eyes. Beside the vige''s entrance, the vigers have built a slightlyrger house for their delegate leader, the vige chief. His job was to bring the vigers'' concerns to Arad, or his wives in case something happened. That was far better than having all the viges flock at once. At the chief''s house, two noblemen were visiting with a concerning document. "Sir Luckry. I believe you can read this," He slipped a long, old-looking document on the table in front of the vige chief. "Myte grandfather owned thend around this area before it was overrun by monsters. I would like to get the papers for it fixed. Would you mind signing this out for me?" He smiled. "I can''t. You''ll have to wait for Lord Arad to return. I did tell your servants thisst week," The vige chief replied. The noble sighed, leaning back on the couch, "I''ve been waiting for a week, you know?" He growled. "This must be done. What kind of stupid crap you''re doing here? You can''t even do this on your own?" "I do not own thend. I don''t have a say. And I can''t sign that paper. My only job is to inform Lord Arad or his wives of such concerns. I did inform Lady Ae about this, and she asked for you toe visit Arad''s house to speak with her. Why didn''t you go?" The vige chief stared at the noble. "That and this are different matters. You''re the vige chief of this area. This is something you do," The noble red at him. "No, it''s not my job. Speak with Lady Ae, or wait for Lord Arad to arrive," The vige chief replied. CLACK! The noble punched the table, "I''m saying you''ll sign it..." ZEEEEEEE! The front door slowly opened up with a painful creek as if it hadn''t oiled in decades. From the opening, a ck goat red inside with glowing purple eyes. "MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" **** Back in the tavern, the squirrel jumped from the ceiling,nding in front of the stout man. The man looked at the small creature with a smile, "What are you doing here? I don''t have any food for you," He looked at the squirrel with a smile, but soon he started to feel that something was off as he stared into the tiny creature''s glowing purple eyes. ZON! With a thud and a gust of warm air, arge shadow fell over the stout man. "You''ve been shopping around for a while. Did you lose something?" Arad bent forward, ring down at the man. CLACK! The man gasped, standing, and stepped backward, dropping his chair, "Wait! What are you?!" He cried. "Lord Arad!" The bartender gasped, seeing Arad''s massive body appear out of nowhere in the middle of his tavern. "Heard the bartender, who''s you''re looking for?" Arad took a step toward the man. "Nothing, I''m just rxing around..." The man tried to exin himself, but Arad extended his hand forward, pushing two fingers into the man''s mouth. CRACK! He pulled a tooth out, and the man cried, rolling on the ground. "I already know you''ve been looking for people to buynd around the vige. Who said you can do that in mynd?" Arad squatted beside the man''s head, staring at him, rolling on the ground in pain. "You''ve been the least troubling one, so I''ll let you off with this. Next time, I''m pulling them all out," Arad tapped the man''s head then stood, "Get the hell out of mynd." ZON! He teleported away.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om **** "I''m not selling," The old woman cried, taking a step back, "Leave me alone, I need to go home," "I''m telling you, this is one of the best deals you''ll ever find. Just imagine a nice house..." The man kept talking, cutting her way until he heard something. "Hoo? The best deal?" Arge shadow came from behind the old woman, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "What''s this one talking about, Grandma Zir." The old woman gasped, looking up to see Arad''s head towering over her. "Lord Arad!" Arad looked at her with a smile, "It''s been a while. Is this man bothering you?" "He''s wanting me to sell my house. You own it, right?" She said with a worried face. Arad nodded, "I do indeed," His eyes shifted toward the man, "So why can''t you understand that? You''ve been bothering her for a while," "Sorry, if it isn''t a deal then it isn''t," The man turned around, walking away as fast as he could. "Sorry for any trouble," As the man raced away, he got stopped in ce as Arad hugged him from the back, grabbing him by the neck. "Twenty-five person''s you''ve approached while I wasn''t here. From them, you forced fifteen to sell you thend that they don''t own. Am I wrong, Mr R," Arad looked straight at the fat rat standing on the barrels in the corner. The rat shook his head in agreement. "Twenty-six, I didn''t count Grandma Zir," Arad smiled. "Sorry about that. I''ll leave the vige at once." The man was about to start crying. "What about the ones that sold their houses?" Arad whispered, "You''re giving those back, right?" "I don''t own them anymore. They''ve already been re-sold to nobles..." He replied. "Oh my, you don''t own thend that you should be returning. That shouldn''t be a problem. You also bought it from people that don''t own it." Arad giggled. "We''re keeping the houses and the money you paid my people. You''ll figure out how to deal with the nobles on your own. After you heal your fingers," "Fingers?" The man gasped. Arad stared at Mr R., "Call everyone, eat his fingers and toes then throw him outside the vige. Make sure to eat slowly so you don''t choke," A swarm of rats rushed out of the streets and barrels, dragging the screaming man into the shadows. Arad turned around and approached Grandma Zir, "Here you go," He put the small gold pouch in her hand, "He seemed to have forgotten about this. It''s yours now." "Are you sure about this?" She asked, staring at the gold with a worried face. "I''m sure," Arad smiled, "Come on, I''ll get you to your house," He touched her shoulder, teleporting to her house. She looked around and turned to Arad with a smile. "Thank you, son." "Don''t mind it. I''m back so call me if you need any help." ZON! Arad teleported away. **** In the chief''s house, they all looked at the door and saw the goat staring at them. "A goat?" The noble gasped. Above the goat''s head, Arad''s face popped out, staring at them with the same re as the animal below him, and soon another Arad appeared above Arad with the same re. "Lord Arad?!" The vige chief gasped, "Two?!" "You," Lower Arad said, "Own?" Upper Arad said, "A part of?" Lower Arad added, "Mynd?" And the upper one added. "GAHH!" Arad exhaled a gust of smoke as his eyes turned ck, "Your name isn''t Zephyr or Loci, is it?" Chapter 707 Lets hear what the king has to say Chapter 707 Let''s hear what the king has to say ??"You are!" The two nobles gasped, and Arad''s faces disappeared. "I see," The two Arads appeared sitting on the couch beside the vige chief, reading the document the nobles brought. "This paper looks old," Arad said. "But it feels off," Arad''s Gemini clone added. The nobles slowly turned toward Arad, sweating buckets. They didn''t n on him showing up, "Sorry about the intrusion. We have some things to take care of and must leave," One of them extended his hand forward to take the document off Arad''s hands. Arad''s eyes looked at the nobles with a purple sh, "I''ll ask someone who knows better than me," He said. ZON! Before anyone could notice, Arad teleported back to the wagon on Gin''s back. His clone followed him, carrying the two nobles. Theynded right in front of Baltos, who was drinking his medicine for his wounds. "Baltos, have a minute?" Arad asked. Baltos gasped, almost choking on water, as he saw Arad pop out of nowhere. At the same time, the two nobles instantly recognized Baltos. In fact, it was the first time they saw the king in a pajama. It''s a green one with several lettuce sketches on it. Arad handed the document to Baltos as he pointed back, "Those two ims they own a part of mynd," "Your Highness?!" One of the nobles cried. "This paper is forged. It''s not real," Baltos sighed, "I''ve seen tens of such things in my life," He put it on the table, "And even if it wasn''t forged. It''ll still mean nothing," He looked at Arad. "This is a kingdom, legally speaking. I own all of thends, and lease it to people I deems worthy. Since I gave you the area, it doesn''t matter if someone owned it before or not. It''s yours now." Baltos rxed on the couch. "The chain of ownership goes even deeper than that," He looked at Arad and the nobles. "I''ll exin it from the start. The true owners of thend are the gods. They''re the ones who created it in the first ce. Those gods granted dominion over it to the elemental high spirits to maintain order. Those spirits include Zephyr and the other royal spirits." Baltos pulled a pen from beneath the table and started drawing on the back of the fake document. "Those royal spirits naturally only owned their element. Zephyr for example should only own air, and the earth spirit all thend. But, just like human they trade with each other, and their domains are one of their currencies. Zephyr bought thisnd from the earth''s spirit either for an equivalent of her wind or for a favor." tos drawings were quite bad, but they got the message across. "After thousands of years, Zephyr got tired of managing thends, so she gave it to the humans and dark elves to live in. She didn''t ask for any payment besides some respect," Baltos drew the kingdom and their neighbors the dark elf kingdom, "Now, youe to where I own the human kingdomnd that Zephyr gifted to us," "And this is Loci''s back, so it''s more than justnd," Arad nodded, "It doesn''t matter who ims it theirs. You or Zephyr can always im it back," "Technically, it''ll be Loci as it''s her back," Baltos smiled, "We own thend Loci lives on, not her back. If we say it''s yours, it''s yours. Legal papers don''t matter here," Baltos smiled at the nobles. "imingnd is usually not a problem as it can be disputed, but forging documents like this, and especially picking troubles with Arad are serious crimes. It''s usually execution to the third degree," The two nobles paled. "What''s that?" Arad asked. "Execute them, their parents and siblings, their wives, their wives'' parents and siblings, and their adult children and grandchildren." Baltos stared at Arad, "But it''s yournd. I leave the ruling in your hand," Arad nodded, "Got it, thanks," He teleported away with the nobles. Baltos sighed, "I hope this ends well." He sipped his tea, ^The execution part is only there so people don''t get any fun idea and start a fight with Arad...Those two idiots did it even though they should''ve gotten a notice from Alina''s lord.^ He leaned back with a sigh, ^I don''t care what happens to them, as long as Arad doesn''t get pissed enough to st the kingdom as he did to d''s kingdom,^N?v(el)B\\jnn **** The two nobles woke up several minutester in their mansion. "GAH! Where are we?" One cried, looking to the side to see the other one asleep in the next bed. "My lord, you woke up," A maid opened the door and walked in. "What happened? We''re back here?" He gasped. "Lord Arad dropped you in the garden drenched in blood," She mumbled with a sad face. The noble looked down, seeing that he was missing both his hands and legs beneath the knee. "This!" He looked at the other noble, finding him in the same condition. "That bastard," He growled, "He won''t get away with this. Call Liona, we''ll get her family involved," The maid looked away, "Aboutdy Liona..." "What?" The noble''s face paled, "Where is she?" "Arad took her and your daughters. He took Sir Garnold''s wife and daughters as well. That includes your and his parents, aunts, and their children. You two are the only one left in the family," The maid said, looking away with a pale face. **** Back in the vige, Arad pped his hand, "So!" He said with a smile staring at the two noble families, "As per Baltos''s judgment, you should be executed, but I don''t think that''s a fitting punishment, I mean you''re basically innocent." He pointed at a house in the back, "I''ll be keeping you here for a month to give them a scare. You won''tck anything so rx and enjoy your stay," Everyone stared at each other, confused. ^The nobles shouldn''t find it expensive to heal their hands and legs with potions, but it''ll hurt their wallets well. And for this, it was Doma''s idea. Said it''ll teach them how hopeless they are if they spend a month contemting what they lost.^ "Sebas, keep them locked here and provide them with everything they might need. Don''t let anyone know they are here until a month passes, at that point send them back home." Arad said, giving Sebas a thumbs up. "You trust me?" Sebas stared at Arad, "You should already know," "I do, and you protected Ignis, I''ll trust you." "As you order," Sebas bowed, "I''ll make sure it''s done," Arad quickly turned toward the noble family with a smile on his face, "If you wonder why, he tried to scam my people out of theirnd and homes. He even sent several agents through the vige and scammed over fifty people. My animal familiers and I caught him and his men in action so there is no denying it." He then pointed toward Sebas, "My butler here is quite strong, so don''t rx and don''t try to escape, unless you want to end up dead," Sebas looked around and found a finger-sized stone on the ground and picked it up. In front of everyone, he munched it like candy. ZON! He teleported away, letting the nobles'' families in Sebas''s care. Aradnded in his backyard, looking around only to see Gin finally making it through the forest. "It took you some time," He waved his hand to her. "Mountainousnd, the knights and bandit guards slowed me down," She looked at the exhausted men beneath her wings. Arad looked at them with a puzzled face, "You tired?" He pointed toward the mountain, "You''re climbing that," He pointed. As the men''s faces paled, Gin smiled, "Air on a high peak where you can perch and survey yournd. A seven thousand steps," "Steps?" A soldier gasped, "That''s seven thousand meters in the air! How are we climbing that?" "One tiny step at a time," Arad looked at them with a stern face, "Get moving!" He shouted, and as soon as they started to move, he burstughing. "I''m joking, joking," He looked at them with a smile, "I know you''re dead tired. You''ll only have to climb Gin''s wing. I''ll take care of the rest," Gin lowered her wings for them, and they slowly climbed onto her back, leaving the horses down. Arad approached Gin and touched her w, "Merlin, is everything stable on your end?" He called, and Merlin replied from the door of the wagon on Gin''s back. "Go for it," [Void Step] ZON! In the blink of an eye, Gin and everyone found themselves standing in the middle of Arad''s castle yard, surrounded by walls at the peak of the mountain. Arad panted, "That was at the upper limit," He gasped for air, "I probably shouldn''t do it again," Arad usually can only carry up to his body weight in each void step. The people weren''t a problem, but Gin almost broke his back. "You okay?" Gin stared at him, "I told you it''s not going to be easy," "Then lose some weight," Arad sat down, "It''s not my problem to worry about carrying you around, is it?" "Those are muscles and bones. I''m lighter than most dragons my age," She stared at him. "Then learn gravity magic and make yourself lighter." Arad stared back at her. "That doesn''t matter now," She lowered her wing, "Let''s get everyone down and settled first," Arad stood, "I''ll leave that for you. It seems that works await me," He looked at the corner of the yard, seeing a massive muscr man standing ten meters tall with long white hair and a beard, wearing a white cloth that looked as if it was from ancient Rome. Chapter 708 Gathering of Powers Chapter 708 Gathering of Powers ??"You are!" Gin gasped, her ws extending forward. "He isn''t here to fight," Arad lifted his hand to stop Gin and walked toward the man, "You aren''t the only one here," The giant manughed, "You''re as perceptive as I heard, Arad Orion," He extended his hand toward Arad for a shake. "I''m Zeus, ruler of the Storm Titans." Arad looked up at him, "I know you already shrunk yourself with magic, but is ten meters the best you could do?" "I expected to meet you in a draconic form," Zeus shrunk even further until he became ten feet tall, "This is the smallest I can get," Arad grabbed Zeus''s hand, "It''s enough to fit through the doors. Wee to mynd." "Old man Zeus, are you trying to get ahead of us?" A voice came from atop the Keep. A seven-foot tall man with ming hair stared down with wide-open eyes, "YOU CAN''T!" He shouted with a smile, jumping down andnding beside Arad and Zeus. "You look strong!" He shouted, staring at Arad while standing tall with his chest puffed forward and his hands on his hips, sparks of fire gushing out of his body. "You as well," Arad replied, "From the fire, I suspect you''re from the volcanic titans?" "You know about us?!" Heughed, "I''m ttered." "You''re loud," Zeus sighed, "At least introduce yourself, brat." The brat''s head turned toward Zeus with a wide smile, "Sorry, Uncle Zeus. I forgot," He then quickly turned toward Arad, "My name is Tempo, the first prince of the volcanic titans. Father is bedridden from old age, so I''m currently taking on everything." ^Fire, heat, a burning spirit.^ Arad stared at Tempo for a second, ^He''s strong,^ "Arad! A nice castle you built here!" He looked around with a grin, "Reminds me of our mountains. Probably one of the best I''ve seen!" Tempo said in a loud voice. He didn''t seem to know how to speak without shouting. Like an exploding volcano, he''s either silent or too loud. "It''s half-built," Arad stared at him with a passive face. "Are you messing with me?" "No!" Tempo looked at Arad, his head quickly turning, "I like simple things, a massive Keep above a mountain with a wall surrounding it. It''s simple, easy to understand, yet effective in defending! That''s why I say it''s beautiful," "I still intend to finish building it. It''ll probably get uglier for you then," Arad tried to keep up. "I''ll try to understand the beauty inplicated things by then. Don''t me me If I failed." Arad sighed. ^I can''t keep up with this idiot,^ "Tempo," A deep voice came from the other side of the yard. A ten-foot-tall man with several green scales, flowing blond hair, a long majestic beard, and deep blue eyes approached. "You''re too loud, too hot. I''ll drench you with water again," "Uncle Jason, it''s been a while!" Tempo kept yelling every word. Jason approached Arad, extending his hand, "I''m the current king of the Deep Titans. We live at the bottom of the ocean." Arad shook Jason''s hand with a smile, "I''d love to visit one day," He then looked between the three titans. ^Zeus is a titan of storm,^ Doma added after him, ^[He mainly has lightning and wind magic. His main weapon is a lightning spear and usually marches intobat engulfed in a violent thunderstorm.]^ ^Tempo is a titan of volcanos.^ ^[He has the earth and fire magic, albeit he was never spotted in a fight. Rumors have it that he''s quite a formidable swordsman, and he''s loud, screaming every move, and could easily be baited into chatting instead of fighting.]^ ^Jason is a titan of the ocean,^ ^[He has water and cold magic. Their kind are known for ruling over the murfolks, fishpeople as some call them. Unlike the other two, he isn''t known for fighting but for how his kind usually helps the ships lost in the sea and helps them reachnd. But, people who managed to anger him tend to vanish silently without a trace.]^ "Those who forgot the path of god," A booming void echoed in the sky above, and everyone looked up, seeing a blinding ray of light fall from the sky. A six-foot muscr man with massive white wings and a blinding golden halo above his head floated down, dripping with holy magic. "Pray to your gods, as their words have arrived," He pulled a sword of light. ^The bastard is charging a smite?!^ Arad gasped, his muscles contracting as he was ready to fly and punch the shiny bastard down. FLAP! A simr muscr man with ck wings and a dark halo above his head rushed in and smacked the shiny one to the ground before Arad could move. "You bastard! Put that sword up your ass. We''re in a neutral zone!" Zeus approached Arad, "Rx, they aren''t stupid enough to start a fight here, probably." He sighed, "The shiny one is Lucifer, the ruler of the half angels. And the ck-winged one is Gabriel, the ruler of the half-fallen angels," "Angels? Fallen angels?" Arad stared at him, "You sure?" "Don''t ask me. Ask the humans who love sticking it everywhere." Zeus sighed. Jason approached, "About five thousand years ago, the god and abomination war happened. As mortals couldn''t fight alone, the gods sent their armies of angels, devils, and fallen angels to the front lines. You can imagine how the rest ended," ^[Those who disy angelic features are called half-angels. Those who don''t but have the magic are called either A-simar for half-angels or D-simar for half-fallen-angels.]^ Doma exined in Arad''s head. She thenughed. ^[It''s funny how those two are named. I bet their parents did it on purpose.]^ Gabriel turned toward Arad, "Congrattions on defeating d, but it''s quite troublesome to have Zephyr sealed. We need to figure a way to get her out as soon as possible," "I''m already analyzing the magic of the seal. It''s only a matter of time," Arad replied. "We know that, and it''s not about getting her out." Gabriel replied, "It''s about putting in the work. We can''t just sit and wait for you to get her out," "So you want to help?" Arad smiled, "I could benefit from magic books if you have any," Gabriel stared at Arad for a second then smiled, "Feel free to visit us and read from our library," Lucifer stood and approached Arad, "Same here, but send a word first. Other half-angels might fight your presence a little, bitter to say the least." Arad imagined himself flying into the half-angelnd and then flying at him like a swarm of bees shing smites left and right. "Yeah, that''ll hurt," "Where are the hags at?" Jason asked with a straight face. "They went to Alina. Said they have someone to meet there," Gabriel replied. "Hags?" Arad looked at them. "The chromatic dragons'' queen L, and the metallic dragons'' queen Mary. Even the eternal queen of the beastmen, Hati Fenris¨²lfr is here." A voice came from above the building, and when Arad looked up, it was none other than the wind devil, that masked little brat sitting above the walls of the Keep, looking down at the chaos. "The queen is here?!" Gin gasped. Arad looked at her, "Get everyone inside for now, I''ll handle everything here," "Got it," She replied as she went toward the keep. As per Arad''s order, it was built with a massive gate that even allows dragons to reasonably get inside with a slight use of size magic. The wind devil, Chris jumped down andnded beside Arad, "How are you doing?" "Fine for the time being," Arad replied with a smile. "I''m d you''re all right. The fight with d must''ve been hard," He looked around, "Mostly everyone has arrived." "What about the other spirits?" Zeus asked. "The goddess Mei sent an order for them to stand down. I''m to be their representative," Chris sighed, "I hate my job." "Mei? I feel like I''ve heard that name before." Arad mumbled. "A one-foot tall, green, and cheeky little fairy that wears flowers for clothes and has enough power to kill everyone here by just wanting to," Chirs looked at Arad, "And she''s allegedly Zephyr''s grandmother," "She sounds like trouble," "She is, probably more than you expect," Chris replied with a tired face. "She''s worse than L," Zeus sighed. "The chromatic queen is..." Tempo mumbled, "At least painful..." He looked down. Arad turned toward him with a surprised face. ^Tempo is speaking calmly?!^ ^[The chromatic queen can use all chromatic elements and is the one who gave birth to the prismatic dragons, the light dragons. She''s energetic, explosive, bright and shy, annoying, and on top of everything, arrogant as hell. Some even came to call the st Rainbow Dragon.]^ ^How strong she is?^N?v(el)B\\jnn ^[When you mix fire and lightning you get sma, and you know how strong Eris can get. See those titans? Each of them is strong but only has two elements to y with. Now imagine a very old drakaina that surpassed twilight, has all the elements, and the light element on top.]^ "So he''s here?!" Another loud voice boomed from the sky as a rainbow light fell down, shining like a sun in the sky. Arad looked up, seeing a tall woman, wearing a rainbow- colored wizard robe, with long rainbow hair and eyes, her sharp teeth shined as a wide smile crossed her face. Enough magic flowed out of her to make him feel sick, standing on top of his Keep. Those idiots got something for that spot. "That''s her," Chris sighed. "None of us would survive a rampage, don''t tickle her the wrong way," "I know," Arad replied. Chapter 709 I want Knowledge

Chapter 709 I want Knowledge

"Do you mind getting down so we can talk?" Arad said, staring at L with a passive face. "I don''t. I like to stare down at people while talking with them." She smiled, ring down at Arad with waves of magic flowing out of her body like a blinding light. CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! Mary appeared behind Arad and walked past him, staring up with a tired face, "L, get down," She sighed. Arad''s eyes shifted toward Mary, ^The metallic queen, since when did she get here? I didn''t sense her.^ "I''ll never stand on the same level as one of Sofia''s descendants, especially not this young brat," L replied with a shout,ughing her guts off, "I''m stronger than her," "Who''s Sofia?" Arad asked with a passive face, confused. "The chromatic dragon goddess, Tiamat. She''s the progenitor of void dragons like yourself," Mary looked at him, "She''s your kind'' great great grandma," "She can''t be stronger than Tiamat," Arad sighed, and Chris closed his mouth, "Stop! Don''t tick her off," L growled, "I''m stronger than her," Mary smiled, staring at L with a grin, "Just admit it, neither of us can beat Sofia. Probably even if both of us joined powers we''ll still lose." "Speak for yourself. I didn''t give up yet," Lughed, but then a hand with long red nails grabbed her by the head. "You''re as noisy as ever, colorful iguana." From behind L, a beast woman appeared. A red-eyed, nine-tailed white Fenrir woman, the only one of her kind. The eternal ruler of beastmen. "Hati," L growled, "I don''t want to hear that from you," "You two! Come down," Mary sighed, "We still have work to do. You can yter," "Is this all of you?" Arad looked around, trying to sense if more of them wereing. "That''s all of us. The rest already spoke to us," Chris replied, "We can start the meeting," "Please follow me then. The meeting room is inside," Arad walked toward the keep. He blinked, looking inside the keep from the eyes of bugs inside. ^It''s well-built.^ Everyone sat around the roundtable of the meeting hall, with Arad taking the host''s seat at the front, looking around at everyone. All of them sat around the table except L, who sat upside down on a chair hanging to the ceiling with magic. Arad looked toward L. ^How isn''t her skirt falling? Gravity magic, probably [Reverse Gravity]^ "I''m not much of a talker," Arad said, "But let''s start with hearing everyone''s opinions. Keep in mind that I''m not giving Zephyr to anyone," "A dragon saying that?" L stared down at him from the ceiling, giggling, "Wealth belongs to those strong enough to rob it. That would include the right to protect and free Zephyr," "Don''t dangle meat in front of her. She''s an idiot, so she''ll bite it," Hati looked at Arad with a smug face. "Nobody is taking her," Mary stated, "You won''t be fighting Arad. You''ll fight me," "Don''t we fight all the time? Nothing new," L smiled, "I don''t intend to bully him anyway. It''s a disgrace," "Bully me? Want to test it out?" Arad said, staring at L with a passive face. "I''ll assist you!" Tempo shouted with a smile, "I always wanted to fight a dragon. Can we cut her tails?" "She has more than one?" Arad stared at Tempo. "Sometimes she shows up with two, and sometimes with five. No one knows how many tails she has! I want to cut them," Tempo looked at L with burning eyes, "Want to fight?" "Arad!" Chris whispered to him, "Are you an idiot? Leave her alone, she''ll kill us all," "You younglings are always hot-blooded," Zeus giggled, "Maybe dying in a fight against the dragon queen is a fitting end. My lightning bolts are with you," "Don''t join in, you old fart!" Christ shouted at him, "You''re supposed to be the wise old grandpa," "Age is a good way to gauge your strength," Hati looked at Arad with a smile, "Mary and L surpassed their twilight. Not even great Wyrm magic dragons have a chance to fight them. They gave birth to those monsters, after all. You''re still only a juvenile. It won''t even be a fight, just one-sided bullying," "That''s why I say it''s disgraceful," L growled, "Also, I smell that her on you," She stared at Arad. "Smell who?" Arad looked at her. "She''s right," Mary mumbled, "She''ll probablye if we start fighting him," "Who are you talking about?" Arad sighed. "That doesn''t matter now," L sighed, "Let''s talk about Zephyr''s seal," Arad pulled Zephyr''s cube out of his stomach and sent it floating in the middle of the table. "As you can see, this tiny cube holds a lot of space and time magic. It also strangely absorbs and releases mana passively," "It''s one of those things that we used to catch abominations. She got caught in one of them?!" L gasped, "Is she an idiot?" "Said the woman who was caught in them seven times," Mary sighed. "I broke free on my own," L growled. "Don''tpare your damage output to Zephyr. Compare your smartness," Mary red at her. "Can''t we contact Zephyr inside?" Zeus stared at the cube with glowing blue eyes, "We can use the magic leaking from it," "We already tried that, but the cube twists the scripts of magic and turns it back into mana upon crossing. We can''t contact Zephyr," Arad replied, "Merlin has been testing that for the past two weeks," "The archmage of Alina," Jason turned toward Arad, "Isn''t that Lilia''s student?" "Lilia," Arad sighed, remembering that red-haired half-halfling, "The one ruling the mage tower." "Lilia should be able to break the cube open," Hati waved her hand, staring at them with a thinking face, "But what worries me," "The price," L growled, "That woman never works for free. And her prices are always unpayable," "Can''t we just st it open?" Tempo asked. "That shows how young you are," Lucifer stared at him. "Lucifer is right," Gabriel nodded, "You''ll harm Zephyr inside, at worst might end up killing her." "Do you have any ns for the future?" Mary stared at Arad, "I would love for us to work closely on this case," "In fact, I have ns for theing years." Arad looked at her, "As stated before, I''m still too young and inexperienced about the world, its rules, arts, and magic. I barely understand how to use my own powers." "You aren''t going on a pilgrimage or something?" Zeus stared at him. "No," Arad shook his head, "I''m doing what every kid should," He stared at them, "I''m going to school. The great university of the arts," "It''ll cause trouble if they knew you''re Arad Orion, the one who sted d''s kingdom. I doubt nobles would send their children knowing you''re there." Jason sighed, "You''ll cause the university to close for the year," "Not that many people know how I look, so I''ll go in with an alias," "Have you decided on a name?" Mary asked. "I have thought of two cases," Arad looked at them, "The first is that I''ll go with how I look now and only change my name. I''ll probably pick a generic name and a backstory, probably even get Baltos to pull some strings." "And what''s the second case?" Zeus stared at him. "This," Arad''s body started smoking as magic rushed out of him. His massive body shrunk down, and his hair grew longer, taking on a shade of purple and pink. [Virgo] "I''ll take this form," Arad''s voice shifted into that of a woman, "This disguise would cut any ties I have with my true nature. I bet none could find out who I am even with magic," Everyone stared at him, bbergasted, "Even his magic and aura shifted," Lucifer sighed, "I admit, even I wouldn''t be able to tell if I didn''t know he''s Arad beforehand," "I can maintain [Virgo] all day long as it doesn''t consume that much magic. But I''ll be limited in what power I can output," Arad replied. "I mean, this is a solution." Mary stared at him, "But can''t you just use your natural shapeshifting ability?" "It''s quite hard," Arad looked at her, "I still haven''t figured out how to do that," "Are you an idiot?" Hati stared at Mary, "Arad is smart, but that doesn''t mean he can shift thews of nature. His void develops alongside aging. It''s not something he can rush. Most dragons can''t get their shapeshifting ability until they reach the adult stage." "He''s in human form," Mary red back at Hati. "I bet that''s only a preloaded form his mother made for him. To shapeshift, you need knowledge about bodies. I doubt he studied medicine or the shapeshifting magic," Gabriel stared at Arad then back at Mary, "You metallic dragons have education for decades since you''re at the very young stage. Don''t expect him who only lived for a few months to be able to use shapeshifting out of the blue." "That''s why I''m going to school," Arad said in the back, "Instead of having a childhood, studying, and figuring my life out, I''m here dealing with crazed vampires and world peace. Give me a break, or do you want me to turn into a destruction monster that only cares about amassing power?" "You''re strangely aware of that," Lucifer looked at him with a pained smile, "I''m sure it was tiring," Arad''s body shifted back to his original form as he canceled [Virgo] "I''m no longer a baby. I want power," Arad sighed, "This statement is fundamentally wrong," He red at them, pulling Zephyr''s cube toward him and sucking it back into his stomach. "I don''t need more power," "I''ll change it," He lifted his hand, creating a small [Ho-white Nova] on his palm. "This is my life. I want to live peacefully and raise my children. To maintain that peace, I need knowledge." The [Ho-white Nova] grew from a pea-sized into a fist-sized ball of purepressed energy, sending waves of heat through the room. Mary looked around, ^He''s shaking space itself in a radius of 40 km. It''s a warning that he''s capable of ripping it all to shreds,^ N?v(el)B\\jnn L stared at Arad with glowing eyes. ^Defensive magic is useless when the space itself gets ripped apart. Magic dragons are always a pain,^ "I want to study in peace." He growled. "Nobody is going to take that from you," Hati stared at him with a smile, "The young lion cub finally discovered that he needs to eat meat instead of grass," "Your kind is called magic dragons for a reason," Zeus stared at him with a smile, "Calm down. We wouldn''t be sitting here if we weren''t on your side," Arad clenshed his fist, snuffing the [Ho-white Nova] "So, what do you intend on studying there? A way to free Zephyr?" Jason looked at Arad, "It won''t be easy. I doubt you''ll find a solution in a year or two," "I''m leaving that part to Merlin. What I''m saying is that I''ll be focusing on studying what I want instead of what I need to save the kingdom or free Zephyr." Arad replied. "And what would that be?" Mary stared at him. "Magic in general, especially gravity, earth, curses, time, and space." He turned his head toward L, "Alchemy, crafts, martial arts, bardic arts, and most importantly," His eyes shed purple, "Medicine and flesh arts," "I understand flesh arts, but medicine was dropped as a form of study decades ago and was reced with alchemy and healing magic. Shouldn''t studying those be better?" Chris stared at him. "Healing magic relies on holy magic and the gods. But I might be able to mix medicine with my blood magic and achieve something," Arad smiled, "You could say it''s my own research," "So you''re already acting like a mage," Mary giggled, "Just make sure not to cause trouble in the university. People there are sensitive." "Mary already shared what she knows about the seal," L stood, "We''ll be conducting our own research and work with Merlin." "You''re already leaving?" Hati stared at her. "My daughter got herself caught in some troubles. I need to go," ZON! L disappeared in the blink of an eye. "That has to be Koi," Hati sighed, "I hope our supply of soap doesn''t get affected," She stood, "I''ll go check on them as well," "Wasn''t she with Caledonia?" Mary stood with a deep sigh. "I hope they didn''t break anything that can''t be fixed," Mary teleported in the blink of an eye. Hati pulled a long ss-like sword from her palm, "See you soon, Arad Orion," She swung the sword and cut a portal in the air. ^That portal isn''t magic...^ Arad immediately noticed. ^[Hati, the queen of beastmen controls eternity. This is probably an application of that power,]^ Doma exined in his head. "That only leaves us," Arad looked around, "Anyone wants some tea?" Chapter 710 Arad: The Insane Dragon

Chapter 710 Arad: The Insane Dragon

Ae stood in the kitchen when a crownded in the window, "KWAAA! Is it ready? KWAAA!" She turned toward him, "It''s ready. Send someone to pick it up." "Got it. KWAAA!" The crow replied. Since Arad arrived, he''s been in contact with Ae with his animals. He couldn''t stop at home due to the problems in the vige, and he sensed the guests waiting. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Arad," Mira walked into the kitchen, "Who''sing to pick the tea?" "KWAAA!" The crow pped his wings, "They''ve already arrived, KWAAA!" Several opesnded in the garden, over ten of them stared at the window, cackling like hyaenas. "Monsters? Yeah, the ones living at the peak," Ae recognized them from her trip with Arad to the mountain top. As monsters, opes only rank up to C-rank individually at best, and most of them are E-rank. But the fact they hunt inrge groups makes them as dangerous as A-rank monsters. "You sure we can trust them? Those things are wild," Mira looked at the crow. "KWAAA! Don''t worry. They won''t risk getting eaten by me." Arad replied, "And Ae isn''t someone they want to mess with either," As an elf attuned to forests, Ae has spent days patrolling the forest, killing rogue monsters that caused trouble and hunting for the goblins and kobolds inside the dungeon, as she didn''t want them crossing roads with adventurers. The silent killer of the forest, all monsters have learned to watch for the cold breeze, the gently whistling winds that always came before a spree of murder. The current monsters of the forest have already started teaching their offspring about Arad and his wives. Avoid angering the ck dragon, don''t mess with the green-eyed elf, if you see a shade of purple, run away without looking back, don''t tickle the ants, and don''t follow the sweet whistles of flutes. "They should all be giant monsters," Ae picked up arge pot filled with green tea and put it beside the window. "I hope this is enough," "I''m sure it isn''t, but a sip is a sip. We can''t send them barrels," Mira pulled severalrge mugs, tucked them into a bag, and tied it to the barrel. The opes grabbed the barrel and flew with it, racing to the mountain''s peak. **** FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! The flock of opes flew through the Keep''s windows andnded in the middle of the meeting table, one of them flying back to Arad andnding on his arm. "You were quite fast this time. Did you exhaust yourselves?" He stared at the monster''s eyes. "HooT CAAA!" "I see, Ae is a bit scary." Arad smiled, "Probably since I haven''t dropped by her yet," He lifted his arm, and the ope flew away, followed by the rest of the flock. Arad lifted his hand, moving the barrel and mugs with his gravity magic to each of the guests, pouring tea for them. "Elvish tea," Lucifer smelled the tea, "A good quality and made with care," "It''s amazing how this smells," Zeus smiled, "It''s been a while since I tasted elvish tea," "I drink it a lot, but this one is quite good." Chris took a sip. "I''m d you liked it," Arad waved his hand, and a doll appeared on his shoulder. "Aisha, you got it?" "Yeah, it''s ready," She pulled a small wrapped paper and poured the white powder inside into Arad''s tea. "That doesn''t smell nice," Chris stared at Arad''s cup. "No," Lucifer growled, "I''m sure that''s a toxin," "It looks worse than most poisons that I know," Gabriel stared at Arad''s cup, "You aren''t drinking that, are you?" "I''m just guessing, but that pure white crystallized powder reminds me of dracotoxin." Jason pointed at the doll on Arad''s shoulder. "You''re right," Arad stirred the tea with his finger, "This is dracotoxin, grade A." "I made it," Aisha said on Arad''s shoulder, puffing her chest with pride. Arad lifted the mug, drinking half of it. "Do you want to die? That specifically kills dragons!" Lucifer stood, pointing his hand at Arad and getting ready to cast detoxification magic. "No need to worry," Arad finished the rest of the mug, "I''ve been drinking it for the past week to build tolerance. Now at worst, it gives me a headache," "No, drinking that would kill even a wyrm," Lucifer growled. "Don''t worry," Aisha replied with a creepy simile, "Even if he were to stand at death''s door, I can fix him with an antidote. Dracotoxins are made specifically to kill dragons. Thus no dragon is immune or resistant to them. In fact, they are weak." "Humans are amazing, aren''t they?" Arad smiled, pouring a second mug of tea, "To fight us, the monsters that far surpass them in power and magic, they developed such deadly weapons from mere herbs and roots." Aisha pulled another dose of toxin, pouring it into Arad''s second mug. She then quickly pulled another does and added it. "Wait! You''re not making it stronger," Chris gasped. "I''m indeed making it stronger." Aisha stared at him, "This would kill Arad in several minutes if he doesn''t take an antidote," Arad downed the mug in one gulp. ck veins spread from his lips to his neck, and strands of his hair started turning white as they fell off. From his stomach, he pulled a small stove and several pots of herbs and ssware. He ignited the me, poured some water into one of the sses, and started mixing the herbs as blood traped from his eyes and ears. "This one is easy. It attacks small blood vessels and causes them to wither and burst. The worst case is a brain aneurysm," Arad lifted the boiling ss and drank it on the spot. Arad''s bleeding stopped, and his hair started growing back as the ck veins on his face reclined. "Now this feels much better," He smiled. "Good job, I want to give you a full mark, but you wasted some ingredients and took a bit longer than you should have." Aisha giggled, "8/10, you''re only repeating what you memorized from me. Your knowledge about alchemy is just as shallow as a cook following recipes without understanding how the ingredients work together and why they do work together." "If I got that knowledge then I would be able to subsidize ingredients, modify antidots, and create new ones or powerful toxins, and on top of everything, I might be able to shorten the brewing time," Arad said, looking at everyone. "You can even create secondary costume ingredients and store them for useter. Like sauces and broth in cooking, that would be a way to shorten the brewing time," Aisha tapped Arad''s shoulder. As everyone stared at Arad, they could only think of one thing. ^He''s insane. Who uses themself as a test subject?!^ Arad pulled arge jar of blue powder and poured from it into his mug until he filled it halfway, then started pouring tea over it. "Hoi!" Tempo screamed, "How much poison do you intend to put in that tea?!" Arad turned toward him with glowing purple eyes as he stirred the tea with his finger, releasing a blue smoke. "You got it wrong," Arad said. "What?" Tempo gasped. "I''m not putting poison in my tea. I''m putting tea in my poison to make it easier to drink," Arad''s eyes shed with a purple light as he stared down at the mug, "That''s not as much smoke as it should," He lifted the jar and poured more poison in. "Halt! You madman!" Zeus shouted. "This is an anti-magic toxin. It attacks the magic circuit in the body, as the mages call it. Monks call them meridians." Arad lifted the mug and gave a sniff. It smells horrid and is as thick as honey. "Want to try it?" He showed them the mug. Everyone shook their head, "Throw that shit away," "Your loss," Arad gulped the mug down, blue veins spread through his body as his magic spiked and dropped rapidly. He started releasing massive waves of uncontrolled magic as the toxin ripped his meridians apart. "The idiot might explode!" Lucifer stood with his arms extended forward, ready to form a shield. Arad started brewing the antidote based on Aisha''s instruction as his body rapidly reached a critical stage. After half a minute of everyone hiding behind Lucifer''s shield awaiting for Arad to explode and st the whole mountain to ash, he finally finished the antidote and drank it. Arad''s chaotic magic quickly stabilized as the blue veins faded from his body, "Now I''m good at this." He smiled. "You''re indeed good, I give this 9.5/10." Aisha smiled. "Since it doesn''t mess with my nerves, I can really focus when measuring ingredients." Arad lifted one of the ingredient jars and stared at the guests through it, "I almost got it perfect." ZON! Behind Arad, Zia wearing a nun outfit appeared out of a ssh of blood. "I clean this, master," She reached over the table and started collecting Arad''s brewing equipment. From Arad''s back, several vampire nuns and maids walked out to clean the ground from blood and store everything that Zia collected from the table. "I get maids, but why nuns?" Chris sighed, staring at Arad. "They already had a maid outfit from d, but I know nothing about the nun outfit, besides that I borrowed one for Zia from the capital nuns." He replied. "Is that a reason? And where did they get the rest?" Zia turned toward Chris, "It''s because Arad told me it suits me," Zia replied with a smile, "So I thought my best chance of seducing him is using a nun''s outfit," "That''s the worst reason I''ve heard in my life," Chris stared at her, "And it doesn''t exin them," He pointed at the other nuns. "They are cut into two groups," She replied, "Half is like me, and the other half are people that were pulled out of d''s blood and didn''t want to pass on," "They are some of the human sacrifices that d had. They either didn''t want to pass on and die, or couldn''t due to lingering regret and ended up being born anew as vampires." Arad was the one to exin. One of the nuns approached, "I was a nun for Amaterasu before, but my prayers don''t reach her now." She said looking at Arad, "Abandoned by life and the gods, I''ve only got one person to pray to," "You aren''t running for demi-god status, are you?" Zeus gasped. "What''s that even? I''m not, they are just fooling around," Arad replied, "And Eris acts as a mediator between them and Amaterasu, I don''t know how they mixed me in the middle," Chapter 711 Invitations Chapter 711 Invitations ??Arad stared back at the guests now that the nuns and maids cleaned the table in front of him. "As we finished discussing Zephyr''s matter, do you have anything else to add?" Arad looked at the gusts with a smile. "Don''t drink poison," Lucifer sighed. "I can''t do that," Arad replied, "I''ll keep at it to build my resistance, and Alchemy is quite fun," "The tea is delicious! Without Poison!" Tempo shouted. He then turned toward Arad, "By the way, mind if I joined you?!" "Joined in what? Drinking poison?" "No, that''s disgusting! Probably painful! I''m talking about the University of the Arts!" Tempo stared at Arad with white glowing eyes. "A titan joining a human university?" "You''re a DRAGON!" "I can''t fault you then, do what you want." Arad smiled, "I''m not going alone anyway," "You have people to go with!" Tempo smiled. "My wives are joining as well, but I also invited two of my friends, and they epted." Arad already sent some crows to rely on the message. **** Jackughed, looking at the crow that sat on the window, "That sounds fun. I''m sure a lot of richdies attend there." CLENSH! Lydia grasped him from the back, "I''ll cut it off." She said with a smile. "Want to join?" Jack turned toward her with a smile, sweating. "Of course, I heard their religious section is quite good." She tapped Jack''s shoulder, "And I was joking. I don''t really care about monogamy or polygamy. Amaterasu never said anything about that. But I''ll cut any woman that tries to swindle you away," "I''m counting on you." **** "Sister, want toe as well?" Abel looked back at Sara, who was working on some papers. "The great university of the arts?" She looked at him, "It''s a good chance to snatch some young talents off there," She smiled, "I''ll have my work here handled by someone else," Able smiled, "I hear Jack ising as well. We''ll have a fun time hunting for hoes," "Don''t," Sara sighed, "Lydia would kill him and banish you back to the hells with one smite," "You''ll take her out of it, won''t you?" Abel giggled, "I mean, she''s now stuck like you," "Unlike me, she''s still pulling Amaterasu''s holy magic through thedy. I can only reach thedy''s holy magic," Her eyes glow with a golden light, "And I can''t ess thedy''s curse while she can." "How horrifying could she get," Abel sighed, "We''ll try to sneak around her. I wonder if I can get Arad to join," "I''m sure his wives areing as well. Do you want Ae to pierce your skull with an arrow across the campus?" Sara put her pen down, "Don''t forget that Eris could use holy magic as well," Abel sighed, "It''s going to be hard to have fun," **** FLAP! FLAP! A snow owl flew across the frozen tundra andnded in a man''s arm, "HOOT!" Gojo smiled, his eyes glowing blue, "I see. Brother wants to join the University of the Arts," He looked back at the growing city behind him, ^Things are going well, time to spend some quality time with little brother.^ "I''m sure it''s been a long trip for you, being sent from Ruris capital to here. Rest and eat," Gojo sent the owl flying as he walked toward his city, "I''ll set off immediately," **** "So we''re studying together," Arad looked at Tempo, "I hope you don''t intend on attending the way you look now," Tempo''s hair was a burning me. His entire body was filled with red burning cracks simr tova rivers. "I still need to head back and have our wizard make me a human body, But it isn''t a problem!" Tempoughed, "d to be your ssmate, Arad Orion!" "Don''t call me Arad there..." Arad replied, patting Aisha''s head. "What should I call you then? Uranus!" Arad thought about it for a while, "A name...Yuwaku Kyomu..." He stared at Tempo, "Call me Aron, Aron Kyomu." "Got it!" Tempo stood with a grin, "Aron, see you at school," He disappeared in a burst of mes. Arad looked aside, "That wasn''t teleportation," With a worried face, he thought. ^I saw him run out of the room, he''s that fast?! Even I can''t elerate like that unless I use [Time slow].^ "I''ll keep in contact," Zeus stood, "Feel free to visit us at any time," He looked at Arad. Arad smiled, "Hopefully you have some food and less trouble than Ruris''s capital," "Our capital is safe, no need to worry," Zeusughed as he disappeared in a lightning bolt. Arad turned toward the door, sweating, "This old man is faster than Tempo," "Don''t worry," Jason smiled, pulling a blue crystal out of nowhere, "I''m bad at moving on solid ground, I can''t run as fast as those two," "Is that a teleportation crystal?" "Homeward stone, it''s a single use but has a great range," Jason started clenching his hand on the crystal, "As Zeus said, my kingdom is open for you as well. Come visit. We have a lot of tasty food and fair mermaids. A dragon is bound to like that," CRACK! He shattered the crystal, disappearing. "Mermaids? Fish people?" Arad mumbled, "It might be interesting to visitter," "If you want to visit ournd," Lucifer smiled, "Be sure to call me first, half angels can be a bit, extreme to say the least," "Your kingdom is a ho nest to a vampire, I''ll not being there unless I need to," Arad replied, "I don''t want to get murdered by a flock of homicidal half-angel priests," "Don''t listen to that white-winged good for nothing,e to us instead, we have a lot of delicious food, strong drinks, and subuses of all kinds. Don''t worry about dying to them, we have regtions." Gabriel smiled, then he and Lucifer disappeared in the blink of an eye. "Want toe as well?" Arad asked. Chris shook his head, "No, I look like a kid and I have more important things to take care of. We''ll probably work togetherter now that you''re reaching the upper world," "It would''ve been fun to have you there," "I can''t really attend with this mask on my face," He tapped the mask on his face. "Can''t you remove it? I know hell and all of that is a problem, but can''t you do something about it with magic?" Arad looked at him. "I told you before that Zephyr made this mask. I doubt anyone would find a solution better than what she made," Chris replied, "Anyway, It''s better if I leave now. I still have to inform the spirits and all," "Well then, see youter," Arad smiled, and Chris started walking toward the door. "You aren''t flying away like the rest," Arad asked. "Why would I do that?" Chris looked at Arad, "There is no need to rush from here. I''ll fly when we''re outside," The two walked out. "See youter," Arad waved his hand as Chris flew away at a blinding speed. "It was a shorter meeting than I expected," Arad smiled, resting his fists on his hips. ^[Did you have to flex on them with the poison?]^ "What did you expect from a dragon? At the time, it seemed like the only that could impress them," Arad replied. ^[You horrified them,]^ "Arad!" Eris called walking out, "Did they leave?" "Yeah," He turned toward her, "Did everyone settle down?" "We''re still working on it. Baltos and his family did, but Gin is still moving the civilians down to the vige," Eris looked at Arad, "Can''t you sense that with your birds?" "The crows? I released them for now as they worked hard to find thend scammers in the vige," He smiled. "Find the what?" "Doesn''t matter, I already took care of that," Arad turned toward the keep and walked inside with Eris walking behind him, "What do you think about going to the University of the Arts?" "I never went to any school, I don''t know how I''ll do in there." She replied. "Really?" Arad stared at her, "I saw your handwriting before and it looked nice," "Handwriting isn''t a measure," She turned toward him, "Schools are expensive, most people don''t go. Only rich people or the talented go," "Who did go?" "I don''t know, but I''m sure Ae and Merida got a home teacher at some point. Mira didn''t go like me, and I bet that Isdis went to study," Eris said as they reached the hall''s door. Arad pushed it open and walked into the massive living room, seeing Baltos and Alcott facing each other, drinking tea. "The meeting ended?" Baltos stared at Arad. "It was a quick one. I felt like they only came to see me and then left. They weren''t that keep on discussing anything, just saying they''ll work remotely together to help," Arad replied. "That''s how they work," Alcott sighed, "They are enemies, don''t expect them to find it fun staying at the same ce. I''m sure they wanted to kill each other." "They didn''t leave that impression on me," Arad shook his head, "I could feel they didn''t get along, but I find it hard to say they hate each other. Especially the dragon queens and that nine- tailed woman," "You''re talking about L, Mary, and Hati. They are older than history and their rtion spans thousands of years," Jack looked at Baltos, "I read in some ancient text that they were married to the same man at one point," "The white mage, Cain Lisworth. He lived five thousand years ago in the war age," "No that," Alcott shook his head, "I''m talking about the overgod," "Is that even real? A god above gods?" Baltosbed his beard.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I heard that L gave birth to light dragons and Mary to time dragons from the overgod," Arad added, "And Tiamat to us void dragons," He sat beside them. "I don''t hear about Hati having any powerful offspring," Alcott scratched his head, "But her eternity is quite the power," "What''s eternity?" "Centuries pass without change, no thousands of years go by without a single thing shifting. Her power remains still, and so does her life, rule, magic, and dominance." Alcott looked at Arad, "You can''t harm her, she doesn''t consume mana to cast spells and doesn''t get tired. She''s immortal and can''t even be injured or moved over her will. Her kingdom is fated to never fall," "[I read in a book once that she robbed an immortal being of his immortality and made other people immortal with a poke of her ws.]" Doma created a mouth on Arad''s neck and spoke, "[Be careful, Arad. She''s as close to a god as a mortal can go,]" "I don''t intend on fighting her or the dragon queens. I can''t figure out a way to get around Mary''s time magic or L''s light speed. Now we have eternity, how strong are those old generation of the age of war?" He sighed. "You''re talking about several thousand years old people. Of course, they would''ve collected some busted skills in such a long time. You''ll get that strong if you live long enough, the important part is to survive." Alcott looked at Arad. Eris stared at them, "That''s that," She sat beside Arad, "What about going to school?" Alcott smiled, "I''ll get you in there," Chapter 712 Alcott Strikes Again

Chapter 712 Alcott Strikes Again

"I have some contacts there. I''ll get you into the new year at the start of spring." Alcott smiled, "But you''ll have to keep a low profile. That means no killing or causing trouble," "I already know that. It''s the whole reason I''m trying toe up with a way to hide my identity," Arad replied. "If they knew you''re Arad Orion, most nobles would pull their kids out of the university. That''ll cause the year to halt," Baltos looked at them, "I doubt they can trust the safety of their children with a kingdom sting dragon around." "Who do you intend to take?" Alcott asked. "Probably all of my wives," Arad replied. "Isdis can''t go with you." Baltos sighed, "She has already been there once. And she''s well known. She''ll either expose your identity or cause herself several bad rumors to start," Alcott nodded, "If people saw you with her and didn''t recognize you as her husband, they might start rumors about her cheating. That isn''t bad in itself. I doubt that such stories keep getting made about nobles and royalty all the time," "The real problem is that people would be afraid that her husband woulde raging to the university and st it to ash, and the nobles would pull their children away." Alcott looked at Arad with a grin. "It''s always them afraid of me sting the whole ce," Arad scratched his head. "Brother ising as well. I also invited Jack and Abel. Of course, that means Lydia and Sara are joining as well," "They won''t be a problem. If that all the ones going, it''ll be quite easy," Alcott smiled. "Ah, before I forget. Tempo ising as well. He said that he''ll being on his own," Arad stated. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What?" Both Alcott and Baltos gasped, "Tempo? You mean the Volcanic Titans prince," "Who else could it be?" "I mean... he''s indeed known for his strong sense of justice, but he''s loud and unpredictable. Think of a fire pdin on an adrenalin rush." Baltos rubbed his eyes. "His skill with the sword is quite insane, and on top of that, his speed makes him a formidable opponent. Don''t fight him, but if you did try to exploit hisck of regeneration or healing. And just like you, if pushed too hard in his humanoid form, he''ll transform into his titan body that stands over several kilometers in the air," Alcott stared at Arad. "Several kilometers?" Arad gasped. "He''s a walking volcano, those are the titans," "I should be able to win by sting him with a [Ho-white nova] in the mouth. He''ll explode like that abomination queen did," Arad thought, "But I don''t want another feat of destruction to my name. It''s already bing hard to move around the world without scaring everyone." "You should rest until the end of winter. I''ll take that time to contact the university and get everything ready," Alcott looked at the room, "You don''t have a calendar here, do you?" "A calendar, no," Arad shook his head. "Winter should have at least one month left," Baltos replied, "It''s usually a good time to start traveling to the university as it''s quite far away, but I doubt travel is a problem for Arad." Baltos smiled, "You''re quite fast," "How far is it?" Arad asked, "Four times the distance from here to the capital at least. But that includes some hard mountain passes and dangerous roads. You''ll also have to fly by several dragons'' territory to get there which makes the trip dangerous." "I could avoid that by flying above the clouds. Most dragons don''t bother with what flies that high," Arad looked at the ceiling. ZON! At that moment, Gojo appeared standing in the middle of the room wearing arge white fur jacket and a long scarf, "It''s been a while," "Gojo!" Arad smiled, "I didn''t sense getting into my domain," "I teleported in," Gojo smiled, picking a seat facing Arad. "Gojo Orion, Arad''s brother," Baltos looked at him. "How is she?" "She''s doing well, studying and training," Gojo replied. "I already flew past the university and checked it out. It''s quite a nice ce. I signed myself in for the next year, but I couldn''t do that for Arad as I don''t have any contact in there, and it''s against the rules to register someone else without proof from them," Gojo looked at Arad, "I hope you have a way of registering," "I''ll handle that, but under what name did you register?" Alcott stared at him, "You didn''t use your real name, did you?" "Arad told me what fake name he''ll be using, so I made mind to be close." Gojo smiled, pulling a clean ID card, "I had my kingdom issue this. It''s an official identification card simr to those of the guild." The card had the name Jogo Kyomu. "This isn''t a fake identification..." Baltos stared at the card. "It''s one of the benefits of having a kingdom. I can issue real- fake stuff. I don''t need to forge any documents. I''ll just have them made however I like." Gojo giggled, "It''s quite nice. I even got the number 8." "Eight? That means you''re of the first ones to register for this year," Baltos smiled, "But eight people have already signed in this early. This year would be full," "Does the numbers matter?" Arad asked. "Not really. They are just identification for the students other than their names," Alcott smiled. "By the way." Arad looked at Alcott, "Did you attend that university? You said you have contacts there." "Well, it''s a long story..." Alcott looked away. "This man was a menace," Baltos looked down with a tired and disappointed face. "Come on, I was quite popr there," "Popr in the wrong way. I won''t call sleeping with over twenty students and several teachers there a good type of being popr," Baltos stared at him. "It all started because of that woman. Don''t me me." Alcott stared back at him. "What did happen?" Arad sighed. "She said I can''t cut fourth-level spells with a sword, so I asked her to bet something. She then said that if I managed to cut one of her fourth-level spells, she''d spend a night with me." Alcott looked away, "I was young, and she was quite well endowed, so I didn''t miss the chance," "So you managed to cut the spell? How?" "It was a fireball, so I swung the de reversed downward to create turbulence and then up with the edge to part the fire. You should''ve seen her face. It was unheard of at that time for a fighter to cut a spell like that," Alcottughed. "It didn''t help that almost a weekter, a dragon went on a rampage near the university and attacked it. That was the first dragon Alcott yed," Baltos looked at Gojo, "You''ve seen them there, right?" "I saw several paintings depicting him splitting a red dragon''s fire breath in half with a de while protecting the students behind him," Gojo looked at Alcott, "If they hailed you as a hero, why would they kick you?" "It was half them kicking me out, and half me just leaving," "Seeing that Alcott was strong beyond belief," Baltos started talking with a tired face, "Everyone wanted the powerful dragon yer in their families, so nobles started urging their daughters to drag him back home. What made it worse is that Alcott was already popr among thedies there due to hisrge build and toned body, which led to tens of girls approaching him." He then red at Alcott, "And this idiot thought it was a good idea to sleep with all of them," "Don''t me me. I was quite young there. What would you have done if approached by such a horde of beauties?" Alcott argued, "me the teachers there who also joined in," "That''s the disappointing part, the director had to take actions," Baltos looked at Alcott, "They had to uphold order," Alcott nodded, "But the teachers were the best. They were certainly better than the students." He smiled, "But, I need to point out that the director was quite the hypocrite," "Why is that?" Baltos stared at him, sweating as he started to realize where Alcott was going. "I probably spent more nights with her than anyone else," Alcott stated. "No wonder the case went unknown for months. You had the director under your belt as well." Baltos cried with a sad face. Gojoughed his lungs out, "Are you sure you don''t have an incubus part in you?" "In fact, I did test that afterward, and I''m 100% a pure human," Alcott replied with a passive face. Gojo looked at Arad, "We''ll try to have a low profile there, we aren''t going there to cause trouble," Arad nodded, "Yeah, I do want to study some subjects," "Me too. I wonder if they have any interesting spells," Gojo smiled. "Please don''t be like this idiot," Baltos sighed. Chapter 713 Green Inheritance Chapter 713 Green Inheritance ??Arad stood, "Baltos and the royal family would stay in this keep for protection. It''s the safest ce I can offer. Gin would handle all connection with the vige or Alina, and I''ll move the injured Kin here to finish her recovery," "And you?" Baltos stared at Arad. "I''ll be staying in my house for what little remains of the winter," He replied, "And I''ll set off for the university afterward. I''m counting on you and Charlie to watch over the castle''s building process," Arad replied, walking toward the door, "I''ll bring Isdis hereter to see you," "You can count on me. I guess I can keep doing my work from here?" Baltos nodded. "You can. I don''t need the castle right now. Use it as a base," Arad walked out. Alcott smiled, "So the kingdom''s capital is in Arad''s territory now. That''s akin to saying the whole kingdom is a part of his treasure hoard. "Void is fated to absorb everything, and Arad already took the kingdom." Merlin opened the door and walked in, "It''s not his power alone that''s growing at an insane speed. His influence is stretching like wildfire," **** ZON! Teleported to his house garden,nding outside the main door. "Finally back," He lifted his hand, about to knock on the door. ^I wonder what Ae would say about Zephyr getting sealed. I told her with my crows, but she''s bound to ask personally about the details.^ He swung his knuckle at the door, about to knock. CLACK! The door burst open, and Ae stood there. She opened it before he could even knock. "Wee home," Arad stared at her, noticing a faint twitch in her magic that he didn''t recognize, "You''re angry about Zephyr. Sorry, I waste to save her." Ae smiled, "I''m not angry," She pulled him inside by hand, "I knew she was sealed the moment it happened. We are linked, remember?" "So you''ve felt it," Arad looked at Ae, "But that doesn''t change the fact I couldn''t save her," He could still see the strange flicker in Ae''s magic and know that something was up in her. "You''re looking at my magic, right?" She giggled. "How do you know that?"N?v(el)B\\jnn "Your eyes glow purple whenever you do so. It''s obvious." "Wait...I didn''t know that." Arad rubbed his eyes, "No wonder people get scared when I look at their magic." "They get afraid thinking you''re about to st them with a spell. You probably should be careful when doing that," She sat on the couch and pulled Arad to sit beside her. "So, you aren''t angry?" Arad asked. "It''s not only emotions that can change one''s magic. The magic itself can grow or shift," She pointed above her head, "Zephyr knew she didn''t have enough concentrated damage to prate the barrier from the inside and that she''d be locked in for a while anyway." The wind started rushing around her body, rising above her head and condensing into a glowing green crown. "She only had enough time to send less than a hundredth of her power, so she gave me the title and key to her greatest magic," "What thing is..." Arad gasped. "Crown of the wind spirit queen," Ae smiled, "It''s a mere title, nothing more." She waved her hand, "The whole world is engulfed in Zephyr''s wind expansion. It''s the air every living being breathes. Everything that ever lived and breathed is indebted to her," She smiled. "She gave me the key to keep it active so the world won''t suffocate and die," She looked at Arad, "If she didn''t give me this crown, the whole air of the world would''ve faded away, and all living things would''ve suffocated to death, even d would''ve lost his life." "Wait, the whole world relies on her to exist?" Arad looked around. "Zephyr never told anyone, and honestly I doubt any great power of her caliber would speak of how important or vital they are. When she dies, the world dies with her. That''s the spirit representing wind, you can''t have living beings without air for them to breathe." Ae looked down with a sad face. "She gave you the title, which is like a key to keep the expansion active." "The expansion is called atmosphere," "To keep the atmosphere active, and some of her power in the form of magic." "I won''t call it magic. She''s raised my affinity with wind magic which would make my wind spells stronger. It''s like a modifier that grows the stronger I grow," Ae waved her hand, "I''m not stronger now, but my growth speed should be better now," Arad looked forward, "Do you what this means?" "The other spirits are just like her. If the earth spirit went missing," Ae looked down, "We should say goodbye to the ground." "Zephyr wasted a lot of her power as she started herself and as she trashed the firstyer of hell. I doubt the other spirits are as gentle as her, they''ll be at full power all the time," Arad clenched his fist, "No matter how big or strong someone grows, we can never shatter the earth. Let''s hope they are friendly," "Arad, you''re back," Isdis walked into the room, "Can you send me to father?" "Of course," He stood, "Kin woke up?" "She''s the one who informed me," Isdis nodded, as she touched Arad''s hand, "I''ll send her after you," ZON! He teleported Isdis to the Keep. "I''ll go get Kin," Arad turned toward Ae, "I''ll inform the rest of your return, not that don''t know." She smiled. As Arad walked into the hallway, he saw Merida walking toward him. "You''re back, the crows told me," She smiled. "It''s been one thing after another." Arad sighed, "I don''t seem to have a moment rest," "A busy man is a good man," Merida giggled, "Albeit it''s a bit frustrating for us both. Especially if you''re self-employed like an adventurer, or whatever a dragon does. You need to make vacations for yourself and set time limits," "You''ve owned a shop with your father," Arad smiled, "Is that how it works?" "Yeah. People keeping minutes before I close, and if I don''t reject them, I''ll find myself working till midnight. Your mental and physical well-being is more important than anything else," She tapped his shoulder, "And my nights are important as well," She stared at him with a judging re. "Keeping it in your example, aren''t the customers important? L said that," Arad replied. "It''s quite a debate, but I''d say it''s like everything else. It depends." She shook her head, "Sometimes it''s worth it, sometimes it isn''t. I usually take someone''s first order thates at ate hour, but inform them that I won''t take it next time. A hero can''t save everyone so don''t stress over it, and try to have some time to rx and spend it at home." "You''re right," Arad smiled, "I''m spending the rest of the winter here. We''ll talk about itter," "Wait," She grabbed his hand, "It''s my turn, right?" "Turn at what?" Arad asked, and she pulled her sword, "I''ll slice you in half," "It is," Ae poked her head out of the living room''s door, "I told you that we''re the ones deciding," Merida stared at her, "Are you sure? Shouldn''t he have thest say?" "That won''t do it. It''s our job to decide on an order and rotation. You''re up tonight so get yourself ready." "I mean," Merida gasped, "Aboutst time, I can''t juste in and..." "Arad doesn''t care, I know that much," Ae turned toward Arad, "She said she''ll love flying around a forest ying monsters. Find a suitable ce and take her out," "Ah! That''s what you mean," It finally clicked in Arad''s head. He turned toward Merida with a smile, "No wonder you were about to get aggressive," He looked at her sword, "We can do it that way as well," "Fine by me!" Merida replied. She doesn''t care how she gets it, just wants to do it. "Don''t." Ae stared at them, "She doesn''t have Eris''s regeneration, nor your speed and power. She''ll end up too injured. Take it slow with her," She then went back inside. "Ae! I can handle myself!" Merida shouted at her. "You''ll end up crying. If his arms are thicker than your thighs, you can guess how the restpare!" Ae called from the kitchen. "I''ll punch her down," Merida said, rushing past Arad. "I heard that. Come if you want, I''ll smack you with this radish," Ae said as she got ready to fight Merida. Arad looked back, hearing the two scraping in the kitchen like cats. "What are they going on about?" Arad sighed. ^[Wives banter. They aren''t actually angry at each other or fighting seriously, so it''s best to let them be.]^ ^You''re right. Those two could unleash enough power to st the house away,^ He thought, walking toward the dungeon''s entrance to teleport Kin to the Keep. Arad stopped at the entrance and looked back, "Those two are agile, not even making a single sound while fighting around the kitchen." He mumbled, watching them through the eyes of a crow sitting at the window. None of them was able to hit the other nor made any sound as they jumped everywhere from the walls to the ceiling, masterfully dodging anything that could be knocked over. ^[Can I use the crow?]^ Doma asked. ^Why? Go ahead,^ Doma giggled, taking control of the crow instead of Arad. "KWAAA! Merida, don''t forget to take a bath after this," Merida immediately hit the ground with a red face. Chapter 714 An Explosive Challenge

Chapter 714 An Explosive Challenge

Arad walked toward the basement and went into the dungeon. The goblins moved out of the way as they saw him walk in. "Our lord!" One of them gasped. "How are you doing?" Arad asked as he walked between them, heading deeper into the dungeon. "We''re doing well. Nothing iscking, and everything is abundant. Our numbers have been increasingtely, but Lady Meryem''s children dug usrger nests." The goblin replied. "How about food?" "Lady Ae has been hunting for us every now and then, but the majority of our food supply is from the mushroom and fungus farms we''ve built here alongside the Kobolds and Axols." The goblin replied, pointing toward a massive cavern with glowing blue mushrooms and Axols swimming everywhere. "They''ve been hard at work all this time." Arad smiled, "This might be a dangerous part of the forest, but even it can''t sustain all the monsters of the dungeon." He walked into therge room and squatted down beside the mushrooms. "Great one?" One of the Axols looked up at Arad, climbing into his hand. "You''ve been doing great, thanks to you the dungeon monsters are well-fed." Arad patted the small Axol. "We eat drops. Don''t need hard parts..." The Axol looked back at the mushrooms. The glowing blue mushrooms looked like any other mushrooms that could be found on the surface. The two differences are that they glow blue and that they are covered with a dew-likeir of oil that Axols feed on. That meant the Axols only needed to eat the oil and they left the meat of the mushroom to the monsters to feed upon. The goblin approached Arad, "We provide them with water from the spring, clean the farm, and rent the mushrooms. The Axols tend to it and help it grow safely by enchanting the water with their magic. They are like bees to it." "Aren''t there any other kind of mushrooms? I feel like eating only blue ones would get stale after a while." Arad looked at the goblin. "Lady Ae''s hunters help break that for us, so it''s not a problem." The goblin replied, "But, there are indeed other types of mushrooms. White, red, green, purple, and even long ones that glow with an even brighter blue color than those." Arad put the Axol down and stood, "I''ll find more of them for you to nt here. I''m sure I spotted some around Rita." "Please don''t bother with us, it''s not a priority." The goblin shook his head and Arad patted him. "Don''t worry, it''ll only take me a few hours at most." Arad then headed deeper into the dungeon until he reached the Kobold''syer where Kin was recovering. "I see you''re doing well," Arad said with a smile as she lifted her head. "d''s blood control damaged a lot of my veins. Human healing magic doesn''t work on me that well," She replied, looking at him with glowing golden eyes. "d is dead now," Arad smiled, "And I came to send you to see Baltos. You can shift into a humanoid form, can''t you?" Gin nodded as her body burst into a pure light. "It''s painful, but I can do it," She walked toward him in her usual maid uniform. "But, I doubt I can fly or walk all the way to mountain peak." Thud! Arad put his hand on her head, "That''s why I''m here. See youter," ZON! He teleported her to the Keep. "Now," Arad stretched, cracking his neck. "Let''s check on who this woman posted out in the forest." His eyes shed purpled as his vision fused with the animals, seeing Selica, Sena''s assistant, sitting on a stone right at the edge of the forest. ZON! Arad teleported outside immediately. **** "Haa!" Selica sighed, ^Lady Sena said to sit here and release faint magic, how could this be easier than walking to his house?^ She looked at the forest, ^It''ll take about half an hour to walk to Arad''s house from here, and the forest is riddled with vicious monsters.^ She looked at the shadow of a tree, "About a quarter of an hour. I wonder if he''ll really show up," ^Why would he even show up? Most monsters release magic, he couldn''t possibly differentiate me from them. I won''t if Lady Sena is just messing with me, it''s too cold here.^ She licked her hands, sting them with an explosion to heat them up. "Nice skill," A voice came from the forest and she jumped out, startled. "Who''s that?" She immediately saw Arad creep his massive draconic head out of the forest, growing with a gust of steam gushing out between his leg-sized fangs. ^He really showed up, but why in his draconic form? No, this magic, he''s ready to fight. Why?^ Selica gasped, taking a step back. "No offense, but your magic is extremely weak. But I''ve been stung badly by a lot of seemingly weaker opponents, I''ll take you as seriously as I can," Arad growled as his magic spiked. Selica took a few steps back, ^Take me seriously. Does he think I''m a challenge? Don''t tell me void dragons act like chromatic dragons, Sena set me up,^ Arad opened his jaw and rushed at her with a bite. Sena rolled away, spitting on her arms as she tried to make a run for it. ^Shit! Shit! What''s Lady Sena thinking about? Me sitting here in hisnd was akin to a mating call, I have no way of fending him off now that I rubbed him the wrong way.^ She turned to look back, seeing Arad''s w rushing at her. She rolled beneath the attack and turned back, ^He might be as intelligent as a human if not more, but he''s still a monster at the end of the day, he''ll act like a dragon and shouldn''t be treated as anything else.^ She put her hands together and pointed forward, [Burst] BA-BOOM! A massive explosion rushed from her fists, engulfing Arad''s head. ^This should allow me time to escape or at least speak.^ She couldn''t find an opening to talk with how fast Arad moved, and she doubted her words would get to his head before she got a deadly strike from his ws. From the explosion''s smoke, Arad rushed toward her in his humanoid form swinging a fist. ^He''s fast, but I can keep up.^ Selica dodged Arad''s punch and swung an uppercut at his chin. BA-BOOM! A massive explosion rushed out of her knuckles. A left hook followed by a right one then a straight punch, unlike what her frame might suggest, Sena was an expert punch with skills far beyond what most people could achieve. Between each strike and another, she''d spit forward, catch the spit with her fist, and smack it into Arad to release an explosion. After the quick barrage of hits, Selica spat on Arad''s chest and kicked it as hard as she could, releasing a massive explosion that sent her flying back. "Arad Orion! Listen to me!" She shouted but quickly fell silent as she saw Arad standing there. ^Not a single scratch. Each of those explosions is strong enough to rip a hole in a one-foot stone wall.^She started sweating, ^It''ll all or nothing,^ Arad tilted his head as he looked at her, "Those explosions are interesting, do they react to air or impact? Probably both? It''s not only your spit that is explosive. It''s almost all of your bodily fluids including blood and sweat." ^He figured it out already? I''m finished... there is no escaping his ws now.^ "So, why did Sena send you?" Arad looked at her, and she gasped. "Wait...you know?" "I can see her magic on you. I''m not that stupid," Arad replied. He did indeed think she was a drakaina that posted in hisnd as a mating call and got excited for a moment, even for how weak the magic seemed. But he immediately noticed that it wasn''t the case. "Then why are you fighting me?" Selica asked with a worried face. Arad mimicked Selica''s stance, throwing a few punches, "I just wanted to see how you fight, efficient movements without any wasted effort." He looked at her, "You can''t develop such a fighting style without being always pushed to the edge," N?v(el)B\\jnn "Not all of us are as powerful as you or have the regeneration to tank fatal hits. A broken rib should be enough to drop me down." Selica sighed, "I can''t risk any damage," She approached him, "Lady Sena wanted me to tell you something. She''sing to visit tomorrow or the day after to discuss something," "She could''ve juste on her own. Why did she send you?" Arad sighed. "Probably rted to why she told me to sit here and release magic," Selica scratched her chin, "I don''t know what she''s nning, but I don''t like it." "That I can''t guess," Arad looked around, "Should I teleport you to her office?" "No need, I''ll go back on my own," Selica stared at him, "But, I didn''t expect to be able to stand my ground for even a second." "I never tried to begin with," Arad replied staring at her. "How big the gap of strength is? Mind showing me?" She clenched her fist. ^Even if he got faster or stronger, I can guess how his attacks work. Even magic shouldn''t pose that much of a...^ Suddenly, Selica found her nose touching Arad''s massive chest. He appeared in front of her face before she even realized it. And as quickly as that, her vision turned back. *** Selica opened her eyes in Sena''s office, asleep on a couch as she stared at the ceiling. "Where am I?" "Arad brought you here," Sena replied, sitting beside her. "Wait! What did he!" Selica cried. "Calm down, he did nothing to you. It only took one wave of his magic to knock you out," Sena stared at her, "He didn''t even need to hit you to win," Selica took a deep breath, "Why did you send me to him?" "So he can learn how to punch. He trained with swords but not fists." Sena stared at her. "That small encounter with you should get him a bit intrigued in martial arts. Besides the barbaric fist-fighting, that Nina taught him." "So I''m a training dummy," Selicaid down, exhausted. "Oh! We have more work to do," Sena smiled, "I already spoke with Arad when he brought you here. We''re going with him to the University of the Arts." Chapter 715 The Scentless Dragon Gets a Scent Chapter 715 The Scentless Dragon Gets a Scent ??ZON! Aradnded in front of his house and walked inside. "I''m back." He called. "I felt you teleport in." Ae poked her head out of the kitchen, "Weren''t you in the dungeon?" "I had to teleport out. Sena sent her helper to inform me she''lle to visit soon," Arad replied as he took his shoe off, finally settling down and walking inside, not intending to leave. "I''m exhausted," He dropped himself on the couch, causing it to make a painful crack. "Don''t break it!" Mira red at him from the kitchen. "Sorry," Arad immediately stood back up, lifting the couch from the front to look beneath it. "I don''t think it broke," He said, seeing a shattered beam in the middle. "I know the sound of wood when it shatters," Mira walked out of the kitchen, "It can carry your weight, but it''s not designed to withstand a two-hundred-kilogram man falling on it," She pushed his face aside and stared beneath the couch. "It''s broken," She red at him, and he looked away. Thud! Mira grabbed him by the head, "Look at me. I told you not to drop on it like that," "I forgot..." He replied, still looking away. Mira sighed, "It doesn''t matter, does it?" She extended her hand to him, "Give me a tenth nk and six small nails. We can patch it," "Really...Sorry," Arad pulled what she asked for from his stomach. Mira pointed beneath the couch at the shattered beam. "Look, it''s broken in the middle. Use that nk to patch it. Put three nails on each side in a triangr shape," Arad put the nk in ce and pushed the nails with his thumb. "You made that look easy..." Mira said with a worried face, "How strong is your grip," "Enough to bend steel," Arad pulled a thick steel bat from his stomach. That was supposed to be a club. He clenched his palm on the shaft, squeezing it like dough. "That''s terrifying," Mira replied, pointing at the sticking part of the nails above the beam. "Then, can you bend those without any tool? I don''t want them sticking out without a need." Arad extended his hand and bent the tips of the nails sideways. "Can they slip out?" "They usually don''t, but it''s good practice to always bend them." Mira replied as she sat up, "You can put it down." Arad slowly lowered the couch, "So it''s fixed?" "Temporary repair. I''ll change that beam when I get enough time," She looked at him, "Please sit gently on it from now on. That works the same for everything else." "I''ll do my best to remember that," Arad sat on the couch as Mira headed back to the kitchen to help Ae. CLICK! The main door opened, and Eris walked in, "Ae, I''m back." She called, waving to Arad, who stared at her from the living room. "Elvish tea, it''s already ready. Wash first, and I''ll get you arge mug," Ae replied. As Eris walked into the living room she stared at Arad, "Those are the same clothes, you didn''t change or wash?" "I did clean myself with my void," Arad replied. Eris approached and grabbed him by the arm, "Come with me." She dragged him out of the living room, "Nothing beats water and soap," "I''m sure my void works better," Arad cried. "That''s the problem. The void burns everything and leaves you scentless. It''s really unnerving to people with a strong sense of smell when they see you but can''t smell you. We have lemon soap, so use that. It''ll at least leave something on your scales." She reached the bath''s door and pushed it open, walking into the changing room. "Who''s there?" Merida called from inside the bath. "It''s me and Arad," Eris replied, "We''re going to the sink, don''t worry about us." The changing room was linked to the bath, the toilet, and the washing room, each separated by a solid door. Eris dragged Arad into the washing room and threw him a bar of soap. "This for you. Get used to it." Arad held the soap bar with a worried and sad face, "It smells weird," "It smells like soap and lemon. It''s not weird, it''s nice." Eris red at him. "No..." Arad shook his head, "You don''t get it. It smells strange, really strange. I can pick the soap and lemon smells, but there is a third one mixed in there." "What kind of smell?" Eris sniffed the soap, "I can''t pick anything," "I''m sure my sense of smell is stronger than yours," Arad replied, "I''m a wyrmwolf after all," "Even if there is a smell, would it even matter to you?" She stared at him, confused. Why is he so keen on not using that soap? "It smells..." Arad sniffed the soap again, "I can''t pinpoint it, but it reminds me of ug." "She didn''t use that soap," Eris sighed, "She can''t. She''s a massive drakaina that can''t take a humanoid form." Arad shook his head, "It''s not ug''s smell. It''s simr to her. It''s also simr to Ignis''s smell..." He started thinking about it. "It''s just smells weird to me," A mouth appeared on Arad''s neck, "[It''s the scent of a drakaina, a female dragon in general. If he used it, other dragons might mistake him for a drakaina.]" "That''s it!" Arad gasped, pointing at the mouth on his neck, "She''s right, now that she mentioned it." "How in the hell?" Eris sniffed the bar of soap. "I can''t smell anything," "[It''s faint, but it''s there.]" Doma added, "[Soap is mostly made by pink dragons as it''s their element. This bar of soap is made by a drakaina. It''s of a lower quality as it retains a bit of her scent.]" She exined. "So it''s not pure," Eris looked at the soap, "Can''t we find him another one that is pure?" "[That''ll be hard. Pink dragons sell low-quality soap in bulk to humanoids as they can''t tell the difference while selling the higher-quality ones to dragons. Keep in mind that if a human uses a pink dragon''s high-quality soap, they can wash their skin out. It''s that strong and harsh." "So it''s designed for dragons," Arad said, "Where do I find it?" "[I don''t know, I''m not a merchant. But I suspect it''s bought by the bulk from the dragon directly and then resold through several merchants until it reaches the end user. And I never heard of a pink dragon living around this area,]" "We should ask Sara or L. I''m sure those two can give us a lead." Eris nodded, putting the soap back at the sink''s edge, and pulled arge water jug. "I''ll wash. What about you?" Arad looked at his hands with a passive face, thinking about it. "Give me a second." ZON! He teleported to the main door and put on his shoes. "Where are you going?" Ae asked. "To get something important," He walked outside and teleported into the sky. ^Where were they?^ He looked around the forest, shifting into his draconic form and slowly flying all over the ce, sniffing the cold air. It only took him a few seconds to find them, arge patch of pine trees. "Found them!" He said with a smile,nding beside the trees. He sat on his hind legs and extended his ws forward, pulling arge tree from its roots. "[Those smell nice.]" "I know." Arad crushed the tree between his ws, grinding it into a paste. "[Mix them with some water or oil to act as a binder,]" Doma suggested, and Arad pulled Aisha out of his stomach as she wanted to get out. She sat on his head and looked down, "Water is bad, and don''t you dare use olive oil. You''ll mess it up." She tapped Arad''s head. "What should I use then?" Arad looked up, but he almost made her fall from his head. "Careful!" She grabbed onto his scales, "You need binding oil. Find a herbalist or an alchemist and buy it. That''s faster and easier than making it," Arad nodded with a smile, "Got it," [Gemini] A clone of him appeared out of his side. "Get the oil," Arad said. "You crush the trees." The clone replied as he started flying. Arad nodded as he used his wing as a bowl to crush the trees. The clone flew to Alina and shifted into a humanoid form right before reaching it. "Is anyone here?" Arad called as he walked into Cain''s shop, "Old man Cain, do you have binding Oil?" Cain walked from the back room wearing a thick coat and a scarf, "It''s cold outside. What brought you today." Arad''s clone took a few steps toward Cain and screamed into his ear, "Binding Oil! Do you have it?" "Ha?" Cain put his hand beside his ear and looked at Arad''s clone, "Butting Oil? What''s that?" "You''re messing with me?" Arad clone stared at him. Cainughed, "I heard from the start. How much do you want?" "That depends on how much you have." Arad''s clone replied. "Come on, tell me. Don''t worry. My supply is bigger than you expect." Arad''s clone stared at Cain with a suspicious re. ^Let''s scare him a bit,^ "A hundred one hundred liter barrels." He said, waiting for Cain to say that he didn''t have it. "That''s all?" Cain waved his hand, "It''s in the backyard. Follow me." Arad''s clone blinked twice...^He must be joking,^ But soon, they reached the backyard, and he fought the whole one hundred barrels waiting for him. "How in the hell did you get those?" Arad''s clone gasped. "When you''re as old as me, you''ll have a lot of reliable suppliers." Cain giggled, pointing at the barrels with his cane, "You can take them and pay meter if you don''t have the money. I''m not pressed for it,"N?v(el)B\\jnn "How much are they?" Arad''s clone asked. "One gold coin per barrel, it''s one silver coin per liter," Cain looked at Arad, "This would be a hundred gold coins." "Isn''t that expensive?" "It''s cheap, one liter is a silver coin, but it can make twenty 0.05 liter bottles of perfume that could sell at an upward of fifty silver coins. You won''t find such a price anywhere else," Cain looked at Arad. Arad''s clone sighed and pulled a bag of one hundred gold coins, "My mouth dragged me," "Thank for you your patronage." Cain smiled as he took the bag, "The sound of clinging coins. It never gets old." Arad''s clone sucked the barrels into its stomach and turned toward Cain, "Thank you, I''ll be backter." He immediately teleported back to Arad. Cain tapped his back as he walked inside, "It''s cold..." *** "Got the Oil?" Aisha asked, staring at Arad''s clone. Arad clone smiled in his draconic form, pulling one of the barrels, "Got one hundred of those," He reached forward and showed her the content of the barrel. She stared back at him, "You didn''t have the money for this. Did you steal it?" "No, I bought, one gold coin for a barrel." "Is the seller an idiot? One barrel of this could very well go for over five hundred gold coins. If not for one tinum coin." She scratched her head, "How did they even manage to get such arge quantity made?" "Does it matter?" Arad replied as he extended his wing forward to use as a mortar. He then filled it with the crushed trees. He and his clone then started using their front ws to mix the trees while pouring the oil from the barrels using their tails as extra pair of hands as per Aisha''s instructions. "Arad, do you have some dwarven fire wine?" Aisha asked. "I do have some barrels," "Good, pour that in," "Really?" "Just do it," Arad pulled several barrels and started adding them with his clone. **** Several minutester... CLACK! Arad opened the door and walked inside, "I''m back." "Why do you smell like pine?" Ae stared at him. "I made this," He pulled a small potion filled with his green, cloudy perfume. "It isn''t that well made, but gets the job done." Eris stared at him as she walked into the living room from the hallway. "As thick as a pine tree, and now smells like it." She stared at him with a passive face. Chapter 716 The Dragons House Chapter 716 The Dragon''s House ??"Did you make that?" Eris stared at Arad with a smile. "You asked for it," Arad replied as he approached the couch and looked at it. He then slowly sat down in fear of breaking it again. Eris sighed, "I didn''t ask for you to go make the whole thing from scratch. Did Aisha help?" Arad waved his hand, and Aisha appeared in his hand, "She did. Alchemy is used for more than poisons," He patted Aisha''s head, "Making those and perfume is probably just the tip of the art," "It is indeed," Aisha growled, her head fully encased in Arad''s massive palm, "Can you not break my neck?" "It won''t break," Arad replied with a smile, "Can''t you teach me how to make soap?" "I don''t know how to make it. Since pink dragons are supplying all demand at cheap, there was never a need for alchemists to bother thinking about soap." Aisha exined, "I''m sure there is a way to make it, but it''ll require some research and experiments, and I don''t have the tools for that," "So, you''ll try if I brought you all the equipment you need?" Arad lifted her, looking at her face with a smile. "We can research that in the university when we get there. But you''ll have to help and learn," Aisha replied. "Good, good," Arad patted her head again, "You''re teaching me too much. Alchemy might be the best thing I''ve learned." "I said..." Aisha growled, "Stop patting my head like that. You''ll break my delicate wooden neck." "You returned." Merida walked into the living room with a smile, "I thought you''d take longer. I barely finished doing my hair." Arad turned toward her, "AH, but you aren''t ready, are you?" He asked with a smile, "It''s cold outside. You better wear a heavy coat." Merida gasped, "We''re going out? Really?" "Told you," Ae stared at her from the kitchen, "Don''t forget the soft padding for the leather saddle. He''s a rough ride... Both ways." She smiled at her. "Keep this at hand," Eris threw her a healing potion, "I don''t know how much that fungus holds your body, but it''ll be nothing, believe me." "Hold what?" As Merida gasped in confusion, Eris approached Arad, "Gin sent a letter. We''ll be holding the royal family funeral tomorrow." "We''re burying them here in the graveyard?" Arad looked at her, "Don''t they have a royal graveyard or something, tradition?" "To avoid their bodies being used in witchcraft or resurrected as zombie dummies for stunts. All the deceased royal family members are cremated and held at the current ruler''s residence." Eris approached the door and put on her coat. "I''m going to prepare for the cremation now. Baltos asked if you could provide me with certain nobles who are rted to the royal family so those can be embalmed and buried regrly tomorrow. Themoners would followter," She looked at Arad. Arad stood, "Isn''t that too much work?" "It''s nothing, I''m used to it. In Rita, I sometimes get orders in the hundreds when a massive gang of bandits or mafia get destroyed." She smiled. Ae looked at her, "Even criminals can''t let corpses lying around. It''ll attract diseases." "And due to theck ofnd to bury them in, my business soared through the roof." Eris patted her chest, "And we had a lot of necromancers, so it was quite a bad idea to bury someone intact unless you wanted to see them as zombie fodder." "I''ll give the corpses I have stored to them. Get ready before then," Arad teleported away with Eris. Merida stared at Ae, "Is it going to be that Hard?" "Depends, but I can say it won''t be easy." Ae shook her head. "Arad..." Mira walked into the room right after Arad left, "He''s gone!" "You''re a few secondste," Ae replied, "Did you want something from him?" "I wanted to ask him if he can move some logs that we cut in the forest," She looked at them, "I asked Sebas if he can do it, but it seems that Arad asked him to guard some noble prisoners or something." "Even if he wasn''t busy," Rey walked from behind Mira, "Sebas''s ape form isn''trge enough to move those massive trees," "Sister," Ray walked in, "I''m sure he''s stronger than his side. All monsters are." "We''ll need those cut to make the castle''s bridge and build the siege weapons for towers. It doesn''t matter who moves them, but Arad would be the fastest." Mira stared at the twin maids. "He''ll be back soon," Rey looked at Ae. Ae nodded. Ray pulled Mira by the arm, "Let''s go. That bedframe still needs some work," "I''m exhausted. Can''t we make them out of steel?" Mira cried as the two maids dragged her away. "You''ve been the one who said it''ll be hard and expensive to get a supply of iron and coal for steel at this time of the year." Rey stared at her. "We should use it for weapons even if we got it. Don''t waste resources on beds," Ray added. "But...Arad keeps breaking the beds. He''ll be too heavy for wood." **** Ae and Merida stared at each other, "It''s that bad?" Merida asked with a worried face. "Arad weighs over four hundred pounds of raw muscles. That''s four hundred priestesses gone in one pound." She stared at Merida with a grin, "Be ready." "Hmph, He''s two hundred kilos if I remember? I bet the bed breaks as the force shifts to them," She stared at Ae with a suspicious stare, "I''m sure Arad can exert more than four hundred pounds of force," TAP! Ae patted Merida''s back, "Go and change before hees back. You''ll understand by tomorrow." Merida walked to her room to change, worried about theing night. Ae closed her nose with a cloth peg and turned toward therge boiling pot, "Now, time to add the meat." She looked at therge cowleg that was on the table. "This one for Arad and the others would have some ribs," She lifted the cow leg and slowly lowered it into the pot, "Zephyr, get me the..." She called but then remembered that Zephyr wasn''t there anymore and looked back with a sad face. "I miss her already," She extended her hand and pulled thergedle with a gust of wind. Remembering how Zephyr would''ve been buzzing around the kitchen and helping her. **** Knock! Knock! Ae heard knocking on the door, so she looked out of the window and saw Roberta standing outside. "It''s open, hurry in." "Ah!" Roberta gasped, "Thanks," She pushed the door open and walked inside.N?v(el)B\\jnn Ae stirred the pot for a few seconds then let it slowly cook. She washed her hands and walked to the living room as she dried them, trying to get the faint smell of meat out of them. "It''s been a while. How is your father doing?" She asked. "He got better," Roberta replied as she sat on the couch, "I heard that Arad returned." "That was fast. How did you know?" Ae sat facing her. "I met Grandma Shir in the vige, and she told me that she saw Arad flying around. I''ve also seen Nina on my way here," Roberta replied, "I came to deliver the payment. Is he in the house?" "Sadly, he just left." Ae shook her head, "He shoulde back in a few minutes though." She turned around, "Merida! Tell Arad toe down if he teleported to you directly!" She shouted. "Got it!" Merida replied. "But really," Roberta stared at her, "Can''t you ept the payment for him? You''re his wife and the first one..." "I rather not ept such arge amount without him being present. I''ll happily ept a few gold coins for him, but not what you have." Ae shook her head. "It includes Sara''s part..." Roberta scratched her head, "The ck market pulls in a lot of money," "Who would''ve expected it to sell like that," Ae poured two cups of tea, one for herself and one for Roberta. "I did tell you," Roberta replied, "No matter how much Arad has, that jewelry will sell out. And since there are strictws about reselling gold and precious gems, the ck market is where people who didn''t get them a piece would flood into." "And you kept twenty percent of Arad''s jewelry stock to sell in the ck market''s auction for massive profit." Ae stared at her. "To be fair, I put the restriction that it''s only one piece of jewelry per person to make sure everyone gets some. Most of those I saw in the auctions were nobles wanting to buy extra and those seeking to resell theirs for profit." Roberta smiled, "I''m not the one to say, but Arad is spending a lot on building, right?" "Isdis is putting a lot of her money into the castle to help," Ae replied, "But Arad is also putting a lot, and he''s also prone to spend a lot. I wish he bes a bit reserved." She sighed, "He just spent a hundred gold coins on binding oil," Roberta coughed, almost spitting her drink, "A hundred coin? What will he do with a whole barrel?" "He made pine perfume for himself. And he bought a hundred barrels, not one," "That can''t be. Did he get scammed?" "No, the binding oil worked, so it''s not fake." Ae shook her head. "I gotta learn some of his ways," Roberta sighed, "He keeps finding rare opportunities like that. Where did he even buy the oil?" "Ask him when he gets back..." "I was told to never ask someone directly about their sources. [ZON! In the background] Can you ask him for me?" Roberta sighed. Ae pointed toward the door. "Ask me about what?" Arad said, standing at the entrance. Chapter 717 The Daring Woman Chapter 717 The Daring Woman ??Roberta gasped, seeing him standing at the door. "A-Arad!" Arad took a step forward, teleporting to their side and standing beside Ae, "If it''s you here, then it''s about the payment or a second shipment?" "It''s about payment." Ae looked at him with a smile. "Apparently, it''s toorge, and I want you to receive it." "It''s two tinum coins and thirty-five gold coins," Roberta stared at him, "It''s a massive amount of money," Arad smiled, "That''ll be two hundred and thirty-five gold coins..." "It''s kept in Sara''s care underground. I don''t dare move such a sum of gold. You''ll have to collect it yourselftely," "I''ll do that," Arad looked toward the hallway, seeing Mira staring at him. "Arad...There are some massive trees that we cut deep in the forest to use for building but couldn''t move due to the snow. Can you bring themter?" "Of course," Arad replied, "They must be quite heavy," "They are of thergest in the forest," Mira replied, and a flower grew in the middle of the room, "I showed them the trees." Loci added, "They were perfect for buildingrge structures like bridges." "I''m not a craftsman, so I''ll have to trust Mira''s judgment on that," Arad smiled as he looked at the ceiling, "Merida is ready." He stood, "I''lleter to collect the money. For now, you can rest here for a while I''ll before going back." "Of course, she''ll stay for a bit," Ae stared at him with a grin, "Do you think I''ll let a guest leave in the middle of the snow." "Arad! I''m ready!" Merida walked into the living room wearing a thick white fur coat, arge leather hat, and a scarf. She knew that it was freezing cold outside, and flying on Arad would make it worse. Arad stood, "Let''s leave then," He and Merida walked outside. Merida stared at the sky, "So, where are we going?" She then turned to Arad who stood beside her. "Outside my domain to the west, there is arge jungle that houses some powerful monsters. Want to go there?" He pointed to the west with his thumb. "You meant the death jungle, only A-rank monster roams there and it''s infamous for having several s-rank monsterse out of it." She sighed, "I''m d that I''m bringing my sword with me. That''s a dangerous ce, even more than this forest." Arad''s forest was dangerous in the fact it housed a lot of B-rank monsters and had several infamous A-rank monsters, the jungle was a step above that. S-rank monsters are creatures that no one wants to face, disaster-level harbingers of destruction.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om A-rank monsters are the mess-around-and-get-killed danger. They are monsters that the guild keeps track of and form powerful hunting parties and expeditions to take down. The natural boss-level monsters of the wilds. B-rank monsters are the menaces of the monster world. They are extremely deadly monsters that could even travel in hoards and spell doom on cities if left unchecked. Arad shifted into his draconic form and Merida jumped on his back. Like other adult dragons, Arad is ssed at least as an S-rank monster, such a dangerous jungle won''t pose a threat to him. Arad expanded his wings and flew with Merida on his back, slowly elerating as he soared through the sky. Merida gasped, looking around at Arad''s wings spanning several meters around, the clouds parting as he flew, and the quiet rumblinging out of his engine-like heart that she could feel through his massive neck which she sat on. Arad''s eyes turned up as he stared at Merida zooming out as she stared at the far ground. She had probably never flown this high in her life. ^She''s different. Something about her doesn''t align with humans.^ Arad thought, remembering that one night. ^Merida, unlike the others, is vicious by nature. That night, I was too young to understand her intentions. With the pride and arrogance thates with such a mentality, she''s closer in actions to a drakaina than a human.^ Arad could feel his blood boiling through his veins, ^That night, I failed to realize the need, I failed to notice she was seeking shelter,^ ^[Depending on what I''m seeing in your memories. What she did could be considered a crime to humans,]^ Doma said in his head. ^But to a dragon, her stepping over her own pride and vicious nature to do such a thing is lower than begging. I should''ve guessed she sought help, if I had, her father wouldn''t have died.^ ^[It wasn''t your problem,]^ ^I might''ve not cared if I noticed her need and refused. But what I hate is that I failed to even notice she needed help, and that won''t happen again. As much as I could, I''ll keep my eyes peeled off toward those around me.^ "ARAD!" Merida shouted above his neck, "I can''t feel the wind, is that normal?" "Of course, my gravity magic keeps you attached to my neck and the shape of my head and horns act as a shield that deflects the wind," Arad replied, "But don''t trust them, you might still fall off." "Isn''t that the remains of Riverside?" She pointed toward the horizon, seeing the massive river and abandoned city beside it. "It is," Arad replied, "And the mountains beside it are where the demonic infestation started," He stopped flying and started hovering in ce, "Look there, it''s the jungle." "Why did you choose such...." A flying wooden spear the size of arge tree flew toward Arad at a blinding speed. With a smile, Arad pped his right wing, smacking the spear away. "What was that?" Merida gasped. "A sharpened tree trunk thrown by the reason I chose this ce," He stared down, seeing a thirty-meter-tall, fungus- infested ape standing in the middle of the jungle, ring up at them with glowing blue eyes. "Thest of the demonic fungus, it infected the S-rank monster of this jungle and took control. I sensed this a while ago, but I expected them to just die, but they are growing stronger." Arad looked at Merida, "He''s like you, but the fungus is the dominant one, and he''s been slowly advancing toward mynd." "Weren''t we supposed to...do it?" Merida stared at him, confused, "Did you bring me here to fight that thing?" "No way, I''m not that insensitive." Arad looked at the ape getting ready to throw another spear. "I do not turn those who ask for my help. I have the power to help them and it''ll hurt my pride to fail to do so. If I can''t lend them a hand, that means I''m just as weak as they are." Arad smacked the ape''s second spear with a wing m. "What are you talking about?" Merida got even more confused with each word. "This ape''s control of the jungle is bound to his fungus, so taking them down would leave the spot open." Merida blinked twice, "Doma! I know you''re here, exin what this idiot is talking about. Make it simple enough for me to understand." A mouth appeared on the back of Arad''s neck, "So, if I understand him right, you offered your body to him once but he didn''t get the hint and regretted being that dense. Once he realized that, he went on and sted the demon lord of fungus and pulled you out of that mess. In the meantime, he liked seeing you challenge a demon lord alone and that coupled with the fact that he thought you should finish what you started, Ae ended up picking up on it and agreed to let you marry him." "Simpler!" "Humanoids rarely interest Arad as most of them are weak, both physically and mentally. He fell in love with you since women like you who dare to challenge a demon lord alone are rare, and he isn''t letting you away." Doma giggled, "And since strength is beauty to dragons, he''s trying to make you stronger, like gifting a woman a ring or a ne to wear." Arad flew down, protecting his body with a barrier against the ape''s spears. As hended, hundreds of fungus-infected monsters surrounded him, trying to prevent him from reaching the giant ape. "Demon, the power in thisnd shall belong to my wife. Begone," Arad lifted his w, pointing at the infected ape. The ape roared, pounding his chest as he roared. Merida could feel the fungus in the ground resonating with the one in her body. This was a fragment of the previous demon lord''s power that got separated once the gates to the abyss closed. Merida pulled her sword, "So we have to kill him?" "It''s my job," Arad said, a ck orb emerging in front of his w. "It''s been a while since I did this. Thest time was against the ancient wood roots." A beam of darkness shed out of the w, hitting the ape and only erasing the fungus in his body, ending the fight before it could even start. "It can''t be!" Merida gasped, "That was an S-rank monster!" Arad walked toward the ape''s corpse and stared at it. "His body relied on the fungus to survive," He kicked the corpse away and lowered Merida to the ground, "What do you say?" As Merida set her foot on the ground, she could feel the fungus in her body seeping down and taking control of thework built in the forest. "Such powerful magic..." She clenched her fist, and the fungus threads in her muscles and bones grew stronger, increasing her durability, strength, and speed by almost double. Arad shifted into his humanoid form, "Did it work? Doma said it should work without a problem." "It did, just like that. I''m almost twice as strong..." She stared at him, "But..." Doma''s mouth appeared on Arad''s neck, "[It''s a risky move for a dragon to make their partner stronger. They can fight for domination or leave. The fact he made you stronger means that he trusts you a lot. It''s your choice now, fight for domination like Eris usually does, or try to escape. What will you do?]" Merida looked at Arad, "Doma, do you mind leaving for a while?" "[Why?]" "I''ll choose the option you didn''t state. I am still nowhere near Arad''s strength, and even if I were I won''t dare lift my sword against him." She approached Arad, "I rather bend down and submit. Taking responsibility for that night is the best I could do," "[Then I''ll be leaving you two, enjoy...]" Doma faded away. Chapter 718 It’s Never Safe

Chapter 718 It''s Never Safe

"They''rete," Ae sighed, staring at the pot simmering over the fading mes. "We should probably eat." Mira walked into the kitchen with Rey and Ray behind her. "I''m sure Master would spend the night with Merida," Rey added, and Ray nodded after her. "Isdis and Eris aren''t here, and Roberta already left a while ago," Ae turned toward the pot, "You might be right," Waiting for Arad and Merida''s return didn''t make sense, so they decided to eat first. The night is still long, but they still have a ton of work tomorrow. They quickly set the dinner table and started eating, "I hope Arad doesn''t forget about the logs. We need them." Mira sighed, stirring her bowl and feeling exhausted just by thinking about how much work awaits her. "I don''t want to work on it. It''s boring..." "Lady Mira hates any stale work," Rey looked at her. "You can''t y with?things that are normalized," Mira replied with a sad face.?The making of siege weapons or the castle''s main drawbridge?wasn''t something she could put a re on.?They are repetitive, boring jobs for a craftsman. "But it''s important." Ae looked at her, "You won''t be working alone either. You''ll be directing a group of carpenters." "That''s the boring part to me." Mira stared at her?with a sad face, "I''ll have my hands full giving orders to everyone that I would barely get time to lift a hammer and work." "It can''t be helped." Ray looked at Mira, "Lady Mira, you''re the most talented carpenter we could find. It''ll be faster and more efficient to have you in a leading role?directing?everyone and?making full use of?your talent and knowledge." "Talent, you say..." Mira lifted a spoonful of soup and stared at it, "I''m sure my talent isn''t in directing people..." "Look around," Ae smiled, tapping a finger on the table, "You almost made this entire house. And you didn''t do it alone. You were directing Bob and the other builders." "Lady Ae is right," Ray nodded, "Don''t stress it out and get it done. It''ll only be a few days of work at most." "You''re?going to?the University of the Arts in a few weeks. You won''t be staying for long anyway." Rey added. "The University of the Arts...do they teach creation magic? Spells to help with working wood or still?" Mira stared at the twins, "You must know." "Elemental creation magic is a thing, but I''ve never heard of any magic that directly maniptes wood." Rey started thinking. "nt magic is a thing...but that isn''t wood, it''s living veins and roots..." Ray scratched her head. "There are spells that control objects like telekinesis. You might be able to learn and cast them to use more than one tool at a time." Ae stared at Mira with a grin, "Just?imagine,?four hammers swinging at the same time as you cut wood with a saw, all using your mind and magic." "It''ll be fun." Mira smiled, "Fine,?it''s two weeks that''ll?end quickly." "But..." Rey looked at the door, "Master is taking his time with Merida." "I hope she doesn''t get hurt.?He?can be a bit rough," Ray looked at Ae, "What do you think?" "I don''t know. Beside Eris, she''s the most durable of us." Ae started thinking, "I say she''llst for an hour at most." "We''ve watched Master with Her Highness Isdis. We can say she starts getting tired in a quarter-hour at most." Rey and Ray nodded as they looked at each other. "You two are watching her them?" Mira stared at them with a tired face. "You don''t watch us, do you?" "We only guarddy Isdis as her personal maids. Even though she keeps kicking us out," Rey mumbled. "Master locked the keyholes on the doors, but we found a crack that we can peep through," Ray looked at Mira, "You know how massive Master is. We can''t risk her getting harmed, even by mistake. She''s a fragile bard?after?all. She''s nowhere near as flexible asdy Ae or durable as Eris." "It isn''t that bad," Mira sighed, "But I can''t be the one to speak.?I''ve got pregnant pretty?quick, so he''s been?far?gentler with me, and we aren''t having that many sessions either."?She?looked at the maids with a smile, "Show me that peeping crackter..."?She thought, ^I''ll block it with a wooden nk, so they can''t keep looking.^ "It''s not a problem with Arad," Ae looked at them, "It''s a problem with us. He''s too strong for us," "The stronger someone gets, the harder it bes to control their strength at lower levels," Mira remembered how many pieces of furniture and utensils Arad?destroyed?by mistake. "If Eris and Merida could both withstand his strength. We might spend less morning barely able to walk," Ae looked at them?with a?serious?face. "As we told Lady Isdis," Rey looked at Ae, "We are always here to help..." "You just want a turn, don''t you? Forget it," Ae stared at them. "Tina also suggested it," Mira stared at them, "But we agreed on a NO." "Lady Ae," Tina walked downstairs, "You started eating without me?" Ray stared at her. "We maids don''tin." "Why..." Tina cried. "She isn''t a maid," Mira smacked Ray on the head with a chop, "Don''t tease her." Tina giggled, "I finished cleaning. Tomorrowitis your turn." She stared at Ray with a grin. "No, it''s sister''s turn." Ray pointed at Rey, "I cleaned yesterday." "It mattersnot,you cook, and I''ll clean," Ae stared at them, "This isn''t a big house, but it''ll get bigger in the future." She turned and stared at the window, "Timeflies by.NowwithZephyr gone, I doubt we can live longer in this house without any magical protection." "The great wind spirit." "I bet a lot of rogue spirits woulde after me for the title of the queen." Ae looked at them, "And those who never considered attacking us due to Zephyr''s presence would get bold. Arad can''t be with us all thetime. Merida now fulfils that role." "The demon lord of fungus," Mira mumbled, "No monster would dare attack us directly while she''s around.It was provenwith Alony''s attack," "Demon lord?" Rey looked at Ae, "Wasn''t she a queen of fungus?" "We don''t know, it''s a fungus. Queen, king, or lord, it doesn''t matter. What matters is that it considers Merida like its mother," Ae looked at the ceiling. "I need to master Zephyr''s power as soon as possible to protect the house in Arad''s absence." "You''rete..." A deep voice came from behind Mira as arge handnded on her head, "This one is pregnant with Arad''s child, isn''t she?" A massive muscr man stood behind her, oozing enough magic to paralyze everyone. ^Move! Move!^ Ae growled, circting her magic around her body as fast as she could, trying to break free of the time- binding spell the man was emitting. "I''m a silver dragonwho hasa tiny problem with your husbandArad. Minding with me for a while?" The man asked. He''s the one who attacked Arad in the capital. ZON! The silver dragon blinked, and so did Ae. She could feel someone standing behind her, and judging by the sound, it must be Arad. Mira''s eyes opened wide as she saw theold manwith a mustache. "Who are you?" The silver dragon gasped. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Hemph, It''s my question," Sebas replied, his shirt ripping apart as his muscles expanded. "I''m lord Arad''s butler and was specifically instructed to rip and tear anyone who dared step in the house uninvited." Thud! A handnded on the silver dragon''s head. And Ae could see him, Gojostandingbehind the silver dragon. "Touching my brother''s wife. You don''t seem to value your life, do you." Gojo put even more strength into his palm, squeezing the dragon''s head. The silver dragon has frozen the girls with a faint application of time-stop magic, but Gojo and Sebaswhoate one of Arad''sscaleswere unaffected, and it only took them a fraction of a second to respond. "You''re master''s brother, so I''ll allow your uninvited entry to the house." Sebas stared at Gojo. "I saved your life, remember, wyrmling eater monkey. I''m sure I took a p from Mother for doing that," Gojosighed,as he grabbed the silver dragon''s wrist, pulling his hand away from Mira. "That''s my brother''s wife and nephew." while stillholding a casual conversationwith Sebas. "You got what you deserved. We''re dangerous to dragons, more than you think." Sebas replied. "For real, I felt like a kid bringing a roon home." "Don''tpare me to those trash pandas." "DIE!" The silver dragon shouted, spinning around with a fist toward Gojo''s face. ZO-ZON! The silver dragonfound himself standingin an empty wastnd of stone and dust, "The southern desert?" Gojo sat on a stone peak as he watched Sebas approach the silver dragon, "Sebas, I''ll sit here and watch. You''re supposed to be Arad''s butler. Show us what you can do." Chapter 719 The Dragon-eating Ape

Chapter 719 The Dragon-eating Ape

The giant apes that prey on young dragons. By eating dragon''s flesh, scales, and horns, they can temporarily gain elemental powers and use those to hunt. Gojo sat on the stone peak, looking down with a smile. His blue eyes faintly sparked as he observed every drop of magic flowing in the air. Sebas''s muscles expanded?a bit, and his gray hair spiked, shing with blue mana sparks. The ground around his feet cracked as two ox-like horns emerged on his head, and a long ape tail swung from his back. The silver dragon smiled, "I''m not interested in you, monkey. That one is Arad''s brother, seems like an aplishment for me to smite." "Really? I don''t think so." Gojo said?with a mocking voice, "The one you call monkey is more than enough to deal with the likes of you." The silver dragon snorted, "I''ll smack you down with his corps." [Time Stop] He flew forward and swung his fist at Sebas''s head, "It''s over." Sebas dodged, and the dragon gasped.?Time was still stopped. He swung again, but Sebas still dodged with ease. Even the barrage of fists that followed failed to hit the?old man. "What are you?!" The silver dragon screamed as Sebas caught his hand and kicked him in the guts, sending him flying into a massive boulder. "An old decrepit hunter." At the peak of the stone peak, Gojo burstughing. "You''re a dragon. Do you think hunting wyrmlings and young dragons is easy? An angry parent is always around." The silver dragon stood from the rubble, "I see. Your kind needs some warriors to keep the parents at bay. You''re that monster. What a pain, and it doesn''t exin why you could move in the stopped time." ^Sebas can''t move in the stopped time. This ce is under my barrier, so time and space spells would activate but never take effect.^ Gojo''s two glowing blue eyes red?down?at the ground, keeping the two under his gaze. Each fist exchanged between?the two?exploded in a shockwave as they lunged from one corner to another, shattering the ground with each impact. Sebas''s martial skills soared beyond what Gojo and the silver dragon expected. He had spent?the better part?of his life facing dragons, sometimes facing multiple enraged parents at once to allow the young hunters to escape with their prey. Most dragons n their attacks beforemitting to them, which means when they are about to unleash a move,?it''s rare that they can?switch mid-action. A dragon''s heartbeat is a good indicator of the?amount of?strength they intend to use, the?louder it rumbles, the more dangerous their attack is. Dragons have excellent vision and motion tracking,?but?they?are?extremely bad?at avoiding slow attacks?as their minds think it''s weak and leave it for the scales to tank. Punches to the dragon scales rarely?do any?damage, especially those aiming atrge muscles. It''s usually better to aim at joints and ligaments while the dragon is gearing up for a?powerful?swing, that?way?you?can use their?own?strength to rip their tendons apart. The silver dragon fell on his knees, puking blood as Sebas approached him with glowing purple eyes. "Stand, old and tuff meat. Even boiling you for hours won''t get you tender enough for the youngins," "Hehehe! You remind me of Alcott. That bastard''s moves are so unnatural that we can barely?manage to?predict or adjust to his attacks. No, he moves in a way that makes it harder for us to fight him. He does it intentionally." Silver scales spread through his body as the ground around him froze. "But overwhelming power should be enough to drop the likes of you!" He shifted into his massive silver dragon form, roaring loud enough to shatter the ground. "OOO! OOO!" Sebas''s body started expanding as he pounded his chest, growingrger andrger until he?took the form of?a massive adult gori with ox horns. "A silverback," The void dragon watching from above smiled, "He''s not even trying yet." He avoided the massive freezing w rushing forth and grasped into the dragon''s wrist with his foot, swinging a punch at its neck, jolting his head left and right. The ground shattered as the dragon''s body dropped, only to explodeonceagain as Sebas lost it, beating the dragon''s chest with a barrage of crazed swings of his massive arms. With one smack of the dragon''s massive silver tail, Sebas''s body flew through several bouldersbleedingrivers as he rolled on the ground. And before he could stop, the dragon''smassivejaw caught him in the chest, pushing him to the ground. N?v(el)B\\jnn Sebas struggled to move, but the dragon swung his massive neck, lifting Sebas and mming him to the ground witha massiveimpact, cracking the groundall the wayto where Gojo sat. As the dragon noticed that the ape in his jaw was still alive, he lifted his headup, charging a breath to st him into the sky. Now that he was in his draconic form, he could sense Gojo''s barrier and had already begun nning for his escape. Sebaswasn''t doneyet. Thanks to the impact, he managed to wiggle a bit.pushinghis feet on the dragon''s upper and lower jaw, hemanaged to forceits maw open. With zeal,he clenched a fist, engulfed in the void as his fur turned purple.Aradalreadyfed him some of his scales, and thushecould temporarily use the void element. ^It isn''t just elemental energy.Theytake upon powers akin to the dragon they eat, even the physical traits.^ Gojo smiled as the muscles on Sebas''s back grewrger. The silver dragon gasped as hecould seeArad''s power in Sebas''s re. Sebas swung his fist down, hitting the dragon on the nose, caving his skullinwith a powerful burst as he drilled his head back to the ground. The ground shattered as the dragon''s head got buriedin itbeneath Sebas''s fistandGojo giggled. ^His main power and strength was time maniption. Cutting that was enough to beathim.^ He jumped down,nding beside Sebas and the twitching silver dragon. "Your power depends on the dragon you eat. No wonder Mother wanted you dead. I never thought I lived to see a monkey punch a dragon down like that," Gojo looked at Sebas. "You''re dangerous," "You want to kill me like your mother now?" Sebas replied. "I won''t me you, ourand your race are constantly struggling between prey and predator." "I don''t hold racial grudges, Ihold personal ones. You showed to protect brother''s wives, and I respect that." Gojo smiled, "Good job, monkey." "Shut up, lizard." Gojo burstughing, "I mean, you''re right. We''re only buff lizards that have wings and breath elemental energy, and your kind are onlyrge monkeys that eat us and punch with our power." He lifted his handandthe silver dragon''s body got covered in a dark haze. "I''ll take care of this one, youcan return." Sebas shifted back into his humanoid form. "Thanks for your help. I would''ve lost if this dragon''s time magic worked," "Don''t thank me,it''smy duty tohelpbrother." Gojo tapped Sebas''s back, "We''re counting on you to protect the forest and his when we''re going to school." The silver dragon''s body disappeared into a golden mist, and Gojo gasped. "A clone? A holy double, this bastard tricked us." He red into the distance, "He never came with his real body at all." The silver dragon''srealbody rested far away in hisir, watching the fightwith intrigue. "An all-powerful void dragon and vicious ape.Thisis troublesome." Weeks and days flew by without a second attack or anythingmajorhappening. Each dayAradwoke up and helped Mira with moving resources to work on theconstruction of the castleuntil the promised day. Arad stood between the students, towering over them as he carried Aisha in one hand with a passive face. "Everyone! I wee you to the University of the Arts!" A teacher shouted into a voice amplification stone. Chapter 720 Merida’s Night I: Breakdown [Near R-18]

Chapter 720 Merida''s Night I: Breakdown [Near R-18]

"Merida, how are you feeling today?" Ae turned around, looking back at Merida, who stood behind her in the line. With her wind magic and Merida''s sharp hearing, the two could whisper, and no one would hear their conversation unless he had extreme senses. "Nothing changed," Merida shook her head, "Lydia must be right. Something is off with my body." Each of Arad''s wives had something special. Ae was an elf, and no one knew how long it would take for her to get pregnant. Or how long it would take for them to notice that she was pregnant. Just like how humans can''t know on the first day and usually take days or weeks to show signs, elves take months to years for signs to start showing. Eris was half elf half dragon vampire. It was unknown if she could even get pregnant, and with how hot her body could get, such biological possibilities were outside the normal range for humans to understand. Isdis being the princess couldn''t simply get pregnant like that, and she was actively trying to wait until the kingdom''s affair settled down. That is simply to avoid unnecessary conflict that might arise with a new possible heir. Mira is already pregnant and has to either stay close to Arad to feed off his magic or live on a die rich of mana potions. Her human body can''t provide enough mana to nourish the egg inside her. That has left a lot of stress on Merida, the only human seemingly with enough mana and endurance to withstand a dragon''s egg, and that doesn''t have any reason to avoid getting pregnant... but it wasn''t that easy. Based on Lydia and Merlin''s observation, Merida''s body is growing stronger by mixing and adapting to the crimson rot already inside her body. Her physical and magical capabilities are growing at an elerating rate, and that seems to be affecting her natural capabilities. The rapid shifts in her biology and mana made it extremely hard for her to get pregnant, but as Merlin has theorized, this hindrance will onlyst for the time she''s evolving. And her body would regain its fertility afterward. She just isn''t stable enough for that. Merida stared at her hand, sensing the rushing power through it. "It only got worse..." As an experiment, the wives have agreed to let Merida get more sessions with Arad than them in the hope she gets pregnant early. Ae and the rest expected that she''d be sore after a day or two, but to their surprise, she spent each night with Arad without batting an eye. She showed no sign of getting pregnant, and the instabilities in her body have only elerated. "As if my body is feeding on him...It all started that night," Merida''s mind panned back to when she went out with Arad for the first time. **** "This feeling," Merida walked away from Arad and sat on a fallen tree, "I''m a bit. Do you have some water?" She asked, and he pulled a jug of water out of his stomach. "Are you okay?" "Yeah," She replied after drinking half of the jug. "It''s just thirst." She smiled. "Thirst? Is it the fungus?" "Yeah...but it shouldn''t be a problem as long as I drink enough water. The scarlet rot prefers to die than let me get harmed. This light-headedness is a signal that some of the scarlet rot would die if I don''t drink water, losing me some power." She smiled, tapping the log beside her, "Sit, don''t just stand there." Arad sat beside her, "Don''t push yourself too much. We can go back home if you want," She shook her head, "I told you...I only needed some water," She finished the whole jug, "And I''m not backing away after telling Doma to leave us alone. She''ll make a clown out of me." "What is a clown?" "A jester that wears makeup and pretends to be stupid for fun." She giggled. "They make peopleugh at them?" Arad tilted his head. "Peopleugh at them until the bastards pull a saw or a hammer and start a massacre. I''ve read so many horror stories about them," She swung her arm, "I might end up attacking her if she made fun of me." "That means you''ll fight me." Arad smiled, pulling her closer. "You love women who fight back, don''t you?" She tried to wrap her arm around his neck. But she couldn''t. He''s too tall, and his shoulders are too wide for that to be possible. "How are you this wide?" "Large bones and muscles," Arad replied, flexing his right arm and tapping his biceps. "In this crazed world of monsters, this is the only thing that would protect us. Or this is what Alcott told me," "I have to agree on that," She smiled, running her hand on Arad''s arm, "But I can''t help but find it...this one isrger than my thigh," She tapped her thigh. "I can''t make them thinner." He smiled, "But you might be able to make your thighs thicker." Merida giggled. For a second she misunderstood Arad but quickly realized what he actually meant. At the start, she thought he was saying he likes thicker thighs, but immediately remembered that he probably meant her training and getting more muscles on her thighs. "How do you like them?" She stared at him, "Thick or thin? Leave strength out," Arad blinked twice, racking his head for what she meant. "If we left strength out...then it won''t matter that much to me." He stared at her, "As long as you can live perfectly fine with it, don''t be like Merlin." Merida sighed, "You''re really dense, but what should I have expected? Ae and Mira are inexperienced. I''m sure Eris is as well." She stared at him, "But, didn''t Isdis say anything?" "Say what?" She sighed again, "Just rx and let me take the lead. I''m inexperienced as well, but I''ve read a lot. I might be a bit sloppy, but it''s at least better than leaving you without any knowledge." "I''m listening," Arad stared at her, awaiting what she had to say. She moved her hips, swiftly sitting on hisp, staring him in the eyes. "First, we don''t do this just for babies...I mean, eggs? Anyway, whatever that is." She got her face closer to his, "But, before we do anything. There is something I need to get out first." "That''s a lot of things." Arad smiled, "What is it?" She took a deep breath, staring at him with worried eyes. He could feel a slight shiver in her legs, as she gently panned back, standing in front of him. "I''m both scared and embarrassed. I''m finding it hard to even speak, so please ignore any shaking in my voice." Arad looked at her face. He could indeed sense her hesitance, but among that, he could feel the strength she was using to push herself to speak. "You''re afraid of my reaction," He said, "But know that it''ll take more than just words to get me angry, especially on you or any of my wives. You could spit on my face, and I''ll not get bothered. You could fight and p one of the others, and I''ll still try to take a neutral state and understand what happens." "You won''t believe how much I understand that," She replied, her voice shaking more than ever. "You got even more scared of me...am I doing something wrong?" Now even Arad started getting confused. His mind raced left and right trying to figure out what could be troubling her this much. He eventually reached a point of confusion where he decided to ce limitations upon his own powers by shutting off his magic to not be able to harm her even if he snapped. "It''s my fault," Merida clenched her fist, and he could hear her heart pounding in her chest. Whatever she wants to say is refusing to leave her throat. Merida clenched her fist tighter and suddenly swung it, hitting herself on the cheek. "What are you doing?" Arad gasped. "Getting myself to move," She growled, going on her knees and then putting her face to the ground, "That night...It was my fault. I shouldn''t have done that. I shouldn''t have even thought about it." She cried as Arad was about to stand, thinking that she copsed. "It was an assault,pletely on me. Begging for help would''ve been a saner option. I was a fool." ^I tried apologizing to Ae first, but her answer was anything but what I expected.^ Merida thought... ^Before I could even speak, she picked up on what I was about to say and rejected it.^ [You shouldn''t apologize to me. It''s Arad who was harmed.] Ae turned toward Merida with glowing green eyes, [But I doubt he himself would see it as a harm. Even I fail to understand how his mind works at times. It''s not just ignorance on his part. It''s like a greater power stirs within him, granting him the will to withstand such a moment without batting an eye.] N?v(el)B\\jnn [What?] Merida gasped, stumbling at Ae''s statement. [I know that you fear confronting him. Apologizing to me first, then having me slowly work things between you and him to lead to a smooth apology is a decent n to go about it, but I think it''s better and safer for you to not dance around and jump straight into it. I''ll get him to take you into an isted ce where you can have some privacy. Whatever happens to you there, is between you two.] **** Merida was sweating buckets. The bath she took had already be obsolete. Rubbing salt on a dragon''s wound, with her head being so low, she only awaited a kick to fall on her skull. Arad''s answer was both the best and worst. He stared at her silently for a second, "Does it? Really matters now?" He said, and she felt her whole body dry out. [Even I fail to understand how his mind works...] Ae''s words kept ringing in her head. Arad grabbed her by the shoulder and helped her sit upright, "I care about meanings, motives, and intentions more than what you did." He then scratched his head, "But I doubt you''ll ept this as an answer...since you went through the trouble of apologizing," He mumbled, racking his head to find a way out of this situation. ^She probably won''t feel better without me doing something...^ He stared at her for a moment then lifted her from the sides, sitting back on the log with her on his hips facing him as she was before. "You were about to teach me something?" He said, and she could feel his hand clenching tight on her butt. Chapter 721 Meridas Night II: Back and Forth [R-18] Chapter 721 Merida''s Night II: Back and Forth [R-18] ??"Ae was right." Merida smiled, reaching forward with her face toward Arad for a kiss. "I can''t understand how your mind works," "Do I have a problem?" Arad replied after the kiss, staring back at her eyes. "No, you don''t." She pushed against his chest to move back and stand, "It''ll probably take me months and years to understand you better. I honestly expected a kick or something." She shook her head. ^There is no need to overthink it. Just go with the flow. Focus on what you came for.^ She took a deep breath and sat down on her knees, reaching with her hands forward to unzip his pants. Arad looked at her but didn''t move, "Go ahead." He said, patting her head with a smile. Merida''s finger trembled as she slowly unzipped Arad''s pants, panting. From what the others said, she knew she was in forsomething,but couldn''t help but imagine it being that different fromst time. What came out wasn''t something she expected. Toorge, too thick, and too heavy for what she remembered, easily mistaken for her forearm, no, it warger. ^What''s this? Does it grow each time he evolves? No, this won''t fit anywhere!^ She started sweating. "Are you okay?" Arad looked at her face, noticing her nose and ears growing red as her breaths grew heavier. "Yeah, everything is fine." She replied, ^Not it isn''t!^ She lifted her hands and grabbed his flesh, her fingers barely wrapping around the thing. Taking a deep breath, she extended her tongue out, giving a long lick from the base up. Merida started this trying to show off, but now it''s a fight for survival. ^Who wrote that stupid book? There is nothing to do in this case...^ She cried internally, her eyes panning around...^If I don''t get it wet enough, it''s not going to befunny,^ She opened her mouth as wide as she could, trying to take the tip in, but it was a bit toorge, filling her while.She pulled back and went back to lickingas she tookseveral deep breaths before trying again. Immediately gagging up, she pulled it out, panting. "This isn''t going to work," She looked at the confused Arad. She told him to let her take the lead, but now she''s struggling. "You know you don''t need to suck it, do you?" Even he knew that. Until now, only Eris could manage that. "It''s not about that," She looked around. ^I wish I didn''t need totoo, but it won''t go in dry. If we were home, I would''ve already called Rey and Ray or Tina to bring us some oil...^ "Do you have a mat? Something we can put down?" She looked around. Sitting in the grass wasn''t helping. With a single wave of his hand, Arad pulled arge carpet. "Let me put this down," Heid it on the ground. Merida smiled, approaching him once more as he sat down, pulling his shirt up with one move. "Sit down, let me handle it." Doubtful, Arad decided to go along with her. She''s finally loosening up a bit. He didn''t want to say or do anything that might get herscaredas she was a few moments ago. She took her time, slowly undressing him, using whatever chances she got to think of a way to make the inevitable easier. A single solution loomed over her head, but she didn''t want to believe it. Before they knew it, Arad had already stripped down, and she sat there, staring at him. She could take her clothes out, but that means he''ll stick inside, ^That''ll hurt...A lot...^ She then looked at Arad, noticing that he was reading into her face. ^No, I have to calm down...I have him all for myself now. I can''t miss this chance. What if it hurt? It''ll be nothingpared to de wounds...That''s right, I''m more durable than to get stopped by this.^ "Arad...can you help me strip?" She asked. Arad smiled, "Of course," He approached her. Zephyr had already shown him what to do for Ae. He couldjustdo the same thing. He pulled her toward him for a deep kiss, his hands slipping across her chest to slowly unbutton her thick fur coat. The moment he did that, he sucked it into his stomach, leaving heronlywearing a thinyer of shirts. It was freezing cold, and she could feel the shiver running down her spine, seeking heat. She pushed herself closer to Arad''s chest. His massive body radiated heat like an oven. Arad hugged her tighter without releasing the kiss, his hands gently lifting her shirts up, sucking them to his stomach before he could run them over her head. Feeling his tongue swimming in her mouth and his flesh poking on her stomach made her rethink what she thought, ^Unexperienced, but aggressive. Who''s the vexing who taught him this?^ Shethoughtit was one of the girls, butin reality,it was a tiny drunken spirit called Zephyr. Heat slowly swelled inside her, and she could feel it rushing out of her eyes and ears, making her head spin each time she tried to breathe. As Arad tookall ofher upper clothes out, shewas only leftwith her bra on her torso. He had expected something like the ones worn by Ae or Eris, but to his surprise, she worea onestic piece of cloth simr tothose of Mira. Their lips parted, and Arad stared at her red and tearing face. She didn''t expect such a long kiss out of him. "You..." He was about to say -Remind me of Mira- but quickly changed his mind. Zephyr had yelled at him for half an hour when he did it with Ae. She saidto never mention the other girlswhen with one like this. "Look beautiful." He patched itup,by the book of Zephyr. Merida gasped, her teeth cracking as she stared at him, stunned for a second. But that didn''tst long as Arad quickly proceeded, licking her lips and slowly trailing down her neck. "Don''t..." She pushed on his head..."I''m..." She gasped, unable to avoid the shivers torturing her body. ^I''m sweaty...the bath I tookbarelymeans anything now...^ "Rx, it''s nothing." Arad smiled, licking her corbones and slowly going back up her neck. Whether he likes it or not, he''s still a human-eating dragon, tohim, her flesh tasted like delicious meat. With his lycanthropic and vampiric curses acting up, he could barely resist sticking his fangs into her neck. After giving her a second kiss, he trailed back down and stopped at her bosom, cupping them in his hands and sucking on her nipples. Gentle licks quickly turned into vigoroussucking,and then into squeezing akin to milking. "You''re rough..." She gasped, a tant lie as she had never felt such a thing on her breasts, "But..." She opened her eyes, looking at Arad to see him making a disappointed face. "Sorry!" She gasped, "You aren''t rough... you can..." She tried to speak up, but Arad stared her in the eyes. "Say, are you eating well? The others aren''t starving you, right?" He was starting toheragitated, and she sensed it. "I''m eating well...what are you talking about?" She could feel a cold sweat dripping across her back. "No milk...you''re dry." He pointed at her nipples, outof this whole thing, he was most excited about that. "We humans don''t produce milk unless we''re pregnant." She replied, "Of course nothing woulde out..." "Really?" Arad''s brain quickly shed, Untilnow, only Mira and Ae had milk, Eriddidn''t have any and said it was because she was a vampire and her body was too hot. Isdis alsodidn''t have anymilk, but he thought it was only her being dry, a quirk. "Does this mean Ae is pregnant?" "I don''t know about elves. But if a human woman''s breasts start producing milk, she''s likely pregnant, that''swhat I read..." She replied, "And don''te telling me about their breasts now!" Arad shook his head, hiding his excitement. "Sorry, I''ll make up for it for you." "Well, I should be happy ifwe''re expectinga second egg." She smiled, "Let''s continue, let''s leave that talk forter." **** Arad pulled Mira toward him once more, this time licking her nipples without trying to milk them for every drop of white liquid. He then quickly shifted to licking under them as he slowly made his way to her belly, tohim, it was like licking a piece of roastedmeat, savory and delicious, hard not to bite into. "It tickles," She gasped, pushing on his head, but she couldn''t move it. The harder she rested, the more Arad teased her stomach, licking her abs and belly button, forcing her tough as hard as she could. "Please stop! It''s starting to hurt," Arad stopped, and Mira could barely hold her giggles, tearing up as she looked at him, "Tha..." She noticed him taking a deep breath.N?v(el)B\\jnn "What are you..." He shoved his face into her stomach, blowing directly on her belly button. Barbling it. Meridaburst outughingand tried her best to get Arad to stop, but he wasn''t budging. Zephyr had taught himthat touse it against Ae, but he didn''t seem to get the memo. As Arad stopped, Merida could barely move, twitching from the tingles rushing through her body. Arad sat down and lifted her legs up, pulling her shoes off and storing them in his stomach before putting her legs back down. At that time, Merida almost seemed unresponsive, but she quickly jolted back to life as he started unbuckling her belt. "Wait..." She gasped, touching his flesh with her feet. She looked down and realized that it wasrger than her foot. ^No! That won''t fit in dry!^ Arad pulled her belt away and slowly pulled her leather pants down, licking her hips and thighs, going down to her knees and calves. As he pulled her pants all the way off, he didn''t forget to kiss the tip of her foot, giving her feet a gentle lick. Zephyr said it''s mandatory, but Arad seemed toforgetthe elf part... "Stop!" She cried, her whole body burning red. Arad grabbed her by the hips and lifted her toward his face, biting her panties off and storing them in his stomach with a gentle pull, finding her drenched wet. "Wait..." She gasped again butwas cutshort as Arad started vigorously licking her. "Stop!" She twisted her hips, pushing on his chest with her legs and flipping herself around. She was trying to get away from his grasp but instead found her head dangling in front of his flesh. ^It''s not ideal...butbetterthan nothing.^Sheopenedhermouth and started sucking the tip ashelickedher, andsheslowly usedherown weight to forcehisflesh downherthroat. It didn''t take her long to make amistake,herhisjolted as she almost came, and she wrapped her legs around Arad''s neck, pushing his face into her. Arad took that as an invitation and wrapped his legs around her head, applying force and forcing his flesh into her throat. She gasped, wrapping her legs tighter around his neckandheappliedeven more force on her. As Arad''s entire flesh got forced down her throat, she realized that she could take more than she had expected. The intricate myceliumwork spreading across her body gave hera degree offlexibility. Merida''s hip twitched as she came, sshing on Arad''s face as he slowly rxed his grip on her head. "Are you okay?" Arad put her downandshe looked at him with a tearful face, "I''m fine," She smiled, "If fact, I''m better," She reached down to suck him even more. The new revtion and the excitement still surging in her body got her even more heated for more, and she started vigorously shoving his flesh down her throat down to the base. ^Itfeels,strangely pleasant.^Shecouldn''t get enough of the feeling ofherthroat stretching with each stroke. ^Iwonder,how it''ll feel inside...^ She let go of his flesh andid on her back, lifting her legs up and spreading herself, "Look, Arad... It''s still closed...It''s my first time..." She was panting, her legs twitching with each breath. "Can I ask something?" "I''ll be gentle." He replied. "No, I want the opposite..." She started rubbing herself. "It''s burning, please don''t hold back. I want you to shove it all at once, just as you pushed it into my throat. I''m sure I can take it, please. I want that itch scratched." Arad didn''t understand most of what she said, but he''d do what she wanted. Zephyr was clear about it. -Do whatever she said, except stopping. When theycrystop. They mean go harder. If they ask you to go harder, they mean to y with their breasts or kiss them, and iftheysay they like it, that means you have to keep at the same pace- Chapter 722 Merida’s Night III: Reinforced power [R-18]

Chapter 722 Merida''s Night III: Reinforced power [R-18]

Arad grabbed Mira by the hips, pulling her toward him as he pushed inside. She gasped, feeling something stretch inside of her, standing at the edge of ripping apart but never giving up. N?v(el)B\\jnn ^It hurt, hurt... like someone twisting my forearm. It shouldn''t hurt like this.^ Merida could hear her heartbeats throbbing across her body, the veins in her arms and legs pulsing as waves of stinging pain surged across her torso up to her head. With each thrust, her mind calmed down, but her body kept screaming in pain, ^It''s not Arad''s doing... something is changing...my hymen didn''t break. I can feel it stretching with each thrust.^ With each pulse of pain, Merida slowly noticed that she wasn''t only hearing her heartbeats through her veins but a whole other structure spreading across her body from head to toe. Arad''s eyes shed purple as he felt a massive force clenching down on his flesh like a cleaver. No, it felt more like being stuck in the jaw of a monster, trying to bite his flesh off. If not for his scales, this would''ve chopped it off. "This isn''t right," Merida gasped, veins spreading to her eyes, and she stared at her hand, feeling the crimson rot. The demonic fungi reinforce her body, from head to toe. Her tissues would stretch but never break. Arad could see it with his void eyes, the mycelium spreading through her whole body, infused into her muscles, organs, and bones down to the hymen. It acts like steel wires that hold the structure of her body together andpress back with unbelievable force to grant her superhuman strength and resilience. With each stroke, it absorbed Arad''s magic and grew stronger. It wasn''t that strange. Dragon''s magic can affect the ground and nature around them. A red dragon living in a mountain would soon turn it into a volcano, and so would the living fungus in Merida adjust to Arad''s magic. Arad lifted his fist, about to st her with an erasing void st, aiming to kill the monstrous fungus infesting her body. "Demon lord, you''re overstepping your..." But he quickly stopped. Thanks to his eyes and sharp sense of smell, he could tell. The fungus growing in Merida''s body wasn''t a part of the demon lord, but one with her, born from her own cells that fed on the demon lord''s magic. This is a power that her body developed from getting soaked in demonic magic... she''s slowly straying away from humanity, shifting toward either bing a demon, or something greater. Arad couldn''t tell. He isn''t that versed in either biology or demonology. "How do you feel?" Arad asked, staring at her down. "You aren''t going to punch me, are you?" She stared back at him. "I was about to erase the fungus in your body, but it seems to be one with you." He replied, "How does it feel?" "Painful, but the pain isn''t bothering me. It''s sharp, but I can ignore it as easily as a mild itch." She replied, staring at her stomach. "It feels strange," "The myceliumwork inside your body is feeding off my magic to grow stronger. Probably, the longer and closer you stay to me, the stronger it could be." He touched her stomach with his palm, "Or it might be adapting to me to survive. Do you know which one?" Merida shook her head, "But either way, it means I''m growing stronger the closer I''m to you." She smiled, "That''s good, isn''t it?" "You''re right," Arad nodded as he kept thrusting, "Just say it if you want me to stop." "No need to stop, just keep going. It doesn''t matter..." She blinked, "Wait, does this mean I''ll stay forever a virgin?" ^Since my hymen isn''t breaking with normal pration, should we try something else? No, it has to break normally...^ "Probably...I not sure." Arad replied, but she shook her head, "Thrust harder! Faster," "Any more strength and I''ll seriously crack your hips," Arad refused toply. With how tight and resilient her insides were, he was already finding it hard to thrust with a normal level of force. "It isn''t enough, make itrger." Merida gasped. "It doesn''t work that way," Arad sighed, "It''s already too big for the others. Take it or leave it." Merida crossed her arms as Arad kept thrusting into her..."I got it!" She smiled, "How about you transform..." Arad immediately pinched her nipples, "Forget it, I won''t. It doesn''t make sense." "AWA! That hurt. You''ll rip them apart," She moaned. ^Her skin is silky and smooth, but her flesh is dense and tough.^ Arad wasn''t just pinching her nipples. He was actively trying to feel her body and understand how it works. "It won''t." Arad looked at her, smiling, "It''ll take more force than this to harm you." He is certain, it''ll take him in the half-dragon mode and a serious power output to wound her without using a weapon. "I''m not talking about that," She lifted her foot and tried to kick him in the face. He dodged each swing. "They are sensitive. Treat them gently." Arad caught her foot, "Just tell me that. It''s a bit hard to output two levels of power." He thrust all the way into her and patted her stomach, "Do you feel it? It''s clenching back at me like the jaws of a crocodile. I have to maintain a simr output for it not to get snapped." "Then don''t pinch. Hold them with your palm if you want." If she replied, grabbing his palm and opening them wide before sheid them over her breasts, "This is better," Arad bent over her and started fondling her breasts as he thrust faster and faster as deeper as he could. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer for a hug. "You''re getting stronger by the second." Arad kissed her, "It''s amazing. You''re already far above the s-rank monster that ruled this part of the forest." Merida cupped his face in her hands, "If I''m that strong, what that makes you?" She gently passed her fingers over his neck and arms. "I''m here pinned down. I don''t even have the strength to struggle against your human form. Let alone defend against your void. You can only kill the fungus, can''t you?" "It''s just that you''re a bad matchup against me. If we talked about anyone else. They''ll have a hard time dealing with you. I''m certain you''ll be able to use that fungus to control monsters like the ape did, a powerful fighter with demon power and resilience and an army of monsters. Who can stand against that?" "It''s you, idiot," She kicked him again in the face, but he caught her foot this time. "I''m your husband." He licked her foot, "I''m not here to threaten your life. You can fight me if you want, but in reality, I''ll be a part of your strength as you''re a part of mine." Merida giggled, "Well, I know that when I need it, I can rely on you to save my life. You already did against the demon lord," She pulled her foot away from his face, "And don''t lick it. I''m not Ae." "Then don''t get it close to my face." Arad stared at her eyes, "How do you feel?" He could sense several pulsesing from inside her. "I''m about to..." She looked at him, half dazed, "AHHH!" Her body jolted as a clear liquid sshed out of her. Arad pinned her down, thrusting faster and faster. With each one, she jolted again, her toes curling back as she gasped for air. "Don''t... stop...keep going," Panting, she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling his hips toward her. It didn''t take Arad that long after to finish, filling her insides until it spilled out. He then gently pulled out, letting Merida rest on the ground for a bit. "Say, Arad." She looked at him. "Are okay... you aren''t angry at me. We cleared that, right?" "Of course," Arad sat beside her. "I still can''t believe it. Everything changed so quickly..." She sat up, extending a hand to him, "Do you have a towel or anything," "Yeah, here." He pulled a clean leather cloth and a bowl of water. "I''ll help you," He started cleaning her. "I can do it myself..." She tried to resist, but ended up giving up, "I''ll clean you then..." "Already did it, a burst of the void is all it needed." He replied and she quickly noted that he had cleaned himself seconds after finishing. **** The two then quickly returned home and Ae informed them of the silver dragon''s attack. Arad praised Sebas for beating the dragon, and Gojo made sure Arad understood that the silver dragon was still out there and might attack again with another clone. "If Eris or Merida were the ones here, this would''ve gone differently," Ae looked down with a sad face. "You''re a ranged fighter that relies on a bow, it wasn''t your fault." Arad patted her head, "And I bet the dragon wouldn''t have even bothered showing up if he knew someone could stop him." "I would''ve punched him in the face," Merida growled. She and Eris could do well in close-quarterbat, and they might''ve been able to distract the dragon away from Mira. Ae does a better job when it''s attacking people from range or area of effect st spells. After Sebas and Gojo left, Ae poured dinner for Arad and Merida as he exined to her that she might be pregnant and that something was off about Merida''s body. After discussing it with Merlin and Lydia, it was decided that Ae needed an inspection from an elvish healer for a clear result and that Merida would have a problem getting pregnant with how unstable her body is due to the rapid growth. As Arad was out cutting wood for Mira, the girls discussed the matters between them and made a crucial decision. Merida was the only one of them who could take on Arad without getting sore, so she''d be with him every day unless one of the other girls wanted a session. This would maximize her chances of getting pregnant while keeping the restfortable. Soon after, Eris carried the burial of the royal family and the civilians, seeing the winter for a cold, sad end. Arad''s catb has more corpses than the people living on hisnd. Arad can''t save everyone. His power doesn''t matter if they aren''t strong enough to protect themselves until he arrives. **** Merida sighed, staring forward at the university''s stage and then down at the cursed ring in her hand. Doma had made the rings to hide everyone''s strength, scent, and magic from the countless wizards roaming around. If she tried to go all out, all the wizards would sense the s-rank monster that she is. And the same applies to everyone. Chapter 723 The First Day of School

Chapter 723 The First Day of School

^This''ll be a good year.^ The director smiled, staring through her window at the lined students. ^To think that Prince Tempo would choose our school. His presence has led many nobles to sign up their children in the hope of building connections. Triple the amount this year,^ Her eyes panned across the students, finally stopping at a strange sight. A massive muscr man standing tall above all other students, ying with a doll in bright daylight. "Who''s this big baby?" She mumbled, but the image of Alcott quickly crossed her head. "He looks like that bastard. Even that massive build." She lifted her hand, making a hole with her fingers and looking toward Arad, "Who are you?" As she focused, Arad turned his head and red back at her. She jumped, instantly releasing her spell with sweat rushing down her spine. "Did he notice me? This ce is protected by a barrier. How?" She looked through the window, seeing Arad waving his hand to her. ^He noticed me! What kind of senses does he have?!^ She then quietly stared from the corner of the window, looking behind Arad only to see Gojo staring her dead in the eyes and smiling. She quickly hid inside, "What''s up with those two? How can they look straight through my barrier?!" **** In the lines of students, a girl looked at Arad''s shoulder as he toured over everyone else. "Heee?!" She gasped, noticing that the suit Arad wore barely fit over his wide back. With each breath, The stitches on it looked as if they could start crying at any moment. "But..." She mumbled with a disappointed face, seeing him hold a tiny doll in his arm like a cat. "Why bring a doll here? No, why is a grown man like him still ying with dolls? Keep it in your dorm." She poked her friend. "Keep quiet. You don''t know him." The other girl replied, "Look at those arms. I bet he can strangle a bear if he wants. A gentle giant could be cute." "Speaking of giants, do you think he has some of their blood? He''s so huge," "Probably, no pure human can grow like that." **** "Those bitches..." Aisha growled, "I''ll go punch them..." "Shhh! Calm down, let them be," Arad whispered as he held her in ce. "Focus, I need you for the written exam." "Cheater," "I don''t intend on wasting my time learning history or poetry. I want to focus on other subjects," Arad shifted his eyes, staring at her, "I''m not stopping," "Cheater anyway," She sighed, "But I guess dragons work like this. Your kind only cares about the results, nothing else." **** "Is he talking with his doll?" The girl from earlier gasped, noticing Arad looking at Aisha. "Really? Creepy. But he might be a golem mage. They train on dolls," Her friend replied. "You''re defending him too much. Are you in love?" "Choke me, Daddy!" "Shut up!" She punched her. "You''ll die, such a thin neck." A voice came from behind the two girls. As they turned, they felt their knees grow weaker. Those two sapphire blue eyes stared at them with a pristine glimmer. A hair so white, it almost reflected the sunlight. Gojo extended his hand toward her face, pointing at her eyes with two fingers. "I sense a spark of magic inside you. It''ll be a shame for you to die before it blooms. A waste of such beauty," Gojo''s void eyes are far more developed than those of Arad. He could see the faintest details of someone''s magic. A spark of cubus magic burns in the girl''s blood. It''s faint, most likely she''s a carrier, and one of her descendants could awaken the power, but it isn''t out of the question for her to awaken it. Tap! Another handnded on Gojo''s wrist, and the two girls fell on their butts. "Come on, are you bullying them? The school year didn''t even start," Jack stared at Gojo with a smile. "They smelled nice. Couldn''t help myself." Gojo replied with a smile. ^Another white-haired handsome!^ The two girls gasped. ^But this one has grey eyes!^ Jack turned toward them, bending downward and extending his hands for them. "Mdies," Gently grabbing their palms. He helped them stand. "Please ept my deepest apologies if this idiot bothered you," He bent forward and gently kissed their hands. "P-Please excuse us!" The two girls bolted away, burning red. "You''re one slimy bastard," Gojo looked at Jack. BLAH! Jack opened his mouth, extending his tongue forward, revealing two gold rings. "I can tell by taste. Those are fake rings." He took the rings out of his mouth and stared at them, disappointed. "Gold doesn''t have a taste, so if it did, that means it''s fake," Gojo added. "And they are too light," Jack scratched his head. "I thought those two girls would have something valuable, but they might be of a lower-ranked noble family. I''ll go return those." "Wait, how did you do it?" Gojo asked. "The kiss, they get distracted. And now I only have to get a touch on them and slip those rings into their pocket. They find themter and get confused a bit, but it''s something humans quickly forget." Jack replied before rushing to catch the girls. "ARON!" A loud voice boomed across the students, and they started moving out of the way. A young man with me-like red hair and orange hair walked toward Arad and Gojo, emitting enough magic to scare all the students away. All the students started sweating from the heat released by the young man standing less than six feet tall. He was around 5''10 or 1.78 meters. No one could miss it. He could kill everyone, and they knew it. This wasn''t the magic released by someone normal. He even held a sword at his waist brazenly, even though it was against the university''s rules. "Tone the magic down. You''re scaring them." Gojo said as Tempo approached them. "Sorry, I was excited to see you two!" Heughed loudly, his magic fading away. "Good morning, Jogo, Aron." He bowed. All the students gasped. They knew who Tempo was. In fact, his presence was the talk of the year. The first prince of the volcanic titans ising to study in a humanoid university. He proudly announced that his goal was to smoothen diplomatic rtionships between the Titans and humanoids. Who could those two be for the prince of such a powerful race to bow to them? Unlike him, those two barely emitted any magic of note. The white-haired one was a bit above average, and therge one was pathetic at best. "Don''t bow to us," Arad looked at Tempo, "That''ll cause us trouble, and you''re already too short. Why did you even pick this body?" "I''m causing trouble? Sorry!" He bowed again. "Don''t bow, look behind you. Everyone is confused." Gojo pointed out, "Exin yourself." "AH! Those are Aron and Jogo, sons of an old friend of a titan I knew!" He shouted, "I respect those who respect the Titans. If you dared use them to get on me, I''ll cut you down on the spot!" His magic spiked again as he dered that those two couldn''t be used against him. "Calm the magic down," Gojo sighed. "And, before I forgot!" Tempo shouted, turning toward Arad. "Aron! You asked why I chose this body?! Of course, I asked the wizard to get me a body that''s the average human of the local area. He seemed to have one!" "What is it even?" Arad poked Tempo''s forehead, gently pushing his head back. "A flesh golem. Some even call it blood clones. It takes years to make one, but they are useful! We''ll study about them in one of the sses!" Even in a human body, Tempo''s voice was still loud. He then started looking around, "Where are the other two? The criminals!" "Don''t call them criminals," Arad looked at Tempo from the side while patting Aisha. "Jack is over there." Gojo pointed. "Hecks mana, hard to detect!" Tempo aggressively nodded. N?v(el)B\\jnn "And Abel should be behind the school with a girl he picked up," Arad pointed. Tempo turned his head toward the school, scanning for Abel''s location. "He has three, not one! I should congratte himter!" Tempo nodded. "Yeah...now that you mentioned it. Two seem to have popped out sincest I sensed him. The devil." Arad blinked, "Don''t congratte him." "Is that how humans work?! Marriage is a misconception!" Tempo pulled out a notebook and started documenting the case. "No, they aren''t!" Gojo growled. "And, don''t put Abel in the same basket!" Arad added. Tempo blinked, staring back at the school with a second scan for Abel. This time he could feel nothing, it''s likely that Abel noticed and is actively hiding his and the girls'' magic. "You''re right!" Tempo shouted as he startedughing, he just remembered that Abel is a devil and not a human. **** "Don''t they know how to stay silent?" Ae stared at Arad and the boys. "I doubt it," Merida added. "It''s Tempo''s fault, I assure you." Mira sighed. "And we''ve told him to not approach us in public like this," Sena scratched her head, "The ns need to change." "Lady Sena," Selica looked at her, "What part of the n is changing?" "Don''t know yet," Sena shook her head. "But those are useful," Ae stared at the second ring in her hand, "We can rx as long as we have those." Magic sealing rings, as long as they wore them they would look like normal people with a weak mana output while also being able to draw their whole power instantly. She looked toward Arad, seeing the studentsughing and talking around Arad, oblivious to the monster standing between them. They all would shit themselves if Arad unleashed his power, the presence of a monster of his caliber would send everyone into a frenzy of terror and panic. "The tests are about to start," Eris said, cracking her neck. Chapter 724 The Entrance Tests Chapter 724 The Entrance Tests ??A massive burst of fire exploded on the stage, and a tall woman with a massive wizard hat emerged from the mes, smacking the ground with her staff. "Freshmen! Wee to your first year." She said, ring at them with glowing eyes. "And without wasting any time. Let''s start the first written test. Don''t worry, it''s simple." She waved her staff, and the ground beneath the students started shaking. "What''s going on?!" "So much magic, what kind of spell is this?!" The ground cracked, lifting every student separately and forming into a chair and a table, raising them several meters in the air. Thick barriers separated them. A paper, a crystal ball, and a pen appeared on the table in front of them. Arad blinked, looking at what was ahead of him. "The chair is too small," He said, barely fitting inside. "Bear with it for a second. I''m first creating a massive batch of simr objects to amodate most of the students then I''ll change what needs to be changed." A voice came from the crystal ball as it shed lightly, sending a wave of faint magic. Half a minuteter, Arad''s seat and table grewrger. "This should befortable for you," "It is, thank you. It''s quite an amazing spell," He replied, looking around. "Let''s start your test." The voiceing from the crystal changed into something that looked as if it was pre-recorded. "The test is simple and easy, first, a writing test. Write what you hear after the beep from the crystal into the paper using that pen. Try to keep up with the reading." Arad nodded as he picked up the pen, taking a deep breath and remembering how Ae and Doma taught him to write and read. "Seven seas were flooding above thend, driving the ground drummers into the mountains. With only rain and storms, kingdoms drowned and washed from life, leaving only the bones of civilization. Stop!" Arad''s pen''s ink dried up. "Times up, how much did you write." The paper disappeared. "91/100, good job." Arad stared at the crystal, noticing its functions. This was an automated test. Ever since the recorded voice started, he was left alone. Whoever was that teacher at the start, she isn''t looking anymore. "Second part, math." The voice came again from the crystal ball, and a new paper appeared ahead of Arad filled with questions. It then started shing white and slowly fading. "Tap the crystal when it shes green to gain extra time," Arad looked at the crystal and the paper. ^So while solving this, I need to keep an eye on the crystal to gain more time.^ DING! The crystal suddenly shed before he could tap it. ^It''s fast, especially while limited. Reacting to it by sight alone is both slow and distracting.^ He turned toward the paper and started solving it with Doma in his head, all while keeping his senses peeled on the crystal''s mana. The crystal''s mana shifted slightly, and Arad immediately tapped it when it shed. ^So this is the trick, timing it with magic senses.^ Half an hourter, the written test ended, and the paper disappeared. "100/100, what a talent." After several more tests that covered the basic knowledge needed, the crystal orb announced the end of the first examination. The barriers disappeared like ash in the wind as the stone pirs slowly lowered the students back to the ground. "This concludes the written test. 95% of the students have passed, congrattions." A massive ss-like barrier appeared in the air disying the results of students at once. Arad stared at the board with a curious gaze. ^Barrier magic, but they changed the density to write on it. That''s a possibility, I see.^ He would''ve forgotten to look for his overall result if Doma didn''t poke him. [Aron Kyomu: 93/100. Ranked 19/1333] ^As expected, even though I had a lot of help, I couldn''t fix my bad handwriting. I''ve only been working on it for two weeks,^ "How about the others..." He searched the whole board in seconds. [Jack Bertha: 100/100. Ranked 1/1333] ^I expected him to rank high, but not like this. He has more knowledge than I expected or a better way of cheating.^ [Jogo Kyomu: 94.7/100. Ranked 18/1333] ^Knowing brother, it''s probably because he refused to answer questions that don''t interest him.^ [Tempo of Vnia: 12/100. Ranked 1247/1333] ^Why? How? Because he''s a Titan? Don''t tell me he knew nothing about humannguage or anything rted...^ [Abel Alina: 69/100. Ranked 452/1323. Note: Please report to the director''s office after the tests for misconduct.] ^Since the spell activated from beneath the students, I bet it picked him and the girls he was with...^ [Ae Deianira: 96.5/100. Ranked 5/1333] ^She did spend more time studying than me, and she did study at home when she was young, impressive.^n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Mira Belethor: 91.65/100. Ranked 25/1333] ^Mira is smart. Probably more than most of us.^ [Eris Kisue: 97.1/100. Ranked 4/1333] ^She has the best handwriting out of us, and she did spend several decades reading books.^ [Merida Cuchi: 72.7/100. Ranked 367/1333] ^She was worried about the written test. It''s been years since shest did anything other than writing and basic math.^ [Sena Lisworth: 50/100. Ranked 666/1333] ^That can''t be right. I swear she did it on purpose.^ [Selica Broshy: 45.6/100. Ranked 745/1333] ^Sena''s assistant. I honestly expected more, but she might''ve pulled something like Sena.^ [Sara Alina: 88/100. Ranked 69/1333] ^She''s certainly far smarter than her brother.^ [Lydia Auston: 73/100. Ranked 366/1333] ^I honestly expected less. Did Jack teach her?^ **** "The second examination would start soon," The teacher walked onto the stage, pping her hands as her eyes looked over the students. "I''ve already spotted several talents." CLAP! CLAP! With two ps, the stage behind her slowly disappeared, "The second test is abat test." She started walking, and with each step, the ground beneath her feet turned into dirt, growing grass and flowers. "I''ll be teaching you several subjects this year. One of them is monster fighting, a necessity for everyone who values their lives." She slowly turned, pointing at the students, "We''re moving to the monster pit on the other side of the university. Follow me," The training ground behind the university is a massive colosseum, the remnant of an old dungeon that was forced to the surface by mages hired from the mages'' tower. The fighting arena inside was already separated into ten separate sections for simultaneous testing. "Ten at a time you''ll go inside and fight monsters. A single student against a single monster, your goal is to survive for a minute. Don''t worry, even though you might get injured, we can stop the fight and treat fatal injuries within a second." The teacher looked at the students with a smirk, "It''ll be painful, so show your best. Any questions?" As she looked around, she saw Arad lifting his hand. "You''re¡­ Aron Kyomu if I remember correctly," She smiled. ^Who can forget you? You''re the biggest student I''ve ever seen¡­reminds me of that bastard Alcott,^ "It''s not a question." Arad stared at her dead in the eyes, "That better not happen. That''s all I have to say." Hearing his words, she could feel a shiver run down her spine. Chapter 725 Monster Fighting Test I Chapter 725 Monster Fighting Test I ??"It''ll happen a lot. Those who can''t fight monsters better learn." She smiled, staring back at him. "Each year, tens of students end up at deathbed, but none has died or receivedsting injuries." "Don''t say I didn''t warn you," Arad said with a passive face, lowering his hand. Gojo approached him and whispered. "You don''t want to fight?" "I''m afraid Mira would get hurt. She''s even pregnant. I understand that she needs to fight. But not get injured." Arad replied. "I''m sure they received the notice about her and Ae being pregnant. They won''t put them in a dangerous fight. Calm down," **** With the students sitting in their seats, the fights started. Random students were chosen to fight random monsters ranging from slimes to tigers and horned wolves. This was supposed to simte the randomness of monster attacks in the wild while still keeping it under control. The first one to be sent to a fight was Gojo, and his opponent was a medium-blue slime. The poor creature had stats in the single digits and could barely roll into the arena. Upon seeing Gojo, the slime instantly knew what he was facing and started trying to run away. "You look soft," Gojo hopped after the slime with a smile, "I''ll catch you!" And chased it for a minute. "You must subjugate it." The teacher said. Gojo was already giving the smile names, "Puff? Puddle? No, blue ball sounds nice." He turned toward her, "Catching monsters should be harder than killing them. You did the same to bring them here," "You got a point." She smiled, "You can get back to your seat, throw the slime back in its cage, and we can use it again." Gojo walked to his seat with the slime, ignoring the teacher. She decided to let him have it. A mere slime, what could go wrong? Jack faced arge brown bear. He took it easily with a wire trap and a few bolts to the chest. The fight onlysted a minute. Lydia faced a dire Lion. She stood in her ce, wedging her sword into the ground in front of her and challenging the monster to charge. "Come!" The lion hesitated to attack her for five minutes, cautiously approaching her. As he got within three meters, he finally gathered the courage to attack and lunged at her. Lydia ducked beneath the leap and swung an uppercut at the lion''s chest, knocking him out cold with a single hit. The students looked at her, terrified. "Pdins, they are powerful." Ae was next. As she walked into the arena, she saw a massive snake emerge from the monster cage, slithering toward her at high speed. "A ck viper, to send such a monster against students." She pulled her bow, firing an arrow at the monster''s head. The sneak dodged and lunged at her with a bite. She took a step back and fired another arrow, piercing the snake''s head from the inside of his mouth. "This monster''s poison is deadly," She stared at the teacher, "You know that." The teacher pulled a small potion, "We have several tens of antidots for it. No one would die from a bite," Since they were all holding back, Eris walked into the arena only carrying a steel spear. "What is it for me?" She looked at the monster''s cage with a smile. MOOOOO! Arge, three-horned bull rushed toward her as fast as he could. "I''m lucky," She pointed a finger at him, firing a [Firebolt] The small explosion blocked the monster''s vision as he charged forward. Eris nted her spear in the ground and pointed forward, and the monster ended up stabbing his throat, dying from blood loss. After that came Selica''s turn. She walked into the arena, wrapping her wrists in bandages. "So, what is it for me?" She stared at the cage, her eyes glowing red. "No weapon at all? Is she a monk?" The students started mumbling when a giant, two-headed bulldog emerged out of the cage, and everyone went silent.N?v(el)B\\jnn "A lesser cerberus. Where did they get that thing?" They cried. Selica stared at the monster, smelling a familiar scent on it. She looked back at the students, seeing Sena waving at her with a smile. "You really love messing with me." Clenching her fist, she walked toward the monster. "Come, I''ll relieve you as fast as I could." The teacher called the other teachers, "Did we catch that thing? I don''t remember it." "The monsters were supposed to be random¡­ We too don''t remember that thing." The lesser cerberus rushed forward lunging at Selica with a bite. She jumped to the side and lifted her arm, blocking theing w strike. "B-rank monster," The ws barely scratched her tough skin. "You need a sharp de, not those dull ws of yours." ^Looking at it, I''m sure Sena made it from a wolf-type monster. It''ll never reach its true strength without eating and recovering, which means it''s severely weak and starving now.^ Selica turned around and started running around the arena and forced the monster to chase her around. After about a quarter-hour, the cerberus fell down unable to move from exhaustion, panting his life away. Selica approached him with a smile, sweating buckets from running everywhere. "Humans are persistent hunters. I can sweat and recover stamina and I had a decent meal, you can''t beat me here." CRACK! She broke the monster''s neck, killing it. The next student to fight was Mira. She walked to the arena wearing a set of chainmail and holding her massive modified sledgehammer with the lighting magic stone backpack strapped to her back. "What''s that, an artificer?" The students start mumbling. It didn''t take them long to notice the leather bag on her side. "A storage bag? What is she hiding in there?" The monster cage opened and a massive tiger walked out, drolling as it roared, sending shivers through everyone who watched. "A dire tiger?! That''s a B-rank monster." Mira took a deep breath, holding her hammer forward and focusing on the tiger''s head. "A big cat," She started sweating, ^Can I hit it, those things are agile.^ SWOSH! She quickly lowered her hammer to the side and a nail shot from the head toward the tiger with a gun-like burst. The tiger dodged the nail with a jolt, lunging to the side and running toward Mira. Mira rushed toward the tiger, keeping the hammer low. BANG! BANG! She fired two more nails midrunning, and the tinger dodged by jumping into the air, opening his jaw as he dropped for her head. Mira shifted her stance in the blink of an eye, holding her hammer with one hand while extending her other hand upward. ^Who do you think my husband is?^ Her eyes shed with a faint purple light. [Reduce Weight] A 0-tier spell that slightly reduces the weight of objects for a temporary time. It''s a gravity-type utility spell. For a massive creature like the tiger, having its weight reduced even a midjump has allowed it to leap further, missing Mira by a meter. She turned around, and a burst of fire exploded from the back of her hammer to elerate it further as she swung where the tiger shouldnd. BANG! Mira hit the tiger''s back leg with the sledgehammer, nailing it to the ground with a lightning discharge from the magic stones on her back. "Even I can fight!" She growled. Chapter 726 Monster Fighting Test II: Like Father, Like Son. Chapter 726 Monster Fighting Test II: Like Father, Like Son. ??"She got him!" Ae shouted as the tiger roared. "Careful!" Arad shouted at Mira as the tiger swung his tail at her. She lifted her hammer and blocked the strike with the shaft. The impact sent her rolling as the tiger pulled his leg from the ground, regenerating in the blink of an eye. Mira lifted her head, ncing forward, and saw the tiger charging at her with a bone-chilling roar. "That hurt!" She growled, lifting her hammer and extending her hand forward, [Fire Bolt] KA-BOM! A sh of fire rushed toward the tiger''s face, but it charged through unfazed. ^So it won''t work? How about this?^ She jumped to the side [Reduce Weight] hitting the tiger with the spell, causing it to slide further as it tried to turn after her. Since the change wasn''t constant, the tiger couldn''t adjust its move ordingly. An intelligent humanoid would''ve already figured it out, but a monster wouldn''t. The tiger stumbled, trying to get its bnce back, but Mira rushed toward him with a hammer swing, "Take another," The tiger extended its ws, standing on its hind legs, and dodged Mira''s swing. And then with a roar, it swung a paw at her. "Healers!" The teacher shouted. Swinging her hand as she flew into the arena. Considering Mira''s speed and durability, the paw strike would drop her down, and the tiger would start mauling her. She pulled a wand, pointing forward. Till this point, she moved as she has done each year, but something seemed off. A sense of dread washed over her as her eyes opened wide, seeing Arad standing between Mira and the tiger. CLANG! The tiger''s ws smacked into Arad''s forearm and shattered. ^How did he get there?^ The tiger immediately followed with a bite, trying to bite Arad''s arm off but he couldn''t, stuck on it like a kitten doing its best. "Ar..on?!" Mira gasped, "Sorry, but you might''ve gotten hurt. You can''t regenerate like the others." He waved his hand, throwing the tiger away. "Wait?! Did he just shake the tiger away like it''s nothing?" The students gasped, and even the teacher stopped mid-flight. "AH! No¡­Is his arm even hurt?" The students started mumbling in shock, unable to believe what they were seeing. Arad stared at the tiger, "A vicious predator. Your low stance is annoying." His muscles started expanding, and the vest of his suit ripped open from the back. His pants could barely contain the muscles on his legs as he red at the tiger. "Wait¡­ he isn''t about¡­" The students gasped and the teacher growled, "That idiot." BAM! Arad and the tiger charged at each other. One swung its paws and the other his fists, a braw between two monsters. Like two big cats brawling, the two smacked and rolled everywhere, raising a massive cloud of dust filled with roars, sending terror across the whole colosseum. CRACK! A second cage appeared in the corner and the teacher gasped, "Damn it, Toro! Stop the shift spell!" "We can''t!" He shouted back and the cage opened, releasing a massive four-horned red bear into the arena. The shift spell was designed to automatically summon a cage containing a monster into the arena when a new student enters, and now that Arad came in, it brought a monster for him to fight. "Two at the same time?!" The students gasped. Arad''s eyes looked back, seeing the bear approaching Mira. BAM! Arad kicked the tiger away and rushed toward Mira, "Sit still and don''t move!" He shouted. Mira sat in ce and held her sledgehammer close, "Arad, use the hammer," "It''ll get in the way," He replied as he stood over her, cracking his neck. Mira looked up as she sat right before his legs, "You sure?" "Yeah," He looked at the sealing ring in his hand. It limits him to be near a human''s power, but such limitation won''t be able to stop him. He grabbed his vest with two hands and ripped it to shreds, "This is better," The students cried, seeing Arad strip his upper half like it was nothing. Some of the girls even hid their faces, crawling down. "I''ll fall," Aisha growled as she was sitting on his shoulder this whole time. He grabbed and put her with Mira, cracking his knuckles as he looked at the two monsters, prowling toward him and Mira. Arad extended a hand toward the monsters, "Come! I dare youy a hand on my wife." "His wife? He''s married!?" The students and teachers gasped. "Was he talking about her earlier?" The teacher remembered Arad''s threat. The two monsters charged forward, and the bear swung its massive paw at Arad while the tiger tried to hit Mira. Without moving an inch, Arad blocked the bear''s attack with his arm and pinned the tiger''s head to the ground with his foot. The monsters pulled back to attack again, but Arad swiftly struck their ws down. "He''s dancing over her." The students gasped, seeing Mira almost getting stomped by Arad''s legs each second, but barely not getting hit. Even with how fast and how sudden and violent his moves looked, he always moved around Mira, making sure to block and deflect the monsters'' attacks while protecting her. "This absurd physical might¡­" the teacher gasped, recognizing those moves. CLAP! CRACK! Arad pped the tiger and punched the bear, sending them rolling to the edge of the arena. "I must be imagining things." She gasped. The bear roared, his chest expanding as me gushed out from his jaw. The tiger managed to stand with lightning crackling from its body, those two were powerful monsters, and physical assault wasn''t their only trick. "So that''s why my hammer didn''t paralyze him." Mira gasped, the tiger was resistant to lightning. Arad took a deep breath, "Don''t move, and close your ears." He said and Mira immediately closed her eyes. He took a stance, his arms behind his head as if he carried a sword and the teacher could feel her spine shudder. ^Shoot it, I dare you.^ Alcott said with a smile, standing ahead of her, holding a de in his hand. ^The healers would fix you, brat,^ She pointed her wand at him, unleashing a massive fireball.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Washed by the red light of the fire, Alcott lifted his sword behind his head. The teacher blinked, seeing Alcott in Arad''s form, "Don''t tell me!" "Action Surge: Dragon''s Fire sher," Arad growled with Alcott''s adamantine sword appearing in his palms as the bear breathed a massive st of fire toward him and Mira. In the blink of an eye, Arad swung the sword down, parting the mes in one strike. "Alcott''s moves," She growled, the wind st from Arad''s swing pushing her back. CRACK! The ground beneath Arad''s feet shattered as he lunged forward, his de burning red from the mes. ROAR! The tiger roared, cutting Arad''s way and swinging a lightning w at him. The monster was as fast as lightning, but Arad already expected him. CLAP! The sword sliced straight through the tiger''s neck like a hot knife through butter, burning the wound to prevent regeneration and killing the beast. CRACK! Arad switched his stance mid-swing, and the ground beneath his foot cracked from the sheer weight of his body elerating. This was an action surge, not any move. Arad lunged toward the raging bear, dodged a w swing, and sliced the monster''s arm with one move. The bear growled, swinging his second w as he charged another breath in his lungs, causing his chest to sh bright red. "Can''t regenerate?" CLANG! Arad dodged the bear''s w and slicked him across the chest, cutting the lungs open and causing the monster to explode in a massive burst of fire that reached the upper stages. As the bear''s body exploded, his arm flew across the arena spinning directly toward Mira. She ducked down, covering her head. CLAP! Arad fell down, stomping the w to the ground, "Was it ast attempt? No matter how many of you gather, you won''t reach her." Mira lifted her head, looking at Arad''s back. "A¡­Aron," She could still remember to use his fake name, "Thank you for saving me, but¡­they might fail me now." She stood and Arad turned toward her, confused. "Wait? Really?" "Yeah¡­I doubt interfering in other''s matches is allowed, they might even fail you with me." She looked up as the teacher slowlynded behind Arad. "She''s right, you shouldn''t have jumped in," The teacher said, slowly approaching Arad. "I see," Arad turned toward her, his eyes glowing purple as he lifted his arm. [Gravity magic] In the blink of an eye, he pulled her toward him and lifted her by the neck, "You snails were already jumping in, how do you call yourself a teacher if I reached her before you?" The teacher struggled, unable to breathe. "Student Aron, please calm down." Another teacher flew down, "We only received the notice," He pulled out a letter. Arad let the teacher go, and she fell down panting for air. The other teacher approached and showed her the letter. It exins how Mira is pregnant and that she should exempted from any dangerous activity such as fighting monsters. The woman''s husband was Aron, the man standing ahead of them with an angry face. "Wait! Why did I get this earlier?!" The teacher growled. "The messenger got stuck on the road. It just arrived," The other one apologized. Hearing them argue about it, Arad sighed, staring down at them shirtless with veins bulging on his body. "Next time you put her in harm''s way, I''ll eat you whole," He red down at the teacher. CLACK! Mira smashed Arad''s on the back of his head, "Aron, calm down." She pulled him by the arm, "Leave her alone for now, let''s talk somewhere else." She didn''t want him to identally reveal his true identity. Threatening to eat someone, only dragons utter such a line. The teacher remained in ce, shivering. She misunderstood Arad''s threat and she could barely hold her body from shaking, "I won''t put her in danger," She mumbled, fear slowly seeped into her bones as she imagined her fate if Mira was to get hurt. Chapter 727 An Alligator, and The Naked Teacher. Chapter 727 An Alligator, and The Naked Teacher. ??"Come with me," Mira dragged Arad past the teachers and to the gate leading to the stairs, "Don''t start any more troubles. We want a quiet school life so you can study, don''t we?" "You''re right," Arad sighed as they entered the waiting rooms. She reached into her bag and pulled a towel as she sat on the bench. "Close the door. I''m sure the students would flood here soon," She pointed. Arad closed the door and locked it. It didn''t take five seconds for people to start knocking on it, "Aron Kyomu, you in there!" A strange voice they didn''t know shouted. "Kyomu!" "Aron!" "Mira..." The door started rattling as if it was about to be kicked down. "Where did theye from? I''ll go kick them out," Arad stood with a growl. "Sit tight," Mira wiped the sweat off her face. "They are students interested in us after seeing your disy down there." She smiled, ^The water here is nice.^ "We can''t stay here forever. Someone needs toe out to them." Arad looked at her. "Trust, you aren''t alone," She smiled, "He said this would happen," "Run away!" Jack shouted in the hallway, waving his hands at the student as a four-meter-long alligator rushed toward them. "Heh!" The students gasped, rushing away as the alligator growled after them. "How in the hell did a gator get inside!" One of the students cried. "I thought the swamps were far away!" A girl cried, looking back only to see the gator still chasing them. "Being far doesn''t matter! Those bastards would show in our house bath," Another cried, "They''re an infestation," Another cried. A blond girl appeared at the end of the hallway, opening a door and shouting at the students, "Here! It''ll take you back to the stairs!" She shouted with a worried face. The terrified students ran through the door like scared sheep, pushing each other to fall inside. As they looked around. They found themselves in a stinky massive room filled with monster wastes. "What''s this ce?!" The blond girl stared at them with an evil smile as she slowly closed the door, "Monster waste room," She locked the door after them. Jackughed as patted the alligator''s head, "Nice move," A silver gust of smoke covered the blond girl''s body as she grewrger, "I know," It was Abel, "Humans are stupid. All it takes is a nice woman to pull them over," Arad opened the door and looked out, "Jack, Abel, and this is?" She looked at the alligator. The alligator''s body shifted back into a brown-haired girl, "Name Mi. Abel brought me to help," "She''s a beast druid. I met her this morning," Abel approached with a smile. "She''s a woman," Jack stared at the girl, "Sorry for patting your head, that idiot only told me you''ll listen," "Don''t mind it," She shook her head, "We didn''t have time," She smiled, approaching Abel, "Should we go?" "Yeah, I''m sure one of those idiots would have a spell to unlock the door. It''s better if they don''t find us," Abel tapped Arad''s shoulder and ran away with the girl, "Get moving." Jack ran after them. Arad looked back at Mira, "You knew about this?" "Lydia talked about the possibility of me getting hurt in the fight and how to rush to heal me," She stared at Arad, "Jack said that you''ll burn the whole school before I get hurt, so they came up with this." "Leave it to a rogue." Arad lifted Mira, "Let''s go," He ran with her across the hallways, jumping out of the window andtched onto the frame with one hand. "On my back," Mira climbed from his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck as she slowly moved to his back, getting a piggyback ride. She looked up, seeing the wall rising several tens of meters high. "Can you climb that?" She gasped. "Worry not," With both of his arms now free, he extended his right hand and grabbed into the bricks with his nails, climbing like a spider. Mira turned her head and stared at the horizon, seeing the span of the area around the university. With almost no mountains in sight, she could see far into the distance and spotted therge river of Saint Crow with the swamnds surrounding it to the west. To the south, and neighboring the swam, a massive city started with sheds and farms. Therge vige of Croc Hut, they were known for fish, bandits, and alligators. To the east, she could see the golden beaches of Croc Hut with people moving in and out of them. The southern part of the beach had a massive port where fishing boatsnded and the sailors usually held Illegal alligator pit fights. She couldn''t see the north as it was blocked by the colosseum''s wall that Arad was climbing. "We''re living here for a year at least," "Yeah, for now, it''s home." Arad replied, "I could still fly any of you back to Alina in an hour, and brother could do it faster. We aren''t that far away," "Normally this would be a two-month trip." She giggled, "I guess we''re lucky to have you," Arad reached the top of the colosseum andnded back on the upper stairs, looking down at the arena. Most of the students were still in their seats, watching the current fights, and none of them bothered to look back. "Wear something," Mira poked Arad''s chest, "You can''t walk around shirtless here. You''ll attract eyes." With a smile, he pulled a ck T-shirt from his stomach and wore it. Mira stared at him, "I doubt such a tight shirt would help, but at least better than nothing," She then looked around, "Let''s go there," She pointed at a door. "What''s in there?" Arad asked, his void eyes couldn''t sense any magicing from there, it should be a normal empty room. Mira tapped her chest, "I want to take this off," She still wore her heavy chainmail armor and had weapons on her. "It''s heavy and I''m sweating," Arad nodded, "I have your clothes and some water, we could use a room," He walked with her toward the door. Reached for the handle and tried to open the door. It was locked with a 2- tier lock spell, but it immediately shattered upon touching Arad''s violent magic and he opened it feeling a faint sting on his palm. As he walked inside, he saw the teacher from earlier bent naked over arge bowl of water, washing her underwear. "Me of all people¡­" She growled, but then slowly turned around as she sensed the breeze on her butt. Arad stood there at the door, staring at the crack with a passive face, "Hello," He said. "You!" The teacher turned as fast as she could, pointing her palm at him, "Stones of the ever¡­" She started chanting and a spinning stone started forming ahead of her. Arad extended his hand forward and crushed the stone in his palm before the spell could finish construction. The teacher gasped, and before she could scream, Arad already jumped behind her and held her in ce with her mouth closed. Mira closed the door and barred it with a barrel before turning to the struggling, naked teacher in Arad''s arms. Mira lifted her hammer and pointed at the ground, shooting a nail through the stone. "Look," She approached the teacher and pointed to the smoking hammer head to her forehead, "This was a mistake. We didn''t know you were here, so we just walked in. Make a fuss, and I''ll blow your head up," The teacher''s body started glowing blue, and magic surged from her body. She wasn''t going down without a fight and had decided to blow Arad''s guts out of his back. "That tickles. Stop it," Arad giggled, unfazed by the beam ofpressed magic she discharged at his stomach. To him, it was like a gentle water spray. "Listen here," Mira tapped the teacher''s stomach with the shaft of her sledgehammer, "Was that a spell? I guess you wanted to pierce his stomach. Shall I cut yours here and now? No, it''s better to let him blow your back with a kick," She pointed the hammer head back at her, "You know he could''ve already killed you if he wanted. Calm down. This was a mistake, and no one wants it to blow out." Seeing that her magic didn''t even phase Arad, the teacher concluded one thing. This man had more magic and physical might than her, enough for him to tank her sixth-tier spell with ease. She nodded to Mira, agreeing to remain silent. "You better not scream," Mira looked at Arad with a nod, "Release her," Arad slowly opened his arms, letting the teacher go. She fell on her hand, panting for air. Mira stared at her for a second that pulled her by the ear, "Don''t point your naked butt at him," "Let me breathe, and you''re the ones who got here. The door was locked," She growled. "It wasn''t," Mira replied and then looked at Arad, "It wasn''t locked," "You two liars," The teacher growled and pointed her hand at the door, [Detect Magic] "Get your naked butt out of his face!" Mira kicked pushed her aside. And walked to the corner of the room where the teacher kept her robe, brought it, and threw it back on her. "The spell wasn''t broken," The teacher gasped, "It melted." She turned toward Arad. "Melted?" "Like a candle. Breaking a spell is akin to snapping a candle in half with your hands. What happened here is that extreme heat melted it. In this case, it''s magic." The teacher looked back at the door and then at Arad without bothering to wear the robe.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Mages are like candles. They emit heat and light as mana out of their bodies. If my spell melted when you touched it, that mean you''re a vastly hotter candle than I am!" She approached him crawling on all force, "I can I see you cast a spell?" "Come with me!" Mira grabbed the teacher from the legs and pulled her away, "Wear something, you naked teacher!" "Well," Arad stared at her, "This would require a trade," Chapter 728 The Meaning of Names

Chapter 728 The Meaning of Names

"This would require a trade." Arad smiled, extending his hand to the teacher. "A trade¡­" She stared at him, then down at her naked body. She quickly remembered Alcott, "My body!" "No, I want ab for alchemy. I heard you''ll need a teacher to supervise if you''re to have one." Arad extended his hand to her, "I also want ess to libraries," "You don''t want my body?" "Hell no, I''m married," Arad pointed at Mira, and she swung her hammer down, almost shattering the teacher''s leg. "I''ll kill you before that." "Heh?" She looked at Mira with a terrified face, "Okay! Ab won''t be hard. But I only have ess to level 2." "What''s ess to level 2?" Arad asked. "ess to the university''s facilities is limited from level 7 to 0, a total of eight clearances." She reached into her robe and pulled a silver card, "This is just a card. The ess is blocked by my magic trace of the person. Only the director has ess to level 0. Students can get up to ess level 3 if they reach the fifth year." "So each year of study level you once." "If you didn''t fail, as new students you''ll have ess to level 7," She replied. "I see," Arad nodded, "I''ll check thoseter," "Can I see your magic now?" The teacher looked at Arad''s eyes. "Can you trust her?" Mira asked. "We should be able to," Arad smiled, "She''s as twisted up here as¡­" He was about to say Merlin but quickly remembered that it could be traced back to him. "Look at her," Mira stared at the teacher for a few seconds, "All care washes off her head when magic is involved," She giggled. She was indeed like Merlin. "I wonder if all mages are this crazy," "You know another mage?" The teacher looked at them. "Forget about it. It doesn''t matter," Arad shook his head. He''s only trusting the teacher as he couldn''t sense any deception or ill will from reading her thoughts. Arad extended his hand for her, and she took it, closing her eyes to focus on his magic. "I can''t sense anything¡­" She mumbled, opening her eyes only to find herself sitting in pure darkness, unable to breathe or move. Her skin boiled as she started falling, with countless dots of magic floating around her body, burning into nothing and resurging out of the void. "Where I am!" She screamed without breathing. The voice of her mind reverberated across the darkness. A bright light shed into the distance, and she turned toward it. She flew like a moth guided by the light. "Did he trick me? Is this some kind of spell? I need to get out," The moment she reached the light, it changed color. The teacher flew away from the light, watching in horror as the violent magic that emerged collided ahead of her, exploding into a tiny cell. Those cells rapidly expanded, multiplying unto they became a flood of blood and eyes, covering the sky''s endless darkness with glowing red eyes. "What''s going on here?!" She cried, looking for an escape route, but couldn''t find anything. The eyes merged together until a massive shadow flew out of nothing, dragging countless stars alongside its body. She gasped, [Barrier] She tried to cast a spell, but it never activated. The creature instead turned toward her, flying at a blinding speed. She closed her eyes and covered her head, awaiting the impact that never arrived. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes to look forward, only to see Arad standing in front of her with endless darkness covering his body, his burning purple eyes ring at her with not a single drop of emotion in them. "Wake up," He said, and she opened her eyes, sitting in front of him and Mira while shaking. "Are you okay?" Mira asked. "The Origin of Creation, the primal void that everything was born from. You can use mana recycling, can''t you?" She stared at him, "Your body naturally absorbed the mana of my lock spell and spat it out, destroying it. And it''s not something that you learned from nothing, you can use it intuitively without thinking. It''s already ingrained into your magic. The will of the void to consume and birth new forms of magic." "What are you babbling about," Mira sighed. ^Hold up, how did she figure out the void part? Is she that perceptive to magic, and how did she even know about the void in the first ce?^ "He''s a fighter, but his blood must hold great magic. It''s probably like wild magic sorcerers, but something stronger. He''ll make a great wizard if he dedicates his magic to discovering the mysteries of mana and the ethereal realm." She stared at Arad with sparkling eyes, "You''re power would only growrger the deeper you dive into your void. That endless and limitless nothingness could consume everything!" Arad and Mira stared at each other. ^She doesn''t know I''m a dragon.^ He felt relieved. ^Don''t let anyone touch your magic,^ Mira red at him. "I have an interest in magic, but alchemyes first," Arad replied. ^Since I can create matter with my void, I should know how those new elements interact with each other. I feel like a great power awaits, a limitless potential.^ "Alchemy? That''ll take a lot of time and resources. You better seek magic. It''s a stronger power and has more potential." The teacher gasped. "Wear that robe first," Arad sighed, "I''ll learn alchemy first. And I''ll check magic if I have time. I''ll study at my own pace," He stood, cracking his neck. "Arad, give me therge towel," Mira called, and he pulled the tower out of his stomach, pretending it was pulled from a bag. Mira caught the towel and headed behind somerge barrels, "I''ll change here. You watch the door," "Don''t worry," Arad walked to the door and sat with his back on it, blocking it. The teacher blinked, "The manaing from the outside dropped significantly," She stood and started wearing her robe while looking around, "This is, a bit strange." "Probably a mage if fighting in the arena and sucking mana," Arad replied, pointing toward the teacher''s half-washed underwear. "What were you doing here anyway." ^Better change the subject. I didn''t spend thest two weeks idling. I did unlock some elements and I did manage to fine- tune my expansion control. Using the empty space between the wooden wallyers, Iid my expansion there as a bubble by mimicking barrier magic techniques.^ "That!" The teacher gasped with a red face, "It''s nothing!" She rushed to hide them. ^You pissed yourself in the arena when I confronted you. You can''t hide that from a dragon''s nose,^ Arad stared at her. "AH! The mana levels returned to normal. The fight must''ve ended," The teacher smiled, trying to change the subject to something besides her undies. ^Of course. I''m the one increasing it to mimic the outside. Is this the best a wizard teacher can get?^ He looked at her, a bit disappointed. ^Merling would''ve guessed immediately that something is up, this one here is strong enough to sense that something is wrong but unable to analyze and detect its nature.^ "What''s your name? I''ve never asked." Arad stared at her. "Lucia Brightwing, a wizard that specializes in summoning magic." She said with a proud smile, puffing her chest. "Lucia, a name that means light. I thought you''d be able to use light magic with such a name, Brightwing as well," He added. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Names are given to children when they are born. That doesn''t rte to what I can do." She sighed, "Why do people do this?" "It''s usually hits the truth." "Like you? Aron? A mountain of strength, it suits your huge body." She smiled, "Kyomu¡­I remember reading about it in a book about the eastern countries. Void, crack, untruth, unpreparedness." "Inurate, it seems. You are right; Names don''t mean anything," Arad lifted his head, looking at the teacher with a sharp re. "What are you saying? It''s not urate to be, but urate in your case. You even remind me of a certain bastard, that fools Alcott," She sighed, "You two not only look alike but move in the same way as well. Are you his son or something?" Arad blinked, his face never shifting but his mind started panicking, ^I''ve only trained with Alcott, why do people keep linking me to him?! I mean, I cut the me the way he taught me, but was it that obvious?^ "I''ve met him once in the past and we trained a bit on an adventurer, but I don''t know much about him," Arad replied with a stern face. "Met the s-rank dragon yer by coincidence? I don''t buy it." She shook her head, "With how many women that man sleeps with, you might be his son even if you don''t know it." "That''s far-fetched," Arad shook his head, standing as Mira finished changing and walked out from behind the barrels. "We''re going, take care and get myb ready," Arad looked at the teacher as he canceled the expansion engulfing the room. The teacher blinked, "A shift in mana¡­ What''s going on?" She looked around. "You probably need to rest a bit," Arad said as Mira stood beside him. Mira looked around and quickly realized that Arad must''ve used his domain. ^That was a risky move,^ She hit Arad''s side with her elbow, "Let''s go, we need to talk," **** Arad and Mira walked out of the room and headed back toward the seats. "Why did you do that, locking the door should''ve been enough." "Don''t worry, that Lucia can''tprehend my expansion nor my magic." Arad looked at the Colosseum. "I don''t know about Tempo''s power, so I''ll consider him stronger than me just to be careful." Arad red at the students fighting in the arena. "Brother is stronger than me, but I might be able to hold my own with Doma''s curses and the spawns. But I''ll consider him stronger. That means I''m the third strongest in this university," "We''re here to study, not fight." She mumbled. "What I mean is that as long as you''re in my 40km range of magic control. Only those two have hope of harming you or the girls. Lucia isn''t nowhere near as powerful to sense my magic or run away if she learned something, her thoughts would rat her out." Arad''s eyes shed purple. "Gojo won''t harm us and Tempo is a man of honor, right? If they won''t hurt us, they who could." She looked at him. "What I mean is, try to always be in contact with my magic or in my range. Don''t step into barriers if I''m not watching, and call me if you feel anything, I''ll teleport to your side in the blink of an eye." "What if I''m in the girl''s dorm? The girl''s bath? That''s where bullying happens a lot," She smiled, "Or so I heard," "The others are with you, I doubt anyone could bully Ae, Eris, or Merida," He smiled, "But if it happens, I''ll teleport using Virgo. If not, I''ll send Doma with a clone." He smiled, "It''ll be funny seeing a curse witch terrorizing some bullies and turning them into frogs," Chapter 729 I am Merida. The Blade of Whitehold. Chapter 729 I am Merida. The de of Whitehold. ??Arad and Mira returned to their seats under the sharp stares of the other students, wondering where those who went looking for them ended. Arad sat beside Gojo and looked at the arena, "Merida is next," Gojo said, looking at him with a smile. "What do you think?" "The monster is strong, but she''s stronger," Gojo pointed at the shaking cage as arge drake crawled out. "Touch flesh and hard bones, scales as hard as iron and strength rivaling those of buffalo." Gojo then pointed at Merida, "But what''s her matter? That''s a giant demonic monster, no offense," "I know," Arad replied, as Merida looked at the drake charging at her. "Besides Mira, I don''t fear for the rest." The drake stopped his eyes dting as he stared at Merida reaching for her sword. Every cell in his body screamed in terror. Even though she looked to almost have no magic and was weaker than a bush, the monster''s instincts roared. That woman was dangerous. Thud! Merida lifted her foot, taking a step toward the drake. The drake backed away, grunting like a terrified dog. "What''s? You''re noting at me?" She reached for her long sword, "Or this is some kind of trick?" There was no trick, unlike humans who can easily get fooled by the ring Merida wore, as it was designed to deceive them. Monsters weren''t affected that much, and slowly the veil of Merida''s strength was unveiled to the drake. His nose, ears, eyes, scales, anything he uses to sense screamed, feeling the change in Merida''s body. From a human, he could imagine Merida''s power shot up in the blink of an eye upon touching her sword. What seemed like a weak little field rat has now leveled up tens of levels in the blink of an eye, transforming into a dungeon boss in front of the drake''s face. "I am Merida. de of whitehold. Prepare to die." ring at the monster, Merida''s eyes glow with a faint, green eldritch re. Demonic essence boiling from the fungus spreading through her body nced at the outer world, seeking life. Sena blinked as she sat watching, staring at Merida, "I don''t have her in my catalog. A new species? No, a unique monster..." She smiled. **** In Alina, Kayden sat in the forest, drinking tea as he watched Kali y with the monsters. He stopped, staring at the sky, "A new arrogance, born from demonic essence. How funny, she also carries a de." "At least she''s starting like you." Kali stared at him, "You were a madman, seeing everyone else as dogs. And still is," She smiled. "Madness is inevitable. What makes the great ones is whether they can surpass it or not." He replied. "I wonder what her madness is?" "Anyone that isn''t close to her," Kali said with a grin, staring at Kayden, "Is an unneeded fodder." **** The drake roared, stomping and growling like an enraged alligator, smacking the ground with his tail. Lesser dragons, there are two monsters put in that category. Drakes look like muscr andrge lizards, close to being a strange mix between an alligator and a komodo dragon. The second one is wyverns. They mostly look like dragons but are much smaller and only have two hind legs and a pair of wings, akin to birds. Merida wasn''t a fool, nor was she stupid. Anything with a dragon in their name shouldn''t be underestimated, as even humans don''t grant that name lightly. The drake''s blood boiled now that he was facing imminent death. Overpowered before the fight even starts, its survival is threatened more than ever. He roared, the muscles around his body contorted as he lunged forward at a blinding speed. "He''s fast! I''ve never seen a drake run that fast!" One of the students gasped. That shouldn''t be a surprise. Such powerful creatures rarely face a situation like this, let alone in front of students. They aren''t strong enough to scare the beast. "He''s rampaging," A teacher said, "To think the de of whitehold is strong enough to force such a reaction, she''s something else." "Rampaging?" The students gasped. "Most monsters and sometimes even humans reach it, a stupid amount of strength and speed attained by a rush of adrenaline thanks to fear or severe injuries." The teacher stared at the students, "The monster knows he can''t run. He''ll fight to the death to survive. They are usually B-rank monsters, but in this state, I''d say this one is lower A-rank, mid if he has any elemental powers." "You don''t know?!" The students gasped. "I don''t. It was tranquilized by the poison that our alchemist made. A dart was all it took," The teacher stared at the fight, "We''ll interfere if this goes badly," "You say that with a straight face." A girl growled, she was one of the two that faced Arad and the boys outside. "I heard she came with him. Are you sure you want to piss him off again," She pointed at Arad sitting in the back with her thumb. "This is the test, no one cares if he got angry or not. Worst case he''ll attack one of us then we tie him up, only expulsion awaits then." The teacher snorted, "A student is a student," The students stared at each other, "That isn''t convincing, since he''s faster than you all. And everyone saw him overpower two A-rank monsters like they were nothing." "Look! The drake is charging!" A student screamed. Everyone stared at the arena, seeing Merida dodge the drake''s bite. "What agile moves. That''s the de of whitehold," With a swift move, Merida swung her sword at the drake''s neck. BAM! With a powerful stomp, the drake swung his head back and dodged her swing, diving immediately for a bite. Merida jumped over the monster''s head with ease,nding several meters behind him, and pulled her sword back, taking a stance. She then rushed forward with a stab aimed at the beast''s heart. The drake once again took a step back to dodge, backing himself to the wall. Merida smiled, the stab was never her goal. Tapping the tip of the sword to the ground, she used her long de as a pole to jump into the sky, reaching a height of over seven meters. Spinning mid-air, she fell toward the drake with a drop attack. He didn''t have anywhere to run, the arena''s corner wasn''t wide enough for such a creature to turn and run. "HAAA!" Merida screamed as she swung down and chopped the drake''s tail right behind his hind legs, sttering blood Directly support the authors on WebNovel! and fat everywhere. "She got it!" A student screamed. "No, he got her," The teacher replied. The drake''s severed tail started iling around violently beside Merida, forcing her to block several stray swings. "His tail is alive!" A student cried. "Is that thing a massive lizard or something? He''ll run away with the tail distracting Merida." A girl screamed. "No, he isn''t a fool," The teacher growled. As Merida blocked the drake''s tail swings, the monster himself rushed through the sshing blood with a bite. "He knows a human won''t fall for its tail, so instead of running, it''s going to attack," The teacher lifted his hand, signaling for the teachers to get ready to hop and save Merida. One of the girls watching turned back and looked at Arad''s face. He didn''t intend to move. Merida still wasn''t in danger. Merida''s eyes nced around. The tail and walls of the arena were preventing her escape, and the drake was rushing at her with a bite. He cornered her the same way she cornered him, an impressive feat for a monster. She smiled, ^As expected of a draconic monster,^ The drake''s muscles spazzed for a fraction of a second, its heart skipping a beat. At that moment, Merida swung her sword, cutting it open from the jaw to the stomach with a single swing. ^But you''re still a lizard,^ She stared at the drake''s corpse as it fell down twitching and the teacher stopped mid-flight. "What happened?!" One of them gasped. "Probably bleed too much, I cut its tail, he didn''t discard it," Merida replied to the question with a straight lie. She looked at the monster, ^It''s already disappeared, how convenient,^ She walked away.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As Merida walked into the changing room, she found Arad sitting there waiting for her. "You came to congratte me? I was lucky there," He smiled, "Lucky? It was your crimson rot," Arad looked at her, "Your attacks carry the poison created by your fungus, and it messed with the drake''s nerves. That allowed you to counter. I saw it from the stairs, and I bet Brother and Tempo did as well, probably even Eris. A bright red spark," Merida giggled as she approached Arad and sat on hisp, "This why I can''t get enough of you," She licked his cheek. "Say, did I fight well?" Arad blinked with a thinking face, slightly worried about Merida, "Yeah, you''ve held back nicely." He patted her head, "Last time we fought in training, the crimson rot bloomed into a magnificent red spore." "Shhh!" She closed his mouth with one finger, "We don''t talk about that. It looked ugly. I prefer it if I don''t need to use it, even in a serious fight." "I don''t think it''s ugly though," Arad shook his head. "Well, since I fought nicely, can I get a reward? Something you have, that¡­" Her hand slowly trailed down Arad''s chest, but he quickly grabbed it. "Not today. We''ve been at it for weeks, and we said that tonight our dorm rooms." "Heeee! Come on. You can lock this room for a moment, can''t you?!" She hugged his neck. "I can lock the room, but we won''t do it. Wait until your turn," Arad stood and put her back on the bench, giving her a towel. "Give it some time. I promise it''ll probably feel better after some waiting." He smiled. Merida took the towel from his hand, "Promise and probably don''t belong in the same sentence." She said with a pout. Chapter 730 A Heart of Flames Chapter 730 A Heart of mes ??"HOOOOOOOOOOOO! It''s his turn!" Arad and Merida heard the students scream upstairs as Tempo''s aura appeared in the arena. The volcanic prince is taking the stage, and everyone awaits to see even a slither of his power. What is that titan about, and does his power match his fame? "Let''s go. I want to see the fight as well." "You''re right." Merida jumped off hisp and looked back, "I''ll wait, but don''t keep me waiting for long." The two walked upstairs and returned to their seats. Tempo stood alone in the arena, looking at the massive cage with wide-open eyes and a smile. "This is hard! How could I make it out of this!" He sighed, looking worried as a massive chimera walked out of the cage, and then burstughing at himself. "I didn''t expect the first hurdle toe so soon!" The chimera was a typical species that consisted of the body and head of a lion, the back hooves of a goat, and the front talons of an eagle. Its tail was a massive ck snake, and it had two extra pairs of heads, one for the goat and the other for the eagle. "I hand-picked this one for him." A teacher giggled, "We gotta see what the Titan''s prince is all about." Tempo sat on the ground cross-legged with his sword sheathed. He stared forward at the monster. "I''m not fighting it!" "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" All the students cried, unable to believe what they heard. "Is he that weak?" "Did he get scared? What''s going on?!" "This might be a prank!" "Get up! Fraud prince!" All of them started booking him. Some even threw what they had in hand at him. "Come on! Do something!" "He isn''t that weak, is he?" Mira looked at Arad. "For a titan, even without magic, his raw strength should be enough for him to st that chimera with a flick of his fingers," Arad replied, staring at Tempo, "He has another reason in mind." "You''ll get disqualified." A teacher shouted from the upper seats, "You came here to build political rtionships. But keep in mind that we don''t mind kicking you back," "I don''t mind!" Tempo replied, "That only means I was too naive to think someone as young as myself could have the wisdom to manage this! It''s myck of experience and knowledge!" "I don''t understand a word of what you say," The teacher sighed, "But you fail, sorry, but it ends here for you. This spells the end of the selection exams, everyone who won their match including Aron and Mira should head to their assigned dorms and get ready for tomorrow. Those who didn''t kill their monster, gather your stuff to head back home." The students looked at each other, confused. "Wait, this isn''t happening, is it?" "How could they fail the volcanic prince? They won''te to invade us, would they?!".....n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "You!" A teacher growled, "That''s going over the line, we can''t just fail him. We should talk to him again and understand why he didn''t fight the chimera." The students slowly started to move out, but Arad and the boys remained sitting, staring at Tempo. "Speak," Arad called in a calm voice, ring at Tempo with glowing purple eyes. "Why don''t you fight?" Tempo slowly turned his head toward Arad with a smile. "You''re a hypocrite, do you know!" He yelled with a straight face. "I asked why you refuse to fight that chimera." Arad smiled. "They are the same!" Tempor replied, and the students slowed down to listen to the talk. "What are they talking about?" A teacher asked. "I don''t care, let''s hurry and restrain that chimera. We don''t want it rampaging around." They started flying down. "Who?!" Arad asked. Tempo turned and pointed to the chimera sitting calmly in front of him, and then pointed at the students. "I came here as a convoy of peace so I don''t kill. Humans, animals, and monsters are all the same to us Titans! As insulting as this might seem! But to us, they are weak lives worth preserving!" He looked at the chimera with a smile. "As long as he doesn''t attack me or anyone else! I shall not lift a finger at him!" He said with a straight face, eyes wide open as he sat in front of the chimera. "You sure?" Arad stared at him, "I bet he killed countless people, animals, and monsters before. And I''m sure you watched us all kill each other, why not stop us, why not punish him?" "Monsters kill to feed, and your kind fighting monsters is none of my business! I didn''te here to lecture you on your own culture! I do not dictate other people''s morals, but I dictate my own!" Gojo giggled, "We''re hypocrites as you said." He looked at Arad, whispering, "Even though we speak with animals, monsters, and humanoids alike, we sway toward humans and abuse the rest," The teachers reached the chimera, staring at it in confusion as this was the first time they saw such a monster sitting calmly in ce. It has recognized Tempo as someone it can''t beat and decided to never engage him. A weak, fragile animal suddenly found himself facing a massive predator. Its natural response was, ^If I don''t move, he might just leave me alone. Sitting down, heads and limbs to the ground, try to look as small and unworthy of being a meal as much as possible.^ The teachernded around the chimera and one of them looked at Tempo, "It''s a shame." "Indeed it is!" Tempo replied as they chained the chimera. "Is it safe now?" One of the teachers asked with sweat dripping across her head, "I can take it down." "Yeah, good work." The other teachers looked at her with a smile. She was the one responsible for protecting the students watching the matches with a massive barrier that encased the whole arena. She kept it intact for hours now, and it was starting to get painful. She sighed, and the barrier around the arena shed and disappeared with a crack. "Finally, I can rx." She sighed. Tempo turned toward Arad, "Sorry, but I''ll be taking my leave now," He stood and started walking away, giving his back to the teachers who dragged the chimera into its cage. CRACK! The chains shattered as the chimera flexed its muscles, violently swinging its snake tail and smacking three of the teachers away. "It broke free!" One of the teachers growled. "I thought those chains sealed off its magic!" They scrambled to cast spells and pin it down as Tempo walked away, "So you managed to free yourself! Good on you!" ROAR! The chimera roared, lunging into the sky as two eagle wings burst out of its back. "Don''t tell me! It can fly?!" The teachers pointed their staff at it, firing several spells but everything just bounced off the monster''s thick hide. Having just grown wings due to pressure and fear, the chimera still couldn''t fly and fell between the students in the seats. The students who were listening to Arad and Tempo''s talk were now terrified, running away as fast as they could. This isn''t a monster any of them could face, "Run! Don''t try fighting it!" The chimera looked around, seeing several students fall as they ran above the stairs. It swung its w at them, roaring in rage. CLINK! With his thumb, Tempo unsheathed his de. ^Kill those teachers if you want, they are the ones chaining you down. The students did you no wrong, and I can feel it. You are swinging out of rage and malice.^ A sh of crimson light illuminated the arena as a spark of heat flew above the teachers at a blinding speed. Temponded between the chimera''s w and the student, fully unsheathing his sword in an upward sh. "SLASH!" The sword burned bright right with scarlet mes, cutting the chimera''s forearm in half and searing the wound, preventing it from bleeding. "Hehe!" The students gasped seeing Tempo''s back between them and the chimera, "You won''t harm anyone while I''m here!" Tempo said with a smile, lifting his sword up. The chimera roared, jumping back with its body expanding alongside its magic. Veins bulged on Tempo''s forearms as his eyes burned with a zing me, and his sword started smoking as it burned white from the sheer heat. Scarlet mes burst from the de as it extended in length. The chimera charged forward, ready to bite Tempo and st him alongside the students with a strange magic. All the candles in the arena burned in a zing me as the sky turned red. Tempo lunged forward, swinging his sword down in a powerful sh. [Burning Bones] With a blinding speed, Tempo sted through the chimera engulfed in a red sh, cutting it in half from head to groin. Hended in front of Arad, staring at him in the eyes. "You were about to take it down, but it is my duty as the one who let it live!" The chimera''s bones burst into me, disintegrating it into ash that instantly burned again in a zing me as Tempo sheathed his sword. Arad smiled, sitting with one leg on the other as he looked at Tempo''s face. "So this is a Titan. Nice," Chapter 731 At the Dorm Chapter 731 At the Dorm ??The teachers stared at the chimera as it disintegrated, and one of them sighed. "Tempo! It might be toote, but you pass. Wee to the University of the Arts." "Really? I thought you said I failed?!" Tempo stared at them with a smile. "A change of heart?!" "No, you killed the chimera so you pass." Another teacher stared at him. "This whole test was made to see if you can survive the monster sses. There are multiple courses like that where you''ll be sent to the forest to observe or study monsters'' behavior, search for material, or test dangerous spells. We don''t want the students to die alone in the wilderness." "I see¡­" Arad stared at them. "Mira and Ae didn''t test." A teacher stared at him, "Make sure you protect them. We''ll, we''ll be sending you with them all the time, so get ready for extra lessons and sses." "Don''t worry about that." Arad waved his hand. "I can handle it." "We''ll see about that. Beating one powerful monster is one thing, but exhaustion umted over time will take even the strongest warriors down." He looked at Arad and Tempo, "Go to the dorms and rest well. Tomorrow will be your first ss." "How should we know where to go tomorrow? We''re over eight hundred students. Will it be the first test, tracing magic to find our sses?!" Tempo stared at the teachers with sparkling eyes, but they shook their heads. "No, the lists would get hung in the dorms tonight. You''ll be informed then." The teacher replied as he turned toward the others, "We''ll go inspect the chains and find out why did it break. Such a dangerous failure can''t be allowed to happen again." **** That spelled the end of the selection tests, and all the students moved to the dorms located inside the university''s premises. The men''s and women''s dorms were separated by a massive wall, each looking like a small city block with severalrge buildings, arge open za, a market and open greennd for sport, and a walled training ground. The residential area took over a third of the university''snd, making it seem like a small city cut in half. Arad stood in front of the men''s dormitory entrance, looking around as did all the other students. "There are so many buildings¡­ How could we find ours?" He mumbled. "The buildings are numbered," Gojo said, looking at a faraway building, "That one has my name on the list." "You can see that?!" A student gasped beside him. Arad poked Gojo, ^Don''t do anything strange,^ Gojo smiled, "No, it''s written there." He pointed to a wall full of papers. Those are lists, but instead of using our names, they use our registration order. I doubt they changed it since the university got built." "So they give us rooms in order." Arad smiled, "That means¡­"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Sadly, I''m alone, but you aren''t." He smiled. Gojo and Tempo were alone as they registered at different times, while Arad and the rest were one after the other as they registered at the same time. "Two in each room." Arad smiled. "Good thing we''re together." "Reminds me of the old days." Jack giggled, "I hope this year will be fun." There were a total of twelve buildings in the men''s living area, and the women''s area had the same number of buildings. Gojo got a room in building number 1, and Tempo in building number 3. Arad, Jack, and Abelnded in the building 7. "Our room is number 37 and Abel is next to us in room 38." Arad looked around, "But I have to say, it''s nicer than I thought." The room wasrge, almost five meters in length and four in width, with two beds, cabs, andrge desks. The dorms were built so the morning sun always shone through the windows with one restroom between each two rooms and arge shared kitchen between each five rooms. "Shall we get to sleep? I''d much rather if tomorrow came quickly. It''s been a while since I slept away from Lydia." Jack dropped on the bed with a loud thud, staring at the window with arge smile on his face. "You two used to fight all the time." Arad sat on his bed, closed his eyes, and tried to sense the magic surrounding the building. "That bastard is quick¡­" He growled the moment he sensed a girl in Abel''s room. ^You''re a devil, not an incubus.^ "We still fight daily. A righteous pdin can never get along with a petty thief like me." He sighed. "But you twoplement each other well in fights. Lydia is the main damage dealer and you''re her support." Arad opened his eyes. "Suicidal maniac, she charges without thinking. It''s why we always fight." Jack growled. "She doesn''t have powerful regeneration like Eris." Arad looked at Jack, "Can''t she make something out of holy magic to help?" "Holy magic starts and ends with faith, the blind trust in your god. The deeper the connection and trust, the stronger power you can pull." Jack pulled a lockpicking kit from his pocket, "Just as I trust my tools, she trusts Amaterasu. And the goddess never failed her," He smiled, pulling a lockpick from the tool kit. "If I drop this, it''ll hit the ground." He looked at Arad. "Lydia exined it like this to me. If it serves a good purpose, and you trust a god enough. It''ll never hit the ground." "She asked me to drop it and then dived in to catch it. No matter the odds, trust and jump in." "That''s why she''s scary," Arad replied, "She won''t care if I was the one facing her, she''ll swing her sword without hesitation." "But, maintaining such output requires a strong body and an iron will to plow through the pain and damage. She''s a tank, a warrior, and a divine ster." Jack giggled, "But she has a trump card." "I already knew about it. The spark she got from hell after Alony''s fight. She didn''t tell me, so you better keep quiet." Arad looked at him. "I thought she was keeping it a secret between you and her," "She indeed is." Jack smiled, tossing his tools back in their bag. "She said it''s unbefitting of a pdin to have such a vile power." "Stop telling me about it. She doesn''t want to," Arad stood, "I''ll go out to explore the nearby city and forest. You rest," "Don''t need to tell me, boss." "It''s been a while since you called me that." "We''re still a party. Have a fun time." Jacky on the bed as Arad flew out the window. On the other side of the dorm, Gojo stared at the ceiling, ^So brother is out exploring,^ He then looked at the slime in his hand, ^So, what should I do with you?^ "You aren''t throwing that thing out?" The other student with him in the room growled, "You can''t keep monsters inside." "It''s a slime, calm down. A cat is more dangerous," Gojo replied with a smile. "And isn''t it cute?"He shook the jiggly blue blob. "That''s it. I''m leaving." He stood, growling as he headed toward the door and picked up his bags. "Where will you go? The streets?" Gojo replied with a passive face. "Thest student in the dorm is alone and wants someone with him. I rather stay there than live with a monster here." He walked out, smacking the door closed. Gojo sighed, looking at the slime. "What a rude human, scared of you. Even though I''m here," This slime is small and weak, all of his stats are in the single digits. ****** Name:**** Race: Ooze. [HP: 6] [MP: 7] [SP: 3] [Strength: 1] [Agility: 1] [Constitution: 1] [Magic: 1] [Intelligence: 1] [Wisdom: 1] **** Skills: [Digest] [Acid Ssh] Resistances: [shing from non-magic weapons] [Piercing from non-magic weapons] Weakness: [Bludgeoning damage] ****** ^Impressive! The spell actually works, I guess all that time spent ying with appraisal crystal was worth it.^ I couldn''t help but giggle. I''ve been working on a spell to rece the appraisal crystal, but every time I tried to apprise someone, it failed. It might be limited to extremely weak creatures or has another limit that I don''t know of. "More experiments needed. I guess this what school is for, learning and experimenting." Gojo smiled, "Or at least I hope so." The slime wiggled in ce. "You think so as well?" This creature actually responds. It might not be able to speak, but the fact it understands my words like most monsters is impressive. At that moment, something came to mind. I''ve almost forgotten about him since I left him to dry, it''s bad to waste food. "Say, little one." I put the slime down, staring at its glistening surface. "I wonder, what would happen if I fed it to you." The slive rolled around in confusion, but I immediately stood up. I locked the door and stood in the middle of the room, carrying the slime in my hand. "Let''s go," [Dimension Gate] A ck hole opened in the air, leading into the infinite void of the abyss. "Hello, you still standing there." Demogorgan''s body remained motionless, his soul still hadn''t recovered from the beating I gave him months ago. I looked a the slime with glowing blue eyes. "I''ll chew him for you. I wonder, would eating a demon lord make you one as well?" The slime wiggled in my hand, anxious about the future. Chapter 732 Gojo&Slime-Arad&Swamp’s Drakaina

Chapter 732 Gojo&Slime-Arad&Swamp''s Drakaina

Extending my hand forward, I could feel the demon lord''s soul shaking inside his motionless body. He still hasn''t recovered from thest beating I gave him. As we void dragon can eat souls to cultivate our age, we can directly strike it down, but that requires a lot of skill and would waste the age we could get. [Void Stomach] Darkness rushed out of my hands and consumed Demogorgon, pulling his failing existence into my stomach to get digested. ^I can digest him. Nice. I got old enough.^ I smiled, pushing the thought of me getting closer to my death into the back of my head. Speedrunning life is quite stressful. "Don''t worry, little one. I''ll separate the soul from the body and slowly feed him to you so you can adjust and grow. This is the first time I''m trying to raise a familiar." The slime wiggled in Gojo''s hands, unable to resist or run away. It felt like a kid forced to eat vegetables. I lifted the slime, staring at its wiggling blue surface while thinking of the best way to feed it. I could just throw him into my stomach and feed him there, but that''ll be quite scary for him. I should probably give him a bit here. Putting one finger into the slime''s surface, I released a bit of Demogorgon''s magic. The slime naturally sucked the mana and absorbed it into its body. An Ooze''s body is made of countless tiny cells that function like a colony and move in a blob. This was like raining grilled meat and food into a human city, or rain in a dried and thirsty field. The slime''s body shed green, then its bright blue color shifted into a darker tone. The magic in its body rapidly increased, but it quickly fell asleep and stopped eating. It takes time for it to digest the mana even if Gojo did digest it first. "I''ll give you a name. Demogorgon¡­a demon¡­and a slime¡­Got it, you''re called Obelisk. The ck hole of the abyss''s darkness." ****** Name: Obelisk Race: Demonic Ooze N?v(el)B\\jnn [HP: 11] [MP: 9] [SP: 8] [Strength: 2] [Agility: 2] [Constitution: 2] [Magic: 2] [Intelligence: 2] [Wisdom: 2] **** Skills: [Digest] [Acid Ssh] [Demon Lord Spark: The Shard of all Evil] Resistances: [shing from non-magic weapons] [Piercing from non-magic weapons] Weakness: [Bludgeoning damage] ****** I couldn''t help butugh. I was right. Demogorgon had a shard. I read about them in ancient text, but it''s my first time seeing one in person, and it''s Shard of all Evil nheless. I heard the beast queen Hati has the eternal shard, and that dragon goddess Tiamat has the shard of purgatory, but I didn''t know they left one here in the abyss. There are two sources of divine-like powers. Portfolios and shards. Portfolios are made from the beliefs of people, like how humans worship the sun, and that gave birth to the sun''s portfolio that Amaterasu has. To keep a portfolio, you must maintain a steady amount of believers who pray to you, and from their prayer you gain power. With enough people and ceremonies, a creature can gain more power from a portfolio than from a shard. But since keeping believers and answering their prayers can be annoying, a shard is far better for those who want quick and discreet power. For an example. Portfolio: 1 believer gives a small amount of power, let''s say 0.001. With one million believers, you get a power of 1000. You start low and have to build your status or steal another god''s hard work. Shards: A shard gives you powers based on its nature. They are the embodiment of the world''s nature as opposed to the portfolios, which are concepts. 1 shard would be around 750. And can''t be grown without meddling with the world''s nature. "Rest, little one." Gojo smiled. This will further his search for the origin of powers. Is it magic? The system? portfolios? Or the shards? **** Back in Croc''s hut city, Arad flew above the clouds masked by the darkness of the night, surveying thends for monsters and points of interest. ^This city is strange.^ Arad thought. I can''t help but wonder, with it being almost twice asrge as Alina, why is such a disparity present? The rich, nicely built eastern half contrasts the poor slums of the west half. As if a wall separated the two, it was clear from one look. Large buildings and green gardens are on the east, and smaller houses are on the west. One had arge beach, a massive tourist attraction, while the other bordered the alligator-filled swim buzzing with massive mosquitoes. Strangely enough, not many monsters were spotted on the west side, and Arad could clearly see why. Arge swam of alligators ganging on a horned wolf, ripping it apart. "They are massive." The smallest of the alligators was over 3 meters long, and there were over 50 of them in one spot. "I don''t know what would be worse, an alligator infestation or a flood of monsters. Probably the first as people seem to have gotten used to those massive lizards." Aradnded in the middle of the swarm and shifted into his humanoid form. The alligators turned toward him, growling, "Hoi! Hoi! There, hold up. I''m not here to harm anyone," He waved his hands, speaking with them. "A dragon," The oldest of the alligators crawled toward Arad, he was over 150 years old. "Another ck one. My children Directly support the authors on WebNovel! would rip your kind apart!" He growled. "I said I mean no harm," Arad found a stone and sat down, surrounded by the alligators'' mob. "You said -Another ck one- Was there another dragon here?" "Prepare to die!" The alligators charged at Arad, biting him from the legs and side. But even with all of that force, he didn''t even budge, feeling like small kittens attacking him. ^Those alligators are scared. I should get them to calm down,^ With a single, pull, I snatched the elder by the upper jaw and dragged him up to myp, patting his back like a dog. "Calm down, grandpa. I''m not here to harm you or your children, who''s this ck dragon you''ve been talking about?" "Let me go! Insolent dragon," The alligator grandpa growled, "You''re but one fat lizard, put me down!" "Nah, you''re staying here." Since I''ll be living here for a while, I need to get to the bottom of this. I can''t feel any magic in the air, so I doubt this ce is in the territory of a dragon, but just in case¡­ "I''m studying at the school over there. That massive stone building," Arad pointed at the university, "As you know, we dragons rarely get along. Can you tell me about the dragon around here? Do that and I''ll even protect you from him while I''m here." "The dragon would then kill uster. But¡­" The elder grunted and the young alligators moved away from Arad. "This whole swamp is its territory. We''ve only seen it once when it came all here forty years ago, but since then we''ve been only dealing with the monsters running from itsir." The alligator grandpa sighed. "You keep calling him it¡­" "I don''t know it''s gender. You dragons all look the same in your dragon form. Don''t start trouble with it and get us mixed in, we''ve got enough dealing with monsters." He sighed, exhausted. Arad slowly lowered the elder alligator to the ground. "I can''t sense a dragon''s magic around. Assuming he''s a dragon, he probably pulled his magic away when he sensed me or my brother." "Why would a dragon hide." "Cause he''s weaker than us, and doesn''t want to get in a territorial fight." Arad stood and looked around, "You stay here, I''ll try to greet him. It''ll be better to clear any misunderstanding from the start." Arad shifted into his half-dragon form and flew deeper into the swamp. After a minute, he stopped andnded beside a tree, bending down and smelling the dirt. "Hmmmm! I can smell it," His eyes shed purple. "Faint, but new trails. A ck Drakaina is hiding deep into the swamp, probably in an undergroundir." He smiled, "But why hide?" ^[A dragon posting in her territory, and two powerful void dragons nheless. She''s either not interested in mating, or too old for it. But if she''s too old, she''d be more confident in her strength and leave her aura out.]^ Doma exined. ^I know,^ Arad shifted into his draconic form and stood in the middle of the swamp, "I know you can hear me, Drakaina. Fear not, for neither I nor brother seeks mates for now." His eyes shed with a bright purple light as his magic spiked. "I suspect you''re either too young or too weak to protect yournd. I don''t know about my brother but feel free to call me for help if you need it. You''ll find me at the University of the Arts. And if you can''t take a humanoid shape, merely speak the alligators and I''lle flying down." Expanding his wings across the swamp, he slowly started levitating with gravity magic, without a single p. "I knew this ce had to be owned by someone, and I never intended to settle here for free. I''ll take care of any invading monster, hope to speak to you at least once before I leave." He flew away, "Peace be upon you, as long as you hold it upon me, ck Drakaina." ^A titan had to teach me that. No need for aggression,^ He disappeared above the clouds and his magic soon faded from the forest. "Monster. And I wanted to hibernate through your stay here¡­" A voice echoed through the swamp. Chapter 733 Golden Balls Chapter 733 Golden Balls ??"Isn''t this?" Arad turned his head, looking directly at Gojo''s room in the distance. "A space distortion, did he open a gate or something?" He teleported directly into the room, finding Gojo just walking out of the Abyss with Obelisk. "Arad?" Gojo stared at him. "I felt a space distortion so I came." "You felt it? I''m sure I blocked this room." Gojo scratched his head. "I doubt even other dragons could sense it. I did since it''s affected the void." Arad sat on Gojo''s bed. "You went somewhere?" "To the abyss. Where did you fight that mushroom demon lord." Gojo replied with a smile. "I did leave some preserved food there." "Traveling to other dimensions just like that," Arad sighed, "I doubt I can do it." "You''ll be able to when you be an adult," Gojo replied as he put Obelisk on the ground and then sat beside Arad. "The outer dimensions are dangerous to even adult void dragons. You can see this world as an incubation zone for our kind, it''s a gentle and safe ce for us to grow. It''s not that didn''t have the ability to travel at a young age, it was beaten out of us through the generations. Natural selection, void dragons who left the dimension at a young age ended up getting killed so they never produced offspring, leaving only those who couldn''t travel." As Gojo exined, Arad remembered the day he felt the elvish queen disappear and tried to cross that barrier she had in the throne room. ^So that was a remnant of that ability.^ Arad growled, "I get it. But how do you travel?" "I''m using naturally spawning rifts in time/space, but I still can''t force them to open." Gojo smiled, "I can force them to stay open for a while though, but it consumes a lot of energy. And I mean a lot, like bleeding a man two liters of blood a day." "I doubt I could do it now then. So, what were you doing there." "Feeding Obelisk," Gojo waved his hand and pulled Obelisk to him with gravity magic. "What do you think?" "You named him?" "Yeah," "I don''t know about that name¡­ I would''ve called him Bolu, or Slimo." He poked Obelisk. "You''re naming sense is just as bad as me." Gojo giggled, "At least, I named him on an already named something." "And what''s that?" "Obelisk, the rift at the bottom of the abyss. Some old scripts even say it links our world with a whole other existence with multiple dimension, their own gods and lives." Gojo lifted his palm and pulled a scroll. "I wrote this based on a tablet I found deep in the ice mountains of the Arctic. It was allegedly written by a demon that escaped into this world after making it out of the abyss. And he wasn''t any demon, but one that came from that other world and died several thousand years in the past." Gojo pulled a second scroll, and then a third one, he had a whole library written and documented for his magic research. "As you might expect, themon knowledge about magic and the world itself is wed. No one understands what is the truth of magic and mana, only spections and theories written by schrs and taught through the generations." He smiled. Arad nodded, "And you believe that truth hides in lies. You want to study and learn each false notion of magic so you can interpret the truth." "Bingo! That''s why you''re my brother, magic can''t slip out of your hands." "We''re magic dragons. We''re supposed to be drawn to it," "You''re both right and wrong." Gojo looked at Arad, "Who named us magic dragons? It''s humanoid. They might have a long history, but they didn''t live long enough to name us." Gojo lifted a finger up, conjuring a ball ofpressed mana. "The answer either lies with the goddess of magic, or with a being only spoken of in legends, the overgod that the gods worship." "The overgod¡­I''ve heard that term before. The being keeps gods in line and the one that assigns them. Vars had to get his approval to ascend." Arad nodded. "Yeah, I doubt he''ll answer any questions, so my best shot for answers is the goddess of magic. From what I''ve found, she''s the easiest of the gods to get speaking, of course as long as you make an advancement in magic." Gojo clenched his fist, crushing the ball of mana, "She''s also neutral and doesn''t care about good or evil. Only magic interests her, and I''m willing to give her a nice poke and see what I could get." He smiled. "Putting your eyes on a goddess¡­ Don''t drag us into a deadly fight." Arad giggled. "I know. Drolling over a goddess is a good way for disaster, I know that well." "What did happen?" Arad could see the look on Gojo''s face twist, "You angered a god?" "Yeah¡­" Gojo looked away, "I don''t want to talk about it." "Speak," Arad red at him, "What have you done?" "I found that the goddess of love, cubus, and fertility, Gracie had potentially served the overgod as an assistant and was one of his wives. So¡­ I tried to contact her¡­" Gojo sighed with a sad face. "That didn''t end well, did it?" "She took my testicles and encased them in enchanted gold and sent them flying through the world. Currently, I''m impotent with no sexual drive until I find them. But I at least got a boost to my magic, and the boost would get stronger when I find what I lost." He waved his hand and pulled a paper. He currently has a 20% Buff to magic and mana, and with each found testicle, he''ll gain an additional 40% buff. That would leave him with the blessing of a 100% boost to magic, doubling his output. "That''s bad, for now at least." Arad scratched his head. "I know, it''ll be a positive in the end. But it doesn''t feel right, we mortals have no chance of struggling against the divines. Vars really achieved something great," Gojo looked down with a sad face. "But this must have a catch?" "The balls could be as small as a marble that fit in someone''s hand, and they grant them 40% of my power. Or should I exin it better, it''s the 40% powerup that I would get from collecting them." If Gojo''s base power is 100, the conflict with the goddess gave him an extra 20[Which is 20%], and each of his lost testicles holds 40[40%] And that power is always rtive to his current strength, which means the balls'' power grow each time he levels or evolve. "40% of your power¡­That seems a lot." "It''s almost as strong as you are. And that only one." Gojo sighed, "This is the kind of problem me and Vars were dealing with all the time." He growled, "First it was that ursed dungeon, then the clown cult, the ck spider, and then Vars bing a god, and now I have to deal with this." "You''ve been through a lot." Said Arad as he leaned on the wall. But he immediately remembered his share. Jack riding a burning dragon, the vige of dragon worshippers, fighting Zephyr for the first time, and going all the way to hell and facing the abominations. "Both of us gone through a lot," Gojo smiled, "As long as no one finds them before me. It''ll end well," "Why? You''re still at 120% Thanks to the initial blessing." "40% of my power is still a lot, and it manifests depending on the person." He smiled, "So we''ll have a hard time dealing with them," "I''ll get Jack and Abel to help, we''ll figure something out when they show up." He then looked out the window, "Did you know about the Drakaina in the swamp?" "Her? Yeah, I felt her magic when I flew here in the winter to register. I did hide my magic to not scare her, but I suspect she already felt it." Gojo looked straight through the window at the swamp, "Her magic was clear at the time. I could tell that she was an adult ck dragon with exceptionally powerful acid magic. Seeing that she''s hiding now, I think she wants to avoid us as much as she can." "You think she has an ongoing n that she rather we don''t interfere with?"N?v(el)B\\jnn "That''s it." Gojo lifted a finger, "I''m not one tobel dragons based on their type, but ck dragons are consistently evil, as green dragons are consistently weird, and reds are violent." He looked at Arad, "I doubt she has good intentions, so keep that in mind." "I hope this year will pass without troubles." **** The next day quickly came by, and Arad was sitting in ss, awaiting the first lesson to start. A history course about the basics of the system. That''s a power he neglected a lot being a monster, but understanding it could make it easier for him to help the girls grow. "Hey! You, bulky!" A girl growled at his side. He looked at her, noticing the thick arms and legs, the two wiggling ears above her head, and the long thin tail. The mystic purple glow her eyes got alluded to one thing, and the thought immediately crossed Arad''s head. She bent over and sniffed his head, "You smell weird." She growled, "What are you?" ^A cat beast woman, and this magic flowing through her body.^ Arad turned around and sniffed her back. She gasped and jumped back, weirded out, "You smell weird as well." He smiled, his eyes glowing purple as hers. Chapter 734 The Battle-mighty Huntress. Chapter 734 The Battle-mighty Huntress. ??"Did you just sniff me?!" She growled. What''s this cat talking about? She sniffed me first. Isn''t this a greeting to their kind? Ah! I know. I saw them sniff each other noses before. No, I should avoid that. Ae might kill me. "I could sniff you from the door. But I was trying to be polite and return the sniff. Like a proper cat." I just told her how I felt. I''ve seen half-dragons like Eris. They usually act close to real dragons, so her being half-cat, she should act like a cat. "That''s harassment, you weirdo." She growled, hissing as her eyes slowly bent backward and her tail spiked. What''s this crazy cat talking about? I didn''t even mention the strange smell she had. "Said the one sniffing a married man." I couldn''t help but stand and re down at her. My draconic blood resonated and boiled, so I''m certain my eyes had a deep purple glow to them. Strangely enough, she barely reached my chest. How tall was she? 1.7 meters? Probably around that. "I can sniff you. You can''t sniff me." She growled, her ws extending from her fingers. Hoo! I''m starting to like her. Double standards are stable for arrogance. I sat back. Even with how much I''d love to get into a fight with her, I''m sure I can''t do that here in the school. We''ll destroy everything, and this whole year might end up canceled. Most importantly, Ae is scary when she''s angry. She smiled, staring at me with that twisted, smug face. "What coward. With that size, and you back down?" "I chose my fights. I don''t want to cause a scene. So¡­ Back to your seat." I pointed with my thumb at the empty seat behind me. "HAA!" She grunted at me. I could her fangs show up as her ears turned back, and her tail shot up as if she got electrocuted. "You''re just a coward." Now, this cat is a problem. Speaking with her won''t get me anywhere. Should I just smack her across the ss? No, I don''t want to be the one to start the fight. So I can tell Ae that she attacked me first. She is at the edge of exploding. I need her to hit me first. I need to first limit my strength and speed to a level where I can''t damage the ss even with a missed attack, and then I need to keep the durability of my scales at their best so I can tank her first hit. How do I get her to attack first? I can sniff her again, but that would be obvious that I''m looking for a fight¡­How about ament, something that is true but will get her to snap? Yeah, "You smelled like a lizard from the door, I want to confirm." Like a cat swinging its paw, she swung two lightning-fast jabs at Arad''s face, smacking him right in the left eye. Thanks to Arad''s inhuman reflexes and his Nictitating membrane. The attacks did no damage at all despite the sharp ws. Arad''s eyes opened and moved at a terrifying speed, staring at the tips of the girl''s w, noticing they were cracked. Their sharp end was damaged upon impacting Arad''s hard scales and eyelids. It must''ve felt like smacking a rock with your nails. It''s been only a fraction of a second since she attacked, but she''s already lifting her left fist, ready for a second assault. She''s fast, but nowhere near me. Her attacks are also too weak to scratch my scales. From how weak the signal is, I suspect she didn''t awaken the blood yet. Could she be carrying one of my brother''s balls? No, that doesn''t make sense for such a thing to show too quickly. Arad''s eyes shifted to his right, staring at the girl''s left w racing toward his face. I''ve been bitten a lot by carelessness, so I''ll assume she awakened her blood and held one of my brother''s balls, but she''s trying to hide it. That''s the safest assumption to go with, and thus I''ll act ordingly. SWOSH! The girl''s w flew through the empty air. Arad had already disappeared from his seat before she could realize it. Her mind raced upon realizing he had disappeared. If he had such a speed that he could leave her field of vision before she notices, that mean wherever he is now, she isn''t fast enough to dodge his attack. There was only one logical spot for Arad to be in, and out of instinct, she acted. She turned around in a fraction of a second, protecting her face with her arms in a boxer''s guard. Arad must be behind her. She can''t take a direct punch to the back of the head or she''ll get blind. That''ll spell death. She clenched her teeth, ready to take the hit, but it never arrived. Instead, a cold wet sensation dripped from her across her back. She blinked, confused. Arad stood there, holding a jug of cold water, pouring it slowly on her head. "Chill out," I said with a passive face. Cats hate water. I''ve seen that countless times. This''ll be a good way to annoy her without actually harming her, and I don''t want to get in trouble in theing seconds for starting a fight. CLICK! The ss''s door opened, and the teacher walked in, seeing the students staring at Arad pouring water on the girl''s head as she took a boxer''s guard. "What''s going on?!" He gasped. "She''s nervous. I''m helping her chill out with cold water." I replied, having noticed the faint strips on the girl''s skin. I bet humans can''t see them, but my powerful draconic eyes can with ease. To her, this is a humiliating insult, but to the teacher, it''s a stupid thing that could be exined. "Heh?!" The girl gasped, dropping her guard. "Aron, are you stupid¡­Ahem, excuse mynguage." The teacher was about to snap, but he quickly changed his tone. "Tigers love to swim and rx in water, but that doesn''t mean that pouring water on one would calm them down." I pretended to be surprised. "What? I totally thought it would work. Sorry, I''ve never met someone like her before." Yes, this girl isn''t a ck cat. She''s a ck tiger. And most importantly, I sensed the blood of a void dragon in her veins. She''s a void draconic bloodline sorceress. You ask how do I know that? Well, if she was a true void drakaina, we would''ve repelled each other. Brother''s spell only includes me and him, so she''s not a true drakaina. That only left us with two options, she could be holding one of my brother''s balls, but that was farfetched and unlikely, and I would''ve noticed if the magic inside her belonged to him. She has an inactive void bloodline that results in her purple eyes. But to be careful, I need to keep all the possibilities in mind and act ordingly. "You bastard!" She growled, swinging her w at my face without hesitation. A brave move, but too slow. I simply bent backward, dodging her swing. "Matilda Jaeger! Watch your tongue. We''re in ss. Unless you want to get suspended on the first day, and hour nheless." The teacher growled at her. She immediately turned back, "What! He''s the one who started it!" Hearing her words, I wanted to get a bit petty. I looked at the other students, "She approached me first¡­" They all nodded. "And she''s started shouting first." "Yeah¡­" They looked at her face, turning red and sad with worried stares. "And she attacked me first," "She¡­did¡­" They couldn''t get more stressed. "Not only I didn''t hit her back, I''m only trying to help her calm down. I didn''t even lift my voice once, did I?" "Shut up!" She hissed at me. "Listen, you''re only making your case worse." I waved my hand and then looked at the teacher. "Please ignore this. We''re just getting to know each other. Troubles were bound to happen when gathering people from all around the world," The teacher nodded, "Since it''s a problem between you and her. I''ll ignore it if you two allow us to start the ss." I looked at her with a smug smile. "Please calm down. Sorry for pouring water on your head. Here, I have a spell that can help dry you out." I extended a finger at her head and cast a wind spell that I saw Ae use. A 0-tier that makes a weak stream of wind, like a light breeze, and it was called [Breeze] But as petty as I wanted to be, I''m changing the B to F. Cooling the spell with magic to make it have the effect of a spell I learned from Isdis, and have the outside appearance of [Breeze] The spell I actually cased was the 0-tier spell, [Freeze] That creates a frigid cold wind.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "MOOOOOO!" She cried, and I was a bit surprised. That sounded like a cow. "Both of you! To your seats!" The teacher yelled at us. Chapter 735 To Arad, Everything is a Weapon. Chapter 735 To Arad, Everything is a Weapon. ??The ss quietly started as Arad took his seat and Matilda sat behind him. After introducing himself as Alomory Btin, the teacher skipped the student''s introduction in favor of starting the first ss, stating that they would have enough to get to know each other in the next ss. On the board, he drew a box, and inside it wrote [System] "The main blessing that the gods gave us is the system. Through its mystical power, we can gain more power by defeating monsters. A way to reward the hard workers protecting humanoids from monsters." He exined and turned toward the student. "Does anyone know the origin of the system here?" A girl in the back lifted her hand, "I''ve heard it''s a blessing not from the gods. But from a powerful god that rules over them. An overgod," "You''re a cleric, I see," The teacher smiled, "You''re close but not on the point."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om He wrote [Overgod] on the board in its box above the system, and then drew an empty box between the two and linked everything. "There is still something in the middle. Can you guess what it is?" "An angel?" A student replied, and the teacher pointed at him. "Correct, but it''s good manner not to speak without permission in ss." He then quickly turned toward the board and filled the empty box. [Arch-angel] "The system is created and managed by the Overgod''s first archon, the archangel Aria, also known as the collective consciousness in some writings." He then looked at the students, seeing some of them confused. "What''s the matter?" "You said created by her? Wasn''t it created by this Overgod?" A student asked. The teacher shook his head, "The whole system, all the levels, skills, and ingrained magic and abilities. They are all parts of archangel Aria''s power." "Wait¡­" Arad lifted his hand. "I''m sure I said something about speaking without permission, but keep on, it doesn''t matter now." The teacher nodded. "Are you saying that the system is a borrowed power, like that of warlocks? And that even if all those who attained the system had leveled to the max level, 1000Lv, banded together to fight her, they would lose?" Arad asked. "Several gods stated in their scripture that Aria is second only to the Overgod, and Amaterasu, the most prominent goddess in their reaction said that Aria and the Overgod''s rtion is like Adam and Eve and that her fighting power could equal his." The teacher exined as best as the knowledge granted by the gods told. Arad looked at the ceiling. So the system''s power is limited by her? No, she''s the owner of all power granted through the system. That means the system will always lead a road that''s controlled by her and the overgod¡­ I couldn''t help but think, that even with how great an achievement it is to reach the maximum level. It''s still normal, everyone has ess to the system, and everyone can level up if they are willing and talented enough. ^What about the system''s magic requirements?^ The teacher kept exining, "That''s the basic origin of the system. I''m sure a lot of you are thinking about the sses'' rtion with magic and abilities, but we have to take that slowly." He smiled, pulling a stack of papers from his back and distributing it to everyone with a simple spell. As Arad read the papers, his eyes scanned through every word. It mostly recited what the teacher said with citations for schrs'' books and scriptures of the gods that had the information on them, Nothing but a recap of the past minutes. ^It''s going to get boring quickly if all teachers do this. Why would I need this to learn something that he already said?^ He looked at the teacher. "Is this all it?" A student in the back asked, "We need more details. Most of the books mentioned here are too expensive to get," I slowly turned back, staring past the angry tiger girl at that student with a disappointed face. Why would he need to buy books? That teacher just exined it. "You don''t need to worry about that. You aren''t going to get tested on this. It''s basic knowledge." The teacher replied with a smile. "Why are you looking at me? Turn back," Matilda growled at Arad, pointing forward. Not wanting to deal with her again, Arad turned back with a tired face, staring at the board and waiting for the teacher to keep going. ^Now, this is annoying,^ Arad sighed. Matilda took her shoes off and started poking his lower back with her ws. But with her ws being unable to hurt him, she ended up only damaging his clothes like a house cat with unclipped ws. "The system is a blessing that allows us humanoid to challenge the world''s most powerful megafauna. Dragons, giants, titans, devils, dinosaurs, chimera, and all the monsters you can think of." The teacher lifted a finger up, igniting a small me above his fingertip. "Leveling up is simple enough, kill monsters until you level up with your current ss. Those who have money can hire mercenaries to help hunt for them in a party, but that''s extremely inefficient. Thus, the best way is to put on the effort to train and defeat monsters." He looked across the ss. "As most people start from the bottom, your first lesson would be 0-tier magic. It''s simple spells that cost no mana and are effective against weak monsters like goblins and mutated small beasts." He started walking toward the door, "To the firing range. I''ll be teaching you some basic elemental spells that would help you in future courses, especially those that require you to clear missions." **** Standing outside in the firing range, Arad looked around to see it was a massive empty dry patch ofnd twice the size of the arena with several targets at the other side. "0-tier spells don''t consume mana, that''s a wrong statement." The teacher looked at the students. "They consume mana, it''s just that they only need the one in the air. But that doesn''t mean you can''t cast them with your own mana if the aircks it." Arad stared at him. "That means we can''t cast them in mana- less areas unless with learn how to use our mana for them?" "Mana-less areas? If you''re getting into such a ce, you''d better be able to cast 9-tier spells, what do you want of 0-tier spell to do there?" He smiled. Matilda burstughing, "Are you stupid, the teacher is right. 0-tier spells won''t help you there, or is that all you can cast." Arad turned toward her, "A spell that doesn''t consume mana could always be helpful." Since those spells consume the air''s mana, that means if I start one and then cancel the cast, the mana would return to the air. That might seem useless, but if I''m stuck in a mana-less area with, let''s say Ae. I can start 0- tier spells with my own mana and then cancel them to fill the air with mana for her to regenerate her own. This could also help me to overcharge an area with mana without needing special equipment. Arad wasn''t the one to guess that, Doma was adding details and re-exining what the teacher said in Arad''s head, and giving him tips on how to abuse it. Some high-level spells and refined versions of them still need the mana density in the air to be high enough for them to be cast, so repeatedly casting 0-tier spells and canceling them was a way for experienced wizards to change the mana density to their advantage. An example would be the ninth-tier spell [Meteor Fall] "The first spell you''re going to learn is this." The teacher cut Matilda''sughter as he opened his palm, conjuring a small orb of bright light. "The spell is called [Light] It''ll help you study at night." Some of the students immediately cast the spell, including Matilda, while some stayed there, looking at the teacher confused. "Those who don''t know the spell, it works by simply spinning the mana in the air in circles and agitating it to create light." Arad conjured the small orb of light above his finger and stared at it. "Would this be helpful?" He wondered, as he already had a great dark vision. "You didn''t cast it until the teacher told us how. By any chance, did you not know how to cast a basic spell? Or are you so rich that you never needed it?" Matildaughed at him, but Arad wasn''t listening to her at all. "Yeah! This would be a great weapon," Arad smiled, and the teacher stared at him confused. "What kind of weapon?" Arad turned to Matilda with a smile, waving her hand for her toe close. "Come here, look, look." He called her like a cat. "I''m not a cat!" She growled, approaching nheless. "What is it? A normal light spell." "shbang!" In a split second, the light above Arad''s finger burst into a brilliant sh, blinding Matilda as she fell back, covering her eyes and growing. "GRWAAA! MY EYES! Why did you do that to me!" "You ws earlier," Arad replied, looking at the teacher with a smile. "Thanks, this will be a great weapon at night." The teacher stared at him, sweating as he remembered how he took down the bear and tiger in the entrance exam. This one isn''t like the other students, his way of thinking is fundamentally different. They want to learn, survive, and live a great life, Arad is seeking weapons through knowledge. "Aron was your name? You''re a great one." The teacher smiled, "You remind me of a certain student, Alcott was his name. The first thing he said when we gave him a pen to write with, was that it looks like a good weapon to stab someone with." He approached Arad, "I''m looking forward to seeing how you fare. It''s a rare talent that you hold." "Ay! Nobody going to say anything for me!" Matilda growled at them. Chapter 736 A Spark of Conflict Chapter 736 A Spark of Conflict ??"It''s payback," Arad walked away from Matilda and approached the teacher. "I can cast a spell by seeing you do it, but I doubt that''s the case for everyone else." He looked back, "Can we get a written exnation? Like the ones found in books." He pulled a book about beginner magic under his jacket. The teacher blinked. ^Where does he keep pulling things out? I don''t know where he shoved that water jug he had earlier¡­^ "Yeah. I''m just trying to see where everyone stands before I start teaching you magic. It''ll help me adjust to every student''s skill level." The teacher smiled, "You''re high up on the chart." Matilda stared at Arad''s back, noticing that the lower part of his jacket was fixed. It didn''t have any cuts from her ws, which was strange. She never saw him change his jacket. The teacher pped his hands, "Everyone, let''s test other basic spells." Arad kept breaking each spell the teacher showed them. [Spark] A spell that is used by everyone to start a fire for cooking, Arad ended up turning it a [Shocking Grasp] As instead of it being a small electric spark akin to that of a lighter, he turned it into a powerful electric current sparking between his fingers. [Breeze] The spell that was used for dusting furniture using a small gust of air, he made it as strong as a leafblower with the ability to make the air either hot or cold and turned it into a magic akin to [Gust of Wind] [Mold] A spell used by craftsmen to make molds and pottery, Arad instead used it to create a hard de of dirt that was sharp enough to rival true swords, effectively matching the [Conjure weapons] spell. With each spell, Matilda kept getting frustrated more and more. Each time, it was clear that Arad was above everyone else in the ss in terms of raw talent for magic, albeit that his talent was more directed toward the art of killing. Even the most innocent of convenience spells, turn into a deadly weapon in his hands, like giving a child a fork, only for him to start stabbing things with it. Just as they were about to finish the training, the ground beneath their feet shook as a loud explosion boomed on the other side of the school. "What''s going on!" One of the students cried. "I sensed magic!" Matilda growled, "That was a spell," "I''ll go check it out!" The teacher pulled his staff and flew away. "Let''s go look!" Matilda turned around to the student, only to see Arad the only one uninterested, sitting back and ying with his doll. "Hoi! Aron, put that doll away, and let''s go! Where did you have it hidden anyway?!" She growled. Arad turned toward her, "No need to worry about it. That was my brother." He said with glowing eyes. **** "Listen," Gojo stared at his teacher. The woman was shaking in her boots as the firing range had a massive burned line that pierced even their enchanted walls. "I registered in the magic ss to study the essence of magic, not y with lower-tier spells." Gojo red at her, "So if you like, can we change the subject to at least 7-tier magic? I''d love to y with 9-tier spells, but I doubt this ce could survive." He smiled. Arad had chosen to study alchemy and Gojo picked pure magic. But to both sses, low-tier magic was a necessary thing to learn. You''re either a wizard, or an alchemist who uses the spells to heat alchemical ingredients, separate or cool them, or even turn mundane water into magic water for brewing. The teacher stared at Gojo''s glowing eyes as Arad''s teachernded behind them, "What''s going on?!" He asked, looking at the destruction. "Student Jogo! What''s going on here?" He asked. Gojo turned toward him. "Nothing, I just want to try higher spells." "You''ll do thatter. It''s the first day and we''re still trying to urately assess where each of the students stands in terms of skills." "Fine¡­I''ll wait." Gojo sat in the back, "Call me when you have something worth learning. I''ve paid handsomely for imed [Courses in High magic]. I hope you won''t disappoint." The two teachers stared at each other, and then Arad''s teacher flew back. Gojo''s words seemed strange, especially since no one of them knew they were dealing with a dragon. All dragons are obsessed with their wealth and hoard, and it usually requires a professional to make deals with them for one reason. Thest thing anyone wants is for a dragon to feel like they were scammed, that could only spell disaster. ^If I felt this year wasn''t worth it, I''ll just take my money from them. Tenfolds for wasting my time,^ Gojo wasn''t going to let them off the hook. **** The morning sses ended a bit before noon as the students and teachers headed to the school''s massive canteen for lunch. The moment Arad walked inside, he could see Ae waving her hand for him as the entire group had gathered at one massive table, eating their share. "I''lle after I get mine," He replied, but Eris looked at him. "We already picked a triple for you." She pointed at the empty spot beside her. They''ve gotten him enough food for three people and left two empty seats at the side, since his shoulders are so wide it''ll be ufortable to leave him with only one seat. "Thanks," He sat beside them to eat. "How was your first ss here?" Gojo looked at Arad with a smile. "Boring, until we all heard you st the firing range. What were you thinking about?" He stared at him. Ae looked at the two brothers arguing, and Mira waved her hand to her, "They should be fine. Could you help with somethingter," Ae blinked, "Don''t tell me." "Homework on the first day." Mira sighed with a sad face. "I want to work the wood." She deted like a balloon. "I can help you as well," Lydia smiled, "We did get some homework, but I did finish it in ss." "You''re a monster," Eris stared at her, "I could''ve only thought of how I would cremate that teacher when she gave us this." She pulled a three-page work out of her pocket. "We better work together," Merida sighed, looking at Arad, "You guys didn''t get anything?" "I didn''t," Arad replied and Gojo nodded, he too didn''t get any work. "I did get some homework," Jack opened his bag and pulled a stack of papers, quickly shoving it back inside, "Not this one. Ah, this." Lydia stared at him for a second and then snatched his bag. "What did you hide inside?" "Give it back! I''ll need itter¡­" He tried to take his bag back, but with her strength, she easily pushed him away.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Looking inside, he had a stack of paper, all solutions to various tests and homework, potential exams, and more. "Where did you get his?" She red at him. "Borrowed it," Jack looked away. "ARON! You''re there!" A voice roared across the canteen, and Arad sighed, looking at the other side and seeing Matilda walking toward them. "What do you want?" He asked as she stood at the table side, staring at him. "I came about what happened this morning¡­" Matilda started talking but soon felt it was hard to breathe. Her chest grew tighter and tighter as she started panting. "Care to introduce yourself? Little cat," Ae red at her with glowing green eyes and a twisted smile. ^Ae is choking her by controlling the air around us and preventing her from breathing,^ Arad could sense the magic in the air, but Matilda couldn''t. "Who¡­are you?" Matilda growled. "My wife," Arad replied at her side. "First wife," Ae added, "She''s second," Pointing at Mira, "Third," at Eris, "And fourth," At Merida. "Already four!" Matilda gasped with a worried face, "Wasn''t it only her?" She pointed at Mira. "That''s none of your business." Arad looked at her as he chewed a chicken''s thigh whole, bones and all. "Theb for alchemy has been changed. We''re going to the seventhb instead of the fourth," Matilda stared at him. "So you came to tell me that?" Arad looked at Ae, and she stopped using her magic. "For a while. I thought you were here to start trouble," Ae said with a smile, "Nice to meet you." "Matilda, there you were!" Another girl wearing a wizard''s robe walked in with a smile on her face. "That''s Aron? Yoho, here''s Selina." She waved her hand at him. "You didn''te this morning?" Arad looked at her for a second/ "Yeah, I sadly had some problems¡­" SLASH! Merida jumped from her seat, cutting the girl''s head in the blink of an eye with a knife. Matilda gasped as blood sshed her and everyone around. "Nice try," Merida turned toward the falling corpse. "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Everyone cried, surprised at Merida''s action except Gojo who sat there, looking as if he expected that. Chapter 737 The Lonely Wizard Chapter 737 The Lonely Wizard ??^She noticed before me¡­and cut her without hesitation. What a fearsome woman. Carrying any bullshit n with her around is stupid. She''s the type to cut first and then thinkter.^ Gojo smiled as the students started running to the edges of the canteen, terrified by the murder. "Calm down," He said, waving his hand. "That isn''t a real body. It''s a fungal-controlled flesh golem." As he said that, the body started disintegrating as the blood sttered everywhere started evaporating into white smoke. As the teachers ran in, they saw the corpse and immediately noticed it. "A flesh golem? How?" Some of them gasped. "Aron," Gojo looked at Arad with a smile, "You''ve never seen one before. They are interesting. They create a body using monster bones and flesh, then infuse it with a type of fungus that responds to magic and then remotely control it from a distance like a doll." Gojo stood and looked at the corpse. "Their strength is limited by the type of monster parts used to make them. Their magic is capped by the fungus''s transmission rate, and their look is created through the art of the craft." He wiped the girl''s face with his hand, pulling parts of her skin and showing the stitches beneath. They are as close to a zombie as you can without being a necromancer, a marvel of alchemy and magic craft." "What are you talking about!" Matilda screamed, her eyes darting between the disintegrating corpse and Gojo. Arad stood, "Brother, this is fantastic." His eyes shifted toward Merida, "Thanks for saving us." Merida looked away with a blush, "I doubt she had the strength to harm any of us¡­ I didn''t do anything." Merida stared at the corpse. Whoever made this. They used monster parts as Gojo stated, in a more epted way than what I do¡­ She could remember how her fungus can infect people and turn them into demonic spawns that she control. In the same way, the crimson rot infected the area around Riverside when the demonic infection started, she could do the same. A mushroomancer! ^I use humans instead of flesh golems. But as it''s a technique close to what I do, I noticed it immediately.^n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "So, what would we do?" Jack looked at the corpse, "This will clean itself when it disappears, but where is the caster?" "Don''t worry. Aron, you''re taking care of it?" Arad shook his head, "Brother Jogo, I''m not taking care of it. She''s taking the job," He smiled. **** "What did happen?!" A girl cried, scrambling around a messy desk in the dark as she pulled several crystal balls. "I lost the signal. What was thest image?" She kept trying until she managed to see it. A horrifying smile by Merida a fraction of a second before she cleaved her head. "AHH! Scary, what''s with this crazy woman? Did she destroy my precious body? I would''ve died if that was me. I was right to never go out." CLACK! The handle of her room''s door moved, and she gasped, looking back and closed her mouth. CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! It stopped, and an eerie silence filled the room. ^Did they go? What was that?^ CRACK! A finger burst through the keyhole, and the door was forced open as a pink and purple-haired woman walked in. Her pink eyes glowed in the darkness as she smiled at the girl inside. "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The girl cried, crawling away scared and hiding under a pile of clothes. "So you''re here, little wizard¡­" Doma said with a twisted smile, "You didn''t think we won''t find you? Did you?" FLAP! The girl threw the clothes away and pointed her right index and middle finger at Doma while holding a scroll in her left hand. [Light Beam] [Light Beam] Doma pulled Arad''s Adamantine sword out of nowhere, shing beams of light in half and deflecting them with the polished side of the de. "Impossible!" The girl screamed as the deflected beams cut the walls, and the scroll in her hand burned after being used. "Reacting to light magic!?!" CLENSH! Doma grabbed the girl from her back, clenching a fist on her robe. "I didn''t react to light. I reacted to your moves and magic flow." ZON! The scenery in front of the girl shifted, and she fell face-first in the canteen before Arad and everyone else. ^[She controlled the golem from 36km away to the north in her house''s attic. I already disable all of her weapons, including scrolls and staves.]^ Doma said in Arad''s head. ^[She is harmless, besides the magic she can use on her own.]^ "So you''re the real Selina?" Arad looked at her. Selina lifted her head, staring around and seeing a bunch of people around her. She screamed, crawling away to the corner of the canteen and curled into a ball, hiding beneath herrge hat. ^What''s her problem?^ ^[She seems to be afraid of us. No, she''s afraid of people in general. That is why she had a golem attend in her ce.]^ ^How we''re supposed to deal with that?^ Arad sighed, but he saw Matilda trying to calm Selina down, and her efforts were working. Arad turned toward Merida, "I doubt it being a golem is enough of a reason to attack her." "She tried using magic, so I killed her before she could harm anyone." She replied. "That was an appraisal spell though." Gojo looked at Arad with a smile, "She sensed the faint change in the fungus''s magic before the spell could even initiate. You can think of the golem as a separate entity from the mage. For it to cast magic. It needs the form to be sent and loaded into the fungalwork first." Merida sensed the mushrooms downloading a spell from Selina before the magic could even initiate, so she cut her. That is how she managed to be ahead of everyone else. "Apprisal magic? Is that a spell?" "It isn''t," Gojo shook his face. "It can only be used with rare crystals collected from dungeon cores. I bet that golem had one infused into it''s body," By that time, neither the corpse nor blood were left. Everyst drop had disappeared. Arad turned toward Matilda and Selina, "How is she doing?" "Aron, stay back. She''s afraid of you lots." Matilda pointed at him. "Calm down," Sena appeared behind Matilda and patted Selina''s head, "Aron might look big and scary, but he doesn''t bite." Selina stared at Sena''s face, getting a weird feeling. Each time she saw other people, her skin would crawl, and she couldn''t help but feel terrified. Yet this one seemed strange. Her words sounded gentle, caring, and loving. "Don''t cry, don''t fear. The world isn''t out to harm you. I won''t let them." She hugged her. "Guh! She''s at it again." Selica growled, "That dirty." ^[Illusion magic, and a powerful one at that.]^ Sena being the perfect life form, is an expert at mimicking other creatures'' biological functions. Since the goal was to make Selina feel safe, Sena''s goal became clear. She first looked at what type of creature Selina was down to the gics functions, copied and reversed it back, and ended as close as possible to her mother''s gics. She then copied everything from tone, scent, feel, and way of speech. She could''ve used that to transform her shape and voice, but since that would be too freaky for a human to achieve, she opted to cover that part with illusion magic, a good way to cover her powers. Selica stared at Sena. ^The perfect living being, she uses that power to pacify animals and monsters, but she never told me it can work on humans. She gets more terrifying the more I see what her power can achieve.^ Selina seemed to be calming down, so everyone returned to their seats, and Lydia brought some extra chairs. Albeit they managed to convince Selina to sit and eat, she preferred to sit on the edge beside Matilda, whom she trusted. **** Teacher Lucia rushed across the hallways as she heard Aron and his group might be getting into some trouble. But the moment she ran into the canteen, she saw them all sitting around one table, eating and bickering about their first morning in the school. The only sign of trouble is the confused students on the other tables. "Aron! Mira!" Lucia rushed toward them, and Selina gasped, hiding behind Matilda. "Did something happen?" "Just a misunderstanding. We''ve already solved it." Arad pointed at two other teachers who arrived before her, "They were here." Lucia headed to talk to the other teachers while Arad turned his attention to Selina. "How does that golem thing work? You''re with me in ss, so you''re aiming for alchemy, right?" Selina gasped, "Who''s the pink-haired one?" She replied with a question while hiding behind Matilda. "She''s¡­." Arad tried toe up with an identity on the spot, but he didn''t think of anything. Doma couldn''t shut up in his mind, shouting one thing. "...Older sister." "Heh?" Everyone stared at him. "Yeah," Gojoughed, "She''s a scary one, isn''t she?" Chapter 738 Alchemy Class

Chapter 738 Alchemy ss

She''s afraid of us, and to fix that, we need her to understand that we aren''t a threat and that other people aren''t going to harm her. I don''t know where that fear started or how, but it doesn''t matter. What matters is finding a way for her to face it. Even though I suspect she would''ve been scared of me the most[Talking about Doma], she''s most afraid of Merida and keeping her distance. I can see that she can''t take her eyes away from her. She''s actively avoiding even circting her mana around while we''re close. Now that I''m thinking about it, Merida is really unhinged for a human. I''ve never seen one who can kill like that, with no hesitation, no bloodlust, and no remorse. Even with the deadliest killers or monsters, everyone expects a moment of peace. Merida instantly goes for the kill, she doesn''t even think about it. Whenever there is danger, her answer is to eliminate it. She doesn''t speak, telegraph, think, or even change her breathing or emit bloodlust. Like a sudden cough, her body moves to snatch a life. "Merida," Arad looked at her. "What is it?" Merida turned toward him. "Don''t attack Selina under any circumstances. This time it was a golem, but next, it might be a real life." She looked down, a bit sad, "I''ll try next time¡­but what if it was a real threat?" "Those with the fastest reaction time are the ones to fall for feints the most. Geralt''s words," Roberta''s father''s words stuck with Arad all this time, a fight isn''t just about killing each other, it''s about how to achieve that. The first thing anyone would try is abusing the opponent''s instincts and movements that they don''t control, temper is one of them. "I''ll train you. It won''t be easy." Arad smiled and Merida nodded. It''s bad to point fault at someone without exining why it''s a fault or giving them a clear way to solve it. Killing is a clear wrong so I don''t need to exin that part, and since I can teach her how to control her reactions using what Gerald taught me, it''s all good. Thanks, Gerald. Arad''s eyes quickly shifted toward Selina and Matilda, "How does that golem work?" Matilda blinked, "Don''t know." She turned back at looked at Selina for a moment. "She says you can watch her make another one." Matilda smiled. "The process would take about a week if all parts are present." Selina whispers to Matilda and she speaks off to everyone else. "Matilda, since when did you know her?" Arad asked. "Yesterday at the entrance tests." Matilda replied with a smile. "I see¡­" If she was able to make a friend this quickly, her fear of people should be fixable by exposing her to more people and showing her they aren''t scary. Words alone probably won''t work, she needs to make that call herself. "Let''s work on one together." Arad smiled at her. "She asks if you can keep your sister away from her. And also want to ask you to make her send a letter home, informing that she''s at school." Matilda looked at Arad after listening to Selina. I guess if she was locking herself in her room. They''ll get worried if she doesn''te out for food. "Of course." Arad replied with a gentle smile. "She''s scary, but I promise she won''t harm you. She brought you here without harming you." "She says she''s less scary than her over there." Matilda pointed at Merida. **** Lunchtime quickly passed by, and the afternoon sses started. Arad and his ssmate had alchemy, their first lesson. "It''s alchemy, why are we in ss and not in theb?" Arad sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Theory first, practiceter." Matilda replied, kicking the back of his chair. "Don''t lean backward, you''re too big, you''re pushing my table." "Sorry," He fixed his seat. "Selina, why are you hiding?" The teacher of the ss, Lucia approached her. Selina covered herself with her hand and looked as if sleeping. She''s afraid, and just having people look at her was a bit too scary. "Teacher. She''s listening, don''t mind her." Matilda said. "Don''t butt in." Lucia red at her. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "What do you mean by butt in?" Arad turned around, ring at her with his eyes glowing purple. Lucia''s body froze as she remembered what Alcott once said when he first heard her say that. ^Butt in?! Want something in your butt? Or do you want your butt in something? Care to exin?^ "She means don''t put your nose in her business." Matilda whispered to him. "Her business? What does that have to do with a butt?" Arad blinked, "I didn''t put my nose in her butt." ^[Are you an idiot? She means to not interfere in her talk with Selina. That''s a metaphor, you need to attend thenguage sses.]^ Lucia turned toward Arad, a bit scared to ask, especially after hearing the strange conversation between him and Matilda. "Fine," She sighed, walking back toward her desk. "But I''ll drag her to the office if I notice her cking off." Lucia kept exining the basics of alchemy, and it was as boring as anyone expected. Alchemy is divided into two main branches, ssic alchemy and magic alchemy. The difference between them is the involvement of magic water or magic ingredients. If the alchemy doesn''t need magic water or magic ingredients, it''s a ssic alchemy, and if it does, it''s a magic alchemy. Magic water is simple water that is infused by mana, either by putting magic stones in it, or by directly infusing it with mana. Its main function is to sustain the magical effect of the ingredients used in magic alchemy. Lucia set a simple example using a frost Lily, a beautiful blue flower that blooms on frozen mountains. She pulled two small pots with the flowers growing in them. "Watch closely." Lucia pulled the flower out and put it on a magic orb. [34] [33] After about a minute of waiting, the mana density in the nt dropped. "See this? Fresh ingredients are important in alchemy as their quality decreases over time as they lose mana." She smiled, "That''s why most alchemists prefer to grow their ingredients instead of harvesting them." ^[That''s why we witches live in huts and nt everything we need ourselves.]^ Doma said in Arad''s head. "Now, let''s make a potion with it using normal water." Lucia took the flower, crushed it in a mortar and pestle then poured water over it. "Let it rest a bit, then drain it." She poured the solution into a potion bottle. "We let it rest for a moment, and it''s done. This should be a freeze potion. The water inside is supposed to freeze into ice when I shatter it." Lucia approached the crystal ball, "But before that, look." She put the potion on the crystal and it disyed [7] "We lost a lot of mana while crushing the flower." She then quickly picked up the potion and threw it on the ground. The bottle shattered, leaving a puddle of cold water and a small amount of mushy ice. "See? A failed potion." She then pulled a small bowl filled with water, "You can either put magic stones in it and wait for about an hour, but that''s expensive. I encourage you to use your own mana, as it''s free." She put her finger in the water and started pouring mana into it. "And it''s faster." After about one minute, she had filled the water with mana. Touching its surface with the crystal, [235] was disyed. "See? It''s full to the brim." Lucia smiled as she crushed the second flower and mixed it into the water. After creating the second potion, she put it on the crystal and got a read of [201] "Arge portion of potion quality is that of the magic water used. As you can see, this is almost thirty times as strong." She threw the potion on the ground, and it exploded into tens of ice spikes, chilling the whole ss. "Cold!" Matilda gasped, heating her hands on Arad''s neck. Strangely enough, the area around him didn''t get cold. "Anyone want to try it here before we continue?" Lucia asked, and Arad stood. "My heater¡­" Matilda cried with a sad face, left in the cold like an abandoned kitten. "This is a simple demonstration. I''ll write everything for you then we''ll head to theb." Lucia flicked her finger and melted the ice with a single spell, heating the ss back up. She won''t let the students stay for long in the cold, especially after Matilda''s remarque. "So you want to try. I''ll show you how to do it." Lucia looked at Arad with a smile. Arad lifted his hand, "Wait a moment." He walked back to his seat and pretended to reach inside his bag. He pulled a long whiteb coat. "What''s that? No, why did you bring ab coat here?" Lucia stared at him, confused. The school usually provides those in theb. Equipment is ounted for when the students pay their tuition fees. "My wife made it for me and said to wear it. It''s nice, isn''t it?" He even buttoned it up to the neck. "Your wife¡­" Lucia stared at him. "Merida." ^That freak!^ All of his ssmates remembered how Merida beheaded Selina''s clone in cold blood. "You must really love your wives." Matilda stared at him, "Don''t start with the -Ahh¡­I''ll kill you if you messed with my wives- that most nobles do." "I do love my wives. It isn''t a question about how many people I would kill for my wives. It''s about who I would allow to live." Arad walked toward the board to try, but then his eyes turned toward the window as he saw a bunch of students walking into the yard dragging a massive mass of iron and wood. ^It''s Mira''s ss.^ He could see Mira riding on their strange creation, trying to fix something. CRACK! His ear caught a strange sound inside the creation and it only took him a fraction of a second to realize., ^It''s about to blow up.^ Chapter 739 Arad is FAST! Chapter 739 Arad is FAST! ??BOOM! A powerful burst echoed in the school''s yard, and all the students flinched, blinking as they ducked down. "What was that!?" SWOSH! In the blink of an eye, Arad''s whiteb coat looked a bit scuffed, with small bits of ash and dirt on his shoulders and hair. The students looked at him with confusion. He just wore that. SWOSH! In the next blink, he was as clean as before. "GUH!" Lucia gasped, sweat dripping across her forehead, and her legs froze in ce. It was, but a blur, but I caught it with my mage eyes. [Mage Eye] An observation spell that wizards use to scout their surroundings. It gives them a third-person camera angle and could be used to look around an area like drones. They are invisible and hard to detect. Most wizards can only use two at a time, assigning each to an eye. Those eyes detect movement better than the naked eye and are sensitive to magic. Lucia was an exceptional wizard and had four mage eyes around her. One above her head to watch her back, one in the hallway, one outside the windows, and one she left in her room. But, her skills were nowhere near Merlin, who has over twenty flying around Alina. ^I barely saw it...^ In that fraction of a second, Arad''s mana spiked on her number-1 mage eye[The one above her head] like a sh. His body turned into a blur as he disappeared. Her mage eye number-3, the one outside the window caught a glimpse of a blurry silhouette rushing out toward the students outside. That silhouette picked Mira and moved her several meters away from the massive device, then went and picked the device, and moved it away from the students. But it exploded on the silhouette. That silhouette then returned to where Arad was standing and stopped moving. It was only then that the blur disappeared. Impossible, it can''t be. What did Aron just do? I felt his magic spiking. Was that a spell? What kind, isn''t he a fighter? No...I don''t care what spell it is. How the fuck can he move that fast? The students outside are at least 300 meters away. Lucia reached for a paper on her desk, scrambling to crunch some numbers. 300 meters. and that only took about 0.2 seconds...this bastard moved at 1500m/s??! That''s 5400km/h!!! How there was no shockwave? No, how could a human move like that? It can''t be! She freaked out so much that she didn''t notice him cleaning his clothes with the void.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Unbeknown to her, Arad wasn''t that fast. He achieved such a feat by stacking several tricks. He could''ve used [Void Step] But the cooldown would''ve caused so muchg. That he would need to choose between Mira and the other students. He could''ve moved the device first, but as he doesn''t know when it''ll explode, he preferred to cover Mira with his back first just in case, increasing the risk for other students but making sure Mira would remain safe. Arad''s base moving speed was 10m/s. He then used the void to erase the air around his body to reduce drag, and since there was no air, there was no shockwave when breaking the sound barrier. The reduced drag at such speed allowed him to reach 13m/s. He then consumed a speed potion that he made while learning from Aisha, and that got him to 15m/s. Since that speed was still too slow, he cast [Time Slow: 99%]. That increased his speed by a hundredfold, allowing him to reach around 1500m/s. ^Should I say something? No, with such speed, it''ll only take him a second to slit my throat even if I was 1.5km away...^ Arad was too fast for her to dare say a word. Subconsciously, she tried to erase that memory from her head to avoid trouble. ^I saw nothing...^ She stared forward with a nk face. **** Mira looked around, finding herself several meters away from the explosion. ^It exploded. Did it throw me away? No, the device itself moved...This is Arad''s doing...^ She sighed as the student surrounded her, thinking the st flung her away. ^He''s the only one who can move like this.^ She remembered him blitzing a misfired nail when she was making her hammer.^ "I''m fine, fine. Bring something to douse the fire." She said, and some of the students rushed to bring water buckets. The teacher approached her, "Told you that thing is a failure. Last year students made it, but it never worked." "I''ll change the design and make it work. You know how useful such a machine would be if it worked." Mira stared at the destroyed device. "That''s but a pipe dream." The teacher sighed, "But I''ll give you ab and resources. Work on it, but with protective gears." "Thank you." Mira smiled. "I''ll make sure to wear them next time." She looked at Arad''s ssroom window. ^Even though I''m in Arad''s range. He''ll never let a bug get close to me.^ **** Back in ss, Arad remixed the potion in front of Lucia. When mixing the holy water, he only dripped a little bit of mana into it as he didn''t want to freeze the ss. His only measured [97] mana. "BWAHAHAHAH!" Matilda burstughing, "You only got 97?! I''m sure I can do [150]. Is that all you have, Aron?" Lucia started sweating and red at Matilda, "Stop it! You''re all here to learn, not boast." She growled at her. ^Aron would rip your tail off and shove it down your throat before you could realise he moved. Don''t trigger him, you stupid tiger.^ Arad could sense a deep fear swelling inside Lucia. ^She''s afraid? Of what, me? Probably because of what happened yesterday, I should apologizeter. I don''t want her to remain scared all year.^ The ss then moved to thebs to finish testing the simple potions. They ended up making a fire[Like the ice one, but used a firerose], mana[Which was mostly magic water], and a stamina potion. Thetter one interested Arad the most. The ingredients included several things. -Fresh mint. -Rum of any kind, but white is preferable to be able to make the potions greenter. -Fresh lime. -Honey, preferably from bees that feed on windflowers[Flowers used to make potions that strengthen wind magic]. -Magic water. -Caster capable of using wind magic. -Magic water ice. First, use a clean ss and put the fresh mint in it. Then slightly bruise with a muddler. You don''t need to crush or pulverize it. Second, squeeze the fresh lemon to make lime juice, then pour it on the mint. Added the rum, honey, and a handful of ice. Then mix it well for a minute. Third, strain the mixture into a new ss. Fourth, Fill a ss with magic water and channel wind magic into it for a while until it gets infused and turns into wind- element-infused magic water. You''ll know when it turns green. Mix the mixture of step three with the wind-element-infused magic water then pour it into a potion bottle and lock it tight. How the potion works: The alcohol in the rum helps dull pain and reduce the user''s sense of exhaustion. The mint and lime help open the airways and give a fresh feeling, which helps the potion sell. The wind-element-infused magic water gets absorbed through the digestive system and fills the blood with oxygen, assisting the lungs and muscles. The honey provides sugar that the body uses as fuel, and since it''s from bees that feed on windflowers, it''ll also add a small boost to oxygen levels in the blood. The magic water ice helps the potion remain cold for a prolonged period of time, so when drunk, it lowers the body''s temperature, which most likely is overheating due to exhaustion. Which helps lower the amount of sweat and wasted water. And since the potion has a bit of water, it''ll help quench thirst a bit, but drinking water is rmended. Arad slowly turned toward Lucia with a passive face, "This is just a mojito with magic water." "No, it isn''t. We don''t teach students how to make cocktails here. It''s against the rules." She smiled. "No! No! No! This is just a drink! Stop pretending it isn''t." Arad gasped. "I mean, look at this!" He pointed at Matilda who was hugging his leg. "Aron¡­big, strong¡­Hik! Hik!" Matilda rubbed her face on his thighs with a red face, drunk after downing four failed stamina potions. "Let''s make a lot of babies¡­I always¡­wanted a strong one¡­" "She''s dead drunk!" Arad growled, "How this is not a drink?!" "You''re not supposed to drink that many stamina potions at once." Lucia lifted a finger. "They have a lot of bad side effects if you drink a lot." Drinking a lot of stamina potions can lead to over- oxygenating, high blood sugar, and alcohol levels. Which can lead to loss of consciousness, getting drunk mid-fights, liver damage from abusive use for a long time, and even death at some times. Some elves can''t digest honey, so they could get a bad stomach ache or diarrhea. "Aron¡­many cubs¡­" Matilda mumbled, still stuck to Arad''s leg. Chapter 740 The UnHeroic Hero

Chapter 740 The UnHeroic Hero

Arad sighed, mentally exhausted. His wives kept it in moderation, and when Jack got drunk, it wasn''t this bad. He looked down, seeing Matilda stilltched to his leg. It was almost three hours, and she only got drunk. Each time she gets sober a bit, she makes another stamina potion, gulp it down as a test, and gets even more hammered. "Aron! Say¡­ ARON!" She rubbed her face on his leg,tching onto his clothes with her ws. "Everyone, this is all for today. Please keep the recipes in mind. You''ll need to use them as a base to make stronger potions. And might be in your tests." Lucia looked at them with a smile. "Teacher, take her away from me." Arad pointed at Matilda. Lucia approached him, extending her hand to Matilda. Matilda hissed at her, swinging her w, and Lucia barely dodged. "Oh, my. She''s feisty." She looked at Arad. "Aron, can you take her to the girl''s dorm?" "Why me?" Arad stared at Lucia. "Matilda is the second strongest, and you''re the first. She''ll hurt other students if they try carrying her." Lucia looked at him with a smile. "Don''t give me that. You carry her with magic." He growled. "I have paperwork. Take her to the entrance of the girls'' dorm. She should be sober by then." Lucia waved her hand, disappearing in a puff of silver mist. Arad looked at Matilda, then turned toward one of the cabs. "You as well." He growled, "Come here, or you''ll stay alone. All night long, in a strangend." The cab door slowly opened, and Selina walked out, covering her face with herrge wizard hat. Arad walked toward Matilda and Selina''s stuff and packed them up. He then lifted Matilda like a bag of rice on his shoulder and extended his hand to Selina. "Let''s go." Selina hesitated. "Make a conscious decision. I know you''re scared of me, but I''m certain you know I would''ve already hurt you if I wanted. So¡­ Trust?" He red at her. "Trust¡­" She took his hand as he walked with her hiding behind him all the way outside the building. CLACK! CLACK! Arad slowly turned his head, Seeing Jack, Lydia, and the girls walking toward them. "Arad!" Jack waved his hand, and Selinatched to Arad''s back. Jack tilts his head, "Ahh, she''s scared of me¡­" "What''s going on?" Ae asked. "Matilda got drunk on failed stamina potions and that teacher Lucia asked me to take her to the girl''s dorm." Arad replied as he looked at Matilda''s giggling face. "Lydia, can you help her?" Ae asked. Lydia pointed at Eris, "It was today''s ss, try it on her." "You mean the detoxification spell? I burned every monster." "Look at her, do you mind burning her a bit?" Lydia pointed at Matilda. Eris smiled. "A charred kitty." She extended her hand forward, [Detoxification] With a bright light, a ray of holy magic hit Matilda, engulfing her in a cleansing brilliance. "Damn it, why did it have to work well now?" Eris growled, feeling that her spell worked. "Probably since Arad is carrying her, and you don''t want to burn him." Mira poked her. "I''m not." Eris cried. Mira giggled as she turned toward Arad, "Thank you for saving me earlier, and everyone else." "You noticed it was me?" Arad smiled. "Who else could move like that? Gojo won''t touch me, I bet he would''ve handled it differently." She giggled. "You''re right. And Tempo is too loud." He shook Matilda, "Wake up, drunk tigress." Matilda slowly opened her eyes, rubbing them as she grunted. "Where am I?" Merida approached her, "Somewhere." She replied. "That isn''t an answer." Matilda growled as she looked around, realizing she was on Arad''s shoulder as he carried her like a bag of rice. "Put me down!" She gasped, and Arad threw her to the ground. TAP! Shended on all four. "Be gentle with thedies!" She hissed back at him. Ae approached her. "You''re fine, cats always fall on their legs." "I''m a tigress!" Selina rushed to hide behind Matilda, now she had no use for Arad. "Where is everyone else?" Arad asked. "They still have another hour to go, or left an hour before us." Jack replied, "You know where they are, don''t you?" "I''ve lost track of Abel when I tried to save Mira." Arad looked at Jack. "Ah! Don''t worry about that idiot. He went to explore the town of Croc hut." Jack pointed south. "No wonder I didn''t sense him inside the university''snd." The moment Arad extended his magic sense to the town, he could sense Abel there. "Jack." Lydia looked at them, "We''ll go back to the dorm, Sara should be waiting there with Sena and Selica. We have some homework to do, take care." As the girls left, Arad and Jack found a bench in the middle of the yard and sat. "AHHH!" A teacher growled on the other side of the yard, "Jack! There you are!" She rushed to them. "And Aron¡­Good, can you help me talk with him?" She looked worried. "Count me out." Arad looked away. "Come on! Jack doesn''t listen to anyone, you two look like friends. You can convince him, it''s for his own good." She looked at Jack. "Why do you have to bother me?" He sighed. "You''re the top student and got full marks in the entrance exam. What do you think you''re doing skipping the first day of school?" She growled. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Jack didn''t attend any of the sses. "I don''t want to. And I probably won''t show until after tomorrow." He looked at her with a smile. "That won''t do! You have to attend, getting full marks in the entrance exam doesn''t mean you don''t need to learn anything. You have to present." Jack sighed, "Just sit down, teacher Aliminia." As the teacher set beside them, Jack put one leg on the other and whistled to the sky. "What are you doing?" She red at him. "Aron, tell him!" "Don''t involve me." Arad looked away. As Jack looked at the sky, a pigeon flew toward him andnded on his hand. She had a letter tied to her leg. "That was quick." Jack smiled, taking the letter off and sending the pigeon away. "What was that?" Aliminia asked. Jack lifted the small folded letter between two fingers and looked at Arad, "Fire please." Arad lifted a finger, creating a candle me. "I still don''t know what''s written inside. Stop bothering me, and I''ll burn it." He smiled. "What is written there." She stared a the paper intensely. "Information about you, the things you don''t want anyone to know." Jack waved the paper. "Who will even get you such a thing? Stop fooling around ande to sses." "I won''t tell you anything about my sources." Jack mumbled with a passive face. It was Abel in the city. "Stop messing around. You''re here to study, aren''t you?" She red at him. Jack opened the paper, "Big words from you, is it a side hustle? Working at the brothel in Croc?" He said with a passive, "And a freaky one at that. Not like your family is poor or anything, and you have a husband and children as well." She froze in ce. "It''s always easy to get dirt on people." He turned toward her, staring at her terrified face. "See here, it says one out of five. I wonder what other heinous shit you have done in your life?" "I thought you were hailed as the hero chosen by the holy de." She growled, "And with such talent, why swoop so low?" "Talent? Hero? What are those, are they delicious?" He threw the paper into Arad''s me. "I''m a rogue, don''t forget that. Rather than use your mouth to talk about my talent, go use it for your talent down in the brothel." He red at her. "I have work tomorrow, so I''ll attend after that." "What would you do knowing that?" She asked. "Nothing as long as you steer clear of my way. If you kept pressing me, the whole city would know. I doubt you''ll stay in this university to press me any longer." He leaned back, "Leave." She stood and rushed away. "Don''t do it." Arad stared at him. "I won''t. She can''t force me to attend anyway. This is just me showing her that it''s bad to try and strongarm a rogue into owning her favors. It''s a long story." "So it''s more than her trying to drag you to ss." Arad smiled. "How about you? Won''t you tell me to go study? I''ll skip tomorrow as well." Jack smiled. Arad looked around. "Seeing this¡­how could I tell you to study?" As Arad''s eyes looked around. Jack giggled, "It''s nice, isn''t it?" Half of the university''s premise was covered in Jack''s deadly traps, bombs beneath the ground, wires between the tiles, poison gas, weapons, and material staches, ckmailed people, and stolen rare and deadly magic items. Like a spider, in a day, Jack turned half the university into his domain, a deadly trap. He intends to finish the work tomorrow, making the entire ce into one massive trap. "Are you going for a war here or something?" "It''s a new environment, I need to be ready. Unlike you, I don''t have any talent or powerful magic, my ss also doesn''t provide anything besides cheap tricks. I need to prepare." Jack extended his hand to Arad. "How much did this thing cost?" "Three hundred gold coins for today, and I''ll need around four hundred tomorrow." Arad sighed. "My pocket hurts." He gave Jack a bag full of gold. "Thank you, boss." "Say, Jack. How effective this whole ce is? I doubt you can stop me." Jack started thinking, "Boss, you and your brother are too heavy and fast, I can''t catch you. Like a bird can''t get stuck in a spider''s web. AH! Also, I doubt I can stop Tempo." "So everyone else? Even Eris?" Jack smiled, "She''ll burn half of my traps down. But honestly, I''m confident that I can kill her. Even with her regeneration." "I''m d you''re on my side." Arad could remember how Jack fought the incubus before, the lich, and more. He''s always terrifying when prepared. "Well, I wanted to ask you for another favor." Jack turned toward Arad, "About that girl Selina." Chapter 741 The Gang of Croc city.

Chapter 741 The Gang of Croc city.

Arad looked at Jack. "Selina? Do you need something from her?" Jack smiled. "You know how I have very little mana, close to nothing?" Jack lifted his hand. "Besides 0-tier spells, I can''t cast anything else." "How about ss skills?" "They are tied to my ss. You said it. I want something more reliable, something that no one can expect." Jack pulled a white paper with a magic circle on it. "Look. This is how to transfer mana from a mana stone into an object." Jack smiled. "I got it from one of the teachers here. And do you remember that Barbarian named Gura from the capital?" "You don''t mean." Arad stared at him. "You want Selina to imnt a mana crystal into your body like the one in Gura''s chest." "Bingo. A mana crystal inside my body to power magic items integrated into my artificial arm and leg. I can also tattoo magic circles and inscriptions on my body to be able to cast spells." Jack smiled, "What I want is a spider''s web." "Like the web spell?" "No." Jack pulled a roll of thin steel wires. This is what he uses to make his traps and for now, he has spread them between the tiles in the ground and in the cracks between the bricks in the walls. He can also use them to cut or create trip wires. "Spider''s web is an inscription that one of the s-ranks created but discarded as a failure as it needs to be recreated perfectly for each cast. It can be lethal to the user if the cast isn''t urate." Jack showed Arad his artificial hand. He already had tinkered a bit with it and managed to get wires to pour out of his fingertips. "Since the spell would be tattooed into my body and inscribed into my artificial arm. I will be recreated perfectly each cast, and with a mana crystal to power it up. I should be fine." Jack smiled. "And what would that spell do?" "It''ll allow me to control the wires and expand my senses across the web of my traps. We humans have weak senses. I did learn echolocation from Alcott, but it''s not that powerful." Jack leaned back. "I''ll see what I can do. Getting her to do that would be hard." "She can make a flesh golem. I bet she put a stone inside me without much trouble. A little healing magic would close the wound, and it''ll all be good." Jack looked at Arad. "But, I guess skill isn''t her problem." Jack then stood. "I''ll head down to the city to spend what you just gave me. I''m sure the local supplier would be thrilled. So I''m leaving Selina''s matter to you." "Buying so many trap materials, won''t they suspect anything?" "I know how to hide my tracks." Jack smiled as he walked into the sunset. **** "Selica, where are you going?" Sena asked as she brushed her hair sitting on a wooden chair by the window. "The sun is setting." "We didn''t bring that many things with us." Selica replied. "And it''s empty." She pulled out a bottle of high-grade liquor, the Lemon of life. An elvish brand that''s alwayspared to the dwarven fire wine. Some even say it''s better. "Oh, my. That''s a problem, be careful out there." Sena looked at the bottle. She really did love that, it''s just as strong as the dwarven fire wine, but has a fresh smell and a gentle taste, it doesn''t burn the throat. "I''ll be back in an hour or so¡­" Selica left. **** Selica approached Croc''s city northern gate. The guards stared at her for a second, "If you''re a student, show us your student card." Selica pulled her card, "Here you go." The guard approached and leaned forward to look at the card through the slit in his helmet. "She''s a student, let her in." He didn''t even touch the card. "Thank you." Selica walked toward the gate but stopped midway, "Do you know where the silver mug is?" One of the guards stared at her, "You must be joking. We''re not guiding a minor to a bar, you''ll only get mugged. And we don''t want to deal with that." "She''s twenty-four," The guard who looked at her card said. "It''s at the end of the street, but be careful. It might sound disrespectful, but you look like a prime target for thugs." Selica smiled, "A lone woman with enough money to buy alcohol. But remember that¡­" "Don''t judge a book by its cover. I know, but, scream if anything looks suspicious. It''s better for us guards to waste our time than have you hurt." He smiled. "I''ll keep that in mind." Selica walked into the city, and the guards approached their friend. "Trying to hit on her?" One looked at him with a grin. "I''m not." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Our boy Arnol, saving the beautifuldy at thest moment. It''s nice to be young, isn''t it." One smacked him on the back, "We''ll help you if she calls. Don''t worry, we''ll hail you as our prodigy." **** Selica finally reached the silver mug and walked inside. The ce looked like any normal tavern but was strangely filled with more dangerous-looking people and weirdos. Thugs, bandits, and half-naked drunkards running around starting fights. Even the adventurers guild looked like a nice ce inparison, and that is saying something. Selica approached the counter and looked a the bartender. "Lemon of life, a bottle." She said. The bartender stopped polishing the sses and stared at her. "A shot?" "A bottle," Selica repeated. "You know how much that would be?" The bartender stared at her, "It''s worth a fortune. I''m not pulling it out to anyone who asks. You could as well knab and run, I''ll not deal with that." "I know how much it''ll cost. Fifty to sixty gold coins, am I wrong." She sighed. "Fifty-seven to be exact. Do you have that kind of money?" "I just want to take and leave. This ce doesn''t look inviting to be honest." She pulled out a bag of gold and took five coins out of it." She stared at him. "I''ll give fifty-five, I''m sure you''ll find a mistress to be quite the returning customer." "Fifty-seven." "Come on. I know you bought it for around forty-four to forty-six, elves are trying topete with the dwarves, I know my alcohol so stop trying to swindle me." She pushed the coin purse to him. The bartender smiled, "I like you girl. It''s rare to see someone here who isn''t an idiot that just wants something strong to treat their sick minds." He sighed, taking the gold and pouring it on a scale. He then quickly counted it. "Nice doing business with you." He pulled a bottle for Selica. "Want to have a taste?" "No need." She grabbed the bottle and felt a tingle in her hands. Sena had made the faint hair on her palm sensitive for the Lemon of life so she could detect it just like that. "I can know it''s the real deal with a single touch. And quite an old one at that, twenty years, right?" Selica smiled. The bartender''s eyes opened wide. "Are you a wine expert? It''s exactly twenty years old." He made a gentle bow, "Sorry, I didn''t know I was speaking with such a master." "No need for that." Selica stored the bottle in her bag. **** At the back of the tavern, Jack was sitting there enjoying a beer when he saw Selica walk in. He sighed, standing up, "Keep my spot. I''m going to the bathroom." He waved his hand at the tavern girl rushing around with beer. "Got it¡­!" She replied as she rushed around. Jack walked into the bathroom and sighed, "Ah! It''s going to get ugly, I feel bad for the bartender and that cute girl, but the looks those thugs were giving Selica weren''t nice. Gotta do my job, once again." He walked into the right-most toilet and closed the door. From his magic bag, he pulled a small knife and started listening to the wall. ^I''ve been counting, good.^ He smiled, looking around for the nails holding the wooden wall together. Then using his knife and a small hammer that he pulled out, he prayed the nails off until he took one of the wooden nks off and could walk directly into one of the women''s stalls on the other side. Jack slowly pushed the door open, seeing a woman puking in the sink after drinking too much. ^Sorrydy.^ He closed the door. Then pulled a handkerchief and drenched it in a strange liquid. A sleeping potion. With one motion, he walked out of the stall and covered the woman''s mouth and nose with the handkerchief, knocking her out before dragging her to the stall. Jack locked the stall''s door with his lockpicking tools and looked at the woman. Long ck hair, blue eyes, otherwise normal. ^I should have Abel teach me his disguise spell. It''ll be really handy, more than doing things in this old style. Wait, I don''t have the luxury of mana, do I?^ He pulled a short ck hair wig and wore it. "I''m not going to copy your whole appearance, don''t worry. I only need enough for them not to suspect anything, but not to the point of identifying you." Two minutester, Jack walked out of the women''s bathroom wearing the women''s clothes, disguised enough to fool everyone. He sneakily walked around the tavern as Selica was still talking with the bartender, and discreetly dropped the strongestxative pills he had in the thugs'' drinks, before pretending he was sick and walking back into the women''s bathroom. He then gave the woman her clothes back and put a gold coin in her pocket, walked through the hole he made in the wall back into the men''s bathroom. Fixed the wall, and then returned to his seat as if nothing happened, that all took him five minutes. ^Now¡­This should take care of the ones in here. But I''m certain they have more people waiting outside.^ He gulped down his drink and gave the money to the waiter girl as he walked out of the back door. "Hey! What are you doing here?" Arge muscr man approached Jack. Jack slowly turned with a smile, noticing the alligator''s tattoo on the man''s neck. "I want to join, Alli-oo-croc." "You today brats are so brazen," The man smiled. "Follow me." Jack walked behind the man, a steel wire dangling out of his artificial fingers. One minuteter, Jack walked out of the back ally wearing the man''s outfit and with a fake alligator''s tattoo drawn on his neck. Jack looked back at the man''s corpse he left in the trash. "I was getting annoyed at your gang when you started snooping around when I was searing for info about the city, but now that youid your eyes on one of myrades, it''s your loss." ^The best way to deal with a criminal organization like this is to kill their leaders so the henchmen would follow you.^ Jack walked away. ^Selica is one thing, but if any of you happened toy an eye on one boss''s wives, this city won''t survive his rampage. So it''s time for me to clean before they decide toe here.^ Selica left the bar, and Jack could hear the gang members inside rushing to the bathroom in panic. Chapter 742 Assassinated In The Dead of Night

Chapter 742 Assassinated In The Dead of Night

Selica walked alone in the middle of the night, treading the dangerous alleyways of Croc City. Unknown to her, five thugs were already tailing her, staying around a hundred meters back and using the houses to hide. "We''ll catch her when she goes near Jhon''s house. Make sure she doesn''t scream." One of them whispered as they stared and observed her with binocrs. "I can tell just by looking at her." The fighter, called Henry, stated. "A fighter, a melee one. She''s probably a pugilist judging by the way she walks and her arms." They smiled. "Then she''s unarmed, but isn''t there a possibility of her being a monk?" "I doubt it. You won''t find a monk walking around like that, let alone buy alcohol or weak normal clothes. They are dedicated people." "So we''ll expect her being a fighter as a primary assumption, but keep the monk in mind just in case." Another one said. "So the n is simple. Grab her from the back while closing her mouth, drag her into Jhon''s house, and tie her down. But make sure the bottle doesn''t break. We''re selling that for money." "A quick gold." One of them giggled. "Those clothes are fancy as well, and a woman like her would fetch a lot in the ck market." "Don''t touch her." The fighter growled. "We''ll have Alex inspect her first. If she''s a virgin, we''re getting a mountain of gold." Another giggled, "Humans are nice. Everything about them is worth money. Their possessions, clothes, and even bodies." "She''s getting a bit far. Let''s move." The fighter and the rest rushed forward. A silver string dropped from the house''s ceiling, wrapping around the neck of the man at the back and lifting him up into the attic''s shadows. "So you''re like all bandits and thugs you find in the street." Jack whispered as he pulled the steel wire tighter, breaking the thug''s neck before he could choke to death. The thugs stopped as they heard a faint gasp behind them. As they looked, they noticed they were missing one. "Hey! William! Where are you?" The fighter growled. A wire slowly dangled behind them and snatched the one standing at the back without the other three realizing it. The fighter heard a rustle in the back and turned in the blink of an eye. "Someone is here! We''ve lost another one." He growled. ^Damn it, is it a monster? They are picking us like bugs.^ Jack stared down from the shadows, trying to assess the remaining three thugs. Each of them looked to be far stronger than the two he dealt with. That fighter seemed to be the biggest problem, from the way he walked, Jack expected him to be at least around level 18. To someone like Arad, a level 18 fighter is fodder. But to Jack, it was different. He doesn''t have regeneration and is alone and physically weakpared to those beefy thugs. Jack smiled. ^He mains a sword, has a shortsword for backup, and hides a throwing dagger on his waist. I only need to tank an action surge and an adrenalin rush.^ Jack silently dropped from the ceiling with two daggers in hand, stabbing two of the thugs in the neck in front of the fighter. As blood gushed out and the two fell down. The fighter unsheathed his sword with a growl, "Assassin?!" Jack swung his arm horizontally as he threw a dagger at the fighter''s face. The fighter easily deflected the dagger with a swipe of his sword, "Petty tricks!" He rushed forward. [Action Surge] Jack didn''t even bother moving, as the fighter charged forward, his neck hit a thin wire that he set in the same motion he used to throw the dagger. The fighter''s head rolled on the ground as Jack took the wire down and cleaned it with one of the thugs''s jackets. "When you fighters use action surge, you can''t stop it mid-move. Or at least, only the talented ones can stop." Until today, Jack had only seen one fighter able to freely stop his ss moves, and that was Alcott. A random thug won''t ever match him in skill. Jack then pulled the wire and put it back into his bag. Its mechanism was simple. A three-meter-long wire with two needles at each end. When Jack swung his arm, he threw one end at the start of the motion and the other end at the end of it, effectively setting the wire between two walls. Of course, such a weapon would only work if it was the exact same width of the room. Jack had several pre-cut ones, but he usually cut them right before the fight and get prepared. This one he cut when he was in the attic before killing the first thug. "Loot...loot, I''m a lot goblin¡­look goblin." Jack hummed as he took all of the thugs'' money, weapons, and anything that looked expensive. "Well, four gold coins between five people, make me think how much money the boss is giving me for all the traps. Gotta help with the costs a bit¡­" Jack stood after he finished looting. He then dragged the corpses into a nearby trash bin and threw them inside, they should be found in the morning, so there is no fear of disease spreading. "Now, to finish the rest." He climbed into the attic and rushed above the buildings. Currently, there are seven groups tailing Selica, averaging around thirty-nine thugs. It made sense, as they didn''t want such a big fish to escape. He chased them one after another, silently dropping each one of them out of the senses until none were left and Selica safely walked out of Croc City, unaware of the massacre behind her back. ***** In an abandoned warehouse, the thug''s boss growled. "What the fuck do you mean you can''t find them?!" He kicked the table in front of him. "Our people in the silver mug suffered severe diarrhea and some of them died of dehydration. The manager tried his best to help, but only a few of them survived." One of the thugs replied to the boss, looking to the side where the surviving menid. "Do you think the manager is the one who poisoned them?" "I doubt it. This is clearly an outsider''s attack." The boss growled, "They were targeting a woman, right?" "Yeah. A woman bought a bottle of expensive wine from the manager and they wanted to rob her, and probably sell her in the ck market as a ve." The thug replied. "If she was that rich, the men should''ve known she might have guards with her. A noblemaid probably, I guess she had several assassins protecting her from the shadows." The boss scratched his head. As they growled, a man rushed in through the door. "We found the lost men! They were all killed and thrown in the trash, some with stab wounds and some even lost their heads." "Are you fucking serious? That''s half of my men dead in one night? Lord Jordan is going to kill me," The boss stood, "They were clearly massacred by a group of highly trained assassins." After about half an hour, a woman rushed to the main door and the thugs let her in. "Boss! Boss!" She called. "You survived! Howe? I thought everyone got killed!" Seeing that at least one of his thugs survived was a relief, having everyone killed was too painful to swallow, and now they could get a lead on the assassins. "Who did this? How many of the assassins did you see? What did they wear? How did you survive? Can we use that to beat them?" The boss rushed toward her. "It''s a long story, but listen. It''s one man," She said with a worried face, "And I didn''t survive," She showed the boss a wound on her neck that was just healing. "He slit my throat, but I remained alive." She smiled. "He looted the two men I was with then looked at me. Said he doesn''t feelfortable searching for a woman with such big tits, even though I''m dead and left. That''s how I managed to drink a healing potion and survive." "If he searched you, he would''ve felt the pulse and finished you off." The boss sighed, "But what kind of idiot¡­wait, one person?!" "That''s what I saw." She replied. "I guess your group was small and they only sent one." He pointed at the couch, "Take a rest and tell us the details. I''m sure they''ll strike again." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As they talked, Jack was sitting on the roof listening to them. ^It was worth it letting her live. She guided me straight to their base. But as that boss said, he isn''t on the top, it''s lord Jordan, whoever was that.^ Jack silently moved around, setting some traps. ^You tend to be that woman with big tits, I''ll get ready to kill you all. This at least would make this city safe for us to wander without much fear.^ He could imagine what would happen if Selica got attacked, Arad would''ve swooped down at full force and would''ve painted the city red with the thugs. What Jack didn''t know, is that the personing down would''ve been Sena instead of Arad, and unlike Arad, she''ll be a bit more discrete. "But¡­" Jack looked through a crack at the boss. "He looks strong¡­he looks like a mix between a fighter, a mage, and a rogue¡­please don''t tell me he''s over level 40. If that was the case, I''m in for an exhausting night¡­" He sighed. Chapter 743 The True Hero Chapter 743 The True Hero ??The gang''s boss stood from his chair, walking toward the men standing in front of him. "Lay low and bait the assassins. We have more manpower than them, we could win in a direct conflict." "Boss, can we prepare an ambush here?" A man asked. "That''s a good idea, gather all around here and prepare. They''ll attack at night. We have to eliminate them if we don''t want lord Jordan to have us all killed, it''s either kill or be killed, so be prepared." He smiled, looking at the men. They were all well-armed and strong enough that he could rely on them. BAM! BAM! As they talked, they could hear two heavy things fall on outside the door. The sound was faint but audible enough to alert them. The boss immediately signaled for the men to ready their weapons. CLICK! CLICK! The lock on the massive gate twisted and turned, someone was trying to silently pick it open. They wouldn''t have noticed if they were busy, but since their attention got pulled by the sound, they were all aware and ready to strike. The boss smiled. ^The fools came to us on their own, and through the door nheless. I''ll ughter them the moment they walk inside.^ As the thugs slowly approached the door, ready to strike the moment it opened. The door in the far back behind them was the woman from earlier resting, it silently opened and Jack started sneaking behind them. You could see the woman dead in the room behind him. A mere spring and a pair of old lockpicks were rattling the front door. Jack looked around, inspecting the thugs. All of them had at least an arming sword and a dagger, but some of them had different weapons. Ten looked to be around level 10 based on their gear and stances, wielding only the arming swords and daggers, those were probably the new recruits and thieves of the group. A whole seventeen-thugs looked fairly stronger, probably around level 17-20. Of those seventeen thugs, there were four who wore robes and held staves and wands, wizards, and probably powerful ones at that. Then the boss looked to be on a whole other level, extremely powerful and holding several magic items which Jack immediately noticed could be worth a lot. The eyes of an experienced thrive never miss an expensive magic item, just how he can tell fake gold from real one at a nce, experience. SWOSH! Jack threw a small pouch at the wizards, spell casters should be taken first as their magic could change the tide of any battle. The boss immediately noticed the attack and turned around, shing the pouch in half. As the pouch burst, it released a cloud of pepper dust, causing everyone inside to scream as their eyes burned, turning bright red. STAB! Jack rushed right through the cloud and stabbed one of the wizards in the throat. The other two wizards tried casting spells, but couldn''t due to the extensive caught they were having which made it impossible to chant. The other gang members started blinding taking guard as they couldn''t see through their tears, and the only one who managed to move was the boss. He pulled a crossbow and fired directly at Jack''s face. With a quick move, Jack used the wizard he just killed as a shield then pushed toward the other two wizards, cutting them down before the boss could lung at him. Unlike the thugs, Jack has trained to get used to the hot pepper, putting it in his eyes daily to get used to the burning sensation. He could see and move fairly well as he didn''t even get bothered that much by breathing it, although he always wore a mask just in case, and not to get identified. The boss wasn''t able to see, and he only managed to aim at Jack as he heard the stab and the wizard''s growls. "You''re a bastard!" The boss shouted at the top of his lungs, pointing down with a finger. [Wind st] In a single spell, he sted all the pepper dust away. The boss instantly started wiping the tears from his eyes, "Did you really think this would work on us?!" He growled, staring at Jack, only to see a second sack at his face. SMACK! The second sack hit him on the nose and burst, filling his eyes and nose with even more hot pepper. Jack wasn''t an idiot and knew they would probably deal with the first hot-pepper dust bomb, so he brought several more. Jack immediately threw another hot-pepper bomb at the rest of the thugs and lunged at them, shing two with a single swing of his dagger. He then pulled a string from his artificial arm andtched it to the pummel of his de, throwing it at the further gang members, stabbing them in the neck then pulling the dagger to throw it again. When the dagger got stuck, he simply ran around and cut them with the wire, then stabbed those who still moved. In a minute, he had wiped them out in the most efficient way possible. Keep them debilitated with a status effect and pick them one after another. BAAAM! Another wind st burst from the boss''s hand, sting all the pepper dust away as he once again wiped his eyes. "Fucker!" He grunted, seeing Jack had already thrown another sack at him. This time he was expecting it so he dodged and rushed forward toward him at a blinding speed. Jack immediately noticed how far he was outmatched in terms of raw stats. ^He''s far too strong, I can''t win a direct fight.^ Jack braced himself, blocking theing swing with all his might. He could feel the impact shake his bones from head to toe. Jack pulled a second dagger and swung at the boss''s neck, an attack that was easily deflected and countered. Jack might not be the boss''s match in melee fights, but he''s experienced enough to know how the boss would counter certain attacks. He wasn''t trying to wound him but to produce certain counters that would give him the advantage. "Surprisingly slow and weak, I guess all rogues are the same. Only useful for your sneaking and stealing skills." The boss smiled. "I''m getting in fuckload of trouble for this, I''ll make sure you die begging for mercy." SWOSH! SWOSH! Jack unleashed two stabs aiming at the boss''s left chest, urging him to deflect the attacks to the left. The moment the boss deflected the attacks to the left, his right side was open. But to Jack, that wasn''t an opportunity to attack, but one to gain even more advantage. CLING! The spring in Jack''s artificial leg activated, unleashing the stored emerging andunching him at a higher speed. The boss gasped as Jack blitzed past him in the blink of an eye. "What was that?!" He turned around, but Jack had already moved and lunged to the other side of the wall. BAM! Using his artificial arm, he fired a hook at the other wall and used it to swing around, flying all over the room around the boss while firing bolts from the crossbow in his artificial arm. As the boss didn''t carry a shield, dealing with all the bolts was near impossible as he struggled to sh them all. "You''re rabid, I''ve seen mad dogs calmer than you little fucker." He growled. Directly support the authors on WebNovel! Jack wasn''t done yet, as he still had more to put pressure on. He fired a shot at the beam in the middle of the massive warehouse, causing a part of the ceiling to fall down. The supporting beams fell nicely into the shape he expected, spreading his preid of wires and traps that he set minutes ago, surrounding the boss in a tight space full of razor-sharp wires and dangerous explosive, acid, and pepper bombs. But even with that, Jack didn''t slow down and kept flying everywhere, firing his bolts. Heid the and knew how to move in it without triggering anything. The boss started struggling as almost each of his shes trying to deal with the bolts ended up in his injuries from the wires or being sted with a bomb of some kind. He couldn''t even use a powerful spell to st everything away, as that would trigger all the bombs at once and possibly kill him. The bolts started hitting the boss left and right, piercing his shoulders as Jack kept firing endlessly. "I would''ve recruited you to our ranks if you didn''t kill so much." The boss smiled, "This much talent, and to think you''re this skilled with traps." His muscles expanded as the bolts got ejected from his wounds and his eyes shed red. BAM! In the blink of an eye, the boss spun around with a sh of fire, cutting all the wires and unleashing a powerful shockwave that triggered all the bombs at once. Jack gasped as hended on the wall, ^This idiot? Did he kill himself, no, this is bad.^ From the smoke, two red wings emerged covering the bandit boss as two horns extended from his head with mes gushing from beneath his feet. "You seem to have nned to fight me even if I was at least level 50. But sadly, you''re out of lucking against me." He pointed his sword at Jack. "I''m a level 150 half-red dragon." Jack immediately tried to retreat, ^Suck a monster, he''s almost as strong as Eris. Not worth dealing with alone.^ "Where are you going?!" The boss appeared behind Jack swinging his sword. Jack tried to block, but he got shed across the chest and eyes and sent rolling on the ground. Thud! The bossnded, staring at him with a passive face. "Nothing can win against raw power and talent." He pointed his sword at Jack, "Stand, your death won''t be painless." Jack giggled as blood dripped from his shed eyes. "What a pain in the ass. But fine, I''ll have a nice nightter." He stood, blood gushing from his chest. "So you can still move." The boss smiled. Jack reached into his pocket and started pulling a strange weapon, a whole zweihander in his right arm and a wakizashi in his left arm. "A great sword? And that knife, one from the east¡­no this magic¡­" He gasped, "A holy sword?! Are you a hero?" CLANG! Jack rested the zweihander on his shoulder as he barely stood with ck veins spreading across his body, he had drunk the berserker potion he had in his back tooth, the same one he used to fight the incubus''s magic in the past. "YEAH! I wouldn''t want to bring my wife to this retched ce, I''ll have to clean you, bastards, out! For our first school date." He growled with blood gushing from his sliced eyes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 744 ChiropteraMan

Chapter 744 ChiropteraMan

"What could a blind man do?" The boss smiled, lifting his sword up with one hand as he got ready to charge. Jack looked up with his blinded eyes, wind gently passing through his face and ears. BAM! The boss charged forward, thrusting his sword toward Jack''s neck. CLACK! Jack dodged the thrust with a single push of his artificial leg, slipping beside the attack as he swung the wakizashi while leaning on the great sword for support. The boss pulled a dagger and blocked Jack''s strike, the two swords sparked as they shed, a sh of holy magic sparking from Jack''s wakizashi. Holy swords have three main properties. Two are identical between all holy swords, and the third is the main ability rted to the hero''s goal. The first ability is an extra holy damage on top of the physical shing damage. It''s a holy sword, of course, it''ll deal holy damage. The second ability is mending, which provides repair and healing for both the sword itself and the hero. This trantes into the holy sword not needing any maintenance and being able to keep its edge and repair itself with time. The hero would have a weak regeneration effect that helps reduce the days that he spends healing and preventsting damage, but that ability is unreliable until the full might of the de gets unlocked. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The boss growled, trying to kick Jack away, but Jack unleashed the power stored in his artificial leg once again, jumping back fast enough to dampen the kick. "The fuck are you? Dodging blinded¡­magic sense, no, my kick was purely physical." The boss stared at Jack, trying to figure out how is this man dodging. Jack stood in ce, he could hear the boss''s loud half-dragon heart beating and the rattle of his weapons and gears. With each move that the boss make, his wings move the air everywhere, which Jack could feel on the faint hair on his body. He might not be at Alcott''s level of mastery, but it''s enough to catch an opponent who isn''t bothering to hide his tracks. The boss flung a throwing dagger at Jack, and it was easily dodged. "How in the nine hells?!" BAM! The boss lunged forward, swinging left and right but Jack managed to slip through all the attacks even with speed disparity. ^Strange¡­^ The boss started thinking, for all of his experience, a voice in the back of his head was speaking, ^This feels like when I fought the giant bats¡­^ "Just what are you? Won''t you even use that zweihander? Or is it only for show?" The boss growled as he pointed his hand at Jack''s face. CLICK! Jack''s artificial wrist that held the wakizashi twisted as he pointed at the boss''s stomach. With a bright sh and a deafening boom, Jack unleashed the cannon in his wrist at point-nk, sting the boss away. If it was just fire and heat, he would''ve been fine, but the heavy three steal beads wrenched his guts, cracking the lower ribs and ripping his abs upon impact. A half-dragon he might be, but without powerful regeneration or healing magic and the iron will of pdins, tanking such a hit was nearly impossible without magic. The boss''s body flew backward and smacked at the wall, he fell on his butt puking and pissing blood. ^That impact crushed a lot of my organs, I won''tst long without healing magic or powerful potions¡­^ He immediately realized the grave extent of damage he received from that st even though the steel balls didn''t pierce his skin. "A cannon in your hand, you''re a monster." The boss smiled, "It felt like getting hit by several sledgehammers at once." Jack took a stance with ck smoke gushing out of his wrist, ready to lung again. ^This fucking bastard, a mere human¡­killing me¡­the one who has red dragon blood? Impossible, it''ll never happen.^ The boss''s heart rate started racing to an insane level, ^I''ll rip his head off and heal afterward.^ His pride didn''t allow him to run away. FLAP! With a single p of his wings, the boss flew toward Jack at a blinding speed, thrusting his sword at Jack''s face. Jack could sense it, and he took a stance with the zweihander pointing back in his normal hand. He then grabbed his wrist with his artificial hand and unleashed thetch. BOOM! The moment the boss got closer, Jack fired thest round in his hand cannon and used that force to spin and swing the sword at a speed the boss didn''t expect. Using the spin, he dodged the boss''s thrust as the zweihander cut him right across the chest. The boss rolled back as he took the hit, and Jack spun in ce from the cannon shot before starting to fall. Bleeding and with his guts almost spilling out, the boss knew he lost, running was the only way. He lifted his head, hoping that this rogue would at least die here. Thud! A thick arm caught Jack before he could hit the ground, and the boss gasped, seeing Arad holding Jack as the fire started consuming the warehouse. "What¡­Who are you!" He cried. "Jack¡­to think you would take on such a job without calling me." Arad pulled a potion, "Heal and rest, I''ll make sure to finish the job you started. So this city could be safe for everyone." He red at the boss with glowing purple eyes. "When did you call for help? ursed Hero¡­!" The boss grunted, fire gushing out of his ws as he got ready to rage. Jack lifted his hand and stopped Arad from standing. He then pointed a finger at the boss, "You''re already dead." The boss started puking yellow blood as his me faded and his eyes turned bright red. He could feel his heartbeats rapidly go out of sync as his lungs failed to work. "You must be¡­ joking." He fell face first, dead. "All of my weapons, are drenched in deadly poison." Jack giggled as he pulled a healing potion from his bag and started drinking it. "Are you all right?" Arad stared at him. "Potions won''t bring your eyes back." "Don''t worry." Jack smiled, "Lydia should be able to, but even if she couldn''t, I won''t have a problem living blind thanks to Alcott." "Don''t even joke about that." Arad sighed, looking at the gang boss. "That smell¡­" "The poisons that doll Aisha taught you. I''ve mixed them all into one solution and drenched all my weapons to make them as lethal as possible." Jack giggled, "As a side effect of that, Directly support the authors on WebNovel! they can be cured with any antidote and the symptoms are obvious and mild, so to kill anyone with that mixture, I need to make sure they get really active after getting him to hasten the effect and die from it before realizing they were poisoned." Jack''s bleeding stopped, but his eyes were still blinded. Arad lifted him up and walked to the middle of the warehouse. "I''ll clean up." He quickly sucked all the corpses and what the thugs had before teleporting away. **** "I hate it here, those teachers talk as if they owned the world." Eris sighed. Sitting on the floor crosslegged. "That''s a high priest. I don''t know about you, but to me, it''s rare to be able to get a proper education here. I think you should take this chance." Lydia replied as she turned from her seat at her desk, "Get to work." "I doubt he''s qualified, I mean he couldn''t even tell I''m a vampire. And even I have far denser holy magic than him." Eris sighed, lying on her back. "You''re holy magic is twice as dense as him." Lydia stared at her, "Did you check mine?" "Holy magic quality changes depending on the person''s strength of faith. I''m sure your is denser than me." Lydia lifted her hand and conjured a small orb of holy magic. "Look, how is it." She smiled. Eris stared at the holy with one eye and then started sweating, "You serious? It''s that different." "The faith someone has changed based on their beliefs and mentality. If two people one has a thousand gold coins and one has one silver coin were to give money to charity. The rich man gave five hundred gold coins, and the poor one gave his silver coin whole, who do you think would have a denser holy magic?" Lydia looked. "The rich one, he gave more money." Lydia sighed, "So you weren''t listening at all. The poor man who gave all of his money would have denser holy magic. It''s not about how much you give, it''s about how far you''re willing to go, and the intentions behind it. The poor man gave all of his money, he didn''t care about himself and chose to help someone else. The rich one gave half of his money, but didn''t risk himself and wasn''t even willing to go all out to help others." "It''s tiring." Eris sighed, "But that exins why you keep charging like a suicidal maniac. You''re not afraid of death, risking it all to fight to withhold your oaths. I guess it''s what they call blind faith." "You''re wrong once again. As long as it has tangible effects, it''s not a blind faith." Lydia went back to writing. "I lost to the lord of the firstyer of hell, while you punched the living hell out of the lord of the secondyer. I would say that''s enough of a tangible effect." Eris started tapping her head on the ground, "And you''re a human. What''s my draconic and vampiric blood for." "You have your strength. Look at Arad, without holy magic he still wiped the secondyer of hell with its lord''s face." Eris looked at the ceiling, but suddenly her vision got blocked by Arad''s butt as he appeared standing right above her head. Chapter 745 In Eris and Lydias Room. Chapter 745 In Eris and Lydia''s Room. ??KYA! Eris screamed, swinging a kick straight at Arad''s abdomen as she grabbed him by the ankles. Before the kick could hit him, Arad threw Jack at Lydia''s bed and lifted his hand, engulfing the room in his elemental expansion to prevent anyone from looking or listening to them. Eris''s kick dropped Arad on his back. "Take your shoes beforeing in! And don''t just teleport inside. Lydia is here as well." Arad always tunes his power to the lowest level possible when with his wives. He doesn''t want to hurt them by mistake, and even in that case, they can''t hurt him with anything. "JACK!" Lydia rushed to look at Jack, "Who did this?" At that moment, Arad could feel a horrifying amount of holy magic surging in Lydia''s body, followed by another type of energy, ck, burning, and foul. Her golden eyes shifted ck for a second and her sword in the corner of the room rattled, crackling with magic. "I just miscalcted a fight. I still won, and the city should be rtively safe now." Jack replied, and Lydia stood, stomping his stomach. Jack cried, turning aside and puking blood on the floor. "You idiot, get all the blood out of your stomach." She brought a bucket for him. "Leave it there and you''ll have a nasty infection. Did you use that berserk potion?" "Yeah, the bastard turned out to be a level 150 half-red-dragon." Jack as he gasped. "I''ll kick youter." Lydia red at him. "Don''t face such a thing alone." "Lie down, I''ll start the healing." After five minutes, Lydia finished doing what she could. "How do you feel." Jack stood, looking around. "I can''t see. I''m still blind." Lydia stared at him with a worried face. "I did fix the wounds...I probably need a stronger healing spell." "Don''t worry about it. Thanks to being blind, I managed to get a better feeling for my echolocation." Jack smiled. "No, I can''t let you stay blind. We need to heal it as soon as possible." Lydia turned around, seeing Eris grabbing Arad in a chokehold while wrapping her legs around his hips, trying to both choke and snap his neck. "Arad, do you have any powerful healing potions?" "I don''t." He replied, "But someone standing at the door might." He waved his hand, and the room''s door opened. Sena and Selica walked in. "Arad called me earlier. I''ve heard of what happened." Sena looked at Arad, "How is she killing you?" "I''m trying to teach him not to jump into a room without saying a word again. Lydia is here as well." Eris growled, doing her best to choke Arad, but failing. Therge muscles on his neck made it almost impossible to block his veins or airways with a human level of strength. It felt like she was trying to chokehold a bull. "First." Sena turned toward Jack, "Thank you for saving Selica. It was my mistake, I should''ve expected such an attack." "Sorry, it''s also my fault. I shouldn''t have gone out alone." Selica bowed slightly. Strength-wise, Selica is just an athletic woman who knows how to throw a punch and has some powerful explosions. She isn''t fast enough to dodge a crossbow bolt, or survive a gang of armed thugs, especially if their leader was a level 150 half-red dragon. "Don''t worry about it. I''ll heal soon enough." Jack waved his hand. Sena approached him. Extending her palm and covering his eyes. "A moment." She almost immediately removed her hand, and Jack blinked twice. "I can see..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Heh?" Lydia gasped, turning toward Sena. "There was no holy magic. What did you do?" "He had nerve damage and several small shards of dust and bones behind his eye sockets. I cleared them to his stomach so they could be ejectedter. His brain had also shifted into focusing on his ears more than his eyes after losing them, so even with a full heal, his brain wouldn''t recognize the eyes as fixed. All did was adjust that and restart everything." She smiled, "And as a thank for saving Selica, I shifted his eardrums up and down a bit so he can have a better echolocation." "How could you do that?" Jack stared at her with a suspicious re. "You and your father are a bit...strange, I feel you hold more power than you show." "That isn''t true. Having a bit of talent or luck doesn''t mean we''re strong." Sena looked at Jack with a smile. "People hearing you killed a powerful level 150 half-red-dragon would think you can punch a hole in a stone wall, but you can''t." "You''re strong, no need to hide that." Arad stared at her, "You blocked a full power punch from me. I doubt anyone here is oblivious to that." "But, remember that I''m not a fighter. I rather sit down, sell houses for a living, and cook in my spare time." She walked toward the door with Selica behind her. "Thanks again for your help. I''ll make sure to repay itter." The two quickly left as fast as they came in. Jack stared up with a confused face, "Now this is confusing." "Leave Sena alone, she''ll talk when she feels like it." Arad replied to him. Sitting up even though Eris is still trying to choke him. "I''m not talking about her. Everyone has a thing or two they want to hide. I''m talking about her shifting my eardrums." Jack scratched his head. "With echolocation, I can tell if something is behind, in front, to the right, or the left while listening normally, but I can''t tell if it''s up or down since my eardrums are almost at the same level." Jack started exining, "So I trained to tilt my head a bit to get one ear above the other like Alcott said, and it was working well. But now, I feel a bit weird not needing to do that. Habits are annoying, and I need to get rid of mine." "Is that so?" Arad looked at him and then closed his eyes. "I can do it a bit, but I don''t need to tilt my head." "Dragons naturally have a powerful hearing." Jack stared at him. "Your ears have six eardrums instead of two. Three on each side so your vertical and horizontal hearing is far superior to most living beings, you can even hear sounds that we humans can''t." "He''s right." Lydia added. "I''ve heard that all of your senses should be extremely powerful. Especially the eyes that could even see what humans can''t. Like invisible monsters and signals emitted by some creatures." Jack stared at Arad, "With such powerful senses, don''t you end up knowing things you shouldn''t?" "I do, but Ae said she''ll kill me if I told anyone about them." Arad replied. "Like what?" Jack asked. Eris tightened her grip on Arad''s neck. "Don''t tell him." "It''s widely known." Lydia sighed. "He can tell people by smell better than look and can tell if a woman is in her period or not. For sight, I bet he can see anyone even if they were far away. He can stand on top of his house and stare at someone''s else window several kilometers away and see them well. For touch, dragons can practically tell if someone is alive or not by feeling the vibration of their heartbeat, breathing, and movements. For hearing, I bet he can hear our heartbeats and guts moving food, probably even blood flowing in our veins." She looked at Arad, "What did I forget¡­Yeah, and he has a taste for humans, to him, I probably smell like a delicious roast." "Oooo¡­" Eris stared at them, "She knows." "It''s basic dragon knowledge." She pulled a book from over her desk and threw it at Eris''s head, knocking her down. "Read it. We might be clerics and pdins, but our job is that of healers and support. You can''t stand there not knowing what you''re fighting, their weakness and abilities. It''s the healer''s job to pack healing potions, items, and antidots as well as to decide when to set off on travel when a druid isn''t avable." "Arad can fly, and he can store everything in his stomach and pull it when needed," Eris replied. "He won''t be with you all the time. Learn to prepare yourself." She stood and turned her face toward Jack as she lifted her foot. "What are you doing?" Jack gasped. CRACK! She kicked him in the face hard enough for him to fall back on the bed with a nosebleed. He struggled to stand, but she jumped on the bed and started stomping him. "You idiot fool! How many¡­times¡­I need¡­to¡­tell you¡­not to¡­fight alone!" "AWA! That hurt! Stop it!" He growled, trying to escape but couldn''t. Arad looked at them. "She''s imbuing healing magic in each kick so he heals before the next one." He sighed, ^Since they were fighting when I first met them, this doesn''t seem strange.^ "AH!" Jack gasped and looked at Arad. "By the way." Seeing that Jack started talking with Arad, Lydia stopped kicking him and sat down. "Can you do me a favor tomorrow? It''ll be in your course tomorrow so it should be simple." "What? I''ll talk with Selina for you. Do you need something else?" Even Arad didn''t know what they would study tomorrow. This bastard must''ve stolen some papers again. "Not her¡­" He turned toward Lydia. "I''m not cheating, I''ll tell you if I wanted to do that." She sighed. "What kind of joke is that? Keep on." "Would you mind milking a few spiders for me?" Jack said with a smile. "They have breasts?!" Arad stared at him with a dumbfounded face. Chapter 746 Milking Poison Chapter 746 Milking Poison ??"They don''t, what are you? An idiot?" Jack stared back at Arad with an even more dumbfounded face. "People usually think of milking poison." "Why would you call it milking then? Shouldn''t it be poisoning? No, wait¡­That''s a different meaning." Arad thought about it for a moment. "Well, I don''t need the poison anyway. It''s readily avable¡­ I need something else." Jack smiled. ***** The next day quickly came, and Arad found himself standing back in theb early in the morning with half the students screaming, all hidden at the end of the room, and Matilda wasughing her guts off in the middle of the ss. Arad looked at the table in front of him. In a small jar was arge ck and yellow spider. Lucia stared at them, "As Alchemists, you''ll most likely need to harvest some ingredients from monsters and animals. Especially when they are rare species hard toe by, you''d better learn to keep them as pets or familiers and harvest what you need asionally. It''s the same as how humanoids learned to keep farm animals." Arad lifted the spider and stared at it for a second, seeing her running around the jar, seemingly in panic. [This stupid human! Get me out. I''ll bite those fat fingers of yours!] She didn''t know that he could understand her, as he was a druid. He shook the jar like it was a cocktail. "What are you doing?!" Lucia growled, "Don''t abuse the spider! They are rare and expensive." She shouted at him. [What is this human thinking?!] The spider barely stood back. [I''ll bite him twice, no! Three times.] Arad shook the jar again, staring at the spider. "What did I just tell you?!" Lucia red at him. "I don''t like this spider. Can we throw it out?" He said. "NO!" [Why throw me!]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad turned toward the spider, ring at her with glowing purple eyes. "I only need some of your poison for the ss. You''re not the one I''m after, as you''re too small. So behave, and I won''t eat you." Staring at Arad''s eyes, the spider realized she was talking to a dragon, not a human. He was listening to her all this time. [Sorry, please don''t eat me.] She stopped running around. Arad put the jar back on the table and sat down. Lucia immediately started exining what they''d do, from how to harvest poison to how the sting feels like a bee sting and how to avoid it. "I thought you''d be happy to be thrown out, freedom and all." He looked at her. "Aron! Who are you talking with?" "The spider." "Focus on the ss and stop fooling around. You''re the one getting hurt when it bites you." "Okay." The spider turned toward Arad. [Freedom? I only hear prey birds, hunters, and death. I want to live here.] "Hmm¡­" Arad stared at her. [The teachers provided us with a terrarium the size of this room, and they even provided us with live bugs to hunt. We''ve built a spider heaven, and the only thing we need to provide is our poison. The teachers are gentle, so we don''t mind them, but we hate the students as they are rough.] Lucia finished the course and stared at everyone. "Gently pull the spider in your jar out. Don''t worry. They are used to people and won''t bite as long as you move slowly and don''t squeeze them too hard. So handle them gently." Half the ss stared at their jar, unwilling to even try. "MOOOOO!" Matilda roared as jumps up, her finger puffing up as the spider rolled on the table. She got stung right on her fingertip. ^That sounded like a cow¡­^ Arad turned toward her for a second, then noticed Selina putting her head on the table and ying with the spider jumping on her arm. "You okay?" He looked at her. "Spiders¡­ better than humans." She replied. Living alone in her closed room for the majority of her life, she had made friends with some spiders who lived in the corner. She wasn''t afraid of bugs. In fact, it was as if her feelings were reversed between humans and bugs. Arad opened his jar and the spider walked out on her own. He extended his hand and lifted her up. The spider immediately freaked out, thinking he was about to crush her, and started biting his finger, but her small fangs easily bounced off his scales. "Don''t worry, I''m gentle and can control my strength well. To a degree." He said. ^Put me down! I don''t trust the way you said that! I''ll do everything on my own!^ Aradid the spider down and took the ss tube the teacher Lucia provided them. "Do you all know basic barrier magic? If not, I''ll cast it for you now, but you should pay attention in magic sses, or read on it in the library to learn it." Lucia started walking between the students and watching them either cast the barrier or ask her for help. As she expected, Arad, Matilda, and Selina managed to cover the tube entrance on their own with barrier magic. "Put the spider''s head near the tube''s mouth, and it''ll bite. You should get a drop or two of clear posion. Don''t wait for more than one drop if that''s what you got first, that''ll stress the spiders." She exined. Matilda barely managed to milk her spider, Selina did it with ease as her spider didn''t even resist. The students were divided into two halves one seeding and one failing, except Arad. Lucia stared at him with a dumbfounded face as he held for the tube for the spider, and she bit the barrier on her own to drizzle the poison in. How is he doing that, she couldn''t understand. The spiders tolerate the teachers and allow them to milk poison, but this was the first time she saw one of the spiders milk itself. Today was a sunny spring day, and the heat in theb quickly rose. One of the students reached toward the window, pushing it open. "Don''t!" Lucia gasped, lunging to close the window as fast as possible. FLAP! FLAP! From the window, two crows flew in targeting the spiders. Crows are smart birts, they got used to seeing the spiders brought to theb and asionally wait outside on the building roof for it. Lucia had made the mistake of not warning the students to keep the windows closed, or those birds would attack. What Lucia forgot, is that she has at least one predator in the ss. SPLAS! A drop of blood sshed on the wall as Matilda lunged from her chair. She bit one of the crows mid-air andnded on Lucia''s desk, ws extended her ears flipped back. She growled, snapping the crow''s spin in half in her jaw that already took the shape of that of a tiger. She dropped the body on Lucia''s desk and started licking her lips and paws as she looked around, growling. "There was a second bird, where did it go?" She quickly saw a feather on Arad''s face. "GRWAA!" She growled, lunging andnding on his table, but barely missing the poor little spider. "My bird!" Arad looked away. "What bird?" "You are it! I was going to hunt it, give it back." She growled. One of the students looked at the crow on Lucia''s desk, approaching to get a better look. Matilda immediately turned around, roaring at him. Her voice shook the whole ss, causing the windows to vibrate. That''s a tiger''s prey, and they are really protective of their food. Lucia slowly walked toward the window, her hands shaking as she closed it. ^I saw it. He wasn''t as fast as yesterday¡­^ She turned toward Arad with a puzzled face. ^The crow flew straight toward his spider, but in the blink of an eye, he moved his head in the way and swallowed the crow whole like it was a small piece of chicken.^ As a dragon, just like Matilda being a tiger, they are used to mostly using their heads in hunts as their jaws are the main weapons. Out of instinct, Arad and Matilda retaliated at the crow with bites. ^I want to go home.^ Lucia slowly walked to her desk and sat down, seeing Matilda still there, eating the crow. "We''re in school, not in your tribe so get some manners on!" She growled, pulling her hand and erasing both the crow and its blood from the desk with a single wave. Matilda slowly walked toward her seat with a sad face. "Since you all finished milking your spiders and nailed the technique a bit, we''re going into a joined ss in the monster zone to capture demon spiders and milk their poison." Lucia smiled, trying to her mind out of what she just saw. This ss is driving her insane, and she would rather not deal with them, especially Arad. Arad looked at her. ^Demon spiders. The ones Jack wanted me to milk silk from¡­ the poison is quite cheap to get, but the silk is rare due to how hard it''s to get from the spiders. But since it''s extremely hard, durable, and conducts mana extremely well, it''ll be a perfect pair for his mana crystal imnt n.^ Chapter 747 Pride

Chapter 747 Pride

Arad stood in the forest beside Ae beneath a tree as the students surrounded Lucia and Ae''s ss teacher, a tall half-elf with a long mustache and a longbow on his back. "A joined ss¡­ I can''t believe they brought you here." Ae smiled as she looked at Arad. "We''re here to catch demon spiders. Did he say what you were going to do?" "Said we''ll help your ss find and capture the demon spiders by looking for the spider lily, a ck flower that the spiders love to eat." ^I''m worried¡­ I can feel the spiders from here, every one of them, but something is off. They are too strong. I can beat them, and so is Ae and everyone else, but I don''t feel that Mira would be safe here.^ He looked toward Lucia, "Teacher, you sure those spiders aren''t too strong for us?" Ae''s teacherughed. "Don''t tell me you''re scared of spiders, big guy." Lucia stared at Arad with a serious face, then looked back at Ae''s teacher. His name was Sylvany. "We should check the spiders¡­ I don''t feel right if Aron is concerned." She had started to feel that Arad''s words weren''t something to be ignored. Sylvany shook his head with a smile. "I checked them yesterday. They are a bit bigger as they ate a lot in the past weak, but that should make them a bit slower in exchange for them having a bit more durability." "So¡­" Lucia stared at him. "The students can dodge them better. But will also need some extra strikes to capture or take them down." "Exactly, there is nothing to be afraid of, Aron." Sylvany stared at Arad with a smile. Lucia turned toward the student, "Make teams out of four, three from our ss and one from teacher Sylvany''s ss, and get ready." There were more than double the students in Arad''s ss than in Ae''s ss, almost triple. And that is for one reason. Potion-making is a lucrative business if you can secure supplies, and it only requires a bit of mana and knowledge, which is essible to anyone through effort. Ae grouped with Arad, Matilda, and Selina. The four of them started walking through the forest, searching for the demon spiders. "Aron¡­" Ae looked at Arad with a smile, "Did you know? Demon spiders were normal spiders until they ate the ck spider lily and mutated into demonic beings. We saw one of their eggs hatch, and it was a normal ck spider." "You learned that?" "We''re a herbalist ss." She smiled. "The flowers have a natural magic in them that slowly decays into demonic magic. It''s too weak to affect humanoids, but enough for spiders." "A poor choice of diet." Arad looked around. "Would the flowers transform a human if ingested inrge quantities?" "No one tried." Ae replied. "People did." Selina said as she poked her head from behind Matilda. "But it was toxic, most subjects died. So the research stopped." "Really?" Matilda slowly turned her head and looked at Selina. "I thought monsters came from animals transformed by the presence of dense mana in the air." "No one really knows how monsters came to exist." Ae looked at her. "We know of some species, but not their origin." "Their origin doesn''t matter." Arad stopped walking, lifting his hand to stop the rest. "A spider. Get ready." "Spider?" Matilda turned around. "Where? I can''t¡­" As those words escaped her mouth, the scent of poison and damp webbing entered her nose. Her ws immediately extended out as her ears bent backward, "Aron is right!" Ae pulled her bow out. "Can you at least let me find the ck spider lily? We''re getting scored based on that." With a deep breath, she pulled the string back, conjuring a thin and invisible arrow of wind. Her eyes glow with a faint green light as she focuses on the forest. Her ears wiggled a bit, she could hear the faint tip-tap of the spider running around them. "Tworge ones. One to the northeast, and one to the southwest, they are trying to nk us." Ae warned them. "Monsters aren''t that smart." Matilda added, her eyes looking everywhere. The moment she spots one, she''s pouncing like her life depends on it. Selina took a few cautionary steps back away from Selina, ground her teeth, and took a long deep breath. She pulled a small wand from her wrist and waved it around. "I''ll¡­ support." "Aron, don''t fight. Leave it to us." Ae stared back at him. She knew well that if he joined, the spiders wouldn''t stand a chance. He might even pin them down with gravity magic without taking as much as a step. "Got it." Arad sat down, and Matilda stared at him. "Get up! You''re letting us fight alone?" She cried, but Arad pulled Aisha out and started talking with it. "This is not the time to y with dolls!" "Matilda, scare them out." Ae turned around in a sh and Matilda immediately rushed into the forest, running on all four. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om PEW! PEW! PEW! Ae fired three arrows at a tree top, and one of the spiders dropped down. It squeaked at them, rushing straight toward Arad. Selina pointed her wand into an empty spot in the forest, [Mold Earth] strands of magic flew from her wand hitting the dirt. In the blink of an eye, a hole one meter wide and two meters deep formed. Matilda rushed out of the bushes, scaring the spider toward the hole, and when it fell, Ae fired several arrows at the trees, cutting branches to seal off the hole. "Got it!" Matilda smiled, turning around. "Where is the second one." Thud! The second spider fell from a tree,tching onto Matilda''s back. The tigress started sweating as the spider was about to bite her neck. Ae pulled her bowstring, about to st the spider away and Selina did the same, about to cast a spell, but they were toote. ZOOOTT! The spider fell off Matilda''s back, bleeding from its neck as its head had disappeared. A few meters away, Arad stood with the spider''s head in his palm. He threw the head on the ground, "Sorry, thought you all needed help." Matilda was panting with sweat dripping from her forehead, "That was close. Thanks, Aron." She gave him a thumbs up. Arad turned toward Ae, "You could''ve sniped it off." She stared at him. "What are you talking about? I can''t fire that fast." It was then that Arad finally realized. Ae didn''t intend to save Matilda, she had the speed but was ying into her role well. ^We''ve decided not to use our powers here for a reason¡­^ He was the only one still using bits of his power when he needed it. ^[The teachers should have an antidote for the spider''s poison. She wouldn''t die.]^ ^It''s not about dying.^ Arad turned around and walked toward Matilda. "Make sure to watch your back." "I''ll remember that." Matilda replied and Ae stared at her with a suspicious re. Tiger beastmen are supposed to be solitary hunters, watching their back should be natural, but from what she saw from Matilda now, she''s pretty bad. "Matilda, can you really hunt?" Ae approached her. "I can! Don''t mock me!" Matilda growled, hearing those words triggered her badly. It was clear to Ae in a second. Matilda can''t hunt, and that''s probably the reason she left her tribe, and came to an alchemist ss of all things. Selina stared between the two of them, sensing the tension as it rose. Ae didn''t want someone to pretend to be strong around Arad while not being able to fight, false ims can lead to a nasty death. "I''m not mocking you." Ae puts her bow away, signaling to Matilda that she doesn''t want to start a fight. Seeing that, Matilda pulled her ws back into her hand, took a deep breath, and red at Ae. "What do you mean then?" "We''re hunting as a team. If I don''t know what you''re capable of, I can''t support you. If I knew you can''t watch your own back, I would''ve watched it for you." Ae turned toward Selina, and the girl rushed to hide behind Matilda. "Matilda, you are our tank and damage dealer. I''m the rear support and the sniper. Selina here is our spell support and ster. We are a team, keep that in mind." She crossed her arms. "And what is he?" Matilda turned toward Arad. "He can y any role." Ae replied, "I''m his wife and I can tell you one thing I''m confident in. He''s our safe, and you saw it." She pointed at the dead spider. Matilda''s eyes sparkled, "I see! He''s the lion!" "The what?" Ae stared at her, confused. "I''m a tiger, so I don''t know much. But I heard that the male lion beastmen are far stronger than females and they usually form arge pride. The females hunt while he sleeps all day, but he''ll always take down the biggest prey that they can''t face." She turned toward Arad, "That''s why he has a lot of wives, he''s a lion. You''re a part of his pride." "How did youe to that conclusion?" Ae sighed deeply. Matilda stared at Selina, "Now we''re a part of his pride. So listen to him," "HEEEEEEEEEE!" Selina cried. Chapter 748 Buried Alive

Chapter 748 Buried Alive

"A pride? Do what you like." Arad walked toward the hole where the spider was and extended his hand between the bushes, and the spidertched onto his forearm, trying to bite him. Its fangs deflected off his skin as if they were nothing. The poor thing looked visibly confused as Arad lifted it up. It tried to bite him again and again but failed each time. Selina stared at Arad from behind Matilda. "He''s hard." She could feel a powerful surge of magic crackling beneath Arad''s skin. Matilda remembered how even her ws cracked on his face. "He isn''t just big. He''s as tough as stone." "Stop ogling my husband." Ae walked between him and them. "Focus on what we came here for." Selina waved her wand and arge bucket appeared out of her storage magic. "I''ll collect it." She immediately cast a thin barrier over the bucket''s mouth and reached toward the spider''s fangs as Arad held it still. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om It only took a few seconds for Selina to fill half the bucket with the spider''s toxin. "Got it." She smiled, walking back as Matilda approached with a tube of paint to mark the spider. That paint was specially made by the teachers to fade after half a day, the time demon spiders need to regenerate their poison. "Are you done?" Ae stared at the bucket of poison. Selina nodded. "We''ll use this to make antidotes." She smiled. "It makes the stings hurt less." "Wait. I still have something to do." Arad waved his left hand and arge wooden wheel appeared out of nowhere. "What is this!" Matilda gasped, seeing the strange contraption. It looked like a strangely made waterwheel with several wooden frames around the edge of the wheel. "Silk wheel. A friend said it''s used to extract silk from spiders." Arad flipped the spider on its back and pinned it down with several branches from the legs. He then pulled a bit of silk from it, stretching it to the wheel, and started turning it. After collecting the silk from the spider, he released it into the forest and the group kept moving. They caught several more spiders as time passed by, but suddenly, they saw a red re explode in the sky. "What''s that?" Matilda and Selina stared at the sky, confused. "We need to run back to the teachers, something happened." Ae looked at them, that was a signal sent by her teacher. Herbalists aren''t fighters, so they usually carry a re signal to call for help. There are multiple colors, but red means the current area is too dangerous to stay in. "Did something happen?" "That means we can''t stay in the forest." Ae looked at Arad, "Let''s head back." The moment they turned, the ground beneath them cracked and a massive ravine appeared out of nowhere and they started falling. Ae and Arad started flying with wind and gravity magic, but the other two fell straight down. Matilda couldn''t fly and Selina was panicking so she couldn''t construct a spell. Arad extended his hands as he was about to catch them with gravity magic, but the scenery immediately changed into a stone cave, and he stood there alone. ^What''s happening?^ ^[Spiders lived here for a long time and the area was being constantly fed by the mana of countless teachers and students, add the fact it''s on a ck dragon territory, and it''s bing quite unstable.]^ Doma started exining, and Aisha finished it as she stood on Arad''s shoulder. "Add your existence as a powerful void dragon and a dungeon is born. That is what I would love to say, but there has to be a catalyst, someone or something must''ve triggered this." Aisha looked around. "Someone created the dungeon?" "nting a massive mana crystal is the best they could do. It''s like nts, but different." Aisha briefly exined how dungeons are born. Usually when a powerful mana crystal forms in the ground, it takes years to soak in the natural mana emitted by the earth and the monsters living there. This is why dungeons can have certain types of monsters since the core feeds from their mana to grow. If the mana crystal is a seek, mana is its water. But unlike nts, they don''t sprout slowly, they gather energy to burst into suddenly burst into existence. This is why humans can''t destroy a dungeon before it''s formed, they don''t know when or where it''ll show up. There is a whole field of study that studies and experiments on them, they are like natural disasters that need to be ounted for. Arad started walking, pulling the adamantine sword from his stomach. "We''ll, this is annoying." The dungeon''s dense mana prevented him from using most of his senses, when activating his [Void Eyes] everything seemed to be covered in thick fog. "ARON! Is that you?!" A voice boomed behind him as Lucia rushed in with Sylvany. "It''s you two?" Arad turned back. "So this ce gathered us three here." Sylvany stared around, approaching the wall and touching it. "The mana here is too dense. This dungeon must''ve been incubating for decades." He turned toward Lucia. "You''re better than me with earth magic. How deep are we?" He asked. Lucia put her hands together, pulling a thick wooden staff as she parted them. Thud! Tapping the staff on the ground, she closed her eyes focusing on her magic. Arad could sense a wave of mana rushing out of her body into the ground and spreading everywhere. She started looking worried. "I can''t believe it. We''re outside my range." She gasped. "Outside it? That means we''re at least ten kilometers underground. Probably even more." Sylvany growled, "This is bad." "Can''t you send a message to the headmaster?" Lucia looked at Sylvany. "I would''ve already done it if I could." He pulled a wand and started conjuring a spell. Arad stood there. ^[Doma, what do you think?]^ ^[This dungeon is using you three as a power source. You must be locked far deeper than everyone else, and it''ll try to keep you here. If you want to know why, it''s because you three are the strongest around.]^ ^What about Ae?^ ^[Both Sylvany and Lucia are stronger than her, or should I say have more mana to be more exact. If Zephyr was still around, she would''ve been here with you.]^ Arad looked up and started thinking. ^I could dig my way out if I transformed, it''ll be easy to save everyone, but that would expose me.^ He looked back at the two teachers. ^I can kill them and save Ae¡­^ The two flinched, sensing a faint bloodlust in the air but they thought it wasing from the dungeon itself. ^No, they won''t like it. I need to find a way to get up without transforming, at least, they better not realize I''m Arad Orion.^ He started taking his shirt off and stored it in his stomach. It was time to work. "What are you doing?" Lucia gasped. "Stop fooling around. It''s cold down here, wear your clothes or you''ll get sick." Sylvany approached Arad. "Move away." Arad said as he took a stance beside the wall, "I''ll try to dig out." "Dig?" Arad suddenly started swinging his fists at the wall like a monster, each punch digging a massive hole the size of a sheep. A st of dust and debris started rushing out, forcing Sylvany to back away covering his face. "The hell is this guy?!" He cried, suddenly feeling that Arad stopped punching. Sylvany gasped, the wall was unscathed. "It regenerates." Lucia said as she walked toward Arad. "It''s useless to dig with your bare hands." Arad turned toward her. "Is that so?" He started taking his shoes off. Chapter 749 The Girls in The Dungeon

Chapter 749 The Girls in The Dungeon

Standing barefoot on the ground, Arad could better sense the magic surging across the dungeon and the faint vibrations emitted by its faint moves. Arad touched the wall with his fingertips, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath, remembering the spell Selina cast to trap the spider. Send your mana to a single point, bind it to the stone and dirt, and then part it out. Lucia blinked, feeling something strange. Arad wasn''t traditionally casting magic. Something seemed far too wrong for him to be a wizard. He wasn''t conversing with mana, but ordering it around, a fundamental difference as the strands of mana refuse to take direct orders from humanoid and must be led around to create spells. [Mold Earth] CRACK! A hole appeared in the wall where Arad was touching, but it slowly started filling back. "A basic spell like this won''t work here." Arad sighed, looking at the ceiling. "I need something stronger, bigger, and faster." His eyes quickly shifted toward Lucia, "You know earth magic, don''t you?" "I do¡­but I don''t have the capacity to dig us out of a ten-kilometer depth. I''ll run out of mana halfway, and we''ll get buried alive." She replied, taking a step back. "Who said you''re casting it? Teach me the magic, and I''ll dig us out." Arad lifted a finger and pointed at the ceiling. "I can do it." ***** Ae opened her eyes, finding herself standing alone in a room full to the brim with cow-sized demon spiders. The monsters had already surrounded her and were ready to attack. She slowly looked around with a passive face. "I see, where is Arad? Where is my husband?" She asked, ring at the spiders with glowing green eyes. The moment one of the spiders was about to move, its head got blown off with an arrow. Ae had already pulled her bow and fired in the blink of an eye. "Answer my question. If you can''t, then die." The tone of her magic shifted rapidly, from the usual gentle and fresh breeze into a cold and painful sharp gust of wind. The spiders started running around Ae, getting ready to lung. Thud! One of the spiders lept toward Ae, opening its fangs for a bite. TAP! Ae caught the spider by the head with one hand, her nails digging into the monster''s eyes. "You''re quite big, where did all your strength go?" She clenched her fist, crushing the spider''s head. "I might not be able to erase air like Arad. But I can prevent it from moving, if you get too close, you''ll suffocate." She said, pulling her bowstring as she started firing left and right. Spiders breathe with both lungs and tracheae, those two can''t function if the air itself refuses to move. The spiders started running around her and spitting poison and webs, trying to take her down without getting close. Even so, their attempts easily failed as Ae kept sniping them one after another. But, the spiders were awaiting something. Soon, a massive demon spider emerged from the ground, and what they waited for, was arge one of their kind that won''t die with a single arrow. "I see an A-rank monster, Demon ck Widow Spider." Ae said, pulling something out of her pocket. CRACKLE! The spiders saw Ae standing in her ce, pulling the string of her bow with a blue arrow of fire crackling in it, a piece of paper burned in her fingertips. [Torch] She released the fire arrow and therge spider almost gasped, seeing the arrow flying toward it. The arrow exploded into a storm of mes, fueled by the air she controlled that rapidly engulfed the whole room, cooking all the spiders alive. All that Ae needed was a simple spark for her oxygen-rich wind to fuel a massive explosion, and she wasn''t going to miss the chance to use such a technique. Even Zephyr was known to create tornados of fire by sucking the fire out of the forest and damaging houses. "Wind buffs fire, that''smon knowledge. But I doubt you spiders ever thought of that." Ae walked among the charred ground, heading deeper into the dungeon in search of Arad. Rapid fire, the ability to control air, and buff fire spells to a massive degree. But even with that, Ae still wasn''t even going at half of her full power. **** "Where am I?" Selica gasped, barely managing to stand on her own. She gently patted her robe, dusting it off, and then looked around. "This magic, a dungeon." She immediately realised. She put her hands together, and took a deep breath, parting them to reveal a massive wand made of wood and rings of steel that she had stored in her storage magic. Without wasting any time, spiders started showing up left and right. "Bad spiders." She said with a passive, emotionless face as her eyes faintly gleamed blue and mana circted through her body. Thud! A spider rushed toward her, jumping toward her at an insane speed. KA-BOOM! Just as fast, Selina sted the spider into bits with a [Fire Bolt]. The mes at the tip of Selina''s staff quickly changed color from deep red to blue then to white, third-tier refinement. The mes were so hot they looked white. A spider ran toward her back, but she blocked it with a barrier made of several small triangles, then sted it with a red lightning bolt [Lightning] More spiders started showing up and Selina looked at them. "You''re like cockroaches, I kill ten, and a hundred shows up." She lifted her staff up and closed her eyes, conjuring a massive magic circle above her head. [Marite Dance] Countless strings of magic burst from the circle and flew toward the weak spiders and the still-intact corpses, causing them to start moving again. "This isn''t necromancy, I''m using magic to directly control them instead of binding a soul to the body." She said with a passive face. "That also allows me to do this." The magic circle above her head shifted into a red color and her spiders started spitting fire bolts. "I can cast magic through them as well." A massive spider war started as Selina stood in the back, issuing orders to her spiders and fighting like she was ying a board game. Thud! A spider managed to bust through her defenses, rushing to her back with a bite. STAB! Selina pulled a dagger from her pocket and stabbed the spider in the face. "I left the opening, but it''s true that I can only fight through the spiders while [Marite Dance] is active, I can''t move from beneath the magic circle." She looked at the spiders fighting. At this rate, she''ll run out of mana before killing all of them. Selina looked around, trying to find a way to end the fight before she ran out. Her eyes stopped at the ceiling, she could drop that on the spiders and then flee to recover her mana. She slowly pointed her staff at the ceiling. To cast a spell, she''ll need to cancel [Marite Dance]. As [Marite Dance] dance stops before she casts a spell, that''s like giving a signal to the spiders to attack her. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Let''s see who''s the fastest." She canceled [Marite Dance] Chapter 750 The Tigress and Gorilla Chapter 750 The Tigress and Gori ??[Marite Dance] stopped working, and the spiders that Selina controlled fell down, the dead remained down the living struggled to move, their bodies far too damaged to survive. Selina''s hand moved with the staff as she pointed at the ceiling, [Magic Missile] give arrows ofpressed mana flew out of the tip of her toward the ceiling, exploding upon contact. The spiders started running toward her as the ceiling fell. She was faster than them in firing her spell, but they were able to outrun the ceiling falling. Selina lifted her staff, about to conjure a barrier to protect herself from the lunging spiders, but it was toote. She can''t construct a strong enough barrier to block the spiders, and she doesn''t even have time to waste, the ceiling would crush them all. Matilda lunged out of the shadows, snatching Selina away at thest moment before the copse. "Are you okay?!" Matilda yelled as sheid Selina down, turning toward the copsed room. "I don''t smell their innards, they didn''t get crushed." "Powerful magic is surging in the room, be careful." Selina gasped and immediately saw the stones on the ceiling slowly lifting back up while covered with a strange white sticky substance. "Spider webbing?" Matilda growled, "So it''s that big one." A ck spider farrger than the rest emerged from the ground. As Selina was fighting the small spiders, the big one was crawling behind the walls, reinforcing them with its webbing. "Be careful! It''s far stronger than the other ones." Selina warned her. The small spiders ranged from the size of a dog to that of a sheep, but this new one had a torso the size of a bull and its legs stretched way further. "It''s big!" Matilda gasped, "Can I bite its legs off?" "I doubt you can crush them. Try shing the joins, or target the main body." Selina stood, pointing her staff at the spider''s torso. "Got it." Matilda ran forward as fast as she could, going on all four as she extended her ws out for more traction. The spider stood on her hind four legs and used the front four to make a of sticky webbing that she pulled out of her butt, and with a sudden jerk, she flung it forward. CRACK! Matilda shifted her direction, running toward the wall and then on it using her ws. While still having the same power as a tiger, beast people, and especially women were far lighter, making suchplicated movements possible. As the missed Matilda, it flew straight toward Selina. "Wait! I''m behind you!" She gasped, pointing at the instead of the spider. [me Thrower] She unleashed a torrent of me to burn the before getting caught. A rush of normal demon spiders charged at Selina as Matilda started fighting the giant spider in the back, those monsters had one goal, eliminate the intruders. Each dungeon has its own hierarchy, and this is a newly born dungeon, which means, it''s still under construction. When the dungeon core matures, the first thing that emerges is arge room and the boss monster, the strongest creature in the dungeon. Soon after, it''ll be followed by countless weaker monsters of the same type as the boss, they are the ones that will inhabit the lowestyer of the dungeonter. The creation of that chamber is what caused the ground beneath the forest to rupture. The dungeon then will take over an area by spreading its magic and pulling all sources of powerful magic into a secure ce, that is how it picked Arad and the teachers, as they had vastly more mana than anyone else. At this stage, the monsters that the dungeon core created will start digging tunnels for themselves to live, and hunt for food. Rapidly they would infest an underground area, and the core would start spawning more monsters until the dungeon reached a stable ecosystem that could support its own monsters. Dungeons are usually ssified as mega-ss oozes, like the genius loci, but are far less intelligent. Comparing a dungeon to someone like Loci is likeparing an ape to a humanoid, they aren''t the same even though they might look simr. Matilda jumped over the spider''s legs andtched to its back. She opened her jaw wide and her cheeks stretched back, revealing a terrifying maw ofrge gangs and teeth akin to that of a tiger. Matilda opening her jaw looked like a gori opening its mouth. With their lips closed, they look fairly normal, until they open their mouth. Matilda bites the spider in the head, piercing deep into its skull and dropping it to the ground. A tiger''s bite force was around 75kg per square centimeter[1200pound/square inch], one of the strongest in the wild.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As the normal demon spiders rushed around Selina, she lifted her staff about to blow them away. "Matilda! Help!" She was slowly running out of mana. PEW! PEW! PEW! It was then that several arrows flew out of the darkness behind her, killing tens of the normal spiders in the blink of an eye. "Are you okay?" Ae rushed in to check on her. "I''m fine." Selina replied that she was only running low on mana, drinking a potion should help. Ae shifted her gaze toward Matilda. "Ganta, help her deal with the big ones." She said. "Big ones?!" Matilda gasped¡­ "Who''s Ganta?" Selina looked into the darkness, seeing a tall woman standing almost 1.9 meters in height with two massive golden horns extending from her temples and walking toward them. She was thick and muscr but not too much, and her eyes were blood red, and her skin resembled oak in color. Her long, thick, and spiky blond hair seemed to emit a faint light, exposing her even in the darkest of ces. Ganta scratched her head, staring at Matilda with a disappointed look. "Why do I need to work with tigers?" She grunted, a deep sight escaping her mouth and revealing a pair of massive fangs behind her lips. "Ganta, this is not the time to y around." Ae growled at her. It was then that Matilda could hear more massive spiders running around them. This whole cave was surrounded by them as they were the ones responsible for reinforcing the tunnels with their webs. "More areing, and a lot!" Matilda growled. Ganta took a step forward, "If only your husband was close, I would''ve loved to see him up close. I''ve only followed here to see him." She ripped her shirt off, staying only in what looked like a tight bra made of hardened leather. "He''s my husband, stay away from him." Ae growled at her. "That''s what you think." Ganta replied with a smile, licking her lips. "For me, he smelled sweet." She bent down and picked one of the dead spiders, biting it from the torso. Ganta''s blond hair changed to ck and her eyes shed green as a strange magic started swelling inside her body. She roared at the top of her lungs, loudly pounding her chest. A bunch of massive spiders burst through the ceiling and walls, rushing toward Matilda. Ganta extended her hand forward and a thread of sticky webbing flew forward, sticking to the ceiling. With that thread, she pulled herself toward the spiders, swinging across the tunnel like a gori swinging from one branch to another. Matilda dodged one of the spiders, spun around, and jumped up with a fist, shattering the spider''s head in a single blow. "I don''t need help from a gori!" Gantanded on one of the spiders, ripped two of its legs off, and stabbed it with them, killing the poor monster on the spot. "Out of the way, tigress. You''re slowing me down." She lunged toward another giant spider. "You''re the one slowing me down!" Matilda started swinging left and right, and the two of them began massacring the spiders one after another. "Who is she?" Selina asked with a worried face. "My ssmate, her name is Ganta." Ae replied. "I know that, I meant what is she? She ate that spider and absorbed her magic, no, Ganta''s magic shifted to resemble that of the spider. I''ve never heard of a race that can do that." Selina shook her head. "All I know is that she''s a gori beast woman." Ae replied with a passive face as she started thinking. ^Those horns are simr to those of Sebas. She might be one of his kind, no, the fact she can''t hide the horns means she might be a half instead.^ Matilda and Ganta never tried to work together, and instead, each of them started fighting alone, going out of their way to make it harder for each other. Ganta would try to swing around, only for Matilda to kick one of the spiders her way. When Matilda was about to bite a spider''s head, Ganta tripped the spider, causing Matilda to miss. Ae stood with Selina in front of her and pulled her bow. "You focus on protecting us with barriers, I''ll support them with arrows." "Got it." Selica waved her staff, [Crystal dome] She created arge transparent dome around them that allows things to move out, and not in. Amon type of barrier magic used for protection against heavy attacks, as its curved shape helps divert the blows. As Ae started sniping the spiders, shemented the fact she couldn''t fully control her mes. A single fire arrow would''ve burned all the spiders, but would also kill Matilda and Ganta, which isn''t an option. She could try protecting them with her wind, but that failed nine times out of ten. She had trained before with Arad, Eris and Amber, the three that she knew were extremely resistant to heat, and she ended up sting Eris twice, Amber once, and Arad eight times. As he always tries to release his mana and reabsorb it to train, it''s extremely hard to maintain a spell around him, his aura is too much to handle. **** Deep underground, Lucia was trying her best to exin the basics of earth magic to Arad as Sylvany naged on their heads trying to exin how it''s stupid to expect Aron[Arad] to learn earth magic and use it better than Lucia, who mastered it for decades. Chapter 751 Before The Bosss Room Chapter 751 Before The Boss''s Room ??Gojo sat on arge boulder, eating lunch with Tempo as they watched the new dungeon grow. "Do you think we should help? There are over seventy students stuck there!" Tempo asked with arge smile as he munched on his grilled chicken thigh. Gojo lifted a finger, conjuring a tiny ball of energy. "I don''t know. I would love to leave this to brother to take care of." "He might not be able to save everyone! I can''t have people die here. It''ll be bad if they die while I''m here trying to make peace!" Tempo stared at Gojo. "Innocent people shouldn''t die!" "Innocent people die all the time. You can''t save everyone." Gojo smiled. "But, this isn''t that far from brother''s abilities to solve." "Do you think they can beat the boss?" Tempo looked at the dungeon, still munching. "Taking brother out of the picture, I can see them winning, but not without deaths. As long as Ae doesn''t get harmed, I don''t care how many else die." Gojo replied. ***** Ae, Matilda, Ganta, and Selina managed to drive away therge spiders and started heading deeper into the dungeon. "It''s been a while, and not a single monster showed up." Ganta looked around. "But I still feel them slithering around." "Even monsters can understand it when a fight is unwinnable." Ae replied to her. "They are avoiding us." After a while, they reached a dead end as a massive boulder blocked their path. Selina walked toward the boulder with a tiny me on her finger for light and inspected it. "Look, those scratches are new. It just fell down." She looked at the ceiling, seeing the spot where the boulder was before. "Is this why thoserge demon spiders are reinforcing the tunnels with their webs?" Ganta approached the wall and looked at it, only seeing dirt and stones. "Are you stupid?" Matilda approached the wall that Ganta looked at and pierced it with her w. "Look." She pulled her w and the deeper dirt looked to be mixed with the spider''s webbing. "They already reinforced this tunnel. They dropped that stone here." Matilda said with a proud face, puffing her chest as her tail spiked. "I''m smart, aren''t I?" She looked at Ae, her ears wiggling. "Matilda is right." Ae approached the stone. "But why would they do that? Are they trying to lock us away from the rest of the dungeon?" "That''s possible." Selina replied, "But I doubt it. I''ve read before that different dungeons would have different architectures, and this might be how doors are made here." "So this is either a door to a level that isn''t built yet or..." Ae looked at the other girls. Thud! Ganta smacked her fist together, "The boss room." She smiled. "Don''t jump in." Ae red at her.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I won''t." TAP! Ganta sat down crosslegged and scratched her head. "I can''t move that boulder on my own." The boulder was massive, almost three meters wide and four meters tall. All the girls sat down with Ganta as they started thinking about how to move the boulder and what might the boss be. This wasn''t a game, even though the boss usually doesn''t wander around the dungeon, there is no rule stating they can''t attack those standing right outside the door. "We aren''t going to win without a n." Ae looked at them. "I''m an archer, I can fire either normal arrows or wind element arrows. I can cast basic wind spells like wind de, and wind sh, but I don''t have any big moves." She won''t even mention the fire arrow, and even if she were to use it, she''d kill the three of them. "I can cast spells up to the fifth tier." Selina mumbled, "But, having people around me makes me nervous. Please, don''t expect much of me." She looked away, not willing to disclose her [Marite Dance], even though it''d be useful to turn the boss''s minions on it...she couldn''t help but remember the past. ^You ursed necromancer, get away from us!^ Selina shook her head, remembering when she was still a child and first created the spell to y with her dolls, the other children thought she was a necromancer, which led to a constant stream of bullying, istion, and abuse. Even the adults got on it, not even willing to see or understand how the spell worked,beling her as a necromancer and demanding her head. ^Those who y with the dead should join them.^ Her locked room was the only safe ce in the world, and she didn''t want to leave...Her eyes slowly turned toward Matilda...remembering the entrance exam, she heard her talk with other girls about whether this school teaches necromancy, and Matilda was more excited to see her meal move than care about what necromancy is, which led her to think Matilda might not criticize her as much. "I can fight with my ws and fangs, run on walls but not the ceiling, and have decent night vision and hearing. You can count on my strength, but I tend to focus on one thing, so I usually lose sight of what''s around me and end up getting hit in the back." Matilda exined what she could do, her tail wiggling around. She had no idea of the bloodline Arad sensed in her. "So you''re just a brute, kitten." Gantaughed at her, and Matilda hissed back. THUD! THUD! Ganta bounded her chest, causing those two massive breasts of hers to giggle left and right. "I''m gori beast woman...as you can see, I''m quite strong." She looked at them with arge grin. "By the way¡­I always wanted to ask." Ae stared at her. "What?" Ganta looked at her, puzzled. "What''s up with those horns?" SMACK! Ganta grabbed Ae by the neck and pushed her all the way to the wall. "You as well? What''s wrong with my horns!!!" She was pissed. The other two girls stared between them, unable to figure out what to do. Selina couldn''t get herself to speak in such a situation, and Matilda was too confused to figure out what to do. Ae struggled to breathe with her neck in Ganta''s palm. But she knew that with Ganta''s strength, she could''ve snapped her neck. "It just reminds me of someone I know. He also had horns and a tail¡­He could also power up by eating dragons." Even though Sebas usually looks like a normal human without horns, she is trying to get Ganta to calm down. Ganta let go of Ae. "Sorry, I was impulsive." Ae stood there, coughing. "No, it was my fault to ask." Ganta stared at her. "I''m a bastard child. My father, albeit being married, and quite the strong gori, he had an affair with a monster. I''m that monster''s child." She sat down. "My stepmom wasn''t that happy, and neither was the vige. In the end, I got kicked out." She looked up. "Just imagine, what would happen if a human male came to his wife with a baby, and said it was born to a pig that he railed? The wife wouldugh it off until she found the child has a pig''s nose." "That¡­" Ae tried to think of her words carefully¡­ Albeit she couldn''t help but think. ^Who am I to say anything while getting on with a dragon? No, wait, dragon''s offspring are "That¡­" Ae tried to think of her words carefully¡­ Albeit shemon and epted due to how much power they could get.^ "Isn''t that like a half-dragon?" Ae looked at her. "me the bards for that." Ganta growled, "Until now, I''ve never seen a woman that doesn''t want to spread them for a dragon, or a man that doesn''t want to marry a drakaina. Only because dragons made a name for themselves as a symbol of power." "You''re right. A dragon would be strong. But it has to be a metallic one, they need to be able to take a humanoid form." Matilda joined in. Ae and Ganta stared at her for a second and then sighed. "See?" Ganta pointed at her. "But, the only power I have is being able to change my magic based on what I eat. That change onlysts for a few seconds. You saw it earlier when I ate those spiders, albeit I should apologize for how gross that might''ve looked, it''s one of the reasons people hated and drove me out of the vige." ^I''m sure Sebas can only get power from dragons, but she seems to be able to get it from anything. But the catch is that she can only keep the power for a short period of time, unlike him who keeps it for weeks.^ As the three kept talking, Selina was swimming in her own thoughts, imagining herself living alone with a dragon inside a cave away from the cruel outer world. The girls stared at her daydreaming. "Selina, what are you thinking about?" Matilda asked. "No! No! Nothing!" She gasped with a red face. As they talked, Ae kept thinking, ^If only they knew I was already married to a dragon.^ "Say, Selina." Ganta approached her. "How do you think it''ll be? Being a dragon''s bride?" "How would I know." Selina gasped. "Who knows?" Ae looked at them. "He might fly you over the clouds, be a bit rough, but caring. Money won''t be an issue and neither safety¡­but you''ll probably need to be in peace with the idea you''re not the only wife." She looked up. "Even if you wanted him all for yourself, he''ll end up with other wives, and you''ll most likely live under the same roof." "More wives? I don''t mind that, but I rather live with fewer people around me." Selina mumbled. "More wives isn''t a problem." Ganta stared at Ae with arge smile. "We goris live inrge families of one dominant male, a silverback, and usually he has multiple wives, the more the better." She sighed. "That''s why my father''s cheating wasn''t that big of a problem, and rather with whom he did it." "We aren''t like lions, we only have families of a mother and her cubs." Matilda replied. "We don''t have a marriage like the other races, but instead the father usually goes on his own way after mating." "Is it like that with tigers?" Ae looked at her. "The beast queen has been nagging our heads about it for decades. She managed to get us to register the cubs with their father but wasn''t able to get it any further." Matilda sighed. "She said it''s problematic, but that''s our tradition and she can''t take it away." "But you can''t fight and hunt alone. You can''t be a lone mother." Ganta red at her. "Shut up! That''s why I came here, either to find a husband and settle by this ce''s rules, or get strong enough to return and live my life." Matilda growled. Chapter 752 Attacking The Mother Spider Chapter 752 Attacking The Mother Spider ??"Weren''t we supposed to discuss how we''ll face the boss? It''s likely a massive spider that is too powerful." Ae looked at the massive boulder blocking their path. "We''re just going to beat it to death. What else could we do?" Ganta said as she smacked her chest with her fist. "Leave it to me." "The problem is the boss''s initial attack." Matilda stared at Ganta. "The moment we lift the boulder, he''ll stab us with his long legs. There is no question about it." "And I doubt you two can hold the boulder while stabbed. You''ll get crushed beneath it and die." Ae sighed. "How about¡­ You two lift the boulder, and then I and Ae block anying attack." Selina looked at them, "I can make a barrier, but I''m not sure it can block a boss attack." "I can form a shield with my wind, but that''s still wind. Don''t count on it that much." Ae added. "Blocking the boss''s attack is a hard feat." Ganta sighed, "And most likely, he''ll send two separate hits, one for me and one for Matilda." Ae could remember Arad using Gravity magic to make stones lighter, so she looked at Selina. "Can you use gravity magic?" "I only knew a basic spell, but I can''t make that stone lighter in any meaningful way." Selina had already picked up on what Ae wanted to say. "How about we dig around?" Matilda said with a smile. "That''ll make just as exposed for an attack." Ganta stared at her. Ae and Selina stared at each other, "That''s it!" They gasped. "My intelligence knows no bounds!" Matilda puffed her chest. "No¡­ your idea is as bad as Ganta exined." Ae immediately shut her down. "But we can do something simr." Matilda''s tail dropped down alongside her ears, "What do you have in mind." She sighed. "I have two ideas." Selina stared at the boulder. "We could the walls at each side, then slowly pull the boulder back, using it as a shield. When the boulder gets between the two holes in the wall we made, we would''ve made a roundabout that we can use while still being protected by the edges of our holes." "So you''re saying we dig the walls and pull the boulder in, in and simple." Ganta nodded.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "The second n is slowly lowering the boulder down by using [Mold Earth]. The same spell you dug the hole to trap the spider in before." Ae stared at her. Selina nodded. "The problem with the first n is that we don''t know how deep the boulder is wedged in the ground, or to the side for that matter. Dragging it back might be impossible." Ae looked at the boulder. ^Arad, where are you?^ She couldn''t help but think, if he was here, he would''ve punched that boulder so hard he''d send it flying to the boss. In fact, Arad should be able to rip this whole dungeon apart just by transforming. ^I bet he''s not trying to use his power as I told him he should hide them.^ "What''s up? You suddenly look sad." Ganta stared at her, she was strangely observant. Just by seeing Ae''s face, she could feel a bit of her emotions and worries. "I was just thinking of Aron. If only he was here, we wouldn''t be in such trouble." She looked around, "There are also more students around here, I bet some of them had already died from the spiders." "Aron¡­" Ganta started thinking, "I saw him beat those two monsters in the entrance exam¡­" "He''s probably stronger than both of usbined." Matilda sighed. "I pped him with my paw, but my ws ended up shattering."PEW! Suddenly, an arrow passed right by Matilda''s eye. "You did what?" Ae had already pulled her bow. "You pped Aron?" "Wait! Wait!" Matilda started waving her hands, "We aren''t fighting anymore. Please calm down." Ae stared at her for a second. ^Arad let her hit him. She isn''t even close to his speed or power.^ She sighed. "Know one thing, I might be calm, but if any other of his wives heard this, you''ll end up dead." Ae wasn''t joking, out of Arad''s wives, she''s the gentlest one. Merida doesn''t need a reason, she killed Selina''s double just for looking at Arad the wrong way. Eris would definitely kill if she felt someone was a threat or at least insulting Arad, and even the gentle-looking Mira doesn''t have a problem pointing her nail hammer at someone''s head for Arad, she already did that with Lucia after all. Strangely enough, Arad has the biggest heart in their household. He''s the one who can tolerate the most before snapping and is the safest one to start trouble with and get away with it. As long as someone isn''t a threat to his family, Arad would most likely let them go, unless he''s looking for food. But¡­there is a big problem if Arad snapped. As evident by what happened to d, a dragon holds grudges for life. "Listen." Ae red at her. "Aron is gentle and docile most of the time, but do you remember Merida? How violent she can get?" Matilda nodded. "Yeah?" "Harm him enough, or harm one of us, and he''ll rip your tail off, shove it down your throat, and then throw you into the sea. So please, don''t ever try to tick him off again." Those girls don''t know Arad is a dragon so they''ll probably try their luck with him, and she doesn''t want this year to end with Arad killing someone. "I know. I''m not going to anger him to that level." Matilda said those words and then remembered herself smacking him in the face with her w. "I guess I got pretty close to that." Ganta stood, cracking her neck. "We have a n to attack, so let''s head inside and squash that spider." "Wait! Even if we know how to enter the boss room, we still didn''t figure anything about facing it." Ae stared at her with a worried face. "What is there to think about?" Ganta grunted, "We''ll beat the crap out of it." She pointed at Matilda with her thumb, "You try dropping it with arrows and Selina would use fire to burn its web." Matilda stood with a smile. "So, the difficult talk is over. We go there and pound it to death." Ae and Selina stood, "Fine, that sounds like a n." Ae smiled. ^Even if they were taken down, I should be able to beat the boss going all out.^ She stared at them. ^If they are exerting themselves a lot, they should lose consciousness if I choke them with my wind.^ She intends on knocking them out and beating the boss alone if the fight takes an ugly turn. Selina approached the bound and used [Mold Earth] to dig beside and check how deep it goes underground. The boulder was a meter deep into the ground, making it almost impossible to drag, which only left them with the option of lowering it down. "Ready?" Selina said with a stern face, pointing her staff at the boulder. "I''ll slowly lower it down." "Yeah!" Everyone replied. [Mold Earth] Selina started using the magic to dig beneath the boulder, causing it to slowly sink in and the room behind it slowly showed up, but it was pitch dark. Matilda and Ganta stood in the front, peeling their eyes open for any sudden attack, but nothing seemed toe out. SWOHS! Two massive ck spikes came out of nowhere, flying straight toward Matilda and Ganta''s heads. Luckily, both managed to catch them. "This is!" Ganta gasped. The two spikes moved back, pulling the two inside the boss room. The massive spider was clinging to the wall above the door and used her long legs to pull those two in. Matilda and Ganta flew into the room and fell in the middle, "The hell was that!" Ganta growled, trying to stand but she couldn''t. Matilda looked forward, seeing several glowing green eyes above the door, each eye was farrger than a melon, this mother spider was massive as hell. "We''re stuck!" Ganta cried, they couldn''t stand as the ground was covered with sticky webbing. They are like flies stuck on the boss''s. The mother spider hissed at them with a loud screech, firing arge off her butt. SWOSH! At the same time, Ae jumped into the room pointing her bow at the mother spider above the door. The mother spider smacked Ae''s arrow with one of her long legs, waiting for her tond on the ground and get stuck, but Ae instead immediately jumped back up afternding on the ground. To everyone, it looked strange how normal her moves looked when the ground was filled with sticky webbing, but they didn''t know the extent of her wind magic. Ae started flying just a few millimeters before her foot touched the ground, making it seem like she jumped. [Fire Ball] Arge ball of mes flew out of the door, exploding between Matilda and Ganta, burning the webbing they were stuck in without harming them. This was only a testament to how precise Selina''s mastery of magic was. Ae smiled, she expected nothing less from a woman who controlled a second body all the way from her home. Since the fireball was faster than the spider''s, it reached first and freed the two girls. But that didn''t mean the wasn''t still flying toward them. Matilda tried to jump out of the''s way, but Ganta held her in ce. "Stop! Trust!" [Fire bolt] A fire bolt flew out of the door and burned the before it could hit them. "Ape alone, weak. Apes together, strong." Ganta growled at her. "I''m a tigress. Not an ape, you gori!" Chapter 753 The Boss Wins the...

Chapter 753 The Boss Wins the...

"Don''t move!" Ganta growled back at Matilda, pointing at the ground around them. The whole room is still covered in sticky webbing. Only the spot they stood in now didn''t have any due to Selina''s fireball. The two looked at the wall, barely able to spot Aetching onto one of the boss''s legs and standing on them to fire an arrow under the monster''s faint glow of her menacing eyes. "They both are green." Matilda said. "The boss''s eyes are bigger, and many of them are together." She noted. Usually, monsters can''t control their magic, so the mana glow always shows on their eyes, especially when enraged. But for humanoids, that light only shows when using magic, as the mana needs to reach the brain to be controlled. Selina extended her staff into the boss''s room from the door as Ae distracted her. [Dust Storm] This spell is usually used to blind people, like a really massive pocket sand move. As the dust rushed into the boss''s room, it made it hard to move and see for a few seconds, but that didn''t really matter as it was already too dark. "What is she doing?" Ganta growled. "You''re the stupid one now." Matilda pointed at the ground. "The webs aren''t sticky anymore." "So trust." Ganta smiled as the two of them rushed toward the boss''s glowing green eyes. [Brilliant Light] Selina cast another spell, sending a melon-sized ball of bright light into the ceiling. It looked like a welding arc, but far bigger and able to illuminate the whole boss room. "What!" Matilda gasped as she looked at the ceiling. "This spider, we need to kill her quickly." Ganta couldn''t believe her eyes. Hearing them, Ae looked at the ceiling and finally noticed it. Those long things on the ceiling weren''t stctite, they were thousands of eggs ready to hatch. "Selina, burn the ceiling!" Ae shouted. CRACK! But at that moment of distraction, the spider smacked her with one of her legs, sending her rolling into the middle of the room. "I sense human magic from them!" Selina shouted, and Ae looked carefully at the ceiling as she stood. Indeed, several students were alive, encased in webbing among the eggs. It was clear after one look at the boss''s face, that she did it on purpose. "That thing is intelligent enough to n. She''s using the students as hostages!" Ae shouted, ^This means even if I was alone, I can''t st this whole ce with a fire arrow.^ Matilda grabbed the boss from one of her legs, pulling her to the side. At the same time, Gantatched onto another leg and swung up, punching the boss in the guts. The boss spider growled, coiling her legs down and jumping up. As Matilda and Ganta fell off her legs, she flung a at them. [Fire bolt] Selina sniped the before it could hit them, and the boss turned her head toward the door, ring at Selina who stood there white growling. Her eyes shed with a deeper green. STAB! An arrow pierced the boss''s anus, causing her to gasp with a deep screech. She turned to re at Ae with an enraged growl. Ae red back with a grin, "It''s payback for your hit earlier." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The boss growled, squeezing the arrow out, and rushed toward Ae. Ae took a deep breath, pulling her bowstring back. PEW! PEW! PEW! She unleashed three arrows in rapid session. CRACK! Matilda bit one of the boss''s hind legs, holding her in ce like a dog that doesn''t want to let the stick go. Ganta rushed in and kicked the boss''s other leg as hard as she could, trying to drop it down. [Wind st] An arrow of wind exploded at the spider''s face, pushing her back enough to trip it over Ganta''s kick. The boss held her bnce before falling, looking straight back at Matilda with a deep growl. She opened her mouth and puked a ssh of poison. Matilda immediately let go and lunged back, barely dodging the attack. "Gross!" She cried. Ganta tried to jump on one of the boss''s legs and punch her in the head, but the boss quickly moved back, throwing her to the ground. The spider then flung a toward Ganta, trying to pin her down. Ganta looked held still, trusting that Selina would burn the, so she got ready to counter at that moment. The spider thought the same and got ready to bite Ganta''s face off when she attacked as the burns. ¡­ The fire never came out, Ganta got caught in the web, and instead, the boss saw small specs of silver misting from above and then felt something heavy on her back. Selina was sitting there. [Mist Step] A 2-tier short-range teleportation spell. SPLAT! Selina immediately grabbed two of the boss''srge eyes in her hands and shouted at the top of her lungs. "Lighting touch!" [Lighting Touch] A sh of lighting rushed out of Selina''s shoulder and straight into the boss''s head, illuminating the whole room. [Lighting Touch] [Lighting Touch] [Lighting Touch] [Lighting Touch] [Lighting Touch] She kept screaming and casting the same spell again and again, shocking the boss repeatedly through the eyes. Both Ganta and Matilda who were close got shocked, but as they weren''t linked to the boss, the first shock sent them flying away, safer from Selina''s contentious cast of the spell. As the boss fell down, Selina fell with it and broke her left leg and arm as she hit the ground with her left leg first. Selina cried in pain, but still forced her head to turn toward the boss, trying to read its magic. "It''s fading, she''s dying." She forced herself to speak through the pain. Ae rushed toward them, Matilda crawled toward Selina with her hair half burned, and Ganta growled in the back. "You shocked us." Ganta growled. Matilda stared back at her. "Trust, a good faint if it took the boss down." She stared at Ganta back with a grin, as if she won something. Selina basically used them as bait, and it worked. Gantaid on her back, wishing they would get her out of the webbing as soon as possible. "If it worked¡­" She sighed. Selina forced herself to sit as Ae arrived to help her. "My staff." She gasped, and Ae brought it to her. Selina pointed the staff at Ganta and was about to burn the webs, but then suddenly something smacked Ae in the face, sending her flying back with a ssh of blood. "What!" Selina gasped, and it was the boss, she''s still alive. Before anyone could move, she pierced Ganta''s stomach with one of its legs. Matilda jumped to attack, but she got immediately stabbed as a mindless attack only left her open for counters. The boss tossed Matilda away and pulled her leg out of Ganta''s stomach, leaving the two bleeding so much that they lost consciousness almost immediately. Selina pointed her staff at the boss, trying to cast a spell but she was too slow. The boss rushed forward and bit her from the shoulder then tossed her away with poison gushing from her wounds more than the blood did. The boss''s head extended forward, cracking and peeling off, and from it, the naked torso of a woman emerged. She gasped for air, rubbing her own chest, and nipples then tied her own hair into a ponytail with her webbing. As she stretched, she used her two front legs to wrap her breasts in webbing to stop them from bouncing with each move. "Should''ve, cut my head off." She growled in a jagged voice, staring at the corpses around her. At that moment, she felt arge gust of magicing from the other side of the room with two glowing green eyes staring at her. Ae walked into the light with a smile. "Back at you! You should''ve gone for the head as well." "I did smack you in the face, how are you alive, elf." The spider asked. "My husband''s fists are heavier." Ae stared at her with a bleeding nose and a crazed smile.Remembering her training with Arad, if she hadn''t gone through that, the spider''s hit would''ve knocked her out. "How pathetic, we eat our mates after mating." The spider took a few steps toward Ae and then plunged her front legs into the ground, causing the whole room to copse into arge cavern below. Ae immediately covered the girls'' bodies in bubbles ofpressed air and locked onto the boss. As they fell through the air, the battle started once again. Chapter 754 Aella Vs Mother Spider.

Chapter 754 Ae Vs Mother Spider.

CRACKLE! In the blink of an eye, the mother spider ran all the way toward Ae and swung her front leg down. Ae blocked the attack with her bow, staring at the spider''s face as her feet dug into the ground. "You''re stronger than you look." The mother spider smiled. While still blocking the mother spider''s leg with her bow, she quickly pulled the string and released an arrow toward the spider''s face. The mother spider dodged the arrow by tilting her torso. ^Elemental arrows, straight from her bow.^ "Fool, you''ll only hit the humans above." The mother spider swung another leg at Ae''s torso. STAB! Before she could fully swing her leg, an arrow pierced her torso from the back. She growled, "What!" Ae''s arrows are made of wind, and she can control them at will. They don''t need to fly in a straight line. She then quickly swung her palm, sending a powerful st of air that flung them both in opposite directions. CRACK! As the mother spider hit the wall, she gasped, looking forward as the wound in her torso quickly healed. From the dust where Aended, several tens of wind arrows flew forth. The mother spider conjured arge web, blocking all the arrows as she rushed forward at a blinding speed. Even when small, spiders are known to be fast. With the queen''s size and the monstrousposition of her body, that speed only got scaled up, resulting in a massive, fast bug that could run faster than any animal. Ae jumped up as the mother spider charged at her, letting her hit the wall head-first. She flew up beside the wall firing arrows, escaping the spider''s constant leg stabs as she ran after her on the wall. Seeing that the mother spider could still tank and block her arrows, Ae flew into the center of the room, firing as the spider still standing on the wall. The mother spider twisted her gigantic butt, firing a long silver threat to the ceiling, and used it to swing straight toward Ae. Seeing such arge creature almost the size of a bull with long legs swing around was honestly mesmerizing. "So you can fly, elf!" The mother spider growled,ing in with a bite at Ae''s face. Ae dodged mid-air by twisting her torso and kicked the spider in the face, firing an arrow at her chest. The mother spider swung one of her legs, and smacked Ae''s bow from her hand as the two of them finallynded on the ground. "Bowless, now die!" She unleashed a barrage of stabs with her legs, but surprisingly, Ae wasn''t fazed, pping the mother''s legs with her bare hands. Most people make the mistake of underestimating archers'' arm strength, pulling bows requires a lot of power, let alone magical and steel weapons made by a certain woman. But even though the mother spider was swinging at Ae with four legs, she wasn''t getting through her defenses. The reason was simple, while fighting Arad in the training, he felt as if he had six arms. With the speed and raw strength behind his attacks, one wrong move got Ae smacked down, so she learned how to deal with multiple attacks. "You''re skilled." The mother spider growled. "You can have all the arms you want, but never reach the oppression of my husband''s barrage of attacks." Ae stared at the spider with a menacing re and swung her palm. The hand missed, and the mother tried to use that opportunity to get a hit in. SLASH! She felt something on her torso, a sh. [Wind de] With each swing of her palms, Ae unleashed the spell forth. Almost invisible, you could only see a faint haze as thepressed wind flew, but due to the speed, most creatures would find those des hard to track. But once again, if she only did that against Arad, he would slip between them with ease and smack her in the face as he has [Void Eyes] that could see mana, therefore Ae learned to mix the already hard-to-track des with feints and boomerang des to make an even bigger pain to deal with. The mother spider started finding it harder and harder to stay close to Ae, blocking the wind des was all she could do at such a close range. She opened her mouth and tried to spit arge ssh of poison at her. Ae slipped beneath the poison and punched the spider beneath the belly button, [Wind st] The impact of the spell was enough to lift the spider up a bit from the ground. Using that, Ae slid beneath the mother spider and reached her back, shoving her arm, elbow deep into the mother''s butt. The mother spider cried in pain, nothing went in there before. But Ae wasn''t just messing around, she pulled a long string of silk from the mother''s spinneret. She then quickly flew around her, tying her in her own silk. "You damned woman!" The mother spider growled, but Ae couldn''t care less about her. Shended far away, grunting her teeth. "You can''t pull me." The mother tried to be the one to drag Ae. A magic circle shed beneath the mother spider, and she gasped. Ae set it there when she slid beneath her. The wind st was only meant to cover that. The magic circle exploded into a powerful gust of wind that lifted the mother spider up, and by controlling the wind in the whole room. A green crown appeared on Ae''s head as she swung the spider as if she were nothing and smacked her on the wall. "That crown of mana, you''re the monster here." The mother spider immediately stood back on the wall, ripping the webbing that tied her body as her eyes glowed with a faint green and blue light. Ae noticed that and made a mental note that different eye illumination indicates different magic. She should expect something from the mother spider. Ae then lifted her arm and caught her bow as it fell down. BAM! The mother spider lunged forward, even faster than before and she used her threads to swing around Ae, finallynding behind her back with an evil smile. Ae stood in ce, motionless with an even scarier face. Both of the magic started spiking up as they entered their high gear, ready to get serious. Ae spun around, blocking a leg stab from the mother spider, and fired several arrows. The mother spider caught the arrows in a web and spat arge ssh of poison at Ae. Ae punched the poison back at the spider with a [Wind st] But she got smacked with one of mother''s legs, sending her flying back. Ae killed her momentum with a few back flips beforending on her legs, pointing her bow forward, and unleashing several tens of arrows mixed with wind shes at the charging mother spider. "It''s useless! Useless!" The mother spider shouted, smacking both the arrows and wind des aside with her two front legs as she charged. ^I knew it. That blue glow in her eyes, she''s bing able to see mana. This means this dungeon should at least be an S- rank to have such a boss.^ CRACK! A stone smacked the mother spider in the face, causing her to trip and slide on the ground. "Who threw that?!" She growled, looking for the other girls, but they were all knocked out. Ae stared down at her with an evil smile, pointing her finger and several more stones started to smack the queen left and right. Just as strong wind can pick stones and throw them around, Ae could do the same. The mother spider jumped back, creating a new between her two front legs, and caught all the stones Ae was flinging at her, rolled them into one massive ball, and swung it at Ae with a thread like a wrecking ball. Ae swung her palm, cutting the tread with a [Wind de], and then started lifting her palms. The mother spider lunged forward as Ae''s moves didn''t seem like an attack, trying to bite her face off. And as she was a tiny bit away from chomping Ae''s face off, it happened. With her hands together like a cone, she unleashed it. [Wind Expansion: Roaring Tornado] Ae''s expansion covered the whole room and pulled the mother spider in the middle, where she started spinning in its center while bombarded with an endless stream of stones, debris, wind arrows, shes, and sts. The mother spider cried, covering her body in a cocoon of threads to withstand the attacks. After a few seconds, the wind started slowing down and the spider felt it. She slowly opened her cocoon to look at Ae, "You''re running out of mana¡­" at that time, she almost shat herself, seeing Ae menacingly standing at the corner of the room, with a zing arrow in her bow. "Burn." Ae said, releasing the arrow. It flew straight into the gape the mother spider made in her cocoon to look at Ae, exploded it from the inside out, and ignited the tornado into a ze of fire. A fire tornado illuminated the whole room. As the fire settled down, Ae approached the mother spider''s charred corpse, and stared at it for a second. "No magic, she''s finally dead." After confirming that, she pulled several healing potions and was about to rush toward the girls. CRACK! A hand extended from mother''s burned corpse and punched Ae in the back of her head, sending her sliding on the ground, digging a trench with her face. From the mother''s charred body, a pale naked woman walked out. She was tall and slender, with eight green eyes on her face, long white hair, ck long nails and webbing dripping from her butt. "That was painful. I never knew that fire hurt that much." The mother spider growled, now standing in her final form, taking a full humanoid shape. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om CRACK! But at that moment, arge hand emerged from the ground and grabbed her by the ankle. Chapter 755 Overpowered

Chapter 755 Overpowered

"What''s this?!" The mother spider gasped, feeling something grasp her ankle. She looked down, seeing a purple eye ring at her butt out of the dirt. CRACK! Another hand extended out of the ground, and Arad emerged, lifting the mother spider up as she bnced on his hand. Lucia and Sylvany crawled out of the hole right after him. Lucia immediately felt a heavy pressureing from above, and when she looked up, her eyes met the mother spider''s glowing green eyes. That wasn''t a normal monster, she could tell at a nce, that they were facing an S-rank horror, if not stronger. At first nce, Arad''s magic looked far too small and weakpared to the monster he was carrying, and Lucia couldn''t avert her eyes, keeping the mother spider in sight, in fear of a sudden attack. "ARAD! DON''T!" Ae was the only one who saw the situation differently. Arad had already felt her fighting the mother spider and had even known of Matilda and Selina''s injuries. On top of everything, Ae was potentially pregnant, and that made it even worse. Arad might look as if he''s standing calmly in ce, but that wasn''t the case, he''s about to bust and burn this whole area to cinder. "Hey, human. Put me down¡­" The mother spider growled but instantly shut up when Arad turned to stare at her, she could feel it, he was a monster like her. CRACK! Suddenly, Arad swung his arm, smacking the mother spider on the ground, digging a hole with her then her body flew at the furthest wall, hitting it with a powerful impact. That mere attack sent so much dust and had such a powerful st it sent Lucia and Sylvany rolling away. The mother spider puked blood, staring at Arad who stood in the same spot. He didn''t throw her, her knee ripped apart from how fast he swung her around. Arad started walking toward her, munchkin on her severed foot with glowing purple eyes. Lucia and Sylvany tried to look at the battle, but the dust from Arad''s smacking the mother spider was getting in their way. Ae barely managed to stand with her vision slowly getting darker. She drank a potion as she made her way toward the girls to heal them as well. Lucia and Sylvany quickly followed her to help. "What did happen?" Lucia asked. "That woman is a spider, she''s the dungeon''s boss. She had three phases until now, those got knocked out when the second phase started. I managed to hold, but she just entered the third phase and I got hit." Ae quickly exined as the three of them tried to heal the injured ones. "For us¡­" Lucia looked at the dust. "We were locked in the dungeon''s power source room, but Arad managed to dig us out after I taught him some basic earth magic¡­What in the hell is he?" "He''s just a talented man." Ae replied, "How else do you expect him to have this many wives?" "Like I know¡­" **** ^He ate it, my severed foot. He can''t be a human, a devil, a demon, no this magic is getting masked but those lizards can''t hide it, he''s a dragon.^ The mother spider stared at him with her eyes, trying to deduce his true nature. CLACK! Her leg immediately regenerated, and shended on her feet, staring at him with a smile. "To whom I have the honor? It''s rare to see one of your kind around here." Arad took a step forward and appeared right in front of her face. She gasped, lifting her arms to block, he swung his forearm, smacking her in the side and sending her digging a trench in the ground. She growled, trying to stand back up and pull her face off the ground, but Arad had already reached her side and sat down. She started sweating as she saw him beside her. He''s too fast for her to see, and too strong for her to block. "What brought you here?" She mumbled, but Arad grabbed her by the neck and pulled her on hisp. "What are you doing?" She gasped, then screamed at the top of her lungs as Arad shoved his fist up her butt and started pulling silk out. She struggled to move, but it was impossible to escape Arad''s grasp. "Let me go! What are you doing?" She cried. "Your silk is of a higher quality than any other spider. I''ll eat you after I drain you of all the silk you have." With just a look at his face, he was serious. To Arad who is a dragon, a vampire, and a wyrmwolf on top of everything. Almost everyone around him is food to be consumed, and his care and sympathy for them directly rte to his first impression of them. If the first thing he knew of someone was them attacking his wife, he would not see them as anything different from the mundane monsters living in the forest. That spider they caught in the forest and milked earlier, to him, the mother spider was the same. Even though it was ufortable having her silk pulled out, and even though this situation felt humiliating more than anything else. The mother spider opted to stay still and try to give Arad as much silk as she could, and as slowly as possible in the hope of buying herself some time to think of a way out. As the dust settled down, everyone else approached, seeing Arad still sitting in ce, pulling silk out of the spider''s butt. "What in the nine hells are you doing?" Lucia gasped. "It''s silk is quite strong and durable. I bet it''s better than anything we could harvest from other spiders." Arad replied. "She looks like a normal human woman, but with eight eyes. Are you sure this is okay?" Lucia stared at him. "This world is filled with shapeshifters, and why should I care?" He replied. "A monster of her caliber should be fairly intelligent. Shouldn''t we talk with her first?" Lucia tried to find a reason why the way Arad was treating the mother spider was wrong. "Should''ve used that intelligence to think about not attacking my wife." Arad replied, "I don''t care who or what, if they as much as touched one of my wives, death is them getting away debt-free. I''ll use get as much of them as I can, then dispose of them in the depth of the abyss." He kept the fact he wanted to eat her out, as they didn''t know he was a dragon. Ae was right, with how powerful Arad is, nothing in this dungeon could stand against him. Arad blinked, the silk had run out. He slowly turned his head toward the mother spider. "Is this all you had?" "I''ve used quite a bit in our fight¡­" She replied with an extremely worried and nervous face, sweating buckets. "I can provide more if I rested for a bit¡­" "No need, this amount is enough." Arad lifted his hand, about to crush her head to the ground. "WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!" She cried, "I still have my poison, it''s quite strong and rare, I''m sure you''ll never find anything like it anywhere else." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad stared at her for a short moment and then extended his forearm in front of her face. "Bite it." "Heh?" She gasped. "I said bite it. I''ll see if your poison is worth my time." Arad growled at her, lifting his hand. If she doesn''tply, then there is no more use to her. "I''ll do it! I''ll do it!" She cried and bit his arm. CLANG! Her fangs failed to pierce his skin[Ses] The mother spider gasped again, "Heh?" "You''re that weak? I said bite it. NOW!" Arad was starting to get irritated. He would''ve eaten her in the blink of an eye if Lucia and Sylvany weren''t here. "Are you insane?" Lucia was standing there silent for a while, and then finally snapped at him. "I could stop caring about her. But what do you think yourself letting her bite you? That''s dangerous." ^Shut up! Human. This is my chance, this fool of a dragon wants me to bite him. He''ll regret it, my poison changes each hour and is constantly getting moreplicated, he''ll die screaming in pain in a matter of seconds.^ She tried to bite. ^That if I can get my fangs to pierce his damn skin.^ She slowly turned toward, "Sir, can you please rx a bit¡­ I can''t seem to get a bite in¡­" Arad couldn''t be more disappointed, what kind of an S-rank boss monster can''t bite¡­^No, the problem isn''t with her. I''m the problem here¡­^ He started to notice and feel it. Unless it''s an extremely powerful outside, an ancient and long-lived threat with decades of preparation and nning, or at least an overpowered world power. They''ll most likely not pause a threat to him. Arad rxed the scales on his forearm and the only forearm where the mother spider was trying to bite, and she managed to get her teeth in, delivering a massive amount of her poison into his body. Arad''s skin started turning blue from where the mother bit him, and veins bulged on his neck and face as his heart rate started rising and his vision blurred. Thud! The mother spider jumped out of hisp,ughing her guts off. "You fool! Letting me bite you. Now you''ll die regretting your choices!" Arad stood, staring at her with a sad face. "I really thought it was something special, what a shame." He said. Chapter 756 A Plan From Afar

Chapter 756 A n From Afar

The mother spider felt a shiver run down her spine as Arad stared at her with a sad face, his head tilted to the side as he slowly lifted his hands. "It''s a mixture of four poisons, a nerve one, a muscle one, a blood one, and a hallucinogenic one that causes illusions." He started exining how her poison worked as his skin started healing. "The nerve poison disrupts the signals from the brain to the organs, causing them to shut down. The muscle poison starts digesting the flesh, causing paralysis and muscle spasms. The blood poison destroys it and causes it to turn into a red sludge swimming in a yellow liquid, this is bad as it can no longer carry air and nutrients to the body, leading to an even faster death. The hallucinogenic causes illusions and hallucinations, the victim won''t even know they are dying." Arad took a step forward, "How sad, the only thing interesting about it is that I need to know how much of each poison type I ingested to create different dosages of antidote to deal with it." Right in front of the mother spider''s eyes, Arad healed from her poison and threw an antidote potion that he just made toward Ae, "Use this on Selina. I doubt she''s in danger with the antidote you had on you, but this is more custom-made." "Wait! Wait! I still have more." She cried, taking a few steps away from Arad. She knew he''d catch her even if she tried to run away. STAB! At that moment, blood sshed everywhere, and Arad slowly turned. Lucia looked down, seeing a silver sword poking out of her chest. "What''s the meaning of this?" She gasped. "I always hated your ass. If you just didn''t butt in and teach him earth magic." Sylvany said with a smile. BAM! Arad lunged at them, but a blinding light quickly engulfed the whole room. Ae fell headfirst up in the forest, and so did Selina and the bleeding Lucia at her sides. "What happened?!" She cried. "Sylvany is behind this. That''s the only exnation¡­" Lucia growled, with blood gushing out of her mouth as she quickly lost consciousness. The stab has cut a massive artery above her heart. Ae pulled a healing potion and shoved it down her throat. "You wait here. I need to help Arad." She stood and stared at the ground. But she quickly noticed something, a double-sided barrier locking the dungeon. "It''s locked?!" She gasped. Thud! She heard a faint sound behind her. She turned and saw those two glowing blue eyes standing behind her. Gojo smiled. "They locked the dungeon so no one can enter, so I locked it so nothing can get out." "Arad is still stuck with them." She cried. "Come on, you know they are stuck in with him." Gojo looked at the ground. "Good luck escaping." Sylvany and the mother spider were busy dealing with Arad inside the dungeon, thinking he was the only threat. But they couldn''t even begin to guess that an even bigger monster was lurking just outside. A being outside their realm ofprehension. Tempo rushed in with a chest full of healing potions, Sylvany had also teleported all the trapped students outside. As all of the students were badly poisoned, he had wished Arad and the university would focus on saving them, and give up on retrieving Ganta and Matilda. ***** "What did you do?!" The mother spider cried. Sylvany sighed, looking at the unconscious Ganta and Matilda in the back. "Saved your ass. You were supposed to finish everyone else, capture those two, and leave." "No! You fool, what did you just do?!" "I teleported everyone outside beside us and them. And locked the dungeon shut so they can''te back in." He pointed at Ganta and Matilda. "NO! You don''t understand. That monster you brought can''t be¡­" She cried, and Arad could be seen standing at the room''s entrance. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "For real?!" Sylvany gasped. "For real! Real!" Arad said with a smile. "I knew you smelt fishy, never talked about feet once even though you have those long ears." "I''m a half-elf, not an elf." "And you were unmotivated as hell. Lucia and I were trying to get us out of the hole, and you just wanted to wait and wait like a chicken sitting over its eggs." Arad took a step forward. "Elves are proud. They would try to stand out even. It seems you wanted me and Lucia to remain locked down in that hole with you until this bug finished her work." Sylvany pulled a wand to use alongside his sword. "Even if he''s that strong, together we can beat him." The mother spider''s eyes raced between Sylvany and Arad in distress. This stupid half-elf can''t understand. He can''t feel it. The oppressing presence Arad is emitting. Arad''s eyes shed purple, his head tilted to the side, and his neck started growing longer as his skin got covered with ck scales with his body expanding. It was then that Sylvany started to realize how bad the situation was. Arad''s body grewrger andrger until he reached his true form, ring at them as he barely fit in this massive room. "Calm! Calm the fuck down!" The mother spider screamed, seeing Arad open his massive jaw. "It''s beautiful." Sylvany gasped, almost crying. He didn''t even notice that Ganta and Matilda got sucked into Arad''s stomach. "A void dragon. How many decades have I spent looking for them." Arad''s chest started lighting up as a stream of hot air started gushing out of his throat. The mother spider started shaking Sylvany, "Listen to me! He''s about to kill us. Get back to your senses." But he was too entranced to even speak. BAM! Arad sted them with a full power energy breath, exploding the whole dungeon from top to bottom. **** The ground above shook like an earthquake, and the forest only survived due to Gojo''s powerful barrier that separated the dungeon from the ground. It even masked Arad''s violent magic discharge. Deep underground, Arad stared down at theva pool he created, shaking his head like a dog do to get the dust off his neck. He couldn''t sense Sylvany or the mother spider''s magic, breath, or even smell them in the air. They got evaporated out of existence. Those two were strong, or at least the mother spider was. He knew nothing of Sylvany''s strength. She was an S-rank dungeon boss, and it would''ve taken an army of adventurers to y her. Arad opened his mouth and poured a stream of water to cool down theva. As he did that, he felt a sense of pride in Ae. His wife had grown strong enough to hold such a violent monster. ^I better bring Ae a gift.^ He smiled as he shifted back into his humanoid form and crawled out of the dungeon. As Arad reached the surface, he pulled the unconscious Ganta and Matilda from his stomach, carried them on his back, and then walked all the way to where the students were being treated. "ARON!" Lydia rushed toward him. Even though it was just about a minute, the faith ss got called on urgent notice to help cure the injured and poisoned students. "Put them down, I''ll heal them." Arad did as Lydia said and gentlyid the two on the ground, and she started healing them. Eris and Ae rushed in, "What happened down there?" Eris gasped. "Jogo helped. What about the two down there?" "Dead and evaporated." Arad replied, he hit the spider and Sylvany with a full power breath, he doubted even dragons could survive a direct hit from that. ***** Far away, a body moved. "HAAA! That felt amazing!" It stood from the table it wasid upon. "You stupid bitch! Look at me!" A tiny, high-pitched voice growled from above one of the tables. A tiny spider, just hatched from an egg cried as loud as it could. The woman that just seemed toe back to life looked at the spider with a smile. "But, it''s really a shame. I''ve spent fifteen years in that university as Sylvany to gather information, to think such a valuable guise got burned in the blink of an eye." "It''s your fault! You didn''t listen to me!" The spider cried. "I could sense he was a powerful dragon, do you think I let anyone reach up my ass? It hurt as hell, nothing as big as his wrist ever got there! Even that elf woman''s hand was thin and went in smoothly, I was even in my half-spider form then." "No one cares about what got shoved up your spinneret." The woman looked at her, stretching. "Change of n, a big one. We''ll have to n around that dragon, we have no hope of defeating him directly." "For a witch, you change ns quickly." The spider sighed. "Urgent events, require rapid response." She smiled. "Matilda has the blood of a void dragon, and Ganta has the blood of a mortar rajhan. Bybining those two, I could create myself the ultimate body." She looked at her naked self and sighed. "This isn''t impressive." "But that dragon, you said he''s a void dragon. The real deal." The spider replied. "Yeah, strong aren''t they? Do you understand why I wanted the body of one." The witch smiled. "Then can''t you catch him?" The spider asked. "Catch him? He sted an S-rank dungeon with a single breath, there wasn''t any cage out there that could keep him chained. I probably have better changed to beg him to be my test subject than to try catching him." She stood and walked toward the counter. "Let''s n again, we must catch those two girls." "And without the dragon noticing as he''ll stomp our ns in the blink of an eye." The spider looked with the witch at the papers they already hadid on the table. "I need a new guise now. Preferably a hot young man¡­" The witch smiled. "Just pick a woman, you''ll have an easier time moving in such a body. And you''ll be able to pull even more power." The spider growled at her. "But that''s boring¡­" The witch sighed, "Well, I''ll do it if youe with me this time." "Why would I want to do that?" The spider turned around. "Don''t you want to mess with that dragon? I doubt he''ll harm a student or a teacher without being provoked." The witch smiled. "Hmmmm." The spider considered the offer. ***** Literally the next morning. In Ae''s ss. "Due to Sylvany''s disappearance, this is your new teacher." A teacher walked in followed by arge-breasted, ck-haired dark elf with golden eyes. "My name is Maria Ringbell. I was a private teacher in the dark elf capital until a month ago, from today, I''ll be your herbalist teacher." She said with a smile, and all the guys in the room started screaming their lungs out. "A new teacher this quickly¡­" Ganta sighed. "This is the best university in the continent, they won''t let us stay without a teacher." Ae replied to her. Thanks to the faith ss, everyone seems to have recovered quickly. Maria stared at them with a smile. "Ae, Ganta. Stand in the back of the room for speaking in ss." She said with a smile. "Heh?!" Ae and Ganta gasped. "Not fair! Everyone was screaming." "You''ll stand for longer." Maria looked at them with a smile. ^How dare you be married to my void dragon. I''ve spent decades looking for them, and to think a little girl like you married one and I''m here with nothing¡­^ The witch was mad. In Arad''s ss, Lucia walked a new girl into the room. "She sadly wasn''t able to make it into the entrance exam due to a snowstorm that blocked the path from the north, but as that wasn''t in her hand, the university gave her a second test and she managed to pass it." Lucia looked at the ss. "Please treat her well." Half the ss startedining, and most of the students made a lot of sacrifices to make sure they didn''t miss the entrance exam. Now, it felt unfair that someone who missed them got a pass. Arad looked at the new girl, inspecting her. She was almost as tall as Ae with short ck hair, pale skin, green baggy eyes as if she hadn''t slept in days[probably due to the stress of missing the test], a face full of freckles, and a decent build. Unlike most of the students, she wore a pair of enchanted silver earrings and painted her long and sharp nails ck. Her eyes met Arad''s. Chapter 757 Talent For Magic Chapter 757 Talent For Magic ??The new girl looked at the ss. "Anansi Akumu from the far eastern kingdom of Demoria. I''m a rogue that specializes in poisons. I know a lot of you are salty that I got epted even though I missed the entrance exam." "For real!" A guy in the back growled. "I''d say good for you that you managed to enroll, but it definitely feels bad for us. I had to pass through the wyvern ravine to get here, and several of the guards I hired had died. Are you telling me we could''ve waited for those monsters to immigrate?" "I can''t say." Anansi looked at him. "Who knows? My carriage got swept in an avnche and I barely managed to survive and crawl myself here." "I see¡­" The student sighed, "But that still doesn''t feel right. Rules should be the rules. Without them, the order can''t be maintained." "Why would you care." Arad said, turning around and staring at the student. "Even yesterday, everyone here almost died. Do you know why you''re still alive and breathing here? Cause those two broke the rules." He pointed at Matilda and Selina, "The rules state that students are to evacuate in case of an emergency. Those two fought to clear the dungeon and save your life, do you think they should''ve left everyone to die and ran away?" Selina covered her face with a book as everyone stared at her and Matilda looked at Arad in front of her. "We got knocked out quickly by the boss. It was your wife Ae who took over¡­and by what teacher Lucia said, it was you who finished the boss off." "It doesn''t matter who killed it. What matters are those who helped." Arad said. He didn''t want to take any credit for defeating the boss, he had killed it far too easily. In his eyes, Ae and the rest deserved more praise than him, for keeping his wife Ae safe long enough, and for risking their lives. "I can understand what you''re saying¡­but¡­" The student sat down. "If you can''t make a change, don''teining to those who can. Both you and her were saved by broken rules, so stop obsessing over them and live your life." Arad sighed, turning to face forward. "Defending me?" Anansi stood right before Arad''s face, staring at him with a grin. "Aren''t you a gentleman?" Thud! Arad grabbed her by the face. "Who''s defending you? You''ve already been epted so you don''t need defending." He was just trying to challenge the student''s notion, as he felt it woulde bit himter if he didn''t. Dragons were known for not being able to respect rules, and he didn''t want to regret agreeing to this by remaining silent. Everyone else sighed, "Aron, let her go." Matilda poked his back. Arad looked back at Matilda and opened his mouth, extending his tongue out to reveal a thin needle. "It''s dry, it had no poison." He let Anansi go. "I wanted to see how strong is this rumored Aron. I can see how you managed to take down a boss on your own, we''ll a weakened boss is still a boss." She smiled, but deep down her heart almost stopped when he grabbed her face. Dragons are known to be unpredictable, he could''ve chewed her face for all she knew. "Say, you''re an adventurer?" She asked with a smile. "You could say that." Arad replied. "Do you need a rogue in your party? Since almost everything I got was swept that damned swamp avnche, I need to look for a job." She said with a grin, staring at Arad''s face. "Rogues are useful." "I know that and I already have a talented one. I don''t intend on changing him, or adding another one." Arad replied. From what he knew, Jack works best as a lone rogue, adding this woman to the team, she''ll just ruin whatever Jack is thinking about doing. "How about me?!" Matilda stared at her. "I''ve formed a party with this one called Ganta from the other ss. We''re looking to train a bit so we don''t get injured like yesterday." She remembered the stab she took and a shiver crossed her body. "That was painful." She tapped her stomach. "I got stabbed right here, all the way through. It was painful as hell." Matilda sighed. "Sorry to hear that. I must''ve been horrible to go through." Anansi replied with a sad face. ^I''m the one who stabbed you though¡­^ "So, we two are going to start taking quests in the nearby forest and mountain to get stronger, level up, and get some money to spend on the side. But, sadly, we''re both fighters and need some versatility. Care to join?" Matilda smiled. Selina grabbed Matilda by the arm, "You didn''t tell me." She said with a sad face. "You want toe? It''s dangerous, I thought you wouldn''t want to go with us." Matilda gasped. "Ganta said it¡­Together, strong." Selina replied. "So, as you heard, we now have a wizard. Still want to join?" Matilda asked again. Anansi stared at them. "Of course." She had to ept, ^This is that brat who electrocuted me through the eyes. I make sure she''ll regret it.^ "Is Aeing?" Arad asked, looking at them. "I asked her, and she said she''lle only if she has time." Matilda replied. "I too wanted her on the team, she held the boss after we fell for a long time." "Who''s Ae?" Anansi asked. ^I know, it''s that crazy elf. Since when did people start getting that strong, she felt more like a monster than a humanoid.^ "An elf archer, she''s one of Aron''s wives." Matilda replied. "I see¡­" Anansi nodded¡­^That''s way! The woman was a dragon''s wife, no wonder she was that strong. And this bastard has multiple wives? Who does he think he is¡­^ For a moment, she started getting angry¡­^No, wait¡­if he has multiple wives, I might have a chance to join in¡­ no, but that would betray Lady Yababa. And he''d eat me if he knew I''m the mother spider.^ "Excuse me¡­" Lucia approached them, terrified as Arad stared at her. "Sorry, but the ss is about to start. Can everyone please head to their seats?" After sensing how strong the mother spider was, and knowing that Arad killed her, she has no doubt, that he has more power than anyone here in the university. "AH! Sorry!" Selina gasped and lunged back to her seat, and Matilda sat down. Everyone went back to their ce as Lucia started today''s lesson. "Today, we''ll study the rtion between alchemy and magic, and not in the sense of potions and elixirs but in terms of spells." Lucia immediately started the lesson, wanting to forget what happened. "There are multiple ways to cast magic, empower or control it. Spells used to have verbal, material, and even specific locations or times to be cast. But, due to the advancement of magic, those requirements were removed without a loss in power due to the constant innovation in arcane focus creation. Staves, wands, and orbs had helped the spell casters all over the world." As Lucia exined, Arad looked at what she was writing on the board. "Even if not needed, they still work." He mumbled. "That''s it." Lucia turned and stared at him with a smile. "You can still empower spells by using the old restrictions. In exchange for chanting, materialponents, and even setting a specific time and location, you can make your magic stronger." She immediately turned toward the board and started writing. "We''ll focus on theponent part as it is a part of alchemy, but you can still check the libraries for books. Clubs will be next week, so that means you can also y with it there." "But how much is the difference we''re speaking about? Is it worth the time spent chanting or the cost of materials? People opted to find a way not to use them for a reason." Arad asked. "It depends, but a simple chant can boost a spell''s power by 5%, a full chant might push it all the way to 30% but will take a long time. Our job here is to mix cheapponents into something that can empower spells by a lot."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Lucia drew a fire bolt on the board. "Your first assignment for today is creating a spellponent that empowers a fire bolt spell, a widely used basic fire magic." What Arad didn''t know, is that they''ve already been using it. The void is his element, and he''s been using matter in general as a materialponent to empower his breath from a basic void breath into a beam of concentrated energy. Ae used air as a materialponent to make the mes from a basic spell burn into a tornado, and even Eris''s power relied on the cycle of night and day as her vampiric and holy powers shifted. Even without proper education, those with a talent for magic were already going down the right path. Chapter 758 Arads Terrifying Creation. Chapter 758 Arad''s Terrifying Creation. ??"This is a gun." Lucia pulled a flintlock. "It was used since the old age by pirates and assassins to kill mages and fighters, but as you might expect, the kingdoms quickly took that technology and made it amon weapon." She pointed at the wall. "If it was a staff, then the rounds are itsponents. You can smack someone with an empty gun, but that isn''t the extent of its power." BAM! She fired a shot at the wall, and the bullet stopped without even denting it. The walls of the schools were reinforced with magic strong enough to stop basic spells and siege weapons. "And since I know not everyone has a talent for magic, there is a simple 0-tier spell that can teleport small objects for less than a meter distance. It''s pretty useless, but¡­" BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! "As you can see, with it, I can reload this thing instantly. Everyone should be able to learn 0-tier spells. Due to what happened yesterday, all of you would be provided with a gun and taught how to reload it with magic for safety. Of course, we''ll provide training. As Arad looked at her, he smiled. ^I should go back and teach Tina that 0-tier spell.^ "Giving us guns¡­ are you sure that''s safe?" A girl asked with a worried face. "It isn''t safe. But we enchanted all weapons with a tracing spell. We''ll know when you fire them. And what you hit. And switching guns won''t help you hide. All the guns can identify all the students, teachers, or if they are in the hand of an outside." "I''m morefortable with my ws." Matilda lifted her hand. "Even if you don''t need it, keep it just in case." Lucia returned to the board, "So, let''s contentious. I told you about those guns now for one reason. We just finished learning about the magicponent, and as you might guess." "Another joint ss." Arad looked at her. "You''re right, with the magic ss." She smiled. Arad grinned, "Since brother is there, I''ll have to cook something special." He pulled Aisha out of his bag and sat her on the table. "Isn''t that right?" He giggled. "He''s talking to that doll again¡­" "What is he doing?... that''s a doll. It''ll never reply." "He has that face. Stay clear from him and his brother. They are going to cause an explosion for sure." Lucia looked at Arad. ^It''s that face. He''s going to do something terrifying again.^ **** "Yo¡­it''s been a while." In the university''s magic testing ground, Gojo approached Arad with a smile. "Brother, I''ve got some interestingponents to test." As the two brothers talked, Lucia approached to inform them that they couldn''t use anything above 1-tier as it was not needed. She specifically red at Arad and Gojo as Gojo had already sted a hole through a wall in a previous ss. "We''ll be careful." Arad replied to her. "Aron has already been working on a lot ofponents for magic. Jogo, don''t go overboard with spells. You don''t want them to get out of control. Start with something small and work your way up." She said, turning around and leaving to show other students what to do. It was clear to the students and teachers that if two students didn''t need guidance, it was Jogo and Aron. As Lucia and the other teacher started exining to the students how to cast spells and what to do, Arad and Gojo went alone to their corner, a fair distance away from the other students. "My teacher totally expects me to blow this ce up." Gojo sighed, scratching his head. "What did you do to him?" Arad stared at his brother with a worried face. "I drowned the ss with a water spell, destroyed a wall with a firence, and identally showed him a small ball ofpressed mana that could blow a building off, and he was furious saying I shouldn''t y with such dangerous and unstable magic." Gojo re-conjured the same ball ofpressed mana, "What''s so scary about this?" "It might be nothing to you and me, but it''ll kill any human that touches it. Remember, they think we''re humans." Arad replied. "Humans are so fragile." Gojo stated. "No, we''re too strong." Arad looked at him. "Ho¡­" Gojo stared at Arad. "We''re finally disagreeing on something, albeit is just different perspectives." "Want to fight it over?" "Nah, we''d just get yelled at. Let''s test theponent you made, then we''ll try some chants and signs to see what we could achieve." Gojo smiled, pointing at an empty area they could fire spells into. From his bag, Arad pulled a clear ss bottle. "First, let''s start with this." Gojo took the bottle from Arad''s hand and looked at it. A regr potion bottle, the ss looked a bit different; it was thicker, and on top of that, the bottle cap seemed glued shut with some kind of resin. The content of the bottle seemed to be a clear liquid, and most importantly, it was freezing cold, far colder than anything he could''ve expected. "Is this some special liquid to boost ice magic? How do you intend for me to use it with a spell?" Gojo turned toward Arad. Arad had a smirk on his face. "Think again, I''ll let you guess." "It''s a potion to drink before casting a spell?" "No, I meant the first part. It doesn''t buff ice magic." Arad''s smirk grewrger, "It''s honestly a bit scary." "I give up. What is this?" "It''s a special liquid that boosts fire magic. The concept is simple thought." Arad pulled a second bottle. "When you have a fire and want it to burn hotter and bigger, you fan it. And a while ago, Zephyr showed Ae that she could pick up mes with her wind to burn massive areas. So Ae tried to develop that and found a new technique. Which is to use a fire arrow spell to induce me to her wind magic and create a massive burst of fire, like a fire tornado." He wiggled the bottle. "I took that concept and tried to stretch it by attempting topress air into a small bottle. With gravity magic, I managed to jam about twenty rooms worth of air in a bottle." Arad kept exining, "But then Doma and Aisha noted that air isn''t what fire burns hot. It''s something in the air. So, with their help, I managed to iste that substance and filled a bottle with it. This is the worth of around fifty rooms of air."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "So this is supposed to make me burn really hot," Gojo looked at the cold bottle. "And big¡­" Arad nodded, giving it a test. Indeed, what Arad had made was a bottle of pure, liquid oxygen. "Let''s give it a try¡­" Gojo said with a smile. "I''ll do it with you." Arad stood by his side holding his own bottle. "Do as I do, we''ll cast Firebolt together and see who makes the biggest st." "They''ll yell at us. Did you test this before, you sure it won''t get us in trouble?" Gojo looked at the bottle in his hand. "Fifty rooms worth seems a lot." "It''ll be all right. I didn''t test it, but I expect the best it can do is double the spell size." Arad shook his hand. "Doubling a spell''s power is impressive enough." "That''s just spection, we won''t know until we test it." A spark of me ignited before Arad''s palm as he extended his hand forward, "Take your stance." Gojo pointed a finger forward, conjuring a small ball of mes akin to that of Arad. "I already did. Let''s have firepowerpetition." "Before releasing the spell, make it so it carries the bottle with it without damaging it until the moment of impact." Arad exined how to cast it, and that fairly simple to follow, the standard way damaging spells were cast withponents in the past. [Fire bolt] [Fire bolt] SWOSH! The two firebolts took the bottles from Arad and Gojo and flew into the distance, hitting the ground. ZAAAA-BOOOOM! Arge burst of blue mes, a rose almost fifteen meters tall bloomed out of nothing as a wave of hot air expanded as a st, ripping trees off and shaking the ground so violently that the students far away got thrown off their feet. Arad and Gojo stared at the mes rising to the sky, sweating. "We''re getting in trouble for this." Gojo said with a scared face. "I didn''t expect it to be this powerful." A fire bolt usually takes an eight of a room when exploding, that is the amount of air it consumes to burn. Arad had shoved fifty rooms worth of oxygen into it. Arad looked at Gojo with a scared smile as he pulled another bottle. "And I was thinking of testing this. It''s the simplest matter I can make with my void, and it burns well." He indeed carried a bottle of liquid hydrogen. Hydrogen and oxygen, that''s rocket fuel. Arad and Gojo didn''t know they were ying with something that had the potential to send a dragon-sized piece of steel flying out of the. "Let''s use them together." Gojo smiled, wanting to see how big of an explosion they could make before the teachers arrived. Chapter 759 Selling Rocket Fuel? Chapter 759 Selling Rocket Fuel? ??Arad gave the liquid hydrogen bottle to Gojo and pulled a second one for himself, alongside a new set of oxygen bottles. "Let''s send it." Sparks of fire shed from Gojo''s finger as Arad did the same and both of them fire [Fire bolt]s As the spells impacted the ground, they shed with a bright light, growing into a massive blue rose of fire, followed by a booming impact and a shockwave that sted the teachers running toward Arad and Gojo''s location. "What did you do?!" The teachers managed to reach them as the dust settled. "Testingponents." Arad replied. "Noponent would do this!" A teacher growled, and Lucia tried to stop him. From what she saw from Arad, she could believe his words. "Want to try it?" Gojo approached them, smiling. "My little brother is an impressive alchemist." "I still have more." Arad pulled two bottles, one of oxygen and one of hydrogen, and gave them to the teacher. "Use them as any standard bottledponent." "Aron." Gojo said, pointing at Lucia. "Give her a pair as well. She wants to try it." "Really." Arad looked at Lucia and handed her a pair. "How many did you make?" She gasped. Unlike the other teacher, she was expecting those bottles to work and was scared that Arad had made multiple of such a terrifying weapon in a short amount of time. Unknown to her, Arad was already mass-producing hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is mass-produced by Doma and Aisha, who are flying above the sea with a Gemini clone of him, and he''s here creating oxygen with the void inside his stomach. He intends on bottling it up and using it to arm his wives and party, including the thousands of vampire spawns inside of him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Use a fire bolt. That''s what was used, and we don''t know how much bigger an explosion a stronger spell would make." Gojo pointed out that he created a barrier in front of the teachers. Their spells can fly through, but after that, it''ll protect them from the st. Lucia and the teacher pointed their hands out and fired the spells, causing a massive explosion akin to what Arad and Gojo did, proving that the power was from theponent that Arad made. And not from Gojo going crazy again. "This is¡­" The teacher looked at his shaking hands. "Such power, it''ll deserve an academic book." He turned toward Arad. "Aron, you''ve created a military-grade weapon. No, it''s probably stronger than that." Lucia started sweating. She wants to me Gojo and send him to the director''s office. All to hide what Arad made. With such power, teacher Ragnar clearly wants to get the method out of Arad, and make and probably resell theponent to the kingdoms of the world under the university''s name, like most researches are published. "Ragnar, it''ll be dangerous to involve a student with such a matter. We should keep a secret for now, or at least until the end of the year." Lucia tried to speak, but Ragnar ignored her and approached Arad. "We should get to work right away. How did you make it, what equipment was needed?" Ragnar started talking with an excited face. "No, this isn''t the ce for this. Let''s head tobs and write it down." Arad looked at him for a second. "No. I''m not writing it down." He said. ^I''m using a fake name. I needed an absurd amount of gravity magic topress air and also Aisha''s skill and one of Doma''s curses to purify it. And that other bottle is made straight from my void, I can''t tell them how I made it without telling them I''m a void dragon.^ "No, you don''t understand how important this is. You don''t have a choice other than to write it down, it must be written. When kingdoms hear about this, they''ll hunt you down for the knowledge. It''s better to write in the university''s name to protect yourself." Ragnar tried to convince Arad. Arad started thinking, but he wasn''t considering Ragnar''s suggestion, he was interpreting it to make his own decision. "If they want it, I''ll sell it to them." Arad smiled. "Yo! That''s right." Gojo smiled, "But what about me?" Gojo was also the king of his own country that humans live in, his military would benefit a lot from such a weapon. "Of course, you''ll get it for free. Take as much as you want." Arad smiled. "Nah, I''ll pay for it¡­or at least what I can''t make. Does that seem fair?" Gojo lifted a finger. ^Brother should be able to make the second one with his void¡­ but he doesn''t have Aisha or Doma to purify the air.^ Arad pulled two bottles. "You can make this on your own." He shook the hydrogen bottle. "But I doubt you can make something as clean as this." He shook the oxygen bottle. "Got it." Gojo smiled, "I''ll pay for this one then." He pointed at the oxygen bottle. "No, two students can''t be here selling weapons to whoeveres." Ragnar growled. "You have to write it down. It''s not something that you can just leave." Ragnar started getting irritated, and angry the more Arad refused. He got so enraged that he started screaming at Arad''s chest, he wasn''t tall enough to reach his face. Lucia tried to stop Ragnar, but couldn''t, he kept going back to Arad and screaming his lungs out, trying to convince him, even though it was clearly backfiring badly. "No means no." Arad sighed. "The fact you''re screaming means you have a weak argument,e back when you have something useful to say." He turned toward Lucia. "We''d like to test moreponents and judging by this¡­" As Arad was speaking with her, Ragnar got between them and started screaming once again, spitting nonsense alongside his spit everywhere. Arad lifted his foot, kicking Ragnar in the groin, and then punched him in the face, sending him drifting on the ground, unconscious. "Sorry, my hand slipped. If you want it, then pay up. I already paid for the school, so anything I learn or make here is mine. Not that the university had anything to do with thoseponents, we''re only been here for three days, hardy enough to teach anything of use." Lucia gasped seeing Ragnar knocked cold on the ground. "See, it''s your fault for screaming a lot." Gojo sat beside him and started poking him with a stick that he found. As Lucia was about to start panicking about how to handle this, a fat brown owl flew down,nding at the tree beside them. Everyone turned around, and Gojo smiled. "A familiar!" "It has a lot of magic, it''s not a normal bird. What''s a familiar." Arad looked at the owl. "That''s the chairman''s familiar." Lucia started at the owl with sweat dripping across her forehead. "Chairman, what do you want?" "Aron and Jogo are called to my office. Jogo for causing a second massive explosion after being told not to, and Aron for assault on a teacher. Immediately-boo! Immediately-boo! Immediately-boo!" The owl flew away, leaving them standing there. "Who''s the chairman?" Arad looked at Lucia. "The university is divided into sectors, and each sector is divided into departments. A director rules a department, a headmaster rules a sector, and the chairman is the one standing at the top of the university. Just¡­be careful around her¡­" Arad and Gojo looked at each other and then went to see the chairman. But upon walking into the office, they found a little girl with long ears sitting on the desk crosslegged with her white hair reaching all the way to her knees. "I''m the high halfling, Betty the sh. Nice to meet you. We''re called hobbits in some parts of the world if you don''t know half of what is a halfling." She giggled, staring at them with her glowing, diamond-like eyes. ^This magic? It''s like hers...^ Chapter 760 Betty The Flash Chapter 760 Betty The sh ??"You don''t look happy seeing me." Betty smiled, her eyes focusing on Arad. "To be honest. You remind me of the two women I hate dealing with the most. One is short and stupidly powerful, and the other is an exhibitionist who always pulls me to her bath." He sighed. "It isn''t nice topare me to such people. They''ll feel sad being put in the same bowl as me. But, I have no rtion to Lilia except us being from the same race. Well, she''s a half halfling." She tilted her head. "You didn''t deny the second." Gojo stared at her with a smile. "I can recognize dragon''s magic when I see it." She smiled. "Liminus is my grandma. You can see my eyes. I have a prismatic dragon bloodline. Or you might call them light dragons." "I knew it¡­But wait¡­" Arad gasped. "Don''t worry, I know you''re Arad. And that he''s Gojo. Alcott''s influence reached the headmaster of your department, but they were mostly hoping that I wouldn''t get involved. But how couldn''t Ie back with two world-destroying dragons at my university." She waved her fingers, and two chairs appeared out of nowhere. One was a bitrger than the other to amodate Arad. "So this means you didn''t call us for the st earlier?" Gojo sighed in relief. "No, that''s a part of it. You''ll be cleaning the mess you made, and Arad, you''ll have some points deducted for hitting a teacher.[=w=]" "So we aren''t getting off the hook." Gojo sighed. "But such punishments aren''t something you can''t finish or deal with in a few moments." She looked at Gojo. "Cleaning won''t be a problem for you, and I''m sure Arad''s marks won''t even dent with a few points." "You''re right." Nodded, "If this is everything, we''ll be going back to ss." Betty flicked her finger, locking the room. "Hold your horses. You aren''t going anywhere until I say so." "What do you want?" Gojo looked at her. "Nothing important. I just want to introduce myself in anguage that dragons understand." She lifted her hand, and a massive light gate appeared out of nowhere. "This leads to a ce we can converse in at peace." **** As Arad and Gojo went through the gate, they found themselves standing in a destend of stone and dirt, a glowing sun shining down from the sky as the concentration of mana seemed almost ten times that they felt around the world. "What''s this ce?" Arad asked. Betty looked at him. "My firing range. I got it as a birthday gift from grandma two hundred years ago. It''s a bit smaller than the world we live in, but I can st it as much as I want." She exined. Demi-ns are the creation of magic. They are made by ripping a hole in the fabric of time and space to create a dimension. Most wizards know how to use a lesser version to create magic pockets to store things, but this was on a farrger scale. This demi-n was the size of the moon, built by Betty''s grandmother, Luminus, the great wyrm light dragon. Luminus used this ce to train before but gifted it to her granddaughter when she no longer had a use for it. "If you want to cast anyrge spell, tell me, and I''ll let you in here to conduct any experiment. I don''t want to have to pay a boatload of gold each time one of you two sts my university." She turned toward the two, light refracting off her hair. "ARAD! Get back!" Gojo pushed Arad back and opened his mouth, unleashing a massive st of energy at Betty. Betty''s smiling face disappeared as the beam of energy engulfed the ce, and she set off running with the white wave of charged energy after her. Both Arad and Gojo''s breaths are beams of charged energy that travel at almost the speed of light, making it almost impossible to dodge without predicting where it''s going to be shot. But Betty wasn''t trying to dodge the beam. She was actively running away from it in a straight line, and the beam was unable to catch up with her. Soon, the beam finally exploded into a massive st, but Betty didn''t stop. She kept running in a straight line until she went around the whole demi-n, reaching Gojo''s back in less than a second. The full beam hadn''t even left his mouth when she arrived. Even so, she clenched a fist and smacked him in the back of the head, sending him flying forward. Arad blinked, and it was all done. Gojo had his upper torso buried in the dirt, with Betty standing in his ce with a smoking fist. "Your beam is fast, but I''m faster. And it even has a limited range. Don''t even try hitting me." "Light dragons could move at the speed of light. But you''re a sorceress. You shouldn''t be able to harness their full power." Arad said, staring at the 3-foot-tall halfling. They were called halflings as they are half as tall as humans, but otherwise, they look their age, like a shrunk human. "That would be right. If I wasn''t her granddaughter. I''m too close to her. I might not be as strong as a true light dragon, but I do have their blood and I can at least reach their speed." Betty stared at Arad. "So, what about you? Kid." She smiled. "Did you know you aren''t a true dragon? You''re born to a void drakaina and a human?" She pointed at Gojo, "And neither he¡­but his father isn''t a human." "That doesn''t matter. I have my full draconic form. I''m a true dragon." Arad clenched a fist, ready to lung at her. But he kept trying to think of a way to catch her. "That isn''t it. The definition of a true dragon is a dragon born to two true dragons. But I guess that doesn''t matter to void dragons, as you''ll still retain your full power. Fine, I''ll train you if you manage tond a hit on me. Your brother is knocked out cold. I''m surprised his head didn''t explode." She pointed at the knocked-out Gojo. The energy delivered from a hit directly colorates its mass and velocity. When maxing the speed by reaching the speed of light, even a small mass like Betty''s body would carry a horrifying amount of power behind it. Arad knew it. If one hit knocked Gojo cold, he''ll end up exploding into a mush of blood if got hit. But, to him, turning into a mush of blood wasn''t that of a bad thing. He red at her with a tilted head. "Challenge epted, halfling. I''ll show you that no matter how fast or powerful you are, you''ll never reach a dragon''s ws." He stated, pointing a finger at her with a dark aura coursing through his body. [Blood magic: Exploding Eyes] [Curse magic: petrification] Arad cast each of those with one of his eyes, getting ready to lung at Betty. I shouldn''t, I shouldn''t watch her with my eyes, those rely on light, I''ll be dead by the time she starts moving. I have to catch her before she thinks of moving, have her think of those spells I cast on her, and the moment her thoughts start to stop, it''s the moment she''s about to move. I can see it, her magic shifting to counter the blood magic, and it did with ease. Now her thoughts have shifted to petrification, and she can resist it with ease. As expected from the chairman of the university, and the granddaughter of that light drakaina.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om But, this is as far as she goes. A sorcerer can never reach true dragons, and this is her limit, I saw it, her thoughts. Arad extended a finger forward, [Curse Expansion: Witch''s cursed domain] Choosing the curse of existence, Arad managed to slip out of existence itself, freeing himself from its grasp. For only four seconds of his time, he exists outside time and space, an observer that lives the full duration in an instant. Arad''s eyes could see the four seconds of the world that he left, and indeed, Betty did send him flying with a punch in a fraction of a second. I can see it, her future in the cursed world, but with this, I can act before that could be a reality. In the same way, he killed the cold spirit that cut his way outside of the human capital, this time he tried to kick Betty in the face, sending her flying. Arad lifted his foot andunched it toward Betty''s face, hitting her square in the nose. ^When we''ll return to the real world, you''ll be already kicked in the face before you know it.^ "So, you don''t know¡­" She said, her eyes turning toward Arad. "What is the speed of light, and what happens when you surpass it." Arad''s foot started moving backward, and he took a step, returning to where he stood. "Don''t tell me. Time flows backward¡­but that shouldn''t matter, as long as I kicked inside Doma''s expansion." Arad swung a second kick at her face. "Time doesn''t exist here." "But¡­what if I ran to the past before you cast that expansion?" Arad found himself standing in the same ce, before casting his blood magic and curse of petrification. "What do you say." Betty stared at him with a smile. "Scary stuff, right?" Arad smiled, "Yeah, scary stuff¡­" He stared back at her, and her nose gushed with blood. She gasped, "What did you do?" Arad smiled. "Did you think, my four seconds are tied to the future?" Instead of erasing time and space for theing four seconds where Betty could just run to the past and evade Arad''s attack. He erased the four seconds of the past, kicking her before she could realize it. Betty giggled. "I see, so the witch inside you is indeed Doma. That cursed witch." "Yo! Betty, it''s been a while, you''ve grown shorter." Doma opened a mouth in Arad''s face and spoke. "Do you know her?" Arad asked. "Yeah, but it''s a long story. One of a little girl with so much power she could kill herself by mistake, and how her grandmother brought her to my doors for help." Chapter 761 Tales of Light Speed Chapter 761 Tales of Light Speed ??In the middle of summer, Domay on her hammock wearing only her underwear with a wood golem fanning her with arge leaf. "Damn you, sun. What''s this heat today." She growled, taking her cut for a drink. Behind her a stack of papers, unfinished work. But no one could find it bearable to sit at a desk and work in such conditions. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Doma grunted, turning aside, "Who is it now? I''m busy dealing with the heat¡­" She wore her mantle and walked toward the front door. There weren''t that many creatures that could reach Doma''s front door. She lived in her hut, protected by countlessirs of curses and violent evil spirits roaming everywhere. It''s either a powerful monster, a demi-god, or a lost child that the evil spirits guided in to watch him get killed. Doma opened the door, ready to st anyone outside into oblivion. But instead, she was faced with a blinding light as if that damned sun came to her front door. "Doma, I need your help." The orb of light said. "Luminus?" Doma sighed, smacking the door closed. "Doma! Where are you going?" Luminus shouted. "It''s always like this! Helping any of you would be several decades ofmitment. I don''t want to deal with that. Find someone else." Doma yelled at her. "Doma, please. You''re the only one I can count on. At least give my granddaughter a look." Luminus yelled back, and the door immediately opened back. "Granddaughter? I sent you a congrattory letter five years ago when she was born. That doesn''t mean I''ll care for it for you¡­ but at least turn the light off." Doma sighed, "I can''t see anything like this, and it hurt my eyes." "You know I can''t." Doma sighed, waving two fingers in front of Luminus with her eyes closed, "This will hurt." "Do it." Luminus''s light faded away, and her face could finally be visible. A tall woman in herte forties with long and reflective hair, diamond eyes, and clear pale skin that looked almost oiled, you could even see yourself on her mirror-like nails. Blood started dripping from Luminus''s nose and ears. "This really hurt, more than the rest." She smiled. "The rest¡­" Doma looked back, seeing Lumunis''s back charred from all the curses she walked through to get there. "You''re dying! Get inside." "I''ll survive, not many things can kill me. More importantly, look at her." Luminus handed somethingrge wrapped in a piece of white cloth. Doma''s nose instantly picked it up, the scent of charred flesh. "This is bad. Come in." Doma took Luminus''s granddaughter and rushed inside, with Luminus following them. "What did happen?" Doma asked. "She inherited my blood, and this is what happened." Luminus replied as Doma unveiled the wrapping, seeing a charred body that was barely alive due to several magic items and healing spells active on her. "Just as some fire sorcerers burn their houses down when their powers first manifest, she tried to go at the speed of light. But, mortals aren''t like you light dragons." "When moving at a high speed, the friction with the air turns into heat. She burned like a meteor without even reaching a fraction of the speed of light, and I''m sure the impact left her broken down to every bone." Doma red at Luminus, "I believe I told you not to have children with humans." "I didn''t, she''s my granddaughter. My eldest son married a halfling and she was born." Luminus exined. "Halfling¡­I guess the ears fell off when she burned." Doma lifted her hand over the body. "First, I need to make sure she doesn''t use her powers by mistake when healing." She turned toward Luminus, "You don''t mind me doing anything to her, right?" "She''ll die if her powers aren''t quelled, so please do anything you can." Luminus bowed. "Got it, first, I''ll knock her out and seal her consciousness. That would make her act like a golem for the time being, but at least she won''t use her powers by mistake." A wave of dark magic engulfed the body. "That''s mind control, and a powerful one at that." Luminus stared at Doma''s magic. "I''m no stranger to learning forbidden curses and magic. But, they be really useful at times like this." Doma replied. "What scares me is that it can work on me." Luminus smiled, looking at the spell. "You''ll cut my head off before I could cast it." Doma smiled. "Is that so?" Luminus stared at her. "My guts tell me I''m the one to lose if we fought, and my gut feeling has never been wrong." She could sense a wave of dreamsing from Doma''s magic. "Why do you not join the power struggle? Doma." Luminus stared at her, "Are you satisfied with your life here?" "I''m a weirdo, a lonely elf with a fetish for collecting forbidden curses and horrid magic that makes people terrified. I can study in peace here, and the world doesn''t need to deal with the horror of me walking around it." Doma waved her hand as she finished casting the spell on Lumunis''s granddaughter. "You collect everything that is evil, cursed, and sphemous. But you aren''t malevolent, you''re just weird. Probably why the gods never dropped a holy sword to y you." Luminus smiled. "I just love, forbidden knowledge." Doma smiled. "Done for now, get the healing spells to go all out." She rushed to herb and brought a tube to feed the granddaughter with. "Her name was Betty, right?" "Yeah." Luminus replied. "Now?" Putting her hands over Betty''s chest. "Wait, I''ll make a slurry for her to eat first." Doma quickly crushed a paste of honey, water, and herbs. She then shoved the tube down Betty''s nose and to her stomach, and started feeding her as Luminus slowly let the healing spells go all out. After two days of hard work, Betty''s body finally fully healed and she woke up, sitting up with an empty, emotionless face as she was still under Doma''s mind control. Luminus stared at her, almost crying. She thought her granddaughter would die no matter how she tried to help, but Doma made it possible. "Doma..thank¡­" "Don''t thank me yet. We''re halfway there." Doma approached Betty. "You said I can do anything to her. I''m sure you won''t like this, so can you leave?" "I want to stay¡­" Luminus red at her. "What are you trying to do?" "We can''t let her live her life like an emotionless puppet, can we? So I''ll curse her to lose her powers or at least most of her power." Doma looked at Betty''s eyes. "I better do it while she''s under my mind control so I can''t erase the memory of being cursed from her head." "Why erase it?" Luminus looked at Doma with a worried face. "Cause it painful as hell. It''ll break and reconstrict her blood, soul, and bones to work. Imagine it like a really painful tooth, but it''s all of your bones." Doma waved her hand over Betty''s head, and she started screaming her lungs out. "Let''s go." Doma dragged Luminus out of the room. "This will take a few hours." "We aren''t leaving her like this." Luminus didn''t want to leave the room. "You can stay with her if you want, but she''ll be in pain for a long time." Doma left the room leaving Luminus sitting with crying Betty. A dayter, Betty finally calmed down, the curse had taken effect. "So what now?" Luminus looked at Doma who just walked into the room. "First, delete the memory of getting cursed." She waved her finger, and Betty fell unconscious for a second and then woke up immediately. "And then release her." With a finger flick, light returned to Betty''s eyes and she looked around surprised, "Where am I?" She gasped. Luminus hugged her crying, "You fine, it''s all right." "Grandma, what happened." "Nothing sweety, you''ll be fine." "No, you won''t." Doma said in the back. "You almost killed yourself." She cut them off. "Doma!" Luminus red at her. "You said I can do whatever I want, so don''t get in the way." Doma walked toward Betty. "I really don''t want to cut off this sweety family moment, but you still might kill yourself." "How?" Luminus red at Doma, "Her powers are sealed." "You''re a light drakaina, do you think your powers are that easily suppressed?" Doma sighed, "My curse managed to suppress her power down to 0.000001%. This means she could still fly at 3 meters per second and break a bone or her neck." Doma looked into Betty''s eyes, "You aren''t going back home, you''re staying here to train on how to control your powers." "I thought you hated having outsiders here." Luminus red at Doma, "And I didn''t tell her parents that she won''t be returning." Doma pulled two papers out of her pocket, "Give those to them, they cane to visit her. But she''s staying here." Luminus stared at Doma, "Betty, want to stay here?" She asked. "Do I need to stay?" Betty asked, still confused about everything. "Yeah." Doma stared at her. "Otherwise, you''ll end up hurting yourself and making your parents and grandma worry. From today, you''ll be living with me here to train." Luminus sighed, "Fine, I''ll go bring her parents here." She stood. "Grandma¡­" Betty called her. "You aren''t glowing¡­" "I did that to her." Doma flicked her fingers, "Here you go, powers back so you can go. I made an exception for you in the hut''s defenses. And for her parents, they''ll be fine as they are carrying their passes." In a sh, Luminus disappeared leaving Betty and Doma alone. "What do I do now?" Betty asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Go take a bath ande to the kitchen, I''ll cook something for you to eat. We can then meet your parents and start training tomorrow." Doma pointed at the wardrobe. "It has some of my old clothes, they should fit you. If they didn''t, make them fit." She pointed to a box of needles and threads. Betty took a bath, ate her fill, and met her parents who brought her clothes and toys. They were extremely weary of Doma but grateful for saving their daughter''s life. The next day quickly came by, and Betty''s training began. "First your core strength! Run around the garden until you puke!" Doma shouted, sitting on her porch with a staff in her hand, waving at Betty who ran with heavy breath. "I can''t!" Betty cried. "You can! Keep going and don''t stop!" Doma yelled at her. A year quickly passed with Betty only working on her endurance and strength, running around, doing pushups with Doma sitting on her back, and plowing the garden with the golems. "Master." Betty approached Doma. "I want to start training on controlling my light powers, it''s been a year." Doma approached her, pped her in the face then kicked her in the guts, sending her rolling on the ground. Crying, Betty stared at Doma, "Why¡­did you do that." "Those two hits are far gentler than hitting a tree at a fraction of the speed of light." Doma said, "Come do my nails. Starting today, I''ll hit you like this once a week, and when you can take it without falling down or crying, I''ll start training you on how to control the light." With tears in her eyes, Betty barely stood and started doing Doma''s nails as she thought about it. Those two hits hurt a lot, and Doma said they are far gentler than hitting something with her power, is she really ready to train? It''s been a grueling year, but for what purpose if she can''t even train? "Don''t worry about it." Doma said, "Everyone starts somewhere. You''ll be able to control your powers one day." It took Betty two years to be able to start her training in light magic. "Stand in ce and don''t move, focus on your magic and throw a straight punch. You''ll most likely dislocate your shoulder or elbow, so be ready for a lot of pain. Not that many things can move too fast." Doma said, standing beside her. Betty took a deep breath, pulled her fist back, and then punched forward. CRACK! Both her shoulder and elbow were dislocated. She fell down screaming, "Both¡­you seem to need more muscles around your joints." Doma grabbed Betty where she was and snapped her shoulder and wrist in ce, leaving her writhing in pain. "See? It''s painful, so keep training." After another year of physical training, Betty finally managed to unleash 0.000001% of her power without breaking her own fragile body, halflings weren''t known for their sturdiness. "Master! I did it! I did it!" She rushed toward Doma with arge smile. Doma patted her head, "This is just the first step. Keep going and one day you can use 100% without dying." Time quickly passed by, and a decade ended without anyone noticing. Betty has grown so strong she could unleash around 0.0001% of the speed of light. She could move and hit at a speed close to bullets without ending her own life. "Master, I''m going now." Betty bowed to Doma at the edge of the hut. She''s going to her mother''s graduation ceremony. Since Betty''s powers showed up, her parents refused to have any more children. Her mother instead focused on studying magic and alchemy, trying to find a way to have children without them inheriting her bloodlines. Her research didn''t go well, but she managed to graduate from a local school and invited Betty to visit. The ceremony went well as any other and Betty stood at the entrance with her father, awaiting their mother toe out so they could head home and spend the night before Betty had to return to Doma''s hut. CRACK! The ground shook, and dust started rushing in. Betty''s father looked to the walls, and arge giant had broken the city''s wall and walked in, he''s almost forty meters tall and holds a massive club. Betty''s father couldn''t fight, he''s a semi-immortal shapeshifter and her mother is a normal halfling. "Betty, dear, let''s run!" The mother came in rushing from inside the school and grabbed Betty by the hand. "It''s dangerous." SWOSH! A fist-sized stone flew toward them, and Betty smacked it away in the blink of an eye. She shook her mother''s hand off, "You two run, I''ll handle that thing." Betty hunched her fists back. "0.0001%, unleashed¡­" Her body sparked with a faint light, and she shed forward, running and dodging the flying debris. Her mother and father screamed in the back, but someone had to take action, the adventurers and guards were too slow, and people were already dying everywhere, crushed by the rubble. The giant saw Betty and swung his massive club at her. ^Sorry, Master. 0.0001% doesn''t have enough power to kill this thing.^ Her left foot shed with a bright light, CRACK! She jumped, dodging the giant''s club, and reached his face. "0.001%, FLASH!" She punched him in the face so hard a shockwave sted him backward, and Betty''s arm broke with her fingers falling apart, her leg was also broken as she used that same power to jump. The people of the city gasped as they saw a bright white sh fill the sky for a fraction of a second. From that day, Betty was nicknamed the sh. "Betty the sh was born." Chapter 762 Yarn Ball Chapter 762 Yarn Ball ??"I did get a hit in." Arad said with a smile, Staring at Betty''s bleeding nose. Betty smiled, "Yeah, it''s been a while since someone got me. But it isn''t strange with Master living rent-free in your head." She stared at him with glowing diamond eyes. "I''ll make sure¡­" Betty went silent, and so did Arad, arge aura of mana rushed from the dust, and two blue eyes red at them. Gojo stood there, staring at Betty with a smile. "I can''t see a damn thing, you broke something in my head." He tapped the back of his head. "But¡­I can still feel it, your mana, you''re here." He lifted his hands. "You''ll regret killing my little brother, cry about it in this world''s non-existent future." Gojo attacked first the moment he sensed Betty''s magic spiking, thinking it was a surprise attack. A strange person with light dragon magic is trying to kill him and his younger brother, that is what he thought, and that notion only got stronger when Betty hit him in the back of the head. The damage she caused his brain was so great, that he lost vision, and several of his senses got impaired. "This is bad!" Betty gasped. [100% Light speed] She lunged forward, punching him in the face, but he didn''t even blink. She immediately followed by a kick to the guts, but couldn''t knock him down. ^How long have I been unconscious¡­little brother, Arad¡­I can''t hear his thoughts¡­that halfling killed him¡­I failed as his older brother¡­ It''s my fault, I should''ve ripped her head off in the office when I sensed her magic first, I shouldn''t have trusted her calm thoughts¡­^ Betty did her best to knock him off in that fraction of a second but to no avail. ^This is bad, I don''t have enough weight.^ Kic energy is mass multiplied by speed. Betty could max the speed, but with her light halfling body, she couldn''t provide enough mass to scale the damage to a level that could knock Gojo cold. She managed to get him in the first surprise hit as he never faced something at light speed, but now he''s deciding to take her hits as he prepares his expansion. Betty knew that what Gojo was about to pull wasn''t something she wanted to see. Her grandmother Luminus had always warned her, time dragons can freely travel through time, they''ll kill in your mother''s womb. Light dragons are fast, you''ll never escape their ws, but you can run like them so you might be fine. But, voids are destroyers, do not anger them, and if you did, try to kill them in one hit before they''ll retaliate. "This world shall know pain!" Gojo red at her with two glowing blue eyes. [Reversal] [Void Compression: Yarn Ball] Instead of the regr expansion, Gojo opted to test something new, something he shied off from trying as he couldn''t guess how destructive it would get. Void is the empty space devoid of matter, Void dragons are space dragons. As Gojo''s hands got closer together, his fingers started touching the thread of space of the fabric of space-time around him, knitting them into a yarn ball. As he pulled the threads of space, they pulled the threads of time they were intertwined with. As the matter tied to space got sucked into the yarn ball, the fabric of time started ripping between Gojo''s hands and the past melted into the future, the darkness of nothingness came into reality, a ck hole, a universe devoid of everything. Betty turned around to grab Arad and run, but no matter how fast she tried, she was getting pulled toward Gojo''s yarn ball, the ck hole. The immense gravitational pull generated by a ck could even bend light, twist, and suck it into the singrity that burns between Gojo''s fingers. Betty growled, ^No wonder grandma warned me about them, but fine challenge epted. I''m no stranger to pushing beyond my limits.^ BAM! She started running faster and faster, [101%...102%...103%] Slowly pushing faster than light, to a past where Gojo still hadn''t activated this ck hole. But then, something wrong started happening. Gojo wasn''t just pulling her and everything around him, he was effectively pulling space and time themselves, knitting them into a yarn ball. Betty felt like she was running on a treadmill set to a bit over the speed of light. Even with her running at light speed, she was getting pulled back toward Gojo''s ck hole. Tobat that, she tried to push over her limit and run faster than the speed of light, faster than the treadmill to outrun it and push forward. It was then that she realized that Gojo''s ck hole was pulling time and space themselves, pulling the treadmill whole from beneath her feet. Light can never escape a ck hole, even if its speed bes infinite, that is why they are ck, light never managed to escape, not in the past, and never in the future. ^Death is inevitable, void dragons are destroyers, and a half-blood line myself can never match true dragons¡­^ Betty''sst thoughts, seeing herself getting pulled toward the ck hole. Nothing can stop void dragons¡­ CLACK! Arad grabbed Betty by the neck and sucked her into his stomach. ¡­Beside another void dragon. "Brother! WAKE UP!" Arad screamed directly into Gojo''s brain as sound didn''t exist where the two of them were. Gojo didn''t react, Betty''s first hit had damaged his brain enough that he couldn''t hear Arad''s thoughts, and that reality became clear to Arad as he sensed a deep sadnessing from Gojo''s mind. Loneliness, his only family member got killed, Gojo stopped caring about the world at that moment. Just as red dragons burn cities out of rage, Gojo is about to unleash all that he has in the world. Arad extended his hand into the ck hole, grabbing the yarn ball. Any other creature would''ve already ripped apart, but void dragons are born to interact with the void, just as Gojo can spin it, Arad can touch and grasp it, even if he can''t create a ck hole of his own at his age. "STOP IT!" Arad screamed into Gojo''s brain once again, but he didn''t get any response. He tried to stop the Gojo from knitting the yarn ball, but couldn''t match him in strength or control. Just as a little brother can never beat his older brother in arm wrestling, Arad found himself at a great disadvantage when it came to void control due to the age difference. ^I can''t talk to him, and I can''t beat him in void control.^ Arad thought, wracking his brain as the whole demi-ne around them crumbled, a moon-sized world started breaking and getting sucked into the ck hole. ^No, I have something.^n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad grabbed Gojo by the face and started waterboarding him with healing potions. "Unlike me, you can''t regenerate from brain damage without external help, I''ll be your healer. Get that brain fixed, and listen to me!" Arad screamed at him. Gojo''s brain damage slowly healed from the potions shoved in his face, and soon, he could hear a faint scream in the distance¡­^Ha¡­I finally started hallucination of him¡­my brother is dead, he''ll never be back¡­^ "It isn''t a hallucination, wake up! Shut this thing off!" Arad started shaking Gojo''s head, shoving more potions down his throat. "Huh?!" Gojo gasped, realizing it was indeed Arad screaming at him. "You''re alive?!" "Shut this thing off first!" Arad shouted back, and Gojo canceled the ck hole. Gojo and Arad found themselves floating alone in the empty space, surrounded by chunks of debris and molten stones, a the moon-sized world had been destroyed leaving them in a gravity-less space. "What happened¡­" Gojo asked. The two were talking telepathically as air doesn''t exist in space, it''s how void dragons evolved to live in the void. "Betty smacked you in the back of the head. You went blind and insane." Arad replied. "I didn''t go insane. She knocked me out, but when I woke up, I didn''t know how much time had passed, I couldn''t see, hear, or feel anything. I was alone in the void of my head, but I knew one thing, she had to be close, and if not, I was still in her demi-world." Gojo looked around, "I''ll blow this whole ce, hopefully, she''ll be inside and die, if not, I''ll go to the outside world and blow it out as well." "Even if I die, don''t blow the outside world. My wives live there." Arad sighed. "Now that''s a problem, I''ll try not to do it, but no promises. I might end up wrecking a kingdom or two at least, but I''ll keep you wives safe, that''s a promise." Gojo replied with a smile. "But¡­is she dead?" "No, I sucked her into my stomach before you could turn her into a paste." Arad waved his hand and pulled Betty out, encased in a shell of air that he created with gravity magic around her. "What happened?!" She gasped, panting with sweat dripping across her whole head, "The hell was that?" "I cleared the misunderstanding. Get us out, brother need healing." Arad put his head inside the bubble of air to speak with her. "He shouldn''t try to kill you again, but keep in mind, he''s stronger than me. "Next time, at least rip my head clean off, or the world shall regret giving birth to you." Gojo stared at her with a smile, his eyes shing with ominous blue light. Chapter 763 Light Magic Chapter 763 Light Magic ??DING! A bright portal emerged out of nothing in the chairman''s room. Gojo, Arad, and Betty fell from it to the ground. "We''re back." Arad looked around with a smile. "That was scary¡­" Betty panted, staring at the two brothers. "My head hurts." Gojo scratched his head, the damage still remained and he needs time to fully heal. Betty pulled a golden card and gave it to Gojo, "This will allow you into any library in this university, study magic as much as you like." "Really?" He looked at her with a smile. "Yeah." She pointed at the door with a finger, and it opened. "Head back to ss, Arad will follow you soon." "Thank you for the card." Gojo jumped out with a happy face. "See youter, Arad." "Now he left." Arad looked at Gojo''s leave. He did need to heal, and like most creatures out there, he didn''t want to look weak in front of those they wanted to protect. "I can''t believe how much damage your punch did." Arad looked at her. "It wasn''t my punch that damaged his brain. When I hit his head, it elerated his alreadypressed brain inside that small humanoid skull, causing it to hit the walls at near the speed of light and damage itself. A concussion." Betty exined. "That still the damage of your punch." Arad sighed deeply. "Forget about him for now, someone like him would be fine. But you, I''ll train you as much as I can as I promised, even though I doubt I''ll be of any help if you already have master inside your head." Betty looked at him with a grin. "How about brother?" "He''s scary, I don''t like him." Betty said, puffing her chest, "But you aren''t scary, you''re interesting. Let''s y together. Gojo can learn in the libraries, I gave him ess."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Well, but I need to get back to ss as well for now." He looked at her. "You''re at my office, don''t worry about it." She jumped on her desk and sat crosslegged as she had before. "Take a seat, let''s talk for a bit." "What do you want to talk about?" Arad sat and looked at her. "What do halflings love?" She stared at him. Arad blinked twice, trying to guess what she meant. "How would I know?" "Dwarves live muscles and beards, elves hands and feet, humans breasts and butts, dragons wealth and strength. So what would halfling love?" She stared at him with a grin. "I don''t know, you''re the first halfling I''ve met." Arad replied with a tired face, he didn''t like where this was going. "Jokes and simple life." She stared at him, "Halflings retire the moment they are born, we don''t have a government, work, or obligations. We live in our little homes, tend to our gardens, bake pies, and drink wines that our neighbors brew cause they are bored. If you never have a goal, you''re never lost. There are a rare few of us who seek something, but that is extremely rare, my mother was such a halfling." "Carefree." Arad stared at her. "Yep, we always make fun of each other, joke, andugh at ourselves. No one gets made as none of us care, we don''t take ourselves seriously, and we ask other races not to take our jokes seriously, we''re trying to have fun so that if we die tomorrow, we at least had a good breakfast and augh today." She stared at him with a grin, "We''re your opposite." "Dragons are easy to anger and always n and work to amass wealth and power, you''re indeed our opposite, you''re even small." He looked at her with a smile. "We have some kickable faces, don''t we? Right where a humanoid foot is, one straight kick and we go rolling." She giggled. "Even you went to kick my face." "You''re too short." Arad nodded. "You''re around[3 feet] 0.9 meters tall, and I''m [7 feet] 2.1 meters tall." "We''re called halflings since we''re half as tall as humanoids after all." She smiled, "Even our race''s name pokes fun at our height." "So what will you teach me?" Arad asked. "My specialty is light magic. I don''t know if you can learn it or not, but I''ll at least teach you how to counter it. Master, did you teach him cursed magic?" Betty lifted her hand and a ball of light emerged above her palm. "[I did teach him the basics, but he stillcks experience. Cursed magic grows stronger the more you use it. The deeper you sink, the more cursed you get.]" "And that expansion?" "[I''m the one who cast it. Arad''s soul isn''t that soaked into curses to be able to output that, if he cast it on his own, he''ll be cursed with so many negative effects that he''ll die on the spot.]" "Curses are give and take, after all, they aren''t a forbidden art for no reason. At least, with light magic, he might have an easier time." She showed Arad her nails, "How do they look?" "Two centimeters tall, w-like, sharp, and reflective like mirrors." He replied. She extended her hand to the side and grabbed the air with her nails, twisting the image of the wall and window behind her. "I can twist and refract light as I wish." She flicked her fingers, and a second Betty appeared. "I can create illusions." She ran her hand through the illusion and it passed right through. "Disassemble light." The illusion turned into a rainbow hue of colors. "Createsers." She pointed a finger at Arad, and a beam of light started burning his arm. "At least scream." She sighed, turning it off and Arad healed instantly." "I can see anything in my magic range. And show it to other people." She created several panels in front of Arad showing him everything that happens as if she had surveince cameras everywhere. "Of course, I can see through everything by twisting light. To me walls and clothes, even skin and flesh mean nothing, I can see straight through them." She smiled, "Of course, I could also be invisible." She disappeared. "I can still see you." Arad said, his eyes see more than what humans can. That is how his void eyes see mana and invisible creatures, they aren''t really invisible, only emitting light outside of the visible range, in both the ultraviolet and infrared ranges. "How about now?" She disappeared from his vision by eliminating all light reflected by her body and clothes and letting the lighting from behind her pass through her. "I can''t see you¡­I thought my eyes could see invisible creatures." Arad looked at the empty desk, confused. "Eyes rely on light. You won''t see me if I eliminate all of my light and bepletely transparent. I even have to change the light around my breath as it hotter and slightly shifted the air density and thus refract light differently than if I wasn''t there." She giggled, "What I''m saying, is that it takes a lot of practice, discipline, and math to calcte every possibility and control light." "My void is the same. It''s quite annoying to create new matter and guess what it''ll do." He looked at her with a tired face. "I feel you. It took me over a hundred years to learn what I know about light magic, and even I still have a long way to go." She started taking her shoes off. "What are you doing?" Arad asked. "About to make myself at home." She stood over the desk and hopped on Arad''s shoulder. She then wrapped her legs around his neck and sat there. "As I said, what are you doing?" He turned his head to look at her. "I''ll be sitting on your shoulder from now on. I''ll help you with anything you want." She tapped his head. "Get down, my wives would kill you." He growled. "Don''t worry, they can''t kill me." She smiled, "Yo! Arad''s wives, what are you doing?" She said with a smile and a panel showing her sitting on Arad''s shoulders appeared in front of all of his wives. Ae was in ss, and she gasped. Mira was in the bathroom, and Eris screamed in the middle of a prayer, making Lydia angry. Merida was in the swordsmanship and ended up smacking her opponent in the face, which was a foul. [I''m the university''s chairman, Betty. Nice to meet you all, Arad''s wives. Let''s get along well, see after school] written subtitles showed at the bottom of the panel as she could only control light and not sound. [I said get off my back.] Arad tried to fling her off her, and his words showed written on their screens. [No, I''m not getting off. You aren''t fast enough to generate enough momentum to throw me off.] "AH!" Betty smiled, looking at Arad. "They say we''ll talk about thister, they are busy now." She flicked her fingers and shut off the panels. "Let''s get back to ss. She becamepletely invisible." "Don''t you have work? Chairman." Arad growled. "We halflings are retried since birth, so no." She smiled. Chapter 764 Finishing The Day With a BANG! Chapter 764 Finishing The Day With a BANG! ??Arad walked back into the firing range, seeing Gojo sitting there on a stone, waiting for him. "You''re back." He said with a smile, "And¡­she''s on your shoulder." "You can see her? I thought she waspletely invisible." Arad tilted his head. Betty''s legs that were wrapping around his neck weren''t thick enough to stop him. "I can''t see her. But I feel a mass around your shoulder. She''s the only one who can hide. It could also be my senses that are messed up." Gojo tapped his head. "She''s indeed there." Arad nodded as Gojo stood so they could keep testing magic andponents. "Aron!" The teacher from before approached Arad with hastened steps, growing beneath his broken nose. "You''ve finally back from the chairman''s office." "Yeah." Arad replied, "I''m not writing anything for you." "That won''tst long, ''cause it''s¡­" The teacher stopped talking as he saw two diamond eyes ring at him above Arad''s shoulders. "Since you''re doing this now. I suspect you''ve been doing this for years." Betty said, "Demoted to ab counter. Get to your new post now." The teacher''s face paled, "But¡­ chairman¡­" "Rule 58, students own their inventions, unless they don''t want to take it''s responsibility, then the university would cover for them and publish it without mentioning their name. It''s not for you to decide." Betty stared at him, pointing toward the nearest building, "Get out of my sight, or I''ll fire you on the spot and open an investigation for all writing published under your name." The teacher ran away, and Betty sighed on Arad''s shoulder. "He shouldn''t bother you again." "If you see anything in the university with your magic, you must know if he has forced other students to write off their writing or whatever they are called." "I don''t spy on everyone. What do you think I am? I''ve only been watching you two as you''re void dragons. It''s rare to see your kind around." She smiled, disappearing once again. "I hope she doesn''t get in the way." Gojo approached Arad, "Let''s keep testing, what do you have next?" "I''ve got this." Arad pulled a small piece of silk. "We got it yesterday from demon spiders. This one was collected from a regr spider in the forest before the dungeon spawned, so it''s quitemon." "Wasn''t that for Jack?" "I gave him something better. The one I pulled out of the boss." Arad smiled, handing half the silk to Gojo and keeping half. "So what spell should I use with this?" Gojo looked at the silk threads, they looked more like aid rope than spider webs, probably because the demon spiders wererge. "I didn''t find this, it was Aisha who told me about it. Demon spiders don''t sense vibration from their webs, but instead, they sense electrical pulses transmitted alongside the thread." "We''re charged?" "No, the threads are, touching them causes the charge to move to you, and then they''ll replenish from the spider, so it can sense when that happens, where, and how big the target is based on how much current was drawn." Arad shook the spider silk in his hand. "We can''t use it to detect like spiders in a spell, but we can do the reverse." Arad started rubbing his silk and made it longer, like a dough. "It''s surprisingly moldable, so make as long as you arefortable with it." Arad made his around three meters tall and then lifted his arm. [Shocking Grasp] A 0-tier spell that works like a taser, you touch someone and electrocute them. "This thread is conductive, so I can use it like a lightning whip, mimicking the effects of a 3-tier spell with a 0-tier one." Arad started swinging his lightning whip everywhere. Gojo tried it as well, and it was working nicely. "But¡­" Arad stopped swinging as his whip disintegrated. "It doesn''tst long, about two minutes at best." "But since the threads are cheap, this could give a weak wizard ess to a powerful spell, and without needing mana to cast it." Gojo smiled as his whip disintegrated as well. "It''s amazing how far humanoids can go to make power out of nothing." "Struggle of the weak." Betty said, her eyes showing above Arad''s head. "Don''t underestimate humanoids, especially humans. Dragons might hold might, but the powerless ones are the ones to always stand at the peace of legends." She tapped Arad''s head. "Yeah." Arad said, "I know Alcott. He''s a living proof of humanity''s strength, albeit I can barely call him human." Betty giggled, "Since I''m the chairman, let me tell you one thing about history. Do you know where humans came from?" Gojo stared at her, "Adam, the father of humanity." "Yes, that man is still alive in the heavens, a human that stood above all humans. Legends say that he''s the current overgod''s father, and had managed to beat both the overgod and the god yerbined. As a human, and with his bare fists, no tricks, straight hands." She stared at Gojo. "And he isn''t divine, he''s just a human, that above all humans." "As one red dragon one said." Arad looked at her, "One strong individual doesn''t change how everyone is looked on. Most humans are still too weak to survive monsters." "You''re right in that part as well. What I''m saying is to never underestimate a human, as they could surprise you with strength beyond what you expect." She started dangling her legs, hitting Arad''s chest. "I know two such people." Arad remembered Jack and Lydia. He could imagine Jack pulling some crazy trap, or Lydia simply punching him in the face so hard he goes flying, that isn''t beyond her as she had punched the devil lord of the secondyer of hell. ^But, that''s the hero and his shield¡­ I guess they are a bit more special than other humans.^ "Aron! Jogo!" Lucia approached them, "The ss is almost over, wrap up, and let''s head back." "Really?" Gojo stared at her with a sad face. "I wanted to test some chants." "I don''t know what to do with your ss." She red at Arad, "Since that brat relocated your teacher." Two diamond eyes showed above Arad''s head, "Don''t worry, Lena ising, I already called her." Betty replied. "Then we should end the day." Lucia sighed, "I''ve heard that Jack Bertha hade to his ss today and is causing a lot of trouble. Would you present in the meeting to see how to deal with him?" Arad blinked, he knew that Jack had already trapped the whole ce and had several escape routes and decoys prepared, they wouldn''t ever catch him. [=w=] Betty looked away, she had seen Jack trapping the whole ce and knew it was going to be a pain to get him to present at their meeting. He won''t listen to any advice despite being the top student. "I have something important to do so I''ll skip this meeting. Jack is smart enough to handle himself well." She disappeared. "Fine. Let''s head back to ss and then you can leave."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om **** About half an hourter, Arad walked out of the campus, meeting the girls heading to the dorms. Everyone looked fine, except Eris who seemed a bit rough. "What did happen?" Arad asked. "Just stressed, I got in trouble due to the chairman''s call." She sighed. "Sorry." Betty appeared above Arad''s head, lifting her hand as she stared at Eris. Eris red at her for a moment, before lunging in with a fist. "At least make it so everyone can see that damn thing!" She swung at her face. CLING! Betty disappeared from Arad''s shoulders and appeared standing on Eris''s head, her w-like toenails digging into her scalp. "You can''t catch me." SWOSH! Eris pulled a steel spear from her pocket and started swinging at Betty, but all of her attacks missed. To the light speed of the chairman, Eris looked awfully slow. "Let''s take this outside." She flicked her finger and teleported everyone outside the university''s premises and into the wilderness. "Your husband''s brother sted my demi-n so we have to y here. Don''t destroy the environment too much." Betty stared at them with a smile she started tying her long hair. Eris sighed, "I''m not stupid enough to fight you." She stabbed the spear in the ground. "You''re all his wives, this is a dragon''s pride. Does that mean the strongest wife rules?" She stared at them, "Who is it, the one I have to beat?" CLANG! In a split second, Ae, Eris, and Merida had their weapons pointing at Betty''s neck. "All of us." Since Mira can''t fight, she stepped back. "A spear, a bow, and a sword." Betty smiled, "Youck a mage and a brawler, I can fill both." She opened her palm and her nails turned into mirror-like ws. Looking up at them, Betty giggled, "I do have aplex about my height, and looking up at you like this is annoying. So I''ll be stepping on all of you." "You''re free to try." they growled at her, but five secondster, they were stacked up like fish with her standing above them. "You''re all too slow." And she burstughing. "Did you see that Arad? I''m strong!" She smiled. Mira approached her. "The fight is over, get off them." She pulled her by the hand and Betty gently hopped down. "Thank you, you''re the only nice one who didn''t fight." Betty seemed to start liking Mira more than the rest. BANG! Betty gasped, blood dripping from her lip as she saw a nail stuck on her side. BANG! BANG! BANG! And then three other nails pierced her. Mira stared at her with a smile as her wrist smoked. She had a small wrist nail gun that she made by studying Jack''s artificial arm cannon and making it smaller, that was only possible by using Selica''s spit instead of gunpowder. "That''s dirty." Betty red at Mira. "I''m a weak human, trickery is the only way we can resist." Mira looked at Eris who was still half knocked out. "Heal her before she dies." Mira said but Eris wasn''t responding. Arad approached them with a healing potion, "That was good practice, and gave it to Betty. He did want to ask her to fight his wives at least once so they could experience what it feels like to face something far faster than them, but he didn''t expect her to do it on her own, let alone Mira to be the winner." "Good Job," Arad patted Mira''s head. "What matters is that you win and survive. It isn''t called trickery, it''s called ying smart." Chapter 765 Loaded With Weapons Chapter 765 Loaded With Weapons ??Betty groaned as Eris healed her and pulled the nail off her side. "Couldn''t you dodge the other three?" She pulled another nail. Even with a light dragon''s blood, Betty was in the end a halfling. She didn''t have any scales nor wore armor to protect herself. The best she could do to protect herself was a spell of the barrier magic family, the one called [Caster''s Armor]. The spell covers the caster''s body with a thin barrier of condensed magic that acts as armor, but it''s an active spell that consumes a lot of mana to keep active. Betty usually keeps [Caster''s Armor] active during her fights, but deactivates it as soon as the battle ends to start recuperating her mana for the next fight. She thought the fight ended when Eris, Ae, and Merida were taken down, she didn''t expect Mira to be waiting for an opening to strike. Mira wasn''t intending to kill Betty so she had no bloodlust, and her gentle smile and human nature made her seem less and less of a threat, and Betty forgot about her. But even without her protective [Caster''s Armor], Betty''s trained body should''ve been able to stop a de''s stab and take some hits, she wasn''t strange to such damage due to the extensive training she went through. But in the end, Mira was still a step ahead. Mira had seen how powerful the monsters that came after Arad were and had wanted a weapon that could be of use. The concept of a nail gun didn''t exist in their world, and she was only trying to mimic a gun with nails and gunpowder.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After several revisions and tests, she finally made something strong enough to punch through steel armor, and even make Arad feel a sting when hit at point nk. But it wasrge, clunky, hard to reload, unpractical and heavy. It was then that two people came to mind, Jack''s mind to help make the design smaller, a tool more suitable for discrete killing. And to fix the size problem, Selica''s potent spit came into y as a recement for gunpowder. The three managed to get the nail gun into a small enough size to be able to strap into Mira''s wrist, and they even managed to increase the load from one shot to four shots, mimicking the design of Jack''s artificial arm cannon, which looked like a revolver. Jack refused to use the nail guns as they were too loud, and he would much rather the only loud thing he uses is the sure kill cannon. But Mira needed all the power she could have, loud enough so Arad could hear it ande. In the entrance test, Mira didn''t bring her nail guns as she expected them to be inspected for safety, but now at school, she''s fully armed all the time. Nail guns strapped beneath her wrist and above it hidden by her long sleeves, and the same for her ankles, strapping two on each leg. That means she had at least eight shots on each limb, which only needed nail reloading as they held enough of Selica''s spit to fire eight shots each. She held the spare nails and spit in a magic bag on her wrist in case she ran out, but she also had a second back tucked beneath her clothes right below her chest. That was a piece of advice from Merlin to always keep a spare for spare parts. She had even cast a spell on her to hide the second magic bag. But, Betty could see straight through people''s clothes and flesh if she wanted and the only reason she didn''t see how loaded with weapons Mira was, was because she wasn''t going around looking at people naked. She only does it when about to fight someone to see if they are hiding any weapons, and she never intends to fight the human Mira. "I''m quite small as you see. The first nail hit my liver. I can''t elerate that much, and even if I did, the nail would fly out of me, ripping a massive wound." She replied, turning toward Arad. "Not many things can withstand going near the speed of light, let alone reaching it. My clothes burn immediately, so I store them with magic before elerating and wearing illusion as clothes, that''s the first sh you see. And after I stop, I switch the illusion with real clothes." "So a nail won''t withstand that speed and melt." He looked at Mira, "Your attack was more effective than I thought. Nailed her in ce." And Mira giggled. Betty giggled, "Was that supposed to be a joke? You''re bad at them." "I never learned." "You don''t learn jokes, you get them from life." Betty stood as Eris had just finished healing her. "I really hoped to get pierced by something else first." Arad tilted his head, confused. But Ae grabbed Betty by the neck, "I''ll snap it off." "That was a joke, chill out. Isdis, cool her off! Wait, she isn''t here." Betty gasped. "You know of Isdis?" Arad red at her. "Of course I do. Who doesn''t know the man who married the ruris princess?" Betty stared at them, "You''re collecting them left and right." "I''m not collecting anything, besides wealth." Arad sighed. "A princess is a wealth, but, I admit that Isdis was pretty cold before you met her, and I''m not talking about her magic." Ae let go of Betty. "The spell-de princess traveling with a toon of knights ying evil, bandits, and monsters all across the kingdom. She was infamous for singing for head dead enemies as they buried them." Betty giggled, "There was this vige that was overtaken by bandits. Isdis and her knights raided and killed all the bandits, and then burned the corpses in a pit as Isdis yed her Biwa and sang on them. The vigers were horrified." "Burning the corpses is a good practice, it prevents diseases from spreading." Eris nodded with a smile, "I would''ve done the same, but I don''t know about singing, I''m bad at it." "Bad at singing?" Betty looked at her. Eris turned toward her and started¡­ What do you say? A purple butterfly? Dancing around the hay? Be aware It is near Calling from the shadows. Your vision will get narrow "Stop!" Betty stopped her, "That wasn''t released, it fucking escaped." "I know." Eris sighed, "I tried to practice with Isdis before but never got better, and now it''s biting me when we start singing in the church. Lydia has been shocked at how bad I''m at singing." "No, that was good enough for me. You can practice more to do better, but don''t feel down if you can''t." Arad looked at Eris with a smile. As Arad and Eris talked, Betty turned toward Mira. "But girl, you''re loaded. Carrying all those weapons to school." She finally decided to see what was up with Mira and realized the sheer number of firearms hiding beneath her clothes. "Aren''t they heavy?" "No." Mira shook her head, and then gasped, "Wait? You can see them?!" "Don''t worry, I left the underwear on." Betty smiled, "But who cast that wimpy illusion spell on your second Magic bag? A 7- tier spell won''t deceive my eyes." "A 7-tier is strong enough." Merida jumped into the conversation. "This mana color and wavelength, it''s Merlin, isn''t she?" Betty smiled. "That little girl has always been like this." She then looked at Arad. "Arad, I''ve heard Merlin almost caused a disaster in Alina, she created abyrinth." Arad nodded, "A tenyered one." "As I expected, she still hasn''te to terms with her magic yet." She sighed. "What terms?" "She''s a high human, you can tell that from the white hair. That boy Jack is one as well." Betty stared at the girls. "High humans can have one of two traits, a massive talent for magic, or an immense fate and intellect." "Jack is the hero so he has the immense fate and intellect." Arad looked at Betty, "Merlin has a talent for magic." "Merlin can cast 9-tier spells and has even mastered a lot of them. But the thing she was known for was her original spell that createdbyrinths." Betty stared at them, "She had first manifested that spell after graduating from this university, but sadly that was in her house and her entire family ended up getting killed by thebyrinth''s monsters before she took back control. After that, she went to the magic tower to learn how to control the spell and ended up getting tutored by Lilia, the tower''s archmage. Yet, her spell ended up going out of control again and all of her ssmates there died to the monsters there." "She never told me that." Arad mumbled. "She then ran out of the tower and started neglecting her magic and focused on creating magic trinkets. Last I heard, she was creating a heater." Betty sighed, "She''s wasting her talent." "I was caught in that Labyrinth, but I managed to dig myself out." Arad nodded, "But I agree, most people would''ve died there." "As a powerful void dragon, you should be able to help her train herbyrinth magic. When you back, make sure she understands that. Even if it means dragging her out." Betty stared at him. "The spell could go berserk with any small trigger, and you know that would be a disaster." Chapter 766 A Threat From The Deep Chapter 766 A Threat From The Deep ??Eris stared at Betty, "We need Lydia to check youter. She''s a far better healer than me." "As long as I''m not dying, I''ll heal up in time." Betty smiled, tapping her side. "It was my fault for underestimating her?" She turned toward Mira. "You say that." Arad looked at Betty, "But you would''ve still won if this was a real fight." "If it was a real fight." As Betty stared at a stone, two beams of concentrated red light shed from her eyes likesers and sliced it to pieces. "See?" Mira stared at the stone, it would''ve ended up badly if they were fighting for real. "But, you never answered my question. Who''s the first wife? Someone has to take the lead." Betty stared at Ae, Eris, and Merida. "There isn''t one, but we switch based on what we''re doing." Ae looked at her. "If we''re cooking or fighting something at a long-range, I take the lead as they are my specialty." "I take the lead if we''re making or fixing something." Mira added. "They usually listen to me when we''re fighting something extremely powerful, as I''m the strongest of them." Eris said, "And I have regeneration, so they don''t have to worry that much about me." Out of Arad''s wives, Eris was the one who could fight hand-to-hand with weapons and had high explosive power thanks to her sma and holy magic. "I''m the one who makes everyone''s clothes, and as an experienced swordswoman, I do take the lead when we''re out on quests. Especiallyrge games that could deflect Ae''s arrows, and the one that It''ll be a waste if Eris burned their hide." Merida stared at her. "I see, so there is no real leader between you?" Betty started thinking. "Why are you even asking? You aren''t joining us." Ae red at her, and everyone nodded. "No, I''m not. You can''t stop me." She stared at them with a grin and then turned toward Arad, "Even he can''t beat me now without Master''s expansion. If this was a dragon''s family, I''d need to beat him first, and then my first job would be killing all of you and your children. Dragons are more like lions, but instead of the lion always dominating, it''s whoever is the strongest." Betty turned toward Arad, "Can you beat me? Without Master''s expansion?" Arad lifted his hand, "Wait, something doesn''t feel right." He looked around. "What is it? Trying to dodge the subject?" Betty stared at him. "You''re attuned to mana. Can''t you feel it?" Arad looked down. Betty looked down, "This mana? It''s a giant toad, several of them, but those won''t approach us. We''re too scary for them." "Not that." Arad pointed at the ground, "Therge lump of magic behind them. I never sensed such a thing." "What lump? I can sense as far as 10km deep." Betty said, and Arad blinked twice, "Oh¡­You''ll sense it soon, it''sing fast. 31km, 30km, 28km¡­" "We should probably leave." Mira stared at Arad, "I have a bad feeling about the Giant toads." "Betty has a point. Monsters can sense me on you so they won''t attack you, especially weak monsters like giant toads." Arad nodded, putting her in a barrier just in case. "This barrier won''t help. I don''t want to get swallowed by one, they stick like hell." Mira shook her head, "We need to leave." "But I want to see what''sing, such powerful mana is a rare thing to see." Arad looked down. Mira pointed at Ae, "Even she hates giant toads." CRACK! The ground beneath her feet opened up and a massive yellow toad swallowed her whole, hopping away as fast as it appeared. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Told you sooo!" Mira cried inside the toad moments before she unloaded all of her nails into the toad''s insides, dropping it dead. Mira slowly crawled out of the corpse and took a deep breath. She was spotless, Arad''s barrier prevented everything from reaching, except air, which stinks to high heavens, like a rotten egg left on the side of the road in the hot summer, for a day or a week. "ARAD!" Mira stared at him. "They stink!" Betty nodded, "Now that''s a fat toad if I ever saw one." She turned toward Arad, "Your barrier must be powerful if the only thing she''s worried about is the smell." She pointed with a smile. CRACK! As they talked like nothing happened, multiple toads burst from the soft dirt beneath them, more than fifty of them with each one being the size of arge room. Ae, Merida, and Eris all killed the toads rushing at them with ease, "They are fleeing from something." Eris said. "They are charging blindly through our attacks." In a sh, Betty cut five toads down andnded on their corpses, holding a strange de in her hand made of light. "Hmm¡­Weak they are¡­indeed." She looked at Arad and conjured a second de. "Use this, it is sharp." She said, even though the light de was round like a tube. Arad had carried Mira and jumped away when he saw Betty''s light de flying toward him. "How am I supposed to use that? Oh¡­wait¡­I have three limbs." Arad extended his draconic tail and caught the light de, swinging it at the toads around. The light de sliced through the toads like butter, it felt even sharper than Arad''s other swords, except the dragon yer when facing dragons. "How, it''s round?" Arad stared at the glowing de. "Don''t stare at it. It''ll hurt your eyes." Betty said as shended beside him and looked at his tail. "You can use that as an arm?" "It''s extremely dexterous." He replied with a smile. "That''s a light de. I created them to fight as I can''t carry matter when moving at the speed of light." Betty exined and Arad looked at the de with an even more interested gaze. "Take it." Arad returned the de to Betty and closed his eyes. "Arad! The toads areing!" Mira cried, not really scared. Betty cut the toads with ease, protecting him as he stood motionless. "What are you doing?" She asked with a worried face. "I''m almost there." Arad replied to her, and his tail wiggled, arge ck saber emerging from the tip. It was almost two meters long, forty centimeters wide, and had no thickness at all. "It''s connected directly to my stomach. I call it a void saber." Arad swings it at the toad, cutting and swallowing them at the same time. "This is better than covering a weapon and trying not to destroy it. I can just use my tail." Arad smiled, cutting the monsters left and right. "Arad! They are stilling, what''s happening underground?" Ae asked as the toads'' numbers kept increasing. "They do mate in the winter, but it''s still a bit too early, and most of them aren''t even grown." Betty noted. Arad looked down, "They are indeed fleeing from that massive mana source. It might be a bigger monster." As Arad looked underground through his mana sense, he noticed something. A secondrge mana source approaches the first one. He did recognize the second one, he had seen it before, albeit it was far too faint then. "The ck drakaina of this area ising to hunt that thing. She''s digging around 15km deep. They are going to sh underground." As if Arad had startedmenting on the fight, the ground beneath them shook. "The drakaina started immediately with a powerful tail m that copsed the cavern they were in, she''s now trying to drown the monster in her acid breath." He looked at the ground with a smile as his tail tore through the toads. "Arad. The earthquakes could destroy the city; I''ll go deal with that, you stop those two from wreaking havoc." Betty said, looking at him. "Wait, I want to watch them fight. I never had the chance to watch a normal dragon fight up close." He said with a sad face. "There are several kilometers of dirt and stone between you and them. You aren''t close at all. Now go stop them, I know you can do it if you''re this carefree when they are shing." Betty disappeared as soon as she said that. Arad sighed and stared at the ground. "Eris, take Mira and fly away. I''ll go down and stop them; We don''t want the university copsing, do we?" Eris took Ae and the girls retreated away from the toads as Arad expanded his wings, fully shifting into his half-dragon form. CLACK! The girls saw him dig through the ground like a mole, disappearing in a second. **** BAM! The ck drakaina charged through the half-destroyed cavern, pushing the melting stone sinking in her acid aside, and smacked the multi-headed monster with her head but it didn''t budge that much. What she faced was a rare monster, a drake hydra.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Drakes are a part of the draconic family but aren''t true dragons, theyck wings and the distinguishing intellect of dragon kind. But¡­ those monsters are far too powerful due to their horrid resemnce to the chromatic goddess. The Drake hydra is a massive reptilian monster with multiple heads that can range from two to nine heads. Each one of its heads is able to spew a different elemental energy. They are massive, bulky, violent, and avaricious. The ck drakaina was indeed massive, but still smaller than the hydra, and what was worse is that, unlike her kind, she looked far too thin for her age, the visible bones on her massive head made her look more like a skeleton than a healthy drakaina. Chapter 767 Multi-headed Monster Chapter 767 Multi-headed Monster ??The ck drakaina roared, opened her jaws wide, and sted the hydra with an acid breath. The hydra started getting pushed back, but it roared, moving its cyan head, and started countering the drakaina''s acid breath with a water breath. The hydra''s breaths were generally weaker than those of true dragons, but for some reason, it matched the drakaina''s breath in power. No, it wasn''t the hydra''s breath that was stronger than normal. It was the drakaina''s breath that was weaker. The drakaina started getting pushed back as her breath shed with the hydra''s breath. Even though she hoped her acid would halt the hydra''s regeneration and that it would eventually die, that started to look impossible as the water diluted the acid. The hydra lifted its red head, and sted the drakaina with a fire breath, sending her rolling back with a fiery explosion. The drakaina roared, rolled back, ran away deeper into the caves, and started digging to go around the hydra and st her from the back. She can''t risk a direct confrontation, her arms and legs can barely carry her weight, and can''t keep wasting mana by unleashing her breath in vain. The hydra could see the drakaina retreat, and it extended its light green head, breathing a gust of toxic gas that quickly rushed behind the drakaina, filling the cave behind her. The drakaina could feel her heart rate rising and her legs felt even weaker as her head started throbbing. "Poison gas?" She gasped, turning back, "No, this is different." She started rushing to bury herself in the dirt. The hydra started grinding its blue head''s teeth together and created massive sparks between its fangs. With a sh, the whole cave burst into fire, shaking everything around them and causing the ground it to copse on the drakaina. The hydra approached the ce where the drakaina got buried and found her tail poking out. Using its pink head, she bit the tip of the tail and pulled the drakaina out of the dirt, throwing her away with a violent jerk. The drakaina rolled on the ground, hitting the wall at the end of the massive cavern. She opened her eyes, looking to the side, and saw the hydra charging at her. Move! Move! She growled inside her head. This monster shouldn''t outss me, neither physically nor magically, I should''ve been able to melt him with a single breath. She stood, refusing to give up even though her body refused to move as she wanted. The draconic fundamentum, an organ that lies beside the heart in dragons, helps regte mana, elemental energy, and several hormones that allow dragons to grow stronger as time passes, a marvel of their evolution. But the drakaina could feel her organ twitching inside her, her mana had be unstable in the past centuries, and she even began to lose weight, her muscles had slowly disappeared. She had even lost her appetite and had been feeling weaker and weaker, hibernating for longer and longer periods. She rushed forward, jumped on the wall, and pounced on the hydra, grabbing one of the heads with a bite and wing at its countless necks with her front ws. The hydra started sting her with a fire breath. At that moment, the drakaina felt her draconic fundamentum quiver, a decent rush of mana came out, and she immediately took the chance and charged a breath and sted it directly into the wound inflicted by her bite, exploding one of the hydra''s head with acid.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Like a giraffe, the hydra smacked the drakaina with one of her heads, sending her rolling the sidewall with her burned scales falling off. At the moment, the hydra expected the drakaina to be reaching herst leg, but dragons weren''t that easy to kill. The drakaina stood right back up, growling as acid started to leak out of her wounds. Unlike most living beings and monsters, dragons were tuned to their elemental energy the same way humans are tuned to their blood or flesh. It flows in their veins, covers their organs, and protects them. A ck dragon''s blood is mostly acid, one of the reasons why most weapons dull rapidly against them, and some even melt when stabbing one. The same goes for all chromatic dragons, a blue dragon''s body is always charged, and just standing near them with a metal sword is enough topel an arc to jump at you and fry you. Red dragons are extremely hot, weapons melt and bend when wounding them, and even a single wyrmling is able to heat Arad''s whole vige just by existing. The drakaina opened her jaw and the hydra readied her cyan head to counter with a water breath. CRACKLE! Arge magic circle appeared in front of the drakaina''s jaw, and a powerful lightning bolt burst forward, hitting the hydra who unleashed a water breath out of instinct. Dragons can learn magic, and they always do it to cover the weakness of their elemental energy. The simplest counter for a ck dragon''s acid breath is water, and so they learn lightning magic. Albeit the water produced by magic is pure and none- conductive, the one produced by natural monsters like this hydra or cyan dragons [Sea dragons] is salty and conductive. Only a few of the cyan dragons have managed to create a natural breath of pure water. This hydra will never have the needed intellect to purify its water breath. The drakaina started rushing forward as fast as her body allowed, trying to reach the hydra before it fully regenerated. I must w it out, the core, the heart of the beast! It''s there, right below the middle of its spine, encased in a hard cage of bones. The drakaina pounced at the hydra. Stay down, vile beast of the underworld. I might be far weaker than my prime, and I might be close to the end of my days, but this is still mynd. Pinning the hydra down, the drakaina used her powerful jaw to trip the skin of the hydra''s back and then tried to rip its spine out using her ws. The hydra''s countless heads started biting the drakaina''s legs and wings, trying to force her to retreat. "So you want a bite-off? Very well, I''ll rip you to shreds foring to mynd!" The drakaina roared, pushing through the pain like a frenzied wolf, chipping at the hydra''s back one w at a time. The hydra unleashed an electric shock from its blue head, but the drakaina didn''t flinch. When a dragon''s ws lock-in, they never let go. Even if the drakaina were to die there and then, her ws would remaintched to the hydra''s spine as the tendons were locked and needed a conscious order to unlock. The hydra clumped its multiple heads beneath the drakaina''s chest and used thebined force of all its necks to push her away. As expected, the drakaina''s ws never opened and the hydra''s spine got ripped in half, but the regeneration started kicking in as the hydra fell paralyzed from its stomach to the tip of its tail. The drakaina tried to stand. This is my chance to finish it off, the core is exposed. I can''t let this chance. But as she stood, she fell on her face, her two front limbs refused to carry her weight, the violent throw caused the muscles in her arms to tear, and now her ws are closed shut with no way of opening them back. To a dragon, this was like a lion losing his front paws, a disability that greatly hinders his ability to hunt and sentence him to certain death. The drakaina still didn''t give up, pushing her body toward the hydra using her hind legs, trying to reach it to bite the core out. CRACK! At that moment, somethingrge emerged behind the drakaina. She knew that magic and feared it, the worst timing for such a thing to appear. How didn''t I expect this? I''ve been almost inactive for decades, of course, this would happen! She slowly turned her head, seeing a second hydra standing a few hundred meters behind her. This one was a female, and she was here to mate. Those two are monsters that userge amounts of magic to nourish themselves and their eggs during their mating season. They came here seeking arge amount of mana and flesh to feed on, this female had been sending waves of her magic through the ground, I thought she was taunting me, but I was wrong. She was calling for a mate, and here he was behind me. I''m the source of their food. She finally realised. To the hydras, the female usually matures first and goes out looking for a ce suitable toy eggs, preferably with a decent source of food and mana. When she finds the ce, she settles down and starts sending signals to notify nearby males that she''s ready. Then the first male to pick her signals would mask them with his own and seek her. The drakaina was the source of food and mana that the female hydra found. A sick dragon is a prime target for a lot of powerful creatures and even humans seeking wealth and fame. That is why most of them go into hiding when sick or injured, but this time, she failed to do so, she didn''t realize the signals sent by the female hydra would lead her into such a trap. Now fatally injured, struggling to stay alive, the drakaina found herself stuck between a regenerating female hydra, and an angry male that was farrger and stronger than the female, pissed off that his woman had been ripped to shreds. CRACK! Arad''s humanoid torso peeked out of the ceiling as he stared at the female hydra with a horrifying smile on his face, his eyes slowly turning toward the male. Chapter 768 Hydras Call Chapter 768 Hydra''s Call ??The drakaina''s tilted head slowly red up, spotting Arad''s torso as he red down at them menacingly. She couldn''t sense his magic, as if he was a mere ghost. She could remember his words; he did say she could call him for help if she wanted. He had clearly stated that won''t stay on hernd as a freeloader and would help defend it. But dragons are proud; she would rather die than get another dragon to help her. But even so, the result of such interactions between dragons is obvious. He''s either after her or her hoard, and getting him involved would only cost her pride. "Be gone ghost. I rather die than bear the burn and shame of calling upon your help." She mumbled. As Arad''s eyes shifted away from the male toward her, she started to feel a slither of his magic. Her mind came to realize, that she never saw him in a half-dragon form, so her draconic brain showing her his image as ast suggestion to survive didn''t make sense. CRACK! Arad fell from the ceiling and his body expanded into his draconic form,nding right over the drakaina with her frail body sitting right between his legs. "You''re here?!" Arad''s magic started rising, and she could feel it. His eyes shed purple as he roared at the male hydra. It was a deep and loud growl, crackling as if it had been infused with an electric crackle. Like a lion standing over a cheetah, Arad''s arms were far thicker than her torso even though she was supposed to be an adult ck drakaina. One part was because Arad himself had arger build than normal due to Alcott''s blood, the other was that void dragons are naturally arge type of dragons, and thest part was that males were typicallyrger than females, with ug being a rare exception. Due to her weak body and extreme injuries, the drakaina passed out before Arad''s fight even started. To her, that was the end, she''d die there, and Arad would take over herir and im her hoard. The female hydra stood, her back almost fully healed. She roared in a distinct sound, and the male at the other side of the cavern roared back, his eyes shifting away from Arad and toward the walls. "So you normally call one male, but if the prey seemed toorge to deal with, like a dragon, you send a stronger call, and we end up with this." The walls cracked, and several more males started showing up. "I did sense you closing by, so it wasn''t that much of a surprise." He turned toward the female and saw her backing away. She''ll let the males handle the fight with Arad and the drakaina first, and then they can kill each other for the right to mate with her. Counting the males, there are seven of them, each hydra with four to nine heads. Those with arge amount of heads looked to be slower but stronger. While the ones with a lesser amount were more agile but weaker. "You might be weaker, but that only means youck elements due to theck of heads." Arad stared at them. To him, this was more about seeing a new monster than defeating them.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The males roared, charging toward Arad and the drakaina in rage. He was standing between them and mating. As the female watched, the first male reached Arad and extended his five heads to bite Arad''s lower back and tail, trying to drag him away from the injured drakaina. But Arad didn''t budge. His weight and the raw strength of his ws holding to the ground make it as solid as a mountain. Even though the male''s fangs pierced Arad''s scales, it was merely scales deep. Two more males lunged at him. One had four heads, and the other had seven. Those two decided to swing theirrge front ws at Arad''s front shoulders, trying to knock him aside. The ws made a loud thud sound as the hydras unleashed one strike after another, failing to move Arad. Like a man trying to punch a bull down, theycked the weight and strength to do it. As those three hydras unloaded their attacks at Arad; the remaining four started charging several elemental breaths. But even with all that, Arad''s mind was still swimming in his dreams. He thought that it was interesting how Nina''s punches were heavier than those hydras. The answer to that was simple, those beasts fail to understand a single thing. Leverage and muscles operate differently. Muscles normally have a single output of energy, and energy is how much weight you can move and how fast. When swinging a fist or a w, the muscle doesn''t have enough time to get up to full strength, resulting in a fast but weak strike. Imagine it like throwing a small steel ball. It might not deal that much damage even if it''s fast. But then exchange the small steel ball with arger and heavier one. The damage would be far greater even with the same arm throwing it. When Nina throws a punch, she tightens the triceps when her arm is extended then uses the biceps to force it to close, which makes her triceps act like a tight spring that would release all the power generated by the biceps like a rat trap, a bow, or the legs of a grasshopper. And she does this with all the muscles of her body when throwing punches and kicks. This allows the biceps enough time to put more energy into the triceps. Of course, this damages muscles a lot, but with Nina and Arad''s regeneration. It''s something they can afford to do. It''s also the reason why vampires and werewolves can exhibit an unnatural level of power. Arad stared at the hydras with a disappointed face. He really wanted to see how creatures with naturally high regeneration would fight, but they seemed too dumb to utilize the full extent of their bodies. Arad coiled his tail to the side, his eyes shing purple as he red at the three hydras surrounding him. "Let me show you something." In the blink of an eye, his tail burst like a loaded spring. The tip elerated several times faster than sound as he ripped through the hydras like they were made of jelly. Arad looked at the drakaina beneath him. "You''re far too thin and frail. To think you didn''t even manage to kill her." He stared at the female hydra with the side of his eyes. Two of the hydras that Arad smashed started regenerating, while one remained dead. He looked at them with a curious gaze. "I see, the core is generally beneath the spine in the abdominal cavity, but the exact location changes from one hydra to another. It could be right beneath the neck or all the way down beside the tailbone." Giving the hydras ample time to regenerate, Arad looked at the unconscious drakaina once again, "So that''s why you were trying to w down at her back. You didn''t know where exactly the core was and needed to find it first." The other four males unleashed their breaths as Arad was talking with the unconscious drakaina. Two fire breaths, three lightning breaths, a toxic gas breath, two sodium ones, andstly a water breath. Some of the hydra did manage to shoot more than a single breath. Arad bent his knees and sat over the drakaina, covering her body with his wings and arge barrier spell. The barrier blocked most of the breaths except the sodium ones that ended up covering it with a thickyer of pure sodium, and when that got exposed to the water breath, it exploded in a massive burst that even knocked the hydras back. Arad''s barrier shattered, and a shockwave hit his back and wings; It felt like a heavy firecracker exploding on a man''s back. Extremely painful. His eyes quickly shifted toward the hydras. Which one was it of that that breathed that silvery white thing? What was it? I don''t know, but it hurts badly. Arad''s mind started racing, noting all of the strange colors on the hydra''s necks. Hydras are lesser dragons. Their colors mean something. I must find it out. I know what red means, what blue, green, yellow, and white, but which ones of them I don''t know¡­that''s head over there. Arad''s eyes stopped at the cyan head. That one is strange! It''s a light blue, akin to the sky''s color. What''s dripping from its lips? That isn''t spit, it''s water. "Water doesn''t explode. Who of you did it?" Arad growled, scanning through the other hydras'' heads as they stood after taking the shockwave. A pink one, akin to mes, was that it''s, not he''s foaming like he''s choking, I doubt it the one responsible. No, it smells nice. It''s like soap, but more gross. Arad''s eyes spotted a brown neck that wasn''t doing much except emitting faint earth magic. That''s the head they use to travel underground. All of them have at least one. He then spotted an orange head that looked dryer than everything else, ring at him with a strange re as if shocked. That''s him. I bet it''s that bastard! He''s the one spitting that strange thing. Arad finally lifted his right front w, opening it toward the hydra with the orange head. Arad''s ws shed purple as he growled. "Come here." A powerful gravitational field started pulling the hydra toward Arad''s w. Even though he tried to hold to the ground with his ws, everything failed. CLANK! Arad caught the hydra by the neck, staring down his eyes. "That breath, what was it?" Chapter 769 Wavering Chapter 769 Wavering ??The hydra roared, trying to bite Arad''s arm off but to no avail. Arad growled at him, and punched him in the guts, "What was that breath?" Upon taking the hit, the hydra moved his red and blue heads to face Arad''s face and tried to st him with breaths from those two, but Arad immediately bit those two heads off like they were nothing. Almost as if giving up, the hydra opened his orange mouth and tried to st Arad with another breath. Arad opened his mouth and sucked all of the sodium safely into his stomach to experiment onter. The hydra stared at Arad confused, his sodium breath always exploded, upon contact with water; Arad was still wet so why didn''t it work? He didn''t want to use it at first as he had feared he would die caught in its st, but now those feelings turned into pure confusion. Now that Arad didn''t need the hydra anymore, he plunged his arm into his torso and pulled the core out. The female hydra started slowly backing away as she realized those males she called couldn''t stand a chance against Arad. They aren''t even able to put on a decent fight. Arad did notice her trying to make a run for it, and he threw the hydra''s core at her, knocking her down. "Where are you running?" He extended his w forward and pulled her closer with Gravity magic. "None of you is getting out of here alive." He engulfed the drakaina in a barrier spell and lunged at the male hydras that had orange heads and killed them first, their breath seemed to be the only thing powerful enough to break his barrier. Once he started actively hunting them, they found themselves helpless and unable to match either his speed or raw strength, albeit he had to hold back a lot, avoidingrge attacks like his breath as that might harm the drakaina and could cause earthquakes on the surface. As the males died quickly, Arad approached the limping female who was still trying to escape. "Wait! Wait!" She cried. Arad could understand her in the same way he understands animals, her thoughts get quickly tranted into anguage in his head. "Wait for what? The only interesting thing you had is those orange heads." Arad replied, ready to dispatch her. "I said wait!" She gasped, shaking her butt and trying to seduce him. "You have beaten them all, don''t you want your prize?" They might be lesser dragons, but it wasn''t that umon for dragons to end up mating with hydras or drakes, even ryuus[serpentine dragons] and wyverns. It was moremon for chromatic dragons to end up with those than it is for them to end up with humanoids due to size constraints. [Myths said Hydras have a strong blood linked to the chromatic goddess Tiamat as they share her trait of many heads, if that was passed down with true dragon blood, it could give birth to another dragon goddess or a god.] Mom exined in his head. Arad stared at the hydra, trying to make a conscious decision. A dragon would never pass the chance, some chromatic dragons even seek hydras and hunt them to use as ves and concubines to their true dragon mates. The hydra smiled as she saw Arad pause for a second. She started approaching him slowly, watching his every move. CRACK! But out of nowhere, he swung his tail and pierced her core. "I''m married, and you called them not me." He pointed at the seven dead male hydras with his head, pulling his tail from the hydra''s chest and she fell down. "You¡­why¡­" "I just told you¡­and I like people more like her, brave, arrogant, and prideful." He pointed at the ck drakaina. "You''re just a coward, for not trying to fight me. Narcissistic for thinking those males should throw their lives for your sake, and a shameless fighter for not taking her on alone." Arad said, watching her die. After her life ended, he swallowed her with all the males and approached the ck drakaina. Arad walked toward the drakaina and looked at her for a second, her front ws were crushed, and she had several broken ribs andcerations across her whole body in addition to a severe malfunction in her magic circuits, he could see that with his void eyes. When I got injured after Rita''s events, the metallic dragons said they could sniff injuries from afar, could I do something like that? He started sniffing the drakaina''s neck and back, and there was a strange scent indeed, something that wasn''t draconic lumped in her chest. Heid his w on her chest and closed his eyes. The strange lump was right beside her heart, sticking on the organ that had the most mana in her whole body, the draconic fundamentum. Arad looked inside his stomach for anything that could help, but he had nothing but stacks over stacks of healing potions. He filled a barrel and lifted the drakaina''s neck, pouring the content down her throat. As her wounds started to heal, Arad got ready to try something. He lifted his right hand and extended his index w forward. He flipped the drakaina on her chest and started gently tapping her back, using his powerful ears to listen to the echoes of her heart and his tapes. Too deep, this won''t do. He pulled his w back and instead, extended a thin void saber out of the tip of hisrge draconic finger. "Dragons are resilient. Just think of it as getting stabbed while casually hunting." He stabbed her from the back and straight into the strange lump he smelled, but that didn''t seem to do anything at first. Arad smiled as he pulled the saber sword out and made the drakaina drink another barrel of healing potion, tanking his reserves by a lot. His goal wasn''t to cure her, but to find out what that thing was, he did take a part of it by using the void saber and sucked it into his stomach. It''ll take me a while, but I might be able to fully heal you soon. He remembered how he dealt with the elder wood fungus before, controlling his void to erase one thing. Arad now started trying to use the same he took to tune his void and erase what was in her chestter, but that would take a lot of time. Before, he didn''t need to worry about much as he could erase the elder fungus alongside some dirt and air, it wasn''t a problem, but doing that to a living being like a dragon could be fatal, he needed to be far more precise than before. After setting his mind on how to act, he went back to sniffing the drakaina but now with a different thing in mind. He tried to memorize her smell, so he could follow and trace it back to herir. Arad smiled as he did that and lifted the still unconscious drakaina on his shoulder and held her in ce with his wings as he started walking through the caves, aiming for heryer that was hidden underground beneath the swamps. [=w=] "Arad, where are you?" "Betty, It was a bunch of hydras trying toe out and the drakaina that owns thisnd was fighting to stop them." He replied. "If that''s the case then let nature do itself,e back, we''re waiting for you." "No, the drakaina was really sick and weakened. She ended in a tie with the female, and when a bunch of stronger males showed up, I had to jump in and help¡­" As Arad was exining, Betty cut him again. "Drakaina, was she a ck drakaina?" "Yeah. The ones with two horns pointing forward." He replied. "Yeah¡­ I don''t trust them, I''ve faced seventeen in my life, and sixteen of them were pure evil." Betty sighed, "Don''t trust her."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I''m a dragon, not a human to trust her. We understand strength. As long as I can beat her down she won''t cause trouble." He replied. "Come on! Don''t tell me that she came after me and is getting it first, you must be joking." Betty growled. "I''m not, calm down. I''m trying to live as a human, not a dragon. I''m married so I don''t care about getting any other mate. Unless the girls up approve of you or her, I''m not doing anything with any of you." He sighed, "Well, except one. I''ve made it clear that even they can''t push me away from her." "Who?" Betty gasped, "Me?!" "Not you, someone else. Bring them here. I want Eris to look at the drakaina''s wounds and disease. Having her die or stay inactive for a long time could damage the area. Grandpa Croc was really anxious about monstersst night." "Who''s this Grandpa Croc?!" Betty gasped, finding it hard to follow Arad''s thoughts. "The elder of the local alligators. They live beside this drakaina''s swamp." Arad smiled, "He''s wise and old, been living there for over a century." "Wise alligator you say?" Betty sighed. "The wisdom I''ve heard from him so far surpasses any teacher you have at the university. You better hire him to teach." Arad said with a smile, remembering one of his conversations with Grandpa Corc. -Howe you have so many mates?- Arad asked. Seeing that despite his age, Grandpa Croc has several Grandma Crocs at his side, even some young ones as well, he''s too popr. -Loyalty born from a single event is fake¡­ Love those who stayed and ate grass at your side.- "Betty, he knows his words." "What''s that supposed to mean?" "I should stay with those who are willing to live with me through hardship and avoid those who fall for me after seeing a single deed." "That might be right, but make sure to ask Master for rification before taking things to heart from strangers." "Betty¡­" Arad said, his voice shifting a bit. "This isn''t from Doma, Mom, or anyone else. It''s from me." "What?" "I can''t trust you. You''ve been sticking too close to me without a reason, you''re strong, but why me, if strength was the only reason you would''ve gone for brother or Tempo. I find it suspicious for you to start going for me out of nowhere. Same for Matilda, I''m not that oblivious." "What¡­" "Ae has been with me since the start, I know her inside out. Mira as well, Eris tried to kill and is still trying to do that, it''s what I find adorable about her, Merida as well, she isn''t trying to hide her motivations from me. Same for Isdis, she told me that she wants to use my power to fight for the throne, and I''m in with her. As long as I don''t understand your motivations, I can''t make a decision on you, and neither would everyone else." "I see¡­" Betty mumbled. "Teleport them to me when I stop moving at the drakaina''sir, we''ll talk in personter." Chapter 770 The Drakainas Lair Chapter 770 The Drakaina''s Lair ??The drakaina slowly opened her eyes, looking around with a tired stare. She was asleep over her hoard of gold and gems, hearing the gargle of the small water fountain she had in the corner. This was indeed herir and the inner room at that. "Hey you, you''re finally awake." Arad called staring down at her face in his draconic form, "You were fighting that female hydra... Walked right into their ambush. You would''ve been dead if I didn''t show up." She roared, crawling away, "What are you doing here? This is myir!" She cried, hissing as she started charging a breath. Her magic started spiking, but it quickly dropped as she started coughing, and the breath failed tounch. "Sit down, don''t exert yourself. Your breath would only melt your hoard, not me." Arad said, sitting ahead of her. "Calm down, you''re a dragon, not a mindless animal." She red at him. "What did happen?" "You were fighting the female hydra, and your fight ended in a draw. The male she called then showed up, and so did I." Arad started exining. "So you carried me and retreated here?" "No, I killed them." Arad replied. "There were two, a female and a male." She gasped. "No, there were eight; she called seven males to gang up on you. I guess she didn''t want to take risks against a drakaina." Arad waved his tail and pulled all the corpses from his stomach, dropping them at the corner of the drakaina''sir. "See?" She stared at the eight massive corpses unable to speak, mumbling for a while before turning toward Arad, "You beat them all?" What shocked her more was that none of them had any traces of being hit with magic or a breath. All were wed and bitten to death. With a second look at Arad, she noticed that he was strangely massive, with wide shoulders, huge wings, thick tail, massive ck horns, obsidian ws, muscr, and far more bnced across his whole torso. It''s true that male dragons growrger than females, but that is usually due to theirrge bones. But due to them naturally having too much physical power than they could ever need, they rarely work on their bodies, ending with a decent amount of muscles but nothing too extreme. Arad on the other hand looked as if he was actively working out even his arms almost looked thicker than her torso. "All of them alone?" She mumbled she could''ve doubted it if he looked like any other male dragon, but due to howrge and muscr he was, she was willing to believe he wed all of those hydras to death with raw violence. Those muscles aren''t for show, they are a massive part of his raw strength. "They weren''t that big of a threat to me." Arad replied, pushing one of the hydras'' corpses to her. "What''s the meaning of this?" She red at him. "Eat, not only you''re sick, you''re starving. You''re far too thin and frail for a dragon." He stared at her, she indeed looked famished. She stared at the drakaina''s corpse, "You hunted them. They are yours."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "They were caught in yournd so you at least own a part of them. I don''t really need them, they belong to you." He extended his w toward the other corpses and pulled them toward her with gravity magic. "Eat up. My wives would be here soon. One of them is a holy magic user, she should be able to give you a look and see what''s wrong with you." Chromatic dragons know of their goddess''s existence, she''s Tiamat, the avaricious dragon goddess. But they rarely pray, so there is almost not a single cleric or pdin among them, making healing magic of a caliber enough to work on them extremely hard toe by. Add to that the arrogance and pride of chromatic dragons and you''ll find them more willing to slowly die in theirir than to ask a powerful humanoid to heal and cure them. But as a dragon, Arad wasn''t oblivious to the main concern of dragons. Wealth belongs to those strong enough to take it. Instead of healing the dragon, humanoids would almost always seek to y the sick dragon and rob their hoards. Humanoids always glorified the act of hunting and killing dragons, albeit on the surface, it was something that was never done fairly. And that was for valid reasons. They usually target wyrmlings and young dragons, the sick dragons, dragons in their twilight who await their natural death, pregnant drakainas, steal eggs, and scheme to pit dragons against each other rather than kill them when injured. Humanoids, and especially humans rarely ever dare to fight a healthy adult dragon, and the only exception was Alcott who was infamous for being the only human that fought healthy greatwyrm dragons and won several times. That became so well known in the dragons'' culture that it became akin to ghouls in human culture. Dragons started scaring their wyrmling with stories of Alcott as if he were some mythical monster, albeit it was only in the past four or three decades that Alcott was known for hunting dragons. If you go too close to the cities, Alcott woulde and hunt you down. "I don''t want anything to do with your hoard. I''ve onlye to help as I''m staying here, and your death would throw this area out of bnce." He said, pushing the hydra''s corpse toward her. "Eat." The drakaina started eating while keeping an eye on Arad. He wasn''t acting like a true dragon, but that could be wrong. She knew how chromatic dragons act, but not magic dragons. Considering that there is a vast difference between metallic and chromatic, it won''t be strange for magic dragons to have different habits. "Your wives areing¡­What kind?" She asked. Wanting to know the color as that would help her figure out a n to escape if they attacked her. "The one to heal you is a half-purple dragon. The others are an elf and two humans. A Halfling with light draconic bloodline, but she isn''t one of my wives." Arad replied and the drakaina choked on her food, "Wait, not a single true drakaina?" Arad shook his head. "No, I haven''t met any¡­No, I have a red wyrmling I left at home, but she''s more of an adopted child." "So you''re raising a red wyrmling¡­what are you, a retired greatwyrm grandma?" When drakainas reach the greatwyrm stage, they lose their ability to have children due to age. It''smon to find them raising stray wyrmlings to satisfy their maternal instincts. This strange act is the only thing giving stray wyrmling of the chromatic dragons hope. Arad remembered the red dragon that was trying to kill Ignis for hunting in hisnd. "Chromatic kill their kind a lot." He sighed. "That''s normal for us. I think you''re the problem." She stared at him. "Normally, you would''ve taken over my hoard, killed or made me your mate, and taken thisnd for yourself." "I don''t think like that." Arad looked at her. "By the way, I haven''t introduced myself properly yet. Arad Orion, a void dragon, and I own the region around Alina; I''ve even got King Baltos''s approval." "Wait!" She gasped, standing up and taking a few steps back like a scared cat, "Arad Orion? Uranus, the dragon of the end? The one that blew d''s kingdom to ash?" "That''s me." Arad nodded. "No, that can''t be¡­no one knows how Arad Orion looks besides that he''s a jet-ck dragon." She mumbled. Arad lifted his front w and pulled a small [Ho-white Nova] that he''d been making inside his stomach. Since they take some time topress, he always keeps one or two ready. The one he held in his hand was almost a quarter of the power of the one that blew up d''s kingdom, but it was still horrifying. The drakaina gasped, covering her face with her wings. Arad smiled, "Those won''t save you if I blew this here." He sucked the spell back into his stomach. "I don''t intend on harming you so calm down." "That magic, I felt it yesterday." She stared at him. "Probably when I blew the dungeon with a breath. I can shoot this as a beam." He smiled. "Want to see it?" She shook her head, "No, please no, you''ll destroy my wholeir, no, the whole area." She got convinced he was him. "They are here." As Arad looked up, the girls appeared in the middle of the room with a bright sh. Arad turned his head toward them, Betty had teleported them to Arad''s location. "What was that spell?" He said with a smile. "Seventh-tier, [Mass Teleport]." Betty replied. The girls looked around and Eris turned toward the drakaina, ring at her with glowing purple eyes. "This is the drakaina?" The drakaina could feel it, this was the half-purple dragon Arad talked about. But, what''s this feeling? She didn''t feel like a half-dragon, her aura was more refined but unstable, as if trying to bnce something huge. In a second, she found out that Eris was also a vampire, which made her even more confused. "She can use holy magic?" She pointed at Eris with a w and looked at Arad. Arad nodded. The drakaina stared at Eris, "ZulFurNar the name. I ruled thisnd for over five hundred years." Chapter 771 Zuls Inspection Chapter 771 Zul''s Inspection ??"ZulFurNar?" Eris stared at the drakaina, "EurFurNar, ring a bell?" She looked at her. "You know my father? I hope that bastard is dead." Zul growled. "Not me, my father knew of him." She started preparing holy magic. "They had a territorial struggle at one point. Your father lost and ran away but not before giving father a nasty scar, he was a really powerful acid dragon." "Guess I look like a disappointment. Sickly and weak." "All dragons are powerful, only fools underestimate them." Eris approached Zul and started healing her. "Something is off about her." Eris turned toward Arad. "Something is blocking the mana circuit right beside her heart. There should be an organ akin to a mana pump there, but it''s clogged badly." Arad nodded. "Less of a clogged and more like inmed. It''s almost tripled in size and is even putting pressure on her heart and lungs." She looked at Zul, "Sorry to say this, but if it kept growing, eventually you won''t be able to cast magic, then your heart won''t be able to beat and you''ll die." "I pulled this out when she was unconscious." Arad pulled a fist-sized chunk of flesh out of his stomach. "When did you do that?!" Zul gasped. "When you were unconscious. It''s like a stab to the chest, not a big deal for dragons." He pulled an empty barrel of healing potions. "This was enough to fix you up." "That''s several hundred gold coins worth." Ae gasped. Usually, a potion holds about 0.3L of liquid. A barrel holds 100L. Even with bulk prices, that''s around 200 gold coins. If Arad wanted to bottle that up, he''d spend around 30 gold coins in ss bottles and then have a profit of around 70 gold coins if sold. "I don''t think it''s worth that much." Arad shook his head, "I filled this with my experiments on healing potions." Like a game character, he was trying to train for alchemy by making a boatload of potions. The drakaina stared at her hoard. She has a bit over 50K in gold coins and a fair amount of jewels scrolls, magic items, and old relics from ancient civilizations. Her hoard in total might be worth over 200K in gold. She was indeed sleeping on a bed of gold and jewels. "I''ll pay for it." She sighed. "Hold up." Arad lifted his paw, staring at her. "You''re sick and don''t have a way to refill your hoard. Keep the money, you might need it."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Dragons don''t take charity." "Then how about not being hostile when you heal up? A friend of mine already dealt with the local thugs, I''d like this ce to be safe for my wives and family. I even have a red wyrmling that I might send to study." Arad looked at her. "Of course, you''re also wee on mynd." "And what if I refused?" "I''ll start acting like a dragon, and you won''t like it." Arad red at her with glowing purple eyes. "Arad." Eris stared at him, "I think it might be a good idea to have Lydia look at her. I don''t know about Sara, but she''s also better than me in healing magic." "I''ll see what I can do." He closed his eyes, and a clone of him appeared, sending a shiver down Zul''s spine. "Another one!?" She gasped. The second Arad shrunk into a humanoid shape of a pink hair tall elf woman. "Master!" Betty gasped. "This is a temporary form." Doma patted Betty''s head. "I''m using Gemini and Virgo at the same time." She looked at Arad. "I''ll bring her at once." ZON! Doma disappeared. Betty could''ve brought Lydia, but she needed to cast a 7-tier spell, while Doma could use Arad''s [Void Step] **** Thud! Domanded inside the girl''s dorm hallway, she looked around, "This ce is filled with negative emotions, depression, longing for home, fear, and anxiety...Humanoids are unable to live alone or away from home." She approached the door in front of her and knocked on it. "Lydia, it''s me." Lydia opened the door, sleepy. "What is it? I was taking a nap." Doma touched Lydia''s forehead with her finger, "Here you go." Lydia''s sleepiness disappeared and she felt refreshed. "You still need to sleepter." "Thank you. What do you need?" Lydia smiled. "The local drakaina is sick, Eris suggested that you should give her a look." "If that''s the case then the local ecosystem bnce hangs on the line. I''ll change up quickly." She walked back in, changed, and then teleported back to Zul''sir with Doma. "Lydia," Eris rushed toward her to exin what she found. "I''ll go bring Sara." She disappeared. **** Domanded in front of a strange door¡­ "What''s this ce?" She looked around, she was standing in the middle of Alina facing a local bath. ^She''s inside? Yeah, I can sense her.^ Doma walked into the bath and saw a tall woman who looked in her early forties with long ck hair, glowing green eyes, long ruby nails, and several transparent tattoos covering her whole body. ^Heeeee, a witch owns this ce¡­probably to gather hair or something for witchcraft.^ "Excuse me, did a young woman in her early twenties by the name of Sarae here? I''d like to have a word with her." She said, staring at the bath owner. "It''s bad manner not to introduce yourself first." She stared back at her with a grin, "The name Sofia. It''s rare to see a fellow witch." "For several reasons, I don''t have time. Can you please call her? And saying my name could cause some problems, can we please skip that?" She stared at her, worried she was going to recognize her and start a fight. "I don''t me you, most witches would start a fight the moment they know your name, Miss Doma." Sofia waved a finger, "I called the girl you asked for. But I informed her of your identity first." CREEK! The women''s bath door soon opened up, and Sara and Sena walked out of it. "GUH!" Sena gasped. "What are you doing here?" "We need Sara''s help." Doma approached Sara, "Someone needs healing, let''s go." Sara had already changed so they teleported immediately. As Sena was left alone, she approached the bath owner, "Mom, why didn''t you kick her out?" "A sick child needs help. Even if they don''t respect or pray, I''ll still give them a chance." She replied with a smile. "Howe is that out of everyone, you''re the lenient one?" Sena sighed. "Howe you aren''t helping?" She looked back at her with a grin. **** Sara arrived with Doma in Zul''sir and started inspecting her with Lydia. It only took them a quarter of an hour to finish. "Since we''re not experts on dragons, this could be wrong. But that thing beside her heart should be an organ responsible for her magic powers, the overgrowth on it has the same structure as her own flesh but twisted, healing magic can''t fix it. It has to be taken out." Lydia said. "We mean that literally. Holy magic can''t heal that thing as it''s a part of her body that¡­rebelling?" Sara tried to exin, looking between Arad and Zul. "A body is like a colony of millions of small living things, they usually work in harmony," Sara said and Lydia continued. "Sometimes, some of those living beings decide they don''t want to work for the colony and start hogging everything for themselves, which breaks the function of the body." Sara then looked at them. "As they have the same¡­well, nationality as the rest of the colony, they can''t be healed out. Healing magic restores a body to a normal state by putting all the small living things into their original ce." "So, you''ll be just healing the growth?" Arad looked at Zul. "You heard them." Eris said, "The only option we have is to take it out. Everything, to thest bit." "If we left even a small amount, healing magic would fix the growth. I suggest that we cut half the organ. Or take it whole and only leave a small part for the healing magic to work from." Lydia looked at Arad, "But¡­I''m not confident in my skill with dragons, we should find a dragon healer to do the job." "I can ask some metallic dragons¡­" Arad looked at Zul, "That won''t work, would it?" "What should we do?" Ae stared at him. "Forget it. I knew it can''t be healed." Zul shook her head. "Master, can''t you do anything about it?" Betty stared at Arad. "[I can kill and turn her into a dracolich, she won''t need to worry about it then. The ritual would take some preparation, but I can do it.]" Zul gasped, "You know how to make dracoliches?" She stared at Arad with a bbergasted face. Doma smiled the mouth on Arad''s face giggling, "[Of course, I won''t be the queen of curses if I can''t curse a dragon into the undeath. I''m a master necromancer, as it''s a forbidden art." Arad''s arm moved on its own and pointed a w at one of the hydra''s corpses, the female one. "[Awaken! My ve!]" The corpse started wiggling and moving, standing up and engulfed in an aura of necrotic magic. "Mi-Mistress¡­Doo- Dooomaaa." The female hydra bowed. "[But as you can see¡­]" The hydra disintegrated into ash, "Without preparation, powerful creatures run out of energy and disintegrate almost immediately. Dragons explode a wave of necrotic magic." Chapter 772 Martial Training Chapter 772 Martial Training ??Arad looked at Zul, "What do you say?" "I''m not bing a dracolich, I rather die." She looked back at him. "I didn''t even have a chance to live my life. How could I tread the undeath." "She''s right." Eris looked at Arad, "Turning into an undead like a lich would prevent her from mating, eating food, and caring about wealth. She''ll be an emotionless monster that seeks magic and power." "[Arad can fix one of that before she transforms.]" Doma stared at them with a grin and everyone red at her. "No!" They growled, including Zul. "I''m trying to get my void to only erase it. It''ll take some time as I''m not old enough to do it, and Ick knowledge about the internal workings of a dragon''s body so I have to make it perfect. I say a few days are enough time." Arad turned toward Lydia, "She''ll survive that long, won''t she?" "I''d say if she lived this long, there is nothing that prevents her from surviving another week." Lydia turned toward Zul. "Don''t exert yourself and call if anything changes. We''ll look for draconic healers while Arad works on his magic." Lydia stood and turned toward Eris. "I doubt we''ll find books about draconic anatomy in the university''s library, but let''s give it a look." Sara turned toward Betty, "You''re the chairman. Do the libraries have anything that could help?" Betty shook her head, "I don''t know. I may be the chairman, but how in the hell would I know that? Ask the librarian there, or search the whole thing, it should be organized by letters." "It should?" Ae stared at her, "It''s organized, right?" "It''s been a decade or two since I went there, I''m not sure the librarian there is still the same." [=w=] "Arad," Merida approached him. "If you''re focusing on your void, can you still fight?" "I won''t be able to use magic, but I can fight physically." He nodded. "I wanted to ask you to join our training tomorrow¡­" Merida had joined a ss specialized in studying martial arts, specifically weapon arts. They take ancient manuals and scrolls to learn about various stances, weapons, and ways of fighting. They usually practice with each other or the teacher responsible for them, but, Merida was having a problem. She wanted to test some dangerous techniques that even the teacher refused to test. Ae turned toward them, "I heard she kept beating everyone to death, including her teacher. No one can keep up with her." Arad nodded, "Of course, I''lle train with you." Merida looked at him with a happy face, "Thank you¡­ I wish I''m not bothering you." "What about your ss?" Mira stared at them. "I''ll talk with Lucia," Betty gave Arad and Merida a thumbs up. "Just don''t destroy the ce." Arad nodded and looked at Zul, "Call if anything happens. Don''t wait like this time, you might end up dead for real." "I''ll try." She sighed. Arad stood, "You have enough food for a while. Don''t try to hunt; I''ll bring you what you need. I know dragons refuse to get help from others, but at least bear with it until you get healed." "I know." She looked away. Arad expanded his wings, "Is everyone ready to get back?" Everyone nodded and he teleported them out. Zul took a deep breath as she was left alone,id down, and looked at the hydras'' corpses. She remembered the scales on Arad''s neck and back, the front ws, and the edges of his wings. "How is that thing a juvenile?" She could guess Arad''s age from his appearance, but both his size and magic didn''t match that. **** When Arad and the girls returned to the university the sun had already sat. "I''m going back." Arad waved his hand as he watched them walk toward the girl''s dorm. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day. In the morning, Lucia stared at the ss, and Arad was missing. She sighed, looking at the notice signed by Betty on her desk. Aron is to assist the martials ss¡­ "As you might see, Aron has an assignment that he needs to finish today. Who of you would be lending him their notes?" She stared at them. If no one would do, she''d write everything for him. "I''ll do it." Matilda lifted her hand. Anansi stared at her. "That beautiful handwriting of yours, or should I call it feetwriting? I doubt even chickens can write better." "Hey! What do you mean by that?" Matilda growled at her. "I''m saying no one can read those scribbles of yours." She growled back. "I''ll do it." Selina mumbled. "Would you?" Lucia looked at her with a smile. "Then I''m counting on you." "Teacher!" Matilda gasped. "Sorry, but I do agree with Anansi. I''ve told you several times to fix your handwriting." She stared back at her and she sat back down. "Sorry, I''ll make it better." Anansiughed at her and Lucia immediately gave her a deathly re. "I don''t need to remind you too. Did you deal with it?" "Yes¡­I''m fine today." Anansi looked down with a red face. She isn''t used to controlling her webbing in this humanoid form yet, and so yesterday she failed to keep them in and filled her pants. There were just spider webs, but to keep her identity hidden, she lied to Lucia and told her it was something, and med it on stress. **** Outside, Arad stood beside Merida''s teacher, a man called Edward Von Lumiric, a retired silver knight. A silver knight is a rank in knighthood only topped by the royal guards, and despite his young age, Edward reached that rank and retired due to a severe injury to his knees, it was a damned arrow. "Aron, I used to be an adventurer just like you, but then I took an arrow to the knee." Edward said with a sad face. The silver knights'' main job was defending the cities against monsters by using tactics and siege weapons; they are the people you call when a giant monster shows outside the walls. "I know that but¡­" Arad looked at the students'' training, "What are they doing?" "Practice, they can''t handle weapons safely." Edward replied. "I separated them into sparring partners based on level, ss, and gender so they wouldn''t harm each other. I''ve also made sure they used wooden swords and arrows." "Will monsters care?" Arad looked at her. "What important now is their safety." Edward said with a smile. "That''s stupid." Arad looked back and saw Merida practicing on her own, swinging her de at an imaginary opponent like she was shadowboxing. Arad took his shirt off. "What are you doing?" Edward gasped. The girls in the arena stopped fighting and stared at him, gasping as their eyes fixated on his chest. Arad took his shoes off, "I''m going to teach them first, then go to Merida." "Teach them what?" Edward stared at him, confused.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Teach them how to fight, and how to survive." Arad red back at him with a deathly stare, he wasn''t joking. "Stop there, this is a mock training, don''t take it seriously." Edward eximed. "I won''t kill them, but they''ll cry." Arad approached the arena and pushed a cart full of sharp weapons toward the students. As the cart fell, everyone stopped sparring due to the noise, seeing him walk in. Thud! Arad stepped into the ring; everyone could feel him, a heavy and oppressing aura as his eyes red at them. "Use those to kill me. I''ll hang anyone that faints outside, naked." One of the students gasped, "What are you¡­" Before he could finish, Arad rushed in and punched him in the guts, sending him rolling toward the weapons. As the student stopped rolling, "Pick a weapon. I''m a monster that''s here to kill you,e at me, fight teeth and nails, cling to life, and don''t dare give up. A fight is never painless." "What¡­" Crack! Arad kicked him again the moment he started to argue and sent him rolling away. "Kill the fucker!" The guys growled, picked weapons, and charged toward Arad as the girls watched. Some of them get excited, and some only marvel at the beauty of¡­ Arad red at them with a passive face and glowing eyes. "He isn''ting for us¡­ is he?" A girl gasped, and he charged toward them. "Aron doesn''t care." Merida said in the back, "You get beaten to a pulp if you don''t move." CLACK! Arad charged in, smacking half of them into the air like a truck. Some of the girls rolled, some started crying and some got knocked out cold. As Arad turned to keep beating them up, one caught his wrist and swung a dagger at his eye. He dodged the attack and kicked her away. She stopped herself by doing several flips andnded beside the weapon pile, picked a halberd, and stared at him. "You don''t know how to treat thedies, do you?" She growled. "I''m a monster. A bear won''t wait for you to cry,e at me." Arad lunged at her with a fist. She swung the halberd at his neck, but he dodged and swung a kick at her. CLANG! She blocked the kick with a halberd, surprised at the sound it made. Arad''s kicks didn''t seem normal; he''d break their bones if they got a direct hit. "What are you all doing?" She screamed at the other girls. "You''re fighters, rangers, swordswomen, and archers,e to fight and stop crying about it." All the girls charged in as the guys did. In a few minutes, Arad picked a fight with the whole martial ss and was winning. CLING! A shing de came out of nowhere toward Arad''s face. CLANG! Arad bites the sword, seeing it''s the teacher going for the kill. "Messing with my ss like this!" He growled. "Want to y?" Arad mumbled with the sword between his teeth and then swung a fist at the teacher''s wrist. Edward tried to pull his sword, but couldn''t as Arad''s jaw refused to let go. He was forced to abandon his de. Arad lifted his hand, waving it ahead of them as if showing them his rings, "It''s a free experience for everyone,e take it. And hurry so I can go train with my wife." Chapter 773 Unstopable Force Chapter 773 Unstopable Force ??Arad lifted a hand, deflecting a sword sh, and grabbed the guy by the face then threw him away. At the same time, several other students rushed in, the ones with spears trying to pierce Arad''s back. He spun his torso and diverged the spears the moment they touched him, using that momentum to swing a kick, knocking the spears out of the student''s hands. Impossible, how could he move like this? One of the students gasped, feeling a sharp pain shot from his wrist as he lost his spear. Here hees again with his weird moves¡­He could see Arad catch one of the spears with his toes before they hit the ground and then swung back at their faces. CLANG! A girl rushed in with a war axe and blocked the spear, staring at Arad with a sharp re. "You move like a monster." "You''re fighting a monster." Arad replied as he pushed on the ground with his hand and started spinning as if he was breakdancing, swinging the spear and kicking at the girl''s face. One attack after another, she deflected them with her axe.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om SWOSH! Another student threw his halberd at Arad trying to distract him. Arad stopped kicking the girl and deflected the halberd with a kick, but that girl used that opening to catch Arad''s spear and started twisting it, trying to break out of his hold. "I break those toes." CRACK! The spear broke in half, and the one-inch thick shaft of hardened wood shattered as he clenched his toes. He wasn''t going all out? She gasped, a kick smacking directly in her face. She didn''t expect Arad to brute force himself out of that. Arad blinked, seeing her grab his ankle with a smile on her face as blood rushed down her nose. "Got you!" Her eyes turned red as she roared, veins bulging on her whole body. She was a barbarian and had just started raging. Using Arad''s leg as leverage, she wrapped her thighs around his knee and sat on his thigh, clenching two fists and hammered his face with a barrage of punches. All of the remaining students rushed in, [Bolg] The spearmen growled, ready for their unique thrust. [Action Surge] The fighters pulled their swords back, including the teacher Edward, they all forgot this was training. They had been fighting Arad for so long, their senses had been dulled by pain and exhaustion that the only thing they could think of now was killing this monster ahead of them. The arches, hammer users, martial artists, everyone jumped in, trying to kill Arad with their best move. The barbarian girl''s eyes opened wide as she saw Arad''s eyes spasm, looking everywhere in a fraction of a second. Wait¡­his perception is far faster than us¡­she started to realize the difference between them and Arad. They could all charge at once, and use their best moves, but they are just¡­ Arad stomped down with the foot that the barbariantched onto, shocking her whole body as the ground shook, and the students charging in lost their footing for a second. Arad grabbed the barbarian by her hair and started swinging her around like a stone on a rope, smacking everyone with her and making sure they dropped their weapons away from their bodies so they didn''t get stabbed. The barbarian girl gasped as Arad smacked her on the ground, but she was still awake, she quickly stabbed her toes in the dirt and tried to pull away from Arad, get her hair out of his hand. Seeing that she couldn''t beat him in a tug of war, she grabbed a sword from the ground to cut her hair, but before she could do that, Arad let go of her hair. She stumbled back, confused. "What?" Thud! But at that moment, Arad was standing right in her face, her nose just an inch away from his chest. It never felt as if she was fighting a man, he was more of a monster in her eyes, arge and fast beast that can''t be stopped. She''s a barbarian; usually, they are only familiar with clubs and sometimes learn how to use heavy weapons, a long sword felt strange in her hand. She doesn''t know how to swing it. But, a barbarian is a barbarian, and a sword is just a sharp metal stick. She swung at Arad, but he instantly swung his forearm, hitting the de''s t side and shattering it. Out of the shadows, a man showed up swinging a ninjato at Arad''s back. Arad rapidly turned back, kicked the barbarian girl back, and caught the de with his bare hands, a smile on his face. "Wasting a valuable sneak attack? Why didn''t you for my heart or neck?" The man started shaking but clenched his teeth and growled, trying to pull the sword out of Arad''s hand and slice his fingers. The ninjato didn''t budge, and Arad giggled. "If you held a de from the t side with enough pressure, it won''t slide and cut your hand." He lifted his thumb and pressed it on the t of the de. "And most swords are designed to withstand pressure on the edge, not from the side." Arad snapped the sword''s tip with his thumb. "They are quite easy to break like this." He went down the sword, cutting piece by piece as if it was a box cutter. SMACK! Arad punched the assassin away and looked at everyone as they rolled on the ground, growling in pain. "Well, this looks to be enough for today." "What the hell happened here?" Eris gasped as she arrived with Lydia and the rest of the holy ss. "Thanks foring," Merida approached them. "I didn''t expect you toe this quickly." "We weren''t going toe when you called, but then we saw Aron beating the living hell out of them out of the window and had toe." Lydia replied with a worried face as she looked at everyone. A nun approached Arad, "You''re sir Aron?" She looked at him with a smile. "My Amaterasu bless your soul, so many hurt children." She looked at the knocked student. "Better beaten here than against monsters alone in the forest." He turned toward them. "Stand up. I don''t care if you have broken bones or are dying. Walk toward here so the healers can heal you. Winning a fight is never the end; you still have to crawl to safety." All the martial students started moving, some crawled, some walked, and others could only roll. Even the teacher Edward had taken a hard beating, but he still helped other students walk. "This is just cruel." The nun looked at Arad. "You test them to see if they can fight monsters, and then provide no training on how real fights are. I don''t know how you intend for them to survive in the wild if they can''t bear the pain of a stab or a broken rib." He stared at her. "They can slowly train; they are still young and have a long school life ahead of them." The nun replied. Arad stared at her, confused. "Young? I see no children around here, only men and women who should be able to defend themselves." "This is a school, a ce to learn, not for them to risk their lives." The nun replied with a passive face. "And yet they were tested to see how well they can do against monsters." Arad replied passively, "You know it. They can''t survive this world without having a backbone to stand and defend themselves against monsters." "Weakness isn''t a sin, it''s normal, not all people need to be powerful enough to kill monsters. To each their role." She added, taking a step toward Arad. "Weakness isn''t a sin, I agree with that. But being a burden is, if they can''t fight, they should at least learn how to survive, how to run, and how to support those who can fight." He turned toward the martial students, "But those are martial students, they''ll be fighters in the future. Even if not everyone needs to fight, they are the ones needing to fight." The nun smiled, "Lydia and Eris were right; You''re a natural- born warrior. You remind me of a sinner, the man called Alcott. The world needs people like you, the braves who don''t mind bing the monsters who kill other monsters." Merida walked between Arad and the nun, "Move away, it''s my turn to train with him." The nun looked at her and smiled. "I see, have a nice time." The nun''s golden glowing eyes took a hint of pink as she red back at Arad. "If he''s too much to handle, call me and I''ll give tie him for you." Merida sighed, "Eris! Lydia! I''m going to fight Aron so keep everyone away." "Got it!" Eris replied and Lydia gave her a thumbs up. When Merida turned toward Arad, she noticed he was still staring at the nun with glowing purple eyes. "Hoi! What are you thinking about!" She gasped. "For a moment, she smelled sweet¡­I want to punch her in the face and see what she''s hiding." He mumbled. His left hand moved, punching him in the face. ^[Wake up, idiot. That''s a subus and a high priestess of Gracie at that. People can believe in more than one god, simply because the gods are on good terms, Gracie and Amaterasu are especially close.]^ Arad shook his head, "Sorry," He looked at Merida, "That isn''t a mere nun. Doma says she''s a high priestess of Gracie." "That can''t be, she''s just a nun of Amaterasu¡­" Merida stared at the nun''s back. The nun looked back at them, licking her lips as her eyes emitted a faint pink glow. Arad could feel her breath on his ear as he heard a faint whisper, =Little boy, be careful out there. There is a lot ofpetition, but I''m the one going to eat you.= Chapter 774 Blade Dance Chapter 774 de Dance ??"Even if that''s true¡­she never caused trouble for the past years¡­" Merida stared at Arad as they walked toward the middle of the arena. "We could ignore her for the time being." "I don''t know about that, but I''ll keep my eyes open for any attack." Arad cracked his neck, "So, what level do you want?" "I found writing about this ancient fighting style called de dance. It was practiced by the dark elf goddess'' priestesses as a way to defend their nation." Merida approached Arad, standing with the de extended behind her. "The book said it was turned for the goddess''s body and would work best if used by a dark elf woman, but I want to try it." "Couldn''t you use some kind of shape-shifting magic to take on the body of a dark elf woman?" Arad asked as he took a stance, "And what should I expect? Nothing too extreme I hope." He was hoping she wouldn''t slice him to pieces as he didn''t want to show his regeneration abilities here. "To put it simply, de dance conserves the momentum of the attack and carries it to the next one. It''s basically create an endlessbo where each strike is stronger than the one before." Merida lunged forward, swinging the sword at Arad and he dodged. "So you want me to keep dodging to test how well you can track a target without breaking thebo. But taking on such stress, won''t you get exhausted?" He asked while dodging her swings with ease. Merida smiled as his attacks started getting faster and stronger. "This is the point where the true power of this technique shows up." She started chasing Arad everywhere. "The attacks get faster, stronger, and surprisingly require less and less stamina to perform until they the use stop getting tired. As long as the body remains whole, the dance won''t stop after a certain point." She smiled. "The body will eventually break, and then you''ll be an easy target when that happens." Arad replied. "It won''t, the dance moves aren''t just for physical attacks, theypel mana to move into the body and reinforce it. The muscles won''t rip apart, and the tendons will remain strong. The bones won''t even crack, and the user will keep swinging until they die of old age, and even after that, the corpse would keep moving and swinging until they disintegrate into ash." Merida started reaching a horrifying level of speed, but to Arad, it was still slow, he wasn''t even trying yet. "It''s a deadly spiral, once you reach a point in the dance; your fate is sealed to fight until you disintegrate. But my limit should be higher than normal people, allowing me to fight safely for longer." She started to see Arad''s moves as a simple pattern, and her body naturally shifted her attacks to catch him. The fungus spreading across her body started to absorb the mana around her and reinforce her body before the dance could do it, taking control at the start and allowing her to slow her descent into the point of no return. But, the dance wasn''t made for a human body, but instead for that of a dark elf woman, and specifically, it was made by Eilistraee, the goddess of the dark elves and also known as the moon dancer. When Eilistraee was a mortal, the orcs emerged from a portal at the dark elf kingdom to invade the world. At that time, she was a mere adventurer living her life. The adventurers got called to fight the orcs, but it was a losing war. The orcs had already devoured their previous world and we''re here to consume this one. Strangely enough, while in their world they had a really fast spawning rate. Female orcs could get pregnant and give birth in a week, and those newborn orcs would grow up into adults and be soldiers within four months and could live up to eighty years, the same as humans. That was the reason their world couldn''t sustain them, and it was what made their army host millions of soldiers which overwhelmed the dark elf army. In the midst of that battle, Eilistraee was thest remaining soldier facing that army of millions of hungry and enraged horny orcs. No matter how many orcs died, their numbers kept increasing and Eilistraee had to make each move count, which led her to develop de dance in the middle of the fighting. Tailored to her own body, she danced with the orcs for years until she alone started pushing their army back. Her attacks became too fast and too powerful to keep up with, and tens of thousands of orcs were dying each minute after twelve months. Eilistraee''s armor crumbled, yet her sword remained straight, beneath the moonlight; she danced naked over a sea of orc blood. The orcs started dying faster than they were born and their numbers dwindled rapidly and they were forced to retreat back to their world. Eilistraee won the war, but at that moment, her body disintegrated into ash and she ascended to godhood as the divine goddess of the sword. Merida is now trying to follow in her legacy as they are both masters of the de. But, such an approach would never work easily. Merida fell on her face, coughing blood as all of her muscles contracted and she had the worst cramp of her life. She screamed in pain and all the healers rushed toward her, "What happened?!" They screamed. Merida had crawled into a ball due to the contractions and couldn''t breathe, as if she was giving birth with her whole body, even her heart was about to stop. de dance isn''t meant for a human body. "Get out of the way!" The nun from earlier walked toward them. "We''ll start¡­" One of the healer students was about to cast healing magic on her but the nun kicked him in the face, "Get out of the way, don''t heal her." "We''ll do it." Lydia and Eris rushed but she grabbed them as well, "Hold your horses, you two aren''t fit for it. Leave her be¡­" Lydia and Eris both red at the nun with glowing eyes. Eris clenched a fist and Lydia readied a smile, they were about to smack her away to heal Merida. BOOM! The whole ce exploded as they both swung at the nun, but she caught their attacks with her bare hands. "You two, calm down." She pushed their hands down, grabbed them by the heads, and quickly smacked their faces together. As the nun''s hands were infused with a strange holy magic, Eris fell down without knowing what happened to her, but Lydia didn''t. She immediately took a stance and swung a divine smite at the nun''s face, the same fist that spun Alony. CLAP! The nun instantly countered Lydia''s fist with a p, smacking her to the ground, "I''ll heal this girl. You two stand down." She was insisting that no one is to touch Merida beside her. As the nun bent down to heal Merida, Arad grabbed her by the head. He was about to transform and destroy the whole ce. -Calm down, dragon. Do you know that she''s infected with a demonic fungus? Those two would discover that if they healed her. I don''t know why you''re here, but if you''re looking for a cure to her condition, I can erase that fungus from her body.- The nun''s voice rang in Arad''s head. Arad blinked twice, ^Eris is also my wife. Both she and Lydia know about Merida''s fungus and don''t remove it. It''s a part of her body now.^ He growled inside his head, and the nun looked at him with a dumbfounded face. "Really?" She gasped. "Yeah, start healing her." Arad let the nun go and went to check on Eris and Lydia. This misunderstanding almost ended up badly. Eris quickly woke up, "What happened? I was about to punch that stupid¡­" She found her head on Arad''sp as Lydia healed her. With a gasp, she quickly sat up. "Merida is fine, teacher healed her." Lydia replied with a sigh, "As she''s an expert in healing magic, she instantly recognized the fungus in Merida''s body and tried to keep it a secret from everyone. She also figured that Arad is a dragon."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Eris looked around; they were the only ones sitting in the arena. "Where is Merida?" Eris asked. "She got healed and went back with her ss." Arad replied, "For us, we''re taking the rest of the day off, the whole holy ss got to leave as they exhausted themselves healing the students Arad beat to a pulp." Lydia exined. "It all ended up while I was knocked out¡­" Eris sighed, "To think that bitch knocked me out with a simple spell." "What did you call me?" Their teacher emerged from Arad''s shadow. "Call me L." "Where were you doing there!?" Eris gasped. "I was ying with my dear Arad¡­" "She was checking on Zephyr''s seal." Arad instantly added. L sighed, "Well, I can''t seem to do anything to it. I''m a healer and not a wizard. But, there should be something else I can help with." She stared at Arad with a grin. "Zul''s case!" Arad gasped, standing up. Chapter 775 Goddess of Destruction and Orphans Chapter 775 Goddess of Destruction and Orphans ??"I don''t know about this¡­" L stared at Zul with a worried face. "As Lydia and Eris said, holy magic can''t heal what''s a part of her body. It doesn''t recognize it as a disease." "Is there nothing we can do besides cutting it off?" Arad looked at Zul. "The draconic fundamentum is the source of a dragon''s magic as it is as sensitive as their brain. Unless we cleanly cut all of that growth and heal it up, she could end up crippled in the best case." L looked at Arad. "I''m not an expert in dragons but I know a bit. A dragon''s muscles need more than just nutrients to work, they require mana processed by the fundamentum, without that organ, she might never be able to fly again. She''ll find it hard to even stand in her draconic form." "Don''t worry about me." Zul turned toward Arad, "I''ll find a solution in a century or two. We dragons have all the time we want." "I guess that''s true." "If your case doesn''t get worse." L red at her. "If anything felt off, call me. I''m a subus so I should be still alive in theing centuries." "You subi feed off the life of your victims. You''ll be alive in a thousand years," Zul red at her. "Trying to throw shade on me? I''ll let you know that won''t work, we high priestess of Gracie are like monks. You might not believe me, but I''m still a pure maiden. Refraining from our carnal hunger is what her lordship rewards us with power for." L waved her hand with a grin. "I might tease people though." She turned toward Arad with a grin. "I''ll kill you!" Eris growled at her, hissing as she stood her and Arad. "He my husband." "[Our husband¡­]" Doma and Merida corrected her. "Hoho¡­" L stared at them. "Is a fight about to start? A catfight, I see." She started watching. "The duality of sun and vampire magic, the queen of curses, and the demonic de, shall we call the spirit herald and artificer to join the fight?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "They aren''t fighting. I would love to see them get along." Arad said as he red at L. "Hoo! The destroyer Uranus is trying to quell the storm, how unexpected. Dragons usually love nothing more than watching their drakainas fight to prove their strength." "All of you. Don''t fight." Arad red at the girls. "We aren''t going to fight. We''re just horsing around." Eris sighed. "[I too have no intention of harming them. I''m getting to be the closest to you after all,]" Doma giggled. Merida stared at her sword with a disappointed face. "I wanted to fight them¡­" Eris smiled, "We can y a bitter, but not around here, we''ll destroy the ce." "I''ll check on you at the end of the week." L approached Zul. "For now, take care of your health." Days quickly passed by, and the weekend approached. Arad had left back to Alina with his wives, leaving the rest in the university. Jack and Lydia made their way down to the city on a date, walking side by side. "It''s been a while since we had time like this." Lydia said, walking beside Jack. "It''s because you keep getting in trouble." Jack replied, "Whenever I tried to take you on a date you ended up starting a fight with the first thug we see." "It''s a pdin''s duty to keep peace." Lydia replied to him. "What about our peace? I honestly won''t mind if we two could spend our time peacefully on a farm. I''ll go out hunting and farming while you help me. Won''t such a life be a dream?" He stared at her. "That would be ideal if this world wasn''t riddled with evil. It''s a pdin''s job to deal with that, I can''t just ignore it." She red at him with glowing golden eyes. "And you''re the hero, aren''t you? Won''t it be good to show some excitement about saving the world, restoring bnce, and riding the world of evil?" Jack looked at the sky with a troubled face, "Hero you say? I don''t think I''m fit for the job." He pulled the wakizashi and stared at it." "The de of the ancient hero Daraku. Am I really up to hold such a man''s legacy?" Jack sighed, "I looked through all the books of the university and found nothing. The only lead I had was Kinryuu''s words." "Daraku, the hero that revitalized Amaterasu''s religion by feeding the orphaned priestess that resided in one of the goddess''s shrines." Lydia stared at the sun. "It takes a valiant hero to kick start a whole religion." "See? That isn''t the kind of task you entrust to a rogue." Jack cried, staring at her with a sad face. "I only want to live my life in peace. I grew up on the streets and only survived due to my sister Liliana''s help. She was a thief, but did her best to feed us." "You sister¡­" She looked at Jack, "When I was studying in the church, she was an infamous criminal. You don''t know how many pdins would cut her head on sight." "They would cut mine as well." Jack looked at Lydia, "Even you tried to kill me at one time. Why the change of heart?" Lydia stared at him for a second, "I can''t find an answer. I know that what you and she did is a crime, but I can''t criticize you until I find a solution to the starving children in the city. Killing you or her is the same as forcing those kids to starve to death, or freeze in the winter." She sighed. "People need to survive." Jack replied. "That doesn''t excuse your crimes, but since the first time I met you, I began to wonder. The life in front of me would''ve starved to death if Liliana wasn''t stealing. Was it really worth it? And now that you became the hero, I can''t help but feel that everything the pdins did was wrong." She looked at him with a sad face. "It wasn''t wrong. You know that sister is a tiefling, but there is something about her you might not know." Jack looked at Lydia, "Didn''t you wonder why not a single pdin or priest could detect her even with the demonic blood running through her veins?" "Now that you mentioned it. Tiefling appears in holy barriers like the sun in the sky, how could she have been slipping through their hands all those years? As if the gods didn''t want her to be captured." "You''re close. She''s a priestess of Kali, the goddess of demons, and destruction, and guardian deity of orphans. You couldn''t detect her because she''s like you, a user of holy magic." "Wait¡­ I didn''t sense any holy magic from her when we met. We would''ve known if someone was from the holy order or not." "She rarely prayed or used holy magic. Kali doesn''t particrly care if you do or not, what she wants is either the destruction of evil demons that taint her people''s name or the protection of children. Sister always said, Kali would smite her if she wasted time praying instead of getting food for us." Jack giggled, "But she did heal us with holy magic when we got sick." "No wonder we never got a sick kid from the slums¡­ We even suspected that people from the church were healing your brothers in secret." She stared at him with a surprised face. "You would''ve used us to capture sister. We would rather die sick thane to your church, luckily for us, sister could keep us alive." "A goddess that requests no prayers. Only a noble creed to be followed." Lydia mumbled. "I doubt she has any statues or churches, does she?" "Sister said that Kali is popr in the demon continent and in the abyss. She would depict her as a tall blue-skinned woman with red palms and feet, she has six arms, and three heads and only wears a skirt made of severed arms and arge ne of heads." Jack smiled. "That''s a horrifying image for the protector of children." Lydia stared at him with a worried face. "That''s her destruction form. It''s what those who harm children and the demon''s reputation see before they are torn to shreds. She usually takes the form of an orphaned little girl with pink hair when dealing with children. Some even im that she guided them to the slums when they lost their parents." Jack looked at the buildings. "When some new kids showed up in the slums, they always imed that a cheerful pink-haired girl led them to us and then disappeared." "Gods can''t walk the mortal world. And I never heard of them sending visions like that. Are you sure it wasn''t someone throwing the responsibility at your sister?" Lydia stopped walking and looked to the side, arge bakery was there with countless people lined up to buy bread and today''s special, apple pie with honey cream and ginger. She quickly pulled Jack to wait with her. "Sister''s parents got killed by bandits when they were traveling toward the demon continent. And before the bandits couldnd a hand on her, the goddess appeared in her destruction form and burned them to the ground." Jack stared at Lydia, "I bet Kali is far more active than Amaterasu." "The sun is her grace." She pointed at the sun. "She''s better." "Kali is better." "No, Amaterasu is the best one." The two started fighting inside the bakery, and they got kicked out. Chapter 776 Dusk and Dawn Chapter 776 Dusk and Dawn ??"See? We got kicked out thanks to you." Jack stared at Lydia. "It wasn''t my fault. You''re the one who started first." She growled, but then giggled, "Yeah, we don''t get along." Jack smiled, "Want something from the bakery?" "Don''t go stealing anything." She growled, "But that one cake there looks nice." "Got it, give me a minute." He stood and walked back inside. "You better not steal it." She growled and he waved his hand. After several minutes he came out, "We''re allowed back inside. Come on," "Allowed? You talked to him?" She stood. "Yeah, I know my way around words. Rogues are usually meant to be the faces of adventuring parties alongside bards." He smiled as he approached and grabbed her hand. "Let''s go inside. The cake is waiting," Lydia smiled, "I can really count on you." "Not always, I''m pretty useless most of the time." He smiled. As the two sat down to eat the cakes, Lydia looked at the people flocking inside, "This ce looks lively, it must be nice to live here." One of the waiters there stopped and looked at her. "I won''t say that. It was pretty rough around here until two days ago. We could barely sell anything." The owner came walking in and looked at the waiter. "They need help in the kitchen, I''ll keep the two guestspany, go help them." "What did happen?" "Thugs, we were forced to pay a protection fee for thest several years. I do remember that being a thing since I was but a young little boy." He said, "We''ll start losing money due to the extortion which made me raise the prices to remain in business. And when the thugs found that I increased my prices, they asked for a bigger fee, it was a downward spiral."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "The guards did nothing?" "The guards caught thugs daily, but always kept showing back up. Some even say they had a secret escape tunnel in the guard''s jail. Or even a rat that was letting them go, the bastard." He whispered. "So what changed two days ago?" Lydia asked. "Divine punishment. Puff!" He said, "All the thugs disappeared without a trace and several of their corpses were found dead in abandoned houses, and the warehouse they used as a base went into mes." He said with an enthusiastic voice, "No man could''ve done that, it was a punishment from the gods, an angel must''ve flown down from heaven and burned them to ash." He took a deep breath, "We aren''t extorted anymore and the prices started returning to a reasonable state. More people could afford food and clothes, and business was slowlying back to life. The rush you just saw wasn''t because my cake is good but instead because those people didn''t have any cake in the past years." Lydia''s eyes slowly turned toward Jack. It''s him, those thugs he wiped out before. They were the ones terrorizing the city. "Amaterasu''s church has been flooded by people bringing in offerings and coins to her altar. You must go check it out. It''s the first time in decades that I saw that statue clean of bird droppings." The owner said with a smile. "Jack¡­" Lydia stared at him. Jack shoved a piece of cake into her mouth with a fork, "Eat for now, we''ll check itter." As the two left, Lydia stared at Jack. "Why didn''t you say anything? There was no angel, only you." "I don''t care. I''ve got enough money from killing those thugs. It''s a nice bonus to have the city bing safer, but it was never my goal." Jack replied with a yawn, "But, I''m still salty about something." "What is it?" Lydia asked. "That goddess is stealing my money. I''ll go take it back." He said, about to rush forward. "Wait!" Lydia caught him, "Don''t run, you can''t steal offerings, you''ll get struck with a divine punishment." "Let me go¡­ if that puny goddess of you couldn''t even take down some thugs. She won''t be able to strike me down; I have no intention of working for her as a hero for free." He kept trying to run away. "I said don''t! Doing good deeds doesn''t require a reward." Lydia growled as she tried to stop him. "It''ll be eptable if that was it. I can''t even take my wife''s virginity without her losing power, what shit is that? I''ll go make sure her statue is a prime pigeon toilet." He grunted. "Those aren''t the words of a hero! Stop, you''ll get killed by a lightning bolt." "Nah, I''ll do it!" Several minutester, the two were standing in Amaterasu''s church. Lydia kept a close eye on Jack so he wouldn''t do anything absurd. A nun approached them. "I haven''t seen your faces around, are you travelers, no, probably students from the university. Are you here to pray for our¡­" Lydia showed her Amaterasu''s emblem, "I am primarily a pdin of Amaterasu, but I''m also a cleric of Jemima and Lath." The nun gasped, taking a few steps back, "The holy trinity of sun, earth, and life. And a high pdin at that. Sorry for not recognizing you." "I''m not on an official business, I''m only here to pray and leave an offering," Lydia said with a smile. "Then you¡­" As the nun turned, the two of them could see Jack standing over the offering pedestal and ring at the statue. "What are you doing, JACK!" Lydia gasped with a cry, rushing at him. Lydia reached Jack and grabbed him by the wrist, trying to pull him away. She couldn''t he was as hard as a statue. "Jack¡­" She gasped, looking at his face to see his eyes taking the shape of an eclipsed sun. [My little Lydia¡­I was talking with the hero, don''t you see?] A voice came from above the statue, and Lydia slowly lifted her head, seeing a pale woman with long ck hair, a sun-like right eye, and an eclipse-like left one staring at her, wigging her feet down the statue''s head. [No, he''s your husband. You wouldn''t want him talking to me alone.] "You are¡­"Lydia gasped. "Lydia!" Jack turned toward her, "You came here as well?" [I let her in.] Amaterasu said. [I don''t have much time here so I''ll talk quickly. Even if I have a thing for making the overgod angry at me, this isn''t the way to do it.] She giggled. "I came to take the offerings; this knife of yours can''t provide anything besides stinging a bit with holy magic." Jack growled. "Jack¡­ she''s a goddess¡­" Lydia screamed silently at his ear. [That''s because you don''t have enough mana. It''s not within my hands.] She pointed at Jack with her toe. [But I can grant you an ability that you can use once a day. While carrying the Daraku''s wakizashi on yourself, you can forbid any number of people within a hundred meters from the sun''s grace.] "What does that even mean?" He growled. [They won''t be able to use the sunlight as a medium of sight so they''ll get blinded, and they start burning in the sunlight like vampires.] Amaterasu smiled with her blood-red lips, turning toward Lydia, [And you¡­ You''ve already met my Archon, Asmodeus.] "I did¡­Is she really your archon? The rulers of the hells?" Lydia gasped. [She is indeed my Archon. The only one to ever fully master my divine magic. I''m what you call a god with a duality, the bright sun, and the eclipsed sun. Dusk and down, and thus I can grant both holy magic and its opposite form.] Lydia stared at her own hand and a purplish ck spark shed. [Asmodeus is acting as a medium between me and you now. Feel free to use that power against your enemies, but make sure it''s away from the church''s eyes.] "Hoi! Useless goddess, what''s up with this ability? Once a day? Do you know how hard it''ll be to get a use out of it?" Jack shouted at her, and Lydia couldn''t be more scared. [Again, that''s a problem with you. Youck faith in me, I can''t force my divine energy into a non-believer, and they''ll burn and die.] She looked at him with a thinking face. "Jack¡­ calm down." "You''re a goddess so do a goddess thing and fix it!" Jack yelled at her. [Fine, you two were talking about Kali earlier, so I probably should go with her example.] Amaterasu sighed, [You can use it more than once, but to achieve that, you''ll have to recharge from a source that''s rich with my divine magic.] "Huh? Do you want me toe here and lick your statue each day to recharge that ability? It''s no better than it not being rechargeable at all." He growled. [You can do that¡­but I wasn''t talking about my statue.] She pointed at Lydia with her toes. [You can recharge from her.] "Wait! Me?!" Lydia gasped. "Lydia¡­" Jack looked at Lydia, "Keep going¡­" he looked back at Amaterasu. [Any physical contact will do. Just touch her and it''ll be charged right up, but¡­It''ll be better if you kiss her.] "What are you saying!" Lydia was the one screaming now. "And what benefit would that provide?" Jack asked with an interested face. [Nothing, it''ll be more fun for me to watch.] Jack thought about it for a second and then turned toward Amaterasu. "On a more serious note¡­there was something I wanted to ask." [What is it? My little hero?] "Why does Lydia need to remain a virgin?" He asked. "JACK!" Lydia cried at his side. [Good question. She actually doesn''t now. Ever since Asmodeus became a medium between us that requirement has dropped.] "Then doesn''t need to anymore!" [No, she still needs to remain a virgin for now. I''ll remove all of her powers if she loses hers.] Amaterasu stared at Jack. "Why?" [Cause you''ll stop being a hero.] "Wait! That doesn''t make sense!" Jack growled. [Next time, you''ll talk with Asmodeus. Be careful, she isn''t as gentle as I am¡­She hates women like Lydia, so be careful¡­ careful, careful¡­] Amaterasu disappeared into the godrays. Chapter 777 Divine Spark Chapter 777 Divine Spark ??Selica walked out of the university heading toward the city alone once again, but this time she had Sena make her grow a tiny horn on her head that was covered with her hair. It detects movement and gives her enchanted perception, a security measure considering what happened before. Sena had already warned her, send a wave of mana into the air, and I''ll pick up on it immediately and fly to you. Don''t try fighting anyone alone, you might fall into a trap. Besides Arad, Sena, Gojo, and Tempo, anyone else could be captured in one way or another. As Selica walked into the city and past the church, she saw Jack and Lydia walking out. "Lydia! Jack, it''s nice seeing you here." She approached them. "Selica, you''re here to buy something?" Lydia approached her with Jack slowly trailing behind her. "Wine and some ink for Lady Sena." She replied, "What about you?" "Nothing¡­ Just walking around and exploring the city." Selica stared at them with a smug face. "So you''re on a date? How nice¡­" She giggled, and pointed south, "Don''t go in that direction. Sara told me that her brother is plotting something in there and that I should stay away from it." "What is he doing?" Lydia looked south. "Abel? He''s trying to revitalize the prostitution district. He''s quite good at that and it''ll make him a lot of money." As Jack replied, Lydia grabbed him by the head. "And how do you know that?" "He told me. Said that he''s looking to open a branch for the elephant trunk here¡­" Jack replied as Lydia growled. "That bastard Abel, even in Alina we couldn''t halt the indecency that he''sing up with¡­" "Then how about you fix the original problem?" Jack turned to stare at her and she quickly let go of his head. "Sorry¡­ what is it?" "Poverty, a lot of men and womenck the skill or courage to work in any other profession, or they might just like it too much. Those people usually end up trying to see themselves as prostitutes on the streets, but that mostly ends up with them scammed and not paid. Abel provides them with protection, guaranteed payment, and health care in exchange for a cut of what they make." Jack exined. "So you''re saying¡­" She mumbled. "Without him, endless children would start emerging on the street. Even I was one. I do not know my parents, and I doubt they knew of me or survived long enough. It''s a shitty life, growing in the streets isn''t something that should exist. Abel is limiting that, and that''s a good thing." He looked at her. "If you think what he''s doing is bad, then fix the city before trying to stop him." "You''re right." Lydia sighed, "It''s a systematic problem. Stopping him won''t fix anything." Jack smiled, "So you understand." Selica stared at them with a surprised face, yet a bit worried. "You''re talking sense into a pdin¡­ It''s either you''re an impressive person, or there is something wrong with her." "It''s probably thetter." Lydia mumbled. Remembering that Amaterasu is a god of duality, she is as evil as she''s good, which means the closer someone gets to her, the stronger that nature starts showing in them. "Unbiased justice delivered to everyone equally." Lydia''s eyes opened wide as she stared at the corner of the street, seeing arge rat run from the sun to the shade, the grass growing under the warm sunlight while fungus thrived in the shade. Darkness is the absence of light, and so are Amaterasu''s doctrines. "I see it! It''s necessary; both exist like two faces of the same coin. Justice isn''t trying to make the good side win, that''s called tyranny. Justice is trying to achieve a bnce between god and evil, that''s why the church is failing, that is why people can''t help but find pdins and clerics preach annoying, because we forget the truth of bnce." She started mumbling and her holy magic started spiking, even Jack and Selica could feel it and backed away. "Lydia! Watch out, your magic is getting out of hand. Calm it down." Jack tapped her back and she calmed down. "Ah, Jack. Sorry, I was lost in thoughts." She smiled, "It''s an unfair reality given to all equally. The world is cruel, and we must preserve it." She closed a fist, engulfed in divine mes. "Oath of vengeance, protection, and now¡­" She opened her palm, "Bnce, protecting the order of the world. I''ve gotten a new oath, and my divine magic purity doubled once more." Each time a pdin swears an oath or is granted one by their god, the quality of their divine magic doubles. Everyone humanoid has a base affinity to holy magic that''s equal to 1. Once they be a cleric or a pdin they get their first oath which doubles that affinity and makes it 2. A cleric''s oath is to heal all equally and fairly without discrimination as everyone has a right to life. Pdins'' oaths differ from one god to another. A normal pdin would usually have only one oath, which gets the purity of their holy magic into 2. Keeping an oath is a difficult and sometimes a deadly endeavor, so most stay with one. When a pdin picks a second oath, their holy magic starts shifting into divine magic and reaches a purity of 4, meaning their smite could be double the strength of that of a normal pdin, and so is their willpower. And now that Lydia gained her third oath her purity spiked to 8, getting doubled once again. She became equal in quality to the previous head pdin Alphonse, albeit she stillcks in quantity. Therge rat that Lydia saw stopped moving and turned toward her, staring with a tired face. He approached them, "The hell was that?" He spoke, his eyes glowing purple.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Arad?" Jack gasped, patting the rat''s head, "I thought you went back to Alina for the weekend?" "I left my clone here." He replied, turning toward Lydia, "What was that spike in holy magic, no it was divine magic." "I got a third oath. I bet that devil lord would''ve seen the gods if I punched him with this power." She smiled. "You bet¡­ But you''re still nowhere near the purity that Vars had when became a demi-god right before ascending." The rat replied in Arad''s voice, sitting on his butt and crossing his tiny arms. "Holy magic won''t work against a demi-god anyway. But I have something that might fare better." A dark purple spark crackled in her eyes. "The scent of the hells, what kind of power did you pick up from there?" "Want to see it?" Lydia smiled. "Yeah, but we need to find another ce." The rat tapped his tail on the ground and they all disappeared. Arad and Lydia had a short training bout, and the results looked astounding. He was using his clone which had half his magic power but was just as durable as his full self, but even with that, Lydia''s smites could knock him into the next phase with a single hit. Albeitnding those smites seemed impossible with his speed. And she only managed to hit him as he allowed her to do so. What was more horrifying was when Lydia''s de sparked ck under Amaterasu''s eclipse, showing a power that contradicts her holy magic. Rotting Arad''s flesh upon contact and preventing him from healing. The two faced each other as Lydia''s sword turned back to normal. "Don''t use that sword in front of anyone." Arad said, "It''s vile." "I know. It''s not something a pdin should use to enact justice." She looked at him, "But, I feel this power was granted to me for a reason. It eats away at holy magic and erases it to zero¡­perfect for killing demi-gods like Vars." Arad started thinking, "So, you''re saying we''re going to face a demi-god soon? Is that a vision from Amaterasu?" "No, it''s just my conclusion." She looked at him. "I gained this power from Asmodeus, Amaterasu''s Archon, and the ruler of the nine hells." To the south of Croc city, a man sat on a wooden chair in a small vige, carrying a golden ball in his hand. "They all died, the party I sent to Croc¡­" He mumbled. "Lord Jordan, we got a message from the new team heading to Croc. They sessfully located the woman who started the massacre of the Gonger warehouse. At the time of the writing of the letter, she wasing down from the university to the city." The man who walked inside said with a gentle bow. "I hope they follow their n." Lord Jordan stared at him with a twisting face. "They will? Won''t they?" "Capture her alive and bring her here. Indeed, they''ll do just that." The man bowed deeper. "Good, those who don''t follow my words have no ce in my heaven. Make sure everyone remembers that." Lord Jordan growled. "Yes, Your Highness." The man slowly walked backward and exited the room. "Such a mysterious thing, but how beautiful it is." He stared at the golden ball in his hand. "The world wants me to rise. There is no other exnation as to why I found this. Thisnd itself saved me decades of preparation and hundreds of worshippers, it''s right before my hands, the divine spark." He stood, twitching, "But¡­Those viins could still try and steal this from me to stall my great n! But I''m smarter than them, I''m indeed!" He gulped the golden ball, "Now, take it from my corpse. You foul ones!" Chapter 778 Merlins Uninvited Guests Chapter 778 Merlin''s Uninvited Guests ??"ARAD! COME ON PLEASE!" Arad could barely walk with Meryem hanging to his back, dragging him back. "Don''t leave¡­Just once!" "I said no and that means no. It could end with a disaster." Arad turned back at her with an annoyed growl, "You''ve heard Merlin. You have nowhere near enough mana for that. How many times do I need to exin it to you?" "That isn''t fair, can''t you help me with your mana? I''m sure it''ll be fine." She was about to cry. "Crying won''t grant you anything." He looked at her, "Even with both of our manabined, we won''t sustain ten, let alone hundreds or even thousands." "Meryem¡­" Ae said, staring at them. "I''ve told you it''s a bad idea. He won''t do it no matter how much you ask." "Ae! Help me convince him." Meryem stared at her with a near-crying eye. "Someone would die." Eris said, "I don''t mind you dying, but I can''t have Arad die before I kill him. So stop it." Merida nodded, "Yeah, I can understand how you feel, but you must be patient, and get more mana. You''re just too good for it that it backfired on you." Meryem couldy ant eggs on her own without needing a mate since she''s a dungeon boss. But she could still mate, and her wanted partner was Arad. But that had proved a huge problem. While working on freeing Zephyr, Merlin did some studies on Meryem''s body and how she functions and discovered several troubling things. She''s both simr to normal ant queens and different. Meryem has toy eggs one week a month, with around 200-400 eggs a day, resulting in a total of 1400-2800 eggs a month. This is the bare minimum, but she can choose toy eggs each day without stopping, of course as long as she has enough food. But she only does that when the colonycks workers. But, if she was to mate with Arad, a disaster would ur. Even if only 1% of the eggs came as void dragons, that would still be 14-28 at once which would drain both her and Arad dry of mana and kill them. He''s now using almost a third of his mana to sustain the egg in Mira, and if Ae is pregnant, the child would be most likely an elf or a human as doesn''t need that much mana. Meryem keeps asking Arad to sleep with her, but he has to remind her each time that they can''t sustain the eggs, and he isn''t going to let his children starve to death before they are even born. "Without any of us having enough mana to sustain such a number, we can''t do it. And even if I had such mana to support them all, I wouldn''t do it as that would leave me with nothing to fight with. I want to wait until I have at least double what is needed so we can stay safe." Arad added and turned toward Meryem. "Do you understand?" She let go of him with a sad face, "I do¡­" She gently shifted into her ant form and looked up. Her mandible tapped each other before she released a deep roar, calling half of the ant workers. "Dig the ground, spread across thend, and find me mana crystals. A boss is a mirror to the dungeon, if we had a lot of mana crystals here, my mana might start increasing." The ants rushed everywhere to scavenge for mana crystal. Arad and the girls headed to Merlin''s tower as the ants went out to search, and they found Merlin with Amber in theb working on a spell. Strangely enough, Merlin was in her underwear while Amber''s whole body was made of zing mes. "Hot!" Ae, Mira, and Merida gasped as they hid behind Eris and Isdis''s ice magic. "What''s going on here?" Arad asked as he approached Merlin. "ARAD! It''s been a while." She rushed toward him and jumped at his chest, hugging him. "Do you know how much I missed you? I''ve been left alone to deal with her magic." "Master!" Zia jumped out of Arad in her nun''s outfit, "I sense a fiend around you!" She grabbed Merlin by the hair and started pulling her back. "Get away from him! You wizard!" Arad turned toward Amber, "Can you turn back to normal? It''s a bit hot for them." He pointed at the girls. "Well¡­ we''re testing fireproof clothes¡­there is a possibility of me being naked." She replied. "So you two were testing clothes that won''t burn when you transform." Arad looked at her, "Just looking at you now, I say you''re naked. There is no trace of clothes around you." "I don''t really want to try my luck¡­" She looked at the girls, "I not as shameless as that woman. I won''t strip in front of any man, let alone a married one." Merlin turned toward Amber, "Do it, it''ll take a lot to calm your mes. Just pull them back and let''s see if the clothes I enchanted had remained." Amber turned toward Eris. "Do it, we don''t really care at this point." Eris replied. When Amber shifted back, she still had her clothes on and Merlin gave her a thumb up, "It worked." Amber looked at her robe, "You crazy woman it worked¡­" She giggled, "You''re really something." "Even you underestimate my skills." Merlin let go of Arad and approached Amber. "Yep, they are stable. But I doubt they''ll survive if you get hit when in fire mode. I''ll add some extra enchantments," Merlin then turned toward Arad the girls, "Sit down. What brought you to my humbleb today?" Arad sat down and Zia stood beside him, still ring at Merlin with a growl. She''s extremely protective of Arad. "I actually came he to ask you about magic¡­" Knock! Knock! Knock! Everyone stopped talking and stared at the door. "I sense no magic." Merlin stood, approaching the door, "No, it''s Nina; I can recognize the mana flowing in her from a mile away." She opened the door. "Oi! Long time no see, did your boobs growrger again!" [=w=] Betty stood there, lifting her hand and waving it at Merlin. Merlin immediately kicked Betty in the face and smacked the door shut, panting like she saw a ghost. "I must be dreaming, yeah! She''ll nevere here." Knock! Knock! Knock! Merlin remained silent, hearing her heart beat like a drum. Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! She rapidly opened the door and threw a low kick followed by a mana st. She hit Nina straight in the ground and sted her clothes with the spell. Nina lifted Merlin by the face, "What''s the meaning of this? Why attack me out of nowhere." She growled. "AW! AW! AW! Wait, what happened to that brat?" She growled. "What brat?" Nina growled. "She must be talking about me." Betty replied while sitting on Arad''sp. "I got in before she closed the door." Betty stared at her with a proud face, "I''m fast!" While still caught by Nina, Merlin pointed her foot at Betty and charged a spell to st her with teleport magic. "Get out of myb!" "Nope!" Betty disappeared and she appeared sitting on the table with Merlin on herp. SMACK! She spanked her, "When it wasst that I spanked you? Since the days of school You problem child! I guess graduating never taught you to respect your teachers." DING! DING! Merlin teleported out of Betty''s grasp and appeared behind Arad, "Where did she go?!" She gasped. "I''m standing on your head." Betty replied, standing on Merlin''s head. Merlin pulled Betty down with a gravity spell, and swung an enchanted fist at her, trying to get a punch in. Betty disappeared and appeared behind Merlin, pping her butt again. "Sorry, I''m short and can only reach your butt." SWOSH! Merlin spun with a kick, but Betty appeared standing on her chest and face, "You''re too slow for me. I only came to visit you, calm down." Thud! Arad grabbed Betty by the head, "Stop causing trouble. How did youe here, I didn''t bring you." "I ran to here! It only took me a second, I swear." Betty replied as she wiggled like a worm lifted by her head. "Why am I always cursed with those Halflings making my life hell?" Merlin growled. "You have a history with them?" Arad asked. "A long one." She growled. "That''s a lie, it''s a short history." Betty said and Merlin grabbed her by the face. "She was always told she''s a magic genius and she came to the university quite arrogant with her power and mastery over the arcane arts. She annoyed me so I gave her a reality check every time she thought she made an achievement. She then graduated and went to Magic Tower to get higher education toe to humiliate me, but she ended up treated the same way by Lilia, the archmage of the tower. And even after leaving the tower much more powerful, she still can''t reach my level of mastery." Betty exined everything as shortly as she could, but it wasn''t shorter than her.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Lilia, that red-haired Halfling?" Arad asked. "Yeah, but she''s a half-elf half-Halfling, and is one foot taller than me." Betty said as Merlin let go of her face. "How strong is shepared to you?" "Far stronger. To start with, Lilia is at level 1000, knows all the spells in existence, and always makes new ones. Her mana seems infinity and her efficiency makes her able to cast level 9 spells without consuming any mana at all. The shorty seems to have mastered all the elements of magic, even holy and curse because she''s a fanatic believer of the overgod and his pdin. She''s the pinnacle of magic; some even call her the avatar of the goddess of magic Yog." "Is she really that strong? I find it hard to believe. Last time I saw her, she did beat me, but she didn''t seem that far ahead, I bet I could punch her in the face now." Arad replied. "You don''t know how scary she can be." Betty stared at him. "Catch me first, and then we can talk about how to beat her if you have that potential." "Is my power really that hard to imagine?" Lilia appeared standing on Merlin''s head just like Betty. Everyone froze in ce, barely able to move as a huge wave of mana seeped from Lilia''s body. "But¡­" She stopped the leaking mana. "I admit one thing, he has the potential to beat me if he tries really hard." "Why do you love standing on my head so much¡­" Merlin growled, sparks of lightning crackling on her hair. Lilia stared down at her. "Because your mana is cleanest of everyone here. It''s also the purest, calmest, and most refined. Targeting you as anding position of teleportation magic couldn''t be easier. Be proud, Merlin, not many people reached your level of mastery. Otherwise, I won''t even bother showing here, would I?" Merlin gasped. Chapter 779 Trust Chapter 779 Trust ??"Care to exin why did youe here?" Arad grabbed Lilia by the head and lifted her up. "Merlin clearly doesn''t want you here." "I get that she dislikes me, but she does want me here." Lilia said with a passive face as her eyes shifted toward Merlin''s desk. "You''ve made some progress with the seal, but you''ve hit a snag for thest few days. You''ve been going down the wrong path to opening it so I came to help you." Lilia disappeared from Arad''s palm and appeared standing over Merlin''s desk. The papers flew to her hand as if they had a mind of their own. "Look here, you''re assuming the prison cube is a seal that encases a target and working off that. That theory is wrong since Gojo had once escaped." "How do you know that?" Merlin growled at her. Lilia looked at her with a passive face, not showing a single emotion. ^Should I tell her I''m the one who made those things? d did tamper with it, but I can probably get Zephyr out in a minute or two¡­No, it''s better to let the young ones learn, Zephyr isn''t in any danger inside after all.^ "How I know doesn''t matter. What matters is that you''re going down the wrong path, this isn''t a seal that encases a target.^ "Then what is it?" Merlin asked. Lilia looked away¡­ "See youter, have a good time." She disappeared. "WAIT!" Merlin screamed, "Why would leave without telling us what is it?!" She growled, staring back at her papers. Arad pulled the cube Zephyr was sealed in and stared at it. "She said it isn''t a seal that encases a target. Then we have two points to challenge: a seal, and the second if it encases a target or not." He said, his eyes glowing with a dark purple light. He pulled a chair and sat down, Betty taking a seat on his shoulder, almost getting shot by an arrow from Ae. "You angry?" Betty waved her hand at Ae. "Get off him. He isn''t a chair." She growled. "Betty." Arad said, "I want to test something." "What? Did you find something?" "I didn''t find anything. But I think it might be neither a seal nor something that encases a target." He stood, "I need your help for this." Bettyughed, "It''s my chance then to prove myself!" She turned toward Ae and the rest. "Be ready, with this favor, I''ll get my spot ahead of all of you. I''ll never let it slide off my hand." Arad stared at her, "elerate me to the speed of light."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Betty''s face changed into a frown, "I can''t do that. You''ll die. If you die, I''ll have no one to seek." "I won''t die. I only want to understand the limits of travel magic." "You mean teleportation? Then use that." Betty stared at him. "Arad, what are you thinking about?" Merlin approached Arad with the girls. "I think this cube is a portal. The space the target gets locked in isn''t a real one, but a demi-n like the one Betty took me and my brother to." He looked at Betty. "That doesn''t make sense. I could''ve opened it if it was a portal." Merlin stared at him. "No, it doesn''t have a single portal. There are several tens of ring-shaped portals stuck into the same space to the point they form a sphere. To get to the space the target is looked in you need to synchronize all the portals as if you''re opening a lock made of magic." "And this thing was made to kill abominations. It isn''t meant to be opened." Betty smiled, "If anyone tried to force the cube open, the portals would get destroyed causing the demi-ne that the target is in to copse on them and they''ll die, even their soul would get lost." "I don''t know about thest part, but I think brother managed to break out since we void dragons are attuned to space. You can try to seal a fish in the ocean but it''ll just swim out, but try and seal a human, that''s a different thing." Arad smiled. "If I can elerate to the speed of light I might be able to break the cube, fly through the portals, and swallow Zephyr into my stomach before the whole ce copses." "Let''s say everything you said is right. You''re Betty a lot on Zephyr, she''s a great spirit, and I doubt you''ll be able to swallow her in time, her reflexes would prevent you from doing that." Merlin sat on a chair facing Arad. Arad started thinking for a while, "Zephyr¡­will she innately reject me? This is like jumping at someone swinging a knife, even if they were your lover, they''ll still dodge." "That''s right. And you can''t reach the speed of light without a light dragon''s blood. Your body would disintegrate before you reach that speed." Betty sighed, "Think of another n." "The problems are if I can reach such speed and if Zephyr trusts me enough¡­" Ae pulled a dagger and swung at Arad, stabbing him in the neck and everyone gasped. "Ae! What did you do?" Eris growled. "Are you out of your mind?!" Merlin stared at her. Arad''s eyes slowly panned down at the dagger. "Trust¡­" He mumbled¡­ "Yeah, you''re right, Ae." He smiled. "I know Zephyr better than anyone here. She trusts you far more than you expect. You could kill me and she won''t bat an eye. Not because she doesn''t care about me, she does and would burn the whole kingdom if I were to get killed. But she trusts you enough to believe you had a reason." Ae pulled the dagger off Arad''s neck and not a single drop of blood spilled, he healed as the de went out. Amber looked at them, "I see, so it''s something like Merlin."She pointed at her, "Always wear a baggy robe and arge hat outside or rush to wear them when anyone shows up. But when Arad is around, she doesn''t even care if she''s in her underwear or naked." Merlin looked at herself in her underwear. "Now that reminds me." Betty turned toward Merlin, "Speaking of trust. You never trusted anyone with yourbyrinth magic." "We don''t talk about that." "We need to talk about it. If Arad''s theory is right, you could open abyrinth with a rule that forbids portals of the same wavelength as the ones inside the cube. You''ll pull Zephyr out with ease." Betty pointed at her. "You don''t trust your abilities in the slightest. Show them." Merlin looked away, "I won''t, and that''s none of your business! And I''m sorry to say it, but it''s none of their business as well." She turned toward Arad, "Sorry, even I have things I don''t want anyone to know." Arad looked back at her¡­thinking¡­ "Let''s get a private room. I have something to tell you of my own." "I''ll give you a ce." Betty flicked her fingers and both Arad and Merlin disappeared. "Where did you send them?" Amber stared at Betty. "A clear and locked dimensional room where they can be at ease. We''ll never know what happens there." She sat on Arad''s chair, "Let''s wait and believe they''ll reach a conclusion." Arad and Merlin found themselves sitting in a white room, facing each other. "This is Betty''s magic¡­she did lock us here." "I bet she did." Arad replied to her. "So, I''ll get right to business. I already know you''re a witch." Merlin froze in ce, "Who told you?" "No one did, I can see the magic covering your skin. It''s even more concentrated on your nails, hair, blood, and bones." With his void eyes, he could see Merlin''s veins glowing with mana the same way as her mana circuits. Merlin sighed, and tattoos showed covering her whole body. She lifted her arm, "This one keeps my heart beating regrly, this one makes sure my lungs keep working while I''m sleeping, and this one helps me sleep in the first ce." She stared back at him. "We high humans have extremely weak bodies in exchange for magic talent." "How do you exin Jack?" "Jack?" Merlin started thinking, "He''s a high human, indeed, but he''s different than me. He has a decent body butcks all magic. But he has the fate of a hero and intelligence to go with it." "The fate of a hero¡­I don''t get it, you don''t need fate to get a weapon from the gods. They can choose anyone." He looked at her. "Being chosen by the gods is the fate. Billions of people live and die without even meeting or hearing of one." Merlin put one leg on another, looking at the tattoos covering her whole body. "If you know this then I have nothing to hide." She sighed. "Why hide you''re a witch? No like any of them outside would tell on you." "Remember thebyrinth? What was the thing that stuck most with you?" She asked. Arad thought for a moment, "The naked statues of me? Or the sealed devil, subus?" "All of those¡­" She looked away. Chapter 780 Is She My Daughter? Chapter 780 Is She My Daughter? ??"Magic engraving through tattoos and witchcraft wasn''t the only way I took to keep my sickly body alive." Merlin looked away. "Have you heard of flesh magic?" "I did, and I can at least know that this is your real body." He stared at her. "It''s my true body, yes. But I had to switch several organs in and out when they failed." She flicked a finger and several scares appeared glowing on her skin, "Where healing magic was used extensively." "I have a subus liver, parts of my stomach, and of devil origin as well. My left kidney I got from a doppelganger, and I''ve got some dragon blood and bones." She looked at Arad, "I''m an abomination of magic. I''ve almost turned myself into a monstrosity to remain alive." "And I''m a vampire Wyrmwolf monster that burned a whole kingdom. We aren''t that different." He said, putting one leg on another, "So what''s the problem?" "I guess not much of them are a problem, but the subus liver is dangerous, it affects my mind." She looked away. "Basically? Be blunt, what is the problem?" Arad stared at her. "It makes me extremely horny, especially when I set my eyes on someone. I can spend weeks without being able to get any work done¡­I''ve made those statues in those weeks¡­" She looked away with a red face. "Basically, it''s me¡­now that makes a lot more sense with you watching me all the time with magic." He sighed. "Now that you know, you can understand why your wives will never trust you with me. I don''t suggest they do. If I had a chance, I''ll make my move I won''t be able to resist my urges." She faced him, "That''s why¡­I didn''t want to master thebyrinth magic as it was dangerous, but after thest even with it going berserk, I bet I could master it now. But if I did, I''m certain my subus urges would win and I''ll drag you into it." "You remind me of Merida¡­I wish you two were a bit more honest with me." Arad stood, "I doubt Ae and the rest would oppose the idea. Let''s talk with them, and you start mastering yourbyrinth magic." "I''m mature enough not to go after a married man." She growled. "And I''m old enough¡­no, strong enough to be arrogant. If you think masteringbyrinth magic is enough for you to beat and drag me inside, then try it. I''ll be the one to drag you to myir." He stood. "Mom says it''s dangerous for you to bear eggs, not because of age but because of your weak body and mixed organs, but you''re a witch, we''ll find a solution." He looked aside with a worried face. "Whoha! Mom is angry, but she''ll calm up soon." "Just trying to take me like that, do you have no preference or goal?" Merlin giggled. Arad looked at her with a smile, "All humanoid women smell delicious to eat. I doubt I have the same sexual attraction as normal humans, I''m a dragon after all." He scratched his chin. "But I noticed you staring at my chest every now and then¡­" She stared at him with a smug smile. "Ae and Mira have milk, and I like its taste. Since yours are too big I was thinking they might have a lot more milk in them." Arad replied with a straight face. "You want the milk?!" Merlin gasped. "Yeah, if I have to say. I''m a dragon that eats humans, you''re a part of my diet. Keep that in mind." "Dragons are weird." Merlin sat on her chair and leaned back, taking a deep breath. Arad looked at her, thinking deeply about himself. ^I do indeed taste them, but they are my wives and those I love. I don''t see them as food, but that''s just a part of their charm. Except Zephyr, She never smelled life food to me¡­ Now that I''m thinking about it¡­why is that?^ "Say¡­" Arad looked at Merlin, "It''s true that everyone around me seems edible. I don''t mind sucking Ae''s toes as they taste like chicken¡­but¡­" "Stop! You shouldn''t tell me that! Take it back! Keep it between you and her." Merlin growled albeit she expected that due to the nature of elves. "Zephyr never smelled or tasted like food to me. Even Nina smelled delicious, but Zephyr didn''t." He added. "She''s a great spirit. They aren''t in the dragon''s died, and are mostly creatures of mana." Merlin smiled, "She might be the only one besides dragons that you can see as something other than food."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "You might be right¡­ I should work on that, I shouldn''t see my wives as food no matter what." He started thinking. "Also, wouldn''t it be right to think of Zephyr as the mother of your first child?" Merlin stared at him, lifting a finger. "What are you talking about? Since when did I and Zephyr have a child?" He gasped, "I''m sure I never slept with her unless she did something behind my back." "Not that! I''m talking about Yuwaku, the nymph born to her magic and your draconic beauty. Can''t she be counted as your first daughter?" Merlin looked at him. "I hope I can, but I doubt she''s my daughter biologically, magically, I guess as she was born of abined magic between me and Zephyr¡­" Merlin pointed at the cube Zephyr is sealed in, "The mother of your child is imprisoned there. What do you think?" Arad stared at the cube, his heart slowly pounding and it started elerating. Merlin slowly started hearing it beating like a drum as veins popped on Arad''s body and neck. "Wait, what are you doing?" She gasped but suddenly saw Arad''s eyes shift into those of a dragon. ^This cube¡ê"$%¡ê^]=(*%~#8 CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!^ Blood gushed out of Merlin''s nose, eyes, and ears as shot got hit with a powerful metal shockwave emerging from Arad. His mind was screaming in rage, his thought ripping their way to everyone around him as a man''s screaming voice pierced people''s ears. Arad had mixed blood from his human father and draconic mother; he was always struggling in the middle. A dragon trying to live a human life, but any slight push could send him rolling down one path. The mere realization that the mother of his child could be imprisoned inside the cube sent him into a mad rage, the same way red dragons burn cities down, he was about to blow up. **** Betty was standing above Merlin''s desk telling the girls stories about Merlin''s embarrassing school life and Alcott''s oundish deeds. But she suddenly stopped moving, blood gushing out of her nose, eyes, and ears as she pissed herself. The great magic she cast to give Arad and Merlin a private space to talk in had begun to crumble and she received a painful bacsh for trying to hold a massive amount of power inside. Betty stared at her hands as the girls panicked, "It''s expanding inside me, Arad''s magic." She grabbed her head, growling, "I can''t¡­ keep him inside for longer." She pointed her finger at everyone else. "Damn it, go inside and calm him down at any cost." She pulled them into her magic and slowly walked toward the corner of theb and sat there panting as she tried her best to endure the pain and keep Arad inside. ^Am I, not strong enough to keep a leash on him?^ She thought. As the girlsnded inside, they found themselves standing beside Merlin who was protecting herself with a massive barrier. Huge waves of heat and magic gushed out of Arad as they could all hear his mental scream. "What happened to him?!" Ae growled at Merlin. "I don''t know, we were talking about how Yuwaku could be counted as his daughter and he suddenly snapped." Merlin replied. "Huh?" Ae grunted. "I get it." Eris took a step forward. "Arad is smart and mentally durable, a lot more than anyone else. But he''s still a dragon with anger issues and rage problems. The threshold for his patience is high, but has a limit." She walked out of Merlin''s barrier. "You''ll die! Stop there!" Amber shouted and so did Ae, Merlin, Mira, Merida, and Isdis. "The threshold for his mental endurance is those dear to him, us. The moment the thought of Yuwaku being his daughter came to his mind, he counted Zephyr as one of his wives. He snapped at her being imprisoned. I need to stop him before he kills her in an attempt to get her out of that cube." Eris walked into the heat and magic, her body burning with sma. "Arad¡­if you won''t get out of that mindless rage on your own, I''ll have to knock some sense into you." Chapter 781 He Already Has Three Daughters? Chapter 781 He Already Has Three Daughters? ??"Eris! Wait and get back here, she''ll handle it." Ae shouted at her and Eris stared back, "You mean!" Arad''s rampage stopped and he fell to the ground asleep, his jet-ck draconic body covered with several pink markings. A mouth appeared on his forehead and sighed. "[I got him to calm down and fall asleep. He should calm down when he wakes up.]" "Doma stopped him." Eris sighed in relief; even she didn''t want to face an enraged Arad. "[Mom helped me put him to sleep. But even with us both working together, we barely managed that thanks to his body being split into two with Gemini. We wouldn''t have been able to stop him if he was whole.]" "Shift him back to human form. We''ll carry him back home to rest. I doubt Betty can keep this ce stable for any longer." Ae walked toward Arad and patted his nose. "[He''ll still be too heavy. Arad weighs over 200 kilograms of muscles and bones.]" Doma replied with a giggle as she transformed Arad into arge ck rat. The girls stared at the rat rolling on the ground. Merlin fell on her butt exhausted; this massive rat was a raging dragon a few seconds ago. "Wait¡­" She gasped, "If he has a Gemini clone, what happened to it? No, didn''t that clone rage as well?" "[The clone didn''t transform into a dragon thanks to Lydia. She was there and managed to prevent him long enough for me to calm him here.]" **** On the other side of the world, Lydia stared at the fat ck rat in front of her with a shocked face. "This is Arad¡­Doma said she calmed him down¡­but what should we do with him now." She sighed and turned toward Jack. "I can''t take him to the men''s dorm as pets are banned on our side. Other students kept trying to bring monsters in and it was outright banned." He waved his hands. "I can''t keep him as well. We can''t just leave him here, some vultures might eat him." She gasped. "Vultures?" Jack extended his artificial arm forward and shot Arad. He was unharmed, "You can hit with all the mages of the university at once and he would be unharmed." "He''s that durable¡­" She shook Arad and his stomach jiggled from left to right. "Let''s give him to Sena. She should be able to find a solution." They went back to the university and Lydia took Arad to Sena''s room while Jack went back to his room. "Sena, it''s me, Lydia. Are you inside?" She knocked on Sena''s door. Sena opened the door and looked outside with a yawn, she had just gotten into bed for a sweet nap, but this pdin had toe knocking on her door. With an annoyed voice, she asked. "What brought you here?" "This." Lydia showed Sena a basket with Arad asleep inside, "Can you keep him with you for now? It''s a long story." She exined what Doma told her. "Oh, my! Of course, I''ll keep him safe until he wakes up." Sena snatched Arad off Lydia''s arms. "I''ll give him a nice ce to sleep in until he wakes up." Lydia stared at her for a second then left. She can''t keep Arad with her while going around with Jack. It''s safer for him to remain with Sena. Sena closed the door and rushed to her bed with Arad in the basket, she stared at him with a grin. "This isn''t the real one, but it''s the Gemini clone. Even so, Arad is Arad." She put him beside her bed on a table and sat beside him. With one finger, she rubbed his head. "I''ll lock you in this body for now so you won''t suddenly transform and break something. Please don''t worry. I''ll let you go after this." She lifted him out of the basket andid him on her bed, she then covered him with her nket and went back to sleep by his side. Ae took Arad''s real body back home andid him to sleep on his hoard, which was arge pile of gold and gems that the kobolds dug out of the ground. As they saw Arad lying there in his draconic form, the Kobolds rushed everywhere and brought towels, nkets, and brooms. They climbed on Arad''s back and started scrubbing him clean, using ropes anddders to swing everywhere. They even made a makeshift crane using tree trunks brought by Meryem''s children to lift Arad''s wing up so they could clean under it. A whole operation that took hundreds of kobolds two hours to finish.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As the cleaning ended, Meryem came in. She had just got out of the meeting of the wives in which Ae, Eris, Mira, Merida, and Isdis confronted Merlin about what happened. The decision wasplicated, but the sentiment was clear. As long as Arad is fine with it, they generally don''t mind. Merlin sighed as she stood up from the couch and walked toward the table. She poured herself a cup of water and gulped it down, exhausted. "I don''t know if this is good or bad, but it at least ended." Amber approached her. "What good or bad you''re talking about? They gave you the green light. What else could you ask for?" "Arad is the problem. I just sent him into a mindless rage. I should''ve watched my words. I seem to have forgotten I was dealing with a dragon, to think me of all people would make that mistake." She looked at her. "Do you think he''ll be angry at me?" "I doubt it. Arad isn''t a mindless dragon. He''s more human than most humans I''ve seen in my life. I''m sure he won''t be angry at you after he wakes up. And it''s not like what you said is wrong." Ae approached them, "You''re right." She had Serin in her hands, Tina''s daughter. "To her and Ignis outside, Arad is like a father figure." She smiled as Serin extended her hands, trying to grasp Merlin. "Tina''s little girl." Merlin took Serin from Ae''s hands. "How old is she?" "About eleven months. She had started crawling just recently." Merlin put Serin on the ground and zed away, crawling faster than any of them expected, and ended up beneath the table. "She''s fast." Amber gasped. Eris approached, "That might be because of Arad. He always ys with her when he''s around. Look at her crawl." Eris pointed out. Serin wasn''t crawling like a normal baby, her knees weren''t touching the ground. Tina approached, "I told Arad that she wasn''t crawling when she should''ve been so he started trying to train her on how to crawl. It was funny seeing him running on all four around the house so let him teach her¡­" "It worked too well. He is a four-legged dragon after all, what in the hell did he teach her and how?" Merlin rubbed her face. "If memory serves me right, Arad said that void dragonsmunicate with physical magic, like telepathy. It''s not like words but more like sharing intentions, emotions, and feelings. It''s how a mother-void dragon could teach her children before they hatch on things like humannguage and such. He did the same with Serin, speaking to her mentally, albeit he said she can''t reply or form any tangible thought yet." Ae waved her finger. "It''s not Arad alone." Mira walked in, "Loci worked on that as well. She''s always ying with Serin whenever no one is around. Right?" She looked at the window and one of the flowers then sprouted a mouth. "Serin is such a sweet child. A pure heart and overflowing energy." Loci smiled, "Now that I think about it, she isn''t that much older than Arad." "Wait what?" Amber gasped. "Serin is eleven months old, Arad is seven. She''s more like his older sister." They looked at Serin ring at them from under the table. "Nah, we could say he''s way older than that. I mean he was learning before hatching and is elerating his aging by eating souls. He''s at least a few hundred years old." Eris waved her hand as Tina went and lifted Serin off the ground. "Do you know what ss she is yet?" Merlin asked. "If fact we do. Martial ss usually never show up until older age, but we can catch magic sses early." Tina smiled. "This little girl is a sorceress and a very special one at that." She lifted her up. "Divine bloodline. She''s an A-simar blood in her veins." The divine spark could be seen glowing in Serin''s eyes like sunlight. "Now that''s rare. Did you get her apprised at the church?" Amber stared at them but Tina shook her head. "We didn''t. Lydia said it''s better to have a private appraisal as they might cause us some trouble, like asking to hand her to them so she can be raised as a nun or one of the clergy." "Just ask me and I''ll be prone to make a mistake and drop a spell on the church if that happened." Merlin waved her hand, "So, what was the result? What god does her holy or divine magic belong to?" "Adam the first human. She has the blood of the divine Chad." Tina smiled. "You know Chad isn''t a true god? Some believe he''s just a human that got too powerful he can''t die and now lives in the heavens." Merlin stared at her. "I know, Alcott was his hero." Tina looked at Merlin, "He said that Chad isn''t a god, but a mere human fighting for humanity and granting his power to those who seek to work for the benefit of the human race." Chapter 782 What the Daughters Are Up To.

Chapter 782 What the Daughters Are Up To.

Ae walked upstairs carrying the wiggling Serin in her arms. It was Tina''s turn to cook, so she had to take care of the baby. Even though most babies were active, Serin was an extreme case. Letting her unwatched for even a few seconds, she''ll disappear like a ghost. Aeid Serin in her cradle and closed the top with arge cover to prevent her from jumping down. Serin watched Ae lock her in and sat down looking at her. The moment Ae finished locking her. She climbed into the side of the cradle and started rocking it. After just a few seconds she had built enough force to knock the cradle down and the cover fell off. Serin crawled out, running away but Ae caught before she could make it far. "Who taught you to do that?" She stared at her. No baby should have such strength, but Serin seemed to be extremely healthy, and with how much she yed with Arad, she had put on a lot of stamina mana. "GAAA GAAAA!" Serin replied, waving her arms. "It was Arad, wasn''t it?" She carried her with one arm as she lifted the cradle up. "Now I have to care for you until he wakes up. You''ll y all day long tomorrow before we head back to school." Sheid her on the bed and kept ying with her. Outside, Eris walked toward the center of the vige with Ignis. "What are you doing now that it''s winter?" She asked. Ignis lifted her head and looked back at her. "You can understand draconic?" "My father was a dragon and I lived with him and several dragons long enough to master thenguage." "I''m doing what a dragon does best. Eating, growing my hoard, and building a temporaryir within Arad''s territory." Ignis replied, looking forward. It was rare for a dragon to be weed like this in a human settlement, but the people here seemed to love her. She did help them greatly in the winter by heating the whole area, and she''s even going on quests to kill monsters, usually with the brat called Agnar. He had registered into the guild as an adventurer and has been doing quite well through the low-ranked quest. After walking for a while they reached a small cave on the outskirts of the vige. "We''re here, can you crawl?" Ignis asked. "I did expect that so I came wearing work clothes." Eris smiled. "Then follow me." Ignis crawled into the small cave. Just after the entrance it quickly opened up into arge room where a person could stand without hitting their head on the ceiling, almost 7 feet high. Ignis didn''t stop, she approached a crack that was barely 10 inches wide and crawled through it like a cat. Eris stared at her, "I probably can''t fit." She looked at the crack. "You said you don''t mind crawling." Ignis turned around and looked at her. "I don''t mind crawling, but it''s too tight I''m certain my chest would get stuck." Eris replied. "You can squeeze them down, they are soft, aren''t they?" Ignis stared at her. "Then my butt would get stuck. I can''t fit in that crack." Eris looked inside, "How far does it go?" "Like from here to Arad''s house." Ignis replied. "Wait! That... several hundred meters at least." Eris gasped, "And it''s all this tight?" "There are some spots that are tighter and some wider, but I say the widest don''t surpass this." She showed her the equivalent of a foot. "No human would be able to reach that." Eris sighed. "That''s the goal, isn''t it?" Ignis stared at her. "Why would I build air in a ce where humans could easily raid?" "I don''t know. You''ll soon growrge and not be able to reach your ownir." "I still have years before that, I''ll figure something out." A flower bloomed beside them. "If you want her to reach their, I can help." Loci said. "You can do that?" Eris looked at the flower. "Is that possible?" Ignis added. "Of course. I was the one that opened that crack for you, wasn''t I? I can simply make it wide." As Loci talked, the 10-inch crack grew to be almost 7 feet tall and created a long and straight cave leading straight to Ignis''sir. As the two walked through the cave it closed behind them returning back into a crack. Creating air within a massive ooze like Loci is a perk most dragons can''t get due to their personalities. The dragon would usually try to make the ground submit, only to get kicked out. At the moment, Loci seems to have mostly recovered and her power has started to surge back up due to Arad''s existence on her. She''s a creature that feeds off the mana of everything that lives on her back, the stronger they are, the more food she has. And to her, Arad was like a fossett to an endless buffet. "So this is yourir, it''s wide¡­" Eris looked around. "And empty," Isdis finished as she walked toward the center and started digging out. From the dirt, she pulled a pouch with her ws and poured the content on the ground. "I''ve only amassed 78 gold coins and I have them here. I do remember where every copper of them came from." After showing the gold to Eris, she buried it back up and went to another spot to dig. "Here I got some jewels. The Kobolds gave them to me for heating their forges. I do like this shiny pale one, they called it an opal." She then hides the gems back up. After just a few seconds she pulled a half-rotten human head. "This woman was a formidable foe. A bandit leader we faced in a quest that almost killed me. I kept her head as a trophy alongside her equipment and clothes." Everything was stored with the head. "You threw the rest of the body?" Eris looked at the head. "Bring the corpses that you don''t need to me to cremate. They''ll rot and spread diseases or turn into zombies." "No, I ate it. The whole body barelysted me a few days." Ignis was a dragon after all. She eats everything and has a taste for human flesh like all dragons do. "I only suck human blood. Do you think their flesh tastes good?" Eris asked. "They are tasty, at least to me." Ignis replied, "If I had to suggest something, try a young virgin human woman. They are soft and taste sweet." Ignis stared at the head, "This one tasted a bit nd. She was a bit older and wasn''t a virgin at all, in fact, I expect she''s been having fun with all the bandits in her band. Avoid those, they are the worst." The two kept exploring the hoard while Yuwaku was training on the other side of the forest. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Yuwaku swung her fist forward in a stance and with a passive face. "Like this?" Her eyes slowly turned toward the little girl standing beside her. "NO! Like this!" The pink-haired little girl swings a fist, and the wind bursts around her small arm. "Put your whole weight into it. Imagine you''re trying to break something with it." "Kali, she won''t get it." The ck-haired man sitting on a stone at their side sighed. "She doesn''t look like a pugilist." "Daddy! Then what do you suggest? We leave her?" Kali cried. "I doubt a nymph would be in danger, let alone one in Arad''s territory¡­but fine if you want to teach her then I''ll help." He lifted his hand and pulled a sword simr to his from a blob of ck mist, it was a silver-colored katana with the words [Yuki] engraved onto its de. "I bought this several years ago from a cksmith. It''s sharp and decent, but I won''t call it a great de. Certainly not something I will ever use." He sheathed the de and stared at it. "Daddy! You bought that because you said it''d be a good decoration for the house. Mommy would get angry!" Kali approached him. "We never painted the rooms white, so it''ll never be used. And I''m probably the only idiot to blow several gold coins on a real sword only to have it as decoration." He threw it toward Yuwaku and she caught it. "It''s a beautiful de, give it a look." Kayden said with a smile. Yuwaku unsheathed the de and looked at it. "You''re right, it''s beautiful." She smiled. "Now, swing at something. Those bushes over there are a good target." He pointed. "I''ll give it a try." Yuwaku approached the bush and shed at it. The sharp de sliced through easily, but the bush ended up freezing. "It has ice magic?" Yuwaku stared at Kayden with a surprised face. "I didn''t sense any mana from it." "It doesn''t have ice or cold magic. A nymph''s power is beauty, as long as you consider something beautiful, that beauty would manifest as power." He pointed at the katana in her hand. "The word [Yuki] Means snow, and coupled with the white handle and silver de, it pains a pristine image of cold, frigid winter. That beauty of the sword is what you''re drawing the power from. Usually, nymph''s strongest weapon is their own body as they are the incarnation of beauty, so they mostly roam naked to instantly kill anyone who sees them. But since you''re covering yourself most of the time, you''d better pick beautiful weapons, clothes, and jewelry to bolster your fighting power. This would also give you more abilities than what a nymph usually can achieve only with her body." Kayden exined. Chapter 783 Sena’s Massive Move

Chapter 783 Sena''s Massive Move

Arad opened his eyes and found himself asleep on a pile of gold with something heavy on his back. The memories of what happened before slowly crept into his mind, but he felt strangely calm. The dangling thread of magic in his head was a clear indication that someone had cast a calming spell on him and a powerful one at that. But after a short inspection, he realized that wasn''t a spell but a curse, one that eats away at emotions. ^Doma¡­what happened?^ ^[You already know. I cast that spell on you when you started raging, I hope you can think a bit better now.]^ ^I can, thank you.^ When Doma heard his calm voice, she waved her hand and lifted the spell off him. ^Please try to control your emotions better. Yuwaku and Zephyr are both fine, they''ll be fine. It''s only a matter of time before you get Zephyr out of that cube and she''ll be running around annoying like did before.^ ^Yeah. You''re right.^ Arad turned his head to see what is this heavy thing on his back, only to find Meryem asleep on him in her monster form. His clone opened his eyes in a different ce, he was still stuck in the body of a rat, not knowing when did he even take such a form. Thest memory the clone had was standing before Lydia and Jack, but now he was stuck beneath a nket, pressed down by something soft. "Why¡­Can''t I shift back?" He growled, pushing at what pressed him down. "Sena, did you do something to me?" He could tell immediately due to the smell and magic. The nket got slowly pulled back, and Selica stared at him, "Shhhh! Lady Sena is asleep." She pointed at her. N?v(el)B\\jnn Sena was hugging him on her bed, wearing a blue pajama with stars on it. "Get her off me!" He tried to scream but in a whisper. Selica stared at him with a smile, finding his angry rat face to be adorable. She pulled him out of Sena''s embrace and took him to hers. "Lady Sena is the only one who can let you shift back. Stay put until she wakes up." Hearing those words, Arad tried to shift back but couldn''t. His efforts only resulted in a rat squeezing himself trying to change his form. ^I can''t shift as I''m separated into two by Gemini. I can overpower her magic if I am whole, but in this state, I can''t.^ Selica stared patting him, "You''re soft and fluffy, isn''t this better than your draconic form?" She lifted him up and stared at his glowing eyes. Sena yawned as she slowly woke and sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Selica, you''ve returned¡­ Lydia brought Arad here in his wild shape¡­" She saw Selica holding him and smiled. "You''ve already found him." Selica looked at her, "I mean you were hugging him while asleep, he almost choked beneath your chest." Sena giggled, "He''s too soft and fluffy, I couldn''t help but use him as a pillow." She stood out of the bed and stretched, "Selica, do we have water? I want to take a shower." "Hot water is in the massive barrel beside the tub. Use it carefully, it took a while to heat it up." Selica replied. Sena approached her and took Arad from her hand, "I''ll wash you with me, want to join?" She asked with a smile. "I want to return to my normal shape. Stop your magic." Arad said in a deep voice unfit of his form. Sena stared at him silently for a second with a smile. "Stop it." He said. She started walking with him toward the bath and he started iling his arms left and right. "Let me go!" He started iling his little arms, trying to escape. "What are you afraid off? You''re already naked. I''ll just pour some water on your back and give you a gentle rub. Look at all the dust still stuck to your beautiful ck fur." She said with a smile. "Let me shift, it''ll get clean by then." He said and stopped moving. "Nop." She kept walking with him. "SELICA! Stop her! STOP HER RIGHT NOW!" He screamed. Selica looked at him. "What exactly are you afraid of? You''re not going in the bath with her, she''ll give you a rub first and bath on her own." "Not that! I don''t like the stare she''s giving me¡­" Sena stared at him with a grin, "What exactly do you not like about me? It''s only that you don''t like not being in control. You''re helpless in this rat form, aren''t you?" Arad looked at her. "I already do have wives! I''d like to avoid unnecessary suspicions. It has nothing to do with who''s in control now." She giggled, "A dragon says that? How about being honest for once, you''re just afraid of me since I''m controlling the situation now." "Don''t underestimate me. I might be a rat, but I''m a dragon- rat." Arad said in a calm deep voice, staring straight at her. This clone can''t use magic as it''s calibrating the void to heal Zul, and he can''t use his draconic strength due to his rate form, the two forms of strength that he had are sealed, so what could he do? "What could you do? Even with powers, you can''t beat me now." She smiled. "But fear not, I mean you no harm, my Arad." Arad sighed, "Well, you gave me no choice." He opened his mouth unleashing a water jet at her face out of his stomach. Sena gasped, trying to protect her face but Arad''s aim was perfect, shooting the water straight into her nose and mouth. She fell on the ground and hended on her, waterboarding her. Sena tried to push him away so he hid behind her chest so she couldn''t hit him. He then pulled a paralyze scroll out of his stomach before she could stand and hit her with it. Merlin wrote that spell. As Sena''s body got paralyzed, she stared at him with one eye; Such spells shouldn''t work on her. "What¡­ did you add to the water?" "Several sedatives at the highest dose possible, I know how strong you are." He smiled, standing over her breasts on his hind feet. "Even a being like you would need some time to get over the poison, you aren''t a burning furnace like Eris after all." From his mouth, he pulled the nipple knife. "Shall I cut your nipples off right here and now?" He pointed the knife at her. For his size as a rat, it looked like a whole sword. Selica caught from the back and lifted him up, so he stabbed him in the forearm with the knife. "You asked for it." But to his surprise, her nipples didn''t explode. "What?" He gasped, "Did this lose power or something?" He stared at the knife. By that time, Sena had already recovered and stood up, "Selica doesn''t have nipples. Or should I say she has one, but her internal body structure is forging to any creature that knife might recognize." "What?" He gasped a gain. "She made me from a slime and a partially melted rock. I don''t even have a heart, I have a monster core and I can breathe from my nose and skin like slimes and frogs." Selica exined and Sena touched Arad''s head, allowing him to shift back into his humanoid form. Sena, Arad, and Selica sat on the ground, looking at each other. "You''ve seen my true form in the abomination fight, didn''t you?" "That ck tentacle monster." Arad replied with a nod, "Just what are you?" "The daughter of a human and a unique monster. Father had an affair with her when he was younger and I was born." She replied with a calm face, lying as naturally as she breathed. Cain was her father and what power she had was a mere fragment of what was inherited from his eldritch blood. "Grandpa Cain¡­He told me once that he had a lot of women in his young days." Arad mumbled and his eyes shifted toward Sena, "So you''re a unique monster as well." "A perfect being to be exact. I control life force and can conjure the abilities of all living beings in the world, anything from ants to dragons. You can say I''m in the same bowl as the Tarrasque that Nina has her blood." She smiled, her eyes turned purple. Arad immediately gasped and looked closer at her face, shifting her neck and shoulders, "This smell, a void drakaina?!" He gasped. She giggled, sprouting two small void wings. "Yes, whatever disease or curse that''s forcing the void dragons to repel each other, it''s either gically transmuted or a curse cast upon the whole race." She approached Arad, hugging his chest. "You might never be able to get a void drakaina beside me in your life as long as that disease stands¡­ want to consider me as a wife now?" She pushed Arad down, ring at his eyes as dark purple scales started emerging on her body. "You''ve never felt a void drakaina before. Are you sure you can handle it?" Chapter 784 Fighting Over Arad Chapter 784 Fighting Over Arad ??Back home, Arad walked out of his gold bed with Meryem trotting behind him, staring at his massive ck wings. He stopped and looked up, "My clone is a bit of trouble. He''s stuck dealing with Sena." "Sena? What did she do?" Meryem asked tilting her massive head. "She transformed into a void drakaina and is trying to seduce me. I wouldn''t say it isn''t working, but he should be able to resist, to an extent." He turned toward her. "Wait! That''s cheating, what is she doing?" Meryem gasped. "I know¡­" "She should''ve taught me how to do it." Meryem added before Arad could finish speaking, and he stared at her with a disappointed face. "You can''t be serious." "I''m serious. We should stop her, as she might actually win." He shifted into his humanoid form and so did Meryem, he then grabbed her by the hand, and they both teleported back to the living room. "Ae! Are you here?!" He called. Ae silently ran toward the stairs and looked down at him, "Shhh! Serin is asleep." She whispered. Arad couldn''t feel Serin''s magic as Ae was ying with wind magic above her to put her to sleep. Arad nodded, waving his hand for her toe. "Hurry," He whispered. Ae jumped toward him, "What is it?" Arad exined what Sena was trying to do and Ae gasped, "Wait? Are you serious, she can do that?" "I wish she taught me how to do it. I wouldn''t have to worry about mana then." Meryem nodded and Ae stared at her. "You¡­don''t get at all, do you?" "Tina, where is everyone?" Tina quickly exined that Eris was away with Ignis and that Isdis and Mira were in the castle taking a look at the building process. Almost everyone is busy, and not many can move. "What about Merida?" Arad asked. "She went to visit her father''s parent''s grave. We should give her some time alone," Tina approached him. "What is this problem you''ve been talking about?" As Arad exined, Tina started thinking¡­ "How about her, she could help." She turned toward the couch¡­The couch was empty. "Wait, don''t tell me went there again." Tina sighed, going upstairs to Arad''s room as he, Ae, and Meryem followed her. When they entered they could see Betty asleep on Arad''s bed. "Even though I took her out earlier, she returned to you bed." She looked at Arad. "Betty? Can she help?" Ae looked at Tina. "She was bragging about how could go from here to her house in the university is like me taking a step forward. She even went there and brought her pajama that she''s sleeping with while I was pouring her tea." Tina exined, "Couldn''t you ask her to help?" "I''m afraid that she does ask for what we''re trying to prevent Sena from doing." Ae sighed. "You do underestimate me, Ae¡­" Betty opened her eyes, looking at him with a smile. "I''ll help him for free. I''m not that unhinged." She giggled. Arad stared at her with a suspicious stare, "You just want to crush thepetition. Don''t you?" "You were listening from the start." Tina stared at her. "Yeah, I have good ears." She flicked her long ears, "See? They catch even the faintest of sounds." She disappeared from the bed and appeared standing in front of Arad. "But, to be honest. I was worried about that girl named Sena since she joined the school, her magic is just too strange. I''ll have to give her a look¡­" She cracked her head. ^Her magic resembles that of abominations, I can''t believe she''s human; no she isn''t even a mere mortal. Betty disappeared. "Arad¡­what do you say¡­" Sena stared at Arad''s face as she sat on top of his chest, a wide smile on her face. Their noses almost touched, when she felt something above her head. "If you''re this close, then kiss already." Betty stepped on Sena''s head, pushing her face on Arad''s face. Sena''s head face stopped right before she could touch Arad, "What are you?" She growled. Betty smiled, "The chairman. And I''m putting quite a lot of power in my leg." Sena stood and pushed Betty back, ring at her. "Chairman, get out of my room, you aren''t wee." "You can''t kick me out, I own the whole ce. Also, sexual acts are forbidden on the school''s grounds, especially if you aren''t married." Betty pointed at her. "Say that to Abel beforeing to me." Sena''s sharp re never dropped. "That''s a devil, he can do what he wants, I don''t care about his kind. But I do care about you and especially Arad." Betty looked at Sena with a tilted head, "I''ll drag you away from him by force if that is necessary. Turning into a void drakaina and a greatwyrm one at that to seduce him is cheating, you aren''t ying by the rules." "I''ll do what I want, and as long as he doesn''t disagree, you can''t butt in our business." "Fine by me. You''re a void drakaina, you won''t die, would you?" Betty smiled. "Why would¡­" Sena found herself lying on dirt, her whole body burning and screaming in pain. She cried and rolled around as her regeneration kicked in. "I was certain you''d survive the shock." Betty stared at her with a smug smile sitting on arge boulder. As Sena''s wounds regenerated, she was fully naked, her clothes had burned and her body barely survived, what Betty did was obvious. She located her to another ce at the speed of light, or near it, and due to that, her body almost disintegrated due to friction and how light works. Sena stood as she fully healed, and a grey wizard robe covered her body. "I really don''t want to hurt you." Sena red at her, "I''ll let it slide off if you apologize." "That should be my answer." Betty replied with a smile, falling asleep on the spot. "What?" Sena gasped. BONG! A wooden cane hit her head, "Sena, how many times have I told you to hold back? Don''t use your powers here." Her father Cain was standing behind her. "But¡­" "No buts." Cain stared at her, "I said to respect him as much as you can. If you want him, challenge him fair and square like a dragon." "I want that¡­but¡­"Sena stared at him. "I said no buts, you''re too prideful. Either ept it now or wait until he''s strong enough to surpass you, he''ll reach that level eventually." Cain flicked his fingers and Sena found herself facing Betty in her room. ^He reversed time? Did what I do have that much of an impact¡­^ She looked at Betty¡­ "What? Are you getting away from him or not?" Betty stared back at her. Sena smiled, moving away from Arad. "Fine, let''s stop it here for today." She looked at Arad with a smile. "Be ready for me next time. I won''t let you go." She giggled. "I''ll be happy to take you on. But you, not a fake mask." Arad sat up and stared at her. Sena''s eyes opened wide¡­ "Me? Not a fake mask." She touched her face. "Yeah, why do you need to shift into a void drakaina to get my attention? Couldn''t you do it in any other way? Like everyone else?" He approached her, but Betty sat between them. "Arad, be fair to us all." "I know." He giggled. "Are you two done fooling around?" Selica stared at them. "I wanted to take a bath after Lady Sena. Can you give us some time?" "How about we all take a bath together?" Sena looked at them. "Good idea!" Betty agreed because she could take a bath with Arad. "Lady Sena!" Selica gasped. "You''re joining us." Sena gave her a thumbs up. Back in Alina, Arad sighed, "It backfired, Sena managed to take Betty to her side." "I knew it, we can''t trust Betty!" Ae sighed. "I want to be there." Meryem stared at Arad, "Can we take a bath together." "Master¡­" Tina looked at him. "What shall we do?" "No need to worry." Arad scratched his head, "I wanted to end this peacefully, but¡­" He closed his eyes tattoos appeared across all of his body. He gave full control to Doma and she used [Virgo] To shift his body to suit her. "Why?" Ae stared at him. "Doma, can you help?" "[Of course, who do you think I am?]" She flicked her fingers, and Arad''s clone, Betty, Sena, and Selica all fell on each other on Arad''s bed. Doma then turned Arad back to normal and gave him control. "Did you teleport us here?" Sena gasped, unable to believe that someone managed to teleport her against her will. "[No. I activated the expansion that allows me to exit time and space and pulled you with me. Then when I returned to space and time, I chose this location and time to appear, alongside you.]" Doma exined as she took over Arad''s clone and shifted it with [Virgo] "That was the same expansion that allowed him to hit me." Betty stared at her, "Master Doma, why do you have to get in the way." "[I''m not getting in the way. There is no way that Arad would fit in that small dorm bath.]" She sighed. "I wanted to sit on hisp¡­" Sena mumbled. "[Thus, use Arad''s royal bath. It''s the first thing Isdis and Mira finished here. I already sent a message to Isdis so she can lock the women''s section for us to use.]"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Can I not?" Arad stared at them. "[It''s fair if everyone is allowed to join, right?]" Doma looked at Ae. "That isn''t how this should work." Chapter 785 The Castles Bath Chapter 785 The Castle''s Bath ??Arad sighed, sitting in the boiling bathwater with Eris by his side. "How did it end up like this?" They were in his castle''s main bath, arge one able to serve tens of people that was made for the staff of the ce, for the maids and workers. It was separated into sections, a women''s bath, and a men''s bath. With Arad being thendlord and the king of this castle even though Baltos is using it as a base for the kingdom''s royal court, the girls manage to reserve the whole bath for them and Arad. Now they were in the woman''s bath, with him joining in. He looked at the ceiling, "The marble is nice, but doesn''t this ce need a bit more lighting?" He turned to look at Mira who was walking toward the hot pool. "We''re prioritizing vital structures, this light is good enough." She looked at the light crystals hanging from the ceiling. "The need to make sure the basic needs are met first, like enough rooms to sleep in, water sources, supply routes, and a ce to wire toilets into." She entered the water and sat beside Arad. "This is still better than anything in Alina." Merlin approached them with a smile, "I bet some maids would want to work here just to have ess to this bath." Betty teleported to Arad''s head. Standing on him like she always does. "A dragon loves to unt his wealth. This castle is a part of Arad''s hoard, his pride. Make itrger, fancier, and shier, and make sure anyone who sees it has to gasp. This Arad person is rich, is what they must think." Arad grabbed her by the ankle and mmed her into the water face fist. "I said no magic inside the bath. You aren''t an exception." She floated to the surface, motionless. "Be gentle with her. She''s an important asset to the kingdom." Isdis said with a smile, sitting at the edge of the pool. She started pping the water with her feet and using a wooden basin as a drum. "Everything is an instrument to you." Arad stared at her. She was indeed making a sweet tune. Ae approached Isdis, "Nice tune. Been a while since I heard itst." "Elves have forgotten it." Isdis turned toward her. "They''ve got other things on their minds." Ae replied, sitting beside her. Arad looked at them. "Is there another conflict between the elves and humans?" Isdis giggled, "The elvish queen sent a messenger to my father. She says he can''t monopolize Arad." Ae looked at Arad, "You''re power is too great to be under one kingdom. The elves are afraid you might turn on them." "How about you pay them a visit?" Amber looked at him with a smile as she slowly went into the water, which she felt was a bit too cold for her, she liked it boiling hot. "Queen Ceri Zylphyra and Da Brown¡­" Arad looked up, "It''s been a while¡­" Betty flipped herself out and looked at Arad, "You know, I went to grandma this morning and she asked me to help two people here." She pointed at the door, and just then, Ceri and Da made their way in. "They are here?!" Isdis gasped. "Her Highness?!" Ae almost jumped. Arad looked at Betty, "Why¡­" "How sad, you aren''t happy to see me?" Ceri looked at Arad with a smile. "I might be old, but I do still retain my young appearance." "I''m happy to see Da, but I don''t know about you." He replied, looking at Da with a smile. "Wee to mynd. I hope you like it." Da sighed, "I''m only her maid, you know? Shouldn''t those words be directed to her?" She pointed at Ceri. "Don''t mind him, Da." Ceri sighed, "This idiot loves women who can fight him. Someone like me won''t catch his interest." "I do indeed. Her art has helped me countless times," He smiled. Ae pointed at Arad, "Your pping has been his main unarmed martial style." "It was made so the weak could conquer the strong." Da looked at him. "And I do just that. No matter how strong I am, I''ll end up facing people stronger than me. I mean, if they were weaker, there would be no reason to fight." He looked at her. "That''s true¡­" The two walked toward the shower to wash beforeing to the pool. Lord Arad, "Rey and Ray approached him. "We''ve been teaching Meryem how to do massagetely, care to test it?" Rey said, showing Arad that Meryem was sitting beside the massage table, waiting for him. "Meryem? You two can''t do it?" He looked at them. Ray approached him, "If you excuse me." She lifted her foot and kicked him in the back as hard as she could, and then cried, her foot throbbing in pain. "We''re¡­" She gasped, "Too weak to be able to massage you. Someone stronger must do it," Arad nodded. If he couldn''t feel a serious kick from one of them, there was no way they could massage him. Even before evolving, Mira did need a whole sledgehammer to massage him. Technique did cover the gap, but ultimately, he grew too tough for them. Arad stood and walked toward the massage table. "Let''s give it a try." He looked at Meryem. She smiled, "Leave it to me." As Meryem tried to massage Arad under Rey and Ray''s instructions, Merida was doing stretches in the corner with Nina she also got invited and came. "Flexibility is just as important as raw strength." Nina said, doing a split. "You''ve built a nice muscr structure, but I say your muscles are small andpact, they are made for quick and rapid releases of power. Unlike mine, I''m slow and have a lot of strength so I need to rely onpact release to elerate." Merida did a split like Nina. "I agree, using tendons to store stic energy to jump or charge forward is nice, but my body works differently. My muscles can only output strength at a human level, but I get the extra kick from what''s in my body, the fungus." "So it reinforces your muscles and bones." Nina stared at her. "Have you tried using heavy weapons?" "I did, but I don''t have the weight to lift them. I always get off bnce when using a great sword, so I opted for an extra-long de." Merida clenched the muscles of her back, dislocating her shoulder to turn her arm backward. "So the fungus dulls pain and can force your muscles and joints to move beyond their limit." Nina looked at her, "But how far gone are you?" "I did try this with Arad." Merida looked around, "Arad, Send Zia to help me here." Zia, the vampire maid that was with d emerged from Arad''s body and started walking toward Merida. "Again¡­" She sighed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Arad is busy, so you''ll help me. The other always refuses." Merida red at her. Zia walked behind Merida and twisted her neck in ce. Even Nina could feel a shiver down her spine as she saw Merida''s head take a 360-degree turn. "It is hard to speak¡­but my spine is protected by the fungus and made more flexible. The mycelium neuralwork in my body can also transmit neural signals from my brain so even if my spine got severed, I can still move." Merida exined and Zia snapped her head back to ce. "Sorry to say this, but I doubt you''re human anymore." Nina shook her head. "I didn''t even get to the best part." Merida lifted her hand and thin threads of fungus jumped out of her palm and connected to her neck. "Did you see it? How fast was it?" "Too fast, I didn''t see them move." Nina shook her head. "Even if someone severed my head, the fungus would jump out like this and connect back to my body. I''m indeed no more a human. I would say I''m closer to demons now." Merida giggled. "You''re still human." Zia stared at her, "Demons are much more durable than this. You''re merely a human enchanted with a demonic life form." Merida smiled, "I hope I''m still a bit human at least." "She didn''t get to the part about controlling corpses." Sena said as she approached. Selica walked behind her "Yeah¡­ I can create an army of fungus zombies under my control." Merida sighed, "I''m indeed a demon." "Demons aren''t to be hated." Sena smiled, "They are separated into two, those who are good and those who are evil, just like humans." In the other corner of the bath, Tina was brushing Ignis''s back with arge brush. "Your scales are quite hard to clean." She said. Ignis lifted her head, speaking in draconic. "She says that her scales are clean, she always burns dirt with fire." Arad tranted as Meryem was doing her best to snap his back. "That''s why she needs a bath." Tina replied, "She smells like sulfur and pumice." Chapter 786 Economic Crash

Chapter 786 Economic Crash

As Tina did her best to get the smell off Ignis, Arad stat up from the massage table and cracked his back. "Still a few spots left, but it''s good." He looked at Meryem with a smile. "Thank you." "Next time I''ll get them all." She stared at him with glowing eyes. "So, with this can we¡­" "Any answer won''t change, get mana first." She looked down, "I''m trying. The kids still didn''t bring enough mana stones." Arad walked toward the pool and slowly sat down beside Merlin, "So, did you think it off? Youbyrinth magic." "It''s too dangerous to use. You saw what happenedst time." She refused, shaking her head. "How about this? Created thergest and most dangerousbyrinth you can, and I''ll burn it to the ground." He smiled. "You aren''t even listening to me. It''s dangerous, even you might die based on the rules." Thestbyrinth had him robbed of all of his draconic, vampiric, and lycanthropic powers. If he was to be limited again in argerbyrinth, only death would await. Arad smiled. "Since thest time, I''ve been thinking of a way to break abyrinth''s rules." "Don''t tell me, you found a way?" "Abyrinth is an expansion of magic, to counter I just need to set an expansion of my own. Then the most refined one would dominate." He smiled. "If you''re already in thebyrinth, you might be unable to cast your expansion." She stared at him. "But I could still use the items in my stomach. That means that space isn''t affected by thebyrinth." Arad lifted his hands, "I''ll start the expansion from my stomach and push out to cover my whole body, this would allow me to cast my expansion and challenge thebyrinth even if I was limited from the start." "That sounds impossible to pull out, you''ll have to cast your expansion the moment you walk into thebyrinth." She leaned on the pool''s edge and stretched, "I''ll have to see you try it on my own. Fine, I prepare abyrinth to test it out. I too wouldn''t mind if I could control mybyrinth magic." "Arad!" Sena walked toward the pool and slowly sat inside facing Arad, "See, we ended up taking a bath together." "I don''t get why anyone besides my wives is here. But I''ll leave theining to them." He stared at her with a passive face. "Why would theyin? I for once won''t mind you getting more wives if I were your wife. It''s a sign of power and a part of the dragon''s nature. You''re the lions of monsters." She giggled. "I might be a dragon, but I''m trying to live as a human. Or at leastpromise between the two, just as Zephyr said." He stared at Sena with glowing purple eyes. "Rtionships arepromises. Each involved party gives up something for the other''s sake, this is how they can build a family together." "I wouldn''t say that wrong, but what are youpromising?" Sena asked. "I seek stability andfort, in exchange; I have to give up my draconic aggression and tendencies. If I were to act like a true dragon¡­" "You''ll kill and eat everyone here except me, Eris, Betty, and probably Merida. You''re throwing away your draconic nature for the sake of your wives. I see that''s indeed something you''ll do." She giggled. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "And I''m the weakest." Mira who sat beside him smiled, "I''m the opposite of what dragons seek." "Idiot!" Betty appeared beside Arad''s head and kicked him. "What did I tell you before? You aren''t a dragon, you''re half a dragon whether you love or hate it. Most void dragons are born to a void dragon and a humanoid." She sat on his shoulder. "If you have a void dragon mother then that means your father was a human. Even if your blood is that of a pure dragon your soul stillborn from them both, you''ll never shake that human side." "You might be right." He giggled and so did Mira. "Arad is Arad, he can be either a dragon or a human, and he''ll remain himself." After the bath Arad went to visit Baltos in the newly built keep, it was already past dusk so the maids were running everywhere lighting torches in the main hall, light crystals were too expensive and rare to find, even thebined effort of Sara and Baltos failed to yield enough to illuminate the whole ce. What little crystals they managed to buy were directed toward the important parts that would require light, those are the kitchen, baths and restrooms, and main offices that Baltos and the ministers use. One of the maids there was running across the hallway when she spotted Arad walking inside. She gasped, falling on her but and crawling back, "W-wait! Lord Arad is here?!" The moment she screamed, all of the maids heard and they scrambled everywhere to prepare. Baltos has told them several times that he doesn''t own the ce nor has a right to it. They are merely upying Baron Arad''s newly emerging castle as a temporary measure after the capital''s destruction. If one thing came to the maid''s mind it was that Arad was the one to y d and the white dragon that attacked before. "This way, lord Arad. We have the best seat prepared." The head maid rushed toward Arad to escort him inside. "Don''t worry about that. Isdis told me that Baltos wanted to see me, is he avable?" Arad asked. "The princess said¡­ His Majesty, Lord Baltos sent Prince Charlie with the queens to deliver them to their families to stay for this duration. I believe he wanted to speak with you about that." She replied as they reached the throne room. The two guards stared at them, "Head maid Roberta, who is that?" "Baron Arad." The moment she replied, their faces paled. "Please, this way." They quickly pushed the door open. "What happened to Kin and Gin?" "They went with Prince Charlie as escorts. His majesty couldn''t send the queens without proper protection." She smiled. Arad could see Baltos sitting on the throne talking with one of his ministers, exhausted. "Baltos, what''s going on? You look drained." Arad said, walking past the gathered nobles as if he owned the ce, which he does. The minister who was talking with Baltos turned around with a twisting angry face, "Who¡­ Ah! Isn''t it Baron Arad, wee, pleasee, talk with his majesty." The noble''s expression changed the moment he saw Arad''s face, and he moved out of the way with a gentle bow. "Arad! You won''t believe how happy I am to see you here, atst¡­" He stood and approached Arad with a rush in his steps. "I guess something is going pretty badly to want to see me here." Arad looked at the nobles. It was clear on their faces that they weren''t happy with something. Either they don''t want to be living in thend of a small Baron or something has gotten beneath their skin. "Yeah, it''s bad¡­ It''s embarrassing me to ask you, but are you knowledgeable about economics?" He looked at him. Arad shook his head, "Not a single idea. All I know is that I need to hunt monsters and give them to the guild, and they pay me." "We''re in a bit of a problem here." Baltos waved his hand, "Thisnd is owned by you. You do know that?" "Of course." "Well, we can''t tax people here because of that. Taxes from the entire kingdom are currently suspended due to theck of infrastructure to get them to the royal treasury. We have the gold, but can''t get it here safely." Baltos looked behind Arad''s shoulder and pointed at several nobles. "You, you, you, and you three over there. Bring all the papers and follow us." He called and then turned toward Roberta, "Get us some tea, a lot of it in fact." He then turned toward, "It won''t impact your sleep, would it? You''re in school after all." "I doubt it." Arad turned toward Roberta, "This seems exhausting, count me to have arger mug." Roberta bowed, "I''ve already informed the maids to prepare a barrel of tea for Sir Arad when they first spotted him. That won''t be a problem." As everyone went into the meeting room, Baltos started exining how the royal family gets its money, how to run the capital, and how to spend said money on farms, construction, and so on¡­ he kept talking for almost two hours with Arad just sitting there, listening. "Baltos¡­" Arad cut him off, "It''s been almost two hours¡­what I got from all of this is that none of those ie methods or whatever you call them can''t work here, either due to the region being poorly developed, or due to that I own it and I should get that money." "That''s indeed the case, leading us to the current situation." Baltos looked at the nobles, "With us only having the money from the royal treasury, we''ll quickly run dry if we start spending as we did before. I had to cut the pay of all the nobles and those who work here. We don''t have a renewing ie. I did intend to find a way around Alina, but as cities go, sadly it can''t help support a royal castle." "So we don''t have money to buy hay for the horses, pay the builders, nobles, maids, and everyone that works here, even the money for food will soon run dry¡­" Arad scratched his head. "Is there a way to work this out?" Baltos stared at him. "I''m not letting you start taxing my vige, it''s was just built and the people there probably won''t eat dinner if they ate lunch." Arad scratched his head, "But I might just have the solution." "And what could that be?" Baltos gasped. "But I''ll give you some advice from the start." Arad stared at him. "Hands off, the woman is mine." He smiled, "Roberta, I believe she could figure this out." Chapter 787 Arad the Mediator Chapter 787 Arad the Mediator ??Arad smiled and teleported away, leaving his seat empty. Baltos and the ministers stared at each other, wondering what he was up to. "He said Roberta, where did I hear that name before?" Baltosbed his beard with his hand, ying with it. "The head maid Roberta?" One of the ministers mumbled¡­ "It''s not her, is she?" "Definitely not. She''s probably someone else. But I swear I''ve heard that name before." Baltos looked toward the windows. "If she''s skilled we can recruit her as financial secretary. I''ll need some help eventually." The prime minister smiled. "Forget it. Arad said that she belongs to him." Baltos red at him. "He''ll kill you; remember that we aren''t dealing with a human. He''s a dragon and a world-ss one at that." "Even he won''t try to kill a prime minister. And it''s not like I''m trying to harm her, if I offer up enough money and power I''m certain she''lle to our side." The minister giggled. "Don''t, he''ll kill you on the spot." Baltos tone shifted, growing harsher and deeper, "Arad said she belongs to him. We don''t know what he meant by that, she could be a friend or a worker, and might even be a wife or a mate. He could even be seeing her as a property, a part of his hoard." Another minister, the one responsible for agriculture nodded. "Thatst part could be true, especially if she''s an important part of his money-making methods." "That''s true. Whoever he brings, remember that she''s sitting in thep of a kingdom-destroying dragon. Don''t overstep his borders if you don''t want to die, the humanws don''t chain dragons, they are too big to arrest or lock behind bars." Baltos red at them, praying to Amaterasu that those ministers wouldn''t cause him a conflict with Arad. ZON! Arad appeared again with Roberta beside him. Baltos immediately recognized her, "Gerald''s daughter!?" Baltos gasped. "The assassin''s daughter¡­" A minister jumped off his seat, pulling his sword. But, nothing came out, he looked down, seeing blood dripping from his elbow, his forearm was missing. "Another wrong word and I''ll take your head off." Arad threw the minister''s arm to his feet, "Scram." The minister screamed his lungs off and the guards rushed in, "What happened?!" They asked. "He pulled his sword at Arad''s guest. Take him to get healed and attach the arm back if possible." Baltos replied as fast as he could lest the situation escte. "It''s a clean cut. It''ll attack back." Arad sat and made the confused Roberta sit beside him. "Arad, what''s going on?" She asked. "Don''t worry about him. He tried to be a bit rude," Arad replied and quickly shifted his attention to Baltos, "The papers." "Ah! Yes, here they are." Baltos gave everything to Arad. "Can you take a look at this?" Arad showed her the papers and she started reading them. After several minutes, she sighed, "This is bad, and I mean a lot." "Can you help?" He asked. Roberta scratched her head, "I can, but I don''t have the systematic authority, funds, or time to achieve such a thing. I need ess to a lot of ssified information, like about every copper the kingdom makes, their cash routs, and how much everyone in the castle is paid and how much they are spending and with whom." She then pointed at Arad''s face. "And most importantly, you, Arad. You own thisnd I can''t just start working here without your permission. Even they can''t." Arad nodded, "Got it, I''ll get everyone involved." He disappeared again and everyone looked at Roberta¡­ "Don''t look at me like that, even I don''t know what he''s thinking about." "Do you think it''s possible to get at least one thing working out?" Baltos asked. "We''ll need a lot of work, and workers. Even with that, and even if we got permission from Arad, the royal treasury doesn''t have enough funds to kick-start a new economy in this region. And even if we did, we can''t expect a stable ie until next year." She ran through the papers again. "We''ll need to take a huge loan from somewhere. I''m certain Arad might have the money for that, but he''s spending everything on building the castle and his alchemy experiments. This situation is bad, ugly, and worse than you think." She sighed. ZON! Arad returned several minutester, and this time he had a strange group around him. He put the small flower pot on the desk and Ignis crawled from his back and looked around, confused. Arad was carrying Grandma Shir in his arms and two elves were standing behind him. "To introduce you." Arad smiled, pointing at the flower pot, "First, this is the most important figure here, Loci. She is thend you stand on. Make sure you give her the respect she deserves, or she''ll crush you between the two mountains." The flow grew a mouth. "So this is King Baltos, I''ve heard several traveling merchants speak of you. Wee on my back."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad rushed to the side and brought a chair for Grandma Shir. "This is Grandma Shir, she''s standing in for the barbarians that live in mynd. Their chieftain is out hunting, make sure to respect her. Her n would be providing protection in the forest and to the roads." "Barbarians¡­" A noble mumbled, "They can''t even think, can they? How do we trust safety and protection to a bunch of near animals?" Grandma Shir looked at Arad, "My feet tingle¡­" "Go for it." Arad nodded and she jumped at a blinding speed, kicking the noble in the face hard enough that his nose almost copsed into his skull. "Grandson taught a lot¡­Insult kicked." She mumbled, going back to her seat. "Just to let you know¡­she''s Nina''s grandmother, the blood berserker." Arad smiled, "There are countless reasons you want to stay on her good side." He then quickly turned toward Ignis, "This red wyrmling is Ignis, I''ve adopted her as a daughter and she''s currently living on my territory, I''ll need you to avoid her hunting ground." "This is yournd." Ignis stared at Arad, speaking in draconic. "You''ll be staying here until you''re an adult. No, even if you became an old dragon, you can stille back here any time you want." He patted her head. "She''ll be living here for the next two hundred years at least, so be sure to mind her presence." Baltos nodded, "And¡­who are those two hiding behind you?" Arad''s back was toorge it totally obscured the two figures behind him. From behind Arad''s shoulder, Ceri poked her head with a smile, and everyone inside the room paled. "The elvish queen?!" Baltos gasped, and she waved her hand at him. "King Baltos, it''s been a while." "What are you doing here?" He stared at her, "I''ve never heard of youing into the kingdom." "I just came four hours ago and I''m staying with Arad. He said that I could help." She smiled, and Da looked from behind her, "Why did you bring me as well?" "And Da the pper?!" The ministers gasped and the nobles backed away. They knew how strong Arad was, but his power was that of massive destruction, their death would be painless and sweet. But Da was different, albeit the weakest of the S- ranks, her pping art made her one of the most feared due to how painful her attacks were. Her enemies never die of damage, their hearts stop due to the extreme and agonizing pain. Ceri walked forward and sat on Arad''sp, putting one leg on another, and smiled, "I''ll be the one lending you money to start off." Baltos immediately shook his face, "We can''t ept that money. In the condition we''re in now, doing that is akin to epting bing a vassal state." "Having your capital vited by d is the end of your kingdom. Everything ended the moment that monsternded on your shores. You should''ve known that the situation was akin to a man losing his head." She giggled, "But, I''m not lending you help as the queen of the elvish kingdom. And I''m not thinking of you as Ruris''s kingdom king." She lifted her hand, stroking Arad''s cheek, "You''re the friend of my friend, the dragon whonded on the elvishnd." She shifted her legs and her eyes shed green. "I''m lending the money as Ceri Zylphyra, one of the richest elves in the world. And you''re taking it as the friend of Arad Orion. This isn''t between kingdoms but between people." "What are the conditions?" Baltos asked with a droplet of sweat dripping across his face. "Give the money back in ten years. There is no interest, I''m doing Arad a favor, and he''s doing me one. This is it." "That can''t be possible. What''s in it for you besides Arad''s favor?" "I''ll get nothing from you, but I''m getting a lot from Arad. In fact, I''m probably getting the better deal on this." She turned toward Arad, "Isn''t that right?" "Arad¡­" Roberta stared at him. "I don''t like how happy she is about this. What is your deal?" "Nothing big." Arad shook his head. "I''ll just have to carry her to the peak of the world tree. To where Sylph''s shrine is." Chapter 788 The Inconvenience of Being a Dragon [R-18] Chapter 788 The Inconvenience of Being a Dragon [R-18] ??As the meeting ended, Arad walked out of the room with everyone except Roberta who was going to read more about the situation. Her job was now to use the funds granted by both Ceri, the queen of the elves, and him to develop this region. Arad wanted to take the job himself, but he''s probably not cut to telling people what to farm and to try and predict how the market will develop. He has a talent for removing people from the poption count, and he should probably stick to that. Ceri smiled, "I''ll ask Betty to bring the funds from the capital. That should help us start quickly and for you¡­" Arad and everyone else would need to fly back to the university tomorrow at dawn, he only had what hours remained before night, and as expected, Roberta had already given him a stupid amount of work. "You''re right, I should go now. I''ll teleport back to my house first and then leave." He extended his hand to her and the rest of the ones with him. After sending everyone to his home, he teleported into the vige''s entrance and took a deep breath, "Now to work." Roberta has assigned him a crucial mission, to clear the trees from where the trade roads will go. She simply drew him lines on a map and told him, "Pluck the trees out. Can you do it before tomorrow?" That was more than fifty kilometers of roads.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As Arad transformed into his draconic form, the kids in the vige and barbarian''s cliff uphill started pointing at him as his wings blotted the sun. The fighters and barbarians got ready for a fight. "Boy¡­" A barbarian growled, "Inside¡­danger." He picked an axe and rushed forward with the n''s best fighters. The men at the vige rushed toward Arad, "Lord Arad! Should we evacuate the vige?" He looked at them with a puzzled face for a second before realizing what was happening. He usually only transforms when a thread has been detected, so seeing him in his draconic form must''ve sent them on high alert. "AH! Don''t worry; I''m only going to clear parts of the forest to set roads. There is no monster around, it''s safe." He waved his front ws and the people sighed in relief. Soon after, the barbarian reached Arad and found he had just started pulling trees out of the ground with his ws. "Monster?!" The leader of the barbarians growled. "No, trees cut." Arad pulled a tree from its root in front of them. They immediately understood that he wanted to pull trees down and that there was no monster. They even cleared parts of the forest toy camp or bury the dead, so it wasn''t strange to them. After confirming that, the barbarian began helping Arad cut the trees, but they ended up leaving stumps in the ground so Arad made them scout the area ahead for monsters instead of directly helping him. Arad quickly got into a rhythm and started pulling trees faster and faster. He finished the roads just an hour before midnight and returned home. "You''ve back." Eris was sitting alone in the living room awaiting him; everyone else had gone to sleep. "You sure you should be awake?" He asked. "I''m still a vampire, I can sleep at night but it''s not in my nature." She approached him with a smile. "Take a quick bath and let''s head up. Or do you want something to eat?" Arad smiled, "I already hunt monsters in the forest and mountains to eat. I don''t really need to eat at home¡­" For a creature his size, a human portion would never be enough even if Ae spent every waking second cooking. When he was in the capital before, Arad managed to eat two whole whales that Kin served to him in heryer. Now he could eat even more than that. As Arad returned from the bath and headed to his room, he found Eris awaiting him there. Today seems to be her turn. He smiled. The girls decide on their turns among themselves, he barely has a say in what he sees each night, so it''s best to let them decide. He did n to intervene if someone seemed to be left off, but until now they made sure to keep an equal chance between all of them, and those who miss their night usually have a valid reason. "It''s been a while, wasn''t it?" She smiled, slowly approaching him in her nightgown. "Only five days¡­but I can understand what you mean." Hugging her in his arms, her frame felt ever so small. "Can I get some?" She whispered, sniffing his neck. "You always ask." Arad carried her and they headed to the bet where he sat and sat her on hisp. "I should be asking." She started licking his neck and quickly went in for a bite, sucking on his blood. Arad kept an eye on her, his blood wasn''t normal. The density of his magic, the nature of draconic blood, and the fact he''s a stronger vampire all made for a bad recipe. It''s true that the quality of his blood is at the peak of what a vampire could ask for; it''s also far too dangerous to consume. If the hottest hot sauce in the world was the most nutritious food humanity ever knew, no one is going around drinking a whole bottle. Eris''s pale skin slowly tainted pink as she started sweating and her body temperature rose up, her breath grew heavier as she started wigging in ce. Arad could hear her stomach growl; upset at the blood she was drinking. He grabbed her by the cheeks and pulled her mouth away from his neck. "This is enough for today." She stared at him with a sad face, almost crying. "I want more, please." She started reaching up, her eyes fixated on the blood dripping from his neck. "I said no, you''ll harm yourself." He closed her mouth with his palm and stared at her eyes, whispering gently. "You always get half drunk from drinking by blood." He watched as she started trying to bite and lock his hand, but her fangs weren''t going to pierce his draconic scales unless he allowed her. With his other hand, he pushed her nightgown to the side, slowly pulled her pajama pants down, and started rubbing her opal white peach. "Stop biting or I''ll p you." He whispered in her ear. But almost as if she was deaf, the only thing she kept doing was trying to bite his fingers. SLAP! Arad smacked her butt with a moderate amount of force. To Eris that felt like a slightly painful hit, but if he had hit a human with it, they''d probably die of pain. Her body wiggled, contorting back¡­ "Why¡­hit me¡­" She stared at him, her blurry vision finally returning slowly to her. "Wait¡­again." She mumbled. "Got drunk again." Arad replied with a smile, "How do you feel." "My butt stings a lot." She mumbled, looking away with a burning red face. "Come on, remind me. What was that bet you setst time?" Hearing Arad''s question, she looked away. She could feel Arad''s hand slowly tightening on her butt cheeks. "Come on. Say it¡­ You were the one to set the rules, weren''t you?" "I said I won''t get drunk on your blood next time¡­" She mumbled. "And. What if you did get drunk on it? You were quite confident of yourself back then." He pped her butt once again and she gasped¡­ "You''re mean¡­" She stared at him with teary eyes, "But¡­ I''m the one who said¡­" She sighed, "If I did get drunk, I''d ept a full rough night with no rest." With Arad being a dragon, his stamina and action time were far longer than that of a human. Even the stimtion he required wasn''t something a normal woman could endure. He needs to be fast, and rough, and even with that, it''ll take probably an hour to get him to release a load. The first few times they did it was normal since he was technically inexperienced, but now his true stamina started showing up. None of the girls could withstand a full night with him, except Merida and Eris who have their special bodies. But now with Ae, Isdis, and Mira, it''s only them feeling good while Arad is getting nothing. They just aren''t durable enough for him to get real. Now that even Eris and Merida could barely keep up with him, they''ve started to ease up more on letting more wives join in. Eris stared at Arad with fearful yet anticipating eyes, "Can you please¡­well, at least¡­" She mumbled. Arad giggled, "Sorry, I was joking. You don''t have to put up with any of this." He gave her a deep kiss, "I''ll be as gentle as I could." Eris pushed him away, "No, I promised you¡­ I can''t be the only one feeling good¡­Let''s do it, but at least¡­" She stared at him with a serious face. "Suck my toes while we do it." She''s a half-elf after all¡­ Chapter 789 A Spark of Brutality [R-18] Chapter 789 A Spark of Brutality [R-18] ??Betty walked across the hallway, silently sneaking around the corridors. "Where are you going?" Ceri and Ae caught her. She gasped, trying to run away but they caught her by the hair and dragged her away from Arad''s room. "Let me go¡­" She tried to scream but they muffled her mouth, preventing her from reaching Arad''s room. **** Inside Arad''s room, Eris moaned but her voice never escaped the walls, the whole room was locked in Arad''s void expansion. She was the one who promised he could go all out, but it indeed hurts now. Shivers ran down her spine as her insides writhed, her hips moving on their own, and the pain quickly shifted into pleasure, but something seemed off. Her vision began to blur as her mind nked. She woke up in a white room, looking around her in shock. "Where am I?" She asked, but no one responded. And before she could know it, she was sitting alone in a forest with five-headed sheep walking past her. She stood, even more confused, but she immediately fell back on her face, feeling a sharp burn in her stomach.N?v(el)B\\jnn Outside, to Arad Alice seemed to be fine, moaning and responding to his moves. She even asked him to slow down sometimes, or even go faster. This was going too well, but he could sense a strange calmness flowing over her mind. "Are you okay?" He asked, giving her a deep kiss as he stopped mid-thrust. "Yeah¡­keep going¡­don''t stop now¡­"She replied, gasping for air as her hips twitched and he could see droll dripping from her blood-red lips. Red vampire magic shed in her eyes making them glow red as her polished ck nails reflected the candlelight. Her torso twitched again as her eyes almost rolled back, and her pale skin seemed slightly red under the candlelight. She dragged her feet over Arad''s chest, grazing his chest with her toenails. But, as his scales were too durable, he didn''t notice that her toenails had grown a bit longer and sharper alongside her nails. Inside her own mind, alive fell on the ground, clenching on her stomach. Something twisted inside, eating at her guts. Soon she felt a cold liquid dripping from between her legs, and looking down, it was a pool of her blood. In front of Arad, she had just came. But Arad never stopped and on the other hand, he started moving faster as she kept asking for more. He bent over her and started sucking on her nipples, albeit the position looked awkward due to howrge he was. As Eris stared at the blood spreading outward from beneath her, she could feel something fall off from between her legs, arge red crystal rolled forward and melted into the blood causing it to shimmer. On the hazy blood, Eris saw her own reflection staring back at her, growling as she growled, and crying as she cried. The reflection mimicked her every move as a reflection should, but it suddenly stopped doing that and instead stared back at her in silence. The reflection looked silent, but Eris could hear it in her head. A voice simr to hers, but giggles with each world, [What is this ce¡­I was with Arad a moment ago.] The reflection said, mimicking her inner voice. "Who are you?" Eris growled. [I''m Eris! Who are you? What are you doing in my head?] "No! You''re a mere reflection!" Eris smacked her fist onto the blood, but the reflection growled. [You''re the reflection!] And she stood, crawling away, and disappeared from the blood. Eris stared at the ground and struggled for a second to gather herself and then stood, taking a few steps forward only to see the reflection back on the blood, sitting on another spot. "Why do you keep following me?!" She roared. [You''re the one following me!] The reflection growled, [Am I going mad now?] They both suddenly felt a sharp pain in their stomach and they fell on their faces, panting. Outside, Arad had just filled her insides and she started twitching. Arad pulled out and looked at her, "You can rest. Do you need something?" He asked. Eris too several deep breaths and looked at his eyes, a smile crossed her face and she lifted one leg out, spreading her cheeks open. "Use this now, likest time." Arad stared at her open butt for a few seconds. "You sure? You can barely breathe, you should rest." "I never felt better, please don''t stop now." She wiggled her butt. "Fine." He approached her and slowly pushed himself inside, but she stared at him with a sad face, tapping his face with her foot. "Arad¡­ why so tame now?" "What''s going on with you?" He started to think that something was off about her. Is she not fully sober after drinking his blood? Eris extended her hands and grabbed Arad by the elbow, pulling him down on her. "Listen to me. I won''t say it again. You''ve asked for a rough one, and I''ve got ready for it. To be gentle now, it''ll ruin the mood." She licked his neck. "And, can you do me another favor, please, just this time¡­" "What is it?" He cupped her face. She kissed him, her fangs growing longer and longer, "I''m starving, Arad. I want more of your blood, can I get it, at least once like a proper vampire? Come on, please, I''m letting you go all out on me, am I not?" Arad suddenly pushed all of his length inside her, causing her legs to extend forward as she screamed in pain, gasping for air. "It hurts, see?" Half-crying, Eris wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him toward her. "Don''t stop, go all out. But let me drink your blood." Arad started thrusting as hard as possible with her current durability, and she almost rolled in ce from the pain, but everything felt worth it when he whispered. "Drink, but I''ll stop you if it looks like you''re getting too drunk." Eris opened her mouth and jammed her fangs on his neck, vigorously slurping the blood out of his veins as he hammered her insides. With each thrust, Eris felt a sharp pain alongside her reflection, and they both crawled forward, staring at the empty white horizon. At that moment, a pale white sun appeared on the horizon, shining brightly as a massive boulder emerged from the ground. On top of the boulder, a pale woman wearing a strange dress with long ck hair and glowing red eyes, nails, and lips stared at them with a smile, dangling her feet down. "What should I do? This has been delegated to my authority." The woman said with a smile, and Eris could recognize that figure from the church, Amaterasu, the goddess of dusk and down, the one she believed in now as a pdin. Amaterasu looked away, "Shouldn''t you be the one doing this?" She growled. In the distance, a woman as pale as the snow with two bloodshot eyes, ck veins around her whole body, and long ck hair wearing a bloodied death gown. "I own the vampires, but those who believe in a god belong to that god. She doesn''t belong to me now." The woman replied and disappeared into under the sunlight. Amaterasu sighed, "Say, Alice, Asmo, can I leave this job to you two?" She asked and her sun got blotted by a set of ck wings. Right beneath the boulder, a twin appeared. Two fair women with long blond hair and Heterochromatic eyes, one ck and the other golden. "It''s your job, not ours." The two said simultaneously. Eris might not know who they were, but if Lydia was here, she would tell at once. Those were Amaterasu''s Archon, the ruler of the nine hells, Asmodeus. Eris started tapping the Asmo and Alice''s heads with her feet, "Come on. I''ll give you a bonus, can you deal with it? I don''t want to bother." "At this rate, he''ll end up dead." Alice said, looking into Amaterasu''s eyes. "You don''t want HIM to get angry, do you?" Asmo added with a faint growl. "But you two can deal with it, right?" Amaterasu sighed and looked at the two Eris staring at her, confused as hell at what was happening. "Look! They seem far too confused! At this rate, she''ll never understand herself." Alice sighed and turned toward Amaterasu with Asmo. "Do your job." They pulled Amaterasu by the leg and threw her on the ground. "You have far more energy to spare than us. Be the one to do it." They growled at her. "But¡­"Amaterasu stared at the two Eris staring at her in confusion. "She already sucked more than enough divine energy from Arad. Why would I need to give her more?" As Amaterasu said that, Asmo and Alice started kicking her left and right, "Don''t speak of that! She might remember it, you idiot goddess!" Amaterasu cried as they kicked the life out of her, but she extended her hand forward. "Fine¡­ I''ll do it. And fix my mistake as well." A bright light shed, blinding Eris and her reflection. Eris woke up lying on Arad''s bed, not remembering a thing of what happened that night. But she could see blood on the ceiling. "What¡­ did happen?" She turned around to see Arad''s mauled corpse on the ground. Chapter 790 Blood Marks Chapter 790 Blood Marks ??"ARAD!" Eris cried, rushing to check on him. The blood was still warm, and his flesh started moving as his wounds closed. He was just cut apart seconds before she woke up. "Who did this?" Arad''s flesh returned to ce and his skin closed as he sat up. "Hmmm, you seem to be back to normal." He stared at her. Arad wasn''t that easy to kill, even if his human body was cut to pieces, he''d just regenerate. And even if sufficient damage was dealt to him, he''ll just transform into his draconic form. "Back to normal? What do you mean?" Eris gasped. "You went crazy and started shing at me left and right after drinking my blood." He replied. "At first I thought you were only trying to be a bit rough, but soon your nails started cutting into my scales." Eris stared at her hands, noticing that her nails had taken the shape of ws, dripping with blood. "I did this?" "Yeah, but don''t worry about it. You were probably just too drunk." Arad smiled, waving his hand and cleaning all of the blood that sshed on the room. He quickly sucked everything into his stomach. "No¡­it''s impossible. I can''t cut you with my nails. I don''t have enough strength to get through your scales." She stared at him. Arad approached her and lifted her hand, "Look." He ran her w on his forearm, cutting a wound. "They''ve got sharp enough. You''ve grown stronger in some way. But I''m certain it''s not vampirism, I couldn''t sense any blood magic from you at all while you rampaged." "Wait¡­you could''ve restrained me, couldn''t you? Why let me cut you up like that?" She cried. "I tried to stop you, but your body kept burning me with holy magic. I could counter it, but that might harm you so I chose to tank the damage instead. Especially since I couldn''t sense blood magic from you, I doubted that you could''ve healed while drunk." Eris sat on the bed and rubbed her eyes, feeling exhausted. "What did happen? I feel like I''ve had a really bad dream¡­" As she looked at her hands, she started to feel it. Something else surged beside Amaterasu''s holy magic. "What''s this?" She mumbled. Arad tilted his head, staring at her. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." "You said I had holy magic on me. How was it?" "I can''t tell. Its holy magic like everything else, burns and hurts a lot¡­well¡­" Arad wasn''t a religious, nor a cleric or a pdin; he wouldn''t be able to tell the difference between different types of holy magic. Eris stood, "I''ll ask Lydia when we get back to the university." "She''ll know better, or you can ask Sara as well. She''s a cleric after all." Arad smiled. "I keep forgetting that she''s a cleric of Asmodeus¡­won''t that make her a cult leader of some kind?" Eris sighed. "I wouldn''t call it a cult if she''s a devil that believes in the ruler of the hells. Doesn''t that make sense?" Arad tilted his head to the other side. "Devils believing in devils¡­you''re right." She stood. "How much still until dawn?" "Not much." Arad stood beside her, "Wear something, and let''s head down and take a quick bath before the rest wake up." The two headed to the bath and Arad quickly filled the tub with water. Eris filled a bucket and put her hand inside, heating the water with her sma. After they washed out, the two sat inside the tub. "Say Arad¡­ you aren''t angry? About me attacking you?" "Why would I? You were drunk, and even if you weren''t, you can''t really kill me." He pulled her to sit on hisp, "And we dragons are supposed to fight all the time. I''m certain ismon for dragon couples to try killing each other from time to time." He patted her head. "But to think I was fast enough to harm you¡­you''re quite fast and durable even in this form." She looked at his face. "I just didn''t want to use that much power. What if I injured you or broke the room, Mira would kill us." He didn''t want to damage the room. "You were moving fast, yes, but not that fast." "I''ve never heard of a drunken person moving as well as when they are sober." She giggled, and the bath door opened. Ae stood there, staring at them. "Arad, Eris¡­ I''m smelling blood in the hallway, what did happen?" "You can?" Eris gasped. "I''m sensitive to blood, you know I don''t get along with meat and such¡­but I know that smell well. It''s Arad''s blood, isn''t it?" She walked inside and sat on a small wooden stool to wash her body. "What did happenst night?" Dragon''s blood smells different from other races; elves hold a strong sense of hearing and smell as they are trained hunters. "Did you drink too much of his blood?" Ae red at Eris. "No, it''s a long story." Arad replied and quickly exined what happenedst night. Ae was baffled, "She got drunk and moved well enough that you got injured? Even if you were holding back a lot, that would still be the level of elite fighters." Both Ae and Eris remember Arad''s previous fights, even at the beginning; he was well versed in hand-to-hand fights that he brawled with werewolves, he isn''t someone that you can be drunk and injured by luck. "She was moving a bit weird, I guess." Arad scratched his chin. "How about you Doma, didn''t you see it?" Ae stared at Arad and a mouth appeared on his arm. "[I didn''t. I was asleep. I''m not going to sit and watch his night with Eris.]" "So we have no clues¡­" Arad sighed, "Well, it won''t happen unless she drinks a lot of my blood, so it won''t be a problem." He smiled. "You say that¡­ But you need to give her less blood if she gets this drunk from it." Ae stared at them. "I doubt it''s any good to her." "Than want her to drink yours? You don''t have as much volume as me." Arad looked at her. "And you don''t have as much mana as he. Arad''s blood is dense and thick. I can tell my smell, if yours is water with sugar, his blood is raw honey. There is noparison." "Then don''t drink as much of his blood." Ae sighed. The bath''s door opened again, and it was Mira and Merida who walked inside. "Is there a ce for us?" Merida asked. "I''ve made enough stools for everyone. I even made the tub a bitrger." Mira stared at her as she walked to the corner and picked two stools for them. Eris stood and so did Arad after her. "We''ll leave for now¡­" As Eris walked past Merida, she stopped her with a knife to the neck. "Care to exin why I smell Arad''s blood on you? I really want to cut you on the spot, but I suspect it''s not that big of a deal, was it?" As expected, they aren''t getting past Merida that easily. If Ae can pick up on the blood''s smell by her nose, Merida has her fungus. "I''ll exin it to you. Let them be." Ae stared at her and Merida moved the knife away from Eris''s neck. "Sorry about this." "No need to apologize. But where did you keep that knife, I didn''t see you hold it." Eris smiled. "I was holding it. I''m just good at hiding weapons behind my wrists and legs." Merida patted her shoulder and moved out of the way. Arad and Eris left and Ae red at Merida. "I warned you to not attack her." Ae growled. "But you smelled it as well." Merida stared back at her with glowing green eyes. "That strong smell wasn''t from a small wound or a love scratch¡­It''s a murder scene." "You two didn''t see any blood." Mira said. "It''s enough to smell that much blood in the air. You don''t even smell that amount if fights. I bet Arad only seems fine thanks to his regeneration, but whatever Eris did, it was bad." Merida growled. "We don''t know that, and it''s best if we don''t start fighting amongst each other. If Arad is saying he''s fine, we better trust that." Ae stood. The two red at each other for a few seconds until Mira pushed them apart, "Come on! Stop fighting. We don''t have that much time." They indeed didn''t have much time. They still need to wash themselves and get ready to leave back to the university." As Arad and Eris walked back into the living room they saw Tina and Da cooking in the kitchen. Isdis and her maids were staying in the castle to govern Arad''s domain. King Baltos might be there, but Isdis as Arad''s wife is taking care of the specific politics of the region. "We''ve got breakfast ready." Da called Arad and Eris into the dining room. Inside there they found Ceri and Betty already wolfing down their breakfast. "Arad! Can you give me that maid of yours? Tina, I''ve never tasted such food." Ceri stared at him with glowing eyes. "That''s just grass." Arad stared at her bowl of veggies; he could only see sd, onion, carrots, and several leaves. All elves can''t digest meat, so they are considered herbivores. On the other side of the table, the small Betty was wolfing down a whole te of fried eggs, sausages, two steaks, five boiled eggs, beans, cheese, mushrooms, and roasted tomatoes. All downed with arge mug of beer.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Where are you putting all of that?" Arad stared at her swallowing a whole egg. "If I ate well, I might grow taller." Betty replied and quickly turned toward Ceri, "Elf, give me that maid of yours. She''s a great cook." "I''m ashamed that Da can cook meat." Ceri sighed. "Then give her to me! I''ll put her to good use." Betty smiled. "No, I''m not giving her to you. She''s my maid, bodyguard, caretaker, and trainer." Ceri pointed her fork at Betty, "Get your own maid." "No, I want her. And, won''t all those roles make give her a lot of power?" Betty stared at Ceri. "She indeed does. Besides me, she has the most influence on the elvish kingdom. You never had a maid so you might never know, but the job of a maid is one of the most lucrative and influential jobs out there and one of the safest as well." Ceri turned toward Arad, "Say, if Tina asked you to blow a city, what would you do?" "I''ll blow it sky high." He replied. "See? That maid holds a lot of power here as well. She basically has a dragon at her fingers. All she needs to do is y her cards well." Ceri smiled. "I should''ve picked a maid job. It''s probably easier than being a chairman." Chapter 791 Arad and Abels Deal Chapter 791 Arad and Abel''s Deal ??Arad transformed outside his house and stared at the vige and the castle. The weekend had ended faster than he expected and the dawn of a new school week was upon them. He stared at the rising sun and then looked north, "An hour''s flight at a reasonable speed." He looked at Ae who just walked out of the house. "Please slow down a bit more this time. Not everyone is used to your flying speed." She replied. Albeit they were fine riding on his back, riding in a carriage that he carried was giving them motion sickness especially when he started flying between mountain peaks at a high speed. "An hour is too long." Betty said as she stood beside Ae. "I''ll go ahead and wait for you there." "Do what you want." Bling! Betty disappeared in a sh, and by the time Ae turned to look at where she stood, Betty had already reached her office at the university. Just a second after she walked inside, Lucia came looking for her. "Chairman, I finally found you." She smiled. "I wasn''t even here a second ago." "We''re used to your movement so we set a magic detection to catch you when you return." Lucia walked into the office and closed the door after her. "We have a lot of work to prepare for the week''s courses and tests. We need you to approve all of this." Lucia waved her wand and a pile of papers fell on the desk. Betty stared at the papers and giggled, "Well¡­I wish I stayed¡­" She sighed and started reading and signing them. "The other teachers would bring you their portion soon. Please get mine done first." Lucia smiled and Betty gasped. "Wait?! There more?" "Far, far more than you can expect." Lucia left the office and Betty smacked her head on the desk, "Too much work from the start. I want to leave¡­" An hourter Arad finally reached the university andnded outside the city in the swamps. Heid the carriage down and shifted back to his normal form. He looked inside the carriage, "Wait here, I''ll be back." He teleported to Croc City, started walking through the streets, and headed toward the city''s stables to rent two horses. He can''t fly into the university or teleport everyone in as the teachers might pick up on that. It was safer to return like normal people. As he walked, he saw a familiar face. "Arad! It''s been a while." Abel approached him. "You''vee back."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Yeah, looking for horses." The two headed toward the stables. "How is the city?" Abel asked. "Alina is doing fine, but my vige and where the king is living are having some financial problems. I''ve left them to Roberta to deal with, but it''s going to be a while before things are stable. What does someone like you think about it?" "Someone like me?" Abel smiled, "A devil you may ask. And an answer you shall get." "To us devils, humanoids are as simple as cats. They love to eat and rub their faces in catnap. But sometimes they can get feisty and bite the hand that feeds them." Abel clenched a fist. "Provide them with food and drinks to hold the year. Farm the next year and harvest in the one after. But don''t eat or spend the harvest, store it for theing year and make sure people pick up crafts and open up shops." Abel opened his fist, "Counting this year, those are four years. So what do you think of the fifth?" Abel closed all of his fingers except the index one, pointing it at the sky. "You want to make my region a trade-focused one. That would make a center ofmerce and a hot spot for merchants. But, that would be in exchange for me providing everything out of pocket to kick start it." Arad thought, "I can''t guess what that''s year for." Abel giggled, "Of course, someone like you won''t know. You aren''t the type." He pointed back at the church. "Get the people something to believe in within a year. Humans with a belief would live longer, a part of it due to healing magic, and part ising from their faith allowing them to be mentally rxed." He giggled, "Which makes them a bit dumber and easier for us to manipte¡­but that''s another topic." He flicked his finger and both he and Arad disappeared in a puff of ck smoke. When Arad opened his eyes he was sitting in a room facing Abel who sat on a throne while in his devil form with several half-naked tiefling, human, and devil women surrounding him. "Who are they?" Arad asked, looking at the seventeen women around Abel. "Those who wanted to swear fealty to me and signed a contract. Unlike my sister, I do have my own ns and schemes. I''m a devil after all, am I not?" Abel tilted his head and stood, expanding his wings. "Ladies anddies, this is my benefactor! A being that even devils fear. And believe it or not, he is not a pdin." He started walking toward Arad and then stopped, "While you weren''t here, I sensed something bad." He said with a serious face. "What is it?" Arad asked as Abel walked around him. "Would you believe it if I said it''s a god?" Abel said as he stopped walking, and the women behind them gasped. "They don''t walk the earth." Arad replied. "Well, he is a god, but not a true one. We call them demi-gods, beings who are challenging fate itself, to step into the divine realm." Abel smiled, "I believe you''ve faced one, didn''t you? The toe-sucking, feet-worshipping elf, his name was Vars, wasn''t'' it?" The women cried in the back for some reason, and even Arad was confused. Can''t they stop gasping at every word? "We didn''t face him. Even my brother only managed to damage him with a massive hit before he fully became a demi- god. When he reached that stage he had already surpassed anything we could throw at him. He only died because he wanted it. We lost that battle." Arad replied. "Katal, the blood god of murder. Usurped by foot fanatic and destroyed what a romantic story. But, I''m not asking for you for help based on that, I''m not a mere human after all." Abel moonwalked back to his throne and sat in the women''sps. "I''m a devil and we scheme for centuries. A crucial part of that is our supreme intellect and luck." He pointed at Arad. "I can''t imagine you losing. I can see it from here, how you punch that bastard in the face hard enough that he questions why he was even born. I''m betting on you." He giggled. "Sex and drinks weren''t enough for me it seems, so I''m now gambling with life and death." He stood, pushing the women aside. "My first gamble will be the greatest. You against a demi-god, the closed thing mortals get to being gods. My money is on the big dimensional lizard with too much muscle. I love to bet on dark horses it seems." He smiled, tilting his head. "Which reminds me, you looked for horses." Abel flicked his fingers and they disappeared into a puff of ck smoke. The two appeared standing right outside the city''s stables, and Abel had returned to his humanoid form. "And so I was thinking¡­" Abel kept talking. "What kind of price would be worthy to fill those eyes? A fleet of maidens enough to fill your belly, a mountain of gold, a mighty steed from the hells, or enough power to rule the world?" He smiled. "I say naught. I''ve got something better for you." Abel closed his fist and reopened it, showing Arad a skull-shaped ne. "After you fight, cast him into the hells. I''ll sing the song of my people, and they shall rip the sparkly fledgling into shreds. Doing such would grant you favor among the devil''s line no other, and I might be able to get us a safe gate to the loweryers of hell." Abel giggled. "Infinite riches and sinners to y exits down there, no dragon''s hoard would beplete without a hub to the outer worlds, especially the hells." Arad smiled, "Sometimes I almost forget you''re a devil until you start acting like one." "What a lovelypliment. I take pride in looking like a pathetic human, but as friends, I must be a devil you can trust and rely on. Getting your trust is easy, but to be reliable, I need the devil''s approval and rank up in the hells." "Got a deal." Arad took the pendant. "Depending on what is the demi-god up to, I''ll take action." "I couldn''t have hoped for more."Abel looked back at the stable door opened, and a yawning man walked out. "Who''s out this early?" He looked at them, rubbing his eyes. "Two horses. We need to them quickly." Abel smiled. "Buy or rent? I''ll need my money present before you can take them out." The man replied. "Of course. Got the gold right here." Abel paid for the horses and gave the tag to Arad. "Drop the horses by my brotherter, would you? I''ll need them for some work." "What work?" "Special work that only horses can do." Abel replied with a grin. Chapter 792 Giga Horse

Chapter 792 Giga Horse

Arad returned to the carriage with the horses and Ae asked, "What took you so long?" "I''ve met Abel on the way, nothing too important." He looked at them with a smile. He strapped the horses and started driving the carriage toward the university, passing by Croc City. As they passed by, the girls could see Abel waving to Arad while walking at the side of the street. "The sly bastard. I bet he''s up to no good." Sena growled. She had heard from her mother that a peculiar devil have been snooping around the hells, looking for power and influence, and that he''s doing pretty well at it. Heid several contracts with many people to the point he''s bing infamous for it, even among the devils, he''s known for trickery and wit. "Considering his job, yes." Eris giggled, "Both he and Jack could be reliable but always use shady methods." "I''m not talking about that." Sena sighed. "He''ll get us in trouble." **** Arad managed to drop the girls by the dorm and took the horses back to Abel''s brothel in the city. "Abel! I got the horses." He called from the outside. "Good!" Abel stared at him from the window. "If you''re free, can you escort sister back to the dorms? I don''t trust the streets with her." "Sara is here?!" Arad walked inside finding her sitting in the guests'' room beside several boxes of potions and herbs. "Arad, it''s been a while." She looked at him with a smile. "What are you doing here?" "Brother asked for a shipment of stamina potion, aphrodisiacs, and some medical herbs and I was making sure he got them." She smiled approaching him with slow steps. "He asked me to escort you back to the dorms. How did youe here?" Arad looked around seeing no one. "I''ve got several guards, but I''ll be leaving them here if you''re around." She smiled. "I''m not a fighter as you can see. I do need protection," She pulled a small bag from her pocket and showed the content to Arad, it was jam-packed full of tinum coins. "How much is there?!" "About two hundred coins." She said with a smile and Arad started counting on his fingers, "That''s over twenty thousand gold coins! What are you selling?!" He gasped. "The stamina potions are rtively cheap, but the aphrodisiacs and those herbs are pretty expensive." She picked one of the leaves. "Those prevent pregnancy and the aphrodisiac is the diluted Gracie''s spit. Nobles would pay a pretty penny for them." Abel walked down the stairs. "The average a girl here could make a night is around three gold coins. The best ones could pull upward of a single tinum coin a night depending on what their client wants and what extras he''s buying." He looked at the pile of goods. "Buying one herb, aphrodisiac bottle, and stamina potion would allow a client to pay for a full open night as long as the girl approves." He smiled. "I don''t care about knowing how your business works." Arad sighed. "I''ll be talking Sara to the dorms. Good luck." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Sara stopped Arad as he was heading toward the main door. "Arad, could you do me a favor?" "What is it?" He looked at her. "Can transform into a horse. I want to ride you back to the dorms." She said with a smile. "Don''t want to walk?" "No, I want to look alone." She looked at the door with a grin. "Catching birds. I see." He shifted into arge, muscr ck steed with glowing purple eyes and a majestic mane. "Is this good enough?" Since Arad is a druid, he was able to transform into small animals like rats and birds, but now he can shift torge creatures if needed. But as expected, he does still stand out a lot. "This looks far stronger than any warhorse I''ve ever seen." Abel gasped. "People might mistake you for a bull." "He''s Arad after all." Sara patted his neck. "What else did you expect? This is a true dragon, not a horse." She jumped on Arad''s back. "Wait. I''ve got a saddle here." Abel rushed to the back rooms and brought one. Sara jumped down and they installed the saddle before she rode Arad again. "We''re heading out. As I told you before, I might catch some idiots so you''ll help meter." She waved her hand to Abel as they left. Arad slowly trotted across the streets, making sure not to make any sudden moves. He knew that Sara was as delicate as Mira, she wasn''t a fighter, and not she''ll be able to keep up with a wild horse. "Slow down¡­ I''m certain we''re being followed. I want to catch them, not escape." She patted his neck, whispering into his ear. ^So not here to be just a bodyguard.^ After a few minutes and as they were about to get out of the city, Arad noticed several suspicious movements among the crowd and he could hear several people rushing out of the vige a few meters to their side. ^I thought Jack killed all of them. So there are still more thugs around here¡­no, those must''ve moved here when the previous gang was taken down. Don''t they know that meant something dangerous is here?^ Arad and Sara rushed out of the gate and headed up the field as he picked up speed, pretending to be trying to leave as fast as possible. But as he expected, several armed people cut their road with arge tree. "Hold up, blonddy. We''ve got a few questions. Our master asked to bring you to him." They pulled their swords and surrounded her. Arad stopped and Sara stared at the thugs with a smile on her face, sitting calmly on Arad''s back as the red sun of the morning rose behind her. "Strange faces, you don''t belong here. Who sent you to me? I bet it''s an heir. When the thugs around here lost, he''sing to pick crumbs; I can''t imagine someone like that being a sir." She stared at them with a smile, an eldritch me burning in her eyes. "Boss, I don''t like her stare. I feel like she''s looking directly at my soul." "Take her down; we''ll sell the horse in the city. It''ll be worth a decent bag of gold." The boss giggled, "She belongs to our lord. We can''t have fun. We''ll use the horse''s money to hit the brothels afterward." The boss approached them and extended his hand to grab Sara by the leg and drag her down from Arad''s back. Arad turned his neck and bites the boss''s forearm, cracking the bones. As the boss screamed, all of the thugs gasped. Arad turned around without letting go of the boss''s arm and swung a powerful backkick at the boss''s face, ripping his arm off. Sara gasped as she almost fell. "What was that?!" She didn''t expect Arad to make such a sudden move. The thugs stared in terror as Arad chewed the boss''s arm and swallowed it. "What''s up with that horse?!" The thugs screamed as their bossy on the ground bleeding with his lower jaw ripped off from Arad''s kick. "Kill it!" One of them shouted as he swung his sword, sending a [Wind de] at Arad''s neck. Arad dodged the spell and jumped forward,nding with his front legs on the thug, crushing him to the ground. A man rushed from the back swinging a dagger at Arad''s butt, trying to stab his back thighs and drop him down. He had already protected himself with a simple barrier spell so he expected to be able to tank Arad''s kick. CRACK! It wasn''t a kick from Arad that smacked his face, but instead the tail. All of the bandits charged simultaneously, some thrusting with spears and some casting spells. Arad''s tail started spinning like a propeller and smacked the thug again, sending his head flying. As blood sshed, Arad''s body started lifting up, with gravity magic, but the tail kept spinning. "What the hell is that thing?!" The mages gasped as their spells failed to harm Arad. Arad started cackling as his eyes burned with an eldritch red me of blood magic, a pair of massive wings burst from his sides as two ck horns emerged from his head and he red at them with a body burning with magic. "That''s a bicorn!" One of the mages cried. "Bicorn doesn''t have wings!" Another mage screamed. "Who gives a fuck? It has two horns, if it''s anything rted to a unicorn then we''re fucked! Run!" The mage waved his staff to cast [Fly] and escape, but Aradnded on him with a bite to the neck. "You damned monster! How did that bitch tame you?!" One of the fighters lunged forward swinging his great sword, trying to cleave Arad''s neck in two. Arad stood on his hind legs to avoid the sh and then swung the front hooves at the fighter''s face like a double hook punch. The fighter spat blood. "What?" He quickly fixed his stance, baffled at getting punched by a damned horse. Arad kept Sara stuck to his back with gravity magic as he started hopping back and forth, ready to throw punches. "Neigh!" "I see¡­" The fighter smiled, taking a stance. "You must be a disguised druid. Just what kind of monster did she bring as a bodyguard." Chapter 793 Dominatrix Chapter 793 Dominatrix ??Sara looked at the fighter over Arad''s head, her eyes glowing red. "DIE!" She said, and the fighter stabbed himself in the chest before his fight with Arad could restart. "What was that?" Arad gasped. "I can''t fight, but I can charm people for a very short period of time." She replied, "By reducing the control time, I can exert a power simr to mind control." The fighter puked blood, staring at her with a raging red face. "You devilish bitch¡­what did you do to me?!" "I''m indeed a devil¡­" She smiled, "And I said DIE! Didn''t I?" The fighter pulled the sword down, cutting himself open. "Want to see how far my power goes?" She looked at Arad, patting his head. "She''s using witchcraft! Hit her with an arrow." One of the thugs yelled. "AT EACH OTHER!" Sara said with a smile, and the arches shot each other down. "It works on everyone that''s aware of my presence and can hear my words clearly." "That''s an impressive ability." Arad tried to think of how it could be used. "It''s my curse. All devils are born with a specific curse engraved into them. Mine is called [Dominatrix]. The healing spells are something I learned as I can''t even use my own curse effectively." She giggled. "What do you mean by can''t use it effectively." Arad gasped and the thugs had already started charging at them. "Leave only one, KILL EVERYONE ELSE!" Sara said, and as soon as those words reached Arad''s ears, he disappeared from beneath her and she fell on her butt. All the thugs'' heads rolled on the ground with the ck horse standing in the middle of the blood bath, staring back at Sara. "What did happen?" Arad asked. It was only for a fraction of a second, less than a hundredth of it. He has lost consciousness. "Not even a tenth of a hundredth¡­She said, shaking in ce as blood dripped from her nose. Such heavy bacsh¡­I probably shouldn''t use it on you¡­" She fell face first in the dirt and Arad rushed at her as the one thug that went spared rushed into the swamps. "Are you okay?" "I want to say yes¡­" She looked at him as she panted with a red face, "But I''m not¡­" She started shaking, trying to dominate Arad was a bad idea, and she couldn''t handle his brain. Arad looked around, they were alone. He shifted back into his humanoid form and carried her. "Don''t try it again. You''ll only hurt yourself." "Yeah¡­ that might be a wise idea." She pointed with a shaking finger. "Let''s catch him alive¡­" ***** Thest surviving thug ran through the swamps, asionally staring back but seeing nothing. "Fuck this! I''m leaving." "Excuse med¡­" Abel showed in his devil form in the thug''s way, staring at him with a smile. "Why hurry? Going fast doesn''t mean you''ll die faster." The thug gasped. "A tiefling? No, this disgusting ominous feeling, you''re a devil." He started running in another direction without daring to look back. He tripped on a bnce and rolled in the dirt, stopping at Abel''s feet. "Begging won''t help, human. You can''t escape a devil." Abel took a step back and tilted his head, lifting a finger up, "But I''ll be happy to make you a contract. Do you want power?" "I know it''s a scam, fuck off!" He looked back, and what he saw made him shit himself. A massive ck dragon burning with eldritch ck mes ring down at him, all with a deep hunger burning its eyes that made his bones shiver. Sara barely climbed Arad''s head and looked at the thug and her brother. "You caught him?" "AHH!" The thug screamed and turned toward Abel. The human natural pattern selection started working and the man''s mind decided that Arad, who was bigger, was a far more dangerous threat. "Devil! Kill him!" He cried. "So you want a contract? Do I assume that piercing his heart is what you seek, mortal?" Abel said with a smile. "Pierce him! Blow a hole in his chest!" The man cried. "We need to discuss the details first." Abel pulled a scroll, "I need you to make sure¡­" Arad growled,ing in to bite the man in half. "Just do it! He''ll eat me!" The man cried his eyes out. Abel smiled as the scroll went up in mes. "Done deed, contract signed. Foolish mortal." He walked toward Arad. Arad shifted back to his humanoid form. "You have to fulfill the contract." He red at Abel. "Of course." Abel lifted his arm and pierced Arad''s chest, leaving a gaping hole where the heart should be. "Dead! He''s dead! As expected from a devil." The man cheered. Abel turned toward the thug and bowed gently. "I take pride in my work." Arad''s wound closed up as his regeneration kicked in before Sara could start healing him. "What?!" The man gasped. "Devil! Finish him off!" Abel approached Arad and gave him an even deeper bow. "I thank you for your help and for protecting my sister." His glowing eyes shifted toward the thug. "The contract was to pierce his heart, nothing more. I don''t care if he died or survived. You should''ve listened well to my words." He took a step forward, "Now you''re my ve for all of eternity. Stand up, we''re going to draw everything we can from your mortal body."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Abel!" Sara growled. "Why use Arad as a part of the contract?! You should''ve thought of another way." "This was the easiest and most sure-fire method." He looked at Arad. "Honestly. Sorry for stabbing you." "Don''t mind it. I''ll regenerate with ease and the information we can get from him more valuable." Arad approached the thug and stared at his face. "I hope you have a lot to say." "I know a lot, but I don''t seem to remember most of them." Arad had already regenerated and he walked toward Sara, "Since we finished, I can take you to the dorms, right?" He shifted back into a horse and she jumped on his back. "We''ll leave everything else to you." Arad looked at Abel. "Well of course. Don''t worry, what happened here today will nevere to light." Abel replied and Arad took Sara back to the dorm. Arad headed to his room after delivering Sara to the girl''s dorm gate and found Jack missing. Knowing him, he usually oversleeps or gets drunk. Not finding him around means one thing, he''s out doing something that he considers important. When Arad closed his eyes to sense magic in radius, he could feel Jack and Lydia fighting at the swamp''s edge. "So they are training¡­Better leave them for now." Arad quickly changed his clothes and headed to the school''s canteen for breakfast, he had already eaten at home, but apparently, it was an important thing to do. As a dragon he goes out and hunts for food which means he doesn''t really need to eat like humans, but that would cause him trouble if people noticed he never eats with them. That is why Arad has been doing his best to attend all breakfast, dinner, and lunch gatherings at the university and order food portions that were determined by his wives as he didn''t seem to know what was too much food and what was too little. Upon reaching the canteen, he was called by Matilda who was eating her breakfast. "Aron! It''s been a long weekend, where were you hiding?" she was sitting with Selina. "I''m a married man; I''ve got wives to tend to." He replied and sat beside them. The canteen''s golem approached him, =What is your order?= "I''ll take a whole rotisserie chicken, two bowls of rice, one bowl of sd, and a water jug." Arad replied with what was supposed to be a simple meal, albeit it looked strange for breakfast. "You really do eat a lot¡­" Matilda smiled, looking at Selina, "Isn''t that right?" Selina was still a bit sky, but for now, she''s at least showing progress around Arad. She smiled. "He''s big." "What about what you''re eating? That''s raw, isn''t it?" he pointed at themb''s thigh Selina was munching on. "I''m a tigress after all. I''ve hunted this deer yesterday." She replied. ^So it''s a deer and not amb? They look simr.^ "This is how meat should be eaten, raw. Don''t you think?" She pointed at him with the bone. Arad was stunned for a second, he was warned about this several times by his wives, especially Mira. He can''t be eating raw food in front of everyone; they''ll think something is strange about him. Everyone knows that Matilda is a tigress and should be treated as such, but they fully think he''s a human. He must argue against eating raw meat, but¡­he loves it raw as well. In fact, the deer she''s eating looks far more appetizing to him than what he''s getting. It''s likeparing burned meat and medium rare. Matilda noticed Arad staring at the meat with a sad face. "Wait¡­ you want some?" Chapter 794 A Demi-god On The Loose

Chapter 794 A Demi-god On The Loose

"No¡­ I shouldn''t eat it." Arad shook his head, trying to look away from the meat. Matilda noticed that and lifted the deer''s leg and started waving it in front of his face. "Come on, here it is. Want a taste? It''s fresh I''ve only caught it yesterday." Arad looked away with a stern face, trying his best not to take a huge bite out of the meat. With a smug smile on her face, she started tapping the meat on his nose. "I know you want it. Here it is¡­" "Matilda¡­ stop." Selina poked her, "He''s human¡­can''t eat raw meat." She said with a worried face, stealing nces at Arad. "I know Aron won''t eat it¡­I''m just¡­" CRUNCH! The tip of the leg she was pushing at Arad''s face got chomped, bone and all. Matilda''s wrist almost snapped as she felt the shockwave travel across the bone and her ears turned back. Goosebumps rose on her skin as she started sweating after hearing the bones crack like biscuits. The two of them stared at the leg and found arge bite had been taken off, all the way through the bones. Their eyes shifted toward Arad, seeing him munching on the flesh with his mouth looking almost like a squirrel. "HAAAAAA!" Matilda cried, "Spit it out! ARON!" She dropped the meat on the table and lunged at him, shaking his face. Selina stared at him. "Humans can''t digest raw meat. Spit it out or you''ll get sick." Arad swallowed the meat in the blink of an eye and Matilda cried. "Why did you do that?" She stared at his eyes. Arad looked away but saw Ae standing beside him, ring at him with glowing green eyes and an angry face. "How many times I''ve been told to not eat raw meat!" She started shaking him with Matilda. As Selina started panicking, standing to try and pull the two away from Arad, Eris patted her shoulder. "Let them be. Aron will be fine." She smiled and sat beside her. "How did you spend the weekend here?" Selina stared at her. She rarely met Eris, but at least knew she was one of Arad''s wives and belonged to the holy ss. Feeling a bit at ease beside a healer, she took a deep breath. "With Matilda and Anansi, we took a quest from the guild." She replied. "What kind of quest? Monster ying or exploration?" "We had to kill a troll. Matilda kept him busy while Anansi poisoned him, and I burned his wounds so he wouldn''t regenerate." "Trolls are dangerous¡­didn''t you get injured?" "Matilda got injured, but lucky we didn''t need to use potions. A traveling cleric healed her and said to seek the newly built shrine of Jordan on the outskirts of the city." "Shrine of whom? I''ve never heard of him¡­" Eris tilted her head and looked across the canteen. Lydia sat with Jack in the corner eating their breakfast. "Lydia! Do you have a moment?" She called her. "W-wa-wa-what?" Selina stared at her. She wasn''t that familiar with Lydia, she is fine with Eris as she''s Arad''s wife¡­But Lydia always scared her, she had that serious cleric re on her face and Selina feared she might get a lecture from her at any moment. Lydia stood and headed to Eris, looking at her and Selina. "Do you need help?" She thought Selina might be sick or injured. But no such a thing looked to be the case. "Did you hear of Jordan?" Eris stared at her. "Nope, who is that? A student?" She tilted her head, confused. "If she didn''t hear of him¡­" Eris giggled with a worried face. "Apparently there is a newly built shrine of him in the city." "A fool man¡­ getting few shrines set up won''t grant him the title of a god." Lydia sighed, "He''ll only distance himself from other gods¡­Someone needs to ask him to stop before he settles himself and the people who might be stupid enough to follow him to damnation." "Really?" Eris looked at her. "Gods aren''t opposed to this?" "No, but they won''t help anyone involved. Even if people believed in him, they wouldn''t get any holy magic as a mortal doesn''t have the ability to make it for them." "But¡­his cleric healed Matilda." Selina mumbled and the expression on Lydia''s face changed quickly¡­ "What did you say¡­" "He''s a demi-god." Arad said beside them while Ae and Matilda were both trying to choke him. "Abel told me about him this morning." "Wait! Why didn''t you tell me?" Lydia gasped, "This is a whole other problem. We''ll have to inform Amaterasu''s church at once." "I bet Amaterasu knows about him already, she''s a goddess after all." Arad red at her. "It is not YOUR problem to deal with him." With a single re between the two Lydia concluded Arad''s intention of taking the demi-god down. She can''t tell him off here as everyone is listening, she''lle for himter. Betty appeared on the table ring at Arad, she kicked him in the face. "Come with me to my office." She teleported away with him in the blink of an eye. Everyone gasped as the chairman suddenly appeared and kidnapped a student out of nowhere. Betty stared at Arad as she sat cross-legged on her desk. "You want to fight a demi-god?" "Abel asked me to do it. So I''ll give it a shot." "You''re denser than I thought. You''ll die, and st the city and this university to ash." She red at him with glowing blue mana seeping from her eyes. "You can''t beat a demi-god, mortals can''t do it. It''s a fundamentalw of the world." "Is there a reason why? Besides it''s aw?" Arad sat on a chair. "A demi-god has a divine core, like the one that gods have, but it''s much smaller. That binds his soul into the world and his believers. Simply put, as long as people believe in him and his soul remains standing, he won''t die." She pointed at Arad. "You can''t beat him unless you kill all of his believers and wait for him to starve, or directly damage his soul. Mortals can''t damage souls while alive, only the dead could." Arad nodded, "But I eat souls." "That won''t¡­what in the nine green hills of Halflingnd did you say? You eat what?" She gasped. "Souls, I do consume them to grow older. If a demi-god can be killed by damaging their soul, then all I need to do is beat him to a pulp and then eat his soul." Arad smiled. "Wait! Wait! Wait! How in the hell could you do that?" "I don''t know. I was like this since I was born; it''s a property of magic dragons as far as I know." "Grandma didn''t tell me about this. I''ll go ask her, you head back to ss. I''ll call youter, and don''t fight the demi-god no matter what. You''ll die, and destroy the city and university." She disappeared in a brilliant sh. Arad headed back to his ss and arrived right as Lucia walked in, she looked back at him. "You''reter than usual." She didn''t ask because he was toote, but because he''s usually one of the first to get into ss. Seeing him arrive right after her has made her worried. "The chairman called me earlier. I''ve been with her." "You aren''t getting into trouble, are you?" "Not really¡­let''s go, the others are waiting." Arad walked in and sat on his seat. Matilda tapped his shoulder, "What did that shorty say to you?" "Nothing important." Arad smiled, "She just wanted to talk." "People don''t get teleported into the chairman''s office for just talk. She wasn''t angry about me feeding you raw meat, was she?" "You don''t need to worry about that. The reason was rted to me." "You sure? I don''t want to get called inter¡­" "You two! The ss is beginning. Aron, look ahead of you." Lucia stared at them and the lesson started. In the holy ss, Eris and Lydia sat beside each other, listening to their teacher L. As innocent and sweet as that beautiful nun looked, she was a hot-blooded subus that worshiped Gracie, the goddess of love, lust, and life. She has the knowledge and skill to teach the holy ss, but those who knew about her still felt conflicted. "As I was saying¡­" L looked at the students. "Holy mana used by holy magic is created by gods from their divine mana, the essence of divinity. A god would generate divine mana from his believers or request it from the overgod, and then transform it into holy mana that he gives to his believers for healing magic. Pdins can also get divine mana without it being converted so they can use divine smites. Gods are the only ones capable of doing the conversation." She smiled, sitting on her desk and putting one leg on another. "Your goddess Amaterasu is pretty particr about his; she''s known to be extremely protective of her divine mana. There are incidents of her allowing other gods to convert her divine mana, like the overgod himself and the moon goddess, but those are rare cases." L smiled. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Eris looked at her palm and could sense Amaterasu''s divine magic flowing inside her. ^We can''t convert it as we don''t have a divine core¡­^ Chapter 795 The Healing Class Chapter 795 The Healing ss ??Eris sighed, staring at the board with a bored face. "I know this might seemplicated, but we''ll see it in action soon enough." Their teacher L smiled. "We''ll make a quick tour of the university''s church of Amaterasu. I''ll show you some basic effects and interaction between believers and their god, and how to harness as much power as possible." Even though L was a believer in Gracie that didn''t mean she couldn''t receive holy or divine magic from Amaterasu if she asked for it. Most of the gods are friendly with each other and would happily help the believers of each other; it''s the rare few that fight with each other. Gracie was a special case even among the friendly gods. What she embodies are the concepts of lust, love, life, and more, basic needs for every living being which made even the evil gods give her some respect. As they reached the school''s church, L approached Amaterasu''s statue and opened her palm. "As you can see, holy magic is best used for healing. And Divine magic is for damage, it''s especially effective against the undead." "How good are you with blood?" She looked at the students with a smile. They looked at each other, confused. "What do you mean by blood?" "How many injuries you saw? Are you used to seeing those?" "I''ve worked as a healer for the frontlines in many monster stampedes." Lydia replied, "I''ve seen people bitten in half." "I''ve got sted several times myself¡­ that wasn''t fun." Eris added. While those two were quite used to it, most of the students shook their heads. They''ve never seen something besides small cuts and stabs. They are nowhere near battlefield healers. Contrary to most beliefs, healers are the lifeline of all armies and adventuring parties, especially at higher levels ofbat. Without them, deaths would rise to the sky and most wars would''ve taken a whole different course. Albeit that most religious clerics and pdins can be obnoxious and hard to deal with, some even say painful to even speak with, people still tolerate them. All of that for one reason, it''s the fanatic belief in their gods that turns into healing power. If you''re gravely injured, you''ll want the healer who would be the most insane about their religion, as he would have the best healing. L pulled a sword and extended her left arm. "I''ll show how to use healing magic the best. So we''ll start with this." With a swift move, she shed her left arm on the elbow, cutting it down. Several of the students turned around and puked, their stomachs couldn''t handle the sshing blood. "AH¡­this pain¡­ it''s good." L gasped with a slightly red face. "No, I need to heal it quickly." With a golden spark, her arm grew back. Half of the students gasped, they almost never saw a healer able to regrow limbs. None of them quite expected their teacher to be that master of a healer. Lydia and Eris were about to attribute it to her fanatic love for Gracie, the goddess of love, but they noticed she was borrowing holy magic from Amaterasu, which weakened her abilities. "Healing magic requires two important parts. Sufficient holy magic granted by your god, which is dependent on your level of belief. The second is a vast knowledge about the target you''re healing, if you wanted to heal a human, you need to know how the human body works on the inside." She smiled, looking to the side, and saw the church''s priest standing there, wiping sweat off his face with a handkerchief. "Lady L, they are ready." He said. "Bring them in." L then looked at the students. "I can''t do anything about your belief in your god other than say to pray and offer more, but I can help the second part." Several men started carryingrge boxes into the chapel. "I''ve managed to secure several dead bodies for you to cut into and study, it''s better than looking at drawing in a stupid book. This will be your course until you can at least regrow a finger." She pped her hand. "Pick any corpse you want and start working." The students stared at the corpses, frozen in ce. "Is this it?" Eris said. "They are dead. What do you want us to learn?" Lydia tilted her head. L smiled, "It''s a start for the others. They can''t even handle seeing my arm cut, they''ll pass out if they were asked to heal someone with their intestines rolling out." She giggled. "You two look different, you''ve seen the hell battlefield and came back." L looked at Lydia. "The top student of the healing ss, someone that was vastly approved by her goddess and even has two oaths. You''re pdin with enough purity of divine magic to be second only to thete pdin general. Seeing how you survived this long with such power, I''d say you''re no stranger to even getting fatally wounded yourself." She then quickly turned toward Eris. "I don''t know much about you. But you never flinch at blood or death, you''ve used to seeing corpses. Were you an adventurer before?" L knew about Eris and that she had been with Arad since thest time they went to check on Zul, but she wanted to keep the information hidden. "I''m a mortician and a funeral director after all. I''ve buried embalmed, dissected, and cremated hundreds if not thousands of corpses of all ages and races." Eris replied. "With me being a long-lived half-elf, I''ll probably be the one to embalm and cremate those close to me as well in the future. It won''t do for me not to be able to handle death." L lifted her arm, "You think you can fully regenerate a severed arm?" "No need for yours." Eris pulled a dagger and cut her arm. "I''m used to this, it doesn''t even hurt that bad." Eris smiled, and her arm popped back out immediately with a spark of holy magic. "I can easily regenerate a limb with holy magic." L smiled, "I see¡­but can you heal me? There is a huge difference between healing yourself and someone else." She cut her arm, "Try it." When Eris tried to heal L, she only ended up making a stump. "See? It''s far harder when trying to heal someone else." L healed her arm and pointed at the corpses. "Get back to study." "You too healed yourself." Eris growled. "I did since I don''t expect any of you to be a willing test subject." L smiled. Eris immediately cut her arm again, "Then show us how you heal someone else." L lifted her palm with a smile. "Of course, here you go." With a blinding sh, Eris''s arm grew back in the blink of an eye. Despite her being a vampire and should be harder for L to heal her, she didn''t seem to have any trouble at all. "As a healer, I''m far above both of you." She stared at Eris and shifted her eyes to Lydia. "You can heal yourself well but fail at healing others. And Lydia there is the reverse she can heal other people but fail when ites to herself. I bet she can regrow my arm but won''t be able to heal herself." L sat on the base of Amaterasu''s statue and put one leg on another, "Everyone should work on their weakness and make sure it''s fixed. In this ss, we''re trying to make powerful and reliable healers that save lives and keep people alive. Some of you might use that power as adventurers and go on your own life, some of you would sit in a church and heal civilians and some would go to war as battle healers. They are all important roles that need you to be the best." Healing and healers y an important role in humanoid life as they preserve lives. Potion can achieve that, but the side effects are harsher in them. A healer can dial down his healing magic if the target doesn''t have enough stamina to heal, but a potion can''t. "You can''t sit on Amaterasu''s statue." Lydia stared at L as she saw her sitting on the base of Amaterasu''s statue. That was both disrespectful and highly frowned upon. "That the rules you people made based on you lives, morals and believes. There is no direct order from Amaterasu not to sit here." L smiled, "You might not know, but the sun loves to stand high and look down upon people. To have them yearn for her warmth and light. Sitting here might make her feel better, seeing someone sitting at her legs." L lifted two fingers up, "Those of you who manage a sufficient healing output might receive a special course with me. How to amplify and expand healing into a massive area and that would put you another level to other healers." L''s eyes shed pink with a violent spark as her hair blew back with a strong gust of wind. A wave of holy magic so heavy that none of the students could figure out from which god it came filled the whole church. [Holy Expansion: Holy church of life]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Everyone in my range is instantly fully healed to the point they look immortals. As long as I stand alive, and my stamina holds, this is a no-death, no-harm zone. It can even revive those who died less than a couple of minutes ago." She stared at them with a smile. Eris couldn''t feel it, but Lydia managed to vaguely catch on the fact that this holy magic wasn''ting from Amaterasu, which meant it wasing from L''s true goddess, Gracie the goddess of love, lust, and life. ^She''s on another level.^ Chapter 796 A Beaver Call

Chapter 796 A Beaver Call

Two days passed quickly, and Arad was walking back to the university from the dorm with Matilda and Selina. They talked about theirtest coboration with the holy ss to synthesize medicine, but their conversation was cut short. Arad stooped in ce, seeing a group of teachers and students gathered at the university''s entrance. "I smell food." Matilda said with a smile, but Arad grabbed her by the head. "Keep your ws down, it''s alive." They walked into the crowd and Arad started pushing people aside to get through. Strangely enough, the girls were the hardest to shove; they were sticking to him like glue. In the middle of the gathering, two teachers stared at a beaver who growled at them, waving his little arms in panic. "Where are the druids? Can''t they hurry?" One of the teachers looked back, he was arge man with short and curly red hair and a long beard made into braids. "Get this thing out of the way. It might bite someone." The other teacher looked back, she was a thinking woman with a sleepy tired face, and the teacher of the political ss, the one Tempo was in. Arad touched their shoulders from the back. "Move, I want to see him." The redhead teacher red back at him. "How many times do we need to tell you students to get back?" "I''ve asked." Arad shoved him aside as if he was a foam statue. Despite him being the teacher of the wrestling ss, he had no way of overpowering Arad who was built like a freight train. When Arad''s eyes turned toward the other teacher, she quickly took a few steps back. "I''m not in your way¡­" She said with a worried face. Unlike the bird brain teacher beside her, she remembered how Arad wiped the floor with the two monsters in the entrance exam and how close he was to Tempo. As a politician, she knew that he had more power at his hand than anyone could know. She might not know who Arad is or what is his rtionship with Tempo, but she at least expects him to be a titan thanks to his size. Arad squatted down and stared at the beaver, "What do you want? It''s dangerous for you toe here." "Dangerous? Not!"?The beaver waved his arms. "Beaverdom in more danger, the humans, they tried to open the great beaver hole." "What?" Arad could barely understand what the little guy was talking about. Except that it could be the human''s fault. "Shiny things, humans want shiny things. They dug the beaver hole, the dam of the beaver''s ancestors. They''ll release the beaver eater, we''ll all die." "I see." "Alligators are standing guard, and the swamp''s mistress is asleep¡­beavers die without help." The beaver wiggled around, tapping hisrge tail on the ground. The redhead teacher growled, "You can speak with animals?" "He was registered as a druid." The other teacher replied to him. Half of the students gasped, and Matilda was the one to speak first. "He''s a druid?!" "ARON!" Lucia came rushing in, "What''s going on?" Arad looked at her. "Some humans dug a dam that the beavers build, and the flood might destroy the swamp, I doubt Croc City would go unharmed." He replied, lifting the beaver and setting him on his shoulder. "He came here seeking druids to help preserve nature. I''ll be going with him." "Wait! But you have sses; let the druids deal with it." She started panting; she wasn''t that athletic but had run all the way down here. "ARON!" Another voice screamed from behind the crowd, but this was recognizable as hell. The students all moved out of the way as his red hair burned in front of them. Tempo, the price of the volcanic titans walked toward Arad. "AND! MISTER BEAVER!" Tempo extended his hand to the beaver, "NICE TO MEET YOU!" The beaver stared at Tempo''s hand, even more confused. He did eventually grab it, but not after an awkward wait. "ARE YOU THE BEAVER KING? CAN WE ASSIST YOU WITH SOMETHING?" Tempo shouted and his teacher rubbed her ears. "Please stop screaming every word." "SORRY!" He shouted again. Arad quickly exined the situation to Tempo and he was intrigued. "I SEE!" He turned toward the beaver. "I''LL HELP!" "I doubt that''s a good use of your time. Is it?" The redhead teacher stared at him. "Your sses are more important. You''re studying human society and politics, aren''t you?" Tempo slowly turned toward him with arge smile. "IT''S THE SAME!" A fire burned in Tempo''s eyes. "THIS BEAVER AND HUMANS! THEY ARE THE SAME TO US!" This made the teacher and the other students realize where they stood. To the Titans who were thousands of meters tall with enough power to contend with dragons, they could barely tell the difference between humans and beavers. Arad smiled. "I probably won''t need your help to fix this." "WHAT MATTERS IS PARTICIPATING!" Tempo looked at the beaver and bowed gently, "PLEASE ALLOW US TO HELP YOU PEOPLE AS WELL! I WANT TO BE A KING THAT IN GOOD RELATION WITH EVERYONE!" Nobody knew if it was enthusiasm or just a trait, but his screams were getting painful to hear. But it was in fact, both enthusiasm and that his polymorph is barely able to lower his voice to this level. "Fine." Arad sighed. "Let''s go, I''ll carry you to there." "NO!" Tempo lifted his hand. "I''LL RUN TO THERE." Tempo knew that it was generally rude to ask a dragon to give you a ride, and what he was taught is that when dealing with them, if they asked to give you a ride. It''s considered a good manner to say no. When someone asks to spend the night in their house after you visit them, most of the time, you should refuse such an offer, as it''s just a custom, they aren''t expecting you to say yes. Arad shifted into arge eagle, and everyone gasped. "He''s really a druid!" Matilda gasped. "I''ll carry the beaver as he can''t run to the swamp. Don''t get stuck in the mud." He grabbed the beaver with his ws and flew away at a blinding speed. "He speaks and he''s fast!" Matilda could barely believe her eyes, seeing Arad disappear into the horizon. Lucia blinked twice, she was the only one who wasn''t surprised. She knew how fast Arad could go since the time she saw it in the ss, but was trying to make herself believe he just didn''t want to harm the beaver. "WELL THEN! I''M GOING!" Tempo pulled his sword out and sat it on his shoulder, he took a deep breath and the veins on his neck, arms, and legs bulged out. "SEE YOU LATER!" With an explosion, he ran forward like a meteor, leaving a burning trail as he disappeared in the blink of an eye. The me he left on the ground immediately faded out, only leaving a char. Anansi, the spider they fought in the dungeon watched from the ssroom as she looked out of the window. "A void dragon and a titan prince going to help a mere beaver. Isn''t that an overkill?" She sighed and looked back at Maria, the witch she worked with and now is hiding as Ae''s ss teacher. "I doubt that." Maria shook her head, "I smell a dreaded magic from the swamps. Whatever those humans dug out, it''s something that should''ve stayed sealed. What worries me is that they bothck the gentle touch of a wizard or a witch. I doubt they''ll be able to seal it back again." "The beavers done, a dragon and a titan should be able to with ease." Anansi stared at her with a worried face. "I doubt it was a beaver who did it. Probably a powerful druid that was Shapeshifting into a beaver done it." She sat on a table and put one leg on another, "Where do you beast mene from? The original ones were descendants of the Rakshasa, but when their numbers dwindled, you can guess where druids came into y." "I don''t want to understand that." She sighed¡­ "But¡­I guess I''m the same. A spider seeking a druid''s love." She giggled. "You''ll get your way when we capture him. I doubt you''ll catch a dragon''s eyes at your power level, and even if you could do so, he''ll never forget what happened in the dungeon, Ae is his wife." Maria stood and approached Anansi. "Keep grinding, we''ll get there eventually." She whispered into her ear. "And you aren''t allowed to eat him after you made it, keep that in mind, you ck widow spider." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Maria turned around and exited the ss, leaving Anansi alone to think. Aradnded in the swamp with the beaver, "We''re far enough, let''s wait for Tempo before we go further." "That loud human?" The beaver stared at Arad, tilting his head. "Yeah, I wonder how long it''ll take him¡­" Arad turned around, but Tempo suddenly appeared with a burst, leaving a trail of fire behind him. "AM I LATE!?!" He shouted with arge enthusiastic smile. Chapter 797 The Nuclear Chaos Chapter 797 The Nuclear Chaos ??Tempo looked at Arad and the beaver. "A NICE PLACE. DO YOU LIVE HERE?" He shifted his attention to the beaver. "Lower your voice down." Arad stood between the beaver and Tempo. "You''ll scare him." Tempo''s eyes shifted toward Arad, "I AM SCREAMING?" He pulls a pill from his pocket and swallows it. "How about now?" He coughed, rubbing his throat. "That''s much better. Is it a fault with your Shapeshift or polymorph?" "That should be the case. We''re loud by nature. The wizard who helped me get this body was an expert at shifting a body, but not changing voices. I have to contend with the pills made by an alchemist." He showed Arad the pill. "It numbs the vocal cords." Arad took the pill from Tempo and stared at it. "Can I have this? I''ll try to make one thatst longer." "You''re free to try, but if you seed, that''s going to get our alchemist depressed." Tempo smiled. "Do your best." Arad swallowed the pill; it wouldn''t take effect if he didn''t consume it. For now, it''s simply stored in his stomach. They then headed deeper into the swamp until they reached a part abandoned by people, a forgotten section of the swamp that was so muddy and filled with bugs that no human could hope to reach it. But after walking a bit behind the beaver it became clear that all of that was but a barrier to keep humans out. The swamp cleared inside the barrier into a lush forest with countless small streams of water running across it. All the trees had bite marks and scratches; this was the beaver''s territory. "Do beavers use magic?" Tempo stared at Arad. "Don''t ask me. It''s the first time I''ve seen one. But I doubt it." "[Most monsters are born when the animals get soaked in the local mana. Some turn into vicious beasts and some gain a bit of intelligence.]" The deeper they walked into the wet and luscious forest, the stranger the ce started looking with chipped trees, dams, and even signs of a small vige of beavers. The beavers poked their heads out of the small dam houses and started at Arad and Tempo, it was unheard of to see humans in this ce, but the chieftain had informed them that they might arrive soon so they weren''t freaking out. "Shiver me timber!" A muscr beaver wearing wooden armor and holding a sharpened stick rushed at them. "tail. You''ve brought two humans. I never believed you could do it." "This druid is quite thick! He''s strong." tail smiled and puffed his chest as his tail tapped the ground, "And this red-haired one is quite hot. He has fire!" "The chieftain is waiting, let''s hurry." The guard rushed away. "Was that beaver wearing clothes? What did he say?" Tempo turned toward Arad with a confused face. "Something about me being thick and you being hot, they also said something about how we need to reach their chieftain quickly." Arad replied. "You''re indeed THICK. But I doubt I''m that hot unless they are talking about fire." Tempo smiled. "You''ve understood itpletely wrong." Arad sighed as they followed the beavers, careful not to damage the small bridge they made over the little streams. Soon enough they reached arge hut the same size as one that a human would build. It was made of logs and hay, all tied by ropes and held together with y. Moss and grass grew from its wall which helped hold it together by the roots. "A beautiful house, I wish I could live here in the middle of nature." Tempo looked at it with a smile. To him, it was a refreshing shift from the marble architecture of Titans or brick and wooden building of humans. "This house is the peak of our timbertech. Follow me." tail walked inside and Arad and Tempo followed him. "Chieftain, I''ve brought two humans, one of them is a druid." tail said with an enthusiastic voice, shaking in excitement. "We are saved, aren''t we?" As Arad and Tempo walked inside they found themselves face to face with a massive old beaver almost a bitrger than Arad, he was sitting on a throne with the ps of his hide dangling to the side, his eyes closed and could barely move. Both Arad and Tempo could sense one thing from the chieftain, death. He was about to die and didn''t have much longer. "Haaaa." The chieftain gasped, barely forcing his eyes open. "Shiver me timber. tail...those two aren''t human." "You can tell?" Tempo smiled. "From what I know, monsters can tell our true nature by instant. He isn''t a normal beaver, he''s a monster beaver. And that isn''t normal fat, he mutated into this shape." Arad had dealt with enough animals and monsters in hisnd to know. "I''m indeed a monster, my dear guests. We''re called the beaver kings, we grow toorge and heavy to move or care for ourselves, but in exchange, we develop intelligence and live for centuries to teach and build a beaver colony." A faint chuckle escaped the chieftain''s lips. "Wait! Chieftain, those two aren''t humans? What are they then?" tail started ncing between Arad and Tempo as the guards slowly raised their weapons. "Guard, drop your weapons. We have no chance against them, we can only ask for help." The chieftain took a deep breath. "The muscr one is a dragon, and the red-haired one is a fire titan. Both could wipe us with a sneeze." And he sneezed. "How could it be?" tail started crawling away with the guards in fear. He mistakenly brought two agents of destruction into the beaver''s heaven.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "We''re here to help. Can you tell us what happened?" Arad sighed and approached the chieftain. "Heard of Dracorage? The meteor that drives the dragons mad and causes them to rampage?" The chieftain looked at Arad. "I heard of it, but I don''t know the details." Arad turned his face to Tempo. "Do you know anything?" "Only that urred after the god way five thousand years ago." Tempo nodded. The chieftain tried to nod, but his head couldn''t move. "The meteor is a great spell conjured by the evil abomination Nyar, the king of the outer horrors. It''s hisst attack on the mortal world after his loss in the war." "How do you know that?" Arad approached him further. "It''s a story that was passed through generations. Beneath us, deep far beyond what anyone could dig is a sealed abomination. He''s one out of twelve ones scattered around the world. If two were to be free at one time, the meteor would elerate further and hit the world within hours." The air slowly grew tenser. "A man called Jordan had caught wind of the ley lines linked to the seal and managed to speak with the abomination. That horror gave the human power in exchange for him to help free him." The chieftain started coughing and the guards rushed to him with water. He''s been talking too much for his old throat. But this was important; he needed to get it out before he died. "Please fix the seal underground, and crush Jordan''s n or the world will crumble to pieces. Don''t let people pray to Jordan and turn him into a real god, that''s what the horror beneath wants he''ll steal that power back and free all other abominations at once." The chieftain looked at Tempo and Arad. "Who''s stronger? The abomination or Jordan?" Arad asked. "The abomination, even if Jordan is a demi-god now.He is nowhere near the abomination''s power. Those horrors fought the gods. The easiest way is to fix the seal, go underground, and lock it back up. The underground colony is under attack." "I''ll check it out, but don''t count on me. I don''t want the world to end, but I''m certain the gods would smite Jordan and the abomination in the blink of an eye if they were to seed." Even if he wasn''t a believer in any god, he knew they wouldn''t let the world end. "What is your name, oh great dragon." "Arad, Arad Orion." The chieftain''s eyes opened while he wheezed¡­. "AHHHHH! My timber!" He pushed on the chair with all of his might and fell down on his face, crawling toward Arad. "What''s happened to you?" Tempo and Arad gasped and the beavers rushed to help their chieftain, but they couldn''t get him to move. "Arad Orion, I never expected to live long enough to see you. O''oh! The mighty one above the stars, the nuclear chaos, How long have we awaited, it''s been five thousand years, our dear one." "Calm down!" Arad lifted the beaver chieftain with Gravity magic andid him back on the chair. "What happened to you?" The chieftain rolled back to bowing, he couldn''t stand sitting while Arad stood. "May this lowly being ask of you but one thing? O''oh! Mighty one." "What are you talking about? I''m just a dragon, strong but not deserving of being called a mighty one?" Arad was getting confused quickly, while Tempo kept a calm face, trying to decipher what the beaver was saying. "Haven''t awakened yet, I see, it can''t be helped. Please seek your son, the greatest human of all, he''ll be sure to guide you back to glory." The chieftain was shaking in ce. "I have a son?" Arad gasped. "Wait, that can''t be true. You''re mistaking me for someone." "What a blessing this is¡­ to be the one to see you first¡­ A¡­.Oooooooooooooo." He fell silent. "Chieftain!" The other beavers screamed and rushed toward him. "Wait! Did you die?" Arad pulled a healing potion. "No. He''s just lost conciseness out of exhaustion. I doubt he moved in the past century." Tempo checked the chieftain and confirmed he was indeed alive. Chapter 798 Into the Underground Kingdom Chapter 798 Into the Underground Kingdom ??The beavers guided Arad and Tempo to a guest room, where they could barely fit inside. Arad was especially big so he ended up shifting into a jacked beaver, even his tail had muscles, and for the time being Tempo sat in the corner hunched forward. "Are you fine sitting like that?" "I''m fine, doing stretches is important while shape-shifting." Tempo smiled, he wasn''t bothered at all. tail walked inside, "The chieftain is asleep, and he probably won''t wake up anytime soon." He approached Arad and stared at him for a few seconds, inspecting him. "That''s one mighty beaver, as thick as an oak." "What will happen now?" "I''ll be your guide downward. This vige is but the gate; we live here and maintain contact with the outside world for the lower beavers. There is a whole kingdom of us in the lower caves; they watch the horror''s seal." "He called me the nuclear chaos; do you know what that is?" tail shook his head, "I''ve checked the chieftain''s notes but found nothing about it. I could probably find something if I looked more but we are pressed for time. The dam would spill." "What dam?" "I mean the horror would get out." "Chaos is a state of uncontroble energy." Tempo said in the back, "But I''ve got no idea what he means by the nuclear." "Are you fine sitting like that? You''re more folded than a stick in the mud." "I''m fine." Tempo gave him a thumb up and arge smile. "Anyway. I''ll lead you forward. For answers; you''ll have to wait for the chieftain to wake up. We must hurry." They followed tail outside the chieftain''s house and headed toward the forest, the other beavers followed them for a while before they slowly disappeared one by one. "Don''t mind them. They are afraid since the chieftain passed out. Some beavers think you might''ve had a tooth in the matter." "He freaked about me. It was probably too much for his heart." "Still, his face wasn''t that of fear, but hope. He even moved out of the throne, I''ve never seen him lift as much of a finger." tail looked at Arad. "Whatever you are, he''s happy you''re here, and that''s what matters. Any beavers who dare say otherwise will get drowned in the dam." "Don''t kill anyone. It''s not worth it." Tempoughed. "Arad is right. The chieftain was happy, so why would you make it sad andplicated?" "Beaver life isn''t easy." tail pointed forward, "The hole leading to the caves is right behind that massive boulder. The best timbertech should be stored beside it to help us go down smoothly." "What is this timbertech you keep speaking of? My wife is a carpenter, I''m certain she''ll be happy to learn something new." "Beaver''s timbertech is the best in the world. I''m afraid your wife won''t catch up to our people''s wisdom in years." He giggled as they reached the hole. To a small wooden shed, he pointed out. The poor ce looked more like an abandoned toilet booth rather than anything impressive. "That''s the timbertech?" Arad lifted an eyebrow, even he who wasn''t delicate with his hands in the slightest could make something like that. "Of course not, it''s inside." tail walked toward the shed with confidence. He pulled the door open and pulled a Y-shaped stick. He walked with a smug smile and thrust it between two stones beside the hole. "Watch and learn. This is the art of my people." He walked back to the shed and pulled a rope. He then tied it to the stick and dropped it into the hole. "We''re climbing down?" Tempo stared at the seemingly endless ck hole. "Of course not, we''re using a vertical beaver transportation system powered by water." He giggled, "It''s so high timbertech that it doesn''t even require magic." He walked between some stones and used a wooden wrench to push them aside, letting off a powerful stream of water enough to cover the whole hole. "Watch my people wet hole." He stood above a stone, lifting his tiny arms as if conjuring great magic. "This is my people''s glory!" "So now what?" Arad looked at the water flowing into the hole. "Even dragons can''tprehend the intellect of my people." He rubbed his nose, "Even am I ttered. I didn''t expect us to be this far ahead." He pointed at the hole. "You grab into the robe and slowly float down in the water stream." Arad looked at tail with a disappointed face. He waved his arm and sent a powerful wave of gravity that closed the dam, stopped the water, and yanked the rope out in a single move. tail screamed his teeth out, holding his head in horror. "My people''s glory and timbertech!" Tempo sighed in the back as Arad pulled tail toward him with gravity magic. "We''re going down. Hold well." He jumped into the hole with a passive face, and the poor beaver almost lost his life as he saw them falling down. Tempo quickly followed Arad, and before long they were both falling into the darkness, with tail crying rivers out of his tiny eyes. "Mommy! Save tail!" The darkness slowly filled with glowing stars that gently illuminated the distance, waves of magic started sparkling in the air they felt a warm gust of wind rush upward. Out of a hole in the ceiling of a great cavern filled with blue glowing mushrooms, floating jellyfish-like monsters, and countless small houses made of stone and ember-like redwood, glowing like gems on the ground. "It''s beautiful!" Tempo smiled as he looked down. "NO!" tail cried, "Those lights! They are fighting monsters!" He pointed down. Both Arad and Tempo could see beavers in the street scrapping with some dog-like beasts the size ofrge sheep. "Those aren''t pets?" Tempo looked at tail with a passive face and two wide-open eyes. "They aren''t! They''ll kill my people! Get me down, I need to fight!" Tempo giggled, "Leave them to me. Your tail is shaking like crazy." "I''m not scared!" Tempo turned his body upside down and elerated downward with a burst of fire from his feet, flying like a missile toward the ground. Two beavers ran across the street. "Get away! Hurry! Let the guards deal with it, we aren''t a match to those beasts!" "Oh! My timber! What are we going to do? They are everywhere!" The other beaver cried, looking back to see one of the monsters leaping at him with an open maw. Tempo fell from the sky with a downward swing of his sword and shed the monster in half. As the monster''s halves fell to the side, he sheathed his de and took a stance, taking a deep breath as the veins on his body bulged, and glowing red like magma. [Lava de] His sword ignited inside the sheath and started dripping magma as Tempo unsheathed it slightly out. [Dance of the magma streams] Tempo shed across the city in the blink of an eye, a of boiling magma streams spread across all the streets, cutting and burning all of the monsters, even ripping the massive boulders the beavers used to block their streets into shreds. From above, Arad could see what resembled a red glowing spider next to magma covering the whole city. That wasn''t a simple spell, Tempo ran through all the streets and shed the monsters manually, and theva streams were the trails left by his de. The city was several kilometers wide, which made Arad smile, "He might be faster." Tempo slowly opened his lips, breathing a massive stream of fire as he stood right outside the city, his hair had started burning and his eyes were dripping mes. He rested the de on his shoulder and took a stance, "You''re the aggressor!" He shouted, his voice booming like thunder, "I''ll not stand still while you harm my friend''s beautiful and peaceful people." "ME? Since when we were friends?" tail pointed at himself. "Tempo! Leave that one to me; the city would get damaged otherwise." Arad suddenly stopped falling and tail looked around with a dumbfounded face. "We''re not falling?" Arad floated with gravity magic and opened his arms with tail barely holding onto his back. The cavern''s wall exploded and a giant four-headed hellhound that''s almost twenty meters tall lunged out with open maws, aiming for the city. It was only for a fraction of a second, but tail cried his eyes out seeing such a huge monster. Everything halted, the rubble froze in mid-air and even the monster got stuck floating. Baffled, the beast looked up and saw Arad T-posing in the air, ring at him with glowing purple eyes. Arad''s gravity magic had developed a lot, and this was its simplest application, nullifying gravity in a certain area or to certain objects. "I can''t really use any magic other than this as I need to keep focusing on my void." Arad said with a smile, remembering that he was trying to adjust his void to cure Zul so he needed to be careful. He pulled the adamantine sword out of his mouth like a magician and lifted it up, blood gushed from the de and extended upward. "Zia, I''ll be borrowing your body if you don''t mind." He said. "[AH! Master! Please use me as you like¡­aw!]" Doma smacked Zia in the head. "[Calm down you pervert vampire nun maidbination. He''s only using your brain so hold still!]" Doma was using a curse to give Arad ess to Zia''s brain, the maid he got from d alongside the vampire army. The curse was simple, Arad could use a portion of Zia''s brain to cast his magic, but in exchange, she''d feel like she was having the worst headache of her life. Doma would usually enjoy seeing her suffer, but Zia had hit her with an uno reverse card. Zia enjoyed the pain and was giggling with a horny face inside Arad''s stomach. Arad swung the sword down and sent a sh of blood that sliced the beast in half. Arad then used gravity magic to push the rubble and the beast''s corpse outside the city and then dropped them. He thennded beside Tempo with tail shaking in terror above his shoulder. "That was an impressive sh. Was it a blood art?" Tempo looked at Arad with arge smile. "Yeah but¡­not my best." Arad looked at his fist¡­ "I only have ess to a tenth of my magic and even my physical abilities are halved." "Why is that?" Tempo looked at him. "You looked pretty strong." "A third of my magic is reserved for my wife, Mira. I''m also split in half now with Gemini as I left my clone as a guard back at the university; it''s attending the sses now. The clone has half of my brain and physical powers. And over all of that, I''m trying to focus my void into something that might be able to cure Zul, so¡­ I can''t say that was a good attack." "Sorry to say this. But are you an idiot? Coming here with all those limitations." Tempo looked at him. "My wives take priority, then the duties of a dragon, andstly this." Arad sheathed his sword. "I''m neither married nor a dragon so I don''t understand those. Fair enough to me, I''ll protect you." Tempo smiled.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "No need. I''ll be the one protecting you; I can still fight like this with ease. I''ve been in far worse conditions." Arad remembered the time he became a human in Merlin''sbyrinth. "You''re weak and could still kill that thing?" tail gasped, looking at Arad''s head with a shocked face. "So the rumor of you trashing the secondyer of hell isn''t false." Tempo giggled, "This is getting interesting." Chapter 799 Grandma Bevalina Chapter 799 Grandma Bevalina ??The underground beavers slowly walked out of their wooden houses, staring at the burning monster corpses in awe. Some of them approached the charred monsters and started poking them with a stick, they were all dead. "How in the timber?" One of the beavers turned toward the city skirts and could spot Tempo''s burning me illuminating the darkness with Arad standing beside him. The people slowly walked toward them, both fearful and anticipating. Their chieftain has asked the surface beavers to call for help, are two strangers the help they awaited for days? tail looked back and saw the beavers approaching them. He wiped the tears and snot out of his face and jumped down from Arad''s back. "My people, help has arrived. With me, tail here, no harm shall befall you." He lifted his tiny arms and stood with his chest puffed forward. "I''m here!" One of the beavers looked at him. "It was those two who took down the monsters, not you." "AHHH!" tail ran crying toward Arad, "My little heart! It''s cracked!" Arad sighed and lifted him up, "Sit here." Heid tail on his shoulder and walked toward the other beavers with Tempo. "We''d like an exnation if that''s possible." Arad looked across the street, a lot of beavers died in the attack; it''s probably not the time for a calm decision. "The city''s lord would exin the situation. I''ll guide you to her beaverness." A guard approached them wearing red armor and a wooden hat. "What did he say?" Tempo still couldn''t understand a word of what most of themon beavers say. He''s using the automatic trantion built into his body, but that takes time to kick in and needs to be focused on one voice at a time. "But, I''ve never seen such magic in my life. It flew like water out of a dam, but it''s red and hot." The beaver guard looked at Tempo. "Human wizardry has improved a lot." "Those two aren''t humans." tail said while sitting on Arad''s shoulder. "Their ears aren''t long so they aren''t elf, and they aren''t short like dwarfs or Halfling." The guard scratched his incisors. "It''s shapeshifting magic, you''ll be surprised to know who they are." tail smiled with a proud face, "This red-haired one is a titan, and the one I''m sitting on is a dragon." The guardughed, "I see, I see. Now that''s fun¡­But we''re almost at the lord''s house, make sure to behave, she''s quite strict." "You don''t believe me you beavering bastard!" tail growled as he sensed the guard mocking him and was about to jump down, but Arad managed to catch him first. "Calm down. Let''s go in," "Let me go, I''ll rip his teeth out." tail growled, but he couldn''t escape Arad''s grasp. They walked into the lord''s mansion, barely crawling inside again. But something seemed different this time, the room was much bigger, yet the lord didn''t look thatrge. Arge, almost round beaver grandma wearing arge robe and a hood with two tiny sses resting on her plump nose stared at them with a smile. "I''m Bevalina¡­the oldest of the underground colony of beavers." She said with a sweet and gentle voice, approaching them and leaning on her walking stick. She gently fixed her sses and looked at Arad and Tempo. "Oh, my... The holy timbers are blessed. What has that fat lord upstream sent us?" She smiled, "A dragon and a Titan, he isn''t messing around, is he?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The guard in the back froze in ce as tail stared at him with a smug face and ran his hand on his neck, "You''re dead." He whispered with a grin. Arad grabbed tail by the tail and threw him at the nearby couch. "Stop scaring him. He''s fine." "Bevalina, I''ve got several questions. What is the threat exactly, and why beavers, couldn''t such a dangerous job be handed to someone else?" Arad asked immediately. "You''re one hasty boy, aren''t you?" She smiled and walked toward the back and pulled chairs for them. "Rest, I''ll exin everything." "The threat is an abomination, a monster beyond mortalprehension. Even we beavers guarding the seal don''t know what he can exactly do, besides several things." She looked at Tempo, "You''ve been staring at me for a while, are you okay?" "He''s trying to get his trantor to work. Give him a moment." Arad replied. "We''ll. Let''s wait for him." They waited about a minute before Tempo was ready. "As I said, the being we''re dealing with is a powerful abomination. We beavers don''t know the full extent of his power, but we are sure of certain things. He''s powerful against humanoids. That is the first reason it was us beavers chosen to be the seal guards. We aren''t as easily swayed by his words." She lifted her cane and waved it in the air. "He can fool the humanoid mind, but we beavers have hearts of love and timber, we shall not be misled." "Humanoids, yes. But what about dragons? Wouldn''t this be the job of a powerful metallic dragon or even a great titan?" Arad said with a smile and turned toward Tempo. Tempo giggled, "The Titans are strong, but I believe the dragons are better for long tasks." "What about dragons." Bevalina smiled, reaching her little arm to the table and flicking her fingers. Arge tray of tea and snacks appeared out of nowhere. She lifted a cut of tea, put sugar in it, and started stirring it. "Dragons¡­ what about dragons, that''s the question everyone should be asking. Every conversation changes a lot when a dragon is involved." Her eyes shifted toward Tempo, "You''re a volcanic Titan, The magic flowing out of you is astounding, like a great river of burning, hot magma." She then shifted her attention toward Arad, "And what about the dragon?" As Bevalina smiled, "I don''t seem to recognize your color, dragon. Are you a metallic or a chromatic one? What''s your name?" She took a sip of her tea. "Arad Orion, I''m a ¡­.." Bevalina spat her tea on his face as she cried mid-drinking, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" "¡­void dragon." Arad wiped the tea off his face with a void rush, staring at her with a tired face. "Why the crazy reaction again?" Bevalina pushed the table away and prostrated herself, bowing so fast her face smacked into the ground. "The great one! To think I''ll be alive the day you show up." She was shaking, and so did the guards in the back. "What is it the problem?" Arad red at her. "Exin, or I''m sting this whole ce into ash." She lifted her head, "The chieftain outside didn''t?" "He passed out from moving too much." tail said while taking some of the snacks and hiding them. "Hoi! Are you stealing?" One of the guards red at him. "I''m not¡­" tail hides the biscuits behind him. "The one who sealed the abomination here was the overgod; he did it almost five thousand years ago. He''s the one who made us the guardians of the seal as well." She stood and walked toward her bookshelf and pulled out an old book. She approached Arad and gave him the book with a shaking hand. "I can''t believe my old eyes, I''m really standing before you." The book told an ancient story of how the overgod, a young wizard with white hair and blue eyes sealed twelve powerful abominations across the world, this ce was one of them. He assigned the beavers as guards and granted them intellect, magic, and peace in theirnd, swearing upon his name that this ce would be their heaven until the end of time, or till they evolved into demi-humans. The book also mentions how the overgod said that the abomination is to be sealed until a dragon in the form of arge muscr man called Arad Orion, the nuclear chaos shall arrive to kill and eat it. Arad looked at Bevalina, "That''s my name? Five thousand years ago¡­" He started thinking for a second, "You''ve been deceived by a time dragon, that''s the only exnation." "I doubt that''s the case." Tempo said in the back. "The overgod is particr about being impersonated. He would''ve cleared this long ago if it was a trick. You can be certain it''s the overgod himself whenever he''s mentioned." "Dragons live for a long time, but I''m not that old." Arad sighed, "I bet something is wrong here. Names aren''t tied to one person so it''s probably one of my ancestors. Yeah, I''m certain Mother named me on someone." Arad did ask Mom but she didn''t know how his mother named him. The door suddenly burst open and a beaver stared at them with a terrified face, panting his lungs out as his eyes were tearing up, "The seal about to break! The shamans are going to die!" He yelled, and Bevalina gasped. "Let''s go!" Tempo rushed out and Arad followed him, tail managed totch onto Arad''s back at thest moment, and he ended up going with them. "Slow down! I can''t hold well!" tail cried, hanging for dear life on Arad''s back. "Wait!" Bevalina shouted, but they had already left the city by that time, they were too fast. "What about the beaver hero? The knights had been training for generations waiting for this day." Chapter 800 The Beaver Gate Chapter 800 The Beaver Gate ??Arad and Temponded at the end of a long gate, staring at a massive dungeon-like gate, the ruins of a long-forgotten civilization. The three approached the gate and Tempo illuminated the ce with his burning me hair, he stood there like a torch, his eyes dripping fire as he inspected the ce. "Those are old; even I don''t know what those writings are." He said, looking at Arad. "Do you feel any magic around here?" "Not just magic, this ce has more than the elvish capital. If mana was heat, we''re getting closer to the heart of a volcano." He touched the gate. "tail, do you know anything?" "This door separates the seal''s room from the outer world. Beaver monks are sent inside with food and supplies for a month and they maintain the seal. They do switch each month, but it''s tiring work." "Beavernguage, you''re already getting closer to humanoid level." Tempo smiled.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "We are the smartest." tail said with pride, "But, I don''t know how it happened, but we need to get inside." He looked at Arad with a worried face. "That guard said the seal is about to break, but this ce is too quiet like it was a sh rm." Arad threw his hands at the gate and started pushing, "Let''s get inside and look for ourselves." The veins on his arms bulged as he pushed with all of his strength, and he started sweating. The door was refusing to budge. "I''ll help." Tempo jumped in and started pushing, yet both of them couldn''t get the gate to open, the harder they pushed, the more useless it seemed, raw strength alone wouldn''t open it. "Come on, Arad push, push harder! Are those muscles just for show?" tail called from above Arad''s head, waving his tiny arms. "Come and push if you know how to speak." Arad growled at him, and tail looked away, sweating beneath his fur. "Well, I didn''t pump my woodtely¡­I doubt I''m in shape." "Come! Give it a try," Tempo looked at him with arge smile. "We''ll figure a way to open it. It seems stuck to me." "I can just break it." Arad mumbled, "But I might kill the beavers inside and destroy the seal, so that''s not an option." tail stood before the gate, took a deep breath, and nted his tail on the ground. "No dam is built without breaking any teeth." He threw his small arms at the gate, and growled, "GAAAA!" CLAP! The gate mmed open so fast it startled Arad and Tempo. tail froze in ce, unable to believe his eyes as dust rushed out and the cave shook. "Was it made so only a beaver could open it?" Arad said and turned toward Tempo. "Those things aren''tmon, but they do exist." He replied with a smile. tail turned toward Arad and Tempo with a proud face, "Did you see that? My supreme power." He burstughing. From the dust rushing out of the gate behind tail, a beaver appeared with a stick in her hand. She approached tail and stabbed him in the tail, "You idiot! It''s still a week off the time of opening!" She growled. "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" tail cried, "What was that for?!" He spun around holding his tail. "My precious tail." He cried, clenching a fist. "What do you¡­" He was about to swing at her, but the moment he saw her face, he froze in ce. "Speak for yourself?" She growled at him, "Why did you open the gate?" "Ah! Well¡­" He started stuttering, "What should I say¡­ thank you?" "Ha?" She tilted her head, confused. "What''s your problem? Why did you open the gate before it''s time?!" "Isn''t the seal breaking? Bevalina sent us." Arad said as he approached them, "We need to check the seal." "It''s only a matter of making it bigger, that''s all. Why call strangers here? Get out!" She shouted. "She''s right! Right!" tail cheered with her. "Get out!" He yelled. Everyone looked at him. "You came with us." Tempo sighed. "You brought them here." She stared at him with a disappointed face. "Well, well, Mdy. I''ve onlye here to check on your wellbeing, hearing that the seal was growing weaker, by beaver heart couldn''t just leave you here to suffer alone." He said with a smile, his tail still bleeding. "What''s wrong with you?" She growled and turned toward the inside. "Leave and don''t return! You''re disturbing our work." "Wait!" tail called with a gasp. "We need to get inside." "I said leave. That means you aren''t wee." She red back at him. "I don''t care what you''re up to, but I know for a fact you''re only increasing our workload." "Arad¡­" tail looked at him, "We need to get inside. We can''t leave her¡­ I mean the beavers inside." "You were just switching sides. Pick one¡­" Arad stared back at him, "Which one are you with¡­" tail looked between Arad and thedy beaver. "Look at her, such beautiful face, teeth, fur, and tail. I''ve never seen a beaver with such beauty, but I can''t help but notice." He looked at Arad with sparking eyes, "They are dull and chipped, her teeth and ws. I want to help her, stop this cycle of beavers burning their life and talent to keep an old rotten seal. But I know a single beaver can''t change the course of a river alone. I''m far too weak." He smiled. "But, a dragon can change its course. Will you help me? Please?" Arad sighed, "Fine. I''ll see what I can do." His neck twisted, and turned as he started shifting into a beaver. As the closing gate reached them, Arad stopped it with both hands. "If this gate only opens to beavers, then I''ll be one." Thedy beavers stared back with a gasp, "You''re a druid? And what did that beaver say?" Arad''s eyes shed purple as the muscles on his small beaver arms bulged and the door pped open with enough force that the hinges shattered. "I''m not a human, nor a beaver." His body started expanding, "This door is meant to only allow beavers in, but it shall not stop my kind." His arms turned into massive legs with ws and jet-ck wings expanded from his back. The cave couldn''t hold his massive body so he started sucking whatever touches his scales into his stomach. Doing that, Arad expanded the cave enough for his draconic body, and only his snout could fit through the gate. tail and the beaverdy cried tears and snot rushed out of their noses as they crawled away, "It''s huge!" She cried, "Mommy! I''m scared, why is he so big!" tail crawled faster than her. "Let''s see who''s the bigger monster, me or that thing you keep sealed." Powerful, arrogant, magnificent, and immense, dragons are one of the strongest creatures in the natural order and are like natural disasters. You can''t yell and tell them off, they''ll go wherever they want. Tempo patted Arad''s chin. "Beautiful and smooth obsidian scales dripping with magic and youth. For a dragon this size, you''re fairly young, but at the same time have a denser presence than most wyrms. I bet the Titans would panic if you showed up uninvited to ournd." Arad shifted back into his human form. "If you understand, then get out of the way." Arad red at the beaverdy as he walked forward, and tail barely managed to follow behind him. "Don''t worry, he doesn''t bite." He said to the beaverdy with a scared smile. "Come on, let''s go." He extended his hand to her. "What is Lady Bevalina thinking about?" "They''ve detected that the seal is breaking so they called for help to the surface. I was tasked to bring druids, but I ended up finding a dragon druid and¡­" tail looked at Tempo. "A volcanic titan." "A what? A titan and a dragon? Aren''t they at war?" She gasped. "Those two seem to be friends." As the beaverdy and tail tried to forget fear by talking, Arad and Tempo started their own conversation as they headed toward the seal''s room. "Do you really intend on fighting the abomination in the seal?" Tempo asked with a worried face. "You said I''m an idiot and I might agree. But I''m not dumb." Arad replied, "I only care about my wives. I can''t put them in danger, and I can''t let myself die and harm them." He turned with glowing purple eyes. "We''ll check the seal and I can tell after sensing the magicing from it, whether it''s a fight we can win or not, or if it''s worth it." He looked at tail and thedy beaver in the back. "It''s sad, but my wives are more important than some beavers." "The abomination is a threat to the world." Tempo nodded, "Will this change your stance." "I''ve got this strong in less than a year. It''ll be wiser to let the beavers hold the seal for a few more months or years before challenging the abomination, just to make sure our victory is guaranteed." "This abomination could hinder my ns of peace between the humanoids and the Titans." Tempo smiled, "Would you help now? It''s for the greater good, at least for me, a friend." "You said it; you''re a friend, not one of my wives. I''ll not help; the Titans can deal with it." Tempoughed, "Well, I have an older sister, care to check her out?" "Selling your sister to kill a monster?" Arad stared at him, lifting an eyebrow. "And aren''t we on war? The dragons and titans don''t get along, do they?" "Just as we two can talk like this, peace among the races is possible. I n to create a world where everyone can live shoulder to shoulder, where the Titans move the mountains and the humanoids carve them, a world where dragons change the weather and morph the ground, everyone works together to create a massive nation of every race." "That''s a ridiculous goal." "Father said the same thing." "Then listen to him." "But aren''t you achieving what I''m dreaming of? We Titans came to you with peace, humans, elves, and even monsters live in harmony on yournd." He smiled. "Sister shares my thoughts; I''ll introduce you to her after we finish this abomination." Chapter 801 Breaking The Seal

Chapter 801 Breaking The Seal

The beavers stood around arge blue-glowing pond in the middle of arge cavern, watching the crack in the circr dam they formed around it. "There is a crack forming here! Start the patching process!" A beaver screamed and half of them rushed in with wood and started nibbling at the dam. They removed the cracked wooden panel and reced it in less than a minute, seeing them work looked like trained racing mechanics changing the car''s tires in the blink of an eye. Those beavers trained their whole life for the sole reason of repairing this dam and making sure it never breaks. The dam was here for centuries and in that time they optimized their process to the point that what would take humans a year to fix now takes the beaver monks and shamans no longer than a minute. Teamwork, the hardwood of the mana-rich fungus growing around the pond, and the tireless enchantments the shamans kept casting, everything worked like a precise clock. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The dam got fixed in a minute and a half, and the shaman old beaver woman growled, "Damn it Filo! Damn you Bevalina! Why the interruption, you know we''re too busy, this fix took half a minute longer as she wasn''t here doing her job." Since Filo went to check who opened the gate, her spot in the work chain was left empty causing arge dy. "The chance of the dam breaking is low now. Someone go bring her without a word, drag her back by the tail." She growled, pointing her cane at the cave leading to the gate. But then, she fell silent. Two purple eyes appeared in the darkness, standing several beavers tall, it was clear it wasn''t a beaver. She started sweating, "There is a barrier here that kills anything that isn''t a beaver." Her old arms started shaking as Arad''s face slowly appeared out of the darkness. Even Tempo had stayed back as he sensed the barrier covering the seal''s room. "Don''t go in there! You''ll die!" Filo cried, standing back with tail as they watched Arad slowly walk toward the room. Arad''s foot finallynded in the room, pushing onto the barrier. A heavy wave of divine magic left by the ancient gods washed over Arad''s skin, burning in a hazy golden mist, a contentious divine smite that kills anything that isn''t a beaver. His skin burned to the bone as he kept walking forward, his flesh regenerating at a blinding rate to keep up with the damage. With each step, his body shed like a welding arc, but he didn''t even slow down, walking straight toward the beaver shaman with a straight face. The beavers all ran back, staring at the monster that juste in. "It can''t be¡­this barrier, can''t fail!" The shaman cried, "I do not care." Arad stood in front of her face, tanking the whole barrier as he red at her, the glow of his purple eyes getting through the endless sh of the divine magic. "Such vast divine magic, it treats everything that isn''t a beaver the same. Humans, titans, and everyone would get burned by it just like vampires and undead. I can''t survive it for a second, I doubt even d could walk in there, he''ll evaporate right upon contact." His eyes opened wide, "I see, so that''s way." He did manage to grasp a faint understanding of what Arad was doing. "I see¡­ I was the idiot for thinking youing here in a weakened state was wrong. Even in this state, you almost can''t be killed by normal means." Since Arad took d''s entire army inside of him, he managed to achieve something that''s only possible for a creature like him. While d had an immense regeneration, he was achieving it by using captive humans inside of him to siphon blood and heal. Arad had another approach only possible as he''s a massive dragon with a lot of blood and health. Since Arad is limiting himself to a human body, the damage at one instant is capped to the full destruction of his humanoid body. But that allows him enough time to spread it through the vampire army, allowing them to be the ones regenerating safely inside his stomach. "I see." Arad said, looking at therge pond. "This is a pond of liquid mana. It is infused with divine magic and acts as arge barrier between us and where the abomination is sealed. It''s like jailing a criminal under an ocean ofva and lightning, whoever made it has to be extremely powerful." He said with a gentle smile. "Who are you? Who let you in, get out!" The shaman cried. "You don''t understand what kind of monster lives beneath that water! You''re disturbing our work, if you understand then scram." She growled, waving her staff. "You know it, the seal will soon break. I guess that would be this pond flooding out. All the beavers here would drown, monsters are attracted to the powerful mana leaking out, and that''s why they keep attacking the city outside." He looked around, "Now that I''m standing here, I can feel it. The mana is unstable in the air; it could burst at any moment." His eyes slowly shifted back at her, "You beavers that were here for the past weeks can''t feel the sudden change, but you must''ve noticed something, didn''t you?" "There were seven cracks this week while in the past years, we could only expect one or two per month." She replied with a worried face. "The monster you''re trying to keep inside has been filling the water with more and more mana, seeking to flood it." Arad pulled a wine ss out of his stomach while still burning and filled it. "Just like this, one drop at a time, the wine keeps getting closer to spilling." He slowly poured wine in and then stopped, taking a sip with his still-burning body. "Unless someone drinks from it, it''s fated to spill." "Wait! You aren''t trying to¡­" She gasped as Arad walked past her and sat beside the pond, gently bending down and reaching with his hand to the mana pond. He filled his palm, but his whole arm disintegrated in the blink of an eye. But, his arm regenerated back o shape before the mana water could fall back into the pond "Wait! Who is that?" The beaver shaman gasped as Filo and tail reached her. "Shaman Galina¡­" Filo panted, "Stand away, he''s not someone you should try to stop." "Filo! Who is this monster you let into here? Do you know the consequences of those actions?!" She growled. tail stood between her and Filo, "Arad Orion. That''s him." He said, thinking since they came here, everyone who seemed a bit important lost their mind upon hearing Arad''s name, so it might work here. Galina froze in ce, dropping her staff, "My timbers!?" Her head cracked as she rapidly turned, "It''s him?! The one we''ve been waiting for centuries?" Her eyes opened wide, seeing him sipping the mana water. "That seems to be the case. What is he anyway?" tail tapped the Galina''s head. Tempo was still standing outside the barrier as he couldn''t walk in, but he kept a close eye on Arad and was the first one Tempo was still standing outside the barrier as he couldn''t walk in, but he kept a close eye on Arad and was the first one to notice. Arad isn''t going to just reduce the water level to a manageable state. "Arad! Don''t do it! It''s dangerous even for you!" He shouted. All the beavers stared at Arad sipping the pool''s water. He sat up and opened his mouth, the void inside his stomach pulled the mana water at a rapid speed like a vacuum cleaner. The inside of his stomach was made of a near-endless void, as long as he shoved the mana water into a single spot away from everything else, he could keep it there safely the same way he was keeping the ursed pir of cursed metal. All the beavers cried with gaping mouths, unable to believe their eyes as the water level dropped rapidly. "You''re freeing the monster!" Galina cried. The pond dried in seconds, and Arad stood as the barrier crumbled now that its source of energy disappeared. Tempo could finally walk inside, but Arad had already jumped down to the pond''s bottom. "He''s getting out anyway, so what''s the difference." Arad walked with a smile on his face, staring at the ck, twisted, and bloodied created slowly rising from the ground. "And¡­" The abomination growled as Arad approached, "After I spent all those years, pouring mana in to burst this seal open¡­" He writhed, wigging as he stood like a worm. "You came and freed me at once." His two glowing white eyes stared at Arad with a deathly stare. "What are you? No mortal should be able to achieve that." The abomination slowly took a vaguely humanoid shape, pointing a finger at Arad. "I''m a void dragon, and I''m here to put an end to you." "The cosmic police? I''ve heard of you from the inside of my seal, massive dragons that protect the realms of existence." The abomination took the form of a young man with short ck hair and pale white eyes akin to those of zombies. "I''m a bit thankful for saving me the hassle of fully breaking the seal so I''ll let you go." "That I can''t do." Arad replied with a gentle smile. "You''re a threat to my family, and must be dealt with." "You can''t kill me. I''m so beautiful I could create gods." The abomination said with a smile as clothes covered his body. "Do you want to be a god? I can help skip bing a demigod. I''ll even spare your while lineage." He extended his hand to Arad. "Beautiful? To my eyes, I''ve never seen something so ugly to be this revolting. I don''t need godhood." Chapter 802 Splitting Off

Chapter 802 Splitting Off

Tempo jumped into the cavern andnded beside Arad now that the barrier had fallen. He red at the abomination with a passive face, "So this is the monster we''ve been hearing about?" "You aren''t a fire titan, are you? You''re a mixed blood of earth and fire." The abomination smiled. As Tempo inspected the abomination with his eyes, he could feel a sharp shift in magic, the being standing before them wasn''t something that should exist. Tempo could feel the air cracking around them by just looking at the monster as if the world didn''t want that thing to be standing there. "The name Tempo, a volcanic Titan, what are you?" "I don''t have a name. Our lord Nyar never had time to name me before I got sealed here. But I''m an abomination, a being of the outer world." "That means you shouldn''t be standing here." Tempo pulled his sword, "Is there a way to send you back to the outer world? I''d rather have a peaceful end to this." "You''re a na?ve one, aren''t you?" The abomination took one step forward and suddenly disappeared,nding a fist at Tempo''s guts. But Tempo didn''t budge; he instead looked forward with a surprised gasp. "As I expected." The abomination smiled, "You''re the problem here." His eyes shifted toward Arad who had caught the punch before it hit Tempo''s stomach. "I''m not letting you kill anyone, monster. I''ve already faced abominations before, and I know for a fact you must be killed on sight." "Like I would¡­" The abomination head''s upper half disappeared, and Betty appeared standing behind him with a de of light in her hand, "I''ve sensed a massive wave of magic, to think a bug like you appeared." "The speed of light?" The abomination spoke despite the injury, "And a damned Halfling, what a pain." He sighed, remembering the magic goddess Yog; she was a half-Halfling half-elf which terrorized the abominations, using them as herb rats. The abomination''s head regenerated in the blink of an eye. "It seems. I''m not getting out of here without a fight. I would rather recover after finally getting free," CLAP! CLAP! He pped his hands, "Let''s the blood bath start." **** Back in the university, Lucia was sitting inside Betty''s office with several other teachers inspecting the area for magic as per Betty''s orders. Once she sensed the abomination, she put the whole university on high alert and flew to eliminate the threat. "An unidentified magic source of over S-ss monsters has appeared within the university''s perimeter! Send all the teachers to eliminate it before the students are hurt." Just before the teachers could fly out, Lucia cried again with a terrified face. "Wait! Another signal showed up¡­" She was sweating, "It¡­.that can''t be¡­" "What is it?" The other teachers looked at the magic crystal she was using for inspection and froze in ce¡­ "A demon lord? Here?" A clone of the abomination walked through the school''s hallways, "So this is how humanoids are living those days¡­ Peace has weakened them, what a ripe chance to take over." CLICK! The women''s bathroom door that was to the side of the hallway slowly opened up, and he stopped walking, staring forward with wide-open eyes as a long de slowly emerged. Merida took the first step out her left eye red at him with a green deathly stare, burning with demonic magic. "Wait¡­what?" He gasped, "A demon lord, in the mortal world?" Merida disappeared from his vision, grabbed him by the face, and jumped out of the window, flying all the way to the forest in the blink of an eye. The abomination gasped, he couldn''t believe that she overpowered him just like that. He is a clone and nowhere near as powerful as the main body, but he shouldn''t be pushed around by anything in the mortal world. Merida threw him into the forest with a single push, and the forest floor shifted from trees to arge red and brown fungus with a massive gaping mouth of jagged teeth and blood, opening wide with a throat leading straight to darkness. The abomination clone found himself standing in a barren grey and brown wastnd beneath a ck sky, countless twisted and deformed demonic monstrosities surrounded him as if he were in a pit ready to fight. "This is the abyss?" He looked to the side and saw a massive throne with a mural of Arad and Merida taking down the previous demon queen of fungus. "What is happening here?" Beneath the mural, a rotten brass throne shed with demonic magic, a twisted fungus sat on it with a glowing green aura. "I''m the current demon queen of fungus. Wee to my domain, little bug from the outside world." TAP! TAP! He could hear Merida''s steps as she walked into the abyss after him. "If you''re a danger to my blood sister, I shall grant her every drop of power I have, for this life of mine has been nurtured by her." The demon queen disintegrated into spores alongside the thousands of fungus demons in the area, all of them flew toward Merida, getting absorbed into her body in a crimson storm. "Hold up! This can''t be happening!" The abomination clone cried as the wastnd around him turned into a massive arena surrounded by rot and fungus-infestedrge trees. Meridanded beside him, her ck hair glowing with a green and red aura as her de grew longer. "I''m Merida, wife of Arad Orion. Only death awaits those who dare harm us." "He''s the one who attacked me first!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Then bow your head and await death." Her two eyes burned with a bloodied green glow of demonic magic. She took a stance, ready to test a new dance. The abomination lunged forward, swinging his fist at her, but his arm got sliced before he could even realize it. ^That''s de is attached to her right arm, and she''s using thebined power of all the demons that were here including that demon queen.^ He looked back, barely managing to shield his neck before Merida''s second swing. ^This feeling, that she''s an absolute demon, a creature born of the abyss''s will of destruction and death. Just like him, the god yer Kayden, to think a second monster like him was born in the past thousand years.^ He lunged away, his eyes finally getting used to Merida''s blinding speed. ^But, she is nowhere as mature or strong as him. If he was the one I was facing, I would''ve already died without him needing to drag me here. She is a threat, I must eliminate her and prevent her from growing any stronger.^ ***** Maria Ringbell, the witch pretending to be a teacher at the university ran across the hallways, sending a message to Anansi, the mother spider. ^Don''t fight any of the intruders, you''ll die. Stay still like the other students until the fight ends.^ ^Got it, but don''t you dare die and ruin the n.^ Maria stopped, ^I have to cut out. I found one.^ She was sweating as she stared, another clone of the abomination stood before her. "A dark elf woman? No, you don''t feel like one, I don''t sense that dancer''s blood in you." He lifted a finger; his nail grew into a spike and flew forward, piercing her shoulder. She gasped. ^This bastard, what did he do? That was too fast to see, did he cast a spell, no, that wasn''t it, I couldn''t see mana moving.^ The abominationughed, "Now this is fun! To think someone like you is here, are you trying to n something bad? I''m certain you could use an evil being to sponsor your endeavor." He could tell she was a witch disguising herself, as a being of his level of existence, he couldn''t tell the difference between people''s faces but could identify them by magic with a nce. But, the abomination wasn''t the only monster around, and Maria wasn''t the only being hiding her identity and power. A handnded on Maria''s shoulder, "Your polymorph is about to fade, fix it before you get exposed." Gojo walked past her, his eyes glowing blue as a smile filled his face. "I don''t care who you are, but it won''t be fun if you get exposed before it''s time, won''t it." "What are you? Your magic is weird." The abomination mumbled, tilting his head as he looked at Gojo, unable to determine what he was. Maria looked at Gojo''s back, the mana flinching in front of her eyes. ^That''s Aron''s older brother, and Aron is a void dragon. Don''t tell me¡­he''s an even older void dragon?^ Now that thought crossed her mind, she noticed that he was indeed covering his true nature alongside enough magic to make her puke at the spot. The abomination giggled, "Humans are indeed too weak. She can''t even stand long in my aura before puking and dying¡­ how pathetic." Maria looked at the abomination with a pained face, ^You''re wrong, I can handle your magic all day long, it''s this bastard''s magic that''s too disgustingly twisted.^ "You asked who I am." Gojo smiled, "I''m nothing, I''m your death.^ Chapter 803 In School Clash

Chapter 803 In School sh

The abomination was a rare kind with immense power and the ability to conjure limited clones of him within a certain area around his location under several conditions. He can''t conjure more than twelve clones at once time, and thebined strength of the clones can''t surpass double his power. He''s also limited by any magic sh, which means the moment a clone gets into a fight they can''t modify their power. That''s right; the clones operate separately from the main body and don''t share thoughts, but that also allows them to die without damaging the main body. His clone ability mainly relies on him predicting what fights are going to be hard and what is going to be easy and then adjusting the power output of the clones. But, since it''s been over several thousand years since he was sealed, and the unnatural power of Arad''s group, all of his predictions were thrown for a loop. Eris''s eye shifted toward the ss wall that bordered the hallway, glowing purple and golden with magic. "Teacher¡­" She said, the veins on her arms bulging. "I know." L replied with a smile, her eyes slowly looked at the door with a grin. She put her papers on the desk and stood, "Leave it to me; no one leaves the ssroom." She started walking toward the door. Eris stood and so did Lydia, cracking her neck, "We''ll help." "No, you don''t. Sit still," L red at them. "You''re a better healer than me." Eris red at her, eyes shing purple with sma. "But do you think you''re better than me?" "Fine, follow me." L sighed, looking at the rest of the students, "The rest of you, seriously, stay still and don''t leave the ss. There is a small problem outside, we''ll deal with it ande back." As they walked out of the ss, they saw one of the abomination''s clones walking across the hallway. Lydia pulled her sword but Eris grabbed her by the shoulder. "Go help Jack upstairs. There is another one of those upstairs. Leave this to us." Lydia nodded and rushed back, Eris and L should be enough to handle this fight. "What a rare¡­no, what are you?" The abomination gasped, he immediately realized that L was rted to Subus, but couldn''t tell what kind of creature Eris was. L flicked her fingers, locking the whole hallway in a barrier spell. "We can fight reasonably here. No one would feel your magic." She smiled. Eris walked forward with a smile, "Well, that means I can rely on you for support?" "I can fight as well, but it''ll be more efficient to just heal. I''m counting on you." "I''ll keep you alive, woman in the back. And for you brown-haired long ears, I''ll cut you up to understand what kind of creature you are. To think new races were born in the time I spent sleeping." He lifted his hand, his finger burning with magic. BAM! The small bone at the tip of his finger flew forward at a blinding speed, racing to blow Eris''s head. Eris''s eyes managed to spot the bone, and she clenched her jaw at it on reflex, catching it in a bite. "This is all you got?" She mumbled with the bone caught in her mouth, sma burning inside her throat. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "What kind of monster are you?" The abomination giggled, "That was faster than sound. Those reflexes aren''t known in humanoids unless you aren''t one." CRACK! Eris shattered the bone between her teeth and opened her mouth, breathing a st of sma at the abomination, shaking the whole university. "I''ve told you to fight reasonably, not st the whole ce." L gasped, "The barrier can''t block shockwaves like that." "I''ve barely tried, and this thing won''t die if I don''t go all out." She said, seeing the abomination regenerate with ease. "sma? I sense draconic magic, is there a type of dragon that breathes sma? Probably the red and blue gave birth to a new color?" He took a step forward, "How interesting, what would happen if I mix different dragons together? I can''t wait to get to test it." "You don''t even know of purple dragons?" Eris tilted her head, staring at him with a confused face. "What kind of monster are you?" "I''m an abomination, a superior creature to you mortals. I''ve been sealed for almost five thousand years and I''ve just been freed." He clenched a fist, "Care toe with me? I''d love to cut you open alive and see what you''re made off." "Good old blood and bones," Eris smiled, "And this¡­" She vanished from his sight. ^Invisibility? No, something is off¡­^ before he could finish thinking, Eris punched him in the guts with a fist burning with sma. [Blood Thrones] Spears ofpressed blood and sma gushed out of her fist and skewered the abomination to the walls, burning him in a ze. "I see¡­" He mumbled, "You''re a vampire, and that woman in the back is the one ying tricks." L was the one who made Eris disappear by hiding her shape and presence for a fraction of a second. The abomination''s leg twisted and a spear-like bone flew toward Eris''s chest at a horrifying speed charged with an eldritch magic that neither she nor L could tell what it''d do. Knowing that she couldn''t take the hit even if she could regenerate, Eris ignited a burst of me beneath her right foot and spun around the attack, swinging a round kick at the abomination''s head. This was an attack she prepared specially to kill Arad, a magic that she spent days and weeks developing one step at a time, making sure that everything fit together. A dose of sma rushed to her foot, followed by a surge of fire and lighting that covered it, it was then overcharged vampire blood magic, one that evaporated the blood and finally topped with a divine smite. The moment her foot hit the abomination''s face, his body spun in the air and smacked the ground, bouncing back in the blink of an eye. The impact felt too heavy for him to even speak, such strange elements shouldn''t be mixed together, yet Eris was putting all of them into a single attack. The catch was that he couldn''t keep them together, so they exploded inside his body right after impact dealing an internal shockwave of damage. "I bet you think this is an ultimate move of some kind. Sorry to break it to you," She clenched her fists and engulfed them in the same mixture, "This is my regr attack." She smacked him with a fist that sent him to the wall, and she kept hammering him with an endless barrage of fists. ***** Upstairs, the other abomination felt his pair getting beaten up downstairs so he tried to punch a hole in the ground. But at that moment, he felt several strings wrapping around his body. "Those strings¡­a magic trap?" His eyes looked around at an inhuman speed, "Found you." He flung a bone at the ceiling, crumbling a vent. "You''re hiding there, trapper." The abomination smiled, but as soon as the dust cleared, he noticed that what he dropped wasn''t the person whoid the traps, but another trap, a stack of explosives. "Of, fuck." The whole hallway exploded, throwing the abomination outside, that is how Jack made his traps to function. The main priority of the internal traps is forcing the conflict outside. "This trapper is smart." The abomination growled, expanding wings from his back to stop, but that was toote, he already hit another set of strings which wereid above the garden in the air. Their position was pre-calcted to catch anything that got sent by the first trap. "Another one?" The abomination gasped as tens of ck metal spikes flew from the ground and trees, piercing his flesh. He dropped to the ground and tried to stand. "But mundane weapons can''t harm me¡­" He tried to look for the trapper again but noticed that his magic sense had disappeared. Those ck spikes seal off magic, they were pretty expensive. Immediately after his magic was sealed, five steel disks flew from the bushes toward him. He struck two down with his fists, but the other three wrapped around him with strings that were attached to them. Less than a secondter, a powerful survey of lightning used those wires as cables to fry him, this trap could only activate if the spike trap had activated. Jack was sitting on a street light a fair distance away from the abomination. He simply jumped from his ss''s window and sat there to watch his handiwork. His traps work in a chain, the moment you''re caught in one; they keeping until the target dies. The abomination wasn''t stupid and he realised that. After taking the lightning hit, he fell down pretending to be dead. ^The traps should stop working if the target dies. Staying on the ground like this for a few seconds should deactivate them.^ Jack smiled, ^That was a smart move. It would''ve stopped my trap chain if they were the ones I made beforeing here. But those spider threads I got from Arad can detect electric signals, as long as they detect some from you, the traps won''t ever stop.^ The strings could detect the brain and heart''s faint electrical signals like a medical monitor, the caught abomination can''t fake death. But, now that Jack could sense what the abomination was through the wires that came back to him, he knew one thing. ^The bastard has seven hearts and two brains, one in his intestines and one in his left butt cheek. His skull is either empty or contains another organ. The ground beneath the abomination opened up and a raging me started eating him up. CRACK! But, as if something changed, it happened too fast for Jack to react. The abomination jumped, burst through a building, and arrived at his location. The only thing could do was stare at the abomination fist as it approached his face. "Got you!" The abomination smiled. Chapter 804 Solar Wind

Chapter 804 Sr Wind

As the abomination smiled, swinging his fist at Jack''s face, a rush of divine magic flooded from his side. His eyes barely moved, seeing Lydia jump on a table while students were still in ss, she burst through the door and swung her sword, only the window''s ss between her and the abomination, and he could feel that he had to run. [Divine Cleaver] Lydia''s swing destroyed the whole wall and the students were sted back to the inner wall, gasping for air as they saw her fly away to the edge of the garden, pushing the abomination with her de. "What was that?!" A student cried. "Don''t move!" Jack shouted at them, "A monster infiltrated the school, wait for your teacher toe back." "Jack?!" Those were his ssmates, "What are you doing there? The light poles aren''t a toilet, you know that?" "Wait, is that armored girl the monster?" Another gasped. "Shut up! And no, that girl is my wife; I''ll cut you apart if you insult her again." Jack jumped away, using his strings to swing from one light pole to another. One of the students approached the shattered wall, staring forward as dust and debris slowly fell, "Wife? That was a pdin smile, what do you mean a wife?" He sighed. They had heard the chairman''s warning earlier and so they did expect some noise, but not like this. The abominationnded on the ground, rubbing his head. "That hurts, a pdin''s smite, how annoying." "The first swing is to protect." Lydia said, walking toward him with divine magic burning from her shoulders. Protection was her first oath, and it was fulfilled by protecting Jack and getting the abomination away from the other students. "I can tell, that you aren''t supposed to exist in this world." She stabbed her sword into the ground, cracking the garden as divine mes burned from the cracks. This was her oath of bnce, preventing those who would harm the harmony of the world from existing. "A creature like you must''ve harmed thousands of lives. That is the case isn''t it?" She red at him with a golden spark burning in her eyes. "Indeed, I pride myself on my achievements. Even if it activates your oath, I''ll never im to be less efficient than I am." He smiled, his thin and pale body growingrger, burning with a dark green eldritch magic. As confident as his roar seemed, he was still worried that he was facing a three-oath pdin. While most mortal sses draw power straight from Aria, the archon of the overgod, pdins draw extra power from their god on top of that, making them more dangerous. The problem with a pdin is that their power relies heavily on their faith in their god and that god''s willingness to provide them with power. The more the pdin''s goal aligns with their god, the more power the god will give them to achieve it. Judging by the divine power leaking off Lydia, he could tell that the god behind her was one of thetest things he wanted to deal with at the moment. The previous queen of the heavens and the shining starlight of the world, the one and only glory that never fades, the one above all else and the third strongest of the gods, the one his kind dubbed the world mother. Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, dusk, and dawn, his eyes stole a nce at it shining in the sky and he could feel the warmth. That was her, the literal sun-given life. Out of everyone''s reach, shining and disappearing at her own whims, and everything in the mortal world owes her their life. [Lydia¡­that thing is an abomination¡­ natural born enemies of this world.] Amaterasu''s voice boomed in Lydia''s head. [I''ll grant you as much power as your body can handle, so send him back where he came from.] Lydia''s divine magic spiked higher than it was ever before, and everyone started panting as the temperature started rising beneath the sunlight. The sun turned red in the sky as Lydia took a step, the ground beneath her feet burning as her de turned golden. The abomination smiled, realizing that Amaterasu was going after him without hesitation. It was the overgod''s orders after all; kill abominations on sight unless they were within one of his seals. He roared and lunged forward. "You might be the vessel of a god''s power, but you''re just a weak mortal." She''ll die with a sufficient injury. Lydia swung her sword, and he lifted his arm to block her attack. But the impact pushed his arm back into his face and smacked him into the forest like a ball hit with a baseball bat. Divine magic shed as that was a [Divine cleaver] Lydia stared at her de for a second, realizing that she couldn''t cut through the monster''s skin. That made it clear that he has a way to resist divine magic, this wasn''t the first time he faced a fight like this. When Lydia jumped after the abomination, she left a crater where she stood and Jack who was trying to catch up to her gasped. ^This isn''t her normal output. The divine magic is stronger than before and enchanting her physical abilities, which usually means she''s sustaining damage from that.^ He swung from some trees trying to catch up to her and the abomination. The abominationnded in the middle of the forest and looked up, sweating. ^Pdins are the god''s vessels to fight in the mortal world without destroying it. This was the overgod''s rule after Tiamat and Zaleria nuked and destroyed the mortal n in a fight, Zaleria isn''t even a god.^ Lydia fell toward him from the sky, swinging her sword. If a normal divine cleaver didn''t work, then she needed to draw more power. [Sr Wind] The moment Lydia''s sword started moving, everything that''s metal in several kilometer radios moved with it, the temperature so quickly the forest burst into mes and a blinding sh burst out in a crescent shape, superheated sma and maic waves moved fresh out of the sun''s crust up in the sky. Everyone in the school watched and some even started prying, this made the difference between the gods and mortals clear. This whole world with everyone living in it from humans to bugs, to dragons and demi-gods, all would die in an instant if Amaterasu, the literal sun arrived, she wouldn''t even fight, the world would just evaporate from her heat. **** The teachers were freaking out in the chairman''s office, "A huge burst of Amaterasu''s divine magic is detected in the forest, and the strange creature''s magic is slowly fading." Lucia yelled. "No shit, look at that." Another teacher pointed at the pir of light burning in the forest. "Do you think the shockwave would reach us?" Luckily, both the school and Croc City were protected by Betty''s barrier so they only cracked a bit. "Another news! One of the signs in the hallways has disappeared! One of the creatures is dead; I''m sending the mage eyes!" She shouted. They could see Gojo wiping his hands in the empty hallway with Maria sitting in the back, terrified. Strangely enough, the hallway looked spotless; there was no trace of a fight even starting. Gojo burped, gently covering his mouth, "Excuse me." But suddenly, his eyes shifted to re straight at the mage''s eyes. "Teacher Lucia. No peeping, you pervert." The signal vanished and the image cleared. "Are you getting us the image or what?" One of the teachers looked at her, waiting for her to change the crystal from the monster location map to the mage eye feed. "I''ve¡­lost signal." She replied¡­. ^What did just happen? That was Aron''s older brother Jogo? Don''t tell me he''s also another monster¡­^ She wanted to cry. Albeit Gojo was strong enough to end the fight without damaging anything, there was another person who managed to end the fight without the abomination getting detected, a creature that stood above everything else. The moment the abomination clone was about to materialize in the school, it instead appeared alone in a white room. "Where am I?" He gasped. "I faced one of your kind just a few months ago¡­" Sena sighed, sitting on a throne in the middle of the room. Blood drained out of the abomination body and he paled as white as the snow, feeling as if his whole existence faded just by hearing her voice. He could never mistake that, and it was horrifying. "Cain''s daughter!" He cried, jumping away looking for an escape route to warn the main body. But his head appeared sitting in her palm, severed cleanly at the throat. ^What''s this¡­I can''t regenerate¡­ my energy is fading rapidly¡­is this death¡­^ His mind raced as his eyes looked at Sena''s passive face. "Hohoho¡­" A faint giggle came from the distance, "That was a decent kill, but you took a bit too long to make it. He had time to realize he was in this white room before his death was engraved into stone." Cain walked in leaning on his cane with a tall woman with ck hair and green eyes by his side. "Even mother came." Sena stood, "It was a clean kill. He couldn''t escape anyway." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Cain approached her and smacked her in the head with his cane. The hit didn''t hurt; it was more like a gentle knock. "This was a weak clone; the real body would''ve had a chance of escaping this cell you''ve made." "Not that he would''ve escaped." Sofia said with a smile as she stood beside Cain, "Gracie is right outside waiting in the darkness. He wouldn''t have escaped." Chapter 805 Lydias Curse Chapter 805 Lydia''s Curse ??Another clone of the abomination walked into the outer sheds of the school where the artificers'' ss was. The ce looked like arge garage filled with magic gems, half-built golems, and strange machinery that most people in the world couldn''t tell what they were. "A lot of humans here, I''m starving for souls." He smiled and all the students stared at him, confused. But his smile didn''tst long as his eyes opened wide, staring in silence at therge man standing in the middle of the shed talking with one of the girls. Arad''s clone was there, talking with Mira. "I''ll deal with him. It won''t take long, you keep drinking them. Sorry, but I might need the extra power." He patted her head. "You are supposed to be fighting the main body." The abomination gasped. Arad turned toward him and started slowly walking. The teacher ran in, "Wait, who is that?" He asked Arad. "Didn''t the chairman call all the teachers into her office?" Arad looked. "He doesn''t listen to anything when focusing on making something." Mira replied in the back. "Betty called?" The teacher gasped and Arad walked past him. "That won''t matter anymore. Stay here and protect the students." He said that, but he knew this was thest abomination clone on the loose, if he handled him, the ce would be safe again.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad''s muscles started expanding and his feet began cracking the ground as he walked, a faint purple aura started burning beneath his clothes, and the small specs of dust showed in the sun rays burned around his body. "Well, it doesn''t matter. Humans can''t handle this well." The abomination started lifting his arm, ready to st Arad and everyone behind him. CLACK! Arad instantly closed the distance with a sword swing, slicing the abomination''s arm from between the middle and index finger up to the shoulder. It was then that the abomination knew he messed up, he noticed that the sword Arad used was made of adamantine, a dull metal, but it''ll grow sharper the tighter the user''s grip is. It''s a weapon that grows stronger proportionally to the user''s strength, and for it to grow sharp enough to cut his skin, flesh, and bones, was an absurd feat. At that moment, the ground shook and all the metal equipment in the shed lifted off the ground and smacked everywhere, a bright light shed across the windows as a wave of heat washed over the whole ce. It was Lydia''s [Sr Wind] In the moment the students gasped, Arad grabbed the abomination by the neck and teleported away, leaving everyone unable toprehend what had just happened amid the chaos. Only Mira sat in the back, sipping on mana potions, hoping Arad would be okay. Arad''s clone that was in the university flew with one of the abomination''s clones toward the forest where Lydia was fighting. "Why! You are supposed to be fighting the main body!" The abomination clone growled, ring at Arad''s face. "Unlike you, I have people to protect in this ce. It would''ve been bad if I wasn''t around." Arad clenched his palm on the abomination''s neck, and the monster swung a fist at his face. Arad opened his mouth and bit the abomination''s fist off like it was nothing, ring at him with glowing purple eyes. "We''re going to finish this off." He threw him down at into Lydia''s divine mes, and the abomination hit his other clone with an immense force. Aradnded beside Lydia, "Brother locked the ce; no one would see or feel what happens here." He said and ripped his shirt off, "Except Jack, he''s over there preparing a trap, keep him in mind while attacking." Lydia stared to the side and spotted him in the distance, unlike Arad, she didn''t have strong senses and was merely detecting the abomination by sniffing him out with her divine sense. "Can you fight? This is the clone, right?" Lydia asked, taking a step forward with her armor burning in divine magic. "It''s like a left and right hand to me, they are the same. But this is my left hand." Arad cracked his shoulder. "Makes sense." Lydia''s divine me faded and revealed something stunning, her fire didn''t burn the forest or the wildlife, the energy was targeted straight at the abomination. But that won''tst for long as the ground beneath her feet starts cracking and the nts began to wither and die. Tar-like ck and red glowing liquid dripped from Lydia''s sword and started spreading on the ground, rotting everything it touched from trees to animals and the abomination clone stood baffled. Her armor turned from silver into rustic ck, her hair shifted from blond to white and her golden eyes glowed with a disturbing red and purple hellish re. "How could this be?! No, I know what this is! Alice¡­.Fucking Alice Lisworth, that damnable devil lord." He roared. After Alice found out that Asmodeus, also known as the devil lord of the nine hells was in fact Amaterasu''s archon, a fallen angel that could fully utilize her divine power, she was stunned. But it quickly dawned on her that the devils were merely the jailers of hell, the ones keeping the sinners from jumping back to the world. Using the connection she got to Alice from the hells, she can use her medium to receive Amaterasu''s power. This wasn''t umon, there were a lot of pdins and clerics that had an angle as a medium between them and their god for many reasons, one of them being a slight difference in interests. In Lydia''s case, she was just unable to control the reflection of Amaterasu''s power and would kill herself if she tried to harness it alone, thus the lord of the nine hells, Asmodeus is tailoring the magic to fit a human body. Divine and curse magic were two faces of the same coin, and this was a fact rarely known in the mortal world and the only one in history to manage to control both at the same time was Asmodeus. Lydia would stop pulling divine magic from Amaterasu, clear everything out of her body to zero, and then pull the curse from Asmodeus, in that way she can have one at a time, but not both. This means she loses the healing capabilities of the divine magic, but instead gains Asmodeus''s curse which has a higher damage output. Arad clenched a fist with a smile, "Let''s finish them quickly." Lydia pointed her sword at the two abominations, "Yeah." Doma smiled in Arad''s head. ^[Asmodeus''s curse is Rot. Everything that the sun doesn''t touch rots and withers away.] ^ As two abominations roared, Lydia''s sword shed, unleashing a beam of condensed ck mes. ^[Asmodeus always mixes her rot curse with hellfire and the gravity of Amaterasu''s sun, this results in a beam that rots, burns, and rips everything apart.]^ The beam shed between the abominations that barely dodged it, and it exploded behind them in a massive re. Lydia wasn''t done and she swung her de to the side, following one of the abominations with the still-firing beam. The other abomination lunged at Lydia, but he forgot the second monster there. Arad grabbed him by the face and threw him into the beam. The abomination burned but he immediately flew away by conjuring wings on his back. He stared at Arad with a raging face, "You fucking dragon! Get out of our way!" "Hell no. You two are the strongest that I detected, fighting you requires a quiet ce like this." Arad lunged forward and swung his sword at the abomination, cutting the wings off. "Youck the strength needed to fight me. And doesn''t have enough defenses to resist Lydia''s curse. We two are your worst enemy." Arad smiled. "Fool! You''re the same as us!" The abomination swung around and kicked Arad in the neck, sending him flying toward Lydia''s beam. "Burn in the hell lord''s curse and die, you disgusting Asgorath born!" The abomination being chased by Lydia''s beam smiled. Once she shuts off the beam to save Arad, he''ll run straight toward her and take her head off. Lydia clenched her hands on the sword and roared, the beam growing farrger and stronger. The two abominations gasped, but their surprise only grew bigger when a second beam flew out of the first beam and burned the abomination that was running away. "You bastard!" The abomination in the sky grew a second pair of wings and tried to escape, he saw it with his own eyes, that dragon Arad was eating the beam and shooting it back out of his hands. ^[Lydia is a lesser curse user than me. Feel free to swallow her curse so I can redirect it anywhere, you''re immune to curses cast by a curse user with less skill than myself. I don''t know about Asmodeus herself though, I never fought her.]^ Arad and Doma discovered this in theirst fight with Lydia when she showed them this power. Before the abomination could escape, Jack appeared beside him in mid-air. "Surprise!" He wrapped strings around him, stabbing him with several magic-blocking rods. "How did you manage?" "Not gonna tell you, die." He stabbed him with the wakizashi, the divine sword. Chapter 806 Return of Murder Chapter 806 Return of Murder ??As the abomination cried, Lydia jumped in and sliced him in half, barely managing to revert back to divine magic before catching Jack andnding on the ground. "We did it!" Jack gasped as he saw the abomination disintegrate. "This was just one." Lydia said, looking to the side with a worried face. When Jack looked, he saw a massive hole in the ground. "Arad''s clone headed to where the monster''s main body is. He wants to be whole again, which means the fight isn''t going well." She mumbled. "If he left before the abomination here was confirmed dead, it''s really bad there." Jack said and looked at Lydia, "Can you stop the princess hold now?" Lydia stared at him with a red face, "Shut up!" She threw him to the side and was about to follow Arad into the hole. "We need to assist him." "Wait!" Jack caught her by the shoulder, "What could you even do to help?" With a single squeeze she fell on her knees growling and panting, "You can barely move after using that, the rot eats at your flesh even with Asmodeus tailoring it to your body. Don''t even bother moving now," He dragged her away, no matter how she struggled, she couldn''t muster enough strength to even escape Jack''s grasp. "We can''t let Arad fight alone! The real body of this thing would be much stronger!" She red at Jack, "He''ll die! Even if Tempo is with him, I can''t see him winning."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Big words but you couldn''t beat him no matter what you tried to do." Jack smiled, "Arad is strong, and he''s growing faster than any of us couldprehend. Gojo might be stronger, but hecks one thing that makes Arad scary." "Whatever we throw at him, he mimics and uses, he''s learning from each fight, and what''s more scary, he can mix everything he learned to create new things." She stopped struggling. "You divine smites are his bane, and he decided to fight you barehanded and started deflecting them without a weapon. Even when you pulled the curse, he ate and spat it back like he did earlier. Most monsters can be nned for, if someone decided to kill Gojo, I bet they could set a n in a few months and take him down, but I can''t see that ever happening to Arad." Jack sat with Lydia beside a tree, resting as he pulled a healing potion for her. "The way he fights, he reminds me of Adam the father of humanity." Lydia sighed, looking at the sky, "The first man created by god in his shape, a powerful being that had the ability to learn everything in the world, that''s why humans are one of the most intelligent races. And after that, Chad, the current human god, also was known to smack everything with his fists." "Chad? I''ve read in one of your books that he punched time to move it, you sure that isn''t some bullshit?" Jack stared at her. "Who knows, those were written almost five thousand years in the past." Lydia shook her head, "The only thing I can say is fighting Arad feels like a story from their books. He was weak to divine magic, so he punched it with his bare hands." "Yeah... that indeed sounds close." Jack giggled. Back at the university, Eris swung her fist at the abomination''s face, caving his shattered nose into his skull with a grin. "Come on! Where did all of your talk go?" The abomination recoiled back, leaning on the wall. ^What''s going on, she''s punching me with her mixed fist, but there is something off about her divine magic. After the first hit of Amaterasu''s divine magic, there is a second wave that doesn''t feel normal.^ CRACK! Eris kicked him in the ear, smacking him into the wall and at L''s barrier, "Are you this frail weak? I doubt it, what n are you thinking of?" She grabbed him by the head and smacked him on the other wall, charging another fist and smacked him in the guts. L watched the seemingly one-sided fight with a worried face, Eris was wasting a lot of divine magic in her punches, she wasn''t as efficient as other pdins, but instead relied on her durability to push divine magic forward. What Eris doesn''t know is that the barrier L made is constructed with Gracie''s divine magic, meaning Amaterasu''s magic can''t pass through it. She isn''t receiving divine magic, and her supplies are running dry. This wasn''t a problem that L knew about or even considered as she never needed to fully drain her divine magic within the barrier, and even if she did, she could get Gracie''s divine magic. With each punch thrown, the abomination had noticed that Eris''s overall divine mana supply was running out quickly, so he decided to save his energy and wait, taking hits and holding in a war of attrition. When she tires out, he''ll strike back at full force, and the fight shall be over. ^Come on! Monster pugilist of the new Era, show me what you can achieve.^ And then it happened, Eris''s punchnded devoid of divine magic, and the abomination knew it was time. He lunged forward, cutting her arm off, and sliced her throat and stomach with his ws before flying straight to L. "It''s over! I win!" Eris had run out of divine magic and she couldn''t keep the abomination pinned anymore. L could fight him, but that would require her to drop the barrier, which would only result in the students getting massacred. L grunted as if her time stopped, she tried to call upon power from her goddess Gracie, anything that could help flip this situation around, but she was only met with a rejection. A strange urrence that never happened before, which only meant this was the fated end of both of them. With the abomination smile, he swung his w at L but could see it from the corner of his eyes, an ugly and bloodied gremlin sitting on the window frame, gnawing on his nails with a crazed smirk. "Murder!" Pin growled. Eris''s hand appeared beside the abomination''s neck, she managed to catch up to him at this speed. She grabbed him by the neck, crushed his throat into his spine, and violently pulled him back with a divine spark. He gasped, unable to think properly¡­ ^What did happen, she was out of divine magic. I drop my resistance to it in exchange for more power¡­ She shouldn''t have anymore, where is she getting it¡­^ He smacked to the ground, and before he could regenerate, Eris ripped his cor bones out. L stared in shock with a gaping mouth as Pin giggled in the window frame, "That''s it mydy, murder, murder this innocent bastard. His crime was the worst, fighting for survival. Rip him to shred, bone by bone while he''s alive, this shall be a magnificent deed!" The abomination swung his fist at Eris''s face, but she ripped it off with a bite. His magic started taking a nose dive and his body felt heavier and became sluggish. ^It''s that other divine magic that was seeping after her attack, it''s nowing in full force, and it''s strange.^ L did notice that Eris ran out of divine magic, but now she wasn''t sure of that as she seemed to still have more in her. Albeit she wasn''t sure where that divine magic wasing from, or what that gremlin at the side was. ^I can''t resist, I can''t identify which god this divine magices from, so I can''t counter it. It''s eating out at my power, at this rate, I''ll end up killed.^ The abomination tried to roar, but his throat had already been ripped apart. He tried to stand, but Eris plunged her foot through his stomach and crushed his spine. "That''s it! That''s it, mistress! Pin had never seen something more beautiful than this, the crimson red blood dripping, what a magnificent priceless sight, I know I was right." He yelled, scratching his cheeks with his ws, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Even if everyone forgot, Pin never forgot thedy''s grace, I kept praying and praying each day that you''ll regain your inheritance, and so you did, and even better!" The abomination''s alien anatomy didn''t matter, Eris ripped him bone by bone and organ by organ without him being able to resist, the hallway got painted red as she hung his guts on the walls and crucified his corpse on the wall, staring at it with a happy face for a few seconds. It was only then that L noticed something strange; Eris''s divine magic was full, even though no divine magic got past her barrier. Pin had already disappeared into a puddle of blood and Eris fell asleep. Far away inside Sena''s white room, a pale-skinned woman with red eyes grabbed Cain by the neck, choking him. "You old geezer! Where is it, I didn''t get it." "I said stop it!" Tiamat tried to pull her away. "Let him be!" Sena shouted at her. "Akame, let me breathe¡­I can exin." Cain waved his hand at her with a nervous and scared face. "You don''t need to breathe! Where is the portfolio? If I didn''t get it and you don''t have it anymore, it has to be with someone." Akame, the goddess of undeath, vampires, and undead growled. "I followed my rules, I swear. She had she had a stronger worshiper than you." He waved his hands, "Albeit only one¡­" "What do you mean by that? Do you know how dangerous that portfolio is?" Akame was about to punch him. "I swear. He was¡­no I mean she now, that little devil changed after his master changed. But, anyway¡­she was franticly insane, her belief and devotion surpassed anyone in your cults, and you had no one to match her. And since the one in question already had a connection to the portfolio, she beat you into it." Cain stared at her fist, scared. Akame sighed and socked him in the nose. "Do you think I''m stupid? Those two reasons can''t be the only ones, tell me or I''ll make sure your life ends here." "Wait! You''ll really kill him!" Sena and Tiamat screamed. "I know it has to be rted to him. Wasn''t it?" Akame red at Cain. "Well¡­yeah. She went on a little rampage when the selection process started, but that was while Arad was with her." Cain sighed. Akame dropped him, "And¡­" "He epted her, and I can''t overwrite him." "Should''ve said that from the start. Fine, it''ll be a while before she fully awakens if she doesn''t have your backing; we have time to think of a solution." Akame scratched her head. "Sowy¡­" Cain looked at her with a sad face. Akame growled, "You¡­" She sighed, "No, it''s my fault,e, let''s go home." She carried him. "I''ll tend to him for now," Chapter 807 The Mother of All Demons

Chapter 807 The Mother of All Demons

"This is¡­" The abomination in the abyss growled, helplessly looking forward as Merida slowly walked toward him. His body has been eaten away by the crimson rot, and his bones have started crumbling. The parasitic fungi consumed his energy from the inside out and sent it back to Merida through the mycelium covering the ground. "I get it, the reason I wasn''t able to do this while fighting Arad." She said, lifting her sword, "The main strength of my fungus is absorbing energy from the target to feed me. I get more energy to regenerate the stronger the enemy that I fight, which allows me to fight for longer. It''s strange, isn''t it?" Her body started floating, but upon closer inspection, she was getting lifted up by a thin thread of fungus. "What if I used that harvested energy to supplement myself instead of healing?" Her sword sparked with crimson rot as she flew at the abomination. [de Dance: Rotten Spore Wind] The abomination jumped away, "Damn it!" ^This monster could as well stand as the demon lord herself and rule ayer of the abyss. What was such a being doing in a human building full of fledglings? What in the hell are you doing, overgod Cain, such monsters should be eliminated from the mortal world.^ Even though he hated nothing more than the overgod ruling over the world, he had expected him to have moremon sense and eliminate such threats. Thousands of demons started crawling around the arena that Merida made, they hade from theyers above and below, horrid creatures unknown to most mortals, the horrors of the abyss. They were the stuff of nightmaresrge bull with six arms that stood on two legs and roared mes, a whole swarm of giant spiders with human heads, massive grey worms several kilometers long with maws big enough to swallow a whole city, and even a mass of flesh and guts crawled between them, merely looking at them was enough to make a human puke. The demons started drumming on their chests and the ground, chanting in an ancient forgotten tongue, their voices rumbling across the arena and reverberating in the abomination''s chest. He understood their words and so did Merida. "Kill the invader! Rip the invader! Dance of demons, blood shall be spilled on this day; it''s the will of the abyss!" They chanted over and over, the hatred for abominations was deeply rooted in every ne, and demons were especially known to hold a grudge. "Our mother ising! Make way! Today invader blood shall be spilled!" Merida stopped swinging her sword just as she was about to finish the abomination, the fungus inside her warned her. "The pale night, the mother of all demons ising." She mumbled, standing still as the abomination''s body slowly regenerated, she had drained too much of his energy. Blood started gushing out of the ground like gazers, and a massive mass of flesh burst out, a titanic horrid, and twisted womb spewing demons out like it was nothing. She covered the whole arena and Merida jumped away, dragging the abomination with her. Above the womb stood a pale woman that looked in her mid-forties wearing a white dress and a veil. She stretched, her clothes doing miracles holding the two massive bags in front of her. Her glowing eyes quickly nced at Merida and she took a step forward, disappearing from above the womb and appearing right ahead of her. "What do we have here, a human girl no, Merida, Arad Orion''s wife." She smiled. "You know me?" Merida replied with a stern face. She could tell that this woman wasn''t any demon, she''s their mother who taught them to be demons, if anything in the abyss shouldn''t be fought it''s her. "Of course, I know the woman who raised a new demon lord and now is using her power." The mother of all demons smiled, his eyes turning toward the abomination. "Worry not, Merida. I did note to steal your fertilizer; I came to make sure he won''t escape." "Did you say Arad Orion? That¡­" The abomination cried, but the mother of all demons shoved her foot into his mouth. "Now, plug that hole of yours. Be a good invader and die in silence." "That reaction was strange." "Of course it is." The mother of all demons smiled, "Void dragons like Arad are the cosmic police, their main job is to hunt and kill abominations before they spread and destroy the world. The world you live in is one of their many breeding grounds; it''s like a cradle of sorts." She waved her hand and two stone chairs appeared, "Take a seat; we have a lot to talk about." "What is this thing?" Merida stared at the struggling abomination. "They are like viruses if the world was a cell. They invade and change it to be their breeding ground, and then destroy it and spread to other worlds." The mother of all demons exined and waved her hand, creating a hologram of the world. "Earth, the world you live in is but one of many, but I agree it''s the most important one of all. It''s the main mortal world. The overgod split into many pieces so it won''t all get infected at once if things went south." She then conjured an image of Arad fighting the abomination in the caves with Betty and Tempo. "The world is a cradle for void dragons. A safe ce toy their eggs and give them enough time and food to grow in peace, But the king of all abominations Nyar had devised onest n after he lost the war five thousand years in the past." She changed the image into that of a meteor. "Dracorage Mythic, this is a spell of twoyers. It remained dormant for thousands of years gathering power and has just begun to move, the energy it releases is supposed to hinder the void dragons reproduction cycle in the mortal world, and finally send the dragon into a mad rage when it hits." She smiled, "We can''t stop it the only one that should be able to is the overgod." "Then why didn''t he stop it yet." "That, I can''t say." The mother of all demons smiled, resting her head on her hand and gently looking at the distance. ^I probably shouldn''t tell her that he can''t now. He spent all of his energy and life force to rebuild the whole world after the war destroyed it. He is the sole reason that people are living in rtive peace.^ "But¡­" She looked at Merida with a curious smile. "I''m more interested in your husband, Arad Orion. It''s rare to find someone like him, or should I say there was none like him in the past five thousand years." "Hands off, he''s our husband." Merida stared at the womb covering the arena. "I''m not letting someone like you near him." "I''m not going to force my way in, that isn''t how I do things." She giggled, "It''s enough that you''re with him for now. Shall I give you some advice? One from me as the mother of all demons." "I doubt that could be anything good." Merida growled. "Dedicate your life to grow stronger beside Arad Orion, don''t bother with children now, you can''t have any before you fully turn into a demon. The fastest way to grow stronger is to feed on Arad but you can also kill and use monster corpses as fertilizer for the fungus, pick whatever you like." The mother of all demons stood, "I''ll make this clear, you''ll never find someone like Arad, grab onto him with your teeth and nails. Don''t lose him," She kicked the abomination away and it died, "You''ve already eaten most of his power. Use the rest." She flew away, "We shall meet again." "What''s her problem?" Merida growled. "She''s the demons'' mother." Fungus replied, "She''s one of the strongest and oldest demons in the abyss, but she rarely fights. If I were to rank them, the demon''s God yer Kayden would be the strongest, followed by the goddess of destruction and orphans Kali, andstly the mother of all demons." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I feel like I''ve heard Kayden''s name before." Merida mumbled. "It''s amon demon name, many use it. But I have to mention that strongly enough, the strongest demons don''t act like you''d expect demons to be. God yer Kayden spends most of his time training dogs and ying with his puppies while helping Kali in her mission to give all orphans a better life, in fact, Kali herself was adopted by him after getting orphaned. The mother of all demons is also just a sweet mother that cares about her children, no matter how ugly or deformed they came out to be for they are demons." Merida separated from Fungus, "I''ll head back now. They might need help killing another one of these things," She pointed to where the abomination was; he had disintegrated by that time. "I''m always happy to help. But I can''t enter the mortal world; you''ll have to bring the abomination here again." She waved her hand and opened a portal, "Stay well." The fight of Arad, Betty, and Tempo against the abomination main body has reached a critical point, he was far stronger than the clones to the point it wasn''t even funny. Chapter 808 Beneath A Halfling Chapter 808 Beneath A Halfling ??Arad swung his fist with all of his might, and the abomination caught it. "Such an impressive raw power, but that''s all you have." He swung a fist at Arad''s face. [sh Burn] Tempo jumped in with a swing and shed the abomination''s fist. Betty came in after in a sh thrusting her light sword at the abomination''s chest. "Damn it!" She growled, seeing that the abomination''s skin had turned ck, so dark that looking at him hurt her head. "Perfect ck is a color so ck it absorbs all light and disperses it. You can never harm me with your light attacks." He twisted his body and threw a kick at Tempo. Arad kicked the abomination''s foot and grabbed him by the neck, "I''m the one you''re fighting." He swung his head at the abomination, sending him flying with a powerful headbutt. ^Betty is the fastest one here and Tempo is more skilled with a de than I am. I have more strength, but since I can''t use any powerful magic as I''m still tuning my void to heal Zul, I''m holding them back.^ Arad rushed after the abomination, hoping his clone could return to him soon. Bettynded far, swinging her palms in the air. Her body started floating and a long staff with a clear crystal on top appeared out of a sh. Specs of light danced around her as the staff began orbiting her. After being a sorceress with a light dragon bloodline, she has studied magic. Betty didn''t reach her spot as the chairman with just her innate power; she was a wizard who taught Merlin, and when talking about spells, she never ran dry. ^What is this?^ Arad froze in ce and nced at Betty as he sensed the overwhelming magic rushing out of her body, it was like nothing he had felt before. A flood of pure mana all dancing in rhythm, the feeling he got from her was that of a danger that he never expected to sense from someone as small as her. Not even Kinryuu had felt like her. "Now you''re a pain in the butt." The abomination growled, staring at her with an eye of disdain. "You''re on the same level as the mages of the old war, to think someone like you existed in this age of peace. What kind of battle were you hoarding that power for?" "Nothing¡­ I was just looking for a way to grow taller that isn''t painful." She swung her palm down, [Temporal Crack] The abomination''s body cracked alongside the space around him, but he suddenly disappeared,nding on the wall above her. "I''m quite resistant to time magic." Her eyes turned toward him. [DIE] With a single word, his body turned into dust as everything behind him melted away. Arad and Tempo could feel their souls quake at the word, but even this wasn''t enough to kill the abomination. He formed back out of nothing and giggled, "Even word magic, where did you learn so many spells?" "I thought your kind has a hatred for us halflings." She smiled as her nails sparked with arcing magic. "Don''t you remember why?" The abomination''s face twisted, "Yeah, it wasn''t the cause of that crazed bitch. It was since, you¡­your cursed kind is the only mortal race we failed to understand." He clenched his fist, "Why! Why don''t you have ambitions, why don''t you care about your deeds? It''s disgusting to see the bastards who massacred my kind hailed as the least advanced race." Golden chains wrapped Arad and Tempo, pulling them away from the abomination. "Even I was baffled to see that my father spends his days smoking a pipe in our backyard, eating cheese, and drinking wine¡­" She smiled, "Even though, he was far stronger than what I achieved even after centuries. Several years ago, Betty returned to her birthce to visit her family, she was excited to show her parents how powerful she was. Only to be pped with the harsh reality, that her father had already mastered all the powers she hoped to show him even before she was born. It didn''t matter how strong she got, or how many rare spells she learned, she was still the same little girl he carried to mother for help. Halflings never boast. They never show power unless they need to, and they don''t care to advance or strengthen their country. Even to this day, the Halflings kingdom is still onlyposed of several small viges dotted around theirnd, living off thend farming and raising cattle. When a halflings is born, they don''t need to think about anything, no education, no work, and no goal in life. If they needed food, the farms of their families were bountiful, if they wanted housing, they could just build a house wherever they wanted as they don''t have any regtion about that. With all that time and ease of mind, halflings usually wander theirnd seeking adventure and amusement, for nothing more than the fun of it. It was what led Betty''s grandfather to marry luminous, and the same path her father followed. One day, she as well would be thezy halfling rxing on a chair in her back garden, doing nothing but eating cheese andughing. No one would remember her, or know she can raise hell if needed. Betty put her hands together, "Let me remind you, what halflings are." [Double Expansion: Circus of Magic and Brilliance] ^What''s this?^ Arad gasped, ^A torrent of magic is sucking me, I can''t break free.^ ^[Don''t even bother, she is trying to push you away from the effect of her expansion. You won''t beat her magic control inside her own expansion.]^ Arad and Tempo woke up sitting on the stands of a circus almost as big as the university itself, they looked at the stage where the abomination stood surprised. Tens of Betty clones dressing as jesters surrounded the abomination, giggling andughing as magic gushed from their hair and nails. A massive disco ball appeared in the sky with the real Betty sitting inside staring down at everyone. "Wee to my show. The first trick is a storm of ninth-tier magic." Arad started sweating, ^She''s sitting in a ss ball, no, that is a prismatic barrier of nineyers. As eachyer has its own resistance, it''s almost impossible to reach her. Ninth-tier magic is the strongest magic that exists, what kind of storm is she about to pull?^ The disco ball started spinning and beams of multi-colored light shed everywhere, each color carried a different element,sers of pure elemental energy carried through light magic. Red was heat, white was cold, blue was lightning, and so on. The abomination had nowhere to escape, but that wasn''t all. Betty''s jester clones lifted their hands, and the show finally started. [Meteor Fall] A meteor started falling from the sky. [Time Stop] Time stopped for everyone except Betty, her Jesters and spells. [Reality Break] The fabric of space-time around the abomination cracked, making it hard to cast time or space magic, making escape near impossible. He can''t make time move again, nor teleport away. [DIE] She was ordering him directly to die using Word magic. [Pir of Dawn] A pir of divine magic fell from the sky, a divine smite sent directly from the magic goddess herself as a ninth-tier spell right at the abomination''s head. [Summon Devil Lord] The devil lord of the fourthyer of hell got pulled out right from the arms of a subus, straight into battle under Betty''s control to do her bidding, and he swung a w at the abomination. "To get summoned when it was just getting fun! Fuck you abomination!" He shouted. [Final sh] One of the jesters shot a beam of concentrated light from her hands, screaming her lungs away. [de of Chaos] A jet-ck sword of pure chaos emerged out of nowhere and flew directly at the abomination''s neck. [Divine Imprisonment] The same golden chains that pulled Arad and Tempo away chained the abomination in ce and started draining his magic. [Weird Dream] A st of psychic magic rushed from one of the jesters toward the abomination, it could drive any living creature into insanity.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "What in the timbers!" tail screamed in the back and this when Arad and Tempo remembered that he and Filo were still there with the other beavers. Betty is trying to st the abomination while still protecting them using almost half of her jesters to conjure severalyers of prismatic barrier around them. A blinding sh engulfed the circus as everything hit the abomination at once and Arad gasped. ^To cast a double expansion and use several ninth-tier spells at once¡­Where was she hiding all of that mana and magic skills? And was that a devil lord that popped out of nowhere?^ He didn''t miss the devil even if it was for a fraction of a second. Betty stared down at the raging chaos she created, a smirk on her face as her elongated nails dripped mana and faint crystal scales spread across her cheek and arms. "Do you remember now? Why do you hate us halflings? Stay put down and be shorter than me for all eternity." She only sat inside the disco ball since it was higher than everyone and she could look down on them. Chapter 809 Swinging The Sun Chapter 809 Swinging The Sun ??As the ashes faded away, nothing was left on the circus''s stage only fire and brimstone. The sheer heat and magic gushing out made the beavers pass out and even Arad and Tempo could feel it, how much power Betty backed into that massivebo. "Not yet!" The devil lord that Betty summoned shouted, "This fucker is an abomination! The fight is never over with them!" He clenched a fist and then extended his w, fire sparking out of his wings as he started unleashing each remaining drop of his curse. "Betty! We can''t hold back against this thing, I''m going all out!" The devil''s magic expanded into a burning aura as he swung his arm, conjuring a massive seal of fire and skulls around where the abomination was. A tiny blood droplet floated in the air, and from it, veins expanded out in the blink of an eye. A skeleton formed, one that albeit taking a general humanoid shape, had tens more joins and far denser bones. Seven brains and nine hearts emerged inside the skeleton before the organs filled in and then everything got covered with flesh. One glowing red eye red at Arad before the body fully healed, the abominable monster regenerated out of nothing in the blink of an eye, his regeneration was off the chart. Arad expanded his wings, shifted into his half-dragon form, and flew to help the devil lord. "The one who beat Alony? I''m counting on your help!" The devil smiled, conjuring a massive morning star. "Don''t forget about me!" Tempo flew in and cleaved the abomination''s neck off, burning the head and upper chest into ash. He then turned around, [Eruption]. With an upward sh, he cut the abomination from the groin up and his de released an explosion akin to a volcano erupting, sting the monster into burning ash. The abomination''s left arm survived the st and got flung into the sky, spinning from the sheer impact of Tempo''s attack. The abomination regenerated from it and swung a fist at Betty''s barrier while still spinning. ZON! Arad appeared between Betty and the abomination swung a fist and blocked the abomination''s punch with one of his own. Their arms exploded and the abomination giggled, "We''re equal in strength, but I''ll win in regeneration." Arad''s bone immediately grew back toward the abomination''s face and caught him before the flesh could even regenerate. He used gravity magic to move the bones before the muscles could regenerate, allowing him to act a bit faster than the abomination that had faster regeneration. "Gra¡­" As the abomination was about to speak, Arad punched him in the guts with a fist engulfed in darkness. Arad was going from blunt damage using the void''s shockwave that releases when it absorbs matter, if the flesh is bruised and not destroyed that might make the regeneration harder. Usually, crushing damage is harder to regenerate than even lost flesh due to needing to remove the damaged flesh before healing. This isn''t needed with cuts. "¡­vity." The abomination finished the word with a growl as his internal organs got crushed. But even with that, he still swung his fist at Arad''s face. He already noticed that Arad protected his head and spine, those are his weaknesses. Arad opened his mouth and bit the abomination''s fist off. The iron jaws of a dragon are a weapon of destruction and violence, trying to punch them in the face is only asking to get chewed off. The devil''s morning star wrapped around the abomination''s body and pulled him to the ground. The abomination spun and swung a kick toward the chain of the morning star, but his mouth was left open as he saw Tempo running on the chair toward him. "To the titan''s glory!" [Rising Burst] Tempo sliced the abomination from the leg up to the skull, exploding him in a burst ofva. "Betty! Yourbo didn''t work." Arad looked at her. "I know. Ifpletely erasing his body wasn''t enough to kill him, we have to attack his soul directly." She growled, "It''ll take me a while to prepare such a spell." The memories of hisst fight with the dream walkers shed in his mind, "Abominations don''t have a soul!" He and the devil shouted at the same time. "Wait, what? They do?" Betty gasped, their knowledge conflicted. She was certain the abomination had a soul, but now with two people telling her otherwise, especially since one of them is a devil that lived since the old gods'' war, she can''t help but rethink her n. ^Do I waste mana on keeping the expansion up? Do I cancel it and create a powerful soul destruction spell, no, that would be suicide if they didn''t have a soul. Is it better to seal him back in, forming a massive sealing spell might be a better bet if nothing but to give them time to think.^ Betty''s mind raced in the fraction of a second that the abomination needed to regenerate from Tempo''s attack. "Normal sealing magic won''t work! I couldn''t even bind him to the nine hells!" The devil flew up and breathed a st of acid at the abomination''s regeneration bits. Arad flew in through the acid and punched the abomination in the face the moment he finished regeneration and sent him flying to the ground. The abominationnded on his feet, and Arad pulled the adamantine sword and swung it down, engulfed in mes. He aimed for the abomination''s neck but missed and slicked him down the shoulder. "Those moves?!" Tempo gasped, seeing as Arad shifted his stance. "Void Eruption" With an upward swing, Arad released the energy he harnessed from crushing matter in the same manner that Tempo did with his magic, sting the abomination in a beam of pure white energy. He then quickly stored the sword back into his stomach. "My sword skills?!" Tempo shouted and Arad roared, a chain of sma emerged from his palm with a [Ho-white Nova] dangling at the end; he started spinning it while releasing waves of gravity magic that forced Tempo and the devil to back away. Even though Doma was helping Arad a bit with maintaining such magic as he was already focusing on curing Zul, the fact he pulled something like this made Betty start sweating. "HOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Arad roared, swinging the [Ho-white Nova] at the abomination, this was abination of his spell, Eris''s chains, and what he had just witnessed from the devil lord. The abomination saw the [Ho-white Nova] flying toward him with a chain and he couldn''t believe his eyes. "The sun?" He tried to dodge, but Arad''s gravity magic was pulling him and the spell together, he couldn''t dodge it. The nova burned the abomination into ash and reduced him to nothing more than energy from the sheer heat. It exploded in a brilliant blinding burst of light as the sma chain crackled with lightning, and Arad pulled it back to him. "Those were my Morningstar moves!" The devil growled, "Is this how Alony lost? How fucking fast is this bastard at learning?" He red at Betty, "Did you raise a damn monster?" "It wasn''t me! I just met him a few days ago!" Betty cried. CRACKLE! Arad held the chain and started spinning both ends, in each of them a new [Ho-white Nova] appeared. ^This bastard thinks he''s a monster¡­let''s see about that. As long as matter exists in my reach, I''ll keep conjuring Novas and smash his head in. My wives are on the surface, I can''t let this thing out no matter what.^ "Two at once?!" Tempo lifted his sword, "He can fight like that? I knew he killed d and destroyed the secondyer of hell, but isn''t this too much power?" He stared at Betty. "I don''t know, don''t ask me!" She stared at Arad unable to believe her eyes, he was running out of mana, but immediately sucked back what he used. Mana recycling, she can do it, but not to his extent, simply as she doesn''t have the body nor constitution of a dragon. The abomination started regenerating from thest hit and he red at Arad with a single eye, burning with rage. "I see, you''re the biggest problem here. Just what are you? I don''t remember a void dragon swinging a white nova like that¡­ that is Kussuth''s move, the goddess of fire." He realized that Arad was swinging two, not one. "What are you doing?" "I''m nothing more than a husband and a future dad. Your existence endangers my family, I have to protect them. Eliminating any possible threat is my job and duty." Arad stared at the abomination with a passive face and remembered Yuwaku, Serin, and Ignis, his wives above the ground, Mira is pregnant and is now drinking potions, and they hurt her stomach.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om One of his wives is suffering now, so he can fight. He can''t let this continue. "That''s it; I''m nothing more than a dad doing his best so his wives and children live a calm, peaceful, and fruitful life. You don''t exist in that ideal future of them, so you shall die by my ws." Arad started to realize his reason to fight wasn''t that different from Lydia''s first oath, it was to protect. "AH!" The abomination gasped, "I remembered my name¡­ I''m Vorvadoss." He said with a mischievous smile, his tongue dangling out as green me burned out of his shoulders. Chapter 810 The Ancient Monster Chapter 810 The Ancient Monster ??"Vorvadoss? What''s that?" Arad swung the sma chains and flung the two [Ho-white Nova] at Vorvadoss''s face. Vorvadoss teleported away from the [Ho-white Nova]s and shifted his palm into a bone sword, swinging it down at Arad''s head. Arad lifted his arm and blocked the attack, "Teleportation?" Vorvadoss lifted his foot, throwing a kick at Arad''s stomach. But Arad also opened his jaw, spitting a third [Ho-white Nova] at Vorvadoss''s chest. "Did he say Vorvadoss?" The devil''s face paled, even though he was red. "This is bad! Call back to base! Call back to base! Ignore all protocols, a call to help to Asmodeus, Vorvadoss is back, I''m facing that bastard!" "Hoi! What are you trying to summon? That''ll break our contract and you''ll die." Betty yelled at him. "My death is worth it! We can''t let that thing escape; I''m calling the devil lord of the nine hells." He stared at Vorvadoss, "You just don''t know what kind of monster that thing is. It''s not something for us to fight." Vorvadoss swung his fist at Arad''s face, punching him so hard he took off one of his teeth. Arad clenched a fist and returned the hit, ripping the abomination''s jaw off with a shockwave. "It''s honestly hard to believe Arad is standing his ground to that thing, but I suspect he''s grown weaker from being sealed for thousands of years. I almost didn''t recognize him; he used to be a ten-meter-tall giant." The devil clenched his fist, "When he first appeared, he faced the overgod and then got vited by Tiamat, the goddess of the chromatic dragons. She burned him with a whole continent." "Ten meters tall? So judging by the side he''s far weaker, a tenth of his power, no, probably more like a fifth. Just like how humans lose muscle mass and get weaker when staying in aa for a long time, he got weaker as well." Betty clenched a fist, "We''ll help Arad keep him pinned until the armies of helle dragon him away. He''s a sinner, hell won''t let him escape." "Got it, but how much do we have?" Tempo took a deep breath with veins emerging on his forehead as he watched Arad exchange hits with Vorvadoss. But then, the devil''s face changed, "Why!" He cried... "Send troops!" [Little boy Yorin, don''t panic] Asmodeus''s voice boomed across their heads. Betty and Tempo gasped as it was the first time they heard her. [Both us and both Tiamat are watching the fight with intrigue. Our help isn''t needed, as the man sitting behind you.] The booming voice faded, and everyone slowly turned back. tail opened his eyes, holding his throbbing head. "What in the timbers did happen?" He looked forward, seeing everyone staring at him, no they were looking behind him. tail slowly looked back with a worried face, and he quickly screamed his lungs out as he spotted six glowing red eyes in the darkness. Their blood dried and they could feel a jolt strike down their bodies, every bone and muscle told them not to move. The darkness gushing from the shadows became clear in the blink of an eye, a beautiful man with a thin beard and long hair tied into a ponytail sat on the ground, looking forward with a passive face. In his left palm, he held a slightly unsheathed de, ready to stand and strike. "A wild dog infiltrated my friend''s garden. Nature is durable, but if it doesn''t eliminate the threat, I would sadly have to act." An absolute demon, Kayden the god yer stared at Vorvadoss and Arad fight. Vorvadoss lifted his hand as he blocked one of Arad''s [Ho-white Nova]. He immediately started teleporting around Arad and threw punches, all of which Arad blocked with the chains and his arms. "You''re one annoying bastard." Vorvadoss growled, "I know I''m far weaker, but for you to be casually deflecting my attacks. Who taught you how to fight?" [Void Step] Arad started teleporting everywhere just like Vorvadoss. He quickly freed his left hand and swung it at Vorvadoss. SLAP! Vorvadoss recoiled back from the p and could see that Arad''s moves had changed. "Close range now?" He flew back, "Try to hit me now!" Arad''s stance changed again, shifting from Da to someone else, he pulled Ae''s steel bow and took a deep breath, firing an arrow with a [Ho-white Nova] Attacked to the tip. Vorvadoss dodged the arrow with ease, but Arad teleported above him in an instant and threw a drop kick. Vorvadoss blocked the kick and spun in ce, his legs crackling as he sent a kick at Arad''s shoulder. Upon impact, Arad''s shoulder upper torso spun and he got ripped in half at the waist from the sheer force. The abomination''s strength was rising. Arad''s body immediately healed, and hended behind the abomination, his legs cracking as his eyes glowed purple. Vorvadoss gasped as Arad kicked him in the shoulder and ripped him at the waist in the same way. "My kick! When did you learn it¡­" He coughed blood as he regenerated, but Arad immediately punched him to the ground. Vorvadoss teleported away and breathed a gust of green mes, which Arad dodged by teleporting to the cavern walls. The muscles on his legs expanded as he tried to force more of his draconic power into his humanoid half-dragon body, he can''t fully transform as that would only make him a bigger and easier target, and it''s not worth it. Arad jumped toward Vorvadoss, shattering the walls. Tempo and the devil did the same thing, rushing the abomination to keep him in ce. Betty on the other hand released her expansion to charge a sealing spell. That seems to be the only path to victory. [$%"¡ê$"¡ê$%^^&] Vorvadoss lifted his hand, ring at them with a smirk. In the blink of an eye, everyone found themselves standing on a silvernd extending to the horizon with no end in sight. Tempo fell on his knees before everyone, his skin turning red and his veins bulged out as he was forced back into his true Titan form. But even with that, his conciseness started rapidly fading as he could feel his heart failing to beat. Loud gargles echoed in his ears and his muscles started twitching, something was really off about this ce. ^GAH!^ The devil tried to pant, but there was no air around, his skin started falling apart but he still stood first, for a creature used to the hellish scape of the nine hells, this environment was still painful but not enough to keep him down. Betty had immediately protected herself and the tail who had been pulled with them with a barrier, but even that didn''t seem to besting for long. ^Wee to the outer void, we''re outside your world and existence. This is where we abominationse from.^ Vorvadoss walked toward them with a smile, ^No creature of the inner world can survive here.^ His words boomed into their heads. With his victory looming in the distance, Vorvadoss stared at them with an evil grin, but that didn''tst long as he saw Arad walking toward him unharmed and with a clenched fist. ^You can move?^ Arad punched Vorvadoss again, ^I''m a void dragon you fool.^ ^No, even void dragons shouldn''t survive here, this isn''t the world''s void. It''s the outer void.^ Betty stared at her hands, realizing that they couldn''t stay here for long. To solve that, she shifted all of her focus into an old spell, [Homeward], and created a grape-sized red gem of pure magic. With all of her remaining magic condensed into the gem, shattering it would teleport them everyone back into the cavern, but the one who broke the crystal would remain. It could also be changed to teleport the one who breaks it and leaves everyone else; it''s all in the hands of whoever holds it. ^Now, it''s your end.^ She red at Vorvadoss, hoping he would attack her and teleport them back which would leave him alone.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Vorvadoss smiled and flew at her, conjuring a de of green mes and swinging it at her head. ZON! Arad teleported between her and him, catching the de with his hands, ^You aren''t killing her.^ He didn''t know of Betty''s n. ^Fool,^ The de turned ck and flew righting between Arad''s hands, shing him clean in half from head to groin. ^Soul splitting de. It cuts the soul and body in half and separates them, this can even kill the gods, and you aren''t regenerating from it.^ Arad fell on the ground, bleeding without moving an inch; his soul had started disintegrating after being cut in half. Doma scrambled to stitch it together, but doing that was too much work and it disintegrated faster than she could fix, a losing battle. Betty swung the crystal at Vorvadoss to break it, but he kicked her in the face and sent her flying. ^It''s your loss. This dragon Arad is dead, and soon all of you will. A young titan with mortal powers, a devil of the thirdyer, one of the weakest and you are a mere wizard. To the upper echelon of the world, you''re nothing but mere bugs crawling on the ground.^ Tens of Vorvadoss clones appeared and surrounded everyone. ^This is where your fate ends.^ Vorvadoss lifted his arms as hundreds of meteors appeared in the sky falling while engulfed in bright green mes. Chapter 811 Pump Your Wood! Chapter 811 Pump Your Wood! ??A pitch-ck room existed in the middle of nowhere, Shi sat on the ground, staring forward with a ghastly pale stare on her face. Chains dangled above her head as a fragile-looking crystal ball behind her cracked, shattering into two halves. She stood and kept looking forward and from the darkness, a white door opened, Arad walked inside with his eyes closed and a dying face. It was the end; his soul was disintegrating and no longer able to keep his bodies alive. Even his clone had fallen down, unable to move. Shi approached him and lifted her palms, staring at a droplet of blood floating there. It was a short life for Arad, born and dead within a year, unable to see anything of the world. There was no need for words as neither of them could speak. With Arad''s death, all the souls he ate were dying with him, including Shi herself, but she didn''t seem upset about it. For a barbarian like her and someone who lived inside Arad''s soul for a while, she had learned one thing about him, a thing that probably none had noticed. Tarrasque had fought for survival, she was thest one of her kind, and so her blood and flesh refused death, as her end would spell doom for her entire lineage. That''s why her blood kept moving even after being separated, the cells that should be dying kept seeking survival. As blood gushed out of Arad''s corpse, the senses on his dead clone in the mortal world could still sense it, the mana and blood pumping inside Mira''s stomach, the child growing there was still alive. Mira looked to the side as she felt a hand touch her stomach, and she saw a little girl with pink hair touching her. ^Don''t cry, little one. Your daddy would protect you.^ A fist crashed into Vorvadoss''s face and sent him flying. He barely stopped and looked forward with a scared face, seeing Arad''s corpse, his two halves held together by gravity magic standing with a dead face. ^The corpse moved?^ He gasped, ^There is no soul inside you, and your heart isn''t beating. You''re dead so remain a corpse!^ He shouted. Vorvadoss was right, Arad was still dead and that was merely his corpse, moving with one sole reason that was engraved into his whole body and cells, to procreate, he has a soning into the world, and this monster is a threat to that. ^ARAD!^ Betty shouted but quickly realized the same thing Vorvadoss did, that was just Arad''s corpse moving onest time. In the same way that some people could get an erection after death, Arad moved to protect his unborn child. Vorvadoss wiped the blood on his face and smiled, ^Onest move, I see. But it''s meaningless like your whole life. Everyone is going to die anywhere. I''ll go back to the mortal world and modify it for our kind, it''s the end. Your pathetic story ends here, dragon.^ He lifted his arms as the meteors approached the ground with his clones getting ready to kill everyone there. The meteors halted in the sky, engulfed in purple magic. Everyone gasped and Vorvadoss looked at the sky, confused. ^Gravity magic?^ Arad''s corpse moved, grabbing one of Vorvadoss''s clones by the head and ripping the face out. One after another, it elerated and started killing the clones left and right in a rampage. ^How long are you going to keep moving?^ Vorvadoss flew at Arad''s corpse with a swing from his sword, but his attack got dodged as he got punched in the face.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Vorvadoss''s clones weren''t a match for Arad''s corpse as they all died with a single hit, and he kept aiming for the main one. Arad kept fighting until thest drop of blood and drop of energy that his flesh had been consumed. The devil in the back started at Arad''s corpse in horror, and even Betty and Tempo couldn''t believe their eyes. ^This dragon is keeping his body together with gravity magic while holding back the stars and killing everyone hees into contact with, and he''s doing it from the grave.^ The devil growled and clenched his fist. ^Let''s hurry!^ Betty lunged forward with the crystal in her fist. She needs to break it on Vorvadoss to teleport everyone back home. But her n proved hard to execute as keeping a barrier around Tempo''srge body was sucking most of her magic and she couldn''t elerate to the speed of light. Going between the rampaging Arad corpse and Vorvadoss was a death wish. ^Don''t mind me!^ Tempo growled, his skin cracking with streams ofva as it turned ck in color. He jammed his titanic sword into the ground and roared a tempest of smoke, ash, and embers burned out of his throat, heating the whole ce. ^Don''t move!^ Betty shouted in her mind, ^You''re thergest of us! You''ll die before you can blink!^ She jumped between Vorvadoss''s clones and approached him. ^Stilling at me? Halfling!^ Vorvadoss roared but Arad sniped him from several meters away using the severed head of one of the clones. She growled, the impact had sent Vorvadoss flying away from her, which was making her job even harder. But she can''tin to Arad, he''s already dead and his corpse is only moving with the sole reason of killing Vorvadoss. Betty knew it was impossible to kill such a monster, thus had shifted her priorities to teleport everyone back. The crystal had clear rules, and the first was that Vorvadoss was always excluded from the teleport. The second rule is that the one who breaks the gem stays, which is why Betty wants to smack Vorvadoss with it. She''ll be staying with him if she breaks it. As Betty chased Vorvadoss everywhere with the devil and Tempo helping her, they managed to notice that the magic gushing out of Arad''s corpse was only growingrger andrger. Since he died, something had been unleashed inside him. Unknown to them, it was just him not being able to keep focusing on refining his void to cure Zul, which means he now has full ess to his reserves. tail ran through the chaos, crying his eyes out and barely managing to remain alive after his tail got crushed by one of the abominations. A literal titan was jumping above his head and swinging a mountain-sized sword. This wasn''t a weing ce to a small beaver; his eyes stared back and saw Arad ripping hordes of Vorvadoss like they were nothing, his arms flew through them like a chainsaw through butter. When Tempo swung his sword at Vorvadoss, the impact sent a shockwave of scorching hot air that flung tail away and burned his fur, ripping his skin off. He was out of ce, in a ce where a monster like Vorvadoss existed, where Arad was fighting alongside a Titan, a devil lord, and a light wizard, a beaver was thest thing that should''ve existed there. DING! DING! A small crystal rolled to tail''s feet drenched in blood. He looked at it with a gaping face and a baffled mind, through the tears running down his eyes, he could see Betty had barely dodged an attack and got shed on the left side. She might''ve survived the hit, but she dropped the gem. tail instinctively picked the gem with his shaking hands, staring at it for a second as chaos exploded around him. ^Break it! Get back home!^ Vorvadoss''s voice boomed across his mind, in this space the abomination where everyone heard each other thoughts, Vorvadoss was the only one capable of shutting them off and directly speaking to one. He''s a native to this ce after all. ^That beautiful beaver, Filo was her name? She''s awaiting you down in the mortal world, do you remember her beautiful teeth and t tail? She''s crying, calling your name.^ tail clenched his ws on the gem. ^That''s it, little one. Forget about those long-lived monsters, your life is short, go back and have fun, live your life. What''s the problem, I''ll be stuck here with them for decades, and you''ll never see me or them again.^ ^That fucking beaver! Why isn''t he giving the gem back?^ Betty''s voice echoed in tail''s head, but he had no way of knowing it was Vorvadoss''s tricks. ^I''ll drag him and Filo to hell with me.^ The devil''s voice came. ^What beaver? I don''t see anyone.^ Tempo''s voice came in. ^That beaver Filo, she was nice, I''ll mate her once I get back, I''m sure that idiot tail would love that.^ Arad''s voice was thest one to pierce tail''s mind, and he looked down with a sad and devastated face. Vorvadoss''sughs echoed in his mind, mocking him for even believing in someone who wasn''t a beaver. ^You''re a mockery among them, give up. Live your life, those bastards are better left to rot here, don''t you agree?^ tail clenched his fist on the gem, his eyes ring forward in absolute rage with his teeth grinding. As tears dripped down his cheek, he growled, "Go pump your wood!" He shattered the gem. Everyone''s vision went ck, and Betty opened her eyes inside the cavern with the devil, Tempo, and Arad''s corpse. They fell on the ground, panting for air, but something seemed amiss. Arad''s corpse stopped moving and fell to the ground, and the devil looked everywhere in panic. "What did happen?" He yelled. "That idiot!" Tempo growled, "He sent us back." "It can''t be!" Betty cried. In the outer void, tail stood alone in the middle of the hordes of Vorvadoss''s clones as the meteors Arad was holding began to fall again. He began bleeding from every hole as Betty was gone and her spell disappeared alongside her. Vorvadoss picked him up by the neck, "Such a hideous small beast. Why did you send them back?" He said calmly as veins bulged on his neck and face, showing rage. Chapter 812 Hitting Puberty Chapter 812 Hitting Puberty ??Betty stood and waved her hands, trying to trace Vorvadoss''s magic and locate him and tail, but she couldn''tprehend the multiyered eldritch magic with a normal mind. It required several parallel casts and incantations that can''t beprehended by a mortal brain. DRIP! She stopped, looking back with Tempo and the devil lord as they heard something dripping, only to see Arad''s massive draconic body[The clone''s] on the ground, his head peeking into the cavern through arge hole. He was only a tiny bit away from reaching this ce when he died. The blood drizzled down from his teeth, slowly making its way toward Arad''s corpse beside them due to the cavern''s uneven ground. Kayden was still sitting in ce, looking forward with a passive face as if nothing happened. Inside Arad, he and Shi faced each looking at the blood droplet in her hands as they slowly disintegrated. This was the end, nothing more left to do, and his body had burned through everything he could. TAP! At that moment, a strange man walked into the ck room. A seven-foot-tall hunk of a man with oak-like skin and a jacked body, the gentle smile he had decorated his face alongside his thin beards and coal ck hair, and his honey-like eyes shimmered with light, glowing like gems. "Arad Orion, where do you think we are now?" He said with a smile, pointing with a finger toward the shattered crystal in the middle of the room. "What is that thing? If we''re inside your soul, then what could that be?" Arad and Shi looked back, and the man walked past them, picked up the crystal, and put the two halves together. "This room, this nothing, the empty void is your soul. Nothing is you, and you''re nothing. You''ve never been, never were, and never will. Always been, and always will." He approached Shi and handed her the crystal. "Be a good woman and keep those pressed together. It''s Arad''s human soul, His wife Doma is doing her best to stitch it together, and she only needs time." His gaze shifted to Arad. "Dad of the day, it must''ve been hard, fighting an unfair fight against that monster." He smiled and clenched a fist. "But don''t worry; you died protecting that woman Betty. She should''ve noticed the attack, but what could we do, things happen in life and it''s our job to deal with them and make things right." He smacked his chest, "Do you hear it? My heart is still beating, after thousands of years. What''s up with yours? I can''t hear it," He punched Arad in the chest, "Come with me." He gently grabbed him by the shoulder and walked him out of the room. Shi gazed at them, but the man pointed at the middle of the room. "As I said, be a good woman and keep Arad''s human soul pressed together. I''ll take care of him." As the two walked out, they found themselves standing in pure darkness, and an endless void filled with nothing. "This is your inner world, your soul. The ce we were in earlier is the safe room, where you keep the important things. That is why your human soul was there, that is why Shi is there. Only important things stay there, based on you of course." Arad didn''t show any sign of response, he looked to be in a trance, walking asleep. "Are you Arad the dragon, or Arad the human? No, you''re neither, Arad Orion." The man waved his hand in the darkness with a smile. Outside, Arad''s human body melted into the dragon''s blood, disappearingpletely before everyone''s eyes. Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump... Tempo looked back, hearing a faint heartbeat sounding from Arad and the devil at his side froze. "Impossible." The devil growled. Betty started sweating as she saw Arad''s magic shift from purple to ck, the light itself started twisting and turning around his body so that she could see the stones that should be hiding behind him. Inside Arad''s soul, he shifted from a humanoid shape into his draconic form. The man standing behind him started floating away. "Seek meter if you manage to remember seeing me here. Chad is the name." He faded into golden mist, and Arad slowly floated out of his soul into his stomach. Mom and the vampire army sat surrounding Doma who was trying her best to stitch Arad''s soul, but suddenly one of them looked up, his mouth gaping. ^Hoi! Look up!^ Doma looked up, and her eyes opened wide, ^Arad?^ No pregnant Mira to feed with mana, no Zul to concentrate on healing, and no clone using up his magic. In the cavern beside Betty and the rest, Arad''s purple eyes started spazzing everywhere before turning back, the white of his eyes turned ck and that quickly spread across his whole scales until his whole draconic body resembled a starless night. VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! His heart rumbled like an engine, and that was a signal for everyone to run. In the blink of an eye, the sun''s warm light fell from the sky, and it was just then that Betty realized, everything in a 40km radius had disappeared, Croc city was only 1km away from being wiped out. The beavers in their city and above the ground found themselves falling into a hole, all of their houses and civilization consumed by Arad. "I''ll take the fall!" Tempo shouted as he transformed into his true form in a burst of fire and lightning, he stood almost 7km tall andnded on the bottom of the hole first and opened his arms. Betty waved her hands, [Spider web] using thest bit of her magic, she did her best to form thergest [Spider web] spell she had ever cast and managed to form it around Tempo''s extended arms. "Catch the rest!" She shouted at the devil and he flew to rescue the beavers and any stand-by who was around the area when Arad woke up. Betty fell on the and looked up, Arad was floating in the middle of the hole roaring like a monster, and suddenly a violent gust of wind started rushing toward him. "He''s absorbing air." Tempo said with a stern face. The beavers stared at Tempo''s face in horror, this was the first time they ever saw a titan. They are really titanic in size. Arad''s body had been engulfed in his void and started absorbing anything within his range, air, and ground alike. But as he was barely awake, the will of the void was still far too weak. An unanimated matter like dirt, stones, and air would get sucked easily into his stomach, but a living being can resist it just by being alive, and that is why no living being got sucked into his stomach. Arad''s roar grew louder and louder until the devil was forced to cast a silence barrier around everyone to protect them. "Is this the monster that trashed Dis?" He growled. Even though Arad looked like a fly to Tempo, he still could feel it, the immense magic passing through Arad''s body. "He doesn''t have as much magic as me, but he''s going through several times my full reserves in a second by using mana recycling." "He''s casting a spell?" Betty gasped, "Just what kind?" "I can''t tell. I''m not an expert in magic." ZON! Gojo appeared beside Betty, "That''s teleportation magic." He waved his hand and covered everyone in his barrier. "Devil,e here and take cover. Even the city is facing strong winds." Everyone in Croc City and the university started hiding as the winds gushing toward Arad''s hole were as strong as a typhoon, ripping trees from their roots and causing mass mayhem. "Teleportation? Where is he going?" She looked at Gojo with a worried face. "I don''t know. But I know what thing, he''s going through it." He smiled, "We are dragons, no matter how we live or how we believe ourselves to be. We aren''t humans, we aren''t humanoids. Getting pped with that reality is like going through puberty to us, I can''t feel his human soul, so that must''ve died." "What does that mean?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Gojo scratched his chin, "We void dragons have two souls, one from our draconic parent and the second from our humanoid parent. In my and Arad''s case, we have a draconic soul that came from our mother and a human soul that came from our fathers. There is always a moment in our lives when we realize those two exist and that they are different. That''s also why we eat souls to cultivate age. We''re creatures attuned to the void and our souls far better than anything else." ZON! Arad suddenly disappeared and silence fell. "He disappeared! Did his spell work?" "I don''t know." Gojo shook his head, "But whoever he''s chasing is going to die. There is a saying I found in an old book that says. Being targeted by two gods is far safer than having a dragon hunting you." **** Vorvadoss lifted tail by the neck as the meteors were about to hit the ground, "Here you die. ursed beaver, I''ll make sure your kind suffers the worst for imprisoning me for all those years." Suddenly, arge w emerged between them and shed Vorvadoss''s arm, the massive palm that followed snatched tail away. The meteor hit the ground and hell was set loose. A zing inferno filled the infinitend as Vorvadoss flew away. "What was that?" He gasped and swung his arm with enough strength to send a shockwave that sted all the dust and fire away. To his surprise, nothing was there. Hended back on the ground looking around the destruction. "What was that? Did the meteors kill it? That must be it, evaporated upon impact." A faint shake of red-tinted his face; there was no sun in the outer space so he looked up, "What''s that?" He saw arge red meteor falling directly toward him. Vorvadoss flew away and barely dodged the impact and explosion while covering his face from the mes. "A spell? Where are you hiding, caster!" He yelled, but it didn''t take him long to find the caster. That was no spell; Arad himself fell from the void. He had seen Vorvadoss when he teleported everyone into the outer void so he copied that spell which Betty couldn''t handle due to her humanoid limitations, but even with his brain he made some miscalctions and ended up in the middle of the crust. That is why he dug upward and snatched tail into his stomach, flying into the sky at the same time to avoid the meteor shower. And when all the dust settled, he fell from the void like a meteor himself, aiming for Vorvadoss. Vorvadoss found himself now standing before Arad''s draconic form. A massive dragon that resembled the night sky in color, a pitch ck shade with several specs of white light on his body like stars. But unlike most dragons, Arad had four wings, two front arms, two hind legs, and two tails. He was already in his vampiric Wyrmwolf form butpletely engulfed in the void, he never got into this form since he was a wyrmling. "The dragon from earlier? How are you still alive? I cleaved your soul!" Vorvadoss gasped; baffled at the fact Arad was standing there before him. He looked nothing like before but could recognize the magic. [Void Expansion: Nuclear Chaos] Chapter 813 Nuclear Chaos Chapter 813 Nuclear Chaos ??Unlike before, Arad didn''t have any shackles this time. Nond to worry about sting, no Mira to worry about feeding with mana, and no void to concentrate on to heal Zul. All limitations he had ced upon himself had lifted up, and he was only moving with the sole reason of burying this creature ahead of him under existence itself. When he lifted his front ws and put them together, Vorvadoss could feel it for the first time, a rush of a feeling he had never felt before. [Void Expansion: Nuclear Chaos] Inspired by Betty who used two expansions at the same time; Arad tried doing the same thing andyered all of his expansion versions on top of one another, resulting in a deformed mess of a spell that even the abominations couldn''t fathom. The ursed pir of cursed Metal emerged behind his back and shed blue, unleashing a violent wave of heat and nuclear radiation that filled his entire expansion radius, turning it into an environment akin to the core of a nuclear reactor going through a meltdown. Dots of light emerged everywhere as Arad started releasing crushed matter from his stomach into his expansion the same way his brother did to Demogorgan in the abyss, and soon enough countless beams of light targeted Vorvadoss from every direction. While inside Arad''s expansion, all matter begins to disintegrate, including Vorvadoss who started finding it hard to maintain his shape. This was the effect of devouring void. While firing half of his reserve, Arad used the other half to form countless small [Ho-white Nova] that would explode upon contact and orbit him like moons, which made even moving near impossible when ensnared within the expansion. But even this wasn''t enough, Arad wasn''t only angry, but he was enraged. The vampire army inside his body all rushed out through the chaos as they were immune to it due to being part of Arad, and they all surrounded Vorvadoss. This was [Blood Expansion: Army of Blood] Arad himself wasn''t sitting and waiting, with him casting all of this at once, he extended his lycanthropic ws and lunged forward at Vorvadoss with the blood army, swinging like a raging werewolf. ^All of this at once?^ Vorvadoss gasped, seeing the vampires swinging at him with Arad behind theming with a zing w. ^Just how much was he holding back earlier? No, he wasn''t holding back, something was sucking his magic, and he wouldn''t have let me strike him with the soul de otherwise.^ He tried to block the vampire''s fists, they looked like nothing more than bandits, they can''t hit that hard¡­ But the moment one hit him, their fists unleashed a beam of concentrated energy akin to Arad''s breaths. ^Fight back! Fight back!^ He could hear their thoughts burning, those weren''t normal vampires, they could use Arad''s power as they lived in his blood. The horde of vampires ganged up on Vorvadoss and started smacking and kicking him left and right amidst the nuclear chaos, and when Arad arrived, his w hit the abomination so hard that he sent him flying outside the expansion. Vorvadoss flew out spinning from Arad''s hit, and he barely managed to get back on his feet. But that was thest time he sensed peace as Arad''s expansion flew at him at a horrifying speed. Arad was always at its center so it moved with, a 40km ck sphere of destruction. ^Did he flings me all the way outside?^ Vorvadoss barely had time to consider what had happened. He lifted his arms and got ready to form a barrier to protect himself, but once again, Arad was one step ahead of him. ZON! Arad teleported with his expansion right behind Vorvadoss to not give him any time to counter and smacked him down with a clenched fist. Vorvadoss gave up on creating a perfect barrier and focused on knocking Arad down so he could escape. He immediately stood up as a thin barrier formed around his skin to reflect the heat and radiation of Arad''s expansion and swung a fist up to push Arad''s w away. Arad didn''t care one bit and swung his other three front ws at once, all charged with as much energy as he could put on them, and sent Vorvadoss flying out of the expansion again. ^This bastard¡­ He''s attacking me so hard that even he can''t keep me in the expansion with his gravity. Since when did this monster get born into the mortal world?^ Vorvadoss thought as hended only for Arad to teleport to him again. The vampires ganged on his once more, and he dodged their attacks while trying to keep an eye on Arad, not that he could see anything inside the expansion as it was blindingly bluish-white, full of light from the ursed pir. ^Where is his powering from? Did it have something to do with those beavers, no, don''t think too much, this isn''t the time.^ He jumped back and waved his hand. [Dimensional Lock] Even though Arad was a void dragon attuned to space and time, those powers were secondary to his main one, unlike Vorvadoss who was known as the lord of space and dimension. When the two fought for dominion over space, their magic canceled each other which started preventing Arad from teleporting with [Void step] but it also meant Vorvadoss couldn''t teleport as well. This wouldn''t have been the case if Vorvadoss wasn''t weakened from his thousands of years of imprisonment. Arad opened his jaw and unleashed a breath far stronger than anything he was unleashing inside his expansion, which sent Vorvadoss flying away in a ball of raging energy. Vorvadoss glided through the ground violently so much that he left a burning trench. Even if he tried to stop, Arad''s energy was too violent for him to cancel or tame. Arad suddenly stopped his expansion and stood in ce, ring at Vorvadoss. ^What''s up? Is he finally out of energy?^ Vorvadoss started getting ready to attack and pulled the soul-splitting de. Arad tilted his head, and the energy he used to maintain the expansion flew right back into his stomach and into his veins, changing form into a new element. He had already discovered it weeks ago, but it didn''t seem to have a use so he ignored it. But he has just figured out what it could do. The element was lithium. By stacking it beneath his skin, muscles, and through his void, Arad created thousands over thousands of thinyers of lithium that started holding an electric charge. He usually had a limit to how much energy he could output that was dictated by his body, but by using this, he can turn himself into a massive extra-dimensional battery that holds more electricity than he can cast normally with magic. Millions over billions of volts held through eachyer of the thousands ofyers that he made, a horrific number that even the vampires inside his stomach started hiding. Lightning started arcing between his wings and teeth, illuminating the empty void. Vorvadoss stopped and stared at him, terrified. He had just realized, that Arad didn''t run out of energy, he was charging something. Arad opened his jaw with a roar, unleashing a lightning breath unknown to even the blue dragons, a massive bolt that dwarfed even his expansion in size.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Even though Arad charging the breath gave Vorvadoss enough time to form a barrier, such defenses were futile against the sheer energy carried by the lightning and he got incinerated into nothingness. CRACK! A skeleton appeared out of nowhere and flesh started filling it, Vorvadoss is a soulless abomination, a monster beyond what the norms of the world dictate, his regeneration far surpassed anything else. Inside Arad''s stomach, tail gasped, staring at the lightning- infused sky as he sat among the vampires. "What in the timber¡­" "Our lord is angry. It''s been a long time since we''ve seen him this pissed off." A vampire replied to him. "Was he always this strong?" tail stared at his hands, "Those things are too big, more than¡­" He fell down, bleeding. His injuries are finally getting into him. The vampire waved his hand and pulled a healing potion out of the void, all of them did have ess to Arad''s stock of potions and poisons that he was making. "Drink this; it''ll get you patched up." tail bit the potion''s cap off and downed it in a single gulp. His wounds slowly healed and he stopped bleeding. "I knew dragons were strong, but I never expected him to be this powerful. He wasrge, but never looked like someone who could do this." "Our lord is a gentle being. He never uses his power unless he needs to." The vampires looked at the cursed Pir floating above them. "Just standing close to that thing is enough to kill any living being. Arad is actively protecting us and everyone around him from it." The vampire pointed. The radiation stored within Arad''s stomach was at levels so high that life couldn''t be within. If he so wished, he could let it out, cursing everyone around him to death. Doma sighed in the back; she had just finished sewing Arad''s human soul together. It''ll take it time to heal, but that should be the best that could be done. "A wastnd several tens of kilometers wide, everyone who tries to enter falls on their knees, puking and bleeding. The curse of thend eats their soul and they fall dead without even getting a step closer to the center." Doma walked toward tail. "The one in the middle is a void dragon, asleep, undisturbed. Nothing alive could even earn the privilege of seeing him. Arad is such a dragon, but thanks to his gentle nature, he has started living among people and built a family. His ws are so gentle that he could even pick a small beaver- like you without harming him." She lifted tail up and stared at him with a smile. "But, there is a line that shouldn''t be crossed. One of Vorvadoss''s clones approached Arad''s pregnant wife." "Arad is angry¡­" tail looked up, sweating. "Vorvadoss is the one who forced Arad''s hand, and now he is facing the monster Arad hid from everyone to protect them." Doma smiled. As Vorvadoss tried to regenerate fully, his arms began falling and his flesh started to rot. ^A curse?^ The radiation started getting into him, staying this close to Arad is a suicide. He looked up, seeing Arad approaching him while growling. Chapter 814 King Of The Void

Chapter 814 King Of The Void

^This feeling, something is burning my cells the moment they regenerate. The cursed metal had this effect, that''s an attack from the pir he had earlier?^ Vorvadoss roared and his body fully healed as he focused more on it. Regenerating isn''t easy for him, but it''s still something he can power through. Arad lunged forward and started running toward him and Vorvadoss flew away as fast as he could. Currently, due to his magic, neither he nor Arad can teleport, but this shall be to his advantage, Arad can''t be faster than him. He looked back, only to see Arad bolting toward him running like a hungry tiger. "Wait! He''s getting faster?" Vorvadoss gasped, but it didn''t take him long to notice what Arad was doing, and it made him want to give up and run away. He did want to kill Arad, but after seeing what he saw, the task started to seem like a losing call. Like how all animals run, they use their paws, hooves, and ws to push back on the ground to run forward. Some even use their ws to gain more traction, like cheetahs which are the fastestnd animal, that isn''t a monster. Arad''s ws weren''t just pushing on the ground to propel him forward. They were doing something that only Vorvadoss''s eyes could catch; they were pulling space itself from in front of Arad and pushing it behind him. Speed is the distance traveled, through time. Arad was actively making the distance he traveled shorter by pulling space and pushing it behind him, like pulling a rug. To Vorvadoss, this was bullshit. That fact was absurd to the point he didn''t expect to see it from a monster that resides in the moral world. If you can push space itself behind you, you can go even faster than what''s normally possible. It''s a way to bypass the speed of light limit, albeit neither Arad nor Vorvadoss were even close to the speed of light for it to be a consideration. VROOOOOOOOOOM! Arad''s heart grew louder and his wings started pping violently, but he didn''t take off and kept running. For a second, Vorvadoss thought Arad tried to fly and failed, but he quickly noticed something even more horrifying than before. Arad was intentionally pping his wings like paddles to push space behind him. This had made a big change, Vorvadoss was now certain that Arad was aware of what he was doing. He just prevented this dragon from teleporting so he decided to pull space around to run faster. Arad had one massive problem, a problem that all living beings have. He can''t grow, unless under stress. If muscles aren''t stressed, they won''t growrger and stronger. If there isn''t a need and an incentive, humans don''t innovate. And if Arad isn''t pushed to the limit, he won''t grow stronger, and won''t be finding new ways to use his power. ^He''s growing stronger.^ Vorvadoss happened to be just perfect, a bastard that won''t die even if Arad hit him at full force, a good punching bag. Vorvadoss decided it was impossible to run away from Arad like this, he needed to damage him enough to buy enough time to run. If Arad teleported after him all the way to here, teleportation magic probably isn''t the way to run away from him. He jumped back with a clenched fist and the soul split sword in the other. ^What a pain to deal with,^ He dodged Arad''s w and swung the sword up, butting him across the neck. ^All I needed was to be more aggressive. I can''t let him push me into the defensive.^ Vorvadoss smiled, ^Look, I managed to turn the table this easily, this should...^ With Arad seemingly taking another hit from the sword, this looked like the prime time for Vorvadoss to escape. At this moment he doesn''t believe Arad can be killed by the sword, but is sure it''ll at least slow him down. But it was strange; he didn''t feel any resistance when he cut him. Arad lowered his jaw, bit Vorvadoss''s upper half, and sted him away with an energy breath. By using his void and blood magic, Arad had shed his own throat so the sword would miss him. The sword is useless if it can''t hit, and Arad wasn''t going to pull any punches. How do you kill a creature that doesn''t have a soul and can regenerate from being disintegrated, this was the problem Arad was thinking about. The first answer toe into mind was something his brother told him, Gojo had beaten Demogorgan so bad that he gave up on life; Arad could try to do the same for Vorvadoss. But this is a creature who survived being sealed for thousands of years, so it probably won''t work. ^But it''s worth a try!^ Arad charged at Vorvadoss as fast as he could, ready to throw another breath. But suddenly something new appeared and he stopped. Arad stared at the strange thing in front of him, a humanoid figure hooded in a yellow cloak; he couldn''t even clearly make out his face. Vorvadoss froze in ce, sweating in terror, ^It can''t be! It''s him!^ The figure turned toward Arad and looked up, even with that, Arad couldn''t make out his face. Ineffable, he couldn''t even process what this being was. "Sorry, but I have to cut this fight here. I can''t afford to lose another of my children." The figure said. "Even so I wished to speak with you; I have to leave at once." He could speak in the utter void, and Arad tilted his head. ^Get out of my way. Or I''ll kill you with him.^ The figure giggled, "A threat from you isn''t something that I should take lightly. For now, I need to be..." Kayden appeared behind the figure, shifted into a six-armed monster with three heads and glowing red eyes, swinging six swords with enough magic that it made Arad want to run. "DEAD!" Kayden growled as he swung at the figure. The hooded figure dodged Kayden''s shes and turned toward him. ^Lord Nyar!^ Vorvadoss screamed as he lunged in, swinging his sword at Kayden''s head. CRACK! Kayden shattered the soul-split de with a bite from one of his heads. "Scram, Mutt!" Kayden swung his swords at Vorvadoss and shed his arms and legs before Nyar jumped in to deflect the other attacks. Vorvadoss then fell down, growling and unable to regenerate. "Whoha¡­ this is bad, he''s seeing my little Vorvadoss as a dog. We''re absolutely fucked if we stayed." Nyar waved his arms and they both disappeared. Kayden stared at his swords, "shing his skin is still a problem¡­He''s that dense¡­" He slowly turned toward Arad, "Let''s leave¡­I''ll¡­" He paused, Arad had disappeared as well. **** Nyar and Vorvadossnded in arge hall of stone akin to a castle throne room but farrger. "I don''t have much time as I''m still regenerating from that drakaina''s kick. I''m getting back to sleep; you rule this colony and recover for theing war." Nyar immediately disappeared and Vorvadoss stood, saluting the air. "Our lord and king, I shall follow your will to the end." He turned to look back and saw what seemed like the horrid child of an octopus, a human woman, and a fox looking at him. "Our new king; Space Lord Vorvadoss. We''re been waiting for decades." She approached him. Vorvadoss smiled, "Get me a feast of souls. I need to regain my power first. We can then see what we could do." He walked with her. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "In the thousand years of your absence, we have managed to kidnap some humanoids and monsters that we set in our breeding farms. We can get a fresh supply of souls, do you prefer anything?" She said with a passive face. "I do not have a preference. As long as the souls are strong enough." He nodded, walking with her into the back rooms where she pointed at a door. "This is the recovery room, we''re developed it in the past century, it should serve you well." He grabbed the doorknob and arge booming sound echoed through the castle. "Why does it do this? Is it necessary?" Vorvadoss looked back at her, and she looked different, a bit scared. "Is there a problem?" "This isn''t the recovery room, it''s the rm¡­" She turned around and rushed toward the window with him. As they looked outside, Vorvadoss could feel it, a powerful signal approaching from the infinite void above followed by a white glow in the darkness. "The fucker followed us!" He cried seeing Arad swooping down at the colony, ready to st it to pieces. The abomination living in the colony looked up and saw Arad''s massive body appearing. None of them even knew what was happening, and some had started asking the guards if this was the new king they were awaiting. He did have a lot of magic which made it seem that way. "You bastard!" Vorvadoss shouted out of the window, "This is our colony! STOP!" [Void Expansion: Nuclear Chaos] Arad sted the whole ce to ash, and Vorvadoss barely managed to escape to another colony with a portal alongside that abomination woman. "Lord Vorvadoss¡­" She mumbled, looking at him with a scared face. "That fucking dragon! How did he follow us all the way here?" He punched the wall and shattered it. The king of the current colony recognized him and rushed in, "You''re lord Vorvadoss, aren''t you? What did happen?" "Lord Nyar went back to sleep, he probably won''t wake up for another decade. We need a way to deal with that fucker at once¡­" He red at the king. "Get your¡­." The rm went out, and both Vorvadoss and the abomination woman froze in ce. She slowly looked to the windows and could see Arad standing right beside their fortress, growling. "Shi¡­" [Void Expansion: Nuclear Chaos] Arad sted the whole ce, but Vorvadoss had managed to escape again thanks to the abomination woman sacrificing herself. When Vorvadossnded in the third colony, he immediately started looking for a teleporting device. He knew Arad would follow him, and that must shake that monster off. He ignored the colony king and made a run for it. As Vorvadoss expected, Arad was after him and sted the colony again. For the next week, Arad kept chasing Vorvadoss across the empty void, nuking every colony he passed by. Each time, the slight dy that he needed to process Vorvadoss''s teleport magic had made it possible for the abomination to escape each time. But after all of that, Arad finally gave up on chasing him for one reason, if he kept going deeper into the void, he might not be able to remember and retrace his teleports back home as they areplicated spells and hard to memorize on the fly. Aradnded back on the world''s crust when he first fought Vorvadoss and tried to shift back into a human form before teleporting into the university. But, something was off, he couldn''t take a human form. Chapter 815 Return Of The King

Chapter 815 Return Of The King

Through the week Arad spent in the void; he had discovered several newyers to his power. After pushing his matter-creation ability, he managed to create several elements until he stopped at the eighth element he found so far, Oxygen. That means that after discovering Lithium white fighting Vorvadoss, he had managed to get beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, andstly oxygen all created from energy. By using the void between atoms he can crush them into energy and then rearrange that energy to form matter. By mixing oxygen and nitrogen, he managed to make apound close to air, which he used to breathe for the past week. This seems to be how adult void dragons manage to survive in the vacuum of the void, they create their own air to breathe. Arad had also discovered that carbon with hydrogen could create some nasty gasses that were prone to explode. He kept trying to mix them together in different ways by applying what he learned of alchemy so far, but he wasn''t getting that far on his own. But, Arad had a bigger problem at hand now that hended on the crust, wanting to teleport back into the world. He can''t take a human form anymore, and he suspects it''s because of his damaged human soul. Not being able to take a human form wasn''t the end of his problems, he seems to find it near impossible to control his power now, and everything he does is at 100%. He can''t scale his strength or magic to a human level. If he were to fly down, the raw magic seeping out of his body would cause animals to turn into monsters and scare all the humans away. And there was a bigger problem since he spent the whole week crushing matter and creating air for him to breathe, it seems that had saturated his body with a curse akin to that of the cursed metal. He didn''t know what would happen if he teleported straight back to the university or hisyer, and didn''t want to test it. With a sigh, burning with fire he teleported back inside the world but several kilometers into the sky above where he was first. Then without wasting a second, he looked around and noticed the desert to the south-west of the university. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om A massive desert nicknamed the wastnd of death, several thousand kilometers wide, it was considered an uncharted territory that, albeit being on the border of several kingdoms at once, none dared to im its harshnd. The only creatures known to roam the ce were dragons, more specifically the blue dragons, copper, and brass. Besides those, it was only filled with giant scorpions and sandworms that would swallow anything and everything that moved. To Arad, such a ce looked perfect. As humans won''t wander inside, and since it''s far toorge, he''s bound to find a piece ofnd unimed by any dragon. He flew toward it immediately, making sure to stay at least a hundred kilometers in the air as he didn''t what his curse would do. Even though what Arad was experiencing was a case of severe radiation, to him, it was merely a curse ced upon him, he who tried to tinker with creation, the job of the gods. Aradnded in the middle of the desert and looked around, he was far away from any dragon territory or human settlement. There were some monsters around, but he can''t help it. Staying in the outer void would require him to keep making air, which would only increase his curse even more. He has to stay in the mortal world until his human soul recovers. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR! A massive worm that''s almost fifty meters tall and three wide emerged from the ground, growling and foaming from its mouth, and fell on the ground, dead. That wasn''t the end of it, Arad could hear the monsters around him cry and die just due to him existing beside them. He walked toward arge rocky mountain and dug a cave with his ws until he reached the center and made a cavern for himself. Based on what Doma said, it''ll take him at least another week to heal his soul at the longest it''ll take him over a month. For that time, all he can do is sleep here and hope his curse fade away. Arad was worried about tail who was still inside his stomach, but thanks to the abundant food he kept, that little beaver should be fine for years toe. Using a fire breath, Arad melted a bed for himself in the stones and rolled up like a dog, closing his eyes to sleep. He didn''t know the extent of the chaos that his return had caused in the world. Dragons started to migrate away from the desert the moment they sensed Arad approaching. A migrating copper dragon stopped by a city located at the edge of the desert to warn its people, "Death has taken residence in the great desert of Al-tamary. Do not wander close as even we wyrms can''t set a w inside." He immediately flew away after stating that. Just an hour after Aradnded in the middle of the desert, all the cities surrounding the forest were in a panic as the metallic dragons warned everyone as they migrated away. If a being powerful enough to scare the dragons away, it''s not something those kingdoms could ignore. Everyone gathered their wizards and schrs to study the desert from afar. After the metallic dragons stated they couldn''t get inside safely, not even the bravest of the braves dared set foot on the sand again. By the second hour, all the nations bordering the desert had gotten into contact nearly an hour after their wizards started working on the matter and began sharing what they found. They have identified an unknown source of great magic in the middle of the desert surrounded by a thick barrier of a curse simr to the one of the cursed metal. If the dragons didn''t tell them it was a being, they would''ve thought it was but a massive deposit of cursed metal. 40km from the mountain where the magic source was located, everything had already begun to die. nts withered and monster corpses were scattered everywhere. Mages expert in detecting life and undead found out that there is a single life signal in the middle of the mountain. They called it the death zone, a massive circle 80km in diameter with its center being the life signal in the mountain. The wizards experimented as they usually do, so the third hour passed with them teleporting animals and monsters into the death zone to see how long they lived. The result was a maximum of 1 second at the edge of the death zone, but outside it, the duration increase rapidly until it reaches 10 min while being 100 km away from the life signal. They concluded that even being 500km away isn''t safe for humans and marked the whole desert as a restricted zone. By the fourth hour, they managed to confirm their suspicions as they noticed animals and monsters dying 450km away. Based on that, the wizards started experimenting with ways to defend against the curse, and their test subjects were animals and monsters, they even started gathering criminals for human experiments at ater stage. All the countries surrounding the desert kings and nobles started holding meetings through magic crystals; all except Ruris kingdom who was thought to be still recovering from d''s incident and couldn''t help with the research efforts. Cases like this are extremely time-sensitive for several reasons. One is that if it isn''t a threat that must be eliminated immediately, it''s a power that must be allied with as quickly as possible. Whoever kingdom gets to that first wins the arms race, and everyone only works together from the start because it is mostly like a threat that needs their powerbined to kill. This was one reason why they ignored Ruris kingdom, they couldn''t help y the monster and would be an extrapetitor if the power could be used. What they don''t know is that the monster they are afraid of is the husband of Ruris''s princess, Isdis Lior Ruris. By the fifth hour, the wizards detected a second magic source that teleported to where the monster they were watching was. The magic source they detected this time wasn''t a stranger; it was an infamous elder lich, Boronos, also called the sweeping death for the armies of zombies and skeletons he used to fight while casting powerful magic with his spell caster lichs. The kingdoms began panicking as this confirmed their theory that the power in the desert could be reasoned with, and they are now losing to an elder lich. If such a monster got his hands on that power, it''d be the world''s end. "Hooooo!" A voice said inside Arad''s cavern. "Even I didn''t expect to find a dragon here." Arad opened his eyes and stared at the elder lich standing beside him. "Living beings can''t live around me." "I''m but bones and magic. The curse can''t harm me." Boronos giggled. "People need to earn the right to meet you. And it seems I''m the only one worthy to stand in your presence." "How did you get here? I could''ve sensed you if you flew here." Arad lifted his head. "I did pass by this mountain several centuries ago. I teleported into a location that I was in before, it is indeed simple magic." He waved his hand, "If this doesn''t prove my power. I still have more to show off." Chapter 816 Elder Lich. Chapter 816 Elder Lich. "What do you want, undead." Arad growled, standing up and staring at a seemingly tiny skeletal monster. "I can already smell that you aren''t up to any good." Boronos bowed slightly, "I''m the one nicknamed the sweeping death, Boronos the elder lick. I''ve lived for centuries and mastered necrotic magic to its utmost limit." He tapped and waved his crusty fingers and arge staff with a skull on its top appeared in his palm. He tapped it on the ground, spawning arge army of zombies, skeletons, ghouls, and even ghosts and wraiths. "I''m hailed as a world power, a master of necromancy. I''m believed to be able to destroy the world by generating an undead apocalypse." "I can smell the rot around your bones. For what reason did youe to me?" Arad red at Boronos, growling with fire gushing from his nose. "Angry, are we? Please do not worry, I don''t intend you any harm. On the opposite, I came here to help you. If you would help me as well." Hearing the lich''s words, Arad paused for a second. His curse kills people; it''s attuned to death just like this lich. He might be able to reverse it. But it wasn''t wise to ask that, so he''ll just hear what the lich has to offer. "Speak, what can you do to me, and what do you want me to do?" "Interested?" The lich giggled. "For starter, you eat cursed metal, don''t you?" "That''s indeed the case." Arad nodded. "I knew it. If that''s the case, then I can provide you with a lot of it, more than you can ever imagine." Boronos lifted a finger, "For each kilometer that you fly north, I''ll give you a ton of cursed metal. One kilometer is almost like the distance from here to the outside of the mountain, and a ton weight almost as those fourteen zombies." He pointed at a group of zombies. "If I moved north, people would die. My curse would kill them." Arad stared at the lich with a tilted head. "I know. I want the corpses. It''s a win-win, I get them and you get food for centuries. A sweet deal, isn''t it?" Boronos giggled. Arad started standing and the ground beneath his ws cracked. Boronos stepped away, looking at him with a worried face. "Yo! What''s the matter?" "You want me to kill innocent people. I suspect you''ll be a problem." As Arad uttered those words, his body started glowing with magic as he slowly opened his jaw. "I advise you to be civil; we can always negotiate the terms." Boronos waved his arm and the whole cavern filled with undead. Countless death knights and lichs stood ready to attack whenmanded. A bright sh emerged from Arad''s jaw for a second before he started sucking everything up into the void of his stomach. Boronos formed a powerful barrier around his body while his army started flinging spells. All spells that approached Arad whether they well hell balls cast by the death knights or powerful lightning, everything without exception got sucked into Arad''s stomach. Boronos gasped as he anchored his barrier to the ground, "You damnable dragon, what are you trying to do?" He growled and waved his staff, "Attack him from behind!" The armies of death knights lunged at Arad and started hacking at his back and hind legs, but their des only bounced off the scales, unable to even leave a scratch. If they want to injure him, they need to aim beneath his scales to peel them off, and doing such a thing was nearly impossible while trying to resist the pull of his void. Boronos''s barrier started cracking like ss, the small shards breaking out got absorbed into Arad''s stomach engulfed in a blue haze of mana. Arad''s void suction didn''t just absorb matter, but mana as well. Boronos''s barrier was made of condensed mana, which got easily absorbed and cracked, no matter how strong this elder lich was, he wasn''t a fool toe here with his real body, his phctery was several thousand kilometers away, hidden within hisyer, which made it easy for Arad to overpower him in magic. "Impossible! It can''t be¡­" Boronos growled as his magic crumbled beneath Arad''s breath, even ten wizards weren''t able to overpower him in magic, yet this dragon was crunching on it like a biscuit. The wizards of the kingdoms started panicking as they detected Boronos''s magic rising. "It can''t be! Boronos is fighting the being of the curse!" "Damn it, I hope they both kill each other." A wizard sighed, "Boronos is a threat to the world, and this new being seems to be the same. Nothing good woulde from either winning." "Don''t jest. Boronos is a world power, he''ll win with ease." Another wizardughed. "And his win is a good oue for us as well. Since he''s an undead, we can rely on pdins to defeat him if he tries to do something funnyter." "You''re right¡­There is no undead that can survive an army of pdins." The wizard replied with a smile, but their conversation was cut short. "It disappeared!" A woman, one of the wizards who were observing the desert with detection magic screamed. "Boronos really works fast." The wizards in the back smiled, "At least now we know how to act. Call the pdins¡­" "Boronos''s magic disappeared!" She looked back at them with a scared face. "The monster of the curse''s magic signal didn''t suffer any dent. It''s still as strong as it was at the start." "Impossible! Boronos is a world power! Did he retreat?" The wizards shouted. "No, there were no signs of teleportation magic being used. Boronos''s magic crumbled into nothing, I believe he was destroyed, and quickly." She replied with a terrified face. "Inform all the countries! Whatever is there could kill world powers with ease, we don''t know if it has an ability to destroy the world, but it''s a threat that must be dealt with!" A wizard shouted, pointing at the ones responsible formunication. "He has an ability that could destroy the world or at least all life in it. The curse, he might be able to control it, and he''s now using it to mark hisnd." Another wizard suggested, "We''re facing a monster unlike anything we''ve ever seen." "S-ss?" "No, mark him W-ss, the world-ss." All the kingdoms began panicking and scrambled to gather their fighting forces. Summoning letters were sent to all adventurers avable, and some wizards were even assigned to deliver those letters by either teleportation or flight magic. In the next hour, a second warning rang. A report from the wizards stationed right outside the desert. "A beautiful man with white hair and glowing blue eyes had appeared; he''s standing fabulously above a small hill and staring directly into the desert!" The woman''s voice rang through the emergencymunication channel. But she sounded weirdly excited, "I''ll try asking him about what he''s doing here!" "Stop fooling around! If he isn''t a world power then use all the forces you have to kill him!" The man responsible for the operation yelled at her. "Big words for a man that isn''t on the field." Gojo''s voice rang through theirmunication channels; he had taken control of the majority of their spells. In the next second, Gojo exploded all of their crystals and halted the entire operation before their eyes. Even though the wizards tried to resist his dispel magic, they all failed. To them, it felt like trying to stop a bulldozer by hand, was simply impossible. The woman on the field stared at Gojo''s back as the wind started blowing around him. He took a step forward and disappeared as quickly as he appeared. "BASE! BASE! BASE!" She tried to call reinforcement, but no one replied to her. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Brother." Arad smiled, standing up. "I guess. You''re fine with the curse just like me." Gojo appeared inside Arad''s cave, "It''s been a while. Everyone is worried." He said, approaching Arad with a smile. "Brother." Arad smiled, standing up. "I guess. You''re fine with the curse just like me." "We''re both void dragons." He smiled, sitting on a stone. "What did happen? It''s been a week since you disappeared." "It''s a long story." Arad recited everything that happened. "That''s interesting¡­ colonies of those monsters¡­" Gojo scratched his chin, "But for now we need to worry about cleaning you up. Our only solution is waiting for your soul to heal." "That''s why I''m sitting here." Arad sighed, "Tell everyone that I''m fine. I''ll return when I can suppress the curse again." He extended his w to Gojo. "And, take tail back home. He''s been living inside my stomach until now." Gojo touched Arad''s w and took tail directly into his stomach to protect him from the curse. "I''ll get that done, anything else? Can I bring you food, water, or some books to read while you recover?" "Hmmmm," Arad thought for a second, "There is something you can help me with." "What is it?" "There is this undead lich that came here earlier. I did destroy his body, but his soul went back to his phctery. I managed to locate him by the direction his soul went in, but I can''t go finish him off." "I see. Tell me where he is and I''ll go finish the job." "To the west, here is a teleportation spell to get you there." Arad drew the magic circle on the ground with his w. "Do you know who he is?" "His name was Boronos. He asked me to kill people to the north with the curse in exchange for cursed metal." "Isn''t he a world power?" Gojo tilted his head, and then smiled, "It doesn''t matter anyway. I''ll kill him and im his wealth, and the cursed metal he seems to have." ZON! Gojo teleported away. Chapter 817 Obelisks Feed Chapter 817 Obelisk''s Feed "Damn it! What was that dragon? Such an eldritch power, my magic all but crumbled without offering any resistance." Boronos growled, smacking his bony fist on the ground right after his body reformed around his phctery. "I''ll need to prepare arge army of powerful undead, high death knights, no, death pdins. I need to find victims to corrupt." He walked across the hallways of his darkyer, mumbling and growling as his bones rattled. Upon reaching his alter, he lifted his hands, "Let''s get to work immediately!" A lich and a death knight appeared before him. "Start preparing corpses immediately." ZON! "Get some from the ves below. I need their souls to turn dark before death¡­give them a fake escape route and kill them right as their hope reaches its peak." He waved his arm. "My ves, did you happen to mean the people in the cells below?" A voice came from behind him. "Of course, what else would I mean? Did your rotten body already¡­" Boronos paused¡­all the undead he created are already programmed with all the knowledge they need. They aren''t intelligent and won''t be asking questions. So what is this, who is it who asked him a question? He wanted to turn back and look but all of his bones rattled, he already knew that whoever could make it into hisyer like this. He didn''t even notice. That must be someone he should not face at such a close range. "I''m not going to kill you. I would''ve already done that if I wanted." The voice confirmed and Boronos slowly turned back, spotting a pair of blue eyes glittering in the darkness. Gojo slowly walked into the light and Boronos almost started sweating even though he''s an elder lich. ^I thought¡­ that thing was a monster¡­^ Boronos thought, staring upon Gojo''s face. ^This one is just¡­a joke¡­isn''t it¡­^ The death knight and lich that Boronos had just summoned lunged at Gojo. The death knight swung his sword and the lich flung a massive lightning bolt. When both reached Gojo they disintegrated into ash, the death knight lost his sword and started crumbling and the lich''s powerful spell was no more. "Common necromancy and lightning magic but at a much higher level than what most people could use, it''s amazing, but nothing special." Gojo waved his hand, fanning the dust away from his face. "You''ll never hit me with a spell that isn''t your original magic." "What are you?" Boronos growled. "Me? You''ve gone to meet my younger brother, he asked me to get rid of you." Gojo smiled, waving a finger in the air. "But¡­ you seem to be of use to me¡­or at least to someone I know." "Do you need my power for something? I''ll aid you however I can." Boronos replied. He could tell at a nce that he couldn''t win, no matter what; he wasn''t a match for this monster. He had thought that Arad was a monster, but now that he had seen Gojo, he was certain. ^I was na?ve, this world still has too much that I don''t know. Even being an elder lich, I''m still nowhere strong enough to fight against those creatures.^ "Is that so!" Gojo smiled, "I was thinking of what to do if you refused. But you''ll be a real help, I can''t imagine what I would''ve done otherwise." "I''m d to help, what is it that I can do for you?" Boronos smiled. ^Good, luck is with me this day.^ "You''ve told my little brother that you have some cursed metal, is that right?" "Yeah, there is arge deposit beneath thisyer. I''ve sealed it out with magic so it won''t expose my location. I''ll undo the seal for you." Boronos replied immediately. "So it''s there, but I was just asking about it. No need to undo the seal. There is someone I want you to feed." Gojo waved his hands with a gentle smile. "You can have the cursed metal anytime. I''ll also feed this person, what does he eat? I can get you pretty much anything no matter how rare is it." Boronos started to feel at ease, now it''s only a negotiation. If he could offer a good service, he might end up getting an ally even stronger than Arad. Gojo lifted his hand. "She''s a lovely little girl called Obelisk. A bit of a glutton, but I''m certain you can manage." From beneath Gojo''s palm, a little girl with blond hair and ck eyes glowing with magic appeared wearing a ck dress. She stared at Boronos with an emotionless, passive face. "What does she eat?" "She''s on a bit of a diet, so elder lichs I guess." Gojo said with a smile and Boronos paused. "What did you say?" "I said she eats elder lichs¡­" Gojo patted Obelisk''s head¡­ "You can eat him." He giggled. "Yes." Obelisk uttered a single word, leaving the stunned Boronos out of words. "Come on, you''ve asked the undead to give the ves below hope before killing them¡­don''t go falling for your own schemes¡­" Gojo stared at him with an evil grin, "Don''t look like that, even I''m starting to feel bad for you." "YOU FUCKER!" Boronos shouted at the top of his lungs in rage, and Obelisk lunged at him, grabbing him by the face. Boronos immediately protected the phctery that was in his chest, a small red gem. It was there only because he had just fully reconstructed his body, but it had be a weakness now that it was exposed. Obelisk swung her tiny palm at his chest, denting his ribs with a barrage of powerful taps as she dangled from his skull. The barrier he formed around his phctery cracked after just a few hits, showing him that this little girl wasn''t something he could underestimate. [Death touch] Boronos cast an instant death spell that worked on touch and since Obelisk was touching his skull, this should''ve been her end. But she didn''t even flinch. Obelisk swung a kick at Boronos''s guts, but since he had none, her foot hit his spine and sent him flying with a shockwave, smacking into the way so hard he left a dent in his shape. "I''ve been pampering her a lot. She only eats top-rated food, like monsters, and dragons, and I even fed her two special dishes that no one could ever hope to taste." Gojo said as he stood in the back with a smile. "Death touch is the spell of someone right? He lives in the abyss and uses it with his tail¡­" He giggled, "Demogorgan, the demon lord. I seem to have forgotten to tell you, but I fed him to her. Alongside an abomination that I happened to face in the past days, your magic isn''t going to harm her." Obelisk opened her mouth and a ball of red magic started forming between her teeth. Arge scorpion-like tail emerged from Obelisk''s lower back and she used it as a leg to stand on as her arms turned into tentacles and grabbed into the edge of the hole she made when sting Boronos out. Those are Demogorgan''s limbs. She used the tentacles to fling herself out and chased Boronos. In the meantime, Gojo looked around and started thinking, "What should I do now?" "So, I was thinking what if I let her feed on my flesh? The result was that she could use me as a reservoir of mana." Gojo giggled with a shy face, and Obelisk sted Boronos away with an energy breath straight from Gojo in the same way Arad''s vampire can use his energy. But in her case, the magic has taken a shade of red due to her nature. Theyer exploded, and Boronos''s burning body flew in the air as he screamed. "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Even if he was undead, mana and energy still made him feel pain. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Can I chase him?" Obelisk asked. "I''m protecting everyone, go all out." Gojo replied with a smile. Arge scorpion-like tail emerged from Obelisk''s lower back and she used it as a leg to stand on as her arms turned into tentacles and grabbed into the edge of the hole she made when sting Boronos out. Those are Demogorgan''s limbs. She used the tentacles to fling herself out and chased Boronos. In the meantime, Gojo looked around and started thinking, "What should I do now?" His body fell in the forest below and shattered several trees before stopping. He immediately stood back and opened his palm, charging a spell called [Death Wave] He wanted to use it to kill all the trees around and turn them into undead treants. But his n was thrown off as the first thing he saw was Obelisk''s foot smacking into his face, and she sent him flying through the forest again. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Boronos cried, her attacks were abnormally painful as if they were digging at his own soul. He grabbed a branch and reoriented himself. "You little!" But like always, she was still a step ahead of him and grabbed him by the face and dragged him onto the forest floor, grinding his skull into dust. Boronos growled and smacked his fist into the dirt, exploding the ground in a burst of sharp bones to fend Obelisk away, and she did let go of his face. He quickly waved his palm and pulled a staff, sting her with a beam of necrotic magic. "DIE!" He screamed his soul away, putting his all into that attack. ZON! Obelisk appeared behind him with glowing eyes and an evil grin and she kicked him in the chest, sending him flying across the forest. Boronos fell in arge open field, barely managing to stand. The necrotic magic seeping from his body started withering the grass around him; it was a signal that his phctery was damaged. Obelisk walked out of the forest, staring at him with a passive face. TAP! Gojonded beside her, another little girl screaming in panic as he grabbed her from the back, she was wearing arge fur coat, not the type of clothes people wear around here. "Gojo! Let me down!" Lucy, Isdis''s little sister cried. "I brought her to observe, I hope you don''t mind. Obelisk''s feed." Gojo said with a smile. "I was in the Arctic a second ago! Where are we?" Lucy looked around, almost panicking. Chapter 818 Demon Lord Vs Undead Lord Chapter 818 Demon Lord Vs Undead Lord "Another little girl? But I can tell that one is indeed a human. There is no doubting that." Boronos growled, staring at Gojo who stood with Obelisk and Lucy beside him. "Obelisk just mimicked Lucy though; she''s a slime that could shapeshift." Gojo smiled, "But don''t worry about Lucy, she won''t be fighting you today. You''re Obelisk''s food, and she''s only here to observe." "Are you fucking around with me? What do you think our fight is?" Boronos growled. "Fights end quickly when I fight, that''s why I''m letting Obelisk handle this one. I need someone to offer resistance so Lucy can have time to observe and learn." Gojo patted Lucy''s head. ^This bastard, he''s messing with me. That little girl he calls Obelisk is a slime, but I''ve never seen a monster like her, she''s reeking of the abyss''s magic. Those tentacles were without a doubt those of Demogorgan, the demon lord. Am I a part of a magic experiment? No, no one sane would treat a world power like that. He can''t be a fool.^ "I''m indeed doing that." Gojo said with a smile. He was listening to Boronos''s thoughts all this time. "Because you''re a king and not a fighter, you''re too weak." Boronos''s skull cracked, and his magic rushed out in a wave of necrotic mana. "YOU BASTARD!" He roared, "YOU''LL REGRET THIS!" With Boronos''s screams, the ground cracked around him as the forest started to die. Lucy stared forward with a scared face, "What is this monster?" She''d been studying magic in the hope of controlling her wild magic surges, and she hade to several notes about necrotic magic and how mana works. As streams of ck and purple necrotic magic flooded out of Boronos''s bones, Lucy was able to tell he wasn''t any monster, such a creature is far above S-ss, and this was a world-ss disaster. This amount of necrotic magic was so ridiculous it made the worst of the worst necromancers she saw in the Arctic look like children. Turning a family into zombies now looked funpared to this horror. "Monster! You''ll die with my hand alongside those two brats!" Boronos lifted a finger, [Necrotic expansion: Undead Apocalypse] The ground exploded with necrotic magic and everything started dying. Even the nts, trees, and bugs turned into undead, massive zombies and skeletons exploded out of Boronos''s body and the forest got filled in the blink of an eye with hundreds of thousands of undead. The weakest of the undead were at least A-ss with the majority being S-rank monsters that could single-handedly destroy a small city. "Now that the apocalypse had started, there is no stopping it. Even if I died, those undead would spread across the whole world and consume it. Every creature they kill will get turned into a powerful undead and join the army of death." Boronos smiled, staring at Gojo and the girls with a grin on his skinless face. "I always wanted to know. If those two things fought together, who woulde at the top? An undead lord or a demon lord. One brings an apocalypse of undead and the other of demons." His glowing blue eyes turned toward Obelisk. "Do it." A line appeared on her face, stretching from her neck all the way to her forehead. Obelisk''s head split in half and Boronos stared at her, terrified. He could see the wiggling slime inside her head. "What?" He gasped. Obelisk''s head halves shifted into two heads of apes, growling and grunting at each other as a long scorpion-like tail burst from her lower back. Her legs grewrger and turned into ck hooves akin to those of goats. The air around her twisted and shifted as her magic quickly changed, and her arms extended forth and shifted into tentacles as she grew taller and taller. As her skin turned into green and blue scales, she had already turned into a horrid monster that stood almost 50 meters tall, ring at Boronos with fire gushing out of her ape maws. "Demogorgan?!" Boronos gasped, unable to believe his eyes. The creature before him was Demogorgan, one of the most infamous demon lords of the abyss. "I happened to have that piece of jerky stored away." Gojo said with a smile. "But as jerky goes, it was tough and salty as hell. I couldn''t just feed it directly to the delicate slime. I had to chew it for her and suck all the salt, make sure it''s safe to eat. Slowly, bit by bite, I fed her the jerky until none was left, even though I wanted to eat it for myself." Gojo giggled, "I just wanted to see how strong I can make a slime go before it reaches the limit." "You''re as bad as mages go¡­experiment with life itself." Boronos growled, waving his arm and sending waves of undead charging forward. "I''ll kill with that experiment of yours! This will be my win, monster!" Gojo stared at Boronos with a smile as Obelisk roared and the whole forest started changing into a swamp. The undead started getting stuck in the mud as she walked toward, shaking the ground beneath her feet. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Nah, she''d win." Lucy screamed as Gojo grabbed her and flew into the sky. She watched in fear as she saw Obelisk smacking the undead left and right with her tentacles, breathing fire at them the moment they got stuck in the mud. The wicked scene, the scent of blood and rotten corpses, the unholy magic filling thend, and the gore horror of walking corpses getting smashed left and right by a nightmare demon lord. Lucy didn''t feel right, her stomach twisted and she was about to throw up. "Want to fight as well?" Gojo looked at her with a grin. "NO! I want nothing to do with that! Send me back home!" She cried. "I see, you want to try it yourself." He smiled, "I won''t hold you back." He threw her into the chaos from over a kilometre in the air and she screamed her lungs out. "GOJO! You bastard!" She turned and looked at the ground, grunting her teeth as she clenched a fist. ^I need to not fall. I need to fly first, I can think about everything elseter.^ She closed her eyes and focused on her magic. ^Fly, I need the flight spell, nothing else.^ Lucy was a wild magic sorceress. What distinguishes them from everyone else is the chaos ingrained in their magic; it''s random, immense, and unpredictable. They can try to cast a harmless spell and end up summoning a demon, or try to fling a fireball only to kill themselves or a friend. Chaos can''t be controlled, because doing that defies its purpose. Control chaos isn''t chaos anymore, it''s just magic. Lucy was but a child, she had no way of controlling her power, and could only cast it and hope for the best. [Fly] Magic shed from her body, and for a moment she thought it had worked. But in a puff of mist, she turned into a potted nt, unable to move or speak, falling to the ground helplessly. ^NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I failed again! I''m going to die! I''m going to die!^ CRACK! She hit the ground and the pot shattered, and her dirt sshed everywhere. But just as she transformed, her body returned to normal upon her getting killed in nt form. Gojo already noticed that she would survive the fall, so he left her to do her thing. Lucy panted heavily, terrified, but she still kept a calm mind. This wasn''t the first time she almost killed herself. Around here were armies of undead, if she didn''t act, she''d end up dead anyway. ^I need to fly out of Obelisk''s way.^ [Fly] PUFF! In a gust of smoke, Lucy''s spell failed again and she cast [Polymorph] instead on herself, transforming into a sheared sheep. ACHOO! She sneezed from the cold, and quickly screamed MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! A massive zombie giant kicked her away, and she rolled on the ground, a dead sheep. But it''s the spell broke again, and she returned to normal. She was both lucky and unlucky, those two spells grant her a level of protection as when killed; she''ll only be forced back to her true form. It''s the same way with Arad and Gojo''s human form. [Fly] She now screamed, putting her all into the spell¡­but nothing seemed to happen; only Gojo noticed the difference. "Hooo!" He smiled, "This is a new one. You grew this much taller." He showed her two inches within his fingers. "That doesn''t help!" She cried and started running away in the midst of the chaos. Undead got flung everywhere by Obelisk, and Lucy quickly got tired from running. "Once more!" [Fly] A spectral blue shield appeared beside her and started orbiting her. "What''s this?" She cried. "Looks like a protection spell. You got lucky," Gojo gave her a thumbs up. "I doubt this would save me!" She kept running. "Again!" [Fly] Her body shed in a brilliant light like a welding arc, and all the undead looked at her confused. That wasn''t holy light; it was just regr old light. "You''re blindingly bright!" Gojo gasped. "I don''t know what this is!" She kept running, "I doubt it''s helping." She looked back, and indeed the light had drawn the undead''s attention even more, and now a massive horde was following her. ^I have to get something useful.^ Lucy looked back with a scared face and extended her arm toward the undead chasing her. [Fireball] As expected, only a puff of pale white smoke gushed out with no sign of mes. But even with that, a grin crossed Lucy''s face. "Finally," The ground beneath her feet froze and a wave of ice burst toward the undead, sh-freezing them in the blink of an eye. "Freeze! I wanted fire, but I''ll take this!" ^I don''t know how long this ice magic would remain active; the light hasn''t faded so I hope I''ll have at least a minute.^ "Everyone get FREEZE!" She started shooting rays of frost and ice everywhere. Chapter 819: The Gambling Princess Chapter 819: The Gambling Princess ? Lucy ran away from the undead and pointed her arm at the blood-soaked ground. "FREEZE!" She froze it behind her, making all the undead slip and slide away. The light surrounding her body faded, and she immediately realized how long it took. In her training to control wild magic, she got herself used to counting seconds, figuring the duration of her wild magic pulses is important after all. ^That was one minute, so this cold magic surge couldst around that time.^ ^I need to get into the air. Let''s try again.^ She jumped, [Fly] The spell failed again and shended back on the ground. A wild magic surge must''ve urred. She looked around with a scared face, trying to figure out what disaster had urred. "AH! My lovely mistress!" One of the undead cried, bowing to her, he was arge death knight with immense power. ^It was charm magic! It isn''t supposed to work on undead...but who cares...^ She growled, waving her hand. "Protect me! Destroy all the undead trying to harm me!" "As my mistress orders!" The death knight swung his swords and cut hordes of zombies and skeletons with a single swing. "Give me something decent!" Lucy pped her hands, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, focusing on her magic. [Fly] She still wanted to fly into the air to escape. Her wild magic is extremely unreliable unless she hits a jackpot. A thick cloud of fog surrounded her and consumed everything in a 100-meter radius, preventing them from seeing anything. "AHH!" The death knight gasped. "My mistress undead loves me! What magnificent support! I shall serve you with my unlike!" As a death knight, he could detect monsters by magic. That was an ability that only death knights and lichs had. "Again!" Lucy growled. [Fly] A golden light rushed into Lucy''s body, she looked happy for a second and then burst into rage. "Why the useless immortality for a minute? I don''t intend on getting hit anyway, give me the jackpot instead!" [Fly] CRACK! A third eye appeared on her forehead and started glowing with magic. "Good! Eye of truth!" [Fly] Upon trying to cast the fly spell again, Lucy triggers another wild magic surge, but thanks to the eye of truth, she gets to choose one of two random effects. It''s like being given a half a second chance to pick a direction. [Right: Everything you touch bursts intoughing mes for a minute] [Left: A cloud of thick fog surrounds you] "Right!" She shouted and the right choice took effect. But instead of rushing out to touch the undead and burn them, she kept rolling on her wild magic. She can mostly avoid bad effects with the eye of truth. [Fly] The spell failed again and Lucy started to get frustrated. She should''ve at least managed a sessful cast by now. She doesn''t know, but the thick necrotic mana in the air is polluting the mana she''s trying to use spells, which is causing the [Fly] spell to fail each time, and cause the wild magic surge. [Right: For the next nine days you''re immune to intoxication from alcohol, and a tattoo saying ''Sober'' is engraved on your forehead for that duration] [Left: For an hour, you can walk on walls and ceilings] "Left! And roll again!" [Fly] [Right: You cast a dragon breath; the damage type and dragon''s age are random.] [Left: You regain 20% of your expanded mana] "Right of course!" She took a deep breath and her chest expanded like a balloon. With a powerful roar, she unleashed a massive breath of bubbles and soap, sting a quarter of the forest with so much force that she washed the undeads bone off their flesh, destroying almost all the zombie-type undead in that general direction. "As expected of mistress! What a magnificent disy of power." The death knight cheered her on. "I wanted something cool like fire or lightning, but it doesn''t matter now, let''s keep rolling!" Sheughed her lungs out and Gojo watched from above with a smile. The Ruris kingdom''s youngest princess wasn''t someone anyone could handle, her innate wild magic is powerful, but just as dangerous. He knew that she loved to y around with it, but usually refused to do that as she feared she might kill someone by mistake. Gojo is the only person who can confidently say that he''ll deal with any misfire of her magic. [Fly] [Right: From now on, you don''t require food to live and can sustain yourself with a sip of water each day as you do when eating normally. But this effect disappeared if gotten a second time.] [Left: Each time you cast a spell, you fly for a small distance. This effectst for a minute.] "Left! Even though the right is tempting, I want to get the hell out of here." Lucy flew into the air since getting the wild magic was like a spell being cast. She looked at her hands, the freezing aura had disappeared, but she could still burn anything she touched.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After flying for 10 meters shended, this was how long she''d fly after casting a spell. [Fly] [Right: You read the thoughts of everyone around you, and receive psychic damage.] [Left: You turn into a potted nt for a minute. You return to your original form early if you die.] "Damn it! Left!" She growled and turned into a potted nt, but was still able to fly around. [Fly] [Right: Each creature within 30 meters of you turns invisible.] [Left: You can speak with animals for an hour, birds and small animals seek you to tell you random secrets.] ^I need to see the undead so Left!^ She growled in her mind as she couldn''t speak as a nt. From her pot, a small worm emerged. "I''ve cheated on my wife." It said in a deep voice with a stern face. ^I don''t care!^ Lucy cried and tried to cast a spell again. All she can do now is run away from the undead and rely on the death knight to protect her. The charm spell is bound to end soon and he''ll turn back into an enemy, she must either get a jackpot, or a decent magic to survive. She knows Gojo won''t let her die, but he''s the kind of person to let her get mauled a bit. [Fly] [Right: You cast a dragon breath; the damage type and dragon''s age are random.] Seeing the first choice, she felt full of joy, finally another shot at a dragon''s breath. But she got even happier when she saw the other choice. [Left: Swap souls with someone you see for 10 seconds.] ^Break my pot!^ She roared in her head and the death knight obliged, slicing her in half. She returned to her normal form in the blink of an eye and looked at Gojo, she was never so happy to see him in her life. "Left!" Gojo blinked, and his body felt strange. He looked down, his arms had be thinner and he was wearing a thick fur coat. It didn''t take him a second to realise; he was in Lucy''s body. Obelisk was fighting Boronos on the other side of the forest. "To think you''ll be my equal even in the apocalypse, you damnable slime." Boronos growled, facing Obelisk with a twisting face. "Face this!" He waved his hands and merged hundreds of zombies into a single flesh monster the size of Obelisk who was taking the form of Demogorgan. "Let''s see you face someone of your size." Obelisk was about to smack the beast away when Gojo flew in and punched him in the face, obliterating the head in a beam of light. "Master!" Obelisk gasped but quickly realized. "No, something is different." The crazed smile on Gojo''s face said everything. "Don''t worry! Your big sister is here to save you." Gojo said it was indeed Lucy controlling his body. Void dragons rarely settle in one ce, but once they do, their mere existence is bound to start drawing power. Whether it is Arad or Gojo, it''s the same; they have the arrogant power to test the world''s limits. No creature would be insane enough to try feeding a demon lord to a slime or test the limits of wild magic. Arad wasn''t strange to this as well; he''s raising monsters of his own. Far away at the borders of the human kingdom of Ruris, arge carriage of the royal family raced through the hills. Eris sat in her ce, putting one leg on another as she looked forward, divine magic dripping from her eyes as Pin kept bowing again and again to her. "Can I just kill them all?" She growled. "Calm down. There are civilians there." Merida who sat facing Eris replied while sharpening her sword. Fungus had started showing on her arms like ck veins as her whole body burned in demonic magic, "I''ll dice the castle first. Arad would''ve retaliated otherwise." "AHHHHHHHH! To think I see Mistress and a Demon lord working together." Pin cried. "Merida is right. Arad isn''t moving since he doesn''t want to kill civilians." Isdis said as she sat beside them, "We didn''t get any information about this in the castle until we received Gojo''s message earlier. I''m certain they intend to either kill or control Arad." "Gojo said that Arad was attacked by an elder lich. He could only chase him away," Ae growled, "And those kingdoms are sitting there thinking about how to control Arad instead of helping him." The green glow in her eyes said it all, she was about to go on a killing streak once they reached their destination. "Calm down, it''s not like they could''ve done anything." Merlin said as she was sitting beside Merida, "What''s worse is how they treated Isdis''s letter." Isdis, upon hearing the news from Gojo earlier had immediately called Betty and sent an instant letter to all the kingdoms informing them that the monster in the desert was her husband, Arad Orion, also known as Uranus, the dragon hero who defeated d. Her letters were faced with mockery and Ruris''s kingdom was used of scheming to monopolize a new power source. Some even used Ruris''s kingdom of faking Arad''s Orion person and using that face to protect itself from being invaded after d destroyed their kingdom. If d died, why are there still vampires? There is no such person called Arad Orion, you''ve made that up. Your capital has been destroyed and you''ve been scheming to gather power in secret, give up and be a vassalnd, or we''ll send our pdins to cleanse your vampire- infestednd. Mira giggled in the corner as she was working on arge crystal surrounded by metal rings. "What are you doing?" Merlin stared at her with an exhausted face. "I''ve said that you shouldn''te, but can that thing really help?" "I''ll make it work." Mira looked at her with a grin, "Once finished, this should be a bomb strong enough to blow a whole city, if we charged it with enough mana. Making things work right is hard, but making them explode is much easier." Due to the threat to the kingdom, and the stress from losing Arad for a while weak, the dragon''s harem had started to move with a single goal. Eliminate all of those standing in their husband''s way. It''s war. Chapter 820: Betty Is The Fastest Chapter 820: Betty Is The Fastest ? "I know I teleported us all here but..." Betty who sat above the carriage mumbled, tilting her head to the side with a worried face. "I don''t have a good feeling about this." "It''ll be a massacre if they tried to fight Arad." Ae said as she looked at the carriage''s ceiling, "Arad isn''t that soft to let them live, and even if he doesn''t attack, they''ll die of the curse." "Mistress Doma wouldn''t let them go even if Arad did." Betty sighed. "But I''m not sure if us trying to stop them would help." "I know how kingdoms work." Isdis said, "The soldiers aren''t at fault, they are just following orders. If they were ordered to attack, they would do so without even knowing what awaits them. Unless we get some sense into the royal families of those kingdoms, hundreds of thousands of people would die to Arad." "Sir Gojo had gone to deal with that bone, isn''t he?" tail who was sitting with them inside the carriage said, "Shouldn''t we wait for him?" "We don''t know how long it''ll take him and kingdoms act quickly in situations like this. It''ll be a disaster if theyunch an attack at Arad before we stop them, we don''t have time to waste." Isdis looked at him with a gentle smile. "Shouldn''t you be resting? Gojo just dropped you with us an hour ago." "For what I''ve seen from Lord Arad, I doubt Sir Gojo who is his older brother could fall short. The lord was a monster, far above anything I''ve ever seen, and I''ve seen Tempo rampaging." tail looked out of the window at Tempo who was riding beside the carriage on a horse. tail sighed, "I do agree, if anyone fought the lord, they''ll die. I''ve literally seen him wipe far more horrifying cities." tail could remember as Arad sted the abomination colonies one after another, to what those could do, a human kingdom was nothing more than a grass dam. "I know Arad is strong. But is it really to that point?" Merlin looked at tail, "You''ve told us howrge and scary those cities were, but I find it hard to believe." "It''s up to you to believe me or not. But it''s indeed wise to fear for the humans, Lord Arad would be fine." He nodded. "We aren''t worrying about them." Ae looked at him. "If Arad killed them it could cause us troubles in the future. We want to avoid that." "By attacking them first?" Betty teleported into the carriage and fell on Ae''sp. "I doubt it''s wise." "They aren''t listening to reason." Isdis looked at her, "They want to get Arad''s power, but they refuse to believe it''s my husband. They think we''re trying to deceive them to take the power for ourselves." "So it doesn''t matter what we say, it''ll always be a trick to them so we should just protect Arad until he can move freely." Ae turned toward Eris and Merida, "You two are our heaviest hitters, don''t charge in blindly. We''ll talk with them first; we''ll fightter if that is needed." "I''m better at magic and she''s better at swordy." Eris looked at Merida, "You''re our best- ranged attack. You can snipe people from kilometers away by using wind magic." She then turned toward Ae. "I''m starting to understand wind magic after studying what Zephyr said." She looked at Merlin, "The freeing process?" "Still need Arad to test thebyrinth and rule control. I asked Gojo, but he said that it has to be Arad to do it. I don''t know what he''s thinking, but we''ll have to wait." She sighed, "He said he prefers to take a hands-off approach and will only help when he is the only possible option." "So if he went to check on Arad then it means..." Betty scratched her head, "He''s the only one who can approach him now. Won''t the armies just die?" "They can try to st Arad withrge-scale magic from afar." Ae replied, "Ritual spells done by several high mages at once, they could even summon a meteor swarm to wipe armies and small nations. If they hit Arad with one, he''s bound to fight back." "Spells of mass destruction... I doubt they would pull that. It can kill their mages and leave them vulnerable." Large-scale magic is an array of several spells intertwined together. Several high mages gather together to prepare and cast it over arge distance. It''s this world''s nuclear option, only pulled when it''s thest option left. But,rge-scale magic isn''t all for destruction, the elves were known to use it for terraforming deserts into forests, searching for lost people in the sea, or even conjuring massive barriers over cities as defenses. The dwarves also used it several times to dig mountains andva from volcanoes to mine. But the weirdest use ofrge-scale magic had to be given to the mixed nations of the far west. They''ve cast a spell that cut a mountain in the base, lifted it into the sky, flipped it upside down, and then built a city there. Sadly, the mountain fell to the ground two yearster and everyone died. "We''re almost at the border." Betty stared out of the window, "I can see their outpost. This is the first obstacle." "If they don''t allow us in, we can just go in. They can''t stop us." Eris looked outside. "That''s starting a war." Ae sighed. "A war would start anyway if they attacked Arad. We have to stop this mess from escting further." Isdis looked outside in the desert''s direction. "Sadly, even we can''t use the desert as a route to reach all the kingdoms at once. We''ll need to pass them one by one. Hopefully, we won''t bete." "I can go check." Betty said with a smile. "We''re already going there with teleportation magic. Are you faster?" Merida looked at her with a puzzled face. Betty pulled a map, "To go around all the kingdoms surrounding the desert it''ll be..." She roughly measured the distance. "It''s around a hundred thousand kilometers, that''s long." "Teleportation magic works best," Merida said with a smile, "Just rest, we''ll get there." "No...teleportation magic isn''t the best. Mana travels at a third of the speed of light. I''m faster than teleportation magic by three times. It''ll take me about a third of a second to go around them all." Merida and Eris stared at her, "Wait, you''re that fast?" "I can go east ande from the west in a few seconds. Sadly I can''t carry anyone or anything with me. They''ll disintegrate. I''m partially naked when moving at the speed of light and I do wear illusion clothes." Betty said with a proud face. "I do switch to reach clothes the moment I slow down." "How do you fight?" Ae asked. "It''s just me and the light, that''s why I made this, a light sword." She conjured a cylindrical de of pure white light.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Betty climbed into the carriage''s window, "So, I''ll go see what they are up to and mess with them a bit to buy us time." She jumped from the window, and the moment her feet touched the ground, she disappeared in a sh. "I can''t sense her magic anymore..." Ae gasped, "And I can sense magic quite far away..." Out of everyone, Arad, Gojo, and Doma were the only ones who got a solid understanding of how ridiculously fast Betty was. As if time stopped, Betty raced across thends and reached the first kingdom''s desert border in the blink of an eye. Without stopping, she ran around their camps, counted everyone, and found they were almost fifty thousand strong. On her way, as she counted them, she extended a one-inch-long de of light from her index finger and shed the belts on their armor, stripping them one after another. Two seconds had passed since she left the carriage, and she stopped at a mountain''s peak beneath arge tree. She panted; sweat rushing down her forehead as she stared at the army. It only took a sh and all of them stood in their underwear, confused, terrified, embarrassed, and panicking. She giggled, watching them with a smile. "Now that''s a sight to behold. I hope this keeps you busy and confused for a while." She shed again, heading to the second kingdom. After almost a minute, Betty returned to the carriage that had reached the border patrol. The carriage was about to pass without problems until themander suggested to stop them. "We still didn''t get a word from the capital. Keep all trips locked until we get a reply." He had heard that the kingdom was going through a crisis as the mages who were assigned to him suddenly teleported to the capital. It was all caution; he should get a reply in a day or two, so that was his decision. "There is a vige right after the hill with arge inn. We''ll guide you there to wait until we get orders from the capital." The guard said to Tempo. Inside the carriage, Eris was already about to walk out and punch everyone. They need to get there quickly, the kingdoms are about to attack Arad. BLING! Betty appeared beside the carriage and walked inside, drenched in sweat. "I''m back." "You''re back?" Merlin looked at her, "How did it go?" "Stripped them all, let the horses run away, cut any scroll that was unprotected and I even cut the wheels on his supply carriages." Betty replied, barely able to speak as she gasped for air. "It''s mayhem there." She smiled. "Sir, I said we can''t let you in." Themander of the border guards approached Tempo who insisted they get in. "What now?" Betty looked out, "They aren''t letting us in?" Themander looked at her, "A kid? No, you''re a halfling. I can''t let you in as the kingdom is in crisis, you''ll have to wait for clearance from the capital. It''ll be sent by magic, so you have to wait at least until tomorrow." "Listen, kid." Betty looked at him with an exhausted face, calling him a kid even though he looked to be in histe forties. "I''m not going to hurt; no one here is going to hurt you no matter what. But this is a warning, let us in, or you''ll be the one to regret it." He giggled, "It''s not my responsibility. You''re staying here even if the kingdom burned to ash." "I''m not talking about the kingdom. Kid." She shed but seemed to remain in her ce. She extended her closed fist to him, "Here, this is for you." "I do not take bribes." He growled. "This isn''t a bribe." She shook her fist, and he took what she held. A deep gasp escaped his lips as his hands started to shake. "You recognize them, don''t you? Can we enter?" "How did you get them?" He red at her. She had handed him his wife''s underwear, even though his family was on the other side of the kingdom, hundreds of kilometers away. "Let them in. They are a bit of a special case." Themander growled, clenching his fist on the underwear. "Are you sure?" The guard beside him asked, he didn''t know what happened. "Let them in." Themander said, looking forward with an angry face. "But we didn''t check their papers or cards yet... we were reserving that for tomorrow when we get the orders..." The guard said with a worried face. "I said let them in! It''s already toote to inspect them, and we don''t need to." He waved his hands at the other guards blocking the road. "Let them pass." After the carriages passed, the guard approached themander. "Something was off about them, should we send someone to follow them?" "Don''t. We better not get involved with them." He looked at him, "I suspect that halfling is a world power. I can''t exin her any other way." To a normal person, what Betty did seemed beyond magic. Chapter 821: Tempus Vobiscum{Time be with you} Chapter 821: Tempus Vobiscum{Time be with you} ? As the girls headed deeper into the neighboring kingdom of Asphal, Arad was spending his time inside the secluded cave re-reading the book of gravity magic that Merlin gave him in the past. Gently lifting his w, he lifted a small stone and then looked again at the book. "Left then right and let it go, but reduce the mana input." He tried that and the stone slowly fell down like a feather. Arad was experimenting with his magic, ying with it as he had nothing else to do but wait. He thought he had all the time in the world, but he didn''t know what the near future had in store for him. The near future, theing seconds, counted on one hand, a thin man in his early thirties wearing a whiteb coat appeared before Arad. He had a troubled look on his messy face, it seemed that he hadn''t shaved in days, and his eyes were already dark from theck of sleep. "Hmm, where I am? This should be a city." The man slowly turned aside and saw Arad. Arad returned the puzzled look and quickly lifted his w. "Idiot! The curse." He covered the strange man with a thick barrier. "I''ll teleport you out, see help..." "No need to panic. This that you call curse can''t harm me." The man lifted his hand, "I''m perfectly, 100%, always, andpletely fine." "A human can''t." Arad red at him. "Ah, human, yes. Sorry about that..." The man smiled and Arad gasped. "You were hiding it, you''re a dragon...and not a normal one." "John Darian Uzziel, a greatwyrm time dragon. You call me John." His eyes looked around, "But this is quite the smallir, void dragon kid." "I didn''t tell you that, but I guess you can tell just by looking." Arad smiled, "Did you need something from me?" "Not really. I wanted to warp into a city to resupply before continuing my journey, but there seems to be a huge shift in time-space. Several days ago, a huge monster from the outer world got released and his mere existence had caused a lot of shifts and troubles." John scratched his head. "Thanks to that, my usual route had gotten all jumbled up." "Do you mean Vorvadoss?" "You know about the Space Lord? Yeah, it was that bastard. By his nature, he twists the threads of space, those also pull on the thread of time attached to them which is troublesome for everyone, not just me." John nodded. "I did face him. In fact, his seal was about to break, so I released him to kill him. Our fight extended to the outer world, I did manage to beat him, but this weird man wearing a yellow coat saved him." Arad exined. "So it was you who caused all that mess. Well, it doesn''t really matter. It was destined to happen; time would''ve done its deed even without you." John looked at Arad. "Don''t feel bad about ruining my one hundred years ns, void kid." "You sure aren''t making it easy." Arad sighed, "So, what do you want to do now?" "To you? Nothing, as I said, he would''ve gotten out sooner orter. Now I have to re-n all my trips again, but at least I don''t need to count the uncertainty of Vorvadoss." He gave Arad a thumbs up. "Nice Job, kicking that bastard away." "Say, can you elerate time on my body? I''m recovering here, and I want to get out as soon as possible." Arad asked. "Let me have a look." John extended his hand to Arad, "I see, a soul injury, and a sever one at that. AH! You seem to have arge disease inside your body besides the injured soul, I''ll pull it out." "{You bastard! You know I''m alive!}" Doma shouted at him. "I mean, I''ve heard of you, queen of curses. But I''ve only heard bad rumors, if you''re possessing and cursing this child''s body, I''ll have to pull you out." He stared at Arad with a suspicious face. "She''s my wife, leave her alone." Arad said, staring back at him. "Marrying a curse witch? Today''s children are wilding all over the ce." He scratched his chin, "But, technically I''m from this age...no, that should be different." "Forget about Doma. Can you elerate my time?" "Hmm, I can, but it''ll take a lot of time, and I''ll need to know you very well, like your whole body so I won''t mess up anything crucial. Time is fickle, I wouldn''t trust myself if I were you." John pointed a finger to the side and tens of magic circles appeared out of nowhere. "Do you understand this?" "I can understand it''s time magic, but I can''t evenprehend the first circle. There are over fifty of them." Arad looked at the magic with a stern face, focusing on it as best as he could. "This is what''s needed to elerate your time by a minute. You''re one massive and powerful dragon. It''s quiteplicated to manipte your time. Especially since you''re a void dragon, you''re ability to twist space is holding time firmly around you." John waved his hands and conjured a massive entertained, three-dimensional. "You can imagine the threads of time and space to look something like this. They are connected, so when someone pulls on space, it moves time, and the reverse is also true." He smiled, "You void dragons manipte space and thus get a weak time maniption with it. We time dragons are your opposite, we manipte time, and this gets a weak space maniption with it. That''s how I wrap around and why it''s hard to elerate your time without you understanding time magic and cooperating with me." "Then I need to study time magic." Arad sighed. "I don''t suggest that now. Learning time magic takes a long time, even for talented dragons." John sat in front of Arad, "Remember how I said I''m of this time? By the count of normal time, I should be around thirty-five years old. But as you might guess, I''m far older than that." "Cultivating by eating souls?" Arad nodded. "Wrong, I haven''t eaten a single soul since I was born. I reached the greatwyrm stage while traveling across timelines, my total age now is over fifty thousand years. I can freely travel between the past, present, and future, but I''m also tied by thews of causality, so I can''t do much without causing disasters." John smiled. "You came here on the wrong warp, are you sure you should be talking with me then?" Arad asked with a worried face. "You aren''t going to change the future or something?" "I have an innate ability to detect that. What''s your name, dragon?" "Arad Orion." Arad replied. "Hmmmm..." John started thinking for a while... "That name rings a bell, but I''m sure when I heard of you. Mind if I did a bit of investigating." "What kind of investigation?" Arad asked with a suspicious face. "I''ll be stalking you across time. Trying to figure out what you are." John smiled. "{No! Don''t.}" Doma growled. "He can do it anyway. Better let him do it with us knowing than not." Arad looked at him. "You''re free to do that." "{Arad! He''s dangerous.}" "What I''m saying is that he''s dangerous either way." "Of course, the curse queen doesn''t trust me. Neither you should, I don''t even trust myself as I said before." He waved his hand with a smile, "See you in a second." He disappeared and appeared back again one secondter. "That was one hell of a trip...hooo!" He sighed and sat back down. "I''ve seen some things. To you, it might''ve been a second, but to me, it was over five hundred years." "How long did you stalk me?" "Long enough." John smiled, "Arad Orion indeed is a name that rings one massive bell, but I shouldn''t tell you more than you already know about yourself. And let me be clear, it was you, or should I say will be you, the one to tell me to keep everything a secret." "My future self? I too don''t want to know." Arad sighed. "But, as I said before as well, I was looking for supplies." John smiled, "Want to trade? I know you have food and goods with you. You told me after all," "I didn''t." "You did, not in this timeline, but in others." John pulled arge purple book out of nowhere. "I''ll pay you with this. A magic book about gravity magic, and I''ll tell you some secrets about your void. Those are the things that won''t change much in the timeline." Arad thought about it for a second, "Deal. What do you need?" "Here''s a list, I''ve already written it." Strangely enough, Arad had everything that John wanted. "This is the book, read it when you have time. But since we don''t have time in this conversation, I''ll be telling you about the void now." John waved his hands, "Void magic controls space itself. The nothingness that keeps the world together." "I can teleport, I know that." "What you don''t know is that the threads of space themselves hold energy, if you rub them together, they release a bit of that stored energy, and void dragons can change that energy into matter. Which means you can create matter out of nothing, well, the threads of space to be exact." John showed Arad a diagram of void magic. "Simplified, but this means that if you drew too much energy from the threads of space, they''ll rip apart and create a hole with immense gravitational energy that sucks matter in, all in hope of repairing themselves and replenishing the energy they lost." "So I can pull energy out of the empty space, but if I do it too much, I cause a disaster." Arad nodded. "It''s called a ck hole since it looks like a ck hole." John waved his hand, "That''s why I suggest converting already existing matter into energy instead, leave the thread of space alone unless it''s an emergency." "I''m already doing that." Arad smiled, "So I''m a bit ahead." "I already knew you''re doing that." John pointed at Arad, "You''re kind can literally turn iron into gold. Albeit... What can you make now?" "This." Arad lifted his w and a gas started gushing out, cold enough to create a small white cloud. "Oxygen, number 8." John nodded, "Iron is number 26. Silver is 47 and gold is 79." "How much are there?" Arad asked. "Around 103, I''m not sure myself." John smiled, "What you should aim for is the element number 92, that''s the cursed metal that feeds your kind. If you be skilled enough to make it, you''ll have a near-infinite supply of food and energy to use. Imagine turning dirt into it, that''s a load of power." "That''s still a long way ahead. But I can make breathable air for myself." Arad smiled. "But, this isn''t where the void power stops." John lifted a finger, "Those elements also interact with each other. For example, thest element you made; That gas. If you burned it with the first element you made. You''ll get water." "Burn one and eight together?" Arad created both and burned them with a spark. From the pale blue me, a gust of steam gushed out. "Water vapor? You''re right, those two together made water." Arad gasped, "Is this drinkable?" "Yes, but it has no minerals. You''ll soon be able to make these minerals to make your watern/o/vel/b//in dot c//om better." John stood, "Train your void to create the elements and learn alchemy to be able to use those elements effectively. Learn thews of space, time, and motion to be able to use your space maniption to its fullest." John burstughing, "Which means you must master all thews of the world, if you managed such a feat, the world itself would be your yground, molded at your wtips." He pointed a finger at Arad, "See youter, old friend. Tempus vobiscum{Time be with you}." He disappeared. Chapter 822: Troubled Fairy Chapter 822: Troubled Fairy ? Right after John left, Arad opened his new gravity book and started reading it, trying and testing every spell and method that was listed there. Arge majestic obsidian dragon, sitting alone in a dark cave reading a tome of ancient magic, growing his power and wisdom in a haze of arcane mist, this was the start of a new era for him. The girl''s carriage approached their first stop, therge trade city of Voln. Named after an ancient hero of thends, it thrived off trade and merchants who used it as a hub for trade and resupply. Due to it being one of thergest cities in the kingdom of Asphal, it was named the capital and the royal family had built themselves a stone fortress in its heart. "I''m telling you, idiots! Halt this at once, the adventurers need to deal with Shallon, the beast of the mountains first." A tiny, high-pitched voice pierced the air as the carriage approached the capital. The girls were looking at the battalion of soldiers in the distance. "They already fixed their clothes back." Betty mumbled. Ae looked to the side and saw a tiny fairy arguing with a soldier at the side of the road, right at the outpost of the knights, where civilians were stopped. "What''s that?" She pointed out. Betty looked, "A local fairy, I bet those soldiers chopped the forest or something, that''s why she''s angry." "No, I meant her magic. It''s rich in wind magic." She could see a green aura around the fairy, "Is she one of Zephyr''s elemental fairies?" "Probably. They are like different races among the fae." The carriage stopped and Ae walked out with Eris, "You wait here. I''ll go check her out, it''s the first time I met one of Zephyr''s people." The girls inside nodded and Tempo also looked toward the soldiers, "I''ll go find someone to speak to. I might get a thing or two done." He then tapped the ground with his foot several times, sending a signal to Meryem who was traveling with them underground with an army of her children so she stopped. "Human! Listen well; I''ve lived far more than you. Whatever is in that desert, it''s none of your business. Shallon on the other hand is a clear threat, stop following the clouds and put down the fire causing ck smoke." The fairy growled. "You aren''t making any sense. And speaking to me won''t change anything. I''m just doing my job." The soldier sighed with an exhausted face; this little fairy had been bothering him since yesterday. "What''s going on here?" Ae asked as she slowly approached them. The fairy growled, shouting at her in rage, "Shut your mount, bit...." Her face paled for a second when she saw Ae. The fairy turned toward the soldier for a second, "See youter, something important showed up." She flew back toward Ae. "Can we please change the ce? To the forest maybe? Where none human can disturb us?" She said with a hopeful, yet scared face. Ae and Eris looked at each other, "Fine by me." They headed to the forest and soon were out of everyone''s sight. "This seems like a good ce." Ae looked around, "What was..." When she turned toward the fairy, she found her naked, prostrating herself on the ground. Eris and Ae stared at her for a second, confused, baffled, and quite probably, stunned. "What''s up with you?" Eris said with a disappointed face. "You can start by wearing your clothes back." "I need to apologize first. I almost yelled at the herald. Ever since our queen Zephyr got sealed, we''re been having a bit of trouble keeping thends stable." She slowly lifted her head and looked at Ae, "It pains my heart to say this to you while the queen is still sealed, but we need help, quickly, and urgently." "But..." Ae looked at her with a worried and troubled face. "We have our problem now. You saw that army, right? They are going to attack a monster in the desert, it happened for him to be my husband." Ae looked at Eris, "Our husband." "The herald''s husband is what setting those humans like a bee''s nest?" The fairy pped her wings and began flying; the wind flew around her body and shifted into leaf-like clothes. This is how she stripped so fast, she was wearing her magic from the start. "It''s a long story, but he''s recovering in the desert. He won''t harm anyone, but he''ll retaliate if attacked. If they don''t leave him alone, he''ll wipe their whole army." Ae replied, "We need to stop them." "So you want him not to be disturbed." The fairy started thinking, "Got it. I''ll get the fairy''s army to move and y them all. In the meantime, there is a monster that we need to be killed." The fairy smiled. "No, no, no! You can''t kill the humans. We need to stop them, it''s best if no one dies." Ae gasped. The fairy tilted her head, looking at Ae''s face. "Why care about humans? They barely care about our forest." "Care about everyone. It''s all about bnce, isn''t that what Zephyr would want?" Ae looked at Eris. "They have a monster to deal with, and we must stop that army from charging into their death." "As she said," Eris pointed at the fairy, "It''s not about them dying. If Arad ends up killing them, it''ll cause us problems in the future." The fairy smiled, pping her hands as if she realized something. "I see! Their death cause more trouble than their life. I get it; we''ll help the herald keep the humans alive." "So, what is this monster you''ve been talking about?" Ae sighed. "Shallon is an old elf that''s been living at the edge of the forest. Lastly, he''s been kidnapping fairies and ripping their wings off for his experiments. Last month arge miasma of strange magic gushed out from his tower and almost killed the whole forest if we didn''t fan it away to the northern wastnds." The fairy looked at the depth of the forest. "Why didn''t you send the fairy''s army? I''m sure you have some capable fights, don''t you?" Eris stared at the fairy with suspicion. "We did, but he seems to have a magic to control people. The moment our front squad approached the tour they lost their ability to fly and fell to the ground. He simply walked out and picked them out. We checked the area around his tower, and the magic seems to be imitating from his body." The fairy waved her hands while flying around Ae and Eris, "It''s a domination curse. All those who get to 300 elvish feet close to him with be unable to control their bodies. And what''s worse, he set a powerful anti-magic barrier at the 200-foot mark, meaning we can''t snip him with spells." The fairy looked at Ae, "Of course, we tried to throwrge boulders at his tower with wind magic from the sky, but there is a powerful array of disintegration magic built from the 100-foot mark, making physical attacks also useless." "Did you try teleporting straight inside?" Ae asked. "Impossible, the anti-magic barrier blocks all magic across it. It''s a massive sphere that extends underground." The fairy shook her head. "How fast is the disintegration array? Could a fast enough object pass?" Eris swung her fist, "Like throw a rock too fast, or an arrow." "We tried using catapult magic and sent a boulder at almost two thousand feet a second, and it still disintegrated." The fairy spun around and sat on a small bush. "That''s faster than most cannons." "So this is why you were asking humans to help?" Ae looked back. "Humans are weak, but they could have a wizard or two among them who could find a way to stop Shallon. I didn''t expect to meet the herald here; especially since we''ve heard you live in the neighboring kingdom." Ae lifted her hand and pulled an arrow, "Can I elerate this faster than that boulder?" She engulfed it with wind magic and started focusing. Her goal was to snipe Shallow with one signal. But at that moment, the fairy froze in ce. "Wait! That magic!" She screamed, and quickly stripped again, falling to the ground. "To think I''ve been flying all this time!" She cried with a scared face. "Why strip again! You exhibitionist!" Eris growled at her. "What''s wrong with you?" Ae shouted at her, "Wear your clothes again, I didn''t do anything." "That wave of magic, the mark of the queen." The fairy slowly lifted her head, "If I know this before, I would''ve slit my own throat for even trying to yell at you. Our queen." "What queen?" Ae looked at her, "And wear something!" Eris added. "The crown, Her Majesty Zephyr left it with you, right." The fairy said with a shaking voice. Ae pointed above her head and a glowing green crown appeared. "You mean this thing?" "That''s indeed the royal crown of the wind spirit. Until Her Majesty Zephyr returns, you''re our queen." The fairy sat down, "It''s considered disrespectful to fly over the queen. So I''ll be walking." "No, you aren''t." Ae lifted her by the wings, "You either fly or I''ll carry you. I''m not wasting time walking through the forest. We''ll run." "About this wizard..." Eris looked at them, "Leave it to me. I did sense Merida''s magic moving, you better check on her. I''ll go take care of him ande back quickly." "He can control people." The fairy stared at her, "What can you even do alone?" Pin appeared from Eris''s back and hung on her shoulder, "Mistress can do things, a lot of them." The fairy screamed and hid behind Ae, "It''s a devil!" "Pin is harmless." Ae said with a worried face, "And you hide behind your queen, what a valiant fairy." "Touch it! Touch it." Pin smiled, "My mistress''s great hand. You''ll understand everything, ignorant little fairy." Eris already knew what Pin was talking about so she approached the fairy and extended a finger to her. "Try it."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om When the fairy touched Eris''s finger, she could feel it, something just as horrifying as Ae being their queen. "A divine core?!" She screamed. Chapter 823: Majestic Purple Sun Chapter 823: Majestic Purple Sun ? Eris rushed with the fairies as Ae returned to check what Merida was up to. Even though they told them not to act, she seemed to be about to do something rash. With what they knew of Merida''s quick temper, she''d probably engage the army if they sneezed. "Lady Eris, are you sure you can handle the Shallon alone?" The fairy looked at her with a worried face. "I know you have a divine core and you''re starting on the path of a demi-god, but you aren''t invisible." "Mistress of powerful! Pin knows that a mere wizard won''t stand in her presence. It''ll be a great murder." Pin sniffed the air, "I can smell it from here, like dung rotting on the side of the road in a hot summer. It''s absolutely delightful, the stench of death." "We''re in the vige. Stay with me, I don''t want the rest to attack you. We''re quite agitated at the moment." The fairy sighed, "I wish Her Majesty Ae hade with us. They would listen far easier; it''ll be hard for me alone to convince them to trust someone with a devil." "Pin can hide." Pin looked at the fairy with an evil smile. "If you let me murder you. Slowly pluck your wings and leave you to bleed to death." "You''re no better than that wizard!" She gasped. "Pin doesn''t shit where she sleeps, that''s disgusting. Pin shits where others sleep, that''s funny." The devilish giggles echoed through the trees as she faded into Eris''s back. "As long as you remain thedy''s allies, murder shall not im souls on your side." They finally reached the fairy''s vige, arge and lush emerald grove. The little spirit spawns lived among tiny houses in the trees akin to birdhouses, flying among the butterflies, dancing and giggling along the breeze beneath the warm sunlight. "Wait! Where is the army? They were flying everywhere?!" The fairy shouted and flew toward one of the civilian pixies. "Where did the fighters go?" She asked with a worried and scared face. "They went to face the wizard again. Since everything failed, they''re going to test a dive- bomb." The man looked at the sun, "They''ll fly to the mighty sun ande shing down. Some will die, someone will get evaporated by the inner barrier, but those who make it into the tower could fight and kill the wizard, this is their n." "That''s suicide!" The fairy cried, looking at Eris, "We need to stop them before it''s toote." Eris looked at the old fairy man. "You said they seek the mighty sun?" She took her ne, a holy symbol of Amaterasu that Lydia gave her. "Keep this until I return. But I can''t promise the wizard''s ash would remain." She started walking toward thergest source of magic nearby, which had to be the wizard''s tower. The old man gasped, "A symbol of Amaterasu, a pdin?" He looked at the fairy, "Don''t ask me. It''splicated." She flew after Eris as fast as she could. When Eris and the fairy reached the battlefield, they saw a grim sight. Most of the fairies were badly injured on the ground, and half of them had already disintegrated into ash, not a single one made it inside. A massive stone golem stood in the way, crushing any fairy that was still alive. "Pathetic! Pathetic! Pathetic! Pathetic! Pathetic little creatures of the forest!" The wizard''s maniacalughs could be heard echoing from the tower as the fairies screamed and died, helpless and unable to move or cast magic.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I''ve already got enough of your kind to start my magic. I even set up a breeding farm to make more, I''ve no use for your tiny vige." The wizard waved his staff from the window, "Get crushed and die! I''ll build a new kingdom upon your corpses!" The barriers evolved. The inner array had disintegration, the middle barrier had anti-magic, and the outer shell had domination, but now they got stacked upon each other. The inner array had expanded into an elemental expansion of the wizard, and the middle barrier got the disintegration array mixed into it. The outer shell also received a spark of the middle barrier and now had both domination and anti-magic, alongside the massive stone golem guarding the tower. The fairy fell on her face, barely able to breathe. "What''s this? It''s stronger than before..." She gasped, "He got stronger?" "This ursed wizard!" Themander of the fairies stood, leaning on her finger-sized sword. "Under the grace of Titania, I shall never fall till death takes my life." Titania was the title given to the goddess of the fairies, Ishtar, also called Titania, the knight queen of the fairies. "Then die! Patheticmander of the fairies!" The wizard shouted at the top of his lungs from the tower and the golem started walking forward. As themander growled, ready for herst stance, arge foot soared above her head. She looked up terrified and saw Eris walking past her, looking like a massive titan to the small fairies. One step after another, she walked toward the golem. With each step, the wizard''s barrier around her body screamed like twisting steel, cracking and cking as if it was about to explode from how much Eris being there stressed it. "Why aren''t you falling? Who are you?" The wizard gasped, "I''ve perfected this magic for two hundred years! Kneel to me!" He increased the barrier''s power. "Hmmm," Eris stood in ce, staring at the golem ahead of her. "Why would I kneel to you? I only kneel to my husband." Her eyes hovered from the golem to the tower, spotting the wizard''s silhouette in the window. "People like you are the pathetic one. Not even worth stepping on." "The words of corpses hold neither meaning nor weight. My golem shall crush you t!" He yelled. Eris took a stance. "As I said before, the fairies looked at the sun for help. I might not be here, but I''ve got a thing of my own." A blinding purple sun one meter in diameter appeared above her open palm, slowly spinning as it released enough heat to start evaporating water from the forest. "Purple Sun. My own magic." She said with a passive face, aiming at the tower. The fairies in the back gasped, almost burning from the heat. "What kind of magic is that? It''s burning this hot inside an anti-magic barrier, how could it be?" "That isn''t normal magic!" The wizard gasped in panic. "Only holy spells can survive in the anti-magic barrier if the god has direct ess!" He started babbling like a madman. "The sun is above us and Amaterasu had direct ess, but it''s strange! I can''t sense any connection, there is no holy magic getting supplied to you through my barriers, and pdins can''t infuse divine magic into normal magic, that isn''t something that mortals can achieve!" "That means one thing! But it''s impossible, it can''t be, that isn''t something that should ever happen!!!!!!" He screamed his lungs out, "You''re a demi-god, a being capable of conjuring their own divine magic!" Eris nodded, "You''ve talked enough. It''s high time I sted you and this whole tower, if I keep this sun out, I''ll cook everyone in the forest and city alive." The people in the city had started to feel the scorching heat as they saw the shes of purple light painting the sky. The wizards in the castle had started to panic as they located a magic signal surpassing S-ss monsters riddled with divine magic as if a god had ascended to the mortal world. It was for a short time, but the wizards argued if they could capture this god and dissect him to see how the gods work. Of course, one of them who worshipped the goddess of magic spat on them and almost sted the wholeb with a fireball, calling the sphemy. Back in the forest, the wizard quickly changed his tone now that a demi-god was there. "You''re a fledgling goddess; you''ll need all the prayer you can get! What''s your creed? I''ll prepare sacrifices day and night; I''ll happily suck your toes night and day!" He was an elf after all. "Just! Don''t blow my centuries of research away!" "My toes are reserved for my husband. You aren''t even worth looking at." She waved her palm forward and the sun flew with a sh, the shadows of the trees danced across the horizon as the sun melted the golem and sted the whole tower into ash and debris, all burning in a blinding purple haze of sma. The wizard screamed as his charred body flew into the air, he barely survived thanks topressing all of his barriers and focusing on defense alone. But even with that, he looked like a piece of mean that was forgotten on the grill for a day until it became charcoal. The sky remained glowing with an amethyst haze as a second purple sun appeared in the sky with Eris standing on it. "Hmm, you survived that. I thought one meter was enough to evaporate you. How about this? A ten-meter wide sun." She kicked the sun toward him. Shallon died in a purple st behind the mountains, one strong enough to shake the ground. Whatever he worked for in life, what he was trying to achieve, and what he used the lives of all those fairies, all got burned into ash, erased from existence in the blink of an eye. Ae looked at the sky. "Eris at it again. Why use all of that power?" She sighed. ^I''ll give her an earful when she returns.^ Ae turned toward the army, seeing them proceeding forward. Tempo had figured out their n; they intended to teleport the whole army directly into Arad''s location and attack him directly with all their forces, hoping to kill him or im his power, before everyone died. Humans had reached the same conclusion as the fairies when dealing with an overpowered death trap. But, the army had stopped moving, they couldn''t precede a step toward the teleportationnd, due to one thing. Arge portion of the soldiers, especially the drafted civilians had pissed themselves and ran away crying. The seasoned soldiers wanted to strike down the deserters, but even they understood what was going on so they remained still, growling. The woman sitting in their way several hundred meters ahead. They could feel her from here. Merida had seen the army move so she walked out of the carriage and sat in their path cross- legged. She jammed her sword into the ground, staring at them with her head resting on her fist, a passive face was all they got. "Move! What are you waiting for? Other countries to im the power of the desert? Yeah, you''re traitors!" A noble growled and rushed toward one of the knights, swigging his sword. CLANG! The knight caught the noble sword with his hand and shattered it, "That woman." He nodded toward Merida. "The army can''t move with such a monster sitting in our way." Merida shifted her legs and gently touched the de of her sword. All the army''s horses and mounts panicked and started running away as if their lives depended on it. The animals and monsters could feel it, the demon army residing within Merida''s body. Chapter 824: Horrific Abyssal Army Chapter 824: Horrific Abyssal Army ? "Get the catapult ready! Don''t hit her; fire beside her, a few meters is fine!" One of the adventurers shouted at the top of his lungs. "What are you trying to achieve?" The army''s general yelled at him. "We don''t have time for..." "Just do it! It''ll show those nobles what are we dealing with. She won''t attack back unless we hit her or get too close." The adventurer rushed behind the general, "Do it! One shot is enough." All the soldiers remained still, awaiting the general''s decision. "No! We''re charging all at once." The general growled. "I told you! Everyone would die! Don''t approach her; you can feel it as well. That''s death incarnate." The general and the adventurer kept arguing, in the meantime, Eris had returned to the carriage. "Shallon is done." She looked toward the army, seeing them arguing about something. "This isn''t about my sun earlier, is it?" Ae approached her with an angry face. "We''ll talk about thatter. Look there." She pointed at Merida. "They want to teleport to Arad, all the army at once. But they need to cast the spell on t ground so it''ll be possible to cast." "Merida decided to take a seat in the middle of their t ground, and now none dares to take a step further as they can feel that she''ll kill them all." Eris scratched her head, "I too want to take the easy way and kill them all and be done with it. There are over ten armies, one or two annihted as an example probably won''t cause much harm." She looked at Merida, "But that was a smart move, now it''s their fault for approaching her." "The nobles are arguing with the soldiers and adventurers. They are saying Merida isn''t a threat and want the army to advance." Ae pointed at the back of the army where arge argument was going. "Noble fools. They never fought in their lives." Eris sighed, "One look at Merida, and one can see the air twisting around her. Mana is like fire, it has something akin to heating from it. Anyone who is used to fighting monsters and dealing with magic can recognize it with ease." Eris looked at her hand, "We''re suppressing our mana, but Merida is letting a quarter of hers out so they can feel her." A messenger from the city came rushing in. "The wizards identified the woman as an S-ss monster. Orders to eliminate her were given. The whole army is charged forth and overwhelm her with numbers." The nobles beganughing, "Do you hear that? Common fools. That woman is nothing more than a beast, like everything this kingdom has dealt with before. Charge forth and overwhelm her with numbers, she won''t survive even if she''s an S-ss monster." "You''re the fool! S-ss? That can''t be possible." The adventurer red back at Merida. "I''ve faced five S-ss monsters in raids before, that thing is far more dangerous." "You''re a fool!" The noble growled. "All generals! Push forward!" The generals looked at each other; some of them agreed with the adventurers that the woman looked far too dangerous to approach carelessly. "AHHH!" the adventurer, cried, scratching his head, "Why no one could listen, one shot and it''ll be obvious even to the blind..." At the side where the girl''s carriage was, the fairy flew to Eris and Ae''s sides and stood on the ground. "You majesty, the fairies want to thank you and Lady Eris for assisting us through those hard times." Eris looked at the army, and then at the fairy, back and forth a few times. "Say," She waved her hand and called her in, whispering to her. "I can do it!" The fairy said with a smile, flying with a proud face, puffing her chest. "Go!" Eris gave the fairy a thumbs up and quickly called Merida through a magic ring, "Merida. Don''t attack back for now. Block anything if it came your way." "Why?" "It''splicated; just do what I said unless I call you again." ***** The fairy flew into the back of the army and looked around, finding a small path between the tents. "Sneaky sneak....sneaky sneak, like a long snake." She flew between the tents and bushes, listening to the soldiers arguing inside. "Meow?" A cat cut her way, ring at the fairy with hungry eyes. "Hush! Hush!" The fairy hushed the cat away, but the feline hunter wasn''t listening. The cat pounced at her, going for the head. "Fairy''s punch!" The fairy dodged the attack and knocked the cat with a single punch to the jaw. Even though she was as small as a human palm, she still had far more strength than she looked. After sneaking through the back of the army and avoiding several dogs and cats and a rooster, she finally reached where the catapults and trebuchets were. "Do they intend on dragging those with them? Well, it doesn''t matter." She found a loaded trebuchet and checked the trajectory; it seemed to be aimed straight at Merida. The massive boulder was engulfed in mes, it seemed to have been drenched in oil and set aze. "Hope she can survive this." The fairy pulled the rope and fired the trebuchet. The army panicked as they heard therge war engine move, half of them started running away as they saw the massive boulder racing toward Merida. "Shit!" The adventurer cried, "It''s flying straight at her, who aimed that..." He ran to the trebuchet. As he arrived, he could see the fairy flying toward him, away from the trebuchet. The two stopped and looked at each other, the path between them was clear with tents spread at the sides.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I see..." The adventurer lunged forward with his sword drawn. He didn''t know what the fairy was scheming, but death was her only option. By firing straight at Merida, she has destined the whole army to disaster. The fairy kept flying in ce with a passive, stupid face, looking forward as he ran toward her. When he reached thest two tents before reaching the fairy, he could see them from the corner of his eyes. The two tents were packed with fairies to the brim, thousands of them all flying inside like a swarm of wasps. The surviving army had followed the fairy. "For our queen! For the queen! Queen! Queen!" They swarmed out, caught the adventurer and knocked him cold with magic, then dragged him back into the tents. "The fairy flew in." Thanks for the help... "Didn''t think you''d follow me here." Themander of the fairy knights approached her. "In the name of Titania, why didn''t you tell us the wind herald was here and that she had the queen''s crown?" "Just didn''t have time." The fairy waved her hands, looking at the adventurer foaming beneath their feet. "I guess so." Themander nodded, "The queen''s friend helped us and defeated Shallon, even though we''re still exhausted from the repeated fights, we''ll do our best and fight for her till ourst dust." She pulled her sword and pointed it out, "For the queen!" "For the queen!" The fairies swarmed out, sneaking behind the army tents to reach Ae. Merida sat in ce and slowly looked up, seeing the massive boulder flying toward her. As the boulder was only a few meters away from hitting her, the ground behind Merida cracked and a massive worm almost four meters in width burst up with a roar. The worm bites the boulder, shattering it to pieces. As the burning embers fell toward Merida, a massive and hairy muscr arm protected her, a seven-meter tall minotaurus demon was sitting behind her, his body rotting with crimson fungus. Massive spore buds burst from the ground and demons started emerging from them in hordes, roaring and growing, their cries sent a chill through the air all the way to the army. The wizards in the city started panicking, the S-ss signal had grown several times stronger, and hundreds of A and S-ss demons appeared out of nowhere. M00000000000000000000000000000000000000000! The minotaurus roared in rage like a pissed bull, smacking his chest like a gori, and lunged forward with fire gushing out of his mouth. The army immediately turned back and the soldiers started running away as the demon scared them shitless. "Stop." Merida said one word and the demon halted, sitting in ce. The fungus spread by infecting monsters and demons through spores, adding everyone into the mycelium hive mind of the fungus demon queen. With Merida and the fungus queen being linked together as one, she could call the fungus demons straight out of the abyss as well as turn monsters and humans into fungal zombies under hermand. While Eris is a solo fighter with insane firepower and holy magic above her divine core, Merida is a martial fighter with an army of demons, depicting a more militaristic type of power. "MERIDA!!! HELP!" Mira rushed toward Merida, running between the horrors of the abyss like she owned the ce, crying as she held a smoking device in her hand. "I''ve failed to bnce it... help!" Chapter 825: The Dragons Pride Chapter 825: The Dragon''s Pride ? The demons looked at Mira with confused faces; most couldn''t just walk between them, they knew she was with Merida, and they knew she knew they wouldn''t harm her, but seeing a human running between them without fear was strange. But, on a second nce, the demons could feel the immense lump of mana condensed inside her. It flew out like a gush of smoke, crackling with draconic magic far beyond anything they''d ever felt. "It''s about to explode!" Mira handed the failing device to Merida and turned toward the demons. They''ve been staring at her for a few seconds now, "Want something?" she asked with genuine interest, but they started sweating, she was different than anyone else. The magic inside Mira belonged to Arad and is what''s feeding the child in her womb. The demons could feel that, and to them, it was like Arad himself was sitting around Mira, growling at them. The mark of a dragon, she can''t be touched. Demons are far more sensitive than humans, and they can tell how dangerous Arad is just by looking at Mira. "What is this? Should I bury it?" Merida said with a calm face as the smokeing from the device intensified and it started sparking. "Throw it away! As far as you can!" Mira gasped. "To the desert then," Merida cracked her neck and took a deep breath, hunching back as she extended her arm. The mycelium in her body threaded deep into her muscles and bones, acting like a spring that holds power. For five seconds, she slowlypressed her muscles harder and harder until her arm turned blue and her veins bulged with ck blood. She stomped forward, the mycelium in her legs anchoring her firmly to the ground, and using all the power she stored, she threw the device with a st, elerating it enough to cause a shockwave. Mira stared with an open mouth as Merida threw the device far behind the mountains into the edge of the desert. Secondster, a massive sh of light illuminated the sky as an expose the size of the city behind them reached the clouds, shaking the ground into hell. Both demons and humans alike looked at the st in horror; none of them could survive that. "The hell was that?" Merida stared at Mira with a confused face. "You know that cursed metal is found underground, but it only starts killing people when they dig it out. That''s why I came up with the theory that enough earth could block the curse." Mira smiled, "I asked Merlin to use earth magic topress stone around a piece of cursed metal to test if it that can stop the curse. The goal was to create an armor ofpressed stone and dirt." Mira with a smile, puffing her chest with pride... "The experiment was a sess; thepressed stone blocked the curse. But we needed to shove almost twenty meters of stone into a tenth of a meter diameter with magic. This is where everything failed." Mira sighed, "With Merlin going with Isdis to the castle, she left the device with me. The spell containing the stone started to fail and I had no way to stop it. I honestly expected the stone shell to explode everywhere, but not that." She pointed at the mushroom cloud behind her. "If it wasn''t the stone that exploded..." Merida looked back, "The cursed metal." She threw arge spore at the mushroom cloud and soon confirmed. "The curse is everywhere in the smoke. It was indeed the cursed metal." "Wait...that''s bad, isn''t it? What if the smoke came here, everyone would die." Mira gasped. "Don''t ask me, it''s your fault." Merida gasped. "Both of you are getting an earful with Eris." Ae flew above them with an army of fairies. "I''ll clean it up." "I expect you''re experts in wind magic, right?" Ae looked at the fairies. "Of course your highness. We''re the proud people of Zephyr, the wind spirit." The fairies chanted after her as they raced toward the mushroom cloud. Ae closed her eyes for a moment as she flew with the wind. The first time she ever took to the skies was on Arad''s back, and now she can fly on her own. ^Zephyr, I''ll be borrowing your magic for the first time. Please allow us a shard of your power.^ The emerald crown of Zephyr shed above Ae''s head and a pair of translucent, green- glowing butterfly-like wings emerged from her back in a burst of air. Green markings in the shape of leaves and stripes spread down her from her head to her legs, and her magic slowly shifted into that of spirits. "I can''t control it on my own. Help me as if it''s high magic, elvish one if you can." Ae shouted as she threw her arms forward. Her skin started peeling off from the immense magic she was trying to tap. Ae wasn''t trying to pull any spell or cast anything, she only wanted to take control of a small fraction of what Zephyr had already cast. Zephyr''s massive expansion, the atmosphere. Zephyr is the spirit of wind; everyone is living and breathing thanks to her expansion that keeps air around. The fairies swarmed around Ae in flocks, their bodies glowing with wind magic. Even though Ae asked to be helped as if this was high magic, they found themselves less helping her and more trying to fix the mistakes she made when casting magic, acting as catalysts to extend her range, and as mana sources to fuel her. "Spirit''s Storm!" Ae shouted and the wind moved at a horrifying speed, almost blowing everyone away. The trees away from the city got pulled from the roots, and even Merida had to use her sword as an anchor as the demons shielded her from the wind. The army ran back to the city as their tents started getting swept by the violent wind, almost as if a tornado struck the ce, a powerful st of air came rushing from behind the city and flew toward the mushroom cloud, blowing it away to the desert where Arad was. He will be fine. As the mushroom cloud disappeared, the marking on Ae''s body faded with the crown, and she started falling down. The fairies caught her crying, "Our Queen!" "I''m fine..." She gasped, "It''s just... Zephyr made it look easy." Zephyr''s expansion, the atmosphere was far too big and charged with wind magic, tapping into it is like trying to swim in a violent river. One mistake, and you''ll get swept away and down. Some of the fairies immediately started trying to heal Ae. Her skin had burned where the marks appeared as those were channels of extreme magic, far beyond what her body could handle. "You''re bleeding a lot. Don''t try to control Her Majesty Zephyr''s power, you''ll only hurt yourself." Themander of the fairies yelled at her. "I didn''t. I''m not that arrogant. I''ve merely tried to use the air around the city. That isn''t even a hundredth of the full size of Zephyr''s expansion." Ae could feel her mana was almost empty. She kept only a few drops to sustain her conciseness. ^I''ve only barely dipped a toe into Zephyr''s power, and that got ripped apart.^ She could remember the drunk Zephyr doing a stupid dance on the dinner table after swimming in a barrel of beer. ^I need to ask her to teach me a few things when shees back. A Inside the castle, Isdis stared at the king who watched the chaos in horror from his window. "Like most kings. Uranus had married multiple women and formed a pride. I for one am a more diplomaticdy, taught and brought among royalty and nobility." She smiled, waving her hand toward the window. "I won''t say the same for the other members of the pride." "Indeed." Merlin who sat beside her nodded, "I''m sure my word as an archmage holds some weight. But, what you''ve seen is more prof, isn''t it?" Merlin smiled, "I wouldn''t want to get on Uranus''s harem''s bad side." "I too would love for you to meet Uranus on better terms." Isdis looked at the rest of the nobles, "Just imagine, what kind of man is keeping those women together? d surely wasn''t happy to see him my husband angry." "I see...this all was a mistake, right?" The king giggled with a scared face. "We didn''t know it was Uranus in the desert; we would never try to harm him. When we got your letter, we thought it was fake, sent from other kingdoms." "Is that so? I''m happy we reached a peaceful conclusion." As Isdis was about to stand, a faint roar could be heard in the distance, and she looked at the window with arge smile on her face. "That''s..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad had seen the sh of Eris''s purple sun and Mira''s nuke, and after feeling Ae''s magic in the air, he knew his wives were up to something in the distance. Since the desert was a massive empty wastnd, his roar traveled far enough to reach them. Chapter 826: Infinite Chaos Chapter 826: Infinite Chaos ? With the first country finally convinced to pull its army away, the girls started heading to the next, hoping to finish this all in time. And while they were going, another huge battle was taking ce in a farawaynd, one being was about to prove a point. Lucy waved her hand, sending a wave of Gojo''s void at Boronos. "I want to go home, just get back to the grave." She shouted with a wide smile white on Gojo''s body. Boronos dodged the wave of the void and formed a counter. The attack looked slower than he expected from Gojo''s power. As an undead expert in souls, he did notice that it wasn''t Gojo, but someone else, it was the little girl who was running around the battlefield casting strange magic. Boronos disappeared in a smokescreen of toxic necrotic gas and teleported to Lucy, grabbing her by the neck. ^Soul swapping magic is quite dangerous and useful. This little girl thinks getting his body is a boon; I''ll prove it to be a curse. If I were to kill this body she''ll die and He''ll be locked in that fragile body of her. A "My luck ising back." As expected, taking Gojo''s body indeed gave Lucy a huge boost to her fighting power, but she had no idea about to control it to the fullest. She could use the basic powers of the void, unleashing it randomly with each swing of her arms, and she was still as tough but had no way of guessing how topress matter or achieve anything that Gojo is known for. Gojo stood in Lucy''s body in the middle of the undead, looking at his hands with a passive face. ^I see...unlike us dragons, human skin doesn''t emit that much mana, that''s why need to use arcane focuses like staves, wands, and crystal balls. I''m used to using my scales to emit magic, and this body is quite fickle to deal with. I was probably asking too much wanting her to cast magic with her bare hands. ^ Arge death knight approached him, he was the one that Lucy controlled before, and now he''s angry. "You little bug. You dared to cast that magic upon me!" He growled, ring down at Gojo. "Wait a moment. I''m thinking." Gojo tapped the death knight''s arm and kept thinking without a care in the world, leaving the eldritch monster baffled, bbergasted, and utterly confused. ^The reason me and Arad rip our shirts when fighting is to expose as much of our scales as possible. That makes it easier to cast magic as we can output more mana at once. I can do that now to increase my throughput, but that increase would be about nothing, and Lucy would kill meter...^ He lifted his hands, ^How about this.^ The death knight behind him growled and swung his sword, trying to sh him in half. CLANG! The thing that fell wasn''t Gojo{Lucy}''s head, it was the death knight''s arm. "Didn''t I tell you to wait?" Gojo stared back at the now terrified death knight. His output lowered by a lot, but he''s still a dragon, even though bound in a weak human body. Just like how Arad was in Merlin''sbyrinth, losing the majority of his draconic power is forcing Gojo to grow more efficient with magic. Gojo smiled, "I see, wild magic only triggers when a spell isn''t cast perfectly. Most wizards only achieve 70-80% quality on their spells, not all fireballs are the same." Since Gojo is only working with a minuscule amount of magic, he can watch it all and make sure his cast is always perfect, preventing the random wild magic from activating even in this necrotic magic-infested area. "So..." In the ninth second, Gojo intentionally failed a spell for a wild magic activation, and he got one random effect. Strangely enough, he didn''t hit the jackpot but hit the same spell that Lucy hit. Swapping souls with someone he can see for ten seconds. He could feel the magic about to rush out of his eyes, and he tried to hold it back. Like a sneeze, holding it was annoying, but possible for him. One second passed and he kept staring at his own body in the distance. The moment he swapped back to his body after Lucy''s first cast ended, she went back to her body, and the spell that wild magic that Gojo was holding got unleashed, swapping them back again in the blink of an eye. Gojo intentionally extended the duration of the swap; he needed more time to test something. But in the moment of the swap, Boronos managed tond a huge hit on Lucy who was confused after getting swapped out and back in. "Hope she doesn''t die." Gojo put his hands together, a smile crossing his face as his eyes burned with a blue me of magic. The color of mana is blue and that is what seeps from his eyes, he''s preparing to cast several spells at once. To save on mana, Gojo cast several useless spells that only emit a small amount of mana and do nothing, but activate the wild magic if they failed and he indeed made them fail. Tens and hundreds of small spells cast a second, all activating the wild magic, leading to a stream of random chaos. Gojo turned into a speed and got set aze as some of the death knights around him started singing andughing, gravity got reversed as he turned into a nt with human legs, and quickly a blinding light burst from his body as a unicorn appeared out of nowhere and puked rainbows. All the undead around Gojo got buffed with a random spell, and his left leg got twisted and crushed, but in the next second, he got fully healed with another spell. This risky contentious cast of wild magic kept going for two seconds until Gojo hit the first Jackpot. Lucy has over a thousand random effects to her wild magic, upon hitting the Jackpot, several things change. First, some of the wild magic stabilizes for a short moment, removing a bad effect from the list and exchanging it with a simple good effect, like a full heal, mana restoration, or straight elemental damage. The second effect is that the chance of hitting a jackpot doubles from 1/1000+ to 2/1000+ possible results. With how fast Gojo was triggering the wild magic, it didn''t take him another second to hit the jackpot again, thus the chances doubled again from 2/1000+ to 4/1000+ The more the Jackpot chance increased, the more Gojo managed to hit it with his rapid cast. The chance quickly jumped up, 4/1000+, 8/1000+, 16/1000+, 32/1000+, 64/1000+, 128/1000+, 256/1000+, 512/1000+, 1000+/1000+ At this moment, Gojo started hitting the jackpot each time, removing a bad effect from the random effect pool with each wild magic activation, reaching a point where there were only good effects and jackpots. But, Gojo wasn''t about to stop, he kept casting until he got the third eye like Lucy did, allowing him to choose from two effects. Gojo put his hands together as his third eye shed with magic and he started switching effects, he''ll choose a good effect and a jackpot after it, then another good effect then returned to the jackpot to keep the rush going. This was the ultimate state of wild magic, abused by a void dragon, [Wild Magic Expansion: Infinite Chaos] He started teleported straight to Boronos and grabbed him by the head. "This body is quite fun." Gojo smiled and opened his mouth to unleash a massive lightning breath. Lucy saw Gojo in her body, burning it with raw wild magic, "Wait! Don''t abuse my body like that! What are you even doing?" "Showing you the potential I''ve seen in your power." The effects of infinite chaos were simple, all of Lucy''s good wild magic effects activate on herself, and all the negative effects are directed toward a target that she chooses, all happening as fast as she can cast, with a jackpot between each two activations to keep the rush. Of course, with the third eye of wisdom, she can choose what to do with the activations. The only downside to this expansion is the extreme pressure ced on the body due to the surplus of mana. When the effect of immortality effect wears out, a deadly wave of exhaustion could kill her. Gojo knew this well, so he intended to end the expansion as quickly as possible, and immediately support Lucy''s body with stamina and healing potions. As Boronos''s body fell, charred from the surprise lightning attack, Obelisk lunged in and opened her jaws, swallowing him whole. Boronos tried to fight back but with how damaged he is, regenerating from Obelisk''s damage proved useless. After a minute of struggling in her stomach, his phctery cracked and he got destroyed, his power nourishing her. Gojo looked at Lucy as she was in his body, "This is going to hurt a lot. So hold for a second." He swapped back to her and she couldn''t maintain the expansion, it ended, and her whole body burned as if she''d been beaten to a pulp with steel bats. Due to the sudden pain, she lost consciousness immediately, and Gojo forced several potions down her throat. When she woke up an hourter, she was back in the Arctic kingdom, asleep in her bed with Liliana sitting on a chair beside her, reading a book. "Liliana... what did..." She tried to speak, but a severe headache hit her like a hammer. "DamnN?v(el)B\\jnn it, Gojo...I''ll remember this." She growled. "Gojo brought you here. You were unconscious and severely exhausted, what in the hell happened?" Liliana looked at her with a worried face. "Gojo took me to watch a fight with an elder lich and I ended up needing to fight. I''ve used my wild magic and pulled an effect that allowed me to swap bodies, so I swapped with Gojo since he was the strongest. Not only I could barely use any of his powers, but he abused my wild magic to the limit and pulled off an expansion." Lucy looked down with a sad face, "How could he use my power better than me?" "You said he abused your wild magic, I say he abused your body to the limit. Humans have unconscious limiters on their bodies, so they won''t damage or kill themselves." Liliana smiled. "I''m sure you can pull off what he did, but you''re most likely to stop when it gets too painful. Gojo can push through the pain better than what most people can," Liliana extended her hand to her, "Can I get a finger?" "Why?" Lucy gave extended her hand. Liliana started pushing down with her nails on Lucy''s finger, making her cry, "It hurt Liliana!" "Gojo won''t flinch from just this, try to ignore it and hit that pot in the wind with a wind spell." "I''ll try....AWAW! Stop, I can''t focus!" "This is the point. Gojo asionally throws you to fight monsters alone for you to gather experience like this. Soon, you''ll get used to pain and exhaustion." Liliana giggled. "Just take it slowly. Stand proud, you are strong." CRACK! The door tore off its hinges as Gug rushed in, "Lucy cried!" She looked at her with a worried face. "I''m fine, Gug. You don''t need to worry," Lucy looked behind her, "Did Gojo leave?" "Yeah." Liliana replied. "I punched him." Gug nodded with enthusiasm. "He said that he has to go. Threerge divine signals moved out of Croc city and are heading in the direction of Arad''s wives. He wanted to investigate it." Liliana looked at the window with a worried face. Chapter 827: A Divine Scheme Chapter 827: A Divine Scheme ? With the first kingdom sessfully stopped, Arad''s wives continued their journey as Merlin and Betty took turns casting mass-teleportation magic to elerate their travel. Teleporting themselves was easy, what made it exhausting was Meryem who was bringing a whole army of her children. They might need the numbers. But a fair distance outside Croc city, a new carriage had started to move, slowly but steadily. "Ammmm..." Jordan stared at the man facing him inside the carriage. "Wouldn''t it be faster if we teleported straight to them?" He asked with a puzzled face. "Use your head...you''re really helpless after losing Vorvadoss''s support." The man before him sighed. "We can''t act rashly; the gods will smite us down if they feel us breaking the rules." "She''s new; she won''t be able to resist us long enough. You''ve said it; the gods can''t do anything if it''s toote." Jordan looked out of the window. "I''ve been a demi-god for almost a year now, and I''ve even amassed tens of thousands of believers." "You''ve got tens of thousands, and I''ve got in the hundreds of thousands." The man pointed at Jordan. "Read the mood, if I''m not jumping straight, what makes you think you can get it done? If she was a normal demi-god, I would''ve already killed her, but the bitch still has Amaterasu''s divine magic." "Do you mean?" Jordan gasped. "Yeah, just how I''m supporting you now. Amaterasu is supporting her; we can''t mess around with the sun goddess. She''ll flip the whole world on us." Jordan pulled the small wine bottle that was kept in the carriage and poured some to drink. "You can kill her with a sneeze." Jordan said, "Do you really think she has power?" "She''s a demi-god of murder and is supported by the goddess of the sun. I''ve looked into her and found she''s also a half-elf half purple dragon, who is a vampire on top of everything." He looked at Jordan, "I bet she has insane regeneration. I don''t want to risk her surviving a hit and alerting Amaterasu." "Is Amaterasu that strong? Vorvadoss said that she shouldn''t be a problemter on." Jordan asked. "Simple. There is she, the sun. Go do something about it." The man pointed outside. "Even if you ask me..." Jordan looked at the sun high in the sky. "Get it? Then shut your mouth! How the fuck do you want to fight that thing? And Let me tell you, that''s just one sun. Each world of existence has its sun, and they are all parts of Amaterasu." "Ahem..." A woman''s voice came from the driver''s seat. "My Lord, please stop mentioning her. Her I''ve sensed her nce toward us." "Got it, please keep watch Angelina." The man smiled.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I''ve never expected to see an A-simar that could sense the watching eye of the gods." Jordan looked at the man with a smile. "Is that a skill that can be learned?" "She isn''t an A-simar." The man replied. Jordan looked at her again, "But, what with the white wings?" "She''s a real angel. My angel." The man smiled and she looked back at them. "That''s my bad luck. My lord, you couldn''t evene up with a proper name, what in the hell is Angelina? Angel with a Lina? Lina who?" She giggled. "Don''t bite me about it. You''ve said you liked it..." He sighed with an exhausted face. "I''m not built for this, all this talk is making me hungry." "My lord, should we find something to eat?" she asked with a smile. "Probably some monsters will do. I want to eat humans, but that''s bound to attract the gods'' attention. Let''s do some heroic work and save viges on our way." He smiled, "We''re pretending to be on a trip to spread our influence, aren''t we?" "It''s better to use the time." Angelina pointed in the distance. "There is a vige without a church several kilometers in that direction. It''ll be a slight detour, but it won''t hinder us." "That''s nice! I''ll build them a church for myself." The manughed. "Can I build one as well?" Jordan looked at him. "You''ll be working for me, remember?" He pointed at him, "Two for me, one for you. But you can still build shrines for yourself in the viges that I build my church in; I''ll also build a shrine in your viges." "With enough believers and power....I''ll finally be done with being a demi-god and ascend." Jordan smiled. "Not before I ascent from being a lesser god. Korah, the god of gluttony, and you, Jordan, the god of greed. We''ll build a powerful pantheon, but we need to keep things in order first." Korah waved his hand. "Don''t worry, I might be a demi-god of greed, but I know better than anyone that working together is what brings us the most benefit." Jordan nodded with a smile, and the three of them made their way toward the first vige, taking detours on their trip to reach Eris and kill her for her portfolio. As the carriage moved, Gojo was standing on the peak of a mountain, watching them from afar. "I can''t hear what they are saying. But they seem to be powerful pdins. They are oozing with divine magic." He pointed a finger at them... "Should I kill them just in case? No, they are taking another direction, I''ll wait." Gojo kept tailing them from afar, trying to guess if they chasing Arad''s wives as he thought at first, or if it just so happened that their paths ovepped. ********* Back in Croc City, Selica walked through the streets alone, holding a full basket. More people weretely going to a shrine at the swamp''s edge, and she could see them leaving at that moment. They''ve got food, clothes, and money with them to offer. Since Selica wasn''t religious in any way, being the creation of Sena. She was now helping Lydia investigate the new god trying to start around the city. Selica approached them, "Are you going to the shrine?" she asked. The men and women standing there looked at her for a second, "We don''t know you. Didn''t see your face around?" "It''s the first time I''m looking for it." She forced a smile. "I''ve heard he grants wealth." "Based on how much you offer. The more you put, the more he''ll give you back in the years toe." One of the men replied. "Money won''t fall from the sky on you. But you''ll get a better harvest, more business luck, and could even find treasures and talented people to help you. But don''t expect an immediate return; he needs to set those things up nicely for you." A woman exined with a smile. "I guessed as much," Selica shook her basket, "I already got some offerings." The woman approached her and looked into the basket, seeing a decent bottle of wine, some rare herbs, and a few coins. "Decent, but he prefers coins. We throw them in a deep well. But if you''re looking for the best offering, it''s another believer. Bring a new believer and it''ll count as a thousand gold." The woman said with a happy face. "I didn''t know what to bring." Selica tilted her head, "I''ll put those today and bring a more appropriate offering next time." She walked with her and the group, heading toward Jordan''s shrine. As Selica walked with them, putting on a smile, her mind was already boiling. ^I can''t keep up with them. What the hell is this Jordan? Want coins? Since when did gods need that, you scummy bastard?^ The only reason gods ask for money is for it to be used to run their churches. The nuns and priests need to eat and keep the ce clean, it''s also used to buy herbs and materials needed when healing people. If this is a shrine that no one works at, why in the hell does it need money? Even Amaterasu, one of the most influential gods only asks people to praise the sun, nothing more. When you give money to the church, she''s clear that she doesn''t need money. Thy money is thy money, praise me, and that''s enough. She clearly says the money is for mortals to use, referring to her priesthood. ^And to think this Jordan is most likely just a demi-god, who does he think he is? Lady Sena would eat him for breakfast if he dared show his face to her. They reached the shrine and the men moved apart. "Youdies go first. We can wait." One of them said as they moved away. The women approached the shrine. "How about we show the new woman first?" The woman who spoke with Selica first looked at her with a smile. "We can''t keep you waiting." "Yeah, thank you." She approached the shrine. It was a small stone bowl surrounded by carved stones in the shape of spears with a well behind the bowl. "Throw the money into the well and put anything else in the bowl. After that kneel down and say, Lord Jordan, please ept this offer." The woman smiled, "You''ll see them magically disappear if he epts them." Selica looked at the shrine, she would rather not kneel, but the act must continue until she gets back to Sena and Lydia to inform them of the shrine''s location and what those people are doing. Selica did just as the woman said, but her vision suddenly turned back as she felt herself falling into darkness. She gasped and looked around but could see nothing. The people around the shrine smiled, "Finally, she''s caught. The bitch that got the Croc''s group killed." The bandits that Jack killed were working for Jordan, and the only lead they got was Lydia, the woman that Croc''s bandits trailed right before their deaths. Selica rolled through a stone hole until she smacked on the hard ground, feeling her back almost shattering. "Those bastards..." She growled, barely managing to stand. As she did, torches lit the room revealing over fifty bulky men surrounding her with weapons. "You better not resist, beautifuldy. We might spare your life." One of themughed with a smile on his face. Selica''s eyes glow with a red re and she licked her forearms and fists, engulfing them in her spit. Without saying a word, the explosive crackle on her knuckles said it all, it''s either win or die trying. Chapter 828: Raging Selica Chapter 828: Raging Selica ? "What kind of magic is that?" One of the bandits approached her with a grin on his face, lifting his sword up. "You''re trapped here with us. There is nowhere to escape, fling the entire spell you want. You''ll eventually run out of mana." Selica threw her hand and grabbed his sword, exploding it in a burst akin to a grenade, shattering his wrist alongside the de. "You''re the ones trapped with me." She quickly followed with a jam to the nose, blowing his head to pieces with a single explosive punch. All the bandits panicked, "We''ve got Jordan''s protection! Swarm her!" A mage yelled as he pointed his staff at her, "I call a thunder of shing light, strike from the clouds with magnificent brilliance." [Lightning Bolt] He unleashed his magic with a chant, aiming to kill Selica in a single strike. Using a powerful explosion from her palm, Selica propelled herself out of the spell''s path, flying at a bandit with a flying kick and hitting him in the stomach. As her feet had no spit, they didn''t explode. One of the bandits pulled his bowstring from behind everyone and sneaked a shot at Selica, hitting her in the back, but she immediately turned around and spat at him. For a moment, he thought that was an insult and was about to jump at her, but his life quickly vanished as the spit on his face burst into a st. "He was almost ten feet away from her!" A wizard cried, "She has range on that spit, close her mouth shut!" Besides Mira, Roberta, and Tina, Selica was the weakest even though she had an innate magical ability. Her slime-like spit was highly mmable and vtile, exploding upon receiving and impact, after a certain time while exposed to air or when in contact with her sweat. Besides the explosions and the durability to withstand them, she was nothing more than a normal woman. She had neither the strength nor speed to rival even C-rank adventurers; she''d most likely lose to a random guy on the street if they fought without magic or her explosions. The explosive creation of Sena,pared to her creator''s powers, Selica is awfully mundane, this is what Selica thought her whole life. She took a knife to the back and growled in pain. Since her back wasn''t exposed to her explosions, it wasn''t as durable as her forearms. Selica ground her teeth through the pain and grabbed the bandit who stabbed her by his side, unleashing a crimson explosion at his liver. "You bastards work for Jordan, don''t you?" She shouted at them, taking a pained step back with tiny explosions crackling from her teeth and palms. The skin around her forearms had already begun turning purple. "Less of work for him and more of sharing mutual benefits, we get to do what we want as long as we pay him a bit, and he''ll provide us with safend and healing magic." One of the bandits, a tall and thin man wearing old leather armor replied as he pointed his sword at her. "Your wound hurt, doesn''t it? Surrender and we can spare some of that healing for you." "Don''t need that!" She growled, lunging forward with a clenched fist. He took a step back and swung his sword down, but she dodged to the side and punched his de from the side, shattering it in an explosion. Due to how weak she''spared to most people, her strategy was to always charge forward, taunt the enemy to attack, and then counter, and for banditscking official training, this seemed to work nicely. The bandit suddenly pulled a dagger from his waist and swung at her, cutting her across the nose. "Dodged it?" He smiled, "You''ll be fun." He dashed forward with a closed fist, hitting her in the stomach with a gut-wrenching punch. She wrapped her palms around his wrist with a grin on her face. "This is mining now." He tried to pull his hand away, but it was already toote. She blew his wrist into pieces in a fiery explosion. The bandit screamed at the top of his lungs, and she lunged forward with a fist, "You''ve had formal training, a deserted guard probably?" She punched him in the face, blowing his skill into pieces. "Is she a monster? I''ve never heard of such ability." One of the bandits called to the wizards in the back. It was indeed strange; the closest thing to what Selica was doing was the orange dragons who could breathe sodium, but that white dust only exploded upon contact with water. "I don''t know, but who cares? She makes explosions, just kill her." One of the wizards yelled. It really didn''t matter when dealing with Selica as her ability was quite obvious and simple. "She probably got in a freak ident with magic, or it''s an ancient bloodline." Another wizard added as he pointed his staff at Selica, "I''ll tell youter after I examine her corpse. For now, do as Liam said and kill her." "What am I?" Selica looked straight forward with a puzzled face, the red glow in her eyes flickering. "That''s right, there is none like me...I''mdy''s creation..." She started drooling and green mucus started forming around her wrists and head. "I''m her sole creation..." An explosion formed beneath her feet and propelled her forward. The newly appearing green mucus around her arms seems to be explosive and forming around her feet as well, allowing her greater usage of her explosive abilities. Even though Selica looked like a human, she was far from that. Technically, she was created by Sena who mixed a rock and slime, bringing her to life with magic. She was a unique monster, what would be ssified as a monstrosity, a horrid beast brought to life by magic. Now with her moving faster thanks to explosions, and with the bandits avoiding her bursts, she started running between them and punching anyone who got close, sending them flying into the small room. If she was a normal woman, ganging on her would''ve worked, but since he''s dangerously explosive, approaching her all at once was deadly. Several bandits tried to pin her to the wall using their shields and the rest moved to the back to get ready to fire arrows and bolts. "We''ll turn her into a pincushion." ********** {Name: Selica}{Race: Selica}{ss: none} {Level: 8/20}{Exp: 1200/48000}{Sub-ss: None} {Stats} {Avable stat points: 0}N?v(el)B\\jnn {Avable skill points: 8} [Strength: 14] [Agility: 12] [Constitution: 16] [Magic: 6] [Intelligence: 9] [Wisdom: 11] {HP: 54/88}{MP: 42/42}{SP: 32/52} [Vtile Slime] Selica''s saliva contains a highly vtile slime that explodes upon impact or by prolonged exposure to oxygen. [Cartge Skin] Selica''s skin around her forehead, forearms, and fists has grown tough due to withstanding her explosions many times. [Explosive punches: By applying her spit to her fists, Selica can punch with explosions, dealing 5-30 impact damage and 5-30 fire damage. One applicationst for three punches, doing less and less damage as follows; 3-18 on the second hit and 1-6 on the third punch.] [Spit: By spitting on a target, Selica deals the full damage of an application at once, but will dy her next spit application. 9-54] ********** Even though Selica''s stats looked decent, the only useful thing she has in a fight is her explosive punches that deal a tone of damage, they hit with as much damage as if someone was punching with hand grenades. They could easily one-shot an unarmored bandit. ********** {Name: Leon Lube}{Race: Human}{ss: fighter} {Level: 12/20}{Exp: 1200/48000}{Sub-ss: swordsman} {Stats} {Avable stat points: 0} {Avable skill points: 0} [Strength: 15] [Agility: 15] [Constitution: 12] [Magic: 10] [Intelligence: 10] [Wisdom: 10] {HP: 80/80}{MP: 30/30}{SP: 58/72} [Sword Arts] *********** Selica rushed at the bandit with closed fists, Left hook {54/80}, straight right punch {32/80} followed by a spit {0/80}, good night. She blew a hole in his chest. No one could approach her with such damage output, as anyone who got close was obliterated. *************** Back in the dorms, Sena was sitting on her bed with a worried face. Selica''s magic signal slowly faded after she got out of the city and she couldn''t track her from where she is. This had never happened before and she was about to go out looking for her. DING! As Sena stood, a white sh appeared before her and a tall woman with pure white hair and glowing eyes stood there with a passive face. "Selica''s stats are flickering." "Aria!" Sena gasped, "Where is she? I need to get her back." "She''s in a demi-ne, I don''t know who created it as the system wasn''t used. I can forcefully pull her here, but that''ll probably cause a massive explosion at the demi-ne''s entrance if one exists." "How big?" "Wipe the whole city if it was near." Aria replied, "I''vee here as that option won''t work. But I have a suggestion for you, the one who made her." "What can I do?" "Finish what you started. Selica has some unused stat points, and since you are her creator and the daughter of Cain, you should be able to empower her a bit, won''t you?" Aria waved her hand. "I''m not a god." "Said the daughter of Cain, stop joking and get to work. Your cells are in her body, make them rapidly evolve and I''ll do something about stabilizing her." Aria pped her hands. "Fine, I''ll rip your wings off if she dies from this. It was my father who said she''s too unstable to grant any massive power." "I and Cain are one and the same; she wasn''t ready, but now she has a small chance to survive." Aria replied with a smile. "Father...I''ll kill you if this doesn''t work, I''m not joking." *********** Selica took several arrows and bolts and finally stopped moving, standing in ce while bleeding. Her vision rapidly faded and her limbs felt lighter and colder. She wiggled to the side, dodging a sword swing like a drunkard, and punched the bandit in the face, sending his blood sshing to the wall. She could barely hear anything from how many explosions she unleashed, and her arms had gone numb, the pain from her broken knuckles already disappeared. Finally, a bandit managed to stab her in the chest with his sword. "For fuck''s sake! Fifteen of us died." He growled. ^Ah...this is it...I''m dying...^ Selica was about to fall, thest thing in her head was Sena''s face. Her hand moved, and she grabbed the bandit by the neck. "I''m not going alone," in a desperate move, she forced his head up and puked blood into his mouth, exploding his body in a re of fire. "She could still fight! Be careful!" A wizard shouted as he tried to charge a spell. Selica screamed at the top of her lungs, her body spazzing and shaking violently as her blood sshed everywhere. On the ground, the walls, and the bandits themselves. Her human scream rapidly shifted into a deep beastly roar, and the whole room burst into an inferno. What makes Selica''s spit explosive starts in her blood before getting secreted from the saliva nds in her mouth. As the bandits screamed, the whole room was consumed by explosions and inferno, Selica grabbed one of them by the face. Her skin had turned ck and cracked from theck of blood and burns of fire. Selica punched the bandit in the face and sent his burning body rolling on the ground. With all of her stored explosives sshed across the room, she can''t use explosions. But, every single bandit was set aze. Unable to use magic, let alone an expansion to take on a lot of enemies. Selica had used the room''s small size as a barrier that kept the bandits together so she managed to coat them and everything in her blood, which resulted in an expansion-like hellish room where everyone was forced to fight her barehanded while burning as their swords and weapons are too hot to lift. Chapter 829: Senas Rage Chapter 829: Sena''s Rage ? The whole room burned in an endless inferno of fire and explosions as Selica swung her bloodied fist at one of the bandit''s burning faces. Just like them, even though she''s somewhat resistant to the explosions due to her [Cartge Skin], the fire still burned her just like them. With her body pushed to the limit, fighting while suffering heavy blood loss and dehydration due to the burns and bleeding, her mind went down a spiral, approaching death with each passing second. A right that was created by the overgod, each person is entitled to their system. That power shouldn''t be used without the person being notified unless it''s an expected natural progress or an effect forced by another mortal. Even though Aria could modify everyone''s system however she likes, give them an infinite amount of poison to kill them, or straight up drop their HP to 0, such an act is forbidden by cosmicw. But, there was one loophole. Thatw applied to everything under the overgod''s rule. Selica was Sena''s creation, and she had given her consent for Aria to modify her stats. It was like a parent speaking for their kids. "Spend what skill points she has to empower her as much as possible." Sena said. There were some limitations, like Aria only being able to act with what Sena already has, but that was barely enough. Inside her fire pit, brawling with over a dozen bandits while burning to death, Selica''s skills started changing without her knowing. [Cartge Skin] =>[Scales Exoskeleton] With one skill point spent, Aria used that energy to force Selica''s skin cells to evolve. The dead cells now grow upward into hard scales that cover her whole body, absorbing impacts and resisting heat. They also segmented her body at the joints, working as support for her muscles. [Vtile Slime]=>[Vtile Infection] With one skill point, the nds that secreted her slime got infected by bacteria, and they reced it. Now the bacteria are the source of Selica''s slime, secreting it like cysts. [Vtile Infection]=>[Vtile Disease] With a second skill point, the bacteria spread across Selica''s whole body and to a residence in any ce that could secrete or expel anything. Now her tears, spit, sweat, earwax, even piss and waste contains the vtile slime. [Vtile Disease]=>[Vtile High Disease] With a third skill point, the disease infected Selica''s immune system and took control of it. It now had reced it as a crucial part of her body, the same way gut bacteria assist in digesting and defending the digestive tract. [Vtile High Disease]¨¨[Vtile Nerve Disease] With a fourth skill point, the bacteria infected most of Selica''s nervous system, but instead of damaging it, the result allowed her to control the bacteria by giving them vaguemands. She can now decide whether the slime explodes or not, when, and with how much strength to a certain upper limit. [Vtile Nerve Disease]¨¨[Vtile Virus] With a fifth skill point, the bacteria turned into a virus that spread across Selica''s whole body and infected her cells, mixing itself into her being and bing an ingrained part of the ecosystem of her body. [Vtile Virus]¨¨[Vtile Anti-disease] With a sixth skill point, the virus sacrificed changed its survival n and started acting opposite to all known infections. Instead of harming Selica, or trying to infect other people, it tries to keep her alive by fighting other diseases and actively destroys itself harmlessly when in a body other than Selica''s, unless Selica wants the disease to explode. [Vtile Anti-disease]¨¨[Immortal Reactor] With a seventh skill point, the disease broke through the limits of what is possible. It had taken residence in the fatty tissues around the heart, shifting from a heart into a strange core that pumps blood, mana, and the vtile slime straight into Selica''s veins. The disease now repairs Selica''s cells using her DNA as a blueprint, preventing aging as a result and elerating healing far beyond humanoids limits. Even though the Immortal reactor makes Selica technically age-immortal and nearly disease- immune, it''s limited by her stamina and nutrients, if starved, the reactor wouldck the building blocks necessary for basic maintenance and would start deconstruction her muscles and bones to heal wounds. As Selica swung her fists, the immortal reactor in her chest started beating. It digested her muscles and bones to rapidly form [Scales Exoskeleton] and trap moisture inside her body. As that was done while she punched the bandits to the death and they stabbed her over and over, the immortal reactor started turning its attention toward the bandits. Selica can''t use her explosions, but the core could force her body to create more blood, sacrificing more muscles and bone marrow in the process. That led to her new stab wounds causing a second blood stter that contained explosive slime made by the immortal reactor, which burned even hotter and exploded far more violently than before, all in the hope of killing the threat. By this point, Selica had looked fat and different than her usual self, a charred ck monster with glowing red eyes and green mucus mixed into her bleeding body. To the bandits, she had be a nightmare that refused to die no matter how much she got stabbed. She''ll eventually run out of energy and die at this rate, but the bandits had no way of knowing that. After a minute, Selica had dealt enough explosive damage to the room''s barrier to crack it a bit, sending a droplet of her blood into the empty ethereal realm that houses all demi-nes. Sena''s head turned 180 degrees as her eyes red with burning rage at the window. "FOUND HER." A deep growl filled with rage. She immediately teleported with Aria to where Selica was. Selica finally ran out of steam and couldn''t maintain her conciseness. With several of the bandits alive, but still suffering from severe burns and injuries, the gruesome fight seems to have ended in their victory, all thanks to their healer and wizards. Selica''s body started falling with blood dripping from her wounds, the bandits felt relief, but that didn''tst long. Selica fell straight into Sena''s arms, the firelight illuminating their backs as Aria covered Selica with a white drape. "What...Who the fucks are you!" One of the bandits cried, seeing the two strange figures appear out of nowhere. "Selica, you''ve fought well. Resisted pain and suffering for far too long," Sena wiped her forehead from blood, "Take a respite of my blood and heal up. I''ll take it upon myself to send those who harmed you into the depth of torment." Selica''s body started healing as Sena''s blood flew into her. It only took a few seconds for her to look normal again. Sena then handed her to Aria and stood, staring at the bandits with a passive, ck face with a deep silent rage boiling inside. "Stepmom Gracie, do you hear me? I seek ess to the immortality genes, death, the rebirth protocol, and the incubus kingdom of the nine hells." She put her hands together. [One breaks thew, but granted.] Gracie replied with a giggle. Senabed her fingers together, [Life Expansion: Tentacle Dungeon of Ecstasy and Gore] Tentacles burst from her back and swallowed all of the bandits the corpses of those that Selica killed. The demi-ne shattered the moment Sena started releasing her magic, and the world itself twisted around her. Sena was the daughter of the overgod Cain and the mother of all dragons Tiamat. But from a young age, she was raised by her stepmother, Gracie, the goddess of love, and lust, and the mother of all life. Due to that connection, aside from Cain himself, Sena was probably thest person to piss off. Her tentacles exploded everywhere, filling the ck void and trapping all the bandits in a tight grip. She first used her mother''s ess to death and pulled the souls of the dead bandits from hell, those bastards only ended up in the firstyer, they deserve more. Her tentacles then killed the living bandits at once and added their souls to the mix. Arge bloodied womb appeared behind her back, bleeding rivers of blood as the howls of the dead bandits filled the air.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om That was the womb of life, a creation of Gracie that''s used to experiment with life itself. It was mostly used to bring species to life for the first time before dropping them into the mortal world. That was the ce where all life started. Sena used the womb of life to enact the rebirth protocol, something akin to reincarnation to birth them again into immortal bodies, andstly threw them into the incubus kingdoms as sinners. That is the worst ce to end up through the entire nine hells. Sena walked away with Aria as the bandits cried, dragged on their faces by therge muscr incubus on the burning ember-filled ground. "Bring the meat hooks." One of the incubi growled and turned back to re at the bandits. "You''ve been judged into eternal torment. You aren''t leaving this ce, you won''t get used to the pain or torture, your bodies will always regenerate into your current form, you can''t go mad, and you can''t fall asleep or feel joy." He waved his hand, "Hang them by the ankles." Thud! Senanded with Aria right outside Jordan''s shrine. The other believers who stood there stared at them surprised. But they didn''t have time for that, their bodies kneeled on their own as a sharp pain surged through their bodies. Their bones and cells screamed, the woman standing in front of you is life itself. "Didn''t you go a bit overboard?" Aria asked with a worried face. "Those bandits had a trace of divine magic in them," She turned her eyes and red at Jordan''s shrine, "Not his, someone else''s," Sena growled. "Once I find him..." She growled. [Get a special ce for a god.] Sena''s voice boomed in the incubi''s heads. [NOW!] All of the incubi fell on the faces, shaking, "As you wish, daughter of life." Chapter 830: Deadly Sniper Chapter 830: Deadly Sniper ? Arad was sitting alone in the cave, ying with his magic when he felt a familiar wave of magic emerging. Arge ck and green portal out of nowhere and two blue eyes shed from it. "Arad." Sena walked out. "What are you doing?" Arad gasped and immediately tried to teleport her away, but his magic failed. Sena looked at her forearms as her skin turned red and started falling off. "My cells are dying? Fine, just make their membrane thicker." Her skin resumed its regeneration. "To think I''ll find power in roaches." Her eyes turned toward Arad, "I''ll be fine. I can survive harsher environments. I''vee here for a reason." "You can stay alive?" Arad sighed, "I thought only me and brother could survive the death curse." He looked at her. "I can''t get out of here, you know that." "I didn''te to ask you toe with me. It''s another thing." She waved her hand and gave Arad a faint trace of divine magic. "It''s broken and mixed, I can''t identify to whom this belongs." "This seems a bit too weak to work from. Probably a weak pdin, I doubt it''s something bigger." Arad inspected the magic. "Whoever they are, they got Selica trapped in a demi-n with several bandits. She managed to win the fight, but not after getting closer to death than a man munched by a brown worm." She red at Arad, "You find him, call me. It might be a demi-god; I suspect that for the fact I can''t track him from this divine magic." "A demi-god? How about I just kill him?" Arad looked at her with a grin. "Forget it. Mortals can''t win against demi-gods, and demi-gods can''t win against the gods. If it''s a fledgling, a newborn demi-god like Eris, you might have a chance. But not against an experienced one." She looked at him. "Call me, you''ll die otherwise." "We''ll see about that. You can sense my magic the moment I start fighting, feel free toe." Arad giggled, "Not that you''ll arrive in time. He''ll be dead before you even make it." "Another thing," She lifted a finger, "Selica was investigating Jordan, be careful of him as well. I can''t attack a god or a demi-god unprovoked; I would''ve dragged him into a torture room if I could by now." "Why is that?" Arad tilted his head, "Why can''t you...not...just fly there and ask a question, or drag him out?" "It''s like how you can''t go punch your neighbor or use them without a reason." The portal opened again, "Be careful, I don''t want to find your corpse when Ie looking for the bastard." Sena walked through the portal and left Arad sitting there. He sighed and pulled the gravity book again. "She''s angry...I want to help, but I can''t get out." He looked at the ceiling, "This is annoying. How could I be there, without going out of here..." He scratched his head with his tail, thinking... Arad paused and looked at his tail, "I got it!" He smiled with a happy face. ***** Sena appeared back around Croc''s city and sighed, "With how things went so far, I bet he''ll get involved. I doubt he''ll die, but I hope it doesn''t end up with him harmed." She red back and Aria appeared behind her. "He''ll survive long enough in a fight. I don''t know if he''ll win or not, but I can assure you he won''t die from one or two hits."N?v(el)B\\jnn "I hope that. Demi-gods who are close to ascending aren''t something that he''s ready to face yet. Tell me if you find anything." Sena kept walking and Aria disappeared. Sena looked around, ^I must search the ce for more tracks while Lydia cares for Selica.^ She started walking around, looking for any leftover magic, but after an hour she still found none. Due to being so engrossed in her search, she had been ignoring the local wild monsters, and to be fair, they aren''t that different from field mice to her. The local monsters could feel that she was strange so they avoided her as well, just like bears avoid humans, but in the end, Sena spent so much time walking around that a stone giant finally got irritated enough and approached her. "I''m pissed off so scram." Sena said as he walked behind her and she then slowly turned, "Or I''ll..." CLACK! Something flew past them at a blinding speed and pierced the giant''s chest, ripping his torso in half in a burst of blood and gore. "What was that?!" Sena gasped and her eyes quickly turned toward the projectile, finding it to be a mere stone, strangely charged with gravity magic, one that she recognized. She quickly reached to her ear, "Was that you?" She growled into her magic. "Ahh...Lady Sena. That Giant has been eying you for a while now, did you know that?" Arad replied, munching on something. "I knew it. What did you do?" She growled. "I''ve just found out that I''ve got a tail and quite the muscr hips. You won''t believe how fast I can shake my butt." He giggled. "Want to see it?" "No, how did you do it? I''m at least five hundred kilometers away from you. You shouldn''t be able to see me let alone snipe a monster." She growled. "No, I can indeed see your beautiful confused face. Not directly though," He added, "Let me exin." Due to Arad''srge muscr tail and hips, he could swing his tail at a horrifying speed, and just like a whip, the tip travels far faster than the speed of sound, amplified by his size. That speed reaches well into the tens of times more than the speed of sound. By using gravity magic, he could force a stone to hold its shape and also prevent it from falling by removing the effect of the earth''s gravity from it. Surround the stone with his void to eliminate the air friction and you''ll have a shot that never slows down. By firing a first shot that carries with it a [Mage''s eye] spell, he can get a view of his target area, as long as he hits close enough by feeling. Now there is the problem of his magic range, the 40 km limit. Getting around that limit was simple, if he made it so the first shot drops a bit of his magic every 30km or so, he can create a chain of beacons that acts like repeaters for his magic spells. Putting those two effects is only possible since he doesn''t need to spend magic on making the stone fly. On the second shot, Arad used those beacons to be able to control the shot with gravity magic from afar and steer it in the right direction, to finally hit the target with the assistance of the mage''s eye vision. "That''s the rough exnation. I can go into detail about the gravity magic, but it''ll take too long. Three shots are enough for now. They take quite a while to reach the destination, about three minutes so I have to predict how my target will move and do some adjustment with magic from afar to get a hit in." He added while munching. "Wait? The first shot carries the mage''s eye and the second just killed the giant, where is the third?" she gasped and immediately heard something loud in the distance with countless giant screams. "There are some giants living nearby, it was their leader who sent this giant to kill you. The thirst shot got him square in the face." Arad giggled, "Think he can sniff around you... as if I''m not around." "You can''t keep getting away with this..." She sighed, "And what you''ve been eating all this time?" "Nothing fancy, it''s just a bison. I hunted it about a month ago; apparently, thingsst longer inside my stomach." He giggled, "Don''t worry, it''s not rotten. I can see your disgusted face from here." "That mage eye of yours is still active? Where is it?" She looked around. "At least I''ve got the decency to tell you I''ve got one watching you. You''ve left one at myyer and didn''t even mention it." He replied with a smug face. "I''m sitting on the mountain''s peak; the sun is quite nice up here. Now I can understand why Merlin and ug love to use this spell, it''s quite fun watching people from afar, quite entertaining." "You can''t do that. When I find this mage eye of yours..." She growled. "Ah! Ah! I can''t hear you... excuse me but I''ve got wives to watch. I can''t wait for one of those demi-gods to show his sweet face so I can get a headshot from here. Take care..." Arad cut the connection and Sena growled... "AGRAAAAA! Arad!!!!" Arad cracked his neck and looked into the distance, seeing his wives'' carriage leaving the first kingdom peacefully. "I wonder how this will develop," He smiled, shaking his butt left and right with arge boulder at the tip of his tail. Chapter 831: Claugs Devious Plan Chapter 831: ug''s Devious n ? One day passed and the girls reached the border of the next kingdom, but sadly this time it wasn''t easy. "You''re..." One of the knights approached the carriage and looked at Tempo who was beside it. "A red-haired warrior and several women inside..." He pulled out a paper and looked at it. The knight cleared his throat, "By order of the royal family, you''re all herby arrested under the suspension of conspiracy to interfere with the kingdom''s militaristic advances and thus are sentenced to death by hanging." He waved his hand to the other soldier. "No need for a trial, all that''s needed is several ropes and arge tree. Use that one over there." He pointed at onerge oak tree as the knights surrounded the carriage. "Really?" Eris opened the carriage''s door and walked out, her eyes shing purple. "You want us executed..." "Just kill them and let''s move on." Merida growled, reaching for her sword. The ground started to shake as Meryem wanted to get out with her children and trample the whole ce. "Calm down, we aren''t here to kill them." Ae growled at them. At a time like this, she was the only one capable of speaking sense to everyone. "I can mind control them." Merlin pointed at one of the knights and the man jumped down from his horse and started worshipping her. "See? Easy. No mental fortitude at all." "I fear this might explode as well with me and Merlin tuning it." Mira was working on another bomb. "Should I bring them something from the king?" Betty looked out with a calm face, her lips curled like a cat as she giggled. Eris walked out of the carriage and faced themander of the knights, extending her hands forward. "Want? Arrest me? Come, where are your cuffs?" He reached for the cuffs with a smile; they were arge pair of steel cuffs used for ves. But the moment he started approaching Eris, breathing became harder as his armor started getting hotter and hotter. Themander fell on his knees, gasping for air as his vision blurred, the heat around Eris was far beyond what a human could handle, but that wasn''t all. With her magic now infused with divine magic, it directly damaged the bodies of living beings, doing the reverse of healing, which is damage. Themander''s vision twisted as he could fear the searing pain surging through his whole body, he was getting grilled alive by his armor just for standing close to Eris. "What''s the problem?" You''re here to arrest us, aren''t you?" The other knights tried to approach her, but the heat dropped them back to their knees. It was like standing one inch away from a burning furnace, and the painful holy magic made it even worse. "Fine. I''ll do it myself." She took the cuffs and cuffed herself, "See? I''ve got them on." As she tried to show them her hands, the cuffs melted and fell to the ground, setting the grass on fire. "Oh my..." She looked at themander, "Did you bring the wrong ones? Well, Fine, I''ll execute myself." She approached the ropes, and they all burned. Eris sighed, "How am I supposed to hang myself? Can''t you at least do your job?" She red back at themander, and then smiled, "Do you know why you''ll never be able to stop us? It''s because of this." She opened her palm and sma gushed from her hand, sparking with bolts of divine magic. The golden and purple embers took the shape of a sword dripping with divine magic. "This is a holy sword; do you know what its purpose is?" "It''s to prevent you stupid kingdoms from starting the end of the world by picking a fight with Uranus, my husband who''s in the desert resting." She red at themander''s terrified face with sma dripping from her eyes. "And no, no, no, it''s not to y him and save humanity...It is to y the humans foolish enough to start a fight. Eradicating a few kingdoms is worth it to save the rest, right?" She nted the sword in the ground. "So tell me. Are you such a human? One of those fools this sword is meant to y?" Themander could neither speak nor breathe, his body was already about to get cooked. With a loud p, a massive shadow bloated the sun, and a gigantic gold drakaina with a majestic mohawk of frails soared down. "Travellers! Halt, this might not be a sacrednd, but it''s indeed not a ce for blood to be spilled." Shended beside the carriage. "Lady of the holy sword, I''m certain there is a misunderstanding, can you please let them live? I do need their help." Eris smiled and hid her so-called holy sword, "A gold drakaina, what a rare sight. With what do you need their help?" "They work for a local noble called Jeffry. I was just hired by him to y the green drakaina called ug, and we need their help." She smiled and waved her hand at the knights, cooling them with magic. "To Jeffry''s mansion at once." After resting for a minute, all the knights rode away on their horses. "She wants to kill ug?" Merida walked out of the carriage and reached for her de. Eris gasped and red at Merida, "Stop, don''t be an idiot." She turned toward the drakaina, "What''s this look? You look like a clown." "You as well, fooling around with a fake holy sword. Not that those humans can tell the difference." She giggled and lowered her head, as the magic surrounding her face faded everyone gasped. She was ug herself. "What brought you here?" she asked, "But we better go to myir first." While still disguised as a gold drakaina, ug teleported everyone to herir in the blink of an eye and looked at them with a smile. "Care to exin why the nobles are after you?" Ae exined the situation over tea made by ug''s army of servant Kobolds, they danced and sun in the background with enthusiasm unmatched by any. "I see... Poor Arad," ug waved her w and several crystal balls flew toward her. "I too have a problem that I''m dealing with at the moment. You can hide in myir until I finish my business, I could make sure this kingdom can''t form an army for a decade." "How are you going to do that? Attack them directly?" Tempo asked. "That would get a whole kingdom hunting you." "That''s why I''m making them attack me first. And, there is this fool, an ancient green drakaina called Vollirin; she''s been trying to steal my hoard for decades. I might just be able to hit everything with a single move." ug pointed at Tempo with her w, "You failed the strategy ss, Prince of the Volcanic Titans." "You aren''t making any sense." Tempo stared at her with a suspicious face. "Of course, it makes no sense to you. You haven''t been nning with me." She red at the girls. "This would result in your mission being achieved, just wait and don''t mess things up." She stood and shifted into a gold drakaina. "Use those crystals to watch. The kobolds would make sure you''re well-fed and entertained." "Wait! We can help," Ae stared at her, "If you''re going to help us, we must help you back." "No need, you''ll throw my n off track." ug waved to them with her tail, "Watch and be entertained." ug teleported into a mountain far away from herir so no one would figure it was her, and then quickly flew toward Jeffry''s mansion andnded in his golden wheat fields, staring at hisrge house with a tilted head. "I''vee to further discuss our deal." She said and Jeffry was already rushing out of his house terrified while several guards protected him. The knights of earlier had just returned and they stood to the side to listen. "I''ll kill ug for you in exchange for gold. This was what we first talked about." She sat down and nodded, "I came back to discuss the price and details. And let me make it clear from the start," She pointed at him with her w, "I''m working as a w for hire. You''ll be taking the credit for ying ug, her corpse, and hoard." Jeffry smiled, rubbing his hands together. "Of course, of course...Just tell me how muchn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om money you want. I''ll pay you whatever you ask." He couldn''t help but giggle. He could just make the money back from selling ug''s corpse and hoard, he''ll also rise in noble ranks for such an achievement, to him, this was far worth it. "Won''t you get more money by killing her for yourself?" Hismander of knights asked, ring at the gold Drakaina{ug} with a suspicious look on his face. "We metallic dragons don''t kill and steal dragons'' wealth. But, no one says anything about working as mercenaries. Hour hoards must be earned fairly." She nodded, "That''s why I''d rather get paid than steal someone else''s hoard, even if it means I get less money." She growled at Jeffry, "That''s why, her blood is on your hand, not mine. You take the glory and guilt alike." "Don''t pester the great drakaina," Jeffry growled at hismander, "I''ll pay you! How much, state your price." She scratched her chin with her w, "How about, five hundred tinum coins?" "That much!" Everyone gasped, but Jeffry didn''t seem bothered. "Agreed! I''ve got the money at hand, go kill her and I''ll pay you without questions." "Sir! You can''t throw such money just like..." "Shut up! We''ll get rid of ug; I''ll make the money back in no time." Jeffry growled and looked back at ug, rubbing his hands. "Please, don''t listen to those fools; they don''t understand the worth of a dragon''s services." "I''ll y ug, get the money ready." She flew away, "Don''t make me wait when I return." As she disappeared behind the mountains, the nobles ordered his knights to hurry. He needs to get the money ready, not paying a metallic dragon could lead to bigger troubles than a ug herself. ug sat behind the mountain and started flipping through her crystals, "Let''s see, where is his crystal? This for Lord Benjamin, Alora... Jenny...Fredrina...she seems busy, I guess a child ising this year....found it." She found Jeffry''s crystal after sneaking a look at multiple noble''s private lives. She sat in that ce for a whole day, watching Jeffry''s men gather the money from his vaults and umte it in a hidden base in the middle of nowhere, protected by several knights. "Time to steal it." She shifted into a red dragon and flew into the sky. Chapter 832: Inhuman Intellect Chapter 832: Inhuman Intellect ? As the knights finished gathering the mountain of gold in a single safe house and locked it, they set camp and waited for Jeffry''s order to bring it out. They knew this would be the payment of a gold drakaina, no one wanted to debate such a being on the pay beingte. "I hope nothing bad happens." One of the knights sighed as they sat around the fire. "I want to be at home." "Don''t worry; it''ll end before we know it. Just be happy that we aren''t drafted into the desert. The heat alone is hellish, and everyone thinks that''s a suicide mission." Another growled, munching on the freshly grilled fish. "Don''t say that... what if someone reported you..." Suddenly, they started hearing a loud drumminge from the forest. BAM! BAM! BAM! Loud thuds resonated in their chests as the campfire flickered, its mes rising into the sky. The drumming elerated and arge shadow appeared from the forest. Half of the soldiers shat themselves as the massive red dragon red at them, that was no drumming, but its heartbeats. "I...smell...gold..." The red dragon growled as he approached them, it was the disguised ug. The knights stood in terror and pulled their swords, "A red dragon! It''s massive!" A woman cried. ug took a single step toward them like a prowling cat, her heartbeat growing louder and faster as the me of their camp shed bright red. "I''ll take the goldter..." She stared at the woman who just spoke with a grin. The woman started shaking and fell to her knees. "You''ve been courageous enough to call me out. Tickling my sweet spot..." She sniffed her with a growl. "I''ll take you with me as well..." "The gold..." A knight in the back growled, "Can you take it? Please leave her," He said. ug extended her tongue out and licked the woman from head to toe, lifting her up like a fly in a toad''s long tongue. "Save me..." the woman cried, her army cracked under the pressure of ug''s tongue. ug then closed her mouth on the woman, entrapping her and muffling her screams and pleas. "I''ll take her and the gold. Unless you can pay me for her a hundred gold coins so I can buy a more beautiful ve." ug approached the door and lifted her ws, about to smash the whole ce. "Please wait!" one of the knights cried, "We''ll bring you the gold, please let us do that." ug sat in ce. "Server me, bugs." The knights rushed inside to carry the gold out to her. They can either peacefullyply, or get all burned to death. This red dragon is taking the gold anyway, the best they can do is try to keep the safe house from being destroyed and save their own lives. Death here would be meaningless. As the knights moved the gold out, they all agreed to gather their money together to pay for the woman''s price, the knight who spoke for her was her fianc¨¦. They were to be married the next month, they couldn''t leave their college and get separated like this. "This is all the gold in the house. The total worth is five hundred tinum coins." One of the knights showed the crates to ug. "Indeed, I don''t smell any more gold inside. But, you''re carrying something else." She sniffed him. "We''ve gathered a hundred gold coins for you. Please release her." He put the bag of gold above the crates. "A deal is a deal," she giggled and opened her mouth, spitting the unconscious woman on the ground. "I can just take your money and leave, but I''ll tell you why I''ll honor the deal with you bugs." She giggled and red at the woman''s fianc¨¦. "She smells of two more men other than you..." ug giggled, "Unlike you, I don''t like used goods." She grabbed the gold and flew away, leaving that bombshell as a parting gift. When ug returned to herir, the girls and Tempo who were watching stared at her as she poured the five hundred tinum coins and hundred gold into a separate room. "Second part done, now for the third." She approached them with a smile. "Are the kobolds taking good care of you?" ug asked with a smile. "They are..." Ae looked at her, "But what are you going to do next?" "Just keep watching. I need to act quickly, so I''m leaving now." She opened her wings and flew out immediately. ugnded in the forest beside Jeffry''s mansion and looked around with a grin, "Good, the trees are tall here." She shifted into a gold drakaina again and stood on her hind legs, using illusion magic to create an image of herself{True form} "I''m indeed beautiful; you won''t find such sparkling green scales anywhere else." She looked back, "Time to work." She started casting spells and flying everywhere, brawling with her illusion in what looked like a deadly battle. The forest quaked and monsters started running away. Jeffry''s mansion cracked from the quakes as fire rose from the ground and lightning fell from the sky. Everyone could see ug shing with the gold drakaina among the clouds; their roars sent terror into the people of the nearby cities and viges. After a long battle thatsted almost an hour, the gold drakaina managed to get a clean sh on ug''s neck, severing her head and dropping her corpse behind the mountains, but not before losing an arm. Jeffry cheered, "Yes! She got her!" He looked at the knights, "Is it ready?" He already knew that some random red dragon stole his money, that was painful, but it was not a problem, he could still gather another five hundred tinum coins if he sold his treasures and fired some knights. He can still make that money back and profit from ug''s hoard and body. The gold drakainanded in his courtyard, careful not to damage anything or drip her blood into the wells. "Don''t worry; I won''t even soil your ground. I''m only here for my pay."N?v(el)B\\jnn "Of course! We have it right here, I''ve brought it the moment I saw your magnificent battle starts." Jeffry waved his hand as the knights dragged a cart full of gold. "I hope your injuries heal soon." "Don''t worry, I''ll get better." The gold drakaina grabbed the carriage and left without damaging a single flow in his garden or leaving a droplet of blood. "That was a hefty sum of money, I''m basically broke now...but let''s hurry. We must get ug''s body fresh to sell it. The sooner the better." He rushed on horseback to get ug''s corpse. ugnded back in herir and dropped the second five hundred tinum coins, "Let''s keep going." She flew out immediately, leaving the girls baffled. The moment Jeffry and his knights reached the ce where ug''s corpse dropped they found nothing but arge crater and some blood. "Did someone take the corpse before us? Her head was severed, she can''t be alive." He growled. "It''s almost nightfall and this ce in the forest is extremely dangerous. We need to get back to the mansion and head to herir tomorrow. We''ll also send a search group to find the thieves." His knightmander said with a confident face. "Don''t worry, we''ll get her back." "You better do. We''ll need that money." Jeffry growled as he returned to the mansion with his men. ug who was watching them from afar giggled, flying to greet them. Just half an hour after Jeffry got back to his house, ugnded in his courtyard in her true form with arge thud. "Jeffry! You''ve sent a gold drakaina to kill me! What the fuck were you thinking, bug." Her roar shook the whole estate and shattered their windows. The knights came out panicking as did Jeffry, half naked as he was just taking a bath with his wife. "ug?! You''re alive?" He cried. "You really thought a gold drakaina could kill me you fool? To let you know, I''ve already killed her." She reached with her w in his house and pulled his naked wife out of the bath, dangling her in front of everyone by the legs. "Fucking pay me twice what you paid her, or you''re the whole family will witness something ugly as theirst thing in life." ug growled, violently shaking his wife. "Please put her down! I''ll get you the money, five hundred tinum coins." He cried. "Huh?" ug growled and bit his wife''s arm off, "I''ve said double. You''ve paid the gold drakaina five hundred." The wife screamed her lungs off, but ug couldn''t care less. She''s been spying on them for the past years and knew well that all of her problems with this stupid noble house came from Jeffry and his wife''s schemes, so she''s now showing them what a dragon can do. "I''ll get you the money! Anything you ask for, just put her down, she''ll die of blood loss." Jeffry was about to lose his mind, everything had escted far beyond what he could handle. "Get the money now. I''m sitting here with her until you do, you better hurry up." As ug growled Jeffry rushed out with his knights to take loans from other nobles, it was an emergency so he just gave them signed letters to ask for money in his ce. After two hours, Jeffry managed to gather a thousand tinum coins from debts and presented them to ug, two full carts of gold. "This is it, please let my wife go." He cried. ug nodded, "This gold solves you hiring a gold drakaina to kill me." She smiled, "Now..." She red at the wife, "You''re the bitch who sold myir''s location in an auction aftering by it by pure lucks, I''ve even asked you not to, and paid you for it." She growled, biting her second arm off. As his wife screamed her lungs off in agony, Jeffry''s face twisted like it was drying out. "Wait! I didn''t hear anything about that?!" He was losing his hair. "Your wife found myir''s location a decade ago. I''ve asked her not to disclose that information and paid her a hundred tinum coins, tried to be civilized." ug lifted her tail up. "She sold that information and you know that. She''ll now pay for it." She swung her massive tail and crushed Jeffry''s barns and farnd, killing half of his guards and toppling several sections of his mansion. In the wake of all the destruction, ug wasn''t stopping and she crushed his legs with a second hit before breathing on him with her draconic poison, crippling him for life. As the surviving knight stared in terror, ug flew with the money and wife away. Less than an hourter, she sold the wife for four hundred tinum coins to another noble family that wanted to use her as a political tool. At this moment, ug had made two thousand and four hundred tinum coins and a hundred gold coins, but she wasn''t done yet. Her n had only reached the halfway point. Chapter 833: One More Thing! Money... Chapter 833: One More Thing! Money... ? ug flew through the clouds, shifting her scales into light blue to blend with the sky and clouds. Upon reaching herir she soared down, silentlynding, and rushed inside. "You''re back." Ae approached her. "What was all of that?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "No time to talk. She''sing, we need to leave." ug waved her w and all of her hoard disappeared into a magical pocket that she swallowed. "We''re starting the second half of my n. Get on my back." She looked at the crystal, "Vollirin managed to avoid lorin who was on a hunt so she''s arriving quite early." As everyone climbed on her back, Eris asked. "Can''t we just beat her?" "I can defeat her easily, but that won''t be any fun." As everyone got on her back, she waved her ws and changed theyout of herir, turning it into a strange maze. Getting into the inner room was easy and straightforward, but getting out was almost impossible. ug flew out of their with everyone else and headed to an empty secondir that she had prepared beforehand; she caught several monsters on her way as snacks for theing show. When they reached the secondir, ug sat and took arge crystal from her magic pocket. "Time to have fun," she giggled, spying on her emptyir as everyone watched with her. Vollirin arrived at ug''sir and roared into it. "ug! I''vee to raid your hoard!" She immediately unleashed a powerful poison breath trying to choke her inside. As the wholeir got filled with her poison, Vollirin felt safe to walk inside so she ran as fast as she could, charging straight toward the hoard room to kill ug but was surprised with an empty cavern. "ug! You coward! Where are you?!" She roared in rage, "Where did you go?" But no reply came. All while ugughed her ass off watching from afar, "Stupid fool. Get ready, the main surprise ising for you." Vollirin spent hours running around ug''s maze-like a confused rat, only managing to escape by luck. But, some could say that was bad luck. As Vollirin walked outside, she saw the whole kingdom''s army stationed right outside their. "The hell?" she gasped. "That her! A green dragon, she''s ug, kill her!" The army''smander shouted at the top of his lungs and everyone lunged at her. Mages sted her with everything they got and even the fighters started cutting her up. The kingdom''s army was already stationed nearby to raid the desert, and when they heard that ug vited a whole noble house, destroying them to the core by wrecking theirnd and pushing them into crippling debt, and on top of everything, kidnapping the noble''s wife. The army''s general decided to kill her on their way to the desert, they were about to face the desert monster, so he thought of it as a warm-up and practice. Vollirin fought them for the whole day until the sun dropped behind the mountains. Due to how prepared they were, they managed to push her to the grave to the point she gave up and pretended to be dead, but not after killing six-tenths of the army and crippling the rest with her powerful poison breath and magic. ug and the girls had fun watching the glorious day-long battle of a whole army trying to y a dragon, and that only made them think of one thing. "How in the hell could Alcott y dragons alone?" Eris asked. "Alcott is both strong and understands how to fight dragons from experience. He''ll probably y ten of Vollirin with an arm behind his back." ug replied, "All dragons rather stay low and avoid troubles around him in the first ce. No one wants to end up fighting him." As the fight ended, the army retreated the moment they thought ug died. Everyone there needed urgent care and antidotes or they''d all die from the poison. Vollirin waited for a bit, letting them all retreat before she stood to run away, injured to the point it''d take her decades to recover. "ug you bitch...what was this?" She growled. "You danced well, green dragon of oak forest Vollirin." ug said, standing above the mountain and ring down at the injured drakaina. "You coward! You don''t dare to fight me head-on." Vollirin growled. "I can defeat you with ease. That''s why it isn''t fun anymore." ug smiled as she soared down,nding beside her. "I wanted some fun; Setting this scheme and watching you struggle against those humans was quite entertaining." She giggled. Vollirin swung her tail at ug''s head, "Die!" ug bit Vollirin by the tail and swung her in the air like a doll, smacking her on the ground with enough force to knock the air out of her. "I came to finish you off." ug lifted her w. "d I got this ready." Vollirin smiled, her eyes shing green. "NO!" ug gasped. All dragons used to explode with elemental energy upon dying, but it had been long since removed from their bloodline. It could only be gained again with arge ritual. It''s like a fighter strapping bombs on him before going into a fight, hoping to at least die with his enemy. Vollirin hade resolved to at least die with ug. "Arad''s wives are nearby..." ug wasn''t worried about herself, but about the girls, she just returned to herir. SWOSH! A stone came flying out of nowhere and sted Vollirin''s head off, halting her magic. With a terrified face, ug stared at the stone and Vollirin''s corpse beneath her, "That was..." She noticed Arad''s magic on the stone. "From this distance?" She stared at the desert with a smile, "You''re a monster." Arad was sitting above his mountain, munching on arge desert scorpion while watching what was happening. "It was a good decision to throw a stone just in case." He smiled. ug giggled, "I hope you weren''t trying to save me you cheeky brat. Think of your wives first." She waved her ws and stored Vollirin''s corpse. She''ll sell herter and give a part of that money to Arad''s wives, his share for dealing the finishing blow. She then turned toward the corpses of the soldiers. "There are thousands of them." She smiled and stood on her hind legs. "I''ll sell their armor and equipment, and I''ll ransom the corpses back to the kingdom. If they refuse to pay, I''ll see them to a necromancer, they pay good money." After cleaning, ug returned to herir. "You can rest for tonight. I''ll head to the capital tomorrow to mess with them a bit. I''m sure I can milk a bit more money out of them." ug spent the night studying Vollirin''s poison and made an antidote using the vast knowledge that she gathered over the centuries. She also made sure to include some rare materials in the antidote, for a specific reason. Right after dawn, what remained of the army reached the kingdom''s capital, all injured and poisoned. The guards panicked and the whole capital went into emergency protocol. What the knights didn''t know when they were returning was that Vollirin poison could infect other people, which caused them to put the whole capital in danger by returning. As the capital''s healers and Alchemists twisted their brains to find an antidote, ug came to them flying with the sunrise. "Hello, good folks." He giggled, "You fucked me wellst night, didn''t you? I''vee back to collect my reimbursement." Sheughed,nding on therge tower of the royal castle. The whole capital went silent. Army assured them that they killed ug, howe she''s perfectly fine? It was then that Jeffry''s words came back to them, the gold drakaina killed ug, but she returned from the dead hours after. The same thing happened again. "It can''t be..." The army''s general mumbled. "She''s immortal?" "Took you long enough to figure it out." ug red at him with an evil grin on his face. "You fools really thought you could measure to me? This is mynd, and you''ll be paying me to live here." What remained of the army joined forces with the royal guards to try and drive her away. But their bodies refused to fight. The poison had weakened them beyond belief. If nothing is done about it, the whole capital would be a ghost city by nightfall. "What do you want?" The king walked out, staring at her. "Reimbursement for attacking me of course, I want ten thousand tinum coins now or I''ll make sure not a single human lives in this kingdom. You aren''t worth anything if you can''t make me money, are you?" shended before him. "And, I have an antidote for the poison. Either buy it for one tinum coin per bottle OR buy the form for five thousand tinum coins." "First..." The king looked back, "I''ll pay for the reimbursement, this was a decision made by the army''s general alone and wasn''t ordered by me, but I''ll take responsibility." He red at his consorts to rush and bring the money. "Then the matter of the antidote." He looked at her and at the city. "Feel free to choose the best offer the cheaper for you. A single bottle heals one person." ug exined as the alchemists of the city all gathered together. The capital had a poption of over a hundred thousand, and buying a bottle for each one would be too expensive. That means they''ll need to buy the form and scramble to make it themselves. The head of the alchemists stared at ug, "Can we make enough for a hundred thousand in a day?" He asked. "It''s possible, but will be exhausting." ug smiled, "I promise on my pride as a dragon, you''ll be able to make enough for a hundred thousand people in a day." "You majesty, we''ll buy the form and make the antidote ourselves. That''ll be a reasonable pricepared to everything else." He nodded and the king paid ug five thousand tinum coins for the form. She now had made a total of fifteen thousand tinum coins. ug gave the form and waited for them to read it. "This seems to make sense as an alchemical recipe." The head of the alchemists smiled, but soon his face turned pale. "But...Floran Root? Shimi flower? Those are too rare; we can''t get enough for everyone." He red at ug; she promised they could make it. "They grow in the mountains over there. There is enough. If you mobilize the entire citizen to work, they''ll get you what you need." She smiled, it was technically possible. She rubbed her ws together, "Money, pay and I''ll sell the ingredients to you if you want." "Wait... our mana won''t be enough to make the magic water needed for everyone." Another alchemist looked at the king. ug was rubbing her ws again, "Money...you can pay me to make that water for you as well." She had arge smirk on her face. "Even with that..." Another alchemist looked at everyone with a terrified face. "It''s impossible to make enough in time, everyone would be dead." The head of the alchemist growled, he had enough of ug''s tricks. "You said we can make it in time, and even swore on your pride as a dragon." "I did." She looked at him with an exhrated evil smile on her face. "You asked if you could make it within a day. A day is twenty-four hours, and you can indeed make enough for a hundred thousand people in that time." "We barely have enough time to sunset!" "I don''t care. You asked about a day, and I replied for that." She already knew how many people lived in the capital and made her calction beforehand. Everything is going ording to her ns. Sheughed, "And...Money...you can pay me to make the antidote for you. But since you''re overworking my old bones, you''ll pay me a premium." "This will be..." the king looked down, "You had everything nned, didn''t you?" "Not at all. I didn''t have everything nned." ug smiled, "She did have parts nned, and some just happened to happen on their own, like Vollirin poison spreading and Arad interfering. She wasn''t lying. "How much is everything?" He sighed. "Your gross total, without counting what you already paid me is thirty thousand tinum coins, but I''m willing to cut you off five thousand if you did one thing." She smiled. "What is it?" The king stared at her. Thirty thousand is enough to bring the kingdom to its knees at the moment, if he can save five thousand, he''ll do that. "Let''s talk somewhere else." ug grabbed the king and flew away, leaving everyone panicking. "Now we can talk in peace." She dropped him on the peak of a mountain. "What do you want?" "Jamile, son of the noble family of mond. I want him dead in secret." She said with a smile. "Why?" The king asked. "He''s too much of an annoyance and a pain in the butt. Get rid of him and I''ll cut you five thousand tinum coins and as long as you don''t bother me, I won''t attack your capital for a decade." She currently was interested in watching the king''s eldest daughter''s romantic life, and Jamile was ruining the show by getting between her and the two forging princes fighting over her, so she wanted to get rid of him. "Fine." The king agreed without asking any more questions, if he didn''t do it, everyone would end up dead anyway, either from the poison or a forging invasion. "I hope you keep your end of the promise without any tricks." ug nodded and flew him back to the royal castle. "We''ve got a deal, bring her the money." The king said with a tired face. After ug got paid, she lifted a finger. "One more thing!" Acting like a certain old man with a yellow jacket. "I''ve got the corpses of your dead soldiers, care to get them back." She smiled, rubbing her ws again, "Of course, not for free." In the end, she got paid a total of forty-nine thousand and five hundred tinum coins in total. That was enough money to build a small kingdom from scratch. On her way back, she sold Vollirin''s corpse to another kingdom and the soldier''s equipment to another kingdom, which increased her total earnings to fifty-five thousand tinum coins. All because Vollirin''s corpse was damaged a lot. When she returned to herir, everyone stared at her with shocked faces. "We thought two thousand tinum coins was a good payday..." She giggled, "I''m not done yet." She lifted a finger, "There is one more thing!" She flew out and returned to them a dayter, she had cleared Vollirin''s hoard which held far more wealth, amounting to almost a hundred thousand tinum coins in gold, fifty thousand in jewelry, another a hundred thousand in magic items, and a pile of art pieces with unknown value until sold at an auction. ug sat on the pile of three hundred and seven thousand tinum coins like a chicken on her eggs,ughing her lungs off with her heartbeats beating like drums. "That''s why people don''t mess with dragons, especially her." Isdis sighed. "Now the army won''t bother you. This kingdom won''t have enough militaristic power to go to the desert even if they want it." ug smiled, "You can consider it done with." "You''re really something." Ae looked at her with a wry smile. "Tell Arad to visit meter. You''re also invited; this is a cause of celebration." She giggled, "And the real money is still toe." She rubbed her ws. "You still aren''t done yet?" Everyone stared at her, stunned. "Well, they don''t have an army yet. If another kingdom attacked, they''d have to pay me to protect them." She wasn''t joking, she intended to make another country attack to profit from protecting the kingdom. But that''ll be in theing years, she needs to n for that. "Here," ug handed the girls a bag with a hundred tinum coins, "To help you with travel expenses." "I''m not taking that." Ae refused, fearing ug might want interestter. "We already have enough money, and even though a hundred tinum coins is a ton of money..." She looked at ug''s pile of gold. "It seems nothing to you." "Dragons are stingy; we don''t even give a copper coin out without a reason." ug giggled, "But you''re special friends, I promise. I''m not trying to make money off you. I don''t want a single dime back from you." Ae looked at the money bag. "Still not taking it without Alcott being here." They left for the next kingdom without taking a single copper coin from ug. Chapter 834: Dad Is Back! Chapter 834: Dad Is Back! ? ug sat in herir above the mountain of gold she just made. She smiled at the ceiling as the kobolds ran beneath her legs, organizing her hoard and putting the gold coins with the gold and the gems together. "She is smart. Isn''t she?" She waved her w and arge crystal floated before her face. "I know." Arad replied, staring at her through the crystal. "I can''t believe you managed to call me with how my magic works." ug giggled, "Don''t underestimate this old drakaina. I''ve lived far longer than you," she lifted a w full of her gold. "She indeed didn''t take a copper." "Told you; I''ve warned them about dragons." Arad giggled, "Even I can''t figure out what can you do by lending them that kind of money." "A lot, she was right to refuse unless Alcott is around. He knows about most of the currently known tricks. I could''ve used enchanted coins which would allow me to spy on them or had already used that money as an offer to a summon and had them take on the consequence." ug drew a magic circle in the air. "You do this and try to summon a devil, but by halting the magic, you can lock the coinage paid to the fiend. I can then give that money to someone, and when I release the spellter, the devil would be summoned beside them, as they are the ones holding his offer." ug giggled. "And you can order the devil to kill whoever holds his money to im it...That...I didn''t know you can do..." Arad scratched his head. "Not many people know. Even Alcott himself doesn''t know, but do you know what Alcott always does? He checks the money for any trace of magic before epting it, and even when he does, he makes sure to exchange it." ug pointed at the small pouch of the coins she was about to give to Ae. "Alcott would instead take from my hoard; he''ll never ept what I''ve chosen." Sheughed, "A hundred tinum is a hundred tinum coins. If refuse to let him be the one to pick, it''ll only prove his suspicions and I''ll end up on his killing list." "No dragon wants to face an angry Alcott." Arad giggled. "He''s the bane of dragons; a human who mastered the art of hunting and dealing with dragons." ug waved her ws, "He who walks upon the corpses of dragons, the hero of the one twenty thousand roar war." "I never heard of that." Arad looked at her through the magic. "He never told you? It was at the peak of his prime, which is the reason why dragons fear him. The dragon''s civil war had reached its peak and the wyrms started to spill their own blood. Two armies, one of the metallic dragons and the other of the chromatic dragons, each numbering over ten thousand strong of greatwyrms and wyrms." ug could imagine it like yesterday, to her it was like only a few days ago. "This happened almost twenty years ago." The dragons had started the war and the battlefield had turned into a hell on earth, the quakes of the draconic race ripping itself apart could be heard from the other side of the world, whole kingdoms had relocated to avoid the destruction, the world seemed to be on the brink of its end. But then, something changed, a human fell from the sky between the two armies, halting the war the moment they noticed him. Till this moment, no one knows how Alcott got there. The only thing the dragons knew was that the moment hended, none of them dared to move. "From this moment, the first who spills blood is in the wrong." Alcott said with a calm tone. "Think a mere human can interfere? We''ve told your race to scram away." Kinryuunded in his human form beside Alcott. "Funny how a bug dares to show up." Ignis, the general of the chromatic dragonnded beside them and growled, his mere presence melting the ground. Alcott only smiled, "Don''t underestimate humans." He said, his eyes glowing with a golden light. The dragons could sense it; the words of this small human were no mere boast. After that and without a fight, all the dragons retreated. None of them wanted to know what would happen when Alcott went at them. "That''s one story...I''ll ask him about it next time I see him." Arad replied. **** The next kingdom bordered the Dark Elf kingdom, which also bordered the Elvish kingdom. A party of chivalry rode across the green hills. "I can''t believe you actually came." A dark elf woman said with a smile on her face. "Unlike thatzy seal over there, I''ve always heard stories about you." "Who are you calling a seal? Jasmine! I thought we were on friendly terms, but do you want to start another war over this insult?" Ceri growled, and Da tried to calm her. "You''ve been annoying her side since we got together, please calm down. She''s also a queen." "What side are you on?" Ceri growled at her. "Not having a war side!" Da growled at them. "Can you shut up for a second?" A man''s deep voice called them out, "I''ll cut your ears off if you don''t exin this." Alcott red at them, "If I found what you said was a lie, Ceri, don''t expect to live to see another day." He looked at her. "He''s joking, please don''t listen to him." Ginger pulled him from the ear. "I''ll be the one to cut your head off if you dared start trouble, hear me, Alcott." She red at him. "I''vee running here..." Alcott sighed, "Are you sure about what you imed?" "Yeah...our goddess tipped me off so I did an investigation when I was in Arad''s domain. His magic matches you by almost nine-tenths. There is a good chance he''s your son." Ceri smiled. "Ginger turned us both into vampires, I''m sure that has changed our magic. Are you sure of that?" Alcott still had his doubts; some even referred to vampirism as getting reborn as a stronger being. It won''t be strange for their magic to match if the same vampire lord turns them. Jasmine, the current dark elf queen stared at them, "What''s strange is that he''s a void dragon. What kind of monster did you sleep with?" She growled at him. Ceri red at her, "Don''t speak so closely with him. He''ll soon be my father-inw, show him some respect, stand-in-queen." Hearing her words, Alcott sighed, "No you aren''t..." "It''s not my fault. My older sister who was bedridden for decades finally woke up, took the throne for a few years then got assassinated. Our kingdom has its share of troubles." Jasmine doesn''t know, but her sister died decades ago. Arad''s mother had taken her ce and lived her life for a few years, before ultimately facing an assassination and ying along with it. "Anyway!" Ceri looked forward with a serious face. "Those kingdoms are trying to attack Arad and possibly use him as a weapon, we have to stop them. The n is simple, we reach the border and I''ll then use a Luminous''s mirror to summon my army to threaten them under the guise of them breaking our treaty, they didn''t tell me about Arad in the desert after all." "I''ll summon my army as well." Jasmine smiled, "If Arad is that strong and is the son of the dragon yer Alcott. I''d want to help him a bit to gain favor." "Listen you two..." Alcott looked at them, "I couldn''t refuse a quest for two queens at once, but know this. I wasn''t joking earlier." He pulled his sword, "If I find you lied to get me here, I''ll cut your ears off." "It''s just a possibility." Ceri looked at him with a smile. At that moment...something strange started. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! They started hearing drums beating in the air, it sounded close yet far at the same time. The two queens got confused, but Ginger knew immediately that it was Alcott, his heart was beating. "What is it?" "Dragons, arge number of them." He patted his horse, "Sorry pal, but you''re too slow now." He jumped off and his arms got covered in fur as he shifted; He got a long snout, arge back, and long legs and arms, a werewolf. Alcott raced across the hills in his bestial form, relying on his sharp sense of smell to determine where the dragons were. Soon, Alcott reached arge river that he couldn''t just run across. He would''ve been stuck if he hadn''t fully recovered. What he told Arad before in the bath when they first met, everything was still in him. The ck fur covering his body shifted into orange and ck strips as he roared, jumping into the water as a weretiger. They are good swimmers. As Alcott reached the forest behind the river, he shifted back into his human form and started swinging from one tree to another like an ape, racing through the thick wilderness.N?v(el)B\\jnn "What happened to him?" Ceri cried. "If he ran like that, he probably sensed several hostile dragons gathered in one ce. This isn''t going to end well." Ginger spread her wings, "Use the mirror to run back, I''ll go assist him." Chapter 835: That’s it, you’re all dead… Chapter 835: That¡¯s it, you¡¯re all dead¡­ ? "Can you believe it? His wives managed to stop one and the other happened to be when ug was doing one of her schemes. Was it just bad luck?" A massive copper dragon growled, ring at the others. "Coincident or not, that dragon Arad is a big problem, we can''t let him live." Therge silver dragon growled. "His older brother Gojo is far stronger than him, but that won''tst for long if the information I found is true." "If Bahamut found out about this we''re going to regret it. That''s technically his grandpa." Another dragon growled. "He won''t find out. I''ve got my ns ready; we''ve been nning for this moment for centuries since we found that b." The sliver dragon looked back, "Arad Orion dies here. He''s alone in the desert so we can eradicate him. It''s been a pain waiting for Vorvadoss, but it''s finally the time." "How much time will you need to kill him?" Another dragon asked. "That''s hard to guess. He isn''t like any other creature. It''s almost impossible with the will still within him." The silver dragon shook his head, "We can''t risk agitating him or putting any kind of pressure on his soul, imagine it like a full sponge. We have to carefully lift and dry it out without applying any force; any outside stimulus would cause the power to spill out." "We already knew that." Another dragon sighed; he was arge ck dragon. "What about Doma? That jester shard?" "We can''t have her rmed; she can ruin all of our ns. Like a guard dog can ruin a robbery by just barking and alerting the owner." The silver dragon looked at the sky, "I hope the news we got is right. I don''t want to think about dealing with his mother." "She won''t even notice before we kill him. Once he''s down, nothing can stop the Dracorage mythic, that meteor would drive all the dragons mad and start a new era." Another dragon smiled. "Someone has to fight for this." The silver dragon pointed at them, "Spread across the kingdoms and keep watch, make sure all of Arad''s wives and allies are spread far and between. Especially keep an eye on Mira, that woman is both his weakness and greatest power." "Kill her too early and he''ll flip up on us and we''ll lose. And if we fail to kill her at the right time, he''lle back through her to bite us. The will is that tough." Another dragon, arge red one exined. "What about Ae?" "That''s a human in her. It won''t be suitable; Mira is the only one carrying a void egg." The silver dragon shook his head. "If we failed, won''t he be forced toe back as mere wyrmling?" Another dragon asked. "Are you a fool? How many times do I need to exin, he''s only stunted due to the long time he spent knocked out. He''lle back at full force like a hungry beast, and he''ll be even more furious as his child would''ve died." The silver dragon expanded his wings and flew away. "Get everything ready." Fifteen more dragons flew into the different kingdoms and left the rest there. "We''ll go back to ourirs and help whenever we can, make sure to keep away from anything church or shire that rtes to Tiamat or Bahamut, we can''t have them finding out about this." One of the dragons said. "Yeah...It''s been..." Everyone froze as they felt something ring at them from the distance. The dragons looked back in fear only to see arge brown bear standing on the peak of a mountain, ring at them with glowing golden eyes. "A werebear?" One of the dragons gasped, and another immediately figured it out. "That''s the dragon yer!" He gasped. The bear''s body shifted and morphed into a humanoid, he was indeed Alcott. "It''s him!" The dragons present there gasped. Alcott silently stared at them from over the mountain, he was at least two kilometres away from them, but it was like a fly standing on a desk with a human sitting at the chair, not that far away from the dragons due to their size. "I''ll talk with him." Arge gold dragon sighed, transforming into his humanoid form, andnded face to face with Alcott, "It''s been a while, dragon yer." One of the dragons in the back survived the encounter and he recalled to the other dragons, that the scene looked strange. A seven-foot tall and muscr man standing face to face with a six-foot tall god dragon in his humanoid form, but even then, it was hard to figure out who the monster was. The yer''s heart began to beat loudly like drums as his muscles expanded, his armor looked barely able to contain his body in ce as golden mes burned from his flesh. We all knew it, the yer was a mere human, a mortal, a bug to us the dragons, but he, he alone seemed off, and the gold dragon couldn''t attack first. "Metallic and chromatic dragons stay in the same ce silently and with very little magic to the point it''s almost hard to notice them. Care to exin what''s this, you aren''t some double agents selling information in the Cold War." Alcott asked, thinking there were just some slimy bastards trying to sell information to each other about the other side of the draconic war. "Nothing like that, we''re here on another matter of business." The gold dragon smiled, "Just dealing with amon threat. Even we can work together, thanks to your efforts, yer." "I see...but what kind of monster needs this many greatwyrms?" After hearing about Vorvadoss, Alcott expected a simr monster and was worried. "A tough one indeed, but we also want to kill silently with as little damage to the environment. That helps the humans, right." The gold dragon smiled. "Don''t worry, we won''t disturb anyone. That we were staying low, we don''t want the humanoids to freak out due to our presence." Alcott nodded, "I see...the part where you care about humans was a lie, care to exin? You aren''t staying low to hide from the humans but from someone else." Alcott wasn''t having any of their bullshit. He had talked with countless dragons to the point he could tell if they were lying, figuring when a dragon was honest or being deceitful was a crucial part of being a mediator. The gold dragon froze in ce. "Come on, yer... we really care about human...we''ll..." "Spit another lie, and I''ll slice your head where you stand." Alcott red at him with a stern face, "If it''s something allowed by the dragons''w, you can say it. I''m not here to hold you to humanws and morals. Each race is treated by their own values and ethics, that''s the agreement we reached in the past years, right?" When Alcott stopped the draconic war, the races of the world were forced to sign an agreement that stated that no one race could judge other races, and each was held to its ownw. For example, chromatic dragons can kill each other to steal their hoards, it''s perfectly fine, and cannibalism ismon between them as well, drakainas are known to eat their mates most of the time if they''re weaker, and there is also no paternity ethic, they just throw their children out. That isn''t eptable for humans, thus the agreement prevents such meaningless conflict. There are some gold dragons here, it''s still shady, but Alcott had no intention of pressing them further if he got an honest, dragon-eptable exnation, otherwise, it''s his job to y the rogues. "Just tell him! It''s a matter between dragons; he has no reason to press us." A copper dragon growled in the back. "Now that sounded a bit honest....Care to talk to me in his ce?" Alcott stared at the copper dragon with a gentle smile on his face. "We agreed not to speak of it! Are you a fool?" The gold dragon growled and Alcott nodded. "That also wasn''t a lie. Are you held back by magic?" Alcott tilted his head. Thud! Gingernded in the back, and she instantly felt the immense pressure released by all the great wyrms standing there. Her legs grew weaker, and she could barely breathe. "Alcott..." She gasped. Alcott looked back, "Ginger, you followed me?" He smiled, "Hold a second, I''ming." He turned and started walking toward her. "Yo, yer..." The gold dragon smiled as he saw Alcott giving them his back, "You''re so confident when facing us that you dare turn your back?" "Ghaaliin is right!" Arge green dragonughed, "That woman is a vampire lord, I can sense her blood is rted to d and even she can''t breathe in ourbined presence. I''m surprised he''s even standing." Ginger was also surprised, she was with Alcott for a bit, but this was the first time she was with him in such a situation. The dragons'' bodies hold so much mana that they are naturally emitting waves of magic, the same way electricity emits maic fields, and when that emitted magic gets to a certain point, it can fry smaller sources.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om If Ginger was a phone, those dragons wererge electric mas emitting powerful waves strong enough to kill her. Alcott carried Ginger in his arms and walked backward toward the dragon before sitting her down. "Stand behind my back and don''t move." "How...can you..." She gasped. "I''m used to it." Alcott turned toward the dragons, "So...care to exin why you are lying? Magic shouldn''t hold you from telling me..." It was agreed that dragons shouldn''t emit Alcott from sensitive information and that he as well can''t share that information. "She''s here, we can''t talk." The dragon growled. "That was a lie... How many times do I need to warn you? I can tell when you lie, and when you omit information on purpose, there is no magic holding you back from speaking, right?" Alcott wasn''t falling to anything, he could see straight through their lies. "I''ll tell you." A copper dragon pointed at the desert, "There is arge beast there, we want to kill him." "Shut up!" The gold dragon growled back at him. "A monster in the desert?" Alcott tilted his head, "He can''t be named Uranus, is he?" "Uranus, Arad Orion, they are the same, right?" The copper dragon giggled, and the gold dragon''s head rolled on the ground. He wasn''t even aware that Alcott already killed him. "That''s it, you''re all dead..." Alcott growled. Chapter 836: Degradation Chapter 836: Degradation ? It happened faster than anyone could even see it. Alcott pulled his sword and swung at the dragon''s neck in a single motion with enough precision to cut right between the countless tiny scales to bypass the defenses. The swing was also targeted to go exactly between the neck bones so the de wouldn''t shatter. A feat only achievable by the dragon yer Alcott who beheaded countless dragons and it was even more impressive that he pulled it on a great wyrm. As the gold dragon''s head rolled on the ground, his eyes stared at Alcott''s back, taking a second to realize his head had already been divorced from his body. With how much life force dragons have, it wouldn''t be strange for the gold dragon''s body to still move to attack, but strangely it didn''t. It was only then that Ginger and the other dragon noticed the blood marks on the dragon''s clothes. Using his blood magic as a vampire, Alcott made several blood des that swing alongside his sword. Those des hit the dragon''s torso at the same time as the beheading strike and cut him in parallel. Each blood sh hit right between the dragon''s vertebras cutting him into chunks whichpletely destroyed the spinal cord. A severed head can take seconds before losing conciseness if it belonged to a human, and dragons take even longer. The gold dragon''s head remained alive for three minutes, watching the massacre Alcott was going to cause, the horror that deterred the dragons from waging war as he stood between their armies. The red greatwyrm roared, his chest burning bright red as he opened his jaw, unleashing a devastating stream of crimson mes toward Alcott. "DIE THEN!" Alcott swung his sword down with one hand, shing the breath in half as he lunged straight at the dragon''s face by shifting his legs into those of a werewolf and gliding in the air with vampire wings. Alcott reached the dragon''s head and pulled a long spear from his magic pocket, thrusting straight at the dragon''s forehead, aiming at the segmentations of the skull. Just like humans, a dragon''s skull is separated into several segments as they grow up. As the spear pierced straight into the dragon''s brain, Alcott used it as a needle to inject his vampiric blood inside and lobotomize the dragon, ripping the brain apart with several blood spikes. As the dragon recoiled back, Alcott proceeded into the second part of killing a dragon. Alcott shifted fully into his werewolf form and rolled across the dragon''s back, spinning at high speed while swinging his ws directly at the dragon''s spine, cutting him to pieces as he slid across.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Wait! Wait! Wait!" A copper dragon cried in the back, "That was a fucking great wyrm!" He gasped, this was the first time in his life that he had seen great wyrms dying so quickly. A blue dragon lunged forth swinging his w at Alcott the moment he jumped out of the red dragon''s tail. Another green dragon attacked as well and they both tried to gang up on Alcott. Alcott reached into his pocket to pull another weapon, and this time everyone gasped at what he pulled. "That''s!" Ginger cried. Arge cannon, strangely phallic in shape with what looked like a sack in the back. "Neo Armstrong cannon!" The copper dragon cried in the back, turning to run away. That was just like the exploding nipple knife, a weapon created by an insane artificer who poured his life into it. But this time instead of a strange hatred toward nipples, it was directed towardrge monsters. Neo Armstrong''s vige got trampled by marching titans and so he created this cannon and gave it that unique shape just to tell them, "Fuck you." BOOM! With arge burst, Alcott fired the cannon straight through the blue dragon''s w and hit him in the face with the shell, taking a chunk of his jaw. Due to the recoil, Alcott got sent flying to the ground with the cannon. With the cannon''s insane power and the shells specially picked by Alcott to kill dragons, even great wyrms can get severely injured from its rounds. As Alcott hit the ground, the green dragon''s w missed him and the injured blue dragon growled in pain, it felt as painful as getting shot in the jaw. The green dragon lunged in, "You shot your shot! And your body shouldn''t be fine after firing that thing." As he said. The Neo''s cannon is far toorge, a human shouldn''t be able to lift and shoot it as Alcott did. As the dust cleared around Alcott he was standing straight in his werebear form, holding the cannon pointed at the dragons. "This sack still got two balls." Alcott fired two rapid shots, the first blew right through the blue dragon''s w and head and the second pierced the green dragon''s chest. The blue dragon fell down dead, the cannon shells seemed to have been carrying arge amount of potent poison. Like vipers and scorpions, each green dragon seems to have its own unique poison so they aren''t necessarilypletely unaffected by poison, just extremely resistant, meaning it''ll only take their immune system seconds to neutralize a new poison. As the green dragon recoiled from getting shot and his body froze for a second trying to deal with the poison, Alcott had already dashed between his legs and shed his Achilles tendons, dropping him to the ground. The dragon tried to struggle, but it was toote, he wasn''t the first dragon that Alcott killed this was, and he won''t be thest. Alcott flew up from his tail to his head, ripping his spine and brain to shreds with a barrage of shes from arge ck greatsword. Alcott is a dragon yer, and as an adventurer, he is a weapon master. A fighter capable of using different weapons and fighting styles to suit his needs inbat. He keeps hundreds of different weapons in his magic pocket and pulls them out based on his needs. That strange fighting style had made him an extremely difficult foe to deal with, the dragons couldn''t figure out if he''d go ranged next with a cannon or a bow, or take a more personal approach with a melee weapon. Another four dragons charged at him at once this time, a great wyrm ck dragon, brass drakaina, and a yellow dragon, the fourth being a red wyrm. As the four swung their ws at him, they found him standing on the ck dragon''s nose, topless with arge smile on his face. "I''ll wipe your whole race before you can touch my son''s hair." Ceri and Jasmine finally managed to scale the mountains with wind magic only to find Ginger standing alone on the peak, watching hell rise on the battlefield as Alcott pierced a dragon''s chest with another''s tail in a bath of mes. "Holy shit!" Jasmine cried, immediately conjuring a barrier around them to protect them from the dragon''s dense magic. "Those are all great wyrm? No, some are wyrms..." Ceri gasped, "He''s...killing them...one after another." Jasmine rushed to Ginger, "Are you all right? What did happen?" "I''m fine; it''s just that we can''t get closer." Ginger shook her head, "We''ll just mess Alcott''s rhythm." "We aren''t going in there." Ceri shook her head, "What I''m asking is why they are fighting?" "The dragons said they wanted to kill Arad...and Alcott snapped at them." Ginger replied, "They aren''t surviving this." "I''ve heard that Arad is quite nasty when his wives are put in harm''s way..." Jasmine looked at Alcott cleaving the dragons like nothing. "I guess, that''s where he got that attitude." "What level is he anyway?" Ceri looked at Alcott, "I''ve seen several people in the five hundred ranges and even they couldn''t stand against wyrms, let alone greatwyrms." "Alcott''s main strength against dragonses from a deep understanding of their biology and the vast amount of weapons he mastered. But, his level isn''t low either." Ginger replied. "Last time I''ve seen the guild''s papers he was dered at level 132, that doesn''t make sense," Jasmine added. "Of course, he dropped as low as level 20. Have you ever heard of degradation? Alcott never filed his stats in his peak at the dragon''s war." Ginger stared at the battlefield. "Leveling is a borrowed strength for the archangel Aria, but not everyone can get it. If someone got too old or too sick their bodies could no longer hold that power, the same happened to Alcott when his different curses shed, mainly the vampire and lycanthropy. Those two never get along." Ginger exined. "Since those two curses started fighting for dominion inside his body, he grew weaker and weaker as the years passed. He''s a human after all, not a dragon with a body strong enough to withstand the stress. We aren''t even talking about the other curses and the necrotic gue. He only remained alive due to the nymph''s blessings he had." "So you''re saying..." Ceri looked at Alcott embarrassing the dragons one after another. "Those curses finally stabilized..." "You''re right; his level is finally rising back faster than ever before." Ginger smiled. When the level drops due to degradation, you can level it back easier at 2x the normal speed; it''s just like retraining muscles. "What was his level?" Jasmine asked. "It was..." Chapter 837: Holy Knight Of Murder Chapter 837: Holy Knight Of Murder ? Ginger looked at Jasmine and Ceri, "Alcott''s level had reached a peak of... 892, all of his levels were pushed into the fighter''s ss." Thud! Alcottnded behind them; he took a step forward and cracked his neck, "Finally got some exercises in; albeit wasted some money on those shells." Ceri and Jasmine could feel a shiver run down their spines, whatever monster they saw in their lives, it didn''tpare to this overly muscr man. They''ve heard all the ridiculous tales of Alcott''s adventure, but most seemed too stupid to believe. But now that they see him in front of them, it''s all clear. "Trying to kill my son; fine, it''s war then. For decades I thought that I was impotent...but now that I seem to have one..." Alcott growled as he walked toward Ginger with all the dragons dead behind him in the hills. Despite Alcott going around with women everywhere, he never had a child. This made him convinced that he couldn''t have children. He did seek alchemists and healers in the past, but all told him that he wasn''t impotent, they suggested that probably his partner was impotent. That didn''t make sense to Alcott, he wasn''t sleeping with one woman; he was going around with several since he was a young adventurer. They can''t all be the impotent ones. The problem was clearly within him. This was also the reason he''s still a bit skeptical about Arad being his son. "You killed them all?" Ginger approached him. "No, a copper dragon managed to escape. He made a run for it the moment he saw me over the mountain. Smart one, he made a wise choice." Alcott smiled, "I doubt I can go near Arad, but if those dragons have some kind of n, shattering it should be fun." He giggled. "No wonder you''re Arad''s father..." Jasmine sighed. "You''re right, it''s clear." Ceri agreed with her. "What?" Both Alcott and Ginger stared at them with puzzled faces. "This massacre." Jasmine pointed at the bloodbath behind Alcott, "It''s something we can only expect from someone like Arad. It makes sense if you''re his father." "No, Jasmine." Ceri shook her head, "It''s probably the reverse. Arad''s strength now makes sense, if this monster is his father." "Wait, did you just call me a monster?!" Alcott gasped. "Yeah...I''ve never seen a human able to do this. You might not even be a monster; you''re a creature, with all of those bloods and curses in you." Ceri couldn''t wrap her head around how is Alcott''s body able to handle being a vampire, werewolf, werebear, and several more lycanthropy curses alongside a zombie and much more. "By the way, Alcott...how is your level now?" Ginger approached him. His body has recovered so he''s in the middle of leveling back to his original power, but should still be a long way off. "273, I still have a lot left." Alcott replied he wasn''t even at a quarter of his full power. "Wait a second! How in the hell could you do that only at level 273?!" Ceri gasped. "Level 273 is quite high, isn''t it?" Alcott replied with a puzzled face. "Not high enough to kill great wyrms. It''s impossible no matter how you look at it." Jasmine joined her. "With enough know-how, it''s possible, easy even. I also have my curses as buffs." Alcott started walking, "Let''s hurry, we need to find what those dragons are doing. We can''t let them kill Arad." "Wait! We need to stop the kingdoms first. Let''s go to the border before we do anything else." Ceri added. "Ceri is right. Arad should be able to defend himself. We''re in this problem since no one can reach let alone start a fight, he''s safe for now." Ginger approached Alcott, "We must hurry." As the girls approached the border of the next kingdom, they were once again stopped by the border patrol. "Good day to you travelers." The knight approached the carriage and stood five meters away from it. "All travels into the kingdoms are currently suspended. They should open back in a few days; do you have a ce to wait?" He asked with a formal tone. Eris and Merida were about to snap, but Isdis stopped them. "Wait, we should listen to him." She looked out of the window. "That''s sad to hear, we''ve made it all the way here from Ruris. Is there something happening here, or is that ssified?" She smiled. "The royal family gathered an army to fight a dangerous monster that spawned in the desert, but some nobles argued against it. We''re at the doors of a civil war, and it''s not looking good." He sighed. "That should be ssified information, right?" Isdis stared at him with a puzzled face. "We''re tired...if another kingdom were to invade, at least our leaders might be able to get along to fight. This civil war is about to rip thend apart, we''re almost having a new one each decade." He shook his head, "Different reason, but all wars that don''t benefit anyone besides the nobles and royal family." "If you''re a knight, you know your head will roll if anyone in the royal family heard what you said." Isdis red at him. "Then let it roll. My father got drafted in thetest civil war and died, and on top of that, my vige got plundered and destroyed. I''m done with it, and so are most of the knights." He waved his hand. "So, if you know what''s best for you, leave and only return when things calm down a bit." "You aren''t going to try and stop us?" Isdis asked with a serious face. "Even if we''re going to cause trouble for the kingdom?" The knight looked back at her, "What a weird monkey..." he scratched his head, "I''ve never seen such animals before he walked away, ignoring them." Eris was about to lung out and kill him, but Isdis stopped her. "This is the best oue." Isdis smiled, "Go," She asked Tempo to keep driving into the kingdom. "Why did you let him..." "He was saying that he saw nothing but animals in the forest. He''s ignoring our presence even if we''re to cause trouble." As the carriages went into the kingdom, the knight walked into the forest and pulled a pipe. He lighted it and took a deep sip, "Ahhh! Really strange monkeys..." He looked at the corpse of another dead knight. In his hand was a paper holding a report about the desert monster. It says that he might be Uranus. And also that his wives areing to the kingdom. "Guess you get a lot of hot ones when you can blow a whole kingdom." He giggled, "Uranus''s wives, I hope this will be the end of all the suffering." "What a sweet...nice...stench..." Pin appeared standing on a tree branch above him. "He died with for a horrid crime...Doing his job well." The knight rapidly turned around and unsheathed his sword. "What are you? Monster!" "Murder is good, it''s art..." Pin giggled, "You saw thatdy, the one with brown hair and red eyes..." She waved her deformed hands. The knight immediately remembered Eris''s face, he just saw her in the carriage, but her image seemed to stay engraved into his mind as clear as day. "I''ve seen her, but she has nothing to do with us. What are you?" The knight got ready to attack. "Mydy doesn''t seek to grow her influence...but I, Pin, shall take that task as her messenger, I''ll make sure her sweet, sweet name is known through the mortal world." She pointed at the knight, "Murder can get you what you want... If this kingdom doesn''t fit your ideal, then kill and kill until it''s fixed. Clean the rot to pave the path for a new order." "What insanity are you spitting?" "Murder, I shall grant you the power of murder. Spread thedy''s name, kill in her name, call her name with every breath, and praise her divinity with your soul." Pin smiled as a spark of divine magic flew from her fingertip into the knight, jolting him to the bones. He fell on the ground, growling in pain as his veins bulged and his eyes shed with a golden spark. "It''s your fate; you''re the only one who can save this kingdom." Pin lifted her hands to the sky, "Killing wins wars, killing brings justice, killing is how humans advance. Just like how those nobles and royalty are killing each other to further their goals, you shall use their weapon against them." The knight groaned and rolled on his back, his armor smoking from the jolt. "What...did you do to me... monster!" He growled. "I''ve granted you the power of murder. A pure, divine, and pristine power unlike none else. Can you feel it, the light shing through your de?" Pin pointed at the knight''s sword that sparked with divine magic. "It can''t be." He gasped. "Lady Eris, our goddess of murder. Praise her name, holy knight of murder. Spend your mortal life to spread her name, and murder shall grant your wishes..." Pin disappeared into ck mist. Eris sighed inside the carriage. "What is it?" Ae looked at her. "Nothing...I''ve just felt a sudden wave of exhaustion...probably because we''ve been sitting for a long time." She stretched. Eris had no idea of what Pin was doing.N?v(el)B\\jnn Chapter 838: Divine Gauntlet I: Eyes of Blue Chapter 838: Divine Gauntlet I: Eyes of Blue ? Korah and Jordan continued their journey, slowly tracking the girls to kill Eris. They kept a low enough profile that they remained undetected for a long time, creeping froth like coiled snakes. But, that didn''tst long. "Angelina, stop the carriage." Korah said as he looked out of the window. The wind was strong, pulling dust everywhere which made it hard to see, but you can''t trick the senses of a god. He could see them, two blue eyes glowing in the distance. "We''re being tailed." He walked out of the carriage. "You there, I don''t who you might be. But if you seek help, we can offer it. Show up." He extended his hand forward. "Don''t be afraid..." ^I can feel it, that presence, it''s a mortal. The gods didn''t find us yet; I only needed to trick him somehow. My mind control should be powerful enough. ^ Korah took a step forward. Jordan stared out of the carriage, "Something off about that magic. I''ve felt it before." From the dust, the eyes got closer and closer until the mortal appeared in front of the two divines, it was none other than... "You tried to control me? That''s funny; I''ve been looking for you." Sena said with a calm voice. Korah''s face paled as his eyes started twitching, "By the nine hells!" He cried, waving his hand as fast as he could, teleporting Jordan and his angel away. "Aren''t you a dramatic one?" Sena smiled. "You fucking monster! What brought your ass here?! You don''t have a right to interfere with us, scram back to your sweet daddy." He clenched a fist crackling with divine magic. "Hooo, you don''t say." She shook her head, "I''m suspecting you got someone dear to me in a...let''s say a bad spot. I''m here for an exnation, and it''s better be a good one." "Out!" Korah lunged forward with arge golden portal in his hand, "From this world!" He swung it at her. Sena dodged the portal and clenched a fist, smacking him in the nose with an iron fist. Korah was a lesser god, and such a hit wouldn''t take him down. He ate the punch head-on only to be able to counter with a kick charged with as much divine magic as he could, if this hit a mortal, they''d evaporate into nothing. Sena caught the kick with her palm before it could hit her stomach and clenched on it, almost cracking his bones. Korah took the chance and waved his hand over Sena''s face, shing her like she''d gotten hit with a hundred des. Sena instantly healed and grabbed Korah by the neck, clenching so hard that she crushed it like dough and ripped his head off. Korah''s body disappeared and he immediately regenerated fully, gods can''t be killed, that is the first rule of their existence. "Try as hard as you can, but I''ll not die." He growled, ring at her. ^I must activate it immediately, but I need a clear opening. If this bitch is here, the other gods would being soon, I''m fucked if any of them came.^ "Seven divine rings, call of wealth, gold shining upon the sand, I who built a pyramid to the gods." Korah chanted, "I shall reach them, and prove I''m the only true one." CLAP! Sena pped and thenbed her fingers, wriggling them. [Life Expansion: Tentacle Dungeon of Ecstasy and Gore] Tentacles burst from her back and exploded forth followed by thousands of giant hands and feet, eyes and veins sshing with blood. Korah gasped, his chants halted at the horrid scene unfolding before him. Sena''s head tilted to the side as tentacles burst from her neck and her skin turned purple as eldritch magic consumed the whole ce. She gasped, her hands twisting and turning purple, all of the bone in the reconstructing. Her whole body started transforming. Her hair fell off as her brain grewrger, tentacles burst from her chin, her body inted into a titanic size inside her expansion, and she looked down at Korah with lightning crackling above her massive draconic wings. Sena is the daughter of Cain and Tiamat, a draconic eldritch horror that the human mind can''t even imagine, ineffable terror. Tentacles wrapped around Korah''s legs and swung him everywhere, smacking him on the ground and mountains of flesh and bone in her expansion. "You dare touch my Selica!" She clenched a fist and punched him to the ground. Korah couldn''t even move, his whole body throbbed in pain, he might be a god, but he was still alive, and that made him vulnerable to Sena''s life magic. She''s trying to control and destroy his body. ^At this rate, I''ll end up dead. Like a rat''s corpse rotting on the street, no one would even dare approach. ^ He gasped, his body getting turned into minced meat and regenerating when his divine rule kicked in. But...he smiled. "It''s my win." He gave Sena a middle finger as her body disappeared and he fell to the ground, gasping for air. Divine banishment is a magic spell that takes years to prepare and is extremely costly, but it''s able to banish a god into a demi-n where they can''t leave for a certain time. The time is in seconds, each year of preparation gives one second of imprisonment. "I didn''t expect, you bitch to show up." He coughed blood and immediately healed up, "Yeah, I''ve got a lot of spare divine magic. I won''t die from just this," He giggled, "I''ve only a bit of time before the gods storm us, so I need to act fast." He started walking, "Jordan, how are things on your part?" He asked. "Messy, but I''m managing well. Got me right on that demigod Eris. What about you?" Jordan replied. "I''ve got rid of the overgod''s daughter, that bitch is too strong for us to beat. We don''t have that much longer, so get to work and don''t y around." Korah looked at his fist, "I''m at 95% of my divine magic, I''ll fully charge in seconds and follow you." "Don''t stress it...I''m also..." While Jordan was speaking, Korah gasped, "Huh?" He could see something strange and horrifying. Two blue eyes stared at him from the dust, the same way Sena red at him. "She''s back? No...fuck...white hair, it''s Cain." He cried, cutting the call. "You dare..." Korah gasped, but he immediately noticed something off, this being was taller, looking clearly younger than Cain. As the dust forward, Gojo walked forward topless with arge smile on his face. "Yoo, I''ve got two reasons to kill you. That girl was one of my brother''s women. And... the one you were speaking with, where is he?" He pointed at Korah with a smug face. "Who are you?" Korah asked. "That person, I can smell my ball on him. Would you be so kind as to give it back, it''s kind of important." Gojo cracked his knuckles, "I''ve got more than one reason to kill you now." "You''re petty mortal, and I''m a god. I got scared by your look for a second. But now I''m certain, I''m not scared from your sorry arse." Korah couldn''t be happier to face someone normal. "I already know that, smartass." Gojo red at him with arge smile, "I was watching you for days now. To let you know, you''re the intruder on mortalnds. I''m going to kick you back to heaven." The arrogance of the gods faces the arrogance of dragons in a battle of wits, as the hunger of gluttony shes with the insatiable void, the world itself begins to crack. The world itself started twisting around them as they stood face to face, ring at each other souls with bloodlust. **** A day ago...the carriages stopped right outside a battlefield once more, looking down at two armies about to sh. The nobles oppose the attack on the monster of the desert, and the royal army tries to suppress and get them to join the crusade. The carriage was on the noble''s side as they followed Isdis''s instruction, it''s better to join someone who shares their point of view. If the nobles don''t want to attack Arad, it''s best to help them stop the royal family.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om An armored knight rushed toward the carriage on horseback. "Who are you?! State your name, affiliation, and military rank of avable, otherwise will strike you down." He yelled. "Isdis Lior Ruris, guess from my name. We''re here to stop you from attacking Uranus." Isdis red at the knight. "Blond hair and blue eyes?" He looked at her, "Show the insignia of the Ruris Royal family, otherwise your words are as empty as air." Isdis showed him her ne and he sighed, "Thank the gods...I don''t know how you got here, but if you''re going to support us, we can''t refuse any help. Please follow me." He approached the carriage and looked inside. "Who are all of those?" "In short," Tempo approached him. "The monster in the desert you''re trying to attack is Uranus. Those are his wives, they came to prevent you from getting yourself killed trying to face him." The knight looked at Tempo, "You don''t look like a wife as far as I know...care to exin?" "I''m a friend of his." Tempo replied with arge smile. "A friend of Uranus? The monster knows to have sted a kingdom of vampires. No human can befriend such a monster." The Knight shook his head, "Who are you?" "You better not ask." Merlin stared at the knight. "She''s right." Betty added, "He can kill you, your army, the royal army, everyone around, and probably your distant cousins on the other side of the kingdom with a fart. Don''t ask questions." Isdis nodded, "She''s right. As sad as it may be, you''re just a knight. Don''t ask questions you can''t handle." "She''s saying know your ce. If you didn''t understand." Eris red at him. "All of you..." Tempo looked at them with a smile, "Calm down. I''m here to stop people from fighting; my name won''t be tainted with anything." He looked at the knight with a smile. "I''m Tempo! The volcanic Titan Prince, Nice to meet you, Human Knight!" Tempo''s voice- tuning magic failed at thest moment and the knight got knocked out from how loud his voice was. Chapter 839: Spending To Gain Chapter 839: Spending To Gain ? The knight slowly opened his eyes, the painful ringing still booming in his ears. Trying to remember thest moments before he passed out, all he could get was the image of Tempo''s face, looking at him with arge smile. "What did happen?" He mumbled. "Good, you''re still alive." Tempo said. He was sitting beside the knight''s bed. "I don''t know what I would''ve done if you died." The knight cried and rolled out of the bed terrified, "Now I remember. You''re the titan''s prince." "That''s right." Tempo smiled, "And I''m sorry for almost killing you." "That isn''t the problem, why are you here?" He looked around with a shocked face and could see other knights standing around the ce, they were inside arge tent. "I''ve told you, Uranus is my friend. Negotiations are currently ongoing to try and solve this peacefully." Tempo looked at the tent''s door. One of the knights standing guard approached. "As His Majesty Tempo said, negotiations are currently carried between the nobles, his majesty the King, and her majesty, Isdis of Ruris." "Drop the majesty part. You''re a human." Tempo shook his head. "We use that even for other kings and royalty, titans aren''t excluded." The knight replied. Another knight approached, "I hope things end up without many problems. We''re sick of those meaningless wars." In the kingdom''s royal castle, the queen walked through the hallway as she returned from her bath apanied by two maids. "What''s taking Alex so long? Just a few cannons and those traitors would vanish in the fire." She growled. "Your majesty, we''re almost at your room." One of the maids said with a passive face. "His Majesty, Prince Larry, and Princess Alexia are waiting for you." The queen smiled, "No use crying about it. It gives me time after all; I hope he stays there for a few more days. Work can wait." She looked back at the two maids, "You two are joining in." "Of course; your majesty." They bowed, "Can we call two more of the maids as well?" One of them asked with her eyes closed. "Of course, the more the merrier." The queen smiled, but that didn''tst long. Her room''s door slowly opened and the maids jumped to stand before her. "It''s a shame; your son lost his head; a corrupt royal who wound up dead. He wore his gold like some kind of prise. Too many crimes; too many crimes." Arge armored man walked out of her room drenched in blood, dragging Prince Larry''s severed upper torso by the hair. The queen fell on her knees shaking as the maids screamed their lungs off as they looked at Larry''s blood and guts dripping on the ground. "Praise the goddess, praise her holy name. Thanks to this fate, I''ll never be the same. I''ve seen the royal''s rot, and I wish I''d eaten soot." He dropped the corpse and pointed his sword at the queen.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Wasn''t itmon that nobles are the problem in most kingdoms? They are usually the corrupt ones. Howe it''s our queen and crown heirs the ones fucking up? Literarily...like her, naked corpse still stuck to his lower half." The knight sighed with a disappointed face. "I reject the creed of murder at first, I wanted to just talk and see if our beautiful queen, valiant prince, and cute and loving princess could convince their hairy old dad the king to stop this mess...But..." He swung his sword to get rid of the blood. "My sword slipped when I found them like this. Murder is indeed the way." He took a step forward, ring at the queen with glowing golden eyes. "Sinner shall find salvation in death, those who pains the world shall leave it through murder." His sword sparked with holy magic. The royal guards rushed in and the queen swung her arm with a scream. "He''s a murderer! Kill him!" "That''s it; at least you understand the beauty of murder, the simplest way to get what you desire. The only way to beat thepetition is to kill them." He lifted his sword up with arge grin. "You aren''t getting out of here Alive." The queen red at him in rage, veins bulging on her neck due to what she had just seen. The guards who arrived rushed in toward the queen and pulled their swords. With all of their might, they cut the two maids in half, bathing the queen in their blood. The queen turned with a gasp, "What in the hell?!" she couldn''t believe what just happened. "Praise to the murder goddess. Blood shall be spilled until all rot is done." The knight wasn''t alone, several of the royal guards had seen what the royal family was doing for years, and now that there is a god supporting their cause, it''s a holy crusade. You''ll go to heaven if you murder those bastards who''ve been making your life shit, who could''ve refused such an offer. The knight swung his sword down at the queen''s head. Arge barrier appeared around her and blocked his attack, causing his sword to shatter into pieces and her ne to crack. She took a step back, pissing herself. "First your son broke my sword, and now you destroyed my spare one. How annoying, those fatal nes your royal wear." All of the royal family wore a ne that took one fatal hit for them. "Do you think you''ll get away with this?" The queen mumbled, "Killing royalty is the worst crime. None of you would get away with this unpunished." "Let me teach you a life lesson, our queen. When you make someone''s life so shit that they want to kill themselves, you''ve given them very little reason to fear punishment." He smiled, "What would you do to us? Kill us? That''s a relief from the shitty death loop you''ve driven the kingdom and its people into, a civil war each decade, are you shitting me?" He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up. "Well then, the death sentence means nothing to us. So what, torture? Yeah, that''s everyday life for most of us, good try." He smacked her at the wall. "Nothing is scarier than a man who has nothing to lose and a revenge list. Especially when a god rewards them for their actions." He clenched a fist, "You always called usmoners lesser beings that only exist to serve royals, so now..." He swung at her face, "Check your privileges." One punch after another, he pummelled her to death, crushing her face and chest to the wall in a barrage of violent punches. As he finished, he took a deep breath and sighed, his fists dripping with blood. A maid silently walked out of a room and approached him. "It''s done." She looked at the queen''s corpse, her passive face quickly twisted and she fell to her knees crying her eyes out. "It''s finally done..." The knight wiped his hand on the queen''s dress before patting the maid''s back. "Calm down, it''s over. No one would touch you again. But before we can rx, we must finish the list." The maid clenched her fists, gulped down, and pped her face twice to calm down. "The prime minister is in the west wing, the financial advice should be found around the treasury in the basement and the other directors are scattered around, you need to search for them." She finally managed to speak after gathering herself. "Got it," He kneeled forward and looked at the maid''s ne, a butterfly-shaped silver amulet. "The messenger of death said that our goddess''s symbol is a butterfly; a beautiful and mystical swarm of purple butterflies swarming around death, guiding the souls of the dead with fire and brimstone." "Really?" She looked at him. "Our holy symbol should be like this amulet. Why don''t you be a priestess or at least a nun? You might find salvation in that." He then patted her head. "You know I can''t be a nun..." She was about to start crying when Pin showed up out of nowhere. "That''s a nice idea. Pins love it, your ne, a symbol of my...no, our goddess." She smiled with a giggle. "I wee you, high priestess of murder." She then disappeared. The maid looked at everyone, "What?" She still didn''t fullyprehend what happened. The knight stood, "Protect our priestess with your lives." He walked away. "I''m a priestess now?" The maid looked at the two royal nights protecting her. "Yep." "Seems like it." She stood, "So...what shall we do now?" "I don''t know." "Try giving us a blessing. I''ve always dreamed of a beautiful nun-maid praying upon my sorry head." ***** Inside the meeting tent between the king and nobles, Eris was sitting at Isdis''s right side as Merlin sat on her left side, the two''s mission was guarding her. They didn''t understand much of the political talk, so everyone decided that she had to take the lead. The boring conversation kept going for a while with Eris failing to understand a single word, but she suddenly started feeling something strange. Since they entered this kingdom, she had been rapidly losing divine energy. For a while, she thought that she was losing her demi-god status, but now, her divine magic ising back even stronger. Gods spend divine magic and grant it to their followers to use, in exchange, when those followers pray, sacrifice, or enact the god''s portfolio, the god gains power from that, usually more than what they spent. She still didn''t understand how her divine magic worked and didn''t learn anything about it, which made it extremely hard for her to notice what Pin was doing. She would''ve refused to let her build a cult, but Pin knew better than Eris. The first few weeks for a demi-god are the most important, newbie elimination is amon thing, and if she doesn''t get her mistress powerful enough, she''ll soon get killed and robbed of her power. Pin sat inside Eris''s soul, lifting two fingers up and looking at the world. "Mistress needs power. Pin shall grant that, I can''t let my goddess fail." A tiny white feather coated in blood was growing on her back. Chapter 840: The Menace Chapter 840: The Menace ? "What are we waiting for?" Ceri asked as they sat with Alcott on the peak of a mountain looking down at one of the kingdom''s capitals. "I''ve called some help." Alcott replied, "They won''t miss my signal." He replied with a smile as he leaned back on a tree. "Who can help us? I can summon the whole elvish army." Ceri looked at him with a worried face. "I too can call the dark elf army; don''t underestimate the power of our mages." Jasmine said with pride, "We''re not losing to those pale arses." "What did you just call us?" Ceri red a there.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Both of your armies are slow, they won''t be of much help. I need fast people, those who have wings and are strong enough to face dragons." He looked to the side, "Isn''t that right old man?" "Getting my old bones to move." Kinryuu replied, "You''re really one annoying human, aren''t you." "Aren''t we all annoying? There are some metal dragons with the bastard I''m hunting; he himself is a silver dragon." Alcott replied as Ceri and Jasmine gasped in shock. "Your kind fucked up, Goldy." Arge red dragon showed up out of nowhere, he was camouged like a lizard. "I''ve checked the magic trace Alcott sent us. It''s that bastard SaaMulgiin." "Is that his true name?" Alcott looked at Ignis, "Do you know what he can do?" "He''s a silver dragon that mastered time and ice magic." Kinryuu replied, "He learned it from this chameleon''s kind." Ginger red at them, "Can you stop throwing jabs at each other? Focus on the current problem." "He''s one nasty dragon to fight." Ignis nodded, "We''ll send some people to help you deal with him." "We too, since he''s of our kind, we are also responsible for his actions." Kinryuu shook his head, "What a disappointment. I don''t what got into him in the past one thousand years." "I don''t need help dealing with him. I want you to go out and hunt his minions, stop the kingdoms from attacking Arad." Alcott stood. "If they attacked Arad, I''ll be taking his side." He red at Kinryuu and Ignis, "You know what that means?" "Wait..." Kinryuu gasped. "Hold a moment..." Ignis cried, "If they attacked him, you should be helping us stop the battle. Right?" "An unjust attack on my son and you expect me to stay quiet? I''ll destroy all of those kingdoms down to thest head." He cracked his neck. "You''re working to prevent a situation where I''ll be your enemy, so do your best." He jumped away with Ginger flying at his side. Ceri used wind magic to fly while Jasmine used fire magic, creating jets to propel herself through the air. "Say, Goldy. Do you think we can beat him now?" Ignis asked. "When his mother was pregnant with him, she had a heart attack. Help didn''te to her for two hours, and when they arrived, their faces paled. Even though her heart had long stopped, she had remained alive." He looked at Ignis with glowing eyes. "Alcott wasn''t even born yet his heart kept beating and kept his mother alive. He has the heart of the first human Adam, andter received a holy sword from the god of humans Chad." "When he was born, he gripped the maid''s finger so hard he almost broke it and his umbilical cord needed an axe to be severed." Kinryuu shook his head, "We''ve told Alcott about this but discarded it, we''re discovered why he can''t have children. It''s indeed a problem within him." Kinryuu sighed, "His genes are too strong. He can''t procreate with any random woman; their eggs get ripped apart by his sperm like they are vipers. It''s no wonder he only has a son with a void drakaina." "You''re saying it won''t be strange to add that he defeated both humans and dragons on the list. We better get to work then." They flew away to find SaaMulgiin''s minions and stop the kingdoms from attacking Arad. Like father like son, both are monsters that none want beef with. Fighting both Arad and Alcott at the same time sounds like a hellish nightmare that even the dragons don''t want to mess with. On the second tost kingdom, the king rushed toward the throne room in a panic, he had heard that an intruder was spotted inside. "You Highness, please slow down, let the guards handle this." "Shut up! There is only one man who can do such a thing." He pushed the door open only to see Alcott sitting on the throne with the guards surrounding him, screaming at him to get out. "Jimmy Anderson the fifth, you''ve got a lot of guts in the past years. What do you think yourself doing with such an army outside?" Alcott red at the king with glowing eyes. "There is a powerful monster in the desert; we''ve gathered our forces to y it." The king replied as he slowly walked toward the throne and stood there. "Your Highness! Let''s get this insolent man out of the throne first! He should be thrown in jail for the rest of his life!" A noble growled. "When Alcott walks into a throne room, we''re his guests." The king replied. "Something got you angry, dragon yer Alcott. Please tell me and I''ll make sure it never happens again." "There is no need to cause trouble if they don''t know, right?" Ginger walked from behind the throne. She was hiding in the shadows and none of the guards managed to spot her, a perfect vampire. "We''ll help as well." Ceri and Jasmine appeared out of nowhere, they were hiding with Jasmine''s illusion magic. "The dark elf and elvish queen?!" The king gasped seeing those two there. "We''re here to lend credit to Alcott''s words." "The monster in the desert is Uranus. My only son." Alcott growled, "If you''re going to attack him, I take that you''re attacking me as well. So I''vee here to finish the battle before it starts." Alcott looked at the paling king. "Is your army trying to attack my son?" "No! No! What limited information we have says that the being in the desert is a cursed monster that spreads the curse of death. We''re trying to eliminate him before he starts moving and cause a disaster." The king shook his head, "We never intended to start a war with you." "My son is just resting. He''ll not attack unless provoked, and the same for me." Alcott stood and started walking toward the king. The guards tried to stab him with their spears, but the shafts snapped in half, Alcott shed them before they could even notice. "Now, for who advised you for such a foolish action." Alcott growled, "Is it those two in the back? A dragon and a drakaina disguised as humans, and a pdin and a priestess no less." The king ran away as did everyone and left Alcott staring at the two dragons. The drakaina immediately pulled a staff and cast a massive spell, the ninth-tier [Diamond dome] A barrier spell that create a dome-shaped ss-like shield. Alcott took a step forward, and his face touched the barrier. He kept walking, pushing on the barrier so hard he shattered it and walked through. "You tuned this barrier to nullify shocks, shes, thrusts, and even bludgeoning damage and impacts. It''s impossible to get through with any of those, but that also makes it weak to sheer pressure. If I were to apply constant force to it, it''ll behave no different than ss." Alcott said a passive face and swung a sword down, shing the drakaina from head to groin. "Now, SaaMulgiin. Care to exin why do you want to kill my son? Nah, don''t bother, I don''t care about what a corpse has to say." Alcott approached him, ready to fight. Chapter 841: Divine Gauntlet II: Shaking The Ground Chapter 841: Divine Gauntlet II: Shaking The Ground ? Korah lunged forward, swinging a kick at Gojo''s chest, the earth itself shattered after him in a rumbling that shook the mountains. He wasn''t ying around and wanted to evaporate Gojo in a single hit as he didn''t have time to waste. Gojo caught the kick with his palm and a massive shockwave exploded as Korah gasped in surprise, "Impossible!" Gojo looked at him with a happy smile, "That''s the problem, god. Did my mortal stench throw you off?" He swung a fist and smacked him in the face. Korah smiled, "Interesting, your punches are heavy." He punched Gojo''s wrist and swung him by the arm, going with an elbow to the guts but that got blocked as Gojo used his knee for defense. A counterattack quickly came in the form of a mid-air round kick from Gojo heading straight to Korah''s neck. It got dodged and followed by a fist from the God that smacked Gojo''s open back and sent him flying toward a mountain. "Mortal scum; trying to stand to the gods. I was surprised that you managed tost this long," Korah smiled, a giggle escaping his lips. "Are you sure about that?" Gojo walked off the dust unscathed, only his clothes got a bit dirty. He was lucky to be shirtless; otherwise, Liliana would kill him if he ripped another shirt. "You''re alive?!" Korah gasped. "How about you? Mighty god,ck pain sensors?" Gojo pointed at him with a smile. Korah''s elbow which Gojo blocked with his knee had shattered and was bleeding a lot. Gojo had a point; gods rarely get injured or harmed so their pain sensors stop working with time. Gojo lunged forward in the blink of an eye and smacked Korah with a heavy punch to the face. Korah healed his elbow and swung back at Gojo''s face, taking one of his teeth out. Gojo spat the blood with a smile and swung back, the two of them exchanged fists and kicks at a horrifying speed and force to the point that the nearest city started shaking and its walls cracked. All the wizards around the area detected a massive mass of divine magic shing with just as stupidlyrge a mass of magic. Gojo finally managed tond a kick on Korah''s stomach and sent him flying. He quickly pointed at him and twisted space, using it as a way to throw him even further. Korah gasped. ^This monster is a void dragon, manipting space itself to force me to me. It''s as if I''m a dish on a table and I refuse to move to its side, he then decided to move the table rather than me.^ Korah looked around, ^But, where is he taking me? I see nothing for days around us.^ Gojo lifted a finger up with arge smile on his face, "Sorry, animals." He lifted two fingers up, ripped the nearest mountain off its roots, and threw it at Korah using his void''s space maniption. Lava burst from where the mountain was as therge mass of earth crashed on Korah, shattering the ground and sending an earthquake that was felt for thousands of kilometers. Korah flew from the dusk and ash unharmed with arge smile on his face. "This won''t work on me." He lifted his hands and put them together. Gojo did the same, and the two red at each other for a second as they flew through the air. [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] [Gluttony Expansion: Hunger of the Gods] Both expansions were cast at the same time, and as their names suggest, they both eat and destroy matter. Onees from the void and onees from the gluttony portfolio. But, the sh didn''t evenst a second as Korah pointed a finger at Gojo. "How about, no..." He used his divine dominance and Gojo''s expansion shattered. "You can say that the void is gluttonous, that means I can control it to an extent as well." Gojo stood there with a shocked face as the hunger of the got engulfed him in the blink of an eye, peeling his scales off before he could even blink. "I''ll digest you alive." Korah smiled, "Mortal." Gojo waved his hands and he fully healed. Just like Arad, he has a whole ocean of healing potions stored inside of his stomach. He then quickly waved his fingers, "How about this?" Using his void-twisting ability, Gojo twisted the space where Korah''s expansion existed and folded it like paper,pressing it into a small ball. Korah watched in shock as his expansion fell to the ground as a tiny ck marble. "How did you?!" He gasped. "Fuck you! That''s how!" Gojo lunged forth, grabbed Korah by the face, and dragged him to the ground, grinding his face "Taste our sweet mortal dirt! Oh, mighty god!" He then threw him at theva pouring from the ground and started pummelling him with punches. Korah opened his jaw, bit Gojo''s hand off, and quickly munched and swallowed it. "Insolent Mortal, know your ce." He growled. Gojo didn''t hesitate to stab Korah with the bones of his severed arm and kept the barrage of punchesing. "I won''t be standing here if that would stop me, smart ass." Korah started to get really angry and he swung his palm at Gojo''s stomach, ripping a chunk out of him. "Get off me!" He immediately added a powerful kick that sent Gojo flying away faster than sound. "How disappointing; No guts spilling out." Korah looked at Gojo who stood in ce, panting with a ck void showing inside of his wounds. He and Arad were the same, void dragons that keep their organs stored inside their void. "But it doesn''t matter." Korah giggled, slowly lifting his hands up. "It''s only a matter of time before you run out of energy." Gojo smiled as his wounds healed in the blink of an eye, even his severed arm had regenerated. "No happening. You''re the one going to die first." [Gluttony Expansion: Hunger of the Gods] Korah cast his expansion without wasting a millisecond and Gojo immediately countered with his [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] The same result as before happened. Gojo''s void shattered as Korah interfered with his godly powers but not before Gojo managed to use his expansion to shrink Korah''s expansion into nothing. Gojo put his hands together and fired a massive beam of energy at Korah the moment the expansions shattered. "That''s good, waste your entire energy mortal." Korah dodged the beam. But he was surprised to see Gojo lunging at him with a smile, swinging a fist crackling with lighting and raw energy. He tried to dodge but was toote. The punch kissed his nose, caving his skull onto his brain as his head almost exploded from the impact. Korah''s body flew back at a blinding speed at Gojo flew after him, going for a second hit. "It''s over!" As Gojo said those words, he saw a barefoot rushing toward his face, kicking him back with immense force. A woman of unreal beauty and perfection flew between them with her massive white wings, staring at Gojo with an emotionless face. Korah giggled, "It''s not a one-on-one." Gojo stood with a smile, "She''s far weaker than you. I''ve only taken the kick since she''s beautiful. Nice feet angel, you''re a beauty." Gojo stared at her with a grin. "She''s an archangel, mortal fool." Korah stood, his wounds were nowhere to be found. "You say those foolish words." She spoke, "But, you weren''t able to avoid my kick." Gojo pointed at her, "I''ll be honest, I''ve never seen a woman as beautiful as you. You might also be the strongest woman I''ve ever seen until now. I won''t kill you, and I''ll even lick your beautiful toes. Just, don''t stand in my way." He tried some of Vars''s lines. "Have you gone insane, mortal? Since when an archangel would abandon her god?" She conjured a sword of pure divine magic. CRACK! Gojo appeared by her side in the blink of an eye and punched in the face so hard that her head exploded and her body flew through the nearest mountain. "Told you, what waste ofN?v(el)B\\jnn beauty?" Korah growled and flicked his fingers, summoning her back again. She gasped for air, unable to process what had just happened. But this time, Korah didn''t bring her alone. Beside the archangel stood arge muscr fallen angel. "He''s my fallen archangel, stay hello to him." "It''s three on one." Korah smiled. "Fine by me." Gojo stood there with glowing blue eyes, ring at them with a menacing smile. Chapter 842: Divine Gauntlet III: Blue Sparks Of Magic Chapter 842: Divine Gauntlet III: Blue Sparks Of Magic ? The archangel conjured arge war bow of divine magic and fired a shot at Gojo''s head as the fallen archangel lunged forward swinging a massive sword. Gojo dodged the arrow and deflected the fallen''s sword with his bare hands, only to be greeted by Korah swinging a fist at him. With a smile on his face, space twisted around Gojo''s body, teleporting him away. "Even if I don''t have enough time to move out of the way, that''s only a function of space and time. If I make the space shorter or longer, I''ll be able to dodge." Korah flew after him, "You''re one annoying mortal to fight. I''ve been enjoying this fight for a while, so how about I try this?" He smiled. "DIE!" Just as the gods are supreme beings that cannot be killed by mortal hands, they also have so much dominance over mortal beings that they can just order them to die, and it shall be true. Once a god tells a mortal to die, they die; if they told them to go insane, they lose their minds, and their mere words be a reality as the souls of mortals are obliged to obey their call. TAP! Gojo took a step forward T-posing, he lifted his hand to his ears and looked at Korah with a stupid face, "Huh? What did you say? Sorry, but my ears are busted." Korah gasped, looking at Gojo with a shocked face. "Speak louder!" Gojo lunged forward and swung a fist, smacking him in the face with a burst of energy that shed in a beam of white light. Magic dragons are extremely sensitive to magic especially Gojo who had dedicated his whole life, as short as it may be to magic. The moment he noticed Word Magic was about to be used, he used the void to take his own hearing. That has rendered that magic useless; Gojo''s soul doesn''t have to obey orders that it didn''t receive. Korah tried to regain his footing and counter with a straight punch, but Gojo quickly dodged his hand and smacked him with a left hook. The archangel rushed in, this time thrusting a spear toward Gojo''s neck with the fallening right after her with a massive ball of divine magic. Korah held Gojo in ce by standing behind him and wrapping his arms from beneath his armpits to his neck in a spinal choke. He knew that to kill dragons, destroying both the brain and spine are crucial parts. He applied as much force as he possibly could and tried to shatter Gojo''s spine if possible. Gojo still kept his smile as he swung his legs, kicking the archangel''s spear out of her hands, and wrapped his tights around her neck. "Hello, beautifuldy. Sorry, but I''ve got no balls, your god''s friend refuses to give them back." He twisted her whole body around and smacked the fallen with her legs. ^Suck stupid might...how could he achieve such a feat?^ No matter how much a mortal increases their strength or stats, they shouldn''t be able to fight against angels, let alone gods. It only left Korah baffled at how Gojo is still able to fight this well. The answery within Gojo''s void, if he can''t move something; he''ll just twist the space around it and force it to move with it. By Korah''s previous analogy, if a disk is glued to a table, Gojo would just move the table, and if the table doesn''t move, he''ll move the entire house. Gojo dislocated his shoulders and slithered out of Korah''s grasp and immediately grabbed him by the ankles and swung him like a ragdoll. "What''s up with you god, can''t you just send me to hell? Come on, his lowly mortal is still well and alive." For about a minute, Gojo kept blocking and dodging the three''sbined assault while still hitting back, throwing them everywhere like they were nothing. His void was extremely tricky for them to counter as he was affecting one of the fundamental pirs of the world, space itself. "You know..." Gojo red back at the fallen with a crazed face. "This fool is hard to kill and I don''t mind wrestling the beautifuldy, you''re an ugly man, I want you gone." In a blue sh of magic, Gojo pointed a finger at the fallen and gathered a mind-boggling mass of matter between them. Using his void, he crushed that matter and sted the fallen with the equivalent of a breath, evaporating him out of existence. Korah gasped, he didn''t expect that Gojo didn''t need to use his mouth for breath attacks. He can just shoot them from wherever he wants. Knowing that Gojo might still be hiding a lot more power than he had shown, Korah decided to try one trick. He jumped in front of Gojo and was about to do a hand sign. Without hesitation, Gojo''s void shed his own eyes, blinding himself. Korah and his archangel paled, gasping in surprise.N?v(el)B\\jnn ^He noticed? What the fuck is this dragon?^ "You sneaky bastard." Gojoughed as he closed his damaged eyes. "I didn''t think you could use word magic with signnguage. I bet it''ll work only if I know signnguage, and I do. So the only way for me to avoid an instant KO is to not look at you." "You think you can fight us while both blind and deaf?" She growled before realizing that Gojo couldn''t hear her. "I bet you''re rambling with angry or disgusted faces, but please be assured, I can still win." Gojo smiled, lifting his hands up. "Since you''ve called for help, how about I do something simr?" [Clone] In a split second, Gojo''s body split into ten identical clones that rushed the two. "I''m a wizard! I haven''t used a single spell in this fight until now." With four Gojos pummelling each of Korah and the archangel, the remaining two started casting spells. One pointed at Korah [Elemental Ssh] In a sh of rainbow light, Gojo unleashed every magical element at Korah as he tried to find any possible weakness. The other clone cast [Symbol of very] on the archangel, trying to dominate and enve her. She gasped, feeling the link between her and Korah shaking. Her bones crackled as she did her best to resist the spell, but was met with a nasty surprise at the end. The four clones fighting her infused the spell [Symbol of very] into their fists and kicks as they beat the living hell out of her, allughing and screaming, "Submit!" [Lighting Thunder Dome] One of them mixed a jolt of lighting within his attacks just to make fun of her. She tried to escape from them ganging on her, but she was caught in the face by one of them. "Listen, you don''t have his immunity." Gojo said, "You either bow your head, submit, or this beat down will keep to the end of time." He red down at her with his eyes closed, but she could see the magic flowing in them sh with lightning-blue light. On the other hand, Korah was finding it extremely hard to deal with a whole five of Gojos. He blocks a punch only to get kicked in the face, or deflect the magic to be hit with another spell. [Infinite Maze] With a finger swing, Gojo mixed his void maniption with magic to create a whole maze of twisted space around Korah. This wasn''t your average maze of walls; the fabric of space itself got twisted like paper to form the walls. Korah takes a step forward and finds himself back in front of Gojo''s burning fists. As a god, Korah only needed a second to analyze the magic and space around him to determine how he should move to get out of the maze. Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, spin, and then fly left. CLAP! Gojo smacked him in the face with a burst of energy, "I''m modifying it in real-time, and there is no exit, fool" Gojo was winning. Chapter 843: The Slayer Chapter 843: The yer ? "Alcott the dragon yer; It doesn''t matter how much power you amass, you''re still a human. You''ll never reach the peak of dragon kind; we''ve got an early start, a prettyrge one." SaaMulgiin clenched his fist and his veins bulged out with shards of ice, "We''re stronger, have more mana, and are far better at controlling it." Alcott started at him with a passive face, slightly offended. "Dragons? Got an early start on humans? Don''t joke around." Alcott took a step forward and red at SaaMulgiin with glowing golden eyes, "Humans are stronger than dragons. We''re always the ones to y your kind." "Spitting nonsense." SaaMulgiin smiled. "It''s not nonsense, we''re the ones who first hunted your kind with spears and bows, we''re the ones who gave birth to vampires and werewolves, gods rose from us, and most races except elves diverged from us. There were three primordial beings, Adam the first man and father of humanity. Yggdrasil the world tree and the mother of elves; She is the strongest cultivator in all of existence and realms, and none tops that old tree. The grandfather of dragons Asgorath was next, andstly the youngest of them all, Lucifer the first angel." Alcott red down at SaaMulgiin. "Let''s fight somewhere else." "We''ll fight here, so the weak humans can die as they are. If you don''t understand why Arad must die, you should die with him." SaaMulgiin grabbed Alcott by his shirt. Alcott grabbed SaaMulgiin by the face and jumped away, bursting through the window as he flew away and threw SaaMulgiin into the mountains. SaaMulgiin gasped as he smacked on the ground, staring at his own hand as his face still ached from the violent grab. "He threw me...all the way here?!" "Fighting me inside a city is amon tactic of dragons. They knew I couldn''t go all out if I had to worry about innocent people." Alcott said as he took a step forward, "But I''m not that sick anymore for it to work." "You''re one tough nut to crack." SaaMulgiin growled, "But, someone has to do it. And that would be me." He stood and pointed his arm at Alcott, about to cast a spell. CLACK! In the blink of an eye, Alcott had already shed SaaMulgiin''s arm from knuckles up to the shoulder with a single downward swing. SaaMulgiin gasped, he wasn''t able to see Alcott moving. "Get away from me!" He growled and his body burst with ice, freezing half of the mountain. Alcottnded on the peak and looked down at SaaMulgiin with a smile. The dragon tried to heal, and Alcott let him do it.N?v(el)B\\jnn "You''re a fool." SaaMulgiin smiled but that didn''tst long as Alcott pulled a long golden spear from his pocket and pointed it at the sky. ck clouds covered the sky as thunder started rumbling, shaking the whole world. "By the demonic blood sealed in this spear, I call the ancient forgotten power of a long-dead god." SaaMulgiin gasped as he felt iting. Far away in Alina, Kayden blinked as he looked up. "Fine." He said. Alcott jumped into the sky and lighting struck the spear, hundreds and hundreds of bolts gathered until the blinding light almost swallowed the whole mountain and thunder deafened it. "ZEUS!" Alcott threw the spear with all of his might and unleashed a massive lightning bolt that struck the mountain, exploding in a massive burst of light. When the light faded, the mountain was no more, and SaaMulgiin stood there, charred and growling. Alcott walked back to the spear and picked it up. "I picked this spear from a buried temple. It''s thest remaining artifact of a dead god called Zeus, the god of lightning. I don''t know its story, only that if I called upon its power, it sometimes responds and unleashes something equivalent to ten blue great wyrms breathing simultaneously." "I braced for divine magic..." SaaMulgiin tried to stand, his charred skin falling off as he tried to heal. "It''s demonic in nature, not divine. I was surprised by it as well." Alcott stored the spear and pulled arge morning star. He started swinging it as he approached. SaaMulgiin jumped back and lifted a finger. [Time Stop] But before he could fully cast the spell, Alcott smacked him in the face with the morning star and interrupted him. "I can tell when you try using magic. Don''t bother." Alcott jumped after him. He knew that he might be able to defend against a time stop, so his best defense was getting aggressive and preventing SaaMulgiin from using it. Powerful spells consume a lot of mana even on a failed cast, which means SaaMulgiin won''t be able to cast it that many times. Alcott suspects around ten to fifteen failed casts before he runs out, or four full casts. As the two shed, Alcott kept swinging the morning star left and right, preventing SaaMulgiin from catching his breath, regenerating, or trying to cast magic. Unlike most dragons he hunted, this one was far smarter. SaaMulgiin swung his arm and caught the morning star from the chain right beneath the steel ball. "You think this small weapon would keep me at bay?" He growled, shattering with his ws. And without wasting any time, he opened his mouth and unleashed a massive ice breath, encasing Alcott in a prison of ice. "And now I can cast magic with ease." SaaMulgiin lifted his hand and put them together, "It''s been fun, dragon yer." Alcott pulled a paper from his pocket and ripped it. A spell pre-inscribed onto it teleported him right behind SaaMulgiin. It was amon thought, what if I was locked up and couldn''t escape, I better have a spell for that. SaaMulgiin spun around with his w flying at Alcott''s face, but the attack was easily dodged. "From the weakest S-rank, she even retired to work as a maid. That woman never liked fighting, and this was only a means of self-defense for her." As if Alcott''s body was dough, he swung his palm at SaaMulgiin''s neck, pping him with enough force to rip the skin off and send him screaming and rolling on the ground. "It''s not lethal unless you count heart attacks due to the extreme pain." Alcott smiled, and lifted his fist, pulling a dagger out of his pocket. At that moment SaaMulgiin''s body exploded with ice as he shifted back into his draconic form, sending a st of exploding ice shards and conjuring a whole snowstorm. The titanic dragon stared at Alcott, "yer! Today is your end. I''ve always heard that fighting you feel off, but to think you know us dragons to this extent, shutting our attacks and magic before we even cast them." "You''ve just be a bigger target." Alcott smiled. "You''re indeed a fool who relies on his inborn abilities a lot." A stone smacked SaaMulgiin''s head and knocked him down. Alcott giggled, "You didn''t notice the first shot? Of course, you''re a mighty dragon. Only we squishy humans must pay attention to our surroundings so we don''t die." A sword came flying out of the air andnded beside Alcott, "This is Arad''s magic. Can he see us from the desert?" The sword was Arad''s dragon-ying sword. Alcott lifted the sword, "Listen, SaaMulgiin. My son is watching, I need to show off." [Adrenalin Rush] [Action Surge] [Blood de] Alcott used his vampire blood to extend the reach of the dragon yer. [Hyper K9] The wolf blood and muscles in his body pushed themselves to the limit and entered a state of hyperperformance. [Death Hand] The necrotic magic from his past rushed into the dragon yer''s sword and pulled its essence of killing dragons, extending it to the vampiric blood de. [Bearing Bear] Due to the extreme stress Alcott''s body is going to face, using his werebear blood to strengthen his body so it can endure, and his constitution rose through the roof. [Thunder Leap] Lighting and tigers, the signature of weretigers is their lightning leap, faster than the eye can see, and always had deadly precision. [Divine Severance] Calling upon the divine power of the human god, he could enchant his attack with divine magic on top of everything else, resulting in as many divine smites as Attacks he''s going to unleash, and the downside is that his body might not endure the stress of all those casts of divine magic. The [Bearing Bear] helps a bit, not a lot. Alcott shed SaaMulgiin''s ice, shed him, every snowke, and pained the whole mountain rage red with dragon blood. It was as if he expanded an expansion, but without magic, only him swinging a blood sword like a massive blender. Alcott pulled a jug of water and poured it on a stone to wash from SaaMulgiin''s blood before sitting down. "I forgot to ask, what was his master n? I''ve only known about the [Killing Arad] part." Alcott looked around, "No use thinking. I can''t ask him even if I wanted." He smiled. Gingernded beside him, "He looks like tomato sauce, soft and gooey." She looked at Alcott, "How could a sword do that?" She seemed confused. "The blood de is jagged, like a saw." Chapter 844: Miras Bomb Chapter 844: Mira''s Bomb ? The girls walked out of the meeting tent and Isdis sighed, "We''ll, it seems they''ll stop for the time being. But that''s only under pressure, I''m sure that stupid king would break the treaty if The got a chance." "We can''t have him charge after we leave." Eris looked around, "Should I st a crater in their way? That might scare them away." "I could leave some demons as well." Merida looked at Isdis and then turned toward their carriage, "Those two are at it again." She could see Mira and Merlin giggling as they tried topact stone with magic, they were using poor Meryem as a test subject. "It''s heavy..." Meryem growled, unable to move inside the stone armor. It was a full te armor made ofpressed stone that weighed several thousand kilograms, the joints didn''t work, and it didn''t even have holes for eyes, a rectangr prototype just as a proof of concept. "What are you testing exactly?" Meryem growled. "We want to know if we canmunicate with magic and if the curse is indeed blocked or not." Merlin replied. Mira looked at the hole they left for air and then stuck a crystal beside them, "It seems that even a small hole can allow the curse to enter, we should find a way topletely lock this armor while still allowing the wearer to move, breathe, and see if possible." "I can create apressed air vessel and attach it to the back, for vision we can use a mage''s eye and some t crystals stuck before the eyes. But the problem is moving, this thing is far too heavy." "If I can''t move it." Meryem growled, "Nobody can." "Arad might be able to." Mira smiled. "Like he would need this thing!" Meryem cried. "Meryem is right. We need to find a way to make it lighter, gravity magic is an option, but we can''t keep active from a huge distance." Merlin scratched her head. "You can start by adding some joins." Meryem sighed. "I did... But, they do as good as not exist with how heavy this armor is." Merlin scratched her head, "For now, let''s get you out." She flicked her fingers and teleported Meryem outside the armor. "You also need to work on getting in and out; it''s also too hot inside." Isdis, Eris, and Merida approached them, "We''ve finished the negotiation and got a temporary truce." Isdis sighed, "I doubt this wouldst." "What''s the major problem?" Betty asked as she looked out of the carriage''s window. "The stupid king is too greedy. We''re trying to convince him that going to the desert would only get his army wiped out, and he wants us to pay himnd so he won''t charge." Isdis shook her head as she sat on the ground, "We don''t have anything too big for him so he would bend down." "Like what?" Betty looked at Eris and Merida, "You can intimidate him." "That doesn''t always work, and I''d rather not build a rtion that would cause us a war in the future." Isdis looked at Betty... "What would Arad do if he was here?" "The problem is that he believes whatever in the desert is a powerhouse, and that the kingdom that gets it first could dominate the world. No matter what you say, he''ll always take it as a lie." Tempo approached, "But I''ve got a n. We need to show him how dangerous Arad is." "How?" She tilted her head. "Well, we only have one person who can hit as hard as Arad himself." He smiled and slowly turned toward Mira. "Isn''t that right?" "Wait? Me?" She gasped, pointing at herself. Tempo giggled, "That failed device of before, make us a second one. Let''s blow it over the mountains and let their wizards deal with it. Let''s call it shes of Uranus." "If we managed to convince them that those explosions are only a tiny part of Arad''s power, just like the sparksing from a great fire. They are bound to start fearing for their lives." Tempo had a nasty n cooking up. Merlin stood, "We''ll use the previous explosion to calcte the radius of the st and the spread of the curse if we knew the wind direction and speed." She smiled.N?v(el)B\\jnn Ae approached, "Leave figuring the wind to me. But the n is to have their mages push the curse away with wind magic, right?" "Yeah, you just give us the wind''s speed and direction so we can make sure the bomb is safe. Their wizards will do the heavy liftingter; you just support them if something goes wrong." Merlin looked at Mira, "We can make another bomb," "How will we nt it?" Mira asked. "I''ll do it." Betty lifted her hand, "If someone could run away before the explosion kills them, it has to be me." "What could I do?" Meryem looked at them. "Get your children beneath the ground and shake when I give you a signal. We want them to feel like Arad is a natural disaster that''s above their understanding." Merlin smiled, "He''s too big for them to even think of fighting. That needs to be the case." Tempo looked at the soldiers, "I''ll create a wave of heat before the explosion..." "And I''ll create a massive wave of magic and send it toward them from the desert. That would be like the warning signal before the explosion. And since the other kingdom saw a simr explosion, it''ll now be a pattern. The mere existence of Uranus in the desert causes massive explosions that could wipe a kingdom, fighting him is impossible." Merlin was confident this n would work. Isdis and Merida looked at each other, "That''s all well and good." Merida said and Isdis finished. "What if it went wrong? And this ce was about to be sted?" "I''ll take care of it." Eris lifted her hand, "If I used all of my magic and divine power and conjured one massive purple sun, I''m confident that I could at least shield this ce from the curse with it." "So you''ll just hit theing st with a purple sun to negate it." Tempo nodded. "And I''ll tell the people that I''m a demi-goddess that''s keeping Uranus in check as his wife. That''s bound to make them confident Arad is not something they can handle." Eris suggested with a smile. "That''s bound to increase your influence as well. A goddess that saved a whole kingdom, you''ll quickly rise in ranks with such a feat." Tempo looked at the mountains. "But those are going to be our first barrier." "Then I''ll get to it." Mira smiled, "Merlin, help me get this bomb ready." "About the name." Ae looked at them with a smile, "For now, we''ll call Uranus''s spark. Butter, we''ll call it Mira''s bomb. I bet it''ll be a powerful artifact." "Wait? Let''s just call it Uranus''s bomb." Mira gasped. "It''s your creation." Eris looked at her, "I''m sure Arad would also want you to keep the credit for it." Tempo nodded, "Now that I''m thinking about it. A weapon of mass destruction capable of erasing a small kingdom and cursing thend, I want some for our military." He looked at Mira. "Yeah..."Ae scratched her head. "If this information spreads out, kingdoms are going to fight over Mira." "Isn''t Merlin helping?" Isdis looked at them. "I''m only using earth magic based on her calctions and needs. Any wizard worth their salt can rece me." Merlin looked at them, "That''s her creation." "I..." Mira looked at them with a worried and scared face, "Don''t want this to be used as a weapon." "I doubt it." Tempo shook his head, "I''ll throw one or two around to show their power and scare people off, and I''ll keep the rest as an intimidation." He pointed at the mountain, "We''re doing the same here." "Yeah. Scare them with the first shot, and threaten them with another." Betty giggled. "See that?! If you don''t behave, I''ll throw one on your heads." Merida shook her fist. "Fine." Mira sighed, "Just, don''t go sting people left and right. Keep in mind that whatever this bomb could do... Arad can do more." Tempoughed, "Don''t worry; I don''t want you to send Arad to st us for using this weapon the wrong way." "Then let''s get to work." Merlin walked with Arad behind the carriage to make the bomb while Meryem dug underground toward her children. Betty started stretching and getting ready to nt the bomb while Ae flew away to measure the wind''s speed and direction. Eris sat alone to focus on her magic in case she needed to shield the ce and Merida kept guarding the carriages with Tempo. The n [Intimidation Bomb] was set in motion. As the girls began to move in silence, the king also had ns of his own. For a starter, he sent a messenger back to the capital which was almost an hour''s ride from their location. But, he didn''t know what a nasty surprise awaited him. Chapter 845: Jordans Attack Chapter 845: Jordan''s Attack ? That was a nasty day, the sky turned red as people prayed to the gods, magic, and the world itself. The horrid heat burned and the light shed behind the mountains with such force that the shadows themselves ran away. Those who dared look lost their sight for an hour, and the fine hair on our bodies burned alongside the horses'' hay. Till now, my skin still burns from the heat. The ground quaked as arge wall flew from behind the mountains toward up, ripping the ground to shreds. We saw our deathing; we thought it was the end. People started crying, praying, and begging for their lives as we saw the trees of the distant forest get pulled from the ground like grass eaten by a calf. Our wizards panicked, none of them knew how to act. They all curled and covered themselves in ss-like magic, crying to the goddess of magic. The murder pdins looked out of the castle windows the moment they sensed the massive pulse of magicing from the desert. The skilled among them knew that only destruction wasing forth. "Everyone! Duck down!" One of them yelled at the top of his lungs, sending terror among the already terrified servants of the castle, as everyone was about to panic, the earthquake reached them as the brilliant light shed on the horizon signaling the end. "God..." The priestess cried as the two pdins pulled her away from the window. "Be careful!" They cried. But they then felt it, a spark of divine magic akin to their own. "It can''t be!" One of the pdins looked out at theing shockwave with a terrified yet hopeful face. From beyond death, she appeared; a purple butterfly of brilliant light. She flew into the sky, pulsing with magic beyond our mortalprehension. "Our goddess is here to protect us!" The pdin cried. It was far too rare for a god to show up, a once-in-a-thousand-year event, but right now before their eyes, their goddess of murder was charging ahead of them to stop what they could only describe as imminent death. [Burning fire...shing lighting...a dance in the sky...the purple gaze of the stars...from nothing to ash and from ash to nothing...] Eris pointed her fist at theing shockwave and growled with veins bulging on her forehead. [Purple Sun] As her massive purple wings shed, she unleashed all of her magic in a single cast, conjuring a purple sun almost fifty meters in diameter toward theing shockwave. The sun sted right through and dissipated the ce, erasing everything in its way and only leaving a gigantic charred trench before exploding in the desert. Pinughed inside Eris''s soul, everything was going ording to her ns and even better. Eris was getting more renowned and her name was spreading like wildfire. Eris flew down andnded before the army, sma still sparking from her shoulders with thunderps, charring and shaking the ground around her. She sighed and her magic calmed down. "You fool! Why did you freeze?" She red back at them. "What was that?" One of the soldiers gasped, unable to stand. "It''s merely one of Uranus''s aura''s rogue effects, just how red dragons turn the area around them into volcanoes. Weren''t you nning on fighting him?" She started walking toward them and they moved back. "Did you think the curse was the only passive effect around him? He''s asleep; thousands of those would being if you fought him." She walked through the army until she reached the king''s tent. "What do you say? This will be thest time I bother protecting your kingdom. Next time, you''re on your own." "What''s the meaning of this?" The king growled, "Your magic had some divine sparks in it. Your job is to protect the people, right pdin? Join the army and I''ll pay a lot, I''ll even build countless churches for you god in my kingdom." "I''m not repeating myself. I''m not a pdin, but a demi-goddess." She opened her palm and conjured a melon-sized purple sun, "Are you asking me to fight my husband?" The soldiers around Eris started crying as their armors heated up and the king growled, "This can''t be..." "Your Majesty! LOOK!" A soldier screamed, pointing back toward the capital in the distance. "I can''t see! Bring me binocrs." As he got them and looked toward the capital, he could the g of the kingdom burning atop the castle with a bunch of armored knights waving the g of one of the high noble houses. "The fuck is that?! A riot?!" He gasped. The pdins of murder managed to recruit one of the highest-ranking nobles of the kingdom, a marquise to their ranks. The king''s dominion was in shambles. Every soldier in the army was certain at this point, that there was no fighting when Uranus was involved, only death. If this is what one st could do, the death curse will be thest thing they need to worry about. The kingdom imploded and the marquise''s soldiers were rushing toward the battlefield to arrest the previous king, for the first fifteen minutes after the st, everything seemed fine. BAM! Jordan appeared between them as the sun was setting and silence fell. His eyes rapidly turned toward the biggest source of divine magic and identified her, Eris, his target. "Got you!" He extended his hand toward her, charging an attack. Eris rapidly turned around; her magic was still low after unleashing the massive purple sun. What he was charging far exceeded what she could block, and if she didn''t everyone behind her would evaporate. SWOSH! Merida appeared behind Jordan swinging her sword, burning with demonic magic. He turned back and swung his wrist up, deflecting her swing. She didn''t waste a second and threw a left hook at his face, smacking him away with all of her might. He wasn''t shaken one bit andnded on his feet, "A demon?" Merida lifted two fingers up, [Viper] A titanic demon cobra that''s one meter thick and several tens of meters tall burst from beneath Jordan''s feet and bit him, rising to the sky at a blinding speed. Jordan opened his arms and sted the viper''s head into pieces, "That was arge demon, are you a summoner?" An arrow hit in the face with a st, and he seemed fine, catching the arrow with his mouth. "Who did this?" He asked, but quickly got his answer a he saw tens of arrows flying toward him. "It''s no use. Mortal attacks can''t harm me." He giggled and waved his hand down, sending a wave of divine magic that knocked Ae''s arrows and exploded right before reaching the ground, sting the demonic Merida away.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om BAM! Something heavy hit Jordan''s head, he wasn''t harmed but he couldn''t see. Several tens of attacksnded on him like flies, they were too fast for him to see but didn''t as much as scratch him. "You''re this fast but not divine?" He smiled and Betty appeared in the air, frozen in the middle of attacking him with her light sword. "It takes a lot of my divine magic, but I can stun anyone that touches me. It has its limitations, but still works fine." Jordan was the demi-god of greed, his divine magic grows based on the number of his believers and wealth. His stun ability works in the same way and is more potent based on the difference in wealth between him and the target. As a noble and a demi-god who has lived for a while, he had gathered arge amount of wealth by using his connections and the bandits hemands. Add all the donations from his followers, his riches could seem infinite to anyone else. Arad had felt Jordan''s attack on the girls, but their Mira''s bomb had destroyed his first magic eyes that he was observing them with. Now he needs two shots to be able to support them, one for a new [Mage''s Eye] and the second for attack. Each shot takes about four minutes to reach them, which means they can''t expect any long-range support for at least eight minutes. The girls with Eris drained must hold for at least eight minutes without anyone dying against the full-powered Jordan. ***** BAM! Gojo smacked Korah in the face and sent flying through the ground; he quickly grabbed him by the neck and red at him with a smile, grinding his head. "How?! You''re a mortal; your attacks shouldn''t be able to damage me at all." Korah growled. "Fuck you. That''s how." Gojo wasn''t going to tell Korah anything, but he suspected it was because he''d been destroying the fabric of space around Korah instead of attacking him directly. Korah screamed and swung a punch at Gojo''s face, but it was dodged easily. "Twisting the thread of infinite space, like yarn, it spins and spins around." Gojo''s clones kicked the archangel at Korah and surrounded them, extending their arms forward. [Void Expansion: Yarn Ball] In an endless darkness, a ck hole fell on Korah and his archangel, ripping them apart. If ripping space was enough to damage a god, then probably ripping the fabric of time and space around them would do the trick. As the ck hole faded, Korah''s archangel was far long dead, erased from existence and he stood there, his organs spilling out as the destroyed time around his body prevented him from healing. "It''s my win, God." Gojo stared down at him menacingly. Chapter 846: Jordans Gauntlet I: Scrambling To Survive. Chapter 846: Jordan''s Gauntlet I: Scrambling To Survive. ? Merida lunged toward Jordan in the blink of an eye, swinging her sword faster than anyone could see. The de bounced off his skin like it was nothing, sparking with arge st and unleashing a painful ear-piercing crunch. ^He''s hard. I can''t get through his skin.^ Merida gasped as she flew away from him. "You can cut him! It''s a high threshold but still possible!" Eris shouted, "If you can cut me, there is no way he can''t be cut. That''s a demi-god, stronger than me but still not a real god." She clenched a fist as sma exploded from her back, sending her flying toward him like a fireball. Jordan lifted his arms and blocked her punch, but the power sent him flying back engulfed in crackling sma. He finally stopped and stood up, his arms burned up. "As expected from a demi-goddess, getting through my defenses with ease...but that isn''t enough." His arms instantly healed up. "You can''t kill me." He smiled. A demi-god usually has stupidly high durability and regeneration, arge mana pool, and an innate ability to influence people with their words. The other abilities are dependent on what demi-god they are and the number of people worshipping in them. Jordan is a demi-god of greed while Eris is a demi-goddess of murder, by their nature she''ll have a more potent attack power but he''s making up for it with how many worshippers he has, she only has about a few. ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR! A massive minotaurus roared, throwing a punch straight at Jordan who was only as tall as his fist. Jordan''s time slowed as the punch hit him from the side, smacking him away with a st. He coughed blood gasping as a massive shadow fell upon him. Merida was standing in the side with two hands together, ring forward with glowing green eyes. "Thunderbird." The shadow that fell on Jordan was a massive ck bird twenty meters long with a balding human head and legs, crackling with lightning as fungus grew out of its festering wounds. Isdis cried as she started hearing the electric rumbleing from the demon, "The hell is that thing?!" "Summoning such a demon here, you don''t care about anyone''s life." Jordan smiled as he jumped into the air and flew away from the thunderbird chasing him. The bird roared like thunder and lightning started falling from the sky, each bolt was aimed at Jordan but missed as he kept dodging at high speed. "But, I guess you don''t understand." Jordan pointed a finger at the thunderbird and evaporated it with a beam of divine magic. [shing Smite] "Demons are quite weak to holy magic." SWOSH! The massive minotaurus lunged from the ground all the way to where Jordan was; he carried a massive hunk of steel on his shoulder that barely resembled an old rusted sword. "For the queen!" And he smacked Jordan to the ground with a roar. The moment Jordan hit the ground he could see a massive demonic spider the size of a full mansion, it had human hands for legs and a woman''s face that looked shriveled like an old olive; From its butt, she fired a massive web of silk at him. "Just how many demons can youmand?" Jordan smiled as he was about to kill the spider with another beam, but at that moment he noticed something strange. A full horde of demons was heavily wounded behind the spider, all of them suffering from massive cuts. "Wait..." He gasped. Merida rushed from beneath the web and swung her sword at him, aiming at the neck. Jordan dodged by taking a step back, but the tip of her de managed to slightly cut his throat. "de dance? You used your own demons as pawns to charge it up." He was about to jump away, but Meryem''s hand burst from the ground and caught him by the ankles. Her face emerged from the ground and she opened her mouth, ready to st him with an acid ssh. It was then that Jordan could feel it, those two weren''t the only ones around attacking simultaneously. Betty was flying toward him from the back, Eris from the right, and Ae''s arrow from the back. Merlin on the other hand dropped a banishment spell on him from above, hoping to send him away and buy some time. SWOSH! All of their attacks hit the empty air and Merlin was forced to cancel her spell. Jordan teleported away to dodge theirbined assault, he was standing far behind themughing. "How amusing, I never expected mortals to fight this desperately." He looked at them with arge grin. But suddenly, his vision shifted as they seemed to fly up...his head hit the ground. "Huh?" He gasped. CRACK! Tempo stepped on Jordan''s severed head as the body burned into ash. Isdis had suggested that he hide and hit Jordan with a sneak attack, and her n seems to have worked. "A Titan?!" Jordan''s head gasped. "You can speak? You''ve got no lungs." Tempo applied more pressure with his foot, shattering the ground beneath Jordan''s head. "I''ll pop your skull like a grape." "Be my guest. I don''t need this one anymore." Jordan smiled as his head exploded beneath Tempo''s foot. A new body appeared out of thin air, "Even I have enough divine magic to be nearly immortal. Destroying my body isn''t enough to kill me."N?v(el)B\\jnn "I see." Tempo lifted his sword, "Then I must kill you over and over until you run out of energy to create new bodies. You don''t have an unlimited number of them, do you?" "I indeed don''t, I''m not a true god yet." Jordanughed, "But my current immortality is enough to deal with mortals like you." Jordan conjured a sword of pure divine magic and lunged at Tempo. As the two danced, Merida joined them in the blood bath. Even with Merida and Tempobined, they could barely hold against Jordan in a straight fight mainly because they were out of sync. She had never fought by his side and her extremely long sword almost shed him multiple times. Friendly fire was bing a huge issue. Seeing that the two could barely fight together, Jordan took the chance and snuck a beam of divine magic aimed at Eris. She was still recovering her magic; she had spent what little she gained on the previous two attacks and wanted to wait a bit longer. Tempo lunged away and deflected the beam heading toward Eris, "What a cheap shot." He growled. But at that moment, Jordan''s body disappeared into golden mist in front of Merida. "Where did he go?" She cried. Everyone looked around but couldn''t find him. It took them a second to hear Isdis gasp; they looked back and saw Jordan holding her up by the neck. "Hidden my divine magic for a second and they lost track of me." He red at her face with a smile, "How about I kill you, right here and now." She started squeezing her neck. He had noticed that she was the one who allowed Tempo to cut off his head so he wanted to do the same for her. Isdis was a strong fighter, but nowhere near the others. She was fairly normal and had no way of fighting against a demi-god. No one could attack him as they would hit Isdis so they stood still. Merlin and Betty looked for a chance to save her, but they were running out of time. "You know..." Isdis growled, "You look..." She smiled, touching his chest and blowing a hole in it. Her skin turned red and two horns grew from her head as her voice grew deeper as Jordan puked blood. She wasn''t Isdis. That was none other than Abel. "Pretty fuckable if I do so say myself." Abel smiled, "I''ll even make a new hole if you don''t have one." He punched Jordan away. Isdis seems to be hiding inside the carriage with Mira. Jordan coughed blood as he stumbled back, "A devil, where did youe from." Abel only smiled in response, he wasn''t about to tell Jordan anything. When Sena faced Korah and he teleported Jordan away, she as well teleported Abel and some other people to the same location Jordan went into. From the dust behind Jordan, a thin de emerged and stabbed him in the neck. Even Demi- gods get hurt when hit with a holy sword, Jack was there and he stared at Jordan''s surprised face with arge smile. [Eclipse] The sun above them flickered as the moon covered it, resulting in a terrifying red eclipse as Merida''s demons surrounded everyone. Jordan shouted and swung his fist at Jack but he missed, Abel saved him at thest moment. "A hero? What are you even doing here?" Jordan growled with an angry face. "Nothing, just setting you up." Jack gave him a middle finger. From behind them, an iron boot hit the ground, and Jordan started sweating as he sensed the massive mass of divine energy. For a moment he thought it was another demi-god, but he quickly figured it was just an overly powerful pdin. "A triple-oath pdin?!" He gasped as Lydia walked in, ring at him with divine magic burning out of her body. "Do you know what the red eclipse is?" Jack smiled, "It''s when day and night mix, and so is Amaterasu''s power." Jordan could feel Eris''s magic spiking behind him as well. Chapter 847: Jordans Gauntlet II: [Labyrinth of the goddess] Chapter 847: Jordan''s Gauntlet II: [Labyrinth of the goddess] ? As Jordan looked back, he found himself surrounded by hordes of deformed demons all cackling with hungry growls. Eris, Merida, Ae, Betty, and Merlin stood on the hands of the giant minotaurus, ring down at him. He looked to the side and saw Lydia approaching him with her body burning with both curse and holy magic. "For this many powers to gather in one ce...it''s not normal." Jordan growled as he looked at the eclipse. "Aria, it''s ying with me in the background." He ground his teeth, "Korah was right, that vile archon loves to mess with us." "Demi-god..." Lydia said as she approached him; the grass around her withering from the rotting curse and burning from the heat of her divine magic. "I''ve healed Selica from her wounds, those were nasty." She growled. "Do you really think a pdin can defeat a demi-god? We''re the seedling of the beings giving you power." He smiled and clenched a fist, "There isn''t a god out there insane enough to lend one of his pdins enough power to face a demi-god. Unless they want to get killed and eaten by the overgod, you better put your sword down before you get your goddess Amaterasu in trouble." Lydia took a stance with a voice ringing in her head. [The overgod is my husband so go all out.] "You dare encroach on Amaterasu''s domain, seduce her worshippers, deceive the people, harm our dear friend and now you''re viting the gods''w and attacking more of my friends." She pointed her sword at him. "By my oath of protection, I shall shield them with my body. By my oath of vengeance, I shall split your body in half with my de. By my oath of bnce, I shall deliver judgment for breaking the cosmicws." Jordan lunged at her with rage burning in his eyes; a clenched fist flew at her face faster than anyone could see. Lydia''s sword shed with ck mes and exploded forth, sending a beam of cursed light that ripped the ground apart and left it rotten. She looked around, trying to find if Jordan survived the st. From the ashes, he lunged forth, his fist inches away from her face. She swung her sword and smacked his side, sending him flying away like a baseball. Abel and Jacknded beside the carriage and looked at the fight. "Now she''s scary, did she just fling a demi-god away like he was nothing?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Her power gets boosted under Amaterasu''s eclipse. But she won''t be able to move after it ends, she must finish the fight within about two minutes." Jack replied and looked up, "What are they doing up there?" "From the magic, I can sense...they are trying to charge Eris''s magic and divine power. They might be right, only a demi-god could finish another one." Abel nodded. "You asked Arad to fight him knowing that?" Jack growled. "Arad is special, I can imagine all of us dying here but I can''t imagine Arad losing to Jordan." Abel looked inside the carriage, "Are youdies all right in there?" "We''re fine. What''s that thing?" Isdis replied. "A demi-god of greed, he wants to kill Eris and steal her divine portfolio of murder." Abel replied. "Arad was watching us from afar, he must be boiling now." Mira said as she looked out, seeing Lydia shing with Jordan. "So..." Abel smiled, "Whether we die here or win, that demi-god is fucked either way when Arades." "Can I speakdies?" tail who was hiding inside the carriage looked out and Abel blinked twice, "You were here?!" "Did you forget about me?" tail sighed, "I''ve got no doubt my lord Arad would kill that wrinkly glowing human. But what I fear is the destruction toe." "When Arad gets angry, he can get carried away easily. He''s mostly like burn the whole area with him." Isdis growled. "Not just that." tail looked outside, "When I was in my lord''s stomach I saw him burn countless civilizations to ash as he chased Vorvadoss. It didn''t matter who they were and what they were doing, some of them begged, some prayed, I bet there were some innocent ves in there, but my lord didn''t see them. When blinded by rage, all were equal in his eyes." tail tapped the seats with his tail, "Humans, gods, animals, monsters, evil and good are all equal when my lord rages, and all shall be destroyed. He''ll chase that human all over the world and kill anything on his way." Jack looked at them, "Arad is a world power. If Jordan harmed anyone here, he could actually start an apocalypse." That was the whole reason the girls didn''t want the kingdoms attacking Arad, as he would retaliate back and cause havoc. "Arad won''t being back for days. We must win, or..." Abel looked up and immediately touched his ear. "Eris, you hear me?!" A voice rang around Eris''s head. "Who, Abel? How did you..." She gasped. "Doesn''t matter, Jordan is after you, right? Can you withstand Arad''s curse?" He growled. "I don''t know." She replied. "Our safest option is using you as bait. Fly as close to Arad in the desert as you can, I think Jordan would follow you. You''re still Arad''s spawn so he should be able to swallow you into his blood; you only need to reach him alive." "Arad would be even more pissed. We must fend Jordan ourselves." She replied, charging her divine magic even faster. "I''ll deal with him, just buy me some time." "You''ve got as much as Lydia can buy. But she isn''t rich." Abel shook his head as he looked at the fight taking ce under the demons'' watch, they were allowing the human army behind them to escape. BAM! With a massive st, Jordan kicked Lydia in the chest and sent her rolling on the ground, digging a whole trench with her body in a second. She immediately stood up and took a stance, only to get punched with an uppercut to the chin that sent her flying into the sky. "You''re only a pdin. Demi-gods are one rank higher than you in every way, foolish woman." Jordanughed as he jumped after her, ready to kick her back to the ground. "Return to the dirt which belongs to." He clenched a fist and swung at her face. Lydia''s eyes shed with divine magic, they were far away from everyone else. [Cursed Sr Wind] With a single swing of her sword she shifted her divine magic into the rotting curse and sted him into pieces with a sh that blinded everyone on the ground. Jordan''s body fell to the ground, burned and rotten with all of his limbs missing as he used them to protect his torso. Shended beside him with a passive face, "Arad is tougher. He would''ve at least ripped my arm off." If she had tried to pull such arge move on Arad he would''ve taken it, but not without countering at the same time. "Arad this...Arad that..." Jordan growled as he healed, "Even Korah...what are you all afraid of about him?" He red at her with rage in his eyes. "If he was here, this fight would''ve ended long ago." Lydia lifted her sword as she looked around; she needed to keep her attacks in check to not harm Merida''s demons, the carriage with Isdis and Mira, or Meryem''s ants beneath the ground. CRACK! CRACK! The two heard heavy steps approaching and they looked to the side, seeing Meryem walking toward them with ck magic seeping from her skin. "What are..." Lydia gasped, she was certain Jack had sent them a signal to not get in the way. She can''t fully control her cursed smites normally, let alone under the eclipse. GRROAAAAAAAAA0000000000! Meryem roared as her eyes turned red and the veins on her body bulged as her skin turned dark brown. The ground beneath them shook; Jordan immediately figured it out. "Barbarian''s rage?" He gasped, but the next thing he saw was Meryem''s fist bashing his skull into his torso with a downward punch. Since her fighting style was brutish and relied on her strength, she was taught by Nina how to use it best. Jordan teleported away with a golden mist and tried to regain his footing but Meryem kept chasing him everywhere like a raging bull, smacking him left and right as if he was a doll. As Meryem charged with a flying kick, Jordan dodged her attack and grabbed her by the arm, spinning her around and flung her toward Lydia. When Lydia tried to catch Meryem, Jordan teleported behind them, knocked Lydia with a heavy liver punch, and jolted Meryem with a bolt of divine magic; he was done ying around with them. [Elemental Expansion] A voice came from behind him and he could a titanic amount of magic shifting around, for a moment he panicked and rapidly spun around, "Is this the Arad you''ve been all crying about." What he was wasn''t Arad, but Merlin putting her hands together. [Labyrinth of the goddess] "Shit..." Jordan gasped as he got sucked into Merlin''s magic. On that day, abyrinth tower reaching the clouds appeared out of nowhere, and it didn''tst long. When Jordan opened his eyes, he was standing in the middle of arge open field. To the north, Ae floated in the sky surrounded by an army of fairies as the crown of the queen shed green above her head. Eris was to the east, sitting upon a rising sun bleeding a river of magic to the ground. In the dark west, Merida marched forth with an army of demons, trampling the living and dead alike. And from the south, the rumbling of the ant army shook the ground; their endless numbers bloated the horizon. And from above, Betty stood upside down on the blue ceiling and stared down at Jordan. Merlin was sitting on a golden throne in a separate room, operating thebyrinth with hundreds of glowing magic circles. "Thisbyrinth is my world...as the goddess of this space I decree, all magic shall flow into the five of them." She shouted at the top of her lungs. Chapter 848: Jordans Gauntlet III: Attack Of The Underrated Chapter 848: Jordan''s Gauntlet III: Attack Of The Underrated ? Jordan growled, "Do you think this yhouse could give you mortals an edge? You might rule this ce, but you''re nothing more than a false goddess ying a pretending game." He lifted his palm and divine magic started flowing into it. "You can''t shut off my power no matter how much you try." Thebyrinth was a massive space that was far bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside, a dimensional rift created and sustained with magic. With Jordan now trapped in Merlin''s house like a rat in a closed room, she could freely use that space to their advantage. Arge prismatic barrier formed around Jordan, spanning into a spherical shape that''s almost one kilometer in diameter. "What are you nning?" Jordan growled, keeping his eyes on the girls surrounding him. They were keeping their distance, but that didn''t mean they couldn''t attack him. Especially that elf, her bowstring is strained and already aimed at his head. Betty extended her hands toward the barrier and started helping Merlin to maintain and reinforce it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Merlin smiled. ^In this ce where everything is under my control. We can pull the heavy hitters who never get a chance to shine. I can guarantee their safety and provide the perfect conditions for them to burn brighter than the sun. Isn''t that right, my old friend?^ Jordan looked around and spotted a red sh flying in the distance, circling around the edge of this vastbyrinth like aet. He lifted an eyebrow, "What in the nine hells is that?" [Zaleria''s] Only then that Jordan realize how bad the situation was, he gasped and lifted his arms to protect himself, it was already far toote to try and dodge it, and even if he tried, the barrier would prevent him. Theet turned and headed straight for Jordan as it burned even hotter. [Final] A small hole opened in the barrier where theet flew in and Jordan''s skin started charring as the impact was just a fraction of a second away. Amber shouted, [FLASH] as her flying kick hit Jordan''s boxer''s guard, incinerating him whole and the whole area within the barrier in a bright burst of mes. As the barrier cracked from the unimaginable force of Amber''s burst, a massive bolt of lightning fell right outside as Tempo transformed into his true form, roaring like an erupting volcano. Tempo caressed the barrier with his massive hands, helping Merlin and Betty maintain it by providing his expertise, trying to make it as resistant to heat and fire as possible, and also supplying it with mana. Amber returned to Merlin as a tiny, palm-sized fairy burning in fire. "That was exhausting, my lower back hurts!" She cried, flying around like a distressed bee. "Good work, you''ve got under control." Merlin smiled. "It''s still a suicide attack. I''m only surviving thanks to this fire fairy body Zephyr got me." Amber growled, "And to think you''d bring me along just to use as a weapon of mass destruction...aren''t you a bit too cruel?" "I asked you, and you said it''s pretty satisfying for you to kick a god to death." Merlin giggled, "You''re who didn''t even make it to A-rank, look how you left that demi-god." Merlin showed a live feed of Jordan when the smoke started to clear, a charred humanoid body growling in pain, barely able to stand. He looked like a coal statue drenched in ash. "Even the ground turned to ash." Amber gasped, "Yeah, I shouldn''t use this outside. It''ll be bad if it spreads." Merlin waved her hands, "Now for the second punch, or should I say punches." She waved her hand, "It''s your turn, I don''t want to hear any excuses, and you''re ready." "You bet!" Mira replied, sweating as if a bucket of water had been dumped on her head. "Tell him for me... Eat shit!" As Jordan growled, three stone balls fell right beside his feet. He looked at them with a confused face for a second, "She said, Eat shit." And his vision turned ck. Tempo growled as he tried his best to keep the barrier stable, but it was too hard. "Hold on, Titan prince. I''m doing most of the heavy lifting here." Betty shouted at him. "Reminding me of my position? Aren''t you a cruel one..." Tempo smiled, "Fine. It shall not fall as long as I stand." He shouted. Titans are awfully proud and patriotic, it just reminds them of their kingdom and race for them to fight to the death. That''s even truer for a prince; he''s the pride of the whole kingdom. "Hold tight! I expected her to make only one but she made three..." Merlin growled, "I usually only work with a 2:1 safety ratio...I didn''t make the barrier capable of taking more than two." She started rapidly patching the barrier as it cracked; doing her best to contain the energy conjured by the Mira bombs. "My lord throws those explosions like regr jabs." tail started swinging punches in the air. "Hold it up, or he''llugh at you." "Seeing it to scale like this..." Abel giggled, "Arad is really a monster." "We wouldn''t be struggling this much if he was here." Jack scratched his head as he looked back at Lydia; they were all in Merlin''s room. "Arad even survived my curse sr winds before. And he''s weak to holy and divine magic. Jordan won''t stand a chance." "Wait." tail gasped, "He''s weak? To holy magic..." He looked at them confused as hell. "Yeah, but don''t worry. Jordan''s output is almost double mine; Arad should still be able to handle that." Lydia replied. "The fuck is this then?" He rushed toward his bag and pulled a tiny vial with water in it. He then took it to Lydia. "Look." As she looked at it with Abel, both of them paled, "What is this shit?!" Abel cried, just standing close to it his skin started falling off. "Liquid divine energy, we only use a whiff to cast holy magic and divine spell. How much divine magic is needed to make it into liquid?!" She looked at tail, "Where did you find that?" "Vorvadoss''s seal, my lord drank a wholeke worth of it. He even tanked the full burn of the barrier." tail replied with shaking hands, "Dam, shiver me timber; that is a lot of divine magic. Isn''t it?" "He''ll eat him for breakfast." Jack looked at the barrier as the smoke cleared and Jordan showed up; He was nearly a skeleton that could barely regenerate his muscles back. To survive the raw power of Amber''s kick and Mira''s bombs he had wasted a lot of energy, and now the radiation is preventing him from forming a body, which makes his regeneration far too slow. Merlin immediately flicked her fingers; she swapped the cursed area around Jordan with a fresh and cleannd and then dropped the barrier. The girls who had now fully regained their power charged forth to strike down the weakened demi-god. "You bastards..." Jordan growled as his body barely regenerated with the girls surrounding him. Eris faced him while Merida stood behind him, Meryem was to the left and Betty stood to the right with Ae flying far behind everyone else to use her bow effectively. "This is where you die." Eris growled with sma shing from her back as divine and blood magic seeped out of her nails, crackling like lightning, even the ground melted beneath her feet, engulfing her in a gust of smoke. Meryem silently cracked her fist with ck magic evaporating from her skin as she red at Jordan with red eyes. All of her children lined behind her, a nest of angry ants ready to rip their prey apart. Thanks to several spells from Merlin and thisbyrinth, she could control her rage to a certain extent. "You can run to the end of the world, but we''ll hunt you down." Merida lifted her sword and all the demons behind her started shouting and growling, pounding on the chests as they sang a song for Jordan''s death. The fungus in her body spread through the ground and started sucking mana to reinforce her and her demons beyond what she normally could achieve, leading her to stand equal to demon lords despite still being partially human. In Jordan''s eyes, she was an absolute demon, for such a horrid mass of demon energy to exist unchecked by the other gods, it was unheard of since the god yer Kayden. Betty''s body shed with blinding light, engulfing everyone in a pure white haze. Despite not being one, she had the godliest glow of them all. A short but pure white girl glowing with all the light of the world as unbelievable magic gushed from her skin and nails. "I guess; you''re screwed." As she red at Jordan, her eyes changed into those of a dragon. As the girls were about tounch their final attack on Jordan, the fight between Korah and Gojo was also reaching its end. "Feet are the best." Vars said with a smile. "AHHH! Fuck off!" Gojo growled at him. Chapter 849: Divine Gauntlet IV: My Only Family. Chapter 849: Divine Gauntlet IV: My Only Family. ? "Come on. You must agree with me." Vars smacked Gojo''s back, "I know you''re one sneaky little bastard." "I don''t, weirdo." Gojo sighed, walking forward with his hands in his pockets. "You''re the only one thinking like that. I''ve never seen anyone like you; even other elves don''t openly unt it." He looked at him with glowing blue eyes. "It''s as if, you''re desperately trying to look like a stereotypical elf." "Is it that wrong?" Vars smiled with a confident face, pumping his chest out. "I say what I want, and I love what I love. I don''t care what anyone says; they can go and cry themselves to sleep. Feet are the best." Vars pointed at a random passer-by, "Hey, I want you to know something." He approached him. "What is it?" The man asked. "I love feet! They are the best. What do you think?" Vars smiled. "What do I think?" The man looked at him confused, "Honestly, I feel it''s at least weird." "I know, right?" Vars nodded with arge smile on his face, "What I''m trying to convince him with is that it doesn''t matter. Since you feel it weird, what can you do about it?" "Nothing, you can kiss all the feet you want. It''s your problem, just don''t do it in front of me." The man replied. "Did you hear that Gojo? This is reality." He nodded and looked back at the man, "Thank you for hearing me out." He then returned to Gojo. "A stranger''s opinion should be as meaningless as their strangeness to you." Vars waved his hand, "For example, that man would have no impact on my life. Whether he thinks I''m weird or not, it doesn''t matter." He then looked at Gojo''s glowing eyes, "But, it matters a lot for those close." "Is there a difference?" Gojo sighed as he started to get tired of Vars''s weird conversation. "If I got a sister or a wife and they thought me loving feet is weird or gross, I''d probably try to stop. Since they have an impact on my life, I''ll be literarily sharing my whole time with my wife." "You better... But doesn''t that mean I''m a stranger to you?" Gojo looked at him with a confused face. "We''re friends, not family. It''s more beneficial for you to know me better instead of a forced fa?ade." Vars waved his staff, "It''s just like magic; you need a deeper understanding of a spell to you on yourself than cast away." "So we''re close enough for me to know, but not close enough for you to try and change." Gojo sighed, "What headache, I''ll probably find you a wife that hates your feet thing so I can get you to shut up."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I''ll be happy if you found me one, with nice legs and thighs if possible." Varsughed. **** "Arad is your brother?" Liliana looked at Gojo with a confused face, as she sat on the stairs in the middle of Alina''s za. "You two don''t look alike at all. He''srge and beefy, his hair is ck and his eyes are reddish purple." "I can smell it. We have the same sent, we share the same mother." Gojo replied as he looked at her. "Let''s assume you''re right. What will you do?" She looked at him, "I doubt he''ll know where your mother is." "That isn''t the point." Gojo shook his head, "I can''t close to him; something always repels me away. I must find a solution; otherwise, it''ll be hard for us to even speak properly." "Since you void dragons should repel each other?" She leaned back, "Do you need to? I doubt it''ll matter." "He''s younger, my little brother." Gojo stared at her, "In this world, we might''ve gained a lot of friends and help... But we''re the only ones. We don''t have a family beside each other." "From what I''ve heard from you, the repelling problem is arge issue. I doubt you can solve it alone, and going through all of that trouble for a brother you don''t know. Are you sure it''s worth it? You won''t be disappointed. I''ve heard dragons kill and eat each other, it might end up in a fight to the death." "That''s a possibility. But I still want to try, he''s my little brother, my only family, and I''m as well his only family. I can''t leave him to live in solitude." Gojo sat beside Liliana, "Even if he were to bite my hand, I''d still extend it." "You''re a problem." She sighed. "I care about this so I''ll try. And even if I didn''t care, I still should try in case he cares." Gojo looked at her with a smile. "I''ll go find a way. Care to help me?" She stood, "Fine, I know you can''t do anything without me gathering information for you." She smiled, "Would ancient artifacts work?" "Yeah, please look at them. I''ll study magic and see if it could help." He stood and left back to the guild with her. **** Gug gasped, bleeding from the axe impaled on her side as she took a step back, growing with a raging red face as she looked at the bunch of cultists facing her. "MOVE!" "Don''t charge blindly!" Liliana shouted at her, "We''re to hold them back. Even if you can kill them, don''t." "Liliana is right. Their life is important for this crypt, it''ll copse and we''ll lose everything." Vars waved his staff and raised the corpses of the dead cultists. "We''re to hold them back until Gojo returns." He started at therge closed door of the main chamber. "Gojo...Lose?" She looked back at Vars, confused. "Yeah! The artifact, Gojo would lose it." He replied with a growl as he flung a lightning bolt and paralyzed one of the cultists. Gug didn''t think that much about anything, but at that moment she could only remember her conversation with Gojo before the fight. ^Brother?^ She asked and Gojo nodded with a smile. Gug growled as her skin turned dark red and smoke gushed from her mouth. The axe impaled into her side got ejected as her muscles forced the wound shut. "Gug''s family, dead." She lifted her sword up and red at the cultists, her voice shaking the ground. "Brother, Alive. Family..." As her muscles expanded, a wave of magic gushed into her body. Gug wasn''t naturally born as a barbarian, she had lost her whole family in a monster attack when she was still a baby and a barbarian''s n picked her up. She had never seen her family, always been alone, the other went to hunt with their families while she watched, going alone in the rain to catch her food. She remained mostly alone until the day Gojo picked her up, he was the first to hunt for her, fight alongside, and protect her. Right now, this party is her precious family. Battle wounds hurt, but what hurt her most was the solitude and loneliness of not having a family to rely on. Seeing her worst and most hated pain creeping its way toward Gojo made her blood boil, she couldn''t withstand it. She lifted her greatsword up and red down at the cultists, "Won''t...pass." She growled menacingly, ready to tank all their attacks and keep them in one ce. "Gug, it''s enough." Gojo''s voice came from the main chamber as the door slowly opened up, and he walked out, engulfed in a gust of white smoke as he froze the entire room. The moment the cultistsid an eye on him, they knew it; this wasn''t someone they could fight. He has their sacred relic in his hand. "I''ve got what we came from." He walked between the cultists like a ghost and none of them dared breathe. Those who dared breathe had their lungs frozen from the inside out, they coughed frozen blood, fell on the ground, and died a slow painful death. **** "Do you think..." Gojo looked at his party with a worried face, sitting on a chair and shaking his legs. "This will be fine?" "What are you worried about now?" Vars sighed and looked toward Liliana, "Consult him a bit. He needs a hug." "Gug, will." Gug sat beside Gojo and gave him a hug. "Wait! That''s my job!" Liliana gasped. Vars looked at Gojo with a smile. "There is no need to worry." "I just can''t help but imagine us fighting. I don''t want that..." He looked at Vars, "What should I do?" "Just go meet him. He''s your little brother. I''m sure it''ll be fine." Vars approached Gojo with a smile, "Trust in him." "Yeah...you''re right." ***** "Gojo Orion; Wee, and my deepest condolences." Gojo looked forward at the beautiful white angel standing before him. She opened her arms, "Pick and choose, there are over fifteen different heavens." Gojo looked down at the countless specs of light rising from the ck ground. "This..." Down in the world, Korah stared at Gojo''s lifeless body with a smile. "To think a mortal like you existed. I need to rethink all of my ns." Chapter 850: Divine Gauntlet V: Too Angry To Die Chapter 850: Divine Gauntlet V: Too Angry To Die ? "You were indeed above all mortals." Korah smiled as he turned around, ready to teleport after Jordan. "Only me your mortal limits." **** As Gojo charged at Korah, ready to finish him off, something happened. It wasn''t anything strange, but an expected event, he ran out of mana. That wasn''t a problem to Gojo, it''ll only take him a fraction of a second to absorb and fully regenerate his. It had already happened before in this fight but it wasn''t a problem. After seeing it happen once in the fight and missing it, Korah had taken a defensive n. Slowly lowering his output and focusing on defense. He held tight and took the beating, even letting his angel get clubbed to death. He gritted his teeth and waited, patiently for the second time that Gojo ran out. When Gojo''s mana hit zero, Korah sprang into action with an unorthodox move. Gojo had a barrier spell in ce to defend himself in that situation, but due to Korah''s n, it failed. The move Korah used threw all of Gojo''s defensive ns into a loop; he healed him instead of attacking. The barrier wasn''t designed to reject beneficial spells and those allowed the healing in before breaking, it''s a one-use spell but could pretty much block anything, and it got wasted. Gojo''s eyes and ears healed, and the first thing he saw and heard was the hand sign and the word "DIE" It was but a fraction of a second, but Korah''s divine dominion took over, and Gojo''s mortal life vanished. **** "You''ve transcended mortality, it''s near impossible to see a mortal stand to a god like that." The angel pointed at the countless heavens, "Pick and choose." "Come to mine." From the side, a six-armed blue-skinned woman said with a smile, that was Kali, the goddess of orphans and destruction. "You might be faithless, but Liliana isn''t. She''ll end up in my heaven, soe here so you''ll two ends up in the same ce." Gojo looked at the heavens at his right and then turned to his left, seeing other ns of existence. "Those are the ns of torment. The nine hells, the deepest abyss, the grey wastnds of hades, and the chaotic soup of Limbo, you''ve earned a right to the heavens, you don''t need to worry about them." The angel said with a passive face. Gojo looked down and saw the mortal world with Korah walking away from his corpse, specs of golden lighting flying everywhere toward him. "I see...those are the particles of holy magic. They form inside his faithful and then go to him, that is how the gods get their immortality and infinite energy." "As long as we have faithful people, we never die." Kali smiled, "And as long as they pray, we never run out of energy. Of course, based on the numbers, the more a god gets the stronger they be." She waved his hand toward her heaven, "Come." Gojo turned left with a faint blue glow in his eyes. **** Arad lifted his tail, looking at the massivebyrinth as he looked for a spot to hit. There was really nothing he could do as it shut him off and his stones couldn''t possibly pierce it. He instead tried to figure out how it works and create something to pierce it. As he was thinking, he stopped and his head jolted to the side. The stone at the tip of his tail fell off as his purple-glowing eyes fixed on the horizon. His scales rattled as sparks of magic started flicking through his wings. Korah took a step forward and teleported away, he left Gojo''s corpse where it dropped. He didn''t have time to deal with him; he had to hurry and kill Eris. Jordan might be a powerful demi-god, but he could get the job done faster. Hended a fair distance away from Merlin''sbyrinth and looked at it with a stunned face. "What a massive amount of magic." His stunned face shifted into a smile, "Jordan must be struggling. But it can''t be helped." He stepped toward thebyrinth, his divine magic had already fully regenerated and he felt better than ever. Gojo gave him a real scare, but killing him had given him a newfound confidence. A yellow light shed from the desert and Korah saw his shadow dancing. He looked to the right toward the desert only to see a massive bolt of lightning falling from the sky. **** "People''s prayers..." Kali said with a smile, looking at Aria, "Are only worth as much as the god they pray to." "A creature that feeds off those prayers can''t be worth more than them. They looked down on the insects yet aren''t worth the dirt they walk upon." She waved her hand, Gojo had already left. **** ^What is that?^ Korah gasped, but it didn''t take him a fraction of a second to realize. Compressed magic, something massive was in there. As he looked, a massive explosion erupted in the desert, shattering the ground all the way to where he stood. As the lightning and mushroom cloud of ash, smoke, and lightning reached the heavens, a massive beam of light flew straight at Korah. He immediately used all of his power to defend himself, conjuring a massive barrier. "The hells?" This power wasn''t divine, so it was not from the gods, but from another mortal. He looked back, and quickly growled, ^The mon and Koliony empires are behind me...I can''t have them burned.^ As the beam grew stronger with each passing fraction of a second, Korah twisted his shield backward to deflect the beam upward. Everything between him and the explosion in the desert had burned into ash, leaving nothing but a titanic line of burning ember and fire. ^No regard for life, pure destruction.^ It was clear to Korah that whatever shot that, it wasn''t human and doesn''t consider anyone else when attacking. Where Arad stood, the mountain he had built a hideout inside had already evaporated. With his ws, he gripped on his wrists, crushing them with a roar. His void gushed out violently as hepressed matter around him, standing in the middle of a burning ball of raw energy. All sanity had slipped away, and he could only see the bastard ahead of him. Tales ofrge cities and kingdoms burned by a raging dragon weremon, especially among red dragons. In a fit of blind anger, raw violence, and the primal urge to take revenge, dragons thrive. Doma tried to calm Arad down, but she got quickly put in line. One wrong move or a word, and he''ll stop seeing her. Arad can go fight Korah in his draconic form, but that would mean death to anything remotely close. If Arad''s breath reached Korah all the way from the desert, there was a high chance he''d eradicate a few cities with a stray attack.N?v(el)B\\jnn To reach apromise where Arad can go fight, and not destroy everything like he did chasing Vorvadoss, she suggested a n. This stupid cursed body. It had to go. As Korah looked at the destruction around him, he sighed, "It''ll be bad if he killed Eris before me." With a single wave of his hand, he summoned four angels. "You''ll do. There is a monster in the desert, go and stall it, kill it, or whatever, I don''t want it bothering me for the next ten minutes." "Look!" One of the angels pointed out. A shadow was standing among the ash and smoke. A tall humanoid monster covered in ck scales with the head of a dragon, purple magic dripped from his eyes and between his scales as lightning crackled all the way from his wings to the tip of its tail. It was clear at a nce that he had some ck fur growing alongside his spine and forearms, withrge vampiric fangs. "DIE!" Korah immediately growled. If it''s a mortal, this should be the end. In the next moment, Arad roared at the ground, blowing the whole area in a massive explosion several kilometers wide. Thebyrinth was sturdy enough to handle the st, but the cities were nearby. As the people saw the explosion being far too close, and several times the size of the previous one, theiring death became engraved in stone. "Dig It!" A vampire screamed. One of Arad''s spawns as he stood in the middle of the city. Doma sent them beforehand, and they could only do that as Jack''s eclipse was still up. "It''s ready!" The other vampire yelled, he was an earth wizard in life, and had dug a massive hole in the ground. Even more vampires rushed across the city and split into two halves, one half tried to form a barrier to protect the city, and the other snatched every human they could and threw them into the hole. Since they didn''t have any time before the st arrived, the vampires smacked anyone who could use magic and forced them to help maintain the hole. That was their only shelter. The vampires weren''t afraid to die in the st, they''d only return to Arad''s blood. But Doma had warned them that it''d be a huge problem for Arad in the future if many humans died and that she''d me them for it. In the middle of the burning explosion, Korah gasped as Arad grabbed him by the neck. "Why...didn''t..." Before Korah could finish, Arad bit his face off and unleashed another full- power breath into the open throat, which caused a second massive explosion. Gojo had ripped his eardrums and blinded himself so Korah couldn''t kill him with his authority, on the other hand, Arad didn''t need to do that. And that was only for one reason, he was too angry to understand. Just like how an enraged man can''tprehend words or reason, Arad has turned into a wild monster that can''t be reasoned with. He doesn''t understand speech, doesn''t see anything in the world besides the thing pissing him off, and that thing must not exist. The vampires protecting the cities gasped, "Damn it! Another st, can''t our lord calm down a bit?" One cried. "Look! It''s not just two, there are more!" Another pointed out. One explosion after another, Arad was fighting Korah in the heart of countless kingdom-destroying sts akin to [Ho- white Nova] Chapter 851: Divine Gauntlet VI: Monster Chapter 851: Divine Gauntlet VI: Monster ? Korah flew through the mes; he waved his hand and sent a massive wave of divine energy imbued with his portfolio, gluttony. The divine magic carved a way for him through the destruction to reach Arad, who was flying toward him like a rampaging demon. With a wave and smack, Korah knocked Arad to the ground with a divine smite. ^He''s weaker than the previous one across the board, but my divine authority isn''t working against him, and he doesn''t seem to die.^ Arad burst through the ground with a roar, releasing a massive energy breath at Korah. As Korah blocked the breath, he was thinking, ^And he''s far more aggressive. The white- haired one had skill and elegance like a great sage, but this one was barbaric, raw, and more importantly.^ Arad flew straight through one of Korah''s divine beams and punched him in the face. ^He''s a vampire and is weak to divine magic, yet he''s charging through it without care. ^ As Korahnded on a mountain in the far distance, Arad conjured a massive lightning bolt and threw it at him. As it hit, the mountain''s surface burned into ash and Korah rushed inside the caves. Flew straight into the mountain''s surface, chasing after the fleeing god. When Korah looked back through the darkness of the caves, he could see Arad butterfly swimming through the stones, ripping everything around him into shreds. "Are you serious? Stop!" Korah pointed a finger toward Arad and sted the whole cave with a massive divine smite strengthened by his gluttony. In the midst of the falling rubble, Korah looked around for Arad to see if he survived. His eyes opened wide to see Arad''s upper torso flying toward him with a clenched fist, smacking him in the nose hard enough to send him flying. Korah immediately regained his bnce and pointed a finger at Arad, "Just die." He tried to st him with another divine smite, but Arad used a void step to dodge and appeared a bit further away, spinning as his left wing got hit. "It''s over..." As Korah smiled, Arad''s lower half and wing regrew in a fraction of a second and hended on them, leaving Korah stunned, confused, and baffled.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad teleported straight to Korah''s face and spun around, smacking him in the chest with his tail hard enough to shatter it; And with rage, Korah had enough and swung a fist at Arad''s chest, sting Arad''s right arm, shoulder, chest, and all of his lower half, only heaving the head and left upper side attached, and those were sted away by the shockwave. As what remained of Arad hit the ground, he bounced back toward Korah and had fully regenerated by the time he reached. As Korah gasped, Arad was standing above his head, ring down at him as he burned with magic, growling in a dark cloud of amethyst mana. Korah''s eyes looked up at Arad, burning with fury, and Arad returned the re. Korah spun around and grabbed Arad by the ankle, swinging a kick upward at his face. Arad deflected the kick and swung a punch at Korah''s face. Korah immediately smacked Arad''s stomach with his palm and sted him into pits with a massive divine smite. As Korah looked forth with a smile, his expression rapidly changed as he saw Arad''s head and spine swimming through the air like a worm engulfed with gravity and blood magic. He tried to st him, but Arad managed to dodge and smacked Korah''s face with his spine, immediately regenerating an arm and punching him in the face hard enough that he sent him spinning through the air. As Korah hit the ground and regained his stance, Arad fell at him with a dropkick, drilling his head to the ground. Korah growled and sted the whole area with a wave of divine magic to get some distance, and then clenched a fist. He charged at Arad and swung at him, but Arad managed to deflect the punch and retaliated with a tail swing. Korah blocked the hit and used that force to get some distance, he then pointed at Arad. "This is the end." He unleashed a concentrated beam of divine magic that Arad shouldn''t be able to heal from, at least not at the same speed. Arad clenched a fist and smacked the beam away. Korah stood there, confused. ^He... punch it away? He''s a vampire, he shouldn''t be able to do that... No, his fists, are engulfed with curse magic. Did he cancel it out...no that would require a massive amount of curses which he doesn''t have...no, I get it, deflecting the beam takes less energy.A Korah pointed at Arad and shot several more beams, and Arad started punching them one after another as he charged toward him. When Arad closed the distance, Korah stopped firing the beams and engulfed his fists with divine magic. "Deflect this." He started swinging at Arad. For the first several hits, Arad had to either dodge them or get a part of him blown away, but it didn''t take him long to start blocking and deflecting them, which sent Korah in a loop. "Wait...he''s reading my moves? Isn''t he a mindless rampaging monster?^ He tried to throw a feint but Arad immediately used that chance to knock him with a kick to the chest. ^I see, all of his intellect is directed toward killing his target. The longer we fight, the more used to this he''ll be, and the harder he''ll get to kill. He''s adapting and learning as time passes, I must finish this quickly.^ Korah changed his fighting style and kicked Arad away, "Fine, I''ll end you quickly. Today had been a weird day, two mortals actually managing to put up a fight." Arad bounced back like a ball and opened his jaws, unleashing a massive burst of energy as a breath. Korah formed a barrier and deflected it upward with a smile, "Useless!" Arad extended his hand forward and then pulled it back, dragging Korah toward him with a powerful wave of gravity magic. "You wanted it." Korahughed as he opened his palm and charged it with a massive amount of divine magic and his portfolio of gluttony. With a single punch, this divine smile should eat Arad''s body and soul, erasing himpletely from existence as if he were never born. All he needs is one hit, and it''ll be all over. To make sure that Arad doesn''t deflect it, Korah changed the spell''s function and limited it. It''ll only work on mortals but have no effect on anyone else. Even a demi-god should be able to survive it unscathed. Arad pulled a sword out of his stomach and swung it down, shing the spell in half with a single swing, leaving Korah baffled. ^That sword... divine magic...^ He couldn''t believe his eyes. Arad shifted his stance, mimicking Lydia, [Divine Cleaver] in a single swing; he shed Korah in half across the torso. Arad was pulling divine magic from the massive pool of divine water that he drank from Vorvadoss''s seal. As a god, Korah instantly healed and swung a kick, shattering Arad''s sword. "A mortal weapon can''t block a god''s attack." Arad looked at his broken sword and threw it away; he opened his palm and swung a chop down at Korah''s head. [Divine Cleaver] Korah used both hands to block Arad''s attack, and he was getting pushed to the ground. ?Heavy...it''s worse than with the sword.^ Arad swung his left palm, [Curse Cleaver] puling curses from Doma, he swung just like how Lydia does, but on a muchrger scale. Korah took the hot and his body exploded, his bits flew away and scattered everywhere before he regenerated with a sh. "You bastard, are you using both curses and divine magic simultaneously; where did you learn that?" Arad stood in ce, a cursed ball on his left hand and a divine ball on his right. He gently pressed them together, and they shed, sucking all the light into pure darkness. Divine and curse magic are two faces of the same coin, they are opposite types of energy that shouldn''t mix. When forced together, they crumble into nothing, leaving a clear empty void. "What are you doing?! What is that?" Korah screamed as he looked at the ball of magic that Arad formed. Arad suddenly stopped, and the magic in his hand disappeared. Korah looked at him surprised, "Did it fail?" Arad disappeared without saying a word, leaving Korah standing alone in the midst of the ravagednd. "Did he run away?" As Korah turned around, he sensed something strange, a power so great that he only knew one person of that level. ^She''s back...^ He looked at the two glowing blue eyes ring at him from the dust and ash. "You''re back; I guess I''m running out of time." Korah shouted with arge smile on his face. Just a minute earlier, the girls had started shing with Jordan inside thebyrinth. Eris led the charge with a massive purple sun, setting the battlefield aze. One minute from now on, the monster would fall upon them. Chapter 852: Jordans Gauntlet IV: Divine Power Chapter 852: Jordan''s Gauntlet IV: Divine Power ? "You..." Jordan growled with smoke gushing from his mouth, "I''ll rip you apart." Eris flew toward him, her fist burning with sma. "We''re the ones ripping you apart." She conjured a long chain of sma with a purple sun at the end like the morning star of a il and started spinning it. Lightning sparked from her shoulders as sheunched the massive purple sun at Jordan, ripping his shoulder apart. With the bonesing out, he regenerated in an instant and lunged after the purple sun, punching it away. As Eris got pulled by her chain, he took the chance and flew at her with a kick. Merida jumped between them and blocked him. The moment he tried to attack back, arge demon akin to a mix between a goat and a cow kicked him away. "Don''t use big moves. He''ll use them against you." Merida growled as she swung her sword down, sending a wave of spores toward Jordan. Jordan flew away from the spores; there was no telling what they could do to him so he needed to burn them. He took a deep breath with magic rushing into his body; he then unleashed a st of fire from his mouth, akin to a dragon''s breath. "Don''t let him use magic!" Merida yelled. "I can''t control a demi-god inside thisbyrinth;" Merlin called back, "All I can do is buff you." "That doesn''t matter." Betty appeared behind Jordan and grabbed him by the hair, "How fast can you go?" She shed away with him, dragging him across the ground as fast as possible. When she stopped, his body had disintegrated. "He''s powerful, but we''re lucky he doesn''t have a fighting portfolio. We would be already dead if he was a god fire, fighting or war, anything like that." Betty red at Jordan as he regenerated with a smile. "You don''t have that many options to attack, do you? You''re only worth as much as your divine durability." "I don''t get tired; I don''t need food or sleep. My mana and divine magic are near infinite; your defeat is only a matter of time." Jordan growled at her. "You can''t defeat me." Meryemnded beside him, cracking the ground. Without saying a word, she punched his head off and then kicked his body to her children to eat. "We''ll keep killing you over and over until you give up on life." Eris red at him with glowing red eyes, "Infinite murder." She took a step forward as Jordan regenerated again. "Gods and demi-gods are hard to kill, but I want to try. Can a portfolio of murder, murder a god?" As she took one step forward, her body started steaming with a red mist of blood. "I see; you''re finally starting to understand it." Jordan''s body started steaming with a golden mist as his portfolio pulsed with divine magic. "You can''t kill me; I''ve got more faithful believers than you." Eris stopped walking and closed her eyes. She lifted two fingers, "I''ve asked some people, and I got an interesting answer." She smiled, "The amount of mana, the number of believers, the type of the portfolio, and even the time and circumstances of activation. They all y a role in determining how much power a god can pull; it''s the same for us demi-gods." "Those don''t matter." Jordan smiled, "I''ve got tens of thousands of believers and faithful, all pray to me, seeking wealth. How many do you have? A couple dozen at best." Eris started slowly opening her eyes, "Quality also matters, and to be counted as a believer, someone only needs to believe that god is real, and actively pray to them." Since Eris blocked the shockwave caused by Mira''s bomb, a lot of people learned of her existence in the nearby cities and started praying to her, all thanks to the murder pdins as well, the number of her faithful is quickly rising; it''ll be years before she amasses enough to rival Jordan. It was here where they cheated, if the quality of the believers mattered, she should be able to get more power if she managed to convince powerful people to pray to her. Since Eris herself is a believer of Amaterasu, she falls under the great sun pantheons, which include Amaterasu herself, Evander, the god of rebirth, and the mother earth Jemima. Lydia informed Eris that since Amaterasu kept supplying her with divine magic even after she became a demi-god, that implies that Amaterasu supports her as a part of the pantheon. That means the great sun pantheon now holds four gods, Amaterasu the goddess of the sun, Evander, Jemima, and now the demi-god Eris of murder. "Do you know what that means?" Eris said with a smile as Lydianded beside her. "She''s a pdin of Amaterasu first, and the pantheon second." "That means I''m a believer of her as well." Lydia lifted her sword, "The deeper one''s faith is, the stronger their god bes, and thus, the more power he can provide them." Her de burned with blood and sma. "So she''s a pdin of murder as well? That falls under the oath of vengeance." Jordan giggled, "So, what would having one gem change? Nothing, she''s worth a thousand believers, but that''s still nowhere near me. And I doubt you can even provide her with enough power." 1 Humanoid = 1 believer = 1divine point. Some believers like Lydia are worth more based on how much faith, trust, and belief they hold in their gods. But, the more they are worth, the more divine magic they suck out of their god. She provides 1000 points passively, yet consumes 1000 when she''s active. Right now, Eris has 26 pdins each worth from 3-9 points, and consumes just as much when fighting, which leaves her with around 160DP. In the nearby cities, she has a total of 1323 people who started to slowly believe in her, each worth one point. That means Eris has a total of 1483DP, while Jordan is around 67865DP. She can''tpete against him even if she had Lydia sitting aside, which would put her around 2483DP. "Utterly meaningless. How pathetic." He lifted his hand, "You''ll die as worthless as the dirt you walk upon." "I''m not done yet." Eris smiled, "Do you know how much she''s worth?" She pointed at Merida. "Zero, she doesn''t believe in you. I can see that clearly." He giggled. "Merida!" Eris gasped, "We talked about this. Just one time, we can''t win like this; we''ll keep fighting until tomorrow without a result." Merida sighed, "Fine, but just me. The demons are pledged to Kali and they don''t want to piss her off." She lifted one hand. "Wait?" Jordan gasped as Eris''s divine magic spiked to 6506DP, Merida was worth a bit over 4000, she''s linked to a whole demon lord after all. "That''s a decent jump. But it still doesn''t make a difference. What will you do, make them all your temporary believers?" He smiled; he didn''t want to keep getting killed over and over, so he was giving them time while thinking of a way to finish this fight quickly. Ae was already tied to Sylph, the elvish goddess; Mira already belonged to the great sun portfolio as it wasmon in Alina, she''s only worth 1 point, Meryem is also worth 1 point, she has no idea about religion even is, Jack provided o points, hecks any kind of faith even if he tried. 6508DP Merlin, Amber, and Betty are a part of the magic pantheon so they can''t help. Tempo belonged to an ancient Titan pantheon so he''s out as well, which almost left Eris stranded. But she had onest hope, so she asked Merlin to send a message, and she was waiting for a reply. ^Come on Arad... I know you don''t like religions and such, but at least give me a try. You''re quite strong and I''m sure you''ll be worth a couple of thousands just like Merida; it''s rare to have a void dragon after all. ^ Merida was 4000DP so she hopes Arad is worth at least a bit over that, 5000? 8000 maybe? With that much DP, she should be able to damage Jordan enough to force him to retreat. "Got it!" Merlin screamed into Eris''s head, "He said. {OK}" Eris immediately lunged at Jordan, swinging her fist. "We can finish this now!" 6508DP¨¨.... Jordan blocked her fist with a passive face, "What''s this? It barely changed." 6808DP Eris growled, ^Damn it.^ She turned around and swung a kick at Jordan as everyone lunged in to help her. ^I probably asked a bit too much. I doubt Arad understands the...^ 7536DP her divine magic started slowly rising, unlike everyone who gave an immediate t boost, Arad seemed different. Eris swung her palm at Jordan and shed him across the chest, "Guess he had a bit more faith in me. I''ve over a tenth of your power." She could finally damage his divine core. Jordan smiled and swung his fist down, smacking her away. "Are you stupid? I''m only not killing you since I want to absorb your portfolio; I need some time to adjust." Her being a tenth of his power only meant he was ten times stronger than her. 9562DP Eris could feel her divine magic surging up again; the amount she was receiving from Arad started increasing rapidly. By the time she jumped back at Jordan with another attack, she wasn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om at 13251DP Even Jordan started to feel that something was off, why was this Arad granting her so much divine power, and it kept increasing? He can''t be a normal person. Eris kicked Jordan away with a [Divine Smite] Her DP had reached 18652. Chapter 853: Jordans Gauntlet V: To Cook A God Chapter 853: Jordan''s Gauntlet V: To Cook A God ? ^She''s getting stronger, and rapidly...^ Jordan jumped from left to right and sted Merida''s demons with a massive divine smite round kick before lunging at her. He kept eyes on Eris all the time, he couldn''t underestimate another demi-god. Ae fired a blindingly fast arrow at him, but he caught it and threw it back at Meryem, all while tanking several hits from Betty. They all knew that great magic wouldn''t work on him, they needed Eris to deliver the finishing blow. As Eris''s divine power kept rising, she and Jordan quickly outscaled everyone else, even Merida started finding it hard to keep up with them. "Merlin! Can''t you teleport him around?" Merida yelled as she barely dodged a divine st from a swing from Jordan. "I can''t do that, he''s a divine being. He''s nearly impossible to teleport against his will." Merlin replied, "That''s also because I don''t understand how divine magic works, I''m neither a god nor an angel." "If we can''t teleport then we should be able to trap him." Mira said as she looked around, "Give me some wood." She pulled a saw, her hammer, and a bunch of nails. "What are you trying to do?" Merlin stared at her. "You managed to make thisbyrinth and pull him inside, we can''t forcibly change his location, but we can trap him. Using that same logic, I want to create a box with a barrier for you to coat the inside and fill it with ayer of thisbyrinth. We can trap him inside to buy some time." Mira smiled. "Time for what?" Merlin waved her hand and pulled some wood from her magic pocket. "Time for me to create a forge. Using thepressed stone, cursed metal, Tempo fire, Eris''s sma, Lydia''s curse, Betty''s powerful light, and Ae''s air. She smiled, I''m confident we can cook a god." "So..." Abel giggled, "Trap him in a box to buy time, then mage a powerful force and throw him inside to burn." "If she can make it." Jack shook his head, "Is it that easy to make such a thing?" "It''s not. I doubt it''ll be stable; a few minutes is probably all we''ll get. Making the artifact isn''t the hard part, making itst is. Buy me a minute." She smiled. "Eris! Hold on for a minute!" Merlin sent a message and Eris shouted back. "You bet!" Her divine magic had started stagnating at 24658DP but it''s slowly increasing, but that was enough to hold back against Jordan who doesn''t have a fighting oriented. Mira lifted her hammer and swung it down at a nail on the wood, sparking with magic with each hit. She sat on her desk alone behind everyone else, engrossed in her work, like a god focusing on his creation, her concentration reached its peak as she slowly pieced the box together with Merlin''s magic circles. Creating the box itself wasn''t that hard, she had created hundreds and thousands of them, and each room she furnished had needed at least one. But engraving the magic circles was the hard part, she had to write it on the wood using a chisel while slowly dripping it in magic water, all above a circle of Merlin''s magic andstly, integrate a power source in the form of a magic crystal. In the meantime, the fight had taken a bad turn. Eris''s divine magic hadpletely stopped increasing, and she could feel what she got from Arad fluctuating. And then out of nowhere, all of it disappeared, leaving back at the starting point. Eris gasped, "What did happen?!" She cried as Jordan punched her in the face hard enough that he sent her flying. Meryem and Merida engaged him in a close fight, but he was slowly getting used to them and growing faster and faster. Even Betty''s light fast and powerful attacks seemed to quickly lose all of their power, they were the ones getting tired first. The main three aspects of a god''s power are their immortality, infinite energy, and dominion over mortals. Jordan is a demi-god, a near-immortal being with seemingly bottomless mana, but hecks the ability to dominate mortals, as he isn''t a true god yet. "Everyone!" Merlin shouted as she sensed arge burst of mana in the desert. "Arad is going berserk! His mana suddenly spiked to dangerous levels and he came all the way here in the blink of an eye! The area outside thebyrinth had been burned to the ground, all life in a hundred-kilometer radios had been erased." She cried, "He''s facing another being with almost twenty times Jordan''s divine power. I suspect that''s a true god!" Everyone froze for a second and Eris growled, "That''s why..." Arad doesn''t have the time or luxury to entertain her anymore, he has a bigger fight on his hands. Jordan took the chance and lunged at Eris with arge smile on his face, "Give me your portfolio!" She swung his fist in her chest, aiming to rip her heart off. Between then, Mira appeared out of nowhere swinging her massive sledgehammer, she teleported in using Merlin''s dominion over thebyrinth. Jordan dodged the hit at thest moment and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her up. "What a strange hammer, did you enchant it with something that can harm me?" She lifted his arm and pierced her chest, "No matter how perfect your timing is, you will never touch a god." Mira smiled as blood gushed from her mouth, "Now...we''re even...you also know how to make holes..." Her face shifted, and that was Abel. As Jordan gasped, Abel immediately wrapped his legs and wings around him, "Got him!" He screamed, burning with curses to prevent Jordan from running away. The real Mira appeared behind them with the box in her hand and threw it beside them, "Sorry Abel! You said it!" She yelled as the box shed with light and absorbed them both. Mira pped her hands and a massive stone furnace appeared out of nowhere. "I already love thisbyrinth." Merlin allowed Mira to pull this out of her magic pocket at will and teleport them around. "Eris! I want sma, a lot of it. Ae, added your air to make it burn hotter; Betty, I want all the light you can dish out, burn him to ash. Amber, you''ve recovered so do your best, the same for you Merlin. Lastly, Lydia hit him with the fattest, meanest, andrgest divine attack you''ve got." Mira pped her hands and everyone teleported to surround the furnace. "Cook him alive!" Mira smiled and everyone got to work. "What about Abel?" Eris growled, "He''ll die!" "Don''t worry about him." Merlin shouted as she teleported to them, which was a risky move, if she was harmed, the wholebyrinth would copse. "Abel is a devil, he can take a beating, get cooked once or twice. He''ll die here and resurrect back in hell." Devils killed in the mortal world are sent back to the nine hells, where they can fully regain their power ande to the mortal world again. Mira threw the box into the furnace and everyone sted it, she even threw a few bombs in there and the furnace got locked behind a tenyered barrier. As the heat rushed out, everyone felt like they were about to burn to ash just from standing nearby. Tempo waved his massive hands above them and created a fire barrier to protect them, "Just keep sting him. He''ll eventually fail to heal and die. He isn''t a true god, he can''t survive this for long." He said, breathing me into the furnace. After a minute and a half of cooking on high heat, the furnace cracked, it had reached its limit. "It won''tst!" Mira yelled, "Get ready to run away. We don''t know if he''s alive or not." This was all they had, unlike him, they were mortals who could feel exhaustion. "I hope he''s dead." Eris sighed. "Don''t say that...he''ll..." Jack gasped, feeling the red g. As the furnace crumbled down, Jordan flew out with a clenched fist, "This isn''t enough!" He swung at Mira''s face, "You! You''re the bitch behind those bombs and seals, you''re dangerous, you must die!" All the girls rushed to protect her, they were all out of mana, and all they could do was stand in the way. Jordan''s fistnded with arge boom, shing with divine magic. "Closer to death I''ve sensed it, the truth of my greed! I''ll steal your everything, wealth, knowledge, life, and magic, fall to my hands, pitiful mortals!" The girls looked around, confused at what happened, noticing they were engulfed in arge shadow. As Jordan''s divine light faded, the massive ck humanoid became apparent. Arad had his wives engulfed in his wings and took the hit to the back. "Arad? Is that you?" Eris gasped, "You look like a lizard!" "Doma used my draconic soul to maintain my human form, that''s why I look like this." He replied with a smile, patting her head. "You can rest now. I''m here, everything is fine." "Who are...wait, you''re Arad, aren''t you? I''ve heard of you." Jordan growled, thinking of a way to run. He had heard that Arad was a problem and wasn''t willing to test him now that he saw how powerful his wives were.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad slowly red back at him, "Give it back." He growled with rage. Chapter 854: Restless Chapter 854: Restless ? "To think I''d see Uranus here...well that sounds wrong, isn''t it?" Jordan took a step back, ready to bolt away. ZON! Arad teleported directly to him and crapped him by the chest, his ws digging behind the ribs. "You bastard!" Jordan swung a fist at Arad''s face and punched him several times, but he didn''t budge an inch. "Let me go..." Arad''s magic started rapidly dropping until it reached a mere third of his power. "What are you trying to do?" Jordan noticed that and started looking around if Arad was conjuring any massive attack, but he found nothing. "Unlike you; greedy demi-god, I''m not seeking power. I''ve got a family to support, what I seek is stability and peace." Arad replied and Jordan noticed that a third of Arad''s magic was rushing to Mira in the back. "You think it''s wise to worry about others while fighting me, a demi-god?" Jordan smiled, "For that foolish thinking, I''ll kill you right here and now." From Arad''s back, a clone appeared and walked toward the girls to protect them, taking what remained of Arad''s power with him and leaving him with less than 5%. "You don''t seem to understand...this is your worth, lesser than the dirt we walk upon." Arad plunged his hand into Jordan''s stomach and started searching his bowels. "There it is." Arad pulled Gojo''s golden nut from Jordan''s stomach, "This isn''t yours, so I''ll be taking it back." "Give it back." Jordan growled. Arad threw Jordan on the ground, and smashed his legs with a tail smack, leaving him unable to stand. "What''s up demi-god, heal up." Arad walked toward him. With a th a cry, Jordan healed himself, but it was considerably slower than before now that he lost Gojo''s nut. It was what provided him with all of that extra mana and magical power. Now he''s finding it hard to maintain spells and barriers. Jordan tried to jump at Arad with a clenched fist, but Arad immediately swung a kick and ripped his arm and jaw in a single swipe. Jordan didn''t flinch and instead gathered all of his divine magic in a single attack, it''ll only take him a fraction of a second to regain it afterward so it''s not a problem, all he needs is enough to kill Arad, he can see that he''s a vampire weak to divine magic. A massive spear of pure divine magic formed between Jordan and Arad, flying straight at Arad''s chest. Lydia cried in the back, jumping in to try and deflect it, but she was far toote. The spear hit Arad in the chest and burst in a blinding sh. "ARAD!" Everyone screamed and Jordanughed, "What a fool! Taking it head-on, did you give up on life? As expected from a lowly vampire, you can''t withstand my divine light!" As the light faded, Arad was standing engulfed in ck mist and Jordan went silent, "You light cannot..." Countless eyes opened on Arad''s whole body as he started bleeding with vampire spawn headsing out of him. "Illuminate my darkness..." Jordan turned crying, trying to escape but the endless flood of vampires surrounded, ripped, and ate him alive. Arad stood with a smile and an orb of light appeared in his palm. "You aren''t even worth it as food, let alone anything else." Arad could see inside his own stomach, the vampire spawns did eat Jordan alive, but as a demi-god, he did regenerate. He could use him as an infinite food source, but Arad found a better use for him, one that is inspired by d. Arad impaled Jordan and started using him as a blood ve, but before that, he looked at his soul and found that shining orb in it, his divine portfolio. Unlike Korah''s soul which was so protected that getting close to it was impossible, Jordan''s one was easy, probably since he''s a demi-god, not a true god. Arad smiled, "Now I get it." Looked at the impaled Jordan, "Almost nothing to the army''s blood need, but you''ll be a plus. d indeed had a great taste, people like you are better impaled." DIN! In a weird light, Jordan''s body disappeared alongside his soul. Arad gasped, looking around, "Filthy pig, running away?" He tried to track the magic but failed, "Wait...this sensation, it''s like when Vars died..." He sighed, "Didn''t run away but died, your soul got erased. Deserved, but a waste of a perfectly fine blood bag." Arad looked at the shining orb with a smile, "At least we got this back." He held the divine portfolio of greed in his hand. Arad walked back toward the girls holding the divine portfolio in his hand, "That thing is done." They all sighed andy on the ground, exhausted to the bone. "Told you...this fight wouldn''tst if he was here." Eris giggled. Lydia looked at Arad''s hand. He showed it to them, "It''s his portfolio of greed." Eris smiled, "I guess, he was here to kill Eris and take her portfolio of murder. It ended up with you taking his." Ae sighed, "And now you''re a demi-god as well..." She looked smiled, "We''ve got a lot of work waiting for us." Arad looked at the portfolio, "I don''t need it." He looked at them, "Who wants it? It''ll be better to make you stronger so you can survive when I''m not around."N?v(el)B\\jnn Everyone looked at him in silence. "NO! NO! You killed him, the portfolio is yours!" Merida gasped. "She''s right!" Ae stared at him, "What are you doing by giving it to us? You''re the one who defeated a demi-god." "She''s right, we barely managed to hold him in one ce. No matter how much we damaged him, he kepting back." Eris shook her head. "That''s what I''m saying." Arad nodded, "You''re the ones who need more power, not me." He stored the portfolio in his stomach, "Feel free to discuss it between you and decide who''ll get it." Arad smiled, "But for now, I need to leave. I''ve had Doma curse me into this form, a mix between dragons and humans to patch my human soul and allow me to move and take control for a while." He extended his wins, "If I remain in it for long, it might be permanent so I must go. This would also extend the time I need to heal my soul, so added a week or two." "Wait! We haven''t finished talking yet. How do you expect us to take the portfolio just like that?" Ae approached, "And decide it among ourselves? What about you?" "I said it to Jordan, didn''t I? I''ve got a family to support. Protecting you is the first priority, everything elsees afterward." He pped his wings, "We''ll talkter over magic, for now, I really need to go." Arad flew away with his clone, he couldn''t leave him here. "What about...the fight outside, what did happen?" Merlin mumbled in the back. **** Sometime earlier and just after Arad left Korah, things were about to change. Korah looked back at the two blue eyes ring at him with a stern face. "This magic...it''s odd..." He clenched his and took a step forward, "This is funny, isn''t it? You''re really something!" From the dust, Gojo walked forward, his eyes looked straight forward with a deathly pale stare. Arge draconic ghost standing behind him, moving his corpses with strings of necrotic magic. "Of course, you won''t die in peace." Korah shouted with arge smile on his face. "You could''ve gone to heaven, or rotten in hell. But you''ve gotten unsolved regrets, do you?" There are usually four options for death, going to heaven, going to a ne of torment, gettingpletely destroyed like what happened to Vars, and Gojonded in thest one. In this world, Ghosts and wraiths exist, they are the souls of the dead who couldn''t find peace in death, and theye back to haunt the living until their dreams are cleared. A mother who couldn''t see her child, a father who died in war, a knight who failed to protect his king, a kid who died before seeing like, and an older brother who couldn''t protect his younger brother. Korah had to fully heal Gojo''s body before killing him with his authority which resulted in a corpse in perfect condition, ready to be used as a vessel. [Vars''s Cursed Doll] Gojo had once frowned upon Vars''s necrotic magic, how he used it to force the souls of the dead back into their rotten bodies to create zombies. Yet now, he''s using the same magic on himself, standing against a god who once killed him. Gojo lifted two fingers, staring forward with glowing blue eyes dripping with mana. In response, Korah lifted his hands, "Fine, I''ll be the one to put you to rest. Stubborn mortal." As void rushed forth, Korah''s gluttony shed with it as the entire world bore witness, the man who came back from death said one sentence, "Don''t you dare touch my little brother." [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] [Gluttony Expansion: Hunger of the Gods] Chapter 855: Dreamless Nightmare of Isolation Chapter 855: Dreamless Nightmare of Istion ? PS{I suggest listening to [The Army of Minotaur], find it On YT} [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] [Gluttony Expansion: Hunger of the Gods] Mortal Vs God, as the two expansions shed, the ground around the two beings shattered and the result was the same as before. Each crumbled under the effect of the other, Gojo and Korah flew facing each other, ready to start throwing hands. "DIE!" Korah said with a smile, and Gojo didn''t seem to be phased, he was already dead. The thing standing there was nothing more than a corpse, a pupped control by the dead dragon. Gojo engulfed his right fist with the void and left with burning fire magic, he flew forth like a meteor, and punched Korah in the face with a deadly right hook, followed by a swift left uppercut, trying to rip the head off. Korah used the momentum to throw Gojo down, and sted him with a wave of gluttony, trying to digest him alive. "You''re nothing more than a corpse, a carcass ready to be butchered and eaten." He licked his lips, "I wonder what a void dragon''s flesh tastes like." As Gojo hit the ground, he swung his fingers around and sent a ball of twisting space at Korah. He was using his void magic to catch the fabric of space and contort it, attempting to destroy anything that came into contact with it. Korah dodged the attack as Gojo also dodged his gluttony, and the two red at each other once more. [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] [Gluttony Expansion: Hunger of the Gods] The mortal world started shaking, and the people around the world looked at the sky in fear. Gods weren''t supposed to fight in the mortal world, and neither void dragons who are considered the cosmic police. It was like two high-level soldiers fighting inside a daycare center. Far away in the world, Cain lifted his hands and put them together. A thousand sparks of divinity shed behind his back, and the world itself looked up, listening closely. [World Expansion] Tentacles burst from his back, [Dreamless Nightmare of Istion] As Gojo and Korah''s expansions canceled each other, Korah managed to rush in and kick Gojo all the way to a nearby city, hundreds of kilometers away. Gojonded on his feet and ran inside the streets, and Korah followed him as they looked at each other as they zoomed through the stalls, people were still walking around doing their daily tasks like nothing was happening. "How much is it, my son?" An old grandma asked and the man smiled. "Five coppers." She pulled out her purse but dropped the coins. As she bent down to pick them up, Gojo threw a punch above her and smacked Korah in the face. As she lifted her head, Korah sent a kick straight at Gojo''s guts, sting him away. "It''s quite breezy today." The shopkeeper noted. "I only got four coppers. What do you say?" She extended her hand to him, and when he looked down, she had six. "You can''t count." Gojonded on one hand and jumped inside a building,nding in a small dining room of amon family. The mother was beside the kitchen''s oven wearing her apron and her daughter sat on the table, waiting for the food while ying with her doll. As she turned around, Gojo and Korah were sitting on the table, carrying knives. "Mommy! His eyes are beautiful!" The girl pointed at Gojo. "What are you talking about?" The mother sighed as she filled a te, and the two started trying to stab each other on the dining table. The little girl looked at the table and lifted her fork, "I''ll y as well!" She swung at Gojo''s side. Gojo caught the girl''s fork with two fingers and grabbed her by the back, spinning her up with his as he kicked Korah in the neck, sending him flying out of the window. When the mother looked back, her daughter was standing alone on the table with the fork stuck to the ceiling. "The hell are you doing?" "Again!" The little girl waved her arms with a happy smile. The mother sighed with an exhausted face and closed her eyes, at that moment, Gojo flew back inside through the window, having just taken a punch to the face. To not smack the girl, he grabbed her once again and spun her around, getting her out of his and Korah''s way as they flew through the window on the opposite side. When the mother looked at her daughter, she found her bursting inughter with a happy face. Korah and Gojo jumped from one building to another through the alleyways and finallynded in an empty spot. A woman opens her window to hang her clothes today, but Gojo and Korah are standing her on her clothesline, staring at each other. The two started smacking each other, and the woman growled, swinging her wet underwear at Korah. "Get your stinky ass legs off me clothe line!" She turned around, pulled a broom, and started swinging at him and Gojo alike like she was hushing birds. Gojo snatched the woman''s panties from her hand and wrapped them around Korah''s arm, spinning him around before going for the throat. Korah retaliated by kicking Gojo''s knee and smacking him in the face with a punch, sending him to the streets. The woman linked, and her panties were in her hands, dripping with holy magic. She looked at them for a second, she was a nun, and immediately felt it, "I''ll put them in a shrine." She smiled and walked back inside with them. Gojonded on the ground and jumped over a carriage beforending on a noble''s house outer wall with his left hand, lunging into the garden as Korah chased him. Inside the main chamber and behind closed curtains, a maid said with a stern face. "Take a deep breath and push hard Mdy..." She was helping thedy of the house give birth with two nuns in the back ready to cast holy magic. Thedy of the house took two deep breaths, only to see Gojo and Korah standing right behind the maid, looking at each other. With her legs wide open, she was about to panic.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Korah lifted two hands and Gojo lifted his two fingers. [Void Expansion: Twisting Void] [Gluttony Expansion: Hunger of the Gods] Thedy screamed and closed her eyes, but the second she opened them, the child was already born. "Mdy! It''s a boy, look how cute he is!" She handed the baby to his mother. When the confused mother looked at the baby, she could see his eyes glowing beneath his closed eyelids. "Why are his eyes glowing?" She asked, and the nuns nodded, "I felt a great wave of divine magic, the gods must''ve blessed him." The mother could clearly remember Gojo and Korah standing in the room. "I hope he bes something great." Those glowing eyes were those of wild magic sorcerers. Gojo and Korah rushed through the hallway, punching each other as they dodged the maids running to thedy''s room. They quickly ended up in the kitchen where more maids were scrambling to cook for theing dinner. "I feel sorry for thedy, that feels like it hurts a lot." One of the maids said as she stirred the large pot. "Come on! It''s her first child, I''m sure she''s happy. Who won''t want a cute little baby boy?" Another maid replied she was cutting some onions to put in a pan with several eggs frying. Gojo and Korah passed her, and she looked at her hand. The knife was missing, and so was the pan. Korah pointed the knife forward while Gojo lifted the pan, throwing the eggs in the air, and swung the hot pan at Korah''s face. Korah deflected the pan with the knife and smacked the cutting board, sending the onion at Gojo''s face. Gojo blocked the onion with a single finger,pletely killing its momentum and causing it to stop mid-air as Korah swung the knife at him. "Where is my knife?" The maid looked at her hand confused, and then noticed that the pan was missing. CLANG! The pan fell back on the stove, Korah added olive oil from a nearby jar as Gojo threw the diced onion in, and the eggs that flew before fell right back into the pan. "That was a nice trick." The maid stirring the pot looked at her with a smile. "But we''re cooking for an important asion, you''ll be punished tonight for messing in the kitchen." She pointed out, "Cleaning the toilets is your job alone." "NOOOOO!" On another side of the city, a priest looked at the happy and cheerful crowd in front of him as they stood in arge and beautifully decorated garden. "On this happy asion, I''m honored to be the one giving my blessing." He lifted his hands, "The groom and his bride, pleasee on." As the mansion''s door opened, Gojo and Korah walked from the inside, staring at each other as they approached the priest. The actual groom and his bride walked out soon after them. The priest gave his blessing and the groom and his wife were about to kiss, in front of them, Gojo and Korah were boxing. Chapter 856: Brotherly Jumping Chapter 856: Brotherly Jumping ? As the Gojo and Korah shed, the wedding proceeded as normal, and drinks were brought out. The maids poured the wine into sses and shared them across the tables. "It''s quite windy." One of the maids looked around, they didn''t expect it to be like this. The two walked toward the edge of the garden, and Korah picked a wine ss on his way. "The blood of the gods. Want a taste?" Korah enchanted the wine with his divine magic and sshed it on Gojo''s face. Gojo didn''t bother to dodge and took the ssh in the face, punching Korah in the guts hard enough to send him flying through the sky and above the city walls. Korah gasped from taking the hit, but a smile crossed his face. "I wonder, can you handle that?" He looked at Gojo flying at him. ^With just a bit of divine magic I can make that wine several thousand times stronger. Even the gods get drunk from it, I wonder how much you can hold." Korah''s smile quickly got changed to a confused face as he saw Gojo flying toward him, the word ?Sober^ Engraved on his forehead. Four six-sided dice appeared floating above Gojo''s head and started spinning. Korah didn''t know what those things were, but he could clearly sense a massive amount of magicing out of them. "So, you''ve still got new tricks." Korah put his hand together and pointed at Gojo, unleashing a massive stream of divine magic. The stream sshed everywhere as if it hit a stone, sparking like lighting right outside the city. When it faded down, Gojo appeared riding on a glowing unicorn. The dice above his head stopped for a second at 4-4-3-1 and started spinning again. The unicorn pointed its horn at Korah and unleashed a beam of holy magic. Its horn has the ability to absorb energy and unleash it again, but the result will always be weaker due to inefficiencies. 6-5-4-1 The dice stopped again and another dice appeared above Gojo''s head, a ten-sided dice that quickly span and stopped at 6. Gojo''s body extended up, he grew 6 inches taller. And the dice started spinning again. "I get it! Wild magic, since when did you have that?!" Korah gasped. ***** When Gojo was standing at the end of the Styx, the river linking life and death, the ne managed by Ereshkigal, he had talked with the archangel Aria and was given several choices. Between the heavens and the nes of torment, Gojo had picked a peculiar choice. Even though granted the right to ess all heavens, and being especially invited by Kali, he instead chose a ne of torment, the chaotic primordial soup of Limbo. After one look at the ne of insanity and uncontroble magic, the ce where trees grow upside down, and where frozen water boils with meat and turns into sparkling gems of immortal frogs andser zebras. Gojo''s understanding of wild magic started growing deeper and deeper, even more than the time he swapped bodies with Lucy. The ne of nonsense mixed with Gojo''s relentless search for the height of magic, and with his body now being detached from his soul, a power only achievable by transcending death was achieved. "DRAGONS CAN''T USE WILD MAGIC!" Korah shouted at the top of his lungs, flying toward Gojo with a clenched, fist and swinging at his head. The punch missed...5-2-2-1 His fist slipped past Gojo''s body which now exploded with grease and oil. 5-3-5-4 Gojo teleported away, leaving the grease behind and it sted into mes, burning Korah alive. The dice above Gojo''s head kept spinning, this wild magic belonged to him and not Lucy, it functioned on different rules than hers, and still far away from Gojo''s full grasp, he didn''t know what are the chances and effects of wild magic until he rolls each of them at least once. The numbers above his head are an indication of the roll, but neither he nor Korah understands if it''s theirbination or addition that corresponds to each effect. Due to the current situation, Gojo didn''t have time to y with his wild magic or even test it, so it''s a gamble, testing if it can help in this fight, and there is one effect he hopes to be in his pool of choices, one that could change everything. CRACK! A fistnded on Korah''s burning face, smacking him to the ground with a burst of energy, Arad had arrived to help his elder brother. "You''re back, coward..." Korah growled, but Arad lifted a finger and so did Gojo. [Void Expansion: Nuclear Chaos] [Void Expansion: Magical Chaos] Despite looking vastly different, the two brothers were strikingly simr, both taming the uncontroble nature. While Arad specialized in taming and controlling matter itself andmanding it, Gojo had his hand stretching in the chaos of magic. As Arad focused on crushing and burning Korah''s body with endless beams of pure nuclear energy and heat, Gojo used his superior understanding of magic to challenge the divine barrier protecting his soul. Being clubbed to death like this, Korah pulled all the stops and said fuck it. Let the godse if they want...he unleashed his entire divine magic,mitting the sin no god should ever do, using their full power in the mortal world. With a body burning in divine magic, he forced through Arad''s nuclear energy and clenched a fist, swinging at him and Gojo at the same time. Gojo noticed that several newyers were forming around Korah''s soul, reinforcing its protection by several folds. They must hurry before he reaches peak performance. Arad and Gojo surrounded Korah and started swinging at him left and right, each of them helping the other with their part. Gojo assisted Arad in oppressing Korah''s physical body while Arad did his best to help with the soul hacking. Korah, gasped, getting beaten to death. ^Those two are in sync, it''s like they know what each other''s thoughts. No, void dragonsmunicate telepathically, that must be it. Communication using direct brain waves and emotions, it''s hundreds of times faster than words and since I don''t understand how they do it, I can''t cut it in time.^ Then suddenly, Arad punched Gojo in the guts. Korah gasped, ^Did they mimunicate, no...something is off... Gojo smiled, Arad already had one of his nuts but didn''t want to pull it out as Korah was bound to strike it out. So, he waited and waited, and when Korah got distracted with his own thoughts, Arad delivered it to Gojo in the fastest way possible he knew, throwing a punch. As Gojo''s magic spiked with over 40%, Korah took that chance and lifted his hands, putting them together. [Gluttony Expansion: Hunger of the Gods] Gojo got ready to counter Korah''s expansion and crush it down like he had before countless times, but he realized something. Korah was intentionally only targeting Arad, trying to devour him alive. Arad had never seen Korah''s expansion before, and getting hit with it now that he''s using his full divine power from the get-go, might kill him. Gojo abandoned all defenses and lunged forth to protect his brother, engulfing him with his expansion. As Korah''s domain copsed, he stood in ce staring at the two brothers, Gojo was standing in ce, his left arm and arge chunk of his chest missing with Arad standing behind him. "Brother!" Arad cried. Gojo''s wounds weren''t bleeding, he was already dead, a corpse controlled by his soul and magic. In that state, he clenched a fist, "I''m not done yet, never ever." He smiled, lifting two fingers up. Arad growled and stood by his side, clenching a fist, "I''ll help." "Thanks." Arad and Gojo got ready for onest stance, and even though they looked in sync once more, Korah knew better, they weren''t now. Gojo is focused on keeping Arad alive, and thus he''s nning to teleport his brother away and attempt onest attack, arge gamble as his wild magic still didn''t pull anything great. On the other hand, Arad is standing firmly in ce, ready to charge at Korah with full strength. Just a fraction of a second before the two brothers could charge and start their n, arge shadow appeared behind them, and they got punched to the ground with a st. Korah smiled, "So...I didn''t expect you to show up." He looked forward with a grin at therge man standing there. "I don''t know..." Alcott looked down, "If Arad is my son, what about Gojo?" He stared at them and pulled a strange potion from his pocket. "You''re akin to a zombie, use this to heal before attempting any reckless action again." He poured it on Gojo, fully healing him. Arad growled and stood up, Alcott''s punch was strangely painful, more than it should be...he targeted the intersection between their brain spine, racking both to the core. "You might be the strongest human in the world, but what can you do before a god?" Korah smiled, "You''re only good at killing dragons." "Do you know what the human''s god power is?" Alcott said with a tiny grin. "Chad''s power?" Korah gasped.N?v(el)B\\jnn SLASH! Alcott lunged forth and shed Korah''s arm off, "It''s to erase divinity, that why he isn''t a real god, but an immortal human powerful enough to stand as one." Chapter 858: How To Kill A God Chapter 858: How To Kill A God ? The stats of being, there are essentially four. The normal two known as life and death, then immortally andplete destruction. When someone is alive, their soul is tied to their bodies with a silver thread akin to an ambilocal cord, and when they die, that thread is severed and their souls ascend to the afterlife. The conditions for someone''s death differ, aging is merely that cord detreating through time, the more damaged it gets, the more the body gets shriveled and weakened until it reaches a point when the cord snaps and the person dies. Complete destruction is when the soul itself gets destroyed and thus the person can''t even exist in the afterlife as a soul. Immortality on the other hand is when the silver thread gets stronger and turns into a golden chain, binding the soul to the body, or to an object either through magic or divine powers. Liches do the same thing, they use the thread to link their souls to an object, which is called phctery that holds their soul, and thus are immortals that can always create a new body for themselves as long as they''ve got magic and bones to do it in their magical storage. Now that Gojo had died he became aware of his silver thread and had clearly understood that the god''s dominion over mortal cleanly severs it like a de cutting a yarn thread. As a soul haunting his own body, he could see his severed thread dangling from his belly button, wondering why dragons even have belly buttons even though they are born from eggs. To anyone, that fact seems strange, but to Gojo, it means he still has a lot to learn about himself and the dragons. Wild magic isn''t any form ofplicated and well-calcted magic, it''s just raw mana flowing violently in random paths, resulting inpletely random and chaotic oues. Gojo had hit 5-5-4-1, a spell that once disappointed Lucy and would''ve disappointed him as well if the situation had been different. Immortality for one minute. After gazing upon Limbo, Gojo understood how some wild magic effects work. Immortality happens when the powerful flow of mana passes by the silver thread linking the body and the soul, causing it to be stronger. Gojo''s silver thread that was severed cleanly by Korah''s authority got welded back by the wild magic, lifting him up from dead to mortal, but not immortal. The wild magic wasn''t to make people immortal, it only raised them one step on the scale of death->life->immortality. Gojo''s soul finally returned to his body, and he red at Korah with arge smile on his face. "It''s been a while, hasn''t it?" "DIE!" Korah immediately noticed that Gojo hade back to life and killed him. Gojo''s body went limp for a fraction of a second and Korah giggled, "Fool." CRACK! Gojo''s body moved and punched Korah so hard that he sent him flying to the ground with a massive shockwave. Korah hit the ground and stood up, ^Wait, he''s still alive. But he isn''t an immortal.^ As a god, he could clearly tell that Gojo is a mortal, not an immortal. "Well, you killed me, indeed for a second time I died." Gojoughed as he red down at Korah with a crazed smile, "But...since the wild magic still flows through my silver thread, you can sever it as many times as you want, it''ll just get welded back up again...It''s really amazing...the more I understand about the magic and this world, the more fascinating it bes!" For one minute, Gojo is back to life thanks to the wild magic. But...what would happen when that timer runs out... SWOSH! Alcott lunged at Korah and swung a ck sword at his neck. Korah blocked the sh with his forearm, but the burst from it shattered the ground behind him. "DIE!" He growled at Alcott but hismandment failed thanks to Chad''s divine magic flowing in Alcott''s body, the power to erase divinity is doing its part. Gojo and Aradnded beside Korah, he''s now surrounded by the three of them. Everyone stood still for a second, a god facing a family of broken monsters. A single blink would start the bloodshed, and none of them wanted to start as they would get clubbed. Korah knows that his divine authority doesn''t work on any of them, it''spletely useless now...but that wasn''t the truth. Alcott is immune as long as he has Chad''s divine magic, Gojo won''t be affected for this one-minute duration and wasn''t affected before he didn''t even bother testing it again. That would prove to be his fatal mistake. Arad wasn''t affected at the start only due to his blinding rage, now that he''s moreposed Korah''s domination should be able to kill him. Arad swung his w at Korah''s face, he was the first to move and got easily countered by Korah with a punch to the face. But Arad had expected that and was relying on his vampiric regeneration, his massive jaw regenerated over Korah''s fist and bit him, holding him in ce. Alcott swung his sword and Gojo threw a punch, both trying to make the best use of the opening that Arad made. "You shall not!" Korah charged his body with divine magic, "Mortal shall never, ever be able..." He growled, trying to st them both away, but suddenly, something changed. The world around him disappeared, the ground evaporated and the nts melded into the shadows....his consciousness twisted and a sentence rang in his head.... "You shall not..." Arad was standing beside him, staring at him menacingly with divine magic engulfing his right fist and curses burning on his left. This was Doma''s domain, neither time nor space exist here. Arad took a stance and threw two punches at the same time, hitting Korah''s chest with a dual hit using both divine and cursed magic. Since this ce has no time and counts five seconds of the present and past, Korah took the hit through that whole duration, and since space doesn''t exist, it was a guaranteed hit that can''t miss, it just hits him without the possibility of being blocked or resisted. To everyone, it looked like the worldgged for a split second, but that was enough for them to find Korah lying on the ground, spazzing with Arad stepping on his chest. He didn''t create an opening for Gojo and Alcott, he created it for himself. "What did happen?" Alcott gasped and lunged forward, aiming to behead Korah.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Not yet! Brother, you''ve got a n." Arad shouted. With arge smile on his face, Gojo lifted two fingers, "YEAH! I''ve got a guess, I might be able to kill an unkible god." Gojo could remember his time in death, when he looked down he could see speaks of divine magic rushing from Korah''s believers toward him to heal him. Those people were the source of Korah''s energy. For a demi-god to finally ent and be a lesser god, they need to gather a lot of believers, which means the number of believers affects the god''s divinity. It''s not that a powerful god would have a lot of believers, it''s the god who gathers a lot of believers that will ascend higher. Gojo could still see it, the divine magic, those golden specs of light falling from the sky toward Korah''s body to heal and energize him. "It''s a massacre." Gojo said as his eyes shed blue, gazing upon the world from the infinite void, burning with potential. In the next second, Gojo unleashed his expansion to its full range but removed all of its damage. His goal wasn''t to kill but to locate his targets. Using his after-death knowledge and expertise in magic, he traced all of the divine magic Korah was getting back to his believers and located each and every one of them. Those praying in the church, in their houses, in shrines, on the street, while working, those drinking, all of them were living under the gaze of the stars as Gojo''s will reached the magic around them. The stars of Orion twisted in the sky as Gojo closed his eyes, and Korah immediately knew what was going to happen. "Your inhumane bastard!" He screamed, lunged with as little power he had regenerated, and tried to interrupt him. "I''m a dragon." Gojo replied, and his magic started working, cutting, beheading, burning, and killing every one of Korah''s believers that he found. People were peacefully praying in the church, on for a spark of magic to split their bowels open. A woman was looking out of her window, and her head fell to the streets. And old man tapped his hurting back, only for his torso to be cut in half and relieve him of the pain. Those who offered foot at the shrine ended up getting cooked themselves in a burst of mes, and nails of ice exploded in some. That day, Gojo imed over five hundred thousand human souls, tanking Korah''s divinity and regressing him back into a demi-god with only a few couples of believers that slipped through the cracks in Gojo''s detection technique. And with a single step forward, Gojo cut the weakened Korah and snatched the portfolio of gluttony from his soul. "How do you feel... being yed by a mortal." He smiled, and fell on his face, the one minute had ended. Chapter 857: Graveyard of The Slayer Chapter 857: Graveyard of The yer ? Korah gasped, jumping away from Alcott as he was startled by the attack. "What are you saying? I''ve never heard of such a thing." Alcott rushed after, "I''d expect no more from a lesser god." He then lifted a fist up, "You two recover, I''ll handle this." Clenching his fists on his sword, Alcott chased Korah light lightning, swinging left and right like a raging tempest, anything that got in the way was diced like vegetables. "At least those two were dragons..." Korahughed as his arm regenerated. "You''re a mere human, what could you do against a god?" He stopped running and charged forth. As Alcott swung at him, Korah deflected the shes with his bare hands, "Instead of using my divine magic to engulf and empower my arm, I''ll instead leave inside, to make more stronger and faster from the inside out. As long as your weird power doesn''t reach it, you''re as weak as a human." Korah locked and deflected all of Alcott''s attacks and went on the offensive, swinging punches left and right. Slowly he started pushing Alcott away, punching him in the guts, face, and chest, leaving ck marks from the crushed flesh and bones. "You''re even worse, a man who mastered hunting dragons, you''re not as dangerous to anyone else." From what Korah and everyone saw, Alcott is an expert at killing dragons, but just like any other high-level fighter when ites to anything else. "You''re awfully average, mediocre, with nothing special. You''re neither fast nor strong, all of your skills and tricks are optimized to kill dragons, and they fall short against anything else." Korah started gaining the upper hand, swinging faster and fasting, throwing Alcott left and right. CRACK! With a roaring fist, Korah shattered Alcott''s sword, "Humans like you shouldn''t be standing before me. I''ll kill and then rip those two dragons apart." He smiled. In the next instant, Alcott''s fist smacked into Korah''s face, shing with a golden spark with a thunderous boom enough to deafen Arad and Gojo. Korah''s body flew away andnded on the ground, he puked as he looked at the sky with a dazed and foggy mind, his divine energy flickering like a dying light bulb. ^What did happen? Was I hit...I can''t think straight...something feels strange.^ His head was throbbing with a deathly headache. He instantly jolted himself and stood up, "You bastard, what did you do?" He growled. Alcott shed toward him like a golden lightning bolt, throwing tens of light fast punches that Korah only saw the marks appear on his chest, followed by a ssh of blood. Korah rapidly conjured a barrier, he understood nothing of what had changed, but those punches hurt like hell. He has to go fully on the defensive until he gets a better grip on the situation. "Die." Alcott said, throwing even more punches at the newly conjured barrier, shaking and pushing it back at Korah. "This could stop a god!" Korah cried, and Alcott''s punches only grew faster and stronger, with even more of Chad''s divine magic. The barrier cracked with a loud, painful sound like twisting metal, it then exploded when Alcott threw a kick at it, hitting Korah straight in the chest with a crackle of divine lightning, blowing him in half. Chad was the sessor to Adam''s legacy, the father of humanity. Alongside being the god of humanity, he''s also the patron of fatherhood. When Korah swore to kill Arad before his father Alcott, that triggered a vast burst of divine magic. As Korah''s two halves rolled on the ground, Alcott panted. The sudden burst had left him exhausted and out of breath. Korah''s divine magic almost faded, but it recovered. Yet, this was the closest anyone had got to the death door, if Alcott had enough power to throw just one more punch, that might''ve ended him. "I changed my mind." Korah mumbled, his body regenerating. "I''ll kill you first. You''re a threat, arge one." He stood, crackling with divine magic. Without holding a single drop of his magic, he lunged at the exhausted Alcott and stabbed him in the chest with his fist. Alcott coughed blood, staring forward with golden glowing eyes. "This is where mortals like you die. You''ve been something else, not many humans can say they stood up to a god." Korah smiled. Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba-dump! Ba- dump! Ba-dump! Alcott''s heart started beating loudly, and Korah looked at him confused. Alcottughed, staring down at Korah with a crazed smile. "Yeah...I think I finally got it. I''m quite dense, Merlin was right." He lifted his hands and started getting them together. Korah tried to pull his arm out of Alcott''s chest, but it was stuck. Alcott was a part zombie and a vampire, this won''t be enough to kill him. Alcott smacked two fists together, [Elemental Expansion: Graveyard of The yer] For a second, nothing seemed to happen. But then suddenly a longsword with a red handle fell beside Alcott, then a long spear with blue clothes tired just beneath the head, and soon a bow, an axe, and then tens and hundreds of weapons started raining from the sky, each made of a different metal and bearing a different color. Alcott grabbed the sword with the red handle, and then lifted it up, "Let''s see how this works." He swung it down. [KagiGurFur: zing Universe] From the de, a mountain of zing crimson fire burned Korah and everything behind him, exploding in a pir of fire seen from hundreds of kilometers away. Korah gasped, "This is...draconic mes..." Alcott had already picked the spear with the blue clothes and threw it at Korah. [ZagGriiMon: Thunderdome] A barrier encased Korah and lighting exploded inside, shing stronger than anything the sky could produce. Alcott''s expansion is unlike any other as it''s not the incarnation of his magic, but of his achievements. Chad, the god of humans made a deal with Tiamat and his old friend the dwarf god to make it possible. All the souls of the dragons that Alcott killed get called again from the afterlife in the form of weapons, raining from the sky for him to use in battle. Korah flew out of the Thunderdome and red at Alcott, "You bastard, since when you were hiding that?" Thousands of dead dragons'' souls, all taking the forms of weapons and retaining their previous strength and magic. As Korah growled, he got shed from the back by a second Alcott wielding a transparent de. "Wait..." He grunted. A third, fourth and even more copies of Alcott started showing up, holding that strange de. "The hell is going on?!" Korah quickly noticed that the transparent de was still lodged in the ground, Alcott didn''t pick it up, not yet. The Alcott Korah was facing from the start and jumped toward that sword to pick it up. "I''m not letting you!" Korah tried to hit him, but he missed, it was already decided that Alcott would pick it up. [SaaMulgiin: Timeless Severance] Alcott who held the de lunged at Korah with everyone else. In life, SaaMulgiin didn''t get a chance to use his time magic against Alcott before dying, but now all of that power is in the palm of Alcott''s hand. When holding the sword, he exists from every second of one minute, thirty seconds in the past, and thirty in the future, at the present. With sixty of Alcott charging Korah, all of them held the de that could sever time itself, each sh aged Korah by a thousand years. Gods are immortal, but even they could have their souls damaged from aging too fast without having time to adapt. Korah was certain that this was the worst time of his life, he had thought Gojo and Arad were problems, and now Alcott jumped in and started pushing him to the limit. ^What''s wrong with the mortal world now? Why do these many abnormalities exist?^ After thirty seconds had passed, Alcott had to drop SaaMulgiin''s sword and picked stone great axe. Korah was feeling starved after countless years passing on him from each strike, this wasn''t a winning or losing situation anymore, he wanted to run away as soon as possible. To everyone else, it was thirty seconds, but to Alcott, it was a minute, and to Korah, it was thousands of years long. He turned to run away, but Arad appeared before him with a clenched fist and punched his back toward Alcott, who smacked him away with the battle axe. Alcott smacked Korah back toward Arad, and threw the axe away, picking arge steel club. Arad held the gasping Korah by the torso and took a stance, ready to throw him back to Alcott. "Make sure to hit him." Alcott shouted with a smile. "Give me your best shot." Alcott stood, ready for a strike, he lifted the club above his head and got ready.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad threw Korah as hard as he could, and Alcott smacked him away, hitting him out of the park. SWOSH! Gojo flew at Korah with arge smile on his face, the dice above his head ringing at 5- 5-4-1. "Not what I need to kill you, but it''s something I need." Gojo''s body shed with sparks of golden divine magic. Chapter 859: Slowly Falling Into Place. Chapter 859: Slowly Falling Into ce. ? Gojo''s face hit the ground, and he started thinking as fast as he could. He didn''t have any more time, whatever he decides in theing fraction of a second will determine his life. ^I''m a void dragon...Korah had severed my silver thread once and I''ve died. That was a single cut that got welded, in the past minute, he had tried to cut my silver thread again, which had left it severed in multiple ces. With the wild magic gone, it had grown still and would soon crack again, I need to stop stressing it out by being alive...But I can''t just die...^ Arad and Alcott rushed toward him, both could sense his magic rapidly fading. ^Yeah...I''ve been in a human form for so long...that''s it...^ The dice above Gojo''s head started spinning faster and faster, his body turned into a tree and then he came back engulfed in a blinding light and smelling ofvender, and then a massive lightning bolt exploded from him and almost grilled Arad alive. ^Come on! I know it''s here...If it can work with another person, it should work within me...^ The light slowly faded from Gojo''s eyes as they turned pale grey... It then clicked in his head, ^Got it!^ Just like Arad, Gojo''s main soul is that of a void dragon, but he also has a human fragment of his father engraved into his being. When Vorvadoss shed Arad''s human soul, he was locked into his main draconic soul. ^Let''s swap mine...^ Using the wild magic, he swapped his own souls, turning his human soul into the main one and the draconic into a secondary. This would allow his draconic soul to remain dormant as long as he''s in a human form and doesn''t use anything rted to it. With his draconic soul now resting and its silver thread slowly healing, the light of magic illuminated Gojo''s eyes again. He pushed against the ground with his arms and sat up, growling, "It worked...it hurts." He sighed and fell on his back. "You still alive?" Arad looked at him, "What was that light earlier." "I''m barely holding on, but I''ll live for now. That light was wild magic, I''ve got a decade''s worth of gambling in a day." He giggled. Alcott sat beside him, "I thought that light was you absorbing the portfolio."N?v(el)B\\jnn "I''ve got other ns for it." Gojo looked at Arad, "What did you do with the greed portfolio?" "I gave it to the girls. They need the power more than me. And I''m not the kind to be praised as a god, just not my thing." Arad shook his head. Alcottughed, "Most dragons would love to be gods." He looked at the sky, "What should we do now? Wait for Merlin toe pick us up?" He looked at Arad. In a sh of light, Betty appeared beside them, "It''ll be me. I''m quite low on mana but I can teleport you back home." "You were watching from afar?" Alcott looked at her. "Yeah, you three are really fools, who goes around and fights a god like that?" She sighed, "I know that he attacked first but...I can''t believe you really killed a god." She pulled a small wander and waved it around, hid it, and then pulled a crystal ball glowing with vibrant rainbow-colored light. "There is no secondary magic or residual curses. Let''s get back home, or to everyone else at least." She smiled. "No." Arad lifted his hand, "I''ve really pushed myself beyond the limiting here, I really need to return to hiding before my curses kick back again. I''ll soon revert to my dragon form." He started pping his wings. "Call me with magic. I doubt anyone would attack you now that we''ve killed a god, but stay vignt." He flew away in the blink of an eye. "I couldn''t even get time to speak with him." Alcott sighed with a sad face, and quickly stood, "Can''t be helped, we''ll get a drink when he gets back." "Me too..." Gojo cracked his back, "To be honest, I''m spent. As brother said, you''ll be fine, probably, we hope..." He looked at Betty with a smile. "I need to rest a bit...I''ll be going back to my kingdom." He started walking away. "Can you even use magic?" Betty looked at him with a tilted head, "You''re as dry as a desert." "I got some contingency spells. For example, one that teleport me home if I''m out of mana and willing to go back." He looked at her with a smile, "I won''t be teleported if I don''t want to, but I can always use it to escape." He lifted a finger. "Like this, now I''m willing to go home. If I spent what little magic I''ve got like in a weak spell." A bit of water sshed out of his finger. ZON! Gojo immediately disappeared. Betty turned toward Alcott, "That only leaves you and me. Let''s go home, were you alone?" "I''ve got some people to pick up on the way." Alcott smiled, "Can you use multiple teleportation spells?" "With ease." Betty replied and the two went to pick up Ceri, Jasmine, and Ginger. **** Back in the Arctic, Liliana rushed around the magic court with the royal wizards. Minutes before they got notified of Gojo''s death by magic, which caused mass panic, especially among those who knew how powerful he was. They never expected to hear of him getting killed in their lives. Under Liliana''s directions, the wizards worked their brains off trying to locate Gojo and retrieve his body, some even went as far as looking through ancient records of resurrection or lichdome even spells like [Speak with the dead] to try and get back to their king. Unlike other kings, Gojocked a lot of qualifications but alsocked any bad traits. He wasn''t greedy, his only care was magic, and he didn''t discriminate as all humanoids looked alike to him, who was a powerful dragon. With his power, the royal guard had far fewer things to worry about, and even natural disasters were immediately dealt with by him, like arge avnche that threatened the capital, Gojo had just pushed it away. As Liliana ran across the hallway with arge stack of paper, Gojo suddenly appeared mid-air and fell on her. She gasped, "Gojo? You''re back?" She couldn''t believe her eyes, "You alive?" He shook him. "Don''t..." He grabbed her hand, "Shake me...I''ll throw up on you..." He was at his limit. As the ministers and the wizards around started panicking again, they began shouting questions at Gojo, some concerned about him and some wanting to understand what happened. "I''ll exinter...I won, and that is what matters now." Gojo lifted his hand and then looked at Lilian, "Take me to my room." She red around and found two maids. "Help me carry him." She grabbed him by the torso and each of the two maids grabbed one leg, dragging him to his room. As theyid Gojo on the bed, Liliana looked at the maids once more. "Get us a barrel of mana potions, and get the kitchen to cook something big, two mammoths. Bring the third carcass to the yard raw." "Got it!" The two maids rushed out. Liliana looked at Gojo, "You''re going to sleep?" "No...I don''t need sleep, I need rest." He smiled, barely able to speak, "You want to know what happened?" "If you can speak, if you can''t just rest, we can talkter." She covered him with the nk. "Korah, the god of gluttony. I''ve killed him." He mumbled and she froze in ce, sweat gushing across her face. "A god?" she gasped. "Dead... Brother and Alcott helped, but I''vended the finishing blow." He smiled, "Call a priestess of B. Tell her to ask the goddess of snow and ice about the matter." "I believe you killed him...but I have to admit, even I still find it hard to believe that you killed a god." She looked at him, stunned. "He was...one tuff piece of shit...I''d rather listen to Vars babbling about feet for a week than do it again." He smiled, "But it''s done. I''ve got this." He lifted one finger, and the portfolio of gluttony appeared floating above it. Liliana stood and rushed to bring the priestess. Minutester the priestess managed to confirm from her goddess, that the divine order had indeed changed. Lesser God Korah is dead, and Jordan has disappeared. The portfolios of greed and gluttony were released, and one was with Gojo, but it still didn''t merge with him. Gojo confirmed that he has no interest in the portfolio of gluttony, and thus wanted to give it away to a certain someone. Momentster, the priestess got a new promotion. "The portfolio of greed merged with someone, we''ve got a new demi-goddess of greed...her name is..." **** Far away, Korahnded alone in a bathroom, puking blood as he gasped for air. "That bastard...he even stole my portfolio!" He growled and punched the wall. At that moment, he could hear mumblinging out of one of the stalls, followed by arge fart, a man groaned like a dying pig inside. Korah paused for a second and bit his finger. [Summon Demon] The blue-skinned Oni woman who was ten feet tall appeared out of a dark magic circle. "Kill and turn him into a zombie. The gods can''t track me now, we''ll run and gather our forces." One of the women approached the stall, hearing the man inside still mumbling... then suddenly, an old wrinkled hand pierced the stall''s door and grabbed her by the nose, twisting her head with a horrifying amount of strength. As the arm shattered the stall''s door, Cain walked out patting his hurting back. Korah could feel his entire existence screaming to run away, and when he looked back, the windows and doors were all frozen solid in ice. "AHHHH! Cain, it''s been a while since we''ve been together....why are we wasting with him?" A woman of magnificent beauty who looked in her mid-thirties, had flowing golden hair and sparkling blue eyes sat on the ground, rubbing her face on Cain''s legs with a horny face. Korah had seen her once before, and to him she looked as cold as ice, only staring at everyone else like bugs...Silent snow, the divine goddess of cold, snow, and ice; B. Chapter 860: To Feed The Devils Chapter 860: To Feed The Devils ? Korah growled, ^This old man, for Silent Snow to be acting this way around him. He has to be him.? Cain turned toward Korah and slowly lifted his hand, "You''ve done your part. But...sealing Sena wasn''t a part of that." The scenery quickly changed into a massive white room. Korah looked around, trying to escape but he couldn''t find any path. This ce ispletely severed from the outer world. "Cain!" Amaterasu floated down from the ceiling, "Is B annoying you again?" she said with a smile,nding before him. Looking at his face with a smile on her face, her glowing red lips sparkled as the two suns burning in her eyes shed with power. "I''ve gotten used to her." He smiled, "You''vee because of Eris, right?" "She''s my pdin so of course...as a demi-goddess, she''s also under my pantheon, I must stand for her." She slowly turned, her strangelyrge kimono waving on its own as her hair seemed to sh red for a second. "Lesser God Korah. I don''t care if you broke the divine order, criminal bugs are still tiny bugs, they won''t amount to anything anyway." She stood there, glowing faintly. "Do you know what the sun is?" "The sun is the sun." Korah growled, thinking and trying to figure a way to get out of here. "First, let me show you how your life and everything in the mortal world is worth nothing. All of your efforts and struggles are meaningless." She waved her hand and they started zooming out until they looked down upon the mortal world, a massive. "See that small patch ofnd? It''s the massive continent you''ve been living in, all of your struggles hadn''t scratched this, not even a bit." She giggled as Korah''s face slowly paled. "Now...this is the sun." They zoomed out even more, and the whole mortal felt like a grain of sand falling into the ocean when they reached the sun. "You can train your whole life, gather all the believers you want, max your level to 1000, no, even if Aria lets you reach level million. Your fist will never reach the sun, let alone gain the right to face it." She approached Cain, "Even Aria herself can''t beat me." Shebed his beard in her finger, and her red glowing nails flickered with magic. "Are you sure about that? Thest time I saw you two together, she was stepping on your face." Cain replied with a smile. "Using your power is cheating!" Amaterasu protested with puffed cheeks. At that time, Korah was as shriveled as a dead shrimp on the side of the hot summer road. Amaterasu smiled, and her eye red back at Korah, "Now, for thest truth." She slowly turned, drawing a circle on the ground with her toenail. The circle burned with red fire and magic, sparking with sma as they zoomed even further. As they stood in a sea of stars, Amaterasu looked at Korah with closed eyes and a faint grin. "The ineffable, what your mind can''t even begin toprehend. All of those stars are suns, they are all me. Some dwarf the mortal sun as it dwarfs the dust of your world. This is what you picked a fight with when you decided to go after someone under me." She slowly faded into the darkness, her nails, eyes, and lips remained apparent due to their faint red glow. "As much as I hate it." B growled as she was stuck to Cain''s legs, "She''s that powerful, but Cain here is far above that. He''s everything that is, that was, and that will ever be. The past, present, and future, the within and without, the alive and dead, the endless possibilities of the timeless dimensions and realities, the ineffable truth of the world. You, me, her, they below, all of us are mere parts of the world, and he''s that world." B pointed at Korah, "And you fought his daughter, Cain is thest angry dad that you wanting after you." Amaterasu giggled, "B, he''s already dead." She pointed at Korah, "His soul couldn''t withstand the reality. It shattered upon knowing how truly insignificant he was." "I''m not as sharp as you." B sighed, "Now that I looked closer, his soul had indeed evaporated. Totally destruction, he isn''ting back from it." Cain was grumbling as he stood there, "It doesn''t sit right." He opened his glowing blue eyes, and Korah appeared again, alive and well. "What?!" Korah gasped, confused and bewildered. Amaterasu and B stared at him with passive faces, "Don''t break the world rules just like that." Amaterasu sighed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I''m the world." Cain replied with a cold tone as he lifted his hand and his steel cane appeared in his palm. "Fire hurt the most, and for lying a hand on my daughter, eternal torment shall befall." "Cut it out, you''re too old for this." B finally stood and smacked him on the head, "She''s right, you''re straining your body." "I know I''m dying. I won''tst long." Cain growled, "That''s why we''re keeping an eye on Arad. But..." He red at Korah. "Even the dead corpse of a man could still crush ants. For lying a hand on my children, you''ve been sentenced to forever feed the devils." Cain''s cane turned into a longsword. "Inanna! Cook him slowly!" A spark of great mes exploded from Cain''s sword and Korah evaporated. A secondter, Korah jolted awake due to the extreme pain surging through his body. Inside one of theyers of hell where the air itself was burning mes, Korah had been skewered from the but to the mouth with a long pole like a pig, slowly getting grilled alive over ck mes by arge humanoid fire. It slowly scraped his cooked flesh with a jagged knife, putting in tes of obsidians and giving it to devils to feast upon. One of the devils passing by was Abel, he had just resurrected in the hells after getting killed in Mira''s furnace. "What''s this?" He said with a smile, rushing toward the humanoid mes with a happy face. "The fallen god of gluttony, he''s been sentenced to sat the devil''s hunger for all eternity. Want some?" She said with a gentle voice, "I can see it, you''ve achieved great things." Abel scratched his head, "Nothing great, in fact, I just got killed in a fight and resurrected." "You''re too humble for a devil." The fire replied, "I can see it through the mes. You''ve been burned to death trying to hold a demi-god. That''s a magnificent feat worthy of such a feast." She filled arge bowl for Abel and lifted it up, shouting, "For the health of this young devil who died fighting a demi-god! His deeds shall be praised through the nine hells!" The massive and terrifying pit fiends, the balors, the powerful devil kings, all the fiends of hell present shouted in unison, "To his eternal glory!" Everyone celebrated for almost an hour, andstly one finally asked Abel. "Say, young one. What''s your curse?" "Me?" Abel pointed at himself, "It''s nothing great. This is it." He pointed at a boulder, and a hole got punched in from almost ten meters away. "The fear of holes, I can make them anywhere within my range, infuse my fists with them, and my enemies end up like wasp nests. The curse itself is called, [Hole]" Abel shook his head, "It got no tricks or special property, just punching holes in things until they die." **** Back in the mortal world, Eris opened her eyes in the morning. She yawned and looked at the bed next to her, Lydia still hadn''te back since she left with Jack yesterday. She woke up and walked toward the bathroom, washed her face, and changed her clothes. Before leaving, she opened the new cab she had Mira make her. Inside it was a little shrine of stone. She put a gold coin in the small basin before it and prayed a bit to the new demi- goddess of greed. In the past two days, Eris had noticed that prayers from following demigods grant far more power than normal mortals, that is why she and the other decided to exchange prayers each day in the morning, helping each other grow stronger as fast as possible. Inside the university''srge artificer''s workshop, Mira had spent the whole day swinging her hammer down. cksmithing wasn''t something she''s used to, and it felt a bit strange. But she got an idea, one she herself deemed stupid, but it might work. Mira had spent the whole night trying to forge a golden de as an experiment. Dripping in sweat, she lifted the burning hot de and took it toward arge barrel of dragon blood. She had worked poor Alcott to the bone to get it. As she carried the sword with one hand, she cut her wrist on the barrel''s edge and poured her blood into the mix. "Please, don''t explode, don''t explode, don''t explode..." She closed her eyes and plunged the sword in. In a sh of fire, it exploded and sent her flying back, this was the third time. She coughed smoke and pulled a healing potion from her pocket, "Who''s the idiot who said the third time is the charm?" She sat up and looked forward, the sword had shattered into pieces. "Failed again," She looked at the window, and gasped, "AH! The sun is up, I totally forgot!" She rushed toward the corner of the warehouse and opened a small cab, praying to a shrine that was a candle covered by a human skull that had a butterfly drawn on it with blood. "I hope Eris isn''t angry that I''mte...she always prays on time and even gives offerings..." She looked at the other corner where she had a pen of hens... "We don''t need to eat chicken today, do we?" Chapter 861: Vampire Nuns Chapter 861: Vampire Nuns ? As Mira was looking at the chickens, a nun wearing te armor emerged from one of the shadows. "Mdy, a necromancer with an army of ghouls and zombified giants is moving onto the swamp from the far south. We suspect him to be nning to build a base there." The nun kneeled down. "I appreciate you alwaysing to me, but I''m not a fighter." Mira slowly turned back and sat down, looking at the nun in the eyes. "Eris is handling those stuff while Arad is out." "We already know that. But we still must inform you. Of course, Zia had gone to inform Eris and she''ll decide if we need to deal with the necromancer or leave him alone." The nun lowered her head even lower, "Sorry Mdy, but I can''t lift my head above our divines." "Come on... you''re always like this..." Mira sighed. On the other side of the university, Eris was walking toward her sses when a voice called her. Zia, the vampire was standing in the shadows of a tree, wearing a whole nun robe with her face covered with a ck veil. "Mdy Eris, a necromancer, and his troop of ghouls and zombified giants and monsters are moving into the swam. The ck dragon Zul is still sick so I doubt she''ll be able to kick him out. What should we do." She kneeled down. "Stand up!" Eris gasped and rushed to make her stand, "You''ll get me in trouble acting like this in public." Eris shook her and then looked around, "Lucky not many people saw that." She sighed. "We''ve gone to ask Zul, but she''s asleep." Zia kept talking as if nothing happened. "With our Lord Arad absent, you''re the one tomand the holy night crusaders." "Necromancers are dangerous, especially if he has ghouls, that means he''s been regrly raiding viges to bolster his army." Eris scratched her head, "We can''t leave him alone." Zia immediately pulled out a small notebook and started writing. "Necromancers who raid viges for ghouls, they shall be punished." She smiled, "I wrote it down." "What are you doing?" Eris grabbed her by the head, "I''ll throw you in the sun." "AW! AW! Mdy... I''m only writing our holy scripture. We can''t go without doctrine for too long." She shook her head with arge smile. "Please don''t... You''re just picking random words I say and writing them down. Those can''t be good in the long term." Eris grabbed Zia''s with more strength. "I''m just a demi-goddess, and so is Mira. Arad isn''t even a god, is it really okay for you to form a church? Of vampires nheless?" "Our lord Arad might not be a god, but to us he is. We''re his spawns, born from his blood to serve for all eternity. After d''s death, he''s the only one we serve." Zia replied, "You and Mira are demi-goddess, you need worshippers to grow stronger. I agree that our Lord Arad doesn''t need us, but we aren''t worshipping him for power or anything. He''s our lord, and we''re doing what we want." Eris dropped her, "Fine, do what you want...I do have you to thank for the divine power I got before." When Eris gained arge amount of divine power from Arad, most of it came from the vampires inside him worshipping her, murdering each other in a bloody ritual to grant her power. They are vampires so beheading and cutting themselves in half didn''t kill them, but it was still painful. "Do what you want." Eris sighed, "But take them with you. They''ve been following me for days now." She looked to the side and saw a bunch ofrge men and women d in thick steel armor staring at her from the university''s gate, even though the guards told them. She waved her hand and the guards sighed, "You can go in." He said with a smile, his red eyes and fangs apparent. He is one of Arad''s spawns who got a job at the gate thanks to Betty, all just to keep those men outside without causing a huge problem. The armored men and women rushed toward Eris, but the moment they were about to kneel, she growled at her, "Don''t. I''ll kill you all." They paused and looked at her, "Our goddess, we want to serve you. After saving us, and pushing our kingdom into salvation and a better path, we seek to spread your name and influence across thends, so many more people can be blessed as we were." Thergest man of them all said, he was almost six foot and a half tall, muscr, and looked like a slightly smaller version of Arad, but with blond hair and brown eyes. Those were the pdins of murder, the people that Pin gathered for Eris behind her back. It seems that they turned into religious zealots in just a few days, exhibiting some fanatic tendencies toward Eris, worshipping her and believing that she alone could save the world as she did their kingdom. Zia and the vampire nuns on the other hand don''t hold Eris that high, to them it was Arad who should stand in that spot, and so they sometimes disagree with those pdins. "By our swords and blood, we shall spread the name of our savor,dy Eris all through the foolishnds. The dark age of ignorance shalle to an end, and under the purple light of her sun we find salvation." The man said, ring at Zia, "I saw ourdy, grab you by the head. You aren''t on some HERESY!" He pulled his sword. Eris sighed, "For Amaterasu''s sake...Go kill the necromance before he causes trouble and get along." She turned to leave. "I don''t want to hear of you fighting." The pdins and Zia looked at each other, "It seems I must work with you." The pdin said with a smile. "Ourdy''s words bring truth. Their hardship is only meant to wash our sins." "Let''s go." Zia waved her hand, "The church is ready." The pdin smiled, "That''s the only thing I like about you." He followed her with everyone else. At the edge of the swamp, the necromancer used his magic to scout the area and determined it was clear, that only monsters lived there. The current dragon ruling this ce was quiet for a long time, so he''s expecting it to be hibernating. This is the perfect location to set a temporary base for a few decades.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Secure the area, we''ll get fresh corpses and skeletons from Croc''s graveyard, we''ll hunt people if we needed." He waved his hand and the army of ghouls started marching, "Careful of the muddy water, use logs and stones to pass. We''ll set up in the center of the swamp and start a new age." When necromancers'' armies grow too big, they usually shift from mana signals to words for control, it''s easier tomand them like this. As the ghouls advanced, they suddenly got an order from the necromancer to stop. He had spotted something flying in the sky. Zia was there, and she lifted her hand up toward the zing sun. [Blood Magic: Vampire Gift] Higher vampires can grant those weaker than them spells and power to use, as long as they drank their blood. It''s the reason why Arad''s vampire can punch with his energy, but this time, Zia had sipped the blood of another person, Eris. From Zia''s hand, a massive purple sun flew out and blotted the sun, painting the swim in a reddish-purple glow. The army of death halted in terror, and soon their mouths dropped agape as a massive steel church fell from the sky, quaking the swamp as it crushed several tens of ghouls. "What''s going on?" the necromancer gasped, and Zia started singing holy tunes from above the clouds as a band of nuns followed her. Flying vampire priests infused the clouds with holy magic and forced them to rain down holy water as the church''s doors opened. A massive armored carriage carrying arge pipe organ raced out with nuns operating to buff everyone. And behind them, the pdins of murder charged forth with their des sparking with divine magic. "Spread ourdy''s name with your des!" One of them shouted. "Murder them twice! Efficiency!" Another cried, "The genius of our goddess knows no bounds, kill them once, and when they be undead kill them for a second time for more murder." He was serious, swinging his de with tears gushing out of his eyes. From behind the pdins, the army of vampire nuns and priests rushed out holding muskets and flintlock guns, shooting pellets forged by Mira in a forge of Eris''s mes and cooled in their lord''s blood. One shot is enough to kill a ghoul. Besides guns, those nuns were fond of using fire to burn anything in their path, ripping heads, and impaling people as a tribute to their gods. While the necromancer had an army of a couple of thousands of undead, Eris had a few dozen pdins and a couple of tens of thousands of vampire nuns and priests all armed to the teeth, charging forth like a wave of blood and holy murder. The poor necromancer ended up as the first human sacrifice to Eris that she knew of before it happened. The pdins held him still as the vampire nuns skewered him from the butt to the neck with a still pole and drained him of all blood upon a sea of his dead ghouls. "Now that''s a piece of art." The head of the murder pdins smiled, "I''m sure ourdy would appreciate such an offering." "I know, right?" Zia stared at the dead necromancer with a grin. "You might not be so bad after all. Care to worship ourdy?" He stared at her. "Lord Arad is our god, she''s second." Zia replied with a growl. "Now that''s heresy...but I''ll overlook it for now." The pdin giggled. Chapter 862 The Cold Festival Chapter 862 The Cold Festival While the nuns were raining havoc upon the poor necromancer, Gojo was back in his kingdom setting a whole festival. With a single order, he rallied lords and nobles from all the kingdom''snds, persuaded merchants to visit, and even dragged pilgrims and monks into the mix. Hundreds of thousands of people marched across the snow, melting it just by existing as they approached the capital. The capital''s street buzzed with life and the royal guards ran around in panic, doing their best to keep the people in order. The king had made a drastic decision, using his powerful magic, he had emptied half of the royal treasury''s gold and dragged it into the training ground of the knights. Everyone in the castle stared out of their windows in fear as the people of the city stared at the ck clouded sky, lightning fell down, rumbling with extreme power and shaking the ground. The sundering fire of the lighting forge crackled with strange magic, putting most cksmith forges to shame as he called upon great magic. From the gold and jewels he had taken, Gojo had melded a massive golden throne decorated with jewels and precious stones, dripping with mana and divine magic. With what was left, he called a group of a hundred old gnomes, all masters of their crafts, and gave them one order, to craft a single set of jewelry. Gojo wanted nes, rings, wrist and ankle bracelets, earrings, a veil, hair essories, and everything, all doubled. As the gnomes worked themselves to death, Gojo took his time as he dragged an army of a thousand men and women, all of whom were called masters of sewing. He didn''t care where they came from, what he cared about was their skill. Some of them were war prisoners, criminals,moners, nobles, and even demons, devils, and monsters. As they knelt, their heads glued to the ground, Gojo walked before them dragging ten chained mother demon spiders, some were massive spiders and some were taking a humanoid shape. His only order was for them to put their lives on the line to make a set of clothes, the purest of the pure, a white robe of immacte and legendary craftsmanship, decorate it with gold, silver, and the rarest of jewelry. If he deems it to have a spec of imperfection, he''ll skin them alive and make a robe of that instead. As he left them pouring their life into that, Gojo headed into another location where he gathered over five hundred people, the smartest of the smart, the brightest of the bright. As those elderly and young geniuses looked at him, he provided them with a single image. Their job was to praise, write poems, describe, and knit the most intricate of words, zing, revering, and crying their eyes and tongues over what he showed them. Every single person who would hear what they wrote, if they didn''t think they were some insane and crazy boot-licking worshippers, Gojo would hang them by the tongue to dry in the sun life fish. On the other side of the castle, alchemists racked their heads trying to develop something they never made in their lives. By the orders of his majesty, they''ve joined a certain craftsman to make makeup, nail polish, and different paints, some would be used to dye fabric for the clothes, but Gojo had said he rather get silk with a natural white color rather than dye it. But he''s willing to let it happen if there isn''t any other option. But, everyone''s busy secluded seemed like funpared to the people stuck in the most important part of the castle for this event, the kitchens. Gojo had riled over five thousand expert cooks, housewives, maids, and servants from all regions of the kingdom and built them a kitchen inside the castle''s inner arena. As thousands of carcasses rolled into the butchering section and knives started raining down, the massive white dragon writhing in pain on the side moaned in agony, Gojo had dragged him here and impaled him on the ground to cool the kitchen. Below each stove was a chained smander, growling in rage as they couldn''t escape and were used to cook food. This was the primary stage, Gojo had wanted to get one person to rule this hellish kitchen, and so he asked them all to cook. He''ll being here personally with a certain person to taste the food and decide. The one who wins gets to lead the ce. As Gojo walked between, everyone started shaking, if any of their food proved too bad for him or hispanion, heads could roll. In the end, fifteen people were killed as they had poisoned the food, trying to kill him and hispanion. Gojo simply cooked them in their own pots and fed them to the white dragon. In the end, one woman reigned supreme over everyone else, her cooking blew everything else away, and Gojo''spanion seemed to love her food. Thus, it was decided, that she stood above everyone else to rule the kitchen. Gojo wasn''t just throwing a festival, but this was probably the most important event for his kingdom, something that might not repeat itself in a thousand years. Everyone here understood that, all the people who knew what Gojo was announcing agreed that this event must be wless as it was the first impression of the kingdom''s most important asset. Mages from all across the kingdom gathered to show off their spells and also investigate this new anomaly, to them such a thing seemed almost impossible, and they would want to study it if possible. But¡­all of them knew that such a thing was almost impossible with Gojo around. The next morning quickly came and all the people of the kingdom gathered to witness it. This is what they were waiting for, a sight that nomoner nor noble had even dreamed of having the chance toy their eyes up. N?v(el)B\\jnn Arge pnquin carried by a hundred powerful men, fifty on each side marched forth as their footsteps quaked the ground and stopped beside the massive golden throne. They all keeled, and the door opened. From those massive doors, Gojo walked out, and with a smile on his face, he extended a hand into the pnquin. A small hand with sparkling golden nails held him, and she took a step outside. Lucy, donning everything that Gojo had made. The purest white robe and all the jewellery that he ordered, on her tiny body almost two kilograms of gold rested. With each step, her wrist and ankle bracelets rang like hundreds of tiny bells, releasing a faint whistle into the air. The people gasped, it was their first time seeing a demi-god up close. This was indeed a pivotal moment in the kingdom''s history, allying with a demi-god is sure to bring them a lot of power, hopefully stave off wars, and bless them for the rest of time. Rumors of her portfolio of gluttony quickly spread around, and people started dreaming of an age where they would never go hungry, as long as they prayed to her, filling their bellies shouldn''t be a problem. The wizards and mages stared at Lucy and Gojo as they walked to the golden throne and grunted in skepticism. She was still but a kid, they could indeed sense a powerful divine magic unlike that of pdins rushing from her, but it didn''t make sense. Their magic told them she was indeed a demigod, there was no doubting that¡­but as mages always do¡­they had something to say. "She''s a demigod, we agree." A wizard said as he looked toward Gojo and Lucy, he started floating and magic sparked around his body. "Your majesty, I would love to congratte you on this achievement. But, I can''t help but wonder¡­" Gojo and Lucy stopped walking. She couldn''t help but feel nervous. She only saw the portfolio and asked if Gojo could give it to her as a joke, and he threw it at her. He was waiting for it, he nned for everything. "To that¡­" Gojo lifted his foot, "I''ve got one answer to the likes of you." Heid his foot back on the ground and a massive gust of magic exploded out from his body. Both his draconic [Frightful presence] and [Awe presence] burst out, engulfing his entire dominion area. "You are free to pray to whoever you like. But if you dare insult, question, try to sabotage, or even think of harming her, your only purpose will be to feed the yetis in the mountains." Gojos slowly turned his head, "You''ve already thought of harming her, don''t you?" With his glowing blue eyes, that wizard and fifteen others disappeared in the blink of an eye. He didn''t want to kill them publicly, Lucy doesn''t like that. But, those wizards are already dead, crushed inside his stomach and thrown into the yetis to eat. Gojo walked Lucy all the way to her golden throne where she sat. Ten nuns of the local church of B, the goddess of ice and snow rushed toward them. They knelt before Lucy and pulled arge scroll. "We''ve asked our goddess, our paledy of ice. B, the silent snow about this matter. And per her word, Lucy here is acknowledged in the pantheon of cold." The nuns looked up, "Several statues of her are already made and being distributed toward all the local churches." Gojo had asked the nuns to find out about B, and they ended uping to him with a quest. If he were to capture a white dragon who pretended to be her and terrorized the northernnds, she''d endorse Lucy for him. "With that!" Gojo lifted his fist up, "Bring the food! A feast for the gluttony goddess!" Chapter 863 Back To School With a New Title Chapter 863 Back To School With a New Title As the festival in Gojo''snd continued, change was taking ce in the university. Words of Uranus taking over the massive desert spread like wildfire and some people started panicking. It didn''t take a single week after the fight of Korah/Jordan for the news of it to reach the students, they couldn''t believe that such a monster existed. White Gojo and Alcott were there, and most of the credit went to the named monster, Uranus. His title quickly changed from the kingdom destroyer to the divine eater. A monster so powerful that it hunts and feeds upon the gods. "Did you hear?" Matilda said with a tired face, "They say Uranus punched a god to death and ate him. Those people are ridiculous, such a thing can''t happen." She sighed. "Gods can''t be harmed by mortals¡­" Selina added, and slowly lifted her head, looking at Arad sitting before them. It''s been three weeks since the incident and his soul recovered enough that he can morph again into a humanoid form and his curse has finally settled down. "I agree¡­I can''t imagine, punching a god¡­." He could clearly remember when he bites Korah''s face off. "By the way¡­" He immediately tried to change the subject, "About Jack''s body modification, did you get anything?" "I can surgically install a magic crystal inside his body, but I can''t possibly guess how would his body react. I''ve seen your research on the adventurer Gura, but that doesn''t seem to help with how." She searched through her back and pulled out the papers Arad had written for her. Matilda looked at him, "That''s an A-rank barbarian, how did you manage to talk to her? I mean, barbarians are already hard to talk with, they get enraged on a whim. I can''t believe you managed to have a full interview with her, even get blood samples without a fight." One student stared at them from the side, "Barbarians love big muscles. She was struck dead by his look, he''s as tall as the doors and as wide as them." "Are you stupid?" Matilda growled at him, "Barbarians value strength, not look. She wouldn''t care less if he''s huge or as thing as a broom." "But it helps. Doesn''t it¡­Just look at him." The student smiled, "You see him and you can know a punch from him would hurt." "I''m not punching anyone unless they attack me first." Arad said with a smile. "Gura is surprisingly nice and easy to talk with." "Still¡­" Selina stacked the papers and pushed them toward Arad, "Gura herself doesn''t know how her crystal works, she got it in a freak ident. I need to research more, it''ll help to experiment a bit¡­but that¡­ how should I say it¡­" She scratched her head. "Not fond of experimenting on humans. I can catch you some bandits." Arad tilted his head. The three stared at him with a passive face, "Them being bandits doesn''t make it right. What are you thinking about?" Matilda sighed, "How about people who won''t die and are used to pain, like werewolves and vampires?" "It won''t work, those are magically built different than humans. Can you get me to meet the person who installed Jack''s arm and liver?" Selina asked with a serious face. "Ah, his name is Cain. An old herbalist living in Alina." Arad smiled, "I''ll take you to meet him on the weekends." "Everyone! Get on your seats, I''m starting the ss." Lucia walked toward her desk and lifted herrge book, tapping her head. "Your ssmate Arad here has been out on a long break due to an injury, please share your notes with him. We don''t want him to be falling behind." Arad looked at her, "About that, I already finished everything." He said with a passive face. "Finished what?" Lucia gasped. "I borrowed Selina''s notes yesterday and revised them, I even finished copying them to my notebook." He showed Lucia his notebook, he had already finished writing over fifty pages. "Hold up, one night? Everything?" She rushed in and looked at his notebook. It was faint, but since she taught a lot of people she could tell that not all pages were written by the same person. The people who helped Arad tried to mimic his handwriting, but it was obviously done in a hurry. "Well¡­can you make us some of the potions and alchemical concoctions that we went through? I''ll bring everything you need from theb, you can see it as a small test." She smiled. "Of course." Arad nodded. Even though he had the vampires in his stomach help. Apparently, some of them were schrs and apprentice alchemists so he had them help, there were even people among the bandit vampires who knew how to forge documents and handwriting. As Lucia went out, Matilda turned toward Arad, "Are you sure? One night isn''t enough to go through everything. I don''t know how you got everything written down, but live memory won''t help in potion making." "I can do it." Arad nodded with a smile. "Forget about that." The student from before looked at Arad with a smile, "I want to know, what kind of thing injured you like this? We haven''t seen you since the beaver incident, don''t tell me those little wood eaters got you." N?v(el)B\\jnn "A huge demonic monster was in there. I managed to beat it, but got injured pretty badly." Arad looked out the window, "The beavers are fine." He could remember, he had moved them into his territory aftering back. For now, they are working to help develop hisnd under Mira''s orders. **** "Look, my lord Arad¡­" tail smiled, "Hundreds of beavers beating their wood all day long for you and Lady Mira''s sake." He tapped the ground with his tail, "I''ll beat it over and over until I die." "You mean hammering. You were asked to build a dam, but a more civilized one¡­" Arad pointed at the beavers hammeringrge wooden poles into the river to block it. "They are hitting the wood with a hammer so it''s a beating¡­like you don''t say hammering beavers, beaver doesn''t get hammered, unless it''s sir Alcott¡­he gave us wine and said getting drunk if called getting hammered." tail titled his head, "They are pouring wine on their wood." "I don''t know¡­" Arad said with a slow voice, "I know how to speak, but not why words were chosen. But forget about that, since you''re building a dam, what about the river after it? The farms still need water." "About that¡­" tail lifted his hand and shouted at the beavers. "AHHHHHHHHHH!" They all looked at him and shouted back. "AHHHHHHHHH!" "They say the wooden pumps are already deployed. The responsible beavers would start pumping their wood as soon as the river starts to dry." He waved his hand, pointing at the wooden water pumps on the sides. "I see¡­" Arad smiled, "If everything is going fine, I''ll go back. Just work as Mira and Isdis ordered. I''lle check on you each week. I''ve already informed Ignis about you, she won''t hurt you." "Thank you¡­" tail said with a passive face, that little red drakaina attacked them the moment they started building the dam. She thought they were trying to damage wildlife and burned their dam to ash. Even a red wyrmling is still as dangerous as arge lion, that breathes fire and is intelligent. **** Inside the ss, Lucia returned with everything and asked Arad to show off if he really learned what he missed, and to her surprise, he immediately made all the potions and concoctions. Unlike everyone else, his learning speed seems to be out of the chart, as if his brain isn''t human. Several minutes after he finished, someone started knocking on the door. He could tell who it was by the smell, but Lucia couldn''t. She approached the door and opened it up, "We''re in the middle of the ss, who is it?" She looked left and right and saw nothing. She closed the door with a sigh, "I thought this university is full of adults, who y such pranks at this age¡­" The door immediately got kicked open and Betty growled at her, "Am I that short? You didn''t even see me?!" "Sorry!" Lucia cried, "I didn''t see you¡­you''re¡­" She was about to say too short and quickly changed her mind, "¡­ suppressing your magic, right¡­I didn''t feel you." "Yeah¡­" Betty sighed and turned toward Arad, "Come with me to my office, I got someone that wants to meet you." "Who is it?" Arad tilted his head, he could tell from a single nce that she was troubled. "Can''t you tell them off?" "It''splicated, juste." She grabbed him by the hand and pulled him out. He couldn''t sense anyone in her office from here, whoever they were, they shouldn''t be too strong. "Should I be worried?" He asked. "Yes and no, it depends on how you talk with them. Please act respectfully as much as possible, she''s quite old despite her look, and can get easily triggered." They reached Betty''s office and Arad grabbed the handle. "Listen, I know you don''t like it, but be respectful as much as possible." Betty made it clear, that the one inside is a problem. At this moment, Arad already had one person in mind, Betty''s grandma Luminous. From his few encounters with her, he can see why she''s a pain. "Excuse me¡­" Arad walked inside the office, only to see Betty in her underwear, tied with a rope to the ceilingmp and growling. Arad froze for a second¡­ "That isn''t Luminous, or is she?" He had only seen Luminous as a ball of light. "AH! The grandma? She''s in the closet. This little Betty told me to fuck off when I asked to meet you, so I tied. The grandma came to save her, so I put her here." The one standing behind Arad walked toward the close, her white hair slowly turning red. She opened the closet door only for a blinding light to gush out. Arad could hear Luminous growling inside, she was tied as well. "So, it''s been a while, little boy." Lilia walked toward the desk and jumped over it, sitting cross-legged as she stared at Arad with a smile. "You''re that woman from the tower!" He gasped, clenching a fist, ready to smack her into ash. "You might be surprised, but I''m not the one looking for you." She smiled, reaching into her pocket. "It''s an old friend of mine, someone who doesn''t know how to joke." Chapter 864: Deus Ex Machina Chapter 864: Deus Ex Machina ? Lilia pulled a hand-sized humanoid steel golem out of her pocket and lifted it before Arad, "Let me introduce you, this is the current..." "I''ll speak," the golem jumped from her hand and expanded in a crackle of lighting into the size of a human. As hended, the ground beneath his feet cracked as he stared at Arad, his eyes sparking with power. "Have you heard of the true neutral ne? The world ofw and order, the paradise of the machines, Mechanus. I''m the version 1000.01.3 of their mechanical god, Millenniumous." His voice crackled like arching lightning, whatever was standing before Arad didn''t have a soul. "Nope, never heard of you." Arad replied and immediately swung a fist at Millenniumous''s face. Millenniumous remained still and didn''t move a spring, and Arad''s fist stopped right before his face. "Why don''t you dodge or block?" "By my calction, you weren''t trying to hit me. The st would destroy the university and that halfling would be pissed." He pointed back at Betty, "And, you''ve already noticed, right? The one standing before you isn''t me, but a mere soulless puppet controlled from far away." He giggled, "I didn''t move my anus from MechAnus..." Lilia immediately jolted him with a bolt of lightning, "Shut up! That isn''t funny, even to me. It doesn''t help that your lower torso is Mechanus itself." She then looked at Arad, "He was once called Primous, he''s the machine god of Mechanus. You might''ve known him with one of his countless names, with each version it changes 1.1 is Primous, 2.1 is Secondous, and so on." "Still, I''ve never heard of him." Arad waved his hand and ripped the ropes tying Betty and Luminous. "What brought you here?" "I was the cosmic police before void dragons came to be. My endless army of steel golems would march across the world to find and eliminate cosmic threats." Millenniumous said, lifting his hand and trying to mimic humans, "Now, I''ve taken a back seat and I''m only doing detective work, spying across the outer world with my disposable golems to monitor abomination activities." "What does that have to do with me? I''ve gone to the outer world once, but I''m not going there again." Arad replied with a passive face. He wants toy low and enjoy his time with his wives, going outside might mean him getting cursed again. "Jordan is still alive. Vorvadoss''s cultists teleported him to the outer world." Millenniumous said with a t tone, "You''ve beaten Vorvadoss so much that he gave up on life and fell into an abyssal depression. The cultists have already transferred Vorvadoss''s power into Jordan''s dying body." "What do you mean by that? I killed Jordan with my hands." Arad gasped. "He was getting power from Vorvadoss which made him a perfect vessel. While Vorvadoss is dead for now and Jordan has taken upon his powers, when Nyar, that man d in yellowes back, he''ll resurrect Vorvadoss." Millenniumous pointed at Arad, "Before that, I''m certain Jordan would seek you with vengeance, I''ve already lost a thousand bots trying to eliminate him." He pointed to himself, "Like this one I''m speaking to you through." "By the way..." Lilia pointed at Millenniumous, "Don''t let his size fool you, this bastard stores massive war golems inside a storage spell and pulls them out to fight. This one bot is almost half as strong as Tiamat." "I have billions of bots, but I can''t activate them all at the same time as Ick the energy to support that. But I can send around a thousand of them at the same time." Millenniumous looked at Arad, "I''vee here to warn you. It''s my job as the cosmic intelligence to report to all of the cosmic police. Your kind, the void dragons are the ones to hunt monsters on the edges of the world, and I''m the one to investigate outside it." "This matter concerns me more than anyone else so..." Arad looked at him. "Yeah, I''m only informing you, unless you want otherwise." Millenniumous started floating, "And...by the way... I might''ve dropped an inevitable after you...don''t die. Think of it as a training." He shrunk down and flew into Lilia''s pocket. "That''s it for me. Don''t die..." She disappeared in a sh. Betty and Luminous finally could speak, "Run!" Luminous growled. "It''s here!" Betty yelled at him. The office''s door slowly opened, and a maid stared from the crack at Arad, her steel eyes shing with lightning. Luminous pped her hands together and teleported away with Arad and Betty. "Grandma, that thing, what is it?" Betty growled, "I never sensed such magic in my life." "Inevitable are forces sent to hunt stray gods and demigods, this thing is what would''ve eventuallye for Korah and Jordan." Luminous looked around. "Forget shaking them off, the only option is to destroy them." "I still don''t understand, that Millenniumous hunk of steel sent it?" Arad looked at them. "Yeah. Usually, they are like cockroaches, kill one, and ten show up. But since this is a training from Millenniumous and Lilia, I doubt that more woulde out. You only need to defeat this one." Luminous smiled, "Void boy, you''ve finally started seeing true danger. What level are you?" "Haven''t checked in a while, but I''m sure I''ve already surpassed 100." Arad replied and Luminous stared at him, her light flickering, "Are you serious?" "Yeah..." Arad nodded. "Fine, run. I''ll deal with that thing." The sky above them rumbled asrge ck cracks expanded, the maid fell down from the sky engulfed in fire and lighting. The earth around them rumbled as she stood up. "Where are we? We''re far away, right?" Arad gasped. "A demi-ne like the one your brother blew up." Luminous giggled, "She even followed us here. It seems the rumors are true, they could move freely through dimension." At that moment, the air stopped moving and Arad stood still. Everyone, even the inevitable yer could feel it, the dreadful aura growing around Arad. He slowly turned toward, her, a cube in his hand. "You can get inside?" He said, his eyes burning with his magic. "I can." She replied. Arad immediately pointed at the cube, "Get inside and pull her out. Now!" "Make me." She replied with a passive face, lightning exploding from her back. Arad''s body shed in magic as he transformed into his draconic form, towering over her. "Get her out, scrap bucket." He lifted his w and swung it down, ripping the inevitable''s left arm. She didn''t even flinch, her eyes slowly moved to look at her arm, "Damage detected...order rejected, initiating destruction mode. Target''s health, 100%, missionpletion 0%." As lightning sparked from her shattered arm, the broken pieces flew up and melted together as her arm repaired itself in the blink of an eye. "My wife is locked inside, I''ll not y human games with you. Either get inside and pull her out, or I''ll rip you apart right here and now." Arad''s body started lightning up with energy as he started crushing matter, charging for a massive st. "You don''t have administrative authority, only Millenniumous." Her eyes spazzed around as she searched the collective library of the world of order for a suitable word. "Deus Ex Machina." Luminous grabbed Betty and ran away, "He''s about to blow off!" she gasped as they zipped away, radiating and chasing them at the speed of light. **** "Do you think he''ll win?" Millenniumous said, standing on Lilia''s desk at the topyer of the mage''s tower. "You can watch the fight through the inevitable''s eyes. Do that." Lilia stared at him with a bored face, "I too want to watch." "That''ll take preciousputing power from her. I''d rather not interfere a single bit to get urate data on him." Millenniumous waved his hand, "Precision is key to all machines. That''s why our world is called the ne ofw and order." At that moment, the tower shook with an impact and Lilia gasped, "What''s going on? The outer barrier shattered?" She waved her hand to conjure a panel of magic, but Millenniumous pointed at the window.N?v(el)B\\jnn She slowly turned her head and saw Arad''s massive eye ring at them with burning rage. His head slowly moved, and he spat the destroyed inevitable through the window at them. "Millenniumous..." Arad growled, "You can freely teleport through dimensions?" Arad shifted back into his human form and jumped inside. "Wait...you defeated her?" Millenniumous gasped, "I didn''t get a notice of her destruction..." He looked at the sparking hunk of steel before him, stunned. Arad didn''t bother replying and pulled the cube where Zephyr was trapped, "Get inside and get Zephyr out. Now." "We machine can move, but we can''t take anything living with us. Even if I can get in and out, I can''t pull her with me." Millenniumous replied and pointed at the destroyed inevitable, "She can''t pull her out either." "Then how do you get inside? I''ll pull her out myself." Arad growled. "First, answer me. How did you beat her?" Millenniumous growled. "I juggled her back and forth through the curse of existence. In a world where neither time nor space exist, she seemed to fail at everything. She instantly stopped working and I crushed her to bits." Arad replied it was Doma''s domain. "All of my machines use time and space and coordinate and references to act, learn, and predict attacks. If you ripped them out of those two they''ll get confused and it''ll take too long to correct the errors." Millenniumous giggled, "Found a new bug." Chapter 865: The Worth of Life, and A Guest From Afar Chapter 865: The Worth of Life, and A Guest From Afar ? "How funny..." Arad said, his muscles expanding as the veins on his body bulged. The ground beneath his feet started shaking as he red down at Millenniumous. "I too found a bug... one that''s made of steel and is standing before me." Lilia''s office door got kicked open and a wizard yelled, pointing his staff at them. "Drop the magic!" He cast [Anti-magic Field] Arad opened his mouth and a massive beam of blue energy burst forth at the wizard, followed by a horrifying stream of fire. As the mes faded, a hole enough for an elephant to pass through was left in Lilia''s office, she stood there before the wizard, protecting him with a glowing barrier. "You fool, the anti-magic field doesn''t work on him. He isn''t using magic after all, he might''ve used his magic to create that st inside his stomach, but what came out was a natural phenomenon." She looked at Arad with his mouth smoking, "Only I and that golem can stop him. Tell everyone to hide." She teleported the wizard away, even though she too was caught in the anti-magic field. Lilia then turned toward Millenniumous, "Show him. Arad can''t see anything ahead of him when someone he knows is involved, especially those he considers his wives." Millenniumous lifted his arm, "Fine, but you''ll do the learning yourself." A book appeared above his palm, "Have fun." Arad snatched the book and flipped through the pages, it was a detailed guide about teleportation magic, the location of dimensions, and how to move through them. But, due to how precise the moves and magic are, usually, only the caster could do it. Even if Arad were to learn everything in the book, he''d only be able to visit Zephyr, not bring her out. "At least, a start." Arad stored the book in his stomach, "I''ll figure something out with Merlin''s help." He looked at Lilia, "You''ve been a pain since I first met you. But thank you for the help today." He smiled. "I''ve only told Millenniumous what he must do." Lilia waved her hand and the hole behind her got fixed. "He''s quite dense." "I''m made of steel." Millenniumous said and looked at his hand, "Can I ask you something? Arad Orion." "You''ve already done, what do you want?" Arad looked at him with a passive face. "What is the value of a single mortal life? I''ve never been alive once, neither are my machines." Millenniumous looked at Arad with glowing eyes. "Life itself is worth nothing more than the dirt it walks upon. Actions are what determine something''s worth, even people." Arad stared back at Millenniumous. "So...since we''re constantly working... we got worth. We''ve lived in the world, yet were never alive." Millenniumous mumbled.N?v(el)B\\jnn "That''s it. Just as my sword is probably worth more to me than a random bandit, you''re the same." Arad started floating, "A golem, soulless tool. But that doesn''t matter, what matters is what you believe in." ZON! Arad teleported away. Millenniumous fell on his butt and looked up, "Yeah...he''s right. We live through our actions." He slowly looked back at Lilia, "You were right about him, he''s something else." Liliaughed, "What is a god doing asking a mortal above the worth of life?" "I already know about him, don''t act as if I know nothing." He stood and looked at her, "You told me he''s still too young, you were lying." "I never lie, he''s indeed young. Less than a year old." Lilia smiled, "He might as well be a newborn." "Age is rtive, a one-year-old ant is already a grandpa, and might even be dead. A year for him, he''s already beating inevitables whom demigods run from, hiding in terror for centuries." With a burst of fire, jets exploded from beneath Millenniumous''s feet and he started flying with lightning cracking from his back and hands. "Humans, if they knew the monster standing beside them...they would rather saw down their limbs, gouge their eyes, and rip their skin off than breath the same air as him." He red at Lilia, "That''s a far more reasonable decision than risking getting him angry. You better get him out of the mortal world as soon as possible." He flew away. **** Back in the university, Arad had returned and was heading back to his ss. The moment he approached, he could see arge tiger beast man standing at the door, shouting at the students inside. "I said it''s time!" Therge beast-man shouted, roaring at the ss. Arad approached from the back, and walked inside, hitting him with his shoulder. "Excuse me..." Arad said and started heading toward his seat. "You! Who are..." The man shouted at Arad, but he fell silent the moment Arad red back at him. Both of them were massive, hulking beasts of muscles that could barely fit through the door. "I said excuse me." Arad replied, "We''re both toorge to fit through the door, let alone with you standing there." Arad''s eyes started shing with purple magic. "Either enter or get out, don''t stand in the door." The man was about to speak, but he sighed, "Fine..." Heplied and walked into the ss, "I''ve got more important things to deal with." His eyes shifted toward Matilda, "You''reing back home, it''s already time." "I''m not going back. How many times I''ve told you to get out." She growled and then stared at Arad, "He listens to you. Why didn''t you tell him to get out instead of in?" "Don''t drag me into this..." Arad sighed, "Teacher Lucia, this is your job, right." "He isn''t listening to me. I''ve told him to get out countless times, but..." She looked a bit troubled. "I''m not going out without her." The man pointed at Matilda. "Matilda." Arad looked at her, "Want to go back with him?" "Of course not! I''m staying here." She growled back, and the man immediately shouted, "Time is up, you''ve been here long enough. You''reing back home with me and it''s final." Arad nodded and extended his hands forth, grabbing Matilda from beneath her armpits and lifting her up from her chair. She gasped, and he put her on hisp. "Wha...what are you doing?!" Matilda cried, as did most of the ss. "Come..." Arad looked at the man, "Come take her if you want." Lucia couldn''t use magic to st him away for one reason, he''d already gotten too close. He''ll knock her out before she can cast magic. At this distance, only martial artists can fight. Veins bulged on the man''s face as he growled, his ears ttened and his ws extended out. "You cheeky youngster... Get your hands off her..." He lunged at Arad, swinging his w at blinding speed. CLANG! As if steel hit steel, Arad blocked the man''s ws with his forearm without even standing in his chair. Matilda was still sitting on hisp, "Bring it on. You''ll never reach her." The man could see it, Matilda wasn''t sitting on thep of a man, but in the embrace of a massive monster. The maiden between the dragon''s ws, like a ripe fruit in the middle of a wasp''s nest, getting her is nearly impossible. The man roared and started swinging his ws as fast as he could, aiming to cleave Arad''s head from his neck, but all attacks ended up deflected by Arad''s left arm. The whole ss rumbles and the other students stare in terror, it was the first time they saw Arad fight up close. This reminded me of them when he fought the bear and tiger while Mira sat between his legs. The moment the barrage slowed down, Arad swung his right hand and pped the man in the face hard enough to rip his teeth out and send him flying out of the window. He even had time to deflect all the droplets of blood and prevent them from hitting him or Matilda. Matilda stared at Arad''s face, a mixture of terror and awe ran through her mind, she knew he was fast and strong, but not like this. "Wait...is he alive?!" she gasped, looking at the window. "Why care?" Arad asked. "That''s my dad." She cried, "You didn''t kill him, did you?" She looked down at her father''s fangs stuck to the wall, Arad pped him that hard. "AHHH! He''ll get even dumber now..." "Wait... So, he''s your dad?" Arad grabbed her by the shirt and stood up, lifting her up like a little kitten. "What are you doing?" Matilda looked at him, and he took her and jumped out of the window,nding beside her injured father. Arad pulled out a healing potion and poured it on him. Her father immediately jolted back to life, "You bastard, what was that?!" He roared. Arad dropped Matilda on the ground, "Sorry for interfering, here she is. I thought you were some stranger..." He looked at them. While Matilda looked mostly human, her father had a tiger''s head and was covered in fur. "Wait! You were protecting me just now, why the change of heart." Matilda growled at Arad, "Don''t stop now." "The situation changed, he''s your father." Arad replied. Chapter 866: The Punt Gun Chapter 866: The Punt Gun ? "NO! It doesn''t matter!" Matilda waved her arm, "Kick him away!" She pointed at her father, "I''m not going back." Matilda''s father stared between her and Arad, stopping at him. "Did she find a mate?"N?v(el)B\\jnn "No." Arad replied... "We''re just ssmates." "She ran out of home, for years she kept failing hunts one after another and never managed to find a spot in the n. I''ve finally found her a mate and a home to live in, she doesn''t need to keep running away." Matilda''s father stood and looked at Arad with glowing eyes, "She ran to find a mate, but I''ve found her one first." "That wasn''t a race! And who''s the fool you''re talking about?" Matilda growled, "I know better than anyone that any tiger marrying me is a fool." She pointed at her father, her tail spiking out. "That''s a YOU problem..." Her father sighed, and she admitted it herself. "Why don''t you want toe back." "Because you never answer my questions. Who is it?" She growled and hid behind Arad. "Hey, don''t drag me into your family problems." "It''s not a tiger." Her father said with a smile, "Your mother told me that you looked into the lions a lot, I''ve looked among their ns and I''ve found who was looking for another mate, preferably a solo hunter that doesn''t rely on stealth like we do." While most tigers prowl in silence and hunt solo, Matilda is too loud and finds it irritating to stalk prey, which makes her an extremely bad hunter by tiger standards. But for what the lions wanted, which was also rare to them, Matilda seemed like a good candidate. Matilda started thinking about it... "Are arranged marriages like thatmon?" Arad asked. "I won''t say they are umon, but they are well known. Especially for someone like me, such a thing is normal as I can''t find a mate myself." Matilda replied, "But still, you''ve got everything right except that I don''t want to marry someone I don''t know." "That''s why I want you to go back and meet him. You can decideter." Her father sighed. "I''ve got school, I''m not going back for months." She growled at him. "You want me to get kicked out from here or something? Do you know how much money I had to pay to get in?" "I know...I paid for it." He replied. "No, you didn''t, I worked as an adventurer to get it." She shouted. "Hunting quests that were continently untouched and suited your hunting style, and paid almost double what they do...yeah..." He giggled, "I''ve put those in the guild for you since they informed me you were starving and sleeping on the street." Matilda froze for a few seconds... her face burned red in both shame and anger, "Wait...we didn''t have that kind of money!" She growled. "Since you were hunting, I''ve technically only paid half after selling the hunts I got. A quarter of it was your living expenses and I had to hunt extra for thest quarter. You can say that I paid half and you half." He smiled, "And don''t get me talked about getting epted here." "Don''t tell me..." She gasped. "Due to your horrendous written test results, you were about to get kicked out...if I didn''t work something out with the headmaster." He sighed. "That halfling wanted a snow wyvern heart in exchange for her letting you in." "What?!" Arad sighed, ^I bet Betty didn''t really need the wyvern''s heart. She could hunt it herself, she must''ve only asked him to do it, so he''d have done something.^ "And what about you..." Her father looked at Arad with a smile, "Your skin is as tough as steel, I''ve never seen such a human before. Even the best hunters in the n won''t be able to beat you..." He rubbed his chin, "I''m willing to let her stay if you''ll be her mate, what do you say?" "Sorry, I''m already married." Arad replied with a passive face. "He''s married, to a lot." Matilda growled. "Multiple, interesting. Like the lions, he got a pride. No wonder she''s sticking around you." He looked at Arad with glowing eyes, "To the lions, the stronger the man is, the more women flock around him. Their women take pride in marrying strong men with multiple wives." "I''m not a lion." Arad smiled. "I''m only making aparison." Matilda''s father approached Arad and extended his hand for a shake, "The name Zara, what about you?" "Aron, nice to meet you." As they shook hands, Zara tried to squeeze Arad''s hand as hard as he could, but Arad didn''t even react, he couldn''t feel the difference. As they finished the shake, Matilda looked at her father, "I''m surprised, you didn''t grip his hand tightly like you always do..." "No..." Her father said with a worried face, "I did..." He looked at Arad, "He didn''t react." "You did? Sorry, I didn''t feel it." Arad''s raw durability was far higher than most living beings, he''s a massive dragon and Zara''s grasp only amounted to what a little bird would feel to a human, he couldn''t even tell the difference between a normal grip and a strong one. "Aron!" Mira rushed toward Arad, dragging arge, six-foot-tall musket on arge cart. "Look what I''ve made!" She waved her arm with arge smile on her face. Since she became a demi-god Arad didn''t need to supply her with as much mana as he did before, she could cover up the needs herself. And now she''s been busy trying to make a weapon for Arad and infuse it with her divine magic. But, sadly she kept failing as she was still at the early stage of being a demi-goddess. Inventionse with time, research, and experience. The stronger she gets as a demi-god, the more potent the weapon he''ll make will be, and for now, she''s trying to make anything that doesn''t explode. She stopped and looked at them, "Aron, who''s the big cat?" "Cat?" Zara gasped. "Matilda''s father." Arad replied, "My father." Matilda said at the same time. "Nice to meet you, weapon smith. I''m called Zara, a hunter from the beast kingdom, and this is my daughter." He smiled. "Mira, I''m one of Aron''s wives." She said with a smile. Zara could feel it, a strange feeling of white looking at Mira, the faint golden glow in her eyes gave him the creeps. They burned with a disturbing power, sending shivers down his spine. He didn''t know he was standing before a demi-god, and that might be for the best. "I see...Sir Aron here got a nice taste. Getting a weapon smith into the family is a good way to amass power." Zara smiled, it wasn''t umon for royalty, some nobles, and especially the lion n to marry cksmiths to monopolize their weapons. Zara''s eyes shifted toward the massive gun she hauled all the way here. "Weren''t you in ss?" Arad asked as he looked at her. "We''ve got a break, and when I saw you here, I thought I''d bring the gun for you to test." She smiled, "Already got Betty''s approval." "The headmaster..." Zara smiled, "And even got some good connections as well. I''d expect nothing from you." Arad scratched his head... "Fine...It''s one shot and done." He lifted the massive gun with one hand. "It''s big." Matilda gasped. "It weighs almost 70kg, or 150 pounds in elvish. It''s a weapon they devolved to be fired from small ships as a cannon, usually called the punt gun. It shoots massive steel or iron balls." She looked at Arad, "You''ve got a few, right?" Arad nodded and looked at the gun. "The recoil would be fatal." Zara said, "If it was designed to be fired from a ship, I''d suggest at least holding it with both hands and bracing for a broken cor bone or some ribs." His eyes shifted to Mira, "Unless she did something to make it usable." "I increased the size of the gunpowder chamber to increase its firepower. Didn''t make it easier to fire though." Mira replied with a smile. "Do you want to cripple your husband or something?" He sighed. Arad nodded, "I like it, but it''s a bit small..." He pointed it at the sky with one hand. "Got a target?" "Those wooden barrels over there. I''ve filled them with water." Mira pointed. "Hoi! Hold it with two hands..." Zara gasped. Without a single drop of hesitation, Arad pointed the massive gun at the barrels and fired it with one hand, sting the first barrel into pieces. The st alone was loud enough to hurt Matilda''s ears, her father managed to close his ears in time. "He shot it with one hand..." Zara gasped, his mouth refusing to close. But, Arad wasn''t done yet. He immediately reloaded it straight from his stomach and fired again, and again, a total of five shots, sting each barrel that Mira prepared. "I like it." Arad smiled, "It''ll be amazing when I want to keep something alive instead of killing it." Lucianded beside them, "What are you doing? Aron, Matilda, get back to ss." She sighed and looked at Zara, "Can I ask you to leave? Or at least wait until the headmaster is here? You can''t just take a student out of their ss." She sighed, "We''ve had a lot of..." Her eyes red at Arad, "Students missing their sses." Chapter 867: A Betting Betty Chapter 867: A Betting Betty ? "I couldn''t help it, could I?" Arad gasped, staring at Lucia. "No excuses, back to ss, both of you." Lucia sent Arad and Matilda back to ss and red at Zara, "Don''te to the ss without the headmaster. Order must be maintained, just as you won''t like it if someone''s father came and started arguing in ss while your daughter is studying, you must not bother others." Mira picked up her cart and went back to her ss''s workshop as Lucia returned to Arad''s ss. Zara silently headed back to his inn to wait, he couldn''t barge again into the ss even if he wanted, not with Arad still inside. He wasn''t stupid enough to challenge him again. When Arad returned to ss, Matilda looked at him moments before Lucia would arrive. "You really sold me in a heartbeat." "He''s your dad. I''ll do what I can if he''s a stranger, but I''ll not mess with your family''s problems." Arad replied with a straight face. "What happened." Selina asked and Matilda exined what happened to her. "So, you''re going back?" "I don''t know...my father''s head is as hard as stone. He won''t back down now that he''s here." Matilda red at Arad, "He could''ve just kicked him away, but he didn''t." "He shouldn''t get involved in your family''s problem. You aren''t his wife," Selina sighed, and Lucia walked into the ss, "Everyone gets back to your ces, we''ll continue." Just as the ss was about to end, the door got kicked open once again. Lucia immediately growled, "How many times I''ve told you..." She growled and red straight out, but saw nothing. "Are by any chance referring to calling me short earlier?" A voice came in and Lucia looked down, seeing Betty standing at the door. "No! I didn''t mean..." She gasped, but Betty locked her in a ss bottle with the flick of a finger, "You''ll stay there for a while." She walked and jumped on Lucia''s desk, kicking everything on it to the ground, and looked at the students with a smile. "Now, I can look at you." She was happy that she had be a bit taller than them. Arad stood, and he was taller. "GET DOWN!" She yelled at him. He was only messing with her, "Chairman, what brought you here..." He smiled. "You..." She growled, and then cleared her throat, "I''ve got informed of what happened, and I''m honestly a bit too exhausted." She smiled, "So, I want you to do a job for me, the whole ss." "What are you talking about?" Matilda looked at her with a confused face. "Your ss and the artificer ss will go on a field trip to the beast kingdom, specifically to the lion''s n to collect herbs and minerals, a field study. You''ll be staying in the tiger''s n, Matilda''s home vige." Betty smiled, and Matilda paled, "Her father Zara would be your guide, and the royal army led by Princess Isdis would be your guards. Her Highness seems to have some political business to attend and she agreed to take you with her."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om All the students cheered, a field trip, and with the princess no less... The only one who looked terrified was Matilda, "Why! No, I''m not going back." She cried. Betty ignored her and waved a finger, "And guess who''sing with you all as well? It''s none other than the archmage of Alina, Merlin. You never get to meet a wizard like her, be sure to look closely and learn as much as you can from her." "Why them..." Arad held his head, almost smacking the table down, "I wanted to rx and read my book...Zul also needs healing and I''m close..." He mumbled. "When are we going?" One of the students asked. "This evening." Betty pped her hands, "You better get ready, sses for the day are postponed, you''ll do them in the field." "Wait what?! I didn''t hear anything about that!" Lucia gasped. "I just got the letter from the princess, we must strike the iron while it''s hot." Betty replied with a smile and waved her hand to Arad, calling him. "Aron, you''re massive and strong. Do you care to help me carry some things?" Arad stood and sighed, "What are you nning?" He walked with her outside the ss, "I wanted to rx with my wives for a while." "You''re taking Mira and Isdis with you. Added to that, there is a mountain with a vast amount of mana in the beast kingdom, you and Merlin can use that energy to try and free Zephyr. Isdis is going to negotiate for that and she also wants to reopen trade with the beast kingdom, which would benefit your domain greatly." Betty smiled, "You and your people. I''m certain they''d love a new source for meat, hide, and monster parts." "We can farm most of themon herbs, but monster ingredients like poison nds must be hunted. It''ll be cheaper if local hunters and adventurers hunted them, but as a safety it would be best if I could also buy them from outside." Arad scratched his head, "Is this all Isdis''s n?" "It was mostly Roberta''s idea to trade with them, she''ll be apanying Isdis." Betty smiled, "I''ve got some interesting news, some old friends of yours are taking shelter in the beast kingdom." "Old friends? I don''t have old friends." Arad tilted his head. "Oh, you do... You''ll meet them when you get there this night." She waved her hand, "For now, we need to get some things ready first." "The heavy things you wanted me to carry?" Arad nodded. "That''s a lie. There isn''t something that you can carry that I can''t just teleport with magic." Betty jumped and sat on his shoulder, "Grandma wanted to check your stats. You''ve been running from them for a while." "They are secondary, I get more power bybining magic and my own abilities. Like time slow, I can elerate more than any amount of stat can give." Arad waved his hand and created a magic circle. "I know that dragons are monsters. You don''t usually care about stats. A level one dragon is still a whole dragon capable of destroying a kingdom." She shook her head and legs, tapping on Arad''s chest. "It doesn''t scale that well. One stat point every level would be a lot for a human, but for me, it''s like giving a human 0.01 stat each time they level up...most would just ignore it." He clenched his fist. "And look, the older I get, the stronger I be." Arad smiled, "And thus, I came with a n." "What n? I''ll give you a rating." Betty smiled. "I ignore leveling up and focus on mastering my inborn powers and abilities, and aging if possible. That would probably allow me to reach the great wyrm stage in a year or two...I can then spend just a few days farming monsters to level up quickly." He smiled. "Six out of ten, you''ll destroy more than ten ecosystems before getting any decent result. It''s better to hunt slowly so nature can recover." She smacked him on the head. "What if I said I''ve got a solution to that?" He smiled. "I''ll carry you on my back all the way to grandma if you''ve got a decent idea, heck, I''ll even polish your shoes, I''m short after all..." She giggled. "Don''t back down..." **** Fifteen minutester, Betty''s office opened and her grandma Luminous sighed, "Betty, what took..." She was about to ask but quickly gasped as she saw Betty crawling on all fours with Arad sitting on her back, cross-legged. She was sweating buckets, visibly exhausted, "Betty?!" Luminous cried. "Lost a bet, shut up..." Betty growled, slowly crawling to the couch where Arad sat. She stood and wobbled her way to her cab, mumbling, "Where did I put that wax?" "What bet?" Luminous asked with a confused face. "It''s about how to level up quickly." Arad exined what he and Betty talked about and then went to exin his n. "Since I know Abel, who is a devil. I''ll get him to take me to hell to kill sinners and level up," Arad smiled, "Devils don''t care about sinners, in fact, they celebrate their suffering so I can do that. And, sinners are immortal so they''ll quicklye back to live, and I''ll kill them for more experience." Arad kept talking with Luminous as Betty cleaned and polished his ck leather boots. "I''ve already trashed ayer of hell, I bet I''ll be pretty safe. And just to be careful, I''ll make sure Abel rises in rank in the nine hells, so he can be... my tourist guide." Arad looked at Betty with a smile, "We''ll leave the message forter. I don''t really need it for now." Betty looked away, she had made a second bet right after losing, wanting to void the first, but she ended up losing again. "Betty! What I told you about Betting?" Luminous growled, "As who named me Betty..." She cried. "She asked me what would I do in case Abel betrayed me and I couldn''t go to hell. I told her that I could go to the abyss with my wife Merida and level up there, I could also get Sara, Abel''s brother to get me into hell." He looked at Luminous with a smile, "Good ns, right." Luminous sighed, "All dragons n and conjure schemes constantly in their minds. It''s Betty''s fault for trying to outsmart a dragon, and in something he''s been thinking of for a long time." She stood, "So...can we get to it? Checking your stats? I''m really excited to see what you''ve got... you''ve seen me naked several times, so you won''t mind, right?" She smiled. "I can''t even see you..." Arad blinked twice, to him, it was like staring at a sun floating in the middle of the room. She still hasn''t figured out a way to turn it off. Chapter 868: Setting Off To the Beast Land. Chapter 868: Setting Off To the Beast Land. ? Luminous looked at Arad''s stats{You''ll find them in an auxiliary chapter at the start of the book. I didn''t want to add them here as they are too long and would increase both the size and price of the chapter.} and scratched her head... "Level 144, but you''re still a Juvenile, with this much power?" she gasped. "Am I really that strong?" Arad tilted his head and she nodded, "Extremely strong for your age. I would say it''s strange how much power you hold. But still, most of it seems to be left out of the system as expected." "Is that normal?" Betty asked. "Yeah." Luminous smiled, "The system is created by Aria, the archangel to give the weak a fighting chance against the horrors of this world. It''s not designed to give more power to already strong creatures. Arad here is amassing power in his own outside of the system, which is a good thing." "He won''t have to worry about people finding his abilities or gettingpromised with other abilities." Betty waved her hand and created a magic circle, hitting Arad with it. "No effect, so this is what you meant before." "That was light magic." Arad looked at his arm, he was unharmed. "System immunity and natural immunity are two different things. System immunity can bepromised with other system abilities, but natural immunity cannot. Natural immunity also won''t show on the system, no one is going to tell you that humans are immune to low wind pressure. But a breeze won''t hurt you." She tried to exin it. "Your dark void absorbs light, giving you a weak immunity to light, to an upper threshold." She hit him with a small beam, and gave a small burn, "Me and grandma can easily surpass that threshold." "Now that I''ve seen your stats I''m satisfied. It might be a bit early, but you''re already breaking from the shackles of the system. Carve your own path, or die trying, void kid." She disappeared in a sh. "What was that about?" Arad sighed, "After bringing me all the way here to see my stats." "Even I don''t understand what my grandma is thinking about. All I know is that she knows what she''s doing." Betty shook her head, "And...she can make us those." She pointed at two massive mirrors that she had resting on the wall. "Teleportation gates..." Arad blinked twice, "Wait...those are for us?"N?v(el)B\\jnn "Yeah, she made them so the trip to the beast kingdom won''t take long. You''ll get there in a single day." Betty scratched her head, "I wanted to teleport you straight to Matilda''s vige... but that was in the territory of the eternal beast queen Hati. She''ll rip us apart if we do that." "The beast queen... I''ve seen her before. She seemed like a sly fox to me." Arad sat on one of the chairs and put one leg on another, "I could feel a strange powering from her, but I couldn''t figure out what it was." "She''s an eternal creature." Betty replied with a serious face. "What''s the difference between eternal and immortal?" Arad asked, "I know that immortality has two types, age immortality and true immortality where you can''t die or be killed." "She is eternal, she will never age or get killed. Her mana will never run out, her health won''t deteriorate, her rule over the beast kingdom will never fall, and the wild nature of her domain will remain undisturbed, her existence itself is what preserves the forests of the beast kingdom. She''ll always be there until the end of time, she''s an indestructible existence by all the meaning of the word." Betty waved her hand, "Imagine her like the world itself, or time, or space, those things always existed, and will always be." "How strong is she?" Arad asked. "Since bing a god would prevent her from being the eternal queen of the beast kingdom, she''s staying mortal. But, Maharaja, the divine goddess of the hunt has said something about Hati." Betty red at Arad, "She is my silver sister, we stood w to w, fang to fang, and one life to another. One pride, one honor, and one hunting pack." "And that means..." "Maharaja says that Hati is as strong as her and that she''lle down to fight by her side if got in any battle. When she said silver sister, she didn''t mean a real sister, they both got married to the same person, and that''s why she mentions one pride." Betty exined, "Be careful of her, there isn''t a single person in this world who dares to offend her." Arad stood, "Understood... I''ve got my fair share of fighting gods." Arad knew firsthand how annoying and painful it was to fight against a lesser god, and now just imagining how long a fight against Maharaja would be, he doesn''t want any part of that. "By the way...Isdis said she''ll bring some people with her." Betty said as she saw Arad leaving the office, "Who?" "Tina and Serina areing, Ignis as well. Isdis said that Serina had started walking so she''s bringing them with her on a vacation." Betty smiled, "I asked for security, and she simply. Arad will be there so there won''t be any problems." "Really?!" Arad said with arge smile, "Since when did she start walking?" "Two days ago, wait, this is the part you''re worried about? How about protecting them?" Betty giggled. "As long as I''m there it''s okay. I bet she brought Ignis to protect Serina and y with her." He smiled, "Thank you for telling me, I''m looking forward to seeing them." He walked out. Betty smiled, "I wish I could go with you...but..." She pulled her drawer, there was a massive pile of papers. "Work piled up..." **** Several hourster all the students had gathered, Arad was standing on the side with his bag alongside Mira, Matilda, and Selina. "Look, it''s their princess''s carriage." One of the students gasped, waving his hand. The royal caravan stopped and Isdis looked at them, waving her hand with a smile at the student who waved at her first. "She looked at me!" He cried. As Arad looked closer at Isdis, he noticed the weird smile on her face. "This bastard." He giggled. That was Abel, not Isdis. While his shop is working on its own, he seems to be making a lot of money as a body double for Isdis. Lucia sighed and walked forth with an exhausted face, she had ns for this night and tomorrow, but this sudden trip trashed all of that. She waved her hand, "You''ll be using the carriages provided by Her Highness due to their durability and magic defenses, they were reinforced by archmage Merlin herself, be careful not to damage them." She handed the students papers with numbers. "Ride in the carriages holding your numbers and don''t get out unless told to. It''s one of Merlin''s magic restrictions so don''t break it, it''s for your safety." She waved her hands and the students started getting into their carriages. Arad, Mira, Matilda, and Selina all had the same number, 7. Matilda looked at her paper, "Mira is Aron''s wife so I understand why she''s with him, but why us too?" "Each carriage holds four people." Selina pointed at the other students. "It''s probably just for that reason." Matilda sighed, "I''m not a fan...you didn''t protect me..." She looked at Arad. "Oh...but he''s my husband, not yours." Mira hugged his arm, "He''ll protect me, not you." "That isn''t my problem! He was protecting me at first, what I didn''t like was him selling me in a heartbeat." She growled. "Since that was your father." Mira replied to her with a smile as they got into the carriage. "Wait..." Matilda gasped as noticed the carriage was farrger on the inside than it looked from the outside. At a nce, it was clear from the outside that the carriage could mostly fit four people inside, but now it''s asrge as a room. It was even furnished like a guest room. "Where are we?" Matilda looked at Selina with a confused face. "This is...spatial magic? Why waste such a thing on students?" She looked around with a worried face. "Waste?" Merlin approached them with a smile on her face. "I don''t waste magic." The moment Matilda and Selina saw her they jumped back, "The archmage Merlin..." They didn''t believe the real thing was standing before them. A little girl looked from behind Merlin''s robe and saw Arad... "D...a...d!" she gasped and rushed toward him, tip-tapping as she almost tripped twice. "Serin..." Arad grabbed and lifted her up with arge smile on his face, "You''ve grown so much... look at you running around." Serin giggled, waving her hands, "Dad...dad..." "Wait... you''ve got a daughter?!" Matilda and Selina gasped as they looked at Arad. Tina approached from the back, "Not exactly, she''s my daughter. I''m his maid. You can say he adopted her." As the two were still confused, Isdis approached from the back. "This carriage is the only one that got erged," The moment the two saw her, they kneeled immediately. "I hired sir Aron as my personal guard, that''s why he''s here." She smiled... "To avoid suspicion, you two ended up here as well, so I want to hire you as guards as well." Matilda and Selina couldn''t even speak, they looked at Isdis with confused faces. "Aron is your personal guard, and your Highness want to hire us as well?" Matilda mumbled, and Selina couldn''t even speak properly. "Yes. I''m certain sir Aron would do most of the heavy lifting so you two can rx through the trip." She looked back, "Are you two afraid of monsters?" Matilda blinked twice, "No, I''ll fight them any time." "Well, don''t fight this one. She''s one of Aron''s friends and lives with him," A red wyrmling came from the back, "She''s called Ignis, a red wyrmling. Aron has been taking care of her for a while and she''s now living in his home, I brought her as she''ll be a good guard." Ignis rushed to Arad like an excited puppy, "Father, it''s been a while." Only Arad could understand Ignis''s words. "He giggled, father? When did you start calling me that?" He replied in draconic. "Serin calls you the same...you''re raising me, so I should call you father...Merlin said so..." Ignis replied with arge smile on her face. Arad red at Merlin, "What are you teaching her?" "She''s in the same basket as Serin, isn''t she? Let her be." Merlin waved her hand, "I wanted to bring Yuwaku as well, but she''ll be a problem." "I know..." Arad shook his head, "I''ll meet her when I get back home." He lifted Ignis as he did Serin, "You didn''t grow that much, did your hoard grow any bigger?" While it looked normal to him, Matilda and Selina couldn''t believe their eyes seeing him lift such a massive and heavy monster like it was nothing. "D...a...d" Serin pulled on Arad''s pants. He looked at her, "Want me to carry you as well?" He smiled, lifting Ignis with a single hand and lifting Serin with the other, sending Matilda and Selina into an even bigger shock, he wasn''t even sweating. "Wait...that''s a prideful red wyrmling..." Selina finally started getting back to her senses, "He shouldn''t be able to tame it..." "Wait... you''re right." Matilda gasped. "He didn''t tame her, saved her, and gave her a ce to live in. She''s living with him, not being tamed like an animal." Merlin replied with a smile as she walked to the couch and sat down. "You can rest and rx. The trip would take around a day." As everyone sat down, Matilda and Selina couldn''t stop looking at Arad ying horse with Serin. She rode on his back as he wrestled Ignis on the floor. It looked like two massive dogs fighting with a child riding one of them. Matilda was about to ask Arad why is he fooling around but then remembered how he beat her father while having her sit on hisp. That man is a monster, even while acting like that, he''s still probably keeping watch. "Aron is strong." Isdis said as she sat facing them, "I''ve seen him fight several times and I was surprised each time. I believe he might be one of the best fighters in the kingdom." Selina looked down with a thinking face, "And since he isn''t known...he''ll be cheaper to hire than someone like the dragon yer Alcott." "Exactly." Isdis looked at Arad, "He''s also one of the rare few that still hold value for things other than money." "He''s a dad... I couldn''t have imagined that in a million years." Matilda sighed, "That''s probably why..." She looked at Arad. ^If he''s a father, that might be the reason why he left me for my father.? Selina looked at Mira as she saw her talking with Tina. "Do you mind if I asked something?" "Yeah." Mira smiled. "How does it...you two work..." She looked between her and Tina. "Ah, me." Tina smiled, "I''m only his maid. He picked me up when I was in need. My daughter considers him her father, but we aren''t in any kind of rtionship." She shook her head. "I won''t mind being in a one though." Mira poked her with a smile, "That isn''t for us two to decide on our own. The others would kill us." She giggled. "Please don''t worry, I''ll not cause you any trouble, Lady Mira." Tina replied with a smile. Isdis approached them almost immediately, "Don''t leave me out of the conversation." While those talked about several personal things...Matilda was sitting with Merlin watching Arad y with Ignis and Serin. "It doesn''t make sense, I can''t see him as Aron anymore." Matilda said with a passive face, "He always lookedrge and intimidating, but now he''s rolling on the ground with a kid like a massive cat." "Aron is pretty gentle, he might be a fierce fighter, but he''s mostly a docile man while with his family." Merlin replied. Two hourster...A scream came from the outside as Arad was still ying with Serin and Ignis. Merlin stood, "This is a problem...it''s an adult blue dragon." She growled. Arad lifted Serin and put her on the ground, "I''ll deal with him." She walked toward the door. The blue dragon was roaring andughing. Those carriages looked expensive and he was certain they''d bring riches into his hoard. Zara was ready to fight to the death to protect his daughter who was in the carriages. But at that moment, Arad''s carriage door opened and he slowly appeared. The moment his foot hit the ground, the blue dragon could see an endless wave of darkness exploding out. Terrified to the bones, the dragon immediately flew away as fast as he could. ^Shit! Shit! Shit! What was that monster...why didn''t I feel him.^ "I''ll let you off with this." Arad was already sitting on his neck. Chapter 869: Death Jaw Chapter 869: Death Jaw ? The blue dragon surged with lightning, shing in a brilliant light as he tried to shake Arad off from the back of his neck. "Get off my back!" He roared. Arad''s clenched fist dropped at the dragon''s head with a st, dropping him to the ground with a single hit. The dragon fell behind the forest, his head spinning and throbbing in pain. "I''ll not fault you for trying to hunt an expensive-looking caravan. Don''t get in our way again." Arad jumped from his back and started walking away. "Wait...that magic, I knew I recognized it. You''re the god eater Uranus." The dragon growled. Arad stopped, "I didn''t eat a god... I bit his face off." He replied as he looked back at the dragon, a wave of magic rushing from his back. "That''s the same thing." The blue dragon stood, "I didn''t know that you were in that caravan. I didn''t sense any magic." "I''m currently ying with my daughters so... I''m keeping my magic and power as low as they go." He smiled, "This one standing before you is a clone with a tenth of my power." Arad''s real body was back in the carriage ying with Serin and Ignis, all that mattered to him was keeping this trip safe for them. The blue dragon flew away and Arad''s clone kept flying around, looking for any potential danger to eliminate. All the while Arad himself transformed into a chunky ck rat, dancing on the table with Serin dying withughter. ^{You remind me of Zephyr.}^ Doma giggled, ^{Seeing you like this, it''s like her dancing while drunk seems to be the same. You don''t look at all that powerful.}^ Matilda stared at Arad, drooling. Seeing a fat and soft-looking rat dancing on the table made her hungry, he looked like the perfect snack. With a single hip move, he shifted into a ck squirrel and jumped over Ignis and Serin, gliding above their heads. Serin tried to catch him and Ignis lunged in with a bite. Arad easily dodged Serin''s hands and Ignis''s bite, gliding over her back. Merlin looked out of the window, "We reached the first turn, Aron." She looked at Arad. Arad stopped,nding on Serin''s head, and stared at Merlin, "Do not worry about me. I''ve already finished." He said. Matilda and Selina stared at him, it was strange to hear such a deep voiceing from a squirrel. Merlin nodded, and waved her hand, "Proceed as nned." She sent a message to all drivers. After a few seconds they reached arge mirror set in the road, Merlin had told them about it. All they knew was that it was her magic and would help them get to the beast kingdom safely, and so they rode through them without looking into it. Zara stopped the moment they walked through the mirrors and gasped, "My god...we''re really here...it took me months." He couldn''t believe his eyes, they were already in the beast kingdom. He could tell from the massive trees and humid air, that this ce smelled like home. Arad''s carriage stopped and he walked out with Matilda, "So this is the beast kingdom." Arad looked around with a smile. Matilda looked just as surprised as her father, "Not even three hours had passed. How in the hell did we get here?" She gasped. "It''s the great wizard Merlin''s magic." One of the drivers said with arge smile on his face, "We went through arge glowing mirror and appeared here, simply stunning." Zara nodded, "It''s amazing, I didn''t think I would see my homnd this quick. But...since we''re here...please be careful and follow my every word." He growled. Matilda stared at Arad, "As much as I hate to say it, Father is right. This ce is filled with vicious and wild predators and monsters, unlike anything you''ve ever seen." She pointed at the tree, massive w marks were left on it. "Look there..." Zara pointed at a massive w print on the ground, it wasn''t asrge as those of dragons, but still bigger than ordinary monsters. "This is the wild jungle of northern deathnd giant of the lizards." He looked at Arad, "Don''t ignite a fire, don''t make any loud noises, and don''t cast any shy magic, you''ll only attract their attention." "Let''s hope we didn''t..." When Matilda was about to speak, the trees behind her rustled. Zara started sweating as he slowly reached for his sword. She knew better than anyone, she shouldn''t look back. "Death Jaw...run when I give the signal." Zara whispered as the massive jaw appeared from the trees behind Matilda, a T-rex. "It''s one of those!" Arad said with a smile, stepping past Matilda and tapping her shoulder, "Dinner." He did see one on the ind where he took Isdis before but never saw them again. He always wanted to taste them, but didn''t get the chance. The drivers, Zara, and even Matilda couldn''t believe their ears, Arad wasn''t scared of such a monster but instead sounded happy as he took his shirt off. The T-rex rushed forward and opened his jaw, biting Arad''s torso and pushing him all the way to the giant trees. "You fool!" Zara growled and tried to attack the T-rex, but the beast''s tail almost smacked him down. "Aron!" Matilda shouted, but almost immediately noticed something as the T-rex started hitting his head on the ground, he wasn''t able to close his jaw. Arad was standing there, holding the T-rex''s jaw open with his legs and one hand. "Can''t you breathe anything like fire or lightning?" Arad asked with a smile, "How disappointing, but still, I wonder how you taste." He clenched a fist and punched the T-rex in the face, sending him rolling to the side. For the first time in his life, the T-rex felt pain and fear, it turned aside to run away, but Arad caught him by the tail. "Why are you running?" Arad pulled the T-rex like a doll and threw him back at the trees like a rice bag. The T-rex growled, most of its bones had cracked beneath its own weight and the impact. When Arad walked past Matilda again, she stared at him with a puzzled face. He carried no weapons and didn''t cast any magic, with his raw strength alone, he was toying with the deathn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om jaw. The T-rex tried to stand, but Arad jumped forth and hugged his neck, crushing it in his embrace. The T-rex wheezed as he choked to death, falling on the ground motionless. It was only then that Arad pulled a sword and slit its throat to draw the blood. Using a massive steel chain, he hanged it to two trees with a single jump. "Mira!" Arad waved his hand at the carriage, "I caught us dinner, do you know how could we cook this? Can I eat it raw?" Mira looked out of the carriage''s door and gasped, "Oh my... that''s a big one." She walked out and looked at it, "I can''t cut it. Do you mind doing that?" She pointed at the tail and thighs. "It looks like a chicken so the tights might be good, but the tail looks like it''ll have a lot of meat, try the upper part as it should be tender if it isn''t doing a lot of work." Arad nodded with a smile, "Got it." "Wait! Wait!" Zara gasped, "You''re just going to start cooking it?" He looked at Arad, "It''s rarely that you hear of the death jaw being hunted, and even then, it''ll be an expensive delicacy. People die to hunt it." "Are you sure?" Arad tilted his head, "I didn''t feel like it was particrly strong." He looked at the T-rex, "It''s massive, yes...but nothing after that." "This is a scaly death jaw, they are immune to magic, their growl can paralyze people, and their fangs are coated in deadly poison." Zara gasped, "Let alone their massive size and strength." "Really?" Arad looked at his arms, the T-rex couldn''t injure him so the poison didn''t affect him, and the paralyzing effect also didn''t seem to bother him. "Well, it''s dead so let''s eat." Zara remembered how the blue dragon ran away immediately the moment Arad walked out of the carriage, that doesn''t seem to be a coincidence. Dragons are prideful creatures, running away is something they should do... "Who are you?" He red at Arad. "I''m me..." Arad smiled as he sliced the T-rex into three parts, the head, the torso, and the massive tail. Students slowly walked out of the carriages, and Lucia gasped. "A Scaled Death Jaw!" She looked at Zara, "I didn''t know you could hunt such a monster!" Zara pointed at Arad, "It was him, who is this freak you''re teaching?" Lucia turned to look at Arad, remembering how fast he was and how he fought in the entrance exam. "Ah...I see..." She pped her hands, "Everyone, get ready to harvest the poison." She smiled. "You''re ignoring the situation?!" Zara sighed, he could clearly see that even Lucia didn''t understand how strong Arad was and that she had given up on trying to understand. Chapter 870: Holy Fire Dragon Rider Chapter 870: Holy Fire Dragon Rider ? Arad sliced the T-rex into small pieces and stored the head as a trophy, the other students all gathered around the massive mes to cook the meat. There was no particr cook, everyone just sliced what they wanted from the meat with knives and started grilling it themselves, there was that much meat for them to choose from. The drivers, Isdis, and her guards, everyone started eating, and soon they found something, all the T-rex''s meat was as tough as leather and had a strong pungent smell to it. Most couldn''t even get it close to their mouths, let alone try to chew it. Zara took arge bite and stared at them, "It isn''t considered a delicacy for taste but for its rarity. Only hunters strong enough to hunt it, or those wealthy enough to pay someone to risk their lives to hunt it are capable of tasting Death Jaw''s meat." He looked at Arad who was chewing down on the beast''s thigh. "And Aron hunted it?" One of the students looked at Arad. "That''s right." Zara sighed, "He''ll not only be able to survive here but probably would be one of the richest and most powerful hunters in the beastnd with such power." He then looked at Matilda, "Unlike you..." "Why bring me into the conversation?" she gasped. "A human had surpassed you in hunting." Zara replied. "You as well, I''ve never seen you hunt a death jaw. Don''tpare Aron with anyone, he''s the outlier." She cried, "Aron, isn''t that right?" "She''s right," Arad replied while still munching, "It''ll be unfair topare me to most people. Instead of aiming too high, how about tackling what is in front of you first?" He looked at her with a smile, "Hunt a bison first, and then look at bigger prey." Arad cut arge piece of meat and gave it to Ignis who was running around his legs and eating, she started munching, and Serin walked away from Mira''s side and headed toward him. "D...a...d!" She reached up with her arms and he looked at her with a smile, "Want some?" He sliced a thin strip of meat and crushed it in his palm to tender it. He then grilled on the mes and gave it to Serin. Serin could barely eat it, the best she could do was nibble and suck on its juices. Arad patted her head, "You must eat to grow." After eating their fill, Arad pulled the death jaw''s poison nd and some of its scales to the ss to see. He lifted the nd in his palm and approached Lucia, "Where do I put this thing?" "Don''t touch it directly!" She cried and rushed to bring a small leather bag and engraved a cold magic circle on it. "We''re in the middle of a trip, we''ll postpone studying it untilter." She then quickly pointed at the scales, "Keep those, they are used in creating anti-magic armor and weapons, they are quite valuable." Arad nodded, "I see..." He immediately turned toward Mira, "Can you make something with them?" Arad usually only had basic armor like leather or steel as his scales provided all the defense he needed, wearing his old scales also didn''t seem to make any sense. But, the death jaw''s scales are a different thing. If those things can help him negate magic, or even reduce its effectiveness then it''ll be a sweet bonus. "Mira, are you making another thing?" Several students from Mira''s ss approached her and Arad. "Those scales must be hard to work with." One added. "Yeah, they are resistant to magic so they''ll be hard to use. And I''m not that good with stuff like this," She waved her hand over the scales, "I''m better with wood." "How about a chainmail?" One added, "Link them with metal rings made from something like adamantine to get strong magic conductivity, this would allow the scales to both absorb mana and distribute what they couldn''t absorb to nearby scales, effectively chaining their power." "Would that work?" Arad asked but he quickly turned around and looked back toward Serin, she was standing beside Ignis. From the trees, tens of velociraptors crawled out, growling. Everyone cried and Ignis stood beside Serin, grunting with fire gushing from her back. "Serin!" Tina cried but Arad waved his hand, "It''s fine. Just watch." One of the velociraptors slowly approached Serin, sniffing the air as he growled. Serin lifted her tiny hand and reached forward, touching the monster''s nose. "They are dangerous?" Tina looked at Arad. "The hell are you thinking?!" Zara growled, "They''ll rip her apart!" The velociraptor''s tail spiker up as he opened his mouth to bite, but at that moment, a golden spark flickered in Serin''s tiny palm. A blinding sh of light exploded, and when it cleared, the velociraptor''s body was stuck to a tree, bleeding. Serin stood in her ce, the ground around her smoking. That was a divine smite, she''s a sorceress with a divine bloodline, Arad had once tasted that smite of hers, and he knew those monsters would killed in a single hit. For countless days when Arad yed with her, he sometimes pretended to be a monster, growling and rushing at her to bite. She justughs it off, but he has managed to teach her that if someone beside him is acting like that, she''ll let her magic out. It was like teaching a kid to p someone, but this time it''s a divine smite. Zara stared at Serin with an open mouth, but he wasn''t alone, everyone else stared at Serin with a shocked face, even her mother Tina. "That''s my little girl." Arad smiled, the countless times he got hit with her smite wasn''t in vain. Another velociraptor rushed at Serin from the side, and she couldn''t dodge, she didn''t know how to do that. When the velociraptor opened his mouth to leap at her, his head got crushed beneath Ignis''s burning w. Individually, wyrmlings are far stronger than velociraptors. Ignis grabbed Serin from the back with a bite and threw her on her back. "Hold on!" She growled in draconic. Laughing and giggling, Serin grabbed onto Ignis''s back, divine magic started surging from her and rushing into Ignis''s body, turning her crimson mes golden. Ignis shed her wings and roared, a golden spark igniting in her throat [Holy Fire Dragon Breath] A golden stream of fire gushed out of her mouth, burning one of the velociraptors and drawing a line on the ground with mes. The velociraptors panicked, running around as the heat reached them, but Ignis wasn''t going to let them run. She pped he wings and jumped into a tree, using her ws to climb up, and then glided after them, swinging her w down. [Holy Fire Dragon''s Iron w] She cut one of the velociraptors'' necks in a single swing and quickly followed with a tail strike to drop the next one. "That''s Aron''s daughter?" One of the students gasped. "She''s riding a red wyrmling and fighting velociraptors?" Matilda gasped. "Why aren''t the mes burning her?" Selina mumbled. Arad looked at them with a smile, "Serin can''t control her holy magic, the best she could do is release it. There are two cases, if she likes the target, they would get infused with the holy magic, if she hates them, they''ll get sted in a smite." He pointed at the glowing Serin, "She''s now releasing her divine magic into Ignis, and since she likes her, Ignis is getting infused." "That doesn''t answer my question." Selina pulled her staff, she was ready to assist Ignis and Serin. "Serin''s clothes are made from red dragon leather, and since Ignis''s mes are infused with Serin''s holy magic, Serin is resistant to them. In this case, she only feels like she''s sitting on a warm stool." Arad exined with arge smile on his face. "I know it doesn''t seem like it, but all of Serin''s clothes were enchanted with defensive spells. Aron was getting paranoid after she dropped from her bed and got a bump." Mira scratched her head, "Even her diaper is made of enchanted demon spider silk." "I tested her clothes," Arad smiled, "She won''t get hurt even if those monsters bit her. Of course, unless they aim for the exposed head." He cracked his neck, "It''s about time." Two velociraptors lunged at Ignis from the sides. She can dodge and attack one, but she''ll be moving at a rapid pace and Serin won''t be able to keep holding onto her back. She has to take one bit on her tail and fight the other one. Arad pulled a sword and took a stance, everyone stared at him, this was the first time they saw him actually using a weapon. They''ve heard he''s a fighter, but they didn''t know just how powerful he is. "Action Surge, Adrenaline Rush." Arad simply pretended to use those skills and lunged forward at a blinding speed, shing all of the velociraptors in the blink of an eye with a thunderp.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ignis gasped as she saw him standing beside her, she was expecting the velociraptors'' attack, but it seemed he had saved her. Arad squatted down and patted them both, "You''ve done a good job. Sorry for interfering, but I''ll not let you two get injured." The velociraptors'' corpses fell on the ground, bleeding as everyone stared at him lifting Serin from Ignis''s back and walking with them to the carriages. "It seems this ce is a bit more dangerous than home, please keep her close by." Arad gave Serin back to Tina. "Can I have the ones I killed?" Ignis asked and Arad nodded, "They are all yours." She rushed back to bring them. "Are you by any chance that strong?" Matilda approached Arad with a confused face. "The death jaw and the swarming biters. Those are notorious for killing hunters." "Aron is the strongest fighter here." Isdis came from behind her, "That''s why I hired him as our guard." She tapped Matilda''s shoulder, "That size and those muscles aren''t for show." Chapter 871: Iron Snake Lake Chapter 871: Iron Snake Lake ? The carriages kept moving through the night as the jungle was too dangerous to camp in safely, the drivers alternated while Arad and Merlin allegedly spent the night awake, in reality, he remained awake and she went to sleep. Out of everyone here, he alone didn''t need much sleep. Thanks to everyone being sleeping and rxed, Arad had managed to thinly spread his aura around the caravan and scare most of the predators, the remaining fools ended up as histe- night snack. The caravan reached Matilda''s vige the next day, the ce was called the Iron Snake Lake due to the countless rivers pouring their iron-rich water into theirke. Everywhere were the rivers turned, beast people gathered to collect iron sand to forge their weapons with. As the caravan approached the vige''s gate, the tigers blocked their path and roared, "Outsiders! State your names!" Thergest of tigers jumped forward, thrusting his long steel spear into the ground. "Gorarin, it''s me, calm down." Zara rode forward with his horse, "I''vee back." "That was quick... and who are all of those?" He pointed at the caravan, "Matilda''s ssmates, they are here on a learning trip or something...the carriages were provided by the human''s princess Isdis, she''s here on diplomatic business." Gorarin looked at the carriages, "Human politics, I don''t like that. But they''re fine, it''s not for us to kick them out, it''s the lions'' job." "You''re right." Zara turned around and waved his hand, "Go in! But you''ll have to camp in your carriages for the night." "How is Matilda? It''s been a while; did she make any friends over there? Unlike here." Gorarin tapped Zara''s shoulder. "It''s a bitplicated, she did make a lot of friends, and one of them is something else." He scratched his head, "You must..." As Zara was talking, he noticed Gorarin''s face paling and twisting. Gorarin pointed spear forward and yelled, "Who are you!?" He roared at the top of his lungs the moment he saw Arad walk out of the carriage, ring straight at him. Arad giggled, "Who am I?" He started slowly walking toward it until he reached the spear''s head. None of the students had yet walked out of the carriages. "I''m the one to ask that. If we''re already allowed inside." Arad kept walking, pushing the spear with his chest until it snapped. Arad red down at Gorarin, "What are those bowmen doing all around the caravan? Do you expect me to let everyone out under bow points?" "Gorarin? There are snipers around?" Zara cried, "Tell them to stand down, you don''t want to fight him." "I''ve already sent them the message, they are several hundred meters away. It''ll take a while." Gorarin red at Arad, "Who are you?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Aron, the caravan''s guard." Arad replied with a smile. "He''s Aron, this is the one I told you about among Matilda''s friends, the special one." Zara tapped Arad''s shoulder, "He strangled a damned death jaw with his bare hands." Heughed. He didn''t understand a word of what Zara was saying due to his brain refusing to believe a word of what Zara said. Gorarin waved his hand, "The snipers should be down by now, get into the vige if you''re happy. We''ll talkter." The students slowly walked out of the carriages to stretch and looked around, unlike the jungle, this ce was actually guarded by beast people, mainly tigers but they could spot some lion traders and wolf people drinking in what looked like an outdoor tavern. "You''re the second humans that went by in the past year." Gorarin smiled, "Your kind are a rare sight here, is it the same for beast people in yournd." "Yeah... you rarely see our kind there." Matilda was the one to reply, she was walking with Arad, Selina, Mira, and Tina behind Arad who carried Serin and was followed by Ignis. The tigers seemed to try their best to ignore the red wyrmling. "Matilda''s close friends would be staying at my house, for the rest, we don''t have any ce to house them so they''ll camp anywhere that''s empty." Zara looked at Gorarin, "Is that okay?" "Why ask me? Talk to the chieftain, I doubt he''ll mind, but it''s best to in from him first." Gorarin smiled. "You said another human came..." Arad looked at Gorarin, "Do you know who he was?" "Never asked his name, came in one day, traded some beasts that he hunted, and disappeared into the forest. He had one peculiar-smelling woman, stank like a wet dog." Gorarinughed, "Compared to her, you guys smell nice, except you, and that little one." He pointed at Arad and Ignis. "She smells of pumice and sulfur...burned. You on the other hand don''t smell at all, strange." Gorarin pointed at Arad and Matilda nodded, "He''s right, you rarely smell." Arad looked at his arms, "Ah! I forget it..." With a single wave of his hand, he pulled a ceramic jar filled with oil reeking of pine. "What''s that?!" Matilda, Zara, and Gorarin closed their noses as the smell was too strong. Arad pushed his whole hand in the jaw and waved it around him. What oil had stuck to his hand suddenly disappeared and he started to faintly smell like pine trees. He had applied that across his entire draconic body, which made it almost unnoticeable. "I sensed magic...and where did all of that oil go?" Gorarin scratched his head, "Peculiar, this is what you mean, Zara." "See? He''s one odd cub." Zara giggled. "I don''t know why, but I usually don''t smell like anything." Arad stored the jar, "I do need to use some perfumes." "That isn''t a perfume, it''s just pine..." Gorarin waved his hand to fan the smell, "Too strong for us tigers. But better than nothing, it''s extremely weird to us if you don''t smell like anything. Imagine an invisible man, creepy, right?" Quickly after that they reached Zara''s house, "I''ll leave you alone from here, we''ll talkter when you all have settled down." Gorarin left and Zara waved to him. "Let''s go inside." He reached toward the door to knock, but a shadow immediately lunged out of the window,tching onto Matilda''s head, "Sister! You''re back!" It was Matilda''s little sister. Matilda cried as her sister''s ws dug into her head, "Let me...breath..." Arad grabbed the little sister by the shirt and lifted her up like a tiny kitten, "Sister? This one?" He shook her a bit. "Ahhh..." Matilda rubbed the back of her head, she was already bleeding a bit. "She''s still too young to know how to use her w...her name is Sara." Sara looked between Arad and Matilda several times and quickly bit his hand like a feral cat, as he dropped her, she ran back home screaming, "Sister brought a mate! Sister brought a mate, MOM! MOM!" "You little!" Matilda growled, rushing after her. Mira approached Arad, "She bit you and you dropped her, did you get hurt?" "No...I let her go. If she bites me, she must''ve wanted me to put her down." He showed Mira his hand, not a single scratch. Zara looked back at everyone with a tired face, "Those two were always like this. Sara used to make fun of Matilda for not finding a mate, but she cried a lot when she left to study abroad... She just didn''t want to be separated from her sister." Matilda''s mother opened the door and looked at the window, "Ara...did she get inside through there?" She looked at Zara with closed eyes, "Who are the guests?" She smiled, "Is that the one Sara referred to as Matilda''s mate?" "Wait...calm down...he isn''t her mate...she didn''t find anyone..." Zara seemed to start panicking the moment he saw her smile. "But...he''s quite the interesting one." She dried her hands on a small towel she had hanging by the door and opened one eye, her purple glowing eyes stared straight at Arad, "He''s a big one, isn''t he?" In the blink of an eye, Arad felt a sharp pain in his stomach, and when he blinked, he was already flying over the jungle. He growled and red to the side, seeing Matilda''s mother flying after him. "What is another of your kind doing here?" she asked with a passive face, clenching a fist engulfed in ck lightning. "By Maharaja''s name, I''ve sworn to skin your kind if they darede back to haunt my family." Arad gasped as he immediately shifted into his half-dragon form. That woman was dangerous, and the magic he was sensing from her, he wasn''t mistaken. Void magic, "You aren''t a dragon, are you?" "I''m a ck tiger, just like my daughter that you know...you could say...we''ve got the same blood." She jumped in the air and flew at him, punching him again with her ck lightning. As the smoke cleared, Arad caught her fist, "A sorceress, void dragon bloodline..." Arad grabbed her by the wrist, "Sadly I''m not..." He threw her to the ground... CRACK! Shended on her legs, shattering the ground. BAM! Aradnded behind her, his muscles expanding as the ground beneath his feet shattered. He clenched a fist, "...a fake one." He threw a punch at her face, and she could see the whole dragon inside him. Arad stopped his fist right before hitting her, sending her flying back just from the sheer impact. Using her ws, she grabbed a tree and stopped, staring at him, "A half-dragon...no, a true dragon. You weren''t serious one bit." She sighed. Arad stood, sucking his wings back into his back, "I''m not even using a tenth of my power normally, don''t punch me like that, it hurts." He walked toward her, "Unlike Matilda, you seem to know about your own bloodline." "My grandfather''s father was a void dragon...it''s been almost a century since he disappeared." She looked at Arad, "Why did another void dragone to us?" "Not a particr reason, I just happened to be studying with your daughter..." Arad scratched his head, "AH, keep this a secret, it''ll cause a lot of trouble." She giggled, "Is that you''re worried about? Don''t worry..." Chapter 872: A Quick Trip Chapter 872: A Quick Trip ? Matilda''s mother looked at Arad with a gentle smile, "I''m not telling anyone...I can tell at a nce that you''re not here to cause trouble, but I can''t be too careful." She lifted her palm and ck lightning rumbled from her nails, reaching as high as the trees. "I''m just testing your patience. Void dragons are the most human of dragonkind, I remember those words well." "You still want to fight?" Arad cried and she lunged at him, suddenly elerating as fast as her ck lightning. But even such a fast attack wasn''t enough, Arad dodged her strike and red at her. "I thought we were done here?" "Told you, I''m trying to test what kind of person you are. I haven''t even used my bloodline yet," She stared at him with a smile. Most dragons get enraged when taken lightly, but Arad didn''t seem to reach no matter how much she taunted him, on the opposite, he seemed more concerned about trying to dodge without hitting her. "Fine." Arad stared at her, his eyes glowing purple and pink, "Let''s pretend this never happened." The world around Matilda''s mother changed and she found herself standing back at the front door, Arad looking at her from behind Zara and Matilda. "Are you, all right?" He asked with a smile. She looked around, confused, "Wait...what?" She gasped. "What up with you?" Zara looked at her, "Did you get sick while I was out?" He approached her and touched her forehead, "You''re a bit hot, probably a fever. Rest inside, I tend to the guests." "That isn''t it." She looked at her hands, her mana had dropped almost to half, that fight with Arad did indeed happen, but why was she standing there? Mira blinked twice and looked at Arad, immediately hitting him with her elbow to the liver, "What did you do?" "She attacked me first." He whispered to her. "When did she do that? We just arrived." Mira looked at him with a suspicious re. "Our fight barelysted nine seconds, I don''t like tost any longer anyway." He smiled and Mira quickly understood. "Doma''s magic...don''t just use that whenever you feel like it, it''s confusing." As everyone walked inside, Arad had to walk sideways through the door to fit in, just like Zara. Both of them were just toorge and had to get their own couches to sit on. Matilda rushed to the kitchen to make something as her mother was kicked back to her room by her father to rest. Mira couldn''t just sit down so she went to help her alongside Selina. "Sorry for the mess, I doubt they expected any guests." Zara said with a smile, looking at Arad. Arad looked around, the wooden walls were covered with beautifully tanned and lined monster leather. The couches and pillows were all filled with cockatrice and a type of feathers that he didn''t know, making them extremely soft. Even the cups were made of extremely thin steel and had handles from monster horns. The house might look primitive at first nce, but everything here might be worth more than a horse. Especially the couches they are sitting on, the leather on its own shouldn''t be cheap. "I wonder what Roberta would say?" He smiled...but quickly remembered something, "Wait..." He stood. "What''s up?" Zara looked at him. "We forgot something, I''ll be back." Arad rushed out of the house and headed to Isdis''s carriage. **** Sitting in the carriage, Isdis sighed, "Why can''t I go with them?" She looked at Merlin. "You''re the princess, you can''t just go to Zara''s house with Arad, that''ll raise suspicions." Merlin replied, "Just sit tight and wait. We''ll get back with him tomorrow." Isdis growled, leaning on the table, "Why...I don''t want to wait until tomorrow." Isdis''s carriage door opened up, and Arad was standing there. The guards recognized him and let him enter. "Isdis, where is Roberta, wasn''t she supposed toe with you? I thought she was in a different carriage, but now I noticed that her smell had grown weaker." Isdis looked at him, "Yeah, she was supposed toe with us, but had to stay due to work. Don''t worry, she wrote us a ton of papers and guides to follow. They are kept in a separate carriage." She pointed at one of the carriages in the back. Arad sighed, "To think..." That was the carriage from which he smelled Roberta. "I''ll go bring her out. She shouldn''t be left out." "We''re almost two thousand kilometers away. How long will it take you to go back and forth." Isdis stood, "She indeed looked sad when work piled out...but if it''ll take you more than a day..." "One hour at most. Even when carrying her, I shouldn''t take more than four hours." Arad turned around and cracked his neck, "I''ll be back, go tell Mira and Matilda to cook for more people." He jumped into the sky and disappeared. "Got it!" Isdis said with an excited face, "You''ve heard him Merlin, we''re going to stay with them." Merlin sighed, "This would cause a lot of trouble..." **** Arad teleported 40 km away and shifted into his draconic form, taking flight amongst a flock of Pterodactyls, with a single bite, he ate one of them, and then another, and another, a small snack before the trip. The Pterodactyl flock quickly scattered as they started getting eaten by this huge dragon, and they looked back, only to see him about to elerate. With a single wing p, a shockwave burst from his body as he flew into the clouds faster than sound. Such a massive creature shouldn''t be able to move that fast, but those are dragons, and why they are feared. Back in Alina, Roberta was walking with L, Mira''s mother through therge open market of Alina with Sebas guarding them. "The market is doing fine..." Roberta sighed, "I''m d there are no problems. I''d expected more issues to arise with Arad''s vige opening its own market, but it seems there aren''t any." L looked at her, "Of course, the people living there aren''t from Alina. The market''s customer base didn''t change." As they walked, Sebas suddenly stopped and gently bowed, "Master, what a surprise, I didn''t expect to see you here." Arad was standing there before them. "Roberta, mother L. It''s been a while." He approached them with a smile. "Wait, you''re supposed to be in the beast kingdom by now." Roberta gasped. "Mother..." L blushed, "Come on...how is Mira doing?" "Mira is doing fine." He looked at them, "I noticed that Roberta was missing and I came to pick her up."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "What?" Roberta sighed, "I can''t go, a new dungeon appeared to the east and I''m working with the guild and Baltos to deal with it." She shook her head, "Someone had to do the work, I can''t just leave." Arad looked at the side of the street, a flower was growing from the cracks in the sidewalk. A tiny fairy floated around Arad and sat on his shoulder, "I''d love it if that dungeon got cleared. It''s hurting my back as it''s neither fully inside me nor outside. I can''t stretch with it on." "Loci says the dungeon should be destroyed. Get your thing ready, I''ll be back in a few minutes." He disappeared again and the two looked at each other. "Where is he going? To check the dungeon?" L asked and Roberta nodded. "Probably..." "You two better get ready. A simple dungeon won''t keep master busy for long." Sebas smiled, "It might be a tenyered dungeon, but all it''s good for is being a small waste of time." As he said those words, the ground beneath them shook as a pir of light illuminated the sky. The people cried, thinking it was the spell of some wizard. "That has to be Master Arad clearing the dungeon, you better hurry." He started walking and the tow rushed after him. They first stopped by Roberta''s house as it was the closet and she picked some of her things. She already had them prepared for the trip. "Sebas, please head back to the castle and inform the ministers and everyone else of my departure. Since it''s with lord Arad, it can''t be helped, they have to finish work on their own." She smiled and Sebas shook his head, "I''ll take you to Lady L''s house first." Sebas did take them to L''s house so she could pick up her things and then left for the castle, Arad should be back any second now, so they aren''t in any danger. Unlike Roberta, L had no idea about what was going on so she didn''t know what to take and what to leave. Roberta started telling her about how hot and humid the beast kingdom is, and that it tends to rain a lot there. With that information, she slowly packed her things. CRACK! As they were inside, they heard something loud, the window on the lower floor shattered. "Finally, that old man left." The man who barged inside with a bunch of thugs smiled, "Get them, we can''t negotiate with Baron Orion without something to hurt him with." They''ve been bribing and threatening people to be their watch, that way, even Sebas couldn''t notice anything strange. Roberta and L rushed downstairs, and they saw the thugs inside, "There they are...tie them." The man said with a smile, but the door behind him opened, Arad walked inside with dust still dripping from his shoulders as he just finished clearing the dungeon. "Mother L... Roberta?" He said, towering over the thugs. "Arad! They are thugs, they said something about tying us down." Roberta gasped, pointing at them, "And they broke L''s window." Thud! Arad grabbed the leader''s head, "You''ll do what to my mother?" Chapter 873: Bringing Them Back Chapter 873: Bringing Them Back ? Arad lifted the thug''s leader by the head and turned him toward himself, "Who''ll pay for the broken window?" He red at him. The leader reached into his pocket and pulled some gold coins, "I''ll do it..." Arad took the gold and threw him out of the shop, "I don''t want to waste time cleaning blood, scram." He growled at them and they ran away. "Sebas leaves for a few minutes and theye...I guess we need to tighter security." Roberta sighed, looking at Arad with a smile. "That should be a merchant called Dimiris if I''m not wrong." She approached Arad, "Can we stop by the castle to inform the royal guards? They''ll deal with him." "Yeah, we''ll get Bob to fix the window. Are you all right, mother L?" Arad nodded and approached L.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Yeah... I just hope they won''t trash the shop while we''re away." She tilted her head with a worried face. Arad nodded, "I see... Dorian," he said and a thin man emerged from his shadow and bowed. He was wearing the clothes of a priest with a ne shaped like a dragon on his neck. "My lord..." The man kneeled, "To think I''ll be called." He said with an excited face, his hands shivering. "Get ten people and guard the ce. You''ll deal with a builder and maybe some guards, but I don''t want any thugs to trash the ce. And, don''t kill anyone, especially thieves. They know not to attack shops rted to me, but newbies might get ahead of themselves." Arad said without even looking at him. "As you order, I shall not spill a single drop of blood. Do I get permission to call the guards to take the thugs to jail?" He said with a passive face. "Of course. I''ll inform the guards," Arad turned and gave the vampire priest a bottle of blood. "Use this in case any of you get harmed by the sun. It''ll protect for a few minutes if Zia is right." Arad then turned back to Roberta and L, "He''s a trusted man, we can leave the ce." "My Lord! Your words are a waste on me." The vampire priest smiled. Arad approached Roberta and L, "Did you get all of your things?" He looked at the bags they were carrying, and they indeed nodded. Arad walked forward and touched their shoulders, "First stop, the castle. Are you used to this yet?" [Void Step] ZON! Arad teleported with them to the castle, but theynded alone. "Where is Arad?" L gasped, looking around with a surprised face, "We really went there in the blink of an eye." "There he is..." She pointed at the massive dragon standing beside the castle, Arad was ring down at the captain of the royal knights. "Sebas stopped guarding L and Roberta for a few minutes and thugs attacked them. Do you want me to skin you all alive? Why aren''t you doing your job, I''d expected at least ten knights with each of them." Arad growled at him. "Lord Arad...With Sebas by their side, we didn''t expect they''d need more guards than him. And to think there was some..." The captain started gasping, getting yelled at by a god-eating dragon wasn''t on his schedule today. "Excuses, I don''t want to hear them. You''re only getting paid because Roberta is managing finances and getting the kingdom enough money to survive, neither you nor anyone in this castle would get bread to eat if she got harmed." Arad lowered his head, growling with steam gushing from his fangs. "Most of this castle was built by Mira''s hand, the beds you sleep on, the stairs you climb, the cab you keep your clothes in. L is her mother, why in the nine hells aren''t they guarded at all times?" "That..." As the captain started failing to even breathe, let alone exin himself, Arad sighed. "I''ll leave a battalion of vampires to guard the castle, they''ll work in the shadows while you knights work in the sun." Arad lifted his w and moved it above the castle''s wall. From the shadow of his arm, Zia emerged. "My lord, what orders do you have for me?" "Take two thousand vampires and build a base in the castle, guard the ce from the shadows, and work with the knights and royal family. Inform me if anything happened through the blood link." He looked at her, "Get anything that you need." "My lord." She kneeled, "Can we get heavy armor made for us? We''re quite powerful as vampires so wearing them won''t be an issue, and it''ll also allow us to fight in the sunlight." "As I said, get anything that you need. But, don''t harm the innocent. If you need blood, hunt bandits and criminals around my domain. But make sure that only killers get killed." He extended his arm out to allow her a safe shadow to the castle. "As you order my lord, I shall bring the hammer of justice down." She smiled from ear to ear, standing up with a gush of magic sparking around her, "By blood, fire, and metal, the bandits, the thugs, and the heretics all shall burn skewered on spears like pigs." "Just don''t go too crazy." Arad sighed and she disappeared into the castle''s shadows with the two thousand vampires Arad left for her. Arad looked at the castle''s walls and Baltos was there looking at him, "I assume you were listening." "Yeah. I''ll get the guards to work with them for better security." Baltos smiled, "And sorry, I should''ve assigned more guards to them." "Don''t worry about it. As long as nothing bad happens, it''s okay." Arad looked at Roberta and L, "I''m taking them with me for a few days, I guess you can keep things running without Roberta for a few days?" "Of course, my ministers are at least thatpetent. But I won''t dare say she isn''t crucial; I hope she''ll be back in a week if possible." Baltos smiled with a slightly pained face. "I doubt the trip wouldst that long, but her getting a week''s rest every now and then would allow her to stay in better shape." Arad lowered his palm for Roberta and L. He then lifted and put them on his neck, which already had saddles, albeit they almost didn''t fit and had to be strapped with gravity magic. "Is this safe?" Roberta looked at Arad''s head. "Yeah." He flipped his palm upside down with them standing on it, but they didn''t fall. To them, the origin of gravity was his palm. "The same is true for my neck, once you sit, you shouldn''t feel worse than a normal horse. But some get scared of height, so be careful." "Be safe." Baltos waved his hand as Arad slowly trotted into the forest. "You''re going to run there?" Roberta asked. "I''m not heavy, am I?" L looked at Arad, "I know you''re a dragon and all, but don''t exhaust yourself." She patted his neck. Arad giggled, "I''m stronger than I look." Said the massive, almost thirty-meter-tall bodybuilder dragon with enough might to shake mountains, but he was in fact, stronger than he looks. Arad ran across the forest like a big cat, his wings tucked to his sides. With a single leap, he reached the first mountain and jumped to another, quacking the ground all the way to Alina as he moved at an extreme speed. Roberta and L cried on the back of his neck, terrified at how he was moving. In their life, they never expected to get such a ride, a trip that should take days, he was making them in a single leap. A massive flock of wyverns scattered from one of the mountains the moment Aradnded, and they all looked at him, terrified. Seeing the wyverns, Arad expanded his wings and flew into the sky. Behind him they followed, basking in his presence. "Where are you all going?" Arad asked the wyverns. Their leader, the oldest of them pointed west with his head, "Hunt, food, migrate." Wyverns migrate every several years to fight new hunting grounds, which is why they don''t kill ecosystems. "It''s on my way, remain close." Arad smiled as he flew, and the wyverns kept close to him as they flew above the clouds. As the wyverns flew with Arad, they sang and roared, chanting to the glory of the dragon they flew beneath. Even monsters had a hierarchy to them, and dragons were at the top almost everywhere. To the wyverns, it was likemoners who always traversed the harshnds alone, finding a royal parade that allowed them to tag along, enjoying the protection of the king''s presence. L looked at the wyverns, even one of them would send cities into emergency protocol, all of those were at least A-rank monsters, but all of them flew carefully beneath Arad''s wings. And when elerated to save time, all of them wouldnd on his massive back. Roberta tried to touch one of them, and they all were extremely calm and docile, even though wyverns were known as raging monsters. As nature dictates, the wyverns could tell with a single sniff, those two are females, and since they are sitting on the dragon''s back, they only expect one thing. In around four hours, Arad delivered the wyverns to their new hunting ground and reached the beast kingdom,nding in the forest near Iron Snake Lake Vige. Chapter 874: The Jungles Hunt Chapter 874: The Jungle''s Hunt ? Arad lowered L and Roberta, shifting back into his human form. The two looked around, "They are big!" L gasped, as she lifted her head to stare at the massive trees. "And it''s hot, and warm...paper won''tst long here." Roberta growled, "And, those little buggers!" She swatted a fly on her arm. "How many of them are here? I''ve heard of the beast kingdom, but to see it for myself." "You''ll get used to it quickly, Serin had no problem." Arad said with a smile. "She has natural holy magic, even if mosquitos bite her, she won''t be bothered." Roberta looked at him. "Yeah, the little girl is also used to Ignis''s heat, a little warmth and humidity won''t bother her." L approached the bushes and looked at them, seeing a pair of purple flowers growing in there. "I wonder if those would sell. They are beautiful." She looked at Arad, "When we''re going back, can I pick a batch?" "Yeah." Arad nodded with a smile and L turned back toward the flowers, reaching with her hand to pick them. From the bushes before her, a massive jaw appeared, ring at her and growling, a foul gust of wind gushed from the unclean throat, and the beast''s teeth were riddled with old rotten flesh from its meals. The death Jaw stared at L, he hade here due to the noise, as they always do in search of food. L looked like a decent meal, soft and plump. But...something was off, standing behind her was a massive monster in the form of a human. He could clearly see him, Arad staring at him with glowing eyes. L sat frozen in ce, "Arad..." She pointed at the Death Jaw''s maw, "This looks bad." She mumbled, almost crying. "Don''t worry, it''s not a fool." He took a step forward, "As long as you''re close to me, none of them would bother you." The Death Jaw turned away and left without as much as getting an inch closer to her. Roberta looked at Arad, "I see, they can sense you being a dragon." "Yep, I''m far more dangerous than anything this forest has to offer. I''m at the top of the food chain, and they see you as my food. Of course, if they tried to steal from you, they''d get eaten instead." Arad approached L and helped her stand, "Be careful around the forest." "I don''t want to face such a monster again, it''s massive and scary..." L mumbled as Arad lifted her, "Wait! Put me down!" She cried. Arad lifted and made her sit on his shoulder, "Come here." He then extended his hand to Roberta." "I don''t want to." She gasped. "I''m not walking with you in this forest for another hour." Arad waved his finger and lifted her with gravity magic, putting her on his shoulder, "Hold tight." He jumped forth with Roberta hitting his head with a red face, "PUT ME DOWN!" **** Close to the Iron Snake Lake, the viges were going through a massive hunt. The princess of another kingdom is staying in their humble abode, and they must feed her the best of the best. A feathered beast, the death beak. Simr to the death jaw, but instead of scales it''s covered in colorful feathers, had small wings instead of arms, and had a massive orange beak. They all rushed around it, a group distracting the beast while the others tried to nk it, all of them kept an eye for two things. The monster''s deadly fire breath and the feathers that it couldunch from its tail like a porcupine are poisonous so one scratch is fatal. "Guide it toward the trees! Me and them would stab it with spears!" Gorarin shouted, unlike most days, he was fired up for today, his old friend had returned and he wanted to show off. As they ran around, the feathered Death Jaw Stopped moving, and it swung its tail in a rapid motion, sending a barrage of feathers at them. The hunters were surprised, it had already used that before, and it should still need several minutes to regenerate them. The youngsters were too slow and green to predict the attack and dodge, five males and seven females who were training for hunts, Gorarin could see them before him, frozen as the feathers flew at them. "Move!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. SWOSH! From the trees, Arad lunged out,ughing his lungs out with both L and Roberta crying on his back in fear, he was moving so fast they thought they would get smacked by trees several times already. Aradnded right between the youngsters and theing feathers, sending a shiver down Gorarin''s spine, it only took him a fraction of a second to recognize him, the guest of Zara. Arad''s purple eyes started to the side in that fraction of a second, seeing the feathersing. His boots disappeared, and he kicked at them, twenty lightning-fast kicks so fast that no one could see him move. All the feathers disappeared, and Arad was standing here on one leg, four feathers caught between his toes. "What is this for? Chicken?" He red at the feathered Death Jaw. And then with a single fast swing of his foot, he threw the feathers back at the beast, piercing him in four spots and making him roar. Everyone stared at Arad, baffled, the youngest didn''t know who he was, but Gorarin did, "ARON?!" He cried in shock. ^This human, he deflected the feathered Death Jaw''s poisonous feathers? No, he shattered them with kicks and caught four, barefoot, and carrying two women on his shoulders no- less!? Zara said he''s a terrifying fighter, but nothing to this extent.^ The feathered Death Jaw roared and rushed at Arad, bleeding and enraged. One of the youngsters lunged forth, swinging her ws. "Our chance, it''s angry!" She smiled. Arad grabbed her by the tail with his toes and pulled her back, throwing her all the way to a tree behind everyone, "You''ll die cat." Arad then pushed the Death Jaw''s charging maw to the side, went beneath him, and hit his lower Jaw with a kick, lifting the whole monster five feet into the air. The ground beneath Arad''s other foot shattered as the Death Jaw took to the sky and fell on the ground, rolling with two of its teeth falling off. "ARON! It''s the fire breath!" Gorarin cried, and the Death Jaw Immediately opened his maw, unleashing a massive stream of red mes. Arad took a deep breath, and lifted his right foot up, kicking forward faster than sound, with enough might to form a massive shockwave as his foot broke the sound barrier. The shockwave snuffed the mes out and hit the Death Jaw''s head, disorienting him. Arad squatted down, his legs expanding and he suddenly disappeared, leaving a puff of dust where he was before. He appeared sitting on the Death Jaw''s neck and snapped it with his thighs in the blink of an eye. The feathered Death Jaw fell to the ground, motionless and Aradnded beside him, L and Roberta were both terrified and panting, sweating buckets as they had never been in such a fight. Thanks to Arad''s gravity magic, they shouldn''t feel any eleration when he moves. His body and magic were the best shock absorbers that this world could offer. "Please...slow down..." Roberta gasped for air. "What is Mira feeding you? Why can''t you calm down for a second?" L looked at him with a sweaty and worried face. "Milk," Arad replied as naturally as he breathed.N?v(el)B\\jnn Gorarin approached Arad, "Aron...this is?" He looked at Arad and at the Death Jaw, still trying to make sense of what his eyes just saw. "Weren''t you resting at Zara''s house?" "Yeah, we forgot them at the camp, so I went and grabbed them really quick." Arad replied, looking away. "The camp? Zara said it''s at least a day away. You ran all the way there in the dangerous jungle alone, and came back carrying them?" He could hardly believe him, but he had just seen him kick a feathered Death Jaw to death. "Yeah..." Arad tried to look normal, he isn''t good at lying. "Anyway, what are you all doing?" He tried to change the subject. "What are we doing? We were trying to hunt something decent, ptable for a princess." Gorarin approached Arad, "You know, you people kinda brought one. We can''t feed her somethingcking." "I doubt she''d care, andrge hunts like this are tuff to eat. Something smaller and softer might''ve been better." Arad looked at the youngsters staring at him. "And look, you almost got them killed. They are far too young for fights like this, the most danger they should encounter is a broken bone, not losing their lives." "They are proud hunters..." Gorarin tried to speak, but Arad cut him, "Pride doesn''t bring the dead back, it doesn''t feed the hungry, and it doesn''t make a weak fighter stronger, it only makes them more arrogant, a fool that can be easily manipted and deceived." He yelled at him. "We..." One of the youngsters growled, she was the girl Arad threw back, "Aren''t like her...We aren''t cowards like Matilda." Arad slowly turned toward her, "What did you just say, kitten?" He red at the tiger girl, his eyes burning with purple mes. Chapter 875: The Dragon and The Tiger Chapter 875: The Dragon and The Tiger ? "What?" she gasped, "What''s your problem?" The beast girl took a step back. "Matilda refused to participate in such stupid hunts?" He took a step toward her, and she backed away even more. "She would be hiding in the bushes and waiting to attack,rge beasts need to be taken down in teams. Sneak attacks are almost useless, you can''t deal enough damage." She was almost about to cry, no matter how powerful she was, Arad still towered over her, and he was still carrying L and Roberta. "I heard she was too loud for an ambush hunter." Arad stopped walking and stared at the beast girls, the ground around him started shaking, but it was only her knees losing power. "We ambush smaller prey that could be taken with a single attack, like deer and elks." She mumbled, "Matilda always charged forward against those. She charges against the weak, and hides from the strong." Arad nodded, "I see, so she wasn''t a failure, but the only one here with a brain over her head." He red at the feathered Death Jaw corpse, "One hit will kill any of you here. This isn''t a monster any of you should be fighting, let alone kids." Arad turned, "Let''s get back. I''ll test something." Arad walked with them to the vige as Gorarin and the rest dragged the corpse of the feathered death jaw. Zara was waiting at the gate, "Gorarin, I''ve heard you''ve gone to hunt a Death Jaw..." He looked behind them to see the feathered Death Jaw, "What a massive catch, to think you caught it in just a few hours." Gorarin shook his head, pointing back, it was only then that Zara noticed the two women being strangely taller than everyone, and soon he saw Arad carrying them. "Wait...you hunted it!" He cried. "I came across them about to get wiped out by its feathers so I killed it." Arad replied. "He didn''t hunt or kill it, he kicked it to death, while carrying those two women no less. You didn''t tell me was that absurdly strong." Gorarin cried. Arad puts Roberta and L down as they are within the safety of the vige. "Wee to the vige of the tigers, it''s called Iron Snake Lake." Arad pointed toward Zara''s house, "Everyone else should be there." "Father, Aron, what''s going on?" Matilda approached them, "Wait...that''s a massive feathered Death Jaw!" She looked at them, "How did..." She saw Arad, "Yeah...he did it." She approached him, "Wait... who are those two?" She looked at L and Roberta. "This is Mira''s mother, and this is a friend of ours," He smiled, "Zara, please guide them to your house with the rest. I''ve got something to do here." He looked back at the beast girl from earlier, "Come here..." She slowly approached, "What do you want? I''m not apologizing." "Of course not, your words are yours say whatever you want." Arad called Matilda to get closer, "You two fight. Let''s see how you stack up." "Is that what you wanted?" She smiled, "Of course, let..." CRACK! Matilda''s fistnded on her face, sending her rolling on the ground. She stood up, bleeding from her nose, "You! What hell..." But at that moment, Matilda''s ws were already around her neck.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Enough, Matilda wins." Arad sighed, "You really can''t fight." "Wait, she attacked me out of nowhere... that doesn''t count." The beast girl cried. "Monster won''t care about your rules. The moment you epted the fight, it had already started." Arad smiled, "Matilda took advantage of your meaningless speech and attacked." At that moment, he suddenly swung a fist at Matilda, smacking her in the face. But at the same time, she attacked back with a w to the face and then jumped away several meters, keeping her tearful eyes at him. "Sorry, just a test. No need to be scared." Arad waved his hand, "And I''m fine..." He pointed at his eyes. Matilda sighed, "Bastard... what was that for?" She rubbed her face, "And that was my w to your eyes, how are you not blinded?!" "Even though I punched her in the face, she managed to attack back. And that wasn''t just an attack, she was aiming to blind me so she could run away. That''s why she kept looking at me, to make sure it''s safe to turn her back to me and flee." Arad smiled, "She already knows she can''t win against me, so her best bet is running away." Arad could remember how Matilda picked a fight with him on their first day at school, she wouldn''t have done that if she was a coward. That was her way of figuring out if she could win against Arad or not, seeing him being farrger than her probably is what triggered it. "No, she attacked before the fight started." The beast girl cried again. "No, the fight had always started. She isn''t a coward but fights with both her brain and body. She smarter than anyone here," He approached Matilda and gave her a healing potion, "You said she ran after rabbits and deer, to you that''s a stupid way to hunt, but I''d say it''s genius." "There is no risk of danger when hunting them, so running down a deer to build stamina, or wresting a wild elk aren''t so bad. You might get hurt, but never killed." Arad looked at the beast girl, "You failed to train against the opponents you can, and risked your lives against those who could kill you." Arad tapped Matilda''s shoulders, "You once told me you were failed as a hunter." He smiled, "No, you didn''t fail. You seeded, none of them here could win against you." He patted her head and turned toward the rest. "So now..." He cracked his knuckles, "You wanted to face a powerful prey and get stronger." He looked at them, "I''m here, you won''t die. But I''ll break your bones, and you''ll spend the night crying yourself to sleep. Come..." Unlike facing a Death Jaw, Arad was a vastly more dangerous opponent. Everyone there knew it, he was the man who kicked the Death Jaw to death, and they all knew they couldn''t win. But something was different, with him, there was no risk of death, only pain. "For you tiger kids, strength is everything." He smiled, "You hunt monsters for food and money, it''s your livelihood, everything that you need and care about. Soe here, test your ws to see how far you''ll go." He jumped forward, and grabbed the beast girl from earlier by the face, "Starting with you." With a single swing, he threw at the rest, smacking two people down. Everyone charged at him, and he started beating them to a pulp. Grabbed one by the arm and kicked him in the face, and caught the next girl by the leg and smacked her on the ground. When a guy tried gabbing by the neck, Arad bit his arm and started swinging him around like a doll in a dog''s jaw. "Brother! He''s a fucking animal!" One of the girls screamed at her brother who kicked by Arad in the face. It wasn''t long before she got punched in the guts and sent to the ground crying. "Fuck it!" One of the guys cried, looking around, "Matilda already ran away, let''s get out of this mess." He turned to run but quickly stopped as the ground shook. Arad had stood on all fours, his fists on the ground. With a deep growl, he lunged forward at a blinding speed and rammed the guy, almost breaking his back. "Forget it, he isn''t an animal, he''s a wild beast, kill him." Everyone started scrambling to form an attack while Arad wiped the ground with their heads. All of them thought that Matilda had run away, but only Arad knew the truth. Behind the fences and the dust kicked by everyone, she''s keeping close to the ground, crawling on all fours with her eyes fixed on him. A prowling tiger is using the chaos to her advantage, looking for the best moment to lung at the dragon''s neck. ^With how strong I am, those kids probably won''t make her arge enough opening to attack.^ Arad thought, ^Let''s drag someone stronger into this fight.^ He lunged at Gorarin with a clenched fist. "Wait?!" Gorarin lifted his arms and blocked Arad''s attack, but the impact sent him flying back, "Don''t get me mixed in your game!" "Come on," Arad looked at the adults, "Don''t you care to show the young ones how to hunt a wild monster? Or are you only good for endangering them?" "What did you say?!" One of the tigers growled. Arad appeared right before his face, "I said, you can''t hunt shit without risking the kid''s life and using them as bait." He smacked him in the face so hard that he made him spin twice in the air. Tigers were surprisingly durable so that won''t be so bad, healing potions exist. It only took a few minutes for the brawl to escte further, half the vige was now trying to kill Arad, everyone ganging on him as if he''s a monster that wandered into the vige, and they were getting humiliated. Soon enough, Arad started giving them advice and weapons, stopping at once, "You can do well at range, here, use this." He gave him a steel spear. "Mana twist strangely around you, go learn magic." He lifted a girl up and smacked her on the ground. To Arad, this felt simr to how he handled the fighters'' ss, just beat them until they learned how to fight and get real experience. Between all of the chaos, and from the rising dust and cries of the beast people, Matilda lunged out from the shadows with a bite at Arad''s neck, she managed to get in. Even she didn''t realize, she had used all of her strength, that bite was intended to kill, all of her put into a single attack. Arad stood in ce and startedughing with her hanging onto his neck with her mouth. "Out of the entire tigers'' vige, both adults and the young, the only one to reach me with an attack is the girl they ostracized." It was that Matilda let go of his neck due to sharp pain in her teeth, she had cracked a fang on his hard neck. He caught her in his arms, "Good Job. If this was a real hunt. You''ll be the oneing with the kill. But sadly, I''m not a deer." Chapter 876: The Messenger Lion Chapter 876: The Messenger Lion ? "I bite you as hard as I could!" Matilda cried, but immediately held her cheek, her right fang had cracked from how much force she applied, yet Arad''s neck didn''t even get a scratch. "Here, this should help." Arad pulled arge healing potion out of nowhere, "Be careful next time. My skin might look soft and smooth, but I''m in fact harder than most weapons." Steel swords can''t scratch Arad''s scales, hitting him felt like punching a steel statue. "Put me down first." Matilda gasped as she lunged away from him, still holding her cheek, "If my bite can''t scratch you, what could harm you then?" "A lot of things it seems. I do face a lot of people who can send me to the grave." He smiled, throwing the potion to her. At that moment, Matilda remembered that Arad had spent a few weeks recovering from a fatal injury. In her head, countless images started spinning, what kind of horror is capable of doing that to Arad? She couldn''t even imagine it properly. "Like, when you were recovering before, what harmed you?" she asked with a puzzled face. "It was arge monster, that''s all I can say." Arad smiled, "You probably better not get involved. I don''t need to tell you that whatever did that to me, would probably be more than enough to kill you."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Matilda drank the whole potion and sighed, "I hope you face such a thing again. I would end up as minced meat if whatever can hurt you hit me." She looked back as she heard her father''s footsteps, he was rushing toward the mess to check on what had happened. "What did happen?" Zara cried as he saw half the vige beaten to a pulp, but they all got new shiny weapons so he was confused. "I was training with them. They called Matilda a coward, but I showed them that she just has a different fighting style." Arad smiled with a proud face. "ARON!" Mira shouted at him, "Come here with me! This is just like before with the fighting ss, when will you learn?" She dragged him away by the ear, "You can''t just beat anyone that doesn''t agree with you." "Those were our finest warriors..." Zara looked at everyone and then back at Mira dragging Arad away. "She''s just pulling him around like nothing..." "Just like mom," Matilda giggled. "Don''t remind me, she''s scary when she gets angry." Zara sighed with a scared face, his wife was just as terrifying, even though she doesn''t fight that much. "We''re fine..." Gorarin barely managed to stand, his bones had cracked, and each hit from Arad felt like getting smacked by a warhammer. "The healers should be able to fix us..." He grunted. "You can barely stand, don''t force yourself." Zara rushed toward him, "Drink this potion, I''ll go bring the healers." "Don''t waste a potion on me now. We might need themter, save the money." Gorarin sat down, "I can wait even without it." "Ah, those aren''t mine. Aron brought a bunch with him, like several full boxes. And he wasn''t the only one, his whole ss did, including Matilda. Those were the potions they made for training, they might be as effective as certified potions, but they''ll keep you alive." He smiled. "Aron''s potions are 100% of quality, they are only not certified. Mine barely reach 60% of the healing capacity," Matilda sighed, "He''s extremely precise with his hands, and has a lot of mana to use for magic water." "Are all of your ssmates like that?" Gorarin looked at Matilda after he finished drinking his potion. "Alchemists? Yeah, we''re a ss of alchemy after all." She replied. "No, I meant Like him, Aron." Gorarin shook his head, "How in the hell is that man an alchemist, I''ve never seen a fighter like him, he''s insane." "Ah...Aron is a strange one, he''s the only one I know with such strength...wait, two of his wives are just as scary, one is called Eris and the other Merida." Matilda looked back toward her house, "In our ss, there is this girl called Selina, she came with us here. She''s also quite strong," Matilda smiled, "She attended school using a fake body that she controls from afar. And she''s quite the powerful wizard." "She got a great ss, even their teacher is amazing. I could tell by the exhausted look on her face that she spends a lot of time on them." Zara tapped Matilda''s shoulder, "And speaking of exhausted look, you guying to beaten to a pulp, and only my daughter managed to get a hit in." Zara burstughing, smacking Matilda on the back. Gorarin growled, "You know how strong he is! It''s not our fault..." He then scratched his head as the healers started rushing in. "But...what will you do now? That man acts quick." "Let hime, I''ve already made up my mind." Zara growled, his face twisting, "It''s war." Matilda could tell by the grunt in his voice, her father was pissed off. "Father, what did happen?" she asked. "Nothing, don''t worry about it. I''ll deal with anything thates." He smiled, the anger in his voice quickly fading, "Let''s go home, the healers will take care of Gorarin and the rest." When they returned home, they found Arad still getting yelled at by Mira and Isdis for beating everyone in the vige. "Let him be." Zara said with a smile, "It was just a mock battle that went a bit too serious, he even gave them free weapons. Don''t be harsh on him, he was right." Zara approached the sad Arad, "It''s perfectly fine, please let him be." He looked at Mira and Isdis, albeit he felt a bit confused at why the princess was also yelling at him. Probably since she hired him as a guard and he ended up causing trouble, that might taint her name. Mira and Isdis looked at each other, "Fine," Mira said, "We''ll talk about itter, he can rest now." The two left, and Zara approached Arad. "I too get yelled at a lot by my wife, I''ll help you avoid Mira''s rage, you also help me if something happens while you''re here." "I''ll make sure to..." Arad smiled, "...she probably won''t yell at you in front of guests." "Indeed, you understand..." Zara giggled. The two husbands started thinking the same, almost sharing the same brain cell. Both Mira and Zara''s wife were listening from the kitchen, so Arad and Zara''s n was about to backfire. After about an hour and as the dinner was cooking, a gentle knock came from the front door, and Zara''s wife approached the door to see who was outside. She slowly reached the door''s handle and stopped right before touching it, the smell outside the door was familiar. "Zara,e here for a second." She called and the door opened on its own, "You''re calling him?" A voice came, "I''m not here to cause trouble." As the door fully opened, arge lion man with a massive and majestic golden mane was standing there, several females lined up behind him, all wearing heavy armor. Zara lunged to the front door with a single leap, "Why dide?" He growled, ring at the lion. "You know who I work for? Don''t you?" The lion smiled, "I''ve got information that Master Zank''s new bride has returned, and I came to pick and deliver her to him." "I''m not sending her with you guys." Zara reached toward the door, "Leave!" He started closing the door, but the lion held it in ce. "I can''t have that. Master already knows she''s here, and thus I must bring her to him." The lion smiled, "Stop trying to make me trouble." He looked inside, and spotted Matilda standing inside the kitchen, "There she is, isn''t she?" "Tell him toe in person, otherwise she isn''t leaving." Zara growled at the lion. "I said she''sing with me; your opinion doesn''t matter." The lion started forcing the door open, but it was then that Arad stepped beside Zara. "That''s her father...howe his opinion doesn''t matter?" He red at the lion dead in the eyes. Even though Arad was in his humanoid form, he was still taller than the lion who stood at 6''5'''' so he was almost looking down at him. "This exins the stench, a naked ape is in your house." The lion growled, "Get him the fuck out of my eyesight before I burn this whole ce to ash. You''re making me angry." Arad looked back, "Matilda, what do you say?" "Does my opinion even matter?" She sighed, looking back at Arad. "Zara said he doesn''t want you to leave, your mother..." He looked at her and she shook her face, "Also says you shouldn''t go, all left is you." Matilda looked back at Arad, "Will back away likest time?" "I''ve got no reason to. If you say no, not even the gods would pull out of this house." He smiled. "Than I don''t want to go, can you kick him out?" She smiled. Arad turned toward the lion, "You''ve heard her, get out. Angry and hairy cat, get a haircut." He red at him. "Angry..." The lion mumbled, "It''s people like you that should stop their habit of pissing me the fuck OFF!" He tilted his head back, and swung a headbutt at Arad''s face, hitting him in the forehead. "Get out of my way, Master Zank wants her." Arad didn''t even budge, and instead, the lion was the one to start bleeding from his forehead. "Zank? I''ll make a nice winter coat from his hide; I''ll go with you guys." "Make a coat from Master Zank''s hide?" The lion red at Arad, mes gushing from his back, "It''s so funny that I''m not evenughing." Chapter 877: An Old Friend Return Chapter 877: An Old Friend Return ? ^The fuck is up with this human? I''ve headbutted him but I''m the one bleeding. Why isn''t he budging, and why does his skin feel as hard as stone?^ The lion screamed internally, he would''ve already run away, but his wives were all lined behind him, he couldn''t back down, not in front of them. "What''s up with this fur ball of an inted cat? I can''t fight here, Mira and Isdis would kill me.^ Arad cried inside his head, the two had just been yelling at him, destroying Matilda''s house would be the worst thing to do now. ^Just leave, I don''t want to fight you here. Just give up and scram!^n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As the two red at each other in silence, their foreheads still stuck together, each of them waited for the other to back away. Arad closed his eyes, and the lion gasped, ^What the hell is he thinking?^ ^Lock it all up, what I need isn''t destructive power, I need controlled might, as sharp as a de and as precise as a needle.^ Arad''s muscles rxed, ^This is it, just like that time, in thebyrinth, lock it all up, and only use what''s immediately avable.^ Arad clenched a fist, and punched the lion in the guts, sending him rolling into the garden. The lion immediately stood back up, his stomach twisted in pain, but it wasn''t as bad as he expected. Still confused, he took a stance as he saw Arad charging at him with a clenched fist. "You want a fight then, so be it!" The lion swung his arm, deflecting Arad''s punch aside. [Rumbling Ember Kick] The lion used the same motion to spin and throw a burning kick toward Arad''s head, which Arad counted with a kick of his own, [Fire Kick] "Hooo, a fire user like myself. Interesting..." the lion giggled, "I won''t lose in a contest of firepower!" He pushed even harder, conjuring stronger mes behind his calves to push Arad''s kick away. "You fur ball!" Arad growled as his leg started pushing back, he didn''t want to use more power than this as he''d burn Matilda''s Garden, but this stupid lion is messing everything up. Arad let his kick get thrown away and spun around, kicking the lion in the guts, "Stop burning the ground!" The lion grabbed Arad''s foot, "Caught you! Bring her up!" He shouted and his wives rushed toward the house to drag Matilda out. Zara clenched his fist, ready to start fighting, but Arad appeared between the door and the lion''s wives. With a powerful back p to the chest, he sent the first of the lion''s wives flying outside the yard with her armor shattered to pieces. The lion, his other wives, Zara and everyone stared in silence as Arad growled, "You stay out of the fight." He growled at the other wives. He then walked back toward the lion, ready to finish the fight. It was at that moment that both the lion and his wives realized what kind of monster was standing before them. "Aron!" Mira looked at him, "How fast can you finish the fight?" Arad stopped and looked at her with a scared face, "Sorry! It wasn''t me that burned the grass; I''m trying to keep damage to a minimum here." Mira looked at Zara, "Where does this lion live?" Zara pointed west, "A fair distance in that direction." Mira then quickly looked at Arad, "Send them home, you can do that, right?" Arad smiled, "Got it." "You fucker! What are you..." The lion shouted, but Arad suddenly appeared standing before his face, smoking with ck magic. "My wife spoke, back to your home, cat." He grabbed him by the mane. At that moment, arge wood-cutting axe flew from the streets into Zara''s Garden,nding right between Arad and the lion, almost cutting their toes. "Who is it here, isn''t it a familiar face?" From the front gate, arge muscr man wearing a tank top and thick trousers strolled in, a gentle smile on his face. He was almost asrge as Arad but had a bigger stomach. Arge smile crossed Arad''s face, "Hank! How long has it been." He let go of the lion man and walked toward hands, shaking his hand with enthusiasm, those two giants were almost simr in size. "Anotherrge human, no, wait...something is off..." The lion gasped as he could smell Hank from afar, the fur on his back stood as his main spiked up. "Your smell...don''t tell me." Arad looked at Hank''s face and hairy forearms. "We''ll...I had to get a bit closer to my wife to survive here." He looked at Arad''s face, "But to think the kid I saved back then had grown this strong. You''ve reallye a long way off." His eyes slowly shifted toward the lion. "Is that one giving you some kind of trouble?" Hank asked with a gentle smile, not a single shred of anger or confusion came from his expressions. "He wants to take a friend of mine against her will, I want to stop him without destroying the ce." Arad replied, stretching his arms. "Those lionesses are on it with him." Hank nodded, extending his arms forward, "I do not like beating women, but my wife approves of it." He looked at them with a gentle smile, "Misses, stand down, or you''ll get treated with disrespect." "For me, as long as you leave Matilda alone, I don''t care." Arad stood beside Hank, extending a fist forward, "My ps hurt, and you don''t want to try me." "DIE! WOLF!" The lion lunged forward, aiming straight at Hank. Arad seemed like a danger, but Hank was a serious threat, a beast of the moon. Hank took a deep breath, his chest expanding in the blink of an eye as the lion charged at him alongside his wives. AW000000000000000000000000000000000000000! Hank howled at them, his voice so strong that everyone had to close their ears except Arad, but only the lions seemed to suffer an effect. The lioness fell to their knees, shaking and stunned in a trance as the lion held his ears, growling in pain. The next thing he saw was Hank''s fisting at his face, crashing into his nose with a st. As the lion flew back, Arad hit him in the neck with an elbow, sending him straight back to Hank. "Hank! What was that howl?" Arad said with a smile as Hank caught the lion by the head. "Call of the Alpha, it''s only usable by a progenitor werewolf or their mate. It causes males physically weaker than the howler to feel extreme terror, and paralyze females who are weaker." Hank replied, "It''s the same as when your legs refuse to move from fear, but I doubt someone like me had felt that." He looked at Arad with arge smile, "You''re far stronger than me." "I''m not that strong..." Arad smiled, and Hank immediately knew that Arad wanted to hide his power. "Then, what will you do with this lion man...what was his name?" Hank looked at Arad. "I don''t know, but he works for someone called Zank, one word different from your name." He smiled. "That''s funny. But if that''s the case I suggest leaving him alive. For future political debate, they might not try anything funny with you around, but it''s a different story when you leave." He threw the lion on the ground and kicked him toward Arad. The effect of the howl seems to be strong, Hank''s wife was a werewolf progenitor and a strong one at that. Arad lifted the lion from his mane, and looked at the sky, "I''ve got a crazy idea, I hope it works." He looked at Zara, "Got something to write with?" "Like charcoal?" Zara replied, that he too wanted to join the fight, but those two seemed to be acting on a different mindset than him. "Wait." Hank called, "I''ve got a better idea, use his blood." He approached Arad with a smile. "That''s genius." Arad looked at the lion, he was bleeding from his mouth and nose so he used that blood. [Matilda is with me, fuck off, fur ball.] Arad wrote on the lion''s chest. [You kittens are too weak to be a threat worth killing.] Hank added on the lion''s stomach. "How should we deliver him?" Hank looked around, "Should I release his wives and let them carry him back home?" "No, I''ve got a better idea." Arad lifted the lion above his head and covered him with gravity magic and a barrier, "I''ll send him right away." From his experience throwing stones with his tail, Arad had be an expert thrower, and this lion was far lighter than the stones he was throwing before. After a deep breath, Arad lunged forward and swung his arms, throwing the dazed lion into the sky. **** Back in the lion''s vige, Zank was sitting on his chair surrounded by his wives, awaiting Matilda''s arrival. It was at that moment the wall burst into pieces as the lion flew in, smacking one of the wives down, andnded right beside Zank''s chair, unconscious and bleeding. "What is the meaning of this!?" Zank shouted as he stood in rage, unable toprehend what had just happened. **** Hati giggled, lying on herrge pillow bed with her nine silver tails dancing behind her. She tapped the magic crystal before her with her long nails, a mischievous smile on her face, "Those lions were getting a bit too arrogant..." She giggled, looking at Zank''s angry face and rubbing her finger on the crystal ball, changing the view to Arad and Hank talking at Zara''s door. "Little boy Arad would be their best medicine, animals shouldn''t overstep on dragon''s superiority." She switched her legs and turned around, looking at the two red fox maidens standing behind her pillow bed, one held arge ss of wine, and the other held a massive bow of fruits. "Wouldn''t he threaten your rule as well?" One of the two fox maidens asked. "Are you two calling me an animal? How bold of you today..." She giggled, sitting up, "I''m a Fenrir, and he isn''t here to fight anyone who doesn''t start a fight with him." She stood and approached the two maidens. "Get the stage ready, I''ll be meeting his wife Isdis, I want him to remain entertained while we speak." She tapped their shoulders, whispering, "You know what do you?" Chapter 878: Unstable Chapter 878: Unstable ? In the evening, Arad and Hank were sitting in the garden talking over some tea when Hank''s wife walked in carrying one massive bag, "Hank, so you found him." She smiled, waving her hand from over the fences. "Come in, it''s open." Arad lifted his hand and pulled the gate open with gravity magic. "Everyone is inside cooking; we can''t cook so we''re waiting here." "Did you buy everything?" Hank stood and approached her. She showed him what was inside the bag, "Still didn''t find some, but that shouldn''t be a problem." She smiled and looked at Arad, "How is the little wyrmling doing? He seems to have grown a bit bigger." "Only a tiny bit," Arad smiled, tapping his head, "Fattened up a bit. My wives are feeding me well." "You do indeed smell different," She looked at Arad and then at Hank, "You sensed it as well, fresh blood isn''t so fresh anymore." She giggled. "He''s no more a welp, but a fully-fledged predator. And a vicious one at that, one look and you''ll see the beast growling inside him through those burning eyes." Hank tapped Arad''s shoulder, "You''re far stronger than before."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Did you tell him about the vige?" Hank''s wife, Selena asked with a simile. "I did, I even told him how to find it, in case he wanted toe to visit us. The people he saved before are all living there in peace, rtively speaking." Hank looked at the sky, "We still need to deal with the vicious beasts of this jungle." "That''s the life of a hunter, kill to feed or be killed and fed upon." Selena nodded. "I''m a lumberjack, not a hunter. I cut trees, not run between them and hunt monsters." He shook his head and sat beside Arad, "He''s a hunter." "I''m not a hunter and an apex predator. I stand at the top of the food chain of the monsters you two hunt." Arad smiled. "So, you''re well aware that whenever you go, nature itself shifts around dragons." Selena started at him with her eyes glowing golden, "There is no greater hunt than the fresh blood of a dragon. The beasts of thisnd can''t lift a candle to you." "You think I''m free to hunt and live here..." Arad giggled, "Sorry to say this...but you seem to be a bit too na?ve than me." Arad looked at her, his eyes burning purple, "Don''t you sense it? I''m not the apex predator of this jungle." As Arad''s eyes looked over the mountains, he could see the ghostly figure of a massive silver beast. A titanic nine-tailed wolf of great power, resting upon thends, rivaling in her eternal dominion. "The eternal queens of thesends. I''ve faced some powerful beings, but none of theme even close to their ws." "Are you talking about Hati? Thatzy queen never gets out of her soft bed. I''ve seen her once, her milk jugs are her best aspect, nothing more, nothing less." Selena shook her head, "And old queen...wait...you said queens?" Her eyes opened wide, "What do you mean?" "I can sense it from here, whatever insane power the queen has. I can see another faint figure behind her," Arad pointed at the stars, "She has two souls in her body, and they are both just as strong. The queen had double the power told by her myths and stories." "The overgod was right..." A gentle voice came from behind Arad and he rapidly swung with a clenched fist, only for it to get stopped by the queen''s hand. "Wee to me and my sister''snd, little boy." The queen standing behind them had a different aura than what they all knew; her body was reeking of earth magic. "You''re the queen''s second soul...that was a 10% punch, and you stopped it so well that there was not a single impact or a shockwave." Arad said, sweating. "I killed the force by diverging it to the ground. I''m the strongest earth element user in existence, Tarrasque has more innate ability, but she''s wild andcks refined control like myself." The queen''s sister took a step back, the moon behind her back growlingrge. "My name is Skoll, Hati''s twin sister. I came to deliver you a message, hunt for food, but don''t over-hunt and destroy the jungle''s ecosystem. Mynd is eternal, and I''ll protect that with everything that I''ve got." Her body turned into dust and disappeared with the wind, not leaving any traces. "Aron, what was that magic just now?" Merlin walked out of the house and found Arad standing with Hank and his wife Selena. "Was it her? No, she''s..." Merlin could sense that Selena was a powerful werewolf. "I just got a message from the one ruling thisnd, said to not over hunt." Arad smiled, "It''s usually dragons that rule wilderness and even cities that fell in their domain, but here it''s a bit different." Merlin looked at him with a stern face, "It''s thend of the divine beast Fenrir, that''s the eternal queen of the beastnds, Hati." "The story runs deeper than that," Arad approached Merlin, "Dinner is ready, right? Let''s talk about thister." He looked at the sky, "I''m not feeling that good about this night, it''s probably just me being ufortable in another''snd." But Arad had no idea about the chaos brewing in the world, the creeping madness slowly consuming. **** Back in Alina, Cain was sitting at his desk, mixing several potions for his customers. Beneath a single candle, his hand raced with his pen over the papers writing prescription for each of them. His eyes looked dead down, not even blinking for a second as they flickered with magic. From the shadows behind him, a hand approached silently and tapped his shoulder. He jerked back, looking into the empty room, sweating. "Jemima?" The door opened and Jemima walked in, "Master, did you need anything?" she asked with a gentle bow. "Ah...can you get me a new cup of tea?" He lifted his empty cup, "I''ve already finished it." She looked at his face for a second and approached, "Are you all, right? You look exhausted, you know how strange that is in your case." "I''m old and fragile, writing those is mentally exhausting." He smiled and she took the cup, "Don''t force yourself. I''ll tell them to wait when theye tomorrow." "No, I''ll finish work in a second and get to sleep." Cain replied as he went back to work and she left the room. Writing and weighing the doses, Cain stopped mid-work and lifted one of the empty papers. In the blink of an eye, he drew Jemima on it and looked at his creation, "This is beautiful..." But in a second, he ripped it to shreds and started giggling, "It looks better like this...." The papers burned into ash as he turned back with a crazed smile, "I''ll..." Jemima was standing behind him, "I''ve brought you tea, what are you doing?" She looked at him, and Cain paused for a second, grabbed his forehead, and pinched his nose bridge. "Nothing important...I just..." He looked at her, and could only see blood, "I''m feeling a bit exhausted from sitting all day." He took the tea from her hand and took a sip, "I wish it all ends up." Looking at her face, nothing that makes sense came to his mind. One second, he was thinking of ripping her apart, and the next he was thinking of what if he gave cows wings and made their milk naturally mixed with chocte if they were fed cocoa beans, but then the chocte milk dripped into the ground like mud, and quickly turned into humans dancing around a massive pyre. ^It doesn''t make sense, to resist me, you know? I''m a part of you.^ Cain could hear his own voice whispering in his head, ^Tell me, who are you?^ ^Not you.^ Cain replied, ^Scram, I don''t want to hear your vile thoughts in my head.^ ?You mean your own thoughts, we''re one and the same. In fact, I''m the real you, how dare you pretend to be normal?^ The voice inside Cain''s head giggled, ^You think Arad Orion would grow in time, no he won''t, you''re insane to think that''s possible...^ The voice stopped for a second, ?Wait, it makes sense for you to think that because you''re insane, but that making sense isn''t a part of the madness, which makes sense but at the same time doesn''t....fuck it, let''s kill everyone and start over from the beginning, another RESTART!^ ^I said shut up, I''ve ignored you for thousands of years, what makes you think that I''ll listen now?^ ^Of course you''ll listen...look before you. When Cain blinked, he could see Jemima ripped to shred, her blood painting the whole room as he stood there, dripping red. ^Come on, you aren''t growing weaker, but stronger, that''s why I''m taking over. I''m your true self, give up and let me take over, it''s already toote for you.? SLAP! Cain immediately gasped as somethingnded on his face, he was still in his office but Jemima was fine, ring at him with a worried face, she was the one who pped him. "Wake up! Can you hear me?" "Jemima?" He gasped. "For your own sake...rest for a bit." She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to bed, "Rest, I''ll get Gracie to check you." **** Eating dinner, Arad looked outside the window at the forest, some of the trees seemed like laughing faces to him, and for a second, he could swear he heard a giggle in the background as if the world itself was mocking him, he had never felt such a creepy sensation in his life. "I indeed don''t feel right here..." Arad mumbled, thinking it was because of being in Hati''s domain, but it was far greater. Chapter 879: A Black Cat Beneath The Night Sky I Chapter 879: A ck Cat Beneath The Night Sky I ? While Isdis and Merlin got a whole room for themselves, and Selina slept in with Matilda and her sister in their room, Arad ended up sleeping with Mira, L, Roberta, and Tina in a separate room alongside Serin and Ignis. While asleep, Arad opened his eyes as Serin woke up and started crying. Using gravity magic he lifted and started gently rocking her until she went back to sleep. He then looked to the side, noticing that Mira and Tina were also awake, and so were L and Roberta, the heat and humidity were just too much. The only two who couldfortably sleep were Ignis and him. "You can''t sleep?" Arad whispered, looking at them. "It''s too hot, my back is melting." Mira stood and flipped her pillow, "And it''s far too humid here..." "Yeah, but at least there are no mosquitos." L smiled, "Put your head down and close your eyes, you''ll eventually fall asleep." "L is right." Roberta replied, "But I bet that''s what woke up Serin," She looked at Serin, she was sweating a lot. "Yeah, it doesn''t get this hot back home. I bet she isn''t used to sleeping in this heat." Tina sat up, "I''ll fan her a bit." She pulled a hand fan from her bag. "You could''ve just told me." Arad lifted his hand and pointed at the window, "Let''s see, Isdis''s magic works like this, and Ae and Zephyr use those magic circles..." "What are you trying to do?" Mira looked at him as a blue and green magic circle appeared in the air, floating toward the window. Tiny shards of ice formed from the water particles in the air, and the wind started flowing into the room through the window thanks to Arad''s magic, carrying the cold with it to engulf the room. "This should slowly cool the room, but I''ll try to make sure it doesn''t go overboard. How does it feel." L lifted her hand in the air''s path, "It''s cold, but not too much..." "What else can you do with magic?" Roberta stared at him, "Is there anything that you can''t do?" "Complicated things. This one is simple, make some ice, and run air around it. But when things get into other territories like force and spells like draining magic it bes hard to make them like this." Arad exined. As long as it''s a simple effect, he can make it on the fly. "I wonder how the others are sleeping in this heat." Mira giggled, "Isdis is going to be sad, she wanted to sleep with us here, but sadly couldn''t." "She can use ice magic, she can cool their room, probably." Aradid down, "Go back to sleep. You can then ask her in the morning." Everyone went back to sleep, and Arad kept looking at the ceiling. He couldn''t fall asleep, what worried him wasn''t the heat or humidity, it was a creepy feeling of not being in control of his surroundings. [Gemini] Arad closed his eyes and took control of his clone that appeared right above the house on the roof. He then immediately shifted into a cat and sat there, looking at the vige with glowing purple eyes. He jumped down to the fences and headed into the night streets, strolling the alleyways and looking around. "This vige is quiterge, probably twice as big as a human vige would be, but it''s notrge enough to be a city." He looked around and stopped, "Tigers are solitary creatures, but when pushed into a civilization they can''t really live alone, so they form smallmunities like this." He climbed a house and looked around, his eyes stopping at the camping site where the other students were sleeping. "I bet social creatures like lions would have evenrge cities and viges." As he was mumbling to himself, he could see their teacher Lucia sitting beside the campfire with another teacher, Ramy, the cksmith, she''s the one responsible for Mira''s ss. "They are staying guard even in this ce?" He looked at them, "It should be safer than the woods, why are both sitting guard." He approached and stared at them from the bushes. Lucia sighed, "Those ruffians, it''s just exhausting." She grumbled. "Don''t overthink it, it''s just kids ying around." Ramy replied with a tired smile, "They leave once we tell them off, there is no harm." Arad slowly approached them and kept acting like a cat, rubbing his back on Lucia''s legs, and she picked him up, sat him on herp, and started rubbing his back. "Such a beautiful ck cat, look at howrge you are." Lucia smiled, "For a second, I thought you were a tiger, chunky boy." She lifted him up and showed him to Ramy. "They hunt a lot here, so I bet he eats a lot of meat and scraps. And judging by how vicious the monsters are around here, I bet that even cats must grow stronger to survive." Ramy replied. "I was looking to get a familiar, would you be mine?" Lucia pointed her finger toward Arad''s nose and a tiny magic circle appeared, a familiar contract. Arad rejected the contract and the magic circle cracked. The sess rate with animals was almost 100%, and for a cat to reject it this easily, Lucia immediately thought it was her whocks skill and sighed, falling deeper into depression, "Damn it, to fail such a basic spell. Am I really fit to teach those students." "Of course you are." Ramy replied, "And don''t forget, you''re an alchemist, wizardry and magic are secondary to you." She smiled. "But even with that..." Lucia looked away, "I feel left out, I don''t know about your students, but I''ve got one troublesome student. His name is Aron..." Arad flinched in herp. ^Why me? Did I ever do something that angered her?^ "Aron? The one who got hired by the princess as a guard? I''ve seen him beat the martial ss." Ramy smiled, "I wonder why did he join the alchemist ss." "He''s quite good at making potions." Lucia replied, "And his learning speed is out of the chart. I even wonder if it''s for the best if I just showed him all that I know at once and let him finish studying in a day." "No one can do that. Even if he seemed to be a fast learner, don''t try to push him too hard, you''ll end up breaking his rhythm." Ramy stared at Lucia and waved her hand, "I too got his wife, Mira was her name. I''ve never faced such an energetic ball of creation and talent. She spends hours glued to her desk trying to make failed projects work. And she''s progressing quite fast." "Such talents, no wonder they got married." Lucia kept rubbing Arad''s back, "There is also something else, I think Aron is far stronger than he shows up to us. I swear he once saved Mira from a point-nk explosion. It was that big one, with the refractory freezer." "The machine that detonated in the yard?" Ramy titled her head, "Aron should''ve been in your ss." "He was, I could see him rush out of his seat and jump out of the window, and thene back. It all happened in a fraction of a second." Lucia lifted Arad again and looked at his eyes, "Freaky, isn''t it? To be that fast and still look normal. He even managed to stop all of Zara''s ws while sitting on his chair." "That only means that Mira found a powerful man to marry, the genius little girl. but you say normal, but he''s over two meters tall, and his arms are thicker than your hips." Ramy shook her head, "I''ve seen too many men with muscles-for-show only, but I doubt his muscles are just decoration." Lucia looked at Arad''s face, "What do you say, Mister Nightcat." She already gave him a name. Arad blinked twice, thinking deeply about it. ^Am I really that scary? I was trying to be a normal human... I mean, I had to save Mira, it couldn''t be helped.^ "You''re asking a cat as if it''ll reply." Ramy giggled. "He also reminds me of Alcott...do you remember him?" Lucia hugged Arad, almost choking him with her chest. "Yeah, that yboy." Ramy looked away, "You don''t see many men like him, do you?" "Aron looks awfully simr to him." Lucia rocked her head, "They both are big and do ridiculous things." ^Alcott said something about him possibly being my dad...but the time doesn''t line up. Neither I nor him want to shun the possibility, but it''s extremely unlikely.^ Arad remembered his conversation with Alcott. ^Ceri and Jasmine were right, it''s best to be thought off as true until proven otherwise.^ "Lucia, more came again." Ramy stood and pulled her wand, three massive tiger men approached the camp. They are of the youngsters that Arad beat up this evening, they weren/o/vel/b//in dot c//om still scratched. "The chieftain allowed us to camp here, the area is off limits as students are asleep." Lucia stood there and red at theing three beastmen. "You aren''t the one setting rules in ournd, human female." One of them replied, "It''s us who set rules." He replied. "It indeed wasn''t me who set the rule, it was your chieftain, go talk with him instead." Lucia growled and Ramy stood beside her, "They don''t understand words, those onlymunicate with fists." "Now that female understand." One of the three cracked his fists, "Let''s get right into it." It was then when a loud MEOW Boomed across the air, Arad was sitting between the beast people and Lucia, ring with those glowing purple eyes. "A cat?!" One of them gasped. Chapter 880: Breakdown Chapter 880: Breakdown ? The three beastmen looked at Arad, a bit confused. As a cat, he wasn''t even hissing. He just sat there on the ground, staring at them, menacingly. "What''s up with this cat? That was loud." One of them gasped, staring at Arad with a confused face. "Kick him away, what are you afraid of, it''s just a cat." One of them suddenly rushed in, swinging a kick at Arad. Lucia panicked, waving her wand as fast as she could to form a barrier, but it was iplete. The moment the beast man''s kick hit the barrier, it shattered it and raced toward Arad''s small head. Lucia gasped, if she only was a bit faster at casting spells, her barrier would''ve formed right, and the cat wouldn''t be about to get kicked in the face. Arad lifted his small paw and stopped the beast man''s kick with ease, "Do you really want to fight?" A deep growling voice boomed from the cat and the beast could sense a shiver running down their spine. They just realized it, but it was already far toote. This ck cat, reeks of pine. Lucia and Ramy immediately recognized the voice, and what they saw next made it as clear as day. The cat''s body started expanding and swelling, from its small form a massive muscr man emerged, standing tall and ring down at the beast men, his eyes dripping with purple magic. "ARON?!" Lucia gasped. "You know thew can''t save you from me." He red at them. To them who just got beaten by him out of nowhere this evening, this threat didn''t seem like a bluff or a joke. This human before them is an uncontroble monster. "Forget it," One of the beast men turned around to leave, "Let''s go, it''s not worth it anymore." Arad had just gotten warned by Mira about beating people, so he decided to not chase them. In any other case, he would''ve at least scared them a bit. "Aron...wait, you were the cat?" Lucia gasped and Ramy looked at him. "Since when you can do that?" "I''m a druid, you should''ve known, it''s written on my papers and I did deal with the beavers, didn''t I?" He looked at her, "Besides, you should''ve been able to sense my magic, right?" He shifted back into a cat, and Lucia stared at him, she could indeed sense a faint trace of magic, and now that she was trying to remember, it was indeed there from the start. Lucia fell on her knees and growled, "Why didn''t I figure it out, it was so obvious!" She couldn''t be more embarrassed of herself, even though he approached them clearly shapeshifted with magic, she couldn''t tell the difference. "Am I that stupid..." Ramy patted her back, "Come on, calm down a bit. Even I didn''t notice. It''s obvious when you look for it, but probably near impossible to spot without a hint." It''s like someone with really long hair, and then shortens it by one centimeter, you''ll never notice, but when you see it, you can''t unsee it. Arad shifted back into his human form and sat beside the fire, "Come on, take a seat. They won''t bother you as long as I''m here." Lucia stood but quickly froze in ce, remembering how she was patting his back, rambling about what he did in front of him. She turned and ran away, crying her eyes out. She can''t take it anymore, the embarrassment of what she just did. "Wait! Where are you going?" Ramy cried, calling her back, but Lucia wasn''t listening, she couldn''t even hear her among her weeping cries. "This is bad, she''s running into the jungle." Arad stood, "You wait here, I''ll catch and bring her." He lunged after her, "Teacher, wait." "Leave me alone!" She waved her hand and immediately disappeared in a puff of magic. "Damn it, where did she go?" Arad tried to track her magic, but he could only learn of her general direction. Strangely enough, due to her emotional distress, her magic turned up to be a bit jumbled up, making it harder to track. Arad knew better than anyone how dangerous the jungle was, normal humans can''t survive there alone, and certainly not while having an emotional breakdown. With a single leap, Arad rushed amongst the tall trees tracking Lucia''s magic, "It twists and turns, I know she went this way, but not where she is." He growled, ^{This jungle isn''t just filled with giant monsters, most of them have a lot of magic after all, it''s almost interfering with the magic left by Lucia. }^ It was like standing in a snowy field, trying to track the footsteps of a human in the middle of a snowstorm, while that human''s footprints don''t look like footprints at all. "Should I use curses? Won''t those harm her?" Arad asked as he leapt above a confused raptor, racing across the jungle. ^{Don''t. She''ll get harmed, but if you must, don''t aim directly at her.}^ {Don''t use curses at all, focus on your senses.} Mom added in Arad''s head, {That woman is distressed, she''s crying uncountably and can''t think properly. Focus on your draconic senses and try to smell or feel her. With your speed, it''ll only take a fraction of a second to reach her, as she''s still within your 40km radius.} ^I can''t expand my expansion, I can''t use curses, and all I can rely on is my senses. As strange as it seems, teacher Lucia''s magic is extremely powerful in a sense. She''s good at making spells work, but that usually would be best for spells she uses a lot, like teleportation.^ Arad looked around and decided to jump into the sky. Looking down at the jungle, he sighed, the forest was so thick that he couldn''t see the ground, a view from above was useless. If this happened in Alina, he would''ve asked Loci for help, but The can only count on himself now. "Fine..." Arad growled,nding on the ground. His shirt and pants disappeared as he was left in a pair of shorts, scales slowly covering his body as wings sprouted from his back, and horns from his head. [Time Slow: 99% ] Arad immediately disappeared, faced with such aplicated issue, Arad preferred to return to basic. He''ll systematically search every square meter in a one-kilometer radius, one by one, running as fast as he can and doing his best not to damage the jungle. ^{Be careful, you''re moving at such a speed that you''ll blow anything you touch into pieces.}^ Doma warned him. ^I know, if Hati and Skoll got angry, we''re so done. ^ This wasn''t hisnd, and he''s well aware of the monster ruling it. He''ll try to solve his problems, without alerting the beast. Thanks to Mira getting a divine portfolio and bing a demi-goddess, she requires less and less of Arad''s mana to raise the child inside her, which allows Arad to draw more of his power at any time. With a single solid step, Arad''s muscles contracted as his bones shifted, absorbing the impact of his steps like shock absorbers as he raced through the jungle, searching behind each tree and beneath every stone, straining his senses to the extreme. As he rushed, blood boiled in his veins, and his draconic nature rapidly started to surface. If anything was to harm Lucia, it''d be facing a raging dragon, a monster that even a god failed to stop. The ground beneath the vige rumbled as Arad searched, and Hati sighed on her bed, "Look at this now...he''s still destroying thend to find her...^ She turned and looked at her servants, "What do you say?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "You can just tell him where she went, that would stop him." One of her servants replied. "Then he''ll know I''m watching him. I can''t do that." Hati shook her head and leaned back. At that moment, another servant walked inside and she looked at Hati, "We received a divine promotion. It''s quite urgent." "From who?" Hati waved her foot, "If it''s Tiamat, tell her to fuck off. I''m watching something interesting; I''ll get back to her tomorrow." "It''s indeed from Tiamat..." The servant looked worried, "It says, elerate, we''re losing time.? Hati''s face immediately twisted and she jolted back up, "Wait...what did happen? Is everything fine?" She cried. "I don''t know, that''s all we got. And from her voice, she seemed angry." The servant said, carefully looking at the stressed Hati. "Damn it." She stood and shook her head, "I''ll get to work, prepare my clothes, we''ll get everything done as quickly as possible." "Your Eminence, look!" One of the servants in the room gasped with a scared face, pointing at Hati''s crystal orb. They could see Lucia running in the jungle chased off by raptors without her knowing, and she stumbled down into a Trapdoor Arachnid trap. All monsters here wererge, and Trapdoor Arachnids were massive spiders that didn''t wave webs but instead created traps beneath the soul to immediately snare targets with their fangs. As clearly as they could see, Lucia got snared in the blink of an eye, bitten across the torso. Arad could smell her blood, and all hell went loose. Chapter 881: A Night To Remember Chapter 881: A Night To Remember ? Lucia gasped, blood dripping across her lips as the spider''s fangs sank into her stomach and chest. A painful burning sensation started rushing through her body, but her eyes jolted open, and her mind couldn''t lose conciseness. The concentration of wizards, and the hard mental training they got through to be able to stay awake and focus on spells even when injured now started working against her. No matter the pain, wizards can''t lose consciousness unless they run out of mana. She could see the spider''s glowing red eyes ring at her, the fangs digging into her body, crushing her organs. A slow and painful death was the only thing that awaited, those monsters are extremely adept at taking down their prey, even if Lucia were to st the spider''s face with a powerful spell, it''d never let go. And even if the spider died and let her go, she''d instantly bleed to death. ^This is fear...it''s good then...I''ve forgotten how it felt like.^ Arad''s voice boomed in Lucia and the spider''s heads. From the jungle, a bolt of lightning sparked, hitting the ground as a massive ck arm extended andnded right behind the spider. ^I''ll not lose anyone. ^ Thest time Arad felt true fear was when Isdis got sniped and almost died, he wasn''t afraid for his own life, but to lose people close to him. Lucia''s eyes opened wide as she saw the massive ck dragon crackling with magic chop down the spider in half. She had never in her life seen such a monster up close, and she could remember, this was the one who rampaged a few weeks ago in the swamp beside the university. Arad stood above Lucia and stared at her in his draconic form, she was already at death''s door, and now that the spider''s grip had waned, Lucia had started bleeding rivers. Arad shifted back into his humanoid form and looked at her, his eyes spazzing left and right, trying to figure out what to do. There was no saving her at this point, she was bleeding faster than what any healing spell could heal. Just from a single look, Arad could tell that her stomach, lungs, heart, and all the organs around them got pierced and crushed by the spider''s bite. The only thing keeping Lucia alive in herst seconds was her trained wizard brain, still throbbing with life even with theck of blood. "Say...do you want to live?" Arad looked at her, his eyes burning red. Lucia''s mind was quickly dying, and by that time she had lost the ability to see and hear, leaving her alone in darkness.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I take silence as yes. You could go back from life, but not from death." Arad bent down and bit her neck, letting his blood course through her veins. Her organs slowly climbed back into her body as her flesh regenerated and red magic shed in her eyes. Up till this point, Arad only turned bandits into vampires to use as pawns and spawns, and this was his first time actually turning someone he knew into a vampire. He gave it his all, watching carefully as he used all of his skill to make sure her turning was perfect, channeling all of his might through her. The pain Lucia was feeling quickly disappeared and became a distant memory, the painful hole in her torso was reced with a warm, good-feeling tickle as she stood alone in the darkness. She looked forward, her eyes glowing red as a crazed smile crossed her face. Arad was standing behind her in his draconic form, he opened his massive, throwing blood on her. The blood burned her skin as she giggled, her very nature shifting. Zia appeared standing before her, looking at her with a smile, "Wee, sister." Lucia opened her eyes as shey on the ground, they burned red with blood magic. She stood, her robe was torn from the torso due to the spider''s bite and her breasts danged out, but she didn''t even care, something else was racing on her head. "You''re alive? Rtively speaking." Arad said he was sitting around her in his draconic form, keeping a barrier up to make sure she was safe and to make sure she didn''t go rampaging in a blood rage. Doma had warned him that vampires born with so much power could lose control and rampage. Lucia lifted her head and looked at her, her deteriorating vision had healed, and she could see far better than ever before. With each heartbeat, she could feel her veins pulsing, carrying blood across her whole body. "This feeling..." She looked at her hands, "I''m a vampire, I can feel the blood." She looked at Arad, innately knowing he was her vampire lord and not just any lord. She could sense the depth of the abyss rushing from him, his true power. "You''re my vampire lord...no...something feels off..." She mumbled. Zia appeared from Arad''s shadow, "He''s your lord, God, and progenitor. The God Lord of your whole existence, he is who you serve, pray and worship." Arad waved his hand and teleported Zia back to his blood, "Forget the hard talks, the important part is that you''re okay." He lifted his w and pointed to her chest, carrying a robe. "You''re half naked, wear this." He spoke. Lucia looked down, her breasts were indeed dangling down, usually, she wouldn''t tolerate this, but now, she didn''t feel anything. Since Arad is now her lord, she didn''t feel the necessity of wearing clothes around him, she''s technically a part of his blood now. "Do I need to cover up?" She mumbled. "Doma, she got brain damage, can you fix her?" Arad looked into his own soul and Domaughed, "That''s the hard mentality of a vampire of her power. I can fix her, but that would be a nerf to her mental fortitude." Doma smiled, "Being constrained by human morals is a weakness." "Just turn her back like she was before." Arad waved his w above Lucia''s head and his magic flew into her body. As her brain slowly shifted due to Doma''s curse [Humanity] [Humanity] It grants human emotions and morals to a target, which could cause a lot of mental damage, like making a poor monster aware of himself and falling into an existential crisis. When Doma''s curse fully took effect, Lucia''s mind raced faster than a horse and crashed down. It was clear why [Humanity] is a curse. First, a sh of her death quickly came to her, sending her into an episode of terror, it was then followed by a jolt of the pain of her own death, the horrid vision of her guts spilling out, and the spider''s terrifying face. Lucia screamed her lungs out, but that wasn''t the end of her suffering, in the back of her mind, she realized she was half naked and that put even more stress on her brain, followed by thest straw, realizing the extent of her lord''s power. For a second, she could see herself like an ant sitting beneath Arad''s foot, about to get stomped down. All of what she saw of him till now was a mere fraction of his true power, and now she could sense and see all of it. Knowing she was sitting between his arms almost ripped her soul out of her body. The horror of being in his presence felt like sitting inside a blender, not knowing when someone would turn it on and turn you into juice. Lucia stopped breathing and moving, her mind immediately tried his best to avoid getting killed, and the response was natural. She fell face down, unconscious. "Did she die?" Arad gasped. ^{The situation was too much for a human mind to cope with, she lost conciseness. Let her rest, she''ll be up and fer.}^ Arad shifted back into his humanoid form and covered her with the robe. He then lifted her up and headed back. Thanks to being a direct vampire born from him, she shouldn''t have a problem with the sun and stay rtively unnoticed as long as she doesn''t use blood magic in public. Arad sighed and stood in his bed, "I hope she won''t cause trouble." Mira immediately woke up and looked at him, "What did happen?" "Teacher Lucia almost died, well, she got her torso bitten off by arge spider. I had to turn her into a vampire so she could survive." He looked at the moon outside, "This night is going to be something for her to remember for decades." "If that''s the case, then you should be able to control her, right?" Mira looked at him, "Make sure she doesn''t use her blood magic and keep her aura down." "I''m already doing that." Arad could control all of the spawns in his blood, not just by orders, he could literarily take over their bodies and control them. He now was using that authority to block Lucia from using her vampire powers so she would seem like a normal human. Arad walked into the student''s camp where teacher Ramy was waiting with worried breaths, "What happened, we''ve heard a lot of noise." "She got caught by surprise by arge spider monster and got bitten. Luckily, I managed to track her in time." Arad smiled, "I killed the monster and healed her with potions, she should be fine." Chapter 882: Red Lips of Blood Chapter 882: Red Lips of Blood ? Ramyid Lucia on her bed and watched her for a few minutes after Arad left. To her eyes, she seemed a bit paler, but that might''ve been just due to the moonlight drizzling through the tent''s thin walls. The night had be suddenly quitter, and not even bugs could be heard. The vicious mosquitos of this warm jungle have all but ceased to exist. A dreadful silence filled the air, and Ramy could hear water droplets falling outside. Ramy could feel a strange dryness in her throat, like a stone stuck in her neck. She massaged her neck and looked at Lucia''s ripped clothes, getting a shiver down her spine upon thinking how gruesome the injury was. Her lips shook in awe and fear, thinking how Arad had witnessed that and still acted calmly. With shaking fingers, she searched Lucia''s belongings and pulled her clothes out, quickly changing her before putting her back in bed to sleep. The guard duty of this hot and stuffy night would only burden her shoulders, Lucia can''t do her part. "Rest well, old friend," She closed the tent and went to sit by the campfire, looking at the dancing mes, unable to stop imagining how badly Lucia had been injured. Just an hour ago, they were sitting here on the mes joking, and in that short time, she got gouged and mauled to near death. Ramy couldn''t stop her knees from shaking and her hands from shivering, the thought that such misfortune coulde precipitous just like that. Humans are unfortunate creatures, too fragile for the world they live in. Fate alwaysughs at them, giggling at their pain. Ramy''s fears almost came true just secondster, her eyes paled upon seeing it. The three tiger men from before came back, now that Arad had left, and Lucia was bedridden, Ramy alone was left to fend for herself. Seeing therge three people approaching her with vicious smiles, her mind couldn''t help but race with the thought of her near future. On a silent night, she could hear her inner voice crying, begging for mercy. As a sense of dread washed over her body, her hands naturally moved to her hips...and she pulled down...two guns. Taking a strange stance, she pointed the guns forward at the three beast men, her eyes stern and focused. Fear wasn''t a sin, but a blessing, letting her know when she was in danger, and when she should stop shivering and get ready for blood. With loaded guns and a brave soul prepared for the worst, her hands stopped shivering and her knees held firm. "Three on one, I''ll take lives." She said in a calm voice, ring at them with sharp eyes. The moment one of the tigers took a step forth, she sted his right ear and eye out, her guns automatically loading in a fraction of a second. "Last warning, back down." The beast-man growled, blood dripping across his face and teeth. Her orange fur had turned red, and his one left eye shed yellow in rage, reflecting the moonlight as a deep growl escaped his throat. This little prey bites back, like cubs testing their luck against a porcupine, those youngsters were fools, unable to gauge the threat ahead of them. With the stern courage of a human, facing the foolish boldness of beastmen, their standoff onlysted a second. Two of the tigers rushed at her, she shot them both in the chest, but the third managed to sneak past, smacking Ramy on the back, and knocking her to the ground. She coughed blood as her ribs shattered from the impact, the bones piercing her lung. All white the two tigers she shot seemed fine, the dense muscles and bones had managed to absorb the bullets'' damage.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ramyy on the ground, staring at the dancing grass, painted with her blood. She could smell it deep in her head as her vision slowly faded, sending sparks of dull pain across her spine and feet. This seemed to be the end, "I wish...I gave Mira the ns..." All she could feel was the regret, of not giving Mira the schematic for the automatic reloading gun, as that was a weapon. Lucia was in the tent, seemingly asleep. A courageous mosquito flew across from her bed, almost reaching the walls. The bug''s body quickly expanded and burst into a rose of blood, painting a red trail on the tent''s walls as Lucia''s eyes shot open, smelling food. The rancid blood of beasts, and the sweet and intoxicating scent of a friend''s pure blood. Her body gently floated from the bed, her arms extended to the sides as she took a deep breath, magic rushing through her body. Arad''s grasp on her soul came quickly, clenching down on her chest, pushing her blood magic back to sleep. She gently floated to the ground, and her frozen cold feetnded on the ground, not uttering a single sound. The tigers outsideughed at Ramy as they drank potions, healing their wound as they stared at her dying body with amused grins. From the walls, Arad watched in silence. To Ramy, he was indifferent. Unlike Lucia, the one who taught him a lot, and the woman he had almost driven to insanity, she was but another human, drowning in the back of his mind. Ramy hadn''t called for help, and neither did Mira tell him any stories about her. If she had gotten even a bit of praise from his wife, even a good word, he might''ve thought of acting. It would''ve only taken one word to get Arad to move, a call for help is all it needed. But, for a dragon to help another who didn''t ask for aid is an insult to their pride. Ramy had gathered the courage to face her fate and fight, he''ll be stepping on that pride by butting in. That''s how dragons think, and it''s engraved in their nature. To him, that was like seeing a knight wanting to die with honor. Lucia''s tent door slowly opened and a cold gust of wind slowly rushed out, sending shivers in the tigers. They went silent, staring in shock and awe at the dreadful presence approaching. One bare foot stepped on the dirt from Lucia, and they could smell their own blood guing their noses. One small step after another, she approached them as if in a trance. Standing right beside the bleeding Ramy. Staring nkly forth, still half asleep. Like a hungry human waking at midnight looking for a snack, she was still trying to understand the hunger in her belly. "You''re back!" One of the tigers roared with a smile, swinging his w, and shed Lucia across her face, cutting her eyes. Lucia''s eyes had already healed before he could even finish shing them, she calmly took the hit without moving an inch, fully waking up as her blood dripped across her lips. She lifted her hand slowly up, and brushed the blood to her mouth with her thumb, tasting it. With red lips painted with her own blood, Lucia finally woke up to her new self, a beast of the night. Those tigers are nothing but mere food, an annoying one that still moves and talks. Confused as to how his sh didn''t blind her eyes, the tiger went for a second attack. But this time, Lucia had already tasted blood, her own blood, but still got her woken up. Even with Arad sealing her blood magic, the unhuman nature of her body took hold, and the tiger''s zing-fast attack seemed as slow as a turtle, slowly approaching her face. Lucia opened her palm and her wand teleported between her thin fingers, sparking with magic as she drew a circle in the blink of an eye on the tiger''s chest, sting him into the nearest building with a loud st. All of that happened between the tiger and his second attack starting and it reaching the halfway point toward Lucia. A horrifying cast speed, only heard of in horror stories. Still not a fraction of Arad''s speed, but to the poor tigers, Lucia seemed like a monster they shouldn''t have messed with. The students rushed out of their tents in panic, saw the scene, and immediately cried, "Are we under attack?!" One girl screamed. "The bastards got teacher Ramy?!!!!" A guy roared, pointing a dagger at the tigers. "Make a rug from those cats!" The two remaining tigers didn''t even have time to listen or notice the students. One of them immediately lunged to attack Lucia, thinking he was on mana burnout after casting such a powerful spell. Most normal wizards must rest for white after casting powerful magic, as not doing so could knock them out, like how an athlete shouldn''t do two extreme exercises above his own limit back-to-back. With a single swing from her wand, the tiger floated up into the air and she swung him at the third tiger with magic. The third tiger dodged his friend, letting him hit the ground unsteady. But Lucia wasn''t stopping, she kept swinging the poor tiger, trying to hit the third one, even though the one she was swinging was already begging for mercy, his bones all cracked. Thest remaining tiger turned to run away; this woman didn''t seem like something he could hope to defeat. She''s casting extremely powerful magic at an inhuman speed, making it impossible for him to get close. With a heartless cold, Lucia threw the weeping tiger at the running one, following that with a powerful lightning bolt to char their skin in a sh, almost blinding all of the students watching. The poor kids hadn''t seen their teacher fight seriously before, they knew she was strong, but they didn''t expect to see such an oppressive and unfiltered raw power and magic. Lucia took a step forward, aiming to suck the tiger''s blood. But Arad appeared sitting beside Ramy. He looked at Lucia as he poured a healing potion on Ramy''s back. "Sit and calm." Those words jolted Lucia back to her senses, pulling her mind out of her blood rage and she sat down, looking at the blood pouring on the ground beside her toes. Chapter 883: Paralyze Plant Chapter 883: Paralyze nt ? Lucia looked back at Ramy slowly getting healed with Arad sitting there. She looked at her, and then at the blood sshed on the ground. She still couldn''t properly control herself, Arad might''ve managed in seconds, but he is a dragon, not a human. Memories slowly seeped into her mind, remembering how she sted the three tigers just now. Her power even terrifies her. But unlike Arad, she had a deeper understanding of magic due to her long years of study, and she could realize something almost instantly. Her casting speed had almost quadrupled, and it wasn''t just for any reason. Mana had its own channels in the body, just like blood and nerves, but upon turning into a vampire, her blood veins had also turned into channels to transport mana, increasing her output and speed. Gorarin came to check on what happened and Arad exined everything to him, making it clear that those youngsters were lucky to face Lucia. If he was in their ce, death would''ve been their only end aftering for a second time. The rest of the night went silently without much trouble, Lucia wanted to stay awake as a guard, but Arad urged her to go and get some sleep. Unlike normal vampires, she shouldn''t need to only sleep during the day. She can keep acting like a normal human as long as she keeps her blood magic hidden. She asked about drinking blood, and he exined that it would affect how her power works. If she drinks less, she''ll slowly lose power until she''s back to her basic human self. But if she drank it regrly, her power would slowly rise and it might be hard to keep her identity hidden. No matter what the future holds, she can always run back to his blood. Now that Lucia knew that the man she knew as Aron was in fact Arad Orion, the god-eating dragon and the destruction monster of the desert. As the morning came, the students started studying some herbs in the jungle as Zara and the tigers prepared for the trip to the lion''s vige. Lucia looked at Arad, who was working with Matilda and Selina, gathering herbs and processing them to make numbing poison. ^No wonder he was so fast and strong, he''s the same dragon who sted d''s kingdom with a single breath. She sighed, but a smile crossed her face. The thing that boggled her mind for the past months had finally cleared, she could clearly see where is Arad''s powering from. "Be careful, don''t touch it with your bare hands. You''ll get paralyzed in a second." Lucia said as she looked at all the students. "Tiiiter...(Teacher)" A guy approached her, his mouth open and his tongue dangling out with droll dripping. "Hant Fi Ton! (Can''t feel my tongue)" He had already tried licking it to see how it felt. Lucia sighed, "Are you a fool?" She stood and walked toward her bag and pulled a small test tube filled with white paste. She filled a small teaspoon for him, "Use this, you''ll feel better in a few minutes. Without this, you''ll remain like that for days, maybe even weeks." The guy took the spoon and ate it, Lucia stared at him with a passive face, "Did the numbness reach your brain? I said use it, not eat it." She snatched the spoon from his hand and filled a second, "Rub it on your lips and tongue, coat all of your mouth so it can take effect." Ramy approached with slowed steps, she looked at Lucia and the guy, "Is he okay?" "For now," Lucia replied and waved her hand to him, "Go rest for a bit, you''ll have troubleter." "If he got paralyzed, did you give him that? He''ll screamter." Ramy smiled. "Yeah, pure pain. The paralyzing poison works by putting the nerves to sleep, this paste wakes them by doing the opposite, and only results in pain." She looked at the tube, "You''ll find it a lot in hot chili." What she had was pure capsaicin that she had extracted. "I know, you made me cry before." Ramy giggled, "You devil, made me taste it." She smacked her on the back. Lucia pointed to the guy who was just leaving, "Do you know? He swallowed a whole spoon." Ramy paled, "He''ll be shittingva...I hope he doesn''t die on us." "He won''t, it''s just pain. But that''ll teach him not to mess around." Lucia sighed, "I did warn them several times before we started and even through their work. Don''t touch it, but he did." She looked aside, seeing Arad munching on a handful of the poisonous nts. "ARON!" Ramy cried and rushed toward Arad, "Did you see? You''ll get paralyzed!" She cried and turned toward Lucia, "Bring that paste!" "Don''t worry, he''ll be fine." Lucia waved her hand, "let him be. Don''t you see, he''s not affected." Ramy looked at Arad, and he looked like a goat munching on grass. "I see...don''t eat it!" She growled again. "He''s a druid, you don''t need to worry about him when ites to nts and animals." Lucia stood and approached Arad, "Use this if you got paralyzed, don''t eat it, and don''t let it get into your eyes." She gave him a small tube of the paste. "Lucia!" Ramy sighed, "He might look fine for now, but he''s..." She turned toward Arad, "Why aren''t you paralyzed, being a druid means you''ll be able to guess that the nt is poisonous and avoid it. Not being immune." Arad, in fact, wasn''t immune. But his draconic nerves weren''t so weak as to be suppressed by the poison. To him, it felt like eating mint candy as the nt was sweet, nothing more. "I do have quite a strong body," Arad replied with a smile, showing that his muscles still work. "Anyway, if you''ve got enough, start preparing the poison. You''ll need to catch monsterster." Lucia walked past them and tapped her hand on therge table she prepared. "I''ve just got word from the vige. We''re embarking toward the lion''s vige in an hour, get the poison ready before that time." Matilda gasped, "Wait...is that time enough...and..." She looked at Arad. "It''s fine. We''ll get the poison done," He patted her head, but used it to stand, "Lions won''t do a thing with me around." "You beat the tigers, but there are a lot more lions. You''ll get overwhelmed." She cried, "Teacher, talk some sense into him." Lucia looked at them, "Let him do what he wants. He''s Aron after all," "That can''t be..." Matilda looked at Selina, "Teacher is right. I doubt Aron would lose to some lions, and they aren''t stupid to risk losing a lot of men. I doubt they''ll dare approach you again." Selina smiled, "And...if they dare do that..." She stood, "Teacher, can we leave for now?" Strangely, Selina looked excited. "Aron, can you do their work?" Lucia asked and Arad nodded, "Yeah, no problem." "Go, but thank himter." She waved her hand and Selina dragged Matilda back to her house. "I can''t believe it." Ramy sighed, and then started walking away, "I''ll go check on my ss, they should''ve made the dart guns by now." "Aron!" From far away, L approached Arad''s ss, holding a basket in her hand. "Did you finish studying or not? I''ve just seen Matilda and Selina run back home." Arad was about to start making the poison and he stopped, looking at her, "No, they just had something urgent to deal with." He replied, "Come closer, it''s dangerous to walk alone in the jungle like this." He said sarcastically, after yesterday''s ident, Arad had spent the rest of the night going across the whole forest, making sure all monsters knew he''d be eating them and their families if anyone dared attack.N?v(el)B\\jnn But as everyone could expect, wild monsters are still wild monsters. And arge Spinosaurus appeared out of the thick overgrowth, his nose one meter away from L. All the students froze in ce, and Lucia was about tounch a spell. The Spinosaurus froze in ce, feeling a familiar sent gushing out of L. L slowly turned back with a passive face, looking at the monster, and patted his nose, "Be a good boy and leave. You don''t want to get killed, do you?" She smiled, "But if you remain, I''ll make sure to sell your corpse, don''t worry." Before the poor Spinosaurus could turn around and leave, a hole got blown in his skull and he fell on the ground dead. All the students gasped, "Who is that?!" They all looked at L, thinking she was the one who killed the Spinosaurus, but L knew better, she looked at Arad, shaking her head. "That''s a mess, right." "It wasn''t me." He replied and Lucia paused for a second, "Wait..." In the tiger vige, where the artificers'' ss was studying, Mira sat on a table, pushing her legs on a chair and holding a massive sniper rifle as she had her eyes in the scope, "What''s Arad doing? Letting that monster get close to Mom." She didn''t know that Arad already threatened the monsters and that her mother would''ve been safe. The other artificers were closing their ears, the loud explosion almost deafened them. "It''s cracked." Merlin said with a worried face, "It''s only good for one shot." "It''s a prototype after all." Mira replied as she looked at the sniper rifle. "We have muskets, so what if they were longer, bigger, and could shoot further?" "You get this." Merlin sighed. Chapter 884: The Biggest Hunt Chapter 884: The Biggest Hunt ? Mira stood and looked at her sniper rifle. "This crack is far too deep; it can''t be fixed." She sighed, throwing it into the pile of trash. "We''ll see what we can salvage from itter." She looked at the other students, "Back to the drawing board. We need to make sure the barrel can withstand the heat and shock of firing." "I''ll help you." Merlin walked beside Mira. "Why don''t you just make it like the one you gave Aron?" "Then it''ll be too heavy for us to use. He''s strong, but I''m not." Mira replied, "Albeit, I know that I must make that barrel at least a bit thicker, which would make it heavier." "Mira!" Ramy rushed in waving her hand, "That was a loud shot! Didn''t I tell you not to fire that thing?" She looked at the rifle in the trash pile, "What if it exploded on your face." "It''ll be fine." Mira replied with a smile. Even if she didn''t look like it, she was still a demi- goddess, an injury like that won''t kill her. "It won''t be fine! I don''t want to see you firing anything unstable anymore." Ramy growled as she waved her hand to all the students, "Make sure your weapons are safe to use. The alchemy ss is making the paralyzing poison. With our guns and their poisonous concoction, we''ll be able to hunt this jungle''s wild beasts alive to harvest them." The lesson that Betty prepared for the students on this trip was practical, having both sses test their abilities in the joint work of hunting live monsters. The artificer ss would be able to make and see their weapons being used, and the alchemy ss would be able to observe how different monsters react to their poison. This jungle was indeed far too dangerous for such a stunt, but with Arad being among the students, Betty felt it was safe to send them. He''s the biggest monster after all. An hourter, Matilda and Selina returned only to find Arad had made a boatload of poison on his own. The amount was absolutely stunning. While all the students barely managed to fill a wine bottle; he had filled a whole barrel. "How did you even make this?" Selina gasped, "It stinks!" Matilda closed her nose as she looked at the barrel. Arad pointed with his thumb at arge steel pot, "I used that. It''s not thatplicated." He smiled. "Where did you even hide that?" Matilda looked at Lucia, "Teacher, did you give him that?" "No, he had it with him. Alongside a whole set of alchemical gadgets." She approached them, "He came prepared." Arad reached into his pocket and pulled a doll, "Thanks to her. I never forget my equipment." Those were all Aisha''sb equipment that she had stored inside his stomach. "It''s that doll again." Selina reached with her hand and patted Aisha''s head. "I always wanted to ask." Matilda looked at him, "Why is a big guy like you ying with dolls?" "Cause it''s fun." Arad replied and stored Aisha as he noticed that she was getting annoyed by Selina twisting her a bit too much. "It''s time to leave, right?" He looked at Lucia, "Everything is set." She replied with a smile, "Of course, you aren''t riding the carriages. Get before the carriages and line up, pick your guns, and keep watch. I''ll give you a list of the monsters you can shoot and those you shouldn''t." "I guess you''re leaving the big ones to me." Arad pulled the punt gun and rested it on his shoulder. "I would rather fight barehanded or with a sword, but we have to test those, right?" "Feel free to use whatever you want." Lucia replied with a smile, "You''re a bit special. You''re far stronger than anyone else here." "I''ll use the punt gun." Arad looked at it with a smile, "It reminds me of a weapon that my father uses." He could remember the New Armstrong cannon that Alcott used. This punt gun was far smaller than that, almost ten times smaller, but it still carried a massive amount of power. "I wonder how he could even use that thing." Even without realizing it, Arad''s path had started to resemble a mixture of his father''s fighting style and his mother''s immense power, switching between countless weapons like Alcott, and casting devastating magic like Vasilissa. The royal caravan approached and all the students lined up, walking beside it as they slowly made their way into the jungle guarded by the knights and Arad. The journey to the lion''s vige would take three hours at this speed, exhausting, but nothingpared to what any of them would see when searching for material on their own. While half the students grumbled at the long walk, the other halfughed, those were the ones working as adventurers in their empty time. Adventurers are used to walking hours upon hours a day, tracking wounded monsters across the dangerous forests. The first hour passed without any major problems, the caravan moved safely as both the students and knights dispatched any monster that showed up with sheer numbers and firepower. But, the countless stops to harvest poison or skin the monster for scales and leather had halted the trip too many times, it seemed that the three-hour trip was going to turn into a five-hour trip. After a few more minutes, the caravan stopped upon spotting a massive monster crawling in the distance, a giraffe-like beast covered in iron scales and several times as tall. A six-footed brachiosaurus that emits so much heat that it''s almost setting the jungle aze. "It''s a steam stomper!" Zara who was still apanying them growled, "We''ll need to change our direction. It''s not that aggressive, but we can''t get close due to the hot steam." "We nned several routes, but none of them is viable from this position. We have to wait for it to pass." Merlin replied as she looked at the titanic beast, "That''s big, but..." She looked at Arad, he was bigger. Arad noticed Merlin staring at him and he smiled, cracking his neck. "Zara, do you hunt that thing?" "You can hunt it, but it''s not worth the hassle. It''s usually killed by massive pit traps and spikes. A thing that we only do right before winter if we''re short on food since we can''t preserve all that meat, and it''ll be a disaster if we let it rot." Zara waved his arm, "Smaller games are better and tastier." Too big to be hunted, not worth, it for them. Arad approached Merlin, "Can you store such arge carcass? Is it worth anything?" "A crap ton of gold. With the scales, bones, meat, organs, and the skull as a trophy, we''re talking about well over ten tinum coins. "And yes, I can store it." Arad was the one who was going to store it in his stomach, she was just a cover-up. Arad smiled and started walking forward, "Very well, everyone stops and stays close to theN?v(el)B\\jnn carriage." "WAIT!" All the students gasped, "You aren''t going to attack that massive monster, are you?" One cried. "Yeah, that''s mine." Arad rests the barrel of his punt gun on the ground, "The best hunt in my life. And I need the funds." He smiled at them. "Wait! You can''t attack it; you''re risking our lives alongside yours! What if it attacked us." A girl red at him. "VERY WELL!" Isdis shouted from her carriage, walking out with arge smile on her face. "ARON, do you want to hunt that thing?" "I don''t want to hunt it. I am GOING to hunt it." Arad nodded as started walking toward the monster. "If that''s the case, then wait." She looked at her knights, "Prepare the band! We shall sing him a war song." She was a bard and her main role in a party was buffing the other members using music. "Hunt it if you can!" "Wait! Princess!" Zara gasped, "That monster is dangerous, one swing of its massive tail and we''re crushed like a fly on the wall." "You saw it, didn''t you? Aron easily killed the Death Jaw barehanded; he wasn''t his prey. This one on the other hand, it''s massive, a worthy prey." Isdis giggled, "I too want to see how strong he really is." "I too want to see it." Lucia shook her head, "Let''s give this a try. I''ll form a barrier around the carriages with Merlin to keep everyone safe." She already knew how powerful Arad was, and was certain this fight would be easy for him. The only one who understood why Arad really wanted to hunt this massive monster was Mira, she stood behind him with a wry smile. The human portion of food barely fills his belly, so he usually goes hunting at night for food. But even with that, he rarely gets such a massive meal to fill him. Arad will eat the monster''s flesh, and leave the bones, scales organs to sellter. Mira patted Arad''s back, "Go hunt it." Chapter 885: The Alpha Predator Chapter 885: The Alpha Predator ? Arad took a step forward, the punt gun resting on his shoulder with a faint smile on his face. His eyes shed purple his back burned with magic as he took a stance, aiming at the monster''s neck, the skull should be left as a trophy. The punt gun was loaded with a 0.45 kg, or one pound steel bolt engraved with a magic inscription by Merlin. It''ll gather Arad''s magic, infuse it, and release it upon impact. Everyone knew that Arad wasn''t using a normal bullet to take the monster down, but none cared as he was the only one who could use such a massive gun. "Look! It''s Merlin''s magic." One of the students pointed as purple sparks started rushing from Arad''s back into the punt gun, charging the bolt with magic. But in fact, Arad is the one charging it, as a normal shot might not take the monster down. Isdis and her band started hitting their drums and blowing their horns, a war tune boomed across the jungle as Arad got ready to shoot. The brachiosaurus looked to the side, seeing Arad standing a fair distance ahead of the carriages, sparking with purple magic. With a thunderp, Arad shot his shot, releasing a shockwave powerful enough to quake the ground and lift the carriages from the ground. He had infused the bolt with both lightning and gravity magic, allowing it to elerate faster and heat up to a point where it''ll evaporate upon impact, unleashing a devastating st. The bolt shed light lightning, illuminating the jungle and painting it purple as it raced toward the brachiosaurus''s neck. The brachiosaurus rapidly tilted its neck, taking the bolt as a mere graze, even the explosion failed to sever his neck fully. He is a monster, not an animal. Using the same motion, he spun and swung his tail at Arad and the carriage, ripping massive chunks of the jungle. All the students cried as they saw the titanic tail racing toward them like a whip. The first shot failed to kill the brachiosaurus. As the tail smacked onto the carriages, it stopped. Arad was standing there, blocking with a massive stone de, the one he got from Doma''s father. Half of the students shat themselves, thinking they were going to get crushed. Zara stared at Arad blocking the titanic tail of the brachiosaurus with a gaping mouth, ?No wonder I and the death jaw didn''t stand a chance against him, he''s on a whole another level.^ Arad kicked the back of his sword, which smacked the tail of the brachiosaurus into the sky, lifting his hind legs and butt into the sky. And the ground beneath Arad''s feet exploded from the sheer impact. While most of the students could barely lift their weight, and even Zara could at best carry a bison on his back, seeing Arad kick half of the Titanic brachiosaurus into the sky made their knees give up. The raw and sheer power he was disying made them aware, that if he wanted to, he might be able to lift the whole university and throw it into the ocean. "Is he really an S-rank?" Matilda cried; her eyes fixated on Arad. But in the blink of an eye, he disappeared. Arad lunged at the massive brachiosaurus, cocking his sword back, ready to split the brachiosaurus''s butt in half. It was then that a small monster the size of a dog lunged at Arad, biting him on the face. The monster looked like a limbless, purple lizard with wings and massive teeth. And after that one appeared, hundreds flew at Arad, biting him all over and swarming around him like enraged wasps. Arad''s eyes looked right between the small cracks of the swarm surrounding him and could see the scared underside of the brachiosaurus''s belly, those monsters were parasites. They stick onto the underside of the brachiosaurus''s belly, eating his flesh, and in exchange fight alongside him. It was a symbiotic rtionship. With a violent swing, Arad stored the massive stone greatsword, pulled a steel pole, and a quarterstaff, he then spun it like a fan, smacking all the monsters surrounding him. "Those small ones can''t scratch me." He smiled. Arad gasped as he looked up, seeing the brachiosaurus dropping his tail down, it was engulfed in mes from how fast he elerated using his weight. As the brachiosaurus sat down like a dog, his tail smacked onto Arad and crashed into the ground, sending a massive st toward the carriages. The storm of dust and debris smacked into Merlin''s barrier as everyone screamed their lungs out, the only two remaining calms were Mira and Isdis. While Isdis kept drumming like nothing happened, Miray on top of one of the carriages, eye in scope, not even flinching. Arad was standing on the ground, holding the brachiosaurus''s tail above his head with his arms. "You''ve set half the jungle aze; do you want to get me into trouble with Hati?" But he almost immediately regretted asking as the brachiosaurus farted a burst of fire at him like a Bombardier beetle. As a pir of mes reached the sky, Arad flew up in it and looked at Brachiosaurus, "I see, while the Death Jaw got infamous and was thought of as the strongest predator in the jungle, you remained calm, eating grass and trees while hiding your power." While being an herbivore, the brachiosaurus was one of the strongest creatures in the whole jungle thanks to its massive size and immense firepower. The only thing distinguishing him from a red dragon is theck of wings and intellect. The brachiosaurus lunged back and looked at the fire, trying to find Arad. He might not be smart, but he isn''t a fool. He knows that if Arad survived a smack from his tail, he''ll probably survive the mes. TAP! Aradnded shirtless on the brachiosaurus''s back, walking unarmed with arge smile on his face as magic gushed from his back. Thanks to the mes, his ssmates shouldn''t be able to see him anymore. "Time to finish this, I''m starving." Merlin waved her staff and started chanting. ck clouds engulfed the sky as lightning roared and the wind blew viciously across the tall jungle trees. All the monsters living inside ran away and droplets of water started to fall. As the students looked at the sky, it started to rain heavily. The mes were natural, so it''s safe to douse them with magical rain. As the rain grew stronger, water vapor engulfed the whole jungle in a heavy mist. The students could only see shes of red and purpleing from where Arad and the brachiosaurus were fighting. But Merlin wasn''t done yet. She stood above the same carriage where Mira was with her sniper and started floating, her staff orbiting her.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I call a blinding sh from the heavens!" She lifted her hand into the sky, and sparks of lightning shed from her arm. With a deafening thunderp, a massive bolt of lightning fell down and hit the brachiosaurus''s back so hard its bones shed in the mist. BANG! At that moment, Mira finally shot her shot, the bullet she had in the rifle was a steel bolt filled to the bring withpressed, and highly concentrated poison that Arad made and had Aisha refine. That tiny bolt had the equivalent of five barrels of the poison the students made. The bolt flew through the mist, sparking with magic. Unlike how it seemed, Mira wasn''t aiming at anything, she was waiting for a signal from Arad, and she got it. A faint white spark of his Ho-white Nova. He wasn''t going to st the ce, just used it as a light beacon right after Merlin''s lightning strike. As the steel bolt flew across the mist, Arad teleported to it and covered it with both of his hands, using his gravity magic to change its direction. He guided the bolt to a wound that he made on Brachiosaurus''s back and injected the poison directly into his nervous system. The brachiosaurus growled in pain as its body suddenly grew numb and slowed down, his vision blurred and his legs failed to carry his weight. To the ground he fell, shattering his ribs from his own weight. A fall like this won''t harm him normally, but since his muscles can''t contract to shield his bones, he got damaged a lot by his own weight. Taking that chance, Aradnded on its back and pulled a massive spear, "Time to die." He thrust the spear directly at Brachiosaurus''s heart, hitting the major artery above it, and sucked all of its blood out. That was one of his vampire abilities, but he''ll tell the other students it''s an ability of the weapon. As the mist slowly cleared, the students could see the brachiosaurus''s corpse on the ground with a massive spear sticking from its back, and a secondter, Aradnded beside them, cracking the ground as steam gushed from his back. Matilda stared at him, remembering how he killed the death jaw and beat her father and the whole vige. In all of those times, Arad wasn''t even trying, he was toying with them, and it became as clear as the day. ?While we and all the carnivores of the beastnd strive to be the alpha predators of thends. He''s already there, an alpha predator, a hunter with all monsters sitting beneath his ws.^ Matilda looked at Arad as he walked toward the carriages, shirtless with purple magic burning from his eyes like fire, and she could feel something twitching inside her. Chapter 886: A Massive Hunt Chapter 886: A Massive Hunt ? "WEAR SOMETHING!" Matilda gasped as Arad approached her and the other students shirtless, still smoking from the fire. "I''m wearing my sc...skin." He was about to say scales, but immediately changed it to skin. "What do you even mean by that?!" Matilda red back at Mira and she rushed in with a jacket for Arad, "Wear this." Arad looked at Lucia, "The paralyzing poison did work. It was amazing, even a small fraction of a second of paralyze could create an openingrge enough to finish a battle." He smiled, smacking Mira on the back, "She got him good, an amazing shot." He shifted his gaze toward Ramy who was still half terrified in the back, "Mira seems to be learning a lot from you."N?v(el)B\\jnn "AW! That hurts!" Mira gasped; she wasn''t expecting such a tap. "And, those were some nice spells, Merlin. Both the rain and the lightning strike." Arad waved his hand at her. "Did you forget me?!" Isdis red at him from where she stood above one of the carriages. "My buffs helped as well." "Of course, I didn''t forget you." Arad wore the jacked that Mira brought him and looked at Isdis, "We all worked together to take the massive monster down." Suddenly, all of the students rushed at Arad, "You blocked that monster''s massive tail! How did you even do that?!" "No, forget that, did he punch or kick him into the sky? How could a human do such a thing?" The students started swarming him, asking more questions than he could hear or answer. But then, one of them asked one question, "I can understand training, I''ve seen how you fight several times. But what do you eat? I can''t imagine normal food fuelling such power." Arad looked at him with a smile, "Milk." Mira immediately pulled a gun and shot Arad with a paralyzing dart, and he fell face first on the ground. "We need to talk." She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the carriage, locking the door behind them. "What do you mean by milk!?" Mira stared at Arad and growled. Arad opened his eyes and sat up, the paralyzing poison didn''t work on him, he was just ying along. The dark wouldn''t even pierce his scales if he didn''t allow it. "Calm down, it was a joke. I once heard Alcott call a boaster who could do nothing a milk drinker." Arad replied, "He was referring to the fighters who couldn''t hold their drink and got milk at the bars." "If that was the case, you''re thest one to be called like that." Mira grunted, "And that wasn''t my point, what did you mean by milk?" Arad smiled, "AH! I see," He giggled as Doma spoke in his head, "Breast milk." Mira immediately pulled her gun and loaded it, "One more joke like that, and I''ll shoot you." Arad giggled, "Sorry, sorry...I won''t joke about it again." He stood, "Let''s go out, I need to store that monster before we keep heading to the lion''s vige. I bet they could see the fight; I can''t wait to see how they''ll react to us when we reach them." Arad walked out of the carriage, seeing the students already inspecting the monster''s corpse, both amazed and terrified at its massive size. Most of them had never seen massive monsters, let alone got close to one. Standing before the world''srge megafauna, they finally started to see how simr to ants they are. Even this massive monster would''ve been merely a dog to a titan, which calls into question Tempo, the volcanic titan prince who was studying with them at university. That free spirit and hot-blooded guy, always yelling each word with arge smile on his face. "Aron," Zara approached Arad, "When I faced you at the university, you weren''t even using a tenth of your power." "I''d rather not use it." Arad replied with a smile, "Father wouldugh at me if I boasted about my strength. I do anything about how I look, but I can at least keep my strength in check." "You have power, then use it." Zara sighed, "It''ll cause a lot of misunderstanding if you hide it. I wouldn''t have started a fight if I knew you''re this strong." He looked at the dead brachiosaurus, Arad was stronger than that monster. "Strength is a curse." Arad replied with a straight face, "It''s a spiraling abyss, the deeper you fall, the hungrier you get. You''re either die a monster or live long enough to grow bored." Those weren''t Arad''s words alone, Doma was already inside him, and she had seen the height of power, and felt how unbearable and boring it was, to the point she chose to seclude herself in her hut. "I can''t understand that." Zara stared at the dead brachiosaurus and then at the sky, "If I was stronger then I''d be able to hunt bigger monsters and provide more for my family. They''ll be safer, wealthier, and none would dare harm them." "That''s where you''re wrong." Arad shook his head, "There is always someone stronger than you out there, you''ll always seek more wealth and power, and you''ll never feel sated. You''ll attract stronger and deadlier enemies who''ll do their best to get back at you." Arad pointed at the brachiosaurus, "Just imagine, what if I lived here and began hunting monsters left and right to grow my wealth? Won''t you Queen Hatie to stop me?" "Why would she do that? We too hunt brachiosaurus, usingrge pitfalls and traps once every few years, we sometimes fail, but mostly seed." Zara replied. "Those monsters should be arge part of the ecosystem of the jungle. You''ll kill one of them every few years, that won''t be a problem. The queen can prevent you from killing it if you wanted, it''ll literally take you weeks of preparation and calcting." Arad smiled, "If she didn''t want you to kill, she''d just sabotage your hunt and protect the jungle for eternity. But I''m an unpredictable disaster to her, I bet she''ll send people to stop me if I hunted another one." Since Arad can kill the brachiosaurus so fast, Hati won''t have time to stop him in a mundane way. From where he stood, he could feel her magic rushing through the ground itself. The queen is always watching, observing, and nning for her next step. Arad approached the brachiosaurus''s corpse, "Merlin, is the magic ready?" He asked. "Yeah, it is." Merlin replied with a smile. She didn''t need to do anything; this was just a cover for what he was about to do. No matter how anyone looks at it, Arad''s stomach far surpasses any ordinary storage magic to a terrifying degree. Arad touched the brachiosaurus''s tail and it disappeared in the blink of an eye leaving a crater on the ground. Some of the students rubbed their eyes and looked again, it had really disappeared. "Now we can keep going without needing to worry about anything." Arad looked at everyone with a smile, "It was a short stop, but I think it was worth it." L looked outside from her carriage, "He''s amazing, isn''t he?" she looked at Mira with a smile, "I knew he''s powerful, but not like this." "You rode him here. He''srger than that monster, of course, he''ll win." Mira shook her head, "It''s likeparing a tiger with a deer." Roberta giggled, "I bet that monster would''ve run away if he saw Arad in his draconic form." "No." Mira smiled, "It''ll fight to the death. Most monsters understand that you can''t run away from a dragon, they can fly, swim, and dig at a horrifying speed. They are an all-terrain murder monster." "That little one." L looked up, "What was his name...yes, tail the beaver. He told me that Arad followed a dimensional demon across the void and ripped everything in his way apart." "Yeah, you can''t escape from Arad." Mira smiled with a proud face, "He''s quite persistent... even when he shouldn''t be..." She looked away with an exhausted face. "What do you mean?" Roberta looked at her with a puzzled face. "It''s nothing." Mira shook her face. At that moment, Isdis opened the door and walked inside. "You''ll all here?" She smiled, "Is Serin still asleep? Did the noise wake her up?" Tina who was sitting to the side watching over Serin who slept with Ignis, "They are fast asleep." Isdis sighed in relief, her drumming and Arad''s battle didn''t seem to wake them up, all thanks to Merlin''s magic. "Isdis..." Roberta looked at her, "Mira said Arad is a bit too persistent, what did she mean by that? He isn''t looking for trouble, is he?" "Why are you asking her!" Mira gasped. "It''s not about that." Isdis looked at her, "He''s extremely persistent in bed. Only Eris and Merida can spend a night with him without waking up with sore hips." "Isdis!" Mira cried. "Is she... so that what she meat." L giggled, "I might have something to help you." She looked at Mira. "Mom! Not you as well." Mira was almost unable to withstand the conversation, especially when her mother got involved. "Not just that." Isdis looked at L, "There is the matter of Nina and Merlin." Chapter 887: Into The Lions Village Chapter 887: Into The Lions'' Vige ? Mira looked at the carriage''s ceiling, a deep sight escaping her lips. "It''s like ying with a machine that could explode at any second..." She slowly turned and looked at Isdis, "Any mistake, and it''ll blow in your face." "For me, I would say it feels like entrusting my life to someone I can''t trust. If a random soldier came and told me the road was safe, I''d find it hard to go without my sword." Isdis sat beside her. "If Merlin failed with her magic, Arad could end up dead, crippled, or sealed beside Zephyr for all eternity." Mira scratched her head, "And if Arad failed to drag Zephyr out in time, Merlin could end up turning into a deformed monster based on her magic." "It doesn''t help that neither had tried that magic before." Isdis reached with her hand beneath the seats and pulled a cold water bottle, "Arad was just studying the spatial magic, and Merlin is winging it out in herbyrinth." L looked at Mira, "You told me before, it''s trust. Right." "Yeah. If any of them felt ufortable, that could lead to mistakes." Mira lifted both her hands as closed fists, "When they are working alone, they can get to 100% of their potential. But if they are working together without trust, the fear of the other messing things up would drop their potential a lot." "But..." Roberta took the water bottle from Isdis, "This is not water, it''s white wine. Merlin hides it there to cool it a bit." She sighed, "She''s a drunkard, and Arad needs to trust her." Isdis sniffed the bottle, and it was indeed white wine. "But if they trust each other, they could achieve the impossible." Mira leaned back on the seats, "That''s why they need to build trust before attempting to free Zephyr. It''s sad that Ae isn''t here, but having her around would just increase the stress on Arad." "She might get emotional about Zephyr, staying home is better." Isdis finally found the water bottle, "Arad and Merlin would fight before attempting to free Zephyr. That so they can show each other what they are capable of." She giggled, "I''ve seen how Arad intends to fight her..." She clenched her fists with arge smile on her face... "That form is something else, why can''t he wear those clothes each day." Mira looked at her, "Eris and Merida also like it a lot, especially Merida." Mira looked at her mother, "It''s not that great, too much gold." "Is it just his clothes?" L asked.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Well, he wore this weird white robe that wrapped around one shoulder, leaving the other exposed, and added a ton of jewelry that was cursed by Doma. Not to forget that her pink and ck tattoos spread across his whole body...that look is too weird for him." Mira sighed, "But I guess, some find it nice, and he''s able to leverage curses a lot thanks to all those enchantments." "Mira, Merlin isn''t that easy to defeat either. Did you see her truth?" Isdis shook her head, "Doma called her the witch goddess of thebyrinth. There is a reason why Arad is going full curses to fight her." "Betty exined it to us." Mira clenched a fist, "Just how omnipotent Merlin is when fighting inside herbyrinth. She''s basically a goddess ruling her own domain. Remember the mess herbyrinth caused at Alina; it was still Merlin''s magic that robbed Arad of all his draconic power. He''s going full curses so she can''t do that to him." "Divine beings like Jordan might be able to resist her dominion inside thebyrinth, but to mortal...she might as well be a goddess in there." Isdis looked at the confused L and Roberta, "Nina beat her though..." "Don''t tell mest time when..." L blinked twice. "Yeah, when you came to our house and found Nina and Merlin not getting along, it was right after Merlin tested herbyrinth with Nina. Apparently, Nina''s magic reflection works even against Merlin''sbyrinth. In the fraction of a second that took Merlin to realize that Nina wasn''t affected it was already toote." Isdis waved her hand, leaning back. "Nina instantly kicked Merlin in the guts as the fight started, knocking her out. She didn''t eat bread for a week." Mira said with a worried face. "And Arad like that. He always talks about how powerful Nina is, she''s like a controlled Merida, times ten." "That would be..." As Roberta was about to speak, the carriage started moving. "I guess Arad finished the monster." "Yeah, he needs to eat before the fight. That''s his pre-fight meal, like how Zephyr started bulking up before d''s fight. He''s taking the fight seriously." Mira looked out the window with a worried face, "He needs to trust Merlin''s strength." "He trusts Nina, he trusts Alva of all people." Isdis burstughing, "He''ll trust Merlin, they only need to fight once." "You say that..." Mira looked at her with a sad face, "Aren''t we two left behind? Eris, Merida, Ae, and even them...they could fight Arad, while we couldn''t." Isdis looked at L, "Mother L...your daughter seems to be a bit worried about the future of her rtion with her husband, care to share some tips?" "Isdis!" Mira cried. "Yeah, I got a few." L giggled, "Arad reminds me of your father..." She looked at Mira, "While being an angry soldier with a lot of energy, he loves to cuddle down and chill out at home." "I only remember him sleeping on the couch, or on yourp." Mira titled her head. "You don''t know what your father''s nickname was, do you?" L giggled, "The hundred- man yer, the head sher, and some called him the honey badger. He was a vicious fighter... a terrifying man on the battlefield." "Did you see him fight before?" Mira looked at her mother, this was the first time she heard about her father in years. "We got attacked by bandits once when we were traveling between the cities with my goods." L looked down with a faint smile, "We were alone and got surrounded by fifty armed robbers, that''s what I counted, but there was more." "You survived that fight..." Mira gasped, unlike Arad, her father was a human, a regr man. "I saw him sh five people in a single swing from his great sword. I had to pull nine bolts from his back and three arrows from his chest after the fight. I even used the threads I kept in the carriage to sew his open wounds shut. But...he killed them, all the robbers." "He was a powerful man...How did he die? I didn''t hear of such a soldier; he might''ve be amander with that strength." Isdis looked at L. "While calm with me, he suffered a lot from anger issues which didn''t allow him to be a leader. He remained a frontliner until he died, and I only received his army badge." L pulled the steel ne she was wearing, [Rotgar Belethor: Heavy Cavalry] "I''ll check with the kingdom''s general and find out what happened." Isdis looked closer at the badge, "Silver badge, he served for over ten years. Is there anything about him that I might use? Like when asking soldiers and generals about him, as sad as it might be, they might not remember the name." "He was short and had some dwarven blood in him. Stout with long and silky brown hair, and he always carried a guitar with him and used to love ying with it. It calms him down, but he was quite bad." L giggled, remembering how Rotgar used to start ying the guitar, only for the neighbors toe as him to stop, at which he''d start a fight. "Dwarven blood, no wonder Mira came to be such a magnificent craftswoman." Isdis looked at her. "I''m not short." Mira giggled as she saw Isdis eyeing her. "Don''t exhaust yourself, it''s already been ten years at least. I doubt you''ll find anything on him." L smiled, with a hint of sadness. "I would''ve loved for Arad to have met him; I''ve got a feeling that those two might get along." "Don''t worry, I''ll do my best and find anything about him." Isdis said with a proud face, puffing her chest. After almost an hour, the caravan finally reached the lions'' vige and it stopped outside. The massive gate opened and arge lion walked out, iling his majestic mane. "ZARA! hunter of the tigers. I expected to see you here bringing your daughter to Zank, not a human princess." Zara walked forward with a stern face. "Lion King Serba. It''s been a year since we''vest met, you old bastard." The two stared at each other for a second and burstughing, "You''ve grown fatter!" Zaraughed his guts out, "Are your wives feeding you like stuffing a turkey?" "I''m eating good." Serba looked at Zara with a grin, "On the other hand, you seem to have gained a bit more muscles. Isn''t your wife working you a bit too much?" "Come on, you can''t me me. She''s scary." Zara and Serba shook hands and looked back at the caravan, "Let them in. The queen shoulde see themter this day. Don''t dy, or I''ll pluck your tails off!" Serba growled at the other lions. Chapter 888: Say Your Name Chapter 888: Say Your Name ? As the caravan slowly drove inside, Zara and Serba kept talking as they walked into the front. "Did you see that mess earlier? Someone killed arge Tall Neck beast." "I know, that was us, or should I say, one of us killed it." Zara said with a smug smile, "Guess who was it." "That which you spoke about in the letter? Merlin who guards the human princess?" Serba suggested. "Half-right, she helped a bit. But it was someone else who manhandled that beast, guess who." He whispered. Serba looked back, "None look that impressive to me... besides thatrge human, the one walking in the back." Serba immediately spotted Arad as his head towered over everyone else, even the horses. "No...it can''t be, humans don''t have that potential. Is he a mage as well?" "He''s a fighter, and he worked that thing up, blocked the tail swipe, and smacked him into the air." Zara whispered, "I know you lions are proud and sometimes a bit arrogant, but this is advice from your proud and arrogant friend. Don''t mess with him, he''ll scale the whole vige down to rubble in seconds, and you''ll not be able to fight back." "I hope Zank won''t cause us troubles..." Serba took Zara''s warning very seriously, he knew how powerful Zara and the tigers were, and such fear won''te out of anywhere. In the beastnd, the lions and tigers are one of the most powerful ns. They are the top of the top, and if they can''t fight Arad, there is no need for the lions to risk it. "Yeah...Zank...Matilda is with us; I hope he doesn''te roaring like a fool. Aron did throw his minion back yesterday, didn''t he? I HOPE that was a sufficient warning." Zara looked down, and Serba paled, "He''s the one who threw him? It wasn''t some magic spell?" "There was no magic, pure and raw violence." Zara shook his head; Arad was too much for them to handle. "ZARA!" A roar burst from the other side of the n, and Serba sighed, "Damn it, he''s here." Zara sighed, "I wish Aron just took Matilda with him. He''ll then deal with this idiot." He cracked his neck, "I''m here, Zank. Come, we''ll settle this right here and now." Arad stopped walking and stared at them. Hearing what they were seeing, he knew that the lion walking toward them was Zank, the one behind the whole mess of Matilda. "I don''t care about you." Zank growled, extending his ws with a growl. "Where is Matilda? where is my mate?" "She''s here but isn''t your mate anymore. Fuck off, go hump a tree if you''re this much in the heat." Zara extended his ws. To the beast people, extending one''s ws, or bearing their fangs is a direct life threat. By pulling his ws first, Zank makes it clear he''sing to kill Zara and kidnap his daughter. Zank roared at the top of his lungs, "MATILDA! SHIELD MAIDEN MATILDA, COME OUT!" Matilda used to use a shield in the past when she didn''t want to get hit by a monster''s ranged attack. Matilda looked out of her carriage window, reaching to the handle with her hand. No matter what, she didn''t want to see her father fight someone to the death, he might die or get severely injured. "Stop! What do you think you''re doing?" Lucia grabbed her hand, "You''re staying here." "Let me go." Matilda said with a stern face, "I''ve got a n." She looked at Selina, "This body is worth a lot, but still expandable." "I don''t know what you''re nning, but you aren''t getting out." Lucia sealed the door with a magic lock. At that moment, Arad grabbed the door''s handle from the outside and started twisting it. "Hmmm? Is it stuck?" He ripped the whole door out." Everyone inside the carriage stared at him with terrified faces. "What are you doing? Aron!" Lucia gasped. "Important matters." He stared at Matilda, "Come out." Matilda smiled, "At least, he''s on my side." She walked out. "Don''t do it!" Lucia growled at her. "Aron, stop her. Don''t let her go." "Go where?" Arad tilted his head and looked at Matilda, "I got a n. I''ll go with him for now." She replied. "Going with him? I brought you out to fight him." Arad said, "Can''t have Zara fight your fight. Come on..." Matilda froze in ce, "You want me to fight him? I''m nowhere near my father''s strength, let alone that lion Zank." "Don''t worry, even if you lost. I''ll beat him up, I just want you to fight for your freedom, on your own." Arad tapped her back, "It''s not freedom if someone else won it for you. You must fight back." "Don''t make her fight him." Serba approached Arad and Matilda. "It''ll end up ugly, and quickly at that." "I''ll end up even uglier than that." Arad looked at him, "I''ll burn this whole jungle down before I let him take Matilda. Don''t worry." Knowing that Arad was the one to massacre the Tall Neck, Serba had to take his words very seriously. He knew it, this man could raise hell if he wanted. "ZARA!" Arad shouted, "Don''t bother fighting him." Hearing Arad''s words, Zara gasped and looked back with a confused face. "AH! A smart human, listen to him. Give me my mate." Zank giggled, waving his ws at Matilda, "I see you brought her to me." Arad stood behind Matilda and put his hands on her shoulders, leaning forward and speaking right beside her ears. "Rx, and contract your muscles. Focus on my voice, you''ll have to fight him and win. There is no other way out of this for you." "I can''t win. Stop dreaming." She whispered back at him. "You''re beneath my shadow, calm down and focus. Listen to my voice, feel my hands on your shoulders." Arad gripped her harder. "What do you feel?" "A bit of warmth? And it hurts." She mumbled; he was indeed gripping her shoulders a bit too hard.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "You can win, go for it. If there is a man here that you can''t beat, it''s probably me, not anyone else." Arad stared at her with glowing purple eyes, "Don''t bite your tongue." "Heh?" He gasped, looking back at him. But at that moment, a jolt of pain burst from her shoulders, dropping her to her knees, gasping for air. All of her bones growled in pain like rotten teeth, and she could smell her own blood through her heavy breath. "What...did you do?" She gasped. "Matilda! ARON! What happened to her?!" Zara cried. "MY MATE! You bastard, don''t touch her!" Zank shouted. "Stand!" Arad red at her, and she barely managed to stand, looking forward with an exhausted face, "What''s your name? What are you called." Arad asked. "Ma-Matilda, the shield maiden." She growled and Arad pulled a shield for her, "Go! Remember your own name, look forward, and roar in pride. We do not take mates without blood." When a human is born with a specific bloodline, like a fire elemental bloodline. There are some unfortunate times when they can''t manifest their power or awaken it. Those people had found a solution to forcibly awaken what power sleeps in their blood, and that was exposure. Throw the fire sorcerers into great mes to burn, and drown the cold ones in the frozen arctic sea, bury the earth sorcerers alive in the dirt, and throw the wind ones above the clouds, let them fall, death, pain, and the fear of losing their lives will be the only motivation to push them forward. As Matilda stood with Arad standing behind her, a great shadow could be seen towering over her, writhing invisibly with power. None could sense it besides Lucia and Merlin, the two who knew of Arad''s power and could attune themselves to magic. Lucia sighed and sat to watch, "Do what you like." She could see it, Matilda was already standing between Arad''s ws, supported by him, and resting beneath his shadow. He didn''t just grip her shoulders earlier, he jolted her insides with a surge of his void magic, trying to forcibly awaken her bloodline. Despite the heavy internal damage she received from Arad''s void jolt, magic could be seen sparkling inside her veins. She might not know it, no one else might know it, but it was a fact, that Matilda''s void dragon bloodline had slightly awakened. Matilda stood, feeling her muscles aching. She could hear her heart throbbing in her teeth and ears. With each breath, the smell of blood rushed through her nose and her vision slowly tunneled forward, focusing on Zank. "Go, Fight, win your freedom." Arad''s voice boomed in her head and her muscles visibly expanded, tightening her clothes. The fine hair on her back stood, her ears bent backward, her tail pointed down, and her ws extended outward, the ones on her feet ripped her shoes apart. A deep growl escaped her throat, and a faint purple spark shed in her eyes. Chapter 889: Black Sparks Chapter 889: ck Sparks ? Matilda lunged forth, cracking the ground as her father yelled, "STOP!" Arad shed to his side, dragging him out of the way. Zank smiled, "So you''reing for me!" He shouted, pulling his ws back and clenching a fist. "Fine, I''ll put you back in your ce." He threw his fist at her, aiming for the face. Matilda lifted her shield with a passive and emotionless face, deflecting the punch aside as she swung her ws, aiming to rip his side open. Zank dodged to the side and swung a kick at Matilda''s thighs, "Get down!" Matilda lifted her knee and lowered her elbow to block the kick, but due to the weight difference, she ended up getting thrown away with a st. Zank looked at her as she got thrown over a house, "You''re lighter than I expected, but to think you blocked that. I heard you were a failure, what was that all about?" He jumped after her, lunging into the air, and leaped over the house. Zanknded in a garden and looked around, "My little mate, where did you go? Hiding won''t save you." He looked around, sniffing the air but couldn''t detect her. "Strange." Keeping her position and the wind''s direction in mind, Matilda was prowling through the vegetation of the garden, keeping her eyes firmly on Zank, looking for an opportunity to attack. The moment Zank took a step, Matilda lunged at his back, swinging her w at the back of his neck. Due to therge strength difference, she can''t hold back and is going for the kill. Zank''s eyes quickly turned back, "So you were there?" He stepped aside and avoided her strike with ease. Almost immediately, he swung his foot at her stomach. Matilda lifted her shield to block, but due to her already elerating forward, this attack would be painful. Zank''s foot smacked into her shield and sent her flying back through a window, coughing blood. Zank stopped and started looking at his foot, weirded out. "What?" For some reason, he felt like he kicked a pillow or something, not a hard shield. And then from the side of his eyes, he noticed Arad standing at the side of the garden, watching with glowing purple eyes. Not having that much time, Zank ignored him and rushed after, Matilda, thinking that he was just watching. But what he didn''t know is that Arad did jump between them and cushioned the impact with his palm, and retreated back to his standing spot without them even seeing him. Compared to them, he was that fast. Zank lunged into the house and looked around, "A direct flow? We''re on the northern part of the vige after all." The house had two windows facing each other going from one side to the other so the northern breeze could pass through the house, bringing fresh air. Matilda seems to have flown into the house through one window and escaped through the second. He didn''t waste any second and jumped outside, not realizing that Arad was sitting on a chair inside the house, watching. The moment Zank jumped out of the window, Matilda jumped down at him from the roof, swinging her w at his head. He dodged with a single step, looking at her with a smile. "Always going for the kill, I like that." He spun around and swung his fist at her, "But I don''t..." She blocked his punch with her shield but ended up thrown away once more. "...like you sneaking around like that." Matilda flew all the way to where they started fighting, barely managing to stop thanks to her hind ws. Shards of wood and steel fell from her shield as it cracked, it couldn''t block any more hits. Zank''s raw strength wasn''t something she should block. Thud! Zank jumped toward her andnded with arge smile on his face, "This is...how you use tricks." With a powerful kick, he kicked a stone toward her face. Almost in a panic as she didn''t expect a ranged attack, Matilda lifted her shield and tried to deflect the stone. With a loud crack, her shield shattered into pieces and Zank lunged at her, opening his right w, "Healing exists." He swung his w at her, aiming to wound her just enough to prevent her from fighting. Healing magic and potions are a thing, onerge wound won''t be a problem. As his ws approached Matilda''s chest, her eyes opened wide and her body rxed for a second. ck sparks of magic crackled in her eyes as she breathed out. ZON! Zank''s w missed, he shed the air. Matilda was nowhere in his vision, she disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving him confused. But he wasn''t stunned for long, even if his eyes couldn''t see her, his ears and nose still caught wind of her. He knew in a fraction of a second, she was right behind him. Zank spun around, his torso elerating to an insane degree as he used his hind ws for grip, this time swinging as fast he could, with all of his might. Whatever it was, either moving that fast or teleportation magic, it meant one thing, Matilda wasn''t someone he could underestimate any longer. "Interesting!" He roared, swinging his w. He could see her, she was indeed behind him, and this time, he was moving even faster. If it''s teleportation, she shouldn''t be able to cast it that many times back-to-back, one cast is the norm. ZON! Matilda disappeared once again, letting his attack miss. This wasn''t any teleportation magic, it was [Void Walk] Unlocked from her void bloodline. What Merida had was far weaker than what Arad had started with, she could only teleport within three meters and to a spot that she could see, while Arad had started with forty meters and now could teleport up to forty kilometers. Watching her from the side, Arad could confirm the potency of her void magic, it was less than 0.0001 of his void magic, reminding him of where he stands. A true dragonpared to a bloodline holder. ^She has less than a tenth of what I had as a wyrmling. It''s probably due to herck of scales which limits how much she can release...or is it due to some other limitation?^ Arad stared at her with a curious gaze, while trying to protect her, he didn''t waste the chance to learn more about the void and how to optimize it. It took Zank a fraction of a second too long to realize that Matilda had teleported out of his attack a second time, and just like before she was behind him, getting ready to attack. From a long-forgotten generation, the spark of the void left in her blood pulsed. The magic traveled from one person to another, getting strengthened and weakened by their abilities, refined for what will be the form used by Matilda. Matilda clenched a fist vibrating with the void, sensing the magic surging through her blood, almost seeing her ancestors standing behind her. The handnding on her shoulder felt familiar, the same hand that raised her. She threw her fist forward with a ck spark, hitting Zank in the liver with a booming ck lightning burst. The void absorbs, consumes and stores matter and magic. Besides the basic [Void Walk] ability, Matilda managed to tap into the closed power to her that was stored in the void, her mother''s ck lightning. Zank coughed blood as he got thrown away with a thunderp. Serba gasped as he saw Zank''s massive body flying through the air, and Zara looked with a gaping mouth, he could see her mother in her. Zank grabbed onto a tree with his ws and red back at Matilda with a growl, "You little girl! Hiding all of that magic." He jumped back at her immediately, this time intending to give her a bloody beating.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Matilda charged at him, teleporting left and right with sparks of lightning roaring from her ws. Hended on the ground and swung his w at her while throwing a kick to the back. As Matilda teleported behind him, she lifted her arm and blocked his kick, jolting him with the ck lightning at the same time as he cracked her forearm. Matildanded on a tree, her left hand had be useless, she couldn''t even move it. But the same could be said for Zank, his left foot had burned to the bones, and he couldn''t even put it on the ground. She clenched her fist and the ck lightning shed from her right arm as she got ready for onest punch. Zank leaned forward and stood on all three, ready for a charge. He''ll rush her as fast as he could, and finish the fight in theing attack. As the two jumped at each other, Arad caught Matilda''s fist in his palm, the ck lightning didn''t even phase him. On the other side, a tall,rge-breasted woman with pure white hair and nine fluffy tails stood, blocking Zank''s attack with her fan. "I''ve seen enough." Hati said with a smile, "I can''t have you kill him." She slowly looked at Arad. "He''s quite important, you know." In the blink of an eye, she smacked Zank in the face with her fan and sent him flying into the forest. "Aron?!" Matilda gasped, unable to believe how fast Arad was, and how he didn''t seem to be affected by her ck lightning. Arad turned toward Hati and red down at her as she looked up at him. "I was going to kill him anyway." He said, the magic rushing from his body far surpassing anything that Matilda ever felt in her life, and the same came rushing out of Hati. At that moment, Matilda knew, that Arad and Hati were in their own league. Chapter 890: The Nine-Tailed Queen Chapter 890: The Nine-Tailed Queen ? "Our Queen!" Serba cried, bowing down as did all the beastmen who could see her or hear his voice. This was the undying, eternal gem of the beastnds, a crystal shard of power and eternal glory, one of thest remaining Fenrirs, and a nine-tailed one at that. Her power could rival the gods, yet she remains here in the mortal world for her people, protecting their existence, traditions, and freedom from being robbed by stray divines. While any god or a demi-god can freely advertise and preach his religion across the world, that wasn''t possible in the beastnds due to her presence. Only a select few gods could boast of influencing the beast people, and all those gods had to get Hati''s approval. The beast people had just heard of the desert''s facy where a god fought a kingdom- destroying dragon, their great battle ttened mountains and almost crippled the kingdom, spreading terror across the whole world, that dragon was even dubbed the god eater as he ate that stray god. Such catastrophes shall never befall the beast kingdom, its people can live in peace, certain that they won''t be squashed by such meaningless shes of the divines. "Aron?" Hati said with a smile, her lips curling back like a cat, "What a funny name. Who came up with it?" She tilted her head. "You can''t insult who came up with it, that''s all that should matter to you." Arad replied, ring down at her with magic slowly building up around his body. From the faint rays of lighting down from the sun, seven women d in white robes, their faces hidden behind semi-transparent veils of magic, came flying in, pointing spears at Arad''s neck, surrounding him in the blink of an eye. "Insolent bastard! You don''t bow to the queen?!" One of them roared, the magic leaving her body was strong enough to make everyone feel sick, their stomachs turned, and they couldn''t even breathe properly. Arad slowly leaned forward, it seemed as if he was about to bow, and even the guards felt strange seeing him actually about to obey. But...he instead took a bite of the tip of the spear of the woman who yelled at him, munching the steel like it was a biscuit. The woman froze in ce as Arad slowly pulled the spear out of her hand, and munched on it like candy. "Three tails? Does that have something to do with your strength?" He looked at the woman''s butt, "Don''t even bother, you three are making your mother look bad." "Our tails are indeed a signal of strength." Hati replied with a gentle voice, "They are my daughters as you said, I hope you won''t be smacking them around for acting a bit rude." "Why would I?" Arad replied with a smile, "Good daughters, brought their guest a snack. Wished it was tea instead of steel and wood, but it''ll do." The deep voice, the gentle smile on his face, the massive size of his body, and the tilted head ring down at the daughters who guarded their mother with their lives. "At least teach them to return kindness... with kindness." His gaze shifted to Hati. Last time when she came to visit him in his castle on Zephyr''s matter, he had given them a respectable wee, only served the finest food and tea that he could find, greeting him like this now, seemed a bit too rude. "We can talk at ease in my mansion." Hati looked toward Serba with a smile, "Please entertain the human guests. Provide them with the best that you can offer, I''ll tend to the princess and her guard." She opened her fan, "And...heal that fool Zank." With her fingers, she made a cutting motion with finger scissors. "What?" Serba looked at her with a confused face. "Don''t make me spell it out for you." She kept opening and closing her finger scissors. The gentle smile on her face puzzled Serba who stared at her nkly. Arad turned toward Serba, "She wants him castrated." Hati wasn''t making any effort to hide her thoughts, and as a void dragon, he could clearly hear them...no...Arad paused for a second and held his face, "You really..." He realized that she made him hear her inner voice so he could speak for her, and he did that without a second thought, she yed him well.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Giving everyone an innocent smile, Hati closed her eyes and tilted her head with a gentle smile grin, "Send them to meter. I''ve sent him a letter to tell him to avoid Aron and hispanion, but he seems to have ignored it. This is his punishment." "As your order! Our queen!" Serba bowed deeply, "I shall carry that out..." He looked at her, and his eyes slowly shifted toward Zank''s unconscious body in the forest. "But, may I ask something?" "As at your own risk." She opened her fan and covered her face, only leaving her glowing eyes staring at him. "Won''t it be possible to give him several years in prison instead? I know the gravity of what he did, but permanent damage is just..." Serba looked at her. "Didn''t expect you to speak for him, but you''re right. This is the eternal beastnds; don''t you think eternal damage is quite fitting? It''ll not harm him alone, but the countless generations that coulde from him, for all eternity, this mistake would haunt his blood." She replied with a slow voice, weighing every word as she looked at Serba, and the lions watching, "But...I''m not an unfair queen. This punishment isn''t intended to be permanent." Hati closed her fan, "I''ll give them back if he cools his head down. He started this whole mess for being too horny, isn''t that what happened?" She smacked her palm with her fan, "I''m taking out the root of the problem, hoping this would help create a more eternal solution by teaching that fool Zank his own limits." She giggled, "I''ll give them back if I found him to have turned a new leaf. If not, he can forget about getting them back." "An eternal punishment until you say otherwise. I understand, I''ll do as you wish." Serba stood, "Zara! Help me out!" He called back. "Why me? I''m your guest!" Zara growled, "Fine someone else." "Come just help me carry him back. I''ll take care of the rest!" Serba waved his arm at Zara. Zara was indeed one of the strongest people standing there, besides Arad. "Little boy Zara." Hati looked at him, and Zara froze in ce, "How is Maria doing? This loud boy here didn''t annoy her, did he?" She shifted her gaze at Arad. "What?" Zara looked at the queen, baffled at how she had addressed him out of nowhere. "No, my wife is doing fine...Your Majesty, you know my name?" "I do, I know all the of my people''s names. And I don''t forget, my memory is eternal. Even if time were to end, my will shall oust it." She lifted her fan and smacked Arad on the head, "I''m d, you''ve been a good boy." Arad immediately turned around and swung a fist at her face, but he missed and they both returned to being standing in ce. ^Doma! Did you activate your Domain on your own?^ He gasped. ^{Don''t start a fight with her! Mira and the rest would get caught in your fight. Don''t make me remind you of that.}^ Hati lifted her fan to hit him but then stopped. She pulled it down to her face and opened it again to cover her face. "I guess I went too far..." She giggled; her eyes looked at Arad from behind her fan. "I almost touched your husband." She was pretending to look at Mira, but her gaze was fixated on Arad. ^{Fuck off! Sly Fenrir! I''ll curse your entirend to the gue and watch your people writhe in pain.}^ Doma''s will crackled inside Arad''s head, ^{Arad, this bitch is eternal. She remembers what happened in the erased time. She probably sensed our fight with Matilda''s mother. My domain is useless against her thanks to her eternal nature.}^ ^Really? She can remember that time, but that doesn''t mean she could act in it, or could she?^ ^{I don''t know. But she''s like Korah, but time a hundred and with some change. And I don''t want to stun you further but look closer at her tails. }^ Doma growled. Arad took a look and his eyes opened wide, eight of the tails were mere illusions. It was so potent of an illusion that it managed to trick his void eyes and he wouldn''t have noticed if Doma didn''t point it out. ^She''s a hundred times stronger than Korah, with just one tail of her nine tails?!^ Arad gasped, Korah was indeed a lesser god, but she''s supposed to be a mortal, right... no, it won''t make sense for a mortal to be eternal. ^{Think again...That''s one, out of eighteen tails. Don''t forget her sister who lives inside her like I''m living inside you. No wonder the gods can''t im a piece of the beast''snds, she''s literally guarding the ce and keeping them at bay.^ "Little boy Aron..." Hati giggled, "I''m married, you know? You can''t keep googling your eyes over my rear." She stared at him with a smug smile and quickly nced at Mira. Arad pointed at Hati''s tails, "They look fluffy and soft, can I touch them?" He asked. "Me too!" Mira said with arge smile on her face. "No..." She replied. Chapter 891: The Overgods Dead Heart Chapter 891: The Overgod''s Dead Heart ? "Wee to my humble abode. Hope you find it rxing." Hati said with a grin, lying on herrge pillow bed and staring at Arad, Mira, Isdis, Roberta, and Merlin. Tina and L were ying with Ignis and Serin in the back, they can''t help with theing conversation so they are getting the best of their time here. Arad''s eyes slowly looked around their room. It was arge wooden building brimming with magic, twenty of Hati''s daughters were sitting beside the walls, each holding a strange item in her hands. One held incense, another a fan, one even carried a skull of all things. "This is a shrine." Hati said with a smile, her eyes shifting to look at Arad, "And I''m it''s Miko." She waved her hand, and a faint whistle surged through the air. Her long nails stopped pointing at the skull held by one of her daughters. "The dagger your friend Jack got, the holy wakizashi of Amaterasu. Its first owner was a rogue called Daraku, this is the resting ce of that man''s wife. The shrine maiden Miko. That''s her skull, a holy artifact of the age of the gods." She pointed at the ground, "Her body rests beneath this shrine. Amaterasu entrusted her body to me since she still held a massive amount of Amaterasu''s divine power." Arad looked closer at the skull, "That thing holds power equal to Korah, no. it''s even bigger." Arad could sense the bursting divine magic in the skull. "Miko was a normal girl, orphaned at a young age, she holed up in an abandoned shrine of Amaterasu, raising other orphans and caring for them. Daraku was a thief, but he stole to feed them." Miko waved her finger and divine magic started rushing out from the ground, "This woman has been dead for over five thousand years, this woman had kickstarted the whole of Amaterasu''s religion. Amaterasu had sworn that she''d drop the sun to the face of the earth if someone dared to insult Miko''s corpse." She sat up and looked at Arad, "It''s not just Amaterasu, with me being neutral, a lot of the gods leave their precious artifacts with me to safeguard them for all eternity." "We came here to free Zephyr." Arad looked around, "Does telling me this rte to that?" "You should be able to guess. One of the gods had agreed to let you use one of his artifacts. If...you can harness its energy." She waved her hand and pointed at the closed window. One of her daughters immediately rushed in and opened it. "You''ll be freeing Zephyr there. The artifact is sealed at the core of that mountain." She giggled, "Can you tell what''s in there?" Arad looked at the mountain for a second, and he started sweating, "The hell is up there? It''s like nothing I''ve ever seen in my life." He gasped, terrified at the massive amount of magic condensing in the mountain. "It''s the overgod''s first heart. As a divine being controlling the world, he has billions of hearts and brains working as a massive hivemind to calcte all of the universe''s needs. We call that the Collective Consciousness, her name is Aria, the archon controlling the system. She and the overgod are one and the same, she''s just his brain and heart." Her eyes slowly gazed upon Arad''s terrified face. "That heart had long since died, it never beat in the past five thousand years. The over god says you can use the magic still rushing from it to free Zephyr. And...I quote, directly from him. Not mine, don''t get angry at me." She cleared her throat, slightly moving her head forward like an old man. "Eat it if you can, Lizard. Either die or grow older and stronger from it." "Me? Eat that thing?" No matter how he looked at it, he couldn''t digest all of that magic. It''ll be like asking a human to consume one of Mira''s bombs. That thing puts Kossuth''s [Ho-white Nova] to shame. "Three things could happen." She lifted one finger, "You die, probably explode like fireworks." She lifted a second finger, "You survive, but drown in insanity. At which Kayden woulde and kill you. You''ll die..." "I''m here." Kayden said he was already sitting in the corner, sharpening his sword. Arad couldn''t even see or sense him in the shadows until he decided to speak. "It''s been a while since I butchered a void dragon. They are annoying to the skin." He was talking as if he was about to ughter a sheep. "Third, you fully absorb the heart and gain a lot of power. You''ll probably age rapidly, you might even grow to adulthood in a sh, but you''ll not gain any divinity from it. The over god said that would taint your power." She giggled, "So, what do you say? You''ll attempt eating it, or not?" "That''s the overgod''s heart, and you want me...to eat it? Me dying in one thing, but wouldn''t I blow the whole beast kingdom with me?" He looked at her, "They are here too." He looked at Mira. "First, that''s his old heart. The first heart he had, it''s nothingpared to his current heart. It''s a dangerous artifact, but you''ll need that kind of power in the future. Also, consider that the over-god isn''t asking for any payment in exchange for it. People would go crazy over the dead heart of a god, let alone if it belonged to the over god, the god of the gods." Hati turned toward Kayden, "What do you say?" "Instead of trying to absorb all of its power at once, seal it within severalyers of barrier magic inside your stomach and slowly absorb its power. It''s like sucking on a piece of hard candy, slowly letting the sugar flow out." He lifted his de and looked at it, it was spotless, sharp enough to slice space itself. "Get the wind spirit out of the cube first. You can then spend theing week or month asleep while absorbing the power of the heart." Kayden''s face suddenly burst with six eyes, all glowing red with demonic magic as ck veins covered his whole body. "And, don''t worry about this kingdom or your wives. I was the one to rip that heart out of the overgod in the first ce. I''ve got no problem stopping someone like you who''s just absorbing the power." Hati giggled, "I''m surprised you''re speaking normally to him." She titled her head, "Now that is indeed unexpected." Kayden giggled, "All thanks to Kali''s blessing." He closed his eyes, and opened them again, "You''re still nothing more than a silver wolf. He''s a ckbrador and a beefy one at that."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Come on, even me?" She sighed, "And it''s been five thousand years, have I not gotten better?" She shook her head. "You did grow stronger, but so I did. The gap between us only grew wider." He sheathed his sword and looked at Arad, "Pick a time to pull Zephyr out of the cube. Until that time arrives, I''ll train in the way of the sword and destruction." Kayden is the god yer, he gained that title in less than two years and had spent the past five thousand years growing his power. Right now, he stands at a height unimaginable to most of the gods. There is literary no one in the world with deeper knowledge of how to swing a de than him, and he''s the master of destruction. If you seek to destroy things, pure damage, and destruction, he''s the one to seek, even Kali the goddess of destruction isn''t as good at it as he is. Arad slowly turned toward Merlin, "When will you get ready?" "I''ll tell you when I am..." She looked at her hands, "I need to make sure everything is perfect. It''ll be a day or two." "Take your time, make it a week. We can''t mess this up." Arad looked at Kayden, "A week''s time, is that enough?" "No..." He replied with a passive face, "A thousand years would be barely enough for me to train you on the basics. But..." he stood, "I''ll do my best to make sure you learn as much as possible." "Use my training ground, but I''ll skin both of you alive if you damage it." Hati stood and opened her palm, pulling a thing ss-like de from it. "Youdies can head with my daughters; they''ll guide you around and make sure you''re entertained." "Will Arad be all right?" Mira looked at her with a worried face. "He''ll be fine..." Hati replied, but at the same time Kayden said, "No..." "Stop scaring her!" Hati gasped. "You''re the one who scared them by telling them I was here in the first ce." Kayden intended to only speak to Arad alone, never to get his wives involved or have them know about this whole thing. It was Hati''s idea to tell them as well. "Wives deserve to know what their husband is doing or going through, believe me. I know that best..." She shook her head and pulled her fan, "Off we go." Covering her face, she shed the air with her sword and opened a portal. Chapter 892: Baby Steps Chapter 892: Baby Steps ? Just like Luminous, Hati had a vast, seemingly endless space that she could retreat to. Her demi-n was asrge as the eyes could see, a vast and endless wastnd of dry dirt and a massive rocky mountain with very little vegetation growing in the shade away from the burning sun. Kayden stood a fair distance away from Arad and stared at him with a straight face, his katana unsheathed beside him. "I''ll start easy, the lowest level of swordsmanship that I could still remember." Arad pulled the adamantine sword and took a stance. "You''re really thinking that low of me? I''ll not fall that easily." "I doubt it." Kayden breathed in, the veins on his body bulging as he suddenly disappeared. Arad''s right arm flew away alongside the adamantine sword. Kayden was beside him; he had just finished a downward sh. "I was going for the neck, but went for the arm when I noticed that you couldn''t react in time." As Kayden spoke, Arad''s eyes jolted to the side, a collection of [Ho-white Nova] rushing forth, almost twenty of them. CLING! The Novas all disappeared in the blink of an eye, sliced beyond belief by Kayden. "Magic is too slow to harm me." With an upward sh, he cleaved Arad''s other arm with ease. "That speed..." Arad gasped as he regenerated his arms. "Found the first mistake you''re making. This isn''t speed, it''s eleration." Kayden lifted his arm and dropped his sword, "Now I owe Chad a drink. You''re useless." He disappeared and punched Arad in the face hard enough that he sent him flying through one of the mountains. "Forget about swordsmanship, I''ll have to teach you how to move. You''re indeed still a baby that hasn''t learned how to walk." Kayden started jumping in ce, "Keep your body rxed, don''t tense your muscles. What matters is eleration, not speed. Speed is what you know, how fast you can move. eleration is how much your speed can increase through time." He started suddenly disappeared as he jumped from one side to another, "My speed is o, then I suddenly elerate to the speed I need. I go from 0 to a hundred in a shorter time than it takes for my enemy''s brain to process, which makes my speed seem infinite to them." Arad sat up, the mountain crumbling on his head as he red at Kayden with an enraged face, veins bulging on his forehead as he seemed to be about to burst. His eyes burned purple as magic gushed from his body. He grabbed a massive boulder, and it disintegrated at his touch. Totally outssed, this was the first time in his life that he couldn''t sense a path to victory. This attitude, this feeling, it was the same. Arad stood, and the mountain shattered around him. This was the same when he trained with Mira, he holding back so much power that it bes obvious. Kayden''s shes could cut straight through his scales and any defensive magic he had. Arad''s most powerful spell, the [Ho-white nova] twenty of them were cut down in a fraction of a second. Even though Kayden''s fist felt heavier than anything Arad had ever felt before, he knew it, that man wasn''t using a single drop of his ocean of power. With a single leap, Arad rushed at Kayden as fast as he could. He was angry, enraged at the situation. He had seen this man many times, and not in any of them he had thought of him to be this strong. This man is to the god, what Alcott is to the dragons. A monster they can''t hope to match. As Arad''s fist closed on Kayden''s face, Kayden swung his fist up, hitting Arad''s forearm in the blink of an eye. "This is how you throw punches." Kayden said, and Arad suddenly found himself sucked into another mountain, his jaw broken. "And this is how you should be throwing them." Kayden said, his fist extended forward. "Do you know how to throw jabs?" Kayden threw a few jabs. "Rx all of your muscles and throw your fist as fast as you can, only tense it up at thest moment if you decide it''s an attack and not a feint." Kayden stopped throwing punches, "This way you''ll reach perfection. All of your attacks start as feints. If the target dodges, they remain as feints and you could follow with a hard hit. If they didn''t, just clench your fist at thest moment, and boom, your feint became a real punch." Kayden threw a punch and it exploded in a shockwave. "Now, do that with all of your body, every muscle, every bone, every organ. elerate to your top speed instantly and learn how to walk, void baby. This is today''s lesson." Arad immediately bounced back at him from the mountain, flying even faster than before with a burning fist. Kayden deflected Arad''s fist and smacked him in the face once more, sending him flying back. "eleration is the change in your speed through time...you''re still far too slow at it. And no, using time slowly won''t help you against me." A massive lightning bolt of magic fell from the sky, exploding the mountain where Arad got thrown. From the light and fire, he emerged roaring in his draconic form, a raging Vampiric Wyrmwolf. "You look more simr to me than I expected. Six eyes but only four arms instead of six." Kaydenpared Arad''s vampiric Wyrmwolf form to his true form. "Usually, bing arge target is a stupid thing. But, since we aren''t focusing on that today, I''ll excuse it as long as you can elerate decently." Arad stood on his hind legs, roaring as his brain crackled with lightning from how many signals it sent through his gigantic draconic body. This wasn''t something that he learned from Kayden, but a technique taken from Nina, pushing to the limit of what his ultimate form can perform. It was the same concept that he used when he first realized that his heart could rumble, beating even faster than normal to push his body to the limits. VROOO00000000000000M! As Arad''s heart rumbled like an engine, hended on all six of his limbs, sparks of lightning sparking from his brain, rushing through his spine and illuminating his whole body from the tip of his tails to the sharp peaks of his razor ws. Arad''s bones twisted, his muscles clenched as hard as they could, reinforced by his lycanthropic flesh. The blood in his veins hardened under the control of his blood magic, contracting like muscles to increase his explosive power. As Arad burst forth with a single leap toward Kayden, the ground where he stood burned to ash under the impact of his jump. From full stop, he elerated all the way to his top speed of over 1500 meters a second, faster than bullets, and his entire near-mountain-sized draconic body flew forth. Nothing thisrge should be able to move that fast, it was a horrifying sight that no mortal should ever witness.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad swung his w at Kayden, pulling all of his might into that single hit. This was the quickest that Arad had elerated in his life, but...it was still not enough. Kayden swung his fist, hitting Arad''s massive head. Arad''s punch naturally missed. Kayden needed to jump to reach Arad''s face after all, he wouldn''t be standing in the same spot waiting to be punched. As Arad''s lower jaw exploded from the sheer impact happening at a blinding speed, his body seemed to be flying away just like before. But then, his w that was punching toward Kayden, shifted to aim at the ground by his side. With the blood flowing out his lower jaw burning, Arad''s whole body spun around using the momentum from his w strike and Kayden''s punch, using his extended arm as an anchor to the ground. All of the joins in his spine burned as he used them as leverage to elerate further. From Arad''s w, the punch on his face, his head spun, moving his neck, moving his whole body, the rotation rapidly amplified with each spinal joint, reaching the tip of his tail which elerated toward Kayden''s side like a whip. Kayden lifted his forearm to block Arad''s strike, but he was still sent flying to a mountain. The same way he did to Arad before. Arad stared at the mountain as it crumbled when Kayden hit it. "Got him...at least...once..." He was already panting, in that one strike, he used all of his strength. Hopefully, that man is... "That was a good one." Kayden said, standing beside him. He already returned. "It''s been a while since someone hit me this hard. I honestly didn''t expect you to do it this quickly." Kayden''s eyes shifted toward Arad. "It''s been less than a year since you were born." Kayden said with a stern face. "You''re still a baby and an angry one at that. I taunted you a bit, telling you to stand and walk. In a fit of anger, you actually stood and ran a few steps ahead, but immediately fell on your face." Kayden cracked his neck, "It means nothing if you can''t maintain it. Now to make sure you can walk all the time, like you should be. You''re a void dragon, you don''t move through space. You should be the space itself." Chapter 893: Hatis Twin Daughters Chapter 893: Hati''s Twin Daughters ? After a whole day, Arad and Kayden walked out of Hati''s eternal dimension. While Kayden looked perfectly fine, without a single speck of dust on him, Arad was tattered beyond belief. Mira''s eyes twisted in confusion; Arad never looked so exhausted. She rushed toward him and asked how he was, at which Arad only nodded as he walked toward one of therge pillows that Hati provided them with, and he fell asleep. When Mira asked Kayden about what happened, he exined it briefly, saying that Arad had been training over his limit for the whole day and now he was too exhausted to restrain his powers. If he tried to speak or touch something, he might end up sting them away at full force. Hati''s pillows are specially made so he cany at them with ease, and so is the whole mansion. Mira did ask how could something be built to withstand Arad''s power, as she was a carpenter working on his castle, and that information seemed really valuable. "Anything that I touch can be eternal if I willed it. As long as it''s an object and not a living or an undead being." She walked into the room and smiled at Mira, quickly shifting her gaze toward Kayden. "Got a letter from Lily, she says they need you to buy her some things." Kayden nodded, "Thanks for telling me." He immediately disappeared as he headed back home for the day. "Say, can you help make some things eternal?" Mira asked and Hati only looked at her with a smile. "I''ll consider it if Arad managed to eat the overgod''s heart." She pped her hands and two of her daughters walked into the room. The two were identical twins, both having short hair, four tails behind their backs, glowing golden eyes, and long and sharp red nails, but sadly weren''t as well-endowed as their mother. "Astrid and Frida, two of my daughters." Hati looked at the two with a smile, "Astrid is an expert on earth magic while Frida boasts one of the best spear skills that I''ve seen. But most importantly, I''ve taught them a lot of things." She pointed at Arad. "Recovering after training is just as important." Hati stared at Mira with a smug smile, "It''s the job of his wives to make sure he gets that." Her eyes turned aside, "Isdis,e here. Tina as well, you''re his maid, aren''t you?" She waved her fan, calling them in, but her eyes then turned toward Roberta and L. "You two...Robertae if you want. And you...L...I doubt you''re like B so you can stay here for now." "What do you want us to do?" Mira asked. "Simple, give him a decent bath and wash all that grime covering him. And then make sure he''s rxed enough to recover by tomorrow morning." She looked at her two daughters. "I don''t know if you''d mind, but my daughters are joining you." "We''re his wives....you''re telling us you want to push your daughters in the bath with us? With our husband?" Isdis red at her. "That doesn''t seem right." "It isn''t." Hati replied, "But, you might be his wives. But can you even carry him to the bath?" She looked at Isdis with a grin, covering her face with the fan. "You can''t even lift him up, let alone rinse his scales or help him recover. If you two alone can''t provide for him, more would show up to care for him." "What did you just say?" Isdis growled at her. "Astrid and Frida are going to show you how to care for him. If you don''t act properly and learn the right way to maintain a dragon''s health, they''ll be recing you two soon enough." She stared at them with a smug smile, "You two are the weakest of his wives after all. You''re not in such a position that you can stay with any caring skills if you can''t even fight properly." "I see what you''re going for." L smiled in the back, slowly standing up. "I can''t stay silent as you eat up on my daughter." She approached Hati. "Human, you want to fight?" Hati stood facing L, even if the two didn''tpare in strength, theypared in another way. Their oppressive talent made all the girls stare at them with a hint of jealousy, even Mira wondered why she wasn''t as TALENTED as her mother. A few secondster, Mira was standing in her ce with a confused yet disappointed face, staring at Hati and her mothers with dead eyes. "This is how you two are going to fight?" Her eyes slowly shifted to the wine bottle and the beer bottle in the corner. "You don''t expect me to wrestle this wild wolf, do you? She''ll bite my face off..." L growled, half drunk. "My husband would eat me up if I harmed her...and you know what worse...what worse..." Hati started crying, "He''ll probably won''t care, and let one of the other wives scold me. I''m done with being yelled at by them." As she wept, her daughters started consulting her as if she was a little child. "Those drunkards..." Isdis sighed, "What in the nine hells are they thinking..." "Look!" L burstughing. "She''s crying! I win!" "You''re mean... and I''m here worried about not harming you...." Hati banged her face on the table, and L started consulting her, "Here you go, calm. Mommy is here...you remind me of young Mira." She hugged her head and started patting her. "Let''s go. Leave mother and her to their own insanity." Astrid lifted Arad on her shoulder. "We must make Arad feel better." Her eyes slowly shifted to look at Arad''s face. "Sister, can you carry him?" Frida asked with a passive face.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "He only weights a couple tens of tons with my magic." Astrid threw Arad a few inches in the air and carried him over her neck like a bag of rice. "Wait!" Isdis gasped, "He isn''t suppressing his weight?" She looked at Arad and then at the pillow, he was asleep over. "He is trying, but it''s fluctuating. In a moment he only weighs over 250 kilograms, and in another, he weighs 100 tons. It''s unstable." Her glowing golden eyes shifted toward the girls, "In his current state of exhaustion, you might get harmed by being near him. That''s why we two areing in to help." She turned and started heading toward the bath with Arad on her shoulder. "Sorry for mother and sister''s attitude. They might seem rude, but they are trying to help." Frida approached Mira and Isdis. "Currently, Arad is severely exhausted, like how you''ll be after training hard for a whole day, you won''t even be able to stand properly without your legs giving up." She looked at her sister carrying Arad away. "What mother meant by you two being too weak, is this. You don''t even have the strength to massage him if he needed it." Her eyes shifted back to Mira and Isdis. "But you two have your own unique abilities. Don''t feel down about it." While Isdis and Mira can''t really fight alongside Arad like how Eris can do, they have their important roles. While Isdis takes care of the political side of things, which is something that Arad would rather never have to think about or deal with, Mira is doing her best to help build his kingdom and invent weapons that would allow people to fight with him, and provide him some peace of mind. "Let''s go..." Frida smiled as she started walking toward the bath. "Wait..." Mira looked at her, "You''re that one woman that Arad ate her spear." She called her. "Your words didn''t seem nice at that time either." Frida stopped and looked back at them, a droplet of sweat slithering across her face. "You could see my face?" The veils she wore were supposed topletely hide her identity, it''s a magic item created by her mother Hati. "Well, I might not look like it..." Mira stared at her, eyes burning with a golden me, "I can see far more things than you might think." "That spark..." Frida blinked twice, "You''re a demi-goddess?" Mira froze in ce, "Wait! How did you know?" "It''s obvious. I can tell at a nce at your eyes." Frida waved her hand, "It''s not the time or ce for us to fight now. Our job is to make sure Arad is healthy by tomorrow morning, so hurry up." As they approached the changing room, they could hear Astrid grunting and growling, panting like an exhausted pup. "What''s up with you..." She growled, wrestling someone. With how strange the sounds seemed to be, Isdis and Frida rushed in, kicking the door open. "Sister! What are you doing?!" "ARAD! I can''t..." Isdis grunted. But both of them froze in ce, seeing Arad leaning at the wall with Astrid grabbing his shirt from the shoulder, pushing on his face with her foot as she tried to take the shirt off, but wasn''t able to. Her face burned red as sweat rushed across her cheek and neck, and the veins on her arm bulged, but Arad''s shirt wasn''t budging. Astrid jumped, both with both feet onto Arad''s face as she pulled on the shirt, intending to rip it off if necessary. "What...is this thing made of." Tina looked at them, walked to the corner, filled a bucket with cold water, and slowly approached Astrid. "Move away." She looked at her. "Fuck off, I''m busy, don''t you see?" Astrid growled. Tina lifted the bucket of cold water up and poured it on Astrid''s head, causing her to scream. "I said move away." Tina stared at her. "What did you..." Astrid was about to yell at her, but seeing Tina''s angry smile made her shrink in fear, and slowly back away. Tina approached Arad and squatted by his side, whispering into his ear. "Master, I know you can hear me. And if you can''t, Doma, I''m sure you''re listening. Shift the scales off so we can bathe you. It''s hard to clean them when they take the form of clothes." Arad''s clothes slowly turned pure ck, wiggling around as tiny scales became visible for a split second before slowly shifting back into skin color, sticking tightly to his body. White Arad usually wears normal clothes, but those can''t withstand his fighting, so he quickly shifts into wearing his scales. Chapter 894: How Many People Are Needed to Bath A Dragon Chapter 894: How Many People Are Needed to Bath A Dragon ? "Wait?!" Astrid gasped, "Those were his scales? Not real clothes?" She looked at Mira and Isdis in shock. "Yeah, they act like normal clothes though, he just can''t take them off." Mira replied. While Arad''s scales are morphed into clothes, they must keep a link to him, which takes form in a spot where they are stuck to his body. The advantage to wearing his own scales like this is that they are far more durable than any armor, and would allow him to fight freely without worrying about getting his clothes burned by a fire breath or something like that. "What worries me..." Tina looked at Astrid with a worried face. "Master Arad''s scales are extremely tough and durable. I find it hard to imagine someone leaving him this exhausted." "Tina is right. Arad should''ve been able to recover quickly..." Mira red at Astrid, "Who really is that Kayden? We''ve seen him before, but is he really that strong?" "Kayden Daemon. Currently, he''s ranked first among the world powers, but that title is nothing important, it''s just what humans started calling him." Astrid looked at her sister. Frida sighed, "There are mainly three powers that stand at the top of the world. The overgod, the one whomands this entire world we live in. And then there is the primordial abominable evil, Nyar; He''s an ancient being who lives inside the world, and is trying to invade it." "The man..." Arad mumbled, "The man... in yellow." His eyes slowly opened up, burning purple with magic. He remembers him well, the person who saved Vorvadoss from his ws. That was Nyar, the one behind all of the abomination, their primordial father. Frida nodded, "You''re right, that should be him. From what we''ve heard, he always appears as a slender man with a face that can''t be seen, wearing a yellow robe and gross sound of chewing could be heard when he walks around." "Thest one of the three is Kayden, the god yer." Astrid looked at Arad, "That man fought Nyar several times, and survived to tell the tales. He also seems to be a close friend of the current overgod." "Kayden...he showed up..." Arad shook his head and leaned on the wall, "When Nyar saved Vorvadoss, Kayden showed up and they shed for a fraction of a second." "You''re being taught by a true master. Make the best of this opportunity." Astrid looked at Arad with a smile, "And... we should get you into the bath, we can''t have you naked like this for long." She unbuttoned her robe, slowly dripping it over her shoulders. "Wait? You''reing in as well?" Isdis gasped. "Of course." Astrid replied with a smile as she took her undershirt off, revealing her modest bra and well-toned abs, they were quite stunning, but nothing like Mira''s tanned abs or Merida''s tight muscles. "Do you expect her to wash him in her clothes? She''ll get wet." Frida replied from the back, and when everyone looked at her, she was already naked. With a deeply disappointed sigh, Mira and Isdis started taking their clothes off. They better hurry as the twins started carrying Arad to the shower room. At the very least, they didn''t want to leave him alone with them. "We''re going on." Astrid carried Arad above her shoulder after she fully stripped and walked into the shower room, followed by her sister. Mira quickly took her clothes off to rush after them, while Tina helped Isdis take her armor by removing the back straps for her before taking her clothes off as well. The moment the three of them walked into the shower room they froze in ce, looking forward with puzzled faces as they got sshed with a stray stream of water. The room was massive to a mind-boggling degree, Arady on the ground in his massive draconic form getting sshed with rivers of water gushing out ofrge blue magic circles on the ceiling and walls. Astrid was floating mid-air above him, controlling two massive stone arms withrge mops, using them to brush his back.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Sister!" Astrid shouted, "I''m going to the tail, take care of the back now." As Frida saw Astrid float away from Arad''s back, she cracked her neck and did a few stretches. Her toenails grew into massive red ws and she jumped into Arad''s back, using them so she wouldn''t slip. Then using her spear, she started lifting Arad''s scales, one by one, and washing beneath them using a metallic brush while holding all the tools she needed with her three tails. "Damn it." She growled and looked back at Mira and Isdis, "You useless humans! When it wasst time, you washed him properly?" "Yesterday!" Mira replied with a puzzled face. "Don''t lie to me!" She yelled at them, "Come here right now! Oi, sister her up here!" Astrid used her earth magic to create a staircase for Mira to reach where Frida was. "Look!" Frida showed her beneath Arad''s scales, "How in the hell did you wash him just yesterday?" "He took a bath yesterday, and he regrly cleans himself with the void almost several times a day. Isn''t that from today''s training?" Mira was a bit confused at what she saw. "Nah, this one is old. Dragons release their magic from their scales, this surface on the outside. It can''t hit stuff on the underside." She pointed at Arad''s scale, "His void can''t clean beneath his scales, and bathing him in human form would also only reach to the top of the scales. You aren''t flipping and cleaning them, are you?" "No...we bath like...normal...humans?" Mira mumbled. "That is for humans, not dragons. Look here, those are the marks of a green dragon''s spit. This was thest time something cleaned beneath his scales." When Mira saw what Frida pointed at, she remembered when ug helped Arad in the past. "Dragons are like cats, besides using their elemental energy to clean their bodies, they also lick their scales clean. The rough part of their tongues gets beneath the scales to properly clean." She shook her head, "We didn''t know it was this bad, cleaning this would take us weeks at this rate." She sighed. "Is there any way to make it faster?" Mira asked with a worried face, "Like with magic or something?" Frida shook her face, the only thing they could do with magic was wash him from the outside like Astrid was doing with her massive stone arms. To go beneath the scales, they must be lifted one at a time and thoroughly cleaned. Since dragons emit their magic from their scales, you''d be surprised by how better he''ll feel with them spotless. "Then please allow me!" A voice screamed from beneath Arad, "To offer my body to our Lord!" Everyone looked down and saw a nun prostrating herself beneath Arad''s wing. She slowly lifted her head, "My Lord," she said with a smile as tens of nuns rapidly appeared behind her, Zia hade out of his blood. "Zia! What are you doing here!?" Isdis gasped as she saw the nuns appearing everywhere. "My Lord! I''ve brought a thousand faithful sisters from the order, and I could bring out more if must." Zia said with arge crazed smile on her face. "It seems, our help is very much needed here." Astrid gasped as she sensed the thousand vampire nuns appear out of nowhere, each of them was a monster beyond belief. Even if Arad''s body was quite battered and exhausted, the vampires weren''t and they could still ess the nuclear engine of his soul through their blood connections. "Where did thosee from?!" Astrid cried, clenching her giant stone ws as sweat slowly rushed across her back. Even if she and Frida were to team up, she''s doubtful they could beat even one of those nuns, a single punch from them and the whole bath would burst into mes. "Don''t worry!" Mira waved her arms, "Those are Arad''s vampire spawns, they live inside his blood ande out when he wants or when they feel like it." She shifted a gaze at Zia. "Why did youe out? And don''t lie, I doubt it''s to help with cleaning him." "Of course, it''s so I can gaze upon our Lord''s magnificent body...They are here for the same reason as well. We''ll not miss such a chance." She said with a proud smile and puffed her chest out, "Leave it to us!" "Our lord?" Frida looked at them with a shocked face. Something was off about those nuns, they did indeed worship Arad, she could tell from their eyes and how the magic was flowing around them, but something seemed to have gone horribly wrong. With this number of people having such strong belief in someone, a divine spark should appear. But when she looked at Arad, he didn''t have any, not a single shred of a divine core being formed. "How many of you are believing in him? Only the believers." She asked with a stunned face, and Astrid realized what was happening. Zia looked back at her, "Those of us who actively believe in him as our god? That would be around twelve thousand, there are even more vampires inside him, but I won''t say they actually worship him as a god." With those numbers, it was impossible to believe that he didn''t develop a divine core, but no matter where they looked, he didn''t have any divine core. "It''s amazing, to think I''d see it with my own eyes..." Astrid gasped with arge smile on her face. "So... this is Arad Orion..." Frida mumbled, it was clear, that on the path where divine magic should flow, and be distributed from a god''s divine core into his believers, draconic magic was flowing instead, rushing to the vampires. They were indeed blessed by the being they worship, but the blessing wasn''t holy magic, it was Arad''s draconic power itself. With a single wave of her hand, Zia took her clothes off and threw them into a pool of blood that appeared beside her feet. She turned and looked at the other nuns, "We''re getting to work immediately!" As she shouted, all of them stripped down and she began handing off mops and several other things, pulling all of them out of a pool of blood that linked them to Arad''s stomach. The nuns all jumped over Arad''s body,tching to his scales by extending their feet ws like birds. Zia herself stood beside Mira, looking at everyone working with arge smile on her body, "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" "You aren''t going to help them?" Mira asked. "I''m the one directing all of them. Speech is a bit slow and inefficient, so wemunicate through blood." She looked at Mira, "I''ve got an idea, but I''m not sure if you''d like it or not." Mira looked at her with a puzzled face. "I can''ttch like you. I want to help, but I don''t have the power to do it." A mischievous smile crossed Zia''s face, "Of course, you can help, my goddess. You can use healing magic now, can''t you?" "You know I can''t direct it." Mira has been a demi-goddess for a while, but due to herck of experience with anything rted to magic, she still couldn''t figure out how to use her powers properly, like casting healing magic. Right now, all she can do is release it all over her body, which is ineffective as she can''t direct it toward a target. "I''ve got a n, I''m sure it''ll work." Zia giggled and dragged Mira away. "You''ll sit there." With one hand, Zia opened Arad''s massive jaw, pointing inside. "It doesn''t matter how the healing magic is released as long as you''re inside him." "Wait! You must be joking, right?" Mira gasped, but Zia gave her a single push and closed Arad''s jaw over her. "I''ll let you out when we finish cleaning." Zia giggled, one of thepetitors was out. All that is left is dealing with Isdis, and Arad would be all her... But at that moment an ice sword emerged beside her neck. "That smile and giggle, you aren''t up to any good." Isdis stared at her with a disappointed face. Chapter 895: Getting A Bit Leaner Chapter 895: Getting A Bit Leaner ? Zia''s screams filled the whole bath as Isdis tied her with ice chains inside an ice-cold bath. Albeit Zia was stronger than Isdis, she and all of Arad''s vampires are sworn for protection, and if there is one thing they can''t do, that is use their power against Arad or any of his rtives. Albeit Zia''s countless calls for help, the other nuns had a higher calling on their hands than helping their leader. Their lord, the one who sleeps, the nuclear chaos had needed their help. Their hands moved, and their bodies responded. For the next hour, only on their job, they focused. "This should feel better to him now." Astrid smiled as she looked down at a clean and sparkling Arad. After polishing his scales, someone would be surprised at how reflective they were. Pure darkness, but a slightly reflective one, obsidian scales were glistening like fresh paint on a new car. "It''s indeed..." Frida looked at Arad''s back, unable to move her eyes away. He looked as if his body was sculpted from a massive gem, dripping with magic, powerful, yet gentle. "This is our lord...we''ve worked for a lot..." One of the nuns gasped as they all started staring at him, entranced. Tina looked around and realized that something was off, "Isdis! This isn''t right!" She cried. "What? Is there something going wrong?" She looked back and immediately noticed it. Why is everyone staring at Arad looking so rxed? Their eyes fixed forward as their expression slowly faded. "Trying to eat my husband with your eyes?" She growled, lifting her arms up, "I''ll cool you down before you go into heat! You animals!" [Ice Storm] As she swung her palms down, sparks of frozen snow emerged from her elbow and blew over everyone, jolting them with a wave of cold wind. They all cried at the same time, jumping back with surprised faces. "What did happen?!" Astrid cried. She looked at her hands with a confused face, but couldn''t remember the past few seconds, but instead felt a strange feeling rushing up her stomach and into her chest. A faint thirst swelled up in her throat and a tingle tickled her groin. It felt strange, weird, and quite rming. Sadly, her feeling wasn''t umon, everyone else here besides Isdis, Mira, and Tina was feeling it, a strange feeling that came from looking at Arad. "I''m back!" Bath''s door opened as Merlin walked in, her chest bouncing left and right as she looked for Arad, "Arad! Where are you? I''ve heard you''re quite exhausted..." When her eyes stopped at Arad, she gasped. "Wait... The hell is this!" She immediately pulled her staff from between her breasts. That''s where she had the magic circle for storage drawn, as it''s close to the heart. [Polymorph] As she cast her spell, threads of magic rushed from the tip of her staff and covered Arad''s body, turning his shiny and glossy scales even darker, giving them a mat finish. "Why didn''t I notice that?" She growled, but quickly mumbled to herself, "I don''t see him like this very often, do I?" "Merlin! What''s happening?" Isdis rushed at her, and Mira''s voice could be heard calling from inside Arad''s mouth, asking to be let out. Zia casually broke the ice chains holding her and went to free Mira. She wasn''t really bound by Isdis''s magic, she chose to remain chained in the frigid water as that was what her Mistress wanted. Merlin looked at Arad as she shoved her staff back between her breasts, "Remember how Yuwaku was born from Arad''s majestic body and Zephyr''s magic? She''s a nymph. They are born from sources of great beauty and magic." Now that Arad was growing stronger on his own, boasting even more magic and raw energy, seeing him curled like a cat in his draconic form, such a massive and majestic monster, an obsidian dragon as ck as the night sky, sparkling with pure magic like the stars. It was the same as an extremely beautiful woman on the streets, stealing everyone''s eyes as she passed by. Arad sleeping there emitted a powerful awe aura, putting everyone in a trance as they gazed upon his majestic beings. It didn''t help that those who looked at him were either nuns that worshipped him as their god, or two Fenrirs that knew who he really was. Mira rushed toward Isdis and Merlin as Zia freed her. "What did happen?!" "You were inside his mouth?" Merlin stared at her with a lifted eyebrow, and Mira exined that she couldn''t fully control her divine magic, so she was just releasing it in the hope of providing Arad with some healing. "We need to hurry, otherwise we might have another nymph pop out of nowhere." Merlin scratched the back of her head, "The majestic obsidian dragon and the thousand mystic maidens sitting upon his back. That''s an image that would certainly give birth to a nymph if allowed enough time or magic." She looked at Arad, "We''re quite lucky he''s weakened now." "Arad! Can you hear me?" Merlin shouted, looking at him and he slowly opened his eyes, staring at her with a feint burning me flickering in them. "Get back into your humanoid shape, that should help suppress the image. And how do you feel now?" "Nothing...changed..." Arad growled as he shifted back into his humanoid form, falling to the ground. Zia rushed in to catch him, but he teleported to the hot bath with [Void step] and let her fall on her face instead of catching him. "That was close." Astrid approached Merlin, "We didn''t expect such a thing to happen. We''ll be more careful and watch the magic around him." She turned toward Arad, "Of course, you won''t be better yet. We still haven''t started the healing process; all we did was clean you up so your body can absorb what is toe after this." She pointed back toward two pools of water. This massive bath was made since Hati and her daughters needed to wash their massive beast forms. She was a massive wolf, a nine-tailed silver wolf of majestic proportions, reaching the clouds with her head. One step, and she could crush down several cities. Throughout history, she known by many names. The silver wolf of the end, the divine beast, the nine-tailed beast, queen of the monsters, the holy nine-cloud thunder god, and the jingling bell of the silver moon. Whenever any of those names is mentioned, it''s Hati. Through the past five thousand years she had discovered several ways to recover, and one of them was the opposite treatment. Heating the target in burning divine magic, and then cooling them in ice-cold holy water. That exchange allowed the body to absorb the healing faster, which resulted in quicker recovery. "You''ll go into the sauna, then into the first pool, then back into the sauna but at a higher temperature, and then into the second pool with an even colder temperature." Astrid smiled, "And we repeat until a certain threshold of absorption is achieved." While Isdis and Mira wanted to go with Arad, sadly they couldn''t, no one could. The heat he was thrust into wasn''t something that even steel could withstand, only he could survive it. Eris might''ve endured it, but the shock of getting into frozen water right after would kill her. When Arad walked out of the sauna his body emitted enough heat that he felt like a red-hot metal, the water beneath his feet evaporated and the frozen water nearly exploded as he touched it. White Arad went back and forth between the sauna and the pools, the girls and the nuns took this time as a chance to wash themselves, they''d been working on Arad for quite a while and they needed to take their share of the bath. As Merlin scrubbed her arms, she looked at Astrid, "This is one massive bath. Is it kept in a dimensional pocket? I sensed some weird magic whileing in." "It''s a part of the great infinite maze. Millions of cubic white rooms one hundred meters wide each all linked together and stacked into a single massive cube. All the rooms constantly switch ces tens of time each second using teleportation magic, which make escaping it impossible without a key." Frida was the one to reply and she said that with a proud face. "Infinite maze? Are you talking about that one..." Merlin had only heard about it in old scriptures, a sacrednd, a pathway that links multiple parts of the universe that was built by the overgod from a dungeon to be used as a hub for operation. She only knows about it since her teacher Lilia from the mage tower, and as well Betty, both pestered her about how her Labyrinth magic has the same potential. "Yeah, mother has..." As Astrid was about to speak, the water in one of the pools where Arad was cooling down exploded as he walked out, smoking with holy magic. The muscle damage had healed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om After several switches, Arad''s skin looked to have started taking on a darker tone akin to oak as his scales slowly soaked with the healing magic. Albeit feeling much better, he looked a bit leaner than before as the muscles managed to rx even further due to the severe injuries and recovered into a better state. Chapter 896: Cat Fight Chapter 896: Cat Fight ? With one step forth, Arad approached therge hot bath and slowly walked in, finally taking a seat. Now that his muscles have recovered, he''s able to move better than before. "Rest for a bit." Astrid said as she looked at him from the showers, "Warm up your bones a bit. All that you need now is food and rest." Arad cracked his neck and back, looking at his hands. He stood in the water and Astrid tilted her head, "I said to sit up..." Arad moved, attempting to take a step forward. His body suddenly disappeared, and his footnded in the corner of the bath. A shockwave burst where he stood, and it pped like thunder. Everyone in the bath cried in surprise, staring at what they thought was another explosion. The speed of mana was a third of the speed of light, teleportation magic seems instantaneous, but it isn''t. The mana speed limit is its limiting factor. But what Arad is beginning to grasp now, the art of elerating instantly will allow him to surpass that if his base speed allows it. Right now, Arad could elerate from zero to 1500meter/second {Around 1640Yard/second or 4921 feet/second in elvish} in a thousandth of a second, and stop at the same rate. "ARAD! Don''t stand naked over there,e back here!" Mira called him from the hot bath and he looked back, smiling. "I''m on my way." He did the same, elerating and stopping almost immediately, but this time, there was no shockwave. Using his void, he erased the air around his body to prevent the sonic boom from urring. It was a single, silent step. Arad sat beside Mira and leaned on the bath''s edge, looking at the ceiling with a deep sigh. "He was too strong. But I got a n to defeat him tomorrow, this training won''tst long." He smiled. "That won''t be happening." Frida started approaching them, and Mira immediately jumped to sit on Arad''sp. She red at Frida, and she sat on the opposite side of the bath. "I''m not getting closer to him." She giggled. Isdis also approached, looking at them, "Mira, that''s my ce." Mira stood and moved out of the way, letting Isdis sit on Arad''sp. Since he and Mira spend a lot of time together at the university, Isdis who was left home barely gets any time with Arad, which gave her priority in what little time they got together. "You lot really seem to get along." Astrid approached and sat beside her sister, putting one leg on another, and looked at Arad and his wives. "Don''t they fight a lot among themselves?" "Oh, they do, and a lot." Arad replied with a giggle, "Mira loves to cook meat a lot, and she always gets yelled at by Ae for not opening the windows. Isdis''s sense of cold is a bit off and she prefers it to be a bit colder, which is ufortable to the rest. There are another two, Eris is the opposite of Isdis and she''s always emitting heat, she also asionally sets furniture aze when ying with her magic. The one they don''t fight with a lot is called Merida, probably since she makes and fixes all of their clothes." "I mean more like catfights." Astrid shook her face, "You really seem to be keeping them well together. It''s hard to have multiple wives and have them agree and be on good terms. Mother alwaysined about it, but she seemed grateful that it seemed to be working fine on her part." "There is no need to fight amongst ourselves..." Isdis looked away, "It''s in fact better for us to get along, we can then have some respite." Remembering the nights with Arad, her hips began itching. Even though she looked forward to it, she wasn''t that fond of the fact it couldst hours. Only Eris and Merida seem to be able to withstand Arad''s full affection. If someone like her got Arad all for herself, she''d never walk again after three days. "Yeah. The more the merrier, right?" Mira agreed with Isdis, a wry smile on her face. They can''t even tell Arad to make it shorter, as it indeed takes him hours to finish. That was simply due to therge gap of strength, which made the moves themselves not stimting enough for Arad unless he ramps up quite a bit, which only Merida and Eris could withstand. Outside the bath, L was sitting with Hati. They were drinking just seconds ago, and wouldn''t have stopped of Hati''s daughters didn''t snatch the drinks away. Those two women had even started crying like babies, their milk snatched away. "Can you two get a grip on yourselves a bit?" One of the Hati''s daughters growled, ring at her mother, "Don''t get drunk." Hati shook her face and her expression cleared, "Of course, I won''t. This amount of alcohol only affects me when I''m actively letting it do. Howrge do you think my liver is?" Hati giggled, "It''s massive, and will never get damaged." She patted L''s head, "She''s been drinking and crying a lot. I had to listen to her a bit." "About that man?" The daughter sighed. "Why do we care about her lost husband? He''s dead, right?" The daughter looked back, "What we care about is Arad Orion and no one else." "Come on. Are you saying that it''s bad that he cared about your mother? We can''t be unfair to Arad''s family." Hati leaned back, putting her feet on the table, "I''ve called Ereshkigal, she doesn''t know anything about a man called Rotgar, at least not the one we''re looking for." "So, he''s lost? That can''t be the only possibility, what if he turned into an undead right after death, she wouldn''t know about him in that case. Necromances are plentiful in the world." The daughter replied with a passive face, "Looking for him is futile, and we can''t waste time with the current condition of the world. You must know that better than me, Mother." "I know, that''s why I called someone who isn''t really that good at following precise orders to help. She''s powerful, but can''t really help with Arad''s case as shecks.... the artistic hand." Hati looked forth, and a hand touched the door from the outside. "Wait..." Hati''s daughter gasped as sensed the magicing from outside the door. The door burst open, and a cat woman with ck hair and golden eyes stood there standing tall with a muscr body riddled with scars. Her eyes looked left and right, stopping at Hati and her ears twitched a bit. "HATI-Nya!" The woman lunged at Hati, pushing her to the ground. "It''s been a long while- nya!" Hati giggled as the woman started rubbing her head on her like an excited cat, "Selena...get off me...it tickles." L lifted her eyes and looked at the woman, in her drunken dream, she mumbled, "Matilda?" "Nya?" The woman turned toward her, "Matilda-nya? The girl is a ck tiger-nya. I''m a ck Jaguar-nya." She patted L''s head, "Call me Selena-nya. And you stink of alcohol- nya." "How was the battle of Alrondo?" Hati asked.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Painful, but I managed to push them away." She looked at her scares, "Got injured pretty bad though-nya, but I''ll heal full in a few days-nya. Mother-inw is taking care of them in my ce now-nya." "Sorry for calling you right after you came back, but I''ve got a job that only you can finish, without causing a massive scene that is." Hati looked at her, "Can you track her husband?" She looked at L. Selena bent over L and sniffed her, "It''s old-nya. But I can do it-nya, if he''s still in this world-nya." She jumped over the table and went outside in the blink of an eye, immediatelynding on the fence of Hati''s house. The students who were moving outside saw her there and gasped, no matter how they looked at her, such a muscr woman wasn''t something you see each day. Selena paused for a second, turning aside and her eyesnded on Matilda. "Nya?" She jumped andnded beside Matilda and started sniffing her. "This smell, a mate? No, you''ve got blood-nya." Matilda jumped away, "Who are you?" She cried. "Join the pride as long as you can-nya. If you waste time-nya, you''ll be left alone-nya." Selena said with a smug smile. "I asked who you are!" Matilda clenched her fist and swung at Selena''s face; a ck spark of lightning burst forth in a thundering p. As the dust cleared, Selena had caught Matilda''s fist with her hand and was looking at her with a smile. "The-nya you want-nya?" In the blink of an eye, the two of them disappeared as Selena snatched Matilda and jumped with her far away. Matilda could only feel the extreme eleration for a second before the twonded in a forgingnd. Selena threw Matilda away, and she stood with a scared face. It was as clear as day if she could move her this far that quickly. ^I''ll lose...^ "AROOOON!" Matilda immediately screamed, knowing that she couldn''t win, her only option was to call for help from the only person she knew to be far stronger than her. "He won''t hear you here-nya." Selena cracked her knuckles, "I''ve got work-nya, but I can y with you a bit-nya." She red at her with glowing yellow as ck lightning started rumbling from her back. "ck Jaguars or ck tigers, let''s see who''s the best-nya." ZON! Matilda disappeared and appeared beside Selena, swinging a kick at her face. Selena easily blocked the kick, "Weak-nya. You won''t be Arad''s mate while being this weak-nya." Selena clenched a fist, "If you''re in heat, prove yourself." She punched Matilda in the guts, sending her flying to the trees. "And bring him a hunt." The first sentence where Selena isn''t mewing like a cat is the first sentence where she''s dead serious. Chapter 897: The Black Cat And The Purple Witch Chapter 897: The ck Cat And The Purple Witch ? Matilda lunged at Selena with a clenched fist, crackling with ck lightning. "Who are you?" Selena dodged the punch with ease, and Matilda started swinging even faster. A spark of ck lightning roared with each swing as they rushed toward Selena like lightning bolts. Selena dodged all the punches, weaving through the lightning with a smile on her face. Each of her moves was as silent as the wind, yet sharper than des, in a few small steps, she ended up squatting above Matilda''s fist, not even her weight mattered. Matilda angrily swings her fist, pulling it from beneath Selena, and charged forth with rage, chasing her across the open area in the forest they were fighting in. ^Each time I swing my fist, she already starts moving, as if she''s seeing the future. I can''t catch her, she''s always ahead of me. Even though I''d been chasing for several minutes now, her breathing didn''t even change. What''s more horrifying, is that I can''t hear her steps or moves at all. It''s like I''m fighting a shadow. Matilda started sweating as she jumped all over the ce, leaping from one tree to another and swinging as fast as she could. Selena''s ear bent back, and she smacked Matilda with an open palm to the face, sending her flying to the side at an extreme speed. Her ears immediately stood back up, and she stared forth with a gentle smile, her eyes still following Matilda''s moves.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ^Each time she''s about to attack, her ears bend backward. Even though I know that, even though I can see it, and I''m fast enough to reach it, I''m never able to do anything but take the hit. She chose the perfect time when I was already moving or doing something that I couldn''t stop.? TAP! Matildanded on a tree, her feet w finally bursting out and piercing the wood. She sat squatting on the tree trunk as she held to it with both her hands and feet, the muscles on her thighs expanding as a deep growl rushed out of her throat. The woman before her wasn''t any normal person, those moves, the fact she wasn''t getting tired, and the calm aura around her. She was a martial artist, someone at Arad''s level. "ck Jaguar, you said I need to present him with a hunt. You''ll be that hunt!" Selena smacked Matilda once more, sending her flying back to the trees. ^Each time she attacks, her ears bend back. That moment alone is far faster than anything I could pull, adding the fact that I can''t guess with which arm she''ll attack, I''ve got no direct way of blocking or evading her counters.^ Lightning started crackling between Matilda''s glowing purple eyes and her ws, her steps pped like thunder as her ears pulled back and the fine hair on her tail spiked. Faint golden strips started showing on her skin as the faint ck hair on her forearms grew a tiny bit thicker. The ck lightning was a blessing that was granted to all animals who shifted from their main n, ck tigers, ck jaguars, lions, and all else, on the same hand, white lighting was granted to the white variants. The two types of magic came effectively from one source, Maharaja, the goddess of the hunt, the woman called the god-eating divine beast, the ck jaguar of the apocalypse. One of Maharaja''s legends told of how she, drowning in rage after her husband got killed, had gone on a feeding rampage. Eventually, she devoured all life in the world and ended up dying alone of starvation. Matilda opened her ws as she lunged at Selena, roaring with ck lightning. Selena in response lifted her right foot andid it on her knee, with both arms wide open, she smacked her palms together, sting Matilda back with a massive shockwave [Thunderp] "Won''t you use your beast form?" Selena looked at Matilda with a smile, "You''ll be faster and stronger in that form." Matilda had no clue about what Selena was talking about. But she couldn''t care less, now that her blood had started flowing and the beast slumbering inside her began to wake up, she was out for blood. Arad had awakened her void bloodline, and Selena was now tickling the beast, forcing it to move. The forest rumbled as the ground cracked, and a storm of dust rose from the ground, crackling with lightning as Matilda kept charging at Selena, each time getting sted back harder thanst time. **** Inside the bath, Arad blinked as he looked aside, startled by the faint magic that suddenly appeared and disappeared in the blink of an eye. To him, it was like seeing the sh of lightning at the corner of his eye, failing to catch it in time. If it was just random magic, it wouldn''t matter, but it was quite shocking. It felt as if Agnar Asim was here, and his magic was several times that of Hati. It was a horrifying thunderstorm as if Agnar''s warlock patron Maharaja hade to earth. "You look worried." Astrid looked at Arad, trying to see his face but immediately got blocked by Mira and Isdis. Arad was sitting inside the bath, leaning on the edge with Isdis sitting on hisp, Mira to his left, and Tina to his right. Merlin who just finished washing herself came from the back and sat at the bath''s edge, slowly lowering her legs into the water beside Tina. "This magic just now, who was it?" Arad asked. Astrid didn''t know what he was talking about, this whole ce was locked inside the infinite maze, and sensing past the gate was something that even her mother struggled with for centuries. "I don''t know. How did it feel?" she asked. Frida stretched her arms, resting one leg on another, "Wasn''t it just one of you vampires?" She looked back at the thousand naked nuns sitting in the water behind them like frogs. "The magic felt like it belonged to the patron of one of my friends." Arad replied, "Maharaja." Hearing the name, the two sisters froze in ce. They knew who he was talking about, and they knew that she rarely showed up in person. But it wasn''t strange for her mother to call her. "No clue. I know who Maharaja is, she''s our deity here in the beastnds. But it must''ve been a powerful warlock that summoned her." Frida shook her head. "Forget about that, it doesn''t matter anyway." Astrid giggled with a smug face. "If it was a stupid warlock, Mother must''ve crushed him so fast that the battle ended in the blink of an eye." Astrid''s exnation aligned with what Arad sensed, except that the magic he sensed was bigger than that of Hati. Albeit, magic tends to spike from time to time when casting spells and it looks bigger than it really is. Hati could''ve really taken care of it that quickly. "Sister is right." Frida smiled, "Let''s forget about that and focus on what matters. How was your training today?" Arad briefly exined how he tried to increase his eleration to make his moves more explosive and showed it to them in two punches that he threw in the air. "Your arms are..." Astrid looked at Arad''s extended arm, "Bigger than her thighs." She looked at Merlin, the one with thergest thighs in the bath. "They kept growing as I grew stronger and older." Arad replied, resting his arm around Mira''s neck, "My wives don''t seem to like it though." In a world filled with danger, signs of power and physical might were considered extremely attractive, especially in men. "They are indeed nice." Isdis grabbed Arad''s other arm and wrapped it around her, "Massive, hard, and reliable." "If you''re trying to hide him, it isn''t working. Your hips aren''t as wide as his. In fact, he''s farrger than you." Astrid looked at them, "I could help you cover him a bit." "Arad is ours! Hands off!" Isdis pointed her finger at her, threatening to freeze her. "About that..." Merlin said with a grin, wrapping her legs around Arad''s neck and holding his head between her hands, "I''m next." She said, resting her breasts on his head, "You aren''t getting in before me." Her eyes were crackling with magic. "They aren''t getting anything!" Isdis added. "Cry as much as you like." Astrid stared at them with a smug smile, "When talking about a dragon, strength is the only thing that matters." She stood and took a step toward Arad. "What do you say? I can fight you for it, right?" Arad smiled, "I don''t mind having as many mates, or wives as I must. But it''s up to you to convince them." He patted Mira and Isdis''s heads, "If one says no, I''ll kick you away." Merlin giggled, pointing at Astrid with her foot, "I say no until I get my share at least." With a flicker of her toes, Astrid disappeared. Frida immediately stood and growled, "SISTER! What did you do?!" She lunged at Merlin at which she got erased as well with a single flicker. Sitting around Arad''s neck, Merlin extended her foot forward at which tworge frogsnded on it. Those two were Astrid and Frida. Sparks of magic crackled from Merlin''s nails and toenails, sparking purple as her eyes shed with light. Tattoos spread up from her ankles to her thighs, and from her stomach up to her chest. The two sisters gasped in their toad forms, looking at Merlin from her foot. It was then that it dawned on them, didn''t she just polymorph Arad''s whole body earlier and suppress his magic from creating a nymph? How could anyone do such a thing? "Either behave yourselves, or I''ll keep you like this until my fight with Arad ends." With a single move from her leg, she threw the frogs back to the water at which they turned back. Astrid red at Merlin with an enraged face, "You''re a witch, all that magic, countless bloods and spells all surging inside your body." "She''s a high human..." Frida gasped, remembering that the past overgod started as a high human as well, and he also did countless modifications on his body in the same way Merlin is now. "I''ll get back to you!" Astrid lunged at Merlin once more. She attempted to conjure her massive stone ws, but that spell failed. Merlin was already releasing a powerful anti-magic barrier. "Fine." Merlin stopped Astrid with a kick to the face and shifted her back to a frog. "Let her go!" Frida charged after her sister, and she got turned into a frog as well. Merlin grabbed the two with her hands and looked at them with a smile, "Powerful, but quite immature use of magic." She shoved them into the magic storage between her breasts, and quickly pulled them back out, now encased in a steel cage. "You''ll be my pets for now." She sat them beside her. "RIBBIT! RIBBIT! {Mother will get you! You''ll regret this!}" Astrid growled at her. Merlin giggled as she looked at them, "We''ll see about that. But for now, Arad is mine." Chapter 898: The Second Day of Training, Arad Is Winning? Chapter 898: The Second Day of Training, Arad Is Winning? ? Arady on his bed, Mira sleeping on one arm while Isdis slept on the other. Merlin slept on a bed beside them, Ignis curled up on her legs like arge dog, and Tina was sleeping on a bed beside Serin''s cradle. Time quickly passed by, and Arad''s brain kept going through what happened in the day as he slept. The first day of the week-long training had ended, and the second day was about to start. By the end of the week, would he be able to fully absorb the overgod''s dead heart, or will he fail and get killed by Kayden? Arad didn''t know the answer to that, but he had his own guess. He''ll either fully absorb the heart or fail and kill Kayden instead of being killed, he had no intention of dying in a battle that he didn''t start. The second day started, and Arad was standing once again inside Hati''s training ground, facing Kayden who just arrived. "Did you have enough rest?" Kayden asked with a passive face, looking at Arad and immediately noticing that he got a bit leaner. "Or are you starving?" Arad had eaten his full yesterday; he indeed didn''t finish the whole tall neck in one sitting. Currently, as he stood, he was well-fed and rested, ready to perform at his peak. But that was only physical, as Arad didn''t know what kind of training it would be, he couldn''t be fully prepared. "Does that even matter? It''s not real training if I came ready for it." Arad said, his head slightly tilted to the side as he red at Kayden, "What should we do? Should I just try killing you?" "It''s the opposite, try to not get killed." Kayden suddenly disappeared from Arad''s field of view. He appeared behind him swinging a fist. Arad immediately elerated to dodge, but he was a bit slow to react and ended up having his side blow to bits as Kayden''s fist scratched him. Arad could easily elerate rapidly to attack, but it was still difficult for him to do it on instinct to avoid attacks, Kayden is trying to push him further to learn to do that. While to most creatures Arad was far too fast for them to face him, which allowed him to dodge all of their attacks with ease, Kayden was the first person to far exceed him in speed and eleration. Arad was forced to learn, like an amateur martial artist finally facing a master, he started to notice all of the wasted movements he was doing and started cutting them off. Arad usually dodged punches by running behind his target to attack them from the back, but had a lot of wasted moves and was extremely inefficient. Such moves were useless against Kayden and Arad was forced to shorten them. Instead of trying to run around him, he''ll simply duck to avoid the attack, and instead of attacking from the back, he''ll counter with a punch right beside Kayden''s fist, nearly avoiding death by a hair strand to maximize his efficiency. With each dodge, Arad started to realize that this was what Alcott was doing all along. Dodging certain death at thest moment to deliver deadly blows to the overpowered dragons. Even now, Arad was already far faster and physically stronger than Alcott, yet he''d lose to him, all because Alcott had trained to be extremely efficient against dragons and use all of his knowledge to dodge their attacks and counter. Just like how Alcott had trained until he could face the dragon even though his body was still weaker than theirs, Arad was now doing the same, trying to supplement hisck of raw strength and speed against Kayden by improving his skills. The more that Arad adapted, the more power that Kayden used, always keeping Arad on the edge, forcing him to adapt even further. The fight quickly heated up as the two figures disappeared, only the thunderp of their sh remained booming across Hati''s training ground, shaking the ground as they leaped from one area to another, leaving a trail of destruction. With each passing second, Arad elerated even further, his moves grew sharper and got far deadlier. Each time his attacks were blocked or deflected by Kayden they generated a shockwave that shattered the ground, and Arad didn''t waste that energy, using it to elerate even further. Kayden blocked Arad''s counterattacks with a passive face and kept attacking him with stronger and stronger attacks, forcing him to learn how to dodge and deflect attacks instead of dodging or relying on his regeneration. There was no mistaking it, one punch from Kayden and Arad would find himself in the afterlife. This was the demon that halted all of the dragons'' armies, both the chromatic and metallic dragons, all of dragonkind stopped, unwilling to take a step further toward Kayden, and now Arad alone, the small wyrmling that once attempted to fight them as he woke up terrified, is now standing against that demon. Arad stepped back, a few meters away from Kayden, and lifted his hands. [Gemini] His body split in half, and another Arad rushed forth. The Arad twins surrounded Kayden in the blink of an eye and started swinging at the same time, taking the offensive crow out of the demon''s hands. "Constetion of the stars, it easily doubles your attack power by giving you a twin." Kayden started blocking their attacks with both hands, and it looked like Arad was pushing forward and winning. "Albeit it''s usually apanied by a severe drop in intelligence, your brain seems to be able to handle that well." If Arad had learned anything from his fight with Kayden, it''s that there are always people far stronger than him, and people that he needs to actually think and create ns to fight on the fly. His fight with Kayden is a great one, and sadly he can''t use magic since it''s physical. Arad had one more trick up his sleeves, and from his hands, a long three-part nunchaku quarterstaff while his clone pulled the adamantine sword. [Taurus] Arad''s mana dropped to zero as the constetion activated, his physical strength, speed, and durability all skyrocketed into the clouds as he smacked Kayden in the face with quarterstaff- nunchaku as he tried to block the sword. Arad was going to pay back all of the pain of yesterday a hundred-fold, and Kayden started getting tossed left and right, smacked in the face with the nunchaku and then shed by the sword, getting kicked in the guts and had his body thrown through several massive boulders with ease. The fight had changed drastically, from facing a single unarmed Arad to facing two armed Arads with both of them being physically enchanted by the constetion of Taurus. Hati who was watching from far away could only stare with a shocked face, Arad was really as rabid as she heard. Poke him the wrong way and you''ll see a horrifying growth speed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Arad spun around alongside his clone as they threw kicks toward Kayden at the same time, but those weren''t regr kicks, but instead tuned in the same way Arad had learned to fight from Da. Painful p kicks chained in with his attacks and extreme aggression. In the span of a day, Arad had learned Kayden''s eleration, mixed it with his fighting style, andstly brought Da''s fighting style that was used by the weak to fight the strong, and made it into a deadly martial art of his own. "I see you''ve improved quite well. Shall we start today''s lesson?" Kayden used one of Arad''s attacks to jump back andnded on one foot, his eyes glowing red. Arad had first learned how to elerate instantly, and now Kayden had made sure that he waspetent enough to use it for both offense and defense. The second stage of this training could start, and it''s about putting that skill to work. Engulfed in demonic ck mes, Kayden disappeared and Arad''s clone got shed in half across the torso. "You can teleport with a move called void step or walk, right? Now elerate in the middle of that, try to surpass what''s possible, and use teleportation not as a moving tool, but as a way to fully utilize the eleration to attack." Arad gasped as he saw Kayden holding a ck katana in his hands, that de wasn''t made of metal, but out of his own flesh. The god-ying demon started to reveal fragments of his power, and Arad is now facing a bigger hurdle to surpass than yesterday. Arad''s clone immediately regenerated and he lunged with Arad toward Kayden to fight back, but both of them ended up getting shed as Kayden started teleporting left and right while elerating and decelerating at a mind-boggling rate. Trying to predict his moves was already hard before with just the sudden eleration that left no telegraph, and now it became even more confusing with him elerating in the middle of teleporting. Kayden''s training isn''t over yet, and Arad is only starting his learning journey. The path to fully utilizing the power of his own body and void. Chapter 899: Not Following The Lesson Chapter 899: Not Following The Lesson ? As Arad saw Kayden teleporting while elerating, he wanted to mimic him so he could keep up. But using [Void Step] at this level while still under Taurus was easier said than done. One fraction of a second oftency and he''ll get sliced apart and die. Arad took a stance as his body flew back in the air, with one finger he pointed at Kayden, arge smile on his face. "This is what you think, demon!" Pink tattoos started spreading across Arad''s arm as a faint giggle escaped his mouth. Kayden flew after Arad, ignoring the clone for now as he had already sliced him in half. What he wanted was tond a strike on Arad to knock him out. But at this moment, he could sense the curse swelling up inside Arad, it only took a fraction of a second, activating faster than Arad''s eleration. Curses alwayse with a benefit and a bad effect. The one Arad used was suggested by Doma, and it was quite a simple curse. [Blind Runner] As the name implies, you''ll be able to move twice as fast, but you''ll be blinded while you move. Arad kicked the air with his foot, flying back toward Kayden at double the elerating and top speed. In a fraction of a second, he had broken the sound barrier several times, reaching a top speed of around 6000 m/s {19685 feet/second} {1500m/s base speed, doubled by [Taurus] and then doubled again by the curse.}. In that one-thousandth of a second, Arad had already reached Kayden and was standing on his back, swinging a kick at his neck at full force. Kayden looked up, turning his de upside down to sh Arad''s foot before it hit him. Due to his demonic vision, he had already noticed that Arad was blind, but something seemed off. The young man he was facing no longer looked young. Arad had hair growing on his arms, chest, and legs, even his face had developed a thin beard. He looked more and more like Alcott by the second, but that hair wasn''t just there for no reason. Now that Arad had be blind, he used his lycanthrope curse and partially transformed, leaving him with more body hair. That sensitive hair was growing on his already sensitive scales, allowing him to use a powerful and very urate sensor. When objects move, they move the air around them, and his hair can pick that up, allowing him to effectively see while blind. Kayden teleported behind Arad while swinging his sword, he aimed once again to cleave Arad in half. With a deep grunt, Arad twisted his back and caught Kayden''s katana with his hand. When someone teleports, they leave an empty spot in the air that his hair can sense, and the opposite happens when they teleport, the air around the area where they are about to appear expands, and this is how Arad managed to know where Alcott was teleporting even when blind. By quadrupling his top speed and elerating to it in the blink of an eye, Arad''s moves had begun to reach an unhuman level, allowing him to even surprise Kayden. The limits of his power were still unknown, and Kayden could only keep pushing Arad harder and harder, trying to force him to draw more power. Kayden stared at Arad who caught his de barehanded, if this was a real fight, he would''ve already sliced off his fingers. But now, he''s trying to push Arad beyond his limits and thus is limiting his own power to Arad''s level. He can''t pull the katana from Arad''s iron grip. Arad looked at him, standing tall with his head slightly tilted back. "As I expected, you''re trying to match me in physical power to show how I can use that same amount of power." The veins on Arad''s fist bulged as his bones creaked like twisting metal. CLING! With his thumb, Arad broke Kayden''s katana. "To move faster, the muscles must push the body forward. That means they need more power." He looked at Kayden with dead glowing purple eyes, his thin beard dancing with the wind as the sun shed behind him. For Arad''s speed to increase this much the curses and constetion primarily affected his strength. Right now, he was almost four times stronger than before. Almost immediately, he swung the nunchaku quarterstaff at Kayden''s face, trying to smack him down. But that move immediately failed as Kayden let go of the sword, spun down, pulled another one, and cleaved Arad''s arm that held the nunchaku quarterstaff. "A dragon''s cub trying his best. Unless you stick to the lesson, you aren''t beating me today." Kayden said as he disappeared from Arad''s vision, shing him five times at the same time. By hardening his flesh into the broken de, he fixed it, and by teleporting his sword while rapidly elerating it during the attack, his shes seemed too multiple as the de could almost exist in different ces at the same time. But that wouldn''t have been enough to suppress Arad''s rampaging violence. Using his severed arm, he swung at Kayden''s chest. But when the attack was supposed tond, it missed as Kayden had already teleported away in the middle of dodging. Kayden''s techniques easily surpassed Arad''s horrific speed and strength, putting him back on the defensive. Even when Arad''s clone joined in with the same power, the two of them still couldn''t keep with Kayden without teleporting with him. The absolute demon of destruction wasn''t going to let a dragon less than a year old derail his lessons. In a few minutes, [Taurus] and [Gemini] timers had run out and Arad''s body couldn''t maintain the curse enchantment on his body any longer so his base speed dropped back to 1500m/s. Kayden noticed the sudden drop and immediately went for a deadly blow, the best way to force Arad to learn is by pushing him into a corner and forcing him to adapt. Kayden''s katana hit Arad''s neck and shed down, cutting the spine and the de turned up, aiming at the brain. In the fraction of a second that the katana started elerating, Arad''s brain went into panic, death wasing, and there wasn''t much that it could do. There was no time to form magic, and even [Void Step] was useless, there wasn''t enough time to teleport the body away into a safe spot. This was a checkmate, and Arad didn''t seem to have a way out.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But at that moment, it clicked, this wasn''t the first time he faced a situation like this. He had already found a solution, and he should''ve already had it ready. The de zed through Arad''s skull, cutting it with a ssh of red blood. Kayden''s demonic eyes looked at Arad''s body, taking him only a fraction of a second to determine that he didn''t kill him. To anyone else, that might''ve been a surprise with such a fatal injury. But Kayden knew he knew what kind of being he was facing now. "You and this fucker... Always put me through hell..." The body of a thinking kid emerged from Arad''s open skull, Chuzuke stared at Kayden with a twisted, angry face, pointing his fingers forward as his eyes sparked red. "BANG!" Arad''s body exploded into a massive fiery explosion, conjuring a massive mushroom pir of crimson fire. Like a stter of blood in the sky, Arad''s brain fell from the heavens, regenerating back into a full body in the blink of an eye. If he could teleport his whole body, he''ll just teleport the brain and stomach, and use that to regenerate, all while leaving his body as a dummy and a bomb. Arad stood naked in the air, his body covered with the eyes of the vampires inside him, dripping with blood as Zia emerged and sat on his shoulder. He looked down with a passive face, exhaling the burning hot air inside his legs into a massive gust of smoke. "My lord, that was a close one." Zia said with a smile, "What in the hell is that demon?" "An absolute demon. This is fear, that''s good then. This is what it feels like to be a normal man facing a demon." He said, looking as Kayden appeared to be still standing in the same ce, the best this nuclear explosion could do was sherd his kimono. It didn''t even leave a scratch on his skin, and even the curse of death {Radiation} didn''t seem to be harming him in any way. "How did you resist it; the curse of death is what I''m talking about." Arad asked. "I cut it, like everything else." Kayden replied with a passive face as if it were normal, "Those small things flying in the air, I cut them all." He lifted his arm up, "Let me fix a misunderstanding, do you think your sneak explosion did this to me? You''re wrong." Six arms emerged from Kayden''s torso and another pair of heads appeared out of his neck, "My kimono merely tore apart since I momentarily shifted back to my true form. Unlike you, I don''t have scales to wear." Blood lord Arad is facing off the demon of absolute destruction, who shalle on top? Chapter 900: Blood Lord Arad Vs Kayden Chapter 900: Blood Lord Arad Vs Kayden ? Arad''s body started dripping with blood like it''s a coat over his shoulders, he red at Kayden with glowing red eyes, a smile crossing his face. "So, this is your true form? It''s even uglier than mine. I guess we''re both monsters unfit for this world." Kayden shifted back into his humanoid form, "That''s why we''re here fighting. This fight would''ve already ended if one of us wasn''t a monster." His sword disappeared, if Arad is unarmed, he''ll fight him unarmed. The fight immediately resumed as Arad used [Void Step] To teleport straight to Kayden''s face and swung his fist down. Swung his fist to counterattack and immediately teleported behind Arad, dodging he attack and bracing to counter in a single move. Kayden''s fist hit the empty air as Arad teleported again, and just like Kayden, he was aiming at the back with a punch of his own. Kayden turned around and blocked Arad''s fist with his palm, "I see, you''re starting to master it. Keep going, don''t stop, teleport, and elerate at the same time, blend your offense and defense." One swing after another, the two exchanged fists as they teleported everywhere. Now, they weren''t flying to each other at high speed like they did before. They teleported to attack and only elerated their attacks, resulting in a far more efficient fighting style that''s several times more unpredictable. At one point, Kayden managed to slip behind Arad and swung a fist as he did before, waiting for Arad to either turn around and block, or teleport away to counterattack. But Arad''s draconic brain wasn''t thinking anywhere near what a human or a demon would. Arad elerated backward toward Kayden''s fist, smacking him with his fist. For a fraction of a second, Kayden seemed confused and that was enough for Arad. Arad''s arms twisted backward at a painful angle that they shouldn''t be able to, his shoulders cracked loudly as he hugged Kayden to his back. "HAAAAAAAA!" Arad gasped as his head turned back 180 degrees, ring straight at Kayden, "Caught you!" Kayden teleported away, but Arad teleported with him, not allowing him to get out of his hug. As the two-phased through space and teleported everywhere, Arad''s chest turned red with blood, ten vampire spawns crawled from there, lifting their fists up as all of them red at Kayden. All the vampires threw their fists down, showing Kayden with punches, putting all of their might in it, trying to kill him. "You fight like d...did he have an influence on you?" Kayden growled, and Arad''s body suddenly split in half across the torso. Arad''s body fell toward the ground, ^I see... stabbed my torso with his open palm and ripped me in half. What stupid strength.^ When Arad''s body hit the ground, he exploded into a pile of blood, and quickly disappeared into the dirt without a trace as if he evaporated. Kaydennded on his feet and looked around, finding himself surrounded by an army of vampire spawns, all armored but none of them carrying a weapon. It didn''t take him a second to smile, Arad had learned how to teleport mid-eleration and is now evolving it with his abilities. The vampires charged at Kayden and he started smacking them around, as strong as they were, they were nothing close to Arad himself. It was as clear as the day that Arad was using them as a distraction, the only way he could get past Kayden''s teleportation was a sneak attack, and those spawns were covering up for him. CRACK! A woman wearing ck te armor stepped forth, lifting a ck g with a purple dragon drawn on it. She growled, "Blood for the blood Lord!" With her roar, all the vampire spawns seemed to get stronger and faster, the army charges at themand of the g bearer. Kayden zapped across the vampires and rushed toward her with a clenched fist. It was wide to kill who was buffing the army first, and Kayden didn''t waste a second, swinging a fist at her. The woman didn''t move an inch as Kayden''s rumbling fist approached her, to thest second, she kept the g raised before her chest, standing tall. Kayden''s moves seemed to be too fast for any of the spawns to respond to him. The moment when Kayden''s fist was about to smack into the g''s pole, the woman''s arms turned around, pinning the fist with the g as she swung a punch at Kayden''s face, stopping him in his tracks. Kayden was surprised at how fast she moved, no, that wasn''t just speed, she elerated as well as Arad did. ^Did he teach her at night? So he had some of his spawns trained, how manyyers is he hiding?^ Kayden took the woman''s punch and swung back at her, hitting her in the chest. She didn''t even budge and grabbed his wrist, she threw the g into the sky and started swinging at Kayden''s face, smacking him with several punches at once. Kayden tried to teleport away, but she kept chasing him, putting even more pressure. Finally, Kayden got a solid punch in her face, and her helmet flew into the air, spinning like a top. Her body flew back, but shended on her feet, looking forth as she spat the blood out of her mouth. When Kayden looked at her, he saw the face of a young woman with fair skin, long ck hair with strands of purple, glowing amethyst eyes, and a giant smile over her pink lips. He lifted an eyebrow, confused. The woman caught the g as it fell back to her hand, the ground beneath her feet shattered as she elerated forward. "Arad?" Kayden gasped as the woman smacked him with her arm to the neck, sending him flying back. It was already toote, with Kayden topping his strength and speed to match Arad, he now couldn''t get a step ahead. Even Kayden the god yer couldn''t see past [Virgo] shapeshift. Thanks to that Arad managed to take back the lead, throwing Kayden left and right as he is now always one step ahead when ites to teleportation. Kayden flew back in the defensive and Arad flew after him, clenching his fist as he pulled a longsword out of his stomach. He had learned this the hard way, pushed close to death several times by her, the burning strikes of her who faced death head-on and survived. [Divine Cleaver] {Back in the university, Eris gasped and smacked her head on her desk as she got jolted with a headache, Arad had absorbed quite a bit of holy magic from her in an instant. Mira who was walking around Hati''s house felt a light headache, stinging her for a second by it wasn''t anything worth thinking about, and she forgot about it a secondter as she got called by Merlin.} Kayden had pulled his sword at thest second and was blocking Arad''s burning divine smite, his feet digging into the stone ground like it was made of chalk. ^I should''ve expected it, two of your wives are demi-goddesses, you can worship them for free holy magic. ^ Kayden''s skin burned as the divine magic started reaching him. "You''re a demon, right? Holy magic should still hurt you." Arad growled; a smile crossed his face as his long hair sparked with holy magic, he had never used a divine cleaver before, but seeing Lydia use it many times had given him enough experience to at least make it work. ck me engulfed Kayden''s sword and rushed up to push on Arad''s divine cleaver, the demonic and holy magic spiraled into the sky like snakes and exploded in a massive burst of fire, ripping the ground apart like a massive pir of inferno.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Aradnded back, his body smoking from the fire and Kaydennded on the opposite side of the fire pir. "A normal demon would''ve died." Kayden smiled, "I''m impressed at how fast you learn." "Let''s keep going." Arad stepped forward, "I want to throw another smite." Hati was sitting far away watching them, she sighed while scratching her head with one of her tails. "Using [Virgo] to confuse Kayden wasn''t a n anyone had ever thought about. That constetion indeed can''t be detected, Cain is the one who made it like that. Arad isn''t just fighting with raw power, but he''s using his head as best as he can. At this rate, he''ll make it in a week." She smiled, pping with her feet once as she jumped,nding on her nine tails, sitting with her legs crossed. "We''ll need a massive feast for him tonight. Hunt him a Tall Neck, you''ll find one in the southern part of the jungle." She said and two of her daughters emerged from a door behind her. "The Tall Neck that been burning the emerald mountain?" One of the daughters asked. "Yeah, the trouble makers die first. And don''t forget to get some deer and elks for the other guests." Hati looked at them with a grin, "Arad is growing faster than I expected." The two daughters looked down, and then back at their mother, "Arad? Where is he? No, who''s that woman brawling with Kayden." "She''s Arad." Hati replied, and they froze in ce. Chapter 901: Merlins Familiars Chapter 901: Merlin''s Familiars ? Hati walked back into her house after finishing her check on the situation, she was faced with Merlin leaning on the wall. "You''re back?" "Did you sleep well?" Hati asked with a smile, Merlin had spent the whole night working on some spells and she barely managed to get some sleep. "Got enough. Look at this." She waved her hand and a small birdcage appeared above her palm, Astrid and Frida were locked up inside. The moment they saw their mother they cried, "MOM! She turned us into frogs!" Astrid shouted and Frida nodded. Hati approached the cage and looked at her two daughters with a faint smile. "How cute." She turned toward Merlin, "Make sure they don''t dry out, it''ll damage their skin." "Worry not," Merlin pointed her finger at the cage and sprayed it with water. Astrid and Frida looked at their mother with a stunned look. "Mom! Stop her!" Hati turned toward them with arge smile on her face. "Didn''t I spend forty years teaching you polymorph magic? And you''re telling me that you can''t break out of a human''s polymorph spell? I''ll get you out if you want, but you''ll spend the rest of the week standing naked in the living room, with "I failed Polymorph magic." Written on your foreheads." She red at them with glowing white eyes, "You''ll be theughing talk of the week of your sisters." The two sisters froze in ce, looking down. "Get out on your own. You should''ve been able to..." She giggled, "Or is her merely encrypting her magic made you unable to understand it." Unlike them, Hati could see straight through Merlin''s magic. She knew well that she had taught all of her daughters how to deal with this kind of magic, Frida and Astrid should be able to get out if they used their brains a tiny bit. "I''ll take that as I could do anything I want." Merlin looked at Hati with a smile and she got a nod. "I know what they are capable of, they should be at least your equal in power. They''ve gotzy in the past decade, fighting the weak ruffians had softened their hide." She walked past Merlin and tapped her shoulder, "Do whatever you want with them. They''re old and strong enough to protect themselves. Arad is training so why won''t they train as well." As Hati left, Merlin stared at the sisters with glowing eyes, "Heard your mom, you''ll spend the rest of the week as my familiars." She waved her finger and cors appeared on their necks. The sisters cried in shock and Merlin returned them to their normal bodies. The two sisters grabbed the cors on their necks and cried, trying to rip them off by they failed. Their bodies couldn''t have any strength, and they could even feel mana. "My lovely mistress! Why is this cor on my neck?" Astrid turned toward Merlin and bowed down. Astrid''s face immediately paled as she realized what she had just done, she wanted to yell at Merlin, but the words that came out weren''t hers. The cor''s effect runs brain-deep, twisting their words and emotions to suit Merlin''s whims. Even though the sisters were angry at the situation, the only thing they could feel was happiness, they wanted the cor out, but at the same time wished they stayed like this for the rest of the time. "Sit!" Merlin pointed down with her finger and the two sisters sat on the ground. She flicked her finger, "On your back." And the sistersid on their back, lifting their legs and arms up. "Roll." She smiled, and they rolled left and right, "Sit and do a flip." On Merlin''s orders, the two-sister sat up and then immediately jumped, doing a backflip, and looked at her with smiles on their faces. Merlin patted their heads, "Good girls, good girls. And just to let you know, you can break the spell. You''ll only have to figure out how." "They won''t believe your words." Hati walked from the back with another one of her daughters, Lamia. "She was taking a break from work so I brought her. Show them." Merlin pointed her finger at Lamia and turned her into a frog. Lamia fell to the ground and looked at her frog body, and after about a minute she shifted back into her body, and Merlin couldn''t forcefully polymorph her again. Lamia had proved to Astrid and Frida that it was their problem that they couldn''t break out of Merlin''s polymorph, they needed to step up their skill a bit. But currently, that spell wasn''t the one guing them, the dominating effect. Merlin waved her finger, sending a tiny purple spark toward Lamia and a cor appeared on her neck just like the other sisters. "Kneel." Merlin said with a smile. Lamia immediately knelt, and the cor on her neck shattered. She stood with a passive face, "Interesting, but still could be broken out with ease." She looked at Frida and Astrid, "One is an earthworm that only thinks about earth magic, and the other is a muscle head that only knows how to handle her spear. Unless you try to understand magic on a fundamental level, you won''t be able to get out of this." Lamia looked at Hati. "Mother, is this all? I do want to spend my break doing something else." Hati nodded with a smile, "You can take the rest of the day off, you''ve been working hard recently. You deserve it, unlike those two." She looked back at Astrid and Frida. "Feel free to do whatever you want to them." The two left, leaving Astrid and Frida in Merlin''s hands. Just a few secondster, the gate of the training ground opened up and Kayden walked out, dusted to the neck. He looked around, "Hati, I''m going back home. Get Arad ready for tomorrow, he''s doing well. So feed him nicely. He''ll need the energy tomorrow." He disappeared without making a sound, leaving even a chill down her spine. His massive aura disappeared all at once as if he was an illusion. Astrid and Frida who were there rushed toward the gate as they saw it sparkle, Arad wasing out, and they wanted him to save them from Merlin. "Arad! Merlin had been bullying us!" Frida cried. "Put a leash on her, she''s harming us!" Astrid growled.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The gate before them shifted, and somethingrge came out. The two sisters froze in ce as the seven-foot-tall woman walked out, ring at them with burning purple eyes. They went silent, confused, baffled, and most likely dumbfounded. "Who are you?" Astrid tilted her head. The woman''s body started steaming and her shape shifted, in her ce, Arad was standing with a tired expression on his face. "I guess a trick only works once." He had tried the same trick twice, but Kayden sniffed him out in the second almost immediately and knocked him out. Kayden now would check all the spawns whatever they were for the presence of Arad''s soul. "You look less battered than yesterday. Was it a better day today?" Merlin asked with a smile, forcing both Astrid and Frida to kneel down. "I wouldn''t call it a better day, but it''s less bad." Arad shifted his gaze toward the kneeling sisters, "You''re controlling them through the cors?" "I asked their mother and she allowed me. For the week, they are my obedient little familiars. I''ll make sure it''s a week they''ll never forget in their lives." She giggled, approaching Arad. Arad bent down and looked at their necks, "I see. Just give up, surrender to her." He tapped their heads and stood, "My back hurts and I''m feeling a bit dizzy. I''ll go out for a walk; I need some fresh air." Arad walked toward the door. "A walk? What walk, you don''t go on walks." Merlin stared at him with a confused look, "Where are you going?" "I go on walks, usually at midnight to look for food." Arad replied, "I''ll check on the other students and then go find something to snack on." He was hungry, the Tall Neck in his stomach had already ended and he was looking for something to sate his hunger until it was midnight and he could go hunt more. Dragons'' bodies are extremely efficient, if the dragon isn''t active, they can survive on the same meal for years, maybe even decades. But if the dragon starts fighting at full power, their energy consumption skyrockets and they might hunt an ecosystem into extinction. Arad walked away and Merlin looked at the sisters with a smile on her face. "I want you to help me tend to a few things." She approached Sara and sat on her back, "Let''s head to my room." She rode on her away as Frida trailed behind them. On his way out, Arad changed his clothes and approached the living room to look for Mira and the rest, they were sitting there ying with Serin and Ignis. "I''m going out for a walk, need anything?" He asked. "You''re out of the training room?" Mira stood and gasped, she rushed at him with a worried face, "You aren''t hurt, are you?" She inspected his torso and arms, but he didn''t have a single scratch on him, he had already healed. Serin approached Arad, clenching her fists and swinging them down, she growled with a serious face. "GAAAA! GAAAAAAAAA!" She stared at him and he smiled, lifting her up. "You want toe with me? Here you go..." He carried her on his neck. But from the corner of his eyes, he could see Ignis staring at him. "You two as well,e." He waved his hand and she rushed toward him,tching to his back. Mira sighed, approaching him, "Take care and don''t bete." She kissed him on the cheek. Arad paused for a second and looked at her with a smile, giving her a kiss on the lips. "I won''t bete." "Not fair! Me too!" Isdis cried in the back, rushing toward him for her kiss. Chapter 902: Interrupting the Catfight Chapter 902: Interrupting the Catfight ? Arad opened the door and took a step outside, the barrier around Hati''s house crackled like lightning, sending waves of heat as it assaulted Arad''s body in the blink of an eye. The barrier was a massive array designed to attack intruders and burn them into ash. Arad was carrying Serin on his shoulders and Ignis on his back, but even so, he wasn''t worried a single bit. Therge bolts of magic and lightning instantly shifted toward his body as he acted like a ground wire, absorbing all the damage. The void is always hungry and seeks to be filled, and magic wasn''t an exception to it. The sh of lightning illuminated Hati''s whole garden and its radian glow reached the lions'' houses in the distance, sending them into a panic. It was thirty years since the array attacked something, and they didn''t expect anyone to be such a foot as to intrude on Hati''s house so they all rushed to attack. Maintaining the array is one of the duties of Hati''s daughters, their mother only created the barrier the first time and is supplying it with mana, nothing more. Each day, the array must be reconfigured with a new passcode for strangers other than Hati and her daughters. In the past two days, it was the duty of the twins Astrid and Frida, and of course, they couldn''t do it since they were captured by Merlin. Hati who was sitting on herrge pillow basking in the sweet smell of her essence and wine blinked, looking up as the array short-circuited and fried itself. "Oh...I forgot." She disappeared and emerged in the garden, watching as Arad took his first step before the main gate, about to leave into the city. His body offered so much resistance to the point the barrier destroyed itself, like a stone shattering a blender''s des. Ignis and Serin were both giggling andughing, they enjoyed the sudden light show, beneath the protection of their father, even the deadliest of barriers was nothing more than an amusing light show. "Are you okay?" Hati looked at him with a worried face. "It stung a bit, but I''m fine. In fact, it helped rx my sore neck." Arad cracked his neck and Serin held to his hair, almost falling but Ignis supported her with her head. Right outside Hati''s mansion, countless lions were armed to the teeth, looking around for the intruder. When Arad opened the gate and red at them, half shrunk in fear and the other half held their weapons in shaking hands. They''ve seen the Tall Neck getting killed before, and they heard how it was Arad who did it. They didn''t fully understand the extent of Arad''s power but knew they weren''t winning without some heavy losses. Hati pulled her fan and waved it, "Calm down, Lions of the beast kingdom. This was simply a misfire of the array, there is no intruder." "A misfire?" One of the lions approached; he was an elderly that had lived here for far too long and was now the chieftain of the lion''s vige. "Do you mean, it fired at him?" He looked at Arad, hoping she would say no. "Yeah, but he seems to have tanked it without any problems." She smiled, "Move out of the way, and as I''ve ordered before, don''t anyone of you dare mess with him, I know how excited you might be." She waved her fan and immediately disappeared. Lions were known for their hot blood, always striving for blood and thrilling fights. It was amon urrence to see their men fighting in the city za, it was like a sport, but with more blood than any sport should have. But none of them was a fool, they''ll never start a fight they are certain to lose, or they''ll lose the respect of their wives. Arad walked as forward as the lions opened a path, staring at him with worried yet puzzled faces. Albeit tanking Hati''s barrier, he didn''t have a scratch on him, and what''s more impressive, the little girl on his shoulders and the wyrmling were unharmed. Arad disappeared into the distance, leaving the lions standing there, confused even further. Aradnded beside the area where the other students were living, he looked up at Serin and back at Ignis, if he used gravity magic, he could protect them from the sudden eleration. After putting Serin on the ground so she could walk a bit, Arad let her look around with Ignis as he turned toward Lucia who approached him with a slightly worried face. "Aron, there is something I wanted to talk to you about..." She looked around with a scared face. "What is it?" Arad asked as looked around, following her line of sight. "Wait...I don''t sense Matilda around, where is she?" That was strange, if she was within 40 kilometres he would''ve sniffed her out. "She... I couldn''t find her anywhere since yesterday, and I''m starting to get worried." She looked at Arad with a scared face, waiting for him to snap. "Leave it to me..." Arad immediately uses [Gemini] So that his clone can remain here and watch Serin and Ignis as he looks for Matilda. In the next second, the Arad standing before Lucia smiled, looking at Serin and telling her not to wander too far away. Arad''s true body was already far above the cloud, looking down at the jungle with his glowing amethyst eyes. All the magic in the jungle looked normal, like a transparentyer of fog, barely visible but still could be detected. Matilda was indeed nowhere to be seen. Anyone would''ve been fooled, but Arad wasn''t that dumb, looking normal doesn''t mean it''s normal. His eyes traced the magic, inspecting the mana in the air andparing it to the mana in different areas of the jungle, counting all the sours of natural energy like magic ore deposits and oldkes as sources of interference. In seconds, he was able to conjure a mental image of the forest and noticed that there was an area that had it''s magic slightly off, it was extremely simr to the other parts of the jungle, but not perfect. **** In the jungle, Matilda''s body flew back with a ssh of blood, crashing into therge trees and toppling them over. But the painful impact wasn''t enough to knock her out, she immediately stood and caught Selena''s foot that flew at her face, biting her calve and swinging her to the ground with her powerful neck. Selenanded on her hand and swung Matilda away, punching her in the stomach and sending her rolling on the ground. "Are you done yet-nya?" She said with a smile as she watched Matilda struggle to stand. Matilda''s mind was already getting foggy, she couldn''t even remember why they were fighting, how long she''d been there, and she could barely remember the face of the woman she was fighting with how exhausted her mind had be. The two had been fighting here since yesterday, no matter how far Selena pushed Matilda, she always stood back like a zombie, fighting relentlessly. Selena herself didn''t have a problem, she had once fought a fight thatsted a whole decade, fighting for a day straight was like a minute of exercise to her. Albeit her godly physical capabilities, Selena was in fact far lesspetent when it came to magic; Arad was standing behind her, lifting his arms to smack her down. Before Arad''s palms could reach her, she disappeared andnded a fair distance away from him. "You managed to find us?" Selena red at him with glowing golden eyes, she had easily dodged his attack and had the leisure to run all the way back. Only that move alone told Arad that she was a problem, and the fact Matilda was still alive was because she was holding back a lot. In the blink of an eye, Arad had carried Matilda from the ground and was looking at Selena, making sure to keep her in his vision. Matilda gasped, "Aron?" She recognized him by the smell. She could barely see at this moment, but thanks to her extreme endurance and draconic blood, she was still able to move. Arad pulled a stamina potion and a healing potion, immediately pouring them into her mouth. "What is this all about?" By Matilda''s injuries, he could tell that this wasn''t any fight, it was a training fight. Matilda''s injuries were all uniform as if Selena kept using the same attack until Matilda got used to them and stopped getting injured. Punching someone in the face repeatedly with straight punches until he figures out how to block or dodge them. It was a primitive way of training, but it also spoke volumes about Selena''sck of understanding of how to teach someone. Since Matilda could barely drink the potions, Arad carried her in his arms as he stood. "Well, I''ll ask herter, and about you..." He disappeared, his foot flying straight at Selena''s face. Selena dodged it and burst running into the jungle, zooming across the trees. As she looked to the side, Arad was keeping up, running backward at a mind-boggling speed, his legs barely touching the ground as he kept his torso straight so Matilda wouldn''t spill the potions. Nothing could beat the suspensions of his knees and hips, not a single vibration reached Matilda. "Your magic is quite simr to Maharaja, no, it''s the same." Arad looked at Selena with glowing eyes, "What is a warlock patron doing in the mortal world? You''re the one I sensed yesterday, right?" He swung a kick at her and she shifted into a massive ck jaguar the side of a bull, running at Arad''s side. Matilda finally recovered her vision, and the first thing she saw was mountains zooming around he vision as the jungle blurred, she was being carried by Arad as he ran around a whole mountain range chasing Selena at his top speed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 903: A Super-sonic Chase Chapter 903: A Super-sonic Chase ? As Arad and Selena ran across the jungle, Matilda couldn''t believe her eyes. The trees around them have turned into a mess blur and the massive mountains were rushing past them like trees when you ride a fast horse, and what baffled her more, is that Arad was running backward and still keeping up with that ck Jaguar. In her whole life, this was the first time she had seen such a scene, the entire world quickly disappeared before her eyes. Being held in Arad''s arms as he moved at this speed felt both horrifying and enticing. This is how he sees the world, slow, and small, even mountains were nothing but small stones that he could walk past in a heartbeat. Trying to shake Arad off her trails, Selena shifted back into her humanoid form and slipped into a small cave. Thanks to Arad''srge body, he won''t fit through the tight hole. But, his training with Kayden wasn''t in vain. While elerating in a direction is easy, it''s far harder to suddenly switch direction due to the centrifugal force. Tobat that, Arad had learned to teleport to the same spot but face the direction he wanted to keep moving, allowing him to change the direction of his eleration without actually turning. Arad instantly teleported in ce, but this time appeared to stand horizontally like he was doing a flying kick, diving into the hole feet first. Matilda screamed, terrified as they flew into the tight space, for a second there, she thought they were about to crash into the stones. Her fears were just starting as Arad started chasing Selena through the caves, no matter what she did to lose him, he was always at least five meters behind her. A super-sonic chase inside a tight and pitch-ck cave, chasing a ck jaguar that could easily blend into mere shadows and disappear. Matilda couldn''t even begin toprehend how Arad was keeping up with that ck Jaguar.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Now that Matilda thought about it, it clicked in her mind. Arad had mentioned that the ck Jaguar is a warlock patron, Maharaja. That''s their goddess! Selena looked back, "You''re one insistent chaser..." Selena looked back. Even though Matilda could barely hear her due to their speed, she was quite confused at theck of Nya. "Try and catch me if you can." Selena suddenly elerated into the distance; her speed almost doubling. "Don''t get scared." Arad said with a stern voice, his boots disappearing as his feet turned into draconic talons. His ws dug into the ground for more traction, and a faint druidic magic gushed from his body, making Matilda think he used the druidic magic [Beastial ws]. But what Arad had cast was something else, [Taurus] his favorite constetion after [Gemini]. Arad bolted forward at double the speed, quickly catching up to Selena as the ground around them shattered and the two burst out of the cave, destroying the exist in a st. The twonded outside and burst running at a blinding speed, the whole around Matilda had turned to a white blur, she could barely tell if they were still in the jungle or flying through the cloud. Looking forward, Matilda couldn''t even tell Selena''s legs and arms apart, all she could see was a blur around her torso as she seemed to be a few meters ahead of them. How in the hell is Arad keeping up with their goddess like this? She knew he was strong, far too strong, but this was on another level. People shouldn''t even dream of being able to stand before a god, let alone chase one like this, and Arad is easily doing it. But Arad wasn''t done yet, in a fraction of a second, he pushed beyond his limit and elerated even further, surpassing Selena and started running ahead of her. At that moment, it seemed as if she was the one chasing him. Arad immediately turned toward Selena with a kick aimed at her face, "Halt." He wanted to smack her down and stop this meaning less chase, he was already hungry, and doing cardio on top, he wasn''t looking to lose weight. Selena dodged his kick with ease andnded behind him, pulling her fist back. He wanted to stop her, but now she''ll try to stop him. "Don''t die." The moment she threw her fist toward Arad, Matilda saw her deathing. There was nothing she could do but hold tightly to Arad''s chest. The sheer difference in power that Selena was willing to use against Aradpared to what she used against Matilda was stunning. Matilda was certain of one this, that the ck jaguar was indeed their goddess. If she had used such power from the start, Matilda would''ve died without even seeing her. Arad can''t be... Arad nted his left foot on the ground and threw the right one forth as a kick, shing with Selena''s fist. The power that Matilda saw as certain death; he had chosen to face head-on. When Arad and Selena''s attacks shed, the ground around them shattered and Selena used that to change the angle of her fist upward, sending both Arad and herself flying in opposite directions at a speed far surpassing their speedbined. She masterfully harnessed the full power of their sh and used it to her advantage, which shocked Arad who didn''t expect to see such a refined move be used so nonchntly, he was indeed facing a warlock patron with immense power. In the blink of an eye, Arad got flung all the way back to the lion''s vige, hended at the edge, right where Lucia and his clone were watching over Serin and Ignis. The clone instantly disappeared when arrived, and no one noticed the change except Lucia who almost screamed. Even though Arad was flying at a ridiculous speed, using the same eleration technique that Kayden taught him in reverse to decelerate made him able to stop smoothly without sting the whole ce. Arad looked in the direction that Selena flew into, "Next time I''ll skin her alive." She had already left his detection range, it wouldn''t be wise to chase her further as that would mean him leaving his wives and children unprotected which isn''t something he''s willing to do in a million years unless his brother is around to watch over them. Matilda stared at Arad''s face with a nk and baffled expression, that was their goddess, Maharaja. Hunters spend their whole lifetime trying to follow her way, hunt in her name and still far short of her glory. Yet he managed to chase her away. Thinking back to how she fought him on their first day of school, how her father shed with him, and how all the tigers of her n worked together to try and beat him. Only now she could see how useless and foolish those actions were, even if the whole beast kingdom were to band together, they wouldn''t even scratch him. Being caressed between his arms, not even the gods could reach her. "Can you stand?" Arad asked, looking at her and she gasped with a blushing face. "Yeah, put me down!" She cried, noticing that some of the other students wereing to watch. But when Arad put her down, she fell on her knees unable to move. All the energy was drained from her body after the long fight. He did give her a stamina potion before, but what little energy that provided was easily consumed by the healing potion he gave to her. Now, albeit unharmed and awake, Matilda couldn''t move a muscle and she fell head first on the ground. Selina rushed at her, "Matilda! Where did you go?!" She rushed to check on her, "Aron, what did happen?" "I don''t fully understand as well, she was fighting a ck jaguar woman. I chased her away so everything is fine." He replied and some of the students growled, "ck jaguars? Was it the one we saw yesterday walking around?" "I knew she looked like troubles with all those scares, probably a bandit." One growled, "Matilda, don''t worry! Next time she shows up, I''ll st her away!" One of the students said with arge smile on his face. "No, it''ll be me! I''ll freeze her in ce, just wait and see." Another eximed proudly. Most of the students adored Matilda a lot, mainly thanks to her outgoing and energetic attitude. Matilda looked at them with one eye, and then back at Arad. None of them understood what they were talking about, what Arad faced wasn''t some random ck jaguar. They are clearly underestimating the gap of power between them and Arad,pared to him, there were nothing but ants walking cluelessly on the ground. "DAAGGAAAADAA!" Serin who was ying around rushed toward Arad with a stick, swinging it at him. She hit his leg, and he fell on the ground crying and rolling dramatically. Sheughed and swung again, but this time Arad gently blocked the attack with his arms and looked at her. Serin immediately swung again at a different angle and hit him on the head. Arad cried and rolled back, pretending to be beaten down. Serin immediately rushed in, jumping at him like a yful cat, trying to bite him. Matilda could only stare in shock at how fast Arad could switch, a second ago he was fighting a goddess toe-toe, and now he''s gently ying with his daughter. From now on, she can''t judge him by how timid or gentle he looks around them. No matter how cute a bear might look, it''s still a vicious bear. Chapter 904: Black Blood Wine Chapter 904: ck Blood Wine ? Arad approached an open pub at the side of the vige''s inner garden and sat in it, letting his two daughters run into the grass and y as he sat there and watched.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Master, what should I bring you?" The bartender who sat insidebing his massive mane looked at Arad, "You''re that guest of our Queen Hati. I doubt I have drinks suitable for humans, but would you like to try some of ours?" He pointed at the massive shelves behind him filled with different bottles. All of the bottles had the price carved into the wooden shelves beneath them with their name, those prices don''t seem to have changed in years. "Are those prices urate?" Arad asked. "This is thend of eternity; nothing gets cheaper or pricier. By our queen''s grace, we now know exactly how much money we''ll need for anything, just like how we know that we''ll need to sleep a third of our days." The bartender replied, "Shall I present you with a sample?" Arad looked at the bottle, he didn''t recognize any of the names, and some of them were even weird. One white cloudy bottle was called Death w, and another red one akin to wine was called Blood Wine, there was one clear small bottle called clear river spirit. "What do rmend? Since I never tried any of them, I can''t choose." Arad looked at the bartender with a smile on his face, slightly tilting his head. "Try this one here." The bartender pulled two silver coins wooden bottle. "This one is cheap and widely avable in the beastnds, it''s nothing fancy, but to us, it''s like the beer of humans." He poured arge mug for Arad, "The day still has some life in it, people usually drink at night, but you seem like you handle yourself quite well." The bottle had the name Three-horn Reserve of the fifth pull. Arad looked at the white and lightly cloudy liquid inside his massive mug, lifted it up, and sniffed it. It was slightly moldy but had a sweet hint of something tastily, like the taste of meat. "What is this?" "There is this monster we call the Three Horns. It''s a massive creature with three massive hornsing from its shield-like head. We take those horns and hollow them up, then ferment the ckberry of the jungle in it. The ckberry is the Three Horn''s favorite food." The bartender poured a small cup for himself, "The fifth pull means that this is the fifth batch fermented in the same horn. The more the horn is used, the less aggressive the alcoholes." "How many pulls does a single horn yield?" Arad asked as he took a sip. "Usually seven pulls, so the one I gave you is the sweet spot formon people. The sixth pull would only cost about one silver coin, and the seventh pull is forty copper coins. For someone like you, I suggest this." He drank his cup. As Arad sat drinking hisrge mug, he looked back at Serin and Ignis running around and ying. Today was an eventful day, he finished the training with Kayden and even faced a warlock patron. He''s exhausted, and nothing beats a drink after a hard day. TAP! A handnded on Arad''s shoulder, Zara was there and he looked at him with a smile. "I''ve heard about it. You saved Matilda once again." He pulled a chair and sat down, looking at the bartender, "Give me something strong." "Look who''s there, I know I smelled some strong people." Serba walked into the pub and looked at Arad and Zara, "It''s been a while since we got the chance to drink together, my old friend." He said beside Zara. Serba''s eyes shifted toward Arad, looking at what he was drinking. His gaze slowly shifted into a frown, turning to re at the bartender with a tilted head, "Are you trying to insult him? I can barely smell that three-horn, it''s not even a second pull." The bartender looked at Serba with a smile, "I do not. I merely introduced him to our drink through a safe bet, it''s neither strong nor expensive, and is quite ptable to humans." "He''s no ordinary human, you can tell by the size." Serba pointed at the shelves, "Bring the ones you keep in the back, ck blood wine. It''s my treat, and the only thing that befits such a mighty hunter." The bartender giggled, looking at Serba, "And who''s paying? You know how expensive those things are." "Three bottles and I''ll pay." He pulled a ck fang andid it on the table. Even when the usual coins are themon currency of the world, some kingdoms also have their own coins to use besides those. What Serba pulled was a ck fang, a rare one pulled from the jaws of a Death Jaw, only one is found amongst a hundred Death Jaws hunted. "This fang, it''s quite the rare gem, not many of them are around. The whole vige only has ten, and I own two." He looked at the bartender, "What do you say?" The bartender smiled and pulled a handful of gold coins from his desk. A ck fang is worth almost two tinum coins, a whole 193 gold coins to be exact. One ck blood wine bottle is 50 gold coins so the bartender gave Serba his change of 43 gold coins. The bartender brought therge ck bottles andid them before his three guests, putting several tools on therge counter. "Use whatever you like, those were sealed for almost a decade now and won''t open easily." Zara looked at Arad, "It''s the mark of a hunter, which tool do you use to open the bottle, will it spill or not, show us what you can do." "I suggest the corkscrew, it''ll require quite a bit of arm strength, but as long as you don''t shake the bottle too much, you won''t spill any." Serba pointed out. "Don''t give him pointers, let him try it on his own," Zara growled at the excited Serba. Arad lifted his mug and finished whatst drink he had there with a gentle smile on his face, looking at the several toolsid on the counter. "Those countless tools, they are like weapons. This is a test of both intellect as well as skill, it''s quite interesting." Arad lifted his arm, the muscles on his arm fighting. With a single swing using his whole torso, Arad cleanly shed the neck of the bottle using his index finger. The bottle didn''t even move, the severed tip smacked into the wall and bounced back to the floor. The three stared at Arad with stunned faces and gaping mouths. Arad lifted the bottle and gulped it down in a single sip, "These tastes nice, I''ll buy ten for me and my wives if you have them at hand." He waved his hand on the table, dropping five shiny tinum coins in front of the bartender. Arad was the same hunter who killed the Death Jaw barehanded, he needed to a weapon, nor a tool to open his wine. His honed body is the greatest weapon in his arsenal, a refined hunk of draconic muscles and pride. Hearing the bartender describe the ck blood wine price of fifty gold coins as too expensive for Arad had rubbed him the wrong way, by no mean would a dragon ept being called poor, it''s a direct insult to his pride, and thus he had to unt his wealth, pulling a sliver of his massive hoard. But sadly, Aradcked one thing. He didn''t have a single ck fang in his hoard. That looked rare, like a piece of ck diamond. He wanted to go hunt for food tonight, and it seemed he had found his target. The poor Death Jaws, Arad wasing to look for one with a ck fang. Zara looked at his own hand, and then at Arad''s hands, unable toprehend how Arad shed the bottle. He didn''t have ws, and even if he had ws, it was nearly impossible to sh ss without it shattering. He hade looking for Arad to thank him for saving Matilda once again, but now he had another thing to worry about. How can someone get so strong? Zara opened his bottle using arge hook to pull the stopper open. Serba on the other hand used a strange cutter to gently slice the stopper in half using sharp gem des. Albeit both of the methods required extreme skill and were considered the best, none of them could feel that they stood close to what Arad had just done before them. This man was on a whole another level, far beyond anyone could expect or understand. Serin came slowly walking toward Arad, calling to him. He looked back at her, "Did you finish ying?" He looked back and even Ignis had approached. While Ignis seemed fine, Serin had started to get tired. "Sorry." Arad stood, "Please do get my bottle out. I must get back home, my daughter is quite exhausted." Chapter 905: A Rumble of the Future Chapter 905: A Rumble of the Future ? Arad returned to Hati''s house momentster, Serin was quite exhausted after ying for a long time so he handed her to Tina. Ignis on the other hand still had a lot of energy so she kept going around the house, exploring the ce. After putting them down, Arad walked toward the guest room to look for Mira and Isdis, he wanted to give them one of the bottles to try, albeit he wasn''t sure if they could handle it or not. On his way, he saw Isdis approaching him alongside Hati. "You''re back, we''ve been waiting." Hati said with a smile, "What took you so long?" "Nothing that matters. I was ying with the girls." Arad replied, looking at Isdis, "Did something happen?" "Nothing." Isdis shook her head and looked at Hati. "They''ve told me you intend on hunting tonight, well, I came to tell you that you don''t need to. I''ve managed to secure a whole Tall Neck for you. It''s waiting inside the training ground; you can go and grab it." Hati waved her finger and a door to the training ground appeared. "You hunted for me?" He red at her. "Come on, you''re my guest. Don''t humans feed each other when theye to visit?" Hati waved her hand and the door opened up, "This is your real dinner, but be sure to join us at the dinner table." Arad started approaching the gate, but Hati immediately called back to him, "And don''t remain there for too long. You still didn''t recover well from today''s training." "I''ll be back immediately, keep the gate open." Arad walked inside. The first thing he noticed was that the ce looked nothing like the deserted wastnd he fought Kayden in, this was arge frozen arctic region with a heavy snowstorm going on. The Tall Neck''s corpse had already frozen and was almost buried beneath the heavy snow. To the side, almost a hundred meters away he spotted something, two massive stone buildings with the word [Food Storage] written on one, and [Liquid Storage on the other] This region was Hati''s fridge. The temperature here was so extremely low that it might kill a human instantly if they walked in there. Arad approached the Tall Neck and sucked him into his stomach in an instant. He can slowly absorb and digest it in his stomach overnight, unlike other monsters, he doesn''t need to sit down and eat unless he wants to enjoy a meal. Right after finishing, Arad walked out of the dimension and looked at Hati, "What was that ce?" "My training ground is like a massive sphere. I use the northern pole to store food in extremely low temperatures so they won''t spoil, and I use the south pool for other matters." She giggled, "I might send you there if you annoyed me a bit." "Send me there?" Arad smiled, "I''ll melt it in an hour." "I''d love to see you try, but that''s impossible. You''ll get killed." She turned around, and red at him with one eye, "You''ll know one day." She waved her hand, "Isdis, take him to the dining room. The dinner should be ready, we''ll eat a bit early today so you can knead him well." "Knead me? I''m not a piece of dough." He looked at Isdis. Isdis replied with a passive face, "She means massage. But I doubt neither me nor Mira would have the arm strength to massage you." "Mira would provide her healing magic, she''s a demi-goddess and better start using her power. And what a perfect training dummy she has." Hati looked at him with a grin, "You''ll be fine even if she messed up and popped a vein or two." She then turned toward Isdis, "You''ll cool Astrid and Frida down, I''ll have them be the ones to massage him due to their high strength, but they''ll also be using their mana to try and rx his back, so they might overheat." "When we get back, I''ll make sure Eris and Merida can do it. Those two boast a lot of strength." Isdis said with a smile. "Nina could as well, albeit I don''t know if she can learn or not." Arad smiled. "Nina..." Isdis looked up, "She isn''t just waiting, I left her training." Isdis could remember Nina swinging her axe alone in the mountains, each swing shaking the whole mountain range. Isdis did ask her why she was training, and Nina asked her to inform Arad of one thing. "She says that she''ll be waiting for you toe back, and we''ll be posted there, ready to kill you." Isdis said and Arad smiled. The next time hees to hisnd, it''ll be hisst fight with Nina. Nina doesn''t want a husband that she can beat and thus would kill Arad if he lost to her. Arad on the other hand ising to win, he wants to beat her and take her home. "Hooo..." Hati looked at them, "Nina, you''re talking about the blood berserker, the one who got her head cleaved by Kayden?" She looked at them with a surprised face. "Yeah, you must''ve heard of her." Isdis looked at her with a smile, "She''s quite famous, or should unfamous for all of her battles turn out to be a blood bath." "Well of course, she''s the only one in the past five hundred years to remain sane with the Tarrasque blood coursing in her." Hati replied with a passive face, "Most either die, go insane, or turn into deformed Tarrasque monsters with no sense of self." "Do you know about them?" Arad gaped, "People with a Tarrasque blood." He still had Shi''s soul inside him resting, and no matter how much he looked, there didn''t seem to be a way to bring her back, even if he provided a vampire body. "People with a Tarrasque blood can show some of its power, like extreme regeneration and magic immunity. But none had shown the Tarrasque greatest power." She looked at Arad, "The Tarrasque creatures lived in the past, far long before humans or dragons came to the world when it was pure wild chaos filled with abominations. But, as you might expect, they didn''t survive and were eradicated by the abomination. Only one Tarrasque survived, and it''s still alive to this day, all of those who have Tarrasque bloodline are her descendants." Hati stared at Arad with an evil smile, her eyes glowing red, "She''s immune to death, all of her race''s strive to survive had condensed into her and made her the most stubborn and violent beast in the world." **** In Alina''s mountains, Nina was training, kicking the air as she fought an image of Arad conjured by her imagination, like a boxer doing shadow boxing, she kept kicking jumping left and right at a blinding speed. She stopped, sweat dripping from her ankle as she held her pose, slowly looking past the trees and mountain cliffs at her side. A massive shadow of jagged teeth and ws creeped out, silently without a sound, and the shadow grewrger andrger. Nina immediately stopped her training and lifted her axe, looking with a worried face. Such a massive shadow, it must be a dragon that came to invade Arad''s territory, "Who''s there?" She yelled. From behind the cliff, the massive shadow quickly disappeared and a tanned woman with a body filled with tribal tattoos and wearing a single-brow robe walked out. Her hair seemed to flow like living snakes as her eyes burned with a golden re of life. With each step, Nina could feel her blood scream, this was the great mother, the godmother earth of her barbarian tribe and the origin of her bloodline.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Who..." As Nina gasped, she suddenly found herself caught by the face, Tarrasque grabbed her and jumped away, flying into the horizon in the blink of an eye. **** Hati looked at Arad, "We call her Tarra, it''s what you think of when you think of a barbarian. She''s the first barbarian that ever existed, and shall the be thest one to ever exist." Hati knew that Tarra was going to Nina, but she didn''t tell Arad. She knows he''ll fly there immediately to help Nina, and that would be bad. Tarra might be a rampaging barbarian, but due to her extreme ties to survival, she won''t kill one of her blood. Nina might be in for a rough time, but she''ll make it out alive. What Hati worried about the most was that two barbarians would need to speak and understand each other, and that wouldn''t be an easy feat to achieve. "Tarra, so the Tarrasque had a name..." Arad looked at her, "You just chopped part of Tarrasque, who''s the idiot who named her?" He called her out, but sadly, Hati wasn''t the one who named Tarra. "I didn''t name her." Hati turned and started walking, "Let''s go, the dinner would get cold." She waved her hand, calling them to follow her. Chapter 906: Still Reserved Chapter 906: Still Reserved ? After dinner finished, Merlin called Arad and the rest to her room, warning them beforehand about the influx of magic inside. They all stood before the door, and Arad reached for the doorknob, slowly turning it open. Pushing the door open, a sh of majestic light washed over them. Mira gasped as they all walked inside, unlike them, her room was far more massive, several times bigger than their roomsbined. But this wasn''t something provided by Hati, it was Merlin''s magic at work. She had used this spell multiple times before to make the inside of the carriagesrger, but now she had infused it with herbyrinth magic, turning her rooms into something akin to mini-one-room dungeons. Merlin was already inside the room, resting on herrge couch with Astid massaging her shoulder, Frida on the other was painting her nails purple with magic-infused ink. "Wee to my humble abode, Arad." She stood and looked at them, waving her fingers and tracing a purple thread in the air. Arge ceramic table emerged from the ground; it wasrge enough to fit Arad. "This should be enough." She looked back at Astrid and Frida. "Yeah." Astrid replied, "Can we get to work already?" Frida sighed as she approached the table. "They''ll massage you while Mira supplies healing magic and I supply magic." Merlin exined what was going to happen to Arad. Currently, Astrid and Frida are going to be doing the job that Merida and Eris would fulfill, Arad is extremely powerful, and for him to work at his maximum efficiency at all times he needs special care, a care that mostly only his wives could provide. Using teleportation in the middle of eleration seemed fine as long as you nail it, but even with perfect execution and timing, the sudden shift in space, the rushing magic, and the turn in eleration and deceleration cause some cells to teleport before others, leading internal damage that spread across the whole body. While Arad''s outer appearance seemed fine and he didn''t feel anything besides being tired, he was in fact suffering from a decent chunk of damage across his whole body. 15% of Arad''s cells have already died due to the tiny malfunction in his teleportation magic and he needs healing to be able to go at 100% of his power tomorrow. This amount of damage might not be clear today, but it''s a multitude of tiny and minuscule amounts of damage that umted through the day, and they''ll keep umting if Arad doesn''t get attention and proper healing. Arad took his clothes off andid on the table, looking down with an exhausted face, "Fine by me. Do what you want." He indeed didn''t feel like he had taken any damage, and even his vampire senses didn''t detect any damage in his body, trying to heal himself or regenerate isn''t working. Merlin approached Arad and smacked him on the forehead gently with her staff, "I can confirm that now that you''re in mybyrinth, your whole body is damaged. Flesh, bones, organs, even your hair is damaged, I''m taking any balding husband." "Smacking my head isn''t going to help that hair grow back." He looked at her with a smile on his exhausted face. Merlin red at him, "That damage, it''s most umted on your brain and spine, did you throw them you?" crouched down and red at his eyes. Astrid and Frida who were getting ready to start gasped, they looked at him and Merlin with confused faces. "Throw what?" "He can regenerate from any wound as long as his brain and spine are fine. This smart one here thought it''d be a smart idea to throw his brain and spine in the middle of a battle and regenerate fully from them." She waved her staff above Arad''s head, "Yeah! You did it again!" She smacked him again. "I mean, he would''ve cut my head in half if I didn''t." Arad looked away, "Wait, he did cut my head, it''s only that my brain and spine weren''t in my body when that happened so I survived." Mira and Isdis looked at Arad with scared faces, "Please don''t do that again." Isdis said with a worried and terrified face. "I know that I shouldn''t do it." Arad replied, "But I would''ve died. It''s not something that I do for fun, it''s myst measure to survive an attack. Believe it or not, only teleporting my brain and spine away is far faster than trying to teleport my whole body." Astrid lifted her fist, and smacked Arad''s back, "If that''s the case, then we need to get to work." She said with a confident face, but her cheek immediately turned red as tears rushed into her eyes. She turned back and crouched down, holding her hand and barely holding her tears. She almost shattered her fist when hitting Arad''s back, her fingers came in direct contact with his spine. Frida leaned on Arad''s back and started knocking on it with her finger, listening closely. It sounded like knocking on steel, even his muscles were hard enough to mistake for rocks. "Where you this hard?" she gasped, looking at Arad''s head. "I''m always this hard." He replied, "My scales are tougher than steel." He was able to punch holes through stone with his bare hands, his body wouldn''t be as soft as anyone else. "Sister, this is bad." Frida looked at the half-crying Astrid who was blowing on her red fist. "Our job is to move Mira''s healing magic through his body by massaging him. We can''t do it." Merlin giggled, "Worry not. That we''re doing it here in mybyrinth." She approached them and lifted her hand, waving her fingers before Frida''s face. Merlin used her authority over the space they were in to buff Astrid and Frida''s physical power, making them far stronger than before. At the same time, she tried to debuff Arad so he could be easier to work with, but her magic failed to affect him. "Something felt weird." Arad said as he looked at Merlin, "Did you try something?" He usually isn''t that weary of those close to him so he wasn''t checking for an attack, and debuff magic is indeed an attack that slipped by him just now. Merlin approached him and crouched to look him in the eyes, "My Arad, please rx a bit. I tried to reduce your strength stat a bit so you''ll be easier to massage, but you''re so tense it failed." She rubbed his cheek, "Can you rx?" "I''m rxed." Arad replied, that he didn''t even react to the spell, let alone tense to stop it. If it failed, that means he was far too strong for Merlin to be able to debuff him. "{I can help.}" A mouth showed up on Arad''s back, scaring Astrid and Frida to the point they jumped back, their tails spiked up. "Doma? You want to curse him a bit?" Merlin looked at the mouth. "{That would work, but I''ve got another idea.}" Doma replied, "{Mira or Isdis, doesn''t matter who. One of you should let Arad hug her for a bit." Merlin immediately looked at Isdis, "You, Mira is applying her magic to his back." "Well, let''s see." Isdis smiled and approached Arad. He slowly extended his arms forward and hugged her torso. "{That doesn''t work, get a bit down. Arad, hug her across the chest.}" Doma immediately told her to crouch down so he could reach her while lying on the table. The moment Isdis did that and Arad hugged her, Merlin''s debuff managed to activate on him. Even when Arad is calm, his body is always putting a minimum amount of caution and defense. He isn''t doing it on purpose, but in this current situation, he isn''t in a situation where he''s fully safe.N?v(el)B\\jnn Merlin, Astrid, Frida, Isdis, Mira, and Tina all where in the room, and Arad could only rx around three of them. Isdis, Mira and Tina. His body is naturally defending itself against Astrid and Frida by remaining harder than they could damage, and by keeping his magic surging stronger than what this smallbyrinth that Merlin made could affect. When even Arad himself couldn''t understand it, Doma who was watching him for a long time could exin it to the rest. Arad sets a clear line between his wives, his servants, and anyone else. Arad''s power is almostpletely sealed when dealing with his wife and children so he won''t hurt them by mistake. All of his movements be extremely docile and gentle and his magic drops by a massive amount. That is why Mira could drag him by the ear with ease, but sadly that didn''t change the hardness of his scales. While with his servants, Like Zia, Arad''s power isn''t reserved, but he''s also holding back quite a bit. He treats them with respect and is careful all the time to make sure they are safe from his power. A strange example would be Tina, he treats her more like a wife than a servant now that he adopted Serin. While the previous two categories are protected by Arad''s unconscious mind, the rest can only be protected actively. His power isn''t held back to make sure they are safe, he actively avoids harming them, but sometimes that isn''t enough. After hearing the exnation, Merlin thought back to hering fight with Arad, she needs to earn his trust, the trust he needs to treat her like one of his wives. She could see it now in effect, he was still weary of her magic deep down. Chapter 907: A Recoil of Magic Chapter 907: A Recoil of Magic ? Even with their power enchanted and Arad weakened, Astrid and Frida still failed to effectively massage him. Their arms gave up after just a few seconds of work, it was as hard as trying to massage a tough piece of hard rubber. Even with how low Mira''s healing magic output is now that she''s trying to condense it into her hands, the twins still failed to keep up. "Aren''t you two supposed to be some powerful Fenrirs? Howe that you can''t even massage him in this situation?" Merlin looked at them with a smug smile on her face. "He''s the problem!" Astrid cried. She was right, they were powerful, far more than anyone in that room expected, but Arad was just on a whole another level. Tough muscles, hard bones, and rigid scales, even his magic was dense enough to kill someone just by standing close. Merlin waved her fingers and conjured two massive steel beams almost two meters above Arad''s back. "Get up, push down with your legs. You must move that holy magic before it starts clogging his magic circles." Even if Arad can still be healed with holy magic, he''s a vampire, if that holy magic isn''t managed properly, it could cause more damage than it heals. Astrid and Frida jumped above Arad and started pushing on his back with their knees and feet, but even so, they kept having to take breaks. And as they worked, Merlin kept testing her spells on Arad, checking what worked and what didn''t. She asked Arad and he didn''t have a problem. She tested all of her spells and effects, confirming several things that were surprising about Arad. What Merlin tested first was if her seduction could work, and that had resulted in more aggression. Since Arad is a dragon, fighting for mates is natural and if she tried to seduce him, that would only end up in her getting beaten even harder. Arad can be mind-controlled as proven by Vars in the past, but it''s gotten significantly harder thanst time. Merlin had tried to mind-control Arad, but she suddenly found herself dancing naked in the middle of the room, Doma had cursed her to dance for 5 minutes or until she begged her. Trying to control Arad is a risky thing, especially with Doma there. Merlin tried to rob Arad of his draconic powers as it had happened before in herbyrinth, but due to the massive size of his current power, she ended up receiving a bacsh. It was like trying to fit something massive in a small space, her body almost split in half. It was nearly impossible to achieve without a massivebyrinth to spread his magic.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om After half an hour with Astrid and Frida standing on Arad''s back and massaging him, they finally stopped and sat down to rest for a bit. Isdis brought them cold wine and some of the ck blood wine that Arad had bought. "I''m exhausted!" Merlin sighed, sitting on the ground, "I can''t find any reliable spell to win, I would lean toward using holy magic, but you''re getting used to that, right?" Arad sat up, "I can counter holy magic with curses. But what about you? I didn''t know you could use holy magic." "Not just me, all wizards have ess to holy magic. The goddess of magic exists." Merlin closed her eyes and sat with her legs crossed, she almost immediately started floating up with her staff orbiting her. "But, she''s quite the fickle one and messes with us when we ask for holy magic." She pointed her hand toward Arad, [Heal] Merlin''s hand flickered with light and the spell activated, it wasn''t practically strong, but it seemed to have worked on Arad. Merlin blinked twice, "Strange, nothing bad happened. I usually get jolted or something like that." The goddess of magic was known for messing with wizards every time they called upon her power. "Yeah..." Arad looked at her with a tired face, "Nothing happened..." He seemed a bit disappointed. {You aren''t going to tell her about that?} Doma said inside his head, barely holding herughter. ^No, I''ll pretend that I''ve never seen that.^ Some of Merlin''s private memories seem to have been shared with Arad, memories that Merlin probably would never admit. The goddess of magic growled on her desk, unamused as her prank had failed. She honestly expected a better reaction, at least better than nothing at all. Her body started floating as she waved her fingers, shes of magic sparked from her eyes and long red hair. She was determined to make sure it worked. Arad suddenly felt his head stink, his mana reserve had dropped to o out of nowhere and Doma started rolling inside his mind, feeling as if her head was spinning inside a barrel rolling down a massive hill. Merlin froze in ce, seeing Arad watching her memory. The goddess of magic did then showed her how he refused to react to what he saw. Her face turned bright red, and she almost flew out of the room screaming. The other girls stared at Arad and Merlin, wondering what happened to them. They both looked shocked and stressed for no reason. "What''s up? Are you two, okay?" Mira asked, thinking that one of Merlin''s spells might''ve failed somehow, she wasn''t wrong. "This is..." Arad growled, "That goddess...It''s an awful feeling." It''s been a while since his mana had dropped to o, Luckily he won''t pass out like other people since the moment it reached o, he absorbed some mana from the air to make it a 1. Merlin held her face, "I''m...really...really sorry about that... both..." "I don''t care...really..." He shook his head, "Just, don''t use her holy magic. I now understand why mages avoid her." Arad had seen parts of Merlin''s memories, a sensitive one involving her, and a statue of him not being in a ''Presentable'' situation. Arad had thought she got rid of all the statues of him that she made, but she seemed to have kept some for personal use. As they were talking, a knocking came on the door. Merlin stood and approached, "Who is there?" She asked. "It''s me, Roberta. I''ve finished all of the papers. I wanted to discuss them quickly with Isdis to make sure everything is right." Roberta replied with a worried face. She was told by one of Hati''s daughters that they were busy inside, but her work must be done before tomorrow. With a single wave of her fingers, Merlin opened the door and let Roberta inside without a second hesitation. She wanted something to change the topic and get her mind off what just happened. Roberta walked inside, "Lady Isdis, I''ve...." She froze, seeing Arad sitting naked on the ground. She dropped the pile of papers in her hand and screamed, "Why is he naked?" "Why you ask?" Arad looked at her, "They were massaging me, that''s the whole thing of this." "Who opened the door? It was you, Merlin, this room is protected by your magic." Roberta red at her. "Yeah, but Arad doesn''t mind." Merlin looked at Arad, "Do you mind her seeing you naked?" "I don''t mind. But they might." He looked at Mira and Isdis, "Do you mind it?" "Well..." Mira scratched her chin, "Roberta had gotten too close to us already, and she''s helping us finance the whole castle building and stuff...can''t really tell her off even if I mind it a bit." "Same for me. The whole kingdom''s money relies on her. I would love to keep her close if possible." Isdis looked at Arad, "Marry her as well. She''ll be useful." As Roberta looked at them with a stunned face, Arad sighed. "Is it all about money?" "No." Mira replied, "Money isn''t everything, but as Mother says, money is 90% of everything. That''s pretty much important." "And what''s that 10%?" Arad looked at her and then at the still-frozen Roberta. "That''s between her and you. We''re your wives, we can agree with someone bing an additional wife, or refuse them. But we don''t get to choose who joins or not, we can only make suggestions." Mira smiled. Isdis giggled, "Yeah, I''m not going to manage all of your hoards and how to spend every copper to make your domain better. You either hire someone trustworthy and reliable or marry them." Isdis looked at Roberta with a grin. "What are you talking about!" Roberta rushed at her and grabbed her by the shirt, shaking her in ce. "What are you talking about?!" Isdis couldn''t stopughing, "I get it! I get it!" She tapped Roberta''s shoulder, "I''ll find a smother way, calm down. Let me see what papers you brought." As the two argued, Arad stood andid back on the table so Frida and Astrid could start the treatment again. Merlin sat silently for a while before reluctantly returning to her experiments, while she''s powerful, she hasn''t fought Arad seriously before and would love to be able to provide him with at least some resistance. **** Far away, in a long-forgottennd, a vampire lord approached a noble with a smile on his face. "How is she doing? I''m certain an immortal like her would be quite the fun toy." The noble grunted, "This is no fun. It''s a necessary evil, and you spawn as much of a filth as you are." He looked back at the carriage filled with tools that rode past them. "We have to test those new methods on something before applying them in the field. Otherwise, we won''t know if the torture would work or not." The noble pulled a bag of gold, "Here you go. Scram!" He threw it at the vampire lord, the man caught it and disappeared. He had sold the noble one of his spawns. Deep beneath the noble''s castle, inside one of the dungeon cells guarded under the heaviest security, the woman was chained, having lost everything, she had nothing else to fear now. "I...plead...to..." She mumbled and the guards looked back, feeling a shiver down their spines, "The blood of origin, to they I sacrifice my blood, and seek others blood to be spilled. In a rusted iron spike, I shall die, impaled..." Blood magic started gushing from her body as she performed a forbidden ritual. "I call thee!" A spark of blood magic rushed, seeking d. Chapter 908: To Survive: I Summoned The Blood Lord Chapter 908: To Survive: I Summoned The Blood Lord ? "I call Thee!" As the woman mumbled, sparks of blood magic gushed out of her body, illuminating her cold cell with a bright red sh. As ast desperate gamble, vampires can forgo the link with their vampire lord and send a call straight to the originator of blood, the one who gave birth to their vampire lords. The woman''s call quickly rushed through the intertwined of the vampiric bloodline, seeing the blood lord d, but since he had long since died, it reached another target. Doing such a thing wasn''t so simple, d is known for rejecting those calls and killing those who attempted them. Even vampire lords usually disown their spawns and thralls who attempted such an offense against the blood lord. In the past two thousand years, not a single vampire who dared attempt this had survived. It was certain that they would get killed, and their call to be ignored. She was gambling against unfair odds. She had felt that death was a better end for her than getting tortured for eternity. Slowly, blood chains started reaching down from the ceiling and walls, the woman could feel her heart slowing down and her blood weakening. Her blood magic, memories, everything she had that made her whole, all of them, slowly seeped away from her soul, washed by the blood. "Sorry fools..." She stared at the guards with a smile, "I''ll by the blood lord''s hands, not yours." Her head dropped, unconscious now that all of her magic had been sucked by the horror she called. As the chains circled around, arge muscr man emerged from the gushing blood. Arad stood there, ring at the guards with blood-red eyes, bleeding with rage. Since the burden of the summoning falls on the caster, she has lost consciousness due to the huge cost of pulling Arad all the way here. While Arad was still being massaged by Astrid and Frida, he got a sudden call for help. He thought it wasing from the vampires he left at Alina, but he was wrong, this was the first time for him to have faced such a situation. He had epted a distress call from a rogue vampire on a farawaynd, letting himself be summoned by them through d''s blood inside him. Usually, it would''ve been Ginger who got summoned, but she had rejected the call, causing it to get forwarded to Arad instead. As Arad walked forward, blood rushed from the ground and engulfed the vampire woman, sucking her into his stomach. All of her memories rted to this incident had been shared with him, causing Arad to feel enraged, this noble was experimenting on humans and ves before buying the vampire woman. The only reason he got her was because vampires are more durable and she''ll cost him less in the long time than just buying ves. The other ves in the dungeon, elves, dark elves, dwarfs, halflings, and even humans, all looked at Arad with terrified faces. What kind of horror did that vampire woman summon, none of them knew, and prayer can''t save them. Even though the steel bars making the vampire woman''s cell were three times thicker than what the other cells had, since the guards knew how powerful vampires were, those bars bent as Arad simply walked through them. He grabbed the guards by the faces, crushing and sucking their bodies into his palms. He had seen them in the vampire woman''s memories, torturing not just her, but the other ves here. The ves screamed and Arad engulfed them in barriers. **** Upstairs, the noble was drinking with a man who looked in his forties, S-rank adventurer and vampire hunter Voltus Dorimis. He had hired him to be his bodyguard while he dealt with the vampire lord, now that his purchase of the vampire woman waspleted, the two of them had been drinking together to celebrate that achievement. Just like how people resort to Alcott when dealing with dragons, most resort to Voltus when dealing with vampires. He''s the master and expert on hunting them. The room suddenly shook and Voltus started sweating, his face twisting as he sensed the powerful blood magic rushing across the whole fortress. The furniture around them started floating and the walls cracked, the magic lights flickered as they shattered due to the dense mana filling the air. The noble cried in terror, his eyes jolting everywhere trying to figure out what was happening. Arad slowly walked out of the dungeon and faced a horde of the fortress guards. He had seen in the vampire woman that not all the guards were happy with what happened in the dungeon, some of them even snuck food and water secretly to the ves and even healed them. Since not everyone needed to die, Arad used gravity magic on arge scale to lift everyone and everything around him up, preventing them from running away oring to attack him. Arad lifted his arm, scanning the area around him. Inside his 40km detection range, he found him, the vampire lord who sold the woman to the noble. The vampire lord was walking away, counting his gold. He suddenly got pulled back toward the fortress, smashing through the trees and stones, his body getting crushed on the steel gates and finally getting suspended mid-air before Arad''s enraged face. He had been snatched from over twenty kilometers away. Voltus watched in horror from the window, no matter how stupidly powerful and horrifying that vampire lord was, the man that had appeared out of nowhere seemed to be a far more terrifying monster. Even in his long career as a vampire hunter, he had never felt such a horror; the marrow of his bones had started crying, begging him to run away. The vampire lord started screaming, his blood boiled and his skin was engulfed, in the blink of an eye, he popped like a blood balloon and got sucked into Arad''s body. Arad jumped toward the window where Voltus was watching him, he stood mid-air right outside it and slowly floated toward the wall, shattering it as he moved inside. The terrified Voltus barely escaped the rubble, baffled at seeing Arad not even bother with doors and windows, he straight just moved into them and shattered everything. The noble screamed as his eyes exploded, Arad had blinded him with [Blood magic: Eye Burst] And now that he reused that old spell, he had discovered how deep his blood magic had gotten since defeating d and sucking all of his blood. Controlling the blood to make the eyes explode was far too easy, he could do even more. The noble skin turned red as he screamed in agony. While Arad could control vampires, his mastery of blood seems to have allowed him to even control the blood of non-vampires simr to how d was doing it. Albeit he isn''t as efficient or skilled with that power. The noble''s body twisted and contorted, getting crushed into a ball of blood and flesh that Arad swallowed into his stomach. Even though Voltus was affected by Arad''s gravity magic and almost floated in o gravity, he used the wall as a tform to jump and swung his sword at Arad''s neck with a roar. "DIE! Fiend!" Arad simply lifted his palm and blood the swording at his neck. He slowly looked at Voltus''s face, finally acknowledging his presence. He had seen him before but concluded he wasn''t a threat. With Voltus''s scream, his silver sword shed, shing Arad''s forearm and cutting a deep wound in his neck. That sword was special, just like how Arad got the dragon yer sword, the weapon that Alcott searched for and didn''t find, Voltus had the vampire yer sword. Veins rushed out of Arad''s severed wrist and reattached it back. The wound on his neck quickly healed, and Voltus stared with a terrified face. "Vampires shouldn''t be able to heal from this sword..." He mumbled. The vampire yer sword was made to kill vampires and is extremely efficient at cutting them and stopping their regeneration. It was mainly made after studying vampires and vampire lords, it had never been configured to face a vampire progenitor, let alone one who is a dragon and a werewolf at the same time. "That''s a nice sword." Arad said, looking at him with a passive face. Voltus growled, swinging his sword again with a red fire spark. [Vampire yer Art: Burning sh] CLANG! Arad caught the sword within his fingers, "Impressive speed, but simple moves. You''ve only been hunting vampires and vampire lords; did you ever face something stronger?" Voltus tried to pull his sword out of Arad''s grip but it was stuck. Voltus smiled, his sword disappeared from his right hand and appeared in his left, swinging a thrust at Arad''s chest. [Vampire yer Art: Phantom de] Voltus''s sword hit the thin air. Arad knew that Voltus was merely here doing his job, providing protection against vampires, nothing more or less. He wasn''t on his killing list, so he left him alone.N?v(el)B\\jnn As Voltus looked around, he heard the noble''s wife scream. Arad had caught her, and her screams disappeared a secondter. One after another, he could only stand there, floating mid-air under Arad''s magic as Arad went around killing everything that helped the noble. Even such an experienced and powerful vampire yer was helpless against the unstoppable force that had appeared out of nowhere. Secondster, Arad had finished killing everyone that mattered and he looked around. This noble territory was at the borders of some country, he could sense dark elves guarding a border just 15 km west. Arad teleported into the border and the dark elves there screamed as they saw him appear out of nowhere. "Strange! Back away, where do you think you''re going?!" They pointed their spears at him. "Sorry to ask, is this the dark elf kingdom border?" Arad asked. "It''s called Elistreana you ignorant..." One of them growled, but Arad immediately disappeared as quickly as he appeared. He flew into the kingdom and quickly noticed that arge city was close, just 30 km away from the border, and it had a familiar presence that he only sensed once before. With another void step, Arad arrived there. Jasmine was walking in her inner quarter with two of her maids following her. She had finally finished the day''s work and was ready to rx a bit, it was then that she heard her guards scream their lungs out. The two women who were wearing te armor and guarding her personal quarter had found a strange man standing inside. Jasmine rushed and saw the two pointing their halberds at Arad. "An Intruder in the queen''s quarter! Call reinforcement!" One cried. "Bastard! How did you get here!?" The other one cried. When Jasmine recognized Arad, she immediately rushed at the guards. "Put your weapons down! Don''t you dare attack him?" She pushed them aside. "Arad..." Jasmine looked at him, "You could''ve called. I don''t have anything prepared..." She tried to figure out why is he there. She was happy to see him, but at least wanted to know why. "I need help with something. A noble in the neighboring kingdom in that way..." He pointed to the east, "...he had several ves and some of them were dark elves as well. I was hoping you could take them in, alongside the other ves. I can''t really carry them back and I don''t trust leaving them to that kingdom." She blinked twice. "People were already disappearing around the border, that''s why security is tight there. We were suspecting that noble at the border to be the one kidnapping our people..." She looked at Arad, "Are you sure?" "Just killed him and several members of his family. It''splicated, but a vampire woman asked me for help." Arad extended his hand and pointed at the window. "Where do you want me to put them?" "Can you put them in the castle''s garden?" Jasmine replied and Arad nodded, "I''ll be back." He immediately disappeared again. "Your Majesty, who is that man?" One of the guards asked with a worried face. "Uranus, the god-eating dragon. You two had just pointed your weapons at a being who could sneeze our whole kingdom to the abyss." Jasmine rushed to the window and looked out, the ves were already there, and Arad had gone back and brought them using [Void Step]. Arad appeared once again beside Jasmine, "I brought them. They are a bit confused and scared, but please take care of them." Jasmine smiled, "I was about to march my army into the border to investigate and retrieve my people. You''ve done my work for me; this can''t go without a proper thank." "Sorry, but I must go. We can talk about thister." Arad looked back; his wives must be quite worried. Just as quickly as he appeared, he once again disappeared. Jasmine looked at the terrified salves in her garden, her face twisted and contorted with rage. "Look at how they treated my people. It''s war." They''ve finally got proof, and have a reason to march into battle. "Send a letter to Queen Ceri and King Baltos, inform them of the details, and ask for support." One of the maids looked at her, "There are dwarves and halflings there as well. What should we do?" "Their homnds are too far away to be able to help us in time. We''ll send them home and that''s it." She walked back to her room to change her clothes, her day which seemed to be over had just been filled by work once more. Chapter 909: Scheming In The Background Chapter 909: Scheming In The Background ? Walking through the hallways, Isdis sighed, "If only Rey and Ray were here..." She looked back at Mira, "Come on. Two in a row, I''ll be dead." With a smug smile on her face, Mira giggled, "I sadly can''t help you. And you''re the one who asked for it." Poor Isdis, she didn''t count well. Due to the long days off, she tried to bite more than she could chew. Now, she''s regretting her decision. She thought of canceling the ns but couldn''t bring herself to do that. As Mira said, she was the one to n everything, she couldn''t be the one to back away. "I''ll ask Merlin, she''s myst hope." Isdis looked down as she dragged her legs to Merlin''s room. "Merlin,e help me..." She opened the door and walked in with a sad face. After exining the situation, Merlin shook her head, refusing to help. "I can help, but I won''t. We agreed on a n, it''s the rule, and I intend to y by them." "Come on, I didn''t mean it like that. Do you have anything else to help me with?" Alice looked at her with a troubled face. If she didn''t find a solution in the next half an hour, she might die. Merlin giggled, staring at her with a smile. "Then, how about a trade?" She waved her fingers, drawing a magic circle in the air. "I can''t help you personally, but I can try some things. In exchange, you owe me a favor." "Deal!" Isdis eximed with arge smile, "Please do, what do you have on your mind?" "Some tricks...but you''ll have to get Hati''s permission first." Isdis cried, breathing in heavily, "I don''t want to even discuss the subject with her. She''s a crafty one, I''m certain she''ll try to trick me somehow." "I agree with Isdis. Hati is dangerous, we can''t let her get too close to us." Mira nodded, giving Merlin a sharp re. "She''s dangerous because you can''t either understand her motives or control her. It can''t be helped, she is far stronger, older, and wiser than us all." Merlin leaned back on her chair, putting one leg on another as she waved her fingers, pulling a crystal ball to her face. "I''ve heard from her, stories of her and her husband. He too had a lot of wives, and I mean a lot." Merlin smiled, "He did a good job bringing them together in more than one way, but that isn''t for us. I''m sure she''ll have solid advice for you. Ask the old and wise, not the young and inexperienced, right?" "Fine...but don''t me me if she used us." Isdis walked out of the room with heavy steps, seeking Hati''s advice. "Hmm..." Hati looked at Isdis with a smile as shey on herrge pillow, getting fanned by her daughters. "You ask me about that? You should be smarter than to trust me with an answer, human princess." Isdis sighed, "I know...but Merlin said I should..." Hati waved her hand and a small ss bottle glowing with faint mystical light appeared between her sharp and long red nails. "I''ll give you this, with it you''ll be able to survive not just tonight, but for the whole week." She licked her lips, "One drop in water and you''ll be able to get through everything with ease." Isdis reached toward the bottle, but Hati moved her hand back, "With a price." "I knew it." Isdis gasped, "What kind? Don''t think you can swindle me here." Hati giggled, throwing the bottle toward Isdis''s face. Isdis immediately snatched it. "What''s the meaning of this?" "Help Astrid and Frida get close to Arad. Wives, mistresses, or maids, whatever spot they get is better than nothing. Just be on their side when they need it." She stretched her arms, "And now if you''ll excuse me, I''ve got some rest to catch up to." As Hati turned around on her pillow, Isdis found herself standing in the hallway. Isdis looked at the bottle, "I hope this will work..." She walked away. As the next morning came and Arad went to train with Kayden, Mira looked around for Isdis but didn''t find her. After a long search, she had to ask one of Hati''s daughters if they saw her. What she heard was quite worrying, no one had seen her since she walked into Arad''s roomst night. Mira rushed into Arad''s room to look for Isdis. She found her still naked on the bed, dripping and motionless. She tried to wake her up but was surprised to see her awake. "Are you okay?!" Mira cried. Isdis mumbled into the pillow, "Potion helped, but since it felt good, I got carried away. Now I can''t move...my hips are sore...and I got a painful hangover..." Mira looked at the side of the bed and noticed the still-filled bottle. Isdis had only used a single drop in a cup of water, nothing more. "Wait a moment, I''ll call Tina." Mira rushed to the hallway and called Nina before walking back into the room. "Come, I''ll drag you to the shower room if you can''t walk." She lifted her from the armpits and dragged her, trying to make her sit. "Why didn''t he stop..." Mira growled. "Told you...I''m the one who got carried away..." Isdis mumbled, "Since I was feeling good, I asked if we could keep going...and this is how I ended up like this..." Even with how embarrassed she was, she couldn''t look away from how painful her head was. The doll sitting at the side of the bed stood and started walking toward the bottle, Aisha had remained in the room after Arad left and she looked at the bottle that Hati gave to Isdis.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Pure Gracie''s Spit, this bottle should be worth several hundred tinum coins." Aisha lifted the bottle and shook her slightly, "The goddess of lust''s bites are told to contain a legendary aphrodisiac that could overwrite reason itself. How in the hell did that hag get her hand on this, and why give it just like that?" Mira looked at her, "The real deal? Not the fake one? Does that mean that got harvested from the goddess herself?" "Yeah. A hundred tinum coin is the base price, put this thing in an auction and the rich would wage war over it." Aisha looked at them, "Don''t underestimate how much money people are willing to give just to have some of a goddess''s spit." "She gave me that? She only asked that I help Astrid and Frida, be on their side." Isdis barely managed to speak, her whole body was starting to feel numb. "This isn''t an item that anybody could get their hands on. Make sure to keep your guard around Hati, she''s far more dangerous than you think." She took the potion and stored it inside her body. "I''ll be keeping this." "Wait...I need to use it." Isdis gasped. Aisha red at her, "No you won''t use it again. Arad is too much for you to take on alone, I''ll tell him that if you aren''t able to. Better than having you die in his hands, stupid brat." She growled at her and jumped from the bedside table to the ground. Aisha red back at Isdis and Mira, "You two underestimate Arad far too much. If you can''t keep up, just tell him. No need for those things to artificially make youst longer." "Where are you going?" Mira gasped. "To have a word with that nine-tailed hag." Aisha replied, "You little girls stay here." Even if she was just a cute little doll, Aisha was still older than them by a lot. When Aisha walked into Hati''s room, she found her lying on herrge pillow as usual, four of her daughters sharpening her nails, each one taking care of a limb. Five more daughters were behind her brushing her tails. "What brought such a cute doll to my room?" Hati looked at her with a smile, "It''s been decades since I yed with dolls, but I''ll y with you if you want." "Don''t mock me." Aisha growled, pulling the bottle of Gracie''s spit. "Where did you get this?" "From Gracie herself. I just asked her to fill me some a few days ago." Hati waved her finger and arge box filled with potions of Gracie''s spit appeared. "You have that much?" Aisha gasped. "I got L drunk, and she told me that Arad''s wives agreed to let Isdis have him this week since she rarely gets time with him since she deals with the kingdom''s affairs." Hati stored the box with a single weave of her nails, a single tap of her nails and it disappeared in a puff of smoke. "I knew she doesn''t have the stamina or durability so I nned ahead of time." Hati''s glowing golden eyes stared straight at Aisha''s soul, "I''ve also told Arad that this would increase fertility." She pulled out a half-empty bottle, "He''s a dragon with a powerful metabolism, this much would only increase his fertility nothing more..." She giggled, "Only... if he''s the only one who took it." "Youced Arad''s food..." Aisha growled, "A slithering snake..." "Arad knew, I suggested it to him and he epted it. My deal with Arad was with him alone, and my deal with Isdis was with her alone. I''m not responsible for user error or side effects." Hati giggled. "Now with Isdis out for days...you think your daughters would take her ce? So, your whole n was just to push them at Arad?" Aisha growled. "Pretty much." Hati giggled, "Do you have a problem?" "I''m going to tell him." Aisha growled, turning to leave. "He won''t be happy about it." "Olivia, want to meet her?" Hati said with a smug grin and Aisha froze in ce. Aisha''s magic started gushing out as she red back at Hati, "The hell you said? Olivia? You mean her, Olivia?" "The Legendary Alchemist Olivia, in the flesh." Hati waved her fingers and arge white door opened up, inside it was a massiveb with a woman in her underwear, only wearing a whiteb coat over her body as she red at several boiling ssware of strange colors, giggling like a madwoman. The woman paused for a second and nced back, her sses reflected the lighting from the opened door, barely allowing her green eyes to show. The woman smiled, "This door, Hati. Did ya need something?" The woman smiled, "AH! I wanted to get one of your nails, and some of your tail fur... if you don''t mind." She approached the door. "Got them." Hati waved her hand and her daughters gathered, they weren''t just tending to their mother, they were gathering the material that the woman in theb coat asked for. [w of the Eternal Fenrir] [Tail Fur of the Divine Beast] "By the way, Olivia, for my payment, can you tend to this doll a bit?" Hati pointed with her foot at Aisha. Aisha could only look at the woman in theb coat in shock, was this really the legendary alchemist Olivia? In her life, she had spent decades fighting over just a single scrap of paper written by her. To the alchemist of the world, Olivia''s writing was akin to holy scripture. "No need to hesitate. Thousands of alchemists begged me for centuries to allow just a second meeting with her but I''ve never let a single one." Hati nodded to one of her daughters. The daughter walked behind the stunned Aisha and kicked her into Olivia''sb, after which the door closed. "That leaves the rest." Hati leaned back and touched her ears, "What are you doing? Can I send Mira your way?" She then touched her other ear, "Isdis isn''t ready, but you better be." Chapter 910: How to Slash; And the Woman of Ice Chapter 910: How to sh; And the Woman of Ice ? As the hot arid wind blew through the rocky desert, Arad stood on arge boulder staring at Kayden who was standing in the distance. He had already learned how to elerate and how to teleport mid-eleration for greater movement efficiency. This day was the third in his training, and Arad didn''t have a clue about what was awaiting him. He looked at Kayden, wondering what kind of lesson was awaiting him. Kayden unsheathed his katana and looked at Arad, "Today we''ll try cutting things." As He slowly lifted his katana, Arad could hear the de screaming as it contacted the air, ripping it apart. It rumbled like a chainsaw, and the ground beneath Kayden''s feet started shaking. The katana suddenly went silent and a massive demon appeared before Kayden. The giant monster stood almost three meters tall, muscr with dark purple skin, two horns on its forehead, and a long ck and leathery tail. Arad gasped, with just a single look he could tell how powerful that demon was, he wasn''t an ordinary existence.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The demon extended his arm forward and Kayden put his katana on it. "If I push down directly, my sword won''t cut his skin." After a good push, Kayden lifted his sword to reveal that the demon didn''t have a single mark on his skin. "shing is achieved by moving your de across something to slice it." He once moreid his katana on the demon''s arm and with a shing motion, he managed to get a cut in. Arad knew that, so it wasn''t something new. Kayden wasn''t done exining, and what he had in store was bound to shock Arad. "But look at this." Kayden repeated the same motion and the demon didn''t get cut. "There is amon method to resist such shes. That is what makes ordinary shes useless against the most powerful beings. So, you''ll need a new way of cutting." Kayden once again lifted his katana and it roared, "You''re a void dragon so this should be easier for you to achieve than normal people." He showed Arad the katana, "The edge has two sides, a left side, and a right side, you can see both of them taper down. Listen carefully, as I''ll exin what you must do." Kayden approached Arad and pointed at the de, "I want you to control the space around each side of the edge separately. Deform it forward by a tiny bit toward the tip of the de, drip it down a bit, and then pull it back. Like using a saw. Do it for each side separately and make sure that when one side is getting deformed forward, the one is deformed backward." As Arad looked closely at the katana, Kayden took it back toward the demon and dropped it on his arm without any force. The katana fell right through the arm like it was made of air, cutting it. "As you can see, it can cut with ease. It''s like having two powerful saws moving beside each other." Kayden opened his palm and his katana flew into his hand and disappeared, "Do it right, and you''ll increase your cutting capacity, do it wrong and your de will shatter." Kayden put his hands together as the demon behind him healed. Countless swords fell from the sky and grew from the ground, for several kilometers, all that Arad could see were swords growing from the ground like grass. "I want you to be able to use it with different types of edges. Those are all swords, and ded weapons from all over the world. Some are powerful, some are old and rusty. Use them, and try to master this." Kayden pointed with his thumb at the demon behind him, "I want you to kill this demon. He''s fast and strong and extremely hard to cut, but his attack power is quite low." "What about that defensive move? The one where shing won''t work?" Arad asked. "You can cut through it with this skill." Kayden replied, "But if you want to learn it, you won''t be doing that today. Since I don''t want you to reverse use it to cut, I want you to learn how to cut first." He knew that if Arad learned how to protect his body against shes with a barrier, he''d find a way to bypass the demon''s defenses, and that was bad. He wants him to learn how to actually cut, not cheat his way through. "So, I''ll learn that eventually?" Arad looked at him with a smile. "Tomorrow if you learned how to cut today, I''ll teach you how to defend against attacks of all types." Kayden turned to leave and Arad called him out, "Where are you going?" "One of my orphanages has an event today. The kids want me to sing for them, and I''ll have some papers to do in the afternoon. Those who grew old without getting adopted are going to be sent to training ground to learn a craft so they can provide for themselves." Kayden took a step forward, "See you in the evening." He silently disappeared, like a ghost, even Arad couldn''t track his magic. "What kind..." Arad was about to speak when he sensed demonic magic engulfing him. He stared at the demon that Kayden left, sweating. The demon stood and roared, the ground around him cracked as he lunged at Arad with a clenched fist. Arad grabbed one of the swords and swung it at the demons, only to have it shatter upon impact. He had expected that. Arad had tried a normal sh in his first attack and concluded that he indeed couldn''t cut him with normal means. After dodging the attack, Arad grabbed another sword from the ground and tried to do what Kayden told him, only to have the de explode instantly. When shifting the space between the two sides of the de''s edge, the de won''t be able to handle it and will crack instantly. It was like trying to bend ceramic dishes or ss, those things would shatter before bending. When using Kayden''s technique, the swords would vibrate at a high frequency. But since not all swords were the same, each one of them had different thresholds of vibration that it resists before shattering. To be able to use this skill with multiple swords, Arad must figure out and learn how to tune the vibration''s frequency and intensity based on each sword. Since all the swords and weapons weren''t made equal, there wasn''t a single rule to use. Arad ran across the whole battlefield while grabbing new swords and attacking the demon with them, even after an hour, not a single sword had survived. Even if two swords looked identical, even a slight difference in how they were cooled or treated would cause them to have extremely different profiles and thus need a different tune. All that Arad could do was go by feelings and guesswork. **** Isdis walked through the hallway, barely able to drag her legs. Each time she moved a step forth, her hips felt as if they were about to crack. There is escaping it, she has to rest tonight. She had tried, but sadly she couldn''t handle Arad alone for two days straight, and the potion she had from Hati had worked against her. She must find a way to get stronger, even Mira had be a demi-goddess and her stamina and durability are slowly rising with time. With each passing day, she felt more desperate, she couldn''t shake the feeling that she was getting left behind out of her heart. CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! As Isdis was drowning in her sorrow, she heard the sound of armor cking. She slowly lifted her head, and her eyes fell on a strange figure. For a second, she thought she was looking into the mirror, but she wasn''t wearing any armor, and the woman before her looked more mature. With long flowing hair and burning blue eyes, the woman wearing a set of silver armor stood at the end of the hallway, staring at Isdis. Isdis noticed the words written on the woman''s chest te [Absolute Zero] The woman slowly lifted her hand and Ice longsword appeared in her hand. Isdis immediately formed an ice sword to use as the woman charged forth with a thrust and blocked her attack, "Who are you?" The woman didn''t respond and swung her sword several times, but Isdis managed to deflect all of them. The woman''s attacks seemed strange, but familiar as well, even if she was too fast for Isdis to actively defend against, she was able to predict them. Alice took a step back, staring at the woman who looked a lot like her with a confused face, "Ruris''s Royal Swordsmanship? And the old-school art at that? Who are you?" The woman finally spoke, her voice gentle and soothing like cold ice on a painful and swollen wound, "So you aren''tpletely ipetent. My name doesn''t matter, but if you want to know... Isbert Silver Ruris..." "The..." The moment Isdis gasped, she found herself standing in the middle of an ice storm, buried to her waist in snow. Her skin started to freeze and die as she looked at Isbert standing before her. "Control the cold, you''ve got my blood. Find peace in the cold, beneathyers of ice." Chapter 911: Song Of Ice Chapter 911: Song Of Ice ? Isdis stared nkly forward, her eyshes freezing from the sheer cold. Isbert stared at her getting buried in the snow with an emotionless cold stare. "We descend from an ancient hero who once soloed hell, halting a whole invasion on his own. After which he dove into the nine hells to rip and tear the devils apart. We call him the hero of ice, Silver." Isbert''s hand slowly moved up, pointing at the words engraved on her armor [Absolute Zero] "This was his title. No one could match the coldness of magic; he had perfected it. This means I too have achieved the Absolute Zero cold, reach it and I''ll let you have it engraved on your armor." Isdis tried to move, but her skin cracked. "You can''t brute force this. This ce is a bit colder than when water freezes. Slowly but surely, the water in your skin is freezing, you''ll die if you can''t adjust to the cold." Isbert stood there, watching as Isdis froze in ce. Isdis''s consciousness slowly faded away, she couldn''t even feel the pain of the frostbite eating her body, numb to the world, she sat there, fading away amidst the white snow. The skin on Isdis''s ring finger cracked, and the ring fell off...sinking into the snow. "Absolute Zero is an impossible level to achieve if you can''t even deal with this cold breeze." Isbert approached Isdis and lifted her ice sword, "Farewell, snowke." She swung down. CRACK! Arge hand caught Isbert''s ice sword, Arad was standing over Isdis''s body, putting her between his massive thighs. The heat gushing from his body quickly melted the snow around as he red at Isbert with burning eyes and an enraged face. This ce was within Hati''s training ground, on the south pole of the demi-n, the ce that Hati warned him about going into. The moment Isdis''s skin froze and lost contact with her ring, Arad''s wedding ring signaled him that the bond was cut, and he immediately located Isdis and flew toward her as fast as he could. Hati''s demi-ne wasn''t asrge as he expected. It was almost the same size as the moon. "Who are you?" Arad growled, clenching his fist on Isbert''s ice sword, trying to shatter it but he failed. Isbert lifted her arm and Arad''s whole body got lifted up. His insane grip strength allowed his several tons of body to remain grabbing into the sword tip, but even that scene was stunning. The thin Isbert lifted her sword up with Arad''s massive human body grabbing to the tip like an iron statue. "What grip strength, you can hold that position?" Isbert looked at him with an indifferent, passive face. "You can lift me up with one arm?" Arad asked, looking at her thin frame with a puzzled face, even though she was wearing heavy armor, he could tell she was norger than Isdis. Arad tried to open his palm to jump down and punch Isbert, but it was frozen shut to the elbow. Without hesitation, he shattered his frozen arm and swung the other fist at Isbert''s face. Using her palm, she caught his fist. "Cool your head a bit...in ice..." Arad''s arm froze, shattering all the way to his shoulders. Merely touching this woman was enough to freeze him beyond repair. He could heat his body from the inside out using [Ho-white Nova] but that might burn Isdis who was behind him, and he can''t even use that much power of fear that the death curse would activate again. Arad couldn''t use his nuclear engine for heat thanks to Isdis being close, and so found himself in a hard spot. In the blink of an eye, he lunged at Isbert with a burning kick. But with a single graceful swing, she shed him across the chest and froze him in a pir of ice. Arad couldn''t even see her swing; something was off about her. It was speed, nor eleration. At Absolute Zero, even atoms freeze and electrons stop moving, everything halts. Isbert was indeed a bit faster than Arad, but if that was all she could do, he would''ve caught up. Using her cold, she''s freezing the space around her to slow everything down. She could even freeze time, and this was different than time-stop magic. When she freezes time, only those who could freeze it like her are able to move. Isbert''s area of effect was this whole southern poll. "Rest in peace, among the ice..." Isbert stared at the frozen Arad, lifting her sword to sh him in half. CRACKLE! CRACKLE! She stopped, hearing ice cracking behind her. "Snowkes trailing down...trailing down...Absolute peace..." Isdis''s voice came from the snow as she slowly moved. Isbert looked behind, seeing Isdis standing with a violin in her left hand and an ice sword in the other. Snow gathered behind Isdis as her sword drew closer to the violin. That snow formed several humanoid bodies, all carrying different instruments and were ready to y. "Like shattered ss...the tundra''s howls... Rumbles! ...This had turned FOUL!" Isdis ran her ice sword on the strings of the violin, sending a powerful note and causing the ground beneath them to rumble. The stctite of ice that dangled from the trees shattered like ss, and Isbert stared back at her. As all of the snowmen behind Isdis yed, their music shook snowy wastnds, it boomed, masking the howl of the snowstorm. "Took you long enough." Isbert lifted her sword and charged with a thrust at Isdis''s face. With arge smile on her face, Isdis yed the violin, sending waves ofpressed sound at Isbert. While Isbert was a spellsword based on a fighter, Isdis was based on a bard. A sh between vastly different fighting styles yet with simr magic. Isdis''s sound waves rushed forth, shattered Isbert''s ice sword, and hit the pir of ice where Arad was frozen, cracking it. Isbert immediately conjured another sword without flinching and swung at Isdis''s neck, at which Isdis blocked with her violin, engulfing it with ice. As Arad''s pir cracked, Kayden appeared standing beside it in a clown outfit. "What are you doing here?" Kayden sighed and swung his hand, shattering the ice sealing Arad.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Listen, if you ended up like this, how do you think she''s managing to keep up?" Kayden pointed back with his thumb, "She''s holding back quite a bit. Get back to your training and don''t interfere with them. They are training just like you." Arad fully regenerated, and suddenly disappeared as he lunged at Isbert, ignoring Kayden. Kayden''s red clown nose was left floating in the air as he jumped after Arad, grabbing him by the back of his neck. "You''re strong, but still have a weakness. It''s your wives." Arad tried to swing back at Kayden but he failed. Caught like a kitten, no matter how he tried to move, Kayden remained outside his range. "See? I wouldn''t have caught you like this if you weren''t distracted." Kayden jumped with Arad into the sky, and his red clown nose finally hit the solid ice sheets formed from Isbert and Isdis''s fight. HONK! In a second, Arad found himself flying toward the field of swords where the poor demon was sitting, twiddling his thumbs and patiently waiting for Arad to return. Kayden threw Arad to the ground, and the demon stood with a happy face, waving his hand at Arad as if he wanted to y. "Focus on your training and let them also train to grow stronger. Otherwise, they''ll die before you could even reach them." Kayden said, his eyes burning red. "If Isbert was serious, Isdis would''ve died long ago before you could reach them. If this was a real fight, she would''ve been long gone. Understand that well, you can''t protect them at all times, they must be able to at least survive until you arrive." HONK! Kayden''s clown nose hit the ice again, and he appeared beside it, catching it in his hand. "Isbert, I''ve convinced Arad, he shouldn''t bother you again." Kayden put the nose back on and disappeared. When Kaydennded back at the orphanage, his wife Lily rushed to him, she was a massive 3- meter {10 feet} tall Oni with red skin and two long ck horns on her forehead. "The kids are getting bored, where did you go?" "To take care of another kid." Kayden replied as he walked back on stage, honking his nose and the kids cheered. As Arad reluctantly returned to his training and Isdis kept her fight with Isbert, Hati was walking through the hallway with Mira, leading her into the backyard where she had called a guest. "You said you have a workshop?" Mira asked, "What do you have in it?" "I''m not really sure, I never worked there. But an old friend of my husband built it." Hati replied with a smile, "I called that old friend to help you make a weapon for Arad, but he''s too busy so he might not be able to stay for a long time." BANG! BANG! BANG! Someone was in the workshop, smacking something with a hammer. With each strike, Mira could see sparks of divine magic flying into the air, making the old shed seem more like an abandoned temple. Hati walked in the front and called, "Can we enter?" "Warmed me ''hammer... that'' our greedyss. Wee to me ''forge!" Albeit the short and stout man who didn''t stand taller than five feet greeted them with a cheerful face, his bushy red beard and eyebrows, angry-looking face, and wide muscr body made him look more intimidating than anything else. "It''s MY forge." Hati red at him. The dwarf snorted, "Tis mine now; Lazy shit-bucket..." Chapter 912: Dwarvish Blacksmithing Chapter 912: Dwarvish cksmithing ? Hati waved her hand at the dwarf with an annoyed look, "You say that, but if it was true, you would''ve already turned it into a boiling hell." "Humph..." The dwarf snorted, turning his gaze toward Mira, "It''s thest who matters, not this workshop." He smiled,bing his beard, "Sayss, what do you want to make?" "He''ll help you make a weapon for Arad. Even with how annoying he could be, you won''t find a better craftsman than him." Hati smiled, tapping Mira on the back. "I was trying to make a weapon for Arad, but he never focuses on one weapon. The weapons I make also break easily, they''ll be too weak for him to use." Mira said as she looked at the lit forge behind him. "And I''m a carpenter, not a cksmith. Even if I dabbled in it a bit, I''m still nowhere near good enough." "I seemon problems. Seen many with those hurdles among my children." He said with a gentle smile. "Do you have a vision for what that weapon would be? What would it look like?" "I won''t call it a vision, but I want a weapon that Arad can use every time needs a weapon. I want it to sh, pierce, and smash, I want it to be able to channel magic and block it. If I could make it rece all weapons I would, but I know that''s impossible. That''s why I''m looking for one that does as much as possible." Mira said, looking at the old swords and shields lined on the walls, none of them seemed to match what she wanted, there was always something missing.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "How greedy of you, goddess of greed." The dwarf giggled, "Call me Mora; I''ll show you there is nothing that we craftsmen couldn''t make. The weapon you seek exists, and if it doesn''t it''s your job to make it exist." He turned toward the forge and blew on it, causing it to burst into golden mes. "But..." He looked back at Mira, "With your current skill and divine magic, I''d say it''s nearly impossible. I can make it for you, but that would defeat the purpose of you making it for Arad, right?" Mira nodded and Mora smiled, hisrge white teeth shining between his massive moustache andrge bushy beard. "For now, start with something you''re good at." He waved his hand and arge log emerged out of nowhere and fell to the ground. Mira jumped back as her toes almost got crushed, "Careful!" She eximed. "You''re a carpenter, right? Make him a staff, this wood is from the world tree Yggdrasil." He lifted his hammer and smacked it on the log as hard as he could. The log dug into the ground, and he slowly lifted his hammer and showed it to Mira. "Look, the wood left dents in my hammer. Forget steel and adamantine. The world tree has been cultivating power across the whole universe since the start of time. Untold eons ofyered power. Amazing, right?" "I can''t work with it if it''s this hard." Mira looked closer at the hammer. The wood had left its marks as if the hammer was made of dough. "Yggdrasil has its own will. She won''t mind you working with her wood, but when used in battle, it shall be harder than any metal. I assure you; he won''t be able to break it even if he tried." He pped the log with his hand, "Make him a staff, it shall be the strongest stick in the world." Mira approached the counter and picked a wood chisel. She then went to the log and tested it. Indeed, it acted like normal wood when being worked. Mira looked back at Hati with a smile on her face, "With this, I can make something usable." "Don''t forget to learn how to work metals as well. You want to make Arad a weapon to rece all weapons, right?" Hati smiled. "You''re right." Mira started working on the wood as Hati stood there and watched. Mora on the other hand picked a chunk of steel and shoved it into the forge, he sat beside it and started humming. "Don''t start..." Hati sighed, and Mora flicked his fingers. Arge barrel of beer even bigger than him appeared out of nowhere. He caught it with one hand, put it down, and took a crowbar from the stack of tools. Mira looked back at him, "You can''t drink all of that." She was already used to Arad pulling stuff out of nowhere so she didn''t get surprised, only found it strange. "Worry not,ss. If nothing else, I''m a dwarf." He started humming again, his deep voice rumbling from the depth of his stomach, shaking the ground. As the mes before him danced, he lifted the barrel with one hand and started chugging it. One massive gulp after another, his stomach inted like a balloon. As Mora drank half the barrel he stopped and put it down,ughing his guts off as he smacked his erged belly with a cheerful smile. "Nothing beats bear while waiting." He dried his beer-wet beard with his hairy forearm and looked at Mira, "Lass, want a drink?" "No...getting half-drunk at work is a shortcut to losing a finger." She replied with a disappointed face while sawing the wood. "What''s wrong with that? Nail ck with iron, skin grows tougher with damage, you know?" Unlike her or any cksmith in the world, his thick and hard hands were stunning, almost as if chiseled out of stone. With them bare, he reached into the fire and flipped the red-hot metal. When Mora pulled his arm out of the forge, his forearm hair had caught on me since its hair, and also was drenched in beer. "Huh?" He gasped with a sharp yet childish tone, confused and amused at the same time. With his arm still on fire, he used the other arm to lift the beer bottle and take a gulp out of it. After filling his mouth and puffing his beard-engulfed cheeks, he spat the beer on the me trying to put it out, only to cause an even bigger fireball to emerge. "A-huh!" He cried with widened eyes as the fire before him took the shape of a dwarf. The fire dwarf''s stomach inted until he exploded and the fire disappeared. As Mira was looking at the fire, his expression suddenly changed as he sniffed the air. "Steel ready!" He reached with his hand into the forge, picked the burning red brick of steel, and walked back, he looked left and right. "Where''s ma'' anvil?" He gasped, seeing the anvil running away like a horse. The steel legs it had to support it and stand from the ground have sprung into life. "Come back ya bastard!" He ran after it, but couldn''t catch up, his legs were too short. He stopped, took his leather boot off, and threw it at the running anvil, knocking it down. Exhausted, Mora approached the anvil and grabbed it from the nose, dragging it back to the workshop while mumbling curses at it. As he walked inside, he put the anvil back into its ce. "Good, time to forge." He smiled. Mira looked toward the steel; it was already cold. "No, you have to heat the steel again. It''s already cold." She said with a giggle, unable toprehend the weird magic buzzing around the dwarf. "Cold?" Mora gasped, "Nah, it was hot a minute. I''m certain..." He looked at the steel brick with Mira, and it was red again. "See? Told ya,ss." He picked up the brick and put it on the anvil. The anvil screamed like a pig getting marked with a hot iron. Mora immediately smacked him with the hammer to shut him up and then hammered the steel. Only for the anvil to scream again, and he smacked it once more. Alternating between striking the anvil and the steel, Mora forged the steel with crimson sparks of fire sparkling from each hit. "That some weird magic." Mira looked at Hati, "Who is he?" "An avatar of the dwarven God. You won''t find a better smith anywhere else." Hati looked at Mira with a smile, "Unlike you or any kingdom in this world, I''ve lived for over five thousand years. I''ve got connections to multiple world powers, lords and demons, even gods that I could call for help." "I craft a lot of things, weapons, artifacts, medicines, and even dwarfs." He looked at the surprised Mira, "Yeah, I make dwarves out of y, the best y in my mountain." He put the hammer down and looked at the brick of steel for a second then shoved it back into the forge. "She''s keeping several of my failed creations and weapons safe for mortal eyes. I can''t refuse if she asked me to help." He giggled. Out of all the gods, he gave the most items for safekeeping, a total of 200 weapons and artifacts that Hati was hiding for all eternity. What no one knows is that he had made the urn that is storing d''s ashes and that d''s ashes are now deep beneath Hati''s house, sealed for all eternity. Chapter 913: The True Master Chapter 913: The True Master ? Far away in a distantnd, an abandoned part of the human kingdom of Ruris, Selenanded in the ruins of an ancient city at the heart of a long cave. She looked around with her glowing golden eyes, even the faint glow of luminescent mushrooms made it possible for her night vision to work perfectly. Large gashes and w marks at least two meters across were left everywhere and dripped with faint traces of curse magic. She reached forward and sniffed them. They belonged to a Hell Bat, a titanic bat monster with extreme echolocation, powerful sound magic, an infinite thirst for blood, and a sick attitude.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As she looked around, she could find three other tracks. Two of them boasted holy magic of a strange nature, they didn''t seem to belong to anything she had ever seen before. But if she was to guess, angels? But that was clearly wrong from the magic''s nature. The third track belonged to her target, the smell and faint footprints unseen by the naked eye. Something was off about this whole ce; all the traces were years old yet remained visible enough to her eyes. A human wouldn''t have noticed them even with detection magic, but still, it was far too strange. Selena stopped and looked around; Hell Bats are monsters that live in the ninthyer of the abyss, they shouldn''t be in the mortal world. And if one were to get out, it would be a worldwide disaster. The gashes she saw were just two meters long, but since they faded through the years, those monsters were massive and powerful. Knowing that she better hurry, Selena kept following the tracks. **** Back at Hati''s house, Merlin was working on her spells, trying to figure out a way to defeat Arad. Unlike her, he''s a creature born for magic, his body drips with it. She can''t match his raw and innate talent in any way, her only hope is the umted experience and the plethora of tricks and spells she has. As she waved her fingers over her crystal ball, she could sense the magic rushing from her fingers twisting and contorting. Magic seemed to refuse the mere thought of facing Arad''s magic, it disintegrated upon contact. She had found that the reason for that is the sheer difference of density between her and him, if her magic was like water, his is like thick and viscous honey. She knew she''d be facing Arad''s curse form, and that only made things far moreplicated than before. With Doma''s curses, Arad''s power had shifted in aplete direction. In a fraction of a second, he could be overwhelmingly more powerful in one way and weaker in another. Merlin knew for certain; that her victory or loss depended on if she could capitalise on the weakness born for the inherent nature of curses. Arad had told her about the curse that he used against Kayden, the one that blinds him in exchange for doubling his speed. If he used that against her, she must have a spell prepared to take advantage of his blindness and another to reduce his speed or match it. As sheyered one spell after another, time flew by. Each time she finished, she would discover another weakness in her n and get back to work, her work didn''t seem to reach a conclusion and she had started getting tired. She leaned back and sighed, "How long was it?" when she looked at the magical hourss behind her, she froze in ce. "What?!" The hourss was saying that a whole year had passed by. "Dedication, I guess this is what happens when you don''t pass out of overwork." A voice came from behind her. When Merlin slowly turned back, she saw a maid with short ck hair and glowing pink eyes staring at her. "I allowed you to stay alive, but I''ve got work to do, so stop." Merlin wanted to move, but she couldn''t. She wanted to stand and attack the strange maid, at least tie her with magic, but she couldn''t. The maid simply stared at her with a passive and emotionless face. "Who are you?" Merlin asked. "Death." The maid replied, "It''s rare that I make exceptions like this." She lifted her hand, "I have to go, but I''ll tell you something before that. You''re an ugly and disgusting chimera, an abominable being just like Arad. He''s a mix of dragons, vampires, werewolves, and humans. He even has an elf witch inside him. You aren''t that different, human, subus, a hint of draconic and even some devilish and demonic essence." "What do you mean?" Merlin red at her. "Don''t pretend to be human, you aren''t. Both of you are monsters so fight like monsters." Death disappeared, leaving no trace at all. The hour behind her suddenly started spinning backward like a fan, stopping the time that Merlin started her study. Merlin could finally move, she stood with a confused face. "What..." The moment she spoke, her head started spinning and she fell on the ground, twitching. Hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and utterly tattered. That one year wasn''t a dream or an illusion, she had spent it while trying to figure a way to defeat Arad and failed toe up with any. **** Arad jumped forth and swung one of the weapons he picked up arge falchion-like greatsword. The demon blocked the sh andunched a kick at Arad''s face. Arad kicked upward, deflecting the demon''s kick by kicking his calves. Right after he spun in ce, picking an arming sword with his toes like an ape and swung it at the demon''s neck. The demon jumped back, dodging the sh with arge smile on his face, he was enjoying this fight. Arad who had a great sword in his right hand and an arming sword in his left foot had realised something. With one weapon, he has one chance to get the edge''s vibration right with each strike. If he dual-wielded the sword, then it''s doubled... In one move, Arad picked more weapons. The greatsword remained in his right hand, and he picked a war axe in his left hand, a long sword in his mouth, a spear in his right foot, and the arming sword remained in his left foot. The demon stared at Arad with a smile, for all of their fights, Arad kept pulling stuff like this. He didn''t care about form, tradition, or how magic and swordsmanship work. What mattered to him in a battle was that his de must cut the demon, and he was trying to achieve that. The demon knew that if he had asked Arad what swordy was, he would have responded and said that he didn''t care as long as his sword cut his enemy. Arad stared at the demon, all of his weapons screeching as the ground beneath him rumbled. The demon could feel it, Arad was advancing rapidly towardprehending how to sh. Unlike any other opponent, his learning speed and adaptability were astounding. It wasn''t a surprise, to the demon it was obvious. People relearn skills faster than their first time. As Arad kept swinging at the demon, he realized something important. In a fraction of a second, his entire view of Da, the woman who mastered the p art style had changedpletely. At first, she was a respectable person, someone he owes a great deal thanks to teaching him how to p. But now, that respect had changed into admiration, he had never thought it was like this. It wasn''t Alcott, nor Kayden, not Ceri, and not even the metallic queen. Out of all the powerful people that Arad faced, Da had stood out to him as a true master. His admiration, respect, and sheer astonishment exploded. Da was doing with her ps what he''s now trying to do with his shes. She had already mastered an art he could only dream of. Right now, he can mimic her ps thanks to his draconic strength and speed, but the way she achieves them with her weak human body is different. His mind raced, remembering each interaction he had with her, every move, every sound, smell, and feeling. The way she moved, bowed, how she swung her palms and feet, how her ps sounded and felt, what masteryid behind those soft human hands. The demon could feel it, the creepy sensation rushing out of Arad. Something was wrong, his movements had shifted and his eyes seemed to follow him wherever he went yet never look at him. SLAP! Arad smacked the devil in the face with the t of the arming sword, sending him flying back. The demon screamed, feeling a pain that he had never felt in his whole life. An open palm, it''s just like an extended de...Arad looked at his weapons and changed his stance. On top of what Kayden taught him, the way of delivering the strike would matter a lot to keep the stress on the sword at a minimum. Chapter 914: Nothing Suits Arad Chapter 914: Nothing Suits Arad ? The demon recoiled back, dodging Arad''s relentless shes. While ps are easy to achieve due to thest surface area of the hand, shes are much harder since they only hit with a line, and stabs are even more difficult to master. When you hit with a t hand, the attack angle doesn''t matter as no matter how the attacknds, it''ll always auto-correct into alignment with the targeted surface. shes on the other hand need a precise angle of attack; otherwise, the de would twist upon contact and shatter due to the extreme stress. Even though Arad''s edge alignment was near perfect, it still led to his weapons shattering due to the added stress of the vibration of the de. To be able to effectively do the shes Kayden taught him, Arad must first understand the motions behind Da''s pping and use those to perfect his edge alignment beyond human capabilities. The tolerances were tight, but he could see himself pulling it off. The only thing holding him back now is the countless and different weapons he''s using, a spear would need a different tuning than a sword, and that would be different than a greatsword. He started paying attention to the sword''s shape, weight, material, length, and magical properties. One sh after another, the demon dodged, blocked, and deflected Arad''s attacks, but still none of them managed to cut into his hardened skin. Yet the demon could sense it, each attack was better than thest, and the speed at which Arad was advancing was horrifying. Hati walked into the training ground and looked at Arad and the demon fighting. "He''s already at that level? What a monster, it took me five years to reach that." She sighed, pulling a ss-like sword from her palm. At that moment, an image of herself emerged from her back, her twin sister Skoll.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "You''re right." Skoll smiled, "But, even this level isn''t enough for what awaits him. He''ll need more power, hundreds of times more than this." "All the skills he''s learning had already been learned by almost everyone. He''s now trying to catch up to the strong, growing after that would be his own path." Hati replied, "Our job is to make sure he''s on the right path." "It would''ve been easier to achieve those shes with a skill like [Perfect sh]" Skoll giggled, "But I guess Aria can just take it off and leave him with no power." "Yeah, he can''t rely on Aria''s powers. To survive in a world ruled by an overgod, you must grow a power separate from him." Hati turned around to leave, Arad seemed to be doing fine. Skoll faded into her back, and Arad who was fighting the demon had noticed their faint presence but ignored it. **** Back at Hati''s house, in the workshop in the backyard, Mira was just finishing the primary shaping of the staff. Out of that massive log, she had sculpted a 2.5 meter {8 foot 2 inches} massive staff. That thing was a bit taller than Arad, but that made it also useable as a quarterstaff. After careful thinking, she made the decision to make Arad something he could use a bit more freely than just a spell casting arcane focus. She knew that Arad probably didn''t need a staff as he already cast magic with his draconic scales. Even the highest-end staves and most expensive ones use special items as cores. You could find a staff with arge crystal at the top, some with skulls, and some even have living beings, like the cursed fairy staff {A staff that has a cage at the top, where a fairy would be imprisoned and used as the core of the arcane focus.} Dragons'' scales were one item that was used widely in staves to give them elemental properties. While Mira had gotten the best wood possible to make a staff, the world tree''s wood. She now has to find something worthy of being the core of Arad''s staff, something that would far outperform his scales. This wasn''t a simple task, she sat on her chair and kept looking at the half-finished staff, racking her brain for answers. "Lass..." said Mora as he lifted the newly forged and still red-hot de. "Are ya stuck?" "I still need the staff''s core. You provided me with the wood, but now I still need to find that." She replied, "Arad''s scales aren''t something that can be beaten by just a high-quality magic crystal or the scales of a dragon." "He''s a magic dragon after all, there is a reason for why they don''t need arcane focus." Hebed his beard, "You''ll need a powerful magical artifact so the staff could be worth using." "No matter how much I think about it, nothinges to mind..." She froze in ce...finally realizing something, "Do you know how to make ss?" She stared at Mora with glowing eyes. "There is nothing that I can''t make." He flicked his fingers and several new tools appeared out of nowhere. "Did you get an idea?" "Yeah, but it''ll be hard to implement." Mira stood, "I''ll go call Hati, I''ll need her help as well." She ran back into the house. "Achoo!" The de in Mora''s hand sneezed, and he looked at it. "Bless you." The de looked to be cold so he approached the forge and shoved it back in, "Here, it should be warmer there." Mora said and sat back on his chair. As Mira ran across the hallways, she heard something hit the ground with a heavy thud. When she looked, the sound wasing from Merlin''s room. "Merlin, are you okay?" Mira rushed in and opened the door, seeing the motionless Merlin on the floor. She had just fallen down. "What did you do?" Mira approached her and took a closer look. Merlin looked pale and dehydrated, "The hell is up with this day?" She lifted her from the ground and onto her back, "Am I, a carrier mule for you and Merlin." She carried her all the way to the bed and threw her on it. "I''m the pregnant one here, you should be carrying me. Not me carrying you." She sighed and waved her hand over Merlin''s forehead and cast the best heal she knew of. It was at that moment that she realized that what Merlin was suffering from wasn''t an ailment or an injury, it was severe hunger, dehydration, andck of sleep coupled with extreme exhaustion. "What did you do?" At that moment, Astrid and Frida walked into the room. Merlin had let them go and fixed the barrier that Arad shattered yesterday. They can''t let that unfixed and it was the twin''s duty. "What did happen to her?" The two cried. "I don''t know. She''s suffering from hunger, thirst, and exhaustion." Mira scratched her head, "What was she doing when you left?" "She was studying Arad''s magic and moves, trying to figure a way to defeat him." Astrid rushed to check on Merlin, "You''re right, her body is fully drained of energy. How is she still alive." "Sister," Frida noted, "She isn''t human, it''s the endurance of her altered body. I bet she had some kind of safety set in ce. For now, we should focus on getting her energy to start with. Call Mother and bring us some honey." She extended her hands over Merlin, "I''ll support her with magic for now." Astrid rushed out and Mira kept looking at Merlin. None of them could figure out what had happened. Secondster, Astrid returned with Hati and two of her sisters alongside them. Hati looked at Merlin and smiled, "Just severely exhausting, she''ll get better with enough care. We can ask her about what happenedter." She waved her hand and the two daughters who came with her started brewing some strange herbal tea. "While they take care of that." Hati looked at Mira, "Heard from Mora that you came looking for me." "Yeah!" Mira had almost forgotten why she came back into the house. "You can make things eternal, right? What about ss?" "Of course, as long as it''s not a living thing, I can make it eternal. I''ve got some limits, but they shouldn''t matter to you." Hati smiled, "You want me to make some ss eternal?" "You know I''ve been making a staff for Arad, right? The wooden shaft was easy enough, but the core wasn''t. Nothing seemed to fit Arad." Mira smiled, "That''s right, nothing fits Arad well..." "I see where you''re going." Hati smiled, "I don''t know if it''ll work or not, but it''s worth a try." "Then I''ll see you when I learn how to make ss." Mira waved her arm as she rushed back to the workshop. "Mora, can we start making ss?" She called. "ss?" He looked back at her, "Arge beer ss would be nice, a clear and massive mug with fresh cold beer." Hebed his beard. "As long as I can learn how to make it. Can we start?" She looked around, "Are those the tools?" "Yeah, but wait a second. I''ve got the tools for one person; I''ll need to give your own." He looked at the blowing tube and forge. "I probably need to make new ones..." He looked at the forge, and it started sweating. Two of Hati''s daughters arrived at that moment, "Mira, Mora. We''ve brought you some food and refreshments, it''s already hot outside and the forge is even hotter." Mora looked back and screamed with arge smile on his face. He forgot all about the ss as he rushed toward them, his eyes fixated on therge cheese wheel one of them carried. "By me wife''s hairy mustache! Is this what I think it is?" He looked at the girls with an excited face. "Dragon Milk cheese, this one was made from the milk of a ck drakaina so it''s a bit acidic. But I''ll go well with this." The girl pointed back at therge wooden barrel she brought. "Red Devil beer of Bhus, and the best part is this." She waved her hands and arge basket appeared in her hand. The basket was covered with a fine white linen cloth. Mora immediately screamed, his eyes almost popping out of his nose. "It can''t be!" "Fresh out of the oven; Grandma Mabel said to enjoy it hot." She showed them five fresh, glistening and steaming hot golden loaves of bread. Chapter 915: The Layers Beneath Power Chapter 915: The Layers Beneath Power ? "The legendary bread!" Mora yelled as he snatched a loaf and a full cheese wheel. He looked at Mira as he rushed to the forge. "Eat upss. You''ll not find anything better than this in the whole world." He took one of the swords on the wall and smacked it on the anvil to get the dust off. He then stabbed the cheese wheel with it and shoved it in the forge, melting it as he snuck a bite of the bread. "OH! My ore!" He gasped, staring at the breath with glowing eyes, "Barley, wheat, and malt all mixed together. I thought those things only make good beer." He waved the loaf toward the still-confused Mira. "Look! This is what hands with more than five thousand years of experience in breadmaking could achieve. Absolute perfection!" "The cheese already melted." Mira said and Mora gasped, looking back at the dripping cheese. "Oh! No!" He cried, immediately pulling it out. With one swift move, he flicked his fingers and arge ceramic bowl appeared out of the thin air,nding on his palm. Mora dropped the cheese in the bowl andid it on the ground, "The cheese is nice and melted, just one dip is enough." He shoved the whole loaf of bread into the cheese and took a massive bit, yelling in excitement right after. "Eat up, Lass!" He waved his hand, and immediately snatched the beer, "Not this, it''s probably dangerous for you to drink from it." He took arge gulp of the beer and went back to eating. "Say, what about making ss? Where would I get my tools?" Mira asked, she wasn''t interested in the food, only caring about finishing Arad''s weapon. "Tools for you? They are already over there." He pointed at the corner of the workshop where a sparkling new set of ss-blowing equipment rested. "Feel free to try. Melt the ss in a crucible first, dump the rod in, and then blow it like soap bubbles. It''ll need a lot of lung capacity so try not to pass out." He munched, "Can''t have you lose conciseness and plunge headfirst into the forge." He mumbled beneath his beard. Mira began her training, and he watched from the sideline, munching on the cheese and bread. asionally he gave pointers when she was about to mess something up. Mora''s approach to teaching was to let his students try on their own, he''ll only nudge in the correct direction, and the rest will be up to their will and intellect. While all dwarves valued tradition and taught their skills from grandfather to father to son, Mora didn''t share the ideas of his people. As a god of craft, he valued nothing more than creativity and invention. Putting too tight of a leash on his students would only hinder the growth of their creativity and personal style. "There must be a better way to melt ss from this sand, right?" Mira looked at Mora with a worried face as her sand had melted into several grains of sparkling shards of low-quality ss. "There is indeed a way, but... who am I to reject your ideas? Who knows, you might be the next woman of ss." He smiled, "Let''s see what new method of melting ss you''re going to discover. If you''re making something for Arad, it''s better be a piece of art made only by your hands, and mind." He smiled, pointing a finger at her, "A demi-goddess you might be, but you''re still a divine, a goddess. Hammer your essence into your creations and be proud of them." Mira sighed and went back to trying. Mora gave her advice when he was sure she was on apletely wrong path, otherwise, he let her test and experiment, pulling more and more sand for her to use from thin air. "We gods of the craft must stick together, perhaps I''ll be stuck one day and you''ll be there to help." Mora said with a smile, lifting his hammer as he approached the forge. It was time for him to finish his work. "You''re clearly far more knowledgeable than me; in what way might I be of help?" Mira looked at him with a skeptical face.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "You never know what the future stores for us." Mora smiled. **** Back inside Hati''s training ground, Arad swung his sword with a rumble. As the demon blocked with his forearm, he got shed. His wrist flew back spinning and sshing purple blood everywhere. Arad looked at the demon with a smile, he had finally managed to get a sh in. The demon lunged at Arad with a single jump, the ground beneath him shattered as he clenched a fist, swinging at Arad''s face. Arad kicked the demon''s arm away and swung with another sword, the shnded and cut the demon''s torso in half, but the de shattered right after. As the demon''s body flew back to the ground, Arad stared at him with a skeptical face, something felt off. Two hits in a row and the battle is ending? That didn''t seem right. In the blink of an eye, the demon''s wounds healed and he grew a new pair of legs,nding on the with arge grin on his face. The ground exploded into a storm of dust and debris, and Arad finally realized it as he stared at the demon. Of course, getting a hit or two isn''t proof of mastery, this demon''s job is to keep pushing Arad further and force him to use sh with different weapons. With a deep roar, the demon picked arge boulder from the ground and threw it at Arad. Arad kicked the boulder, shattering it to pieces. But the demon was smart, that all was a distraction and he rushed between the dust and debris, swinging a fist at the back of Arad''s head. Arad dodged the punch by elerating and teleporting at the same time,nding right behind the demon. And with a fist clenched on the handle of a sword, he cut the demon in half across the torso once more, sending the pieces flying toward the ground. The demon had fully healed before touching the ground, and he then bounced off like a rubber ball. He swung a fist at Arad''s face, and this time Arad caught it in his hand. "You don''t know when to give up." Arad said, his eyes burning purple with magic. The demon only smiled back from one ear to the other, a faint giggle escaped his throat as he kicked Arad in the guts. He was enjoying the fight, there aren''t that many people to give a powerful being like him a thrill, and Arad had just given him that. If the demon was, to be honest, he didn''t expect Arad to master the shes in less than a day. He expected this to be at least a year-long endeavor. And that wasn''t just a guess, he had trained many people in the past, and only a rare few managed to learn this skill in less than a year. With each move, the demon believed this situation was strange, it was impossible for anyone to learn this fast, especially when talking about skills thisplicated. Arad shed the demon''s head off, and its feet kicked him back through a massive boulder, giving chase with a rumbling fist. Arad''s body flew through the stone, spinning from the impact only for the demon to stomp his back to the ground with augh. With a ssh of blood, Arad shed the demon''s leg all the way to the hips. At that moment, that demon became the first being in the world to get so close, the first and only creature to give a more urate guess of Arad''s power. This strange learning speed, those moves, the way he talks and acts, this level of unnatural aggression, and extreme mastery of a skill that he should''ve just heard of. The demon couldn''t hold back his smile as his leg healed, seeing Arad jump back with two swords floating around his body. Arad isn''t learning. The speed is too fast for it to be learning, no creature can train and grow this fast. Arad isn''t mimicking. The level of uracy and potential is just too high for it to be mere mimicking, he isn''t a copycat. With one step, the demon teleported to face to face-Arad. Therge smile on his face, the oozing demonic magic that even made Arad flinch with sweat rushing down his back. At that moment, the demon released an even stronger demonic Aura than anything that Arad had ever felt from Kayden himself. The blue sky turned ck from the sheer demonic magic engulfing the area, and Arad for the first time in his life thought it might be a smart idea to run and abandon the battle. Something had ticked the demon off, and he didn''t know what it was. The demon was thrilled, excited, and overwhelmed with joy. It''s okay for him to let loose, it''s okay for him to rampage, it''s okay to go all out and have fun for the first time in over four thousand years. After all, Arad won''t break, he knows it, and he''s certain that Arad won''t easily die like everyone else. After...Arad isn''t a half-assed copycat with no skill or talent. He isn''t a talented snob that had never seen hardship, blessed with what he was born with. Arad was something else, what he was doing wasn''t learning or mimicking, he''s re-learning. The demon''s chest cracked open, and his ribs turned into hands, his heart burned with demonic fire as a voice rumbled deep from his belly [Demon Release: All praise be the pale mother] Chapter 916: A Demonic Clash Chapter 916: A Demonic sh ? [Demon Release: All praise be the pale mother] The sky turned ck and then shed red, countless bones, and ribs of massive titans fell from the bleeding sky, reaching the ground and piercing it like needles on flesh. The demon stood before Arad, a four-meter {13 feet} giant with arms filled with pale white bone spikes. He was an incarnation of rugged violence, his face decorated with a malevolent grin of demonic mockery. Arad stood, expanding his wings with a shockwave as ck horns emerged from his head, roaring with lightning. His massive and thick ck tail whipped around, ripping the ground behind him apart as Arad looked up at the demon''s face. This was the first time in a while that he looked at a humanoid being taller than him. It didn''t take Arad a second to realize what the demon just did. He had engulfed a massive area with his own demonic magic to overpower any magic that Arad might try to use, especially the gravity magic he was using to make the swords float around him. And from his look, he was certain the demon had empowered himself. [Void Expansion: Pce of Stars] Arad immediately unleashed his expansion trying to fight the demon over the dominion of the area. With a wave of pitch-ck darkness, illuminated by countless small [Ho-white Nova] shing like stars, Arad''s magic pushed against the demon''s magic. "This is my second strongest expansion, and I''m already pushing against your magic." Arad growled, ring at the demon with a darkened face and glowing purple eyes. "I''ll y with you." Arad was d that this had happened away from any of his wives. If this demon had followed him earlier to Isdis, she might''ve died from the dense demonic magic. The only one who could''ve survived this is Merida, thanks to her demonic fungus, but even Eris might suffer damage by just standing around. Arad could easily tank such harsh conditions, but most couldn''t.N?v(el)B\\jnn The demon clenched his fists, the bone spikes on his forearms and shoulders erected up like the spikes of a porcupine. It didn''t take Arad a fraction of a second to understand what this demon was thinking, it was happy, thrilled, and excited. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! The demon could hear a strange beeping noise in its head as Arad read its mind. Void dragons are creatures used to living in the vacuum of the void, swimming through nothing for centuries and onlynding once or twice in random worlds to refill on food and magic. When two void dragonse near each other in the void, theymunicate through mental telepathy as sound can''t travel in the void. Imagine the whole world being like ours, an empty space withs and sr systems. A sr system would be a full world, the nes of existence are thes that swim in the void. Those nes of existence are protected by several barriers and arrays and are also linked together with gates and cosmic rules set by the overgod. Void dragons live in the empty space between those nes of existence and fly around, patrolling and looking for abomination threats to eliminate. If Earth was the mortal world, something like mercury would be hell and the void dragons are space dragons that protect the sr system against alien threats. The countless stars that Arad made disappeared and he stood there, sucking all the weapons scattered around the ground into his stomach. He then quickly pulled them all, making them float around him in a storm of des. "I''ll fight you without using magic to directly attack." By precisely controlling his gravity magic within his expansion, Arad managed to control each one of the hundreds of weapons floating around him and swing them like they were in his hand. Arad didn''t know what to call this mixture of his expansion and gravity magic, but it shall beter called [Weapon Storm] By the humans who faced it. All of the weapons rumbled, their edges crackling with magic and ready to start slicing. Arad could count them all as he controlled each and every one, one thousand four hundred and fifty-two weapons were dancing at hismand. Five bone spikes gushed from the demon''s guts and stabbed Arad in the chest, pushing him back with extreme force. Without a dy, the weapons dropped down, cutting the bones into pieces like they were carrots. Arad had a n for this demon, a simple n without anyplication. To overpower the regeneration, Arad would cut and dice him faster than ever before, so fast that the demon''s regeneration wouldn''t be able to keep up. Even if Arad had control of over a thousand weapons, he doesn''t really need to use Kayden''s technique with them all, since not that many weapons could fit in the space around the demon to attack at the same time. The demon started violently attacking with his bone spikes, and Arad kept shing his left and right, painting the ground purple with demonic blood. The fight between the two shook the ground and mounds of dirt and stone got flung away from the demon''s rampage, and Arad had shed through everything. Some small rock Mountains got leveled to the ground and one ravine copsed as the two passed by. A hellish war between two creatures beyond humanprehension, mercilessly killing each other in what looked like a massive tornado of shing des and bones. The two were so engrossed in their fight that they didn''t sense Kayden who had just returned from the event at his orphanage and was sitting far away, watching them. Even he thought it was a good idea to have them fight here and not outside. If a normal human saw this scene, they''d go insane. If a human, especially those who know Arad saw how much violence he couldmit, how dangerous he looked, flying with thousands of des through a storm of blood and bones, they''d go insane from fear. They''d be so terrified that they won''t even function like normal humans anymore. People fear and respect power. Strength is sought as it''s the only thing that could protect the people from monsters, they stick around the strong to seek safety. But when that power is in the hands of a stranger, it bes a possible danger to their lives. It was the reason Arad had to hide his identity when going to university, as everyone was terrified of him to the bones. At that moment, Kayden could confirm one thing and he called Hati. With a simple gesture, he touched his ear and cast a spell. "Hati, he''s already edging the mortal limits. I think he could safely control the heart now, but should I push further?" "I don''t know. We''re in a hurry as well, so I''ll leave the decision to you. You''re better at making those calls than me." Hati''s voice boomed in his head, "Do what you think is best." "What I think is best..." Kayden thought, "Me going around and looking for orphans to adopt into the orphanage. I''ll end the training now and get back to work." Kayden could hear Hati growl upon hearing his answer, "You aren''t Kali, that''s her job..." Kayden blinked twice, confused. Hati asked him to do what he thinks is best, and now she''s telling him that he shouldn''t be doing it. At that moment, Kali called Kayden into his other ear. "I''ve been listening since my name was mentioned. Train Arad, Leave work to me and Mom." "Are you sure?" Kayden asked with a worried face. "Don''t worry, dad. I can handle some work on my own." Kali was about to cut the call. "Last time I let work on your own you blew a whole underground city." Kayden growled. "Tehe..." Kali giggled and cut the call. Kayden couldn''t be more worried, but it was indeed best to focus on Arad now. He sighed and looked at the fight which was about to end. With the demon going all out, he was consuming a lot of energy instead of using it for regeneration. Arad on the other hand wasn''t wasting that much energy as he only used gravity magic, which heavily turned this battle of endurance in Arad''s favor. When the demon regeneration finally failed to keep up, he fell down and his magic rapidly faded. Arad stood there, looking at the demon''s motionless body with a passive face as the weapons buzzing across the air halted. "Finally dead?" Arad looked at the demon, but something was off. He didn''t get any experience or a soul, it''s as if this demon was still alive. At that moment, Kaydennded beside the demon. "The day is over, it''s almost nighttime." He said, bending down and touching the demon''s bloodied chest. Before Arad''s eyes, the demon stood again, all of his wounds healed. "So, how was it?" Kayden asked, looking at the demon. "Bad, really bad. I underestimated him a lot father." The demon could speak, and he looked at Kayden with a sad face. But he quickly smiled, "But I had fun, as you said, he''s strong." "He''s your son?" Arad gasped. "Yes and no," The demon replied, "He adopted me from the abyss." The demon approached Arad and extended his hand for a handshape. "I''m Admhone, a Tanari demon. Humans know me as the demon prince of bones." This one was the same as Merida''s fungus or Demogorgan that Gojo killed, a powerful demon that rules over his ownyer of the abyss. And due to how young he is, he''s referred to as a demon prince instead of a lord. It was just then that Arad realized, his power was above that of demon lords now. Chapter 917: Temperature Magic Chapter 917: Temperature Magic ? As Admhone left in a puff of ck mes, Kayden waved his hand and opened the gate for Arad to return home and rest for the night. Tomorrow he''ll train on defensive barriers, and it''ll be far more painful than anything he had ever faced before. Arad looked at the gate for a second, "The day is over, right?" He looked at Kayden. "Yeah, do what you want. Just be well rested by tomorrow." Kayden disappeared like he was never there. His eyes turned toward the South Pole, he could still sense Isdis and Isbert fighting there. His eyes turned into those of a dragon as his wings expanded with a boom, the moment he flew off, the ground beneath him exploded from the sheer pressure. **** In the south pole, Isdis and Isbert were still fighting amongst the endless snow desert. Isbert''s main goal was getting Isdis used to the extreme cold first and so she slowly dropped the temperature as they fought. By the day''s end, the two were already fighting in a -10c {14F/ 263.15K} Isdis lunged at Isbert, swinging her frozen sword with all of her might. Isbert gracefully dodged the swing and kicked Isdis in the back, dropping her to the ground. The moment Isdis stood up, she was stuck in ce as Isbert froze her feet in the snow. With an annoyed growl, Isdis jumped out of her boots and lunged at Isbert with a rapid thrust. She already hadn''t felt her toes in five hours, what matters if she was to run barefoot on the snow? Isbert caught the attack with her bare hands and looked at Isdis with a passive face, "Went barefoot but still can''t get a decent footwork. You aren''t used to fighting in the snow, are you?" Isdis shattered her own sword to escape Isbert''s grasp and jumped back, "It never snows this heavily in the kingdom, and there isn''t any stupid army that would start a war in it." She indeed couldn''t move well; her feet kept sinking in the soft snow which made each step extremely exhausting. Isdis conjured another ice sword and pointed it at Isbert, barely able to breathe as she racked her brain, no matter how what she did, she couldn''t breathe through Isbert''s iron defense. Something seemed off, and her mind didn''t have enough energy to try and find an answer. In reality, Isbert didn''t want Isdis to learn anything or win the fight. As her goal was to get Isdis used to the cold, all she cared about was keeping her busy and slowly cooling the ce to her used to the freezing cold. This fight wasn''t going anywhere, and Isbert would keep pushing Isdis''s limit until she passed out. As the two faced each other, something started ringing in their heads. A strange and painful clicking. CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! Isdis ignored it as she thought it was just a headache thanks to the cold, Isbert on the other hand looked at the ck-cloud-filled sky. A thin barrier appeared around Isdis for a fraction of a second as a massive, fifteen-meter- thick lightning bolt dropped from the sky at Isbert''s head. As the immense lightning evaporated the snow into hydrogen and oxygen, a massive explosion that was several kilometers wide of pure inferno rose into the clouds, charring the frozennd into a piece of still-burning charcoal. Isdisnded back in Hati''s house as Arad teleported her back into the gate that threw her right back home. Faced with the warm air and the exhaustion guing her whole body, Isdis fell unconscious immediately. Arad slowly descended from the clouds, looking at his handiwork with a faint smile. "The training time is over. Did you really think I''ll remain quiet about this?" The ash and smoke got sted away as Isbert''s magic surged, she was still standing in the same ce. She looked perfectly fine, if not for the ash and soot tainting her polished silver armor. "You can still fight after Kayden''s training? He''s going easy on you." Isbert looked at Arad with a passive face. The attack he just unleashed at her wasn''t something any creature could survive. Even if it was a great wyrm blue dragon that could easily brush the lightning off, the heat and fire generated afterward would''ve killed him. The only creature that Arad knew of and could survive such a thing would be a purple dragon that can both resist fire and lightning. This humanoid-looking ice woman wasn''t a purple dragon, and Arad looked at her with a passive smile, but his mind was racing and trying to figure out how she survived such a hit. "Sadly, for you. I have quite the stamina." Arad lifted his hands up, "I hope you won''t just vanish from this." His right hand got engulfed in a [Ho-while Nova] While his left one started burning with purple gravity magic. The world around them rumbled as he brought his hands together, mixing the [Ho-white Nova] with the gravity magic, resulting in a rampaging Ho- white Nova that sucked everything around it to burn.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I doubt, even you could survive this one." He swung his massive arms down, unleashing the [Rampaging Ho-white Nova] At Isbert. The spell flew forth, ripping the ground apart and sicking everything into its core, burning it and growingrger and developing an ever-stronger gravity field. This spell can''t be avoided by normal means as its gravity will pull you toward it, and if you try to resist that, gravity will pull the spell toward you. It''s like a homing missile and won''t miss. It grows stronger the further away the target is as it''ll get even bigger with the consumer matter. And the heat inside it far surpasses anything that normal magic can achieve. To add salt to injury, gravity would crush anything sucked into the spell, effectively crumbling them like a piece of paper. The spell hit Isbert and exploded into a massive ball of sma, Arad watched as it shed across the sky. He didn''t care who Isbert was or what happened to her, this was the fate of anyone who daredy a hand on his wives. sted into oblivion without a trace left. The sma suddenly started flickering, and Arad looked at it with a confused face. All the heat and fire faded away as Isbert appeared to be still standing in the same ce, unharmed. She looked at Arad with a passive and emotionless face, "You, still don''t understand anything, do you?" Everything around her froze again and snow started filling the charrednd like an avnche. "What...did you do?" Arad gasped, she didn''t even move a step, yet somehow his spell had faded away without a trace. Isbert waved her hand, drawing a line in the air with her index finger. Following the trace, a streak of white me shed, burning like a candle from her nail. "Fire and cold magic aren''t real; they are a mere illusion." She said, pointing that finger toward Arad. "Temperature magic..." With a blinding sh, a burst of fire exploded from her finger and hit Arad in the stomach. Everything shed white before Arad''s eyes as he got sted away, unable to even react to such rapid and extreme heat. Temperature magic controls temperature, it can be used to both heat and cold things by adding or absorbing thermal energy from them. What everyone calls fire magic is a simplified version of temperature magic that only focuses on heating the air to create mes. There is a version that involves using lightning magic to turn the moisture in the air into oxygen and hydrogen, but that is hard to teach so it''s rare. What makes temperature magic extremely powerful is the conversion of energy, while the caster cools something with it, he is in fact absorbing the heat and storing it. Cold magic on the other hand just wastes that heat by releasing it into the air. As Arad sted Isbert with his spells, she had to cool everything back down, which meant she was absorbing all of the thermal energy of his spells. And now, she had released that heat back at him in a single st. Isbert stood beside Arad''s charred body, "The strongest cold magic is a fire st. All mages are obsessed with fireballs and burning things down, even we ice mages love doing that." **** Isbert appeared back in Hati''s mansion and threw Arad''s body to Hati, "You can heal him." She said with a passive face. "What happened to him?" Hati asked. "I don''t know, he burned himself with his own magic." Isbert replied as she turned to leave. "Wait...you burned him." Hati red at her with an annoyed face. "Wasn''t that supposed to be a secret?" "It doesn''t matter, he''ll know it eventually." Isbert replied. She was one of the strongest ice users in the whole world, and no one had expected that her ultimate attack wasn''t freezing time, but a fire attack. But it works perfectly, all of her enemiese prepared with ice resistance and fire attack spells, only for her to slowly absorb their heat and then nuke them with it. Chapter 918: A Failed Attempt... Chapter 918: A Failed Attempt... ? Arad gasped as he woke up, he instantly sat up with a surprised face and looked around. He was naked in his bed with Isdis sleeping at his side. The only two things he could feel were the pain coursing through his bones and her cold feet touching his. "Finally woke up?" Mira said, she was sitting at the other side of the robe polishing what looked like a twisted ss bottle, looking at it with a disappointed face. She put the ss bottle away and turned back toward Arad, "Isbert sted you with her magic. It''s been almost an hour since she brought you here." Arad looked at his hands, "That was no ice. Pure and white mes," He looked at Mira, "That woman could use fire." Mira looked at him with a lifted eyebrow and a tilted head. "Hati said that Isbert''s serious attack was so potent that it prated your defenses, flesh, and bones; it directly damaged your brain and spinal cord." She stood, "You must have gotten confused thanks to that damage. You better rest." She looked at Isdis who was sleeping by his side, "Thanks to Isbert''s training, her body''s natural temperature had dropped a lot. I don''t know what that woman did, but it seems that Isdis can now survive in much colder environments than before." She grabbed the bedsheet and covered her while pushing Arad down to sleep. "That doesn''t mean she doesn''t need some warmth, and you waking up doesn''t mean you don''t require rest. I''ll bring you some food, stay put down." Mira had been worried sick about him for the wholest hour, her heart almost stopped when one of Hati''s daughters informed her that he got sted to near death by Isbert. He was already healed by Hati when she arrived, yet for someone to push him to that point without even allowing him the chance to fully transform... the hit he took must''ve been too dangerous. Arad was powerful, but his being in such a constant death struggle was already eating up at Mira''s head. She couldn''t withstand seeing him nearly bing a corpse once every month. She walked out of the room to inform the cooks of Arad''s awakening. They were ready with a feast, which sadly only amounted to a snack to Arad, but she was hoping that even a single bite would give him enough energy to get a bit better. Unlike the other wives, she can''t fight, if Eris or Merida were here, they would''ve already gone into the jungle to hunt something massive for him to eat, but s, she could only sit in the back and focus on her craft. But as she could only remember the pathetic shape that bottle was in, her skills were still nowhere near the level needed to make a reliable weapon for Arad. Wallowing in her own worries, Mira made her way to the kitchen. Asy in the bed, Arad ran his fingers through Isdis''s silky blond hair, his mind still thinking about that magic cast by Isbert. He was certain it wasn''t ice or cold magic, but something else. He got burned, and no matter what anyone else did, he was certain that wasn''t just a hallucination due to his brain getting damaged. He was burned to near death by an ice wizard, a statement that seemed to defy reason. But...to Arad it felt awfully strange, seeming to make sense in his mind. Ice could burn, icees from cold and water magic, abination...what is the cold magic doing in it? Cooling the water to create ice. What is cooling, how did Isbert manage to burn him? He ran his hand across Isdis''s cold face and lips, as she seemed to sleep peacefully, her body was terrifyingly as cold as a corpse. Upon feeling Isdis''s cold touch, it naturally came to his mind that she needed warmth, so he pulled her close to him, covering her with the nket. As he could feel her cold body resting at his side, Arad''s mind started thinking. Why did he pull her close? Why is it that shecks warmth, couldn''t he be the one tock cold? How do you know how hot something should be, is hot even a word, what is heat, and what is cold? A cup of water is hot so you blow on it to cool it down, but when your hands are cold you also blow on them to heat them up. How could the same action lead to heating and cooling, something doesn''t seem to add up. The room''s door opened up and Astrid walked in, pushing a cart full of food. "Mira sent me. I brought some snacks." Even though she called it a snack, a whole roasted sheep was on the try, enough food to feed ten peopleid before Arad''s eyes. "It''s hot, be careful not to drop any on Isdis, it''ll burn her." Astrid warned him. Due to his sudden awakening, they rapidly heated the food for him so it was still burning hot, fresh out of the oven.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As Arad sat up, the sheet dropped to his waist and revealed his jacked upper torso. Astrid looked at him for a few seconds without saying a word, "You''re getting leaner by the day." Shemented. While his body was alreadyrge and muscr before, he still had a soft look to him, as if his skin still held some fat beneath it. But now, that wasn''t the cast. His skin held tightly into his steel-hard muscles, giving a painfully matricte shredded look where every muscle was clearly visible with veins everywhere. By just that look, Astrid was sure that he could squeeze some necks off. He looked like nothing she had ever seen before in her life. There are many people that you can''t tell their strength from their looks in this world, but Arad was different. She didn''t have a single shred of doubt that he can hit fucking hard. And had an itch to test it out. Astrid sat beside Arad and reached toward the roasted sheep, pulling a whole leg off. "I can feed you if you can''t eat on your own." She waved it before his face with a smug smile. She slowly pushed her butt against his legs, creeping closer and closer to him. Arad smiled with augh, "Sorry, but know what you want." He waved his hand and took the leg from her hand, "But I have to say no." "She won''t wake up..." Astrid got even closer. Arad looked at her with a smile, "I don''t like women who waste their time trying to seduce me, it doesn''t work. If you want it,e take it with force, that''s the dragon way. The only other way is for you to wait for me to make a move." He started at her with a smug smile, "So what is it, want to fight it off?" "Yeah, fight it off." Isdis said as she was sitting beside Astrid. Astrid didn''t even notice her waking up, "You''re quite shameless trying this with me here." Isdis red at her with more of an annoyed face than an angry one. "But fine, give it your best shot. I promised your mother that I would support you..." She sighed. Astrid looked at Isdis with a shocked face for a second and then smiled, "With the wife''s permission." Her red fingernails extended into ws as her eyes turned silverly white, resembling those of cats. The tails on her lower back started faintly glowing with magic as she started at Arad with a slightly pinkish face. "Thanks for the meal." She swung at Arad''s neck with all of her might, dreaming about what was toe next. But in the blink of an eye, she found herself getting caught in a chokehold beneath his massive right arm. She struggled as she couldn''t breathe, her neck was right beneath Arad''s armpit as he squeezed his arm, suffocating her. Astrid did her best, but her vision slowly faded out as she lost consciousness just seconds after getting caught. She was powerful, but nowhere near Arad. Later, Mira walked in and froze in ce she saw something strange. Astrid was in her underwear tied to the ceiling with a rope while Arad and Isdis ate their meal. She looked at it, "What did happen?" "She got a bit too excited so I asked Arad to cool her down a bit." Isdis replied. "What do you even mean?" Mira sighed and approached them, sitting beside the bed. "She wanted to make a move on me." Arad spoke, "So I stripped her down and tied her to the ceiling so she can cool her head off a bit, likeundry." He looked at Astrid hanging from the ceiling. "As you can see, she wasn''t strong enough." "Nowhere near Nina." Mira said with a smug smile. "Nina is a whole different person." Arad waved the roasted sheep shoulder he was eating, "Did you see her kick?" He pointed at Astrid, "She''s not even a novice whenpared to Nina." Chapter 919: A Dwarven Advice Chapter 919: A Dwarven Advice ? After eating, Arad stood up and cracked his back. "I''m going out to look for something big to eat." The small snack they had wasn''t enough to fill him, he needed more to fuel him for theing day. "I''lly down a bit." Isdis dropped back on the bed, all her body was still hurting. She had woken up sore this morning and followed it with that grueling fight with Isbert, she was wasted. As Arad walked past the backyard, he saw Mira working alone in the workshop, making ss. He sat there watching her for a few minutes before leaving. She was working hard to learn how to make ss and had already amassed more than twenty failed prototypes. ZON! Arad teleported far away to hunt for food. With several casts of [Void Step], He had moved more than 200km away {125 miles}. Therge trees filled the jungle as the faint red light of dusk seeped through the cracks of their great branches. The small animals stopped moving and looked toward the figure that suddenly appeared, feeling the power pulsing around him. Arad stood there, in the middle of the thick greenery of the jungle, drowning in three-meter-tall shrubs and bushes.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om With a single pulse of the void, Arad sucked all the bushes surrounding him into his stomach as he looked around. At first, he was searching for food, but something else quickly clouded his mind. The strange peaceful aura surrounding this portion of the forest. He reached down to the ground and scooped a handful of dirt, looking at it with his glowing eyes. It was faint, but there was a clear trace of holy magic. Life was thriving, and the nts looked healthy andrge. Even the animals seemed to have grownrge and meaty. Arad''s magic range was 40km, this strange divine blessing that filled the area had far surpassed that distance. Whenever he could sense it, it was blessed. If a zombie were to be dropped here, he''d burn to ash in seconds. As a vampire, Arad felt a bit ufortable in here, but that feeling wasn''t anywhere near the divine barrier that kept Vorvadoss sealed. Arad''s mind instantly raced as his muscles tightened, ^Is there another abomination sealed close to here?^ His eyes darted around but couldn''t trace the source of the holy magic. He hade here to hunt for food, only for him to find himself facing such a mystery. Arad shifted into his draconic form and red around with glowing eyes. His wives are merely 200km away, it''s dangerous to let any abomination so close by. He could remember the fake reality that the dream walkers showed him in the past, he doesn''t want such a nightmare to be a reality. What Vorvadoss could do was still itched into his brain, at this moment the mere mention of an abomination was enough to get him agitated. As Arad looked around, he froze in ce upon noticing something strange. It wasn''t visible to the naked human eye; he could only notice the difference thanks to his draconic vision. Two massive mountains in the distance were going up and down in unison. The movement wasn''t big, just around two feet, but that was two feet longer than how much a mountain naturally moves, which was zero. Arad stuck close to the ground as he prowled his way toward the mountains. He had seen how Matilda hunted and wanted to try catching his prey by surprise. His draconic body''srge muscles and joints acted as suspensions, allowing Arad to be quieter than a cat. If only he was an adult so he could blend into the environment. After a slow, ten minutes at which he made his way to the mountains, he stopped by their side and looked in the crack between them. He was stunned, baffled, and surprised at what he had seen. A short, burly dwarfy on a stone, benching the two mountains like it''s nothing. The dwarf slowlyid the mountains down and opened his palms, letting therge adamantine pole rest as he sat up, brushing his thick red beard. "Come here kid, how are ya feeling now?" The dwarf waved his arm to Arad, calling him toe closer. He was Mora. "What are you?" Arad growled as he slowly approached with caution. No matter how he looked, what this dwarf was doing would easily put him at a titan''s raw strength. "The name Mora. Hati called me here to show your wife Mira how to craft and forge weapons." Mora replied with a smile as he stood, slowly flexing his muscles, "Yeah, that was a lightweight. I need something heavier." "Hati called you?" Arad shifted back into his humanoid form and stood facing Mora, he was almost twice as tall as him. But Mora was just as wide as Arad. "I''m a cksmith. My weapons are the best in the world, but not anyone could wield them." He smiled. Arad sat down so he could look Mora in the eyes, but Mora sat as well, pulling tworge barrels of beer out of nowhere. "Want a drink?" "No thanks." Arad shook his head, for some reason, he couldn''t feel any animosity from this dwarf. "I came here to look for food, and just happened to see you move those mountains like that." Arad looked at the mountains and the adamantine bar linking them. "Want to give it a try? You''re quiterge, you might be able to do it." Mora stood with arge grin on his hairy face and smacked Arad on the back, "Go for it boy! Show me what you got." Arad nced at the mountains again, he didn''t think he could do it. How much do those things even weigh? He had seen Gug, Gojo''spanion training like this before with two adventurers sitting on the bar, but to use mountains... it sounded too stupid to be real. With Mora''s contentious cheering, Arad got on the bench, grabbed the adamantine bar, took a deep breath, and went for it. Putting all of his strength into it, he felt as if he was going to be crushed. The bar bent and creaked as if it was about to snap as the mountains tilted a bit. Arad immediately dropped the bar and Mora caught it, gently putting it down. "Hmmm..." Mora looked at Arad with a curious gaze,bing his long beard. "Kid, you''re malnourished, aren''t you." Arad sat up, "I was looking out for a meal." "No...no..." waved his hand, "I didn''t mean that. It''s something else." He cleared his throat. "I''m a dwarven demi-god." He lied as naturally as he breathed. "I can tell you''re a void dragon, and I can tell that you''re malnourished with a single look at your face." He approached Arad and looked into his eyes, "When was thest time you ate what the humans call the cursed metal?" "That? I''ve got a massive pir of it in my stomach." Arad replied with a puzzled face, "Do I need more than that?" "You''re a bit stupid, aren''t you?" Mora sat on the bench beside Arad and sighed, "If it''s in your stomach, you haven''t absorbed it yet. It''s the same as if you never had it." He shook his head, "What are you keeping it for? Evolution? That''s a rare urrence." "I must have it at that time." Arad replied, "I can''t just waste it." "Hmmmm...." Mora stood up and scratched his head, "You''re one troublesome kid, aren''t you? Eat it and go look for more. It''s a crucial part of a void dragon''s died, that''s your main source of energy. Normal food can''t sustain something as massive and power-hungry as a void dragon." "I survive by huntingrge monsters. As long as I change my hunting ground, I won''t over- hunt any ce." Arad replied. "Listen." Mora smacked Arad on the head with a chop, "Void dragons shouldn''t live in this mortal world, to your kind, it''s nothing more than a cradle, an incubation zone where you grow and spend your infancy." Mora exined, "There are multiple nes of existence like hell, the abyss, and the wastednds of Hades... Void dragons live in the empty space between those massive demi-nes and only stop once every few decades to stock up on food and resources." For two whole hours, Mora exined as much as he could about void dragons to Arad. About how the cursed metal is their best food and most efficient power source. The reason they grow so big is that they are native to the void, where gravity and pressure don''t exist so nothing hinders their growth. Arad did ask Mora the most important question, and it was about where to find void drakainas. As expected, Mora had a clear answer. He exined that void dragons are active hunters that scout the void for abominations and kill them while the drakainas are passive defenders who pick a single spot and defend. And that if Arad wanted to find a void drakaina, he most likely would need to leave the mortal world and prowl the ethereal void in search of one. "But..." Mora said with arge grin on his face, "You''d still repel each other so no action for you even if you found one..." He giggled and Arad almost punched him in the face. "Come on." Mora smacked Arad''s back, "But I''ll give you a tip. I''ve heard of a young drakaina that just stationed at the Twin Heaven of duality. She''s only been there for half a century, and I doubt any void dragon has approached her yet. They all repel each other after all." He smiled, "If you can find a way to approach other void dragons like your brother did, you might have a chance. But let me warn you, she''s a vicious fighter." Mora stood, pointing to the base of one of the mountains, "You''ll find a cave there, dig around five kilometers underground and you''ll find some cursed metal to eat." He looked at Arad with a smile, "Eat well, train, and rest. Grow stronger so one day you might make it there to the twin heaven of duality. That ce is quite far away." Chapter 920: A Shadows Suprise Chapter 920: A Shadow''s Suprise ? Arad approached the cave, staring down at the endless darkness among the stones. He could hear water dripping inside, taking a one-way journey to the depths of the earth. nts and foliage surrounded the cave''s entrance as small animals carefully watched Arad from a distance away. He walked into the cave, slowly making his way deeper and deeper. Whenever he faced a dead end, he would dig his way through using earth magic. After half an hour, he finally reached something that looked different from any normal cave. Arge ten-meter {32 feet} wide hole made of chiseled stones in the middle of a massive cavern. It was the remnant of an ancient civilization. Arad walked in the dark, relying on his draconic Darkvision to see, and started inspecting the hole before jumping in. Writing in a strange ancientnguage was engraved all around the hole. Even though Arad couldn''t read what was written there, he could at least tell that it looked simr to Elvish. If only Ae was here, she might''ve been able to read it. At that moment, Doma spoke. ^{That''s ancient dark elfnguage. Spiders'' tongue.}^ She said inside his head, ^{It reads. By ancient decree, this shall be a tribute to the all mother, the crawler of darkness. Praise be the spider queen, praise be the demon web mother.}^ "What is this ce?" Arad looked into the hole, not seeing anything. ^{I suspect this is the entrance to an ancient city of the dark elves. One that worshiped the spider goddess. From what was written, It must be from the dark ages of evil before the god''s war.}^ "What was her name?" Arad lifted an eyebrow. ^{Better not to mention it. She''s an evil goddess who enjoys pain and torment. If we did mention her name, her gaze would shift toward us, and that''s something we don''t want to do.}^ For the first time ever, Doma sounded nervous. Evil gods did exist, not by a choice of them, but mostly due to the nature of the concepts they embody. The goddess of spiders is depicted as a ck widow spider, telling of her origin. She was one the wives of the previous elf god, but secretly nned to burn the world tree. The world tree rejected her and all the elves who sided with her, burning them like they tried to burn her, and then banished them into the underground world. That is how the dark elves started. But since the elf god wanted to keep her as his wife, she alone was permitted to live with him under the world tree. The spider goddess'' evil didn''t stop there, she nned to kill her husband and cheated on him with the orc god, sparking an endless blood war between the elves and orcs. As the two killed each other, she ran away to build her own kingdom of the dark elves that worshipped her. She embodies deception, betrayal, poison, scheming, and malice. When her power approached its peak, she attempted one fool more, she kidnapped the overgod. But that was the first time she got bitten hard, the overgod had beaten her so badly that she lost most of her divinity. He then gave her to the mother of life who tortured her for months in the cycle of death and rebirth until she became obedient. ^{She won''t attack you directly. She weaponizes betrayal and subterfuge. Your wives would be her primary target if she noticed you. }^ Arad jumped into the hole; his body fell down standing straight as the glowing mushrooms flew past him like shing stars. A thick wave of magic existed in the dark depth and Arad plunged straight into it, his eyes opening wide as he could sense a dangerous being living in there. Arad emerged from arge hole in a massive cavern, looking down at a city simr to Rita, but at least ten timesrger. Glowing mushrooms shrouded the ancient and ruined city, moss covered the massive stone pirs holding the cavern''s ceiling, and the horrific monsters prowling around crawled into their holes upon sensing Arad appear. Arad looked straight below him, noticing argeke at the city''s edge right beneath the hole he fell from. Doma informed him that the ancient dark elves used something called water fountain gates to travel between the surface and their cities. They made massive enclosed ships that could swim straight up the falling water. Those ships were called underground ships. Arad opened his wings and slowly glided down, finally standing upon the water''s surface with gravity magic, looking at the massive city before him. It didn''t take him a second to notice how powerful the death curse was around here. He looked at the water beneath his feet, it was riddled with the curse. The reason why this city died became clear; they must''ve dug into a cursed metal vein that contaminated their water, causing everyone to die. Arad walked on the water until he reached theke''s shore and approached the city, looking around as the roaming monsters hid from his eyesight. The curse was plentiful, but not strong enough to kill the powerful monsters. While the radiation was powerful enough to kill a human in a day or two, most monsters could survive for months here, especially those that evolved close by after the city''s doom. As Arad explored the city, he could feel one thing. Amazement at this ce''s size and beauty, if he didn''t already have air, he would''ve settled down here. "Mom, what do you think?" {It''s a decent ce to hide sleep, hibernate and store your horde. But it won''t work for you. You have wives, and they can''t live here. Only you could survive this amount of the death curse.} As Mom pointed out, this is a safe hiding ce for him, but not a ce suitable for life. Arad stopped by one of the abandoned houses and reached the wooden door made from therge mushroom''s stem wood. He tried to turn the rusty iron knob, but it was stuck. After one push, he ripped the door from its hinges and walked inside. "Excuse me..." Arad looked inside. It looked like a normal house, with an entrance that led into a small living room with what looked like a kitchen attached to it. At the stove''s base, he could see a skeleton in tattered cloth lying on the ground. From one look at the bones and the clothes, Arad identified her as a dark elf woman, who probably died in this kitchen when the curse started spreading. He turned around and walked up the stone stairs leading to the second floor. Right at a wooden door, he found a small skeleton, a kid. ^Everyone died quickly as the curse set in. They probably didn''t even notice what was going on.^ Arad walked past the skeleton and jumped out of the window,nding in the back alleys of the city. At his side stood a four-meter-tallrge monster akin to a crab with four ws and a bright red carapace. The monster looked at Arad for a fraction of a second and slowly backed away. Even if Arad looked like a normal human, all the monsters here could see his true draconic nature and they feared him. Arad nced at the monster and it started shaking, shivering, and whimpering like a dog as it slowly crawled back. That was an A-rank monster, strong enough to send a human city to its demise. Seeing such a monster crawl away from him in terror, Arad became even more aware of what kind of monster he had be. Arad ignored the monster and kept walking around the city, slowly making his way toward the source of the curse. If what Mora said is true, arge cursed metal mine would be close by. With each step Arad took forward, the monsters hiding in the ruined city avoided him, some even left their young as bait and ran away. Not a single one dared to face Arad until he reached the other end of the city. Arad halted, sensing that the curse had grown stronger. The cursed metal mine should be close by, all he needed to do was walk a bit further outside the city, but it wasn''t that simple. Unlike all other monsters, the one before him didn''t budge. A massive twisting mass of flesh and blood, grunting in pain. The monster slowly turned back and red at Arad with its countless bloodshot eyes. With a pulse of magic, its body started shrinking. Arad looked at it with a passive face, wondering what this ooze-like being was about to do. It was then that a strange voice boomed in his head, a voice that he hadn''t heard in a long while. [Save her...the bloodied killer...] Arad immediately recognized that voice, the dark elf goddess Elis that he heard at the shrine before. From the writhing mass of flesh, a bloodied dark elf woman walked out naked, her eyes stared at Arad, bleeding with strange magic. From her mouth, she pulled a long-rushed sword, and Arad immediately pulled a sword out, sensing the dreadful threat. He tried to read her mind but immediately concluded. That woman had long since lost her mind.N?v(el)B\\jnn She lunged forth, and Arad swung his sword at her, shing her arms off with ease. The woman wasn''t even phased, her emotionless face never shifted, and she disappeared from Arad''s vision. In the next moment, she had already stomped his head to the ground beneath her foot, creating a massive fifty-meter-wide crater. Arad was wrong, this woman wasn''t a dark elf with a strange power or a curse. Now that she''s stepping on his face, he smells it, the strange blood coursing through her veins. Her arms immediately healed and he smiled, "Well, well, what do we have here." He grabbed her ankle. "A mad Shadow Drakaina with a dark elf decent." Just like how he''s a void dragon of human decent, that is why his humanoid form is that of a human male. This woman is a shadow drakaina with dark elf descent, making her humanoid form that of a dark elf woman. Arad immediately shifted into his draconic form and so did she. In the blink of an eye, two massive ck dragons were staring at each other. Chapter 921: The Shadow Drakaina Chapter 921: The Shadow Drakaina ? Standing at almost thirty-eight meters tall, the shadow drakaina was two meters shorter than Arad yet herrge body didn''tck any muscles. Her arms were as thick as massive tree trunks and her hind legs almost rivalled Arad''s. Unlike him, the two wings on her back were engulfed in a shadowy mist of magic with burning shadow me that spanned across her spine and up to her forehead like a mullet that halted between her goat-like ck horns. Arad red her down, his wings slowly opening wide as his tail rattled like a snake. Compared to all the dragons he had faced before; she was thergest and most built one of them all. Even the adult red dragon he yed before seemed small and thinpared to her. It was the same for her, in the past centuries, she had never felt the need to take her draconic form, but faced with Arad''s shocking presence she was forced to put on an intimidation disy. "Care to speak, Drakaina. What''s your name?" Arad asked even though he already knew he won''t get an answer. He was already aware of her condition, she was insane, and something had gone horribly wrong in her head. Since the dark elf goddess asks him to save her, he believes that there is a way to get her sanity back, but what he faces now is a mindless beast. She could only growl, deep rumbles echoed from her chest as her eyes burned with ck magic. The monsters in the cavern had already run away, none dared stay close to where such massive dragons were about to fight it off. "Don''t move now, I''ll just drag you back to myir. I''ll keep you there until I find a way to get your sense back." Arad extended his front w, trying to grab her. "Don''t make this harder than it should be." In the blink of an eye, she swung her front talon as hard as she could at Arad''s chest, aiming at his heart. Her w hit its mark, and Arad gasped, a deep growl escaping his throat. "AAAAAAH...hahahaha..." He startedughing, "Good hit...it would''ve been better if you put your wing muscles into it." Her w didn''t pierce his scales, they almost cracked on it. CLACK! With a single swing from his massive arm, he pped her in the face with his right talon, rocking her head like a spring. "And aim for the head. The heart is a weakness, but it''s protected with hard ribs andrge chest muscles. It isn''t easy to get at." He was almost hitting a most muscr pose, flexing his chest. The drakaina growled, slowly lifting her head with saliva dripping from herrge fangs. Arad''s p was hard, it had shaken her brain and almost ripped some of her teeth, but she was lucky he didn''t use any p technique and only threw a weak normal smack. Without dy, she swung a p of her own, and Arad took it without even blocking. But unlike her, his head didn''t rock at all, therge muscles on his neck had made it feel like pping a concrete pir. She still didn''t put her all into the strikes, for this whole time, the two dragons only gauged each other strength. None of them had sustained any damage yet, and neither were willing to go all out first. Arad was worried that he would kill her, and she was trying to conserve her energy, as an animalistic instinct, she doesn''t like to spend more energy that her prey could offer back as food. Arad took the first step forward, approaching her with an oppressive presence. Since shecks sane intelligence, he must prove to her that he''s the one dominating the fight, that he isn''t a prey, but the predator. The two massive dragons started walking in circles while ring at each other, slowly getting closer and closer as their growls and grunts filled the cavern. Even though Arad had lived between humans most of his life, he still understood how to act like a dragon, it was ingrained in his blood, and the same could be said for her. Even after losing her mind to insanity, she remained a full-blooded dragon.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om When two of the dragon kind meet and argue about something, the older one speaks first. She roared, her voice shaking the whole cavern. The stctite in the ceiling fell down, some of them hit Arad''s back but they immediately shattered, to him they felt as weak as raindrops. Hearing her roar, Arad nodded. What she said was a threat, she''s far older than him, vicious, and controls the mighty shadows. This was her resting ce, and she wanted him out of her den. She didn''t intend to fight him, and wouldn''t give chase if he was to turn around and leave. A fight would only leave them injured and weak; it wasn''t worth it. "The wisdom of a dragon goes beyond madness. Consumed by insanity, you still make sense by your roar." Arad smiled, "Sadly, I''m not changing my mind." He opened his massive jaws and roared, conjuring a shockwave with how loud he was. She could feel his roar booming inside her chest, shaking her bones to the marrow. -Bend down and submit, you''ve already lost- This was the meaning carried by his roar. Arad isrger than her, stronger both physically and magically, his will would never change, and he doesn''t know how to run away. A king''s deration of domination, he isn''t backing down and won''t be allowing her to escape. Understanding that it was a fight, the drakaina lunged forth and swung her w at full force at Arad, smacking him in the side hard enough that she sent him flying over the city and toward the other side of the cavern. Arad''s massive draconic body hit the wall, almost copsing the whole cave. The drakaina was growling in her ce, looking at her smoking w. She was surprised her ws didn''t rip a hole in Arad''s body, not even stone can remain whole after taking one of her hits. Arad stood naturally as if nothing had happened. He patted the dust from his scales and looked at her, "To send my heavy body flying, you''re one of the strongest dragons I''ve met so far. An ancient dragon at least." He started walking toward her, his tail swinging left and right, ripping the stones that had crumbled around him. Arad started running toward her and she braced for an impact. He lunged at her, tackling her by the neck and sending her rolling on the ground. It was then that the real wrestling match between dragons had started. When she rolled on the ground, she stood on her front arms and swung a kick at Arad''s face. She hit him square in the jaw and immediately followed with a tail m to the neck, trying to sh it off. Despite their massive size and heavy weight, dragons were extremely athletic and could move in mind-boggling ways. Arad''s ws rushed forth, and he grabbed her by her left hind leg and tackled her down, pinning her to the ground. As she tried to push him away with her wings, he smacked them away with his head and grabbed her limbs. Arad had locked her two hind legs in his left hand and her two front ws in his right hand, lifting her up like a towel as he stood on his hind legs. "This might break bones." He said and she bit his left arm and wrapped her massive tail around d his neck, trying to strangle him. Arad lifted her up and smacked her back to the ground like a doll. She gasped, feeling the impact shaking her insides. With a single hand, he was holding her front ws so tightly that she couldn''t escape his grasp, it was utterly clear that he didn''t just outss her in strength, she was far weaker than him. As Arad looked at her and noticed that she still had some fire in her eyes and wanted to keep fighting, he grabbed her by the tail. "Let''s see how long you''llst." He swung her left and right like a whip. Using her massive body as a weapon, Arad started digging the cavern walls with her; smacking her on the stones left and right with ease. This wasn''t a fight; it was a one-sided beatdown. After one minute of brutal swinging and smacking, Aradid her down and pinned her head to the ground with his hind left foot as he lifted her butt up from the tail. "Ready to give up?" He spoke in a deep growl. VRO000000000000000M! An engine-like rumble boomed out of her chest, Arad had experienced that before. When dragons go all out and their adrenaline rush across their veins, their heart rate can reach such a high level that their heartbeats can be heard rumbling. She had be aware that she was in a really bad situation, Arad wasn''t an opponent that she could face. The drakaina''s skull sunk into the ground so smoothly that Arad noticed that something was off. She turned her head around and bit his foot, dragging him into the shadows. Arad tried to let her go and jump away, but she wrapped her thighs around his face and wrapped her arms around his leg, preventing him from escaping. Chapter 922: Shadow Magic Chapter 922: Shadow Magic ? Arad''s body sunk into the shadows and he gasped, looking at the endless darkness surrounding him. He could still sense the drakaina''s presence floating around him, this wasn''t the cavern they were in before, it''s a whole other realm, a realm of shadows. "So, you''ve got an elemental expansion...how interesting, not many achieve such a refined level of magic control." Arad was enjoying his time ying with another dragon. Albeit he was already married and was fairly used to speaking with women, drakaina''s were another matter. He almost never had a chance to speak with one, and this was quite an interesting interaction, albeit she''s a bit insane. He told himself, ^I can fix her.^ She red at him from a distance, growling as the shadows of her realm started moving. As Arad floated, he got shed across the chest as if hit with a de. He gasped and instantly healed, unable to understand how her attack managed to harm him, she couldn''t get through his scales just a few moments ago. As Arad was wondering if her expansion buffed her attack power, he used his void eyes to scan the mana of her expansion, and it came back negative. She doesn''t get any personal buffs from the expansion; this thing only extends the range of the shadows she can control. Suddenly, his eyes got shed, followed by his throat getting cut open. Countless stabs pierced Arad''s body and his guts would''ve been pulled out if he hadn''t stored them in his void. He covered his body with a multyered barrier, but the attacks kepting at the same rate without the barrier being touched. ^Her expansion is bad news...she''ll kill me at this rate. I must get out, but without harming her too much. This is a shadow realm, an expansion that hates light.^ Arad opened his jaw, "Cover your eyes..." He roared as a [Ho-white Nova] dripped from his jaw. The pure light that almost killed Korah and shattered Jordan''s dreams, the star that illuminated Arad''s void. A god-shattering star shed in the midst of the drakaina''s shadow expansion, illuminating all of the shadows and sting her away.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As the shadows rumbled and danced from Arad''s sh of light, the drakaina got ejected out of them, followed by Arad who was still bleeding. She smacked on the wall and stood in ce, slowly healing and admiring what he had just done. Even though he was already too exhausted and starving from the day''s training, he could stillpletely shut down a drakaina''s expansion. Such a feat didn''t go unnoticed, even the drakaina whose mind already sank into madness, could feel it, fear. She no longer charged forth blindly with confidence but silently watched him from where shended, observing and trying to find a way to attack. The being before her wasn''t something she could win against, one wrong move, and she''d end up getting beaten. "What''s up? Is that all you got?" Arad looked at her with glowing eyes, "I doubt you can understand my words, but I know you''ll understand the meaning at least." He took a step forward and she backed away. "If I was seeking to mate, I would''ve already pushed you down. You know well enough that I have the strength for that. If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn''t be listening to me now." He stopped and pointed at the ground, "I want to move you from here into myir, and have you wait patiently there until I find a way to restore your sanity." ZON! He disappeared and appeared above her back, pushing her down to the ground and restraining her using his heavyweight. She tried to struggle, but couldn''t move a muscle against his will. "See?" She growled and opened her expansion once more, but they didn''t sink into the shadows. She looked around with a confused face, they should be sinking to the ground. "Gravity magic, we aren''t falling anywhere." He started floating with her, "Care to give up?" He grabbed her by the neck and smacked her on the wall before throwing her back to the ground. She finally stopped moving and sat on the ground, panting for air. He was too much for her to handle, and so she stopped resisting atst. Arad approached her, she seemed awfully obedient. As he nudged her, she changed her seat and was ready to mate. Arad snorted as he knocked her on the head. "Not like this, stand up. You''re staying in myir until I find a cure for your sanity." She didn''t seem to understand words, but if he pushed her in a direction, she''d walk in it. Like a kid being guided by hand. Arad smiled, turning toward the cursed metal mine. "Stay put for a while. I''ll teleport after I clear the mine, it''ll only take a second." Hearing his words and feeling the tap of his massive tail on her back, she sat down as he walked toward the mind. The moment the tip of his tail passed her head and she waspletely behind him, her body started to move again. She slipped into the shadows as Arad rapidly turned back to catch her. His w barely missed, hitting the thin air. In the next moment as Arad''s eyes stared everywhere trying to find her as he could still sense her presence, his arm got shed in multiple ces. He didn''t see the attacking, and that had him worried. She appeared from the shadows, swinging her w at his side. With arge smile on his face, he blocked her attack, "You still got a will to fight? I like those who don''t go down easily." His left arm was suddenly shed again. Even though he blocked the attack. She swung at his leg, but even though he dodged, his neck got shed and then his back. As she jumped and flew from one darkness into another, she kept attacking Arad from left and right. All of her attacks were blocked or deflected, yet all had still managed to wound Arad. The forest on the surface started shaking as if hit by an earthquake as the two dragons fought, and Mora who was doing his squats looked at the ground with a passive face. "Probably I shouldn''t bother them." After one minute of getting brutally shed by the drakaina, Arad finally realized one thing. Instead of blocking the drakaina''s attack, he let her hit him and focused on her other limbs. As he expected, she was attacked the ground beside him, causing him to get wounded. The whole cavern was dark so Arad didn''t have any way of noticing if he didn''t look close enough, the way she was bypassing his defenses wasn''t something natural, she was using her shadow magic. If she attacked his shadow, she could wound him. This is how she managed to brutalize him in the expansion and how she is now cutting him up. Now that he noticed her trick, he attempted to prevent her from attacking his shadow. It was quite hard to pinpoint his own shadow in this dark cavern, but he could generally guess where it was. After blocking servals of her attempts, he started to feel confident in his ability to fend her off. But then, he suddenly froze, unable to move. His whole body remained as still as a statue as she approached him, and shed his shadow, cutting him. Arad''s eyes moved around as he looked for the reason, noticing that her tail was aligned with his tail. Arad immediately switched his void eyes to see mana. If he can''t see the shadows, he''ll try to attune himself to her mana wavelengths and track her spells. He could then see it, her shadow linked to his shadow, which stunned him. ^Is this shadow-binding magic?^ This was the first time that Arad had seen such strange magic. The drakaina lunged forward, going for the killing blow with all of her power concentrated into her w. Her goal is one thing, to divorce Arad''s skull from his neck. CRACK! Arad punched her in the face so hard she fell to the ground, twitching as she pissed herself from how the impact shocked her brain and spine, almost turning them into mush. She tried to stand, but her legs couldn''t gather enough strength. She was suffering from clear nerve damage, that punch had messed up her brain. "Sorry," Aradid his w on her chest, pushing her down. "I couldn''t control my strength well. Even if you paralyzed me with magic, I can use gravity magic to pull my fist toward your face." He approached and stared straight into her eyes, "What do you think? Is it time for you to be obedient?" As he stared at her eyes, her body suddenly melted into a puff of ck smoke. He stared at the smoke with a confused face, turning his head left and right, unable to find her presence anywhere. "Wait...what is this?" He inspected the area where she was lying, nothing was left there. The ground was even dry. Arad sighed as he turned and walked toward the cursed metal mine to eat it. "Damn it, drakaina. But you won''t run for long." What he fought at the end was nothing more than a shadow clone, he couldn''t even tell when did she switch with that clone. But now she was well out of his 40km range and he couldn''t find her. As Arad absorbed the cursed metal mine into his stomach, he looked back at the drakaina''s blood left on the ground, "I''ll catch you soon. And next time you won''t run away." Chapter 923: A Grim Prophecy Chapter 923: A Grim Prophecy ? As Arad absorbed all the cursed metal in the mine and digested it, something started changing in his body. This was the first time that he had eaten such an energy-rich meal. His body which was barely living on the flesh of monsters could finally stretch out a bit. His mind became clearer and he felt strongly lighter, the muscles on his body expanded a bit as his heart rapidly raced. Due to the scarcity of cursed metal, Arad had been holding off on eating what little he had as he wanted to save it for evolution. That cursed Metal, which is Uranium, is still unnamed in this world. People call it with its only effect, a metal that kills people by just being close, a cursed metal. To Arad, that was a highly efficient energy source that helped his massive body function at 100% for a longer time. While eating a whole tall neck {brachiosaurus} only allowed Arad to fight and train seriously for a day, this cursed metal had several hundred more energy, which would allow him to stretch his wings further. Arad looked at his shredded limbs growing a bitrger as the muscles finally got enough energy to grow. It was just now that he was basically starving on top of extreme nutrient deficiency. He was like a man suffering from anemia going on a heavy diet. Arad stomped the ground gently with his front talon, flexing his muscles as he looked at his scales and counted them. He had indeed grown a few more scales and gotten a tiny bit bigger. Not only his stamina, but his maximum output should''ve increased substantially as well. [The killer among the shadows, escaped.] The dark elf goddess of swords and dance voice boomed inside Arad''s head once more, [You''ll get her next time.] Arad looked up, "Instead of just speaking into my head, how about you help a bit?" [Mira will die seven months from now while giving birth. Catch that shadow drakaina before that time, otherwise, you''ll never save Mira...you''ll never...ever...] Her voice boomed in Arad''s head, fading away as she left him standing in the same ce, shocked, stunned, and baffled. No matter how much he thought about it he couldn''t find a link between Mira giving birth and a shadow drakaina...Can the shadow magic help her give birth safely...no, if that was the case learning shadow magic would be easier than hunting an insane shadow drakaina. It had juste to him; Mira is a demi-goddess now...regr birthplications shouldn''t be able to kill her...even though he doesn''t know exactly whatplication could happen or how they could kill...But she''s a demi-goddess...that should help at least a bit... As Arad asked Doma, she replied that she too doesn''t have a solid idea. She knows whatplications might happen during birth, but has never experienced or seen them personally to be able to judge their effect on a demi-goddess. Since the subject had far exceeded Arad''s understanding, he decided to postpone the questions until he met the three people he thought would know something. The only experts around him, Tina, L, and Hati...if that sly woman was willing to help. His wings started glowing and vibrating as he slowly floated up, mana rose from the ground and got sucked into his body as his scales glowed like stars. In the blink of an eye, he teleported to the surface using [Void Step] As Aradnded, he saw Mora still standing there, now he was squatting the mountains. "You''re still training?" "Never skip leg day...I''ll look like a chicken otherwise, especially with how short and wide I am." Mora dropped the mountains and looked at Arad, "So how was it? Had fun?" "There was a shadow drakaina in there. The cursed metal mine wasrge though," Arad replied and Mora burstughing, "So...did you get some action? Or was she the one to get some fun?" "Nothing like that." Arad sighed as he started shifting back into his humanoid form. "I tried to capture her, but since I knew nothing about shadow magic... she managed to run away." As Arad took his humanoid form, Mora noticed that he had changed slightly. Arad had grown half a foot taller; his back had be wider and his body as a whole looked far leaner and more shredded. Now that he has energy stored as cursed metal, his body didn''t need to waste space on storing fat, so everything got dropped. When Arad''s arms flex as he walks, the strips of the muscles be clearly visible. As for why his back got wider, that was because his wing muscles, thergest muscles in his body had also gotten a bit bigger. "Now you look healthier for a dragon. The moment you start feeling hungrier, call me through Hati and I''ll locate another mine for you." Mora moved aside and pointed at the adamantine bar holding the two mountains together. "Can you lift that up? You failed before." Arad approached the bar and looked, "I don''t know if I could. It''s two mountains after all." He grabbed the bar with both hands and took a deep breath. Arad''s back and quads started steaming as red lines of magic burned on them, he never had enough energy to fully fuel them, but now he does. The bar creaked, and the mountains shook. Arad''s legs slowly straightened up as he deadlifted the two mountains, but he immediately dropped them. Falling down with an exhausted gasp, he had never attempted to carry such a heavy load without using gravity magic. Moraughed as he smacked Arad on the back, immediately blowing on his hand as it burned due to how hot Arad''s back was. "That was...ouch! Ouch! A good lift...Ouch! It burns!" He grabbed a tree and squeezed it hard enough that was sshed on his hand, cooling it down. "You''re taller than me, so it''s harder to move such a heavyweight, but you did it." Mora looked at Arad with a smile. "This is the importance of eating healthy. Don''t skip your meals." With a single p, he disappeared into the golden mist, leaving Arad alone in the forest. Arad looked at the bar for a few seconds, and then shifted back into his draconic form and flew back to the Hati''s house. As hended in the backyard in his human form, he could sense Lucia, Matilda, and Selina inside the house. By concentrating for just a bit, he could hear them talking with Mira about some alchemical homework... He walked toward the door and opened it, walking inside toward the room where they were talking. As he looked through therge open door, he saw them sitting around a tea table. Selina, Lucia, and Matilda sat on one side, Mira faced them while L, Hati, and Merlin were drinking at another table. Astrid was polishing Merlin''s toenails as Frida polished her hands and engraved magical seals onto them. Tina who was pouring them tea and drinks noticed Arad and approached him, "Wee back." She said with a smile, her eyes quickly scanned Arad and noticed that something seemed off, she had to look a bit higher than usual. She didn''t stand taller than his chest, and her shoulders could fit in his thin waist. The doors he barely walked through before now required him to bend down a bit. "ARAD?!" Matilda was the first to cry, she could smell him so she was sure he was Arad, but he seemed to have grownrger. "Did you get taller?!" She stood and approached him, pulling everyone''s attention toward him. "Did he get fatter?" Hati looked toward him, "I guess not..." She sighed. "Wait!" Merlin cried, "How am I supposed to deal with that? Don''t tell me all my calctions are going to be for nothing!" She was afraid that Arad had gotten stronger in a way that her ns to defeat him would fail. Astrid and Frida seemed to care less about Arad getting stronger and were more afraid that Merlin was going to overwork them topensate for that change. Especially after she almost worked herself to death, they were sure she wouldn''t have a problem working them until they shriveled and died. Mira stood and approached Arad, "You finally got your back fixed?" She said with a gentle smile. Arad was confused, he didn''t understand what she was talking about, but she kept going. She stood between him and Matilda. "Due to how physically strong he was, his muscles were shrinking his spine and making him shorter. We''ve heard that there was a skilled healer around here, and Hati sent Arad to him." She looked at Arad, "Is that right?" "Yeah..." He replied, deciding to let her keep going. "I talked to her about it." Isdis walked into the room, immediately picking up on what Mira was doing, and helped her. "There is such a skilled healer here?" Selina looked at Mira and Arad, "I never heard of him, and I looked into the vige." "He''s a traveling healer. Doing good by going around and healing people, he stopped in another nearby vige so I used my standing to get him to give Arad a session." Hati replied, leaning back on her seat and sipping her wine. While Selina remained a bit skeptical, Matilda on the other hand had no doubt. She had seen Arad running backward after their goddess. Hearing of him running to a nearby vige and returning seemed normal. Arad''s gaze quickly shifted to the other side of the room, looking at L and Hati. "Tina, L, and Hati as well if you have time. Can we speak in another room?" Arad pointed towardn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om the room facing the guest room, he could tell it was empty. "About what?" Mira who standing beside him asked with a puzzled face. "Sorry, but I''ll tell you after I talk with them." Arad replied and Tina was already heading toward that empty room. L stood and stretched her back, "My mother''s hunch is kicking in..." She smiled, "I hope I got some advice." "Well..." Hati leaned forward and sipped her wine, finishing it as she stood. "I can already guess. But a grandma like me probably won''t help." She took a step forward, and each moment her feet touched the ground a faint pulse of magic, too faint that only Merlin and Arad could sense sparked across the room. She had called herself a grandma and got angered by it. Chapter 924: Tales of The Shadow Palace Chapter 924: Tales of The Shadow Pce ? Arad sat on arge wooden chair as the three faced him, sitting on arge couch. For a moment, he seemed to carry a serious face, but his expression immediately softened up. "I don''t know how to best start exining this, so I''ll start from the end and work my way down." Arad looked at them and leaned forward, "The dark elf goddess Elis, you might''ve heard of her. And I bet L and Tina here had known for long now that I talked to her with Ae before." "The one who asked you to hunt a dark elf assassin?" Tina looked at him. "Help, not hunt." L looked at her, Mira had told her about that story as well. Hati looked at Arad with a smile on her face, "And I guess you''ve met this so-called dark elf assassin... From what I know about Elis, I can also guess it wasn''t a dark elf, but something more dangerous." "She was a shadow drakaina with a dark elf humanoid form." Arad looked at her, "You seem to know more about that goddess''s whims than I expected." He sighed, "The problem isn''t the shadow drakaina herself, I can beat her with ease. The problem is something else." He looked at L, "That goddess, Elis. When I asked her why should I help this shadow drakaina, she said that if I didn''t manage to get her healed...Mira might die seven months from now when giving birth." L looked at Arad with a stern face, this was her daughter they were talking about. She didn''t expect her to be brought up in this conversation, but this was a talk that she expected to have sooner orter. "Birthplications are moremon than people think. Giving birth never was easy to a safe thing, even with the abundance of healing magic. A lot of things could go wrong." "Is that so?" Tina looked at her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Yeah. Mira''s birth was quiteplicated and we both almost died. That''s why I never had a child after her." L replied, "What about you? How was Serin''s birth?" "It was..." Tina scratched her chin, "I was lost at the edges of the desert, where Arad hid up not so long ago...I gave birth to Serin alone beneath a tree there. I guess I was lucky to have a smooth one." "It varies..." Hati looked at them with a smile, "... from woman to woman, and from a child to another." She waved her fingers and a small ss of wine appeared in her hand. This woman didn''t seem to get enough drinks. "In my long years...I''ve popped out several ones and watched many women give birth, I even helped deliver a lot of them." She looked at Arad, "No two births are the same, and they are always unpredictable, anything might happen and causeplications." She started spinning the still half-full ss of wine above her sharp fingernail. She caught the ss and looked at Arad through it, "But...it''s different when we''re talking about demi-goddess and divinely blessed beings." She shifted her nce toward Tina. "Little Serin holds a powerful divine bloodline, that is why she came out easily. Mira is a demi- goddess; she shouldn''t have any normalplications." "Then how is it possible that she might die?" Arad stared at her, "Is that goddess Elis lying?" "Elis would die before lying. If she said something, her words are nothing but the truth. I''m certain it''s not a might, but that Mira would certainly die when giving birth if appropriate measures aren''t taken." She leaned back, "Mira won''t have normalplications, but otherplexplications are still a possibility." "Like what?" Arad looked at her with a stern re. "Divine drainage is one thing...It''s when the child of a divine being absorbs too much divine magic while being born and starving the mother to death in seconds." She theatrically waved her arms, "With Mira being still a weak demi-goddess, that''s a very likely possibility. The mother would die, so the child can inherit her divine power and will." "So, to prevent that, we must either return Mira to being a mortal or empower her enough to make her a full-fledged goddess?" Arad looked back at the door, thinking of a way to get Mira to godhood faster. "Getting her back to being a mortal would only open the door to otherplications, and I doubt she could be a goddess in seven months. It''s not a problem of getting enough divine power, but a problem about whether her pregnant body can even ascend before giving birth and bing a single being. In short, the child would die if she were to ascend while pregnant, it won''t withstand the transformation." As Hati exined, Arad''s brain was racing to find a solution. There might be a magic that allows him to carry the burden of supplying the child''s divine magic, but where would he get that? "That goddess..." Tina looked at Hati, "She said that getting that shadow drakaina would help, I can''t see how that is helpful." "Yeah, can that shadow drakaina know some magic?" L questioned as well, she wasn''t that versed in magic or dragons, but the key must be in what Elis wanted. "A good question and I might already know the answer." Hati looked around the room and her eyes stopped at Arad. "She probably wants that shadow drakaina to carry Mira into the shadow''s pce to give birth." "Shadow pce?" Arad looked at her with a confused face, what in the nine hells was that? "It''s where the mother of all life; Gracie Live. She is the goddess of lust, birth, rebirth, life, and much more." She looked at Arad with arge grin on her face, "She''s also the goddess of subus, and the pce is in the middle of a massive subus-only kingdom of pure lust and debauchery. A pretty mighty dangerous ce if I do say so myself." "Doesn''t sound like a ce I''d want to go to for help... Would that goddess even help?" Arad looked at Hati, not buying it, he doubted that Gracie would even care to help. "Elis probably talked to her about this. She''ll help in that case." Hati looked at Arad, "You help her somewhat dark elf shadow drakaina and she gets a word for you to the goddess of life to save Mira. The shadow drakaina would also thank you buy carrying Mira to the shadow pce, it''s a win for everyone." "Can''t I learn shadow magic and take Mira there myself?" Arad asked. "You can learn shadow magic, but you''ll get lost. The shadow pce always moves through the endless shadows and isn''t easy to locate. If you get lost, you''ll not even find your way back to the mortal world. It might take you years, decades, or even millennia to return if you managed to return at all." Hati tapped her foot on her own shadow, "Look, can you jump into this and find the shadow pce on your own? I don''t think so." "So only the shadow drakaina can find it?" L looked at Hati. "Shadow dragons live within shadows and their senses are attuned to it. She''ll be able to find the shadow pce and get back pretty easily. But..." Hati looked at Arad. "That shadow drakaina is insane, she lost her mind and sanity long ago. What Elis wants is to heal her." Arad scratched his head, "So to save Mira, I need to find the shadow drakaina, get her sanity back, and make her carry Mira to the shadow pce..." "I''ll tell you a few things about Gracie so you can feel at ease, and not make any stupid mistake in her pce." Hati waved her hand as she leaned back on her seat, "Albeit the whole kingdom is filled with subi, and that all those in the pce are half-naked horny subi, she alone is a bit different." Hati smiled, "You''ll find her wearing a pretty clean ck and white maid uniform that covers most of her body, she even wears a maid hat thingy that she changes every so often." "Pretty tame for a subus goddess." Arad noted. "I actually gave birth to Astrid and Frida there. She''s quite professional in her work, so you don''t have to fear anything on that side." Hati looked at Arad with a grin, "And no, I can''t get you to meet or anything. I only got her to help since she wanted some of my tail''s fur to make her headband or hat." "In terms of power, how strong she is?" Arad asked, trying to gauge if they could escape if something went wrong. "She is the mother of all life, and like all gods of her caliber, she''s also a duality. Those who get close to her find that there are actually two Gracie, a twin. One represents life, and the other is death. Her full title is the mother of all life and death." Hati looked at Arad with an amused stare. "With a single nce, she could send you back to your mother''s womb and bring you out as a half-developed fetus just for fun. And she''s the one who gets to decide what is dead and what is alive, if she wants you dead, you''ll be dead. Only the overgod survived that since without neither she nor the world itself would exist." "Is her killing ability like the other gods?" Arad asked, trying topare her to Korah. "No, they order the soul to die, and it leaves the body. Gracie can outright make you a dead thing, she is death itself. That also means that Mira would never die if Gracie said she should be alive. Death and immortality are within her fingers." Hati giggled, "If you just knew about the billions who wished to suck her toes to get a simple lick of immortality. She rejected all of them with a cold stare, she is the gatekeeper of immortality and the only reason it''s impossible to be immune to death. Except the Tarrasque, the overgod, and me." Chapter 925: A Vague Plan Chapter 925: A Vague n ? "The gatekeeper of immortality..." Arad started thinking, "What about vampires? We''re immortal." "Age immortal, you still can be killed. True immortality is when you don''t age, can''t be killed, and won''t grow insane for the long life." Hati looked at Arad with a smile, "The Tarrasque was an immortal since long before Gracie came to power. She was a spark of life force, and so Gracie never robbed her immortality. The over-god is the world itself, so she is outranked by him. And I''m quite special, I''m not exactly immortal, but eternal. Those are close enough to be simr in effect but different in the fundamentals of their nature." As Arad couldn''t understand a word of what she was saying, he decided to give up for the time being and put catching that shadow drakaina on his list of priorities, since it''s directly rted to Mira''s survival. Even though he can punch lesser gods like Korah and kill demi-gods, the upper ranks of the gods seem to boast such a vast and ineffable power that even he can''t wrap his head around. L looked at Arad, "But, if that ce is filled with subi as Hati said, won''t you be in danger by going there?" Themon knowledge of the world was that subi are the predators of men and they could drain them dead in seconds, incubi are the reverse. "I''ll be fine." Arad replied, "I got Virgo.'' "That won''t help." Hati said from the side, "Virgo won''t help you against those subi, they don''t care." She looked at him with a passive face. "What?" Arad gasped. "You''ve heard me. Bing a woman is useless against them. Your only choice is to grow strong enough to fend them off. But you should be safe the moment you step into the shadow pce. So, speed might be key. The moment you enter the subus kingdom, fly straight to the shadow pce and never stop." "If they live close to the queen..." Tina looked at Hati now that she figured something out. Hati nodded, "Yeah. They are far more powerful than normal subi. I would suggest you put a bit more work into fending those kinds of monsters. They won''t dare to do anything inside Gracie''s pce, so that''s your only safe spot." Hati stood and started walking toward the door, "This should be enough for today. For now, you''ll need to focus on training to absorb the overgod''s dead heart. Getting that bit of strength would be a wee help to your arsenal." Arad stood with L and Tina, "So the problem seems to be far deeper..." He looked at his shadow... "Zia, do you have some time?" From behind him, Zia emerged in her nun''s uniform. She swiftly turned to face him and knelt, "I''m at your order, My Blood Lord." "Short story, I want to buff Mira''s divine power as quickly as possible. If it''s possible to get her close to a true god, I''d like that to be the case. Seven months from now, she might die when giving birth as we expect the child to absorb most of her divine magic when being born." He quickly exined. Zia started thinking for a second in silence.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Can you help?" L looked at her. "All of the vampires do worship her and Eris alongside Arad regrly; I think we''re maxed on what we can provide through normal means." While the vampires worship Arad as their blood lord, they do lump Mira and Eris with him; but even with that Arad doesn''t seem to gain any divine magic from them, but the opposite happens, they get power from him. Mira and Eris are the reverse, they get worshipped and also gain divine power from the vampires. "She''s a demi-goddess of greed." Tina said, "Won''t she get more divine power by indulging in greed?" Arad scratched his chin, "Raising the prices of her furniture and trying to amass wealth, the greedier she gets, the stronger her divine magic would be..." For Mira whose main role was to support Arad and everyone else, her good nature stood in her way of growing stronger. She is theplete opposite of a greedy woman, she is generous. Upon realizing that, something seemed to click in Arad''s head as he gasped, calling to Hati who was about to leave the room. "Wait! You said the stronger gods are most of the time dualities. Like Gracie being life and death..." "Indeed." She stopped and looked back at him, replying with a curious gaze. Upon getting the confirmation, Arad could conjure a possible n, a n that sounded too insane to even be possible. "Does that mean I can pull generosity out of greed? Just like how all life ends up in death and how death can kickstart a new life?" "That I don''t know." Hati replied, "But try it, who knows, you might achieve something great." *** As Arad returned to the living room with L and Tina, Mira rushed toward him. "Is everything okay?" L looked at her, "It''ll probably be simpler if I exined it. Arad would solve it, soe with me." L dragged Mira away so they could talk, and Arad took his seat with Lucia, Matilda, and Selina. He had kept them waiting for a while. "Sorry, I''ve kept you waiting." He reached forward and grabbed the stack of papers that Lucia hadid on the table. Where he was calm, and Selina was quite exhausted from having to wait for him, Lucia and Matilda were both a bit afraid and worried. Lucia already knows how powerful Arad is, and she was surprised to see him growing stronger andrger, the speed at which he was advancing was terrifying. Matilda on the other hand had seen Arad racing Selina, their goddess of the hunt. Knowing that he has that much power stored and never shows it off filled her heart with awe, respect, and fear. As Arad went through the pages and read them, Tina poured him arge mug of tea. "Here you go." "Thank you." He took a sip from his tea and put the papers down. "That''s quite the work. Almost fifty different mixtures." "The natural diversity of medical and effective herbs here is quite expansive. It''ll be a waste not to get familiar with them, especially since trade with the beast kingdom is about to start. I want the students to get a head start on other alchemists so they can score some jobs." Lucia replied with a stern face. Since all those new herbs are going to make it toward the human kingdom just now, the number of alchemists who could work with them would be almost non-existent. "So, by working with the alchemists of the beast kingdom to teach the students, they''ll be the only ones capable of making full use of the new herbs." Arad smiled, "That''s a good n. When do I need to get those finished?" "Before we leave." Lucia replied, "Everyone else is also working on them and they''ll be doing so for the rest of our stay. Can you finish them, with whatever you''re doing here?" Arad thought about it, thanks to his training with Kayden, he barely had time to spare. What little he gets he must spend either looking for food or resting, otherwise, it''s very likely for him to get killed in training. As simple as it might look, Kayden''s main job was pushing Arad to the limit. If Arad suddenly gets weaker due to inadequate rest or food and falls below Kayden''s expectations, the training load will crush him. "I think I can manage..." Arad leaned back, "But I don''t how I''ll get it done. Probably on thest day or..." He wanted to get Aisha to do it, but she''s nowhere to be seen, he''ll have to ask Hati about her. "With how fast you can make potions, can''t you finish them tomorrow?" Selina stared at him. "Don''t ask the impossible." Arad sighed. "Aron, see her?" Matilda pointed at Selina, "She only talks like this in front of you. Anywhere else, she''s too shy to even lift her head up," "It''s not like that!" Selina cried, almost breaking her neck as she turned to re at Matilda. Arad watched them argue with a gentle smile. Mira wasughing in the back as she had just finished speaking with L, and even Merlin had joined her... peaceful...Arad couldn''t ask for more... But he couldn''t shake the thought out of his head. When Arad fought Fungus, Merida''s demon lord and had Doma take over, he had seen the future through her curse... As the days moved and he got closer to attempting to absorb the overgod''s dead heart, that scene of the grave kept shing before his eyes... At which point in the future was it, and to whom that grave belonged? The image he could recall looked as hazy as dreams; he couldn''t read whose name was written on the grey gravestone. ^Could it be...Mira''s grave...^ Two veins popped on Arad''s forehead as his expression quickly shifted into a frown. The ground started shaking as everyone failed to breathe, the monsters in the jungle already started fleeing out of the area, but not before the beast men could feel the dreadful terror that emerged out of nowhere. Hati looked at him with a single eye. Arad''s face had turned as ck as the night''s sky with his eyes burning purple, his figure deformed like dancing shadows due to the extreme magic rushing across his body. When enraged, Arad''s mere presence was heavy enough to force the monsters to run away, and not even Astrid and Frida could breathe before him. That was the monster pretending to be a human sitting among them. "Arad, what are you thinking about?" Mira smacked Arad on the back of his head, knocking him back to reality. He blinked and looked back at her, "Mira?" "Yeah, rx a bit. You''re scaring them..." When Arad looked forward, everyone had a terrified face, they looked as pale as snow, barely managing to breathe. "Sorry... Just remembered something old." He said, looking down at his shattered tea cup. Chapter 926: Merlins Enchantments Chapter 926: Merlin''s Enchantments ? If it wasn''t clear to everyone yet, that split second of silent rage had made it clear. Arad wasn''t a being they could challenge, a creature far above their understanding. None other than Hati could stop him had he snapped. While everyone realized how far beneath him, they stood, this even had driven several nails into Merlin''s confidence, tanking her morale for theing battle to the ground. As Mira looked at Arad, it became clear to her that he needed to rest, the day had been a bit too long and he needed to put his head back on a pillow. Even for a dragon that could spend months without sleep, overworking his brain worrying about a stupid prophecy of her death was unhealthy. "Come on, you need to rest a bit." Mira grabbed Arad from the elbow and made him stand up. "Let''s go." She said as her eyes shifted back to Lucia, "We''ll talk about this tomorrow evening. I''ll make sure he gets his homework done." She walked out of the guest''s room with Arad, leaving everyone staring at each other in silence. None knew why Arad got suddenly so angry, and even if he didn''t say a word, they could feel his rage burning like a dragon''s frightful presence. Lucia knew that she must get Matilda and Selina back to the student''s living area, she knew of Arad''s true power and identity, and she wouldn''t want them potentially getting him more agitated. But to her surprise, Matilda spoke first. "Time to head back. Aron, see you tomorrow!" She waved her hand. "Yeah!" Arad replied from the hallway and the atmosphere seemed to lighten up a bit. "That was so much magic it was unbelievable." Selina looked at Matilda with a scared face, "Wasn''t he a fighter?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "He may be a fighter, but remember he''s also a druid." Matilda smiled, "He defeated a Tall Neck and a death jaw, I''m certain he has more magic than any of us here. Otherwise, I can''t see why he''ll get chosen to guard a princess in a foreignnd." Even if Matilda still didn''t know of Arad''s true identity or power, she had seen him facing Maharaja and wasn''t about to underestimate what he could achieve. When Lucia and the two girls left, Merlin leaned back on her chair and looked at Astrid and Frida, "So, what do you two think? Can you stop him?" Astrid and Frida were still standing in the same ce, blood had been drained from their faces. Unlike anyone else here, those two could sense the full extent of Arad''s magic. Like the monsters who were outside in the jungle and fled immediately, those two had the same urge to bail out. Astrid remembered when she tried to beat Arad in the bed today and realized how stupid was it to think she could stand a chance, it took all of her courage to remain still and not flee the moment he showed a hint of anger. He was a full-grown lion, and she was nothing more than a newborn rabbit. Frida had felt the same, she wouldn''tst a second if Arad wanted to attack her, and she probably wouldn''t even realize she was killed. Astrid shook her head, "I can''t... we can''t..." "Guessed it." Merlin sighed, taking a sip of her wine, "And I have to fight that and win...you two are going to start working overtime." She looked at her nails, "This won''t be enough..." She stood, "Let''s go back to my room. We''ll change this into the ck blood and use the clear essence for the engrained spells." Astrid stood silent for a second and then gasped as she realized what Merlin just said, "Wait! Do you want to change both your nail polish and tattoos? All at once?" "Sister is right! You''ll die! Even enduring the red ones was nearly impossible!" Frida growled. "Nail polish for increased magic output, and tattoos to engrave spells and passive effects onto my body so I can instantly use them." She walked in the front as the twins followed her. "For nail polish I want my right hand to have, increased elemental damage, bnced elemental control, longer attack range, tracking spells, and a redundant nail. For my left hand, I want, potent crowd control, reduced mana consumption, active tracking, potent domination, and of course a redundant." She looked back at Astrid, "This would be your work." "For Frida, you''ll be working on my toenails and mobility. For the right foot, I want a fire jet, teleportation, gravity reduction, and a barrier, of course, a redundant nail is thest one. For the left, I want time slow, heavy impact, absorption, and detonation, don''t forget the redundant nail." Merlin scratched her head, "For the tattoos, I''m still thinking about them..." "But if I''m going for it, better go all out. For the chest, I want mana regeneration and capacity since it''s close to the heart. For the back, it''s arge surface so I bet we can fit some refinement, barriers, and at least two contingency spells." She looked at them with a smile, "How about one that activated if my heart stopped? We can make it inject a healing potion straight into my heart or zap me with a powerful healing spell. Another one...if I receive a fatal wound, it''ll teleport me into anotheryer of mybyrinth to buy time." "You''ll turn into an urn at this rate..." Astrid sighed. "We''re using clear tattoo ink so it won''t be visible. I won''t want Arad to see them and guess what spell I have engraved. Plus, I can always remove themter, they are made to be interchangeable after all." Merlin smiled. "You make it sound simple when we had to chain youst night from how painful the magic nail polish was." Frida scratched her head, "I don''t think you''ll survive the pain of all of this, you''ll die." "Come, I know it was painful." The witch''s nail polish that they use to turn their nail into powerful casting focuses wasn''t that easy to put on. Due to it linking up with the body''s magic circuit, putting it on is apanied by a lot of pain, like having a tooth pulled out without anesthetic, or just pulling your nail off. The tattoos weren''t pain-free either as they felt as if you were being burned with an iron, most wizards would consider such a thing as torture, but to witches and Merlin, it was nothing but a test that separated low-ranked witches and high-ranked ones. "But this is witchcraft, and I didn''t get to hair, blood, and bones yet." She looked back at them with a smile on her face. "I wanted to remove two of my ribs and turn them into dust, then fill that dust into bullets to use. I bet I could pack enough power to drop Arad from the sky with them." "Stop..." Astrid sighed; her head had started hurting. "I can also spike my blood with anti-dragon or anti-magic poison, then let Arad bite me, he is a vampire after all and I watch him spazz out on the floor." Merlin giggled, "For my hair...I still don''t know, I''ll probably use it as a magic bomb or a control catalyst." Merlin walked into her room with Astrid and Frida to start changing theyout of her enchantments, she can''t take on Arad with a half-assed arsenal, she needs toe at her best, steeling her mind as if she was about to face a whole kingdom on her own. As Arad walked into his room with Mira, they found Isdis waiting there. "You finally came back, did they leave?" While Lucia already knew that Isdis was Arad''s wife, Matilda, and Selina didn''t know that, she couldn''t just show up all the time without a reason, she''s a princess after all. "Yeah..." Mira replied with a tired face as she sat down, Arad approached the bed and dropped on it, exhausted more than usual. "So..." Isdis stared at him, "What was that earlier? It felt as if you were about to blow this whole ce up, you got me quite worried." "Sorry, it was nothing. I was thinking about something, and I just forgot to hold back my draconic presence." All dragons had their frightful presence thanks to the sheer magic passively released from their bodies, it could get strong enough to overwhelm weak humanoids and even kill them. The way it works is that since dragons cast magic with their scales and ws, they have a minimum amount of mana that they passively release, like how human bodies release heat. When a dragon gets angry, that minimum amount can spike rapidly, which is a frightful presence. Isdis stared at him for a second, "And...did you get taller?" She looked at him with a puzzled face, slowly running her cold hand on his chest, "And you even got a bit leaner." "I ate a whole cursed metal mine. That''s why I got like this." He sat up, "I need to keep looking for it regrly. It''s not something that I only need when evolving, but a crucial part of my diet." "I see..." Isdis smiled, licking her lips, "So..." She looked at Mira, "Who of us would take this night?" Mira closed her eyes, thinking for a second. "Isdis, leave. He''s mine." She said with a sharp re. "I''ll go with no... it''s my week." Isdis replied with a sharp smile. "Tina should''ve told you, right?" Mira looked at her with a passive face. "I don''t care if you''ll die in seven months, you can''t be greedy on me." Isdis replied. "You don''t care if I die? Now that''s cold." Mira red at her. Arad started sweating as he was sitting there, even if he fears no man nor God, he can''t help but feel stressed when his wives are about to get into an argument. Chapter 927: A meaningless argument Chapter 927: A meaningless argument ? Mira and Isdis red at each other. The tension rapidly grew and Arad didn''t know what to do. "You have more training tomorrow; you can''t exhaust yourself at night." Mira said with an/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om sharp re. "You are pregnant, you shouldn''t put that much stress on your body." Isdis immediately replied, her eyes glowing blue. "That doesn''t matter." Mira stared at her with eyes burning with divine magic. "It doesn''t matter to me either, I''d rather have some stress relief than pure rest." Isdis smiled as her eyes shifted toward Arad, "And the cold seems to help me rx and recover faster." Even though the argument slowly heated up, none of them started yelling. This wasn''t an argument between two ordinary women, but it was between a demi-goddess and a princess, there was no ce for petty yelling and insults. "Do you remember how you woke up this morning? You were utterly wasted. Do you really think you can take that again and go train with that woman Isbert?" Mira said, sitting on her chair facing Isdis. "I agree that I was, pretty wasted." Isdis smiled, "But I don''t intend to let it repeat. On the other hand, won''t it be even more dangerous for you to end up like that?" "You speak as if it was Arad who did that to you." Mira smiled, "You''re the one who kept asking for more until you had no space to fill. I''ll not end up as you." She put one leg on another as divine magic started burning out of her skin, illuminating the room with a faint golden glow. "I can act as a healing beacon for Arad, what could you offer?" "Is that what you have to say?" Isdis smiled as her body started getting colder and the faint blue glow of her magic started contesting with Mira''s golden glow. "It''s hot in this jungle, cold would help him recover faster, probably better than what your magic can achieve." "Ah..." Arad looked at them with a scared and worried face, "Can you two calm down a bit... I''m not going anywhere." The two red at him, "No." They both growled and returned to their argument, leaving him sitting there. Arad was a void dragon, and he could sense people''s thoughts, he fully understood that those two were arguing in vain and that they both knew it. Mira and Isdis didn''t care about what they were talking about, they only cared about getting to spend the night with him. In short, Arad knew that both of them were extremely in the mood right now, and they wanted to get it done. Each of them wanted to be the first after he showed up looking bigger and leaner, and none of them was ready to give up. Knowing that he couldn''t support any of them on her argument; he knew that was meaningless. He can''t choose one of them either as it''ll make him favor one over the other, which was what troubled him. Even refusing them both for the night would only dy the problem till tomorrow, not solve it. Knock! Knock! Everyone fell silent as someone started knocking on the door, "I hope I''m not bothering you." Tina called from the hallway, "Can I enter?" "Come in." Arad replied before any of the two girls could speak, he wanted something to change the subject, and Tina hade just at the right time. Before Mira or Isdis could protest, Tina had already opened the door and walked into the room, her eyes stopped at the two girls ring at each other and then looked at Arad. "Did Ie at a bad time?" "No, not at all." Arad smiled, "What brought you here?" "Serin and Ignis had spent the day ying and they are doing fine, but I suspect that Serin is getting a bit sad about not ying with you today. Ignis on the other hand didn''t seem bothered at all." Tina looked at Arad. "I guess they are already asleep now, it''s toote at night. I''ll put some time to y with them tomorrow." Arad replied with a smile, tapping the side of the bed for Tina to sit down. He didn''t want her to leave so quickly and give Mira and Isdis an opening to start arguing again. With careful steps, Tina slowly approached the bed and sat beside him. "Is there anything else? If it was just about that, you could''ve told me earlier or left it until tomorrow." Tina looked at him with a serious face, "It''s about Merlin, she''s been preparing day and night for theing fight. I think she''s pushing herself a bit too far, the power gap between you and her must''ve grown wider today as well, am I wrong?" Arad scratched his head, "I guess that''s true... She doesn''t need to keep trying to match me, I''m a dragon, not a humanoid." He was fully aware of his monstrous power and that it was nearly impossible to keep up with him. Even someone as talented and powerful as Merlin would struggle to match his growth. "That''s what I wanted to bring to your attention, she passed out this morning from extreme exhaustion." Tina stood, "And onest thing, Aisha had been sent to train with someone just like everyone. Hati said she''ll be back in a day or two." Arad almost started panicking as she was about to leave the room. "Is that everything?" He stood. Tina thought about it for a second and looked at Mira and Isdis, "If those two are bothering you, kick them out. I''ll take their ce." "Wait! What?" Mira and Isdis cried, ring at her. "You''ve heard me." Tina approached them, "You two are bothering him. Either pick one or let him sleep. If neither of you is staying and he wantspany, I''ll take it instead of you." "You won''t..." Mira red at her. "Never..." Isdis stood. "Keep arguing if you want. It''s not that umon in noble houses." Tina stood her ground with a sharp re, "When the wives argue and cause their husbands trouble, it''s usually the maids who pick up their ce. Even if I don''t do anything, you''ll open the door for other women jumping in." Tina pointed at the bed, "Like them." Everyone looked back, including Arad. Zia was lying naked on the bed with three other women, they were the vampire nuns. "We''ve sensed our lord being in distress so we came tofort him, seeing that his wives aren''t doing their job." Zia opened her legs and waved her foot, calling Arad in. Arad flicked his finger and they all disappeared, getting sucked back into his blood. Mira and Isdis looked at each other and they sighed, "Fine..." They both said, "You stay..." They said at the same time, pointing at each other. "I said you can stay." Mira red at Isdis, "I''ll leave, you spend the night with him." "No, I''m the one who told you to stay." Isdis growled, "I''m already..." They start arguing again, but instead of wanting to stay, they are trying to get each other to stay and show they care about each other. "Master..." Tina looked at Arad, "Those two are stubborn, more than Eris and Merida. Can I do my job since Ae isn''t here to put them in line?" Arad sighed, "Fine. Someone has to do it." Tina grabbed Mira by the hand, "It''s Isdis''s week, and you''re pregnant. You''re the oneing out with me." She dragged her toward the door, "Master, I''ll be back in an hour, make sure Isdis is done by that time so I can drag her to her room before she exhausts herself too much." Tina closed the door after her as she dragged Mira out, Leaving Arad and Isdis sitting alone in the room. "Guess I won tonight." She smiled. "You won? Tina just made a decision instead of you two..." Arad looked at her with an exhausted face. He had been relying on Ae''s stern nature to put all of his wives in line, he couldn''t be the one favoring one over another. "To be honest. That''s the maid''s job." Isdis leaned back on her chair and turned toward Arad, "A maid''s job extends far beyond cleaning and cooking, they are also expected to provide care for the sick, deliver babies, entertain their master if needed, and most importantly be a middle-person between the master and his wives if things turned sour." She smiled, "Basically if let''s say I did something really bad that might get you angry, she''ll be the one delivering the news so if there was any yelling or possible beating, she''ll eat it all." "Who''s going to hit his wives?" Arad sighed. "You are a rare one. It''s verymon among the nobles for the dominant one to be aggressive. Whether it was the husband or wife, there isdy Carme of the eastern nation, she has five husbands and is known to beat them senseless every now and then." Isdis jumped on the bed, "Isn''t that the case with dragons as well? You and Eris fight a lot, right?" "Dragons don''t fight for the sake of fighting. I fight Eris and Merida to make sure their strength remains at an adequate level. I need to always have a fresh knowledge about their power to determine who should I protect first." Arad looked at her, "Eris needs less protection than you for example. While she can take a lot of damage without dying, you won''t withstand even a flick of my fingers." "I know." Isdis approached him, "Enough of the heavy talk. I''m quite tall, but you''ve gotten even bigger." She was 1.85m tall {6''1''''} and he made her look short, he had reached 2.3m tall {7''6"} Arad was already a unit, but Isdis could feel that he was growing more massive by the day. Just looking at him and thinking about what was going to happen made her shaky. Chapter 928: Pleasing The Princess [R-18] Chapter 928: Pleasing The Princess [R-18] ? "To think you''ve grown even bigger." Isdis said as she slowly pulled her robe over her head, throwing it aside. "What am I going to do with you?" "Can''t be helped, can it?" Arad replied with a smile, "My body shifts and morphs to be able to contain my power." His clothes seemed to shift and twist, as his scales flipped around, his clothes disappeared as quickly as drapes folding up. "You were wearing your scales? I couldn''t even tell..." She approached him and ran her fingers across his chest, "And what about this down, is it fake as well?" The pants were real, and Isdis seemed disappointed when her fingers were stopped by his belt. With the belt blocking her way, she tried to take it off but failed. The tightened leather and steel were held tightly, far from anything that her fingers could move. "What''s this thing?" She looked at the belt, Arad wasn''t wearing it yesterday. "It has strange magic." "Merida made that for me. My old belt ripped up this noon so I changed it up." Arad was wearing a dragon leather belt reinforced with his old scales and Merida''s leathery fungus making it extremely durable and tight. Thanks to Arad''s fighting style, normal clothes can''t survive on him. "Should I take it off?" Arad said as he patted her head. "No." Isdis immediately replied with a pout as she red at the belt, squeezing her eyes and hands as sparks of cold magic rushed from her fingers. As the metal and leather cooled down, a bit, they loosened up and she managed to finally unbuckle that stupid belt. "Got it!" She cried with a happy smile. "How did cooling it work?" Arad asked and she pointed at the leather-like part, "Merida''s fungus shrinks when it gets cold." She tried to pull his pants off, but she immediately failed as he was sitting. Arad stood to the side of the bed, "I''ll take them on my own." He was just too heavy for her to handle on her own. Isdis sat on the bed with a sad face and sighed, "For a princess, I''m quite useless. I''ve spent years training and was quite proud of my strength, do you know that?" "You were leading a battalion of knights." Arad replied with a smile, "For humans, you''re powerful. But I''m a dragon." He sat beside her, "Don''tpare yourself to me. You are strong." He ran his hand across her shoulder, slowly pulling her closer to him. His fingers could sense how cold her skin was, they reminded him of Ae''s fingers getting cold in winter. "Cold...are you feeling okay." He asked, gently caressing her smooth neck. Isdis leaned on him, pushing herrge breasts onto his side. "Since it''s hot, don''t I feel nice being this cold?" She tried to wrap her arm around his back but failed due to how wide he was. "Don''t worry, Hati said that I''m stable at this temperature thanks to my blood." She looked at him, "But...what about you?" She knocked on his chest and it sounded like she was knocking on hardwood. "Are you sure this is fine? You were softer yesterday." "About that..." Arad smiled and his eyes shed pink for a fraction of a second. "My scales are harder than steel, that''s why I feel hard to the touch. But I can use one of Doma''s curses to weaken it up." Isdis immediately noticed his skin finally felt as soft as flesh and her finger could push a bit into his muscles, but that didn''t change they felt as hard as her tightened muscles. She looked at him for a few seconds, her gaze growing sharper as she contemted her thoughts. Isdis quickly opened her mouth and gave his abs a long lick. They didn''t taste like anything, and she looked a bit disappointed. "I''m not edible." Arad giggled as he patted her back. "Everything can be eaten, even if you said no..." She looked at him with a grin and quickly bent down and sat between his legs, pushing his long flesh all the way down her throat. After a few strokes, she stopped to breathe, "I''m lucky this one didn''t get bigger." She looked at him with a smile as her hand still worked.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "There are no muscles there, right?" Arad replied as heid his palm over her head and she pushed the flesh back into her throat for a while. As she let go, she added, "It''s already too big." She stopped and stood up, turning around, "I do want to sing and dance a bit like we used to at home, but we can''t do that here, can we?" She looked at him with a smile. "What do you suggest?" Arad pulled her to sit on hisp, and his flesh pressed against her back. She lifted her hips and sat a bit back, holding his flesh between her cold hands. "I''m a princess, how about you pamper me a bit?" She tilted her head back, "My hair is a bit messy and Rey and Ray aren''t here to fix it." Arad waved his hand, and ab appeared in his palm. It was like he had everything inside his stomach, which was close to reality. When he used to take his wives shopping in Alina, they would buy anything they thought was interesting and just shove it in his stomach. "You know I''m not quite good at it. This might hurt." Arad startedbing her hair as gently as he could, and she giggled, "Love, that won''t be a problem. I''d appreciate it better if you pulled my hair." She slowly lifted her hips and lined his flesh, dropping down with her whole weight and forcing therge and thick thing all the way to her deepest part. She gasped, hunching forward as she held her stomach, as usual, the first thrust was always painful. No matter how many times she did it, she never got used to it. Even though Isdis thought she was quite wet, her body being frozen cold only sharpened the pain more. "Ahhh... That stung..." "Are you okay?" Arad bent down and looked at her face with a worried stare. "Yeah..." She mumbled...finally feeling a bit of heat rising inside her belly, her groin itched as if stung, and her legs shivered. Herrge hips trembled as she shook them a bit, her toes curling back and a deep gasp escaped her throat. She looked at Arad, "Please, keep going..." No matter how many times she felt this, it always made her thirstier, if she could stay like this forever, she would do it. As Arad keptbing her hair, she started slowly rocking her hips, grinding on Arad''s flesh. With each slight jerk, she barely managed to muffle her moans into grunts. Such moves would''ve been a major pain for Aradbing her hair, but to him, she was as good as still, his dexterous and fast hands kept up quickly,bing her hair in the exact way he saw Ray and Rey do it. Unlike Mira and Merida who foundbing their hair like a chore that they only did to keep it nice and smooth, Isdis was like Ae and Eris who enjoyed doing their hair. To her, it felt rxing and soothing to have her hairbed. Arad''s rapid and skillful hands could mimic both Ray and Ray''s hands at the same time, and doing it while pleasuring herself on his flesh, this almost reached the peak of rxing pleasure that she could ask for. As Isdis gasped, she could feel it slowly burning down her spine, this pleasureful feeling was her downfall, this is why she got carried awayst night and ended up wasted. It was addicting, and she couldn''t help but slow down a bit each time she got closer to climaxing, only to elongate it further. "I finished." Arad''s voice woke her up from her trance, and she blinked twice before looking back at him. He had made her hair into two braids, useful things forter on. "My love, you rascal..." She slowly turned around without taking his flesh from her. Her right leg swung above Arad''s head as she finally sat facing him. "Two braids..." She giggled. "Like usual." Arad patted her head. Isdis looked to the side, "We probably won''t stop or halt after this," She poured herself arge mug of water from the bedside table and gulped it down. She had learned this lesson the hard way even though Ae had once warned her. They are going to spill a lot of water and that must be reced. "Do you know about the braids?" Arad caressed her back as she slowly started rocking her hips, grinding on his flesh. "Rey and Ray told me that you asked them to make my hair into braids or twin tails before bed." She leaned forward and started licking his chest. This was her part of the night, and she''ll take full advantage until his turnes. "They are good for pulling. Even a ponytail would do." Arad hugged her closer to him. "They...looked...like dragon horns...for pulling." Isdis started gasping with each jerk, and she looked at him with thirsting eyes. Sadly, bending down to reach her chest was a bit ufortable for him thanks to his height, but reaching her lips was far easier so she got a deep kiss. Secondster, she cried with her lips locked to his, squirting rivers as his massive arms held her in a tight grip on his chest. Chapter 929: Finishing The Cold One [R-18] Chapter 929: Finishing The Cold One [R-18] ? Isdis panted and Arad slowly lowered her back on the soft bed. Shey on her stomach, trying to catch her breath. Even though she was the one moving and her stamina was quite high, with Arad''s size it was quite an exhausting task. Arad patted her back, running his hand around her opal and plump butt, "Can you keep going?" Isdis slowly lifted her butt up, "Yeah. It''s your turn." Slowly turned her head and looked back at him with a thirsty smile, just like Merida, it''ll take a lot to calm her down now that they started. Arad leaned over her back and caressed her massive breasts in hisrge palms, gently squeezing them as he pulled her a bit back. Even if Arad did like them quite a bit, he couldn''t shake the faint disappointment from the back of his mind that theycked any milk. From what he learned so far, for them to produce milk Isdis must get pregnant first. He decided to start working on that immediately. With a single swift shive, prated as deep as he could inside her, causing her to gasp and leave forward, clenching her hands on the sheet. Isdis tried to lean forward, but Arad pulled her back by the braids, thrusting again and again with increasing speed. She held her voice for only a few seconds before she started moaning loudly, trying to catch her breath but failing with each smack. The rougher he got with her, the sharper the eye he was keeping on her mind. She might be a seasoned knight with a wealth of endurance, but he wouldn''t want to push her over what she could take. The moment the thought of stopping crosses her mind, he''ll stop, keeping a tab on her thought was their stopping cue. For now, he was certain she enjoyed every second of it, and he was only going faster as that was what her thoughts signaled. Isdis groaned, "Stop...I''m about to....ahhhhhhhhhh!" Even though she asked him to stop, her thoughts said otherwise. Arad grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up, thrusting even deeper and hammering her womb, causing her moans to shift from disoriented groans into a siren-like melody, her bardic throat struggling to get the moans out under Arad''s palm, not because he was squeezing too hard, but because her mouth was busy trying to suck on his fingers. Isdis came over and over again, her body twitching as if jolted by lightning, rocking with Arad''s rapid thrusts as she leaked all over the bed sheet. But Arad wasn''t slowing down, but getting faster until her pale rear turned bright red and her knees gave up. Arad pulled her tightly close to him, thrusting even deeper in onest push, going all the way to her upper limit of tolerance. In her thoughts, he could hear her squint a bit from the pain, but she wasn''t trying to move away, but instead pushed all of her weight back, pushing through the pain to get onest climax, forcing his flesh into her cervix. Arad filled her womb directly, almost stretching her stomach a bit. Isdis twitched with a euphoric grin on her face, squeezing herself tighter and tighter around Arad''s flesh as she came onest time. Arad dropped her on the bed andy over her, looking at her joyful and tearful face. As he slowly pulled himself out of her, he could feel her squeezing harder and saw her butt move back, trying to keep him inside.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad looked at her for a few seconds, this was just likest night. They almost did this each time they got in bed, butst night she had drunk that Gracie tear thing which made them repeat what they just did several more times. This was one session, and they did almost ninest night, which caused her to fall exhausted in the morning. Isdisid on her stomach with her body jolting and her butt twitching, she barely managed to turn on her back and looked at Arad''s face. "Can you...keep going?" she asked, her eyes crying for more. Arad was a true dragon and this was merely his humanoid side. He still had barrels stored inside and a well of stamina enough to run over a thousand Isdis in one night. Arad crawled to her side, gentlybing his fingers through her hair, and cleared her face with a swift wipe, "Of course." He patted her stomach, "But...you must slow down." A brown potion appeared in his hand and he pulled the stopped with two fingers. Isdis reached up with her shaking hands and took the potion, sipping it slowly. That was a stamina and a healing potion all mixed together. This would help her insides recover a bit from the friction, and give her a small boost to stamina. Arad didn''t hesitate for a second to weaponize his alchemy knowledge to push his nights a few sessions further. As Isdis slowly drank the potion, Arad helped himself to herrge, soft, and plump breasts. He immediately started squeezing them and sucking on her nipples, trying to get anything out. Isdis flinched and moaned, almost choking on her potion but she let him do what he wanted, she was used to this, but his moves changed each time as if he were trying different methods to see if they worked. "Arad..." She mumbled, "They are dry..." She said, but her arms still immediately wrapped around his neck the moment she finished drinking the potion. As she pulled him closer in a hug, his moves became fiercer and assaulted her nipples even harder, causing her to cum once more. As Arad slowly moved back, still disappointed at how dry her breasts were. She stared at him with a pout, lifting her foot and pushing him back by the chest. "Told you that won''t work." She sat up and leaned forward, bending down as she reached with her lips toward his flesh, licking it from the tip of the base, and immediately started sucking it once again. Arad reached with his hand and tightly grabbed her butt, "What do you say? Should we try again?" Isdis stopped sucking and looked at him with a smile, "Of course my love." This time she leaned on her back and lifted her legs up, "Go even deeper this time, mess me up. And you can have those as well." She squeezed her breasts. Arad leaned over her, thrusting deep into her as he started sucking her on her nipples. But this time Isdis actually cried, her legs jolting out but her hands grabbed onto Arad''s back, her nails would''ve cut into his skin had he been human. This time each thrust pierced as deep as her womb, jolting her spine with both pain and pleasure. This time they were serious, Arad wasn''t holding back and she wasn''t trying to hold him back, only one thing raced across their mind. This time it shall work, Isdis must get pregnant. Time passed, and soon a knocking came on the door. "An hour had passed; I came to collect Isdis." Tina said. "NO!" Isdis gasped, Arad still thrusting into her harder thanst time. They were in their fourth session, "Come back,ter... AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! Arad more! More!" She moaned. The door opened and Tina walked in with a passive and exhausted face. In her hands, she held a basin of hot water and two towels were hanging on her arm. "I said the time is over. You''ll keep going if I let you. You always keep going." She locked the door behind her. Isdis red at her with a red face, but Arad didn''t seem to care. "Get out! Get out!" She was both enraged and embarrassed. Tina sighed, "Master, finish this quickly. She''s holding up thanks to potions, right? Even if she doesn''t wake up near crippled like before, just being extremely sore is bad." Tina sat on a charge, looking at them as if looking to infuriate Isdis even further. When Arad was done and had filled Isdis onest time. Isdis jumped out of the bed, trying to reach Tina but her legs gave up and she fell on her face, her butt lifted up and leaking on the ground. Tina slowly stood and approached the bed, putting the bowl of hot water on it. "See? Lady Isdis, you''re barely holding up thanks to Master''s potions." She rinsed the towers and reached toward Arad''s flesh. "If you''ll excuse me, Master." Tina skillfully cleaned Arad''s flesh, making sure it was in perfect shape. After cleaning him she turned back to Isdis and cleaned her as well. Isdis kept growling at her, but Tina paid her no mind. After finishing, she approached the bed once more. "Master, would please get off the bed?" She asked. Arad stood up and Tina pulled the sheet and immediately changed it with a fresh one from the closet, before wrapping it into a roll. She then pulled out a bathrobe and threw it over Isdis. "Come on; Back to your room. I made sure the hallways were empty." As Isdis barely stood and started approaching the door, Tina approached Arad and bowed deeply, "I apologize if my actions offended you, Master." "No, not at all. While I follow what Isdis wants, what she wants might not be the best for her. You''re a sound of reason, a hard stop to prevent us from going too far." He smiled. Tina bowed even deeper, "I''m not worthy of such praise. Please wait for a minute, I''ll bring the other one." Tina escorted Isdis out of the room and soon returned with Mira by her side. As Tina got Mira beside Arad''s bed, she looked once more at Arad, "As before, I''lle in an hour to collect her. And now, enjoy your time..." She walked backward toward the door, stood in it, and gave them onest bow before leaving. Chapter 930 Testing What works [R-18] Chapter 930 Testing What works [R-18] "She works hard, doesn''t she?" Mira looked at Arad with a faint smile, "If Ae was here, only Isdis would''ve been here tonight." "Tina is extremely good at her job, Rey and Ray are also skilled. But I think she edges them out by how used she is to our family." Arad replied, "She knows what each one needs or wants and acts ording to what''s best for all." "Like the one time she got mad at you for cutting trees in one spot?" Mira giggled, "Luci didn''t want to tell you off, but Tina spoke up." "You''d think she won''t be that good for someone who didn''t attend any maid official training. But she''s indeed talented." Mira looked up. "Wait? They have official training?" Arad gasped. "There is a whole academy at the capital, their courses range from cooking to cleaning and sewing all the way to secretary work, financial management, and healing care." Mira leaned back on Arad''s shoulder, "That''s one reason why maids are paid a lot, especially those in the royal castle or those with special contracts." Arad immediately realized something, "Tina''s pay is managed by Ae, right? How much are we paying her? We aren''t underpaying her, right?" "We aren''t paying her at all." Mira looked at him with a passive face, "She has ess to your hoard and can take whatever amount she wants." Arad sighed, "You scared me there¡­I thought she was left with nothing." He was relieved that Tina was in fact being paid, not with a set amount, but by allowing her to get paid whatever she wanted from his hoard. "Last month she took around five gold coins. Three of them were expenses on Serin, one gold, and fifty silver were spent on things around the house while the remaining fifty silver coins were private spendings." Mira exined what she saw in their ledgerst month. While Arad did many things around the house, he wasn''t that good at management, but hearing this made him believe that his wives might be just as bad as him. "That''s nothing." He gasped, "Fifty silver is basically nothing. Someone could make that in a day chopping wood or reselling monsters'' leather in Alina''s za." Albeit fifty silvers were a decent amount, it wasn''t that big for a whole month of spending. "She lives in our house so she doesn''t worry about rent. She eats with us, and we also take care of heating and providing any simr necessities. Merida provides all of our clothes so those are basically free, and Lydia stops by asionally so we don''t need healing, and with me and Eris bing demi-goddesses, our healing needs had disappeared." Mira smiled, "Even if Tina wanted jewelry, the kobolds make far better jewelry than anything money could buy. They also tailor it onmand." "So even if she had the money, everything is provided at our home for better quality¡­" Aradid on the bed, "You forgot yourself. You''re the best carpenter in Alina so we don''t need anyone else." "You''re building a small kingdom in your domain. Especially with King Baltos living inside your castle now¡­" She giggled, "We almost can''t pay for anything. I once went to Alina''s za to buy some custom nails from the smiths there and I found it near impossible to convince him to get paid." N?v(el)B\\jnn "He refused?" "Said he wouldn''t ept payment since we provided him ess to the iron ore mined from the mountain when we were building the base of the castle. King Baltos being close to us also gives us a lot of influence." She slowly moved and sat on Arad''s stomach, dangling her legs from the bed. "You''re a baron, did you forget?" "Didn''t we get a dwarf woman? Liora, the cksmith from Riverside?" Arad realized that he hadn''t seen her in a while, she did deliver his weapons though. "Liora? She''s working on the steel and iron work for the castle and its siege engines. Dwarves get really sucked into their work as long as they have alcohol. We decided to pay for all of her alcohol alongside paying her for all the work, but Alina''s brewery said they give her drinks for free in exchange for putting some of their barrels on disy at her shop, and for them to the castle''s first suppliers of drinks." Miray on Arad''s chest, taking a deep breath as she listened to his heart beating¡­there was nothing, she couldn''t hear anything. "What''s up with your heart?" She looked at Arad''s face, "I always wanted to ask, but why can''t I hear it?" "All of my organs are stored in the void; no sound could get out." He replied but she stared at him with a doubtful face, "Really? It''s usually gotten loud when you fight." "There is a limit to how fast blood can be transferred out of the void and to my apparent limbs and especially nervous system. If I wanted to go above three-quarters of my power, I''d need at least my heart and lungs to be exposed." He patted her back, "While I''m almost immune to fatal wounds to my body when not going all out. If a foe is strong enough to force me to go above three-thirds of my output, he''d be exposing those two weaknesses." In his human form, Arad acts like a dungeon boss fighting with rules. To expose his weakness, you must be defensive enough to force him to use more than three-quarters of his firepower, which will expose weaknesses that are easier to hit than his brain and spine, for those two are protected with hard bones while you could still stab the heart and lungs through the ribcage with a well-aimed thrust. "How about now?" Arad said with a smile and Mira could hear his heart beating, he had pulled it out of the void. "Yeah, this is better. I can hear it well, and it''s rxing." He slowly ran his palm across her back andbed her hair between his fingers. Mira sighed, "I really¡­really¡­really want to do it¡­" She reached down with her hand and grabbed his flesh. She then quickly touched herself, "But we can''t¡­" "Sorry, I''m too big it might be dangerous." Arad replied in a whisper, "Is there anything you would like to do?" "Cuddling like this might be the best." Mira rxed at Arad''s side, snuggling closer to his chest. She then looked at him, "Well, it''s not like I just wanted to do it. Since I saw you grow a bit bigger, I wanted to feel you a bit more. Still, it''s a shame we can''t do it." Arad scratched his head, "Well, I got a few ideas. Want to try them?" "Ideas? About bedtime? Since when have you got ideas?" She looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Not mine, but from the others. They might work for you as well." Arad sat up and so did she. "Want to try them?" "As long as you don''t tell me what is from who¡­" Mira''s first sexual partner is Arad, and she''ll remain only with him. In this world, he''s her only source of such knowledge. While he on the other hand has ess to many more wives to learn from, and a stack of people he doesn''t care to mention. Arad pushed Mira onto the bed and lifted her legs up, opening her legs apart. "So, what is it?" Arad started rubbing his flesh between her legs as he licked her toes. "This?" Mira gasped, pulling her legs away, "Stop, it feels weird." She crawled into a ball, "And I can totally guess it''s from either Ae or Eris." She knew about the elves'' habits and preferences. Humans loved butts and breasts, elves loved hands and feet, dwarfs loved beards and muscles, while dragons like Arad liked more behavioral qualities like aggression and strength, their taste was far more refined beyond humanoid''s understanding. "Don''t like it?" Arad looked at her. "No, it feels a bit weird. And It''s too embarrassing¡­" She looked at Arad, "Got something else?" "How about this?" Arad pulled her hips closer to him. On the tip of his fingers, he pulled a tiny bit of oil from his stomach and rubbed it on Mira''s butt. "What are you doing?" She asked with a puzzled face. "Trying something else." He pulled her even closer to him, "Take a deep breath and rx, try not to tense up." He tried to push it in her butt, but she immediately cried. "Stop! That hurt!" She pulled back. "It hurt that much?" He looked at her, Eris had never shown such a reaction, but her pain tolerance was indeed higher than anyone else. "It''s not supposed to go in there." Mira sat up, "That hurt a lot! This has to be Merida or Eris." She sighed, "Why I''m even guessing¡­Let''s try something else." Arad lifted Mira up andid on the bed, he then sat her on his face, "You bed down to suck it, I''ll take care of you here." Mira gasped, trying to jump away as she felt him licking her most delicate parts. "Wait! This feels wrong, I''ll be at the bottom." This time Arad wasn''t letting her go, "I''m heavier than you by a lot. You''ll be on top now." "Fine¡­" She said with a beet-red face as she slowly bent down to start doing her part. Chapter 931: The Fourth Day of Training Starts! Chapter 931: The Fourth Day of Training Starts! ? An hourter of the doing the same thing, Tina knocked on the door once more. "Master, I''vee back to collect Mira." She immediately walked onto them, "Are you done yet." She paused for a second, staring at them, "What are you two doing?" "At least wait for us to let you in!" Mira immediately jumped from over Arad and stared at her. "It''s already midnight and you need to sleep so you can wake up early. Don''t forget that you''ve got work." She stared at her with a passive face, "You''re the one who told me toe and get you after an exact hour." "Arad!" Mira looked back at Arad. "The room is locked with my void. She won''t even be able to enter if I didn''t actively allow her." Arad replied, that he indeed let Tina in. Mira was quite used to exhaustion and overworking herself, while she kept pushing longer and longer through the hour without even resorting to stamina potions, he was noticing the exhaustion piling up in her mind. "I know you''re already exhausted, Go rest. We''ll continue once we have time." Arad patted Mira''s head as Tina approached her with a bathrobe. Tina pulled her bowl of hot water and looked at Mira, "Wait, I''ll clean you first." "No need. I got a small bath in my room. I''ll use them before going to sleep." She walked toward the door and went out. "So, I''ll clean you immediately." She turned toward Arad and started cleaning him. "We discussed your payment; you should take more money from the horde. At least ten gold coins a month, not per week." Arad looked at her. Tina lifted her head and looked back at him, "Working in the house of a dragon, payment with money is the least important. I''ve got protection, ess to infinite wealth, and the peace of mindes from hiding in the shadow of a powerful being." She finished cleaning him and stood. "Even if I got your protection, I shouldn''t seek troubles. Even if I got ess to your infinite wealth, there is no reason for me to waste it. And even with the peace and assurance being your maid provides, I shall not take that for granted and neglect my work." She bowed, "As some in the vige started to call me, I''m the maid of the dragon, and I must live up to that title." She turned around and walked toward the door., finally leaving after giving Arad onest deep bow. Aradid back on his bed, "The maid of the dragon... I hope that''s not a problem..." Wishing that Tina won''t overwork herself; Arad closed his eyes and went to sleep. The next morning arrived quickly and Arad made his way to the training ground right at dawn. Kayden was sitting there waiting for him. "You arrived? We both are quite early so you should get ready." Kayden said with a serious face. "Today I''ll learn how to defend against the shes, right?" Arad approached him. "Indeed. So far, you''ve learned how to elerate, how to teleport the middle of eleration, and then how to sh. This is your fourth lesion and it''s about how to minimize damage and protect yourself. Even if you can regenerate, it''s always best to save that energy instead." Kayden stood and rolled up his sleeves. "When facing an attack, you must read the flow of mana in the attack, whether it was a weapon or a spell, and then form a thin, skin-tight barrier that blocks it." As Kayden clenched his arm, Arad noticed a thinyer of mana engulfing it. "Just like how mundane weapons can''t harm magic armor or magic barriers, you''ll do the same but on a higher level. Each barrier you form should be unique to the attack you''re trying to block, and you should cancel it right after blocking to save up mana unless you expect more than one simr strike. Using this method, you''ll only lose as much energy as the attack manages to chip away from the barrier, and even that amount is proportional to the refinement of your barrier." Kayden rolled down his sleeve and walked back, "Since I want you to practice with more than one type of attack, I''ll prepare countless enemies to attack you." Kayden sat on a boulder, "I''d suggest you shift into your draconic form. That''s your most defensive form and it just happened that you''ll have thergest surface to get attacked through." Kayden wanted Arad to fight in his draconic form since he''d be a bigger target for attacks, and that would also allow him to learn how to make and controlrger barriers in different parts of his body. And Arad generally isn''t threatened in his human form, he''ll be in real danger when an enemy can harm him in his draconic form. Arad shifted into his draconic form and rolled around like a cat, closing his eyes as he waited, taking advantage of that time to focus and try to create a barrier simr to what Kayden had just shown him. His scales shimmered with magical light, but it was hard to pinpoint a single spot to protect. He couldn''t spread the barrier over his whole body either as that wouldpromise the barrier''s quality. From the sky, four demons appeared. Two of them flew on the backs of mutated wyverns and the other two flew with their own wings. Thergest of them, a fighter carrying his massive burning greatsword on his back gasped, "Is that him? The one our lord spoke about?" "HOHO! HOHO! LOOK AT HIM!" The ten-foot-tall moon Oni who sat on her wyvern shouted, maniacallyughing with arge smile on her face blue face, "That''s the most beautiful ck dragon I''ve ever seen in my whole life!" She stood and pulled out her purple long sword. "Is it wrong that I want its babies?" She looked back at the two demons flying behind. "No." One of them replied; he was a thin and short killer demon, a rare kind of demon that specializes in long-range assassinations. "I feel the same, and the lord said he is a guy." He scratched his head. "Fools!" The fourth one yelled at them, "Get back to your senses! He''s indeed beautiful, probably to the point of giving birth to nymphs. Be careful!" He opened his palm and a ghostly axe appeared in his hands. The moon Oni woman smiles, "I don''t care if it''s because of that. I still want his babies, so I''m going in first!" She jumped off her wyvern with arge grin on her face. Arad opened his eyes, stared up at them, and spotted the moon Oni falling toward him with a crazed smile on her face. He roared, his voice shaking the ground beneath his talons. "I''m Lunara! My love!" She unsheathed her sword and fell with a swing at Arad''s head, "Give it to me!" As her sword approached Arad''s head, he dodged to the side and deflected her attack with his horn. As Lunaranded, she looked toward Kayden "Say, can I have him if I managed to win?" "He''s married." Kayden replied with a passive face. "If that''s a problem, I can just kill them." She replied with a smile, "And this dragon would be all mine." She giggled with a shiver running down her spine.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "You probably shouldn''t say that. It''ll only get him angrier." Arad had heard her say she''d kill his wives, and he wasing from behind her. She looked to see Arad''s w flying toward her at an insane speed. She jumped up and blocked his attack with ease. All those four demons that Kayden called were already masters of what Arad had learned so far, and they could even protect themselves with barriers in the same way that Arad was trying to learn. By all means, he shouldn''t be able to damage them that much. Lunara wasn''t afraid of getting harmed, and that was a mistake. Arad grabbed her by the leg as she was about to fly away, he then immediately grabbed her other leg and forced them apart, ring straight at her groin as he opened his mouth, charging a full power energy breath. With how massive Arad was, it looked like arge man holding a small bird between his hands. She tried to teleport away from the iron grasp of his ws, but he teleported with her. Arad had already noticed that she was protecting her full body with a barrier so he couldn''t effectively damage her, but there were parts of the body that she wouldn''t even bother to protect, parts that attacks usually never reach. As she tried to escape, Arad sted his breath straight into her uterus and into her womb. Her body inted like a balloon as the massive energy of Arad''s breath gathered inside her barrier-covered body, and she soon exploded in a white re of fire. And to remove the possibility of her regenerating from her limbs, Arad immediately ate her legs which remained in his ws, and lunged forth and ate one of the arms that survived. Kayden sighed and waved his hand, resurrecting Lunara from his blood. She appeared just as she stood before, even her weapons and clothes got recovered. "By all means, you''ve got the advantage over him. But be careful, if you threaten his wives, he''ll rip you to shreds." The moment Arad noticed that Lunara hade back to life, he lunged at her in a heartbeat. Therge fighter demon rushed in and tackled Arad from the side, pushing him aside as he shouted. "LUNARA! How the fuck did you manage to get killed in less than a second! You''re supposed to be immune to his attacks!" "He is better than I ever expected!" She shouted with arge grin, rushing back toward Arad. Chapter 932: The Four Demon Lords Chapter 932: The Four Demon Lords ? Lunara ran toward Arad whileughing like a mad woman. With an earth-shattering jump, she flew at his head, swinging her sword down and shing him across the shoulder as the demon fighter tackled Arad once more with a shoulder shove. Due to the four demons'' immense strength and Kayden''s advice for training, Arad''s fight had started with him already in the dragon''s stage, leaving one form in the tank. "Aronos!" Lunara shouted at the fighter who just tackled Arad, "Don''t hit my husband! Only I can hit him!" "Shut up!" Aronos shouted back. It''s either that Lunara is too absorbed in her own thoughts, or that Arad''s beauty effect is stronger against women than men. "Wake up! Get back to your senses!" Arad turned around and swung his w at Aronos, but the demon easily jumped back, getting ready to counter with his great sword. But the ground beneath his feet suddenly shed and exploded into massive burning stone spikes. Arad had learned earth magic from Lucia when they were stuck underground, and he could use it to fight. "I''m awake!" Lunara rushed through the burning stones like the wind and swung at Arad''s arm, severing his right w with a single move. "Arad was your name, right?" She red at Arad''s steaming jaw, "I want you, and I''m gonna get you. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. If you resist, I''m going to have to start with your wives." Arad regenerated his w, and jumped straight toward Aronos, ignoring Lunara. "Wait! You''re going for him?!" The killer demon, Kagoro was standing beside Kayden. "He''s intelligent, taunts won''t work against him. Is that right?" "I''ve warned you before, didn''t I?" Kayden sighed, "You''re here to train his defensive power, but that doesn''t mean he can''t kill you. If this was a direct fight, my money would be on him killing you all." Kagoro jumped into the air and disappeared like mist, finallynding in his hiding spot five kilometers away from the battlefield. In his thin arms, he held a massive sniper rifle that he bought from Mechanus. The weapon charged with magic, crackling white as he looked through the scoop, aiming straight at Arad''s chest. "Piercing round engaged, dragon type, heavy caliber, target locked on, ounting for location-specific natural aspects, done." POOOF! As silently as a puff of smoke, Kagoro fired his bullet straight toward Arad, piercing his chest and barely missing the heart and spine. Arad''s eyes immediately looked toward Kagoro''s direction. Kagoro gasped, "Wait! Shit, he found me from a single shot?" He stood, trying to change location immediately. Arad easily ounted for his stance, the entering and exit wound for the bullet to determine where the shot came from. As Kagoro turned around, he found Arad standing behind him, charging an energy breath. Arad''s range is 40 Kilometres {~25 miles}, so trying to snipe him from 5 kilometers {~3.1 miles} away was a bad idea. [Shadow Step] Kagoro teleported behind Arad''s back to avoid the deadly breath and aimed another bullet at his back, trying to blow the spine into pieces but Arad wriggled his back and neck like a snake, dodging the bullet at thest moment and caused the beam of his breath to rip a ravine in the terrain surrounding them. "Kagoro! We''re here!" Glinstone shouted as he appeared in the sky, swinging his ghostly battle axe toward Arad''s head. Lunara was on the ground aiming to sever Arad''s left hind leg, and Aronos was alreadytched onto Arad''s tail, hacking at it with his dull great sword. As the four demons kept hacking and shing at Arad''s scales, he rampaged across thends, sting and nuking anything that moved before his eyes. If the mortal world saw such a battle they would panic, thinking that the end of the world had started. With a single breath, Arad would wipe outrge chunks ofnd and the mere aura of those four demons is powerful enough to instantly kill any human that gets too close to them. The abyss is an infinite hole with no bottom, it extends endlessly, giving birth to new powerful demon lords and princes on each of its untoldyers. Those four demons were demon lords of some of the loweryers that Kayden brought to train Arad just like the demon from yesterday. Every one of them could prove a threat to the whole world had they been brought to the mortal world and would y countless hero in their conquest. Kayden didn''t choose them just for their power though, he wanted people powerful enough to challenge Arad''s skills. Lunara was a master sher; she was known as the severing demon queen of the 987irs of the abyss and was born almost 600 years ago. When mortals suddenly found their skin getting filled with cuts and shes, it was her influence and malice taking shape in the mortal world.N?v(el)B\\jnn Have you ever found a cut on your body that you can''t figure out where it came from, those are called Lunara''s licks, and she had taken interest in you, an interest big enough for her to taste you and see if you could be her next meal. She was brought to fight Arad and give him a challenge with her masterful shes. Kagoro is a fairly young demon lord, being born just in the past century as Mechanus started spreading their steel snipers across the world. He resides inyer 3546 of the abyss and is rapidly gaining influence among snipers and assassins as the lord of mystery and undetected killing. He was recently blessed by Gracie, the mother of all life and death to be an avatar of death and shadows, granting him enough power to rival other older demon lords. Kayden had called Kagoro since his bullets were one of the best piercing attacks of all the demon lords of the abyss. Aronos is the oldest of the demon lords that Kayden called and a personal favorite of him. He was called as the demonic sword master of violence, his giant ck sword was made of the dried bones of dead gods, arge, jagged, and dull hunk of solid matter that crushes and never cut. Being over ten thousand years old, Aronos had existed long before Kayden was even born, and he had held a massive influence on the abyss as a demon lord who enjoyed ying other demons for fun. War runs in his blood, and he finds nothing more enjoyable than the sound of crushing bones and agonized gruntles and cries of his ripped-apart enemies. His legendary dull greatsword would provide a perfect test for Arad''s ability to resist bludgeoning damage. Kayden''s could''ve picked a demon lord with a hammer or a club, but those are either too slow to hit Arad, or too powerful that they won''t offer good learning partners. Glinstone isn''t that known in the mortal world as he rarely cares to interact with humanoids, but he''s well known across the multiverse and especially with seasoned conjuration wizards as the GGL {Ghastly Ghostly Lord}. Summoning and creating different weapons of magic is his specialty and most of the magic that conjures ethereal chains or weapons could be traced all the way back to him. Even as a demon, he''s backed up and protected by the goddess of magic for his achievements. Even the basics of something like Betty''s light sword, which Arad copied into a void sword could be traced all the way back to Glinstone''s magic and scriptures, that is how his name is spreading across the world. With the other three handling the shing, piercing, and bludgeoning, Glinstone''s role is to offer a bit of variety by adding pure magic weapons to the mix and challenging Arad with different variables of damage. As Arad roared into the sky, his voice cracking the ground, the four demon lords faced him with sweat rushing down their backs, even their powersbined, they could only hold onto life by the edge while facing this Nuclear Chaos, this apocalyptic dragon from the world''s end. The training ground went into mes as the demons charged once more at Arad, looking at the stars glowing on his obsidian wings. Those were traces of magic as he tried to analyze their attacks and form his barriers. Just as humans could use hand gestures to manipte magic and increase their uracy, Arad was using his wings as amplifiers to further refine his -control. "Don''t let him refine his magic! Attack the meridians glowing on his wing immediately!" Kagoro shouted as he aimed his rifle, sting one of the stars on Arad''s left wing, which was one out of the twelve sapphire stars down, and the bullet ripped a hole in the mountain behind the battlefield. Lunara jumped at Arad, swinging her sword at his chest, "Look at me!" Arad dodged her attack and swung his w at her back. Such a massive being shouldn''t be able to move that fast, but Arad wasn''t any normal creature, the way his body twisted and moved was so abnormal that it caused those who saw it to have a headache. Arad''s w had stopped Lunara''s de. Chapter 933: Mass Destruction Battle Chapter 933: Mass Destruction Battle ? Lunara growled as she spun around and threw a sh toward Arad''s w, trying to sh it. CLANG! The two shed and sparks blinded everyone. "YOU! Beautiful! Bastard! ...how can you think of such tricks!?" Sheughed at the top of her lungs. Since Arad still couldn''t form his barriers, he used the shing technique that Kayden taught him on his ws to block Lunara''s de. It was a chainsaw shing with another chainsaw. Glinstone jumped in swinging a massive spectral chain trying to tie Arad in ce, but Arad immediately gave him a terrifying stare of glowing eldritch me in his eyes. A jolt of gravity magic rushed around Arad and violently pulled everything down for just a fraction of a second, forcing Glinstone''s chains to miss and their magic to crumble against Arad''s dense magical aura. "This thing can control gravity to this extent?! No one told me anything about this!" Glinstone growled as hended, but immediately saw Arad''s massive and fat tail flying toward him like a whip. Aronos jumped in and blocked Arad''s tail with an attack from his great sword. CRACK! He smiled as he flew some of Arad''s tail bones crack, but just like that, a crack seeped across his greatsword as well. "This is made of the bone of a fucking god you monster!" He shouted, waving his hand over the great sword to fix, and at the same time Arad''s tail had healed. "FIRE IN THE HOLE!" A voice boomed across the demons'' heads, but of course, Arad was excluded. That was a warning sent by Kagoro to hispanions to clear the area and survive hising attack. After countless trials and errors, Kagoro had finally managed to learn Arad''s maximum range of 40 kilometers and stationed himself 45 kilometers away and aimed his sniper rifle after heavily modifying it. He is a genius demon lord who rose to power in a short time, and if anyone could challenge Arad''s learning speed and improvising skills, it''s him. With all the modification and binding he had to cast upon himself, Kagoro managed to exchange efficiency for range and power, charging the majority of his power in a single long- range bullet of mass destruction and aiming the barrel toward Arad. Arad turned, and stared straight back at Kagoro, scaring the living hell out of him. "Shit! He can see me?!" He couldn''t believe his eyes; it should''ve been impossible for Arad to detect him. But he had misunderstood a few things and that was what exposed him. Arad''s detection range isn''t physical, but magic, his eyes can see far past the 40-kilometer limit, and there was another thing that exposed Kagoro''s location. The warning call he sent to everyone else was encoded so Arad couldn''t understand it, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t track what direction it came from. If Kagoro ignored hispanion''s lives and fired without warning them, he would''ve caught Arad off guard, but he didn''t. Arad shoved his tail into the ground and pulled a massive boulder, immediately throwing it toward Kagoro with all of his might. Seeing such a move, Kagoro gasped and pulled the trigger with an aim straight toward Arad''s heart. The boulder flew straight toward theing bullet and spun around it with gravity magic to avoid getting sted. Due to the energy of the round, the boulder heated like a meteor as it approached Kagoro. Kagoro''s bullet was faster than Arad''s boulder, but Arad had fired first. The moment the boulder flew right above Kagoro''s head, seeing to miss the target, the bullet began sinking into Arad''s chest, ready to st his heart and back. ZON! Using his magic that he left in the boulder as a beacon, Arad teleported right above Kagoro''s head with blood still seeping out of his chest as the bullet exploded where he stood before and killed the other three demons'' lords who didn''t escape in time as Kagoro had fired prematurely due to the shock of Arad seeing him. "Does this thing even need the fucking defense?!" Kagoro cried as Arad sted him with a point-nk energy breath. As the four demon lords woke up as Kayden resurrected them, they all cried. Their death hade so suddenly that they could barely believe it. They who are feared among countlessyers of the abyss and boasting enough power to seem immortal to both mortals and demon kind had found themselves TPKed {Total party kill: A gaming term when your full party gets wiped out by something.} out of nowhere. "You''re finally awake?" Arad was sitting on a boulder behind them in his humanoid form, ring at them with burning purple eyes. "Sorry, should I not resist? I can hold back if you want." Kayden looked at him, "Do you know that if any of those four got summoned to the outside world, it''ll be an apocalypse? I can''t believe you need to hold back against them." "Lord Kayden, who is he exactly? Since when such a monster is living in the mortal world, how is that even allowed?" Kagoro growled. "Now I want him even more." Lunara crawled toward Arad, "Say, can we at least..." He kicked her in the face and sent her rolling for several meters away. "Still don''t trust you. Keep your distance, I''m married." Arad red at her and a mouth appeared on his neck, "{Yeah, I''ll snitch if you did anything.}" Doma giggled. "Two things." Kayden red at them, "You don''tment or say anything, or I''ll erase you out of existence. Take this knowledge to your grave." He red at them with six burning red eyes, "He''s Arad Orion, that should exin everything." The demons fell silent, staring at Arad for a few seconds with shocked faces. "That''s what makes it even more worth it!" Lunara cried as she stood and lunged back at Arad. "I''ll make you mine at all costs!" Arad stood, ring at Lunara. "I know you came here to train me and I''m thankful for that. But I won''t allow anyone to threaten, disrespect or insult my wives. Anotherment like the one you said before and not even he would be able to resurrect you." Arad''s threat was clear, yet even with that Lunara giggled, "I''ve already felt your power and I can respect and understand how far can you go, but would you really be able to prevent Lord Kayden from resurrecting me? You know his power over demons is absolute." "Want to test me?" Arad was about to attack, but her words so far didn''t confirm that she''d obey his one rule of not regarding his wives. "Lunara," Kayden red at her, "He was going easy on you before. Arad can eat souls, and if he ate yours even, I won''t be able to resurrect you. I expected you four to hold better against him, but I''ve seemed to have underestimated his atonement to sheer destruction and overestimated your powers." The anchor of all life and resurrection magic is the soul, when it''s destroyed, that''s the true end. Unlike most beings who could only kill with their power, Arad was one level above that, boasting the ability topletely devour the souls of the dead and erase them from existence. He is a dragon that devours both matter and souls, erasing all existence back to the nothingness of the void. The four demon lords could only stare at him in silence, contemting what had transpired in their fight so far. All those rapid deaths and sudden ends, if this was a true fight, they wouldn''t have survived any of them even if Kayden was there to help. "The four of you are fine now, right?" Kayden stared at them, "Go back to training him." Kayden then turned toward Arad, "And, don''t teleport, don''t elerate too far, and don''t use magic besides your energy breath. You also aren''t allowed to fly too high in the sky." Kayden lifted his hands and the ground started shaking, a massive arena of demonic stones that spanned over one kilometer wide emerged out of nothing. "And none of you is allowed to exist in this arena."N?v(el)B\\jnn The main goal of this fight is to damage Arad with different attacks and have him learn and develop his barriers, not having him beat the demon lords left and right. Winning wasn''t the goal, but managing to learn how to defend is the true goal. Arad started floating with gravity magic and his wings expanded, "Let''s start, we only have one day to train." He flew to the center of the arena and shifted into his full draconic form, sitting and waiting for the demon lords to attack. "We should get to work." Aronos stood and cracked his neck. "Damn right." Kagoro sighed, "This will hurt, I''m not that good at close-range confrontation." "Lord Kayden! Could I stay with him after this battle ends?" Lunara said with an excited face. "I''d suggest you don''t. Dragons don''t forget, but giving him some time might help ease the tension a bit. Threatening his wives got him sore on your side quite a bit." Kayden looked at Arad sitting in the arena. "Lord Kayden is right!" Glinstone smacked Lunara''s back, "Don''t you have a lot of fanatic cultists in the mortal world? Try to use them to gain favor and you might have a chance." Chapter 934: Playing With Fire Chapter 934: ying With Fire ? The four demon lords looked at Arad waiting for them in the arena and Kagoro sighed, "It''s like we''re facing a dungeon''s boss. Look at him sleeping in the middle." "He isn''t sleeping, he''s waiting." Glinstone said with a pale face, "Waiting for his food toe." "I''m not excited about this. He almost broke my sword earlier." Aronos sighed, looking at his massive ck sword with a worried face. This weapon had been with him for thousands of years. "He looks SOOOO...cute!" Lunara gasped, "Just like a massive ck kitten. A vicious predator wearing a cute mask." She shivered a bit. "You got a problem." Kagoro stared at her with a disappointed face, "But you''re right. He''s a vicious predator, and we must make a n first. Unless we four work together, we''re going to end up eaten by Arad like mice." "I can help you with that." Kayden looked at them, "I''ll at least give you a visual indication of progress and what works or not." He lifted his hand and shouted, "ARAD! I''ve changed my mind, start in your human form. But keep the other restraints." Arad lifted his head up like a cat who just heard its food getting poured, he stared toward Kayden and nodded. Soon after he shifted back into his humanoid form and took a deep breath, "When will theye?!" He shouted, his voice booming across the whole arena. Arad knew he only had one day, and having them waste precious minutes didn''t sit well with him. "In a second! Hold on!" Kayden replied and looked at the four demons, who were scared upon hearing how loud Arad could speak, his voice had boomed like a raging titan or an abyssal thunderp. Kayden lifted his hand and touched his ear, "Aria, I''ve got Arad in a training arena made of my magic. Can you turn him into a dungeon boss?" -No, he isn''t one- Aria''s reply came t. "I know he isn''t one. Just give us a visual indication, and make him look like one. I''m sure you''ve been watching the training so give us something useful." Kayden said as he looked at the demon lord, "I want some motivation for them and a reason for Arad to y defensive instead of offensive." -Got it, give me a second- As Arad was standing in the middle of the arena, something rang above his head. When he looked up, he saw something [Arad, the Nuclear Chaos] "What is this?" He waved his hand and it passed right through the words floating above him. At that moment, five green bars filled up above his name, each of them had [5000/5000 HP] written inside it and certain words popped before Arad''s face. [The green bars are your health; they ount for everything from defensive power to dodges. When a bar runs out, you can''t regenerate it. Once all bars drop to o, you die.] Another notification popped up right after, [The longer you survive, the better the reward would be. The highest reward possible {The Demon yer Sword}] That meant Arad couldn''t kill the demon lords but had to stall for time to get the best reward. "Kayden! What is this!" Arad shouted. "You''ll be able to do it one day, just not today." Kayden replied and the demons had the same happen to them. Just, they only had one bar above their heads, and their bars only held 4000 each. "Only 4000HP?" She gasped, "He has more than us!" Kagoro cried and looked back at Kayden. "This is based on your capabilities. Aria counts your HP, regeneration, defenses, and even speed, and how much stamina you have for dodges and gives you all that information into a simple number that is easy to follow. Of course, she rounded them up." Kayden sat, "This is the limit of your abilities. Remember how Arad killed all four of you earlier?" Kayden was right, even when Kagoro had managed to get a bullet right to Arad''s chest, Arad still managed to dodge a fatal blow and kill Kagoro. Kayden looked at the four demons, and suddenly noticed that there were only three of them... Lunara was nowhere to be seen. The three demons cried, "That demon!" They growled and stared back, seeing her already facing Arad in the middle of the arena. "Say, won''t you change your mind?" Lunara said with a smile, licking her lips. "Dragons love strong women, I''m quite strong." "Spoken like a true non-dragon woman." Arad took a step forward and red at her eyes, "The reason we dragons look for a strong mate, is to feel safe leaving them and be assured that they can at least fend for themselves. You''re strong, but a danger to my other wives, and I''ve got no reason to trust you." "Yes, you trust that demi-goddess of murder?" Lunara giggled, and Arad grabbed her by the neck with one arm, lifting her up. "I''ve known her off before she got that. Even if she''s a danger to the other wives, it''s my and the other wife''s responsibility to deal with that." Veins bulged on Arad''s arm as he squeezed Lunara''s neck harder, and his face shifted from a passive one to an angry frown, "And how do you know about her?" Lunara had never met his wives and finding that she knew about Eris rang countless rm bells in Arad''s head, having such a dangerous demon lord know of his wives was nothing but frightening. "Come on..." Lunara growled, barely able to speak. "I''m the demon lord of shing, right? Whoever cuts gets seen by me. I can''t avert my eyes, especially from a woman who bears the power of an evil murder god." Arad dropped Lunara down, a bit calmer, but still worried. Unknown to him, her words were a lie. **** Mira was working on Arad''s staff inside the workshop as Mora did his things arguing with his hammer about which side of it, he should hammer with. With all of her hard work, Mira had only managed to make a ss globe that seemed to resemble an egg more than a perfect sphere, which she disappointingly threw in her massive pile of shattered ss. As she approached the forge to keep trying, she noticed an itch on her forearm. Upon looking, she found a tiny cut, a single blood droplet dripped from the wound and sshed on the hard ground. "I should really wear gloves when working with ss." She sighed and the wound healed almost immediately thanks to her divine magic. Isdis was fighting Isbert in the snow just like yesterday, and she managed to block a massive explosion of ice shards by conjuring a wall of thick snow. She seems to have gotten a bit used to the cold and is slowly trying to get a hang of her ice magic. But, when she looked forth toward Isbert, she noticed her standing there, silently watching. "What''s up! Are you done attacking?" "Are you okay?" Isbert replied with a passive face, slowly pointing at Isdis''s side. When Isdis looked down, she noticed a cut on her side, bleeding and painting the snow beneath her feet red. "Shit! I got hit!" she gasped and waved her hand over the wound, freezing it to stop the bleeding. ^The cold is numbing me to the point I can''t feel it when I get wounded now? Yeah, that''s right, she''s raising the cold each second. I must keep a close watch on my body now that I can''t rely on pain to notice injuries.^ Isdis stood with a determined face, ^If I don''t keep a leveled head, I''ll bleed to death without feeling it.^ Isbert tilted her head with a confused stare, "Are you sure that''s enough?" "Yeah, not ideal, but this is a battle." Isdis pointed her sword at Isbert, "I''ll fight with what I''ve got." She was worried about getting a scar, but Eris and Lydia are quite good at getting rid of them so it''s not a real problem. Back at the university, Lydia and Eris were skipping a day at school. Inside their dorm room, Eris who only wore her underwear lid on her stomach on the bed, groaned. "Lydia... It getting worse..." She cried. Lydia who was sitting standing beside her desk and working on mixing some herbs looked at her, "There is nothing I can do about it. I''m not an expert in such a thing either," She sighed, looking at the tiny translucent scales showing through Eris''s whole body. "I suspect that as your draconic blood got stronger, you''re now growing some scales." Lydia replied as she sighed, "I can''t do anything about natural growth. You have to endure it." Right now, Eris was suffering from a severe full-body itch as her scales slowly grew alongside an exhausting cold fever that knocked almost all the energy from her body. She was like a baby growing his teeth and falling ill. Eris reached down with her hand to scratch her left ankle which suddenly grew itchier than before, her long and sharp nails weren''t tender on her currently delicate skin, leaving countless scratches and gash wounds. Her long and sharp ck nails were tough enough to cut through stone and steel when heated up with her sma, they were sharper than most weapons and far deadlier. "Eris!" Lydia yelled at her, "If you don''t stop scratching, I''ll have to tie you down to the bed. You''re making your condition worse!" Lydia was getting irritated with how many times she had to heal Eris''s skin after she scratched it. If those wounds were to be left, her scales might not grow right. As Lydia looked at Eris''s ankle, approaching to heal it, she suddenly tensed up, blood rushing to her head and arms as her sword flew to her hand from the corner of the room. With one downward swing, Lydia shed Eris''s foot off with a [Divine Smite] and Eris cried, pulling her leg up in pain as she red back, "Lydia! Why!" It was painful, more than all of her itching, but what stunned her more was that Lydia attacked her." Eris''s foot regenerated almost instantly, but she wasn''t going to let Lydia go without getting a proper exnation. "Lydia!" Eris growled at her once more, but Lydia was locked on, her eyes ring at Eris''s foot with a menacing rage mixed with fear. Eris fell silent for a second, Lydia did attack her out of nowhere, but the two of them had lived together and known each other for a long enough time to build enough trust for her to wait. Lydia must have a reason, and Eris immediately figured it out as she looked at her own foot. "That is Merida''s magic." Eris gasped as she noticed demonic magic seeping from one of the gashes on her severed foot. It was extremely faint, and she could only see it as hazily as the shift in air when it''s heated up. She probably wouldn''t have noticed it if Lydia wasn''t acting like she was in a real battle. Eris was certain, the only reason she was able to detect that demonic magic was how powerful she got as a demi-goddess, which made her even more stunned that Lydia saw it first. Lydia quickly rushed toward Eris''s foot, lifted it up, and burned it with divine magic, "That''s no ordinary demon, we''re drawn to the gaze of an evil being." She rushed toward the wardrobe and pulled Eris''s clothes. "Don''t go through my stuff!" Eris gasped. "This is not the time." She threw some clothes and a robe to Eris, "Wear those, we need to get you inside one of Amaterasu''s churches and build a sanctuary to protect you." Lydia rushed toward Eris and forced her to stand, "I don''t care how painful the itch her, we must move, quick." "Why! Exin," Eris growled, but she started wearing her clothes.N?v(el)B\\jnn "You''re a demi-goddess and are extremely weakened now that you''re growing scales and evolving. That demon magic must''ve belonged to a demon lord, and thest thing we want is a demon possessing you." Lydia rushed to her desk and packed a few things, "I''ll look through the church''s scripts and scrolls to find out what demon lord that magic belongs to." **** Back on the battlefield, Arad had just dodged Lunara''s sword and punched her in the guts so hard that he sent her flying back with -54 points getting cut from her health bar. ^The hell is up with that woman?^ She only got hit thanks to her mind wandering away for a second, her thoughts focusing on the pdin that immediately shut off her gaze. Chapter 935: Counter Mesures Chapter 935: Counter Mesures ? "This will be your room for now. Rest and don''t worry, the nuns will bring you anything you want or need. They won''t ever mistreat a demi-goddess, especially one that was epted by Amaterasu." Lydia said as she closed the door, leaving Eris asleep on a bed inside a private room inside Croc City''srgest Amaterasu church. When Lydia walked out, she walked around the room''s perimeter and sshed holy water on the walls, chanting in an ancient and forgottennguage. She then stood at the door and jammed her de onto the ground, surging her holy magic across the whole ce. The most crucial role of a sanctuary is its guardian. Lydia was using herself as that beacon of holy magic and standing motionless at the door, channeling her power to keep Eris safe until everything was solved. "Are you going to stand for long? How many hours?" Jack who stood at the end of the hallway asked, staring at her from the shadows.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Hours?" Lydia smiled, "It might be days or even weeks. I must stay here to make sure that the demon lord never reaches Eris. Don''t worry about me, I can do it." "This isn''t sitting well with me." Jack sighed, "I can''t let you stand like that without food or water for days." He started walking toward her, and Eris''s room door opened from behind Lydia. The one to walk out was none other than Pin. "My dear mistress is fast asleep. I assure you it has nothing to do with me..." She giggled and walked between Lydia''s legs and into the middle of the hallways. "Demon lords love to poke fun at demi-gods, trying to win something to ckmail themter when they ascend to godhood. I bet that foul monster is looking to exploit my mistress..." Pin theatrically waved her tiny arms, "I shall not allow it!" She growled. "I found who that demon lord is earlier." Lydia said, looking at Pin. "I know who she is, the foul demon queen of severing. Lunara." Pin returned the stare to Lydia, "Don''t underestimate me, I''m an agent of murder, and I''mpetent enough to know the taste of evil. Lunara''s magic tastes like rusted coins and iron, disgusting." "Then you must know how dangerous she is. No matter how powerful you are, your power would never reach that of a true demon lord." Lydia red at her, "Only Amaterasu''s light can keep Eris safe until Arades back. It''ll be best not to get Merida involved, thest thing we want is a demon lord war." Pin giggled, staring at her with an evil smirk. "You are the fool, Pdin Lydia. When you noticed Lunara''s demon magic, what is the first thing you did? You severed Mdy''s precious foot, severed, why didn''t you just st it with divine magic?" He pointed at Lydia. "You''re the one underestimating the power of a demon lord. Her magic had influenced your reflexive response before you even knew it. Severing Mdy''s foot was nothing but a tribute to the severing demon lord." She shook her head, "You poor mortals know nothing about dealing with higher beings. Leave baking to the baker, and stand guard as you always do. I''ve already called help." With Pin''s word, the murder pdin slowed up at the end of the hallway, all carrying scepters, maces, and hammers, "Bashing a few heads would solve this problem. A cult of Lunara is rtively close by, I''ll give and give Murder''s kiss of love, send them back to death''s cold fingers." "Avenger pin, is what you said true?" Thergest of the pdins, their leader approached Pin and knelt down. "It''s indeed true. The severing Demon lord Lunara hadid her hands on our divine god empress of murder." She giggled, "Let''s go greet her cultists and say hello." "Gang wars are kinda my thing." Jack smiled, "I''ll being as well." Pin looked at him, "We''re d to have a chosen hero of Amaterasu by our side, she has always supported our empress and we couldn''t be more thankful for her continued support." She bowed gently, "But please, do avoid bringing any shing weapons, avoid empowering them." ^I see...^ Jack finally realised it, both gods and demon lords gain power from their aspects being enacted. Any shes in the presence of Lunara''s name would give her and her cultists power, but on the other hand, any murder in the presence of Eris''s name would empower Eris and her followers. "They can''t kill us..." He smiled. "Smart...The more of them we kill, the greater our empress''s power would rise, and therefore our pdin''s divine magic. Even if they killed some of us, that would only give us more power." Pin walked toward Jack and jumped on his shoulder, "Agent of Amaterasu, are you ready to paint your hands red in murder?" Jack smiled, looking at Lydia, "We just recently understood some aspects of Amaterasu''s power. Her light brings warmth and prosperity, but when the darkness prevails for too long." "Life starts rotting away." Pin looked at Jack''s white eyes, the ck dot in them resembled an eclipse, faintly throbbing with power. **** Walking down the university''s hallway, Ae was walking with Ganta carrying several stacks of papers with Maria, their dark elf teacher. "In this office," Maria said, pushing the door open with her foot as her arms were busy carrying arge box. She walked inside first and dropped the box on the ground, Ae put the papers on the desk and Ganta carelessly threw therge boxes she carried on the corner. "Is this all?" Ganta looked at Maria. Maria looked at Ganta, "At least drop them. Why throw them around?" She sighed. "They are only books. They won''t get damaged anyway." Ganta found and chair and sat on it cross-legged, "So, how much are we getting?" Maria looked at her, "Three points, that''s all I can give you." Ganta growled, "Whaaaat! Come on, at least make it five, I need them." She cried, "Ae, tell her!" Ae looked at Ganta with a troubled face, "You''re the one who needs to study more.'' "I just can''t...I''ve tried, you saw me study, right." Ganta was about to throw a tantrum. Maria sighed, "Fine, four points, take it or leave it. That should help your score a bit. And,e to my dorm roomter with Ae, I''ll give you a special lesson and see what I can do." "Really?!" Ae gasped with a smile on her, "You sure?" She was already at the top of her ss, but getting more time to ask questions and advance would give her a massive lead. Might be unfair to the other students, but they are the ones not going around helping their teachers to earn some brownie points. Strangely enough, Ganta was the failure of the call in terms of grades, but she got along with Ae a lot. Words and rumors started circling among the students that Ganta is in fact quite cunning and isn''t looking to befriend Ae or get close to her, she''s aiming for Ae''s husband Arad, and those trying to use as a bridge. As Ae looked down, she noticed a faint cut on her fingers, most likely a paper cut. She just waved her hand and ignored the wound; it''ll heal on its own after a while. The only one of Arad''s wives who wasn''t touched by Lunara''s magic was Merida, as she was sure that the fungus would notice her presence. Chapter 936: A Suprise Form Chapter 936: A Suprise Form ? "Tch!" Lunara dodged one of Arad''s punches as she wound up arge sh, probably trying to pray into his wives'' lives in the middle of a fight, which was a bad idea. Arad''s attack almost sends her flying. As she swung at his neck, Arad bent down and threw an uppercut at her de, deflecting it.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Aronos had taken the chance and lunged at Arad''s back, smacking him away with a powerful swing. Arad''s body twisted around the ck greatsword as he got flung away with a loud crack, releasing a deafening impact shockwave. 4324==>4102 Arad''s first bar dropped by a massive chunk and the demons smiled, this was a clear hit at his weakness. Like all dragons, he can be killed by going for the brain and spine, those parts are vital organs that should be targeted. PEW! One of Kagoro''s bullets flew right through Arad''s thigh, hitting the ground far away and exploding in a massive burst of dust and debris. 4102==>4053 This had confirmed it, attacks to any part of Arad''s body besides his spine and brain almost do no damage and only drain a tiny bit of his health and stamina. They could end up wearing his regeneration out by repeatedly going for his easy-to-hit limbs, but at that rate, they are the ones to get tired first. Glinstone clenched his fist and ghostly gauntlets engulfed them, crackling with demonic magic. He rushed at Arad with a deadly punch to the face, "Block this!" Arad lifted his arm and blocked it, his wrist shattering upon impact. In a real battle, he would never take such a taunt, but he was trying to learn here. With each hit he had taken, his knowledge and experience with the demons'' attacks grewrger and he started slowly forming the basis of his barriers. Bludgeoning attacks rely on delivering arge crushing force to a rtively small surface; to nullify them he needs a barrier that spreads that power across his whole body and muffles it. shing attacks separate matter by wedging a sharp edge into it, the slicing motion and edge alignment are quite important as well. The barrier to block them would need to do several things, first have high pressure to catch the de, have enough durability to dull the edge, and be flexible enough to mess up the attacker''s edge alignment. Piercing attacks are simr to bludgeoning attacks but they instead apply that massive force into a very small point of contact. But that also means the edge used to pierce would have a very weak tip, which he can bend with a moving barrier or a vibrating one to shatter it. Magical attacks worked in apletely different way; to nullify them the easiest way was to use an anti-magic barrier, but that would leave him defenseless against physical attacks as he won''t be able to form a normal barrier. Arad''s scales were quite sturdy, but not enough when facing deadly foes like those four demon lords. Another way to block magic was to drown it in mana, but that method consumes a lot of Arad''s magic and is quite exploitable as it also prevents him from casting powerful magic while doing it. As he would be already using his output to block. With the four Demon Lords'' assault growing harsher and deadlier, Arad found himself advancing decently in blocking physical attacks butcking badly in dealing with magical ones. The first to pick up on that weakness was Lunara who was spending a lot of time eyes Arad''s every corner and move. Lunara jumped back and lifted her sword up, she was originally a moon demon, and their signature attack still surged in her blood. She swung her down, [Crescent Moon: Demon Fang] A massive red sh of demon magic flew at Arad at light speed, shing him in half from shoulder to hips. Arad coughed blood, his HP tanking to the ground. 3456==>1235 The demonic magic burned his wounds, eating up at his blood and preventing him from regenerating that well, and the sh had managed to damage his spine, causing his endurance and coordination to fall down considerably. "Lunara! Good Job!" Aronos cried with arge smile on his face as he lunged at Arad, smacking his severed upper half on the head as hard as he could and cracked his skull. 1235==>1103 But that attack didn''t seem to do as much damage as he had expected, and Lunaraughed at him. "Hands off Aronos! You don''t know my husband better than me!" She flew right behind Arad and swung her sword down, [Crescent Moon: Demon Fang] She aimed her attack to sh Arad from his tailbone up to his skull, and her attack seemed tond and explode in a massive mushroom cloud of demonic magic and lightning. 1103=>0000 As Arad''s first life bar dropped to o, the demons smiled, thinking it was their win. "We got him!" Kagoro who was aiming his rifle smiled. "I''ve beaten you!" Lunaraughed, "Now you''re mine! I don''t want any other wo..." Before Lunara could finish her sentence, Arad''s barefoot emerged from the demonic magic and stepped on her face, pushing her head to the ground. When Arad''s jet-ck wings expanded, they shattered the lingering demonic magic and he appeared in his half-dragon form, standing on Lunara''s body, one foot on her face and the other on her chest. "What were you about to say?" His horns grew from his head as his tail whipped around, blocking Lunara''s sudden sh toward his foot. BANG! Kagoro immediately fired at him, but Arad deflected the bullet with his left wing and immediately smacked Aronos who lunged at him using his tail. "Shit! The bastard had an instant second phase! I thought those extra bares were for extra rounds, not a powerup!" Glinstone growled, shifting his ghostly weapon into a massive cannon as he charged it. "Sorry Lunara, you''ll have to bear the hit with him." He fired the magic cannon as a beam of pure demonic magic. Arad opened his mouth and unleashed a massive breath of energy against theing beam of demonic magic, easily overpowering it and sting Glinstone away. As Arad knew that Lunara couldn''t sh him while he was pinning her to the ground, he moved aside and kicked her in the head, sending her rolling away. "You didn''t beat me, and never bring my wives to your tongue ever again." He said with a passive face, mostly amused rather than irritated. While the other three demon lords are acting as if they are forced to train him under Kayden''s supervision, Lunara feels a bit different. She''s genuinely trying to beat him, which was still a thing that he appreciated. If only she was less rude to his wives. The moment Lunara regained her bnce, she took a stance and breathed deeply, her sword crackling with demonic magic. "I see, I''m getting somewhere." Her eyes shed red. "If I beat all your forms, would I get a reconsideration?" she asked, demonic magic roaring around her body like raging thunder. "Never, unless you stop being rude or threatening to my wives. As long as I see you as a potential threat to my family, you can forget getting anywhere near them." Arad replied, standing in ce as his wings surged with magic. Now with a higher surface area, he has more magic output and might be able to block magical attacks. "Deal." Lunara smiled, [Demonic Release] Chapter 937: Oni No Hare Chapter 937: Oni No Hare ? [Demonic Release] As Lunara said those words, the sky turned ck as night suddenly emerged. The sun drowned beyond the horizon as Lunara''s body burst into a tornado of demonic magic, shaking the ground and flinging the other three demon lords away like they were mere pieces of paper swept by the roaring wind. Kayden''s hair flung left and right with the wind as he sat motionless, staring at the arena with a serious face, considering whether it was best if he stopped the fight. A demon lord''s release isn''t something to scoff at, especially if it was Lunara that we''re talking about. Centuries ago, Lunara was wandering the abyss along as a newborn demon, a child with no past nor future. A spawn of demonic blood that was long abandoned after the chaos of the evil worms. Her n of Moon Oni had all gotten wiped out, leaving her stranded, surviving by eating small bugs and hiding beneath the jagged stone formation of the abyss, hoping and praying none spotted her. Even the weakest of demons would be able to eat her whole in a single bite. One day, she heard a faint giggle behind some hills. As she desperately sneaked, crawling on the ground to see what was going on, she spotted her. A tiny girl with pink hair jumped from one jagged stone to another barefoot, but unharmed. The pink-haired girl looked human, but something about her seemed off. Her eyes burned with a strange pink demonic magic, and the vague outline of two more pairs of arms danced around her shoulders. The girl stopped jumping and dancing, she extended her hand forth and called to Lunara, "A child of demons, blessed by the moon and cursed to wander alone for all eternity. Spinning in circles around its home..." Lunara was lost, she had spent over ten years walking in circles around her destroyed n, unable to even find her way out of the harsh abyss. The ground shattered behind the little pink-haired girl and a titanic ck worm emerged, roaring as tiny maggots wiggled beneath its rotting skin. The worm''s horrid maw opened wide, unveiling over a hundredyers of jagged razor-sharp teeth, spinning in circles like a grinder. The worm had no eyes, but its long tentacle-like sensors that emerged from its head like snail eyes wiggled, approaching the little pink-haired girl, drooling in hunger. Lunara fell to her knees, the sheer magic rushing from the was enough to put her down, that thing could even eat demons'' lords in a single gulp, the horrid monster that eradicated her n. The devourer of all, The ursed ck Worm of Death. The pink-haired girl lifted her right foot with a smile, and stomped the empty ground down with an innocent smile, "STOMP!" She said with a cute giggle, and the massive worm behind her suddenly was ttened into a thin sheet ofpressed flesh. Lunara remained silent, unable to believe her eyes. She realized that it wasn''t that the girl looked human, she seemed like that because her demonic presence was sorge it engulfed the whole abyss, the sheer demonic nature of the abyss pulses across her. Those pink eyes, gentle yet destructive aura, the innocent child-like appearance with the kid''s tendency for chaos and destruction, her voice, calling to those who were left orphaned and stranded. The little girl standing before Lunara was the goddess of all demons, and destruction, and the patron deity of orphans. Kali the Destroyer. Kali extended her hand to Lunara with a gentle smile, "Little girl, don''t be afraid. It''ll be all right!" She smiled and jumped forward, one step after another, she quickly reached Lunara and grabbed her by the hand. "A lost little rabbit, blessed by the moon." Kali pulled Lunara to stand, "Follow it!" Kali pointed one finger at the ck sky, "The moon." Lunara didn''t even know what the moon was, there was no such a thing in the abyss. "What is a rabbit? What is the moon?" She mumbled in confusion. One thing she remembers being taught by her parents was to never ignore the words of higher demons. Kali was more than higher ranked than her, she was their goddess and such a disrespect as ignoring her words could lead to her being squashed like that worm. Kali blinked twice and looked up, indeed, there was no moon in the abyss. Her eyes started tearing up, and she rolled to the ground, crying and throwing a tantrum. As Kali cried and kicked the ground, Lunara stared with a baffled face. Soon, Kali''s cries grew louder and louder, the abyss started shaking, and a massive hole emerged in the sky, which was nothing more than the ground for theyer above them. That hole got filled with grey stone and suddenly started shining down.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Kali''s mother died shortly after she was born, and her father Asura ended up deadter on. She wasn''t left alone though, she was raised by two people, Amaterasu and Selune, the goddess of sun and moon. And she was farter adopted by Kayden who took revenge for her father''s death. When the little girl cried, her step-mom, the goddess of the moon responded and forced the birth of a moon on each of the abyss''syers. Lunara had been granted the blessing two of great beings, the goddess of demons Kali, and the goddess of the moon Selune. As the dust cleared, the rabbit seeking the warmth of home emerged before Arad. Lunara didn''t seem to change a lot, but what changed was enough to put Arad on edge. Unlike before, Lunara now wore a pair of ck leather panties, and her breasts were covered with a burning blue fire. Her legs had grown noticeably thicker, especially her thighs now had extremely visible and shredded quads and glutes, and a small fist-sized white tail adorned her lower back. The two small horns on her head have shifted position, growingrge and ck, one short on the left and one bigger on the right, forming the shape of a crescent moon cradling her long white rabbit ears. [Demonic Release: Oni no Hare] The other three demon lords stared at her, stunned at the strange magic rushing out of her. All of them relied on their own demonic power and potential, forcing humanoids to sacrifice for them to grow even more powerful. Lunara did all of that, but she had something extra, something that all demons feared. The two tattoos on her shoulders, the ck tattoo of a six- armed woman on her left shoulder and the white moon tattoo on her right shoulder, were divine blessings. A demon lord blessed by not just one, but two gods wasn''t something that any demon had expected to be possible. Since demon lords kill each other all the time, most have taken the route of sealing their own power to keep their potential a secret. No demon lord was willing to show his release before other demon lords as that might expose their weakness, but Lunara stopped caring, what mattered to her was the man standing before her, the one she wished to be her family. The rabbit has gone into heat, and she isn''t stopping until she gets what she wants. Chapter 938: The Kicking Demon Queen Chapter 938: The Kicking Demon Queen ? "You stepped on my face." Lunara said with a smile on her face, "Now it''s my turn." She disappeared and the ce where she was exploded into ash, the sheer energy generated by her legs was far beyond anything that Arad had seen in his life. Before Arad could reach, Lunara''s foot smacked him in the face, bashing his nose into his brain with a st, flying with him outside the arena and far beyond the mountain in the blink of an eye. Rabbits are known for their speed, jumping power, and sheer might of their hind legs. When scaled to a demon lord''s level, Lunara''s legs were her deadliest weapon. 5000==>1240 Arad''s health had dropped sharply in a single hit, almost knocking him unconscious. That was the most painful and damaging hit he had ever taken, if not for him barely forming a barrier at thest second, her foot would''ve pierced through his skull. "The hell was that?!" The three other demon lords cried as the arena shattered and Lunara disappeared with Arad. Even their eyes couldn''t follow her moves. "You three can go home." Kayden said as he sat nonchntly in his ce. "Surviving Lunara''s rampage should be difficult enough." He sighed and stood. "Wait, what was that?!" Kagoro growled, "Since when there is a demon lord blessed by a god other than Kali?!" She started walking toward Kayden. "That''s none of your business." Kayden said and Kagoro fell to the ground unconscious. The other two demon lords cried and pulled their weapons, taking a stance, "Kagoro! Wake up, what happened to you?" Glinstone yelled. "I knocked him out." Kayden replied with a passive face, "I also removed memories of Lunara''s release from his head." He lifted his hand, and the two other demon lords fell to their knees choking, the veins on their bodies turning ck as they moaned in agony. "You two are older and more durable, you''re just unlucky and won''t pass out immediately like him." The two screamed as Kayden closed his fist, ripping the memories out of their mind and cells. They won''t have a single recollection of Lunara''s power, not even muscle memory of what happened today. As the two fell down, Kyden waved his hand and sent them back home. "Sorry, I don''t want Kali yelling at me again or throwing a tantrum." He slowly looked in the direction where Arad and Lunara flew toward, "Stay alive." He lifted his hand to his ear and called Hati, "Get Isdis out of here. She might get caught in the chaos and die. Lunara released her true demonic power and she''s facing Arad." "Wait! What!" Hati cried in surprise and immediately pulled both Isdis and Isbert out of her demi-ne. "Kayden, are you sure? Can Arad survive facing her?" "I don''t know, they are matched in my mind. I''m mostly scared that her ultimate attack would be enough to kill Arad." Kayden sighed, seeing a mountain get erased in the distance, Arad and Lunara had started their deadly battle. Just as world powers are given that title due to possessing world-ending might, demon lords were the same. Each and every one of them is a disaster when stepping into the mortal world, nightmarish creatures that mortals can''t evenprehend let alone face. Thankfully Arad wasn''t weak either, he too reached the level of being called a world power, a kingdom- destroying and a god-eating dragon from the world''s end. Arad recoiled back from Lunara''s kick, and hended back on his hands, doing several flips as he flew back, his face regenerated in the blink of an eye, and to Lunara''s surprise, his HP recovered as well. 1240==>5000 That shouldn''t happen, Aria should''ve ounted for everything. She indeed did, she ounted for everything that Arad has, that ARAD alone had. Using Doma''s expansion, he ejected his own body from the fabric of time and space, rewinding himself before he got damaged since Doma''s reality erasure extends to the past, present, and future in the timeline. CRACK! Lunaranded before Arad, staring down at him with a thirsty re. He looked down at first, and then back at her, scanning her body from her toes up to her white bunny ears. She was indeed taller than him, a ten-foot-tall giant without counting the ears and horns. She is the first woman that he meets with thighs bigger than him. As the two faced each other, the ground around them melted from the sheer presence of their vtile magic. Arad could feel it, as a dragon, he won''t miss those signs. She wasing into his space with one pure intent, she was here seeking a mate, a warm embrace she could call home. Unlike all of Arad''s wives, she wasn''ting here to prove herself, the tables have turned, and she''s standing there, assessing his worth. She was the aggressor, and even more, she was seeking domination as well. For the first time in his life, Arad felt threatened by a woman''s advances on him. "Lay down..." She said, ring at him, "I said it before and I''ll say it again, you''re mine, Arad Orion." Arad smiled, "Then try if you dare." He swung his fist at her and she dodged, retaliating with a kick. Arad teleported through her kick and started swinging fists at her. Lunara gracefully kicked his punches aside and swung a deadly kick toward his chest. Arad dodged but teleported behind her once more. But the moment he appeared, she caught him by the hair with her toes. "Do you think I''ll fall for the same move twice?" She swung her second foot at his throat, trying to rip his head off. Arad opened his mouth wide, expanding his draconic fangs with his werewolf blood, and chomped her foot off. Lunara''s HP dropped bust just a tiny bit. 4652==>4523 without even caring about how much damage his bite did, he plunged his left ws on her right thigh and grabbed the ankle of the foot grabbing his hair with his other hand. He wasn''t going to let her escape. Arad immediately swung a kick at Lunara''s stomach, trying to get a solid hit in, but she swung her foot down, smacking his face to the ground before growing her other foot back and kicking him so hard he flew digging a trench on the ground. And when he stopped, Lunaranded beside him and kicked him into the air. She is a kicker, despite that in her basic form she mainly uses shes, in her true form, she kicks, and kicks hard. The powerful and demonic rabbit legs she had allowed her to achieve extreme eleration and a horrifying level of explosive power. Arad expanded his wings and blocked theing kick from Lunara with his massive thick tail. In his half-dragon form, this was the only part of his body that could withstand the pressure generated by Lunara''s deadly kicks. The two shed across the battlefield, shing in a sea of fire and lighting, their mere movement generating enough friction heat to raise an inferno and their shes roaring louder than thunder, ripping the ground with shockwaves and impact sts. As Arad tried to get a hit on her face, his tail and limbs got sliced into pieces out of nowhere. He gasped and fell to the ground in the blink of an eye. By the time his wounds regenerated, Lunara was already stepping on his, pushing his head to the ground with her foot on his face, just as he stepped on her before. "Do you finally give up? I''m taking you back with me." She said, staring at him with a thirsty grin. "This is only my Half-dragon form." Arad said with a smile, "See those three full HP bars? You aren''t even halfway there." Lunara smiles, "You''re right, this form isn''t big enough for me." The next bar has to be his full dragon form, which means he still has two more powerful forms after that. Arad''s eyes shed purple as he grewrger, pushing Lunara''s foot away from his face. In a second, he was ring at her in his draconic form. "Wasn''t this supposed to be training?" He red down at her. "You already know the basics of barriers and could already block and deflect my kicks." She replied with a smile, waving her right foot. "My kicks offer more bludgeoning damage than any of the other demon lords could hope to achieve, same with my shes, and if I have ws to sh, I can pierce with her." She lifted her foot and pointed at him with her toes. "My first kick at your face, it was a piercing attack trying to prate your skull and you blocked it." "So, the lesson ended." Arad said in a deep growl. "Indeed, but that isn''t why we are fighting now, right?" She looked at him, and a smile crossed her lips. "If I stripped now, turned around bent down, submissively offering myself. Would you breed me?" "No, I''ve got wives. Scram." Arad growled. She sighed, "Come on, I''m begging you. Just one time." "I said no." He lifted his w, ready to strike. "What a shame..." She shook her head with a sad face, "I really wanted to be dominated by a dragon...no it seems I''m the one that wille on top." Her hands slowly lifted up as her stance changed. "You''ll be the one bending down to me." She red back at him, and Arad swung his w atN?v(el)B\\jnn her at full power. [Elemental Expansion:...] Chapter 939: Moon Rain Chapter 939: Moon Rain ? [Elemental Expansion: Moon Rain] The moment that Arad noticed that she was about to unleash her expansion, he shifted his focus from wing her in half to actually defending himself. With how much power she was unleashing so far, that expansion must be a fatal death zone that even he wouldn''t survive. The moon in the sky creaked, sending a loud rumble across the sky as it stopped in its half- moon form, a glowing half-disk of pure light. From it, Lunara''s crescent moon shes started pouring down like heavy rain. Arad''s back and wings got ripped apart as Lunara leaped at him, unharmed by her shes, and kicked him in the throat, almost ripping his neck in half. By focusing on defense instead of offense, Arad started trying to block the magical shes with a barrier, but still, hundreds of them ripped through his back, directly threatening his spine and the back of his head. All of that while still facing Lunara''s relentless kicking assault from the front. Before, the dream walkers and Vorvadoss managed to convince Arad that abominations are monsters that shouldn''t be allowed into the mortal world. He understood the danger and eldritch horror they bring and the reason for them to be killed on sight. But just now, he started to see another form of horror. Demon lords, and especially this one before him. If Korah was here, she could''ve killed him with a single stomp to the head, Arad had no doubt that was the case. The sheer power she holds is the definition of the horrors of demon lordsing into the mortal ne, if even he can''t withstand her assault, no one would. Arad wanted to unleash his own expansion as his back got ripped apart, but he decided against that. Unlike him, Lunara''s expansion is far more refined and has a greater range. It''s affecting the moon itself and raining shes. If he were to open his expansion, the shes would hit the outside shell and shatter it, leaving Arad growing with a ripped stomach. Such an injury is as fatal and painful to Arad as a man having his guts ripped open, and it would mean his loss. The moon in the sky started growing smaller, getting closer to a crescent shape. The closer it got to a crescent shape, the stronger the shes, the bigger they became and the more of them came raining down at higher speed. After only a few seconds, Arad''s full draconic body was ripped apart, killed beneath the deadly carnage of Lunara''s expansion. But that wasn''t the end of it, it''s Arad the one she''s facing and not any regr being. The moment Arad''s HP dropped to o and his draconic form was destroyed, he was forced into his next stage. From the blood, a massive ck dragon with six front limbs, four wings, a body covered in fur, and six eyes on his head stood before Lunara, dripping with bloodlust. Arad''s vampiric Wyrmwolf form wasn''t something she had ever seen in her life, and even she stood baffled. As the crescent moon grew smaller and smaller, it ended in a full ck moon and the shes stopped for a second. That was enough time for Arad to smack Lunara in the face with his front w, sending her rolling across the ground. And he didn''t stop, immediately noticing that his ws couldn''t cut her skin, and so he started heating them with fire magic as he rushed in, disintegrating everything in his path into sma. For a solid ten seconds, it seemed as if Arad was taking the lead, smacking Lunara left and right and treating her like a ragdoll. But in the next second, the full ck moon had turned into a small crescent moon and the shes resumed falling, putting more pressure on Arad to defend himself from them. But in his current form, Arad''s Wyrmwolf tough hide was almost enough on its own if he ran enough mana in it. Albeit it still felt like getting whipped repeatedly on the back, and even if was even more painful than getting pped by Da, Arad didn''t stop. If it''s just the pain, it''s not enough to stop Arad. As the two shed, one hit meeting the other, it became clear that their powers finally seemed rtively equal. This was a fresh and new experience for both of them. To Arad, she is the first woman he met in his life to be able to match his vampiric Wyrmwolf form, and she is putting enough pressure on him to keep him on his toes. Even with this advanced form, he still can''t shake the feeling that if he makes even one mistake, he''ll end up killed by her. His mind started to change, but still kept his opinion of her. If she wasn''t a danger to his wives, he''d probably consider bringing her back home, no...he might insist on bringing her just as hard he''s insisting on Nina who could match him in his half-dragon form and even hold up to his true dragon form. Lunara on the other hand had arge smile on her face, her body tingling from Arad''s countless hits. She couldn''t believe that such a powerful dragon existed in the mortal world, not a single person had seen her release and survived the first kick. She had never thought that in her life, she would be so happy, so excited and so aroused by someone hitting her. She had finally found him, someone she, the demon queen would take as her king with pride. Sheughed as the moon grew closer to a full moon and the shes became even weaker second after another. But in the back of her head, something was worrying her. Arad had five health bars, the first was his humanoid form, the second was his half-dragon form, the third was his full dragon form, and then the fourth was his monstrous form that she was facing now. What is the fifth health bar? What kind of horror this dragon is hiding at the back of his power, is there an even bigger dragon lurking inside him? She couldn''t help but be both excited and terrified at what was toe, and so she decided to end it. The moon became full, and Lunara stood in a weird stance as the shes stoppeding down. Her left foot was on the ground, while her right left lifted up, her knee pressing her breasts and her calves beside her face, opening her hips as wide as they''ll go. Lunara faced Arad, a smile on her face. "This is yourst chance, take me now while I''m still willing to be submissive. Breed me, and I''ll spare your life." She rubbed her crotch, "You won''t survive me putting my foot down." Arad paused, he couldn''t help but stare at her foot above her head, something was strange about her toes, they were pointing at the moon. He got a strange feeling burning in his chest, her words were no mere threat or empty boast. "You aren''t really submissive pushing yourself this hard on me." Arad smiled, "No, still didn''t change my mind." He refused, part of it that he still saw her as a danger, and the other is that his draconic pride won''t let him surrender in a fight to be the winner. It''s either win or die trying. Lunara sighed, "What a shame, but don''t worry. I''ll keep you and your wives safe by my side. As long as they don''t lift their heads above my knees, I won''t harm them." She swung her foot down, stomping the ground. The moon in the sky creaked loudly and Arad finally understood that he messed up. All world powers have the ability to destroy the world, or at least eradicate all life on it. Demon lords are equal to that power level and they could do the same. Lunara wasn''t an exception and Arad is about to face her ultimate move, her world-ending ability. When the moon grows full after her expansion, that move is ready to use. [Moon Fall] As Arad saw the moon racing toward his head, burning like a meteor, he felt it was the same as that day after Rita''s even when he woke up and found himself surrounded by all the ancient dragons. Terror, fear, confusion, regret, shock, and countless emotions surged across his mind as he scrambled to figure out a way to survive.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 940: The Crash Chapter 940: The Crash ? The moon was almost 850 kilometers in radius {530 miles}, it dwarfed Arad and the whole continent they were standing upon and it wasing down fast. And Arad knew this wasn''t the best that the world could offer, Kayden should be leagues above Lunara in power. This was the middle echelon of demons, and Arad knew that this might be even more than anything he could take. Doom, the world wasing to an end, crushed beneath the hammer of the demon queen Lunara. If she were to attempt to invade the mortal world, he doubts his presence would mean anything, even if he himself could survive by hiding somewhere, one [Moon Fall] is enough to eradicate all life from the face of the earth. Arad pped his wings, flying straight toward the falling moon. "Flying to your death! But worry not, I''ll resurrect you back in my domain." She shouted, imagining what was toe soon, she''ll spend a lot of resources on the ritual, but she could certainly bring him back to life if he died by her moon. It might take him a few years to regain his power, but he''ll recover with time. Mere years and decades are like minutes to demon lords, and she''s fine waiting a bit more. Arad roared, and his heart started beating faster and faster. VROO000000000000M! His chest shed bright white as sma surged through his wings and he got engulfed in pale- white mes. A falling moon, he had no reason to hold back anything. Everything upfront, it''s time to swing like it''s the end of his life. The ground beneath Arad heated up and Lunara suddenly noticed her skin burning and falling apart. She immediately jumped several miles back and healed herself, staring in shock as she realized that a massive area around where Arad was was now cursed to death. As Lunara started, it didn''t take the curse long to reach her once again. The radiation zone is growingrger andrger as Arad burns more matter inside his stomach, charging something that he had never dared to cast before. As he elerated and teleported several times straight up, Arad reached the moon before it could crash and held it with his neck and back. The lower side of his four wings burst with sma, unleashing the deadly heat that Arad was burning inside his stomach downward like jets, and he did the same with his front and back ws. Lunara could see the sh from miles away, four massive blue fire jets burned from Arad''s wings and eight smaller ones from his limbs. She couldn''t believe her eyes and gasped with an open mouth, "Is the fool trying to catch it?" Arad looked down and opened his massive jaws, unleashing an ever bigger jet of fire, dwarfing anything that hade out of his wings or limbs. Yet, all of that propulsion power wasn''t enough to stop the moon, it wasn''t even close. Arad''s nuclear engine justcked the power, no matter how much matter he burns, with enough power, he''ll just start digging into the moon''s surface instead of stopping it. Arad noticed what hecked, and it was surface area. His eyes shed with magic, sparking brown and purple as gravity magic rushed from his body and started engulfing the moon as fast as it could, but it still looked slow due to howrge the moon was. The brown magic that Arad was casting was earth magic, and two massive hands of earth and stone started rising from the ground, reaching into the heavens to capture the falling moon. Watching him from afar, Lunara couldn''t wrap her head around how is he able to use and control all of those spells at once, it seemed impossible. But she didn''t know, Doma was taking care of the earth magic while Arad focused on his jets and the gravity magic. As the earth''s hands cradled the moon and Arad''s gravity magic slowly helped make it lighter and lighter, it started slowing down. Lunara watched with a sweaty face, seeing her ultimate attack slowing down. In her life, she has only used it three times, and this is the fourth one. When she first cast it, even she herself was terrified of getting killed by it, and the poor demon lord she was facing ended up begging for his life, only to get crushed in a single hit alongside all of his armies. The second time she used it was against a lesser god who tried to kill and steal her power, only for that god to choose death over facing that falling moon. Even a lesser god couldn''t even imagine himself surviving such an attack. And the third one was against Kayden when she grew arrogant enough and thought she could kill him. But strangely enough, when the moonnded, he was perfectly fine, sitting beside it like nothing happened. Until today, no one had dared to directly face her [Moon Fall] Yet Arad was here, and he''s about to catch it. The moon slowed further and further until it was on the verge of halting, but at that time Arad''s body was already crumbling, most of his bones broken and his flesh cooked by his own fire, he had long since passed his limits and went even beyond that, pushing himself by the use of countless curses. Lunara lifted her foot up and growled, "No, you aren''t stopping it!" She growled, the veins on her legs bulging as blood rushed across her whole body. She had never attempted to cast this spell twice in a row, to be honest, she had never expected such a mass-destruction ultimate move would need to be cast twice, but here is she, facing a painful p to her pride. ^My [Moon Fall] is absolute! None had ever faced it and lived, and you won''t be the first, ARAD ORION!^ As she swung her foot back to the ground, she stood with all of her muscles flexed to the max. There is only one moon in the sky, not two. A second [Moon Fall] Won''t evere, but the first moon can be pushed down harder. The moon that Arad was about to stop suddenly got heavier and started to move at an even greater speed, finally pushing him to the ground and crashing with a massive shockwave, sinking the whole continent and Lunara was forced to jump away into a deserted ind, gazing upon the massive moon on the ground. In all of her previous casts, the moon had exploded upon impact and raised hell upon the entirety of whatever poor ne she had targeted. This was the first time, she had seen the moon staying in one piece, all thanks to Arad slowing it down and not giving it enough distance to elerate at the end. She fell on her knees, puking as her vision shed ck. This was far past her limits, and she felt as if her heart was about to explode from the pressure. Such a spell is indeed not intended to be cast twice in a row...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She looked toward the crashed moon and saw a crack appearing on its surface. Such an impact, the moon would soon crumble under its own eight... That is what she thought but soon realized that she was wrong as a massive shadow towered over her. She slowly turned and looked up, seeing a massive ck silhouette of a dragon with no distinct features, she couldn''t even tell the thing''s ws or fangs from its whole body, it looked like a shadow came to life. Light twisted around it, giving the illusion of its body consuming the universe. The shadowy dragon disappeared like mist, and Arad fell from it in his humanoid form, crashing beside Lunara. Whatever was thatst form, he couldn''t maintain it for more than a few seconds. But even with how great that form was, Lunara had no time to admire it. Arad who fell to the ground twitched, pushing his body up with his hand, trying to sit up. Lunara''s mind started racing; he survived the [Moon Fall], she had never expected such a thing. She''s currently out of both mana and stamina and can''t even stand straight. Using two [Moon Fall] back-to-back had put her body under such extreme stress that she probably wouldn''t be able to defeat a wolf in her current state. A pack of wolves would eat her as if she were any ordinary rabbit, ripped limb by limb. Yet, the biggest wolf of them all had survived. Arad Orion, all of his bones shattered and his muscles ripped apart, his mana had long since been drained dry, and his body was forced back into a humanoid form to conserve energy and not die of starvation due to the sudden use of a massive amount of energy. He shouldn''t be able to move, but he did, all thanks to his boiling lycanthropic blood, pushing him to move at death''s door like a wild beast. A starving wolf and an exhausted rabbit, a dragon, and a demon far past their limits, death knocking on their doors. Whoever dies first, or whoever recovers enough would win this battle. Arad suddenly started gasping as if his life was ending, his eyes almost popped out of his skull as he started regurgitating, but nothing came out of his mouth. Lunara smiles, it seems he''s the one to kick the bucket first. That impact must''ve crushed several of his vital organs, leaving him only hanging to life by a hair strand. But, suddenly, a small kitchen knife came out of Arad''s mouth. Chapter 941: Arads Intent Chapter 941: Arad''s Intent ? N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad grabbed the knife tightly in his hand and tried to stand up, the veins on his bruised arms bleeding out as his eyes shed with all kinds of colors, golden, red, and purple like a burningmp. His body was already a dead corpse, and his magic had long since snuffed out, only one thing burning in his mind kept him moving forward, and he managed to stand up on his knees, the knife in his hand shining brightly as it reflected sunlight. Lunara gasped, her eyes immediately spotting the power surging in that tiny kitchen knife that looked like a toothpick in Arad''s massive palm. The arcane arts, the ancient magic, an artifact, a weapon of ancient origin and great power that she had once heard about from her countless cultists. The exploding nipples'' knife! "Why do you fight!" Lunara growled, "You could''ve flown away and dodged the moon, you could''ve won this fight by awaiting the right time to attack after I exhausted myself." She tried to stand, but her legs didn''t have enough strength to carry her, and her demonic release started fading away as her ears and horns disappeared. Casting [Moon Fall] twice in a row was a stupid idea, she is now left defenseless and without any power to defend herself. At that moment, Kayden appeared standing between them. He looked at Arad, "Don''t worry, it''s over. Keep going and you''ll kill her, but at the cost of your own life." He approached and smacked him on the head with the scabbard of his sword, knocking him out. As Arad fell, Hati appeared from a portal beside them and looked at the fallen moon, wanting to pull her hair out, "What the hell did you two do!? How long it''ll take me to fix that!" She red at Lunara, "Listen here you little shit! I''ll grill you for dinner!" She growled, her fangs growingrger as she was about to shift into her true Fenrir form. "Calm down." Kayden extended his scabbard between Lunara and Hati, "I''m the one who allowed them to fight. I''ll fix the moon myself." "Tch..." Hati growled, "Fine...I''ll look the other way this time, but such destruction shouldn''t be allowed. Look, even Arad is at death''s door." "He''ll be fine, she as well." Kayden strapped his sword back at his waist and looked at Lunara, "Isn''t he stupid? Trying to stop the moon instead of dodging it? He''s durable enough to survive the st, but not the impact." As the moon impacts the ground at great speed, the energy and heat generated would evaporate it in the blink of an eye. The energy generated by such an impact would spread across the whole world in seconds and burn the to the core. But Arad is a void dragon, if he avoided a direct impact and flew a bit away, surviving the heat and shockwave shouldn''t be a problem. "I too expected him to run away." She looked away, "I never expected someone to be stupid enough to attempt stopping it. Even you dodged it." "I see..." Kayden nodded, "Then you''re a bigger fool than him. Do you know he risked his life to stop it? Why does he still insist on killing you right here and now even if it''s thest thing he''ll do in life?" Something indeed seemed off. Arad is smart, and he should''ve figured that dodging the attack is a sure path to victory, so why did he choose to face it directly? Was it pride? Or something else, what does he care about? Winning, or is it something else? "You say he had a reason?" Lunara growled, "There can''t be anything worth such a risk." She couldn''t understand or figure it out, a whole falling moon, nothing should be worth facing such a horror. Arad''s actions didn''t make sense to her, especially since they greatly diminished his chances of victory. "It wasn''t risk, it was a sacrifice. One of his wives is training in the south pool." Kayden said and Lunara froze in ce, "If the moonnded with full force, the whole world would''ve gone into hellish fire and she would die." The moment Lunara pulled her [Moon Fall] Arad''s focus had shifted from winning the fight to protecting Isdis that he assumed was still in the south pole. He didn''t have time to confirm her presence as all the power and energy he had was focused on stopping the moon. If the moon hits the ground at full force, she''s sure to die in the aftermath, so Arad stops it. And now that he stopped the moon, he must finish the exhausted Lunara as she''s still a threat to his wives. Lunara wasn''t facing any dragon, she wasn''t facing any man or monster, and her opponent was nothing more than a husband protecting his wife. "Well, she isn''t there." Hati said with a proud smile, "Kayden warned me; so I pulled her out." Lunara looked down, "I see, that''s why I''ve never had a ce at his side." She sighed, "I''ll return to my domain, never bother him again." If he values his wives so much that even her ultimate attack didn''t sway him away, none of her advances would work. She was now certain that Arad would go to hell, to the depths of the abyss and back just to make sure his wives weren''t harmed. "Return?" Kayden stared at her, "And spend several decades slowly recovering? It''ll only take the other demon lords'' years to find out how weakened you are and they''lle to kill and take your throne." He looked at Hati, "Take her back to recover at your home. I''ll send a few of my demons to protect her domain in the meantime. No fool would dare attack a demon''s domain if they sniffed me around." Kayden Daemon might look human at times, but a true and powerful demon would say otherwise. He''s to them what demons are to humans, he''s a monster that even demons can''t comprehend. Kayden started walking toward the sea, reaching the edge of the beach, and stood in the gentle waves. "What..." Lunara gasped, "The overgod would smite me the moment I step foot in the mortal world without preparation." Demon lords can go into the mortal world, but that would require decades of preparation and numerous spells to avoid the overgod''s wrath. "Don''t worry. He already knows and won''t smite you." Kayden extended his hand forward and a cut appeared on his palm, dripping his blood into the sea. "Now, to lift the moon back up." Lunara stared at him with an open mouth, shocked at his words, but what wasing was bound to shock her even more. No one had ever seen Kayden going all out or had sensed the limits of his abilities. They all knew the fact he was a being far stronger than any demon, the man who adopted their goddess Kali and took revenge on their former god Asura''s murder. His dominion over demons is absolute, but none could believe that he nearly had no limit on his power over them. As Kayden''s blood hit the sea water it created a long red line of blood an eye that extended all the way to the crushed continent and to the moon, seeping into its core in seconds. The loud pulsing of a heart was heard booming in the sky as the moon cracked, turning ck. A massive titanic eye appeared on the moon''s surface as it grew tentacles ending in eyes and teeth, wiggling around like snakes as the moon started floating up. The moon had turned into a creature resembling a demonic beholder. Lunara felt her blood draining from her body, that moon had turned into a demonic being far stronger than any demon lord she had ever seen, its power dwarfing all demon lords by several magnitudes. An eldritch horror that could feed on whole worlds. Kayden didn''t even look like he was putting any effort into it. To him, it was as simple as dripping his blood. The moon looked at Kayden, lowering its massive eye down. "Orders." "Get back into orbit." Kayde said and the moon flew up to its ce. A secondter, it started shifting back into a normal moon and its eyes and tentacles disintegrated into ash, its power returning into Kayde. Such a powerful demon was born and died in seconds at Kayden''s whims. Some powerful demons are known to be able to create minions of themselves like Merida''s fungus and even Lunara herself, but nothing to this extent. Those powers usually are restricted to living beings, and they always result in a weak demon that must take decades to grow stronger. Kayden had just turned a full moon, a non-living object into a demon that surpassed all demon lords, and he did it so effortlessly. "I put it back up." Kayden turned toward Hati, "And about the continent, sorry, but it''ll need an earth mage to fix. With my powers, it''ll be left looking too t if I attempt fixing it." "A powerful earth mage?" A second voice came from behind them and when they looked it was a second Hati, that was her twin sister Skoll. "I''ll fix it myself. It''s been a while since I stretched my magic a bit." As Skoll started walking on the sea surface, a small boat-sized ind appeared beneath her feet and started carrying her away toward the destroyed continent. "I''ll have it fixed by tomorrow. Take them to heal up." She waved her hand to them as her ind sped up and she sted away like a speed boat. "Arad had finished his training. I saw it from afar, thatst form of his must''ve been the best defensive form he could achieve at his current level of power." Kayden said as he looked back. While Hati didn''t know what he was talking about, Lunara could remember the shadowy silhouette form that Arad appeared in right before being forced back into his humanoid form. That form is certainly what allowed Arad to survive the moon falling on him, but for now, none of them understood how, only Arad himself could exin it. The overgod''s words rang in Kayden''s head, and they were true. The harder Arad is pushed, the more he''ll grow in power, but that''s a dangerous game since that extreme level of stress and danger could kill Arad and end everything. Chapter 942: In Critical Conditions Chapter 942: In Critical Conditions ? Hati walked back into her house, carrying both Arad and Lunara with her tails. She stood in the hallway and looked around, sensing that one of her daughters was close by so she called her with a weak pulse of magic. Like a cat sniffing food, the daughter poked her head out of the washing room where she was taking care of clothes and saw her mother carrying the two behind her. Hati waved her hand, "Clothes can wait. Go get the healing quarter ready, we''ve got one badly injured and one drained."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The daughter gasped and she rushed away to get the quarter ready. Hati nodded with a smile as she started slowly walking after her toward the healing quarter. "I''m fine." Lunara protested, trying to free herself from Hati''s tail but she failed. What looked like a white and soft fluffy tail was as hard as steel and as rough as steel brushes. It felt like being cradled in a massive nket of sharp spikes and nails. To Lunara, it felt like being carried by a porcupine instead of a Fenrir. "Come on,e on...no need to be shy." Hati replied without even looking back at Lunara, "Wee to the mortal world. In any other circumstances, I would be shoving my tail down your throat and ripping your heart apart. But be grateful that Kayden allowed you in." Lunara giggled, "You kill me? I underestimated Arad, but I can tell you aren''t a fighter. You might have a lot of magic, but it''s mainly focused on buffs and barriers, and those aren''t even defensive. They are for repair and maintenance. You''re a builder, not a woman that fights in the front lines." Lunara''s demon eyes couldn''t be wrong, Hati wasn''t even trying to hide the colors of her magic. "You aren''t wrong, but you''re still an inexperienced young brat." Hati giggled, "Great power is a detriment, you''ll never taste defeat." Hati finally looked back, "People learn from failure far more than they do from sess. You''ve never lost a fight, so you won''t know what kind of people to be scared of." As Hati finished speaking, Lunara started spazzing out with blood rushing out of her every hole. Her heart couldn''t beat normally anymore and her lungs started failing, her organs began shutting down as her whole body crashed. Then just as suddenly, she was fine. Lunara was confused, for a second she thought that death wasing for her. "Eternity means the constant state of being without change. Neither you nor Arad should be alive in your exhausted conditions. He''s cooked alive and you''re far past exhaustion, your body doesn''t even have the energy to allow your heart to beat." Another one of Hati''s tails wrapped around Lunara''s neck and started squeezing it, "You can''t feel it, can you? Your heart isn''t beating." Hati was keeping both Arad and Lunara in a state of suspended animation using her Eternity which was quite the strange magic. It''s as if someone''s body is halted in time, no matter their condition. Even if they were awake, they''ll remain awake. They could move and speak, but is putting stress on Hati''s technique. "You being awake and speaking now, I''m the one paying the energy price for that." Hati kept walking, "You either be respectful, or I''ll let you suffer from time to time." As she said that, she let Lunara out of the technique for a second just for fun, letting her struggle with death a bit. After Hati took the two to the healing quarter, sheid each one on a separate bed. Sadly, Lunara''s feet dangled from the bed as she was taller than it. Beds that fit a three-meter-tall {10-foot} giant weren''t something that anyone had in their houses. One of Hati''s daughters Frankensteined a soft chair to the lower part of the bed with nails to extend it, and that seemed to help a bit. Despite how Arad and Lunara looked, their condition was far worse than anyone could expect, except Hati. Hati ordered her daughter not to inform Arad''s wives about his injury, it won''t take her long to heal him to a rtively stable condition. Informing them now would only cause unnecessary stress and fear. Arad''s injuries consisted of multiple broken bones across his whole body and ripped and cooked muscles, they literally cooked by his own mes and his body is scrambling to rece them which is causing a deadly amount of inmmation. His organs were nowhere to be seen, but Hati could assume they were as well pretty damaged but hiding inside his void which made them inessible to her magic,plicating the healing process. In Lunara''s case her lower part, mainly the legs werepletely destroyed, all the muscles had died due to extreme exhaustion and work-induced damage, and they were now both sucking an ungodly amount of energy as well as dumping a crap ton of waste into her bloodstream, killing her organs faster than Arad could''ve ever killed her. She also suffers from severe damage to her magic circuits which got fried after her casting a second [Moon Fall], such wounds would normally take decades to heal without resorting to exotic healing methods, and even with such time, they might never be fully healed. What''s more, both of them were in an extreme state of exhaustion, starvation, and dehydration as they exerted their bodies to the absolute limit. The situation looked bad and was quickly spirally beyond Hati''s skills with healing magic, soon the two would sumb to their injuries and die. The healing quarter''s door slowly opened, and the first person Hati called to help her arrived. A tall woman of snowy pale skin, opal hair, and white milky eyes strolled in gazing into nothingness, her body covered with a transparent veil, she seemed both naked and clothed, looking at her seemed like staring at a wraith or a ghost. The moment Lunara spotted her, she started shaking, almost passing out of sheer terror of the monster that had just casually strolled in. The pale night, the mother of all demons. While Kayden is to the demons like an uncle that they rarely see and don''t know how strong he is, but are sure he''s far too powerful and would whop their asses to oblivion. The pale night was literally the mother of billions of demons, trillions of demons get born from her titanic womb every second, most of them die, and those who survive go to popte the newly formed loweryers of the abyss. She might not be the strongest demon in the abyss, probably barely making it to the top 100. But, most of the strongest demons are her children, and they are extremely protective of their mother. They venerate her and worship the ground she walks upon. The pale nightid her cold hand on Lunara''s forehead, "Light out, baby. The pain would be no more once you wake up." As she pulled her palm down and closed Lunara''s eyes, Lunara was dead. "You killed her?" Hati stared at her with a passive face. "This body of hers is already destroyed. I''ll make her a new one. That should be faster than trying to botch her and hope she recovers." The pale mother smiled as her torso opened up from the corbone to the hips, revealing a massive maw of teeth and fangs. A long tongue wrapped around Lunara''s body and she was swallowed whole. "How long will it take?" Hati asked. "I''ve collected her soul...I''ll give birth to her in an hour or so." The pale night pulled a chair and sat down, "An adult body is good, right? The same age as the one she had." "Yeah, we want a body as simr to her current so she won''t have much trouble getting used to it." Hati leaned back, "It''s amazing, how you can just do that." "I used to only give birth to demons as babies, and nowhere near this scale." The pale night smiled, "Thanks to Gracie, ever since I got her blessing, I can rebirth anyone into a healthy body as long as I get their soul." Like all powerful demons, The Pale Night has her followers among humans, and most of them flock to her to cure their birth defects and disabilities. Those who were cursed with bad gics or bodies that can''t achieve their desired goals. With sufficient offering, some cultists had managed to convince the pale night to rebirth them into healthier, stronger, and more talented and blessed bodies. Of course, with the caveat that the new body would always have a hit of demonic blood, called the pale mark. The pale night looked at Arad, "What about that cute boy over there?" She said with a smile, "Does he need a new mother?" "Probably, but I don''t know about giving him demonic blood. Leave him aside, for now, I''ve called a specialist in dragons." Hati looked at the door as it slowly opened up. "Oh my! What a surprise..." The pale night gasped in slight surprise at the person who just walked in. Chapter 943: The Monster Above Chapter 943: The Monster Above ? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As the ck-haired woman walked into the room, her eyes were burning purple. Her re immediately shifted toward the pale night, "Is the bitch who did this inside you?" She growled, the bloodlust bursting from her re enough to kill even some gods. Hati waved her hand, "Come on now, Vasilissa, sit down. They were training." "You close your mouth; let I shove my foot in it." Vasilissa growled at Hati, "Where is the bitch, who did this." She rushed toward the pale night and lifted her by the neck. "Speak, or do you want me to digest the whole mortal world and shit it on your doorsteps." "Put her down!" Hati stood, "She only came here since I called her." She tried to pull the two apart, but Vasilissa lifted her by the neck as well. "I''ll skin you after her. You''re the one who hid Arad in your domain." "Calm down." Even though being lifted by the neck, Hati''s expression didn''t change one bit. "You know Arad, and you know that he won''t grow unless pushed to failure. You agreed to this, so do your job." Vasilissa gave them a sharp re and then threw them on the ground. She dropped down and a chair appeared beneath her. She sat beside Arad''s bed and extended her hand above him, engulfing him in a cloud of dark magic. "Did you calm down?" The pale mother stared at her with a smile, "I know how a mother would feel seeing her son cooked like a fine steak. But you must grow tougher, he can fend for himself now. I have billions of children as well, and they suffer injuries worse than this each -day." "You grow cold when you''ve given birth to that many. You aren''t a mother, you''re like an ant or a bee queen, shitting children like they are her breath." Vasilissa looked at them with a still enraged re. "Next time something like this happens, you can forget about me helping. I''ll rip this whole world apart, take my children, and leave." The two understood that Vasilissa''s threat was no mere boast. Zooming out of Hati''s house you could see the wild jungle, then the beastnds, and then the other humanoid kingdoms all nested on a massive continent, several unexplored inds and small continents dotted around in the deadly sea. But when you zoom out even more, fly outside of Zephyr''s expansion, the atmosphere, you reach the moon. Going past the moon and zooming even further, you''ll find the sr system of the mortal world-a sun surrounded by elvens orbiting it. But what protected that sr system wasn''t a massive spherical barrier, it was something else. The mortal ne of existence floated inside the void, inside the stomach of a massive monster, a void drakaina of mind-boggling proportion. She floated alone in the empty dark space, swimming away, carrying the mortal world with her as she protected it from the rare but dangerous abominations attacks. That massive void drakaina was Vasilissa. As the long centuries of swimming in the nd empty void grow too boring for her, she creates dolls of flesh and bones and sends them into the mortal world. She uses those remote- controlled dolls to live countless lives to pass the time. Sometimes she''s ying as a farm girl, and in the next she''s an adventurer sailing the seas with pirates. The entire mortal world was already in Vasilissa''s stomach, one whim away from being digested. Countless heroes and viins were born on it, thriving in wealth andughing with arrogance. Some of them discovered that Vasilissa held some power and tracked her dolls across the world, not knowing the scale of the being they were targeting. They, their wealth and pride, their families and ancestors have never expected that they weren''t even worth the shit they flush down, every one of them was already eaten by Vasilissa, they were born in her stomach, doomed to never reach her might. What Lunara feared as the overgod''s wrath before was her mistaking Vasilissa''s powers for the overgod''s divine punishment. When a demon lord makes his way to the mortal world without abiding by several roles, Vasilissa instantly digests them where they stand. "He''s basically dead! It''s a miracle that his soul didn''t leave his body." Vasilissa growled, ring at the two women behind her, ready to rip them apart. "There are no miracles in this world, you know it better. It''s my eternity keeping him alive. It was the same with the one he fought." Hati sighed as she leaned back, "Can''t you rx a bit? He won''t die easily, not with us around." "With you around? He''s in more danger." Vasilissa sighed, "It''s only been a year since he''s been born. He should be living like a normal human, hiding his powers and growing a nice family. When his human guise expires, he''ll shift to another life and keep going. After several centuries and when he''s grown old enough, that''s when he should''ve gone out of his way to seek power." "Not All void dragons have that luxury and you know Arad, he can''t live a normal life." The pale night leaned back on her chair and put one leg on another. Vasilissa red at her, "He''ll get that luxury if I start ripping the world to shreds." As she finished that sentence, one of the mountains in the distance had vanished, and everyke in the whole beast kingdom had dried. Not a single fish remained, and the sun started flickering. When Hati looked out of the window, she saw Vasilissa''s w eclipsing the sun. "I''ll fucking throw it down, I swear! If I find him this injured again, I don''t give a shit about you or the overgod. It''s war!" She shook the sun left and right, and the people of the whole world thought they were seeing some magical illusion, their brains couldn''t even fathom the idea of a monster that huge. As void dragons grow into their great wyrm stage, they split into two groups. The drakainas get handed a world each to protect, so they carry them in their stomachs and fly across the void, and the males, the dragons, fly alone across the empty void, seeking to hunt the abomination more actively. But the worlds aren''t handed randomly, they are evaluated and each drakaina gets a world based on her power and worth. The mortal world was the most frequent target of the abominations, and Vasilissa receiving it was a testament to her power. Vasilissa''s magic only took minutes to fully cure Arad, they were all creatures of the void, and her mastery of matter reconstruction was far above the understanding of others. She broke Arad''s body down back into energy and then formed that energy back into stable molecules, muscles, and bones, all while keeping Arad''s vital organs like the brain and spine stored securely in her void. Vasilissa smiled, "He grew stronger thanst time." "He stopped a whole ass moon." Hati sighed. Vasilissa looked at her with a terrifying smile. "A moon? So, the bitch was either Selune or Lunara, I''ll rip their breasts out when I find them." The two froze in ce, realizing that Vasilissa was still mad, she hadn''t calmed one bit. She only changed her strategy of getting them to talk and seeded. "Wait! Don''t go attacking them! Selune is a goddess and Lunara is a demon lord!" The pale night gasped, "Selune especially, you''ll get killed." While Vasilissa indeed hosted severals and their moons inside her, those moons weren''t the only source of Selune''s power. All of the other worlds, hundreds if not thousands of worlds that were protected by Other drakainas also had theirs, moons, and suns. Vasilissa only held a tiny fraction of Selune''s power hostage. Vasilissa stared at them, "Remember Astra? The goddess of shooting stars?" "No..." The two stared back at her, they knew all of the gods, but Astra wasn''t one of them. There was never a goddess called Astra. "Yes, you don''t remember her, so shut the fuck up. Otherwise, you''ll be nothing alongside Selune and Lunara." Astra did exist in the past, but once Vasilissa got to her, she ripped Astra out of the fabric of reality, erasing her existence from the past, present, and future. The only one who remembers her besides Vasilissa is the overgod, Kayden, and Death herself. Hati who called Vasilissa in the hope of getting Arad patched up quickly before tomorrow''s training started to regret her decision. Arad''s mother is a monster of great power and intellect, an intellect so far higher than mere mortals that fooling her is nearly impossible. Now poor Hati has to get her to fully heal Arad and leave without causing any trouble...She wasn''t looking forward to that. Chapter 944: The Dark Silhouette Chapter 944: The Dark Silhouette ? "Now, you''re healed." Vasilissa smiled, brushing Arad''s hair with her hand. "Hold on for just a second, I''ll go snap that woman''s neck." She turned toward the pale night, "Get her out, I can already guess that it''s Lunara and not Selune since you''re the one who was called to heal her." When Vasilissa opened her palm, her long purple ws extended out. But she also knew that no matter what she said, the pale night would never give Lunara out. She isn''t called the mother of all demons for nothing, now that she has Lunara''s soul inside her, she''ll protect her to the death. The pale night sighed, "Vasilissa, listen well, little girl." She was old, far older than the abyss itself. She''s a creature that had lived since the ancient times of AO, long before the current Overgod was born. "She is my daughter now. You''ll be starting a war with not just me, but trillions, untold hordes of demons that would drown you in a sea of blood." The infinite abyss is always growing deeper, several newyers emerging every month with new horrific and mutated demons being born out of the pale night''s womb to fill them. Only she knew the horrors lurking in the loweryers of the abyss. Thoseyers are so horrific and unhospitable to life that even gods fear them, only the overgod had stepped inside and explored some of them.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The pale night had no reason to believe that Vasilissa wouldn''t fear thoseyers, but she also had no reason to think that Vasilissa wouldn''t dare to charge at heryer. Hati sighed, trying to think of a way to convince Vasilissa to back away. "Forget about that. How is Arad, did the training affect his body?" Hati tried to change the subject. Vasilissa red at her, "You''re trying to change the subject, fuck off. But...Arad indeed did change a bit." She sat back on her chair and sighed, staring at her son. "The draconic body is our true form. Turning into a half-dragon or a humanoid is effectively bing a lesser creature, trading power for convenience and efficiency. I bet Arad could survive on a single meal for two decades if he remained in his human form and lived by human standards of strength and magic." "And?" The pale night took her chance to slowly back away and take a seat. "After Arad''s draconic body, he could enchant himself with his two main curses, the vampiric and lycanthropic curse, turning into a Vampiric Wyrmwolf Dragon. That form is the same as if a human was both a vampire and a werewolf at the same time and used those powers simultaneously." She looked back at Arad, "Lycanthropy offers higher resilience, physical power, and senses, the vampiric blood offers regeneration and magical empowerment, as well as a tone of minions to use." "You''re saying he reached a higher form?" Hati looked at her. "I won''t say reached. It''s more likely that he instinctively activated it as a defense mechanism as he was being crushed by the moon." Vasilissa stood, and her body turned into a pure ck silhouette. Even without speaking, her thoughts reached Hati and the pale night. "This form is nothing, no time, no flesh or bones, nothing, not even light exists. Imagine a red dragon refining his fire magic until he bes able to turn his body into pure mes like that of a fire elemental. This form is that of pure void, do you know who I am?" As she stood there, the two women stood terrified, pulling their weapons out. The pale night pulled a long staff and a crystal-clear sword emerged from Hati''s palm, "What are you? An abomination?!" Hati growled and swung at Vasilissa''s neck. When the eternal de of Hati crossed Vasilissa''s neck, the part that was supposed to have touched her disappeared. Hati stared in shock at her now half-sword, "What?!" That de was immune to all damage, it never breaks or loses edge. It was protected by eternity, it''s supposed always to be...no, what was it again, the hunk of ss in her hand. The pale night on the other hand was stuck staring at Vasilissa''s pure ck silhouette, engrossed in darkness that seemed akin to the abyss''s infinity, hearing a faint voice, beckoning her to jump inside. She started to lose her bnce, and her body reflexively fell back and she sat on her butt, her head spinning. "Your eternity, the abyss''s infinity, or my ravenous void. I''m d to test and see who wille at the top, what about you?" She took a step forward and snatched Hati''s broken sword from her hand, and then shoved it into her void body. A secondter, she spat the sword back fixed. Hati stared at it for a second, remembering that it was her eternal de. "Once you fall inside." Vasilissa said, and the two could remember who she was. "I''m the only one who can bring you out. The overgod might be able to kill me, but that would mean the true destruction and end for everything that I swallowed." With the mortal world already in her stomach, she''s literally taking everyone in there as hostages. And if she were to die, everyone would vanish with her. "And..." Vasilissa reached with her hand inside her chest, "If you aren''t convinced." She pulled a naked, crying, and screaming woman who started begging her the moment she came out. She didn''t leave a word in the book that she didn''t plead with. Hati and the pale night immediately recognized the woman as Astra, the goddess of shooting stars. They could finally remember her! As the two women stared in horror, Vasilissa shoved the begging Astra back inside her. "Next time, if either Arad or Gojo get hurt, by anyone beside me, I''ll make sure to throw whoever harmed them inside, if they ran away, I''ll throw the whole world, hoping they are in it." She shifted back into her normal form, sitting back on the chair, "And to answer your question," She red at Hati, "Yes, Arad used a lesser form like this, one appropriate for his age and magical capacity, also the development of his stomach." With one leg over another, she patted Arad''s head, "To think his frail body was forced to use such an extreme power at a young age..." She waved her hand at the bedside table, and it went right through it like an eraser. "His form is probably limited to sending whateveres into his silhouette into his stomach. He shouldn''t use it too much since it damages his body a lot." She stood with a deep sigh, "Tell Lunara that she was lucky this time. I won''t be this forgiving next time." She disappeared into ck mist, leaving the two women bbergasted. They sat silent for a solid half an hour before taking a deep breath, they now became certain that Vasilissa left. She was an even bigger monster than they had expected. It had be clear why the overgod made the void dragons to be the cosmic police and guards of countless worlds, their power is so great that their mere existence is enough to force even gods to y by the rules. The pale night hesitantly pulled Lunara out, watching out if Vasilissa was still prowling around, but everything seemed fine. "This is exhausting..." The pale night sighed. "I''m d she left so quickly. I don''t know if I could''ve had enough stamina if she spent the whole night here." Hati looked at Arad, "But back to this, he reached that strange void form... it might not be mature, but that''s a horrifying level of progress from being pushed near death." "Near-death experiences are known to push fighters beyond their limit." The pale night waved her hand and a bed appeared out of nowhere. Sheid on it and sighed, "I''ll take a nap, wake me when Lunara wakes up." "Rest well, Grandma." Hati looked at her with a smug smile and the pale night immediately growled back at her, "I''m not a grandma!" But she was indeed far older than almost everyone. Chapter 945: Arads Night Plan Chapter 945: Arad''s Night n ? Minutester, Lunara opened her eyes, looking at an unfamiliar blurry ceiling. This wasn''t the skulls and bones of her dark castle in the abyss, she couldn''t smell the rancid scent of rot and ash. Silence, not a single soul is crying, screaming, or weeping outside. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as memories quickly flooded her mind. She wasn''t recovering from a normal injury, but having her whole body recreated. It takes time to fully wake up. After a second of adjusting to this new body, her vision finally cleared out. Blood rushed into her veins, and she could feel warmth spreading across her whole body. The pale figure watching her from across the room said in a quiet tone, "That looks decent." Lunara''s new body seems to havee out as expected and without any defect. "Good morning, or should I say, good afternoon. An hour had passed since you''d been rushed here. Do you remember me?" The pale night smiled as she was sitting backward on a wooden chair, looking at Lunara with a grin. Transferring memories from a brain to the soul, and then to the brain of a new body is a daunting task. The person going through it would feel worse and be even more confused than a drunk person who got knocked out with a punch to the face and woke up in a foreignnd. Lunara''s face paled in fear, instinctively, she could tell that the woman before her was a stronger demon than her. To her, this felt like getting knocked out in a street brawl, and then waking up in an interrogation room with a fully armed soldier ring at her. "Wait! The pale night!" She crawled back on her bed, trying to get as much distance away, but the wall didn''t allow her, stubbornly staying firm behind her back. "It''s not the pale night. Now, it''s Mother for you." The pale night smiled, she had a new daughter now. "How does your body feel? I took some liberty and did some adjustments to make it a bit better." A mother gives her children the best she could. Strangely, Lunara could feel a sudden sense of peace and tranquility washing over her head. The pale night''s words were both calming and soothing, reminding her of herte dead mother. She couldn''t help but feel assured to be beside her, while her mind screamed that she should be scared. Lunara clenched her fist and extended her legs, "Yeah, something feels off." Pushing her fear to the back of her head, she could indeed feel that her body was lighter and more rigid. Like how a human can feel the limit of his speed while sprinting at full speed, a demon as powerful as her could feel the limit of her power at all times. That limiter had now vanished. Unlike before, this body she is now hasn''t reached its full potential. "I changed the location of some veins and optimized your magic circuit and lungs. But your power had dropped to half what it was before since this body had grown inside me for just an hour." The pale night pointed at Lunara. Growing too fast must''ve had its cost, and getting reborn would always require some rehabilitation afterward since the muscle memory would fade away. "Now you''ve got a better body and higher potential, it shouldn''t take you long to surpass your past self." The ability to give demons and people alike a second roll at their gic lottery was the power that made the mother of all demons a feared and respected being. "And what''s the catch?" Lunara red at her. Everything has a price, and that price would be paid one way or another. "I''m grateful for the help, and I know you were called by that woman with many tails. But demons never do something for free, what''s your price?" The pale night cracked a smile, "You catch on quick." She stood, pushed the chair away with her foot, and approached Lunara, "I gave birth to your current body, so call me mother, mom is better, and mommy if you don''t mind would be the best." The faint smile showing behind her veil felt both calming and disturbing, each of those words must have a different meaning and feeling for the pale night. "If anyone tried to attack my womb, I''ll call upon you and my other children to fight and protect it." The pale night''syer is a massive mass of writhing flesh, blood, and bones, a titanic and defenseless womb that gives birth to countless demons. It needs protection, and the children are the ones supposed to protect it. "I also want to be able to use youryer as a safe passageway and put a non-aggression treaty between me and you. Of course, I''ll offer you services that I''m capable of, like giving new bodies to your generals or army if I had the power." This means that Lunara and her demons would protect any demon making its way through heryer that is heading in or out of the pale night''syer. In the abyss, and especially the loweryers, murder ismon. Those with power are free to do whatever they want, and they often abuse that power. "We should have this in a written contract." Lunara leaned back, "Sorry Mother, but that''s how all demons should act. Like devils, we only trust in written contracts." This would allow Lunara and her generals to review the contract and dispute any potential loopholes. The pale night smiled with a nod, "I would''ve whopped you had you agreed just verbally. I''m your mother now, I don''t want you falling into a stupid agreement." "I don''t need you to teach me that." Lunara giggled, but she immediately shut up as Arad suddenly jolted on his bed, sitting up with a stern face and tensed muscles. She and the pale night stared at him for a second, and his glowing purple eyes turned to re at Lunara, burning with a disturbing purple me of pure rage and distrust. He clenched his left fist, and magic started gathering inside it. The wind started getting pulled through the window like a storm and the two women cried, "Wait! Stop this!" Lunara waved her hands. Arad woke up and chose violence, in his mind, the fight still hadn''t ended. He could only see Lunara, and feel the itch to get his fist to kiss her brain. "Calm down." Hati appeared standing behind Arad and tapped him on the head with her long fan, "The fight is over. Take a second to get reoriented." She sighed, putting her hand over his fist and trying to block his magic as he might mess up the room, her daughters wouldn''t be happy to have more work. Arad is a dragon, and dragons are aggressive by nature. He loses consciousness while still focused on nothing but killing Lunara, now that he wakes up, his mind isn''t disoriented one bit, it still carries the same will and focuses only on finding and finishing Lunara. This rigid mentality is what allows dragons to be able to fight right after waking up no matter what their mental condition is. Right now, Arad couldn''t even notice the night mother sitting beside Lunara, that''s how much he was focusing on killing that demonic rabbit demon lord. With Hati behind him and her hand on his fist, Arad looked at the room with one eye like a chameleon. One eye remained focused on Lunara while the other inspected his surroundings. Hati cringed at the sight, she didn''t know he could do that. Even Arad himself didn''t know, he never needed to look at two different things before, so he never tried to move each eye independently. In reality, he didn''t have that ability before. Vasilissa had noticed that most of the injuries Arad sustained were the result of kicks and that he might''ve been able to avoid them had he been able to look in different directions and notice the charging enemy. She used her power to separate the nerves of his eyes, allowing him to control each one separately.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Lunara wasn''t the only one who got potential upgrades. Vasilissa probably didn''t want to get outdone by that pale grandma demon. His vision finally stopped focusing on Lunara alone. "This...We''re back at your house?" His left eye looked back as he talked with Hati while still keeping one eye on Lunara, ready to strike in a fraction of a second. "She isn''t dangerous anymore. The training has ended, it''s time for you to rest for tomorrow''s training." She walked past him and sat beside the pale night, "For now, she''ll be living in my house, at least until she''s ready to get back to her domain in the abyss." Arad''s brain instantly kicked into high gears. His wives are in this house, she wants to kill them to keep him for herself. This is dangerous...And if Lunara can''t go back to the abyss now, probably the fight weakened her enough, this is the prime time to kill her and solve the problem. At night, he''ll shove a fist up her chest and rip her heart out. But for now, he must act normal. "I''m not letting her stay here." Arad said, still keeping his re at Lunara. But he leaned back and put one leg on the bed. He didn''t want to mention that his wives were around, giving the demon any information might prove dangerous. He should be against her staying here, so he''ll argue. They must not figure out what he''s nning. "Remember, she and the other demons were called to train you. Some demons might be a bit crazy, but they mostly keep to themselves unless they are triggered." Hati exined, trying to calm Arad down a bit, he''s a reasonable dragon and should understand once everything is fully exined. "Everything will be fine." The pale night added with a gentle smile. None of them had any idea that Arad was already nning to kill Lunara. If Alcott was here, he would have figured out Arad''s n, but s, those two women aren''t experts in dealing with dragons and their schemes. "He triggers me...in different ways." Lunara looked at Arad with a smug smile, rubbing her thighs and Hati sighed, "We''re trying to help here...care to remain silent for a bit." She wasn''t helping her case, only making it worse. As they were talking, the door opened and Mira walked inside, with a sweaty body and arge smile. "Arad! Come, I got something ready!" She said, barely breathing as she rushed in in excitement. "Your weapon, I want you to test it." She said with a proud smile, grabbing him by the arm, and trying to pull him back. Chapter 946: The Cults Rabbit Hole Chapter 946: The Cult''s Rabbit Hole ? A little bit ago, and far back at Croc''s city''s outskirts, Jack, Pin and the murder pdins made their way across the swamp''s edge, following the faint demonic trail of magic until they reached a massive boulder shrouded with moss and vines. The musty smell of the swamp''s rotten water, the flies and bugs buzzing around in the air, the soft mud beneath their boots, and the bug-infested dead trees...they stood beside the boulder, looking around and waiting for demons to jump out of the murky water. Pin climbed Jack''s back and stood above his head, staring at the boulder with glowing red eyes. She giggled, biting her nails, "I can feel it, their demonic magic." She smiled, "They are close, it shall be a bloody party." As her bloodlust seeped out, the pdins pulled their maces and hammers and looked around for anything to smash. But, nothing came out besides more flies and mosquitoes, those can''t be hit with ease. "They are here? Beneath the rock like worms?" One of the pdins stared at the massive boulder, noting that it was over five meters tall and three meters wide {16.5 feet, and 10 feet} The dark green nts and vines seemed to twist around the boulder, sticking their roots deep into its core, pulsing with strange magic. "Filthy Maggots!" Another growled, "Squash them beneath my boots!"N?v(el)B\\jnn The boulder was either created or moved by magic recently. "This looks more like the work of a druid." One of the pdins said as he looked at Pin, "Lady Pin, we''re trying to find a demon cult, not a druid circle." He was a smart one, a man skilled enough to notice the difference in magic. It was indeed druidic magic that moved the boulder, not a demonic one. "Indeed, druids can get angry if someone trespassed onto their territory." Another pdin said with a sore face. Nothing hurt more than stumbling on a druid grove and getting chased down by a bunch of bears or hungry vultures. "No...this is the demon''s cult hideout. Pin is certain..." She giggled, looking back at the pdins with a sadistic grin, "A demon lord won''t care about the sses of his followers. Even if this was indeed a druid''s grove, it''s already been tainted by the demon lord''s influence. Don''t underestimate the severing queen''s art of...torture." The pdins gulped down, imagining the druids forced to turn into animals and then getting ughtered for food. For some reason, that was themon thought amongst them. She pointed at the boulder with her long and twisted finger, "Johnny, push it away." Hearing her words, thergest of the pdins cracked his knuckles with a puffed chest as he moved forward, he was the one with the most strength out of everyone present. If anyone is to push the boulder away, it''s him. With a grunt akin to that of a bull, the pdin pushed against the boulder with his shoulder, his face turning bright red with veins bulging out. As Jhonny pushed the boulder aside, it surprisingly moved with ease. What was revealed beneath the boulder was a long, twisted hole, deep, silent, and ominous. As Jack stepped beside it and pushed some dirt with his foot, they couldn''t hear it hit the bottom. The exhausted Jhonny looked at Jack as he sat on a rtively clean stone. Even if the boulder was easy to move thanks to the soft ground, it was still a massive boulder. "So, any bastards inside?" "It''s deep..." Jack looked back, "I''ve got some ropes, but it won''t carry the heaviest of us." "That hurt man! I just moved the boulder for us!" Johnny shook his head, "It''s muscles... muscles!" "Doesn''t change the fact my rope can''t carry you." Jack looked at him, shrugging his shoulders. "Sorry, but they are price-to-performance perfect to carry my...rtively lightweight body..." He looked at his heavy artificial arm and leg. "I''ll stay here and guard, y any cultist that tries to escape. This hole is as ck as the abyss, even I can smell the evil of that demon lord rushing out of it!" Johnny nodded with a giggle "May Eris''s blessing be with you. And give them some kicks in my stead." Jack giggled, "ying wack-a-cultist with a single hole and a warhammer? That should be fun enough." Pin looked at the hole, "Down the rabbit hole... Be ready for anything...demons are far too powerful than you think." She could sense it, the strange twists in Lunara''s demonic essence. Jack pulled a torch from his magic pocket and looked at it for a second. It had enough clothes and oil. "Let''s take a look then." He smiled and Pin reached with her finger toward the torch, touching it with her nail. A small red spark shed, and the torch burst aze. He crouched down and extended his arm down, trying to illuminate the dark hole. As the mes flickered and the shadows danced, he could see the faint figure of jagged stones and pebbles piled up deep into the darkness. "I can see the floor, that might be gravel or soft dirt. It''s probably ten meters deep." He looked back at the pdins with a worried face. "A deadly fall. I''ll go down first; you follow me afterward." A ten-meter fall, that''s thirty feet, falling that low into terrain they didn''t know. It might be filled with spikes for all they know. That''s a high risk, so Jack wanted to go first since he''s a rogue, he has the tools and knowledge to survive such a fall. "We pdins charge first!" One of the men behind growled, "You stay back, we shall explore the safety of the entrance." While Jack was the most reasonable option to explore the hole, the pdins couldn''t resist pushing their pride forward. Pin stared at them, "This man had fought alongside Arad, thedy''s powerful husband." She red back at them, "Pin is certain, he''s skilled." She tapped Jack on the back of his head, "Let''s go, they''ll follow after us." The pdins didn''t look so happy about her decision as they mumbled to each other, but no one voiced aint. Jack fired his hook at the boulder and slowly lowered himself down with a rope, stopping right before touching the ground. He waved his torch around, looking closely at the ground and walls. He is a trapper, and such simple tricks won''t fly past his head. The ground was indeed trapped, beneath the soft sand and dirty countless metal spikesced with deadly poison. He could notice them due to the faint smell filling the air, the smell of ck Boa poison. "Since the pressure inside the cave is low, wind flows from the outside and to the inside. That means smelling the poison before jumping in is impossible even for someone like Arad. Smell travels by air, and if that air is pushed in the opposite direction, you get this..." He looked at the walls as Pin stared at the ground, trying to sniff the smell that Jack smelled. "The walls seem to have been carved by magic, look at those smooth twists and turns, they never form naturally." He extended his hand forward, "Thest time I''ve seen this big sister was showing it to me. It''s a massive trap that can be created only inside caves." Pin looked at the walls. She wasn''t a native of the mortal world so she couldn''t tell if those rock formations were natural or not. "Some caves are filled with explosive gas, so you dig several air holes around it. When someone walks in with a torch, the whole ce turns into a massive oven. The burning room is usually severalyers away from the main chamber of the hideout." He started winding his rope up to get out. "I bet there are a lot of burning traps inside that are designed to set the ce aze if a stranger walked in." Unlike what it looked like from the outside, this ce was a deadly trap, charging inside blindly would only lead to countless deaths. As the pdins stared at him, Jack shook his head, "It''s a death trap. We''ll get roasted alive if we step inside. And there are poisonous spikes everywhere... Those hurt a lot, especially when you fall on your butt." He walked to the side and sat on the ground, pulling several bottles and trinkets from his pocket. "Wait a bit, it''ll take me some time to disarm everything." He started working and Pin looked at him with a surprised face. "You can disarm the fire thing?" "Natural gas never stopsing out, it''s like a hot spring. If they didn''t build something to vent it out periodically, it might overflow to the main chambers. Or worse, once someone triggers it, there''ll be too much gas that it''ll cause a massive explosion and copse the whole cave system." Jack smiled, "I''ll check the geography of the location and try to figure out possible vents." Chapter 947: The Rabbits Lair Chapter 947: The Rabbit''s Lair ? Jack smiled, standing up as he picked a long stick from the bushes. "Everyone,e around." He called the pdins and started drawing on the ground. "This is the boulder, and we have a small hill on this side and a forest from here and to this ce." "Did you figure out where the vent is?" One of the pdins asked. "Not exactly, do you want an exnation or should I just tell you what to do?" He looked at them. "Just give directions. Venting the gas is a chore, we want to get it done with so we can bash some heads." The pdin stood and looked back at the mossy hill "Behind the hill?" "No, five locations." Jack drew several X''s on his dirt map, "One of them is the vent or multiple, I don''t know. Check them out. If it''s a boulder, move it, if it''s dirt, shovel it out." He pulled several shoves out of his magic pocket. "Do whatever it takes." "We''ll get it done." The pdins split into five groups, each having at least five pdins as they spread and each headed to a possible location. Jack and Pin stayed beside the hole and worked on getting rid of the poisonous spikes and the pdins returned after just half an hour. "Did you find anything?" Jack asked as he noticed some of them dripping with mud and moss, smelling like wet dogs. Three groups have encountered vents and opened them. One vent was hiding beneath a boulder, another vent was buried and disguised as a grave, and thest vent was underwater in the swamp with arge stone blocking it. Jack didn''t know how did they get to the underwater one, or who was disrespectful enough to dig a grave, but he didn''t ask questions. The important part is that they did their job. Rogues only care about results, no matter the method. A thief can''t criticize a grave robber after all. One steals from the living, and the other from the dead who probably don''t need what they have. Right now, they should be able to proceed. Jack called the pdins, "Look, what do you think?" He had shoveled dirt and stones down the hole and buried the spikes with anotheryer. "You still can''t jump inside. I''ll go down first." Jack grabbed the rope and climbed down, finallynding safely thanks to his light weight. He waved his hand to the pdins up and then proceeded to ssh a strange potion over the dirt and stones. Magic engulfed the pile of dirt and stone, hardening it. The potion was made by Arad before when he tried to infuse different types of magic into potions. Some could explode into fire, some into ice, and this potion hardens dirt and stone to create a strong shell and is usually used by armies to create ramps and barricades on the battlefield. The pdins jumped down, one after another, and some of them were left to guard the entrance. "Don''t use torches." Jack red at the pdins, "Even if we vented the gas, we don''t know at which rate it fills up. Let''s be careful." Even if he said that he had something else in mind. "Of course." One of the pdins lifted his fist and put it close to his chest. "Shining sun, crimson night, illuminate my path and lead me to victory." He lifted his fist, and it shed with a purple light. [Eris''s Light] The pdins were already starting to receive holy spells from their faith in Eris. It was extremely rare for a demi-god to be able to provide his followers with anything more than some divine magic for smites, but it seems that Eris is far more talented than most demi- gods, and her being a pdin of Amaterasu helps a lot as well. "A magic that creates light?" Jack smiled, pulling his wakizashi, "Prideful sun, embrace my path in your divine magnificent!" His dagger shed for but a second, and the cave became as clear as if it were in direct sunlight. The spell was embedded into his dagger, the same way he can shroud himself and an area in darkness, he can shroud it in light. [Amaterasu''s Holy Embrace] is the light spell, and [Amaterasu''s Unholy Disdain] Is the dark spell. Jack sheathed his wakizashi and walked in the front, soon, they reached the darkness once again. Even though his spell didn''t require mana to cast or an object to create light, it had a set range and would stay in the location where it was cast.N?v(el)B\\jnn Jack waved his hand, and the light disappeared. To cast it again he unsheathed the wakizashi and cast it just like before. Doing that, they kept pushing deeper and deeper down the hole; soon, they reached arge empty cavern. They had already reached Jack''s spell limit so he turned it off and was getting ready to cast it again in the darkness. But he stopped, hearing something move. "Something moved!" Jack growled, "Arm yourselves." [Amaterasu''s Holy Embrace] As the light illuminated the cavern, they were surrounded by hundreds of red eyed white rabbits. "Bunnies?" One of the pdins gasped, and the rabbits swarmed him in a second. He didn''t even have time to swing his hammer before the rabbits tore him apart limb by limb, eating him alive in three seconds. Everyone stared at the rabbit''s bloodied teeth and snouts in horror, "Killer Rabbits!" Jack shouted as he lunged forward, pulling a bottle from his pocket and throwing it at the rabbits. The bottle shattered and exploded into a pir of ice, freezing some of the monsters, but that wasn''t before they managed to swarm Jack, biting on him left and right. Jack screamed, and the pdins watched in horror. Some of them swung their maces and hammers at the rabbits, but killing one or two didn''t reduce the number of mouths biting on Jack. In the back, a woman wearing a white robe with her body filled with cuts and scars walked out with a giggle and a smile on her face. "Fools, walking into our sanctuary like this? Be a sacrifice...or our magnificent Lady." Suddenly, Jack''s screams turned into a burst ofughter as his eyes looked at the woman, "Nice legs, care to spread your ass to me?" "What?" The cultist woman gasped, and a massive explosion burst from between the rabbits. The cannonball smacked the cultist woman in the stomach, punching a hole into her guts. Jack told the pdin not to use torches because he expected the cultists to be already watching them. He didn''t want to give them any chance of expecting him to use a firearm. As he was the squishiest of Arad''s party and had a physics that was put to shame by Lydia''s tough and muscr body, Jack had opted to wear full-body chainmail beneath his light leather armor. Thanks to Arad''s funds, he managed to buy a set of lightweight yet durable magically enchanted mithril chainmail armor. The rabbits suddenly started dying as he threw an empty ss bottle on the ground. That was a poison that evaporated upon contact with air, it''s too weak to harm humans, but deadly enough to kill rabbits and small animals. Shaking the dead rabbits with just a few scratches and bites on his face, Jack looked at the darkness behind the dead cultist woman and could hear a few footsteps rushing back. He couldn''t be grateful enough to Alcott for teaching him how to use echolocation in darkness. Without saying a word, he fired his hook and swung after them like a monkey, disappearing from the pdin''s view in a second. The two cultist women who were hiding in the back ran away the moment their partner got her back blown to pieces on their faces. They horridly jumped behind the massive stone door and tapped the magic sign on the inside, closing and locking it. "The hell was that?" One of them cried, unable to steady her breath. The blood on her face was still warm. "That sounded like a cannon...where did he hide it?" The other one was shaking, sweat dripping across her back. She could get the image of their sister in faith exploding like a grape. At that moment, both of them felt hands caressing their legs, "Nice legs. As beautiful as that woman before, but those cuts and scares are a shame." Jack was already sitting behind them. The two cultist women froze in ce and started shaking. "Open that door, or the next cannonball would fly up you assess." One of them could feel the burning hot barrel pressing against her butt. Jack wasn''t joking, his cannon was loaded and ready to fire again. The cultist woman started panting as she reached with her hand toward the magic circle. But suddenly turned around swinging her now bear-like arm. She was a druid and could even use partial beast form. Jack masterfully dodged her attack and pushed his cannon between her legs, "I warned you." BANG! He sted her innards onto the ceiling, "What a waste." He mumbled as the other cultist screamed, swinging a kick at his face. Her leg has turned into that of a horse, the hoof zing at Jack''s brain. Jack jumped up and dodged her attack,nding at her side and wrapping his arms around her. He squeezed her neck with his left arm as he forced her to extend her hand with his other arm. She struggled, but he forced her to push the magical seal and open the door for the other pdins to rush in. At that moment, more cultists appeared from deep inside and fired arrows at him. He pulled the cultist woman by the hair and put her before him. Realizing he was about to use her as a flesh shield, she curled her arms and legs up, shifting her back into a turtle''s shell. As the arrows bounced from her back, she grabbed Jack by the neck and started clenching, her sharp fingers digging into his neck as she tried to kick him in the stomach. "Onest chance, don''t move." His cannon was pressed against her stomach, the red-hot barrel burned her clothes and skin. She red at him and screamed, "FOR LUNARA!" and tried to shift her whole arm into that of a wolf, but it was toote. Jack fired his cannon and her burning turtle shell flew back at the other cultists, smacking two down. The pdins who just arrived stared with gaping mouths at the carnage, and the cultists were struck by fear, watching Jack''s silhouette approach from the darkness with two red glowing eyes sitting upon his shoulders. "Nice Murder!" Pin said with a giggle. Chapter 948: Jack Vs The Cult Chapter 948: Jack Vs The Cult ? Jack pointed his hand forward, "Charge!" He shouted, firing hisst round at the middle of the cultists, forcing them to scatter around like terrified chickens. As the pdins charged to fight, he retreated to the shadows and started reloading the cannon in his artificial arm. He could only hold four shots, yet that was still plenty as long as he nned ahead. And now as the pdins drew the cultist''s attention, Jack stared at the chaos trying to figure out who is the cultist''s leader as his hands worked by muscle memory. Ten secondster he had reloaded his cannon, yet he still didn''t find any of the cultists to be particrly interesting or looking like a leader. Those bastards were at least that bitpetent, hiding theirmander. Or, it could be that theirmander isn''t in this cavern. That would''ve been even smarter. Jack sneaked across the room, avoiding the chaos as he circled behind the cultists and found where they came from, a small hole in the ground enough to fit three people. He looked inside and immediately crawled in, slithering like a snake as he crossed the ten-meter-long tunnel. As he emerged, he found himself surrounded by even more cultists, the ones outside seemed to have been only the guards. Jack barely dodged a fire bolt to the face as he jumped out and rolled back, reflexively reaching for his dagger.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Don''t." Pin said as she clung to his shoulder, "You''ll just make them stronger." Using shing weapons against the cultists of the severing demon lord would only grant them power. "What a strange person." One of the cultists, arge muscr man with countless tattoos on his scared body walked forward, "Taking a fiend as a familiar, are you a devil worshipper?" He red at Jack, but immediately lifted an eyebrow. He had no idea who Jack or Pin were, the man couldn''t even guess why they were raiding his hideout. "Strange, I sense Amaterasu''s divine magic on you." He lifted his hand, curious at the sight of a man with holy influence walking around with a devil on his back. Such sphemy wasn''t amon sight. "Catch him. He''ll make a fine sacrifice." With those words, countless green vines burst from the ground like rampaging tentacles and flew at Jack, trying to entangle him. The rarer, stronger, and better the sacrifice, the more power and gifts they would get back from Lunara. Jack seemed to be like a fine sacrifice. The cult''s leader won''t waste the chance. Jack growled as he barely dodged the jolting vines, "You''re the leader, right?" He smiled and the spring on his artificial leg fired with a thud, sending him flying through the vines and kicking therge man in the guts, sending him rolling at the wall. Jack could feel his foot tingling and his hips burning, the cult''s leader was heavy and hard. Attacking directly is not wise, it felt like kicking a wall. As Jacknded and pointed his cannon at the man to finish him off, the other cultists threw their arms forward and each of them fired a spell. In the blink of an eye, Jack was surrounded by a barrage of spells. Firebolts, acid sshes, ice spikes, stone spikes, and even some lightning bolts. With how adamant the cultists are to protect therge man, it is clear he is the cult''s leader. The spring on Jack''s leg fired once more and he jumped into the air,tching onto the ceiling with his artificial arm as the magic exploded in a multi-colored light where he stood. The cultists immediately aimed back at Jack in panic, but Jack wasn''t willing to stand still and be an easy target. He swung across the room andnded on one of the cultists with a stomp, crushing his head to the ground. Jack was too fast and nibbled for them to deal with, the moment they finished chanting for their spells, he would''ve already dodged their magic. The other cultists picked their swords and daggers, rushing forward at Jack while chanting the ritual of the sacrifice. "Severed from life, severed for blood. Beneath the night''s moon, a prey awaits!" If he can''t be caught with magic, they''ll outnumber him. The cultists didn''t fear death as only the embrace of their demonic mistress awaited them in the afterlife. They already signed their souls to Lunara and would resurrect as demons in her domain upon death. Jack dodged most of their attempts to sh him, and the few attacks that managed tond were easily reflected by his armor. They are decent fighters but as a rogue, he was more ustomed to fighting in a dimmer environment. With only a few torches illuminating this chamber, he had the advantage. Using the shadows to his advantage, Jack ignored the weak cultists and focused on the knockedrge man. That should be the leader and the most dangerous of them all. If that leader is killed, this cult will disperse and Lunara will have no way of easily targeting Eris. But, before Jack could reach him, therge man stood, growling, fur covered his already hairy arms, and his face twisted, elongating into a hideous snout. The magic gushing out of the man didn''t resemble that of a druid but felt like a deeper, sinister taint, a curse cast upon the man''s bones and flesh. "A werebear!" Jack gasped as he lifted his arms to block. The werebear swung his w, and a magical sh flew from its swing, hitting Jack who was over three meters away from him. Like werewolves and weretigers, therge man was a werebear, a hideous monstrosity of the mixture of a bear and man, chained by the hellish blood of the rakshasa devils. Jack gasped, some of his hair shed, blood dripping from his shoulder, and a massive cut was engraved on the wall behind him. But... the werebear cried. "Impossible!" He couldn''t believe his eyes. When the werebear took Jack''s kick, he noticed that Jack''s artificial limbs were a massive part of his power. With that knowledge, he looked at Jack''s artificial arm and recognized it as a cannon, exining the booms he heard earlier. With all of that, he decided to sh it off, using the blessing of Lunara that he received years ago. [Lunara''s sh] As a gift granted from the demon lord Lunara to her most devoted followers, this sh is hailed to be able to cut even adamantine. The werebear couldn''t believe his eyes, Jack''s artificial arm that he targeted wasn''t even scratched. Jack''s artificial limbs were made by Cain, the old man living in Alina. For some strange reason, not even Lunara''s magic could put a dent on them. Jack immediately recognized that his artificial limbs could block the shes so he immediately got some distance away from the werebear and pointed his arm with a smile. "BANG!" BOOOM! The massive fireball burst from Jack''s arm and illuminated the room as the cannonball flew at the werebear, aiming to burst his head open like a melon. The werebear dodged the cannonball and charged forward, jumping in the air and swinging his w at Jack with a roar. Jack used his hook as leverage and blocked the werebear''s w with his artificial foot, using the power behind that attack to jump back and get some distance. By that time, the cultists were already about to fire another barrage of magic and Jack bounced off the wall like a pinball thanks to the powerful spring in his artificial leg. To avoid being hit, Jack started jumping all over therge room, bouncing off the walls and swinging with his rope as the werebear swung his ws, firing an endless wave of shes. One sh would be enough to cleave Jack''s body in half, but this wasn''t the first time Jack fought this close to death. He was strangely calm, not even sweating as he watched the werebear move and thought of his next attack. As the cultists started to move, they noticed strange ss bottles on the ground filled with ck powder. It was toote when they realized that as Jack fired a cannonball at the ground, igniting all of the bombs he spread across the room. Near half of the cultists died in that attack, enraging the werebear even further. He roared, the muscles on his arms bulging as he swung as hard as he could, generating an even stronger sh. [Lunara''s Demonic Severance] This attack was his ultimate move, getting this blessing from Lunara made him this cult''s leader. For their demon lord to show him such love, such benevolence, and grant him that mighty power, he shall use it to bring victory to her name. Jack swung his leg and kicked the sh back at the werebear using the spring in his artificial leg. Those limbs, something about them surged with power, being durable enough to deflect such a spell, no human could make such things. The sh cut the werebear across the shoulder and he coughed blood, growling in rage and shock. He couldn''t have imagined that a day woulde when his mistress''s gift would be defeated before his eyes. As the werebear coughed blood, one of the cultists rushed forward, ripping her robe apart as she knelt half-naked before Lunara''s altar. She cried, praying as loud as she could, using her nails to scratch and sh her body. Vicious and dark demonic magic started surging into the altar and exploded into a massive portal, cracking with Lunara''s magic as the woman''s pleads turned into maniacalughter. The ritual she just performed was a summoning one, using herself as a sacrifice to their demonic mistress, she will summon one of Lunara''s demons to aid them in battle. She looked back at Jack, "It''s the end. I''ll be dying first, see you in the abyss." She smiled as the gate behind her sparked, and a massive muscr arm emerged, grabbing the alter. Jack''s face paled in shock as he looked at the massive being. The woman turned back with closed eyes and arge smile on her face, she opened her arms, ready to be crushed by the demon of her beloved mistress. Yet, the hit never came. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up, finding herself between Arad''s massive thighs. Chapter 949: A Horrible Misunderstanding Chapter 949: A Horrible Misunderstanding ? The cultist woman, gasped staring up with a shocked face. She had never expected Lunara''s demon to look human, but what came couldn''t be anything else. But now that she looked at him for a solid second, he was over two meters tall and as muscr as a bull, he couldn''t be a human, this is a giant. Arad''s eyes looked around, spotting Jack and the murder pdins who were just making it out of the tunnel to assist him. It didn''t take him a second to recognize that the cultists were attacking Jack and the rest, so he acted. Arad''s eyes shed purple as a wave of gravity magic rushed out of his body, forcing all the cultists to kiss the ground. Even the werebear couldn''t resist Arad''s magic, his body felt several times heavier than normal, and the wound up his shoulder didn''t help. He coughed blood, wanting to curse the giant demon that appeared, but still fearing Lunara''s retribution. Jack looked at Arad with a confused face. Arad was supposed to be several weeks'' worth of travel time away, even if Arad flew here as fast as he could, it''d take him a day to arrive and this one had walked out of the demonic gate. "Arad? Is that you? How..." He looked at him, still worried that this might be a shapeshifting demon. It wasn''t that umon for demons and devils to show up to mortals in human forms to trick or make them drop their guard. "ARAD!" A sharp voice boomed from the still-burning gate and a long purple arm extended out, grabbing Arad by the shoulder. "This is my gate! Why did you jump in?" Lunara walked out and growled at him. The cultists couldn''t recognize Lunara''s demonic magic as Arad''s gravity magic had engulfed the whole ce and muffled their senses, they could only sense him. To them, the one behind him was just another giant demon, this is only purple and has horns. **** One minute earlier, Arad and Lunara were still sitting with Hati and the pale mother in the healing quarter when a small gate opened beside Lunara''s head, crackling with magic. This was a call for help from her cultists, they were pleading for her to send them a powerful demon to assist them in battle. Lunara looked at the fist-sized gate, pulled it closer to her face, and looked closer at it. "I must go back to the abyss. My followers ask me to send them a demon to help." She stood and looked at Hati, "It''s safe if I open a door to the abyss, right?" She didn''t know if doing such a thing could trigger Kayden or the overgod, but Hati replied with a nod, "You can do that." "It''s dangerous to return to the abyss now." The pale night said, "You might get killed by your generals who want to rob your power and throne." "She''ll be fine. But do it inside the training room, not here." Hati waved her hand and opened a portal to her training ground. "I don''t want the abyss''s miasma stinking up my house."N?v(el)B\\jnn As the two were talking, Arad looked at the gate with his void eyes, sensing something strange about it. It was faint, but he could see it, a familiar magic sparkling on the other side... bloody and fiendish, a devilish presence that always stuck close to one of his wives. There was no doubt about it, that was Pin''s magic on the other side, which meant Eris might be there, facing Lunara''s followers. Blood rushed into his head and a vein bulged on his forehead. Arad threw his hand forward and plunged his fist into the portal. Lunara gasped, but she was already toote, Arad''s whole body got sucked into the gate in a fraction of a second. Usually teleporting someone as powerful and magic-dense as he was quite taxing, but if he is willing to be teleported, it''s almost costless. Shocked at Arad''s act, Lunara jumped after him, ending in them both inside the cultist''sir. **** "Ooo! Great demon..." The cultist woman between Arad''s legs cried, "Please kill those intruders who trespassed on our greatdy''s altar." She didn''t even notice Lunara who had just walked out of the gate behind Arad as she was knocked down with gravity magic and Arad''s legs were too thick for her to see behind them. Arad lifted his fist, the veins on his arm bulging as he swung his palm up. The whole cavern shook and cracked. Jack and the pdins got thrown to the ground as the walls shattered and the ceiling levitated. Everyone watched in horror as sunlight pierced through the shattered walls. Arad had split the whole cavern in half and lifted the upper part to the sky, exposing the inneryer to the outside world. He wanted a direct line of sight to everyone in the cave, all of them, including the pdins waiting outside, the dead ones in the other caverns, and even the sneaky cultists hiding in ambush inside the walls. He had already sensed all of them so he wanted everyone to be visible, within punching range. "Jack, what''s going on here?" Arad walked past the cultist woman, as his footnded one inch beside her face, she could see it pushing through the hard stone, leaving a footprint. Terrified that she had almost got her head crushed like an apple, she got a sudden urge to empty her stomach from stress. "How do I know you''re Arad?" Jack growled. He had no reason to think this was the real Arad seeing that he juste out of a demonic summoning gate. Sadly Jack wasn''t as talented with magic as everyone else and couldn''t use it to identify people, he needed something clear. Getting tricked by a demon here would mean death. "It''s Arad..." Pin said with a grin on her face, "I can sense it, mydy''s blood in him." She jumped from Jack''s shoulder onto Arad''s shoulder with a happy giggle. "Milord, it''s been a while." The moment Pin recognized Arad and jumped to him, the pdins smiled, smelling their victory cooking on the horizon. This is their goddess''s husband, they couldn''t ask for better support. Jack sighed, "So it''s you...not some shapeshifting demon..." He approached Arad with a tired face, "How did you end uping out of a demonic gate?" Thest time he saw Arad he was sure Arad wasn''t a demon. "I was in the beast kingdom with this demon called Lunara and I then sensed Pin''s magic when the gate appeared in front of her. So, I jumped in..." Arad looked back, pointing at Lunara with his thumb, "That one over there." Pin looked behind Arad at the side of the portal, and so did everyone, finally noticing Lunara''s presence and magic. Pin''s smile disappeared in a second as she gasped, "Heh!" Dreadful, sharp, burning, and evil, the ancient demonic magic of a demon that had lived for centuries, she was a demon lord, and everyone felt it. Everyone started sweating as they slowly realized who was the monster standing behind Arad, they were in the presence of the demon lord of severing. Jack slowly lifted his artificial limb, ready to fire as the cultists smiled in terror and happiness, their demonicdy had graced them with her presence. Both the pdins and cultists started cracking into faint smiles, ring at each other. Each side thought they were winning. The cultist''s confidence as their demon lord appeared was unmatched, and the pdins were the same. Arad slowly turned back toward Jack and the pdins, "Now, what''s going on?" He still didn''t get an answer to his question, and everyone tensed up. The only one who realized something was off was Jack, he knew how powerful Arad was and that you can''t underestimate a demon lord. If Arad and Lunara were to fight here, Croc City and everyone in a thousand kilometers are fucked. Lunara started sweating in the back, she knew what was this about. Since she tried to see who Arad''s wives were, she triggered Lydia''s senses and ended up causing this whole mess. If her standing with Arad was bad earlier, it''s about to get even worse when he knows it''s all her fault. While everyone there thought Lunara was the most dangerous being present, only she knew that it was Arad that they should be afraid of. Their previous fight ended in a draw, but now she''s certain he''ll kill her. Before anyone could speak, Lunara was the one to speak first. "Sorry, this is my fault." It''s better if she was the one speaking instead of anyone else ratting her out. Arad''s neck twisted as if he had no neckbones, he turned toward her with a burning purple re. "Your fault? What did you do." She could sense that he was indeed angry, far more than before when she threatened his wives since blood had been spilled this time, but he wasn''t attacking immediately which was a good sign. Yet, she couldn''t rx, he was one word away from shoving his fist down her throat and pulling her heart out. But, even with that good sign that Arad was willing to listen if she was the one speaking directly, she still felt like a stone was stuck down her throat. "Remember when you told me about your wives? I then tried to see who they were so I used small cuts as mediums to check who they were, so I can identify them from themon rabble." Pinching her fingers together, she couldn''t look at him in the face. "Cuts?" Arad took a step toward her and she gasped, feeling her stomach turn. She jumped a step back, waving her hands, "No! It wasn''t a cut that I caused, I use cuts that already urred." Arad stopped moving, and she felt a bit relieved, yet she couldn''t rx just yet. One wrong word and not just her head would roll, but probably all of her cultists would end up evaporating. "When I identified Eris...a pdin that with her noticed my demonic presence and identified me... I suspect they are here to attack my cult for that." She looked at the cultists with a troubled face, her actions had led them to face several deaths without them even knowing why. If they made it all alive from here today, she''ll give those who died a high rank among her demons. Pin was the one to speak after that, "Demon lords use their cults as beacons to spread their influence. When Lunara''s demonic magic appears on mydy Eris, the easiest and quickest route to make sure the demon lord doesn''t reach her is to destroy all the nearby cults. That''s why are we here to destroy this cult, murder every one of them so Lunara can''t track mydy." Arad halted his gravity magic and released everyone, he only kept the ceiling floating in the sky. He was smart enough to guess this was probably a misunderstanding, but his aim was someone else. As the magic lifted, the wearbear who had regenerated thanks to his cursed blood lunged up, swinging his w at Arad''s neck. "You aren''t one of mydy''s demons! Die, monster!" Chapter 950: It Got Worse Chapter 950: It Got Worse ? The werebear lunged forward, swinging his w at Arad''s neck with a burning rage. Arad didn''t even bother moving. It was as clear as day that such a weak attack wouldn''t even pierce his scales. But something else happened. Lunara''s foot flew above Arad''s shoulder andnded between him and the werebear, her toes digging into the stone ground as she gracefully swung her open palm forward, hitting the werebear in the stomach hard enough to send him flying with a st. She gently put her other foot down, looking down at her toes, ignoring the shocked gasps of her cultists.N?v(el)B\\jnn Thest thing Lunara wanted now was for one of her cultists to start a fight with Arad. It didn''t matter how weak the werebear was, what mattered was the fact he was her servant and was attacking Arad, and that was bad. Being fully aware of how sore her standing is with Arad and still feeling the burning will to get close to him hot in her heart, she knew her current goal shouldn''t be getting close to him, but making sure she doesn''t get even further from him. ^Even if making progress is hard, let''s try not to make the situation worse. ^ She stood and turned toward Arad. Colorful words and theatrical apologies are only going to trigger Arad''s distrust and suspicions even more. "Sorry about that. I won''t cause you any more trouble." She looked at Arad with a straight face. "Mydy..." The werebear, now stuck to the wall, started crying, "Even you...I trusted you..." He lifted his tearful eyes, ring at her with a hint of rage in his beastial eyes. After a short pause, he continued. "If what that devil said is true, you''re the one who betrayed us, led us to this mess...all of those people who believed in you are now dead, for what we sacrificed our lives for...for what we cut ourselves for years...only betrayal." His tears flew like a stream, gushing down his cheeks as his skin wiggled and his eyes burned ck. The demonic magic coursing through his body started shifting, and Lunara could see it changing color. Her eyes dted as she recognized the pattern, and she growled, "DIE!" With a powerful lung using the full power of her legs, she thrust her fist at the werebear''s stomach. The attack was so fast that none other than Arad could see her move, even with how weakened she was, she didn''t spare any energy to finish the werebear. Lunara''s fist hit the empty wall, piercing a hole in it as the werebear was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes rapidly turned back, looking for the werebear but even his magic had disappeared. As she turned, her toes drew a crescent shape on the ground, [Moon Seal] trying to seal the area before the worst happened, but she waste. For a moment, even with everything, she was hoping it was Arad who had finished the werebear, but she couldn''t be more mistaken. It was only hope, but she wished nothing more than to see Arad''s angry face and get punched by him in the face. Herself getting beaten down is a much happier ending than the horror she''s expecting to happen. "Arad, was it..." As she looked back, Arad was already on his knees gasping for air and clenching a fist on his chest, the hair on his body growing longer and shorter as he tried his hardest to restrain his lycanthropic metamorphosis. Lunara''s face paled as she realized her seal was indeed toote, she had once again caused another problem, and this time it was a disaster that could not be fixed. One of the cultists, a woman who was standing beside Jack and watching suddenly started bleeding from her nose as her eyes flushed red with blood. As she lifted her shaking hands and looked at the blood dripping from her face, she pissed herself and threw up on the floor as a deep scream escaped her throat. Her painful cry shocked everyone in the room, pulling them toward the truth of the horror beginning. This was how most interactions with demons start and end. There is no winning when dealing with demons, only loss, suffering, and misfortune. Her arms and legs twisted and contorted as bones wiggled beneath her skin, her hair fell off and started getting reced with fur, and her gaping mouth got decorated with one too many rows of sharp and bloodied teeth. In front of Lunara''s eyes, the woman had turned into a werehyena, giggling on the floor engulfed with madness. Half of the cultists started falling as they transformed into monsters, all consumed by the spreading lycanthropic curse. It was already getting out of control, the curse of the moon. "For a pathetic prey animal, it''s revolting to see you basking in the moonlight." Arad said in a different voice than usual. He stood up, fully transforming into his werewolf form. He was a massive muscr werewolf with glowing golden eyes and long obsidian ws. "Arad! What''s going on?" Jack lunged toward Arad as the cultists started transforming, in this madness, Jack only trusted Arad. Sadly, his mistrust had ended way too early, it would''ve been better had he never rxed. "FOOL! Run away!" Pin shouted at the top of her lungs. CRACK! Arad smacked Jack with his fist, sending him flying to the wall with several broken ribs and a shattered arm. Bleeding rivers as Pin was flung across the room from the impact. "Give him back!" Lunara growled as she red at Arad, her toes digging into the ground as she was ready to lung with a kick. "ric Lupin!" Lunara''s demonic magic burned fiercely like a raging me as she red at Arad''s monstrous form. ric Lupin was the demon lord of beastial instinct and beasts, he''s the patron of lycanthropes, cannibals, and primal savagery. He and Lunara fought for centuries over the power of the moon. While she was blessed by Selune to be the moon''s hare, he could only gaze upon her magnificence from the ground. Being looked down upon every time by a rabbit had burned several holes in ric''s pride, making him aughing stock for other demon lords. How is the demon lord of beasts getting stepped upon by a mere rabbit, it was an insult that kept him plotting for every waking second of his life. "So, this is the man who defeated you? I could never expect such a power to be stored in this immature body." Arad {ric Lupin} checked his arms, sensing the iprehensible power surging across Arad''s veins. Lunara lunged at Arad, swinging a kick at his face as hard as she could. "Wake up!" CRACK! As shended, her foot was still in Arad''s jaw, getting munched. "Tasty, nothing beats the flesh of demon lords." He looked back at her as she healed her severed foot in an instant. For the first time, he could feel himself being stronger than her. Such a splendid feeling gave him enough euphoria to get addicted. "You bastard! Get out of his body!" She growled. "The moon shall be mine once more. You''re nothing more than an injured rabbit now, a prey like you should''ve never stood above me." He smiled, lifting his w, "And I won''t miss this chance..." He could imagine it, the bleeding white rabbit running alone across the t hills, being chased by a pack of hungry hyenas. But suddenly, blood gushed from his nose, and he looked shocked. "What''s this?" He could sense it, something horrific rushing from deep inside Arad''s body, assaulting his connection to the body. "Bitch!" He saw Doma viciously ripping his lycanthropic curse from Arad''s body. Thud! Pinnded on Lunara''s shoulder, "I''ve cast healing magic on Jack, he should be fine." Pin said with a serious face, she was neither giggling nor biting her nails this time. "Doma says kick his ass from the outside, I''ll rip him from the inside out." "Who''s Doma?" Lunara gasped, "And why are you clinging to my shoulder, who are you, devil!" "Doma is Arad''s fifth wife, she lives inside his soul. Get to work." Pin growled as she red at the possessed Arad. "He''s taking advantage of Arad''s lycanthropic bloodline to control him, but he shouldn''t be able to maintain this for long." Arad alone could resist ric Lupin''s control and reject him in about five minutes, but with both Doma and Lunara putting pressure from the outside, he should be able to kick him out in less than two minutes. A demon lord''s was far too powerful, especially against someone already cursed with his power. Usually, people afflicted with the lycanthropic curse can never disobey ric''smand, but Arad was an outlier who could fight back. "I see...I wonder...will he break if I killed and ripped his wife with his hands?" BAM! ric Lupin disappeared as he jumped away. "Where is he going?!" Lunara immediately chased him but Arad''s body was faster than her. "Don''t lose him, he''s going to kill Eris, Arad''s other wife." Pin said... "He''ll have a nasty surprise awaiting him." She didn''t forget that Lydia was protecting Eris, and she knew well how tough of a nut Lydia was. "But...even she probably can''t stop a motivated Arad." Everyone seems to have forgotten about the werebear. Chapter 951: A Threeway Battle Chapter 951: A Threeway Battle ? Lydia stood in the hallway way in front of Eris''s door, she didn''t move an inch, her de stabbed into the wooden floor as her divine magic gushed forth and engulfed the room behind her. Her eyes were closed, it''s been more than a couple of hours since she stood guard, not moving a muscle. At the edge of the city, ric Lupin stood up perching on a tree, his stance onlysted for a second as he located Eris using the rem traces of Lunara''s magic, to a demon lord, such a feat was trivial. "A church? Huh... damnable sun." He looked back, Lunara was already on his trail, Arad''s body was fast, far faster than her, but she still won''t take more than seconds to catch up. He must hurry. He jumped,nding on the city''s walls with a single leap. The guards who stood there saw him towering over them, casting a shadow asrge as the mountains. Before they could scream, their heads were already divorced from their bodies, rolling on the cold stone. Using what remained of Lunara''s magic as a guiding beacon, ric aimed his aura straight toward Eris, trying to overwhelm her soul and curse her into lycanthropy as he did the cultists. His magic surged and he could feel the heat rushing across his veins, his curse sparked, flying toward Eris at lightning speed. But, suddenly and out of nowhere, he could see a massive titan standing before him. A blond woman with short hair ds in steel armor, holding her sword down. He didn''t even match her toes in highest as she opened her golden eyes and red down at him, "Begone! Vermin!" She lifted her sword, the sun burning behind her. As she swung down, his curse was obliterated as he fell to his knees, gasping. "The fuck was that?" The iron will he faced, the burning divine magic and the zing sun. There was no mistaking it, a pdin, and one as powerful as the ones who fought in the ancient wars. He lunged with a single leap, shattering the massive walls as hended in the church''s garden. He immediately bounced up, entering through the window of the hallway. Even if a pdin had an iron will, their bodies are still that of mortals and would break with a single w strike from him. His eyes immediatelynded on Lydia who was standing before Eris''s door. She opened her eyes and red at him with a raging re. "Vermin!" She growled, pulling her sword out of the floor. "Goddess''s Bitch!" He cursed, lunging at her with a blinding fast swing. In the blink of an eye, he was standing on the other side of the hallway, and Lydia seems to have moved from her ce. A bit of her hair fell as ric red back at her. "Survived by luck." "So, wounds don''t wake you up, Arad." Lydia said and ric noticed the blood on his arm, the one he tried to w Lydia''s neck with was struck on the forearm. ric giggled, "So you''re not just all divine magic." He licked the wound on his arm and it healed in an instant. This fight should have been fun, but sadly he wasn''t looking for that, he wanted to kill Eris. To get to her, he must kill Lydia first as her magic is locking the room. "By my oath of protection, you shall not harm the one behind me. By my oath of vengeance, I shall take revenge for Arad''s vited body, and by my oath of bnce, demons belong to the abyss. Begone! Vermin." He was right, she didn''t have a single oath, but a whole three of them. Not even in the past one thousand years had he heard of a three-oathed pdin. BAM! She jumped forth at a blinding speed, swinging her sword at ric''s face. He blocked by engulfing his arms in demonic bones akin to spikes, but he still got sted out of the church. The nuns inside the church''s main chamber heard the window break at first, followed by therge explosion and the violent shaking caused by Lydia''s attack. They held to the wooden benches in bewilderment and only understood the situation when they saw Lydiand in the backyard chasing after a werewolf oozing with demonic magic. Mundane demons and cursed beings usually die the moment they step into a blessed church, burned by the divine magic surging across its holy walls, yet for such a monster to survive that and still move well enough to contend with Lydia, was unheard of. Everyone immediately guessed it, that demon can''t be normal, a demonic general at least, at worst, a demon lord. Lydia too was well aware of this fact and thus didn''t hold any punches. Especially since this demonic magic doesn''t match the one that she was expecting. light reflected from the church''s windows, the moon stood majestically on the dazzling blue sky. Lunara fell from the heavens with a drop kick straight toward ric''s head. ric dodged her attack; his time was over now that Lunara had caught up to him. "Another prey for dinner." He swung his w at her and she blocked with her sword, deflecting the attack down as she swung up a powerful kick. As the two were in the middle of shing, they froze in ce as they sensed an ominous presence towering over them. No matter how beautiful and majestic the moon was, it never amounts to the glory of the dazzling star dominating the sky. Lunara and ric barely dodged her swing, and just by feeling the sheer presence of divinity, both of them swung at her in their next attack. They were the first to ever realize why is this pdin so powerful, it was too simple, but in that simplicity came power. Lydia was a fanatic, a woman that nothing exists in her mind beside Amaterasu''s beliefs and doctrine. She had measured everything in her life to match that and followed it to the best possible human capabilities. Pdins are the god''s weapons against evil in the mortal world, and Lydia was nothing more than a sword, a divine de held in Amaterasu''s hand, dripping with her divine power. Lydia blocked Lunara''s kick with her forearm and ric''s w with her sword, standing between them with a darkened face, only her eyes burned like a zing sun. As she swung her sword in a circle around her body, a st sent the two-demon lord flying outside the city. None of them doubted that Lydia had held back on that divine smite, her goal was only to get them out of the popted city. As the two demon lords flew out of the city, their bodies smoking from the divine magic. Lunara was busy thinking of a way to convince Lydia she wasn''t an enemy but it was nearly impossible to reach an understanding with a hard-headed religious zealot like Lydia. ric on the other hand looked around for a way to escape and buy some time. Even with Doma being a queen of curses, ric was still the origin of the lycanthropy curse and his mastery over it was unmatched. By evading damage and trying to always be one step ahead of Doma, he''s managing to stay stable by a hair strand. He must run back and kill Eris; he has to find such an opening to win. But if he got hit with a single solid hit, he''d lose control over Arad''s body. Lydia''s body flew out of the dust storm in the church''s backyard like a log, standing upright, reaching the two terrified demon lords in a split second. To them she seemed as titanic as the mountains, her right eye recing the sun as she growled at them. "You leave Arad''s body at once, and you''ll pay for touching Eris with your life." Lydia''s voice shook the air, crackling like thunder on their ears. They couldn''t help but sense Amaterasu''s presence from her, and the goddess was indeed watching down from the bright sun with an amused smile, dangling her legs down as she tried to test and see how much divine magic she could pump through Lydia''s body.N?v(el)B\\jnn [What do you say? Angels?] Amaterasu said with a smug grin, and the legions, the thousands of angels prostrating themselves behind her all answered at the same time, "About what?" [Giving her a higher rank. If I restrained my power only to this world''s sun, then Lydia can withstand the output of one of my fingers.] She lifted her index finger, her nail burning with divine magic. Each star in the sky was a sun dominating its world, and Amaterasu represented thebined power of those countless suns, all burning inside her divine essence. The same way she can use all of that power, she can restrain herself to just one of them. Lydia could withstand the output of one of Amaterasu''s fingers, which means Lydia could withstand 1/20 of the power of the sun in divine magic thanks to her faith. Lydia''s only limiter now is her mortal and fragile human body, even with the extreme healing magic induced by the rushing divine power in her veins, she could only withstand so much before breaking. [What do you say? Shall I resurrect her as an angel if she is to die in battle?] Amaterasu said with a giggle. "That won''t help in death." One of the highest-ranking angels spoke, "I plead against such a decision, she shouldn''t get ranked to an angel. It''s just a waste of your divine power. We already have enough angels." [I said resurrect her; she''ll be an angel in the mortal world.] With Amaterasu''s words, all of the angels gasped. "Won''t the overgod get mad at such a thing?" [I can convince him to let me do, he always let me y around.] She giggled, looking down, [The fight is reaching a critical point.] [Elemental Expansion] ric crossed his arms. A release can only be used in a demon''s true body, not a possessed one. [Elemental Expansion] Lunara pulled her sword. She''s already too weakened to use her release again, so she has to resort to her expansion. [Divine Expansion] Lydia lifted her sword before her face, standing beneath the glorious red sun. Chapter 952: Triple Expansion Chapter 952: Triple Expansion ? When two expansions sh, they getyered based on affinity and type, for example, Arad''s void might get filled with a red dragon''s mes, allowing the two to exist at the same time. But when three powerful expansions sh, the strongest one would dominate as the mana present would hit the maximum density allowed in the air. [Elemental Expansion: Bone Yard] As ric crosses his arms, a storm of bones explodes from his forearms aiming to st both Lydia and Lunara away to give himself an opening to kill Eris. This expansion was cone-shaped instead of a spherical one, mainly because ric wanted to conserve energy and create an opening instead of defeating his targets or getting an advantage. [Elemental Expansion: Moon Rain] Lunara''s shes fell from the moon as quickly as they could, aiming only at ric. If she could wound him enough, Arad is bound to take back control. She can''t spare any shes for Lydia, every sh is a chance at waking Arad up, and she was going to roll the dice as many times as she could. Lydia shouldn''t be a foe, Lunara knew that well and that she was attacking from a misunderstanding. She hoped that Arad would help clear that once he woke up, but she had no guarantee that she would survive a direct hit from Lydia''sing expansion. [Divine Expansion:..] Lydia red at them, the sun burning hot behind her back. It was at that moment that the two demon lords knew true fear and realized how bad the situation was for them. It wasn''t a matter of surviving the attack or getting killed. It was a matter of whether their souls would even remain intact from theing attack. At thest second, they could see a ghostly silhouette of Amaterasu sitting on the sun behind Lydia, pointing at them with the sharp nail of her big right toe and carrying a sadistic smile on her face. It wasn''t just divine magic that wasing out of Lydia, but a massive wave of cursed magic came rampaging at the same time, sparking from her body in a wave of ck and golden light. [...Sr Expansion]N?v(el)B\\jnn As Amaterasu''s divine and cursed magic radiated from Lydia''s body into violent sr winds, pping like wings, Lydia''s soul shrunk smaller and smaller, increasing the sharpness and frequency of the sr wind sts and ps. The two demon lords were instantly engulfed in the dazzling sh, the two were like pieces of paper before an exploding fireball, and neither of them seemed to have the ability to resist the simultaneous assault of both divine and cursed magic. It was like rapidly heating and cooling a piece of metal to destroy it, it works and works far too well. Lunara who was aiming only at ric ended up getting charred into a piece of charcoal, while her moon shes severed his right arm. Lydia''s expansion hit ric''s bones and evaporated them instantly, creating an explosion that sted him back at tremendous speed. Half burned and with his expansion shattered, he had taken too much damage, and Arad was already waking up. Lydia had effectively one-shot him and Lunara at the same time with her expansion, he had to admit, she was the most horrifying being that he had faced in centuries, a monster pdin that didn''t even seem human. ric looked at Lydia falling from the sky; she had exerted so much power that her body finally gave up. She had achieved her goal after all, Lunara was a charred corpse falling to the ground, and he got damaged enough that Arad was about to take control in less than five seconds. ric ground his teeth, wishing he had the time to finish Lydia off, such a danger shouldn''t be left alive, but s, he was flying away from her. The demon lord smiled, he was flying away from the monster Lydia, and toward the city, he had especially angled his bones so the explosion would send him straight to Eris''s room. ^Great pdin, sorry, I can''t finish you off with my own hands. It''s a shame.^ Even with how powerful Lydia is, she is no match for a demon lord''s cunning. ^I''ll finish off that woman Eris instead and steal her divine core.^ Lydia''s body fell onto a tree that broke her fall, and the swamp''s mud helped cushion her fall even further. Drenched in the dirt, the unconscious Lydiay motionless as arge werebear approached her, droll dripping from hisrge open maw. "For...my...lord..." He growled, lifting his w, ready to swing at her neck. ric said he won''t be finishing Lydia himself; he''ll be leaving her to one of his minions. Weakened and in her current state, she should be an easy target. "Yo...who do you think you''re attacking?" A voice came from the forest and the werebear''s arm stopped in its tracks, he looked toward the voice and saw a bloodied Jack ring at him with arge smile. Jack''s white eyes shifted into eclipse-like ck ones as darkness burst from his body, swallowing the whole area. The confused werebear found himself standing alone in the darkness, unable to utter a single voice. In his mouth, he could taste the rusty vor of iron. BANG! As the light returned, Jack sted the werebear''s brain with a cannon shell in the throat. He stood beside Lydia and looked at her with a worried gaze. "Again?" His eyes then shifted toward the dead werebear, "Hands off my wife." At that moment, the ground shook as a massive st emerged not too far away from Jack and Lydia, it was strong enough to knock him down. "Damn it, what''s going on?!" He looked back, "Hurry!" He yelled at the murder pdins who had just finished killing all of the lycanthropic cultists who were transformed by ric, those rampaging wild beasts were a danger to anything alive. ric flew at the church and burst through the window, swinging his w toward Eris''s neck. She was fast asleep thanks to the church''s magic, and even if she was awake, she couldn''t fight back in her weakened condition. A fraction of a second before his w could pierce Eris''s chest, arge charred foot flew right above his head,nding a hair strand beside Eris on her bed. The charcoal-ck Lunara flew in, snatching Eris out of his way. ric''s w pierced her torso, and the demon lord gasped, "Lunara! You could still move?" He couldn''t believe his eyes, with how weakened she was and the injury inflicted from taking Lydia''s expansion head-on, she should''ve been dead. While carrying Eris in one arm, Lunara grabbed ric''s w with her other hand to prevent him from escaping. She lifted her other foot and was about to strike. The dying rabbit in the wolf''s jaw strikes back, defending a nest that would never belong to her. Lunara swung her foot down, smacking ric''s head as hard as she could, shaking his very soul. The lycanthropic transformation started shifting back, and Arad slowly returned to normal, finding himself standing with his whole arm plunged into a dying Lunara with the unconscious Eris in her arm. Arad stared at her with a passive face his purple eyes frozen in time. For a second, a dark me could be seen burning inside, growingrger andrger until the veins on his pupils bulged red with rage. Chapter 953: Alarics Castle Chapter 953: ric''s Castle ? Blood rushed to Arad''s head; he was watching the whole time while controlled. Every wizard that was within a thousand-kilometer range from him felt a sharp pulse in magic. A heavy wave that almost jolted them dead but it quickly faded away, leaving them thinking it was nothing but a passing headache. That was Arad almost going berserk, allowing anyone to feel the full extent of his magic. He was keeping his magic and presence hidden at all times to protect people, but when enraged, he failed to keep that check for a split second, almost causing a disaster. ric opened his eyes inside the basement of his castle, the glowing magic circle around him slowly faded as he sighed; his n had failed halfway, but he was certain he fatally wounded Lunara, and killing her was a decent enough result. This would allow him to dominate a thirdyer in the abyss. ric didn''t just own oneyer of the abyss; he technically owned two. The one his castle is located in, and the one beneath him. He had managed to force the demon lord of thatyer to submit. He cracked a smile, hisrge hyena-like face giggling on its own. That woman had been the bane of his life for centuries, and now with her dead, he could finally rise to the top. The power of the moon should be only his tomand. He stood and walked out of the circle, his long ws scrapping against the old stone floor. He then cracked his neck, picking up his two swords from the wall as he covered his furry body with arge coat made of the folded skin of lesser demons. That is how the ones who objected to his rule have ended, skinned alive and turned into garments for him to wear. As he grabbed the door''s knob and opened it up, they were gone, the guards who were supposed to be standing beside the ritual room. It was strange, even ric stopped for a second and sniffed the air, they were here a minute ago. Did they go to eat? No, food is usually delivered to the guards so they won''t move an inch. Whatever it was, he had memorized their scent and would skin themter. He indeed needed new footwear and their hide would make magnificent fur boots. With each step he took toward the stairs to get out -the ritual room was hidden in the basement of his castle- something seemed...a bit off. He could smell the servants of his castle, but not hear or see a single one of them. This ce would usually be filled with screams and cries, servants cursing and guards beating them for fun. For a moment, he appreciated the silence. He started climbing the spiral stairs, thinking about what might be going on. It was then that something came to mind, it might be his wife who gathered everyone in the throne room, that would be the case if another demon lord attacked theyer. Who''s the fool who attacks myyer of the abyss?^ He growled, making a mental note that he must find and kill them. ^And why did she even call my guards? I''ll beat her in front of everyone for such a deadly mistake, what if my defenseless body got attacked?^ He was indeed vulnerable in the ritual room as he was controlling Arad''s body, anyone strong enough to break the door could''ve killed him. He was certain that anyone in the castle wasn''t powerful enough to open the ritual room, but if an attack came from the outside by another demon lord, the guards could wake him up with magic so he could fight. As he came out of the stairs and walked across the empty hallways, he became certain that his wife had gathered everyone in the throne room for an urgent matter. ric headed there, grunting. The first thing he woke up to was work, he had wished to enjoy torturing someone as a change and to get some frustration out. Sadly, he''ll be going out right away to fight the fool attacking hisyer. He stood before the massive gold and obsidian door of the throne room and lifted his foot, kicking the door open. "What is the meaning..." He was about to start yelling at his wife, but he immediately fell silent upon what he saw. A pale elvish woman wearing a one-piece ck dress with a slit up to the hips and arge wizard hat on her head. Her long flowing pink hair danced like snakes as curses crackled from her feet up to her hands. She walked across the middle of therge throne room, dragging the wife''s corpse by the eye socket as she threw her into a one-meter-wide ck hole. On the side, a nun with short ck hair and a lot of freckles on her face sat on the ground, holding a short spear on the ground with some of ric''s servants lined before her. The servants approached her one by one and sat on the spear, skewering themselves from the arse to the throat. That was a reasonable choice over the alternatives. After the servants died, the nun would throw them into a ck hole of her own like they were some nicely cooked kababs.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om On the other side, Kayden was sharpening his de, he looked at it for a second and then swung at one of the lined guards of ric. He was testing the katana''s sharpness on them. He looked at the de, "Still dull." Kayden mumbled as he started sharpening it again as the terrified guards picked up their deadrade and threw him into a ck hole. In the other corner, he saw the pale night standing there with a bunch of his higher generals begging her. Her body opened into a massive maw, and she ate one of them whole. As the next general came in begging for his life, he got ordered to go to the nun to kill him. He threw himself down, kissing her feet and pleading to be killed by her. Out of everyone in the room, dying in her maw was the best ending. Demons shed by Kayden''s sword never die, they keep suffering the agony of their injuries until he allows them to die. Dying with a spear up his ass, impaled like chicken wasn''t nice either, and he didn''t want to even think about the horrors afflicted by that pink-haired witch- elf. The one sitting on ric''s throne was arge muscr man, he was Arad. "Doma, Zia...he came." Arad said with a deep growl, and the two looked at the door. "Finally woken up? Dreams have ended, wee to suffering." Doma looked at him with a smile, "Your wife had cried well, but that wasn''t enough. I''m taking her as ab rat." That pink-haired elf was Doma the queen of curses, she had used a [Gemini] and [Virgo] to take a physical form. "Can I impale him?" Zia flicked her fingers and a blood spear appeared beneath all the servants lining in front of her, impaling them in an instant. That attack killed the general who was busy begging the pale night as well. As Arad stood, Kayden and the pale night approached him, "We''re going now." Kayden said and all those guards who were waiting for him to kill them got shed in half. "Go all out, I can rece them and restore bnceter." "Theyer beneath this has one nasty demon lord as well, he''s an ally of ric, a demon lord who''s an expert in body disfiguration. Can you kill him as well for me?" The pale night asked with a smile. "What''s in it for me?" Arad asked as he stood and approached her. "Nothing, it''s just a favor." She replied and Arad nodded, "Got it. I''ll do that, but you''ll owe me one." "I owe you twice if you wanted." She patted his shoulder and disappeared like a ghost, and the same for Kayden, one second, he was standing there, and in the other, he wasn''t. Arad started walking toward ric, "Zia, kill anyone that escapes. Thisyer and the one below, all demons must die." This was a message and example. The abyss had proved a danger to Arad and his wives, so he needed to send a message and give all demon lords a reason to fear him. "If I got them all, would you let me get a sip?" She looked at him, licking her red lips with a thirsty re. "I''ll give you blood if you do a good job." Arad replied and she disappeared with a shout, "YEAH!" As Arad and Doma approached ric, the floor cracked beneath Arad''s feet and rotted beneath Doma''s. ric was pissed off as well, he stood there, giving them a mad death re, "I''ll skin you two alive." His demon lord aura burst out, engulfing the wholeyer. This was his true body, not a fake or a possessed one like earlier. His power can''t bepared to before. Chapter 954: A Slow Rampage Chapter 954: A Slow Rampage ? This was the abyss, the horrid and ever-growing cesspit hole where demons are born and where they live. The deeper you go, the viler and degenerate the demons get. While devils arewful evil, making sure to keep at least a modest amount of order in their ranks, the demons are chaotic evil, nothing is off limits to their corrupted souls. The mere sight of a demon in ric''syer is enough to drive a man into insanity. Large furry beasts, the ancient wounds of their battle have rotten and are now serving as the bed of countless maggots. Day in and day out, they live by murder and violence. Killing each other is asmon as speaking ismon for humans, and for the poor souls that end in the abyss, it might be a fate worse than hell itself. When a powerful human who had reached his peak of power walks into thisyer of the abyss, the first thing he''ll notice is the rancid stench of corpses and feces, sewers are like fresh gardens and flowerspared to the disgusting disease-infested air on this shit hole. The man''s eyes would burn as if he''s been pepper sprayed and each breath would feel as agonizing as if sniffing ash and fire. The human''s stomach would fail to hold any food due to the demonic rot seeping into the man''s mouth. The skin would get irritated in seconds and start swelling up, filling with warts. In minutes, the poor hero would be walking with countless maggots eating his flesh as his poor body sumbs to the deadly diseases. Humans can''t survive more than ten minutes in thisyer without even counting the threat of demons, that how inhospitable this ce is. This ce is far beyond mortal reach, a rotten wastnd of suffering, horrifying demons, and utter degeneracy. Yet, even this ce wasn''t ready for the monster that hadid its ws inside. ric''s aura engulfed the wholeyer, he''s the strongest demon on it, its immortal demonic lord. His mere presence is enough to overwhelm ancient dragons, toy with demi-gods, and even stand toe-to-toe with some lesser gods. Arge beast looking like the unholy child of every flesh-eating animal allbined into one disgusting monstrosity, with tons of rotting, gaping holes, shark-like teeth, ck demonic eyes, and maggots sprinkled across his rabid hide. That demon lord stood in his ce, staring at the man and woman before him. Those two weren''t even fazed by his demonic aura or the vile rot of hisyer. Arad and Doma seemedfortable in this horrid environment, speaking to their inhumane constitution. After viting everyone in his castle who hadn''t even been threatened in the past centuries, they stood there, ring down at him. Arad''s face was ck, his eyes burning purple as he stood in silence. Doma''s faint smile across her bright red lips and glowing pink eyes stared down at ric as if he were nothing but a vile, wild dog, the sadistic nature of her soul was apparent, alluding to how she''d rather torment ric and his wife rather than simply killing them. Arad and Doma didn''t attack first, the two were pissed off, but still, they stood, awaiting for ric to make the first move. Dragons are more akin to house cats than any animal, even though they can fly and instantly wipe powerful parties, they stay on the ground and fight, dropping their flight advantage. Even though they can spam their breath, they don''t. Dragons by nature love to toy with their food, they chase their prey until it falls from exhaustion, and then they''ll eat it alive. Arad wasn''t willing to give ric the mercy of a quick death, being able to control his own body and trying to kill his wives had far gone past any point of forgiveness that Arad could tolerate. ric lunged forward at full force, swinging his massive w at Doma''s head. She looked thin and frail, thanks to her massive amount of mana, it was clear she was a wizard, not a melee fighter. Killing her fist with a swift attack is a priority. This was a sane strategy if the opponent was normal, but Arad and especially Doma are anything but normal. That truth became apparent as Arad didn''t try to shield her, he knew that she wasn''t the kind of person to get taken down by such an obvious attack. As ric''s w approached Doma''s face, she opened her mouth and bit down, ripping his ws apart with her teeth. She was using a clone of Arad as her body, only changing its appearance thanks to [Virgo]. Even with how thin she looked, she still carried as much physical strength as the seven-foot-and-a-half-tall muscle monster standing at her side. The queen of curses stood proud, the maggots on ric''s skin dug deep into his flesh to hide from her mere gaze as she clenched a fist. From her nails, one of the strongest curses she knows sparked ck, the infamous curse of immortality. In exchange for true immortality, the person''s sense of pain, hunger, thirst, disgust, difort, stress, and all of the negative emotions would increase by several folds. This curse would also stun the target''s growth, preventing them from growing any stronger as an immortal body doesn''t have any reason to grow stronger. Doma clenched her fist and punched ric into his ugly and disgusting excuse of a mug. The curse sunk into his flesh and bones, taking hold tighter than barbed wire in wool. The impact shook the whole castle and sent the demon lord flying outside with a line of blood trailing after him, sending terror into the demons living beneath the castle. ck mes burned the demon lord''s blood from her hand, leaving her pale skin spotless. She was in fact angrier than Arad for a simple reason, she and Arad had shared the same body for a while; that is her sanctuary. She''ll share him with the other wives, but to have another person, an animaly a hand on her beloved husband. She''ll curse the abyss to the end of time. She and Arad approached the massive hole in the wall. The demons living on thatyer were powerful, every one of them amounting to the level of a lycanthropic progenitor. If the weakest of them were to enter the mortal world, it''d be a kingdom-wide, if not a worldwide disaster. Mundane weapons can''t harm them, they boast extreme regeneration akin to immortality, and their might in battle give them the advantage even when facing small armies. The weakest demon on thisyer would eradicate an army of thousands of trained soldiers and several A-rank and S-rank adventurers before finally getting killed. But even after their death, the diseases and rot in their bodies would birth a gue on the world, killing millions of souls in theing decades. Those demons, hundreds of thousands of them looked up, saw Arad ring down at them from the castle, and they shat themselves. Not daring to run away, not even breathing in fear that he might attack. Like small prey suddenlying face to face with a hungry tiger, they froze in ce, terrified that moving an inch would trigger the hungry predator.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad jumped out and floated down,nding in the middle of the terrified demons. None of them moved nor breathed. They wished their hearts would stop beating, they feared that faint sound would be enough to bring their doom. The Arad standing there wasn''t the gentle and docile human that he was in the mortal world. In the abyss where he cared about nothing, and while facing a demon lord who enraged him beyond anything else. Arad wasn''t willing to hold anything back, his aura, presence, and strength were apparent to all, just being in theyer was enough to let all demons there know of the horror that had fallen upon them. Arad turned toward the castle and reached out with his hand, his fingers prating the ancient ck stones of its base. Raging gravity magic rushed out from his shoulders as the veins on his arms bulged up. Doma who stood beside Arad floated up and sat on his wide shoulder, looking back at the demons with a smug smile. They shuddered, knowing what woulde isn''t something even demons imagine. Before everyone''s eyes, Arad uprooted the whole castle from its roots, supporting it with gravity magic and some barriers so it wouldn''t break. At that moment, several of the demons watching fell dead from fear. Arad had deadlifted two mountains before when he was with Mora, a castle felt as light to him as a melon. On the horizon, ric stood up, his aura shattering the stones he was buried beneath after he got thrown into the deste wilderness of hisyer. As he red forth, he saw his castle moving, carried by Arad, with a single arm. He had picked the wrong enemy. As his jaw dropped down, Arad threw the castle at him with tremendous force, ripping the whole ground between them and smacking ric even further away. As half of the demons stood baffled, the other half dead, Arad''s body started shifting and contorting, transforming into his draconic form, but not just any, here he had no reason to hold back. The massive vampiric wyrmwolf stood where the castle once was before, Doma riding on his head. Thisyer shall know pain. Chapter 955: Trashing The Whole Layer Chapter 955: Trashing The Whole Layer ? Arad roared, his voice shaking the wholeyer as massive chunks of earth and bedrock started getting ripped off the ground and floated into the sky, burning with his gravity magic. The demons fled their homes and cities, ring back with fear and rage as the rampaging dragon opened its jaw, charging a massive ball of light. ric stood, the muscles on his whole body wriggling like they wereing alive on their own, his hands swung left and right as he grabbed a massive boulder with his ws, throwing it at Arad''s head with a howl. As the ten-meter-wide {32 foot} boulder smacked Arad in the head, it shook his neck and spine, stopping him from charging the breath. "Void dragon, you''ll never leave this ce alive!" ric''s beckoned as his muscles bulged and he lunged forth, running at a blinding speed on all four, elerating to the point where each step he took shattered the ground beneath his limbs. As he zoomed toward Arad, he left a trail of ripped ground. Arad growled; his emotionless dragon face red forward with a disturbing purple me burning in his eyes. He also charged toward ric. Arad''s running alone was enough to shake the wholeyer as he approached, followed by a storm of destruction. The two met, and Arad swung his ws at ric''s head, missing him by a hair strand. At that moment, ric dodged beneath Arad''s arm and kicked him in the guts. He was surprised that none of Arad''s ribs had broken from his full power kick, but he didn''t stop the attack, following with a second kick almost immediately. Arad dropped his whole body down, trying to crush ric. But the demon lord easily dodged such a slow attack and decided to aim for Doma who was riding Arad. He knows her physical strength and can face her with confidence. As ric''s w approached Doma''s face, she screamed, her voice filled with ck magic and the demon lord could feel his bones shake and crack. The sheer sound waves sent him flying back with ripped eardrums and a disturbed mind. That was a curse, and he didn''t know what it did besides deafening him for a moment. ^That scream, it''s like a wraith''s howl...^ ric needs to be careful from Doma''s curses, getting too much of them could end in his defeat. As he zoomed back with several backflips, he could see Arad chasing him, swimming through the solid stones with butterfly strokes as if it were water. From the sheer heat of the friction, the stone ground quickly started melting around Arad''s body and he dove deep into theva, only his horns emerging from the molten magma like a titanic shark. ric had never seen such a terrifying scene as nightmarish as getting chased by Arad. He looked like a doom-bringer from their worst nightmares. Too big, too fast, too extreme, and without a doubt beyond anything they had ever seen. As ric stopped doing backflips and halted his retreat, Arad''s massive jaw emerged from the molten stones and flew at him. It was like a poor seal seeing the massive jaw of a killer whale lunging at him. But ric wasn''t an easy target, he jumped straight toward Arad''s mouth, grabbed one of his teeth, and swung aside to avoid the bite. ric spun mid-air as he avoided a strange ck arrow from Doma, he wouldn''t risk taking any more curses from her so he decided never to show her an opening to strike. With his spin, he punched Arad''s lower jaw, jolting his head back and trying to expose his lower belly. Even if a dragon''s whole body is armored with powerful scales, the scales of the stomach are a bit weaker than those of the back or arms. Every weakness counts in this fight, ric won''t make the mistake of underestimating Arad or thinking that petty tricks are beneath him, he''ll go all out. Arad pped his four wings once, causing a massive wave of heat and fire to explode from him as he flew into the air with a massive shockwave. The fine fur of ric burned but he wasn''t fazed, he stood his ground and took a painful deep breath of the burning fire. Even with how massive Arad was, his wings looked to spin as if he were a dragonfly. Those bugs were named after dragons after all. Rumbling in the sky like a helicopter, Arad''s magic spiked. Arad''s chest and stomach shed with a red light as he barfed a sea of fire, illuminating the wholeyer in a hellish crimson glow. The sheer heat started cooking any weak demon that was unfortunate to be close to those two monsters fighting. ric on the other hand roared into Arad''s fire breath, blocking it with a deafening howl. When the magic in Arad''s fire breath and ric''s howl collided, they sparked into a massive explosion that shed across the wholeyer, sending all demons into hiding. They crawled into the cracks in the mountains and ground, trying to survive the disaster. Not a single demon dared even think they could help their lord in the fight. They were all aware that this had gotten beyond them, to these two, they were no greater than the dust on the ground. A female werewolf was curled inside a ravine, awaiting the chaos to end. At that moment, ric appeared at her side, half of his body burned into a charred ck piece of charcoal. He red down at her. She looked at him for a second and bent down. As Arad flew close to the ground, ring into the ravine, he saw ric mating and eating the werewolf woman alive. Just as vampires are blood-sucking fiends and they recharge by sucking blood, that is how the demon lord of primal savagery recharges his power. ric red back at Arad, ?The bastard, admiring his work. ^ He snorted, ^I see, you won''t even bother interrupting me...was hoping you''d attack so I get an opening.^ "For...our...Lord..." That female werewolf died and ric finished eating her secondster. He turned toward Arad, "I made you wait..." He lifted his w, conjuring a massive swirling tornado of ck demonic magic. "Can you withstand this?" Arad red at him as if grinning, lightning crackled across his wings and back. Deafening thunder roared and the two unleashed their magic, shing into a burning hellish storm of demonic magic and lightning. The poor stray demons hiding for their lives looked at the chaos in terror, even their vile minds had started to break, twisting an ingrained horror and trauma that they''ll never get rid of for the rest of their lives. As Arad pped his wings, the chaotic magic got snuffed out as if it were a weak candle, and Doma stared at ric through her fingers. "You''ve sinned in front of my eyes, get cursed by your vile actions." The whole world seemed to turn dark for ric for a second as he could only see Doma''s glowing pink eye. The next thing he felt was a jaw biting on his groin. As he looked down, it was the ghost of the female werewolf. She chewed his nuts and rod away, immediately wing at him right after in a mindless frenzy. Right at that point, countless ghosts started filling theyer, humans, demons, giants, and even more strange beings, everyone that ric had killed or wronged hade back from the dead to take revenge as ghosts, but the majority were his demons that he devoured in the past.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ric red at the female werewolf ghost that was biting down at him, he was unfazed and then stared back at Doma, "Aren''t you mistaken? I never sinned, I''m the demon lord of primal savagery and this is to me like predators eating flesh." He then red at the female werewolf ghost, "You hunt me after death, for what?" She flinched and stopped biting, "You were d I ate you alive. It''s your honor and pleasure to serve as my sacrifice, right?" As his aura burst across the wholeyer, all of the ghosts bowed down to him and disappeared. Demon lords, gods, higher beings, and most of the powerful creatures embody a trait or a concept, and that is where they draw their power. "I''ll do whatever I feel like it to whoever I feel like it. You can''t use my nature to curse me." He stared at Doma as he regenerated. A demon lord was the strongest in hisyer, and ric wasn''t going to get easily taken down here. To the demons, strength means everything, everyone on thisyer is his property as he''s the strongest demon. Might isw to demons, and he has legal immunity thanks to his power. He red back at Arad who hovered in the sky, "Won''t you speak? Dragon?" ric flexed his arm, "Even you must run out of magic at some point." ric was waiting for the moment when Arad''s magic ran out to attack at full force and finish him. Arad never replied, he simply looked down at ric in silence. "You being silent means I''m right? Is that momenting closer?" ric smiled. But he couldn''t be more wrong. Who''s the clown who speaks to his food? Chapter 956: A Divine Feat Chapter 956: A Divine Feat ? As ric watched Arad, waiting for the moment that Arad ran out of mana, Arad decided to give the demon lord a taste of something new. Amid the raging fire and lightning, he shifted back into his half-dragon form and slowly floated to the ground. Arad''s magic still burned strong, not a single sign of exhaustion showed on him. This wasn''t Hati''s training ground where he wanted to not repeat what happened to Betty''s training ground, this is a ce he doesn''t care about. Doma sat on Arad''s shoulder as hended a fair distance away from ric. Just like him, the queen of curses wasn''t showing any signs of exhaustion or difort, even though she was always with Arad through all that hellish me and lightning. ric giggled, "Did you finally run out of mana?" He said as his eyes inspected Arad and Doma. ric didn''t believe that to be true himself. Arad''s form or look didn''t matter, he could sense that Arad''s magic didn''t drop at all. "Or are you trying to trick me?" To ric, Arad''s actions were a clear taunt as if saying. ''Look at me, I''m small once again,e attack.'' But that thought of him was untrue, to a level that even he couldn''t imagine. Arad stood in ce, and lifted his right foot up, putting his knee to his chest and calves close to his face. Seeing that split, ric froze in ce, confused. This stance was simr to someone that ric hated with a passion, yet here he was seeing someone else doing it. Doma leaned on Arad''s head and giggled, licking his calves. "Demon lord, you''ve sought to kill Lunara and steal her affinity to the moon, the blessing she got from Selune." She looked at Arad with glowing eyes, caressing his head in her arms, "You''ll never reach my husband''s ankles with that mindset." When Lunara met Kali, Selune had blessed her and the dark abyss, conjuring a fake moon on eachyer, giving the abyss its ominous silvery glow and nightly look. Arad''s toes were pointing straight at that fake moon, and his body burst with gravity magic. Arad swung his foot down, stomping hard enough to shatter the ground beneath him. The fake moon in the ceiling of theyer, the massive glowing white orb of magic that was over several hundred kilometers in width, ripped off from the ceiling and started falling with a rumble, he had dislocated it with his gravity magic. [Moon Fall] As ric''s mouth almost ripped open seeing the moon falling at him, Doma was giggling on Arad''s shoulder. "My love needs no blessing from gods, nor curses from me. Unlike you, he doesn''t need to steal power to grow. He conquers it." The utter disrespect and humiliation Arad threw at ric was beyond any insult. The power he sought for centuries, the thing he saw as an unfair blessing, a divine power that Lunara got. Arad had pulled out of nothing, with nothing more than his foot, ripped quads, a draconic stomp, and his gravity magic. Standing beneath the falling silver moon, Arad looked like an incarnation of a god wearing a mortal''s skin. ric shifted into a mole-shaped beast, a weremole, and started digging as fast as he could. The ground of eachyer is the ceiling of theyer beneath it. That separationyer usually ranges between one hundred to a thousand-kilometer depth of hard stone, metals ore veins called the bones of the abyss, and a sponge-like structure of magical veins of pure energy called the marrow of the abyss, it was that which made some schrs think the abyss is alive. ric wasn''t fast enough to avoid the moon, so his best chance of survival is to go deep and hope to reach the bones of the abyss, they are the ones holding its weight and should be able to stop the moon. He had no chance of tanking a [Moon Fall] Even while digging, he couldn''t take his mind off thinking, ^How in the nine hells did that bastard pull it off?^ If ric was given the chance, he would never step into the same ne of existence as Arad. In his mind, such a monster is too dangerous to be in the same world with. By a miracle, ric managed to reach thatyer thanks to his impressive digging speed and his luck with the cave systems of theyer which allowed him to go deep enough before the weight of the moon came crashing down. It took ric five minutes to reach the bone of the abyss that was fifty kilometers {31 miles} deep underground, but with that, he didn''t stop going deeper. He could sense Arad''s magic chasing after him. But unlike ric, Arad was digging at his own pace, giving the demon lord time to run away. ric looked back as he was digging deeper and deeper as if he were swimming across the ground. "Arrogant monster!" He growled, he could swear that Arad earlier was swimming faster in the hard stone than how fast he was going now. He knew well that this time, Arad was letting him escape. On theyer beneath ric''syer, the demons were living their life as usual, not many things changed in the abyss. But at that moment, that stillness was shattered when a small being burst from the ceiling, his aura immediately engulfed the wholeyer and all the demons looked up, that was ric making his entrance. Everyone noticed the demon lord''s aura and picked their weapons, was this bastard invading them? They were wrong, he''s running from an even bigger threat. Theyer''s demon lord, Sawless the Cruel, a short demon standing at just around five feet tall with a skinless body and five eyes on his mouthless face flew up with his bat-like wings, dripping his vile blood everywhere. Hended beside ric. "Use the usual route, why did youe here through the ceiling? Are you betraying me?" Sawless growled, his voice echoing deep from his stomach. He was less angry and more disappointed at such a development. Luckily for him, this wasn''t a betrayal, but unluckily for him, it was worse. "Rally your army, we don''t have time." ric waved his arm and looked up, it was at that moment that the wholeyer shook and the ceiling cracked, dropping a massive boulder that killed a lot of demons. That was the force of the moon impacting theyer above finally traveling through the separationyer. One secondter, Arad''s long draconic neck emerged from the ceiling, roaring down at all the demons. His jaw opened wide, and he puked a sea of fire and molten stones at them. The wholeyer was engulfed in a crimson glow as all the demons started fleeing to the edges. Sawless waved his arms and formed a massive barrier of strange ck magic, protecting himself and ric who was less talented with spells. "The hell is that?" Sawless cried in fear, ring at ric with a terrified face. That monster in the ceiling isn''t something that Sawless would even touch with a fifteen-yer-long stick, let alone start a fight with. "I killed Lunara and that thing is chasing me, it already trashed myyer." ric replied as he lunged through the fire. Thanks to his speed and durability he managed to run on the column of burningva that Arad was spewing out and reached his head, punching him in the face to stop the hellish breath. The two of them had already figured out that this wasn''t a matter of winning or losing, it was a matter of how many of them would die. Now that Sawless was alone beneath the fire, he didn''t need to stay in one spot so he flew out while protecting himself with a barrier. As he looked up, he saw that Arad''s breath had stopped, theva was only taking a while to finish falling. He pointed his arm, "Dodge it!" He yelled at ric who was near Arad''s head as he fired a massive barrage of ck arrows, each one ten yards in length. ric kicked Arad''s nose and fell downward, letting all the arrows hit Arad''s square in the forehead. Those arrows immediately exploded into a burning ball of demonic rot magic. Sawless formed a barrier tform and rded on it. "That should do it. I didn''t sense any rot resistance from him." Sawless smiled, "Let''s get the fuck out of here." Even if he expected his attacks to damage Arad, he didn''t expect them to be lethal. He figured out that the best way was to run away and hide, masking their magic so Arad would stop chasing them. "I hope you''re right." ric looked up with a scared face, and the dust suddenly cleared. Arad''s upper body was emerging from the ceiling, his two front arms, wings, and chest were apparent. He roared and waved his arms. Massive boulders were ripped from the already cracked ceiling and they were flung down at the two demon lords. ric and Sawless flew down to the ground where theva still burned hot. Sawless flew close to the ground to mask his presence in the smoke while ric used the durable barrier shield that Sawless created for him as a skateboard, riding the waves of fire and magma. "The fuck is that?!" Sawless yelled at ric with raging eyes. Arad wasn''t harmed at all with his rot arrows. Sawless didn''t know why, but ric could already guess it was Doma''s doing. Those arrows were derived from curse magic and Doma is a master of it. "Don''t use any curse-rted things, the bitch riding him is the queen of curses, Doma." ric growled. "She''s who you picked a fight with? Since when that bitch has a dragon!" Sawless cried, Doma wasn''t just famous in the mortal world, but also in the abyss and hell. She was known for summoning demons and devils to be herb rats and torturing them for years while testingN?v(el)B\\jnn her curses on them. "It''s the dragon I picked a fight with, he''s her husband." ric, even he didn''t believe that the words he was saying were true. "Demon! What the hell made you think that someone who can bed that Curse Witch Doma is safe to fight?" Sawless would''ve noped out the moment Doma was mentioned had he been in ric''s shoes. Doma is known as a crazy witch, and her husband is bound to be an even bigger madman. To the two demons, ric picking a fight with Arad who is Doma''s husband was the same as if a human picked a fight with satan''s wife. What made him think that''s a reasonable thing to do, Sawless didn''t know. "He''s just a pain in the ass. Shut up and run." ric growled as the two of them dodged the rain of boulders Arad was throwing at them. What was done is already done, it can''t be reversed now. "Arad...look over there!" Doma pointed with a happy face as she was sitting on Arad''s head. "That castle section." She pointed at a part of Sawless''s castle, theboratory which was built right in the middle of an herbal garden and ab rats'' prison. Since this was the abyss, the garden was filled with horrid demonic nts, and the prison was filled with tormented humanoids and lesser demons that the demon lord Sawless kept for his experiments. "I want one like that to work from. Can you build me one in our castle?" She looked at Arad''s eyes and he nodded, "Let''s check it out." Arad suddenly disappeared from the ceiling and the two demon lords froze in ce. He can teleport, they didn''t know that. ric was even more terrified knowing that Arad didn''t even need to chase him, he could''ve teleported right to him and finished the deed. Arad in his half-dragon formnded in the middle of Sawless''s castle with Doma sitting on his shoulder. He walked straight toward the door of theb section, and the demon woman who stood there as a guard saw him. She was tall, standing at almost eight feet tall with four arms, three breasts, and an extra mouth on her exposed belly. The moment her ruby-red eyesnded on Arad, she knew he was the dragon that just appeared in the sky, the one that was currently rampaging outside. She started shaking in her ce, terrified to move an inch. Doma stared at her, "Not even greeting us, are all demons this rude?" That deadly pink re sent chills down the demon woman''s spine. Yet the fear didn''t allow her to even breathe, she stood, frozen as a statue with sweat rushing down her back as Arad closed, inspecting her like a dog sniffing his food. Chapter 957: Who Said Faith? Chapter 957: Who Said Faith? ? "Open the door." Arad said calmly, and the demon woman slowly turned around and opened the door with her shaking hands. There was something strange about Arad''s voice that she sensed, a deep darkness boiling from within...and she immediately noticed the source. An ancient curse by Doma. The curse Doma cast upon Arad''s voice was a powerful one, any weak demon that didn''t follow his order would get slowly weaker and eventually die. Depending on their power, the curse could take any time from minutes to weeks or years to finish them off. "You''re one interesting demon, aren''t you?" Doma noticed that the demon had picked up on her curse. Not many could do that, probably since she was constantly experimented on by Sawless that she became that keen on noticing strange magical effects. "When I, my husband, or his other wives says something, you bow your head and say yes my lord. I''ll kill anyone who doesn''t follow that rule." Doma''s strengthy in her vengeful attitude toward harm, and the strange nature of her curses and their effects, making her extremely hard to predict. Doma looked at Arad with a grin, "Let''s have a look inside." Her eyes shifted toward the demon woman, "Would mind being our guide?" The demon woman could only nod, "Yes." At that moment she could feel a hand clenching on her heart, cold running down her spider as her breaths grew heavier. The demon woman fell on her knees, gasping for air as the pain in her chest grew stronger. "Come on..." Doma looked at her with an amused grin, "Didn''t I just tell you what to do?" She giggled, "You better hurry up, those hands aren''t going to disappear otherwise." The demon woman could feel the hand on her heart clenching stronger, and several other hands clenching on her lungs and organs, even some squeezing her neck and pushing against her eyes. To survive, the demon''s mind immediately pulled what Doma had said earlier to the front of her mind. She bowed her head deep, "Yes, My lord." As she said as Doma ordered earlier, the hands disappeared and she could finally breathe again. "The curse works on its own, I can''t stop it so you better behave yourself." Doma leaned on Arad''s head to rest as the demon woman stood with tired legs, barely supporting herself. With what energy she had left, she took Arad and Doma on a tour through Sawless''s privateb. Demons aren''t even allowed there without his order, but considering the monster standing there and that demons follow the rule of the might is right. Demons that are weaker than Arad and aren''t demon lords would bow in submission to his power. Especially if they want to avoid Doma''s curse. Outside the capital city of theyer where Sawless''s castle was, Sawless and ric stood at the edge of a mountain, looking at the cooling sea of molten stone and fire. "The bastard is in my castle! He''s better not break anything." Sawless growled. Centuries of research and magical advancement are stored there, priceless books, devastating spells, and one in a thousand- year rare herbs and potions. "You''re dreaming, the fucker killed everyone in my castle before throwing it at me. Your castle and everything in it are fucked harder than anything in this whole abyss." ric waved his arms, extending his ws out. "We can''t defeat him alone, let''s raise an army. This would be a raid." As his ws crackled with the lycanthropic curse, countless spectral wolves and beasts emerged from the ground, taking a flesh body and turning into vile demonic beasts. All demon lords can create minions for themselves to use with the power of the abyss. This power is limited to the abyss and can''t be used in any other n of existence. It''s proof that the abyss had approved of them as demon lords and had granted them ess to its power. If you can conjure minions out of the abyss''s magic, you''re a demon lord, that where the lord partes from, you have control and authority over ayer of the abyss. Sawless sighed as he waved his hands and a bone staff appeared in his hand. The horrid object was made of a human''s spine and skull, the eyes burning with necrotic mes. "You''re an annoying bastard, how many times did I tell you not to make minions on myyer?" As Sawless waved his staff, an army of mutated flesh monsters emerged from the dirt like nts, writhing invisibly with pain and power. "You''d make myyer stink." Sawlessyer already reeked with rotting corpses and blood. Demons notice the difference, to humans, everything stinks bad. "It can''t be helped, can it?" ric sighed, "We have to overwhelm that monster with numbers." Their magic and bodies won''tst long, so it''s best to use the power of the abyss which seemed to be near infinite. In seconds, the two demon lords have amassed a mind-boggling army of millions of powerful demons, all ready to wage war against the draconic intruder. Since they were using the power of the abyss itself, they weren''t limited by their own mana and demonic magic. It''s like drawing water from a massive ocean, you have a nearly unlimited amount. "Blood for our Blood Lord." A ring hymn boomed across the sky, "Souls for the god!" All the demons looked up, bewildered at the sudden hymn that emerged out of nowhere. As their eyes gazed upon theyer''s ceiling, they spotted ten massive stone churches falling.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The churches fell on the demon''s frontlines, crushing tens of them in an instant. The churches were lined in a straight line, and all of their doors opened wide as a sea of nuns rushed out, flinging blood magic and firing spells at the demons. "The fuck are nuns doing here!?" Sawless cried as he red at ric. ric clearly remembered the nun that he saw in his castle killing the servants. If his guess is right, Arad those that he saw in his throne room, beside Kayden and the pale mother were Arad''s strongest allies. Doma the queen of curses and that nun. "Their leader is a woman with short hair and a lot of freckles on her face, find and kill her at once!" ric shouted, ordering his demons to find Zia and finish her off. Suddenly, it started raining, ck tar-like heavy rain from the ceiling of the abyss. Most demons who only lived on thisyer didn''t know what rain was, it seldom rains here. The two demon lords on the other hand noticed how strange such a thing was. "Did his fire cause this?" Sawless growled, a bit amazed at the sudden development. He was very well interested in the natural phenomena of the abyss, unlike the brute ric, he''s a thinker. "Who cares! Kill them!" ric pointed his sword at the nuns. Even with ric''s objection, Sawless still decided to waste some energy and have some of his demons inspect and record everything about the rains. He was intending to survive this fight and study this eventer on. Secondster, some of Sawless''s magic-sensitive demons noticed something. This rain wasn''t natural, magicing from the top of curses was causing it. It was akin to [Rain Storm] spell, but this one didn''t use clouds to get water, but instead brought it from somewhere else. A ce the demons couldn''t detect. "This can''t be holy water, can it?" Sawless lifted his hand, looking at the ck dropletsnding between his skinless fingers. As a demon lord, he was extremely resistant to holy water. He looked at his minions, but the rain didn''t harm even the weakest of them. It can''t be holy water. "Youmand from here. I''ll charge forward." ric who got impatient started running and then leapt forward, flying above the demons'' heads like the wind. Hended exactly where the nuns were shing with the demons, and saw his minions getting burned alive by the rampaging nuns. The nuns stopped attacking and red at him for a second, even vampires shudder at the sight of a powerful demon lord. Yet, those women didn''t have a single shred of fear and they immediately charged at him. One nun swung her burning sword at ric''s neck, only for him to sh her arm with his ws and kick her away. Two more swung their arms and set him aze, but this was the demon who survived Arad''s fire breath. While still engulfed in mes, he charged into the middle of the nuns'' ranks and started swinging. "Vampires? So that rain isn''t holy water, otherwise you''d kill yourselves." One punch after another, he smacked the nuns away like dust. Kicking one in the face, pulling another by the hair, and using her as a club to smack the rest. It was clear that the nuns couldn''t face ric, he was far above their level. In less than a minute, he had knocked over a thousand of them. Luckily, they regenerate like crazy. "I killed you before." ric lifted one of the nuns by the neck. She''s one of the first nuns that he killed and now she came again to fight. "So, I must find another way to finish you off, dancing with you kids won''t be enough. Do you want to be my ve?" The nun screamed as ric''s lycanthropic curse started surging across her veins, he was attempting to turn her into a lycanthrope to control her. That should be better than killing them as it''ll give him more soldiers. "Be my demon." He growled, his magic attempting to dominate her soul. "Blood...to the...blood lord..." She held his arm, resisting as hard as she could, "Don''t... underestimate...our...faith!" As she growled, ric''s curse started getting pushed out of her body. He could sense it; her soul was linked to that of Arad and all the other nuns. Cursing her felt as hard as cursing a pope. "Faith?" ric gasped, bewildered, wasn''t it the power of the gods that protected the faithful from his curse? At that moment, something smacked him in the face so hard that he was sent flying with a broken jaw. He looked and saw Zia standing with the nun he was about to curse. "Go and rest." Zia said as she waved her long spear which had a g tied to it. "So, you showed yourself..." ric stood and his jaw was fully healed. "Give your blood to my lord...so I can suck some of his blood." She nted her spear on the ground and shouted, "My lord! My God, Grant me POWER! Unlimited POWER!" "You''re a vampire...you won''t..." ric who thought it was stupid for bloodthirsty fiends to act as if they had faith, immediately found himself staring with a dumbfounded face. A fist- sized [Ho-white Nova] Emerged on the tip of Zia''s spear, and it was growing bigger and bigger. "All demons! Shall burn!" She swung her spear forward and the [Ho-white Nova] Flew at ric. He barely dodged it, and it exploded in the horizon, ripping a whole mountain from its roots. "Hurry up and die so I can suck my lord. You demonic mongrel fuckbucket!" Chapter 958: No More Time To Play. Chapter 958: No More Time To y. ? "That''s..." Sawless cried as he saw the mountain evaporate, "Holy Origin White Nova?! Kossuth''s divine tribtion smite?" He flew up and reached the destroyed mountain to inspect the remnant magic... "It can''t be...that was a white nova, I''m certain...but why I can''t sense it!" He screamed, ring back at the nuns charging at the demons, his eyes fixating on Zia, "That nun isn''t a believer of Kossuth! The magic left here is that of that dragon!" Sawless couldn''t believe his eyes, where divine magic should be, Arad''s magic was burning strong. Kossuth, the goddess of fire, the sultan of the elemental ne of fire is the only being able to conjure and use [Ho-white Nova], no one else was recorded to be able to use it. Even so, the schrs expected that someone like the overgod or Amaterasu could be able to cast it, but they never did observe such a thing. ric stared back with a terrified face, sweating buckets. Arad didn''t just use Selune''s blessing without needing her power, he had already managed to use Kossuth''s power without her help. It slowly started to sink into his mind, the reality of the monster they were facing. Even if it was just mimicking, it''s impossible to get anywhere close to a god''s power. A massive church of zealot vampire nuns worshipping a dragon that can use the power of the gods without being one, and what''s more, those nuns can draw power from him as if he is a god. Only one thought surged through his mind, ^Run away!^ With a single step, ric burst forward, jumping over hundreds of demons as he rushed toward the entrance of the loweryer. Sawless saw him and understood what was going on, Arad was far too powerful for an unknown existence, they couldn''t recklessly face him like this. Sawless conjured a massive barrier behind ric to prevent anyone from chasing him as he joined on the retreat. Just like how ric''syer got trashed, Sawless is now certain that everything on hisyer would end up destroyed as well, it doesn''t make sense for him to stay and die with it. BAM! At their side, arge bearded man with a blind eye appeared, running alongside. He wore leather armor and an eyepatch on his left eye, looking like a bandit. "Why are you running?" The two demon lords gasped, unable to believe this man who appeared out of nowhere was keeping up with them. ric swung his w at him and Sawless tried to chain him with a barrier. But at that moment, the bandit smashed the barrier with his fist, kicked ric in the guts, and swung a punch. When the bandit''s punchnded on ric''s chest, a beam of energy burst from it, flying and burning a massive four-meter-wide trench that was over one kilometer long. He''s one of the bandits that Arad turned into vampires first, and he could like all nuns draw power from Arad''s blood. Arad made his nuclear energy essible to all his vampires without exception. Underestimating them would be a huge mistake. Sawless was about to assist ric, but then Zia flew to his side, swinging her spear at him. "You damned nun!" He growled, swinging his staff and deflected her spear. "You can''t fire another one of those spells, you must be drained." Zia red at him, "Heretic, you dare belittle my lord''s power?" She pointed her spear at his chest, "BOOM!" A [Ho-white nova] Immediately charged and fired, if Zia hadn''t warned Sawless by saying ''Boom'' He would''ve gotten sted to pieces. There was nothing strange about it, Zia is a part of Arad''s blood, if he can fire multiples, she could do the same, given that he allows her to use his power. The nuns don''t match Arad in physical or magical abilities, even their bodies sometimes can''t handle powerful spells like [Ho-white nova] or other extreme abilities. Arad also doesn''t allow all the vampires inside his stomach to ess his power simultaneously as they might drain him in seconds if all fired [Ho-white Nova] at once. For that reason, only Zia and the bandit Shank are allowed to ess his power at this moment. The reason is that anyone besides ric and Sawless isn''t a big enough danger to use such power against them. Zia dodged a massive demonic fireball from Sawless and stepped aside, ready to st him with another [Ho-white nova] Sawless knew she would try to cast it if given the chance. It was clear that the vampires believed that those [Ho-white nova] were their only magic powerful enough to finish off a demon lord, they were right, but that made their attacks easy to predict. Sawless swung his hand at Zia''s face, trying to touch her. If he managed to contact her flesh, he''d be able to disfigure her given that she''s weaker than him. This wasn''t domination magic like what ric tried earlier, so it should work, hopefully. As his hand approached Zia''s face, she growled with an angry face, thrusting her spear up and impaling his palm. "Bastard! Only my lord can touch me!" She stomped the ground, "Take your hand...!" She roared. "...and shove it up your ass!" she yelled, and a blood spear emerged from the ground, impaling Sawless from the groin to the throat. Multiple other spears prated him like a pin cushion, leaving him bleeding in front of Zia. At that moment, Sawless growled, clenching his body and shattering all the spears. "Do you think this is enough to kill me?" He shouted, "I''m a demon lord!" He was about to regenerate. "And I''m a nun of my lord." Zia lifted two fingers, ring at him with two dead red eyes burning with blood magic. [Elemental Expansion:...] Blood rushed from her back and engulfed her and Sawless in a hundred-meter-wide ball of magic. Sawless gasped for air, unable to breathe as his blood turned yellow and his skin pale, his muscles turning blue. [...: Rustic End] "I''m a master of rust magic." Zia red at him with a passive face, "My expansion uses its dense magic to force the iron in living beings to rust." Iron ys a critical role in all living beings, especially in their blood to transport oxygen. Having it disabled only meant death. Zia''s expansion shattered as ric punched it from the outside. He rushed in and stood beside Sawless, "You still alive?" ric had barely managed to push the bandit back ande to assist Sawless. But now both of them are badly injured. Even Arad''s followers were a pain, but it shouldn''t be a problem. An elemental expansion is something cast by the person and only a few can spam it, Zia should be exhausted after using such a big move. ric smiled, "You can only wound us with your lord''s power." He lifted his hand, attempting to regenerate. "Without him, you''re nothing but weaklings." "Of course." Zia nodded, "Unlike you, I know my ce is beneath him." She giggled, "Time to finish this off." ric coughed blood, unable to regenerate. Sawless was the same, no matter what he tried, his body refused to heal. "What''s going on?" Sawless cried. Their skin fell apart and theirN?v(el)B\\jnn visions shed ck. ric fell to his knees, feeling his stomach turning. "You...what did you do?" Zia licked the ck rain from her arm and rubbed it on her face. "This water was pulled from our lord''s stomach...you heretics shall die beneath it." The ck rain was extremely radioactive. Arad had figured that if he could generate the curse by breaking matter, what if he tried to curse some objects and use them to fight? From that, he decided to experiment and curse arge amount of water to use as a mass death weapon. Arad''s vampires aren''t affected by it since they are a part of Arad''s blood. Arad suddenly appeared behind Zia and the bandit. "We must finish this off." He said and Doma giggled, "Sorry, we don''t have any more time to y." The bandit bowed and disappeared into Arad''s blood. Zia on the other hand jumped at Arad with an excited face, "My lord! Look they are almost dead. Can I get just a lick?" She hugged his torso and Doma who sat on Arad''s shoulder started pushing her away with her foot. "Get away from him, leave some distance." Doma growled at her with an annoyed yet amused face. Arad patted Zia''s head, "Fine. But hurry." He had promised her some blood if she did a good job. Arge smile crossed Zia''s face as she cried with a thrilled face. "Of course, my lord!" She bent down with a horny face, "I know just the ce with a lot of blood so I can suck it fast..." As she licked her lips, attempting to unzip his pants, Doma shoved her foot in her mouth and kicked her back into Arad''s blood. Doma sighed, looking at Arad, "I''ll go give her an earful. I''ll leave the rest to you." She kissed him on the cheek and faded away. All the nuns, bandits, churches, and the ck rain, everything disappeared, leaving Arad alone standing before the injured ric and Sawless. "You two can heal now. Just do it as if you''re trying to regenerate your whole body." He said with a passive face. Still confused, the two demons'' lords tried what Arad said and their bodies healed. Now that the radiation was over, getting a new body was enough to fix their issues. This might''ve seemed strange, but Arad wanted to see them fully heal so he could precisely tune his next attack to mess up with that. "Why would you..." ric was about to growl, but he didn''t even have time for that. Arad had already lifted his hands andbed his fingers. [Elemental Expansion: Nuclear Chaos] Darkness swallowed the two demon lords, and immediately thousands of energy breaths started hitting them from all directions, killing them over and over hundreds, thousands, and millions of times. This was the same way Gojo killed Demogorgan. Even if demon lords were immortal in their domain in the abyss, killing them so many times that their minds and souls broke was a possible way that Arad learned from his older brother. After fifteen minutes with the two demon lords dying thousands of times a second, their souls finally broke. ricsted thirteen minutes and Sawless fourteen, Arad kept sting them for another minute to ensure they were broken. Cancelling his expansion, Arad swallowed the two broken souls. He''s still too young to be able to digest suchrge souls, but he can always store them as preserved food. Arad turned to leave, but he then saw the pale night, she was sitting on a wooden chair. She waved her hand, calling Arad to sit with her around the small round table. "I''ve got some bad news." "And I must go, Mira would kill me if I didn''t go and see the weapon she worked so hard to create." Arad replied with a tired face. He didn''t want more troubles to deal with. Chapter 959: The Black Goat of The Abyss, Shub Chapter 959: The ck Goat of The Abyss, Shub ? Arad sat on his chair, barely fitting in as he crammed his legs beneath the tiny table. "Bad news? Like what? He leaned back and looked at her with a passive face. The pale night looked back at him, blinking as she flicked her pale fingers and a cup of strange tea appeared before her, one immediately spawned before Arad. She took a sip with closed eyes and sighed. "First, the good news is that Lunara is stable. She''ll survive, but probably won''t move for a week. Have a drink." She pointed at his cup. The strange glowing blue and green liquid bubbled like something out of a witch''s cursed pot. Even Arad who ate many things gave it one look and noped out, that thing looked vile. "Good news can wait." Arad leaned forward, "Bad news usually means trouble, and troubles are urgent things that need to be dealt with. Tell me about what went wrong." Arad would rather hear the bad news so he can start thinking about a solution. Good news usually isn''t urgent and doesn''t need him to act. On top of everything, good news isn''t a good excuse he can give to Mira for making her wait. "You can''t fix this one. It''s not in your hand, not mine, it''s not in anyone''s hand." The pale night looked around, her eyes scanning the area around them. From burned ground to the flowing rivers ofva and rotten forests of thisyer, everything looked to be in quite a bad condition "I was born long before the abyss even existed, in the early days of AO. The previous overgod." She smiled, remembering those days before time, before space, and before everything was anything, before reality itself when AO was everything and anything. Ah, those sweet simple times before the causality of reality. "You''re old." Aradmented, looking at her pale face. "For all I know, the abyss is a world that existed for a very, very long time." That wasn''t just thousands or hundreds of thousands, but billions of years in the past. She might be as old as the world itself. "To tell you the truth, I''m the first demon to ever be born. People call me the pale night thanks to my look, or the mother of demons since I gave birth to them." She pushed her chair back and sighed, "But I''m a demon like them, and one of a kind." She lifted her foot, and gently tapped it on the ground. Lines of concentrated magic sparked across the wholeyer like electronic circuits. "You might have guessed that I''m not normal." Her presence surged across the abyss''s walls and earth, shifting its nature back and forth, akin to being inside Arad''s expansion. Arad looked at her, his eyes burning purple. "Right... I can''t tell whether you''re a demon or not, I can''t sense the end of your power, and when I look at your eyes, I only see a massive shadow. Darkness, a deep bottomless hole of horrors." Behind the pale night, he could see the illusion of a titanic mass of tentacles and goat legs, all writhing in blood and gore, dwarfing the abyss in size. Whatever she was, the pale night that demons knew was nothing more than a facade, hiding an eldritch demon of nightmarish proportions and power. Arad looked at his shaking knees, "You''re the strongest being I''ve faced so far, I doubt even Kayden can take you down. Unless he''s hiding his power well enough that I can''t sense it." The pale night giggled, "He''s indeed hiding it, but that kid can''t kill me. I doubt even the overgod had the power to take me down." She leaned on the table, looking at Arad with a smile, "My name is Shub, a primordial abomination that was born from AO''s essence. I''m the one who gave birth to the abyss itself. Even as we speak now, my womb still gives birth to newyers." "Why tell me this?" Arad red at her. "Does it have anything with me?" Why is a monster above the gods hiding in the abyss, and why is she speaking with him about it now? Arad''s suspensions started to swell up, but for some reason, he didn''t feel threatened by her power. "Remember that man in yellow? The abomination called Nyar, the one who helped Vorvadoss escape?" She leaned back, "I was his wife before time even existed. We got divorced when he betrayed our creator AO. But I can still feel him, he''s awakening faster than expected." She sighed, scratching her head. "He''s targeting you this time. I can''t exin why yet, but you should elerate your training, he might be awake in a century or so." She growled with a sore face, "He''s called the yellow emperor, the betrayer and evil one. You better find a ce to cultivate and turn into a shelter for your wives to hide in in case of an attack." If Nyar wanted to target Arad, his wives are a ring weakness that is bound to be the primary target. Veins bulged on Arad''s head, "He''ll attack them?" So this is the bad news, Arad''s blood boiled, and his magic spiked for a moment. His wives indeed weren''t as strong as him, but that wasn''t their fault. He''s well aware that he''s an outlier and that asking his wives to keep up with him is an impossible task. It''s his duty as their husband to provide protection, and so The must get even stronger. "Nothing is beyond Nyar''s vile soul. Expect anything from him." She looked up, even my ex- wife Yog despises him." "Wife?" Arad lifted an eyebrow. She had just said that she was Nyar''s ex-wife...but she has an ex-wife? "This is a tale from before humans or marriage even existed, not even time was born at that time. I''m just using words close enough to what the rtionships were at that time." She waved her hand, "And to tell you, Yog is sick up in the head. She''s one crazy monster." She leaned back, "I''m the ck goat of the abyss, she''s called the guardian of the gate and master of the forbidden knowledge." "I don''t want to know about you or her. The bad news is that Nyar is targeting me, right?" Arad red at her, "What should I do? If not even you can beat him, then I doubt I stand a chance." He looked back, "The weakest of those demons has a better chance of defeating me than I have of defeating you, let alone that yellow bastard." Whenparing himself to what he sensed from Shub, the power difference was just too overwhelming. Arad is powerful, but he isn''t stupid and won''t try to fight a fight that he knows won''t win. "A century is both short and long, blink once and it''ll be over, focus on something and it''ll feel like an eternity." She leaned back and rested her feet on the table, looking at the ceiling with a distant look on her face. "Those twoyers that you wrecked...they are looking for new lords. You might have guessed it, but the abyss is alive. It''s one massive demon, my first child that I''m still giving birth to." The abyss is a massive ne of existence, a bottomless hole that keeps expanding deeper and deeper, filling with demons on each of its endlessyers. The deeper you go, the stronger the demons and the harsher theyers get. "Kayden said he''ll rece those two demon lords I killed." Arad replied with a stern face, pushing her feet out of the table. "Sit normally." "I''ve spoken with him. You can have those twoyers. Terraform them however you like, and feel free to use all the demons living here however you see fit." She put her feet back on the table, this was her domain and she''ll do whatever she wanted. "Only demons are supposed to ruleyers of the abyss. I''m not going to let you turn me into a demon." Arad has his hands full with his vampirism and lycanthropy, bing a demon sounds like extra trouble. Havingnd in the abyss was one thing, and being ayer lord was another thing. Shub giggled, "Assign a demon as your representative and have them help you. I''m not going to turn you into a demon, not in a million years." She giggled, imagining how ridiculous that would be. "Can''t turn me into a demon? Let me guess, another thing you can''t exin to me?" He red at her, there are a lot of things that people refuse to clearly exin to him, especially those powerful ones who seem to have a lot of secrets to hide. "No, this one I can exin clearly. I can turn you into a demon if I want, I''m just choosing not to do it." She took her feet off the table and stared at him. "If I did, you''ll be one of my children." "Have a problem with being my mother?" Arad smiled with a grin, he''s not a troublesome child...but now that he thought of it, he''s indeed a troublemaker with all his fighting. "No, If I became your mother, I can''t call you daddy anymore." She replied with a passive face. Shub disappeared as if she was never there, leaving Arad sitting alone in the middle of the abyss, baffled. After pushing everything to the back of his head, Arad stood and he could feel the twoyers surging with energy from beneath his feet. They felt the same as his connection to the vampires through blood but in reverse, they were a secondary tank of energy that he could draw from. His magic traveled and synced with the bones and marrow of the abyss, extending his magic detection and reach across the twoyers. Now his void step could take him to any spot he wants in those twoyers, and he could even sense and cast magic anywhere he wants. It felt strange, so he tried it immediately. With one step, he stood in front of the demon woman who got him a tour of Sawless''sb. The moment her eyesid on him, she knew it, the abyss had chosen him, he who wasn''t a demon was now their lord, their non-demonic demon lord. She immediately knelt down, "My lord, wee back to your domain." She was sweating, it never happened in her life, she had never seen the change of a demon lord, let alone such a special case where a dragon took the title. "Thisyer and the one above are mine now. Make sure to focus on defenses first and call men/o/vel/b//in dot c//om if anything happens. Come here for a second." Arad extended his hand above her, and she could feel a curse rushing through her veins. She had be linked to him by Doma''s magic, if she died or were harmed, Arad would know immediately. "Keep the ce tidy for me. I''lle back in a few days." Arad disappeared as quickly as he appeared and she stood there, baffled. She could feel it, waves of endless demonic magic rushing through her veins. Arad had allowed her to be his temporary recement on the twoyers so the abyss itself is fuelling her now as if she was a true demon lord. The captain of the guards rushed through the hallways, seeing her standing alone and looking at her hands. "You there! What''s going on? A new demonic aura was detected, hurry back to your..." He paused, rubbing his eyes, they were lying to him. All demons could tell that she wasn''t a true demon lord, but an extension of one. She is the representative of their lord, a demon hand. She red at him, and her captain started shaking, "Wait...this can''t be..." He cried, taking a few steps back. In just a few minutes, one of his lowest-ranked soldiers, the one who was given the simple job of standing guard before a door that would never get attacked had now be a demon hand. She turned and walked toward him. He flinched, fearing that she was about to cleave him in half. "We''ve got no time to fight among ourselves. Focus a quarter of our demonpower on repairs and the other three quarters on defense. We might get attacked in such a weakened condition." She said and he nodded, walking behind her with a lowered head. She had be his superior in seconds. "That ck dragon Arad is now our demon lord. He killed both ric and Sawless, the abyss itself chose him as the lord of thisyer and the one above us." She looked back at the captain, "He''s far stronger than many other demon lords. Show him enough respect." Chapter 960: Void Staff Chapter 960: Void Staff ? Arad returns to the Hati''s house with the same magic Kayden showed him. Out of all the spells that he learned, teleportation magic was the strangest and the best. By changing the nature of the magic and its parameters, it allows him to teleport almost anywhere as long as he gets the numbers right or has a beacon that pins the location he wants to teleport to.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He stood alone in the middle of the healing room where he was before all of this mess, his eyes darted around sensing the magic surrounding him, meticulously counting his wives and everyone with an obsession akin to madness. Only after confirming that all of them were indeed present and well that his heart rate finally slowed down. A deep sigh escaped Arad''s throat as he dropped on the chair beside him, leaning back with a growl. His family is saved right now, that might not be the case in the future, but at least for now, he can rx a bit. The moment his conciseness finally rxed, he remembered why he came back rushing, Mira had called him toe and check the weapon she made for him. She is already getting impatient, waiting in the workshop outside. Arad walked out of the healing room and saw Astrid walking by, carrying arge silver tter filled with strange potions and empty parchments. She had two rolls of fine silk and linen strapped to her back and a small satchel of needles and threads hanging from her belt. She looked at Arad and gasped, "You''re back!" "Yes. Are you taking those to Merlin?" He looked at what she was carrying; it was clear that Merlin was nning to enchant her clothes for theing battle. She has been meticulously preparing for the past few days, and she always seems to be working on something new. "Forget about this! Mom said you went to face that Demon Lord ric..." She looked at him, "You retreated?" "No, he''s dead." Arad replied with a passive face, "Alongside the other one living in theyer below him." He wasn''t lying, and Astrid could understand that. "The one below him...Sawless, the vile demon lord of disfiguration..." She couldn''t believe her ears. "You killed them? Both?" "Of course. Why would I let them live? ric tried to kill Eris and ended up almost killing Lunara. I don''t have any mercy for him, or anyone supporting him." Arad could understand the difference between ric who attempted to kill one of his wives, and Lunara who just threatened to take such an action. Threat and attempted murder are simr, but not the same. He walked past Astrid, "I''m going to see Mira. See youter." As he walked away, she stared at his wide back. She had known he was powerful, a dragon strong enough that Kayden came to personally train him. But not once in her wildest dreams, she dreamt of him killing two demon lords in less than an hour. Even now with him being so close, she couldn''t sense a shred of that power. He looked nothing more than a normal human, even his magic was calm and collected. Astrid turned back and continued her way to Merlin''s room, Arad living rent-free in her head. Arad soon walked out of the back door and into the backyard; Mira who sat in the workshop immediately spotted him and rushed with an excited yet worried face. "Arad! You''re back!" The closer she got to him the more worried her expressions became. "Hati said you''ve gone to fight demon lord. Did you get hurt?" She looked closer at his arms and legs. He didn''t look wounded, but this was Arad and he could regenerate. Her divine eyes were looking for traces of regenerated flesh. But thankfully, he seemed to be doing fine. "You made a weapon for me?" Arad patted her head, "Where is it? Let''s see what you made." He ran his hand down her neck and tapped her back. Mira gasped, quickly turning back and pointed at the workshop. In the corner of that old shed was arge 2-meter-long staff with arge empty ss sphere on the top, surrounded by wooden branches. Even though everything was dusty, the staff looked awfully clean, as if someone had spent minutes wiping and polishing it out. Arad and Mira walked into the workshop and she approached the staff. She lifted it up and gave it onest look, fearing that there was a deformity that she didn''t spot. But the staff was indeed perfect, what remained was to see if her gamble actually worked. "Arad, you know I''ve been learning to work ss, right?" She looked at him, lifting the staff up. "I''m still not that good at it, but I''ve at least managed to make this." She caressed the ss sphere with one of her hands. "Do you know what''s inside?" Arad looked at the ss, it was clear and hollow. Nothing was inside. "Nothing, it''s empty." "Exactly." Mira smiled, "There is nothing inside. It''s empty, no air, no magic, nothing, pure void." She lifted the staff up and handed it to Arad, "Try it. I hope it works." Arad took the staff from Mira''s hand and inspected it. A staff is supposed to amplify the destructive power of magic by using a core to magnify spells. The core Mira made is a ss orb with a void inside, usually that won''t do anything, it''s just ss, with nothing inside. Arad rested the staff on his shoulder and lowered his arm, "Come on, let''s go test it out." He said and Mira stared at his arm, "Where? Hati said her training ground is still under repair." "To somewhere else, where no one would bother us." He replied, and Mira hesitantly sat on his forearm. He lifted her up, carrying her close to his chest. "Take a deep breath, we''re going to teleport quite far away." In the blink of an eye, Mira found herself with Arad in a strangend. Long burned ck hills, a rocky ceiling for a sky, and arge pale sphere plunged into the ground. The charred trees at their sides seemed to bear crying faces, and the horrid scent of rotten flesh only reached her for a fraction of a second before Arad''s magic and her divine aura cleaned everything. "Where are we?" she asked. "The abyss, ric''syer. Now it''s mine it seems." Arad put Mira down and she stared at the massive wastnd, "Merlin said that humans can''t survive in the abyss." She looked at Arad. "You aren''t a human, you''re a demi-goddess." Arad brushed the hair away from her cheek, "And I''m here to protect you. Not a single demon in this hellhole would even dare look you in the eyes." Arad waved his hand and a wooden chair appeared. He gently put it on the ground, "Take a seat behind me. I''ll try some magic spells with and without the staff." Mira took a seat and looked at Arad extending his arm toward the pale moon. She held her breath, fearful that her staff might prove useless. Arad charged a spell, arge red fireball 10 meters in width. The fireball crackled and started spinning, turning blue in color before he flung it into the horizon. As the ballnded, it exploded in a massive rose of pure inferno that reached up to 100 meters in height. This was Arad''s normal fireball, a powerful spell that not many wizards could match. Arad then pulled the staff and pointed it forward, "Are you ready? Let''s see how this magic staff stacks up." Mira''s hands started shaking as she couldn''t take her eyes off the staff. She was confident in the wood that Mora brought from the world tree, but not the ss she made. She didn''t know even if her void idea would even work. Arad charged his magic, feeling mana getting sucked from his arms into the blessed wood of the world tree. The ss sphere rumbled, magic sparking inside it like it was a smamp. As the fireball emerged, it was indeed the same as before, 10 meters in width and burning bright crimson. A secondter, it heated up until it became pale blue. Mira''s breaths grew heavier, until now, nothing had changed about his magic. Her staff is looking worse and worse as time passes by. But suddenly, the fireball sparked, turning white. With a st, it expanded in size almost doubling up to 18 meters in width. Then the pale white mes changed color, growing darker and darker until it turned into a fireball with a ck core and pale grey mes on the outside. It had heated up to the point that it could burn light passing inside it. Mira''s eyes opened wide, and Arad smiled, "This is great, better than any staff I''ve ever used." He giggled, "I bet brother would be jealous." He flung the fireball into the horizon. It flew at a blinding speed beforending where the first one did. After a bright white spark, a massive white fireball almost one kilometer wide emerged on the site, exploding into a massive explosion of fire and debris. Mira nked out for a second, finding herself in Arad''s arms as he flew with her outside the explosion''s range. Mira had created an artifact akin to the exploding nipple knife. A staff with nothing as a core, amplifying the magic of void dragons. Chapter 961: House Of Demons Chapter 961: House Of Demons ? "You fur face!" Arge serpentine demon with four arms growled, deadly poison sshing out of his open maw as he hissed at another demon. The other demon was a massive brown minotaur; he had just stumbled into the serpentine''s home and wrecked one of its many demonically beautiful walls. Those walls were pieces of art made of ck wood and bones, decorated with gems and polished metals dug out of the abyss''snd. The serpentine demon is called Kodono the slithering hunter and the minotaur is Grambleg the walking ravager. Each of them had been summoned before into the mortal world and had wrecked whole cities using their power and legions of powerful demons. Their achievements have handed them residency beside Sawless''s castle so they can be called into action quickly. This was happening after Arad''s fight with ric and Sawless, and the poor demons were still recovering and trying to get their lives back in line. Kodono is now utterly pissed off, his house which barely survived the sh now has arge hole in its wall. Kodono wrapped his massive body around Grambleg''s torso, trying to crush his ribs. Grambleg on the other hand grabbed Kodono by the head and red at him, threatening to gouge his face with his sharp ck horns. As the two demons released their demonic aura, all the demons around them backed away. Those two were generals even among demon kind, two monsters that no fool dared fight. Due to their power, they can kill any demon or abuse them however they want without anyone daring to stand in their way. The demon''sw is power, and those two are far above everyone else. "Amazing! I never knew wood could support so much weight!" An excited voice cried beside the two raging demons, halting their argument. The moment they looked down, they saw her. Mira was standing beside them, pointing at Kodono''s house with an excited smile on her face. It took the two demons a second, but they could realize it, the woman was no mere mortal. They couldn''t even see theplexions of her face the moment they sensed the divine magic in her veins. To them she looked like a humanoid being with a shadowy face, only her eyes glowing with bright golden light. A demi-goddess in the flesh, to demons, such a being was akin to seeing a demon in the mortal world for humans, rare, but a call to immediate action. It took the two demon generals just a fraction of a second to put their differences away and get ready to crush the holy invader. Mira''s eyes red at the two demons about to attack her. "Think again." Those two simple words came out of her mouth, they were threatening beyond belief and the two demons halted their punches. In theing fraction of a second, they managed to notice therge figure behind her. Darker than ck, deeper than the abyss, the beckoning night sky, a faint rumble from nothing, ring down at them with indifference. "Is this your house?" Arad red at Kodono and the demon smacked his face to the ground, "Please pardon my rudeness, our great lord. That is indeed my humble house." Grambleg already had his head between his legs, his long nose digging beneath the ground like an emu. He was farrger than most demons, but that showed how violently his muscles were trembling. His instincts told him to run away, but his brain cried that turning his back to Arad and fleeing is just asking presenting his ass for a whooping. Arad reached down and grabbed the tip of Kodono''s tail, he twisted it into a knot and tightened it hard enough that the bones shattered. The demon sat in silence, swallowing the pain without daring to even look Arad in the eyes. As Arad dropped Kodono''s tail and turned toward Grambleg, Kodono said, "Thank you for showing mercy." To demons, getting off with a simple injury like this was a blessing. Sawless would skin them alive and hang them for months in the wastnds to dry. Arad ignored the Kodono''s words, grabbed Grambleg''s horn, twisted it, ripped it off, and then dropped it on the ground. "I''m not worthy of such mercy, my lord." Grambleg barely managed to speak with the surging pain in his head, his lips dripped with his blood as he didn''t dare to even look up. "Next time any of you..." As Arad growled, Mira smacked him on the back of his head. "Arad! What are you doing?" "No...just trying..." He tried to speak but she didn''t let him. "Why be violent? There is no need for that. They were threatening a bit, but they didn''t harm me or you." She looked at the two demons, "And to demons, demi-gods are something they attack by nature." She lifted her hand above them and a divine light shed out. For a moment, the demons felt their skin burning and Mira gasped, "AH! Sorry, I almost forgot demons get hurt by holy magic." She wiggled her fingers and they started healing beneath her holy light. The two demons looked up, "It''s warm?!" They were as shocked as Arad was behind them. "How could this be?" Kodono''s eyes opened wide as he looked at Mira.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Mira, you can heal demons with holy magic?" Arad asked, looking at her. "Of course, Merida gets injured all the time. Eris is busy most of the time and we can''t just keep bothering Lydia." Mira replied with a passive face; her magic fully healing the two demons. "After I saw Lydia use curses with divine magic, I noticed that I could just flip the healing upside down and it''ll work on demons and undead. But that''s only possible with how weak my divine magic is..." She giggled, "It''s too weak and easy to flip." She looked at the two demons, "I''m his wife, one of his wives to be exact." She smiled, "As you can see, my husband is very protective and aggressive. Do anything funny around me, and you''ll probably end up deader than a withered tree." "Should we get back home?" Arad looked at her and then at the two demons, "This ce isn''t that safe." "Don''t worry, I''m sure they won''t try anything." Mira replied with a smile, "And I want to see how that frame is built. If this wood is a tree native to the abyss, I would very much love to have some of it to work with." "Does this woode from here, the abyss?" Arad asked as he looked at the two demons. Grambleg nodded, "Indeed, the trees growing in the eastern forest are cut down for wood." He looked back at Arad with a scared face. "After the recent battle...most of it was burned down though." Mira red at Arad, "You burned it?" She instantly knew that if anyone was crazy enough to burn the abyss, it was her husband who wrecked ayer of hell. "Can you me me? I was fighting two demon lords..." He cried, whispering in the middle, "Even though I was ying a bit..." He gasped, "I didn''t know I''d own those twoyers. If I did, I might''ve been a bit more careful." After getting scolded by Mira, He and she ended up being guests at Kodono''s house alongside Grambleg. They all sat on therge demon hides carpeting the ground and one of Kodono''s many wives slithered into the room with arge tter of strange food. In the abyss, demons ate lesser demons who were less intelligent than them. With how vile the ce was, the wives had argued about whether they could try to make the food look like the mortal world or not. If a demon walked on earth, what would you feed it, fresh human corpses, blood and gore, or a well-cooked meal with champion and roses? Just as no one would know what a demon''s taste is, no demon knows what would be presentable to a resident of the mortal world. As the wives came with food, some ters made Mira want to throw up, like rows of still wiggling eyes and beating hearts lined in a basket like fruit. And some were mildly creepy like the roasted head of a goat demon. But suddenly, a human woman walked out of the kitchen with arge tter in her hand. She was tall, a bit muscr and her long red and ck hair emitted a faint demonic aura. Mira thought she was just a demon that looked like a human, but Arad knew it at a nce. "What is a human doing here?" He asked with a passive face. "I''m one of his wives." The woman replied, "After several painful events, I ended up here. It''s already been three centuries." She looked at her flowing hair, "I''ve only got the pale night to thank. I would''ve not survived for this long if not for her." Arad red at Kodono, "Are you keeping her here by force?" "No! No!...." Kodono waved his hands... "At least, not that I remember...probably for the first few decades." He looked at her. "Twenty-five years, idiot." She growled at him, "Well, that''s well past us now. It''s been like 280 years now." She looked at Arad, "I agree with you that I might not have been okay with him at first, but I''ve grown quite fond of him in the past decades." "Want to share?" Mira looked at her. "No." The woman red at her, "It''ll be a long story. In short, I had an abusive husband who sometimes even brought other men to toy with me. One day, I snapped and summoned a demon using myself as a sacrifice." She giggled, "I honestly expected to be eaten by that demon as an appetizer." She red back at Kodono, "It was this idiot who came out. He killed everyone there and squeezed my husband until he popped like a grape, it was satisfying to watch." She sighed, her lips curling into a smile as she remembered her dying husband. "What I didn''t expect is that he''ll take me as a wife instead of just killing or eating me." She sat down, "I even ended up having a kid with this wiggly fool." She looked at him, "Well, probably it wasn''t as bad as I thought." Her eyes shifted toward Arad, "Do you know what is born when a serpentine demon and a human have a child?" Chapter 962: The Snake Woman Chapter 962: The Snake Woman ? "I don''t know..." Arad looked at her, remembering Doma''s parents. "A medusa?" "If we''re talking about a devil, that would be right." The woman leaned back and Kodono sat beside her, "The child of a human and a serpentine devil would be amia." She looked back, "Lamy,e over for a second." Upon hearing her mother''s call, Lamy who was hiding in the upper floor slowly slithered down. The moment she slid through the door, Arad could notice several things about her. First, he looked at the girl''s mother, "Lamy? Really?" "Her full name is Lamina, I did give her a proper name." The mother sighed, "Albeit that wouldn''t matter here." Lamy looked closer to a normal human or an elf with her long ears if you looked from her naval and up. Silky smooth skin, long hair, and glowing yellow eyes. Her portrait picture wouldn''t be any different than any other human. Looking down was the problem. Her hip starts looking human, but then her thighs conjoin right beneath her thigh gape, turning into a 6-meter-long {around 20-feet-long} snake tail of greenish-gray scales like those of her father Kodono. "She''s far stronger than a normal human thanks to her powerful tail and poisonous bite, but she also far weaker than serpentine demons since her human upper half holds her heart and lungs, it''s weak, undefended, and can''t sustain therge muscles in her lower half." Lamy''s mother exined with a deep sigh. Grambleg nodded, "Her human organs can''t handle her demonic lower half. She gets exhausted too quickly andcks the magic and pain tolerance of demons." He red at Kodono, "Especially with this fool as her father. I always told him to let her fight and get beaten up often. How is she supposed to grow used to injuries and battle if he keeps her sheltered here all the time." "Go raise your children!" Kodono growled at him, "She''s my daughter and I know what''s best for her." While Lamy''s lower half can regenerate like other demons despite how taxing that was, her upper half won''t. One wrong injury in her upper half and she''s dead. Kodono knew this but he didn''t want anyone else to know, that''s his daughter''s weakness and he''ll take that information with him to the grave. Lamy can''t fit anywhere, she''s too weak to live among demons and too horrifying to be epted among humans. She had survived for over a century under her father''s protection, but eventually, she''d end up dead in a fight. Her mother looked at Arad, "I know this is too rude to ask of you, but can you grant her protection?" The moment she spoke, Kodono pped her so hard she went flying across the room. "Fool! Do you want us all dead?!" Demon lords hate the divines and the humans worshipping them, they''d allow them to exist as long as they aren''t a bother, but the moment something happens, they are the first to be killed. Kodono had spent the past century barely managing to keep his daughter and wife out of Sawless''s bloodthirsty gaze. Arad is a demon lord, he could reject him when he walked into his home, but Kodono would''ve hidden his wife and daughter from him as well if he had time. Asking a demon lord to protect Lamy is like asking the ruler of a kingdom to shield a demon. They would only be the target of suspicions of other rulers and would be often ridiculed or even attacked as potential traitors. For a proper demon lord, killing Lamy and her mother would be a far easier, simpler, and more effective method than trying to shelter them. If Arad was any other demon lord, he would''ve already killed Lamy for being tainted with human blood the same way a priest might choose to kill a person tainted with demonic blood.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad who sat there saw everything in slow motion. That p, Kodono wasn''t trying to p his wife, he pushed her out of Arad''s sight as fast as possible and took her ce, he had also covered Lamy with his thick tail, standing between them and Arad. He''s trying to protect them from Arad. Kodono still didn''t know anything about Arad, for all he knew, Arad was a massive violent dragon that just killed two demon lords. Arad''s action outside earlier only helped to amplify Kodono''s worries about him. Arad sighed, "Sit aside. I won''t harm her." Arad looked at Mira, "Go heal her..." She had already gone to heal Kodono''s wife. Arad''s eyes shifted toward Lamy as Kodono still backed away with weary res. Arad''s eyes shed with magic as he used his void eyes to look at Lamy and see how her body''s magic circuits worked. His vampiric sense checked her blood flow and cirction while his powerful lycanthropic nose detected pheromones and hormones like a wolf trying to smell the fear in his prey. Lamy''s expression looked a little bit sad, but that was because she was trying her best not to have a panic attack. She was home and saw Arad''s fire breath as he emerged from the upperyer. At that moment, she thought that she and everyone on thisyer were going to die. Arad could sense that she was terrified of him, unable to move a single muscle now that he was looking at her. He ignored how she was feeling as he focused his sharp hearing, listening to her heart racing and her lungs struggling to work. Even counting her fear, her heart rate was abnormally high. That poor human heart of hers is unable to support her massive and muscr snake tail even at rest. "Did you try the pale night?" Arad looked at Kodono. "It''s not that cheap. I''ve had to save up for a century to be able to afford one meeting for her." He looked at his wife. "And that was only thanks to luck, Sawless wasn''t around for a decade so I managed to get to her in the loweryers." Kodono''s wife sat up, "The trip took us twelve years to finish. We were too yearste and Kodono almost got killed by Sawless for being absent." Arad stood, "I might be able to help, but give me an hour." He looked at Mira, "Let''s go, it''s already gettingte so we better finish this so we can sleep." Arad had training tomorrow and it was already almost midnight. "You''ll help?" Kodono''s wife gasped. Grambleg snorted, looking at Kodono, "Lucky bastard, good luck to you." Even if those two were fighting earlier, they had fought several battles in the past and had known each other for over five centuries. Arad and Mira left and returned to Hati''s house. This time, Arad wasn''t going to bring Mira with him as she needed to sleep. He went to Hati''s room alone, knocked, and one of her daughters allowed him in. As usual, Hatiid on one of herrge soft pillows, drinking wife as three of her daughters cooled her withrge fans. "Want something?" She looked at him with a smirk. "The pale night, how did you contact her?" Arad asked with a serious face and Hati rolled on her pillow, "I didn''t. I asked Kayden and he called her." She flicked her finger and Arad could hear a ping in his head. "Communication magic, Kayden should be able to hear you." She kept drinking. ''This magic...Hati...no, Arad you''re the one calling with her spell?'' Kayden''s voice rang in Arad''s head. ''I''m not telling you about tomorrow''s training until tomorrow, give up.'' ''I wanted to speak with the pale night. Can you call her for me?'' Arad asked and to his surprise, Kayden sighed. ''I''m cooking with my daughter now...if you don''t have a good reason, I''m not doing it.'' But before Kayden could finish speaking a kid''s sharp voice pierced Arad''s ear, ''Uncle Arad!''... [This sounds better! Higher quality than that spell. It''s me, Kali.] This was Kayden''s adopted daughter, Kali. "Wait..." Arad gasped, "The way your voice booms in my head, I''ve heard it before..." This was the same as when he heard the dark elf goddess or Amaterasu speak. [We''ll do it! Give us a minute, we''ll be there.] She spoke and cut the call immediately without giving Arad a chance to respond. Two minutester, Kayden walked into Hati''s room with Kali sitting on his shoulder and the pale night walking at his side. He had to go bring her from the loweryers of the abyss which took a lot of energy even from a demon as powerful as him. The distance was just too long. "Uncle Arad!" Kali climbed on Kayden''s head and leaped toward Arad,tching onto his face. "It''s been a while." "Since when I became an uncle, I''m not that old." He tried to pull her away from his face, but to his surprise, she was extremely powerful. "Not an uncle?" She looked at him with a sad face and her eyes suddenly started sparking with joy, "I know! You aren''t an uncle! Grandpa Arad!" "You made me even older!" Arad cried. Chapter 963: The Fated One Chapter 963: The Fated One ? "You gotta pay for repairs! You know how expensive materials are now that the new demon lord burned half of ournds." Kodono growled, tapping his hand on the table. "I told you I will." Grambleg sighed, the two of them couldn''t keep fighting now that they were stopped by the demon lord. Knock! Knock! Kodono and Grambleg were sitting in the living room when they heard a knocking on the door. One of Kodono''s serpentine wives approached went to the front door and opened it up, screaming her lungs out right after. Kodono and Grambleg rushed out, but the two of them screamed in terror as well as they saw Arad with his gang outside. Inside Kodono''s house, the horrors of the abyss gathered. Kayden was wearing a Hawaiian shirt decorated with pink and green flowers, short ck pants, and his hair tied into a long ponytail: He sat crosslegged on the couch with a tired look on his face, "Can we hurry? Lily isn''t good at cooking." That was the god yer and the strongest demon of the abyss. Kali sat on Arad''sp, looking around the house with a curious gaze. She looked at Kayden with a smile, "Mom can cook...just not as good as you." The demons'' goddess of destruction, this innocent-looking little girl once stepped on a demon lord, forcing him through a thousandyers of the abyss. The pale night sat on a chair beside Arad, drinking tea that she brought with her. Kodono''s human wife massaged her shoulders with a terrified face. She couldn''t believe it, demons needed to book a meeting and spend a vast amount of wealth and time only to see her, let alone get her to agree to help. Arad had just brought her in an hour. "Is Lamy here?" Arad asked, looking around as he didn''t see her. But, he could still sense her magic upstairs, hiding inside her room. "I see...she''s scared." Arad stood, "I''ll bring her out." "No wait!" Kodono gasped, "I''ll go get her down." She rushed upstairs. The pale night looked at Arad, "Daddy, aren''t you quite unreasonable? Keeping me up thiste." She giggled, and Kodono''s wife''s brain almost exploded as her eyes looked between Arad and the pale night. "I''m not your daddy!" Arad growled at her with a tired face. Kali stood and red at the pale night, "Grandpa is right, he isn''t a daddy but a grandpa." Arad sighed, face palming as he slowly looked at Kayden, "Is this a joke now... Come on, say something." Kayden nodded, "Kali, he isn''t your grandpa...a great-grandpa would be better." He smiled, "Give up, you''ll never be able to change Kali''s mind when makes her mind." Soon after, Kodono slithered into the room with Lamy. The pale night immediately looked at her and said, "One has to go, either the demonic or human part." She leaned on her arm. "I can remove one and leave the other. But that means setting up a single ce to live in." The pale night can only turn Lamy into one thing, either a demon or a human, not a mixture of both. Lamy was already a hybrid. Bing a human would mean saying farewell to her family and going to live a short life in the mortal world before dying of old age. While turning into a pure demon would mean losing her mother''s human blood, which is a thing she doesn''t want to do. To Lamy, both her parents are precious. Giving up on her mother''s human blood would mean she''ll be the daughter of her father and the pale night who gave her a new body, rejecting her mother. After seeing how many demons hate humans and the hardship that her mother went through, Lamy was well aware that thest thing her mother needs is to get rejected by her daughter. "Isn''t there any other option?" Lamy looked at the pale night with pleading eyes, but what she got was both a nod and a denial. "Technically, no. Probably, yes." The pale night scratched her head. "What she wants to say..." Kali spoke, her body steaming as she shifted her form into her true demonic body. In the blink of an eye, a twelve-foot-tall purple-skinned demon woman with six arms, a skirt of severed hands, and a ne of heads sat on Arad''sp, her tiny pink dress from earlier barely holding her upper chest together. "She can''t help you. But someone else might be able to." Kali wrapped her left three arms around Arad''s neck and pointed at his face, "Great-grandpa here might be able to help." "Kali, you''re heavy, what''s this form." Arad growled, getting crushed beneath her massive hips. "My true form." Kali replied with a smile. "Like Dad, I''m a demon. He adopted me when I was three centuries old, and now I''m over fifty centuries old. The little girl form is how I was at that young age, I just didn''t want to grow older." She looked toward Kayden. "I just loved our peaceful and quiet family life and I don''t want it to end." She also is the goddess of orphans so staying as an adopted kid grants her power due to living by her divine portfolio. A god of fire would be stronger if he lived in a ne of fire, a god of agriculture would be stronger if he lived on a farm, and so on. Even Mira would be stronger if she were to live a greedy lifestyle. "A demon?" Arad growled, trying to pull his legs from beneath her hips, "I sense divine magic from you." "I''m the demon goddess of destruction." She looked at Arad with a smile, "Didn''t I tell you that before?" "No...you never did... and why is a god pretending to be a kid in Alina..." Arad growled, but even he was disappointed in himself thinking that Kayden of all people had a normal daughter. "I just exined why I take that form." She pulled Arad back in ce, "You aren''t going anywhere." Her eyes quickly shifted toward Kodono and his wife, "You know that no amount of begging or wealth can get me to move. And I''m sure it''smon knowledge that no demon had ever seen me in this form and lived." She smacked Arad on the back, "If Lamy wants to keep both her human and demonic side, she only has one choice." She looked at the pale night, "Is that right?" "Yeah. I think so too..." The pale night nodded, "I''m not sure if it''ll work or not, but it''s worth a try." She looked at Lamy, "Only he can help you. Not me, not Kali, no one else." Kodono and Lamy looked at Arad, and Arad shook his head, "How do you expect me to help? I thought you could just give her a new body and be done with it." "Hmmm..." Kayden looked at Arad, "I see...so that''s what they want to try..." He already guessed, no wonder Kali wanted toe. As the goddess of demons, she must''ve felt Lamy''s concerns and saw her first meeting with Arad. "Lamy..." The pale night looked at her with a grin, "If you want the best of both worlds, start serving Arad from this day onward. He doesn''t need to look for a cure, and you shouldn''t think about anything but fulfilling his orders." "What?" Arad and Lamy cried at the same time. "What she wants to say is..." Kali red at Lamy, "Forget about finding a cure for yourself. Go serve Arad instead. One day you''ll either find a cure, or the strength to live with what you got." "That won''t work." Arad sighed, "I don''t need anyone to serve me, and I''m not going to keep her around if I can''t find her a cure." He red at Kali. Kali looked at him, "You don''t need to bother curing her. And she must only think about serving you. If you two can keep that up, one day she might resolve her problem, whatever that resolve would be." Kali leaned on Arad''s chest, pushing him back. "Just think of Mira, did she ever think of bing a goddess? She was a human until just recently. What about Merida, she was slowly killing herself until you came along, now she''s as powerful as a demon lord. Ae with Zephyr, and everyone else." The pale night rested her legs on Arad''s shoulder, "Same with Lunara, her fate drastically changed after meeting you. Some people are fated, they have enough power to change the world around them. You''re one of those people, staying close to you is a boon that not many people understand." The pale night looked at Kodono, his wife, and Lamy, "Just ask them, how much effort it takes to get a meeting with me. Let alone Kali, they won''t even see her in their dreams..." She looked at Kayden, "And he..." She giggled, "Most demons only see him when he''sing to kill them. They never see him in a casual outfit smelling of fried eggs and bacon." As Arad was listening to them, Doma asked him to let her out for a moment. He waved his arm, and a clone of himself popped out with [Gemini] and then shifted into a woman with [Virgo] Taking Doma''s shape. "I...really like getting out." She stretched her arms, her pink eyes ring around the room, stopping at Kali, "Get up, that''s my ce." Her eyes shed red with bloodlust. Kali red back at her, "Whenever Arad goes, destruction follows. He brings the end of things, but that end always gives birth to something new and beautiful. All demon lords are tyrants, but now that Arad is a demon lord, thisyer shall witness the birth of a new age." "And what do you mean by that?" Doma closed up and red at her straight into the eyes with an enraged face. "I quite like him, and this is now my ce. Got a problem with that?" Kali said with a grin. "Yeah, one big, fat, problem. That''s my ce." Doma growled. The two stared at each other for a second and then nodded, each sitting on one of Arad''s thighs. "You two!" The pale night growled, "Get away from my dad!" "I''m not your father!" Arad cried, getting tired of those two demons. The pale night stared at him with a passive face. "I''m not joking, you''re my sweet, loving, daddy." She sat behind him and wrapped her legs around his neck, looking at Lamy with a smile. Doma sighed, "My mother was a medusa, I might be able to help stabilize you with some curses." She looked at Lamy, "I don''t know much about Lamia, but I might be able to find something byparing demons and devils. In any case, for my research to progress, I need a test subject." She pointed at her. "Since I''ll look for a cure for you, I''ll experiment on you." Lamy looked at them for a second and then took a deep breath, "Fine, it''s worth a try." She looked upstairs, "Better than staying holed up here like a maggot." For her whole life, she saw her brothers and sisters grow strong and leave the house to fight and im a piece of the abyss''s glory for themselves, she alone was left as the weakness of their household, a shame on her whole family of great demons. Lamy''s parents had fought tooth and nail to keep her safe, but that only served to make her feel more like a burden. What hurt her wasn''t her weak body, but being a burden on her parents. As long as she can make a living for herself, she''s satisfied to stay in her weak body for the rest of time. Lamy looked at Arad and Doma for a second, those people sure have it easy, even the demons'' mother and the demons'' goddess are all over him. If she must burden someone, let it be Arad instead of her poor parents. As they were sitting, the pale night blinked, reaching to her ear. "Hello... what do you want?" ''It''s me, Sena. Selica evolved a bit too rapidly and I can''t keep her body stable on my own. Can you help me get her a new one that can adapt better to her slime? And a monster form as well to unleash her full power?'' Sena asked. The pale night stood, "Got it, Mommy! I''ll be there in a second."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ''I''ll burn your wholeyer if you keep up with that joke. I''m not your mother.'' Sena growled back at her with a tired voice, she''s been annoying her with this for a long time. She giggled and looked at Arad, "Sorry, I must go now, mom is calling." She took a step and disappeared. Arad sighed, ^Is that joke she does every time?^ He was slowly getting exhausted from the pale night, especially with the heavy Kali sitting on him. "Get off of me! My leg is numb." He growled. Chapter 964: The Fifth Day of Training Starts Chapter 964: The Fifth Day of Training Starts ? Arad returned with Lamy at his side, Hati was already informed so she had a room quickly prepared. Even with how small her house looks from the outside, the area inside was augmented with spatial magic allowing the beast queen to extend her hallways as much as she wanted, adding new rooms at her will. Arad was already exhausted, the day had been long, too long. Fighting with four demon lords, then taking on Lunara''s final move, surviving death by a hair strand, getting possessed by another demon lord, and finally killing two demon lords and taking theiryers. He giggled as he opened his room''s door, "Alcott should be in my ce." ^The werewolf demon lord possessed me so I killed him and his friend since I''m a stronger werewolf...^ He smiled, "Like father like son, that might be right." As Arad walked inside his room, he saw only Tina sitting on the couch, waiting for him. "Did something happen?" He asked. His wives should be asleep by now, both of them had a long day. "Hati informed me, that Lass Lamina. What is she?" Tina stood and approached Arad, "A wife? A mistress, a maid, a servant, a ve? Or just a friend staying with us temporarily." Arad blinked, "If I had to say, she''s not a maid, but not a servant either. Get her as your helper, but don''t exhaust her too much, despite her look, her bodycks stamina." Arad approached the wardrobe and took his vest and shirt off. "I see...So Hati lied...that fox.." Tina sighed, sitting back on the couch.N?v(el)B\\jnn Arad looked at her, "What did Hati say?" "Said she''s a mistress,ing in as a diplomatic tool with some powers in the abyss." Tina looked at him with a faint smile. "Is that what she said? I want to think she''s joking but..." He sighed and Tina finished his sentence. "For a woman trying to push her daughters onto you, she probably was serious. What do you think about Astrid and Frida?" "I don''t think anything. I appreciate their help, but that has nothing to do with a rtionship with me." He sat on the bed and Tina sat beside him. "I''m still too young to understand long romantic rtionships like that. What works for me is heavy impacts..." He looked at her, "I probably value Lunara more. She is strong, was clear with her intent, and even managed to hold me back enough when ric possessed me." "I see...what about thedies?" She looked at him with a tilted head. "They are the ones to ept or refuse any wife. Even if I agree to a new wife, I''ll still reject her if the prior wives rejected her." Hey on the bed, looking at the ceiling, "It doesn''t matter what Lunara, Astrid, Frida, or any other woman are or do, if my current wives said no, that means no." He looked at Tina, "I''m not angering my wives for a new wife." "What about Nina?" She looked at him. "Nina and Merlin already got the wives'' approval." Arad yawned, he wanted to take a nap. Tina stood, "I''ll leave to rest then, but I want to ask something of youter." "What is it?" Arad looked at her with one eye. "This isn''t the time for it, I''ll leave it to until we return home." She started walking toward the door. "I see...I probably guessed it out. I don''t mind, we''ll tackle thatter." Aradid back and closed his eyes to sleep as Tina walked out. This was an eventful day...Arad rolled to the side, ?The days that passed will nevere back...^ He remembered everything that happened today in detail, thinking about what he could''ve done better. He could''ve not gone through Lunara''s portal and ric might''ve never appeared...but if he did that, he wouldn''t now be the owner of twoyers of the abyss... An action that endangered his wives had ended up benefiting him...but...his actions are what started it. Arad began to realize...^The biggest danger to my family is...me...^ He sighed. Danger and fortune both follow him. A constant gamble with fate... ^I wonder what brother is doing... I want to show him my new staff, and ask if he knows anything about preparing for the unknown...he''s a gambler now, right...^ A void dragon struggling with the unknown, even thoseing from nothing can act upon nothing but guess, and when the lives he''s gambling with are his wives, he can''t leave the future to chance. As Arad fell asleep, his draconic brain kept chugging along,ing up with ns and tactics for battles unknown. Arad Orion, the dreamer dreamt of a vast world akin to his, simting countless battles. The future can never affect the past, only through the dreams. The next day quickly came and Arad walked into the Hati''s training world. The first thing he saw was Kayden waiting for him. "Did you have a good night''s sleep? Wondrous dreams?" Kayden looked at Arad. "What dreams..." Arad yawned, "Ae and Mira told me about them...but I never dream. Once I fall asleep I immediately wake up in the morning." "I see..." Kayden turned right and started walking. "You''ve learned how to elerate, how to teleport mid-eleration, how to cut, and how to defend. Remember how I said yesterday that I didn''t want to tell you about today''s training?" "You''re going to tell me now?" Arad cracked his neck. "Yes, but you aren''t ready for it, no one ever is ready for her." Kayden looked at Arad, "Today you''ll be learning the basics of magic, and I''m not responsible for anything from here onward." He sighed, "I didn''t want to tell you as you might''ve run away." "Are you joking? I''ll never run away from training." Arad chuckled. Kayden looked at him with a serious face. "I know you won''t run from training. You''ll run away from her, everyone runs away, me, the gods, even the overgod all fear her unstable existence." Kayden disappeared. "YO! Little Arad!" Arad felt someone standing on his head, when he looked up, Lilia, the Archmagus of the wizard tower was standing on his head proudly puffing her chest up. "I''ll be teaching you magic...Despite that, I''d prefer to train Gojo instead." "Get off my head." Arad growled with a passive face, the veins on his neck bulging up. "No way, you''re too big and scary. I feel morefortable standing here." She looked down with an evil grin, her face quickly changing into an emotionless stare. "But...I gotta train you, don''t I?" She floated off his head and slowly descended before him. "My name is Lilia...can you remember my name?" She red at him with burning blue eyes, the blue gem embedded in her forehead shed with magic and her me-red hair sparked with mana. "You''ve met my Ex-wife, didn''t you?" Arad red back at her, "Ex-wife? The pale night, no...Shub''s weird wife." He bent down to look her in the face, "You''re Yog, the guardian of the door and forbidden knowledge?" "Guardian of the gate, are you getting old?" She giggled, "That''s indeed me. I only take this form for people to be able to see me without dying." She looked around them. "Kayden locked this space so you won''t run away from me...but I guess I''ll be morefortable in my own space." She looked at Arad, "Don''t look down at me with that scary look...I''m just a four-foot midget, I''ve got a shortplex." She flicked her fingers and the whole world around them twisted and contorted, Arad suddenly found himself standing alone beside a massive mountain, its peak killing the burning red sky between five green moons. Arad looked at the new scene surrounding him. "You changed the whole world?" "I just teleported us into my domain. I''m the one who taught Hati and Betty to create small worlds." She lifted her hand. "Mine is bigger than anything they could hope to create." Wiggling her fingers, "How about we start?" In the blink of an eye, her hands pierced Arad''s chest. He coughed blood and could feel her hands around his still-beating heart. Arad immediately swung his fist at her face, but she dodged the attack, did a flip, and swung Arad''s heavy body, throwing him away as she pulled Doma by the hair out of him with her left hand, and with her right hand, she pulled a whole void dragon out of him. Golden chains tied Doma and the dragon, putting them in separate magical spheres. Arad who rolled on the ground looked up with a cough, "What did you do?" "I''m taking your extra powers, I don''t want you to cheat." Lilia said with a sadistic grin, "I first took the witch Doma and your mother''s consciences fragment." She started floating toward him, "It''s simple, Merlin Labyrinth already did something like this to you before, didn''t it?" Arad lunged at her with a clenched fist but she easily dodged his attack, plunging her hands into his chest once more, this time pulling his vampiric and lycanthropic powers. One looked like a boiling blood slime and the other was a tiny sleeping ck wolf. When Arad fell, he had nothing but the power of his human blood. His draconic might, vampiric, and curse powers have all faded away. He barely managed to stand, still bleeding from his chest. "You little..." Arad growled, unable to stand straight. "I don''t care if it''ll take you a month, a year, or a thousand years." A long wooden staff appeared out of nowhere. "My tower is on the other side of this world, reach it, climb its one hundredyers, and you''ll find me at the topyer." She waved her foot at him as she floated away, "If you suck my toes there, I''ll consider this training finished. Otherwise, you''ll be stuck here for the rest of your life...and yes, you can use teleportation magic if you want." "I''ll never suck your toes! Weirdo!" Arad shouted at her, swinging his arm as he tried to fire a fireball but failed. All of his power had faded away. "I would''ve been impressed if you were willing to do that. But try to at least be skilled in magic enough to impress me then..." She flew away, herughter fading away. That simple move of swinging his arm had opened the wound on his chest, causing him to gasp in pain, fall to his knees, and cough a mouthful of blood. His body now is that of a human, he can''t tank fatal hits like this. Arad looked around exhausted eyes, the blood loss was already getting to him. At the end of the hill, he could see a dirt path clinging on its side, old yet still had marks of carriages... It was just then that he realized he was standing beside a rural roadway. Chapter 965: The Sapphire Heaven of Yog Chapter 965: The Sapphire Heaven of Yog ? Arad slowly climbed the hill and onto the paved dirt road. The old road stubbornly stuck to the hill''s side, threatening to slide away with the slightest push. Arad''s legs sank into the soft dirt as he walked alongside the road, his eyes looking for anything to mend his wounds. Blood dripped across his still massive torso, falling into the dried dirt. With each step, the blood loss grew stronger until he fell, unconscious in a mud pool of his blood. As Lilia said, he has no hope of surviving in this world if he doesn''t master the threads of magic. But with such a heavy injury, he had no chance to even cast a single spell. After a while, Arad opened his eyes, feeling a sharp piercing pain in his chest. He growled, trying to stand up but a hand pushed him down. "Jimmy! Hold him down!" A girl wearing a white cleric room cried blood covering her arms and chest. "I can''t! He''s as big as an ox!" The guy growled, pushing down on Arad''s face. "Calm down, big boy! It hurts a bit, but you''ll be fine." The girl was suturing Arad''s gaping wound, they had just found him dying on the road and carried him into their carriage. After drenching his wound with healing potions, they are now closing it. Arad''s eyes shot open as he stared down, seeing the girl''s hands shaking as she sutured his chest closed. Her tensed face dropped sweat on him as she did her best to concentrate. "I know it hurt, just don''t move..." Her hand shaking was already a big enough burden. They wanted to sedate Arad, but thanks to his size all the doses they have for humans will not work. They got one dart that can knock a bear down, but they can''t use that as it''s for their quest. Arad blinked twice, his chest was burning with pain, but it was not at the level of Da''s ps. It was indeed more than any pain that he would usually feel when he had his vampire blood, but he had already felt so many things that he could just tank it. Arad stopped moving, "Sorry, I''ll breathe down my stomach." He then started breathing from his stomach so he won''t bother the girl working. Jimmy looked at Arad with a stunned face, "Wait... you''re fine?" Jimmy would be screaming and crying when getting a small cut sutured, but this man before him isn''t flinching. "Yeah, felt worse before." Arad nonchntly replied. "I would be crying like a baby." Jimmy giggled, pulling a small piece of clothing, "Want something to bite on? So you won''t swallow your tongue?" "Why would I swallow my tongue?" Arad lifted an eyebrow, to him, that thought never crossed his mind. "You sure you''re a human?" Jimmy poked Arad''s face, "Except for your size, you look normal to me." He had never seen a man as tall or as muscr as Arad before, they almost mistaken him for a small giant. "I''m a human..." Arad replied with a disappointed face. He''s going to have a lot of trouble because that fact is correct, he''s a human now. After just a few minutes, the girl had finished suturing his wound. "Jimmy, help me sit him up, I''ll wrap him with..." As she spoke, Arad sat on his own, "I can move. This wound isn''t enough to keep me down." Arad could feel a sharp sting in his chest. "But...I know it''s awful, aren''t there any healers around to get rid of it?." The girl shook her face, "Sadly, you''ll have to wait until we get to the vige for that." They were on a mission now, and they can''t just abort it and return. "You''re a monster..." Jimmy gasped and Arad cracked his neck, trying to stand up. The girl yelled at him, "Stay down, you''ll only open your wounds." "I''ll be fine." Arad lifted his hand toward his chest. This is fatal for a human, and he''s one now. If he doesn''t do anything about it, he''ll indeed end up dead soon. Focusing deep, Arad tried to channel divine magic from Eris. He doesn''t have the time or patience to wait until they get back to the vige. Lydia had taught him how to channel divine magic and he''s now worshipping his wives, Eris and Mira. From them, he can draw divine magic and cast simple healing spells or smites. With all of his powers, those healing spells are useless, but in this situation, they are a lifesaver. But as Arad tried to channel the divine magic, the spell indeed worked and his wound healed a tiny bit. But the divine magic didn''t belong to Eris, not even to Mira. It wasing from something else, a thing that he had felt before but was never sure about.N?v(el)B\\jnn "This is..." Arad grunted with an annoyed face. The girl there gasped, "See! Jimmy, I told you! He''s blessed by the goddess!" She said with arge smile, "We clerics can sense other clerics by divine magic!" In this world, a cleric can tell if another person is a cleric or not by sensing the divine magic. If they have it, they are clerics. Clerics are approved by the goddess and so could be trusted. ^This is the magic goddess''s divine magic...the one who toyed with Merlin''s memories with a bacsh...^ Arad couldn''t understand how she did this, but all he knew was that her magic came out when he tried to pull Eris''s divine magic. [Sorry, I''m the only goddess in this world. You''ll have to use my holy magic if you want to heal.] Lilia''s voice boomed in his head. She didn''t just rob all of his powers and leave him as a mortal but also cut all of the connections to the previous world so he wouldn''t exploit them. The healing spell that Arad used barely affected his wound. He wasn''t bleeding anymore, but one wrong move, and the wound would open again. The simple heal can at best heal small cuts and scratches, not a heart-deep wound. ^Your healing magic is useless, can''t even heal a small wound.^ Arad leaned back with a sore face, making the two helping him worried. [Your injury is no small wound, my hands aren''t that small even with how short I am.] Sheughed inside his head, [But that spell you got is the basic healing magic, I can grant you a higher version, only if you suck my toes.] ^Get the hell out of my head.^ He was getting tired of her. She''s the kind he hates the most, people who never listen. [Than too bad, if you won''t suck my toes for holy magic. Then learn some actual magic instead, this is why you''re here, right? Now get to work, just know that one day in this world is a second in the one you were before. So you can spend as much as you like here.] ^If you can do that then why am I cramming all the training in a week outside? Why not juste here?^ The more Arad knew, the more he hated that tiny woman. He started to slowly understand why Kayden said everyone would run instead of dealing with her. [Aren''t you a naive little boy, I never work for free. And I chose my prices. If you don''t like them, go create your world with rules to fit your whims.] The voice faded in Arad''s head, and The sighed with an exhausted face. This world is the sapphire heaven of Yog, a massive world built by the goddess of magic to host her people. The sapphire heaven, like the mortal world, consists of countless kingdoms and races, all fighting for survival against monsters. The only difference is that the people of this world only worship the goddess of magic, and those who worship her in the mortal world and die unjustly might get reincarnated here by her. Unlike Hati''s training ground, Lilia''s world seems to be on another level. She has people living in it, and she''s ruling as their only goddess. This reminded him of something that Lydia said, the gods have power in more than just the world. The upper echelons of gods are on another level, nobody knows how many worlds they rule over and influence. Amaterasu is told to own countless suns as many as the stars of night, each one of them hosting its world for one god or another. This world has a sun and several moons, and that should be giving power to Amaterasu and Selune. ^That woman is the goddess of magic...no wonder she''s a problem.^ He cast the simple healing spell a few times to get his wounds closed up, but he still needed to rest and recover like any normal human. "Jimmy, Chloe, get back out!" A young girl who looked no older than fifteen opened the carriage''s back door, panting with blood sttered all over her face. "The bear showed up! Hurry up, Hannah will die!" She cried with a terrified face. Jimmy pulled his sword and lunged forth, "Gogonbronso, hurry and help us with spells." He looked at the girl who just arrived before turning around, "Chloe, he''s looking fine so hurry, Hannah must need healing." ^The hell is a Gogonbronso?!^ Arad couldn''tprehend the girl''s strange name, to this second, he still didn''t realize that in the current situation, a bear is an extremely dangerous animal to deal with. Chapter 966: Arad The Human Vs Monster Bear Chapter 966: Arad The Human Vs Monster Bear ? "shing before the heaven''s rumble, a divine spark sts forth!" Gogonbronso swung her staff forward, "Strike my enemy to ash, burn them with brilliant lightning!" A lightning bolt jolted from the tip of her staff, hitting the beat square in the head with a thunderp. The bear didn''t even flinch, its brownish hide spiked as he stood up, ring down at Hannah who held her longsword in front of him. That wasn''t a normal bear even if it looked like one, it was a full-fledged monster. He looked like a normal grizzly bear, but his bright red eyes told a new story. The bear swung its front ws down and Hannah dodged by a swift backstep, she immediately swung her sword at the bear''s eyes, only for him to bite her sword and shatter it. The bear swung his ws at her without slowing down, trying to rip her apart. Hannah lifted her arms and cried, "Iron Wall!" A metal shield appeared floating before her for just a second, it blocked the bear''s charge and vanished. Hannah was flung back as the defensive spell failed to kill the bear''s momentum. Jimmy threw a dagger right at the bear''s eye as Chloe extended her hand. "HEAL!" Healing Hannah in case she got injured. The dagger bounced off the bear''s iron-hard skull, missing the eye by a fingertip. Gogonbronso is still recovering from her previous spell, Jimmy doesn''t have enough power to push the bear back and Chloe can''t even deal damage. Hannah was on the ground, right beneath the now-standing bear, about to get squashed by its mighty ws. Their quest had described a normal brown bear since that was what the scout saw. A scout isn''t meant to fight so they had no idea knowing that this was a monster. If Jimmy''s party knew they were facing a monster bear not a normal brown bear, they would''ve have taken such a dangerous quest. A normal brown bear would''ve died by Gogonbronso''s earlier spell. Jimmy didn''t even have time to go bring the sedation dart, that thing was in the back of the carriage as the n was to spot the bear first and shoot him with it. They flopped this quest, and they are going to pay for it with blood. CLACK! The carriage''s door pped open, and a massive shadow walked out. When standing upright, Arad dwarfed Jimmy and his party. Where poor Jimmy couldn''t even reach Arad''s stomach in height, the other girls were far shorter. The bear stopped moving and looked at Arad, by instinct,rge creatures are dangerous, and the bear was stunned to see a human standing that tall, and wider than him at the shoulders. Arad walked to the bear and stood between him and Hannah, ring straight at the standing bear''s eyes. Arad was half a foot taller. It was like seeing two giant monsters facing each other. The bear suddenly swung his w, hitting Arad''s neck and upper chest, leaving five gaping shes. [HP: 195/250]==>[HP: 126/250] Blood sshed out of Arad''s neck, the bear''s sh had hit a major artery.N?v(el)B\\jnn [HP: 126/250]==>[HP: 116/250] He was rapidly bleeding, 10HP a second, which meant now he only had 12 seconds to live. [Bleeding: 10HP/second] With human-level reaction speed, Arad wasn''t able to react in time and ended up getting shed. Arad''s mind realized that he got hit just a fraction of a second after getting shed, and he countered almost immediately, a full-power right hook right at the bear''s cheek. The bear''s head jolted aside upon getting punched, he stumbled back, his eyes tearing out as hended on his four limbs, staring up at the bleeding Arad with a shocked face. That punch hurts, a lot, it felt like getting pped by another bear, heavy, hard, and agonizing. Arad stared coldly at the bear, blood still dripping across his chest. [Healing] Arad''s body surged with holy magic, and the bleeding slowed down. [Bleeding: 8HP/second] [Healing] [Bleeding: 6HP/second] [Healing] [Bleeding: 4HP/second] [HP: 116/250]==>[HP: 112/250 [Healing] [Bleeding: 2HP/second] [Healing] [Bleeding: OHP/second] Arad''s bleeding neck stopped almost immediately as he cast the same healing spell over and over. It seems that the best the holy spell could do is stop bleeding, which was plentiful for Arad. "He punched him!" Jimmy cried in the back, not once in his life has he seen a man punch a bear. The bear roared, and Arad screamed back at it, the two looked like two beasts about to charge at one another. The bear lept forward, his jaw wide open as he aimed at Arad''s torso. Likewise, Arad bent down and charged forward, tackling the bear. The bear''s ws ate at Arad''s back as his fangs closed on his neck, threatening another bite. [HP: 112/250]==>[HP: 103/250 CRACK! Arad''s feet started digging into the ground as he stood up, struggling but still lifting bear. The bandages wrapped around his chest ripped open as Chloe''s stitches bled out, with with bulging veins, he threw the bear behind him almost like a suplex. Even as a human, Arad''s massive body and muscles still produced a lot of energy, pushing the limits of mortal flesh. No human had reached such a height and muscle density, such thickness that the bear''s ws couldn''t reach Arad''s ribs that were hiding beneath his several-inch-thickts. [Healing] As the bear fell, Arad healed himself to immediately stop any bleeding from starting. Without wasting any time waiting, he spun around with a kick, hitting the confused bear in the face. [Fire Kick] [MP: 250/250]==>[MP: 240/250] Arad''s foot exploded with a sh of fire upon impact, rocking the bear''s upper torso violently to the left. The bear took the hit and lunged at Arad, his jaw wide open. Arad was waiting for such an attack, this bear''s hide was too thick to be harmed by fire or a human''s fist. All Arad could do to hopefully kill this bear was to attack a soft ce. [Fire Fist] [MP: 240/250]==>[MP:230/250] Arad shoved his fist elbow-deep into the bear''s throat, burning the inside of his mouth. The bear didn''t die and clenched his jaw down, trying to bite Arad''s arm off. [Fire bolt [MP: 230/250]==>[MP:215/250] [Fire bolt [MP: 215/250]==>[MP: 200/250] [Fire bolt [MP: 200/250]==>[MP:185/250] [Fire bolt [MP: 185/250]==>[MP:170/250] Arad immediately fired four spells into the bear''s throat, and the monster got flung back as Arad''s arm was forced out due to the sheer pressure. Arad looked at his arm, the bear''s long fang had pierced his elbow joint and mrs had crushed parts of his wrist. The bear''s maw was long enough to do that. The bear coughed blood as Arad healed his arm enough to stop the bleeding with a [Healing] spell. Holy magic didn''t consume mana as it was directly drawn from the gods, and in this case, Yog, the goddess of magic. [I have to admit, you''re a monster.] Yog''s voice giggled in Arad''s head, [This isn''t challenging enough.] The moment Arad heard her words, he panicked and fired another two fire bolts at the bleeding bear to finish him off. [Fire bolt [MP: 170/250]==>[MP:155/250] [Fire bolt [MP: 155/250]==>[MP:140/250] The fire faded upon hitting the bear, and Arad could only hear Yog giggling inside his head. [Fire is useless, I made the bear immune to it.] ^So this is how you''re going to y, goddess of magic. ^ Arad growled. The goddess of magic rules this world and she can influence anything with her magic. She won''t be sitting still at her tower waiting for him, she''ll be always trying to interfere and make things harder for him. [And don''t even try using constetion, those only work thanks to the system. That thing doesn''t exist here, I alone control this world.] ^I''m not going to...^ Arad lifted his right foot, and took a long step forward, closing the distance to the now rejuvenated bear. ^I''ll crush him head-on...^ The bear charged forward to bite Arad, but its feet suddenly sunk into the ground. [Mud Shift] A simple spell equal to [Fire botl] It turns a two-foot cube of dirt into mud. Albeit being categorized as an earth spell, it a water magic at the core. [MP: 140/250]==>[MP:125/250] Arad''s footnded right beside the bear''s head as he winded up arge swing with a clenched fist. Arad aimed for the bear''s eye. The bear instantly pulled his legs from the mud and swung at Arad. Bears are used to running in rivers so mud barely slows them down. The ws raced toward Arad''s stomach, threatening to disembowel him. "Hmmmmmmm!" Arad growled with a tensed face as he turned his hips, turning his foot aside, and slid beside the bear. A wound appeared on the bear''s neck, bleeding as Arad stood beside it, holding an ice sword in his hand, taking a strange stance. [Ice Sword] [MP: 125/250]==>[90/125] Ruris''s Royal swordsmanship, Isdis''s fighting style with an ice de. As the bear bled, a second sword appeared in Arad''s left arm, one that was made of burning fire. [me de] [MP: 90/250]==>[55/125] With his mana running dry, Arad conserved enough for a few spells and conjured weapons for him to fight using his physical power. Chapter 967: The Perversion Of Knowledge Chapter 967: The Perversion Of Knowledge ? [Fire doesn''t work on him] Yog''s voice gued Arad''s head, but he ignored her. He knows what he''s doing, and he wouldn''t be wasting mana on a useless spell. With a quick step, he rushed at the bear and swung the fire sword. The bear easily dodged it but Arad moved even closer, extending his range and shing at the bear''s eyes. There was a catch with all magical resistances and immunities, Arad wanted to abuse that fact. Resistances and immunities don''t extend to anything that already left the body like spit, urine, or tears. The moment the fire shed past the bear''s eyes, it dried them instantly, blinding the bear. Using the same momentum, Arad''s ice sword flew right after his fire one. The bear''s monster regeneration kicked in as his eyes were about to hear and tears were about to flow again...the ice sword froze them solid, preventing regeneration as well as shing them open. Hannah gasped, "Those moves?!" She couldn''t believe how Arad was moving despite his size. The graceful moves of Isdis''s royal swordsmanship mixed with Alcott''s rough and extreme sword techniques, it was a sight to behold. And what was more terrifying, is that Arad was keeping two spells active at the same time. Arad jumped up, kicking the bear''s lower jaw swiftly as he spun mid-air, letting go of the two swords. Arad then swung his palms at the bear''s ears, pping them with Da''s art, bursting the monster''s eardrums and shaking the brain. [Not so fast, go my bear!] Yog growled and Arad was ready to strike the bear down. The bear rejuvenated with magic, swinging his ws at the new unarmed Arad. "BEAR A BEAR!" Gogonbronso cried in the back, aiming her staff at the bear with a stance. Green magic rushed out and struck the beast, przying it in ce. "Bend the knee and bow to my mighty magic!" She growled. Seeing an opening, Arad caught his falling ice sword and slit the bear''s throat open. As the blood sshed out, Arad''s upper body kept spinning with the sh as he winded up a p, smacking the bear square in the chest. The p was targeted to be right above the heart, sending a shockwave through the body. The small blood vessels would burst and the blood would be forced through any possible opening. In a fraction of a second, half of the bear''s blood was ejected out of the shed throat, dropping it dead. [Damn it, you can have this win. Here you go.] Yog sighed in a disappointed voice. [Level: 1]==>[Level: 2] [Max MP: 250]==>[Max MP: 300] [Max HP: 250]==>[Max MP: 300] Arad caught his fire sword as he sighed, the bear was finally dead. The two weapons faded away as he looked back at Gogonbronso. "That was an amazing spell. It stopped the bear from moving!" "That''s my great magic, Paralyze." She said with a proud smile, puffing her chest. Hannah looked at Arad, "What were those moves? Are you some kind of martial master?" "No, I''m still learning." Arad cracked his neck the wound on his throat started bleeding a bit. He immediately stopped the bleeding with a [Healing], but that was enough to give Chloe a scare in the back. "Don''t move too much! And why did you get close to the bear!?!" she jumped off the carriage and rushed toward Arad to check on him, only to find herself unable to look at the wound in his neck for how short she was. "Chloe is right! Take a seat inside the carriage, I''ll drag the bear with Hannah''s help." Jimmy rushed to check on Hannah before they could start working on the bear. Arad approached the carriage and sat in the back, thinking about what he should do. Yog is on the other side of the world, to reach her he must travel a long distance. There is no mistake, she wants him to learn teleportation magic. But castingplicated magic with a human''s body and capabilities is extremely hard, he won''t be able to teleport over long distances and might not even manage to teleport anywhere unless he had been there before. The first hurdle he is facing now is casting volume. With his draconic powers, every one of his scales can be an exit spot for magic. That meant he had hundreds of millions of magic-casting exits. Even if his use was inefficient, he made up for it with volume. Humans don''t have any magic-casting exits and must utilize tools like staffs or wands, the rare talents could be able to cast magic directly, but they''d have a lesser output than a single draconic scale, that''s why humans make stave cores from dragon''s scales and bones. Arad''s current body was that of a talented man and could cast magic without a tool, but he still couldn''t match a tenth of what one of his scales could achieve. Witches like Doma, Eris, and Merlin paint their nails with magic nail polish to turn them into extra magic casting tools which dramatically increase their magic output. "Where is the closet city?" Arad asked, looking at Chloe who was sitting beside him. "City? Our vige is close, but I won''t call it arge vige, let alone a city or a town." She replied, looking at Hannah and Jimmy struggling to drag the bear''s heavy body. "What''s your name?" "Arad." Arad replied with a passive face as he was still thinking about how to optimize his magic. "Why were you wounded like that on the road? Was it bandits, or arge monster?" She looked at him with a worried face, "If it''s something strong enough to harm you, we must form arge party to kill it." Arad looked at her, "Would you believe me if I said it was Yog? She tasked me with reaching her tower on the other side of this world."N?v(el)B\\jnn She looked at him with a skeptical face, "I don''t... Would you mind if I used a holy spell to detect if you''re lying? I''ve never heard of the goddess harming someone than asking them to find her." "Go ahead." Arad nodded and she red at him with glowing golden eyes. "You say the goddess wounded you, and asked you to reach her tower on the other side of the world, is this correct?" She asked, her voice booming. "Yes." Arad replied and she started sweating. "You aren''t lying... To think you''re a pilgrim." "See? I wasn''t lying." Arad sighed, "Your goddess is a handful." She red at him with burning eyes. "Your goddess? It''s our goddess." She looked a bit angry. "Sorry, little girl. But that thing isn''t my goddess." Arad replied with a passive face. In a world where Yog is the sole goddess, Arad rejects her dominion in front of one of her clerics. This was sphemy that would be punishable by burning, yet she gulped down. Yog''s divine aura around Arad didn''t fade, the goddess waspletely fine with him rejecting her as his goddess. This was something unprecedented, "You''re a heretic, yet the goddess still calls you to her tower. It''s not my ce to oppose if the goddess is fine, but know this, had I known you''re a heretic, I would''ve never helped you." "Can''t me you." Arad looked out, but suddenly the sky turned white as a massive image loomed over the heavens, Yog was staring down at her people. When looking up, they could only see her feet, the underside of her robe was all blurred out. [My people, I hope you''re having a beautiful day.] Everyone dropped everything they were doing and prostrated themselves on the ground, listening to the goddess. She only appears like this when making a massive announcement to her beloved people. Arad looked up as Chloe and everyone else were already on the ground, shaking. [Today is a blessed day, I got an exciting announcement.] She giggled, [There is a man that I blessed called Arad Orion walking on thisnd. I''ll not exin anything to you, but he''s on a pilgrimage to my tower and I hereby give him the right of freedom.] The moment those words came out of her mouth, Arad could hear the four adventurers before him gasp. [He''s free to do anything he wants. You''re nothing more than tools to him, and you aren''t allowed to resist if ordered by him under divine freedom. Those who get harmed by him are granted ess to my heaven after their death aspensation.] She giggled, [Arad Orion, I''m sure you''re hearing and seeing me. The more people suffer at your hands, the more mana I''ll grant you. Make sure to make full use of them as test rats for your magic, start with that cleric before you.] Yog''s apparition in the heavens faded away as quickly as she appeared. Chloe slowly stood up with a pale face, sweating buckets as Arad was sitting right behind her. Jimmy, Hannah, and Gogonbronso slowly turned back, looking at Arad. Arad sighed, "This is why I hate her..." He growled...^This isn''t just a test of magic, but a test of morals as well. Arad remembered his first days as Ember told him about how mages experiment on monsters to test their magic and spells, Yog now is asking him to do the same, but to the humanoids in her world.^ [Come on, Arad...For each tear, I''ll increase your MP by 2 and for each scream, I''ll increase it by 10. Make her wail like a pig...] Arad could hear Yog''s voice, seeing a massive shadow of ck tentacles, green and red eyes, gaping maws and teeth surrounding him, giggling, [Do it, I''m waiting] That massive horrifying shape was Yog''s true form, a monster of unimaginable proportions, intellect, knowledge, and sadistic perversion. A massive ck gate stood before Arad, beckoning him to open it, behind itys the forbidden knowledge of magic, the knowledge obtained from experimenting on humanoids. Chapter 968: The Ice Queen Chapter 968: The Ice Queen ? Arad sighed, "Another reason for me to hate her." He stood, "Forget what she said, I don''t need to do such a thing." He approached Jimmy and the girls, "Let''s head to your vige, I need to buy some supplies and get ready to travel. Humans need to eat and sleep, right?" Arad''s journey across Yog''s world had started, to him, it''ll be a long time before he could return. But to everyone outside, it''ll be mere minutes. **** Outside, Isdis was running down a massive frozen mountain, chased by a raging avnche. "You!" Isdis red back at Isbert with a growl, "What is this?" Isbert skated behind the avnche on her silver shield, chasing Isdis all over the mountainside. Sharp icicles formed behind her as she rained them at Isdis with an emotionless cold face. Isdis gasped as the icicles exploded around her and the avnche caught up, swallowing her whole with a deep rumble. From the snow and mist, Isdis flew out, skating on an iceboard. She red back at Isbert with a growl, "You''re just trying to kill me!" She pped her hands together, "DO-DO-DON!" Tworge ice drums appeared strapped to her chest, she knocked on them and then blew in the massive ice trumpet that appeared before her face. The whole mountain quaked at the sound, the snow gathered atop the trees fell and a powerful roar boomed out of the forest at the mountain foot. A whole pack of massive snow- dire wolves rushed out, each one being almost six feet tall from paws to shoulders. Isdis skated between the wolves as she red at Isbert with a grin, "See youter." She slid into the forest and out of sight. "I see..." Isbert nodded, "Instead of a flute and rats, you''ve got a trumpet and a pack of snow wolves. Typical bard...you only need to seduce a dragon to be..." She blinked, "Wait, you already seduced a dragon." Isbert jumped from over her shield, and the shield disappeared, turning into snow. Shended in the middle of the charging wolves and shed one in half with a single swing of her sword. Six wolves surrounded her with open maws, thirsting for blood. But the Absolute Zero never flinched, with a graceful dance, she twisted her arm, shing two wolves at once, kicking one, and freezing the other three in pirs of ice. "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" A deafening roar boomed from the forest as the wolves charged at Isbert. She looked up after hearing a boom and saw a massive being in the middle of the sky, falling toward her. As the massive pale, five-meter{16 feet} tall ball of snow crashed on the ground, Isbert noticed it was no ordinary snowball. That white fluff, it was fur. The being extended its limbs out, ring down at Isbert with hunger on its twisted ape-like face. The Abominable Yeti, roared at Isbert, his spit freezing midair before reaching her. Isbert dodged the frozen spit and swung her sword at the Abominable Yeti''s neck with a leap. Before she could hit him, Isdis''s foot flew from behind the monster''s shoulders and smacked her square in the face. As Isbert was about to be flung back, the Abominable Yeti grabbed her legs, trying to split her in half. Isdis wastching on the monster''s back, controlling him with a gentle tune. A sharp ice spear flew from the ground, aiming at the Abominable Yeti''s chest, trying to force him to let go, but he wasn''t willing. Noticing that he''d take the hit and keep holding onto her, Isbert pulled her feet out of her steel boots and flew back, doing five flips on the snowy slope before standing still. The ice spear shattered on the Abominable Yeti''s chest, leaving it unharmed. Isdis''s ice magic was piling on top of the Yeti''s natural cold resistance to make it nearly immune to ice and snow. The Abominable Yeti drummed on his chest, following Isdis''s tune, and tens of roars boomed from the forest. Massive Yetis lept out of the trees,nding behind him. Isdis stood atop the Abominable Yeti, controlling her small army of snow monsters. "We''re many and you''re one. What will you do now? Avnches won''t work on them." Isdis smiled. "I see, the power of the individual alone won''t be enough." Isbert looked at her with glowing blue eyes and a calm face, like the frigid snow, her expression never changed or warmed up. The mountain started shaking and the Abominable Yeti almost stumbled down, all of Isdis''s monsters cried, looking at the peak piercing the clouds. A massive pale w emerged, bing death. A titanic white Drakaina rode the mountain like a bull on his cow, ring down at them with a frigid breath. "My Lady, did you call me." The drakaina looked toward Isbert with longing eyes. Isdis and her monster could only stare at the massive Drakaina who stoodrger than the mountain they were sliding on, with such size, she must be a great wyrm white dragon. "Not you, You''re too strong, too big. Send me your daughter Kory, she''ll do fine." Isbert replied and the drakaina nodded, "Heard her Kory, go serve ourdy with your body and soul." From the clouds, a massive white drakaina flew down, splitting the clouds open. Even though she was far smaller than her mother, only being twice as big as a Death Jaw{T-rex} Kory was a full-fledged adult white drakaina. Korynded between Isbert and Isdis''s monsters, ring at them with burning blue eyes. The mere presence of a white drakaina had caused the cold to get even harsher. She looked at the small monsters, extending her pale wings, and bearing her fangs at them, growing, her breath smelling like old fridge ice. "Come here." Isbert said and Kory immediately turned toward her, lowering her head to the ground. Isbert lifted her foot and sat it on Kory''s head, taking a few steps forward and standing on her neck. "I won''t fall, feel free to fight normally." Isbert tapped Kory''s neck with her foot as she spoke, looking at Isdis. Kory''s mother looked down, "Kory, you''re carrying our Divine Queen on your back. Don''t you dare disappoint or displease her? Don''t bring shame to our lineage." She disappeared as quickly as she appeared. Isdis looked at Isbert and Kory, trying to buy some time toe up with a n to deal with the drakaina. "Lineage? Divine queen? What are you babbling about?" "I own a whole frozen world." Isbert replied, "All of us the wives of the overgod had received massive wealth and dominion over worlds. My Ice Castle is asrge as the iron fortress of the metallic dragons{~3000km or 1864 miles wide} so I''ve got a thousand lineage of white dragons as servants, I''ve also got titans, devils, and even humans in there as well."N?v(el)B\\jnn Isbert lifted her foot, "I know you want to buy time, but I''ll allow that." She tapped Kory''s head, "Introduce yourself to her." "Kory Shirony, daughter of Gamond Shirony." Kory tapped her front w on the ground with pride, "My whole lineage, from grandmothers to my daughters and granddaughters in the future, we''re dedicating our life to clipping our Queen''s nails." She red at Isdis, "We''re nothing more than her servants, maids that she can call upon any time." Ice magic started gushing out of Kory''s body, "One breath is all it takes to call, thousands of white wyrms, ice titans, and countless devils from Cania." Isbert looked at Isdis, "I hope you''re done with your preparations." She pointed her sword at her, and Kory lifted her wings, roaring. "Damn it! Retreat!" Isdis waved her arms and the wolves ran away, even the Yetis were forced to run away as Kory chased them, they got no chance in a direct conflict against a drakaina. **** Outside, and far away at the edges of Ruris kingdom, Selenanded beside a massive cave, staring inside with her glowing golden eyes. "This smell-nya..." She sniffed the ground, "It''s old-nya, but it''s him-nya." She stood and smiled, "Mira''s dad-nya..." She then looked a bit worried, lifting an eyebrow. Three different smells were present besides that of Mira''s dad, one belonged to a Hellbat, and the two other were divine fragments akin to angels. Divine fragments never stay around for too long, something had gone horribly wrong. She ran down the cave, slipping through the cracks and crevices until she reached a massive forgotten city beneath the ground. Selena stood atop a massive stgmite, holding on with her ws as she inspected the old ruins. Fresh blood, the booms of music still echo faintly in the massive cavern. "A guitar, Mira''s dad was a bard... those sounds are one year old, so he survived the war." She jumped,nding in the middle of the ancient city. The moment her feet touched the ground, thousands of monsters appeared out of nowhere. Humanoid in shape, brown with antenna growing from their head, hulking cockroaches. Those massive monsters were as muscr and massive as Arad''s humanoid body, and all of them red at Selena with starving stares. "JOOOJOOO!" One of them screeched, approaching her. CRACK! He stood before her, ring down at her, "JOOOOOOOOO!" "-Nya? :3" Selena looked up at him with a faint grin on her face, "Wanna die-nya?" She lifted her w and started scratching the air. Chapter 969: The Palace Of Blue Ice Chapter 969: The Pce Of Blue Ice ? The hulking cockroach growled, swinging his fist at Selena''s face. TAP! She appeared behind the army of hulking cockroaches, licking her bloodied hands, and cleaning her ws. Those ws were too sharp, precise, and deadly. The moment any of the hulking cockroaches moved or breathed, its body fell apart in slices. "Told you-nya. There are many of you in the seventhyer of hell-nya." She flicked her finger and a hell portal appeared. From it a blue-skinned woman with a nose dangling down to her knees walked out, her massive ears pping beside her face. "What''s all of this mess?" The woman looked around and her eyes stopped at Selena, "Great Sultan Maharaja, I doubt we need more roaches." "They stood in my way-nya." Selena scratched her head, "I can''t just leave the corpses here- nya, they''ll rot and spread diseases-nya. Feed them to the sinners or the hellhounds-nya." "And you can drop the nya..." The woman sighed, "The overgod isn''t here." "Sorry! Sorry, it''s a habit at this point." She cracked her neck, "See youter Guda." Selena jumped away as she followed the tracks, leaving poor Guda with a massive mess to clean. Guda looked back at the gate and waved her long nose, ten massive minotaur-like devils walked out, dragging massive carts with ck chains. "General Guda." One of them walked forward and bowed, "We''re at your service." "Clean up those corpses and make sure not a single drop of blood is left." Guda replied with a tired face, "It''s Maharaja''s orders." "The sultan?" The minotaur-like devil gasped, "She was here? Which one?" "The young one. The older one should be on a mission." Guda walked toward the gate, "Even I don''t know the details. So don''t start sniffing around, unless you want the overgod to skin you alive." **** Isdis''s Abominable Yeti jumped sky-high with her stilltched on his back, running from the frenzied white dragon chasing them across the forest. Kory chased them everywhere, ripping trees out of their roots with each of her steps. The wolves and yetis ran at Kory''s side as they awaited Isdis''s signal to attack. Kory didn''t seem to pay them any mind as she was confident a single p from her wins would be enough to crush them down. Isdis knew that besides the Abominable Yeti, no monster in this forest could keep up with an adult white dragon, and even the Abominable Yeti could barely run away, let alone fight. "Why are you running?" Kory growled behind them, her massive maw cracking open with a deafening roar, shaking the whole forest. Isdis looked back, seeing Isbert silently standing on Kory''s head, looking down at her with indifference. This chase had been going for at least several minutes, why wasn''t she attacking? Suddenly, Isbert lifted her right foot and stepped over Kory''s right horn, grabbing onto it with her toes. She did the same with her left foot, ending up standing on Kory''s horns, "I''m taking control of your magic, st them with a breath weapon." She said. Kory gasped, feeling a painful headache piercing her head, it was like her two horns had be sore teeth and her brain had frozen. A dragon''s horns are extremely durable and sturdy, they are in no way sensitive, yet with Isbert stepping on them, they felt like two ice spikes piercing Kory''s head. Kory started charging her breath, and Isbert adjusted the power so it wouldn''t immediately kill Isdis and the Abominable Yeti, she didn''t trust Kory to have such a delicate touch. With a white sh, a violent storm of frigid snow and sharp ice shards burst forth from Kory''s throat, ripping the ground apart and freezing the trees solid. Isdis waved her hands and spawned two small drums and a warhorn in her mouth, she blew the horn and started drumming, sending the Abominable Yeti into a blind rage. He howled, drumming on his chest as he jumped forward, swinging from a tree as he lunged back at Kory''s breath. The Abominable Yeti curled into a ball as he tanked Kory''s breath and flew right through it, Isdis barely hiding on his back. Hetched on Kory''s face, roaring at her eye as he clenched a fist and punched her right in the face. Isdis barely managed to jump from the Abominable Yeti''s back and swung an ice sword at Isbert who was standing still on Kory''s head. The other yetis and wolves couldn''t evene close, watching in horror as their leader and a dragon fought, shaking the ground. On top of those rampaging titans, Isdis and Isbert danced, swinging their swords in a dual of fencing and magic. Isdis swung her sword at Isbert''s neck, but Isbert easily dodged and pushed her aside. No matter how Isdis tried to attack, she couldn''t bnce herself on Kory''s back. Who knows trying to stand on a rampaging dragon would be hard, even standing on a bull would''ve been far easier. "Bnce." Isbert said as she grabbed Isdis by the wrist and pulled her, stepping on her toes to trip her down. When Isdis was falling, Isbert swung her foot up and kicked her in the face, forcing her to remain standing. "That what''s you''recking," She grabbed her by the hair, "But I''m impressed, You''re looking fine despite how cold it is." Currently, they were fighting in a -60c{-76F} cold, most humans can''t survive a single second in such a frigid environment, but Isdis had already gotten used to it thanks to her blood, liking all the way back to Isbert herself. Isbert grabbed Isdis''s wrists together in one hand, "This is where our fight ends. Kory, finish things up." In the blink of an eye, Kory bit the Abominable Yeti''s upper torso off, she was just ying around, but now that she got the order, she didn''t hold back. "Let me go!" Isdis growled, trying to attack Isbert but failed, her magic wasn''t responding. "After we go..." Isbert''s eyes shed blue and Isdis''s vision cked, she felt as if something heavy smacked into her chest. She bent forward and coughed, finding herself sitting on blue ice. "You..." Isdis growled as she lifted her head, but immediately fell silent. She was sitting in a massive throne room built purely from blue and white ice. Engraved walls, chandeliers with glowing crystals, massive pirs, and tens of masterfully crafted statues and ss-like chairs and tables. Isbert was standing in front of Isdis with two maids behind her. Both maids had blue hair, but one looked a lot younger, in her early twenties with short hair, glowing blue eyes, and snow-white skin. The one looked much older with long hair, red lips,rge breasts, and a gentle face. From their magic, Isdis could tell without an introduction, but Isbert introduced them anyway. "Kory Shirony, The adult drakaina you were fighting" She looked at the young maid, "And this is her mother Gamond Shirony. She''s a great wyrm white drakaina, you saw her standing on the mountain."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Isdis immediately conjured her ice sword and lunged at Isbert, aiming at the throat. CLING! Gamond caught Isdis''s sword with two fingers, "Oh my, what a violent kid. You can''t do that here, you''ll get killed." Isdis looked around, noticing that countless maids appeared beside the walls, all of them were camo-shed white drakainas, the majority were greatwyrms and the youngest was a young adult drakaina. "There are over ten thousand maids here, four thousand of which are great wyrms..." Gamond clenched her fingers and shattered Isdis''s sword, "They are suuuper protective of their queen, give Isbert the wrong look, and they''ll rip you limb by limb and cook you for dinner." Kory giggled, "Like what happened to that witch? She tasted great." Isbert looked at Isdis, "A devil witch from the nine hells lobbied a lot to get here and speak with me. She wanted me to help her build a frozen demi-ne and started babbling about making a lot of money out of it." Gamond swung her arm, "The queen asked her to keep her nose to the ground at all times, but when she dared look up, I crushed her legs with a stomp. We then cooked her for dinner." Those dragons weren''t ying around, they saw everything besides themselves and Isdis as food. "Don''t harm her." Isbert sighed, "She might be weak, but her husband is a whole other monster." She looked at the Gamond and approached her, "He''ll burn this castle to the ground before we can stop him." Gamond scratched her chin, a thirsty re on her face. "Is he the dragon you spoke of before?" "It''s him, Arad Orion. This is his wife." Isbert started walking toward her throne as Gamond giggled, "Are you serious? I can''t sense a slither of power from her...how did she manage to get him?" Gamond approached her throne, "May I get my vacation? I''ve got some urgent business to take care of." "Arad is training with Lilia. Unless you want to be her dormant, I suggest you hold still." Isdis looked at one of her maids who was standing in the corner. "I tried to sneak a peak at her ice experiment when she was here. I spent a decade being naked and strapped to the ground of her hallway. I can''t tell how many times she walked on me." The maid replied with a pained face. "That one is a great wyrm like you." Isbert put one leg on another, "Don''t get in trouble with Lilia." "Come on, my queen. I''m not that stupid..." She giggled, "We''ll, I may be a bit dumb, but not to that point. I''ll go check on my old friend and see what she''s doing. I''ve got some intel that she could help me with." "Mom!" Kory red at her, "You''re a mother!" She growled. "Your father was as weak as the one before, didn''t evenst a second before I ate him." Gamond replied with a sad face. The mating/marriage ritual of dragons always includes a fight to determine the result. If the male loses, the female has three options, leave, ept him as a mate and she''ll be the dominant one, or mate with him, and eat him right after like most spiders do. As a maid close to the ice queen, Gamond got a lot of marriage proposals, Kory''s father showed promise, but The sadly lost in the fight. As a respect to his power, she did the deed with him and ate him right after. "Fine go, but I won''t save you if you end up in trouble." Isbert sighed and Gamond disappeared. **** Gamond appeared inside an old cave in the mortal world, looking at the terrified kobolds that just saw her appear out of nowhere. Gamond looked forward with a smile, "It''s been a while, ug. Still stuck in that ugly draconic body of yours?" Chapter 970: Frozen Poison Chapter 970: Frozen Poison ? ug looked back, slowly turning her massive head inside the cramped cave. "Gamond? It''s been over a dozen or so decades." She quickly turned to look back at her crystal ball. "Hmmm..." Gamond tilted her head, "What are you watching?" She approached and ug slowly moved aside, giving her some space toe and watch. "The life of Prince Charlie of the Ruris kingdom. He''s been wooing this nobledy from the duchy of Greenhorn province to the north." She pointed at the crystal where Charlie, Isdis''s older brother was sitting on a marble table with a red-haired nobledy, drinking tea in the middle of a flower garden. "What a sad little human..." Gamond giggled, "He''ll be very disappointed sticking it inside that rot hole." ug giggled, "I see you aren''t aware of Charlie''s game, are you?" She looked at her with a smug smile, "He dealt with such a situation before, he knows she''s a devil in disguise. That''s why I keep watching him, I''m waiting to see who shall win, the wit of humans or the cunning of devils." "I see..." Gamond smiled, "They are moving..." They watched as Charlie and the woman separated and he went back to his carriage with his maid. After sitting down and when the carriage left the town, the maid asked, "Who did it go?" "Dude think he''s smart." Charlie giggled, "What kind of woman say yes if I told her I have sex with my maids daily to train for my wife? Bro a devil, no doubt." He couldn''t stop giggling. "Enough with your jokes, you tested him, right?" The maid red at him. "The detector?" He pulled a small crystal. "Yeah, I used it before we even started speaking. Since I knew he was a devil, not even she, I started fucking around and trolling him. Wanted to make the little shit''s life even more miserable." "Devils are everywhere... you were right, we must eliminate their influence from the kingdom." The maid looked out of the window. "See? I''m always right, except when ites to cooking, that''s witchcraft." Charlie waved his hand, "I leave that to you." "How about the part about having sex with your maids?" She gave him a side-eye. "The only lie was the part about preparing for a wife. Always mix truth with lies to form the perfect deception." He stretched, leaning back on his seat. "What''s up for dinner?" "Dried Ham, I don''t want to cook out in the open while camping." The maid replied with a passive face. She hates dealing with open mes and wind blowing ash everywhere. "Ahh...you''re angry at me, aren''t you?" He cried with a sad face. **** "I see..." Gamond smiled, "He''s an interesting man indeed...but I''ve found someone more interesting to y with. And I need your help with some poisons." "Who is your target? Poisons must be customized for the target to have the best effect. I hope you got at least some blood samples." ug turned toward her.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Ah... I don''t have any, getting some might be quite difficult. I was warned not to approach him ''cause he''s a bit too dangerous." Gamond scratched her head, "Can''t you work without it?" "Race, gender, age, element, size, and activity level if possible. What do you know about him?" ug wanted something to work with. Without basic information, she can''t be sure her poison would work. "I know his name, Arad Orion..." The moment she said it, ug burstughing. "I see, so this is why you warned." She looked at her with a grin, "Forget about poison, no matter what you try, I''m positive any other dragon than me would lose to him." "So you know him?" Gamondughed at her, "But aren''t you mistaken about something? I''m stronger than you. There is no way I can''t beat what lose to you." "I know you see him as nothing more than a male to mate with and eat afterward. You''ve been disappointed multiple times, that''s the curse of being a powerful drakaina, no one ever reaches your level." ug sat down to keep watching, "You think it''s your win no matter what. If you win, you''ll take his child and eat him, if you lose, you''ll either get his child or get him as a husband straight up." ug burstughing, "Arad is no ordinary dragon, he''s a wild animal. You''d get beaten to a pulp, kicked across the room, and then he''ll leave into the sunset without even giving you a look let alone a child." "Have you gone mad? Do you know how powerful I am? If I don''t keep my aura contained, I''ll spark an ice age in this stupid mortal world." Gamond had lived in the mortal world for around four centuries in the past. At that time she became a world power known as the ice tyrant. A powerful Ice drakaina that her mere presence would cause entire kingdoms to be cursed into an eternal winter. To ug, Gamond was like an aunt. Being a great wyrm cursed with power and unable to find a mate, Gamond had spent decades raising stray chromatic dragons and ug was one of those she raised. Only Kory''s father had managed to impress her, but even he lost his fight against her and ended up eaten after mating. "Huh..." Gamond, "But...he''s Arad Orion, I should expect at least some trouble at this stage." She smiled. ug looked at her, "If you know what Arad Orion is, then why are you trying to pick a fight?" Gamond''s face paled, "Wait...you know of Arad Orion? Mortals aren''t supposed to know..." "Taking me for a fool?" ug smiled, "I''ve watched many lives, and I can pretty much guess the plot each time. I''ve watched over Arad since he was a wyrmling." She looked at her with a smug smile. "I''ve beaten you to the punch with him." "You''re a fool who couldn''t get her humanoid form." Gamond decided to strike a nerve. "It''s so simple, yet never seem to understand." "Chromatic dragons can''t get their humanoid form unless they directly worship Tiamat. It''s like saying it''s an ability that only clerics and pdins get. It''s like this so the mostly evil chromatic dragon don''t misuse it." As ug spoke, her body started smoking and shrinking, From the mist, a lizard woman that was three meters tall walked out, with a skin covered with green scales, a draconic head, and ws dripping with poison walked forward, ring down at Gamond. BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! ug''s heart could be heard beating like drums as her glowing green eyes stared at Gamond. "Don''t underestimate the power of a shut-in drakaina." The cave started shaking violently as Gamond''s magic gushed out, shing with ug''s violent aura. The poor little kobolds in the back ran away, crying as the entire cave started to freeze and get engulfed with frozen poison. Gamond turned around, "Fine, do what you lie. It''s not like you''re still a wyrmling. But at least I''ve got some interesting info, see youter." She disappeared in a gust of white mist. ug returned to her draconic form and sighed, "What a problem...Can Arad beat her off?" Albeit Gamond was a great wyrm white dragon, unlike everyone else her power extended far beyond that of her age. ug knew the extent of Gamond''s might and how a fight between her and Arad might end. Arad had frozen into a solid statue of ice before he could even make a single attack...no, just imagining that scene seemed off to ug, she couldn''t help but imagine that Arad would tank Gamond''s cold somehow. She turned around to her crystal, waving her massive ws above it. Charlie''s event had ended so she returned to watching the fight that had been burning for days now... as the image on her crystal ball shimmered, she could see clearly into the endless empty valley of stones. Nina was nailed onto a massive cliff, covered in her blood as a woman sat on a mountain peak, staring toward her with glowing golden eyes. **** Just a minute ago inside the Blue Ice Pce Isdis was talking with Isbert right after Gamond left. "Unlike any other world, the cold can get far harsher here. The only other ce that might get as cold as my world is Be''s Silent Ice, but she''s more of a witchcraft expert, not a spellsword." Isbert said as she looked at Kory, "Take her on a tour around the capital first then bring her back here. I''ll send her to her training afterward." "Wait! What training are we talking about?" Isdis growled at her, "And why should I go look around your castle?" Isbert closed her fist and then opened it again, inside her palm a nut-sized red crystal had appeared. "We call those heat crystals. I can create them, but most people need to recharge them with heat. It''s our currency." The crystal in her hand turned as clear as ss. "It''s filled when it''s red, and empty when it''s clear. I''ll give you a million of them to recharge." Isbert pointed at her window, "Around ten thousand miles north you''ll end in the frozen sea of death. It gets so cold there that not a single animal or fish live there." While in the outside worlds, the coldest it gets is around -60c {-76f}, inside Isdis''s world it can get even colder, and where she''s sending Isdis to train it can reach a -130c{-202f} "You''ll sit naked and alone in the middle of the frozen sea of death and fill those million heat crystals. Don''t worry, not even the residents of this world can survive such cold so no one would see you." Isbert sat back on her throne. "Unless you get attuned to the cold, there is no way you''ll manage to generate heat in such an environment." Chapter 971: The Blue Ice Slide Chapter 971: The Blue Ice Slide ? "Will it matter if It wore my clothes or not? It''s stupidly cold anyway." Isdis looked at Isbert with a doubtful face. "Your clothes and armor would shatter from the cold. Remember that your blood doesn''t flow into your garments. But if you find anything nice to buy in the city below, you can wear that." Isbert stood from her throne and called two maids to follow her. "Kory will guide you through the city, I''ve got some work to finish first." She looked at the maid standing beside her. "My queen, a lot had piled up today. The coal mines and theva spring require some attention." The maid handed her several stacks of papers. In this world managing heat is the most important thing of all to keep them from freezing to death. "Let''s go, the queen is busy." Kory dragged Isdis out by hand and closed the door to the throne room. "We were fighting just moments ago, right?" Isdis red at her. "I only follow the queen''s orders. I don''t care what those orders are." Kory looked at Isdis, "She asked me to fight you, and so I did. Now she asked me to take you on a tour across the capital, and that''s what I''ll do whether you like it or not." Isdis gave Kory a side eye, doubting her words, she sure seemed loyal but something was off. "Let''s see... you better do a good job giving me a tour or you''ll be in trouble." Kory looked away, "Mind your business." She looked worried and Isdis knew she hit it straight... "Wait...how bad are you?" Isdis started to get worried, she guessed that Kory might not be that good at following orders since her mother Gamond had warned her about making a mistake before when they were fighting...but she didn''t expect it to be amon urrence. "I said mind your business!" Kory started walking in the front, "Follow me and stop talking." She growled, walking as fast as she could so as not to give Isdis a chance to speak. Isdis hesitantly followed her, worried about what was toe, even with how powerful Kory was, she did not look reliable anymore. After several minutes, the two reached a massive steel gate, "We''ve arrived at our first stop." Kory said with a smile and a proud face, her fists resting on her hips. The massive gate looked like a double door but stood fifty meters tall, enough for dragons to use in their draconic form. The size of this castle quickly made Isdis dizzy, but it wasn''t strange considering that most of the residents here were dragons and not humans. "Great wyrms are too big to pass through," Isdis said, looking at Kory. "How could someone like your mother go out?" "Not all chromatic dragons can take a human form, only those who worship Tiamat can. But that doesn''t mean they can''t use size magic to get smaller." Kory looked at Isdis as she exined as if all of this was her achievement. "We have fairies here that are masters of size magic." Isdis could remember well that Zephyr could use that magic as well. It sounded like quite the peculiar magic to master and use, but now it seems to be a lifesaver for dragons. For a second she thought, "Arad might be able to use that." She said her thoughts out loud and Kory looked at her with a passive face. "Of course he could, learning it isn''t easy but it''s doable for anyone. He can use it to get smaller and fit through human buildings if he wanted." Hearing Kory''s exnation, Isdis giggled with a worried face, d that Kory seemed to be a bit dense and didn''t catch up. "Yeah...you''re right." Isdis replied...she was thinking about asking Arad to use it in bed since he''s too big for her. Kory lifted an eyebrow as she noticed the troubled expressions on Isdis''s face."Oi! You thought I was dumb, didn''t you?" She growled. Since Kory had seen her mother make that expression a lot when talking with her, she had gotten used to picking up on it, especially when people were taking her for a fool. "I swear by all the gods I never thought you of as a fool or dumb." Isdis replied with a straight face. ^I thought of you as a virgin though...^ "Right... you aren''t lying." Kory could sense that Isdis was saying the truth, but couldn''t wash the itch in the back of her head that she was still taking her for a fool. She decided to ignore the thought and focused on her work. "This gate, or door, call it whatever you like. It doesn''t take us outside, but to the road, we use it to travel across the castle. We''ll use it to get outside, but be warned, it''s quite fast." Kory pushed the door open, and a long hallway appeared, Isdis couldn''t even see its end. The hallway''s floor was made of polished blue ice, and the walls were made of ancient ck stone illuminated by glowing blue crystals. With a flick of her finger, Kory pulled a wooden boat andid it on the ice. "Jump in." Kory stepped into the tiny boat and called Isdis to sit behind her. "Why do I feel this is unsafe?" Isdis stared at her, not willing to set a single foot on the shady boat. "Don''t worry, not a single dragon died here." Kory replied with arge smile, but Isdis could see a faint twitch at the side of her lips. "No dragon died, but how many humans died?" Isdis red at her and Kory''s expression changed, she looked away and started sweating. "I''m a princess, do you know how many lies I get told by nobles each day? I can tell when you''re trying to scam me. Mixing truth with lies or omitting facts isn''t going to help." Isdis sighed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "This year? Around ten humans died, most of them fell out of the boat, and one died in a crash." Kory replied, "This boat can get quite fast, and controlling it is hard." Isdis slowly walked into the boat and sat down, "Fine, we have to use it to go outside, right?" "You''re getting in any way?" Kory gasped as she stared at her in surprise. "My husband will rip you apart if anything happens to me. So I guess you''ll have to do your best." Kory heard Isdis''s words and quickly remembered who she was with, that woman was Arad Orion''s wife. Since Isbert started training Isdis, the dragons in her world heard stories about Arad Orion from her each day. They heard how Arad barged into their training on the first day, how he fought, and how Isbert used her final move to stop him. Not a single dragon in this whole world could hope to get Isbert to pull that move, but she pulled it against him. Kory had once thought of checking Arad, but after her mother went after him today, she started thinking she needed to back away. If he''s strong enough to challenge her mother, she probably isn''t at his level and would be just ignored. Kory pushed them against the ground with her tail and the boat started sliding forward on the blue ice, elerating rapidly until it started zipping around fast enough that Isdis had to hold on for dear life. "The queen made this blue ice using her magic topact andpress normal ice to increase its hardness and smoothness. We polish those paths each day with magic to make sure they are as slippery as possible and offer the fastest slides in this whole world." Kory lifted her fist and the scales on her forearm started glowing. Circles of magic danced around her arm as the hallway shed with multiplied shades of blue. Isdis''s ears flew back as she cried, the boat got faster and faster to the point she could feel her guts crushing her chest up. Unlike Arad who used his gravity magic to make riding on his backfortable, this boat had nothing and Isdis felt the entire pressure of moving at such speed. That made her both grateful for Arad''s thoughtfulness and terrified knowing he could move even faster than this. The boat slid left and right, spinning up and down like it was a wild ride in the park. For a moment it seemed to be designed to kill the riders, but in reality, it was just sliding by all theyers of the castle and floors before getting out. Soon, with Kory''s magic the boat started slowing down. After a minute of slowing down, it finally came to a full stop before a massive steel door, this one had ice slowly emerging from its hinges and massive keyhole. The frigid ice world was just behind that massive steel wall. "Let''s get out!" Kory jumped out of the boat and looked back, finding Isdis throwing on inside the boat, unable to stand straight from how dizzy she got. "Wait! Are you dying?!" Kory cried, Isbert would skin her alive if she let Isdis get hurt. "Just...give me a second..." Isdis looked at her with a sick face, her eyes darkening and her breath unsteady, her yellowish pale face said it all, one more minute and she would''ve passed out. "Should I get you some water?!" Kory in a panic waved her hand and conjured a water bottle out of nowhere, diddling around her, more confused than a kid in math ss. Chapter 972: The Cold World Chapter 972: The Cold World ? When Isdis managed to gather herself and rest a bit, she finally walked out of the boat with shaking legs under Kory''s worried eyes. "I''m fine..." She grunted, "Head still spinning, but I''ll be fine walking around." She shook her head and looked at the massive steel door before them. "This thing is cold. Does it lead outside?" Kory nodded, "Be careful. Most people never walk out wearing clothes as thin as yours." Isdis was wearing a full set of te armor with linen padding inside. This was considered winter armor in the kingdom, the things they wore when fighting in the harshest snowstorms. But in this world, it was considered too light. "The steel holds up the cold." Isdis growled, realizing the problem. "Fur would''ve been best." "Indeed, we have clothes to spare, but the queen ordered not to give you any." Kory looked at Isdis, "The queen can send us maids mental orders. She wants you to get used to the cold to unlock more of your power, giving you warm clothes would be counter-productive." "But...I kinda like to be able to feel my toes. This cold is gonna stick to my bones." Isdis sighed as she looked at the gate, "Will you open it up?" "Yeah." Kory shifted into her draconic form and pushed against the steel gate with her shoulders, forcing it to crack open. The moment a slit opened up a strong gust of freezing wind blew in with shards of ice and snow, grazing on Isdis''s hair as she felt her eyshes freezing from the cold. With slow steps, Kory walked outside as Isdis followed in her shadow, using her massive tree- trunk-like legs as cover. As they got fully outside, Isdis realized that the wind from earlier was just due to the low pressure inside Isbert''s castle pulling air in. The sky was blue with very few clouds, and one tiny sun struggled to illuminate this vast world, but thanks to everything being covered withyers uponyers of blinding white snow, lighting wasn''t an issue. As she walked on the stone path, leaning out from a massive edge, she realized she was standing on a dragon-sized balcony. Isdis''s whole castle was engraved in the heart of a titanic blue ice cier that towered into the heavens. Looking down, she could see tiny specs of brown and ck things on the ground, human houses scattered all around, seeking wealth and protection beneath the queen''s castle. "Those people rejected the gods, they refused to pray to any of them." Kory said with a troubled face, "Four thousand years ago Amaterasu sent them a miko to guide them, but those humanoids killed the miko and desecrated her corpse." "Wait...what?" Isdis gasped, she couldn''t believe what she was hearing, especially with how worshipped Amaterasu was in Ruris'' kingdom. "Amaterasu was enraged, she thought of pulling her sun away and letting them freeze to death in endless darkness, but she changed her mind for some reason. Allowing them just enough light to survive, but not enough to provide any warmth. They were doomed to this freezing hell until she forgives them." Kory sighed, "They''ll never be forgiven." Isdis nodded, "Knowing how forgiving Amaterasu is, I doubt she''s the one not forgiving them." She looked at Kory, remembering a conversation that she had with Lydia. "I bet it''s the miko that didn''t forgive them, not Amaterasu." "What are you talking about?" Kory stared at her, "Not you, not me, no one knows what the gods think about." "I''m not saying that I know anything. This is just a suggestion, a guess." Isdis looked down at the city and sighed, "Let''s go down and get this tour done with." "You''re right, there is no sense in mortals thinking for the gods." She extended her massive w toward Isdis to ride in her palm, but at that moment, Kory''s palm came in contact with the sunlight falling around Isdis. Kory instantly pulled her w away, she had felt a bit of warmth. In this world, no matter what you do you''ll never feel the warmth of the sun. "What was that?" She cried. "Was what?" Isdis looked around confused, she was used to feeling the sun''s warmth so to her that wasn''t strange at all. It was the main reason she stood in the sun, to warm up since this ce was too cold. "The sunlight, it''s warm around you." Kory extended her w and felt it. It was indeed warm. Without hesitation, she called Isbert, "Urgent call to the queen! Urgent call to the queen!Urgent call to the queen!" "Kory..." Isbert replied, "Strip down and bring me a whip. I hope Isdis is at least alive." "No, my queen! She didn''t get harmed, rtively speaking. I called because something strange is happening, the sun, it''s warm around her!" Kory was both panicking and terrified. "Ah... about that, I forgot to tell you. Since she isn''t a resident of this world, she won''t be treated like everyone else. Amaterasu would still grant her warmth, but I''ve asked her to stop so she should stop soon." Isbert replied, "And, just to be clear, She''s Arad''s wife, and Arad''s other wife called Eris is a demi-goddess supported by Amaterasu, and albeit neither Isdis or Arad are believers of Amaterasu, they''ve gained favor with her, a lot of favor." "So you''re saying..." Kory looked at Isdis who was standing before her with a tilted head and confused stare. "That woman is more important than you think. Keep that in mind." Isbert cut the line as she was already busy with paperwork, ving away at the documents with her ten support maids. Kory flew Isdis into the city. "I thought this was a massive mountain, howe it''s a mountain-like cier? Those don''t form onnd, do they?" "The queen made it with her magic to be her castle. I know you fought her for a while, but know she wasn''t even trying against you." Kory replied as theynded in the middle of a massive snow field surrounded by stone monuments with strange writing on them. "This is the dracoport, a ce where we dragons cannd and take off in our draconic form. It''s around five hundred meters wide." Kory lowered Isdis to the ground. "So massive dragons must still use size magic." Isdis said as Kory shifted into her human form andnded beside her. "Indeed." Kory pointed toward stones surrounding the area. "Those writing read {Dracoport, stay clear.}" She looked at Isdis with a smug smile, "If anyone died here due to getting stomped by anding dragon, the dragons aren''t responsible for it." "I see... It''s like the wyvernnding port father thought off when he wanted to train wyverns in the past." Isdis and Kory walked out of the dracoport, finally reaching the city''s street. Unlike any other ce, the streets were empty and the stone houses were locked, their wooden windows blocked withyers andyers of nks. Very few humans could be seen walking around. Those humans wore severalyers of fur and cotton clothes to the point they almost seemed round, their heads covered in multiple hoods and their faces covered with coiling scarfs to the point you can''t even see their eyes. One of the humans stopped, looking toward Kory and Isdis who just walked in. From what he saw, one drakainanded, not two. The people were used to seeing the castle maids or servants walk around with minimal clothes {A full Victorian maid outfit was considered extremely light clothes, like seeing someone walking in a bikini in a ski resort} The man''s gaze quickly shifted toward Isdis. She wasn''t a dragon maid as only onended, and she wasn''t wearing a maid outfit. She doesn''t look like a servant either. What moor, she didn''t even wear a maid hat, her hair was blowing raw in the frigid wind. Isdis and Kory walked through the street, ignoring the people''s gazes. "Kory, I feel like they don''t like me here." Isdis whispered. "Yeah, you''re wearing full armor, but to them, you''re naked. It''s freezing cold here and seeing people wearing more than their weight in clothes ismon." Kory led Isdis to a local tavern as they spoke. The tavern looked like a massive Igloo made of alternating ice and stone bricks. When they walked inside, they found the internal frame to be built out of wood with several locked champers to keep the cold at bay. The deeper they got inside, the warmer it got. When they reached thest room before entering the internal tavern, arge man was sitting there, waiting. He looked at Kory''s face and turned toward the door, "One of the queen''s maids? Get in." He bowed his head.N?v(el)B\\jnn Kory approached him, red at his eyes, and then smacked him on the head. "How many times did we tell you?" She sighed, "How much is the entrance fee?" "For you, it''s free." He replied with a smile. Kory didn''t seem pleased, and her face shifted into a frown, "It''s free to throw you into the cold. I''d rather you people be obedient than give us a free pass." The air around her started getting colder, and he sighed. "Fine, it''s a thousand crystals per person." He gave up quickly, and Kory''s face cracked into a smile. "Crystals are thest thing we white dragonsck. And unlike you, we can live in this cold." She paid the full price and the two entered the tavern. "Heat and warmth are this world''s currency as it''s the thing peopleck the most. If you want to survive here, you''ll have to pay." Kory sat beside the counter and Isdis did the same, "So, how do I get those crystals? She said I must make a million of them or something." Kory put two crystals in front of Isdis, one white and the other red. "The white is empty, and the red is filled. You charge a crystal by heating it in any way, magic, fire, body warmth, anything will do." She put the red crystal in Isdis''s hand, "And when you focus your magic on it, it releases that heat." Isdis felt the crystal getting hotter and hotter. "People use it to cook food, warm their houses, melt snow for water, and pretty much anything." "It''s the one thing everyone needs a lot of, so it''s a currency." Isdis smiled, "I see, each world works differently..." Chapter 973: A Guest In Yellow Chapter 973: A Guest In Yellow ? Sitting in the warm tavern, Isdis and Kory weren''t alone, the regr patrons of this ce were only those of wealth: Coal miners, scout leaders, and ice artisans. Sadly, the wealthiest of the wealthy, those blessed with fire magic were above such a ce and couldn''t be seen around. Isdis could pick up on it, while the parton of this ce seemed wealthy enough to spend a thousand crystals just to enter, they weren''t so wealthy that they took everything at its price. She could hear some of them haggling over drinks and food prices. This ce belonged to the upper-middle-ss citizen. "The easiest way to earn crystals is hunting monsters. You can salvage them for their body heat and sell the meat and fur. But it''s a dangerous and exhausting task. Not many are willing to do it." Kory took a sip of herrge mug. "You won''t have that luxury though." "And I don''t know any fire spells. How am I going to do that?" Isdis sighed. "Ladies." A deep yet gentle voice called. Isdis looked to the side and saw a well-built old man with a thin beard and long flowing white hair, looking at them with glowing cat-like yellow eyes. "Seen an elf around? Thin, tall, cocky, and strangely obsessed with feet and hands. Been looking for him for years now." Isdis noticed that just like her and Kory, the man didn''t have arge jacket or extra clothes beside him. All he wore was leather armor and chainmail. "Just walked in." Isdis replied, "Most people cover their faces, if he isn''t here, I didn''t see any elf." She took a sip, "And who are you? Not from around here, are you?" "No one important, just a traveler. On a journey looking for that elf." The man replied as he stood. "Halt." Kory said, "Who are you?" She growled, extending her arm to block his path. He immediately reached toward the hilt of his sword but didn''t draw it. "Told you, just a traveler. Dragons like you have nothing to do with me." "Do I need to spell out to you? What are you doing, HERE." With that outfit and the strange smell, he wasn''t a man of this world. No one should be able to enter this world without the queen bringing them in. Everyone that the queen brings retains a faint hint of her magic, marking them for their stay. This man was an outsider who got in on his own. Isdis wasn''t oblivious as well, now that Kory stopped him, she had be certain he didn''t belong there. "Bloody hell..." He sighed, sitting back on his chair, "I''m looking for that elf, and I''m not here to start any trouble with you. If you saw him, tell me, he should be an outsider as well." "I''ll get someone to send you back to your world at once. No one is wee here unless the queen brings them, the elf you''re looking for might have already been kicked out." Kory''s draconic wings expanded as she sent signals to the other drakainas toe immediately. The man leaned forward, his face turning ck as his hair faded and a long, yellow cloak covered his whole body. The two couldn''t see his face anymore as he leaned on his arms, "Now...how should we solve this." He mumbled. **** In Yog''s sapphire heaven, Arad had reached the vige with Jimmy and his party. They were stopped at the vige''s wooden gate by the guards, "Wee back, how is the bear?" The guard looked back and saw some blood dripping from the back of the carriage, "I see you took it down." He smiled. "No." Jimmy who was driving replied, "It was a monster bear." The guard''s face immediately shifted into a frown as he growled, "Wait! Where are the others?" He looked back and screamed, "HEALER! HEALERS!" "No need for that! No one got hurt...no, he''s hurt." Jimmy looked at the inside of the carriage, "We''ve found Arad Orion, the one the goddess spoke about. He saved us." "Hold up!" The guard jumped into the driver seat and looked inside the carriage, seeing the girls and Arad sitting on the back with the dead bear. "A guard?" Arad looked back at him. "Sir Arad, would you mind staying with the guards for a while? Your presence in the vige might cause, panic..."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I don''t mind, as long as you give me a book or two about magic." Arad had already devised a n to reach Lilia''s tower on his way to the vige. He''ll first master the basics of magic and then start traveling while killing monsters on his way to increase his Mana. When he gets enough mana to teleport, he''ll finish the rest of the way with teleportation magic. "Of course, we have some of those." The guard nodded with a smile as he jumped out of the driver seat and approached the healers and guards who rushed in upon his call. "Who got hurt?" One of the healers asked with a worried face. "No one, false rm." The guard looked at the carriage, "They faced a monster bear instead of a normal one. But they seem unharmed." The healers sighed in relief but the guards looked at the carriage with pale faces. "A monster bear?" They had faced one several years ago, two men died and five were injured. Jimmy and his party were quite powerful, but they shouldn''t be able to survive a monster bear unharmed. "You..." The guard pointed at one of the guards who just arrived. "Take the healers back." "Leave one." Jimmy shouted from the driver''s seat and the guard immediately caught one of the healers, a woman who was in herte thirties, the head priestess of the vige''s church. "You''ll stay." "The rest of the guards,e with me." The gate guard dragged the rest and the priestess with him to the gate-side watchtower and exined the situation to them. Arad Orion was here and they must act quickly, he''s a man who has been granted freedom by the goddess itself. They can''t go against her orders, but it is clear that giving a man so much freedom is troublesome. All that they can do is try to steer Arad on a path that won''t get anyone hurt. Things like providing him with afortable ce to stay in so he won''t be breaking into any house, and making sure he''s provided with food, money, and anything he might need, just so he won''t start causing trouble. "Food, shelter, money, books, clothes, and protection..." The priestess recounted all that they needed to provide, "What about..." She looked at the guards, "Women? We can''t let him go crazy." The guard scratched his head, "We don''t even have a brothel here..." "I''ll go to the city and hire some. But how many?" Another guard suggested, "We can''t bring one or two." "Tell them we got Arad Orion, we''ll hire all that they have and spread them around him. Shopkeepers, healers, clerks, all so if any caught his fancy, it''ll be a prostitute and not any random woman." The head of the guard sighed, "That''ll cost us a lot." "We can pay for their travel and stay, and only give work pay for those who get something from Arad." He then looked at the captain with a pale face, "But the trip to the city will take two days. One to go and one to return, let alone time for the women to prepare." "Who''ll entertain Arad in that time if something were to happen?" The captain was about to pull his hair out. This came so suddenly that they weren''t prepared to both respect the goddess''s will and protect the citizen they were sworn to defend. "Leave him to me." The priestess said, "I''m the goddess''s sworn worshipper and servant. If it''s her order, I doubt she''ll mind." She said with a gentle smile. "No! We can''t allow that!" One of the guards growled, thest thing they wanted was to let someone get harmed. All the guards seemed to agree, "We''ll ask around and see if any of the guards are willing to take that role, we have some decent women. Priestess Mary, you''re the one of the citizens as well and we''ll not let you get harmed." "No! No!" Mary shook her head, waving her hands, "It''s not a problem. I''ll take that role as a servant of the goddess. We who serve the goddess should be the ones to endure her whims." "Listen, priestess Mary. You''re thest one that we will let take that role. I knew you since you started learning healing magic at ten, and now you''re closing at forty, thirty years of healing the people for free." The captain of the guard growled, "I promise to..." Mary grabbed the captain by the cor of his armor, pulling him toward her, "Listen well, I''ll not repeat myself." She red at him, "I''m taking the job and I won''t take no for an answer." She pushed him back and walked out of the tower, heading toward the carriage with a passive face. ^Finally! Finally! After twenty years of prayers and waiting, I can finally lose it. Thank you Goddess for granting my wish.^ Chapter 974: [∞] Chapter 974: [¡Þ] ? Mary reached the carriage and poked her head through the back door, "Dear Arad, are you here?" she asked with a smile, her eyes scanning the ce. A dead monster bear is in the middle, three girls are sitting on one side, one of them being a cleric, and therge man with a chest covered in bandages must be Arad Orion. Chloe gasped, "Priestess!" "You''ve done a great job, girls. I''ll handle him from here onward." Mary looked at Arad, "Would you minding with me? Can you move?" Arad looked at her, leaning on the carriage''s wall. "I can move, but I''m not going anywhere." He looked at the bear, "I need a bit of money and I own a share in this bear." Chloe looked at him, "We said you can take the whole bear. You''re the one who killed it." Arad shook his head, "But you also saved my life. You''ll fail the quest if I take the bear, right?" Arad looked at the priestess, "Jimmy said that the guild doesn''t like those who get others to finish their job." "With you being involved? I guarantee the guild won''t have a problem." Mary looked at him, "You don''t have to worry about anything. As a blessed man of our goddess, we''ll make sure you''re provided with everything you need." Arad sighed with an exhausted and disappointed face. "I see...she''s smarter than I thought." He looked toward Mary, "She probably thought of this." "The goddess is all-knowing, her knowledge surpasses all." Mary said with a longing smile. "She asked me to suck her toes..." Arad red at Mary, "She meant it figuratively, you''re her toes that I must suck to stay alive and make progress. I reject that fact." "It''s just an extended helping hand. Babies can''t survive without their mother''s milk, and so we mortals can''t survive without the gods who created the world for us." She extended her hand to Arad, "Would you refuse a helping hand?" "If you think for a second that I won''t bite the hand that chained me down, you''re either a fool or a bigger fool." Arad stood and grabbed the bear''s carcass with one hand, dragging it outside of the carriage. "I see..." Mary nodded, looking at Arad with a passive face. "Then, would you mind if I tagged along?" She approached him, "I''ll provide exceptional healing in exchange for protection and a share in bounties. What do you say?" Arad stopped and looked at her, "Like an adventurers'' party? No, they are called hunters here, right?" "Indeed, and of course, you''re the squad''s leader." She smiled and Arad sighed, "Fine, I won''t mind that." "So I can stay as long as I''m not trying to provide you with everything?" She tried her head and whole torso, looking at Arad''s face as he was bent over the bear''s carcass, inspecting it. "I don''t take charity, especially from that woman." He stood, "Jimmy, how should we deal with this now?" He called and Jimmy who was talking with the guards stared back at him. "The guards would bring a carriage to transport the kill safely into the guild. We then have the guild assess and split the rewards." "Heard him." Mary poked Arad''s back with one finger, "While they do that, would minding with me to the church? I want to perform a divine healing on you." She smiled, "Wouldn''t want the one supposed to protect me to be injured." Arad red at her and she giggled, "Calm down, it usually costs money to use greater heal, but since I''m in your party, the costs are included in my share." She looked back over the wooden wall at the towering tower of the church. "But keep in mind, divine healing can only be cast inside a church. It willpletely rid you of diseases, injuries, and curses though." [Worry not, it can''t get rid of your curses. Unless I want it to do it.] Yog was still living rent- free in Arad''s head, narrating andmenting on everything. Arad stood, "Let''s go." Hearing his agreement, Mary went to the guard''s tower and brought a massive backseat for him to cover himself and called a private carriage of the church. It was the carriage used to transport corpses to the cemetery, but it''ll do. Arad sat beside Mary in the back seats, and she started leaning onto him, pretending to be inspecting his wounds. Arad was well aware of her intentions, but Yog didn''t waste the chance to annoy him. [You know, she wants to have sex. A virgin priestess who lived to herte thirties, she''s quite pent up and thinks of you as her chance only chance.] ^I''m married, I think that means something to humans.^ Arad replied with a tired expression. [You''re a dragon.] ?You made me a human so shut up.? [Sad, I wanted to record that and show it to your wives...but you''re more loyal than you seem. It''ll be funny if they...] She paused for a second, [I''ll be right back...something is up.] ^What? Where are you going?^ Arad looked up, but he couldn''t hear Yog''s voice anymore. For some reason, he felt both worried and relieved that she left. Although he couldn''t understand where those feelings wereing from, he decided to move up with his life and try to finish this as quickly as possible. Luckily time flows slower outside than in this world. **** Far away, Lilia{Yog} was sitting on the counter of a tavern, dangling her legs down as she swirled a ss of wine. "Worried since you know it''s a big problem if I out of all people had to leave on short notice. You were also relieved since you know it''s me going to help." She moved the wine ss out of her field of view and sighed, looking at Nyar who was standing before her. The hand he extended toward Isdis was chained with countless blue chains. "On the other hand, you only know to start troubles." "Isdis! Back away!" Kory pulled Isdis back and stood between her and Nyar. "Another one!" She growled. CLANK! Isbert appeared out of nowhere, standing before Kory. "Take Isdis to her training zone. I''ll handle things from here." Kory grabbed Isdis and flew away with her, leaving Isbert and Lilia with Nyar inside the bar, being watched by the terrified people. "I was minding my own business." Nyar said with a tired sigh, "They stood in my way," He turned toward Lilia. "You''ve got no ce in any world. Scram before I scramble what is left of your power here and now." She pointed at him with the wine ss, and not a single drop spilled down. "I find it hard to be intimidated by someone shorter than my dick." He giggled and Lilia lifted an eyebrow. "Now that''s an insult I didn''t hear before. Good one," The arm she was extending forward turned ck and got filled with burning red eyes, "How about I cripple you now?" "Don''t damage my world." Isbert said with a passive face, drawing her sword. Lilia''s arm returned to normal, "Sorry, I was about to st this whole ce." She started floating crosslegged mid-air. "I''ll take the supporting role, you three give him a decent beating and send him back to from where he came." "Three?" Nyar looked aside and saw two women sitting on a table behind him, ying poker. One he recognized very well, her long ck hair, glowing green eyes, and oppressive magic, Zaleria, the inferno witch, the woman who crippled him for over four thousand years. But, Nyar hadn''t faced the woman beside her before, he had only heard of her in his reports. Tall with long flowing ck hair, dark-purple eyes, and an aura of mystical stillness. He who could read minds and sense emotions couldn''t tell anything from her. Zaleria growled, "AHHH! I lost again! I can''t read your face." She threw the cards down and red at the woman sitting in front of her. "Say something, Vasilissa! What are you thinking about?" Vasilissa slowly looked toward Nyar, "That woman you tried to touch, she''s my son''s wife, my daughter-inw." She said with a calm tone, each word causing everyone to feel strangely rxed. "I know." Nyar replied, "Instead of killing Arad, breaking him is the better option. That way I can absorb his power from his broken soul." He slowly lifted his hand, "Having so many wives, leaving me so many weaknesses to strike, he is still as gentle and naive as I remember." "Nyar, emperor of the abominations. You''re a being as strong as the overgod, if not stronger. But do you know what Orion means?" She stood and took a step toward him. "Orion the hunter, it''s a druidic constetion. The alignment of stars in the shape of a hunter." He replied, "Names aren''t worth anything, they only facilitatemunication." Vasilissa smiled, "I''m d, I would''ve been disappointed if you knew." Her hands started to slowly move. "Orion isn''t my family name, it''s a nickname that I got." As her hand slowly moved, shes of memories sparked in Nyar''s head. Millions of worlds, endless colonies of abomination vited, burned, and eaten alive by a voracious beast. They begged, prayed, and called for the emperor, but their pleads couldn''t escape their throats in the endless void. He had spent centuries counting the damage the void dragons did to his ranks, but all of his numbers were wrong. The damage was far greater than he thought. He only knew of a hundredth of what he lost. He started shaking with rage and surprise, how had he forgotten about this bitch before him? No, it was fitting, Vasilissa, that means a queen, an empress. And the nickname she got, OrionN?v(el)B\\jnn meant a hunter. When Vasilissa took one step, he took two steps back. "Trying to run away?" She growled, "Not before I drag your brain across the stars." She and Nyar found themselves standing on a ss-like ground in the middle of the empty space, beneath the glowing stars. Nyar looked up, seeing a titanic, super-massive ck hole dominating the sky. Vasilissa had already changed her clothes, wearing a tight fit that resembled that of Kunoichi, and stood beneath the ck hole. "You nameless daughter of a whore!" He roared, "How didn''t I notice it?!" His body started crackling with magic. Vasilissa Orion, the name trantes directly into the empress hunter. She was a nameless void drakaina, their queen, and the one who had been eating at Nyar''s armies for thousands of years. Like the void, she herself, her prey, and even her own achievements were swallowed by the void, turning into nothing. No one knew who she was, no one knew how powerful she was, and not even Nyar could know of what didn''t exist. "No past, no future, no present, endless, emotionless, limitless void." She slowly raised her de, "I''ve carved and carved in silence for eternity, a thankless job." Her eyes slowly moved to look at Nyar. Chapter 975: A Battle in The 7th Dimension Chapter 975: A Battle in The 7th Dimension ? Vasilissa took a step forward and Nyar jumped back, trying to fly away and escape with his hide. He hadn''t fully recovered yet and getting injured badly once more is a certain way to put him to sleep for another thousand years. At that moment she appeared in front of him, swinging her bright sword at his neck faster than any living being could see. Nyar was faster, long bony spikes burst from his chest and hit her sword, shattering it. "Using weapons while fighting me, are you a fool?" He looked at her. There is an order to the world, mundane weapons, magic weapons, and then artifacts, but no matter how powerful the god who creates a divine artifact, it''ll never have a higher potential than said god. The sparking shards of her sword stopped mid-air, and turned around, shing Nyar''s back. As he gasped, Vasilissa punched him in the face so hard she sent him flying back. Nyar wasn''t a creature that anyone could hope to move, even if he looked like a human, his weight far surpassed severalbined worlds, and he was a massive writhing mass of flesh and eldritch magic, brimming invisibly with dark power. He finally stopped,nding on the ground as he red forward, magic boiling out of his yellow coat. "Fine, I''ll bother killing you. I wonder what will break Arad faster, you or his wives death?" Tentacles burst from the ground, exploding forth toward Vasilissa in a chaotic storm of blood and bones. What seemed like a normal attack was misleading, unlike how normal humans or gods attack, Nyar''s attack acted differently. An attack usually exists in dimensional space and moves forward through time, basically edging the fourth dimension but still locked to three axis and moving forward through time. Nyar''s attack touched the fifth and sixth dimensions while fully concurring time. The first dimension of time that normal people see is its flow, going forward into the future. To fully conjure that fourth dimension one must be able to freely move through the past, present, and future like how Doma''s expansion works. The fifth and sixth dimensions are the second and third dimensions of time, its Y and Z axis. Those two represent stacked timelines where events that failed to ur happen. If you dodged an attack, that same attack could''ve hit you in another timeline. Nyar''s attacks engulfed all of those six dimensions, approaching the target from all directions, in the past, present, and future at once, all while simultaneously attacking any possible timeline that they might have survived in. Everyone in the world is like flies, stuck inside Nyar''s massive web, helpless, worthless, and utterly defenseless. It doesn''t matter how strong they are or what abilities they have, it''s all over before the fight even starts. This massive and magnificent spider web stood...CLANG! A massive and heavy steel ball fell on the spider''s web, ripping it apart. Nyar was standing in ce, kissing Vasilissa''s foot as her kick ripped his head apart from his body. He could hear it, a deafening horn booming inside his head,ing straight from the massive ck star above them. ck holes bend time, space, and light, they don''t care about anything and just rip it apart. Vasilissa kicked Nyar through his attack, unless he pulled something powerful enough to exceed the extreme nature of a ck hole, he would suffer. Realizing that the fight would end up with him damaged even more than before even if he won, Nyar immediately decided to focus on running away. He isn''t attached to losing or winning, all that he cares about is cold, hard, and boring results. With one turn and a powerful kick, he sted forward at the speed of light, disappearing into the horizon. The speed of light was the world''s cap, nothing could move faster than it in physical space. As long he started moving first, even if Vasilissa could match his speed, she''d never catch him before he escaped into the outer world. He had started running first, his escape was now guaranteed. Or so he thought, Vasilissa flew right past him, cutting his path with a right hook to the throat. A ck hole twists time and space, by crushing space to shorten it, and stretching time to elongate it, Vasilissa could increase her speed far past the limits of the physical space. She punched Nyar in the throat, sending him rolling back. He growled, "I don''t know why I thought, the overgod would be the biggest hurdle between me and Arad." He red at her, "How did I forget that the monster''s mother would be an even bigger monster?" His two burning green eyes could be seen rumbling with rage. Arad''s mother might''ve seemed uncaring, but that was because she rather let her son have freedom. She''s willing to watch him or Gojo suffer once in a while, it''s good for them to toughen up. But when a monster like Nyar shows up, something that they can''t handle, she''ll stand in the front, defending her children. A battle between two monsters who stood at the peak of the world had started, transcending time and space. **** {I don''t have a name. I''m a fragment of your mother''s consciousness.}N?v(el)B\\jnn "How should I call you?" He looked up, "It will be strange to just speak to you without using a name." {You can call me Mom if you want. I''m joking. Just give me a regr name.} Arad smiled, "Okay then, Mom, nice to meet you, even if it''s a bitte." {Don''t call me that!} "Mommy? Is that better?" {Don''t do it, give me a regr name.} "Let''s go with Mom, Magical Orion''s Mother. Miss Orion''s mother, or what about My only mother or Mom o'' Mom?" {Now you''re joking. Okay, you can use Mom.} Arad smiled, "Nice to work with you, Mom." Mom whispered that Arad couldn''tprehend her words, {Multiverse Obliterating Monster is more like it.} "What do you say?" Arad asked as Mom directed him toward L''s shop, in the shadows behind them, Vasilissa and Nyar were crossing fists and des in a battle that transcended time and space. Nyar and Vasilissa flew above Alina,nding in its za with a loud crash. The people looked, seeing the two standing silently in the middle, ring at each other. A hidden man in yellow and a shrouded woman of darkness, the two oozed with a mystical aura, bending light around them. Nyar looked down, and the time of the day changed, stopping in the middle of the night. From the star-filled night sky, a massive ck mass of tentacles reached toward the ground, extending to reach Vasilissa''s head. The stars in the sky twisted, and the tentacles were crushed and ripped apart, burning in a meteor shower that captured the gazing eyes of all mortals, looking into the beautiful show. A kid walked behind Vasilissa, with each step he took, he grew older and older until he died after taking seven steps. Time then started to flow backward, and the old man came back to life, returning to his childhood as the two powerhouses disappeared. Vasilissa and Nyar ran through the alleyways, each fist they threw came crashing in a different year and a different timeline. Some in the distant past when thisnd was nothing more than empty fields, and some in the far future beholding a vibrant and bustling city of steel and lightning. "Is this city important to you?" Nyar said with a smile as he was sitting outside a restaurant, sipping on a cup of tea as Vasilissa sat facing him, drinking her tea. "You''re the one pulling us here." She said sipping her tea, "You want me to fight you around this city so I can''t use my full power." Nyar knew that Alina hosted her husband and son, if this ce was to be destroyed in the past due to their fight, the future might end up messed up. "We''re fighting past time and space. The fact you''re pushing me to this level means I can''t hold back, and I''m not beneath taking hostages." He swirled his cup, a smile hiding beneath his dark face. "Masters, I''ve brought you some tea." A voice came from above, and as they looked, Lilia was flying on her broom in a severe outfit. She poured tea to Vasilissa from a golden teapot, and then pulled a ck and charred teapot out of nowhere, pouring the ck and disgusting tea in it over her toes and into Nyar''s cup. "Enjoy, the most vile poison I can make." She red at him with a sadistic face. "Yog, so you''re here as well?" Nyar giggled, "Took you a while to catch up." She red at him, her body twisting and contorting into a ck mass of tentacles and red eyes, reaching down to his face. She growled with a maw filled with deformed teeth, "You two aren''t the only monsters around, but unlike you, I must make sure nothing breaks in the world." "Hehe." Nyar giggled, "Then how about I start getting serious?" They all disappeared. In the next second, they were in arge wooden room beneath candlelight, a room Vasilissa was familiar with. On the bed, Alcott and Ginger were sitting right after doing the deed. And Nyar was sitting on the chair at their side, looking at Vasilissa and Lilia with a grin hiding on his shadowy face. "Look like someone else has been having fun on your bed, with your husband." He looked at Vasilissa, "How do you feel? Quite sad, right? Disappointed probably?" Vasilissa giggled, "On the opposite. Do you think I''ll bend over for any normal man? As usual, he''s quite skilled with his sword." Behind Nyar, Alcott had already brandished his sword and was swinging. Alcott''s sword shed the thin air, and Ginger gasped, "What''s up?!" She looked around with her vampire vision and couldn''t see or sense anything. "I don''t know." Alcott replied, "I felt threatened for a second." "It was probably just a mosquito, try to calm your reactions a bit." She leaned back and looked up. Alcott sheathed his sword and looked at her, "Let''s go for another round." "Heh?!" She gasped, "We already did it nine times!" She crawled away. "Come on. It''s not like you get tired or anything, you''re a vampire." Alcott jumped into the bed and Vasilissa was giggling in the back, looking at Nyar holding his bleeding neck. Lilia flicked her fingers, and they appeared again above the stars beneath the massive ck hole. "Look at you! shed by a mortal." Lilia burstughing and started spinning mid-air, "Vasilissa has one hell of a husband, he''s indeed reminded me of him." She stopped spinning, "My husband." CLANG! A white-haired old man was walking toward them, leaning on his steel cane. Behind him, the shadow of a massive deformed abominable horror writhed in madness. Chapter 976: Where is AOs Core? Chapter 976: Where is AO''s Core? ? "The OG{OverGod}." Nyar stood straight, taking a deep breath, "Cain Lisworth, the one standing above the gods, it''s been a while." "Yo, Nyar." Cain waved his hand, "You look as scrawny as ever. I guess taking Zaleria''s kick to the heart was more damaging than I expected." He stopped, opening his burning blue eyes. "Don''t you think it was a stupid idea to enter my world?"N?v(el)B\\jnn Nyar giggled, "I know that it was a risky move before I fully recovered my power. But I must find out, where you are hiding AO''s core." He extended his hand forward, "I''m certain you aren''t using it, and I already confirmed by being close to that human Isdis. Arad doesn''t have the core either." "You know I won''t tell you." Cain giggled, "But you can guess on your own after I kick you outside this world." Cain started dancing, swinging his frail and thin arms around, one more after another, Lilia started singing for him with a thousand lyres and flutes spinning around her body. Suddenly, Cain''s muscles bulged up, swelling to that of arge man as his body inted, sizing up to a giant with a body looking as if it was chizzled out of stones. He stood two meter-tall {6''7''''} "I don''t want you inside the world, get out." With just those words, Nyar felt an immeasurable pressure on his soul. The world itself was rejecting him, trying to forcefully eject him outside. "I see..." Nyar giggled, "If you''re trying to kick me out instead of killing me, that means you aren''t certain you can kill me." He looked at Cain with a grin, "You''ve grown weak, old fool." "You know why it took me a while to notice ande here?" Cain smiled, "Because I thought you were just a powerful abomination, and little girl Vasilissa can deal with you. This isn''t your true body, it''s just a remote-controlled doll." "Heh? Do you think so? Try to act strong and wise, you can''t kill me, and that''s a fact." Nyarughed and Cainughed with him. "Vasilissa, rip him apart. Just as I can fight outside the world, he can fight here and won''t be immediately rejected. This body of his is just a doll, destroying it will harm his true body, but it''ll never deal enough damage to kill him." Cain kept a tight grip on Nyar, the moment Nyar lost focus, Cain would immediately be able to kick him outside the multiverse for several years. Vasilissa and Lilia charged at Nyar, now they got a clear path to victory rather than just punching harder thanst time. Make Nyar panic and lose focus at all costs, that alone would be enough to win them this battle. The battlested over a minute, and Nyar kept holding his own by drawing even more power from his true body outside the multiverse. Cain started to realize that something was off, the way Nyar dodged Vasilissa''s attacks and Lilia''s spells, he was focusing on something else besides staying in the world. "The bastard got parallel cognition!" Cain yelled, "He''s trying to summon his abomination army, knock him out immediately." Nyar wasn''t sitting still and recovering for the past thousands of years, he was nning and growing his skills. Parallel Cognition wasn''t a skill or a type of magic, it''s a biological trait, having two minds thinking at once for a single body. Nyar had given birth to a second brain inside his true body. That secondary brain can act on its own, unlike Arad''s Gemini which allows him to split the abilities of his one brain. This power exins why this mere doll holds enough power to rival that of Nyar''s true body while still allowing him to survive being killed here. "Fine, then I guess it''s okay to go all out." Vasilissa jumped back, opening her arms. The ck hole above them rumbled, falling and shrinking enough to fit in her left palm. "You asked where is AO''s core?" Vasilissa growled, a white ball of light emerging on her right palm, sting enough pressure to start pushing Nyar around. That pressure felt like gravity but in reverse, pushing things away from the white orb instead of pulling them in. "A ck hole absorbs matter and erases it; a white hole ejects matter and creates it. When those two things shed, the explosion caused the start of this whole world." She pulled her hands closer, and Nyar gasped, jumping at her as fast as he could. "Got you!" Cain clenched his hands and Nyar froze in ce, feeling his very existence getting ripped out of the fabric of the world itself. He red at Vasilissa, "I again couldn''t guess it even with how obvious it was! If the core isn''t with Arad, it''ll still be stuck inside the womb that birthed him!" As the ck and white holes got mixed, they turned into a ball of strange energy, pulsing violently with power. Even Nyar and Cain couldn''t tell how it looked, their brains couldn''t evenprehend it. The only two who could see and understand it were Vasilissa who created it, and Lilia who could tap into the forbidden knowledge of the world. Vasilissa fired the ball at Nyar and he screamed, cursing her as his body and everything around him disappeared into nothing. Silently and without making a single sh, he was no more. "I can''t tell, did you kill that doll or did it get ejected out of the world?" Cain looked at Vasilissa and asked. "I don''t know either." Vasilissa sighed, "This power isn''t mine; I can''t fully understand it. She looked at Cain, you know I''m only a temporary vessel." "I know." Lilia looked at them with a smile, "Care to know what happened to him?" She floated toward them with a smile. "If it''s a forbidden knowledge, you can keep it to yourself." Cain sighed, tapping his painful back. "I must go back home." "Go rest old man." Vasilissa waved her hand at him and turned toward Lilia, "Now this is over." She took a deep breath. "Then, see youter!" Lilia waved her hand, about to teleport away but Vasilissa grabbed her by the hair. "Not so fast." Lilia started sweating, and suddenly felt Vasilissa''s ws digging into her scalp, "Why do I smell Arad''s blood on your hand?" Lilia was in trouble. **** The carriage finally came to a stop inside the church''s garden. Mary looked out and called the nuns, ordering them to lock the church''s iron gate. This had never happened in the past century, but now, the church was closed to the public. Arad walked out of the carriage and followed Mary inside the church where the nuns and priests were waiting, the moment they saw him, they all gasped. Not once in their lives had they seen someone so huge. "Dear Arad." Mary looked at Arad with a smile, waving her hand toward the pedestal beneath Yog''s massive statue. "Please take a seat there, I''lle to heal once I collect some holy water." Arad looked at Yog''s statue, strangely, this one didn''t resemble Yog at all. Instead of the short and rough cutting board with twin tails, this statue looked like a fine woman standing ten feet tall with more curves than a ball. "Where is Yog''s statue?" Arad looked at the nuns, "I don''t see it anywhere." "That''s it." One of the nuns pointed at Yog''s statue with a worried face. Mary had just pointed it to Arad, are his eyes injured or something? "No...this isn''t her." Arad looked at the nun with a confused face. For a moment there, he thought that he was getting scammed by Lilia pretending to be Yog, but then quickly remembered that those people saw her in the sky. "You saw her in the sky! Since when does that halfling look like this?" He was genuinely confused. "The goddess is quite sensitive about her look, so we depict her the way she wants." One of the priests approached Arad, fixing his sses. At that moment, Yog''s voice boomed in his head, [Arad, I''m back.] She had returned and was sitting inside her room patching her wounds. Her whole body was covered in scratches and gashes, her magic fluctuated and her skin was bruised to no end. ^Where did you?^ Arad asked and he got an immediate reply, [Dealt with some business. Don''t worry about it, I only ended up fighting a rabid animal. Ouch! Ouch! My butt still hurts!] ^I wonder what kind of animal it was.^ Arad smiled as he sat on one of the church''s benches. [Your Mom.] She burstughing and Arad sighed, ^If you''re here to make fun of me, it would''ve been better if you didn''t return.^ He looked disappointed. [You seem to be in my church. First, try to use earth magic to create a statue of mine. I''ll keep a mental image inside your head. This should help you master both control and precision.] ^Fine, I''ll be sitting here for a few days anyway. How much time did you spend outside?^ He looked up. [I didn''t spend any time. Each world has its own flow of time. Less than one second passed in your old world and a few minutes passed in the world that I went into. Survive this world and I''ll arrange for you to meet a time dragon to learn about time magic.] Chapter 977: An Angelic Threat Chapter 977: An Angelic Threat ? ^So it''ll wait until I reach your tower.^ Arad walked toward Yog''s statue and sat beneath it, looking at one of the nuns, "How far is Yog''s tower from here?" "A ten-year journey, two years to cross the continent, then a six-year long trip by boat, and then another two years to reach the tower from docking. The tower is on the opposite side of the world; Going there is a life-longmitment and is considered a sacred pilgrimage." She approached with two steps, inspecting Arad''s face. "Do you want to go there? No, the goddess said so... no wonder you''ll need all the help you can get." Arad sighed, "Ten years, that''s too long." He looked at the church''s ceiling with a longing face. "The pilgrimage was never an easy feat; it''s supposed to show the discipline and dedication of the believers against hardship." The nun looked at him with a judging re, "Are you ready to take on such a holy journey? It''s not..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I don''t care about the journey." Arad cut her mid-speech. "I''ve spent a little around one year with my wives outside. Spending ten years here will only be a few minutes outside, but I don''t feel right living here for that long, knowing and getting to know people in this ce better than my family outside." He stood and started waving his hand, forming a small statue of Lilia with earth magic. "One month, I''ll finish this and go back home." Mary came rushing with a brown ceramic jug filled with holy water, almost sshing it everywhere. "My dear! Did I make you wait a lot?" She immediately stopped, seeing him working on an ugly stick figure of dirt. "What are you doing?" She looked at his hands, "What is a deformed monster? A goblin?" "Yes, a short, ugly, and haughty little gremlin. She has a face just at the right height for kicking." He showed Mary the statue. "That''s indeed ugly." She nodded; What he had in hand didn''t look like Lilia. One of the priests looked at Mary with a slightly worried face. "That''s the goddess; he just sucks at earth magic." Mary suddenly felt her holy magic dropping; she screamed, "Wait! I didn''t know!" She looked up with a scared face, and Arad could hear Liliaughing inside his head. A few secondster; Mary seemed to rx as her holy magic returned. As much as she brings it up, Lilia{Yog} was quite open about her height, almost always making fun of herself. She could''ve created a new body for herself to use but instead chose to stay like she is just because she likes being a half-elf half-halfling and loves how many halves she has. Mary stood behind her Arad; who sat beneath the statue of the goddess. The nuns lined up beside the benches. Four of them approached, filling their hands with holy water, and started sprinkling it on Arad''s head. Mary began chanting, and the nuns beside the benches repeated after her, filling the church with an echoing chore. The priests walked behind the statue in a clean line, and they split into two groups of two while the rest joined the nuns in chanting. The two groups of priests manned the strange pipe organ at the back of the church and started ying on it. After about a minute, pale white feathers of divine magic started dropping from the church''s ceiling as two angels floated down, each holding a semi-transparent scarf in their pale hands. The two angels took the form of two boys who looked no older than thirteen wearing an ancient Greek outfit. Beforending, they dropped the scarves on Arad''s head, and all of his wounds disappeared without a trace. The divine healing spell was ending. The holy light and feathers had started to disappear. Mary looked at the two angels, "Thanks for..." She went silent, the two angels were supposed to be slowly flying upward toward the heavens, yet they were floating looking down at Arad. Mary''s brain started panicking; did she mess up the spell somewhere? If she got two angels stuck in the mortal world, the goddess would pull them back, but at what cost? Mary would be the one paying for that failure. The two angels started floating down, and the whole church panicked. The nuns tried to step back and tripped on the benches, and the priests messed up their y by making the pipe organ shriek like an animal. Mary found herself stuck at the statue''s side, terrified. Arad looked at the two angels as they set foot on the mortal world, looking him in the eyes. "What? Got a problem?" Arad spoke first, and the two angels shook their heads. "No." They spoke in unison. The two angels proceeded to kneel silently and stayed like that for a second. They then lifted their heads, looking at Arad''s face. "What now?" Arad was as confused as everyone else, but the angels refused to borate. They stood and started floating up. "We''ve served Yog since she was born before time itself, before the concept of souls, let alone mortals were even a thing." The angels'' res shifted toward Mary. "Over a billion angels, the divine army of the first overgod. Each one of us is blessed with enough power to erase this whole world with a single strike." One of the two angels pointed at the sky, "All of them are kneeling on the sky as they''ve been doing for eons, only lifting their heads to work." The church''s roof disappeared, and the two angels rose to the sky, their wings blotting the sun and expanding to cover the entire world. "Their faces are stuck to the sky, looking down upon you. The blessing you''ve been given only fills their hearts with jealousy." The two angel''s eyes were fixed on Mary and the nuns. "Mess this up; even if the goddess Yog is against it, they shall fly down to rend this world into ash. Mark our words, mortals." With a single p of their wings the two angels disappeared from view, and even the church returned to normal. Mary was shaking, all the nuns were terrified, and only those in the church saw what happened. Like an illusion, no one outside managed to spot the angels. [Arad, you can ignore them. They won''te down or do anything.] Yog''s voice immediately boomed in Arad''s head. [Giving a threat is their way of giving people motivation to work. But they weren''t lying; they were indeed too jealous.] Sheughed, [I sent two women down, but I found out that those two boys caught and tied them to take their ce.] ^Take that more seriously; angels are too powerful to be left going around like that.^ Arad sighed, [Don''t worry, I can at least guarantee that they won''t harm you.] Arad looked back at Mary, "Sorry about that, you can ignore them." He thought they were talking with him, about his mission and how he treated Yog before. "What?" Mary was still confused, barely able to speak or stand. The exhaustion of the spell coupled with what just happened had drained all the energy from her limbs, making it hard to even stand straight. She looked at Arad with a pale face, "Yeah...the spell is over...it wasn''t supposed to be like this." Arad stood and gave her a helping hand, assisting her up. "Can you walk?" He asked. "Yeah." She replied, and he guided her inside the church to a private room where shey on the bed, exhausted. "Thank you." She said, looking at Arad, "That took more out of me than I expected." "Those two brats were acting on their own." Arad pulled a chair and took a seat. "Don''t stress it out. I bet Yog won''t allow them to harm anyone; they serve her after all." He started ying with earth magic. Getting it right now was crucial for his n. Arad wasn''t just sitting idly as Mary healed him; he was thinking of a n to reach the other side of the world in less than a month. First, he''ll master the basics of magic to kill monsters and defend himself. He''ll then create a stone carriage propelled by fire and wind magic that uses magic crystals as fuel. Mira is the one who came up with the n for that carriage. The driver would need to sit lying down on his stomach with his feet protruding from the back. He''ll cast fire and wind magic out of his feet to move forward, and out of his hands to turn left and right. The main body should be made of something like steel or enchanted wood, but since that will take a lot of time; Arad is thinking of using earth magic instead. The n is still iplete and might change, but that''s the best he cane up with now. He considered learning storage magic to store the crystals and potions so he wouldn''t need the stone carriage and could fly on his own, but when he remembered howplicated it was, The thought the stone carriage was easier. Slowly, Arad started thinking rationally about magic, how to use it, and what he could and couldn''t do at a certain time. [You''re a wizard, Arad!] Chapter 978: Otherworldly Knowledge Chapter 978: Otherworldly Knowledge ? As Arad walked out of Mary''s room and headed downstairs, he came in contact with one of the nuns who came to bring him in. She looked at him for a moment. "Then guards have brought some books for you. Please follow me." Arad followed the nun down to the main chamber, where he saw a mound of books and scrolls piled up on a wooden table. The poor little wooden creation bent in the middle like a smiling face, a single fly would crack it in half. "Sir Arad, we''ve brought the book you asked for." One of the three guards standing there approached Arad, saluted him, and announced. "The basics of magic, all elements, history of the world, maps, kingdomws and politics, and some books about culture and what is considered normal and isn''t." Arad looked at the book and lifted a brown one. The fine leather cover was already rotting away, this thing must''ve sat in a library for years without getting touched. [The Art of Speech] This book is about conversation and its ethics. Arad opened the book at a random page and read a single line. "If you''re looking to pick a fight, insults are a good way to get someone riled up. First, speak politely and figure out what they hold dear, then insult that to their face. This would result in a fight in most cases." He looked at the guards, "No wonder no one had read this book." "People who don''t know how to speak mostly aren''t willing to learn how to. This book shows what is wrong to stir them to do better." The guard pointed at the line. "See this. If you''re used to getting in fights a lot, reading this might make you realize what caused that." Aradid the book down and picked another. [The Basics of Elemental Magic] This one seemed to detail the very basics, a guide made to allow people who never used magic to learn and use it. On the first page, "Mana is the energy, the force, the soul of the world itself, flowing through everything and anything with Yog''s blessing. Controlling that energy is what allows us to cast magic and get closer to our dear goddess." "She is the goddess of magic after all." Arad flipped several pages until he reached an interesting chapter, "Daily Magic: Create water, fire, and warm air for your convenience." The nun looked at the page, "Everyone learns this, there is a teacher at the lord''s library who teaches kids how to use it." She lifted her finger and ignited a small me akin to a candle. From one finger, she created water, a tiny and weak stream, but clean water nheless. She looked around the room and headed to the corner, crouching down, "If you wanted to wash your hands." She put her hands together, and a small ball of water appeared one foot above her palms and poured a weak stream akin to a faucet. Arad looked at her, "I see, you modified the spell to conjure the water above your hands instead of from your fingers." "Not just that." A tiny me appeared burning beneath the water ball as the stream was pushed to pour from its side. The mes heated the water and the nun could wash her hands with warm water. Arad quickly realized how advanced this world was in terms of magic than his previous one. In his world, most people use spells, pre-written and standard magic, and incantations like fireball and ice spear; he was used to modifying them, but that act wasn''tmon. But in this world, it''smon to modify spells, even people who aren''t that versed in magic are capable of doing it. The nun before him isn''t even a mage, but her being able to do that puts her at least at the level of a schr in his old world. "So this is a world full of mini-Merlins... it''s terrifying to think off." Arad picked another book to read. "Mini-Merlins?" The nun asked with a puzzled face. "A wizard in my old world, we''re pretty close. She''s called Merlin and is extremely skilled with spells." Arad replied as he opened the book and the nun gasped, "Do you mean Merlin... like Merlin Merlin?" "What are you talking about?" Arad looked at her, he was just as confused as she was. "The goddess is used to using the name Merlin as an example of a wizard, saying things like: Imagine a wizard called Merlin, she casts this and that but forgets to do this and this." The nun pulled a small book encased in a fine leather pouch. "Verse five." She pointed, "The goddess was once asked who is this Merlin she keeps bringing out and she said he was a great wizard in another world. He served a king called Arthur." "The Merlin I know is a woman so they aren''t the same person." Arad replied and Yog''s voice rang in his head, [Yeah, the Merlin she speaks of is from another world. But the Merlin you know was named after him. Most kids get named in a church so I slipped the name to her parents, Merlin had a great talent for magic since she was born a high human, thought the name would be fitting.] ^Wait, you named Merlin?^ Arad gasped, [No, I just put the suggestion in her parents'' mind, they ended up picking it on their own.] The book Arad had picked was called [The Culinary Legacy of Lisa Von Rex: Arcane Cookery] It detailed the life and recipes of a chef called Lisa Von Rex who used magic to assist in her cooking and added magical effects to the dishes. After reading one page, Arad understood that by cooking certain ingredients with magic he can make the dishes act like potions and grant those who eat them various buffs. Lisa''s dishes focused on health-based effects like curing cold, protecting the teeth against decay, and keeping the body warm through the cold work days of the harsh winter. Strangely, the recipe for stamina potion from his old world wasbeled as a cocktail called mojito. "Even cooking has magic here?" Arad sighed and one of the guards approached, "Look at page 81, the dish there is amazing." Arad quickly flipped the pages andnded in a strange chapter. [Cook''n''go: Dishes on the go, hunt small games, and reinforce yourself to withstand the harshness of the road.] The chapter details how to cook rabbits, small monsters, and dried meats with herbs that can be picked almost anywhere on the road or in forests. The dishes mainly focused on enchanting stamina, endurance, and resistance to cold, heat, and poison. There was even a disk for horses called grass-a-Gora, it''s a grass sd using a certain dried herb called Gora to enchant the horses'' stamina. The nun looked at Arad with a smile, "The world is all based on magic. Our goddess Yog created this world as a testing ground for her spells and incantations, we who live here originate from the criminals she brought to use as test subjects." "The sins aren''t ours, so the goddess gave us freedom to live as we please as long as we worship her." One of the guards smiled, "We have a mural for that behind the church." "The goddess brought the criminals here but was surprised to find some of them pregnant or already having children." The nun looked at Arad with a passive face. "Even though she brought the most heinous and worst evil criminals, she was certain their children were innocent so she raised them." "She raised them on her own, built them houses, taught them how to use magic, and then ascended back to heaven. We call that century the age of the great blessing." The guard exined with a smile on his face. "To every world their history." Arad looked at the pile of books, "I don''t know much about mine though."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "History isn''t necessarily useful when speaking on practical terms." The nun lifted one of the books, "But it shouldn''t be forgotten, especially when speaking about major events, the gods or kingdoms and their rtions." She handed a book to Arad called [The Art of Magical Warfare and Subterfuge] The book details somemon magical methods that kingdoms use to best one another like disguise rings, artillery, remote teleport gates, spyware, and even assassination poisons. But a clear note on the first page of the book stated that this was written based on the information of the fallen kingdom of Fortben. Most kingdoms have developed better methods and that is why this book is public, since it''s now useless. Arad immediately realized that even if the book is useless in this world...it''ll be another story going back to his old world. He made a mental note to either memorize the book or take it back with him. Arad looked through the pile of books and soon froze in ce, finding a strange book. [The Art of Sex] A detailed book with exnations, drawings, and even step-by-step tutorials. "Why is this here?" He looked at the guards with a puzzled face. "Didn''t you order it?" They asked and Arad shook his face, "No, I just asked for magical and history books, I didn''t make the list." The nun behind them sighed... "It was probably Mary." She took the book from them, "Please pretend you didn''t see it." Chapter 979: Into the Hunters Guild Chapter 979: Into the Hunter''s Guild ? An hourter, Mary hade out of her room. Still a bit exhausted but nothing that a cup of coffee can''t fix. Arad had spent the past hour holed up in a room reading the book he had just got, trying to make as much progress as possible. A nun approached and handed her the book she ordered, never mentioning that Arad had seen it. She then informed her that Arad was waiting for her to wake up so they could head to the hunter''s guild. A messenger hade just moments ago and informed them that the matter of the bear quest was ready to be resolved. She walked into the church''s tiny kitchen and ignited the mes beneath the old stone stove, boiling a pot of water. She went out to wash her face and on her way back, she stored the special book in her room. When she returned to the kitchen, a nice hot bowl of water was waiting for her, which she used to brew herself arge mug of coffee. After fully waking up, fixing her hair beneath her coif, and putting back the mug where it was, she headed to check on Arad. Knocking on the wooden door, she got an immediate reply. "Come in." She slowly opened the door and walked inside, finding Arad sitting behind an old wooden desk with a massive pile of books, reading through them beneath the faint lighting from the window behind his back. "I''ve heard you punched the monster bear and tanked a w swipe. Seeing you sitting like that and reading certainly feels odd." She approached the desk, "I expected you to act more like a hot-blooded warrior or a raging barbarian than a calm wizard." "The whole purpose of me being here is learning magic." Arad stood, "If you''re ready, let''s go to the hunter''s guild." He closed his book, making sure to mark the page he was at. "Wait just a minute, I''ll bring some coats. We wouldn''t anyone to notice us, it may cause panic." "Even if it was just interested in us, it''ll slow us down and that''s bad." Arad nodded, he didn''t want to waste any time if possible. Mary went out and quickly returned with tworge grey coats enchanted with camouge magic. They mask the wearer''s presence and power, nobles and royals use them a lot when going outside. The two made their way to the guild, as they walked through the vige''s streets, Arad noticed several things that were different from his world. The vige wasrger than normal, almost half as big as Alina with many people living in it. This would qualify as a small town. The vige''s walls were made out of wood, but they weren''t for protection, just for tracing the city''s borders to make sure people go through the gates and pay taxes. The thing protecting the vige from monsters was a massive spherical barrier that was invisible and surrounded it. The barrier''s core was located in the lord''s mansion, probably operated by a powerful wizard. Fruits and vegetables were avable all year round, probably farming is assisted with magic as well. He could spot many people carrying stuff with telekinesis and even the horses were wearing enchanted saddles to allow them to pull the carriages easier. The two reached the hunter''s guild and Arad already had more questions about this world than answers. The massive stone building looked so huge that Arad almost didn''t believe it belonged in a vige. When he was overseeing the world in his castle, he wanted to make the walls from some massive stones but Mira was against it, saying the workers would have no way of safely moving and cing them. Whatever magic this world has, Arad wanted it to be used in his castle. Mary put her hand on the guild''s door and pushed, but she wasn''t able to open it up no matter how hard she tried. "This is a test..." She stood pushing and looked at Arad with an exhausted face. "It detects magic and strength to determine someone''s power. Weaklings can never enter the guild on their own. I''m only a healer so I can''t fight." "Can''t you open it?" He asked. "I can if I poured my holy magic into it." She tapped the door, "Want to try?" Arad looked at the door and grabbed the handle, pushing forward. The door didn''t budge, but it cked loudly. "It''s stuck." Arad said, pushing again and again, rocking the door as if he wanted to break it. "Don''t just use strength it won''t open. Pour your magic into it." Mary tapped his shoulder, "Even fighters must circte mana through their body to be able to move at superhuman speed or achieve feats that human strength can''t match." "I''m doing that." Arad was already pouring his magic, but the door didn''t budge. [I modified the door, now it requires ten times the precision of a normal person to open. This only affects you.] Arad could hear Yog''s voice inside his head. That pesky little goddess was intentionally hindering him. [I must hold you to higher standards.] Arad looked around, just above the door there were two open windows, a good ce for a rogue to get through. If he was a powerful mage, he''d either force the door to open or teleport through. In the end, he settled on a simple idea. He''ll open the door as if he''s Mira. He lifted one finger, conjuring a nail with earth magic. He didn''t practice a lot with earth magic besides trying to make a Yog''s statue, but he could make a simple shape like that of a nail and make it as hard as stone. Arad approached the door''s hinges and pushed the nail through with his thumb, removing them with ease. Mary watched with an open mouth as therge double door fell into the guild, smacking onto the ground with a thunderp. Everyone inside flinched, looking toward the door with surprised faces. They did hear the door cracking earlier and just thought it was an idiot trying to force it open. From the door, Arad and Mary walked in. To everyone inside they looked like two hooded figures, one massive and the other one rtively small. They approached the guild''s reception desk and Mary spoke first, showing the woman working her ring. "Give us a private room, now." The ring was the mark of the church. In this world where Yog is the only goddess, the church holds a lot of power and most people take their religion very seriously. The receptionist quickly guided them to a room in the back. As the two walked in, she sat with them and finally asked who they were and what did they need. Mary removed her hood, "We''re looking for Jimmy''s party. We''re here for the monster bear quest." "I see." The receptionist stood and headed out. Momentster she came back with Jimmy and the guildmaster at her side. The guild master was a tall man with a long white beard and green eyes, he looked like a wizard who had spent a decent chunk of his life to the mastery of spells, Arad could already sense the multiple defensive spells he has active. "So you''re sir Arad, right?" The guild master sat facing Arad and looked at him. Arad removed his hood, "Yeah, it''s me." Mary sat beside Arad while the receptionist and Jimmy sat beside the guildmaster, putting a single piece of paper on the table. "My name is Falmor, a retired wizard who specialized in barrier magic." He extended his hand to Arad, "My job was to make sure no damage reached my party and now I maintain the vige''s barrier." Arad shook his hand, "Arad, an adventurer. It''s like your hunters. I hunt monsters, explore dungeons, and do quests for the adventurers'' guild." "So it''s another version of ours hunters'' guild." Falmor nodded with a curious gaze, "But, for now, let''s focus on what matters first. The monster bear matter." "Yeah." Jimmy looked at Arad, "The guild had reached a conclusion which I think is fair, I hope you agree." "Since Jimmy''s quest was to get rid of the bear, and that is achieved I''ll consider it done and pay them for it." Famlor looked at Arad, "You can keep the bear''s carcass, sell it for money, or cut it for parts. It''s worth almost three times the quest''s reward." "The bear was as tall as me." Arad looked at Falmor, "I''ll sell everything but I want to keep the hide, make a coat from it." That monster bear is the first thing he killed in this world and wanted to keep something from him. "I see, that is possible." He looked at the receptionist, "Get the monster butcher team to start working. Send the hide as soon as possible to the leather workshop." "How about the leather workshop pay?" she asked. "Pay them from the guild''s funds and then recover the amount from the price of the bear''s parts. We''ll return what remained to Arad with his new coat." Falmor looked at Arad, "Do you agree? It''s cheaper to get things done through the guild than outside." ?Yog, is he lying?^ Arad immediately asked. [It''s the same price. But the guild can haggle it down.] Yog replied, [He isn''t lying, but isn''tN?v(el)B\\jnn saying the truth as well.] "It won''t be cheaper unless you haggle for it, right?" Arad looked at Falmor with a smile. "I see." Falmor giggled as he stood, "I''ll take that as a yes. And rest assured, I''ll do my best to get you the best possible price." Arad and Mary walked out but immediately heard a man burst intoughter. "Forget it! You''ve lost. It was the rules, and you agreed to them." "Who cares about that you bald fool! Let me go!" A tiny voice, sharp and high-pitched boomed across the room. Arad looked, seeing five men surrounding a small birdcage housing a tiny brown-haired fairy. She growled at the men locking her in, her transparent wings flickering with magic. Chapter 980: Unstoppable Walk Chapter 980: Unstoppable Walk ? Therge bald manughed, knocking on the cage with an amused face. "Cry about it! You can''t use magic in there, it''s over for you. Did you think you could trick me and get away with it?" The fairy growled, her wings sparking a bit but her magic faded away. The cage is made from a special iron alloy that disperse and nullify magic, usually used to catch some monster birds. "I''ll skin you alive once I get out!" She red at him. The balm man extended his hand to the woman who sat beside him, and she pulled a knife from between her breasts. Like Merlin, she had a storage magic circle tattooed there. But thanks to how well endowed she was, Arad for a second thought she was just shoving things there. "You two, hold the cage still. I''ll pluck her wings out so she won''t be able to cast magic." He smiled as the two men did what he asked, holding the cage down so the fairy wouldn''t shake it. He pointed his knife at her, "This is what you get for trying to scam Balon. Now cry..." The guild master wanted to stop them. The guild indeed stays out of the hunters'' business outside of signed contracts, but this seemed to be going a bit too far. He said a bet, and that isn''t a thing that magic takes lightly. If two consenting adults agreed on a bet with a magical contract, the will of the goddess would see it through no matter what. That is probably how they managed to catch the fairy. He stepped forward, but suddenly Arad walked past him, each of his steps thudding loudly on the wooden floor. Thud! Thud! Thud! All the hunters looked back, seeing who was so heavy to make the ground wail, and it was none other than Arad approaching the hunters with the fairy. Balon''s friends looked at Arad, they were sitting around his table drinking, and they could smell trouble. One of Balon''s friends extended his foot in Arad''s path, "Hold it, my friend, where do you think..." Krunch! Arad stepped on his foot, dislocating the poor man''s ankles. Even as a human, Arad weighed more than 200kg of pure muscles and bones, it was no different than a bull stepping on someone. The man screamed, his cries of agony filling the whole guild as he rolled on the ground. Arad ignored him and kept walking. More of Balon''s friends jumped before Arad to stop him, but they all ended up getting pushed aside, unable to stop him. Then a woman approached Arad, pointing her wand at him. "Bastard stop or else!" She growled, but immediately noticed everyone in the guild reaching toward their weapons. The use of weapons against other hunters in the guild is absolutely forbidden, that is why no one had pulled a sword on Arad. If someone dared use his weapons, the whole guild was allowed to use lethal force against them. She knew well that if she used a single spell, all the other hunters would jump at her. Arad is just walking, he didn''t use any weapon so he''s fine. Her n was to intimidate him to attack with a weapon or with magic. Her wand pulsed with magic, arcing like lightning, but no spell came out, that was a threat. She pointed it straight at Arad, "I''ll st your head right the fuck off!" Arad stopped walking and lifted his hand forward, slowly, he grabbed her wand by the tip. The arcing magic jolted him, but he didn''t even flinch. In the blink of an eye, he had snapped the wand in half with three fingers. Everyone in the guild stared with gaping mouths, Arad''s hand was bleeding rivers, severely charred but he didn''t seem to care. Arad extended his hand toward the frozen woman, shoved the shattered wand in between her breasts, and wiped his bloodied hand on her robe. "SIT." He pointed at a chair, and the moment the woman heard his voice, she sat down with a sweaty face. With a faint spark of holy magic Arad''s bleeding hand stopped oozing blood, and he kept walking toward Balon. Balon''s group finally looked back, stopping Sky from starting to rip the fairy''s wings out. One of the two men growled. "Hey, you! Back it off!" Balon''s group consisted of Balon himself, two men, and a woman who looked like a wizard. "Do you want to get stabbed?" He pulled a knife. As everyone in the guild stood, Balon''s group was sitting all around his table so they could keep him and hispanions protected. Arad noticed the first difference between hunters and adventurers. While adventurers travel in small groups of at most five people, hunters can group up in the tens of heads. They were closer to mercenary groups that took on the job of huntingrge monsters. The man swung a quick stab at Arad''s chest, demonstrating that he wasn''t spitting empty threats. The guild master shouted at him, "You bastard!" But the man knew the guild master would lose one of hisrgest and most profitable hunter groups if he kicked him out. Balon''s group was making this guild over 30% of its ie, losing them would literally push them far past red. Protected by this group''s fat name, the man smiled, but that smirk immediately was washed off his face as he noticed that his dagger didn''t pierce Arad''s chest, it stopped on his thick andrge ribs. Balon''s face shifted into a serious one in an instant, that was only what he needed to see to figure it out. Arad didn''t just survive by luck, he moved a bit to make the dagger hit his ribs instead of going between them. Such rapid eleration, precise movement, and fearlessness are akin to recklessness. "Got a wild animal on our hands." "Who are you calling an animal?!" The fairy growled behind him with an angry face. "Not you, bug." Balon looked at Arad with a sharp re. Arad slowly lifted his hand and grabbed the man''s dagger between two fingers. The man tried to pull it out, but Arad''s grip was tighter than a vice, it didn''t budge. The man gave up on the dragger, let go, and took a few steps back. Arad looked at the weapon in his hand, grabbed it between his hands, and tried bending it. He failed, it was too tough and hard to break. Arad tilted his head, staring at the stubborn dagger, and tried again, putting more force into it. As the veins on his arms bulged, the dagger suddenly gave up and shattered. Everyone in the guild stared in horror, to break a dagger like that...not even a vice and a wrench could do it. The only two who didn''t seem shocked were Jimmy and Mary, the two expected nothing less from a man who took a w straight from a bear and punched back. Arad threw the dagger on the ground and kept walking toward Balon. He tried his best to keep his promise to Mira and use as little violence as possible. He could probably beat anyone who stood in his way, but he was trying to be as peaceful as possible for her sake. Although this man already attacked him; so he wasn''t sure whether he should attack back or not. Arad stopped walking and looked back, "He attacked me first, is it okay to attack?" He was looking straight at Mary. One of the hunters in the back replied, "Bro! He pulled his weapon, if you can p his ass to the ground, do it. Fucker asked for it!" Sadly, the other adventurers can''t jump to help without getting themselves in a deadly fight with Balon''s henchmen. Indeed, Arad was just walking toward Balon to ask him about the fairy, he wasn''t doing anything wrong. They were the ones attacking him unreasonably.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The man growled, lunging at Arad with a second attack, he had another dagger stored behind his back. This time, he aimed for the soft neck. The man''s dagger hit the thin air, and Arad disappeared. In that instant, he realized that Arad sidestepped his attack, and was now ring down at his ass. How could someone so big move that fast? Arad swung his torso, flinging a p at the man''s butt, pping him so hard that he went rolling for three meters, screaming and crying his lungs out in panic and shock. He gasped for air, wiggling like a dying fish in agony, smacking his face repeatedly at the ground until his nose shattered, trying to knock himself out to not feel that mind-boggling pain. Da''s ps are extremely effective even here. "...Not to literally p his ass down... The poor soul can now walk naked and have no shame nor dignity to lose." The hunter who spoke earlier giggled. Arad was now standing face to face with Balon, the wizard woman and the second man in their group. Balon could take a closer look at Arad. ^He''s massive, and those chizzled arms and harsh hands, a warlord, a general of some sort of warmonger.^ He leaned on his chair, "So, what is your name? What do you want from me?" Balon asked, he knew Arad was strong, but was still confident he could kill him. "He''ll eat you alive." The fairy said in her cage warning Balon, her glowing eyes fixed on Arad. Her danger sense was tingling, and she got a hunch Arad wasn''t human, but something greater. "Like I''ll get tricked by you again, you just want to be freed." Balon snorted her warning away. "Yo!" She waved her hand at Arad, "p king, count me out of this fight." She sat down, ready to enjoy the chaos. Chapter 981: You Lack Skills Chapter 981: You Lack Skills ? Arad looked at the fairy with a passive face, neither she nor the hunters could see his face thanks to the cloak. "Can you use size magic? I want to learn it." "Yes, I know it. But sadly...can''t use it while locked here." She tapped the cage and her eyes shifted toward Balon, "Can you convince him to let me go?" "This little one was supposed to lead us into the den of an earth tyrant, she instead lied to us and led us into an empty pit with nothing but vipers and death." Balon looked at Arad, "We had paid the fairies first, and she is our insurance." "Yeah..." The woman wizard sitting at the side sighed, "We needed to kill the tyrant and get some material, now thanks to that disappointment we''re in the red and need money to feed our members. People have families and mouths to feed, you should know that." "We''ll sell this little lying gremlin to recoup our costs." The other man sitting on the opposite side of the table to Arad added. "An earth tyrant?" Arad looked at the fairy, "A monster attuned to earth magic, like an elemental but a bit weaker, right?" "Pretty much, they can be a dog or a titan, doesn''t matter as long as they can cast powerful earth magic." Balon sighed, "Their core is desired by earth wizard, they''ll pay mountains of gold for it." He looked disappointed. "Hmmm..." Arad thought about it for a second, "Those vipers, did they have a source of food?" Arad looked at the fairy, "Strange, all of them living in one pit, no food, no water, just on luck? Doubt it." He reached with his hand and lifted the cage. "Put my purse down." Balon growled with a raging face. "The pit is the earth tyrant, no doubt. Those vipers are its minions. The fairy didn''t lie, she saved your lives." With a single clench of his hand, he crumbled the cage and freed the fairy. "She led you to the tyrant, saw it''s powerful enough to kill you all, so she didn''t borate or exin that to you. Am I right?" The fairy looked away, "Mind your own business." Balon smacked the table with both of his hands and stood, "Wait! Is that true?" He red at the fairy with a raging face, "What was it?" "A genius loci; that pit was his gaping mouth, the snakes are only there to clean his teeth." She replied, sitting on Arad''s shoulder. "Go if you want, but you''ll end up wiped out." She then red at Arad, "Why butt in? Spill the beans?" "I didn''t spill any beans." Arad looked at the ground, "I know a fairy, and she is quite tricky to deal with. Always has several meanings behind her words, just thought you might''ve had a different reason to scam them." He looked at Balon, "I don''t know if this applies to all fairies or not, but from my experience, they don''t lie, they mask the truth and mislead people, but never say a t-out lie." He turned to leave with the fairy, but a barrier blocked his path. "Not so fast." The wizard woman had lifted her staff and cast her spell. "We already returned to the city, wasting our money and resources. I don''t care what the fairy''s intentions were, she still cost us a fortune." Arad red back at her, but she kept talking.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "We either sell her and get back to our usual work, or get stuck with shitty jobs for at least a year to rebuild our funds and resources." Her eyes were burning with magic. "Not her problem." Arad said with a deep voice, almost a growl, "She saved your life by preventing you from jumping into death. You are the ones owing her." "Doesn''t change the fact she misled us." The woman charged a spell, a spinning stone drill that started heating up and swirling the air in the whole guild. "Drop it!" Balon growled at the woman, but she wasn''t listening. Thud! Arad suddenly disappeared, rxing all of his muscles and remembering what he learned from Nina and Kayden. Rx your muscles andunch an explosive attack, elerate in a fraction of a second. With one foot on the ground, Arad sent a kick straight toward the woman''s torso. Shattering her spell and stopping his foot right in front of herrge breasts. This was the kick that Nina kicked him within the guild in the past, a swift yet deadly attack aiming straight at the heart to stop it. If this was his true body, the sheer shockwave would''s ripped half of the vige apart. But in his human-limited self, it only looked like a lightning-fast kick strong enough to send a man flying. The woman looked down with a sweaty face, seeing Arad''s foot hovering right before her nipples, one inch further and she would''ve been sent straight into the grave. "If you''re wearing a wizard''s robe, at least cast spells effectively." Arad said as he pulled his foot away. As he turned to leave, he said with a passive face. "You aren''t worthy of that wizard robe you''re wearing. I''ve seen far better wizards in nothing butmon clothes." The woman was a very experienced wizard with almost two decades of battle experience, tens of original spells a power that made most hunters quiver. Arad had unintentionally insulted her entire career, challenging her pride. She watched him walk away with boiling rage, he only had the range advantage. Everyone knows that wizards would lose to a martial ss in closebat. Even though she can''t exin how his kick destroyed her spell, he had the advantage and that was a fact. "Huh." She giggled, "You got your advantage, now it''s mine." She pointed her staff at him again. This time they were meters apart, a perfect distance for her to cast a multitude of spells. Arad sighed, looking back, "Don''t bother, you''ll lose. I can tell by how your previous spell cracked." "Oi, my p king..." The fairy was rubbing her face on Arad''s cheek. "She isn''t worthy of a wizard, how about you rip that robe of hers, and give her a few painful ps on the butt as a bonus?" She giggled, "That should put her pride where it would belong if I didn''t mess with them, down to fucking earth." "Can you stop talking for a second?" Arad sighed as his gaze quickly shifted toward the woman pointing her magic at him. "Give up. You''re used to having people protect you, those around you." He pointed at Balon and the rest, "As long as they got your back, you''ll never feel the need to empower your skills with magic." "Let''s see if you could speak with your head blown off!" She growled, firing five spinning drills of stone and fire, racing toward Arad like canon shells. Arad ran straight toward the woman with the fairy hanging for dear life on his shoulder. He dodged all the spells like a master, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. The woman was surprised, but she had more ns lined up, two more spells. As Arad approached her, less than two meters away, spikes burst from the ground in front of him. Arad had expected such an attack as he was smarter than a charging horse. He sidestepped the spikes and stood at the woman''s side, swinging a left hook straight at her face. Arad''s fist nged on a magical barrier that surrounded the woman''s whole body. With such powerful magic, his fist won''t be able to pierce it. As the woman smiled, about to st him, she heard something shatter behind her head. In the next moment, she felt Arad''s right hand grabbing her neck from the back. "Barrier magic is good and can block attacks several tiers higher than them, but they have one w. To block an attack they must gather all their mana in one spot and harden, this leaves the rest of the barrier vulnerable to simultaneous attacks, especially from the exact opposite point." Arad exined as he had the woman in his hand like a cat. He had used hisrge size and wide arm to throw two hooks at the same time. One with his left hand toward the woman''s face, and the other one with his right arm toward the back of her head. Since he threw the left hook first, it made contact with the woman''s eyes and diverged the barrier''s mana, opening a path for his right hand to enter and catch the woman. "How did you dodge my spells? You aren''t faster than them." She looked at him with a terrified face. "Aim to dodge, it''s a basic skill. I see where you''re aiming, and get out of the way." Arad let her go and started walking away, "If you can''tpensate for that, you should start learning the basics once again." "Why didn''t you punch her?" The fairy asked. "She''s just lucky. My wife would kill me if I attacked a defenseless person." Arad replied with a passive face as he approached Mary and the guild master. "Wait! You''re married! No one told me anything about that!" She cried... but immediately looked at Arad with a smug face. "I''m not the one about to get cheated on, so it''s fine." "I''ll pluck your wings off..." He sighed. Chapter 982: The Execution I Chapter 982: The Execution I ? Arad approached the guild master, "Sorry about the mess back there. I was just looking to talk, but they seemed quite rattled." "Don''t worry about it." The guild master giggled, "I should''ve warned them. But honestly, I also wanted to see how well you''ll fare against hunters." Balon''s squad was B-rank but the members'' ranks varied, Balon himself was an A-rank, the same with the wizard woman, the rogue that got his butt pped to oblivion, and the ranger who sat quiet and watched. In terms of raw stat, Arad wasn''t any stronger than a normal human his size, and probably won''t even ssify as a C or a D ranker. But, the skills, the martial arts, the quick wit, and the battle experience he learned from everyone around him were now paying off. When Alcott was gravely weakened by his contradicting curses, he could still humiliate A- rankers with his sheer skill and mastery of the martial arts. Arad now is in the same situation, his superhuman powers nowhere to be found, but his skills are still sharper than any de. "I''ll have you registered as a special hunter so you can sell monster parts or take quests, and I''ll make sure no one asks for your identity, is that okay with you?" Hebed his long beard. "Yeah, knowing who I am might cause me more trouble than benefits." Arad is well aware that if people knew who he was, their attitudes and actions around him would change drastically. Without his draconic senses, he would have no way of confirming if people are genuine or just acting around him, which would make decisions extremely hard.N?v(el)B\\jnn At that moment, a man walked into the guild, weirded by the disassembled door, "What did happen?" He looked at the door, "Probably just repairs, anyway." He looked at everyone in the guild, "It''s almost time! Let''s go watch." All the hunters'' faces changed into a smile as they stood, rushing out. If they wanted to get a decent view, they had to rush. "What''s up with them?" Arad looked at the guild master. "It''s an execution, they are going to watch it." He replied and turned toward Mary. "An ursed witch that spent decades cursing thends and people, we finally caught and are going to cut her head off." The fairy flew before Arad''s face, sparks of magic floating around her body. "She''s an evil witch, many died to her curses." She started dramatically acting, putting herself in a fake ethereal guitar made of magic. "Her head would go CHOP! CHOP! And her body will go BRRRRRRR!" She engulfed herself in me. With a puff of smoke, the fairy''s theatrical magic disappeared and she looked at Arad with an exhausted face. "Bitch getting what she deserved, if it was for me, I''ll work her in the whore hole for the rest of her life." The fairy''s face twisted into a cynical grin. "Death is going easy on her." "We aren''t allowed to go that far." Mary red at her, "It''s up to the goddess to punish her, our job is merely sending the witch to her." To the people of this world, great sins that couldn''t be possibly attuned to in life aren''t that big of a problem. Their Goddess Yog would take on the job of punishing the sinners, all the people need to do is execute the sinner in a specific way. [I was going to test some chemical weapons on her. But you can have her if you want.] Yog giggled inside Arad''s head, [Well, you''ll have a massive problem at your hand, she''s vile.] ^What if they sent you an innocent one?^ Arad asked and got an unexpected answer. [Do you think I care? Humans experiment on rats, they never think about innocent and guilty rats. I''m the same, any human I get is the same. All rats on myb table, ready to be cut apart.] Arad looked around, "Hmmm...got holy and size magic...I wouldn''t mind having ess to curses." He started walking, waving his hand to Mary, "Let''s go...we have an execution to catch up to." [Wait...what?] Yog gasped inside Arad''s head. "You''ll watch?" Mary took a few quick steps and started walking beside him, finding it hard to keep up with Arad''srge strides. As they walked into the street they heard a man shout, "The official carriage had stopped! They are bout to cut her head, hurry!" He was running and pushing among the racing crowd. The official inquisitor and his knights were in a hurry to kill the witch before she could regain her curse magic, they were bringing her into the middle of a vige after all, it''ll be a disaster if she was to go on a rampage. "No time..." Arad mumbled as he burst running, leaving Mary in the dust. He tried to push between the people filling the streets but he couldn''t, hisrge size working against him. He looked around, both men and women were shouting and screaming, cursing each other as they wanted to get into the za to watch the execution. He looked left and saw a small crack between the building and a back alley that he could use. The ce was filled with trash, stinking to high heavens so no one used it, but he was in a hurry. As Arad rushed toward the back alley, the fairy on his shoulder cried. "Wait! That ce stinks worse than a pig''s ass!" She rushed to hide inside Arad''s cloak as he pushed the trash, sharp nks of wood, and wild cats with hisrge shoulder, digging his way through like a bull. As he came out on the other side, the street he walked into was just as filled as the one before, but now he''s closer to the za. While pushing people out of his way, his eyes raced around. It was extremely annoying and inconvenient tock his draconic senses, but he must learn to live without them. His eyesnded on an open window. A civilian house, but Arad had no choice. He ran across the street, almost getting run over by a horse as he approached the window and jumped inside,nding in the middle of a room. The woman who was cleaning around the bed screamed. "A thief!" Arad ignored her and looked around, immediately finding the door and rushing through it into their hallway. After reaching the other end of the hallway, he found their bath. And it was in use. Locked, Arad could care less. He pushed only a bit and the door was forced open. Inside was the woman''s husband taking a shower, and he red at Arad, immediately picking his wooden chair to strike. Arad tripped the poor man and jumped out of the house through the bath''s tiny window, almost ripping it off. He could still hear the man cursing and shouting behind him, but Arad had other matters to worry about. He was now faced with arge wall, he''s stuck between buildings with no other way to escape than the house he came through. "What did you expect? A fucking miracle? You don''t even know the vige''syout, do you?" The fairy was pulling on his ear, screaming directly inside. He looked at the jagged wall, since it was out of sight it was never finished, and he could see the wooden beams and window frames. It was a golden chance, he rushed forward and started climbing, from one window to another, and from one crack and beam to another, he raced up. "Are you half a spider or something?" The fairy cried, but Arad wasn''t listening, he had finally climbed to the roof and could see several houses before him. Arad didn''t stop for a second and kept running on the rooftops, jumping from one house to another until he reached thest house overlooking the za. Hundreds if not thousands of people were gathered in there around the execution stage, shouting, cheering, and pping. Men, women, children, everyone had their eyes fixed on a single armored carriage that was parked beside the stage. The carriage''s door opened up, and four armed knights in full te armor walked out, dragging a woman behind them with a chair. The woman was chained from both of her hands and legs, wearing a pale white robe, and walked barefoot. The moment her steps slowed down, the knights would yank on the chair to drag her forward. The guillotine''s de was getting raised, and Arad could spot a woman in silver armor standing beside it. Unlike the other knights her armor,rge sword, and frills decorating her armor, she was their leader, no doubt. "The inquisitor; she tracks and hunts criminals. To the people, she''s their hero." The fairy looked at Arad, "Don''t you dare start a fight with her, you''ll end up under the de in seconds." The knights had already started pushing the people away from the stage with barriers, getting ready to chop the woman''s head. For a second, Arad noticed it, the inquisitor had seen him standing on the roof and their eyes met. The inquisitor looked at two of her knights, "Suspicious individual on the roof, I see now ranged weapons, but stay alert." She could''ve ordered them to shoot him, but she didn''t know if he was a threat or just a random person watching from the rooftops since he didn''t get here in time. Suspicious means she isn''t sure whether he''s guilty or not, and so she won''t attack first. She only kills the guilty. She started walking before the guillotine, watching her guards and the people with her hands behind her back. She''s finally putting a deadly criminal beneath the de, and no one shall get in her way. Chapter 983: The Execution II Chapter 983: The Execution II ? Arad jumped from the building, sliding at the wall and holding onto a cloth straight to slow his fall, finallynding inside a pile of trash. He jumped out, pushing the bags and wood with his massive shoulders, carving his way into the thick crowd. The inquisitor noticed his action and alerted two of her guards to keep an eye on him. He might be one of the witch''s minions. "Don''t kill him, he might be controlled by a curse." She looked at the witch, "Release him at once." The witch spat on her face, "Fuck off! And do you think I can do anything with those on?" And growled, shaking her chained hands. Those shackles were specially made to block all types of magic. With them on, she can''t neither sense nor affect mana. The inquisitor wiped the spit off her face, "Matter not. He''ll be free once your head rolls." She pointed at the guillotine, "Cut her head off." As the knights started dragging the witch, she growled at the inquisitor. "So this is how you act bitch, not giving me a final word? Should''ve known you sons of whores are no better than us." The two knights holding her stopped and looked at the inquisitor. The inquisitor looked at her knight, the people watching, and back at the witch. Therge man might be a threat, but... "Law isw...give her a moment to speak. We''ll cut her head after." The inquisitor walked to the front and looked toward Arad who was pushing his way through the thick crowd. If he came and the guards couldn''t catch him, she''d catch him. "But..." One of her knights... "...Do we have to?" He two had seen therge man approaching. They should kill her as soon as possible to avoid trouble. "It''s her right." The inquisitor signaled to him with her head to take the witch to the stand first. "Give it to her." The knights guided the witch toward the stand with sore faces, and she looked back at them with a smug smile. Her gaze soon shifted toward the crowd, "Wee to my execution sons of bitches! Remember the day you burned my hut?" the lower half of her robe started getting tainted. The knights stared at her with a confused face, she was pissing herself, is she that afraid of death. The witch flicked her leg, sshing the people closest to her. "Get pissed on!" She shouted at them. One of the knights grunted, his face burning red. With a stomp, he lunged at the witch, his clenched iron fist calling her face. Thud! The inquisitor caught his wrist, "Don''t...she''ll die soon." The witch smiled, swinging her foot again and this time sshing the inquisitor. "Why don''t you fight?" The witch red at her with a smile and sshed her a second time. "Come on, get angry." "Your petty taunts are beneath me." She pointed at the guillotine. "She got her right, now give the people theirs. Her blood must flow." The knights dragged the witch and tied her to the guillotine''s stand, putting her head in ce. She stared at the people with a smile. "HALT!" A knight''s voice boomed and everyone''s attention was pulled to the front. The inquisitor looked and it was Arad finallying through the crowd. The two knights she sent stood before him, but he didn''t seem to slow down. "Hmmmmm." She grunted, her eyebrows crossing as she gave Arad a sharp re, watching from her stand. "I said, Halt!" The knight threw his hand at Arad, trying to restrain him. Arad grabbed the knight by the wrist and pushed him on the chest, throwing his leg behind his ankle to trip him. As the first knight fell, the second one pulled his sword and swung at Arad. Arad dodged the swing by docking beneath it and swung his palm, pping the knight''s chin hard enough to knock him cold. The p boomed across the za and some of the women standing around screamed. Only the sound of the heavily armored knights falling to the ground echoed after, followed by a roar from the inquisitor. "Restrain him!" She pointed at Arad with one finger, and five guards rushed toward him, jumping from the stage with their weapons drawn. The first knight charged forward, swinging his sword straight at Arad''s neck. It was clear, that those knights were far well trained than the guards at Alina. But they didn''t match either Alcott or Kayden in their skill with the sword. Arad swung his fist; a right hook turned into an uppercut aimed straight at the t edge of the sword, shattering it in half. No matter the world, people went for the neck first and horizontal swings were all the same. Predicting such a move and countering it was far too simple. With a quick move, Arad dispatched the confused knight by kicking him away into the crowd. Quickly switching his attention to the guillotine. The knight who is supposed to drop the guillotine is now confused, awaiting the inquisitor''s direct order. Arad didn''t have time so he charged at the knights, grabbed one by the head, and knocked the sword out of his hips before he could even draw it. Another knight swung at Arad, but Arad used the knight he caught as a shield, deflecting the de with his heavy armor and then kicked him, knocking two knights with one move. The other two knights looked at each other, something was off about this man, he was too huge and swords didn''t scare him. In fact, they can''t even see his face thanks to the camouge cloak. One of them dropped his sword, lifting his hands up, and slowly backed away, "Only royals, rich nobles, and high officials have ess to those cloaks, I''m staying out of this." Thest remaining knight growled, looking at his friend as if betrayed. "You...Damn it." He charged at Arad, immediately getting disarmed with a kick and then pped to the chin, and dropped on the hard cold ground. The people gasped, shocked and terrified. They backed rapidly backed away, keeping at least five meters away from Arad as he approached the stage. The inquisitor jumped down and pulled her sword. The men cheered at her, and the women ulted, showering her with roses and flowers. "Let the witch die, her curse guing you would soon fade away." The inquisitor said, her eyes ring at Arad with a burning will. Her eyes shifted back, all of her knights were still alive, growling in pain, but none of them was fatally wounded. "Move, I need her." Arad said, looking at the witch. "No you don''t need her, the world doesn''t need her." The inquisitor catwalked toward Arad, iling her sword. Her moves looked theatrical, showy, and unnecessary, but to Arad, they were the bane of his current existence. He couldn''t predict her moves now that she wasn''t taking any stance or showing an intent to attack.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The inquisitor was well aware of Arad''s skills, she saw him knock her knights. To avoid getting countered, she decided to spice up her moves a bit, make sure he understood nothing of what she was doing. She suddenly burst toward Arad, thrusting her sword. He barely managed to dodge, still getting shed across the torso. "Still dodged that?" She backed away and started moonwalking around him. Arad blinked and found twenty clones of the inquisitor surrounding him, all walking backward and iling their swords. Arad couldn''t tell what is real and what is an illusion. His void eyes would''ve been really helpful now, but sadly hecks them. In what short time he has before getting attacked, Arad decided to try his luck with a skill. He stood still and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The people watched as though he had given up, but the inquisitor realized that he was gambling. All of the twenty clones of the inquisitor attacked at once, swinging their swords. Arad was trying to sense mana and quickly decided that the one to his right was the real inquisitor. Before he could turn toward her, a voice whispered in his ear. "Behind you." The fairy spoke. He ignored his instincts and turned back, swinging his palms down, and caught the deing at his back. His guess was wrong, but the fairy was right. He had caught the real inquisitor. "Didn''t take the bait?" She red at him, confused yet unsurprised. Before Arad could do anything, she swung her foot up, crushing his ground with her steel boots. As Arad''s hands dropped her sword, she swung a right hook right at his chin, knocking him to the ground. "Got skill, but I''m still faster than you." She grabbed him by the hair, dragging him toward the stage, She red at him, "I don''t sense the witch''s curse on you, so you aren''t controlled by her. Interrupting an execution is punished by death." She then looked at the people, "I''ll cut your head after her." The people cheered her, thrilled that they''d see a second execution. The witch giggled, "Why not just kill him with your sword, it''ll be faster." "Like you, he has the right to exin himself before the people before getting his head chopped by the guillotine." She looked up at the stage, "Cut her head off, I''ll get this one tied down." Arad''s eyes were closed, but his fingers slowly opened up. Chapter 984: The Four Cardinals Chapter 984: The Four Cardinals ? As the inquisitor dragged Arad on the steps to the stage, the women started ulting, cheering her victory. Thud! Arad smacked his hand on the steps, standing up with a quick punch toward the inquisitor''s lower back. Her eyes shifted back, jumping up to dodge the punch. She had realized why Arad wasn''t knocked out, it was therge muscles of his neck, that dampened the impact to his skull. While mid-air, she swung her sword down at Arad''s shoulder, aiming to cut him open. But Arad lifted his hand, catching her de mid-air with one hand. She gasped, "By the sword?!" Arad''s arm was reaching its limit, but with how he was hunched, he could lift the inquisitor by her sword. "Do you drink oil?!" Not having time to figure out where Arad''s raw power wasing from, she swung her leg at his open face. But just before her foot could kiss his face, he disappeared. nk! The inquisitornded on the ground, looking in front of her, Arad was nowhere to be seen. At the tip of her sword, she could see the fairy lying on it, clipping her nails. With a bewildered face, the inquisitor cried, "The hell you are?!" "Never seen someone like him." The fairy smiled, "I can''t let you have him, he''s mine." She had shrunk Arad just before getting hit and allowed him to run toward the guillotine. As the inquisitor faces the fairy, Arad returns to his true size and lunges at the knight holding the guillotine''s rope. The inquisitor swung her sword, shaking the fairy away before striking at her. "Get out of my way!" Like a fly, the fairy easily dodged the shes. "You get out of my way." The fairynded on the inquisitor''s nose, ring straight at her eyes. "He''s interested in that witch, but I''ll still not allow anyone to get between him and me." The inquisitor wasn''t clueless, with a single look at the fairy''s face, she knew what she wanted. "So you''re helping him get with another woman? Yeah, get out of my way." She tried to punch the fairy but missed. The fairy flew around the inquisitor andnded on her head, "He''s cheating on me...cheating... another woman... Well, the more the merrier." She grabbed the inquisitor by the hair and red down from her forehead into her eyes, "Care to join as well?" The inquisitor was getting tired of this fairy, her kind is known for being unpredictable. Wherever they go they leave a mess that no one can clean. Her body sparked with lightning, and the fairy got jolted. The spark forced the fairy to fly away, smoking from her wings. Taking that chance, the inquisitor swung her sword at the fairy''s head. She must stop Arad before he releases the witch. As the inquisitor''s sword neared the fairy''s head, it nged, sparks flew everywhere as a massive figure entered the scene. "My guts are always wrong...they told me to stay away from this mess, so I came to help." Balon red at the inquisitor with a smug smile. "Baldy!" The fairy gasped, "Did you grow a brain?!" Balon deflected the inquisitor''s sword and blocked several of her swings before she got him in the face with a punch. "Sadly no, as you can see, I''m here picking a fight with an inquisitor." The knight in the back had released the rope and the de was racing toward the witch''s head, Arad had no way of stopping it besides one move. He clenched his fist and threw a punch as hard as he could, pinning the de right above the witch''s neck with a straight punch that applied force to the side. Arad immediately swung a kick at the guillotine''s de, ripping it from its frame, and jumped over the witch. "Can you cast curses?" "Not in those shackles, remove them." She replied as he tore the ropes holding her down. Arad looked at the steel shackles, he couldn''t break those with his bare hands now that he was a human. "Can''t now, we must get the keys." He looked around, the knight had jumped at them, swinging his sword. Arad punched the knight''s wrist, forcing him to drop his sword, and dropped him with a kick. "Use magic! That''ll be easier." The witch stood stuck to Arad''s back. "The inquisitor is capable ofrge storm magic, she can st this whole vige but won''t do it. Use your magic to kill her here where she is forced to not use her magic." This world had severalws, but one of them forbids the use of powerful magic inside cities. Since the inquisitor would be endangering the people''s lives, she wouldn''t break thatw even in a situation like this. "I too don''t want to kill anyone. See, all the knights are still alive." Arad was still keeping his promise to Mira. "Damn it! We''ll all die and this would be for nothing, kill her and be done with it." The witch smacked him on the back, and he sighed. "Fine." The moment Arad lifted his hands, putting them together everyone froze in ce, sensing something horrifying. As if everything went dark, the witch who stood beside him couldn''t even breathe, in that fraction of a second she regretted asking him to use magic. [Elemental Expansion:..] magic sparked inside Arad''s chest, but immediately stopped as a voice called, panting for air. "Wait....for... me..." Mary arrived on horseback, waving her hand for everyone to stop. "The priestess?" The inquisitor red at her but Mary was too exhausted to speak, only waving her hand. "We need to talk...Lady Cryptman." Mary stood with tired legs, she didn''t run a lot, but that was enough to drain all of her energy. The inquisitor, Mesharra Cryptman. Her family is a prestigious one that spanned tens of generations of grave keepers, they operated the massive graveyard of the region for centuries since the days of their grandfather who was nicknamed the Cryptman. But instead of taking on the family''s business, Mesharra who was blessed with powerful magic went on and became an inquisitor, hunting criminals and heretics to bury them in her graveyard. Mary looked back at the people, "I''ll inform you of detailster...but the witch''s execution is postponed until further notice." After getting all the people to leave, Mary approached Mesharra. "I know you want a lot of things exined...but believe me, I got a reason. Not a good one, but at least an understandable one." "So she?" Mesharra red at the witch who was mocking her. "She lives for now...as long as he wants her to remain alive." Mary''s eyes shifted toward Arad and Mesharra''s face rxed, a deep sigh escaping her lips. "I got a guess..." Balon cracked his neck, "I guess, this is all for me." He looked at Mesharra, "I hope you won''te for my headter. Will you?" "Depends on her exnation. The crime of interrupting an execution is death, the crime of resisting an inquisitor is death, and the crime of jumping into a judgment stage without permission is a fine of at least ten thousand gold coins." She looked at him with a passive face, "And since you''ve done it in front of the whole vige, there is nothing I can do about it if her exnation doesn''t help you." "So I''m fucked..." Heughed, looking at Mary, "Say, am I fine?" "Well...my exnation doesn''t include you... so yes." She replied with a worried smile. "Wait! Are you serious?" He looked scared for a moment, but when Arad''s voice came from the back, Mary smiled, "Let him be...he was helping." "Now it includes you." Mary giggled. Relieved, Balon walked away, waving his hand, "I don''t if you''re a rich noble, a general, or a member of the royal family, but nice to meet you." As the knights cleaned the ce, Arad and the rest retreated to the inquisitor''s special carriage. It was enchanted with magic to be bigger from the inside and had severalyers of sound and light-blocking magic. No one can see or hear anything that happens inside it, a perfect ce for secret meetings, interrogations, and anything that must be kept a secret. Arad sat alone with the fairy sitting on his hair, facing him were Mary and Mesharra, the witch was forced to sit on her knees on the ground, her neck only a hair strand away from Mesharra''s sharp de. "So, care to exin who is he?" Mesharra asked, looking at Mary. Arad removed his cloak and she spoke, "Arad Orion, the one the goddess spoke about." "Guessed it..." Mesharra sighed...the moment she saw Mary rushing in was the moment she guessed that the intruder might be Arad.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Really! I hit the jackpot!" The fairy flew to Arad''s face, "I knew it, your magic felt nothing like anything of this world." "Wait! What?" The witch cried, looking at Arad, "What such a holy being want from me?" "To use you as a test rat for his magic." Mesharra red at her. "The goddess gave him the freedom to experiment on people, but he''s indeed a holy man, opting to use criminals instead." "No." Arad said, "Mary can use holy magic, the fairy..." He looked at her. "Plum Rosa, the twisting spiral beauty. Nice to meet you, darling!" Plum replied with arge smile on her face. "Plum can use size magic, and this witch can use curses." Arad finished his sentence. "I want ess to those types of magic in my journey as they''ll be useful." "I have a name, Echidna. The witch of thorns." The witch growled. Chapter 985: A Divine Warning Chapter 985: A Divine Warning ? "I must reach Yog''s tower on the other side of this world, and quick." Arad said as he looked at the four women sharing the carriage with him. "I know it''s a ten-year journey, but I want to finish it in a month or shorter." Mary looked at him, her eyes half closed as her mind wandered, thinking about the church''s resources. "As I told you before, that might be impossible to achieve, even with the power of magic." "Said the useless priestess." Echidna smiled, "A thousand souls would be enough. I''ll conjure a curse to teleport you there in a minute." Before she could finish speaking, Mesharra smacked her on the head with the scabbard of her sword. "Shut up, witch." Mesharra red at Arad, "Even if it''s you, I won''t tolerate the unjust killing of innocent. We can either get the kingdom''s resources on our side and arrange a quick trip, but that still might take a year. I can also try and find a lead to the court wizard, might get something from them." "Who are they?" Arad asked, interested to see this all-knowing wizard. "I don''t know." Mesharra shook her head, "Their identity is kept a secret by the kingdom. No one had ever seen him or her, some even suspect that there are multiple court wizards and that the kingdom keeps them just in case one dies." "Forget that." Plum jumped in, closing Mesharra''s mouth with both of her hands. She then looked at Arad, "I got a way to send you there in hours. I can use nt magic, so I''ll build you a massive slingshot and fling you over there. Simple and easy." "How aboutnding?" Arad stared at her with a lifted eyebrow. "Ah...don''t worry about that, we''ll figure it out when we get there. I''ll be going with you." She flew and sat on his head, "One spring made of wood should work, I hope." "I was thinking of using something like this, a carriage propelled with fire and wind magic." Arad exined the concept of his carriage and all four women stared at him with confused faces. "Are you sure?" Mary looked worried. "Bitch! You''ll die!" Echidna burstughing. "You''ll be flying over kingdoms with this? They''ll shoot you down without asking any questions. It''s illegal to fly over kingdoms without a written pass." Mesharra leaned back, "It''ll take a while to get you the passes for each kingdom." "My n would avoid that!" Plum looked at Arad, "As you won''t be flying with any magic. If it''s legal for birds, it''s legal for us." She puffed her chest with a proud smile. Arad sighed, trying to think of another way. "You five seem to be having fun, let me join." A voice came from above. When they looked, they saw Lilia{Yog} sitting upside down on the ceiling of the carriage, ring straight down at them. The four women paled and froze in ce, none of them could even breathe. The one above them was the goddess of their world, the one and only Yog. Why is she here? Did something go wrong? ^Is she here because of what happened in the church?^ Mary was terrified, thinking this was because of the angel''s incident in the church. ^Shit! Leave me alone until I die!^ Echidna''s mind started racing, thinking of a way to escape. They didn''t remove her shackles yet so she can''t cast curses. She now thinks Yog came to im her since she survived the execution. ^I messed up...^ Mesharra reached for her sword, ^This is because I let Echidna live, I must finish her off to please the goddess or we''re all dead. "Sorry!" Plum screamed, bowing vertically to Yog{Since she''s floating mid-air} "About what?" Yog asked with a confused face. "About this morning...I''ll go clean it at once." She looked both scared and worried, but unapologetic at the same time. "Clean what?" Yog was still confused. "My snot...the one I wiped on your statue...you''re here because of that, right?" Plum looked at her for a second. "Ah! About that, I won''t care even if you...GAH!" Arad yanked her out of the ceiling by the head, "Why did youe?" "My tiny head!" She cried, teleported out of Arad''s hand, and appeared sitting on Mary''s shoulders. "I came since you''ve gathered a weird assortment of oddballs here. You''ll have your hands full fiddling with them, I hope you''ll keep some time to learn magic." "I''ve got ess to holy and cursed magic, I got someone who knowsw well and a fairy with size magic, that should help me get almost anywhere." Arad looked at her, "If I yed everything well." "But their abilities are going to be wasted if you aren''tpetent enough to make good use of them." She looked at the woman, "Arad''s mission isn''t reaching my tower, that''s the test to prove he finished his mission. The mission is learning magic, or at least the important half." She giggled, "No one needs to know how to shift fire into roses or how to summon infinite cookies that are stolen from all over the world." "Can''t we just find him a magic teacher? That would be faster and safer for everyone." Mesharra looked at Yog with a questioning face. "I would''ve taught him magic myself if that was possible. This man in front of you is a real hard-head. He learns best by trial and error, he''s not made for the books." She smiled, "And let me warn you, I have his power sealed now, but I have to give them back once he finishes this trail." "So?" Echidna looked at Yog, "Is that supposed to be a problem?" "He''ll be able toe to this world on his own, I have no way of stopping him." She looked at Plum, "You''ve sensed something strange from him, didn''t you? Fairies are sensitive to mana." Plum flew and sat on Arad''s head, "I don''t know how to exin it. It''s like an earthy smell, deep and aromatic roasted coffee beans that are finely ground into powder. It''s abnormal." Echidna looked at Plum and then at Yog, "The fucker is a dragon, can sniff him from a kingdom away." She red at Arad, "And a stupidly powerful one at that." Yog started pping with an excited face, "Hoo! The witch is quite sensitive as well, Arad is indeed a dragon." She teleported to Arad and appeared sitting on his shoulders. "Married two women and turned them into demi-goddess, chewed a god''s face off, killed demon lords, and wreckedyers of hell. There is no one in this world of mine capable of defeating him." "So you''re saying..." Mesharra looked at Arad, "We better be obedient if we garnered his wrath, he''ll back to kill us." Yog''s eyes shifted to Echidna, "I came for you. Don''t you dare do what you were nning for, you''ll only end up making an enemy that no one can save you from." "Tch..." Echidna clicked her tongue, looking away. "She was..." Arad sighed. "Trying to control you with a curse? Yep, her n would''ve worked, until the part where you got your power back." Yog looked at Echidna with a mocking face, "What a sad end you got in that future." "He''s too strong for me to control?" Echidna stood and sat beside Mesharra, strangely, Mesharra didn''t bother pushing her down. "No, you would''ve kept him under control even then. The problem woulde from someone else." And Arad smiled in the back, "Doma, right?" "Two seconds after you regain your power Doma would''ve already decrypted Echidna''s curse, taken control of her body, taken her to the za, skinned her alive before everyone, crucified her, and cursed her with immortality so she''ll suffer for the rest of time." Yog looked at them, and especially at Mesharra, "If you think Echidna is a bad enough witch, just wait until youn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om discover the horror of Doma." "Doma...I''ve heard of her before." Echidna looked up, "Thirty years ago, her name was written in an ancient scroll." "Doma doesn''t live in this world." Arad looked at her, "Probably another person with the same name." "No, that was Doma." Yog looked at Arad with a smile, "She has experimented a lot with magic and managed to discover this world, but she was only able to reliably send objects. She tried sending monsters than humanoids but all of them died." "Should''ve guessed that." Arad leaned back, "Do you think it''s possible to reach your tower in a month?" "Worried about time? Don''t worry, it''s possible, but I say you''ll fail. In the best case, it''ll take you a few months. For now, reach the next city and help its lord." She jumped off his shoulder and started floating, "Those four would give you advice, but remember to stay as Arad. Don''t let any of them influence you too much." PING! Yog disappeared. "The next city?" Mesharra looked at Mary, "The closest city is Domiros, and it''s lord..." "Sir Arthur Cumalot." Mary looked worried, "I''ve heard his many children are fighting over his position now that he has grown old." Chapter 986: Domiross Lord Chapter 986: Domiros''s Lord ? Arad''s carriage stopped right after the city of Domiros. Unlike the previous vige, this was a muchrger urban area with tall five-story buildings made of stone and steel, flying carriages going everywhere and countless magical lights illuminating the streets. Domiros looked like a modern city that had evolved with magic instead of science. What Arad thought was arge vige appears to have been nothing but a tiny undeveloped rural vige of farmers and shepherds. The carriage stopped by the massive gate and several battalions of knights surrounded it. All of them were riding on brooms and flying carriages armored with steel, pointing staves, wands, and swords at the carriage. "Unregistered carriage, the entry must be announced a day before, exin yourself!" Balon who was driving looked worried, turned toward the back seats, and knocked on the window. "Excuse me...what am I supposed to do? My men are held at de point." Mesharra slowly opened the door and looked out, her eyes flickering with magic, "Is there a problem?" As the captain of the knights saw her and sensed the magicing from her, his expression immediately changed. "Inquisitor Mesharra! Please forgive us, this is just a routine inspection of suspected carriages." He rushed to greet her. "I know. I''ve got a VIP in the carriage, prepare us a path straight to the lord''s mansion." The captain of the guards saluted her and rushed to order his men to back away. Balon looked relieved and he looked back at Mesharra, "As expected of Lady Inquisitor, one word and they were all shaking in their boots."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Mesharra gave him a cold look and went back into the carriage. Balon sighed, she was always distant and reclusive, like a lone wolf, or a bear more likely. "Stright to the lord''s mansion?" Echidna looked at her, "Can''t we walk around, smell the roses, and have some fun first?" "Work is work, the lord''s servant would provide us with anything we might need. The most important thing to Sir Arad is reaching the goddess''s tower as quickly and efficiently as possible." Mesharra replied, ncing toward Arad who was immersed in a book, reading about the basics of illusion magic. Mary was asleep with her head on hisp and Plum had found afortable bed in his silky hair. The carriage scooted through the city''s busy street guarded by the knights until it stopped in the middle of the lord''s mansion garden. Balon and his hunter group were given paid tickets for the best Inn in the city while Arad and his group were greeted by the lord''s headmaid, a woman in herte forties wearing round sses and with two long braids behind her head. Mesharra walked first out of the carriage, followed by Echidna and then the sleepy Mary. Arad could finally stand with Mary''s head off his thigh, she left arge dent in his leg. He walked out of the carriage and looked forward, seeing the maid giving him a gentle bow. The movements, the stance, the sharp eyes, overlyrge breasts, strange and slow bow, her voice, and where she was looking. As if he was seeing her naked, Arad immediately spotted over fifty weapons hiding in her uniform. She reminds him of Rey and Ray or Da, cute- looking maids who are assassins ready to protect their master. "Inquisitor Mesharra." The headmaid approached Mesharra and bowed even deeper, "I am Rosaline Citros, headmaid of the Cumalot household. Wee to our humble abode, you and your guests." She lifted her eyes, looking straight at Mesharra, "May I inquire what brought you to us? So I can inform the master while you rest from your long tiring trip." "I am here for..." Mesharra was about to speak but Arad walked between her and Rosaline, a smile on his face. "Inquire? Now that''s funny, isn''t it?" He looked at Rosaline''s eyes. "The lord was informed by the knights that Inquisitor Mesharra wasing to his mansion and hid away. He sent you here to prey on Mesharra''s reasons and attack if anything were to harm him, right?" She red at him with bloodthirsty eyes and Arad returned the grin, "Hit it, right? Of course, he''ll fear fire having a stack of hey inside his mansion." "Shut up, stranger." Rosaline growled at him, not moving an inch but Arad could notice she was getting ready to attack. "Seen people like you, maid. Give up, a master who won''t stand in the front line to fight isn''t worth serving." He towered over her, "Where is he? The mansion''s lord, I came here to sort his problem, whatever it was." Arad wasn''t sure if the lord himself had a problem, or if that lord was the problem itself that this city suffers from. ^Judjing by the maid''s reaction; he is indeed hiding something bad enough that someone like Mesharra would target him.^ But just when Arad was thinking that a voice came from the second floor of the building, "I''ming down, wait for me for a bit." Roseline backed away and stood, keeping a sharp re on Arad until the city lord came out, walking on his own. He was an old man in histe sixties, yet still stood like he was in his early twenties. White hair and a thin beard decorated his jawline, his sharp green eyes glowed with magic and his deep voice hummed through the air. "I am Arthur Cumalot, young man, you seem to have called me, didn''t you?" He patted Roseline on the shoulder so she wouldn''t interfere and approached Arad, giving him a close look. "Not bad for a young man, not every day you see someone blessed with such a body. Are you a hunter...no, a yer inquisitor training under Lady Mesharra?" "We must speak inside, a private room." Mesharra looked at the city lord and he nodded. "Roseline, is the room ready?" Arthur asked and Roseline nodded with closed eyes, "Always is, please follow me." Sitting inside therge room, Arad looked forward to seeing Arthur sitting on the couch with Roseline standing beside him. "What are we waiting for?" He asked. Arthur looked at the door, "My wife, she should be here soon enough." Just as he finished his words, the door opened up and a beautiful blond woman walked into the room followed by two maids. Her blue eyes red at Arad for a second and she sat beside her husband. The two maids joined Roseline and stood behind the couch. Arad could tell that all of the maids were armed to the teeth and ready to attack at a moment''s notice. "Short story long," Plum flew from Arad''s hair and looked at Arthur, "That''s Arad Orion, the one the goddess spoke about. We were told you have a problem that needs fixing, and we came for that." She floated to the table, lifted arge juicy apple, and sat on Arad''sp, munching on it. "I see..." He looked at Mesharra, "Is the fairy''s words true?" "They are indeed true. This is the priestess from our vige and this one is that witch Echidna, you must''ve heard of her. And that fairy used to live in the great forest." She quickly introduced everyone. "We''re all stuck with him for now. Just tell us what is your problem so we can get it fixed and move on." Echidna''s eyes were scanning the room for anything worth her time, but sadly nothing was of value. "The goddess instructed us to help fix your problem, we''ll do everything in our power so please exin as much as you can." Mary looked at him with a smile. Arthur looked at one of the maids that came with his wife, "What do you say?" "They are saying the truth." She nodded. "I see...well, my problem is quite simple. My sons are fighting over my realm even though I''m still alive. At this rate, they''ll tear the city apart the moment I die." He looked at Arad, "Not that I intend to die any time soon, but seeing them fight all day long is quite draining." "So it''s just like that? Where are they?" Arad leaned forward, "Mesharra, what do you say?" "It''s a simple problem, inheritance hasws. Bring them all here and I''ll fix the problem in an hour." Mesharra nodded, happy that the problem could be fixed with ease. "Well, I might not be able to gather them all at the same time." Arthur looked a bit worried. "Why? Are they out?" Mary looked at him with a smile, "We can wait for them." "Well, some of them are indeed out, but I can''t call them all at once, they won''t fit. There are too many of them." His words took a few seconds to sink in and Arad finally asked. "How many?" "Around seventy-one sons," Arthur looked extremely worried. "Seventy-one?" Echidna gasped and Plum spat the apple she was chewing, "Where did they alle from!" She red at Arthur''s wife. "I have four sons and two daughters with him. The other wives got some too..." She replied with a smile, "The rest are with the maids, servants, and mistresses." She looked strangely happy. Arthur has eleven wives, twenty-two mistresses, fifty-five maids, and twenty-three servants all of which he has an active rtionship with and are living in this mansion. As his wife was exining, Arthur corrected her, "This week the maids would be fifty-six." "Yeah, we should prepare a party for her." His wife suggested. Arad poked Mesharra, "Is this normal here?" "As long as the involved parties are okay with it, thew doesn''t care about how many are married or who. But I''ve never seen such a case, at most I saw four." She whispered to Arad. Arthur looked at Arad, "I can call them in groups, will that be okay to start working on the problem?" "We have a bigger problem at hand." Arad sighed. "Yeah...but...not like we can do anything about it." Mesharra was already getting exhausted. Echidnaughed, "Well, I want to see how deep this runs." "First, I like to stop it from spreading." Plum was already holding a pair of scissors. "Chop! Chop! Time to harvest some nuts." Chapter 987: Take Responsibility! Chapter 987: Take Responsibility! ? "We can''t do that." The first thing Plum could think of was violence, and Arad wasn''t going to let her have her way. "It won''t even solve the problem." "It''ll prevent it from getting worse." Plum sat on Arad''s head, sharpening scissors that no one knows where she pulled them from. "The only ones having a share in his wealth are the sons of the legal wives, and even between those sons, the oldest one might get everything if the king had chosen that. It''s not for you, nor the children to choose." Mesharra red at Arthur, the city was indeed the property of the king, not the lord. This mansion, wealth, and everything rted to it belong to the king, who leases them to the nobles to rule on his behalf. As long as the nobles collect taxes and keep peace and order, the king generally lets them profit from thend however they want, as long as itplies with thew and doesn''t harm the people. In fact,moners can ownnds and have them written in their names, while noblemen can''t. Mesharra exined the writtenw and made sure Arthur understood that the reason nobles aren''t allowed to ownnd is so that in case they betrayed the king, they would be left with literally nothing. "I understand thew, but I don''t want to differentiate between my wives. I want them and all of my children to be treated equally." He returned the sharp re back to Mesharra. Arad looked at him, "They are being treated equally, all thrown beneath thew equally and given their rights based on it. We aren''t using two differentw systems to take someone''s rights." "I''ve got a quick solution, two in fact." Echidna smiled and Mesharra red at her, she knew whenever this woman spoke, she spit poison. "Don''t give anyone anything and return everything back to the king, he''ll decide afterward." She lifted one finger, "And if you still want your family to keep ruling the city, how about you put them all into an arena and give thend to the winner?" Either give nothing or throw all of your children into a death battle royal to see whoes on top. Strangely enough, Arad felt that Echidna''s first suggestion made sense...albeit it felt like she only said it so Mesharra wouldn''t shut her up immediately. Her second suggestion would result in a lot of deaths. "Don''t even think about the second." Mesharra growled at her, "But for the first one, the king would immediately give everything back to the eldest son of the first wife. You''re onlying back to my suggestion of applying thew and be done with it." Mary looked extremely worried as she found herself almost unable to speak between Echidna and Mesharra''s sharp res. She poked Arad, whispering to him, "Can''t we...just gather them to speak? We''ll use the church in this city, they are bound to listen in a holy ce, I doubt they''ll start arguing." "Depends on how each one of them respects the religion. Yog is the sole goddess but I doubt their faith is the same." He sighed, his head hurting. ^This is going nowhere...^ [Hahahahahahahahahaha!] Yog wasughing her ass up inside his head, adding to his head ach, [How are you doing? Is the problem too easy for you?] ?Shut up, this is a mess. There is no way to equally treat each son.^ He was already getting exhausted just thinking about it. No matter how he looked at it, splitting the city apart is bad, and going by thew is bad. No one has ever ounted for such a case. [You too have too many wives, I thought you''d be just the guy to solve Arthur''s little problem. What are you going to do when your sons grow, are you going to just sit and let them fight? End up like Arthur? You''re a dragon, right, but I doubt you''ll want to outlive your children, do you?] ^I''ll not get in this mess in the first ce, I''ll...^ Arad paused, "You''re right, I won''t get in this mess.^ Something clicked inside his head and he looked up, his eyes glowing purple. He could see it, the path to solving this problem. "I see..." Arad started giggling, "Can''t believe I forgot, of course, that''s crucial." Heughed and suddenly shifted his re toward Arthur. None of the four women were right, but none of them were wrong as well. They all provided solutions, but never to the real problem. Plum got close, but Arad couldn''t be sure if it was just like or if she actually knew the solution. The maids behind Arthur pulled their weapons and in a second they were already surrounding Arad, holding their swords to his neck. All while Plum, Echidna, and Mesharra held them at de point. "Touch him and I''ll skin you all." Mesharra growled at the maids. "Can''t use curses, but test me." Her fingers were already wrapped around one of the maids'' necks, her nails digging into the soft flesh. Plum''s eyeballs were fully red, burning with magic as a sharp and vile smile crossed her tiny face. The whole mansion tumbled as she giggled, "This doll house is built with wood, right? Want me to toss it into the monster-infested forest?" Her hand was touching one of the maids'' neck, and the maid felt something wiggling inside her stomach. "Seem you didn''t chew your beans well. This might hurt." Plum''s magic controls nts. She wants to use it to grow some of the beans that survived the maid''s digestive system and rip her from the inside. Mary was confused, her face switching sides as she gasped, trying to understand why everyone got suddenly so violent. "Sit down! Sit down!" Arad waved his hands with a smile, telling the girls to sit. They obliged and the maids remained in their ce. "That includes you two." His eyes red at them and then switched to Arthur, "Get your wives away or I''ll kick them back myself." "Let him talk, get back to your ces." Arthur sighed, his wife holding his hand as the maids backed away. "Sorry for the maids..." Before Arthur could finish speaking, Arad kicked the table into the ceiling, "Wives, those aren''t your maids, that''s their job. To you, they are your wives." The wine that was on the table sshed everywhere as the table shattered on the ceiling. Arad stood, and so did Arthur, "It''s time you took proper responsibility. Get to work and prepare a decent portion for each of your children. You''re a noble that can''t ownnd, but your children can." Roseline jumped between them, "Arthur, keep a safe distance from him. He''s dangerous." "There is no safe distance from me." Arad replied with a smile and the women behind him remembered, the magic he was about to use in Echidna''s execution. They didn''t what that was or how it would work, but they were certain of one thing, it was going to st the whole ce. Roseline''s eyes shifted between Arthur and Arad, if there is no safe distance from Arad, she must make one, and there is only one way. In the blink of an eye, she pulled a dagger from her waist and swung at Arad''s neck. If he''s dead or dying, there''ll be a safe distance. The two other maids rushed in, swinging daggers at Arad''s chest and stomach. Everything happened so fast that Arthur couldn''t even see it, but Arad saw it in slow motion. He pulled his left leg back, going into a low stance as he reached for his sword. His eyes traced a line linking all three daggers together, and in a fraction of a second, he drew his de, shing all three daggers with a single swing.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Mesharra couldn''t believe her eyes, the way Arad moved with a weapon, it was nowhere near how he moved against her. Those were Alcott''s moves, a backstep counter. At Echidna''s execution, Arad wasn''t willing to kill anyone or cause a scene, but now his problem with Arthur almost became personal. Since Yog said they both look simr, it got under his skin. He won''t kill or harm anyone, but destroying their weapons is back on the table. The maids gasped, their dagger exploding in their hands as a loud crackle thundered across the whole room. Without a master swordsman, they won''t be beating Arad in a sword fight. The only one in the room capable of matching him was Mesharra. With a single step forward, Arad threw his hand and grabbed Arthur by the face, lifting him up. "If you''re worried they are going to fight over your wealth after your death, then spend the rest of your years making sure they each get a slice of life. Make them merchants, buy themnd, teach them crafts, and spread them across the kingdom." Arad started walking with Arthur toward the window and pushed him against it. Arthur struggled, unable to free himself from Arad''s iron grasp. The maids lunged at his back, but Mesharra stopped them with Plum''s help, even Echidna caught the sword of one of them with the chains of her shackles. "He''s above thew." Mesharra growled. "Get your dirty sword off my man!" Plum gasped. "He''s my free get-out-of-jail card." Echidna stared at the maid with a smile and then jumped above her, wrapping the chain around her neck, and started choking her. In the back, Mary had locked the room and restrained Arthur''s wife. She was quite worried about how the situation developed but had trust that Arad knew what he was doing. "Listen, man...you can''t give birth to children and then leave them hanging...it''s your responsibility to raise them well, get them to behave well, and make sure they aren''t harmed by powers beyond their capabilities." Arad pushed Arthur harder against the window and it started cracking. "I don''t need a goddess scolding me and using you as an example." Arad''s face finally shifted into an angry one. "Take responsibility! I''m not here to fix what you birthed!" The window shattered and the two fell out. Chapter 988: The First Bossfight Chapter 988: The First Bossfight ? Arad and Arthur crashed onto the soft bushes and flowers of the mansion''s garden, scaring away the gardener working there. She ran back to the tool''s shed with a terrified face and stared back, her fingers shaking. As the dust cleared, she saw Arad standing straight with Arthur still in his hand. Arge cut was burned clear on the mansion''s wall, the wooden beams still oozed smoke. That was a three-stories fall yet Arad and Arthur seems unharmed. Fighting dragons included a lot of falls, especially since the dragon''s most loved way of killing people is carrying them high and dropping them to their deaths. They loved watching their terrified face as they fell to their doom. Any newbie trying to face a dragon must learn how to survive falls and Alcott had made sure to drill that into Arad, even if Arad can fly and would seldom need it. That skill included using all of his joints from toes, ankles, knees, hips, spine, and neck to absorb the impact shock and transfer it to his arms, where he can release it in a powerful swing. "We''re outside, aren''t we? I felt the flowers." Arthur couldn''t see anything with his face covered with Arad''srge palm, but he could tell where he was and he giggled, "You''ll regret going outside with me." Arge shadow engulfed the whole garden. No one could miss it, a powerful presence resting on the roof. Chirp! Chirp! Arad''s eyes slowly looked back, and they opened wide. A massive bird... the thing had four limbs in addition to wings, that was a griffin sitting on the roof of the building, staring at him with a curious gaze. It wasrge, almost twice asrge as normal griffins, and far too muscr. It was big enough to swallow a human of Arad''s size whole. A powerful monster, A+, probably even an S-rank threat. While in Arad''s world griffins were wild monsters rarely tamed by anyone, in this world, they alongside wyverns weremonly trained as mounts for war. The golden feathers on its chest, the shiny beak, the glowing red eyes, and the brown talons with sharp ck ws. A royal griffin, the one usually leading packs of griffins in the wild. Judging by its size, this griffin was well-fed and trained, grown up to be mounted in the deadliest of wars like a warhorse. "She''s a sweet baby, isn''t she?" Arthur giggled, "A royal Wargriffin." The griffin jumped down from the ceiling with a loud chirp, crashing right on top of Arad and Arthur. The whole mansion shook and even the houses beside it cracked. Arad was pushed back to the wall, holding his head. He did manage to dodge the impact, but the shockwave still sent him flying back, and his head was hurting like hell. Touching the back of his head, Arad''s palm came drenched in blood. He must''ve hit a solid part of the wall too hard for his human body to take. But at least, he couldn''t feel any cracks in his skull. "Tis but a scratch." He stood and started stretching, flexing his arms back as if warming up. Suddenly moving in his human form seemed to be quite exhaustion if he wasn''t ready for it, it''s better to warm up his muscles and joint before going head on in a deadly fight. He looked forward as the dust cleared, seeing Arthur riding on the griffin''s back. ^Giving me time to warm up, what a generous man...^ Arad almost giggled. Arthur looked back at Arad, seeing him stretch. ^Is he mocking me? Bastard isn''t even trying to preventing from mounting. I''ll smash that arrogant face of his in the dirt. Coming to lecture me in my own house. A The city lord pulled a sword from the sack on the griffin''s side and pointed it at the sky. "Youe to my home to lecture me? I''ll see that you know your ce! Face first on the fucking dirt!" [Wee to the first boss fight. Arthur Cumalot, lord of Domiros. He''s too powerful for you to defeat head-on, and you''ve only got one way to beat him. Use magic to win in the dragon''s most favorite style.] ^I bet that chicken is loyal, this fight won''t end even if I knocked Arthur down. I don''t have enough firepower besides elemental expansion to kill it, so I''ll have to find another way. That''s why Yog said I can''t win... which means... let gravity do its job. Chicken can''t fly, I''ll knock this one out of the sky...^ Arad smiled, but a thought quickly came to his mind. ^Just don''t tell me he shoots spells from above that thing...^ Arad was a bit worried, he''d be at a severe disadvantage if man started flinging spells down. And as if answering, Arthur fired a lightning bolt at him. He barely dodged it and growled, "Ah...shit." With a powerful leap, Arad rushed forward, throwing his steel sword for the lightning bolt to get pulled into, and made his way between the griffin''s legs. The griffin tried hitting him but Arad was far too nimble, like a motivated cockroach, sliding into the garden''s tool shed. The griffin stopped chasing Arad, and Arthur didn''t attack since the gardener was also one of his women and she was hiding inside the shed. "Get out!" Above his sword, a golden lightning bolt beckoned death, awaiting for Arad to peek his head out. Arad slid into the shed and looked to the side, seeing the gardener hiding beneath the workbench, closing her mouth with both hands, terrified to the bones. "Don''t get out, it''s kind of ugly there. And I don''t just mean your husband''s face." He approached the workbench she was hiding beneath and scrambled through it, picking a small bag filled with nails. "This should work." Arad looked again at the gardener, "I''ll make his mug even uglier." He then approached a pile of tools that had several shovels, pickaxes, and strange spears. From that pile Arad picked arge shovel and kicked the spade out, leaving only the wooden handle. A wooden pole for him to use as a weapon. "Now...to cook thatrge chicken." *** As Arthur kept a sharp eye on the shed, one of the windows suddenly shattered with something flying out at blinding speed, covered in the old drapes. ^Does he think he can trick? Celia can''t move that fast and if she did she''ll be already dead.^ Covering himself wasn''t going to save Arad from Arthur''s lightning-fast judgment, and Artur dropped the biggest lightning bolt he could on the moving object, charring it to cinder. "Fool! Did you think I can''t..." Arthur gasped; the one beneath the drape wasn''t Arad, it was nothing more than a bag of old fertilizer. From behind the shed, Arad silently flew out and swung his arm, throwing the nails all over the garden with a single swing. Arthur knew nothing about Arad and if he did, he would''ve known that Arad would nevery his hands on someone who couldn''t fight. Celia was far safer around Arad than with Arthur himself.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As it rained rusty nails, Arthur looked around in panic, spotting Arad running toward him with magnificent steps, carefully avoiding each nail as he iled a long wooden pole. "Do you think this will save you?!" Arthur swung his sword and fired a massive lightning bolt. The lighting bolt twisted, changing its direction toward the nails on the ground. Arthur stood shocked, normal nails shouldn''t be enough to pull lightning, Arad''s must''ve done something to those nails. Arad is capable of using the basic forms of magic like fire bolt or lightning hand, weak spells that can''t even kill a human with a single hit. Lightning hand is akin to a taser, mainly used to incapacitate people. But Arad had used it to charge the nails, making them far better at attracting lightning. With precise magic control and sufficient output Arthur should still be able to surpass the nail interference, but that would be wasting far more mana than he can handle, resulting in his mana running out after just a few attacks; If he got careless, he might even pass out. Arad could still try and dodge the lightning bolts so it wasn''t a good gamble for Arthur to take, forcing him to give up on his lightning magic and focusing on meleebat with the assistance of his trusty griffin. Arad used the wooden pole to jump up, racing toward the griffin''s wings. He needed to knock Arthur down or he won''t get anywhere with this fight. The griffin was waiting for such a moment, immediately turning aside and swatted Arad down with his wing. For war griffins, attacking their rider was a far toomon a tactic and they have been taught how to protect their rider first and foremost. Arad won''t be getting anywhere near Arthur with simple attacks and moves, that was clear from that short interaction. ^Didn''t need an order from Arthur to strike me down, she''s well-trained.^ Aradnded on his feet, circling around the griffin like he wasn''t hit. The women watching from the window looked at the fight in awe, "Wait! Wasn''t he a swordsman?" Mesharra gasped. "He''s here to learn magic, right?" Mary looked at the fight, "He isn''t casting any magic." No matter how she looked at it, Arad was pushing the fight toward a physical one. "No, he''s using magic. Just not directly." Plum had a smile on her face, "He''s smart." Echidna giggled, "Magic isn''t just for sting stuff. He''s using it to render Arthur''s powerful lightning magic useless." She could see Arad''s magic spread all over the garden, each tiny nail pulsed with his magic, interfering with lightning magic and reducing its uracy back to almost nothing. Arthur growled, "Fine! I''ll show you what I''m made off!" He pointed his sword at Arad, charging the biggest lightning bolt he could ever cast. A smile crosses Arad''s face, his left fist holding four long nails between his knuckles like ws. It wasn''t just Alcott who had great fighting techniques. Arad threw the nails at the griffin and swung his wooden pole, dodging the griffin''s attack as he nailed her. WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! A nail onto each of the griffin''s arms, head, and chest, all crackling with Arad''s lightning. The ones Arad mimicked was no one else but his wife, Mira, her moves were tailored to her human body, but Arad could push it a bit further using his superior physical strength and speed. Arthur didn''t even notice the nails and the griffin was trained to endure hits and keep fighting, no one knew what was going to happen next besides Arad. Arthur fired his massive lightning bolt, and it immediately struck the griffin, disorienting her and leaving her wobbling like a newborn calve. The divine moves of the newborn goddess of greed were too much to predict even for the seasoned Arthur and his well-trained mount. In that fraction of a second Arad had already jumped aboard and was standing face-to-face with Arthur, "Yo... a nice roasted chicken you have here." "He''s dangerous..." Echidna gasped, "Far too smart, I''ve never seen magic being used like that. If I passed curses with nails like that..." Chapter 989: The Sky Belongs To The Dragon Chapter 989: The Sky Belongs To The Dragon ? Arthur hadn''t reached his position out of luck. He had worked tirelessly for years to be a city lord. He had started from nothing, a mere kid hunting birds in the wild to sell. From those days he discovered his talent in training animals and started teaching the birds tricks, and he then transitioned to training cats and dogs, until life brought him to the point of training wild drakes for the army to use in battle. Using his talent he rapidly climbed the military ranks, quickly graduating from a mere drake trainer into the officer responsible for training warhorses and scout eagles. One year pushing another, he found himself in the middle of an elite group working under the kingdom to experiment with the possibility of training griffins and wyverns so they couldpete with the other nations in arealbat. Despite hisck of sess in training wyverns, Arthur discovered a way to train griffins that had pushed him higher and higher through the ranks. He wasn''t a talented fighter; so he couldn''t get the rank of a general, but his power and influence far surpassed other officers. Arad swung his wooden pole at Arthur, and Arthur deflected it with his sword, an angry growl burned on his face. "You!" The two shed, Arad''s swings made his wooden pole look like a violent fan, and Arthur''s de sparked under the sunlight, shining brightly. With one powerful sh, Arthur managed to cut Arad''s wooden pole in half. Wood was no match for his enchanted de, Arthur had the upper hand...if he wasn''t facing Arad. For a fraction of a second, Arthur could feel it, a cold shiver tingling across his back as he looked at Arad lifting the two halves of the pole. Something about those moves, they didn''t belong to a seasoned fighter, they belonged to someone who had gone far past mere skills. Arad swung the two halves together, catching Arthur''s de between them, shattering it. Alcott''s fighting style is that of a weapon master, he had trained to use anything that came into his hand as a weapon and had taught Arad the same, it didn''t matter what they held, it was a deadly weapon between their hands. Arthur immediately realized that a close fight wasn''t something that he could win, he even started to doubt that even the most powerful of generals could keep up with Arad''s rough and extreme fighting style. This was the first time he saw someone that doesn''t flinch when their weapon was destroyed. ^This is bad...usually destroying someone''s weapon would give them a severe disadvantage, but destroying this man''s weapon only made him change his style. That''s bad, I shouldn''t have shed his quarterstaff.^ Arthur had seen Arad holding the pole and prepared to face someone with a quarterstaff, but now found himself fighting an opponent using two clubs. [Lightning ThuderDome] A powerful thunder boom exploded from Arthur followed by a lightning spark, sting Arad away in the blink of an eye. He rolled on the ground, crashing back into the tool shed. "To the skies!" Arthur pulled on the griffin''s leash and she flew with him into the heavens with thunderous ps. He looked at Arad with a raging face, "Let''s see you reach me here! I''ll st you into nothing!" He started charging a massive spell. Arad jumped out of the tool shed, holding a shovel in his hands, he likes them a lot. ^That chicken... she''s finally flying.^ Arad remembers Yog''s words well. She said to finish the fight in the dragon''s most favorite way. Even if he''s stuck inside a human''s body, he''s a dragon after all, and doesn''t a dragon live dropping things off the sky? [Knock it down!] Yog''s voice boomed inside Arad''s head and his draconic nature started to arise. Blood rushed into his head and sweat rushed down his palms, therge smile on his face quickly faded behind the blinding sh of fire. From beneath his feet, a massive fire explosion erupted like a volcano, sending him flying into the sky. The women inside the mansion cried, protecting their faces from the shockwave. "Explosion magic?" Mesharra gasped and Echidna immediately growled at her, "No, that''s fire magic." "What is he attacking!" Mary cried, looking at the charred ground with a shocked face. "No, he''s flying!" Plum pointed at the sky and they saw Arad''s body smoking toward the flying griffin. As he lost momentum, he propelled himself further with another explosion, reaching the flying beast in a second. Through all ages, dragons lived high peaks and gravity, they''ll look down upon theirnds from the tallest perch, and drop their prey from the clouds, watching as it cries in terror, awaiting its inevitable death. Even Arad himself had found beauty in gravity, learning its magic and constantly using it whenever he had the chance. Pushing people and creatures off ledges and cliffs, droppingrge monsters from the clouds, and knocking birds out of the sky. That was the dragon''s way, for they alone shall rule the skies. Arad lifted the shovel up, ring at the griffin with arge grin on his face. ^Get down, the sky isn''t big enough for both of us. ^ Arad thought, and at that moment, the griffin could see the massive draconic shadow behind him, the royal predators of the sky. She wanted to escape, but it was already far toote she had trespassed on the sky of a dragon. Arad swung the shovel down, elerating its spade with a third explosion, smacking the griffin''s head as hard as he could. The shovel exploded on the griffin''s head, and the beast fell to the ground, smoking. Arad could endure falls thanks to Alcott''s techniques, so he wasn''t harmed, using a tree to slow his fall. While the griffin hit the ground as hard as it could, ripping a massive crack across the mansion''s side. Arthur who rode her coughed blood, barely surviving thanks to the soft feathers of the griffin taking the hit for him. Arthur looked through the dust and smoke, seeing Arad approaching them with arge smile on his face and fire leaking from his mouth. "Now, are you open to listening?" Arthur growled, taking a stance. He looked back, the griffin was standing up, injured but still could fight. It wasn''t umon for griffins or wyverns to get knocked out of the sky with a cannonball, so taking falls was a part of their training. "He should be hurt as well, let''s..." As Arthur spoke, the griffin pinned him to the ground with her w. He gasped, coughing blood. "What...are you doing..." He cried. The griffin dragged Arthur with her, slowly backing away from Arad while keeping her head down and her wings dragging on the ground. Arthur immediately noticed she was terrified ofn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om something. She had once taken on five fire-breathing wyverns alone and won a few explosions, and mes couldn''t scare her... it was something else. "She''s scared." Arthur''s wife gasped, noticing that the griffin''s behavior was a natural one, albeit they only did it when young and facing arger predator. Trying to look submissive while slowly backing away, making sure to look as small and non-threatening as possible. Monsters shouldn''t understand intricate stuff like Arad being sent by the goddess Yog, so the griffin''s reaction was purely natural; in her eyes, Arad was arger predator than her, enough to make her submit even when she had been trained for decades. [The fight is over; you won.] Yog''s voice boomed inside Arad''s head. [Don''t ever forget. Dragons'' main advantage is the skies. When fighting, try to seize that for yourself no matter what.] If Arad could already dominate the skies in his humanoid self, dominating aerialbat with his draconic body would be far simpler, no matter his condition. The reason he used explosions instead of a fire jet is because a fire jet would consume more mana than a few powerful explosions. Efficiency and domination are the keys to mastering magic. Arad must first grasp the reality of the area he''s fighting in and choose what spells and what form to use them in. [Your first three lessons have ended. The personality one is to never let your family get out of hand like Arthur; it''ll be a mess to deal withter on. The magic one is that the strongest spells aren''t the ones that deal a lot of damage; they are the ones that give you an advantage in battles. The dragon lesson is to always take your fights into the sky; that''s where dragons arefortable and where your enemies struggle.] The fight ended in Arad''s victory, and he dragged the defeated Arthur back into the mansion to be treated for his wounds. As the maids patched him, he listened to Arad''s lecture. "You''ll go out. Make sure that you give each of your wives and children their rights. Spend the rest of your years making sure your children won''t kill each other after you." Chapter 990: How Much Did you Learn? Chapter 990: How Much Did you Learn? ? Arad walked out of Arthur''s office, following one of the maids to his room. "Please wait a moment." Mary rushed after him, "Are you sure this is all we need to do?" Arad looked back at her, "Yes." Yog had already confirmed that Arthur''s problem is solved, what remains now is up to him and how he''ll spend the rest of his days. It''s not like his sons are suffering, they are doing fine and just having their father''s names opened a lot of opportunities for them. What Yog wanted was for Arad to make sure Arthur would make himself more apparent in each of his children''s lives, and do his best to support them in any way possible directly. That would make sure that none of them would feel left out and potentially be a problem after Arthur''s death. What Arad is now interested in is checking the strange cast he has achieved. Besides the properties of the spell itself, the casting method of magic has three variables. Speed, uracy, and power. Speed is how fast the mana flows out of the caster''s body and can be amplified by a wand. uracy is the precision of the spell''s aim and targeting, which can be increased by a crystal ball. Strength which is the size of the manaing out at any given time. That can be increased by using a staff. To nerf Arthur''s lightning he had used the electrified nails to draw the lightning and reduce Arthur''s uracy. And to fly he modified the speed and power of his fire magic to turn it into an explosion. Till this point, Arad had thought that casting speed was just as it seemed. The higher his speed, the faster he''ll be able to fling the spells. And that casting strength would mean his spell power would go up as it goes up as well. That understanding was both right and wrong. Right as it works like that, but wrong since that exnation isn''t deep enough. Arad walked into his room with Mary following him. He sat on his desk and pulled a clean paper and a charcoal pen. "Look at this." He started drawing. "This is my current casting speed and strength." Arad wrote 50MP/second for speed and 35MP/second max output for strength. This means that in one second, he can only cast spells of up to 35MP cost each, and no more than 50MP can escape his body in each second. This means that in a single second, he could cast two spells, one is 35MP and another of 15MP to saturate his casting ability. Any individual spell can''t exceed the casting power{35MP}, and the total mana flowing in a second can''t go past 50MP. "This is how magic works, right." Mary knew the basics, "So, where is the difference you''re talking about?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "This is the difference." Arad circted the 35MP/second for his casting strength. "The body doesn''t just spit a solid 35MP, it''s not like that amountes out and the rest of the second is empty. The body gradually releases it. The limit of casting strength is in the body''s magic circuit ability to hold mana, like how much air you can hold inside your lungs. Speed is how fast you can exhale it out." He lifted his hand and it glowed faint blue with magic. "Have you ever heard of the waves of magic? The things wizards use to track or identify magic belonging to different people." The magic burned above Arad''s hand like mes, flickering and twisting. "I don''t get it, does that matter? As long as the spelles out and does its job." Mary tilted her head, staring at Arad''s magic. She then went and picked a chair, sitting beside him. Echidna and Mesharra knocked on the door and walked in, followed by a cheerful Plum, "My dear! I came back!" Plum raced to sit on Arad''s head. "What are you doing?" Mesharra pulled a chair and sat down, Echidna did the same and they looked at the magic around Arad''s palm. "Are you showing her your magic waves? Want you to find something you made with magic?" Echidna looked closer at Arad''s palm, "It''s extremely strange...like something is off about your waves." "I know." Arad smiled, closing his fit, and quickly lifted a finger, igniting a candle me. "Look at this, a clear stream of fire, a basic fire magic." "Candle me." Mary mimicked it, almost all people in this world could use that magic, it was the mostmon spell, [Candle me], and is used to light fire for cooking. "Well, how about now?" The mes danced and popped, crackling in a firework-like series of small explosions. "Is the spell failing?" Mesharra looked closer but quickly noticed that it wasn''t the case, Arad was intentionally making it do those crackles. "The body releases magic in small increments, those are what result in the natural waves of each person. While being aware of them, controlling them is rtively possible with enough training." Arad smiled and Echidna gasped, "Wait, you aren''t..." "Yes, I''m turning off some of those small increments, resulting in a shattered wave, which takes the form of small bursts like this." He looked out of the window, "I used this on a small scale to turn my fire magic into explosion magic. As you might expect, turning off some of those increments means I''m saving on Mana as well." "Wait! You can do that?!" Mesharra stood, "How is that possible?" She couldn''t understand, such a small nuance of magic, no one would spend years training to achieve it, especially without a clear benefit or a proof of function. "I don''t get it as well." Mary leaned back on her chair with a thinking face, "I saw the explosion, but why not just st forward with fire? Is the saved mana worth it? Is that all?" "No." Arge grin crossed Arad''s face and they couldn''t tell if he was happy or angry, but it was clearly something that had gued his mind for a long time. "This simple concept had got me nearly killed...She must''ve felt like she was facing a toddler..." He could remember Isbert''s emotionless face as she stood fine after taking his destruction sts. As she slowly lowered her burning finger, that white me he saw before getting incinerated. ^Now that I understood it, I can feel nothing about that besides utter shame...shit...she was that far more skilled with magic than anyone I''d ever seen...^ He thought, but suddenly stopped, ?No...Yog is probably far more skilled.^ "Look at this." Suddenly, the fireing from his finger started shifting, instead of bursts it switched between fire and ice. "Manaes out in waves, the wave that swings up makes fire and the side that swings down makes ice. To create fire with magic the spell must first gather the water in the air, separate it into smaller particles with a spark, and then burn them by adding heat with magic." The smaller parts Arad talks about are oxygen and hydrogen, he became aware of them thanks to his void magic being able to both turn matter into energy and energy into matter. "When those particles burn they release water vapor, which the lower side of the wave freezes into ice by sucking heat out of them, and then the upper wave starts, separating the frozen water into smaller particles with a spark and circle keeps on repeating." Arad looked at the four women with a grin, "That''s right, fire and ice magic are the same. The same spell, but going in reverse." He waved his hand and the magic stopped, "Same for cold and heat magic, they are the same thing. So with this, I can conclude that fire, ice, heat, and cold magic don''t exist, they are merely an illusion." The room suddenly felt hotter, and almost immediately felt much colder, "This is the only magic that is real." [It''s called Temperatur magic. It controls the temperature of anything in its range. With it you can freeze water into ice or burn the air into mes, it''s much more powerful, but still tooplicated for most people to be able to understand let alone use.] Yog''s voice came into Arad''s mind "It''s called Temperatur Magic. And I''m not done yet." He flicked his fingers and lit the candle on his desk. "Look at this." He rested his hand over the candle, "Depending on how well a caster can control temperature magic, absorbing heat and storing it as mana inside the mana circuit is possible." He could clearly remember Isbert''s face, "It''s hard doing it with natural fire and would be even harder against magical heat generated by another wizard. Besides understanding the magic waves, you must have a full understanding of how much your magic circuit can support, how fast it absorbs heat, and how fast the opponent is outputting it. Otherwise, you''ll die burned from the inside out." At first, Arad thought that the skill gap between him and Isbert was nothing more than a few steps, but the more he knew about magic therger the gap between them seemed to grow. Now he can''t even see the peak of the mountain she stood upon. "Absorbing and reflecting the heat of my spells back onto my face like that...forget being a toddler, I must''ve looked nothing more than an angry baby trying to bite without even having teeth." He could feel the blood rushing behind his eyes and his ears getting hotter, rage swallowed from deep inside his head and seeped out his burning eyes. He was enraged at himself, thinking that he had learned magic while still not even being close topetent with it. [Don''t feel bad about it. You''re already far past the lower cast of the lesser gods in terms of magic, heck I''d even say you''re doing far better than most great wyrms while still being one year old.] Yog giggled inside his head, [Shall I set it straight for you? How far do you know about magic?] ^Go ahead...I''d rather know how much I still have to learn.^ Arad sighed. [I''ve been studying magic since before time itself was a thing. I didn''t just spend billions, but trillions of years researching and studying it, far harder than you ever did. That''s why I''m the goddess of magic and the bearer of forbidden knowledge.] He could hear the smug giggle in her voice. ?So, how far I''m now?^ [Take a needle, submerge it in the sea, and take it out. If the sea is magic, the water on the needle is how much you learned. Partially nothing. You didn''t even scratch the surface, but what you achieved is far more than most living beings achieve.] Arad sighed, a bit disappointed. [But don''t worry, by the end of this training I''ll make sure you at least know a cup''s worth instead of just what the needle lifted.] Sheughed, [But, if you''ll consider sucking my toes, I''ll teach a bucket''s worth of knowledge.] ^Suck them yourself. I''ll learn what I can on my own.^ Arad leaned back, thinking about what he should experiment with next. [I do suck my toes regrly, so you don''t need to tell me to do it. I''ll set you on your next destination to learn] ^I didn''t need to know that.^ Arad growled. Chapter 991: Plant Control Chapter 991: nt Control ? Arad looked back at the paper before him, "Magic is far moreplex than anything I had ever expected. What can you four do?" Arad knew that Mary was good with Holy magic and that curses were Echidna''s specialty. He had also heard that Plum could use some powerful nt magic, but besides basic information, he knew nothing about what they could achieve. Especially since they are in this strange world that relies on magic.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I''m a spell sword..." Mesharra slowly turned to look at him, "But I can use weather magic, the ability to summon rain, storms, or fog. But I do have some basic illusion magic as well, like the light clones you saw before." "She''s powerful." Mary looked at Mesharra, "Arthur''s lightning in kids'' ypared to what she can pull off. In the war of Noman''s Valley five years ago she summoned a massive lightning storm that wiped out a whole army." Echidna looked a bit sore as she turned toward Arad, "She flooded the whole swamp where my hut was, wrecked everything. And you know what hurts more? She dried the swam right after so her knights can rush in." "Floods and droughts are both exhausting to pull off but not as much as a full thunderstorm." Mesharra giggled, "Most of her hut''s defenses relied on the swamp so that crippled everything she had built." "And you?" Arad asked Echidna who was slowly getting more irritated by Mesharra''s smug smile. Capturing her was a great achievement and Mesharra made it clear to Echidna that she was happy about her victory. "I can use many curses, but the one I use most is the death thorn." She waved her fingers. The shackles flickered with light and no curse came out. "I can''t show since this one here insists on keeping me shackled like a ve. Can you believe that?" She red at Meshara. "Because you are a ve. The only reason your head isn''t rotting beneath the ground is because he needs you." Mesharra pointed at the shackles, "They stay on until I determine you not to be a threat." "How am I supposed to show him my curses with them on? Take them off." As Echidna and Mesharra kept arguing Plum approached Arad, "Leave those tall giants alone, listen to me. I''ve got some nifty magic here for you to see." Shended on the wooden desk and looked at it for a few seconds, tapping it with her foot. "Knocking on wood, calling on life, my magic controls nts." Branches and leaves started sprouting from the desk as its legs grew longer and wider like tree stumps. Arad could sense Plum''s magic pulsing, and it felt strangely weird. "Wait, your output is flickering. How much are you holding back?" "You can tell?" she gasped with a red face, flying to hug his chest, "We''re indeed meant for each other..." Rubbing her face on his chest, Arad immediately pulled her away from the wings. "AH! I like it when you''re rough!" She floated all over the ce andnded back on the desk, wiggling like a worm. "But, We can''t do it like this. I''m too small and delicate." Her body inted into that of a normal woman. Even her leaf dress grew with her in the blink of an eye. Mary gasped and the two fighting women in the back stopped screaming at each other. "You can do that? I''ve heard about the fairies'' size magic but never seen it in person." Mesharra looked amazed while Echidna grunted, "Seen it plenty." "I can also do this!" Plum deted back into her small form but left only one of her feet at a human size. "I can change the size of specific body parts." She returned her foot to normal size and inted her arm, then grew back into a human size and inted her breasts to be three times bigger to the point they almost burst out of her clothes. She looked at Arad with a smug smile, "See? Ie customizable, unlike those mundane humans. Do you like them t? I can make mine t." She immediately turned into a cutting board. "I can make them bigger." She inted her breasts again to be at least twice as big as Mary''s breasts, which were alreadyrge. Her chest returned to normal size and she started getting taller and shorter, "See? Height isn''t an issue." She then became wider, and thinner, grew her thighs, and then made as think as broomsticks. Seeing her deform and control was like watching a character creation menu with all the sliders going insane, at some point she had turned into a square monstrosity with arge nose and long tube-like breasts dangling down. Seeing Plum fooling around with her magic made Arad crack a smile. She reminded him of Zephyr, dancing half-drunk after swimming in a wine barrel. Are all fairies like this, or are those two somehow rted? "How about your nt magic? You were showing me that?" Arad said and Plum returned to her normal fairy body with a puff of smoke. Shended on the desk and all the branches growing on it disappeared for a second, appearing again in the form of a tiny chair that Plum sat on. "I''ll show you something amazing and scary." She looked back at Arad and her eyes quickly shifted back to Mesharra. "And I don''t care what you think." Mesharra got confused, what would make what she thinks matter? Plum was going to show off her magic, it can''t be that bad, she controls nts and flowers. She could remember Plum shaking the whole mansion earlier, but that must be pushing it a bit too hard, right? Before Plum arge rectangr frame of branches grew out of the desk and an image showed from it, a woman in herte forties cooking beside a firece with a kid ying in the background. The image then shifted to a man shouting in the za trying to sell his fruits and then to the inside of a guards'' post where the guards were drinking in secret, cking off. "What is this?" Mesharra gasped and Arad smiled, "Are you sharing your sense with the wood all over the city?" Plum nodded, "Close, I''m not sharing, I always sense them." The image started flowing backward, showing what had happened half an hour ago. A thief runs across the za after stealing an old man''s purse. "As long as there are wood or nts around, I can sense everything for almost three kilometers around me and even retrieve the memories stored in that wood." A hand grew from the wood behind the guards in the post and pped one of them in the back of his head. The guard looked back surprised but there was no hand, it had already disappeared. Echidna giggled, "Are you saying that everyone in a three-kilometer radius is already a hostage to your magic? You can see and hear everything they say and can even attack if you want?" Just like Mesharra''s weather control, Plum had a massive radius and was far more discreet. What was horrifying about her magic wasn''t just the destructive power, but how she could collect information and spy on everyone undetected. "It''s a scary magic, isn''t it?" She looked at Arad and expected him to be a bit startled about it. Most people either get angry or fearful when learning of her power, but she had a feeling that Arad might be different. Especially after that strange magic, she sensed at Echidna''s execution. "So it''s like a low-power and always active elemental expansion that uses nts?" Arad nodded, "It''ll be useful." "You aren''t scared?" Plum gasped and Mesharra cried, "Do you know how far that power of her would reach? It''s not like my weather magic that clearly shows when it''s being used. She is having it active inside the city without being noticed." "She is holding everyone under the knife while fooling around." Echidna looked at Plum with a smug face, "And you count me as dangerous? She could''ve killed everyone if she wanted at any time." "I''m certain Plum won''t use that magic for evil." Mary looked at Arad and her eyes quickly shifted toward Plum. "You won''t, right?" Arad giggled, "What are you scared of? In my world, it''smon among powerful people to have such powerful magic." He lifted his hands and put them together. Everyone froze in their ces, sending a sharp pain spreading across their chests and even Plum felt her nt mage growing weaker and weaker. "I''m limited now, but asserting control over an area isn''t that hard once you manage to get it right once. We call those elemental expansions." "I bet Plum''s magic would grow weaker if it shed with your weather magic or her curses." He leaned back, "One of my wives can summon a hundred-meter-wide purple sun that roars with sma and divine magic with her expansion. My expansion reaches forty kilometers in every direction and has enough power to more than burn a few cities down in the blink of an eye." He patted Plum''s head, "My world has size, your world has precision. That seems to be the reason I was sent here without my power." Chapter 992: Dad...Save me! Chapter 992: Dad...Save me! ? Yog was sitting at her desk, working on a magic crystal trying to modify it. A robotic maid stood behind her, gently massaging her shoulders. "How is Arad doing?" She asked the maid. "Still alive. He''ll soon leave Arthur''s mansion and keep heading toward us." The maid replied, her neutral robotic voice crackling, suddenly stopping as she scanned for Arad, "Confirmed, he still didn''t leave." Yog looked up, "What time is it?" Hearing her words, the maid backed away a bit. The chair''s legs turned into human feet and it walked with Yog to the middle of the room, morphing back into a normal chair. "We''re almost at noon." The maid replied and Yog shook her head, "I don''t care about the normal time, I was talking about the timeline of the events." She smiled, "And it''s about time." She flicked her fingers and the nk white wall before she shifted into arge screen. From it, she could see Gamond, the great white wyrm walking around Alina, making her way to Arad''s house. She even managed to get past Sebas''s senses, blending into the humans like a traveler. "Look at her." Yog smiled, "Isn''t it rare to see a motivated drakaina at her age? Most get cold and stop caring about such things." The maid nodded, "Gamond is different, isn''t she?" She approached the screen, "She isn''t a normal great wyrm, is she?" "I might''ve helped her once or twice in the past." Yog leaned back, "How long have you been working here?" "Two hundred fifty-five years, six months, five days, six hours and four minutes...six seconds, seven, eight..." The maid counted and then stopped, "My working time keeps changing, listing it is pointless." "Doesn''t matter. What matters is that you weren''t working here at Gamond''s time." Yog stood and approached the robotic maid. "You know there are multiple worlds controlled by different gods across the overgod''s universe, right?" "I do, everyone does." The maid replied and Yog started floating to the screen, "Then look and watch, I''ll show you the story of Gamond, the Ice Age. This had happened almost two thousand years ago." **** Two white dragons retreated to their nest in the icy peaks of the Arctic North Sea, far away from the prying eyes of monsters and humans alike. This was an important time in their life, they were having their first litter of eggs. The mother hadid three healthy eggs,rge, tough, and as cold as ice. The two parents looked at them soon-be wyrmlings with excited eyes. Most white dragons were savage, but they were a bit smarter than the rest and understood the importance of their achievement. For months the two parents took turns hunting and guarding the eggs, awaiting the promised day. White dragon eggs hatch in less than two years when the temperature is cold enough. An adult dragon alone was more than enough to provide the necessary conditions and everything seemed to be going well. One day, as the two parents were in theirir, expecting the eggs to hatch soon, it could happen any day now, something happened. They detected an intruder, a lone human stumbling inside theirir. The father looked out, the human was a little girl, she seemed to have fallen from the frozen mountain above and fallen into the cracks of the frozen wastnd. She is unconscious, probably from the impact. To the two dragons, she won''t even fill half a bite, but to theing wyrmling, she will be an amazing soft meal. The dragon approached the little girl, stared at her for a second, and sighed. "A human kid..." He extended his w and grabbed the little girl, flying out of the crack and threw her on the road. As he returned to the nest, his wife was waiting. She too had sensed the intruder, "What did you find?" "A human kid." He replied with a bored face, sitting beside the nest. "Where is she now?" His wife lifted her head and he shook his head, "I threw her on the road, other humans would find her soon." "She would''ve made a decent meal for the wyrmlings." The wife replied with a smile, looking at the eggs. "I''m d you threw her away." "Are you angry?" He asked with a worried face. "No." She leaned closer to him, "I get it too. She''s but a kid, a human''s wyrmling. Let''s await ours." "Two dayster, the eggs had started cracking, almost hatching." The two parents had already gathered enough food for the hatching wyrmlings, fresh kills of the softest of monsters, mainly seals and pr bears. Suddenly, something exploded outside. The two parents stood in panic, sensing several tens of humans jumping into theirir. The father rushed out to fight, finding himself face to face with over fifty seasoned adventurers. "That''s the evil dragon! Another one should be inside, kill the vile spawns!" The humans were searching for the little girl before and saw him drop her on the road. Now they hade to kill the dragon. A fight ensued. Thanks to their overwhelming numbers the adventurers some of them managed to run past him and reach his wife in the back. She stood guard above the eggs, fighting with all she had to protect them. But there were just too many powerful adventurers, and the two parents could use their great magic with their now fragile eggs nearby. The fight didn''tst long before the father got killed, his head shed from his head as he took a hit instead of his wife. The wife ended up stabbed by over fifteen spears, her whole body jolted by magic. She fell beside the eggs, seeing a fight jump in, and kicked one of them into pieces. The unhatched wyrmlin growled, dying secondster. As the mother slowly died of blood loss she saw the adventurers crack her eggs, one after another killing all the wyrmlings. But, when they kicked thest egg, the wyrmling rolled in panic, this was fully developed. "We killed them dragons!" One adventurerughed, "We''re gonna be rich!" Forced out of the shell the poor thing was in pain, terrified, and confused. The adventurer who kicked the egg jumped in and immediately stabbed the wyrmling with his sword, "Almost got away." He looked back with a grin on his face, "Say, how many women can I buy selling this one?" Seeing her wyrmling still alive, the mother could feel her heart burning and the bloodless veins of her body crackled with magic. She threw her arm forward, pushing the adventurer away and covering the wyrmling in her w. As the other adventurers jumped to finish her off, she threw the wyrmling deep into theyer. The wyrmling looked back, seeing her bleeding mother''s face as the adventurers jumped at her. Without understanding anything, the ice beneath her opened up and she fell into the depths of the earth. "No one of our wyrmlings is alive around us." She said, walking past the adventures as they stabbed her. She reached forward and grabbed the w of her beheaded husband. "We got nothing left to protect, dear..." Their bodies shed with magic, exploding into a massive cier that towered over the ravine theirir was in. All the adventurers died frozen in ice alongside the two dragons, and that is where their story ended. The wyrmling rolled in the caves beneath the ground, finallynding on solid stone, and dying of blood loss. The only thing shing across her mind was the image of her dying mother, the humans killing her, and her beheaded father in the back. Even if she wanted to shake that horrid image out of her head, that was all the memories she had. Since the moment she was born a few minutes ago, that''s carnage is the only thing she saw. Her bleeding wound froze into ice as something seemed to tear inside her head. She pulled the sword with her jaw and crawled on the ground. Four yearster, the vige beside the dragon''sir had developed a fair bit. The news of the dragons being dead had given many humans peace of mind and they started surging to inhabit the area. Thanks to fishing and the ice crystal mine, life was thriving in the region. But one night, a loud roar cracked the sky, a very young drakaina stood perched on the highest mountain beside the vige, roaring at the top of her lungs. The vigers woke out of their sleep terrified, they looked outside and saw a massive avnche ripping its way toward them. Before they could evacuate, the snow drowned the whole vige. The snow had snuffed all the torches, destroyed most of the houses, and only left thergest ones built of stone. The people panicked in the darkness, unable to even see their feet. CRACK! The very young drakainanded in the vige, walking across the streets, killing anyone that moved or breathed. After she made it into the middle of the city, something drew her attention, a little girl in her mid-teens stuck beneath the rubble. The young drakaina paused for a second, sniffing her father''s magic on the little girl. It had been years, but she could be mistaken, a dragon''s nose isn''t something to be underestimated. Years after the incident the drakaina returned to her parents''ir and found their corpses frozen in ice and went on a journey to find the humans who killed them. The drakaina pushed the rubble away with her ws, letting the little girl stand up. The girl looked at the drakaina for a few seconds, barely getting her shape under the moonlight. Noticing that the drakaina wasn''t attacking, the little girl thanked her and turned to run back to her parents. The moment the little girl started running, the drakaina bent down and bit her foot, ripping itN?v(el)B\\jnn off. The little girl screamed in pain, looking back in terror as she saw the drakaina munching on her foot. The drakaina ate the little girl''s foot and watched her crawl away, following her across the whole vige. Soon the girl''s parents showed up, her father holding a massive pitchfork. He looked terrified the moment he saw the drakaina creeping after his bleeding daughter who crawled on the ground, slowly making her way toward him. "Dad...save me..." She cried. The little girl''s mother held a burning torch and she rushed to her, "My dear! That''s a dragon!" She cried. "Mom...a monster..." "It''s small, one stab, and it''ll be dead or run away." He pointed the pitchfork at the drakaina. She was norger than a bull, he could probably kill her. The drakaina stared at them for a second and suddenly lunged forward, biting the father''s head off. He felt dead and the mother cried in terror, hugging her little daughter. The drakaina looked at them with a curious gaze and picked the pitchfork with her front ws. The drakaina swung at the mother, stabbing her legs. One stab after another, she kept puncturing her with holes. The little girl cried her lungs out, "MOOOM!" But suddenly a voice came from behind. "MOM...A monSTER..." The daughter froze in ce with fear and the dying mother looked up. The drakaina was the one speaking, "Save me... DAd...Dad...sAave meeee..." The drakaina then started giggling, "We...killed them...dragons...gonna...be rich..." She started eating the still-alive mother, "Say... how many women can I buy selling this one?" The drakaina pinched the girl with her ws. That night, not a single viger survived, all of them were eaten by the drakaina. The only thing found was the little girl''s head frozen in ice. On that grim day, a monster was released upon the world. *** Yog looked at her maid, "The humans sent adventurers to kill her, but she killed them. The kingdom tried ying her, but she killed them as well. One after another, everything that came to y her ended up frozen in ice." She flew back to her chair with a passive face. "She destroyed the kingdom she was in, eating everyone that lived there. The whole world banded together to y this rampaging dragon and sent only the best of the best adventurers, but they all got killed." Yog smiled, "They gave her the nickname Gamond. In that world''snguage, the word Ga meant frostbite and Mond is tranted into the world." "The world freezer?" The maid said but Yog shook her head, "Frostbite is the flesh that died due to the cold. She''s the one who kills the world by freezing it. After three hundred years of constant fighting between the Gamond and the inhabitants of her world, the god ruling that world finally came down to save his people. He banded together with the dragons of that world, summoned angels, and called on powerful devils from the nine hells." "Gamond died and Isbert picked her soul and turned her into a dragon maid." The maid looked at the screen, "She was dealt a bad hand, I doubt she could even speak draconic. No one was there to teach her." "You''re wrong." Arge smile crossed Yog''s face. "She vited them all, everyone died, and she ate them alive one after another. The god, his overpowered army, and everyone he called for help. They all died the moment Gamond opened her elemental expansion and froze the whole world." "How could she kill a god!" The maid would''ve gasped if she wasn''t a robot. "As powerful as she could get, she''s still a mortal." Yog conjured a pen and started ying with it in her hand, "Gamond killed all life in her world, she was thest living being left on that wastnd she created. Isbert was sent to check the world after it was all done." Yog giggled, "Of course, Gamond fought back. But as you expect, she lost to Isbert." She pointed the pen at the screen and a recording of that time started ying. Isbert beat the living hell out of Gamond, brought her close to death, and dragged her back into her world. As one expect, Gamond was a wild beast at the time, acting more like a beast thirsty for blood. Tiamat had forced Gamond into a human form as Isbert asked for it, and the drakaina found herself sitting on the ground, looking at Isbert who sat on her throne. Isbert took her shoes off and threw Gamond a nail clipper. Of course, Gamond didn''t listen so she was beaten by Isbert over and over until she learned how to be obedient. She then was taught by Isbert and the maids there how to write and speak, how to use magic, and how to live a decent life, unlike the wild animal she was before. Yog flipped the image back to Gamond who was walking around Arad''s house, "Now that monster is horny and her instincts are dead-fixed on Arad." "That''s bad...we must make sure she never finds him." The maid said and Yog giggled. As Gamond walked around, Yog appeared beside her, "Gamond, it''s been a while." Gamond slowly turned back and looked at her, "Yog? We aren''t in the throne room so I don''t need to bow?" "Yeah, no need for formalities here." Yog waved her hand and approached Gamond, "I need your help with something." "Fuck off, I''m busy." Gamond growled and turned around to keep searching for Arad. "I''m training Arad and I want you to fight him." The moment Yog spoke Gamond turned back with a shocked face. "You serious?" "As long as you do what I say, you can have your way with him for all I care. So what, are you in?" An evil grin shed across Yog''s face. "What should I do?" Gamond was in and Yog took her back with her. Gamond and Yog appeared back in her tower. "Arad would have toe here soon enough. I want you to act as the final boss. I have limited his powers so I''ll limit you as well." "That isn''t how dragons should fight." Gamond growled at her. "I know, after the final fight I''ll teleport with him into an empty world so you two can kick it off." After thinking about it for a while Gamond agreed and word traveled quickly through Yog''s world. An evil being is trying to freeze the world and the hero Arad and his party must stop her. She had set base in the loweryers of Yog''s tower. Chapter 993: What Have You Done!? Chapter 993: What Have You Done!? ? "How could an evil being set base in the goddess''s tower?" Mesharra looked at the letter with a confused face. Her re quickly shifted to Mary, "Do you have an exnation? She won''t be defeated that easily, would she?" "I doubt it." Mary sighed, "I think the goddess herself brought that evil being. What was she called again? Gamond?" "Yog must''ve brought her." Arad sighed in the back as he was lying on the bed, reading a ck book with a fine leather cover. "That''s goddess is a clown, she can''t do anything without messing around." "You just can''t call a goddess a clown." Mary looked at him, a bit sad. [We''ll, I''m not a clown, but I''m a jester. And yes, I brought her. Gamond the pale death, she had already killed her whole world. A fate not far different from many of your fates.] A giggle boomed from Yog''s voice and suddenly the four women in Arad''s room could hear her as well. [Circumstances might differ, but you were but a hair strand close to turning against the whole world far too many times. Vorvadoss who attacked your wives, didn''t you chase across the empty void and rip countless civilizations of abomination to shred? Didn''t you burn Balony''s whole hellyer for him almost harming Mira''s mother? Didn''t you eradicate all life from ric''syer and almost clean Sawless''syer?] Arad listened in silence and the women around him couldn''t understand a single word, who were those that the goddess was talking about. [When the abominations made you dream of your wives getting killed, yes, do you remember the dream walkers? Didn''t you burn the world to ash in that dream?] "That was a dream, and the other two were a devil lord and a demon lord." Arad replied but Yog didn''t seem too pleased with his reply. [Don''t get too optimistic, I know about you more than you know about yourself. You might look gentle and caring, a docile loving father and a husband. I too love seeing Mira drag you away by the ear, I love seeing you fool around losing a fight with Serin, but everyone knows, you know those are only because you''re still calm and collected. Everyone has a snapping point, humans, demons, the gods, even you. An angry human doesn''t have the potential to cause any real harm to the world, but you''re a different monster.] "What are you trying to say?" Arad growled. [Gamond is you, she is what would''ve be out of you if you''ve lost hope in the world. Go and see how is the drakaina who killed her whole world, and see the monster you''ll be if you can''t control yourself.] "You don''t expect me to defeat a world-ending dragon in this body, do you?" Even Arad wasn''t sure he could do it no matter how much magic he learned. A drakaina that killed her whole world, that sure didn''t sound like something to be trifled with. A lot of beings boast power and might, but very few have actually shown what they are capable of. If a whole world had challenged Gamond and ended up dead, Arad had no reason to think his nerfed self would do any better. [Don''t worry...I made sure to level the ying field. You should be able to face her but I won''t say winning would be anything short of a miracle.] As Arad could hear a faint giggle in Yog he knew that her words were true. He''s sure that whatever weakness she gave Gamond, it''ll only turn the impossible into nearly impossible. Moments before this conversation with Arad, Gamond had already set her base inside Yog''s tower and was now sitting in her bedroom, brushing her hair. She looked out the window, admiring her long white hair, glowing blue eyes, pale skin, sharp face, and muscr body. With each stroke, she could feel her fingers shaking. She had finally found Arad, finally a dragon that might be able to move her frozen heart. She stood and started walking toward the bath, her maid outfit dropping one peace after another until she reached the bathtub fully naked. The bathtub magically filled with icy water and the walls clouded as the frigid coldness of Gamond''s body consumed the air. She must get ready, after all the rumors she heard of Arad, and seeing the all-powerful goddess of magic helping him, she became certain, he might be the one she was looking for. "I mustn''t waste this opportunity, even if I am to lose, I must at least prove worthy of his blood." She lifted her foot and slowly submerged herself in the water, looking at the ceiling, "He''s both a human and a dragon. Cleanse my body with icy water, and my soul with rippling frigid magic." She must be on top of her game. Gamond had been thinking of what she might do when she meets an ideal mate for centuries. Among her endless ns, she had thought of facing someone like Arad who is half a human and half a dragon. She knew Arad was a dragon so she must prove her strength. Coming at him with anything less than murderous violence would be an insult to his pride. No dragon would ever take a spineless drakaina. Arad was also a human, and humans were known for their love for breasts and butts. Gamond looked at her human body, and she had plenty of those. Two massive mountains with pink peaks and a massive crack behind her that isrge enough to dwarf the biggest ice ravine of her old world. In her investigation, she had found that Arad is already married and heard how he reacts to his wives being threatened. While most would see that as a negative, nothing exited Gamond more than hearing that Arad is already married, and with multiple women nheless. "To get that many powerful women and keep them all living together under the same roof. His power must be out of this world." To her, Arad having multiple women beneath him only proved his power and strength and she couldn''t wait to see what is keeping all those women at his side. "His first wife was an elf, and the third is a half-elf..." She looked at her hands, inspecting her long blue nails, shifting them to ws. "Good hands..." She then looked at her pale feet, the sharp ws, and the muscr calves and thighs. "And nice legs....can''t lose to those elves. Can''t believe working as Isbert''s nail clipper for centuries paid out like this." She stood and got out of the path, walking back to her room. From the wardrobe, she picked a pair of underwear, slipped them on her body, and looked at her maid outfit. She won''t need those for a while. She picked the maid outfit and threw it in the washing pin, then went back to the wardrobe and pulled a pure white thin, tight one-piece dress decorated with countless diamonds and glowing sapphires. Gamond looked at her breasts, almost not fitting inside the dress, and then at her hips where the dress looked a bit loose. "Can''t have that." She poked it with her finger and the fibers tightened, defining the curves of her body as if she were naked. She wasn''t messing around and would bring all of her cards to face Arad. She looked at her hands, wanting to wear long gloves but quickly changed her mind, her hand must remain clearly visible to him. Looking down, the dress had a slit that spanned from her hips down to her feet. It clearly showed her leg, but she can''t go to Arad barefoot like this, but at the same time she didn''t want to cover her legs. "Got just the right thing." As she lifted her right foot, a clear ice shoe with extremely long heels adorned her foot, and with another step, the other foot got its shoe. Now her legs and feet are clearly visible and she isn''t barefoot like the rest of her barbaric race. She approached the mirror and inspected herself. She looked great, but there was a problem with her hair. It was silky smooth and flowed with the wind, but that made it sometimes p in front of her and cover her face, or....even her breasts. She turned to the side and lifted her hair up..."Should I cut it? No...I need it long." She quickly found a solution, wrapping it above her head like a tomato and fixing it with countless golden hairpins and diamond jewelry. After fixing her hair, Gamond spun before the mirror and looked a bit uncertain... "Mirror, Mirror of the shadow queen, tell me, what do Ick?" She herself in the mirror started walking independently of her. "It''s been over a century since you asked me for advice." Gamond in the mirror looked with a smug smile on her face. "You better be helpful." Gamond growled, "I''ve granted the mother of all life the right to spark life in my dead world and you were my price. Speak." "You don''t really sound like you need help. You asked for something that could help you get a mate, so I was given to you. Want advice about your look?" The Gamond of the mirror conjured an ice chair and sat on it. "Arad Orion, I want to take him as a mate and we''re to fight soon. I''m getting ready for that, what should I do?" Gamond asked with a serious face. The Gamond of the mirror thought for a second, "Arad Orion, that''s a hard one to appease. Did you talk to his wives?" "Not yet." Gamond replied, "I''m nning to do that after our fight." The Gamond of the mirror sighed, "It won''t matter how you look or what you can do if his wives don''t approve of you. Ae has a soft heart so begging her for a bit might work, Mira would mostly agree if you gave her ess to your ck ice, Isdis wouldn''t reject you as long as you provide profit for Arad''snds, and for Eris... woman is quite the hard head, you''ll have to y around her a bit." "What do you mean by y?" Gamond looked a bit worried. "She''s half a dragon, challenge her to a fight, beat her halfway then stop and beg her to let you in and say that Arad needs more powerful people around him. Lose on purpose and she''ll probably agree." The Gamond of the mirror smiled, "But...I don''t think you called me now for that, you want advice about your look, right?" "What do you say?" Gamond nodded. "The dress covers your back, it needs arge cut to show your back." The Gamond of the mirror walked out of the mirror and looked at Gamond. "Stand, I fix the dress." Gamond stood and her mirror self waved her fingers to magically change the dress. She started by making it backless, making the opening big to the point that the start of Gamond''s butt-crack showed up. She then turned Gamond around and looked at her, "Those two straps are unneeded." She waved her fingers and cut the two straps supporting the dress on Gamond''s shoulders. "Since you aren''t nning on getting out, I''ll push the line as much as I can." Gamond was nning to stay in the tower and wait for Arad. The clone cut the dress from Gamond''s cleavage and almost to her groin, "This would show your beautiful abs, remember he''s a dragon, and the signs of strength are quite attractive to him." With a single tap of her fingers, the dress got fixed to its form, only extending up from Gamond''s sides to support her breasts. And for her legs, only one leg was covered while the other waspletely exposed from the hips down. "Your bra is in the way." She flicked the bra away, only leaving the dress to support Gamond''s breasts. "Now you look fine. No need to put on makeup, it''ll throw him off. You''re already beautiful without it." The clone backed away, staring at Gamond to figure out if she leaked anything. "I''m debating whether you should go no-panties or not...but I think keeping them is best." She gave Gamond a thumb up, "Now, send him the invitation." Gamond cracked her neck and walked toward the balcony, "I can already smell him from here. Being locked into my humanoid form isn''t enough to dull my senses." She lifted her right arm up and a long ice spear emerged in her hand, sparkling with magic. She took a stance, getting ready to throw it. "Wait!" The clone stopped her, "He''s a human now, don''t hit him, and leave something forn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om him to know it''s from you." Gamond looked at the ice spear for a second and then licked it from the base to the tip. "He isn''t a dragon! Smell won''t mean anything, write on it!" The clone protested in annoyance, "You''ll mess everything up if this sounded hateful." Gamond extended her w and engraved a few words on the spear. "Arad Orion, I''m Gamond and I seek to challenge you." "Too formal! Add some love into it, you don''t want to sound like some sort of obnoxious noble." She shook her head and Gamond fixed the spear, ready to write anything else. "Something else...love?" She was a bit confused so the clone smacked her back, "Be bold!" "I''ll help you." Yog appeared behind her, "I''ve written many letters, so let me do it." Gamond gave the spear to Yog, and she wrote several lines. "What do you think?" Yog had arge smile on her face. "Isn''t this a bit much?" Gamond looked worried and the clone freaked out the moment she read what Yog wrote. "NO! Don''t send this, it''s bad, horrible! Change it, your first line is better!" Yog looked at Gamond, "For once, you don''t disagree with anything I''ve written, right? This is a bit too upfront and honest, but this is what you want." Gamond nodded. "Then send it. Trust me, I have my way with words. Arad loves honest people, this is bound to reach his empty heart." She smacked Gamond on the back. With arge smile on her face, Gamond threw the spear into the sky as hard as she could. "NO00000000000000000000000000000000!" The clone cried her eyes, "What have you done!" Chapter 994: In My Fathers Footsteps Chapter 994: In My Father''s Footsteps ? Gamond walked to the balcony and lifted the spear, swinging her arm back with arge smile on her face. The muscles on her arms and legs expanded as she got ready to throw it, and with a powerful swing, she sent it flying across the sky. Arady on his bed, reading his book. He was told that a carriage would take a bit more time to be ready so he''s spending his time learning about the world''s geography and cities. It appears that maps are considered military secrets and getting them is nearly impossible for anyone who isn''t a high-ranking official. Luckily, he got that high-ranking official sitting right now inside his room, sharpening her sword. If Mesharra wasn''t with him he couldn''t have gotten this book without needing to steal it, or at least appease that woman working in the vault. But what shocked Arad more was how everyone reacted to Mesharra showing up, especially women, they swarmed her like flies. She was some sort of idol to them, a symbol of power and dominance. While most of them dreamt of traveling the world and exploring exotic locations, they feared the dangers of bandits and monsters on the road. Mesharra was the one living their fantasy, powerful enough to travel the world, and with her rank of an inquisitor, she was able to go into ces that even the bravest of hunters feared. "Arad..." Mary walked into the room with a silver tter filled with sweets and tea, "I brought you something to eat." Arad sat up, "Thank..." He froze, sensing something strange in the air. His eyes jolted toward the ceiling and his hips rocked back as fast as they could. The ceiling cracked as a projectile flew in, barely missing Arad''s jewels by a hair strand. Mary dropped the tter and fell on her butt, terrified. "What was that!" "An attack?!" Echidna who was fast asleep bolted back up, conjuring a cursed chair from her feet. She immediately dismissed it, realizing that Mesharra had spotted her. Mesharra silently held her sword up, awaiting a second attack, but it didn''te. After confirming they were somewhat safe, her gaze shifted toward Echidna. "Aren''t you chained up with anti-magic chains? How could you cast that curse earlier?" "What are you talking about?" Echidna pretended she didn''t know better, shaking her head around and looking for this curse that Mesharra talked about. Arad crawled away from the spear wedged on the bed between his legs and took a deep breath, that was a close hit. If he hadn''t sensed a faint shift in magic around him and trusted his guts, The would''ve been in so much pain. "Did it hit you?!" Mary rushed to heal him but he quickly waved her away, he didn''t get injured. The two approached the spear and looked at it, noticing that something was engraved on its side. A letter from whoever threw this thing, and Arad had a hunch who it might be even though he still hadn''t read a single word. **** Dear future husband, I write on this spear of ice to inform you of your imminent submission. For I do not know defeat, and I would love it if you''d prove me wrong. It''ll mean this world isn''t as tasteless as frozen food and that my search for something fresh has finally ended. If you''re wondering where I aimed this spear, it''s merely so I can test how fast you can move it. That''s important to me. And about you being married, don''t worry, I''ll take care of them. They are like seasoning the more the better, as long as they get along together. Note: If you''re worried about me being an infertile greatwyrm, I already solved that. I assure you that I''m more fertile than my daughter, I''ll bring her as well if you want to test that. See you at Yog''s tower. Your future wife, Gamond. ****n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Arad and Mary looked at the letter with baffled faces, and he sighed, "Why do they always have to be like this?" He sat on the ground, remembering Lunara. "I just want to live in peace." "I don''t get it." Mary looked at the letter once more, "Is this a challenge or something else?" Arad wanted to exin it to her but he already had his mind full trying to think this through. She threw the spear all the way here from the other side of the world, she isn''t someone he can hope to defeat. This letter was a simple invitation to a traditional draconic marriage, a domination fight. Which was all and fine, Arad wouldn''t mind if dragons proposed to him like this, but something about this letter rubbed him the wrong way. She''s waiting at Yog''s tower, meaning that he has to approach her and be the one proposing. Which he can''t do since he''s already married, she should be the oneing to face him. But now he has to go to Yog''s tower to get out of this world. Yog had yed everything and is now trying to force him into proposing to Gamond. Considering Yog''s sick mentality he''s certain she had ced multiple cards in Gamond''s hand to assure her victory. Gamond being able to throw the spear around the world is the proof. The first part of the letter talked about how she wanted to make him submit and that it would be extremely unlikely for her to lose. She knew that Yog gave her the advantage and would use it to the fullest. She doesn''t expect an easy win but is certain she won''t be the loser. The second part seems weird. The part of her aiming the spear right at his family jewels seems a bit strange as if written by someone else. Which Arad suspects to be the clown giggling inside his head. In that second part, she also alluded to his wives, her words didn''t seem like a threat but might as well be considered as such. She knows of his wives, and she wants him. If he were to lose, the best case for his wives is her keeping them around as her ves. He doubts a dragon would look at humans with an equal eye, especially someone of her power. She hadpared them to spices, but Arad still thought she was a far stronger one that would overpower everything else in the pot. It doesn''t matter if she wants to get along with his wives or not, just by her existing they''ll get pushed away. The note was a scary one to read even for Arad. She is a great wyrm and with her power, he wouldn''t expect anything less. But what did she mean by being fertile? Great wyrms are infertile, there is no doubt about that. This means she was infertile at some point and then found a solution to be fertile again. The great wyrm is the second tost stage in a dragon''s life, and it''s the stage where they are the strongest. Dragons keep growing stronger throughout their whole life just by existing, but that would stop at the end of their great wyrm stage as after ites the twilight, thest stage in a dragon''s life. The twilight is an extremely short stage in which the dragon experiences rapid aging and dwindling strength in the few months before their natural death. It''s like seeing a human age thest 40 years of his life in less than an hour after living for 70 years as a powerful 30-year- old. To put it simply, the twilight is the dragon''s deathbed, the moment it starts they know their natural death ising and they usually retreat to a quiet ce to sleep off theirst days. But Arad had heard of a few dragons that surpassed that stage and broke through death with their sheer draconic might and arrogance. That''s the equivalent of a human telling the death reaper to go pound sand as they refuse to die. Surpassing death with sheer will. The few examples Arad knows of are The queens of dragons, the Metallic queen, and the chromatic queen. Tiamat the goddess of chromatic dragons and Bahamut, the god of metallic dragons. If Gamond had surpassed her twilight and found a new power behind it then Arad was about to face an unstoppable force that he would usually avoid like the gue. Thinking about the monster sitting her eyes on him he could only giggle with a worried face. "Hehehe, I''m in danger." Now he''s starting to think that her confidence is warranted. He couldn''t help but their fight would end with his losing, impregnating her, and then ending up eaten as a snack. Arad doesn''t even have an escape path, if he could run away, he would choose to take his wives and run away as far as he could from Gamond, she''s a problem that he doubts he''s ready to face. After thinking about it for a few minutes Arad finally figured something out. "I should ask Father for help." Going to Alcott for advice was the only strategy he coulde up with when dealing with such a powerful drakaina. But sadly, Alcott isn''t here, he''s in the outside world. "Your father?" Mary who was sitting at his said patiently waiting looked at him with a confused stare. She could only wonder what Arad''s father would look like. But as Arad was about to despair, one of Alcott''s lines came into his mind, getting him back on his feet. "Ginger was a far stronger vampire than him, so he became an even stronger vampire, beat her, and then dragged her to his home in a cage." He stood with a smile on his face. "We''re taking a detour." He looked at Mesharra, "Dragons exist in this world, right?" "Yes, they do." She replied. "We''ll hunt as many as we can on our way to Yog''s tower. And find me a storage bag and as many weapons and cannons as you could." Arad only only path forward is to follow in his father''s footsteps. He had already seen Alcott fight many times and should be able to figure out the rest by fighting dragons. "Wait! Dragons are dangerous?!" Mary gasped, thest time a dragon attacked. A whole city was burned to the ground. "I know, but we must try. If I can''t beat normal dragons with ease, we''ll just end up wiped out by Gamond." He stood with a smile on his face, his fists resting on his hips as he pushed his chest forward, "What would father do here? He''ll just find a way to y her." Arad then shifted his gaze to Echidna, "And let''s start here, release her." "She''s dangerous, one wrong move and she''ll curse the whole city to death." Mesharra growled, "She just used a curse and I don''t even know how she did that. We must chain her even more rather than free her." Arad took a step, towering over Mesharra, "I wasn''t asking. Do it. We''ll also search for vampires and werewolves after, I want to gather as many curses as I can and she''s my key to controlling them." Chapter 995: Dancing With Evil Chapter 995: Dancing With Evil ? "Fine...but you''ll have to stop her." Mesharra didn''t look that happy as she turned toward the smug Echidna and waved her hand. The shackles clicked on their own, falling to the ground as if they were never attached to begin with. Echidna rubbed her painful wrists, twisting and turning them as she approached a chair and sat down, looking down at her feet. The marks of the shackles were still clear on her ankles, they probably wouldn''t go away anytime soon. Her eyes shifted toward Arad with a faint smile on her lips. Her nails and toenails shed dark green with curses as her robe started pping, "Now I''m free." ck chains of curses engulfed everyone, coiling around them like vipers. "I don''t care about what Yog wants, so what prevents me from killing all of you now?" Unlike the rest, she couldn''t care less, if fact, killing all of them and running now would be the best case for her. Even Mesharra can''t stop her now that they are in the middle of a city with a lot of civilians. "HEY!" Plum growled at her with an annoyed face, "Stop getting me involved, and my Arad, and Mary she feeds me... Don''t care that much about Mesharra...but leave her alone as well!" She struggled a bit and the chains around her cracked, almost shattering. Echidna was surprised that Plum could even resist her curses at this range, she must be a real monster. Considering the nt magic she showed them before, Echidna was certain Plum could break the chains if she was motivated. Mesharra red at her, "You know you can''t kill. Harm anyone and I''ll chase you to the end of the earth and skin you alive." Her eyes shed golden, "Like Valorina." Echidna burstughing, "Haven''t heard about her for years. Her ranged curses were something to behold." Valorina was a witch that Echidna knew, they weren''t close, but at least had a peace treaty between them. Her ranged curses could kill anyone from any distance by using blood and a sacrifice, she took down countless nobles and royals. The mark of her curse was a body full of gashes and scares that would cause the victim to bleed to a slow painful death. Mesharra had tracked Valorina down, dragged her to the capital''s za, stripped her naked in front of everyone, and skinned her alive until she died. "I''m sure you''ll do it. But you know I''m not one to care about threats." Her gaze shifted to Arad. "Now, what about you? Our not-so-little pilgrim of Yog." The chains around Arad''s body grew longer and turned into thorns, digging into his skin as they crackled with a strange curse. "I would love to take you as my ve. I''m sure you''ll be a treat to have, in more than one way." She stood and approached him, running her fingers on his chest. "What do you say?" Arad''s glowing purple eyes red down at her. He didn''t say a word, but Echidna moved back on her own and flicked her fingers, releasing him from her thorns. "Now that I took a closer look at you...I''ve changed my mind." Arad looked at his wounds and then at her, "That was quick, and I didn''t say anything."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Echidna giggled, "You don''t need to speak. I now know you''re already cursed." She waved her finger and several runes appeared on her hand, "A curse that I''ve never seen before, or at least its mark." Echidna could tell that Arad was cursed at some point with a powerful curse, but all she could see now was the empty shape of that curse, it wasn''t inside his body anymore. Just by looking at the shape and size, that wasn''t just any powerful curse, but something even bigger, thousands of times bigger than any curse she could''ve ever created. "How much?" Echidna''s eyes flickered. "For what?" Arad approached her. "To let me see what that curse, who cast it." She leaned back, "Wait, don''t tell me, was she that Doma you spoke of before?" "Doma isn''t with me now. Won''t see her again until I clear this world and go back to my previous world." Arad replied, "If you want to talk to her, help me get out first." Echidna waved her fingers and a thorny chain wrapped around her neck, tightening around her body for a second. The chains then extended to Arad''s hand, piercing his palm. "How about this?" "A ve contract?" Arad noticed the magic being somewhat simr to the one Ae had, but this one was based on curses. "It''s more than just a ve contract." She looked at her nails, no magic nor curses were surging through them. Her body felt weak, but at least she could sit and talk. "It''s aplete contract. You have the total power in it and I have nothing, on the catch is that I must see this Doma once she''s essible to you." Mesharra red at her, "What are you ying at, witch!" "Unlike you, I know when to suck someone. You might''ve heard of his power, but I doubt you can imagine its scope. I can see it, howrge that curse Doma is and how is she serving him." Echidna giggled, "I can''t even guess how he managed to get her that obedient." Everyone else got released as Echidna''s curses waned now that she was enved to Arad, but none of them moved, waiting to see what Arad would do. "You can fully use your curses. Leaving you like this is worse than being chained." Echidna''s curses returned to her in the blink of an eye and she giggled. "Arad, be careful. That''s witch schemes a lot. Trust her and you''ll be crying at the end." Mesharra was right, Echidna isn''t stupid, she had lived for decades and conjured many powerful curses. She was smiling even on her execution day and had just used curses while chained with anti-magic chains. She had a way to break the contract any time she wanted, no one doubted that for even a second. Arad pulled a chair and sat down facing Echidna, "Vampirism and lycanthropy, do you know those two curses? I want a barrier that allows them to coexist in one body without interfering with each other, or at least reduce the bacsh." Echidna looked puzzled for a second, those two curses can''t merge as far as she know, they are direct opposites of each other in terms of their construction. "I don''t know if it''s possible to even get them both in one body. If your Doma could teach me how to harness such a power, I''ll dly suck her toes for a year." She giggled. "Vampirism as a curse starts like a disease, it resides in the blood and spreads through it. Lycanthropy on the other hand mainly stays in the flesh. You can''t separate them as the flesh needs the blood to remain alive." Arad exined, "A curse barrier can''t separate them, and if left alone they''ll tear the body apart." Arad lifted his hand, "So you oil them up, allow them to slip over one another. Reduce the friction instead of trying to separate them. The curses would slowly learn to live with each other with time." "Still can''t do it." Echidna sighed, how is this man now asking her to lube curses? She had never even heard of such a thing, let alone tried it. "My nails would snap out of their ce if I tried. It''s like asking a man to dig a hole through stone with their nails." Arad''s head turned toward Mary, "Can you get me some things? A barrel of goat blood, ck squid ink, magic stones, hair from a corpse that was dead for at least ten years, desecrated holy sigils, blood, and tears of a virgin, and what else..." He thought about it for a second, "A brush and several sharp nails." Mary blinked for a second, "What will you use all of those things?" She then quickly shook her head, "No, I don''t care. I''ll bring everything, I''m sadly a virgin so we can use my blood and tears, right?" "Witchcraft?" Mesharra gasped and Echidna giggled, "Didn''t expect you know witchcraft, where did you learn it, was it that Doma?" "Doma is my wife, and I''ve got another wife named Eris who needed this to enchant her nails. I''ll rewrite your nails to empower your curses, it''ll be a painful process, but a must if I want you to be able to oil the two curses." Arad leaned back, "This one is even stronger than what Eris got. Doma advised against it since it''ll be too painful." Echidna looked at him with a curious gaze, "Already making me stronger, I wonder what''ll you do if we got a tad bit closer." "This is a risky move." Mesharra approached him, "What will you do in case she turns against us?" Echidna sighed in the back, "Come on! You can''t trust me even when enved like this? Well, I won''t even trust myself." She giggled, "What should I do to make you trust me?" "Die, I''ll trust your cold dead corpse." Mesharra red at her with burning eyes, clenching on her sword. Arad looked at Mesharra for a moment, weirded by her re. She didn''t look like a good person, for some reason her words and expression tingled his back, as if something was off about her. It only took him a minute of staring and a weirded Mesharra to guess what it was. Mesharra stepped away from him, "Why are you so strongly ring at me?" She was confused, "You''re creeping me out." "I see! So that''s how you are." Arad smiled, "This whole thing would''ve been easier had you told me directly." She waved his hand to her, "Come, kneel down." "What''s gotten into you?" Mesharra got weirded even more and started to feel in danger, but Arad''s innocent smile was somewhat alluring. "Give me your sword." Hesitant, Mesharra knelt before him and handed him her trusty sword. Echidna had burstughing in the back and started moving her, saying she was in quite the position to serve. Arad tapped the sword on Mesharra''s shoulder, "I, Arad Orion hereby permit you to use force anywhere. Coteral damage both in objects, lives, or wealth are to be ignored." Mesharra''s eyes opened wide. "From this day you shall serve me and me alone as my sword, you answer to no one but me. Rip and tear until it''s done." He flipped the sword and handed it back to her. She took it with shaking hands, looked at Arad''s wide smile, and could feel her legs losing their strength. Arad had figured it out, Mesharra wasn''t a good person, she''s awful one. He''s granted true freedom by Yog, the goddess of this world so he''s above thew, and now has to use that authority to grant Mesharra''s legal freedom as long as she follows him. Chapter 996: Law And Evil Chapter 996: Law And Evil ? "What do you mean? How many people would die if Echidna and I fought here?" Mesharra red at Arad, "Countless homes burned, souls snuffed, livelihoods wrecked, dreams crushed, hops vanished. It''ll rain blood, no one would be able to take responsibility for such an end." She approached Arad, "What do you say? Hero brought by the goddess, do you think your authority alone could fix that?" Arad smiled at her, "I''m not saying what you speak of is wrong. I''m saying you don''t care." He stood and approached, "You and Echidna are quite simr, both are monsters. She kills for her fancy, and you kill for the royal and nobles''s fancy." "Don''t lump with her. We''re not the same." Mesharra growled back at him, and everyone could feel the two might start fighting any second now. "Sorry." Arad apologized first with a gentle bow, "You aren''t like her, you''re worse. A mindless weapon in someone''s else hand. She might find it in her heart to spare a life, but you won''t, you aren''t allowed to." Mesharra swung her fist at Arad''s face but stopped right before hitting him, her wrist shaking. Arad looked at her with a smile, "See? You can''t even hit me, assault is a thing after all." His expression softened a bit, "I know someone simr, she''s called Lydia, a pdin to a goddess in my world called Amaterasu. But unlike you, she doesn''t im to be good, she only ims to uphold Amaterasu''s will." Arad smiled, "A beacon of light, darkness trembles at hearing her footsteps. She fears no man, fiend, or god. She fought an abomination with enough power to level a kingdom, she punched a devil lord so hard that he started to question his life choices." "You''ve been babbling for a while, get to the point." Mesharra red at him. "Follow thew if you want, worship those nobles and royals who wrote it for all I care. Don''t pretend to be good, understand what you fight for and protect it." He sat back on the bed beside Echidna. "They want Echidna dead since she was killing their taxpayers. If they were seeking to help people, they wouldn''t even risk giving her a chance, they would''ve ordered you to kill her in her hut." Arad looked at Mesharra with a smile, "What would they not do to protect themselves? Everything would be on the table. They''ll change thew in a heartbeat to protect themselves from me and the freedom I was granted by Yog." Arge smile crossed Arad''s face as he looked at her, his eyes burning purple. "I''m not oblivious, I know of the orders you got, that Mary got as well." "There are no..." "We don''t want him to experiment or rape our daughters, pay some of the girls in the slums to surround him." Arad looked at her, "They knew those girls in the slum wouldn''t eat dinner if they ate lunch. When an orderes from a high noble or a royal to sell their bodies, they are forced to take, and for nothing more than chump change." Arad went silent for a second and then growled. "Maybe I should just kill those royals and nobles." At that moment, everyone in the room felt as if they were hit with a hammer on the head. Mesharra jumped back with sweat rushing down her face and back, her finger shaking in fear. Echidna had covered herself in curses, sacrificing her left hand to form a powerful shield around her whole body. Plum on the other hand cried above Arad''s head, jumping into the ceiling, "Arad! Calm down, what was that, I''ve almost leaked!" She looked at him, "Wait, I leaked a bit." Arad sighed, "Sorry about that. This city and the one we were in before are good." He reached for his hair, but nothing was in it. "Arthur seems to have several daughters with the women in the slums so he''s firmly against those orders. And the guards in the previous city opted to hire prostitutes. I''m not mad at them fearing me but at them abusing and exploiting the weak and poor." Arad''s closest friend Jack had grown up and was raised in the slums, he often talked about how hard life was and how some nobles tried to exploit them. When Arad got word of the orders making their way around the city he couldn''t help but feel both enraged and disgusted. Those people are suffering like Jack and his sister did, like how Tina and Mira''s mother did in the first years after their husbands died. "It''swful, they are given an offer of a work to be done. But it''s not good, it''s exploitative, scummy, and quite pathetic...coward didn''t even think of talking with me directly." He smiled, "How about I show them something funny?" "Do..." Mesharra was about to say that she didn''t think Arad would be able to do anything to the king or nobles, and she quickly remembered how he had just beaten Arthur. Arad would probably p the king, and drag the queen''s face on the ground while he''s at it. Echidna jumped in and sat beside Arad, "Did you hear that Mesharra? I''m not the only bad one, I might be the loudspeaker, but I bet you most of the nobles had done more heinous shit than." She leaned on Arad''s shoulder, "At least I was offering herbal medicine to the hunters and poachers passing by my hut. Unlike some little shit decided to burn down my home." She red at Mesharra. Arad''s gaze shifted toward Mesharra, "She was a peaceful herbalist until you provoked her?" "Not me, my previous master. The inquisitor that trained me with the sword and the one I got his medal." To be an inquisitor one must rank up in the army first and at least be amander. They then must be picked up by an inquisitor who trains them, and they''ll get his rank of an inquisitor if he''s to die or retire. "I killed the rotten bastard." Echidna smiled, "He burned my hut, so I set his home aze at night." "With his family and two neighbor houses ended up burned, everyone died." Mesharra red at her. Echidna looked at her with a mocking face, "Why should I care? He didn''t care about setting my house aze." "You weren''t healing people, you were testing your concoctions on them." The two seemed to be about to fight again. "But I told them. If it worked, they''ll survive, if it didn''t, they are about to die anyway. It''ll just be a bit more painful." Echidna giggled, "So they bought it like it''s on a discount." "You started a gue, eight times! Then you took the sick people to experiment on!" Mesharra sat down, already getting tired from trying to reason with Arad and Echidna. "I''ve heard from the other victims, he screamed for five hours as you opened him up alive and pulled his organs out, one by one!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "To be fair, I only pulled his liver, stomach, and intestine out. But thanks to that, his wife''s operation was sessful and she survived. Well, half of her survived." As the two argued over Arad''s head Mary walked in, "I''ve got what you ordered!" Arad pushed Mesharra and Echidna away, "Let''s get to work." He then turned toward Echidna, "Stop arguing with her and go clean yourself. Take a bath, clip your nails, and make sure you''re clean, Mesharra helped her shave any hair on her legs, arms, or back. I don''t want a single hair strand to be left." "Why me!" Mesharra growled. "Hold up! I don''t have any hair!" She showed him her leg. "So you can keep an eye on her. And I don''t care how smooth your skin is, leave one hair, and you''ll be in for a whole night of itching." As the two made their way to the bath, Arad and Mary approached the desk and he started mixing two separate mugs of ink. One for Echinda''s nails, and one for some simple tattoos. Witch''s nail polish acted like an arcane focus to help them cast spells with a higher output. Humans mostly need an arcane focus to cast magic, some rare few can cast spells, they have one output source, witches can have up to twenty by polishing their nails, and all of Arad''s draconic scales are output sources giving him millions of output points. In short, a witch would have at least 20 times the output of an average human in terms of magic, which makes them the mystical and powerful beings living in the forest. The tattoos on the other hand are small inscriptions of magic circles that could be written on the skin like it''s done with scrolls. This allows the witch to cast those spells or buff far faster than without them, and even have a free cast for each tattoo. Scrolls burn when used, but since the witch''s skin is alive and attached to her, it''s infinitely reusable. For example, a witch can inscribe a tattoo on the back of her palm that shoots a fireball each time she flicks her fingers. The first fireball would be cast without costing mana, but then consume the normal amount afterward, this resets each time the witch''s mana gets filled since the overflow of her regeneration afterward will recharge the tattoos. What Arad wants is to increase Echidna''s precision with curses as much as he can help bnce the vampire and lycanthrope curses he intends to enchant his powers with. Mary would be the stand-in healer and Mesharra would make sure they''ve got the connection they need to track down a suitable vampire and werewolf. Plum''s power woulde in handy while trying to hunt those two, she could also help find a decent ce for Arad to transform in. Alcott winged it while fighting Ginger and suffered for years because of that, Arad won''t make the same mistake and will make sure to be prepared beforehand. With both d and ric defeated by him, Arad had quite the confidence that he could tame the violent curses. Chapter 997: The New Era Chapter 997: The New Era ? PS: this chapter is quite long, twice a normal one so grab a drink and put on some music. As Arad was mixing the potion, he drew some of Mary''s blood from her fingertip and mixed it. She immediately healed the small wound and kept helping him, handing him anything he asked for from the back.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Soon, it was time to add the virgin''s tears. She turned around and extended her butt to him, "p it, as hard as you can. I''m quite delicate so I''ll probably tear up just from a small tap." Arad looked at herrge butt with a disappointed face. He pushed her aside and reached inside their ration bag, pulling an onion. "Come here and stop fooling around." Arad finished mixing the ink, but now that he looked at it, he realized how skilled Doma was with her hands. Even with his alchemy skills, what he mixed still looked like mudpared to Doma''s smooth, honey-like ink. "I think this should..." He looked at the mixture with a worried stare. Echidna walked out of the bath with Mesharra, "What''s up? You look worried." "I don''t know, I''d say this is a 6/10. But I doubt I could do better." He looked at her, "Still want to do it? Or should we wait until another time when I mix something better?" Echidna giggled, giving Mary a side eye, "Whatever you stick in me, I''d love it if you stick it again." "Why are you looking at me?" Mary returned the stare. "It''ll work, but the quality would be the same as what I mixed. What won''t drop is the pain." Arad sat on the chair. "When I put the nail polish on it''ll melt through your nails and seep into your magic circuit. It''ll feel like someone is plucking your nails off with a red-hot knife. The tattoos would feel like being burned with a branding metal. But what makes everything is that the pain is doubled, the body doesn''t like it when foreign magic enters the magic circuit." "Don''t worry." Mesharra wrapped her arm around Echidna''s neck, "Don''t worry, my dear friend. I''m here to support you all the way through." She then looked at Arad, "I''ll hold down for you." "Hey! Since when we were friends? You just want to see me suffer." Echidna tried to push Mesharra''s arm away but she caught her in a bear''s hug. "Come on. We took a bath together." She then turned toward Arad, "Sorry about earlier, your word isw, right? I''ll make sure to follow it, where would you want me to tie her down?" "You''ve got an agenda against her, so if thew aligns with it, you don''t care about anything else." Arad sighed. "You hypocrite! You follow thew when it suits you!" Echidna growled as she tried to escape Mesharra''s hug but failed. She far outssed her in strength. "I''ve got something that might help." Plum said as she flew out of Arad''s hair, "But I won''t give it for free." She looked at Echidna with a smug smile. "Is it something that reduces pain? What do you want for it?" The only thing that scared Echidna is the pain, otherwise, she''d get stronger no matter what Arad does. With the pain that he described, there are many things she is willing to pay to reduce it a bit. Plum waved her fingers and a ck seed appeared in her hand. "Royal dryad clove, rare, expensive, and extremely powerful." A smile crossed Echidna''s face, "I used to give normal cloves to people with tooth pain, putting one in their mouth could reduce the pain a bit. Of course, it was better to just get rid of that tooth and heal itter." Arad reached up and took the clove from Plum''s hand, "So, I crush this into powder, right?" "Mix it with a bit of olive oil and turned into a dough. We''ll use it like that." Plum waved her hand and Arad started preparing the clove. "So, what do you want in exchange?" Echidna looked at Plum. "Nothing expensive or rare. Kill the hunters and help anyone you find." Echidna immediately understood what Plum wanted, her ask was simple. She asked her to kill any pixies or fairy hunters that she meets, and also save the fairies and pixies they''ve hunted. This was a longmitment, but it''s not something impossible or annoying. "If I survived this one''s de, I''ll make sure to keep that promise." Echidna smiled and Mesharra sighed, fine. Echidna approached the bed on her own, took her bathrobe out, stripped to her underwear, andid down. Arad looked at her, "You don''t need to strip." "I''d feel morefortable like this." She put one leg on another, resting her head on her palms as she looked at the ceiling, "They got you a soft bed and arge one at that." "That''s a double-sized bed." Arad replied as he kept working on his needles without even looking at her. "I guess..." Echidna looked at him with a smug smile. "I wonder what did they expect." "I bet Arthur expected I would be having sex with you four. He thinks most people are like him, sticking it anywhere they find." Arad replied, checking the needle''s sharpness. It was indeed sharp. "Really? I don''t mind doing it." Echidna turned around and looked at him with a horny smile, "What do you say?" "You know I''m married, don''t you? Keep dreaming. I know you just want to get too close to me so I can get Doma to teach you curses, and possibly take you back to my world, where your sins here might be nullified." Arad finally looked at her, "You aren''t as easy to read as her." He pointed at Mary with his thumb, "But you aren''t that good at hiding your intentions." "Hey! What do you mean by that!" Mary gasped with a red face. "Exactly what you''re thinking. No woman would stick so close to me and be rubbing her chest on my arm, pretending to be just sitting at my side." Arad sighed. "I''ve never seen people act like you three." Echidna giggled, "I mean, even I saw past her innocent smile." She looked at the embarrassed Mary. "But is she as well?" Her eyes shifted toward Mesharra. "No." Mesharra replied. She was another sort of twisted. "And Plum! She''s been talking about..." Mary tried to speak, but Plum immediately stopped her. "Unlike you four, I told him straight. I''ve never seen someone with such a clean mana before besides the goddess. I couldn''t take the thought out of my mind, how sweet will his mana taste." She looked at Arad, "I asked him if I could suck him off a bit and I got half rejected." "Last time a fairy sucked my mana a nymph got born and things gotplicated. I''d rather not repeat that here." Arad stood. "Since I have no responsibilities or sins here I decided to go with him to his world. That''s why I asked Echidna to help the fairies." She looked at them with a tired face. "He''s smart and made me agree to blindly obey him here and I agreed. How do you think he knew about the royal and nobles ploy?" Plum had been using her nt magic to spy on everyone in the city, whispering rumors and what she saw into Arad''s ears as she hid inside his hair. Plum flew down and grew into a human''s size. She grabbed the crushed royal clove and mixed it with a bit of oil, turning it into a somewhat hard bulb akin to a small potato. She approached Echidna, "Time to start, are you ready?" she asked. "Echidna opened her mouth. Let him carve." Plum blinked twice, looking at her, "Think again." She said with a grin. The clove paste is extremely strong but slowly loses its effectiveness over time. Echidna''s body must absorb it quickly so they can get the most out of its effective time. "Turn around. It''ll sting a bit at first before you get numb." After Plum pushed the clove past as deep as she could, Arad came and started working on Echidna''s nails and tattoos. Even with her whole body numb, Echidna still struggled with the pain that radiated up to her head from her fingertips. Arad pained all of Echidna''s nails ck, turning them into output points for magic. He then went to tattoo several magic circles on her body. From what he could see, her body could only withstand four magic circles. The magic circles would be stronger the closer they are to the heart, and activate faster the closer they are to her nails, so the best ce to tattoo them is the exact middle point between Echidna''s fingertips and heart. The middle of her upper arms, right above the biceps and triceps. The spell on Echidna''s left arm was a transformer that made her curses stronger by pulling outside mana, transforming it into curses, and using it to make the curses stronger. It soundsplicated, but it''s simple, pull mana, turn into cursed mana, put into the spells. The spell on her right arm was a reducer, a magic circle that slows down her curses which makes them easier to manipte and control. Perfect to use when precision is more important than speed, and since most curses are slow, Echidna could use it almost all the time. The other two spells were set right around the upper part of her thighs, circting all around her legs and passing right beneath her infragluteal fold. While the two first tattoos went fine, the effect of the clove had started fading and Arad''s inexperience had started showing its weakness. Hecked the precision and gentle touch of Doma. While inscribing the spell on her left thigh he had made a mistake, striking a mana vein at the wrong angle, causing Echidna to cry in pain as if he had stabbed her with a knife. The spell he was writing on her left thigh was curse curse-specific one called earthbound. Once a day, Echidna could step on the ground and turn a ten-meter circle into her binding ground, while fighting inside her mana would regenerate twice as fast. She could also change its modifiers with an equal percentage. 10 meter +100% mana regeneration. 10*10 meter{100 meter}= {100/10}=+10% mana regeneration. Echidna really wanted to use it in her hut so she held onto the bed, trying her best to stay still so Arad could keep working. Of course, the more she moved, the more likely he was to make another mistake. When Arad got to working on her other leg, the numbing effect of the clove hadpletely stopped working. Echidna looked at Plum with teary eyes, but she only had one clove. The spell left to write on her right thigh was also one that she wanted. Arad had already informed Echidna that this spell was the most painful of them all because it was testing the limits of his current abilities. They''ve decided to leave it for the end since it might fail and end up wasting his ink. Once Arad starts drawing a tattoo he can''t start another one until the first ispletely drawn. Since Arad knows he''s bound to make mistakes, he doesn''t want to waste ink trying to fix them so he left it to the end so he can use what is left of the ink and give it a try. The spell is cast bifurcation, it takes the caster''s casting ability and splits it into smaller parts, allowing them to cast multiple small spells at once. But since Arad had already painted all of her nails, this would effectively allow her to cast twenty spells at once with the same power as her previous self before Arad painted her nails. Of course, thises at the cost of mana, pain, and exhaustion, but Echidna wanted that so badly. Casting twenty fireballs at once, controlling twenty small monsters, or even cursing twenty different people at the same time with different weak curses to achieve something. The potential was limitless. "Want to keep going?" Arad looked at her with a worried stare. "Yeah...I won''t back off now." Echidna looked at him with a sweaty face. "Hold her down," Arad said and the other three held her down. Mesharra had arge smile on her face, "I hope you aren''t ready." "If you knew how much I hate you...but now, you don''t know how much I love you. Keep me held in ce, enjoy yourself to the fullest." Echidna red at her with arge grin. She wanted to get this tattoo no matter how painful it would be, and she knew that Mesharra was the one to force her through this hurdle. "This one would need to be linked to the same mana veins that go to all your fingers and other tattoos. One of the reasons I left it forst. Once I start I won''t stop or I''ll be risking to ruin everything else." Arad was sure that Doma wouldn''t have a problem, but with his skill, he''d mess up everything if he stopped. "That means once I start, I won''t stop no matter what you say or do. It''ll be around a quarter an hour of straight pain." He stared at her with glowing purple eyes. "Do it, don''t stop." Plum jumped over Echidna and sat on her stomach, pinning her arms and torso to the bed so she wouldn''t move. Mesharra held the leg that Arad would be working on while helping Mary hold the other leg down. Plum created a small wooden stick for Echidna to bite on and Arad started carving. She held on for only a minute before she broke down, begging them to stop. But even with her crying and begging, Arad kept going as he promised her. In the end, thest tattoos took almost half an hour, twice as Arad expected thanks to the mistakes he made. The moment that Arad finished, the pain disappeared like it was an illusion and Echinda blinked with her teary eyes. The three women get away from her and she sits up, blinking twice. She looked at her arms and legs, and then at Arad, "The pain is gone?" "You feel the pain since this needle would be pushing the ink into your nerves and mana veins. Once I stopped doing that, the pain would stop." He looked at her, "How do you feel now? Are the spells working?" She clenched her fists, sensing her curses. Mesharra looked at Arad, "Making her suffer was fun and all, but I hope you know what you are doing. She was already dangerous and you made her a bigger threat now." She red at the still-confused Echidna. Echidna''s body suddenly burst into ck mes, her hair spiked up and her green eyes dripped curses like water. "Hehehehehehehe..." A deep evilugh escaped her lips as she started pping, cursed red lightning rumbling arcing from her nails. "Haaaaa!" Sensing the magic circting from her nails through her whole body and into her heart tickled her insides, causing her to feel aroused, high on power, and curses. She lifted her foot, looking at the ground with an excited face. The moment she tapped it on the ground and activated both earthbound and bifurcation at the same time she felt an ungodly surge of curses through her veins, to the point climaxed standing there, spilling everything on the ground. Her eyes shifted toward Arad and Mesharra pulled her sword. Not even in her wildest dreams she had thought such a powerup was possible. Before this, she thought that if she served Doma as her disciple and ve for a few decades she might get a tenth of this power with a bit of begging. But even when Arad said his skill was only a 6/10 he had achieved this. Now she can''t even imagine what Doma could do. Echidna knelt down before Arad''s legs, ignoring Mesharra''s bloodthirsty re. She slowly looked up at Arad in awe. She had never faced someone like him before, the power, the fear she felt when he almost pulled his expansion in her execution, the skill with magic, the way he was able to enchant her power to this extent. "I want more, more power. What shall I do to get it?" She started at him, thirsty for more. Not even studying curses for forty years had matched the power spike he gave her. "Depends on what you''ll do from now on." Arad replied he didn''t intend to make her any stronger. She''s already powerful enough to bnce his curses. At that moment, Yog appeared standing above Arad''s head. "Finally, I''ve been waiting for this moment." Her eyes looked at Echidna. "My biggest hater, you''re probably top ten of the heretics in this world." "What do you want? I''m speaking with him, not you." Echidna growled at her. While still high on her new power, she felt like she could defeat even Yog. "I came to set a new rule." She looked at Echidna, "If you want more power, worship him, pray to him, he is your master, your lord, your everything. Revere ground he walks on, do that and you''ll find peace beneath his shadow." Yog''s eyes shifted back toward Mary, "The same to you. From this day, he is your god. I''ll still grant you my power, but I want you to devote your everything to serve him." "What!" Mary gasped, terrified and confused. "What do you mean? What have I done to deserve..." "You''ve done nothing wrong, but have done everything right." Yog looked at her, "It saddens me to lose such a devoted follower, but this is an experiment." Arad reached up and grabbed Yog by the leg, trying to pull her way but he couldn''t, she was unmoveable. "Come, kneel beneath him." She red at Mary, and she slowly moved, prostrating herself beside Echidna. "To you two, I''m a goddess. But I want you to see him above me, over my status." She extended her arms. "What are you doing?" Arad growled at her. "Calm down, this would help you understand divine magic better. Be obedient and y along, your wives will thank youter for it." Yog''s gaze quickly shifted back toward Echidna and Mary. "I''m your goddess, and he''s over me. A being over your god, make sure to drill that into your minds." She giggled. Mesharra interpreted her. "Really an over god being with you a god standing on his head. Is this some kind of joke?" Yog red at her, "My little Mesharra, there is only one being that I''d let above me, and he isn''t here." She then looked at Arad, "Step on their heads, right foot over Mary, left foot over Echidna." "I''m not doing that." Arad swung a fist at Yog by his punch flew right through her body. "It''s a ritual, do it. Do it sitting on a chair." She flicked her finger and a ck obsidian throne appeared out of nowhere. "What is this?" He asked but she shook her head, "Don''t ask too many questions, that''s the only thing I''ve got stored." Arad sat on the chair, putting his feet over Echidna and Mary. Yog waved her hands to Mesharra, "Come here. Kneel at his right side leaning on your sword. You''re smart, can you guess what you must do?" She then looked at Arad, "Grab her from the back of her neck." After thinking a bit, Mesharra looked at Yog, "Judging by him being over thew...I''m his sword of justice?" Yog giggled, "Indeed, you''re nothing more than a tool, a weapon in his hand to use. A pdin in service of a higher divine order." She then shifted her gaze to Plum who was sitting on the bed. "You''re free to do what you like. Sit there, or go home, I don''t care." Plum shifted back to her small form and flew beneath Arad''s left palm, "Then I''ll sit here. I do like him so I''ll keep watching over the world and reporting back to him." "A free spirit as expected, even without me telling you, you''ll find your right path." Yog giggled, waving her arms and several magic circles started spinning around Arad. The ground started shaking and the whole city came out to the street, thinking an earthquake was striking. "Today a new age starts! A new beginning, a new fate, and a new era. The four of you, dedicate your bodies and souls to serving him. You''ve got the honor to be the first, so make the best of it." She red down at them, "A vampire has taken hold of the city of Rasin to the west, and a werewolf had been born in the city beside it, Glinstore. Dragons are spread afterward, and I''ve made sure they are properly aligned from the weakest to the strongest. Gamond would send her minions to try and stop your lord, but what will you four do?" "To those who stand before my god, only divine punishment awaits." Mary said with a whisper. "I''ll curse them to the bloody hell." Echidna growled with an evil smile. "The de of justice awaits their necks. I''ll kill them, or die trying." Mesharra stood ready for action. "I don''t know, we''ll figure it out." Plum shook her head, rubbing it on Arad''s palm. "Good, good." Yog giggled, fading away like a ghost. "Then reach my tower and defeat Gamond." She disappeared. Arad stood up and so did the girls. He sighed, "That was weird, and went to drink some water." The girls were just as weirded out as him, the sole goddess of their world kepting and leaving as if she was on some kind of n. None of them doubted that she did something to them and Arad, but they had no idea what was going on in her mind. As Arad wasing back to sit on the ck throne he found that it disappeared so he sat on a wooden chair. As he was drinking, Mary knelt before him and started praying. "What are you doing?" He stared at her. "Evening prayers." She whispered. "Yog''s statue is over there." He pointed but she shook her head, "Now I pray to you." He sighed in exhaustion. Chapter 998: Sucking Blood Chapter 998: Sucking Blood ? Arad''s long journey in Yog''s world had started. Followed by the four cardinals he made his way toward his first stop, a five-hundred-year-old vampire that lived in an old abandoned mansion, terrorizing the local cities and viges. Legends have it that that vampiremands an army of over a thousand ghouls and zombies, all capable of using magic and durable enough to survive a barrage of cannons. An immortal vampire with an invincible immortal army. "I''ve seen him, Arad Orion." An old viger testified. "For a moment I thought he was a wall. He had tworge greatswords strapped to his back, four guns on his waist, several daggers and wands strapped to three belts around his chest, and a load of bullets and ck powder dangling from his thighs." When asked what messed up the whole forest the viger started shaking, "The woman with him in silver armor. She lifted her sword, and divine tribtion fell from the heavens." When Mesharra pointed her sword at the sky, she activated her weather magic to summon a massive lightning storm. ck clouds bloated the sun as blinding heavy rain mixed with fist- sized hail came crashing down, followed by an ear-deafening lighting rampage. Hundreds of lightning bolts fell from the clouds, all raining down upon the forest where the vampire had his mansion. A woman testified, "The divine woman with him, she touched the armored one''s back with both of her hands, whispering a prayer which turned the rain into holy water. Then the other two dashed into the forest." Arad and Echidna raced into the forest to see who reached the vampire first. But the first thing they met was the vampire''s immortal army. Mesharra''s lightning storm infused with holy water had only managed to kill half of them. It seems that the older ghouls with more necrotic magic had managed to build enough resistance and constitution to survive. But, that army was in for a nasty surprise. With a single p and a flick of her fingers, the dead animals of the forest, the fallen ghouls, and the zombies, all came back to life behind her. As Echidna and her army shed with the vampire''s immortal army, Arad rushed between the falling lightning bolts and heavy hail rain, dodging spells and spears. When he reached the mansion, he smashed the door open with a flying kick,nding inside the main hall. The vampire was a tall and thin pale man who stood nearly equal to Arad in height with long flowing silky ck hair and glowing red eyes. He slowly walked down the stairs wearing ck leather pants, a white baggy shirt that was too big for his upper torso, and a sleepy look on his face. "The hell you want with me? I''m sure I didn''t get in your way." The vampire looked at Arad with glowing red eyes. He ran his long fingers through his hair, and red at Arad, "I might go on a rampage now." Arad looked at him with an amused face, "Well, I first wanted to talk to you nicely, but when I asked around for where I could find you, pretty much anyone knew and they were kind enough to tell me a few stories about you." "Hooo, what kind of stories." He smiled, "My mystical power, my immortality, the countless heroes and armies that fell beneath me, or thatpared to you lowly mortals I''m a demi- god?" "Count Von Lios, more like cunt Von Lios." Arad red at him with arge grin and ckened face, his eyes burning purple with magic. "You''ve got no mystical powers, you''re just a vampire. Immortality is a lie, and you sure aren''t the one to change reality. What armies and heroes did you kill? Those were knights and soldiers sent by the kingdom, strong but nowhere near a full army or a true hero. And that you''re more of a failed devil than a demi-god, and even if you were a demi-god..." Arad giggled, "I''ve already killed a lot, demi-gods and vampires alike...you''re nothing more than a mosquito flying over filth. I feel a bit disappointed that I need to suck your blood." "Did youe here to mock me?" The vampire growled with an amused grin on his face. "Do you think you can kill me? You''ll drink my blood? A mere human? You''re nothing more than a mortal bug to be sucked dry. Know your ce." Arad drew one of the two greatswords on his back and pulled a long rifle from his magical pocket. Arad closed his eyes, pointing the rifle at the vampire, and held the greatsword over his shoulder. He exhaled, "Blood for the blood lord, endless souls impaled on steel rods." The vampire''s face paled and sweat rushed down his head, he instantly jumped at Arad, roaring with his ws extended forward, "You bastard die!" He didn''t know why, but hearing those words had sparked a nerve. He could feel his blood boiling, just as if he was standing before Akasha, the eldritch vampire ruling over all vampires in this world. Arad deflected the vampire''s attack with a downward swing of his greatsword and shot him in the chest, barely missing the heart as the vampire dodged away. As Count Vonnded, his wound refused to heal and he coughed a mouthful of blood. "Silver bullets made from a melted statue of Yog and hardened in the fresh blood of a hundred volunteer nuns, all virgins. No fiend would regenerate from its wound." "How about this?" Von''s eyes shed red, but Arad didn''t even flinch. Von gasped, looking at him in shock. He tried to control his mind and failed so he tried to explode his eyes or lungs, but no matter what he did, Arad''s blood couldn''t be controlled. The door of the mansion slowly opened up and Mary was standing there, holding a strange holy symbol akin to a dragon''s w, her eyes closed and her hands tucked at her chest as she prayed. The moment she set foot inside the house, a shockwave burst through Von''s blood magic, erasing it. "He drank nothing but holy water for the past days, I prayed to him day in and day out, and his entire body is dripping with holy magic. Your blood magic isn''t enough to stain him." Just her mere presence had made Von understand that he was in a really bad situation. Von turned into mist and retreated deeper into the mansion. Inside the basement, he kept several cells filled with human cattle for blood. Arad was a human, and he had a holy priestess with him. He could use those people he has as a distraction to run away. He waved his hand and rushed into the cells, finding the first woman close to him. "You''ll..." Von froze a strange sight before his eyes. A glowing fairy floats before the naked woman, mystical sparkles of lighting falling from the ceiling with a deep sense of calmness. "He did more than such your blood..." Plum said with a sad face, "Don''t worry, I''ll shove something even bigger up his ass." The whole basement exploded with massive tree roots growing everywhere. The people that Von kept in his basement were carried safely to the main entrance beside Aarad as Von himself flew to the back, his left arm crushed to bits with plum chasing him with an enraged face. He swung his ws at her but she dodged them with ease, flying right through his stomach anding out of his back drenched in blood. The massive sharp roots that followed after smacked Von all over the house until hended beside the firece, healing all of his wounds except the bullet wound that Arad made. With a single flick of his fingers, all the roots rotted away and he giggled, "I got your roots!" "So shove them up your ass!" Plum shouted as a one-foot-thick tree trunk grew beneath him, impaling him from the ass to the throat and lifting him into the sky, destroying the mansion''s roof. Even while impaled and showered with holy water, Von instantly regenerated, shattering the tree trunk that impaled him in an instant. Simultaneously, arge zombie threw Echidna into the sky toward Von, an explosion erupted inside the mansion from which Arad flew straight up toward Von, and Mesharra dropped from the clouds, swinging her sword down with a thunder roar and blinding arc of lightning. In a quick exchange, the three swung at Von, cutting his escape route, and Arad managed to put a bullet through his heart, knocking him out. He was powerful, but not something that Arad, Mesharra, and Echidna couldn''t defeat when working together. Mary heard something crash on the ceiling and when she rushed upstairs with Plum, she found Arad and the other two dragging the chained body of Von. "What happened to the victims?" Arad asked and Mary smiled, "I healed them and Plum is guarding them downstairs. They should be fine." The four of them walked downstairs and Plum awaited, waving her hand with arge smile on her face. The victims were lined on the floor, asleep. Arad approached her, "We''re done here. We should head back." He was dragging Von behind him. He was a pretty famous vampire and should be a good one for Arad to get vampirism from, can''t find anything better anywhere close. But the moment they were about to walk away, Arad felt something strange, the air getting colder and dryer, and he could smell his blood. His heart was awfully loud and his mind felt a bit foggy. This didn''t seem to be only happening to him, the four with him also felt that way, it felt strange. He looked back, seeing the figure of a woman cloaked in ck standing in the shadows. Everyone noticed his startled face and turned around, seeing her walk into the light, only her burning red cat-like eyes visible. She removed her hood and her long blood-red hair rolled down, her flour-like pale skin reflected the sunlight to the point she almost illuminated the darkness behind her. Her eyes stared at Von, and then at Arad and his friends. "Kneel." One word escaped her mouth, and the four women smacked their faces to the ground, bleeding from their eyes and ears. She looked surprised, Arad remained standing as if not bothered at all. "Why aren''t you kneeling?" she asked, slowly approaching Arad. "Won''t you be disappointed if I did? Not my first time facing someone like you." Arad smiled, his skin was slowly turning red from the heat boiling inside his chest. As a human, his body won''t be able to endure this extreme fever for a long time. "So you expected me?" She smiled, "Akasha, you call me the ancestor of all vampires." The line that Arad said to Von earlier, it was for this moment, he tested his luck and gambled to see if whatever this world''s blood lord would appear or not. She seems to be here, and her name is Akasha, a woman simr to Ginger in look but far paler, and leagues stronger. "So the blood lord of this world is called the ancestor of all vampires?" He started walking toward her as she approached him as well. "Not just called, I''m the ancestor of all vampires in this world. I came here with Yog when she built this world." "That short piece of shit never mentioned she brought a vampire here as well." Arad smiledn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om and Akasha returned the smile, "Mind your words, she''s my stepmother. My mother is Akame, the red queen of undead and my father is the overgod." From her long and red fingers, golden divine magic started dripping out. "A holy vampire? Why do I feel like I know someone like you?" He tilted his head, she was simr to Eris. No, Eris is simr to her. "Since you managed to draw my attention, it naturally means I''ll draw your blood. Arad Orion, the man that my stepmother brought to our house." She liked her red lips, "I want a sip." "Go ahead, I don''t mind." Arad replied with a nonchnt face. She looked at him, surprised, "Really?" She giggled, "Stepmother said that I''d end up stepping on if I tried doing this, but I guess even she doesn''t know you well." She ran her fingers on his neck. "You don''t mind bing my pet little vampire, do you?" "If you want to drink my blood, then do it." Arad nodded and she reached forward, licking his neck before taking a bite. But at that moment, she felt something sharp on her neck...it took her a second to realize it, but Arad had bitten her back at the same time. The moment she bit him, she turned him into her ve vampire spawn, but since his body had already started moving the moment she bit him, the signal was still carried to his muscles and he managed to bite her. The only way for a vampire spawn to free himself of their lord''s dominion is to bite and such their blood, no one was strong enough to steal his freedom back from Akasha, but Arad had outsmarted her before she could even know it. She pushed him back and jumped away, staring at him with a terrified face. Immediately she could feel her power growing weaker and weaker, he had sucked her blood after bing a vampire directly from her blood, he was now challenging her stance as the queen of vampires. "Your stepmother is a short little piece of shit, but you should''ve listened to her." He lunged at her, swinging his sword. The four women still couldn''t move, their blood was already almost disintegrating, and mere mortals weren''t strong enough to stand before a vampire like Akasha, but Arad was built differently. Now that he outsmarted her and attained vampire powers, his abilities are growing back to a ridiculous rate, while Akasha is weakening. The fight between Akasha and Arad took only a few minutes. Arad swung his sword at her neck, she dodged and thrust her arm through his chest. He managed to pull back and regenerate, but at that time she had alreadye in for another attack, swinging her foot at his hunched head. He had already faced d before, it didn''t take him long to find simrities between her and him, and what he feared the most was for her to have a vampire army. Arad was lucky, Akasha as a vampire focused on her power and not an army like d did, which meant that as long as the fightsted long enough, Arad should absorb enough of her power to win. Akasha''s clock was already ticking down, Arad had bitten her, she must bite him back to retrieve her title or her whole status would''ve ended up transferred to him. She was basically bing his spawn now that she had been bitten. In the end, one kick of Arad managed to drop Akasha down, his foot stomping her face to the ground and making sure her teeth weren''t able to bite his flesh. DRIP! Arad could feel it, she had fully be his spawn, and he had gotten her power. Yog was already standing before them, looking at Akasha with an amused face. "I want to say. ''I told you!'' But you lied earlier, I didn''t tell you you''ll end up stepping on." Yog giggled and Akasha growled at her. "Don''t you dare..." "Do you know what I told her?" Yog looked at Arad and he shook his head, "I don''t want to know, I''m sure it''ll be something vile, considering you''re the one we''re talking with." "I''ve told her that if she wants to drink your blood, she better suck your dick off, and get blood from there." She looked at Akasha, "If you did that, he wouldn''t have been able to reach your neck." "I said don''t tell me." Arad growled. "I hate you..." Akasha mumbled. "My little girl Akasha, what did your mother tell you before about me?" She bent down and looked at her. "You suck at jokes." Akasha sat up as Arad removed his foot from over her face. "That''s right my dear, I can''t joke. And you do you know why?" She started tapping her cheek. "The forbidden knowledge." Akasha mumbled. "That''s right, remember when I first came here with you? Remember what I said then." Seeing Yog''s smile, Akasha remembered the old days. **** "Why did you bring me here?" Young Akasha, who didn''t look any different than her current self asked Yog as they first walked into the new world. Yog looked at her, "What answer do you want? The truth, the lie, or something in between? The truth is quite forbidden." "The truth, forbidden knowledge or not, since you game the option it means I can know it." Akasha red at her. "I''m giving you to someone as their vampire spawn. Don''t worry, he''ll treat you nicely. But it''ll take them a while to arrive..." Five thousand yearster, Akasha finally remembered those words, seeing Arad before her. She looked at Yog, wanting to ask how long was she nning for all of this, but the words didn''te out of her mouth. Yog looked at her with a smile, clearly asking her to remain silent. "Go into his blood. That''s where you belong." Akasha sighed, "Any advice?" "Just be obedient and you''ll be fine. Don''t worry, I made sure it''ll be to your liking. Believe me when I say that I know you better than you know yourself. I know everyone better than they know themselves." Yog faded and Akasha disappeared into a ssh of blood, flying right into Arad''s body. Arad couldn''t believe his n worked, but he''ll take the win. His current vampire powers almost rival those of d, but it''s still far from being enough to even scratch Gamond. "To the werewolf." Chapter 999: The Little Wolf and Her Rifle Chapter 999: The Little Wolf and Her Rifle ? Note: this is another long chapter, strap in, put on some music, and get a drink. Don''t forget to tell me what you think after. Beneath the moonlight, the door of an old tavern opened up. An old man in histe forties walked in, his eyes dazed, staring at the distant nowhere. The untrimmed grey hair on his face dripped with blood as his shaking hands trembled. From his mouth nothing came but iprehensible mumbles. From the window that is on the opposite side of the door, a nine-year-old girl in a tattered brown dress jumped in, pointing a rifle at him. "Don''t move!" She shouted and the whole tavern froze, they all stared at her in shock, and their eyes finally noticed the homeless- looking blood-drenched man. The man beside the door stood and red at the homeless man, "You! What''s going on?" But the moment that man spoke, the homeless man grabbed him by the face, clenching so hard that the man''s cheekbones cracked. BANG! The little girl shot the homeless man in the chest, but he didn''t even flinch nor change his dead expression, shattering the man''s skull in cold blood. She immediately loaded a second shot and ced it right between his eyes, but he didn''t even reach, walking forward as the bullet got pushed out of his wound and he healed. The moment she fired the third shot, the homeless man burst forward with a powerful leap, swinging his fist at her. She jumped away, stepping on the air with some kind of magic that propelled her to the other side of the tavern. Some seasoned hunters were in the tavern and they all charged at the homeless man, swinging their weapons and flinging their swords, but in the blink of an eye, the homeless man ughtered them with a single swing of his palm. One of the hunters'' shattered swords flew toward the little girl, barely missing her head, but it took her left eye with it. She cried, but immediately rolled out of the way and pointed her rifle at him. After several shots inside the tavern, the homeless man jumped out and ran through the busy streets, killing everyone in his path. Quickly, he reached for a hooded man. When the homeless man swung his fist at the hooded man, the hooded man swung back a fist, ripping the homeless man''s lower jaw out. But, not before the homeless man ripped the man''s hood out, Arad was the one standing there. In the blink of an eye, Arad pulled his greatsword and swung at the man''s neck. The little girl jumped out of the tavern, seeing Arad swinging at the homeless man, only for the homeless man to grab Arad''s arm and twist it out of his shoulder, ripping it off, and immediately went for a swing at Arad''s neck. The little girl fired a shot at the homeless man, and he dodged before jumping away with enough force that the street shattered, killing several bystanders. At thest moment of that quick exchange, Arad noticed that the man''s jaw had fully regenerated. The little girl growled and started running in the direction where the homeless man jumped, but Arad grabbed her from the back of her tunic. "Where are you going? He''s already too far away." "Let me go, you bastard! Go heal your arm instead!" Without hesitation, she pointed the gun down and shot Arad''s foot. But to her surprise, he didn''t even flinch nor let her go. "Now...now...that isn''t the way a little girl should speak, and my arm is fine." It was just then that the little girl noticed that Arad was carrying her with the arm that the homeless man supposedly ripped off. She looked back down, Arad''s boots were pierced by the bullet, but his foot waspletely fine. She growled and pointed her rifle back at Arad''s stomach, shooting him in the liver. "Let me go!" Arad once again didn''t even flinch and grabbed her rifle, "Kids shouldn''t y with this." With his strength, snatching the rifle was far too easy and the little girl started iling her arms, trying to punch him. As she screamed her lungs off like a terrified little bunny, Arad eyed her out. Her clothes were tattered, her skin wrinkly and dried out, her eyes had dark marks beneath them, and her left eye was already bleeding rivers. Due to the chaos, the city guards rushed in and found Arad lifting the little girl with one arm as she screamed. They pulled their weapons, "Put her down!" Arad looked at them with his burning blood-red eyes, "I''ll go with noooooo...." and they all fell to the ground, asleep. The girl went silent, over fifteen men had been knocked out in a second. "And for you, you''ll be going with me." Arad disappeared with the little girl in a red mist of smoke and bats. Arad appeared inside arge room and threw the little girl on the ground. She cried, immediately standing up and ring at him, ready to fight. "Who are...no...what are you, monster!" She growled. "You''re here, good..." Arad said with a smile and the little girl heard a cry behind her. "What did you do? Did you kidnap this little girl?" Mary looked terrified behind the little girl. "Heal her eye if you can. We''ll need her." Arad sat on a chair and the little girl got grabbed by Mary, "Look at me! This is horrible, what happens? Did he do that to you?" "You''re as bad at jokes as Yog." Arad looked at her with a smile, "I was tracking the werewolf, and found the little girl trying to kill him." The little girl didn''t understand anything, she was still confused about who Arad was and why is he even getting in her way. "Don''t butt in! What are you even, another monster?" "You could say so. I''m a vampire and a pretty powerful one at that." At that moment, Mesharra kicked the door open, "Arad! Why are the guards panicking about a giant man who kidnapped a little girl?" "Cause I did. There she is." Arad pointed at the little girl with a passive face. Echidna who was just behind Mesharra looked inside and smiled, "You brought me a present?" Mesharra immediately yelled at her, "What are you even going to do with her!" Plum flew before the little girl''s face and waved her hand with a smile, "I''m Plum, that gentleman who kidnapped you is Arad. That armored one is Mesharra, the crazy one is Echidna, and the big-tidy nun is Mary." Mary immediately tried to p Plum, but the little fairy dodged, "You smell like shit, really, rotten blood and filth, when was thest time you took a bath or didn''t sleep with a rotten corpse?" Mary finished trying to heal the little girl''s eye but failed, "The nerves were damaged with a magical weapon, I can''t heal her." She hooks her head with a sad face. "At least you stopped the bleeding. Take her inside and wash her off, we''ll talk afterward." Arad looked back at his desk and pulled out a book, [Moonlit Fangs] Mary called Mesharra into the bath and asked her to go buy new clothes for the little girl, her old ones were far too stained with blood and sweat, they crumbled at the slightest pull. When leaving the inn''s room, Mesharra stole a nce at the little girl''s rifle, nothing that the poor thing was abused to the limit. No repairs, countless shootings that far outssed anything she saw even in the army, the muzzle was almost falling apart. Half an hourter Mesharra returned with several fresh changes of clothes for the little girl and a repair kit for the rifle. She handed the clothes to Mary and sat down to repair the rifle, cleaning all the soot, changing the cracked parts and springs, and oiling everything well so it wouldn''t jam. The little girl walked out of the bath wearing a pale white tunic and a pair of brown leather pants that were a tad bit big for her, Mesharra couldn''t nail the size. A ck eyepatch covered her left and Arad could finally see the scars on her neck, face, arms, and legs before they weren''t visible because of all the grime and dust. "Now..." Arad looked at her, "Care to tell me why a little girl like you chasing a werewolf out of all things? You know that thing isn''t a butterfly." "I know..." She red at him, "That werewolf is my father." Arad red at her with glowing red eyes and a shocked face, his vampire nose told him those two weren''t rted at all. Even though she and the werewolf stank like rotten corpses, he should''ve known if they were a father and a daughter. "Care to exin?" He turned toward her, not saying a word about her not being the werewolf''s daughter, and what did he even know? His vampire senses could be wrong for all he knows. "We used to live in a vige north of here. Me, my younger brother, older sister, father, and mother." She looked at Arad, "One day, he got a letter that enraged him. I didn''t know what was written in it at the time as he took it and bolted away." She looked at Arad, "It only took one week for our mother to take us and move into a noble''s house in the other city. I wasn''t my father''s child, I was that noble''s child, same with my younger brother." She looked terrified, almost bursting into tears, "Mother sold big sister Anne to a ver on the same day we arrived, and I''ve heard that my sister took her own life that night. The letter father received was a false call for help from his parents, that was a trap to kill." She looked at Arad, "That noble killed father''s parents, set a trap for him, and mother who helped him ended up sold as a ve just one monthter when he got bored of her." She looked even sadder, "Father came back a few days after mother was sold away, he survived the trap, but when he learned of all that happened he lost his mind and went mad." "The noble tried to use me and my little brother as hostages, but it failed. Brother ended up dead, the whole noble''s family got killed by my father." She looked at Arad. "Your father killed your little brother?" Arad asked. "No, a stray spell took him." She found a chair and sat down, "Father went mad, and lost his mind. He wiped the noble''s family, his rtive, far rtive, children, grandparents, neighbors, those who worked with him, bystanders who told him hi, those who worked for him, their families, no one is safe." "He already killed enough, thousands of people in the past month, someone must put him to rest before more innocent people get killed." Arad turned toward Mesharra, "Keep an eye out for any incident. Echidna, track her mother, if she''s alive, we might be able to use her." Echidna reached toward the little girl and pulled a single hair from her head. The hair burned in ck me and Echidna sighed, "She''s already dead, been so for a few days already." Arad stood, "Put the little girl to sleep. She can use my bed if the rooms are filled, I''ll go out and track her father." "He''ll kill you! He might''ve not transformed, but if he did not even you would be safe." The little girl screamed at Arad and he looked at her with a smile. "I''m an even bigger monster." Suddenly, Arad saw the girls'' faces twist, he turned back, seeing the homeless man in the window, ring at him with a pair of dead eyes. **** The daughter of the inn''s owner was asked to bring a new pair of nkets for the little girl. She had just arrived outside the room''s door and lifted her hand to knock, "Mesharra, I''ve..." CRACK! The door shattered and something hit her hard, sending her flying at the wooden wall. She coughed blood, her eyes catching sight of Arad smacked beside her with blood rushing out of his chest, arge gaping wound reaching deep into his left lung. "What?" She gasped, "We...need..." Her vision started slowly blurring. Arad looked at her and his face paled as if he had just seen a ghost. The girl was missing her whole lower half and her eyes slowly lost life, fading away before she could even understand what happened. BANG! The little girl pulled her rifle and fired a shot at the dusk cloud in the hallway, and her father charged toward her. A massive silver werewolf with blood sttered all over his face. The inn''s owner rushed up the stairs, "What was that!" He yelled and Arad yelled back at him, "Get the hell away!" Mesharra lunged out of the room, swinging her glowing de down at the werewolf''s neck. The people who sat downstairs with worried faces after hearing the first explosion looked up the stairs as Arad''s shout boomed, and a st exploded once again, sending the inn''s owner flying back on the tables. From the dust, Mesharra''s body flew and smacked downstairs, arge gash spanning across her back. The werewolf''s ws had shed through her thick steel armor. But right after her, the werewolf fell to the ground, his left arm broken at the elbow. Arad rushed after him, swinging a fist, and punched him in the guts, causing him to gasp for air. Mesharra looked up, seeing Arad and the werewolf exchanging punches all over the inn''s tavern, seven people had already died. They must take this fight outside the city no matter what. "PLUM! DO IT!" Mesharra shouted and Plum emerged from the wooden ceiling, her eyes ring straight at the werewolf, "Pup, time to go out." She extended her hands down and the whole inn started shaking, all the wood in it extended down, ripping half of it apart and turning it into arge tree trunk that wiggled like a snake. Echidna sent her thorns curse to catch the werewolf but he dodged them, trying to escape while dodging Arad''s fists and Mesharra''s sword. At that moment, a bullet came flying out of the chaos, hitting him square in the head. The werewolf paused for a second as his wound regenerated and the bullet was pushed out, but in that opening Echinda''s thorns had managed to catch and tie him to the tree, which Plum immediately swung to catapult him out of the city. At that moment the werewolf swung his arms, ripping the top of the tree apart alongside Echidna''s curse, alone beneath the blue moon, he took a deep breath and his chest inted. "A ROAR!" Both Arad and the little girl shouted, but their warning was far toote. The werewolf screamed at the ground, the shockwave of his voice crushing the inn and several houses beside it, killing everyone inside and leaving the lucky ones alive. The little girl and Mary were protected by Echidna. As Echidna''s curse vanished they saw a sea of corpses around them, all crushed down by the sonic shockwave. Plum flew away to keep as many people as safe as possible around Arad and the werewolf. The little girl had dropped her rifle when she needed to hide to avoid the shockwave and she could see it in the rubble, but since it was a bit too far she snatched a flintlock from one of the guard''s corpses and shoved it inside her pants with some bullets and gunpowder. In a split second, Arad flew into the sky with two massive bat wins, standing right before the werewolf with a body burning with blood magic. The blue moon in the sky turned bright red as Arad punched the werewolf into the nearest church. The werewolf managed to regain his bnce mid-air andnded on the roof of the church, holding onto the cross-like star of Yog. Arad slowly floated down in front of him, and the two had a stand-off above the church. "Now that''s over a hundred people dead." Arad looked at him, "I came to this city since I''ve heard of a werewolf that is on the loose, didn''t expect it to end up like this." ^Arad, no use talking to him. His soul had already shattered, the thing before you is nothing more than an animal following what little sense and instinct still remains in his brain. Thest thing he was thinking of before his soul snapped into madness was probably killing anyone that harmed his family, now he''s going on a murder spree until he dies.^ Akasha exined in Arad''s head. ^Give him the mercy of death, before more souls are lost to his madness.? PEW! A bullet came out of nowhere and pierced the werewolf''s head. Arad''s head snapped back and looked, it was the little girl shooting all the way from the inn. ^Bitch! We''re in the other half of the city and the middle of the night!!^ Akasha couldn''t believe her eyes. And before Akasha could give the little girl a second look, Arad lunged and pulled out his gun and great sword, "I''ll put you to rest,e, your little daughter had worked hard enough." Arad swung his greatsword and the werewolf his w. When the two hits impacted, the roof of the church was blown to bits and the nuns rushed out in terror. Blood spikes flew everywhere as the priest responsible for the church looked out, seeing the werewolf lifting the nearby horse stable whole with one arm, chugging it toward Arad who was flying down from the red moon. The stable smacked Arad out of the sky and the werewolf was about to leap at him, only for Arad to appear out of red mist behind him. The werewolf jumped away and Arad reached into his magical pocket, pulling a whole canon. The priest who was watching gasped, that canon is one of the canons that the guard mounts over the walls to fight giant monsters or destroy siege equipment, it''s not something that should be fired anywhere near people. BOOM! Arad fired the canon and the werewolf swung his w down, shing the shell in half but his palm was obliterated. That wasn''t any canon ball, it was one made of pure silver melted from a Yog''s statue in the same way Arad had made all of his bullets. As the werewolf noticed that his hand wouldn''t regenerate, Arad had already shifted weapons into a pair of small daggers which he swung flying straight at the werewolf, aiming for the throat. The werewolf shed Arad across the face, ripping his eyes out but Arad managed to cut the werewolf''s throat, sadly he regenerated almost immediately as the daggers were only blessed by Mary. The werewolf was strong enough that everything besides the most holy of objects couldn''t hurt him. Arad''s blood quickly returned to his wounds as he healed, this was a battle of freaks, two beings beyond humanprehension were spilling their blood, sending the whole city into panic. **** Back beside the inn, the little girl screamed, "Let me! I must kill him!" Mary held her in ce so she wouldn''t run away. Mesharra and Echidna were trying to catch up to Arad and the werewolf, those two monsters were moving all over the city at an extreme speed which made catching them nearly impossible. "No! You''ll die! They can fight, we can''t. You''ll just get in the way." Mary shouted at her, holding her from the waist as she iled around. "I said put me down or I''ll shoot you!" The little girl growled. "Yeah, yeah. Arad said to not let..." BANG! Mary felt a sharp pain in her thighs. As she looked down, a massive hole was blown there to the point she could see her bone. The little girl had a flintlock hidden beneath her clothes. Mary fell down as the little girl rushed away, picked up her rifle, and ran in the opposite direction to where Arad and her father were fighting. Mary looked to the side and noticed that one of the dead guards didn''t have his gun on hisn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om waist. Earlier amidst the chaos, the little girl must''ve stolen it. The little girl knew her father better than anyone else, she had been hunting him for the past month. Arad isn''t the one controlling this fight, he''s busy trying to fight without killing anyone. Her father on the other hand is the one in control, rampaging all around. Her father''s immortality isn''t that omnipotent, it relies on food, and eating humans. She had seen him needing to eat two weeks ago when he took a lot of damage when she blew him apart with a bomb. His favorite meal was young women, and thus she made her way to the city''srgest bath. When she reached the bath, thedy owning it tried to stop her, seeing that she was a little girl with a rifle and covered with blood and dirt. After hearing the loud explosions in the distance, she became too wary and wanted to call the guards immediately. "You there! Put that thing down!" The owner growled at her. "Shut your mouth and move out of my way. Unless you want everyone here to die!" The little girl growled at her. "Huh, nice joke. I''ll be calling the..." BANG! The little girl shot her in the foot and rushed inside, kicking the door open, and ran between the naked and terrified woman who just heard a gunshot. The little girl reached the open-air bath and climbed a tree that was nted inside and perched in it, waiting. Countless women submerged their bodies in hot water, arge soup pot of humans. Some of them were old and wrinkly, but she could see some young women inside as well. The air carries their smell across the city and her father''s powerful nose should pick it up. By the time she arrived here, Arad and her father were fighting for a while. As she expected, after just a minute of waiting and several tubs and soaps thrown at her, her father came crashing down from the sky,nding right in the middle of the bath. The little girl jumped down from the tree,nding on her father''s shoulders, pointing the rifle right at his skull as Arad caught up, seeing her pulling the trigger. "Rest in peace!"BANG! She fired straight through his brain and into his spine. Arad noticed that even while starved, her father was still about to regenerate so he jumped in, biting him from the neck. It only took Arad one second to suck the paralyzed werewolf''s blood, putting the poor man out of his misery. ^So you killed me?^ Arad saw a tall man standing inside his soul beside Akasha. He approached him with a smile, ^I see, a powerful vampire.^ ^It wasn''t me. It was your daughter.^ Arad replied with a passive face. ^Ann isn''t my daughter. I''m sure you''re mistaken about something, she''s still a little girl, and wouldn''t even be able to...^ As the man was speaking Arad interrupted him. ^A little girl? You might''ve not realized it was insane for the past month, but she had been hunting you for a whole month, and she''s the one who finally put a stop to you. I just finished you off.^ Arad shared his memories through blood with the man''s soul. ^She has grown a lot...take care of her for me...^ His soul finally shattered, leaving only his lycanthropic blood flowing inside Arad. ^She might''ve not been your daughter, but you sure raised a wolf. Rest in peace...^ Arad was standing in the hot water, holding the werewolf''s corpse in his hands with the little girl standing on the edge of the bath, pointing her gun just in case. The terrified naked woman around them remained silent, not uttering a word. "He''s dead..." Arad said and turned toward the little girl, "Ann...your father is proud of you. Says you''ve grown a lot, and he''s sorry for all the trouble he caused you." Chapter 1000: Arads Walk Chapter 1000: Arad''s Walk ? The sun fell behind the mountains and Arad stood outside beside a carriage, looking into the city as the girls approached him with Ann tagging along. The carriage beside him was made of wood and armored with several steel tes that he asked the local cksmith to make. Strangely enough, it didn''t have any horses or monsters to draw it. It evencked the attachment arms for that. Arad looked at his hand, he could feel a tingle on his fingertips, a faint cold at the bottom of his back, and a slight fog clouding his mind. "It''s already starting..." He mumbled and looked at them, "Hurry! We can''t waste time." He called to them and they started walking faster. As Mesharra threw herrge bag in the back she looked at Arad, "Are you sure about this? Is it even safe?" "We don''t have another choice so it''s not a matter of it being safe or not. It''s a matter if we can make it work or not." He looked behind Mesharra and saw Mary looking a bit worried. "Don''t worry, you won''t feel any pain if you die by falling from the sky. You''ll just stter like a tomato." "But I''ll know it''sing...that would be scary." Mary replied and Arad looked at Ann, "Are you scared as well?" "I''m more worried about you. Your hands are shaking." Seeing her face being a bit pale Arad knew she wasn''t joking. "Don''t worry, you might not believe me, but the world would burn down before I go mad. It''s just that you can''t be both a vampire and a werewolf at the same time. Those two curses will slowly overload the body and kill it." "That''s just as bad." She looked back at Echidna, "Can''t that witch do anything?" "It''s not as simple as it seems, I''ve told that yesterday." Echidna replied with a smile. "So you''re useless. Mesharra was right." Ann pouted and Echidna red at Mesharra, "You! What are you teaching the little girl?!" Arad giggled, "Stop fighting. We really should go, it''ll take us about a week, but we''ll be able to make it, barely." Everyone got inside the carriage and Arad jumped on top, extending his vampire wings. The muscles from the werewolf curse empowered his wings so he could carry more, using all of his power he started pping his wings, flying up with the whole carriage. The current n was simple, from all the material that Echidna needed to try and stop Arad''s curses from killing him there was something called the scales of the deep snail. That item can only be harvested from the sea monster known as the deep snail. Getting it fresh would greatly increase Echidna''s sess chances and so they decided to dash to the capital. That trip would usually take a year by carriage, but Arad judged by how fast he could fly using both curses, he should be able to barely make the trip in a single week. The fact that Akasha''s blood isn''t affected by the sun was a blessing that he didn''t expect but appreciated a lot as without this stunt would be impossible. Arad is now on a timer, his body is starting to crumble beneath the curses'' weights and he must get treated as soon as possible. Arad flew into the sky with the carriage and sted away toward the capital. The trip did take a whole week with them only stopping once every five hours for a short break. Before anyone knew it, they werending at the edge of the capital. So they won''t speak to anyone, Arad entered the carriage and Plum went outside, growing an attachment for horses, and called some animals from the forest to draw the carriage. Arad was exhausted and had already lost more than half of his muscle mass so he immediately closed his eyes to take a nap. "REALLY! I''ve only heard about them in stories!" Ann''s excited cry woke him up. "You never see a deer or a moose?" He mumbled, turning his eyes out. For a moment, his eyeballs almost flew out of their sockets. Plum was tying two unicorns to the front of the carriage to draw it. "Where did you find those two?! Put them back!" He extended his head out and yelled at Plum. The two unicorns looked back at him, "You bastard! Do you have a problem with us?!" One growled. "Yeah! And we are nice enough to draw a carriage carrying filthy humans and a monster like you! Is that how you treat those who extend a helping hand?" The other unicorn added. "Yeah! I have a big problem with you." Arad shouted back at the two, "Do you want to cause a fuss at the capital? You''ll draw too much attention to us and to yourselves, or are you two fine with hunters raiding the forest to hunt you?" "Let them try, I shoved up my horn in them more times than I can remember." One of the two unicorns replied with a smug smile. "Arad, those two are old friends of mine. It''s been a few years since Ist saw them so they wanted to help when they saw me." Plum flew to him and the two unicorns gasped the moment they heard his name. "Arad? Arad Orion?" One of them rushed toward Plum, "You said you''re traveling with a VIP?" "He''s the very important person, Arad Orion." Plum replied with a stupid smile. "I thought it was some kind of elvish prince or prestigious human or witch..." He sighed, "Should''ve told us. Fine, we''ll do as he says." "We''ve got those." Plum pointed inside the carriage, "A high priestess of Yog, Inquisitor Mesharra, and the witch Echidna." "By the rainbow puke of the leprechaun king!" He looked at the forest, "I''ll get some wild horses to help, would that be okay?" "Yeah, I appreciate it." Arad sighed, "And sorry for earlier, didn''t mean to be rude." "Don''t mind it. We''re d to have been able to help." The two unicorns returned to the forest and soon sent two powerful wild horses to draw the carriage. Arad''s carriage strolled into the city, thanks to Mesharra they were able to enter unchecked and finally registered at a decent inn close to the za. While Echidna went out shopping, Mary and Ann went to get some stuff while Mesharra went to get some information from the local guards. Plum was getting ready to escort the horses outside the capital''s walls and saw Arad wearing his boots. "Shouldn''t you rest?" "I don''t feel like it." He replied, "I''m going for a walk." He stood and left. Plum shook her head and flew out of the window, heading to take care of the horses. As Arad walked out of the room he saw a woman cleaning beside the door. She was tall, wearing a brown tunic, and held a mop, cleaning the floor. He stopped and looked at her for a second, "You there." He called. "Yes, master?" She turned toward him and smiled, bowing a bit, "I don''t have time for this. Your technique is shit." She looked around, confused, "I''m sure I''ve cleaned everything well." "Come with me if you want to remain alive." He started walking and she sighed, following him down to the basement. "No chance..." She sighed right before closing the basement door. Arad walked out alone just a few secondster and headed out as if nothing happened. Arad''s stroll led him straight into the castle''s draw bridge where two guards were standing there. One looked and saw Arad wearing his long cloak, approaching slowly like a ghost. He pointed his spear, "Excuse me, citizen. Do you have any business in the castle? If you''re here to get a tour, sorry,e back tomorrow." The castle''s garden and some inner chambers seem to be open to the public to explore as long as they are apanied by the guards. Apparently, a lot of tourists are willing to pay a lot of money to have a tour inside the castle and the king was quick to capitalize on that, mizing the guarded tours to get the castle and extra ie. Last year, the tours alone gave more than half the capital''s tax ie. That alone allowed the king to pay the guards, renovate the old parts of the castle, get some fancy new weapons, several siege weapons, jewelry for the queens, a whole mansion, and have some change left to give the guards a raise to make them happy. "Drop the bridge, I came to meet someone that works inside." Arad said with his eyes glowing red and the guard stood stunned for a second. "Of course...I''ll drop it..." He turned back to his friend, "Drop the bridge, we got an important person." The other guard seemed a bit confused. He didn''t see Arad pull identification or written order. "You sure?" The guard approached his friend, "I said he''s an important person. I saw him with the prime minister yesterday and he told him toe meet him." The bridge dropped and Arad walked into the castle unhindered. Now that he managed to make it through the front door no one would dare question his presence inside as long as he stayed clear of the inner castle. Arad walked through the castle''s garden, seeing the princess arguing with a young man over tea. That was probably why the castle was closed today. He walked past them unnoticed and made it inside, nonchntly going into the inner castle. One maid saw him walk inside and she approached him, "Excuse me, sir." She bowed, "I never seen you here before. May I help you with anything?" "Where is the throne room? I want to see the king." He asked and her face paled. "Sorry sir, but the king now has a meeting with some important foreign nobles." "The princess''s marriage?" He asked and she nodded, "So you know. She doesn''t seem too pleased with their young man, the king sent them outside to speak in the fresh air, but the two keep arguing." "I''m sure the king would love to see me." His eyes shed red, "Where is the throne room." The maid pointed back and gave him directions to reach the throne room. Some other maids saw him talk with her, that was no normal maid, she was the right hand of the castle''s head maid. If she approved Arad then all other maids wouldn''t question his existence with the castle''s inner quarters. Arad soon reached the door of the throne room. The two guards standing there looked and knelt, "Wee to the throne room. The king is currently having a meeting. Would you like to have a drink at the guest''s private quarter?" For all, they know he could be a powerful noble of a foreign kingdom, a rich noble, or an arms dealer that no one wants to offend. Since only people in high positions of power can enter the castle, the maids and guards working there have learned that anyone who isn''t working there is someone to respect. Any wrong word can send them straight to the chopping block. "The king expects me. Open the door." He said and his eyes burned red. One of the guards turned to open the door and the other took a stance, walking inside the moment the door opened. The king was in a meeting with several nobles and the king of their neighboring kingdom when the door opened. The guard walked inside, knelt down, and spoke. "Your Majesty, the person you await has arrived." The king looked confused for a second, he was expecting a noble from the south to arrive this evening, but it was not even noon. Did he arrive early or did the timing get mixed up? "Let him in..." Before the king could finish speaking, Arad was already walking inside the throne room, looking at him with burning red eyes. Arad looked at the king, that old man seemed to be in histe fifties with a wrinkled face, long flowing grey hair, and a beard thicker than bird nests. He did wear a fancy goldced robe and a thick fur coat, but nothing matched the bear coat Arad had. "Wait outside." Arad said and the guard rushed away, startling the two kings and the nobles with them. Shouldn''t the guard await the king''s orders? "Who are you?" The king growled, the man he awaited was far shorter than Arad, and he couldn''t even fully see his face. The guards standing around the king pulled their swords and were ready to fight. "How did you get inside?" The king shouted. "Through the main door." Arad smiled, "But worry not, I just came to speak with you. First, you can consider this as a warning." He started walking toward the king. One of the guards jumped forward, swinging his sword at Arad''s neck. The sword shattered the moment it touched Arad''s skin. Arad smacked the two guards down with ease and approached the king, ring at his eyes. "So it wasn''t just you, as I expected. You, the queens, and some nobles were involved." Arad cracked his knuckles and pped the king across the face so hard that the poor old man dropped his fake teeth out. Arad then approached the queen who sat right beside him. "You two." He pped her across the face hard enough that she dropped from her chair. Everyone watched with shocked and terrified faces, but none dared to move. This man got all the way inside the castle and the guards seemed to listen to him. Everyone inside this roomN?v(el)B\\jnn can''t fight, that is why they could safely have a meeting. Resisting Arad would only mean death. Arad pped over fifty nobles, the king, and his seven wives, no one who had a hand in the forcedbor of the slum women managed to go unpped. Arad would''ve killed them if any of the girls were actually harmed, but since the orders were to sell their bodies to him, and he didn''t do anything, they were practically unharmed. "I guess this makes my point clear." Arad smiled and looked at the neighboring kingdom''s king, "Sorry for this embarrassing disy." He removed his hood, "Arad Orion, I guess you know me, right?" Everyone inside the room froze when they finally realized who is Arad and how he managed to make it inside. This was the man their goddess spoke about. "Besides the usual shitty nobles and royals, this kingdom is not that bad." Arad smiled, "I wish I could''ve visited your kingdom as well, but I''m in a hurry. I must go." The neighboring kingdom''s king smiled, "Arad Orion, I must insist. If you ever manage to have time, give me a visit. I''ll make it worth your time." "I''ll be sure to try." Arad smiled and the king stood, his face still had Arad''s hand mark on it. "I''ll guide you outside." The king and his first wife escorted Arad all the way into the castle''s stables where they ordered a carriage for him. Arad looked at the carriage with a smile, "A carriage." He then turned toward the king, "Didn''t know you can drive one." Terrified, worried, and baffled, the king rode in the carriage''s driver seat with his wife as Arad sat in the back. With several generals and armed guards following behind them, the king drove Arad back to the inn without saying a word. Mesharra who was sitting outside drinking tea spat her drink the moment she saw the carriage roll in with the king driving. Arad walked out of the back and looked at the king, "Thanks for the ride." Terrified, the king forced a smile, "No need to thank me, I''m d we got to speak. Pleasee visit again any time you want." "I''ll do. Take care, and good luck with your daughter." He smiled. "We''ll keep an eye on her..." The queen said, "We''ll send you an invite to the wedding." "See youter." Arad taped the carriage and the king drove away, followed by his guards. "Arad what was that!? That was the king!" She whispered not to cause a scene. As Arad was about to speak to her, he saw the woman serving food and drinks in the back slowly approaching. "You,e with me." Mesharra looked behind her, "Is something the matter?" She saw the woman and felt strange, "Do you know her?" "No, the first time I saw her." He waved his hand to her, "If you''re looking for your sister, I knocked her out and she''s tied in the basement." The woman immediately rushed away and Arad giggled, "She''s an assassin sent from the castle. I bet they spotted me flying with the carriage in the distance and prepared a bit. The king himself didn''t know yet as he was in a meeting, but the generals were already on the move. I found her sister sneaking around our rooms earlier so I knocked her unconscious and tied her in the basement." "You...Plum told me you went on a walk...don''t ever go on a walk alone again." She sighed, walking with him inside. "This wouldplicate a lot of things." Later that day. "I''ve brought the herbs." Ann walked into the room, rushing before Mary who slowly trailed behind her. She found Arad sitting inside with Echidna around arge table filled with scrolls, cursed totems, talismans, and bones. Looking closer at Arad, he seemed to be getting worse and worse every day since he absorbed her father. All of his muscles were nowhere to be seen, his skin nged closely to his bones, and his lips had cracked several times from dehydration. The curses had started fighting inside Arad since the day he absorbed Ann''s father, that was a week ago. Now all they have to do is perform the ritual to stabilize him. Chapter 1001: How Could We Cross The Sea? Chapter 1001: How Could We Cross The Sea? ? The assassin woman rushed to the inn''s basement and kicked the door open, jumping down the stairs with a single leap. Inside she found her sister tied up shibari style out and hanging down from the ceiling. "Sister!" She rushed in to remove her gag, "He did this to you?!" "No, it''s the woman with him. The one with red eyes." She cried and soon saw her, standing before her sister. Long red hair, glowing red eyes, and a sinister smile on her face. "Got a second toy?" Akasha giggled. The sister pulled a sword and swung it at Akasha''s neck, only for her to end up tied just like her sister in seconds. "You two would get killed if you went back after getting caught. So can you now tell me who exactly sent you so I can make sure they won''t be there to kill youter on?" "Who the hell would do that?" The older sister growled and the younger one confirmed after her. "And I thought the older one would be more reasonable." She approached the young sister and moved her hair aside, "See this beautiful clean neck of hers? And can you see my fangs?" It was just then that the two assassin sisters noticed that Akasha was a vampire. "I tried mind-controlling your younger sister to harmlessly get some information. But you two were fed a drug that prevents you from leaking information." "You''re a fiend?!" The older sister cried. "A pure-blood vampire and I''m not going to waste time here. You two really seem to be powerless ves following your master''s orders, or at least servants. You''ve got no say in what you''ll do, which is a blessing that you can''t even imagine." She giggled, "My lord clearly see the difference between the one giving orders and the powerless servants forced to follow those orders." She licked the younger sister''s neck and bite her, sucking her blood to thest drop. "LET HER GO00000000000000!" The older sister cried seeing her sister spazz to death. "I see...orphans picked up and trained from a young age to stealthy kill targets. Albeit your training seems to not have been enough when ites to dealing with monsters like me and my lord. You''ve got no family, no friends, just your job. This is all that you knew through your whole life, and would killed if someday you became useless." It didn''t matter if the sisters'' master died since there were multiple of him, it was a massive organization controlled by nobles and mainly directed by the king''s youngest princess. After finishing the younger sister, Akasha shifted her attention to the older sister and sucked her dry as well. Minutester, the two corpses started moving anding back to life. She freed them, "Now, you''re clean and on a new contract. You''ve got three rules." Akasha lifted one finger. "First, you can''t say no to me or my lord." She smiled, lifting the second finger, "All of your memories, thoughts, and feelings are shared with me and my lord." She giggled, "Andstly, feel free to act like humans until you get orders." The younger sister looked at her hands and Akasha smiled. "Come on, don''t worry. I already know I can hear your thoughts. Say it to my face, you''ll feel better." The younger sister sighed, "I won''t...we''ve just gone from being one person''s ves to another''s ves, same thing, different rules. But at least we don''t have to worry about aging and growing weaker with time and getting abandoned or killed for bing useless." "Yeah..." The older sister smiled, "We only have the sun to fear and holy water...and..." "Hold on a moment beautiful littledies..." Akasha smiled, "You still haven''t fully woken up, or did you? Look at me for a second until your blood realizes it." The first one to realize who was standing before them was the younger sister as she was turned first. Her face paled and she lunged to kiss Akasha''s feet, begging her to spare them. The older sister got confused for a second before her blood finally kicked in and she saw Akasha for the monster that she was. The woman standing before them wasn''t any vampire, she wasn''t any fiend. The woman before them was the Ancestor Vampire, the crimson queen of the night, Akasha. "Don''t worry babies, neither the sun nor holy water shall harm you. You''ve been born straight from my blood, you might be young now, but you''re now royalty between vampires." She turned and called them to stand, "You only bow to me and to my master." Akasha disappeared alongside the two sisters and returned to Arad''s blood with them. The two sisters weren''t even named but were given numbers in the assassin organization. 1-26-24 and 2-26-24, after knowing that Arad asked them to figure out names for themselves. Later on in Arad''s room Mary and Ann returned with everything they needed. "I''m going to start." Echidna said as she stood beside Arad''s bed, lifting her hands over him. "Let''s get it done." Her fingers shed ck as her curses slowly flew down like thorn vines to pierce his chest. "I bet it hurts a lot...or I think it should..." She looked at Arad''s face, "Does it?" "Kinda hurt a lot, but not something I can''t handle." He brushed it off like it was nothing. After getting hit with Da''s ps, nothing seems as painful. After knowing true pain, the stings of something like this feel like an annoying itch, nothing more. "You aren''t fun at all, are you?" Echidna sighed. The next day quickly came back and Mesharra was walking around the dogs with a strange young man, the prince of the neighboring kingdom that came to marry the princess. "So you''re are saying she''s the one leading an assassination group, right?" "That''s what my informant says. Still have no evidence to back that up." Mesharra looked at him and he giggled, "For me..." He smiled, "I''ve got my evidence, it''s called my eyes." He stopped and looked at the sea, "She gives me the creeps, too sweet, too gentle, too good to be true. I knew something was off about her, bitch probably wanted to use me to spread the assassins across our kingdom as well." "So about the payment..." She looked at him and he nodded, "Indeed, this information, especiallying from an inquisitor is worth it. You said you had something to smuggle across the deadly sea, what is it?" "Something important that needs to get across as fast as possible, and safely." She said as the two of them walked out of the docks and marched across the coast until they reached a hidden cave facing the sea. "I was the one to see the princess''s hand in marriage. Did you see her, ck hair, green eyes, she''s quite the stunning beauty." The prince smiled, "But I was a bit put off when I saw her attitude, it creeped me out." "And now? How will you deal with her?" Mesharra looked at him and he giggled. "Of course, I''ll get her. Now that I know what she is, I won''t be scared of her since I know how to act." He looked at the water flowing down the cave and a small boat was docked there with a woman sharpening her sword, she looked be a sailor. "You still on about that royal princess?" The sailor red at him and he smiled back at her. "Yep." His gaze shifted toward Mesharra, "It''s now about who''s gonna get fucked, and who''s doing the fucking. I shall be thetter." He pulled a ck g from the small box in the boat and threw it to Mesharra, "Leave whatever you want to smuggle in this cave and cover it with the g, my men would pick it up." "I didn''t think you were a pirate." Mesharra giggled, "I would''ve cleaved your head if I wasn''t under strict orders now." "Everyone has their shady business. And I hope your client will be a valuable friend in the future." He looked at her, "Believe me, pirates are more useful than assassins." Mesharra reached into her pocket and pulled out something small, throwing it to the prince. "Said to give you this. We paid by information, but this is a bonus to make sure you won''t stab us in the back." When the prince looked at his hand, it was a human fang, no, a vampire fang. He immediately recognized the marking on it, it belonged to the ancestor vampire Akasha. No one normally can get their hand on this, the ancestor vampire would kill them and retrieve it instantly. The fact that the monster isn''t here to kill them means she''s Mesharra''s client. "Are you fucking serious?" He gasped. "You''re smuggling a coffin." Mesharra started walking away, "You better not mess this up, or a third person would be doing the fucking, Prince Jack." After Mesharra left, the prince pulled out a cigarette and started smoking, "Shit Lacy, we got a real one at our hands." "You think she is in that coffin? Akasha herself." She mumbled. "You bet, those fangs don''te out of nowhere. They''re worth billions and directly controlled by Akasha. We''re moving a monster bigger than any Kraken or warship that we faced." He leaned at her, "Let''s get back to the ship, I''ll talk with everyone." "Can''t we refuse? It''s too risky." She looked at him with a worried face. "Too much money, reputation, and fame at the line to refuse. We get this job done and we got Akasha backing us up, this fang alone is worth more than what we made in the past two years." He looked at her, "We''re getting to the big leagues Lacy, we''re doing it now." He smiled, his hand shaking, "Let''s go, we got a lot of work to get done." **** When Echidna did her job and tried to bnce Arad''s curses, something strange happened. It seems that a normal human body doesn''t have what it takes to endure the two curses in the first ce. That is why Alcott remained sick for years while Arad being a dragon seemed unfazed by them. Alcott''s body slowly adapted to the curses through the years of sickness which gave him the possibility to wield the two curses. But Arad''s body now doesn''t have the luxury of time, so Echidna had to take a slightly drastic measure. With her curses, his body started going into a rapid metamorphosis to evolve enough ton/o/vel/b//in dot c//om handle the curses. The changes to his human body weren''t that big, his body needed to have a vastly superior vascr system with more veins and arteries, thicker and denser bones,rger lungs, more muscles, and an evolved stomach to be able to digest flesh and blood. Echidna used her curses to force Arad''s body to evolve by making several binding contracts. For example, As long as he doesn''t move for five days, that spare energy would grow in his veins. The cumtion of her curses led to Arad being paralyzed, weakened, and fast asleep, and he''ll be like that for a whole week as his body evolves. To save time, the girls decided to start heading across the sea with him still asleep. Arad wouldn''t want to be indebted to any kingdom right now so Mesharra decided to hire the pirates to smuggle him across the sea while they rode across the sea with Prince Jack on the royal warship as guests. Since Jack is captain of the pirates, such a thing would be easily arranged. To make sure Arad doesn''t get stuck with the prince, Mesharra makes sure to use Akasha''s reputation to make it seem like neither she nor Jack can control the situation. As she expected, the prince thinks that he, Mesharra, and everyone else are nothing more than pawns at Akasha''s y table. They either be good pieces and survive, or be bad ones and get eventually killed. When Jack''s pirates came to pick up the load, they saw the coffin covered with the ck g deep inside the cave. A ck wooden coffin with silver steel reinforcements, a massive golden symbol of Yog on it, and a sentence written with blood and holy water. [By Orders Unknown, Here Rests The Primordial Abyss.] [Blood For The Blood Lord] "We''re really doing it." The pirates carried the coffin with shaking hands and put it on their boat, transporting it all the way back to their main ship. Back in the warship, The girls were sitting inside the ballroom with the other nobles and royal family, enjoying a musical performance. Echidna was sitting beside the window wearing a fancy purple dress, swirling her ss of wine with arge grin on her face. "We''re really moving up in the world, aren''t we?" She looked at Mesharra. "Just don''t cause trouble." Mesharra sighed. "Are youdies enjoying your time?" Jack approached them, "I hope you found this ce to be at least a bitfy." "It is indeed, Prince Jack." Mary looked at him with a smile, "I never expected the inside of a warship to be like this." "This warship is made to transport the royal family. If it was made just for war then it would be like a barrack." His eyes shifted to the side where Ann was sipping her massive ss of juice with a straw, "And you little girl, enjoying the ride?" "Never been on a ship before, it feels a bit strange." She looked around, the whole ce was swinging with the waves. He looked at Mary, "So...you took that from her?" He asked with a worried face. "Couldn''t find it." Mary sighed, "She''s good at hiding them." Chapter 1002: Let Yog Sort Them Out Chapter 1002: Let Yog Sort Them Out ? "Or that she doesn''t have any." Prince Jack patted Ann''s head, "Little girls like you shouldn''t be carrying weapons around. You''re way cuter like this." Later that day Prince Jack found that Ann was carrying a gun after the riding inspection of the warship albeit that everyone was told that carrying weapons aboard is forbidden on everyone. What scared him the most was that she managed to get that gun past the security. "Get your hand off my head." She pushed his palm away, but he kept patting her, "What will you do if I don''t stop?" "I''ll shoot you." At that moment, Jack felt something hard pushing against his thigh. When he looked down he saw a flintlock pointed at him. She still had it, this little girl is dangerous. "Got it!" Jack instantly swung his hand down to snatch the gun from her, but he only ended up with a spoon in his hand. "Where did it go?" "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Ann pretended she knew nothing and went back to drinking her juice. "Where do you keep it?" Jack growled and she ignored him. "Well." He sighed, looking at Mary, "Keep an eye on her. Things would get moreplicated than I can handle if she shoots someone." "Things would get moreplicated if you harm her." Echidna red at him, "You don''t want the honored guest getting mad." Jack was told before that Ann belongs to Akasha and that is why they are carrying her with them. To him, he couldn''t care less what Akasha needed to do with this little girl, all he cared about was getting this mission done without a hitch. In reality, Ann is being kept by Arad now that her father died and she was left alone. The girls knew that if she was to get harmed, Arad wouldn''t be happy about it and some people might end up dead. As Jack left Mesharra asked Ann, "But honestly, where do you keep that gun? They inspect all passengers for weapons and storage magic. How did you get past them?" Even Mesharra and Echidna couldn''t hide weapons or magic. Poor Echidna had to disable her curses half a day before so they fade all from her body only to be allowed in the warship. Of course, she activated them right after riding, but that''s beside the point. "You''ll take them from me if I told you." Ann replied with a smug smile. **** On the pirate ship, several people were peeking into the inner rooms where the coffin was kept, tied to the wooden floor with ropes and hooks. "I can''t even take a nap. Are we really moving her?" "Yeah man, the queen of the night is asleep inside that coffin. I heard she''s as pale as snow and her hair is redder than blood." He giggled and his friend beside him smacked him in the face, "Get that thought out of your head, that''s a monster. You''ll only be sticking it in a meat grinder." They looked to the side where the other sailors were feeding pigeons. "Once we finish this job we''ll get enough money to set us for life. You''ll never think of her ever again." One of the pigeons flew to them andnded on the shoulder of one of them, peeking through the hole at the coffin. One of them giggled, "See? Even those pigeons are scared of him." He then hushed the pigeon away, "You fools! Stop feeding them, we''ll need that bread!" He stood, "And you''re just baiting them away fromnd, they''ll get tired and fall to the sea before managing to fly back." "We already know..." One scowled, "We''re fattening them up... we can scoop themter from the water." He giggled and another oneughed, "Or we''ll harpoon the fish trying to eat them." As the sailorsughed aboard the ship, one of the pigeons flew to the back of the ship and made its way to the window of the captain''s room. As itnded, she could see an old man looking down at a map, mumbling to himself as he tried to figure out the quickest path through the wild tempers of the deadly sea. He has multiple storms, Kraken spots, whirlpools, andpass-less zones marked with red. "Drop it in the sea..." A deep voice boomed from the window and the old man slowly looked back, seeing the pigeon ring at him. "Did you just speak?" In the blink of an eye, he lunged forward, thrusting his sword at it. The pigeon caught the de with its beak, breaking it with ease. "Foolish human, the devil you carry upon your ship shouldn''t be allowed to exist." The pigeon''s voice boomed again, "Throw it in the sea, bury it in the depth of the unknown ocean and it shall not terrorize the world any longer." "A brass dragon? Finally one paid us a visit. Heard your kind like to meddle in the seas a lot." The old man growled, "Sorry, but we can''tply. Our hands are tied, we''ll get the coffin where it should go. Fight it for all we care afterward, don''t get us mixed in your problems." "Foolish human, can''t you see it? If the monster gets buried beneath the sea it won''te after you again. This is the world''s golden chance to get rid of her." The pigeon pped its wings, "I can sense it from here, the dark powers of Akasha, she''s the one asleep in that coffin. Rid the world of her evil, I''ll give you five days." It flew away. The old man growled, "Should I contact the captain...no, too risky he''s on a warship now." He scratched his head, looking back at the map, "That dragon must''ve seen our course and memorized it. That''s how it''ll find us five days from now." He quickly changed their route. After one day they''ll go on a different path, one that is a bit risky but should allow them to avoid the dragon five days from now. **** Five dayster, the dragon didn''t show up. The old man''s n seemed to have worked for the time being, but he knew better not to underestimate a dragon''s ability to find people, especially in the open sea. He had the man upon the ship cast several camouge spells daily and made sure to erase any trail they might leave, whether it was magic or waste thrown into the sea. The warship seems to be about tond which means they should be able to deliver Arad tomorrow. While most trips across the sea can take years, the pirates and military war generals have both studied the sea for generations and know it like the palm of their hands. Some thunderstorms in the sea keep raging for years and block the path of all ships, thepass-less zones can keep a ship sailing in the same ce for months before they find out. It''s now expected to have at least one or two disasters like those in each trip which cause normal trips to take a lot of time. To the military, it''s best if only they could effectively sail the sea so that''s why normal ships were never allowed the necessary information to sail the dangerous sea. "I even gave you one extra day." The pigeon was sitting in the window, ring back at the old man. "You! How did you find us?" The old man growled. "I never left. I remained on the ship, as a barnacle on its bottom. We''re above a nice deep crack on the bottom of the sea. Drop her here and she''ll nevere back out." The pigeon red at the old man, "This is myst warning, pirates." "Never, why don''t you go drop her then? You know she''ll kill anyone who approaches the coffin." The old man smiled, "I know you brass dragons would kill us pirates without batting an eye. You would''ve sunk this ship whole if you didn''t fear her, do you?" "So you want me to gamble on it? Will she wake up or not?" The pigeon giggled, "Unlike you petty thieves, I gave you a nice chance to redeem yourselves. And now I shall prove to you that I''m not as spineless as you fools." The pigeon flew out and reached the sky. The old man jumped out to the deck and screamed, "Everyone! Get out of the ship, escape immediately!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. The pigeon flew into the sky, its body expanding and its feathers falling off. Massive ws, scales, and lightning crackled from it as it shifted into a massive brass dragon that was almost twice as big as the ship itself. Everyone in the pirate ship paled and those who were all the way in the warship could spot the dragon emerging engulfed with roaring thunder. "What''s that!" The king cried and Jack growled, he knew that was the direction his pirate ship was supposed to be in. The ship should be camouged with magic, but he was certain the dragon must be targeting it. "Shit, this is bad." Jack looked back, seeing Mesharra and Echidna rushing to the deck to look, "This is bad, isn''t it?" Mesharra growled. Echidna lifted her hands, "I''ll try something." But Plumnded on her hands and tied them, "Don''t, it''lle to sink us right after." They could try to rescue Arad from the depths of the seater, but if they got killed now then no one would pull him out. But sadly, in that fraction of a second that Echidna was about to use her curses, the brass dragon sensed her magic. ^A witch? Akasha''s associate? I''ll deal with her if I survive this. The brass dragon looked down at the ship and roared. "Shall my deathe today! I would''ve died saving the world." Lightning exploded from his back the clouds started spinning behind him, charging with magic and lightning. "Sink to the depth of the underworld, devil!" He opened his massive maw pointing at the ship and a st ofpressed air exploded in a massive shockwave. The shockwave breath was aimed straight at the coffin and it hit it square in the middle. The water around the ship exploded and flew hundreds of meters into the air as a massive wave was pushed in all directions. Everyone in the pirate ship died instantly as the ship shattered and sank deep into the dark depths of the ocean. The brass dragon remained floating above the location for several minutes awaiting Akasha to retaliate, but nothing came out.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Today a devil died! A long-awaited victory for all that is good!" The dragon roared, spinning backward in the air before his gazes shifted, "Many souls died, but it''s not my job to care. Kill them all and let Yog sort them out." His gaze shifted toward Echidna, "Too many innocent people around a vile witch." He shifted into his humanoid form, a young man with long green hair, glowing emerald eyes, and thunder crackling behind his back. His humanoid form would make it easier to fight without causing too much coteral damage. In the blink of an eye, he flew toward the warship where Echidna was using shockwaves that exploded from beneath his feet. He clenched a fist, aiming to punch her in the face as hard as he could. "One swift hit and no one besides the witch shall be harmed." As he was just a few meters away from the warship, no one had yet managed to reach him thanks to his speed. For a moment he thought it would be a quick kill, but at that moment he noticed something strange. A little girl pointed a rifle at him. Right behind Echidna, a little girl sat on arge cannon, pointing a hunting rifle straight at his face. "How..." BANG! Ann fired one shot, hitting him straight in the left eye. Chapter 1003: Which Is Better? Chapter 1003: Which Is Better? ? The bullet bounced off the nictitating membrane of the dragon''s left eye, barely scratching it. Even so, it felt just as painful and annoying as when a mosquito found its way into the eye of a fast-riding human. That flinch and the sting was enough for him to change his target instinctively. With a swift jump, he flew past Echidna, swinging his fist at Ann. "Are you even human?" He couldn''t believe that a little human girl managed to snipe his eyes and with a shitty-looking rifle no less. At that moment, Mesharra jumped in, punching the dragon''s wrist with all her might. She pushed the punch away from Ann, but that had cost her her knuckles. Punching the dragon barehanded felt like punching solid steel...no, solid Brass...this bastard is an ancient brass dragon. From the inner depths of the warship and through a door that smacked open, tens of wooden spikes flew out at a blinding speed, aiming at the dragon''s vital organs. His glowing eyes looked to the side, seeing the wood approaching him in slow motion. Wood can''t scratch brass, his scales should easily deflect it...no, they won''t try something so useless...He swung his fists, shattering the wooden spikes one after another with swift and acrobatic moves. When he shed some with his ws he noticed that his ws had dulled a bit, as if he was cutting steel and not wood. Plum flew out of the inside of the ship with a wooden chair in her hand, that was the one inside. She swung at the dragon''s head, but he swung back at her. At thest moment, she used her size magic to shrink herself and the chair, slipping between the dragon''s ws before erging the chair back and hitting him in the face. "All or nothing!" Echidna smacked her hands on the ground, [Forgotten Time] Therge wooden and steel warship cracked, and nts and vines started growing from every crack of it until the deck looked like a wild jungle. [Forgotten Time] is a temporary curse that turns something into the state that it should be in if it was forgotten for a long time. Echidna knew that she couldn''t beat the dragon, Mesharra couldn''t even keep him at bay without her armor and weapons, and Plum didn''t have any nts or trees to fight with here in the middle of the ocean. Plum wasn''t as evil as Echidna, she would never risk the lives of everyone else in the warship, even if she were to die she wouldn''t use the warship''s wooden frame to fight. But if Echidna was the one to deliver the blow, Plum would have no reason to hold back. The warship already sinking thanks to Echidna''s curse and the massive outgrowth of nts and trees everywhere. Plum growled, "You witch!" Plum shifted into a humanoid size and jumped at the dragon, swinging a clenched fist, covered in wooden armor.N?v(el)B\\jnn The dragon deflected her punch but a kick flew soon after, hitting him in the face. Those moves didn''t belong to a being that lived for a few decades or centuries, this fairy is old, and she had survived far more battles than he did. He outsses her in raw strength and speed, but she outsses him in technique. As their hand-to-hand sh grew hotter, Mesharra jumped in swinging a fist at the dragon''s face. He dodged her strike while using his strength superiority to power through one of Plum''s kicks. "Annoying!" He growled, ring at Mesharra as he swung a blinding fist at her chest. Mesharra was fast enough to react, lifting a cross-guard up and attempting to block the hit, but the moment the fist hit her guard, she could feel a powerful shockwave travels through her whole body. Blood was forced out of her mouth, ears, and nose as what was inside her bowels emptied from below, the only thing she could hear was the sound of her ribs cracking as the world shed before her eyes. With a st, she was punched all the way to the shore; her soul barely hanging down to her flesh. That had felt like taking a cannon to the stomach, such an impact, that dragon wasn''t someone they should fight like this... "A human took my fist on her bare flesh and remained in one piece? Alive?" He couldn''t believe his eyes, "I''m an ancient dragon!" He didn''t know whether it was due to luck ora result of Mesharra''s own durability and power, but one thing was clear to him. She shouldn''t be allowed to live and grow stronger, a human with her power could turn evil and threaten the whole world. As he was preparing to lung straight at Mesharra, ignoring everyone else until he killed her. Something came flying toward his face. BANG! A bullet hit the dragon right in the eye, and when he looked it was Ann again. The little girl was giving him the creeps, how in the hell can she hit him? He''s moving fast enough that most humans won''t even be able to see him move. This warship was filled with trained Marines and armed war veterans, yet no one of them had managed to meaningfully react to him or fight back. Mesharra survives his punch, and this little girl surpasses human reaction speed like it''s nothing, the little one has even hit his left eye again, she''s aiming for the same spot to damage it. One in a thousand, no, in a million years could pass without a single human being born with their talent, yet he''s now facing two. He smacked his foot on the ground, [Vospell] A circle of light appeared around Ann and she gasped, looking around with a confused expression on her face. She had never seen such magic before and was taken off guard by it. [Vospell] was a unique spell that he created, its effect was simple, it only worked once a day and would teleport anything that fit in a meter radius to hisir no matter what it was. In the blink of an eye, Ann found herself in a somewhat dark cave far beneath the surface, their of that brass dragon. Brass dragons usually swim to the depths of the sea and look for caves there, which they would expand to build theirirs and fill them with air and their hoard. Such air provides amazing defensive capabilities against intruders which makes it perfect for raising their young. Standing right behind Ann was a massive adult brass drakaina. She stared down at her, "Was he fighting? And such a cute little girl with an eyepatch?" She prowled around Ann, "But...if he sent you here that means he deemed you evil, and the battle is holding enough of his ws that he can''t deal with you." She extended her ws, "You''re stuck here with me, little girl. I''ll make it quick and gentle. Don''t resist for your own good." Ann didn''t even move, she kept ring forward with an expressionless face, her one eye fixated on the tip of her rifle. "It was supposed to be just a sad father and daughter story..." She mumbled, lifting her rifle. **** Upon the warship, Plum and Echidna charged at the brass dragon to try and stop him. They knew that wherever he sent Ann, she wouldn''t survive for long. They must finish him in seconds and find her before it''s all toote. They must find Arad and save him as well, the mission granted to them by Yog is falling apart and they can''t do anything about it. The dragon managed to slip between Echidna and Plum, leaping toward the shore with a powerful jump assist by his brass wings that just grew out of his back. Thud! A hand grabbed him by the neck, he looked back and saw Plum''s arm extending over a hundred meters to him. "What are you made from?!" Plum at the same time grew her other arm farrger and grabbed Echidna and Mary, throwing them all the way toward Mesharra to heal her before she could die. At the same time, she pulled the brass dragon toward her and kicked him into the ocean. He swam to the surface and looked at the sky, seeing a titanic barefoot falling down on him. He shifted to his draconic form to try and fight back, but even in his draconic form, he could fit right beneath her foot. Plum was towering over the shores, her body burning with mystical green magic as her eyes dripped mana and her head touched the clouds. "Dragon, don''t underestimate the fairies." She pushed him deep into the sea with her foot, trying to use the change in pressure to kill him. The ship rapidly turned back to normal as Echidna''s curse faded away, she''s now far enough for that to happen. At the same time, Jack who stood on the deck looked at the sky, "That''s gotta be the thickest ass I''ve ever seen." His assistant Lacy pulled him by the arm, "That''s an illusion, mines are bigger, nowe with me to steer the damned ship." "Literal mountains..." he mumbled as Lacy dragged him to the captain''s quarter where they started steering the ship backward to avoid the ongoing battle. Lacy looked around and the ship''s captain was busy running around trying to get the terrified soldiers back in order. None of them had ever felt the fearful presence of a dragon, let alone had experienced being almost stomped down by a titan. "Move! MOVE!" The captain shook two of his assistants, the ones responsible for operating the ship''s engine. "We can only move with the first gear! Go shift it to the fifth before she steps on us!" "Is that a bad thing?" One looked at him with a still dumbfounded face. And two more agreed with him, one adding, "I rather she fell on us, with her butt..." The captain''s head turned into a boiling tomato from rage as he swung his fist at one of them, "Get the fuck moving or I''ll rip your balls out!" As the marines rushed back to do their duty, the captain joined Jack on the steering wheels as he tookmand of the back fins and the throttle. "Going back, full st!" He growled. "Then I''m steering out of the way!" Jack replied with a smile on his face as he spun the wheel. "Captain, be honest with me, which is better. Steps on us, or sits on us?" The captain red at him, but couldn''t scream, this is the prince. "Neither, boobs." "Shit man, I was talking about what could kill us faster. You horny as those soldiers?" Jack laughed at him and the captain finally snapped, "You son of a..." But at thest moment, he managed to hold his tongue. Chapter 1004: The Monster Slayer Chapter 1004: The Monster yer ? The brass dragon growled, feeling his ribs almost cracking beneath Plum''s massive foot. Brass dragons are amphibians but don''t have gills. Their massive lungs could process both water and air at the dragon''s will. He won''t drown no matter how long he stays beneath the water, but now he can''t breathe properly since Plum''s foot is squishing his chest, preventing him from breathing. As he struggled, his eyes spotted something in the distance that made him question his life, it made rats spawn in his head to try and figure out what in the nine hells his eyes were drinking to see such an illusion. Ann was swimming to the surface from the depth of the sea. ^This titan fairy is knee-deep into the sea... we''re six hundred meters deep... no...myir is over three kilometers deep. What in the Bahamut is that thing?!^ He growled before blood could rush into his head...^No, my wife was in their, how did that thing get out...she didn''t leave to hunt, did she?^ Thinking about that won''t change the fact that Ann somehow managed to escape and is swimming up. The brass dragon decided to deal with Plum first, he''ll then get to the bottom of what Ann is. This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1005: Born Anew Chapter 1005: Born Anew ? The dragon froze as the ship he destroyed slowly emerged out of the silent sea. The countless cracks on it pulsed with a burning red magic like a beating heart. The sea turned red and the sun burst into a crimson re. With his powerful eyesight, the dragon could see him, arge man standing on the bowsprit''s tip, looking toward the shore with a passive face and burning red eyes. DING! DONG! DING! DONG! DING! DONG! DING! DONG! DING! DONG! A man stood atop the crow''s nest, ringing the ship''s bell with arge smile on his face. All the sailors stood on the deck, some of them climbing thes and mast while chanting. "A man? Wasn''t Akasha a woman?" The dragon looked confused for a second, he was certain that the man standing on the bowsprit was a vampire as was everyone else on the ship. But something was off about that man, his power as a vampire far outssed everyone else and it had a strange hint on it, a wild smell, wet fur...a werewolf. Arad jumped from the bowsprit, gracefully floating toward the water. The moment his foot touched the water he sted forward running on all four. There was no magic, just the raw power and agility of his lycanthropic blood had allowed him to run on water. The dragon pulled arge crystal from his magic pocket and crushed it in his w, fully healing all of his wounds and restoring his magic and stamina. He had a whole week to prepare for a potential fight with Akasha, of course, he''s brought some powerful healing items. This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1006: The First Pricolici Chapter 1006: The First Pricolici ? The dragon pped his wings, sting the steam and fire away as he roared into the heavens, "I was right! You''re an evil that must be eliminated from this world!" The dragon''s wounds healed in an instant as massive steel tes covered his whole body. Everyone in the city gasped as this was the first time in their lives that they saw such a thing. Some have heard of it, but seeing it firsthand made some of them not able to stand. The bronze dragon red at Arad, wearing a full set of draconic te armor over his body, holding a massive halberd in his w. The halberd''s head alone was the size of a house, let alone the street-long shaft. Dragons can wear armor and use weapons as well, all intelligent monsters do it. But to them it was far too shameful, to cover their scales with mundane metal was akin to admitting defeat. Clearly saying that they are fully aware their scales, their ws, and their magic aren''t enough to defeat whatever being stands before them. This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1007: PRAY! Chapter 1007: PRAY! ? "Father, what should we do?" A nun approached the father as he sat beside Ann''s body. "Nothing, it''s in Yog''s hand now. Poorss bled into her belly and died in seconds. She was already gone when we arrived." He looked at her, "Sneak around the back, warn everyone. That demon will kill the dragon first for his bloody revenge, and then lump us with him." "Can''t you use resurrection magic?" The nun asked. She knew that evacuating the whole city was impossible. There was no way everyone would be able to run away from Arad; he''d hunt them down in minutes. "Not here, we must be in the church. And even so, this whole ce is now bloodsoaked with death and filth. Her body is already damaged, especially the brain." He shook his head, "Even if I brought her back, she''d never open her eyes again. She''ll be nothing but a breathing corpse, vegetables have more life in them." Mary was there, she had tried to heal Ann but reached the same conclusion as the father. Bringing Ann back won''t help anyone, it''ll just make things worse... She growled and rushed toward Ann, "Fine, if she''s in Yog''s hands, we might leave everything for her." Mary put her hands together and a massive divine circle emerged in the sky above her. She started bleeding from her nose and ears as her skin burned with divine, falling down like grilled meat. This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1008: The Afterlife and Punishment Chapter 1008: The Afterlife and Punishment ? The dragon stared back at Arad''s burning red eyes and roared. A silver stake emerged right from his mouth, piercing Arad''s heart. Without wasting a second, the dragon immediately followed with a full-power lightning breath, putting all his remaining energy to ensure he evaporated Arad''s whole body. "Hahahahaha! That silver stake had been prepared for a hundred years to y Akasha. I don''t know how you did it, but you have her powers, which also means her weakness. Go back to Yog and regret your deeds in hell...GUH!" His face twisted as he stoppedughing. Arad''s body appeared after the lightning cleared, he was standing unharmed with the stake still wedged in his heart. Arad slowly reached up and pulled the stake out, putting it in his pocket to sellter, silver is expensive. "Sorry, but I seem to have two hearts now." He lifted his arms. ursed ck me roared from his left arm while divine lightning thundered from his right arm. Arad''s body started growingrger andrger until he looked like a titan holding the heavens above the dragon''s head, ring down at him with a smile. **** Echidna gasped, "Those curses! When did...no, he painted my nails." Arad was using her curses and she could tell how he did it, she didn''t teach him a thing. But she quickly realized that Arad''s skills with curses were already high, his human body was the only thing holding him back. "That''s my weather magic!" Mesharra cried, terrified and amazed. It took her ten years of study and even more battle experience to use that magic well, and Arad had now pulled it out of nowhere. "He was watching and learning." Echidna growled, "Now that I''m thinking about it, how could he read a book once and learn everything in it? His learning speed is abnormal." Plum who was in the mountain had also noticed that Arad was the one who protected everyone earlier with nt magic, and he had now made himself bigger with size magic. She did use it a lot before him, but size magic is supposed to be something that only fairies can cast, Humans replicated it through spells, but those were extremely hard to learn. "Is he some kind of ancient deity?" Mary looked up, "But..." She could see Arad towering over the clouds, his muscr body glowing with magic as if it was sculpted from marble. Yog had asked her to worship Arad, and now he was looking more and more like a god, a being far above mortals and one that they could only look up to. "He looks...so...beautiful." Arad clenched his fists together, mixing the cursed ck me and the divine lightning into a single ck-and-white crackle of magic, "Yog isn''t stupid enough to curse hell with me." Arad swung his fists down and crushed the dragon down like a bear crushing a tiny bird, sttering him all over the sea floor. The massive waves exploding back were stopped by a massive wall of trees that Arad forced to grow from the seaweed on the shore. "I do not have the right to tell the people of this world how to live their lives...but this was for the murder of the pirates, the fish, the fishermen, the soldiers, the injured, the scared, the destroyed homes and lives..." Arad''s voice boomed across the sky, everyone in the kingdom behind him could hear his words. "Justice and righteous deeds are arbitrary, even if your actions were justified, you died today for killing my daughter Ann. How am I going to face her father now?" Arad slowly shrunk back to his normal size andnded on the shore before Mary and the others. "Time to clean everything up. That dragon caused us enough trouble." This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1009: Our Monster Chapter 1009: Our Monster ? Arad returned with Altair, and the dragon-hunting journey started immediately. Arad, now a powerful Pricolici with a vampire and werewolf pirate crew and a massive horde of cursed sea monsters, had found himself with enough power to feel confident again. The poor Prince Jack had found himself without his pirate crew, it was a devastating event, but he didn''t me it on Arad as this wasn''t the first time a dragon sank a pirate ship. He quickly formed a new crew and set them to work again, thankful that he didn''t send his assistant with them or she would''ve died. At this moment, Arad was sitting with Jack and the king in a meeting at the royal pce. The king''s advisors as well as Mary, Mesharra, Echidna, Plum, and even Altair were all present. They all saw what Arad could do so no one dared speak up first, just seeing him sitting on a throne just like the king on the opposite side of the table was enough symbol of status, but the king went far enough to yield him the right to speak first. "Strange attacks by mainly cold monsters, like yetis, white dragons and drakes, cryomancers, and even a titanic ice golem... that looks fun." He giggled with an evil smile. "That''s a Moving cier, it''s considered a construct like a golem, but this one has a personality and a mind of its own." An old woman who looked in her mid-fifties spoke, giving Arad a sharp nce. "The one we spotted is five miles tall and has a roaring blizzard of snow and hail that howels around it spanning over fifty miles in each direction." This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1010: A Warm Recruiting Chapter 1010: A Warm Recruiting ? The good people of the city of Talmbron were living their lives normally as they had been for the past few years,ing back from their work in the evening. The sky turned red as a massive st burst from the mountain range near the city, the shockwave almost ripped the city from its roots if not for its protective barrier taking the burnt of the damage. The people had fallen to their knees from the impact and looked up at the shattering barrier, the first thing they could hear was the deafening roar of a dragon followed by a peal of demonicughter rumbling across the sky. The guards who rushed to the towers and looked with scoops managed to catch a glimpse of the chaos. The mountain range was set aze as the dragon they so feared for decades was now fighting a massive burning red and ck magic. Secondster a carriage stopped by their front gate where Mesharra was driving. The guards stared down with terrified faces, but it seemed their lord''s father was in the carriage, he was the one who went to a meeting with the king a week ago. "Open the damned gate!" Their lord''s father yelled, the carriage barely managed to survive the st earlier and he didn''t want to die just yet. The guards rushed in and opened the gate. When inside, the lord''s father jumped out of the carriage, dropping on his face with a terrified sweaty face. "I didn''t know it''d be like this... damn it, what was that?!" This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1011: Coffee Break Chapter 1011: Coffee Break ? "My lord, I can see the storm. It''s around an hour''s walk to the north." A vampire woman called back to Arad through their blood. "Should I investigate further?" ^No, return immediately. It''s too dangerous.^ Arad''s voice resonated inside her head. ^If you froze then I''ll have no way to find you besides sniffing in the snow. And I doubt it''ll be a good experience for you either.^ "It''s already freezing here. Getting into the storm shouldn''t be a problem." The storm did look bad, but that was for humans. She''s a vampire, she should be able to endure it... ^You''ll die, that isn''t a normal storm, it''s sustained with magic. In my world, we would''ve called that an elemental expansion. Get in there and the Moving cier''s magic will freeze you to death, it''ll be a waste for you to get lost in the snow aftering back.^ After Arad saved her from the dragon''s den and she got to meet her parents oncest time she wanted to help Arad through his trip as thest things she''ll do in life. After he leaves for his world she will give her vampirism up and herself and die to return to Yog''s embrace. She was a nun after all, and just like how hardheaded all of them, she still believed a monster like she had be now should only live for a noble goal. This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1012: Blood Tornado Chapter 1012: Blood Tornado ? The Moving cier slowly lifted its head, ring into the horizon with its rumbling blue eyes of magic. One of the two white dragons sitting on his shoulders asked, "What''s the matter?" "Here hees." The Moving cier replied with a deep growl. "Who?" "Nothing, absolute darkness, the point of what before existence." The Moving cier smacked its fists together and got ready. "Let''s pray my armorsts." "Who are you talking..." Then, one of the dragons could finally sense Arad, which wasn''t any ordinary feeling. Usually when sensing someone or something, you sense them, as expected. But Arad''s felt different, the fact that they didn''t feel him at all, his presence was nothing more than an empty hole in the reality that their senses could perceive. "What is that thing? This is nothing like what Gamond described. Where is therge man with extraordinary magical abilities?" The other dragon cried, terrified at the mere sense of Arad being nearby. This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1013: The Queens Toy Chapter 1013: The Queen''s Toy ? Click! Undine flicked her fingers and a massive explosion of ice burst above her head, massive spikes of ice the size of trees flew in all directions, piercing everything that moved: Arad''s dragons, griffins, her wyverns, and the still-alive white dragon. In the blink of an eye, she killed everyone besides herself and Arad who quickly regenerated. "Heee!" Arad couldn''t even clearly see her face, only her two glowing eyes and glowing sharp teeth decorating her evil grin like an opal crown. His head flew back to his body with arge bloodstream, he healed in a second and turned around, swinging his arm, flinging a whip of blood, and shing her across the torso. Her upper and lower body seemed divorced for a second, only for Arad to realize that she wasn''t bleeding. "AH! You split me in half..." She gasped, and quickly growled a lion, a massive monster with a deep, rumbling roar. "CUTTING WATER?" Undine reconnected her body and cut Arad in half across the torso, "NOW TRY THAT A THOUSAND TIMES AND IT MIGHT WORK!" Arad healed and pped his wings, running away as fast as he could. That little fairy is a problem that he isn''t ready for, she out-scales him massively in both magic and defense. She survived the bullet, which even if he used a piercing art on it, with how small a fairy is, the spherical bullet would hit her with a smashing hit. shes won''t work, pierces won''t work, and even smash attacks won''t work. For a second he thought about freezing her, but she was driving a massive cier around. Everything is useless against her, and for now, he must run away to buy time and think of another n. "Running away, are we? How cute." Undine was sitting on Arad''s neck as he flew away. "All living beings are mostly made of water. I''ll track you even if you go to the other side of the world." This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1014: The Plan For Gamond Chapter 1014: The n For Gamond ? Arad''s eyes opened wide as he saw Undine sitting on his chest. She shifted her seat and started kicking his chin with her foot, "Why aren''t you saying anything? Don''t tell me the brain damage got you." She looked at him for a second and then gasped with a surprised face, "Yeah! I almost forgot!" She looked at him with a smile, "I didn''t want you to go on a rampage right after waking up so I locked your body with my water." She waved her hand and pulled the written contract, "I had you sign this and now I''m your ve. I''ve seen that you had some remnant magic of wind spirit queen on your soul so I wanted a part in the fun as well." She then flicked the contract away and leaned on Arad''s nose with her hands, staring directly at his eyes. "Even with my help, I doubt we''ll be able to defeat Gamond." She then flicked her fingers and he could move again. Using her water control allows her to directly control the water inside a target''s body and use them like dolls. Arad sat up and she sat on his thigh, "Are you angry that I beat you? Don''t worry, you can beat me now." Undine is the only one here who directly saw Gamond and she seems to have a pretty good idea about her power. Her existence might be crucial for the final battle. Arad also had no direct grudge toward Undine, his loss was his own mistake for charging like that without an even bigger n. He had never expected that someone of Undine caliber was inside the Moving cier. What''s more, Undine is now enved, she can''t do anything to defend herself even if she wants to. All of her power and future are bound to his hands, she will only be free again once he dies. Echidna stared at them for a second, "Arad...does this mean you now have the full power of the water spirit queen at your hands?" "He does." Undine replied with a smile, "With a flick of his fingers he could lift all the water of the seas and drown the whole world." She then looked at Plum, "It''d be better if you saw him as the water spirit king now." Arad sighed, "This doesn''t make any sense." This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now Chapter 1015: Setting The Final Stage Chapter 1015: Setting The Final Stage ? "I can smell him from here." Gamond smiled, "And that fairy seems to have taken a seat at his side, she''s smarter than I thought." Four creatures were present before Gamond''s throne, she had gotten them for the sole reason of getting rid of Arad''spanions. She wanted to face Arad alone, no one else was allowed to interrupt their precious time. One of the four, a fair halfling angel with four white wings looked at Gamond with her eyes closed, "That fairy is the water spirit queen." She was Lin, one of Yog''s angels and the one Gamond got to face Echidna. "I know that. I just thought she''d get bored once Arad lost to her. Seeing him lose dropped my hopes a bit, but I know that his true power is farrger than what he has in this world. You make sure to put that witch Echidna in her ce." Lin bowed, "You can count on me. My divine goddess Yog has entrusted me with helping you and I intend to deliver a performance worthy of her name." "Huh!" A naked demon woman with a lower torso of guts, bones, and writhing fleshughed at her, "What? You''ll kill her with jokes? y a funny prank on her? Don''t make meugh, take this seriously and fight as if your life depends on it." The one speaking was the demon Balio, a flesh demon that Gamond summoned to put a stop to Mesharra. "Balio, you''re the only one whose life depends on winning this." The robotic voice of this mechanical maid echoed through the whole throne room. "Don''t mess this up." Yog employs hordes of mechanical maids and servants all through her divine domain since they won''t spill the secrets of her magic, and also since she could use them as scouts through the whole multiverse. Balio growled, "Tin scarp, mind your own business." This is the end of Part One. Upgrade Premium to read full content: Upgrade Now The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!